Chapter 90 - The Knowledge of a Sword

Surprisingly, Klum had stayed standing. Unsurprisingly, the pain clearly set in like a tidal wave, and he was no longer standing.

Eniyala shakes her hand out, sparks of blue lightning flying from it as her hand quiets from spazzing out.

She had dashed forward when Klum… exploded, and quickly used her Enhance Spell on Termi's shield, who had reacted only a split second slower. She then used an Air chain to whip over and snag the unconscious Swordmaster before he was hit too, scooting him out of range and setting him safely on his side. Well… dumping him down, more like. Eniyala couldn't pinpoint why, but the admittal of the man saying he had simply planned to bully Klum into humility had irritated her.

In any case, she had saved his life, so he should be thankful.

She darts towards the convulsing figure on the ground, already casting Healing Tsunami from a distance. Steadily, his movements calm, until he's finally laying on his back, no longer screaming in pain. Klum stares blankly at the sky as Eni kneels down next to him, wincing at a new scar tracing faintly up his arm.

"You know, I think I could actually feel my veins burst and reform two or three times," he mutters, and Eniyala awkwardly scratches her eyebrow. "Right, cuz everyone can feel… that."

While she didn't really think he had felt it, the nagging at the back of her head reminded her that his Mana veins simply repairing themselves was a commodity in itself.

As she heals him, she tries to ignore her transparent Statbook in her peripheral, updating her on a new Affinity.

(You have gained a new Affinity: Lightning.)

* * *

[The user's Affinity for Lightning has grown stronger.]

[The user has survived a heavy inpour of raw Mana to their body, and increased their Magic abilities.

This achievement forcefully rose one or more stats.

+2 MAG]

[The user has learned the Skill Mana Resistance+ (Uncommon)]

Once my brain wasn't so full of pain that I could actually process things, one of the first things I noticed was the messages in my face. There was the EXP gain, of course, and now this. 'Maybe this training was somewhat worth it?'

Eniyala flicks my forehead gently. "Ow."

"Then pay attention," she replies, pulling back her hand. "Can you move? I mean, you literally fried yourself, so I'd honestly be shocked."

With a groan, I pull myself up to a sitting position, small white trails of smoke still rising from my body. My armor is somehow still completely intact, as I check over my body. "That damn Dwarf is a genius."

"Tada wharf wizz aheenus?"

"Don't turn my speech into gibberish!" I glare at the young woman, who turns her nose up at me. "Maybe don't mutter all the time then," she snorts, to which I then roll my eyes. "I swear… I can't help that I picked up a habit or two since getting Reincarnated and plopped quite literally into a random overleveled forest."

She waves it off, and turns to Lynsel. "Take him to the cabin, will you?" She asks, pointing to the Swordmaster, and with a nod the large man easily slings Vao over his shoulder and ducks into the small doorway. Calling for Termi's help, Eniyala helps me to my feet. Since Termi is so short, I end up bracing myself up with my forearm on the rough plate on the top of her shoulder, with my other arm around Eniyala. They carry me to the tent to rest, setting me inside. It isn't long before I'm sound asleep, my body already repairing itself to prepare for when I awoke.

- - -

"… Wake up, Dirtling."

I stir groggily, still feeling somewhat achey. "What do I have the pleasure of seeing your ugly ass first thing for?"

Vao sighs as I sit up inch by inch, his normal palm tree no longer held up, and now closer to a choppy bowl cut around his angular head. "I came to apologize. As your Master—"

"Self-proclaimed."

"… It is my duty to enforce good teaching habits, which I failed at. However, you have gone above and beyond all my expectations, so it is nearly time for you to graduate."

"You're just gonna ignore me, aren't you."

He gives me a warm smile that feels more like an evil middle finger. "Once you are recovered, you will have one final task."

"Okay, bet," I reply, swinging my legs out of bed. I note that I have my normal clothes on, which would be one hell of a conversation, knowing Yorun would refuse and Lynsel's likely orientation.

Vao looks surprised, holding a hand up. It hasn't even been a full day. You shouldn't even be able to move much now."

I laugh, causing Vao's expression to grow even more puzzled. "You've been training me for over a week, and still haven't realized?"

Judging from the blank look in his eyes, I understood that he really had failed to realize, and flop my head into the palm of my hand. "Don't worry about it, man. I slept it off."

"You slept off getting struck by lightning?"

I stretch my back out, popping up on my feet and shaking some of the soreness out of my limbs. "Yeah man, happens all the time."

"… You get struck by lightning all the time??"

I pause, scratching my head. "Not exactly what I meant… Anyway, I gotta get dressed now, sooo…"

Vao nods, turning to leave. "I should really vet any disciples I plan to pick up from now on."

I snort at the remark as he crawls out of the tent, changing quickly into my armor. I reach up to ensure my weapon is fine, and hearing the click of the sheath, I reach up to grab nothing.

"Eh?"

I look around the tent, checking in storage cubes and under sleeping bags. Nothing. "The fuck?" I murmur, doing one more look-over before I leave the tent. I even lift a snoozing Panko to check under him, carefully placing him back as to not wake him. "Krr?" He coos softly, and I pat him gently.

When I step out, my self-proclaimed 'Master' stands outside, twirling a black handle with a black eye on the end in one hand. He grins when he sees my glare, and I storm over. "What the hell?" I ask angrily, swiping for my weapon.

He easily evades the grab, whistling cheerily as he takes a few steps back and holds it high over his head. 'What a child.'

"Ah ah ah," he says, storing the handle in a storage cube attached to his hip in one smooth motion. "You're too reliant on the unique Skill of this sword. It is bound to hinder you much more than it would help you."

"I bet you're just mad that I'm resourceful and creative."

He ignores my comment, but I can see the vein bulging upon his forehead once more, a heavy blue mini-cluster of lines popping out of his skin. 'Heh. I win again.'

"I will provide you with the vast collection of my swords, and you may select from among those which weapon you'd like to use for this final task."

"Okay, asshole."

He gives me a forced grin, gesturing to the back of the cabin. "Well then, right this way, ungrateful disciple."

He leads me to the back of his small home, where several racks line the windowless wall from top to bottom with one category of weapon: swords. There were scimitars, katanas, the occasional glaive, sabers, rapiers… As I saw each different length and shape, the name for each popped in my head, even though I knew almost nothing of swords. I didn't know much of weapons in general, aside from a glock, desert eagle, and the infamous AK-47.

Claymores, gladius', falchions…

The sheer number and organization was baffling, and it took a while for my brain to adjust to the sight.

Longswords, cutlasses, broadswords…

I walk up to a katana, placing my hand upon it. "This is a sword fanatic's pipe dream," I murmur as I lift the handle to inspect the curved blade.

"Ah, a katana," Vao states proudly. "Difficult to use, but probably the sharpest weapon here."

"It is," I reply immediately, turning to him. "What am I supposed to be doing, anyway?"

He stiffens his back. "You'll find out after you select a weapon."

How helpful.

Without knowing what I would be doing, I couldn't rely on a katana with my style. It would likely break. If that was the case, and taking my own Stats into account, the best options would be…

A longsword, a scimitar, or a gladius.

A longsword would make the most sense; Beholder's Eye was on the cusp of a broadsword in width with the longsword's length, and it was only due to its light weight and Mana composition that a shape like that worked. A scimitar or gladius was the opposite, with the width to slash and cut, but slightly lacking in length.

"Ugh… I'll just do this!" I say, making my choice and grabbing it decisively. Vao raises his eyebrows questioningly, but doesn't comment.

"Well. Let's go over what your final training will be, hm?"

* * *

[Close the Gap (Ultra Rare Passive Skill): When the user is facing an enemy stronger than them, user receives a 30% boost to all Stats.

Duration: 5 minutes — Cost: 1 Stamina — Cooldown: 3 minutes]