Chapter 15: A New Art

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: A New Art

Late in the afternoon, Krono finally made his way back to Aurora’s house.

​By the time evening rolled around, Aurora had already returned home.

​Her speed and efficiency astonished him. Then again, considering the sheer scale of magic that existed in this world, maybe it wasn’t too surprising.

And thus, only handful of hours was all it took for a top-tier party to hunt down a Noble-rank Fire Dragon.

​His only real regret was that he didn’t get a chance to harvest any of its flesh. Even if he had managed to use Absolute Absorption on just a tiny chunk of it, the system surely would have granted him a monstrous boost to his physical stats.

​Alas, he didn’t have that kind of luck today.

​"Teacher, I saw your party’s performance over the ocean today. And I must say, you are all absolutely incredible dragon hunters," he praised sincerely.

She smiled after seeing his sincerity. "Oh, so you were there, huh? But flattery won’t get you out of your evening exercises, Krono. Still, thank you. Though, honestly, it was sloppier than we planned. Wendy’s hurricane almost pulled in a merchant ship. If Sirius hadn’t grounded it when he did, the collateral damage to the shore would have been catastrophic."

​He nodded.

​"Yes, I noticed that as well. But can you tell me more about them?"

Aurora snorted, and sat down onto a chair.

​"Those two? They’re lunatics.

Wendy looks elegant with all that green wind magic, but she’s completely reckless. She cares more about creating a massive spectacle than minimizing collateral damage. If I hadn’t been there to stop the edges of her hurricane, she would have sucked half the ocean into the sky."

​Krono blinked, surprised by their power.

​"What about Spear Master Sirius?" he asked.

At this, Aurora rubbed his temples.

​"Sirius is a meathead. Don’t let the stoic golden Aura fool you. His only strategy is ’jump high and hit it really hard.’ It’s effective, obviously, but he has zero finesse. He shattered the dragon’s skull today, but he also shattered three underwater reefs in the process. The local fishermen are going to be furious tomorrow."

​Krono had to force himself not to laugh. To the rest of the world, they were untouchable heroes. To Aurora, they were just a messy team she had to clean up after.

The evening training session followed, and this was where Aurora finally noticed the changes in Krono’s physique.

​"Krono, your muscles... they’ve grown much denser. Earlier you couldn’t even lift the sword properly, but now you’re wielding it effortlessly. Your art [Rock Smashing Strike] is also far more powerful and efficient. I can clearly see the hard work you’ve put in, but this kind of abnormal progress... it is simply unheard of. Are you perhaps the reincarnation of some ancient deity?" she asked jokingly.

​Krono broke into a cold sweat. Who was going to tell her that half her guess was dead on? He was indeed reincarnated.

​"What are you saying, Teacher? How can reincarnation be real? Even in the holy texts, the concept is strictly denied and deemed impossible."

Aurora let out a short amused laugh. She then leaned casually against her wooden training sword, her silver hair catching the fading twilight.

​"The holy texts of the Almighty?" she repeated, a cynical smirk playing on her lips. "Krono, the Church of the Almighty dictates whatever is most convenient for them to control. They claim reincarnation is an impossible myth because a soul that returns with past knowledge wouldn’t need their priests for guidance. They preach that all power comes from the Almighty’s grace, filtering it through their cathedrals."

​She shook her head, adding: "The Almighty might be real, and the heavens might be watching, but those mortal mouthpieces in the capital are just politicians wrapped in white robes. The world is far older and far stranger than their books admit."

​Krono sweatdropped. "So she is practically a heretic like me. If a Paladin heard a Noble-rank hunter speaking like this, there would be an uproar."

Aurora sighed,

​"Regardless, whatever the source of this sudden increase in your physical strength, be it a hidden bloodline awakening, a blessing, or just a freakish growth spurt, you need to learn how to hide it. If the Church’s Inquisitors or the Magic Tower researchers see a boy doubling his muscle density in a single afternoon, they won’t consult their holy texts. They’ll strap you to an operating table and dissect you to find out why."

​"Gulp." Krono swallowed hard, nodding solemnly.

She was right. His [System] was too heaven-defying. He had grown careless after tasting the thrill of rapid progression.

​"Alright. Since your physical foundation has stabilized so rapidly, and your [Rock Smashing Strike] is showing promise, you are ready to move past the basics," Aurora said, stepping back into the center of the dirt courtyard.

​At that moment, the tired mentor vanished. The aura of the Silver Piercer returned, stronger and suffocating.

​"Watch my feet, Krono. Dragon Hunters don’t just swing hard. We anchor ourselves to the world to withstand the massive recoil of striking mythical beasts. Today, you will learn the foundation of the Earth Element Dragon Slaying Art."

​She lowered her center of gravity, taking a wide, rooted stance.

​"Form One: [Tremor Step]. It isn’t an attack. It’s an accumulation."

​Aurora breathed in, and the mana in the courtyard thickened.

Thanks to his newly acquired [Deep Sea Predator] skill, Krono’s enhanced perception easily picked up the smallest vibrations gathering beneath her leather boots.

The earth itself seemed to be humming in sync with her heartbeat.

​She stepped forward.

​It wasn’t a heavy, forceful stomp, but the moment her heel touched the dirt, the entire courtyard shuddered violently.

Buzz!

It created a visible shockwave that rippled through the ground.

Krono stumbled as struggled to keep his balance as the ground shook.

​"The earth is the ultimate shield and the heaviest hammer. By syncing your mana with the natural vibrations of the ground, you borrow the world’s mass. When you strike immediately after a [Tremor Step], you aren’t hitting with the power of a mortal boy. You are hitting with the power of a mountain."

​Saying that, she tossed him a weighted wooden broadsword.

​Krono caught it effortlessly.

Thanks to his newly acquired +5 Strength from the Armored Seahorse, the heavy training weapon felt as light as a twig in his grip.

But as Aurora demonstrated, he realised this technique wasn’t about raw arm strength. It was about resonance.

​"Your turn, Krono. Sync your breathing. Feel the earth. Step." she instructed, crossing her arms.

​Krono closed his eyes and gripped the hilt of the sword. Then he lowered his stance just as she had.

Next, he reached out with his senses, feeling for that deep frequent pulse in the dirt beneath his feet.

He drew in a breath, channeling his mana down through his legs, and stepped forward.

​Ding!

​[ System Alert: You have witnessed and attempted a high-tier Dragon Slaying Art. ]

​[ Comprehension successful due to enhanced perception and upgraded Vitality/Strength. ]

​[ Skill Acquired: Mountain Dragon’s Stomp (Earth) - Form One: Tremor Step (Active - Rank: E) ]

​[ Description: This skill utilizes earth-aligned mana and physical footwork to generate a localized seismic shockwave. Increases the physical impact force of your next consecutive strike by 200%. ]

"Oh, let me try it out."

Upon activating Tremor step, a loud CRACK echoed through the courtyard as a miniature shockwave spider-webbed out from his boot, kicking up a ring of dust.

​When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t hide the massive grin spreading across his face.