...

    "what should i do?"

    cloe sat on the ground as she pondered about how she was going to integrate her martial arts in the real world and her magic class within the game.

    the two were not compatible with one another due to the differences in style and principles. her martial arts was more compatible with the combat state of reality manifestation while her in-game class was meant for magical formations, which made it quite troubling for her.

    her situation was quite different from alice and owen''s, which also made it quite troublesome to deal with. she could not even ask for some tips from the two since their combat states were compatible with their respective classes.

    "based on my situation, then big sister shiella is the best person that i should ask," she mumbled.

    after all, shiella was a martial artist in the real world but possessed a magic class within the game.

    moreover, cloe heard that shiella had already created a unique version of her combat state and even mastered it not long after.

    "tsk! is this what master told me that talent is a huge gap that is difficult to bridge even with my efforts?" she pouted her lips as she thought about this.

    their situations were similar, yet the other party was able to solve the difficult problem that she was facing without encountering that many issues.

    sighing, cloe could only double her hard work and trust her efforts to catch up with these geniuses around her.

    after all, her master even told her that her aptitude in martial arts far surpassed anyone he knew due to her solid foundation and a vessel that was as clear as glass, which could give her a variety of choices on where she wanted to be.

    old man lin said that her aptitude in martial arts was a talent itself, which could evolve into something similar to special abilities or peak talents that the monsters around her possessed.

    as she was contemplating herself, she suddenly saw alice walk into the training room of the virtual space.

    "eh!?"

    "huh!?"

    the two were surprised to see each other.

    they stared at each other silently as an awkward atmosphere surrounded them not long after.

    they might be teammates, but they rarely interact with each other aside from official business. they were regularly seeing each other at the academy during class and even rehearsed together during their club activities, but that did not mean that they were that close.

    they also lived together before their house was blasted during the ambush by those mercenaries to assassinate shin and attempt to abduct cloe.

    this was alice''s greatest advantage, especially when she included the special and mysterious techniques of her secondary combat class that she had gotten not too long ago.

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    unlike cloe, who was facing complications between her class, fighting style, and martial arts, alice had a better standing.

    "so, you are planning to find a way that will link those two before using the product as a main model for your version combat state?" asked alice curiously.

    cloe paused before nodding. "yeah."

    hesitating, cloe bit her lower lip for a moment before summing her courage. "can-... can you tell me how you have created your ''elemental ignition'' combat state?"

    "eh!?" alice was taken aback when she heard those words, unable to respond.

    seeing alice''s reaction and the expression that she was making, cloe smiled before shaking her head. "actually-... never mind. i think it is not appropriate to ask for other''s secrets. i''m sorry."

    "eh!?" alice was surprised once again before forcefully recovering herself. "it is not that. i just don''t know if i can help. my case is a little special."

    from what she could see, the problem that cloe was facing was completely different from when she created her version of the combat state.

    the principles were not following the same path, after all.

    cloe stared at alice silently for a while before smiling. "it is fine. i am just trying to see how you create your elemental ignition and understand the process. i want to see if i can get some inspiration."

    alice paused before nodding her head. "alright, i''ll share with you my experience when i am creating my elemental ignition. then let me hear your main problem after, and i will try to see if i can help."

    alice sat across cloe, getting ready to listen.

    ...

    after a while, cloe sighed. "actually, i am planning to ask big sister shiella for some tips. after all, i heard that she has already created her version of combat state that complimented her martial arts and class inside the game."

    alice nodded. "i think i also heard about that from big sis shiella when i called her earlier."

    alice felt a little conflicted as she listened to cloe earlier. the latter''s unique ideas inspired her a bit.

    due to cloe''s unusual background, her vision of martial arts did not follow a traditional path that everyone knew, especially when her instructors abroad also had a different view due to their tradition and other factors.

    this made alice to be somewhat curious about cloe.

    ......