Chapter4: First Day Part III

Taking down this tree shouldn't be a very big issue. I started removing the bark of the tree using knives leaving the flesh part open. Since the fibres of the tree are very stiff and hard so it would be difficult to cut them using knives or swords only. Therefore I would be freezing that flesh part making it brittle, then using my sword aura I would smash that frozen part

I froze all the area of the trunk from where I took out the bark. The frozen part became as hard as a rock. I take a sword concentrating my soul stem aligning my aura with my sword. Then I used all my strength, to swing my sword smashing it right into that block of ice.

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My God that was very rough.

Huff.Huff.Huff

It was a miracle that my both hands are in one piece. That was a large recoil and it felt like it vibrated all bones. I think it was not a very good idea to use a sword aura on such a hard object. I think it's too sword aura for one day, doing it more would be like suicide.

To remove the remaining ice, I used one of the knives like a sickle and a nearby rock as a hammer. After repeated blows, there was very little ice left. The tree was just barely holding and just after a blow through the other edge of the frozen trunk its dell.

I collected that shard that was kept at the tree and kept it in one of my pockets in the overcoat, was not a very large shard just barely the size of a hand span. Great that was rather quick.

I started going back to the starting point, on the way through the stream I washed my face and drank some water.

I got back to the starting point, the sun was slightly tilted towards the south but not completely Southwest, winds were blowing from the northeast.

Now for the second shard, I started climbing through the sideways of that hill. As climbing, the hill would be energy-draining while going downhill and then going around would be time taking, so going sideways through the hill would be the optimal solution.

The slope of the hill was uneven and muddy, with tall trees accompanied by some uneven, large rocks in the middle of the path. Every step was becoming heavier as I walked while the signs of shards became more visible.

What was that old man thinking leaving me in this damped forest? It's hideous. Those war veterans are just muscle heads. I wanna go back to the city so bad this village life is not to my taste. I mean Grandma and Grandfather are great and all and the house is much more spacious but my God things are so distant from each like what? It's like I walking hundreds of steps just to get to the bathroom from my room it's tiring. Also, Grandma refuses to keep servants even though they are old and my father was willing to pay.

I wanna go back to the city so lying in the room all day with my books around. Grandma enforces so many rules it's so hard to follow. If was in the city people would be just impressed by my large stack of knowledge but here they need practicality and physical labour.

I mean my parents send me to the village for practice and physical training but this is just ridiculous. Whatever let's complete this thing and go home.

I found out the exact spot where the shard was hidden as I was standing just above it.

Using the knife I started removing soil, digging with my hands. At last, I found the second shard. I dusted off the soil and put the shard inside my coat.

Whatever, but whoever was deciding the pattern of the exams was a moron. Why a bureaucrat would need something like mana channelling or sword aura? This is just outrageous all this exam. But even so, why would that old man Arnon decide to teach me? He doesn't get any payment. How could someone do something without money? Also, he even prepared for all these ridiculous hidings of shards.

I returned to the starting point like before. I sat down for a while, resting my back against the tree. The cold breeze feels like bliss amid this "training". After a while a stood up, dusted my back and started walking straight to the north.

Going downhill was easy and requires less energy. I walk, walk and walk but it seems like the shard was rather far away. No amount signs were increasing it was just like I was roaming endlessly. What a waste of time wandering endlessly and finding random objects. This time could have been better utilised for doing some important piece of research.

At least signs of the shard are coming which is good but where they are coming from is bad news, as it coming right from the centre of that waterfall.