Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 15 Training and Perseverance

Being unfamiliar with the place, Zhang Yuan chose to go out with the cheap captain to solve the problem of dinner. Ska led his little follower to a small tavern and threw himself into a chair.

"Boss, one onion and meat sauce lasagna, and a glass of Golden Sand wine."

Following suit, Zhang Yuan also ordered a lasagna, but when he wanted to order a Dragon Brand beer, he was told that it was not available.

Ska smiled and said, "You also like Old Nanqu's Dragon Beer? What a pity. Unlike Shadow Ale, which can be bought everywhere, Dragon Beer is brewed using a secret recipe passed down in the Byroglin family."

"By the way, do you know why Southchow's tavern is called Three Old Barrels?" Scar, getting excited, began to show off his extensive knowledge: "When Southchow first came to Baldur's Gate alone from his family, his tavern hardly had any customers and wasn't well-known. But then he decisively took three barrels of Dragon Beer from his home and placed them at the tavern entrance, letting passersby taste them for free. That's how the tavern's reputation spread."

What's this? A version of "good wine needs no bush" in another world? But to be fair, it's truly rare and commendable that such advertising thinking exists in an environment where the commercial culture is not mature.

"Then I'll have a glass of Jinsha wine too."

Zhang Yuan was very satisfied with the dinner. The affordable price was matched by the delicious taste, and it was even more delicious when the team leader was treating.

The lasagna tasted somewhat similar to the Italian lasagna I'd had before, except instead of tomato sauce, it used a mixture of chopped onions and cheese, layered with minced meat and pasta, and baked until golden brown and crispy. One spoonful... hmmm
It lacks the sweet and sour taste of tomatoes, but gains the richness of cheese and the savory aroma of minced meat and onions.

As its name suggests, Jinsha wine is presented in a slightly cloudy orange-yellow liquid. When the glass is shaken slightly, tiny particles rise from the bottom.

Upon tasting, I found the wine to be sweet and sour, with a mild alcohol flavor and a strong aroma of oranges. The refreshing fruit wine nicely balanced the richness of the lasagna.

Satisfied, he returned to the base with the captain. As they said goodbye, Ska said, "Most of the team members will be back tonight or tomorrow morning. You will also participate in training tomorrow."

"Also, get some rest."

"You too, goodnight, captain."

After taking care of his personal hygiene in the upstairs bathroom, Zhang Yuan returned to his bedroom and began preparing for the next day's magic.

After some thought, he decided that mage armor was still the safest option, but he hesitated about the choice of the other spell slot.

Should I continue with Laroque's Weak Energy Drain or summon a summoned creature?
The former's damage and lifesteal are quite practical, while the latter can summon a magical pet that is bound to the mage for life. This pet not only has high intelligence and special skills, but also provides the mage with a considerable amount of vitality in the early stages of the game.

Thinking about training with the other team members tomorrow, the little mage still chose to summon a magical pet so that he could show off his skills at the right time. After all, you can't just throw spells at your teammates.

Having completed his preparations for the spell, Zhang Yuan immediately sprawled on the bed. Although it was still a hard wooden plank bed, at least the sheets and blankets were freshly washed and much cleaner than those in the inn.

Perhaps because so much had happened during the day, this person was still quite excited, imagining what kind of teammates they would meet tomorrow, and envisioning the comedic scene of soaring to new heights after training and crushing a certain unscrupulous captain.

Lost in thought, I closed my eyes, kicked my legs, pulled the covers over myself, and fell asleep.

Zhang Yuan thought to himself upon waking up that he had no dreams all night.

Why do I say that? Because this guy is even hoping to gain special abilities through dreams each time a new chapter begins, like the protagonist, the Son of Baal. I've started a new chapter in my otherworldly life, so can't the system at least offer some kind of benefit?

Unfortunately, the system remained unresponsive as always, and Zhang Yuan gave up in frustration. However, two spell slots were really not enough, he sighed inwardly.

After washing up, Zhang Yuan went downstairs thinking about where to go for a stroll and have breakfast. Unexpectedly, some team members had already gathered on the training field to warm up and prepare, including his own captain.

Ska also spotted his cheap mage at this moment, waved to him, and after Zhang Yuan went over, said seriously, "This is your last leisurely morning. From today onwards, you will participate in the team's training every day. Now start warming up and get ready to begin your morning training."

The path was chosen by myself, and although I was somewhat unwilling, I had no choice but to obey.

Fortunately, my body has been improved. Someone who used to be out of breath after running two kilometers can now easily run five kilometers.

This is just the appetizer; much more and heavier training awaits this newbie.

“Raise your hand a little higher. How many times have I told you? Keep your wrist straight when holding the sword. No, I didn’t tell you to use all your strength.”

"Footsteps, footsteps, how many times have I emphasized this? Pay attention to your footwork. You're even easier to push over than a woman."

"Where are your eyes looking? Don't just focus on their weapons,"

Having completed his strength training, Zhang Yuan began training in footwork and combat skills, which also ushered in a day of torment that left him feeling like he was in heaven.

Normally, Ska is very approachable, cheerful, and generous, but on the training field, he seems to become a different person. He has strict requirements and standards, harsh and sarcastic criticism, and is ruthless. If there is any mistake, the wooden sword in his hand will definitely react faster than Zhang Yuan himself.

The tormented newbie began to question whether Scar was the real Scar or an evil shapeshifter in disguise. No, even shapeshifters wouldn't be this ruthless. It must be that an experienced driver from Earth's driving school had also traveled over, or perhaps his soul had entered this guy's body.

Unsurprisingly, Zhang Yuan, who was inwardly cursing, made another mistake. Before he could even adjust his footing, Ska's greatsword struck him hard on the buttocks.

*Crunch* It sounds like someone's back molar broke...

Zhang Yuan, having decided to go all out, finally finished the morning training, albeit with some setbacks and being scolded until he was dizzy.

Zhang Yuan had just finished training and taken a couple of sips of water when Shika pulled him back onto the training field. "What are you doing? Can't a person rest?"

Ska ignored him, but instead raised Zhang Yuan's left hand and shouted to the other team members on the field: "Brothers of Flame Fist, today, a newcomer has joined our team, and the power of justice has grown stronger."

Faced with this situation, the newbie was a bit at a loss and could only pretend to be generous and wave to his teammates.

But then Ska's words suddenly changed: "Although Lord Chanem is a spellcaster, he still insists on undergoing our melee training. Therefore, you should not hold back in your combat practice; just treat him as an ordinary soldier."

Please, I beg you, just treat me like a mage and worship me. A certain mage who is clearly capable of casting spells but insists on playing melee combat is inwardly weeping.

(End of this chapter)