Chapter 7: Rank up in training

Summary: After arriving home from the guild he gets harassed by his step sister and his mother. He goes to his room and treats himself and trains in the new art he gets.

It didn't take long before on of the guards open the door and led me out through the interface. As I was departing he handed me my bag along with three books “Intro to the Four Elements”, “Advance Magic Foundations”, and “Intro to body cultivation”. Thought this books were common but for poor people like myself there were priceless. The guard scrawled at me and turned away leaving me in front to the gate with three books in my hand in the dead of night.

Walking home I felt the biting night air agitate my now crust over cuts and bruises as I headed home. Since it was a school night when I arrived home nobody was awake. I headed to my room sating down my supplies and then cleaned and dressed my wounds. After arriving back in my room I calmed my mind and checked my guild card.

Level 2

HP 25/9

MP 6/6

Power 1

Speed 1

Dexterity 1

Defense 1

Wisdom 4

Intelligence 3

(New)Endurance 1

Luck 0

Active Skills possessed:

Analyze

Passive Skills possessed:

Learning

Language

Meditation

I was surprised to see that not only did my level raise but I acquired a new statues called Endurance. Endurance was one of the skill that many vanguard on team like to learn or use. It work in sequence with Defense reducing the damage taken on by the party. It was a good skill to learn but the draw back in raising the skill is that you'll have to endure a lot of damage to your body. Over the year I've been bullied and beaten by many people and monsters but I still haven't learned the skill.

I gave up pondering the idea turning my attentions to the three books that were given to me and decided to read the body cultivation book first. When it came to learning new skill it took me less time than other by such a small amount that the skill would be considered useless but combined with analyze I'm able to increase the rate of master by at least 2% overall. Unfortunately the book even though it would cost our three years of annual fee was still a lower tier book. The book covered the first three tiers of cultivation for a warriors.

Every class has its tears and which are different from levels in the since that your more proficient at the job. Warriors circulated qi throughout there body breaking three there nine points granting them power. In a since they refine there body will wizards and other magical refine there soul.

When I finish reading the book I closed it sitting down on the bed and began to meditate. Thanks to my skill meditation it was easier for me to gather mana from around the air. Instead of gathering it at my navel this time I followed the instructions in the book and pictured a eight trig ram at each point in my body. I willed the mana to slowly follow the patter but the pain kept hitting me every time it made and inch of progress.

After a long while I opened my eye feeling a little dishearten. Cultivating either magic or body without relaying on killing monster and gain experience was the most difficult road one to take to getting stronger but for me it was my only choose. I sat up on my bed and stretched and was surprised that my injured didn't bother me. Taking out my guild card I was shocked with delight.

Level 2

HP 25/25

MP 6/6

Power 1

Speed 1

Dexterity 1

Defense 1

Wisdom 4

Intelligence 3

(New)Endurance 1

Luck 0

Active Skills possessed:

Analyze

Passive Skills possessed:

Learning

Language

Meditation

Gold:

2

My health had gotten back to full which was very surprising. The injuries I suffered should have taken at least a week to fully recover with median. Even if I hadn't learned the way of cultivating the body it looks like just one night of cultivating had healed my injuries. With a newly light enthusiasm I opened the Intro to Magic book and began reading.

Most people when it come to magic had a disputation to be more talented in one are than another. When he had his awaken he was tested to have the most affinity with Water, and Wind. At the academy since he didn't have a specialty and didn't have enough credits nor money to buy skills he was refused to teach by many of the professors claim it a wast of time. He hated their bias which promoted him to be a active adventures hoping to earn his own money for skills. After years of struggle he couldn't blamed them as he has seen first hand the danger of life and death battles.

The first step in using magic is to gather mana into your soul. Using you imagination and the chant to shape the mana into the form that is usable is the second step. And lastly producing the and summoning the magic created by the user is the last. After reading the and using his analyze ability to comprehend what the book talked about the sun was already up. Looking at the clock it was a quature till eight which gave me plenty of time to get ready and out two the bus stop. I put the book away changing into my school clothes and headed out to school.

The early morning went as normal for me toward school. After taking the hour ride and walk up the steep hill toward the Academies gates I arrived just after my lovely step sister. She wore her standard sailor uniform with a white top and short green and white pattern skirt. Here dirty pink hair was tied into a pony tall giving off a soft yet firm aura. Our eye met for a second as I was captivated by her beauty she gave a small smile my way sending the attention of the boys surrounding her to me with, I'm going to punch you in the face later look. I ignored it heading towards my desk with my head down trying not to bump into people.

I hated that my heart responded to that fake smile as she looked at me. The pain when she got me beaten by Bill was gone but the memory was still fresh in my mind. I sighed opening one of my personal book “Intro to median making” on common medication making process. Since the introduction of healing magic and cure most medical item are bought and used by low level adventures and solo adventures. Creating pill and other items used for consummation unless your a level 5 pill maker your useless because you can't make mana recovery pill which is one of the most vital pill for any country.

Since I used both my smoke screen bottle, and paralyzing powder I needed to make more since they were my last line of defense. It took me countless years of trial and error just make those and I still haven't make a proper pill but since I'm self taught I think my pace is going good. Since the those item were rarely used the attackers were not guarded and got infected.

After thinking about it I decided after school to turn in my request mission then head toward the market to look for some Tetrodotoxin for making the paralyzing powder. I'll had more ingredients from last time to make at least three more but ran out of the plant. After making it I'll practice using trying the elementary spell Water ball then medicate to recover my energy.

--

I expected expected to get called out by the teacher a lecture for mission class or bill to entertain my step sister again. None of that happened as I was... well peaceful in my terms. Besides the mutters, and dirty looks thrown my way it was one of the better parts of school I could remember. Even when I went to the library to do a quick review before heading home, the short brown head helper that always gave me disgusting look greeted me. Well what ever was up I didn't take it to heart as I headed toward downtown market area “Haze Place”.

Haze Place was sixteen store building that was covered by a sea of small building of the outside as it couldn't contain all the stores. Mostly rich people go into the complex but the place I wanted to go was toward the west sided located passed three clothing stores and down a back alley called “SuzePot”. It was a rather old building that looked like something from a periodical drama. I found this place when a I asked one of the ground keepers slaves on campus were I can find ingredients for medicine.

I knocked four time with a three pattern paused that was code for special product then headed in. The room was brightly light making little futon stand out. In front of a small window covered with a green curtain was a small couch and table to the left made to sit four people on each side. The left was many displays of plants and pills for sell. This shop was one of the basic shop newbie adventures go to but since most try to find a priest of someone of healing properties they stop very soon. In front of me sat a busty mature women in her early thirties if I had to guess. She wore white cotton dress with a deep V in the front and short sleeves. Her light brown hair and eye gave off and mystical feeling as she stared at a thick book in her hand and at me. I assume its a skill all good clerk and store owner have to develop to prevent stealing. I approached her lifting my head to meet her eyes that still weren't looking at me.

[Hello Inga. I need some Tetrodotoxin and some information.]

[30 sliver]

I take out one of my gold and hand while she is still reading the book in her hands.

The takes the gold and puts it in the register giving me 70 sliver back then reaches under the desk and hands me a small pouch.

[That should be enough for making two batches of powder]

[Thank you, now about the information-]

[Most of the people your were acquainted with were contacted by high official the passed two days. Most people don't know who they are or what they wanted but people are keeping there distance from you for the time being. I sure you have felt the effect in your personal life already.]

Ever time she did this is left me a little surprised to be honest. Giving me the answer before I asked but the cost was steep.

[Do you know who they were]

[Yes]

[Will you tell me]

For what felt like the first time her eye stared right into my. They were bottomless filled with such depths that I found my very soul shake.

[No... or to be more precise you will find out yourself very soon.]

With that she turned towards her book and I gave my thanks and departed from the store headed back home. When I arrived the house was filled with the smell of roasted beef, potatoes, and sweep apple pie one of my step-mother mother famous recipes I heard her tall my little sister. My stomach protested me leaving such a feast and for once I listen to the greedy bastard sating my bag in my room and heading toward the kitchen.

In the dinning room I found the family laughing and eating without a care in the world. The face brought back the vile feeling of being tortured in the dungeon and them being happy. He sighed deeply holding his head down and crossed to enter the kitchen fixing himself plate. As he exited the air grew tensed around the table but he ignored it and headed towards his room. Every time he tried to eat with them it took the same turn so he learned quickly to just eat out or got to his room. As he was leaving thought something unexpected happened, his father called him.

“Alexander, I've heard you had trouble on your mission”

“No trouble at all father, just a simple misunderstanding that was cleared up.”

“...I see”

“Yes, well if you will excuse me I must get back to my studies.”

“Yes I supposed you do.”

The conversation was simple and quick but to his recollection it was the most he spoken to his father since, ever. Alexander headed toward his room and began his long training section.