Holding a sharpened knife, a prize he'd gotten from the dead guild members, he started cutting at his hair bits by bit. A few minutes later, he had cut off most of it, leaving himself with a crude short warrior's hairstyle.
He couldn't help but feel repulsed as he quickly threw his cut-off hair into the burning pit he'd made earlier, before the lice started crawling out.
"Well, now that's not much of a problem," he said, using his hand to dust his head. He didn't bother looking at a mirror there wasn't any to begin with so he knew he definitely did a bad job with his haircut, but regardless, he'd freed himself of lice.
"Now that's out of the way," he said, taking a few steps to a tent on his left ,a patched-up tent he was using to store food. He opened a crude box he had made himself; inside was bread just burnt-up breads.
Looking at the breads, Rael rolled his eyes. He wasn't complaining; after all, it was the only kind of food he could keep that wouldn't rot or attract the unwanted. Of course, all this was from the stash of the Rosil Guild.
Chewing on the hard texture of the stone-like bread, Rael sat on the ground, looking around at the three other tents he'd kept for different purposes. There had been more than four, but in a fit of rage, he'd burnt down five since they were infested with lice.
But more so because, according to the Great Builder's Tier 1 building blueprint, these four tents had their own purposes — like an evolutionary ladder.
The biggest tent was obviously his. It had six evolutionary stages, but the Great Builder's Tier 1 blueprint only stated one, which meant he needed to build a proper wooden structure and a flag designed by the blueprint to progress.
And so did the three other tents. The one he'd picked the grecre oil from was meant to be the armory, but for that one to grow to the next stage, he needed to build a wooden structure as well and have twelve mortal weapons and six mortal armors. Mortal weapons were just weapons forged from basic steel, like the short sword and long sword he'd taken from the dead guild members. So currently, there were only six weapons in there, and as for armor — only two, since most of the guild members hadn't bothered wearing anything else beneath the leather armor. He'd only gotten three and chosen one.
Another tent was meant to become an alchemic store or something; he wasn't sure about that since he knew nothing about it.
And the last one was for blacksmithing something he still knew nothing about.
After finishing the burnt bread, he started contemplating more on the Warmaster Scripture, the Iron Path.
'The Iron Path and pain, hmm... why pain though? Most rumors I've heard about other warrior manuscripts were all about training to a physically fit level, then a meditation technique from the manuscript. Considering my stats as shown from the system, I'm definitely at that level—so what's different with this one?' He thought, one hand on his chin in a cross-legged position.
He knew the grade of a manuscript didn't really matter; the Drakul family's manuscript was said to be of a high level though he'd never seen it, he'd heard enough.
Manuscripts were split into a few types, the warrior's manuscript for those who chose to manipulate aether through physical means, and the spellcaster's manuscript for those who controlled Aether through mental and spiritual means. Of course, there were others like the alchemic, runic, and forger's manuscripts.
Each manuscript was unique with its own techniques, spells, and means of controlling aether, but all fell under the grades: low class, mid class, and high class. Whether higher grades existed, Rael had no idea.
While not everyone could master an Aether manuscript, Rael was certain he could. After all, he had the blood of two powerful families running through his veins compatibility with Aether wasn't his problem.
Thinking deeper, Rael was suddenly struck with an epiphany, like a light bulb switching in his mind.
"Every manuscript has its essence. Most warrior's manuscripts that I've heard about each form an essence of their own... hmm... most are either built on the essence of strength, will, courage, or pa—" he paused, then his eyes widened. "Pain... pain, yes! That's it! Haha, still got my brains!" Rael smirked to himself.
Though he was concerned why an Aether manuscript would gain its essence from pain, he was excited. At last, he'd found a way forward. Getting to his feet, he rushed into his tent, knowing what had to be done. Kneeling, he picked up the sharp knife he'd used to cut his hair earlier.
He grimaced,he was going to take another gamble.
"To understand essence is basically to have a clear view of the emotion gained from that particular essence. Just as anyone would feel excitement from gaining strength... I'll have to understand pain—not just on a physical level, but on an emotional one."
Rael sighed. This would be difficult. Not the part where he caused himself physical pain... but the part that required him to remember.
"It seems I'll have to remember all that... tsk."
Taking a deep breath, Rael read through the system's Iron Path description once more:
[No healing permitted. Each wound must close through will alone.
When your body no longer trembles under the strain, and your mind finds stillness in torment... the Iron Path shall yield its reward.]
He gritted his teeth and placed his trembling left palm firmly on the wooden stool inside the tent. Inhaling deeply, he steadied his breath—his right hand trembling slightly as it gripped the knife. Sweat beaded down his temple as he waged a silent war within himself.
"F**k it," Rael growled, and brought the knife down.
Pllrch!
The blade sank straight through the center of his left palm. A guttural groan tore from his throat as searing pain shot up his arm and exploded in his skull. Stabbing oneself, he realized, hurt far worse than he'd imagined.
He clenched his jaw, his lips breaking and bleeding from the pressure as he forced himself not to scream. The burning pain merged with the chill of steel buried in flesh. He steadied his breath, his whole body trembling, taking few minutes to calm himself,then he slowly calmed his mind as well .
And as he closed his eyes, a few painful memories not of this world began to surge through him, rising from the depths of his mind , ones he'd choosen long ago to bury.
[Body Tempering at 27%-29%]