Ch26. Training - 2

I started running around Rodrick, but as soon as I caught enough speed, he did one thing that I definitely wasn't waiting for.

He stomped on the floor, and immediately the ground started shaking.

It seemed like the whole building was going to collapse over itself, and I stumbled forward, rolling more than falling.

And in the process, I hit my face onto the floor, and tasted blood from my nose.

"Fuck!"

"What, kid? You're already giving up?" Rodrick smiled at me, gesturing for me to come at him.

What was he thinking?

But when I charged at him, as fast as I could, he almost seemed to know each of my movements.

He stepped aside, ever so slightly, living only his foot in my way, but I managed to jump over it.

Just so he could grapple my in mid-air.

"Kid, you're not ready to raid a Nest, I'm sorry to inform you this, but you're not."

He squeezed me almost gently, and let me down.

I felt my insides revolving.

Why was I so frustrated?

"But..." I tried to say, but Rodrick interrupted me.

"Kurt, you're now a member of the Shadow Guild, and it means you're one of the best. But if you can't put to use even ten percent of the abilities you have... Then why the hell are you even here for?"

Those words hit me like a mad truck.

But they also made me remember last night, with Evellyn.

And they made me realize what was so ingrained in my mind, that I haven't noticed it in the slightest.

In my past life, I grew up with nothing.

So, when I came back, when I was presented with the system, I only thought of the powers that came with it.

Of course, besides that thing almost trying to kill me when I needed it the most.

But when I acquired my powers, I was so eager to use them raw, that I forgot the most basic shape of the mechanics of a wielder.

"It's not the powers of a wielder that makes them who they are... Not their strength or their magic... It's their whole..."

Rodrick was about to leave the room when he heard me mumbling about it.

"What?"

"Nothing. I..." I paused for a moment.

Did I really want to go against him once more?

No! Even worse.

Why was I even faltering?

"I want to go again!" And at my remark, Rodrick's lips curled upwards, ever so slightly, that the line his lips once were, hardly became a smile.

He went towards the center of the arena once again, and posed for combat.

"Just wait a second, please."

And I opened it.

My system window.

I opened it so many times before, but I never truly analyzed it. I never truly understood my stats and the perks of my skills.

So it was past the time for my to finally understand it completely.

[NAME: KURT BLAKE

LVL: 15

AGE: 16

CLASS: Rogue

STAMINA: 500/500

HP: 600/600

MP: 500/500]

[BASIC STATS

Undistributed stat points: 5

Strength: 130 (+10)

Dexterity: 200 (+20)

Agility: 200 (+20)

Perception: 300

Intelligence: 250

Vigor: 200]

[INVENTORY

***

CONSUMABLES

Full recovery x2

Hidden Nest Key A-rank – Blake's library

EQUIPMENT

Midnight Ballad

Midnight Sisters

Midnight's embrace]

[SKILLS

Steal LVL 10

Invisible hand LVL 10

Prying eyes LVL 10

Shadow walk LVL 10]

My basic stats showed me clearly how fast and strong I was, but I was only using that.

Even when I wielded the [MIDNIGHT SISTERS] or the [MIDNIGHT BALLAD], that was all I used, strength and speed.

I combined some of the other stats when fighting against Quintus, but there was more to it.

There had to be more to it.

[PRYING EYES]!

I was such a dumb fuck!

Immediately after I thought of the skill's name, Rodrick's window appeared in front of me.

And God... I was surprised by what I saw.

[NAME: Rodrick Steel

LVL: **

AGE: 32

CLASS: Brawler

STAMINA: 800/800

HP: 1000/1000

MP: 400/400]

[BASIC STATS

Strength: 350

Dexterity: 120

Agility: 100

Perception: 400

Intelligence: 120

Vigor: 600]

[SKILLS

IRON WALL

IRON BODY

THUNDER FIST

WARCRY

FRENZY]

"I thought you were all thieves around here..."

"What?"

Shit, I thought I had said that in my mind!

"Nothing, I was just thinking out loud, old man. So, are we gonna start it or what?"

"I wasn't the one hesitating, but just don't come at me running like you seem to always do." He added, with a sigh. "I know you have a few more tricks up your sleeve. Use your head, kiddo."

And then, it was his time to charge towards me.

But as he ran, incredibly fast, let me add, I was already one step ahead of him.

I activated [SHADOW WALK] and disappeared from his sight, moving towards his back, but strangely, Rodrick seemed to know where I was, and sent his elbow right at my face, and the next second, I was flying towards the wall, tasting my own blood.

"Silent and untraceable, I have to give you that." He said, clapping. "But too predictable, you already used it on Quintus while I was watching, remember?"

Shit!

I needed time to think, but if I made the wrong decision...

No.

It was training, and training meant that I had to practice quick thinking in real battles, so I had to do it.

I moved a bit further from Rodrick, and stood there, silent, thinking of what I could do to surprise him, to catch him with his guard down.

He wasn't expecting me to go all out on him in a fist fight, so I thought it should be a good idea.

[STEAL]

[THE PLAYER CAN CHOOSE EITHER TO COMPLETELY STEAL THE WIELDER'S ABILITY, OR TO JUST COPY IT]

'Copy, it wouldn't do any good in stealing the old man's power.' And I thought of the skills I wanted to copy.

I imagined the ability's names were pretty self-explanatory, so I wouldn't have any problems with just the three of them.

[COPYING...]

[IRON BODY SUCCESSFULLY COPIED, CONVERTED INTO – BODY FORTRESS]

[THUNDER FIST SUCCESSFULLY COPIED, CONVERTED INTO - SMASH]

[FRENZY SUCCESSFULLY COPIED, CONVERTED INTO - BERSERK]

Yes, that should do the trick.

I uncloaked [SHADOW WALK], and coughed, making Rodrick turn around to face me.

"So you finally got tired from hiding and thinking...?"

"Kinda..." I smirked, clacking my knuckles.

Rodrick raised his brow and raised his fists, rapidly gesturing for me to come at him.

I smirked.

"Alright, then."

I thought of the skills, and I felt the effects immediately, as [BODY FORTRESS] made my skin feel like solid steel, and I gathered as much mana around my fist as possible, feeling it crackle with electricity, as [SMASH] got put into use.

Rodrick's eyes went wide, as he quickly reinforced his own body with [IRON BODY], and I focused my strength on my legs, sprinting towards him with my clenched fist, ready to hit him.