Lies don’t travel far

The teacher left leaving behind a bunch of pensive disciples, not a single one of them had thought that it was possible to use the points wrong, in their mind get a high level would automatically make them strong.

They had never thought that they would have to think carefully about what kind of cultivator they wanna be, with their limited knowledge a cultivator is a cultivator and all of them followed the same path. Now, these disciples broadened their minds and learned that the journey to immortality is not composed of a single trail, but many instead.

For Ryu this is not the only thing to disturb his mind, he was worried about Nura that knew part of his secret. They left the academy building and went each one for their house, the lesson was long and strenuous, it is almost time for lunch.

Nura and Ryu followed the same direction, they live together after all. An awkward silence took place when they were walking side by side, Ryu thinking how he should deal with the situation. For some time they went like this, eventually, they reached near their living place and the streets started to get dessert, Ryu picked the opportunity to bring the subject.

"Hey Nura, what we were talking early, you know?" Ryu was afraid to tell something that will make his situation even more complicated.

"No Ryu I actually don't know. What are you trying to say, can you be more clear please?" it was a lie, Nura knew exactly what Nura was talking about but seeing the other walking on eggshells is somewhat fun, so he will not make things much easy.

"It is that thing, you know the skill."

"ah, that axe skill you got, it is nice, realy. congratulations." Nura still playing dumb.

They reached their front door Nura used his token to open the door, they took a seat in the living room and the awkward conversation continued.

"Thanks, but I am not talking about that skill. I am talking about the martial art skill." Ryu was starting to get frustrated with the misunderstanding. It is annoying when you try to talk with someone and the other refuses to understand what you are talking.

"About this, I thought we were already friends I don't know why are you so upset. Of course I would not talk about it."

"It's not that, I see you as a friend. I am just worried that you will think I was trying to fool them telling about other skill, when you came and took control over the conversation making all of them talk about their own skills. Don't you think that I haven't saw what you did there." since they were putting their cards on the table Ryu would not hide his own.

"I just assumed that you were trying to make them talk about their skills because you were investigating if the skill you got was something that others were getting too. It was smart on your part to not assume that you are overpowered because you get one skill.

Of course, I have also reached a conclusion that your skill should be more amazing than you made it look back in that forest." Nura had read Ryu's actions like he is an open book.

It was and deduction pulled so beautifully that Ryu got scared with his friend, he could only think how intelligent the other really is.

"Yes, It is just like you have described." Ryu was glad about the conclusion of his problem.

"You could have asked me about it, I am from a huge family and I have some knowledge about it. I can guarantee you that getting a skill so early is common but they are all weak, to get a high-grade skill is definitely not normal. It is extremely rare, almost non-existent.

Yours should be like that right? What is it? Scholar grade?"

Ryu did not give an answer, he looked back to Nura not knowing what to do.

"Don't tell me it is a Sage grade?" Nura said lightly laughing at the joke of someone getting a sage grade skill while being so weak.

There was no answer from Ryu that continued to look at Nura. He was not confident in lying to his friend after witnessing his display of intelligence.

The smile on Nura's face started to fade, and the two continued to stare at each other. An awkward silence filled the room and still one kept looking at the other. Half a minute later.

"Don't tell me it is..." Nura could not even force himself to finish the sentence. But when he spoke Ryu shifted his eyes to the left, confirming his hypothesis.

"Are you kidding me? Why did you told me about the skill you moron." Nura was so agitated that he lost control over himself and started to yell.

"If you put like that it looks like I am stupid when I told about the skill to you, I thought we were friends." Ryu reversed the conversation using Nura's words against himself.

They looked at each other and both of them burst out in a loud laugher that continued for a long time until their bellies started to hurt.

"No, no, serious now. You know that this skill can bring you fortune or disaster right? Going with that strategy of feigning it to be lower grade then it are can work, but you will have to be much more cunning than that."

It was not long before hunger assaulted them, they went to a ranch to have some lunch. Their conversation was becoming more and more casual as their friendship progressed. After lunch, they went to the outskirts, not to hunt or do a quest but just to relax and digest the food.

"Hey Nura. Have you thought about what you want to be in the future? I mean what kind of cultivator."

"Are you disturbed about your stats and build?" Nura looked for confirmation with Ryu them he continued "Once I thought that I would be a fighter and inherit the family, now I don't know exactly what kind of future I would have. But I will at least become strong."

Ryu heard Nura's words and thought about it, there was grief in them. He does not know what happened for someone like Nura to come to this sect, with his family background and his IQ join any other sect would not be difficult.

Ryu also doesn't comprehend the problems with a big and powerful family, so trying to console his friend would not have good results. Instead, he focused on the other half of Nura's speech.

"This is a fancy way to say you don't know what kind of future you will seek, what type of build you will follow."

"I suppose. And you?" Nura send the question back.

"Before the academy test, my dream was to join a big academy get the high level to become a hunter, and travel to different places facing strong enemies. But in this last week I have thought about it and, Is it okay?

To become a cultivator just for wonder fighting beasts and evildoers?"

"Are you suffering from a midlife crisis? You don't have to plan your entire plan now, it is fine if you keep up until you find your vocation. If you are worried about wasting your stats points you can play safe until you decide about what you want to do." Nura felt much mature in counseling the other.

"I suppose so." they went silent for some time until Ryu broke the silence.

"Do want to try and go hunt together? We should be able to do that if it both of us." Ryu was already imagining them hunting and progressing at incredible speed.

"I can't. I will leave the sect for a while with Luise." Nura heartlessly dismissed the invitation.

"You? and Luise? are you dating?"

"NO! I am not a loli-con. Me and she are complete opposite. We will just go in a quest for a rare beast, when you left us talking that day we decided to go." Nura said very quickly trying to deny Ryu.

"You came with many excuses at once, are you sure is not a date?"

After the section of jokes, they were preparing to leave when Nura gave a serious look to Ryu.

"As a friend I am going to give you a hint. You should not try to level up here. Go to a village at some distance get allong with the people and search for quests there."

"Go to a village and search quests there? I am not understanding why this would be better Nura, dare to explain?"

"I am not going to explain. Just go and do it. Maybe you will understand it in the future, but even if you dont understand it will still be the best for you. Believe in me and go."

With that Nura left, leaving Ryu utterly confused.