After leaving the gray mist of Zambesi, Bruce's consciousness returned to his own body. He clenched his fist hard, yet felt as though he had barely exerted any strength. There was nothing wrong with his body; he simply needed time to adjust to switching identities.
Bruce felt a faint sense of disappointment. Divine power was far too intoxicating, while his own strength was far too meager. He could hardly wait to possess powerful abilities of his own.
"Such wonderful power, so intoxicating, so unforgettable."
"No wonder people let power rule them and lose themselves. Now I've truly felt it myself. It's far too easy to succumb to overwhelming power."
"But before long, I'll finally be able to touch those mysterious powers myself. I'll become a Wizard and gain power that truly belongs to me!"
"You can do it, Bruce. You don't need to envy a god's power."
Bruce quietly encouraged himself, dispelling the unease in his heart.
Once he had calmed down, Bruce hid the Dark Bible back in the study. Fawcett and Ghost were both there.
"Did you go out just now?"
Ghost had sensed Bruce leaving for a short while. Though his body had remained, his consciousness had departed. He must have gone to some mysterious realm, just as he had last time.
Fawcett also gave Bruce a long look, with a hint of helplessness and concern in its eyes.
"Yes."
Bruce nodded in acknowledgment, but he would not tell them where he had gone. He would let Fawcett and Ghost guess for themselves. They would most likely assume he had secretly met with the Dark Lord. Let them think what they liked; it made no difference.
Ghost hesitated. Something had gone wrong with its body, and it wanted to seek help, but its body was also controlling it, preventing it from revealing the change.
It was as though someone were fighting it for control of its body.
With the immediate problem in Zambesi resolved, Bruce's life settled into a routine again. He went out early and returned late.
In a classroom at the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club, Bruce lay on the floor once again. His arms were not too sore or numb this time. Instead of pulling him up, Andre sat down beside him.
Andre had gradually come to enjoy sparring with Bruce as well.
Bruce's grasp of swordsmanship was exquisite, enough to make even Andre feel inferior. During their bouts, Andre therefore held back his strength and savored the wonderful feeling of countering each other's sword techniques.
The female sword instructor brought over some plain water to quench their thirst.
After spending these past few days with her, Bruce had finally learned her name: Laura Bridge. She was Andre's girlfriend, and her older brother served as a police officer in the center of Forendana.
Laura had also sparred with Bruce. Generally speaking, women were physically weaker than men, but Laura had trained and was somewhat stronger than Bruce. With his current swordsmanship and strength, he still found it difficult to defeat her easily.
Yet Bruce could sense his swordsmanship improving at a remarkable pace. As long as he kept practicing, he could take it to even greater heights. His Swordsmanship Mastery ability still had plenty of room to grow.
"After tomorrow, you might not see me for quite a while. We'll have to postpone your lessons."
Andre suddenly spoke while they were resting.
"Did something happen? Is there anything I can help with?" Bruce set down his cup. He had heard a hint of helplessness in Andre's voice.
"It's nothing much. I just have to go away for a while. The people at the club's headquarters want those of us running branches to attend a meeting, followed by centralized training. In Sokvinia. I'll probably be staying there for six months to a year."
Bruce knew that the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club's headquarters were in Sokvinia. He simply had not expected Andre to be gone for so long.
"Then what about the club? Are you leaving Laura to look after it alone?"
Bruce did not mean to belittle Laura.
For a woman, Laura was indeed a skilled swordswoman. He could not beat her yet, so he certainly had no reason to look down on her. But having her handle all the club's lessons alone would probably be difficult. "We can't close the club. It barely makes a profit as it is, and we can't afford that kind of disruption. Laura has to stay here and keep teaching, so I have a request."
Andre felt helpless too. He truly could not understand what the people at headquarters were thinking. What was there to train them in? And for nearly a year? Was this some kind of joke?
But he had no choice but to comply. Headquarters had funded this swordsmanship club as well. He, his younger sister, and his girlfriend had poured years of effort into running it, and he could not bear to give it up just like that.
For the past two days, he had been thinking about what they should do once he left. Now, there was indeed a solution.
Andre looked at Bruce.
"I'd like you to serve as a temporary assistant instructor at the club. I'm worried Laura won't be able to handle everything."
"There's something else I have to mention. You've probably heard of the Swordsmanship Hall. They've been putting pressure on our club all along. I'm worried they'll bully Laura, and Lilith too. She's always getting into mischief, so I can't help worrying."
Andre extended the invitation to Bruce and explained some of the risks the swordsmanship club currently faced.
Bruce did know a little about the Swordsmanship Hall. It had something of a reputation.
Bruce pondered for a moment. He might get drawn into commercial competition along the way, but that was no great problem. Laura's swordsmanship was good, and he needed someone to help hone his own.
Even if his swordsmanship surpassed Laura's within those six months to a year, he would still need somewhere to practice. The Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club was just right.
Besides, those who came here to study swordsmanship were either wealthy or influential. Bruce could use the opportunity to demonstrate his exceptional swordsmanship and expand his own influence.
He could make a few friends that way.
It would still be some time before he gained his status as a Wizard. The paperwork for inheriting the Wayne Family estate had all been completed, leaving only the redesign and renovation of a manor.
He would soon be able to formally inherit all the Wayne Family's assets.
When that happened, he would also need to start his own business ventures. Simply living out his days as a landlord did not suit Bruce, nor did he want that kind of life. He still wanted to encounter more supernatural phenomena and develop his spirituality.
Perhaps this period would give him an opening. Could he use the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club as a springboard to make some investments?
Six months to a year was not very long.
There were also Fawcett's and Ghost's affairs to deal with. The rituals for reincarnation and summoning a demon were not difficult and would take no more than a week. Nothing should go wrong at the swordsmanship club in that time.
What the swordsmanship club really faced was suppression by the Swordsmanship Hall. But although the Swordsmanship Hall ostensibly taught swordsmanship, its business was essentially health and wellness services. There was a certain difference between the two.
If Bruce truly wanted to drive the Swordsmanship Hall out of business and ensure it never attracted another swordsmanship student, he had a few ways to do it. Its weaknesses were far too obvious. Still, since they were all wealthy people in Rhode Town, there was no need to make relations so hostile.
Of course, all these thoughts were secondary. He had spent quite a while with Andre, who was both his teacher and his friend, and they had developed something of a bond. Since Andre needed him, this was a favor he could do. Bruce readily nodded.
"Sure."
"Then let me thank you in advance."
Hearing Bruce agree, Andre breathed a sigh of relief.
With Bruce holding the fort at the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club, the people from the Swordsmanship Hall would probably think twice before making a move. At last, the weight on Andre's mind lifted.