Chapter 10

Aspen watched the trees from the temple courtyard. The native had been gone for some time now. Even from here, he had heard the Matriarch’s rallying cry. The Horror nest would certainly be a challenge for the young native, especially as a first clear, but he would face much more difficult things in the time to come. He would have to work quickly if he was to forge tempered steel rather than a blade broken when tested. It wasn’t his first Wildcard. No, that had been Teak… Aspen pushed away the reminiscence, there was no time for that.

The native should be more than capable of taking down a Matriarch at this point, but the horde she summoned might be too much. Once he got to the clearing, Aspen would ensure that no harm would come to the native. If he couldn’t even make it back…Better to find out now if he is a failure instead of after the full three months. It was harsh, but that was the reality of the Multiverse. The Tutorial was the only time the System would “take it easy.” After the three months, it was all fair game.

He should have been back by now. The nest was not far. Aspen waited. It was unsettling how silent it was. Aspen remembered when planet Vern had been Integrated. The place was a Catastrophe. A planet whose natives had all perished to the monster population. The Horrors were one of the planet’s unique species of monsters. Every Integration had them. Now though, Vern was just referred to as “The Garden.” Aspen was interrupted by a sound in the distance. A man draped in ragged robes stepped out of the forest. He hung on his staff like it was the only thing keeping him upright. Torn and stained-red pieces of cloth wrapped around his arms and legs.

I look like a ten-year-old dressed up like a mummy for Halloween. Danny thought as he limped into the courtyard. The relentless rush of the little Horrors had taken its toll. The only thing keeping him standing was the trickle of healing that came from the necklace he wore. The fox trotted behind him, contentedly carrying two monster carcasses. I’m not even sure I want to try this whole Bonding thing anymore. Just like before, the fox fled at the first sign of trouble, using Danny as a human shield. The little guy did jump in to help a few times. He would nip at legs or push one of the monsters off balance. He had saved Danny what would have been much more grievous injuries more than once. Okay, maybe you aren’t all that bad. At that point, Danny’s mental faculties were running on fumes. It was all he could do to stumble his way up the steps. He barely noticed what the fairy floating at the entrance said. “Nice work, kid.”

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When he awoke the following morning, Danny found it hard to move. All the strength in his limbs felt depleted. The trickle of healing from his newest piece of equipment sped things along a little bit, but he could tell it would take a while to heal unless he used it actively. As Danny was considering it, a small man with butterfly wings floated into his room. “How are you feeling?” The guide asked.

“Like I was hit by a train.”

The guide nodded. “You were in rough shape. Slept for a whole day.”

Danny groaned.

“What did you do with the Life Core?”

“The what?”

“The glowing colored orb on the head of the Matriarch. The only reason that the planet Vern hasn’t been turned into a cloud of space dust. The Life Core.”

“I shattered it.”

“You—” The guide exhaled slowly and collected himself. “Native, it may come as a surprise to you, but there is more to the Multiverse than killing monsters. And for all those extra-curriculars, monster parts are used. Crafting, smithing, rune-forging, even cooking, all of it takes monster parts. The meaner and rarer the monster the better. A Matriarch’s Life Core is one of the more valuable. ”

Danny wished that he had been told this before, but he couldn’t imagine how he would have won if hitting the Matriarch’s weak point had been off-limits. He wondered if that was a normal ask for someone of his power. Well, not exactly a normal Integration, is it? The thought of challenges that had even his guide rushing and forgetful made Danny more than a little anxious. Danny remembered something that had happened shortly after the fight.

“I got a new skill.” The guide raised his eyebrows, but silently waited for Danny to continue. “It’s called Qi Manipulation. I think it makes it easier to do stuff with my energy.”

The guide nodded. “That’s one of the most common skills.”

Danny deflated. It felt like he had an epiphany back in that cave. He had at least hoped it had resulted in something special or unique.

“Don’t misunderstand.” The guide said, reading Danny’s mind. “When I say common, I mean common among Ascended. Those who reach the end of their Path and ascend to the Mythical Realms. Over half of the Ascended have Qi Manipulation as a skill. It is extremely potent. Exceptionally hard to acquire, too.”

That was reassuring. At least the skill was strong and there was a level of prestige behind it, even if it wasn’t unique to him. But the talk of Ascended and Mythical Realms and Paths raised even more questions. Before Danny could ask them the guide cut the conversation short.

“You need to rest. For now, focus on cultivating. You may be recovering but you won’t be idle. Breakthrough the next set of gates by the end of the week.” With that, the guide flittered out of Danny’s room. Geez, that guy has no chill.

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Using the active property of the necklace would drain Danny’s Qi in exchange for accelerated healing. It was substantial. While it wouldn’t heal broken bones in one go, it should speed along his recovery nicely. But if I do that, I will have little to no energy left over for my gates. I could probably split it, but I don’t think I could make the end-of-the-week deadline if I do. Danny puzzled over his options. Making his decision, Danny slipped into the soothing trance of cultivation and began to direct his Qi to erode the blockages of his gates. Surely a break from physical training won’t be too bad…

The days blurred together. Danny hovered between being lucid, asleep, and meditating. He would occasionally get up and walk around the temple or in the courtyard. In the first few days, Danny kept the activity to a minimum, but as he began to feel better Danny would spend longer and longer on his feet. Sometimes, he would see the familiar orange fox basking in the clearing. It seemed he called the place home now. When the animal first saw Danny after he had been injured it ran around him excitedly. It squawked and yipped as it ran between his legs, nearly causing him to trip. Danny found it a little exhausting, but it also made him feel warm. The fox was the apex predator, now that the Horrors had been dealt with. There were a few stragglers, and the fox would make short work of any he found near the clearing. He was now Level 10.

“You’ve grown a lot.” Danny said as he sat in the grass next to the fox. “I can still remember when you would run at the sight of those things. Now look at you.” The fox yipped in answer. It had taken five days for Danny to feel recovered enough to return to his normal routine. Not 100%; Danny was more at 80%, but it was enough to return to his training, at least by his guide’s estimation.

They were to move on as soon as Danny broke through his next set of gates. Secretly, Danny wondered if he could get away with delaying a little longer. The manual on taming had answered why Danny had not been able to sense the fox. He needed to open the next gate, the Gate of Sensation. Well, the manual recommended he wait until all the gates were open, but the Gate of Sensation was required. It would allow him to feel the Qi of others and the ambient Qi of the world around him. He wondered what would happen when he was Bonded with the fox. Would it be like this? Sitting in the with the warm sun upon his face with the orange furred animal by his side, or would something change? That was another reason Danny hesitated. The truth was he could probably break through right now if he pushed. But what he had now was good. Comfortable. He didn’t want to lose everything again. In a world of martial arts and monsters, can I afford to be left behind? Danny again wrestled at the precipice. Danny looked at the snoozing fox beside him. Will I be able to protect him if something bigger than a leech crab thing shows up? He felt like there was only one, real answer. I’ve already come this far. Danny thought as he rose from his seat on the grass. The fox halted its snoring as he moved, but it quickly fell back into a deep sleep.

The wooden bucket of water sloshed as Danny set it down on the stone path. After his last breakthrough, he learned that it was easier to wash the expelled impurities off the pathway. Trying to clean it out of the grass resulted in a swampy, smelly mess. He rolled the prayer mat out. It was still stained from last time. He decided to reuse it instead of soiling another one. He sat cross-legged. Part of it was informed by pop culture depictions of kung-fu masters, but he also found it comfortable. As he settled into his meditation, the feel of the hard stones supporting him began to fall away. The peppery smell of the pines, the breeze on the back of his neck, the sun that warmed it soon after, all of it faded. He once again tapped into the wavelength where he felt connected to the Qi of the world. Deeper than the sunlight, deeper than the tree or wind, Danny drew in what was beneath it all.

He began to regulate his breathing. A deep inhale, pulling in as much as he could handle. A warmth spread throught his stomach and Danny absorbed more and more energy. The energy roiled as he pushed it down, creating pressure. It was almost too much for Danny to handle at one time. The perspiration dripping down his face was the only indicator of his efforts. The energy lapped against the blockages, but Danny was able to break through the gates without too much difficulty. Then the world exploded.

Everything was a new sensation. Danny could feel the energy of the world around him. The energy in the forest and in his necklace beat with a steady pulse. The energy from the earth and stones felt sturdy, solid. The Qi wafting off the water was like flowing silk. Energy that was sharp wild and free came with the breeze. It was overwhelming. Danny felt as though he had blind and now could finally see. The Gate of Sensation truly lived up to its name. Danny also noticed the flexibility gained from breaking through the second set of body gates. His joints were fluid and Danny sensed that he would be able to push his body even further than before when it came to dodging and weaving.

Danny spit out some of the black impurities, but there was much less of the stuff covering him than before. He washed himself and then shanged into the spare set of clothes he had brought. A beacon of an aura approached. It felt wild and ferocious. Primal. But also disciplined, a tiger kept on a leash, but ready to be released at any moment. It made Danny shiver. Like standing in front of the Horror Matriarch all over again.

“Done?” the source of the energy, Danny’s guide, asked.

“Y-yes.” It was hard for Danny to stop himself from gawking.

“Good. The earth creature next.”

“...oh! Right.” The fox was still lying on the grass, but now it stared at Danny with its head cocked to the side. Danny wondered if it sensed his breakthrough. Animals do have better senses than us. Does that extend to Qi as well? Danny filed away the thought for later. The guide was waiting on him.

Danny walked across the courtyard to where the fox lay. It didn’t get up, but the fox did shift from its side to lying on its stomach. The fox’s tail swung from side to side, rustling through the grass. Danny closed his eyes. Unlike before, he could feel the fox in front of him. The aura he felt was like smoke. Ephemeral, but at the same time it danced forward and retreated, equal parts curious and trepidacious. Danny reached out. The flickering mist darted back. Danny stopped. It seemed nervous. Danny was nervous too. He tried a trick that he had picked up when dealing with his friend’s cat. He relaxed and remained still. Soon, the fox investigated. It poked and prodded. Satisfied with what it found, the energy pushed against Danny. Like a Qi version of a handshake. Acceptance. Danny accepted right back.

Slowly opening his eyes, Danny looked at the fox in front of him. It now sat upright. He almost jumped back because of how close the thing was. He could smell the monster carcass on the fox’s breath. Then the fox sneezed in his face.

“Ew, gross.” Danny didn’t feel any different. He wondered if it really worked.

[Class Ability Gained: Treasure Sense (Navigator Fox).]

Danny quickly opened up the Status screen to view the description.

[Treasure Sense: Borrowing the unique ability of the Navigator Fox to sense valuables, allows the King of Beasts to sense nearby treasures of value to them.]