A Mythical Journey To Remember - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Spearing

I purchased Myrina's new spear with the money I obtained from selling the wolf fur. Fortunately, the blacksmith was kind enough to offer me a significant discount on the fur, and spears turned out to be surprisingly inexpensive and easy to make. Perhaps that explained their popularity as weapons.

However, as soon as we left the blacksmith's shop, Myrina frowned. "This doesn't feel like a spear; it's more like a long metal stick with an arrowhead tip."

That's what a spear is!

I chose not to voice my disagreement, wanting to avoid another argument with her. At least she had the decency not to complain in front of the blacksmith, which showed that she had learned some basic manners. The blacksmith had been kind enough to practically give me this spear for free, so I didn't want to whine.

While walking back home, I felt some discomfort in my shoulders as the rope used to secure the wood dug into my shoulder blades. However, I gritted my teeth and kept moving, focusing on the groceries I had purchased.

Suddenly, Myrina confronted me, "You said being called 'blessed' was a misunderstanding. But you brought me back to life, and I haven't experienced any negative effects. I wouldn't call that a misunderstanding."

"Yes, it's simply a misconception people have developed. I performed basic first aid that I wasn't even sure would work. I applied pressure to your chest, which expelled the water from your lungs," I explained.

By clarifying how CPR worked, I hoped to demystify the situation. What I did was far from miraculous.

"Just be careful not to disregard the blessings the Gods have bestowed upon you. You have no idea how vengeful they can be. You can't simply disregard the favor a God has shown you," she warned.

It seemed that my explanation had gone in one ear and out the other. Since logical reasoning didn't work with her, I decided to play by her rules. "The Gods have no reason to be vengeful."

Myrina was preoccupied with superficial concerns that were probably baseless. However, I remained focused on the facts and understood that even thousands of years from now, irrational events like the Salem Witch trials would still occur. Even if I accepted my role as someone favored by the Gods, it would only invite trouble, as people would raise their expectations to unattainable levels.

I pondered the consequences that would arise once their expectations shattered and they realized I didn't possess any magical abilities. It was inevitable that they would assume I had done something to anger the gods, or worse, brand me a liar. But by then it would be too late to try and change my words. So for now feigning ignorance and denying any blessings seemed like the best defense.

"No matter what you think of me or this whole situation, just know that I'm not truly blessed. So don't expect me to perform miracles like they're as common as tic-tacs," I asserted, deciding to leave it at that.

She sighed, clearly exasperated, and scrutinized me like a hawk. "Do you take me for a fool?" she retorted. "I might not be well-versed in medicine and only have basic knowledge, but even I know that simply pressing on someone's chest won't bring them back to life. I've never heard of anything like that!"

I stared at her, dumbfounded. She was the type who solely relied on her limited understanding of things.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she frowned.

"It's nothing. Let's just start training with a spear as soon as we get home," I replied.

There were certain matters I preferred not to engage in, and arguing with someone who seemed capable of crushing my skull with a single hand grip was one of them.

Making friends was more advantageous than making enemies, and Myrina still had her uses as a companion. I intended to extract every bit of value from our association, to receive some kind of recompense for saving her life and enduring her presence.

…

Three days flew by, filled with morning hunts alongside Romos, the village hunter. The afternoons were dedicated to rigorous training, and as dusk approached, Myrina and I toiled in the fields. Myrina possessed extraordinary strength, like a formidable creature confined within a human vessel, capable of overpowering even the most juiced-up adversaries from my previous world.

Our efforts paid off handsomely as we managed to bag an entire deer and several rabbits, earning a substantial sum. With this I gained another level.

Class: N/A

Traits: [Transmigrator]

Level: 2 → 3

Strength: 0.8 → 0.9

Agility: 0.8

Constitution: 0.9 → 1

Spirit: 2

Luck: 3

Skills Page ≫

Today had been another challenging day of training, and despite leveling up, I hadn't earned any new status points. Nevertheless, I wasn't too disheartened since my stats had improved considerably.

As I reclined on the lush grass in my backyard, I tapped on the skill page. My heart skipped a beat, and to my astonishment the page was no longer empty, unlike its usual state!

-Active Skills:

-Passive Skills:

Spear Mastery - Lvl 1/10

≪ Status Page

I clicked on the skill and another page popped up.

Spear Mastery - Lvl 1/10

You have gained basic knowledge of using the spear as a weapon.

The description of the skill was simple, yet it felt like I was swimming on clouds. My hard training had finally paid off!

"Did you finally lose your mind?" Myrina brought me back to reality. "Why are you staring into empty space, pointing at the sky, and laughing like a fool?"

Her insulting words failed to dampen my mood, and I smiled at her. "Nothing. I was just thinking that you're an excellent teacher who has taught me more in three days than I could have learned in a year."

She puffed her chest with pride. "Of course! I am an Amazon Warrior who excelled in all my classes!"

I was showering her with compliments, but they weren't untrue. Myrina had taught me about the advantages and disadvantages of using a spear, as well as her own fighting style involving a shield and spear. Simply put, if someone got too close, a weakness of the spear, I would bash them with the shield to disorient them and follow up with the next attack.

"Though I can't say the same for you. An Amazon Warrior your age could defeat ten of you!" She exclaimed with a smug smirk. Then, upon seeing my reaction, she coughed into her hand and added, "But that's an unfair comparison. Amazons have been warriors for generations, and we train our whole lives, whereas you've just started your training."

While Myrina still displayed a strong-headed nature, she had learned to be more tactful with her words after spending time with me and my mother. Occasionally, her pride as an Amazon Warrior would still slip through.

"Uh, I didn't mean to bring your spirits down," she said, misunderstanding my expression. "What I meant is that you're a great thinker and have the potential to become a great warrior. Moreover, you're blessed, and that's a rarity even among Amazon Warriors."

I smiled at her comment and replied, "Yeah, and I'm sure one day you'll learn to act like a normal human being."

She frowned and snidely added, "Even if you become a great warrior, you'll never be able to compare to an Amazon Warrior!"

Despite her harsh words, I continued to smile. I had grown accustomed to her blunt remarks, and Myrina almost smiled back too. But she was too proud to admit that she enjoyed this. We began bantering and playfully insulting each other. Though it might seem strange to outsiders, I considered Myrina to be a friend. Behind her tough exterior and sharp tongue, she was a good person.

You just had to look deep enough to find her kindness... very, very deep. Some might question if it even existed.

…

As night fell, I lay in my room while Myrina rested on a new bed beside mine. With her remarkable recovery, she had become self-sufficient and earned money through hunting, allowing her to purchase her own bed.

As I gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, her captivating purple eyes met mine. "What? If you find me enchanting, I apologize, but I am fully devoted to the path of a warrior."

"Please, I'm not interested in older women," I teased. Despite the barely visible scars that adorned her body, she appeared no older than her early twenties.

"Hmph, as an Amazon warrior, I am in my prime. Just so you know, I'm not even in my fifties," she asserted.

Wait, what?

Before I could fully grasp her statement, the village was engulfed in the haunting howls of wolves. The sound sent shivers down my spine, filling me with a sense of foreboding.