Chapter 16: Plan

Michael's chest heaved up and down as he breathed heavily. He would try to do these exercises while he meditated since it not only strengthened his lungs, through the pattern's nurturing, but it would also result in an increase in his entire body's capabilities.

Michael was training in a cave in Evergreen Mountain. They had arrived about a week ago and all they did since then was train. Fernando did it to forget reality while Michael did it because he enjoyed every increase in strength.

Evergreen Mountain was a great place to train, its verdant, lush landscape provided a heart-calming scene.

The reason for its lush landscape was due to a layer of sunstone that formed beneath the hilly mountainous area. The plants would take root in it and grow unprecedentedly. This not only attracted and sustained a large amount of beasts, but it also housed the largest chain of caverns in the Twilight Zone. Rumor went that it hid a passage to a lower floor of the subterranean realm, but when a Rank 2 Magus explored it he had returned empty handed. A peculiar thing was that he also never spoke about his experience, so speculations still went around.

Michael opened his eyes and looked at his stats happily.

Name: Michael Mayor (Augustus Fent)

Strength: 4.05

Agility: 3.87

Vitality: 4.23

Spiritual Force: 1.75

Bloodline/Race: Human

Talent (Soul/Body): 1/3

Profession: Runic Blood Warrior (Apprentice)

'Mother Box, scan Fernando.'

About 20 steps from Michael, Fernando slammed his hands, arms, shoulders, chest, back, and every other body part he could into the stone walls. Michael formulated this for him since Fernando was too unsteady to calm himself and meditate. Whenever Michael would meditate, Fernando would train his body on his own.

Name: Fernando Reign

Strength: 3.85

Agility: 3.77

Vitality: 3.98

Spiritual Force: 1.35

Bloodline/Race: Human

Talent (Soul/Body): 3/3

Profession: Runic Blood Warrior (Apprentice)

It seemed he had also had his own growth. They had far surpassed an ordinary human, sure, but they were still in the realm of ordinary. A level zero spell from an acolyte would still easily melt their flesh, so Michael did not allow himself to get overconfident.

"Fernando let's spar."

Michael stood up and dusted his pants. Their shirts had long been ripped into smithereens, so until they got their hands on some clothes, they would have to remain shirtless.

Fernando turned his head and nodded. This was a common occurrence and they had already reached an understanding, a simple nod would do.

They rushed at each other, like mad bulls. Their every strike resounded like cannon balls and their heavy breathing shifted the sporadic dust around, stirring up clouds.

Although they seemed like brutes, their strikes carried precision. Every punch and kick carried a similar force and accurately struck towards vital areas. But they were not only strong, they were incredibly swift which made their flexible bodies' hard to hit. Michael especially so, he outclassed Fernando in all stats, combined with his snake like movements he made for a slippery target. But, today something was odd, Fernando did not have his usual ferocity, his punches seemed lackluster and his gaze seemed unfocused.

Slap.

A clap was heard as Fernando was sent flying towards a wall.

"Wha-what?!"

Fernando seemed to have been awoken from his listless gaze. He was a bit angered as he got up and dusted himself.

"You needed that slap! What's going on with you? You look all lost and shit."

Michael raised his voice a bit as he was angered as well. He couldn't have Fernando giving up so soon. He needed a training partner or else his progress would slow down, the faint image of his family reuniting appeared in the back of his mind.

"I'm sorry, Augustus, I.. I think I'm not going to continue. I have been thinking it over and the dark elves are already dead. I don't want to train relentlessly for an imaginary goal, I want to return to Spring Berry Town and take over my mother's crop."

The anger in Fernando's face visibly faded and as he continued talking he turned his head down and to the side. He felt guilty and he should. He had been saved, he had been given an opportunity that no one else could get, and he had wasted Michael's good intentions.

Michael rubbed his face as he thought of a response.

"Fernando, I didn't want to tell you this beforehand as I didn't want to aggravate the situation, but in the Magi Towers I found information detailing the escape of many dark elves. There are still many dark elves around, will you allow them to live their lives fully when they did not let your family live theirs."

As Michael spoke Fernando's face scrunched in anger. His eyes once again grew their dangerous gleam.

"Fernando, they are all guilty, we need to hunt them all down. Any one of them could have spoken up and avoided their bloody massacre, yet they did not. They all have faults and are guilty of killing your family. I'll help you find them all, but will also need to help me sometimes, okay."

Michael spoke the truth and arrived next to Fernando, he held his shoulder and waited until he nodded in accordance. Whenever Michael would become disgusted with himself he would remember his family back on Earth, with a purpose man was capable of all.

"Alright then let's train for real, we have to become stronger to be capable of killing them all, alright."

"Yeah, alright."

"Alright then, let's continue."

With a rekindled determination, Fernando and Michael sparred their hearts out. Their bodies would bruise and and their minds would accustom to the brutality of their attacks. Bones would break and their sick crunch had become commonplace.

Michael and Fernando sat against the wall, exhausted. They had sparred intensely for hours so they needed to catch a break, while they healed themselves.

"Fernando, we need to go underground, I think we can hold our own as long as we don't go too deep."

"Why should we take the risk, why don't we stay up here for a bit longer. I don't want to die anytime soon, I need to kill all those fucking elves."

"What, do you think I don't care about my own life? I know it's a bit dangerous, but we need to get something down there, it will increase our strength even quicker, and plus we'll get to meet some interesting beings."

"Alright, yeah you're right, you wouldn't send us to our deaths."

"Alright, go get a Ferocious Jungle Boar, we need to refill our vital deposits before we head down there."

"I will be back in a bit then."

Fernando walked out while Michael let out a deep sigh, his mind distracted over the uncertain future.

The young man returned with a large boar over his back, its head rested limply at the side.

"Did you kill the boar?"

"No, it's still breathing, I just made it unconscious. I know not to kill them anymore, or it will waste some of their vitality."

Michael nodded in approval, Fernando had taken his teachings well. Vitality was an ethereal substance that was basically life energy. A Runic Blood Warrior was practically an immortal being if they could immortalize their souls as well. There were two lifespans in every living being, the body's timer and the soul's timer. It was due to the importance of the soul that physical strength was less valued than training and increasing the soul's lifespan. Still, the Runic Blood Warrior's ability to manipulate such a ceding, illusory energy like vitality made it a very desirable profession.

A knight formed a seed from one's own vitality, which as a result caused a decrease in lifespan whenever the energy was used, and although it could be remedied by potions, it was still less than ideal.