Arthur is an unusual kid, by many aspects. Since when he can tell he could know exactly the time of the day, it always appears in a semi transparent frame at the top left of his camp of vision, not just that, but he was capable of execute simple calculations at incredible fast speed because another window that pop up always that he needs to do an operation.
When he first noted that he thought that he had a problem, first because he could notice easily that nobody else saw the frames and second because the symbols on the frames were completely strange to him. So, it was strange when he was at Numbers classes and always that he had to use his abacus he had to see that pop-up.
He just needed one day to sort the symbols of his Mental Abacus. He just had to do lots of calculus that he knew the answers to know symbols and create a hypothesis and do some tests to validate it.
After all that he knew that the top left frame was a clock.
It was his powers, almost useless but HIS and only belong to himself. It was one more thing that give him hope. If he had and special ability, even a weak one, it means that he was destined to be different.
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Arthur was at the pub sharing a table with Albert. Each scrutinizing the other, trying to figure out the other person.
"So Albert" Said Arthur. "I come here, like dozens of others, to seek apprenticeship under you"
Albert doesn't even need to think twice before answer "Heh boy, I have only two words for you: NO WAY"
Arthur said: "I knew that you would say that and believe me, if it wasn't because I need to improve for the contest I wouldn't seek you. I'm used to listening to people saying that you probably liquified your brain with all those moose, but I know better. The way you look is shabby but the medal in your chest still glow."
"Of course it glows boy, this is the few remaining honours that an old man like me is allowed to keep. And let me warn you, this boot licking will not work on me. A lot before you tried the same." Told him Albert with a glare.
Arthur took a big breath and calmly said: "Bert, let's be honest. I made a dig up on you. Every week there is at least one person that comes to you to seek apprenticeship. Every week you always listen what every one of them wants to say to you, you only be mad if someone step in yours boundaries."
"Keep on"
Arthur mentally smirked and continued: "The truth is that you like to feel flattered knowing that even if you don't want to teach there is lots of people looking for you. You like to be a teacher but you don't feel that you deserve. So, you keep coming here and let us, young and desperate people, spend every bit of our ideas to try to convince you"
"And that, boy" said Albert "Is exactly what you are doing now, hehehe"
"Yes and no. Obviously, I want you to be my teacher, but I don't want to spend time here convincing you. I think that you have some kind of secret requirement to accept another student. So, I want to tell you three things.
First: I'm not here to learn how to use a weapon, even if you are famous for that I think my mother are stronger than you.
Second: I'm not here to learn how to become a cultivator. Somehow there is this gossip that you have some kind of meridian cleaner set but my father told me to reach the highest degree in Commoners Martial Arts before thinking in complete cultivation.
Third: I'm here to learn how to survive in a war, jungle, desert, ocean or whatever. I will be stronger, what I need is to learn how to keep getting stronger without dying. How to sense and scape from a murder and how to protect my vitals.
You are known to be the best fighter of the armour, but when I dig on you, I saw different. You are the best survivor and each of those conquests in a war came from you being capable of save your own and your comrades life."
Albert sighed slowly, a look in Arthur's eyes and said "Boy, I need to say that there was other three guys that told about the same things that you told me. I'm not a fool to believe any bull crap you are telling."
"I can prove to you what I'm talking about with three small lines. I don't need you to teach me how to fight because my mother is Elisabeth Smith, one of the strongest in the army these days. I don't urge for your meridian cleaning method because my father, Lucas King, has more knowledge than anyone in this town about cultivation and devised a hard but well-rounded path. And I need to survive because since birth I was sentenced to die and, when I survived, I choose to cross this dangerous path." Arthur said calmly
"Teacher, let me give you a homework before I go home. Dig on me and my family and you will see that I need you, but I don't depend on you. Because I dug on you and saw that you don't want to be a teacher, but you urge to be one. I will come here tomorrow to officialize the apprenticeship."
After saying a hurried goodbye Arthur stood up from his chair and sped up to get out of the pub. When he was going out, he heard a deaf tone shout.
"YOU ARE SO FULL OF YOURSELF BOY, DON'T YOU DARE TO SHOW YOURSELF IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN OR I WILL BREAK YOUR NOSE."
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When he got home, he went to their living room and his father was there. Luke asked: "So son, how it was?"
"All nice dad, he asked me to return tomorrow." Arthur lied without even blink. "I think a caused a big impression on him. I bet he is thinking about my teaching me right now".
During this conversation Elisabeth walked thought the door, sniffed and looked at Arthur with a glare:
"Boy, you can have a drunk teacher, but if you let me sense this cigar and alcohol in your clothes again..."
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Meanwhile, in a small hut:
"That little bastard thinks too much of himself"