Nil only used Absorb during his descent when necessary. Sliding down the smoother cliff faces while activating and deactivating Anti-Friction Lattice was a lot more fun. Source Gauntlets’ fingertips helped him slow down when necessary and adjust angles. Supercharged toughness ensured his shoulder, elbow, and spine didn’t suffer any pulls, strains, or worse injuries. The exercise was Master Seer’s idea.
Sliding down the mountain didn’t just help rank Nil’s abilities. He also owed his Finesse’s rapid growth to the peak of the Bronze Realm and all the limitations around Absorb and Expend. The restraints forced Nil to push his muscles, reflexes, and senses to their limits. It was challenging and terrifying at first, but Nil was now thankful for it. He also had close to forty Schema Tokens prepared for when he ascended.
Five had come from his victory against Pietro. Each of the past ten months on Ashe Falls had given him two. He had also attempted a Bronze Gauntlet match every lunar cycle and won most. The recent tournament’s many stages also gave participants two per victory. Nil expected to get his primary attributes halfway to Gold as soon as he attained a Body of Silver. An ascension token waited for Nil at the end of his ticket quest, and he wanted to be as powerful as possible for the Cleansing.
According to Layla, Watcher, and general chatter around Ashe Falls, the Cleansing was by far the most challenging and dangerous event of the Bronze Realm. More than half the participants died despite the surrender tokens capable of teleporting them straight to the Fountain of Pyrene. It wasn’t just the Cursed Ones and beasts, but natural and arcane disasters often caused chaos. Then there was the Scourge. The arena construct almost always gave their worlds a chance at eight-to-sixteen tickets. The Cursed-Energy-wielding individuals rarely gave their opponents a chance to surrender.
Only the exceptionally talented and individuals at the peak of Bronze Realm attempted the Cleansing. Unlike Selia and Shawn, Nil wasn’t exceptionally talented. So, he hoped to get as close to the peak as possible. The climb was harsh and rough, but Nil wasn’t one to give up or skimp on hard work.
I need to get Energy Instinct and Anti-Friction Lattice to Bronze.
The first felt achievable, while the latter seemed just out of reach. Nil still had two months left on Ashe Falls and little more than three on Earth before the Cleansing. He hoped it was enough time to get what he needed—assuming he managed to score a ticket. Whenever Nil had time to spare, he went down to the academy’s mess hall. The Schema let him access Apocalypse Arena feeds in the area, and he had spent countless hours watching ticket events from other worlds.
Soul weapons and spirit companions started to become a more regular occurrence. Almost one in ten arena fighters appeared to have one of the either, if not both, and none looked like easy opponents. He also kept track of other fighters from his Earth pursuing Cleansing tickets. Nil recognized several faces and names. Some of the individuals now under Wilson Ludus’s banner were former colleagues. A couple of Adrian ‘Wildshape’ Wilson’s assets had rare spells and spirit companions. It wouldn’t surprise Nil if Cleansing aspirants enjoyed extra benefits and investment.
Meatball loudly squeaked at Nil, catching up to him at Master Seer’s manor. He let her run free during the training sessions and find her own way down. She seemed to enjoy the freedom but also didn’t like being left behind.
“Well, you better speed up then, slowpoke,” Nil said. “I’m not letting you free during the Cleansing unless you get faster.”
The Ironroot Whelp headbutted Nil, striking his shin with the woody carapace on the top of her skull. The blow had little momentum behind it, and supercharged toughness ensured he barely felt it.
“Hey!” Nil’s protests triggered more angry squeaks. “We both need to get better! Size and ranks aren’t enough.”
Living under the canopy of the world tree had proved excellent for Meatball’s growth. In the past ten months, she had grown from the size of a grapefruit to a bowling ball. Her improved intelligence and communication skills also proved invaluable. Nil had also started to let her out in the arena more regularly. The couple of times he had accompanied Susan and Andrew on material and spell-learning quests, Meatball saved them a lot of time. She used her keen sense of smell and sensitivity to other living creatures to help track their target.
“If you hit me again, I won’t buy you any light fruit,” Nil warned when Meatball’s tantrum reached a peak.
A squeak of anguish burst from the whelp. She hopped backward, coiled into a ball again, sprouted spikes, and charged at him. When Nil didn’t budge, she turned at the last second and sped into the manor’s garden. The previously neat green patch was now unkempt and wild. The gardener had appreciated Meatball’s magic at first. She accelerated the local flora’s already incredible growth speed and made it impossible for the academy’s two groundskeepers to maintain.
However, the students appreciated the extra dense Qi around the manor. It wasn’t as incredible as in the volcanic crater, but a decent substitute for everyone too young or weak to make the climb. The mountain’s many masters had several private cultivation spaces and only granted access to individuals under their tutelage. Thanks to Meatball, Master Seer’s manor had two: the garden and the volcanic chamber below the basement. Nil owed Galvanize’s growth to the space.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
First, Nil went to the kitchens. He prepared broken rice porridge for breakfast and left the pot on a heater in the dining room with several sweet and savory toppings. A small pot of milk and leftover clam broth sat by the porridge. The heat from the magical device was enough to keep the liquids warm. So, if the porridge got too thick, the students could soften their meal with whichever they pleased.
After a quick snack, he prepared lunch. It was Nil’s duty to prepare meals for Master Seer and the students every first, third, fifth, and sixth day of the week. During the rest of the days, he assisted with their lessons, trained them, and got one to himself. Since Nil had no responsibilities until the evening, he prepared an extra special meal. The dozen extra prawns he had purchased the previous day still swam alive in their tub. Nil killed, cleaned, and marinated them in chili, ginger, garlic, and the local dark sauce that smelled and tasted like soy. He also whipped together an assortment of steamed and raw chopped vegetables, a creamy broth made with clam stock, and threw some stuffed fish in the oven to slow roast.
The rest of the ‘daylight’ hours were his. So, Nil took some in the manor’s basement. The volcanic chambers below warmed all the water flowing through the building, and the level acted as the bath. Much to his dislike, it was a co-ed space, and Iris was already present cleaning herself. Nil politely returned her wave before scrubbing himself clean with his back to the woman. She appeared to get the hint or had more to do before lunch. He took the opportunity to settle in for a long soak.
By the time Nil returned to the kitchen, his oldest friend and only favored human company on the mountain awaited him.
“What took you so long, Sunny-boi?” Andrew asked, eating a nectarine. Soot and grease covered his clothes but his hands, forearms, and face appeared freshly washed. “I thought my stomach was going to start digesting itself.”
“Long morning?” Nil swiftly brought a pot of water to boil and dropped fresh noodles in them. The academy’s main kitchen dropped off an assortment of buckwheat, flour, and rice noodles to all the mountain’s manors every day. Their ingredients were a part of the staple supplies provided by the world’s powers, and it made more sense to process everything in a place with more space and staff.
“Long night and then long morning.” Andrew leaned on the counter next to Nil. “Samara doesn’t give me a lot of time for independent projects. I started last night after dinner, worked until dawn, and then she had me help build a new Iron Realm chassis after breakfast. I swear I’d collapse if not for the body ascension.”
“Rest tonight,” Nil told him, slowly grilling the skewered prawns over the scalding heat coming up through a vent that fed the kitchen. “You don’t want to show up tomorrow exhausted. Susan won’t be happy.”
“Will you join us this time?” Andrew yelped when Nil smacked the hand creeping toward a skewer.
“They’re not ready.” Nil carefully watched as the flesh lost their translucence and the naturally red lines running down the sides of the prawn’s body darkened. “I will,” Nil said after thinking about it for a moment. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Susan and Shawn. It will be nice to hear about how things are going in Druid’s Grove. Have you made much progress with Shawn’s weapon and chassis design?”
Andrew nodded. “If he likes the sword, I’ll more or less have his chassis design finalized. It's pretty straightforward; it just needs a final touch.”
“Can I come with you?” Iris asked, surprising the pair. She wore a fresh blouse and a short skirt that resembled a gladiator’s kilt but came down to her knees.
Despite her lack of boundaries, Iris was Nil’s colleague and contemporary in the manor. She often invited herself to lunch with him and Andrew, and as someone who enjoyed feeding others, Nil never turned away. The woman’s heart seemed to be in the right place.
Master Seer had advised the pair not to reveal too much about their homeworlds to each other or the students. So, the pair kept their conversations and answers to the students’ endless questions vague. The fragments Nil had picked up suggested that Iris came from a world with a strong warrior culture where everyone was open with their bodies, intentions, and interests.
“I’m sorry.” Nil shook his head. “It's just a meeting for my friends and I. We need to discuss our plans for after we return home and our quests. It’ll all be subjects Master Seer doesn’t want us to discuss.”
“No need to apologize,” Iris replied, laying out three stools. It was easier to eat in the kitchen where Seer’s students were unlikely to bother them. The man didn’t like outsiders like Nil wandering around the manor either. He only allowed outsiders to visit the kitchen on certain days since it sat on the ground floor and directly connected to the rest of the Dragon Onyx compound. “I’ve seen so much of your arena-fighter friends. It would be nice to meet them in person.”
“Shawn isn’t a fun company,” Andrew said, carrying the soup noodles and vegetables to the end of the counter where they usually ate. “He’s a decent enough guy but much too serious and can be a bore.”
“And what about Selia Specter?”
“Her masters keep her busy,” Nil answered, bringing over the proteins. The roasted fish was crispy and the aromatics stuffed in its belly already had him salivating. However, it was the red prawn that excited him the most. The dark sauce’s natural sugars had caramelized. Tiny pieces of lightly charred chili and garlic clung to the body. He made the dish whenever the fishmonger had good prawn in stock and the day’s prices weren’t too high. “It’s unlikely we’ll see much of her until it’s time to return home.”
“That’s a shame,” Iris commented, claiming the seat next to Nil. “It must be challenging not being able to see your partner.” She paused, glancing between him and Andrew. “I apologize. It’s hard not to overhear Master Seer and your conversations.”
“It’s alright.” Nil smiled, moving his chair a couple of centimeters away when the woman brushed against him and her touch lingered a couple of seconds too long. “It's just a couple more months until the quest ends. Selia and I will make up for lost time when we get home.”