A day had past since then. Due to Gricks reconnaissance still wandering outside, Zyro remain hiding in the old man cavern. Fortunately, he have brought some bread and water with him before venturing into the forest as precautions. But the meager amount will only last him a single day, what follows is up to his endurance to bear hunger and thirst.
Without anything to do but keep the grampa company, they keep talking until their tongues run dry. Although, they known each other for a short time. The conversation they shared surpass that of strangers. Thanks to the fact that both had a lot of questions to each other.
Depter obviously lived a long life and had accumulated considerable experiences. Not only in the southern continent, he even explored the mysterious Northern Swords Continent. Zyro learned tons of knowledge from the old man, including why they're renowned as "Swords" which was surprisingly connected to sorcery and mages.
According to him, In the ancient times before the era of goddess and stablishment of Beast Continent. The North solely exist in the brink of destruction, that's when a revolutionary style was born that was hailed as North strongest force even now. Unexpectedly, it was mages who wield swords... Zyro thought that mages use wooden staffs. Depter corrected him, saying. Why use a dull staff if you could use a sharp weapons?
Make sense.
Although there were similarities in fictional works on earth, it wasn't entirely correct.
He learned tons from Depter, but it wasn't for free. In exchange, Zyro will have to inform him of what's happening outside and return here to accompany him once in a while. Zyro had no problem with it. Contrary to the frail and weak appearance of the old hag, his high mark suggest otherwise. If Depter have malicious intentions, he could have done so with little effort.
And... Truth be told, Zyro was fully convince that the old man was just happy that he could finally talk to someone after a very long solitude. Curious, Zyro once steel himself and asked why Depter stayed here in this lonesome ruins, and Depter simply said the obvious "his sealed by the spell" Nothing more. Zyro didn't ask further, afraid to cross the line. Still, he pondered why was he sealed? And who?
But as the saying goes, (curiosity killed the cat). So he didn't dwell on the sensitive topic and find other things to do.
At some point in time, Zyro decided to explore the surrounding ruins that's quite a mystery even for the knowledgeable old man. He too, didn't knew what, who and why this structures are made, he even admitted that it might be older than him.
The underground ruins they're concealed in wasn't that spacious, so Zyro's exploration didn't last long. One thing he discovered is that, the ruins seem to be an collapsed underground passageway, there's no fancy decor, only a stone bricked floor, two opposing wall and a collapsed ceiling. If it is an ancient passage way, where do it lead too?
However, this wonder instantly disappeared when he accidentally found something under stone debris.
Held in his hands was a sword. A weapon banned... Rather, feared by the southern races. But what he discovered wasn't a glorifying sword. It's pommel was dirtied, the rubbed on it's grip was torn, the cross guard had cracks and missing chucks. Above all, it's once shiny blade was severed in half, reduce to a dagger length. It's sharpness was gone, replaced by dullness and rusts.
Over all, it look like a dark, broken sword with brown grip.
"Oh, you found my old sword. I've been wondering where that thing have been." Said Depter who's watching him out of boredom.
Zyro's gaze between the old Sage and the ravaged weapon. Still bewildered by the fact that sword wielding mages was feared in this world as dreadfully force. And even symbolize the entirety of North continent which they had come from.
Depter continue.
"I lack talent on swordsmanship, so it wasn't much of use to me. But it still broke in my hands because of over usage." He laughed.
"Funny, isn't it."
Zyro replied.
"Yeah, I guess... Do this thing have enchantments like the ones you mentioned?"
In their recent conversation, The old man told him the principles of the famed swordsmanship. It fully rely on enchantments scribes encrypted on body or and weaponry. Allowing even a none-mages to wield magic by the use of enchanted weapons. But the cost was heavy, unlike mages who can efficiently utilize this weapons which are mainly sword because of its flexibility in battle.
Then, an epiphany came to Zyro's mind. He can't utilize magic, but it doesn't mean he can't use it through magical weapons. The problem is, those are not easily obtain, even if he search the entire beast continent. Due to mages that mainly create those items was in the far North. Now, however, his holding onto one. Albeit, not in the best state, it's better than nothing.
"Yes, it is an enchanted sword made specializing for me... Oh, I remember you asking if I'm the old man that give power and stuff! Truly, your an absurd knight. But seeing you without a sword, take my pity, ahem, I mean my sword. Although it's not magnificent anymore and it's enchantments was gone. You can still use it to stab others at some degree."
Zyro let out a heavy sighed. His hopes were crushed again. He really need to lower his expectations to avoid dismays.
"Can't you put some enchantments to it?"
"As I told you before, only scribes can professionally encrypt enchantments. It's a delicate and the slightest mistakes can both the item and and scriber. I lack such skills and theres no tools here to assist me. So unless your an extremely resourceful person that can acquire scribing tools and materials from the other continent and I'm willing practice and be be blown up every failure. That poor thing well remain a... like that."
'If your going to say it's trash, just say it'
The old man comforted him.
"Don't be disheartened, even though it's condition was poor. That sword of mine was still made of tough steel."
For some reason, Zyro felt like the old hag is mocking him. Well, his basically giving a ragged dark knight his trash - Broken sword.
Nevertheless, Atleast Zyro got something.
Encourage by his discovery, he tried searching for the other halve in vain. Depter said he lost it somewhere. Adding to Zyro filed-up frustrations. He can't even have a decent weapon. Fortunately, he found solace on his trusty, cybernetic suit of armor.
Time continue passing by, nothing much happened in the underground ruins. Except that, the bored old man keep teasing him about his ravaged weapon. Like, how will you use it? The enemies will surely be frightened, etc. Thankfully, Zyro wasn't the type to be swayed by harmless jokes and played along with him. Saying things like, are you sealed here because your too great, or your mouth is too foul so it was sealed? Unfortunately for the old man, he was beaten at the battle of tongues and cast a silencing spell so he will not hear Zyro's retaliations. Zyro did the same by turning off the headphones listening feature. Leaving the old man talking to no one.
In the long wait, both found themselves sick to each other.
Lifelessly laying on the floor like a corpse, Zyro stare at the looming status window.
It read.
--------------------------------------------
Name: Zyro
Attributes;
Strength: 99999999999999+
Agility: 99999999999999+
Mana: 99999999999999+
Endurance: 99999999999999+
Skills: [Time manipulation - XXX] [Destroying gaze - XXX] [Indestructible body - XXX] [Endless regeneration - XXX][ Master of all - XXX] ....
--------------------------------------------
Of course, it's either his dwindling sanity or bored mind made this up and had no effect at all no matter how overpowered those stats are.
At that moment, Aizra sarcastically voiced in a adorable, electronic tone.
[My dear great master, should I input more to make you fell less pathetic? How about the tittle, God of war? To fit your greatness]
Zyro put on a bitter smile as he restrained himself from banging his head in hard stone.
He sighed.
"Enough, remember that too much do no good. I shall limit myself here in the mortal realms."
No doubt about it, it's his decaying brain.
"Have you lost your mind knight? Maybe I should have gone easy on you, considering how weak your will are. So why don't you try that sword I gave towards me?" Depter mocked.
Zyro simply blocked the suit listening functions again. Not wanting to argue with the senile mage.
By now, 2 days had passed when he received the heartbreaking revelation of his inability to use magic. But, Zyro was still extremely pisses off. However, he knew more than anyone that wining will solve nothing. And as the saying goes: Every problem has a solution, no matter how impossible it may seem if you think hard enough.
'Easy to say, hard to be done.'
Not everything is possible, impossible tasks exist too. Like reviving the dead and many more. Zyro knew this better than anyone.
Feeling lost and empty, not knowing what to do anymore.
Zyro just flatly look at the imaginary stats he've been playing with for almost half an hour.
He have a mission to find and destroy catalyst. However, to do that, he have to scape the shackles and explore this wide world, and somehow raze the indestructible Catalyst. It was impossible, considering all variables. And without power, it was more impossible.
Zyro silently groaned.
Still, despite all this. He didn't want to stop, his not going going to stop. He came so far not just to give up. There must be a solution... right?
'Damned this world'
Zyro sighed, and come up with a wild idea. A desperate, foolish idea. The only solution he could come up with.
'I guess I'll make it myself then.'
His referring to his own power. By now, he'll either be a sore loser who rely on falling blessing to change his life. Of course, none of it will come so he will be stuck waiting forever till death. Or... He could burn the fact that nothing will change unless he do something.
Grinning behind the mask, he began recalling his ideas.
Truth be told, Zyro too didn't know how to build power with his own two hands. For those already in existence were incomprehensible. Take the ascension of life, which Depter also called life hierarchy system. That give beings strength depending on their standing, and language of Gods that bends nature by its words. The underlying logic behind this two power was unfathomable for his mortal mind to comprehend. Let alone, create something similar with his current capacity.
Although, he didn't know how or what his trying to build aimed to achieve. Zyro knew the first step. And that's foundation, starting with a tabulation.
Thankfully, he have Aizra so the task was child's play.
After about a minute of inputting various commands, the tabulation was done.
Infront of him appeared a virtual screen, starting his status in a simplified way based on his preference.
It read.
--------------------------------------------
Name: Zero
Status: Alien
Items: [Shroud of night]
Mark: 0
Attributes: [Technical mind]
--------------------------------------------
Zyro frowned.
'Huh?'
He didn't put an "alien" status in there. However, now that he think about it...
'Duck No! I'm not!'
But he is. If an alien was defined as a extraterrestrial beings who crash landed on a planet with his flying saucer. Like what he did to get here...
Feeling his head ache, he cursed Aizra multiple times before throwing all unnecessary thoughts at the back of his mind. Before revising the status frame again and again to represent himself, only stoping at satisfactory result.
Finally, It read.
--------------------------------------------
Code name: Zero
Status: Shackled trooper
Items: [Shroud of night] [Broken sword]
Mark: 0
Attributes: [Elite] [Technical mind] [Error]
Tittle: None
--------------------------------------------
It's a System, although it wasn't magical or anything. It's still a system nevertheless. Furthermore, Zyro don't need miraculous system to conquer this world. He can do so with his own two hands.