...…

In the next few days, Shin resumed his training as per usual. Early in the morning, he was going to fetch some water from the river below the mountain before doing the reflex training immediately after.

But this time, he didn't feel much challenge at doing them anymore. He was already familiar with the mountain path, so he didn't encounter any problem when he was climbing up and down; he could even fill the wooden barrel with just 15 to 20 minutes in total.

At the same time, the reflex training was also the same. Shin already got used to the unpredictability of the wooden blocks, so doing the task given to him became much easier. He already mastered dodging, blocking and countering the certain blocks, so he could already continue doing the reflex training for as long as he could.

Meanwhile, his Mentalism training was much simpler. Grandmaster Benn just instructed him to do some control training just like the previous training that he had before. Though, this training was also much harder than before.

He was still dealing with the huge rock boulder from his previous training. And just like that time, Shin was instructed to bring that boulder on top of the mountain.

But this time, he was not allowed to push it up. Instead, he was instructed to pull it up by using his Mental Energy alone.

Alongside it, he was also not allowed to use any kind of Mentalism Runes to enhance his body neither to make the boulder light. He just needed to pull the huge boulder with his Mental Energy nothing more nothing less.

Shin continued to repeat this routine for a few more days until a day when Professor Plum met right before he went to fetch some water from the riverbank.

Shin greeted Old Plum with a bow before waiting for the latter's instructions.

Professor Plum didn't immediately reply to him. Instead, he observed Shin for a while to see his current progress. And after a moment, he nodded his head with satisfaction before saying. "Kid, before you resume your training, I want to ask you something."

Shin slightly knitted his eyebrows when he heard that but didn't ask any questions and just nodded his head.

Meanwhile, Professor Plum turned silent for a moment before opening his mouth. "You know about the Youth Competition called 'International Empire Wars', right?"

This time, Shin was suddenly taken aback after hearing those words from Professor Plum. And after a few moments of being stunned, Shin slightly nodded his head. "I only hear about that competition, so I don't know much about it."

"From what I know, it is a high-profiled competition that is only being held every twenty years between the major continents around the world. And the participants must be 20-years-old at most to be able to participate on it. That is all I know, since almost all of the information regarding that competition are confidential."

Professor Plum slightly nodded his head as he listened to Shin before explaining. "It is confidential since there are a lot of important things involved in that competition. Only people with a high level of Martial-Arts and Mentalism attainments are the ones who can spectate that competition; at least a Martial-Artist who reached the 'Domain Stage' of the 'Ascension Realm' or a Mentalist in Venerable Realm."

"Even the people from powerful organizations and aristocratic families can't watch the battles if they didn't possess such attainments."

Shin nodded his head once again as he started to get an idea where this conversation was heading. And just like what he had expected, Old Plum suddenly asked. "Do you want to participate in it?"

Finally hearing that, Shin turned silent for a moment before giving his reply. "Yes, of course," with a serious and determined look on his face.

Hearing that firm reply and seeing the determined look at Shin's face, Professor Plum couldn't help but curve his lips with a satisfied smile before nodding this head. And after a brief pause, he suddenly asked. "Then how about forget about the incoming entrance exams right now and apply for a special course instead?"

Shin slightly knitted his eyebrows when he heard that because he suddenly became confused. "Eh? But that is the course that I applied to at the Magical Ace Academy."

Old Plum shook his head a little when he heard that and immediately explained. "That is not what I am talking about. What I am saying is the special courses especially prepared for the upcoming 'International Empire Wars'."

He didn't wait for Shin to ask any more questions and immediately continued. "As you know, the next 'International Empire Wars' is almost near. So, every country is already making their respective preparations to choose the youths who are going to represent them in this huge competition."

"And at the same time, each famous school around the world is also started to make their own preparations since this upcoming 'International Empire Wars' is going to be slightly different compared to the previous ones."

"It was because some of the rules are going to be slightly changed due to some special circumstances. I am not going to discuss the specifics since the final rules are still not set in stone since most of it are still currently under some heated discussions.

"What's more, it is going to be tackled in your classes anyway. So, there is no need to tell you about that. Well, that is if you are going to get selected."

The corner of Shin's mouth suddenly twitched the moment he heard Old Plum's last remark. 'You don't even have confidence in your own disciple?'

Seeing that reaction from Shin, Professor Plum suddenly smirked before saying. "Since you already made up your mind, then let's make your training even more 'satisfying'."

Then he pointed his thumb behind him while saying. "The Old Fatty had already done the preparations, so all you needed to do was do the rest. I will be waiting for you behind the cottage after you are done fetching some water."

He was about to turn around when Shin suddenly stopped him from saying. "Wait! What about the application?"

"Oh!" Old Plum suddenly paused before saying. "About that, I actually lied a little earlier. The truth is, I already cancelled your first application and reapplied for the special course."

Then he added. "There is no need to thank me, I did it as your Master after all," while turning around waving his hand.

Shin stared blankly at Old Plum's back for a few more moments before shaking his head helplessly. After that, started climbing down the mountain to fetch some water while holding the wooden pole on one of his hands and the wooded bucket on the other.

On the surface, he was only walking leisurely since he didn't have to be in a hurry. But he was actually in full alert inside since he heard from Professor Plum earlier that Grandmaster Benn already made the preparations for the next level of his training.

From what he could tell, the path that he usually took in the morning was most likely going to have some traps set up on it. And it didn't take long for him to prove that he was actually right.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

His ears picked up a pair of whistling sounds in the air, indicating that there was something flying towards him.

He couldn't see what it was, so he could only rely on his senses to predict where it was coming. And this time, his reflex training started to show its results. His senses could feel the vibrations in the air and used it to predict from which direction the invisible attacks were coming from.

Given that, Shin immediately halted his steps and suddenly leaned his head backwards.

Swoosh!

Then he felt a sharp air current that brushed past in front of his nose with a great speed. And immediately after that, he quickly tilted his head to the side, dodging another sharp air current coming from behind.

Swoosh!

Shin slightly raised his eyebrows when he felt the speed and power of those air currents. "If it is before my reflex training, that second air current is most like going to hit me."

After that, he tried to walk at a slightly fast pace compared to his previous manner.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

This time, Shin felt that the number of the air currents suddenly increased. And after successfully dodging them, he suddenly kicked the ground and launched himself forward with a great speed.

When he did that, an even larger number of air currents suddenly flew towards him. They were coming from different directions which made it hard for Shin to read their trajectories.

Given that, he immediately forced his body to land on the ground before leaping up in the air, dodging all of the air currents. And when his feet touched the ground, he immediately jumped backwards while doing multiple flips in the air.

Right after he did that, a bunch of earth spikes suddenly appeared at the spot where he previously landed.

Shin landed gently on the ground before looking at the path in front of him with a knitted brow. "Moving faster will increase the number of air currents while jumping in the air would do nothing, but earth spikes are going to appear the moment I landed back on the ground."

"At the same time, the traps are not going to activate once I move backwards."

He paused for a moment before wearing a satisfied smile. "Looks like this one is going to be somewhat interesting."

.....