Due to the nature of Scar's unusual smile, which gave off the feeling as if he was going to enjoy what he had in store for Kieran, Kieran felt a sense of dismay that couldn't be expressed.
After all, when it came to Scar, he was powerless to resist whatever Scar intended to do.
"Out of the seven Esoteric Skills I possess, this just so happens to be the one I distinctly remember as the most excruciating. Of course, in return for this, it's also the most powerful one I possess—offensively speaking."
Like any other skill, Esoteric Skills existed in various forms, being categorized into offensive, defensive, and supportive.
However, the last category could be further separated into several categories, such as buff, debuff, and crowd-controlling.
Because these subcategories could be simplified even further, Kieran decided to ignore them for the time being. When it came to acting as a support, Kieran's class wasn't the best at it.
Even if he could augment others, the effects of the augmentation would match the nature of his class, which meant it would most likely enhance blood attacks.
Aside from his True Berserker Class, Kieran only recalled one other class that could benefit from such a buff—the Blood Mage. Unfortunately, this class could not be obtained by normal means, as well as the fact that a normal mage couldn't become a Blood Mage.
According to the knowledge he gathered on this subject, Kieran was certain one could only gain the Blood Mage legacy by crossing over to the Sanguine Realm and completing some special quest involving the Vampire Race.
The specifics were quite spotty to Kieran. So, aside from using it to determine the best Esoteric Skill, the knowledge didn't serve much purpose to him at the moment.
"In exchange for the lack of training, the process will be lengthy. However, whether the process is extended or reduced depends upon you," Scar remarked, retrieving all of the orbs aside from the one Kieran chose.
"I'm ready. Let's get this over with before I happen to change my mind," Kieran replied, exhaling deeply in the process.
"Unfortunately… there is no turning back," Scar answered back.
All of a sudden, Scar revealed a gruesome grin while bursting the orb of blood in his hand. This caused all of the power within it to rub together and ignite, creating a crimson flame.
Though it didn't look hot, Kieran was alarmed by the fluctuation that occurred around this flame. Then again, that wasn't the height of his worries.
Soon enough, the fluctuations disappeared as Scar reined in the power of the orb and brought it under his fine control.
Shockingly, this fine control manifested as several blood runes coating his hands.
Once this happened, Scar extended his hand and gripped the top of Kieran's head.
Then, the knowledge embedded in the blood runes was immediately transferred to Kieran's soul. Unfortunately, because of the complexity of this delicate process, the progress occurred at an excruciatingly slow rate.
Just three minutes in, Kieran's eyes reddened as he clenched his hands so tight that blood began to drip onto the ground by his feet.
Scar noticed this but he didn't mind it.
Sadly, all of this was inevitable. In fact, when Agrianos imparted this skill to him, he reacted in the exact same way.
Fortunately for Kieran, as he continued to hold out, he received messages from the system.
〈System: The damage you're receiving is being mitigated by your Resiliency attribute.〉
〈System: Due to your actions of persisting through unfathomable pain, your Resiliency and Will are revealing signs of increasing.〉
〈System: Though your Resiliency is delaying the effects of the damage you're suffering, it's not enough to ignore the pain completely. Rest is advised.〉
Though the system advised him to take some rest, Kieran couldn't justify doing so. After all, not even 5 minutes had passed! What would he look like if he gave in before five minutes had passed?
Besides, seeing as there was no extreme warning that flashed before his eyes, it was safe to assume that he had yet to reach a severe amount of damage that could potentially harm him.
'It may have posed some issues, but I'm glad I visited the Eternal Oasis before attempting to learn this Esoteric Skill for Scar. Without this Hidden Attribute, I'm sure I would have given in already,' Kieran mused, frequently wincing and clenching his fist tighter.
Though, whereas Kieran didn't give in, once they reached the thirty-minute mark, Scar paused the process of his own accord.
"I'll let you take a breather. We're not even 5% done, so there'll naturally be several of these involved."
Spent, Kieran could only lay back and stare at the ceiling while his chest rose and fell. Upon looking at the ceiling, Kieran was compelled to close his eyes.
After all, this situation reminded him of his first training session, where Scar beat him within an inch of life and then let him recuperate. The difference between then and now was the presence of two items that could help his soul recover faster.
Whereas the Archaic Verity Compendium released Arcane Essence to supplement Kieran's Flawed Soul, the Nurturing Mystic Divinity Spark assuaged the damage done.
Generally, there should be a long break between each attempt at furthering the soul map engraving. But with the spark's intervention, the engraving healed up within an hour, leaving a perfect yet horrifyingly incomplete runic map.
Rejuvenated, Kieran sat up and stared at Scar, giving him a nod. "We can continue. Considering our circumstances, there isn't much time to waste."
"Agreed," Scar replied, preparing the process once more. However, this time, the energy seemed more potent than the last attempt. The issue with stopping and starting was that each new attempt required a higher energy level to ensure that the soul map was even and without any incongruities.
When Kieran noticed this change, he grimaced but he didn't complain. Not outwardly at least.
…
Roughly two days later…
Scar retracted his hand as his expression lightened. "Though it was faster than I expected, it still took long nonetheless. But… congratulations, you're now a holder of a Secret Art."
"Yeah," Kieran said after struggling to wipe the obscene amounts of sweat off his face.
"You should give it time before attempting to use the art. Even then, once it's healed, your use of the skill should only be limited to extreme situations. Is that clear?" Scar questioned, his tone strict.
"Ah yes, yes. I understand. If learning it is already this painful, I can only imagine what attempting to use it must feel like," Kieran replied, dismissively waving his hand.
Though he understood the gravity of Scar's cautious warning, Kieran couldn't bother with the severity right now. The only thing on his mind at the moment was pain—literally.
A few minutes later, once Kieran properly recollected himself, Scar brought up a matter that Kieran agreed with. "This time around, I won't be training you in preparation for the Trial of Inheritors. Truthfully, because of the relic's arbitrary behavior and the independence of a Blood Fiend's Advancement, I can't prepare you. However, that doesn't mean you can't prepare yourself."
"Is that so?" Kieran said, responding with an arched eyebrow. After giving the matter some thought, Kieran asked why. "Are you referring to the War Deity Council's special opportunity?"
"That's part of what I mean, but not all of it. I want you to spend this time working on your mental state, ensuring that it remains in a favorable state at all times," Scar clarified.
Though Scar couldn't foresee the meaning, setting, or specifics of the upcoming trial, he was familiar with a Fiend Baptism and what it preyed upon.
When it came to persisting through the baptism, confidence was key—but this wasn't superficial confidence that appeared as a facade; it had to be genuine and come from the depths of one's heart and soul.
"Whoa, you're advising that I relax? What a change of pace," Kieran muttered, somewhat astonished by the suggestion.
Scar smiled bitterly while pinching the bridge of his nose. 'At times… it's like I'm dealing with a cheeky brat.'
"I'm obviously not telling you to sit back and do nothing. If you do that, you'll miss out on the opportunity we just talked about. But a temporary change of pace and some respite would do you good."
"I'm aware. You aren't actually taking my words at face value… right?" Kieran chuckled,
In response, Scar stared at Kieran blankly, holding in the urge to smack the boy through a wall. "How is it that you grow more infuriating with our every encounter? Is this what you're like when you grow used to someone?"
"Perhaps. Or perhaps your reactions are really amusing and it's a good laugh for my hectic life," Kieran remarked, whimsically shrugging.
Until Kieran recovered, he and Scar continued to have this back-and-forth, which usually resulted in laughter or brief arguments.
The lighthearted atmosphere was something Kieran enjoyed, especially since he looked up to Scar and aspired to obtain might that surpassed him.
Unfortunately, Kieran couldn't idle within the Hero's Sanctuary forever. The Godhand Bazaar was due for its official grand opening and some matters needed situating before then.
