Hands on my knees I slouch over trying to get the feeling back in my legs. Meanwhile Lucadon looks completely unphased after that 6 hour climb of endless stairs.
I asked for a break so many times, but the asshole just kept on moving. My pointed glare however bounces off the demon as if my anger is nothing more than air.
Alice flies off my shoulder and rubs my back while running more healing magic through me. I was physically fit and had a Class advancement to help but apparently stairs are enough to take me down. A Demon Lord’s natural enemy clearly.
Gathering myself I look up at the massive archway and its light red stone mixed with a cherry red wood. The sigils carved into it look nothing like the constellation like patterns of spells or runes. The golden light illuminating the dark stone path beneath our feet under the night sky.
Lucadon finally stopped here and I am sure that was not because I was so tired. Looking harder out towards the gate I catch a glimpse of a twisting in the light around us. I would have never noticed something was there if I had not been looking for it.
Even a Class 4 would have a hard time hiding from my vision and yet this massive dome around the landscape behind the arch is invisible to me. It is just like any other part of the mountain. The path and arches continuing upwards.
As I try to analyze the structure of the energy keeping this place hidden I notice a swirl around the place just in front of our position. The field bends and twists as a figure exits the illusion and becomes visible to us.
A man who looks to be in his early 20s and is wearing a white robe lined with red and gold steps out. His skin is similar to Alice’s but more tan than grey and his case. The subtle bark texture across his skin is accentuated by the gold leaf patterns carved within.
Tall and overpowering, the pressure emanating from him is immense. I can’t even take a guess at what Class he is. Looming over us he stares down our demon tour guide.
“Go away Luke! I am not dealing with your shit again!”
“Luke?”
I turn my head towards the resident demon with my head tilted.
That is an interesting nickname.
The demon ignores everyone and treats the whole situation like a friendly reunion.
“Johann! How are you doing, my old friend? I need you to take on a student of mine. I am sure you have heard of her, an announcement went out just last year.”
The elf’s eyes widen considerably as he turns to look at me with a scrutinizing look.
“You mean the kid here is who you chose? After all these years you finally picked a new lord.”
He scratches the back of his head with an apologetic look.
“I can’t go teaching cultivation and Qi techniques to a human with mana, you know that.”
Lucadon simply uses a shadow hand to wave him off.
“You owe me a favor do you not? And besides, I doubt she will be human for long, her next ascension is likely to branch out into a unique path.”
I am curious what path it might be talking about. Or if it even knows what lies ahead for me. My whole situation is already pretty screwy.
“If she already has magic then she-” Stopping what he was saying, Johann looks me over again and I feel a wave of power wash over me. “Wait, what the hell is up with the kid?! Her body and soul are… What?”
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The elf is now freaking out, apparently even someone as powerful as him can’t comprehend the BS that is my existence.
“See, I checked her over. I believe she has a chance of learning your skills.”
I get a bit uncomfortable under the elf's gaze as he continues to analyze me for several more seconds before snapping out of it.
“What kind of monster have you chosen to be the next Demon Lord….?” He mutters under his breath.
Now that is just rude!
“It is not nice to call a girl a monster to her face.” I retort with my arms crossed.
Johann laughs awkwardly and apologizes. “Sorry, but what the hell are you?”
The shock and confusion on his face is a bit amusing if I am being honest so I decide to word my answer in the best way possible.
“Apparently I am the science experiment of some giant cube god, a pain in the ass demon, and now an elf?”
Many expressions run across his face at my statement. I even see a bit of pity in there.
He takes a moment to collect himself. Then he glares at Luke with quite a bit of annoyance before sighing.
“… Screw it. Just don’t end the world and I will teach you. If only to get Luke to leave me alone.”
The pain in the ass demon in question smiles its usual creepy smile. “Great, have fun!” And then proceeds to vanish.
I hear my new teacher mutter several obscenities under his breath but choose to ignore them. Definitely not agreeing with every word.
After calling Lucadon a bastard many more times Johann finally sighs a final time and waves us into the archway.
“I am Johann by the way. And you two are?”
“Lua.”
“Alice.”
“Nice to meet you, now let’s get started.”
Passing through the arch I find the world shift beneath my feet before a whole city built along the mountain comes into view. However before I can take in the sight, the world shifts again.
I now find myself standing within some sort of dojo with bamboo floors and paper walls.
The green haired elf throws a solid white robe at me, one missing all the decorations I can see on his own.
“While the wooden armor is cute, you will need to wear one of these while in my sect.”
I immediately use my magic to throw up a barrier of light around myself and change into the robe. The whole thing is rather soft and flexible but I know from the energy coming off it that it is already stronger than my golem armor.
Dropping the barrier I see my new teacher staring at me with yet another hard look.
“The way you so casually use that level of magic after having it for only, what, a year? I am starting to regret this already. I know I owe Luke a favor, but giving the Demon Lord so much power is a recipe for disaster.”
Shaking his head the elf just directs me to place my armor and pack into a cubby in another room.
“Good. Now, for the basics. Cultivation is a separate way of gaining power from what you know. The original way in this world. The System however prevents humans from using this power for many petty reasons that I won’t get into.”
Blinking at the information overload I realize that this must mean that all elves are not a part of The System. I had thought I was special but apparently a whole race existed outside the world I had grown up in from the start.
Johann continues his lecture with a serious tone.
“In order to cultivate effectively, there are three steps. Step one: foundational combat techniques, moving your body with the world. Step two: Absorb Qi and make it a part of your body and soul. Finally Step three: Use that Qi to manipulate the world around you. That is all. Get it? Got it? Good.”
Not waiting for my actual response, the man just keeps on talking.
“You will be taking a combat class starting at the lowest level. You will sleep in the guest house here. Don’t cause any trouble. Once you have the understanding of how to cultivate, you leave. If Luke picked you I doubt you will be here more than a week.”
And with that rather blunt statement, he leaves.
“Well, at least we didn't start training right away. I am beat.”
I move towards the guest house on the side of the dojo that he had pointed towards, and collapse into bed with Alice.
It is probably for the best that I get out of here as soon as possible.
Humans and elves are enemies after all. I wonder if I can keep out of trouble…