Chapter 9: First Day (2)

"I'll fish you out and have you try again until you are. This is the most important skill you will ever learn from me. I developed it myself, and not many people know of it. Even fewer have actually learned it. This is where most students turn from me Thadius, show me your resolve."

After meeting Corban's eyes, Thadius shook his arms and gave the freezing pond a hard stare. "I'm ready."

Corban nodded and pointed to a boulder beneath the waterfall. "You'll stay there for as long as it takes. Fight the cold. Fight the hunger."

Thadius shook his head in exasperation as he looked at what could possibly be his future grave. The pool that looked so peaceful and serene moments before suddenly turned deadly.

Taking as deep a breath as his armor would allow, Thadius took a step into the pool.

"Gah!" he gasped as ice cold lightning shot through his body. His second foot followed with the same result, and it only seemed to get colder as he waded deeper into the waist-deep pool. The cold penalties popped up, but he brushed them aside.

Thadius steeled himself before he climbed onto the boulder and sat beneath the waterfall. The frozen heavens crashed down upon his shoulders and the shock had him gasping with much shorter breaths.

It was minutes before he settled back into his breathing technique. Then he focused on the words of his master, 'Fight the cold. Fight the hunger'. If those were the only words, then he had already been given the clues he needed to succeed. The first was getting the Fighting Spirit stat.

'The two events might be similar. If that's the case, I can't just tolerate the cold or hunger. I have to resist it.' Thinking of his first encounter with the swordmaster, Thadius organized his approach.

Minutes turned into an hour as he sat, forcing himself to concentrate on warmer thoughts, and willing away his hunger.

[Your focus and fortitude under severe conditions have unlocked a new skill.]

[Concentration LV.1 Novice

10% boost to senses and mental abilities while the skill is active]

[Your tranquil thoughts, focused on improving your physical condition, have unlocked new skill]

[Meditation LV.1 Novice

2.5% Mana and Stamina regeneration when used. The skill can only be used outside of combat.]

With the effects of his new skills in place, Thadius received a small boost to his stamina regeneration. Yet, it did absolutely nothing to combat his freezing body.

[Your body is experiencing extreme cold. Your health has dropped below 10%. Maximum stamina and mana have been cut by 75%. Stamina and mana will not regenerate until body temperature stabilizes.]

[Death by hypothermia in 00:00:02:59 ]

Imminent death. That's the most important piece of information he received from the messages.

'What am I doing wrong!?' Thadius roared inwardly.

He once again thought back to when he first obtained Fighting Spirit. Even as he was about to faint he gave everything he could to stand up. He had felt fear then too, but he had fought it down. So courage had to be a part of it. He had been angry as well, angry at the weakness that assaulted him, and the paralysis that reminded him of the future he'd lost.

There was also hope. In the moments before he passed out, he had hoped fiercely that his body would miraculously rise up and stand.

Anger, Courage, and Hope. It was a strange combination, but in the midst of battle, would they really be out of place?

Thadius focused again and let the emotions take over.

That's when he felt it, the small ball of warmth in the pit of his stomach. While he focused on his emotions, the warmth slowly spread throughout his body.

[Due to the unorthodox training of 'Iron Dragon' Corban, you have learned the hidden skill Fighting Aura. ]

[Fighting Aura LV.1 Novice

Manipulation of Fighting Spirit. Can be used in place of mana for some skills. Max Fighting Aura is equal to Fighting Spirit.

+100 Fighting Spirit

+99% Cold resistance]

[Fighting Aura can now be regenerated with Meditation ]

The additional effect was immediate, and the duration was considerable. Using Fighting Aura to block the cold cost one point per minute, so could currently use it for a few hours before he would need to meditate. If he worked on it, he could definitely keep it up for a full day.

'This is an amazing skill.' Thadius thought as he slipped down from the boulder. Steam could be seen rising off him into the air.

Corban smiled at the sight. "I expected you to finish soon, you seem to catch on quicker than the others." he said as he helped the weary Thadius out of the pool. Then he explained how they would spend the next year on the way back to the compound.

---

Brandon had logged out after Corban turned in for the night. Curtis was sitting in the corner watching the livestream.

The nurse turned his head as the stream ended. "So, how was it? That old dude looked pretty intense."

"More than that..." Brandon explained his schedule to Curtis as it had been explained to him by Corban.

He would wake up at dawn and run stairs. He would go down to the trail leading to the pool, then run back to the complex. After a few reps he would train his new skills at the pool until Corban comes for him. This would repeat until he was able to sustain his Fighting Aura for 24 hours.

Once his Fighting Aura was at a sufficient level, his stair repetitions would increase. Eventually, instead of going to the pool, he would begin preparations for combat training. There would be a 9 hour rest period everyday, which would obviously include meals and sleep.

"Stairs...." Curtis grimaced.

Brandon frowned as well. "With absolutely no handrails. It's bullshit."

"That sounds like a lot of time and effort for a single class. You really gonna do it?" Curtis asked while removing the Dark Chariot from Brandon's head.

"I really have nothing else to do, and isn't a year in-game 3 months?"

"Yeah, but it really feels like a full year in game."

"I don't mind. The problem is my sleeping and eating out here. That's going to throw a wrench in the schedule."

"You can sleep in game, remember? The Dark Chariot cuts out REM sleep. You'll sleep like the dead, but it'll balance out time wise. I strongly recommend you ask for a day off every week though, just to get a full night's rest. You know, with dreams and stuff."

"What about meals?" Brandon frowned, just as a noise was heard coming from his belly.

Curtis smiled. "30 minutes out here should be enough. We could shave it down to 15. Even less if we switch to a liquid diet every so often."

"What would I do without you?"

"You couldn't even wipe your own ass."

The two shared a laugh then Curtis went to grab a quick bite to eat for Brandon.

---

Thadius went to sleep after logging back in. The hellish schedule would begin at dawn.