– Era of the Wastes, Cycle 218, Season of the Rising Sun, Day 98 –
Terry traced the magic necklace with his left hand. The dungeon reward helped conceal his mana signature while he was waiting at a specific location in a small mountain range. He stared at a concealed spot in the valley. The spot was a few hundred meters from him.
Terry focused on his mana sight and the feeling from his mana touch until he was absolutely certain. Only then did he prepare a number of tertium pieces and he transfixed them to hold his king spear in place.
Something had snapped in him. When Chalita and the others had tried to ambush him, Terry had made sure to remember their mana signatures. After he had escaped from their trap, he had been paying close attention to all the mana signatures around, even more than usual.
First, Terry had gotten increasingly paranoid. Checking, and double-checking every spot with every option available. Afterwards, however, he became furious. This time his fury was not only aimed at himself. It was aimed at the people that had seemingly made it their sole purpose in life to make him miserable in this pocket realm. All these battle-crazed lunatics that would kill folks over a simple treasure and think nothing of it.
Terry was so done with them. He was done caring about why they acted like they did. Something had snapped in him and he had decided on another path.
He took another glance at the spot in the valley and repositioned the tertium pieces to adjust the way the king spear was pointing.
Soon after Terry had escaped from the martialists’ trap, the folded space had changed increasingly. It was not just the behavior of the rampaging magic beasts, but also of the martialists.
Terry had never sensed so many cultivation breakthrough attempts in such a short time before. It felt as if the whole realm was accelerating and intensifying.
He stared at the valley again. Down there, he could make out the concealed traces of a cultivation breakthrough attempt.
Terry knew who it was that attempted a breakthrough. He did not know the man’s name, but he had memorized the mana signature.
It was one of the people that had tried to kill him and rob his king spear.
Terry adjusted the spear’s aim one last time. He was about to do something he had never done before. Not without Guardian oversight and approval.
Terry was aware that he had killed many folks. Some, like Harrison, stung more than others in his conscience, but he was not sorry about what he had done. He regretted lacking the power to walk another path, but given his limitations, he would do it all again.
Even so, today was different.
Terry waited for the moment he sensed the critical moment in the martialist’s breakthrough attempt.
The heavens roared with thunderous fury!
In the blink of an eye, the king spear had extended all the way towards the spot in the valley. Its blade pierced the blindsided martialist. It was the lightning that followed that unavoidably sealed the man’s fate. The martialist that had been aiming for greater heights fell into the eternal slumber of death.
Terry’s first thought was that using the immovable object as aiming assistance was indeed proving workable.
His second thought was that he had slightly misjudged the timing for activating the different mana layers in the pole and spearhead. If the martialist’s instincts had been better, the man would have had a chance to react and escape with his life.
Only then, did Terry’s mind bring up the fact that he had committed a premeditated murder. It was against a person that had threatened his life before, against a person that would jump at the chance to kill him.
No matter.
Premeditated murder. Terry had decided that there was no point in quibbling over terms. Rational self-preservation. Preemptive self-defense.
It did not matter.
Terry knew it was justified. The martialist had tried to kill him and rob his possessions.
Terry knew it was the rational thing to do. The martialist was a threat and at the cusp of getting stronger.
Despite this knowledge, Terry had to focus on his breathing. His mind wandered back to the closest event he had experienced before. Years ago, Terry had felt slightly squeamish at the prospect of his first bounty hunt. He had volunteered to deal with the bandit guarding their hideout.
He was exhaling slowly. He was different now. He was tired of waiting for these beasts to make the first move. He was aware of his enemies. From now on, he would be the one looking for opportunities to make the first move to eradicate them.
Vicious remained his priority, but that did not mean that Terry had to let chances to eradicate other enemies slip. From now on, Terry would hunt his enemies wherever he would spot them in this folded space.
***
A pair of martialists walked into a concealed cave.
“Are you sure this is a safe spot to break through?”
“I’ve checked the place several times.”
“Okay, but…” The martialist sighed.
“That lunatic Arcanian is getting under your skin.” The other pointed out.
“Of course, he is! Just two days ago, another one was killed and left to rot.”
“You’d think he has pissed off enough sects already. At least get rid of the body. It’s just common sense.”
“Nothing left to lose is what it is. He has killed more than a dozen geniuses of influential sects when he broke out of Chalita’s entrapment. Even Chalita is dead.”
“He could just recompense them, but not if he insists on killing everyone like the last few weeks. That makes it clear that there is no room for negotiation. The Arcanian didn’t even get injured when we went after him. No harm done. There is really no reason to go that far, is there? What a lunatic.”
“Nothing we can do about it.” The martialist sat down and prepared the items for his breakthrough attempt. “We’ll get our revenge when we are stronger. Either that or our sects can redress our grievances later.”
The second martialist nodded and walked towards the entrance to keep an eye out for possible threats. After some time, the guarding martialist began to smile because his friend had nearly succeeded and there was still not the slightest threat in sight.
A crack rumbled in the cavern and the guard jerked his head around, only to see his friend bleeding and on the verge of death. He rushed towards his friend and knelt down in horror.
“Oh heavens, that’s a lot of blood! How?” He stared with wide eyes. “You were succeeding, I—” The last thing he saw was a shadowy figure and a flash of bright orange with traces of blue-green.
“Ugh, finally.” Terry pulled back the velvety-black hood and retracted the shadow fabric into his magic brooch. “Took them long enough.”
Terry had noticed one of the pair when the man had been scouting out secluded places and together with the bustling mana signature of the other, Terry had realized what they were up to. He had sensed the two in advance and hidden himself in the shadow plane with the help of his magic brooch. The rest had been a waiting game.
“I guess my timing wasn’t too bad…” Terry let his eyes wander over the two corpses. It still sucks that I cannot sense any mana through the shadow-boundary. Lucky guess that’s what it was.
I would have been fine even if my timing had been off… probably.
“It would not have been as easy though.” Terry reminded himself sternly. “Anyway…” He knelt down and searched the two corpses for items he could use. “Look what your greed got you in the end, you damned vultures. If you had just left me alone instead of trying to rob and kill me, we might have gotten along…”
***
On another day, Terry was butchering the latest mana-corrupted beast he had hunted. He was unconcerned about the two concealed mana signatures that were approaching. The signatures matched the duo from the Blazing Sun Sect whom he had met many times by now.
Terry believed they were siblings, but they had never confirmed it. In fact, they never confirmed anything. They were the most secretive bunch of martialists whom he had met so far. They had not even shared their names.
There was a time when Terry had considered trading with Shen for information about the siblings, but then he remembered that he did not really give a shit. If they wanted to remain mysterious, that was their own business. There was no need for Terry to go as far as trading items to indulge his faint curiosity.
The two human shapes were still around the corner with their mana concealed by some kind of artifact. It did not help against his mana detection field.
“Back so soon, you two?” Terry asked without turning around.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
“Show-off.” The man scoffed amusedly without lowering his voice.
“One of these days I’d like to know how he does that…” The woman spoke flatly while keeping her eyes on the vicinity, as if she was fearing another person would jump out.
“I believe it was you two that made it clear these were business meetings.” Terry put a slice of meat inside his prepared container. He turned around briefly with bloody hands. “If you want something, you’ll have to give something. Equivalent exchange, was it?”
The two martialists smiled without replying.
Terry walked to a bucket. The water catcher he had placed had collected enough water for him to clean the blood from his hands. Afterwards, he looked at the two guests and wiped his hands. “So? What do you need?”
“You seem different,” the man commented. His eyes flashed with wariness.
Terry shrugged. “I’m getting really tired of this secret realm.” He threw the piece of cloth he had used to wipe his hands on the ground. “I can’t wait for this shit show to be over.”
“First time?” The woman smirked amusedly. “Trust me, things will get a lot worse.”
“Back to business,” interjected the man. He looked at Terry. “Last time you claimed to have a copy of the Nine Golden Suns?”
“Yes.” Terry briefly searched through his storage items. “I remember that name…” He nodded. “Yes, I have a jade token with that name.”
“Which color is it?” asked the woman.
“Shh, remember to—” The man seemed unhappy that the woman had asked directly.
“Green?” Terry replied confusedly. Aren’t they all green? He retrieved the jade token without thinking and examined it more closely. “Oh, some orange in the center. I've never noticed that before.” He looked up from the jade token to see the two martialists staring at him.
The woman was first to recover and she puckered her lips. “Well… Thank you.” She turned excitedly to her companion. “It’s not a copy.”
“This is impossible.” The man muttered in thought. “How can the original be—” He stopped himself and evidently remembered that Terry was still there. “How did— Where did you…?” His expressions darkened but he did not finish his question.
Terry looked from one to the other, bewildered at their strange reactions.
“Oh, stop it.” The woman slapped the man on the shoulder. “He took the token out right in front of our eyes. He does not even seem to understand the implications. There is no way someone like that would be capable of keeping something like this a secret.”
Terry was not sure but he was beginning to think he was being belittled in some way. He shrugged off the thought, because he truly did not care about their opinions.
“So do you want it?” asked Terry while waving the jade token in his hands. He forced himself to not blurt out that he had no use for it anyway. He suspected the thought showed in his expression regardless.
The duo from the Blazing Sun Sect shared a glance and then the woman asked with trepidation. “What do you want in exchange?”
“You don’t happen to have some mana-coagulant powder?” Terry replied without much hope.
“What’s that?” The man frowned in reply.
“Nevermind.” Terry had already resigned himself to accept the fact that none of the martialists were familiar with the powder that was a common item in Tiv and Arcana. He moved down on his wishlist. “Anything that helps deal with incorporeal enemies. Ice-based talismans might work too. Light— actually the holy aspect would be even better.”
The frowns of the two martialists only deepened.
The man could not help but point at the symbol of the golden crow on his chest. “Ice-based? You do realize our background, right? Ice isn’t really our forte.”
“What even is the ‘holy’ aspect?” The woman furrowed her brow. “Isn’t that just another term for light?”
“Not really.” Terry refrained from explaining the difference and reminded himself to stay focused. “Anyway, there is a channeler in this realm that I want to kill. His abilities are primarily centered in darkwater.”
“A ‘channeler’?” The duo glanced at each other.
“Cultist.” Terry tried a different approach. “Channeling powers from a creature of a different realm. The Shapeless Pond. He’s sneaking around killing folks all the time.”
“Oh? I thought that was you.” The woman seemed honestly surprised.
Terry scowled at her. “I only hunt those that have tried to kill me.”
“No need to get defensive,” interjected the man. “I’m sure we can work something out. What you are describing sounds like a demonic cultivator. What about…?”
Terry turned away from the duo and towards another direction. “Yeah, I’m afraid we’ll have to cut this short today.”
“What? No, we…” The woman bit her lip, silenced by the chiding look that the man was shooting her after her initial outburst.
“We really want to perform this trade.” The man spoke with a slight strain in his voice. “I’m sure we can come to an understanding.”
Terry absentmindedly glanced at them again. “That’s not it. I’ve just sensed a familiar signature approaching and if you linger around, this could become unpleasant for everyone involved.”
“What are you…?” The two martialists tried to sense something from the direction that Terry had looked at before. They saw little more than a dust cloud rising up in the distance.
“Too late.” Terry shrugged indifferently.
“Oy!” Apex crashed down from the sky with a flaming martialist technique.
The duo from the Blazing Sun Sect retreated a few steps at the unexpected entrance.
“Subtle.” Terry chuckled at Apex’s behavior.
“Why are you attacking us?!” The woman from the Blazing Sun Sect was glaring at Apex. “Are you looking for a—”
The man interrupted her outburst with a hand. “Priorities.” He looked from Terry to Apex. “There is no enmity between us.”
“Heh.” Terry uttered with a smile playing on his lips. “Give it time.”
“Why did you interrupt the pipsqueak?!” Apex glared at the man and then sneered at the woman. “Come on, what did you want to say? How about you cough up some recompensation for having me suffer through your insufferable whining?!”
“There you go.” Terry snickered. He reminded himself that these three were among the few people in this folded space with whom he could have something vaguely resembling a normal conversation with. Considering this important fact, Terry decided to intervene before things got out of hand. He looked at the pair from the Blazing Sun Sect. “I’m busy today.” He threw the jade token towards them.
The woman caught the jade token and then both her and the man stared incredulously first at the jade and then at Terry.
“You said, you’ll find something that suits my needs,” said Terry. “You were insisting on the principle of equivalent exchange before. Now, you can prove how much your word is worth. Consider it an advance. I have other business to deal with for now.”
The duo from the Blazing Sun Sect sent each other a meaningful glance and then bolted away without further delay.
“What can I do for you?” Terry asked Apex.
“Do you sense the shitstain’s mana on me?” returned Apex.
Terry paused to double-check his initial impression and then replied. “No.”
“Good.” Apex nodded to herself.
“Are you ready to make another attempt?” Terry raised an eyebrow.
“None of your business, nosy shit,” snapped Apex angrily.
As short-fused as ever.
“We went over this. I’m happy to keep a lookout again.” Terry was getting tired.
“Not why I’m here,” hissed Apex. “I want to know if you can detect the shitstain’s mana anywhere.”
“Occasionally the darkwater appears, but never for long.” Terry hated admitting that Vicious was able to elude his senses for long periods of time.
“No, I meant the other mana,” stressed Apex. “The one that was in me before.”
“Not on you, no.” Terry repeated.
“But on others?” Apex grinned with satisfaction.
“Yes…” Terry understood what Apex was getting at.
What better way to hunt than to keep an eye on the prey of their prey? We could also set up the bait further.
***
A pale-faced human woman in yellow combat robes and a black sash stepped out of a cave.
“Hold it!” A pair of elven women stopped her. One stocky and the other lanky.
“What may I help you with, friends?” The human replied meekly.
“Are you sure this is the target?” The lanky elf shot the other a glance. “I’d rather not take chances. That uniform belongs to—”
“I know.” Her partner cut her off. “And I’m sure.” She raised her chin and looked down at the human in front of her. “We know what you really are.”
“What?” The human woman stammered. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Are you really sure?” The lanky elven woman frowned and shot her partner another skeptical glance.
“Yes, or why would anyone act that timidly? You’d be acting timid too if you had lost most of your strength and were using another’s body,” snapped the stocky elf. “Especially when the body is wearing this kind of uniform.” She eyed the timid human contemptuously. “I don’t believe that you were capable of overpowering a healthy soul. Did the owner of this body get ambushed? Or was it a failed breakthrough attempt?”
The human woman retreated a few steps with fear written all over her face. “I’m afraid I don’t know what—”
“Cut the crap!” barked the stocky elven woman. “There is a bounty on your head, body snatcher! We’ve come to collect it.” She flared her mana and stepped forward. “Nothing personal. Strictly— Who’s there?!” She whirled around into a battle stance and eyed a ledge above warily.
“Oh? Your senses are sharper than expected.” A purring laughter followed. Shortly after, a felan woman with the appearance of a golden tiger jumped down from the ledge to stand between the human and the two elves. She playfully flicked some dirt from her black combat robes.
“The Immortal Tigress?” The lanky elven woman stepped back nervously.
“Wait.” The stocky elf raised her hand to calm her partner and then gazed at Hom’s eyes. “Do you know who this is?”
“Naturally.” Hom flashed a smile with pointy teeth. She looked at the cowering human. “You don’t seem to be doing too well, Chalita. I liked your previous body better. What kind of fight could you possibly put up in this thing?”
“I’m not… I don’t know you, I—” The human woman stammered meekly.
“Oh, come on, whom are you trying to kid?” Hom laughed in a purring rumble. “I can understand that you’re trying to deceive these mooks.” She pointed at the two elfs. “But…” She tapped her temple. “Soulsight, sweetie. You’re not fooling me.”
The human woman frowned and straightened herself. Her expression was darkening.
“Chalita?” exclaimed the stocky elf and her face contorted into grim satisfaction. “We’ll get our tickets after all!”
“Will you now?” Hom maintained a completely deadpan expression.
“We know that you have enmity with Chalita,” said the stocky elf. “You’re always messing with each other. If that body has been snatched by her, then… I mean, you probably want her dead too.”
“Perhaps, but what’s it got to do with you?” Hom cracked her knuckles.
“We know that you came to this place with your own ticket. The reward means nothing to you!” The lanky elven woman pointed out.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.” Hom extended her claws in a threatening gesture. “I’m the only one allowed to kill Chalita.”
“We just need the corpse as proof to—”
“I want to defeat Chalita at her peak.” Hom walked a step forward towards the pair of elves. “Not in that pathetic state she is in right now.” She intentionally released some of her mana to make the elves feel pressured. “No one is going to kill Chalita. Not today. Not under my watch.” She stomped on the ground and roared. “Scram!”
“You—” The stocky elf wanted to object but didn’t even manage to get a second word out before she had to retreat under an assault from the Immortal Tigress.
After Hom had chased off the two elves, she returned to Chalita, who was staring skeptically at the felan woman.
“What?” Hom demanded with an amused expression. “You still owe me a fight. I’m not letting you get away that easily.” The felan clicked her tongue. “For real though, pathetic. Who would have thought that you would cower before mooks like that?”
Chalita regained her composure and spoke with resolve. “I will recover.” She clenched her fists. “I will surpass myself from before and then I’ll show you who is the pathetic one.”
“That’s more like it.” Hom grinned. “Now, what exactly happened for you to abandon your body and cultivation?”
Chalita shook her head. “I can tell you, but…” She continued with a slight frown. “Do you happen to have a spare ticket? I first have to settle that topic.”
“No, I don’t.” Hom scoffed. “And who said I would help you on that point? I’m not your maid.”
“Right…”
***