Pseudo Master Explained

"This… Nothing, there is nothing! " Frez stuttered with a look of shock and speechlessness upon entering a room in the dormitory.

Greenblade, Greenleaf, as well as Ironblood, followed and looked at the room in speachlessness. They had heard great things of the Master Battleground since their childhoods but to think their accommodations were this bad.

"Isn't it so… small?" Greenleaf's lips twitch. "The great and mighty Master Battleground sure is harsh."

White stepped onto one of the small rooms inside the dormitory and immediately, all he could see was a window, and besides on its sides were two hard stone beds without any mattresses or pillows whatsoever. He observed everything and couldn't help but feel that the orphanage would be more comfortable than this place.

Truth be told, the people who took the trials of the master hadn't had a proper rest for the past few days due to the constant chaos and the ever-present life-threatening situation, so when they saw terrible rooms they would most likely be spending a month in, they couldn't help but be a little pissed.

White also had to admit he was a little tired but didn't think much of the room and instead was grateful. 

"Some rest would be nice," opening the door to the neighboring room he saw that the room design was the same. Laying his three swords that were tightly wrapped at the sides, he lay down on the hard stone bed, glazing at the ceiling before eventually closing his eyes.

"I wonder if any of them made it out alive." Now that he had come far, he couldn't help but think of the people from the Moss village, murmuring slowly he fell into silence.

Time passed when he woke up the light in the room had dimmed a lot indicating it was already evening. Before he had been feeling sore and tired; both physically and mentally, from remaining in a constant vigilant state throughout the trial. Coming to the Master Battleground's dormitory and one of its rules which forbid killings, he had somewhat grown relaxed and fell asleep.

"Awake?"

Hearing the familiar voice White turned to the bed opposite to him and saw a figure sitting cross-leg and her golden eyes that was slowly opening.

Seeing her he could not help but remember a similar scene after he fell unconscious before.

"Golden… how long have you been here?" sitting up he asked in slight surprise, continuing, "You sure like sneaking up without making any sound whatsoever. Besides, what are you even doing in this room?"

"I've been here for some time. Before I didn't make any sound because I didn't want to wake you from your peaceful sleep." smilingly she replied. "As for why I am here, it is because this bed was empty and no one seemed to want to stay here, so I decided to stay here."

"Really..?" Over the little time they had been together, he had already gotten used to her. "Well, if you are staying here it makes things convenient, but what did you talk to that girl about?"

"You mean the Xia girl?! Nothing, knowing my identity she was just sowing courtesy," said, Golden, her expression showing some annoyance as she looked outside the window.

"Though people with talents are always arrogant, she seems smart," White commented.

The girl named Grandmaster Xia possessed immense talent, becoming a grandmaster-level powerhouse that was said to be unachievable after she passed the trial two years ago. If she were any ordinary person she would have looked at everyone in contempt no matter how powerful they were; including Golden and her background, but the fact that she went out of her way to talk to her indicates otherwise.

"Guess she is barely acceptable," said Golden diverting her gaze to him, "By the way, weren't you curious before about my identity and agenda?"

White suddenly fell silent, he looked at his newly acquired small token for some time before looking at her deeply and eventually saying: "Truthfully, I don't care about your identity nor am I interested in meddling in others' business, but I do feel there are something you need to tell me because I seem to have been involved in something I had no idea about."

Slowly, he grabbed his swords and walked toward the door, "Are you hungry? The mess hall should be open now."

Golden's eyes showed a barely visible conflicting emotion for an instant which no one had noticed and turned at the lean figure of the youth wearing ragged robes.

Inwardly, she thought, 'Interesting. He is really different.'

With her swaying dark attire, she got up elegantly and followed him.

Meanwhile in a different room was Greenblade and Greenleaf. The former was resting and the latter seemed to be in a foul mood; grumbling and complaining to Greenblade.

"Greenleaf, would you let me rest for a while?" Greenblade said slowly with his arm above his forehead. He wanted to rest but couldn't with the girl inside the room.

"Cousin, don't you hear what I said from before? That bed was supposed to belong to me, but that cruel and heartless woman took it like it was the most natural thing." Greenleaf responded indignantly.

Greenblade turned to the cousin of his with an annoyed expression. Although they didn't show it or act like it, they were cousins and related to each other. He had known Greenleaf for a long time now and they were close friends.

Normally, Greenleaf was a calm and clever person who rarely showed anger or threw a tantrum, but today their master; Golden, seemed to have taken the most precious thing to her and was venting her anger and indignance, even to the point she shredded tears beside his ears, which greatly disturbed him.

"But why are you saying it to me? If you are unsatisfied and really want the bed beside him, go and say it to White yourself, if there is anyone who can help you, it's him." he annoyingly advises knowing full well it was impossible.

He looked at the girl and sighed, "I suggest you not have any other thoughts of him, although Aizu said those two met for the first time on the day of our attack, I could feel some unnatural relationship between them. Those two are dangerous and are leagues above us, if it isn't for the cure I might have already run away before."

Greenleaf solemnly listened and just as she wanted to refute the door of their room rang.

Knock! Knock!

"It's me Frez." Outside the room, the voice of Frez could be heard. 

…

The mess hall was located just beside the few dormitory buildings and was a huge hall with tables and seats. There were also various types of foods with various types of dishes on the counter. There was roasted meat, soup, steamed vegetables, curry etc. 

The hall was also filled with people, the majority being the people who arrived today and some who looked older and seemed to have already been here for some time. There were also a few elders overlooking the people and were personnel of the Master Battleground.

On a table in a corner, the figure of White and Golden sat having their dinner. 

"What do you think of the food?" Golden asked as she had a spoonful of clear soup.

"Well, at least the food didn't disappoint, these types of meat and cooking were only a dream at the orphanage." with a chole chunk of meat White spoke in a rarely pleasant way, as he enjoyed the food.

"Orphanage…" Golden murmurs inaudibly, her expression looking to be on a short trench.

"By the way, do you plan to give those people the cure?" White raised a question looking at the sight.

Golden followed his line of sight and saw a group at another table with the brother of hers. She thought for a moment before saying, "Not for now, they will be useful and I plan to raise them for some time."

'Raise?' White was speechless, he thought he was slightly getting to know her but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"Oh Right! I am confused about something." At this moment, White remembered something.

"What is it?" Golden's attention was directed to him, upon hearing him.

White in thought said: "You have said before that we have become a Master right? But I can't understand why we are being referred to as pseudo Master; what is the difference between the two exactly?"

"Ah! I didn't explain that, did I?" Golden seemed to have a flash of enlightenment, and said, "Well, it's not that complicated and what I said is true as both of us couldn't be considered a pseudo-master anymore."

"You see pseudo-master was the term used on people who haven't achieved the criteria of a full-fledged master. This criterion was very important and was the basic foundation of every master. To fully master it takes months if not years and the training that was gonna start from tomorrow morning is all about this criteria."

White's eyes narrowed slightly as he felt an arising suspicion.

"You should have already guessed it, It's energy control!" Seemingly in thought, she declared. 

Countiuening: "Furthermore, for one to truly master energy control and become the full-fledged master, first: one had to be able to gather and refine the primal energy into the Mysterious Space, second: one had to be able to manipulate that energy to channel it all over the body, third: one had to be able to manipulate that energy to channel it outside the body and have full control of it. These all came under energy control and are the three stages of the criteria."

'So, it's like this…' White didn't talk or disturb her, he only quietly listened to her explanation in an extremely eager manner.