"Will he be back in two days?" I asked with a bit of astonishment.
It's been a few weeks since Zaphyris left the palace and I've been training all this time under the guidance of Ryujinzhu.
My only training was exclusively focused on the waterfall. But there were also times when she allowed me to train with the rest of the princesses: they were exchange matches between couples to simulate a fight where we both learned about the opponent and about the effective use of the spiritual circuits.
I was not allowed to train in their personal routines, as I had my own set routines. But I did manage to participate in their matches.
Ryujinzhu is stricter than she seems...
I am currently at the same damn waterfall. Ryujinzhu appeared here without warning while I was practicing spiritual power control and gave me the news about Zaphyris.
Ryujinzhu's presence is impossible to sense, she probably has an affinity as an assassin or something...
Her beauty and she's menacing presence make her a fatal opponent, but those are things that don't count.
Now, as for my progress, I can extend my spiritual power in a way that allows me to control a large section of the waterfall, but I am still unable to manipulate it and move it at will. I can cause fluctuations in my area of control but I still need strength to fully extend it and change the course of the water. Ryujinzhu said that it was a great advancement and that strength could be developed with practice; but that my progress overall was good.
It's just a matter of time.
When she said that, I couldn't help but smile a little: her saying that made me feel that way. At least I have the talent to grow and develop gradually.
I feel like I've grown even stronger compared to my first day of training: when I came into this world and Zaphyris kindly sheltered me.
Now the term of stay in this palace will end when Zaphyris returns.
It's been a very fun three months. I'll be sure to thank you appropriately in the future.
"My responsibility to train you will end tomorrow," she said into our silence.
"Thank you for that, Ryujinzhu-sama." I bowed to express my respect.
"It was a request from Zaphyris, you don't have to thank me for it."
Oh? So it was a request from her… it is certainly unlikely that Ryujinzhu would be so considerate on her own volition.
Just as I thought that, I noticed Ryujinzhu looking at me with unusual seriousness… his menacing eyes made me swallow unconsciously.
"Did something happen... Ryujinzhu-sama...?"
Although I asked her, she didn't respond for a few minutes. After the awkward moment, Ryujinzhu finally spoke. "I will measure your strength to confirm your progress."
"… Measuring my strength?" You're not thinking of fighting me… I think I'll ask you. "Is that what I think it means?"
"Exactly." She didn't move from where she was standing and stared at me. "I'm ready, attack me whenever you want."
She didn't even seem to be on guard. She was wearing a fine and beautiful black yukata while maintaining an elegant posture... Is she not taking this seriously or is this her combat stance?
Ryujinzhu remained very attentive towards me. She was giving in to me taking the initiative to throw the first blow and thus developing the exchange of blows.
If that's the case, then I won't keep her waiting any longer.
With a quick summon, I generated a flurry of ice shots and focused on closing our distance to attack in melee.
One thing I've seen over the years is that Ryujinzhu prefers to attack with magic and avoid physical exertion. Perhaps it's a hasty conclusion, but it's the only thing I have to prove against her. A duel of magical power is useless against her.
Ryujinzhu deflected each attack with ease and stopped my ice sword that was mixed in with the ice cannons from earlier. The attack hit her bare hands and broke the ice sword without her receiving a single scratch.
The greatest characteristic of the dragon people is their physical and spiritual mastery, which makes them almost untouchable and monstrously strong.
But I was already expecting something like this...
She quickly launched a punch that I dodged awkwardly before it hit my body. The force of her attack generated an air pressure that made the trees around us move.
Before I knew it, she was already preparing for another attack.
Ryujinzhu went on the offensive and took a martial attack stance. His style was beautiful.
I had no hope from the beginning...
With a speed impossible to follow with my eyes, I felt her hit my ribs.
I immediately took off and crashed into the waterfall aggressively.
He didn't even have mercy.
"My martial combat style was basic and without implementing any elements. With that, you already know that I am being considerate and holding back." She said in a neutral tone.
With my legs shaking and blood coming out of my mouth, I hurriedly cast a basic holy healing magic spell to repair my internal organs.
If I were the same as three months ago, I would have died instantly. But I used the impact that entered my ribs and distributed it throughout my body to prevent anything worse; and all of that without taking into account that my body has been undergoing intense training to strengthen itself. I think that was why my body did not split into two when a force of that magnitude hit me.
This woman... is a real monster.
If facing such opponents is the norm in the Great Abyssal War, then complaining will serve no purpose.
I need to be stronger.
"I think I'll change my method," she offered as she returned to her usual elegant posture. "Cast me your best spell."
"That won't help either"
"You are wrong Lucius, I will not dodge it and I will not move from here either"
"...?"
"I will receive your spell and judge your power from it"
"..."
"Attack me with all your strength." His guard was down anyway and he didn't move an inch.
Why didn't she do the same from the beginning? Did she intentionally want to attack me like that? Ryujinzhu already knew that our training was never physical, but magical. But perhaps she acted like that to prove my suspicions pointless: she also masters close combat.
This overwhelming result was a reflection of my own judgment.
With that in mind, I proceeded to channel all the power I could into a massive yarn cannon. The largest one I've created so far.
I felt my mana being rapidly sucked away as I increased its power by enveloping it with wind and fire magic. And at the same time reinforcing its structure with earth magic.
It was a combination spell.
"Element Cannon!" I shouted the spell, firing it with all my might.
With a loud explosion, the cannon charged aggressively towards Ryujinzhu who had been standing still all this time. I had put a lot of spiritual mana into that spell and felt a heaviness in my arm.
"Oh?" Ryujinzhu expressed as she raised her right hand towards the giant cannon traveling towards her.
The impact shook the ground and cleared the surrounding air. Water churned and a curtain of dust rose in its place as tiny chunks of ice traveled in all directions.
The cannon made a loud bang against little Ryujinzhu as the ground trembled slightly.
Slowly the dust cleared and Ryujinzhu's figure appeared shortly after... he hadn't flinched after all that.
I'll be honest, I didn't expect to do anything to him with that attack. It was obvious that I'm nowhere near that level of power.
"Good job," she said with the same cold attitude as always. "You have improved remarkably."
"Is that so?"
"I told you that the waterfall training method was effective. And if you were to possess talent, then you would become stronger with time."