After a day of travel, we came to a stop by a river to wash up and eat. Jin and I sat by a small campfire, grilling the fish we caught earlier. The warmth of the fire felt good against the calming air.
"Takeda…" Director Jin finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through my thoughts, "I know you're the type who doesn't waste time. You're constantly pushing yourself, always looking to train. It's obvious." He paused, his lips going into a slight smile. "I'll tell you this—I won't make this just a boring travel. During our stops, we'll be training together."
My heart raced in excitement. My blood stirred at the thought of training with someone as powerful as Jin. This was an opportunity I couldn't waste.
He continued, "What I showed you back at the manor was a simple fluke. I didn't want to hurt you. But, when I spoke with your father, I asked him more about you."
He glanced at me, his eyes sharp. "Your father told me you could've kept going. So, how about it? Let me see how much potential you truly have, brat." His smirk deepening
I stood up, adrenaline coursing through my body, my body practically begging for the chance to test my limits. But before I could draw my weapon, Jin held up a hand. "No swords this time. Let's see how you handle things without it."
"Yes, sir. I look forward to learning from you." I said, bowing slightly in respect before getting into position.
As I set my short sword aside, that same overwhelming aura from before washed over me—dominating, suffocating. Director Jin wasn't someone I could beat, not yet. No matter how many attempts I made, I knew i couldn't. At my current level, I was nowhere near his strength.
Same as last time. No bonus objective this time, though. Well, at least the rewards will push me to level 10. That's something.
Without hesitation, I activated Phantom Step. My body blurred as I slipped between the shadows, my presence vanishing from sight. I darted behind Jin, aiming a strike at his blind spot, but his movements were too sharp. He dodged effortlessly, as if he'd predicted my every move.
"That technique… is it a shadow technique?" he asked, deflecting my rapid punches not even breaking a sweat.
I didn't answer. Instead, I used Phantom Step again, this time leaving multiple afterimages to throw him off. I moved behind him once more and swept at his legs, but Jin leapt into the air to dodge. As he rose, I jumped upward, launching an uppercut aimed at his chin with all the force I could muster.
"You rely too much on speed." Jin remarked, sidestepping my punch. "It's good, but predictable. That's your flaw. If you want to move with the shadows, you must become one."
He was right. I'd gotten too excited, and acted too rashly. I completely forgotten the lessons from my father—and my past life. Patience and timing were an assassin's greatest weapons. I had to be smarter, not faster.
"My apologies, Director Jin." I replied, smirking as I adjusted my stance. This time, I moved more deliberately, feigning a punch before jumping into the air. I drove myself down toward him, aiming my legs at his head. To my surprise, he caught me midair by the legs, his expression amused.
With a flick of his wrist, he threw me to the ground. I rolled to my feet in an instant, activating Phantom Step once more. This time, I left no afterimages. I waited patiently in the shadows, my breath steady. This was my chance to strike.
And yet, before I could make my move, Jin appeared directly in front of me, his hand wrapping around my throat. "Gotcha." he said with a grin, holding me into the air. Before he could toss me aside, I drove my fist into his chest. He stumbled back, releasing me.
"Not bad." he said, catching his breath. "As I thought, you truly do have potential."
<+3 Skill Points have been added to your skill point count!>
<1x Mystery Box has been added to your inventory!>
<+300 XP has been added to your XP count.>
<+5 to all stats.>
The shop? What's that?
I opened the system menu, and sure enough, a new tab had appeared. As I scrolled through the options, I realized I could purchase items—everything from weapons and potions to scrolls and clothes. They all cost something called "Spirit Stones."
I had zero spirit stones for now, but this shop was going to be one of the most useful features I'd unlocked. The possibilities felt endless.
"You've been training hard." Jin said, snapping me back to reality. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Always wanting to surpass everyone stronger than you." He leaned back against a tree, his gaze drifting toward the bright sky. "Keep that drive, and you'll go far at Ember Academy. Since I'm the one referring you, I expect you to behave yourself, got it?" He laughed.
"I'll do my best." I replied, letting out a soft laugh of my own.
Jin's face looked thoughtful. "I've seen many talented warriors come through the academy, but few have mastered the true power of Ki. Most struggle with one element. I just wonder... how far will you go?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Director Jin, I have to ask. What's your element affinity?"
He glanced at me, his voice casual but proud. "Fire and Earth. Earth is my primary affinity; I could manipulate it since was a kid."
"Interesting." I couldn't help but chuckle. "What about me? Based on my fighting style, what's your guess?"
"Earth." he said, no hesitation in his voice . "Your shadow techniques come from Earth Ki. It's a sub-element, something not many can access."
That surprised me. I've only been able to use shadow techniques because of the system, but perhaps there was more to it.
"To be honest, I haven't told my father about these shadow techniques yet." I admitted with a grin.
Jin burst into laughter, clearly enjoying the conversation. "You brat! No wonder you caught me off guard. Keep at it. I'm excited to see how far you'll go."
"Yes, sir." I replied, bowing once more. As we settled back into the quiet day, I couldn't shake the feeling that my journey was only beginning.
There was so much more to learn.