OVERPOWERED CHAPTER 6: FIRST LESSON
THE MONARCH'S TANTRUM, OUTER REALM OF MONSTERS AND BEASTS
It took Felix less time to recover from his injuries than he thought. From losing an arm and being chewed up like rubbery beef jerky, he expected months of being wrapped in up like a human burrito. He was in luck that Jasper possessed a talent allowing his healing of others to be magnified greatly especially when the patients are near-death. Coupled with some skills that Felix instinctively felt he possessed, his recovery was equivalent to just taking two pills from the doctor and calling them in the morning that his severed limb grew back. Unfortunately for him, his arm stump didn't also magically grow a new arm as the limb was digested by the alpha direwolf.
"How are you doing kid?" asked Jasper as he was packing up the makeshift camp inside the cave and extinguishing the embers of the campfire with a spell. Jasper isn't a normal retired old man that wants to travel in his retirement if he knew some magic like that. Felix contemplated the true identity of his old companion before replying. "Doing great old man. Who knew I had some luck to find a doctor in the middle of nowhere. Were you some magic healer before becoming a traveller or something?".
Jasper gave a little chuckle before proceeding to finish up his packing of the makeshift camp. "Lets just say I was somewhat involved in some scuffles in my youth and needed the skills I had now. But fighting for most of your life takes a toll and you just need a break once your hair gets grey and joints start creaking with every step".
That got Felix's attention when Jasper mentioned his experiences in fighting to the point of getting skills in healing someone from near death. He ruminated on the theories of Jasper's old life and concluded that he was probably an adventurer. "I guess that makes you an adventurer old man? Must have been one hell of a life for the type of healing and spells you can do".
Jasper stilled for a moment before continuing his clean up quietly. Felix decided to stop the questioning as the old man seemed a bit uncomfortable to talk about it and too nice to tell him to stop. He had trouble being perceptive of someone's feeling and prods them too much. He decided to talk about their plans and his method of payment.
"So, I really owe you for saving my ass back there. I can't really pay back what I owe you for the treatment now but I have some herbs that you can have, and later I can scrounge up some money by taking jobs once we get out of here?" asked Felix. He really did appreciate Jasper for saving his life but didn't' want to be indebted to someone. It was something he learned on the streets as an orphan, being in debt to someone means you don't own your life. On the streets your life is one of the few things that you truly own and losing it to someone makes you dead.
"Honestly lad it was no trouble. Helping someone in need is what should be the norm. But if you really are intent to 'pay me back' then I think I can help both of us out here. You obviously need more experience about adventuring and these old bones are getting weaker everyday so how about I take you in as an apprentice? I can show you the ropes so that you can properly journey this world and I can get an assistant to help me with the cooking and cleaning!". Jasper ended his piece as he slung his large pack and two swords before handing Felix's sword to him.
"Hmmm not too unreasonable. I did my fair share of being an errand boy both on the streets before being set up at the factory so this could be an easy way to pay back my debt. And he does have a point that I need more experience. From what I could tell before passing out the big bad wolf is still out there and angry, and as I am now Fido senior and other monsters out there would chew me up and spit me back out before eating me up again but this time there won't be leftovers…"
"… You got yourself a deal old man!" Felix gave his answer and held out his remaining hand to shake on it. Jasper gave a cheer and took hold of the extended hand and shook it fervently. The adventure started out a bit shitty, but Felix finally landed on his feet instead of his face and formed the first party in this New World.
As they finished shaking hands and made their way to get out of the forest, Felix strike up a conversation with Jasper to ask more questions. "Do you have any idea where the exit is from this place? Asked Felix wanting to get out of the forest as quickly as possible. Being mauled to death has made him sick of the forest despite never seeing it before in the polluted world that he came from.
"Hold on there lad! We will get out of this forest eventually but you aren't ready yet. We're gonna start your training effective immediately since the world out there would kill you as you are now". Jasper's happy demeanour was replaced with a strict attitude befitting for a drill sergeant instead of a retired traveller.
Felix was incredulous at the old traveller's suggestion. He felt himself plenty strong to deal with some monsters without experience, not to mention kill most of them and only losing because he was outnumbered. Against other monsters and people, he would certainly win, especially since he has strong magic after the fight. "Are you kidding me Jasper? I just took down a bunch of monsters in what you said was one of the most dangerous places in the known world! I'm more than ready to take on whatever is out there, and I'm pretty sure I got some magic from my previous fights!".
Jasper had a sarcastic smile and popped Felix's overinflated ego. "Lad from what I could gleam in your previous performance, you were lucky to be packing several high-class potions to pull your ass out of the fire when fighting against a newborn direwolf pup. Mind you that the direwolves are one of the weaker species of wolf monsters, not even possessing unique skills or magic but only enhanced physical abilities and strength in numbers".
Felix's confidence began to slowly drop as Jasper gave his brutally honest thoughts on him. "Even the alpha direwolf you fought would pale in comparison to some real monsters that can be found outside the forest, and I haven't even talked about the stronger ones that can be found in this forest. As for your fighting capabilities while having magic above 2nd tier is worth some applause, you're going to need more than magic to help you run faster and see an approaching monster about to crunch you up to be up to par against proper warriors and magic casters".
If the lecture didn't make Felix's confidence disappear like his left arm, then the sight that greeted the old traveller and his young companion did. It was the direwolf alpha that took Felix's arm and nearly ate him before getting a fire facial from Jasper. The familiar scars that Felix saw on the wolf lord there as well as the burn marks from Jasper fire spell. Both Felix and Jasper could see it on remains of the wolf's mangled severed head.
The assumed king of the forest's body was nowhere to be found. The only thing that was left of the once great wolf was a chewed-up portion of what was left of the wolf's head. The area around the wolf didn't indicate a battle, as if something came to catch the wolf for a light snack before dumping leftovers to leave. Bits and pieces of torn meat not yet rotting and still looking fresh indicated that the wolf was snapped up in the jaws of a bigger monster recently.
" Merciful lord what the hell!" Felix could only internally scream his despair as he fearfully looked at the remains of the beast that almost killed him. He once thought this direwolf as the lord of the forest, only to get a grim reminder that it was nothing but dog food for an even bigger monster. If Fido senior was nothing but an appetizer, then what does that make him?
Jasper had a grim look to his face before approaching the alpha direwolf's corpse, or what was left of it. He carefully examined the severed head and the area before turning to Felix. "Like I said lad, you aren't ready yet".
The first order of business in Jasper and Felix's journey would be to find a new area to serve as their camp. When questioned by Felix on why they left the decent shelter the cave provided, Jasper informed him on the importance of remaining mobile in a hostile environment. The camp itself had regular monster activity, some of which could possibly be the beast that killed Fido senior.
Thankfully the search wasn't too long as they were able to reach a spot with plenty of shade from a nearby large tree as well as being close to a lake that can provide them with fresh water, perhaps also providing dinner in the form of fish.
Once the adventuring duo set up camp, Jasper ordered Felix to get ready his equipment for a spar. It was an easy task for Felix to suit up as he only had the clothes on his back and his remaining sword, he folded up his red travelling cloak to the side next to Jasper's pack and spare sword.
"For us to decently plan your training menu, we're gonna need to see how well you fight. So come at me with everything you got!" Jasper proceeded to take a fighting stance and urged Felix to make the first move.
"Well here goes nothing. Better hit him hard and fast like I did against the wolves". As he decided his plan of attack, the magical glow that came with casting his enhancement magic flashed. As soon as Felix felt the great boost to his body, he quickly dashed for a downward slash against his old teacher.
"Oh! Seems you have an affinity for casting multiple 2nd tier magic. Now that is impressive". Jasper gave out a compliment before blocking the strike and launching a quick jab at his exposed chest. The force of his punch surpassing the enhanced durability that Felix's magic gave him, launching him to the ground where he rolled with the momentum and jumped back to his feet.
Jasper didn't give him time to fully recover as he quickly locked blades with Felix, the young novice barely able to react quick enough to block the blow. With his magic fading, Felix decided to cast them again in order to gain back his momentum and pushed back Jasper.
The old man was successfully pushed away and proceeded to block a flurry of wild sword slashes from his apprentice. Felix dipped down for more magics to unleash against his teacher before unleashing them. Jasper began to shudder slightly and his movements started to slow down.
"Ha ha ha! You even have access to 3rd tier magic and the MP to cast it now? You're going to go far kid! Jasper let out a cheerful compliment to Felix despite being affected by foreign magic in his system. "Guess I have to give my all to respect your efforts then!" As Jasper said those words he suddenly blurred and disappeared. He repositioned some distance away from Felix as a fiery light began emitting from his raised palm.
[Fireball]
Felix's eyes nearly popped out of his eyes at the overzealous attack that his mentor casted towards him. He quickly rolled away as the fiery attack scorched the area where he was. "Oi old man I thought you wanted to train me, not turn me into flambe?!
As Felix yelled towards where he assumed his trainer is, the air was knocked out of him as Jasper struck his fist into his stomach. Felix felt glad they didn't have lunch yet as he would have emptied his stomach from the devastating blow. He gathered enough strength to strike back at his teacher with his sword while the old man was in distance, only succeeding in tearing Jasper's sleeve before being kicked away.
Out of options and losing his consciousness, Felix decided to make a final blow and went all out in casting his enhancement magic to his sword. He didn't notice the sword having a little crack as magical energy coursed through it. The desperate novice then emptied out his MP to enhance his speed and dash toward the old trainer.
"And you also have the ability to enchant your weapons with magic? You're making an old man miss his glory days and jealous of the strength of today's youth!". Felix is starting to get visibly annoyed at his teacher's earnest yet condescending sounding compliments as he quickly closed the distance to strike his final attack.
As Jasper blocked the magically enhanced sword, a brief shockwave reverberated around their area. Felix's sword finally gave into the pressure of its magical enhancement before exploding into tiny shards. While it barely phased Jasper, the shards hit Felix in full force and gave him small cuts around his body and face. The explosion also blew him away and knocked him out, ending the fight in Jasper's favour.
"While enhancing your weapon with magic is a good idea for an edge in combat, you shouldn't do it to a mundane weapon since it can't handle the overload of magic and explode when hit with enough force to destabilize the weapon and magic". Jasper told his final piece of advice as he slowly made his way to his apprentice.
"All in all what you did exceeded my expectations. I'm very proud of you lad!". Jasper said but then noticed his apprentice out cold and therefore the last advice and compliment went unheard. Wincing a bit at how he went overboard in what should have been a basic spar, he gently lifted Felix from the ground to put him near the camp to have his wounds treated.
"Damn it, I always take it a bit too far when training. Well bright side is we have a clear indication on where you stand in terms of ability and potential lad. I reckon you can make a career as the strongest gold or platinum class adventurer in the new world once I'm done shaping you out!". Jasper told this to his unconscious pupil as he tended to his injuries.
"This was quite an exciting day! Hope you enjoyed the first lesson lad!".