* * *
I am now standing in the small square in front of Master’s house.
The air is piercingly cold.
The morning sun, beginning to peek out from the mountains in the distance, illuminates me.
I raise both my right and left hands in front of my face.
Then, with all my might, I clap them together.
Paan!
The sound of my clapping echoes through the quiet morning mountains.
Alright, next.
I ready my hands again.
This time, I focus on converting magic power.
I clap my hands with all my might.
…Silent.
With 【Magic Perception】 activated, I could see the shock generated by clapping my hands being replaced with magic power, spreading around and eventually fading away.
A week after realizing the potential of magic conversion.
I finally succeeded in clapping my hands without making a sound.
* * *
From there, it was quick progress.
Eliminating the impact of a clap or the impact from falling off the ceiling, it was all the same.
After several practices, I demonstrated a “silent landing” in front of Master.
Master silently nodded, then took me outside.
We arrived in front of a huge tree.
This world has lots of huge trees.
Trees that would be worshipped as sacred in my previous life are growing in abundance here.
So, bringing me here means, right, Master?
To fall from the top of this tree and do the same thing.
So, I immediately give it a try.
In conclusion, it wasn’t too difficult, but it was more challenging compared to when I eliminated the impact of falling from the ceiling earlier.
Apparently, the greater the impact, the more difficult it becomes to convert it into magic power.
And so, Master’s required height kept increasing, and eventually, we arrived at a steep cliff.
This is how I came to jump off this cliff, as mentioned at the beginning of two chapters ago.
* * *
I land as if nothing happened.
Looking up, there’s the edge of the cliff I was standing on just a few seconds ago.
All the impact was converted into magic power, spreading softly around and disappearing.
I ended up on one knee, but that should be forgivable, right, Master?
Ah, he’s nodding. Forgiven!
<Ha, haahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh………… That was scaryyyyyyyyyy…………!>
You’re too scared, Extra-sama… but sorry for making you scared…
<But this, it becomes a habit, doesn’t it? Shall we do it again?>
Like a girl hooked on thrill rides!
“…………”
Ah, Master seems to want to say something.
Turning to face Master, he slightly crouches and then jumps high into the air with a rebound.
Then he lands.
…Ah, I see, 【Grasshopper】.
I had been training to master this skill.
<You forgot about that due to the intense detour this time, didn’t you?>
Quiet, you!
That’s not true!
I regain my focus and attempt to replicate 【Grasshopper】.
【Grasshopper】 is a composite technique of multiple skills.
【Solidify】 to harden the ground, use 【Body Strengthening】, generate repulsion to leap into the air.
Then, use magic conversion to eliminate the impact upon landing.
Executing these actions smoothly and continuously is the key to successfully performing 【Grasshopper】.
I put force into it and leap.
My body quickly soars high into the sky.
…Though not as high as Master.
As the upward speed slows, and I feel a gentle sensation of floating, natural law dictates that I begin to fall.
Two months ago, I had embarrassingly passed out here from fear.
But not this time!
I remain calm, keep my consciousness, and land without making a sound!
The impact generated is converted into magic power and spreads softly around.
“…………”
I gaze at Master.
“…………”
Master gazes back at me.
“…………It’s all about getting used to it now.”
With that, Master turns on his heel and starts walking towards the house.
Ah, does this mean I’ve passed 【Grasshopper】, at least for now?
…Yes! Yes, yes, yes!
I’m so happy!
The struggle was real since I had no idea how to do it this time, which makes the joy even greater!
Yessssssssssssssssssssss!
Behind my internally celebrating self, Master continues on.
While walking, Master nonchalantly chops down with a hand blade onto a large rock lying around.
The large rock splits cleanly in two, as if sliced by a sharp blade.
“…………【Mantis】”
Naming the technique, Master walks on as if nothing happened.
…A new challenge it is.
But let me say this.
Master, please stop doing that all of a sudden.
It scares me.