People have been asking whether there will be certain aspects introduced into the series and they want to know if it does appear before fully committing to this story. I want to iterate the most commonly asked aspects in this announcement so that everyone knows.

First, NTR. NO. Not happening. Not really. Characters might mention it in passing or lie about it. For instance, Jason mentioned sleeping with a girl who had a partner but he didn't know. Emily also talks about how one of her former boyfriends cheated on her and slandered her in school (hence her bad reputation amongst the students). But there will be no cheating in the main story. It doesn't move the story. It doesn't create the proper angst needed. Just pointless rage and pain that could be avoided if you just break up or make up.

Second, harem. While I do have the tag for Harem, there isn't really one set right now. Instead, it will be more like Jason juggling more than one girl but not truly getting into a relationship with one. Huh, that does sound like a harem. Nvm. Also, no, Alina, Asami, and Michelle are not part of the harem. THEY'RE KIDS. So, no, not happening. Alina truly sees Jason as the brother (and to a certain degree, a father figure) she never had, Asami always talks about how good looking Jason is but never actually considered him as a love interest. She's only flirted with him to tease/annoy Alina. And Michelle admires Jason, sees him as a role model, a really dashing one, and even if she has a crush on him, she buries it and encourages Emily instead.

Third, story segments. I've been asked how exactly will the arcs for the story go. Right now we're in Vol 1 of Book 1. Basically, the large arc will be called Books and the smaller episodic segments with them will be called Volumes. That's all I have planned so far.

Also, a few asked if there will be tragedies coming that might involve characters that they like. All I can say is that the story has been pretty tragic already. The MC was a child soldier, that's pretty dark. And tragedies don't mean that they're dead or something they could suffer from something else. PTSD, losing a limb, etc. So, yeah, there's a bit of tragedy but most characters I've introduced so far will survive to have their own series (more at the end).

Now, for the explanation. I went through past chapters and I realized that I didn't explain terms or abilities properly so I will leave a short description below explaining those that have appeared, and one that will appear in the future.

Practitioner: the term for cultivators, people seeking immortality through absorbing a specific type of Qi (energy) from a cultivating formula and using it to strengthen their soul and body. The reason why I chose the term Practitioner is because of the literal meaning of cultivator: it means cultivating, growing something. In Chinese stories, cultivators work because they grow a seed within them or that's how it's usually described as. But in this story, certain aspects of cultivation have been discovered through the advancement of Science. For instance, there's no seed planting-like visualization in cultivation, rather it's described as a process, the process of absorbing energy, transforming it into another form of energy known as Spirit Power, then using that to strengthen the physical body, and the soul, so that it can hold more Spirit Power.

Spellcasting: a term for modern Magic, the ability to alter the very physics of the world through the manipulation of Psionic Aether. Different from Practitioners, Casters use the Psionic Aether surrounding them rather than the Spirit Power within them. In this aspect, they cannot strengthen themselves and 'level up' like Practitioners however, they have merits in the speed, strength, or versatility of their spells. A major disadvantage for Casters is their reliance on SEC devices. Without them, they wouldn't be able to formulate the necessary calculations needed for their spells. They are seen as Demi-Practitioners, simply because the would excel if they were to practice formulae. Unfortunately, Aether condenses into their spirit power, making it hard for them to become fluent Practitioners.

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Espers: a curious mutation, or awakening, that occurred within humans after the cataclysmic disaster of the Meteor Incident. 35 years after the destruction of the moon and the meteorite shower that followed it, humans of any age began exerting abilities that could not be explained through conventional Science. They performed feats without the aid of a SEC, causing mass panic to ensure around the world as the World War was still in process. Eventually, a theory, based on Quantum Science, was formed, explaining that the Psionic Aether had somehow allowed people to alter the physics of the world without the aid of Aether. Simply put, the Espers had created a new world that focused around, and within, them that followed it's own set of rules, and was capable of altering the physical world around them based on a power level defined by the UN. What terrified many were the emergence of Espers among Casters, people with possibly double or triple the power of an ordinary Caster straight from the get-go and with the potential of becoming, even more, stronger in the future.

SEC Device: a computational machine that calculates the amount of Aether required and the calculation needed to transform it into the spell the Caster has made. It is also used to monitor Espers as well, telling them their level in power, their psychic gauge, and limiting their power if it exceeds the minimum safety of the wearer's health. Usually, a single SEC is enough to handle an Esper or Caster's ability however, it is not unknown for powerful individuals to wear more than one SEC Device.

Spirit Power: in the simplest of terms, it's the Mana that's often portrayed in media. Yes, Mana. In the past, Cultivators had assumed that the spells they cast have been powered by their very essence, their soul. But this contradicted other theories and events. Like why certain people die and become ghosts, even Cultivators who have exhausted their soul power during their lifetime. Eventually, this brought a theory that is commonly accepted today: that spells didn't require the soul power, but Spirit Power. The soul is a form of energy, but one that cannot be controlled while the Spirit Power is a type of energy that has a similar wavelength to the soul energy, but can be entirely controlled, and increased. This led to the Qi formulae to be modified so that it could purify the Qi into spirit power more fluently, and this decreased the number of Qi Deviations amongst Practitioners by almost 60%.

Now I mentioned above, somewhere, that I had another serial planned that focuses on the side characters. I mentioned in the synopsis that certain characters might be written out and this is because I want them to be outside the MC's shadow, and be the main characters themselves. Right now I don't have much of an outline but I can tell you a few things. It would take place 5-7 years into the future and Alina, Michelle, and possibly Elizabeth would be part of the cast. It would focus on them and other characters introduced in this series, as well as new characters, and follows them as they struggle to discover themselves. Alina has followed Jason's footsteps and became a merc known as Garmr, and she searches for Jason who has disappeared for many years. Michelle would be more militaristic and dogmatic after someone dear to her is severely injured.

And that about covers everything that I wanted to talk about. I'm fresh outta side chaps (that I can upload, some I have are for later) but I'm trying on working out another one that would introduce Jason's blood-related sister but it's very complex so it might be 2 side chaps. Feel free to post any questions in the comment section and thank you for reading this!