Chapter 84

  Arts and Crafts

  Ken awoke with a start, senses snapping to alertness well before dawn.

  The presence of another being igniting a fleeting moment of panic.

  Garuke was asleep in the corner, heavy, rhythmic breathing uncomfortably loud after being alone so long.

  It will be nice to have someone to watch my back… after I get past it being weird as fuck.

  The idea of safety was a concept he hadn't experienced since entering the tutorial.

  I need to make use of this new found freedom.

  Cultivation time.

  Focusing inward, chi moved as slowly as momentum would allow.

  Seeking, probing, assessing the damage caused by two weeks of constant life and death struggle.

  Well that's a shame.

  Virgin scar tissue lined his tanned skin.

  Fractures littered his ribs and hands, throbbing in disharmony.

  Hot lighting shot up his arm if he moved it wrong.

  What is that now, Tutorial Elbow?

  Cell by cell was flooded with chi, an uncomfortable vibration building.

  The worst of the injuries twinged, momentum of healing revving up.

  Bone regrew, denser than before.

  Scar tissue smoothed and stretched.

  Bit by bit, being rebuilt anew.

  The remaining flow loosened, quickening and returning, slipping back into the Core.

  A quiet sigh of contentment slipped between his lips, muscles unclenching with relief.

  Good enough… and what did that cost me…

  A THIRD!? Damnit that's going to be enough! How much killing shit did that cost me?

  Take it back! I want an ‘undo’ button!

  Living in a pleasantly less painful world full of regret, he circled back, feeling an oddity.

  Though it provided no new insights, the potent chi from the troll had increased his Core's density and capacity.

  Substantially.

  Maybe 20 percent bigger than before?

  A grin battled for dominance.

  Only to be utterly destroyed.

  …Which means I just used even more than I thought.

  Serenity now.

  Letting out a deep breath, he plowed forwards.

  A win is a win. Time to get Accelerated.

  A subtle current was drawn from his Core.

  It thinned, spreading out.

  Lying there silently, he attempted to force it into the chaotic, highly compressed state he had witnessed in the leopard.

  The sun rose, bringing to light his repeated failures.

  I have the concept right, I think…

  But damn this is hard.

  A sharp wave of pain shot up through his channels.

  His chi wanted to flow, maintain a cohesive wave of force.

  Dispersing and suffusing his body, patiently waiting to strike, was tantamount to its nature.

  As Garuke stirred across the cave, he was no closer than when he started.

  Serenity now.

  The Orc rubbed his face with a gnarled hand and immediately sat up, alert.

  Behind him, the fallen orc’s sword remained secured in the corner, gleaming in the morning light.

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  A tool of war, and a constant reminder.

  Of orcs lying dead on the forest floor.

  It's time.

  Ken stood, stretching his aching shoulders, buying himself a moment.

  Walking with hesitation over to Garuke, he met the questioning gaze.

  Ken nodded at the sword, asking simply, “What about them?”

  The orc turned his head to the weapon, frowning for a time.

  “Eak bon gulak proaka... Git eak nak bon truk gulak. Ki nak luths eak.”

  Garuke met Ken’s intense stare, “Kun o gul drok eak, draka kunt frel drat.”

  Out barked a chuckle.

  Clenched jaw loosened as some of the intent came through.

  He trusts me more.

  I did save his life by not killing him.

  Pretty sure he made fun of me at the end though, the jackass.

  “Frel drat, right back at you buddy.” Ken replied with a growing smirk.

  Garuke let out a good belly laugh at that.

  Ken just shook his head, “No more people? No more… friends?”

  Garuke processed his question for a minute, “Nak bon dar gulak. Nak bon dar thuna kit. Kun?”

  Ken gave off a sigh, shoulders lowering, “I am also alone. We protect each other. Deal?”

  Garuke studied the chi emitting with the words, nodding, “Et o booka.”

  Agreement. Hopefully we didn't agree to a fight to the death.

  After standing for another awkward moment, Ken glanced over at the stretched raw hide, searching desperately for an out.

  “So... You know how to make clothes from hide? You know how to... Make fast? I know… takes time.”

  Garuke puzzled his way through the question, turning to the shadowed fur.

  Scratching his head in thought, he adjusted the cross-straps of his own leather chest piece.

  Closing his eyes, hands straight out in front of him, only the taut skin of the cat separating his palms.

  Motionless, he stood there, sweat beading on his forehead.

  Slowly, the hide started to vibrate.

  It picked up reverb, humming like a drum.

  Ken watched, as moisture, fats, and other nastiness extruded from it.

  I'm glad it's outside.

  Garuke continued the process for almost an hour, until the effects petered out.

  Grimacing at his grime covered arms, the orc looked towards Ken.

  “Uh, sorry.”

  He answered with an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders.

  After returning from washing up, Garuke examined the fur.

  “Ut yut krun kosh. Ki nak vron garr goonta ut skul tret.”

  Nodding absently, everything Ken ever heard or read about leatherwork ran through his mind.

  They would normally dry it over time.

  Don’t they use brains and piss or something to treat it?

  Eh… let's just see what magic can do.

  Stroking the beautiful, smooth fur, a small worry of doubt ate away at his stomach.

  If I fuck this up, it’s gone.

  You get one shot…

  Stop.

  I removed all brakes as soon as I got here.

  Not putting them back on now.

  Chi flowed akin to the tree-learned healing method, creeping down his arms.

  Head throbbing in tune with the building pressure in his sweaty palms, a silvery shimmer flared to life.

  Pouring out and into the shimmering pelt, an agonizing pressure built, until finally giving way.

  The pulsing headache cut out.

  Extending his will, he tried to get the moisture to move.

  Not much, just wiggle.

  C’mon, do something.

  Pushing and prodding, a subtle movement built.

  Steam rose off the barely moving skin.

  Drops of ‘fluid’ flew off, misting on Ken and rock alike.

  It went unnoticed, lost in the movement of energy, entirely focused on manipulation and control. As it grew stiffer, vibration slowing, a sharp pain echoed in his soul as a small tear ripped.

  Stop! Pull back!

  In a panic, his chi pulled back home, eyes snapping open.

  The tear was at the edge, almost visibly undetectable.

  Phew. It felt worse than that.

  Garuke watched, eyes narrowed, expression unreadable.

  Wiping at the sweat on his face, Ken realized it wasn't sweat.

  “Gross.”

  Freshly scrubbed, chin resting on damp palm, Ken studied the pelt.

  Now, can you ‘treat it’ with chi?

  Holding the fur in his physical and metaphysical hands, he felt it.

  A seemingly whole, beautiful, but stiff piece of fur.

  When looking deeper, however, the truth was revealed.

  Holes. Weakened areas. Imperfections. No good.

  I need my fit to be on point son...

  Chi flowed out of his palms, moving through the hide, ramping up speed.

  Building momentum it compressed, denser and denser, flooding the rippling material.

  Collagen, infused with chi, stretched, swelled, and fused.

  Microscopic tears regrew, becoming whole.

  Ken and the fur were one, bonded by the innate building blocks of the universe.

  Fleeting understanding flicked through his overtaxed mind.

  A resonant click echoed in his soul as the chi finally locked in, silvery light flaring along the fibers.

  Regretfully, he pulled out.

  Opening his eyes, a shimmering, beautiful piece of material was before him.

  He looked to his left at the obviously impressed Garuke, a smug smirk on his face.

  That's right, I can do things too…

  Apparently.

  Okay, Core mostly empty, so now I-

  “WAIT WHAT? I used all my precious reserves on clothes!”