CHAPTER 4-GROWING KNOWLEDGE

There was a comfortable breeze flowing through the air as the rays of the sun reflected off the early morning dew. This breeze carried a fresh, sweet aroma into the cracked window of a room where Nigel and Suvi Tvenstrup were sleeping after a "passionate" evening together. The first to rouse would be Nigel as he took in a deep breath of the morning air and his eyes slowly flickered open.

Nigel was always an early riser, whereas Suvi was the one whom always needed poking and prodding to get out of bed. His eyes went to a square object on the nightstand to his right, which had a clock face upon it. It was something their parents once owned called [Magic Clock]. He read aloud the current time as he yawned like a bear out of hibernation.

"6 'o 3, huh?"

He stretched his stiff limbs as he then looked to the beauty whom was still sound asleep with her head on his chest and arms wrapped around him. He smiled as he kissed her forehead, speaking in a normal speaking tone, as he then gently started nudging her.

"Suvi? Suvi? Come on little-sister. It's time to get up."

She responded slowly as she moaned and groaned, and then started to stretch her limbs as well. Her eyes flickered quickly in an attempt to clear her blurred vision. After a moment her eyes then looked up to Nigel with a happy expression as she spoke softly.

"Hmm.~ Good morning brother.~"

"Good morning to you as well. Now come on. Today is the day we start Mister Madara's training."

"Ooh. And I was so comfortable too.~" Suvi says with a cute pout.

"I know, I know. We still need to go. Come on." Nigel says firmly but gently.

Roughly thirty-nine minutes later, they both were fully dressed and ready for their day ahead, although Suvi, whom was walking up behind a distracted Nigel, still seemed a bit groggy. She then embraced him from behind, and as she closed her eyes, she spoke in a low and doleful tone.

"Brother... let us give our all in this training. I never again wanted to experience what I felt when I saw you struck down. You're all I have left..."

Nigel closed his eyes as he used his left hand to hold onto her hands that were now clasped onto his chest. He could very well understand how she felt as his mind then drifted back to one fateful night seven years ago.

They originally lived in a small village that was half a day's travel from E-Rantel. There in that tiny village of maybe fifty people, they lived peaceful lives with their parents. Their father was a respected member of the Magician's Guild, capable of using the 4th-tier of magic. After a chance encounter that led him to the capture of a criminal with a large bounty, he moved his family from E-Rantel to that village for a life of peace and quiet.

Little did they know that was not to be, for one evening said village was attacked by a tribe of demi-humans. Hiding his children in their home's cellar, his final instructions to them was to stay put and to, "take care of each other". After which, the father and the warrior trained mother went off to defend the village.

Nigel's memories of that time were less than pleasant, as he recalled keeping his sister's ears covered as tightly as he could, so she could not hear the sounds of battle, and the wails and screams that followed throughout the evening. The following morning, they found that the sounds were gone, and crawled out of the cellar when they heard the sounds of humans about. A group of adventurers had arrived, summoned by their father's use of the [Message] spell.

Despite widespread distrust in the spell, the leader of the Magician's Guild back then trusted the source of said message and relayed the emergency call for adventurers to go to his village. However, it was much too late, because by the time they got there, most of the village had been wiped out, save for Nigel and Suvi Tvenstrup, their friend Denys Shkoda, and a hand-full of other teenagers and children that had been hidden away like they were in their cellar.

The adventurers were too late in discovering them, for as the siblings stepped out of their home, they saw for themselves the carnage that awaited them. Dead bodies of both human and demi-human origins littered the area, with an overpowering stench that rendered the children unconscious after only a few minutes.

The next time they awoke, they were on a wagon with the other survivors heading towards E-Rantel. After speaking with a female adventurer whom was riding with them, they soon learned that their parents had died defending their village. To say it was a devastating moment for them would be putting it mildly after the evening and morning they had. Especially for a 13 year old Nigel and a 12 year old Suvi. Still, they somehow kept their emotions and tears in during the trip to E-Rantel.

Once they arrived, they were greeted by the leader of the Magician's Guild, whom they knew from their father's work. Since they were among the few who did not have any other living relatives, he took it upon himself to set them up with a place to live. Once they arrived to their new living arrangements, they allowed their mutually built up stress and grief to overwhelm them, breaking down and crying into each other's arms.

The next few years were difficult for them. Despite the new home they were given, the financial support that their parents' accumulated coin and possessions offered them, and the friends that checked in on them from time to time, they were truly left alone. No one gave them the emotional support they truly needed during that time. However, they kept steadfast, remembering their father's last words to, "take care of each other".

That they did by watching out for each other, supporting one another, and leaning upon each other. It was this closeness and reliance on each other for support that opened the door for their sibling relationship to go a step farther, when they started to become of age. Neither of them knew what they were doing at the time, but in the aftermath they realized what had happened. To their shock, they weren't repulsed or even ashamed at what they had done.

On the contrary, for them it was like the emptiness within their lives and their hearts had vanished, and they found peace and serenity within each other's arms. In that moment, their love for each other was not just that of brother and sister, but a man and a woman whom found happiness for once in their lives. Despite this however, they also knew that they must keep it a secret, for their society would demonize them for it.

So as they walked down the halls of the building that they had lived in for years, they composed themselves as siblings "normally" would. On the outside they just look like very close siblings, keeping the true nature of their intimacy behind closed doors. In the beginning it was difficult, but as time went on, it became easier. Fun even, since not even their childhood-friend/teammate Denys Shkoda was aware of their closeness.

...

After having their breakfast and taking care of morning errands, the Tvenstrup siblings, along with Denys Shkoda, were waiting patiently at the agreed upon meeting point for their new trainer, Madara, whom had saved them just a day before. Now with a mere 7 minutes away from the agreed upon time, the trio had to admit that they were both nervous and excited, with more of Denys being excited as he mischievously spoke up.

"Oi, Suvi! You're doin' it again.~"

She yawns before responding in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Hm? I'm doing what now?"

"You're glowing! Every morning it seems like." Denys says with a grin.

"Wha?! I've no idea what you're talking about." Suvi retorted with a huff.

"Oi, it's no big deal. I'm sure whoever got ya' for the evening did a good job.~" Denys says with a thumbs up.

"And what about you? You're awfully chipper this morning." Suvi says with a suspicious glare.

"Oh, me? I just talked my way into a married couple's bed. Best of both worlds!"

"...!"

"..."

For a moment, Suvi's jaw dropped in shock, while her brother Nigel kept his eyes closed in a somewhat desparate attempt to tune out a conversation that he had to admit was grating on his nerves. Denys Shkoda was always the shameless energetic prankster who often reveled in the discomfort of others, but most especially his friends. But when time came for things to get serious, no one was more reliable.

Still, Nigel silently prayed his merry-making would cease before their benefactor showed up as he heard Denys mischievously speak up again.

"So...~ I gotta know, who's the lucky man? Or are you into ladies?"

"Aaah!"

Suvi yells as she takes a swipe at Denys' head with her staff, whom dodges at the last second, grinning ear to ear.

"Was it something I said?~"

"You...!"

"My, my. What an unruly bunch you all are this morning."

"...!"

"Ack!"

"Eek!"

All three responded in surprise at the calm, sudden, and unexpected voice of Madara, whom seemed to appear from nowhere. Nigel hurried bows at the waist as he greets him in a slightly shaking tone.

"M-Mister Madara! Good morning! I-I d-did not realize you were near."

"Hmph. Apparently none of you did. Your awareness of your surroundings is pitiful, to say the least."

Nigel and Suvi hang their heads low in embarrassment as Madara then turns his attention to Denys, whom didn't seem all too bothered. In fact, he seemed even more happy now that Madara was present.

"And Denys. Is there some reason why your teammate is so hostile to you?" Madara asks disinterestedly.

"Oh, don't mind me Sir Madara! I was tryin' ta' get Suvi all fired up for trainin'! She's not exactly what you'd call a mornin' person you see."

Suvi blushes a shade of pink at his reply, while Denys is still grinning.

"Hm. I see... you intentionally provoked her to have her placed in the proper mindset for training. A decent tactic."

"Yes! Thank you Sir Madara!~" Denys replies with an energetic bow.

Madara does not say anything in response. Instead he lets out a fatigued sigh as he turns to walk towards the E-Rantel gates.

"Follow me." He says in a neutral tone.

"Yes, sir!" They all reply in unison with determination and discipline in their voices.

Madara steals a quick glance at the trio as they walk behind him. He notices that all of them, even the normally ebullient Denys, now wore serious and focused expressions. For a brief moment Madara was slightly impressed.

'Perhaps this won't be a total waste of my time after all... Hashirama. Was this what you felt when you trained your first patch of students? It is a strange feeling...'

...

After the group had made it past the E-Rantel gates, they walked some distance away to an open field slightly obscured by a few trees and brushes. They weren't exactly out in the open, but their field of vision wasn't completely blocked so as to not allow them to be taken by complete surprise. The trio realized this early on, and nodded with approval at Madara's choice of training location.

Madara came to a stop in the center, turned around, and addressed them in his normal, unmoved monotone.

"Now then, this will be your first day under my tutelage. I will make some things clear to you all. First, expect no pity or leniency from me. I will expect nothing less than your best efforts, and your focus on this training for the next month. Fail to give it your all, and you are on your own. I refuse to waste my time on fools and weaklings who cannot muster the strength of will necessary to endure a little hardship..."

The trio of adventurers straightened their postures and tensed up at Madara's firm declaration. They could feel the weight of his presence on them as he glared with those intense eyes that seemed to bore through their souls. They collectively swallowed as they gave a head bow in unison, signaling their acknowledgement. Madara narrowed his eyes slightly for a moment, and then seemingly satisfied continued speaking.

"Second, worry not over taking adventurer quests to maintain your finances. During the duration of your training, I will handle those issues. If you give your best, than I in turn will give my best, so focus only on your training for this month..."

Nigel, Suvi, and Denys were taken aback at the same time. They hardly expected such generosity from the stern man to their front. Although it made a certain sense, for if they had to worry about earning money to live, they wouldn't be able to get the most out of their training. Still, it made them wonder just how much their benefactor would be willing to supply them with for the next month.

"And finally, if I am going to be training you, there is a secret I will be entrusting you with that requires your word that you will not reveal to anyone. Fail to convince me as to the sincerity of your oath, and I will put an end to this right now." Madara says with an almost threatening growl in his voice.

As he intensely glares at them, the trio shook in place from the sudden rush of fear and intimidation they felt from being in Madara's presence. Though they were young, they were experienced enough to tell that his words of, "put an end to this right now", was a veiled threat that truly meant, "If I don't believe you, you're dead". They looked at each other, communicating with their eyes and facial expressions in a silent conversation.

If they had any doubts about this training, or the man whom was giving it, this was their last chance to back out before it was too late. After a minute of inner deliberation, they each nodded to each other. That was it. They were in agreement, and thus showing their resolve to see things through, they each stood up straight and looked Madara in the eyes as they gave their answers with conviction in their voices...

"We swear, whatever you tell us will not be repeated to anyone else!"

Madara stared at them with a hard look that made them stiffen even more, but their gaze back to him never wavered in the slightest. They had chosen their path, and come what may, they were going to stick to it. After what was the longest 37 seconds of their lives, Madara faintly smirked before going back to his usual blank facial expression.

"Very well. You have shown me your guts and your resolve, and so I will believe you."

The trio breathed a collective sigh of relief knowing that they had cleared what was to them a test of some kind. As they relax their postures Madara thinks to himself.

'I was not so foolish as to not place safeguards on them beforehand. They do not realize it, but each of them have curse marks placed from when I rescued them. If they had answered falsely, or someone were to try to drag information out of them by force, the curse mark would kill them instantly, and anyone else in the area. Still, these children are quite admirable. They spoke true, and have earned a small modicum of my respect for now...'

"Now then young adventurers, for now you have earned my trust, and I will begin your training. But first I must ask you, do you know what a [Talent] is?"

The trio looked at each other and then nodded in the affirmative. Upon seeing this Madara continued his explanation.

"During your training, I will be using a one of my own to watch and monitor your progress. However, no one must know of what it is, thus I needed to confirm your trustworthiness."

They nodded in approval at his statement, as they could understand why Madara was so cautious. To them, a [Talent] was like a trump card, depending on what it was. Though they never said this out loud to anyone, they looked down on those who revealed their talents just for the sake of raising their names. That was because doing so would either put the person in question and their team at risk in battle, or make them targets.

The two most immediate examples that flashed through their minds was Nfirea Bareare, whom they heard from close contacts, was abducted to make use of his, and Ninya, a silver ranked adventurer and magic caster of the team, "Swords of Darkness", whom they learned was recently deceased. Knowing these facts, they did not begrudge Madara his behavior. In fact, they found themselves respecting it.

Just as they were musing over these things, expressions of shock flashed across their faces as they gazed upon Madara's eyes. They had suddenly changed color from black to red, with three strange dots around his pupil. A very audible *SHWING* sound could be heard as they changed, and as they looked into his eyes they could feel a power in them that made them feel unsettled and ill-at-ease. Just then they snapped out of it as Madara began speaking in a calm, albeit bored tone.

"This is my 'Talent'. When I will it, my eyes change form, affording me enhanced sight. I can see clearly in the dark of night, and I can perceive the energies of various beings, living or undead."

The trio were in awe and wonder over this new information. Never had they heard of such a talent, but then again that was not uncommon. They were acutely aware that most talents go undetected throughout most people's lives unless properly found and cultivated. However, a small wisp of unease swept over Suvi as she gazed into Madara's eyes and thought to herself.

'T-This feeling... It's somehow familiar, but I don't remember why... have I seen those eyes somewhere bef...'

"THAT IS SO COOL!"

"Eek!"

Suvi found herself forcibly drawn away from her thoughts as Denys excitedly yelled out, gushing over Madara's "Talent" like a wide-eyed fanboy. Suvi slaps him over the head for startling her and starts berating him, whilst Nigel facepalmed over the embarrassing display. Meanwhile, Madara slightly smirked as he thought to himself.

'Interesting children... Regardless, the existence 'Talents' in this world allows for a believable reason for my Sharingan eyes to exist, and gives an opportunity to observe the use of magic and [Martial Arts] in this world...'

As Madara concludes his thoughts, Nigel had reined in his sister and friend and bowed to Madara as he spoke.

"My sincerest apologies for that display, Mister Madara."

"Hm. That is fine. You will know if I am ever displeased."

"Thank you, sir!" Nigel sincerely exclaims as he takes a bow, along with Suvi and Denys whom are red faced.

"Now then, for today I want each of you in turn to use all of your current abilities, and to do so to your absolute limit. This will allow me to to evaluate your potential, and see what may be needed in your training to follow. Give it your all without holding anything back. You won't be done until you lot are collapsing from exhaustion."

There was a collective gulp from them as Madara's stern words reached their ears. They knew their limits well, and to use their abilities to the point he described would be quite the burden for them all. Still, they steeled themselves for what is to come, and without any words spoken between them they nodded to each other. Nigel then stepped up and readied himself as he drew his sword and shield.

Suvi and Denys walked over to where Madara sat on a flattened tree stump, and they watched as they waited for their turn. Madara then turned his head to address Suvi and spoke in his usual calm, monotone voice.

"Suvi, you know your brother's abilities quite well, correct?"

"O-Oh! Y-Yes, I do sir."

Madara perked a brow as she answered nervously, but ignored it as he pressed on and he continued speaking.

"As your brother performs his tasks, explain to me his capabilities."

"Oh, of course. As you wish."

For the next hour, Nigel would perform every move, maneuver, fighting technique, and [Martial Art] in his repertoire, as Suvi relayed the details of his capabilities to Madara. Nigel trained as a warrior since he was born with almost no affinity for magic, unlike his sister. He, along with their now deceased team leader, acted as the frontline fighter and tank for their group.

He had an aptitude for warrior based skills, and picked up the martial arts taught to him by their former leader at a decent pace. She described them as a sort of a "warrior's magic", which required focus and physical stamina to use. They are however limited by a user's physical and mental stamina, and the more powerful an art is, the more mental concentration is needed. This would also mean that concentrating too long will fatigue the user's mental and physical stamina over time.

Nigel's first martial art, was his defensive art, [Fortress]. It allowed him to absorb and reflect attacks, and can be used to offset an enemy's attack to gain a brief advantage. Suvi explained that there were other, stronger variants to this art, but in a saddened voice she informed that her brother had yet to master them.

Then there was his enhancing art, [Ability Boost], which raised the overall strength and capabilities of his body. And finally there was his only offensive martial art, [Slash of Light]. It was a beginner level art which would, with enough training and experience, evolve into multiple slashes of light. Their leader could perform the [Fourfold Slash of Light], and it was rumored that the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain could execute even more slashes.

One hour and seven minutes later, Nigel collapsed to his knees, drenched in his own sweat and panting as a man whom had been suffocating. Suvi and Denys would run over to him, with Suvi calling his name in worry and concern.

"Nigel! Big-brother, can you speak?!"

He shakes his head no, as he continues panting with a fierce and determined look in his eyes. Denys hands him a water pouch with an amused chuckle and grin.

"Oi, Nigel! That was one helluva' display! I hadn't seen you so fired up in years. Looks like you weren't kiddin' around when you asked Sir Madara for trainin'!"

Nigel ignores his friend's commentary as he greedily gulps down the contents of the water pouch, with his thoughts racing in his exhaustion.

'Suvi... I nearly lost you... because I'm a damned weak excuse of a warrior. Never again... gods damn it. NEVER AGAIN! Sir Madara... I don't know you. I shouldn't trust you. But something in me is telling me to follow you. You agreed to train us, and by the gods I will NOT waste this opportunity...'

"Brother!"

Nigel is shocked out of his thoughts by Suvi's sudden outburst of his name. He looks over to her and tries to reach for her, but finds it difficult. His limbs felt as if they were jelly connected to lead weights. He weakly grins to his worried sister as he manages a low voice.

"Heh... *pant*... I think... I ...*pant*... o-overdid it ...*pant*... a bit..."

Suvi looks upon him with prideful eyes as she drapes his right arm over her shoulder and wipes his brow with a handkerchief. Denys takes his left and they manage to lift him up and begin to walk him over to where they stood next to Madara. Although Madara's face was as still as a stone statue, he gave a small approving nod to the efforts of the older brother as he then called for the next one up.

"Oi! My turn now! Time to show Sir Madara my stuff!" Denys energetically replied.

Suvi frowned at Denys' behavior, but she shook her head to banish thoughts of it as she looked after her exhausted brother, doting over him as if he were a dying man in need.

"S-Suvi... *gasp*... I-I'm fine. Sir Madara will need your... *pant*... knowledge." Nigel sternly said as he continued to regulate his breathing.

"I... I understand. Keep drinking fluids, but do it slowly. You pushed yourself too hard too fast. You even used your arts past your allowable, per day limits. It's any wonder you're in this state." Suvi responded, almost pouting as she did.

"Pushing oneself is the point girl. If any of you wish to improve past your current limits, then you must be prepared to go as far... no. Farther than he did. Remember, I will only help train you lot for one month. After that, you are all on your own. Understood?" Madara said sternly as his gaze stayed on Denys, whom was doing some preparatory stretching exercises.

"I understand, sir." Suvi replied with a head bow.

"Good. Now tell me of Denys' abilities."

"Oh! Right away."

As Nigel before him, Denys began to show off the full range of his abilities. Perhaps a bit too enthusiastically as he wore a childish grin throughout. Meanwhile, Suvi began to explain Denys' class and abilities.

Denys Shkoda was trained as a rogue and a ranger, whom depended on surprise, speed, mobility, and finesse. He was trained in the use of a bow, throwing weapons, and double daggers. His senses had been cultivated to allow him to sense, hear, and see things that normal people could not in a forest or on the open fields. In fact, it was his keen senses that had warned them, and allowed them to survive long enough for Madara to rescue them. He was also decent at detecting traps.

"If his senses were as well trained as you say young Suvi, how is it I was able to sneak up on you lot?" Madara asked incredulously.

"Hmph! He probably did it on purpose." Suvi replied dismissively as she glanced to the side.

Madara looked at her for a moment, but then back to Denys whom was still continuing his routine. Suvi then recomposed herself and continued on her descriptions of Denys' skills.

Denys had a chance encounter with another rogue who was able to use a few martial arts techniques, and was able to "convince" him to share his knowledge. Although Denys only learned two, they complimented his class very well, and was able to master them relatively quickly with almost prodigious ease.

The first was an art called, [Flow Acceleration] which temporarily accelerates the inner workings of the user's nerves, thus increasing one's attack and movement speed. The downside to it however is that extreme exhaustion builds up in the user's brain. The second art he learned was [Pace of the Wind], which increases user's movement speed, allowing for a burst of movement speed.

As before, after a period of time exceeding and hour, Denys collapsed from exhaustion. Somehow, he managed to keep a ridiculous grin on his face, as he then crawled over to where the others were. He layed flat on his back as he gasped for air much in the same manner as Nigel had. Suvi then gulped as she realized that it was her turn next. Madara then looked at her with his blank expression as he spoke in his usual monotone.

"Now then Suvi, before you begin, tell me of your abilities."

"R-Right. Of course, sir." She said as she respectfully bowed.

She proceeded to inform him of her capabilities as a magic caster of the arcane school. Currently, she was limited to magic of the 1st and 2nd-tier of magic, and explained that she was limited only by her pool of mana, and how much mana each spell would consume. She also explained that her mana pool was slightly larger than most other magic casters within her same class, which allowed her to last a bit longer in combat.

Suvi gave a rundown of the spells she could currently use. There was [Magic Arrow], a 1st-tier spell that would shoot bolts of light against a target. With no small measure of pride she informed that she had become quite the marksman with that spell, with the memory of the many ruined faces of goblins and other predatory demi-humans flashing in her mind. The only downside was that it was the only offensive spell in her arsenal.

The rest of her repertoire consisted of support spells for herself or her teammates. First there was [Reinforce Armor] a spell that enhanced the defenses of an ally, and on top of that there was [Lesser Strength] a similar spell that raises a target's strength. There was [Dark Vision], which grants the user night vision abilities. She informed that particular spell came in handy on more than one occasion during nights camping.

There was another spell called [Alarm], which one could cast as a precaution or for security. She informed that it could not cover a very large area, but was worth using just in case, as it could warn them of intruders in an area. Finally, there was the [Message] spell that allowed communication across long distances. Despite general mistrust of the spell, due to how information can become distorted over long distances, she like her father before her, used it in a support role.

She did explain though that extended mana use can result in mental fatigue that can be transmitted to the body, dizziness, and headaches, due to the concentration involved. It also became important for magic casters to fight alongside allies, since she could not move around too much during spell-casting. The use of the [Fly] spell could help offset this weakness, but she informed that she had yet to master that spell.

After explaining her abilities, she like Nigel and Denys before her, started to use all of the skills at her disposal. Given how most of her spells were not that taxing in regards to mana used, it took her over an hour to fully exhaust herself like her teammates. Going to her knees in exhaustion from mana overuse, she could only pant as her face was now drenched in sweat.

Hearing footsteps she looked up and saw that Nigel and Denys were now on their feet, with her brother extending a hand to her. She smiles warmly toward him as she took his hand, and with his help forced herself back on her feet. Nigel draped Suvi's left arm over his shoulder whilst smiling proudly at her along with Denys. Just as they were about to begin to congratulate each other, they hear Madara's voice coldly chime in.

"You lot are not finished yet."

They look upon Madara with weary eyes and confused looks as Nigel speaks for them.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't understand why you mean. We did as exactly as you had instructed. The three of us can barely stand right now, much less fight."

"Is that so? And yet my eyes still perceive a glimmer of energy within each of your bodies. If you had truly followed my instructions, then do explain what it is you lot are hiding."

Nigel felt a lurch in his throat as he slowly began to realize what it is their benefactor was referring to. He looked at his teammates and gave them each a nod as they then went to their knees to bow, as each of them had yet to fully recover. He the spoke up in an apologetic tone of voice.

"Forgive me, sir. It was not our intention to deceive you. It is just that between the three of us there is an unspoken rule that we abide by."

"Go on." Madara curtly replied.

"You see, just as you were hesitant to reveal your [Talent] to us, we too held a similar view. It's not that we deliberately held back. We simply are used to not telling anyone."

"Hm. So, each of you possesses a [Talent]." Madara mused aloud.

Suvi, whom had caught enough of her breath decided to speak up.

"You see, sir, as you might be aware, discovering talents can oftentimes be tricky and difficult, but our father had one that was unique. He had a talent that allowed him to not only tell if one carried a talent, but he could evaluate what the talent was with enough time."

For a brief second, Madara's right eye twitched as he then cups his chin with his left hand in a thoughtful manner. He found himself intrigued by the fact that, not only the three he had saved each had a unique talent, but the siblings had a father whom could identify said talents. However, that curiosity was short-lived, as he looked upon their expressions, and recognized them all too well as he asked his question in a low tone.

"How did he die?"

Their reactions were immediate as shock and surprise washed over their faces. They were completely taken aback by not only the suddenness of the question, but also by the fact that Madara had deduced so quickly that their father was deceased. In fact, he was the first to have correctly guessed as much, whilst others had completely failed to do so and that usually led to more than a few awkward conversations.

With Madara's steely gaze softening ever so slightly, they relented and recounted their story of how their village was attacked, and how that night had orphaned each of them. Even the normally light-hearted Denys became serious and thoughtful during the story. All the while, a small, ever growing ember of disgust and hatred, thick and coiling, had ignited within Madara's chest as he listen to their tale. He reined it in, and disengaged his Sharingan eyes as he gave them a knowing nod.

This did not go unnoticed by them as they then returned the gesture, and remembered his earlier words from when they awoke from his rescue...

'Do not let this one failure paint the rest of your future, young adventurers. When you walk the path of life and death, one must be willing to accept that at any time it will be inevitable. What matters is how you move forward from this. You are alive, correct? Then don't waste it. Learn from this, and remember the fallen. Keep them close, so as to push you ever forward...'

It did not take them long to realize that Madara had most like gone through a similar experience, but before they could inquire further Madara spoke in his usual calm tone.

"What talents do you three possess?"

The sudden change in topic and mood surprised them, but they had become ever so accustomed to how Madara operated, and were starting to get a feel for the man himself, so they simply allowed him to set the pace and flow for the conversation. Suvi would then be the one to respond to his query, with an almost scholarly tone and poise.

"Ahem! Well, each of our talents are unique to each other, and they're always active while we're awake. My brother Nigel has a mental fortification talent that affords him an immunity against low to mid-level mind altering attack spells. The few monsters we've encountered that could use them were taken off-guard when my brother stood his ground against them..."

Suvi briefly looked to her brother with a prideful smile on her face before returning to explanations.

"Then there's Denys, who can take five steps on water before sinking, and mine which is.."

"Completely useless!" Denys said as he cheerfully interrupted with a grin.

"Wha...! How rude Denys! Our trainer has yet to hear the rest of my explanation, you damned water-hopper!"

"Oi. Just tell it like is Suvi.~ It's completely useless. What good is it really? All it can do is tell ya' what th' the weather's gonna do. Big deal.~"

Suvi hung her head low in dejection and embarrassment as Nigel clarified what was meant by that. Indeed, her [Talent] allowed her to predict what the weather would do to within 75% accuracy. Other than the convenience it afforded to planning out their days, it held little in the way of usefulness in the battles adventurers found themselves in. Just then, Madara coolly chimed in, gaining their attention.

"Denys, you are being foolish."

"...!"

"It is true that Suvi's [Talent] may not hold immediate combat uses when compared to yours or her brother's. However, anything can turn the tide of a battle, and that can include changes to the weather. There are spells and abilities that can manipulate the weather, and her ability can grant you an early warning of sorts. Perhaps you should keep that in mind."

This time, it was Denys whose head hung low whilst Suvi was triumphantly grinning. She was entertaining the idea of rubbing it in when Madara once again spoke up.

"Now that we have cleared that up children, you are free to return and rest for the day. I have what I need, and tomorrow you should expect the training to be harder, and last longer. Also, from now on you will walk on your own to this spot at the same time as today, and walk back on your own at the end of each day. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" The trio replied in unison.

"Hm. Now then, time for your first 'allowance', as I discussed..."

Madara then reaches into a concealed portion of his cloak, and then pulls out three brown coin purses. He walks over and hands one to each of them. Unbeknownst to the trio, he received a special item from the Observer called the, [Bearskin Coin Purse], which will dispense 10 gold, 100 silver, and 1,000 copper once a day for the next seven years. So for now, Madara would not lack in funds.

The bags that he handed them bulged a bit and the telltale signs of the jingle of coins could be heard. Before they could open them Madara spoke up in his usual monotone.

"These coin purses each hold 2 gold, 25 silver, and 250 coppers, and this is the amount you shall receive everyday for the next month. However, if your efforts decrease, so shall your 'allowance', so keep that in mind."

Once again, in an event that seemed to be most common now, they were in shock at the latest revelation. It took but a single gold coin to feed a family of 3 or 4 people for the duration of a month, but according to their savior and trainer, they would receive over twice that amount over the course of a month! As long as they did not slack off and put forward their best efforts, that was a near guarantee. This only added to their incentives to do their best as they collectively gulped and bowed in unison.

"Understood! And thank you very much, sir!"

"Hm. Then you are all dismissed."

With that they bow to his one last time before they slowly walked away from Madara and back to E-Rantel. Madara himself waits for a moment and then begins to walk in the opposite direction before he seemingly vanishes in a gust of wind and leaves.

...

As the trio of adventurers slowly walked back to E-Rantel, there was nothing but silence between them as they each were processing the day's events. Nigel would then break the silence as he spoke in a pensive manner.

"I wonder what kind of training Madara will have us do tomorrow. I can't imagine it'll be anything easy after what he had us to today, and the way he spoke..."

"I know, big-brother. It worries me too, but there are other things about our savior that I'm more curious about..." Suvi replied before being interrupted by a chuckling Nigel.

"He he. Like his wealth?"

"Hey! Not just that. It is true that for a foreigner he seems quite rich, despite his plain attire, but there are other things too. You weren't conscious for it, but when he saved us, we blacked out, and ever since then our memories seem... muddled." Suvi says in a thoughtful tone before Denys speaks up.

"Yeah, that's true. I don't remember much either... And there's also how he snuck up on us..."

"Huh? What are you talking about Denys? You knew he was around, didn't you?" Suvi asked incredulously.

"Uh, uh. Nope. Even when I was playin' around with ya' I kept my senses on alert for Sir Madara's arrival, and I didn't see, feel, or hear him comin' at all." Denys said in an uncharacteristically serious manner that caught his friends off-guard.

"Then what does that mean? Is he not a warrior?" Nigel said in confusion.

"Oi, I ain't got a clue. Sir Madara is cool and I will glad do as he says, but there is more to him than meets the eye."

Suvi then lets out an annoyed groan as he finished his sentence.

"Somethin' wrong Suvi?"

"Really Denys? 'More than meets the eye'? You were doing so well to talk seriously for once, and you had to ruin it with a pun."

"Huh? Oh, that! Hey, you said it not me. But that is pretty good.~ Thanks Suvi! I'll use it!"

"That's not what I..."

"Knock it off you two! With leader gone it feels like I have to keep you two from embarrassing us anymore than you already have." Nigel interjected sternly.

"Sorry, Nigel."

"Um. I'm sorry, big-brother."

Nigel lets out an exhausted sigh as he replies.

"Just remember it for tomorrow. Until then let's get back, stow away our new funds, and rest up for the evening."

"No problem... leader.~" Denys says with a grin and a wink.

Nigel rolls his eyes at the new moniker, and then notices Suvi giving him a prideful smile as they continue to walk back. Denys notices this and perks an eyebrow, but seems to disregard it as he feels his fatigue catching up with him.

'Oi. No sex for me tonight...'

...

Miles away in the opposite direction, Madara was walking across a grassy field, deep in contemplation over recent events with the three young adventurers he saved.

'Hmm... those children have been very useful to me in learning more about this world's magic and martial arts. The information given by that old man was far too basic for my liking. I saw with my [Sharingan] that what that old man told me before was true. Mana is a form of mental and spiritual energy. Non-magic casters that do not possess mana use a form of physical energy, tapping into one's stamina and using discipline and focus to achieve greater feats. Hmm...'

Madara's expression became extremely pensive as he continued his line of thought.

'After seeing it for myself, I am almost certain that the energies used by magic casters and non-magic casters, could be considered the two halves that make up chakra, which fuses the physical, mental, and spiritual energies together. As that old man said, chakra never developed in this world, and so those two energies evolved separately. Hmm... it's quite interesting.'

He then stopped walking as he cupped his chin with his left hand and continued his line of thought.

'With this new information, I am certain it may be possible to grant them chakra, using the techniques of the Sage of the Six Paths. They could become even more useful to my fledgling plans that way. With the quantity of energies that they were using, if they wielded chakra they could easily be two and a half times stronger than they are now. For now though I will wait and watch. I have no intentions of spreading the powers of chakra carelessly about like that sage of old...'

Suddenly, Madara is jolted from his thoughts as he lifts up his head and stares intently into the distance.

"Hm? A summons. It seems one of my clones has found something of interest again."

Pressing his hands together with index and middles fingers joined and extended upright he then disappears in a burst of white smoke and steam, leaving nary a trace of his presence behind.

...

In a large, open cave area, the corpses of many a large dog-sized, brown colored spiders littered the ground in what was surely a frenetic battle. Echoing in a cavern further in was Madara's voice whom chanted out the name of one of his techniques.

[Rikudō no Jutsu: Chikushōdō]!

Then, after a brief pause, another chant echos throughout the chamber.

[Kuchiyose no Jutsu]!

Immediately after that a high-pitched screeching noise could be heard, and as Madara came into view, a giant spider, whose main body was over six times larger than a horse also came into view. It had twelve gigantic legs that filled the entirety of the cave, dark navy blue colored body, with black rods dotted all throughout it and its legs.

Staring back at Madara were twelve eyes that now bore the [Rinnegan], and as the creature lowered itself as if to bow, Madara clasped his hands together, and dispelled his newly acquired summon in a burst of white steam.

"Hmph. Ugly creature, but could still be useful." Madara remarked in a disinterested tone.

"Now then, time to see Lottus for another test."

With that statement, he clasped his hands together and disappeared in a burst of white steam himself.

...

In another location, the undead lich named Lottus, whom previously swore allegiance to Madara, was focused on an array of interconnected glass beakers, vials, and tubes heated by small magical sources of flame. These containers held bubbling, multicolored concoctions that swirled and mixed into other containers, creating alchemical brews of an unknown nature.

Watching intently whilst leaning upon a nearby wall was a Madara clone, which had been with Lottus since the previous evening. Then the clone shifted slightly, and within a moment the real Madara appeared in a flash of steam. This took Lottus by surprise, but the undead adjusted quickly and bowed to greet his master.

"Good day, my lord! I welcome you to my humble laboratory. How might this one serve?"

"Lottus. Come with me." Madara says in his usual calm monotone as he walks down a nearby passage.

"Of course, my lord."

After walking for a short while, they both reach a wide open chamber that Lottus himself uses for the practice of his magical arts.

"Stand there." Madara curtly says whilst pointing nearby.

"As you wish my lord."

Though uncertain as to Madara's intentions, the undead follows his instructions without fail, whilst Madara takes position in the center of the chamber. He then turns to Lottus and begins speaking.

"I wish to conduct an experiment Lottus with your aid, Lottus. You said you are capable of 4th-tier magic, correct?"

"Yes, my lord!"

"When I give the signal, use an attack spell of your choice against me."

The undead quivered for a moment in confusion, not understanding the intent behind such an order.

"M-My lord? Are you certain?"

"Yes, I am. Do not worry. Regardless of how this experiment turn out, you will not be able to bring harm to me."

"A-As you wish my lord." Lottus replied, his voice still tinged with uncertainty.

Madara closes his eyes for a brief moment, and then when he opens them again, his eyes morph into a shining, light purple color with ripple patterns that had spread over the entirety of both his eyeballs. Lottus does not fail to notice this and is struck with awe and curiosity. Before he could asks any questions regarding the change, Madara clapped his hands together and chanted out loud.

[Rikudō no Jutsu: Gakidō]!

Lottus then felt a subtle wave of energy assault his undead senses, causing him to shiver in place. It was a familiar sensation, one in which instilled fear into his undead being, but at the same time he relished in it. It was in these moments he could feel intense emotions.

"Now. Do it."

Responding to Madara's cold orders, Lottus responds by cupping his hands in a circle and a small flame ignites, and bursts forth as a larger one.

[Fireball]!

A large orb of fire then shoots out from Lottus' hands and towards Madara, whom then extends the open palm of his left hand towards the flame. As soon as it makes contact, they flicker wildly as a shimmering, translucent field appears around Madara. Then a second later the flames are drawn into Madara's hand, as if absorbing the energy of the blast itself. Within moments, the flames were gone like they were an illusion.

Lottus stood awed and dumbstruck by the sight, and a veritable tidal wave of questions flooded his consciousness. Before he could think to ask any of them, Madara lowered his right hand and then raised his left in a similar position as the right.

"Again, with a different spell."

The lich nodded at his orders, and pushed down his near overwhelming curiosity as he then extended and pointed his right index finger towards his master.

[Lightning]!

Sparks of blue electricity jumped around his hand, and then within a millisecond a bolt of lightning burst forth towards its target. Once again, a magic spell was met by a barely noticeable field, which then seemed to suck the very energy from the air, leaving nary a trace left. Seeming satisfied, Madara then lowered his hand and gazed upon it as he flexed his fingers open and closed as he sank into thought.

'Hm. As I thought. I can absorb energy besides chakra, as long as it is compatible in some way. The 'mana' of this world that fuels magic spells is close enough to the one half that makes up chakra, the mental and spiritual portion, so using the 'Preta Path' of the Rinnegan is possible. Its absorption rate is 12% slower than that of chakra based ninjutsu, but it is not a margin I cannot handle...'

Suddenly, Madara's train of thought is interrupted as he then notices that his mind receives a jolt of energy, clearing any fog from his thoughts, and his body also suddenly swells with power. A subtle grin decorates his face as he enjoys the sudden rush of energy coursing through his being, before it then steadily subsides.

'Hoh?~ I suspected that might happen. I noticed it ever since that old man gave this magical equipment. Now I am certain: magic has an enhancing effect on my abilities, similar to the beings in this world, but when combined with my chakra, the effect is even greater. Well then... if I were to obtain more powerful magical items, it should strength me even more...'

"Ahem. My lord?"

Madara is drawn away from his musings as he hears the uncertain voice of his undead servant Lottus.

"Is everything alright?"

"Hm. Yes. Everything is fine. You have done well, Lottus. Thanks to you my plans have received an important addition."

"Ooh! Thank you very much, Lord Madara!" The undead exclaims as he takes a bow.

"Lottus."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Do you feel confident in teaching a human magic caster?"

"Um, my lord?"

A subtle, pleased smirk slowly spreads across Madara's lips as his mind begins to form a plan of action. In that moment he was grateful for having spared the undead lich. Now, in this new world he feels more than confident that he can establish himself. What form that will take, no one can say.

...

*A/N: DAMN! Took me a while to get this out, but what can you do when you're busy? :P Heh. Well, now that I have time to work on this, expect the releases to return to an irregular schedule. Hey, don't look at me like that! I still have other projects in the pipeline. It can't be helped! Anywho, feel free to leave a review, and as always I am open to PMs. Until next time! ^_^*