The Discarded Son's Skill Market

Zaid walked toward the Dagger Department. On the way, he ran into Frank and Finn; Finn looked like a new man. Spending so much time around men lately had made him long to see his beautiful women... and he’d finally gotten his wish. That’s why he looked so refreshed.

Frank shook his head at Finn’s newfound energy and led Zaid into the department.

Along the way, Zaid saw several classrooms with a teacher and several students, learning through physical training. The students were constantly shouting—some in pain, others in joy. Each classroom was practicing something different.

Zaid wondered what that was.

Frank answered him. "Look at the signs above each classroom," he said, pausing to give him time.

These signs had keywords such as: "Vertical Cuts," "Horizontal Cuts," "Thrusts," etc.

And each keyword was being practiced inside.

"I see—these are specialized training centers."

"Yes. It’s called Independent Mastery. It’s our way of teaching them different types of attacks in a more specialized manner. These are just the first classes for this group."

"By teaching them and helping them master one branch at a time, you make them good at all of them by the end of the course... That’s why there’s the final course, the Unifying Mastery." Finn finished his teacher’s sentence and pointed to the right toward a solitary classroom. "That’s where you’ll have to go."

Zaid nodded.

Well, this was better than at the academy. At least they were better organized...

"Or maybe it’s always been that way, but since I’m a Rank F, I’m not in the know." Zaid sighed, knowing that was probably the case.

In any case, this training would do him good.

"Well, the master hasn’t assigned you to a group yet, so you’ll have to train with an old acquaintance," Frank said with a mischievous chuckle.

Finn raised an eyebrow and turned to look at him. "Are you going to train with...?"

"Shh." Frank raised his finger to signal him to be quiet.

Zaid found that exchange strange, but he didn’t ask any questions. He was eager to put his knowledge of daggers into practice.

The only reason he came here was because he didn’t want to rely 100% on his Talent, which wasn’t a passive one. He was good with daggers because every time he activated the Talent, it gave him a good understanding of daggers, but he couldn’t match that level just yet.

His mission was to try to fight at that level without relying on his talent, since it was only Rank F. It wouldn’t be of any use to him in the future. It was better to learn how to control the weapon if he wanted to go far in this world.

After walking for more than five full minutes, turning many corners and passing through many deserted areas, they arrived at a large courtyard.

"Is this even part of the guild?" Zaid asked in shock, as he looked around the courtyard, which was filled with beautiful fruit trees and cherry blossoms.

There was a stone path running down the middle. The stones were perfectly polished, shining so brightly that they reflected the flowers and fruit on the ground.

All around the path that crossed the entire courtyard—which was enormous—lay a beautiful garden free of weeds and flowers. The only floral displays came from the perfectly tended and well-maintained cherry tree.

In the middle of the garden was an "O"-shaped pond, with a fountain in the center and a pair of bridges that ran along either side of the fountain and connected this side of the garden to the other.

In the distance, more than 300 meters from this garden—which stretched for nearly a kilometer—a man was reclining in the shade of one of the fruit trees. He was an elderly man, about 70 years old. To his right was a basket of fruit, and to his left, a jug of appetizing wine that looked as if it had been made recently.

Frank shrugged. "Well, he’s part of the guild," he replied vaguely before walking toward the bridges. Finn followed close behind, though his steps were heavy.

Zaid noticed this right away, but didn’t pay it much attention.

After walking about three hundred meters, they stopped in front of the old man.

The man didn’t even open his eyes, but he spoke: "It’s been a while, Frankie. How is your master?"

Frank bowed politely. "Elder Anhur, my master is well. He’s been busier lately, but he’s in good health."

The old man nodded. "If he weren’t so stubborn and would just listen to me, he could enjoy the fine fruits, the fine wine, and the good times that old age—when you have power—can bring. Wouldn’t it be better to spend our days here or traveling the world, instead of worrying about the poor decisions of the younger generation?" He shifted his attention away from Frankie and "looked" at Finn, still without opening his eyes.

Although Finn tensed up when he noticed Anhur looking at him, he still managed a smile, albeit a nervous one.

"Elder Anhur, I, too, dream of climbing to the Floating City someday. I’ve heard that the Monarch of Heaven is an extraordinary person; I’d like to meet him, just as you did."

Anhur burst out laughing. "He’s an upright, powerful, yet humble man. If Toluria ever has a monarch again, I hope he can be as powerful as him—unlike that religious bastard."

Both Finn and Frank swallowed hard when they heard him mention that man. Silence immediately fell over the area, as if they wanted to hide their words beneath the rocks.

Anhur noticed this, so he let out another burst of laughter. "If that old bastard were listening to me, he couldn’t deny it. Too bad the Holy Loyalty Religion has fallen into his hands... Tsk."

Frank swallowed hard. For some reason, today he felt compelled to ask a question he’d never asked before: "Elder Anhur, there’s something I’ve always wondered—I don’t know if you could answer it."

"About what?" Anhur turned his attention to him. "Why my feud with the Religious Monarch?"

Frank nodded. "I understand that you are a believer."

"I am a believer, but not a follower," Anhur replied in a voice that startled Frank. "It’s not my place to speak on this matter. I’ll just give you some advice. If you’re drawn to the church’s sacred teachings and believe they’re good—and from my perspective, they are good—then you can believe in them. But never become a follower of those who profess them. That’s the best advice I can give you."

"Be a believer, not a follower..." Zaid found those words very interesting. He believed they applied to everything.

Frank and Finn were about to thank him for his advice, but Anhur turned his attention to the third person.

"An interesting visitor. Can you introduce him, Frankie?"

Frank stepped aside immediately. He hadn’t forgotten the reason for his visit. He pointed at Zaid and motioned for him to step forward.

"Elder Anhur, this young man has caught my master’s attention, and my master personally invited him to join the department. He’s very accurate with daggers and shows great talent, despite his low rank. My master asked me to bring him here. His name is Gio." Frank introduced him.

Gio then introduced himself, and Anhur’s gaze scrutinized him with astonishing precision.

It wasn’t the same as Lodrey’s gaze, but somehow he felt more exposed in front of this old man than he did in front of Lodrey. Perhaps it was the weight of age and the experience gained over the years that made him feel that way. This man was a seasoned veteran in many things.

And to say that he was looking at him would be a lie. Anhur never once opened his eyes, but his attention was completely focused on him; it felt exactly like being looked at.

"What a strange feeling," he thought.

Just when everyone thought Anhur was about to speak, he turned slightly, reached for the fruit basket, and began rummaging through it for something delicious to eat.

Frank froze... It was the first time he’d seen Anhur not ask any questions about a newcomer. When Finn was brought here, Anhur had asked a whole lot of questions as soon as he was introduced.

Were they ignored?

Frank wondered if he had said something wrong, but after carefully reviewing his carefully chosen words, he realized there was nothing wrong with them. He wondered if it was Gio’s attitude that had bothered him, but if that were the case, Anhur would have expelled him himself.

He won’t let anyone unworthy set foot on his precious territory of peace.

So what had just happened? Were they really ignored?

When Frank tried to speak again, Anhur looked at Gio once more, this time holding a piece of fruit in his hand.

Without anyone noticing, the fruit slipped from his hand and covered the distance between him and Gio in an instant—but from a spot and angle that made it difficult even for Frank to react in time.

Zaid, however, raised his hand and blocked it with precision. The fruit was trapped in his hand, with the chopstick pointing at him. He frowned and looked at the old man.

He said nothing for several seconds, until he burst out in a dry laugh. "All right, you’ve done your job. Go back. I’ll take care of things from here."

Frank swallowed hard but nodded. "Then we’ll take our leave, sir." Without another word, he and his apprentice vanished.

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