One With Nature

Real Learning: 3

(A/N: damn people can be impatient. XD

This is actually the final part of the Arc. The reason the last chapter was about Zack's first day is because I just wanted to emphasise on how hard Scathach is going on him.

I have no plans to drag this arc on. After this chapter, its just the Epilogue.)

"You call this a stance?! Are you trying to mock me!?"

"Woman, you have a problem!" I yelled at Scathach as she barked orders at my training.

This has been the last few months for me, basically. Scathach was hell-bent on beating stances and proper fighting style into me. According to her, I already know what it's like to fight to survive, now I have to learn how to 'fight to fight', as she called it.

From various fighting styles to fighting situations. From weights to chains. From cold to hot environment. She threw everything at me while yelling her lungs out.

Did that actually make me give her the proper respect she wanted?

"Do another three hundred strikes!"

"Okay, okay!"

"What was that?

"I said okay, woman!"

"That's 'teacher' to you!"

"Screw you!" Not in the slightest.

If Gil couldn't beat respect into me, what the hell made Scathach think she can do it?

Today, I was laying in her courtyard, face down and covered in sweat from Scathach making me do the same strikes over and over with weights tied into my arms and legs. My training sword lay besides me.

"Wow, she's really working you to the bone-nunnos," I flipped myself over at the sound of a familiar voice and looked up to see Cernunnos looking down at me.

"Hey, Cernunnos," I greeted. He's been paying a visit every few weeks or so.

"How have you been?" He asked me and I deadpanned at him.

"What do you think? You just said she's working me to the bone."

"Yeah, but that fatigue doesn't go to your real body, does it?" He asked and I didn't have a comeback for that.

"By the way, speaking of bodies," I groaned as I painfully managed to stand up and face him. "You said you can't take a huma form because your the god of Beasts, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, aren't humans in a sense are a kind of 'beast'? Even if they're hairless, that should-"

"Oh, that's a total load of crap," Cernunnos cut me off with a wave of his hand. "We gods fed that stuff-nos to humans to make ourselves-nos seem superior and all that."

The entire area fell into silence. I just stared at the big furry god for a few seconds before finally finding the mental strength to speak again. "What?"

"Humans didn't come from Beasts, that's just ridiculous-nos," Cernunnos shook his head. "Some primates did evolve into humans, but humanity existed before that. Your old enough-nos, I'm sure you've heard legends on how humans were made by gods."

I mean... he's not wrong. A lot of myths have their own version on where humanity came from, and all those stories say that humans were... well, created AS humans.

"So... how much of those legends is exactly true?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Pretty much all of it," Cernunnos shrugged his shoulders. "After the first humans were created by The One, lots of gods tried to recreate-nos that and some Primates evolved into humans after imitating them long enough. I'm surprised-nos you didn't already know."

'The One'? Is he talking about the Abrahamic God? I know for a fact they're real considering the story of Solomon states they are, but I think this is the first time someone outright mentioned them to me.

And I guess that story makes sense. It also explains why Primate Murderer was made. If I was Gaia and every pantheon on me started trying to create their own humanity, I'd make something to keep their numbers in check, too.

"Well, I never really bothered to research the details of humanity's origin," I replied to Cernunnos after thinking on what he told me. "Anyway, how have you been? You've wanted to tell me about your priestess last time?"

"Oh yes!" Cernunnos perked up as he remembered mentioning that in his last visit. He held his hands close to the marks on his chest and started looking giddy. "My priestess-nos is the sweetest, kindest, soul ever! I bet all the other gods-nos are jealous!"

Cernunnos spent the rest of the day talking about his priestess. After that, I spent a few more months training on the puppet body with Scathach.

I got used to most fighting styles, I even figured out how to use Magical Energy, which I didn't even know I had. I don't use Mage-craft, but Primordial Runes have that covered.

Speaking of Runes, I REALLY enjoyed when Scathach tried to see if she knows something about Runes that I don't, only for that plan to backfire badly.

She claimed that the training next day was harsher for no reason but she is as good of an actress as she is at being reasonable.

And finally, we reached the final part of my training. I stood in the field in front of Scathach as she crossed her arms. Behind her was large blanket that covered the ground.

"Today marks the end of your training," she stared, obviously having said the same speech before to her previous students. "You've worked long and hard for this moment. Of course, you have a reward for you. My beloved red spear had already been given to another student, and while I can give you a downgraded copy, I believe you deserve better."

Scathach turned around, took hold of the blanket, and removed it dramatically, revealing a collection of all kinds of weapons. Swords, spears, bows and arrows, clubs, and everything in between. It was easy to see none of them was actually a normal weapon however, each of them had a unique look.

"These are the most powerful weapons that I've gathered through the years," Scathach stated while motioning to the field. "Pick one, and its yours."

I stared at the field for a few seconds... before snorting.

"What was that?" Scathach glared at me.

"You call these weapons?" I asked, motioning to collection she offered.

"Do you think you can do better?"

I don't know how the smile I gave her looked, but judging by the fact she actually looked a bit off, it was obviously devilish enough to make her regret that question.

(A/N: Discord Server: https/discord .gg/ Q4gCynRsw3)