Chapter 17 – The painting

Breakfast for this day was very eventful for Adam.

After everything had calmed down Yuki and Adam had shared a long breakfast. This was mostly because Adam would not stop eating.

He was like a man starved for decades. Food was continuously served on the table and plates would be picked up just as quick.

Yuki took the time while he was eating to explain a few things to him and give him a few pointers.

Yuki had never talked about her past but from her pointers, it could be easily seen that she was highly experienced in the way of adventuring.

She first asked him to go through the recording crystal that he was given.

The ranger class encompassed a wide range of weapons and the first assignment he had was to choose one weapon to master. The recording crystal would have recordings of the different weapons. It would give him a practical example to help him decide.

The monk class was a lot more straightforward.

The second thing that she had pointed out was getting gear. He was young and he would grow very quickly. Buying training gear would be sufficient. Investing in gear would be a fruitless waste of funds as he would outgrow them continuously.

…..

Taking his mother's advice Adam was currently in his room in the left end corner of the lodge. He was going through the recording crystal.

Most of the morning had gone into him watching the crystal. The crystal was a very handy item that projected pre-recorded images or videos.

The only downfall was that it had to be viewed from start to end without interruptions. There was no way to skip to parts in the recording.

Within the first hour of watching the recording, Adam had still not even gotten to the monk or ranger class recordings but he was already dissatisfied.

'The movements and actions are so crude.' Though they were not of the same class when he compared the movements with those of the man and woman in the painting of the cards, They were like a beginner showing off his slight gain's with pride in front of a master of the craft.

If anyone else were to know of his thoughts they might puke blood in agitation.

These were recordings of senior adventurers who had trained for years. The biggest reason for most people taking on the initiation was acquiring this crystal. It was a treasure that would save years of training through trial and errors.

Even though he was already on the verge of swapping and watching the painting in his card, he still hoped he might gain something from watching this crystal so he persisted through.

It was a fool's endeavour.

Frustrated he started meditating and went into his soul world.

Standing in front of the painting he realized just how big it was. The last time he had only peered into his soul world. This time he was standing before it.

It was approximately 8 feet in height and 10 feet in width. Adam with his meagre height felt like he was watching a movie in a cinema.

The size of the card itself could be imagined.

Putting all his distracting thoughts aside he began to analyze the two people sparring in the painting. They were truly tireless.

Adam's eyes were darting around the painting trying to capture every scene that unfolded before them.

'Exquisite! Their movements are so much more refined. They sometimes move so fluidly that it seems like time is slowing down around them.' His admiration only grew with every moment that went by.

'The lady uses a myriad array of weapons. All of them are masterful to the extreme.' He could not figure out which weapon to choose because every weapon she used was a masterclass to him. In her hands, everything seemed supreme.

'Huh…wait. Those curved daggers. Whenever she gets into a tight spot she uses them.' He realized very quickly that those curved daggers she had on her were different from the other weapons.

Not only did she use them when she was in a slightly tight spot but she also had a bunch of them on her belts all over her body. There were a lot of other weapons but none of them was in the multiple of more than two on her body at all time's.

'She specializes in curved daggers!' if he had not noticed the peculiarities. He would have most definitely been fooled to believe she had no specialities but was a supreme master of all weapons.

'Curved daggers huh? They can not only be used in close combat but also as throwables.'

'Show me all the recording's of her using curved daggers.' He willed his sentient mind. The last time he had almost lost himself in viewing the painting and didn't want to miss anything so he had ordered the sentient mind to record the proceedings of the painting.

Bloop! Bloop! Bloop!

Hundreds of recordings with time stamps on them appeared around him in the soul world. They then condensed into a translucent hovering folder that he could browse through.

Some of the recordings were a few seconds while others were minutes long.

Sorting through them he viewed them all one by one.

…..

It was late noon by the time he woke up from his meditation.

"It's decided I shall pick the curved daggers. It would be a waste not to learn it. Especially when I have someone who is so skilled in them displaying it for me." He had made up his mind.

He was delighted by the fact that not only had he been able to pick a weapon but he had also basically gained two personal teachers for his two classes.

Them putting on a display in the painting was just as good as a practical display of skill. It was now up to him to comprehend and apply their skills.

What surprised him, even more, was that his matchless comprehension had met its match in front of these two 'master's'. Watching just once was most definitely not enough for him to comprehend their movements. He would need to watch them a couple of times.

The biggest hurdle, however, was not comprehension but application.

This was a thought for another time so he did not ponder on it for too long. He would cross that bridge when it came.

Getting up he walked out the doors that led into the lawn outside his room. Standing on the porch he took in a deep breath of the warm wind. Closing his eyes he enjoyed the warmth of the bright sun tanning his skin.

After a while, he called out. "Big sis Fen."

Fen who was outside the room chatting with some of the other girls bid her farewell to them then walked into the room. Seeing her young master standing under the sun on the porch she replied "Yes young master?"

She was still a little awkward from the events of the morning. That was the first time she had decided to give her absolute trust to someone and now that person was right before her. A soft gentleness swam through her deep clear eyes.

"Let's go to blue lane street big sis. I want to buy some weapons and armour" an unhidden excitement in his voice.

"As you wish young master." A brilliant smile bloomed on her face.

"Big sis is in a very good mood today." He said in a teasing tone.

"Of course I am! Today young master treated me like family. How can I not be over the moon?" She said pouting. "My own little brother, hehe." Saying so she giggled.

"Okay! Okay! I get it. Please stop saying such embarrassing things, big sis. I'll never tease you again." He never thought that the timid Fen would reply so brazenly.

"Good. you have to respect big sis after all." A mesmerising laugh ensued.

Fen was like a new person now. She was still reserved but around her young master, happiness would radiate from the bottom of her heart. She was a lot more open and carefree around him.

"Wait at the entrance for me young master I shall go report to mistress and meet you there." She had to tell Yuki of Adam's plans and also acquire some funds.

Soon the two had made their way outside the Lodge and were chatting as they made their way to Blue lane street. The commercial street of Two Fang city.

"Young master, have you already decided which weapon you are going to train in?" Fen was curious.

"Yes, big sis. I have decided to use the curved daggers." He said confidently.

"Curved dagger's? that's quite an unusual pick young master. why did you pick them? It is very rare to find people who utilize them." She grew more intrigued.

"uhh…" Adam had not thought this far. He could not disclose his secret about the class card and its painting.

Improvising on the spot he blurted out "I thought they looked cool…" He was almost certain that this wouldn't work and so he started thinking up other excuses.

"Hahaha, young master truly is a young boy. Don't worry young master! I'm sure your decision is not a bad one." Unknowingly he had seemed to convince her and amuse her at the same time.

'Whatever, as long as it works.' He thought to himself.

The two silhouettes continued their trip. One laughing jubilantly and the other smiling awkwardly.