Chapter 258: Perception

Patreon Sponsored Chapter! Thanks for the Overwhelming Support!!!

Chapter 258 - Perception

It was dark now, and the town had quieted down to the point where not a sound could be heard.

The fishermen, perhaps because they have to work the next day, did not drink to excess, so the time seemed right.

In the forest by the sea. While looking at the vast, endless, calm sea, I focused my attention on posing.

"Magical Happy Baby..."

『Hmm, your posture is more stable than before.』

The Magical Yoga training I learned at Cacretale.

It's a combination of breathing, posture, and meditation to control the flow of Qi in the body.

'What do you think?'

『Right. After a few days of deadly combat, your breathing is smoother than ever... your senses are obviously sharpened.』

The training was originally conducted to master the sensation for Magical Breathing.

Now, after many deadly battles with Mr. Machio, Tre'ainar, the Dragon King of Hades Vasalar, and Paripi, I can now breathe in magic with the same sensation as normal breathing, and I found that my senses were sharper than before.

『Hmm. Originally, Magic Breathing itself was a technique with an extremely high degree of difficulty. Even Jamdi'el could not master it. Be confident in the sensations you have now acquired.』

I could not help but gasp.

『Your heart rate is rising, is it not?』

"Oh, m, my bad."

『The power you are about to attain requires even sharper senses. Any lapse in concentration could prove fatal, could it not?』

"Osu."

A seal of approval from Tre'ainar.

And I am about to learn something that will take me even further from here.

It was impossible not to get excited, but I tried to calm down.

"If I remember correctly... the theme is magic, isn't it?"

『Mm-hmm.』

A few days ago, we talked a bit on the ship.

At that time, I thought he would teach me Giga-class or Terra-class spells, but he quickly dismissed that idea.

So...

『The field is magic, but this has nothing to do with casting or attributes. Tis a 'Perception Magic Technique' that utilizes magic power.』

"Perception...?"

『Yes. What you will learn from now on... is the ability to perceive all things... by changing the shape of your own magical power, extending it to the surroundings, and releasing it... the power that allows you to grasp any situation around you.』

Oh, that's a really big theme.

And it's not just the theme that's amazing.

『Even if, for example, you were to enter a dark dungeon with no light, with this power, you can grasp the height of the ceiling, the distance between the walls, the depth, how the paths are divided, whether there are creatures, monsters, and such, their size, their number, what exists on that floor, and whether there are traps. Train this further, and you can instantly grasp whether the dungeon continues underground, how many floors down it continues, and so on.』

"Huh!?"

『Furthermore, when applied to combat, you can even determine where enemies are in hiding and what weapons they have.』

As I listened to the general outline, I gradually began to understand how much it meant.

By acquiring that much power... especially for a fighting style like mine...

『Yes, in your training from now on, you will acquire the ability to sense and grasp even the 'unseen' around you.』

The key part of my fighting style is my eyesight.

My way of fighting is to predict my opponent's movements based on their line of sight, their weapons, the direction of their feet, and the slight creak of their muscles.

Then, I react to evade or counter.

I fight in response to what I can see, so to speak.

In other words, I can't react to what I "cannot see".

"You know what? If I had acquired this sense... wouldn't there have been times when my past battles would have been easier?'

Exactly. The first time I fought Shinobu in the forest, I was swept away by her attacks, unable to do anything as she hid in plain sight and attacked from blind spots such as obstacles in the forest.

『Whether or not you develop this perception can make a significant difference in the scope of a battle.』

At that time, I overcame the problem by using force to blow everything up with the Great Magic Spiral, but if I had the power of perception at that time, I would have been able to figure out where Shinobu was hiding and what kind of attack she was going to make from there.

『The 'Perception Magic Technique' that allows one to grasp everything in this world through the senses... this is called... [Magical Radar]!!』

And here it comes! It's been a long time since we had a smug Tre'ainar naming sense!

But, now I think it's just a bit lame.

I knew the value of this new skill I was about to learn.

『Well, there is a limit to the distance and range that can be detected by your magic power capacity, so... it is impossible to sense a dungeon that is too deep, or treasures that lie dormant in the deep sea, let alone the people of Cacretale or the Empire from here.』

"I see. But I'd still like to learn it by all means."

『Then, let us try to further sharpen your senses through meditation, yoga, and other means of concentration.』

"Osu!"

『And this time, there is no deadline like the Imperial Capital Graduation Match or the Cacretale Tournament. Therefore, there is no need to take drastic measures such as prying open magic holes or draining water, we will do things steadily and diligently.』

Of course, this time it is not about winning a tournament that is months away or anything like that.

So, let's train slowly and steadily.

"Steadily... come to think of it, according to Paripi's contact, tomorrow is the day. The you-know-what will arrive. But..."

『Well, we need not head to the ruins right away, Right now, your guidance is paramount.』

"I see. Thank you."

『Hmph, you still have a great deal that you must learn. Outside of combat... yes, how to start a fire, how to prepare meat, how to cut vegetables, how to mix spices, how to mend torn clothing.... there is so much to teach you, my goodness!』

"Ugh... it's an honor. I'll be in your care~, Master."

『Hmm... you only say that when tis convenient...』

"Ah, as part of the training to sharpen my concentration... how about playing Go?"

『Hmm! Of course tis effective! All right, let us play a game, one game!! Now, on to the dreamworld of Vier. One game! You may place as many pieces as you wish~♪』

"Kuhahaha... wai...... eh t."

『...... Hmm? Oi, child! Cur, just now... you thought I was in a good mood, that I'm simple-minded or naive! Tis no use holding back your flustered mouth!』

"Eh!? M, my thoughts?"

『I can tell what you are thinking! Hnrg, then tonight, after I decisively deal with you in Go, we will spar for the first time in a long time!』

"No, I, I don't want to stay up all night..."

『Your spoiled behavior will not be tolerated! First of all, you have been neglecting me lately... it seems you are lacking respect for me! I will have to re-educate you!』

I don't plan on encountering the Six Supremacy or the Seven Heroes, I'm actively trying to avoid them.

So let's train with Tre'ainar for a while, play together from time to time, and slowly traverse the world.

Right......

That's what I thought...

Until today...