6 Exploring
Wren finds a sharp piercing gaze inspecting him and evaluating him. He starts to turn his arms and legs inwards, his stomach sinking and his mind reeling.
"30 people pass with 3 standouts did you go easy on them brother?" The owner of the sharp gaze addresses Hale.
"No rather I used more strength, this group has a sharper bite than the last ones" Hale speaks with a softer tone than usual choosing his words carefully.
"Excellent let's see if they can thrive in other areas as well but first they can... rest"
'I expected him to say work' Is the common thought among the group of 30.
Hale beckons them forward as he becomes their saviour.
Wren considers talking to Summer and Eisen but their eyes look a bit vacant and unfocused. He decides to hold up his phone… I mean he brings up his notifications screen to put his mind off his earlier feelings.
"What is the reason for my regeneration not working properly?" He uses his finger to scroll up multitasking as he walks along.
"Oh found it"
[Received Shock to body regeneration decreased by 50%]
"This wasn't mentioned in the skill" Wren almost bumps into someone but agilely avoids it.
Wren closes the screen to see the group standing outside a mess hall. Wren knows it is a mess hall because it is a big building which stinks of food.
Wren looks over to Summer and Eisen to see that they have recovered their spirit. They rush to open the door and Wren hears the noise and chatter.
"It's crowded let's find some shields or hang around the back" Wren weaves through the group to where the most inconspicuous ones are.
Wren walks behind them but his plans are for naught. The people in the mess hall are scanning all the newcomers like they are criminals.
"The body heat of these people is nauseating and this place captures heat, I shouldn't be here".
There are a few perverted gazes mixed in who gravitate towards the dainty Wren rather than the boisterous Summer. Wren feels slightly nervous so he walks like a lazy slob.
"This robe is great, but it attracts attention which clothes should I look for?" Wren distracts himself by thinking up his future wardrobe
Using these thoughts he keeps himself in a daze long enough to reach the place where food is distributed.
"What would you like?" The lady behind the counter asks Wren with a friendly tone. Wren readjusts his mindset and chooses a light but voluminous lunch and goes to find a table.
Wren walks towards the tables few people noticing but the ones that do give piercing stares to Wren. He goes to a less crowded table with Summer and Eisen who look unapproachable and a bit messy.
Eisen is shovelling a massive pile of food into his mouth eying the people around him like competitors to his food.
Summer is randomly picking up and putting food down only occasionally eating it in fast motions.
Wren sits down on an empty seat eating his food in small amounts at a time. He thinks about the wording to use to extract information. He knows Eisen in a similar situation of his carer setting everything up for him, Summer is in a slightly different situation but how different?
"My name is Winter sir it is by my Master's recommendation I am here to... learn and improve" Wren breaks the ice once they are all done eating.
"My name is Eisen, the quest thing told me to come here" Eisen fidgets and slightly fumbles over words but revealing what Wren wanted.
"My name is Summer I have the feeling something good will happen to me here" Summer speaks of feelings and instincts with no clear goal or reason confusing Wren.
'So she is crazy?' Wren seriously asks himself that question.
They then talk about the battle from earlier going over different things that happened in simple ways with different levels of exaggeration from each of them.
To Eisen, it was a world-ending battle of epic proportions of Heroic men and women defying a demon king.
To Summer, it was a fight for justice, Hale was the villain who triumphed over good sending the world into darkness.
To Wren, it was a small high pace skirmish with personal vendettas.
Wren feels out of place in the settings the two of them create; he doesn't fancy himself a hero and sees it more convenient to play the villain. Wren feels his already bad mood ruined by such thoughts so he escapes.
"I need to rest, In a quieter place and cooler place," Wren leaves the table and stealthily slips through the crowd and out of the mess hall.
"Let's do some exploring…in the colder areas" Wren spots a sign with a hammer over a flame and immediately does the opposite direction.
That direction leads to a large open-air training ground with training dummies and other exercise equipment like pull bars and low-tech treadmills.
Wren is confused "Isn't the usual fantasy setting that the training grounds only have training dummies and plenty of open space?"
"This just shows the quality of the facilities here, I am proud to be an instructor here" a male voice comes from nearby.
"You mean that? I believe what you are in charge of is naturally the best" Wren says as he spots the weathered and well-toned owner of the voice. He is wearing tight-fitting exercise clothes, the least warm clothing Wren has seen thus far.
"You are just flattering me, young lady" the man responds with sadness laced in his voice.
"No, I can tell! I can see your effort! The equipment and area are well maintained, your muscles show how much you engage in all-rounded exercise. Whilst I don't know the extent of your instructing abilities someone who loves the thing he teaches this much is someone I respect."
Most of this is Wren's true feelings is that he feels jealous of the instructor's visible effort whilst his effort remains invisible or lacking to reach other's levels.
"You know about my effort?"
"Yes, appearances can be deceiving I exercise consistently but my body barely shows it," Wren pulls his sleeve to show his extremely lean arm muscles.
"I see, you must want others to see your effort" the man believes Wren, even under the shade of his skepticism.
"My strength proves it but I am not satisfied" Wren smiles wryly thinking of the weak impression he has left on people in the past.
"Then that is simple prove you're the strongest, this will help" the man gently throws a book at Wren.
Wren catches it with grace.
[You have received common skill "Cadence"]
[Cadence]
After attacking and hitting twice with a melee weapon you have a 10% chance to gain cadence buff. This chance resets after not attacking for 10 seconds.
[Cadence buff]
+10% Attack, +10% Accuracy and +10% Critical chance this applies for 1 attack.
This has no further levels.
Requirements: 30 Agility
(Note: I changed it because I noticed it was weird to write the old version in)
"Thank you I will be sure to attend your class Mr…?."
"Yuri, I'd like you to call me Instructor Yuri," the man says with joy.
"Thank you, instructor Yuri I will be a great mascot for your class" Wren does a sly smile leaving the area.
"Mascot? What does that mean?" Yuri is confused.
Once Wren is a good distance away he greedily rubs his hands on the book "jackpot this is an awesome skill even if the chance is a bit low".
"I wasn't really fishing for stuff, I did a good deed and got rewarded." Wren starts having evil thoughts of exploiting this on repeat but is stopped by his irritation.
"It's still far too hot I need cold"
Wren's path brings him where it's colder a big gate with a small door in the middle of it.
"It's too dangerous for you here, go back!" A female guard breaks Wren's train of thoughts.
"Out there is a lot colder than in here, I can feel it" Wren mumbles.
"How dangerous is it out there?" Wren asks his desire curbing but not quelled.
"Very dangerous you are likely to freeze to death or be mauled by beasts," the guard says with a caring tone.
'Is it the usual game formula of beasts or other monsters equals experience points? I didn't receive any from fighting that wolf guy, this makes him stingy again'
"Are they as strong as that guy who called himself a wolf fanatic?"
"You mean commander Hale? The ones near the gate wouldn't be able to hold a finger to him"
"That's all I need to know, allow me through. I definitely won't freeze to death and I conned him out of the reward during the test".
"I don't believe either of those things." The female guard counters.
Wren has a lightbulb moment "perhaps you can allow me out with supervision. I just want to feel how cold it is beyond that gate".
"That is acceptable but why would I do that?" The female guard asks dutiful manner.
'Isn't this sending the signal for money, do I even have any?'
Wren checks his inventory and finds 100 silver coins.
'Master would want me to be rich but there would be constraints so…'
"Ten silver coins!" Wren makes an offer.
The female guard smiles doing a quick take of Wren's body shape. "Ten minutes, any more and you'll freeze to death" she opens the small door going out.
"You'll freeze to death long before I ever do" Wren snorts following her.
