[Bonus chapter] Secret Sauce

Back on the Star-Shatter.

Cedric was currently sitting in the holo-arena, watching others fight. After a couple long hours of persuasion, SCRAP has permitted Cedric to watch the ongoing fights between the other trainees.

Seeing their unique fighting styles, he felt as if a whole new world of possibilities was opening it's grand gates in front of him.

Seeing the trainees moving throughout the arena in a clash of fire and lightning. One was wielding an obnoxiously large lance while the other was holding a staff with a red gem affixed atop of it.

The fire magician wielding the staff was throwing out balls of fire while the lancer was using purple colored lightning to deflect the mage's strikes.

"Isn't it boring to sit and watch all day? How about we have a little spar ourselves?"

A group of arrogant looking trainees approached Cedric while he was busy watching the ongoing fight.

With his head resting on the palms of his hands, Cedric refused to acknowledge the intruding party.

With a short remark, he tried dismissing the annoying group.

"You're blocking the view."

"Wha-How dare you! Young master Ging has offered you an opportunity to witness his glorious spearmanship and you dare decline! You-"

The arrogant trainee with golden colored hair and an overly haughty attitude waved his hand in order to dismiss his babbling follower.

"Now, now. This village bumpkin has no idea who he is talking to. It would be rude of me to not introduce myself. I am Bore Ring. Young master of the Ring family. You'd better remember that name, kid. I feel bad for your parents, not knowing the greatness of those such as I to at least let you know who you should and should not offe-"

A sudden snap was heard as the arrogant trainee was sent flying off to the other side of the arena.

"Maan. I hate young master tropes. Can you stick to your boring ass novels and stop ruining a good story?"

Looking to his side, Cedric noticed Siegward standing with an outstretched fist, amidst the confused trainees accompanying their so-called young master.

Looking at the shell-shocked recruits, Siegward's signature grin appears as he makes a shooing motion, making them all back off.

"Now, friends. As I recall, the rules of the arena state there's no ass licking on the ship. At least have the decency to stay out of sight."

"Why you!-"

As the young-master's main bootlicker was about to start a fight, he was quickly pulled aside by his entourage of trainees.

"Forget it man, They call him Siegward from the village hidden in the speaks. He'll ramble us to death if we keep provoking him. I heard this one guy actually got a brain aneurysm talking to this fella. Let's just go check up on young master Bore."

Raising his fist in triumph, Siegward yells at the retreating group, "Yeah that's right. Fools!. You stepped in the wrong hood! Motherfu-"

Feeling a hand drag him down, Siegward is surprised to see Cedric looking at him with a grin painted all over his face.

'Damn, what's this guy eating for breakfast? What's with this absurd strength?'

About to say something about the brute, Siegward sees Cedric laughing at his magnificent performance.

"Finally you're looking like a human! With that ugly ass smile. Glad your moody self could finally appreciate my artistry!"

Leaning on the backrest of his seat, Cedric barely manages to contain his laughter as he replies, "Artistry? Man, the only art I can imagine myself seeing is your smug face getting bashed in some day."

"Can't back in this beautiful face. I had the village elder inscribe an artifact charm to protect my face specifically. Can't disappoint the ladies, you see."

"Yeah, there's no way I would believe that."

As Cedric was pointing out his skepticism of Siegward's claims, the latter pulls out what appears to be a charm made out of fabric hanging around his neck, with strange inscriptions glowing on its surface.

An incredulous Cedric is baffled by the elve's words actually being true:

"You are the single strangest person I have ever come across. You know that?"

"Yeah I get that a lot. But then again, What's the point of being like everyone else if you're stuck living your own life at the end of the day."

Turning back to the arena, Siegward points towards the fight about to reach it's climax.

"Oooh. Look, Look! After five hours of fighting, these nerds are about to pass out!"

Looking at the arena, Cedric sees that both of the fighters have run out of energy.

The fire mage's previously basketball sized fireballs were now no larger than an egg. While the lance user seems to have abandoned his lance at one point in the fight, prefering to fight with his fists.

Cedric points out "I knew swinging that hunk of metal around was useless. Why even pick such an impractical weapon in the first place."

After a couple moments of silence, Siegward replies to Cedric's obvious question:

"Maybe he wants to create his own path?"

"His own path?"

Nodding Siegward affirms: "Yeah that's right. If I were to explain it like the elites back in my village told me: There are those who follow the myriad paths. Those using techniques and styles created by immortals or exceptional fighters of the previous generations."

"Like the standard military style?"

"Yes! Although it is a style more fitting to fighting Devourers and other large beasts, the military standard style is a balanced way to progress. Yet there are those such as you and I. We may learn the styles others use, even with similar weapons, we still develop our own techniques and fight in our own way. You have that ridiculous talent of yours. While I have my bow and my little secret sauce."

"Secret sauce?"

"Yep. It's a secret. And it damn sure is saucy. You see-"

'Aand he's back to talking non-sense.'

As Cedric ignores the babbling elf, he turns to stare out of the massive window placed on the side of the ship.

Observing the stars, he is struck with a question he never would have guessed the answer to.

'Would I be able to carve my own path in this world?'