The next day came, and it was time for Elric to meet Mr.Chowicz and learn about the Tree of Life. They were supposed to meet at Three Squares arena, which was like a big 3 square.
Elric had walked past this place a few days back when he was looking around the city, but honestly, he still hadn't gotten a good feel for the city's layout. Sila had shown him around that time. He thought about buying a map so he wouldn't get lost, but since he hadn't found a job yet, he didn't want to spend money on anything more than food.
The meeting was set for 7 a.m., but Elric, worried about losing his way, woke up extra early, around 5:30, to give himself plenty of time. He did his usual morning things before eating the breakfast the inn provided. He chatted with some people nearby, but nothing special really came up.
When it was time to go, he left the inn and started looking for where they were supposed to meet. To be honest, Elric was super excited. He'd barely slept, just rolling around in bed for about two hours before he finally managed to fall asleep.
He'd seen people fight, use Lexecon, and even the Tree of Life. He really wanted that kind of power for himself. Maybe it was just because he was still young, or maybe he wanted to be strong enough to protect himself if he ever ran into trouble again, like with those twins or the robbery.
He asked people for directions as he went, just to make sure he was going the right way. By about 6:30, he got to the meeting spot.
The training ground was much bigger than he thought. Most of it had this smooth, tough material on the ground that was supposed to soak up impacts. There were light sandy courts for practicing how to move, stone platforms for weapon drills, and a big open area in the middle that looked like it was for actual fights. Along the edges, there were rows of training dummies—some made of wood, some metal, and some clearly patched up many times from getting hit. Off to the side, you could see target posts, stone panels, walls for power training, and neat rest areas with water and gear. The whole place felt very organized, sturdy, and smelled like people had been working out hard there.
Elric looked around and saw a good number of people already there, even though it was so early. Some were practicing fighting, some were showing off their Tree of Life and using Lexecon powers, while others were just doing physical training—like working on their moves, getting stronger, or using weapons.
He felt a bit better when he saw a few people trying to make their Tree of Life appear but not succeeding. They were probably like him, trying to wake it up.
After all, not many people really knew much about this power. Most thought only a special few could use it, but that went against what he'd read in that big book. The book said everyone had mana, a little or a lot. If that was true, then everyone could potentially have this power.
As it got closer to 7 a.m., Chowicz showed up right on schedule. He was dressed pretty casually this time, not like when they first met. That probably made sense since they were at a training ground and needed to be able to move around easily.
Thinking about clothes, Elric got quiet in his head. He'd completely forgotten about his own clothes. Back home, his parents always picked out his outfits because he could never make up his mind, so it was never something he had to worry about. The same went for money; his parents didn't want him spending time on part-time jobs before he finished school. They wanted him to just study and then get a job after graduating. Money was never really an issue for him.
Now, living alone in a strange place, besides just staying alive, he had to handle simple things he'd never even considered before—like worrying about money, just like adults do, or buying his own clothes.
It felt a lot like paying taxes for the very first time; nobody really knows what they're doing when they start.
Luckily, the inn gave him clothes, but he'd have to give them back if he left. Even though he had a place to sleep, it was only for a week, and those twin drug dealers had paid for it. He'd checked the cost: 3 cerulean Stones a week, or 11 if you got the monthly deal.
As he was lost in thought, Chowicz came closer.
"We'll get started right away. Let's find a quieter spot; there are too many people training here, and I won't be able to make myself heard."
Elric agreed and walked with him further inside. Once they found a good spot, Chowicz made his Tree of Life appear.
It wasn't just bigger and wider than any tree Elric had ever seen; it had huge leaves, fruits, roots, and other parts, like a tree that had been around for hundreds of years.
"Don't listen to those rumors that only certain people can use the Tree of Life. The truth is, everyone can. Think of it like your heart; everyone needs one to live."
Elric raised his hand, wanting to say something. "Twenty years ago, new technology came out that lets people live even if their heart completely stops working."
He said it with confidence.
Chowicz looked a bit surprised, his face clearly showing he meant it. "People have been talking about that for 200 years... so it actually happened? I must have been in the Demon Realm when that came out."
Not wanting to get sidetracked, he went back to the lesson. He pointed to the roots.
"These are like the basic building blocks of your powers. You can make them stronger and grow them in different ways."
Then he pointed to the branches. "These are your elemental branches. They show what your natural element is. To use skills, abilities, Lexecon, or any kind of power, you need to match it with your specific element."
He kept going, just filling Elric's mind with information. "Spirit Leaves—these show your mind and spirit. The more you have, the more Lexecon you can turn on. They also let you mix different powers, make cooldowns shorter, help you focus better, and rearrange your Lexecon slots."
Next, he pointed to the fruits. "These are fruits of potential. They stand for what you want to achieve and how you'll grow in the future."
Finally, he pointed to the main trunk. "This decides how much mana you can hold. If a Lexecon needs more mana than your tree can handle, you just won't be able to use it."
After going over the basics, Chowicz gave Elric a piece of paper.
Elric took it and read carefully. It had a list of Lexmancer ranks:
1. Blessed One
2. Lexark
3. Echo of Lexecon (Echo)
4. Lexbound
5. Inscribed
6. Carver
7. The Written
8. Follower of the Script
9. Born with Letters
Chowicz said casually, "Each level is often split into low, mid, and high, but that's just a way people guess by looking. Really, those smaller divisions aren't officially a thing, but folks use them anyway."
Elric nodded, showing he understood, but then he got curious and had to ask.
"What level are you?"
Chowicz answered right away. "Above Inscribed."
Even though he didn't say it outright, that meant he was at least level 6, a Carver. That was really strong. Thinking about the Tree of Life again, Elric felt even more respect for him. But then, another question popped into his head.
"When I looked at your Tree of Life, I didn't see any Lexecon at all. Usually, there are colors around it—I thought those were the Lexecon."
Chowicz gave a small smile, clearly impressed. His voice got a little softer. "When you reach higher levels, you get more abilities. At my level, I can hide my Lexecon. I kept them hidden because today we're only concentrating on the Tree of Life."
Elric nodded.
Chowicz kept on teaching the basics. There weren't any easy ways or secret tricks. The main thing was to just feel the power. Schools might teach meditation, but his way was simply to hold out your hand until it worked.
It sounded weird, but a lot of his students had managed to wake up their Tree of Life by doing just that.
If you learned this much at a school, it would cost 10 to 20 cerulean Stones, and they'd probably still keep some things secret. But Chowicz taught everything thoroughly and patiently. This made Elric, who had known absolutely nothing about the Tree of Life, respect him a lot and understand it much better.
Around noon, they took a break.
"Don't worry about it. It took me three months to get my Tree of Life to wake up."
Elric looked a bit worried. "Can this be used in the narrative?"
"Sure, but the power won't be as strong."
Hearing that he could use it in the narrative, a place that usually gave him headaches and made figuring things out tough, gave him some hope. Maybe Lexecon and the Tree of Life could make things easier for him.
"Should we grab something to eat?" Elric asked.
Chowicz shook his head and pointed. "I already sent another student, who just woke up, to go get food."
Elric followed where he was pointing and saw a familiar face. In his left hand was a bright pink bag packed with snacks, drinks, and enough food for three people. The young man walked in a relaxed way, holding a coffee cup in his right hand—with twenty spoons of sugar in it.
It was Sila.
When he saw Sila, Elric's mind started putting things together quickly. He remembered Chowicz talking about a weird student who always woke up late. Sila had also mentioned having a teacher. And Elric had never seen him around in the mornings.
All the pieces of the puzzle just clicked into place.
"Oh, so you're the new student?" Sila said, putting down the food and drinks.
Chowicz looked surprised for a moment, then quickly happy. He had been concerned the new student and the old one wouldn't get along, especially with Sila's odd habits. Seriously, who drinks coffee with twenty spoons of sugar?
"If you two are already friends, that's even better. You can train with each other."
Elric turned, looking annoyed. "I don't want any friends. He's not my friend."
Chowicz looked a bit confused but didn't say anything, turning to Sila instead.
Sila, just sipping his coffee without a care, didn't seem to mind.
"One day, I'll make you accept me as your friend, Elric."