During Lyco's training session, Alan noticed a lack of creativity in his attacks, despite the infinite possibilities his wielding offered. He paused the session and approached Lyco.
"Lyco, despite having a wealth of knowledge, your attacks lack imagination," Alan remarked.
Lyco, confused, tilted his head and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, look at your attacks. You're forming weapons from the ground and using them as regular weapons. Instead, think of the ground as your entire arsenal. Imagine yourself as the ground and consider what you would do if your enemy approached you," Alan explained.
Lyco pondered Alan's suggestion, nodding with a growing understanding. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment. Then, with a forceful stomp, he created a water-like ripple in the hard surface beneath them.
Alan smiled, acknowledging Lyco's improvement, and Lyco returned the smile, pleased with his progress.
Moving to the Long Range Hall with Aurelia, Alan observed her using her whip as an anchor and her body as a projectile. However, he noticed she wasn't utilizing her surroundings to their full potential. He asked for her whip and demonstrated by grabbing a nearby boulder and launching it with sheer force at a distant target. Impressed, Aurelia asked for suggestions.
"How did you do that?" she inquired.
Alan began explaining,
"Remember how Master Clara mentioned that mark weapons are extensions of our bodies? I think putting that advice into practice would be most advantageous for you."
"What do you mean?" Aurelia asked as Alan handed her whip back to her.
"I mean, instead of using your body as a weapon and risking harm, you can use your whip for what it's made for—long-range attacks. Utilize your surroundings, meld your body with your whip, and use rocks and other objects as projectiles. Your already strong body will provide the force needed." Alan elaborated.
Aurelia absorbed Alan's advice, seeing her weapon in a new light. With newfound hope and inspiration, she immediately began training, eager to implement Alan's suggestions.
In the Defensive Hall with Armis, Alan intervened before Armis could demonstrate his fighting style. He gripped Armis's shoulders, his gaze serious.
"Despite how it looks, Armis, your body isn't indestructible," Alan cautioned.
Confused, Armis stuttered,, "W..wha..What do you mean?"
"I mean, don't rely solely on your body and armor as shields. Armor is meant to protect you from attacks, not absorb them head-on," Alan explained.
"But I—" Armis began before Alan redirected his attention to a training dummy.
"Use your armor for its intended purpose: defense and protection," Alan instructed.
"And for offense, hone your already formidable body. Learn fighting techniques, improve your moves. Let's start with the basics, and I'll teach you more later."
After instructing Armis, Alan ventured into the Close Combat Hall. As he readied himself to engage with the fifty lined-up dummies, he noticed Cesar nearby, towering like a giant and effortlessly pulverizing the dummies with powerful blows. After obliterating the last one, Cesar strode toward the exit.
Meanwhile, Alan commenced his own assault, moving with a speed only he could perceive. With a swift push, he sent all fifty dummies flying in a spectacular display of prowess. Landing gracefully back at his starting point, Alan caught sight of Cesar, his eyes widened in astonishment at Alan's performance. Sensing Alan's gaze, Cesar quickly, averted his eyes and departed.
As Cesar left, Alan detected the shadowy figure of the teacher from the trial, lurking near the Training Hall entrance, glaring at him.
After a brief moment, the teacher retreated, leaving Alan with a lingering sense of unease. Alan knew the inevitable confrontation was drawing near with the man who had kept a watchful eye on him since his arrival at the academy.
After bidding farewell to their companions, Alan and the others returned to their respective rooms. Alan quickly hung up his uniform to dry and dusted it off, leaving himself in only his loincloth. Armis, returning from the lavatory, opened the gate unabated and caught sight of Alan's slender yet well-defined physique.
"Man! And here you were complimenting me on my physique," Armis remarked, impressed with a crescent grin.
Colour gathered around his cheeks, as Alan hastily pulled on his night overall, covering himself to his knees. Armis, noticing the discomfort, made his way to his bed and began stripping down, putting on his worn and old nightgown.
"Don't worry, Alan. I know some people are shy around others, but I still have to commend you on maintaining such a physique," Armis reassured him.
Alan shrugged off the compliment modestly. "Nah, it's no big deal. I just try to stay slim so I can run faster."
"Well, I think we're all aware of that," Armis replied with a chuckle as he settled onto his bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Following suit, Alan sprawled out on his own bed, relishing the comfort of the mattress, which was many fold better than the ones he had slept on in his shady inn or on rooftops before that.
As Alan nestled into his bed, on the verge of drifting off, Armis's question jolted him back to wakefulness.
"Alan, what do you think the world outside Pompeii is like?" Armis inquired, his voice carrying a sense of curiosity.
Alan paused, considering his response carefully, knowing that any slip-up could jeopardize his cover. With a tone infused with wonder, he replied,
"Honestly, from where I come from, Armis, the world here in Pompeii, or central Pompeii, is unlike anything I've ever experienced. The thought of what lies beyond these walls feels like a distant dream to me. What about you, Armis?"
Swinging the question back to Armis, Alan watched as his friend gazed at the ceiling, lost in thought, as if envisioning a world beyond their own. Finally, Armis spoke, his voice seemed to be brimming with hope and imagination,
"You know, despite what we've been told about the monster far ferocious then of Relic Castle lurking beyond Pompeii, and even seeing proof of that from my own eyes, I still like to believe that there's a world out there holding wonders far more magnificent than what we've seen here," Armis expressed.
"I imagine a place filled with people unlike any we've encountered, a place brimming with beauty and kindness—a paradise waiting to be explored."
As Alan listened to Armis's vision of a world beyond Pompeii, he noticed his friend's eyes drift shut, as if he were already exploring the realms of his imagination.
Alan empathized with Armis's longing for adventure and discovery.
Having traveled extensively before arriving in Pompeii, Alan too had once dreamed of distant lands filled with both marvels and dangers. But now, surrounded by the grandeur and mysteries of Pompeii, he couldn't shake a lingering unease.
With each passing day, Alan felt a growing sense of disconnection from the reality he once knew, a fear of being ensnared by the allure and illusions woven by Pompeii.
With a heavy heart, Alan eventually succumbed to sleep, the lingering sense of uncertainty weighing on his mind even as dreams carried him away.