Hyakuren had woken up before the sun had risen. Hyakuren moved silently, even with the armor he wore, and looked around the temporary camp.
No one was sleeping inside a tent. He saw both Irelia and Kili cuddling each other for warmth, which was cute in a way since it reminded Hyakuren of his younger brother and his fiancé. Turning his head from the females; Hyakuren saw the figure of Zelkova leaning against his sword, which was burrowed deep into the ground, sound asleep.
‘It must be Ernest’s shift… I feel bad not being able to help with keeping watch…’ Hyakuren guiltily thought quietly. Standing up, Hyakuren was just about to pick up his swords; which was used as a heater for the three sleeping people as they were still glowing red and radiating heat.
“Hyakuren-san… you are awake?” Hyakuren stopped midway when he heard the voice of the other male of the groupundefined, Ernest Lyell, behind him. Ernest was a red headed half-elf who wielded a two-handed broadsword. The sword itself was half his width and the same height as he was.
“Morning, Ernest. How was your shift?” Hyakuren turned towards the younger male.
“It was normal; nothing happened which was a good thing. Can I talk with you?” Hyakuren was surprised someone wanted to talk to him. “I need some advice…” Now Hyakuren even more surprised but still he nodded and took a seat next to the half-elf.
“Don’t count on me too much, I am not a person you go to for advice but I’ll try…” Hyakuren turned towards the younger male. “Now, what do you need advice in?”
Ernest stayed quiet for a few seconds, probably thinking of words to ask.
“How do you become strongundefined?”
The question took Hyakuren by surprise. He reminded Hyakuren of his younger brother.
“To tell you the truth: I do not know.” Hyakuren answered which caused the young half-elf to be slightly depressed. Hyakuren looked up at the sky. “But I do know that I got my strength from my resolution in wanting to protect something precious.” Hearing Hyakuren continue his sentence, Ernest perked up.
“Some people will say that having something to protect will make you weak. I agree somewhat but I believe that having something to protect makes you stronger. It gives you a purpose, a long-life purpose. Unlike revenge, you won’t go down a path of self-destruction. Unlike hatred, even after protecting that something; it does not end. Having something that you wish to protect, gives you the drive to ensure that the object of your protectiveness is always safe and in return: you gain satisfaction of knowing about their safety. Even if danger still lurks; you can continue to practice, to hone your skills to ensure that they do not get harmed. But do not do it one-sidedly where you only gain happiness while the people or the things you are protecting suffer.”
“Make sure that; when you are protecting, make sure that they have their happiness. Whether they want to protect you or cheer for you or to fight alongside you. Make sure they gain their happiness as you gain yours.” Hyakuren turned towards the redhead. “And remember: if they wish to go: Let them go. Do not confine them in your cage but fly alongside them. Protect them as they fly and at the same time: be protected by them as you fly.”
Hyakuren stopped and broke into a nostalgic smile. “My father said that having something to protect or something to strive for gives us the determination to growundefined stronger and I agree…” Hyakuren stood up. “Think about what you want to do. Whether you wish to protect someone close, or strive to become the best adventurer. If you have a goal: you will succeed if you give it your all.”
Without looking at the male, Hyakuren walked away and picked up his swords. “Just don’t stray from your goal and don’t lie to yourself.” Hyakuren silently left the makeshift camp and let the young male think about his answer.
“Come to think of it… what do I want to do now that everyone is gone?” Hyakuren mumbled quietly as he walked away from the groupundefined. “Maybe I will find the answer in my adventure… maybe I won’t find an answer, but I’ll continue looking for an answer.”
Hyakuren clenched his swords tightly. “I am sure they want me to move on… so I will find something else to strive for…”
After leaving the groupundefined, Hyakuren had wandered off without a real destination as he thought of his family and friends that had left the world before him and before he noticed it; three hours had already passed and he was standing 50 meters away from a camp of bandits.
“I should first make sure no children are orphaned by these people…” Hyakuren gripped his sword tightly and nonchalantly entered the bandit camp. ‘Creation: add [Mind down] and [phase]’ Hyakuren added two characteristics to the sword, making it a sword that could only knock out all the bandits.
—three hours later—
Hyakuren had finished knocking out the last 100 or so bandits and tied all of them by binding their legs arms and hands with iron cuffs. He managedundefined to find a knight riding on a tamed [Gripphon] patrolling the area and told said knight to bring a few men from where he came from and bring in the bandits.
“I will collect the moneyundefined later. To make sure it is really me: you will say ‘flash’ and I will reply with thunder. Please remember the password.” Hyakuren instructed the knight before seeing them off as they carried 100 bandits back to the town where they came from to which Hyakuren forgot to ask about.
“Now…” Hyakuren looked around the bandit camp and deconstructed any metal he found and turned them into balls of their respective metal types. The leather he found were rolled and putundefined into his [Magic pouch].
“Ah… I wonder if anything got improved when I beat [Damascus]…” Hyakuren opened his status window but what greeted him made him curse. “What the fuck happened to my status…? What…?”
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INFORMATION
Ichiharu Hyakuren
LVL 78
Title: [Blacksmith]
Male, 19
Human, Esper
Rank (s): Copper adventurer
Captain of [Mikatagahara] Vanguard unit
STATUS
STR 6620
AGI 10300
INT 12200
PHY.RES 1002100
VIT 8950
DEX 7210
LCK 10001
MEN.RES 2802000
COMBAT PROFICIENCY
SWORDS: LVL70, 89%
FIRE ARMS: LVL90, 1%
ARCHERY: LVL44, 35%
MAGIC: LVL0, 1%
DUAL WIELDING: LVL91, 1%
STAVES: LVL79,91%
PORJECTILES: LVL13, 9%
CURVED BLADES: LVL3, 3%
TWO-HANDED SWORDS: LVL2, 10%
SHIELDS: LVL12, 39%
HAND TO HAND: LVL53, 4%
SUPPORT MAGIC: LVL0, 0%
SCYTHE:LVL59, 11%
HEALING: LVL9, 30%
SPEARS: LVL20, 73%
DAGGERS: LVL61, 11%
MACE: LVL11, 0%
HAMMER: LVL30, 30%
CLUBS: LVL5, 10%
EXPLOSIVES: LVL 39, 30%
CONDITION
Healthy
No debuff
No status condition
[Damascus’ recognition]
[Elemental immunity]
[Piercing immunity]
[Lightweight]
Damascus plate, +590def, blessed
Adamantium under-armor, +300def, blessed
Dog tagsundefined, no bonus
Adamantium leggings, +210def, blessed
Damascus layered adamantium greaves, +190def, blessed
Damascus layered adamantium gauntlet, +190def, shock absorbent, blessed
Abilities:
[transmutation: creation]
[transmutation: reconstruction]
[Transmutation: deconstruction]
[Transmutation: Materialundefined analysis]
Miscellaneous:
Coins on hand: 19380
Coins in bankundefined: 0
Not part of a guild
Not part of a party
No bounty
Seeing another update other than his status, Hyakuren quickly pressed on the name.
[Damascus’ recognition: you are approved by Damascus as his successor and have blessed you by increasing your overall status to help you in your journey. By gaining both Damascus’ blessing and recognition: you have succeeded Damascus’ insight on status effects and what can counter them and are given the ability to ignore armor when fighting]
“What… the hell? What is going on… why did that mantis give me such a troublesome thing!?” Hyakuren cursed at the now dead mantis. “I don’t need your recognition or blessing in anything!”
Hyakuren kicked the nearest rock causing it to fly at supersonic speeds towards the sky and killing a [wyvern]. “Oops…?” Hyakuren was surprised at his own strength. “I guess I will need to train to controlundefined my own body for now…”
Thus the start of Hyakuren’s rigorous training for one month…
-End of chapter-