Around an hour later, Alex and Sky were walking through the forest, Alex in full armor and spear in hand, wondering what exactly Sky’s training would entail, while he did so, he took a look at his status screen.

Name: Alex Watson.

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Class: Defiant.

Title: None

Path: (Generating)

Affinities: Advanced Dimension, fire, ice.

XP:37%

Level: 18(20)

Health: 100%

Stamina: 100%

Mana: 100%

Attributes:

Strength: 252(9)

Dexterity: 270(9)

Agility: 252(9)

Constitution: 252(9)

Logic: 282 (9)

Semi-flexible attributes (current max increase: 18):

Insight: 13(18)

Willpower: 24(8)

Free Points: 135 (Currently usable: 115, current standard daily use increase: 10)

His daily increase had gone back to 2 three days ago, which resulted in his current level. He couldn’t help but grin at his progress…even if it probably wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things.

“I really should use my points, shouldn’t I?” Alex wondered aloud.

“Definitively. While I can understand your reluctance, it would be stupid to hoard them for long.” Sky said. “Just don’t spend everything at once.”

He nodded, thinking back on the numerous rpgs that he played back on earth; he never really bothered to hoard points. It was probably his min-max tendencies attacking him again.

Name: Alex Watson.

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Class: Defiant.

Title: None

Path: (Generating)

Affinities: Advanced Dimension, fire, ice.

XP: 37%

Level: 18(20)

Health: 100%

Stamina: 100%

Mana: 100%

Attributes:

Strength: 274 (9)

Dexterity: 270(9)

Agility: 274 (9)

Constitution: 260 (9)

Logic: 290 (9)

Semi-flexible attributes (current max increase: 18):

Insight: 13(18)

Willpower: 26(8)

Free Points: 65 (Currently usable: 45, current standard daily use increase: 10)

With a nod, he closed his status screen, deciding that he would use the remaining ones in the following day in roughly the same pattern.

Soon, both of them reached a clearing in the forest, destroyed trees were scattered through the place, albeit the center of the clearing was oddly empty.

“What happened in this place?”

“Probably a rampaging monster, it happens from time to time. Long gone, before you ask.”

In truth, he had not been planning to. Probably because he didn’t feel like a monster wouldn’t be much of a threat to begin with while Sky was nearby.

Without saying anything else, Sky walked to the center of the clearing, a flash of light covering them, showing the saint in full armor and with a sword in their hand as it disappeared.

As he saw that, Alex briefly wondered if Sky counted as a magical girl. Deciding that it was a line of thought that he really shouldn’t have, he decided to focus on what he was here to do.

“So…how are we doing this?”

“I want to see what you can do, first.”

He briefly thought back to the poger that he fought against. He really couldn’t do much.

“To make it simple: Try to hit me with your spear.”

Alex nodded, lifting his weapon and pointing it towards Sky, then, he rushed towards Sky, whom unsurprisingly, easily dodged it.

Alex stepped backwards and stared at Sky.

“Keep trying until I tell you to stop.”

Nodding, he did just as told, thrusting and thrusting with his spear. Each attack was effortlessly dodged or blocked, then, he saw something shift, when he thrust again, Sky once again dodged, but this time, as they did so, Sky swung their blade forward, hitting him in the arm.

A cry of pain left his mouth and he stepped backwards, holding his arm with his other hand. He felt like he had been hit by a baseball bat.

“You overextend with each thrust, leaving yourself open to a counter attack. You have a range advantage when wielding a spear, take advantage of it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before hitting me?”

“From my experience, pain is the best teacher, now, let’s continue.”

Alex frowned but nodded, doing as told. They kept at it for a long time, Alex constantly trying everything he could to hit Sky. It was impossible, or at least close to, but he tried anyway, because he wanted to improve, because he wanted to be able to defend himself.

Thrust after thrust was either dodged or parried, any openings or flaws were punished by the flat side of Sky’s blade, even as he did his best to not leave any opening. While he was aware that there was an immense gap between them, he never felt like Sky was moving too fast for him to react, and felt like most of the times he was hit, he had screwed up somehow.

Alex wasn’t sure how much time they spent training, but by what seemed like mid-day, he was in the ground, staring at the sky, breathing heavily, and bruised everywhere.

“Can you get up?”

Alex briefly wondered if he actually could before willing himself to do so. It…hurt. Everywhere. He sat down beneath a tree. He really needed a break.

“My world is pain.” He grumbled

“Do you think I went too far?”

Alex had to pause and think about the subject for a minute. He had been at it for quite a while, Wind’s words echoing in his head.

“A bit, yeah. But I think part of it is just stubbornness. I really want to improve”

“I get it. It’s the same for me.”

Alex stood silently for a while, taking deep breaths. Sky didn’t bother sitting; he had a feeling that they hadn’t even been winded by all of that. It made him want to become that strong even more.

“Are you used to doing this? Training someone, I mean?” Alex asked when he finally felt like the world had a meaning besides endless pain.

“Somewhat, I taught the basics to quite a few beginners, but I’m far from a experienced teacher.

Alex nodded. “I expected as much, no offense, but…I don’t think this is a traditional method.”

“It really isn’t. The truth, however, is that I don’t really have formal training. I can only teach you the same way I learned: Practice.”

“You didn’t have any kind of training when you began adventuring?”

“None. At most a few brawls.”

“How are you even alive?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“Mostly luck, with a lot of tenacity and creativity on top of it.”

Both once again ran out of words, the only sound coming from the woods. Mostly, it was due to Alex being far too tired.

“So, are we heading back?” Alex asked.

“If you believe that you can’t keep going, then yes.”

“I want to test just one last thing.” Alex said, slowly getting up. “How do you use skills?”

“Just focus on it. Some people need to say the name of the skill to use it properly, but I never had that problem.”

Alex nodded, once again raising his spear, his mind went to his only skill, defy odds, as he did so, he felt something in his mind…click. He once again thrust forwards, feeling a wave of power rushing through him as he did so.

The world seemed to slow to a crawl as he saw Sky sidestepping his attack, but this time, it felt different. Sky was slower, much slower, but even then, he felt like it wouldn’t hit, yet, somehow, he felt the tip of the spear inching closer and closer, and hit Sky’s shoulder. It then proceeded to bounce harmlessly off their armor.

Before he could even react to that fact, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, and then, darkness.