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Chapter 115 - Smoked

Arbur sat completely still as he listened to Micro's recollection of the events at the Jade Serpent Sect the previous evening. As the blood dried on his face, he made no expression at the mention of heroes, undead, or the subsequent destruction of the entire temple. He made no comment on Micro's assumption that Arbur was the only surviving disciple of the sect.

“I'm sorry I only have bad news for you.” Micro concluded with an awkward bow.

“No, you've honoured my sect in ways I never could have.” Arbur replied with a monotone voice.

“I humbly thank you and your comrades for concluding my sect's affairs with such respect. My life itself would be insufficient compensation...”

Arbur stood up slowly, wiped his dirty face with his hands, and looked around the woods until he noticed a small puddle of water. He walked toward it, then sat down and washed his hands and face. He gently wiped down the outer layer of his robes, which had been torn and stained during his battle with the gravel golems, then he turned back to face Micro with a sober glare.

Micro could finally see his face clearly. Though the young man had claimed himself weak, his shaved head bore no sign of fear or cowardice. If he lacked talent in cultivation, it wasn't obvious at a glance. Micro’s Spirit Vision activated as he tried to discern the young man’s state of mind, but all he sensed was a willfully restrained storm of energy swirling around his chest. Arbur didn’t possess much energy, compared to many cultivators Micro had met, but Arbur’s aura pierced the air.

“Are you sure you're alright?” Micro asked suspiciously.

“If you need a minute to think about-”

“My family and friends faced an unimaginably powerful opponent, and their departure from this world was overseen by an amber level sect's leader and a member of the Imperial Guard with a sapphire core.” Arbur explained, then continued after taking a deep breath.

“Though sudden, I cannot imagine a better end for a sect. Though I am ashamed to survive, I am thankful and proud to know how it all ended.”

“Well, I'm glad you see it that way...” Micro frowned, he himself struggled with feelings he still hadn't mastered. He sensed some of the same feelings in Arbur as he continued to observe him with Spirit Vision, but he saw none of them on his face.

“I may be much weaker than you, but please do not insult me or my family's memory.” Arbur replied.

“My ancestors would not forgive a single tear shed over such an honourable death. They would not forgive a single moment wasted mourning the dead while their nemesis remains among the living.”

“So you'll be looking for the hero?” Micro asked.

“They could be anywhere. I've seen how fast a summoned being can move...”

“You have faced a hero and lived?!” Arbur gasped.

“Well, sort of.” Micro nodded, looking up at the sky as he recalled the summonings he had witnessed in his short life on a new world.

“I was involved in a failed summoning once. Another one I stopped from happening, but it was bound to fail anyways.” Micro explained.

“The one that happened the other day was different. She had a silver core, but she left pretty quick.”

“You witnessed the summoning of a hero... with a silver core...?!” Arbur stuttered.

“Impossible... that...”

“Cerena wasn't entirely unreasonable.” Micro nodded.

“She was friendly, but she did mention that she might end the world.”

“Master!” Arbur suddenly shouted, then took several quick steps toward Micro and fell to his knees.

“What must I do to earn a place in your sect?!”

“Huh?” Micro replied.

“Why do you ask?”

“It can only be the guidance of my ancestors that led me to you at this point in time!” Arbur declared.

“The quest to overcome a single hero is mine, but what better master could I have than one who has survived three hero summonings?”

“I guess I have been pretty lucky.” Micro agreed. He scratched his head for a while and looked around at the trees, then slowly nodded his head.

“Well, I guess it's no problem if you want to join us.”

“What must I do to be initiated into your sect?” Arbur asked eagerly.

“I may be lacking in talent, but I will never waiver before a challenge again!”

“Initiated? Hmm...” Micro thought.

“It might be a good idea to have some prerequisites in place. I wouldn't want any bandits joining all of a sudden...”

“I'll do anything!”

“Alright, alright. Well, you're already pretty strong, so how about this...” Micro continued.

“Any trial at all, I will put my life on the line to-”

“Promise you'll always try to be efficient and reliable.”

“Anything... Excuse me?”

“Efficient and reliable.” Micro repeated.

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“Those are important for a truck. Cars that waste fuel or take up too much space on the road are just…”

Micro’s voice trailed off as he frowned, recalling his limited experience on crowded city streets.

“I'm... not sure what you mean, master.” Arbur tilted his head, straining his mind to interpret Micro's request.

“Being efficient means not taking up more space than you need to, and not burning through fuel as fast as bigger vehicles.” Micro explained.

“Being reliable is just as important. We may be small trucks, but a lot depends on us getting from one place to another with our passengers and cargo intact.”

Arbur could only nod respectfully as Micro's voice took on a heavier tone. Micro's eyes had seemed soft and kind to the young man before, but they suddenly filled with wisdom and resolve more common among the elders of a sect.

“Forgive my insolence!” Arbur shouted, bowing once more.

“It is my honour to abide by your teachings!”

“Great.” Micro nodded.

“While we're on the topic of efficiency though, you can relax a bit.”

“Yes, master!” Arbur replied, restraining his urge to bow.

“May I ask what our next objective is?”

“Objective?”

“What is our current quest?” Arbur pressed.

“We are a nomadic sect, yes?”

“Oh, our destination is a basilisk named Lo.” Micro replied.

“I need to fight him before my core gets squished by a protective ring which a dragon named Ray wrapped around it.”

Arbur blinked several times before opening his mouth to reply, but no words came out, so Micro continued.

“After that, we'll keep finding dungeons to challenge until I can control space and time. I need to figure out how to make a portal back to my world, you see?” Micro explained as he rose to his feet and stretched.

“Before that though, we're going to eat. Let's go see if Blue and Kira are back with food yet.”

~

Micro and Arbur were only halfway down the hill when Blue and Kira found them. They were wary of Arbur at first, but his own surprised expression made Blue laugh, which helped to put Kira at ease. Blue hovered gracefully above Kira's head, still holding a glowing slingshot in her hand, but Kira's face and hands were covered in blood and fur. However, her white robes were in pristine condition.

“These clothes are really amazing, master!” Kira declared, patting her shoulder with her bloody hand.

“We took the bear apart really fast, but none of the guts stuck to them!”

“She has no core...” Arbur mumbled.

“And a pixie...?”

“These are my friends.” Micro announced happily to Arbur.

“Kira is one of my first two disciples. And Blue is the first friend I ever made on this world.”

“This... world?” Arbur stuttered.

“Arbur is from the sect we passed by recently, the one with the undead.” Micro explained to Kira and Blue.

“He'll be joining the Truck Sect from now.”

“Oh no...” Kira said, her smile, though obscured by bear blood, clearly fading.

“I'm sorry about your home. You must have a lot of questions.”

“I do...” Arbur nodded, his eyes blank.

“Don't worry!” Kira said, her tone brightening one again.

“I'll get you up to date on sect affairs!”

“I see.” Arbur nodded.

“Thank you.”

~

The bear meat was much less delicious than the beef Micro had grown fond of at Kel's sect, but he enjoyed the joyous faces of Kolt and Kira as they ate more than he assumed was possible. Arbur quickly finished a small share, then proceeded to craft a place to smoke the remaining meat. Kolt helped enthusiastically as the smell of smoking meat grew thicker in the air while Lena continued to meditate. Micro was happy to see Kolt brighten up as he assisted Arbur.

After the meat was secured and smoking, Kira continued to eat while explaining everything she knew about Micro and cultivation to Arbur, who listened stoically, restraining himself from gasping in surprise frequently.

“I've found a worthy master.” Arbur said several times as Kira went on.

“By the way, young master!” Kira suddenly shifted her attention to the bulge in Arbur's chest pocket where a green glow sometimes escaped.

“What's that?”

“Please, call me Arbur. You are the senior disciple, regardless of ability.” Arbur said with a humble bow.

“I have much to learn from you.”

“Sure!” Kira happily replied.

“And this...” Arbur said as he removed the stone from his pocket and held it in his hand. His eyes looked sad as they rested on the shining object, and it looked heavy in his hand.

“This is a crystal.”

“I've never seen a glowing crystal before.” Kira whispered. She reached out to touch the crystal, and Arbur offered it to her to hold. The stone glowed brighter in her hands than it had in Arbur's, and she giggled before tossing it back.

“It tickles!”

“It is a crystal made of energy.” Arbur explained with a faint smile.

“It is impressive that it reacted so strongly to your own energy despite your lack of a core. Your latent abilities have been wasted until now, senior.”

“Thanks!” Kira said, still giggling as she waved her hands in the air.

“I can't be sure how it was made, but such crystals can be found throughout these hills. It is said there was a great sect here once, long ago, who had some relationship to them.” Arbur explained.

“My sect considers them our ancestors, since we rely on their relics to achieve... well, anyways...”

“Now that you mention it, I've stolen a lot of crystals from such a sect!” Blue suddenly shouted from Micro's shoulder as he ate.

“I think they were a sapphire level sect, the crystal mountain something or other...”

“You witnessed the creation of these relics?!” Arbur asked, his eyes glowing.

“They just sat around the hill all day meditating and making crystals.” Blue laughed.

“I remember feeling a sort of kinship then, the way they obsessed over their little treasures. It made them irresistible!”

“So there are cultivators who don't spend all their time fighting?” Micro asked as he chewed his way through a tough piece of meat.

“What do you think the crystals were for?” Blue rolled her eyes.

“Among the many lost arts known to my sect, the use of crystals in combat was considered formidable.” Lena added.

“Though the details of such arts are not known to us.”

“The fancier the crystal, the bigger the explosion!” Blue continued.

“Or something like that, I guess.”

“How did they make something like that?” Micro asked.

“I want to make crystals!” Kira added.

“How can I make crystals?!”

“Some kind of art, I think.” Blue replied, scratching her head as she tried to recall. She looked over to Trill with a questioning look.

“You been around these parts before?”

“I think I found some Core Cards lying around that mountain there.” Trill replied, pointing through the trees.

“It was a while ago. Lots of shiny things too, and bones...”

“Can we go there now?” Kira asked Micro with her hands folded.

“We can go after we find Lo.” Micro answered, touching his chest.

“I need to sort this out first.”

“If I may...” Arbur spoke up, raising his hand.

“Is that not the next logical destination?”

“What do you mean?” Micro asked.

“Well, if you really are looking for the legendary Lo, assuming he exists, then that mountain is a good place to start.” Arbur explained thoughtfully.

“Why?” Micro asked.

“Because it's called Lo Mountain...”