Chapter 18: Benefits Of A System

Sakura

The room was made of cold stone, and smelled of sawdust and sweat. There wasn’t a scrap of parchment in the place, save for a small shelf directly behind where the professor's desk sat that held several scrolls that looked like if I had breathed on them they would have fallen apart.

And it was empty. I was nearly an hour early to

Along the walls were dozens of strange looking weapons. A few I could easily tell their uses, a spear with a buckler attached at the center hold. A long bow with blades embedded along the outer edges, and even a double ax, that looked to be meant for a creature at least three times the size of a normal man.

But there were far more exotic weapons as well. A fan made of metal sharpened to blades at their ends, similar to one my mother used, though far smaller and clearly meant for throwing. A stick that was bent back around itself, covered in primitive blood rune marks all along its surface that vaguely reminded me of a boomerang from Earth. Nets, hunting daggers, giant spiked clubs glistening with black obsidian stone, and spinning blades I had never seen before.

But one stood out to me more than all the others.

“What are you?” I asked as I walked up to a giant chain that seemed to glow with an inner fire. At one end was a small dagger-like blade that swept back like the crescent moon, and where a handle would have been on the other end, instead was a set of hooks. I felt my attention pulled to the thing, fascinated. I held my breath, as if anticipating something that would never come. Though what, I had no idea. That anticipation grew, and I felt my fingers run over the chain's center. They were hot to the touch, but nothing my chie reinforced body couldn’t handle. Nothing to stop my curiosity.

“That,” came a voice that grinded like steel against stone. “Is the burning chain-whip of a chain demon. They’re nasty, fat, bulbus things that enjoy pain. Both its giving and in receiving. I beat the thing unconscious myself, and ripped the flesh hooks off its back myself.”

I withdrew my hand, and a wave of sickness seemed to wash over me replacing the unnatural interest I had just felt controlled by. My fingers burned, and I winced at the already forming blisters. With a thought, I cycled chie and mana to the small wound, and it began healing.

“Their weapons entice and excite their victims while they touch your skin. Until the moment they pull the whip back, and then the pain reignites in your flesh.”

A figure clad in armor from head to toe, with a helmet that sported two broken horns, or antlers atop it, came marching in. His eyes glowed red under the visor that shrouded his face, and only the barest hint of silver hair came from under the back of his helm.

“For most people, knowing the enticing enchantment is there is enough. But for some, particularly those under the demons ‘care’ for over long, grow to love the euphoria the enchantment grants, and fear the pain of its absence. A pain that only grows with every passing moment of ecstasy. For those under their ministries for too long, death is their only escape. But why would they ever wish to escape? Their new masters provide nothing but pleasure.”

“That is terrifying. Why do you keep such a thing around where students might be affected by it?” I asked, my finger still stinging, as a growing hatred for the chain smoldered in my heart.

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“Simple. To test my new students. To see where they are along their understanding of danger, and their knowledge of the weapons that they might one day face. Chain demons are higher level, eight or ninth level summons to be sure. But they are not uncommon. They are particular favorites of tyrants, and slavers of all kinds, but the Naga of the southeastern jungles make especial use of their . . . tallents. But they’re nothing compared to goblins . . .” His red glowing eyes flared for a moment. Then his rage seemed to ebb as he remembered my question.

This one has issues, King said into my mind.

He is a wolf looking to teach a cub. If the cub is too weak, then what is the point? It was a good lesson. Sky interjected.

“I keep it set to the lowest setting. But still, nearly every student is caught by it at some point.”

I turned and bowed to him, bringing my hands together in front of me. “And how did this student do, teacher?”

“Hmm. Eager for evaluation already are you? Interesting. You have many paths you could walk, many that you will walk before you begin to truly climb to the heights of power. That I can tell just by looking at you. The Path of the Weapons Master is a long and dangerous road. One that will require an iron will long before it comes to an end.”

I stayed bowed in a respectful posture. He was armored from head to toe in medium plate mail. His armor was heavily scarred, and around his neck was a single jewel that glowed with a powerful protective spell of some kind.

“You took in the room. Examined most of the weapons, and even looked at my desk and spied the technique scrolls behind it before your gaze fell on that monstrosity. Your mind was not affected until you looked directly at it, took it in, and began asking its purpose. That is how it got into your mind. Curiosity is a wonderful tool for scholarship. But on the battlefield, often, it can lead to your incapacitation and death.”

He stood there for another few moments considering. “I can train you. But first, I need to ensure you have what you need to be successful. Tell me, do you know what this is?” he pointed towards the massive twin ax sized for a giant I had spied before.

“This student has not seen such a weapon before. But If I might venture a guess, I would think it belongs to a large warrior race. Perhaps giants, or was made for the use of a golem.”

He nodded, as he walked up towards the display. “Astute observation. But not what I was looking for. Tell me what it is, with certainty. No equivocations.” He fixed me with his glowing red eyes and I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine. It wasn’t his aura, simply the bloodlust I could see there. A simmering rage as primal as any I'd seen before.

“I . . . I apologize teacher. But I do not—”

“Do not give me that! You have every skill you need at your disposal, I can sense it. Now use them.”

He’s speaking of the mind spirit, King chuckled. But you knew that.

Yes, but . . .

But you hate using it. It feels . . . unnatural. Sky finished. And he was right. It did. But he is teaching you. Why not use your fangs even if they are fake? Like your skin coverings. They are not yours but you humans make them to keep you warm. Unnatural, but useful.

I despised using the system. It seemed so limited for the space in my mind it took up. Fine. “System,”

System is online. Do you have a quarry?

The words floated in my vision. “What is that?” I pointed towards the ax.

Weapon: Double Ax of a Forest Giant. Description: A cultural weapon common to the forest giants along central and northern western borders of the Kingdom of Man. These giants are often given their own ax when they come of age, and they often use it for self defense, logging, and construction with the central portion of the ax doubling as a primitive hammer.

Would you like to know more? Yes or no?

No thank you, I thought and the words disappeared after I read them aloud.

“Well done. I was told you were an easterner. Your people are often reluctant to use the centralized system. But a true weapons master will use every tool and weapon at their disposal. And information is perhaps the greatest weapon of them all, rivaled only by time.” he nodded to himself as he moved to the front of the classroom, and pulled one of the ancient scrolls from off its shelf and put it on the desk in front of him.

“Now, let us begin.”