Second World

Regarding the class itself, Jack had to describe the trial process when one was taking a Warrior class before his grandfather responded with acknowledgment, ”Oh, so thatʼs what it was about? I was just going to the city to buy more lumbering axes because they were so easy to get broken when I was chopping the trees for the hut. Someone I know recommended me to go into this building where I was offered to do what they call a test. It seemed like a good exercise so I go through with it. They celebrated after my success although I still have no idea what they are celebrating for. It was just a simple exercise.”

ʼA simple exercise…ʼ Jack was getting downcast hearing his grandfatherʼs statement about the Warrior trial. He remembered he struggled a bit when he took the trial despite his superior attributes.

”Okay, letʼs put it this way. I will teach you all about this game world and help you level up while you teach me martial arts and how to sense mana,” Jack said to his grandfather.

”Teaching you martial arts has been what Iʼve been trying to do since you are little. There is no need for you to do something in return for me,” Domon replied.

.

”But you will need it. You are still level 19, for goodness sake. You will get swallowed up if you meet a strong monster.”

”Haha, I welcome the challenge any day!”

”You are still treating this as if this is the world from before. I tell you, with this worldʼs rule, even I can beat you senseless now.”

Domon raised one eyebrow at his grandson, ”Oh? Is that a challenge?”

”Iʼll show you what I mean!” Jack said as he lunged at his grandfather. Domon leisurely raised up his hand, but Jack increased his speed. Domon was slightly surprised by Jackʼs sudden increase of speed to superhuman rate, but he was not flustered. He had dealt with an opponent faster than him before, he was just surprised that his grandson could display such speed.

Domon was ready to receive Jackʼs attack, but Jack suddenly stopped. Domon was not fooled by Jackʼs image in front of him since he could sense mana, he knew Jack who had used Flash Step had now turned up behind him. He swiveled back just as Jack was throwing a punch at him. The assault had been abrupt so he had no time to dodge, he responded by catching Jackʼs punch. But to his surprise, he couldnʼt stop Jackʼs punch. His grandsonʼs punch continued onward and struck his body. He was thrown backward.

He balanced himself with a few quick backsteps so he didnʼt fall over from the force of the punch. He stopped after much effort. He didnʼt say anything but looked at his grandson with a serious expression.

”See what I mean?” Jack said after driving his grandfather back. ”In this world, your strength and speed are governed by different rules. Itʼs not something that you achieved through basic training like you used to. You gained this strength and speed by killing monsters and leveling up. The higher your level, the stronger you become. All your techniques are useless unless they are backed by sufficient strength and speed, this is also what you have taught me before. Thatʼs how you keep pushing your students to never skip their daily basic training. But in this world, we can skip exactly those basic training by killing monsters.”

”Hm… such an undisciplined world,” Domon mumbled, then to Jack he said, ”come at me again.”

”You are still unwilling to accept loss?” Jack said. ”Fine! I will beat you until you have no excuses.”

Jack rushed towards his grandfather again, who stood his ground, but Domon was now assuming a ready stance, unlike his previous leisurely attitude. Jack combined footwork with his fast speed to confuse Domon. Once he saw an opportunity, he punched out from Domonʼs flank.

Domon expertly twisted his body just as Jackʼs punch was about to connect. Domonʼs arms moved following the momentum and slapped Jackʼs arm from the side, redirecting the force. At the same time, he kicked at Jackʼs leg.

By the time he knew it, Jack was again on his back looking up at the sky.

”If I cannot beat your strength and speed, I will simply use them against you. The way you used them are simply too crude,” Domon said to his now lying-down grandson.

Jack sat up, then said, ”teach me then.”

”Hm, never see you this enthusiast in learning martial arts. Are you truly my grandson?” Domon said.

Jack gave him a wry smile, ”I tell you a lot of times already in the past. I was not interested in focusing on learning martial arts because it just takes too much time. And for what? The best achievement I get will only be the world championship. The money reward for being a champion is also not that great. Extremely high demand of time with high effort but low reward. Why do I have to bother with it?”

”Martial art is not about money, itʼs about…”

”The way of life! I know, I know. You have said it to me a lot of time already,” Jack cut his grandfatherʼs words. ”But itʼs not the life I choose. I canʼt stand such a serious life, you know.”

”Then why do you want to learn it now?” Domon asked.

”Look around you. The modern life of our past world has rendered martial arts obsolete, but in this world, it has found new meanings. One with martial expertise can perform much better and reap more rewards in this world.”

Domon sighed. ”In the end, it is still a materialistic drive. If you are not my grandson, I would have slapped you back and forth for that.”

”It is because I am your grandson that I am used to be getting slapped by you already. Donʼt forget all those forced training you gave me when I was a kid.”

”Okay, cut the crap. Letʼs start training you then. To make your senses become more sensitive with Chi…,” Domon glanced at Peniel a beat before continuing, ”… or mana, you will need quite an amount of time. Itʼs a good thing that this worldʼs chi… mana, is much denser than our world. It should be easier to train your senses to become susceptible to them. Itʼs a good thing as well you have had the basic training when you were a kid, so that should help as well.”

Domon then proceeded to instruct Jack in more details. The training was more like a meditation. Domon taught Jack to arrange the rhythm of his breathing and to configure his state of mind to become one with the world. Jack spent the rest of the day getting accustomed to this meditation training. Peniel flew around the place in boredom.

”You just continue to do this every day, you should be able to sense mana soon,” Domon said when the sky turned dark.

”How soon?” Jack asked.

”Depends on your talent and hard work,” Domon replied.

”A simple ʼI donʼt knowʼ is fine,” Jack said.

”Let us continue with martial art training then, I will teach you the tiger claw and dragon punch.”

”Wait, wait! Iʼm not interested in unarmed style. Teach me the sword style, dual-sword style.”

”Dual?” Peniel came flying down after seeing them no longer meditating.

Jack nodded, ”I am going to pick Blade Dancer as my elite class.”

”But then you canʼt use your magic staff,” Peniel reminded.

”Actually, not really,” Jack took out his Storm Breaker before it disappeared and was replaced by his Rapid Dazing Staff, then it disappeared and was replaced again by his longsword. ”Due to the game system, I can switch weapons in an instant. Itʼs a hassle and can be distracting when Iʼm in an intense fight, but ever since getting the talent Hundred Synchronous Thoughts, it is easier for me to focus on two things at the same time. So this weapon switching will not be hindering my combat rhythm. But of course, this meant that I wonʼt be able to cast spells when I am slashing with two swords. Itʼs a pity, but Iʼll get over it.”

”Well, actually, itʼs not impossible for you to still be able to cast a spell when dual-wielding a sword.”

”Really? I thought I will need to wield my magic staff to cast spells?”

”You do. What I meant is, there is a way. But you will have to choose the Archmage for your second elite class.”

”Oh?”

”What do you plan to choose for your mageʼs elite class anyway?”

”I originally wanted to become an Elementalist, going full offense in combination with Blade Dancer. But no worries, probably itʼs fate. That old dude underneath the Valley of Tempus also said that the trial there is a Special class for Archmage. So if I choose Archmage, I already have a clue as to where to go once I reach level 50.”

”Now that you mention it, what is the special class inside that valley anyway?”

”Uh, I didnʼt ask…”

😉