by Aaron Oster
As it was, it seemed that gathering five capable Red-Belts was now going to be falling squarely on her shoulders. The others might come around at some point, but this wasn't their problem as far as any of them were concerned. It was unlikely they would be bothered by the enemy Scions, even if they took over the continent. Killing a Scion wasn’t easy. Even if all three ganged up on them, it could take weeks of effort to bring them down, and at their level, this just wasn’t the kind of thing they’d waste their time on.
On the other hand, there was no way of knowing how powerful this Ancient Beast really was, as none of them had had to fight it before. They didn’t know if the Beast would leave them be or if it would hunt them all down in its quest for power. Generally, creatures like that would go after easier prey, but with its true limits still unknown, Hana wasn’t so sure that she and the other Scions didn’t fall into that category.
She let out a long breath, a puff of crystalline Essence — the only real sign of her annoyance — briefly illuminating the air. It twisted and writhed for a moment, turning into over a dozen creatures with different features and characteristics before vanishing, leaving her alone once more.
It wasn’t that she was averse to hard work; her entire life had been nothing but hard work. She just didn’t like the idea of having to shoulder all of the responsibility when she could be doing so much more if this got done quickly. Keeping an eye on the world was one thing that all Scions did, regardless of their level of apathy.
However, none of them watched anyone under Brown-Belt, as they were considered inconsequential, which meant that she would need to go looking for worthy competitors.
For just a moment, Hana debated abandoning this seemingly pointless task. She’d felt close to a breakthrough before the disturbance had awoken her. Perhaps she could make it to 1st Dan before this was all over. She wouldn’t be powerful enough to stop the Beast, but perhaps it would just see her as too much trouble to take on and leave her be.
As though reading her mind, a voice drifted to her, tickling at the edges of her senses. She recognized the voice immediately. Her senses were fine-tuned to pick it out from the mass of buzzing background noise she’d grown accustomed to since advancing to Scion.
Her annoyance fled almost immediately as she extended her senses, feeling nothing in this immediate vicinity, which meant that she wasn’t being called in as a Scion. She grinned, allowing the expression to stretch her normally stoic face.
She reveled in the sensation for several moments before schooling herself and reaching for the fabric of space with her power.
There were important things to do, but a short detour wouldn’t hurt, especially if this were her reason for staying.
Hana stepped through the rift in space, leaving the Palladium Vein just as empty and desolate as before — all except for the pair of figures, cloaked from even their senses, standing high above.
36
Roy didn’t so much come to as he was violently dragged from the world of unconsciousness by a pair of sharp jolts to his senses. He sat bolt upright, his eyes flying open and pain immediately lancing through him as his bruised and battered body protested the movement.
“Here, take this.”
Roy recognized the voice as a hand, holding a gleaming golden Pill, came into his field of vision. He took it without a word, ignoring the lancing pain in his arm as he did. He’d never seen a Pill like this before, but it practically blazed with Power Essence to his senses, which meant it could only help.
Popping the Pill into his mouth, Roy began to cycle it, feeling the healing energies flow throughout his body. Warmth flooded his muscles, sinking into them and soothing the burning, throbbing ache. The pain almost immediately vanished, though the damage itself wasn’t so quick to heal. It allowed him to focus on the present, instead of having to remain hunched over in agony, cycling for hours until he was fit enough to move.
“What the hell was that?” Roy demanded, finding that his voice was oddly calm.
He remembered everything that had happened, despite the horrible beating and his falling unconscious. He remembered how that fight had ended, despite the fact that the training area seemed to have already healed up the damage he’d inflicted.
“I needed to push you into a corner, to force you into a fight or die scenario,” Doragon said, not sounding at all apologetic. “It brought your inner Beast to the surface, which was what I was aiming for.”
“Are you insane?” Roy finally snapped. “You could have killed me!”
“Yes, I do think I am quite insane,” Doragon said with a shrug. “And yes, you could have died. But you didn’t, and now I know how to train you. Your previous teacher was clearly too soft on you. It’s why you’re so weak, despite the fact that you’re a Red-Belt. Where I come from, we don’t have the luxury of being coddled. You either advance or die.”
Roy glared back at the man, but he knew that he was both too weak to hurt him and too hurt to even try. The Pill had numbed his pain, but the healing itself was going to take at least a couple of hours. This was not to say that the Pill wasn’t incredible, though. Almost immediately after he’d begun cycling it, he could feel his body toughening, the Pill strengthening his battered channels and Core, purifying his Essence in a way he’d never even known possible.
“Why should I stay after what you did?” he asked. “Especially now that you’re basically telling me that your training will be life-threatening?”
“You’re going to stay,” Doragon said. “Pretending otherwise is just wasting both of our time. You can already feel what the Power Awakening Pill is doing for your cultivation. Additionally, you managed to tap into that bestial strength that had been suppressed for most of your short life. You can feel it, but you still can’t access it at will.
“Additionally, you’re now wondering what else I can help you with, like finding your unique Path, something which has alluded you thus far despite your best efforts. How you can finally become a Master, and get past the wall keeping you from learning a Conqueror technique and how to properly use Chakra.”
Roy glared at the man as he plainly stated each and every one of the thoughts racing through his mind. While he very much doubted that the man could see his thoughts, Roy also knew that he was spot-on. It was true that Roy was in a great deal of pain and was very angry at the way Doragon had gone about forcing him to fight. But in the end, it was the results that mattered, and this man had produced tangible results. He felt stronger, even after that single fight, and it was in a way he’d never even imagined he could be.
That heat that he’d felt, the inner fire that had flooded his entire body with power had been exhilarating. He’d felt invincible, as though he could best anyone and anything. It was as though no challenge were too great to face and no mountain was too tall to climb. Now that he had felt that, there was a new drive kindling in his chest, a hunger to know more, to keep growing and advancing, and Doragon knew it.
Roy could tell, as he saw that very same hunger reflected in the man’s eyes. Doragon hid it much better than Roy could, but it was still there.
“Fine,” Roy said, the only word he could get out.
Just because he’d agreed to allow this man to put him in life-threatening danger didn’t mean his anger had abated.
“We’ll resume in two hours,” Doragon said, turning to leave. “I’m expecting to hear from your friend any time now.”
Roy started at that, his eyes narrowing a bit as he mentally ran through the time that had passed.
“How long was I unconscious?” Roy asked.
“About twelve hours,” Doragon replied, then stepped through the portal and back into the real world.
If Roy had had the strength to follow him, he would have. Attempting to throttle the man probably wouldn’t have gotten him anywhere, but it would at least have made him feel better.
“Wow, you were out for a long time.”
“Shut up,” Roy muttered, closing his eyes and going ba
ck to cycling.
“I like him,” Geon said, pointedly not shutting up. “I think he’ll get us strong enough to kill that Sovereign of Cloying Darkness.”
“You do realize that I’m only a Base Red-Belt, right?” Roy asked, trying not to let the Core get to him. “I’m nowhere near becoming a Sovereign.”
“So? You were nowhere near becoming a Red-Belt when I met you,” Geon said. “And now the Beast King of the Crater is dead.”
“You seem to be forgetting that I had nothing to do with that,” Roy replied.
“You’re missing the point,” Geon said. “When I met you, you were just a wimpy human who was so squishy that he was permanently broken. Then you kept getting broken over and over again, and even though you’re still being broken today, you’re a lot less squishy than you used to be.”
“Wow. That almost sounded like a compliment,” Roy said sarcastically.
“It was,” Geon replied, ignoring the sarcasm. “Stop complaining like a weakling White-Belt and concentrate on fixing that mess you call a body.”
Roy ground his teeth in annoyance, but there was little he could do in the way of actually harming the Dungeon Core. Besides, he realized, Geon had a good point. When he’d first started out on this journey, he’d been a cripple without a Core. His entire life, he’d been beaten and tortured by Yellow-Belts.
He’d once believed that they had so much power that the clan leader, Shah Korgo, was an unstoppable monster. He had been a Green-Belt, after all. Now when Roy looked back on the former Shah clan, all he saw were a bunch of sad weaklings who’d never advanced past infancy. That had been made all too apparent when he’d gone back for a visit.
Roy sighed, dismissing those thoughts and going back to cycling the Pill. Doragon had called it a Power Awakening Pill, something that he had never heard of. It was definitely doing a lot more than just healing, though he had to wonder why something like this had never come up with Hermit. Could it be that he just wasn’t ready for something like this before now?
As he continued to cycle, Roy quickly realized that that wasn’t the case. The Pill might have been strengthening him, but he could sense nothing but ordinary Essence flowing through him. This wasn’t Qi or Chakra, which meant that he could have used it, even as a White-Belt. Roy decided to ask Doragon once he returned. He had many questions for the man, and he was going to get them answered before he continued his training.
Just an hour later, Doragon returned, stepping through the portal and looking pleased with himself.
“Your friend Hermit just contacted me with the terms of our little competition…”
He explained the rules, as well as their time constraints and how much stronger Roy needed to be in order to enter.
“What about Aika?” Roy asked.
She was the first person to pop into his mind when he’d been told how strong the contestants needed to be. Sure, breaking through to the 1st Dan would be difficult, but Aika was still in the low-Purples. Advancing an entire Belt at her stage, especially in just four months, wouldn’t be easy.
They were fortunate that time passed so quickly here, otherwise, that time would have been cut in half.
“Whether she will qualify or not will be entirely up to her,” Doragon said, crossing his arms. “She opted not to stay, so she will be on her own.”
Roy felt his anger flare up once more but quickly calmed himself down. Aika would be back to visit in just a few days, and he’d be able to update her on what was going on. If anyone would be able to do it, be able to make it to the level needed to enter, she could. In fact, hearing this might even get her to bend a bit and take instruction from Doragon.
“Your friend also specified a meeting point, where you will all gather a day before the competition is set to begin. From there, you will all be transported back to the Windblight, where preparations are already underway.”
“All?” Roy asked, not missing the odd phrasing.
“Apparently, there were some people for you, as your friend was concerned that his enemies might send assassins after you. They will be keeping to themselves, however.”
“Why?” Roy asked, brows furrowing. “If assassins are really coming after me, wouldn’t it be better to have extra help?”
“What would be the point of that?” Doragon asked, an unpleasant smile curling his lips. “Assassins are great training partners. After all, if you can’t even survive a few attempted assassinations, what kind of Marital Artist are you?”
Roy resisted the urge to sigh, instead focusing back on his cycling to try and get himself back into fighting shape. However, when Doragon didn’t say anything further, Roy began to search about for another topic of conversation.
“How are you even here, by the way?” he asked, looking up at the silent man.
“I thought I already told you my story. Or was your brain so damaged by the battle that you’ve forgotten?”
Roy ignored the ‘Ha!’ from Geon and continued on, despite the cold answer.
“I meant in the Darklands. Isn’t there supposed to be some monster living here that would sense your power?”
“It might, if I were actually exerting it,” Doragon said. “Lesser Martial Artists, such as Sovereigns and Scions might be unable to truly hide their strength, but for someone like me, someone with a Soulcore, it’s laughably easy.”
“A Soulcore? I thought Soulcore was a type of energy?”
Doragon let out a slow breath, as though having to answer these questions was draining his will to live.
“I’ll explain when you’re older,” he finally said.
Roy was about to snap back, but Doragon promptly turned his back on him and headed to the pedestal.
“If you’re able to talk, you’re able to fight,” he said, already reaching for the stone construct at the center of the fighting ground.
Roy took the threat to heart and promptly shut up. He still wanted to know why Doragon had left him out cold for a full twelve hours, but he didn’t want to tempt fate by having to fight more constructs before he was fully recovered. He would get all of his answers soon, one way or another, but until he could stand and fight, he’d keep his mouth shut.
37
“Good, you can stand again,” Doragon said as Roy slowly got to his feet about an hour later.
His body still felt a bit sore, but that wasn’t something a good round of stretching couldn’t fix. Unfortunately for him, Doragon wasn’t going to be giving him a whole lot of time for that.
“Now that you’re on your feet, let me see your cycling technique for Essence.”
Roy wanted to argue as his stomach began rumbling loudly. He hadn’t had a decent meal in well over a day, and despite the fact that he needed to eat less now, fighting the way he had was bound to make him hungry. Instead, he tapped into his Core and began cycling his Essence in the way the old scroll had shown him.
Doragon appraised him silently, watching the movement of Essence throughout his body. He remained so for a good minute or two before holding up a hand.
“I’ve seen enough. Switch to Qi.”
Roy obligingly did as asked, sure that there was a good reason the man was asking him to do this. After another couple of minutes, he was asked to switch to Chakra, and it was at this point that Doragon began to frown.
“Your techniques for Essence and Qi are actually quite good,” he begrudgingly admitted. “I don’t know who taught you those, but I don’t see much room for improvement where they’re concerned. Your Chakra technique, on the other hand, is sorely lacking. I’m not saying it isn’t good, but the technique itself is designed to keep you on a pure Power Path, and that isn’t something you’re going to want to do.”
“How am I even supposed to start looking for an alternate Path?” Roy asked, trying not to let the frustration show in his voice. “What branching Paths does something as obscure as Power even offer?”
“The name of my Path is the Snaking Dragon,” Doragon said, extending a hand.
Doragon placed a hand on the pedestal, and several silver constructs came into being, these looking much more like the Weakness Essence Roy was used to seeing.
He watched as they all charged directly at Doragon, but before they could even draw near, the creature twisting around him struck. Its mouth opened wide, and a beam of grayish-white light flashed out, slamming into the construct.
Instead of punching straight through, however, the construct was suddenly surrounded by a whirling gust of slashing white blades, which tore it to pieces in an instant. Another construct attacked from the side, trying to flank the constructed creature, but its serpentine body undulated faster, and the construct bounced harmlessly off.
Even though it was off balance, the creature struck, part of its body lashing out and ripping into it. Its teeth sank into the construct, and just moments later, its silver body seemed to implode, being sucked in on itself.
Roy had never seen a technique act in this way in his entire life. He’d seen a few branching Paths in action, but never something like this. Had he not known what Doragon’s base Path was, he’d have had no idea that he was a Weakness Artist.
A third construct tried to attack, only for the creature to twist faster. This time, it moved in a different pattern. The construct froze in place, as though being locked down by an invisible force, all the while staring at the twisting creature as though hypnotized, despite the fact that it had no eyes.
