“Big Sis Odaya your place is so neat.”

Odayakana laughed, “It’s nice to hear such kind compliments. I try my best to be neat. Anyways you can stay here and peacefully cultivate.”

Raja Kint nodded his head. “What about the remnants of Chi’s group?”

“They’ll be taken care of. They’ll either fight for freedom or die.”

Raja Kint sat down and looked at Odayakana. “Come next to me for a moment. I want to give you something to help before the break.”

Odayakana walked over to Raja Kint with a curious expression. Raja Kint pulled out ki stones and dropped them in her hands. “Please do your best to reach the ninth inner ki. I’ve also given some to Senior Icurio so only the three of us know about these.”

“Thanks so much, Raja, I’m not sure if I’ll breakthrough but I’ll definitely be stronger.” She left the room afterward to handle business. Raja Kint sat in silence and closed his eyes. He knew that the moment he reached the seventh inner ki and Senior Icurio reached the ninth inner ki. The fight for freedom would officially begin.

Time flowed and Raja Kint has been inside the coliseum for two months. Ever since the killing of Chi. All of his followers vowed to fight for freedom. All the people in these tunnels were never more focused on training than now. When the time for freedom came they didn’t want to have any regrets.

For the first time, there were no hostilities among the people. The girl who liked to call him a pet visited a few times. Each time Raja Kint didn’t refuse and played along with her.

Raja Kint also reflected on when he felt uneasy when the two boys warned him of Odigo. And realized that feeling arose because even back then Chi had set his sights on him. The fact that Chi didn’t force Odigo to make a move earlier meant that he underestimated Raja Kint.

I was able to best Chi at every step because he underestimated me. But if my strength was within his calculations then I definitely would’ve died. He’s a man down here in these depths and his ability is already apparent. The only reason I dominated him in combat was that he wasn’t expecting me to be strong then either. Otherwise, that battle would’ve been much more difficult. I still would’ve come out on top.

Raja Kint continued to cultivate silently. Only leaving for food and when called for battle.

Two weeks later Senior Icurio visited Raja Kint.

“Senior if you’d say something I would’ve visited you.”

“It’s no matter I have the time to waste now.”

Raja Kint raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Senior Icurio happily said, “I'm knocking at the door to the ninth inner ki. It won’t be much longer so I’ll hold off as long as I can. I need you to breakthrough first.”

“Congratulations on the news senior. I can feel that I’m close as well. With a moment of peace, I’ve been focusing heavily on my other attributes. Now that you’re so close my full attention will be on breaking through.”

Senior Icurio nodded his head, “We’re already fully ready to attempt the plan. It’ll be late night after the late-night fight. Give it a few hours for the least resistance outside. Then we’ll leave through the coliseum in the cover of the darkness and go our ways.”

Raja Kint sighed, “I’ll make sure to do some amazing things so that you have more stories to tell.”

“Hahaha. That would be nice, Parsinos is going in the same direction as you. So you’ll have someone to keep you company. Trust me he won’t try anything stupid.”

“I trust you senior, where is he going?”

“He’s journeying to the Kint Sect in the hope of finding some honest work. Start a family and grow some strong sons.”

Raja Kint smiled as he whispered, “Family.” Senior Icurio heard him clearly since the room was silent beside their speech. He acted as if he heard nothing at all. When Raja Kint told him stories of his past. It was always positive and no negatives. If Raja Kint wouldn’t bring it up then neither would he.

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“I’ll be leaving now, come to me when you’ve reached the seventh stage.”

Raja Kint cupped his hands as Senior Icurio left and focused solely on cultivation.

Two months and two weeks have passed since Raja Kint was captured. Raja Kint greeted the new day exhaling with a smile on his face. The strength of a seventh inner ki was flowing through his body. He stood up and went straight for Senior Icurio.

“Knock.”

“It’s me, senior!” Raja Kint’s voice held excitement as the senior opened his door.

“You know you can just open the door. Wait, huh! You’re at the seventh inner ki!”

Raja Kint enthusiastically replied, “Yes!”

Senior Icurio chuckled and said, “We’ll initiate the fight for freedom tomorrow night. I’ll take this chance to perform my breakthrough tomorrow morning.”

Raja Kint was extremely excited as he parted ways to go meet Big Sis Odaya. After asking around Raja Kint found her in a room not far from where he cultivated. He knocked on the door and announced himself.

Odayakana opened the door to hear Raja Kint announce the news. Raja Kint left her to focus on his arrays some more. When he said he was focusing on other attributes he meant arrays. He was also a little disappointed, despite having ki stones Big Sis Odaya wouldn’t break through in time.

Before an hour had passed everyone in the tunnels knew that tomorrow night was the night. Separate groups were being formed but this plan was expected to go rather smoothly because of the timing. Performing so late at night meant fewer guards. Giving them the greatest chance for escape. Even if there were guards the strongest would be ninth inner ki.

In a town like this outer ki realms would never bring themselves to being a guard.

With about sixty people in total with most comparable to middle inner ki. And elites with strength at the upper inner ki. They felt this should be smooth unless something unexpected occurred.

Time flew by quickly during this period. Much quicker than it ever felt before being in these tunnels.

The fated day for freedom arrived. The people who were called for battle were not important to the overall plan. Hence when they went up everyone began gathering in their groups.

In Raja Kint’s group, he had Odayakana, Aspro, Icurio, Mavros, Parsinos and Odigo together. Everyone in this group was capable of fighting an eighth inner ki besides Odigo. Raja Kint and Icurio were capable of facing ninth inner ki fighters. Raja Kint even believed that in the inner ki realm, he was uncontestedly the strongest.

For this period of time, everyone dropped titles and just referred to their last names. Soon a fifth inner ki appeared before them. “Leaders the fighters have returned in good conditions.”

Icurio responded, “Have everyone take their positions and group up. In three hours we fight to claim our freedom.”

“Yes sir.” The man swiftly left just as fast as he came.

Raja Kint chuckled, “Odigo, you better become somebody strong otherwise I might come back to reap your life.”

Odigo’s face dropped, “You can’t hold me to your standards. I’m only focused on reaching the outer ki realm.”

“As a young man at the sixth inner ki and capable of fighting a higher stage. I think you should be aiming for the limbo realm. Limbo realm is said to be a rebirth for people. It’s when you just barely reach the qualifications to be considered a true cultivator,” said Aspro.

Icurio added, “Odigo you have to aim for the limbo realm. Reaching the limbo realm opens you up to the world of cultivation from what I hear. I wish I could experience such a thing. I’m already in my seventies and have only reached the ninth inner ki.”

Odigo says, “There are monsters out in the world like Kint here. He’s at the seventh inner ki and he’s still nine. You never told me before how close to ten are you?”

Raja Kint suppressed a smirk as he said. “In about two weeks I’ll be nine years and three months old.”

Icurio and Aspro bellowed in laughter. Odayakana, Mavros and Parsinos wore a shocked expression. Odigo could only shake his head helplessly.

“I should never have even asked. The more I learn the more I realize how stupid I was.”

Icurio responded, “Don’t compare yourself to him. He’ll outlive all of us and travel amongst the stars one day. If any of us can live that long then it can only be you Odigo. Be our witness to the rise of Raja.”

Odigo nodded seriously, “If you can travel the stars then I must be alive to ask for a ride as well. On account of old times sake from these days.”

Everyone burst into laughter at these words. This time to joke with each other would be the last chance to communicate for most.

After a few hours, they were finishing up some jokes when Icurio said to everyone. “It’s been nice knowing you all. I’ll still see Aspro’s old face till I’m one with the planet.”

Parsinos said, “I’ll still be with the genius boy until we reach the Kint Sect. After that, we’ll be splitting ways forever.”

Icurio continued, “Let’s earn this freedom and live the rest of our lives with newfound vigor.”

Raja Kint and Odigo watched as silent tears fell down the faces of the leaders for a few moments. They wiped their tears away and replaced them with eyes saying, “It’s freedom or death."