by Yuri Ajin
***
Five days flew by in the blink of an eye. Every day, Kai spent eight to ten hours, fighting Sator. He couldn’t win, but he did his best to improve his skills and get the hang of how things worked in fights between powerful cultivators. Practicing with an experienced Exorcist like Sator, he managed to see the specifics of duels against enemies of this level.
He also devoted time to contemplating the concepts of Yin and Yang, using the particles he had collected in the Abyss and preserved in his concentrations. This way, in less than a week, he was able to upgrade Yin to the level of average understanding of the third layer, and Yang to the average understanding of the second layer.
“Well done. You managed to make me sweat harder than before,” Sator praised him. “The duel is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Are you sure you don’t want to practice again tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I have some errands to run,” Kai replied. “But don’t worry, it’ll only increase my chances of winning. I won’t waste the day.”
“All right.” Sator nodded. “Then, before you leave, I want to tell you two stories. More precisely, this is a request from my elder sister.”
“About what?”
“About her wound and Ranmaru’s slavery.”
Kai nodded.
“Actually, I lied. There will be three stories...” Sator thoughtfully looked at the night sky. “As you know, they’re both half-breeds. Their mother was a dorgan from the Voracious Raptors clan, and their father was an elf. He belonged to a not very well-known aristocratic family of the Tael Kingdom. They had only two things in common — the desire to grow stronger and the thirst for travel. This brought them together. They were of different kinds, and for them to have children, both needed to be at least Holy Lords. And they were. Two powerful cultivators who ran away, not giving a damn about their families and countries. They had Elea first, and sixteen years later, Ranmaru was born. And a year later, they... left. They went through the Gates of Ecumene to explore other worlds. Not the nicest story. But that’s what it is. Elea had to take care of little Ranmaru. I think you’re aware that the higher the level of the parents, the more chance their children will have a great talent. But do you know how this affects half-breeds?”
“No.”
“They’re likely to have a high level of energy control and a talent for mastering the Forces. But half-breeds also acquire the characteristics of both of their parents’ races. More precisely, they inherit all the negative traits. In this case, the weak elven bodies and the violent dorgan nature. Fun, right?”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Kai mused.
“I figured. Half-breeds are rare, as mixing of species rarely occurs. The power above the Elementalist Stage contradicts the laws of the universe, which is why it uses the Sacred Punishment of Heaven to get rid of... violators. But if a cultivator proves their uniqueness and survives at least one Punishment, then they can go beyond the framework of these laws, thanks to which they are able to have offspring with representatives of other species. But the children of Holy Lords aren’t their parents. They didn’t pass the Sacred Punishment, but by their very existence, they violate the laws of the world. The world doesn’t want this, which is why it imposes its own restrictions. However, these are just my theories.”
“What are you getting at?” Kai asked.
“I’m trying to give you a picture of how difficult it has been for these two to live and to get to where they are. Half-breeds rarely become True Masters. Especially if their parents aren’t around. Their difficulties are complicated for others to understand... Although...” Sator glanced at Kai. “It might be easier for you to understand. You’re a human, after all...”
“You don’t have a high opinion of my race.”
“I’m not talking about that. In our world, yes, humans are a rarity, but there are also purely human worlds that aren’t doing worse than ours in terms of development. I just mean that there’s nothing special about your race, and you’re still doing well. You see, I have been using the Forces of Wind since I was ten years old. In early childhood, some dorgans have the physical strength of an adult sylph, and elves manipulate energy as well as a human cultivator at the Soul Stage. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.” Kai nodded. “With those attributes, things become much easier. At least, in the beginning.”
“Exactly. But I heard somewhere that we’re considered to be among the younger races in the Ecumene, from which we can conclude that, somewhere, there are older ones. For example, some mythical beings like dragons or phoenixes... I’m getting too philosophical now. Basically, my point is that it has been extremely difficult for both Elea and Ranmaru to cultivate with negative traits they’ve inherited. But now that both of them have become Exorcists, I understand why they’re so powerful. It’s simply impossible to survive all they’ve survived and not come out strong.”
“How did you meet them?” Kai inquired.
Sator was silent for a few seconds.
“I was twenty. It was System Year seven hundred and two. I had been an Exorcist for six months. Wandering across Tael, I was unlucky enough to run into bandits. They put me in a cage and collared me. I thought I’d become a slave, but my luck returned. For some reason, they started a fight with the guards of a small town, and then Elea, who was there, helped me escape. She was already a very strong Exorcist at eighteen. Then she, Ranmaru, and I, together with a couple more slaves who also escaped before anyone had time to put marks on them, began to travel together. Ranmaru was only two years old at the time. It was then that we began to call her our elder sister. Six years later, I left for the Abode. There, I learned that half-breeds can gain the power of their parental races if they become Holy Lords. I found Elea and Ranmaru, after which I helped them get to the Trial. But, then...” Sator suddenly stopped.
“Let me guess. It was during the Trial that Elea got her injury?” Kai broke the silence.
“Yes.” Sator sadly sighed, clenching his fists. “Back then, she was at her strongest. She had a foundation of nine. I had no doubt that she’d easily get into the top hundred and then even enter the Cloud Ten. She was presumed to be the strongest among all the participants. But I was wrong... I didn’t know that another Great Genius would be in the Trial. And when two such masters collide... I couldn’t help her...”
“Who was it?”
Sator slowly raised his gaze.
“Can’t you guess? Who entered the Abode two years ago? Who conquered it faster than any of the cultivators of past centuries and millennia?”
The answer immediately came to him.
“That’s right,” Sator said when he saw Kai’s face. “Lightus Sixt. He wounded Elea’s astral body. However, I’m sure that he isn’t a Soul Master. Still, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t figure out what element he used to hurt Elea.”
“Any guesses, old man?”
“None,” Rune’Tan replied. “The wound’s too old. I can’t say much about it. As for the elements used for spirit attacks, there are many. It may even be Fire. I know of one such technique — Spirit Flame. It can serve as both a shield and a sword for the soul. But this is definitely not it. There is something else, but I can’t pinpoint what exactly. However, even if I do find out, I don’t think we can help the girl.”
Kai sighed. Deep down, he knew what the answer would be the moment he asked the question.
“Two stories down, one more to go,” he reminded Sator who was completely silent for several minutes.
“You’re right.” He nodded, pulling himself together. “I also need to tell you about Ranmaru... A month after he took tenth place, a rumor spread through the Abode that there was a certain elixir capable of healing even the most severe astral or Source injury. And Ranmaru, of course, wanted it. He found out that Tassarion had this recipe and turned to him. At first, Tassarion said no, driving Ranmaru to despair. But then he changed his mind and said that it’d take a lot of rare resources to create
this elixir. Ranmaru immediately began collecting them. He disappeared in anomaly zones for three months, searching for Spirit Herbs and Fruits that couldn’t be found even at the Abode Trading Hall. He lived on the edge, constantly putting his life on the line. It was his ki-drawing ability that allowed him to survive in those places. In the end, he collected the necessary resources and bought the ones he could find in the Abode. He hired some help, so this whole venture cost unreal sums of money. Tens of millions of Coins. And do you know what happened next?” Sator asked angrily.
Looking at him, Kai shook his head.
“That fucking jerk said he had changed his mind!” Sator shouted, and his eyes full of blue mist flashed several times brighter. Energy raged in his body along with emotions. “The bastard no longer wanted to do anything! Ranmaru was angry. We were all angry. So much so that a skirmish happened, during which he challenged Tassarion to a duel, demanding that he prepare the elixir as he promised. Tassarion agreed, but only on one condition that Ranmaru becomes his slave if he loses. I think you can guess what happened next.”
“Tassarion won.”
“Yes,” Sator said, calming down. “Easily. He was playing with Ranmaru, like with a puppy. And he didn’t just get him as a slave; he also took all the resources. He knew about them so it was too dangerous to give them to anyone else. Our faction was no more after that. Most went to the Sixth. The rest fled to other factions, except for the Fifth.”
This was the end of the conversation as they reached Elea’s house, where they parted. After that, Kai went to the inn, contemplating the stories he had been told.
Suddenly, he froze, remembering something very strange.
I was twenty. It was System Year seven hundred and two. I had been an Exorcist for six months. Wandering across Tael, I was unlucky enough to run into bandits...
“I was twenty. It was System Year seven hundred and two...” he mouthed. “...System Year seven hundred and two... Seven hundred and two?!”
Back on Saha, he was reborn in the year seven hundred and thirteen according to the System calendar, which was the same across Ecumene. At that moment, Kai was fourteen. Now, he was twenty-one. Seven years had passed, and this was seven hundred and twenty.
But if in the year seven hundred and two, Sator was twenty, then now he should be thirty-eight.
Everything seemed right except…
Except that he knew that Sator was forty-three.
Like all cultivators above the Mind Stage, Kai had an internal clock that could tell the exact time even after losing consciousness. That was why he didn’t use the System one. But for the first time since he met Rune’Tan, he opened it.
Age of Silence, Water Tiger’s Millennium, Year 725, day 210, 01:37:15
Kai couldn’t believe his eyes.
“So... When did five more years pass?”
Chapter 19
THE WEAKEST IN THE CLOUD TEN
The largest arena on the first floor was packed with students. Almost the entire Abode knew that Ranmaru would fight a mortal there today. The show promised to be interesting.
In addition to regular students, there were many important people present. Tassarion who, for example, gave the go-ahead for this fight. In addition to him, Raiden also came to watch the battle.
Besides Tassarion, no one knew about his presence. Being an undead, Raiden didn’t particularly like to appear in public. That was why he secretly came to the arena and immediately hid in the VIP box, from where he could watch the upcoming fight in peace.
What’s he doing here? Tassarion frowned. The rest of the Ten don’t seem to care about this, so why did this ghoul decide to come? He rarely ever leaves Lightus’ side. It’s suspicious. What’s going on here? Is he scheming something or did Lightus send him? Tassarion shook his head. Can’t be. He’s in the middle of a breakthrough. He doesn’t care about what’s happening in the Abode. Also, what’s taking him so long? He should’ve completed it two months ago. I doubt that something went wrong. Mia is constantly on guard there. I would’ve known if anything happened. Something else is going on. Doesn’t matter. I should focus on the fight.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Elea and Sator were discussing the upcoming battle.
“Will Kai show up?” Elea asked slightly excitedly.
“He will,” Sator replied. “I got to know him well over the past week. He’s not the type to run away.”
“I hope he can handle it,” Elea said. There was a slight hint of doubt in her voice. She knew that Kai was strong, but she knew better than anyone just how strong her brother was.
After a couple of minutes, Kai finally entered the arena, followed by shouts that came from the crowd.
“There he is!”
“Get lost, weakling!”
“Why are you even here?!”
The audience began to boo him furiously. It wasn’t a surprise, since most of them belonged to the Fifth Faction.
Shacks, who was among the spectators, chuckled. Ailenx, who was sitting next to him, on the contrary, winced. By this time, he had managed to climb to the second floor, reaching the five thousand three hundred and ninetieth place. When he heard about a duel between a mortal human and Ranmaru, he knew it had to be Kai. He doubted that there were more arrogant humans like him in the Abode.
“Idiots,” he spat, looking around the hooting crowd.
“They’ll soon realize how wrong they are.” Shacks grinned, throwing his legs over the back of the seat in front of him. The sylph sitting there jumped up, turned around, and was just about to hit him when he suddenly froze, his mind enveloped by the insane amount of bloodlust emanating from the cultivator in front of him. Trembling and sweating, he apologized and then walked away on stiff legs.
Ailenx instinctively twitched away from Shacks.
“What was that?” he asked, dumbfounded.
“Oh that... You see...” Shacks smiled slyly. “Everyone in this Abode is so serious... So I thought that maybe I should stop fooling around and really improve my skills. What do you think? Not bad, eh?”
Ailenx didn’t answer. Instead, he turned back to the arena, where the fight was about to begin.
I thought he was the most normal of the four. Turns out that he’s as insane as all of them. What the hell was that?! How did he pull that off? I didn’t feel such an eerie aura even from the junior elders of the sect, not even from the fucking Elementalists! The power is basic, but the properties... He’s a psychopath. Good thing that I volunteered to join them. I don’t want to think what they would’ve done to me if I had refused...
Shacks, meanwhile, remembered his conversation with Kai that morning when he asked him to open the System calendar. He was taken aback seeing the date. A lot of thoughts flashed through his mind at that moment, but Kai calmed him down.
As it turned out — or rather, as Rune’Tan explained it to Kai, who then explained to Shacks — passing through the Gates didn’t happen instantly. Teleportation over short distances was usually instantaneous. However, even between the closest active worlds, the distances were so great that it was very difficult and energy consuming to do it all in one go, which was why the Gates used the multiple hop method. That is, from Saha to Earth, there were ten teleportation sessions required, each of which happened at the maximum effective distance. No more, no less.
Also, a tiny amount of time was spent preparing for each new transfer. Between Saha and Earth, this delay was only a couple of seconds. But when Kai and the others were teleported to the region of the middle worlds, the distance turned out to be so massive (thousands of galaxies) that the transfer took a total of five years. And since for the duration of the transition, the System, for convenience, converts all matter into energy, keeping only particles of Forces intact (for example, in artifacts), souls and elements of the Path of Development (Meridians, Source, astral body, and so on), the travelers felt like the journey took only a moment... Because of that, everyone lost consciousness after the Gate had been activated
.
***
“He’s here! How did he get in?” Aldus, an end-level Exorcist, asked angrily. He was a broad-shouldered dorgan with short silver hair and thick eyebrows. Twenty-ninth on the List of Ten Thousand, he was the strongest member of the Great Pack and the strongest dorgan in the entire Abode, except for those half-beast cultivators that were getting ready to become Elementalists on the Heavenly Floor.
“Elder brother, the interception teams reported that no human passed by them,” his assistant replied, using the communication array. “He seemed to have immediately appeared near the arena’s entrance...”
“Are they delusional?!” Aldus blurted out, unleashing his anger through his aura.
“E...El... Elder br... Brother,” the assistant began to stutter as he could hardly stand on his feet.
“Sorry.” Aldus immediately removed the pressure, retaking control of his emotions. “Sorry, brothers.” He got up, looking at the wounded dorgans around him. “I couldn’t stop myself... I lost control,” he sincerely repented, shaking his head. He loved them all as if they were his blood brothers so he felt guilty for what he had done. “How did they let the human pass?”
“I suppose he somehow found out about the ambush, or someone helped him. After all, he has been successfully hiding from us all these months,” the assistant suggested.
“You understand that we can’t afford to make such mistakes? This human killed six of our brothers on the Ground floor, and then disabled fifteen more at the first floor gates! And then he waltzes back home like nothing happened! He’s mocking us! Can we forgive this?! Are we going to let him tarnish our names like this?! Are we going to let him get away with hurting our brothers?!”