Battle OF Grammar: Word Fu!

Chapter 7 - Unpacking Entrance Package

Due to Dam Son’s swift victory over Cinder Burn, his next and final opponent didn’t show much promise. That Demi-Human was too intimidated to throw a punch. Hence Dam Son defeated him with ease, becoming the victor of his 4^th match.

“Winner! Applicant-620 has earned the right of enrolment!” The referee came over to Dam Son and stamped a unique symbol on his Papyrus. “Go to the judges’ counter to collect your entrance package. The stamp I gave you will validate your 4 victories and grant you access to Raixom Academy.”

“Oh, thanks!” Dam Son hopped off the stage in elation with Papyrus following his shadow.

“Congratulations, newborn. You weren’t so bad for your first time in combat.”

“It was that Copy Script that helped me get accustomed to the feel of combat faster. Will I be able to use it again if I have more MAPL (Martial Arts Powered Letters)?”

“Yes, but with some limitations.” Papyrus answered. “Each script that you currently have are Basic Immortals. This means you can reuse them as many times as you want as long as you have the Powered Letters to support them. However, these Basic Immortal Scripts each have a cool-down limitation which varies depending on the ability type and application effectiveness.

Other than Immortal Scripts there are also Mortal Scripts, Heavenly Scripts, Beastly Scripts, Villainous Scripts and many more. Mortal Scripts possess more power than regular Immortal Scripts. As such, they can only be used a few times before completely disappearing. As for Heavenly Scripts and Beastly Scripts, they both have no cool-down limitation, no destructible time limit and can be used continually as long as they are being supplied by Powered Letters. Villainous Scripts are considered to be the deadliest since they have an 89% chance of killing their user after utilization. These scripts are currently banned in Vocabular.”

“Wow, so scripts like those exists as well? Where did you get all this knowledge Papyrus? Are all Guides created with them pre-installed or did you acquire them from your previous owner? ”

“Irrelevant. Go ahead and collect your entrance package.” Once again Papyrus avoided giving a clear answer to its master.

Dam Son went ahead to the judges' counter to claim his entrance package.

“Here you go, young man. Everything to get you started is inside. We hope to see some promising results from you at our academy.”

“Yes, thank you very much, sirs and mams. I’ll do my best.” Finish paying his gratitude to the judges, Dam Son collected the package. It was a medium-sized box that felt slightly heavy. “I wonder what’s inside.” Dam Son was about to check the contents of his package on the spot but was immediately stopped by Papyrus.

“No, don’t open it here. Too many eyes are watching. They might try to steal your valuables.”

“Huh, why would anybody do that?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You have a lot to learn about the wicked nature of humans, newborn. I will do well to educate you later. For now, let’s get out of here first.”

“Wait, before we go. I want to see the other matches currently taking place at the other blocks. Gathering as much visual experience as possible could help me grow a lot faster.”

“Not a bad idea. Alright, I’ll lead the way. But let me inform you beforehand that I won’t be able to store many hours of footage due to my limited Space Sheet.”

“There must be a way to upgrade that right?”

“Of course. You will have to visit one of the local Wordsmiths that is well versed in Guide development to purchase an upgrade.”

“Ok, when I earn enough Q-currency I’ll make sure to do that.” Dam Son went ahead and watched the remaining matches that evening which took place at the Mystic Arena. When all of the admission matches came to an end for the day, he left on a chartered Book Vehicle.

Considering his limited amount of Mundane Letters, Dam Son couldn’t afford to spend the night at a residential inn. Thus he settled in a secluded forestry close to the outskirts of Raixom town. Dam Son didn’t mind his current living condition. Before he acquired intelligence; gaining a human form, most of his prior nature was spent being a gemstone. His core form was among the family of sediments. It wasn’t until Blue Almighty sacrificed his Creative Word Compilation that Dam Son was brought to new life.

At a small clearing in the forestry where the voices of nocturnal insects were tuning regularly, Dam Son sat with the package in his lap. “Now I can open this right?”

“Go ahead.” Papyrus told him.

“Alright.” Dam Son went ahead and unwrapped the knot that tied the package then opened the lid. What he found inside were several thick sheets that had many different formations of symbolic graphs etched onto them. “Papyrus help me out here.” Dam Son started taking out all of the thick sheets placing them side by side on the smoothly cut grass.

“I believe these are encrypted Noun Scripts.” Said Papyrus after inspecting the objects laid out on the grass. “They can only be accessed with a specific decryption key.”

“What? There is nothing like that inside.” Dam Son searched through the contents of the box but didn’t discover any sort of key.

“Wait, I think this might be it.” Papyrus flipped to a page that had an animated red sigil imprinted.

Dam Son recognized it. “Isn’t that the stamp of approval issued by the referee back at the Mystic Arena?”

“It is. This must be the key.” Papyrus sent the sigil onto the several sheets of paper. “I think they are unlocking.”

Papyrus was indeed correct. The unique red sigil unlocked all of the encrypted Noun Scripts. In place of them were now the following objects: 2 complete sets of Raixom Academy’s signature armband; a pamphlet; TR-key; 100 Q-currency; 100 Mundane Letters; 50 Martial Arts Powered Letters, 50 Magic Powered Letters, 50 Augmented Powered Letters and 50 Superpower Letters.

“What is this?” The first thing Dam Son picked up among the many objects was the TR-key.

Papyrus explained the nature of the object. “That is a key for the Tower of Residence located inside of Raixom Academy.”

“Is that like a private living quarter?”

“Pretty much. I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no. you can’t go there yet, not until the academy officially opens for new students which is in 2 days from now.”

“Ok.” Dam Son perused the other items spread about on the grass. He skimmed through the pamphlet and found out a few things. “Once the academy’s gates are closed after entry, students are restricted from leaving the compound of their own accord unless special permission is given. So will students be imprisoned there?”

“Don’t think of it as being imprisoned. Raixom Academy is extremely vast. It occupies the majority of the city’s space. Everything that you need for development is there. They implanted this measure mostly because they don’t want undisciplined students to leak their secret teaching methods to outsiders. Also, they want to nurture young talents while keeping them safe from getting snatched away by foreign academies.”

“I see. Look, I also earned some Q-currency. If I convert the Mundane Letters I acquired then I will have approximately 300 Q-currency. Isn’t this how much you told me the ink cost, Papyrus?”

“Yes, but I advise against purchasing a Letters Ink for now. Wait until you enter the academy. They will probably give students a discount. The rest of these items are pretty much straightforward.”

“Ok. Let’s pack them up.” Other than the Q-currency and Powered Letters that Papyrus absorbed, Dam Son converted all the items back into unlocked Noun Script and threw them into his sapphire suitcase. “Since only 2 days remains until the academy opens, I should improve my borrowed martial arts skill.”

“I’ll help you out.” Papyrus tossed out 4 Basic Noun Scripts which transformed into 4 punching dummies for Dam Son to practice with.

“Sweet! While you’re at it, show me the footage of those Word Fu fighters that you captured from the last admission matches.”

“As you wish.” Papyrus produced several other pages which depicted the prior matches that took place at the Mystic Arena. The way how it looked was very similar to advance animated line art with zero colours. Papyrus couldn’t show any coloured footage due to its lack of Letters Ink.