章節 7: The One with the Graduation exam
Chakra is a power that can be shared and transmitted between people. Just as the Sage of Six Paths shared Chakra with ordinary people and taught them how to use it, Rudy believed there was no reason he couldn't do the same.
After all, he had experienced the strength of the Six Paths firsthand, even if only for a brief moment.
However, he decided to start by teaching Sylphy magic first, specifically water and wind-type magic. Since Sylphy struggled with fire magic, he avoided it.
With Janis's encouragement, Rudy was able to cut back on his swordsmanship lessons with Paul, allowing more time to spend with Sylphy. To Sylphy, learning magic felt more like playing, which made their lessons all the more enjoyable.
Time flew by, and Rudy soon turned five years old.
At his fifth birthday celebration, Paul gifted him two swords: a wooden practice sword and a heavier, sharp-edged sword for real combat. Janis gave him a book on plants, while Roxy's gift was a small wand.
Life went on, and Rudy's training continued to bear fruit.
Even though Rudy was deliberately holding back during his morning magic class, it was becoming increasingly clear that his time with Roxy was drawing to a close.
"Rudy, you've been a bit careless lately. You obviously know the answers, so why are you giving the wrong ones on purpose?" Roxy asked as she closed her magic book, looking at Rudy with a serious expression.
"Ah... I guess I just forgot," Rudy replied with a sheepish grin, coming up with a poor excuse.
In truth, Roxy's lessons on mixed magic were quite simple for him. Combining different elements and predicting the resulting effects was something Rudy found easy to grasp. However, the real reason he was dragging things out wasn't to keep Roxy around longer—it was to complete the Flying Thunder God technique.
With his current chakra reserves, Rudy had managed to place a permanent Flying Thunder God seal on Roxy. No matter where she went, he would be able to teleport to her instantly.
Roxy wasn't angry with him, though.
She raised her hand and gently patted Rudy on the head before sighing. "You're the brightest student I've ever taught. I doubt I'll ever meet another like you."
"Other than the upcoming graduation exam, there's really nothing more I can teach you. Your swordsmanship is also quite impressive—you'll surely become famous across the continent one day."
"I'll always be your student, though," Rudy replied with a grin.
Roxy sighed again, thinking of her own relationship with her former teacher. She worried that one day Rudy might feel embarrassed to have had a teacher as limited as herself. But, given Rudy's understanding and talent, it was unlikely he would feel that way.
"Go practice your swordsmanship for now, Rudy. Get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow is your graduation exam, and I have one final technique to teach you. After that, you'll be on your own."
After practicing his swordsmanship and tutoring Sylphy in magic, the day quickly faded into night.
As Rudy returned from the bath, he passed Lilia's room and heard the voices inside suddenly fall silent. He sighed inwardly.
About two weeks ago, Rudy had discovered the secret affair between Paul and Lilia. He had tried to intervene but failed to prevent it, since he wasn't able to pinpoint the exact timing. His chakra had been divided equally across the origin of the nine-tailed beasts, and his once-powerful sensory abilities were now somewhat diminished. He couldn't outmaneuver Paul, who was far too strong in these matters.
There would be other opportunities, though.
While Paul and Lilia had a past relationship, this situation now felt more like a betrayal. With both Janis and Lilia pregnant—expecting daughters Aisha and Norn—the stakes were higher. Paul had promised Janis, a devout believer in monogamy, that he would remain loyal. If he couldn't control himself, why had he made that vow in the first place?
Rudy mused that perhaps Paul should have agreed to an open relationship from the beginning. After all, as one philosopher said, "If you're going to ask to open a window, it's best to start by removing the roof. That way, they'll agree to the window."
Back in his room, Rudy pondered the situation as he stroked the wooden sword leaning against the wall. He needed to find a way to help Janis. She had cared for him so lovingly over the years, treating him with nothing but kindness.
Even though the family seemed to be on the verge of breaking apart, Rudy couldn't just stand by. He had to protect Janis, even if it meant confronting Paul.
Rudy's mind was preoccupied, but he still needed to finish perfecting the Flying Thunder God technique. He practiced late into the night, inscribing the teleportation seal again and again on the ground until the morning light broke through. By then, he realized he hadn't slept at all—but at least the technique was finally ready.
Feeling energized, Rudy jumped out of bed. Since he had turned four, he had been washing and dressing himself without any help from Lilia.
After getting ready, he found Roxy waiting for him at the breakfast table. They had a simple meal before setting off on Caravaggio, Roxy's horse, with Rudy seated in front of her.
Along the way, many villagers greeted Roxy warmly. She had earned a great deal of respect in the village, often helping the locals with small tasks in exchange for pocket money. Her friendly demeanor and willingness to assist had left a lasting impression.
They soon arrived at an open plain with mountains faintly visible in the distance.
"Alright, Rudy. Watch closely. I'm only going to demonstrate this once," Roxy said as she tied up the horse and raised her magic wand.
"What I'm about to show you is Water Saint Magic: [Thunderstorm Stratocumulus], a large-scale rainstorm magic that includes thunder and lightning."
As Roxy chanted the spell, dark clouds gathered overhead. A violent storm erupted, with purple lightning flashing through the sky. The thunder boomed as lightning struck the earth, and before long, torrential rain began to pour.
Unfortunately, poor Caravaggio was struck directly by one of the lightning bolts. Roxy quickly ran over to heal the horse, tears welling in her eyes as she muttered, "Please don't tell anyone about this."
"Don't worry, teacher," Rudy said with a sly smile.
He had already mastered the technique himself and decided to give Roxy a little surprise. Channeling both chakra and magic, he cast the same spell—without incantation—and in an instant, a far larger thunderstorm formed above them. The purple lightning, now much more intense, roared as it danced wildly across the sky, striking the ground with ferocious energy.
The storm grew so large it was visible even from the village.
Rudy stopped the spell after a minute, fearing that the floodwaters would rise too high if he let it continue. Even so, the grassland was already submerged waist-deep in water.
"Amazing..." Roxy murmured, staring at Rudy in awe. She ran over and, with a serious look, said, "Promise me you'll never tell anyone that I was your tutor, or I'll be ridiculed to death!"
"Okay, Teacher Roxy," Rudy replied with a grin.
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