Maria would regularly take breaks and go for long sessions of constant training right afterwards. The Void Sea Realm was the perfect place for her to train since she had nearly an unlimited amount of time here. She only wanted to see if the fruits of her labor were actually any good, but there was nothing to test them on so she could only continue swinging her weapon and try to emulate a fight inside of her mind.
However, even after doing that, she still wasn’t satisfied. Eventually, Maria felt like she had hit a wall and couldn’t push past it. There was only so much she could do on her own after all. Her two weapons mastery skills had also reached a plateau and stopped increasing in proficiency when they reached A-rank. She wanted to get them to S-rank before pushing past it to unlock the next weapon mastery skill but with her being stuck at A-rank, she felt like it was impossible to cross that line.
She had read on the forums that the top 20 players in the game had already acquired the next weapon mastery skill after the Battle series. The weapon mastery skills had ranks that were classified by their prefixes. The first rank was obviously the entry-level which had no prefix and after that was the Battle prefix. The next one was called Supreme so it was named the Supreme-series and after that was unknown since no one had the next skill yet.
However, there were actually rumors that some unranked players who were experts in real life had managed to obtain that next level but didn’t want to disclose any of the information. Maria was rather jealous of these rankers and unranked players since it seemed like all she was doing was swinging around her weapon mindlessly and pushing through with power, magic, and skills. She wanted to be able to do more than that since Maria knew that pushing through with absolute strength had its limits. It wasn’t like she was some kind of god in this game, so there was no way she could achieve that kind of thing.
Also, wasn’t it an advantage to have both power and technique? That was her mindset when going through with this, so she didn’t hesitate to plunge herself into her training inside of the Void Sea Realm that tested both her mental and physical faculties. Unfortunately, she had now hit a wall. Maria was slowly becoming frustrated with herself to the point where she just wanted to stop now since she thought she had done enough.
Of course, that was just the defeatist inside of her that was whispering evil thoughts into her brain and telling her to just give up and be content. Having stayed inside of the Void Sea Realm that was vast and empty without anyone being there with her for over a month had started to take its toll on Maria’s mind and she was now sometimes feeling a bit delusional.
“Ugh...s-should I really stop here? I...I feel like I can do so much more but why can’t I keep going?”
Maria asked herself as she stopped swinging Calamity and began leaning on it tiredly. She didn’t expect anyone to answer her but someone actually did.
“That’s because you need a master to guide you, little one.”
“!”
Maria immediately reacted and jumped away. She flipped in the air and turned around to face the person who had just answered her question. However, she didn’t see anyone.
“I’m right here, little girl.”
“!!!”
The hair on the back of Maria’s neck began standing on end as she heard the voice coming from behind her once again. She swung Calamity behind her as she kicked off the ground and moved forward only to feel her arm go numb as she had hit something that felt like a wall of steel. Her arm recoiled from the rebound of her strike and she nearly let go of Calamity, but managed to firmly hold onto it as she retreated from her previous spot and eyed the armored knight in front of her who was mounted on top of a powerful armored horse.
Maria eyed the large blade that the knight was holding as she clenched her hand repeatedly because she could still feel the recoil of her strike in her arm that was caused by this person’s blade when they blocked her attack. This person’s strength was so far above hers since he had blocked and bounced back her attack without the blade moving. Maria frowned because if this was a player, then this was bad.
“...Who are you?”
“Me?” The Knight asked as he sheathed his weapon behind his back before thinking.
“Hmmm...yes, that will do,” He mumbled to himself before saying, “I will be your master from now on.”
“...Huh?”
Before Maria could say a word of protest, the knight immediately said to her, “Don’t you feel it?”
“?”
“Don’t you feel as if you’d hit a wall and you can’t get past it? No matter how hard you try and how much effort you put in, you just can’t get past this barrier, am I right?”
“Y-Yeah...but what does this have to do with what you just said? Also, I haven’t said anything about whether I’m willing or not!”
“Well, this has everything to do with it, and trust me, you will agree to be my disciple. Many in the universe would beg to become my disciple if they knew my name and here I am offering that position to you!” The knight said before he began laughing uproariously.
“...What is your name anyway?”
“I am Odin, the Primal Allfather! Others may know me as the Iron Blade!”
“So you’re a Primal?”
“Yes, the Primal Allfather, like I’ve previously said.”
Maria lowered her Calamity before she began cheering, “Ahhhh, finally! I’ve been looking for a Primal all this time!”
“Oh?”
When he saw her act this way, Odin became a little bit confused.
“Were you looking for us Primals when you came here, little girl?”
“Duh, but I couldn’t find any of you after looking, so I just stopped. Since time moves so fast here, I thought that it was a good idea to train.”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Hmmm, a wise little girl, aren’t you?”
“My name is Maria, not little girl!”
“Hmhm, well then Maria, are you willing then to take me as your master?” Odin said as he stretched his hand to her.
“This again...anyway, I don’t understand. Why should I become your disciple?”
“It’s like I said earlier. You’ve hit the wall and can’t progress but do you know why?”
“...No…”
“It’s because you do not have a master! You do not have someone to guide you forward. There’s just so much that one could do on their own after all!”
“...That...does make sense...but why does it have to be you? I see that you use a sword but I’m using an ax and a scythe!” Maria said as she pointed at the large sword behind Odin’s back.
Maria was still a little skeptical of Odin but she didn’t doubt that this person was a lot more powerful than her and he was definitely much more skilled. She didn’t know about Unitale’s Odin, but the Odin Allfather from her world’s myths and legends was a divine being from Norse Mythology. Since Odin was a Primal, he was likely at the top of the food chain for all of the Primals. She wanted to form a summoning contract with a Primal and obviously, it had to be a strong one. Since Odin was likely one of the strongest if not THE strongest, then she couldn’t pass up on this chance, even if she had to become his disciple or whatever.
Also, what the Primal said did make sense. There was only so much she could do on her own and perhaps taking a teacher would actually do her some good and help her get past the wall she was currently facing but the only problem was that Odin was using a sword and not an ax or a scythe.
“Just what can I learn from a swordmaster if I’m using a different weapon?”
Odin chuckled before saying, “Oh, don’t have to worry about that!”
He got off of his horse and walked over to Maria, he reached for his helmet and took it off, revealing his face. Maria’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw Odin’s appearance and couldn’t help blushing at him. He didn’t have the look of a handsome young man but the gruff appearance of an aged elder who looked rather kind with an eyepatch over his right eye.
‘Oh, crap…’
Maria had a soft spot for elderly people so she couldn’t help but let down her guard after Odin revealed his face.
“I see that you have a mythical-class weapon that can change shape,” Odin said as he pulled out his blade.
“This is my blade, the Zantetsuken. Since you aren’t a blade user, how about you consider becoming one?”
“Eh? U-Uhh...S-Sure… but will this help me get past the wall for my other weapon skills?”
“Little one, learning more than one weapon can actually help you get past this wall as all weapons, no matter their shape, have the same fundamental quality.”
“Okay…?”
“Anyway, I will impart a small piece of Zantetsuken onto your weapon and give it a new form.”
Odin chipped off a small piece of his weapon’s blade before turning to Maria who unconsciously raised her weapon. Odin dropped the piece of his Zantetsuken onto Calamity and the demon head on her ax immediately came to life and swallowed it.
“Oh, aren’t you a greedy little fellow?”
Odin chuckled before putting his blade on his back. Maria noticed that the chipped part of his Zantetsuken had already been restored so she turned her attention back to her Calamity.
*DING*
Calamity has received a piece of a divine-grade weapon and is undergoing evolution
*DING*
You have unlocked Calamity’s Sword Form
“Woah…”
Calamity’s new form was quite different from Odin’s Zantetsuken that was shaped more like a cross between a katana and a normal sword. Calamity’s new form took on the appearance of a large, single-edged greatsword. The blade part alone was approximately two-thirds her height as it reached up to her chest while the rest of the sword reached a little bit above her head. Calamity’s signature demon head acted as the blade’s guard and when she grasped the handle, it felt just perfect in her hands.
She quickly checked Calamity’s updated weapon menu and was quite surprised by the transformation. She thought that it would take a long time for her to find the unique upgrade materials to level up her weapon, but to think something like this would happen. She grew to appreciate Odin a little more after seeing the upgrades to her Calamity.
Weapon Name: Calamity Level: 125 Rank: Mythic Category: Unique Legacy Weapon Damage: 5000 ~ 6250 Unique Weapon Skill: [Form Change]
Changes the Calamity's form!
1st Form: Death Axe
2nd Form: Reaper Scythe
3rd Form: Great Sword 3rd Form: Great Sword STR +3200
VIT +1920
INT +2560
AGI +1200 Weapon Skill 1: [Calamity Cleave]
Charges the blade with sword energy before slashing out, dealing devastating damage to enemies 20 meters in front of the user. Deals 5000 Pure Damage and engulfs the enemy in hellfire, dealing an additional (2.0 x INT) M.DMG and inflicting [Burn] for 20 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute
Weapon Skill 2: [Reaper’s Guile]
Halves all SP consumption and for every enemy slain, the Calamity absorbs their soul energy and grants it to the user, providing a 15% Lifesteal and 25% Manasteal of slain target’s total HP and MP. Every kill count increases attack speed by 2.5% and stacks up to a maximum increase of 100%. Duration: 45 minutes
Weapon Skill 3: [Execute]
Beheads the enemy. 5% chance to instantly kill the target
Weapon Skill 4: [Death’s Embrace]
When the enemy’s HP falls below 25%, there is a 15% chance to trigger Execute. Upgradeable: Locked. Only upgradeable with [Calamity Upgrade Stone Upsilon] Restrictions: Dark Priestess, Fallen Angel Maria Item Bound Level Requirement: None Description: A Demonic Weapon bestowed upon the Envoy of Death, the Dark Priestess - Fallen Angel Maria, who was the first-ever Angel to have Fallen from grace in the past millennia. The weapon craves blood and destruction, with every enemy slain its power increases its Master. The Great Calamity of the ancient era has once again descended onto the mortal plane and it demands its chaotic offerings!
Her weapon’s new form looked quite heavy, but Maria was able to easily lift it with only one hand. She really liked the appearance since the blade was entirely crimson red as if it was made out of ruby while dark veins were running through it and they pulsated with an eerie dark light that added to the weapon's grandeur. The demon head that acted as her weapon’s guard had one of its horns elongated and curved on the side reaching up to the handle and it seemed sturdy enough to use as a means to guard herself if someone tried to aim for her hands when in battle.
“W-Why are you doing this? Why help me when you’ve only just met me?” Maria asked as she turned her gaze back to Odin after she finished admiring her weapon’s new form.
“Is it too much for a show of sincerity? This old man wants you as a disciple.”
“You’ve done this much for me already...it’d be ungrateful of me to decline, but why? What’s your motive in doing this?”
Odin chuckled and answered, “There is no motive, little girl. Let’s just say this old man has grown quite interested and fond of you!”
“O-Oh?” Maria started blushing when she heard this but Odin wasn’t done with his explanation.
“I’ve been observing you for the past month since you’ve started training and I must say, I truly admire that perseverance and unyielding character of yours that doesn’t back down even in the face of adversity.”
“Oh…”
“This plane’s conditions are completely set against you and you’ve managed to endure for so long inside of this place without giving up or going mad. I’ve been waiting for a person like you.”
“I see...then if you’ll have me, I’d be honored to learn from you.”
“Haha, then it’s decided! Now come with me, little one! We’ll move locations to a place better suited for you to train!”
Maria eyed her sword-form Calamity before waving it around and placing it on her back just like Odin did before she floated over to him.
Odin got on his armored horse and said, “This one’s name is Sleipnir. Just like me, he is also a Primal.”
“Oh, hello!” Maria quickly greeted the Primal.
The Primal, Sleipnir, only neighed at her in response while Odin laughed again and said, “He seems to like you already!”
He put on his helmet before saying, “This will be your first lesson as my disciple─try to keep up.”
“Huh?”
Before Maria could respond, Odin and Sleipnir immediately shot off into the distance with a sonic boom as they left her behind in the dust.
“!”
Maria quickly transformed into her Nightmare form and chased after the two using her supersonic movement speed but even then, she was barely able to keep up with the two Primals who were moving even faster.
“S-Seriously?! This is my first exercise?!!”
She could barely see the two Primals in the distance, but since she didn’t want to disappoint Odin, Maria cast an enhanced [Haste] on herself and even imbued her wings with mana just to try and boost her movement speed. She was able to catch up a little bit as she could finally see the back of Odin’s armor but she then noticed that far ahead, they were approaching a canyon. Odin didn’t slow down but instead began speeding up as he moved agilely through the canyon’s opening.
“D-Darn it!”
This wasn't something Maria could emulate. If she increased her speed, it would make it hard for her to control which direction she moved. If she did try and speed up, she might just end up crashing into the canyon walls over and over again until her HP bottomed out. With no other choice, Maria slowed down a little before entering the canyon. Thankfully, Sleipnir left behind a trail in the air, so Maria only had to follow it. The only problem was that the trail would disappear, so she couldn't let herself fall behind too far.
"O-Ouch!"