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The Escaped Vessel

What is it to be a monster? What is it to be human? Is it not possible to be both, or neither at all? Malik finds himself awakened. Full of jumbled memories that don’t quite fit. In a body that he does not recognize. While he also finds himself next to someone that he can only call a goddess, he begins to learn. Guided by kind hands. He tried his best to assemble who he is from his own mind. But there are cracks. Damage caused by the weak bonds between body, soul, and divinity threaten to tear him apart in all that he is. That’s besides the gods. Their hidden battle goes unspoken but to their closest followers. The followers who are told that a great danger approaches. One that’s hunting for the vessel that was lost. Should he ally with these other god's vessels? Should he even fight the cultists after his body? This brings Malik to a choice. Accept the monstrous body he now resides in and grow stronger. Reject that body and lose his mind. Or completely give in and allow for his fate to be sealed along with his soul decimated by the eldritch god of the unknown. will he make this body his and everything that comes with it?

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Ralph glanced at Malik wondering if he really wanted to know the answer. "How did they hunt this? Or do you mean, how can you go out and kill monsters?" 

"How can they hunt something that is so hard to cut?" The question seemed appropriate for someone that had little knowledge of this. Especially since Ralph had heard the situation from the others working in the guild.

"The adventurers are ranked based on their strength. The identity is updated to show your strengths. The more you work, the higher your ranking goes." 

Seeing that this had piqued Malik's interests, Ralph continued in a little softer of a voice. He seemed to enjoy teaching someone that was very eager to learn anything and everything.

"You will start out as an E ranked adventurer when you register. This is for safety. The newbies are young and inexperienced. That's why many choose to work errands within the city their guild branch is located within."

"As you learn and take classes, you can be allowed to take tougher jobs. Guiding merchant caravans, handling guard assistance, watching walls, and eventually defeating problem monsters." 

"Some jobs even request specific hunting goals for specific monsters. Blacksmith, alchemists, and nobles do this often."

"As you rank up from E to D then C, B, and A, you will be able to take dangerous but very well paying jobs."

"S ranked is reserved for the best adventures recognized by the people and royalty of the entire kingdom. That is very tough since it often means they worked alongside military powers to protect the kingdom."

Malik was loving this. He had not learned so much like this yet. It made him feel like the potential of the very world was more than what he had known. 

"I think I'll try to do that…" There was still some apprehension in Malik's tone, but Ralph could see that between Alan and Clara, Malik was very close to just following the path of being an adventurer. 

"Whether you do it or not, you should learn to do a little of everything. You'll never go without work if you can. You might even get hired by a noble or a royal family member. That way, you can live the rich life." Ralph clearly wanted the luxurious life of a noble. 

"Not sure I need luxury. I think I just need some freedoms to stretch." This felt right to say. A good way for him to understand how he felt. Especially since he felt he didn't really know himself without his memories being intact. 

"Kid, go see Clara and then head to that dagger lesson. Old lady Jen always shows up early. She likes early students when she teaches." Ralph kicked his butt to make Malik move. He had already turned away before Malik could thank him. 

With the push to get to the dagger arts lesson, Malik found himself almost running. He hadn't realized how excited he was. These two days of learning so far had sparked a burning curiosity for the unknown. 

'That is an inherent part of your aspect of your race. An eldritch vessel will always desire to learn about the unknown which they were born of. This desire may Increase depending on the will of the host.'

The mood was shattered for Malik. He had told this system guide multiple times he was human. Yet, he still chimed in here and there with racial this and monster skill that. It was frustrating. 

However, the feeling remained. The perfect feeling of curiosity that could distract Malik's chaotic mind. Learn dagger arts. That was the goal. Not chasing some curiosity that made him a monster. 

"You're early!" The smile from Clara further pushed away the unhappy feeling the system guide had given Malik. 

"I wanted you to check here first so I could show you where the training weapons and light armors are. If you feel strong enough, some of the training leather armors are weighted with magic runes carved by the guild blacksmiths. They are very useful." 

Seeing that Clara had already had one of the general guild staff take her place, Malik felt a little warmer. He couldn't remember ever feeling this special in terms of attention or focus from others. 

She guided him toward a back room area. It was a space easily accessible for guild members to change and access storage areas for personal belongings. He was even surprised that a few staff members kept watch over these personal belongings. 

Signing the training equipment in and out was also easy for him. The staff members grabbed what he needed and took his identification to mark it down. He could just return it and they would be cleaned later. 

"I thought you would go for the set of leather training armor with extra weight. It's still within a beginner quality, but it's smart to train early so that later you are able to handle the unexpected outcomes of life."

"Even if you become a mage or someone focused on magical skills, strength determines a lot too. What do you do when low on mana? Can you travel well without the stamina from training your body? It all matters." 

It was clear that Clara had worried a little since Malik had mentioned meditation over other things. Yet, he was very glad to hear this. Every bit of advice would make him develop better.

"And this, is the training ground. I would have given you a better tour, but you have been exploring your own things." Clara was a little apologetic since she had not shown him everything yet. She felt a little like she let him down. 

"It's huge! There's so much here!" 

Looking out at the large training grounds, Malik noticed various wooden, metal, and even armored training dummies. An archery range, magic attack range, and various small stages to spar with others.

This was besides the smaller areas cordoned off so that groups could train with one another. There were even a few groups using them as teaching areas for younger adventurers who paid the veterans for some tips. 

"That's the training area for the free dagger arts basics class. Good luck." Clara pointed out a small training area with wooden dummies. 

The thin and unassuming older woman standing in front of them waiting perked up her head when she saw Malik approaching. 

"Good, one child with a decent head for when to arrive. You're early so you get to start first. Come over here and stand normally." She hadn't even Introduced her herself. Just started telling him what to do!

"Hello teacher Jen. My name is Malik. Ralph told me about your class today and that I should be early to it." Malik still tried to be nice but found that Old lady Jen just nodded her head as if it wasn't that important for introductions. 

While standing still, Instructor Jen kicked apart Malik's legs to a better stance. Lowered his level, and bent his arms. She also took the wooden training dagger from his hand and adjusted the grip. 

While no words were said, Malik felt that he was being treated like clay rather than a person. "Umm, what-"

"Focus on your stance. You need to be on the balls of your feet. Reaction time in close combat situations is incredibly important."

"Feel the muscles that are activated in that stance. You should be ready to dodge, parry, or stab and slash in a blink of an eye." 

"Always be a little on edge. Even when you think you are in a safe space. Because nothing in the wilderness will be safe." 

"Now, follow my forms." Instructor Jen took the same stance. However, she radiated an aura that spoke of extreme experience. Like this was just as comfortable to her as laying in a bed.

"Push off with one leg, use the force from your feet all the way through your body. Lean forward slightly, and move your arm in a diagonal upwards or downwards slash. Keep the wrist straight…"

Before long, seven more people had come to the class. By this time, they found an astonishing sight. 

While everyone who came to these basics classes, they knew that it was rare for someone to be matching instructor Jen within them. Students who could do so would pay for more advanced classes. 

These people were always more experienced and wanted to sharpen their skills to become higher ranked adventurers. Yet, instructor Jen was clearly showing off slightly higher leveled techniques that would help improve the basic dagger arts skill to experienced dagger arts skill. 

"Stop gawking and get in a stance. I don't have time to waste on you if you can't hold the basic stance." The shout and order from Jen made every single one of the seven jump to it.

They all knew well what would happen if they did not make their own move to copy her motions. She was notorious for sparring against those that did not give it their all. 

And by sparring, it was a merciless beating.

That wasn't the case for Malik though. She had long surpassed sharing the basics and moved on to more complicated dagger moves. Copying the methods of cutting and aiming for weaker points. Imagining the body from outside and how it could counter certain attacks. 

Every single movement appeared to be perfectly copied after just a few moments of Malik copying her. He was mimicking her style to perfection. Something she had never experienced but felt that she had been born to witness. It just felt right. 

watch, practice, understand, then grow!

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