30 Chapter 19: Monsters in Human Skins

Happy New Year!

Well, here is your rewards, for reaching the 100 power stone mark!

Though let's not stop there and try to reach for greater heights.

Anyways give a review or just put this novel into your library, it would mean the world for me. Though, if you wouldn't do it for poor little me, then do it in the spirit of the New Year!

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Magnus made his way into the secret hideout, where everyone was waiting for him. Now he looked at the place in a different light, who would have guessed that this place used to be a smuggling ring. However, once he carefully looked at the place, it was apparent it could have been only one thing, a smuggling point.

Nevertheless, Magnus made it to his lessons on time and quickly got into it, just like yesterday, he started off with his training exercises with Wang Shui. There were none of those grandiose and valuable lessons, nor was there any need for explanations about what they would be covering, immediately they jumped right into things.

Everything was the same as yesterday though Magnus could have sworn that Shui had slightly up the intensity of the training. Not only was he supposed to bend and twist into more bizarre shapes, but he also had to lift more, run faster, and further, balance himself on more dangerously unstable surfaces.

Everything was the same as yesterday for the upper half of the training, only more difficult, but during the vigor training, when he had to cross the deadly course, some change happened.

As he was ducking under a rotating dummy, he hadn't noticed a sandbag pendulating towards him from behind. So he ducked then wanted to weave to the left from a swinging board, but the sandbag came at him and hit him fully on the upper part of the back, completely knocking the air out of him and sending him a meter up into the air.

He laid there dazed and disoriented for a long while, trying to comprehend what happened, the only saving grace was that he did not land in the way of anything.

In a matter of only minutes, Shui quickly came to his rescue. He crossed the course like it was nothing as he ducked and weaved, did flips and mind-boggling bends, and jumped high into the air like a soaring bird. Magnus watched all of this from his resting spot with mouth hanging open, and his breath held in open suspense.

He wondered when he would ever reach that kind of level of pure awesomeness, where he would be an absolute badass with some cool ninja moves like that. However, what Magnus cared for above all else was if he could do a Perception check, and when he thought it, Codex responded like a genie.

[Name: Wang Shui Highest Stat: Perception(19.56)]

Before Magnus could try to wrap his head around that high and lofty stat, Shui made it to Magnus's side and asked, "Are you alright?" As he explained Magnus up and down, looking for any bumps and bruises.

"Yea, I think I will be fine," Magnus said as he tried to get up from the floor.

"Woah, slow down, let me carry you back," Shui said as he rested a palm on Magnus's shoulder to steady him. "You do not look like you are in any shape to make it back."

Then with a single word more, Shui easy haul up Magnus like he was a small sack and traveled out of the course. Even with a second occupant, Shui easy crossed the course without breaking a sweat.

Once they were safely out and back on land, Shui sat Magnus down on a chair and said to him, "Wait here, I am going to get my bag." Then without waiting for a reply, Shui was gone and out the door.

As Magnus waited for Shui to come back, he tried to inspect his wound and see the damage done, it was difficult to get to since it was on his back, but Magnus was finally able to get a hand to it.

Immediately when he touched it, he took a deep intake of sharp breath as a tingle of pain coursed through his body. Nevertheless, even with the pain burdening him, Magnus felt along his back; nothing felt out of the sort or shattered, but Magnus was no doctor, and if he wanted a clear diagnose, he would need to ask an expert.

"Codex, scan my body, and see what sort of damage was done!"

"Scan Complete, you only have a minor bruise on your upper right back. It can heal on its own in a couple of days just make sure to keep pressure off of it."

"That is good news," Magnus said, "because I wouldn't know who to go to to get it fixed if it was broken or worse yet, shattered. I don't even think medical science has reached that level."

Codex snorted at Magnus's remark, "These people are not cavemen, they know how to set a bone. And I should remind you, stop underestimating these folk, it will get you killed one of these days."

"Hey, you can't blame me for having a lower opinion of a civilization thousands upon thousands of years old but still shoveling in their shit. This world is stagnate, we are four thousand seven hundred and fifty years into this time period, but there are no technological advances, and there has been none in the dozens of time periods before, all the way leading up to the founders' age.

So please excuse me for having the opinion that Earth is higher and mightier than this world." Even though Magnus has to live in this world, it doesn't mean he has to like it one bit, his soul always goes out to Earth, and that is truly his home, deep in his heart.

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"Hey, you can't blame this world for not advancing much. It had magic ever since the start, so there was no reason to explore other fields when you have great power at their fingertips."

Before the two of them could get right into their argument or more likely break down into a shouting match, Shui walked back into the training room carrying a black leather boiled bag.

He bent down to over to Magnus's level and opened his bag; it was basically a medical bag with all sorts of medicine, concoction, and equipment. "Alright, let me see where you got hit," Shui said.

Magnus showed him where he got bruised, and Shui looked it over, carefully touched it, causing Magnus once more to take in a sharp breath. "How is it," Shui asked, "does it hurt, is it painful, or does it sting?"

"It stings and mostly just burns," Magnus replied.

"Well, it looks like its only a bruise," Shui said, coming to the same conclusion that Codex made. Magnus was astonished. With one look and a single question, he came to the right conclusion. The man really does look like he knows his stuff.

Shui took out a wrapped up piece of cloth. He opened it, and inside of it was a smelly wab of black-green mushy dirt and grass.

"What is that," Magnus asked as he held his breath, trying not to breathe in the scent of the thing.

"This is a healing ointment," Shui simply replied.

"Do you have something else besides that," Magnus asked, not wanting to put that mush anywhere near his skin.

"Stop being a baby and let me put it on," Shui said as he used his three fingers to gather a good chunk of the ointment.

"Fine," Magnus said as he turned his back to the man letting him get at the bruise and trusting him not to kill him with his so-called medicine.

Shui rubbed the ointment on to his bruise, and Magnus clumped down as pain coursed through him at the touch of the bruise. "All done," Shui said once he finished putting the ointment all over his bruise.

Magnus turned to face the man and asked, "Do you have anything to cover it, or else my tunic will wipe the whole thing away?"

"No," Shui replied, confusing Magnus, "The bruise will heal in a few moments, so stay still like that."

"Ahh, what do you mean?" Magnus asked, however, Shui did not need to answer since he got the answer he was looking for. The area with the ointment started to turn cold and numb, Magnus started to get worried, but the pulsing pain started to disappear like a fresh breeze.

Shui voice roused Magus up from his dumbfounded state as he said, "Alright, it looks like it did its work, here let me wipe it off."

"What the hell just happened?" Magus asked, not heeding Shui's instruction as he was more focused on the healing ointment than his now newly healed injury.

"The healing ointment did its job," Shui answered, "that is what it does, heals cuts and bruises that would take days and weeks to heal in a matter of a few minutes."

"So, it magical?" Magus asked, as that would really be the only explanation for how the ointment miraculously did what it just did.

"Yes, though it the plants and herbs that are magical in nature, anybody could really make it."

"Could you teach me how," Magnus asked, medicine that can cause injuries that take days and weeks to heal in a matter of a few minutes is nothing short of a miracle drug. Crazy ideas and plans formed in his head, and he wondered how much it would sell for.

"Finish up your training exercises, and we will see," Shiu replied.

"Come on," Magnus said, "I am inj-..."

"You're what now?" Shui asked as he raised his eyebrows, goading Magnus to finish what he was about to say.

Magnus had nothing to say for himself as he got himself in a pretty awkward situation since he was stretching his shoulder and gave it a spin.

So without a word, he got back on to the course and couldn't help it when he cursed the damn miraculously healing ointment.

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After his training with Shui was over, his following lesson was with Bulut, who gave weapon training. First, though he had his lunch with was much more diverse and nutritious than the simple porridge, stew, and soup that he always eats at the orphanage, and during that time, he made sure to practice his meditation technique.

Like yesterday, they went over the basic twelve stances. Magnus felt like he was getting the hang of things, but Bulut was still calling his stances scantily better than an old man's posture.

As promised, they got into the theoretical part of the class after finishing up the practical portion. Today they were covering short swords! Bulut brought with him many different live weapons and laid it across on to a table for Magnus to see.

"Once we take off the training wheels and I deem it that you would not stab yourself with your own weapon, the first weapon you will be learning to wield is the short sword. So make sure you pay attention, I will be quizzing you," Bulut started off with.

"To start off with a short sword has the advantage of being relatively light-weight and easy to wield. Another significant advantage of short swords is that it's better to use when fighting in confined spaces, like, for example, the streets or indoors.

The greatest disadvantage of the short sword is its reach. Yes, there are weapons with shorter reaches and use your reach when you have it. However, keep in mind, you will always be in danger when facing somebody that has a weapon with a longer reach, so try to get within range as quickly as you can.

Now, there are many different types of short swords used all across Pandora. Some of them are put to more everyday use, while others were used as primary or secondary weapons on the battlefield.

For example, we have here in our weapon room, a Falchion," Bulut said as he held out a short sword that looked like an ancient machete. "This weapon is good for cleaving chops and a devastating slash. Another short sword that we have here is a Cutlass, a good weapon to have at sea." Bulut put away the Falchion then took out a slightly curved blade with a hilt guard.

"Then there is the Wakizashi, a good weapon to have at the side and great at slashing," once more Bulut took out another weapon, which was basically a short version of a katana.

"But for propriety's sake, you will not be using anything fancy or unusual. You will simply use the most basic and conventional short sword ever. That would make it so that you are extremely effective in any intended role. You will also be the finest in close-quarters weapons and you will hit that sweet spot for general utility. There might be better short swords out there that do specific things better, but your strength will be that you do not over specialize in one thing."

"So better go with mediocrity," Magnus summed up.

"Yes," Bulut answered, "I do not want you to get bogged down with too many complications and complexities are always the death penalty on the battlefield."

Magnus wondered about Bulut's past, the man acts so rigidly and stiff, it reminded him of a soldier. Who knows, maybe the man was a soldier in his past, but Magnus's guess was as good as anyone's.

"Now, if you do well in your lesson, this sword is yours," Bulut said, as he took out a dark grey blade with a black leather pommel. It was the sort of blade that Bulut was talking about he would be leaning to use. It was simple and straight without any complexities.

Magnus reached out for it, but Bulut smacked his hand away, "As I said, you will get this only when you do well in your lesson, and I think you are ready to carry it around without maiming yourself."

The orphan rubbed at his hand as he tried the pitiful route, with puppy eyes and watery gazes, being a kid once more was not all bad, he could always pull the heart-rending act. However, Bulut was as hard and unmovable as stone, Magnus asked himself if the man had a heart at all.

"Moving on, the short sword has the balance point…"

Magnus really wanted to reach out for the sword and defy Bulut's order, but those numbers looked real monstrous.

[Name: Bulut Highest Stat: Strength(19.21)]

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Once his weapon lessons were over, Magnus made it over to where Taylan would be to commence his thieving lessons. Magnus found him at his usual place tinkering with his musical instrument. He never saw the man play the damn thing ever since he came here.

Magnus wondered if he was only an enthusiast or if he was any good with the thing, however, what caught his attention was what he was wearing. The thief had on a grimy, worn-out pair of tunic and trousers with dirt soot face and unkempt hair.

"What happened to you?" Magnus asked, the man had never dressed richly or as fine as a guilder, but he kept himself clean and dressed in more than modest clothes. Right now he looked nothing more than a beggar dragged out of the street.

"I am dressed for the occasion," Taylan replied as he grabbed his instrument. "Let's be on our way, now."

Magnus followed after him as they made their way out of the secret hideout and into a back alleyway he never knew that the tavern had. He was still confused with what Taylan meant and asked, "What do you mean you're dressed for the occasion?"

"I am a street performer, and you will be the one thing you have down perfectly a little street rat."

Magnus was very peevish of that subject, he has to do what he has to do to get by, but it isn't like he wants it thrown right back at his face. That is why Magnus remarked, "Well, you look like a beggar than a street performer."

Taylan didn't seem to take offense to that as he just shrugged his shoulders and responded with, "I guess beggars and street performers are one in the same!"

At that reply, Magnus had nothing more to say, it really is hard to stay mad at a smiling man who takes your insults and slights with courteous dismiss.

As they walked the streets, Taylan spoke up while keeping his eyes on the road ahead, "Today we will be starting off with the most basic and useful skill of a thief, pickpocketing, or as they like to call it on the streets, teasing. Which aptly named because that is what pickpocketing is basically is, you are teasing!"

Magnus had the feeling he knew where this was going, he had to stop the crazy idea right here before it got out of control. "Do you plan on letting me loose without any training?"

Taylan shrugged his shoulders with little care, "As I said before, you got the potential, all you need is the skill set and to gain that it takes a lot of practice. That is what we are here for on the streets, to get your feet wet."

"What if I get caught, the guard will haul me off and chop off my hand," Magnus said.

"Well if your hands are not deft enough, improvise, act out a diversion, do whatever it takes, but I want you stealing purses. I will be watching while I perform, and by the end of the day, I better see three of them, filled with iron."

The only enjoyment Magnus got was that he had a look at Taylan's stats!

[Name: Taylan Highest Stat: Agility(18.97)]