46.

I returned to the training hall for practice. I had a few ideas but I need to take it step by step. I have an inspiration about the first step I'll take to removing my preliminary movements. The No Motion Jab of Ricardo Martinez.

I don't know how he managed to use a jab without moving his shoulders but I want to learn it. It would lessen the reaction time of my enemy and would probably catch them off-guard.

Instead of a jab, what I need is a no motion stab. I started stabbing in a weird stance and I'm not used to it as I was trying to remove as much unnecessary movements as possible.

I was training by myself when a disciple came to me.

"Aegis, can you help me practice with a spar?" He asked me and if I remember correctly he's named Itoga.

"Oh, sure." I stopped my training and faced Itoga.

"I wanted to practice dodging your attacks." Itoga said and I nodded. Since all I needed to do was attack, its a good training for me. There's so much for me to learn. I wanted to learn how to sense the muscle twitch from an attacker so I could dodge the attack. Just thinking about it is making me antsy in anticipation.

With a staff in my hand, Itoga and I faced off each other. I first tried attacking him normally without trying to use the no motion stab to see if there won't be a problem if I try things out.

I slowed down my attacks and Itoga was managing to deal with my attacks as he dodged my attacks but he seems to be frustrated about it.

"Aegis, are you mocking me? How am I going to practice if you're not going to attack me at full force?!" Itoga said which made me curious instead of upset.

"Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to dodge it?" I asked him.

"How would I be able to master my technique if I don't face pressure. As for my injuries, its my problem to think about, not yours." Itoga said with a serious face.

"All right then." I said as I decided to attack him full force.

All my attacks are now hitting Itoga but he never grunted at being hit by my attacks, he just ignored the pain and just focused on dodging the next attack.

Bruises started appearing in his body but he didn't seem fazed about it, it felt like he didn't feel the pain at all. With a meat shield as an opponent, I decided to try things out.

'Free my mind, let my body do the work.' I inhaled deeply and started loosening up trying to let my instincts takeover completely.

The hand that was on my spear moved on its own and attack Itoga, he was caught off guard by the sudden attack and was hit squarely in the chest. Itoga was pushed back and started coughing.

I returned to my senses completely dumbfounded.

'What was that? Although my hand moved on its own, I could still feel hesitation. I couldn't let go of my control of my body in the last moments.' I thought as I stared at my hand. After pondering about what happened, I closed in to Itoga to help him. The last attack might have surprised him and didn't manage to defend properly.

"I'm fine." Before I managed to help him out, Itoga raised his hand. Itoga was slightly confused about what just happened, it was like the staff suddenly came in front of his chest and he didn't even manage to react.

Itoga stood up and stared at me with a confused face.

"What was that, Aegis? That was so unexpected. It suddenly arrived in front of my chest and I couldn't dodge it." Itoga said and I smiled wryly.

Even I don't know what just happened and you're asking me? I just tried letting my body go for it and suddenly it struck.

"I just followed Elder Hagu's teaching. Honestly I didn't expect something like that to happen. My bad." I said to him but he just laughed.

"Looks like the genius is back." Itoga said with a laugh while I just smiled wryly. Itoga then said that he's going to meditate to take in all that he learned from the sparring. I needed to do the same. I need to etch this feeling in my body so that I could use it consciously and not just unconsciously.

I meditated for a few hours after that. I tried to understand what made me do it unconsciously. I tried to remember the feeling of suddenly moving without any preliminary movements to attack.

Mentally tired, I decided to end my training and visit Sona.

{A month later}

A month has passed by and training became more rigorous. Itoga spread the rumors of me being the genius which made me shake my head, not that I mind it. Many people asked me to be their sparring partner which made me happy to do it willingly. My spearmanship is constantly evolving and I am slowly getting used to the No motion attacks. Many people were caught by it even if they knew it was coming, it was just sudden and unpredictable.

I tried consulting Elder Hagu and he told me that he could still hear the twitching of his muscle but many unnecessary movements were shaved off which made him happy as he started telling me that when he was at my age, he didn't even know the true essence of any weapon. He praised me for that. He told me that I'm on the right path so he told me to keep on training.

In the past month, I got to know Sona better. I would sometimes visit her when I was done training. She would be glad whenever she sees me which made me think that she's never had a friend before. Sona was good at doing the chores and her house was sparkly clean. I thought that such an expression was just BS but Sona's house was just that sparkly and clean.

Whenever I would come, she would make me a herbal soup and a few vegetable dishes. I tried refusing it but she became upset about it and it made me laugh. Her upset face was just hilarious and cute.

After feeding me, Sona would play a song and we would talk about what each other did when we were not wit each other. At first, talking with Sona was awkward and hard to understand, but as the time goes on, Sona became easier to understand. If I was given much more time, I would've taught Sona sign language.

Unfortunately, the flames of war is slowly swallowing the mountain which the monastery stood on.

The Elders, as planned, wanted the younger generation to evacuate and leave the monastery. I was slightly surprised when Itoga was chosen to be the evacuation leader but I guess its alright since Itoga was one of the few I acknowledge when it comes to a fight.

I was meditating in my room when Sona barged in panicking. She didn't know what to do so she shook me hard.

"Hm? What are you doing, Sona?" I asked her.

Sona pointed at outside and mimicked a sword wielder and brandished the sword.

"You mean that there's a war outside?" I asked and she shook her head. I was about to ask her one more when she dragged me outside and brought me to the place where she usually practices using her Etwahl.

In the place where Sona practices, you can see the bottom of the mountain and Sona pointed at the marching Noxian army.

Sona pulled me once again and I asked her where we were going and brought me to the main hall. I could see the disciples gathering in the main hall.

"I wanted you of the younger generation to escape this place. Leave it to us, the elders to protect this place." Elder Deluci spoke to the disciples. Hearing this many disciples voiced their discontent, they said that they wanted to fight them. Elder Deluci became enraged and told them to stop being stubborn and prioritize their life. They can just rebuild the monastery after that. The disciples were silent but in they wanted to protect their home.

Elder Deluci told the disciples that Itoga was going to be the evacuation leader and they didn't voice out any complaint. All of them knew Itoga and his strength.

Elder Deluci then told us to follow Itoga as they said that they will open up a hidden path that is only used when an event like extermination arrives. Sona tried to pull me to follow them but I just stood there without moving an inch making Sona surprised. Soon, only the two of us and the elders were in the main hall.

"Are you really going to be this stubborn, Aegis?" Elder Deluci looked at me with anger.

"Elder, I'm not leaving this place, I'm going to defend this place." I said with firm convictions.

"Then you're not part of this Monastery anymore! Leave! You are banished from this monastery!" Elder Deluci said which shocked Sona and the other Elders. Sona kept looking at me and Elder Deluci with a confused face. She didn't know why I wanted to stay here and why Elder Deluci banished me.

I didn't really care if he banished me or not, I just wanted to protect this place for the mission.

Sona lost her strength and just followed me mindlessly back to my room. She was just looking at my back with a worried face. She may be innocent but she's not dumb, she knew what is going to happen if I didn't evacuate. She saw the menacing army from the distance and she couldn't imagine what it would look like in close look.

Seeing Sona look at me with a worried face, I chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry." I said to her and patted her head.

"As someone who's going to trample Gods, I can't lose to any enemy no matter who or how many they are." I said to her with strong determination.

Sona looked at me, more worried because of what I said.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to die that easily. You should evacuate too. I'll look for you after we won this invasion." I said but Sona held my clothes really tight. She may not have said a word but I understood what she's trying to say. I was about to speak to her when I heard a soft murmur.

"D...on't...." Sona gathered every single courage that she have in her cell and opened up her mouth.

"D...on't go..." She spoke, teary-eyed. I was shocked, I never would've thought that Sona would open her mouth and speak.

I look at her as tears threatened to fall in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sona. But I have to do it." I said to her and she fell silent. She then looked at me and she wiped her eyes before running out of the room. I thought of stopping her but I need to go and sneak into the enemy army and continue my plans.

With such a huge number and a good number of biochemical weapons, I aim to trigger them at the enemy army's base and leave quietly. I'm sure that Lee Sin and his friend would come back quickly as reinforcements. I only need to stall for time.

With that in my mind, I put things that are necessary in my spatial ring before leaving the monastery in the front gate. The Elders saw me leave the front gate and Elder Deluci sighed while Elder Hagu just smiled like he usually does.

The enemy army camp may have made a camp in the middle of the mountain so that they could shorten their supply routes when they attack.

Changing to a darker clothing, I started trekking down the mountain while trying to find a lone Noxian soldier.

With a little bit of experience in tracking and sh*tty luck, I manage to find a lone Noxian soldier which I assumed is a scout of the army.

I slowly made my way towards him. When I got closer, I grabbed a vine from a tree and attacked the soldier by wrapping the vine around its neck to suffocate the soldier.

I took the army uniform and armor which is a little smaller than my body size and disposed the body.

With my disguise set, I set my eyes to the Noxian base camp to roam around.

=======================

Work at the start of the month and the end of the month is very rough, dang it.