"G-g-g-giveee! Givveeee, gimmmmi!" The hooded figure suddenly went rapid, revealing a foaming mouth and a deranged face.
A real degenerate.
When a Blessing user is born, they receive another thing other than the Blessing they have.
The ability to control essence. This is the true separation between normal humans and Blessing users.
Other than the fact that the usage of Blessings costs essence, essence can also strengthen one's body to a level beyond a human's.
But that needed to be trained.
Ferris, with his untrained body, could somewhat feel the essence of others. He was certain that this degenerate had more than he did.
The smell of alcohol... and poison. Yup, this guy is a degenerate. He calmly dropped his bag of food on the ground and went into a combat stance.
***
"Nnnghh, hup!" A young lad with long ash-blond hair and green eyes expertly restrained his teacher into a perfect leg lock.
"Yes, yes! Very good, however..." The teacher, a very toned man around his 20s, chuckled.
His hair carried the void itself, and his eyes were as deep as the sea—a face that always looked careless in the face of any danger.
"You can't overpower me." The teacher simply stood up and parted away the leg lock with his bare hands.
It was so easy for him that it didn't even feel like he flexed his muscles.
"Sir Yaromech, you're way older than me! How can a kid overpower you!" the young lad complained, still trying to strain his legs in a futile effort.
"Felix... I'm not even trying, to be honest. You just lack talent—
Suddenly, Felix changed his position into a new leg lock in such a way that it caused Yaromech to have a different center of gravity, toppling him forward.
"Got you!" Felix screamed with a wide grin.
However, as soon as Yaromech leaned at a 45-degree angle, he suddenly stopped as if his body had become a rigid stick.
"What the fuck?! How aren't you falling—
In an instant, the teacher twisted his body, then grabbed hold of his student's collar and smashed him down onto the soft mat.
Thud.
"Tsk tsk. The Knight's Creed: a knight must never cuss out—
"That hurt! Fuck you! I'm reporting you for physical abuse against a minor!"
Yaromech suddenly stepped back with a half-worried, half-chuckling expression. "Really? After I took your talentless ass in?"
"Ah! Tsk tsk. The Knight's Creed: a knight must never cuss out." Felix moved his torso up to face his teacher with a sinister grin.
"Why you little..." Yaromech took heavy steps toward his student and grabbed Felix's head and lifted him like a doll.
Due to the height difference, Felix was floating mid-air and thrashed about like a spoiled child.
"Time for your next lesson. Do you know why I didn't fall?"
Punch.
Felix landed a blow to his teacher's face, but it felt like hitting a castle wall, so Yaromech didn't react.
"How would I know?" Felix gave up and stopped struggling. He then pouted as another way to show his discontent.
"You see, I used essence to strengthen my Achilles so I wouldn't fall." He explained, "I'm teaching this concept to you today"
. . .
"Feel the essence!"
Whack.
Yaromech bashed his student with a wooden sword and laughed wholeheartedly.
"Essence is everywhere! You can't miss it!"
Whack.
"You became a knight because of the prophecy, right?" the teacher asked, temporarily stopping his whacks of death.
. . .
Felix didn't respond. And so, Yaromech continued bantering. "Apparently, rumors are going around the academy. These silly little pricks think there's another prophecy."
. . .
Still no response.
"And that rumored prophecy states that... Jörmungandr will die at the hands of a knight—huh?"
His quiet student shot up in an instant. "I got it. I see the essence."
Yaromech raised his brows in shock. "Wow, you actually learned it that quickly?"
Felix closed his eyes and started deliberately falling forward to mimic his teachers previous example.
. . .
Faceplant.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! You really have no talent! Holy fuck, I'm so glad I took you in! HAHAHA!" Yaromech wheezed hard to the point it was questionable if he was breathing or not.
"Haha... hah. At this rate, you'll never reach the 9th layer..." Yaromech stared at his poor student who remained unmoving on the floor. "Pffftt. Fuck! BWAHAHAHAH! Oh jeez, oh jeez. Please stand up, you actually might kill me at this rate."
. . .
Stupid old man...
***
Essence body strengthening.
There was no need to relearn that concept. All of that training was in Ferris's mind. The problem was that he didn't know the difference between Blessing users and the layers he was familiar with.
9th layer—was that enough to face this degenerate?
The degenerate suddenly pulled out a hidden knife and charged like a rabid zombie from a movie.
Ferris remained calm, focusing his essence on his feet planted to the ground, then to his heel, then to his Achilles tendon, to his calves, to his thighs, then to his fist.
I don't need to use essence on my entire body. This degenerate doesn't care about blocking or dodging. All I need to do is knock him out in one strike!
The degenerate was dangerously close, to the point that Ferris could see his own reflection in the knife.
With all his might, he too lunged forward with tremendous speed.
Thank you... Yaromech.
PUNCH!
A loud snap reverberated in the alleyway as the robber collapsed on the floor.
Ferris's hand was pressed deep into the degenerate's stomach. However, when he pulled it out...
My right hand feels numb... Ah, so that's how it is.
His entire hand was dislocated, leaving it hanging limply.
Ferris sighed and walked toward one of the building's outer walls and positioned his hand so that it was pressed against it in a high five.
Focus my essence on my right arm... And reposition my dislocated hand.
Click.
The Knight's Creed.
In Yaromech's words, a knight must not cuss out.
"Fuck, it hurts!"
Ferris twirled around his right hand to make sure it was back in its proper place. After the pain quickly faded away, he walked towards the unconscious degenerate.
Before he did anything, he started looking around the area. I believe something named CCTV exists in this world—there seems to be a lack of it in this alleyway.
Crouching down, he began stripping away the attackers hoodie, revealing a shirt filled with hidden compartments.
Most of them are empty... Ferris lampooned, but then again—
A knight must never strive for personal wealth.
But it can't hurt to check if this degenerate had any contraband!
Packs of cigarettes, a lighter, packets of white powder, the knife, and... a wallet!
He made a cheery expression.
Perhaps becoming a new person hindered some of his old aspects and personality.
But what if...
These are actually his belongings and I'm stealing? Ferris froze for a bit but calmed down. I'm overreacting. Now, let's see...
It was a beautifully crafted leather wallet with a cute firefly keychain. But what was most important was its sheer thickness.
100... 200... 300... Almost 500!
Who carries so much in cash?!
But.
Ferris observed every slot in the wallet to look for something important.
Ah, it has an ID... He frowned.
Driver's license.
Layley Argyle
77, Golden St.
It's walking distance...
It was as if all life had drained away from his body, that Ferris suddenly looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.
A. knight. must. never. strive. for. personal. wealth.
Grumble.
Ferris sighed before temporarily pocketing the thick wallet. But for some reason, that mere act brought him a hint of unwanted pleasure.
Grabbing his food bag, he went back over to the unconscious degenerate.
. . .
He might have some difficulty breathing if I sit on his belly.
Flip.
Plop.
A human heater...
***
Near the Arden Colossus Forest. Five years before the awakening of Jörmungandr.
Felix and a group of other people were sheltered in the cold and dry grass field that surrounded the forest.
D-damn, i-it's so c-c-cold, I'm e-even s-shivering in my t-t-thoughts. He shrunk under a thin blanket.
"W-we're supposed to uncover an ancient a-artifact in the forest, b-but I don't think we'll even survive!" Yaromech complained.
Hearing the complaint, a giant of a man stood up with a face that was struck with a brilliant idea. "Brothers, if we cuddle up and use our body heat, we will survive!"
. . .
The crowd went dead silent.
. . .
Shivers.
. . .
Rustle.
Snuggle.
The group eventually committed to the idea. Fortunately, it indeed worked like wonders.
Felix found himself near the center of the squished-together men. Although it was now pleasantly warm, he couldn't help but find another thing to complain about. "You bastards stink."
***
Ferris smirked as he enjoyed his rear being warmed.
After eating the meal that was now lukewarm, he went back to looting the degenerate.
He threw away his valuables into the dumpster, especially the "poison" he had.
What kind of idiot would even sniff this poison and find pleasure in it...
. . .
Ferris paused at his thoughts for a while before continuing to throw away the man's belongings.
Then the knife. It looks low quality—even my limbs are better.
Even if it was a good blade, Ferris didn't have the license to own a weapon, and so he tossed that away in the dumpster as well.
Of course, he also tossed away his leftover container and plastic bag.
A knight must protect the environment.
Before he could go to Golden Street, he stopped in his tracks.
A knight must always protect the weak.
Ferris turned towards the degenerate and sighed before grabbing the hoodie he took off and fitting it back on the degenerate, then dragging him into the dumpster's casted shadow.
Come on, use your blessing. Even if your unconscious.
The unconscious man stayed still with his back face against the wall. After a few seconds, the shadow grew darker and consumed the entire body.
Is this the right thing to do?
It was.
Ferris didn't know the degenerate's full story to conclude a final verdict. As a knight, all he could do was keep him safe.
A cockroach is only safe in the shadows...
Ferris walked along the expensive neighborhood.
The tall apartment buildings were now further away. What was left was now glamorous villas and mansions of the upper class.
So he took off his hoodie to not look too suspicious.
House number 77—compared to the other houses, this one was a bit simpler in design and was smaller.
Stepping onto the porch, he pressed the doorbell.
Before long, the front door opened and revealed a beautiful young lady with snow-white hair that changed color on the way down, matching her teal-colored eyes.
The picture in the ID matches, but it's strange... Why is she wearing a college uniform in the middle of the night? Ferris grabbed his pockets and handed her, her wallet.
"Oh! The wallet I accidentally dropped!" Layley exclaimed. Before she could check the insides of her wallet, Ferris was already leaving. "Wait a minute."
She stepped out her door and took out a hundred-dollar bill from the wallet. "Here, as thanks."
The Knight's Creed.
A knight must accept all reasonable forms of rewards with gratitude.
This is a reasonable amount—no, it's a gracious amount!
Without Ferris's knowledge, his other instinct kicked in as he kneeled down with his left leg and placed his right fist near his heart and his right planted on the ground.
"You honor me with your generosity, young lady."
. . .
Wait, this would normally be considered the proper way to say thank you.
But this was Ferris's world.
Lord... Have mercy on my soul.