Opportunity

"It doesn't matter if time is gone. If the world of the dead has been lost, or if the entire world has separated in Universal Lands, which made infighting and mindless pursuit for status and power have riddled it for Archeons," Heian Ciemnosc said. "What matters is that, although you've held onto life in the last moment of your nature, you still managed to get here. I didn't know even Lords could feel depressed."

“Hm, kid. It seems like you’ve read a lot of stories,” the oldie said, standing up and seemingly recuperating his composure. Heian Ciemnosc watched as the white-haired Semi-Soul calmed down and looked at the floor. The Semi-Soul spoke with an ancient tone, “I didn’t bring them in, those things. They were formed from the rupture of the reality within my tomb. I chose a simple place and under the feet of many settlements where civilians lived.”

“However… as you can see, it did not go well,” the Semi-Soul said. “When I wanted to die, nature, laws, and reality were in accordance. Nothing would have been detrimental… if not for my sudden change of mind. I disrupted nature and caused this. Many suffered, and although the mist isn’t that much, what lies beneath is worse.”

The Semi-Soul looked at Heian Ciemnosc and continued, his eyes haggard as if he had endured suffering for countless years. “These… ghosts. They are nothing I wanted but have accompanied me for a while. I think… I can finally put my thoughts at ease. But if I do, I will have to give something in return. The mist will disappear on its own afterwards. No need to do anything. What do you think?”

“!” Heian Ciemnosc caught on the oldie’s words. This was a proposal. And basically, now that the Semi-Soul had been living in such a precarious situation for so long, he found a way to die again, this time letting his Soul vanish entirely. However, he had to do something for that matter, and after this much time had passed, his resources to keep living were short. Thus, the Semi-Soul could help Heian Ciemnosc in any way, but it would be limited.

If anything, it was good Heian Ciemnosc was at the lowest Step coming here, or this could have been fruitless for him. It wouldn’t have mattered that much since he hadn’t suffered so far on this trip, but it would still be something to sigh about in the future. However, Heian Ciemnosc looked at the oldie strangely before speaking word by word and slowly. “Sir, I have a Master, so I don’t need your help.”

“A Master? Compared to me, a Lord?” The Semi-Soul pointed at himself with his fingertips and fingers joined. He smiled proudly and said, “You know about the Sub-Fauna and can tell I’m a Semi-Soul. But, do you really think your Master knows about Souls as much as I do?”

“Mn, I do.” Heian Ciemnosc nodded, then said, “Not only that, who said my Master is weaker than you? For all I know, she might be the most powerful right now. Especially after that Great Sage perished. In fact, she might be stronger, but she simply doesn’t care about fame or attaining the Lordship you speak of.”

“You…” The oldie was left dumbfounded as he looked at Heian Ciemnosc. He looked down and suddenly frowned, finding it possible that someone who could have this pale young man as a disciple had to be tremendously powerful. He ignored the Soul’s theme and proposed in other ways. Extending his hands, he repeated the gesture with his palm showing. “How about a tool? I can craft an Artifact or Relic out of nowhere for you. A weapon. I’ll make a Divine one for you. It’ll foll- oh my god.”

The oldie saw Heian Ciemnosc slowly shaking his head smoothly. When he mentioned creating a top-notch, most powerful, and cherished Divine weapon only the highest-status people in the Sixth Existential Step organizations could have, Heian Ciemnosc took his Claws Out and swung them in front of the oldie’s face. The Semi-Soul felt defeated as he cursed, tilting his head sideways to demonstrate his frustration.

“Then, how about I teach you about Craftsmaking? I was only slightly good at alchemy but still had enough time to check every other profession. Hm?” The oldie proposed again, feeling confident he could get a positive answer this time. But Heian Ciemnosc rolled his eyes a little before politely saying, “I told you, sir, my Maste is more than enough to teach me anything. I don’t think some of your alchemy knowledge can exceed hers, let alone other types of Craftsmaking.”

“Then… Do you… need…” The oldie struggled, hesitating to say anything lest he embarrass himself further in front of a puny 18-year-old rising talent. “Materials?”

“Nope,” Heian Ciemnosc shook his head, making the oldie feel helpless, becoming depressed again. However, Heian Ciemnosc seemed to think of something as he looked down before meeting the Semi-Soul’s sad eyes. “My wife would like to have a great upgrade to her arsenal. I want to create a weapon for her every time she breaks into a new Step, but if you can help me build a Divine halberd with its prowess stuck at the First Step so that I can gradually improve it… That would be too much to ask, so I’m asking.”

“... Is it that blondie outside? Mn, she seems to have a natural Wind element affinity awakened within her. Do you want to create something for her?” The oldie looked at the ceiling and seemed to look far beyond. Heian Ciemnosc tried using his Spirit Sense, but he couldn’t penetrate this building’s structure with it to connect with his students. Heian Ciemnosc nodded, “Yeah, it’s her.”

“Mn, alright. But, kid. You are the first anomaly I have found. I cannot read or see through you. Even if my senses were to be neglected, I could still see through anyone in my same realm if I had them within my tomb. But without my Space or a Divine Dominion, I cannot fathom your specialties. Only when you showed me your innate… Art, could I get a glimpse. Who are you, kid?”

“I don’t know, I am me.” Heian Ciemnosc raised his arms and spread them to the sides, shrugging as he responded. The oldie gave Heian Ciemnosc a glare and nodded upwards. The Semi-Soul swung his sleeves, and spores seemed to materialize at his thought. As he looked into the sky, he murmured, seemingly dreaming. “We went from wanting to manipulate the new Lords and tie them to our organizations… To hoping at least one would appear, sigh.”

Just as Heian Ciemnosc marveled upon seeing these spores slowly turning into balls of white light that then turned into spheres and globes of varying sizes and colors, Heian Ciemnosc heard the oldie address him. “Your Soul is locked, but by whom? For what? Until when?”

The oldie attracted Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes as the latter looked at the former seriously. The Semi-Soul added as the spheres and globes fell around them and condensed into a ring. “Is it a lock? Then where’s the key? A key is only a key when they are close to their lock. If it’s not, then for what reason? What is needed? What is wanted to be wanted?”

The ring turned into a bloody red color and started spinning, surrounding them in the middle as the oldie’s face darkened. Just as things were about to start and the oldie felt he had regained composure, he heard Heian Ciemnosc speak. “Can you also give an opportunity to my people? They came trying to become their organization’s spear and shield in the future. I didn’t come here only for myself and my wife’s sake.”

. . .

On the third morning of the third day, after Heian Ciemnosc left the students for several hours, there was finally a change as the central building’s doors slightly opened. From it, a haggard Heian Ciemnosc came out and walked towards them. His skin looked, but it always did. It was like that. However, his steps were light yet heavy overall, causing the students to notice he was undoubtedly tired.

Elena and the other COs rapidly stood up and waited for him to exit the palace’s gates. The 2,000+ students slowly stood up after noticing, waiting on their leader like he was the biggest big-shot. They didn’t feel like complaining, though. He really was like so in their hearts.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Heian Ciemnosc stood before them and exited the palace, making the COs and Elena sigh in relief. Seeing he was fine, they didn’t question him and waited for him to speak. Heian Ciemnosc opened his mouth to say in a calm, light tone. “I have confirmed everything. You can go in and meditate. Hurry, you will receive help. It may help in your cultivation, Craftsmaking, or comprehension of anything that blocks or inspires you.”

“Everyone?” Violet asked Heian Ciemnosc with her neck hanging down, her eyes widened. Seeing Heian Ciemnosc nod, she immediately worked her medallion to notify every student. Of course, after experiencing the mist’s bizarreness, they didn’t need to be reminded of being respectful wherever they went and whatever they did. Heian Ciemnosc chatted and saw the COs depart into the palace to sit cross-legged with the other students as if they had suddenly received guidance in the deepest corners of their inner selves.

“How is it?” Elena didn’t leave and remained on Heian Ciemnosc’s side. She could see his eyes urging her to go in and start receiving help, but she ignored it and kept him company. Heian Ciemnosc smoothly shook his head and said, not hiding anything, “I got something for you. It was very costly, so treasure it. I had to use some blood essence to guarantee it was safe, more than needed.”

“Eh? Oh- ah!!” Elena frowned as she heard her husband speak, but when she saw a smallish halberd the size of his forearm come out of his Covert Space bag, attached to his skin as if it couldn’t bear to depart from Heian Ciemnosc’s body as he tried passing it to her. Only after he grabbed Elena’s wrist and helped her grip onto it did it start loosening its ‘attachment’ to Heian Ciemnosc’s forearm.

“This is…” Elena was bewildered. She had seen Sky Weapons before when her foster father brought her to some meetings outside the Blackotia Kingdom. However, although this one was definitely for First Step cultivators, it felt more naturally marvelous than any other Sky weapon she had seen. It felt as if this was a living weapon! It only lacked a lost Sub-Fauna to become a Supreme weapon or so.

“Hmf,” Heian Ciemnosc looked at his wife as he smiled, holding the smallish halberd as if she was basically worshiping it. Having helped build it with tons of his body, he felt as if he was in her hands, and furthermore, he would always be by her side no matter how far apart they were from each other. Immediately, Heian Ciemnosc had the thought to make the same for each of his wives. But it would be a long time before he can even craft Sky weapons, let alone Supreme ones.

“Bond with it already. What are you wasting time for?” Heian Ciemnosc chipped her. Elena looked up, distracted, and finally reacted. She extended her right arm, spreading her right index finger as her thumb’s nail was placed against the middle of her index fingertip. When she was just 1 inch from the neck, where the halberd’s blade ended, and the shaft commenced, she stabbed her index fingertip as a drop of blood essence dripped onto its body.

Pshift- shaah!

Right away, the smallish halberd turned 3 meters long, and its shaft was perfect for Elena’s hands. She smiled like a dumb little girl. Her brown eyes were shining like never before. It was a halberd with 3 protruding blades, the first blade twisted from its lower bottom to the center. The second one was the sharpest and was directly projected from the same direction as the shaft. The last third blade was just 2 millimeters thicker and had a hook towards its end. It was also the longest and was less sharper than the second blade.

It had a dark, bloody red color, and the moment it ‘unsheathed’ from its constraints, it shot transparent yellow, grayish energy. Upon seeing this energy color and feeling it with her body and senses, Elena looked at Heian Ciemnosc, wholly shocked. “It’s the Wind element!!”

“Mhm, I only helped create her. It’s yours now, my wife.” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes looked at Elena despite being tired, conveying the most unadorned meanings. Elena became quiet as she held her new halberd in her hands. She didn’t even need to ask what its grade was. Elena didn’t need to. She would keep this halberd with her even if it became a single tattered piece of metal after millions of battles.

“I-... Heian Ciemnosc!” Elena was wordless as she finally stored the halberd. It didn’t seem unwilling to follow Elena anymore, as if it had heard their talk and enjoyed the sensation of belonging to Elena. Heian Ciemnosc grabbed her waist and lower back, pulling her onto his body, and looked down, silencing that little excited mouth from spouting any more nonsense. Anything else that wasn’t pleasing him was nonsense.

“Thank you… you’ve worked too hard, you should rest.” After saying that, Elena extended her neck slightly upwards. He still wasn’t that tall. Her lips smooched his, slightly dragging them from how dry they were. She added, “Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Mn, I may need a lot of cultivation very soon.” Heian Ciemnosc nodded and said seriously. Elena’s face blushed, and she stepped backwards. Heian Ciemnosc’s left eyebrow rose as he asked her, interrogating the feeling criminal, “What? Do you think just one kiss is enough to thank me? Do you know how much I suffered, filling buckets with my dark blood essence?”

“Mmm, sorry, I have to cultivate. The Second Step is really near and a question of time.” Elena said, putting on a playful, girly, teasing image for Heian Ciemnosc and only him to see. It was enough to make him dizzy, which she took advantage of to step into the palace and sit cross-legged among the COs. When Heian Ciemnosc woke up, he was already too late. He shook his head but didn’t comment on it and simply took out a few thousand Supreme Powerful Stones to recuperate faster. His All-Devouring Force Chronicles were already helping him heal, but there was no harm in speeding up the process.

Heian Ciemnosc turned around and sat cross-legged. His Spirit Sense was still limited to his people. It couldn’t act regularly, so he could only ‘take guard’ outside in case he heard anything. He and any other cultivator could still see tens of kilometers from where they stood or sat. Let alone him, whose eyes had always been magical, even when he wasn’t a cultivator per se.

As he sat cross-legged, time passed slowly. On their third day inside, the morning was the afternoon. Subsequently, it was the same for every evening and all night. When Heian Ciemnosc came out of the palace, it was barely in the morning. Hours passed as the students inside were awfully silent. Each one was sitting cross-legged, silently, and hardly moved as they breathed. Some were evenly breathing, but others were excited as if having found something incredible in their thoughts.

“...” At this moment, Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes opened as he looked in the distance. His eyes were calm, and his temperament even more quiet. His intertwined and semi-intertwined fingers released as he placed his forearms against his thighs, looking far ahead without hurry. After about a minute, Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. And 2 minutes later, they further squinted. When another 5 minutes passed, he slowly stood up, stern and severe, as he took something out of his Covert Space bag.

A little cubical structure appeared on his left palm. Heian Ciemnosc brought his left arm backwards and softly pushed the Artifact upwards into the air. With a strand of dark Power Energy guiding it within the tubes, the Golden Array Snakes began spreading and forming an area that enveloped the entire palace. Even a few kilometers tall, it broke through some towers and steep, unnecessary structures, cutting them in half as they noiselessly fell.

CRASH, THUDDD, CRAAASSHHH, RUMBLEE…

Debris and large chunks from those structures fell atop the Golden Array Snakes. Heian Ciemnosc wasn’t worried about disturbing his small group. The students were inside the Golden Array Snakes’ protection and couldn’t hear these tremendously loud crashing noises. Heian Ciemnosc ignored it altogether and looked ahead. His target wasn’t to protect them… not only. His darkest eyes slowly turned somber as he stood with his chest out and his head low just 100 meters before the gates.

… rumble, rumble… … rumble… rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble… Rumble, rumble, rumble~~...

“...” Heian Ciemnosc’s face, although becoming more severe with each passing minute, was infinitely calm as his eyes were ultimately cold instead. His hands to the sides slightly departed from the sides of his body, and they slowly formed into fists. He was calmly studying the understanding he has gotten so far about the Soul, furthermore about himself and his dark Soul. Then, suddenly… a group appeared belonging to the Obscure Orb Sect.

But in just a while, more and more groups appeared behind it. It wasn’t a chase. They even waited for each other to reunite. Before long, more and more groups appeared. From hundreds, they became thousands… then tens of thousands. The small Obscure Orb Sect’s group didn’t hide their actions as they led everyone to the palace as if knowing where Heian Ciemnosc was. Eliciting Heian Ciemnosc’s suspicious… and a little bit of his hostility.

When Heian Ciemnosc stood up, more than 100,000 First Step and few Second Step cultivators rushed towards the palace as if they could see him waiting there and the treasures behind him. They were crazed but not mentally controlled or confused. They were simply wanting everything he and his small group had been getting. Only now did Heian Ciemnosc realize they had been targeted all this long. If only his Spirit Sense wasn’t limited… As he made a mental note to make for these kinds of shortcomings, he heard the ever-more evident rumbling noises of more than a hundred thousand strong cultivators running towards the palace!

“...!” Without looking back, Heian Ciemnosc had the sight of his 2,000+ students in his mind, their safety all in his hands for him to protect. Furthermore, they were in the middle of receiving a crucial opportunity. They could not be disturbed. If anything happened, it was him against everyone else. Anyone who dared come interrupts the Wrath Nihility Academy’s cultivation!!

…