Rebirth: Lord 8 Chapter 8: Wilbur's Story

As Master Wilbur guided us to his plain cottage made of bricks. I couldn't help feel a bit awkward as I had imagined crazy theories on what it would look like.

"Hmm? , Why do you always have that look when you look at my house?."Wilbur asks as he noticed my face.

"It's just that I always had been wondering what you were doing here?" I asked in a cautious manner but to my surprise, His next reply took me unaware.

He stopped his steps and stared at me with a serious expression "to be honest, I Came here to die".

It was now my turn to have a serious expression, I couldn't Rap my mind around this even though my gamer mind was telling me that I was about to receive a Quest, I just didn't have it in me to be happy.

"Hoho? it seems My words have put you in a bad mood" He then continues his steps while stroking his grey beards, "Don't let that bother you. I have come to terms with it...after all, I'm already over 2 centuries old"

"I... I see..." I absentmindedly stuttered a reply. After regaining myself, I chased after him in a hurry while saying "I don't Understand, Master Wilbur...". In which he paused and slowly turned around to face me.

"Hmm?... What don't you understand?, Oh! I see! Come!" He said calmly as he opened the door with a slightly downcast look on his face before it was quickly hidden once more.

"It was a long time ago When I was still travelling, I had searched far and wide for a disciple until I met a Talented boy, He had broken off from his mortal self at the age of 10. His Name was Cao Li . Like me, he gave off the aura of a solitary warrior who only believe in his own strength. He protected his village with that strength, against a Bandit group. He decimated them without mercy, so I took interest in him." Master Wilbur said while laughing.

" After seeing him slay The Bandit again and again, My interest only continued to increase" Wilbur said " And then I took him as my disciple, Although it seemed troublesome, I guess it wasn't that bad . It was a good way to spend time, rather than just waiting there for my plans to fall into place."

Wilbur Spoke as he slowly began to brew some tea.

"I had trained him from the very onset out of curiosity, Thought the way of cultivating the Joruk... It boosted his Qi reserves and some other benefits but before I could get any deeper, he was already blinded by greed and plotted against me." Wilbur said with a bit of melancholy before taking a sip of his now complete herbal tea.

"The Chu palace..."Wilbur literally spat out the Name with venom, which shocked me out of my daze as began thinking [This Name again... it seems this faction has a hand in many shady activities...I need to be careful with them]

"Cao Li was promised something in exchange for my Journal and the cultivation method of the Joruk Heart, to which he readily gave but had to find a way to get my journal. I became suspicious of him the more he asked about it until one faithful night where I was ambushed on all sides after being poisoned by Cao Li and in the end I was injured by the Dragon Icy palm Technique of the Chu palace Patriarch" Wilbur's face became slightly pale in anger as he thought of that day .

[Then How did you manage to escape?]I thought about it for while but came up with nothing.

As though he could read my mind he said with a Laugh "This Old man had to be shameless and bring in a few friends Hahaha"

"Oh?... so you agree that you can be shameless... So what happened to those 'friends'?". I asked after teasing him a bit, trying to ease up the atmosphere but for some reason this only seemed to have made him look like he had aged by decades.

[Could it be that they are dead or something?] I began to mentally berate myself for messing up.

But Master Wilbur simply sighed softly before answering my question "I lost them that day...and the Chu patriarch, That old monster's ice poison has affected my life essence."

after hearing that backstory, Though contradictory I can see why he was in a hurry to find his successor. Once your life essence is damaged in this game. You keep on losing your health till your regeneration can't keep up...The only cure available work only on Players, the Priest class in the mage path reaches above the advance realm and learns the spell.

Wilbur then looked at me with a serious face.

"It is but a selfish wish of mine. I just wanted to leave behind my legacy through you. Can you at least fulfill this old man's wish?"

[A legacy...That's right the class I am training for Is a hidden class, A legacy!!]

As I contemplated on his words, A quest window popped up and I once again feel my now Npc blood boil in Excitement.

Ding!

: Complete your training with Master Wilbur and become a Puppet master.(Your performance would decide the Quality of you class type).

(78% to completion)

Rewards:

Master Wilbur's Book of insights(Journal).

Blue Grade Silver Threads(Rare).

Additional rewards would be added depending on your final results... (3 days left.)>

"You don't have to worry about me, I will cultivate well to make you feel proud." I solemnly said as I looked at Master Wilbur's Serious expression while feeling a bit guilty about feeling good about his situation in a way.

.

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The next day, Master Wilbur was yawning relaxingly under the shade of a tree as He fanned himself slowly with a Black Hand Fan. That I couldn't help but Envy him Because there are only two days left and Master Wilbur had been training me since early in the morning.

Guhaa!!... I got hit several times Before being sent flying out of the puppet formation...Again!. Master Wilbur had used his Silver strings to control close to 4 wooden puppets in combat. Apparently the strings have a weaker attack power then the so called threads.

"You cannot afford to look away...ok?, Here's a hint Feel the flow of the strings...in fact feel the air.! Humph! I've not even used the silver threads yet. if I did you would not even be able to see anything at all... what would you do then?!." Master Wilbur yells as he waved his black fan .

"This... , why can't you make it a little slower? We are going way too fast, I won't be able to grasp anything unless you go a little slower." I protested!...[I'm not some masochist, what kind of Stuff is this! Sh!t!!]

"humph! , you are doing just fine...after all you even had the opportunity to space out in battle...Tch lazy youth! Besides, It's not like there is an enemy out there that would ask you what level of speed you want before the beginning of a Fight is there? ." He quickly spoke as his left fingers started moving once more, as well as the wooden puppets.

[Although fighting bare-handed had been proven the best way to control ones stats, The debuff that comes along with stacked up injuries on an Npc are a bit ridiculous... Haa Players really have it good.]

Mr Wilbur had said simulating a tense situation would improve the training quality, That's why he used the practical method rather than teaching me orally and in turn he made the Puppet hit so hard that I felt I'd die.

But I suppose it really worked in a way. Since my body was forced to react without giving me a chance to think, it autonomously controlled the stats usage accordingly to meet the demands.

+3 Agility...

+2 Strength ...

+3 Stamina...

The training went on till the sun was above our head..

"your form has improved a little. you are getting better and better, so the next phase of training would be much earlier than I expected. You are doing good." He says as he stroked his his beard.

" your movement has gotten a bit better"

"It's all thanks to Master's teachings..." I quickly flattered, Hoping that he'd have mercy on me and end today's training.

"Humph... Nonsense... Oh!... Nice one Ooo...you got me there".

I blocked a Puppet's fist, dashed in, and striked with my right Elbow, Totally knocking it off balance when I sent another punch at another puppet while hitting each acupoint in it's body...there by the strings attached to it dissolved. This took me by surprise!

Wooden Puppet Lv 11

Durability: ???

Strength: ?

Magic: ?

Spirit: ?

Agility: ?

Ability:?

"interesting!...But know this, whatever you just did won't work on Human veterans. you need to work on it, I see it has potential."Master spoke as he nodded his head in a knowing manner.

"Alright, That's enough for now, rest for a bit and I'll add one more wooden puppet." Master Wilbur suddenly declares.

"haaaa... yeeees" To which I gave a weak reply.

But I learned various things.

This kind of things really pumped up my stats Especially...

And now I completely understand the importance of This training. and I'm sure this would someday prove useful in the right situation.

And Then On the last day, Master Wilbur decided to teach me Silver string techniques.

However, it was only the basics since time was limited as he seemed to be rushing for some reason. Stance, Control, defending, he taught me the style that had been passed down to him.

"Your stance is too wide. your body movements have to be fluid like water and...haa... what do you think you are doing??!!..lower your posture.]He continued to Breathe on my neck as I continue to fail!.

"like this?"I cautiously adjusted my posture while asking.

"Haa?...what are y.... Not like that!!" It seems his patience finally ran thin As he smacked the back of my head.

PAAAA!!

He then showed me the actual stance in front of me. I thought that it's the same…..Disallowing even a slightest difference, He uncompromisingly taught me the finer details of the stance while saying that after I mastered it, I could change it to what ever I wanted.

Chapter end