17 THE CHII SHO TEST

Have you ever slumbered naked on a plain concrete floor? Well, I must admit that most people engage in this peculiar pastime, but usually, it involves luxurious cushions and a touch of elegance, maybe with some hot damsel in their company. Unfortunately, my situation was far from glamorous. After successfully navigating the treacherous submerged causeway, I finally found myself within the towering structure. It must have been well past midnight, and I was drenched to the bone, resembling a soggy sponge.

My weary body screamed in exhaustion, as I had yet to activate the replenished 'sustenance perk'. Despite having dozed off during the day, my eyelids suddenly felt as heavy as anvils. While my cloaks dripped with water, my body was surprisingly warm, thanks to the thermal sight perk.

I had the foresight to stash away the dried warthog meat on the shore, and I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that it hadn't accompanied me on this watery adventure, risking spoilage or vanishing into the depths of the lake.

With trepidation clouding my mind, I unclipped my saber, unsure if the kyber crystal would be affected by water or if the saber would malfunction. Such an accident was simply not in my scope. However, upon powering it, both blades hummed with their usual power, and there was no sign of any abnormality. A stroke of luck, indeed.

Ascending the cracked staircase, I soon found myself on the tower's second level. In the main hall, there were some rather inviting rags strewn across a wooden table. Unfortunately, they were covered in dust and adorned with spider webs. I swiftly changed my mind about settling there for the remaining hours before daylight. Sleeping atop spider webs was not part of my plan, no matter how comfortable the rags appeared.

The mere thought of dozing off in damp, dripping clothes sent shivers down my spine. Thermal perk or not, I wasn't used to such an idea, so I stripped everything, and after squeezing the water out of the clothes, I spread them out to dry.

Then, grabbing my saber, I laid myself on the plain, dusty concrete floor and soon drifted away to slumber.

I must have been quite fatigued because, by the time I opened my eyes, the sun's rays were drifting lazily through the wide tower windows.

I quickly wore my semi-dried attire. My stomach was rumbling in hunger, and although I preferred eating instead of being fueled like some vehicles, I was out of choices here, so I activated the already-replenished sustenance perk. It was time to delve into the Star Wars world.

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CORUSCANT

The imposing figure of Kylo Ren loomed before me, his deadly gaze piercing through my shabby cloaks. I couldn't help but notice the red lightsaber already ignited in his hand. This was it—the final test to prove my mastery of the Shii Cho lightsaber form.

Countless hours had been spent under his guidance, absorbing his teachings and honing my skills. He had instilled in me a deep respect for the Force. But now, facing the man, doubt crept into my mind. Did I possess what it took to defeat him? I knew he would restrict himself to using only Shii Cho, but what if he still emerged victorious? I couldn't stomach the thought of having to repeat the training.

"Draw your saber," his calm yet deadly voice invaded my thoughts. It was then that I realized this was not the Ben Solo version that had trained me. No, this was the embodiment of the dark side of Kylo Ren, clad in black from head to toe, his eyes radiating malice.

In an instant, I powered up my saber, anticipating the first attack. I barely managed to dodge, narrowly avoiding the red sparks that erupted as his saber struck the floor. Was he truly intent on killing me?

Kylo's attacks were relentless and unforgiving, each strike threatening to overpower me. I parried and dodged to the best of my abilities, drawing upon every technique he had taught me. But no matter what I did, Kylo's skills were unmatched. His mastery of the lightsaber was evident in every move he made. However, as the duel intensified, a realization began to dawn on me.

Kylo was heaving and sweating, desperately trying to break through my defense. Meanwhile, I felt not even a grain of exhaustion. It was then that I grasped the advantage I possessed. My force sustenance perk had been activated, ensuring that the energy I had at the beginning of the combat remained constant, and my muscles remained fresh.

While Kylo Ren panted, the force behind his attacks diminished with each blow. This was the Shii-Cho form, my friend, where resilience and defense were its paramount virtues. With this in mind, we could parry and counter all day long, gracefully wearing down my opponent until he ultimately conceded defeat

I knew I was kinda cheating, but in battle, everything was fair game. Almost 20 minutes later, Kylo was heaving, sweat flowing from every pore. His saber began to tremble, and as I parried his blow, it flew from his weakened grasp and clattered onto the floor.

My blue sword was now pointed at Kylo's throat.

"You win!" were the desperate words that escaped Kylo's panting mouth.

"Yeah!" I exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that I had disarmed my opponent. I quickly switched off my saber and turned to retrieve the fallen weapon, still glowing red.

As I reached for it, I powered it off and turned to give it back to my beaten opponent. But to my surprise, there was no one. The space where Kylo had stood just seconds before was now deserted.

I stared at the saber in my hand, then at the empty space, refusing to believe the plain truth before me: Kylo had simply vanished into thin air.

I swiftly fastened my saber to my belt and charged toward the temple, fueled by a mix of determination and curiosity. Perhaps the guy had utilized force speed to escape the training ground out of sheer frustration. Yet, doubts lingered in my mind about that theory—why would any sane Jedi or Sith abandon their saber?

As I ventured through the expansive hallways and chambers of the temple, my eyes scanned for any sign of Kylo Ren. To my astonishment, even the simulated temple guards had vanished. It was as if the entire system was signaling the end of my time as a Shii Cho trainee.

I glanced down at the saber in my grasp, contemplating its significance. Did this mean I had won it? And why would I even need two of them?

It was then that a system notification danced before me.

{CONGRATULATION Padawan Eron, you have mastered the Chii Sho form and disarmed your opponent. You now own the saber; however, be informed that due to your padawan status, you cannot take anything or anyone between the two worlds except your saber. This will, however, change once you reach the grand master level. }

Holy cow!, I could transport people or things between Star Wars galaxies and Westeros?, this was fucking dope!

Suddenly, Arya's demand in Winterfell flashed through my mind.

This possibility had never crossed my mind before, but now, adrenaline coursed through my veins as I entertained the idea. If I could truly transport items between these two worlds, it would take the madness to a whole new level. It might even allow me to establish my own order in either realm with a bit of effort and trouble.

Lost in deep contemplation, I slowly made my way back into the Jedi temple. The grandeur of the structure and its numerous chambers had always intrigued me, but time had never permitted exploration. However, nothing stood in my way now, except for the fact that I had a four-day perk and an unfinished quest on the desert planet of Tatooine. Time was of the essence.

Regardless, if my theory proved correct and the Shii Cho form remained unlocked, I could always return to this sacred place, even without a trainer to guide me.

However, if there's one thing I've learned during those grueling months in training, it's that charging into a mission without a plan is a surefire way to end up as space dust. So, I decided to make the most of the serene atmosphere in the Jedi temple and gather my thoughts, concocting a brilliant scheme.

Now, knowing Jabba, The guy was no pushover. Trying to convince anyone to take me to the Hutt clan leader was like trying to convince a Wookiee to shave its fur. The Hutts were the stuff of nightmares on Tatooine, and even the scummiest smugglers in Mos Eisley wouldn't dare cross paths with Jabba. His word was law, and you didn't want to be on the wrong side of that.

So, I had to get creative. I needed to lure Jabba into agreeing to see me, and I knew just the trick. You see, this Hutt crime boss had a serious addiction to collecting rare artifacts. And guess what? I happened to be in a place overflowing with those precious trinkets.

With a sly grin, I set my plan into motion.

**POWERSTONE PLEASE,SOMEONE MIGHT END UP AS DINNER FOR JABBA'S PET** RANCOR

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