131 Tis but a Scratch!

After that interaction, Marvin punched me.

"Argh!" [Marvin]

"...Ow?" [Solace]

It came without warning, but I was left unharmed. On the other hand, Marvin clutched his hand as it shone red with pain.

"You want to try again?" [Solace]

"Don't mock me!" [Marvin]

He punched me again.

"Urgh!" [Marvin]

The result: His other hand being injured.

"...I think you should stop this. This is getting kind of sad." [Solace]

"Shut up!" [Marvin]

He then proceeded to kick me. Surprisingly, the shoe made it so he didn't get hurt.

"Aw… You made my clothes dirty." [Solace]

There was a dusty shoe imprint left on my clothes. It was kind of nasty so I used |Cleanse| to get rid of it.

"Can you stop it? I have other things to do." [Solace]

"Like what?" [Leyhna]

"Study with Fina." [Solace]

I turned around to talk to Leyhna, allowing Marvin to strike at the back of my head. Honestly, it felt like a light tap.

"You? Study?" [Leyhna]

"I should be asking you tha-" [Solace]

I was trying to speak, but was interrupted with an elbow to the jaw.

"Hey! I was talking!" [Solace]

I flicked his forehead, causing him to reel back a bit.

("Oh. He stopped.") [Solace]

He stared at me in shock. It made me wonder if that was his first time ever getting hit with a finger flick.

"What are you even going to be studying?" [Leyhna]

"...Words." [Solace]

"You're not going to test out the Heroic Trials?" [Leyhna]

"What's that?" [Solace]

Leyhna looked to Fina.

"Can the honor student do the explaining?" [Leyhna]

"Of course." [Fina]

Though she was pushing the work onto her friend, Fina actually seemed happy to speak.

"The Heroic Trials is a system that transfers your mind into another plane of existence. It will make you experience the trials heroes would have gone through." [Fina]

"I don't get it." [Solace]

"It's a simulation. You can fight alongside heroes in their stories. For example, you can fight against a hydra with Holy Blade Nyke." [Leyhna]

I wasn't sure who Holy Blade Nyke was, but I assumed it was a hero.

"So it's kind of like VR." [Solace]

The two gave me strange looks.

"VR?" [Leyhna]

"Ah. Nevermind." [Solace]

I really need to fix my habit of bringing up stuff from Earth.

"Does this give me any |Experience|?" [Solace]

"It doesn't." [Leyhna]

"Aw." [Solace]

I thought I could grind some levels if I went there.

"It gives stats in willpower though." [Fina]

"I think I might give it a try then." [Solace]

"Want to go right now? We have time." [Leyhna]

"Sure." [Solace]

As we began to leave, Fina pointed behind me.

"What about him?" [Fina]

I turned to see Marvin still in a daze.

"...Let's leave him. He'll probably snap out of it soon." [Solace]

"Sounds good." [Leyhna]

"Wait, we can't just leave him-" [Fina]

Leyhna patted Fina on the shoulder.

"Look, I know your good point is being nice and stuff. It's just that sometimes you shouldn't show kindness to some people." [Leyhna]

I nodded in agreement.

"Especially if they try to hit you." [Solace]

I recalled all the moments I've been attacked on my three month journey. It was a little traumatic remembering Jukhan and Vanport. …Especially Jukhan.

("That was the first time I've ever felt my spine snap. Not something I ever wanted or expected to experience.") [Solace]

Although Fina attempted to protest, Leyhna just dragged her along.

"Now, let's go check out the Heroic Trials!" [Leyhna]