COI C120
Tabitha is actually growing stronger and stronger with each original ability being used daily. The most preferred skills she loves to do is telepathy. The guildmember who is being on tap on her progress is now becoming better than he had found out. Yui was the first who discover from what he was thinking. She examined Tabitha’s evolved telepathy
“I heard our friend with a hat is being searched inside his mind by you”
Tabitha’s room was invaded by her. It was forced than asking to be invited in. In this case, this is important.
“Guildmember found out you have ‘level up’ or whatever that means . . . That beast howls cautiously to your tricks”
“Uhm, what’s that even mean?”
“Oh, just level up your understandings and we could make it easier. Go on and ‘grind’ or ‘farm’ for the experiences to set your stats for something else”
The guildmember comes in and speak through their mind, as a middle man and quickly understand both sides. Tabitha learns she already knew and keeps playing with the façade. While Yui held her head as spoilers rushing in without any single mistakes given to her mind.
Everything went clear, and the guildmember speaks out for Yui’s dissatisfaction from what he did. “Ehem* Since we don’t make it quick, let’s talk about it”
Tabitha stood there listen carefully. Yui was a bit annoyed for making it quick by flashing on their heads with information and their respective views.
“. . . Impressive how your telepathy is becoming stronger and able to read minds, I admit that guildmember explains the most difficult function of your telepathy. I was hoping for testing”
“Please don’t Yui, I don’t want to read people’s mind”
“That’s were your wrong, there are special interaction with magic; for example, mixing spells from your world’s fantasy can be possible”
Tabitha listens to her ramble until they are done. The only thing she needs to be cautious about the connection with telepathy. Mind and communicating interaction, this will be proven to have an accident. Today is the day, she already made her first mistake without thinking. Mix between her bind and telepathy with Archivist and partially with Kiege, it was easy for her not reach within their heads since the bind showing the awareness of her powers reaching them. Sanquin is an exception of her all-knowing magic when it comes to communication.
Not for the shield student though, at just that moment. Tabitha had mistakenly read deep inside his head where the memories lie to the important life and death experience in his life in this world. The shield student sheds a tear when he saw parts of Tabitha’s memory, she was not aware what something goes wrong with her. Especially a familiar face she remembers, a man inside the rat man’s realm. Only seen images and not his voice or anything about the time he is with. She wants to reach him out to know who is that person is. Then she stops as everyone is trying to see what’s going on.
Archivist continues “You heard me. You have gained abilities that Sanquin allows you to do. We have formed a bond through the rituals of Circoston origin, which adopts both Sanquin’s systematic order of your inner mana with my origins of preparations. In other words, two can’t go exist together as mine is slowly fading by the powerful placements on you by Sanquin herself. I will be able to share both of our mind into one, but I can only do so in the form of meditation. We won’t be sharing the limits of your strength”
The shield student slowly nods and takes a glimpse on Tabitha, Tabitha saw it as he looks rather anxious and worried about her, and Archivist is sending his thoughts to her “There is some trouble when linking with me with him, I guess he also knows about your side of the story. Is this what Yui mention about your new telepathy?”
“You’re right, and I can also transmit my memory only by vision. Sanquin’s presence is probably made me do it accidentally”
After that rowdy incident, they are finally relief to see him is getting better and new abilities on him are set into temporary. The info shows that he is being in the balance between the ritual and the blessings. Sanquin is allowing it to share with him, and ready for the last hour, they are starting first to muster up some skills. Archivist places himself somewhere safe, the teachers follow his instructions to volunteer who is strongest to face him in melee only. There is one, and Flourance don’t like about him
“Clark, I know that you’re the best fighter after all . . . Wait, are you using teacher Haw’s instinct potion”
“Oh, shut up. If that incident was all for show. You also admit that woman comes out from teacher Archivist is more than just out of the ordinary. I want to see Miyusuki, that show doesn’t make a drama out of it”
Clark, he was not serious of being an adventurer, except for being athletic on sports. Based on from martial arts, he is starting to get interested of how Archivist performs. With his eyes strictly focusing on to the shield student, he takes his potion and feels sensing the danger around him. His instinct kicks in and ready for their duel.
The shield student is nervous, keeping himself calm trying to face Clark for the first time. He is a genuine participant in competition in martial arts. The shield student doesn’t know which sports he was in and can’t thinking about it as this is a fantasy like duel. The flying kicks, the charges, and anything more unpredictable he had to imagine. The two readies themselves. As Clark already prepare his stance, the shield student only prepares only his shield. Everybody is anticipating what is going on, where other schools start to notice it.
The school teachers found Archivist meditating with the Sister’s Hope teachers guarding him. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“A lot exactly, but let’s just say those Enders have unlock something for the last hour”
Archivist is relaxing himself and sits an Indian sitting position. The mask hid his face with his mask holding the sounds of his breathing, a slight lost of his mask gives a strong loud deep sigh. The mask forms an expression of sleeping with an innocent face smiling.
Clark says his exchanges “Miyusuki, it’s not long for you to even train yourself. Now you are getting popular with your gauntlet, do you think it will be a challenge for me to face it?”
“Sorry Clark, I’m a feeling bad for a moment. This experience I am having is making me questions rather strengthening me”
Clark didn’t believe him as he buffs himself, setting his RAP open with vacant points and empty slots to fill while they fight. He warns him though
“My required action points are not in use, if you are actually fooling me around. I can adjust it to the best of my abilities in mid-fight”
The shield student looks at his RAP, he has limited to low tier action points. The better ones are locked thanks for his inner mana is separated from his core and only flowing around his body. Now with Archivist linking close to his mana flow, his body feels he has less control than ever before. His core is weakening and his body is enduring the stress inside of him. Without a ‘doubt’, the two goes to their position. Archivist places his hands together with his fingertips, an image of the core appeared on his palms as he stretches out. They notice it, it belongs to the shield student as the doll is formed and an orb like display.
Archivist is carefully controlling him. To those who look at Archivist, they found out they are in link together. The match is starting, Clark takes the first move. He dashes forward gives the first strike. Archivist moves around his hands on the orb where strings attached to the doll. The slight movement of his fingers able to move the shield student to the slightest, to only with his shield up high and blocks it. Clark quickly strengthens his strike in such a small distance reaching to his shield. A large shockwave burst through his shield, the shield student able to parry it and follow the momentum to swing around himself then counters him with his throwing daggers.
Clark’s instinct able to dodge it with so close measures in such a high-speed reaction. The students see the projectiles blocked in lightning-fast speed. A moment of pause for both of them, the shield student is starting building up inside of him, his body is in link with Archivist as he controls him in a forced way. He’s experiencing such control that his will being guided but can’t coordinate it as his body is reacting from Clark’s sudden attack. Meanwhile Clark starts to get serious, his first attack was easily deflected and even parried then countered in the end. The silent grew tense and Clark’s stance begin to relax and dangerously setting in.
Tabitha watches the match as the fight is thriving to have the same like Sanquin. There are times when Sanquin and Yui duel each other out. Sanquin never once used her own mana to fight, slowly building up the current of mana used while the fight drags on. Surely, Tabitha always sees them having draws with no indication of each side is winning. The shield student, he is already starting to breathe heavily. It is also proven that his stamina and endurance were not challenged to reach this high of reflex and agility. His natural body wasn’t even starting to reach discipline performance. Yet, she wonders more how Archivist controlling him.
The shield student’s body is acting up, adrenaline surging through his eyes and his mind went blank, only his body is extremely active with his pulsing heart uncontrollably exerting to the best of his abilities. The rush on his mind, letting someone guide his body to the right direction. It wasn’t that easy for him to endure such enforcing mana clinging outside of his mana core, and Clark’s aura pushing his presence to halt his advances. His mind is being blurred to the pressure and he can only watch.
Clark wasn’t holding back since the beginning, to believe that he watched two of them performing a ritual. Now he sees that there is some special magic involved. The shield student is able to know where and when he starts. With only his instinct potion helps him from the counter. He continues, magic flows through his fingertips as he advances already appearing in front of him where he pushes him back. The shield student takes his shield and tries to block it. His shield flew away to the last moment as Clark switches his punches into disarm. Wide opened, he unleashed furies of his fists.
The shield student keeps stepping backward where he is being cornered leaving him no chance to dodge away neither the left nor right. Clark keeps moving side to side to every movement the shield student trying to sway away from him. One opportunity hits Clark on his arm, then a slight twitch of his posture turned numb where the shield student had disarmed him somehow. He tries to feel his hands by the sudden lost of magic flowing inside of him, yet still remains well. His instinct didn’t kick in as if he was being gently stopped.
The shield student’s body is burning with imbalance mana flow, the core is empty as it never fills what is needed to exert much energy he has. There he tries to think hard of how his hands able to disarm Clark’s magic. It was mind numbing to actually knows where it cancels his magic. Archivist internally fixated the shield student mana flow, to the farthest limits he could do for him to act. His mind and core are separated that he is already in attrition with his own mind and body. The core is the body and heart, without the heart pulsing the energy needed for the brain to function. He will be weak through exhaustion. But there is another way.
The shield student coughs out from his mouth. The black mist of air with deteriorating aura, releasing unstable negative mana to the air. He raises his hands making his stance, and he swiftly turned to his shield and pick it up. Clark waits for his UI to identify the black air as it looks poisonous and it is, everyone did
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“Danger, depleted mana or called as true exhaust. Note: ‘True’ magic or in citizen’s terms for ultimate ability. However, the difference is that this is naturally affecting the order of neutral mana. It is less consumed mana with highly negative debuffs”
Clark made his mistake, he waited because out curiosity for the shield student to build up his new power, and this power is more severe than he had never thought exist. The exhausted air is now bending to his will then infused it with his shield. His eyes are glowing dark as the exhausting effects is already imbued to him. His instinct can’t sense it as a threat, it just slow and tiring symptoms, can’t be harmful of being tired. The shield student comes to him with full force.
The fight turns grim where the air is affected with exhaustion. Reaching closer to take his first attack, Clark quickly equipped with his rune items. The shield student grabs it as soon as he tries to equip it. No magic, just a normal hand gripping on it like he is just snatching something from him. His shield is bashing towards him, Clark dodges it and tries to sweep off his leg. The shield student slides down to the ground then Clark goes on top of him, and beaten him down. A strong impact hits to the head with loud burst, whereas the shield student is struggling to fight back.
Clark gives him one last blow as two of his hands charging up with a finisher. Strike to his head with magic shows the effects of fiery hands slamming down to his face, the match will be over soon. Then, it stops, his fiery hands quickly turned to bursting torrent of air spreading the exhaustion air everywhere. Clark’s body is being affected by the exhaustion, his mana remained unchanged but his body, his body starts to feel light and getting tired. Dizziness starts to churn it and hears a soft voice in his head of whispering sleeps. This the ultimate he never seen from him. He gazes on him to see the changes.
Set foot on the ground with a flip, the shield student’s eyes change where his eyes are black and the other one has his pupils blank. Archivist is now fully controlled the shield student, with both of their words matching together in sequence. He spokes to Clark
“I’m guessing you’re hesitating as your friend is not fully completed . . .”
He then throws his shield. Clark catches it, the exhaustion magic hid on the handle of the shield. Bending it to its release. Archivist didn’t hesitate and rushed to him while distracted.
His fingers set on touching to every point of Clark’s body exerting strength and mobility. The sounds of bells emitting, the light waves flowing through his body. Clark’s body is paralyzed and is falling to the ground. The shield student grabs his throat without any patience to show mercy.
“. . . But in reality, I was waiting for you to act. I have given you the handicap as I, Archivist, shares the blessings of Sanquin. You may not know her, but why would I have to release it completely for you. I’m sorry being rash, but she already made me an example”
The Archivist’s interaction with the shield student, where in a short time where she interferes. This test is more dangerous they could have hope for, but it gives the expression that they know what they are up against. The other school students watch before their very eyes where the shield student has this kind of trait. While the real Archivist slowly gesturing around the orb, they see it clearly why this is something they need to be serious about.
“And again, if I have the same power as you. Look at this boy, if he knows our ways, you can see how far he can go when he survives this long”
The shield student moves his free hands and placing his points to himself. More like strong blows and adjusting his body, the mana is deliberately taken from Clark’s and continue to try to fix his mana flow. Both of them are slowly getting fix up and gives his final words
“This time, I let the boy do my own abilities. Try not to hesitate again, I am over there meditating and I can’t provide him the ritual for long”
Archivist separates his voice from him and the shield student recovers.
His head comes back after the last vital point being adjusted. He removes his hand from Clark’s neck and said “I’m so sorry, my body is being overwhelmed by someone . . .”
“It’s fine, teacher Archivist had already told me. This blessing though, could you use your employer’s”
The shield student thought he won’t be asking that. The fight was becoming slow because of their expectation for him to act, the shield student was always defending as he himself is worried about something. They still wanting to know about his abilities. The exhaustion magic was Archivist own abilities, never seen that reached their level of power, if he has the citizens’ power.
“Alright, but it will be very short if you made a mistake. I’ll be the one takes the offensive”
“Good, all of us are dying to see”
As they finished talking, the shield student chants loudly in front of everyone. The voice calls out to her and she listens very carefully.
“You have permitted me to use your blessings as my weapon, I shall commit once more for this blessings’ strength and absolute will. Take an example of your glory and legends throughout your guidance, dare punish from you see fit or what I see fit. Bring forth your judgement here and now!”
The shield student’s aura changes to what they have experienced before. The water avatar returns, more dissatisfied as ever. Her gaze marks of anger, while the shield student feels the true nature of her power. Clark takes his defensive stance, and the shield student raises his shield then bashes forward. Clark blocks it then it shatters through him, the bash still hits him through where his mana flow is taken the most hit. His instinct suddenly goes wild where his crucial mana flow is going to burst. Clark manages to escape, but the shield student persists.
Clark knows defending himself won’t do to an aggressive opponent, but the shield student never shown signs of tiredness and pulls him close as he slides his feet to move the ground closer to him. Clark jumps back, then pulled him in again from the air behind him and gusted back to where he is now. He can’t stay still any longer. He finally fights back, then quickly breaks his attacks as the shield student grabs his arm and pushed his shoulder back, locks his legs with his own feet stepping on his.
Sanquin’s voice says to him “You have only thirty seconds, and I finish you off with all the magic you have done to my apprentice. Show all of your strongest skills and I’ll humiliate it all with ease”
The shield student breaks the hold and pushes him into the safe distance. Clark’s instinct is in full alert, the shield student’s next moves are all devastating. His body is being filled with mana that is not belong to him. Sanquin’s mana is flourishing him and the same time taken the mana around them, fused all together; Sanquin, Archivist, and the water realm combine. The tension grows wilder with every sense in Clark’s body.
Clark has to use his ultimate, he unleashed his god like fighting form. His wraths grow exponentially and his techniques are instant hit. He shouts high in excitement
“I will not take this chance to see what you can do, Miyusuki!”
A divine power unleashed where the water avatar quickly materializes along with the shield student. All auras glaring at the shield student with his shield enduring the attacks, he thought about using his dagger but those two never thought of using it. They prefer a hand with shield to hand combat instead.
The two punching it out as Clark released so much attacks than the shield student, yet both of them are not backing out like two anime characters keep fighting nonstop. A large wave of magic bursting around them, where Clark’s side is erupting like volcano while the shield student recollecting them like a cyclone. A devastating punch reached the shield student as it crumbling and melting like magma dripping from his body, Clark sees his opportunity, but quickly breaks off where the shield student slaps off his punches away without any effort. The shield student recovers quickly in blink of an eye.
Clark’s god like form is being taken advantage, the fury he unleashed is calming down to no threat for him. He sees the shield student’s body recovering as it is being remolded back to normal like he is forging his body, he is repairing it. The spread of magic comes alive and the two parry both of themselves away. Both turns around with the same speed but Clark being outmaneuvered as the environment shift to the shield student’s side. Clark realizes that the shield student is focusing his surroundings. Forgotten what Archivist shows the example yesterday as he hid the techniques around them.
Now on the ground is formed, all mana comes from him, the water realm, and from Sanquin flowing altogether in such a fast pace. The shield student hits him from a far as the environment is coming for him, Clark breaks through as the damage surging higher for his wrath to continue on. With every muscle of his body being nulled and disarm from the previous attacks, he is becoming immune. The fight is reaching close to thirty seconds as both never stop fighting. Then it reaches it designated time, Clark received a hand to the shoulder, forcing out the powers he had inside. No time to react as the final blow commences.
The shield student pulls up the powers he taken from him into a slapping fan then smack at his behind. The students were shock and the teachers froze from his anticlimactic move on him. However, was it that humiliating or . . . was it the punishment for using the blessing to a weakling. Sanquin had sent her message to him. Dare to comply from the shield student’s chant
“. . . Bring forth your judgement here and now!” echoing to his head. The marks forge onto him as he won’t be able to use his magic for the day.
Writing marks appeared on his butt, embarrassing but worth it. The teachers check on him and see what’s with the blinding light on his butt “Blessings or curse, as my apprentice spoke to me as it will be gone as the request is been done”
Alche says to Clark “Wow then, you can’t be joining the last hour”
The students turn to the shield student after what he had done, then they look to Clark as he smiles at him and experience something he never could not believe exist. He said to him inspiringly embarrassingly tone
“It can be you if you work enough. I wish you good luck being the Raker Mawn guild member”
The shield student comes closer to him and shakes his hand. That incident by slapping his butt was not intentional but one of the conditions he had to choose. During that fight, he felt he is not alone. Strangely, both Archivist and Sanquin are reaching out to him inside his head. Going through the abilities that he could not use for the first time, and his senses reach out instead from himself. Sanquin guides him to the most powerful skills while Archivist guides him to calm down Clark’s attack. The Ying and Yang philosophy is molding in with the martial arts, making it possible if he has the confidence.
Now looking at his own hands being flowed harmoniously all three together, this is must be the secrets of those rebellion been doing. That sight where they easily pushing through the rat men like there are nothing but pest, and he also learn they have a weakness. Again, he takes a deep breath and shows signs of fatigue. His body couldn’t endure the stamina needed to exert, pushing great effort to do it. Without his mana to use magic to fill up his stamina, he leaves him into a fatigue he never experienced.
The exhaustion magic is as dangerous to those who neglect their healthy body. Alche is the first to realize the severity when exposed by it. Thankfully, Clark is responsible for his body and shows no effects. Yet, there is a flawed in most healthy people in their country. It is the lack of sleep, and Clark is already show signs of fatigue. This kid has something so much training by reaching his limits every day. It shows quite well without a doubt, the fight is over and they found their options to deal with the last hour.
Archivist breaks off his meditation. Tabitha looks at him along with the other teachers, with a special person from the International Private teacher.
“I guess I over done it”
“This is not what you call “over done it” and I want to know how it can be done against those dark sea monsters?”
“Like all of us, we don’t know how it can do against people with mana. Runes or any other types of mana you can think off, the main goal is to defeat and not destroy them. From our point of view, we want you people to able to defeat or retreat”
“I heard that from the Agatheans”
Archivist didn’t say after that, he can say what he thinks is important “You will be surprised of why those dark sea monsters weren’t extinct”
“Oh, then we have to wait and see at the final hour”
He walks away going to the shield student. They look at Tabitha for suggestions, and she gives ‘I don’t know’ look and wonders off.
“Alright, I hope that this event worth it”
They take their leave and take their students elsewhere. Whereas the girl from the International Private school, she is able to identify what really means. She turns to her teacher and said,
“The dark sea monsters had an intelligent being inside, sleeping or comatose for some reason. There is a legend I can’t describe it”
They turn around and look at Archivist one more time. A legend that he won’t talk about, either it be suspicious of him or actually just a legend itself. Then they turn to look at the abyssal waters, in night vision, they are still look normal fishes. They kept in mind and let the fun continue for the rest of their day. One of the High Borne Knights teachers picks out his device and call someone
“Yeah, it’s me. The Enders are acting up again. No, they are not from Dexter’s. They are from Dr. Myrrkei’s companions . . . Ok . . . I’ll be observing at the final hour, bye”
The shield student meets with Archivist. Joanne and the others were all trying to call out to him, but the most important thing to do now is to check on him.
“I am wondering, how will you know that the blessings had more usefulness beside stopping you using your mana?”
The shield student agreed and added “Would it be better that you can explain in to me? Did the others like teacher Haw know about it?”
Archivist shows an expression of confusion, yet still smiling all the way. “Raker Mawn guild didn’t have a common expertise. It is a collection of experts and newcomers to fill in the work needed for the quest”
“Like what?”
Archivist turns to Tabitha, she too experiencing questing inside the guild, doing some paper works, she remembers the details of their reports. She summarized it.
“You would be surprise of how open and wide the variation of quest they have. Even though I join one guild and can’t compare the other, this guild is a group of people with individuality . . .”
“Individuality?”
Tabitha laughs out loud of being confused herself, even the students are looking at her being incompetent guild member. She continues
“. . . Remember your two teachers and the other guild members we have . . .”
Haw is a potion craftsman with knowledge from the Dexter guild, his contribution on the sphere where his knowledge comes from archscience. Ironno, a builder who is building safe houses around the city, publicly, that he is known for as of now. U’ecin, a vigilante famed by most citizens in Mihayara district, one of the exemptions to allow serious harm to the people they hated. Sanquin, only known for from the stories of the city guild and the Sister’s Hope school, she is clearly an administrator and secrets of her being powerful who gives the shield student her blessings. Lastly those two.
Hopes seem lost to understand, Tabitha turns to Archivist, and he gives her the light smug sounds. “Let’s make it clear, different powers don’t mean same origins. The guild is the collection of rare or precious group of people with different mindset and abilities. The best example is the Dexter Guild with the stereotype being manufacturers and construction workers. Anyway, you won’t understand either way since you need to see out entire guild to understand fully”
Archivist paused for a moment, and not noticeable for the students to see his reaction. Hid away from his mask, he senses something hiding inside the abyssal waters. It is not a demon, but a creature shows siphoning secretly from the aftermath of the match. The sea serpent was able to catch it. Its scales are blending into the water, no night vision nor identify methods to ever find it. He can only sense it, an elven creature swimming patiently. An old ancient creature of the dark, Sanquin is truly giving her blessings for this.