Tike taught the breathing technique he mastered to the girls traveling with him, but besides Erza who could use this method to temporarily boost her strength, the other two girls, no matter how they adjusted their breathing, saw no effect.
Perhaps it was due to differences in individual constitutions, or perhaps there was a problem with Tike's teaching method. In short, only Erza ultimately mastered this breathing technique.
Kagura shook her head gently, looking at Tike with a hint of expectation and a trace of small excitement in her eyes.
"No need, let's put aside the breathing technique for now. I recently mastered a new magic and wanted to show you first."
"New magic?"
Tike was somewhat surprised but quickly turned joyful.
"That's great! Let me see what kind of magic it is!"
Like the breathing technique, only Erza successfully learned some application skills of Space Magic from Tike. Kagura and Yukino didn't learn a single bit of magic.
It wasn't until after joining the guild, with guidance from the veterans in the guild, that Kagura finally successfully awakened her own magical ability.
"Mm."
Kagura inhaled and exhaled gently, beginning to adjust the flow of magic power within her body.
Then Tike saw her body slowly rise and float in the air.
"Flight Technique!?"
Wasn't this a classic move in manga? Was Kagura's magic of this type?
"Although I don't know what this 'Flight Technique' you refer to is, my magic is probably different from what you said." Kagura turned lightly in the air. "I just changed the direction of gravity acting on me."
"So it's Gravity Magic."
In the Kingdom of Machinery, Grandpa Demon King had demonstrated similar gravity manipulation abilities, so Tike wasn't unfamiliar with this.
"Besides this usage, I can also increase the gravity acting on objects, like this."
To further demonstrate her magic, Kagura pointed at an inconspicuous small stone on the ground and activated her magic.
The small stone trembled slightly, sinking bit by bit until it was completely submerged in the soil.
After this, Kagura landed back on the ground, a trace of imperceptible gloom flashing deep in her eyes.
(If I could use this magic back then, Alice might not have been injured.)
Kagura had been dwelling on Alice getting shot through last time. Although Alice said afterwards that everything was fine, she still felt guilty about it.
Tike, on the other hand, was reflecting on his teaching ability.
(Sure enough, there's a problem with my teaching method...)
He recognized his teaching level again, and the figure of Selene couldn't help but surface in his mind.
(If it were Mom, she would definitely be able to teach Kagura and the others... I wonder how her health is now. When I get more proficient with magic, I'll sneak back to see her.)
Just like the trees planted in this world, Tike had left his own mark there. However, crossing worlds consumed considerable magic power, and his perception of the mark had become blurred, so he needed more practice.
(Talk about this later, for now—)
Tike refocused his attention on the present and praised loudly, "Very good magic!"
His voice pulled Kagura back from her self-blame to reality, while he rubbed his hands excitedly, looking eager to try.
"Want to have a spar?"
"Just what I was thinking!"
Kagura collected her thoughts and readily agreed. The two immediately began their duel in the forest.
"Water-Make: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Tike launched the attack first. Under his molding, a fierce water dragon broke through the air, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as it pounced toward Kagura.
Kagura stood on tiptoes, tapped the ground lightly, and turned her body gracefully to the side.
In the next moment, the water dragon, carried by a strong wind, whizzed past almost brushing the corner of her clothes, fluttering her jet-black hair and moon-white hem.
"Gravity Change: Forward!"
While dodging, Kagura held the wooden sword at her waist in a backhand grip. Her petite body burst with astonishing speed, approaching Tike in the blink of an eye.
Facing Kagura's swift advance, Tike didn't panic at all. His hands formed seals rapidly again, movements flowing smoothly and naturally like moving clouds and flowing water.
"Wood-Make: Thorn Bind!"
Countless thick green vines drilled out from the soil in front of Tike, instantly weaving into a huge green net covering Kagura head-on.
Kagura's gaze focused. She swung the wooden sword forward. Invisible gravity ripples spread forward with the wooden sword as the center. The vines' direction changed, pouncing toward Tike himself along with Kagura's slash.
"Gravity Change: Slash!"
(Not bad, mastering this usage right after learning it.)
While admiring inwardly, Tike exerted force under his feet, drifting backward. His hands crossed in front of him, and a 360-degree dead-angle-free water shield instantly condensed, protecting him firmly within.
The vines wrapped in the gravity slash slammed into it fiercely. All the force was completely unloaded by this seemingly weak water shield, vanishing into nothingness.
Seeing the attack failed, Kagura wanted to withdraw her sword and retreat to create distance and reorganize her offense. However, she was startled to find that tentacles derived from the water shield had firmly controlled her arms, rendering her immobile for a moment.
Immediately after, the water dragon that Kagura had originally dodged made a beautiful tail flick in the air and rushed toward her again.
Kagura had no time to dodge and could only subconsciously close her eyes tightly, waiting for the impact of the water current.
But the expected pain didn't come. Instead, the binding feeling on her hands disappeared.
Kagura opened her eyes in confusion and found the water dragon had vanished without a trace. Tike had also deactivated his defensive stance and was looking at her with a smile.
"Let's stop here for today. I see you have very little magic power left."
"Um..."
Kagura lowered her eyelids slightly. Although there was still a trace of unwillingness in her heart, she also knew what Tike said was true.
Just to counter Tike's vines, she had consumed most of her magic power. At this moment, she indeed had no strength to continue fighting.
"As expected, you're really amazing, Tike." Kagura sighed softly. "I can barely exchange two moves with you, and this probably isn't even your full strength."
Ever since accidentally knocking Lyon unconscious last time, Tike had consciously begun to limit his power.
It was just a spar, not a life-and-death struggle; there was absolutely no need to be so heavy-handed.
Among the children in the guild, the only one who could make Tike use his full strength without reservation was Erza. Even Gray and Lyon couldn't do it.
Tike could faintly feel that given Erza's current astonishing growth rate, even he, without the advantage of terrain, might not be absolutely sure of winning against her in the future.
Of course, if there were a moon or nearby water sources, Tike could exert two to three times his power by absorbing the magic power within. Then, not only Erza but even against that lightning-using blondie in the guild, he didn't think he would lose.
According to a certain simulation game he played in the Kingdom of Machinery, this was probably his exclusive field bonus.