From Player To Npc

Shingi expected them to reach him for help as this was his plan the last time they met.

He planned some doubts on them to grow and understand that they were on the wrong side.

Also, since he was an NPC so part of the System, he could be viewed as a way for the System to let them know they were in the wrong and could be rewarded if they helped to pull everything back in order.

Either way, it would be helpful for Shingi's way of progressing things smoother.

"I am guessing this dude is to be trusted, right?"[Shadow Whip]

Shingi just smiled at least, and Soryn didn't seem annoyed at the person pointing at him.

"He is here to help, yes. So I see your equipment has taken a downgrade. Does this mean you left the Guild?"[Shingi]

"We are still members. We thought of possibly be your Spies in there. But your friend's last attack had affected us as we were the ones in charge, and so we got punished for it."[Fire Whip]

Most Guilds were giving their high-rank members equipment and mainly was a loan and not belonging at them.

So it made sense to lose these pieces of equipment as punishment for their failure.

"Sounds interesting, but how do we know you just don't try to spy on us by pretending you work with us to report at your people?"[Soryn]

Shadow Whip seemed to get angry at that accusation, but Fire Whip signaled him to calm down.

"We understand if you people don't trust us, and we don't ask to share any information with us. We just want to be part of the good side and do what is right."[Fire Whip]

Shingi could tell that it wasn't entirely true what he was saying but didn't seem of him lying of wanting to help them but the reason for trying to help them. It wasn't just because of their good heart as he considered it to be.

"Your help is welcome, and you will be rewarded if you are actually going to help us. But if you have any ill thoughts or work against us, you should know your punishment. I hope we are understood with each other."[Shingi]

Both the Players nodded as they were aware of the situation and had thought it very well.

"Then I guess you can start working on your first task. We will still keep your bear, but it is in a good state, as you can see. You better stay away from the shop, but our friend outside will have a way to communicate with you. Won't you?"[Shingi]

They felt a hand each at their shoulder as they turned and saw Anna behind them, as she appeared out of nowhere without them noticing her.

They turned towards Shingi, who coughed, and when they returned their gaze to where Anna was, she was gone once more.

"So what are you going to have us do then?"[Fire Whip]

Shingi knew how Guilds tend to work and that most likely they were under investigation and people were watching every move of theirs. He was confident that nobody followed their movement currently, but this didn't mean one wouldn't soon.

He told them to report at Anna with everything they knew about the Guild and try to keep their eyes and ears open for any people from the Dark Guild.

He told them not to actively search for this type of information for now as it could draw too much attention.

He let Anna decide how to progress as she was an expert at these types of dealings.

Shingi and Soryn were left alone in the room as the two Players were left out by getting Teleported with Anna just if anyone was outside that they have missed.

"So what are you going to have me do? You said something about helping others training?"[Soryn]

"I need to help with my MARTIAL ART Skill not asking to teach me your Spire's way of fighting, but I am sure you can help improve what I know. Also, there is one more person who could use some teaching of yours to move around silently. I have heard that your Spire are an expert on these."[Shingi]

He was talking about Hineko for the lessons to get stealthier. He could have asked Anna to teach him, but she would be busy with the plans for dealing with the Guild.

Hineko's special class wasn't combat-focused, but being stealthy was the way to go as a Rogue-based class.

Soryn didn't have any problem teaching them, but as Shingi said, he wasn't going to give them and of the unique techniques of his Spire, but others would help them that not many people would know.

Soryn was one of the apprentices of the keepers of the Library of the Spire, meaning he could research almost every bit of knowledge the Spire had with a few exceptions of knowledge that no mortal should know, but they couldn't destroy.

There were many rumors about how extensive the Library of the Air Spire was. Some people other than the Spire people have been there but only as visitors. They arrived utilizing Teleportation to keep the Spire's location a secret.

They went out towards the Inn to find Hineko to start the training of everyone together.

He was once more outside the Inn talking with Pan, but this time it didn't seem like she would use the thorns on him, at least not yet.

Hineko noticed Shingi as he learned to keep his PERCEPTION active, even when in a safe place, from Shingi.

"Hey, Shingi. Have you seen my brother? He told me he was going to help you with something."[Hineko]

"Yeah, he is going to be busy for some time. But I have things for you to do also. We are going to train. I see Pan you have grown attached to this student of mine."[Shingi]

Hineko seemed surprised and somewhat awkward from the last part that Shingi mentioned, but Pan's expressions didn't change. 

She just yawned once.

"I see... well, come on, Hineko. We need to start as soon as possible. Pan, you can follow us if you want. We are going to train in the forest."[Shingi]

Pan agreed and joined them as they went outside the Tree Hideout.

Pan seemed interested in the tree as she started examining it.

"So what are we going to learn? New recipes or alchemy techniques?"[Hineko]

Shingi smiled as he responded.

"Your lesson has already begun; you need to find Soryn. After finding him, you need to stay hidden from him for at least one minute."[Shingi]

Hineko was confused as he turned his gaze behind him where Soryn was supposed to be.

"When did he moved? I had PERCEPTION active all the time, and I am confident he was here just a few seconds ago."[Hineko]

Shingi just smiled as he started training on some moves Soryn had described him on the way to the Inn.

He told him to focus on Hineko's training first as he had other things to train by himself also.

He cast an EARTH MANA DOUBLE and METAL HAND which was still an unfinished Spell.

He also created three Golems, two with brain shapes for Defense and one for Attack. He wanted to make two of each, but three were his limit of Golems he could have active at the same time.

He ordered his Attack Golem to attack him and the Defense one to protect the Golem.

He wasn't able to give the MANA DOUBLE orders to act by itself, but that was why it gave them some guards.

He had to destroy the MANA DOUBLE by just using METAL HAND combined with MARTIAL ART.

He also had to avoid getting hit, but either of his Golems would stop that battle round and restore the MANA DOUBLE at its complete state and his Golems if he damaged them at all.

The attack Golem was going to do everything in its power to try to hit him while the Defense ones would only try to hit him to keep him away from what they protected.

This training increased his proficiency with the GOLEMANCY and remarked some possible changes in their brain shapes and his MANA DOUBLE as he was going to have to test firsthand what its weak points were and cover them.

His first turn ended with him destroying the MANA DOUBLE without facing any of his Golems but made many adjustments to them.

He recast the MANA DOUBLE and his Golems with their adjustments and started round two.

This time the battle lasted a little longer but had the same result of the MANA DOUBLE get destroyed.

He made some more adjustments and continued.

Each turn lasted longer, and after each one, he made some adjustments until at the tenth one, the Attack Golem hit him.

He wasn't using his HASTE, just his PERCEPTION to help him in the battle and his MANA SENSE but only to keep track of the Golems way of acting to make more adjustments.

After the twelfth round, he had to take a break after each turn and not start right away after recasting everything.

His MP wasn't in a severe state with his MINOR MANA REGENERATION working, which seemed to work faster while in combat compared to when not in one. After the tenth round, his SP was suffering, and he had to use almost his full speed to avoid his Golems moves, but he wasn't going to use HASTE.

He defensively used his MARTIAL ART Skill to dodge attacks taking more time to finish the round.

At the fifteenth round, he decided to stop as he had made significant progress even if his MARTIAL ART hadn't Ranked up or his GOLEMANCY considered as finished. 

His METAL HAND also had some improvement but nothing too much and was far to be considered finished.

His EARTH MANA DOUBLE's defense was vastly improved, as it could handle close to double the damage it could before without him giving any extra mana.

He turned his attention to Hineko, who still was looking for Soryn.

It's been almost an hour since they started, and Hineko hadn't found Soryn even once. He got close a few times, but when he was sure he had discovered the hiding spot of Soryn when he got there, it was empty.

Soryn was using his Air Spire techniques to control air without using mana to make distractions and fake signs of him hiding in a place away from where he was.

Hineko seemed frustrated after all these failures and seemed to just running around after a point.

Shingi seeing the current state of mind of his student, just called him to get to him.

"What do you think you are doing?"[Shingi]

Hineko was still frustrated but tried to calm himself down while speaking with Shingi.

"I try to find the BALD MAN."[Hineko]

He shouted the last part and looked around in case there was any reaction, but nothing happened.

"*sigh* That dude is pretty good. I feel like I haven't even gotten close to finding him."[Hineko]

Shingi walked forward towards the direction Hineko was looking for Soryn.

He looked around and then turned towards Hineko.

"What direction you think he is currently hiding in?"[Shingi]

Hineko tried to use his PERCEPTION at its full power. It was currently at level 39, bringing it almost to be the same as the bottom of Master Rank.

After a moment, he pointed towards the west cause he thought he heard something close to breathing from there.

"WRONG. Try again."[Shingi]

Hineko made five more guesses, and each one was said to be wrong by Shingi.

"I don't know where he is. Can't you give me a clue?"[Hineko]

Shingi sighed as he looked at his student in a look of disappointment.

Hineko noticed the look and seemed to have gotten a bit sad for it.

"Do you know why the spot I am standing is a special spot?"[Shingi]

Hineko was confused about the questions as he looked where Shingi was standing and didn't notice anything weird about it.

"*sigh* This is the position Soryn was at before the training started. You were standing over there."[Shingi]

Shingi pointed at a space just a few steps in front of him.

Hineko seemed embarrassed on not remembering that, as Shingi had told him and the rest of his students, to always keep in mind every detail no matter how unimportant it seems.

"Do you know now why this spot is important?"[Shingi]

Hineko gave it some thought and looked around if he missed any signs, but he came empty-handed.

He then shook his head to show that he didn't know the answer to the question.

"You have to remember Hineko. Things sometimes end where they have begun."[Shingi]

Then Shingi punched the ground with his METAL HAND that he recast, breaking a not too thin surface of the ground and revealing a hole where Soryn was currently at.

This was a technique of the Earth Spire, but Air Spire had recordings and scrolls of styles of each Spire. At least their basic moves.