I spent the next two days training my Skills. In order to maximise my training speed, mbers of Granin's triad ca to assist . Sothing I'd already noticed is that Skills train much faster in a combat situation. Field practice, so to speak. The System doesn't seem to be too picky about what exactly counts as combat since I can shape the earth beneath Torrina's feet over and over again and hey that counts. I'm not complaining about it, it ans my Skills go up faster after all, but I can't help but feel a little put out that there are such obvious loopholes in the chanics of the System. Surely Gandalf could have thought of so of these exploits.
I've no idea where Granin has got himself off to, but I don't seem him across these two days. Torrina and Corun keep company instead. The forr doesn't say much but her quiet competence and advice with handling magic are well received, the latter doesn't shut up and keeps inford of all the goings-on back in the combat area. I can feel the battles occurring now and again. Even here in my chamber, over a hundred tres away from that arena the floor shakes and dust shakes loose as the roof and walls rattle from the force of colossal impacts.
It's going down out there in a big way, so I'm told. Every day, multiple battles, occur as these mad Cult mbers throw their proto-ancients at each other to see which monster cos out alive. After every fight Corun runs into my chamber to rave about the battle, filling in on all the gossip. I'd prefer it if he stopped telling about how all the Shapers were reacting to the results. What do I care if so ancient stone person was reduced to tears and movingly eulogised his monster pupil of ten years? I don't! I don't at all! These people are maniacs running a death tournant!
I an, monsters kill each other all the ti, right? We fight and eat each other, it's only natural if you can call anything considering monsters that are born out of pure magical energy to be natural. But being forced to fight by these Shapers for their reasons is really rubbing the wrong way. However, I have to admit that making use of their resources and knowledge will help , and I can take all of this knowledge back to the colony if I ever make it out of here. Just thinking of what the family will be able to do with all of this knowledge is enough to make my mandibles quiver. The teleporting ant empire of doom will beco a reality!
After two days of grinding, I manage to get my Earth Mana Affinity to level eight of the second rank and my Fire Mana Affinity to level nine. With a little more ti I'll manage to get both of them to rank three, then I plan to switch over and start working on Air Mana. I also manage to gain two levels in Mana Moulding. I love that Skill. Every ti it levels up the knowledge of how to handle mana just matures in my mind and I gain a little more speed, a little more finesse and a bit more confidence. With my multiple minds, each sunk into the blessed tranquil sea of ditation acting as a force multiplier, I get faster and faster at weaving my spells.
Toward the end of the second day, Granin finally reappears along with another team of three Shapers, each looking super serious. Torrina had been acting as my 'opponent' for training and she quickly stands to one side as the others enter my chamber through the above door. Very swiftly a mind bridge stretches out toward and Granin's voice echoes in my mind.
[How goes the training?]
[Good, I suppose. Numbers are going up, still a long way from where we want to be.]
[From where you want to be, you an,] he can't help but throw that in, [I'm pretty sure you'll be able to reach tier three in each of those basic elents before the next bout. But no matter. Get ready to move out, these three are going to be your escorts.]
I'm a little confused.
[Uh... Why? Didn't you just say I'm not fighting now?]
[Not a fight. The matches for the day are done. Tomorrow will mark the end of the first round and you'll be up fairly quickly after that I imagine. No, I've gotten permission for you to et the other reincarnator that the Cult has taken under its wing.]
[Oh, right! Jas, I think his na was?]
[Right. He's also not in the tournant, mainly due to so higher-ups pulling so serious strings. Lucky for him really. He's not that strong in a fight.]
Poor guy. At least he's not in this deathmatch tournant, so it's not all bad.
Much the sa as when I was brought to et Sarah, the three escort Shapers bring out of my cell and through the tunnels before guiding through the gates and out into the combat area. The space looks a great deal different after two straight days of brutal monster combat. Chunks have been ripped out of the ground, stones are smashed to pieces, the walls are scarred or outright destroyed in a few places. Not to ntion the ichor stains on the ground and about the place. Phew, this is grim stuff.
What I don't see is a monster. Where the heck is this Jas guy? Is he hiding behind a gate like Sarah was? If I wasn't scared of the huge bear of death, I'm not likely to be scared of whatever this 'weak at fighting' guy has beco.
After a few more monts of confusion, a mind bridge connects to from sowhere in the chamber.
[Eyyy. My fellow invertebrate! How's things?]
I still don't see anything. My antennae twitch but I can't sense any heat either. Where the heck is this guy? Is he invisible?
[Uhh. Good! I guess? Not really? Where the heck are you? Hiding? There's no sha in being a monster, man. Co out and own it!]
[? Ashad? Of this glorious form?! Never! I just prefer it down here is all. I think you'll understand when you see . I'm coming up!]
Below?
Twenty tres away the ground begins to rumble before abruptly bursting upwards to reveal a weird, pointy mash of flesh that bulges outwards to reveal a giant… worm? A body divided into segnts, a bright pink colour, a distinct lack of eyes. He looks nothing like the intimidating worms of death but rather a squishy style worm ready for the end of a hook. The only remarkable thing about him is his size, more than twice as long as myself, possibly as much as fourteen tres in length.
[Soo… you're a worm Jas?]
[Yep!] His voice rings happily in my mind. [Check out this glorious body. Have you ever seen anything like it? I an, technically I'm not a worm, I'm a Mature Elental Worm of Earth.]
[Earthworm Jas?]
[Well, I an, most of my friends call Jim.]
[Nice to et you, Jim. I'm Anthony. As you can see, I'm a big 'ol ant.]
[I do see! Spines are overrated!]
[Agreed!]
Finally, soone who speaks a little sense.
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