Episode 5: Young Trials

  Chapter 012 - Trials of Speed

  VYNELOR

  Adaptation Path — 1/5 Activated

  Quick Speed ? Lv. 10

  WALLAN

  Adaptation Path — 1/11 Activated

  Quick Speed ? Lv. 30

  Bare feet slapped against the dirt, and the clearing rang. Wallan, nearly twice Vynelor’s height, closed in swiftly. There was an obvious restraint in his movement, clearly with how his arms were loose and almost awkward in its purpose. But he kept the challenge going. He raised his leg for a sweeping kick, gazing at the child’s feet coordination to trip him.

  Vynelor ducked under the swing, kicking up dust as he slid across the ground. He emerged behind him. Wallan spun around, already throwing a punch. Vynelor sprang back just in time and jolted back. The fist sliced through the air inches from his face. He withdrew to arm’s length and caught his breath.

  But Wallan advanced in his Quick Speed, closing the gap in a blink. He launched an uppercut toward Vynelor’s jaw. The boy snapped his head back in the nick of time. But Wallan didn’t let up. A hook followed right after. Vynelor dropped low, the strike grazing the air where his head had been.

  He twisted sideways and pushed off the ground, landing behind Wallan. With a crouch, he lunged and aimed his elbow on the ribs—with Quick Speed giving enough speed to drive it through. But Wallan stepped back at the last second, letting the strike sail past.

  The two stood from a distance, Vynelor’s breathing quick and shallow. Wallan, by contrast, unbothered.

  “You need to improve your leg coordination,” Wallan muttered as he began to circle. “The higher your Quick Speed, the more reaction time, coordination, and planning you’ll need. Time doesn’t slow, so make up the speed with focus.”

  Vynelor pouted. “I know! Stop saying stuff you said yesterday.”

  “Then quit making the same mistakes. You’ll never beat me otherwise.”

  He sighed. “Just give me a breather. I don’t want to get beaten that hard. But just you wait—I’ll beat you.”

  “Harsh training is the only way to improve Adaptation Paths like Quick Speed,” said Wallan, stopping and turning to face the boy. “The only way to survive in RrodKa is with a stronger system. Your system evolves through how you interact with the world around you. Adaptation Paths are all about the physical and magical—but mostly physical.”

  “Why physical?” Vynelor asked.

  “Muscle repairs and strengthens after physical stress. In the same way, your system toughens to resist whatever is hurting you. Quick Speed needs constant pressure that forces you to react faster, dodge attacks, and stay in motion. At a high enough level, you’ll be able to run from anything,” he said, stepping forward to close the gap. “And I will get you there.”

  In response, Vynelor took a step back, trying to think of something to delay the fight. “Um… What if I just use magic instead? I’m too small.”

  “No magic, like I said. Besides, reading my movements will improve your magic too. Both rely on focus. Strengthen that, and you improve both magical and physical abilities. Watch how I move, and plan your next action. Don’t get distracted by anything else.”

  “But what if—”

  “Focus.”

  With a pivot, Wallan vanished to the right. The sudden burst of motion was too quick for the boy to register. What would be readable to those of higher experience triggered a mild panic in Vynelor.

  Catching just enough of his silhouette darting right, Vynelor turned to focus on him. Wallan reappeared at his flank, arm already drawn back.

  Vynelor twisted just in time to dodge the punch and leap backward. Wallan watched every movement like surveillance. He pursued.

  He pulled his arm back for another blow. Vynelor blocked it with his forearm, grunting as the impact struck. His cloak snapped back from the force.

  –7 HP

  HP: 122 / 129

  The numbers flickered across Vynelor’s vision, and a passing thought flashed, thinking this would leave a bruise. But he ignored them. His body already knew how to move, but he needed space to breathe and counter.

  Scanning the forest around him, he retreated into the trees.

  “I see where this is going. Interesting,” Wallan said calmly, letting the boy carry out his plan. As Vynelor disappeared into the thick, humid air behind the densely-packed trees, Wallan charged forward to find him.

  Wallan’s eyes narrowed as he stepped into the maze. The air shifted in unpredictable ways. He stood at the heart of the wilderness, where the forest followed magic rather than logic. Roots writhed and flailed from the ground right beside his foot.

  A green leaf drifted down from a branch, an unusual occurrence that caught Wallan’s attention. He watched it, suspecting it might be Vynelor who had disturbed it. It floated and landed on his cheek. Upon contact, a short flare of green light pulsed from it. The leaf dissolved into glowing particles, sliding into his weathered skin before evaporating like dust.

  Suddenly, there was movement at the edge of his vision.

  There. A shadow darted from trunk to trunk.

  Wallan turned calmly. His posture was relaxed, but every muscle was prepared. He was ready for whatever would come next. “What’s your plan, kid?”

  Leaves stirred overhead. Every disturbance in the canopy sent veins of green light rippling down the tree trunks. Behind that glow, something moved. Vynelor’s silhouette flashed between shafts of light. The place became a light show, the whole forest responding to the child.

  His system pulsed with energy, and heat started to grow on his skin. He moved fast. And faster and faster he got.

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  His path was erratic. He spun left, vaulted right, and ran a circle up the side of a leaning tree. He moved so fast (for his control) that he couldn’t even track himself. He pushed on faster, however. And despite all this, Wallan didn’t move.

  A faint hum stirred in Vynelor’s chest. The system overlay flared with a warning.

  ● System Interruption ●

  You are hurting your body.

  Bodily Capacity — Overused

  Activating Temporary Decrease

  –0.5 DEX/s

  –1 STR/s

  He ignored the warning and pushed harder, fighting against the burning tension in his legs, waist, and back. He climbed to a broad trunk angled above Wallan’s blind side. The focus was pivotal here, his breath caught on this one moment. Just one clean hit.

  With a burst of force, he launched himself.

  The boy became a blur, descending rapidly, cloak fluttering, elbow stretched toward Wallan’s exposed rear. It was a clean strike… or so it seemed.

  Wallan shifted. A light shuffle. A quiet exhale. And a simple step to the side.

  The air cracked, and so did Vynelor’s confidence. His focused eyes quickly widened to panic. The next thing he knew, the ground was rushing up to meet him. His body flailed midair, unsure of what to do. He thrust his hands forward, trying to brace for impact.

  Thud.

  Dust burst outward as his limbs scraped across the packed soil.

  –52 HP

  HP: 77 / 129

  A sharp breath escaped his lungs. He grimaced as a stinging pulse shot through his thigh. His chest heaved, trying to gasp for air. When he took a large breath, his chest stung. The impact had done more damage to his torso than he’d realized. And in fairness, the speed of his descent was comparable to jumping off a cliff.

  “Urgh…” Vynelor exhaled. “Did I break a rib…?”

  Wallan hadn’t moved from where he stood. He glanced over his shoulder at the boy and said, “That was close. Speed without control will just chew you up.”

  “Shut up…” he managed. But each breath came with a sharp, searing pain radiating from his chest. He had, in fact, broken a rib. Maybe two.

  Vynelor’s hands trembled. His palms tingled from taking part in the impact. Little pebbles and dirt stuck to his skin.

  While trying to dust himself, a system screen appeared beside his pained expression.

  ● System Update ●

  Constitutive Restoration Detected — From the one who once cradled you.

  Health Restorative Rune — Applied

  +Max Health

  HP: 129 / 129

  Wallan had shattered another rune and sprinkled the dust over the boy. As the power seeped into his body, Vynelor felt his energy replenishing. His ribs realigned with a strange internal tug, and the pain and internal bleeding was flushed clean.

  “I have plenty,” Wallan said, which only annoyed Vynelor further. “It’s easy to make health runes when you live in the wilderness. You can find Liqo Herbs easily if you know what they need. Break as many ribs as you want.”

  “How about we don’t break ribs…” Vynelor muttered as he stood, checking his movements for lingering discomfort. Liqo Herbs are not common plants in the wild, mostly inhabiting the denser regions of the wilderness. The boy still got bothered, however. Wallan’s journey was mostly going around to find these herbs to raise them, grind them, enchant them, and store them in a rune. Typically forging a rune takes a couple of hours for any novice sorcerer, like Wallan. Some could make one at a shorter rate. But this man had no other reason to use them except for Vynelor, which clearly left a horrible taste.

  He stretched his arms above his head and arched his back, testing his flexibility. After giving his limbs one last good shake, and feeling all new and refreshed, he bounced back on his heels like an excited kid. After all, he knew exactly what came after a full recovery.

  His system displayed a new line of text, something far more satisfying than a decreasing HP bar.

  ● System Update ●

  Strain tempers steel. Pain builds power.

  Endurance Capacity Threshold — Fulfilled

  The system’s response time to stress varied. But in every case, it waited until after full recovery before upgrading a stat. Just as micro-tears in muscle fibers strengthened over time, so too did the system, adapting in response to physical strain. The nature of the stress determined which stat would grow. Still, most upgrades required repeated exertion. The higher a stat climbed, the more effort it took to raise it again.

  Vynelor had endured a full week of Wallan’s brutal training to see his dexterity increase by just one imprint. His DEX now held 58 imprints, a long and painful history. But watching those numbers rise remained his biggest motivation, like any child yearning to grow stronger. Thanks to instant recovery, the system was able to log the imprint now—something that normally wouldn’t happen until the rib had fully healed.

  “So,” Wallan said, bumping a shoulder against the boy’s. “Another round?”

  Vynelor pouted, straightening up, turning his body toward him, and patting his stomach to imply something. “What does it sound like to you?”

  “Sounds like a firm yes,” Wallan said, walking in the opposite direction from their camp.

  Vynelor turned back toward the fire, still burning. The fish continued to roast… which was definitely overcooked by now. He clicked his tongue and let out a grunt. “Sounds like I want food! Food! Hello?!”

  Temperament Slate — 2/6 Awakened

  Hungerstall ? Lv. 9: You will resist hunger for some time, but not forever.

  Worthseek ? Lv. 8: His words carry weight. Listen to him.

  Even his system chimed in.

  But Wallan kept walking with his back facing the boy. He stopped at the far end of the clearing, a familiar stance. Then he faced him with a measured look. The scar running down his face said more than his words. “Let’s eat after this round. I’ve noticed something you’re lacking, and I want to double-check.”

  The boy shrugged. “How about you just tell me?”

  Wallan’s brows furrowed. “Stop that attitude of yours.”

  A sigh. “Sorry.”

  “What I’ve noticed is a lack of body coordination,” Wallan continued. “I need to see where you’re struggling the most. Let the hunger run through you. It makes the body more desperate.”

  “Oh, so that helps you or something? Me being hungry?” he said, his tone edging toward sass.

  “Just a few minutes. And I know when the food’s fully cooked,” Wallan replied, crouching low. “Keep my core lesson in mind. Always.”

  “I know,” the boy said reluctantly, repeating the most important rule the man had taught him for years: “Go for the neck or heart.”

  “Yes. Last for two minutes. No stopping.”

  WALLAN

  Adaptation Path — 1/11 Activated

  Quick Speed ? Lv. 30

  His speed surged, and his figure vanished.

  “Two minutes?!” the boy shouted, completely baffled. “You’ve got to be—”

  “Focus,” said the man who appeared right beside him. His fist was already raised, aiming squarely at the boy’s stomach.

  Vynelor looked up, his bafflement turning to shock, and then to acceptance. “Oh—”

  –18 HP

  HP: 111 / 129

  Back at camp, the fish continued roasting, waiting to be eaten by someone. But the same child was seen soaring overhead, flying through the air and crashing to the ground. The fish sizzled with a golden-brown layer. They could wait for him to be thrown above them a few more times.