The Survival of an Inferior

After asking for help, the only thing I can do is wait. The three traitors in Pole Ridge have not committed anything for me to take action and no notable events occurred. 

---------------------- 

For the remaining days until the next conference meeting, choose an action:

1. Train 

2. Dungeon Hunting 

3. Observe the city 

4. Complete Requests 

5. [Locked]

---------------------- 

As I walk around the city pondering my next action, I run into Lena buying some bread. She waves at me and we exchange greetings. 

"What a coincidence! What are you doing?" She asks with a bright smile. 

"I'm taking a walk," I reply. 

"Ah...may I join?" 

"Sure."

Lena hops to my side. 

I glance at her from head to toe. She matches my walking pace flawlessly and her presence is harder to discern. 

---------------------

Lena Grande 

Title: Reincarnation of Envy

Class: Mage Fighter 

Lvl: 122 

Hp: 178000/178000 

Mana: 120000/120000 

Atk: 109 

Def: 155 

Dex: 378

Mag: 581

Luck: 10 

Skills:

-Quick Cast(lvl max)

-Elemental Puppet(lvl max)

-Mana Overload(lvl 1)

-Acceleration(lvl 2)

Passive:

-Noble Soul(lvl max)

-Sixth Sense(lvl max)

(Samuel)Favourability: 100 

[Awakened]

--------------------- 

As expected, she grew so much stronger in simply a few days. 

I let out a long sigh.

"What's wrong?" Lena asks.

"I...was just thinking about training."

"Is it tough? I can make something that helps."

"No, it's fine. It's not about that."

I've tried training using the best methods suitable but it's too slow. Although my growth is fast for a normal person, what I'm about to face in chapter three will be vastly devastating. 

...

My talent is mediocre...

Must I only rely on special dungeons and quests to grow?

"Hmmm..." Lena slows behind me and touches my back, sending a jolt of mana through.

?!

The tingling sensation twitched my body. 

"Lena, what did-"

"Odd, you have a broken body," Lena says. "I've never seen this body constitution before...Arsto, can we train together? I might have a solution."

What? I didn't say anything though. 

Hm...

"Alright, I owe you one," I say. 

---------------------- 

You have chosen to train. The special event was triggered, and manual control was enabled.

---------------------- 

Lena finished her shopping and returned the goods to the villa before we set off to the forest behind Pole Ridge. 

"This will be a good spot." 

At a secluded sanctuary in the forest away from bustling crowds, nature's beauty and serenity embrace the soul. Crisp and clean air. Earthly scent of damp moss and fallen leaves. Blue-hue sunlight filters through the canopy and graces the forest floor, making the forest alive with symphonies of nature's sound. 

I can hear continuous murmurs of a river nearby. 

Lena squats to the ground and taps it. "Sit, let me help you reconstruct that body."

"You...can do that?" I ask, sceptical. 

"Of course," she taps her head. "I have the incomplete knowledge of a God."

"Alright..." 

I let her do what she wants. Immense mana flows into my body rapidly and splits, filling the gaps in my physique before seamlessly fusing. 

...

--------------------- 

Mana Sense(lvl 1->4)

---------------------

The sudden increase in mana sense felt like projecting myself into a room of frost after drowning in lava.

"NGH?!!! ARH...HUFF HUFF...huff...phew..."

Mana in my body circulates smoothly as if a clog was removed, the relief of breathing once more.

"Just like that?" I ask.

"Yes, just like that."

???

"How did you...what??"

Lena shrugs. "I just did what I knew. It's difficult to explain..."

...Lena suddenly became a cheat character.

"Then, Lena...can I ask for a favour?" I say.

"Ask away."

"Is there any way for a normal person to progress considerably?" 

Lena freezes and stares at me. 

"Lena?"

...

"Young-...Arsto, can you show me how you train your mana core?"

I nod and begin absorbing mana from the surroundings. The air around cools and settles as if nature gave way to tranquillity. 

After fifteen minutes, I stopped and asked if it was enough. 

Lena is nodding her head and mumbling to herself. 

I glance at my hand. The short practice session changed nothing.

"I understand the problem, it is your physique. You have a demonic physique and your technique isn't suitable. Though it is a good technique, otherwise it wouldn't affect you at all."

Lena walks to me and traces a few lines on my back. "These are your mana circuits, interconnected with one another. Within is demonic mana. If normal mana is calm and versatile like water, demonic mana is destructive and violent. Thus, the flow of each mana is different."

Ah...she's right. The mana flow in my body fluctuates irregularly. To visualise this, normal mana flow is similar to a steady direct current in an electrical circuit while demonic mana can be an alternating current. 

"Haaaaaah..." I let out a long sigh.

Fuck...

I feel like a fool. My optimal training routine worked because Rena IS Rena. Her talent is fucking out of this world. 

"Unless you have a special physique like Rena, it's impossible to efficiently train." Lena gazes down in disappointment. "Sorry, I don't know demonic techniques."

...

I smile and give in to my impulse, patting the short Lena. 

"EEK?!" she jumps back.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" 

Lena grasps her hair in embarrassment. Her face is visibly red. 

"A-Anyways, I am thankful for your help today. I will pay you back someday." 

"N-No, this is my gratitude for your help in the dungeon. You owe me nothing!" Lena quickly refutes. 

"...Okay. Let's head back for today. It's getting dark." 

Lena nods and follows behind.

...

Walking through the twigs and leaves, a soft voice echoes. 

"I don't hate your patting," Lena says. 

"..."

Cute.

...

Ugh...now isn't the time. I need to find a way to overcome my training disability soon. 

======================================= 

Two weeks later...

======================================= 

"Divine intervention strikes." is the headline for all news agencies. Out of nowhere, five nobles of prestigious cities were assassinated in one night. Their heads were displayed on a stick in the plazas of their cities along with the list of evidence of corruption. 

Private investigators and the BOV quickly investigated before the perpetrators could escape and managed to pinpoint several notorious figures' ties to the corruption and all ultimately led back to Prince Armin. 

Naturally, that leads to haphazard chaos as the distrust and anxiety of citizens spiked. Many different opinions sprouted among the citizens but a seed of doubt was planted in everyone. 

As for me...

I hold out a golden pendant, the one that Armin gave me. A light pulsates from the red rose carved. 

At last, Armin calls for me.