We woke up feeling rested and boarded the first ship back. The excitement of what lay ahead filled the air. On the ship, Jason suggested we start working out to prepare for the preliminary ranking competition, and I agreed—it was time to get serious.
We headed to the training room reserved for rankers. The place was massive, filled with state-of-the-art gym equipment and separate virtual combat rooms. While warming up, we noticed someone in one of the virtual rooms.
It was one of the individuals who had gone with us to receive powers from the Stone Tablet. But there was something different about him—he was incredibly strong. His powers revolved around elemental control, and he wielded them like a seasoned warrior. Flames burst from his hands, forming blades that cut through virtual monsters with ease. He used wind to propel himself forward, increasing his speed and maneuverability. Each attack was calculated, his movements fluid. Watching him felt like watching a professional fighter in their element. He looked wealthy too, with his flashy equipment and confident demeanor.
Jason and I exchanged a look. We were curious to see how we'd fare against monsters, especially since dungeon diving for treasures was part of our plan. But when we asked about entering the virtual combat room, the staff informed us it required a fee—a fee we couldn't afford.
I sighed, muttering, "Is there anything on this ship that doesn't require a fee?"
Jason tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile. "It's okay. At least we can afford to use the gym equipment. Let's focus on what we can do for now."
Reluctantly, I nodded, and we resumed our workout. After we finished, we decided to ask one of the staff members if there was a place on the ship where we could practice using our powers. To my dismay, they said there was such a place, but—of course—it came with another fee.
Hearing the cost, I groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."
Jason chuckled and nudged me. "Relax. We can afford this one. Let's just do it."
We paid the fee and received access cards to a designated practice room. As we stepped inside, we were greeted by silence. The room was completely empty, which was perfect. No distractions, no interruptions—just us and the opportunity to figure things out.
Jason turned to me, a grin spreading across his face. "Ragnarok, what type of weapon do you think you can use?"
I paused, putting a hand on my chin in thought. "Hmm… I've never used a weapon before. Just make me a sword, a spear, and a sledgehammer. I'll try those out. What about you? What weapon would you use?"
Jason's confidence didn't waver as he replied, "Since I have mastery, I'll start with a gun. But if things get serious, I can easily switch to another weapon mid-fight."
I nodded, impressed. "Makes sense." Then an idea struck me. "Hey, since you can make weapons, can you also make a vest that can absorb impact? Technically, it's a defensive weapon, right?"
Jason's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea. Let me see if I can manage it. But first, let's try making the sword."
"How do you even do it?" I asked, curious about the process.
Jason shrugged. "Based on the vision and the info from the watch, I just need to focus on what I want. If my focus slips, it won't work."
"How long will that take?" I asked, tilting my head.
Jason chuckled. "I don't know. I haven't tried it before, have I?"
I laughed. "Fair point. Me and you have been together this whole time, so if you had, I'd know. Alright, take your time. I'll just sit over there and watch."
I plopped onto the floor, leaning back to observe as Jason closed his eyes and focused.
Something was materializing out of thin air, which was pretty awesome to watch at first. But what emerged was a crooked knife, barely usable and definitely not sharp. Jason frowned at it, clearly disappointed. Determined, he tried again, focusing harder this time. Yet, the result wasn't much better. After four more tries, each attempt worse than the last, Jason was visibly frustrated and exhausted.
He groaned, "What am I doing wrong?"
Seeing him like that, I stood up from where I was sitting. I could tell he was overthinking things, stressing himself out unnecessarily. It was time to say something.
Jason, I called out to him, I don't think you need to think so much about it. Honestly, even your forehead agrees with me right now."
Jason looked at me, confused but slightly amused. "What do you mean?"
"Well," I continued, "they said you need to focus, right? But maybe you're overdoing it. Just imagine it materializing—don't stress so much about it. I don't know if you get what I mean, but let me put it this way: If a god were using his power in the middle of a battle, do you think he'd stop and think this deeply about it? Probably not. If this is really your power, then think of it like a reflex—like walking, raising your hands, or blinking. You don't think too much about those, do you?"
Jason's eyes lit up slightly as he considered my words. "Yeah, you're right. If I'm supposed to become a god, I shouldn't have to overthink everything. It should just come naturally."
Satisfied that he understood, I sat back down and gestured for him to continue.
"Go on," I said with a grin. "Give it another shot."
Jason tried again. The air around his hands shimmered faintly as something began to materialize. I leaned forward, watching intently, but when the glow faded, all he had was… a crooked knife. It wasn't even sharp.
Jason groaned, tossing the failed creation onto the ground. "What am I doing wrong?"
I stood up, brushing off my pants. "Honestly? You're overthinking it. Even your forehead looks like it's about to explode."
He shot me a glare. "Great pep talk, Ragnarok. Thanks."
"No, seriously. Think about it. If a god was in the middle of a fight, would he stop and think, 'Oh, I need to focus on this sword for ten minutes'? No! It would just… happen. Like walking or raising your hand. It's a reflex."
Jason rubbed the back of his neck, considering my words. "Yeah, I guess you're right. If this is my power, I shouldn't be stressing over it."
"Exactly. Now take a deep breath and try again. Pretend it's second nature—like breathing."
Jason nodded and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. This time, the air around him seemed to hum, rippling with energy. Slowly, a blade began to form.
First came the tip—razor-sharp and gleaming. Ancient runes appeared along the blade, glowing faintly blue. The hilt followed, crowned with a lion's head, its eyes burning with a fierce light. Finally, a blue sheath materialized, wrapping the blade in an aura of elegance.
Jason opened his eyes, staring at the weapon in disbelief. "I did it," he whispered.
I grinned. "You didn't just do it. You made something that looks like it belongs in a legendary treasure vault. Or maybe it's a gift straight from heaven. But, uh… maybe don't swing it around. Remember that anime where the guy accidentally split a mountain in half?"
Jason smirked. "Out of all the ways to describe this, you had to bring up that?"
"Not trying to be a genius here, but I really don't want to test if this ship is unsinkable."
He rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he plucked a strand of my hair without warning.
"Hey! What the hell was that for?" I snapped, rubbing my head.
Jason held up the hair with a grin. "Relax. We'll test the blade with this."
We carefully laid the sword on the ground. Jason held the strand of hair over the blade and let it float down. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft snick, the hair split cleanly in two.
Jason picked up the severed strand, his grin widening. "Sharp enough for you?"
I whistled, impressed but slightly nervous. "Okay, that's terrifying. Let's make sure you don't sneeze while holding it."