-I don't see how it's profitable training. Did you want me to die or something?
-Yes. I mean, no. You're supposed to be getting better, kid.
-How am I supposed to get better if I'm dead?
-Listen, kid.
At these words, the former soldier violently grabbed Kayle's arm with speed. He twisted his arm slightly so that he couldn't move.
Huh? When did...
-You should address your master properly...
But in another swift movement, Kayle broke free of the arm lock and stood up straight on his legs.
-I've seen worse.
-I see. That's why I took you on as a disciple. You're enormously talented. If you knew how to use az, you'd probably be able to compete with the greats, but you don't even know how to use it. Worse still, you don't see it.
And that pisses me off too. Why can't I use the energy of this world? It makes me a guy doomed to suck.
-But there's a way to change that. Martial arts.
They've got that at home too.
-No matter how many people there are with a monstrous affinity for az, there are always people who have surpassed them without having any great talent with it. Master swordsmen, martial artists, or simple fighters. Of course, they also use az to improve their skills and increase damage.
-And that's where artifacts come in. Many legendary and, for some, unknown objects are hidden in this world. Some people have managed to become monsters thanks to their artifacts. It is said that, at present, the most powerful artifact is in the hands of Lady Rozvalt: the scales of righteousness, Hermial.
Stylish name. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to own one of these. But I still smell a scam somewhere.
-Wait a minute, wait a minute. How did they get these artifacts?
-Well, by getting them. Some fell from the sky and others are in dungeons and very dangerous places.
-And how am I supposed to get them?
-That's not my problem. If you die, you die.
So I thought. I don't stand a chance of getting one. I'll die fighting a dragon or trying to steal the eye of a giant snake.
-You're horrible.
-I can't work miracles either. But rest assured, the energy will eventually be absorbed into your body. Little by little, you'll get stronger. You may not have an ounce of az to use, but you'll use it unconsciously. Believe me, I didn't accept you as a disciple to leave you weak.
It's a good thing at least that he's willing to help me improve. But the jackal isn't going to do it by killing me.
-Well, when do we start?
-You've just come out of that 45-meter shaft without an ounce of az and you want to get started. Look, kid, I know you're in a hurry, but what you've just done isn't really human. Without az it's impossible to do that. If you used it as a reinforcement or even subconsciously infused it into your strokes, I'd understand. But you've got nothing. So relax. You don't really need to strengthen your muscles, but you still need to be harder and more agile than you are now. If you really want to train. Get as strong as you can until the next lesson. Too bad if you're exhausted afterwards.
Kayle looked at his so-called master. Of course he wanted to train, of course he wanted to impress him.
-Oh wow, kid, you're a much stronger genius than I am, by the way.
-Heh heh.
But without an ounce of nitrogen and rest, this was obviously impossible for him.
-Okay, I'm in. If you really want to train me, then I'll follow what you say. After all, you're the pro.
The former soldier seemed surprised, but turned around with a wave of his hand.
-Have it your way. Tomorrow, same time as last time.
-Ok ok.
Even if I feel he's going to spit on me at any moment, I'm sure he'll keep training me.
Or so he thought.
-Where the hell is that dirty old rag? It's that time. Where is it again?
You've got to be kidding me. And I thought he was going to train me properly.
Kayle looked around to see if his master was hiding somewhere.
-Where...is...he...?
-You're looking for me, kid.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa
Clearly, everyone could be surprised here.
-I didn't know you could scream like that.
-Why were you hiding?
-That's going to be a real problem. You don't know how to detect a presence.
-Do you?
-Fear is a feeling that every human being has. It sometimes lets him know when something's wrong. But in a fight, he needs more than fear to spot his enemy. Can you believe it?
I can tell. A kind of test. Of course I can't pass it. Without az, all my abilities are reduced.
-I'm a former soldier in the imperial army. Then I'll train you as a soldier. It'll improve your senses.
-Cool. So, where do we start?
Some time later, they found themselves in the forest.
Oh no, not again. If I meet that creature from the underworld again, he'll ask me to kill him.
-Hide-and-seek. But in reverse, your aim is to be aware of when the monsters are coming at you, and you have to chase one of them away before validating this step.
-Huh?
-In short, you stay right here. I'll give you a bow if you like, a dagger and some water. If a monster comes, detect it. You're only allowed to move when it's within a meter of you. Once you've dodged it, you're allowed to run away and change location, but you have to stay in the forest to do it again. Once you've dodged the ten-monster count, you hunt. And you bring your prey back to me.
-Are you crazy?
-It's a very advanced military training. In the capital, they do it in a forbidden area, the cursed forest. The monsters there are on a completely different level. The deaths are recurrent, but that's the way it is.
Did I just see a hint of anger on that face?
-Well, now you know the rules. You know what you have to do.
-Okay, I'll do the damn challenge.
-All right, then. Can't wait to see you in action.
-How are you going to keep an eye on me?
-I'm not. If you don't want to practice, that's up to you.
-You don't say. So you're just going to leave me here like last time. Well, I'm used to it by now.
-Your time isn't counted. In the army, we were sometimes left in the forest until we got it or... until we died.
I don't doubt it. At the same time, the army must have some pretty high standards in this world. Will I have to join them to succeed in my quest?
-Good luck with that.
Kayle watched the former soldier leave with the same wave of the hand as last time. It was, in fact, the same hand signal Rack gave when he left a room.
-All the same. All the same. And I'm sick of it.
Right, then. Don't move. Those are the only main orders I got. Stay put and spot your enemy. Obviously, I'm pretty good at that in my world. It should be fine here. All things make noise in this world. It's impossible to move in silence. If I concentrate, I should be able to spot his idiots before they even get close to me. If it's another one of those disgusting creatures...I'll improvise.
Kayle stood there for a good ten minutes. No animal deigned to show the tip of its nose. Only the birds landed on certain branches and then left, giving Kayle a dirty look and whistling to laugh at him.
-Is he taking the piss?
No monsters on the horizon. Just calm and serenity. Kayle almost fell asleep on the spot. Sometimes, he'd catch a glimpse of a larger animal, but it still wasn't a monster. Other times, he saw insects gathering around him. He'd shoo them away roughly, then fall back into his immobilization.
-Are there really any other monsters here? I'm getting really tired. Isn't there anything else I can do? The old man told me I had to stay put to spot the enemy and improve my senses, but he also said I had to hunt. I don't know how to use a bow, so....
Kayle pulled on the string, aimed at the little bird on a branch, took a deep breath and fired.
-I'd better start learning.
The arrow went the other way....
After several hours and three changes of location, Kayle hadn't had a single bird or any monsters.
-I've had it. How long have I been here? The sun has already started to turn the other way. What do I do? No monsters. And not a bird since earlier.
Nobody taught me how to shoot a bow. Every time I try, the arrow flies off in all directions before hitting a tree or a branch. Am I that bad?
Indeed, his last attempts on a bird had been so disastrous that the bird hadn't budged from its branch even though Kayle had tried to shoot it several times.
-Damn piaf.
Suddenly, a sound could be heard not far away.
Footsteps? Am I dreaming? At last I'm going to catch one.
Kayle was so obsessed with catching a monster that he soon forgot he had no idea how to do it.
This one's dead, I'm going to make him wish he'd never been here. Now...
Kayle pounced on his prey. He picked up his dagger, twirled it between his fingers and tried to stab the oncoming thing. Unfortunately, the thing had two arms and two legs. It grabbed his outstretched arm and pulled him into a judo grip. Rack then looked at the kid who had tried to kill him.
-Kayle?
-Ah...sh.t.
Kayle was definitely a pain in the ass.
-Stop f*.ck*ng with me.