Hellish Training Part III

The pain subsided again and finally after what felt like eternity, I was able to complete the hard part that Rowan talked about.

I felt like I was floating—light, free. And oddly enough, I wanted to stay like this forever. It was strangely peaceful.

I continued the process again and again. I absorbed then transferred and then spread it through my entire body.

Absorb. Transfer. Spread.

I repeated it again, and then again.

I don't know how much time has passed. I opened my eyes slowly to see the stars burning brightly in the night sky like a silent audience.

'Woah! It feels like I've reached some kind of enlightenment. Haha...'

But this time, unlike archery, I could feel the progress. It wasn't just a feeling—it was real. Because right in front of me, glowing like stardust, was a message:

[New passive 'Elven Mana Manipulation' acquired]

[Would you like to change your Beginner's Mana Manipulation to higher grade Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation?]

[Yes/No]

'Hah... Very normal technique,huh? That geezer.'

[Congratulations. You have learned ' Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation]

[Your existing mastery in Mana Manipulation has been added to Elven Mana Manipulation.]

Name: Owen Grey

Species: Demi-God

Rank: Apprentice

Age: 12

Level: 12

Strength : 40

Defense :39

Agility: 68

Intelligence : 68

Mana: 40

Luck: 12

[Stigmata of Void (Active)]

Stigmata of Void : ☆ (0-star)

Passive : Beginner's Swordsmanship (33.08%), Beginner's Spearmanship (29.11%), Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation(12.51%).

Skills: Fireball(1-star), Mana Borrow(???)

Including my training since yesterday, 1 point increased in both strength and agility. Slight increase in swordsmanship and spearmanship and my 19% changed to 12% in Elven Mana Manipulation. This only shows how superior it is to the normal Mana Manipulation technique.

Grooowl.

'... I missed my lunch too. He better have something good for dinner'.

I reached the cabin shortly and Rowan was staring at me, his jaw practically on the floor.

"What? You looked shocked" I smirked.

"I didn't think you'd learn it in one day."

"Oh. Is this really unheard of? Maybe I'm a genius."

"Not really. I have seen something like this many times. But only in the case of children who had quite a good affinity with nature. Well... in case of species other than the elves, it's really unheard of, yes."

'That's only because it's not my first time doing this. I could relate to it very well, to the time when I was fighting the Wyvern. I am not some kind of genius. Hah...'

For the next few days, my routine more or less remained the same.

I increased the distance I ran every day by a slight margin, made arrows, and practiced archery. Though I made some progress, I still couldn't grasp the main point there. My swordsmanship and spearmanship were getting better. Although very slowly and I couldn't feel it, Rowan did reassure me that I was improving.

I also found a new way to improve my Mana Borrow skill using Mana Manipulation. I tried training it sometimes before going to sleep, while skimming through the newspapers. I could also sense a faint trace of mana in the surrounding without using Mana Borrow skill directly now. Before I could only do it using Mana Borrow or sitting and concentrating in lotus position.

I practiced Mana Manipulation in the waterfall every alternate day. I really liked that day as I didn't have to get beaten up by Rowan while training. He sometimes taught me to make some medicines and stuff. And just like this, my days were passing rather quickly here.

'It's only been twenty days since I came here and I feel like getting attached to this lifestyle already.'

Today Rowan called me near the waterfall. Not for mana training but to discuss something about my training. Soon, I could see him coming, holding a boar with both his hands.

"Did you practice Mana Manipulation?" He asked.

"Yeah. I've been practicing it along with my skill."

"I see".

" So why did you call me?" It was a little unusual for him to call me and ask pointless questions like this.

"I can see that you're troubled by some stuff."

'...Is it that obvious?'

Although my training was going smoothly, there was something that I wasn't really satisfied with.

"You can tell me. Maybe I can help you."

"...I just don't think I can learn archery. I can't see any progress after three weeks. I can wait and try. I don't care how long it takes actually. It's just... it's too irritating to practice like this without a guarantee if I can actually succeed. If only I had a better stigmata..."

Rowan thought quietly for a minute then started by throwing another question at me.

"...Do you know how many Upper and Lower stigmata are there, Owen?"

"Of course, 12 Upper and 16 Lower Stigmata."

There are 12 Upper Stigmata. Among them Stigmata of Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath and Sloth are called 'Seven Legendary Marks'. The other five Upper Stigmatas include 'Purification' that my mom and Marielle has, 'Dependency' that my father has, 'Faith' that Esmeralda has, 'Hope' and 'Death'.

The Seven Legendary Marks are generally monopolized by the Nobles or those with higher status.

If a commoner awakens one of those, they are made concubines of the Nobles or rewarded with some kind of posts like a knight and later they are asked to marry daughters of these concubines who reached adulthood.

In this way the children and grandchildren of these Nobles have a high chance of inheriting these stigmatas. They are somewhat rare but it's not like they're that hard to find.

The remaining five Upper-Stigmatas are the comparatively more common and their skillsets are also very useful. In the upper levels, their skills are even compared to the Legendary Marks.

Lower Stigmata are not that useful initially. They're also very strong in upper levels, but the problem is that, very few people can reach the upper levels using these stigmatas. It's really hard as they don't have good skills in the beginning levels and also they don't receive support from third parties like others.

And as for me... my Stigmata doesn't fall in any of these categories. It's basically an anomaly, something that has little to no information about.

"You know, Owen… all my life, I never looked up to anyone. I thought I was strong—strong enough to fix everything alone. I dreamed of changing the world… protecting it from war… being a hero… maybe even becoming a good husband, a good father…"

It was the first time he ever talked about himself. And it didn't feel right.

This Rowan was different. Not cheerful or sarcastic. He looked... sad.

Still, I wanted to keep listening. I wanted to keep listening to him.

And Rowan too, carried on with that sad face.

"Just like you, my stigmata was also a little different. And because of that, I had to make some hard choices one day. My spirit broke as a result and all my dream shattered in a single moment. I was so confused at that time. And then, I met him... Someone who completely defeated me and beat some sense into me."

He didn't exactly tell me what happened but I guessed he had his reasons. And I could definitely wait. Wait for him to tell me what happened in the war forty years ago.

"If the teacher says so then he must be very strong" I commented softly.

"He is indeed very strong. He's the strongest to be honest. He saved my life at that time and even trained me for some time while passing through the elven kingdom. And I was certain that no matter how much I train, I can never be like him."

"Umm... Can you tell me who he was?" His words got me so interested that I couldn't help but ask.

Rowan wore a nostalgic smile on his face and said with a hint of pride in his words.

"Soldelle Novak. Have you heard of him?"

I nodded my head with his response. Who hasn't heard of that name?

Soldelle Novak. A human. To be precise a human who reached the peak of humanity. It is said that he reached Level 97, the highest any living creature has ever reached, be it humans, elves, dwarfs or even the demigods.

He challenged countless demigods and even defeated many while others ended in a tie after days of fighting with no outcome.

"I think everyone in this world know about him. But didn't he die though?"

Soldelle Novak, the strongest human was said to be killed in a fight against the three Dragon Kings.

"Maybe. I can't say for sure. But what people didn't know was that Soldelle Novak, the strongest human had a Lower Stigmata".

'What???' It was this moment where his life story completely blew my mind. 'Level 97 with a lower stigmata? J-just how much did he train to become that capable? It was indeed strange that there was no mention of his stigmata anywhere. Ahh... I don't know if he's trying to motivate me or break my spirit.'

Looking at my shocked face quietly for some time, Rowan decided to continue.

"I asked him once, how can he be so strong despite having a Lower Stigmata. He told me that it's because he knows and understands his stigmata. And when someone is able to understand their stigmata, no other stigmata can be stronger than that. Even if it's a Legendary Mark"

"..."

-------

Those words really hit me deeper than anything else. I didn't really say anything after that. No, I couldn't.

I slept quite early that night, or at least I tried to. But something inside me wouldn't really let me.

Something was telling me to go and practice again. Maybe for a hundred times. Or a thousand times. I wanted to practice regardless of what the outcome is.

'When someone is able to understand their stigmata, no other stigmata can be stronger than that. Even if it's a Legendary Mark'

I thought about what I knew about my Stigmata.

'Nothing'.

I thought about when I tried learning about it.

'Never'.

Never once in my life I tried learning about it and just blamed all my failures into it.

That night I learnt how immature I was, blaming my stigmata for all my failures.

'...So pathetic!'

Next morning, I was in the usual hunting place with my bow and a bunch of arrows like always. But today, I was with a different intention.

I didn't go there to succeed. I went there to learn.

About archery. About my stigmata.

I took a stance, a simple one, not the one that Rowan used. For all these days, I tried to copy what I saw in Rowan on the first day when he used Memories of Silence.

But today, it was different. Today, I was ready to fail.

'What I need now is not a perfect technique but my own archery. I need to understand what a bow and arrow is. I need to forget what I already know. I need to forget what I did these last few days.'

Looking back, this was exactly what Rowan tried to say to me on the first day.

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and started thinking about my target.

This time I didn't think about killing that monster but I did keep my conviction of defeating it the next time I saw it.

I didn't think about how my family cried that day but I did imagine our moments together.

And slowly, I was able to hear the sound of my own heart beating loudly, my breath getting deeper, the sound of birds chirping near me.

The direction in which the air was blowing and the waves of water dancing at a distance from me. I could hear them all.

But something was louder than all these things. Something I never heard of before.

The silence near me was louder.

Forget what archery is. Forget what a sword and a spear is. Forget the one that taught me this and forget Owen Grey.

Let's go to the stage when I started to learn this Owen. No, let's go the stage where I knew absolutely nothing at all.

'Let's go to the void.'

The next moment, I released my grip and the arrow flew towards the bird, piercing through space, just like how it was with Rowan. I missed the one I targeted but still hit another bird near it.

But... I wasn't sad or anything, no, I was really exhilarated as this was a huge step for me.

Normally, I would jump around and run to brag about it to Rowan. But right now... I looked really pale. Like someone who just saw a ghost or something.

My hands were shaking and my heart was about to burst from the loud beating. Sweat dripped down my forehead. Because something was right before my eyes that was more unbelievable than seeing a ghost.

[Congratulations. You have achieved the first understanding of your Stigmata]

[Your Stigmata has upgraded]

[Stigmata of void: ☆ ---> ★]

"...What in the world?!"