Chapter 146: 36 letting his tonge loose!

Allan moved into the front of 36 and showed the spear in the general direction of his voice.

“Magnificent! What material is that?” 36 said, quite surprised by the quality of the materials, considering the quality of the slashes and thrusts.

“Black Mithral is the ore I used for the spearhead, as well as this crescent blade I added to make it fancy and deadlier. I forged it rough at first and made the adjustments and sharpening sometime later.”

“I can see that…. but a mortal-rank ore? I don't want to believe that, but I also think it's impossible for this to be anything else.”

“Mortal rank ore?” Allan asked in confusion.

“Those are the kind of materials that we, the Immortals, call the generic materials. It's the name of a material that are plenty in the universe, and they aren't anything extraordinary. I will get to this later since I think it's right to talk about it but as our first topic, what else is there to this spear? I can't see the quality and usability being anything but abnormal. Adding your strength, you struck the rocks as if you are an energy user from the beginning paths already!” 36 said, surprised by the results, but with quite an openness.

“I struck a rock, mister 36 so why talking about this spear like this? I don't think it's as surprising to destroy the rock as I did with the weapon. I didn't even manage to do a thing with bare hands, so why so surprised?” 36 said, believing in every single work he asked but he changed the topic since 36's last sentence.“Wait! In fact, what sort of things do regular Energy users at the beginning of their journey use? I am well aware that the things I make are quite good, but they shouldn't be anywhere near the power of immortal weapons. Am I right?” Allan said, remembering the kind of weapons his father made and used. In fact, he forgot he had such a weapon himself. It was the sword that fell from the hammer emblem all those days ago.

“Allan, you are underestimating the use of good weapons. Of course, you speak the truth, but why talk badly about your own creations? Considering this spear of yours, this is already close to something that some weak, or poor immortal would use. Especially the ones undergoing Body Forging techniques without much regard to energy itself.” 36 said.

“Really!? This Spear of mine?” Allan asked in surprise, clutching the spearhead tightly, and wondered if that was true or not. He felt somewhat proud, but it shouldn't be that powerful… His memories were full of the things that Clayton made and used, so this didn't feel impressive to him.

“Righ. Just so you know, there are plenty of materials that are imbued with time and energy. It makes them many times more sturdy and sought out for weapons that any Immortal would love to have. They were engulfed with energy throughout the time when they formed under the earth, making them excellent with time. However, such materials still require care while forging and careful sharpening. It's nothing much different from the mortal forging, but countless times more expensive and extraordinary.” 36 explained why he thought Allan shouldn't be that upset, but he forgot simple logic. Allan didn't see the point of his words.

“So it is the quality of the materials which forms immortal weapons? I thought it was much more than that.” Allan asked, after understanding a little better what he was trying to tell, but it wasn't anything crazy. He saw the proper forging of such weapons, and that was what he believed in. It didn't matter to him if Clayton wasn't some immortal, but he viewed the things from his spying as Immortal materials for sure.

“At least initial Mortal rank materials are. Some things… later are kind of different and even exceed mortal comprehension, but it's complicated. If the time will be generous in the future, I will tell you more about it for sure since it seems to me you will survive the first examination. Heheheh.” 36 laughed in a good, yet strange manner.

“Oh, I can tell that already… but will you remember it in the future? Is there even a choice of a weapon in a yearly exam? Are weapons even a good thing to consider since this is Diary of the Body and not Diary of the Weapons? Does it make sense to you?” Allan showered him with questions after disregarding much of 36's words.

“I didn't tell you much about the 1st examination, but it's not that important. I suppose the weapons are recommended from what I've understood.” 36 said after calming down from his laugh.

Figuring his own troublesome thoughts out made 36's mind less stressed. Although, he knew the examination could be difficult, but how much? That, he didn't know. He will never know the right details alone, but when the Wisher's message arrives, it may be a different story. The problems that will come afterward were also a story for a different time.

“Is the reason for such a happy laugh, because I can finish the first-year exams? With such eyesight, and passable, if not, bad combat practices?” Allan said in a doubtful manner. He was both understanding about his own power, and 36 didn't seem that good at wording his words right.

“Heh… With this amount of progress., I can see that. This isn't the end of it, you know? I am seeing your personal power for the first time, and weapons are rulers of combat. Body Forging or not, this is facts and logic since the universe made the first intelligent beings. Simple as that.”

“I can hear some truth in that, but you never said what is the examination, apart from the combat. I am already practicing for a long time yet your details are so poor. It makes me question your ability to teach.” Allan said in the hope of understanding what would come. Although, he was quite clever with his use of wordy tactics. He learned them to use against 36, who would always slip away to include some perky information and more stuff that he would find interesting.

Allan knew it more than himself. He wasn't ready for any examination, since his words were honest. It was still quite early for that, but he still remembers when 36 talked about rushing the progress and taking the exam earlier. Time was also against 36 from what he could remember, but what it could mean or end up like? Allan had no idea, nor Sarey, or 36 himself.

“You will understand when you are ready. in time. With this weapon, you should regard this as a guarantee from me!” 36 stated in a serious tone, making sure he sounds clear and confident in Allan.

Sarey was quite silent this time around. She watched Allan smashing and cutting rocks in utter silence, but her keen eyes were always glued to Allan's movements. Those were hopeful eyes who observed the effects of his posture, placement of hands, legs, and stance.

It all came from the body forging methods she understood at the same proficiency as Allan, but she also knew the truth. She won't ever be as strong as this version of Allan, since the physical strength of hers was much smaller.

Unlike him, she already tried her hardest to do the exercises, but she failed to accomplish much. She was almost close to the halfway progress that Allan had all those days ago before this 2nd round of training started. That was quite bad progress in her opinion, and she was very harsh on herself.

Unfortunately, she was reaching her limits every time, leaving her dissatisfied with her body and power, which was far from Allan's. Tiredness and numb muscles left her strained at dark nights, after taking care of Allan, but those times were her secrets. Allan didn't know about them, nor was Zigmund.

She hoped for the best to wield her fate and not be weak. Willingness and hard work were there, yet even that wasn't enough to achieve something. It made her angry, so Sarey also considered the effects of acupoints which she forced from 36. She already had quite a good understanding of them, but it wasn't that useful in itself. After all, she had no one capable which would insert the needles into her.

She couldn't reach her back herself with her hands, and her eyes aren't good for that either. When performing the Acupoints, it was important to have steady hands and firm eyes to see where the thin needle would go.

Watching Allan perform quite well, Sarey still left a happy expression on her face. He was getting stronger, yet she was left with no opportunity other than to work hard like him. Perhaps her view in this wasn't wrong, nor right. With the acupoints and beginning of the body forging, she could manage a little better, but even a talent when it comes to the body was real. Although, that wasn't something 36 ever talked about since his only care was Allan and not Sarey. For now, she did things how she at least assumed them.

The discussion kept going, while her wondering eyes and mind were kind of left out. Allan talked to 36 about some stuff, when he pointed to the glaive on the ground. It wasn't so far away, and he knew exactly where he left it.

“What about that?” He asked.

“That? A polearm type of weapon? Is it the other weapon you brought out since you wanted to test more? I wanted a single one.” 36 replied, uninterested in this polearm that didn't seem that fancy apart from the massive blade. Even that strange handle was something he founds unappealing, but he didn't voice it.

“Alright. Spar is a spear, and I have no problem with that, but this thing of mine is much stronger than the spear.” Allan honestly said, stubborn and confident.

“Forget it, Allan. Even the spear is already plenty powerful and I have only so much time in hand to view unnecessary things. Rather than that, how about starting the earlier discussion of what I talked about?” 36 said as he held no regard to the dull-looking glaive in his colorless vision. He got what he wanted from the spear, and that was enough.

“Since you insist.” Allan sighed, and in confirmation, took a seat near the boulder.

“Can I listen to this as well?” Sarey asked after regaining her wandering mind back.

“You already do, so why ask?” 36 said, surprised why she even talked like this, but his mind was already ready to get to the topic. “Let me start then. I considered a new opportunity that I discovered a while ago. It's a rather important kind. One which could be very helpful in the short and extraordinary in a long term.”

“Is this about the Immortal Martial Arts that you mention earlier?” Allan asked, remembering what he had told earlier.

“Yes. Yes! Precisely that. It seems you have an opportunity for rewards according to reaching certain thresholds in the training, and I talked about it already. I am not sure what was it about, or how it appeared, since you barely started this journey, but it is still confirmed by me that it is very real. It is possible to get something extraordinary out of this chance. I even talked to you some time ago about it, but it's too long ago for me… I don't remember it as the time I am feeling is different in my prison.”

Sarey looked at Allan, and 36, not remembering it either, but something about the rewards, or some threshold? She wasn't sure, and not even Allan told her anything about it.

“I get it. You don't remember it either. It's too much for you, which is understandable. At that time, we were considering the possibilities of the Pills and corresponding methods to reach that goal. You discarded it, and I forgot about it later. I was, and still am well aware of the hardness of this task, but I still didn't discard it completely. You should still remember it. At least for now, so it can be one day important. No one knows the future.”

“But here is the catch. Instead! How about reaching into the rewards right now and getting important Martial Arts that could improve you much faster? I don't have any usable ones, and the Diary of the Body isn't about some combat arts or training in itself. The Unmoving Body is also not passable in this regard since it's all part of the Body Forging. The combat isn't all about the body, and Immortal Martial Arts are very different from Body Forging techniques. Though they can include everything, including even the body, but that isn't important. What is, is having the Immortal Martial Arts of some value and usability. Something that you will use for a long time, and could keep your progress steady, and powerful.” 36 said with a tone of a merchant who found a treasure and wanted to sell it for tremendous profits.

“So it's like this… Doesn't it sound quite exaggerated? I am unsure if it's even worth it since you told it differently in the past. You said that the door towards the Spark is possible, and could come shortly if I am lucky. I would find it more useful to use those rewards then, rather than early. I remember it now when you mention it. Yet it all came back to you now, forcing the rewards in this way? Isn't it better to hold them until I will reach a better threshold and then cash out?” Allan said as if he was a businessman who was obsessed with the efficiency of his work.

“That? That makes sense, but I thought a lot about it. Time changes, and situations as well. The time in your place is more important than the waiting period onwards, so I decided on something new. Think of this as a better foundation than doing this training of the Body. Immortal Martial Arts aren't about something that commoners know. It could be a chance or fortune. It's a gamble that could be worth it.”

“I get it… You view it as a good route for me, mister 36. Or is this… something about the weapon part which you left out? Do you want me to take a weapon martial art since the weapon aren't part of the Diary of the Body? Teaching the Immortals Arts of weapons is very important. Isn't it what you are trying to tell me so secretly?” Allan said upon making some sense of 36's hidden intention.

“No. Yes. I mean, yes! I am hesitant if it's too early, but it shouldn't be. Not after what you shoved me through today. It is true the Immortal Arts are important in the lands and past I knew. It's always been like this and it is even a bigger truth when considering the Spark. You are still a mortal beginner who embarked on a path that I discovered, but changes could come. I think with these methods, you can manifest the Sparkling much earlier and embark on the path I designed after long months of research!” 36 insisted in pleading motion, sounding like a haggler more than anything else.

“Sparkling?” Sarey all of a sudden asked, chuckling, but glaring at 36 with a questionable look.

“Right. Is it bad? I decided to call it that. The hidden energy within you that is yet to be forced out. It's a partial Spark or so I think, but not overpowering and limited to the body itself. Maybe it has something to do with the vitality, or soul of a person, but it's hard to pinpoint. I have very few resources to research it, but I figured out some other methods to undergo some method of awakening it. But those involve a practitioner of immortal energy of higher grade. Possibly because it's a technique that those freaking lunatics and makers of this diary made.” 36 assumed, talking quite a lot and with few restraints.

“So you would not be able to help, even if you had your real body back?” Sarey added sarcastically, poking fun at 36's fate.

“NO! I would manage everything myself! This is something that I could do after such extensive research with ease. I was a few steps away to become a Lord, you know? That's a very high position in the lofty worlds of Immortals.” 36 said, his voice speaking in agitation.

“We don't know, mister 36,” Allan stated, not bothered to hear more about this.

“Right, I know you don't care. It's not like my past is important. I never wanted to bother you with the talks and rankings of the immortal figures. It's too early for that. It's a systematic approach to what is used in the universe, beyond the stars, and across the vast skies.” 36 said, even though he said he wouldn't. He got lost in melancholy, and let his intention to speak for itself.

Upon doing so, Allan sighed, and had no choice but ask. “That why not tell it now?” Now, he was quite curious since 36 already started.

Even if Allan knew more about some rankings, what's the point of not knowing them? There was still nothing he could do with this information. It was the right timing, and he thought it would not hurt to know about it.

“Mister 36, you said something previously about the mortal rank ores, didn't you? You already started this topic of ranks, so why not continue?” Allan asked once again since he heard that 36 was silent and stunned for some reason. “Does it include weapons as well? Can you even include it in some rankings of the ores? Shouldn't the forging make the better rank? That's how I am thinking about it so am I wrong?” Allan asked one more question about what was on his mind, which caused 36 to finally accept and snap back to reality.

“Fine… You got me, boy. This is an easy answer since it is common sense what you already explained. Even mortals live on the planets of Immortals so it's no wonder. The weapons are specifically made to the need of the makers, or buyers, to make sense of the creation. Forged weapons have quite a few things to consider. The material and energy proficiency of the metals are determined by ranks, but the case of forging, sharpening, and other things can make a very different rank. That's how it goes. Mortal rank is a regular blade with no energy use in its creation, nor the materials are too extraordinary.”

“So I was RIGHT?!” Allan said, clutching the spear in his grip, while 36 continued, unbothered by his comment.

“There are few categories. The lower, middle, and upper ranks, depending on their effectiveness and how well-made the weapons are. Yours could be considered as an upper or high-middle mortal rank spear! I swear on that. That is quite impressive since the material you said you used is incredibly cheap. So much so, that I am surprised by the spear's quality and performance. Even some beginner Immortal brats of some families use such things as beginner-friendly weapons. The higher ones are much more expensive, so it's no wonder.”

“Oh? Is that good?” Allan clutched the spear with both hands, wondering what he did to make it so good. “How come? I don't think I am that good of a blacksmith yet. I am not at my father's level at all!” Allan insisted, and questioned himself, as if he didn't know his own worth.

It was either he or 36 who was more confused with the constant talking, making Allan question himself. Allan did not understand a lot of things, and most of it was due to his view of the world, thanks to Clayton's involuntary effects.

“Because it is a good spear. That is the truth. It made a lot of damage with such ease so it's no wonder. O course, it is not an Immortal rank yet, since the materials of this spear would lose against the stronger ones. It's common sense and easy to understand, am I right, Sarey?” 36 turned the course of conversation to Sarey who remained quite silent, and 36 already noticed it.

“I guess you are right, 36. I understand at least what you are talking about. So, if you say so… after the mortal rank is an immortal rank? Does it include the ore and the weapon as well? Is Black Mithral a low mortal rank ore? Sarey asked, making 36 doubt his life's choices.

“Righ! I almost forgot about that.” Allan added upon hearing her words.

“Alright. Alright. You have a lot of questions today, but I get it. This world of mine is quite interesting and I can see that on your faces.” 36 talked with a small dose of nostalgia, but he was secretly cursing in his soul. Remembering his earlier days and the struggles, it was quite sad to think about. Did he end up in front of two mortal kinds as a teacher? How laughable. He went through a lot to get to a power he possessed, and to live freely, yet here he was.

“I do have a lot of questions, but will you answer them?” Allan asked in seriousness.

“I can answer. Sure. It's easy. Yes. Easy.” 36 uttered as if he gave up on living. He accepted the terms for the time being and ceased the restrains of the information. “Immortal rank is above mortal, and even beyond immortal rank is another few, which are even crazier.”

“Rank beyond Immortal rank? Wait, what sort of system is this? Immortality is damn crazy already!” Sarey shouted, and asked in confusion. She thought it would be over with the simple course of immortal ranks weapons made into low, middle, and upper ranks as well, but it wasn't the case.

“It is the case. For as long as anyone can remember, it has been like this. Beyond Immortal rank, treasures can include any weapons, tools, materials, and so on. Techniques are also part of this now, but I am already getting to the territories of cultivation rank, which I am unwilling to talk about.”

“That sound reasonable, but I wonder about one thing, mister 36. You talk about the weapons and ores as if they are the same thing but you made the example of this spear of mine. Can you use, for example, middle Mortal rank ores and from there, manage to craft an upper-rank weapon?” Allan asked after figuring out this system from a practical viewpoint.

“Oh. Did you figure it out much earlier than I even explained? You are perhaps as talented in this as this training of yours.” 36 said, mocking Allan's intelligence a little, since he already assumed he explained it well enough.

“Well… I get it. I spend a portion of my life forging Mortal rank weapons. It seems that way.” Allan said, remembering the past. Perhaps, the weapons Clayton forged were Immortal rank weapons. That was possible and Allan was thinking about it right now.

“Wait, I think I still have that blade that fell from the hammer emblem… That one! Yes. I will take it with me next time and show it to 36.” Allan thought to himself, remembering it in a nick of time of his nostalgic trip to the past.

“I know that, Allan. I, myself, was familiar with forging at some point in my life, but not the kind of forging you would be familiar with. The one I am speaking about is an extravagant profession in the immortal realms. Any kind of Immortal weapon is sought out, as everyone who has one, has a better chance to win in a fight. That is a general rule that everyone believes in.”

“You were a blacksmith too? What sort of weapon you were making and using when you were alive?” Sarey asked in curiosity.