Lucas was standing on the field, his new mentor standing a few meters behind him. His literature from yesterday still made his head pound, especially tracts about pre – System Earth history and politics. When he asked why he had to learn stuff like that, Bruce launched into fiery explanation about System valuing symbolism and history. Lucas wasn't completely satisfied with that answer, all his reading implying System actually valuing conviction and resolve of the individual above all else. Voicing his doubts, he just received a nasty look from his new mentor and he launched once more into a lengthy explanation, gist of it being that a lot of people actually value all that stuff he was reading about and that it can be used against them with a little bit of manipulation and propaganda, as the General was doing now. But all of that was unimportant now, as he was preparing to take combat evaluation.

“We will start with fights without skills. Just pure footwork and swordsmanship” Bruce told.

Lucas nodded and started his routine. As he was getting more comfortable, he heard “Adjust difficulty” muttered by the Loremaster and at the same time he spotted some kinds of apparitions armed with a whole slew of weapons spawning and marching right at him, a two meter distance between them. His gut feeling told him he probably wouldn’t like to be hit by any of them.

„Remember, no skills“ Bruce reminded him just as first apparition, a vague humanoid with four arms, all armed with stilettos, started its attack. Pushing his Agility, he bended on the side almost all the way down to earth, amazed at his flexibility that certainly looked unnatural to someone watching. Stilettos went above him and he used the chance to strike at what he hoped was a knee. His stab made contact and apparition immediately dissolved.

„Good“ was the only feedback he received from his mentor as the next apparition came, short sword already in full swing. Lucas rolled to his right side, quickly pouncing on the open flank of the apparition and dissolving it. Third one was fast approaching, a simple axe in one hand and a buckler in second. Lucas avoided first hit with a quick jump back and follow – up overhead strike with a roll to the left. What he hadn't expected was a correction and axe slammed into his ribs, a cracking sound echoing all over the clearing.

„You take 101 points of damage“

„Wow, that is a lot of damage“ Lucas thought as he engaged in a pirouette that brought him at the exposed back of the apparition. Still not completely comfortable with neither the maneuver nor the sword he was using, his stab was a near miss. Acting up on instinct, he prostrated himself quickly, axe flying dangerously near his head. He turned his sword backwards, stabbing almost blindly and hitting the apparition where the calf was in humans. The apparition immediately dissolved, following the pattern.

„Enough“ Bruce said and Lucas got up, finding himself face in face with fourth apparition, now frozen in place. It held a flail in one hand and the same kind of axe that apparition Lucas just slew had in other, that axe poised to strike Lucas before being frozen.

„You are pretty raw and unused to this kind of fighting“Bruce spoke „but on the other hand, your footwork and movement is pretty good“

„I had to learn that. My skills allow me to have bursts of speed, angle and plan of attack is all my to execute“ Lucas responded, a bit ashamed being beaten at just the fourth apparition.

Bruce noticed the look on his face „You did good. It was the second hardest difficulty to start with“he comforted him. „Let's rest while your ribs heal and then we will you continue?“

Lucas nodded and sat down on the Earth, Bruce focused for just a second to dissolve apparitions he summoned.

„Why do you even think you can train me? Have you ever even been in a fight?“Lucas asked him.

„No, I haven't. But how do you think Loremasters get experience?“ Bruce asked him in return.

Lucas just shrugged, giving Bruce the opening for another explanation.

„Being a Loremaster family of class means dedicating your life to studying the System and its mechanisms and rules that govern reality. So, we get experience when we progress our knowledge. Being such, the classes come with perks. You heard me yesterday when I activated one of my skills. What that particular skill does is archive text you select and make it available for any other Loremaster you grant access to your archives. That proved useful during Initiation phase of the Earth, especially while fighting invasions as it allowed us to have an effective network of information, a network that is still active and being filled every day with new lore and information. Second perk is familiar to you as you received my tutorials on basic rules during your initiation. A gift you certainly haven't used“Bruce said, prompting Lucas to throw his best shit – eating grin on his face.

„We can also read in – depth information about a person, and that is where most of my colleagues ply their trade, founding promising students, trading their knowledge and mentorship for protection and occasional dungeon clearing.“ Bruce finished.

„What do the students get out of it?“ Lucas askd.

„You see, young man, we can see requirements for unlocking skills or cheapening their cost and we usually have a good feel is there a class change or upgrade coming. And last, but not least, we can see how much experience one need to reach the next level. Of course, that stands on top of number of hidden stats and information we are able to see, chief amongst them being regeneration rates for the three major resources pool“ Bruce said, his face radiating smugness as Lucas shock.

„There are regeneration rates? Why can't I see them?“ Lucas asked.

„Because you don't understand them. And frankly, fighters such as you don't really rely on raw numbers, preferring to let their instincts guide them. Healers on the other hand usually learn them pretty fast, as they have to keep tabs which heal spells to cast to avoid running out of mana in the middle of the fight. Your lady friend learned them a week after her initiation“Bruce explained him.

Lucas nodded, his mind disseminating what he heard. He could see the logic behind words of the old man about regeneration rates, as he usually felt a headache for mana shortage or fatigue for stamina shortage. What would he do with raw numbers, especially with the way he usually conducted his fights? On the other hand, he hated the idea of Bruce not knowing something he didn't know.

„To be exact, I hate he knows more about something I care about, seeing as he knows more than me about a lot of things“Lucas corrected himself internally. Forgoing all that, he was very interested how close he was to the level up, seeing he killed a lot since the last one. And he could certainly use more skills. Everybody loves new skills.

He got up to his feet, his ribs finally whole once again. He stretched out before signaling he is ready to resume his training.

„Okay, this time use your whole toolkit. After that, I will be able to evaluate you and we will proceed from there“Bruce instructed him and Lucas stood at the ready.

Bruce intoned „Adjust difficulty“ signaling the beginning of the next part of the test. Big tentacle monster manifested in front of Lucas, its countless massive tentacles each finishing with a different shape, giving the creature to have a potential to achieve amazing versatility in its attack.

„A tentacle will dissolve after you strike it. Test ends after you dissolve ten tentacles, the body of the apparition or a lethal attack is a second away from striking. Begin“ Bruce said, and the pack of tentacles instantly charged Lucas, one in front having a wide area on its end. A quick „Dodge“ revealed to him a narrow safe zone and he immediately rolled to it. Moment after finishing his roll, he activated „Guiding strike“, his arm striking one of the tentacles by itself and dissolving it. He was forced to dodge once again and that dance went on and on, Lucas evading without the chance to strike back seeing as the apparition adapted after the first one, shortening a number of its tentacles and transforming them in some kind of shield. Unfortunately for Lucas, apparition also started getting faster and he was unable to dodge forever, a tentacle with a heavy ball at the end striking him in his guts.

„You took 212 points of damage“

Grinding his teeth, Lucas held his ground as the tentacle came for a return strike, activating a „Punch parry“ and following it with a swing, dissolving another tentacle and buying himself a breather. He inspected his surroundings and he formed an insane plan that he hoped would end the fight in one strike. Finding his old friend, a wide area tentacle he ran straight into it. Tentacle charge right back at it, flanked by the usual suspects of tentacles. The one he searched for was luckily in the pack and Lucas activated “Dodge” somersaulting above the leading tentacle and directly into the path of a closed fist – like tentacle, colliding with it. He felt a strong hit on his torso and went flying.

“You took 214 points of damage”

Straining his Agility to the maximum, he regained control over his body, spinning himself in the air to face the body of the apparition and activated “Infused piledriver”. His momentum carried him to close the rest of the distance, his sword connecting with the body. Whole clearing went empty as the giant apparition disappeared.

“Good job” Bruce said loudly from behind him “now give me a moment. “Evaluate” he finished with skill activation and Lucas had to admit to himself he could barely wait for the results to come in.