THEOS

Luke sat in front of the podium and pretended to pay attention to the Hero’s movements. To any outside observers it would seem that he was wholly captivated by her Technique. When in fact, he was poring over his Status Screen.

Status | Skills | Quests | Inventory

Name: Lukas King

Tier: Mortal

Mana: 720

Rate: 15% per hour

Strength: 41 > 43

Agility: 44 > 46

Constitution: 43 > 45

Arcana: 32

Stat Points: 5

Bloodline: Locked. Conditions not met. (1/10 000)

Charges: 7/10

Nine points in one day. Eleven if I include the two points I got for killing the rat a few hours ago. There’s definitely something going on there. I never got this many back at the Society. Ever.

I can’t think of anything I’m doing differently either. Hell if anything, I’ve been taking it easier here than I did at the Society. Less spars, less pushups, less everything.

If it’s not me though, then what is it?

The only thing I can think of that changed, is my physical location. Is that it? Is there something different about the tomb that’s helping me cultivate?

The manual said that as people exercised, their bodies would build themselves better than before, automatically processing the mana in the environment to do so. Is there just more mana here than at the Society? Is that what's making my progress faster? I guess that explains the extra points. I wonder if anyone else has noticed a change?

I could ask, but with the Seed, I have a few more options than the normal cultivator for tracking this sort of thing.

One, at least some of the mana I get from exercising seems to accumulate as Stat Points. So instead of my body putting it wherever automatically, I can choose where it goes. Two, with my sword, every time I kill something or someone, I absorb some of their mana. Which also manifests in the form of Stat Points.

That’s not even mentioning the fact that the Seed tells me my Stats. I know precisely how much stronger I’m getting, and I can track my growth from day to day. Without the Seed, would anyone else even notice that they're getting stronger faster?

Or could it be an influence of the Paragon’s Path? I thought nothing changed except for how fast I recover mana on my Status, but what if it increased how good I am at taking in mana from the environment.

Mana itself is another mystery I need to solve. Eventually. The seed says I have seven-hundred and twenty of it. Still no idea what that actually means, or how much it really is. It’s clearly not the same kind that accumulates as Stat Points.

Otherwise, it would take maybe a few days to completely max out my bloodline and attributes. All without ever lifting a finger.

He felt a headache forming as he tried to figure out how everything worked.

Does any of it really matter though? I mean, it does, but not right now. The only thing I have to worry about is learning the First Stance of the Sword, and then hightailing it off of this Island. Preferably before the status quo changes on me.

Escape and a stress-free life are so close too. I just need to learn three techniques, grab the mask, and figure out how this portal is supposed to work, and then I’m home free.

I can start over somewhere, with a fresh face, and most importantly, without the stress of Nefkha and Arke ripping my soul open.

Alright, that’s enough dreaming for the moment.

Stat Points. I have five of them burning a hole in my pocket, but spending them right now isn’t the wisest choice. I will be weaker in the short term, sure, but I don’t know which attribute is going to end up being the most important.

The way things are going, I’m just as likely to need to be faster, as I am to be sturdier, as I am to be stronger. With the exception of Arcana which only seems to raise the amount of mana I have. Mana which I have no way of using. I should stop investing in it for the moment. At least until the situation becomes a little less threatening.

I didn’t mind putting some of my free points into Arcana when I was at the Society and just working out, but dying because I’m just a little weaker or a little slower is a real risk now. Especially when I’m not just working out all the time.

His mind flashed back to the last trial, and how close he had come to death.

Yeah. No more raising Arcana for the moment, unless I find a way to actually leverage my mana. I’ve already spent thirty-two Stat Points on it, and frankly increasing every other attribute by ten points instead would have made a world of difference. Every fight would have been easier. Even if only marginally.

He looked away from the podium, and found Spiros and Arya in the crowd. Spiros was standing in a corner, every muscle on his body bulging with strain, and sweat forming a puddle at his feet as he tried to move his spear. A rather strange sight, that was becoming increasingly common in the chamber as more and more people attempted to imitate the Hero’s movements.

Arya was still standing at the same place as before.

It looks like she’s moving in slow motion. Super slow motion. It’s actually kind of boring to look at. Luke thought, watching her move her limbs less than an inch every minute as she slowly shifted from one stance to the other. She had been doing so for the past few hours.

Initially there had been a buzz of activity around her, but the crowd had naturally dissipated when it became obvious that it would take her quite a while to finish up, and answer any questions.

None of the people present, it seemed, were impatient enough to interrupt her either. Luke had spotted a few people who looked like they wanted to grab her and demand answers but none had acted so far.

I don’t envy the position she’s going to be in once she finally takes a breather.

Turning back towards the podium, he focused on the Hero. Observing her every motion with the entirety of his focus. Letting every other thought slip from his mind. Not thinking about the position of her blade. Nor about how he would get past her guard. For the moment at least, just watching.

Every swing of her blade is a killing blow. Every shift in her posture is to optimize her attack. To get every ounce of reach, without compromising stability. To perfectly evade her foe's blade, but at the same time making sure she doesn’t create a single opening from where she could be attacked. In fact, he watched her seemingly overextend her arm, giving her would-be opponent an opportunity to disarm her, she’s mixing in feints. Every opening is just a way to lure an enemy in.

It’s like every single move she makes, she promises death. It’s like fighting her, is a guarantee of it. As if the outcome is inevitable.

Suddenly it was like a gong had gone off in his head. Scrambling to his feet, he quickly waded through the other mats, until he found a quiet spot.

Drawing his sword, he held it vertically in front of him. Undaunted when it didn’t move even an inch. He stopped trying to move it at all.

I was right earlier. I can struggle all I want, but I don’t have the strength to brute force it through the motions.

Closing his eyes, he imagined himself standing beside the hero. At first just imagining himself following along with her.

Inevitable. That’s the key. Whatever I do, however I move, the outcome has to be Inevitable. Whatever gets in front of my sword will die.

He applied a small amount of pressure.

His blade began to move. So little and so slowly that Luke would have thought he was imagining it, if it weren’t for the currents of energy he suddenly felt coming alive in his body. Feeling both new and foreign, and at the same time, as if they’d always been there.

Status | Skills | Quests | Inventory

First Stance of the Sword

Tier: Mortal

Progress: 0.01%

His Arcana Stat suddenly ticked up by one, and his total available mana for the briefest of seconds went down a whole point, before reading as full again.

His sword continued its motion. Inching its way through his swing. Another point of mana disappeared from his pool, only to come back a second later. Again.

I’m spending my mana. Huh. Cool.

Status | Skills | Quests | Inventory

First Stance of the Sword

Tier: Mortal

Progress: 0.02%

Do I just keep going?

Luke increased the pressure on his blade. Urging it to move faster. The same sense of resistance overcame him, but instead of stopping his movements completely like before, it merely prevented him from moving any faster.

He strained his muscles as much as he could, even still, his blade failed to move any faster.

Relaxing his muscles, he stopped trying to force progress. Letting the mysterious resistance dictate his pace, as he acted out the motions.

Just taking the time to feel the mana move within his body. Mapping its flow within him.

What if…?

He opened his Status, and added a single Stat Point to his Arcana Stat.

Let’s see what this does.

Status | Skills | Quests | Inventory

Name: Lukas King

Tier: Mortal

Mana: 764 / 765

Rate: 15% per hour

Strength: 43

Agility: 46

Constitution: 45

Arcana: 34

Stat Points: 4

Bloodline: Locked. Conditions not met. (1/10 000)

Charges: 7/10

He shuddered in pleasure, as warmth flowed into every inch of his body. The flow of his mana became a little bit clearer, and he felt a slight pulsing sensation throughout his body as mana practically oozed out of every cell of his being and bolstered the existing flow of energy inside of him by a tiny amount.

Now this is interesting. He suddenly opened his eyes, and sheathed his sword. For the moment, losing interest in learning the First Stance of the Sword, and wanting to play around with his newly discovered mana.

Looking around him, he was happy to see that a crowd hadn’t formed around him like it did with Arya.

That’s good. Looks like no one saw me. I have no clue how to explain any of this to anyone anyway.

Rolling his shoulder, he started making his way to his room. Doing his best to act as inconspicuous as he possibly could, but at the same time, finding it incredibly difficult to keep a smile off his face.

He felt great. He wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of suddenly unlocking his mana, or because he had finally made some progress on the technique. Giving him hope of finally leaving. Or some combination of both. But he felt giddy, and light. Too giddy, and too light.

He wanted to skip, and dance, and sing.

Why do I feel soooooooooo good? This can’t be normal. Just take it easy Luke. Get yourself to your room, and you can figure it out when you get there. He tried to talk himself into not acting strange.

He took a deep breath. Keeping his head down, and his footsteps steady.

That’s right Luke. Just one step at a time. One foot and then the other. Nothing funny going on around here. You just have to get to your room. Ignore that bubbly feeling in your stomach. Don’t laugh out loud for no reason.

Don’t draw attention to yourself. Come on Luke. You can do it!

Why am I talking to myself in the third person? Second person? Does it matter?

Go to your room Luke!

“Hey.” A girl whispered as she walked up beside him. Bumping her elbow into his gently. “I saw your sword move. What did you figure out? Is there some kind of trick?”

Luke stopped in his tracks, and looked at her. Raking his eyes callously across her figure. Starting at her toes, and working his way up her body.

Blue robes. Nice figure. Long black hair. She’s really pretty. And those are absolutely massi —

“I’m Trixie.” She frowned at him.

“HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.” Luke burst out laughing. Dropping to his knees as he laughed uncontrollably.

What the fuck is going on?