Chapter 54: *The combat intelligence skill*
Alan coughed to hide his embarrassment, sensing that Kevin had misunderstood his earlier behavior. He spoke honestly, "Wow Kevin, you are impressive! I honestly didn’t think you would succeed after just one try. Normally, it takes a lot of practice to achieve what you just did."
Kevin sighed in relief and replied with a smile, "The hardest part was keeping the seven balls of spiritual energy above my hand while pouring them into the cauldron. It takes a lot of concentration; without my necklace, I’m not sure I would have been able to do it."
Alan wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. He said to Kevin, "The toughest challenge, and where most people fail at first, is being able to concentrate the correct amount of spiritual energy into each ball you shape. If even one of your energy balls is off, your potion will be ruined."
Kevin scratched his head, pondering this. "That’s strange; for me, that was the easiest part."
Alan burst out laughing and then asked, still serious, "And how are you feeling about your Soul Force reserve? Any changes?"
Kevin quickly checked his Soul Force points and realized Alan was correct—he had only used 100 Soul Force points. That was fantastic! "It’s much better! I’ve used a third less this time."
Alan nodded in satisfaction. "That’s very good, Kevin! Your Soul Force will increase each time you craft a potion and meditate. With the help of that necklace and the removal of negative effects, your Soul Force reserve will grow quickly. It’s great—I’m really happy for you!"
Kevin, trying to act cutely—or at least attempting to—asked, "Alan, if they ever refuse to let you become my tutor, can you still continue to give me this kind of advice?" He had never used this sort of ’technique’ before, and he wasn’t sure if it would work, but many people had tried to get things from him this way, so it was worth a shot.
Alan laughed again and replied, "Of course I will! And even if they refuse to let me be your tutor, we will still see each other often because Axel has officially become Erik’s tutor, which has made a lot of people jealous."
Kevin detected the note of pride in Alan’s voice and recalled what Axel had said when he asked to become Erik’s tutor. He said to Alan, "Don’t worry, Alan. Axel didn’t choose Erik just because he’s your boyfriend or because he felt more comfortable around him. Anyone who has underestimated Erik until now will soon regret it. Axel chooses him because he possesses something very rare. It’s the combat intelligence skill."
Alan looked surprised. Coming from a family of fighters, he clearly understood what the combat intelligence skill meant: the ability to quickly adapt to various fighting techniques and find immediate, effective counterattacks. However, he hadn’t known Erik had that kind of skill. If it was true, it would be truly remarkable. "How do you know that? Did Axel tell you about it?"
Kevin wanted to admit he had discovered it on his own while sparring with Erik, but he preferred to err on the side of caution for the moment; he still wasn’t sure if he could trust them completely. "Yes, it’s Axel. He mentioned it during our lunch, and he was really happy about becoming Erik’s tutor."
Alan’s smile widened. "I didn’t know Erik had such a skill. When I helped him train when we first met, I saw that he was a quick learner, but I never thought it could be related to that specific skill. If it’s true, then his future is limitless! Trust me, I’m so relieved that Axel is his tutor. The other instructors always ignored him and never gave him a chance to show what he was capable of."
Kevin couldn’t help but add when he saw the delight on Alan’s face, "Well, rest assured that Axel will take good care of his training. He told me this skill isn’t innate and that only two types of people can develop it: those who want to survive at all costs, and those who want to protect the people they love, no matter what."
Alan’s eyes widened in astonishment; he had no idea about that aspect. Kevin then added with a smile, "I’ll let you guess which category Erik fits into."
Of course, that knowledge came from his own experiences; he wasn’t even sure Axel knew about these things. In his past life, he had developed this skill at a very young age because he wanted to survive no matter what, but he had also seen it in people who wished to protect their loved ones. He guessed that his innate Warrior Spirit skill was the ultimate evolution of this ability; he had practiced it so much and mastered it through significant effort that it had become an innate skill in this life.
Alan was genuinely delighted as he told Kevin, "It’s funny; you know, Erik and I met kind of the same way you and Axel did. It was also during a recruitment event for the Sun Sect in Dawn City, while I was releasing some frustration on the training ground. Erik thought I was a fighter instructor, and we ended up talking together. When he found out I was actually a mage, he seemed disappointed, but I could also see admiration in his eyes. And I’ve never confessed this to him, but that gleam in his eyes that day awakened something in me—something I thought I was immune to."
Kevin nodded thoughtfully. "I’m glad to hear you say that. It’s wonderful that you have that bond with him. It shows that you both recognize the potential in each other."
"Exactly!" Alan agreed. "I’m really glad Axel is taking care of him, and I’m also happy to see you two together."
Kevin thanked him sincerely and noticed out of the corner of his eye that Axel and Erik appeared to have finished their training and were heading toward them.
When they joined Kevin and Alan, Axel asked, "Are you done?"
Alan poured his potion into a hermetic bottle and handed it to Kevin. "Keep practicing, okay? That’s the only way to increase your Soul Force reserve. But don’t exhaust yourself; this necklace won’t do the resting for you, so make sure to rest well—it’s important too."
Kevin took the bottle and said, "Thanks for all your advice, Alan. I will work hard, and don’t worry too much; I have someone watching over me."
