Baro and Noana sit by the dinner table, Ash at the kitchen filters some hot water he ran through beans he crushed by hand. Fresh coffee. He places them on the table with some milk and sugar.
"It's the middle of the night," Baro said, turning down the glass. Noana shakes her head and agrees.
Ash shrugs. To him it's just pre-workout. By the time it's bed-time he'll be ready to sleep. Baro taps his fingers on the glass.
"So, what's this explanation you been going on about?" he said.
Ash leans forward, and cups his coffee with both hands. The fresh ground aroma alone stirring his fleeing mind. He's worked hard today, and it's late. He needs to sleep soon or he'll lose out on another precious day of proper growth. Ash closes his eyes, and takes a dramatic sip. Baro rolls his eyes.
"Do you remember the move I used to beat you, in both fights?" Ash said. Veins emerge on Baro's forehead as his hand shakes over the table.
"I wouldn't say beat," he said politely, and calmly. Noana gulps.
"You remember, right. That first fight I was on the ropes and then I tossed those trash bags at you, nearly knocking you out instantly. Then the second time it almost burned you to-" Ash said.
Baro slams the table.
"I know what happened yesterday and the day before, get to the damn point already."
Ash squeezes his fist, and his whole arm shakes. Baro's eyes widen as Noana gasps.
"Using that move... hurt me," Ash said. Baro shakes his head.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you use techniques beyond your skill level. Didn't anyone teach you that?" Baro said, smugly. Noana looks down, as veins emerge on Ash's head.
"Of course I was taught that," Ash growls, "and I was trying to do something about it, but then YOU decided to get all self righteous and all up in my business."
"Bullshit." Baro said, standing and pointing at Ash.
"You were gonna poisons the Kireina Kami mixture and sell it to my older brother."
"What?" Ash and Noana together. There were way too many misunderstandings in that sentence. Baro's jaw drops, he wasn't supposed to say that. He coughs into his palm. Trying to think of a lie, but there is no clever play off those words. If there are, his brain can't find them. Ash scratches his head.
"You have an older brother?" Noana said, she thought Baro was born in a tree. The others yesterday said he's apparently part squirrel, and likes to spend his afternoons sleeping in trees. Sure enough, that's where she found him. He was sleeping in a tree. There were only fifty trees around the academy, so it didn't take too long for her to find him. Unfortunately he was busy and had no interest in visiting Ash until he sorted some affairs, whatever those were. Noana thought he was going to go hang out with his secret squirrel family, and tell them about the letter Ash sent. She hides her face beneath her cap, embarrassed at her total misunderstanding. Of course Baro would have human relatives.
"You do realize that there is literally only one person in the kingdom that I'm selling these potions to, right?" Ash said, with a blank stare. Baro looks at Noana, and back to Ash. He waves his hand.
"Can you just... not say it out loud. It's supposed to be a secret."
Ash looks at Noana, and back to Baro. He nods.
"What's supposed to be a secret," Noana said. Ash ignores her, and crosses his arms.
"Are you stupid, Baro? He'd kill me with a blink, and you think I could end him with spoiled fruit, dish soap, gasoline, and laundry detergent? Have you lost your mind?"
Baro nearly falls over his seat. Those are the ingredients Ash bought? There's no doubt that Baro's older brother would kill Ash in a blink, big bro said so himself. Still, Baro couldn't put his suspicions aside. Afterall, Ash deciphered an improved Kireina Kami at five years old. His expertise in potion making is on par with the experts of the kingdom. According to big bro, Ash made them with relatively inexpensive ingredients too. Big bro was certain there was more to his knowledge than meets the eye.
When Ash began showing interest in poisons, Baro's red flags went off but he chose to trust because his big brother said to take that approach. Then Ash made his intent clear to gather even more poisons. Baro was certain that he is going to be a threat to his family, but... dish soap, laundry detergent? These are not the poisons he expected Ash to dabble in. He can't even begin to fathom the intent behind gathering such an absurd list of ingredients. Ash's words hold true, such dastardly chemicals would scarcely give his nigh invincible older brother a stomach cramp.
Ash also saved his life.
Then Ash says there's an explanation for all of it. Baro feels like Ash isn't a threat to his family too, but something felt wrong about how Ash wasn't bothering to explain a single thing. Baro was hesitant until Noana explained the way Ash disbanded the fight with the other students. Ash could have slaughtered that whole class if he chose to. Instead he kept his head low and took the beating, only raising his hand when it was Noana getting in harms way. How could such a person have nefarious intentions with household chemicals? Maybe his explanation is worth hearing. His elder brother agreed with this reasoning when Baro left the academy to ask.
"So what is your plan, Ash?"
"That move I used can only be properly utilized by a body which withstands the poison demon ritual. You saw the damage it causes, and the power it holds. In order to effectively perform it, I must first undergo three preliminary poison trials in succession and then ingest a series of poisons in order to manifest the poison demon's qi. At which point I give it poisonous offerings. The demon has a preference for vile disgusting mixes, like the rat blood-shit poison. I really didn't want to make any of that filth so it was great we ran into it when we did."
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Baro nods. He was not expecting such an explanation. Noana looks back and forth between the speakers, wholly unsure of just what is going on at this dinner table. Ash sips his coffee.
"But why do this to yourself, is there not a better way forward?" Baro said.
"This is the only way I know," Ash said.
Ash lays his cards on the table, and tells Baro and Noana everything about the Khal Sect. He describes their ancient ways dedicated to cleaning the world. How their techniques and approach to cultivation are wholly centered with that divine purpose in mind, often sacrificing power in return for trash management efficiency. Ash explains it all, how every facet of his development has been dedicated to the Khal Sect's noble cause, how it's the only life he has ever known, and will ever know.
Baro and Noana are taken aback by Ash's revelations. He describes the sect with such clarity and certainty, it's as though it's truly been slowly built upon by over thirty generations of disciples. Baro doesn't know what to believe, he's never been informed of such a powerful sect, or their dedication to the trash disposal arts. Baro theorizes that the Khal Sect way of life must have been long forgotten.
Ash describes his deceased father, Sect Master Khan, a prodigy of the garbage arts and the man who bestowed upon Ash everything he knows about waste management. Though Ash conveniently leaves out the reincarnated bits, he more or less sticks to the original story. It's really the truth with that one omitted fact. Ash explained the great conspiracy which took his fathers life, and how it was thought that the Khal Sect's ways would die with his father. Ash explained that he vowed to do everything in his power to show the world that the trash disposal arts are still alive.
He explains that the cultivation of a trashman is a difficult one, and in order to walk such a path he had to train diligently every day. He described the purpose behind his dedicated exercise routine, the theory of Junk-Fu, the purpose of Kireina Kami for the Khal Sect, and the special techniques needed for a trashman to work to the best of their capabilities.
Baro and Noana listen with shock and confusion. How could such a noble cause be cast upon a boy living alone in the woods? Baro had completely misunderstood Ash's nature, and is wholly ashamed for it. Noana on the other hand is only more convinced of Ash's qualifications to teach her. This Ash has meticulous plans for cultivating even further beyond his current level, and speaks as though he's intending on cultivating just more than himself. Noana gulps, she has to know for sure. She raises her hand, an awkward gesture which draws strange gazes from the boys.
"Are you planning teach the ways of the Khal sect once again?" Noana asks. Ash nods, and she smiles.
"Then can I please be your first disciple," she said. Ash smiles, and nods. Noana jumps around gleefully.
"That's great and all, but what about the school situation?" Baro asks. Ash frowns.
What about the school situation? Ash wonders.
"You can't just go back after openly assaulting the Sar brothers, they'll get their allies to lynch you the first chance they get."
"Yeah, I'm just going to go to a different school. You guys want to come too?"
"I want to... but my mom would kill me," Noana said.
"What if she sees you improving real fast," Ash said. Baro and Noana raise an eyebrow as Ash hands Noana a small book, full of handwritten notes about her new meal plan and daily exercise routines.
"Just stick by this for a week and the results will speak for themselves," Ash said. Baro puts his hand to his chin.
"Speaking of week, next week is the yearly talent tournament. It's the kind that Prince Charock will personally watch. Nobody does funny business when he's around. Winner gets a pretty massive spirit stone chunk, and competition isn't looking too bad. You sure you want to leave the academy so soon?" Baro said.
Ash scratches his head. At the auction, a small chunk went for a hundred thousand gillards. A "pretty massive" chunk would get him way more. It could potentially be the big chunk of cash he needs to start the khal sect up once again. Ash can also spend upcoming week to give Noana a crash course, preparing her for when the new disciples need to be trained up from the beginning. Ash can just leave to a different school immediately after. While Prince Charock is watching, no one will outright try to lynch Ash either. Given the type of earnest person Baro is turning out to be, it's fair to assume that Prince Charock is equally straight laced. Ash is confident that other people would try to appear righteous infront Prince Charock's esteemed eyes.
Ash was seriously planning to leave, but Baro went and brought up this sudden bit of news. Ash could laugh at how perfect of an opportunity it is. The money will save him hundreds of hours of hunting and gathering, allowing him to focus all his time on cultivation.
"You got me, Baro. On second thought, I'll stick around for another week. I could really use that cash." Ash said with a smile.
"Me too," Baro said, looking Ash square in the eye. Their sudden intensity getting to Noana.
"M-m-me too" She squeamishly said. Ash is certain that's a bad idea, but if it gets her in the mood to train then he won't complain. Ash gets up.
"Follow me," he said, leading them up the stairs carved out the tree and up into his room. Ash manifests a board from his qi.
"Whoa, it's just like teachers," Noana said.
Ash smiles, and gives Noana a run-down of his schedule and exercise routine, along with the meal plan, and the intended purpose of each step on the road to becoming a trash man.
Though Noana is off put by the idea of cleaning up waste, she can't help but admire the earnest dedication towards wanting to clean the world. That desire is contagious, and the way Ash is so confident makes her feel like sticking it out with him will genuinely result in a cleaner world. Though the routine he's setting up is outright insane, he explains that with the right amount of rests and healing mixtures, the hard work quickly pays off. He does warn her however about the potential poisons she will have to consume on this path, something which raised hairs even on Baro.
"Oi, oi, I thought you weren't going to use those items to poison people," Baro said. Ash pouts.
"I told you, I have to poison myself in preparation for the poison demon ritual. If she wants to be the hero that Khal Sect disciples are known to be. then she'll have to do it too."
"But can't you find another way," Baro pleads, before Noana puts her hand on his shoulder. She shakes her head, and smiles.
"I want to be strong like you two, and I want to do my part in making the world a cleaner place."
Ash smiles, that's the type of golden heart that'd bring joy to his beloved Sect Master's heart. Ash hopes that Sect Master can see him now, taking the first steps towards bringing the great Khal Sect back in this new world. All he has to do is keep training and eating right for another week, help raise his first disciple, and gather the funds needed to raise the sect once more. Afterwards he'll perform the poison demon ritual, awaken the toxi-grip and kaimen garbage vision, along with the true garbage arts. With these capabilities, and the capital income gained from winning the tournament, he'll have everything he needs to bring the Khal Sect back once more. Once Noana's crash course on the Khal Sect is over, he'll put her to work training the alley folk. That shouldn't disrupt her cultivation much, and it'll give Ash a chance to recruit members at a new school where his reputation is not complete garbage.
Ash looks on to his friend, the man who he realizes he knows less and less about with every passing interaction. In the coming tournament, will he be friend, or foe?