"Crayon!"
"Crayon Wyatt!"
"Crayon V. Wyatt!"
Mary called my legal name in this world again and again, trying to stop the True Force lifting me thirty centimeters above the ground. But no matter how many times she called it, nothing happened. Staring at me in astonishment, she finally blurted out in disbelief, "What in the devil's name?"
Finally getting the reaction I had been hoping for, I erased the Gion tattoo and dropped back onto my feet. Mary stared at me for a moment before asking, "How did you do that?"
"It's my grim cypher's ability, False Fate," I answered with the lie I decided on. "With it, I can assume the identity of any Grimlock whose grim cypher is recorded in the Fate Index. In other words, I can simply change my true name."
I spoke with obvious enthusiasm, as if revealing a brilliant secret, "The interesting part is that I can switch identities whenever I want. So I never have to worry about the biggest drawback of using the gion tattoo, True Name Sutra."
"That's it. I'm officially jealous of your grim cypher," Mary remarked playfully, tossing her empty coffee cup into the bin with a light flick of her wrist. The paper cup rattled softly against the metal before settling inside. "Let's go, it's about time for the advanced survival and combat training class to start."
"I'm sorry, I can't. I still haven't finished the basic training in my dream domain as I was so focused on mastering the gion tattoo until I could use it instinctively that I never moved on to the next phase and failed to complete the training we talked about, but you go ahead," I confessed to Mary, knowing she had cleared her schedule to retake the advanced survival and combat training with me for her fitness test.
Apparently, the Institute required its researchers to pass yearly fitness exams if they wanted to apply for joint, large-scale, and long-term expeditions into the Grimmyth, such that they were prepared to be deployed at a moment's notice. These expeditions were usually at the provincial or prefecture level and were funded by the F.O.E. and major conglomerates. They were completely different from the expeditions carried out by individual institutes or independent research work. These expeditions made a great addition to one's resume, and Mary would never miss an opportunity to improve her resume.
"No need to apologize. I was a rookie too. But don't forget about it tomorrow. For now, let's head to the gym's medic bay so we can start preparing for the medic license exams," Mary said with understanding, changing her plans for the day to accommodate mine.
"Alright. So, how exactly am I going to be preparing for the exam?" I asked, wondering if Mary would have me heal patients in real time, mirroring her grim cypher. As someone without a medic licence could use their medical card to treat a patient in the presence and supervision of someone who does possess a medic license.
"By copying various medic-type grim cyphers. And where else would you find them but in medic bays? The more medic-type grim cyphers you have, the better you can use the study material I shared with your Grim ID to treat patients," Mary explained nonchalantly, as if it was a common fact that I should have known by now. After all, it was my grim cypher.
Her plan was unconventional. But considering what my Grim Cypher and Gioncore allowed me to do, it was the most efficient way to prepare for the medical licence in the shortest time. As I needed to get my medical license before they called me to register with the garrison reserve.
"Right, but I can't just ask them to trade there Cypher card info with me," I remarked, knowing that Grimlocks with copy-type Grim Cyphers usually paid other Grimlocks to copy their Grim Cyphers and use them. If they were close, they might allow someone to copy and use the Grim Cypher for free, like Mary had with me. Then there were cases like the time with the city leaders, whom I tricked to exchange their Cypher card info with me. However, it only worked because they were curious about my Grim Cypher and couldn't bully me into willingly sharing my Cypher card info with them.
"Don't worry, I know them. They would be more than happy to help an aspiring Grimlock Medic," Mary assured me. I could only trust her. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to ask to trade one's Cypher card info.
Soon we arrived at the medic bay, where the on-duty medics greeted us immediately. They all seemed to know Mary and appeared to be on good terms. She was a senior doctor in the garrison reserves, after all. Maintaining good relations with other doctors was key to her title.
With Mary's introduction and help, I managed to copy three different medic-type Grim Cyphers, paying each medic with a cup of Mary's favourite coffee. As she said they were more than willing to help.
After all, I was only one person so it wouldn't affect them or there jobs in any way. One of them had even been among the assistants who helped Mary create my Gioncore card.
[ — Fateless —
You have discovered Grim Cypher < Iaso's Touch > and recorded it in the Fate Index.]
[ — Fateless —
You have discovered Grim Cypher < Anti Leech > and recorded it in the Fate Index.]
[ — Fateless —
You have discovered Grim Cypher < Aceso's Breath > and recorded it in the Fate Index.]
I couldn't thank them enough for being so generous and kind to share their Grim Cyphers with me without asking for compensation. The coffee was just a courtesy. Honestly, I had never felt so good about choosing not to use my Fate Report to spy on and record others' grim cypher in my Fate Index.
With this, my resolve strengthened to use Fate Report on others only when it truly warranted it. I knew doing so would seriously limit how I used my Grim Cypher, but morally, I had never felt better.
In an era where everyone could wield great power, everyone also carried the responsibility to use it wisely. Just because I could and no one would be harmed didn't mean I should. It might seem dumb to many, but in the long run, it's my principles that will guide and define me.
After parting with Mary at the medic bay, I returned directly to my dorm as I had a lot to study in little time. Once there, entering my dream domain I memorized and studied the material she had shared for the medic license exam before continue my basic survival and combat training.