No Shortcuts

*we're on and we keep going. Up with a new chapter that came a bit late in the day since I'm sleepy :))

I'll keep it up tho, more coming tomorrow. So, enjoy, and let me know what you think. Peace out and Deus vult*

Mark stood face-to-face with Yanqing, the young prodigy. He was a decent bit shorter than him, but the boy didn't seem to mind it at all. 

"So, you are Mark. The General told me that I am to aid you with your training," he said, a hint of something foreign in his tone. Mark caught it—a slight glimpse as it was. 

"Yes, indeed. Nice to meet you officially, since last time I was just..." 

Yanqing nodded, the sore spot touched. 

"Yes, following us back when I had to escort Jingliu. I seriously can't understand why the General allowed you to stay and join in on the discussion but told me to go away," he groaned, crossing his arms. 

Mark sighed, having to remind himself that Yanqing, despite having probably lived more than him, was still a child mentally. 

"Look, Yanqing, that situation was different. I got my reasons, and the General wished to hear my take on things since he knows me a little better. Knowing him, I'm sure he assigned me training with you to have someone keep an eye out just in case I go stupid once more and my body does things without my permission." 

Mark's rambling was absorbed by the young man like water by a sponge, his drive to better do his duty keeping him grounded. 

"So, Yanqing, we'll train, and your mission is to keep an eye out on me, study me, and make the best judgement based on the situation. Got it?" 

He nodded, taking a moment to realize. 

"Wait, you're not ordering me around!" 

Mark chuckled, straightening his back before stretching a little. 

"So, where do we begin our training and how?" 

Yanqing began pacing away, looking at Mark over his shoulder. 

"Follow me," he said, keeping a steady pace as he moved away. Mark tagged along, looking around as he was taken to some unknown area. The map within the game didn't allow for too much freedom in terms of movement, meaning that a lot of areas were sealed off. 

With big eyes, he took in the sights around, until they both stood in an empty area that had equipment on the sides. It was the training grounds, wide enough to house an army. 

"We're here. These are the training grounds for the Cloud Knights. It's where we'll start our training. I expect you to follow and do as told, alright?" 

Mark gulped, the idea sounding normal, until he recalled that he was up against superhumans. Even with the reinforcement added to his body during the internal repairs done by the modified Abundance, he was still somewhat close to being human in body and abilities. Without the Stellarons, he was just a simple being. 

"I understand. Lots of training to be done," muttered Mark as he put his pipe and sword aside. He took off his scabbard, then the coat, which he had to undo a belt placed around his torso for. He was ready, or at least that's what he thought. 

"I guess I'm ready." 

Yanqing pointed to a changing room. 

"You have clothing made specifically for training in there. Go get changed. I'll wait here." 

Mark went off, and in the meantime, Yanqing couldn't help himself. He looked over at Mark's sword, the designs somewhat unusual and completely simplistic. He gave it a swing, finding a lot of oddities within it. Unlike normal blades, the proper type made by the Artisanship Commission, Mark's sword was welded together. The metal was sharpened at random, carrying various scratches in the surface. It had a bit of wear, but barely noticeable. 

"Just where did he even get his hands on this?" he asked, twirling it from one side to the other, analyzing everything there was. 

"I made it," replied Mark from behind, causing him to jump up slightly. Yanqing looked over to Mark, who was wearing a simple training outfit, a pair of large pants made to last, and a simple tank top. 

"Oh, you... you made it? That explains a lot," said Yanqing, putting the weapon back. 

"Yeah, the cheap quality. It's not a proper sword, it's just something made using cheap tricks. Alas, it managed to last until now, and I plan on keeping it. It has memories embedded into it." 

A moment of silence fell between them as none could come to terms with something to say, something to break the silence. Mark began stretching, doing whatever exercises he could recall, trying to leave no muscle untouched. 

"I suggest we take this first training session to better understand your capabilities. As a swordsman, what is needed of you depends on your style of combat. Dexterity, strength, precision—it's all something that you find out for yourself." 

Mark nodded, already seeing what was to come, and he was damn right about it. It began with a few more stretches, the sorts that had his bones crack and rattle in the weirdest of places, then went on with preparations for the actual test. 

Stamina came first in the form of something simple—running. Mark was forced to do laps, giving it his all. Back in his somewhat younger days, he had reached a decent level of stamina, which did drop down significantly from then. Lack of training led to that point. To his surprise, however, his body held on well, and the pain felt was dulled, allowing him to keep pushing a bit more. He had run for half an hour at a decent pace until his body gave out and chose to simply shut down. 

"You're somewhat decent in this area, but you still lack the level required of a swordsman. For the next lesson, I shall devise a plan that will be fit for you." 

"Thank you, Yanqing. So, what's next now?" 

The youngster looked at him before turning around to some fixed bars used for exercises. 

"Strength." 

Pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups—it was all asked of him. The sheer number of exercises made sure that no muscle of his remained pristine, unbothered. By the end of it, his entire body felt limp, devoid of life. His instinct told him to tap into the power of the Stellarons, but he held himself back. Using his powered body to train would only require more of him, or at least that's what he thought. It was all about increasing the base level so that the power could further increase and allow him to reach greater heights. 

Yanqing was thinking, jotting down everything there was to be known about Mark. 

"Your physical condition needs more work, that's for sure. Both stamina and strength are decent, but if you wish to fight with people like the old Sword Champion of the Luofu... you need to be leagues above." 

The reality of his words settled in. Sure, Mark would have a decent chance if firing the Stellarons at the output his body would allow the maximum for, which was 50% with a lot of damage to his being, but using such a technique was too risky. He simply had to take his time and use whatever he could to strengthen his being. 

"I understand. Are there some specific Luofu secret methods to speed up?" he chuckled, asking more as a joke. Everyone knew the price of power obtained all too soon, especially Mark with the Stellarons inside of him. 

"Using shortcuts always ends up with disaster striking. The remnants of the Sanctus Medicus are proof of that," he replied, his tone touching a bitter tone. Mark let out a heavy sigh, wrecking his mind left and right, until he settled on the simple approach of checking within himself. 

He closed his eyes, focusing on that within him. Trying to draw out power from the Stellaron found on the Luofu was difficult not because he lacked control but simply because the power didn't seem to want to listen to him. There was a different type of energy found in it, in the same way that the Stellaron from Jarilo-VI could create ice. The one on the Luofu could create something else, it could do something else, but using it was straining and purely frustrating thanks to the powers not listening. 

"There has to be a secret within this one. I know I said I wouldn't use their energy, but this one is different, alright? If it can help fix the internal wounds on my body, I could technically go on training continuously for days." 

Ready to give it a shot, he tried to infuse his body with what dripped out. Yanqing watched silently, taking some quick notes on it. Mark's eyes remained closed as his mind focused on the task at hand. The power moved slowly through him, engulfing his muscles. It was a different sort of energy, one filled with life. The soreness was slowly increasing, only to turn into numbness for a while. Half an hour had passed, and he was way better. 

"Phew, that took a while," sighed out Mark, moving a little to test his body. 

"What were you even doing?" asked Yanqing, who was watching intently from the side, being a spectator this whole time. 

"I used something to try and speed up my recovery. It's weird, sure, but somehow it works. There's still much for me to learn." 

Yanqing put his curiosity aside, focusing on what the General had told him to do. 

"In any case, I believe that our training for the day is done. It's not swordsmanship you asked for help with, but if you wish to give your skills a test, I'm up for a sparring session." 

Mark sighed, thinking about it. He'd have to use the energy boost to fight with the same strength and speed, leaving only their skills to do the talking. 

"Hmm, sure, but I think we should use wooden swords or something. I'm not all that good at real combat yet, so I don't want to hurt myself or maybe even you. Deal?" 

Yanqing nodded, putting his sword aside. He fetched two wooden swords made for training. One went flying to Mark, who caught it in a blink by the handle, slashing horizontally into position. 

"I guess this should be about it. So, shall we start?" 

Mark's body felt light as a feather the moment energy began flowing in his veins, fueling every cell that got in the way. He was using 20% output, the energy level that he could use easily now. It allowed him enough of an edge to keep moving at decent speeds, enough for a duel like that. It was the same output he was using while training against Jingliu towards the end, but sadly he never got around to finishing it and having a serious bout with her. 

"Come at me whenever you feel like it," said Yanqing, feeling confident. He had reasons to, but Mark wasn't going to let it slide. In a flash, he was face-to-face with him, bringing the sword down in one thundering motion. Yanqing blocked, feeling the weight of the strike unlike any expectations. 

"What are you-?" 

He couldn't finish, for Mark's sword kept moving on its own, the strikes engrained in his muscles. His eyes darted from one side to the other, taking in anything, from direct movements to what could come from the side and behind. 

Yanqing got fired up, striking back with speed. That was his strong suit. Cutting from the sides, aiming to pierce frontally, his sword was all over the place, clashing against Mark, who was pushed on the defense. Surprisingly, he had solid skills, and Yanqing wondered how come he could fight like that. The style of combat seemed somewhat familiar, but it wasn't exactly like what he uses. 

"Who taught you?" wisped Yanqing as his sword went for the neck, only to thud against the wooden sword, sliding along before Mark came with a counter aimed at the side. 

"Let's just say that I had no real teacher, alright? I just figured it out," chuckled Mark, using that window to strike a few more times. 21% output. 

The sound of wood clashing on wood was louder by the swing, each strike moving with intent to kill. The two were caught up in the moment, neglecting that it was mere sparring. Mark kept pushing more and more, trying to draw out some more power, feeling as though the strain was slowly getting to him, while Yanqing was dying to go all out and use whatever trick he had up his sleeve. 

They both kept it fair, focusing only on exchanging blows. No tricks, no other powers—except Mark's usage of the Stellarons which only worked to bring him on the same physical level. The fight was even, and the two of them were growing more and more competitive. Mark's blade aimed for the chest, switching trajectory halfway, losing power as it came close to a halt, instead dancing through the air in an arch, switching for a strike aimed at the neck. 

Yanqing saw the blade move, but it was a split second late. By that time, Mark's sword was already moving with fierce speed, the gaze in his eyes deadly. It was a strike meant to kill. 

Only a gust of wind was felt against Yanqing's throat as Mark stopped the blade. The energy within him dimmed, burning out before nothing was left in the muscles. 

"Well done, Yanqing. You sure would have won if we were able to use all our skills. After all, I know you have a lot of tricks up your sleeve." 

He was at a loss for words. Loss after loss, all of them in such a short time. His ego had taken one too many hits, but it was all just a reminder that there were powerful people out there. Indeed, Mark knew the same, but having won a battle, even one that lacked an all-out showcase, was a great achievement for him. 

"How did you even? What are you?" asked Yanqing, confused, frustrated, and not at all understanding the logic behind someone like Mark, a short-lived species, being able to use the sword with such precision while being so young. 

"Let's just say that one can experience time in other ways, not just reality. Alas... it only works for the mind. Thank you for today, Yanqing. Let's get strong together." 

Mark beamed a smile, reaching out for a fist bump. Reluctant, Yanqing offered it back, looking up at him with eyes that tried to pierce his very being and simply grab out whatever secret hid beneath that nonchalant expression. Instead of pride, what he saw rooted deeply in Mark was a mixture of feelings that seemed to block out the light. 

Still, time went on as if that glimpse into Mark's mind had never happened. Days went by, a few of them only, with Mark training like he was about to be dropped in hell and told to fight his way out. It was a cycle of training, breaks to forcefully rebuild his body, and more training right after. Yanqing trained alongside him, then watched as Mark kept pushing himself more and more. Still, it was beginning to show results at inhuman rates—which was to be expected with how his body was rebuilt faster. 

When muscle tissue was broken, he'd force his body to rebuild it, to strengthen it. His bones were a similar issue, even if the conditioning training wasn't that harsh. He kept pushing his body as much as it could until he'd need proper rest during the night. 

It all went fine until one point when Yanqing was nowhere to be found. Mark asked around for directions, aware of what had happened, and the Cloud Knights led him to Dragonprayer Terrace, where he met with Stelle, Sushang, Guinaifen, and Huohuo. 

"Hm, I take it that all of you are here for Yanqing, right? I was supposed to train with him, but here we are." 

Stelle nodded, while the others looked at him oddly. He was dressed in the training clothing, which wasn't a surprise. 

"Oh, yeah, name's Mark. I'm one of the Nameless friends of Estelle." 

They all nodded, smiling slightly at him. Mark sighed, walking ahead. 

"Come, let's not waste time. I'm sure you're here for the heliobus, while I might need to slap some sense into Yanqing." 

The group walked together, and Guinaifen stepped closer, walking in line with Mark. 

"So, Mark, what's the deal with you and Yanqing? I assume you're training together, but why? Are you that strong to be training with a child prodigy?" 

Mark sighed, already annoyed by the questions. 

"You don't need to be that strong to train with someone strong. He's just got a good training program that I follow, and he's making sure I don't ditch it... sadly, he ditched it today. I'm here to get him back," sighed Mark, looking up ahead. 

Countless swords spun up in the air—a sight worth witnessing. Still, it must've been just an illusion caused by the heliobus. 

"What are all these swords doing in Dragonprayer Terrace?" asked Sushang, while the others were looking around. 

"It must be an illusion," said Huohuo, her tiny voice barely audible. Mark had forgotten for a moment what a tiny little foxian she was. 

"Don't worry, we got this," replied Mark, stepping forward casually. He was ready, with the energy already flowing in his blood. 

"Yanqing, come back. Drop the 'training' with this stupid Apyra. It's just a heliobus using you for its own goal. Cut it out before things turn ugly," muttered Mark, his hands ready at his sides. 

Yanqing sighed, staring at Mark in the most annoyed way possible. 

"Since when do you get to tell me what to do? Master Apyra promised to teach me about the flaws in my swordsmanship and help me reach the pinnacle." 

Mark shook his head, his glare steady as he began stepping closer. 

"It's all lies, Yanqing. Don't think that power comes without a price. It always has one, even if it seems like it was made for you. I know this all the best." 

Mark's words were clear and concise, focused on one thing only: his own Stellaron, the one supposedly made for him. It still held flaws. The power was too much for him, and it couldn't just make him strong from the get-go. Perhaps that was the scope, but it still frustrated him to no ends. 

"How about one more duel? With real swords this time. If you win, I'll listen to you. If I win, then you'll simply let me train with master." 

Mark nodded, pointing towards one of the swords at Yanqing's side. It flew at him, shooting at high speeds. The others in the back were staring with wide eyes, only to witness the moment Mark caught the sword with a flick of his arm, not even looking at it. He pointed it to the ground, holding it with his right arm. 

"We're on, Yanqing!" he shouted, leaping forward.