บท 78: NOT THIS SPEAR

'Well, it's easier said than done,' Tom thought when he failed at yet another attempt at controlling the flow of energy. Even though they managed to climb through half of the remaining floors before their meeting with Cleo, he was still at the same spot as when he revealed his plan to Claudia.

"I see," Claudia said with a small smile. "Don't beat yourself because of it. It was all but a guess in the first place. Who knows if it is actually possible?" she asked, trying to cheer Tom up. 

"If I failed now, I can only try harder next time," Tom countered. He then sent the girl a slightly condescending look. "And the same applies to you. Since we are both aware of how small the chances are of me obtaining that derivative, you should focus on getting that kind of skill yourself," he added, looking down on the girl.