I stayed up half the night reading and then resumed as soon as I woke again the next morning. By noon I had consumed at least half the scriptures while scanning lightly over the rest. By that time my brain felt fried, but after having reached the 6th Tier of Body Refinement and Focusing of the Mind, I thought I had committed a fair potion of it to memory as well.

The introduction spoke to me especially, reminiscent of my first conversation with Threja.

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“Thou art indeed a kindled Flame, a frenzied spirit, tempered by struggle and sorrow, fueled by rage and pain…” -Unknown

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Shura 1

Think not that we speak for the Flame, for the Flame of Frenzy has no master nor does it seek to create masters of its own accord. We who speak, have through consult agreed to these doctrines, not by direction, but through independent revelations of the Flame. Know with confidence then, that these words are true and are fit for enlightenment along your path.

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Shura 2

They call us Berserker, we who follow the Frenzied Flame. Let us embrace the moniker, for it instills fears in our enemies. And fear is our strength.

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I noted that the Yee word for Berserker was made of two separate characters. The word for demon combined with the word struggle. The demon that struggles, literally. The first few passages or Shuras were close to what Threja had explained to me already, warning of the dangers of becoming addicted to Frenzy and going full Demon. But the pendulum swung the other way as well. Too much failure, defeat, and hardship without the fury of the Demon and you became what was known as a Waning Ember and if that continued you could extinguish your Flame completely, becoming unkindled yet again. I feared what hardships you’d have to go through to reach that phase of demoralization.

Once I’d read enough of the philosophy, I had moved onto the parts I more eagerly wanted to know. Practical application. There were three distinct forms of energy that I could detect at my level as a 1st Tier Foundation-level cultivator. Pain, Fear, and Rage. I could also begin gathering them and convert them into Frenzy. At the next Tier up I’d be able to channel it efficiently to all parts of my body and at the 3rd Tier I would be able to start using Frenzy to strengthen my body.

That became the goal for me.

I needed to reach 3rd Tier as quickly as possible if I wanted to stand up to the likes of Hein, or any true cultivator for that matter. And the more Frenzy I could gather the faster I could reach that breakthrough. But the key to gathering Frenzy lay in the techniques.

There were a multitude of techniques listed under each tier, broken up into stances and actions. After a brief summary, which described the technique and its purpose, the manual then used a series of diagrams to show exact body positioning and movements to perform the technique correctly. Scanning through the list of basic techniques under Foundation Establishment, I found a few that caught my eye.

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[Frenzied Flame] – the most basic of all techniques within the Berserker’s domain. Use it to instantly channel your internal energies of Fear, Rage, and Pain into Frenzy. Evoking this technique can also stir the embers of an Unkindled or even reignite the fallen Flame of a Waning Ember.

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[Fear the Flame] – the simple baring of one’s fangs is sometimes all that is required to defeat one’s foe. Gather your Frenzy and with a mere look or phrase, exert your dominance and feed from the fears of your enemies or bolster the resolve of your allies.

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[Mask of the Despised] – take heed always, kindled one, for the hatred of the Frenzied Flame is great amongst those who follow the path of Qi. Use this technique to mask your strength while in their presence, for their own arrogance shall paint you as a mere fool, simpleton, or dull brute in their eyes. Use this to your advantage to move freely among them while posing no threat.

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[Lust for Battle] – not a true technique, but a trait shared by all kindled of the Frenzied Flame. The drawing of blood in battle, even one’s own, can trigger a burst of Frenzy. And to slay one’s enemy will produce even more so. Yet take heed, kindled one, for the pull of the bloodlust is strong and the need to draw blood can easily extend to a friend as well as foe, if left unrestrained. Let not the Demon within you take full control.

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[Struggler’s Resolve] – the path of the Struggler is forever filled with tribulation. This technique will convert your Frenzy into an iron will of determination that even others can feel and see.

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[Indifference] –Think not, dear kindled, that your power lies in aggression and hostility alone. To induce rage and fear in others can be many more times as effective, for nothing offends the proud and powerful more than indifference. Use this technique to withstand attacks and to demoralize your foes through your apathy when you disregard even their strongest techniques with a scoff.

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This all sounded cool as shit. It was like reading an instruction manual on how to be an absolute badass. As I read through the details of each technique, I found the most subtle actions were involved. A well-timed turn of the head or even where and how you held your hands all mattered. Thinking back to Threja, everything she did was perhaps a different kind of stance or technique, even the way she walked. I understood also why she had used that poem on me now. She had used the [Frenzied Flame] technique to help ignite my Flame and thinking back I did kind of feel something ‘open up’ inside of me when she did that.

Under the 17th Shura, I found something else of interest.

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On Empathy

Think not, dear kindled, that your strength lies only in your fury. While fury is what is beheld by others, your true strength lies in your empathy. Your ability to sense the pain, fear, and anger of others can be your greatest asset.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

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Below it were listed three techniques that all had similar functions and names. [Your Pain is my Strength], [Your Fear is my Strength] and [Your Rage is my Strength]. By focusing on certain meridian alinement sequences, I could actually absorb the Pain, Fear, and Rage energy of others and refine it into Frenzy of my own. There was one catch though. I couldn’t just suck up random emotions, if that’s what they really were. The trigger had to be me.

I was beginning to understand the limitations of the Dao route now. Qi cultivators could just meditate and suck up energy willy-nilly. I, on the other hand had to work for it. There were other limitations too, a few listed in the 3rd Shura which outlined the philosophy of the Frenzied Flame.

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Shura 3

Know this, kindled one. A Berserker can never back away from a challenge, or an injustice which ignites one’s Flame. Even if victory is unlikely, press forth, for even in defeat, survival is never your aim. The destruction of your enemy is all that matters. If destruction is yet impossible you may retreat to gain more strength and return once again, but return you must, until victory or death. But to turn your back on a challenge or injustice, untested, is to stray from the path of the Flame.

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That sounded a bit hardcore. And maybe the first verses about these revelations coming from the Flame itself were right too. I didn’t need to read any of that to already feel that same way in my soul. The same way how I didn’t even think to back down from challenging Hein in the square no matter the cost. But I don’t think I would have reacted the same way if I hadn’t already ignited my Frenzied Flame. But just below the text there was a technique that seemed tailor made to deal with not backing down from a fight.

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[Odds Against Me] – there is no greater thrill than a challenge. Without challenge, without struggle, there can be no progression. The cowardly prey on those who are weaker to ensure easy victory, but the Berserker seeks to oppose strength far above his own. When facing greater odds, either by strength, numbers, or both, this technique will generate enormous amounts of Frenzy by suppressing your inner fears and unleashing your Flame’s full potential. The power of this technique is limitless, bound only by the strength of your foe and your ability to withstand him.

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Holy crap…limitless? That sounded like some kind of cultivation hack. I made a note of it to study it fully later. I then saw another technique that looked a bit familiar.

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[My Turn] – a retaliation technique used best when combined with [Indifference]. Unleash a mighty burst of Frenzy with your next strike by releasing the stored Pain energy of any previous attacks endured.

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The image of that savage headbutt Threja unleashed on that cultivator flashed through my mind. I wondered if she had used [Indifference] before it, taking that claw technique right to the face. Probably. She didn’t even try to block it. I wondered also why she’d spoken the phrase as I didn’t see it as a requirement within the instructions of the technique itself. After a bit more searching, I found the answer under the 76th Shura.

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On Evocation

It is not necessary to proclaim thy stance or technique, but a well-timed phrase may enhance a technique’s outcome by manyfold, and further instill fear in others. Do so sparingly, however, for there is no impact greater than a word unexpected.

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So that’s why cultivators were always yelling out their attacks and shit, I thought. I always found it somewhat stupid to tell your enemy exactly what you were planning to do next, but I guess it made sense within this context. Who cared if the guy you were attacking knew you were going to pummel him with “Flaming Qi Fist” or whatever if you stood a better chance of killing him with it?

When I got towards the end of the manual, I found an entire section devoted to the [Death Mastery] technique.

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[Death Mastery] – the fear of death grows only stronger the closer ones gets to immortality. Power over this fear defies not only the Heavens, but mocks it to its face. Consider it no small wonder then, dear kindled, that your path shall be blighted with misfortune, for the Heavens are not lightly mocked. In exchange for this rebuke, you shall enjoy the bounty that is clarity of mind, body, and soul in places where others falter and fail. Your words and actions will instill fear and respect in others and your Flame will burn yet brighter with each evolution, heightening the potency of all your abilities.

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It seemed [Death Mastery] was a core passive ability just like Threja had said. I confirmed the higher forms of [Death Mastery] existed in the manual also: [Mastery of the Fear of Certain Death], [Fear no Death] and [Death Wish]. The instruction of how to achieve each one was vague, but I probably wouldn’t have to worry about obtaining them to break through to the next cultivation realm any time soon.

My curiosity got me and I began skimming ahead through the manual for the [Furnace of the Frenzied Flame] Technique I saw Threja use to transform into her spectral form, but I didn’t see it. Perhaps the manual didn’t teach up to a level like that or maybe as the introduction said, there were some things that came as a revelation of the Flame all by themselves. As I flipped back to start reading through again, I contrastingly found a technique that I could perhaps take advantage of right away.

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[Pain soothes the Frenzied Flame] – Pain shall be in abundance upon your journey, but think it not a means of loss and suffering only. Gird thyself with this technique to mend thy wounds with the very pain that they cause.

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Now that sounded useful, especially in my current state. I spent the next two hours focusing only on that, practicing the meridian opening techniques as I sat in lotus position on my cot. After a while, I was finally able to feel the Pain in my arm convert into Frenzy within my Dantian. Following the next instructions of the technique, I then used that Frenzy to focus on mending my arm. I couldn’t tell if it was working completely or not, but just as I was starting to hone my focus a knock came at my door.

Releasing a huff of irritation, I quickly stashed the orb then glanced between my bamboo shades to see who it was. Yu Li was standing outside.

“What’s up?” I greeted her casually as I opened the door.

She smiled as she looked up at me, Su Ling on her hip. “I’m ah… doing the wash. Was wondering if you needed anything done.”

I chuckled inwardly. This was typical Yu Li. She was nothing if not proud—her inability to ask Hein for money perhaps the most bone-headed example of that. But I knew her love language. Her offering to do my laundry was her way of saying sorry. It was probably the closest I’d get to a real apology, so I accepted it and gave her a pile of my soiled clothes.

“You need anything else?” she asked, peeking into my hovel of a room.

“No, I’m good.”

She nodded and turned to leave, but then paused at the doorway. “Hey… thanks by the way,” she said. “For what you did last night. I know you were only trying to help. And I know Hein can be a little over the top too sometimes, but….”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

I couldn’t believe it. Even after nearly striking her she was still in love with that clown.

“You know you can do a lot better than him. You deserve better. Su Ling too.”

Yu Li huffed out a sad little laugh. “What? Better than a young master? If only.”

I felt a sudden pain growing inside of her and I realized then that it wasn’t love she was feeling towards Hein, but desperation. When she finally left, I returned to my cot with more on my mind than just cultivation.

The rules of this world had warped her thinking. Perhaps everyone’s thinking. She and everyone else just didn’t see a way out. That’s why they feared so much and did the nonsensical things that they did. Frenzy built within me as I curled my hand into a fist. The only rule the cultivators truly respected was the rule of might. To give Yu Li even the hope of a better life, I had to show her that one was possible by growing more powerful than the ones who oppressed us, starting with our fat landlord and going right up to the damn princess if I had to.

But I had to be smart about it too.

The world was fixed within a giant pecking order now and I was on the bottom rung.

Pick the wrong fight too soon and someone much higher on the food chain could easily swoop down to snuff me out. Not that I cared about dying anymore. But Yu Li and Su Ling, hell even Mu Lin and Lee—they all deserved a better life than what they knew was even possible.

And I’d have to show them that possibility.

But to do so, I’d needed to become strong, both quickly and quietly.

I used the Frenzy building in my gut to speed the healing of my arm while I contemplated my options. There was a lot to think about. But one thing was certain. It wouldn’t be enough to merely overpower the...