“Ahhh...” Roman moaned in satisfaction, gladness overlapped his full stomach thanks for Mi-Yung's hospitality. “I almost died stuffing my mouth... How nice. Anyway. How are you feeling today, William?” Roman asks him, as he takes a seat to his left.
“Great I guess. With this plate, it's gonna be much better, for obvious reasons... With the amount of stuff you forced upon me, I deserve twice this much!” William says, thinking of the bittersweet memories that took place yesterday. “Apart from the mention of my System, that I did after I woke up... I feel good, that is. I didn't expect so much pain and struggle when the new message over the System goes through the Rank-up of my Skills. It hurt like hell.” he explains, but before hearing the comments of partially surprised Walkers around the table, he shoves half of a sausage down his throat.
“Pain? What sort of changes was in your System?” Roman says in interest.
“The basis of Vector Affinity and something else. Let me eat first... or I will choke myself to death.” William explains, half eating and half speaking.
“Management of the Vector Affinity? Already with the Affinity at this stage... Reaching Rank 1 so fast is quite good. What have you done to him to be that fast, Roman.” Luke asks in curiosity about the plausible cause.
“You already asked about it, and I fear nothing much. Considering the premise of his talent, and efforts, this much is a bit surprising, but not so much. Also, considering the circumstances of losing control twice in the last week, the number of cycles and struggle his Emblem went through made this happen.” Roman explains while leaning on the chair.
“Twice?” Mi-Yung snapped, surprised by that for some reason. “I am sometimes really considering whether your ways of teaching are reasonable... or you are trying to see the new apex of someone's patience, control, and mind.” Her words this time are filled with meaningful words that even William understands. She speaks from her knowledge and experience. Losing control is never a good thing in the grand, or even normalized standards of any Walkers. Experiencing it once is good enough, so a Walker knows when to stop. Sometimes, this loss of control could lead to dreadful consequences if one isn't familiar with it.
“I am fine now. My Emblem is stabilized, and my control over the Mindless Eyes poses no instability or any other problems that Roman explained to me.”
“Really? Are you certain?” Mi-Yugn asks.
“Yes, so worrying doesn't matter. I am ready for another day. Right, Roman? Offensive day, isn't it?”
“Losing control isn't something that shouldn't matter, William,” Mi-Yung argues with a serious face before giving Roman a chance to respond.
“Leave us be, Mi-Yung.” Roman says, looking at her serious words with quite an apathy as if this discussion doesn't really matter. “I already told him that, and going through it for the 2nd time was different than the 1st. I have no intention of him doing it thrice. His control over his Mindless Eyes, and Emblem itself is great as he told. He wasn't even in much pain, unlike the 1st time, so be a bit understanding. At least considering his circumstances that you more than understand.”
“Those are jsut excuses. Going through the motions of combat for an extensive period of Skill training for it, to drain up the limits. It's no different than any kind of Emblem, losing control.” She counters back, but Roman cannot care less about her words. He rather pays more attention to the last piece of sausage on the plate n the middle of the table.
In this kind of situation, he wonders if she will refuse him another plate, but he is already stuffed, so he may be a bit argumentive for now.
To his dismay, Mi-Yung stabs the last sausage with a fork and eats it herself. Facing his unwillingness in her own way, she no longer argues about this issue with him, but his meal ends with this sausage.
“Well. Heheh. What is it? Oh?” Roman jumps from the chair, laughing in the process. “Who knew that much time already passed? I completely forgot we have so much to do today, don't we? Hurry, hurry, William. It's time to leave and get going with the day.” Roman says, gripping William's shoulders, before he isn't even done with his meal yet.
“Let him eat at least. Seeing you try for a tactical retreat makes me more than laugh.” Mi-Yung speaks her mind, ignoring this whole conversation that she knew the answers for.
With William back on the table, Roman rather chose to leave to wait outside. He has no intention of staying behind and being questioned or catered to by more questions.
“So, Rank 1 Skill? How many of them do you have in that Rank?” Mi-Yung asks, appearing a bit calmer now, that Roman has left.
“Velvet Eyes, Feel of the Annihilation, Annihilation Claw, and a few others I suppose,” William answers, remembering the most important ones that he uses the most. All of his Annihlaltion Skills are already at Rank 1, so that has been quite a good progress time-wise.
“Already so many?” Luke asks as well, surprise more than apparent in his voice. “That is already excellent considering the fact that it's more than a week since your Awakening. Well done. Truly.” Luke gives his comment, as he finishes his meal as well. The last word has been said with some mockery. Aimed at himself, most likely.
“Is it though? Aren't most young and more talented people different and better than me?” William asks.
“Slow and steady, William,” Mi-Yung argues. “You may appreciate this sort of mentality sooner or later since the progression gets slower in the higher Ranks. Don't think too much about your current progression as something good or bad, since you have to manage it one way or another. Steading the force over the System and your own Emblem comes first. Months later, you will appreciate this. I hope.”
“I know that Mi-Yung. It's still new to me, but it feels great so far. Some of the Skills in particular are a great way to see my Vectos improve. My Vector Claw is no longer so clumsy and I can move it as I wish. Extending it forward is great, while the Annihhiation Element can even change the degree of power of the Annihilation Element a bit. I wonder what sort of things I can do with them with attacking, or... What changes occurred today? I am curious now.” William talks with enthusiasm, unlike many times before that was caused by his lesser knowledge and experience over the Emblem. Now, his understanding is better, and he knows he can do a lot of things now.
With the remaining 15 minutes of a rundown of his days and a view of his progression, William finishes his meal, leaving the pair alone. They heard what they wanted from William, so that leaves them satisfied. William gets some stuff from his room, before disappearing for a new day.
This leaves Mi-Yung and Luke alone in the kitchen.
“It seems to me that the boy won't take that long to go completely independent on you. Though, you already expected it, didn't you?”
“Leave this be, Luke. I fear he had already grown on me.”
“That, or your influence is really great. Who knows?”
“Oh... I surely know. Your payment from last night was nice, but how about a second payment?”
“S-second? Like...”
“A proper one, as you offered a week ago. A payment of 150 unrefined Carnijaw's blood vessels.”
“Are you really slapping this on my face now? I thought we were even.. but... Fuck. I forgot about it. Fine. I will pay up.” Luke shakes his hand, defeated by sinking feelings of losing a bet.
“I am thinking of giving this to William. After all, this achievement and reward are his, to begin with. Our bet or not.”
“This... I guess I will comply, but only once. You know the rules and limitations. Federation will look into this, because of me.”
“I am fine with that. They know you are mine.”
“T-that doesn't put a smile on my face or anything. Heheh.”Luke laughed in an awkward matter, getting quickly from the table. “I will leave before you will get any further ideas, alright?”
“Right. Have a great day.” Mi-Yung gives him a mischievous smile, thinking of this bet as nothing more than a benefit that she wants to give to William.
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Out in the Federation, a fast walk of fewer than 15 minutes leaves Roman and William in the same position. They appear in front of the Institution of the Emblems, where they go deep underground, with the same old bunker number 5 as their destination.
“Still dirty and destroyed as ever?” William asks, wandering through the destruction of the past days.
“It won't repair itself, you know? Concrete is hard, but in no way, as you would think. When it comes to the force of the Walkers, it's obvious how much strength it can take. Through, if I wanted to destroy this bunker like a madman, even I wouldn't be able to do so. Overall, this bunker is quite sturdy.”
“Even you? I see. I know plenty about this type of building myself. It's a material that is able to resist Rank 4 and lower Dark beings, or so I read.”
“Seems like someone did your homework,” Roman says, scrapping the dust on the floor.
“Or lived Outside in the camps for the majority of my life.” William sights, remembering the past that no longer matters all that much. “Anyway, is this place good for an offensive sparring?”
“Should be. I will make it so. This concrete isn't some wildly expensive thing. It is much cheaper than you would guess, so it can be repaired quickly and it doesn't hurt Federation that much. There are some corners that are stronger than the rest, so let's move there, so we won't stumble in the crevices that you caused.” Roman tries to blame William, knowing very well he caused the majority of this damage.
This concrete visible to the naked eye is of course, cheap, but further strengthened structures are nothing but that. After all, the Federation put some effort into this, since some training of Walkers required a stabilized place so there won't be any issues. With how underground it is, it's hardly possible for Dark beings to damage these places even if they wanted. However, that doesn't mean that Walkers can't cause any damage either. Their training can manage that, and the current situation of Roman and William is exactly that.
In some cases, it is Roman's fault for not caring enough for such a bunker. Striking unobscured by the damages he would cause, he didn't even care for this, since it isn't his problem at all. For all that he cares about, Schultz will solve this for him.
Today, would be no different when it comes to damages, but who knows? It's Offense day, which leaves William hopeful for the art of strikes that he looks forward to much more than the defenses. Being hit is never a fun thing after all.
“I guess there is no choice in this matter. What's it gonna look like?” Roman asks.
“What?”
“The offense day. There are a whole lot of variables to the art of striking. You aren't as familiar with the military terms as we walked, so I am curious about what you think of it.”
“I prefer you, telling me that,” William says, wanting to hear the right answers from the expert.
“Me? Well, that will work. Hearing it here is sufficient, and it will be more efficient.” Luke nods, gesturing to William to take a seat beside some destroyed rocks there were once concrete blocks. “Offense is an important piece of the pie that makes Walkers strong, so it's not going to be like yesterday. I want you to feel the possibility of attacking in any shape or form of your Skills. Think of your Touch of Vectors, Hand, Claw, or even new Annihilation Claw as you see fit. Use of the Annihilation is also fine to work with, but you had to be careful about it. You can be forceful with the Feel of Annihilation since you accomplished good results over it. Not long ago, you did eat up the progression of the last days and achieved well-expected results. I assume you won't be one to back down from some experiments. Right, William?”
Seeing him so talkative now, it seems Roman is really a great teacher when he is in a good heat of a moment. In certain places, and when his mind wills it, he can achieve great results over training others, and that is precisely something that Schultz likes in him.
William thinks about his words for a few moments. Figuring this shouldn't be the case of thinking, since Roman says it that way. As a newly formed Walker, some experiment is more than fine to figure out. When else but to do so, then here?
He is supposed to try everything in his arsenal since this place allows him to not be bothered with any repercussions. Feeling no burden of the surroundings can be bothersome, but here, it's not the case.
He can destroy as much as he likes, which put him in a good mood. only those who aren't strong as a mountain of course. Rank 1 to 4 are free to go here without an issue. If Roman wants, he can turn this place into pieces in a couple of moments, but this isn't a place for that. Though, it would pose some effort on his size, which isn't a sensible thing to do at all.
William summons his Emblem, which goes rather easily when he thinks about it.
Even his fingers, stress around his shoulder, wrist, and knuckles are gone. He always felt like having his right hand grasped by something when he summons his Emblem.
Now, it's not the case. It feels like an extension of his hand while moving it like a proper one can be done too.
With the appearance of a claw around his right hand, William will go through this single basic form first.
“Should I like... Punch you? Is it what you wanted?” William says in a rather eager form of a question, smiling at Roman who keeps looking at him.
Appearing ready to punch him, Roman understands what is upon him. From how he can see it, it appears this boy wanted to do this for a long time, so Roman chuckles and vice his an affirmative nod.
Forcing his Emblem active too, his whole appearance changes to that of a giant shadowy figure from yesterday. This should be plenty for William, and this Immitation should work just fine.
Roman's appearance is a mixture of his Annihilation Vectors, imitating a particularly big Dark being, called Monkey Kings. The naming was probably done by someone very bored, or a complete moron. Though, not like the names matter all that much, since in a sense, it's not wrong.
Monkey Kings are Dark beings of Rank 5, with the base of influence around China. 15 to 25 feet long, they are monstrous with long arms, and gorilla-like stature. Roman has a rough appearance of one, but because of certain limitations he has in mind, his Imitation is weaker for the sake of William's training. For once, he can Imitate the whole appearance of Monkey King, making his whole appearance unrecognizable from the real deal.
Though, the side of an overgrown gorilla is about the only similarity it has with it. Like any Dark being, Monkey Kings can have wide jaw, filled with sharp teeth, and jawed sinister head, which is nothing like a gorilla. With two, or sometimes 1 eye, tentacles on top of its head, and many other mutations, it isn't really safe to face this monstrosity alone.
Even Rank 6 Walkers can have an issue with such a beast since they live in packs for the most part.
In even grounds and one on one, it's an average kind of Dark being. Rank 5 Walkers are already fundamentally different kinds of Walkers from the ones below that rank, and that is a stage where extraordinary things become a norm.
Seeing him appear in the giant form, William is at least glad it's not a Jawran from Mi-Yung's story. This is just a poor iteration of the Monkey King, which is fine to use against William's attacks. William doesn't know the Monkey King in particular, since they are only in the Chinese region which is far from the Federation.
“Following the basic premise of yesterday, you have 10 minutes rounds of 10 rounds. Any Attacks are fine, as long as you don't stop for more than 10 to 15 seconds. This isn't much of a game of stamina, unlike yesterday. You may ask me questions, and I will help. Come to terms with attacks on your own accord, since I can't see what you are capable of. Vectors and your own efforts are now your heart and so come with it, and strike me how you mean it.” Roman says in a thunderous and deep voice, leaving William a bit speechless about how different this is going to be from yesterday.
“So I will end exhausted one way or another? Why are those 15 seconds even there?”
“It's a made-up number. I don't care either way if it's gonna be more or less. It's about your experience and the force of attacks. Having this experience now is better than never, so attack! The timer is running on your second last day.”
“Great... There I go then.” William says in determination, pouncing at Roman' who appears wide open.
Of course, he is, since no amount of punches William can throw at him will break even this rough Imitation.
A swipe of the Claw later, William strikes the first living being in his life with his claw that has no Annihilation activated. Though, it feels like he struck a wall. A concrete wall to be exact.
The force even pushes his right claw back, and his body too as if he is the one that has been hit.
“Wow. You are like a concrete wall!” William argues after he stabilizes himself by pushing himself from the ground.
“Hmph! I have firm ground under my legs. Next!” Roman orders, awaiting this day to be quite a good one like yesterday.