Chapter 13: A training day
As they left the garrison while Alexis stored his equipment in her bag, she asked if he wasn't irritated about her item bag.
He reminded her of the hall and the backpack he found underground as he still didn't want to reveal his system and skill.
"Ok, come here for a moment. Put your thumb on the mark of this badge..." A.
The moment his thumb came into contact a sharp pain shot through his hand. Not pulling back after his recent endeavors the pain receded instantly. Alexis stared into his eyes.
"The badge works the same way as the adventurer license. Every slain beast or monster is recorded and can be rewarded, but only if quests are available. The recording is also necessary for ranking up. Ah, that's for later.
As a little bonus, this system lets us form a party. Wanna try?"
***
Alexis invites you to form a Party
[accept] [decline]
***
Accepting the offer I suddenly felt invigorated.
***
Party formed: Alexis
Experience points will be shared
***
***
Heroic company:
Experience gained doubled
***
As he got two notifications he inquired about it from Alexis. The gained experience is shared equally within the party, but only within a certain distance.
Experience points were nothing but the materialized power that had gathered within the defeated opponent. Collecting this power led to increasing levels and therefor again power.
From a certain point on this power would become so immense that even the life expectancy rose exponentially.
And this is where hell started anew for János.
As they reached the Inn again they went directly around to the backyard. Like on Earth, physical education was a basic training. For more than two hours he was forced to do crunches, sit-ups and so on.
To his misfortune Alexis noticed after the first few practices that his strength was very out of the norm. Instead of skipping the training she went away for some minutes. Prepared to skip the training for fighting techniques he was shocked as Alexis came back.
She carried two boulders, easily over 100 pounds each, on her shoulders.
Yes, his training had just begun.
As the sun was nearing its peak he finally was relieved from his 'Morning exercises' as Alexis called them. But the efforts paid off. He got a notification of 'VIT +1' once and 'STR +1' even twice. Though he had no idea what it meant to him. He didn't feel any difference.
Next on her agenda was practical training. For again nearly two hours she had him swing his new sword or mimic fighting stances. He was fairing pretty well, as if he had some inborn talent.
That didn't keep his hands from receiving calluses and his muscles from being worn out.
He was spent.
Deciding to give it a call they went inside the already bustling Inn. Their private desk in front of the bar was free and a plate with Meat already placed on it. Mia had seen them leaving the backyard and prepared their lunch.
"Though the exercises wont give you any experience points, they will strengthen your attributes. For the next days we will keep to it, like it or not..." A.
They were arguing about his torture until now. Mia chuckled as she came to the table. They seemed so familiar even though they knew each other only for some hours.
"You know, you can stay here as long as you need. The both of you... But it won't be for free!"
While saying the last part Mia shot Alexis a sharp glance.
"Oh, no problem here. The boy will work both our shares..." Alexis stated with her arms behind her head and balancing on the tilt back chair. "...See it as payment for me training You, boy!"
And that's how his long days got some extra hours. That evening would be his first work in the inn. But while the sun was still bright, Alexis had already made plans for his further training.
Foreseeing what was to come, János stuffed his belly in hopes to regain as much energy as possible.
And he was dead right.
Alexis took him to the lake he had seen on the map. The one in the northeast. It wasn't that far from Gold Creek, only about 5 miles. With a light jog they went there in just over 40 minutes.
As they arrived at their destination he wanted to simply turn around. That wasn't what he subscribed for...
They stood on a hill overseeing the shore. On the beach was a run down settlement with primitive tents, stands for fish drying and even a small watchtower. All of it seemed built with driftwood and sea grass. This combination sure smelled anything but nice. The dried fish on the stands was helping in no way as the stink rose with the wind uphill to their location.
No, that was all nice and fine for him. But the inhabitants weren't!
Looking like overgrown Piranhas with multiple fins, arms and bipedal, there were about 20 of those Monsters. They came in blue, green and orange hues and were communicating with gurgling tones. His memories of games long ago told him what he saw before he could analyze one.
__________
Murloc (lvl. 6)
[Spear lvl.2]
__________
A fucking Murloc. But they didn't look like those funny comic monsters nor did their language sound adorable, if that even was a language.
"Either you go down and eradicate this camp now or I'll send you right there with a kick in your cute little butt!" A.
It was out of question this was an empty bark. He knew she would do it. And it would hurt like hell!
So he reluctantly ran down the hill towards his first target.
Rushing in as the Murloc spotted him and gurgled for help he trusted out his sword in a straight line. Without much effort he pierced through the flank of the monster. Shifting his weight to the rear leg he turned around and slashed the sword out of the nearly halved Murloc. The bloody fountain was temporary covered by the typical notification.
***
defeated 'Murloc'
80 XP
***
Turning around to a smirking Alexis he was baffled. The Murloc going down in one attack was one thing to wonder, but why the experience points skyrocketed was a whole other story.
Her pointing towards the other side rose him from his stupor. The next wave was incoming. This time it was three at once.
Dodging a thrown Spear he again rushed to the first Monster. This time he dragged his sword behind, just to swing it upwards with the momentum of his rush and a turn as he was within reach. A human would have dodged, at least if he was the minimum skilled. But the Murloc split. In half.
The moment the notification of another 80 Xp popped up lightning struck him. At least it was aimed at him. As always until now the spell got reflected and hit the closest Murloc. But it wasn't over. The lightning struck back to the Murloc which casted the spell, shocking him, and again back to the still electrocuted Murloc János was about to skewer.
***
defeated 'Murlock'
80 XP
***
***
Skill integrated:
Air Magic lvl. 2
***
It smelled of grilled fish. Grinning he walked over to the Monster that just grilled his own fellow. Well, at least technically.
With a wide swing of his sword he beheaded the orange colored Murloc. And then he got an idea that could only be accounted as crazy.
From her viewing spot Alexis saw her new pupil engaging with three Murlocs at once. From what she had seen this morning, those petty monsters posed no threat to him. Under normal circumstances those would have been out of his league as low leveled as he was. But he was way stronger than his level indicated.
The first monster went down as she had anticipated. A little more gory than necessary, but quick. When the orange Murloc cast a chain lightning she was ready to pounce in and help this little cutie of hers.
But it wasn't necessary. The lightning simply bounced off of him. And it went on.
When the two remaining monsters were taken care of, the real horror began.
At least for those pitiful Murlocs.
János began running trough the whole camp, pulling the attention from every monster towards him. He had to dodge a lot of spears though most of them were off aim as he kept running.
As the first lightning was casted at him the show began.
Each and every spell was getting reflected. Lightning strikes and chain lightnings electrocuted and stunned the Murlocs chasing him. Not wasting even one chance J dashed from one monster to the next, delivering lethal blows.
As the slaughtering went on the slashes of his sword got more precise. The training from before showed its first results as he made less useless moves and wasted only a few chances.
He still couldn't perfectly to dodge the monsters that weren't stunned and some thrown spears. As the cuts and grazes accumulated he slowed down. But it wasn't because his stamina had run dry.
No, it was time for testing.
The murlocs had been decimated to less than half when he started to concentrate on his last skill addition. The spell [Chain Lightning] was what he had learned.
The moment one of those monsters chain lightnings bounced off and stopped his pursuers he casted himself. It took way more energy from him as any spell before, but it went off.
If they could, the murlocs would have stare wide eyed. Or if they wouldn't always do that...
Those in J's close proximity ran in all directions, gurgling for help. At the same time all monsters who were able to, started casting their spells. With the returning close combatants and even more casters in tow it ended in a light show to behold.
Flashes shot though the campsite, changing directions or jumping on, lightning was everywhere to see. In the middle stood a tall teen, slashing with his sword now and then.
Fleeing Murlocs pulled theis fellows from adjoining camps, flooding the battlefield with even more targets.
As the last lightning entered a previously orange, then charred black Murloc, it smelled like the biggest fish barbecue you can imagine.
In the middle of the charred battlefield knelt a totally spent J., leaning on his bloody sword.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone