The Stonehearted Knight-Chapter 417: Destruction and Recovery (2)

To undergo the process one time pushed Hex to his limits. To repeat it two more times? That meant breaking through his mental barriers.

’I can’t...won’t stop now. I just have to brace myself.’

Steeling his nerves at the following dawn, he repeated the process. Only, it turned worse the second time. He screamed in agony as his skin touched the fiery liquid. The first time the searing pain gradually spread through his body, giving him time to adjust to it. This time, however, the pain permeated through his core.

By the time he became aware of his surroundings, another day had almost passed.

’What happened?’ He lay beside the tub, panting. A mixture of powerlessness and vitality filled him. He felt...alive. More so than ever. The world, and its wonders, felt closer than before. At the same time he couldn’t move even a single finger.

Summoning the Knight’s Path, he went over the notes. Was he doing something wrong? It felt like it, though he was sure he followed each step to precision. There. A scribble on the side.

Newly-formed flesh is highly sensitive to each sensation. To put into perspective, the body will experience each sensation at least ten times stronger than a body used to the prickles of its surroundings.

’Thanks for putting that in miniature letters,’ Hex complained. It seemed like it was done on purpose. ’Perhaps it was,’ he mumbled with a frown. The baron wouldn’t shy away from putting him through the worst if he believed it was for Hex’s growth.

He spent the rest of the day recuperating. Sterling made sure his food was delivered to his room and that the rooms around his were cleared out. As Sterling put it, Hex was his investment in making it to gain recognition all around the world. Winning would make him the heir, so he preferred that. But if they failed to win, reaching the top three would guarantee a network with people around the world, helping him build his own merchant group.

...

The next morning, Hex readied himself again. Even before stepping into the tub, he felt tremors around his skin. It was the sensitivity. And the fear. Not his but his body’s. ƒгeewebnovёl_com

He had picked that from the notes. The third time would help him reforge his mentality. A person would fear based on past experience. Even though he knew he would proceed, his body and mind were unconsciously trying to stop him. If he stopped at this step, he would forever fear heat and cold.

Hex pushed his body into the tub. It protested. Muscles spasmed, alarms sounded in his head urging him to stop, but he forced through.

The pain blanked him out. Hex didn’t remember a thing for the first five seconds. Experiencing the first two times had prepared him for such a thing. His Dragon Bear Soul filled his mind with cold and kicked in, making him remember the basic actions. Only that way did he manage to pour the remaining phoenix tears into the tub. Luckily, he had prepared only as much as required to complete the three times.

Hex crawled out of the tub by the end, invigorated yet weak. Again. He lay on the ground. The process had gone smoothly. The first step was done. The pain nearly cost him his sanity. According to the descriptions of the following steps, this was the easiest one. It was only pain.

’I didn’t reach the next stage. I am close but there is something missing.’ Hex wasn’t surprised by the result. His heart and body were special. The advantages were as great as the pain of the disadvantages. Nothing would come easy.

He hadn’t reached the next stage but wasn’t far off either. He sensed it. The power coursing through him put him far ahead of all his peers. Only a small step remained. He just had to figure out how to take that step.

...

"Welcome sir. We have been waiting for you."

Jana smiled brightly at the entrance of the library. As the liaison between their team and the competition holders, she took care of arranging his appointment with the library.

"Thanks, Miss. I am happy you could arrange this visit in short notice," Hex said with a polite smile. For some reason she didn’t respond immediately. Seeing her stare at him, he upped his brow. "Miss Jana?" He called a bit loudly, starting her.

"Oh. Yes. Sorry, come in." She seemed distracted but managed to bring him inside. Either she was a regular here or had prepared well. Her tour through the library was in depth, describing each section with examples of books and scrolls found. He caught her looking at him...a lot. It felt nice to be admired but his purpose trumped all other distractions he could afford at the moment.

"So that was everything summarized in a single tour," Jana said, fidgeting with her blouse. "Is there anything you want more...or–?"

"Not at the moment," Hex said politely. He had an inkling to what she was leading up to but he cut her off. "I wish to spend the rest of the day here, browsing through the wealth of knowledge unavailable anywhere else."

She didn’t like it, as her stiff smile suggested. She still left with a polite reminder that she would respond quickly if he had any request throughout the day.

...

Marine Life

History

Geology

Economy

Powers of the world

Hex didn’t know where to start. Each section had a pull on him. He wished to read everything, learn what he could. Time, however, was limited.

He focused on History and Powers of the world.

Hopefully, History would reveal some of the secrets of the past connected to him and his master. Powers of the world would help understand the situation with the North and his alleged inheritance.

But first, he just wished to see if he could find something that would help him understand his master more. To give full secrecy, no librarian was allowed in when the winners were enjoying their reward, which was good. It made searching for something specific a bit of a hassle, though.

After half an hour of going through the shelves, he found a scroll with what he needed.

Legends: Line of the first warrior