“Holy shit, you actually did that?”

“...”

“I knew that manual was for you, even I wouldn’t attempt to master that skill!”

“..”

Master Wang is absolutely delighted at my progression, but he has a funny way of showing it. Apparently, [Second Heart] was an experimental technique, and no one actually learned it because of the apparent danger of ripping your heart in half.

“Master Wang, I am here to seek guidance. This manual is too difficult to decipher on my own.”

“You seem to be doing a good job. Let me see the manual.”

I don't tell him that a video game version of him is a better mentor. He suddenly smacks his forehead.

“Ayo! I forgot to give you the basics! Path of the Broken Body: Insanity] doesn't come with it because I expected the disciples who wanted to walk down that path would already know them. Let me go and grab them for you.”

I am stunned and unable to speak. Master Wang slinks out of the room. I failed to remind him that he did give me the fundamentals, but he purposely gave me the wrong one as a test. I sit there contemplating my existence.

He reappears with an immaculate manual covered in plastic wrap. He rips it off as he tosses me the book.

“There. That should answer all your questions.”

“...”

“If you need anything else, you know where to find me.” Master Wang leaves the room.

Master Wang is definitely not my master. I’ll keep calling him master as a sign of respect for his martial prowess, but he is no teacher of mine. I crack open the brand new book and read it to completion.

~

Everything has mana. After the Great Upheaval, that mana manifested itself in the form of physical phenomenons. But after the system was born, that created a question. "What is the mana stat, and why is it tied to mind?"

Scientists speculated that there are two forms of mana, static and free mana. Static mana is in everything from rocks and trees to people and beasts. That's what allows passive skills to function and gives us our stats. It affects our body without needing input, the same way we don't tell our bodies manually to beat our hearts.

Free mana is produced by the body to be fuel for skills and spells. Mana is the blood of life if you ignore normal blood. It changes as you change and grow, gaining levels or new skills.

The foundational technique alters your static mana to be compatible with the [Broken Patch] martial arts. Mana is so versatile that any mana could be used, but it's about efficiency. Learning skills would be more challenging without my static mana being attuned to it. If I had this manual before, I would have had a few more skills before entering the fracture.

I also realized something about the [Broken Body: Insanity]. It's not even a martial art! It doesn't teach me how to fight but just gives me practical skills for a fight. I barely had any training and thought this was my chance, but no. I certainly got better, but my mechanical skills are going to need an upgrade.

Now I'm tempted to get all the passive skills in this manual to unlock the broken body. Or if I should focus on attacking abilities to compensate for my lack of technique.

I think I'll pick and choose depending on what I think is best.

I would ask Master Wang if I can use his house formation for Flash Gordon, but I’m pissed off at him now and forgot. I’ll ask him after the tests when I have time.

That powerful technique I was working on is going to take a longer time than I have left. I'll focus on one attacking skill instead. Until the test starts, I will train.

~

Early in the morning, I wake up to 'good luck' texts from my Foster parents. It's finally time for the test…

Finally, test day. I spent two and a half weeks preparing for this, and the fruits of my labor will be revealed.

I get caffeine from my local coffee shop and rush to the institute. I have 8 hours of tests and another 8 hours of a tournament. Since we are all superhumans, this time block isn't that bad.

I take the tests for all my classes except for physical education, which doesn't have one. I don't use [Lexicon] to cheat until I finish the test, and then I double-check my answers and see what I got wrong. Of course, I change those answers if I get them wrong because I want to ace everything.

The tests were surprisingly easy. I guess that's given since they're only testing on about a month's worth of material.

I make my way to the arena after a lunch break.

The bracket is already set up and displayed, showing me in the fifth fight. There are going to be so many matches between students today. Hundreds of battles will be taken in this arena, and only one can win. I'm glad that it's only the first-year students in this tournament, meaning it will go by much quicker.

I honestly don't care about the other students and their placings. I instead reread the tournament rules to refresh my memory.

No killing.

No uniforms. Wear your battle garbs.

The fight ends when one student knocks out the other student, knocks them out of the ring, or if an instructor deems one student to have lost.

If an ability misses and hits the stands, the student is disqualified. The audience has protection, but the lack of care for the families that came to watch is unforgivable.

If you lose, you lose. No loser's bracket.

If the fight takes longer than 5 minutes, both students are disqualified.

Tamers may use only one of their tamed beasts per fight and must rotate them out for the next match.

Any rule the institute has still applies during the tournament. Listen to your instructors.

Shit, I can't just rush every fight with all my beasts and win instantaneously. But I have a level advantage against every first year. Even without levels, I fought foes stronger than me and still won.

It looks like the first match is decided by starting class grade since the first fight for everyone is against someone at a similar rank.

I look closer at the bracket. Except for the very 1st match, the other fights look suspicious. Arlug has his fight right after me. And if he wins, he will face me in the second fight. Same with that wolf boy, but for my third match.

Shit. I just realized there are six matches, the semifinals and the finale in a row. This is going to be a pain.

~

My fight comes quickly. The matches don't have an introduction besides reminding us that it's our time to fight. I walk onto the stage with Rob. Technically I can pick my tamed beast after seeing my opponent, but Rob wanted to go first. I couldn't say no to my little buddy.

My opponent is wearing medium to light armor and has two swords. His expression is serious as he stares at Rob and me.

"A necromancer?" he asked?

I wouldn't answer him even if we weren't in combat. The match starts with a whistle as he dashes towards me with his swords drawn.

The sound gives away any chance of this being a surprise attack. He swings his blades at me, thinking of me as a frail necromancer.

Rob moves quicker than this guy and beats him with a trenching shovel.

KEOWK.

Spittle flies out of this guy's mouth as the air gets knocked out of his lungs. He tumbles to the other side of the platform, stopping right before the edge.

I told Rob not to kill the guy, but it looks like he used too little force since he’s not knocked out.

The fighter gets on his hands and knees and starts gasping for air. I wanted to end this quickly, so I casually walked over to him.

He looks up at me with tears in his eyes. "Good blow. I didn't see it coming. " He starts bleeding from the mouth.

With one foot, I push him off the platform so he can get treatment for his internal injuries. The crowd erupted into cheers. I one-shotted him with my little buddy, so the crowd was ecstatic.

I look into the stands and see my foster parents cheering me on. My eyes drift to the faculty section and see Dean Palmer looking over. I couldn't see his expression, so I started waving to the crowd and locked eyes with him. I quickly move away and almost stumble off the stage when I see my not master, Master Wang.

He is sitting on the bottom row so I can walk up to him and ask him a question.

“What are you doing here?”

“Do you think I wasn't going to see my successor kick some ass? I was waiting for an invitation, but when that didn't come. I expected that you forgot to amid your training, so I invited myself. Show off the martial arts a little bit more. So far, you're just hiding behind your beast."

I walked away from him. I didn't know what to say to him, so I decided to leave the conversation. I went and "rested" for my next fight. It looks like Arlug won his fight, so I'm facing him in the next match. I wait for my battle as I prepare Flash Gordon for his second bout with that half-dwarf.

~

Rob’s Status

Name / Nickname

Rob / Little Buddy

Species

Shovel Skeleton E (Uncommon)

Level

50 (MAX)

Evolution Requirements

Not Met

~

Health Points

170/170

Mana Points

200/200

Armor Points

5

Might

41 > 61

Agility

60 > 100

Vigor

34 (19 > 24 +10)

Mind

25 > 40

Spirit

25 > 45