The concept of getting strong sounded easy but it also presented it's own a question.
How does one get stronger?
Was it by training his body to the limit like most aura users did or encoding numerous magic formula like mages did or relying on cheats like he had just done.
Frankly speaking the answer wasn't simple as in, it was all of the above and more.
There was not one particular way to get stronger, there existed many, one just had to find the one most suited for them and for Art he perfectly knew what to do.
"Aura function like a multiply, it adds value to what already exists in this case my physical stats but I had little time to work out and build my body, so for now I'll just focus on mastering aura and less on building my body."
To build his muscles and overall strength he needed to exercise but the process would be too long so he couldn't say he was only going to exercise. If he did that and neglected his aura training then the process would be halted.
Art even after awakening had neglected aura because it wasn't a path he was particularly interested in but that Art was different from the current one. The new one needed to learn aura for his protection and so forth.
"The academy should have a library for aura control but I wondered if I'll need an ID to use it."
As for now he was a hired personnel of the academy but not everyone knew that so he doubted he will be allowed to enter the school library.
"Guides from the Internet could work for now."
While not as detailed they existed many guides about aura userage out on the internet.
"For now I'll keep the simplified version and learn the basis..."
"Of!"
Cutted of by a silhouette which casted of the sun's glow of him, Art displaying an untraceable expression looked up, finding a familiar blonde haired girl looking down at him with tinkled in her eyes.
"Oh." He furrowed glad his body had been too exhausted to react to Trish's presence.
"Teacher."
With her hands behind her like a humbled student, she smiled her eyes displaying a child like curiosity unbefitting for her age.
"Ah... didn't we just part two hour ago."
"One hundred and fifty-seven minutes to be exact."
"....."
"That is two hours and thirty seven minutes. It's quite long so please teacher don't undersell it with just."
"Alright cut to the chase what do you want?"
To exhausted to deal with her rumbling he urged her aiming to end this conversation as quickly as possible for his own sanity.
"Well...."
[Trish emotional meter: Trust 5]
"Can I seat beside you, teacher?"
With a pleading look, she inquired causing Art to look around for a way out.
"Sure, suit yourself then." He scoffed.
"Really." She smiled.
"Yeah I was about to leave anyway."
"...."
Finding his words dissatisfying her eyes dimmed in colour.
"Teacher can I follow you?"
"Why?"
Art baffled by her forceful assertion threw a question of his own.
"Is it wrong for a student to want to follow their teacher?"
The sharpness of her reply sent a shiver down Art's spine as he was left wondering what did he do to deserve this.
Seeing she has successfully convinced Art to stay, Trish sat beside him ignoring the stares she got and focusing all her attention to Art for he was what the most important being here.
In a scene that Art could only describe as a crazy zealot looking onto their object of worship, Trish's gaze lacking in negativity and only expression admiration was placed on him, ones more bring the familiar chill.
"Crazy!" He thought seeing how dead her eyes where.It made one wonder what kind of childhood she had experience to go crazy about the first person whom treated her with a little bit of gentleness.
"....so you what to talk about anything?"
"No."
"Want to ask a question?"
"....No."
"Want to learn about me?"
"~yes!"
Another chill followed, the deepness in her voice too uncanny and frightening to him.
"I want to learn about you teacher..."
She paused and tilted her head, a mixture of confusion and awe displayed in her eyes.
[Trish emotional meter: Trust 3]
Seeing her trust level suddenly reduce for him, he wasn't that surprised. She was an intelligent girl and with enough thoughts she would have grown confused about why she was suddenly so interested in him.
In this world were succubus and mages with all kinds of charm spell existed it wouldn't be an understatement to say one's emotions were never save and could be easily manipulated.
So the crazy girl no matter how much of a zealot she was becoming for this strange man couldn't help but wonder if her emotions were being manipulated.
"Teacher are you human?"
Their was a hint of sharpness in her voice as her dim blue eyes landed on him.
"Pretty sure."
Art showing an expression of disinterested nod but Trish wasn't full convinced suddenly getting of the bench and taking a few steps back from him.
"Okay."
With a newfound sense of alertness the colour in her eyes flickered lightly denoting the use of aura.
It lasted for a good second until she sat back on the bench with a sigh of relief.
"Teacher, how old are you?"
Having confirmed what she wanted she give another question.
"Between twenty to forty given or take or you could also guess."
"Then I'll say 20."
"Why?"
"I want to believe you aren't that much other than me."
"....I see."
He neither confirmed nor denied her words, he just left it ambiguous for reasons.
"Are you a swordmaster like me?"
"Yes."
As Art responded she took a look of his hands. They didn't seem like the kind of hands belonging to one whom followed the path of a blade. They looked too weak, no every about him gave of the presence of someone whom was weak yet....
"Teacher I want to fight you?"
There was something she wanted to understand and it couldn't be acquired by just asking but by crossing blades with the young man beside her.