Chapter 6: The Kings Of The Forest And The World’s Mightiest Disciple 2
1848 Words
Five years ago……
In this same room with a similar event, a young boy of about 11 years of age pays them an unexpected visit.
“Hey Mister, are you the strongest man alive?” The young boy asked Jirayu.
“Why do you ask, son?”
“Because if you are, then I want to be like you.”
Jirayu snorted. He’d heard those fancy words thousands of times before that he’s sick of it. Young kids dreaming big and talking big but lacks the determination to make their words a reality.
In the past, Jirayu and his fellow Grandmasters had once dreamed of hailing a disciple. However, none of those that desire to inherit their legacies are strong enough, resolute enough, and talented enough to reach their standard. And as the years goes by, that standard steadily rose while their hopes and expectations plummet.
Then this kid says that he wanted to be like him. That’s kind of a wishful thinking. Regardless how many times he appraised him, his fancy clothing and expensive shoes had given away his nature.
A rich kid who thinks he’s capable of having everything just because he has money. He’s definitely not the type who can be capable of inheriting his style.
There’s absolutely no way.
Still, Jirayu played along. “Have you ever thrown a punch?”
“When necessary.”
He nodded. “I don’t know if I can train you. Not sure if you’re worthy. But if you’re really interested, I’ll be in Japan tomorrow.” He wrote down the address on a piece of paper. “Meet me in this place at exactly 7:00AM. If you do that, I might consider giving you an entrance trial.”
The Mad Demon thought back then that that was the end of it. The meeting place he gave to the boy was the address of the Kagami brother’s home and dojo located in a secluded area in Mount Fuji.
Locating its exact location is no problem, thanks to the technology of the modern age. However, going there is another story. Since 2050, in the hope of ending the deterioration of Japan’s iconic mountain, the Japanese government issued a new law to turn Mt. Fuji into a No Man Biota area. Buildings, roads, and residential areas established inside the mountain and within the first 10 kilometers of its surrounding areas will be demolished and in exchange, new plants and wildlife will be reinstated to the vacated regions.
However, one man survived the 2050 purge and retained his humble home in the mountain. That man is Kagami Ryuu, the father and mentor of Sato and Shin.
For the Grandmasters, going to the Kagami Dojo is no problem since their superhuman capabilities can easily and stealthily bypass the barricades and guards.
But for a kid raised with all the comforts of the world, it will be next to impossible.
Or so he thought.
Much to Jirayu and the rest of the Grandmasters’ surprise, the boy knocked on their door 15 minutes before the time appointed by Jirayu. He was covered with cuts and bruises, suggesting that he evaded the guards, climbed the barricades and hiked the mountain on his own.
Jirayu was lost in words. It was unexpected. However, the boy had fulfilled his condition and therefore, he must give him the entrance trial that he promised.
Since that day, the Muay Thai Grandmaster had given him several ridiculous and bone crushing tasks with an assumption that he’ll eventually give up and quit.
That day never came. Until one morning, Jirayu woke up with the realization that the mighty disciple that he’d been longing to have had already arrived.
The boy was not just an embodiment of strength, determination, focus, and sheer will but also a prodigy born with overflowing intellect and talent.
With his eyes finally opened, Jirayu begun dedicating his whole heart and soul in cultivating the boy he now acknowledged as his Successor with everything that he knows in the art of combat.
Eventually, the same enlightenment had descended upon the other Grandmasters and the most fruitful three years of their lives begun.
Back to the present……
Jirayu sighed. It was just too bad that their most meaningful and joyous days ended two years ago when the day come that they have nothing left to teach him. It was a terrifying and unbelievable growth that none of them expected to be possible.
But in the end, the undeniable fact still remains that their roles for his development had been fulfilled. He must now battle through life and beat his own path towards the zenith and beyond until they meet again as equals.
However, during frustrating times like this, they all find it very hard not to miss their beloved disciple.
‘Anyway, I’m sure that wherever he is, our Little Gen is surely aiming for something great.’
And he weren’t wrong.
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With a feral growl, Dusk Panther leapt to Grimm at full speed. However, in comparison to the first attack it unleashes, this one is in a slow motion.
Grimm had already unequipped his knife. The counterattack he exacted earlier had reduced the durability of his Chef’s Filet Knife by 5 due to the thick skin of the Dusk Panther. Grimm doesn’t know how long he’ll stay inside the Forest of Illusion where there are no magic stores and blacksmith shops around, so he can’t endanger the existence of his only reliable weapon.
He then positioned into a Muay Thai Stance and prepares to attack. Once the target entered his range, he performed a front steep to the face that briefly stopped the panther on his track. Grimm didn’t waste the opportunity and use the opening to move forward and deliver series of high and mid roundhouse kicks on the panther’s head, followed with a knee hit to the chin, and a somersault kick for the finisher.
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+Dusk Panther’s attack blocked.
+You dealt a Critical Damage x (12).
+Dusk Panther had fallen and is unable to move, [Off-Guard for 20 seconds].
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The moment that the Dusk Panther is incapable of moving, it was as good as dead. Grimm dealt the final blow and the oversized feline slowly turned into fragments.
Before Grimm’s eyes, a cascade of message windows burst open.
Ding!
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Your Level has risen
All Basic STATS has risen by 2 points (+2ALL)
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The message poured in for a total of 10 times, escalating Grimm’s level from 1 to 11 in one go.
Ding!
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A New Effect has been unlocked after Agility exceeds 100.
(+10%) Attack Speed
(+10%) Movement Speed
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A New Effect has been unlocked after Agility exceeds 100.
(+10%) Attack Speed
(+10%) Movement Speed
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Level Up: Kicking Mastery [Passive: Beginner Level 5 (1.90%)]
Kick Attack Damage (+45%)
Kick Attack Speed (+15%)
For reaching Beginner Level 5, an additional effect has been unlocked. [Chaining]
When executing Kick Attacks in succession, +5% Increase Damage for each successful blow.
Effect will be cancelled if the Kick failed or interrupted.
(+30%) Agility
(+15%) Dexterity
(+15%) Strength
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New Stat Acquired
Wisdom (+10)
In this world where every decision can become a matter of life and death, an enlightened mind is vital to produce the best possible decision. Through Wisdom, all Attack and Defense stats are boosts, skill casting time and the probability of failure when activating skills and spells are minimized, and the perception to finer details is enhanced.
Wisdom rise through actions and level-up
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New Skill Acquired
Eyes of Knowing [Passive|Active|Special: Beginner Level 1 (0.00%)]
You have a keen sense of sight capable of thoroughly discerning the unknown.
Passive: You will receive a name notification every time you encounter a new NPC or monster.
You can permanently see the Health Bar of players, NPCs and monsters.
Special: Consume Mana and the effect will be more thorough. You can also see their Level, Mana, and Weakness along with a brief detail of their characteristic.
Mana Cost: 100
Active: [Identify] Command; Enables to identify the true value of unidentified items.
Mana Cost: 50
Intelligence (+10%)
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You have received a New Title
[The Daredevil]
You are recognized as a dangerous thrill seeker with an irrational mind, and a pigheaded personality that never entertains the thought of giving up.
When facing enemies with levels higher than yours, Critical Attack and Critical Attack Rate will increase by (+1) and (+1%) multiplied by the difference in level.
Critical Attack increased by 10%
Resistance to Fear increased by 30%
The Title increased All Current STATS by 1 (+1ALL)
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After absorbing the new details, Grimm closed all the pop-ups and checked his Health and Armors.
Not a single scratch.
“Now for the spoils.” Grimm gathered the items that the Dusk Panther dropped.
As an expected loot from a beast type, there’s leather, meat, and money.
Ding!
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You acquired [Dusk Ring]
Originally a normal silver ring devoid of any magic.
However, after the Dusk Panther swallowed and held on it for a long period of time, the ring slowly turned black and adapts its carrier’s ability.
Type: Ring
Durability: 50/50
Restriction: Level 30, 100 Agility
Equipped: (+10) Agility, (+30%) Darkness Resistance, (+30%) Blind Resistance, (+50%) Agility in the Darkness
Generates [Stealth]
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Skill Alert: Stealth
Stealth [Active: Beginner (0.00%)]
[Mastery: 0/100 AP]
The ability to hide your body in the dark.
Duration is 10 minutes, cancelled if you’re detected or had engaged into a fight.
Stealth cancellation through attacking inflicts (+50%) increase in Damage for the first strike.
Mana Cost: 50
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A smile spread across Grimm’s face.
‘A jackpot!’
The Dusk Ring is quite a rare item. It doesn’t just provide a significant amount of stat boost but is also harboring an Assimilate.
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What is an [Assimilate]?
Unlike the other skills embedded in the items where usage only applies whenever the items are equipped. Item skills with the [Assimilate] status can be permanently acquired once the required Ability Points (AP) in the Mastery is filled.
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But the restriction is Level 30, so it’s impossible for him to use it yet. Still, it was a nice profit for his first in game battle.
Grimm packed all the items into his inventory and resumed his night hunting. Within the span of two hours, he encountered five more Dusk Panthers which he immediately defeated without any hassle, thanks to the new skills and stats that he acquired during the end of his first battle.
So when daytime finally comes, Grimm returned to the training ground as a satisfied Level 16 Eternal Empire player.
- Writer
