Micro felt refreshed to see Kira's bright eyes greet him as he exited the Amber Water Dragon Art Dungeon. There seemed to be few people as cheerful as her in the world where he currently resided. She quickly noticed his sour mood, however. Lena looked mildly concerned, but Kolt and Arbur remained seated with their eyes closed in meditation.

“Was it difficult, master?” Kira asked.

“The dragon wasn't very nice. It wasn’t fun.” Micro nodded.

“What did the dragon do?!” Kira gasped.

“He was very rude.” Micro replied quickly, but he quickly pushed the thought from his mind and looked down at his core cards.

“At least he gave me some cards. Let's see...”

Micro activated his Appraisal Skill and the most basic information of the cards became clear to him.

“Dragon Art, Storage Skill... makes sense...” Micro read aloud.

“This looks interesting...”

“What's that?” Kira peaked at the last card Micro was observing.

“It's just a circle?”

“A circle-” Lena suddenly stated, apparently startled by Kira's observation.

“Are you certain?”

Lena walked quickly over to where Micro and Kira stood, and looked quietly at the card for a moment. Though the card glimmered as beautifully as the other amber core cards, the design in its centre was alarmingly simple.

“It can't be...” Lena mumbled.

“Micro, please confirm the card's name.”

“Amber… Water… Immortality Trait.” Micro recited, carefully following the words which appeared in his mind.

Lena stumbled backward several paces as if she had grown lightheaded, then looked at Micro in disbelief. Even as Tohan and his daughter, Tring exited the dungeon behind Micro, Lena didn't look away from Micro's eyes.

“What did you do in that dungeon, Master Micro?!” Lena asked, no trace of her usual calmness in her voice.

“I carried the old man away from something dangerous.” Micro replied.

“Dangerous?” Lena asked, her tone now demanding.

“What was the danger?”

“Umm...” Micro thought for a moment.

“It was like a fog, but it was red. It smelled rusty. It hurt a lot.”

“Father, he couldn't mean...” Tring whispered to her father.

“It must be something else.”

“It could only be...” Tohan gasped.

“That-”

“Oh, hello again-” Micro turned to greet them, but their wide eyes surprised him.

“Please, explain what you are able to explain.” Lena requested of Tohan with one hand clasped in the other.

“The enemy you face is a manifestation of your deepest fears, you see?.” Tohan explained.

“But fear, as you know, is not always so easily defined.”

Tohan's words trailed off for a moment as he joined Lena in staring at Micro.

“I am embarrassed to say that the most prominent fear in my heart was revealed to be a large cat which attacked me as a young child.” Tring interjected.

“The dungeon guardian reluctantly awarded me the Dragon Art Core Card after I abandoned the first gold coin I ever earned. That is how he acquired so many treasures. He keeps the manifestations of that which cultivators have abandoned. He just tossed the coin in a pile…”

“I faced my wife, truthfully.” Tohan added.

“I escaped after abandoning my desire to lead our sect. I felt it more valuable to survive and continue to cultivate, though it stings to have collected only one card...”

“Then what Micro described truly is...” Lena muttered.

“A fear of rust?” Micro asked.

“But rust never hurt that much.”

“No, that is not what you faced.” Tohan replied.

“I have only read as much in the archives of my sect, but there is one known account which is similar to what you have described. A cultivator who feared nothing at all challenged the trial with confidence, but the fears he had overcome were only those known to mortals.”

“A fear beyond death?” Lena asked?

“That would be…!”

“Universal death, as it is commonly called, but rarely is it comprehended.” Tohan nodded.

“If he speaks the truth, which is likely, then he is uniquely fearless, and was rewarded in kind.”

“I'm not fearless though.” Micro said.

“I was definitely scared of Cerena.”

“Did that fear make you hesitate to challenge such a great opponent? You were wise to feel as you did, but you certainly were not ruled by fear.” Lena reassured him, though her tone was still strained.

“Your will and your spirit have far surpassed the limits of your physical form. But to have a soul devoid of mortal concerns at your age is beyond my understanding.”

“What is universal death though?” Micro asked.

“Isn't ordinary death pretty scary?”

“Death is not inherently final in nature.” Lena replied.

“As you are well aware, energy changes forms, but rarely vanishes altogether, and the soul's continued existence is not dependent on a single physical form. Even the extinguished soul rejoins the unending flow of energy that comprises this realm.”

“Okay...?” Micro nodded.

“What the dungeon showed you is that your deepest fear is not simply losing your place in the universe, but losing the universe itself.” Tohan continued, stroking his beard with a blank stare.

“It is the common fear of every mortal being who has lived to see their existence in this universe come to an end. Whereas the immortal fears the end of the universe itself.”

“I don't feel like I'm worried about the end of the world though.” Micro's said.

“I'm only worried about the old man. He was the treasure I had to carry.”

“What?” Tohan blurted out, then cleared his throat.

“Forgive my outburst. You fear nought but the loss of a single life?”

“But what he saw could only be universal death.” Tring added.

“The only reason I exist is to keep him safe on his travels.” Micro shrugged.

“I wouldn't say I don't care about the world, but...”

“Master Micro...” Kira interrupted the cultivators' serious discussion with a shakey voice. She wiped tears from her cheek with the sleeve of her robe and sniffled.

“How can you treasure one person more than anybody could treasure everything in the whole world?”

Realization set in slowly among Lena, Tohan, and his daughter after nearly dismissing her comment.

“Is that possible?” Tring was the first to open her mouth after a long period of confused silence.

“The weight of his fear over such a trivial matter is equatable to the immortal fear of universal death?”

“But would the dungeon guardian recognize such a sentiment?” Tahon wondered aloud.

“Could mortal sentiment transcend mortal bounds?”

Lena closed her eyes, as if to meditate on her questions for a while. After a while she shook her head and sighed.

“I think we have pried far enough into Master Micro's personal affairs.” Lena stated.

“We are likely not to understand Micro's path until we have travelled a considerable distance upon it. The nature of his soul is no mere curiosity, as is becoming increasingly clear.”

“Of course!” Tahon's face suddenly reddened.

“How shameful of me to pry into the most intimate matters of your soul, Master Micro!”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Tahon then cast a worried glance at Micro, clearly ashamed of his remarks.

“No, it's fine.” Micro smiled.

“I guess this card is pretty useful?”

“It is a legendary card, even at the amber level, young master.” Tring answered.

“You will not age a day past your prime, and you will never feel hunger again.”

“Woah...” Micro gasped.

“To be clear, you will still be able to die.” Lena added.

“But only if you are killed. Even my sect knows little of the Immortal Trait Core Cards of higher stages.”

“I was going to avoid getting killed anyway.” Micro answered.

“Please try harder!” Kira shouted, lunging forward again and hugging Micro's waist tightly as the tension dissipated

The air became less tense in the cavern Micro had carved, but Blue finally exited the dungeon before they could relax completely.

“Hahaha!” She laughed so hard that she spiralled down to the ground, where she lay laughing for a while.

“Should have seen it! Oh man...!”

“What in the...” Tohan grumbled, backing away nervously.

“Ah, that was great.” Blue finally collected herself, then stood up and pulled out two core cards and a large, luxurious shoe. It was at least large enough for Tohan to wear.

“The trial was easy, but he didn't like me trying to steal his gold! He landed a good kick on me, but I managed to grab this!”

Upon further inspection, the shoe looked incredibly valuable. The eyes of Tohan and his daughter sparkled, as if the gem-encrusted footwear was shining a light upon them.

“Storage again, eh? Waste of time!” Blue said, tossing the card over her shoulder.

“Dragon Art? Well, alright. Wonder what it does...”

Tohan and Tring scrambled over to collect the card, leaving Micro with Kira, who finally released her grip on him, and Lena, who looked calmer than before.

“Don't let me stop you.” Lena said, waving her hand.

“You are one step closer to your goal. Or should I say, three steps?”

Micro smiled and immediately retreated into his mind, refreshed as always to walk into the garage he called home. This time, he found the dog napping atop the roof of the truck, and quietly loaded his three new core cards into the bed. Though the immortality card seemed a little heavier than the rest, he was relieved to feel that he still had room for many more.

Micro awoke from his meditative state as a bright aura swirled around him. The light subsided as he took a deep breath, then he looked around to see the familiar expressions on the faces of Tohan, Tring, and their guards.

“Did he just...” Tring whispered. She dropped the core card she had just fought her father for control of in her surprise.

“Two- no, three cards?” Tohan added.

The whispering voices of the Dark Cat Sect members also began to echo in the cavern, but Kira's proud laughter soon drowned out their gasps.

“Master Micro is amazing, after all!” Kira announced, to which Tohan and Tring could only nod.

“He truly is!” Arbur added, recovering from his own state of shock.

“How do you feel, young master?” Lena asked, scanning him thoroughly with glowing eyes.

“What difference do you feel, if I may inquire?”

“I can feel how much bigger my storage got.” Micro replied. A small, dark window appeared next to him with a soft sound, and he reached through it curiously. His hand appeared to vanish into the air as he did so, then he pulled his hand out and closed the window.

“Mmhmm. Lots of room for things.”

“And your body?” Lena asked more urgently.

“I have never seen energy flowing the way it now flows through your body. It looks to me as though a great river is rushing through you, but I sense no instability, no fluctuations, no wasted energy...”

“Ah, now that you mention it...” Micro nodded, squatting down and then jumping into the air a few times.

“I feel like I just got an oil change.”

“Excuse me?” Lena asked.

“It feels smoother now.” Micro continued.

“My energy tended to gather around my core before, unless I put some effort into using it elsewhere. It took a lot of concentration before. But now it's all just flowing by itself. Well, not exactly...”

“Not exactly?” Lena pressed him to proceed with his explanation.

“I do understand what it's doing, but it doesn't take any effort to make it move now. I'm aware of it, but it almost feels automatic.” Micro explained.

“Like when you start the engine, and it keeps firing as long as there is fuel, and- oh, well, never mind.”

“So you've experienced this sensation before?” Lena asked.

“It's basically how trucks are designed.” Micro answered.

“As long as everything is installed properly, you only have to steer it once it's moving.”

“You say you were a farm tool in your past life, but you seem to have developed some understanding of the nature of immortality in that life time...” Lena pondered for a moment.

“Anyways, I can tell the Dragon Art will be useful already.” Micro smiled, and the aura around him suddenly grew intense.

“Ugh...” The four Dark Cat Sect members stumbled to the ground as the air grew heavy in the cavern.

Kira caught Kolt by his arm before he could fall, but she also began to feel dizzy.

“It feels...” Micro said with a small grin as he waved his hand toward the cavern wall. Though his hand moved lazily through the air, a great force was cast against the wall with the force of a wrecking ball.

“Powerful...”

“Woah...” Kolt said with a feeble voice.

“Father...” Tring said, grasping the sleeve of her father's robe.

“The Dragon Claw... Have you ever seen it performed with such power?”

“That is something to aspire to, Tring.” Tohan replied.

“But it may be unwise to draw a direct comparison, or one may lose heart.”

“Right...” Tring sighed, then looked back down at the discarded Amber Water Storage Skill Core Card. She bent down and picked it up, then closed her eyes. She offered it to her father, but to her surprise, he declined it.

“I will not have time to master that skill any time soon.” Tohan said with resolve.

“My focus shall lie elsewhere for the foreseeable future.”

“Are you sure?” Tring gasped.

“I don't feel very worthy of it...”

“Do with it as you please, daughter.” Tohan insisted.

“Well...”

~

After a while, the tension in the cavern where the Amber Water Dragon Art Dungeon's entrance still remained relaxed, and the party made their way back to the surface. The sky was clear above the clearing in the forest which Blue had created.

Tohan, his daughter, and their guides felt a surreal sense of peace as they basked in the sunlight for a while.

“So, is that all you needed to take care of?” Micro asked them.

“We have concluded our original business.” Tohan replied.

“However, I believe our next steps will be rethought...”

“I'm going to get back to work on this road now.” Micro said, gesturing to the road behind him with his thumb.

“Feel free to use it any time you like. It would be nice to see more familiar faces on the road.”

“I humbly accept your invitation!” Tohan bowed deeply with his hands clasped in front of him.

“As do I.” Tring joined her father in a deep bow, to Micro's surprise.

“I have much more to learn from this path of yours, Master Micro.”

“Good luck with that.” Micro replied cheerfully. He then turned to the four Dark Cat Sect members.

“Next time I'm looking for a dungeon, I'll have to come visit you some time.”

“We are much obliged.” The leader of the four replied, and they all bowed gracefully.

“We have learned much from this encounter, and would be happy to repay you with whatever information you desire.”

“On the topic of information.” Lena interjected, addressing the leader of the Dark Cat guides.

“What information have you collected regarding the recently summoned being with a silver core?”

“That information is well guarded, but you have provided information on that topic of which we were previously aware, so I shall answer freely.” The leader replied.

“It is reported that after several violent encounters with imperial forces, the silver core being departed this kingdom's borders and is currently headed north. We have partial information pertaining to the alleged abilities of the summoned being, but it is likely that you already possess a greater understanding of its power.”

“I am painfully aware of its power, yes.” Lena nodded, then bowed slightly.

“I am grateful for the information.”

“We are honoured to be of service.” The Dark Cat sect members all bowed again, then turned to Tohan.

“Yes, yes. Well then.” Tohan announced.

“We shall return to our sect now. There is much to discuss with the elders...”

“It's been fun, Tohan.” Micro replied.

“We'll walk you to the end of the road, if you are still headed that way.”

“How gracious!” Tohan laughed.

“Let us depart!”

~

The party enjoyed their walk along Micro's crudely carved path at a leisurely pace before they finally parted ways. Tohan and Tring thanked Blue for the Storage Skill Core Card with a large bag of gold coins, though Blue refused to sell the shoe of the Dragon Art Dungeon's guardian for any price.

Kolt's mood immediately worsened as Tring departed, but his vigor returned to him when Kira began teasing him about his encounter with the beautiful young woman.

Before Micro returned to clearing a road through the forest, Blue threw her bag of coins to Micro, much to his surprise.

“I thought you liked shiny things.” Micro said in confusion.

“It's not the same if it's not stolen.” Blue shrugged.

“It feels gross getting a gift from a cultivator. I do like that hairy merchant though. He’s got eyes like an old pixie.”

“Tohan is very friendly.” Micro agreed, placing his gold coins in storage.

“How do you like the Dragon Art?”

“It took some effort to digest, but it didn't do much for me.” Blue replied, testing out an attack on a nearby tree. The bottom half of the tree turned to dust, and the top half fell to the ground with a loud crack.

“I'm still so weak...”

“Still?” Micro asked with concern.

“The core cards make it a lot easier to use what energy I have.” Blue sighed.

“It'll have to do, for now...”

“It does seem like you are stronger than yesterday.” Micro complimented.

“How about a race?”

Blue's ears twitched at the word.

“You already owe me a lot of beef.” She chuckled confidently.

“I'll try and earn it back now.” Micro laughed.

“You clear that half of the road, and I'll take this half over here. I want it to stay about four lanes wide, so two lanes each.”

“Lane?” Blue frowned.

“Oh, umm, a lane is just about twice as wide as I am tall.” Micro explained.

“So we'll each clear a path that is four 'Micros' wide. Got it.” Blue nodded.

“That's not a unit of measurement-” Micro began to explain, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of another exploding tree.

“Go!” Blue shouted, laughing uncontrollably as she obliterated another tree.

Lena remained with Arbur, Kolt, and Kira as Micro and Blue began their race of destruction. Trill remained sleeping in Kolt's pocket.

Arbur immediately returned to his meditation, dedicated to mastering the four core cards he had been granted after his time in the mountain art dungeon with Micro, Blue, and the soul of his canine companion, and the Crystal Art card he had acquired shortly after.

“You have much work to do while your master performs his duties as sect leader.” Lena declared with a stern tone.

“Yes, master Lena.” Kira replied with a bow, imitating the manners she had observed in Tohan and his daughter.

“Good.” Lena nodded.

“Now, concentrate.”