The Acting Method

Chapter 5: The Acting Method

"Digest the potion?" William looked at Debris in confusion.

"That's right! Potions must be digested for the Beyonders to adapt to their powers." The sword explained cheerfully before adopting a serious tone. "Potion digestion is a key factor. The further you are from completing it, the more chance you have of losing control."

William put a thoughtful hand to his chin. "So I can lose control if I don't follow this digestion thing. What happens if a Beyonder loses control?"

"It depends on the person, but what is certain is that it will be worse than death. Both for the Beyonder and those close to him." At this answer, William felt a shiver run down his spine, and he knew he did not want to find out what would happen to him in that case.

"Okay, then tell me about this method of digesting the potion, please."

Debris swayed slightly on the table, seeming glad to be able to explain all these things. William hadn't noticed before, but he realized how easily he could tell the sword's feelings, almost as if it was instinct.

"That's thanks to our connection, Darling. I can read your surface thoughts, and you can know my moods and emotions. Also, I didn't want to tell you yet, because it was funny to see you scared every time I spoke to you on the street, but nobody other than you will be able to hear me." William's eyebrow twitched as he wondered if he should retrain this naughty sword.

He sighed and got up to start preparing lunch. "That's good to hear." Commented sarcastically.

"Anyway, I'll tell you about the Acting Method." Already eating, William heard Debris talking next to him.

"Oh, that's the name?" That led him to several theories about how it would work. The sword nodded, or at least William thought so.

"The potion would take years to digest on its own. Luckily, there is this Action Method, which speeds up the process." He listened to her while he took a spoonful of soup into his mouth. "It consists of acting in a certain way, which varies depending on the type of potion you have drunk."

Finally, William finished his meal and leaned back in his chair. "Well then, what is the method for my potion?"

"No idea." The guy looked at the sword, genuinely surprised. "Though I know it's always related to the name of the Sequence."

"Knight then, huh?" William hummed as he thought about what characterized a knight. He concluded that a knight should have a noble character and the predisposition to help others.

"This is going to be difficult. I'm not one to save people for the sake of it if it puts me in danger." Of course, if he had the means to save someone easily, he would try to help. But that was very different from being willing to protect someone at the cost of his integrity, at least not for a stranger.

"Don't worry, Darling." Debris's voice brought William back to reality. "Although following all the precepts for the Acting Method would greatly speed up digestion, you can still do most of them, and it will work anyway. You can imagine them as a catalyst for a chemical reaction."

The newly turned Beyonder nodded, finally understanding how it worked. Now, a new doubt appeared in his mind. What to do from then on?

Yes, he had powers, but what did he need them for? Should he try mentioning his superpowers to some organization? He was afraid that they would discover him sooner or later and then they would hunt him down.

But then again, he might be caught the moment he spoke. It was a major dilemma, but he wasn't going to lose his cool over it. Perhaps he could talk to his employer, Darkwill? He doubted the man was a member of any kind of official organization, but he seemed relaxed enough to have some kind of power behind him.

"I don't have to make a decision now, I'll take the afternoon walk and think about it in the meantime." He tied Debris around his waist, got ready, and put on his hat.

As soon as he started walking, he noticed the difference the potion had made. Like an expert warrior, his footsteps were light and made almost no noise. He instinctively kept a straight posture. When he stopped thinking about it, his eyes would start to look around him, constantly vigilant, as Moody would have said.

He thought that he should try to keep this behavior under control to try not to alert anyone who was particularly observant. Once again, he had read several fantasy novels in his previous life and, along with his common sense, managed to get a pretty good idea of what to do and what not to do.

Eventually, though, he passed a sign that caught his eye.

"Divination Club?" William felt his inner scientist doubt. But, thinking about it logically, this world had magic, or Beyonder powers, as they were called. Being a scientist also meant being eternally curious about everything around you.

That being said, his curiosity prevented him from passing by, and rather sooner than later he found himself walking through the door of the club. It was decorated with a mixture of sumptuousness and a gloomy atmosphere.

In the main foyer, he found a girl with coiled brownish-yellow hair. She was sitting and smiled at him. "Sir, do you wish to have your fortune told, or do you wish to join our club?"

"I would want my fortune told. How does this work?" He took off his hat and approached the woman.

"Here you have a catalog with all the available members, you can choose one, and they vary in terms of their rates."

William started looking at the names and the prices they had. They were quite high and he was about to apologize and walk out of the club when he found one with an especially low rate.

"This guy, Klein Moretti. Is he available?"

The woman seemed a little disappointed but answered anyway. "Oh yes, Mr. Moretti is new to the club, I'll go tell him he has a client."

She disappeared into an adjoining room and returned a few seconds later. She was accompanied by a well-dressed guy with a refined aura, but that was not what attracted William's attention.

A gray mist surrounded him and William's eyes widened in horror. The most curious thing is that the boy's eyes widened in the same way as his.

-----------------

Before someone says that the meeting with Klein is forced, let me give you a little spoiler by saying that it is not. I hope you liked the chapter.