Colette's hand wedged itself between the door and its frame just as Tian was about to shut it. Her voice carried a mix of sternness and suspicion. "We believe him to be a criminal because he matches the description of someone that's recently raided a dungeon of ours."
Tian arched a brow, his reply carried a touch of sarcasm, "That man isn't awakened..." His voice trailed off, but his thoughts didn't, 'that was taken from me. I'll never allow that to happen again,' echoed in his mind.
"Or so that's the story they tell. I believe you're the infamous 'Weapon Master'," Colette retorted, not willing to back down.
With a sigh, Tian opened the door once again, revealing the cramped and unkempt space he called home. His eyes met Colette's as he responded, "The 'Weapon Master' is dead. At least as he's known." His voice carried a bitter melancholy. He reminisced about the man who had stolen his class with an S-rank artifact, leaving him to rebuild himself from scratch. "All that remained was just a man, formerly carried by his class."
As Colette scanned the room, she thought she saw a flicker of sorrow in Tian's eyes. They glazed over for a moment, hinting at a storm of memories raging within. She was momentarily speechless, doubting her earlier conviction. She had been so sure that Tian was the rogue ranker, but now, she was second-guessing herself.
The tales of the Weapon Master were legendary within the circles of all rankers, the Crimson Vanguard included. He was a prominent figure in the Wayfarer Guild, always at the forefront when it came to battling the creatures from the portals. Yet, he remained a mystery, a phantom whose might was spoken of in whispers but never unveiled to the masses.
The Wayfarers often spoke publicly, speaking of stepping forward to clearing portals for the goal of protecting the masses, and every member of the primary strike team was well known. Except for him, the Weapon Master.
Finally finding her voice, she apologized, "I... I may have been mistaken. I'm sorry for the intrusion." As she turned to leave, her voice softened but carried a firm undertone, "You are more than what your class deemed you to be, with or without it you had a purpose."
But before stepping away, she turned back once more, her eyes hardening as she delivered the veiled threat, "But if it turns out you are the one who raided our portal, the Crimson Vanguard won't take it lightly." Her gaze lingered on Tian for a moment longer before she turned on her heel, stepping into the dimly lit corridor.
Tian closed the door, leaning against it for a moment. Her words echoed through the silence of his cramped apartment. His gaze fell upon the Sand Wyrm Staff that lay on his cluttered table. The title 'Weapon Master' felt like a shackle, a reminder of what was stolen from him, yet it also resonated with an identity that had once been his, a title he had earned through blood, sweat, and relentless battles.
Tian sighed heavily, sitting down and going through articles and forums about the Crimson Vanguard. There was a lot of talk about political connections and rivalries, but nothing concrete about their real plans or activities. He realized he had been careless, jumping back into portals without hiding his identity. His recent run-in with Colette made him think hard. He decided he needed to hide who he was if he wanted to keep going into the portals without trouble.
He hesitated, then picked up his phone to text Aria, asking if she knew how he could get an item from a doppelganger. These creatures could change their shape to look like other monsters or even rankers, tricking those trying to clear the portals. The government didn’t allow anyone to keep items from them, but guilds often sold them on the black market to avoid losing them for nothing.
He had never asked Aria about her connections before but felt he had no choice now. He sent the message before he could change his mind. Aria responds much quicker than he had anticipated.
[11:14 PM] Why what's up? Are you okay?
[11:15 PM] Yea, I'm fine. Sorry for suddenly asking, but do you know anyone that can get me anything like that?
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
[11:15 PM] I'll see what I can do. Meet me at our usual place, probably Wednesday as I'll be a bit busy tomorrow.
[11:16 PM] I will be there.
[11:17 PM] It's a date~!
The phrase lightened the heavy thoughts that had been circling his mind. Setting his phone down, Tian thought about what he was getting into. Getting a doppelganger item to hide his identity was important. He knew the Crimson Vanguard’s warning was just the tip of the iceberg. If the Wayfarers found out about his actions, things could get much worse. His actions now carried risks in a game that he didn’t want to play in.
Tian sighed again, shaking off the lingering negativity as he decided to shift his focus to understanding his abilities better. His apartment, which had always been a reflection of a chaotic mind, was now clean and organized. He had cleared out a space in the center, ensuring that if he couldn't control the size of the golem, at least it wouldn't wreck his home.
He moved a potted plant to a table he'd pushed aside, scooping up a handful of the earth from it and placing it in the middle of the clear space. His eyes focused as he attempted to activate his skill.
'Golemancy Novice (F) cannot produce a golem. Insufficient material. Skill failed.'
The message blinked before his eyes, and he nodded, understanding the feedback. It seemed his skill demanded not just specific materials but a precise quantity as well. It wasn't a total surprise; he had heard of summoners needing particular items or carrying certain things to utilize their skills effectively. It was a matter of adapting, understanding, and improving, a process Tian was all too familiar with.
With a comical resignation, Tian went about emptying all the potted plants in his house into the pile in the center of the room. He would try his skill after adding each plant’s dirt to the pile, his patience slightly tested but his determination unwavering. After what seemed like an amusing and tedious endeavor, upon gathering about a cubic foot of dirt, he finally saw the message he had been waiting for.
'Skill activated. Earth golem successfully created. 1/2'
Before him stood a miniature version of the golems he had been summoning up until this point. It was almost cute in its tiny stature, a small but solid replica of its larger counterparts. He quickly checked its stats, finding a simple stat screen displayed before him.
Small Golem:
Physical: F- | Mental: N/A | Magic: F-
Skills: N/A
A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked at the small golem. It was a start, a small step toward understanding the breadth and limitations of his skill. The process was comical, yet the outcome was an eye-opener.
The joy Tian felt at the successful creation of the small golem was palpable, yet his mind quickly darted to a conversation he had years ago with a guild member, a mana-based class. The man had always emphasized the importance of developing control over mana, lamenting that it was a skill many casters lacked. Despite having only a C-rank class, this guild member had been a powerhouse in A or even S-rank dungeons, attributing his prowess to his mastery over mana. Tian had never forgotten that.
The fragments of that conversation niggled at Tian’s mind as he tried to recall the specifics of what the man had said. Since awakening as a summoner, he could sense mana, an experience he found exhilarating, like seeing color in what had once been a world of black and white. Now, it was time to delve deeper, to explore this unseen force that was now at his fingertips.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes fixed on the small golem as he tried to sense the 'mana threads' the guild member had talked about. They were there, in the golem, in anything that bore a class or had once been part of a dungeon. It was a matter of attuning himself to these threads, of learning to manipulate them.
With a patience borne of countless battles and a thirst for mastery, Tian began feeling out the threads within the golem, each new thread he managed to grasp brought him closer to a finer control. The room was silent but for the rhythmic beat of his heart and the occasional shuffling of the golem as he experimented.
Hours seemed to meld together as the night darkened, yet Tian's focus never wavered. Then, it happened. The golem moved without a command, startling Tian. As it moved its stone arms, Tian realized it was his doing; he had moved it through the mana thread. A notification popped up before his eyes just as the realization hit him:
'Understanding 'Mana Control Novice' 1/100'
Tian raised an eyebrow. A small, satisfied smile played on his lips. This was a new beginning, a step into a domain of control he had never experienced before.
His concentration was broken by the warmth that bathed the room, signaling the break of dawn. The sun cast its early morning glow through the window, marking the start of a new day. The time had flown in his trance of exploration, and as the reality of the day ahead settled in, Tian knew he had unearthed a new layer to his abilities.
He glanced at the small golem that now seemed to stand with a semblance of life, albeit a controlled one. The journey to mastering mana control had just begun, and Tian was more than ready to delve deeper, to stretch the boundaries of what he could achieve.