Day 91: Lassie Town
After getting 'kicked' out of Deborah's home, Jason is led by Chanty into the nearby forests to the venue of their spar. As they walked, Jason hears barely audible muffled noises. He silently gets Chanty's attention before they both sneak to the source of the noise. It seems to be coming from behind a particularly large tree which the two approach, and peak their heads around one side. They look down, and see a very strange sight before them: two rabbits mating. Sounds mundane, however... "Hey, Chanty. Is it common for rabbits to mate in missionary?" Jason whispers to his teacher.
"I believe not, pupil." Was her whispered reply as she too watched the scene dumpfounded. However on closer inspection, Jason noticed something: a collar. Two, actually. Both rabbits were wearing collars.
"Oh!" Jason forgot to whisper, and his outburst spooked the rabbit couple who looked up at the two, proceeded to scream in fright, then run off back to the town at full speed.
"I get it! They're tamers. And they're using the rabbit bodies to get frisky." Jason explains.
"Such degeneracy!" Exclaims Chanty in disgust.
"Guess that's another thing giving Tamers a bad name. Oh the possibilities." Jason comments as if impressed.
Chanty instantly whips her head in his direction with an agast expression. "No possibilities, Jason! No pupil of mine will engage in such degeneracy. I won't allow it!"
"Woah! Woah! I'm not. I won't. You saw me, I was grossed out as well." After spending quite awhile convincing Chanty he would never engage in indirect zoophilia, the two resumed their trek. Eventually they made it to a clearing, and wasted no time doing their stretches in preparation for their spar. After they were done, they got into position facing one another.
"Let's see how much you've grown. Eh, pupil?" Chanty takes her stance.
"Sure let's do this!" Jason takes out a practice sword.
"Good, good!" Both combatants lunge at each other.
One hour later, Jason is laying on his back and panting hard. He was very dirty with bruises all over his body and face. Chanty on the other hand was standing over him right as rain with her hands on her hips. She was half as dirty and bruised as Jason was, plus she wasn't out of breath. Taking her hands off her hips, she began slowly clapping with a proud smile on her face.
"Good, good! Despite lacking in speed, strength, ki, and stamina compared to myself, you performed quite well." Praised Chanty.
Their sparring consisted of 13 minutes of intense sparring followed by 2 minutes of rest. They did this for each of the 7 styles plus a final all encompassing spar which had left Jason in this sorry state. Thats 2 hours in total.
Jason compensated for his lower strength by leaning heavily into Flow Style. In terms of speed, he used his encyclopedic knowledge to predict her moves before she made them and get out of the way before any strikes were thrown. It was his form of Precognition, however he struggled whenever she threw faints.
Jason's ki levels were quite a bit higher than an average adventurer of his age, but he was still on the low side and conserved said ki as much as he could.
He struggled from start to finish, but he did get some hits in, so he was happy for that.
"We should spar more often; it is quite beneficial to us both. Nevertheless, we are both dirty as pigs. There is a stream nearby. There we shall bathe. Come along pupil." Chanty beckons Jason over. He scrambles to his feet and follows as she leads the way.
After 15 minutes of walking, they reach the aforementioned stream that's waist deep and gentle flowing. Chanty walks over to a large rock by the stream before she starts disrobing. Jason is shocked by her boldness and makes to leave. "Alright then, I'll head back a bit and keep watch."
At his statement, Chanty turns to look at him with a puzzled expression. "Hmm? What ever do you mean? You're joining me in the water, pupil. Do take off your clothes too."
It was Jason's turn to look puzzled. "What? Isn't that inappropriate?"
Chanty nods in understanding before explaining. "It's safer to bathe together. We can watch each other's back and deal with any threats swiftly. Besides, Sam, myself and others of our former party did this often back in the day. Now, don't dally. We won't be here long."
Jason didn't need to be told twice. He understood the assignment. His articles of clothing began disappearing one by one very quickly as he moved them into his Mindscape with help from his [Parallel Thought]. He was in his birthday suit within 3 seconds and at the same time Chanty was taking off her panties. Getting a good look at her nude form, he could see she had an athletic figure with B-cup breasts and a big butt. Not massive, just bigger than the average Jane. She begins wading into the water and he follows behind her.
The gentle murmur of the stream was the only sound accompanying the adventurers as they relaxed in the crystal-clear water. The sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the surface. Jason leaned against a smooth rock with a relaxed expression. Nearby, Chanty reclined comfortably, her long hair slicked back and glistening with water.
After a moment of silence, Chanty broke the calm. “You know, pupil, I’ve been thinking about something.”
Jason glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s on your mind?”
Chanty smirked, leaning forward slightly, her tone light but teasing.
"Hmmm... Tell me, Jason. What is your ideal woman like?"
Jason blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what? That's kinda out of left field.”
Chanty tilts her head in confusion? "Left field?"
Jason corrects himself. "I mean! Out of nowhere."
Chanty playfully scoffs at his antics. "Nothing too serious, just a little smalltalk to calm your nerves. Besides, we don't get much alone time to talk. We barely know each other, you see. Its a great way to deepen our bonds."
Jason sees her point. "OK, let me think... Ah! A tall girl with dusky skin, pixie cut and tomboyish personality."
Chanty chuckes at the answer. "Huuu? You just described an Earth Draklin to a tee. I didn't think you were that exclusive."
Jason raises a hand out of the water as he clears the minor misunderstanding. "First off, that's what they look like? Sweet! Second off, I cast a very wide net and love most shapes and sizes. That was just my favorite."
Chanty asks a followup. "Oh? Most woman are fine with you? Are men truly honest when they say such a thing? I hear it quite alot."
Jason shrugs. "In general, yeah. We're not that picky. Most girls are attractive. Even the ones considered plain have their appeal."
Chanty nods in understanding. "With such a wide net, why haven't I seen you persuing any women during our travels. You’re great with a blade and your fists, but when it comes to girls, you don't seem to put in any effort despite how sociable you are with people."
Jason pushes back. "You make it sound so easy. I don't know anyone, plus we only stop at towns for a couple days before we leave. Not enough time to do anything with anyone. "
Chanty concedes a little. "Oh, I agree with you, but only in part. I have seen many Adventurer men bed a woman the same night they arrive in a town. They, however are very charismatic, good with their words, attractive and usually have a reputation that precedes them."
Jason agreed. "Hmmm. I get the picture you're painting. But I sense there's a more you're trying to get across. "
Chanty chuckled, waving a hand. “Glad you understand... You know, you’ve got all this skill, Jason. People are starting to notice you. Word’s spreading about how good you are, and it’s only a matter of time before influential people start trying to get on your good side—or take advantage of you. And trust me, they’ll use whatever means they can, including sending attractive women to ‘befriend’ you.”
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Jason leans forward as he makes and o face. “Oh! A honeypot. The greatest weakness of dudes. Yup! I'm danger. I wouldn't put it past Reese to try that one on me. If he's willing to wait a year for me, he ain't sitting idle. I just hope he doesn't try it himself. If he seduces me in person, I'm a goner.”
Chanty rolled her eyes, splashing water at him playfully. “At least you understand. It’s important you learn how to handle yourself around women. Social and, yeah, sexual experience matters, Jason. If you’re clueless, you’re vulnerable. People can use that against you.”
Jason shifted his posture, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright, so what do you recommend I do? I'm no playboy, so I'm going to need your guidance on this.”
Chanty grinned. “You can start by showing off a little more. You’ve got the skills, Jason. I've seen you do fantastical things—let people see them. Do a few flashy moves in public. Be confident. Women love confidence. When you're in town, take our time to talk to people, especially women. Charm them. Make them laugh. Be yourself.”
Jason thinks for a moment, then nods. “Show off, ey? I can do that. I've got a couple ideas already. However my main issue is sealing the deal. I can talk to a girl, no problem. But the special kind of talk that get a girl to follow me to my bedroom, that's another story. ”
Chanty’s grin failed abit, though her tone remained light. “Don't worry too much about such things. You’re young and talented, therefore people will be drawn to you. I'd say you have it easier than most men. Just remember—confidence, charm, and a little bit of skill. You’ll be fine. And if all else fails, just smile. You’ve got a good one—it’ll work wonders.”
Jason laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, you're right. Guess I'm overly worried about being rejected. I'll just concentrate on the showing off part for now, and deal with the talking part when the time comes.”
Chanty gives a nods at Jason in agreement before looking down and gasping lightly. "It seems my attempts to calm you down have failed. That looks painful."
Jason doesn't meet her eyes. "And whose fault is that? I have seen you in all your glory, and that's not something my body can recover from so easily."
Chanty chuckles at his overdramatic statement. "You flatter me, pupil. To think you have such a strong reaction to seeing my body. Very well, as an apology, I will help bring you relief. Do scoot to the side a bit, will you?"
Jason is agast at her offer. "Woah! Really? Isn't this against some teacher-pupil code of ethics?"
Chanty presses against him, an arm draped over his shoulder, and a leg over his own, as she reaches down with her other hand. "Huuu? Nhnhnhn! Nothing of the sort. This is well above board. Skinship comes with the territory. Now relax and leave it to me."
Soon Chanty and Jason were done with their bath and were returning to town. When they got to the outskirts, Chanty turns to Jason. "I can't believe you are still giddy. Was my service really that stimulating?"
Jason kept facing forward with a massive grin on his face. "More than you will ever know. You took a sizable slice of my virginity pie back there, and it was awesome. I'll remember it forever..."
Chanty deadpans. "You can't seriously be this easy, my pupil... That is it. Your first assignment begins when we get to the Diner. You will stay there till well after dark doing what we have just discussed. We shall in time rid you of this weakness."
When the two finally made their way to the inn, they both had their dinner, after which Chanty went straight to her room, while Jason stayed behind sipping a large mug of mead. He decided to just gather information instead of winging it. He paid close attention to conversations around him, especially from the ladies who worked at the inn. He'd do this till it got pretty dark and he went to bed.
Day 92
The morning sun filtered softly through the windows of the bustling inn, casting warm rays over the wooden tables where a few travelers were already enjoying their breakfast. The aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling bacon filled the air, mixing with the rich scent of brewed coffee. At one corner, Jason and Chanty sat across from each other, a map spread out between them on the table.
Jason took a bite of his bread, swallowing before speaking. “We’ve got nine days give or take before Sam arrives. How do you want to spend them?”
Chanty’s eyes scanned the map for some time. “I was thinking we could take three trips into the forest. Not too far each time—let’s take it slow and steady.” She tapped her finger on the map, her nail tracing the forest's outline. “I want to check out the deeper parts of the forest where we can encounter stronger Hazard Beasts more frequently.”
Jason sees no issue with the plan. “Sounds good. Three separate trips over the next nine days. We'll do a short hunt each time, and then we’ll return to town, check on the quest board, pick up any mail, and I'll check in with Deborah with regards to my training.”
Chanty quirks a brow. “Speaking of your elven trainer, how goes the Taming? ”
Jason smirked, setting his coffee down before scratching the head of Kiki eating it's bowl of schredded smoked meat. “Progress is great. I've got a few more senses under my belt. Can't wait for the next stages.”
Chanty leans back in her chair. “Good, good! As aways, you learn fast and progress faster. As expected of my prized pupil.”
Jason rubs the back of his head in embarrassment. "Ah, Shucks..."
The two sat in companionable silence for a moment, the plan taking shape in their minds as they imagined the coming days. Soon they finish their meal and exit the inn. Minutes later, they're out of town and heading into the woods following a trail adventurers have been using for ages.
There are many of these trails branching out the deeper one travels into the woods until they reach the stream. Shorter trails reach the stream sooner like the one Jason and Chanty used the other day, while longer end further upstream with the longest running parralel to the stream.
For today's journey they'll travel till noon, pick a camping location, then hunt till evening. Tomorrow, they'll hunt all day, and the day after, they'll return to town by noon.
The trek was quite boring for Jason, so he took the time to think of ways of improving his [String Arts] which he developed back in Shirebunkle. So far he can make a hair thin strand of ki he can extend for vast distances at low cost to his ki thanks to it's very small surface area. He can also create grids to map out 3-dimensional space which included the environment and individuals. This granted him superb spacial awareness as well as tracking and precognition when fighting others. This also grants him the ability to compromise people's movements by giving his ki adhesive properties and making them stick to surfaces at when they least expect it, creating and accident and leaving them wide open.
He hoping to increase its lethality; neutralizing targets with a minimal amount of ki. He already had some ideas he wanted to try out in the wild to see if it's doable. "Who's going to be my little guinea pig?... Oh! You'll do."
Jason sends a ki string ahead and up a large tree till it reaches a palm sized lizard basking in the sun. Grids made of ki strings form across its body in no time, and Jason initiates his first test. He gathers a circle of ki on one side of the lizard, before firing ki the shape and strength of a needle into the body, hitting the organs within. The lizard lurches before making erratic movement as it appears to be in very visible pain. Not wanting to torture the creature, Jason immediately started firing off ki needles out of the main needle in every direction which turned the internal organs into pin cushions and ending the lizard's life quickly. "Maybe I should have gone for the head..."
Jason vanishes the body of the lizard into his mindscape through the strings as he searches for his next lab rat. He's next victim is a rabbit foraging at the entrance of its burrow. The experiment repeats, but this time the ki needle is plunged into the skull from the top of its head. It's instant death: an improvement. He continues the experiment with another rabbit hiding within the burrow. This time he stakes the brain through the eye, which cost less ki. Both rabbits were remotely retrieved without a hitch, as the experiments continued. After several minutes of doing this, Jason concluded that this method of killing was quite effective and efficient, however it was lacking in power and was only good for taking out small animals and blinding larger ones. He could give it more kick, but that would be less efficient than stabbing the creature directly with a ki blade for reasons the mechanics of his [Thread Arts] wouldn't allow.
Experiment 2: Internal Thread. "Everyone is squishy on the inside. I'll try that next." Picking another poor woodland creature from several yards away, Jason feeds the ki thread into it's mouth, down it's digestive tract, and out it's back door with it being non the wiser of it's violation. During his invasion of the creature's body, Jason notices his ki string 'dissolving'. It was losing volume like dry ice in room temperature. Jason had to continue feeding the string as much ki as it was losing to maintain it's form. This was costing Jason ki overtime, and added another level of complexity. He speculated this phenomenon was a result of the creature's ki clashing against his own and eroding it. This meant that Jason was on the clock, and couldn't casually explore it's insides.
Back to the experiment: Jason could have ruptured the guts this way, but he wanted to try the lungs first, so he fed the ki string down the respiratory tract this time, and mapped out the insides of the lungs in a grid. That way, he could feel the lungs expand and contract as the creature breathe as well as the heart beating right behind it. "Bingo!"
Jason gathers ki to a spot in the lungs closest to the heart, then he fires a ki needle through the lung and into the heart. The little critter was dead in seconds. Jason was gobsmacked by how easy that was. He decided to test this on larger prey to see if it would take it down too. A 6 foot long wild boar was his target, Jason did his thing, but was forced to expend alot more ki per second to counteract the 'ki decay?', 'ki erosion?', 'kivaloration?' as well as speed things up to save his ki expenditure. But the end result was the same, and the boar died with a ki stake through the heart. This cost Jason a quarter of all his ki to pull off, but it still shook Jason to his core. Yes, it would have been faster and cost zero ki to snipe that boar from that distance, plus he had way more than 4 arrows to work with, so it seemed overly costly to add to his moveset, however his accuracy with a bow had its limit. With his ki thread, Jason could kill any Hazard Beast at least with ki levels up to 4x what that boar had from miles away with a 100 percent guarantee. Basically, Jason can kill anything that has less ki than he does, so long as can get his string on it. This revelation was scaring him quite a bit. "This is how someone turns into an evil villain. All I'd need is one bad day, and someone's dying mysteriously. Better keep myself in check."
Chanty notices the distress on his face. "Is something wrong pupil? You seem troubled."
This snaps him out of his thoughts before he let's out a sign of relief after seeing his teacher's face. "Hey. If I ever look like I'm about to go on a killing spree out of rage, could you smack some sense back into me?"
Chanty tilts her head in confusion for a moment before nodding as though she understood. "What teacher would I be if I couldn't do at least that much. Worry not, for I shall strike you with all my strength if that day ever comes."
The declaration sends a shiver down Jason's spine. "Oi. I didn't say you should kill me. Just smack some sense back into me and stop there."
Chanty returns a cheeky grin. "Good,Good! I have established a strong deterance. You will be fine so long as you dread this outcome."
Jason throws his hands in the air in surrender as he laughs. "I can't argue with that..."