I’m really good at this! I know I’m really good at this because Mrs. Mu’s lackey is the perfect example of someone who’s not completely terrible but also not great at dodging a giant stick. Zigging, zagging, leaping, digging, I’ve already mastered the four fundamental movements behind the ruler’s escape technique. Since she’s not saying anything about any other fundamental movements, then it’s clear she has nothing left to teach me. She can stop swinging her big stick now. Please. Even if I’m good at avoiding it, it’s still terrifying!

“Alright, it seems like you have the basics down,” the ruler said. The familiar sound of the stick shoving aside the air came to a stop as the ruler rested it against her shoulder. “Now, it’s time to actually turn them into proper techniques.”

Ah? These moves were just the basics? They’re already so useful; I don’t see how they can even be improved! Maybe if I insert more spiritual energy into these squirrel legs of mine, I’ll travel faster? Leap higher? Dig deeper?

“Will the speed of your attacks increase?”

Mm? I think that’s the first good question Mrs. Mu’s lackey asked! It’s a good question because I also want to know the answer. I was barely escaping with my body unbeaten, and if the stick moves just a little faster, I’ll get hit by it.

“Don’t worry,” the ruler said. “I won’t attack any faster than I already am.” A small smirk appeared on her lips, or … at least, I think it did? It might’ve been a trick of the light which doesn’t make sense because my divine sense isn’t fooled by the light that easily. “But if you don’t master the escape technique’s essence, you’ll be hit.”

Mm, I might be hit, but that’s okay because Mrs. Mu’s lackey is definitely going to get hit more than I am. It’s a really good thing she brought him here, or I’d probably try to avoid this. Why didn’t Durandal ever encourage me by letting me watch someone else suffer through the same training as me? Not that someone else’s suffering brings me encouragement; I’m not a bad person, okay? It’s more like … comrades in misery? I’m pretty sure that’s a thing.

“Watch closely,” the ruler said and let go of the stick, causing it to topple backwards onto the ground. “I’m going to demonstrate the true essence of zigging and zagging.” Spiritual energy grew out of her arms and legs as she dropped onto all fours. Even a tail made of spiritual energy sprouted out from above her butt. She wasn’t using her real one because she was still pretending to be my pregnant servant. A tiny golden layer of spiritual energy coated her whole body, every strand of hair on her head included. Then, she appeared to the left without disappearing from her original spot! There were two rulers! I got it! The true essence of zigging and zagging is a cloning technique!

“Creating a clone takes up too much energy,” the ruler to the left said while the original ruler slowly faded away like a cloud of steam. “I used my spiritual energy to construct a shell of myself and zigged away from it. By doing this, you can deceive someone’s divine sense when they lock onto you with an attack.”

So, it’s not a clone, but it’s still basically a copy that can’t move or anything. That’s brilliant! It’s kind of similar to how lizards leave their tails behind when running for their lives, but instead of leaving my tail behind, I leave behind some spiritual energy. Is it okay to teach such a strong technique to Mrs. Mu’s lackey? He’ll learn the secret behind my escape technique, and everyone will know how to counter it! …How exactly is this technique countered? Maybe with a really large-scale attack, or an attack aimed at where I’m going to zig! Then, all I have to do is zag; that’s pretty neat!

“I’ll give you two a few hours to condense a spiritual-energy shell,” the ruler said. “The concept is really simple. Create a layer of spiritual energy over your body. You don’t have to make it as detailed as mine where every strand of hair is coated, but it can’t look too blocky either. You’re trying to fool someone for a brief instant.”

Hmm. Isn’t this like creating an armor made of spiritual energy? I’m a bit confused though. “How do I leave the spiritual energy behind?” It’s attached to my body. How do I zig out of it? It’s like trying to run out of my skin!

“It’s a bit tricky,” the ruler said. “You have to stop emitting spiritual energy from the parts of your body that leave the shell while making sure the shell doesn’t shift with your movements. You do that by moving your spiritual energy through your flesh to maintain the shell’s shape.” She held up her hand, and a golden layer of light appeared over it. She moved her hand to the right, and the layer stayed in place while her pinky passed through. “Do you see how my ring finger is producing spiritual energy in the same shape that was left behind by my pinky?”

I think I see it. The tip of her ring finger isn’t glowing, but the rest of it is. That is a little tricky. I have to do this for every part of my body? No wonder why the ruler told me to meditate so much! Just thinking about what I have to do is making my brain heat up.

“Seems simple enough,” Mrs. Mu’s lackey said. A layer of golden light appeared over him, and he simply walked out of it! How did he suck so much at the basics but excel at the advanced portion? That doesn’t make any sense! I’ll try it too.

I have to coat myself with spiritual energy, and walk through it while making sure it doesn’t move. Did I do it?

“You can’t recreate it after you exit the shell,” the ruler said. “Think about how it’d feel if the spiritual energy went through your body in a layer. Try to recreate that feeling. The faster you exit your shell, the faster you have to do it. Try exiting slowly first.”