– Day 8 –

Training

I head outside to find Risk and Bella still at it. The sun in the sky tells me it’s around three in the afternoon so I would say they’ve been sparring now for over 6 hours. Although the potion has given them the energy for this feat, it won’t have done anything for the built up muscle fatigue. Looking at the pain on Risk’s face is evident enough, I can tell he wants to stop but Bella…She’s like a crazed animal; it’s like she’s enjoying the pain–

“Aburi, thank the gods, make this crazy lass stop!”

“…I don’t think that’s possible Risk, besides didn’t you say you’d control the ‘lass’?”

“You're getting old Risk. I thought you had more fight in you.”

“Bella, be reasonable, your body must be screaming at you too. Just because we’re not exhausted doesn’t mean our bodies can keep this up.”

He’s right…unless I give him a rejuvenation tonic…but that would be cruel so I’ll sneak it to him later.

“He’s right Bella. Your body will give out if you keep going like this…besides, I need my first lesson before the evening don’t I?”

Risk gives me a look of both ‘Are you mad!’ and ‘Thank you!’ at the same time.

“T-Then, I’m gonna go rest.”

As he passes me, I quietly tell him to take one of the dark red tonics on the counter.

“Oh, Millie, one of the new girls is cooking for us so don’t sneak off anywhere.”

“Righto”

I turn to Bella who’s pacing. She lost the discussion but is still itching to fight. Naturally, I can’t spar with her, so she looks to be thinking up a way of making this fun for her. Risk has left his sword stuck in the ground, so I lift it. It’s got knicks all over so it must not be his main weapon…come to think of it, where did this even come from? He’s never carrying a weapon–

“Are you wanting training in one-handed or two-handed combat?”

Bella speaks. To be honest, I see myself as more an axe and shield guy.

“Weapon and shield style would be my preferred but–”

“Risk! I need a shield and sword!”

Risk comes back outside while drinking the tonic. I can see it in his face that he’s grateful I didn’t mention the tonic in front of Bella.

“Make it an Axe and tower shield please.”

“Oh? Tower shields are heavy…not really the best–”

“Give him what he wants Risk.”

“Okay, okay.”

“[Vistua Arvista Scolus Tatis]”

[Materialisation Magic Acquired]

Nice, a new skill–

“Here you go. These will only last about an hour and then fade…but I doubt you’ll live that long.”

I guess this is the reason I never see Risk with a weapon.

“Thanks…”

“You’re welcome. Good luck~”

He heads back inside while laughing.

The tower shield is heavy and restricting. The axe, however, has perfect balance and even I should be able to use it. Based on the weight of the shield, I’m not going to be able to use it effectively. Let’s change that, shall we..

STAT points remaining 120 STR: 015 / 999 [>] [Strength. Your physical strength is governed by this.]

I keep pumping points into it until the tower shield is light and easy to move about when I notice I’m not able to effectively protect my weapon side quickly.

AGI: 010 / 999 [>] [Agility. Your speed and reflexes are governed by this.]

This is to fault right? Pump it up.

After about 5 minutes, I ended up with the following:

STR: 055/999 Strength. Your physical strength is governed by this. AGI: 035/999 Agility. Your speed and reflexes are governed by this. STA: 030/999 Stamina. Your overall perseverance and tolerances are governed by this. VIT: 014/999 Vitality. Your overall health and resistances are governed by this. PER: 019/999 Perception. Your overall ability to spot and understand is governed by this INT: 024/999 Intelligence. Your spell power and understanding is governed by this. WIS: 020/999 Wisdom. Your mana and brilliance are governed by this. STAT points remaining 34

I think I understand why I’m not able to see over peoples levels and stats from doing this. I believe [PER], or perception is the reason. It must be too low right now for me to see what I want–

“Are you ready yet?”

“Sorry Bella, I was just getting accustomed to the weight. I’m ready for the lesson.”

“Then Block!”

*THUD*

Holy crap, that was–

“Good”

*THUD, THUD, CLANG THUD CLANG CLANG*

[Shield Style Acquired]

[Tower Shield Proficiency Acquired]

[One-handed Style Acquired]

[Axe Proficiency Acquired]

After about 10 minutes had passed. Bella finally stopped for a minute to let me catch my breath. She took no prisoners at all, but she was barely trying, all I could do was block and swing at air. Flurry after flurry of heavy hits came and I only just managed to get the shield in the right place. Without that added strength, I have no doubt I’d be on my ass right now.

“Not bad Aburi, you definitely have potential with the tower shield. I wasn’t pressing you hard, but you left very little openings for my attack. That axe, it’s not for you. Risk!”

“You bellowed?”

“Give him an iron spear–”

“…Iron? You sure?”

“I wouldn’t say if I wasn’t”

Risk complies and generates one and hands it to me. The weight is about the same as the shield… Ah. I get it.

“This is because of my strength but lack of reach right?”

“You catch on quick. For an elf merchant, you certainly possess abnormal strength. The tower shield was a good call, but it’s your speed that lets you down and stops you from getting into range. At the moment, all you can do is defend; a spear should solve that”

She’s not wrong. While I have a breather, let’s add some points to shield skills and see what happens.

Skill Points: 25

Known Skills:

- Aslogain Language Lv 5 / 10 [>]

- Blood Magic Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Herbalism Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Alchemy Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Sinki Language acquired Lv 5 / 10 [>]

- Appraisal Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Shield Style Lv 1 / 10 [>]

- Tower Shield Proficiency Lv 1 / 10 [>]

Available Skills:

- One-handed Style Lv 0 / 10 [>]

- Axe Proficiency Lv 0 / 10 [>]

Wait… So it’s possible to level skills without spending Skill points!? I guess that makes sense for everyone else, but I wasn’t expecting a 10-minute training session would yield a skill point–

“Are you ready to go again?”

For now, let’s not put skill points into it and see how it goes.

“Yes sorry. Please begin”

[Spear Proficiency Acquired]

Bella was correct about the spear. Using it, I’ve been able to make her parry and evade. Bella still hasn’t been giving it more than 20% effort, but it has been allowing me to get accustomed to the tools of choice–

*Zip*

Crap…

The shield suddenly disappears as I’m about to block Bella’s attack; no way she can stop that attack in full swing.

Think brain or we lose an arm–

*CLANG*

Phew! I just manage to get the spear under her sword in time. She still drew blood, but I didn’t lose my arm.

“Hah, close call! You can call that a disadvantage to Risk’s magic. You alright?”

“Tis but a scratch.”

I don’t know why I’m quoting that…

“For a scratch, it’s bleeding heavily.”

“Yeah, let me treat it, and we can resume.”

“Resume? Wasn’t expecting that but great, hurry it up.”

I head in, grab a tonic from the counter and drink it. Katharine’s right, the taste is bloody terrible, but the effect is amazing. The wound has completely closed, and it’s as if it was never there–

Known Skills:

- Shield Style Lv 1 / 10 [>]

- Tower Shield Proficiency Lv 2 / 10 [>]

- One-handed Style Lv 1 / 10 [>]

- Spear Proficiency Lv 1 / 10 [>]

Hmm? Somethings odd..?

Anyway, we’ve been sparring for about an just less than an hour, and I can see the growth first hand. I wonder how far I can push this…is what I want to say but I’m drained.

I could take a stamina tonic?

No, I’ll be bouncing off the walls like Bella and Risk and seeing as Risk is currently doing push-ups in the corner over there while mantra-ing ‘Don’t drink the potions’, I’ll pass.

As I head back outside, I can smell whatever Millie is cooking. I wonder what she’s made? I can see the girls are chatting and laughing in the kitchen; even Hannah is smiling.

I'm looking forward to the food.

“Okay, your skill with the shield is good so let’s work on your technique with a spear.”

For the next thirty or so minutes, Bella just shows me various combinations, stances and rhythm attacks and has me practice them.

“Good, you’ll need to practice this for the next week. In the mornings, technique and sparring with me in the evening. This should firm up your hands, wrists and lead to more powerful blows. You're physically fit enough already so I’ll leave that alone, just keep doing whatever you normally do to keep in shape on top of all this, and I’d say in a year or two you’ll be stronger than both me and Risk.”

“I doubt that”

“I don’t, your seriously talented Aburi. So much so it makes me envious. In this short time, you’ve grasped how to handle both the spear and shield. You haven’t once fallen for any of my rhythm traps, and when finally taken by surprise by the vanishing shield, you managed to think on your feet and save your arm. Your growth and potential is absurd.”

“You weren’t sparring with me seriously though–”

“Of course not, you’re a beginner!”

She pauses before continuing.

“…Listen, technically speaking, you frustratingly have the capability to block all my attacks, but you can’t do jack when I put any of my power in them. That’s why we’re going to strengthen those wrists and work on the foundations. Then we’ll look into body reinforcement and power augmentation techniques; baby steps young doe–”

She flicks me on the forehead while grinning.

“Master, Foods up!”

Emily shouts from the doorway.

HP: 319 / 330 MP: 670 / 670

Hunger: 54% Thirst: 69%

Blood State: Low

“Let’s go eat; I have some ale in the basement too.”

“Sweet~.”

We head inside to the dining room to find quite a spread laid out on the table. It seems the meat I left has been turned into a starter soupy stew with crusty bread and butter that Emily and Hannah must have purchased. In the centre of the table sits a roasted bird surrounded with roasted potatoes, turnips and some vegetables I don’t recognise. Something called Olyan which looks…and tastes like cauliflower cheese. It’s basically a full Sunday roast, Sinki Kingdom style and it’s masterfully cooked.

“This is amazing Millie; you are one hell of a cook.”

“T-thank you Master.”

“Some Ale Master?”

“Thank you Kate.”

Everyone’s eating and gleefully talking with each other, it’s truly a soul-nourishing meal filled with good food and people.

“So, how was he Bella?”

“Talented, he’s by far the quickest student I’ve ever trained.”

“Serious?”

“Yea, I was shocked, I couldn’t find an opening anywhere–”

“Maybe I should give it a go.”

“Another sparring partner would help his growth. You can alternate with me–”

“ABURI!!”

Out of nowhere and in the middle of the meal, someone is shouting for me in the other room. Everyone gets up quickly to see what’s going on.

“Katharine?”

She’s covered in blood, what the hell happened?

“It’s Father, he needs your help.”

“Is he hurt?”

“Yes, the doctors can’t stop the bleeding, they think he’s been poisoned.”

I grab several tonics, antidote and materials while running with her to the carriage outside.

“What the hell happened? He only left two days ago?”

“I don’t know… He just appeared at the doorway in that state…”

Who the hell is capable of wiping out an expedition so close to this kingdoms capital?

She shakes her head. She’s visibly in shock by the whole thing.

We arrive at the manor and rush into the lobby. There’s blood everywhere. Four men stand around the General, and a fifth one has his hand in the wound. Since these quacks started working on him, he’s definitely lost at least 2 litres of blood.

“Move away from him, you are not helping him but killing him. Move aside now!”

“We are trying to save him!”

“While making the wound larger? He’s losing too much blood, move aside!”

“Katharine, who is this mad Elf!”

“Do as he says. Move!”

The men reluctantly move aside and I take a look. Katharine is wrong; he hasn’t been poisoned…these men actually are trying to kill him? I open a tonic and force the general to drink it while holding his nose.

Good, the wound is closing; time for you to bounce off the walls. I force a second tonic down his throat, a stamina one this time and then a third, temporary strength which should bring him around.

*blink*

“He’ll be awake in a minute, Katharine; you’ll be needing this”

I throw her the sword.

“These men really were trying to kill your Father..”