In the meantime that Allan used for the training, there was, at last, a time that 36 anticipated for a long time. The Wisher made his second appearance after what seemed like months for his soul.
In the void region of darkness, not far from Allan's reach, but still, infinite distance away. The discussion that was present in this mysterious place between two even more strange beings. One had an appearance of a ghostly man with long hair and a mean face. At least that's what would a mortal view him as.
The other wasn't even a being or could be called that if one would be nitpicky about it. It is a being that could only be called a being because it resembled one. In a broad state of that word, that is.
The humanoid with twisted features of energy could be a creature, or not at all. It wasn't that tall and had no human face either. Only the mouth on its face moved and told the words that echoed from who knows where.
36 and The Wisher hold their topics toe to toe. Feeling sympathy for each other was of little plausibility, with more scheming parts than anything else. Who knew who would know the truth? Only them. They were like playful foxes. Their words were their weapons, as both wanted to work out some benefits between them. It was still a question of why they were like this because a helper would be great for either of them.
“So you are saying you won't tell me anything about the current owner of the Diary of the Body?” Wisher asked with a menacing tone and a frowning mouth.
“No. It is one of my cards and chances. Nothing will change my mind. Not some deals of what you spoke about.” 36 responded with a firm tone. He already came with many questions and answers he wanted to know. The time they spent here discussing wasn't here for digging his mind into the research for Allan. He wanted to know more mysteries about this place, its history, and its possibilities. Allan came as a secondary, and he will do some questions later. First comes the major headache of getting this cocky Wisher to speak up.
“Hmph! Maybe I would get something out of that and so would you. What do you know should be beyond the common enemy? I don't care one way or another about your student.
“Don't blame me. Others would do the same in my situation.”
“So be it. What about the rewards I talked about last time?” Wisher asked.
“It will wait. The student had no need for them at the moment, and what seemed like their value, it doesn't seem much.”
“So he is a mortal? Heheheh. What else it could mean?!” Wisher suddenly shouted, as if he figured out the meaning of his words.
36 paused before denying it or confirming it with his piercing gaze. His next words sounded honest to the bones. “Not really.”
“Huh? Wait... If that's the case. Could it be...” Wisher's voice fell into hesitation. He wanted to know more about the general situation of the true Diary of the Body and things outside of this place. It could all revolve around that owner, which could be his savior, or not...
“What if it wasn't the mortal, to begin with? Who got that Diary? Who else other than an otherworldly being which could go toe to toe with The Ones.” He believed in silence. It was questionable to him if it could be possible or not, but it was a plausible answer.
Wisher understood the unyielding tone of this madman before him quite well, and lies and truths were like a daily thing they do. He watched a lot of people like him throughout the countless ages in this prison. Sometimes, beings like him can't even follow the basic principle of lies or truths. Changing their belief was as basic as a simple thought in their mind.
“Bullshit... Heh.” He thought since this was his prison more than anyone else's who is trapped here. His awareness, which was pushed wide open with 36's involvement, recalled those times vividly.
36 chucked from his potential guess, not answering or denying. Not only he could be completely wrong, but guessing further would make it outside of the true truth.
“BAH! You are like this all the time. What are you even scheming with that student of yours?” Wisher asked after resigning his guesses.
“Acting within the right provided by this book. So far, that is. We have no issue if enough time will allow us to act outside of it if that's what you mean.” 36 said half-truth. Making his words sound like a word of a charlatan. Reasonable, but with a fraction of hope, yet confidence.
Wisher's face didn't reveal a thing, as his next course of words talks about something else. “So you are making him walk the body-forging pathway? I wouldn't mind some insignificant details you found important to tell me. I know a lot about it myself as an artifact soul of this space. Perhaps some things you didn't manage to understand are like kid's play to me.”
“Heh. Oh, that is nothing strange at all. However, I went with the Diary of the Body itself, or what could be its spiritual copy in this world. Making a teaching method from it was a piece of cake.” This time 36 had chosen the truth.
“What? What did you make from that thing?” Wisher was unsure if he heard it right. He couldn't see into the minds or transactions between the student and the teacher. All he could see was the whole body of this ship. Inside and out with great precision. Nothing would slip under his knowledge, and what he could see was limited to the physical realms. The time that 36 spent here was less than brief in his time here, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen him researching or writing things down.
Though it wasn't also all that great, since 36 wasn't a good teacher or writer. He could at least make decent copies, which were average, at best. As far as 36 knew, there was a very difficult path to copy the Diary of the body. So he had chosen some other ways that could work in similar ways and act into the following of that beginner Spark.
“Are you finding my word impossible?” 36 said in confidence and a little mockery towards the Wisher.
“Impossible? There is nothing impossible in the world of immortals. So what did you even reach from that Diary? Do you even know what is the purpose of that Diary and a whole lot of importance in there?”
“It has enough importance for now and that's enough for me. OR... do you think I do not know about the hidden pages?” 36 said meaningfully and floated closer to the Wisher, to speak in this manner.
“Oh, you managed to guess it that far? Impressive, but not in any way what you would find helpful.”
36 sneered inside because playing with the words was his specialty. He never knew anything about the hidden pages, after all. It was a risk he took upon considering this possibility and thing that... Well. It went according to his thinking that the Immortals were all lofty figures who like to make their own secrets. Be it the hidden scroll or section of their techniques that are taught to a selected few. Some sects, even straight up forbid the use of their name or techniques they were famous for. It was a puzzling world where ego and plot went hand in hand and secrets and their importance on them was a genuine thing that mattered.
“That may be for now, but that isn't something that you can be sure of. I bet nothing beyond their existence is known to you about them. How about a deal with me and you will tell me a thing or two about some question I want to know?”
“You can tell me something about hidden pages? I don't believe that.” 36 indifferently said, as if he expected this to begin with. Inside his mind was a series of game plans, where hundreds of possibilities of words, choices, and dialogues were happening in real-time. He went for the kind which would be the most attention-seeking, and those that would be helpful to him the most.
“Since there are no strains put into my soul this time, I can, but the reason for that is unnecessary for you to know. I won't tell you all there is to know about them, but you may try to dig for them yourself. It's that or the other thing and since you don't wanna tell me much, it may have some repercussions in the future. Heheheh.” Wisher talked with full confidence in his words.
“Fine. You will tell me the questions first.” 36 tells after 2 seconds of thinking.
“Since he made it to the first acquisition of reward, what technique does he use within the Diary? If the student of yours chose even any...” Wisher asked in a curious mood and question.
To his surprise, or not... 36 answers in honesty. “The Unmoving.”
His reason was to upset and question Wisher's mind even more, but he wasn't that sure about the results of his tries. The Unmoving was, after all, not that impressive technique to begin with. Although the full path was quite stable and known by many, it was still a second-rate technique. It was looked down upon by the existence of much more powerful techniques. The Wisher grimaced upon hearing this answer.
“You are not lying, do you?” He asked.
“No. What about you? You will tell the truth?” 36 countered instead of answering.
This left no chance of expression on the Wisher's face as if he snorts instead. “Of course, I will. Why did you choose the Unmoving, or it was the student's choice?”
“Both I suppose, but I can tell it was about me choosing it. The reason is rather particular since it involves some things I found about the whole Diary as a whole.”
“Hah! Your words have no effect on me. Diary is nothing but simple.” Wisher argued back.
“Should I take it as a sufficient answer? If so, shouldn't you tell me something too?” 36 asked in return.
“You first. I can tell you the details of the hidden pages in much more detail after I am done with questions.”
Surprisingly, 36 nodded and went with it as if he expected it. Waiting it out for the reason what was this all about was all he could do. He had no clue about the possible content of the hidden pages, but no matter the answer he will give, it meant nothing to him. For all that he knew, the hidden pages could have details about certain techniques, but he doubted they would be all that useful at the current stage.
The content base of the Diary of the Body was impressive as it could get, so that was about it. He believed in all honesty that what he made for Allan was one of the top-tier cultivating methods. All that it lacked was the right user, as it was too weak at the moment at the hands of Allan. It could become stronger with time, and further research could do so, thanks to the Diary of the Body.
That was one of the reasons he was curious about the hidden pages. Any answers he could give to the Wisher weren't that important to him.
“Alright, what about The Unmoving technique? What made you choose it?”
“That was because the general body forging path and methods of the Unmoving are mild and consistent in the beginner stages. It was the simplest and correct choice for the student. Even significantly compatible, if I am too blunt with my answer.”
“Compatible? Is he stupid if he can't reach out for more complex and stronger paths?”
“It is a path of The Spark, so no. If you would think about it, it is quite a normal path, in my opinion.” 36 answered without a problem. Appearing calm, collected, and indeed truthful, even outside as inside. He didn't lie that much indeed, but his choices of words were peculiarly chosen.
“Spark? Your student hasn't managed to underway the awakening of the energy?”
“No.”
The Wisher fell silent once more. Answers that he was given could be possible, but there was no way to believe them unconditionally.
It also seemed that 36 wasn't lying, yet he couldn't be sure about it at all. That's how it goes whether the Immortals spoke and plotted, and Wisher knew all about it.
“Hmph! What sort of situation you are in truly...?” Wisher mumbled in frustration.
“Is that a question that can be answered? I doubt you know many things which could be useful to me when I look at you.” 36 underplayed his little fragile ego.
“Whatever. Since the choice that you made sounds normal. So be it. When it comes to hidden pages, they are possible rewards for completing the years. It is in a way to force the students to get their expectations high and push themselves further. It also acts as a small deterministic factor for the choices. That included the teachers as well.”
“So, after every yearly examination, one is given more rewards based on their performance?”
“Yes, and no. You should know the reason, yet you can't be sure about it yourself. That's how it goes in this place. Do you want me to answer it directly? You will have to pay for the answers first. Heheh.”
“Dream on. I know it very well myself, or I may have a hunch.”
“Oh, so you know about the year to year which examinations will happen? Their benefits, causes, timers, dangers, and the student's limitations?”
“That, I don't know. It wasn't in the initial materials I was given, so the answer is no.” 36 truthfully answer, yet took his previous words back.
“Ahahah. I see the reason why you would say that. I've watched you very well since you came to be in this place! You think your little play with words will affect me?” Wisher's tone changed to a much more serious manner of speech. There was no malice in him, but the resolve he spoke with was much more confident than before.
“It is who I am. Do you want to tell me about the first examination, or should I call it a trial, test, or whatever else?”
“Survive. That is the only world needed to know. Heheheh.” Wisher giggled as he tell the only answer he could give to such a simple question. It left 36 expressionless, but that could mean a lot of things. It wasn't an answer for him, after all. Allan was the one who will have to deal with that.
The first examination wasn't written and known by him for some reason. It only told the limitation of the timers, and limits in the real world. That means the year on Allan's planet is the timer, while the course of that examination wasn't up for him to know. The base premise was to make the strongest disciple, so they would overpower the trials regarding any knowledge or advantage.
“Since you are so knowledgeable. Is there a possibility to skip the year or go early?”
“There is, of course. You should know about it too. ”
“Depending on some weird time limiters and progress. How am I supposed to understand it at all? Time is so strange here from the real world.”
“Heh. So petty and weak-minded. I wonder if you would accomplish something if it wasn't for your imprisonment.” Wisher taunted him.
“Look who is speaking? You have the right to talk like that!”
“What! You think too highly of yourself, even if you could guess things right or wrong. You aren't so different from any person I have seen here, I suppose.” Wisher shouted in a mocking tone. His folded mouth from strange whitish-grey matter went to a clear sneer.
“Do you even think you are that trustworthy? I don't believe in the shit you say.”
“ Yeah. Yeah. I can totally see our lies from far away. Calm down with such talk and deal with the current situation like a man. You are an embarrassment for the Immortals.” Wisher says, uninterested and with a calm face. As if he was pretending, it showed some colors of his personality that weren't all that different from 36.
“Then tell me something about the Trials in the first year, you almighty god... Pfphe!” 36 spit out his word and floated out of his view. Almost giggling away, Wisher hadn't noticed his smirking face.
Seeing him so playful, Wisher sighted in helplessness and chose to answer that. “Depending on what you want to hear, but the student can start the Examination when he feels he is ready for it. All he needs is to summon the teacher. You know the cause for that, I hope.”
36 sneered. Turning back, he faced the Wisher with a serious expression. Taking the information from him wasn't so bad after all. He got what he wanted since he was so over the techniques before, that he couldn't be bothered to ask Wisher more. Now, it came to ask for more information about other topics.