by L. M. Kerr
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
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Chapter 1
Several weeks later…
.. .. .. .. .. ..
"The world is one, I am the world." Micheal's voice echoed softly as he sat in meditation, on a lone outcropping on the side of one of the towering skyscrapers. This particular outcropping was located deep within the territory of the Godfather Organization, facing the large, empty grass plains on the edge of the Cluster.
"The rhythm of the world… the heartbeat of the universe…" He continued, his eyes shut.
"Grasp it. Draw upon it. Shape it." In his hands, he held a long and slim black sword, made of a material that reflected no light. It was pitch black, yet had an extremely keen edge.
An Ashari Blade, a weapon that cost him 38,000 Points in the Shop. An actually decent sword that would be able to hold up if he used his Sword Energy, all the way up to the Advanced Tier, without becoming damaged.
It would even last for a few swings if he used Master Tier Sword Energy, leaps and bounds beyond the Steelborn Sword or White Steel Swords he had previously used.
'When I first arrived, my Soul stat restricted me to Intermediate Tier Sword Energy.' Back then, he could just barely use Advanced Tier Sword Energy if he went all out. The thought flashed through his mind as he opened his eyes.
'Now, however…’ He took a deep breath.
"Wield it."
Red energy swarmed around his hand, imbuing itself into the blade he held. All around him, the world seemed to flow back and forth for a brief moment.
An instant later, a horrifying aura of sharpness emanated from the sword he wielded. A feeling that felt as if the sword could cut through anything it faced, a feeling that there was literally nothing in existence back on Earth that could stop it.
A slightly strained look appeared on his face, as if this action was somewhat strenuous.
"Ahh." He exhaled, smiling slightly. The horrifying aura of sharpness dissipated, the sword returning to normal as he glanced down at it with a smile.
He was instantly able to determine that he could freely use Intermediate Tier Sword Energy, and Advanced Tier in limited amounts, enough for four to five attacks. If he used his Ashari Blade with that, each attack would’ve become strong enough to shear through Pirate Lord Brandon’s armor with ease.
'The increase in my Soul stat is a bit helpful, but it's mostly because of my stronger body that I can handle the burden.’ Micheal’s biggest priority, he decided, would be on upping his Soul stat. The sooner he could use Master Tier or Grandmaster Tier Sword Energy, the better, though actually using that energy required more than just a strong Soul.
'Status.'
— - Status — -
Name: Micheal Care
Points: 25,820
Race: Human
Physique: 1 Star
Age: 18
- Stats -
Strength - 40 -> 50
Endurance - 28 -> 36
Recovery - 26 -> 34
Soul - 10 -> 13
Abilities - (4/7)
Life Orb Master
Ki Cultivator (Mortal Tier - Late)
Grandmaster Sword Mastery (1/5)
Impact Release
.
'Hmm.' He took a moment, looking it over. He decided to mentally tally his improvements, his eyes flashing.
'My Strength is already at 50… The strength of 5 men.' He set his sword into his lap as he held out a fist, slowly clenching it.
'I could probably take on a regular Morenkai with my bare hands now, without resorting to any tricks.' A few well-placed punches could cause serious damage. His body was strong enough now that it could bear a few strings of Sword Energy, enough to boost his attack power.
50 Points of Strength was what he reached in his first life with his Mortal Tier Ki Cultivation, but only when he grew it to the Peak Stage. Now, however, he had only entered the Late Stage and had already reached that level. He had even managed to increase his Soul stat by 3 Points.
‘When I originally reached the Peak Stage of Mortal Tier Ki Cultivation, it only grew by 2 Points.' He smiled,
'This must be the difference between Physiques, huh?' A stronger Physique would make his Ki Cultivator Ability grow stronger and stronger, far more than those with weaker Physiques.
It was a large reason why the Tribes of Deities were called as such. A member of one of the God Tribes could be lazy and cultivate at 10% the speed of a regular human, and still achieve better results. It wasn't fair, but then again, life wasn't fair.
Even with the Shop, the Physiques of the other Races, as well as their unique systems of Magic or Cultivation, or whatever special powers they had, overwhelmed humanity.
He also felt that the increase had to do with his experience. He was doing everything perfectly now, without any mistakes. This led to greater gains and fewer losses.
'A 3 Point increase in my Soul stat is useful, but doesn’t do too much yet.’ His perception of time had been enhanced by a low amount, but it didn’t let him get another Life Orb to use. His Soul stat would grow stronger and stronger the higher the Tier of Ki Cultivation he reached, but the lower level increases were rather small in effect. It was the gradual accumulation that mattered.
'Still, progress is progress.' He stood up, tossing the thoughts aside as
he looked out at the horizon. He loosely held his Ashari Blade in his right hand, adopting a relaxed pose.
He still had a few hours before he and Sophia met up.
With that thought in mind, he decided to practice. He couldn’t truly access Grandmaster Sword Energy, but he decided he could at least try to keep on understanding Sword Energy and the Way of the Sword more. His Ashari Blade was tough enough that it could bear the strain of continuous Sword Energy practice without damage.
He adopted another pose as he leaned backwards, holding the sword above him.
His right arm blurred as the sword struck forward, slashing through the air.
"Woah!" As he completed the strike, leaping forward, he abruptly realized something.
He had been so caught up on practice and going over his improvements, he'd accidentally forgotten he was precariously perched on an outcropping more than a dozen stories high.
He began to fall off the edge.
"Hahaha!" He couldn't help but smile as a pair of glowing Life Orbs appeared, holding him up and preventing him from falling to his death.
"Even I can make a mistake like that, huh?" He continued to grin. His decade of experience battling foes, of staking out enemies, of being constantly aware of his environment…
All of that could vanish in a single instant if he let his guard down. It was a lesson he committed to heart as he shook his head,
"Right. Let's practice inside."
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Several hours later…
"Do you think things will ever go back to normal?" Sophia's voice echoed softly in Micheal's ears as a cool breeze brushed by, the dying light of evening fading all around them.
"I'm not sure. But if things do, it will take a long time." Micheal sighed quietly, nodding at her.
The duo were sitting outside, in the same lounge outcropping Micheal had been at before, around 30 floors up.
They looked out at the endless plain of grass spread out, at a world very different from the Earth they both knew.
"But just because it takes a while doesn't mean it's impossible." He smiled gently.
Sophia sighed,
"That's what you've said before Micheal. But we've been here for more than 3 weeks now…" She rubbed her forehead, her voice all of a sudden sounding very small.
"All I wanted was to find my little sister. But even that is starting to feel impossible. All these monsters, all these people that want to kill me. I don't want any of this. I just wish things would go back to normal." She trembled slightly as she went on,
"I hate this, Micheal." Her voice trailed off,
"I hate it."
There was a brief pause as Micheal looked at her. Her shoulders were hunched and pulled in, a vast feeling of loneliness settling upon her shoulders.
He reached over and put an arm around her, giving her a hug,
"It's not easy, Sophia. It never is. And it isn't going to become easier." He spoke softly, but not condescendingly, as he went on,
"But we have to keep moving forward. It's not easy, but if we stop, that means giving up." He looked out at the seemingly endless plain of grass, motioning at it with his free hand,
"It's like this plain here." He nodded,
"The Main Cluster exists, beyond this empty wasteland. We can't see it, but we both know it exists." His words were strangely convincing, carrying with them a sense of absolute certainty,
"In two days, the Great Bridge is going to appear and we will be able to cross that wasteland. We've spent the past several weeks getting stronger and preparing." He nodded,
"I have faith that that bridge will rise. I have faith that we can reach that grand destination." He gently turned his head, looking back at her.
Sophia was staring up at him, drinking in his words.
"I know you can't see the end, but you have to have faith that we will reach it. It will be a long, arduous journey. But we can help you find your little sister and make this reality one that is safe for all humans, including her." He finished, nodding again.
There were a few moments of silence as they looked at each other, his words settling in.
"I have to have faith, huh?" Sophia muttered back, turning to look out at the grass plain.
"Faith and a good deal of preparation." Micheal replied with a smile, bumping her on the shoulder.
She glanced at him from the side and then bumped him back.
He laughed out loud as felt that and saw her smile.
He then stood up, stretching.
"Come on, you. We've got lots to do in the morning!" He helped her get up, still smiling.
"We don't want to wake up late! After all, the Stardust Coalition officially forms tomorrow." His grin widened,
"Heron and Crane wouldn't want to miss it!"
.
Chapter 2
The morning of the next day…
Micheal yawned as he came to, stretching comfortably in bed. He blinked a few times, gradually sitting up. He cast his gaze around his bedroom.
The same sink, desk, doorstop holding up the door, everything around him was in its place.
He jumped up out of bed, humming to himself. He went over and brushed his teeth, getting ready for the day.
"Teeth brushed, all shaved…" He walked out of the bathroom, wearing only a pair of gym shorts and his Spatial Ring, revealing a muscular figure that would make models and some bodybuilders jealous. A set of lean abs, biceps, pecs, his entire physique was incredibly built and powerful.
As his Ki Cultivation Ability enhanced his body, Micheal made sure to train every single day, without fail. He worked himself out to the bone, hard enough to nearly kill himself, every morning.
"Time to practice." He tapped on his Spatial Ring.
Immediately, a pair of large, 300-pound (136kg) weights appeared, tools he'd purchased from the Shop. He snagged them out of the air, grunting slightly.
His entire body strained as he held the two heavy lumps of metal, his muscles visibly flexing and bulging.
He then began to work out.
Some of his exercises were simple bicep curls or squats. Others involved him sticking an arm all the way out and then slowly raising and lowering the 300-pound weight. He had one set where he would do a set of push-ups with the weights both tied to his chest.
He had a few smaller weights he would add in or change, depending on the exercise.
By the time he finished, his body felt incredibly sore. In the beginning, he often damaged his muscles so much from the extended practice they would fail. In the normal world, such damage would require weeks, if not months, of recovery.
For Micheal, it was as simple as a snap of his fingers.
"Ahhh." As he finished working out, his body drenched in sweat, Micheal fell to the floor, feeling almost stunned. His head was woozy from the extreme work out session.
It wasn't that he was exhausted. The intense work out was hard on his body, but he had more than enough energy to spare. It was simply the fact that the exercises pushed his body to the absolute limit, training him, but also injuring him.
Without hesitation, he shattered a Life Orb.
His entire body morphed, all of his injuries recovering as the world around him flashed. Micheal felt cool energy sift in and comfortably repair his body, leaving him in perfect condition, if slightly tired and ravenous.
At the same time, a new Life Orb formed, bringing his total back up to three. He could form a new Orb every day, but only hold a maximum of three. In his eyes, that was a God-given gift that he absolutely would take full advantage of.
"Mmm." He blinked, slowly sitting up. He stretched his arms and legs with a smile, feeling the elasticity in them.
'Status.'
— - Status — -
Name: Micheal Care
Points: 25,820
Race: Human
Physique: 1 Star
Age: 18
- Stats -
Strength - 50 -> 51
Enduranc
e - 36 -> 37
Recovery - 34 -> 35
Soul - 13
Abilities - (4/7)
Life Orb Master
Ki Cultivator (Mortal Tier - Late)
Grandmaster Sword Mastery (1/5)
Impact Release
.
"Oh? My Strength, Recovery, and Endurance all increased by 1!" As he noted the changes, he clenched his fists, his earlier grin deepening.
"The training is seeing results, though my 1 Star Physique might be playing into it." Even if they were only minor right now, every increase would have a huge impact on him in the future. The changes he was getting were a result of the Ki in his body melding with his more powerful Physique as his body healed, going beyond the limits of a regular, No-Starred-Physique human.
"Alright. Enough of that." He looked down at his sweat-drenched body in distaste, smiling wryly.
"Let's shower and clean up, and then eat breakfast."
.. .. .. .. .. ..
"…♪ Earth Angel, Earth Angel ♪…"
"…♪ Will you be mine? ♪…"
Micheal let the soft music wash over him from a record player as he chowed down on a set of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, wolfing the food down. He buttoned up his shirt as he ate, getting dressed.
"Gulp!" He swallowed down a glass of water as he checked himself in the mirror.
His short brown hair was combed and his face cleanshaven, revealing his strong chin. His deep blue eyes glimmered in the mirror as he looked at the black suit and tie he was donning.
"Looking good." He pointed finger guns at himself.
"Hahaha, I'm Shin." He muttered, feeling childish. He shook the thought from his mind as he finished eating, strapping his Ashari Blade to his waist in lieu of storing it. It would complete his image to have the weapon at his side.
In no time at all, the room was cleaned up and everything stored away. Micheal's eyes turned and looked at himself in the mirror once more.
He wore a theater mask on his face, once more resuming his identity of Heron. He looked outside after a moment, noting the early morning light.
"It's go time."
He left his room, going down the hall. Before he reached the other end, another masked figure emerged, wearing a long, green dress. Sophia, with a gun strapped to a holster, visible on the side of her chest.
"All set, Crane?" He spoke aloud, waving at her in a friendly manner.
"You know it!" She returned, her words carrying rather loudly in the hallway. She instinctively covered the mouth on her mask in surprise for a moment. Micheal would've bet money she was blushing.