The Genius Son-in-law of the Swordmaster Household—Blessed by Authority

Chapter 116 : Top-notch Tutor Aris (2)

Top-notch Tutor Aris (2)

A month had passed since Ian started receiving private lessons from Aris.

Her teaching was much more beneficial than he had expected.

Of course, sometimes her mischievous pranks would put him in difficult situations...

"Today, I'll teach you how much magic power is required to become a Grandmaster."

Aris slightly lifted her top, revealing her smooth navel.

"Would you like to place your hand on my lower abdomen?"

"......"

Ian frowned.

"...... Is there really no other way?"

He really didn't want to touch Aris's bare skin.

Unusually, Aris looked a little sulky.

"There are people who would do anything just to touch me, you know? I don't allow just anyone to do this. I'm offering this especially because you are young master Ian."

"..."

"Come on, don't be like that. Come here, young master. You said you want to become a Grandmaster, didn't you?"

"......"

Ian had no choice but to reach out his hand.

― Snap!

Suddenly, Aris grabbed Ian's wrist and yanked him forward.

"Ah!"

With a Grandmaster pulling him so suddenly, even Ian stumbled.

By the time he regained his balance, Ian's hand was resting squarely on Aris's lower abdomen.

― Slither.

Aris gently rubbed Ian's wrist, smiling with her eyes.

"Your pulse has gotten quicker, young master Ian."

"... That's because you pulled me so suddenly and startled me."

"Is that so?"

― Snap!

This time, Aris grabbed Ian's chin.

Ian furrowed his brow.

"What are you doing?"

"Your pulse sped up again. The closer you get to me, the faster it gets."

― Slide...

Aris took a step closer.

It was a distance their breaths could mingle.

"Your breathing has gotten a bit rough too, and your hand is getting hotter. I wonder why that is?"

― Slap!

Ian brushed her hand away and took a step back.

"If you're going to keep playing around, I'm stopping here."

Aris covered her mouth, laughing softly.

"Sorry, young master Ian. I was just curious about your reaction. Still, I'm happy you responded like that to my body."

"... Ha."

Aris reached out her hand again.

"Alright. This time, I'll teach you seriously. Come here again, young master Ian."

"..."

Ian approached, watching her suspiciously.

Fortunately, this time Aris seemed to mean it, teaching with sincerity.

"Slowly, infuse your aura."

― Ssssss!

"Yes, just like that. Follow the path I'm opening for you."

Aris opened each gate of her mana circuit in turn, guiding Ian's aura along the way.

Soon, Ian's aura reached Aris's dantian.

"Can you feel it, young master Ian? The amount of aura I've accumulated over my lifetime?"

"..."

Aris's level was at the threshold between a Grandmaster's entry-stage and low-rank.

Her amount of aura was about twice as large as Ian's, who was a late-stage Swordmaster.

It was a massive amount, as large as a mountain, but Ian could see that—given enough time—he could reach it too.

"You're not very surprised, are you?"

One of Aris's eyebrows rose.

"Most people would feel overwhelmed by this amount."

However, Ian looked as if he thought it was quite doable.

"..."

Ian quietly withdrew his hand.

Aris's eyes sparkled with interest.

"If you'd allow, I'd like to check the amount of aura you have, young master Ian."

"Absolutely not."

"I thought as much. If you don't want to, I can't force it. I'd hate to be disliked any further, after all."

Aris resumed the lesson.

"First, you need to gather this much aura. But, of course, just accumulating this much doesn't make you a Grandmaster right away."

― Nod.

Ian nodded attentively.

"It takes a lot of enlightenment to reach late-stage Swordmaster."

Understanding the essence of the sword.

Cutting.

Understanding oneself.

One's pursuit.

And understanding of aura.

The nature and flow of natural energy.

"The enlightenment required to reach Grandmaster isn't much different from that."

Aris clasped her hands together.

"You could say it's about combining all those enlightenments into one."

Aris placed her hand on her dantian.

"You should seek enlightenment before gathering aura. Otherwise, you won't be able to safely contain such a massive force."

Ian nodded naturally.

In Aris's dantian, an aura as massive as a mountain was condensed.

If someone were to try building up that much aura without proper enlightenment, even a small misstep could make it explode.

Aura is, by nature, power.

And power that runs wild beyond control is no different from a calamity.

"But enlightenment is different for everyone. Even if I could give my own realization to you as-is, young master, it probably wouldn't fit you at all."

The essence of a sword is the same for any sword.

The nature of the world doesn't change.

But a swordsman's identity is unique.

So, the process of integrating the sword and aura into oneself always required a different realization for each individual.

"From here on, this is the important part."

Aris brought her fingers together as if to focus his attention.

"The attribute of your aura is important."

The attribute of aura.

Fire, water, wind, lightning, earth, steel, ice, and so on.

"You must find the attribute that matches your identity, young master. If an attribute doesn't fit, you need to decisively discard it."

― Shhhnk!

Aris drew her sword.

"Do you know how to wield a sword along its optimal sword path?"

"..."

Ian hesitated a little, then answered.

"It's to perfectly unite the essence of the sword with one's will."

"... Hoo."

Aris smiled, narrowing her eyes.

"As expected, you know as much. That's right. You wield the sword to cut, and people grasp a sword to cut as well. When the intent of the sword and your own will become one, the optimal sword path appears."

― Sheath!

Aris sheathed her sword again.

"If you can apply that enlightenment to the attribute of your aura, you can become a Grandmaster."

Aris continued her explanation step by step.

Sword.

A sword cuts.

When you truly wish to cut, the sword and yourself are one.

Water.

Water flows.

When you wish to flow, water and yourself are one.

At the same time, water cleanses.

When you wish to cleanse, water and yourself are one.

"In my case, the aura of cold winter was the attribute that matched my identity. Attributes like frost, snow, and ice."

The power of winter.

Freezing cold.

Howling snowstorms.

And, at times, gently falling snowflakes.

Ian nodded.

It definitely was an attribute that fit Aris.

"When the nature of the world and your will become one, then this powerful aura will move according to your own will. That is the realm of Grandmaster."

Aris wants to freeze, to rage, and sometimes, to wrap gently.

Winter's will was Aris's will, and the life of winter was Aris's life.

That's how she could become a Grandmaster with winter's power.

"Hmmm..."

Ian brushed his forehead, looking troubled.

"I understand."

He needed to find a natural attribute that suited him, one that could represent his life.

"But how can I find the attribute that suits me?"

Aris looked down at Ian as if he were cute.

"That's the hardest part. You have to realize it yourself."

Aris stroked Ian's hair gently as she approached.

Ian felt a bit uncomfortable, but since he needed to hear what she would say next, he stayed put.

"If you could become a part of nature, what would you want to be? Excluding a human, of course. Lightning? Water? Flame? Iron? Or frost, like me? If you think about this carefully, it might help you find your matching attribute."

"..."

What would I want to become...?

Well.

Wasn't the answer obvious?

Ian wanted to become everything.

He wanted to be omnipotent.

When he ran to Yuria, he wished to become lightning and arrive in an instant.

When Yuria was thirsty, he wished to be water and quench her thirst.

When Yuria was cold, he wished to be flames; when she was hot, he'd become frost; when he wished to protect Yuria, he'd become iron.

"I need all of them. Is that okay?"

― Snicker.

Aris closed her eyes and chuckled.

"Greedy, aren't you? But that's just like you."

Aris playfully pinched Ian's cheek, then spun around and walked away.

"In that case, you're going to need all the attributes to reach Grandmaster. That'll truly be a difficult path... but—"

― Twirl.

Aris glanced back at Ian.

"If you succeed, you'll be an especially powerful and unique Grandmaster. Being able to wield all the attributes... is a definite strength. That's something you can call innate talent."

"I see. Thank you for your teaching."

Ian sincerely bowed his head in gratitude.

Her instruction was indeed helpful.

"Oh, and there's something I'd like to discuss with you, young master."

"... Pardon? Discuss?"

Aris wants to discuss something with me?

What could it be?

"For the top scorer's prize for the 6th month's drill this summer. What should I prepare? I wanted to ask you directly what you need."

"..."

The exam's contents weren't even decided yet.

The implication was that the top spot was already predetermined to be Ian's.

'... No need to play coy.'

Frankly speaking, it really was predetermined that Ian would be top.

"I need a variety of aura attributes. Since I already have thunder energy and metal energy, I'd like an elixir containing various attributes such as cold, fire, and water."

Aris nodded gladly.

"I was thinking the same thing. I'll prepare that for you."

"..."

When he had first regressed, Ian never imagined he'd become this close with Aris.

In his previous life, they met as enemies and fought to the death, but in this one, he had received so much from her.

Of course, knowing Aris's personality, much of it was for her own benefit, but still, a favor was a favor.

With Ian's character, returning what he received was his duty.

As he was being treated with such sincerity, he found himself unconsciously building up trust and affection for Aris as well.

"... Thank you."

Aris replied cheerfully.

"No problem. It's nothing, really."

"..."

Even knowing there was a venomous spider beneath that bright smile, sometimes he was confused.

Maybe not all of Aris's sides were bad after all.

Perhaps this wasn't an act, and really was a part of her true nature.

― Squeeze.

But he wouldn't let his guard down.

This change in feeling itself might be Aris's intention.

'I've definitely received Aris's help. I'll make sure to repay that. But I must never trust this woman completely.'

Given the atrocities she committed in his past life, Aris could never be called a purely good person.

There was no telling when she might stab him in the back at a crucial moment, so dealing with Aris required constant caution.

'And I'll gather as many attributes as possible. Then, narrow them down one by one through experimentation.'

The defining technique for a Grandmaster was Astral Sphere(罡丸).

A Swordmaster manifests enhanced energy by layering aura over Expert-level sword energy.

Astral Sphere was the result of layering that immense sphere of enhanced energy one more time, bringing forth devastating power.

If delivered in a single strike, its destructive power was enough to obliterate a mountain.

'If I can succeed in gathering the necessary attribute aura and manifesting Astral Sphere, I'll be a Grandmaster too.'

Whether it could be done within the year, or if it would take several more, he had no way of knowing.

After all, the Grandmaster-rank was uncharted territory for Ian too.

'But it's not impossible.'

He could feel it.

He could become a Grandmaster.

He was just a step away from the Grandmaster rank in his previous life, after all.

'I need to keep training diligently. Before I clash with the Grand Dukes of the Demon Realm again, I must at least reach late-stage Grandmaster rank, at minimum.'

If possible, even the level of a demigod.

That night—

The light in Ian's training room did not go out until the sun rose again.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

I'm wondering, would the story continue after Ian ascends?

There's a high chance he would become a full god...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】