Chapter 33: Chapter 33 - Taming Progress "Are you finished already?" Lin watched in surprise as Ren completed the last series of morning exercises without his usual gasping. The training field was empty except for them, as it had been every morning for the past month. But something was different today. "It seems the pills have helped more than I expected," Lin murmured, studying her student with professional interest. "His recovery is... remarkable." It was true. The exercises that once left him on the verge of collapse were now, though still challenging, manageable. A month of constant training and recovery pills had transformed his endurance. "Well," Lin smiled, an expression Ren had learned to fear. "I suppose it's time to move to the next level." "Next level?" "We can finally begin with some real technique," Lin positioned herself in front of him. "Until now we've just been building your physical foundation. But now that you can move without looking like a newborn kitten..." She moved into a stance Ren didn't recognize. "Technique is more than just strength," she explained. "It's understanding how to use your body efficiently. Watch." Her movement was so fluid that Ren could barely follow it. In an instant, she was in front of him; in the next, she had twisted in a way that seemed to defy gravity and appeared behind him. "Your spore only gives you 10% more strength," she continued. "But with proper training and technique, you can make that 10% worth much more." For the next hour, Lin guided him through basic movements. How to position his feet, how to distribute weight, how to use an opponent's momentum. "Most students depend too much on their beasts," she explained while correcting his posture. "They think a 30% or 50% increase in strength makes them invincible. But technique..." She moved again, this time more slowly so Ren could observe. "Technique can overcome brute force. It's what's kept me as a teacher here, even with my crane stuck in Bronze." Ren tried to replicate the movement, stumbling in the process. "I don't expect you to master it today," Lin laughed while helping him up. "But at least now you have the endurance to practice without hurting yourself so easily." As they continued practicing, Ren noticed that the movements, though somewhat complex, weren't as exhausting as he'd expected. A month ago, simply maintaining the stance would have left him drained. 'The pills have really worked wonders, though I suppose his determination has helped too. Not everyone gets up every time they fall for a whole month.' Ren smiled, grateful for his teacher's support. His knowledge had shown him that the pills used somewhat expensive Bronze-level materials that helped with muscle regeneration and energy. As thanks, he would help improve her "mature" beast further, show that "weak" beasts weren't weak, that the records were mostly wrong... And soon, with Taro's evolution, he would have the first real proof of that. "Enough for today," Lin finally announced. "Tomorrow we'll start working seriously on these techniques. Now that your body can keep up, we'll see how fast your mind can learn." As he headed to his next class, Ren reflected on how much had changed in a month. His muscles no longer protested with every movement, his endurance had improved significantly, and now, finally, he would begin learning real techniques. Maybe Lin was right, tomorrow everything would begin in earnest... But it was just the beginning. With the processing of Taro's crystals that night, soon he would have much more to work with. ♢♢♢♢ Battle class proceeded normally, still exercising for everyone, as did Professor Mei's class, which was history today. Finally, in crystal class... "As you can see," Professor Song pointed at the tunnel walls, "productive veins are becoming increasingly scarce." He wasn't exaggerating. Where a month ago crystals glittered everywhere, now only dull marks remained in the rock. The few deposits that remained active were smaller and more scattered. "Therefore," Song continued, "we'll soon change the focus of the class. There's no point bringing you here when the veins need time to regenerate." Min raised his hand. "How long does complete regeneration take?" "That," Song smiled, "is exactly the kind of question we'll be studying. We'll move to theory of other crystal types and begin extra preparation for exterior gathering classes coming mid-next month." Several students, especially those from wealthier families, looked relieved. For them, mining expeditions had been more of a nuisance than a necessity. "However," Song added, "those who wish to continue practical gathering can keep using the mines. You just need to report your findings, we'll use that data for regeneration time studies like every year." After class, while most headed to the library, Ren and his companions remained in the tunnels. "Did you notice there are fewer guards?" Taro whispered while they worked on a minor vein. It was true. The guards who previously patrolled every level now concentrated mainly at the entrances and deeper zones. "Normal," Liu joined them, arriving from his own class. "With fewer students in the mines, they don't need as much supervision. Most prefer studying theory to picking at rock for crumbs." Ren looked around. The only ones left were students like them, those who needed every crystal they could find, from less wealthy families. There was no sign of Klein or his group, and even Jin seemed to have lost interest in harassing them in the tunnels. "It's better this way," Min extracted a small crystal. "More space to work." "And less competition for the remaining veins," added Taro. "Though we'll soon have to consider deeper zones," murmured Ren, studying the mana patterns. "The upper levels are almost depleted." Liu frowned. "Guards still watch those areas." "But with less personnel," Ren pointed out. "And the patrols are more predictable now." "Are you suggesting...?" Taro began.