NOVEL NEXT 187 – Promotion Trial
It had been two months since Genji last met Alysha, and a lot had changed at the workshop. For one, the previously barren space had finally welcomed some students, with several people enthusiastically applying for lessons. Well... okay, that might be putting it euphemistically.
Let me rephrase. Among the group in the studio, only half were genuinely passionate about the craft, while the other half had ulterior motives for being there. Of the three true carvers in the workshop, Alysha and Finlosh, the founders, made up two. The third was Helen, a young lady from an ancient family of carvers.
Helen had admired Finlosh's work for a long time and applied to be his student as soon as she heard about the studio. Her family, being somewhat well-off, happily supported her endeavor. After all, it’s not often that children of this generation are so keen on continuing their family traditions. Essentially, in all the time they had been open, they had accepted only one true student.
The first person to apply was Kosa, who was afraid of straying too far from Alysha. After her experiences in the previous encounter, Kosa became paranoid that she would be silenced if she gave the agents an opening. For the sake of her own safety, she applied to stay close to Alysha, even during her days off, treating Alysha as a refuge from danger. In an ironic twist, Kosa, the bodyguard, had become the protected one.
This, of course, caused some misunderstandings with Alysha's mother, who gushed about how dedicated Kosa was. Then came the lecture about how Kosa should take better care of herself and find a life outside of work. "It's not healthy to work so much," she said, much to Kosa's exasperation.
It was like a parent giving genuine advice, only for it to be completely irrelevant to the situation. And the worst part? Kosa couldn't explain any of this. That would be a surefire way to be silenced. After all, the government doesn't take kindly to her spilling these secrets.
That's why the agents are here. Plus, would Alysha's parents even believe her? What is she supposed to say? That she's not sticking close to their daughter because she wants to work, but because she's afraid of getting killed? Come on! Not even a toddler would believe that claim. So Kosa could only accept this reality and begrudgingly pass the days feigning interest in woodcarving.
'What has my life become?' She sighed to herself and gave the nearby agents a stink eye.
Yes, agents. As in multiple. They weren't part of the "bodyguard" duty but rather part of the students here. Due to her insistent loitering in the area, the government deployed two other agents, one male and one female, here in case she accidentally blurted out something she shouldn't. Although they were in plain clothes and resembled normal civilians, Kosa could see right through them.
After all, they'd glanced at her enough times to make any interaction awkward. Was she really supposed to believe they weren't monitoring her? That they were purely admiring her beauty? She might be good-looking, but she's not narcissistic enough to believe that. Plus, what are the chances that both of them happened to have a crush on her, despite being the 2nd and 3rd students of the workshop?
On the topic of love and idealistic interests, let's talk about the 5th student of the school. This one is unique compared to the others because he's really young. If Kosa had to guess, she would say he's no more than 10.
Also, Kosa could have sworn she saw him in one of Alysha's classes when she went to pick Alysha up from school. Pairing that with the not-so-subtle glances the kid kept throwing Alysha's way and frequent blushes every time Alysha returned the gaze, it didn't take much for Kosa to figure out his intentions.
She was so confident in her deduction that she swore she would eat this block of wood if she was wrong.
To sum everything up, we have two adults who won't stop glancing at a beautiful bodyguard, who also won't stop looking at the two kids. Then we have the boy who constantly peeks at the girl, an old man who low-key worships the little girl, and a young lady who high-key worships the old man. On top of that, there is a buff bodyguard in the background, shaking his head at everything. It certainly is a strange scene, to say the least.
'Ughhh, why am I surrounded by weirdos?' Kosa bemoaned to herself.
"You look like you're having a bad week. Did something happen?" A voice sounded behind her, startling everyone and eliciting different responses.
The distant agents instinctively reached for their concealed firearms, verifying Kosa's conjecture. At the same time, the former assassin twisted her torso and delivered a heavy elbow at the head.
*Pak*
A firm grasp stopped the strike and held Kosa’s arm in place, forcing her to evaluate who she had attacked. ‘It’s that time of the month already?’ She sighed, losing all motivation to continue.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that,” she said, pulling her arm back. “It triggers some nasty reactions from them.”
“Sorry, it’s a habit,” Genji replied, causing Kosa to grumble to herself.
‘Habit, my ass. What kind of crazy shit requires you to hide your presence like that?’
Then Genji’s gaze shifted to the agents, whose faces were drenched in sweat. “I don’t think we’ve met. Are you okay? You seem to be sweating a lot.”
“N-no. It’s nothing. It’s just really hot right now,” the female agent stuttered, attempting to dismiss the topic. It was an obvious lie since it was only spring, far from the searing summer heat that would induce such symptoms.
“You sure? Maybe you should see a doctor. It would be a shame if anything unnatural happened to you.”
“Thank you for the concern. We’ll make sure to take care of our bodies,” the agent's colleague chimed in.
Kosa inwardly crackled at this sight, taking schadenfreude in their predicament. ‘For once, I’m not on the receiving end of his insincere concerns/threats. So this is why he likes asking these questions. I’ll admit, it is funny to watch.’
At this moment, Alysha ran over and leaped at Genji for a hug. She snuggled against him like a cat, refusing to let go. Watching this, Kosa sensed a certain kid oozing with jealousy, wishing he were in Genji’s place.
‘Kid, aren’t you a little too young to be thinking about these things?’ Kosa mused to herself.
Alysha eventually released her hold after Finlosh cleared his throat a few times. “Nice to see you again,” he greeted Genji.
“Care to introduce everyone?” Genji asked Alysha.
“Oh yeah! Genji, these are my students. I’m teaching them!” she exclaimed in a hyper voice, beaming at him and seeking praise.
Suddenly, Astros jumped down from Genji’s shoulder and bopped Alysha on the forehead. ‘No. He’s mine.’
It took a few moments for Alysha to register what had happened, but when she did, she instantly curled her arms around Astros and squealed, “Fuzzy cat!”
Alysha rubbed her face against Astros’s, cuddling him like a plush toy. She had wanted to do this ever since their last meeting, but Astros had been too reticent. Now that he’d willingly leaped into her arms, Alysha was determined to make the most of it.
Astros flailed around helplessly like a drowning cat, unable to escape Alysha’s grasp without actually harming her. After a few failed attempts, Astros began regretting giving in to his sudden impulse and cried out to Genji for help.
“Now, now, you’re going to scare the little guy,” Genji said, patting her back.
Alysha cuddled Astros for a few moments longer before reluctantly releasing him and apologizing. "Sorry, you were just too cute to resist."
Astros paid no heed to her words and immediately darted away. Now that he had finally escaped the evil witch’s clutches, he swore he would never return. Let this be a lesson about jumping into a random girl's arms. Once Astros got significantly far away, he began rubbing himself against the wall, as if trying to rid himself of Alysha’s scent.
‘I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to do that,’ Kosa thought, feeling a pang of envy. But before those thoughts could develop any further, she snapped out of her daze and admonished herself. ‘What are you thinking, Kosa? Are you that eager to be held at knifepoint? That’s the psychopath’s pet! But he’s so cute, though...’
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Helen, who had been watching the scene, asked.
“Yeah, what she said,” Alysha’s classmate echoed, an innate dislike starting to germinate.
“He’s my teacher,” Alysha proudly answered for Genji, hands on her hips.
Helen grew interested in Genji, while the boy grew despondent. From Alysha's admiration-filled tone, he realized it would be difficult to gain her affection. Genji had simply made too deep an impression on her.
Unless he could overcome this, there was a high chance his one-sided crush would end here. However, he wasn’t willing to give up so easily. How could he be worthy of her if he backed down at the slightest obstacle?
‘So what if he’s her teacher? I’m not going to back down just because of that. If it’s his skills she admires, then I’ll become better than him. That way, she’ll have no choice but to give me a chance.’
Genji didn’t understand why the kid was giving him such a fiery glare, but he smiled back, encouraging him in whatever endeavor he was about to undertake.
“Can you show me your skills?” Helen asked.
“Sure, why not?" Genji shrugged. "I’ll need some wood and a knife, though”
Finlosh smiled and motioned for Genji to follow him. “Where do you think you are? Help yourself,” he said, turning a corner and pointing to a shelf stocked with various types of wood. Genji selected a small piece, and everyone but the agents and Kosa sat down in a circle around him. Genji then began to work his blade under everyone’s attentive gazes, slowly weaving the knife between strips of bark.
“Phew, he’s scarier in person than the reports described,” the agents mumbled softly from the sidelines.
“You know he can hear you, right?” Kosa whispered, causing the agents to glance at Genji in panic. Only after they saw that he didn’t react did they relax and turn to give Kosa pitying looks.
“I can’t believe you dealt with him for so long. It must have been hard.”
‘Hey! What’s that supposed to mean? You’re in the same situation, you know? Don’t make it seem like I’m a victim of a tragic event. I’m fine, okay? Okay?!?!’
A few minutes later, Genji placed an exquisitely detailed clock tower down and wiped his knife clean. The audience admired the craftsmanship for a few moments before Helen raised her hand.
"Can I ask why your style is so different from Alysha's? Hers feels like a fierce hurricane, while yours is like a gentle rain. How did she become like that?"
Genji smiled and answered, "The mind carves with intent while the body follows. As long as the purpose is the same, the essence will remain unchanged. What you perceive as different is merely your own bias—a product of your limited imagination."
'Huh?'
'???'
'Excuse me, what?'
'Did he just insult us?'
"Think about it, but don't obsess over it if you don't understand," Genji said. "For now, I'll be guiding my apprentice."
Genji walked off with Alysha, leaving the group scratching their heads in confusion.
"Master Finlosh, do you understand anything he just said?" Helen eventually asked, breaking the silence.
"No, but it sounds profound, like something an enlightened sage would say in a martial arts novel," Finlosh answered with a light chuckle and stroking his beard.
"Then it probably is," Kosa said, picking up the carving for a closer examination. "Knowing him, chances are he said that to mess with-"
Her words suddenly stopped, as she sensed something swishing around inside the clock tower. It felt as if the interior was hollow rather than solid.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Kosa?" Helen asked, noticing her pause.
"No, it's nothing," Kosa replied with a nervous chuckle. "AnywayIBetterGetGoingNow."
"What was that about?" Helen wondered as Kosa ran off without a second look. "Wait, where did the carving go?"
"..."
"..."
"I think Kosa took it with her," Finlosh finally answered after a few seconds.
"..."
"..."
'She really has a knack for getting into trouble,' the bodyguard sighed to himself.
Later that night, Kosa sat in her room, her arms trembling as she turned the hand crank on the side of the wooden clock tower. A soft grinding of gears reverberated from within the structure, along with the sifting of wood dust. The hands of the tower began moving, much to her terror, and the pendulum slowly swayed.
It was a crudely made contraption, but it worked. And Kosa couldn't understand how this was possible, despite having witnessed every moment of its creation. That was what terrified her the most.
"You know, it's not nice to touch other people's things without permission," a familiar voice sounded from behind, paralyzing her.
Kosa mechanically turned around to see Genji sitting on her open window sill, his arms crossed with an amused smile.
"Heh-heh, Genji, nice to see you again, heh heh," she awkwardly greeted.
"Alright, hand it back. I would rather not let other people see my experiments."
'Then why did you make it in the first place!?!'
"Don't glare at me like that," Genji continued. "You're the one who stole it before I could put it away."
Kosa sighed in defeat and stepped aside, letting Genji take back his creation. Then he jumped out the window, inducing a mini-panic attack in Kosa. She rushed over and poked her head out, but Genji had already disappeared into the night.
"Seriously, what the fuck does he do? It feels like his skills only get better every time I meet him. Isn't he supposed to be retired?"
The month soon ended, and Genji had to leave again. After bidding his goodbyes and heading to a remote location, Genji quickly found himself back in EverRealm. He descended the stairs to his lab and entered a secluded corner where a rectangular metallic box was securely fastened.
Genji undid the latches, releasing puffs of white steam with each one. Once the pressure subsided, he stepped aside, put on a gas mask, and lifted the lid. Toxic fumes dispersed through the room, prompting the ventilation units to activate and dispel the scent. Genji sped up this process by fanning the fumes towards the vents. After a few minutes, the air cleared, and the foul odor diminished. Inside the box, a leather-wrapped handle was propped up by support rings. Genji unlocked these and slowly pulled out the handle, revealing a dark purple saber.
As the last drops of poison absorbed into the blade, Genji gave it a test swing. The weapon had become heavier, denser, and now sported more ominous spikes, making it a worthy upgrade.
[Saber of Poison, Jaguar]
Rating: Legendary (Degraded once)
Damage: 40 (+4)
Durability: 200/200 (+10)
Requirements: 25 STR, 40 CON
Effects:
- Festering Poison (passive): Poison effects will trigger three times faster. (Increased from 2x)
- Fatal Wound (passive): A single scratch is all you need to poison your target.
- Toxic Assimilation (passive): This saber can absorb other poisons to grow. Absorbed poisons can be stored and released at command. (Triggered twice, changed from status effects to poison)
Description: Under Nightmare Enigma's nurturing, this blade of infection has become one of poisons. It has lost its wide spectrum of compatibilities but has become more specialized in poison, making it even deadlier. Be careful, as a single scratch will apply more status effects than you can imagine.
Note: One cut, one kill. You have become a true menace on the battlefield.
Note 2: This should be obvious, but don't cut yourself with this. It's unknown what poisons will be injected.
The blade had a fishy odor that seemed to seep into its very existence, making anyone who inhaled it seriously ill. Genji had fused many of his poisons into this blade, explaining the high constitution requirement. Compared to before, it had gained a new level of lethality, dangerous to both its wielder and its victims.
"A success," Genji said, letting Bruce morph around it as a temporary sheath. Genji strapped the blade to his back and headed back to his room, ready to review the details of the promotion trial. This trial was similar to the initial world where results determined the rewards, but with key differences. One such discrepancy was the absence of stat points.
This trial is meant to give a significant boost to the participant's power, so rewarding any stat points would disrupt that balance. Yet even without stat points, this trial is akin to gaining the progress of two worlds, or even three with high-scoring results.
It's crucial, and also why champions need legacy liberations to stay ahead in combat power after the second step. Without it, any normal enforcer with good results could easily bridge the gap between ranks.
This is achieved by developing a single trait to a high extent, allowing for a wide diversity of possibilities. After this benchmark, it becomes impossible to find someone with the same abilities, even if they started with the same talent. There might be similar ones, but not identical. Their talent would truly become their own, influenced and molded by their journey.
Due to this, it is possible to lose to someone with traits that counter theirs, despite being the overall stronger combatant. There are many ways to address this weakness, but achieving a high result in this trial is the best way. It allows further development of traits and covering for any defects.
This brings us to the rating system used to measure the results. From lowest to highest, it goes from F to S, with modifiers "-", nothing, and "+." It was the standard letter grading scale.
[Please select your starting mission difficulty. You cannot return until you have finished your objective.]
[Note: Depending on other factors, your final rating might increase or decrease by one letter.]
"So, it's possible to go above the S rank? Like SS?" Genji asked.
[These are the only selectable difficulties. Any actions that might escalate the difficulty are not accounted for.]
[Note: Due to high expectations, anything below an A will result in an automatic status demotion for you. You can't be a Nightmare if you don't have the combat power.]
"I wasn't planning on it anyway." Genji grinned and put on his mask.
[You have selected S-rank difficulty. Your Promotion Trial will now begin.]