352 Jin, the God of Discipline (2/2)
”Nephew?!” The man's piercing stare was shattered by that comment. ”Who sent you?”
”Technically, Sterfen sent me so you could bless one of my party members, but Daruun also sent me and told me to hurry,” Jack replied.
Jin squinted and stepped in front of Jack. He puffed up his chest and slapped his hands down onto Jack's shoulders without mercy. As Jack chuckled in pain, Jin grinned madly.
”Finally! So it was you who summoned him three days ago… And you're Sterfen's son, that would half explain the hydra outside my door. Oh, where's this party of yours? Are you sure that they'll fit my blessing and my requirements?”
Jack nodded with a laugh, ”Uncle Jin, I'm sure he'll fit your requirements. Also, that's my little sister outside.”
”Little… They found her?!” Jin boomed with laughter, gripping Jack's shoulders tighter and tighter with every guffaw. ”That's wonderful! You'll have to tell me everything!”
”Uncle, calm down! You're squeezing a little too tight!”
”Oh, sorry about that!” Jin continued to laugh as he released Jack from his friendly yet torturous grip.
While Jack rubbed his throbbing shoulders, a giant splash happened behind him.
”That must be your party,” assumed Jin. ”I hope you're not lying about your party member being fit for my blessing. I'm extremely cautious about selecting disciples.”
”Jin!” A loud voice interrupted their conversation, followed by someone hurriedly climbing out of the water and kowtowing to the god. ”My name is Maynard. I'm a samurai on a search to seek thy blessing of discipline.”
”Oh, a fellow samurai! I see why you brought him, Nephew,” Jin chuckled and gave Maynard a once over.
Hearing Jin's statement, Maynard blinked. ”Master Jin, may I raise my head?”
”Of course! A proud samurai should never bow his head so easily!” With a tap of his foot, Jin knocked Maynard back up onto his feet, stunning the samurai. ”As a fellow disciple of the blade, You'd better show me everything you've got. Otherwise, I'll be forced to turn you away.”
”Just curious, but do you know Tyre, Uncle Jin?”
Thrown off by Jack's question, Jin's smile fell from his face. ”Why do you ask?”
Jack shrugged and smiled. ”I only ask because Maynard here was desperate to train under Tyres. Even when I told him that it wouldn't work out, he only stopped insisting after Steren repeated what I told him.”
”Oh… I see…” Suddenly, four katanas appeared and floated in the air around in. ”In that case, I'll have to adjust my test…
”Maynard,” Jin's armor-piercing stare returned and focused on Maynard, ”I'll strike four times. If you can at least see or avoid all four of them, then you'll pass. You'll get three attempts to pass. Do you understand?”
Taking a deep breath, Maynard retrieved his two katanas and took a battle-ready stance. ”I'm ready.”
”Then here comes the first test.”
A burst of aura exploded out from Jin's body, frightening the remaining party members still climbing onto the stone platform. They watched as Maynard remained calm before the god. Then, they saw Jin pick up two of the four floating swords.
What followed was truly shocking for Maynard and the party, minus Jack.
Two more phantasmal arms appeared from Jin's back. They seemed to take form out of thin air, yet they both firmly gripped the two remaining swords from the air.
”Here I come! Don't die!”