When Cassian got back to his house, he was filled with determination. After eating a quick meal, a tasteless sandwich, he got straight to work.
He needed to gain the swordsmanship skill; it was a common skill anyone could unlock, but it was the basis for the swordsman's synergy.
Once unlocked it enhanced every attack with a sword. To gain it was simple; you had to gain a certain proficiency in the sword.
Cassian had been practicing swordsmanship since he was adopted by his father and already had some mastery over it.
The fact that he did not have it after a couple of hours of work confirmed his suspicion that his rank was increasing his skill acquisition difficulty.
Cassian swung again and again at the dummy in his yard, using every technique he had learned and created over the years. He finally decided to check his progress around noon.
Only one part of his status had changed.
Skills
Pseudo-Immortality
Sword Slash - Level 1
Skill points: 0
_________________
'Psuedo-Immortality?' He questioned and clicked on the skill to see its description.
[Pseudo-Immortality
Passive Skill
Effect: Grants near godly regenerative powers.
Restriction: Cannot gain or increase the level of resistance-type skills; all prior resistance skills are discarded.]
Cassian's eyes widened. This skill was too good; the swordsman's biggest weakness is a lack of survivability. This could fill that weakness.
Moreover, the skill didn't have a level, which meant it was extremely rare. He knew immediately that he had gotten the skill from Cypher so that he wouldn't die from torture, but this was a major boon.
…
Eight hours later, he was still swinging his sword at the dummy; not only did the skill regenerate, but it also assisted with fatigue. He had not slept since the morning of the awakening ceremony, but he still had energy to spare.
More importantly, he had finally awakened the swordsmanship skill.
[Swordsmanship - Level 1
Passive Skill
Restrictions: Sword
Effect: Increases sword attack by 5%, sword speed by 5%, and sword penetration by 5%.]
However, the thrill of awakening a new skill was completely overshadowed by the fact that he would be tortured in four hours.
The place he was tortured was five miles away, which he would easily be able to do within an hour if he ran. However, he needed to be punctual; he had the feeling things would get even worse if he were ever late.
So instead, he left two hours early, the sky was already dark, and the only people on the streets were those who either had no life or were trying to live their life to the max.
Drinkers, gamblers, and lonely people who wanted to wander the streets. Then there was Cassian, who ignored every sight he passed by.
Instead, he was entirely focused on his own thoughts. He was reluctant to go back to Cypher, to where he would be tortured.
Every step reminded him of the hours of torture, of the pain, and of his own weakness.
Yet he reluctantly took every step closer to his fate. Why?
Because he couldn't give up. He just could not abandon his faith in humanity; his responsibility to the world. He couldn't discard his admiration for Alizée, his love for her kindness.
Just before midnight, the doors of an inconspicuous building opened, and there in a pure white suit was Cypher.
"Good evening."
Cassian ignored the greeting and walked past Cypher, his heart already hardened.
The blood from the previous night was cleaned up, and in its place was a metal chair. However, sitting on that chair was a tall and handsome man with messy blonde hair.
"You can call him William; he is our observer."
Cypher explained.
"For our tradition, it is customary to have an observer; don't worry about it."
Cassian ignored it, just like everything else.
William got out of the chair and sat on the ground against a wall.
"Please sit, we should begin immediately."
Cassian obeyed.
Cypher summoned a pair of pliers into his hand. A devilish grin filled his face, and his breathing got heavy.
"I will now pull out all of your nails and teeth; however, there are only twenty nails and thirty-two teeth, so this should be rather quick."
A glimmer of hope.
"Is that really all you will do?"
"Of course, I wouldn't lie."
"Let's start with those toenails."
Cypher removed Cassian's footwear and ruthlessly and without patience pulled a nail out of his flesh. It happened too quickly for him to prepare himself; one second, a nail was there, and the next it was gone.
Cypher gritted his teeth and clenched the metal chair with his hands. Doing everything he could to avoid crying out in pain.
In quick succession, all of his toenails were pulled out of his body. Every time Cypher pulled a nail out, he could hear a ripping noise, and blood splurted out as well.
Cassian avoided looking.
"Now for the fingernails." Cypher giggled.
Once again in quick succession, all of Cassian's fingernails were pulled out.
The feeling was horrible. It was as if the feeling that made his fingers pliable was also removed. Through swordsmanship, he had developed a keen sense in his hands, and that was what was targeted.
'All my nails are done, so it's only the teeth left.' While extremely painful, it was not as bad as the previous night, with no end in sight.
"Now for the teeth, open wide." Cypher teased.
Cassian obeyed.
This time, Cypher took it slow, one at a time, because Cassian would flinch after each tooth was pulled.
His mouth pooled with blood, which spilled out everywhere.
"Fifteen." Cassian counted down with an arrogant look on his face.
"Ten." It was almost over.
"Eight." His mouth was entirely numb.
"Five."
"Four."
"Three."
"Two." Just one more.
"How could I forget?"
Cypher said dramatically.
"You have regenerative powers." Cassian froze.
Cypher lifted his hand and showed it to him.
All of his nails had regrown.
"I guess we are going to have to stay a little longer."