Chapter 54 - The Combat Intelligence Skill

Alan coughed to hide his embarrassment, he could see in Kevin's eyes that his behavior had been misunderstood, so he said to him very honestly : "Wow Kevin, you are impressive ! Actually, I didn't think you would succeed after only one try. Normally it takes a lot of practice to get to do what you just did."

Kevin then sighed in relief and told him with a smile : "The hardest part was to keep the seven balls of spiritual energy above my hand to pour them into the cauldron, it takes a lot of concentration, without my necklace I'm not sure I will have been able to do it."

Alan didn't know if he should laugh or cry so he said to Kevin : "The hardest part and this is where everyone fails at first, is being able to concentrate the right amount of spiritual energy in every balls you shape.

Because if only one of your spiritual energy balls don't have the right amount need, your potion will be screwed up."

Kevin said scratching his head : "It's weird, for me it was the easiest thing to do."

Alan burst out laughing and asked him serious again : "And for your Soul force reserve, how are you feeling … Any differences ?"

Kevin quickly checked his Soul force points and Alan was right, he had only used 100 Soul force points, that was awesome.

Kevin said happily : "It's a lot better I've used a third less this time."

Alan nodded in satisfaction and said : "That's very good Kevin, your Soul force will increase every time you craft a potion and meditate, so with the help of this necklace and the disappearance of the negative effects, you will quickly increase your Soul force reserve it's great, I'm really happy for you."

Kevin asked him, trying to act cute, well, trying was the right word because he really didn't know if it will work.

He had never used this kind of 'technique' before, but lot of people had tried to get things from him this way, so it was worth a try, same if it had never worked on him : "Alan, if they ever refuse that you become my tutor, can you still continue to give me this kind of advice ?"

Alan laughed again and said to him : "Of course I will ! And anyway, even if they refuse that I become your tutor, we will see each other often because Axel has officially become Erik's tutor, which made a lot of people jealous of him."

Kevin had detected the note of pride in his voice and he then remembered what Axel had told him when he had asked to be Erik's tutor, he said to Alan : "Don't worry Alan, Axel didn't choose him because he was your boyfriend and because he felt more comfortable around him.

Anyone who has underestimated Erik until now will soon regret it, Axel chooses him because he has something very rare that very few people have and it's the combat intelligence skill."

Alan looked at him surprised, he came from a family of fighters so he obviously knew what the combat intelligence skill was, it was the ability to quickly adapt to all kinds of fighting techniques and find immediate and effective counterattacks.

But, what he didn't know, was that Erik possessed this kind skill, if it was true, it would be truly awesome.

He asked him still doubtfully : "How do you know that, did Axel tell you about it ?"

Kevin wanted to tell him that he had discovered that alone by fighting against him but he preferred to lie for the moment, he still didn't know if he could trust them completely : "Yes it's Axel, he told me that during our lunch, he was really happy to have become his tutor."

Alan's smile widened and he said : "I didn't know that Erik possessed such a skill. When I helped him to train when we just met I saw that he was a quick learner but I never thought it could be realated to that specific skill.

If it's true then his futur his limitless, trust me, I'm so relief that Axel is his tutor. The other instructors always ignored him and never gave him a chance to show what he was capable of."

Kevin couldn't help but add when he saw Alan's delighted face : "Well rest assure that Axel will take good care of his training.

He told me that this skill wasn't an innate skill and that only two kinds of people could develop it, those who wanted to survive at all costs, and those who wanted to protect the people they loved no matter what …"

Alan had opened his eyes wide in astonishment, he was completely unaware of this, Kevin then said with a smile : "I'll let you guess in which category Erik is."

Of course that knowledge came from him, he wasn't even sure Axel knew about this kind of things.

In his past life he had developed this skill at a very young age, because he wanted to survive at all costs, but he also saw it in some people who wanted to protect their love ones.

He guess that his innate Warrior Spirit skill was the ultimate evolution of this skill, he had used it so much and mastered it after so much efforts that it had become an innate skill in this life.

Alan was really delighted and he told to Kevin : "It's funny, you know with Erik we have kinda met the same way as you and Axel, it was also during a recruitment of the Sun Sect in Dawn city and I was letting off steam on the training ground.

Erik thought I was a fighter instructor and we started talking together, when he found out that I was actually a mage he seemed disappointed but I could also see the admiration in his eyes.

And I have never confessed that to him, but that gleam in his eyes this day have awaken something in me, something that I thought I was immune against.

Anyway, all this to tell you that I'm glad Axel is taking care of him and I'm also glad you two are together."

Kevin thanked him and he saw out of the corner of his eye that Axel and Erik looked like they had finished their training and was heading towards them.

When they joined them Axel asked : "Are you done ?"

Alan pour his potion in a hermetic bottle and handed it to Kevin, saying : "Keep practicing okay, that's the only way to increase your Soul force reserve, but don't exhaust yourself, this necklace won't sleep for you, so rest well it's important too."

Kevin took it and he said : "Thanks for all your advice Alan, I will work hard and don't worry to much I have someone to watch over me."T