Chapter 168: Answer

"...The hell?"

I did figure I needed the old scholar, especially the Ha ha ha mode of the cold old man, to get resentful so I could get what I wanted from him. Still, I didn't expect that.

"Son," the cold old man said, "ha ha... ha. You will listen to me. For your own good. When I say you do something, you do it—"

"Got it," I mused. My eyes bore into his from down below. He looked down at me. With "Protean," I made myself tall as a bear: I looked down on him. "But first," my voice was deeper, "back off, old man." He backed off. Animosity levels were raised. "Also, I have a better idea." Placing a hand on the old scholar's head, I forcefully brought him back in front of me. "I'll be using [Dwelling] on you, and that experience about... Mana Regulation, or something, will go right into my pocket. Don't mention weeks of daily practice to me: A minute and we're all settled."

I expected that the old man would deny my proposition. He did. As creepily as he did before. Silently laughing by himself, he whispered a bunch of "No... you can't let him..." and shook his head repeatedly.

"Now, old man," I laughed, kicking off the ground. "You haven't forgotten why you and I teamed up together, have you?" By now, I undid the 7-feet tall, imposing figure I put up, walked around in circles, and explained a few things to the old advisor. If his lonely soul was dragged out of his lonely abode, it was because we met. If I chose him to follow me, it was so that he be my servant. "Your goal out here is to accompany me. And serve me." I insisted on the "serve" bit. "So, look, I get it. You probably have things to hide. Of course. Everyone does. So [Dwelling] can't be done. I wanna respect your wishes, old man. But when I tell you to do something, you do it. It's not the other way around. Well, it can be, when you're helpful. Right now, it isn't. Don't forget your place. Who are you to me? A servant."

I wanted to rile the old man up. My goal wasn't to actually use [Dwelling] on his wrinkled ass. When I said I wanted to respect his wishes, I meant it. My goal was just to have an excuse to fight him. Because I wanted to. That was all. Who was more powerful? Superior? Dangerous? Who could slay the other? For educational purposes, I wanted to know. First, a mysterious old man, then, a freaky swordmaster. What was I to these two? I wanted—no, needed to know.

So I jumped at the cold old man. It felt like he was ready to switch back to his "Ho ho ho senile old man in love with his grandchild" mode, but I didn't want to fight that side of him. I tried to use "Dwelling" on him—a Receptacle was found—but he backed off pretty quickly, as expected.

He warned me about what I was about to do. "A servant. My servant." I didn't heed his warnings. A fight occurred.

And I knew I needed to wrap this up quickly. When I fought with others, I could make it last as long as I wanted and make the most fun of it, but with this kind of opponent, I had better catch him fast and good.

Under the traveling clouds and stars of the dark sky, I sharpened my senses. Breathing in and out, I focused, but also relaxed. The old man in front of me didn't say a word. He just plainly stared at me. His white, majestic tunic turned darker and darker. When the moon occasionally lit him, he momentarily brightened up, but he himself was darkness.

Before I felt like prey, I decided to go on the offensive. I needed to swallow him up. Entirely. Right off the bat. With <Slash>, for a second, I disappeared within the trees around.

The wind gently blew, and the forest silently danced. The old man blinked, and I appeared right behind him, aiming my short sword at his flank, then at his heart, and then at his neck.

In a way I couldn't comprehend, I was either parried or evaded. I hoped my shadow would wash over him and drown him, but the opposite happened. A sharp kick landed on my back—I was ready for that. <Blade Shield> was used. It produced its effect.

The Positive Effect "Drain Affect" was given to me. It lasted only an instant, but I positively absorbed all physical damage from the old warrior's attack. Presented with a choice, I decided to disappear back within the dark, dancing trees around. Just for a second. Again, with <Slash>, I darted behind the old man again. He expected me to do that. This time, with a midair leap, I circled him around so speedily, briefly locked <Intimidation> on my prey to catch him off-guard, then threw my sword at his chest.

If that worked, I stabbed him and he died. Evidently, he was tougher than that, and I expected it. With [Mana Perception], I noticed the flow of mana within his body gathered around his feet, and he lowered his guard a little.

I saw what happened next. He jumped up. I was ready for that. And bam. <Banana Throw>. I snatched a banana from the hunters I killed, a moment earlier. Now, I used it. Peel it and eat it? No thank you. The next thing I knew, I won.

The old man was a tough opponent: If he didn't evade this sneaky banana attack, it was probably because he was simply not willing to fear a banana. I mean, who was? I wasn't either. The thing was, my "Banana Wielding +3" passive skill made my banana deadly.

It hit him right in the face. I was kind enough to choose a very ripe banana to attack my old gramps since I liked him. A very ripe banana square in the face didn't do any damage, it just made a mess of your face. That was good. And right at the same time, I hit gramps with a powerful 250-STR slap on his face. That, too, was good. The old man was shoved into the forest, hit a tree, and rested on its trunk.

I skipped to his station, smiled at him, and happily laughed.

"Ha... ha ha..."

"...I know, right?"

"A banana... hmm?"

"A banana. Yup."

I sat beside him. We rested for a second. Then, I got up and helped him to his feet. I didn't worry about him, he was barely damaged at all.

"Did you get your answer, then?" he asked.

I scratched my head for some time, then turned to him. "I did. You beat me."

"Ha ha ha."

Tonight, as the old man headed back home, I stayed behind. I needed to get stronger. Always.

Tonight, I wandered around the forest and killed more things. Monster-types, mostly. I stayed up late. Fooling around. I leveled up a few times. After I laid waste to most of the forest, I wandered out and happened by a few houses together. From my experience, people gave more experience. I set the houses on fire first, then waited for the prey outside. Again, I leveled up a few times.

Bored, I went back to the woods and caverns. That was when I discovered an interesting type of monster. It was the first time I saw a lizard. This one was a giant-sized monster-type lizard. When I grabbed its tail, it fell off. Curious, I kept it alive and noticed the monster was recreating its lost limb.

Then, I wanted a lizard. More precisely, I wanted a "High-Level Monster-type: Rare Mystic Earth Dragon Lizard x1". And other pets. I wanted skills.

So, before the night ended, I paid my royalty a visit.