I walked over to the training area, staff held in hand. I needed to at the very least open up the Staff Mastery before the trials started. But first, I wanted to see what I could do with the True Energy I had snatched from the void before coming here. So with that in mind, I sat down, focusing on my breathing. I slowly but carefully felt my way through my body with each breath. I was never much for external energy manipulation, and I would always have my spear to help out, but I had learned a thing or two that applied to both internal and external applications of energy.
As I peered inside, I found with a brief hint of surprise the density still surrounding my heart. When I noticed it, so to, for the first time, did the system.
Energy Unlocked!
Congratulations! You have grasped the basics needed to harness your True Energy by gathering the energy inside you. Remember, keep Wandering to survive and gain strength.
Achievement!
New Tower Record Set!
Record - Fastest to awaken Energy Time - 10 Minutes from start Reward - 10 free stat points
I paused in my breathing, stunned. I had gotten achievements before, sure. I had even beaten a few records that I was especially proud of. But 10 free stat points? While that may not seem like much to most, on level up most would only get a single stat point automatically distributed to their most important stat. The system always decided, not the Wanderer.
So for me, 10 free stat points meant not only 10 free levels, but 10 free levels in any stat I wanted, at any time I wanted. Earlier on, training was actually more important than leveling, since the higher the stat the more difficult it would be to raise it through training. So if I saved these points, and used them only when I truly needed… the possibilities I had, just based on this single record, were endless. I smiled a savage grin. I could play some nasty tricks on those bastards too.
As I ignored the excitement rising up, I stood. For now, I needed to try out my staff, to see if I could learn anything about it with the time I had. So I walked over to the training dummy.
I reached the mannequin slowly, stopping in front of it. I shifted as I grasped the staff, taking the basic stance I had seen before from others. I breathed in, slowly, before striking out with lunging strike, sliding the wood along with a thrust like I had done hundreds of thousands of times before. But it felt… off. The tip of the staff struck the dummy with a solid thump, but the movement felt strange to me. I swung the staff in a sweeping motion by instinct, as though I was decapitating an opponent. I missed, obviously, the staff swinging harmlessly in the air. Then I stopped, abruptly. I slammed the butt of my staff down on the ground, jarring my hand.
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While I held the staff, all I could feel was my spear. But the movements felt awkward, as though I was forcing my way through. I lunged too high, aiming for the the heart, which would kill if used correctly with a spear, but would only knock the wind out of someone with a staff. That’s not even mentioning the decapitation move I attempted. This would not work. I was always aggressive with my movements when I had my spear, attacking first, aiming for vitals. I could tell that while I could do damage with the staff, I would need to aim for the head, trying to stun, deflect, and counter attack. I had seen others fighting with a staff, always keeping it in motion, always prepared to flow from one attack into a deflection of some sort.
The Bo Staff was much more about… balance. Absolutely different than the fiery passion I held for my spear and the Energy I pushed through it. The sharp change in fighting styles after so long was jarring. I had realized the difficulty of learning a new style and weapon before, but I underestimated the true challenge I faced. It would almost have been better if I had no knowledge. Almost. My long years of bloody combat had beaten into me many things, but one of the most important things I had learned was the ability to adapt.
So I set my shoulders, and slowly brought my staff up again. I would work on this slowly but surely, until I couldn’t hold the wood in my hands anymore. Like I always did. I had survived much worse than this.
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I lay, arms trembling as I gasped for breath. I had forgotten how out of shape I was before everything started. At least compared to my older body. I had pushed well past the limits that this body had, and even gained a point in strength in that time, amazingly enough. I had started slowly, practicing movements I had seen others do many times. The movements had felt strange to me, but I had stuck to it, slowly increasing the speed until my body shook with exertion. But I still wasn’t pleased. This was barely manageable, I realized. I would need to work on training as much as was possible in the coming days, no matter what.
But time was up. The trails would soon start, shoving me head first into a hell I had barely passed through the first time, staggering through as I watched others around me fall, bloodless, to the ground. Yet I had survived back then, without any true knowledge. I had to thrive now, to truly accomplish the goals I had set for myself, and to gain true vengeance. I took one last glance at the screens that floated in my vision.
True Staff Mastery Unlocked!
Congratulations! You have grasped the basics needed to properly wield your staff in combat. Remember, keep Wandering to survive and gain strength.
Achievement!
New Tower Record Set!
Record - 124th Fastest to unlock True Mastery Time - 50 minutes from start Reward - 2 free stat points
“Every little bit helps.” I thought with a mirthless smile. I had hoped to break the record for this too, but obviously others would have great knowledge over the weapon given to them. It was different with True Energy, something that only existed in the Wandering Tower. But that was fine. I could make do, no matter what. As I lay on the ground, I prepared myself mentally for what was to come. And everything went dark once again.