“standing in front of Ji’s bed is a scraggly man, stroking his liquid-like beard.”

‘Will you sleep for years if I let you?’

‘Uncle! When did you get here?’

‘Huehuehue. This great one settled his business earlier last night. Feeling invigorated I went to see my pending disciple.’

‘Where did uncle Oh go?’

‘Hmph. That old man went to seek more trouble.’

“Shhh. Sleeping.”

‘Wake up boy!’

“Hrm? Oh, good. Old man, go away.”

“Tio’s uncle Ki’s left eyebrow twitches. A moment later we can see water crawl up Ji’s bed before lifting him up in the air.”

‘If he isn’t going to get up, I’ll get him up.’

“The sleeping beauty has been hoisted into the air by watery tentacles. Silently they start moving him, appearing to be skating across the floor.”

‘Uncle, where are we going?’

‘Your training yard.’

“Whilst our hero continues to enjoy this free transport service, uncle Ki and little Tio chat amiably.

It is easy to see the affection Ki-Oh-Oh has for his niece.”

“eh?”

“As we enter the training area, our hero’s eyes open as if he knew he had arrived.”

“Strange.”

‘Morning Ji!’

“Ah. Morning Tio.”

‘Good morning Ji Aleksy.’

“Good morning, eh?”

“After awkwardly fumbling about the watery tentacles lose all structure and fall into a puddle.”

“What is this!?”

‘Uncle brought you to teach you.’

“But why, am I wet?”

‘No more questions! It’s time for a quick physical tests.’

“Oh! Alright Uncle Ki!”

‘Good lad.’

“Quit witted, slow, sometimes they appear to be the same thing. Our hero is an enigma of these two contradicting terms. One could call him a genius or an idiot.”

“I prefer genius.”

“How disdainful! The way he pointed his nose in the air and swiped his thumbs across the tip of his nose! Heavens, if you ever fall, fall on this master of distress!”

‘Genius? That’s to be seen!’

‘I have some things to attend to, I will leave it to you uncle!’

‘No problem!’

“With a calm and gentle voice, the revenant martial artist speaks to Tio.”

“So sir, what are doing today?”

‘First, we will do some stretches.’

“Alright, no problem.”

“Before long, we can hear screams of pure terror. The stretching requirements for the Oh clan’s martial arts are more than just above average.”

“Please. I can’t move any more.”

“Lying limp on the ground, our hero pleads with misty eyes. A wronged look on his face, like a maiden after being tricked.”

“Shut up! I don’t have time for your nonsense! Can’t you see I’m in pain.”

‘It will be hard to get used to your invisible friend, Ji.’

“Sir. Isn’t this much stretching harmful to the body?”

’Harmful!? It is a wonder you even managed to walk around with those stiff muscles and rickety joints!’

“There is no way a man should ever be bent in such ways! You are a monster! I want to leave!”

‘Feel free to walk away any time you like.’

“I will!

As soon as I can!”

“Unfortunately for our hero, his usual recovery proves won’t heal what isn’t harmed. Perhaps if had better control over his body, he would be able to stimulate his recovery, until then, he’ll have to slowly recover.”

‘Hue hue hue. While you are just laying there, watch this old man make a few moves.’

“Surprisingly, our hero isn’t all that happy, feel quite upset he huffs and clearly isn't going to respond to his torturer.”

‘These can be considered the foundation. They have no real value in combat but allow you being understanding the fundamental laws behind our Oh clan’s martial arts!’

“The Oh-clan martial arts are of course founded and built around the laws of motion, specifically, the motion of thin liquid in various circumstances.

Even if our hero has some understanding into the elemental laws of water, it is merely relative to the laws in question, and can at most be used as a crutch.”

“You water people, this is cheating.”

‘Water people!?’

“Owh! Ah! Damnit!

How can you hit a defenseless junior! Shameless!”

‘Stuff that mouth of yours and pay attention.’

“In very slow movements, instructor Ki has begun moving in ways nearing implausibility.

Gaping, our hero watches as he starts to sweat for no apparent reason. He seems to be mumbling something under his breath.”

“No way I can move like that.

That move was even more impossible.

Oh my god. That move should be illegal in at least eighteen countries!”

‘Don’t worry boy, we’ll get you into shape. Hehe. This old man really can’t deny his precious little princess requests.’

“With an amiable smile, the spoiling uncle chuckles. Our hero on the other hand desperately tries to move, clearly intending on escaping.”

“I won’t take this abuse! Tio! Save me! Tio!”

‘I’ll get some servants to make you a nice relaxing bath treatment, after a few hours or so we can start stretching those rusty bones of yours.’

“No! Definitely no! I refuse!”

“A few weeks have pass and our hero has made remarkable progress in the realm of stretching. One could say he has broken through to new heights, practically reborn.”

“Alright, listen old devil. How about this, when I become the ruler of this deviant part of the world, I’ll only torture you for a few years. How about that?”

‘Hahaha! You really make fantastic jokes, little Ji.’

“Last chance! Don’t start begging when I lead you into hell and back!”

‘In a few days, I think you’ll be able to start practicing the foundation. How is it? Do you feel your body to be more fitting?’

“It’s alright. Hey! Don’t ignore my threats.”

“Days pass like drops of the rain and the young master has started making progress in the foundational movements of the Oh clan.

He of course struggles to some extent due to his physical body is detrimental when executing many movements.”

‘He really does have commendable talent, despite all his talking and cursing.’

‘hehe, I told you he was special uncle.’

‘There are few humans that can endure as he can, at least he is a genius in that field.’

“How was that? I’m amazing right?”

‘Passable.’

‘Only okay.’

“Pft! You think I’m deaf? I know my greatness, one in a million talent, right?

“Owh! No, uncle Ki!”

‘It would seem you require some stretching; your form was a bit lacking.’

“Please no! Listen uncle, there is still hope for you, I can even reduce your future punishments by a few years.”

“Do not pity the foolish, they will not repent.”

‘Didn’t you already sentence me for eternity?’

“That was just a misunderstanding.

Ah! No! Tio help!”

“A familiar daily scene plays out as we drift into the days.

An average day consists of exercising either the body or the mind, remedying it through both expensive medicines, complex magic and then continuing the strict training regime.

On rare occasions, the mistress of the house, Tio-oh, gets to spend some time with our hero, Albeit under strict supervision.

The progress our hero has had in laws of liquid in motion has been quite astounding, but it was easy to predict considering his aptitude in the elemental laws of water.

After being imparted with some techniques, our protagonist has started practicing moments for attacking, defending and moving. And can be considered very skilled for his age and level.

Now the biggest part our hero lacks in, is experience.

He’ll have to leave the security of the Oh family, if he intends to improve at a noteworthy rate.”

|Ji Aleksy. Elementalist. Mana fiend: Level Two-hundred-thirty-two|

|Quest log|

|Optional: The reformed city|

“The ancient city of Heo has been reformed, but by who and how?”

Travel to the free city Heo and find out how the city was rebuilt.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium

Reward: Tier appropriate item.

|Optional: What would you say you do here?|

“Throughout the ages, man has been crafting, from simple fires to divine weapons, miraculous enchantments and fate-defying pills.”

Discover at least eight crafting related professions.

Location: Any city connected through the portals.

Difficulty: Easy.

Reward: Two Crafting skill points.

|Optional: Back to the grind|

“The prophet said to the wanderer ‘Swim against the water or be swallowed by the tide.’ The wanderer took this advice and escaped drowning.”

Travel to the appropriate wildlands and cull the malignant fiends scouring the land.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium.

Reward: Tier appropriate weapon.

“These quests. How difficult is Medium exactly?

I’m definitely doing the crafting quests.

I wonder how big the portal system is.”

“Although the portals can be considered practically non-existent, that is only true for the people not of the first, second and third generation.

The closest the stronger inhabitants have managed to create, is a poor replica of fast travel tunnels, promptly named travel tunnels.”

“Fast travel tunnels? Hmm. Isn't that what I took to get to the city?

From what I know of crafting though, it seems too much of a hassle. I can’t be expected to spend years learning and practicing it.”

“Again the world spoils our young innocent protagonist. With the worlds help, he’ll only take days to do what other would take months or years.”

“Elaborate on that for me.”

“It is on this rarest of days, on this most auspicious of occasions that our hero was allowed a short reprieve from his relentless training.

A celebration is imminent. In two days the city celebrates all deities in this world. Even today as we stroll through the busy city streets we can see decorations of various factions strewn about.”

“I’ll find out about those professions sooner or later, why are you stalling?

But it sure is lively. I almost feel bad for sneaking away from Tio and her family members.

No. a man can’t live under another’s umbrella!”

“What a poetic way to look at life! Truly a scholar!”

“Now, let’s find something to eat and then try to find some crafting buildings.”

“Multiple races mingle in the city and our hero appears to be fascinated by all of them aside from what looks like human.

Despite seeing so many humans today, our hero would perhaps find it enlightening to know that not one humanoid he met or saw today is actually a human.”

“Mrwaht!?”

“Flecks of meat and other various juices spurt out of the young master’s mouth, elegance cannot be taught. Not in this case.”

“But there were so many humans, at least like sixty percent!”

“Of course, a certain form has been idealized as the most adaptable form, even if many races hold onto their characteristics like the Fluo and their watery, transparent bodies.

Even then, they have taken the shape of something very similar to a human or better yet, the primordial form.”

“Primordial form? Sounds epic.”

“But there are still many others that hold onto values from their ancestry. These people often stand out more.

For example, many of the earth based beings are very reluctant to cast aside their rough exterior.

Some will not even move for years in meditation, giving the world an appearance of a random rock. There are many more similarly extreme in their attitude towards their origins.”

“I’ll be careful of rocks in the future.

This place here should be a blacksmithing or something right? A forge?”

“Walking in with a stride of a young noble, our hero arrogantly walks passed the storefront and reception area. Such confidence confused the people working in the store.”

‘Who is this?’

“After exploring shortly our hero stopped beside a smut covered bearded man.”

‘Who? Isn’t it just Frellie’s little kid?’

‘No. No way Frellie would raise something so delicate.’

“…”

‘Now that you said it, maybe it’s another suitor for the little miss?’

‘Well, boy? What is it?’

“Three large pot-bellied men with rigorous beards and sharp, intelligent eyes have surrounded our hero, like lions eyeing a lamb.”

“I was just here to learn about forging stuff. What do you guys eat to become so big?”

‘Learn forging? Stuff?’

‘He said stuff.’

‘Well, we do forge stuff.’

‘That’s not the point! Its disrespectful!’

‘Look at you, all uppity, can’t be known to forge stuff.’

‘I’ll forge some stuff right up your ass.’

“Baffled, our hero stands there cow-eyed with no idea how to proceed as the three men start arguing. Two even started arm wrestling after a while.

The third man watch with clear eyes and occasional nodded as the battle of physique took place, leaving our hero completely ignored.”