Potential
Though the Familiar Chokers seemed useful, especially when paired with the Restored Overlord's Belt, Cairn decided to leave them in his Inventory for the time being. He doubted Kaia would mind, but presenting her with a collar right after shearing her was a bit...
"I've finished collecting all my fur," said Kaia, appearing a lot 'sleeker' now that she had been shaven. She still had a veritable mop of long and fluffy hair, but as it was used to protect her back from blades, arrows, and other threats, she asked him to leave it untouched.
"Then we should return to the barracks and try to get some sleep," replied Cairn, no longer feeling nearly as uncomfortable despite the fact Kaia was topless, her breasts appearing notably 'perkier' now that the hair covering them was only a few millimeters long.
"I was thinking of taking a bath to dislodge any remaining hair clippings," revealed Kaia. "Would you care to join me?"
"I'd like to say no, but it would be strange to refuse after coming this far..." replied Cairn, sparing himself the need to return to the changing room by simply unequipping everything.
"That's an extremely convenient ability..." remarked Kaia, her gaze briefly scanning Cairn from head to toe.
When Kaia had informed Cairn that most races searched for life partners among the members of their respective tribes, she had been referring to herself as well. However, even though she didn't completely understand the appeal and aesthetics of humans, she supposed Cairn was reasonably attractive based on his physique and facial symmetry.
Seeing Kaia's gaze linger on his junk, Cairn asked, "Something you want to say...?" in a flat tone, his eyes open halfway.
"I was just thinking it was strange for human males to have their genitals dangle between their legs like that," admitted Kaia. "It seems like a fairly major weakness. Especially in your case..."
"I'll take that as a compliment..." droned Cairn, summarily ending the line of discussion by making his way over to the bath. His current body might not be his original, but he didn't particularly enjoy being ogled.
Seeing Cairn revert to his standoffishness, Kaia sighed but didn't take his actions to heart. She had reflected quite a bit since their encounter earlier in the day, ultimately concluding that Cairn likely felt out of his depth after being thrust into a world completely different from his own. Kaia felt much the same about entering Cliabhaan and attempting to restore her tribe's honor, but at least she had her people's unremitting faith and love. As far as she knew, Cairn had neither a family nor a place to call home. He must have had one or both at some point, but now he was a blank slate, lacking even basic knowledge of the world he had been thrust into...
Near the end of her reflection, Kaia believed she had gained some insight into why Restia had chosen her as Cairn's companion and guide. Though their situations were distinctly different, she could at least empathize with the loneliness he might experience living among strangers in an unfamiliar land. In that same vein, she was responsible for ensuring he wasn't taken advantage of or exploited by others. If Cairn came to hate their world due to the actions of a few bad apples, Kaia, after Leveling up eight times in less than two days, knew better than anyone how frightening his potential as both a creator and a destroyer was...
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With his futon doubling the effectiveness of sleep, his blanket regulating his body temperature, and his pillow ensuring he only had good dreams, Cairn awoke feeling better rested than ever. It was the best sleep he had ever had, the only downside being that he didn't feel even remotely tired despite rousing at 4:08 AM.
"Are you done resting, or are you planning to go back to sleep...?" asked Kaia, seated atop her prayer mat, carefully spinning the woolier strands of her fur into yarn using a wooden spindle.
Before answering Kaia's question, Cairn looked around, noticing that most of the Neophytes had already awoken and departed, leaving the barracks largely empty. The only two remaining were a set of twins named Arin and Amaya, an eight-year-old brother-sister duo with distinct white hair, large feline ears, and tails, currently curled up together on the same prayer mat.
"Yesterday, Asim volunteered to teach me how to use a shield," revealed Cairn, looking to Kaia as he added, "I don't have anything else planned, so I'll probably head over to the training hall to see if he's there."
Nodding in both affirmation and approval, Kaia supplied, "Brothers Asim and Tristan left for the training hall half an hour ago. If you can spare me a few moments to clean up, we can go together."
"Take your time," said Cairn, punctuating his words with a long, satisfying stretch. Then, noticing an incongruency in the present situation, he looked around, asking, "Where's Tarou...?"
"He went to the dining hall with Sister Ariella," replied Kaia, adding, "She was the girl Brother Tristan was talking to in the bath the other day. The one with short, auburn hair."
Though he hadn't noticed Tristan talking to anyone in the bath, as he frankly hadn't been looking around, Cairn knew who Kaia was referring to. Ariella was one of the older girls residing in the barracks, aged 14, and her Level wasn't far behind Tristan's at 15. She also had a Talent/Level Cap of 69, so Cairn had taken notice of her when he was using Insight to inspect everyone's statuses.
"Well, as long as he isn't wandering alone..." said Cairn, briefly considering how he could persuade Tarou to wear one of the Familiar Chokers. There were no restrictions or requirements on the Restored Overlord's Belt, so if he lent it to Kaia and used the excuse it would prevent him from having to endure his hunger, Tarou might not oppose the idea too much...
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Once Kaia had finished stowing away her knitting supplies and donned her equipment, she and Cairn went to the training hall, finding seventeen of the twenty-three Neophytes living in the Church training fiercely while Asim, Tristan, and a tomboyish-looking girl with auburn hair watched over them with a chinchilla seated atop her head.
Noticing Cairn's and Kaia's arrival, Asim waved and called out to them in his characteristically loud voice, smiling as he shouted, "Ah, Brother Cairn, Sister Kai'ankh! Good morning to you both...!"
As he and Kaia made their way over to the group of senior Neophytes, Cairn smiled wryly as he commented, "You're always so full of energy..."
"It's all thanks to the grace of Lady Restia!" replied Asim, punctuating his statement with a barrel-chested laugh. At the same, Tristan adopted a kind smile and asked, "Have the two of you come to join us for morning training? If so, I would be honored to accompany you."
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Name: Tristan
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Title: Neophyte(Talent Rate+100%)
Class: Neophyte(Rare)
[Attributes]
Level: 17/48[Neophyte(17)]
HP: 12,229/15,080
MP: 1,995/3,091
Str: 61
Agi: 48
Vit: 150+151
Int: 63+21
Dex: 59+12
Cha: 28+10
Talent(s): [Goddess of Light's Blessing(17/20)], [Corruption Resistance(17/20)], [Gourmand:25/85)], [Cooking(24/79)], [Sword Mastery(15/65)], [Undead Slayer(13/50)]
Skill(s): [Light Healing(MAX)], [Purification(MAX)], [Charge(7/10)], [Double Slash(4/10), [Lifestyle Magic(3/5)]
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Seeing the yellow-colored Level 17 floating above Tristan's head, Cairn gave the spiky-haired youth's status a quick once-over before replying, "I'll pass. I'm sure I would learn something, but unless you held back, I wouldn't be able to do much against you."
"You can't know that for certain unless you try," contended Tristan, but Cairn shook his head, asserting, "I am 'very' good at approximating the strength and talents. In your case, I can tell that your true passion and calling is being a Chef."
Genuinely surprised, Tristan's eyes widened as he asked, "You can tell I enjoy cooking? How...?"
"I just can," replied Cairn, shrugging his shoulders as he looked around at the Neophytes present. He was planning to tell Asim about his abilities once they officially became a Party, but he had no intention of publicizing them to others.
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Name: Chelsea
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 12
Title: Neophyte(Talent Rate+100%)
Class: Neophyte(Rare)
[Attributes]
Level: 8/57[Neophyte(8)]
HP: 1,713/2,394
MP: 1,859/2,054
Str: 18
Agi: 28
Vit: 72+12
Int: 29+34
Dex: 37
Cha: 35+6
Talent(s): [Goddess of Light's Blessing(8/20)], [Corruption Resistance(8/20)], [Sword Mastery(11/65)], [Undead Slayer(8/58)]
Skill(s): [Light Healing(7/10)], [Purification(5/10)], [Charge(3/10)], [Piercing Blow(1/10)], [Lifestyle Magic(5/5)]
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Though it was embarrassing to admit, Cairn pointed to a young girl with muted blonde hair fastened into a short ponytail, stating, "As shameless as this might sound, I'm about as strong as that girl over there. Rather, if we fought in matching equipment, I'd probably lose..."
As most of the spars had stopped in response to Cairn's and Kaia's arrival, Chelsea saw the former pointing at her and heard his words, incredulity marring her face before forming into a pout as she asked, "Are you making fun of me...?"
Shaking his head, Cairn asserted, "It's the truth. For reasons I won't get into, I'm a lot weaker than I appear. I'm only willing to admit it because I know it's only a matter of time before I get stronger."
Still believing Cairn was messing with her, Chelsea pointed her sword, resembling a bastard sword but much thinner, in his direction, saying, "I will determine for myself if what you say is true..."
Nodding in affirmation, Cairn turned to Asim and asked, "Got any shields suited for beginners? I don't want my ass handed to me too hard."
Gesturing to the weapon and armor racks off to the side, Asim replied, "A buckler is best suited to beginners, but I would recommend an Aspus or a kite shield. They're somewhat unwieldy compared to bucklers, but their weight makes it easier to receive and parry blows. Just be careful to avoid holding the shield too close. Your arm should act as a shock absorber. Fail to follow that simple rule, and you'll find yourself toppled over from a kick, even from a smaller opponent."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," replied Cairn, subsequently making his way over to where the shields were displayed. The bucklers looked more like wide-brimmed helmets than proper shields, so Cairn followed Asim's advice, picking out one of the smaller kite shields with a strap and handle configuration that had the pointy-end facing toward the enemy, allowing it to be used as a secondary weapon.
Turning to face Chelsea, Cairn noticed that the other Neophytes had willfully vacated the area, joining Kaia, Asim, Tristan, Ariella, and Tarou as spectators. As for Chelsea, she was standing in the middle of the training area with a serious, resolute expression that didn't suit such a young girl.
"I really wasn't trying to insult you..." said Cairn, entering the field and surprising nearly everyone present by equipping his Shadowsilk Set. He could fight without it, but his raw stats were lower than Chelsea's. She also had a higher degree of Sword Mastery, so he needed to pull out all the stops despite his opponent being twelve, 134cm tall, and fewer than 40kgs...
Recovering from the astonishment she experienced upon witnessing Cairn materialize his equipment out of thin air, Chelsea shouted, "Talk is cheap! Now is the time for action!" while lunging at him with startling momentum, courtesy of the Charge Skill.
Keeping Asim's advice in mind, Cairn held up the kite shield, maintaining a decent gap between his forearm and body. As a result, while Chelsea's blow felt like a sledgehammer, he only sustained a single point of damage and didn't lose his footing.
Before Cairn could even think to counter, Chelsea used the rebounding force from her thrust to step back, holding out her left hand and bringing her sword parallel to her collarbone. Then, in what felt like the blink of an eye, a much heavier blow impacted Cairn's shield, dealing 28 damage due to the armor-piercing effect of Chelsea's Piercing Blow...
("I should have pissed someone off with a lower Level...") thought Cairn...
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(A/N: Beat the child (O w O)...)