Rise of The Living Enchantment [LITRPG REGRESSION]

Aiden tore through the room. His spear flashed out in stabs and swipes as he used his environment to his advantage. He couldn't count how many times he had swung his weapon.

He had used almost everything in his arsenal of weapons. He couldn't count how many times he had picked up his sword and discarded his axe, or picked up his axe and discarded his spear.

He'd been fighting for so long that he had gained three other foundational skills from using the axe. Excitement could only hold out for so long. With the [Sage] still standing in place, Aiden's growing ferocity had dwindled off into frustration.

Sword flashing out, he went for the [Sage]'s feet. The man's stick flashed out in the same annoying way, not too fast, but just fast enough. It swept his sword aside, forcing Aiden to abandon it or be sent off-balance.

Moving with his motion, his spear shot upwards, threatening to skewer the old man from beneath the jaw. This time, the man stopped it by batting it aside casually, sending its trajectory askew just enough to avoid the blow.

Attacking from such an out-of-the-way position forced Aiden to drop. But it was all part of the dance. He hit the ground and dropped into a roll. Halfway through the roll, his spear shot out once more, a failed attempt at stabbing the [Sage], not that he had expected success from it.

"Why don't you use a greatsword?" the [Sage] asked curious. "It feels like it would be more your style."

Aiden's roll had brought him within the reach of his battle axe. He snatched up the battle axe and charged in once more.

[Stamina 44%]

He'd been giving it his all and was yet to land a blow on the [Sage]. It annoyed him. The last time he had felt so useless was as a recruit in the Order. He could still remember how Torat had often been more than happy to toy with him on the training ground.

Wielding the massive weapon in one hand, he swung with all his might as he got to the old man. The bladed head tore through the wooden floor, ruining it properly, and swung in an upward arc at the [Sage].

[Foundational skill with perfect mastery detected.]

[Multiple foundational skills with perfect mastery detected.]

[Congratulations!]

[You have achieved perfect mastery in the necessary foundational skills.]

[You have gained skill Basic Axeman (Mastery 02.10%)]

An involuntary smirk touched Aiden's lips as his eyes darted across the interface. Another notification would be coming soon. It was only a matter of time.

The [Sage]'s stick came down on him.

Rather than evade, Aiden brought his axe and spear to bear.

The stick came down on both weapons crossed above him. The impact shook the air around them, blasting it outwards in a ring. Aiden dropped to one knee, barely holding up the stick.

"A change of tactic?" the old man grinned. "What comes next?"

He looked like he was enjoying himself instead actually sparring or training with Aiden. But Aiden knew better. In their short exchange he had gotten all his skills related to weapons up by nothing less than fifteen percent. Why? Because the old man kept making adjustments to his stances and strikes. They were slight, but they were precise.

Having a weapon based skill meant that the mana in your body accommodated for slight errors subconsciously. You swung better, added dazzling moves to accommodate for flow. These were instinctive. What Aiden had not realized was just how much he had been relying on his skills in his past life.

Raising them to high levels, he allowed his actions to move subconsciously just as anyone versed in a skill would. Now, however, coming back to the beginning, there were mistakes he made—subconscious as they were—his skills would have fixed them to perfection in his past life. But his mastery wasn't so strong anymore.

The [Sage] had been fixing that in this fight.

Aiden felt the wooden floor crack under his knee as it bore the brunt of his entire weight. With a growl, he turned the [Sage]'s stick to the side, and ducked out from under the man.

"I'm impressed," the [Sage] said, watching him. "Your breathing is controlled, and you know what you're doing, apart from a few mistakes. Jang Su could never dream to last this long. By now he'd be breathing like a beast in heat."

[Related skills above 20% mastery detected.]

[Multiple related skills above 20% mastery detected.]

[Congratulations!]

[You have achieved acceptable mastery in the necessary related skills.]

[You have gained compound skill Basic Weapon-master (Mastery 12.10%)].

Aiden's eyes moved to the discarded dagger lying useless under the bed.

That desperate, huh?

He hated the dagger. The weapon was something he had never been a fan of because of how close and personal he had been required to be to use it in his past life. The dislike, even now that he could get as close and personal as he wanted to his opponents without fear, was still there. Yet, he had used the weapon enough to raise [Dagger-wield] to more than twenty percent mastery.

Looking at the new skill brought back Aiden's vigor. He felt as if he stood a better chance now.

"I guess it's my turn, now."

Aiden's mind registered the words at the last second, then he felt a slight shift in the air. The [Sage] vanished.

It wasn't speed. It was experience. The old man had taken his brief moment of distraction and found a blind spot to move through. It was the feat of true masters.

Aiden's hand moved, fingers moving. He didn't have the time to bring both hands together.

[You have used Class skill Lone Weave]

…

[You have used Lone Weave of Speed]

The [Sage] popped up on his left, exactly where his blind spot was, and swung his stick. Aiden took no chances. He did not try to counter. He did not try anything flashy. His feet carried him out of that entire space without delay. He danced away like a ballerina on steroids. There was no grace, neither was there precision.

It was nothing but a panicked escape.

"Wise," the [Sage] commended.

Then he was gone again, picking out a blind spot that Aiden didn't know he had.

He threw his weapons forward. Axe and spear left his hands, cutting through the air.

The old man blurred into existence halfway through the distance. He was crouched, the flow of his approach broken by the need to evade the weapons.

"You've lost them," he said as he blurred out again.

Aiden didn't bother looking for him. He'd bought all the time he needed.

[You have used Class skill Walking Canvas]

His mana blared out, vast and strong. Powerful. It was greater than what he remembered, reaching far and wide.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

With it came awareness, full and complete.

[You have used Class skill Dual Weave]

…

[You have used Dual Weave of Flames and Lightning]

[You have used Fire Storm]

[Effect: Burn damage with a 50% chance to deal critical damage on every blow.]

[Effect: Lightning damage with a 35% chance to deal critical damage on every blow.]

[Duration: 00:04:00.]

The air blazed around him. To his side, the bed lit up in flames.

The [Sage] appeared to his left, closing out the distance from where had once been Aiden's blind spot to what was now his weaker side.

Aiden brought his leg up to avoid a sweeping blow as the air sparked like countless fireflies and crackled with red lightning.

The [Sage] came at him as his stick failed to strike his leg. The air exploded between them, forcing Aiden to take a step back.

The [Sage] was already gone. Aiden knew this, sensing the man's presence five paces in front of him.

[Mana 79%]

[Stamina 32%]

The [Sage] was taking everything out of him. Even the explosion had done nothing to the old man. Not even a singe.

The man had a manic look on his face. He was having way too much fun. He was, in the complete ramification of the word—insane.

Beside him, the table caught aflame. The [Sage] moved to swing his stick at it but stopped. He cocked his head to the side suddenly, and a flash of lightning streaked through the air where his head had been.

"Interesting skill," he said. "Strong and dangerous. But interesting."

Aiden did his best to control his breathing. "Thank you."

"You've basically usurped all the mana in the room."

Aiden didn't know that [Walking Canvas] had such a wide reach now. He was standing closer to the exit now, and he was always at the center of the skill. If it had enveloped the entire room, he could only imagine just how large it was. He would have to calculate it at a later date.

"And the effect," the [Sage] mused, without having any openings. "I guess that explains what's happening with your odd mana flow."

Wait, odd mana fl—

The [Sage] vanished once more.

It was only to Aiden's eyes, though. He felt the man cross the space between them. Nothing lost within the reach of [Walking Canvas].

The air exploded in a blast of fire streaked with yellow lightning. Aiden fought against the urge to meet the [Sage] in unarmed combat. The problem was that the only form of unarmed combat he knew, that even stood a chance, was the one the Order had taught him, and that was not going to happen.

Then the old man was in front of him.

Aiden leapt back. The old man followed. An explosion popped off in some random direction of the room, then another popped off where the [Sage]'s head was. He ducked his head slightly, avoiding the simple spark.

"Stop running," he grinned.

The moment Aiden's feet touched the ground, the [Sage] was on him. The man's stick came up. Aiden moved to evade it. His senses alerted him the moment the stick was no longer in contact with the [Sage].

Aiden adjusted his stance. The [Sage] had baited him into an evasion so that adjusting would eliminate the chance of running away.

Frowning, Aiden's hands shot out to intercept the old man.

"Nope."

That was the only word he heard before his senses told him that the cane was still in the man's hand. Sudden pain flashed in Aiden's side as something heavy struck him, then the [Sage] stepped into him.

Aiden was lifted from the side, the same spot he had been struck. His vision went tumbling. The air cracked.

A giddy expression on the old man's face was all he saw upside down before darkness took him.

…

Jang Su winced as his master swung his stick into his side. He had been on the receiving end of sticks for weeks now and knew just how painful it was. The fact that Aiden didn't cry out was a testament to his strength.

Then his master added a little more effort and threw Aiden. The force sent Aiden flipping. Mid-air, the old man cracked Aiden on the head with the stick.

Aiden fell awkwardly.

The mana and heat in the air dissipated immediately. The hair on Jang Su's arm stopped standing. He dabbed the beads of sweat settled on his brow with his sleeve.

"I thought level fifty makes me immune to temperature," he said, watching his master.

The old man looked up from Aiden's unconscious body. "What's that?"

Jang Su held up his sleeve in explanation, realized that it wouldn't be very soaked, then said, "I was sweating."

"That tells you how hot the flames were," his master answered, returning his attention to Aiden's unconscious body. "You drew against this kid?"

Jang Su nodded.

"How?" the old man asked, completely confused. "It doesn't make sense."

Jang Su wasn't sure in what direction the conversation was going. So he answered cautiously.

"He was very skilled."

He hadn't told the [Sage] about Aiden's fighting technique in unarmed combat. The fact that despite the [Sage]'s offer, he still hadn't used it meant that he was determined to keep it a secret. So, Jang Su was determined to keep the secret as well.

"I know he's very skilled," his master agreed. "You should've lost to him three times in one fight."

Jang Su would be lying if he said that didn't hurt his feelings a little. "You should have a little faith in your disciple, Master."

His master shook his head. "Your loss is no slight on you, Jang Su. Honestly, I doubt there is anyone your age who could stand toe to toe against him." He looked at Jang Su. "Did you see the fight? He's used to punching above his weight. No fear, no hesitation. There were slight errors but he fixed them quickly. I had to trick him to win."

That was high praise coming from his master.

His master squatted in front of Aiden.

"So, you wouldn't have won without tricking him?" Jang Su asked, surprised.

"Oh, I could've beaten him anytime," his master said. "I'm just saying that, unlike you, I didn't see a flaw to exploit. He lost because I have more experience and knowledge. Also, because I'm better than him."

Jang Su sighed. That sounded more like his master when there was no one watching. The childish arrogance. Then again, it wasn't arrogance if it was true.

"He would make a nice student, right?" Jang Su asked.

"Oh, gods no." The [Sage] gagged. "He won't be a fun student. Not like you."

Jang Su blinked. "I'm confused."

"He's already tailor-made," his master explained. "Even fighting him I could tell that there were a lot of things he was hiding. He'll be a quick learner, that much is true. A good student? Definitely. But he'll be too boring for me."

The old man shook his head. "Nope," he continued. "He'll be better suited to be your rival. He'll sharpen you very well. That's why you're going with him."

"But the cave," Jang Su began to protest only to be cut off by a casual wave of his master's hand.

"I'll get you a better present next time. Something good for your vitality."

Jang Su didn't even know what he was supposed to be getting from the cave this time around. And he certainly had no idea what the old man wanted to get him for his vitality.

"I do have one question, though," he said.

The [Sage] nodded absentmindedly, still staring at Aiden. "I'm listening."

"What was the deal with the whole knight killer thing? You already knew that he was the knight killer. Why did you pretend not to know?"

"To create more honesty from him," his master answered. "He needed that surprise so that he wouldn't have the time to refuse what I gave him. I figured he might've known since there would've been a possibility that my old friend would've told him about such things."

"Such things?"

The old man waved his question aside. "You're not strong enough to know these things. All I'm saying is that he achieved a great feat and I rewarded him for it."

"Defeating a knight?"

The [Sage] gave him a look. "You sound skeptical."

"I am. Knights are powerful but there are still weak knights."

"Oho, my student grows arrogant." The [Sage] laughed. He paused, as if remembering something, and swung his stick in the direction of the table that was still burning. The flames guttered out. "Would you be able to defeat any of the knights of Nel Quan?"

Jang Su shrugged, not needing to think about it. "I might draw against Naru Nei."

"Well, your friend over here would hand Naru Nei his own ass on a wooden plate he carved himself during the fight. That's how good he is."

Jang Su didn't have any answer to that. However, he still had questions. "So what's the enchantment you're giving him?"

"Something your mind can't comprehend." His master got up and dusted his robe. He paused to give the only tear in it from Aiden's sword a look. "I wasn't imagining it, right? He shot his sword like an arrow, using a bow."

"That's not what tore your robe."

"I know, I know. But he really did that, didn't he?"

Jang Su nodded.

"Do you have any idea the precision and mastery required to pull that off in combat?" The old man laughed. "I'd kidnap him to Nel Quan if I could."

"So what's stopping you?"

"Two reasons, actually." His master held up two fingers. "One, I'm not trying to make him hate me. He's a nice kid and I like him. Two, there's a shady organization of assassin spies that will make better use of him when they find out about him than Nel Quan or I ever will. He's just the right kind of talent for them."

"The same organization that might like me?"

"That's the one." The [Sage] looked left, then right. "I need a paper and a pen."

Jang Su started moving. "What for?"

"To draw down the enchantment I promised your friend. Also, I thought you were going to keep a look out?"

Jang Su shrugged as he moved to a small pouch next to the bed. The enchantments on it were strong enough to resist whatever Aiden had done to set the room on fire.

"I figured you warded the place the moment you made the offer," he answered, searching the pouch. "Also, I couldn't not watch the fight. I wanted to see how he would hold up against you."

"And did you learn anything?"

Jang Su took out a small parchment and a pen. He moved over and handed it to the [Sage]. "A thing or two."

The [Sage] held up the parchment and started writing.

"What did you learn?" he asked absently.

"To shoot a sword from a bow."

The [Sage] paused to look at him. "That was cool, wasn't it?" he said with a wry smile.

Jang Su had to admit that it was. He nodded.

The [Sage] resumed scribbling. "What else?"

"Multiple weapons are useful in combat and you can take advantage of your storage space to have unlimited weapons in a fight."

The [Sage] folded up the parchment into neat squares until it was no larger than half his hand. He handed it over to Jang Su.

"Here," he said. "Don't look at it if you don't want to lose your mind."

Jang Su took the parchment. "That strong?"

His master nodded. "It takes a certain mastery of certain skills or class or a certain level to look at world enchantments without losing your mind. It takes something far significantly higher to use one of them. With something not level limited, you don't need to meet those requirements, but your mind will still corrode from just looking at it and knowing what it is."

"Then how come you're giving him?" Jang Su asked. "Won't it corrode his mind?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

The [Sage] paused, looking at him. "Didn't you notice it?" He smacked himself on the head. "What kind of stupid question am I asking? You don't have the class or skill or level for this field of conversation."

Jang Su frowned. "Notice what?"

"His mana flow."

The master had commented on that at some point in the fight.

"What about it?" Jang Su asked.

"The way it moves."

Jang Su frowned at him, urging him to continue.

"… It's like countless world enchantments working together."

"So, he's unique?"

"Oh, Jang Su," the [Sage] shook his head in slight disappointment. "Your friend is like an enchanted world."