Tug of hearth
Kira once again found himself awakening from unconsciousness, laying in Mira’s room. Her couch seemed a constant in his life.
As before, his body was sore and getting up required effort. He felt cold sweat running down his back as he remembered what had led to him fainting.
He quietly sensed his body for injuries, while at the same time checking the situation in the room.
Mira was on her armchair, lazily looking at him, while Miu stood in front of the desk with an unconscious woman at her feet. The woman seemed uninjured, only knocked out.
He raised an eyebrow but thinking of who Mira was, he thought it was nothing but a troublemaker for her. He thought it nothing special. He did however see that Miu had sunglasses on, masking her face. This, he thought, seemed more out of place then the woman down on the floor.
“You seem to have taken a liking to my couch. I must admit, I spend allot of time on it myself, it is rather comfortable. What is not comfortable is people who come knocking in the night, coming to check on you” pointing towards the woman.
Kira seemed surprised. Me? Why would she be looking for me? Taking one more look at the woman, he did not recognize her. In the first place, he did not have many acquaintances here or back on Emerald.
Shaking his head, he said “No. I don’t know her. Did you question her? How do you know she is here for me?” wondered Kira aloud, since Mira seemed certain she was here for him.
“Oh, she is here for you. She roughed up a couple of people asking for you. That guy you pummeled into the ground when you woke up the first time? Yes, she did the same thing to him.” her voice betraying her slight annoyance, at having her people beaten over and over.
She then looked at Miu and said with a snap “Take off your glasses and come to me. How irritating of you to wear that inside. You look like a child!”
Miu looking embarrassed, took her glasses off, and bent over the desk, allowing Mira’s hand to be placed on her right eye.
Kira saw she had a black eye. He wondered what caused it, and why it did not it heal like everything did to him. He looked at his legs, and they had not bruised at all. In fact, he could feel that such cosmetic details, was something he could change on a whim. His control over his body having reached a sublime level of control. Taking this break in the discussion to perceive his body, he could sense novel changes occurring. He could sense his muscles becoming harder and stronger by the second. His tendons and ligaments becoming taunt and more resilient, and his bones turning denser and denser. If this automatic repair and upgrade happened to him, he wondered why it was not the case for Miu.
Mira closed her eyes and after a couple of seconds, Miu’s eye had healed.
“Thats it.” waving Miu off. “At least it's not bruised anymore” her annoyance not receding. She then once again looked at Kira.
“I asked a couple of people around for how many planets with a militaristic style of governance there are.” having said this she looked intently at Kira, and to her joy, she saw his face freeze for a moment.
“Oh? Why did you do that?” asked Kira calmly. Does she know, he wondered.
“There are not very many who rule militaristically over their populace. Most are capitalistic in nature. I found only a couple. One of them in particular stood out to me. One which the world doesn’t know much about. An option I would not consider, since everyone leaving that place gets killed. Their famous battle generals hunting every deserter with fervor and destroying everything that stands in their way of it” her last sentence taking a serious tone.
Kira forehead formed small droplets of sweat. He felt himself being cornered. Seeing as this was something he could not avoid, he calmed down and smiled lightly.
“You are correct. I am from the core.”
Contrary to what he expected, Mira did not look surprised. She either knew long ago, or had suspicions of it. “Yes, your question when you first woke up as to how we got passed system security. That was a dead giveaway. It is a dumb question considering how weak you are, and how system security gets breached all the time. Such a question makes more sense if you ask about core security. Where people say hundreds of battlestars lay in wait.” her eyes betraying fear.
Just then they all saw how the woman on the floor awakened. She looked up at everyone and most of all she looked at Mira with fear written all over her expression.
Mira spoke to her “I will say this only once. Tell me everything or I will kill you.” her tone cold and desolate of any emotion.
The woman shook but did not seem to break. With fear in her voice, she spoke “I can only tell you my name, and that I came to check up on him. "Pointing towards Kira “I cannot say anything more. Kill me if you wish.”
Mira expression warmed up slightly, as she felt sincerity coming from her. She waved her finger to acquiesce.
The woman stopped shaking after Mira had given her permission to talk, calming down slightly and collecting her thoughts saying “I am officer Firana, Emerald Security. I was sent here to check on him, and report on his status. The person who is interested in him, requested we report only if he ends up in a serious situation.” she then studied Mira’s face and when she saw no reaction from it, she continued “From your subordinate's words, you took an interest in him, despite him being weak. You have also not mistreated him, and from what information I could gather in this city, you are not an immoral saint.” her voice gaining steadiness the more she spoke “Therefor, my report will say that he is not harmed and in a good situation. My task was to deliver him here and give him a life. Well, from what I can tell, he already has one, so my job is complete even if there were complications. I was not expecting for a group of thugs to assault our car, hence why you found him drugged on the street.”
Mira checked on Kira and saw his face turn melancholic at the woman's words.
To think that there was someone who took an interest for me back on that lonely planet. At this thought, all his life's loneliness started coming back to him. All the days where he thought he was the only one in the world, with no one who knew or truly cared for him. Then he remembered what happened at the park and what he felt that day. How he escaped the shackles of the need to not be lonely.
Shaking his head lightly, he once more realized, there is no need to not be lonely. It's not up to him if no one is by his side, and not up to him if he will ever have friends or people he cares for. If it happens fine, if not, still fine. He cannot control it.
He smiled and a serene expression appeared on his face. He almost started bombarding the woman with some of his most pressing question that he had, back when his attachments ruled him. Why was I all alone? Why did I have no parents?
However, not being attached is a good thing, but not following one's heart is not a good thing either. This was Kira’s way of being at this point in his life. He decided he should flow with his heart, and seek some of the answers he had always wanted.
Smiling calmly, he asked her the one question which had always been on his mind. One which had tormented him greatly while a child, and one which kept him from interacting with anyone back on Emerald.
“Officer Firana. I have a couple of questions to you, and make no mistake, they are not related to your task here.” he looked at her with calm eyes.
The officer looked at him and seeing his calm demeanor she decided that listening to his questions would not mean answering them.
“If one had the potential to awaken to psionic abilities, can they not interact with the VMV? Can they not connect to it” this question even now, as he had let go of his attachment, still tugged on his hearth. This was after all, the one thing that tied all the people of the core system. The virtual multiverse. People of the core, no longer led physical lives, but virtual ones.
Officer Firana was a bit confused at his question, she said “That is not the case. Anyone can connect to it.”
His mind spun its gears quickly in response to what she said “Have you ever heard of anyone not being able to connect to it. You should be privy to such information given your position.”
She shook her head confidently “No. I am not aware of such a thing ever happening. You know how advanced our psionic engineering is. Nothing ever fails on Emerald.”
He had always saw this as a weird occurrence. The fact that he could not connect to the VMV. Up until now, his questions had always been blanks no matter who he asked. All the specialists he had asked all returned one answer. You simply cannot connect; we cannot figure out why.
Either he was special, or someone with allot of influence had made it impossible for him to do it. Obviously, the later was the more likely.
Thinking of that person who had an interest in his wellbeing, and realizing that he had a soul related event back on Emerald immediately followed by his kidnap, he put everything together and found that most likely, someone was behind all that happened to him back there. Why would that person not allow him to connect to the VMV? Was that person someone who cared for him?
Shaking his attachments again, he asked officer Firana one last question.
“This question you don’t have to ask, but in your opinion, why did that person send me away from Emerald?” a small hope forming in his heart, despite all the effort he put in to not get attached.
The officer seemed a bit frustrated at the question, but thinking about it some more, she decided that answering this might not be an awful thing. In the military this was an open secret.
“Well, in my opinion, they did this so you would not have to go into military service. It is compulsory and for life. No one can escape. You are also not allowed to interact with the civilian population once you have started your military service. This you must have already known, since there is recruitment done among the general populace.” looking into his eyes deeply she said “No one with psionic abilities, is capable of escaping service. This is most likely why you were extracted. Everyone who awakens is forced to join the military.”
As much as he tried, as hard as he forced himself to no get attached, joy creped onto his face, and he smiled gently.
Ah what a fool I am. Hahaha. I accept that it is ok to be alone, yet I do not accept that it is ok to be cared for as well. To be together with other people.
Smiling at the officer he got up made a small bow as he placed his palm on his heart. With a sincere and calm voice, he said “Thank you.” after which he sat back down.
Mira saw trough Kira’s façade. She realized he had just been through a roller coaster of emotions, despite his calm expression trough out.
She waved her hand at Firana with a smile, and said lightly “Go. Your free.”
Miu looked as if she wanted to say something, but changed her mind seeing the smile on Mira’s face.
Before the officer left the room, she gave Mira a warning “I told you all this because from the information I acquired about you, you care about Kira, but I suggest you don’t let Core Military find out a deserter is here. I am sure you know why.” she then swiftly left the room.
A silence overtook the three people. For a whole minute Kira just stood there, joy on his face, while Mira just looked at him smiling.
Miu still a bit angry could not take the silence anymore and said “I’m hungry.” she then turned to Mira and thrusted her palm.
“Give me a slate for food big sis. Big sis is rich and all-powerful. A table of food is nothing to you”
Miras smile disappeared. Snaping at Miu saying “All the money I have goes to further investments. Something a simpleton like you would not understand or care for. Who asked you to advance so quickly.”
Miu a bit upset said “But big sis. All the money you lose playing JahJong. You'll lose again tonight. At least for tonight, give it to me. You'll waste it anyway on...”
“GET OUT!” Mira screamed madly at Miu while pointing to the balcony. Kira could tell her feelings had taken a hit. Apparently Miu had hit a spot in her hearth which should never have been touched.
“You spiteful child. I treat you like my daughter and this is how you repay me? By laughing at me?!” pure anger in her voice.
“Until I return from my game, don’t bother coming back. Understood?”
Miu looked like a small child gazing at the ground. She then went to the balcony and jumped.
Kira looked a bit taken aback, by how upset Mira could get when one mentioned JahJong. He wondered how important this must be to her if she would turn this angry at Miu.
Seeing Mira so upset at this, he said to her in a soothing voice. “Is there anything I can do to help you with this JahJong? I know I am weak, but you have been kind to me” looking at his tattered clothes smiling gently “you even came to pick me up when I made a fool of myself. Offering my help, is the least I could do for the trouble I have brought you” referring to the woman who had disturbed her.
Mira’s expression softened, and with a proud face that ignored her earlier break of character, she pulled out her pack of cards, and started shuffling.
“Let me do a prediction first.” she sent three cards spinning into the air, and closing her eyes she picked one at random. The card stopped spinning came to her palm.
Mira slowly and deliberately opened one of her eyes, squinting at the card. Her eyes opened in distress, and her eyes started to water. Looking a Kira as if hurt by his very existence, she shook her head slightly and flopped down on her armchair.
Unlike last time, Kira could tell that the card felt connected to him somehow, wondering why. He felt it had something to do with the soul, since when he closed his eyes, he could feel a faint connection between it and the card.
Noticing her expression, he remembered what he did last time and once more closed his eyes to sense what he should tell her.
He opened his eyes smiling “Mira, want to know what I felt this time?”
Lazily waving her hand while looking at the ceiling “What?”
“That you are not going to win yet.”
Her head shot up, and she cupped her chin while looking at Kira.
“The insurance worker can bring you gifts under the guise of sad news.” saying this while rubbing her small chin. Turning her head towards the balcony, and saying in a soft voice while smiling “A loved one might die, while gains could be made” nodding her head slightly.
The implication of what she had said disturbed Kira. “Wait! Mira that’s not what I meant. I meant that if you keep playing you will forever be capable of winning at...”
“No!” she waved her hand cutting him off, with a content smile. “I made up my mind. Tonight, you will accompany me and wait on me while I play JahJong.”
Putting on a serious face she said “Of course, you shall do it for free. This big sis over here wants to teach you how to be independent and self-sufficient. Paying you would defeat the purpose of this lesson.” giving herself a small nod, acknowledging how much sense she was making.
“Very well” said Kira smiling. “But I don’t know what waiting on you entails.
Mira waved him off “Just be pretty and stay by my side while I show all the other people what a superior diviner is. That’s it. Maybe occasionally, I will ask you to pour me a drink, nothing much.”
Since this seemed simple enough, Kira nodded in acceptance.
Looking at his tattered clothes, Mira frowned “We will pass by a store and buy you clothes first.” seeming very assured of her win that evening.
Obviously, that evening would be a night where Mira would lose the most in her entire life at JahJong.
Night City
It had been three days since he injured himself recklessly. His injuries tough, had recovered quickly, his bones hardening, his muscles strengthening and becoming more explosive, his tendons and ligaments, more durable.
He had spent the last three days at home, meditating all this time on the soul diagram he had received in class. Mira had said, that it was the only thing worth anything he could receive there. The rest he could figure out on his own. She had also said the instructor believed him to be so talented, he no longer needed to attend class, since it would be a waste of his time. So said Mira. The instructor had been very adamant he not return to class, for it would be a transgression against heavens. So said Mira.
She had given him a small booklet, with the official emblem of Jangala. A nuwa tree holding the sky with its wide crown of leaves. The image was in shinning purple circuit. Kira found when he inserted energy into it, it would glow lightly.
This according to Mira, was his psionic ability passport. This way he would not be questioned by authorities, anywhere he went, if he ever used his powers. Mira said this was mere formality. As long as he reached rank 1, no one on the planet would question him, as long as he did not offend the wrong person of course.
With this, Mira explained he would be ready for anything Night City had to offer. She had encouraged him to go out on his own, and explore the city.
She gave him an incentive to get a weapon first. You were not really a cultivator yet, if you had no weapon, explaining how a cultivator's weapon, was an extension of their body. And an immortal's weapon, was an extension of their soul.
Go buy one, she had said. Of course, out of his own money. At which point, she said it would be a good idea, to go hunting outside the city. Selling animal parts would be a safe way to start making money.
Kira had decided to first go check the weapon store, figuring out the price first, then he would make a plan, on how to acquire credits.
He was currently in his room, sitting in a lotus position, meditating on the Elementary Soul Diagram. He now perfectly understood it, after three days of practice.
The diagram specified, how he should contact psionic space, link with it, absorb energy into his body, and then revolving that energy trough his body, using specific paths.
The paths differed every time, repeating in a cycle of nine revolutions.
Nine different paths, all leading to the same source. After which, it would repeat itself all over again. Every pass of the energy, would strengthen his flesh and nourish his mind.
By this point, he could hear the cars passing by on the street down below. In fact, if a mortal were living in the room next to him, if he paused and paid attention, he could hear them talk trough the walls. His eyes could also make out people moving about, even if they stood at the horizon line.
The scroll also made one final note, that this technique would no longer be sufficient for him to grow stronger, once he felt the changes in his body stop.
This would mean that he had reached the middle realm, of the Mortal Adept rank.
The adept rank, was the beginning of a mortal's journey to the heavens. While at the same time, being the end of a mortal path. After transcending the Mortal Adept rank, he could call himself an Immortal.
Ending his state of attention, he got up and sensed the changes in his body. Today he observed the changes were miniscule compared to the days before. Either he had come closed to the bottleneck, or he had already arrived.
As a next step in his cultivation, he would need to find a proper cultivation scroll, one suited for him, and a catalyst to break into the advanced realm of the Mortal Adept Rank.
Catalyst, was a loose term for a cultivation related object, that helped one break through to higher realms. This to, he would need help in figuring out what to choose. First of all, he would need a weapon. Since Mira had insisted, he not start his journey onto the nine steps without one.
He decided to test his power for a bit. He got into a boxing stance and started shadow boxing. His fist left afterimages in the air. He then lifted his leg and threw a side kick.
‘VUUUU!’
A powerful sound, cutting the air in half.
Kira believed he was at least twice as strong as before. And he had not even charged his body with psionic energy.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
He would not try that here, since if he damaged the building, he did not know the consequences to that, hence he would restrain himself.
Kira looked at the time and saw it was midday. The shop he planned to go to, was on the outskirts of the city. Near the restaurant he had went together with Miu. Since it was close to the restaurant, the route would be similar, hence he could test how fast he had gotten, and practice his control over his body. He knew that getting twice as strong, did not mean twice as powerful in combat.
He left home and headed for the shop.
Unlike before, his speed was faster than the ashen haired woman, but his steps were gentle and steady, unlike hers which cracked the ground.
As he kept running, he realized that his current limit was far higher than what he had anticipated.
He was currently running at two hundred and fifty kilometers an hour. Powerful wind vortices forming as he passed by ongoing traffic.
The faster he ran the more pressure the air gave him, the more energy he needed to spend to run.
The current speed he was running at, was a speed where his energy consumption equaled his energy intake. He could push himself harder, but his muscles would fatigue, and if he pushed himself passed that it would start injuring him.
For a split second, pride had entered his mind as he thought he could beat the grey-haired woman at a race now.
No. If I got more powerful, she must have gotten more powerful as well. Kira thought that analyses, would keep him from underestimating people he competed against.
Kira’s competitive spirit was stoked. He gently stopped running pulling to the roadside, and opening the map Miu had given him.
He looked for a street that was long and wide enough to accommodate a higher speed. He felt that most streets would not be safe at a speed higher than his cruise speed, even with the unparalleled agility of a his body.
He found the nearest street that could accommodate him in a yellow neighborhood.
A yellow neighborhood, was an area in which laws were lose. A place where insurance companies didn’t act on street level but on an individual level.
Kira went to it and as soon as he crossed the boundary into the yellow neighborhood, he saw that not only the color on the map change, but even the physical feel did.
The people walking on the street did not seem as content, the number of gloomy looks he saw increased, a sign that life here was not as good as in green neighborhoods.
Some buildings were dilapidated and people were not as luxuriously dressed. People would gang up on street corners near shops, and overall, it seemed as if living there would be a messy affair.
Kira thought there is more to it then insurance companies not covering whole streets, but since he knew nothing of this world and how it worked, he put it out of his mind. He did however remember Miu’s warning about paying attention to his actions more.
Kira thought this meant not carelessly doing something here, since allot of factories operated in such yellow areas. Factories which might have their own protection crew.
Walking deeper into the yellow zone, he finally reached the street he was looking for. As he got there, he saw that there were people gathered at the entrance of it. The clothes they had seemed punkish and anarchic. Clearly these people cared nothing about anyone's opinion. There was also one vehicle with the doors opened music blaring from it. The music was electronic in nature without a single natural sound to it.
The people did not seem as if they were a unified group, but Kira felt the way they acted indicated they had something in common. He also noted they were standing in the middle of the street. No car dared passed through. It seemed as if the street was not meant for vehicle use.
He did notice some vehicles parked near the group, belonging to them.
Kira approached the group with a calm demeanor. He asked someone why the street did not accommodate cars and the person smirked at him and shrugged him off.
He wondered why he had been dismissed but put it out of his mind.
He went through the group and entered the street. It was wide and accommodating, and Kira approximated it to be at least a kilometer long, thinking this was enough to test himself. The lack of vehicles on it made it seem desolate and bleak, especially since most buildings on it seemed in a state of disrepair. Looking at the state of the road, it was filled with cracks, and it looked like it had not been repaired in a long time. The far side of it seemed to be full of hole and he could even see some ditches there. That side was more battered than the one he was on.
As he pulled out the map, he realized this street led to a red zone. A lawless area, with no government oversight. He now realized why that man smirked at him. Probably because Kira, seemed to be a mortal who came from the green zones to see the ‘romantic’ poor life of the lower areas. Either that or a weakling.
Since the road seemed clear, he decided to start testing his muscle.
Kira took a deep breath at the same time charging his muscles and leaning forward.
‘boom’
He started running all of sudden not wanting to break the street by charging too much. The people behind were all startled. All attention now on him.
100 meters. His speed had already reached cruise speed. He sent floods of psionic energy into his legs.
Three hundred, three hundred and twenty, three hundred and thirty, his speed kept climbing and climbing quickly reaching his limit. As he reached 350, he had already reached the three-hundred-meter mark. If he injected even more energy into his legs, he would receive muscle damage. If he ran at this intensity for ten minutes he would be fatigued and would have to end it for the day.
As he was thinking if he should try for even faster speed, he noticed a different kind of energy in his body. One which when reaching the muscle, it would enhance it even more then psionic energy.
Surprised at this revelation, he stopped and turned back to the starting line. Everyone was looking at him. Some had surprise in their eyes, some seemed indifferent and some sent antagonistic looks towards him.
No one however said anything to him. Kira did not bother with the people around him, and started meditating on what he felt just then.
It seemed as if that energy appeared out of nowhere. but when he looked carefully inside, focusing on sensing the soul, he could sense a different layer to the soul itself. Without first perceiving this energy, he would not have realized it, and would have taken the whole as an inseverable thing and not separate from each other.
As he kept meditating on it, someone else arrived at this place, cracking the street as she stopped.
It was a woman dressed in an ashen coat, grey shoulder hair and gray eyes.
It was the woman Kira had met in the ability course.
She raised an eyebrow as she saw him meditating cross legged on the street, but didn’t mind him more than that. She went in the middle of the street and with a light grunt, psionic energy started whirling around her.
Most of the people present took a step back. Only a hand full kept still, including Kira who got pulled out of his pondering.
He saw the woman and the tempest of energy around her, realizing she was charging up. He could sense in that swirling mass of psionic energy, something else. When he focused on it, it felt hot and ruthless to his senses, akin to a flame that incinerates.
As she reached the maxim of her charge, she darted forward actually leaving the road burning behind her. She also moved much faster than Kira, and with twice the ease. The amount of energy she used seemed on the same level, but the effectiveness of it was double.
Same quantity, different outcomes. Kira thought this had something to do with the psionic energy she used. It seemed impregnated with fire.
Everyone looked at the ashen woman and whistled. She had reached dizzying speeds of five hundred kilometers per hour. The sound of her cutting the air could be heard from far away. The air behind air had fleeting embers of fire, disappearing after a short dance in the air.
The people seemed happy that they had seen something cool, some of them pulling out binoculars to see better. Someone had even started cheering for her.
As she approached the end of the street, she had not slowed down at all, in fact her speed had even increased slightly. Everyone paid attention with bated breath, waiting to see what would happen.
‘boom’
A could of dust lifted into the air as she stopped by stomping the street and transferring all the energy of her body into the ground. Spears of fire jutted out of the cloud occasionally. Even from a kilometer away they could hear the booming sound that was made, and felt a slight tremor in the ground.
‘whistle’
“That cultivator sure is reckless. She pays no care to her body.” said someone from the crowd. Most people seemed to agree with their statement.
Everyone seemed to go back to talking amongst themselves only occasionally paying attention to the two cultivators.
The woman returned swiftly. However, if one paid close attention, they would notice her countenance seemed a bit pale. Obviously stopping her charge that way had a price.
She sat down and started meditating with eyes closed.
After approximately the time it takes to finish a cup of wine for Kira, he got up and slowly walked towards the imaginary starting line.
The lightning energy he had, seemed to work as an additive to psionic energy. He could not quite figure out where it came from, but it had something to do with the soul.
This lightning energy could be mixed with psionic energy forming a cocktail that was many times more efficient. He could only pull and on a small stream of it at once, unlike the torrents that formed as he pulled on psionic energy.
The two inflows would merge and mix, giving his body a superior source of fuel.
As he got into position, ready to start his charge, he closed his eye and adjusted his disposition emptying his mind of all thoughts. After a dozen breaths, only his instincts remained.
He leaned forward.
All of a sudden everyone felt a slight pressure coming from Kira. Small lightning snakes appearing around him.
chi chi chi
The air around smelled faintly sweet, slowly wafting away from him, and reaching everyone's noses.
The ashen women opened her eyes at the disturbance, and gazed at Kira with a serious look. Her previous dismissive face had disappeared.
His legs bulged slightly, and the air around him started groaning from pressure. A thin purple cloud of psionic energy, emanated from his body, full of small lightning sparks.
He opened his eyes.
Timed slowed.
Kira could feel as he injected his body with this composite energy, he could feel the world more clearly. Everything around him had an added layer of detail. The green ceiling pierced by countless sun rays. Thos sun rays seemed so clear to him now.
The sound of the nuwa trees being blown by the wind, an omni present distant rustle of leaves. He could hear it so clearly now.
His pupils dilated, as he focused on the far end of the road. He injected even more energy into his legs, the road starting to crack underneath his feet.
Everyone waited with bated breaths, another strong one had appeared. They all had their attention on him.
Just as they thought he would rev up even more, Kira disappeared in a storm of lightning.
KIRI KIRI KIRI KIRI
All they heard was the scream of lightning snakes in the air. It wasn’t just faint sparks anymore.
“Thousand birds!” said someone hastily.
All they could see was a lightning covered shuttle, tearing through the air accompanied by thunder.
100 meters. Four hundred kilometers per hour.
Kira ran so fast; he could not feel the ground as he ran. He felt as if he was gliding.
‘Faster!’
Excitement had taken him over again. He injected all the energy he could into his legs.
500 meters mark. Seven hundred kilometers per hour. A wind pressure so high, his face was stretched backwards. His body was screaming in pain.
All the people saw was a purple flash and a lightning dragon left in his wake.
As he reached the end of the road, he wanted to try something reckless, but images of what had happened at the training field flooded his mind.
He started transferring energy into the ground as he neared the end of the road, slowly eliminating his momentum.
boom boom boom boom
With each step, a booming sound emanated in all directions. The people watching him smiled and looked sideways at the ashen woman.
They chose to remain quiet.
The woman face betrayed a small smile, her eyes seemed excited.
As Kira came to a stop, he now realized why this end of the street was full of holes and cracks.
He looked at his palms with a joyous smile, while also appreciating that he hadn't been reckless. For a split second there he had wanted to try something insane sounding. Since he knew flying was possible, he had the instinct to jump at the apex of his run, and then try and fly.
However, after the fact, sobered up from youthful excitement, he realized he did not even know how to begin to go about it. Besides the jumping part, he had no other idea as to how he would begin to fly.
Obviously, such an idea appeared perfect on paper, until you found yourself in midair, at almost the speed of sound. Having only a split second to figure out flying seemed a bit extreme.
Kira slowly started walking back. He had in mind to finally go check the weapon shop. As he passed by the group of people he looked towards the ashen woman.
She had a stoic look as they watched each other.
Kira usually had a calm content smile on his face, but whenever he met her, he failed to stay calm. A light grin spread across his face.
The woman gave a small confident smile and closed her eyes in meditation.
Someone approached Kira. A man with a bald head, and a long chin beard.
He was wearing a sleeveless jacket, and had what Kira thought to be, neon studded pants. His arms had thick and strong muscles.
“I am Neontrail. You have lightning qi. That means you have a talent for racing. You should come on weekends to compete with other racers in the city.” lowering his voice he continued “There are even, night opportunities if you're interested.”
He pulled out a map and showed him the spot where they gathered. It was another long street in a different yellow zone. It was on the other side of the green city center line, practically diametrically opposed to where he was at right now.
He nodded at the man. As the man left, Kira wondered what he meant by night opportunities. The language of the city escaping his understanding. He would ask Miu when he got back home.
Checking his body, which was only minimally damaged, Kira started running towards the shop. He also injected a small stream of lightning into his energy flow, boosting his cruising speed significantly. Like psionic energy, he could sense the qi being replenished or converted at a steady pace. If he paced himself, he could use it indefinitely.
Kira wondered if there were cultivation techniques for qi as well, not only for psionic energy.
He also wondered how expensive they would be, after all he did not want to burden Mira. It seemed the important game of JahJong, was sapping away at her finances, making her fall in a pitiful position.
After a couple of dozen minutes, Kira found himself in the same general area of the restaurant, he had visited before. The tall nuwa ceiling being replaced by a lower one much closer to the ground.
He was walking down forested alleys, when his nose picked up a smoky scent in the air. As his eyes had improved immensely by the continuous circulation of energy throughout his body, he could even make out a slight difference in the air around him. A slight, almost imperceptible fog.
As he kept walking towards his destination, his ears picked up a rhythmic clanking sound. A low clanking that as he got closer to the shop on the map, grew stronger and stronger.
He eventually found himself in front of a small building. From inside the small building, out from its top, a large brick furnace came out towering above the building, coming out through the low ceiling of leaves. Kira could see some smoke trough the leave ceiling.
The entrance to the building was a simple wooden door, with only a simple sign above it. An anvil on top of a nuwa tree.
Jangala Armaments.
Kita went up to the door and entered. As he entered the building the constant clanking noise, subsided.
Looking around, he found the room to be wide with wooden floor and wooden beams. The walls seemed to be made out of bricks not the usual concrete he saw in the city.
The first thing his eyes went to, was blonde woman sitting behind a dark brown wooden desk. She was writing something down on some papers, scribbling away without even looking up. The woman seemed familiar to Kira, but he could not remember from where.
The whole lower floor of the building was split into two by a thick stone pillar placed in the middle of it all. It had stone arches connecting it to the walls on both sides, effectively splitting the part of the building he was in, into two distinct sections
On the other side, he could see people glancing about some magazines, some were talking to each other while pointing at the magazines, while others were deep in thought.
He went up to the desk and smiled saying in a calm tone “I would like to see your selection of weapons and their prices please.”
As the woman lifted her eyes to glance at Kira, she smiled and said “I don’t remember you having enough money to pay for a single meal. Where did you get the money to buy a weapon?”
Her voice was gentle and steady, a temperament Kira didn’t notice the first time he saw the woman. This was the woman waiting at the restaurant he had visited with Miu. He recognized her now because of the golden cross she wore on her neck. Her blue eyes were deep but soft and her facial features gentle, not unlike her voice.
“Forgive me.” smiled Kira “I am here only to check on prices mostly. I am interested in buying however, as soon as I have the money.” he had also noticed that her necklace once again attracted his attention.
“Well, I have seen your companion many times at the restaurant, so I won't chase you away. Plus, it's not like we don’t have enough window shoppers already.” glancing slightly at the group of people, perusing the magazines, in the cover of the pilar.
She picked up something from somewhere underneath the desk, and handed it to him.
Armament catalogue. Seventh month edition.
Kira saw now that what the people of the shop were looking at were catalogues of what the shop had to offer.
He quickly opened it. The first page read: Akil and Company, underneath it in the same size of letters, Sponsored by Saintes Akane.
The name Akane was written down in blood red, drawing all his attention. Kira realized by the title, that this was a major character. He had heard some people refer to Mira as saintes. Perhaps saints were really powerful cultivators, thought Kira.
As he flipped through the catalogue, he found the armaments to be split into two major types. Offensive equipment, which consisted of swords, spears, and other such weapons, with an enormous variety, while the second was referred to simply as, equipment.
The latter mostly consisted of armor and other such defensive gear.
The most expensive ones, found Kira were actually not armor but weapons.
The cheapest long sword was ten thousand credits. This would amount close to ten meals at the restaurant. The Miu kind.
Kira frowned. Mira gave him money for food, but it would take the sun rising from the west for him to gather enough money using only that.
He then remembered the man at the racing spot, but soon realized he had no money to bet, since racing would probably entail betting some money on himself. He could not go there betting the dust collected from the air.
Kira remembered how Mira had said he should go hunting, since that would give him some cash for a weapon. Since Mira had said that, it must have been the best way. She was after all, a diviner.
He frowned trying to think of how he would go about accomplishing this. He had no knowledge on hunting. Furthermore, this was done deep in the jungles. Far away from the city.
The blonde woman saw him frowning and chuckled “Yes, they are extremely expensive.” seeing as he had been polite to her unlike many of her costumers, she asked him “What is your plan?”
Kira looked at her, a brooding expression. “I was told hunting was a good idea, but I have no idea what I should do. I have not the faintest clue about it.”
“Ah yes. Most cultivators go hunting. A versatile bunch when it comes to fighting.” her expression a serious one she continued “You should not bother unless you are at least middle realm. If you have just awakened, I suggest you pour cold water on excitement.”
She seemed very sure of herself when saying this. Kira wondered if she was a cultivator as well.
Kira cupped his hands saluting “Thank you for the warning. I am actually not a beginner and I would be extremely thankful if you would help me by offering your council.”
The first part was actually a lie, he was a beginner. But hearing as she referred to middle realm as experienced, he assumed he had advanced quickly.
He was, in all honesty, serious about asking her for advice. She seemed honest in her offer, and the feeling she gave him was a genuine one.
Seeing his smile and behavior she smiled and happily said “I am Luxa. Please don’t be so formal”
“Very well.” he straightened up and said “I am Kira.”
She nodded and then her expression turned serious as she began sorting her thoughts.
“First of all, you’ll need a hunting map. You’ll have general information on it. Beast type, terrain, tree composition, danger zones. You simply cannot go hunting without such a map, if not one might find himself killed when trespassing the territory of some random powerful beast.”
Her words were sharp, Kira took what she said as law. This would be wild territory, not civilized space.
She looked around hastily and pulled out a methodically folded map, from a pocket in her work tunic.
She laid it out on the desk, and said hurriedly pointing at different spots on the map “These spots are your safest options, other safe places are too far away from the city, and you would have to traverse dangerous locations.” she looked up at him and saw his calm and steady demeanor “You could also go here.” She pointed to a place near one of the safe zones, saying “This is actually dangerous for most Mortal Adepts, but if you are careful and confident in your racing skills, it should not be too dangerous.”
She stopped talking at this point, and allowed him a good long look at the map. Kira could not help but notice she was sometimes glancing behind her, to a window wall. There was a man behind it, buried in documents, engrossed in his reading.
“That area is mostly dangerous, due to the fact that Lykos often frequent the area. It is an extremely dangerous opponent to a Mortal Adept. Its combat speed is extremely high, some say comparable to that of a Balrog.” when saying the last part, awe oozed out alongside her words.
Kira had a serious expression. He looked at her and nodded.
What is a Balrog, is what he wanted to ask, but he felt as if he would have lost all credibility in front of her. His instinct didn’t allow him to ask.
“I've heard fighters say, its psionic howl, scares the soul so much, cultivators turn back into mortals, and soil their clothes. If you ever hear its howl, it is already too late to run from it. A Lykos can surpass the speed of sound easily." her awe subsided as she waved it off.
“But I would not know. I've never met one. Haha.” she laughed lightly, her warm voice giving the room a warm feeling. Still giggling “Don’t underestimate it tough. It is true allot of cultivators and transmuters were killed by it.”
Kira nodded seriously at her. “Complacency invites calamity. I will not.”
She folded the map down as she put it back into her pocket with great care. She told him he could buy one at the general store all over the city. All zones had at least one general store, even red ones.
“Do not go to a red store. There might be fake goods, and dangerous people frequent those places. None of them operate legally. Well, no one lives there unless they don’t have a choice.”
“You can sell the bounty at an alchemist. You should be careful and not let yourself get bullied into selling cheap. Although low level materials are not that precious, they have worth. If an alchemist shop offers you too little, go to another one.” Kira saw that she had wanted to add something more, but she seemed reluctant to tell him.
He said with a genuine tone “Senior Luxa, please don’t hold back any advice you may have. Since I am a beginner, it might prove invaluable”
Her face turned slightly red when he called her senior, but her serious expression remained.
“Ah yes. Well, it's not really advice, but I have a friend who is an alchemist and she is always in need of materials. Alchemists fail allot in their endeavors.” the more she talked the more embarrassed she became. Apparently, she did not feel good about shamelessly advertising for her friend.
“Ah you don’t have to go to her tough, but she does give a discount for alchemist services if you sell to her. She buys at fifteen percent below market rate.”
Kira nodded lightly. He thought about it for a second and said “Since senior Luxa introduced her, it must be someone of superior character. I shall go to your friend when the time comes for me to sell.”
Kira cared truly little for material things, but he would not let himself be fooled for no reason. If losing a bit of credits would return the kindness someone had given him then he would do it without paying much attention.
Since the kind woman in front of him had introduced him, there was a high chance it wasn’t someone awful. Plus, Luxa did help him, even if she offered common knowledge.
He bowed slightly to her “Thank you, fellow cultivator for your advice.”
Luxa looked a bit sad when he said so, she clutched lightly at her necklace, merely nodding her head at him in response.
Kira smiled at her and left. He decided he would buy his weapon based on how collecting credits would go. No point in crafting a recipe, without first knowing the ingredients one would use.
Kira left the store and went to buy a map and stock up on some combat supplies.
He went to the store closest to home, a store right on the same street as the Silent Mirror. He entered the store, and saw a male clerk standing at the desk. The store was small and had only a small handful of glass cabinets. All behind the clerk's desk.
If Kira did not have enhanced eyesight, he might not be able to clearly see the objects within.
The objects all had name tags near them. From what Kira could read, these were common items used by ability users.
Simple medical supplies, regeneration capsules, psionic grenades, and other such common supplies.
Kira bought a map, a medical kit, and one regeneration capsule. He would have liked to buy a psionic grenade, but that would have cost him way more then he paid for everything else. He was poor.
Mira’s lesson was beginning to register. He could now see what she had wanted to teach him. Restraint in his spending habits. Thought out steps. Not recklessly spending his hard-earned credits, just like she had done. Mira had explained when she had taken him to the JahJong game that, playing the game, was her way of contacting the heavens. Hence, she saved all her spending money, and played JahJong with it.
He would have to learn from her, and save his money so he could spend it on important things. Just like Mira.
He checked the medical kit. It was a small box with a handful of bandages and a set of needles and medical string. The string and the bandages were made out of special materials, processed by special means. He could sense something in them, something resembling psionic energy.
He did not know what it was but he could sense they were not ordinary pieces of cloth. They were both brown in color.
He had consumed all his saved-up money for this. He had eaten from a corner store for the past few days. Miu had not come to ask him out after that one time. It would seem she no longer had the time. Or the credits.
He decided to also buy a military grade backpack to store his supplies and what little food he could buy. Luckily, ever since he had fully awakened, he had eaten less and less. The common food at the corner store barely satisfied him anymore. He started to think about the restaurant and its delicious plates. Perhaps that food was special as well, since it had been so expensive.
He went back home, and since it was already late in the day, he decided he would meditate until late at night, then rest in preparation for the next day.
The next morning, Kira would go hunting for monsters.