Chapter 94: Testrun

[STATUS]

Name: Theolyne Chadwick

Age: 21

Realm: Mundane

Rank: (-)F

Class: [Not Yet Awakened]

Attributes

STR: —

STA: —

AGI: —

INT: —

Awakened Skill: Hardening Mastery: 2.03%

___

[INVESTOR STATUS]

Name: Theolyne Chadwick

Age: 21

Realm: Mundane

Stage: Early

Class: [AWAITING SELECTION]

ATTRIBUTES

Physical Power: 57/ 100

Stamina: 76 / 100

Agility: 68 / 100

Intelligence: 50 / 100

Combat Skill: 35/100

Endurance: 65/100

AFFINITIES

Shadow - High

Ice - Moderate

Fire - Moderate

Wood - Moderate

CONSTITUTION

[Limitless Body] — 64%

CIRCULATION ART

[Limitless Flow] — 13.99%

SKILLS

[Genesis Eyes — A] 5.99%

[Shadow Sword — Mythic] 10.45%

[Protector’s Domain — A] 1.23%

[Directive - A] 2.87%

[Domestic Manager — B] 6.99%

[Attendant’s Hands — A] 0.01%

INVENTORY

[Uncommon Fruit Salad ×1]

[Herbal Tea Recipe]

[Bottomless Flask]

[Uncommon Quill]

[Drought of the Quiet Hour]

...

[Note: You can substitute any Attribute numbers into your status to serve as false information for Users with Appraisal Abilities. This can even work for high rank Appraisal Abilities that Genesis Eyes cannot defend against]

The difference between the numbers stopped Theo cold. He couldn’t even answer Uthed, and by the time he looked up he’d already forgotten whatever the man had said half a second ago.

For a moment Uthed wondered what had stolen the boy’s attention so completely, then he understood.

’He must be looking at it after a long time. Geez, when I became a Climber, I used to look at it all the time too.’

He chuckled inwardly and waited for Theo.

Meanwhile, Theo fussed over every number on the panel. What surprised him most was the sheer rise in his stats, the kind of climb he only got mid-fight, when his body adapted to whatever had just tried to kill him. He never thought it would add up to this much.

Even so, he caught himself staring a beat too long at how low his Combat Skill still sat. That was the one stat he’d have sworn had come the furthest.

’I guess, I’m wrong. Maybe, I was getting overconfident at some point.’

Then he moved on to the system notice.

’Hm, this is damn useful. Since looking for the cure for Thall can land me in the pockets of some really bad people, I can just deceive them.’

Theo reset the numbers on his public Status to a flat thirty across the board, then dismissed both panels.

Then he summoned Raindrop.

A slender, single-edged longsword appeared in his hand, light enough that his wrist barely registered the weight. It had no guard. The hilt curved like a wave caught mid-break, as if someone had carved the metal straight out of flowing water.

Then he studied the weapon closely.

[ITEM]

Name: Raindrop

Rank: Uncommon

Type: Sword

Nature: Water

Description: A slender black sword with a blade as thin and smooth as a falling drop of rain. Blue patterns run along its length, glowing faintly whenever the blade comes into contact with moisture.

Effects:

[Flowing Edge]

The blade moves with exceptionally little resistance, allowing for swift and fluid strikes.

[Water Affinity]

Attacks can be infused with a small amount of Water energy.

[Rain Cutter]

The blade becomes significantly sharper when wet, allowing it to cut through materials harder than its appearance suggests.

Special Property:

[Raindrop]

When swung, the sword naturally follows the path of least resistance, making its movements unusually difficult to predict.

___

’Wow....’

Theo held it up, turning the blade to catch the light, studying the runes as he went. Even Uthed’s eyes gleamed with envy the moment he saw it.

"Mr Theo. Where did you get a fine sword like that?"

Theo smiled.

He’d gotten it from pleasing Estea in an exceptional manner, though he wasn’t about to say that out loud.

"I got it from the first floor. It’s a bit of a shame I don’t have an affinity with water, but it would serve me... any while."

Uthed asked, still looking it over.

"What rank is it?"

"Uncommon."

The man massaged his jaw and nodded.

"Fascinating, it looks too impressive to be uncommon rank."

Uthed raised his own blade as he went on.

"Would you perhaps like to test it against my Kurohane?"

Theo looked at him, chuckled, and angled the sword forward.

"I came here to train and get used to the sword anyways, I’m sure that’s not a bad idea."

Uthed settled into a stance, sword held loose in one hand. Theo squared up across from him. Instead of dropping into a low stance to match, he stood straight and guarded, one hand loose at his side, the other keeping Raindrop raised.

Uthed’s grip tightened on Kurohane for a fragment of a second.

’Fascinating! No openings! He has become more aware of his environment.’

Even with his freakish speed, strength, and adaptation, Theo had always been thin on real combat positioning, the kind only experience could teach. Uthed had expected him to close that gap eventually. He just hadn’t expected it this fast.

The two were silent for a moment, staring at each other.

Then they moved.

Uthed lunged with a speed that outstripped anything he usually let himself use. Theo’s breath caught, off guard by how fast the old man had suddenly become.

Before the sword could reach him though, he dropped into the shadows on the ground, and left Uthed staring at empty air, sword still raised at nothing. A heartbeat later Theo emerged behind him, Raindrop already swinging in a wide horizontal arc.

Uthed’s neck went cold. He felt the single drop of sweat that formed there and slid an inch before his body moved on its own, three decades of reflex compounding into one second.

And Uthed committed to a frightening spin that shocked even Theo.

As Raindrop moved to lick his neck from behind, Uthed’s body twisted so furiously he blurred for half a second. He left the ground entirely, rolled through the air, and came down tumbling at the lake’s edge, water kicking up in a ragged sheet around him.

Theo grinned.

’That’s not what I expected, but you landed just where I wouldn’t mind.’

For Raindrop, it seemed, there was nowhere better to be than in the water, against something wet.

Theo exploded into motion, leaping into the air and bringing both hands together, swinging the sword down from overhead.

Uthed only stared up, defenseless, out of moves.

Or so one would think.