Chapter 191: Jada Schmidt
"You've endured the critical points that every true fighter should know," he said, looking at Jada. "Each of what was learned here will help you dictate the flow of a battle… only if you apply it correctly."
Then he asked her what she had observed.
Gazing down at her notes, she lifted her head with excitement and answered, "Every area you targeted has substantial implications in combat! It's incredible how much understanding goes into a single engagement! I need to cross-reference this with my physical exercises!"
Arthur nodded, somewhat pleased with her observations.
Left dazed on the ground, William was still feeling the effects of that tsunami of blows he had experienced. His eyes were still trying to make things out.
"You guys talk about combat like we're in a science class," he muttered, trying to push himself back up to a seated position. "No more beating me up, okay!"
"That's all part of the lesson," Arthur stated. "Almost every teacher was once a novice laying the groundwork…"
William simply shook his head in disbelief before collapsing back onto the ground, unable to fully comprehend the knowledge and pain he had just endured.
The sight made Jada giggle.
Approaching the man, Arthur brought him back to a seating position and began treatment.
'Healing jutsu…'
His palms glowed, being only a few spaces from William's back.
As he was healing him, Jada approached. He looked toward her and found something quite suspicious.
The same Jada who once looked at him with bloodshot eyes before his departure from the village, ready to kill him, didn't seem so dangerous right now.
But Arthur was no fool.
"Jada," he said, "tell me about yourself and where you're from."
William winced at his straightforwardness. She herself hadn't expected it either.
"Umm," she hesitated, "well, you might not really understand. Let's just say it's complicated."
"Try me…"
After a moment of contemplation, she finally conceded. To make it easier on Arthur, whom she thought was an NPC, she first had to explain her culture and the land that would not be known.
He understood and allowed her to say what she could.
Jada Schmidt was born in the early 2000s in Munich, Germany.
Growing up in the lush English Garden, her family lived in a modest apartment. Her parents were two schoolteachers dedicated to nurturing creativity and knowledge. They instilled in her a love for learning and imagination, believing that education was of importance.
From a young age, she displayed an insatiable curiosity. At the age of six, she developed a fascination with stories, often imagining herself as a brave heroine escaping fantastical worlds.
As a child, she found solace in her family's extensive library, where she would spend hours curled up in a cozy corner, reading books ranging from classic fairy tales to modern adventures.
It was during these early years that she developed her vivid imagination.
As she transitioned into her teenage years, the world became a different place.
The rise of technology profoundly impacted society, and while many of her peers were enamored with things like iPhones and smartwatches, she remained tethered to physical books and storytelling.
However, she did find a unique niche where both interests intersected; she often enjoyed her electronic books and played some video games.
Attending high school in Munich presented its own set of challenges. With her naturally bright blonde hair and pale skin, she stood out among her peers, and her quirky interests in fantasy and gaming only magnified her geekiness.
So she kept that part of herself isolated due to not many understanding her interests. This developed her shy nature.
Despite the challenges, her resilience shone through. Instead of succumbing to the negativity of what other people thought of her, she channeled her emotions into her creative endeavors.
If there was one thing she enjoyed, it was originality. That being said, she kept her hair long and tidy, often wearing vibrant clothes that reflected her colorful yet shy personality.
She was determined to embrace her uniqueness instead of hiding away when it wasn't necessary.
This self-expression gave her newfound confidence among her closest peers, allowing her to forge connections with others who shared her interests, including a small but tight-knit group of friends who bonded over tabletop role-playing games.
These friends became almost like her support system, motivating her to pursue her dreams. That was until they all graduated and went on separate paths.
Jada's passion for storytelling began to converge with her fascination with animated television shows during her final years in high school. She stumbled upon all forms of cartoons, ranging from Chinese CGS shorts to Japanese animation.
But even with the release of shows like "Attack on Titan," she wasn't as much of a fanatic as the others.
"Hey, Jada," her friends would ask, "what do you think of those anime-liebhaber?"
An "anime-liebhaber" was the German word for "anime fan," which also meant otaku or "weeb," both words representing an anime fanatic.
"Oh yeah, I think anime's pretty cool!"
"Haha!" her friends playfully laughed. "You're so lame, Jada."
While she wasn't a genuine anime fanatic, she honestly didn't mind being judged. It's what made her so likable to the more popular crowd.
Jada had spent her last year of high school experimenting with coding and design. Her creation, titled "Love Knows No Bounds," allowed users to explore ancient legends and uncover forgotten stories.
Such a portfolio received praise from her teachers and peers alike, highlighting her potential.
However, the pressure of school led to many sleepless nights. Jada would often find herself reminiscing about the animated stories from her childhood, like "Neon Genesis Evangelion."
It was those whimsical characters that never faltered despite the opinions of others that she found fascinating.
During these moments of introspection, she understood that her experiences shaped her art—every failure, every triumph, and every friend contributing to her narrative.
Upon graduating from high school, she faced a crossroads. She could either head to a local university to study computer science or pursue her dreams further afield.
Being the adventurous type, she ultimately decided to move to Berlin—the heart of Germany's innovation scene.
That city promised opportunities to connect with professionals in art and technology alike. And from how she excelled academically in high school, she believed that she was ready for the challenge.
The transition marked a significant turning point in her life.
Moving from Munich, a city where she had established her identity as a shy yet imaginative woman, to Berlin, known as Germany's creative and technological hub, was daunting.
But nonetheless, with the support of her parents, she was able to take that step forward.
The city was filled with art scenes and intense competition from every business.
Initially, she struggled with feelings of isolation. Despite the city's energy, the vast crowds made her feel small and overwhelmed. This environment made her miss her friends and family back in Munich.
However, the change in setting also inspired her creativity. She began attending workshops, art exhibitions, and tech meetups, gradually building connections that encouraged her artistic expression.
Once she familiarized herself with the city's layout and began focusing on her enrollment, her anxiety began to dissipate.
Getting accepted to Humboldt University of Berlin was no easy feat. Because of her parents' educational background, she had spent a lot of time studying.
Students looking to enroll in Humboldt University of Berlin, the best university in that area, had to demonstrate proficiency in the German language with three recognized certificates in passing the Goethe-Zertifikat C1, telc C1 Hochschule, and TestDaF—the "German Language Test for Admission to Higher Education."
She also had to provide her secondary school leaving certificate. Thankfully, she didn't have to undergo a university entrance qualification assessment through "uni-assist," a program for international students.
All in all, she scored a ninety on the Goethe-Zertifikat C1, an eighty on the C1 Hochschule, and a TDN 4 on the TestDaF.
How she managed that, one might wonder? The national average passing rate in all three tests combined was approximately sixty percent. To score a TDN 4 would automatically put you in the top percentage of scholars throughout the country.
Jada managed to enroll and chose to major in interactive media.
While she might have had a shy personality, she was quite fearless when it came to challenges that came her way.
During her time in Berlin, she collaborated with fellow students to develop interactive installations for art exhibitions. They also produced compelling documentaries that illustrated the stories of local marginalized communities.
Utilizing her skills, she captured a lot of awards through storytelling, blending her passions into one cohesive vision.
As she honed her craft, she gained recognition for her work within the indie gaming scene. Her portfolio, filled with multimedia projects, caught the attention of several small game studios.
That's how she managed to land a small internship at a prominent tech company that specialized in developing immersive gaming experiences.
Despite the exciting strides she was making, she struggled with imposter syndrome, often doubting her talent. She truly didn't know where she wanted to go with life, often contemplating running away from it all and just finding a small piece of land to dwell on.
She didn't know where those thoughts stemmed from or where her lack of self-esteem went. She had a career waiting for her, her parents were well-off, and she had a couple of friends she sometimes talked to here and there.
So why wasn't she happy?
By the time she graduated from university, she hadn't really established any real name for herself.
Sure, there were some plaques engraved with her name, but they were just a few letters alongside the other hundred thousand.
At the gaming industry she was working for, she managed to gain some traction in the community—particularly with the males.
Many tried to entice her with gifts and dates disguised as business meetings, but she turned them all down. Being in a relationship wasn't on her mind, and she found purpose in being close to her friends while helping those in need.
Most of her money was even spent on charities and the poor in her country.
This almost resulted in her being recognized as a rising star. Fellow creators in her field viewed her more as a threat and an inspiration. Yet that hadn't stopped her from trying to fight passionately for those who were targeted by the strong.
With the rapid advancement of technology, she became increasingly fascinated by virtual reality's potential to reshape storytelling.
It was during this period of exploration that news broke out about Elysium's desire to select a few souls for their groundbreaking experiment, a cutting-edge device that aimed to revolutionize the virtual landscape.
Jada honestly hadn't heard too much about that company, only knowing that they had recently made international headlines.
Her English wasn't bad, and many considered her an innovative thinker.
Inspired by her childhood dreams and the stories that had shaped her, she decided to give it a shot and enter their lottery.
One fateful afternoon, while brewing tea in her studio, she received an email that would change her life: "Congratulations, Jada Schmidt! You have been selected for Elysium's prestigious virtual reality program."
With tears of joy, she understood that her real journey was coming full circle. The little girl who once lost herself in the pages of fictional books was now on the brink of being realized on a grand scale.
"And that's my story," Jada said, happily smiling at Arthur.
"I see," Arthur calmly expressed himself.
While the majority of her words were masked so as not to confuse an apparent outsider not from Earth, he had understood the majority of her background.
He hadn't expected her to be that diverse compared to the worldly individuals he'd often encounter on Earth. No, she was her own person with her own dreams.
"You should consider finding a lover," Arthur said with a monotone voice.
Both she and William reacted the same: "Eh!"
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