Chereads / The Secret: Hidden truth in rotten lands / Chapter 24 - A month later, the higher the phase, the harder the challenge _ Part 2

Chapter 24 - A month later, the higher the phase, the harder the challenge _ Part 2

After his practice with a sword, the rest of the training after healing was only the easy one.

Exploring the house that never really explored before was one of those easy parts. 

He used it as training while walking around completely blind since he was covering his eyes with the cloth.

But did not spend much time exploring, it was mostly when he was bored; his day, however, was indeed boring.

If not for the times he used to train, most of his day was searching for interesting things on the internet or going around the house.

Now he understood how his grandfather prepared his mind to leave.

In the evening, that thought crossed his mind and...

-Wait, Claire, why my grandfather left? He said it was an order from the guild or something like that, but the guild is no longer working here anymore-

-That, master, is a question I can only theorize to answer by reading and placing the clues together, not something I really know- Said Clair through the speakers.

-Fuck...-

It was like throwing cold water on his curiosity.

Anyway, soon got close to his doings again.

In the evening he trained in close combat without weapons once again before finishing the day.

As the next day arrived, he started the routine again, taking a shower, eating something, warming up, and training again.

This time, during the combat, he could still not get what the trick with this sword was for.

He could not get a clue but the android had the solution for it. After the combat, she gave him the theory.

-Concentrate on the sword for a moment, master, and try to understand its characteristics. Meanwhile, I will get the medicine and get you healed-

The android left but she still had control over the house, it was not hard to find out if Mike needed help while she was in the lab.

Mike remained sat on the ground. He scanned the sword with his ability and with his eyes.

A wakizashi was called, it was supposed to be a gift for his grandfather, but his grandfather left the sword there, in the house.

Was he expecting Mike to get it? Or was it just coincidence maybe?

Whatever the answer, he would rather focus on the task at hand.

His eyes crossed the words, very small words, in the sword.

"Made in Japan" checked, the serial number, checked... why the serial number? Does it have some use?

He made a note on his mind about the serial number.

Also, he found strange words in there too, it was a strange language he knew nothing about. Another note to take in mind.

Aside from it, there was nothing more in the sword itself. Just the design was so uncommon already, so it was hard to tell for him.

But then what did he feel with his ability then? A simple sword, just that there was something amiss.

He tried to grab the sword with his ability, not with his hands.

*Clank*

The sword fell to the ground, it was not possible to hold it for a long time, like it was heavy on his ability's perception.

But at the same time, his ability felt like it was another part of it, just that the moment he tried to control it was when the ability could not control the sword too.

-Something's strange...-

He could not find anything useful, and that's the reason he made mental notes.

Because the one who could help him was getting back into the training ground again.

-The sword is the strange part? - The android asked when starting Mike's treatment.

-Not only that, what is written on the sword, says the serial code, why a sword made by the guild need it?-

-Because it works for identifying, master, are you dumb?-

-Yes, so dumb but I can still feel the sarcasm in your words-

-Oh, that's good then, but yes, it has its utility. It works for identifying the kind of ability users that work better with the weapon. Is a rule from the guild even when is specially made for certain individuals.-

-In short words, rules. Still what do those words here mean?-

Mike showed her the smaller swords on the sword.

-It is translated as: 'Doing what we do is who we are, and we are free'. It is the first mandatory in the Deity's Guild rules, more like a motto. But they used it since its creation.-

-Hmm... that doesn't help me really, I thought it would be more useful and help me-

Sometimes one can't get the clue so easily, and the only thing Mike had as a clue was the sense of familiarity he felt with the sword.

-And will you tell me what material is it made from?-

-Gold, mainly- Claire had no doubts in her words while solving Mike's mystery.

But instead of giving answers, it gave him doubts.

-But it isn't like gold... right?- He took a look at the sword and held it with a hand close to him.

His moves made Claire more complicated to add the medicine to his body but still said nothing, instead, she kept explaining.

-It doesn't look like gold for two reasons, first, it is bathed in a special chemical that hides its golden shine, that's why it looks like steel instead.-

She then finished placing the medicine on him.

-And also has a special crystal on its core, each weapon has a different type of it inside, I don't know what it is exactly since it could be a different kind of metal too, even a special chemical, but is mostly a crystal usually-

-Can't you scan it?-

-Would take time and is not what matters really-

-So it doesn't help, great...-

Time went by, he barely used the exhausting device and focused on the sword.

He tried more casual moves from time to time, almost all day with his eyes closed or covered by the cloth.

But the day could only end up frustrating him, so another day passed and he woke up again, still no news about work for him, but didn't really matter to him anyway.

He now had a money maker with him, Claire.

*Ding*

-Congrats on acquiring the title: the useless swordsman who can't understand his sword- The first words today were another title.

-Don't give me ideas for a novel-

-With your mind not even understanding your own weapon, how can you write a novel-

-Oh? Think you can do better than me?-

-I can't use PhySEC and already can beat you-

-You won this time, but there will be no second win for you...-

Mike started his day again, in the morning getting beaten, I mean, getting trained in sword combat, the rest of the day exploring the vast sea of internet and at afternoon training by himself.

Before getting beaten in the evening spar today he was in front of the exhausting device and had an idea.

But instead of doing as his mind told him to do, he took a moment to meditate.

Not because the idea was maybe stupid, it was stupid. But took the time to try the first part of it, so maybe the android won't interrupt.

-"Who am I kidding? If the android stops me, it's for a reason... but still, I want to try this"-

Mike concentrated on using his ability to feel the world around him, it was the preparation, then he withdrew his ability and passed it to the sword in his hand. 

The sword didn't reject the ability.

-"It does not reject it, just that can't be controlled by it, got it, my theory was right!"-

Mike showed no emotion on his face, he was expecting it, just that it was the theory.

Now since in practice it worked, it was time to test it, he opened his eyes and used the exhausting device, but made it quick so Claire could not say something to him to try and stop him.

He turned it on quickly, he was prepared for that since he scanned the device a moment ago when got the idea.

It would be the moment the android would be asking him what he was about to do, but he heard nothing from her.

His moves were fast and in no time, he was using his ability on the device, using the sword as a medium.

The time started. And only when 5 seconds happened. Claire finally reached the place and got close to him.

But strangely, she did not interrupt him.

10 seconds, and it was like before, after reaching phase 1, his time resisting, on average, was 21 seconds, 23 until fainting.

At 21 seconds, he had finally withdrawn his attempt.

He was tired from the device as usual while got away from it.

Then sat on the ground.

-Why did you come here?-

-I thought you were planning something stupid-

-Am I that kind of person?-

-You turned the device on your own-

-Ok, you win, but why don't stop me then?-

-Worst case, you would faint at half your average time and would lose the evening training-

-...-

-But congrats, you passed the hardest challenge to get familiarized with your weapon-

-What?-

-I said congrats, you passed the hardest challenge...-

-Shut up, I mean to explain- Interrupted Mike.

-I know what you meant, master, can't get the joke?-

-Much better than you, thanks, now explain-

-As I said, is the hardest challenge, and the reason is that almost no one in your family could pass that test, so to summarize, it was stupid, when you do have not the brain to understand the theory of how your ability works, you still have talent in practice-

-I feel offense by those words, should I recycle you?-

-Then you will be the one cooking from now on-

-Make sense-

From Claire's point of view, Mike is like the monster of the Blood family, not understanding too much of his ability in theory, but is a different thing in practice.

She thought that the theory would be easy for him and did not worry too much about the sword training.

But reality hit harder than expected, she understood that Mike was not bad at theory, just that he decided to make his own way.

The long texts she had prepared for him to learn, are now a useless thing.

-I worked hard to prepare the summarized theory for you, master, but now is useless- Said Claire with a low voice, almost like crying.

Mike stood shocked for a moment but then remembered... -I almost got caught-

-Tsk, I made it hard to notice this time- said the android with the usual cold voice.

She could make a perfect 3D model in less than 2 minutes, connect to all systems in the house, and read and summarize long texts in seconds.

What hard work? It took her less than a minute, not even long by her own standards.