When spring was in full swing, a contest for young people was held again in the meadow outside the village. Apparently, this happened every year. Or the monster attack made understand that more combat skills for village would be beneficial.

Sofra decided to stay at home to look after her youngest daughter, so Indres was left to take care of the wounded, if that will be needed. Before leaving the house, his wife gave him a bag of ointments and potions, explaining what each was for.

"So, will you remember that all?" Sofra finally asked.

"I know what's for bleeding and pain. For the rest... if they're hurt badly, the healer will take care of it. If not, they can come to you later." The man shrugged.

"I'll slap you." Sofra shook her finger warningly.

Indres just smiled in response.

"Everything will be all right... Children, we are going!" he called to his two eldest kids who already were dressed to go out.

"Look not only at the fighting, but also at your children! If they show distress or fear, please take them home right away!" Sofra expressed worries, leading the family to the door.

"Yes, I already promised."

Tao was heartily enjoying the warmer weather. The winter hat often itched, and the child's skin seemed to react strongly to the cold air. In an environment where nature was much more present, when everything turned green and spring flowers bloomed was much more remarkable.

"Welcome, noble Neter." Indres bowed to the healer as well as to his assistant near.

Both had arrived early and were resting, sitting on a perch on the edge of the field.

"Good morning, Indres! Today you came instead of your wife?" The grey-haired man smiled, looking down at the bag on the hunter's shoulder.

"Indeed. She stayed to look after the little one."

"I see... Does that mean we won't see your skills today?"

"It's nothing special. The others can pierce a wooden target too." Indres replied, spreading a blanket on the ground beside him for the children to sit on.

"That might be true... whether it will make the same impression, I don't know." Netter looked at the people gathered around the square.

Tao judged that the crowd was bigger this year, and he noticed faces he hadn't seen before, guests from other places.

"Many people want to know how strong the people of Ueki are. Aren't you afraid of disappointment?" The healer raised his eyebrow a little slyly.

"That has already been taken care of." Indres replied enigmatically.

Not only was the crowd bigger this year. There were also more people wanting to become warriors and hunters, Tao counted at least 16. Some were those who failed last year, while others were attending for the first time.

Just like university entrance exams... Tao remembered something unpleasant.

A light touch on his ear caught the boy's attention. He didn't flinch and didn’t look around for the person who did it, but remained calm.

"Hello, Tao." A soft, childlike voice sounded at the boy's ear.

"Eleya, have you rested?" He whispered the question, barely moving his lips.

Those around him couldn't hear and would probably think the two-year-old was talking to himself.

"You're out of the village, I don't have to spend as much power then."

Tao's hair had grown longer and partially covered his ears. So, people would have to pay close attention to notice a tiny, button-sized, whir of air at the entrance to the ear. This allowed the human child and the forest spirit to communicate fairly freely on a regular basis. Tao, however, was not yet fully accustomed to the sensation of someone speaking directly into his ear.

Was this what all those ASMR videos were about? The boy wondered.

"Does the presence of a healer bother you?" he asked the spirit.

"Why do you ask?"

"You said that the protection of light spirits bothers other spirits."

"As long as this man does not summon a spirit for this purpose, we can stay."

"We?"

"Me and the lesser spirits around you. They are still here."

It was an indirect hint.

Eleya was usually polite and deferential, but in time she also began to assert herself in a passive-aggressive manner.

The boy sighed and concentrated his spirit power and then spread it through his body, with the aim of covering the whole skin, forming a kind of thin film or membrane around it.

"Yes, it's much better now." After a moment, Tao heard a satisfied sound in the spirit's voice.

"..." While that was uplifting, concentrating on the process made it hard to respond.

"But the barrier isn't smooth... your aura still stands out among everyone around you."

"But less?" The boy said a few words with effort.

"Concentrate. I want to see what the little ones will do." Eleya insisted.

Easy to say... Tao complained in his mind

Creating a barrier to keep the spirit power in his body took all his focus. Even the voice of the forest spirit was a distraction, not to mention the archery and martial arts tournament.

So far, Tao hadn't missed anything spectacular. None of the youngsters seemed better than Arwain last year.

"Yes, some are leaving. It's working." A moment later Eleya announced.

"Can I stop?" The boy demanded.

"Why? You should try harder."

"I can't..." Tao trailed off quietly and stopped concentrating his spirit power.

Although this technique didn't require much spirit power, it did exhaust the mind.

"They came back, you know." Eleya didn't sound satisfied.

The boy didn't answer, he watched the youths trying to hit the wooden target with their arrows and the cheering of the people if any were successful.

"I'll know if a suspicious spirit is nearby... but I can't see everything either. This skill is your best defense against potential threats."

"I know." Tao felt a little annoyed, so he had to restrain himself from raising his voice.

His father and older sister's attention was on the competition, but the boy didn't want to risk making himself thought of as even more of a weirdo.

It seemed that Eleya didn't appreciate how hard the boy worked and kept pushing for better results. He was fed up with that from previous life.

"I know it's harder to do it around the flesh, but it's possible. Your mind has to get used to the technique, just like your skin."

"I train every day. For hours."

"That's good. I can help you understand exactly where you need to improve, but I need to see it in action..."

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Sighing, Tao began to focus his spirit power again.

He repeated this exercise several times, stopping only to watch one of the village hunters use a war bow to demonstrate a fighting technique with spirit power.

"You want to become a warrior?" Eleya showed curiosity.

"Not particularly. I'm interested in how they do it. So that I can repeat it in a situation of need."

"Magic isn't enough?"

"I don't know. It's better to be able to use different methods than just one."

The fire magic that Tao had used against the monster seemed suitable for attacks from a distance. If the enemy was nearby, for example, digging its teeth into the body, the spell could injure caster.

"Whether it's magic or martial arts, everything is based on the spirit power . If you have the ability to incarese it..."

"I've already said that I can't use my reserves to the full without expanding the spirit power outside the body. That would make the training useless."

"Then continue to strengthen the physical body, focus more on the power barrier, try to develop the meridians..."

"Meridians?" Tao didn't understand.

"The channels in the body through which concentrated spirit power flows. The better they are developed, the more and faster you can spread the spirit power through the physical body. Very useful for martial arts."

The audience applauded animatedly as the hunter pierced the target and the arrow crashed into the ground tens of meters away. Tao glanced carefully at his father, who kept a calm expression on his face and also clapped. The boy, however, thought that Indres's eyes expressed 'I could have done better'.

"Eleya, if my spirit power is so great that it is visible to the spirits, won't multiplying it make things worse?" Tao asked.

"Your barrier is getting better. I'm sure that in time you'll manage to drown out your presence so much that you won't stand out among other mortals."

"But is that necessary? I already can't use all my reserves in a day."

"That's because you only know small spells and simple methods of strengthening the body. You draw the well with a teaspoon, Tao. High-level spirit power skills, true magic, will drain you in no time."

"You know such?" The boy asked.

"I know about them... I'm too weak to do anything really spectacular. I do have some skills that would be useful to you... once you've mastered the spirit barrier." Eleya reminded.

"Even so, how much more spirit power do I need? Do you want to make me the strongest in the world?"

Tao heard a strange sound near his ear, like the sound of water trickling, but not quite. It seemed that the spirit lost control for a moment to form the air vibrations into an intelligible voice. The boy had the impression that Eleya was laughing.

"Even the mightiest man is still dust under the hand of the True Powers! The Powers that shaped this world and twist its destiny... what can mortals... and spirit like me do against them? You are indeed Mighty, oh Tao. But only for one born in flesh." The spirit spoke again after a moment, but there was a kind of amusement in its voice.

Tao automatically turned head to the side to express his displeasure with a look. But the vibration of the air moved together with the boy's ear, so this effort was in vain.

"The Powers that shaped this world... you mean the gods?" He decided to ask.

"Yes, that's what mortals usually call them. Though some even worship spirits like me, others their ancestors, magical animals and even their mortal rulers. Elder Spirits, Makers and Masters - these names are closer to their essence." Eleya explained further.

"They... live in this world?"

"In the Realm of man? No, most have left the Material Realm too. You don't have to worry; they won't pay attention to one mortal just because he's learned to make himself stronger."

Tao tried to digest what he had just learned.

He still wasn't convinced about increasing the spirit power reserves. On the one hand, it wasn't a bad thing to get stronger, but if he attracted too much attention from someone beyond his strength... it all depended on whether he could successfully learn how to create that barrier of spirit power.

"Usually, only certain races whose minds mature enough in childhood can make themselves stronger like you. And even then, not so spectacularly. I predict that in a few years you will no longer have that opportunity. Are you sure you won't regret it, Tao?" Eleya reminded him.

The boy didn't answer right away, he saw the three teenagers trying to use the spirit power to pierce the target like the hunter did earlier. Two succeeded partially, the third injured himself, so Indres went to help. Tao recognized the injured one, the same guy who failed the test last year.

If he had more spirit power, or a body that could carry it easily... would he been successful? The boy pondered.

"A mortal body, when it's still young, is malleable, right?" Tao asked the spirit.

"Up to a point, yes. I can make flowers grow faster, but not turn them into vegetables."

"I had the idea of strengthening not only the muscles, but also the senses, the sight and the ears. Is that possible?"

"Yes, without a doubt."

"Can I learn to see spirits and spirit power?"

Eleya did not answer for a good while.

"I don't know... even if some people have that talent, I don't think it can be learned. At least I don't know how." She finally spoke slowly.

"I felt the presence of a spirit in my mind. Doesn't that mean it's possible some other way?"

"Even spirits that clothe themselves in flesh perceive The Hidden differently. To see it with the eyes seems... wrong."

Tao judged that Eleya's confusion was genuine.

"Teru..." Tao started to speak, but then made fast glance at his father.

Fortunately, Indres hadn't heard his son whisper the name and continued to watch the tournament, where the melee fighters now took their place.

"Our dog could smell the spirit power. He knew when I used expended outside body." The boy kept talking.

"It's easier to detect spirit power than to see or feel spirits nearby. You can try it if you want, but I suggest you focus your attention on what is more important."

The melee tournament stirred up more emotions in the crowd. Many tried to cheer up the participants they knew with loud shouts. One first-time participant stood out in Tao's eyes - a short guy with a spear. He made several unusually sharp jumps to the side or backwards. The boy realized that the fighter was using the spirit power to move faster than normally possible. Apparently, this was allowed because it did not endanger the opponent directly. It looked quite impressive, one could say cool, and it also attracted the attention of the spectators. Tao noticed that even his sister was watching the teenager's movements closely.

"I will continue to increase the spirit power... if I learn to hide it." Tao declared.

"A wise decision. I think it would be valuable then to start training not only quality but also duration." Eleya seemed pleased.

"Duration? How long would be good?"

"All the time." Came the reply.

"You mean, maintain the barrier all the time, like I'm doing now?" Tao wanted to clarify.

"Yes."

"Even when I sleep?"

"Yes, of course."

"..."

"..."

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Tao suddenly shouted.

Of course, those around him paid attention, but figured the boy was just showing his enthusiasm for the fighting tournament and smiled at silly toddler.

"What happened?" The spirit seemed confused.

"Eleya, I... even if I could do it awake, in sleep its out. My consciousness shuts down, I can't focus my mind on this skill." The boy tried to explain.

He was afraid that all the training was for nothing.

"What does it mean to shuts down? Even in sleep the mortal mind works. They see dreams, feel and think."

"But this happens unconsciously. I don't know how to maintain such a skill unconsciously in my mind, all day and night. It seems... impossible."

The spirit of the forest seemed to be pondering what she had heard.

"I have heard of those born in the flesh being able to do something similar. It must be possible." She finally said.

"How?"

"..."

"Don't spirits sleep?" Tao decided to ask.

"Without physical bodies, there is no need to sleep. Even those who clothe themselves in flesh rest only physically, their minds remain active. Of course, when all strength is exhausted, the spirit diminish and... but that's different."

"And you can use such skills all the time? Continuously?"

"Yes, even now I let you hear my by moving the air. But it doesn't cause me any effort, just as it is natural for you to walk or breathe. But apparently, the use of spirit power is different for mortals... I am now beginning to remember... Indeed, those born in the flesh and those formed in the spirit - their minds are also different. No, it is not the mind itself that is at fault - the mind of mortals is born of the physical body, suffers from its limitations..." it seemed that Eleya was partly talking to herself.

"Then - there's nothing that can be done?"

"I have already mentioned that some of those clothed in flesh were able to do that. True, they weren't human, but I don't think they can live without sleep, or that their minds work much differently... There must be a way."

While the boy and the forest spirit were wondering how a mortal can learn the skills of a spirit being, the tournament was almost over. As might be expected, the short teenager with the skills to move dextrally won an impressive victory to loud applause. When it came time to demonstrate his fighting skills with the spirit power, he also showed that it's not just his legs that are agile and pierced a wooden block with a sharpened spear. In the end, only he and one other guy, the second runner-up, were declared warriors.

But the tournament wasn't really over yet. After the youth and the warriors had demonstrated their fighting skills against the wooden blocks, a battle magic user came forward, whom Tao simply called a fire mage, even though that wasn't technically correct.

"Now! See true power! Fire magic!" The man announced boasting.

"Regda! Ugne qure!"

*BOM!*

Tao's familiar flare exploded colliding with the archers intended target.

"Regda! Ugne qure!"

*BOM!*

"Regda! Ugne qure!"

*BOM!*

Two more shots completely destroyed the target. The new grass around it was burned out by several meters in diameter.

The audience applauded after this demonstration, causing the fire mage to show a smug grin.

"Is this what you meant when you said it was taken care of?" The healer asked Indres.

"As far as I know, there is no one in the other villages who knows battle magic." Tao's father did not answer directly.

Tao, however, had something else in mind. He had the impression that the flash in front of the man's hand appeared a second or two after the words had been spoken. The boy remembered his battle with the bat-like spawn, he was sure that back then magic was realized in the blink of an eye. If it had happened two, no – one, second later, the result would have been very different.

At that moment Tao had forgotten everything in the world, there was only this one moment, between him and the monster. It was only later that the boy smelled burning flesh.

Or had I been holding my breath? I can't remember... his thoughts began to wander.

Something occurred to Tao.

It was a shot in the fog, but...

"Eleya, I breath consciously... but also unconsciously, without thinking about it. Even in my sleep." He spoke.

"I don't understand." The spirit seemed confused.

"You said you have this ability naturally like I do to breathe... But breathing is not just an instinctive thing, I can control it with my mind, like the spirit power. Isn't it possible to make the use of it instinctive?"

There was silence for a moment. Meanwhile, the tournament was over, the winners were congratulated, everyone was invited to the village to enjoy a feast. Indres and the children were also making their way back.

"The spirit power obeys the will of the mind. This is true... But the flesh is different... plants and animals that can use the spirit power without real consciousness, only by instinct, do exist... But is it possible to learn this?" Tao heard the tiny voice in his ear express doubt.

"Let's see." The boy simply replied.