“Repeat that one more time.” I asked, running along the maze.

“I do not enjoy repeating myself, boy. For the tenth time, your ability is nothing! You have no magic, boy!” Haedon explained once more, his voice growing more annoyed.

“There’s no way that’s true! Goblin gave me the test! I awakened my Heartile and I’ve been on the verge of truly awakening my typing for what’s felt like forever now! There’s no way I have nothing!” I yelled at Haedon, but it was more out of worry than anger.

There was no way. This couldn’t be happening to me.

“Hmm. I guess it would be inaccurate to say you have magical ability.” He paused. “Stop running boy.”

I immediately halted, my heart beat returning to a regular rate.

“To be honest, I laughed to make you feel bad” He started.

‘Of course you did.’

“Do not interrupt me boy.” He snapped. “As I was saying, I laughed to make you feel bad, but also because when I checked your dantian, I saw nothing. Or I thought I saw nothing.”

‘What’s a dantian? Nevermind, I’ll just ask later.’

Haedon grunted, clearly a bit upset that I interjected once more, but he continued non the less.

“There is something inexplicable dormant inside you. Whether it is harmful or helpful, whether it is powerful or detrimental, I do not know. But it seems to be the reason for your slow progression, as well as your inability to produce magic.”

“Doesn’t that make it a bad thing! It’s keeping me weak and powerless!” I cried out. Thankfully I was now in the middle of nowhere, with no one to take note of how stupid I looked talking to myself.

“Sorry.” I quickly added, realizing I still needed to hear more.

“That will be the last time.” Haedon paused once more, and suddenly a small ball of mist began to form at my feet, until finally a skinny white cat stepped out. It stretched its legs out before turning to me.

“The reason I said I cannot tell if it is helpful or not, is because other than blocking your powers, it has turned your body into a funnel. Continuously pulling Qi from the surrounding area into your body, at much faster rates and in much bigger quantities. That explains your roach-like tenacity, as well as why your aura is far different from other warriors.

You are connected to the Qi. Not in a way that makes you able to grow infinitely, or ten fold faster than others, but in a way that gives you an unforeseeable potential and ability.”

There were about a hundred things that were still unclear to me, the most major question being how Haedon had managed to become a cat, but as long as he wasn’t inside my head, that was enough for me. There was also the fact that Haedon seemed to have much stranger words for Tecz and Heartile, but was even more baffling was that I understood what he was saying.

I didn’t understand the meaning of the words, but they weren’t overly foreign to me. So they too would have to join my now seemingly never ending list of questions to investigate later on in life.

“So what does that mean?” I questioned.

“I am not sure, boy. You are the first thing I do not understand, but that is what intrigues me. So I shall continue to watch your growth and uncover all your mysteries one by one.” Haedon smiled, which was very creepy to see coming from a small white cat with black eyes.

That was in no way helpful. That means from all the blood sweat and tears I put into trying to awaken my ability was all for naught. And the very limiter that stopped me from achieving the heights I once dreamt of, is something that I probably won’t ever be able to remove. And what is the benefit from all this? I die a little slower. Isn’t that great.

“You are a very slow human being. I am not saying you will be an ant forever, or just an ant that requires more effort to stomp out. In words you can understand, if you can master your control over Qi, I swear on my honor that you stand above the entire world. Of course you’ll always be under me.” Haedon began to lick his paws.

My eyes lit up and leapt forward to pick Haedon up, lifting him high in the air.

“Are you serious? Like you really mean that?”

“What are you doing! Unhand me you vermin! I said put me down!” He began to frantically move about in my hands, but there really wasn't much of a fight he could put up in his current form.

“Answer my question and I’ll think about it.”

“I already swore it on my honor you idiot! What reason would I have to lower myself to your standards and do something as lowly as lying? Qi is the very essence of all life! But it is treated like some kind of battery by you foolish humans! Do you understand the power you hold in your hands?” His tone was insulting, but his words immediately turned my mood around.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“So, how long do you think it’ll take me to fully master my control of Te- Qi? A year? Maybe a few months?” I asked excitedly, placing him back down on the ground.

For the first time, and probably last, I watched a cat roll around in laughter.

“Are you sure you want to be a warrior? Maybe you should follow your talent in comedy, boy!” Haedon coughed after finally getting up.

“Can you stop laughing at everything I say? Just tell me what I’m missing!” I roared, debating whether I should throw him across the wall. But I ultimately decided against it, just in case anyone walked by and saw me hurling a cat across the path.

“You think that an essence so strong and mysterious, something that serves as the foundation for universes can be fully grasped by an idiot in a year? If you could grasp even fifty percent of its power you’d be unstoppable!”

“But you specifically said if I ‘master’ my control! Mastering is not fifty percent, Haedon!” I snapped, being treated like a fool for not knowing things that probably no one else knew was greatly infuriating.

“Yes, I said if you master ‘your’ control. Emphasis on ‘your’, boy. If you or anyone else could ever have full control over Qi, they’d be able to destroy and create universes with a wave of their hand! They would be a supreme being, a God far removed from anything and everything!”

My anger subsided as his explanation ended. It did make sense, but it was still a tad bit annoying. If my only option to grow stronger was to master my control of Tecz, then wasn’t it unfair for me to be able to only grasp so much of it? Obviously I don’t want to be a God, nor did I expect to be one, but who’s eyes don't turn green when faced with something like that.

“Fine, then I have two more questions. After that I really need to get back on track with this round. So you’re going to answer, with no laughing and no roundabouts. Just straightforward answers, got it?”

“And why should I listen to you?” Haedon inched closer to me.

“Are you forgetting what form you’re in right now Haedon ? Now would I be right in assuming that you’re stuck in this form because you used up too much energy fighting me? And that’s why you pushed yourself into me? To feed off my energy?”

It really sounded like I had some insane level of detective skills, or maybe that I was some kind of genius, but to be honest I was just guessing based on clichés. While I was still recovering after awakening my Heartile, I spent most of my time reading. Both fiction and non fiction of course, and I found a common plot in the overpowered fantasy stories.

There’s always some kind of minor big bad at the start that can’t return to its former glory due to a lack of power. And looking at Haedon, who clearly believed himself to be above all others, tagging alongside me for seemingly no reason, it checked all the boxes. He needed me to survive.

Haedon remained silent for several minutes, indicating that I had hit the nail on the head. So naturally I started with my questions.

“So far, in a percentage, how much mastery do I have over my Qi. Also, how much of a power boost does having a higher mastery give me? Can I fight people in major stages above me, or just minor?”

“In a percentage? It’s difficult for me to give an accurate amount as my comprehension was never the greatest, but I’d say you’re at 0.1 percent mastery, somewhere in that range. I am also unclear as to what these stages you speak of are, so in my mind I will substitute them as realms. So as for power boost?

In the beginner realms, if your mastery has reached ten percent, you’ll be untouchable. In the middle realms, you’d need about thirty percent. And to be truly at the pinnacle of this world? About sixty percent.”

‘That didn’t really answer my question but at least it gave me a rough understanding of how well I can match up with people around me. I also didn’t expect my mastery to be high, but for it to be so low means I really need to get it up.’ I tried to make sense of everything in my head.

“Alright one more question, this will be the last. How many realms are there?”

“I knew you would be confused. The beginner realms are composed of three major realms, and nine minor realms in each one. Then the middle realms have another three major, with nine minor. Finally the high realms are made up of two major realms, with twenty minor. The level gap in between each major realm isn’t one you could even dream of crossing currently.” His words and tone had become much less harsh after I revealed I knew his secrets, but clearly his sense of superiority was not something he could let go of so easily.

If what Haedon was saying was correct, then for whenever and wherever he’s from, the Eight evolutionary stages are still the norm. But ninety-four minor stages? That was definitely a bit excessive. But it could work. If the low, mid, and high order minor stages represented the same minor realms that Haedon spoke of, then it could mean that each order from the first to the sixth evolutionary stage would be equal to three of the minor realms.

And then…

Ah screw it, that's too much thinking to do anyways. All that matters is that I need to get stronger, and without any actual powers I had to be a show off. There was no way I could keep a low profile with no abilities, otherwise every random side character would try to mess with me.

And I cannot afford any more screws up or mishaps. My life has to go right for at least the next few months, otherwise, if I don’t make it into The Academy, my life plan gets pushed way too far back, which is something I stress over enough at is. And the lack of powers was now in no way helping.

“Alright. I’m still more than confused, but if everything you said to me is true, then thank you. I just need to work harder than I did before, and I’ll be set.”

“Yes it is a pity that such a gift was wasted on someone so untalented such as yourself, but you are welcome non the less. Once more I have no reason to lie, as I-”

“Swore it on your honor, I know. You really have some kind of honor fetish huh?”

“A warrior is nothing without his honor!”

As Haedon ranted and yelled in my ear, I couldn’t shake the feeling as though I had forgotten to ask him something. But for one reason or another, my mind just pushed it to the back and deemed it unimportant.

Just what was I forgetting this time?

⥁

My hands flew out in a rapid barrage of punches, each one landing in a vital area.

The wolf jumped back in pain, panting heavily. Its aura had grown dimmer, but still shone brightly, a sign of its inability to quit.

I respect the beast, but respect wasn't enough for me to allow it to live.

My aura condensed down into my arms as I prepared for the finishing exchange. The wolf noticed my movements, and quickly squatted down, preparing to pounce.

We both leapt into the air, my fists pulled back ready to punch, its jaw wide open, ready to take my head clean off.

“Now.”

Upon hearing the command, I let my left arm fly out and grabbed the wolf's front leg. Once it was firmly in my grasp, I moved up my free arm to wrap around its mouth, keeping it’s jaw closed. As we slammed into the ground, I quickly recovered, maneuvering onto of the wolf, before wrapping my arms around its head and snapping in one swift turn.

Its body went limp, but I wasted no time. My aura condensed into a small beam on the tips of my fingers and I carved into the carcass. Retrieving the core, I allowed myself to stand and catch my breath.

“Five out of ten. You dragged it for too long. Onto the next.” Haedon already began to walk off without letting me speak.

“Haedon, wait! That was the last one. They’ll be pulling me out at any second.” I sat down and began to recover.

In the past few hours, I was first impressed that there seemingly wasn’t a time limit, but I quickly zeroed in on my goal. Finding a weak pack of rat beast took a very small amount of effort, but beating them was another thing.

My clothes had been torn to shred, and several bite marks were still healing over my body. Haedon didn’t step in at first, but when the second pack almost killed me, he began to guide me. Telling me when and how to strike, where the vitals were and how to carve into the bodies more efficiently.

He also began to grade me out of ten, and though I didn’t really care about my score, it was a bit disheartening to never get above a five.

I stared at the miniature aura laser in my hand. Apparently when my mastery grows stronger, and my control is much more honed, I could be able to conjure weapons out of my aura. An ability reserved for Empo’s, but actually a forgotten art that nobody ever cared to revive.

But with my current comprehension, its only benefit was keeping my hands cleaner when gutting a dead beast.

“Very well then.” Black mist surrounded him, and within the next second he had disappeared. Sitting safely inside my head.

A small beam of light began to envelop my body, and I watched as the maze around me started to slowly dematerialize.

‘If round one was that hard, what the hell is round two going to be like?’ I asked myself as I was teleported out of the maze.

But as long as I didn’t nearly die once more, that would be enough for me.