Mastering Grasshopper

I am currently standing in the small clearing in front of Master's house.

The air is piercingly cold.

The morning sun, just beginning to peek out from the distant mountain range, illuminates me.

I hold my right and left hands up in front of my face.

Then, with all my might, I clap them together.

PAAN!

The sound of my clapping echoes through the quiet morning mountains.

Alright, next.

I hold my hands up once more.

This time, I focus on magic power conversion.

I clap my hands with all my might.

......Silence.

With 【Magic Perception】 active, I could watch the impact of my clap turn into magic power, spread out around me, and finally fade away.

It's been 1 week since I realized magic power conversion was possible.

I have finally succeeded in clapping my hands without making a sound.

◇ ◇ ◇

Once I got this far, the rest was quick.

Whether it's erasing the impact of a clap or erasing the impact of falling from a ceiling, it's the same thing.

After practicing a few times, I reproduced the ‘silent landing’ right in front of Master.

After nodding silently, Master led me outside.

We arrived in front of a massive tree.

This world just has so many huge trees.

Things that would be worshipped as sacred trees in my previous life are growing here in droves.

So, bringing me here means that, right, Master?

He wants me to fall from the top of this tree and do the same thing.

And so, I gave it a shot immediately.

Long story short, it wasn't all that hard, but it was harder than canceling the impact from the ceiling earlier.

Apparently, the greater the impact, the harder the magic power conversion becomes.

And so, the height Master demanded kept increasing, and finally, we reached a sheer cliff.

And that's how we got to the situation at the start of 2 chapters ago, with me jumping off this cliff.

◇ ◇ ◇

I land as if nothing had happened.

When I look up, there's the edge of the cliff I was standing on a few seconds ago.

All the impact was converted into magic power, spread softly around me, and vanished.

I ended up on one knee, but you'll let me off for that much, right, Master?

Ah, he's nodding. I'm forgiven!

<Ha, haaaaaaaaaaah............ that was scaryyyyyyy............!>

Geez, you're way too jumpy, Omake-sama...... but I'm sorry for scaring you......

<But this is addictive. Want to do it again?>

What are you, a girl hooked on thrill rides!?

“............”

Ah, Master looks like he wants to say something.

When I turn to face him, Master crouches slightly, then springs high into the sky.

And then he lands.

......Ah, I see, it's 【Grasshopper】.

That's what I was training to master in the first place.

<You were so far off-track this time that you forgot, didn't you?>

S-shut up!

That's not true!

Pulling myself together, I attempt to reproduce 【Grasshopper】.

【Grasshopper】 is a composite technique of several skills.

Harden the ground with 【Solidification】, use 【Body Strengthening】, generate repulsion, and jump.

Then, upon landing, I erase the impact with magic power conversion.

The key to a successful 【Grasshopper】 is activating these in a smooth sequence.

I put strength into it and leap.

In an instant, my body soars high into the sky.

......Though I don't reach Master's height.

After my ascent speed slows and I feel a floaty sensation of weightlessness, the fall begins in accordance with the laws of nature.

Come to think of it, 2 months ago, I made a pathetic spectacle of myself here by fainting from sheer terror.

But this time, that's not happening!

Stay calm, keep a firm grip on my consciousness, and land silently!

The impact turns into magic power and spreads softly around me.

“............”

I stare at Master.

“............”

Master stares back at me.

“............The rest, is practice.”

Having said that, Master turns on his heel and begins walking toward the house.

Ah, so I've basically received a passing grade for 【Grasshopper】 too, right?

......I did it. I did it, I did it, I DID IIIIIIIIIIT!

I'm so happy!

Since I struggled so much not knowing how to do it this time, the joy is all the more intense!

ALRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!

Leaving me to my inner celebration, Master continues forward.

As he walks, Master casually brings a hand chop down on a big boulder lying by the path.

With that alone, the boulder is split clean in two, as if sliced by a sharp blade.

“............【Mantis】.”

Naming the technique, Master continues walking as if nothing happened.

......A new task.

For now, I just want to say this one thing.

Master, please stop springing that on me out of nowhere.

It freaks me out.