'Okay Artemis, how do we begin?'
< "Well first we get to use one of the incredible functions of the system, the System Workshop. It makes a parallel dimension with a fully equipped workshop. You can make any weapon you want out of any material you want, but the weapon will be stuck in the parallel dimension until you pay for or replace the materials you used to make the weapon. That basically means you can infinitely train and only take the weapon you like." >
'That's incredible! So how do I get into it?'
< "Well pretty much the same as everything else the system offers. Just say it in your head. Something like 'Enter System Workshop' is good enough, but as you get a feel for it, you won't even have to think it, just will for it to happen." >
Marcus smiled at the simplicity of the task at hand, before thinking the word Artemis had given him. Suddenly he was overrun with a plethora of dizziness, and he fell to his knees, eyes shut and hands clutching at his head.
After about a minute the dizziness faded, and Marcus returned to his feet, complexion returning to normal.
'What was that?' He mentally moaned to Artemis, annoyed that she hadn't warned him.
< "Oh you're finally up? We arrived ages ago." >
'You could've at least warned me!'
< "And where's the fun in that?" >
Marcus was about to argue with her, then decided against it. There was no way she'd actually listen to him and shouting at her would probably make her laugh, so Marcus decided to just get on with leaning the forging techniques she was here to teach him.
< "First of all, I'm going to teach you a technique for memorisation. If you master it to a high level, you'll be able to learn and recall anything even at just a glance, but be careful with it. A perfect memory is both a blessing and a curse." >
'I'll bear this curse if it lets me get my sister back.'
< "I respect your determination. In that case, you are probably ready for your first System Trial, but we'll deal with that when the year is over. Until then, we'll remain here for a year so that you can really master Void Forging. It'll be key to your strength, later income and even strengthening an Army later!" >
< "Oh, and by the way, normally learning the memorisation technique will take too long, so I'll just force it into your brain. I won't do this often though, or your head might explode!" >
Before he could reply, Marcus fell to his knees again, head in pain. He had lost count of the number of times he had been hurt in training.
Without knowing how long he had been down, Marcus finally got up to his feet. He opened his eyes and looked around, but was shocked at the way he was able to remember everything he had seen down to the last detail.
Thinking back, he was even able to remember everything he had seen, heard or known in the past, reliving the memories of his two-year-old self. He was glad he didn't have to go through childbirth again and figured he probably couldn't remember that far back because of how young his brain would've been at the time.
He saw his mother and father again, learning to read and write, and using the hammer for the first time. He got to see himself grow up, becoming a proper blacksmith within a few years, and finally the day he dreaded came. The day his parents left for the last time, travelling to the east for the last time, and never returning after.
Tears fell to the ground, slowly adding up until you could hear small splashes whenever they hit the stone floor
After this, it was the times he had spent with his sister, running the store and earning their living. He recognised some of the days just before his sister being kidnapped, but still found himself unable to prevent her being taken.
More tears trickled down his face, adding to the small puddle made by him crying for his parents leaving.
Then there were the memories of him receiving the black book. He was able to perceive the exact appearance of the book and noticed something he hadn't before. A small insignia of an infinity symbol in black, surrounded by a blood-red circle resembling the moon. It glinted in the artificial light of the black market in Marcus's memories, before suddenly flashing out of sight.
The image had only appeared for a split second, but with his now incredible memorisation abilities, he now had the image perfectly engraved into his memory.
He then ran through all of the training he had been through, consolidating his knowledge. From this, he was really able to understand how incredible the ability he had been given really was.
He had gained two things from his memories. First of all, he now knew more about the book he had been given, gaining familiarity with the things he'd later have to solve and find out about. Additionally, he now had a perfect memory as to what his sister's kidnapper looked like, relieving him plenty as he had been scared of forgetting the specific parts of the man's features.
Marcus chuckled to himself as he felt bad for the man. There was no way he would get out of this alive… not with Marcus after his life. He still didn't know how strong the man was, but he knew that no matter his strength, Marcus would spend as long as necessary getting strong enough to find his sister and get revenge on the man who had taken her.
Although many would've been disheartened from seeing all the negatives in Marcus's life all at once, Marcus was energised instead of pained. It had only given him more motivation to save his sister from the mysterious kidnappers that had taken her. Life had only shown him suffering until now, with the occasional baited chance at a good life, and now Marcus had decided he was done with letting life control him, and he would bend fate to his own will after becoming powerful enough to return the favour with all those who had wronged him.
'Okay Artemis.. when do we begin?'
< "We'll begin now. There's been enough hold up already, so let's get a move on. First, let's go and select some materials. We'll start with some of the ones that are easier to use, then work our way up to using things like Void Steel, which has some of the greatest effects but is extremely difficult to control. Let me show you how to use the hammer first." >
And with that, tentacles came out of Marcus's back, four to be precise, and started to control each of his limbs like a puppet. As Artemis worked, she narrated her movements, making it easier for Marcus to understand.
< "Void Smithing is actually very simple. It involves cycling Vis energy constantly between you and the air, before concentrating the essence of that Vis into runes on the weapon. Those runes then have to be controlled using various formations and techniques to connect the Vis veins so that the weapon can be manipulated easily. Weapons will be ranked depending on the following:
· Density and Number of Vis veins
· Design of the Vis vein network
· Size of the veins
And will receive rarities based off of the purity of the Vis essence used.
When using the hammer to make the weapon, start by cycling Vis through your body, like this" >
Artemis took control of Marcus's Vis, cycling it around his body and showing him how it's done.
< "Once you feel you have gathered enough essence, charge it into the striking edge of the hammer, and strike the hammer down onto the point you would like to mould. Once you have enough control over your Vis, you'll be able to strike the weapon once and form it without even using a hammer, but that'll definitely take a while so don't worry about that for now." >
Artemis struck the piece of metal until it resembled the blade of a knife.
< "If you charge some of that Vis essence into your eyes, you'll be able to see the actual lines that I'm forging. I'll do it for you this time so you know what it looks like." >
Suddenly Marcus felt his whole world do a spin, and he was suddenly able to see the movements of all of the Vis in the air. It was a lot to take in, but Marcus persevered. He'd have to get through this, or he might never see his sister again.
< "Now you have a try" >
*Author Note* Glad you're enjoying the series so far! Chapters will have to be slowed down since I have to juggle schoolwork along with it, but I'll try to get out 2 or 3 chapters weekly! Thanks for the support!!! :D