As Hikaru’s flashback continued.
Kaya Hikaru age 10.
Today, Hikaru was baptized with the other 10-year-old kids at the Deva Temple in the Bailey Kingdom. He received his citizenship card, which meant he could now apply for jobs or go to Bailey University.
After the baptism ceremony, Hikaru, Hideo, Kaede, and Misaki enjoyed a feast to celebrate the occasion. Subsequently, they congratulated him and engaged in a conversation about Hikaru’s future plans.
Hideo initiated the conversation: "Hikaru, I have a friend in the merchant business that’s in need of some assistance. Do you want uncle referral?"
Kaede, Hideo's wife, chimed in: "You're quite fortunate, Hikaru. Not everyone has such a well-connected and caring uncle. Usually, people have to pay for referrals like that!"
Hikaru then replied: “Thanks, Uncle and Aunty! But I've made up my mind. I'm going to Bailey University because I want to be an adventurer like my mom and dad!”
Kaede’s face darkened, her voice rising in anger. “What a stubborn, unfilial child! Who’s going to pay for your entrance exam and tuition fees? You should be grateful and contribute to this family!”
Masaki, their daughter, watched the unfolding argument in uncomfortable silence, her eyes darting between her parents and cousin.
Hikaru retorted to his aunt with a hint of frustration, “I got the money for the test and some of the school fees by selling three blank orbs!”
Hikaru had prepared for this moment, knowing his uncle wouldn’t pay for his tuition. He sold three orbs he had previously switched out, turning them into blank orbs. Though these blank orbs were cheaper than soulstones, he managed to gather enough to cover part of the tuition if he was accepted.
Kaede, taken aback and angry, exclaimed, “Huh! Where did you get those orbs? If you have money, you should contribute! We could use it for Misaki's university tuition after her baptism! She might even find a good husband there!”
Hikaru’s face reddened with determination. “But Auntie, I want to follow my dreams! I want to be an adventurer, like Mom and Dad!”
This hour-long conversation led nowhere as Hikaru stood firm in his decision, resisting Hideo's repeated attempts at persuasion. Kaede occasionally chimed in, harboring resentment toward Hideo for not disclosing Hikaru's inheritance.
Despite both Hideo and Kaede’s opposing his decision, Hikaru still applied to Bailey University the next day. After shelling out a hefty 3-gold fee for the examination, Hikaru faced rejection as his practical skills fell short. In a disappointing twist, not a single blow found its mark on the examiner, exposing Hikaru's evident lack of combat experience. Undeterred, Hikaru persevered, opting to explore the realm of magic while maintaining his physical training routine.
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Kaya Hikaru age 12.
After facing rejection from the university, Hikaru told Hideo about his situation. In response, Hideo proposed that Hikaru take on the role of a teaching assistant for the Kaya clan, all while continuing his self-training for the university entrance exam. This position not only offers short working hours but also allows Hikaru to contribute to the financial well-being of Hideo's household. During this period, Hikaru focused more on learning basic fire magic taught by some of Kaya clan elders instead of physical training, all while fulfilling his teaching assistant duties.
Being a warrior clan, the majority of Kaya clan members are involved in military service or working as adventurers. Given the demanding nature of these professions, clan members often find it challenging to consistently care for their children. This becomes especially apparent during missions that can extend for days, weeks, or even months. To address this, the clan patriarch has designated retired clan elders to take on the responsibility of teaching and overseeing the clan's affairs. Nevertheless, some clan elders find the task of educating these children burdensome, leading them to just give assignments to the kids while the teaching assistant oversees their progress.
Today was a special day, as Patriarch Kaya Shigeo decided to give lectures directly to the children. He chose to provide these lectures because five out of the twenty-four children from the Kaya clan, including Misaki, would be baptized next week. Thus, he decided to personally impart them with essential knowledge over the next couple of days.
After all the kids had gathered in the classroom, Patriarch Kaya Shigeo commenced his first lecture.
“Today, we will be learning about geography.”
“This world is called Erudite, and it is divided into four continents: Midland, Beastland, Zion, and Pandemonia continents.”
"Kaya clan is a medium-sized clan located in the Midland continent, within the Bailey Kingdom's west district second ring."
“The Midland continent is Erudite’s third largest continent and is located primarily in the Eastern Hemisphere.”
“Bailey Kingdom is a Human Kingdom that consists of three rings, each with its own unique features and purposes.”
"The first ring, located in the center, is home to the Royal Palace, aristocratic estates, Bailey Central Management Agency (BCMA), Aether Enrichment Tower (AET), Bailey Intelligence Service (BIS) Headquarter, and Bailey Research Center. Despite being the smallest area of the kingdom, this ring boasts a skyline dotted with towering buildings, each showcasing its own distinctive architecture.”
“The second ring surrounds the first and is home to most of the kingdom's citizens, with residential areas, shops, and markets lining its streets. Additionally, important institutions such as the Adventure Guild Headquarter, Merchant Guild Headquarter, Alchemy Guild Headquarter, Ace Society Headquarter, Bailey Public Library, Temples, Bailey Military Hospital, and Private Lab are located in this bustling ring.”
“The third ring is home to farmland and agricultural land, while the outermost portion is protected by a city wall that houses important military and defense structures. A garrison of soldiers patrols the wall to maintain security and protect the kingdom from external threats.”
Patriarch Kaya Shigeo's first lecture lasted for two hours and covered various explanations about their surrounding area. The following day, he commenced his second lecture with a warm greeting and began to explain all about sentient beings. Here is a summary of what he taught:
Sentient Being refers to any animal that possesses higher-order cognitive abilities, which are a result of having a Soul Core. While all animals have cognitive abilities, not all of them are considered to be sentient. Animals such as fruit flies, mosquitoes, and other similar organisms are Non-Sentient Beings. There are two types of sentient beings based on the soul: Orby and Snac. Orby refers to a sentient being with a Complete Soul consisting of both Soul Core and Soul Space, while Snac (Soul with No Additional Capacity) refers to a sentient being with an Incomplete Soul consisting only of a Soul Core. Unlike Orby that can evolve their Core Anima attributes and affinities up to Level 4, Snacs can only evolve their Core Anima attributes and affinities once, which results in their attributes and affinities being locked at Level 1.
Based on the latest research, the creation of life is attributed to the Genesis Trees, which generate souls of sentient beings through the Samsara Cycle. The Samsara Cycle involves the recycling of souls from the deceased to the unborn. When a soul is recycled, the energy from the deceased soul creates a surplus of energy. This surplus energy manifests as Sacred Essences, in the form of an Orb in the Physical Dimension and ambient Sacred Essences in the Spiritual Dimension. The tree's ability to extract a soul is limited to the ambient Sacred Essences dispersed radius in the Spiritual Dimension. This radius is unique for each tree’s and known as Sacred Radius, with areas falling within it referred to as Goodland and those outside it as Badland. Goodland Spiritual Dimension is free from Soulmist due to the purifying effect of the Sacred Essences present there, whereas the Badland Spiritual Dimension has a high concentration of Soulmist.
Soulmist is a corrupted essence that forms when a dead soul dissolves in the Badland Spiritual Dimension. Snacs that are exposed to Soulmist will either gradually die or gradually develop a condition known as Spiritual Distortion, which strengthens their Soul Core. A Snac with Spiritual Distortion is referred to as either a Beast or a Drake. Spiritual Distortion enables Snacs to unlock some of their Core Anima potential, allowing all their attributes and affinities, except for intelligence, to have the ability to evolve up to level 4, similar to Orbies. They will also instinctively develop a desire to consume Orbies due to their possession of Sacred Essence. Spiritual Distortion can only be cured when a Snac evolves into an Orby, transforming into a being referred to as either a Beastman or a Dracoman.
The ideal city for Orbies to live depends on three crucial factors. The first factor is the presence of enough Genesis Trees. Their Samsara Cycle is crucial for the survival of its inhabitants, preventing not only Soulmist but also ensuring a healthy population, since Goodland is the only place where the offspring of sentient beings can have a soul. The second crucial factor is Aether. For a city to operate smoothly, it needs Mana to power its operations, and Mana is a molecule that the body produced by using Aether as its raw material. Aether is Miasma that has been purified through the exposure to high-intensity light for a certain period of time, while Miasma is generated when the corpse of a sentient being disintegrates in the physical dimension. Unlike harmless Aether, individuals with low poison resistance will eventually become poisoned when exposed to a high concentration of Miasma. Finally, the third crucial factor is ensuring food security for its inhabitants. An independent city needs to have an adequate amount of food to feed its inhabitants.
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The reason Bailey Kingdom is an ideal place for orbies to live is that it satisfies all of the aforementioned requirements to be an ideal kingdom. Firstly, there is a single Genesis Tree with a Sacred Radius of approximately 7 kilometers located inside the Royal Palace. Secondly, there are constant supplies of Aether gathered by Aether Enrichment Tower in the first ring of Bailey Kingdom and circulated freely throughout the whole kingdom. Most of these Aethers come from the Miasma collected by the tower, which primarily originates from creatures killed in the Goodland areas outside of Bailey Kingdom. Thirdly, the kingdom's food supply is satisfactory due to the abundant number of beasts hunted and the significant amount of food produced from the farms and agricultural land.
The second lecture lasted for two hours, which included various explanations about sentient beings. After the second lecture, the third lecture was scheduled for two days later, during which Patriarch Kaya Shigeo lectured them about skills. Here is the summary of what he taught:
There are two types of skills. The first type is known as a Common Skill, or some people refer to it as a Level 0 Skill. These skills can be performed without accessing one's Soul Space or utilizing any magic diagram—examples include executing an uppercut, performing a somersault, or cooking food.
The second type is known as a Special Skill. These skills can only be performed by accessing one's Soul Space, or through the use of a certain tool. Special Skill further divided into 4 categories:
1. Solo Skill: Special skills that are solely dedicated to a single branch. These skills are typically developed through a gradual learning process or gained through one's experiences. This type of special skill includes Wind Magic skill, Leg Arts skill, Body Arts skill, etc.
2. Innate Skill: Special skills that require specific trait for activation. Most of these skills are originally inherited by a certain individual as fundamental part of their nature. These special skills consist of a list of sub-skills engraved in one’s DNA, hence having faster activation speed as they are either innate abilities or techniques. This type of special skill includes Fire Sovereign innate skill, Seashaper innate skill, Metal Eater innate skill, etc.
3. Mystic Skill: Special skills that are developed by exploring one's talent and applying it in real-world applications. Similar to Innate Skills that require an individual to have a certain trait, Mystic Skills require an individual to have a specific talent. This type of special skill includes Artificer mystic skill, Alchemist mystic skill, Soul Mediator mystic skill, etc.
4. Compound Skill: Special skills that are created by utilizing multiple skill animas. These skills are created by combining multiple special skills, regardless of their type. This type of special skill includes Zen Arts compound skill, Lightning Magic compound skill, Spatial Magic compound skill, etc.
Each of the aforementioned special skills can have a maximum of three sub-skills, which may include techniques, innate abilities, or spells. Furthermore, these sub-skills can be further categorized into three distinct types based on their activation:
* Active: This type of sub-skill can be consciously activated provided that the user meets the sub-skill requirements.
* Passive: This type of sub-skill cannot be consciously controlled by the user and will always be active, regardless of the user's own will.
* Temporary: This type of sub-skill will only manifest itself when one has the potential to wield a certain trait or talent. Unlike other sub-skills, which are learned, trained, or inherited, temporary sub-skills are automatically created by the laws of the universe and will also automatically disappear after once being activated.
Kaya Clan core members possess a distinctive trait, known as Fiery Fowl Fire Sovereign Bloodline, which grants them the ability to harness Fire Sovereign innate skill. This innate skill is well-known for granting its possessor a passive ability that allows them to replenish their Sacred Essence reserve at a faster rate compared to other innate skills.
Patriarch Kaya Shigeo's final lecture also lasted for two hours, encompassing various explanations about skills. After concluding the lectures, he encouraged the children to become adventurers while portraying the adventurous lifestyle in a positive and vibrant manner.
After Misaki got baptized, she decided to train for one year to prepare for her Bailey University examination. This led her to interact with Hikaru more, as she practiced in the same training ground as him. The following conversation was one of such occasions.
Masaki giggled and shouted: “Hi, Loki! Your fireball is super-hot! Can I train with you?” Loki was the nickname Masaki gave to Hikaru, inspired by his mischievous antics, as Loki was a well-known deity of mischief in Erudite.
Halting his training, Hikaru greeted Masaki with a playful nickname: “Hi, ducky!” Hikaru said to Masaki, using her nickname inspired by her adorable habit of pouting like a duck whenever teased.
Masaki protested playfully, saying: “Mooooo. Loki, why not call me princess instead of ducky?” Masaki pleaded while pouting like a duck.
"Hehe, I'll totally dub you princess once you snag yourself a prince. What do you think?" Hikaru shot back with a cheeky comeback. Hikaru found joy in spending time with Masaki, teasing her and watching those adorable reactions was the highlight of his day. In contrast to his relationships with both Kaede and Masaru, which were as cold as winter solstice.
Masaki turned serious while exclaiming: “Loki, get ready to be exterminated—brace yourself, okay?” She deftly brandished her bow and selected an arrow with a rubber head from the quiver she carried on her back.
Hikaru and Masaki regularly practiced together, becoming sparring partners. Masaki employed the Kaya Clan's common tactic of long-range attacks, using a bow and her Fire Sovereign innate skill to fly, while Hikaru skillfully dodged her arrows. This training enhanced Hikaru's reaction time and combat awareness while improving Masaki's accuracy and proficiency in targeting moving objects. With Masaki using rubber arrowheads, Hikaru's safety was ensured during their sparring sessions. This sparring also revealed that in a real combat situation, although Hikaru had higher overall stats, he would likely lose to Masaki. This was attributed to his limited repertoire, consisting solely of a fireball spell with a casting time of at least 7 seconds and close-quarter combat skills. Meanwhile, Masaki's Fire Sovereign innate skill allowed her to temporarily grow a pair of wings, giving her a huge advantage. Unlike flying spells that demand a lot of concentration, she could manipulate her wings as if they were her own limbs. This ability allowed her to execute long-distance attacks while gracefully maneuvering in the air.
After concluding his training session, Hikaru retreated to his room, taking a brief rest before engaging in meditation. During his meditation, he reflected on his weaknesses and the unfortunate condition of not having Fiery Fowl Fire Sovereign Bloodline. His meditation also served two additional purposes—replenishing his mana and examining his current stats.
Name : Kaya Hikaru Cell Regen Rate : Moderate Age : 12 years Lifespan : 84 / 100 years Race : Human
Sub-race : Bamborean
Soul Space : 10 Vose Sacred Essence : 5.5 / 5.5 Vose
Chi : 29k / 29k Chi Regen : 4.83 chi/minute Mana : 39k / 39k Mana Regen : 1.08 mana/second
Attributes:
Str: 17 (8); Def: 14 (8); Int: 30 (12); Wits: 28 (12)
Affinities:
Fire: 19 (10); Water: 10 (10); Earth: 10 (10); Wind: 10 (10)
Resistances:
Heat: 1%; Cold: 1%; Electricity: 1%; Poison: 3%.
Existential Essence composition: 4.5 Vose (0.5 Vose of Incomplete Skill Anima)
Neutral Magic (solo skill/L1):
* Mana Control (active/L1): This spell grants the user the ability to manage mana within inanimate objects by initiating or halting mana release through direct contact, while also maintaining control over the direction of the release.
* Magnifying Glass (active/L1): This spell allows the user to temporarily create additional lenses made of mana in front of their eyes, effectively functioning as a magnifying glass to enlarge objects.
Neutral Magic (solo skill/L2/locked): Requires at least 50 points in intelligence.
Leg Arts (solo skill/L1):
* Leg Chi (active/L1): This technique allows the user to reinforce their legs with a protective chi layer, ensuring protection against various forms of kinetic damage while preserving full legs mobility.
Fire Magic (solo skill/L1):
* Fireball (active/L1): This spell allows the user to create a hovering ball of fire that can be launched as a projectile.
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Note: Magic
In the Orb Universe, magic spells are created using magic diagrams. The magic diagrams used in spells must be flawless, with accurate rune combinations. Otherwise, the spell won't manifest, even though the spell cost has been paid. Magic diagrams have various levels of complexity, which are determined by the number of layers and rune combinations. Some high-level compound spells even combine multiple branches of magic diagrams, resulting in highly complicated three-dimensional diagrams. There are two ways to use magic diagrams: The first one is through the use of Inner Magic Diagrams, and the second one is through the use of enchanted Outer Magic Diagrams.
Inner Magic Diagram is a magical diagram created within one's mind through visualization. This type of diagram requires ones to have mastered the relevant Magic Diagram, and have the Skill Anima complete with the spell associated with the Magic Diagram. Individuals can directly cast this type of diagram by focusing on the desired Skill Anima inside their Soul Space, visualizing the corresponding diagram, and subsequently channeling mana to the location where the caster wants the spell to be cast. Therefore, even with a high enough attribute and the mastery of relevant Magic Diagram, individuals still cannot utilize Inner Magic Diagram without the corresponding Skill Anima and its associated spell.
Outer Magic Diagram is a physical-world magical diagram created with external aids such as drawing, engraving, and etching. Unlike Inner Magic Diagrams, Outer Magic Diagrams need to be enchanted by someone who has already mastered the relevant spells before they can be utilized.
There are several advantages and disadvantages of using Outer Magic Diagrams. The first advantage is that they do not require visualization or Skill Anima, allowing the possessors to employ an unlimited number of spells as long as they possess the corresponding outer magic diagrams. The second advantage is their instantaneous casting speed, which surpasses that of Inner Magic Diagrams due to skipping the visualization process. The third advantage is cost reduction, which is determined by the intelligence of the enchanter rather than the caster's own intelligence. Lastly, Outer Magic Diagrams can be set up to work remotely through the use of external aids, including but not limited to Mana Crystals. Unlike Inner Magic Diagrams, which require the caster's presence, Outer Magic Diagrams can be configured to work conditionally by defining a set of conditions in the diagrams during their creation.
The use of Outer Magic Diagrams also comes with several disadvantages. The first disadvantage is the lack of control over some of the spell properties, as these properties are usually predefined within the corresponding magic diagram. The second disadvantage is vulnerability to external damage. Since spells rely on flawless diagrams, any scratch or chip due to combat can result in flawed diagrams, rendering them useless. The third disadvantage is space requirement. High-level spells use more complex magic diagrams, so regular-sized weapons typically can only accommodate low-level spells due to the limited space available. Lastly, it's important to note that this type of diagram has limitations. First, spells that create phenomena inside one's body are uncastable because individuals cannot consciously absorb mana from outside their body. Second, spells that don't use mana are not viable because these diagrams work by binding spells to the solidified mana within them.