Celestial Speed: Legacy-Chapter 48: Predictive outcomes
The sound of metal clanging and hard taps coupled with the piercing and hitting of air, reverberated across the entire training field in Jane’s mansion.
A teenage boy could be seen striking... Well trying to strike a woman in her late 30s. He swiped his dagger and moved his fists in an orderly motion, maintaining his breathe and balance whilst trying to land an attack on the woman.
But the woman’s movement was also very impressive, she wasn’t holding any weapon neither was she trying to attack. She just kept evading the boy’s fist and dagger with ease, her feet and body moving with fluidity and precision, it looked like she was dancing.
And to top it all, she was smiling and having fun, contrast to the boy who carried both a serious look and disciplined aura. He was not having fun at all, this was rather a challenge.
"Come on Henry, it’s that all you got!" Alicia loudly stated from the side of the field which seemed to be a seating area for spectators. Jane’s training ground was more of an arena themed field.
Henry gritted his teeth. "I swear when I’m done with you, You won’t have the teeth to speak," he said sharply. He was getting frustrated already and Alicia’s taunting was only making it worse. He had been trying to hit Jane for 45 minutes now but wasn’t even close to laying a finger on her clothes, and he was sweating buckets.
"Now now, don’t fall for her distractions, remain calm and keep your head cool," Jane said with a serious tone, she was still teaching him even on the battle ground.
Henry paused and took a break, he took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off his face before getting into a fighting stance once again. He lunged forward and attacked, but this time his movements weren’t orderly, they were rather rough and babaric.
Jane smiled, she already knew what he was up to, charging in wildly was a stupid idea and was even something that martial artists strongly disapproved. But it was very effective against slender foes or opponents who aren’t fast enough to dodge.
"Ahhhh!" Henry cried and pushed his dagger forward, aiming for Jane’s brea... Cough* Chest. But she saw it and quickly stopped the attack by grabbing his arm tightly.
Henry immediately dropped the dagger but it didn’t land on the ground like Jane expected, instead it fell into Henry’s free hand which was already in front of her stomach. He caught the dagger quickly and thrust it towards Jane’s gut, but he suddenly felt a strong force stop the attack, Jane hadn’t caught his arm this time, she had caught the blade.
"Oi, are you trying to get my mother gutted?" Alicia yelled from her seat, holding unto Axel who seemed to be enjoying the fight.
Henry ignored her, he was locked in a battle with Jane, a battle of strength. He pushed the dagger with all his might, while Jane held onto the blade keeping it from piercing her stomach. The sharp blade didn’t seem to be doing any damage to her hands as she clutched it tightly.
"Nice move, but..." she said before a large grin appeared on her face. She let go of the dagger and it went forward into her stomach.
This stunned Henry greatly, he wasn’t actually trying to stab his teacher, he just wanted to keep her locked and think of how to end the spar. He didn’t expect Jane to suddenly let go, he tried pulling the dagger backwards or sideways but the force was to strong.
Henry had a worried look as the dagger went forward, he gritted his teeth and expected the worst, but it never came. In contrast to the flesh piercing sound that should have been heard, Henry instead heard that of metal bending.
Henry stared in horror as his dagger, the trusty red dagger he had come to rely on was now disfigured. The blade had been bent and even cracked, while Jane stood there with an unpierced stomach.
"How?" Henry voiced out, raising the dagger who’s blade had now completely fallen off, the hilt was all that was left of it.
Jane smiled and released Henry’s arm which she had tightly grasped earlier. "It’s simple, your dagger was too weak to penetrate my skin, so it broke," she explained, but Henry still didn’t understand. How does metal break? Is that even possible?
"Wait, what!" Henry exclaimed. "This was a rare grade weapon, it’s impossible!" he claimed
"Was it though?" Jane asked with a smirk
That’s when Henry understood, he facepalmed himself and sighed. "How could I have forgotten, so stupid!" he muttered to himself. He had come to realize that letting Jane touch his dagger was a grave mistake, her ability allowed her to boost weapons in rank and quality and at the same time de-rank and degrade them.
"Hahaha! Look at your face, you probably thought mum had iron abs or something," Alicia laughed as she walked towards them.
Henry frowned, trying to hide his embarrassment and surprise. "How did she know?" It was the exact thing he had first arrived at, it was a stupid guess but who could blame him.
Alicia noticed this and smiled mischievously. "Ha! So you did think of it!" she burst into laughter again which only annoyed Henry further.
"Oh, getting angry heh? Who’s the nerd now?" she grinned
Henry was completely stunned, he had a flabbergasted look on his face. "She heard it? But that was five days ago!" he thought and stared at Alicia as she walked up to her mother with Axel in her hands.
She had not only heard Henry call her a nerd but had also thought of a way to get back at him, it was why she offered to watch them spar in the first place. All so she could taunt Henry throughout the entire fight, and she had succeeded.
"That’s right big black, i win." Alicia said with a diabolical smile, rubbing her hands across the little cub’s back, acting in the cliche, villain stroking cat’s back.
Henry just sighed and turned to Jane, who had just been staring at them nonchalantly, it was normal for her to see children bicker and tease one another, afterall she grew up with someone she had to share everything with.
"Wait! She’s not surprised that Alicia is acting this way, which means... she already knew that her daughter was a crazy bitch," Henry murmured in his head
"Alright that’s enough you two, and Alicia cut Henry some slack. This is why you don’t have a boyfriend," Jane scolded, but with an harmless smile.
Alicia had her mouth wide open, she hadn’t expected her mother to say something like that, and in front of Henry. She wanted to just disappear and never exist again, it was too embarrassing, and it Henry’s turn to laugh.
"Mum! Why would you say that to me!" she teared up. "I feel so betrayed, i supported you mother, why?" Alicia cried, shedding crocodile tears
But her mother wasn’t buying her act, instead she took Axel from her and scolded her even further. "You have been holding him for a long time now, it’s time you learnt to let go. We don’t want to have a clinger now do we?" Jane said before cuddling the little cheetah and leaving the field with it.
"Training’s over for today Henry, get freshened up and have dinner with us, and Alicia, get Henry a towel," Jane voiced out before disappearing from the place not waiting for any of them to reply.
Alicia gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, Henry had never seen her this angry, it was all too fascinating.
"Laugh, i know you want to," Alicia said softly, turning her gaze away from him.
Henry was even more surprised, ecstatic but surprised, Alicia’s personality had completely switched and her current expression was just too cute to resist. But he didn’t fall for her tricks.
"I don’t feel the need to laugh, seeing you like this is very satisfying," he chuckled but immediately regretted his words as they were just another gateway for Alicia’s taunts, and she didn’t waste the opportunity.
Her expression changed to that of woman in heat, she licked her lips seductively and spoke. "Heh! Really? Does that mean you would love to see me act cute and call you dad..."
"Cough* Cough*, I think we should leave now," Henry quickly interrupted her and began walking away.
"Wait up!" she followed along and caught up to him. "I was so upset that mum took your side and even took Axel away from me,"
Henry chuckled and looked at her. "Atleast you get to experience the scolding of your mother, i can’t even remember what my mother’s voice sounded like," he muttered with pain in in his voice.
Alicia saw this and grabbed his hand, intertwining it with hers as they walked, Henry was stunned but he didn’t take his hand away, he just stared at her and smiled.
"I don’t know what it’s like, not having memories but... Everything is going to okay, you have new friends and a family now, and you’ll make new... special ones," Alicia assured him with a genuine smile.
Henry nodded with a wry smile, what he actually meant was that he was an orphan who had done so many bad things, and had even forgotten his mother’s voice. But he didn’t expect Alicia to match it up to the fact that he ’Didn’t’ have memories.
"Well I guess it would be the only explanation afterall. But either way, her speech was... comforting," he thought
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Henry said with a smile
"Sure, go ahead," she replied with a brightened face looking like it was something she had always wanted to hear.
"How exactly does your ability work? You seem to know everything!" Henry stated
"Oh... That’s what you wanted to ask," Alicia said with a disappointed look but Henry didn’t get the memo at all, he just wanted to get his answers.
"Uh... Was she expecting me to ask something else?" he thought
"Well, if you must know, my ability... Well my algorithm has a function that allows me to predict possible outcomes for things. Attacks, thoughts, moves and even events. But it’s only 75 percent accurate, so it’s like a 50/50 chance but one of the options would definitely be true," she explained
Henry had a look of understanding. "That’s explains why she knows almost everything, it’s like an accurate guess. That is really terrifying, and it’s only part of the capabilities of inner machine," he muttered to himself.
"Well I think it’s very impressive, you should be like the smartest person ever," Henry voiced out with admiration .
Alicia giggled. "Thanks, but we’re about 30 in the world with this ability and as for the smartest person in the world, that would be my aunt, and she’s doesn’t even possess the inner machine ability," she stated
"Wow, so few of you. But how can your aunt be smarter than you guys that can predict answers?" Henry asked, he was getting intrigued already. Somehow hanging out with Alicia made him interested in things like science and stuff.
"Well there are other people with the abilities to predict as well, which includes the director of triad. But my aunt created her own algorithm, one whose functions are 95 percent accurate, which should literally be impossible," Alicia stated with stars in her eyes, she admired her aunt a lot.
"Your aunt must be really cool," Henry muttered
"Yeah, she is. And she told me to tell you that you’ll be getting the first batch tomorrow," Alicia replied
Henry’s smile broadened. "Finally," he muttered to himself before he and Alicia entered the guest house where Henry already had a room.
Five days ago, just after Henry handed Axel over to Alicia, Jane had contacted and told him that she had returned and they could resume their activities. He had been training and sparring with Jane ever since while also getting his daily speed boost and anticipating another certain boost which he would be getting from Alicia’s aunt.
After taking a bath and having dinner with Jane and Alicia, Henry went back to the hotel and fell into his bed. He was too tired to go to the hunting ground, he hadn’t been there in the past few days either but had plans to visit the place the next day.
[Speed Rate: 720km/hr]
Henry smiled in satisfaction after checking his speed and drifted into slumberland.
