“In any case, keeping our distance from next time onwards is advisable,” Sumara said after getting tired of arguing with Ondine.

“That sounds good!” Ondine said and nodded approvingly.

They turned and were surprised. Lakshman was staring at them with an exasperated expression on his face. Apparently, he had been standing there and silently watched them arguing.

“Lucky? Lucky!” Sumara said as she stepped forward and tapped him on the forehead.

He immediately gave a start and blinked several times while shaking his head. Then he looked at them with a surprised expression.

“Oh? Are you done already?” he said as he stretched his arms.

“Master... Why didn’t you try to stop us?” Ondine asked as he stretched his legs.

He turned back to them and smiled as he said “I thought it was interesting.”

“Huh?!” Ondine and Sumara said together.

“How is watching two women arguing, interesting?!” Sumara asked curiously.

“What do you mean interesting?!” Ondine demanded with narrowed eyes.

“W-Well...” he said hesitantly. “I just thought it was funny. I don’t know why, but... I just thought it was interesting...”

Ondine stared at him in disbelief. Then she shook her head and muttered “Unbelievable...”

Sumara looked at him, but she did not seem upset. Rather, she was puzzled as to why he found their argument so ‘interesting’.

“Anyway, Miss. Sumara?” he said quickly to change the subject. “How was my Energy Guard magic spell?”

“S-Sorry?” she said distractedly. “O-Oh... your magic spell... Yes! Energy Guard was perfect. It didn’t let my energy attack penetrate you.”

“Great!” he said happily. Then he nervously looked at her and asked “Miss. Sumara... that quick energy attack... could it be that you were trying to get to me before something happened because of me?”

Sumara’s eyes widened in surprise and she stammered “W-What could you be talking about?”

“That wouldn’t surprise me,” Ondine said shrewdly and she eyed Sumara suspiciously.

“A-Anyway, hurry up and heal us, Lucky,” Sumara said in an attempt to shift the attention away from her.

“Okay,” he said and nodded.

He aimed his right hand at them and said “Spirits of the wind, flow with the force and restore strength of the fallen. Healing Wind!”

 A cooling breeze swept them and the small injuries they received were instantly healed. He breathed a sigh of relief and saw Ondine staring at her hands in amazement.

“So... it was true... master did really achieve Healing Saint Magician rank,” she muttered.

There was a moment’s silent as they examined themselves. Then, Sumara said “Alright then! Lucky, now show me the Earth Strike.”

“Okay, but what will I be aiming for, Miss. Sumara?” Lakshman asked curiously.

“Your task is to smash this energy wall,” she said and she quickly used the Earth Wall magic spell to create one. “Now, remember. This may be an Advanced Ranked magic spell, but I’m a Saint Ranked Magician. With my power, this Earth Wall is several times stronger than the original.”

“I see!” he said and he looked at the wall of earth in awe. “So, just penetrate it or would total destruction also be okay?”

“Try penetrating. In live combat, you can’t always go straight for destruction. For instance, if your enemy holds a hostage and your job is to make sure to not get the hostage hurt.”

“Yes, I understand!” he said and nodded confidently.

“Well then, let’s see what you got!” she said and she walked away from there.

Ondine gave him a thumbs-up gesture with her hand before following Sumara. He smiled as he watched them go. Once he was sure they are at a safe distance, he focused on the Earth Wall several meters away from him.

“I’m to penetrate it, but not destroy it totally...” he thought as he continued observing it.

A moment went by silently. Then a minute stretched into minutes, and still he stood there and stared fixatedly at the wall.

“This could get tricky...” he muttered.

He knows he can penetrate the wall, but he fears he might demolish it. If he demolishes it, he would automatically fail and test and that was not good. Then he decided on using only a minimum amount of Magic Force to penetrate, but not entirely destroy it.

He took a deep breath and breathed out easily. Then he said “Spirits of the earth, rise up from the ground and strike through the barrier of strength. Earth Strike!”

As soon as he finished speaking the magic words, the ground beneath him began to tremble. Then spikes, made of earth, suddenly rose from the ground and made contact with the Earth Wall. There was a few seconds of struggle, but the battle was won and the wall of earth was pierced.

“Good control!” Sumara said when she approached her pierced Earth Wall. “You only pierced it well, but I see it was close to getting destroyed.”

“I’m sorry,” Lakshman said apologetically. “I couldn’t control how many earth spikes would appear or where they would hit.”

“You can’t, master?” Ondine asked as she looked at him in surprise.

He shrugged his shoulders and said “I get this vague feeling of something, but it’s a bit difficult to control.”

“That’s understandable,” Sumara said as she nodded in understanding.

“What do you mean, Sumara?” Ondine asked when she turned to look at her.

“Controlling how many spikes to appear and where exactly they strike takes long periods of concentrated training and discipline,” Sumara explained to Ondine. “It took me nearly a year to use my Earth Strike for pinpoint attacks.”

“So... is master lacking?” Ondine asked anxiously.

Sumara shook her head and said “More than lacking, it’s quite early for him to master these things. He’s shown his capability to use the spell, but not the training he needed to control it properly.”

“So... do I pass, Miss. Sumara?” he asked nervously.

“Of-course you do!” she said and she smiled.

Lakshman breathed a sigh a relief and began to move his body. First he released the stress mounting on his shoulders by stretching his arms. Then he stretched them as wide as he would to align them horizontally at his side.

“You’re stressing,” Sumara said as she shakes her head disapprovingly. “You need to be more relaxed, Lucky.”

“I am!” he insisted, but she could tell from his sweating forehead.

He was anxious, but he succeeded in hiding it. Suddenly, at the mention of his hidden pressure, panicked and began to reveal it.

“Master... really...?” Ondine said in exasperation. “At this rate, you’re going to run out of steam!”

“Steam?” he asked with a confused look on his face.

“Yeah... The thing released when someone is burning up!”

“I’m not burning up!”

“We’ll see, won’t we, when your body finally give up?”

“Ondine, stop that!” he said, looking annoyed and she shrugged her shoulders.

“Anyway...” Sumara interjected to divert the conversation. “Congratulations on advancing Earth Saint Magician!”

“Ah...!” he said and he blinked confusedly. As the words sunk in, a wide smile spread over his face and he exclaimed “Did I really?!”

“Yes,” she said and nodded.

There was a pause in which he stared at her with wide eyes and expression that of pure delight. Then he made a move as if he was going to shout in delight. However, at that very moment, Sumara interrupted him.

“Celebrations can wait once you’ve cleared the final test!” she said loudly.

 “T-The final test?” he said distractedly as all the happiness he built up suddenly evaporated. “There’s one more?”

“Of-course!” she said and she placed her hands on her hips and looked sternly. “This test involved you using both Earth and Water. Do you know why?”

“Well... it’s because those were the only ones you’ve taught me?” he said uncertainly.

“Are you asking me or answering me?”

“Ah...” he said and suddenly became nervous.

Seeing his sudden nervousness, she chuckled a little and said “Lucky... Relax!”

“Yes,” he said while nodding his head, but continued to look nervous.

“Oh boy,” Ondine said as she had a hand over her face. Then she moved towards him and said “Master, what you said is true. So, you can stop doubting yourself already.”

“Oh... my bad,” he said at the sudden realisation. Then he attempted to make, what looked like, a serious face and asked “So... Miss. Sumara, what is my last test; using Water Bullet, Ice Bullet or Water Cannon?”

“You already did them over and over with me during our training many times,” Sumara said in a tired voice. “And, Water Cannon is an Advanced Magic Spell. Did you forget?”

“Oh... right... I thought something was strange when I also mentioned it. So, that’s why,” he said and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

Ondine stared at him and shook her head wearily, but Sumara smiled warmly at him.

“So then... what will I be doing, Miss. Sumara?” he asked, becoming serious once more.

“It’s a water magic spell which I haven’t taught you yet. It’s one of the few powerful spells anyone can use as a Saint Ranked Magician!”

“Wow...!” he said in awe. “What is it?”

“It’s a spell that creates storms and thunders. A Water Magic Spell called Stordiyus.”