Chapter Six

I guess this is what happens when you ignore your friends for almost a week. All my messaging queues were packed with messages, was I still alive, was I still in the game, that type of thing.

I somehow didn’t even really feel sad about ignoring them. I had always been popular and could make new friends. I had friends in the game, so what if they were AI’s. I had all the friends that money could buy… damn, I was becoming my parents.

New nanny’s every four months to prevent unhealthy attachments. New friends that fit whatever social style was trending. It was only after I hit eleven and my parents moved away, and later that the last nanny was discharged and I started to have friends of my own. Even those, I had bought. Sure, with some it wasn’t needed, but friends were work. It was easier to gift them with some new shiny than it was to actually get to know them.

I felt comfortable in the game in ways I now realized I never had in reality.

I almost sat down to post a few status messages, but I realized that I would barely get ninety minutes of sleep before dawn came in the game. No time to lose I gobbled down two trail bars, set the alarm and crawled into bed.

=-=-=-=-

:: Titles – Merciless

:: Name – Growlf

:: Race – Fox-kin

:: Primary Class – Commoner L9 (32%)

:: Secondary – Undefined

:: Tertiary Class – Undefined

:: HP – 133

:: Stamina – 148

:: Mana – 83

:: Piety – 0

:: Alignment – Neutral

:::: Order – 100

:::: Chaos – 200

:::: Balance – 150

:: AC – 11  (Damage Reduction 2)

:: Evasion – 12% (11% + 1% Trait)

:: Dodge – 17% (when activated)

Stats – Points Available 22

:: STR – 23

:: CON – 19

:: AGI – 24

:: INT – 14

:: WIS – 11

:: CHA – 7

:: PER* – 22

:: LUCK* – 2

Skills – Points Available 8

:: Tracking (P, I) – 3

:::: Scent Tracking (P, I) – 2

:: Chain Weapons (A, S) – 3

:: Martial Punch (A, P) – 9 (90%)

:: Martial Kick (A, S) – 9 (64%)

:: Martial Grapple (S, A) – 6 (17%)

:: Dual Wield (fists) (A, P) – 7 (21%)

:: Aimed Strike – 6

:: Dagger (A, P) – 1

:: Sling (A, P) – 2

:: Medium Armor – 0

:: Toughness – 3

:: First Aid (W, I) – 1

:: Dodge – 7

:: Awareness - 2

:: Stealth (P, W) – 3

:::: Sneak Attack – 2

:: Observation – 8

:::: Spot Hidden - 1

:: Chi Manipulation – 9

:: Meditation – 8

:: Literacy: Chinese – 4

:: Penmanship: Chinese – 4

:: Lore – 3

:::: Beast-Kin History (I, W) – 5

:::: Fox-kin History (I, W) – 10

:::: Legends of Wing Chun – 3

:::: School of the Leaping Fox – 4

Professions (0/4)

 -None

    ‘*’ Cannot be raised with Ability or Skill points.

Recipes Known

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

-None

Equipment

-Simple Monk Tunic – AC2 10/10 worn

-Simple Monk Pants – AC2 10/10 worn

-Simple Monk Cap – AC2 10/10 worn

-Simple Monk Bracers – AC2 10/10 worn

-Simple Monk Belt – AC1 10/10 worn

-Simple Monk Boots – AC2 10/10 worn

-Copper Dagger (1-3) 100% worn

-Shoddy Sling (Range 3-20m) 100% worn

-Shoddy Shot Pouch (size 2, max stack 20) worn

-40x lead sling shot (in pouch) (moderate crush)

-Basic Bandage (20) Heals 2-8, stops bleeding

-Beginner’s Bag (8 slot)

-Beginners Backpack (20 slot)

-Small Coin Purse – (115/200) 76sp, 30cp, 9 small gems

-Fancy Necklace (unidentified)

-Field Rations (10) (plain)

-Water Flasks (10)

*GONG*

“Arise, arise!” from a chorus of voices.

“The sun comes soon. Arise, arise!”

I had been sitting here waiting for the morning call for a few minutes. Almost bursting out of my room.

Only to find Master Lin waiting in the courtyard.

“Such energy for a slug-a-bed. Let us put it to use.”

With that, he started a quick jog. We arrived at the southern gate just as it was opening, but never paused to greet anyone.

I’m guessing it was about a half hour later that I was barely able to walk as my stamina flirted with going negative.

“Need to rest a minute or ten, Master Lin.”

I noticed the bastard hadn’t even broken a sweat yet. Jogging in place Master Lin shook his head,

“Pathetic…”

Thus, began our pattern for the day, run a half hour, walk a half hour. We stopped for lunch at a berry patch. Filling my cap with berries and taking bites from the huge leek he had found. I was feeling almost normal as we got ready to head out.

Master Lin surprised me by reaching into my backpack and pulling out a set of wrist and ankle weights I swear I hadn’t seen in there earlier. He fastened them on the appropriate limbs.

“Why, Master Lin?”

“Because they were doing little good on your back. Now stand, we run. Good, now swing those arms in time to your steps. In Time! Not spastic monkey twitching! Let your body find the rhythm.”

I would have cursed him if I had had the breath or the spare concentration.

Come dusk we came to a stop. I swear my arms had stretched down to the ground. I almost sat down when that demonic torturer spoke,

“No time to relax. Gather firewood, enough to last all night.”

I returned to the camp with three armloads of wood before he was satisfied. Meanwhile, Master Lin had broken up two of the dried field rations into a pot of water he set at the edge of the fire. The bandolier he had on was revealed to hold pouches with many seeds, leaves, and stems. Crumbling pinches of them into the pot as he sang over it.

A few minutes later a steaming bowl was held under my nose, pulling me out of some vague dream. I took a fingerful of the thick stew, the flavor seemed to fill my exhausted body. Scooping fingers in time and again got most of it, then I curled my face into the bowl to lick the last traces clean. Rinsing the bowl and the pot clean, Master Lin yawned and stretched exaggeratedly.

“It has been a long and tiring day; my old bones are tired. Young one, you take the first watch, wake me when the Little Bear sits on that tree.”

I gave him a Death Glare, and I swear the bastard rolled his eyes at me! But, just like that, Master Lin rolled over and was asleep.

I sat there looking around. Other than the bats and an owl that were attracted to the cloud of insects around the fire, I saw nothing resembling a little bear.

Watching the flames leap, I jerked suddenly. The fire was noticeably less intense. Damn, sleeping on watch was not a good thing. I got up and walked around a bit. There was something watching us, but breathing in I could smell just a deer and fawn quivering in their nest, so I wasn’t worried.

Where was this damned bear…?

Suddenly I sat up and leaned back. Dammit, who watches the sky in a game? The tree, that was kind of the way we had come from, that would be north. Remembering a thing from back in grade school, the Big and Little Dipper, was also known as the Big and Little Bear! I had no clue if it was sitting on the tree, but there was the little dipper just touching the tree top. I crouched down next to Master Lin,

“The bear is crapping on the tree.”

Hearing a chuckle,

“I was wondering if you would figure it out. Now get to sleep, you have a long day tomorrow.”

Closing my eyes, I swear it wasn’t a second later the Sun was searing my eyes. The bowl of the same stew was mere fingers from my nose.

Sitting up I devoured the food. Master Lin quizzing me on the channels of Chi.

We got a late start.

As we ran, Master Lin lectured me, and I gasped out answers.

“Now, student. The road is simple and straight, as we run, enter a basic trance and feel your Chi. That fuzzy ball in your stomach.”

After a few false starts and stumbles as I lost track of my feet, it actually proved to be fairly easy to enter the trance and feel my Chi. I looked a bit deeper and saw how it flowed with each step, each impact with the ground had the Chi rippling up my legs and into the core.

“Good, good, just like that. Now spin your Chi just a tiny bit, let a tiny stream of it run back down your legs. Just a little, that is way too much. Think of a narrow stem, not an entire branch. Good, good… now pulse that branch just the tiniest bit as your foot lands.”

Now instead of each step being a mere long pace, I seemed to be gliding a full body length with each step. I pushed a little bit harder and laughed as that step went an easy three body lengths. I laughed at the utter joy of it.

The landing, however, was not quite so joyous. I tumbled head over rear and landed in a heap on the road. My bag spread over the entire length of that last jump. I lay there groaning.

Master Lin bent over me and shook his head,

“Children! They always want to run, before they have learned to crawl. Up, up, time is wasting. Your bruises will keep you focused.”

This time as I was doing the gliding run, things went much smoother, until that little blue bar in the corner of my screen went gray, and the yellow bar dropped fast! When it went gray I fell face first and didn’t have the strength to move.

“Once your Chi is depleted you take from the bodies energy. When that is gone, you are nothing more than ashes. Perfecting your Mind will increase your Chi. Perfecting your Body will increase your Stamina. Knowing how to use both perfectly will Perfect your Soul. Your Stamina should allow you to run again, your Chi will take longer to recover.”

“How much longer?”

“Without help? Forever. That is for after we stop tonight. Now swing those arms.”

As we entered a dense forest, Master Lin signaled we were to stop and make camp, I was barely more conscious than previous days. But today as Master Lin went for water, I was already gathering the wood.

As we ate,

“Today, Student, you took the first tiny step on the Path.” He gave me a tiny smile. “What you did today with your legs can be done with any muscle. You can send the Chi out to assist or initiate actions, but your pools are not infinite. Now, student, look at the grass next to you in the same way as you look within yourself. See, even simple grass has Chi flowing through it.”

He was right, tiny threads that were still the same as the ones in me.

“Put your hand on the grass there. Feel the Chi reach out to you? Chi is Chi like to like. As you pushed the Chi out your leg, now pull the Chi to you.”

I felt the Chi flow into me, less than a drop in a bucket, but I felt the wonder of it.

“Now look at the grass you pulled from.”

There was a blackened handprint, the grass under it little more than powder.

“This is important. Chi is everywhere and may be pulled in to your reserves. BUT! To do so to this extent is an evil unsurpassed. With such, you might pull the Soul out of someone and consume it. This is the path to Dark Chi. Soon a Master of Dark Chi finds their hunger for more growth. They will feed and feed it, but the hunger grows. Soon they feed their enemies, then their friends, next families, into the ravening hunger. A wise man knows to take but not to damage. Take a little sip here, a little nibble there. Do no damage and allow the Chi to return before taking more, this is the path of the righteous.”

“I understand Master.” Looking with revulsion at the black dust on my hand that didn’t want to rub off.

*ding*

You have been offered a Class change. From Commoner to Martial Artist (Wing Chun). Some current skills may be altered or removed. Your standings with other Faction and Forces may change as will their initial reactions to you…

Accept Y/N?

I barely even considered the warnings and notifications, as I skipped to the bottom and confirmed accept.

Your choice has surprised few

-Your reputation with the Citizens of Yangsan improves

-Your reputation with the Merchants of Yangsan improves

-Your reputation with the Guard of Yangsan improves

-Your reputation with the Schools of Wushu improves

-Your reputation with the Imperial Family of Qin improves

-Your reputation with the Citizens of Qin improves

-Your reputation with the Merchants of Qin improves

-Your reputation with the Guard of Qin improves

-The Thieves of Yangsan are watching you closely

-You are now Hated by the Masters of Dark Chi

-The Thieves of Baozen are outraged at the murder of their leader’s brother. -1500 Favor. You have earned an Enemy

-Your Legend Grows, as the first Traveler accepted into a school of Wing Chun your Notoriety grows +100, distant Lands are taking notice as rumors of you spread.

-The Emperor’s Eye has turned towards you briefly, then looked away.

Wow, all that from merely earning my class?

I sat watching the skies and surrounding forest. Taking my dagger and a branch, I started carving out a spoon, the stew Master Lin made was filling and wonderful, but my licking the bowl clean wasn’t exactly the height of manners.

The first effort was ugly and crude, but serviceable. I had to smile at the notice,

Learned – Whittling

Not a proper profession, it may lead the user to Wood Carving one day.

There wasn’t much I could see through the trees, but eventually, I figured Little Bear was in the proper position and awoke Master Lin.

Seconds after that, my head hit the ground…

*Logout*