Hey guys, here is the new chapter that is a preparation of sorts in the storyline. Hope you like it! :D

-------------

-----After a lot of cursing and craters-----

Finally I can run using ‘Gliding Steps’ however when I start out I still make a crater. Since I have to push off and lean to get speed for the start it pushes down on the impact the strongest compared to the following steps. Vandel wants me to learn through practice and make take it in ‘strides’ at least that’s what he says. Damn old man.

Doing many retries gives me an idea based on what the body already naturally does when running. Using my toes I extend the skin another 2 inches (barefoot this time) and sink it down into the ground to use as traction for a swift take-off. I make sure to leave the ground in an almost untouched state by retracting the skin during when I pull out of the ground. It works great. Like my own version of track shoes!

After tuning my legs-that’s what I will call it now-with the meditation technique is the final test for this.

“So do you think you can catch me no-“ [Vandel]

“What are you talking about?”

Before he could finish his sentence I appear before him almost instantly causing his face to distort in shock. However he is truly a master because at the next moment before I can get to him he also uses ‘Gliding Steps’ to evade.

“Tsk, quick old bag of bones.”

Although he doesn’t know that I am only at half speed. I’m wearing a big pair of sweat pants crafted by Melody. Yes, she can do that. And other things with her hands, teehee.

Okay getting back on topic, under these sweat pants are the weights he made me use for the last month and some. And 

I’m about to get the reaction I’ve been waiting for.

-----Vandel P.O.V.------

Hmph this kid thinks he can catch up to me? He hasn’t even gained that much speed since he started practicing ‘Gliding Steps’. Still not at master level. It took me 5 years to master this technique. I could run circles around this brat. Time to put him back in his pla-

*Clank* *Clank* *Clank*

What the fuck?! Where did he get the third one? There are only one per leg!

-----Jared P.O.V.-------

Yep, that face is priceless. It looks like someone took a shit, put it in a box and used Christmas wrapping paper with a bowtie, then placed it under the tree for the kid intended just to open it with the stink permeating throu-okay maybe I’m getting a bit carried away, but you get the idea. Well if you don’t, its similar to escaping a an underground prison after 30 years then realizing the whole time you were on an island in the pacific with sharks in the surrounding waters. Despair.

He thought he was training a dog, when it turned out to be a wolf.

Oh and the third weight was my own invention just for today. Weighted underwear. I had to make sure it didn’t stand out but still serve its purpose of shocking him. Now that I have my weights off it feels like stretching after a long nap/

*Whooosh*

“What are you staring at?”

I appear next to him standing casually with my hand over my eyes acting like I’m trying to see something in the distance. 

I’m faster than he is and it feels good. Hey call me an immature kid if you want, I don’t care.

“W-well you have passed…even though my pride has already flown miles away, I’ll just have to accept it. And it’s time you get what your father used when he was adventuring the continent.”

Saying that, he heads into the castle, returning a few minutes later. Holding in his hands is something that looks like a wetsuit. Except they are in clothing shape. Skin tight t-shirt, leggings, socks, even underwear. He also has boots that I assume are made of the same material.

“This is the morph-suit created by your ancestors and used for all of the morphers for the last centuries. It will stretch as far as you can. Conform to anything you alter. Usually the previous owners would only wear the socks and underwear. 

Mostly because using the fabric makes it hard to use your skin as a sharp weapon or anything that needs to be sharp. The boots do the same, so you can just wear them instead of the socks. However I will leave you with all of it to do what you wish.”

“Are you serious? This is amazing!” I was wondering what I was going to do about ripping boots.

“Yep and you can wear it whenever you want. Melody also told me to give you this.”

He grabs a coat out of his satchel. It looks like what Sherlock Holmes would wear. A black trenchcoat that covers my arms so no one will be able to see my black/red strands along my arms. It’s comfortable and has many pockets on the inside for later use.

“Wow I’m really going to have to thank her for making this.”

“And last but not least, something from me.”

He puts his hand in back in his bag to grab a black ring.

“Now this is a interspacial ring that you can store items in. It’s got enough space to last you forever. I already gave up ownership of it so all you have to do is emit your ki into it and it will fuse with you until you wish to give up ownership or you die. All you have to do to check what is inside is think about opening it up in your mind.” He then walks away before I can thank him.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I can just imagine what scientists on Earth would give to study something like this. I quickly fuse it and check what’s inside. Survival tools, ninja uniforms, bundles of wood, throwing knives and stars, dry food rations, and a single book. I put my new clothes in the ring and then take out the book to see what it is. After all, books are a wealth of knowledge.

‘Elemental ki’ is the name. It’s interesting, because as I read through it, it talks about using ki emission to create different elements. Like lightning for example. Or you could make some something combust then explode when you attack someone, or from mid-range and throw it. It’s just like how mages use spells, however it’s chantless and there is so much more versatility and options for attacks. What sets ki practitioners apart from mages is evolving.

Mages are born with a set amount of mana and cannot increase it no matter what they do. Granted, they can buy accessories to use as back-up mana, but such things are over the top expensive. Ki practitioners can cultivate their ki supply making it stronger and easier to do certain attacks.

Going back to what I was saying about versatility is a project I have been thinking about for the past few days. The clan has a blacksmith that I have been meaning to talk to. And now that I have this book it makes it possible to go through with the plan.

I make my way over to the blacksmith whose name is Coren.

“Coren, can you use a metal that won’t expand when put under intense heat after being shaped when molded?”

“Yessir it’s called Crontium!”

He motions me over to black metal ingots sitting by the anvil. Just what I need. After telling him to start heating them up to melting point, I take out some of the firewood made from the hard elven trees and lay them on the ground. Using ki and my morphing skin, I form a inside out version of a revolver cylinder and press it into the wood to create a mold.

Yes, I’m creating a gun. Only one though, because this will take forever. Also the bullets will take longer and the barrel too. 

When created I’m only going to use it for something I cannot kill without my morphing abilities. After all, when given such powers, why use a gun the whole time?

After many failed attempts and re-melting I finally create all of the parts of a revolver. The revolver is a little bit longer than a snub-nose since that is the longest I could extend my skin using the mold. Now that I have the parts I assemble I together and take a second to admire my work hehe. But it’s still too soon to celebrate. Creating the mold for the bullets was an even more daunting task. It took many tries and calculations to create a suitable bullet and casing mold that was as close to perfect as possible. However now it is finished after a whole week and a ton of cursing from Coren about the ‘devils device’.

And if you’re wondering about how I used a propellant to shoot the gun, it goes back to the ki combustion. I just use the combustion instead of gunpowder.

Just as I get it perfected and create a few boxes of ammo with 100 rounds each and store them in my space ring-yes that’s what I’m going to call it-Vandel and Knife call for a clan meeting.

“Clan Head, while you have been training, we elders have come up with a great idea to better enlighten you for when we prepare to come out of hiding and make our presence known.” [Knife]

“Don’t tell me there’s another mountain to be scaled?”

“Hey, that helped you get stronger and you know it, brat!” [Vandel]

“Vandel, not now, we need to tell the Clan Head of our plan!” [Knife]

“As I was saying, the plan is to send you to the Human territory to become and adventurer! Doesn’t it sound great?”

“Uh, I guess. But you don’t expect me to go alone right?” Adventurer? Kind of cliché, old man.

“Of course not, your members have already been decided!” Hey, hey didn’t you ask me whether I wanted to do this or not? 

You already had it planned. Oh well.

“Just tell him who it is you idiot! [Vandel]

“Alright alright, it’s going to be Drake, one of his officers, and lady Melody.” [Knife]

“Hmmm can I also bring Ally?”

“Clan Head I would advise against bringing a slave on the journey, it’s going to be perilous.” [Knife]

Oh they actually started warming up to her! That’s great!

“I agree Knife, if a slave dies then that’s a waste of free labor.” [Vandel]

“Exactly.” [Knife]

Or not.

“Don’t worry I can protect her. I’m sure she’s not totally helpless either.”

“As you wish sir.” [Knife] & [Vandel]

Time to visit the land of traitors!