Time passed, and Lucius had now entered his second year at Padokia Magic Academy.

  As the new first-year students arrived, many eager individuals attempted to challenge him, but he swiftly dealt with every single one of them.

  During the long break of his first year, Lucius and Mofu had discovered a Lizardman settlement, a feat that marked a significant milestone for both of them. The joy of verifying the truth of a story they had only heard about and transforming it into something tangible with their own hands ignited a newfound passion for learning in both of them.

  The thought that the things they learned in css might one day be useful, or that they might find opportunities to verify the content of books they read, filled them with an infectious enthusiasm.

  Until then, Lucius had struggled with academic subjects like magical theory, which were often abstract and confined to theoretical discussions. However, when he paid attention more closely, he realised that they were surprisingly interesting. Furthermore, [Holy Magic] proved to be highly versatile, and after practising at home, Lucius found that applying the theory directly made his training far more efficient.

  Mofu's magic, too, was becoming increasingly fwless. When facing small numbers of enemies, there were no monsters in the Padokia region that could pose a threat to them.

  However, when it came to their combined capabilities, they found themselves cking in mid- to long-range attacks and crowd control. Lucius' offensive spells would likely only reach their full potential ter, while Mofu's magic was less suited to unching attacks over long distances or covering wide areas.

  They both pondered ways to fill in these gaps, but finding a solution had proven more difficult than they had expected.

  A big factor in their struggle was the secrecy surrounding their partnership, which made the option of recruiting new allies unfeasible.

  ...

  Several months into their second year, Lucius heard tales of a mountain trail known as the Path of Shura.

  Three days by carriage from Padokia y the town of Arankuna, and a further two days’ walk beyond that stood the Arania Mountains. As the altitude increased, the variety of monsters changed, and the region became famous as a pce of rigorous training.

  It was said that adventurers ranked from Copper to Silver had attempted to climb the Path of Shura, and any who managed to complete it alone would undoubtedly rise to Gold rank. Many attempted the challenge, but the death toll was reportedly high.

  Having recently felt stuck in his training, Lucius made up his mind to attempt the Path of Shura and began preparing for the challenge.

  While the Path of Shura was brutal for those who attempted it recklessly, it seemed that as long as one was cautious, it would serve as an excellent training ground.

  Lucius had an acquaintance who was a student from Arankuna, and when he asked her for more details about the Path of Shura, the news of his ambition to conquer it spread quickly throughout the school.

  Not wishing to deal with the ensuing hassle, Lucius ignored the gossip, but before long, he was summoned to the headmaster's office.

  Upon entering the headmaster’s office, Lucius had initially pnned to apologise half-heartedly and navigate through the situation.

  The headmaster, a stern former military officer, spped Lucius on the shoulder with a hearty thump and spoke kindly to him.

  "Lucius, don't worry. I understand."

  Lucius, unsure of what the headmaster meant, listened intently.

  "You’ve been excelling in your studies, and I’ve heard you pn to attempt the Path of Shura. You’ve got a good spirit, and I’ll grant you special permission to take on the challenge during the semester!"

  "Wait, wait—hold on a second! I only thought of trying it out during the long break, not attempting to conquer it right away!" Lucius excimed, trying to crify.

  The headmaster ughed warmly, clearly not convinced. "I’ve heard from Zabit that you’re trying to help your friends. We respect students like you here!"

  Lucius realised he had been set up. Zabit, one of the students who despised him, had instigated this situation. Zabit's childhood friend was infatuated with Lucius, and since then, Zabit had been looking for ways to challenge him. Initially, he had tried to settle things through direct confrontation, but after realising he couldn’t overpower Lucius, he had resorted to subtle schemes.

  Though the headmaster was generally a good person, he had a tendency to be unexpectedly obstinate. Lucius had heard that if he argued too much, he might be forced into a duel based on some absurd reasoning, so it was usually better to comply.

  Thus, Lucius nodded along to the headmaster’s words, ultimately resigning himself to the fact that his pns had changed. He had been granted the chance to attempt the Path of Shura.

  However, this turn of events was too much for Lucius to ignore, and with a feeling of determination, he decided to deal with Zabit once and for all. Using Mofu's [Cotton Magic], he would bind Zabit before performing a series of sword swings right in front of him. If Zabit still didn’t back down, Lucius would gradually close in on him, performing near-misses, until the point was made.

  ,,,

  Despite the unexpected turn of events, Lucius was not one to pass up an opportunity. Now officially allowed to challenge the Path of Shura, he saw it as a golden chance.

  Though he knew his studies would fall behind, Lucius believed that with hard work, he could catch up.

  When he asked Mofu how he felt about it, Mofu expressed enthusiasm, stating he was intrigued and began making his own pns in his mind. Lucius left the finer details of the preparation to him.

  Several days ter, after gathering all the necessary supplies, Lucius and Mofu received formal approval from the headmaster and made their way to Arankuna.

  Lucius aimed to ascend as high as he could within the month-long break, fully motivated to climb the Path of Shura.

  As for Mofu, the terrain was not particurly suited to him, so he didn’t intend to conquer it. However, he pnned to face the monsters head-on and confront his weaknesses.

  Upon arriving in Arankuna, the pair sought out a suitable inn. Lucius had heard about a few from the academy, so he was confident they would find a decent pce.

  After spending two days in Arankuna, they prepared for their venture up the Path of Shura.

  ...

  Arankuna was renowned for its abundance of fruits, especially pomegranates and apricots, both of which were commonly found in the Empire of Kemenez. Lucius, a fan of pomegranates, was immediately drawn to the vibrant fruits dispyed in the market.

  The air was filled with the sweet and tangy scent of fresh fruit, and at one stall, freshly squeezed fruit juice was being sold at an incredibly low price. Despite the modest cost, the fruits glistened with freshness.

  Lucius, unable to resist, ordered a cup of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.

  The vendor quickly sliced two pomegranates, pcing the ruby-red seeds into the juicer. With a gentle press, the juice flowed freely into the cup.

  Lucius watched intently, mesmerised by the process. When the vendor handed him the cup, he drank it all in one go. The sour tang spread across his mouth, and Lucius, who adored sour foods, felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

  “Maybe I’m really quite lucky, after all?” Lucius thought to himself as he savoured the moment.

  While he was not completely content with his current situation—he still longed to grow stronger and reunite with his childhood friends—he couldn't help but feel happiness in these simple pleasures.

  The joy of tasting delicious food at an affordable price, swinging his sword just as he imagined, and conversing with friends—all these small moments brought him happiness.

  No matter what hardships y ahead, even if he suffered or felt lonely, Lucius was certain that a simple cup of pomegranate juice could remind him of the happiness in his life.

  And with that thought, Lucius found the strength to keep moving forward, knowing that no matter how many times he fell, he could always rise again.

  Thus, Lucius’ journey on the Path of Shura began.

  The Path of Shura was said to be divided into five distinct yers.

  At the end of the fifth yer stood a magical circle where the most fitting monster for the challenger would appear. These monsters, once summoned, were said to be powered by a long-lost technique known as Substantial Gas.

  Lucius made his way to the first yer, whose theme was Strength. Monsters here were powerful, and a single blow could prove deadly. The monsters crowded together, each more dangerous than the st.

  For Lucius, this trial was less about conquering the path and more about refining his skills. He decided to focus primarily on swordsmanship. While he wouldn’t refrain from using magic, he would wield it only to enhance his swordpy, much like a magic swordsman.

  He spent three days easily clearing the first yer, retreating only when surrounded, but standing and fighting when it came to one-on-one battles. Having grown up training against much stronger opponents, Lucius was well-accustomed to dealing with powerful enemies. His ability to deflect and counter strikes had become second nature, and with this trial, he sharpened those skills further.

  The second yer, however, proved troublesome. Known for its theme of Defence, the monsters here were slow but incredibly tough. Although it was easy to escape, Lucius knew that avoiding combat entirely would make the final monster too hard to defeat.

  Determined to press on, Lucius engaged the tough monsters, focusing on finding weaknesses like joints and eyes, but the creatures here cked such vulnerabilities. One of the most difficult enemies was the Iron Duck, whose wings were as hard as iron.

  Lucius tried to infuse his sword with [Holy Magic], but inconsistent control over his magic meant he couldn’t deal significant damage.

  However, the monsters were not particurly strong, so Lucius took the risk of jumping in, using the opportunity to refine his technique. After ten days of honing his skills, he was able to cut through even the toughest enemies with ease. Satisfied with his progress, he moved on to the next yer.

  The third yer was based on Agility, while the fourth focused on Magic. Here, Lucius encountered fast-moving and magic-wielding monsters, but thanks to his training in the second yer, his control over his magic had greatly improved, and he could easily defeat the monsters as long as they didn’t swarm him.

  His proficiency in [Holy Magic] had allowed him to enhance his own body, and his speed at creating footholds had drastically increased. As long as the monsters weren’t in rge groups, Lucius had no problem defeating them.

  ...

  Having cleared the fourth yer, Lucius decided to return to Arankuna for a few days of rest.

  The fifth yer of the Path of Shura, known for its theme of Mutation, was inhabited by a variety of mutated creatures that combined characteristics from the previous yers. These monsters were faster, stronger, tougher and capable of casting magic, making them far more dangerous than the previous yers.

  They also inflicted status effects, making this yer a considerable challenge. Though Lucius had [Holy Magic] to counteract most status effects, facing such powerful monsters still proved difficult. He found himself forced to take a break from his conquest.

  Returning to Arankuna with Mofu, Lucius learned that Mofu had been struggling on the second yer. [Cotton Magic] had little effect on the tough, defensive monsters, so Mofu was working hard to come up with a solution.

  Since the base of operations at the foot of the mountain was well-equipped, and there were regur traders and eateries in the area, Lucius and Mofu decided to rest in the town before returning to continue their training.

  Though they had survived off beasts, monsters, wild herbs, dried meats, dried fruits, and hardtack during their time on the mountain, they longed for the comforts of the town’s food, especially the soft bread they had missed.

  ...

  After a hearty meal at the town’s inn, Lucius and Mofu took the opportunity to rest.