Chapter 37: Siblings teamwork (1/2)
Since he knew what the final design was and to make sure it was as good quality as possible, he first needed to mold the design. He also needed to prepare the materials to use. Since it was a unique project, he needed to use unique materials. He wanted to create it with dust made by his mana, which in theory it sounded simple, but it wasn't that simple.
He could create rocks and dust and different Earth pieces, but if he doesn't keep feeding them mana now and then, it will lose its consistency. Even if he created sand out of it, it would take a lot of mana to keep enough of the dust active until turning it into the glass. But even then, after turning it into glass, any mana that was left in it will be spent, and the glass will be like a simple one or even more fragile than one.
He had to create some permanent sand with his mana, something quite different and needed lots of mana, like casting a few Base Grade Spells. He calculated that it would take him some days to create enough for his needs. At the same time, he should finish the mold and work on some of the orders and move on to Annoue's training.
The mold didn't need much of his focus, so he let his MANA HANDS working on that as he moved towards Annoue. She noticed him and stopped on her training. Shingi saw her a few times and could tell that her MANA MANIPULATION on Air mana has gotten better but still could be improved.
”Are you ready for working on DEFLECT?” [Shingi]
Annoue nodded, and Shingi explained the skill once more as he got a simple stick to use as a weapon since using his Mithril dagger would be too much.
Of course, he didn't use any of his skills. He even made his movements as slow as possible but not too slow to start easy on Annoue, and he was getting faster when the thought she got used to his current speed. Of course, there were a few problems as Annoue not controlling her STR correctly sometimes and would almost damage him by missing his weapon and nearly hitting him. Still, Shingi was always on guard and avoided this danger.
As she got more used to the increase in the speed, he tried to add other elements of distractions. Like casting the LIGHT spell to blind her or faking an attack and doing a different one at another place and other tactics, Annoue also has more experience fighting.
Of course, most of those attacks hit Annoue, but Shingi didn't want to damage her, so no damage was dealt at her, but they had to take a few breaks a few times. Both of them had limited SP to use, and even if Shingi had more END than Annoue, as his was 16 and hers was 12. Even if he had the extra benefits of passing 15, which seemed to cause his SP's cost to be lower than before, even though his SP was slightly lower than Annoue's. So both of theirs SP were getting at low levels to need break pretty much at the same time.
He wanted to do something else by using this type of training, which was to increase Annoue's stats and possibly his STR.
Her AGI was too low at 8 currently, so her reflexes weren't the best, but this training type could help her increase it. Same with her END as they keep 'fighting' till the limits of her body cause an increase on it. There was also the chance of INT getting increased since this type of training was to make her learn to read her opponent's moves, which was a mental type of skill one needed to understand. Still, it wasn't a System's Skill, but something one was earning through pure experience.
Also, if they could increase her STR, it would be great as it was currently at 15, and that would bring an even more significant increase on the power of hers but the wall to pass the limit of 15 wasn't always an easy one. Sometimes it needed luck as with Shingi.
They trained the whole day, and Annoue learned DEFLECT, but it was still at Low Rank and seemed to need some more time to get to Base. Her stats were also increased by this training adding 2 points at AGI and 1 at INT, bringing them at 10 and 11, respectively. It was rare for a type of exercise to increase multiple stats and increase one of them by more than one point. Still, since her AGI was that low, it wasn't so hard to happen as 10 was considered the base value.
She got somewhat used to Shingi's moves, but he still wasn't using his full AGI and not even had used once his ACCELERATION skill. Annoue seemed to handle the speed of someone with an AGI of 12 by the end of the day, but barely. In the real fight against one like that, she probably had almost a 30% time chance to win.
Shingi had finished his Hourglass body's mold and started creating some special sand but not much. To create enough at this rate, he would need the full week or even more. That was also counting of him continuing helping Annoue's training and working on the orders Garry left him.
As they got ready to move out, Shingi stopped at the door of the shop as he noticed something and, more precisely, two individuals being outside across the shop in one of the alleys. They probably were trying to hide, but Shingi was able to detect them with just his MANA SENSE, which he always kept active to increase its power. He had recognized their auras and used his PERCEPTION to make sure they were the two individuals he thought to be. They were the two High-Level Tamers he met the other day.
He had stopped Annoue from getting outside, and they started getting their way to get out from the back door. Still, they stopped when Shingi noticed that there seemed to be some people hidden there and the Wolf of the Slaver he fought.
”What is wrong, brother? Why did we stop?” [Annoue]
”It seems like the bad people from the other day found us and are outside. The one with that had the Wolf and the Bear one area in the front while others were in the back with the Wolf. Not sure where the Bear is, but if I had to guess, it probably was left out of this mission cause of the slow speed of it.” [Shingi]
Annoue was surprised, but not even for a moment; she didn't believe what Shingi told her. Even if she wasn't sure how he could tell that much, but he had done many amazing things these past days.
”So what do we do. We going to fight them?” [Annoue]
Annoue got her fighting stance ready to show that she was prepared for battle, and there was some excitement in her eyes.
”We can't fight them. They are too strong to handle. Last time, I was lucky to face one by himself and could barely get out, but I don't think they will let us out like that. It seems that there are no guards around probably; they bribed them. There is only one thing we can do, and that is to call the cavalry.” [Shingi]
Annoue seemed somewhat confused and sad about what he said.
”But who can we call and how... wait, do you mean the Hero?” [Annoue]
She knew that Shingi was supposed to talk with her through magical means, and since she seemed to want to help them that much, it made sense to call her for help.
”Not her, but some other people like her but somewhat weaker. Also, they are a little like me of being helped by the Hero. I can send them a message, but I have to close my eyes and get in a sleep-like state to do it.” [Shingi]
Shingi wanted to enter his SPECTATOR MODE, which fortunately was available, and sent his students a message. He could send notes to them as he knew their in-game names, and he could also set it to be anonymous as they weren't friends through the System. Of course, there was the chance of them to ignore the message, but he was confident of one of them not to ignore it. That was Little Phoenix as she seemed the type to care about people she knew too much, and she appeared to be somewhat worried for him, so if she learned he was in danger, she would come to the rescue. But he mostly counted on her bringing Tycoon with her as Phoenix was too low level to be of help.
So he sat down and went with this plan, which took just a few minutes, and he was back to his NPC body. So now they have to make his move.
”I send the message, but we need to make a move of our own. Since both ways aren't able to be used, we need to cause a distraction to make one of them available to use and went to the Mayor's office, which would be safe and is closer than our house.” [Shingi]
Annoue understood how serious the situation. It could be seen on her face, which was more serious than usual.
”But what distraction can we cause? Shouldn't we wait for the help to arrive?” [Annoue]
”We need to draw the attention of the enemy cause if all the help I called comes, it isn't certain that they will be able to handle them all, so you should go to call for help by the Mayor while I distract them.” [Shingi]
Annoue's face seemed to get even more severe after hearing that.
”NO. I won't leave you this time. I saw how tired you got last time as you slept for that long. I won't let you put yourself in that type of danger again.” [Annoue]
Shingi wanted to say something, but his guts were telling him that if he tried to persuade her, he would face a side of hers he didn't want to meet.
So he sighed, and after giving it, some thought he had made a new plan.
”Ok, so here is what we will do, so listen carefully.” [Shingi]
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Outside at the alley across the front of the shop, the two Players talked to each other. The Slaver one's in-game name was Shadow Whip, while the other one was Fire Whip.
Even if they were High-Level ones for a beginner's town, they were far from true High-Level ones. Their level was 21 and 19 respectively. They were the newer of the Guild's Generals. They also had the lowest level among them, but they weren't less powerful than the rest.