16 Masochistic Training (1)

"But I failed…" muttered Arthur, glancing at the empty vial that lay in his hands. The golden fluid had already been properly absorbed by his body.

"It doesn't matter," replied Melzer, patting his shoulder. "I acknowledge you were a player, although you still need to elaborate on that. You're strong… really strong for a newbie, actually. Evading an attack directly given to me by the Norns is a big deal."

"And that means I won the bet?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow. Melzer chuckled before shaking his head.

"No, you lost big time," replied the man. "It's just that I acknowledged you."

"That's… not too bad, I guess," said Arthur.

"First, explain how you were a player," ordered Melzer. "Come inside. There's a spatial spell cast on my home. It's a lot bigger inside."

As Arthur entered Melzer's home, the former realized that the latter was correct. There was a spatial spell attached to his home, which enlarged the inside of the house severalfold. Also, it was much more luxurious on the inside.

"Sit," said Melzer. Arthur nodded before taking a seat on a stool beside the kitchen island. The home was quite similar to modern homes from a plant named 'Earth,' one that had a vast influence on Heaven's Spire.

Many players originated from Earth, and they were known for promoting their culture every chance they received. Noticing Arthur's interest, Melzer spoke, "Do you know what culture this place is based on?"

"Earth," responded Arthur.

"Your answers are solidifying my belief," muttered Melzer before letting out a laugh. "You really are or have been a player. So, mind explaining how you know so much about the tower? Asgard and all?"

"I regressed," responded Arthur stoically. Melzer spat out his drink, staining the floor in saliva and dirty water. However, neither of the two paid any mind to such minor inconveniences. An awkward silence descended upon the room.

"Regressed?" Melzer asked in order to confirm. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"You know what it means," replied Arthur calmly. "I was a player, but I died and ended up in the past. I was forty-two, but am now in the body of my eighteen-year-old self. It was weird for a few days, but I've adapted quite well."

Melzer didn't respond. He simply stroked his chin as if contemplating whether to believe Arthur's preposterous words or not. They were difficult to believe, but judging by the crimson-eyed man's knowledge about the tower, they didn't seem too far-fetched.

The idea was complex. Time was an abstract realm without a ruler.

"I can't fully wrap my head around this idea yet," muttered Melzer, clutching his forehead before massaging his temples.

"You don't have to," replied Arthur stoically. He then stood up with the intent to exit Melzer's house. "Shall we unlock my constitution first?"

Suddenly, a mysterious smile blossomed on Melzer's face. He chuckled before nodding.

"Sure."

*

"Is this… the only way?" Arthur inquired, staring down at the eternal abyss under the cliff he stood on. His face was pale, and although he wasn't fearful, nervousness corroded his mind rapidly.

"Yes," replied Melzer flatly.

The breeze was chilly, since dawn had arisen. The mountain on which Melzer and Arthur stood was thousands of feet above sea level, and the cliff at the edge went right back down to sea level.

The rocks were shaky and loose due to weathering and erosion. And the bottom of the mountain was unknown, as it had never been ventured.

"Jump," ordered Melzer, placing his hands on Arthur's shoulders. "As one who knows about Asgard, you should also know about their practices, right?"

"This is… the Asgardian… way," spoke Arthur unenthusiastically. The jump was certain to take his life, and mana wouldn't assist due to the sheer magnitude of the fall. It was thousands of feet, for god's sake.

Arthur inhaled deeply before moving forward. He swallowed his concerns and did not gaze at the abyss. With the intention of treating his body as a mere tool, the crimson-eyed man moved one foot off the rocks.

At that moment, Melzer's eyes widened. He shot forward before pulling Arthur back onto the mountain. "You're fucking crazy."

"What do you mean?" Arthur responded with emotionless eyes that seemed to be reverting to their original state. Arthur rubbed his forehead, which was encompassed in beads of cold sweat. Yet, he his demeanor contradicted the changes in his body.

"You weren't supposed to jump," admitted Melzer. "It was supposed to be a trick to let you see your final obstacle."

"Final…?" Arthur asked, tilting his head.

"You're supposed to attempt this after your one month training," muttered Melzer, rubbing his forehead in worry. "But your crazy-ass tried jumping on the first day. Are you suicidal or something?"

"You said it was necessary," replied Arthur. "And that there wasn't any other option."

"It was a trick…"

"Fuck you."

Melzer simply sighed before motioning for Arthur to follow behind. The two walked down the mountain, which took several hours to descend from. Then, they headed towards a large tree on the outskirts of the village.

After inspecting the height, Melzer turned to face Arthur. "Climb."

Without questions, the crimson-eyed man quickly climbed the tree before standing atop the highest branch. He held onto the trunk, waiting for instructions from the man down below. Melzer stroked his chin for a few seconds.

"That should be high enough," he muttered. "Jump and land on your left arm."

"Why my left arm?" Arthur asked, tilting his head. Landing on a certain part of one's body would only cause imbalances in one's constitution.

Arthur had asked Melzer to assist in strengthening his body, but causing imbalances would worsen it to the point of no return. Of course, landing flat on his entire body could also go down-hill, but pain wasn't the obstacle.

"Do you want to die?" Melzer inquired, forming an expression of confusion. "I mean, if you're fine with concussions and potentially erectile dysfunction, then sure. Land flat on your body."

Arthur nodded before jumping.

Suddenly, he was reminded of a certain Sword God in a World of Magic.