Chapter 44: Training by Dawn


    Leif’s fist rushed through the crisp morning air. He stepped forward, and moved into the next part of the training form. His every strike sent a small rush of wind blowing across the small t teau.


    He was using [Grand Action] to empower his [Might] attribute. Having spent his neen free points on [Charisma] the effect was quite potent.


    ===


    Attributes:


    Free: 0


    <strong>Might: 41 (+10%)</strong>


    <strong>crity: 45 (+10%)</strong>


    <strong>Intelligence: 29 (+10%)</strong>


    <strong>Willpower: 25 (+10%)</strong><strong>Spirit: 37 (+10%)</strong>


    <strong>Charisma: 55 (+90%)</strong>


    ===


    Leif effectively had over a hundred [Charisma] after the bonus was taken into ount. [Grand Action] allowed him to boost any other attribute by around twenty after counting the ny percent increase. The results were immediately noticeable.


    When he focused on [Spirit] his body felt more vibrant, and his connection to the world around him felt far clearer. [Willpower] made concentrating feel almost effortless and [Intelligence] cleared his mind and sharpened his memory.


    But the two biggest changes were to his [Might] and [crity]. Leif moved onto a different form, a moreplex series of sweeping movements and wide stances that the Mythhold had taught him. As he repeated over and over what he had learnt beneath the city of Pherin, Leif became more and more ustomed to how much stronger he had be.


    From the edge of his perception, the range having been increased due to his [Aura of Nobility] benefitting from the massive boost in [Charisma], Leif felt two faint presences approach. Initially he assumed it was Marcus and Sieg, but they wouldn’t have known where he was. Nor did they have any reason to be awake so early.


    <em>Actually, maybe Marcus could find me with his skills. </em>Leif thought, thinking back to the mage’s [Seeker] ss.


    But as it turned out, it wasn’t either of them. As the two presences came closer the feeling of their vitality became clearer. People, likely two members of the expedition.


    The first hopped over a small incline and came into view. It was a woman, younger than Hera by several years and likely in herte teens. She had short, tied ck hair and a scowl etched onto her angr features.


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    She was followed by a man of simr age. He had hair both longer and lighter than hispanion, his eyes were wide and round, simr to the rest of his head. Both radiated a tired irritation, not targeted at Leif but rather at one another.


    The spriggan thought back to his initial encounter with the expedition proper during the prior evening. He recognised them both. They had been the pair who had first noticed Hera’s imminent arrival from the sky.


    The humans stepped onto the teau with sluggish, exhausted steps. The girl was the first to notice Leif, she missed a step and rubbed at bleary, sleep filled eyes. The young man, hot on her heels, stumbled as he crashed into her from behind.


    They briefly fought one another for stability before breaking apart, hissing curses and insults.


    “Good morning. I wasn’t expectingpany.” Leif said, both amused and slightly defensive. How would these two react to his presence?


    “Uhhh…” The girl grumbled as she stood up straight. “M-morning.” She yawned.


    “I told you we should have gotten here earlier. Now the good spot is taken.” The boy muttered. She turned on him with an angry scowl.


    “And who was it that woke upte? Because it wasn’t me, <em>Linus</em>.” She snapped back.


    “Well it wasn’t me who messed up in the mine dungeon. Was. It. <em>Adriana</em>?” He retorted, bristling at herment.


    The girl, Adriana, flushed red. “Well. I wouldn’t have made that mistake if you-”


    “Hey, hey.” Leif said, sensing the hostility building up between the two humans. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re here instead of fighting.” It felt odd to engage in conversation with strangers. He was still unsure if they would panic, suddenly realise what he was and flee.


    <em>Or maybe something worse… </em>


    Instead of being angry or disgusted like Leif had expected. Both looked sheepish. “Training…” Adriana mumbled.


    “We need to get stronger.” Linus said, rolling his shoulders. “We can’t fail again.” He nced at his partner and sighed. “We’re a team, even if <em>she </em>doesn’t like to act like it.”


    “Not my fault the Academy paired us up.” Adriana snapped back. “And if you weren’t so insufferable!”


    “Me? Insufferable? If you think this is my fault-”


    “Hey, hey!” Leif said again, raising his voice to distract from the uing argument. He paused, unsure what to say. Wincing internally his mind raced. <em>How would I have acted in the past? What would the man who was still human have done?</em> “I’m training too. How about we… do it together?”


    Even to his own ears that sounded forced. Both humans stopped bickering. It was clear they didn’t know how to respond, he could sense confusion and apprehension from [Amber Sympathy] .


    Leif didn’t me them, if a monster had asked his past self to ‘train’ how would he have reacted? So he tried a different tact: “So, what do you need to improve? Maybe I could be of assistance?”


    The two shared a nce then spoke at the same time.


    “Coordination.”


    “Teamwork.”


    Then they red at each other as if annoyed that the other had spoken.


    <em>Ah, I have no idea how to teach that. </em>Leif thought.<em></em>“Uhh, okay. How about you… warm up?” He had seen Sieg do that before attempting the statue’s trials in the Mythhold. When he had asked, Marcus had exined the process in his usual enthusiasm.


    The teens both shrugged, then moved into separate positions. Leif was relieved, he would have time to think-


    Almost immediately they got in each other''s way. Linus had withdrawn two wooden training daggers and began to levitate them in wide sweeping arcs around his body. Adriana in turn lifted her hands and started sending out short bursts of whistling wind.


    The daggers drifted into the path of the sts and then the two were bickering and cursing. From what Leif had understood from Marcus and Sieg’s exnations, expedition members were paired off into teams. But the two men were far, far more coordinated than these two.


    Leif scratched the back of his head as the first rays of light peaked over the horizon. Leif rewound his perception of time. Amber grains, each representing movement, change, drifted back as he focused.


    The spriggan saw both Linus and Adriana move back into their ready stances, he sensed how their intent was focused internally as they began to use their skills.


    Leif cancelled the time perception of [Amber Sympathy] and crossed his arms. “Neither of you take the other into ount when you act. You’re like two arms reaching for an object, never realising you''re attached to the same body.”


    Two golden apparitions burst from Leif’s shoulders as the humans turned to look at him. Both limbs moved into a ready stance.


    “Come. No skills, half speed.”