"Alex… What do you think about the earlier incident? The battle resolved pretty anticlimactically, but I think there is something hidden behind that battle." Anya asked.
Not long after Alex arrived, they went toward the pillar where Alex used his Space Element to bring them to meet the Gods and Goddesses, of course, with the representatives of the four kingdoms.
As soon as they arrived, they were bombarded with questions, especially about how Alex could receive such injuries.
Still, they were never expected to have another world that needed to be watched, but Alex assured them that if they could close this portal, those people shouldn't come to this world again because a few of them were very close to achieving God Rank.
And he promised he would see what the real reason they attacked as soon as Alex left this world. Hence, they decided to drop the matter and focused on the monsters first.
Alex decided to sit on the side while receiving treatment from Anya, where he could also talk about this matter.
When Anya uttered her question, Alex looked down, falling into deep thought. It was also in his mind this whole time because it was too fast for the guy to leave.
"True enough. I don't know, but I have understood a few usages of my Space Element. In fact, all of it was coming from what I have understood this whole time. Do I lack something?"
Anya fell into silence. She leaned back and let out a long sigh. "No. I think this is our fault."
"How so?"
"Because we are too strong, your opportunity to challenge the limit is only a glimmer… Now that I think about it, there were only a few occasions where you fought alone, right?"
Alex looked up, counting all those occasions. "Hmm? Only some tournaments… And the one that helped me the most was Mithra…"
"Ah. She was the one who helped you attain Sword Body and your Martial Lord tribulation." Anya remembered such a person.
She was Maxwell's former friend, and Alex also used her element to bring her into the cycle of reincarnation. How could she forget such a person?
"Yeah. The rest… I don't know. Only a few trials from Stina's World, Teodross's trial, and Potential Tower. I don't think I have fought alone besides that time?"
Anya facepalmed, sweating profusely. She looked frustrated as she said. "Ugh. Now that you mention it, we fought many people, but most of the time, the leaders behind them would be killed by either Leoz or Jeanne…"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"It's fine. Everyone, including you, wanted to see me safe and sound. I have nothing to say but thank you. Everything was my fault." Alex shook his head. He never realized this. It might be due to the N squad's perfect information network or his extraordinary spirits… Nonetheless, he realized he never had his plan go wrong. It was as if everything went according to his way.
That was why he never challenged his limit, let alone did something to turn the tide with his own thinking. He forgot that when he reached God Stage, the opponents would be far stronger, and their intelligence network might include the whole world's power.
No way he would understand everything. His N Squad might claim to be the best in a lower world like this, but they wouldn't be able to say the same in the face of many worlds, especially Divine Worlds.
This might be the first time he felt very helpless, wondering why he didn't realize it until now.
He took a few minutes to calm down before he opened his mouth, changing the topic. "I have a lot of reflecting to do, but I will do it later. For now, I want to discuss the appearance of that man with you."
"I… I understand." Anya hesitated at first, but that hesitation disappeared the moment she saw Alex's determined face. "Have you asked the system?"
"Yeah. She didn't tell me anything."
Anya furrowed her eyebrows. 'Time Element is one of the rarest elements in the universe, so I don't really have that much information about them. If Sister Xingzhi didn't tell him anything, it was either she didn't know or she refused to tell him. It is probably the latter since Sister Xingzhi's father was the former Time God. Still, seeing there is no notification… It means I don't have to worry about hiding anything and discuss to the best of my ability, right?'
Alex looked at her with a gentle expression and asked. "It seems you know something."
"I don't know that much because there is practically no research about it. Even the Time Element art is considered a rarity. How do you think there are many Martial Arts or Element Arts in the world?"
Alex contemplated for a few seconds before he stared at her with sharp eyes. "Original Technique?"
"That's right. Take an example of your Triple Draws and Mythical Spear Cannon. They are original techniques that can't be used by another person in a normal condition. However, there is no saying that the person itself can't copy such a movement, right?"
"Ah!" Alex nodded in agreement. Although he suspected there must be some relations between the Martial Arts with the Original Techniques, he had yet to realize the detail before Anya explained.
"That person tries to copy and imitate it to the highest degree. Of course, something that is not yours won't be yours. Hence, you only need to make it your own by mastering it in your own way. Because of that, the Original Techniques become Martial Arts.
"After that, since that person can learn it, then other people can master it too. At that time, it will be the start of the generalizations as it gradually becomes a genuinely proper Martial Arts that anybody can use.
"Of course, there are some cases where the generalizations increase or decrease the power from its original. It depends on who is the first person copying such a technique. If it's a genius, he might get a solution to make it stronger. If it's a normal person, he might downgrade it.
"After thousands of years, the number of techniques increases to the point it is now. And I believe this world has history from hundreds of thousands of years that they might not be aware of." Anya finished her explanation.
"I see. So, that's how Martial Arts were born." Alex nodded with a calm expression. "Still, there are times that you can't copy it, right?"
"I don't think so. Even Pure Element Arts can be copied, let alone normal elements. It depends on whether you have the qualification to do it or not. And take a look at your Sword Mastery or Spear Mastery once again.
"After understanding many techniques and deepening your knowledge about it, I believe you can copy someone's original techniques. You just need a bit longer than the usual one."
Alex thought for a moment and opened his mouth in amazement. "I think I can."
He had a hunch while recalling the memory about his past opponents that either used spear or sword. And it turned out, he might understand their move if he observed them using it for days or months.
"Still, I am not planning to copy one because I have too many techniques already. Only after reaching God Rank that I will need Divine Techniques. But for now, I don't have any plan in getting another one."
"I can relate." She nodded. "By the way, what are you planning with that mysterious guy?"
"Hmm?" Alex frowned, thinking about it seriously. This matter was his biggest concern. Although he didn't bring any 'Ship' to come here, he surely had come to the other world and gone through the portal just to meet him. And yet, he couldn't ascertain his identity and objective. He didn't want to have any enemies as soon as he reached God Stage, so it was troubling him. "First… I want to know about the Time Element. Do you know anything about it?"
Alex asked this question because he couldn't get much information from the knowledge that he got from the Lightning Tribulation. That was why he decided to ask her.
"I don't know much, but I can assure you that his time ability is not that powerful." Anya nodded.
"Not powerful? Are you serious?" Alex opened his eyes wide.
Anya smiled and told the story about the previous Alex and Lin Xingzhi's father. How the old man turned Alex into a kid and slapped his ass countless times to the point it was uncountable.
"Seriously?" Alex twitched his eyebrows.
"Yeah. However, it turned out that father-in-law wasn't against your relationship with sister Xingzhi. He only wanted to make you frustrated, so you can go stronger. Of course, he also wanted to have some fun himself." Anya shrugged while chuckling.
"…" Alex let out a long sigh. "That must be very embarrassing."
"Yes. Well, I won't say anything more because it was your past memory. But those techniques were the ones that father-in-law used when he fought you. It took you a very long time before you reached God King Stage and became equal to him. Only at that time, he stopped spanking you." Anya nodded with a serious expression.
"Never mind then. Listening to all those techniques… I understand how his Time Ability is not on par." Alex nodded.
"Yeah. That's why I think he must have a reason as to why he suddenly came and returned so anticlimactically."
"Do you have any idea for what reason he came to me?"
"I am afraid… No. Time Element is very weird, weirder than Space Element. I can come up with one thousand reasons, but it might not be his reason. So, rather than assuming too much, it's better to investigate his identity first as soon as we reach God Stage."
"Alright." Alex nodded. "I will have Nelson take care of it."
"You can even move the spies from Eulja, you know."
"As I said previously, even if I have this Spirit Crown, my mind and body have yet to accept such a title. Besides, I know that the spirits from Eulja respected me because of my past, not the current me. That's why I might visit there, but I won't use their power."
"That sounds like you." Anya smiled. "Then, I have one thing I want you to know."
"What is it?"
"Just enjoy yourself and do what you want."
Alex was surprised to hear those words but still smiled while closing his eyes. "Yeah."
"For now, I will wait and see the progress. If that man wants to harm my family, I won't hesitate to annihilate him. Still, I think he has another reason to do it. Despite being the offender, he seems to have no intention to kill me." Alex frowned.
"Another intention? Did he not release any killing intent?"
"Yeah. Other than when he wanted to startle me, I think he didn't release it no matter how dire the situation was."
"This is weird." Anya looked down, falling into deep thought. "Let me see what kind of trope that usually comes around this time…"
"Trope?" Alex stared at Anya with a weird face.
"I mean… What you have experienced all this time… Don't you think at least half of them are according to a trope in those stories you learned in your previous world?"
"Ah?" Alex scratched his head, not knowing what to respond.
"Let's see… Maybe sister Xingzhi has a secret admirer? And because of jealousy, he attacked you? Even if it wasn't sister Xingzhi, maybe Alicia? Alicia must be training in another world to acc.u.mulate experience right now, so there might be someone there that got entranced." Anya's eyes flashed a dangerous glint.
"I don't know if you are joking or not right now…" Alex chuckled. "Never mind. In that trope, all of them will show even a glimmer of emotion, but his… He was purely thinking about another thing."
As they were talking about this while joking, Shakdi suddenly intruded their personal space with a guilty expression. "Ehm… Excuse me. We need to trouble you to decide what kind of course we are going to choose."
Alex looked at his body and noticed that his wound had fully closed. He glanced at Anya and nodded, asking her to come with him to discuss this.