Chapter 9: Impatient
Crid laid on the ground, with sweat pouring from his chin. Dirt smeared on the raging-red welts that covered him. Seeing the impatient look on Klaus, he immediately picked himself up.
His whole body was battered by the small, wooden sword in Klaus' hand. Though having match his toddler size, it was more of a toy than a weapon. But even such a laughable toy became as deadly as a greatsword in his hands.
Not hindering his mobility, Klaus could breezely jump and flip. It was almost as if he had the ability to walk on air. It was Klaus' agility and speed that made killing a flying bird using a dagger, seemed easier than hitting him.
Instead of leaving him frustrated, Crid was in awe. The Skill Klaus used was Acrobatics, a skill used to greatly increase mobility in places filled with obstruction. But the only thing that stood in these empty lands was Crid.
With everytime Klaus attacked, he would use that force to maneuver himself into a another hit. Allowing him to endlessly combo in hits on Crid.
Seeing his student finally up, Klaus gestured for him to charge. Having exhausted all of his strength, Crid launched a desperate strike. As his student neared him, Klaus jumped. Hitting Crid's lower ribs, before disappearing.
Behind him, Crid thought. With him being a fraction of a second late from sending Klaus' small body to ground. But his wooden dagger only slashed the air. While a loud bash from his back sent him tumbling down the ground.
"Did I wasted a month training a weakling?" Klaus taunted his student. Yawning at the sheer boredom that came from teaching a moral lesson on his student.
Crid had only started his training, now he was seeking the experience from a real fight. Requesting him to be permitted to revisit the Academy's ruins. Hearing it, Klaus finally decided to pop that air-filled head of his student.
But underneath that exhausted body, hid a triumphant laugh. Crid immediately stood up, dusting off the dirt on his body. He wanted to look his best as he won against this tiny thief.
Seeing the more confident aura that enveloped his student, Klaus was almost amused. "What stupid plan are you up to?" Asking almost jokingly, but Crid's response was the same desperate attack.
Klaus jumped, sword poised to spank him. His head, Crid thought as he blocked the attack. Nape! Though he only barely blocked it. Having spent countless times being beaten up, he was bound to notice Klaus' rhythmic pattern of combos.
Pouring all of his trust in his body's judgement, Crid blocked another hit. Just one more, he thought. But his victory was cut short as instead of a last blow on his back, Klaus did a summersault, striking his liver.
"Arrgghhhhh!" The pain sent him curling on the ground, with his loud groans left to wander the emptiness. He should have known that his deceitful mentor would change his pattern at the sight of defeat. He must have looked like a fool as he religiously believed that he could win.
He wanted to vent on the ground below, to curse to have victory taken away from him. But he could only sigh, as he picked himself to try again. Though he was only half way when he saw Klaus' palm-sized, long toe shoes.
He readied himself for the relentless mockery his mentor was intching to say, but Klaus instead lifted in his chin up. Leveling it with to face him.
"Just why exactly do you want to revisit that hell of a ruins?" Klaus was rather curious, hoping his student wasn't gonna later regret this foolish decision. After all, Crid was now his responsibility, and he wasn't heartless enough to let this young child die.
"I need to retrieve something." Crid said, unwilling to elaborate further.
The war for the Primordial Crown is inching it's way with every passing second. Though he often wastes his time doing whatever he pleases, a deathly shiver chills him everytime he was reminded of that catastrophe. Even when he was confident that he could gain strength even with his carefree attitude, that was when he can act whenever and wherever he pleases.
But he had neither of them. Being stuck training with Klaus, and is in an isolated island. Unfortunately, he's stranded in an area where rookies like him die easily. Though thinking about the challenge, it makes his heart pump with exhilaration.
The former god of PK conquers the Broken Isle with pure skill. Not using the sheer power brought by endlessly grinding for essence. A befitting challenge that will crown him as the best player.
But the fantasy of achieving his goal was cut short as the toddler-size Klaus towered over him. Losing the bet to hit his mentor for atleast a single time, he wasn't allowed to go.
"Another one!" Crid poised for another attack, with a resolution of a dying lion that bares it's fangs.
Seeing his student charging forward, Klaus felt nostalgic. In the centuries he spend surviving the relentless headwinds of change, only a few had the almost blind resolution Crid had.
Crid rained on him several desperate blows. While Klaus was like an unchained breeze, as he freely dodged every single one of them. Being overwhelmed by the memories that flashed into his mind, he instead went on the defensive.
He occasionally sent Crid crashing down on the ground. But everytime Klaus thought that he deprived the kid from all of his hope, Crid stood everytime. Even no matter how much purple and bloated his face gets, he always manages to give his best time he stood up.
...
The moonlight seeped through the entrance, with the door still laying on the ground. Only the strumming of the crickets gave life to the dead of night. The whole Broken Isle was sound asleep.
Crid peeked, making sure the coast was clear. As he expected, nothing but the shadows of the night filled the room. Finally, after waiting a couple of days for the bruises on his face to fully recede, he planned to visit the ruins.
[Name: Stealth Lvl 1]
[Masteries: None]
[Effect: Decrease the chance of being detected, even while in motion. Must be out of sight first before activating.]
[Name: Cut Throat Lvl 1]
[Masteries: None]
[Effect: Slits the throat of the target. Has a high fatality damage.]
After teaching him Stealth. Klaus then showed him how Cut Throat. With these two Skills being highly compatible with each other.
A new feature was added in his Skill, Mastery. Though he yet to understand what this means.
Crid smiled. As long as he kept his caution, these would be more than enough to keep him alive as scoured the ruins.
Being paranoid that Klaus would suddenly jump out of the shadows, Crid checked one more time. "Stealth." Being the first time he used that Skill, he felt amazed. He could feel his body became slightly lighter, as his footsteps became almost noiseless.
The inhabitants of this world had to spend months or even years to reach a single level in these skills. While it only took Crid a couple of seconds.
Using his Skill, Crid was like the cold night breeze. Leaving the house without leaving a single trace.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone