(Rodova Military Academy, Physical Training Grounds)
Academy life resumed as usual for Leo the next day, as he slipped back into the familiar rhythm of lectures, drills, and endless training.
However, one thing did change, which was that Su Yang seemed to be actively avoiding him now.
Whether it was the morning endurance runs where they usually pushed each other stride for stride, or the partner drills in Practical Combat Class where they always ended up facing off —Su Yang kept his distance today, as he paired up with others, and outright ignored Leo when they crossed paths.
Leo noticed his odd behaviour, of course.
But he didn't push.
He figured it was better to let Su Yang cool off in his own time, rather than force a confrontation that would only make things worse.
And besides, Leo had other priorities occupying his mind now.
As classes ended for the day, Leo headed straight for the Academy Skill Scroll Archive, eager to select the two remaining skills he was permitted to claim this semester.
—---------
The archive was a towering facility, lined with endless rows of gleaming shelves and holographic terminals, which impressed Leo with its grandeur every time he entered.
An assistant was already waiting for him at the entrance with a data slate in hand, bowing deeply as she saw Leo approach.
"Mr. Skyshard," she said with professional courtesy. "You have already claimed two skill scrolls last semester. As per academy regulations, you are entitled to choose two additional skills for your first academic year."
She handed him a sleek black data slate, its surface lighting up as he touched it.
"Since you are a Monarch-level talent, there are no restrictions on the grade or type of skill you may select. Please take your time browsing."
Leo nodded silently and moved towards one of the tiny seating chairs within the skill scroll archive, as he sat down and took his time browsing through the skill options.
The archive interface displayed thousands of categorized skills before him, however, he already had an inkling to what he needed.
The recent battles during the Circuits had exposed the areas where he was still lacking, and after introspection, Leo knew precisely the areas he needed to improve on.
Firstly, he needed to work more on his mobility.
He had [Blade Switch] and basic evasion drills to reposition himself, but he needed something more advanced— something versatile that could help him reposition instantly mid-combat, confuse enemies, and add layers to his assault patterns, because seeing how Gu Ramos figured out his [Blade Switch] mid battle, Leo knew that he couldn't rely on it as his sole card.
And secondly, Leo felt like he needed to work on enemy restraint.
[Shadowbind] had been useful against weaker opponents, but against top-tier foes, it simply didn't last long enough, nor could it fully lock down their movements.
Since his (Legendary) ranked skills became useless against [Transcendent] level warriors or higher, Leo intended to replace [Shadowbind] completely from his arsenal, forgetting the move all together, and replacing it with a superior version which did not occupy an additional skill slot.
As per his understanding, he needed a move that could reliably pin down even peak-tier enemies, buying him precious seconds to land a critical blow.
As although he pulled off landing [Ball Buster] against Jishan last time, he knew deep down that he wouldn't be so fortunate every time.
Hence, with those goals in mind, he filtered the vast catalog of skill scrolls accordingly and narrowed down his options, to three in each category.
—---------
Mobility Skill Options:
1. [Storm Flash Traverse]
A short-range teleportation technique that allows the user to instantly "flash" between preset points within their line of sight.
Once activated, the user can chain multiple flashes in rapid succession, provided they set the anchor points beforehand by mentally locking them during movement.
This technique shines in chaotic battlefields, letting the user weave unpredictably through enemy lines, dodge area attacks, or even reposition for sneak attacks.
Pros:
Nearly unavoidable repositioning ability in mid-combat.
Perfect for dodging large-scale area attacks or overwhelming enemy targeting systems.
Cons:
Extremely mana-intensive, chaining more than 5 flashes can drain up to 20% of total mana pool for Grandmaster tier fighters.
Requires mental focus to set anchor points correctly; mistakes can cause flash errors or backfire.
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2. [Solar Rift Leap]
A burst-mobility technique where the user tears a tiny solar rift in space behind them and uses the explosive recoil to launch themselves forward at incredible speeds.
Unlike teleportation, this technique creates a high-speed physical leap rather than bending space.
It's particularly deadly when combined with mid-air attacks, as the rift shockwave can temporarily disorient nearby enemies, giving the user a brief opening to strike.
However, it leaves a visible trace, meaning stealth-based users must be cautious of enemies reading their trail.
Pros:
Instant acceleration for dodging or gap-closing.
Brief shockwave effect stuns nearby enemies (0.5s disorientation window).
Cons:
Leaves behind solar rift traces, giving away movement paths.
Recoil needs excellent balance control to avoid missteps.
---
3. [Spectral Pivot Flow]
A hybrid footwork style focused on rapid, angular pivots that generate aftershock ripples in perception.
To an observer, the user appears to "blur" during sharp movement transitions, making reading their attack direction far harder.
Unlike traditional footwork, it deliberately uses momentary inertia breaks to distort enemy reaction timing.
Perfect for dagger users, ambushers, or anyone who thrives on close-quarters confusion, though it demands superior body control to pull off without spraining joints or exhausting stamina too quickly.
Pros:
Creates visual lag in enemy perception, throwing off predictive counters.
Low mana cost compared to teleportation or flashing techniques.
Cons:
Physically taxing if overused—risks muscle fatigue or ankle injuries.
Less effective against enemies relying on aura-sense instead of sight.
---
Restraint Skill Options:
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1. [Heaven's Chains]
This technique summons radiant chains from the sky, descending with brutal speed to slam the enemy into the ground.
Each chain is imbued with heavy suppressive force, locking movement and draining stamina from the bound target.
Particularly effective against highly mobile or evasive opponents, but it requires a brief 1.5-second charge-up where the caster must maintain uninterrupted line of sight.
If cast successfully, however, it all but guarantees a kill window.
Pros:
Strong crowd-control, can completely immobilize mobile enemies.
Chains sap stamina, weakening even if the enemy somehow breaks free.
Cons:
Short but critical charge-up delay; easily interrupted.
Not ideal in tight indoor environments (chains need vertical room to fall, at least 50 meters).
---
2. [Bone Prison]
A brutal containment skill where jagged skeletal pillars rise around a target, trapping them in a tightening cage.
The unique structure of the prison reacts to blunt physical attacks by hardening further, making it superb for locking down berserkers or heavy melee types who try to muscle through obstacles.
However, high-energy attacks—like plasma bursts or lightning strikes—can crack it faster, as the bones are poor conduits for energy dispersion.
Pros:
Perfect defense against raw physical attackers.
Instantly creates a psychological barrier, forcing enemies into panic.
Cons:
Vulnerable to elemental or energy-based destruction.
Can also unintentionally trap the user if cast poorly in narrow spaces.
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3. [Astral Hook Bind]
A gravity-manipulation skill where ethereal "hooks" made of condensed astral energy snag onto the target's joints—elbows, knees, ankles, slowing physical movements massively without fully freezing them.
Unlike a traditional snare, Astral Hook doesn't anchor the whole body, but instead disrupts fine muscle control, making clean attacks or escapes almost impossible.
Requires excellent aim to land the hooks during high-speed combat, but once latched, the effect is devastating.
Pros:
Subtly ruins enemy movement without full immobilization—perfect for surgical takedowns.
Works well even on high-agility targets.
Cons:
Requires high targeting precision; a miss wastes the entire activation cost.
The effect is gradual—not an instant stun.
—---------
Leo scrolled through the details of each skill, absorbing the pros and cons quickly.
Each one had merits.
Each one filled the gaps he needed to address.
But which combination would serve him best?
He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowed at the glowing screen.
'I can only pick two. Mobility first, restraint second… but which ones?'
The choice would define the next step of his evolution, and Leo was determined to choose without regret.