"You mean to tell me," I said slowly, "that we have to listen to that short, old, fat man every single week for an hour? All he talked about was how his clothes somehow manage to disappear in every fight. How is that even possible?"
"Twice a week." Ren said flatly, ignoring my question. "Two hours on Thursdays."
"At least we don't have class too late today, only Maths, lunch, and Phys. Ed. remain until we are free to do as we wish." Pyrrha chimed in.
"Not entirely." Deanna spoke up from her position of trailing us. Alan walked beside her with a camera floating along beside him with a quiet whirr. "I still need those interviews while everything is fresh in your minds."
Right, those. We walked along making awkward small talk. I for one could not ignore the feeling of the camera pointed right at my back, though I was told in many more words that I essentially just had to get over it. Didn't mean I had to like it. I did figure something out though, after the first episode of "Hunter's Gate" had aired. Apparently it didn't matter if I was there in person, because I had to mute my reputation notifications for the night. It seemed like every five seconds another person I'd never heard of thought better of me. Unfortunately, it seemed like every ten seconds someone else grew to dislike me.
I had woken up to a notification. Well, two notifications.
You have slept in your own bed! Your HP & AP have been restored! You gained the status "Well Rested"!
Due to touching the hearts and minds across the nation, you unlocked the perk "Show Stopper"!
Show Stopper
All Skills and stats +10% intensity while being filmed. People are now 95% certain to believe whatever you say through a camera, based on severity of truth and gullibility.
Great, even the game is getting into this. I've never had any problem convincing people of things, but I was going to test this perk out at some crucial point once I figured out how they managed to get us out of the camera and into the floating display. They keep saying the word technology but I don't think it means what they think it means. Technology is like the old Dwemer with their automatons of steel and steam, their intricate puzzles and studies of the stars. Not whatever magic they use here.
Maths did not go well at all. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not stupid. I helped my ma run the mill and we did count our gold. She did most of the maths but explained it a little bit to me. I'm sure she was planning for me to take over when she passed from Nirn, and so she taught me to count our coins, ensure we got paid what we were owed, and how to take inventory.
The maths here might as well have been in another language. I sat blankly staring at the teacher, a non-hunter from the civilian college, as he detailed all of the things we should already know and would be spending this week covering. I bitterly resolved to ask one of my team-mates for help. I would have to do it cautiously, Ozpin would likely not be pleased if the entire nation found out he admitted someone that couldn't do math.
For your struggles in the intellectual pursuits, take +1 INT!
I… wow. This is a truly different world. A man could get by on martial prowess alone in Skyrim, here that wasn't an option. I'm sure if I stooped to the ranks of a criminal thug then I would have no problem eking out a living, but I didn't come here to simply live, I came to adventure damnit!
"Mr. Arc!" My head shot up."The answer, if you please?" The balding man in a more elegant version of the uniform gestured towards the board where a series of numbers and letters were strewn about with no discernible clues as to which go where. I glanced around the class awkwardly. "Uhh…"
Pyrrha nudged my foot once, paused, then nudged it twice. I contemplated. Either she just slipped and meant 3, or she was pausing and meant twelve. Or she was signalling it as a trick question. "The answer is… 12."
Luck Check!
Rolling…
Luck 10(+4)=14. Passed!
+1 INT!
"Very good guess, Mr. Arc, but I can tell you didn't do that math required."
My eyebrows shot up. "What, how?"
"You've been looking at this blackboard with nothing but confusion since the class started, zoned out when I asked you the question, and answer very hesitantly as if you knew the answer but weren't sure it was the answer. If I asked you to go up to the board and write out the steps, would you be able to do it?"
I almost said yes. It would have been embarrassing but I would have just because I don't like to admit that I can't do something. "No, Professor."
"I know. Why Ozpin would let in a dunce like you, I'm completely clueless. VNN must have paid him millions to take you in."
"He's not a dunce." Blake shot out quietly, but considering everyone was silent and listening to me get berated she sounded like a thunderclap.
"Oh?" My teacher grew a savage grin. None of the students knew this, but this teacher was once denied the opportunity to come here under the previous headmaster. Scored just under qualifying in the academics. "Care to explain why he can't do a simple equation that any civilian 14-year-old would be easily able to do?"
"Care to explain why you can't take out a simple Beowolf that anyone in this class would be easily able to do?"
He scoffed. "Easy, I never trained at a hunter academy."
"Yea, well, neither did my sister but when a pack came running, she sure as hell let them have it!" Yang threw her arm around Ruby as she said this.
"Yea!" Ruby agreed with a thumbs up. "Wait, you knew about that already?"
"Got it on tape, little sis." Yang nudged her sister's shoulder with a wink.
"Enough! I understand the point that you are trying to make, and it simply isn't applicable. For graduation, Mathematics 1, 2 and 3 are all mandatory." The teacher rapped his pointing stick against the board, just as the bell rang. "Mr. Arc, come see me after class please." Coincidentally, the odd chime that I learned signals the next class sounded right as he finished speaking.
With a sigh I turned to my team. "You guys can go ahead, this shouldn't take too long." With a wave we split up and I went to go see the balding teacher.
"Torga, was it now?" My eyes narrowed.
""Yes, that is my name."
"Don't worry lad, you aren't in trouble. I had to stage that little shindig to give me a reason to give you a tutor. Ozpin told me a little bit of your story, and as crazy as it seems, I have faith in that eccentric man. If he says you're from what's essentially a magic version of the past, then we'll have to get you back up to speed. Your tutor will be a second-year girl named Velvet Scarlatina, she should be here shortly." He glanced at his scroll. "Tell your team to come back inside, the teachers are on their way as well. We have some more things to talk over, both in regards to your education and in regards to this new show you're a part of. You two might as well come down here too." He gestured at Deanna and Alan. The pair conversed for a second, before Alan put down his camera and the pair came down to the front of the classroom. I fumbled with my scroll for a few seconds, trying to set up a call to Pyrrha. Luckily I was saved from the professor's looks by my team walking into the room accompanied by a girl with rabbit ears.
That was something new. It was odd, the ears matched her hair colour but none of the rest of her body had hair. It was as if some sick man had amputated a pair of bunny ears onto her head but other than that she was completely normal. I shrugged and pushed it out of my mind. I'd seen and fought both against and alongside stranger beings.
They were followed soon after by the large Grimm Studies professor, a tall lanky man with a metal cylinder, as well as Goodwitch and Ozpin.
Ozpin strode down the steps with a small grin. "Torga, I trust your first day is going well?"
"Considering I've envisioned the portly professor over here naked and found I know next to nothing of maths, not too well." I told him.
He nodded. "Yes, to someone that didn't grow up with an education in the fundamentals, I can see how you could be confused." He diplomatically left my first comment untouched. "Fortunately, we here at Beacon are all about teamwork, and we won't let you stay behind. Ms. Scarlatina?"
"Hey there!" The rabbit girl said with a smile. "I'll help you get caught up in math, if you'd like."
"Very interesting!" The lanky man with green hair spoke quickly. "A man in the body of a child, with memories of a distant world." He brought the cylinder up to his mouth and with a slurp allowed me to identify it as some kind of water-skin. "Tell me man, what was the greatest threat to your world? Was it famine? Disease?" He lowered his voice conspiratorially . "Monsters?"
"Professor Oobleck, you can interview your student later. I believe you have a class with him tomorrow. This meeting is called to determine how we are to educate Mr. Arc."
"If I may." I interrupted, "I'm not a stupid man, and I'm a fast learner. I do know some math, I can do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It's when you start throwing letters in there that I get confused. I believe that with the help of someone who understands and can, for lack of a better term, dumb it down for me, I'll be able to catch up in no time. Some classes, like Phys Ed and Grimm Studies, I'll be fine. I'm a warrior, not a scholar, though it seems you'd like to turn me into both."
"Right you are, lad!" My math teacher said. "He who worships the sword and neglects the pen will find himself the strongest in the darkness of ignorance, but he who finds a balance between will also find balance within himself."
"So Ms. Scarlatina will be your tutor. Velvet, should Mr. Arc improve, we will look into your request." Glynda said, still looking at her tablet. "Team JNPR, I expect you to also help your leader when he needs it."
"Of course." Pyrrha said with a nod.
Ozpin tapped his cane on the ground. "Now, the next object of this meeting. Our camera crew here will be following you around the school and out of the school. VNN has rented a Bullhead for your team's usage on the weekends, however you must be accompanied by either a teacher or a second year team. I also have a few rules that the crew already knows about, but you should all know too. Firstly, they will not be permitted to film in any dormitory other than your own. Second, they will not be permitted of displaying more than five consecutive seconds of actual lessons in class. Should the lesson be interrupted for debate or conversation, as tends to happen with our students, that will be permitted. Finally, while on screen you must be either in the Beacon uniform, or your registered Huntsman Apparel. Pyjamas are not acceptable. We are Huntsman, we must be seen as heroes and guardians by the public. Show humanity, not weakness. Show empathy, not pity."
"Ozpin, sir?" Ren raised his hand. "I own a set of meditation robes. Would those be permitted?"
"That can be reviewed later. Have a wonderful day." He looked at me. "Good luck, Torga."
Ozpin headed for the door, followed by Glynda. The wide-set professor followed and my math teacher turned to start erasing his chalk board. The green-haired teacher was suddenly in front of my face. "Tell me, Torga, how old are you right now?"
I thought back. "Pushing on 60 years old."
His eyes widened. "Phenomenal. The things you must know, the stories you could tell!"
"I have plenty, if you can get me a hard drink." Pyrrha gave me a dirty look.
"I.. well this puts me into a spot." He looked to the camera crew. "Come to my office after your classes and we can have a talk."
"After their interviews." Deanna spoke.
The green-haired man was already leaving. "Wonderful, truly wonderful."
We were left with the teacher and our camera crew.
"So… now what?" I asked hesitantly.
"Pancakes!" Nora shouted. "C'mon Ren, we need to hurry before they're all gone!" With that she was off, ignoring Ren's insistence that there would be no pancakes at lunch.
Pyrrha chuckled. "Shall we?"
I nodded. "We shall."
By the time Pyrrha and I had caught up to our team-mates, they were striding through the large doors into a great hall. This was a huge room, worthy of the High King. I pushed open the doors to follow, and managed about 5 strides in before I noticed that every eye in the room was on us, and the innocent chatter turned to hushed murmurs.
Ren shuffled uncomfortably, Nora was oblivious, and from what I knew of Pyrrha's history, she was used to being the center of attention. I, too, was used to being the center of attention, but that was due to my previously intimidating body.
"You don't look that tough to me, blondie!" A boy with light brown hair and a few pieces of armor called from his table.
"Why don't you go ask your sister how tough I can be?" I shot back, and the murmurs went dead silent.
"Jokes on you, dweeb, I don't have a sister."
"You will in…" I pretended to think. "About 8 more months."
Taunt's level has risen by 1!
A collective "ooooo" rose from the crowd, cutting off when the boy slammed his fist down on the table. I grinned, an angry opponent is an easy opponent no matter what the battle may be. "Why don't you come and say that to my face, new guy?"
I shrugged, and began walking over to him. He stood and cracked his knuckles. I rolled my eyes, ignoring the stares on me and the palpable tension in the room. I quickly muttered "Observe"
Cardin Winchester
The Cardinal's Legacy
LVL 24
Good, this guy isn't as strong as Pyrrha. I've been itching to fight someone on equal terms since I got here and with semblances being thrown around like they were iron arrows, it's been hard to get a fair fight in.
Anyways, I eventually got to the sneering male, looked him dead in the eye, and spoke. "The only way your mother's lower lips could be looser is if I shoved your fat head back up there."
Taunt's level has risen by 1!
His eyes widened and he flinched back as if struck. I saw exactly what was happening, as it happens to all that are successfully taunted, regardless of these gamer powers. He was shocked, then his teeth grit as he finally comprehended that he could not come back from that, then I heard the faint scraping of his armor as he tensed up. Before he even punched I noted his weight shift onto his right leg and his left foot slide slightly forward.
I struck before he finished his blow, ducking low even as I was jabbing a fist into his unarmored armpit. With his arm immobilized I moved behind him and pushed his right shoulder as I pulled his left arm up. With a spin and bend, I threw him over my back and slammed him onto the floor.
What many people seem to forget is that I have around 40 years of experience fighting other humans. The Grimm, they were new and different. Teaching the boy a lesson was child's play, pun fully intended.
A hand dropped on my shoulder and I began swinging, only for something to hold my hand back.
Pyrrha stood before me, a look of severe disappointment in her eyes. "We should probably go."
I shook my head. "I'm not done yet, Pyrrha. Trust me for just one more minute alright?"
She huffed and drew her hand back from my pauldron, letting go of my gauntlet at the same time. Her Semblance really is tricky, to everyone around it looked like I stopped when I saw her. However, I'm the leader of the team and if the whole school saw me backing down to a team-mate I would gain a bad reputation, exactly the opposite of what I was trying to accomplish.
I turned around to the boy on the floor. "Appearances can be deceiving, my short-tempered friend." I extended an arm out to help him up.
He looked around, the anger leaving his face and shame replacing it for a brief second. I rolled my eyes and reached down to grab his hand before his pride inevitably kicked in. I leaned into his ear. "No hard feelings, I hope. Can't have anyone calling me out on the first day, ya know?"
His eyes narrowed, then he let me drag him up to his feet. I dusted off his shoulder jokingly. "Let's spar properly sometime, let you get back at me." With that he snapped out of his daze.
Cardin Winchester: Reputation +150!
"You're on blondie! You won't stand a chance with Beaufort in my hands!"
"Coming from the guy that thinks I don't look tough?" I raised an eyebrow as I crossed my arms across my chest.
He smirked. "Appearances can be deceiving, my short-statured friend."
I stared at him for a second before chuckling and holding my hand out once more. I knew this type of guy. Absolute asshole to most everyone he hasn't fought before, and still an asshole after, but earn his respect and you'll have a friend for life. Part of me is a big fan of the militant-aggressive types, simply because they're so predictable and easy to lead. Gotta wonder how I ended up with a monk, a crazy girl, and an Imperial. "Jaune 'Torga' Arc. Remember it as the name your allies will cheer and your enemies will curse, should you stay here."
He grasped my hand, his smirk breaking into a grimace. "Cardin Winchester. What'd you do to my arm?"
"Just a little something I picked up along the way. You should be fine in an hour or two, I didn't hit hard enough to bruise too deep."
"Yea, yea, you're lucky my aura wasn't up, tough guy."
"You're lucky mine wasn't active either, little birdy." He snorted and sat back down, waving me off. I shrugged and turned back around to Pyrrha. She looked slightly confused, and was about to speak before I noticed it was still silent.
"Show's over people, get back to your food." With that, the tension broke and the school kept eating.
"On the first day, Mr. Arc, really?"
I pointedly didn't reply to the headmaster, finding myself again within his tower.
He sighed. "Torga?"
I perked up, pretending I just noticed he was speaking. "You talking to me?"
"Don't be obtuse." Glynda snapped.
"Fine. Yes, on the first day. On the second, and the third, and the fourth. I've done too much for some snot-nosed kid to start insulting me based on this body. Besides, we've already made up." Well, assuming that reputation bonus was anything to go by.
"Be that as it may, you're on TV now. We can't just let this slide lest it worsens our school's reputation. Especially with the victim a member of a prominent Vale family. The Winchesters were one of the clans that founded this Kingdom."
My face went white. "Divines, I didn't attack a prince, did I?"
"What? No, there's no princes." Goodwitch seemed confused.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Who's the king?"
Ozpin gave a playful smirk. "There is no king."
I shook my head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would you call Vale a Kingdom if there isn't a king? Who runs this town then?"
"Tell me, Torga, which sounds more romantic to the masses? The Kingdom of Vale, or the Elected Fascist Councilship of Vale?"
I scoffed. "That depends, what does the second one mean?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Regardless, you have an option. You can either deal with a three day on-campus suspension, or allow your producer to organize a friendly sparring match between you and Mr. Winchester to show both that he is a more capable Huntsman-in-training than you made him appear to be, and that there is no bad blood between you."
I leaned back. "So you want me to lose and enjoy it, if I hear you right."
Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "Very perceptive, Mr. Arc."
"What does the suspension entail?"
Glynda spoke up as she read from her large scroll. "All activities will be monitored by an appointed staff. The student will only leave his or her dormitory for classes until the end of suspension. The student will furthermore be required to pass the semester with an average grade of 80%."
I looked at her blankly. "Pass the what with an average when?"
She sunk her head into her free hand. "Say you have 100 lien. If you get a question wrong, you lose a lien, and at the end of the course you add up how much you have left."
"So I can only get 20 questions wrong?"
"Not quite, I'm sure Ms. Scarlatina would be glad to go over it all." Ozpin ended the trail we had gone off on.
"I'm sure. I choose the suspension. Do I just go back to my dorm and wait for three days?"
Glynda's mouth opened slightly in a gasp and I inwardly smirked. Bull's eye. "You would rather have a suspension on your record than have a friendly competition?"
I shook my head. "No, not at all. But the way it's happening now isn't friendly, it's forced. I mean, if part of my punishment is to fight him again then sure, throw us in the ring and watch what happens. But we had already agreed on sparring each other. I don't need a stage to test the strength of a fellow warrior, I need my blade and a flat area. Besides, I wouldn't want to embarrass the boy in front of apparently the whole Kingdom, now would I?"
"I wouldn't be so sure you could defeat him that easily, Torga. That boy comes from a long line of Huntsman, he's likely been training with his weapon since he could hold a mace." Glynda glared at me.
"Are semblances permitted in sparring?" I asked, wanting to be certain.
"Yes, of course they are." She replied, slightly taken aback. "They're as much a part of someone as their own two feet."
"I stand by what I said, then." I nodded at her, turning my gaze back to the headmaster.
Ozpin had gained a twinkle in his eye, and a grin that I thought was much too cunning. "You wouldn't be interested in a small wager then, would you? If you think you can beat Mr. Winchester's whole team, fighting alone, then I will remove the suspension."
"I know I can win that one. It's not fair to volunteer his whole team to fight against me for him, especially not this early in the year. Were I in his situation, I would want to fight alone to prove to my team that I was worth having as a leader."
"Maybe interested in a team bout?" He offered.
"Sir, if you're trying to fuel a rivalry, let me tell you right now that it will not work on me. I'm interested in sparring this Cardin fellow, but if he can't keep up than having him as my rival would be a detriment to the both of us. That being said, sure. I'll have a talk with Cardin and my team, and we'll get back to you." I stood. "Am I free to go?"
Ozpin nodded as Glynda's mouth opened yet again. "Get… get back to us? Listen here little man-"
I had already been on my way to the lift but I whirled around anyways. "No, you listen to me, witch. I am no child! I'm older than every single student here, and half of your staff. I'm far from home, confused by half of the shit you guys say, and I can't even get a fucking drink. What backwards society limits the age a man can get drunk at? Barbaric." That said, I whirled myself right back around and stalked my way into the lift, not letting up my angry act until the doors slid shut.
I waited a few seconds, then burst out laughing.
Glynda Goodwitch: Reputation -800!
Professor Ozpin: Reputation +800!
"I'm your host, Deanna Goldstien, and welcome to Hunter's Gate! We'll be following a team of novice Huntsman on their path to glory and heroism, and only fate knows what will happen!"
The shot transitioned to Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune 'Torga' Arc in front of a blackboard. "So what would you say the craziest moment of your initiation was?"
Jaune chuckled. "Aside from getting shot through the gut with a feather, you mean?"
Pyrrha punched his shoulder. "Not that one, the good one. Well, the better experience in my opinion. "
"Yea, Yea I know." He replied.
"Regardless, I'd have to say the craziest moment was when Torga here took charge out of nowhere. Don't get me wrong I value our team, but at the time, Nora and I were the hard-hitters of the team, and Jaune just orders us away from him and Ren, telling us to head for the clearing we spotted earlier."
"That seems like an odd decision to most, Torga. Care to elaborate on what you were thinking?"
He nodded. "Sure. What most of you didn't see was that I'd had a bit of emotional troubles in the moments preceding the ambush. Grimm are drawn to dark emotions, meaning I had accidently drawn a beacon to my team. I needed a bit of time and distraction to calm myself so as to not draw any more Grimm to us, so me and Ren played a game I knew from back… back home."
The shot cut to Ren in a meditative pose outside. "He thought he could take 5 out quicker than me." He shrugged, and Torga appeared back on screen.
"I sent the wrecking crew to clear us a path because with all the Grimm heading right to where we were, I knew we would need a quick exit strategy. We managed to create enough of a gap to leave a large amount of the beasts behind and regroup at a more ideal location."
"Then he got launched at the Nevermore!"
Torga laughed as Nora butted into the frame. "Thank you for the lift, by the way. It was thanks to all of you I unlocked my semblance when I did."
"And it was thanks to you and your semblance that we got out of there in one piece." Pyrrha said with a grin.
"Can you elaborate more about your semblance, Torga?"
"I could, but isn't showing so much more fun than telling?"
I couldn't help it. I was absolutely pumped up for this fight. Every spare moment in the last few days had been spent training with my team. We'd gotten through the first week with no major hiccups, other than an incident with Ruby and Weiss of clear jealousy. I made sure to make an attempt to nip that in the bud but none of my context-less advice was heeded.
I'd gained a level, though I hadn't placed any of the points yet. My experience with the Initiation Quest had shown me that I wouldn't really know what I needed until I needed it. I'd gained a few status points from studying, making apparently wise decisions, and training. My Status page looked great, in my opinion.
Status
Name: Torga
Age: 17
Level: 16
Race: Human
Title: Dragonborn
Status: Healthy
XP: 15.78%
HP: 435
AP: 432
STR: 10
VIT: 7
AGI: 12
INT: 12
WIS: 51
LUK: 10
STAT: 5
Aura Mastery, Power Strike and Grapple had also come a long way. I didn't even need to use AP for Grapple anymore, the only thing improved by levelling up that skill was the lowered damage. The opposing team were all around my level, save for Cardin.
It had also gotten over-hyped, or so Cardin says. Many of the first-year teams were there to watch. I figured the second and third years have already seen people fight at our level and the fact that they weren't here today excited me. It meant that I already had some goal to work towards, even if it was only the attention of those that were currently more powerful than me.
Well, I did already have a goal. I got this notification shortly after speaking with the leader of team CRDL.
[Quest Alert:] Boys Will be Boys!
Cardin Winchester wants to spar with you. Show him who the champion is!
[Main Objective:] Defeat Cardin Winchester in Arena Challenge.
[Side Objectives:] Defeat Team CRDL
Win the fight alone
[Reward:] 1000L, Cardin Winchester: REP+, Beacon Academy: REP+, 10,000XP
[Failure:] -1000L, Beacon Academy: REP-, 500XP
Accept? [Yes] [No]
It was really a no brainer to accept it. Once I had seen that my side objectives included somehow getting his team to step up, and my team to step down, it was a simple matter to tell Pyrrha about my potential failure consequences and she promised to convince Nora and Ren. On the condition that I talked with her after this was all over, which was absurd. We share a room, not talking to her would be incredibly difficult.
From there all I had to do was tell Cardin in front of his team that I didn't think they'd stand a chance even together, and we were all set.
So, there we were, in a different training area than we usually had. This was a large octagon with bleachers on each side and small portable 'shield mittens' that made sure nobody watching got hurt. The terrain was hard packed dirt. I twirled my zweihander once and then locked myself in a ready pose.
My opponents did the same, Cardin with his mace, backed up by a dual-wielding daggerman, another with an axe, and the last with a standard sword.
I grinned. "Maybe with eight arms you guys might be able to hit me once!"
"Maybe with only two you can.. Shut up, blondie!" One of his lackeys said, and I rolled my eyes.
"One last chance, Winchester. Surrender and you won't be hurt."
He scoffed. "As if you could hurt me."
I raised an eyebrow. "Well, as I believe it is said… Come at me, brother."
He rolled his eyes and sent his minions running at me. I stood there in my ready position, watching them approach as a group. Closer… Closer… Now!
"FUS RO!"
With a burst of unexpected and unimaginable power, Team CRDL went flying right back past Cardin. The three close to me hit the barrier, signalling them as out of bounds, while Cardin drove his weapon into the dirt, falling to a knee but withstanding the attack. I shot the harpoon into the ground behind him, then launched myself forwards, hand rearing back for a punch.
He lifted his huge mace up to block my hit, and I felt a sickening crunch as my hand collided with the metal haft of the weapon. I rolled back, then jumped away from a follow up strike that dented the ground and sent dust up into the air. I used that distraction to roll my hand around, and to my massive surprise, it felt perfectly fine.
I barely had time to duck as he swung at my head, and pushed forward, ramming right into his stomach. With him moving back, I began unleashing a never ending combo of speedy blows that he parried or dodged. When one finally sunk through his defense, I grinned in triumph, though short lived as he kicked me right in the chest. I rolled back to my feet only to see him mid-air with his mace raised high above his head. "Hope you like your chicken crispy!"
I tried to move back again, but his mace exploded with a great ball of flame,sending me flying back. He laughed as I got to my feet. "Beaufort here works with any dust, but it was specially made for fire. So what do you say, blondie? How about we turn up the heat!"
He held the mace straight out at me, and a massive torrent of flames erupted from its tip. The amount was worthy of a dovah though the heat and pure destructive power were quite lacking. I shuffled to the side as the flames went past me, then held my sword up parallel to the ground, blade pointing away from my opponent. I aligned my body, and Spoke:
"WULD!"
In the blink of an eye, my sword's pommel smashed into his face with the force of a whirlwind and he was sent sprawling. I glanced at my scroll, currently set to 'spar mode', to see that Cardin had about two-thirds of his aura remaining. I just needed a glance to the floating blue bar in my vision to see that I had barely gone through any.
The great part about my shouts is that I don't need to use any AP to activate them. They did still need their time to 'recharge' but that was negligible.
I aimed a kick at my opponent's stomach, but he rolled away and to his feet.
"It's over Torga, I won from the start." He said, pulling a large red crystal out of his pocket.
My eyes narrowed. "Observe"
Super Red Dust Crystal
'Super' Dust is very similar to real Dust in that it shares all of the same abilities and attributes. However, it is able to expel all of it's natural power at once, making it used heavily in artillery, explosives, and specialized weapons.
My eyes widened as he took the dull old crystal out of the head of his mace and slotted the new one in, the mace gaining a glow as if enchanted with fire.
He laughed and pointed it at me again. "This will be an expensive victory, but it will be a victory! Flare Cannon!"
A small glow appeared at the tip, before a fucking star shot at me. It was too wide to go around, too high to go over. The roiling ball of furious flames made an almost leisurely pace, though it's speed did not matter when I could not get around it.
I sighed, breathed a quick prayer to Stendarr that he might make this lacking armour into a warriors salvation, and sprinted at the flames.
"You know nothing of fire, boy!" I dug deep inside, thinking of the teaching of Paarthurnax.
"In your tongue, the Word simply means 'Fire.' It is change given form. Power at its most primal. That is the true meaning of 'Yol.' Suleyk. Power. You have it, as do all dov. But power is inert without action and choice. Think of this as the fire builds in your su'um, in your breath. Su'um ahrk morah. What will you burn? What will you spare?"
"YOL!"
The inferno that erupted pushed against the force of Cardin's attack, halting and disrupting it. I ducked my head into my shoulder and continued my charge, the foul smell of burning hair assaulting my nostrils. When the heat faded I looked up to see Cardin standing before me, jaw dropped and eyes wide.
I lowered my shoulder and rammed it into his stunned form, sending him staggering back. I didn't pause in my momentum, wrapping my arms around his chest and throwing him to the ground. Before he could recover, he found my foot on his chest and the point of my blade at his throat.
The arena fell silent for a brief second, then a voice broke the spell.
"Woohoo! That's our leader!" Nora cheered, and that opened the floodgates. Applause and more cheers flooded my head and as I looked around at the adoring masses, I decided I happened to like this place quite a lot.
AN: Well shit, guys and gals, I need a bit of a suggestion. My original plan was to, unlike every other Gamer fic, not have the MC focus on WIS and INT, but I'm having a bit of difficulty. Increment Skills (the ones achieved at level 50, 100, 150, etc.) are not too difficult for the INT and WIS areas, but I'm having issues coming up with ideas for skills. Any input would be nice and while I may not use your exact suggestion, I will take them all into consideration as I create my 'skill tree'.
In other personal news, I realized how easy it is for an English speaker to go teach English in another country. I could be in Japan or China by June, should I so choose. I'm picking up a job at a gas station to hopefully stave off the stupid student loans, and I'm severely cutting back on the pot smoking so hopefully, with my shit together, I'll be able to update a little more frequently. Thanks for the support and interest, readers.
Poor Torga, all he wants is a drink.
~HHR