Uru was following Bernard quietly.
Though there were many burning questions on his mind after the last fight, he knew he had crossed the line. The only thing he heard from the man before they left the chaotic mess behind was a chilly "Let's go". That in itself was pretty scary. Uru didn't dare start a conversation now that they were alone, passing through the corridors.
Still, he genuinely wanted to. There was a bunch of agitated warlords in one room, and each had a massive faction behind them. What was going to happen now?
Vulcan was resentful for the loss – courtesy of the Coalition changing the rules at the last minute. Aquila might have tried to bridge the gap with hired mercenaries, but Cybercore definitely had some of their own as well, and Uru couldn't judge the fairness of the decision to ban archmages without knowing the exact numbers. Either way, many people shared Vulcan's feelings. And the disrespectful behavior of one of CC's heirs didn't help.
Immutable Mountain was angered by the incident, since he was previously given an assurance by Vulcan. "What? He's still alive," was the latter's innocent, childish excuse when the terrifying paladin stared him down through the puppet after removing Crimson Emperor's disintegrating core from his bowels and neutralizing it. Uru couldn't ascertain the tone, though – did Vulcan say it on impulse out of fear, or the exact opposite, did he not care in the least? That would surely be another slap in the face, wouldn't it?
Finally, Cronus – his son was crippled right in front of him. Yes, he had sent the unruly youth in there to be beaten up, but Uru was reluctant to believe that this was the outcome he was looking for. Although …
"You realize what kind of situation you put me in?" the archmage asked coldly, waking Uru up from his reverie. The boy was momentarily startled and embarrassed.
"Don't worry, Mr Hughes. Like Crimson, I'll take responsibility for my actions. The blame is all mine," he admitted with a placating smile.
"Oh, really? You still don't seem to fathom, how the adult world works, do you?" Uru instantly caught the meaning, but Bernard wanted to make it explicit. "You're a minor, and I'm your counselor. You were in my custody the whole time, and you still are, until I deliver you to another party and make you their burden. I counted on you, because you seemed mature. Now I'll get my just desserts, when I'm inevitably charged with your late arrival and your participation in a restricted event. My superiors were there!" he complained harshly. But he totally didn't anticipate the reaction his accusing tone would induce.
Because Uru's old irritation inflamed. He had enough of other people meddling and disturbing his peace. He scowled fiercely.
"I am not your responsibility, Mr Hughes, nor anyone else's. You did your job well, even going out of your way to help me, and then I moved on. I'll make it abundantly clear for them, before they make trouble for you. We can go see them now. If they have a problem, they can take it up with me," he declared brazenly. Adults can be so pretentious, nosy and clueless. His life was none of their business!
The youngster's resolution stumped Bernard. He sighed with exasperation in the ensuing pause.
"You're at that age, huh? I completely forgot," he snorted at himself. "Ah well, I guess I was the same. But it's not as easy as you might think. You'll understand once you grow up. There's so many factors at play that interpersonal relations can get awfully complicated. I'm in trouble, whether you want it or not."
"Then I'll have to be bold." Uru relived a scene from an old epic that etched itself in his memory. Do not give in! Make your stand and fight to the end!
Bernard recoiled slightly. "And you said before that you're a coward?"
He couldn't figure out if the boy's persistence came from cheekiness or courage. It felt so similar to the other brats he had to deal with, and yet so different. They had billionaire archmages and warlords behind them, but Uru claimed to be an orphan, a nobody. "Does that kid know what he's doing? Am I wrong by chastising him? Nonsense!" He was at a loss …
… and Uru saw the hesitation on his face.
"We will all die one day, Mr Hughes. What's there to be afraid of?" he stated with a bright smile.
"What the … this again?!" That seemed to have shut Bernard up for good. He turned away to look ahead of himself, and remembered their previous conversation. "Is he actually some covert warlord and is playing me like a fiddle? Nah, come on, Bernard. Don't be ridiculous. What kind of skill would it take to recover one's youth to this degree?"
"Were we in danger?" Uru's question broke his trail of thought.
"No, they know better than that."
"Why did Warlord Vulcan say "You're welcome"? He said it to Warlord Cronus, didn't he?" Now that the animosity was behind them, he had to investigate as much as he could before they got to the party. "It has to do with Adamas, right?"
The man looked at him suspiciously.
"You're way too smart for your age, boy."
"But is it just politics, or do they really hate Lucius that much?" Uru didn't slow down for a second.
"A bit of both. Adamas has always been the first son. He's everything a father could wish for. Responsible, driven, noble, obedient. Unfortunately, one can't have it all. Cybercore invests in him heavily on a daily basis in order to push him forward in cultivation. He's been groomed to be a leader from the beginning. And he will make it to the next realm without a doubt, he has what it takes. Just a matter of time. Which he no longer had once Lucius came along and stormed through the stages of flux mastery at a neck-breaking pace. Only a handful of warlords in history made archmage at eighteen, and he was almost there. He was bound to completely overshadow his brother, which has already begun. But – although they share the same drive – Lucius is …"
"Rotten," Uru finished for Bernard, eliciting a sad grimace from him.
"He was always a troublemaker. It's unclear what's wrong with him. All the health checks seem fine. Psychoanalysts found nothing out of the norm in his head. He's not a psychopath, he just … might seem like one sometimes. He's that vain and egotistic."
"So even his dad was afraid of him?" Uru pondered, and seeing Bernard's unsure looks, he continued, "Wouldn't that be a prophetical story? Although if I recall correctly Warlord Cronus' infamous father wasn't called Uranus, he had overthrown the tyrant just like his mythological counterpart. I wouldn't be surprised if he feared this would become a family tradition. And apparently Aquila agreed."
"Yes, but Vulcan's decision was certainly motivated by his company's best interests," Bernard clarified. "If it ever came to pass, that Lucius took over Cybercore, he'd be a loose cannon. Adamas on the other hand is very cultured and honest. He's not easygoing by any means, but at least you always know where you stand with him."
"So what do you think will happen now? They'll sweep it under the rug and move on?" Uru kept interrogating.
"Probably. If Vulcan apologizes to both the Prime and Cybercore, they'll likely impose a symbolic punishment on him, which he'll readily accept," Bernard speculated.
"And Lucius?"
"He'll have to restart his cultivation. Although it took Prime a few precious seconds to rip his core out, so I'm not sure how much damage did his brain sustain during the collapse. If it's nothing serious, he might be back to 7th circle in a few years. We'll have to wait and see," Bernard shrugged.
"Is Immutable Mountain the strongest warlord alive?" Uru kept true to his nature and wouldn't relent. They were nearing their destination, so there was no time to lose, and the questions were coming without delay. The archmage stifled a laugh. He had no more apprehensions about Uru being just a kid.
"That's almost impossible to tell. There's a whole bunch of supreme warlords out there – that we're aware of – who hit the bottleneck, and thus the differences in raw power equalized between them. But if you factor in his experience and access, he's definitely top five, maybe top three. If they all entered a tournament, it would be a spectacle for the ages. No telling who would win, since the smallest mistakes could be fatal."
"So what's after?"
"Hmm?"
"You said 'bottleneck'. What's after the 'immortal' realm?"
Bernard smiled. "Only conjectures."
"Fundamental binding?" Uru fired off a cannon. The man stopped abruptly and looked at him with shock.
"An educated guess," the boy grinned victoriously. "Is anyone close?" he tried.
"Alright. You've reached your quota for today," Bernard concluded, obviously unwilling to discuss the sensitive subject. "We've arrived. You better think of what you're going to say now, mister 'I am my own responsibility, and nobody else's'. Put that golden tongue of yours to a good use for a change," he requested. Uru was very unhappy with that phrasing, and kept staring at him angrily while they were approaching the door, which jogged Bernard's memory. He coughed lightly and smiled. "Come on, don't you have a sense of humor?" He then stopped before the door and his demeanor took a full turn.
"You'll have to see her eventually," Uru didn't miss this chance to reciprocate. He was now grinning again.
"Shut up."
The archmage promptly went through. If it wasn't for Uru's jab, he'd stand there for who knows how long.
The lively sight that welcomed them wasn't on par with the magnitude of the stadium, but Uru was still plenty impressed. The big hall was divided into numerous smaller pavilions with their own stages and various activities taking place, there was a fully furnished main gathering point in the middle with food and refreshments, and the ring behind it served as a scene. It was empty, so the main event must have already ended. People were everywhere, forming groups or walking about, all in all as many as at the match, if not more. Mostly women, but plenty of men as well. All of them guests and staff – since Uru didn't see any familiar faces – and thus were likely not invited to the competition.
"Poor souls. I wonder how many of them tried to watch the stream in secret?" both of them thought to themselves. The official scheduling was for tomorrow, after all.
Bernard was diligently scanning his surroundings while leading Uru to a designated spot. Several people greeted or saluted him on the way, with the most common question being "How was it?", but his answers were always short and he never stopped.
"Looking for us, Bernard?"
This time, however, he did. As if struck by a lightning. The woman's voice was strangely full of confidence.
"How?! Did she cloak them all?!"
He turned around with a forced smile.
"Surprise!" It was Eleanor this time. There were two beautiful, mature women next to her, one delicate and dressed for the occasion, and one athletic, wearing a fancy combat suit. That last one was leading them, and Eleanor was waving from behind her. Uru immediately had an idea of what was going on.
"Hello ladies," Bernard waved back awkwardly.
"Such a shame you didn't come earlier, we've had so much fun! I sparred with some of the kids, and what talents they are, let me tell you! Eh, the standards are going up so fast. You should have seen them!" the powerful woman recounted exuberantly. Uru now knew where Eleanor got her temperament from.
"Ah, yes, a shame. I mean–"
"That watching men beat each other into a pulp is more entertaining, huh?" she finished for him with a knowing face. Bernard choked and couldn't utter a word. His expression was so helpless that the woman burst out laughing and patted his shoulder with solid hits. "So? Had your share? I heard young Lucius lost his core. Satisfied?" She was merciless. Eleanor was standing behind her embarrassed, and Uru didn't dare interrupt, either. It wasn't his cue yet, and the woman seemed scary as hell.
"I … it was very unfortunate, yes," Bernard stammered with great effort.
"Was it? Hmm. And who is this mighty warrior?"
"Gah, that accursed scar!" Uru hoped they'd ignore him and not investigate, because that could lead them to–
"Did you take him to watch the fights?" the elegant woman had a bad premonition and spoke up.
Right into the gut!
Both the male's faces betrayed them. The atmosphere instantly got cold and ugly. Even Eleanor scowled.
"How old are you?" the strong woman asked in a blood-chilling voice. Uru was ready to talk, when that question came and shut him down.
Bernard sighed with resignation. "Guess there's no salvaging this". But then the boy took a deep breath and amazed him yet again.
"Mrs Bell, am I right? I'm not sure where did Miss Eleanor get her–"
"How do you know my real name?" She raised an eyebrow, then looked at Bernard accusingly.
"We spoke at lunch," Eleanor hastily came to his rescue, "I mentioned you and mum."
"Oh? You got that close, did you? And here I thought you went to your little retreat to eat alone?" It was Eleanor's turn to be grilled.
"I did, but Bernard and Uru were there already," she quickly explained.
"Uru, is it? What an unusual name. So you two had lunch together? And the plot thickens …" the draconian matron kept examining.
"Mr Hughes was helping me out, Mrs Bell. My case was problematic and it required more time, so we took a break for lunch and resumed after. That's why I was late for the original party," Uru said in defense.
"Mmm? Must have been an interesting talk," the woman squinted.
"It really was. I feel very reassured now," Uru happily disclosed, not getting the allusion at all.
"Do tell. I'm very curious. Care to share?" she inquired, but not even this comment of hers helped him catch up.
"En. We discussed philosophy. The meaning of life and the spirit of champions."
Bernard facepalmed.
"What? We did," Uru reiterated, but the weird faces all around him remained.
"We spoke at length about Uru's situation, so that I could better judge how to proceed," the archmage clarified.
"Ah, yes, that too," the innocent boy chimed in, before he reminded himself and continued, "and then I run off to the main hall, but you were all leaving and the stadium was taking shape, so I stayed behind. Mr Hughes had nothing to do with it. And he certainly helped me out a lot. With my troubles, I mean."
"Really? And none of those old monsters noticed an unwelcome tiny guest like you?" the imposing woman challenged with disbelief.
"I managed to hide," Uru declared with satisfaction.
"You hid from an army of mages and warlords? You're that good?" Now it was pure sarcasm. This time Uru got it, however he didn't mind at all.
"The elders shooed me away, but I'm not that small any more, so I found a group of youngsters and camouflaged myself behind them," he smiled triumphantly.
"Look – at – you. Mmm-mmm. Aren't you accomplished? And you though you were going to get away with it scot-free? Don't worry, deary, we'll think of something." It was her turn to beam, and Uru's mood changed right away. "Double that for you, Bernard."
The poor man blanched, feeling an oppressive surge of heat go through him, his body instinctively activating the fight or flight mechanism. Thing is, neither way was an option …
"No-no, I–" Uru tried to interject, to no avail.
"Shush. Tell me, though, what were you looking for in the training hall when we arrived?"
"I … err … I was looking for some sparring partners, when Enigma told me about the change of plans …" Bernard was sweating profusely, he didn't dare look at Eleanor right now.
"Oh? And you found it appropriate to cloak and run away without a single word? Rude, very rude," the matron nailed the coffin.
"I …" Bernard sighed, then took a deep breath, "I was ashamed, alright?" He finally overcame himself. That took the vicious woman by surprise.
"Ashamed of what?" she snorted.
"… Whom …" Bernard corrected timidly.
"Hmm?" the fragile woman faltered, but soon she realized something and promptly turned to Eleanor, mystified. "Do you have something to do with this, Ellie?"
"Me? Err, well, maybe?" the girl flustered, and both her seniors looked at her with unending confusion, forcing her to keep talking. "I mean, I did send Bernard a message through Uru …"
"What message?" the matriarch demanded.
"To pick me up at ten?" Eleanor confessed shyly. Both women immediately turned to Bernard, who was steeling himself for the impact.
"Well, well, little Ellie has grown up!" the intimidating woman smiled mischievously, and the hapless man couldn't help but shudder visibly. "Hmm, sparring partners, you say? You're in luck, my boy. The youngsters flared up my fighting spirit, and I could use some proper stretching. Come on, the stadium is still up. I haven't seen you fight in years, so I'm sure you're dying to show me your progress!" She then wrapped her arm around his neck and dragged the miserable wretch away.
Uru so wanted to follow them, but he knew they'd never let him. He was fully convinced the lady was a warlord. Naturally she'd go easy on the archmage, though she'd definitely push the stadium's shielding to the limit, too. But he was also certain Bernard would be grateful if left to suffer his humiliation in solitude …
"Don't be so sad, young man, I won't forget about you!" she winked at Uru over her shoulder, much to his dismay … as if she had eyes at the back of her head.
"Is Mr Hughes going to be okay?" Uru asked the disturbed Eleanor once the two powerhouses were out of range.
"Oh, yes sweetie, why would nana hurt him?" She quickly turned to him and put on a facade, but her smile disappeared just as soon. "That was real naughty of you! Children can't watch such brutality for a good reason!" she reprimanded. Uru didn't care for her tone one bit, though. Unlike her grandmother, the girl wasn't threatening at all – she might have been angry, but never stopped being kind.
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"You better go with him, Ellie. Take him to his group before he strays off again," her mother insisted.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs Bell. It was nice meeting you." Uru was feeling unusually talkative from all the excitement today and wished he could have a chat with the distinguished scientist as well, but he knew he'd just be bothering her, so he waved goodbye.
At last, he was escorted to the destination he was supposed to reach so long ago, while getting another earful from his companion.
…
"You're ready, boy? You better be. I'll see to it that you don't grow up to be a good-for-nothing like my son, who leaves whenever he wants, goes who knows where, and doesn't even bother to update his family if he's still alive. I won't make the same mistake twice!"
"I'm ready, Madam Director." A bead of sweat run down Bernard's temple. The bloody combatants didn't disperse as fast as he hoped they would. Most remained, and they appropriated the stadium for their own entertainment once the top personalities left. Thus, they were more than happy to make room, when they heard he was 'challenging' the monstrous woman.
"Show her who's boss, Bernard!" the domineering man Uru met before shouted, and his cohort cheered as well. Mocking, naturally, what else?
"Jerks."
"Enigma, make sure she doesn't kill me," the ill-fated gladiator whispered under his nose.
"I'll do my best to guarantee both your safety, sir," a reaffirming voice calmed him.
The archmage took a few deep breaths to compose himself. He stood zero chance. Between grandmaster and warlord, there was an abyss. It was basically going from a large fruit-sized core to a full body-sized one. Despite the density being inferior at first, young warmages would still increase their energy storage at least ten times after breakthrough. And it was already 40-50 times for his current opponent. Not to mention she was several times older and incomparably more experienced than him.
Cellular manipulation combined with local power source was also a ridiculous cheat. Built-in kinetic absorbers, molecular integrity grid, direct mitochondrial substitution, neural shortcuts for inhuman reaction speed. She'd tear him apart with her muscles alone.
"Uru would probably tell me to yolo it and go out with guns blazing. Heh, that little kid. Well, if it's going to hurt, then let's at least make it fun, huh?" Bernard resolved himself to give it his all. If he survived this, it might actually turn out to be a valuable opportunity to temper himself for his own breakthrough. If he survived.
"Full battle display, activate!"
"Combat mode, activate!"
"Cerebral stabilization frame!"
"Tissue stabilization frame!"
"Bone integrity grid!"
"Neural amplification!"
"Pain suppression!"
"Direct mitochondrial support!"
"Core stabilization frame, maximum overboost!"
"Personal combat shield, maximum overboost!"
"Perimeter kinetic shield, maximum overboost!"
He activated all the support skills in his arsenal, though the number was still meager compared to a warlord's. At least she was gracious enough to let him prepare and just stood there nonchalantly with a smirk, waiting for his move. He closed his eyes, fired himself up, and opened them again, looking all determined.
"You can brake my body, but you won't brake my spirit!"
…
While the sociable grownups mingled, the entire group of underage migrants was gathered in one of the pavilions for the orientation. This one was walled off on all sides, and even though there was a huge gap to the hall's ceiling, the acoustic panels muffled outside noise incredibly well. There were over thirty kids altogether, mostly advanced teenagers, but some were much younger than Uru – though they all came in an entourage, likely with their parents. Only a few of the older ones seemed to be on their own. Surprisingly, about one-third were girls. That went to show how far had New Earth progressed. As for the caretakers, there were only several, all wearing official uniforms.
"Well, well. The prodigal son returns!" a pompous man of Japanese descent announced from the stage when Eleanor brought the vagabond over. Uru recognized the guy and sighed. He was one of the port's senior staff members who received them after the jump, Dr. Tomo Date. A stereotypical impudent intellectual. The other two were also here, Prof. Miroslav Orlov, an old academic type with opulent mustache, and Dr. Akira Abe, a petite woman who waved happily and called "Hey Ellie" almost inaudibly, ushering the girl to her side. The rest were new faces.
"I'm sorry for being late," Uru apologized flatly, prompted by Eleanor's poke. She already managed to exhaust his patience on their way here, and reminded him of how annoying adults – women in particular – can be.
"You're sorry, how helpful. Do you know what time it is, Mister … Uruloki?" Dr. Date checked the name in the system in a blink of an eye. "You were supposed to join us almost two hours ago! Enigma told me you were making trouble for officer Hughes, is that true?" he chastised, while everyone scrutinized the audacious delinquent. Uru sighed again.
"There were … complications."
"Oh? You don't say. We all had complications, courtesy of you. And now someone will also have to stay behind with you afterwards and repeat everything I've said so far!" the man chided ardently.
"That's fine, Tomo-san, I'll stay …" Dr. Abe offered meekly.
"No! It was my duty to begin with, so I'll do it!" he proclaimed self-righteously.
"What a hassle," Uru thought to himself. He didn't like that perspective in the least.
"So, Mr Uruloki, care to explain to everyone, why have you delayed us all? And where were you for the past three hours? I don't recollect seeing you at lunch, either," the scientist urged.
"I had lunch separately. And I had to properly describe my situation, before I could be processed …" Uru recounted carefully. He didn't want to implicate anyone or leave unnecessary clues. Hopefully Eleanor wouldn't just throw him to the wolves.
"Alright now. What's done is done," Prof. Orlov pacified. "Now that you're all here, you will watch the orientation video together. Pay close attention, because it's very important information. Life here is different than on Earth, and you will be obligated to follow these rules. We will verify your knowledge afterwards, as we're not allowed to release you until you learn it all by heart."
All of the kids probably memorized everything they needed long before the leap, but the legal protocol required to make sure. New Earth was still a frontier, a very unforgiving place if one was ignorant of the dangers. For this reason the social structure and law also diverged slightly.
As the unruly teenagers were watching, hushed conversations ensued.
"Hey bro, I'm Mark," an outspoken older boy introduced himself to Uru and stunned him with an insightful question, "did you tuck at the stadium?"
"…"
"No way! How did you trick Enigma?!"
All the nearby youths instantly turned towards Uru.
"I arrived late and blended with the young audience," he shrugged and revealed the truth. The AI must have ignored him after the guards pushed him into the main hall.
"Dude, you're a genius!" Passionate comments of praise and envy poured out from everywhere.
"Did Lucius really lose his core? What happened?" a beguiling girl asked impatiently. Uru could now see that she, and some others, had Cybercore's logo on the uniform, fashioned after Da Vinci's famous drawing of human proportions, depicting a featureless humanoid puppet within a circle, rays of energy emanating from its exposed power source in the geometric center. It was common practice among large factions, since it usually sufficed to ward off troublemakers and promoted order.
"He … stepped on Vulcan's toes. And got served a reality check," the people's hero divulged.
The youths inhaled and grimaced. "Dumb. Real dumb," one of them admitted and shook his head.
"How did Prime and Cronus react?" a boy with a silver eagle investigated with concern. There were also a few more of them, all wearing scowls.
"Nothing major. If Vulcan plays it well, there will be no serious repercussions. And he's smart." Uru once again stood with folded arms and took on his 'cool and collected' persona.
"What was the score? Did we actually fail?" a red-haired girl with a similar eagle inquired worriedly.
"Sorry. 5 to 4 for Cybercore." This revelation incited many moans, cheers, and childish banter.
"It was very close, though. Knife's edge. I have to agree that Aquila only lost due to bad luck," Uru added.
"Quiet there!" Dr. Date admonished and stood behind the group to keep them in line from now on until the end of the projection.
"Alright, now you will each get a personalized quiz to make sure you watched with understanding," he then declared and swiftly sent out the tasks through the automated system. "In the meantime, we will arrange the machinery."
This was apparently going to take a few minutes, and all the attendees finished their tests with time to spare. Weirdly enough, the youngsters from CC and GH didn't have any animosities and interacted freely with each other. It was as if the politics of the adults didn't affect them in the least. Taking advantage of the small breather, all the older males approached Uru, who was attentively rewinding the screens he missed in hopes of shortening his detention.
"Say, little guy, who's that beauty you came with? Is she your relative?" a handsome, tall youth investigated.
"Seriously?" Uru looked at him with a deadpan expression.
"What? I don't see any rings on her fingers," the admirer defended.
Uru merely sighed, shook his head and resumed his study.
"You know nothing on the subject, kid. Love doesn't choose, it strikes unexpectedly," another dandy grinned.
"Alright. Fair is fair. Go talk to her warlord grandma. She just took her granddaughter's date for tonight, a strapping 9th circle, to the main ring to see what he's made of," Uru calmly announced. All the boys balked, while the girls nearby snorted with laughter and teased them savagely.
"You're kidding, right?" They didn't give up, but it was as if Uru didn't hear them. "And who is that blessed fellow, hmm?" they tried to dismantle Uru's subterfuge.
"Counselor Hughes," Uru said without sparing a glance.
"Pfft, that loser? Yeah, right!" the whole group burst out laughing with derision.
Uru looked at them sternly.
"Aren't you aware Enigma can hear you? And he's an official with direct access. A soon-to-be warlord. Unable to learn from others' mistakes, are you?"
They all froze on the spot. Uru's angry tone made them realize he wasn't joking.
"Ehm, that was immature of me. I'm sorry, Mr Hughes. And good luck," the offending youth apologized with an ugly face. It seemed prudent to do it on the record, in case Enigma was parsing them right now. And with the AI's computing power, it very likely was.
"Yeah, good luck, Mr Hughes!" the others chimed in.
…
Bernard was coughing up blood on the mat, crawling on all fours.
There was no more jeering from the cheeky audience, only glum silence. This fight was … unnecessarily brutal.
"What is she doing?!" the other warlord and everyone else were thinking to themselves. But nobody dared to interfere.
"Sir, your condition is still stable. Don't worry, she's sufficiently holding back. Eleanor is counting on you," the soothing voice of the AI encouraged.
"You call this stable?!" Bernard looked up at the unruffled, carefree woman. He tried, he truly did. And yet he failed to harm a single hair on her unprotected head. He, on the other hand, had suffered multiple fractures and concussions, had to suspend over a hundred internal hemorrhages, he felt like his organs were about to shut down, and his flesh was torn all over. "Did she override my access?" he wondered with gritted teeth. If she didn't heal him after that, then these injuries were far beyond his capabilities. He'd be hospitalized for weeks.
"Alright, you old hag. For Eleanor!"
He summoned all the energy he could muster and stood up with pain written all over his face. He could no longer afford to run all the support systems at nominal value.
The villainous woman smiled wickedly …
…
"Enough chit-chat!" Dr. Date cut the shenanigans short, unwittingly saving Uru, who was being swamped with inquiries denying him the chance to catch up on the old material – his stunt combined with his appearance gave him an unprecedented amount of popularity. The kids were obviously not allowed to watch the stream until they came of age, so they wanted to find out as much as they could from the only witness. Any details coming from their seniors would probably be censored.
"We will now be verifying your aptitude and letters of recommendation, unless you are officially exempt. If everything is in order then we will approve your applications and send you on your merry way," the scientist explained. "Hopefully you're all well prepared and there will be no mishaps adding us more work. But you know what they say about hope," he ridiculed.
"What's up with this guy?" Uru pondered.
"Let's start with an appetizer, shall we? Mr Ortiz, 5th circle. Think you're a hot-shot, don't you?" the man taunted the pretty, tall boy. It was already a great achievement to congeal a core before turning 18, most adepts didn't succeed until their mid twenties, and prodigies on the level of Crimson Emperor were akin to shining stars. "Stand behind the flux flow meter and give it your best. Pure discharge, no funny business," the man advised.
The flux flow meter was a lab appliance for measuring the flow of origin energy, analogous to a universal electric meter. Like any other magical device they could only be built by professional fluxers, because the interactions between origin energy and regular matter were breaking causality under fundamental principles, and could only be calibrated and manipulated using the origin energy itself.
This meter was meant to quantify the raw power output of fluxers, which was their single most essential attribute. Storage capacity was one thing, but handling all that energy was much more important. After all, there were flux crystals and batteries to compensate for low storage, but no such thing as a synthetic amplifier.
Well, there might have been AI-assisted cerebral boosters in the past, but they only served as a surefire way to get oneself a ticket off this world, or at least to an asylum. The combined computing power of all the systems ever built wasn't enough to guarantee the wielder's safety, so they were dropped entirely. To be precise, one could argue that the techniques developed and used by fluxers to increase their mental capability and power output could also be considered as a form of an amplifier, but they were already a part of their cultivation and thus didn't count as external support. Human senses 1, machine learning 0.
The youngster approached the device, which was by no means handheld. They were in the most expensive facility in the world, so the equipment was hefty, solid, resistant to tampering, and extremely accurate. He put his hands on a large transparent orb, likely filled with a catalyzing fluid, and held by four metal arms tapering nearly to a point so as to minimize interference. He took a deep breath, focused, and then tensed for a few seconds, until he heard a beep. Visibly nothing happened, so it might have looked funny to the uninitiated, but a result was definitely registered. Everyone was waiting for the verdict.
"Pfft, 207.4 kilowatts, is that all you've got? That barely qualifies, 4th circles are frequently stronger than that! Didn't your caretakers tell you not to rush your cultivation?" Dr. Date discredited shamelessly.
The youth was gloomy. "What a buzzkill!"
"Well, it could be worse, I guess. Periculum College of Flux Arts, as expected. Academic achievements … are you kidding me? Nothing? No extracurricular activity whatsoever? What is Aquila laying out all the money for?" the disappointed scientist kept kicking the downed junior.
"I have top grades …" the boy justified himself.
"Oh? And you think that will suffice to make warlord? Go, watch them. Tell me which one isn't an erudite," the man berated.
"I'll have plenty of time once I–"
"If, Mr Ortiz, if you ever break through," Dr. Date corrected callously. "With your attitude I'm not optimistic about your chances. I've seen enough grandmasters. You'd fit right in among them," he picked the aspiring mage to pieces, treating the genius like a failing student. "Approved. Let's see what becomes of you."
The youngster left the scene with drooped head and shattered confidence. He felt wronged.
The atmosphere among the kids was dour. Nobody wanted to be next. But there was no choice, anyway.
"Mr Armstrong, 3rd circle," another casualty was selected. This time it was the other handsome boy, the one who believed in love, and he was from Cybercore. He psyched himself up and energetically entered the stage.
"60.5 kW, another underachiever. Do they not teach about laying proper foundations nowadays? Or are you all in a race?" the scientist kept pummeling his victims. "What for? Get ahead now and limit your future?" he shook his head.
Though this result wasn't as bad as the previous case, it was still poor. A tiny fraction of 2nd circle mages was stronger than that.
"Leader of a bombball club. Are you serious? Why'd you even bother putting it here?" Dr. Date revealed his utter perplexity.
"I …" the youth wanted to say something, but he just didn't have a clue what. This was so unfair! Bombball was a difficult, dangerous team sport for fluxers based on American football, but originating from ancient video games and taking place on various 'maps', where killing each other was replaced with beating each other into submission, and those who got knocked out were substituted with reserve members entering from 'respawn points', while they themselves sat on the bench and recovered. It required a lot of fast thinking and coordination, how wasn't this significant?!
The man sighed deeply. "Periculum College of Flux Arts, where else? Approved. Let's move on. Miss Hartmann, please. 3rd circle as well."
A pretty, freckled redhead from Aquila stepped forward confidently. She was jovial and unaffected by the ambience.
"You show them, Steffi!"
"May the force be with you, girl!"
Everyone emboldened her unanimously, it looked like she was very prominent among the teens. She gave a cute battle cry before she made her discharge.
"124.7 kW. 2nd place junior European mathematics championships. Nationals in mathematics every year since 12, all six times finalist, three times podium. Well, well. And the hope is restored," Dr. Date declared with gratification. "Paradisum University. We'll be happy to have you, Miss Hartmann. Bravo," he gave an applause, and the audience eagerly joined in. Now that was a star.
"Miss Neri, 2nd circle."
This was the alluring girl from CC who was so concerned with Lucius. Uru didn't like her at all, she seemed empty-headed. Although he didn't want to judge the book by its cover, her ego showed quite noticeably.
"55 kW. Laureate of Curie's Memorial, four times participant in nationals for chemistry and three times biology, one year internship at Cybercore's bio-android division," the scientist nodded with comfort. "Periculum University. Hmm. You're only 16, Miss Neri. That place requires maturity, it's a combat zone. The schools there aren't really fond of precocious students. Why don't you want to go to a more scholarly environment? You shouldn't have trouble with admission anywhere. Is there a particular reason for your choice?" he investigated.
The girl blushed, though hardly anyone saw it. "Most of our group aims for Periculum," she gave a simple explanation, but a few people outside of CC knew the truth. Uru also noticed her momentary awkwardness, and since he was currently sensitive to the topic thanks to Bernard's escapades, he realized she was probably enamored with Lucius, who was bound to attend Periculum University as well.
"Well, if your faction agrees, then that's none of my business. Approved. Next we'll have Miss Ortiz, please. 2nd circle."
It was an expressive, muscular girl from Aquila. A whistle of appreciation came from her camp when she jumped on the platform.
"Got too many teeth?" she turned around on her heel and fired right back at the 5th circle youth, stumping him. She had enough of him mocking her figure, and now he even dared to do it in public. Everyone promptly laughed at him, including his colleagues.
"That was a compliment! Why do you always–"
"Behave yourselves!" Dr. Date interrupted, but soon he was the one whistling in admiration. "70.2 kW! Impressive. I wouldn't want to be in your brother's shoes, Miss Ortiz," he acknowledged, glancing at the unfortunate 'loser', whom he had branded. "Mhm, not bad. Periculum College of Flux Arts it is."
The girl grinned and didn't miss this chance to further humiliate the previously disgraced boy, showing him her tongue.
"Alright. Mr Chapman, 2nd circle."
This was Mark, the youngster who exposed Uru's feat. He was the first one not affiliated with either of the two colossi, sporting an intricate logo of two mythological beasts locked in battle, which Uru didn't recognize. He went forward sheepishly, so it was evident, what was going to happen now.
"21.3 kW. Wow. Hats off. A round of applause, everybody," Dr. Date clasped, encouraging everyone else to do the same, which some did, but most looked around and hesitated. Mark just stood there resembling a convict, wishing the ground opened up beneath him. "Economy, mathematics, international relations, mhm … o-kaaay … hmm. I'm sorry, Mr Chapman, I don't see the grounds here to admit you to Periculum University just yet. You would struggle there. Take a year at the College and prepare yourself, maybe improve your basics first?" the man proposed.
Mark faltered and panicked, but he didn't give up. "Sir, I assure you that I'm aware of what I'm asking for. I have completed the high school material and I'm ready for the challenge. I'll put in the extra hours and I will not fail," he stressed. It looked like this meant more than just pride to him. The scientist locked eyes with him and finally relented.
"Very well, you've been warned. Mr Tiang, 2nd circle."
Yet another member of CC came out. Between them and GH, almost half of the kids in the room were theirs. That's how big of a movement they were making in order to fight for the pie.
"38.9 kW … what's up with the male populace nowadays?! Didn't your illustrious seniors tell you that the higher you go, the harder it gets to expand your core and control its flow rate? If you storm through the stages now, it will take you additional time to make up for the losses later. The faster you try to run from your peers, the further they'll leave you behind in the future!" Dr. Date vented his agitation. "Not that I have anything against it, but why are the ladies so much smarter, gentlemen?!"
The boys felt disrespected. The girls saw it, and those that have already socialized with them, plus the groups that came from factions, were happily teasing and showing their tongues.
Undeniably, there was a strong incentive for males to break through without fully stabilizing their foundations. They comprised over 90% of the combatants, and fighting tournaments began at an early age. Higher degrees of mastery provided obvious advantages, so boys often congealed their cores prematurely and added new layers as soon as possible.
Superpowers, naturally, should have known better. There must have been additional pressure on the children to perform in the last few years because of the escalating conflict. Therefore, once all the proper mages were tested and only the fledglings remained, the situation leveled off. Initiates had no core, only flux senses, which they were honing together with invocation and conjuration, increasing the amount of origin energy they could summon and handle without it escaping their grasp.
Basically, it was akin to juggling – how many pins could one keep in the air and how resistant were they to being knocked out of balance, while simultaneously throwing some of those pins at targets and grabbing new ones from the ground to replenish the number. It was a real art, aside from talent requiring nothing but practice and experience, so there was no rushing under those circumstances. It only began with stepping into the origin core realm – one could forgo waiting until their senses fully developed and create an inferior core to get the upper hand, but then they might get overtaken by others, if they can't keep up with expanding it while their rivals continue training and congeal bigger cores straight away. Without a good reason, such strategy rarely paid off.
The smaller children were now summoned one after another. Uru kept looking to the side, where two unaffiliated girls stood quietly with folded arms, and to the oldest group, where an outsider had unabashedly intermingled, a cheerful and talkative little boy with an unusual air. Dr. Date was calling them out in an obvious pattern, and those three were so far omitted. The girls seemed especially extraordinary. They were tall, athletic, and sleek, plus the valor they exuded made them even more attractive. They felt … mature, as if they had no business being here. Because of that nobody dared approach them.
"Warlord's kids?" Uru speculated.
Inevitably, his turn was coming up. From the beginning everything indicated that he was designated as dessert …
…
Bernard lied in a pool of scarlet red.
He was spent, and the flux energy he was recovering as fast as he could didn't suffice for stabilizing his injuries and keeping him conscious. He was hemorrhaging blood, and his breathing was erratic. He could barely move a finger.
The stadium was deathly silent.
His tormentor stood right above him, ignoring the sticky liquid staining her boots and admiring her handiwork with satisfaction.
But he still kept looking her in the eyes, not saying a single word throughout the whole fight.
"Not bad, I guess," she nodded, unimpressed. "You might yet become somebody."
…
"What's that supposed to–?" Dr. Date frowned.
"Category zero? And it says here you're backed by the state?" he wondered out loud, and the room was instantly abuzz with bafflement and hushed discussions. No doubt everyone thought Uru was some golden child with profound cultivation and a free ticket.
"Well, this should finally make them lose interest in me," the boy breathed out with relief.
"Periculum University. At your age?" The scientist looked at Uru with blatant skepticism. "But where's your letter of recommendation? And where's your education history?" he asked in bewilderment.
"Periculum?" Eleanor pried, unable to hold back her surprise.
"Unfortunately I have no documents from Earth with me. But I'm ready to be evaluated," Uru stated confidently.
"Oh, you're a piece of work!" Realization dawned on Dr. Date. "Now it's all clear. Did you seriously think this would fly?" he scoffed. "That in itself is evidence of your immaturity and proves how inadequate you are."
"Passing judgment without due diligence? Did I just hear the word 'inadequate'?" Uru eventually found an angle for the arrogant man and brought the hammer down with full force. And he didn't smile, either. There was no insolence in his tone, only righteous reprehension.
All the adults and most youngsters gaped, while many others quietly giggled, expressing their joyful astonishment, only magnified by the comically astounded look on Dr. Date's face. He was about to burst when Eleanor once more came to save the day.
"In that case, Uru, tell us how do we know that the speed of origin isn't infinite?"
"Good! Why don't you enlighten us to your mental prowess, young man? Show us, how ignorant we are!" the incensed scientist demanded in accord with her.
"Oh, the speed of origin, it's … err … very tough to determine," Uru stumbled helplessly …
… for he didn't know the answer.