My blurb is at the end of the chapter, and probably will be from now on.

Chapter 24: Look on the Bright Side

I slowly open my eyes and see complete white surrounding me. Is it the mysterious beings trying to talk to me?

I notice that I am floating around in the air. I realize that there is no way for me to tell where the walls of this room are. I don’t even know which way is up.

Spatial energy is in its ‘resting’ phase right now, and I am not circulating it… meaning this is a zero gravity environment. Is this the next puzzle in the forest of a thousand trials?

I realize that I am missing my prosthetic off my right arm. Did those guys from earlier take it!?

I also realize that I am no longer hungry.

“Nice of you to finally wake up Ryu. Or should I call you Ryusei? Which would you prefer?” A voice that sounds like it has been put through a horribly low quality speaker fills the ‘room’ I am in.

I just close my eyes to try and ignore the feeling of dizziness, “Who are you?”

The man talking through the speaker laughs, “It is hilarious how a runt like you could think to ask questions while in such a situation presently.”

I shrug my shoulders as I know I was being watched, “Never pays to panic, no matter how dire the straights.”

The man laughs harder, “What an interesting personality!”

I stay silent and think about the situation while the man laughs in the background. I’ve been captured, and this is probably some form of interrogation. Let’s just see how this play out.

The man coughs to regain his composure, “Ahem, let us continue. Current name Ryu. Formerly known as Ryusei and also known as the supreme emperor. Is all this correct so far?”

I frown, “Why would I respond to that?”

“You will respond appropriately, for if you don’t, we will make your stay here less comfortable.”

I smile, “So it is a ‘We’. Intriguing.”

I can hear the man slam his fist against something, “Don’t think you can manipulate us the way you want!”

An electric shock runs through my body. My muscles spasm uncontrollably for half a minute. After the spasm were over my body felt like it was on fire. Other than the spasms, I never let anything on my face show.

“Do you understand the situation you are in now?”

I nod slowly without responding to the man.

“Good. Now we shall continue yet again. Cause of death, forbidden technique by the name of ‘Heaven Shattering’. Was married with no children. Wife’s location… unknown.”

Thank goodness. They haven’t found her. That makes me so happy.

The man continues, “Currently the second know practitioner of Dr. Frizen’s named ‘Spatial Energy’. Is also the only documented existence of a person being able to cultivate both the power of heaven and the power of earth. Is able to control the power of heaven and earth to the same degree of someone at the ninth realm with ease. Has killed thousands if not tens of thousands of monsters in the previous world, along with the demon, ‘Alveros’ at the thirteenth realm. The only human in existence to form a contract with the sword ‘God Killer’. Also, killed demon ‘Elsvyre’ after it-“

“STOP!” I yell at the top of my lungs as the memories start to resurface.

The man laughs slightly, “So, is talking about-“

“IT’S ALL TRUE! ALL YOU HAVE SAID IS TRUE! JUST STOP! Please stop…” My voice trails off as I remember something from my past I had desperately tried to forget.

The man makes few humming noises as he sees my reaction, “So next we have the questioning phase. Are you ready?”

I rub my eyes that became slightly watery, “I am ready.”

“First question. How were you able to start cultivating ‘Spatial Energy’?”

I shake my head slowly, trying to disperse unnecessary thoughts, “I just read Dr. Frizen’s book and was able to sense it. All I did was watch it until it came to me. Nothing too complex.”

He makes another humming noise, “I see. So next question. Why are you able to cultivate both the power of heaven and the power of earth?”

I frown, “I honestly don’t know. I was just born that way.”

Another shock runs through my body, “ANSWER TRUTHFULLY!”

After the spasms stop I reply calmly, “That was the truth, I was taken from my parents at a young age and forced to manipulate the power of heaven and earth without knowing what it was in order to walk on the surface of the water for many years straight. Past that I know nothing.” I had finally calmed down after the memories had resurfaced. It may take a while to forget them again.

“Fine. That seems like it is the truth anyways. Moving on now. Where did you learn the cultivation method you practice?”

I smile, “Up your a**”

A shock runs through my entire body causing it to spasm again, “You seriously think that will help your situation? You are on trial for the murder of a UKC member.”

I lose my cool after the spasms stop, “I haven’t killed anyone in this world!”

“This world, you haven’t. But that doesn’t mean in the other world! My son was killed by you in the other world and went through a painful experience!”

A wide smile appears on my face, “So you’re with the UKC… I see! You people at the UKC hold grudges from the previous world! The only human I have ever killed was the man who claimed to be my father! Good thing he died! If I see him again, I’ll kill him in this world too!”

A large shock runs through my body causing my muscles to seize without a single spasm. It is so intense I feel as if I am about to die. After five minutes the shocks stop.

I hear a voice in the background, “Did you want to kill him father!? We need to torture him more! We need to get all of his secrets!”

“I agree son, just be patient and go back to the waiting room. Your father has work to do.”

I laugh lightly, “So that was your son? Seems he is doing well!”

“Shut up! I am the one asking the questions!”

“Okay, so what’s the next question, Mr. High and Mighty?”

“You will answer the question of where you learned your cultivation method! If not I will personally remove one of your other limbs!”

I smile so wide my teeth show, “I’d like to see you try!”

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“F*** it! Bring her into the room!”

Bring who into this room? I open my eyes and notice that there was a glass wall with small holes in it separating a section of the room that was a slightly different color. The most noticeable thing was that there was a door on the wall behind the glass.

When did that appear?

“Okay Ryu. I will ask you one bonus question while ‘She’ is on her way. What is the highest realm you know about?”

I frown, “Why would I tell you? Anyways, why are you asking about my methods? It is impossible for people to use them.”

“My boss is higher than the ninth realm, yet refuses to tell us anything about how he managed to get past the ninth realm! You are my only chance to surpass my boss! I have been stuck at the ninth realm in this world for thirty years! I have been the lowest of the low at the UKC because of it!”

I laugh, “I see! This all makes sense to me now! You had me captured not because you worry about your son that I KILLED, but because you are so jealous of those above you that you will steal from whomever happens to pass by! So whose ‘order’ was it from above that you were to capture me?”

“Why do I need permission to capture a no name brat like yourself!? F***! S***! You make me so F***ing angry! Bring that B**** in faster! I want this brat to CRY!!”

I smile to myself as I wonder who they could bring in. The only person that could move me at all would be a… no. No. NO. NO! “You wouldn’t dare!” I shout at the top of my lungs as the door to behind the glass opens.

Two bulky men walk into the room first, but behind them was someone I knew very well from this world. My mother. She was wearing a blindfold and her hands were cuffed with bulky handcuffs that definitely had some sort of restrictive effect on them.

“Hey Ryu! You recognize this woman!?”

I start to yell, “What are you doing with my mother!?” Even though I didn’t talk to her much in this world, I had inherited the memories from this body when I came to this world. She had raised me, and it isn’t like living was tough going or anything. She was there when she needed to be there. She was a fantastic mother. It’s just that I didn’t get as much time to spend with her after coming from the other world. It has been quite busy after all.

“Ryu.” My mother calls out my name softly. Her voice sounds rough. Even though she is wearing a blindfold I can see that the sections near her eyes are wet with tears.

In this world, before my consciousness took over this body, my mother would always try to come in time for meals… on weekends anyways. She always comforted me when I was younger. I was never popular when I was young and quite often made fun of… but who really cares about that stuff. It’s only sad if you make it sad.

“Mother.” I softly call out to her as I float around the room without any control. It isn’t like she can see me anyways.

“Don’t worry about me Ryu. I’ve lived a long life you know? I’m not as young and beautiful as I used to be.” A smile appears on her face, “I love you Ryu. I hope you keep your secret safe.” My mother relaxes her body and starts to breathe calmly.

I wish this was just some sort of illusion or body double, but the likeness to my mother is too real for this to not be her. There was also enough time for her to be captured and brought to wherever this place is.

“One last chance you F***er! What is the cultivation method you use!? Answer me in 3 seconds or we slit her throat!”

“You dare!?”

“Three!”

I calmly think. If I tell him, it will most likely be known to the world. He will most likely die when he eventually tries to use this cultivation method.

“Two!”

The odds are that he may not tell anyone and end up killing himself without telling a soul about the cultivation method.

“O-“

“I’ll tell you! Don’t hurt my mother!”

“You think you are able to order me around!? Kill her!”

“Mother!” “Ryu!” As we call out to each other her blood spurts out onto the glass from her throat. A small amount of blood seeps through the small holes in the glass. The glass itself looks as if it is crying tears of blood, but this isn’t a sign of a higher authority. It is my mother’s blood.

I force myself to keep a calm expression even though my mind is in a state of chaos.

“I will commend you on your ability to stay calm given the situation. However, your inability to comply at first is what caused this whole situation. You know what they say, live and learn. I guess your mother won’t be doing either.” His voice mocking me.

“I will F***ing kill you! I swear on my life that if I don’t kill you in this life, my spirit will F***ing haunt you!”

“You and what army!? Restrain him!”

I see people come at me with many restraints. The gravity in the room was set again and I fell on my head. I stand up to fight them, “I will kill all of you! F*** the UKC! I WILL DESTROY YOU!”

The people coming in the room hold me down with almost all of their strength. Most of them are at the seventh realm while some are in the eighth realm. S***! This could not get any worse!

The last thing I see before a bag was put over my head was the corpse of my mother lying lifelessly on the ground.

I swear I will ruin the UKC for this! Even if it is the last thing I do!

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