18 Basic Inscriptions

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"If you're still listening right now then I probably got you attention. You might also be feeling quite excited and eager to learn inscriptions now however let me pour some cold water in you excitement. Do you honestly think that learning Inscriptions are easy? Let me inform you that there is approximately 1,000 Basic Inscriptions that a novice should memorize and completely master first."

"Only by memorizing these Basic Inscriptions can earn the title of an 'Inscriber', which is the lowest rank. In order to be reach the next rank, which is 'Apprentice Inscriber, you need to memorize and master 10,000 types of 50-Strokes Inscriptions, and that is outside the the 1000 Basic Inscriptions that you already had. These numbers will keep on piling up as you progress through the ranks and alo, you need to cultivate your Spirit if you're really serious about being an Inscriptionist."

"Now that you know these facts, are you still sure that you want to? If yes, keep watching. If not then close this recording and forget everything that I just told you."

Sieg was shocked. A moment of hesitation appeared in his face. The words of the woman was really like a splash of cold water to his burning passion. His face twitched a little bit but he recovered pretty quick. Sieg felt that he's being challenged, he was burning with fighting spirit already.

'Bring it on!' He silently thought.

As if like reading what's on his mind, the woman spoke: "Good! You're courage is admirable. Gather your focus and try to get a feel on how I demonstrate the 1000 Basic Inscriptions for you. If you didn't get it on your first try, you can pause it first or rewind the recording and watch again. This is the first first Basic Inscription Mark looks like."

And then she lifted her finger that was covered in faint milky white light, she made a total of ten stroke in the air and an outline of what looks like a crystal can be seen after she's done. After doing so the outline trembled for a bit and and it emitted a light then flew into the air, rotating around the woman like a pet. The Sieg the woman spoke: "Pause the recording and try it first."

Sieg did exactly what the woman said and tried it, since he was already at the 9th step of Awakening for his Spirit Cultivation, he had a lot of stored up Spiritual Energies in his body. He covered his finger with Spiritual Energy first and tried to mimic the woman. After he did so, he frowned.

"It looks like I'm still not yet used to controlling Spiritual Energy yet. I should start with that first." Sieg didn't continue on watching the video just yet. He actually forgot to play with his new found power before he went here and that's why he's having this predicament.

He lifted his finger in front of his face and covered it with Spiritual Energy first, the he tried making shapes using it. At first the shapes were quite crude and looked like a scribble of an infant yet as time goes by his control over his new power grew more proficient.

It took him about an hour just to completely get used to it, he can now blow bubbles using his Spiritual Energy, he was now surrounded by at least 20 Spiritual Energies the he shaped and he's maintaining them for about five minutes now. Then he went back to the recording and watched how the woman made the crystal like inscription once again. This time however, he paid more attention and copied literally each an every movements of the woman.

After he watched it, he closed his eyes for a moment to etch and digest the process in his mind. After a few minutes of theorizing, he made a move. Compared to the woman, his strokes we're much more slower and shaky at first. He manipulated his Spiritual Energy and formed the first inscription.

Well, succeeded but the inscription is barely visible, it's light was also dimmer compared to what the woman made. Of course, Sieg being him, he wasn't satisfied by this, so he dispersed the first one he made and formed another one. His movements were still slow but much more stable now. After making 10 strokes of movement, the inscription he made for the third time was barely passable.

Still, Sieg made one after another of the same type of Inscription, this continued until the Inscriptions he made was on par with the woman.

***

8 hours passed.

Sieg was making 704th basic Inscription, this one was still made by making ten strokes and it looks like a three branch this time. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was slightly disheveled, his mind is also suffering from mental exhaustion and his muscles were a bit stiff. Still none of these fact mattered for him, he was totally engrossed into learning Inscriptions like a madman.

Even the fact that Gin was suppose to check his progress after an hour already escaped him mind. Even if he remembers it, it won't matter that much since he's been here for 8 hours already, which is way pass the deadline.

Sieg was in a trance once again, even if there was an explosion in the next room he wouldn't still be awakened and will still continue to learn about inscriptions. Right now, Sieg is literally surrounded with many Inscriptions that are playing in the air.

One looks like a spark, while one looks like teardrop. Others are like a horn of a beast, a beak of a bird, a feather, a tail, a small flame, a thunderbolt, a rock, sheet of metal, a shattered mirror, cauldron, a pill and many more! Some of them look weak, while some of them are brimming with light. These inscriptions are like living beings right now, one could even form a hierarchy amongst them.

But then again, Sieg never noticed this. He had simple routine, play the recording, try what's demonstrated again and again until he's satisfied and move on to the next. As to when or hos he entered this wonderful 'trance-like' state, no one knows.

***

"Urk!" Gin was lying down in the floor not very far from the entrance of the hut.

He fell asleep again.

The sound that he made was because a fly decided to feed itself to him causing him to wake up and violently cough multiple times. Next, he came to a sudden realization, he looked at the hourglass beside him and his widened.

"Shit! The kid must be holding his pee for about sometime now! God damn it! I said one hour! Only ome hour and I should check up on him. But I can't be blamed! I saw a lot of 'audacious' beauties servicing me in my dreams! I can't just leave them behind!" Gin muttered under his breath and fixed his appearance quite a bit. This didn't made that much difference though, it seems like he really doesn't care that much about his appearance at all.

He walked to the hallway of the hut and entered the room which Sieg's was in, upon entering he said: "Kid! How are 'ya doin-What the heck!" His sentence were cut off before he finished it and was replaced by an exclamation.

He was so sure that Sieg didn't even heard him entered the room, but this was not the reason why he exclaimed. The reason is because he saw the inscriptions that are flying around the whole room. He figured that there must be at least a thousand of them flying around. (This was because he made multiple numbers of a same inscription and he didn't bother to disperse them that's why it was these many.)

"The kid is in the middle of an enlightenment. If I disturb him, the old man might probably kill me if he word comes out." Gin scratched his head and sat down while looking at Sieg and thought:

'I only told him to memorize as much as he can, not to literally do them. The next part of the test should be asking him draw the things he memorized. If he got at least 100 of Basic Inscriptions then I can consider that as a pass, but now I guess I shouldn't treat him as a 'normal' examinee.'

It was very rare for Gin to express a solemn attitude, it seems like he needed to listen to the old man's arrangements from now on.

And since he knew that Sieg's won't probably wake up from his stupor until he finishes all 1000 Basic Inscriptions or until he passed out. He slipped his right hand onto his storage bag and put out a jade disk. He covered his hand with Spiritual Energy and his hands literally began to blur and after five seconds, an array was inscribed in the jade disk.

That's right, Gin made a Recording Jade Disk in just five seconds. He started recording himself and said.

"Oi geezer! Where did 'ya find this kid? He's crazy I tell 'ya what! Look at him!" Gin then turned the jade disk around and started showing the state around the room and Sieg. He didn't even bother tl lower his voice since he knew that Sieg can't hear him. After a while of him recording Sieg, he turned the recored around a speak again:

"I only told him to memorize as much as he can and after an hour I'll be testing him. Well, I fell asleep for four hours, the time inside this room is slowed down by half so I think he's like that for 8 hours already. What should I do next?" After saying this, he ended the recording and performed some hand seals, the Recording Jade Disk then disappeared like a smoke. Gin didn't panic since he knew that the jade disk didn't disappear, it only flew faster than sound and made it's way towards the inn where Sieg stayed for quite sometime.

Gin lied down and picked his nose, he yawned for a bit and then the jade disk he sent to the old man appeared in front of him. He sat back up and played the recorder.

"The brat is a foreigner, he came to the Inn about two weeks and some days ago. Anyways, give him the trial for the 'Order', adjust it according to your preference." As he heard this words, Gin's eyes literally went wide, he was shocked by the old man's decision.

He waved his hands and the inscriptions made by the old man disappeared. Just like before he made another array in under five seconds and recorded himself again.

"Oi oi oi~~ Really? The trial for the 'Order'? If he failed then I had to end him! Are 'ya sure about this?" He made the same actions just like before and waited for the old man's reply.

"He just said it right? He wanted to learn Inscriptions so I sent him to you, he possessed a gift and he's allowed to enter the 'Order', isn't this how you exactly ended up here as well? The only difference is I'm handling the decision to you so stop being a sissy and just do it." The old man replied the same way as before.

Gin frowned, he wasn't convinced in this type of arrangement yet before he can finish what he's thinking, he felt a tremor happened in the room.

Sieg's hands were trembling, he was crying out blood already. Gin recognized the inscription that was forming in front of Sieg, it was 1000th Basic Inscription. His eyes widened, he paid full attention to what's currently happening to Sieg, now is a very critical moment.

Each of Sieg's strokes were heavy and full of desperation yet he kept going, even Gin's hands involuntarily clutched as he watched. Sieg made the 5th stroke…6th stroke…7th…

Until it was finally done, the 1000th Inscription was made, before Sieg can even realize that he did it, he lost consciousness. Gin appeared and catches his body, he waved his hand and the previously trembling inscriptions stabilized, they were about to disappear since Sieg lost consciousness but Gin prevented this.

He casted a look a the frail little guy in his hand and clicked his tongue, he then said: "A'right old man, I'll follow you're arrangements not because I'm scared of 'ya or whatever…"

"It's because this lil' freak called me Big Brother."