NOVEL NEXT Chapter 048: Training Complete
Honestly… Things could be worse.
“What is the average percentage chance that a pink elephant, whose size allows them to fit within the volume of your average USA manufactured ball bearing, will come into existence at any period~?”
That question came with some pillars of water that forced me to think fast (in two ways) as I moved just as I had been conditioned over these past few hours. The girl across from me taking full advantage of my limitless stamina in order to fully engrain everything she could in me - certainly effective if also sadistic to the extreme. Though she was still more kind than my own birth mama.
The first time I made a “mistake”; the counter she made would actually be so soft that I only really know it hit due to the high knockback water. Yet, each and every following “mistake” would result in the punishment getting harsher and harsher. Something that was easy to do with her, seemingly, endless supply of energy that she endowed into the dome of water that surrounded me. At least she also had those jade waters that instantly healed any injuries I suffered due to the empowered aqua magenta.
Her water actually swirled around me to create a sphere of intertwined streams - a very beautiful sight when paired with the bright sun on the horizon. Like being stored in a prism that constantly broke sunlight into countless spectacular colours… Though what lowered its beauty was the constant potshots.
Being a dome allowed for attacks to rain on me from any angle (as well as having that prior mentioned knockback effect) meant that I had no choice but to dodge. Otherwise I would find myself flying through the air with no way to actually block the attacks; not even my hardlight shield could do the job. This wasn’t exactly bad, I honestly could appreciate the genius, as it was perfect for the purpose of training.
Despite “surrounding me” it never, not once, blocked me from moving but instead followed along perfectly no matter how fast I ran. This also meant that I couldn’t just rely on my stats to outrun the oncoming damage and instead had to rely on my body to do the job. Certainly easier with a higher dex however we both know I was running a dex build anyway.
If anything it taught me how to use my dex efficiently.
Also - the questions asked during my training weren’t as random as they seemed - she was using this as a chance to drill some magical knowledge into my head. I still had no clue who she was, nevertheless it was clear that she knew what she was talking about. Although she certainly didn’t make my life easy.
“What is the relationship between mana & qi?”
“Which circuit generates the fire attribute?”
“How much magic does it take to screw in a lightbulb?”
“Why should you be careful about using the spatial elemental family no matter where you are?”
“Where is mana generated from?”
“What is the difference between a mage & sorcerer?”
So many questions flew around but I somehow managed to answer them; a wrong answer resulted in me receiving a strike on my tits. She said, and I quote, “Your body is now unbalanced just like your knowledge base!” while giggling in that “ehehehe” way that’s now ingrained in my mind. She at least gave me the right answer if I admitted I didn’t know. Something about “fear” and “unknowns” but I was too focused on not getting blasted up my butt by a bullet of water.
Other than that… Not much to complain about?
There was no doubt that this crazy method was slowly shaping my random movements into something resembling a functional combat style. The nature of this training meant that I was fairly stationary with a focus on moving my feet & not torse. Which would have likely have allowed for me to get some accurate shots off; if not for my hand getting batted away (by water) every time I attempted to take out my gun.
There was no doubt that this form of footwork heavily favoured my weapon of choice - showing that she wasn’t some kook that was just throwing whatever she could toward me. Trying to fit me into the same mould as her with no room for originality. Certainly something to be cautious about when learning.
One of the excuses I also gave her as to why I learned none of this on earth.
I’m not too small of a woman (5’2 can be considered tall in some parts of the world) to admit that I thought she was just a psychopath at the start of this training.
What else would I think when a crazy dragon loli suddenly surrounds me in a sphere of water that randomly hits me from weird angles. How was I supposed to dodge what I couldn’t see? In the end I still didn’t have an exact answer for that… Yet I could now do it.
Slowly but surely my movements were refined as any inefficiencies were ironed out under the liquid hammer of my “sensei” till, eventually, I realised that I no longer was getting hit as much. She also kept shouting stuff like “add more flare” or “show off a bit more” leading to me adding more fantastical movements that would likely piss off whoever I was trying to land a hit on me. Something I could appreciate since I was quite used to mental warfare due to my time in the limelight.
All in all; a surprisingly productive session.
“I think that’s enough to make sure you don’t die~!” With that vote of confidence I heard a little ding to tell me that the quest was officially over for now. Which also reminded me that I still had rewards from the earlier fight to go through… I had long since tuned out the notification due to everything that’s been happening in this short period of time.
╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣
Skill Name: Golden Gun
Category: Active
Rank: C
Level: 1 (00%)
Attributes: Holy & Fire
Weapon Requirement: Revolving Chamber-Based Firearm
Effect: Adds Attribute And Increased Damage (Depends on Rank & Level) For Cost Of Mana Alternative
Description: Harness The Power Of The Divine In Order To Unleash A Powerful Blast Containing The Power Of The Stars!
╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣█╠═╣
At least now I had a proper attack skill; also it was at a very high level for the start of this game.
Most people wouldn’t get a rank C ability on this planet until the end of the first year or so - at least that’s what I remember but a lot has changed. Hopefully some of the more important information I gathered was correct but I can only cross my fingers. I may or may not cry if that dungeon next to the Rossario Stones no longer is in development.
Something I plan to check after I finish whatever quest this little loli plans to throw at me. I can only hope that it isn’t something too stressful, and also on the way, as I doubt she’ll be happy if I treated whatever she gave me as a side quest. In fact this game world may just vanish based on my knowledge from that island country her outfit seems a little based from.
Fortunately the demon dragon appeared to be content if the grin I saw, with the water returning back to her gourds, was anything to go by. “Now then I guess I should give you that quest so that we can be on our way with your heroic journey to take advantage of humanity's stupidity~!”
“You don’t need to put it like tha-” I found myself at a loss for words as we were transported back to the overworld once more. We were certainly still on the same hill that we started from, even down to the exact places where we were each standing, yet there was something more noticeably different than anything that my eyes could pick up.
The strong stench of iron.
One unique smell I knew the source of very well by now.
Blood.
That legion we had saw in the distance was now clearly far closer to use however the were a tad more “divided” than they likely would have liked.
Yes, that was a gruesomely dark pun.
Body parts were scattered all around the hills, coming up to our position on a carpet of crimson, with it being impossible to link any of the parts together. All the injuries were so finely made that it ended up looking like the departed souls from a recent war rising up the surface of the bloody river styx. At the other end of this carpet of chaos was a single cloaked figure sitting atop the beheaded corpse of the commander with the aged man's head within a black metallic claw.
Their entire figure was cloaked in an eerily clean, white, woollen cloak with many handles jutting just over their shoulder. A simple black sheep mask sat upon their face with two familiar bi-colour eyes staring right toward me… Making a shiver travel up my spine.
Especially as two uneven black horns broke through that lamb-mask.
“Well that is… Unfortunate~!” She said while looking at me with a mischievous grin as her eyes darted between me & that weird sheep person.
I only had one reply to give. “Yeah, no, I’m done with this who’s who…” I’m out; time to journey then maybe fight entities I can actually damage. I’ve already met that crazed goddess who apparently knows who took my eye, meaning they’re also probably mad… Yea, honestly, I am completely done with these mysterious entities with no plans on adding a third.
“B-but what about my quest…?” Her sad little voice calling out from behind.
I was not about to be tricked by her cute act, however. “You can send it whenever you want; I’m going to head out and you probably know where to find me!”
“Remember to use your stats or I’ll skin you~!”
With that my journey into this familiar yet unknown world had just begun!
