Patterns

The next day, Arthur approached the hut with the key that the headmaster had entrusted to him. His heart raced with anticipation as he unlocked the wooden door and stepped inside. 

What greeted him left him utterly speechless. The air felt cooler, almost alive with a faint hum of energy. The ceiling stretched high above him, and the room expanded into an endless space, completely defying the compact size of the hut's exterior.

He immediately stepped back outside, circling the hut in disbelief. The exterior looked as unassuming as before, barely large enough to house a single small room. To confirm his suspicions, Arthur paced the perimeter, counting the steps meticulously. 

Then, he reentered the hut and repeated the measurements inside. His findings were irrefutable: the interior was at least ten times larger than the exterior.

What sorcery is this? he wondered, his legs frozen in place as his mind tried to process the impossibility of what he was seeing.

After a few moments, Arthur regained his composure and began exploring the space. The interior, though simple, exuded an air of mystery. Two floors were connected by a grand staircase in the center of the ground floor. Rooms lined both sides of the staircase, and a circular hallway encircled the area, allowing him to return to his starting point.

Arthur's curiosity grew as he approached the staircase. He tried ascending to the upper floor but was stopped abruptly by an invisible barrier. It felt solid, like an unseen wall, preventing any further movement.

He sighed in frustration. I guess the upper floor is off-limits for now.

With the stairs inaccessible, Arthur decided to investigate the rooms on the ground floor.

The first door he opened revealed a room filled with blocks of rocks similar to the ones the headmaster had used for strength training. They were arranged neatly in rows, each one varying in size and shape. Arthur instinctively flexed his fingers, itching to test his strength, but he moved on for now, determined to see what else the hut held.

The second room contained another block of rock, this one slimmer, much taller and adorned with markings resembling a measurement scale. Intrigued, Arthur struck it with his fist. The markings glowed faintly, stopping just above the lowest mark at about 200.

Oh! So, this is for measuring my attack strength! he realized, a grin spreading across his face.

Stepping back, Arthur assumed his stance. Channeling his energy, he unleashed the full force of his Rock Shattering Fist. The markings flared brightly as the scales lit up till it reached a quarter of the height of the measurement scale.

2100!

Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief. His fist now exerted a force of 2100 kilos! He couldn't contain his excitement. I've grown so much stronger than I ever imagined! Each discovery fueled his anticipation for what lay ahead.

He moved to the third room. Inside, bells of various sizes hung from the ceiling, their shiny surfaces reflecting the dim light. At the center of the room stood a lever with ten markings.

Arthur hesitated briefly before setting the lever to the first mark, assuming it represented the lowest difficulty. The room hummed faintly as the bells began to move, their gentle swaying creating a melody of soft chimes.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Arthur's training in auditory awareness kicked in. He dodged the bells effortlessly, his movements precise and confident.

Encouraged, he approached the lever and pushed it to the second mark. The bells moved faster, their paths more erratic, but Arthur adapted quickly, matching the increased difficulty.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. He remembered the headmaster's demonstration of the Mind's Eye. Could the bells' movements follow a discernible pattern? Determined to test his theory, Arthur lowered the lever back to the first level and closed his eyes.

This time, he focused intently on tracking the bells' movements in his mind, visualizing their paths and committing their patterns to memory. After several minutes, his eyes snapped open.

"I was right. There's a pattern!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

Eager to confirm his findings, Arthur increased the difficulty to level two. Though the patterns were more complex, he successfully identified and predicted the bells' movements. Dodging became significantly easier once he understood the sequences.

This is amazing! he thought, his heart pounding with exhilaration.

Confident in his abilities, Arthur pushed the lever to level three. This time, the speed of the bells left him with little time to memorize their movements, and the patterns grew too intricate to track. He faltered, unable to keep up, but instead of feeling defeated, he was thrilled by the challenge.

"Does the pattern only exist in these inanimate objects? If so, it won't help me much in an actual fight. But what if humans also have attack patterns?" Arthur mused aloud. 

"If that's true, understanding someone's pattern could make predicting their moves much easier. Either I've stumbled upon a treasure or I'm ignorant of something that's common knowledge in higher circles. Either way, I need to ensure my own attacks aren't predictable."

He made a mental note to ask the headmaster about the significance of his discovery. Little did he know that even Elemental Masters found such insights difficult to master.

After spending the most time in this room, Arthur finally approached the last door. It creaked slightly as he pushed it open, anticipation building with every step. What would this room hold? A treasure trove of new challenges? Hidden techniques?

The last room was the largest by far, its ceiling towering overhead and its walls stretching wide. Yet, to Arthur's surprise, it was completely empty. He walked its perimeter, searching for any hidden mechanisms or clues, but found nothing.

Why would the headmaster include an empty room? Arthur wondered, his curiosity unsatisfied. 

With nothing more to discover, Arthur exited the hut and stepped back into the sunlight.

The hut was undoubtedly a treasure trove for training, offering tools to enhance every aspect of Arthur's physical and mental abilities. Yet, as he walked away, his thoughts lingered on the challenges he had faced and the mysteries that remained unsolved.

With a faint smile and an unfamiliar song whistling from his lips, Arthur made his way home, his thoughts already drifting toward his upcoming training.