After Alex, followed by Sakuya and Lilith, left because of the mission on the Demon's continent, the girls who stayed behind each went on their own to accomplish their goal. Maria went with Freya into the sealed realm while Gracier went with Artemia.
Meanwhile, Luna met for the first time her instructor in one of the academy private realms also dungeon, the Holy paladin Armstrong; he was over two meters tall, a long pants with a short-sleeved shirt on top that tightly clung onto his body to display his bulging muscles that threatened to explode.
''Not bad little Luna. What is the most important thing when it comes to Light Element? I meant Healing magic?"
This was the first question Armstrong asked Luna.
Luna's first thought after seeing her master was the man was weird, but she had to answer her master's question.
''Master, I believe the most important thing is treating others.''
Luna thought she had perfectly answered her master's question; unfortunately, she got it wrong.
''Tsk! Tsk! Wrong little Luna. The most important thing about Light Element is about manliness, yeah, manliness.'' Armstrong flashed his bulging muscles, making them dance as he wished.
Luna almost fell face first.
'This man is indeed weird.' She thought.
''Follow me, little Luna,'' Armstrong said and started walking deeper into the giant forest. Luna quietly followed.
''You know people believe that light element is one of the weakest, that healers are weak, they need a permanent protection?''
Armstrong's voice reached Luna's ears, she nodded. Indeed, the general opinion was that Light element Mages are weak, a flawed thought.
''This thinking is wrong. They think like this because nobody innovated, nobody created new techniques, only sticking onto the old beliefs.''
Armstrong continued to advance deeper in the forest; he seemed to have a special location in mind. Strangely, the duo never encountered monsters; they seemed afraid of showing up; it was instinctual.
''To me, Light Element is the strongest of the elements. As for why I shall tell, he can heal injuries; even severed limbs can be regrown if you have sufficient level. Facing undead-type monsters, we are the strongest, the quickness to finish them. Let's say that you can reverse the healing process; instead of healing, you can make the cells age faster? How dreadful will this ability be? And we Light Element mage can do it with a bit of training and a bit of potential. I know you have started already. Light Element mages have a better understanding of the human body. What I want to teach during our training is how to make proper use of your body, how to increase your physical strength to fight temporarily. As previously said, Light Element is about manliness. If you wish for it, you can have such nice muscles as your teacher.''
''Thank you, teacher, but I'm fine with my current body.'' Luna immediately refused Armstrong's suggestion. Hell no, she wouldn't want Alex fleeing from her just because she turned into a gorilla woman; it would be the end if he did that.
Finally, the two arrived before a small crater of twelve meters deep. Peering into this crater, Luna saw an earth-colored salamander, an oversized lizard.
Tap! Bang!
Just a slight tap on the ground and the ground cracked; the earth salamander woke up and roared.
''Roarrr!"
After roaring, the monster searched for the culprit that disturbed its slumber, and the Earth salamander found them. Opened its mouth wide enough, small earth were formed inside its mouth, ready to be shot at Armstrong and Luna.
''Little Luna watches closely,'' Armstrong said and stepped forward.
[Instant Strengthening]
White light covered Armstrong's body before he disappeared; the next moment, he was already above the Earth salamander; the latter widened its eyes and tried to redirect its attack on Armstrong; however, before the monster could, Armstrong struck.
Dong! Boom!
When Armstrong's fist collided against the salamander's thick skin, its defense instantly lowered, and it got slammed into the crater; scales cracked, blood flowed out of them, dying the monster into crimson color.
Dong! Boom! Dong! Boom!
Armstrong was toying as he pleases with the helpless Earth Salamander, striking its head, its arms, and its feet, and soon the monster couldn't move anymore; normally, monsters, especially lizard type have a strong regenerative ability, this Earth salamander wasn't an exception, but somehow, its regenerate ability seemed to have dysfunctioned all of a sudden, turning its body into its current state.
[Reverse Healing]
Armstrong said before striking the salamander's head; a white light left his hand and traversed the monster's body. Then it started to convulse, lightly at the start before it turned violent; under Luna's eyes, the monster's body shrunk, no it's turned old before its skin dried up, turning into a powder while its bones soon followed.
Luna's eyes widened to think that it was possible to use the power of her domain this way. Used like this could decrease the cost of MP needed; no wonder Armstrong showed her this technique. It was to teach how, to tell her that instead of using her reverse healing in the form of a domain, slowly chipping away the opponent's strength before finally dealing the finishing blow using reverse healing.
Armstrong landed softly in front of Luna; he didn't forget to flash his muscles as if it was some ritual.
''Have you carefully see how I did it?" He asked, and Luna nodded.
''I do, master. If I succeed, I can save up a lot of mana.''
"You will, little Luna. You have a big Mana capacity. There is still some room for improvement. Don't worry; I will teach you perfectly all I know, make your body remember every technique.'' Armstrong declared with a smile, but somehow, this smile sent chills down to Luna's spine. She almost stepped back, but thinking about why she came here in the first, what she wished to accomplish, Luna's eyes turned resolute, and she announced.
''Teacher, I'm ready.''
''Good, then let train you into the most powerful, the most dreadful Saintess the world ever had.'' Armstrong declared, happy to have such an understanding student.