Spirit Taming

Chapter 278: Proper Mindset

"I see everyone is prepared. We will leave now. Brad, remain near me. Grace, you should speak with Clark. I understand." Professor Wright made everyone start moving without a single moment to understand what she had said.

The morning had come quickly and the most the group had seen of the other tamer groups were glimpses. They had even put up a posted parchment about the beast growth and identification business that Isa had mentioned. They had been turned in to the highest of supporters of a business they had never even used before. But that was the wonder of opening a dungeon that had been closed off by the collapse.

A mine could bring in massive income to those willing to work for it. Counting in the fact that the group had found a new section from the collapse that had never been mined? That was excellent. A once in a lifetime chance for anyone that had mined. Most could only dream of such a chance. It was as if this dungeon was newly discovered.

"Is there something wrong?" Clark wasn't sure why Grace had been told that she should speak to him. He wasn't sure that something was wrong since Grace looked fine.

"I wanted to avoid traveling next to the safest place. I learned a little the other day about using weapons. Especially a rapier. I want to be able to train it while we move and I was told that you are the leader. Professor Wright said that you would choose what I fight." The forward thinking was a good thing. Grace was making the effort to improve herself before her wind whistler finished growing.

"If you are already thinking that way it's good. I also assume you are asking this because you think that your partner is that much closer to finishing its growth? To having an ice body?" Clark's gaze didn't cause Grace to flinch away at all. She held his gaze and slowly nodded.

"Then let me tell you a few things. When I was telling you that your wind whistler could change in to a frost finch by making an ice body using specific crystals, I was not lying. But I didn't tell you what else would change." This made Grace listen very carefully and come closer to Clark as they walked. She had decided to bet everything on their elite students that had given her so much already.

How could she not listen to every word as if it was gold being handed to her?

"The wind whistler gives you a sixth sense to sense things around you. The air around you is like your third eye. But when it becomes a frost finch, that additional typing of ice will add more. You should be able to channel ice energies within your body. You can hold off the cold much better than others in the north. I'm sure we will see that with many tamers with ice type beasts.

Isa as well even though she doesn't admit it much."

Clark saw Isa look back at them. She was listening too since she wanted to see what Grace would be learning. She had already watched over Grace a little and was taking a liking to her. It was going to be interesting seeing someone use the rapier with wind and ice in tandem. It was a good way for Isa to broaden her mind since she didn't have a wind type beast yet.

"But that's just a basic of having an ice type beast. The main thing that a frost finch can do it allows you some control of the cold. By that, I mean you can use it in attacks. Your rapier will be able to leave a frost effect. You can freeze the things you strike to a degree. If you learn better control with your beast, you might be able to go further.

That will be up to you."

Seeing that Grace's eyes had become wide with shock proved that she had not considered what Clark had said. She had been thinking that her beast would get stronger, that was all. Grace had yet to consider that there would be new abilities that could be used with the basics she had started to learn about saber techniques.

"If I can learn that, can I learn a technique specific to that? I can make that ability the core of what I can do with a saber or fencing or anything in battle!" Grace was more talking to herself instead of asking a question. It meant that she was truly being absorbed in to training and improving, a good sight to see for everyone.

"Exactly, we are going to the north. Learn to control the new ability and wield a saber properly before you get there. Then, find a technique to buy and use your knowledge base to rapidly learn it. I guarantee that you will make everyone think you are a genius even though you have trained in these things for a short while.

I think it's the theory that with a perfect foundation even the poorest man can build a house that survives a disaster.

"Understood!" Grace had a direction to grow in. she had to begin training the saber wielding ability she had first. If she couldn't even use the weapon well enough to earn the right to have a technique, then she would never be worthy. Her partner's abilities would be wasted. That kind of fearful motivation inspired many people to break their limits.

"Then I guess you should train near us. My molten boar will melt your frost if you are too weak. Stick by me and your frost will be stronger when you part ways." Ralph had walked well ahead but slowly drifted back. His sudden offer made Clark raise an eyebrow. He knew that Ralph had a little more in mind than this but it was actually a very good idea.

Because Isa had a flame sprite and an ice maiden, the two had always been in balance. They were beasts that were considered opposites. That meant that when they fused with Isa's body that they had to remain in balance. This made them had to resist and counter each other constantly. This resulted in them strengthening their fire and ice energies, which in turn made them purer.

"Clark, take the lead." Professor Wright had stopped on the trail they were walking. She seemed like she was eager to see what Clark would do. The others also looked at him. He was the one in charge and Professor Wright was putting him on the spot. It was the perfect chance to heighten his leadership skills. As much as he didn't want to be the focus of a leader, he had to do it.

He needed to be better at leading to achieve his goals.

'Forest Rat- common

The forest Rat is the same as a field rat or other form of rat. However, it is unique to the forest because it has lived here for many generations to become better suited to living and foraging within the forest. The forest rat mostly consumes bugs in rotting wood while also consuming wild fruits and berries. But it will consume flesh if necessary or faced with an opponent.

They are weak skinned and easily cut but have decent agility. This allowed them to be a tough first opponent for weaker warriors. The best method to defeat them is to bait them in to making a slower move. They have absolutely no chance of growing unless extraordinary requirements are met. But they have some potential to become a thunder rat…'

The rustling bushes ahead were filled with small red berries known as bird berries. They had no use as materials but were a snack that nearly every beast could consume. They were loved by bird type beasts but eaten by a variety of beasts. The group could easily pass by the forest rat without issues.

The reason that they had stopped though, was that the forest rat would be an ideal opponent for them. Especially for Grace who was already holding the saber she had been training with prior to this. She would be able to learn a little if she received the go ahead from Clark.

"Move carefully and watch its speed. It is not going to run if you attack and it will be faster than you. But if you can make it move in a way you want…" Clark stopped there with his advice. He was only willing to give a part of the solution. If Grace could use critical battle thinking to create a chance for herself to win, that was better training than anything.

Just training physically would be pointless.

"Then I will do it." There was a fire in Grace's eyes as she stepped carefully forward. For someone that had not done much training, she had easily grasped the ability to walk softer. This was because she had the wind whistler that could feel every step she took always. It unknowingly improved the way Grace moved. It made her much better at moving in silence and precision than one would expect.

There were always hidden benefits when it came to the beasts a tamer bonded with.