A white box appeared in front of me, opening it I took out both of the manuals and the staff.
*Basic Staff
Attributes: None
Requirements: None
Channeling : N/A
Damage: 1-4
Description: Beginner level staff*
Putting down the basic staff, I pulled out the Storm Tyrant Body manual. Before I could do anything with it though, Mr. Gibbins' projection started talking again. "I would recommended that you use the learning chamber to memorize the contents of any manual, then use training facilities to truly learn the manual."
"Why can't I just memorize it here? It seems kind of stupid to make me go to the learning chamber every time I need to learn something new." I asked
"According to Shade, even he has a limit on what he can program. Think of the learning chamber as a port to plug in an external hard drive. When you go there, you can upload information into your brain. Then, when you enter the training facilities you learn how to use the information."
I opened my menu system, navigating over to the learning chamber. Disappearing in a flash of light, I reappeared in that familiar classroom again. "Is there a way to change the background? I'm getting hives just thinking of having an actual classroom in my brain!"
Mr. Gibbins appeared again, saying "You can change the background into whatever you can wish... after you graduate from Gifted Academy."
'Damn, I knew these implants were too good to be true!' I thought to myself, before opening the Basic Storm Tyrant Body Refining Manual. For the for time, noticed that there was a small print underneath the name reading, 'Mindscape addition'. Reading the manual, I gulped. "Umm... Mr. Gibbins can I change my mind and pick a different manual?"
"No, you have been registered with the school as training the Storm Tyrant Body Refining method. In the future, you'll be graded based on your level of training. Endeavor to train hard."
'SHIT!' Looking back at the book, I read it again. "Dantian cultivators refine their body by moving energy through channels known as meridians just as the ancient Qi cultivators did. Heartforce cultivators cultivate by consuming massive amounts of energy, then using it to refine first their heart, then every organ, bone, muscle, etc... Mindscape cultivators are able to take a bit of a shortcut because they are innately able to sense and control the elements that they have a High level or greater affinity for. The Storm Tyrant method takes advantage of that. Bombarding Lightning and Air elements in a constantly repeating pattern, the body is refined. There are only 9 steps to the body refining method for Mindscape users, in order to further refine your body you are required to open your heartforce energy vessel."
Shit, I just know this is going to hurt... I thought to myself as I continued to read, "During the first three levels, Air element penetrates the pores, muscles, organs, capillaries, and finally into the bones. Refining the body from the outside in. During the first level, you only need to saturate the body in the Air element, the second you have to force more and more into your body, finally in the third the air element will be turned into tiny blades of wind, chipping away at any impurities."
Damn, and that's just the first three! Imagining thousands of tiny blades of wind chipping away away at my bones... 'I'm not sure I want to know what comes next' I thought to myself before reading on, "From the fourth to the 6th levels you refine your body by absorbing electricity. The fourth level starts by using electricity refine the nervous system, greatly increasing reaction speed. After completely refining the nervous system, the 5th and 6th levels focus on refining the body from the inside out, further strengthening the body and removing impurities."
"The final three layers focus on combining the Air and Lightning element to further refine your body, while making it more suitable for using both elements simultaneously. The seventh level consists of using 80% Air, and 20% Lightning to refine the body at the same time. The 8th using 20% Air and 80% Lightning. Finally the 9th layer fuses the elements together creating the Storm Titan body refining the body using 50% Air and 50% Lightning. After completing the Storm Titan Body, you will see a massive increase in reaction speed, explosive power, and agility. Greatly increasing strength, while also slightly increasing your body's endurance and regenerative properties."
After I finished memorizing all the diagrams, learning how and when to use both Air and Lightning energies to refine my body, I pulled out the beginner staff manual. Unlike the body refining manual it just consisted of three stances, offensive, defensive, and speed. Along with how to use the basic block, chop, swing, overhead, and stab movements while in each stance. Honestly, it was so simple that I was surprised they even bothered to turn it into a manual.
'Guess I don't have a choice.' I thought to myself, opening the menu system again I headed back to the training hall. Walking in, sat down and tried to sense the elements around me...
5 Minutes...
20 Minutes...
After an hour, I was finally fed up, "Mr. Gibbins, why can't I sense the elements?"
"The training room allows you to train techniques like marksmanship and staff arts. Cultivation can only be done in the real world unless you have a spiritual energy source. Spiritual energy sources can be purchased, however it is recommended that you earn them yourself in MSE."
"Then, I'd like to enter MSE immediately!" I stood up, tired of wasting time.
"You cannot enter MSE until finishing the tutorial."
"Then how do I finish the tutorial?!?" I was starting to get pissed off at this hologram!
"By mastering Basic Staff Fighting, you will finish your tutorial. It is recommended that you get out your staff and initiate staff training."
Without a second thought, I pulled out my staff saying "Initiate Staff Training."
*BAM!* Instantly, I was smacked in the face as Mr. Gibbins had pulled a staff out of nowhere and attacked me. I saw it coming, and went to use the overhead block of the defense stance but by the time I moved I was already on my ass. "What the hell!" I yelled at him, pissed off I ran at him, swinging the staff at him wildly without using any technique.
"The learning space is extremely efficient when memorizing something, however rote memorization is that the same as training!"
*BAM!* This time, he wacked me in the shin, and when I dropped my staff to grab it while hopping around he slammed me in the side of the head.
"Again! This time use a stance!"
For the next couple of hours, Mr. Gibbins smacked me around non stop. It was incredibly annoying, he wasn't moving too fast for me to react, it was just that I had to try and remember what I was supposed to do before I could move. After an hour, I didn't feel quite so clunky anymore. I could actually block him every now and then. After two hours, I actually managed to hit him!
"Good, now stance training!" Mr. Gibbins shouted. Then, the wall in front of me changed looking like one of those old video games Dance Dance Revolution. I had to move into a stance and perform a move perfectly in accordance to what was shown on the screen. Whenever I messed up, the stance wasn't quite right, my timing was off... Mr. Gibbins would appear and smack me with his staff again.
Finally, my head at least three sizes larger than it used to be, several bruised ribs, a bump the size of Texas on my left shin, I managed to complete the tutorial. 'God, I never want to do that again!' Was the last thing I thought before waking back up.
I originally wanted to rush into MSE and start fighting and cultivating, but after getting the shit kicked out of me for so long I just needed a break. With a sigh, I stood up while feeling my face. "Doesn't feel different." I said to myself, walking into the bathroom to double check. No bruises, face isn't black and blue... Good to go!
As I was walking out of the bathroom, Beth rushed past me slamming the door. 'Guess she needed to go.'
Over the next half hour, all of us woke up after finishing the tutorial. Standing around, we started swapping information. "Yeah, so I didn't even get to pick my training manual." Rick complained to us, "This really buff guy called Sir Ban just showed up, threw a book called, 'The Holy Knight Scriptures' at me along with a heavy weapons and shield manual. Next thing I knew, he was kicking my ass up and down the training hall. I just barely managed to reach 'Satisfactory' in both the manuals when I left. How'd you guys do?"
Beth was jumping up and down in excitement, "I got training manual called Earth God's body, apparently my fire affinity wasn't high enough to train my body. Anyway, It's awesome! When I max it out I'll be almost invincible! Also, I got to train with a greatsword! Was really boring though, I was better than the instructor already." She was pouting at the end, remember how easy her fight was.
"What about you Connor?" I asked, ignoring Beth. She'd been one of those crazy people dressing up in full knights gear and fighting at the renaissance fair for as long as I could remember. Of course she already knew how to fight!
"Mine was different from you guys' I got an option of manuals. In the end I choose a manual called 'Sword Body' because it uses the Metal element to refine your body into a sword eventually, all the other options I got where lackluster in comparison. I picked the Basic Sword Art, got my ass kicked for nearly three hours before I managed to beat him. Worst part was we were using real swords, so I got really used to the feeling of my limbs being chopped off. Not fun!"
After snacking a bit and talking about our plans, we shared our implant numbers with each other so we can call while in VR then went back too it.