Bon sat cross-legged on the grass within the golden circle of the safe zone and closed his eyes. He circulated his qi, waiting for the perfect moment.

“Now, begin playing your guitar,” said Tian Bu Ru.

Bon strummed the open strings and then began playing a few notes.

“Can you sense the vibrations in the air?” Tian Bu Ru asked.

“Tian Bu Ru –” Bon began to say.

“You can just call me master.”

“No!” Bon shook his head vehemently. The old man’s character was too shady. He might get into a lot of trouble if he became his official disciple. “I can’t sense any vibrations.”

“That’s because you’re only using your ears. Try to feel it with your entire being. The qi within you must resonate with the sound before it can be weaponized.”

Bon continued to fingerpick, playing a very slow and dissonant song. It could not be called a song. Noise would be the better word, thought Bon. It was hard to play something that sounded nice while he was concentrating on circulating his qi.

Bon stopped playing, rubbing his sore fingers. “What’s the point of this? Wouldn’t teaching me some shield and spear techniques be more useful?”

“There’s a bug in the Alpha Test,” Tian Bu Ru looked at him smugly. “I discovered it in the first level. The safe zone barrier cannot prevent qi from going out. Do you know what that means?”

Bon’s jaw dropped. “I can just lure the Bosses outside the circle and kill them with my music. But will the bosses obediently stay put?” There was nothing to prevent the Bosses from running away.

“As long as they sense you they will try to kill you. They are single minded brutes and lack intelligence. Once they find you, the only way to make them return to their lairs is to die. As long as you stay at the border of the safe zone so that they can clearly see you, they will stay where they are.”

“How long will it take to become one with the guitar?”

“That depends on your aptitude,” Tian Bu Ru sighed. “We have time, but you will not be able to advance to Foundation Establishment before reaching the fifth level of the Alpha Test. I will teach you some spear techniques as well. It will help you hunt, and keep your body fit as well. Unless, of course, you don’t mind dying over and over again from hunger?”

“I’m not some suicidal maniac,” said Bon. “Though I might become one if this state of affairs goes on.” Would he get so used to dying that he would never be able to live normally again? Would he become a daredevil, addicted to the thrill of the rush?

“Don’t worry,” Tian Bu Ru chuckled. “I’ll keep you sane, but you really should call me Master.”

“Never!”

Bon’s hunger/satiety level dropped as he continued training under Tian Bu Ru. He would play his guitar for a few hours, while circulating qi. After that he would learn basic spear techniques. Tian introduced the basic moves to Bon – blocking, taking, piercing, striking, cracking, pointing, penetrating, scooping and twisting.

“Get used to these motions first,” Tian Bu Ru put away his illusory spear. “After that we’ll talk about flow, circling, maneuvering and such. Then we’ll get started on the shield.”

After that Bon would practice Qi Condensation. The more qi he could fill his body with, the better. He loved the warm feeling that accompanied his qi training. He also felt like he was nearing a threshold. He would soon reach the middle layer.

Bon learned how to meditate to stave off sleep. He would close his eyes and slow his breathing, letting his thoughts wander for a few moments before making them dissipate. His legs hurt when he was sitting in the lotus position, but after some time he got used to it.

Bon’s hunger level eventually reached ten percent. He no longer had a choice. He had to go hunt in the forest.

“Remember to stay downwind so that the wolf doesn’t smell you,” warned Tian Bu Ru.

“Okay.”

A Wolf Boss probably had a sharper sense of smell and hearing than ordinary wolves. Adrenaline pumped through Bon’s body as he crept through the forest with his spear. Death could be only a few moments away. The cold wind made him shiver. He found a deer bedded down by a small cave and crept up to it. The deer was alerted as soon as he came near. He launched his spear at the deer as soon as it stirred. The spear tip pierced through the deer’s neck, and blood spouted out like a fountain. His aim wasn’t that good, so it was mostly luck that got him the kill. He didn’t gain any experience for it, which was a small disappointment.

Bon dragged the deer to the safe zone and began making a fire. He rubbed two sticks near some tinder and then used it to set alight his fireplace. It took him some time, and his hands got sore from all the rubbing. He didn’t have a knife, so he used his spear tip to skin the deer, and cut off bits of meat to cook over the fire. It was difficult to do all this with the wrong tool, but he managed. He buried all the innards of the deer in the ground while the meat was cooking.

“Not bad,” said Tian Bu Ru. “You’re not like some rich young master who doesn’t know how to rough it out in the wild.”

“This was my first time butchering an animal actually,” said Bon. “Man it’s disgusting!” He had relied wholly on his common sense to accomplish the deed. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get food poisoning.

“You’ll get used to it. The meat should stay preserved within the safe zone,” Tian Bu Ru floated above the deer’s body and examined it. “I’d say you have a good ten rounds worth of food here. You can train without worry for quite a while.”

Bon groaned. Meditation couldn’t beat sleep. He had been hoping Tian Bu Ru would cut him a little slack and let him get some Zs after so much training.

Then followed some vigorous training. He practiced music, the spear, Qi Condensation and meditation, in what seemed to be an everlasting cycle.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill Basic Spear Mastery through sheer will and effort.

Bon felt some parts of his body grow more flexible. His body made popping sounds and he had a feeling that he had become more dexterous. Had gaining this skill modified his body? His nerves were probably affected to accommodate the basic movements of the spear.

Knowledge flowed into Bon’s mind, of everything he had learned of the spear, but in a little more detail. Basic spear mastery became an intrinsic part of him. It was like learning to ride a bike. He wouldn’t forget it no matter how long he went without practicing.

“Tian Bu Ru,” Bon called to the old man who was gazing up at the stars with an expression of longing. “I’m going to go hunt some more food. I’m nearly out.”

“Stay downwind. You’re no match for the Wolf yet.”

Bon crept through the forest and found a deer, but it had found him first. It ran away, and Bon gave chase. He just needed to get a little closer to throw his spear. It was not meant to be thrown, so its range was pathetic. When he was almost in range, Bon heard a loud howl. A few moments later, a giant white wolf appeared, leaping through the trees.

Discovered (BOSS) Wolf King

As the first player to discover this Boss you have gained some stats and skill points

STR +5

AGI +7

CON +5

INT +3

WIS +3

SP +2

“What are you spacing out for?” Tian Bu Ru yelled. “Run!”

Bon ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He felt much stronger and faster after gaining the stats. He was unused to his new strength and so, a little unsteady on his feet. He ran towards where he thought the safe zone was, but then realized he was completely lost. The Wolf did not attack him straight away. It was toying with him. He ran until he reached the end of a cliff. If he was going to go down, he would go down fighting. Bon twirled his spear, and pointed it at the Wolf.

“C’mon you overgrown mutt. I’ll kill you. Maybe not tonight, but eventually.”

Bon howled like a wolf, taunting it to attack. The Wolf kept its distance, walking in an arc before Bon. It then suddenly ran towards him. It aimed for his throat. Bon swung his spear. His spear tip missed, but the Wolf’s head hit his spear’s guard and the Wolf got knocked away before it could bite down on anything.

“Round two,” Bon grinned.

The Wolf growled at him, its mouth chomping in the air as though it was already feasting.

“Don’t count your chickens,” Bon ran towards the Wolf and managed to pierce its side. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough to hold on to his spear. The Wolf shook him off, with the spear still dangling from its body and swiped at Bon with its claws. Bon’s legs were cut open. He knelt on the ground, not able to stand up any longer. “Go on,” he said. “Make it quick.”

The Wolf growled and walked around him.

“You bastard! Just finish me already,” Bon shouted. Was this Wolf a sadist?

The Wolf obliged, biting Bon’s head off his shoulders.

When Bon resurrected he immediately checked his inventory and breathed out with relief. The spear was bound to him. It was lying there safe and sound.

“That wasn’t a bad fight,” said Tian Bu Ru. “You exceeded my expectations.”

“Yeah?” Bon grinned. “I think I know how to kill the Wolf now.”

“How?”

“You’ll see.”

Bon went back to the site of his recent death and climbed down the cliff. There were enough handholds in the rock for Bon to climb down. He made it to the ground and began looking around for big and strong branches. He cut them into long stakes and fixed them into the ground below. He spent two hundred hours doing this, according to Tian Bu Ru’s count. When Bon was satisfied with everything he meditated for a little while and then scaled the cliff. His plan was a simple one, but the simpler things were the better. Less could go wrong with simple plans.

Bon went in search of the Wolf. Where was it? It had probably smelled him by now. He heard a growl from the dense tree cover ahead. Finally.

“Over here you overgrown puppy,” Bon shouted as he ran towards the cliff. The Wolf growled and ran after him. It snapped at its heels, but Bon was always a few feet ahead of it. Just like before, it was playing with him. It was so fast that it could have outrun him easily. He soon reached the cliff and turned around to face the Wolf. “Here we are again,” Bon said. “How would you like to fly?”

The Wolf jumped at Bon. He rolled out of the way, leading it closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. When they were near the edge the Wolf bit his hand and tried to pull him back, but Bon caught the Wolf’s head with his free hand and pulled with all his might. He stepped backwards, fighting a battle of strength with the Boss. He circulated his qi as fast as he could, becoming stronger. Just a few more steps! The Boss, in a sudden fit of rage, ran forward trying to bite his neck. Bon used this additional momentum to jump off the cliff with the Wolf still in his hold. He wrestled with the Wolf in the air, and got on top of it. They fell onto the stakes below together. The last thing Bon heard was the Wolf howling in pain. It still wasn’t dead.

You have died

Bon went back to the cliff as soon as he revived and climbed down. The Wolf was trapped in the patch of stakes he had made, whimpering as blood drained from its body. Bon took out his spear and pierced its head.

You have killed (BOSS) Wolf King You have leveled up

X10