《Path of the Invincible Dragon》 Chapter 0: Glossary Levels of Warrior Power Body Forging Realm / Mortal Body Realm (10 Levels) Warriors take in the natural energy of the world to strengthen their bodies. Nature is their nourishment. The vastness of natural energy encompasses everything including: elemental energy, solar energy, astral energy, lunar energy, and even the energy of living things. The first step for any warrior is forging their Mortal Body through the following stages:
  1. Entry Level
  2. Muscle Quenching
  3. Skin Hardening
  4. Bone Forging
  5. Tendon Strengthening
  6. Blood Boiling
  7. Organ Quenching
  8. Perception Domain
  9. Spirit Sense Awakening
  10. Apex Level
Spirit Sense Realm / Soul Sense Novice Realms (10 levels) People in the Zika world can train their soul power after undergoing spiritual awakening. This allows them to sense their soul, strengthen it, and harness spiritual energy for their use. The levels are:
  1. Spirit sense awakening - Sensing the Soul and developing spirit sense: the 7th Sense
  2. Spirit energy sensing and absorption
  3. Spirit energy circulation
  4. Spirit energy shrouding
  5. Spirit energy shaping
  6. Spirit energy expulsion
  7. Spirit energy imbuement (external objects such as weapons)
  8. Spirit energy external manipulation
  9. Spirit energy retrieval
  10. Spirit Force
Psychic World A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Some special individuals are born with unique abilities pertaining to the mind. They are collectively called psychics. However, the ordinary man has to go through great lengths in order to train and harness the power of their own minds. Training the psyche is molding the ''Psychic World''. The steps are as follows: - Psychic Accumulation - Splitting Thought - Mind and Body as one - Minor Telekinesis - application of psychic energy - Major Telekinesis - Heart Fruit, Thought Fruit and Will Fruit: mental power in illusionary form that can be controlled and affect the heart, will and ones future thoughts. - World Mind - Eternal Mind Training the psyche is NOT a linear process so there are no hard-set stages just different paths and categories of mental power. Magician Ranks Unlike the powers that come with the 3 core aspects of living beings: Body, Mind, Spirit; Magic is an external power to humans. It is a power from a higher magical plane. Magicians can be categorized as follows:
  1. Magic Pupil
  2. Magic Student
  3. Magic Teacher
  4. Magic Master
  5. Magic Grandmaster
  6. Magic Sovereign
  7. Magic Sage
  8. Magic Saint
  9. Magic God
There are 13 ranks of magic spells. Rank 1 to Rank 9 spells correspond with the 9 ranks of magicians. Rank 10 spells are labeled as Forbidden spells as they usually come with a price. Rank 11 spells are called Unique spells as they are unique for every spell-caster with only a few talented magicians inheriting this power and some talented Magic Gods creating their own Rank 11 spells. The amount of magical power one can harness and use decides ones rank and the strength of spells they can use. This means that a magician can use spells above their titled rank as long as they have enough magical energy. A magician¡¯s title usually depends on their magical knowledge and skill with their magical capacity coming last. Chapter 1: Dream Reality The dark night pervaded the land with the sound of insects of the night such as crickets providing a disturbing melody. In this particularly dull night, something that had happened several other times repeated once again in the Great Zika world; a nightmare or maybe a memory. The massive Purple Mist moon that looked so close to the planet as if just a reach of the hand could touch it, shone bright violet light in this remote region surrounded by a huge black mountains. Its charming vigorous splendor which could be described as demonic, shone on the village that existed in these valleys; a village that was neither small nor large. A village that was simply referred to as "the village bathed in the sun", Jua village. In a small hut in the village, a boy of about nine years old was deep asleep while heavily perspiring. His eyebrows fluttered violently and his hands balled into fists so hard that his nails dug into his skin. The small room he was sleeping in had one other occupant who was looking at him worriedly. This was a little girl of about six years old. These two siblings were Mwana Jua and his little sister Pendo Jua, both with poetic names meaning "Son of the Sun" and "Love of the Sun". During this night, Mwana found himself in an all too familiar place, a void that seemed endless. It looked empty yet filled with matter. Occasionally, large meteors and asteroids shuttled about. Before he could get his bearing, he was pulled deeper into the void to a place where the stars could not be seen but what appeared in front of him shocked him to the core. A massive planet! Its size and aura overwhelmed his senses so much that he felt his mind on the verge of collapsing. He was rotating around this planet like a moon at speeds he could not even fathom but what shocked him even more was that this colossal planet was damaged. On one part of this planet was a massive gush that went deep to the core. A third of the planet was shattered and revolved around it like an asteroid belt. Magma gushed out of the planet''s core like blood from a massive wound. What was even more surprising was the shape of this planet''s wound which looked like a massive claw, as if someone clawed into the planet and took a chunk out of it like a child clawing into mud. "What is this? What is this world? Am I dreaming again?" Mwana could not fathom what he was witnessing but having experienced similar dreams before; he had an inkling that this was a dream of epic proportions. "I should wake up! I want to wake up! Wake up!." However, no matter how he tried, he couldn''t wake up from this dream despite knowing it was one. The coldness of space had already frozen him to the bone and as he watched the planet''s gushing magma, he wished to dive in and warm his body. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. In an instant, he already forgot that this was a dream as with most dreams. He willed himself and dove from space into the planet like a comet approaching the earth at incredible speeds. In a measure of an instant, he had already plunged deep into the magma, from freezing to hotness of unimaginable proportions. He was no longer in control of his body at this point. "Gurgle gurgle" "Dum Dum Dum Dum" The lava bubbled endlessly like a beast drinking its feel. The sound that reached Mwana as he sank deeper was that of a heartbeat from deep in the earth. It was loud like hoof beats in the midst of war and it radiated endless might and vigor but also endless sorrow, despair and freezing hatred. All these complexities were perfectly melded in the sound of this heartbeat. They consumed and compelled Mwana''s own heartbeat. He felt like his heart was about to explode. ¡°¡­wake up. Wake up! Big brother wake up!¡± With a sharp inhale and a fierce leap from his bed, Mwana Jua woke up from that hellscape of a dream. At the side of his bed was his little sister Pendo Jua who had just woke him up. ¡°Thanks Pendo,¡± however after getting a look at his bearings he realized his sleeping clothes were soaked wet. He was yet to notice the look of concern and fear on little Pendo¡¯s face. The room was also hot and full of steam like the middle of summer despite it still being at night. It took him a moment before he realized his own body was hot like a boiling pan. His originally dark brown skin was burned red like heated iron and steam endlessly escaped from his pores. Fear instantly struck him, ¡°Did what I experienced in the dream affect me in reality? Is this the famed spontaneous human combustion? Am I going to die?¡± The fear ate at him and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a startling scream. A second later, Pendo also joined him in screaming. ¡°Mama! Mama! Mama!¡± The little Pendo kept crying as if her little life depended on it. It had to be said that a lot of it was out of concern for her brother but a part of it was also influenced by his fear and the little girl had always been one to follow in her older brother¡¯s footsteps. From outside the door, the sound of feet rushing could be heard before the wooden door to the room was burst open. A woman dressed in a white traditional patterned leso, came rushing in. The moment she came in, she was greeted by the sight of her son glowing red as if he was on fire. His clothes and beddings were burning up and his face was scrunched up as if in deep pain. She could not help but rush to pick him in her arms but the moment she got close to touching him, burns already appeared on her body. This caused little Pendo to cry in fear even more. Mwana and Pendo¡¯s mother, Sana Jua looked around her late forties but in reality she was a bit younger than that. Years of being plagued by illness had reduced her to a husk of her former self. At that point, she hated that her frail body prevented her from comforting her son. *Zika ¨C to burry something or someone *Jua ¨C the Sun/to know *Mwana ¨C Child *Pendo ¨C Love *Sana ¨C a lot *leso ¨C traditional patterned cloth usually accompanied by some words or phrase Chapter 2: Bloodline Awakening ¡°Mama is big brother going to die!¡± ¡°Is he going to burn alive?¡± As Mwana was busy trying to contain his fears, Pendo¡¯s words were like fuel to a fire. His fear and anxiety had already entered a new maximum. He recalled the stories about spontaneous human combustion that his friend, Cheza was obsessed with reading about. This peculiar phenomenon involved humans who burst into flames and burned into ash for no explainable reason without any prior warning whatsoever. The best healers, medicine doctors, diviners, herbal physicians and even witch doctors were once brought together to investigate this curious phenomenon but even they couldn¡¯t solve this mystery. The unknown factor spread fear all around, after all ¡°what you know is no longer scary at all, as for what you don¡¯t¡­¡± Mwana¡¯s body was already hyperventilating at the thought of this. He was shivering despite how hot his body felt. His breathing became rushed and hurried and he even felt the fire start to gather in his body as if he would explode at any time. ¡°I¡¯m dead. Dad I¡¯m coming to see you,¡± these were the only thoughts in his mind. Sana already knew the type of fear such words and such an event would elicit in her son so she hurriedly shouted ¡°Bloodline Awakening.¡± She repeated her words again even louder this time, and it is only then that Mwana stopped hyperventilating. She rushed out of the room and a few seconds later, she came back in holding a huge wooden pail big enough to bath two people and filled with water. Even with her frail body, she could still manage at least this. Mwana did not even wait to be told but immediately jumped into the water. Steam rose all around the room and spread through the entire house as the water boiled and evaporated at a speed visible to the naked eye. It is only after all the water was gone that Mwana¡¯s skin appeared less red. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Pendo and Sana were leaning on the side of huge pail, looking at him with concern. It is only when they were sure that he was no longer in danger that Sana started explaining, ¡°Bloodline awakening. Your bloodline just awakened.¡± Mwana had already calmed down enough to listen. ¡°Awakening? Then why is it so scary!¡± Sana sighed and continued explaining, she could still see the fear in her son¡¯s face despite already knowing he was out of danger. ¡°Awakening is different for everyone depending on their bloodline type, bloodline rank and elemental affinity. For example, heat and steam can represent fire, water or thunder element while something like freezing could represents the ice element. Different bloodlines can be predisposed to different elements so the heat and steam probably means your bloodline has to do with the fire element.¡± When Mwana, heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but let a sigh of relief. Howvever the next moment he was reminded of his cries when he was in fear and couldn¡¯t help feel bashful. After all since he was a little child, he had always fantasized about awakening his bloodline and rising to be a mighty warrior in a single bound yet when the moment truly came, he was consumed with fear and crying louder than he had ever before. ¡°I knew that already,¡± he felt that he had to preserve his dignity. However, little Pendo couldn¡¯t let him have it, ¡°then why were you screaming so loudly big brother?¡± Although it sounded accusing, it was all said with a straight and innocent face. For a moment Mwana felt tongue-tied before claiming that he was shouting out of excitement. Even at Pendo¡¯s young age, she still found this highly dubious, after all the fear was real. She couldn¡¯t help but continue, ¡°But big brother¡­¡± Chapter 3: Bloodline Awakening II ¡°Ahem,¡± luckily for Mwana, his mother came to his rescue allowing him to preserve a little dignity in front of his sister. After all it wouldn¡¯t be good if rumors started spreading about how he cried during his awakening. It would all be known to the village the next day and he would rather something positive be said instead. Something like, ¡°I roared mightily as my bloodline awakened, my skin turned red as tongues of flames licked the entire house, my aura was unstoppable and my spirit indominatble.¡± That was how his late father always described his awakening and Mwana felt he should be the same. The neighbors definitely heard his screams but he was intent on changing the narrative from ¡®screams¡¯ to ¡®mighty roar.¡¯ ¡°Sigh, I definitely have a lot of PR to do tomorrow.¡± Another cough from Sana interrupted her son¡¯s wishful thinking, ¡°Pendo, baby go back to sleep, I have something to talk to your brother about.¡± ¡°Why? But I want to listen.¡± ¡°Go back to sleep, you have school tomorrow,¡± Sana nudged as she forcefully tucked the little girl back into bed. Pendo wanted to argue back but could only begrudgingly give in when she saw her mother¡¯s stare. ¡°And you come with me,¡± once again Mwana was interrupted from his fantasyland and followed his mother to their living room. Their little hut was designed with 3 rooms with the living room being the largest occupying half the hut. The hut itself was designed in a traditional capped cylindrical shape and split halfway between the 3 rooms. Sana immediately took out a calabash in a small storage pit under the ground urging Mwana to drink. The pit was covered by a mat before so Mwana had never noticed it despite he and his sister having turned the house over several times in their games. The pit itself had a special locking mechanism that was invisible to the eye. ¡°This is your father¡¯s secret stash, ha ha.¡± ¡°He left it for you in case you became a warrior. The solution in the calabash will help calm your blood and stabilize your condition.¡± Both could only let out silent sighs tinged with sorrow when thinking about that man. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. After hearing that, Mwana didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly pulled off the stopper, downing the crimson liquid within. Immediately a cool sensation washed over his entire body. His fatigue, aches and even anxiety were instantly washed away like a breeze. He felt like he had gone from heaven to hell in an instant. After he had calmed down his mother called him to take a seat beside her. He had barely sat down when she cooped him up into her arms, she could finally hold him! ¡°Kid, what do you understand about bloodline awakening, huh?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but say with a smile. ¡°You sure love posturing in front of your sister.¡± Mwana immediately put on an extremely wronged expression, ¡°But mom, this is my reputation we are talking about. And Pendo, you know her mouth; I haven¡¯t been able to go around without looking at my back once since she started school.¡± Thinking about all his secrets that his little sister had spread around, he couldn¡¯t help but pout. Why was she so observant, why was she so talkative. ¡°No, buts, don¡¯t badmouth your little sister, she¡¯s young after all,¡± Mwana already expected the ¡®no buts¡¯ so he didn¡¯t even continue to argue and just harrumphed which got him a knock on the head. ¡°I was asking what you knew about bloodline awakening.¡± ¡°Is this a quiz,¡± Mwana replied with exasperation but seeing his mother¡¯s glare he quickly continued in a robotic manner like a good student, ¡°Bloodline awakening occurs when young warriors who have entered the body forging realm of martial training, manage to excite their blood awakening the hidden strength within after rigorous training. It is divided into several stages namely, Gateway, Entry, Initiation and True Awakening which involves Blood Boiling and Blood Rush. The Gateway cannot be sensed and invisible, I should have been there for a while and today¡¯s incident was because I entered the Entry point.¡± Sana couldn¡¯t help but clap. ¡®That¡¯s a 9/10 answer if not a 10/10. That lass Mwalimu Zuri sure has been teaching them well.¡¯ ¡°Good boy, looks like you aren¡¯t wasting your time at school.¡± ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m the best there is, even Mwalimu Zuri Jua can only hang her shed in shame before my genius,¡± Mwana couldn¡¯t help but say while raising his head like a proud peacock but another knock to his hardened head interrupted him again. ¡°Your nose sure is up in the heavens after only a little praise, go to sleep before I knock you some more, you have a busy day tomorrow with school and your awakening ceremony.¡± Mwalimu ¨C Teacher Zuri - Good Chapter 4: Vigorous Training In the deep night, about 3 hours from daylight, sounds of grunting, hissing and exertion could be heard from somewhere in the village of Jua, also titled the village basking in the sun. This village was a medium sized settlement in the Kingdom of Toro located near the Black Dragon Mountains at the nation¡¯s eastern border. The architecture of the village mainly consisted of huts made out of white marsh clay or black obsidian clay and thatched with purple reeds from the Eastern Befuddling River that ran through the mountains, also titled the Demonic River or Amanani River for its purplish red glow during the night. Outside the huts, the village was lined with traditional Sudani pathways of black and white triangles interwoven together to form a circular pattern that covered the entire village. From a bird¡¯s eye view, it was clear that these patterns had another purpose apart from decorating the roads and compounds. The huts themselves varied in size and were arranged in several homesteads each having one large central hut and 8 to 12 smaller huts surrounding it. Sana¡¯s house was located in the south western part of the village in a homestead with 6 huts making it smaller than the average. Sana was awake listening to the sounds with a conflicted expression. She tried to get out of bed but pain afflicted her entire body. It turned she had really overexerted herself by carrying the full pail of water earlier. For several years now, she had been assailed by an illness that affected her bones and nerves reducing her to a spark of her former self. Listening to her son training, she felt depressed unlike other parents who would be happy at their children¡¯s hard work. She knew that despite his willful and flighty nature, Mwana felt responsible for taking care of their family after his father¡¯s death and her illness which put her out of work. Her son was rushing to grow up to fill his parents¡¯ shoes. There was only moonlight to accompany Mwana for his training behind their hut. This is how he always did it; he would dedicate 2 hours every night to train his martial arts. The sound of the wind and leaves cutting through the air accompanied his grunts. In the cold of night, he stood shirtless below a giant tree executing his boxing technique, Thousand Leaves in Ones Palm. This technique was exactly as its name and involved punching out fast enough to catch a thousand leaves falling from a tree. Under the moonlight, dozens of fist shadows raced in the night, combined with his excellent footwork from another elementary technique, 100 Steps in 1 Instant. Mwana¡¯s figure was barely visible as he shifted between the leaves. When he came to a stop, he was already drenched in sweat. He sat down to calm his breathing before opening his palms. ¡°76 leaves, I¡¯m still too far away, I have to cross the hundred leaf threshold to have completed the first level.¡± There was a hint of disappointment in his voice when he thought about this. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°My footwork can barely reach the 10th step; I¡¯m only at the 8th step.¡± Although taking 8 steps in an instant was fast, it only made him 8 times faster than an ordinary person who wasn¡¯t even a warrior. Mwana felt as if this wasn¡¯t an achievement worth being proud of. After all as a young junior warrior, he possessed some mastery over natural energy that ordinary people did not. ¡°Not only that, I¡¯m still only at the Skin Hardening realm of Body Forging.¡± However, this did not keep him down for long as he remembered his Bloodline Awakening. ¡°My training will get much faster after tonight. I should be able to start Bone Strengthening soon.¡± In the Zika world, warriors could forge their bodies using the natural energy of the world as well as natural treasures like herbs and most importantly, crystals. This allowed for the birth of great heroes throughout history that could decide the fate of the world with their physical might alone. Warriors forged their mortal bodies into weapons suited for combat through 10 levels that targeted different aspects of the human body. These were: Entry Level, Muscle Quenching, Skin Hardening, Bone Forging, Tendon Strengthening, Blood Boiling, Organ Quenching, Perception Domain, Spirit Sense Awakening and the 10th Apex Level. The first level was the entry to the warrior¡¯s path and involved sensing and absorbing natural energy. The natural energy of the world encompassed everything as there were endless theories on what it truly was such as, the breath of the world, the energy from the vibration of matter particles, the breath of the gods, and many others. The only agreed upon explanation was regarding its composition. Natural energy could be described as porridge with different types of energies mixed together: stellar energy, heat, light energy, elemental energy, cosmic energy, biological energy, astral energy, lunar energy, solar energy, nodular energy, spiritual energy and many other types of energies all mixed together existing in harmony. The subsequent 6 levels of forging the mortal body involved using this energy to quench and strengthen ones muscles; harden the skin; forge the bones to be superior to steel; strengthen ones tendons to be strong, fast and flexible so as to handle their new strength; nourish bone marrow and blood; and finally quench internal organs in a protective energy film hence enhancing ones internal defense. After recounting his experiences through the entry level, muscle quenching and now skin hardening, Mwana decided to continue his training with a goal in mind. ¡°I have to reach 100 leaves in my boxing technique and cross the 10 steps boundary today in my footwork.¡± He intended to take advantage of his special state from newly awakening his bloodline and push himself till he made an improvement. ¡°I must become an intermediate warrior as soon as possible, for Pendo, for Mom, for Dad, for myself!¡± By continuously pumping himself up to get rid of the fatigue, Mwana only came to himself at the sight of the sunrise. His body was running with sweat as if a river but on his face was a trace of joy. Although he didn¡¯t cross the 100 leaf threshold, he could grab 95 leaves in a single bound! A single step was like taking 11 steps! He had succeeded in crossing the 10 steps threshold! Most importantly, he knew that once his body rested and recovered, his performance would be even better, maybe he would be able to cross the 100 leaves marks at that time. Chapter 5: Jua Village However, he still did not have time to rest as he still had to do his morning meditation. He quickly took out some herbs from his sash that was hang on the tree prior and dumped them into a prepared cold bath before sitting cross legged in it. The solution only covered his legs but that was enough. With his eyes closed, he started his meditations at sunrise on the Jua village¡¯s Solar Divine Canon. The Sun and Moon Arts was the number one meditation technique of the Jua village. It was an entry level technique used by warrior in the realm of Mortal Body Forging to absorb natural energy especially from the sun and moon. This art was composed of the Solar Divine Canon originating from the ancestors of Jua village, and Lunar Divine Canon from the Mwezi village, their sister village. These two villages were the homes of the Jua clan and Mwezi clan, two of the twelve clans of the Jemedari tribe in the kingdom of Toro. Both clans dealt with subsidiary occupations with the people of Jua being blacksmiths and providing weapons for the tribe while the people of Mwezi were mainly farmers responsible for the food reserves of the tribe, herbs-men and herbal doctors as they farmed a variety of herbs. The Sun and Moon Arts consisted of 10 Turns and Routes. Every morning, children in Jua village could be seen outside their homes facing the East meditating on the Solar Divine Canon. This art allowed them to absorb the energy from the sun to strengthen their growing bodies. The rising sun in the morning was the best for this due to its nourishment. It was bright, gentle and provided nourishing effects to these growing seedlings of the village. As Mwana was meditating, he could hear some footsteps approaching him before the person sat still right next to him. He could not be bothered and continued on his training. What drove him the most at this point was his desire to become an intermediate warrior as soon as possible. At that point he would be able to leave the village, join hunts in the forests and take on more serious roles in the village. He would have easier time earning money and helping his family while gaining more freedom. The ranks of warriors in the village were decided based on their strength with most Junior Warriors being children between the first level and the third level, those at the fourth level to the sixth level were Intermediate Warriors while level seven to level 9 warriors were Senior Warriors in the clan. It is only after one reached the tenth level, the Apex, that they could receive the title of a Young Elder. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The morning sunlight washed over him and his body absorbed the sun¡¯s energy with every breath he took. His skin took on a healthy golden glow; this was a sign of the Solar Divine Canon¡¯s second turn, Solar Light. Warriors absorbed the sunlight directly through their skin using it to temper their bodies. It was said that at the highest state, a warrior could use the sunlight to forge their body into a Golden Solar Body and even condense the defensive Golden Sun Armor. However Mwana did not dare fantasize about that now. ¡®You probably have to stay in the sun so much and get cooked beyond measure to reach such a level.¡¯ After all, unlike the gentle morning sun, the Golden Sun Body alone, required the scorching noon sun to train up. As the sun rose higher, Mwana was about to halt his training when he felt something nestle up to his side. Something cold and slippery! Immediately, he knew what it was, his body tensed up immediately and he almost started shivering. ¡®Shit, why does this keep happening recently!¡¯ He could only do his best not to scream. ¡®Why is this village so infested recently? They need to bring in an exterminator.¡¯ ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaargh!¡± A loud sorry scream, as if a chicken was being strangled, interrupted Mwana¡¯s disordered thoughts. It provide much respite for Mwana to free himself from the situation as he sat up and jumped back almost ten meters in an instant. At the place he previously sat was a brightly colored red snake with golden spots. The snake looked around in a confused and befuddled manner before settling its gaze on the two individuals in front of it. Its gaze was innocent as if saying, ¡®What is happening,¡¯ completely not comprehending that it was the perpetrator that induced so much shock earlier. ¡°Aaaaargh! Shoo shoo shoo shoooooo!¡± the person next to Mwana kept cring over and over to no effect. In the end it seemed as if he would run out of breath long before the snake undersood his meaning let alone leaving. ¡°Jana, leave it.¡± It was only after he heard Mwana¡¯s voice that he stopped his futile attempts. ¡°It can¡¯t understand you anyway. And it doesn¡¯t fear you.¡± Jana could only keep silent. He didn¡¯t dare approach the snake even by an inch despite all his shouting earlier. ¡°Go.¡± As if receiving an order from it¡¯s boss, the red snake even seemed to nod its head as its previously na?ve eyes seemed to fill with intelligence before it slithered into the bushes behind their homestead. Although Mwana had been shocked and a bit scared earlier, this was indeed not the first time, snakes had slithered into their compound. They seemed especially attracted to him, much to his displeasure and horror. The first time he had woken up with a snake nestled up in his bed and he had almost fainted at the site of it. Luckily for him, his mother swiftly handled it, but even then, he had not been able to sleep peacefully for weeks. ¡®That was rough, two years and I still remember dreaming about snakes even when half awake.¡¯ Chapter 6: Reality and Conviction I ¡°Big bro, why are snakes always around you?¡± The boy next to him asked in an accusatory tone. This boy was Jana Jua, Mwana¡¯s eight year old cousin who was considered his little cousin by the customs of their tribe. ¡°Hmmm, what did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± Mwana had indeed not heard him as he was engrossed in thoughts about his first experience as a walking ¡®snake magnet.¡¯ ¡°What did you say?¡± However to Jana, being asked this twice sounded like a threat. ¡°It was nothing, I said nothing at all. Just treat my words as air.¡± Mwana couldn¡¯t be bothered to keep asking the shifty kid and he was more interested in checking the latter¡¯s progress, after all he had always taken his big brother role very seriously. He knew full well how lazy Jana was, at least compared to his extremely high standards of hard work. ¡°Why did you only arrive when the sun was rising, hmmm? Was your bed that warm?¡± Before Jana could formulate a response, his ear was already in Mwana¡¯s grip. He did not even see how the latter moved the distance between them. ¡°Your answer better not disappoint me. You know your father left your training to me and as your teacher I have to show results.¡± Jana almost wanted to cry hearing this; he was already attending village school for Junior Warriors just like Mwana, so why did he need a second teacher. However, being born in the same family as a training maniac like his cousin meant that he would always be compared to him. His father, seeing Mwana¡¯s hard-work, wanted his son to follow in his older cousin¡¯s footsteps but not every person let alone children like him, could be as tenacious. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°You, you, you know not everyone can be like you.¡± After a bit of stuttering, Jana spoke his true thoughts. He knew all his excuses would be useless. He had received many a red ear because of them several times before. ¡°I¡¯m already working harder than most, I¡¯m the best in my class right now and all the teachers have is praise for me yet you are never satisfied.¡± After saying that statement, he felt as if he had gotten a bit ahead of himself but after feeling his ears were still safe, his budding pride got him to continue, ¡°Are you better than the teachers in the village?¡± When Jana felt his ears loosening, he felt even more emboldened, ¡°Do you know better than them!¡± ¡°Why do you even have to go at it so hard and even expect me to be just like you?¡± He finished the last question and prepared for the pain but to his surprise, Mwana had already let go of him. He wasn¡¯t even next to him; he was already close to twenty meters away right at the fence of the compound looking at the village roads. Other houses were already opening their doors and smoking chimneys could be seen all over the village just like every other day in the early morning. Day in, day out, life continued as usual. Noticing Mwana¡¯s silence, Jana could only stand there wondering what to say, ¡®Maybe my words hurt him too much.¡¯ ¡°I have to become an intermediate warrior before I am ten. I have to join the hunts. I have to be able to leave the village as soon as possible.¡± Mwana¡¯s words immediately interrupted Jana¡¯s stray thoughts. ¡°After all, I have to think about my sister, my mother, about father.¡± On hearing this, Jana¡¯s face changed, his little face showed solemnity not matching his age. The father Mwana referred in this case was his uncle but per the tribe¡¯s customs, uncles older than his father had the title of ¡®big father¡¯ while those younger than his father were ¡®little fathers.¡¯ The ¡®little father¡¯ in this case was his father¡¯s cousin as Mwana¡¯s late father did not have any other siblings. Chapter 7: Conviction II This uncle, who was Jana¡¯s father, was a veteran soldier who had fought for the kingdom at one of its most dangerous battlefields, Dragon Spike which was to the extreme South of the nation. Right before the end of his service, he was severely injured and discharged back home. ¡°Father was injured at Dragon Spike four years ago. His legs, his spine, his nerves, pain, you all know this better than me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°My mother, you know her issues don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And Pendo, don¡¯t you want better for her?¡± ¡°Of course I know and I do,¡± Jana answered the questions, his voice already dripping with emotion. He had always been called emotional before. Mwana¡¯s three questions were already enough to rile him up and tickle his tear ducts. ¡°I will tell you something someone once told me,¡± ¡°The country would rather a dead soldier than a disabled one,¡± ¡°This has always been their stand regarding veteran benefits, though they claim they will compensate injured soldiers like father, they would prefer not to touch their own pockets, and after a while the burden gets passed to the tribe. Then guess what, the tribe also does the same after some time and passes that to the village! Before you know it, there is no one behind you anymore!¡± Mwana said everything in almost a single breath and by the end, his voice was already breaking. Jua on the other hand could not believe it. At his young age, these were concepts he had never come across. After all just like every other child, he had big dreams of fighting for his nation against hostile foreign nations just like his father. He would become a renowned hero all over the kingdom whose name would be sung praises wherever he went. Songs would be composed and poems written. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Impossible! How could that be! I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°What about Mwanga¡¯s family?¡± Jana continued asking. ¡°Dead!¡± A simple reply from Mwana was enough to shut him up. Mwanga¡¯s father was indeed dead. He had died a warrior on the battlefield and his family had indeed been compensated but only once. It was nothing in comparison to the continued support a disabled veteran would need. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°My father, same thing. It is much easier to dump a lump-sum to a dead soldier¡¯s family compared to continuous support for the living but injured and disabled. After a while, that burden gets passed to the tribe and the tribe passes it onto the village.¡± Jana looked a bit lost hearing all this. His father had never been one to show weakness despite being confined to a chair for the rest of his life. At least as his son, Jana was not too aware of his family¡¯s financial situation. He was well fed and taken care of, it was hard for a child like him to consider anything else beneath the surface. Mwana continued explaining even further, ¡°While the village might not let families like us sink into poverty and helplessness, there will always be those who see us as moochers living free off their hard work. Just because we are connected by blood as one clan won¡¯t stop them from feeling this.¡± ¡°Think about how much support father requires.¡± Jana¡¯s at least knew that his father had severe injuries to his spine, legs and even his nerves. These injuries required regular treatment otherwise his father would be wracked with indescribable pain. The medicine couldn¡¯t be cheap yet it was not even a permanent solution. Is it that his father would live out the rest of his life like that? What if his body became immune to the medicine as time went on? Wouldn¡¯t he be condemned to death? Yet even the medicine he was receiving right now was very expensive especially for someone who couldn¡¯t contribute to the village at all. While the village was united, there would always be people who couldn¡¯t help but grumble when their money went to help the less fortunate. Even as children, Mwana and Jana had already heard these grumblings. They knew their family was one of the ones viewed as leeches by some in the village. Chapter 8: Conviction III, Mages and Crystal Warriors ¡°To heal father permanently requires at least tier 4 healing magic which only a Wood Attribute Magic Master can accomplish.¡± In this case, Magic Masters were Mages of the fourth tier. They were already knowledgeable enough to receive the title of ¡®Master of Magic¡¯ with the three previous titles before that being, Magic Pupil, Magic Student and Magic Teacher. Most young people who studied magic were only qualified to be called Magic Pupils with only a few adults becoming Magic Students. A rare number of people in the Zika world became Magic Teachers which made them eligible to teach others magic. However, most people never managed to get past the level of Magic Pupil their entire lives due to their low affinity for magic. At most, a Magic Pupil could only activate and use magical tools but could never cast their own magic. After-all, they were just pupils in the field of magic. Magic Masters on the other hand, could be said to have already mastered magic and if they went a step further, they could become Grand-Masters! ¡°So strong?¡± ¡°Yes and no. The village should have one or two Magic Masters but the problem is how rare wood attribute mages and healing magic are.¡± ¡°Then we would have to look outside the village or can¡¯t the Magic Masters in the village ask for one?¡± Jana continued asking but by this point, he already knew the answer. ¡°Too expensive! In this world, Fighters and Warriors are everywhere but Doctors are too rare. A Wood Attribute Magician is even rarer since it means they have elemental affinity for at least 4 of the 7 great elements with water, earth, wind and thunder intermixing to birth life out of their natural and magic energy. That is what Wood attribute energy is.¡± ¡°How can someone have affinity for 4 elements?¡± This was a huge shock to Jana. ¡°Rare didn¡¯t I say, extremely rare!¡± Mwana could only say with a sigh. He knew full well that the village couldn¡¯t afford such a cost, at least not for his family. This meant that he would have to do it himself. Putting aside his uncle, his mother was also sick with a similar ailment. While his uncle¡¯s problem was due to injuries on the battlefield, his mother¡¯s body had started deteriorating suddenly with no warning. Her bones, muscles and nerves were all deteriorating at a fast pace; it was likely genetic. And he was even more worried for his little sister Pendo, who had been deemed unfit for The Way of The Warrior. Although most women in the village did not pursue strength to the very end of the road, every child had to at least get started in the basics otherwise it would be difficult to survive even going out on a casual stroll outside the village. Pendo on the other hand, had a weak body since she was born which Mwana suspected was due to inheriting their mother¡¯s genetic condition on a more severe scale as her body was weak from birth. While there weren¡¯t any severe issues now, who knew what would happen ten years from now, twenty years and so on. These were all things Mwana had to think of at his young age. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°We will have to do it ourselves!¡± When these words were blurted from Mwana¡¯s mouth, Jana was shocked, after all his cousin was telling him how hard it would be just a few moments ago. ¡°Can we really do it?¡± ¡°Two should endeavor so that if one fails along the way, there¡¯s still another to succeed¡± ¡°Pweh, I¡¯m not asking about that, none of us are of the wood attribute,¡± Jana could already hear his cousin about to start speaking like a motivational speaker. ¡°Hahaha, okay okay, naturally there is another way,¡± Mwana¡¯s solemnity was washed away in an instant. This always happened when he spoke about his goals, his passion, his ambition and conviction. ¡°Another way. What way?¡± ¡°We just have to become Crystal Warriors,¡± the last words were enunciated loudly. Pang! It was the sound of utensils being dropped into the floor. The sound shocked the two boys greatly and they turned only to see their third aunt looking at them incredulously. ¡°Good morning third mother¡± ¡°Good morning, you boys sure have big dreams. You¡¯re waking up in the morning to have such big talks.¡± From her voice it was clear how shocked she was. After all it wasn¡¯t easy to be a Crystal Warrior and Jua village had barely produced any in the last century. Jua village was a blacksmith village while Crystal Warriors mainly came from Warrior villages. Out of thousands of warriors, there might only be one Crystal Warrior produced. This was because one had to reach the peak of Mortal Body Forging, the 10th level, early in their life in order to become a Crystal Warrior. To become one, the body needed to be embedded with natural, elemental or magical crystals. It was important for the body to be strong enough to handle the Crystal infusion otherwise the warrior would just end up exploding from the infusion process. The barrier was even greater since a warrior who did not reach the Apex of Body Forging before they were 16, almost had no chance of ever becoming a Crystal warrior. This was basically an impossible goal to achieve. After all, the higher one went on the martial arts ladder, the harder it was to ascend. Most people only reached the peak of Intermediate Warrior, the 6th level, in their late teens or early twenties. It would take even longer to become Senior Warriors while most Young Elders at the peak of Body Forging were already in their forties. To become as strong as a Young Elder before the age of sixteen was like a dream. Mwana was aiming to reach the 10th level before the age of 16 yet one had to be a genius just to reach such a level at 30, let alone 16! Mwana was hardworking, more-so than anyone, and he was also talented but definitely not talented to such an extreme extent. However, even if one achieved this, there was still the second and the biggest hurdle. One had to become a Core Warrior of the tribe to be eligible for Crystal Baptism after which ones body could integrate Crystals. Even if a warrior reached the Apex, they still wouldn¡¯t be eligible for Crystal Infusion. A Mortal Body, even at the peak, was still too weak so the entire Jemedari tribe held a competition where these young geniuses would compete for a limited number of spots to undergo Solid Body Casting and strengthen their bodies even further in preparation for the infusion. Their bodies were forged and cast by expert blacksmiths, as if swords. A period of recovery was needed and the growing bodies of these young warriors would heal the after-effects of the casting. The forging and casting of the body involved destruction and reformation. This was the main reason the age limit was 16 since an adult going through this process would never be able to heal these after-effects. Their adult bodies had long since stopped growing. It was like comparing the severity of broken bones in children to adults; a child could take weeks to heal to their top shape while an adult took months and still retained complications. Chapter 9: Family ¡°Come in for breakfast.¡± The two boys were still dragging their feet wanting to stay outside longer when they heard Mwana¡¯s mother shout, ¡°We made ¡®THOSE¡¯ pancakes today!¡± All that was left as the training spot was dust. In the main homestead of Mwana¡¯s family, there were several people seated around a huge oval table on stools of varying sizes. At the head of the table was a middle aged man on a white wheelchair. The chair looked curved out of some type of sturdy wood. Curved on its wheels were two sculptures, though it was hard to tell what they represented due to the wear and tear. One could tell that this wheelchair had once possessed a magnificent look. This man had a well built upper body as he sat shirtless on the chair, but his legs had already atrophied. They were covered by a thick purple blanket with white shell patterns, but one could still see from the outlines that his legs were much thinner. He was the head of this homestead, Jua Vumilivu, Mwana¡¯s uncle and the one he called ¡®little father.¡¯ Beside him were two middle aged women, Jua Moja and Vua Moyo. They both had shaved short hair and their necks were adorned with several necklaces made of multicolored beads. Their arms were uncovered but they wore long black dresses that were tied below their arms and flowed to their feet. They also wore belts made of multicolored beads just like their necklaces. On their arms were numerous golden bangles, over dozens of them, each with unique runic patterns. The woman seated to the right, Jua Moja, was the firstborn cousin in the generation of Mwana¡¯s parents. She was older than her cousin Jua Vumilivu, who was only the third son but still the second uncle. This might have seemed complicated since cousins would call each other brother and sister. The other woman, Vua Moyo, was Jana¡¯s mother and Jua Vumilivu¡¯s wife. She was actually from the Vua clan, another of the clans within the Jemedari tribe that specialized in fishing. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Beside Jua Moja was another man. He was extremely tall, almost reaching seven feet tall. His hair was deep black with shades of grey that stood out starkly. His beard was thin and sparsely spaced and his dark grey eyes seemed to emit minute suppression as if he was ready to fight at a moment¡¯s notice. Just by sitting there, he exuded a unique air of someone who lived in the battlefield. Despite it being early in the morning, he already had his shoulder guard on and his spear at his side. His upper body was bare and he only wore a short cloth made of an unknown animal¡¯s hide. At his waist were two massive knives held in place by a coarse leather belt. He looked like someone going off to war instead of just eating breakfast. ¡°Brats, you have been training for so long, not even wanting to eat. Let me test your strength.¡± The moment Mwana and Jana entered the living room they were greeted by their second uncle¡¯s Jua Wapili¡¯s booming voice. ¡°No way!¡± They both exclaimed at the same time when they saw their uncle already standing from his stool. They immediately started running around the house like cowardly rabbits. It was obvious that they had suffered before whenever this uncle wanted to enter a ¡®test of strength¡¯ with them. ¡°Sit! Don¡¯t run around!¡± Mwana¡¯s mother and his third aunt, Jua Jumatatu, had just arrived from the kitchen when they found the two boys running around. His aunt, Jumatatu, wore an orange robe with a white cap while his mother was still dressed in white just like she was the night prior. The steaming pancakes which were usually baked using a variety of flours including wheat, cassava and sweetened yams, were set on the table. They had all manner of different shapes and were dressed with a golden syrup made of groundnut extract, honey and other sweeteners. The adults were already salivating let alone the six children at the table. In addition to Mwana, Jana and Pendo, the other children were Jua Chenga, Jua Sayari and Jua Sawa. Chenga and Sawa were fraternal twins who were just seven years old while Sayari was even younger at five years old. All three had to call Mwana and Jana ¡®big brother¡¯. At this time of the year, these six were the only children in their family¡¯s homestead. Mwana also had several older cousins with two of them, who were girls named Mengi and Shera, having married into other families. Another one of his older cousins, Soko, had joined a travelling merchant caravan that battered goods all over the country so he was rarely in Jua village. As for his oldest cousin, there was rarely news of him after he left the village, even Mwana did not know much about him. Chapter 10: Mottos Chapter 10: Mottos Sana and Jumatatu promptly started distributing the cakes on the table. The family started chatting as they ate making for a lively scene. ¡°You can have the cloud and maybe that dove¡± ¡°A dove?¡± ¡°Well maybe it¡¯s a bit fatter than other birds.¡± ¡°Moooooom, I want the deer, I want the deer.¡± ¡°Nooooo! The deer is mine! I saw it first.¡± ¡°Calm down kids,¡± their uncle Wapili said as he gulped down on that ¡®deer¡¯. Chenga and Sawa had an incredulous look as they watched ¡®their deer¡¯ being gulped down. ¡°Aaaah, I¡¯ll have the¡­ what is that? And the fish.¡± ¡°Fish¡­or some animal?¡± Moyo replied with a chuckle. ¡°Well it¡¯s definitely an animal, haha.¡± ¡°Not just any animal, It¡¯s an eel. At least that¡¯s what I think it is.¡± ¡°When you kids were little I used to label them to hide how bad I was at making those shapes,¡± Sana blatantly admitted. She was more jovial today as it Mwana¡¯s big day. ¡°The flavor is there but I guess the shape isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Well the secrets finally out.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t a secret if we all knew,¡± Jana added with a mouth full of food but the moment he said that, he regretted it. He saw his father¡¯s eagle-like gaze on him. ¡®Here it comes. I should have just kept a low profile!¡¯ Jua Vumilivu could see the sheepish look on his son¡¯s face. He turned to look at Mwana and felt that this kid fit his personality much better. Every time he would wake up early to train while his own son was deep in dreamland. Jana was basically in love with his blankets. One time Vumilivu and Moyo had decided not to wake him up in the morning as a test and the kid slept all the way to the next day. When Jana finally woke up, he didn¡¯t realize that more than a day had passed and thought it was still the same day! Vumilivu could only shake his head internally when he remembered that incident. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Mwana kid, you¡¯re hard working as always, I feel you were even awake earlier today.¡± Mwana was not someone to shy away from praises so he replied with a smile, ¡°Of course! The young should be hardworking.¡± ¡°Bravooooo! Did you hear that, brat? I hope you¡¯re taking notes.¡± Jana already knew this was coming. At this point he was already used to his father comparing him with Mwana. ¡®Be like your cousin this¡­, be like your cousin that¡­,¡¯ he already had these types of lectures at least three times a week. ¡°Don¡¯t let up on him,¡± Jua Vumilivu said while letting out a boisterous laugh. ¡°You know I won¡¯t show this brat mercy,¡± Mwana added confidently. He always took his job at training Jana seriously. Although the pancakes were tasty, Jana still found himself scowling as he listened to his father and older brother plot for his downfall. His motto had always been, ¡®a part of me doesn¡¯t want to get out of bed at all and the other part of me wants to stay in bed all day.¡¯ Simply put, waking up in the dead of night to train hard just wasn¡¯t his style. ¡°Father, didn¡¯t you always say, ¡®Let us find ourselves and be ourselves¡¯,¡± Jana could only protest by throwing his father¡¯s own sayings back at him. ¡°Right, right. However this doesn¡¯t apply to you, lazy bones, only to the hardworking. If I let you ¡®be yourself won¡¯t I just be raising a lazy bum?¡± Jana could only pout as everyone else chuckled secretly. Seeing his younger siblings taking joy in his situation he couldn¡¯t help but smirk. They might be young now with their school activities mainly involving seated learning and a little meditation, but a year later it would also be time for them to begin hardcore training. He might even be their trainer then. In fact just by thinking about it, Jana couldn¡¯t help but let out an evil laugh before coughing awkwardly. Mwana was even more enthused, ¡°My motto has always been, if you cannot be the tree at the top of the mountain, be a tree in the valley by the lake, if you cannot be a tree be a strong vine, be a bush, be a healthy shrub, if not, be the best of the grass! And I¡¯m beating the same wisdom into this brat. In fact¡­¡± He was about to ramble on when his mother interrupted his passionate speech to remind him about his Awakening Ceremony which would be held the same day as ones Bloodline Awakening. Apparently she had informed the village Night Guards as they got off work early in the morning when Mwana was still training. This information would naturally be passed on to the relevant people: the school head and especially the village priest who was in charge of all awakening ceremonies. Chapter 11: From Father to Old Man ¡°Oh, so you had your awakening yesterday?¡± His uncle, Jua Wapili, asked. ¡°Yes Second Father, hehee. I¡¯m a full-fledged bloodline warrior now. A true man as you say.¡± Mwana couldn¡¯t help but reply with a smug look creeping on his face. He knew that undergoing awakening was a form of initiation and his strength would only skyrocket further from today onwards. However, his uncle¡¯s next words burst his happy bubble. ¡°No wonder!¡± Wapili exclaimed, ¡°Weren¡¯t you squealing like a pig being slaughtered last night? Hahaha.¡± Mwana¡¯s face immediately changed, ¡°Old man, I better not hear you ruining my reputation when you are out drunk with your buddies! And you Pendo.¡± ¡°What did I do,¡± Pendo said in a low voice while maintaining a pout. She only felt like she was getting caught in the crossfire. ¡°You talk a lot.¡± ¡°Better remember, roaring heroically. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Seeing Mwana staring at her, she could only reply affirmatively. It seemed like this was a sore spot for her older brother. Though she was young and almost got tricked last night, after a while she had understood that her brother was just spouting nonsense. He had been as scared as ever. Mwana still didn¡¯t seem satisfied and added an ¡®I am watching you¡¯ hand sign for good measure. He knew how easily rumors flew off Pendo¡¯s mouth when she was with her peers. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Look how quick I went from Second Father to Old man! I¡¯m I just a random old man now. Kid you really have a nasty attitude.¡± Wapili said with an exasperated tone as if he wasn¡¯t the one who started it. ¡°Don¡¯t play the victim now, that¡¯s a bad habit of yours.¡± Vua Moyo added while giving Wapili the side-eye. The latter could only halfheartedly apologize to his sister in-law as if she¡¯s the one he had wronged, not Mwana. Mwana was still giving his uncle an intense side glare when he heard his mother¡¯s voice, ¡°Go and wash up, get ready for school. Remember to put on the clothes I set for you for the ceremony later.¡± Mwana quickly finished up his breakfast and left the table running to the house he, his mother and sister lived in. It was only after he left that his uncle let out a sigh of relief. In fact, even as Mwana left, Wapili was still sure he was giving him an intense glare. ¡®What a scary kid.¡¯ After Mwana took a bath and prepared himself, he looked at the clothes his mother laid out for him, ¡®Looks like today I¡¯ll be the best dressed in school.¡¯ He was sure of that as most of the kids, whether girls or boys, just went about shirtless with animal skins or long cloth skirts. Some would just put on simple loin cloths and were ready for the day. It was only during the cold season that you would see the children wearing full robes from the neck down. Even among the adults in the village, it was not rare to see people in loin cloths as this was a blacksmith village. The hard smithing work really drove humans to put on as little as possible otherwise their clothes would be more drenched than river soil. As Mwana walked out looking dressed to kill in his new outfit, he heard a swooshing sound from outside the homestead fast approaching. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ A fast projectile that appeared only as a blur flew in from outside their homestead. It was extremely fast and carried a great wind with it. Mwana¡¯s third aunt, Jumatatu had just left the main house and was out behind her hut emptying the cooking pots and pans at the trash pit when the projectile nearly hit her. It only missed her by an inch before striking the wall behind her so hard that cracks appeared. Chapter 12: Jua Cheza The projectile bounced hard off Jumatatu¡¯s hut before bouncing again against the homestead¡¯s wooden wall. It was only after tumbling a few more times that it became recognizable. It was a red spherical ball that seemed woven out of some type of reed-like plants. Mwana stood rooted on the ground as he and the culprit stared at one another. The culprit was another child just like him, maybe a bit taller by an inch. Compared to Mwana¡¯s brownish-black locks with purple tips, this ¡®villain¡¯ had jet-black hair shaved almost to his skin. However, his symmetrical rectangular head-shape made it so that he was one of the few kids who actually looked good with their hair shaven almost to the scalp. Despite his hair being short, it almost covered his forehead so that everyone could tell that he would never deal with baldness in the future. It wasn¡¯t just his hair that looked good; his brows were thick and sharp with abundant eyelashes. His jaws especially when they were clenched, appeared like the outline of clenched fists through his cheeks. This was a feature this ¡®villain¡¯ he was extremely proud of as it made him feel more masculine at his young age. After seeing the damage he had caused and Jumatatu¡¯s angry stare, he put on a sheepish smile. His smile showcased his sharp canines and dazzling teeth that would normally endear anyone to him. This ¡®villain¡¯ also had on golden earrings with dove shapes curved on them. As for his skin, it was a bit darker than Mwana¡¯s; it was dark brown with a healthy glow as if the sun was shining from beneath it. One could almost see a golden halo around him making him appear extremely peerless. This ¡®villain¡¯ was Cheza wa Kijani, also known as Jua Cheza. Mwana was especially jealous of Cheza¡¯s deep black hair in comparison to his own hair. He had never liked the brown in his hair which was especially prominent in the sun and would only appear fully black indoors. Mwana couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®Unfortunately these looks that any main character would envy, were wasted on a bratty joker like this.¡¯ This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Cheza kept looking back and forth between Jumatatu and Mwana. Before either of them could speak, they noticed that at the spot where Cheza was standing, there is only dust. The ¡®villain¡¯ already ran! Cheza was moving swifter than the wind and in fact his feet seemed wrapped up by small air currents as he whizzed across the street. In an instant he had already moved past five homesteads weaving around them for cover indicating that it was not the first time he was caught in a situation such as this. However, when he looked back he was given a fright. He saw a slipper coming fast and homing in on him like a goleyo or a boomerang. Despite bolting away like an arrow, he couldn¡¯t dodge at all and got struck in his sorry behind. ¡°Aiyo! My bottom!¡± At the same time Cheza had ran away, Jumatatu who had foreseen that took off her sandal and threw it at him with technique that Mwana had never expected to see out of his third aunt. Dressed in orange with a white cap, she looked like those Upper River Mambele throwers. He didn¡¯t know whether his aunt had played the sport in the past and maybe even achieved moderate fame in it. ¡°Chezaaaaaaa! No matter where you run, where you hide, I will find you!¡± Jumatatu screamed at Cheza who was already at the end of the village-street where their homestead was located. She was not angry. She was incensed! Completely infuriated! This was clearly not the first time such an incident had happened. Seeing Cheza gone, she turned to Mwana, ¡°Wololoyaye! I can¡¯t take this anymore. This is the sixth time. The sixth time! Is your friend trying to kill my old bones? Trying to put me in the grave early? That kid keeps coming over here because of you.¡± She went on and on scolding Mwana on Cheza¡¯s behalf. Mwana could only stand there and get scolded quietly while secretly calculating his accounts against Cheza. It was only after an intense talking to that he was able to excuse himself and finally leave for school. On the way to school, Mwana, Cheza and their friends would always play Hookball for about an hour before making it to school. For that reason, it was common to see children leave their homesteads an hour early before school opening times. Mwana was already carrying a bag on his back, a kikapu made of sisal woven in an intricate design. In the bag was his main ¡®job¡¯. He ran swiftly along the village streets before jumping and running on the wall. When there were no more walls to run on, he would somersault and jump over the flat roofs as he ran to catch up with his friends. Chapter 13: The People of this Village The streets looked pristine early in the morning and there was a peaceful atmosphere covering the village. As far as his eyes could see, there were homesteads with smoking chimneys marking the start of the day. The people of Jua village lived in simple huts, most of which were white or orange in color with purple, grey or red thatched roofs. A few people added murals, artwork and carvings into the walls of their huts making the design rich and beautiful. Mwana felt a deep sense of peace looking at this village where he was born, especially from a high ground as he leapt over the walls and houses. Along the way, he would greet the people he met on the streets or apologize to those who saw him jump over their houses, and run away before he got scolded. The irritable old man, Ugumu, who once held the title of ¡®King of Forgers¡¯; the middle-aged woman who was once the village¡¯s top beauty some twenty or so years ago, Urembo; the amiable aunt who always gave Mwana her first fresh bean shoots, Kanze; the woman who owned a fish stall selling fish from all over Toro, Mwenzi; all these people were up and about going about their business early in the morning. Mwana greeted them as he went on his way towards a unique homestead. This homestead was curved out of a rock hill in the village and the houses looked like caves. There was already a woman waiting for him at one of the doorways. She was Jua Toboa, the mother of Jua Mwanga and Jua Nyaga. The name ¡®Nyaga¡¯ was another way of saying ¡®Mwanga¡¯ and the meaning of both names was ¡®brightness¡¯. Mwana greeted her and opened his bag to reveal a blue sweater which his mother Sana had knit for the woman¡¯s child. The sweater had beautiful red and gold designs all around it. When Toboa saw it, she was amazed. It wasn¡¯t just the threadwork that was amazing but the designs themselves were on another level. She knew full well how much Mwanga would like this sweater. It would probably be the first thing to truly cheer him up and bring brightness to his life after his father¡¯s death. The Mwanga siblings were in a very similar situation to Mwana and Pendo as they had also experienced the loss of their father. Mwana was very happy to see her surprise and elation as this was a sweater he had designed. In fact, while his mother basically made the ¡®base¡¯ of the sweater, the designs were all sewn in by Mwana himself. This was his talent! His artistic mind made it so that he could conceive beautiful designs like this on a whim. In fact, he had been the one to design his family¡¯s clothes as well as the ceremonial clothes he was wearing on this day. For a blacksmith village where everyone was ¡®hard¡¯, it was indeed rare to find a talent like his. After Mwana passed on the sweater, Jua Toboa who Mwana usually referred to as Aunt Toboa, told him that her sons had already left for school. Hearing that, Mwana said his goodbyes and left for his next appointments. ¡®I hope that old guy doesn¡¯t complain about the painting after I spent so long on it.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll deliver the carved tiles first.¡¯ After delivering some tiles he had been tasked to decorate to a construction workshop, he finally arrived at a homestead in a forested part of the village. This homestead was surrounded by a variety of fruit trees and every child in the village would always pass by here on the way to school for these fruits. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The man he was meeting here was Jua Fisi, an old expert blacksmith in the village. The man was old to Mwana but in reality he was only in his late fifties to early sixties. Mwana had received an art painting job for the new village-famous warrior¡¯s mural. This was the work Mwana usually did to earn some extra money. He couldn¡¯t just let his mother make clothes since her body was getting weaker as time went on. There was even a time she kept going till her hands were shaking violently and Mwana had to step in to stop her. Although he understood that his mother was pushing herself because of how powerless she felt, he couldn¡¯t let her continue harming her health. In their family, only his uncle Wapili and his aunts had steady incomes yet most of this went to treat his older uncle and mother. Some of his older cousins would send in support here and there but they were not living at the homestead anymore or were even away from the village for long periods of time. As for food and other necessities, the family mostly got their share from the village. An old man could be seen walking out of the big compound¡¯s gates. The fence to this compound was so low that Mwana could easily step over it without jumping much but he preferred to stand outside during his dealings with this old man. ¡°Old man, you have too much money to waste on that good for nothing.¡± Mwana didn¡¯t even greet the old man politely; he opened his bag and unrolled a large painting. This piece was an image of a young dashing man who looked extremely majestic and domineering like the legends of old. The old man happily took it from Mwana¡¯s hands before looking at it appreciatively, ¡°Brat, you have talent.¡± ¡°How about you come and work at my shop?¡± he added while stroking his nonexistent beard. Mwana didn¡¯t even bother to respond to that question and stretched out his hand waiting for his payment. ¡°Straight to business, huh, and did you just call my son a good-for-nothing? He is a village hero you know.¡±Indeed his son, Jua Waya Wanyama, was a village hero and a Senior Warrior who was close to the Apex before the age of 20! He had received the title of hero for his ingenuity in saving the village from massive losses and property damage when the Amanani River flooded its banks. Jua Waya, at just eighteen years old, had used his wit and knowledge about the water attribute to redirect the river waters. When Amanani rose from the waters to attack the village, he alone killed four of them with a single throw of his Goleyo. Each of his throwing knife¡¯s four blades beheaded an Amanani. The Amanani were humanoid creatures with red skin, long black hair and a lengthy tail with a flaming tip. These creatures of myth lived in the mountains, forests and rivers like the Eastern Befuddling River, also termed as the Demonic or Amanani River. Amanani usually had multiple sets of eyes and two mouths, one normal and one monstrous which they naturally used to consume humans. Their stomachs were like a bottomless pit or separate space as they could swallow entire villages without as much as bloating in the same manner as traditional ogres. Worst of all, they could shape-shift into humans, usually taking the appearance of handsome princes. Their monstrous mouth was usually hidden behind the neck with their long hair covering it. They would take this handsome human form to sneak into villages and trick young women before taking them away as their brides. Naturally the victims¡¯ fates after leaving the villages would be horrific. Among all the young warriors who fought for the village against the Amanani on that fateful day, Waya stood out the most. For his ingenuity in redirecting the river waters and his combat prowess, he gained everyone¡¯s respect. While Mwana always called him ¡®Big bro Waya¡¯, this young man had messed with Mwana too many times that he would always get annoyed whenever he heard his name. Waya was indeed a village hero, but his demeanor was far from one. Chapter 14: THAT Painting! After the old man handed him some shells, the currency mainly used in The Kingdom of Toro, Mwana put them in his bag and pretended to leave. Seeing that, the old man got nervous and after looking left and right at the empty streets, he stopped Mwana. The old man sheepishly rubbed his hands looking extremely suspicious before asking the question Mwana was expecting all along. ¡°Mwana my boy, what about that painting you told me about last time?¡± Although Mwana knew what this fellow was up to, he pretended not to know, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was only after the old fellow Jua Fisi stuffed another two shells into his hands that he pretended to have remembered. ¡°Oh, you mean THAT village beauty painting?¡± ¡°Shhh, Shhh, don¡¯t be so loud, my wives might be listening!¡± ¡®What a coward! He has five wives but is still so whipped,¡¯ Mwana silently thought but on his face was a bright amiable smile, ¡°Why are you asking about it? Do you want it?¡± ¡°No no no no, my wives would have my head! Especially Wakili and Tenga.¡± Old man Fisi sheepishly responded but Mwana knew he was just acting ''hard to get''. This was a painting of Jua Urembo after all. While she had been the top village beauty over twenty or so years ago, she still had a strong hold over these old and middle-aged men like his uncle Jua Wapili and this old fellow, Jua Fisi. ¡°Good, it¡¯s not for sale anyway, so don¡¯t get any ideas¡± Mwana added. Fisi¡¯s face drastically changed and Mwana knew he had him hooked like a fish on a line. The old man immediately started negotiating. Mwana did not want to waste too much time on this as he was already getting late for the HookBall match. ¡°Old man, don¡¯t waste my time. You know my level as an artist, there are many who will want it even if you don¡¯t. If not for being from a brutish village like this, I would have already made it big.¡± Mwana was indeed right, in this world, artists and painters had their own levels just like warriors. It might be strange for artists to have ''power levels'' but it was with regard to the effect of their art. Artists were graded as: > Level 1: Ordinary painter. > Level 2: Artists who achieve injecting emotion into art. > Level 3: Emotion radiating outside the painting. > Level 4: Painting World - The viewer sees the painting as if they have been sucked into the world of the painting itself. > Level 5: The world of the painting comes to life in the real world. > Level 6: The real world including people and objects can be physically transported into the artwork. Mwana was an extremely talented artist who had already reached the third level at his age. His art could go as far as ease depression just by looking at it. The old man Fisi saw that Mwana was eager to leave and did not hesitate anymore before stuffing a few more shells in Mwana¡¯s hand. To this act, Mwana acted unperturbed although internally he was jumping from joy from all the money he had gotten from this old fellow. For a while, the old man did not seem too bad in his eyes. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. However, he still could not understand the feelings of men like Fisi with regard to Jua Urembo. Maybe he was still too young, but he could never imagine himself sneaking around like old man Fisi just to buy a beauty¡¯s painting. ¡°Old man, do you think money is enough for this?¡± Fisi was ready to collect his ''goods'' when he saw Mwana¡¯s fake smile. ¡®This kid is trying to fleece me even further.¡¯ Knowing what the old man was thinking, Mwana quickly corrected, ¡°I don¡¯t need your money, In fact I can even throw it in as a bonus.¡± The last part was said as a suspicious whisper, ¡°No one will have to know.¡± ¡®Is this kid threatening to expose me?¡¯ Fisi felt that things were getting too out of control early in the morning. He just wanted a beautiful painting to stare at in his free time when he was bored or drunk. ¡°I¡¯m not a snitch so don¡¯t worry about anything, it¡¯s just that other people also know I was painting Urembo, what will I say if they ask?¡± Mwana sighed. As Jua Fisi was about to start complaining, he saw his second wife Jua Wakili walk out of the house. It seemed that she was on her way to feed the poultry early in the morning, but after seeing Mwana she came over to greet him before looking at her husband suspiciously. Fisi was already fidgeting like a man caught in the act. ¡®Heh. This will be easy,¡¯ Mwana triumphantly thought. ¡°Morning, Madam, we were just talking business.¡± ¡°Business? What business?¡± Wakili already saw their son¡¯s painting in the old man¡¯s hands and from the time he came out, they should have been done a long time ago. Her husband was also acting suspiciously; he had clearly never been good at hiding things. His body language alone exposed everything. Seeing the old man about to expose himself with his body language alone, Mwana quickly came to his rescue, ¡°My bloodline just awakened and the Elder was going to forge a good sword for me in exchange for the painting.¡± Wakili was mildly surprised and congratulated him. ¡°Come by for a present later,¡± she added before leaving to continue her morning routine. Fisi on the other hand was shocked not just at the bloodline awakening but everything else, ¡®Forging a sword? I didn¡¯t hear of this. For the Wanyama¡¯s painting? But I already paid money twice! And since when did I go from old man to elder in this kid¡¯s mouth?¡¯ As his wife was not far away, the old man still heavily agreed, nodding like a chicken. Mwana could only think, ¡®henpecked indeed.¡¯ Mwana indeed needed a better weapon, preferably a silver ranked sword. He could not use his uncle or late father¡¯s sword at the moment as their ranks were too far above his current level. Before the Crystal level, warriors would only use Mortal Grade Weapons which were divided into [Earth, Sky, Heaven] ranks with Earth Ranked weapons having Bronze, Silver, Gold and Black categories. Above the Mortal Grade was the Spirit Grade, mostly used by Crystal Warriors and Divine Spiritualists who focused on training their spirit instead of body. There was also the Sacred Grade and Divine Grade for armaments above Spiritual weapons. All these weapons required a corresponding level of power to use as they were inbuilt with energy patterns and energy channels that allowed warriors to infuse energy and run techniques through them. A good weapon enhanced the warrior¡¯s techniques. The only weapons that did not follow this rule were Holy Weapons as they empowered the user themselves instead of just their techniques. A mortal with zero martial training could become a God with a Holy weapon in hand but needless to say, such weapons only existed in the legends. After Mwana got the promise he wanted, he left thinking, ''the world sure is strange. How can a rotten tree beget a good fruit? I was sure it was impossible before meeting the old man. No wonder Big bro Waya still can¡¯t get rid of ¡®certain¡¯ behaviors even after becoming a village hero.'' Fisi on the other hand was elated to finally get what he wanted without getting caught but his smile faded when he remembered he had still been fleeced. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say he didn¡¯t want my money? Didn¡¯t he say it was a bonus? In the end I paid twice.¡¯ Nevertheless, he was a man of his word. Chapter 15: Jua Nyaga Mwana rushed along the way and finally caught up to Cheza. In the streets, Cheza looked extremely dashing and carefree as he walked around aimlessly. ¡®Is this joker trying to steal my thunder on my Awakening Ceremony day?¡¯ Cheza was wearing a purple and lavender Kitenge-style shirt that went down to his knees with black three-quarter pants and black sandals. The colors purple and lavender usually represented royalty in the Toro Kingdom. The edges of his clothes had fiery red and purple sun beads set in intricate patterns, while his sandals had white glowing beads. Mwana had designed these clothes for Cheza and even personally hand-made them. However, seeing the latter in them, he could only think, ¡®why does this bastard look better in them than I did? Is he trying to outshine me today? He didn¡¯t even wear a shirt yesterday!¡¯ In this case, Cheza was being wrongfully accused. After all, he couldn¡¯t have predicted Mwana¡¯s awakening would happen the previous night. Mwana was about to call him out when he heard Cheza singing. He changed his mind deciding to stalk him silently. Chorus ¡®I will survive to the ends of time¡¯ ¡®And I will thrive¡¯ Pause ¡®Whether you like it or not¡¯ ¡®In the market you are just s¡¯ not¡¯ ¡®Tis me they calling hot¡¯ ¡®They call you ****|with a face like an ****ot¡¯ Mwana was speechless hearing these lyrics. ¡®My God, he¡¯s butchering it. How can such a heroic war song get turned into nonsense by this animal? He clearly made up the entire second part. This can¡¯t go unpunished!¡¯ Cheza continued unaware of the cheetah stalking him in the shadows. He was completely oblivious of his incoming ¡®punishment.¡¯ ¡®In your pocket you ain¡¯t got a dot¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s do this lets do this yeah yeah, Aaaargh cough cough¡¯ Mwana had suddenly sped up from behind Cheza before hanging from his neck. ¡°Wuuuuui,¡± Cheza exclaimed in an extremely dramatic manner in response to this attack. ¡°Watch the voice. You are ruining the version in my brain. Absolutely ruining it!¡± ¡°At least it is Anteaus Sang Poetry, not Petals of Blood otherwise I wouldn¡¯t forgive you.¡± Mwana added while thinking about these two popular songs. They were composed by renowned generals in the Toro kingdom. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, I¡¯m just an agent here,¡± As Mwana had Cheza bent backwards and locked behind his armpit with his stomach facing the sky, the latter could not resist at all as Mwana gave him few slogs to his exposed stomach. ¡°This is for my third mother,¡± he said righteously, but in his head he is thinking, ¡®I got scolded again for five whole minutes because of you, I won¡¯t let you off easy.¡¯ After letting him go, Cheza looked at him with grievance but Mwana already had a counter prepared, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way, I was forced to do this. Doing this hurt me more than it hurt you.¡± However, Cheza already knew Mwana was snickering inside. ¡°Mwas, I won¡¯t forget this. A man knows to time his revenge.¡± Cheza said while harrumphing coldly but that only made his young face look extremely cute, far from being ¡®a man¡¯. ¡°Why were you singing like someone in pain?¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m in pain now,¡± Cheza added while clutching his stomach. Before the two could walk further, they saw another kid coming from the left side of the road. This boy had a big head with an even larger forehead while being a bit shorter than Cheza and Mwana. He was their friend, Jua Nyaga, the son of Jua Toboa and the older brother of Jua Mwanga. ¡°Joker, Son, you are here. Let¡¯s go crush those bast¡­, I mean teach those fellows a lesson.¡± Nyaga said with a smile that was almost blinding when he reached the two of them. ¡®Joker¡¯ and ¡®Son¡¯ were his nicknames for Cheza and Mwana while everyone called him ¡®Ostrich¡¯. After some light teasing between the three friends, Nyaga took out a huge calabash handing it out to both of them. It seemed he had left home early to get this extremely popular fruit drink in the village. People always lined up for hours for it. As they walked towards the Hookball playing field, Nyaga started narrating some rumors he had heard at the shop. ¡°Did you hear about Duma¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°Yeah I heard some rumors.¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Out of the loop as always.¡± Cheza added with a smug look but Mwana wasn¡¯t bothered, he was indeed out of the loop. Nyaga excitedly continued, ¡°He impregnated a girl then tried to get out of marrying her, but I hear he was forced to by both his family and the girl¡¯s family.¡± ¡°What? How did I miss that? Duma¡¯s brother, you mean Chui?¡± Mwana asked in shock. He was indeed interested in this gossip. Maybe he could use it later as argument ammunition against Duma who was another of their classmates. ¡°His own family, his sister and aunt were like, ¡®He¡¯s looking for consolation! We are not consoling you. Marry that one!¡¯¡± ¡°Even his father said: ¡®there must have been one part that attracted you to her even if it is one part of the nose.¡¯¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think before you started eating???¡± Nyaga continued narrating the verbal attacks Chui received from his own family and his future in-laws. ¡°Indeed, every feast is accompanied by a big shit! He should have seen this coming, hahaha.¡± Cheza happily exclaimed. Although his words simply meant ¡®actions have consequences¡¯, it sounded extremely wrong. He was clearly taking joy in others¡¯ misery. ¡°Yeah, I heard his father said pretty much the same thing: ¡®now that the yams have already been planted, don¡¯t embarrass my house. Go bring home my grandson¡¯ or something like that. And then the future in laws also came over ¡­¡± Mwana was engrossed in this drama but Cheza suddenly interrupted with a sigh, ¡°Ai, you don¡¯t know the features of oral narratives?¡± ¡°What?¡± Cheza answered while waving his arms around, ¡°Dramatization!¡± Indeed Cheza was a superior story teller. ¡°Shut uuuuuuuup!¡± As Nyaga and Cheza argued in the background, the three finally arrived near the field. Chapter 16: Friends and Enemies Near the Mpira Recreation Field was a tree that many of the kids in Jua village worshipped. Every summer, this tree would be a reason for many fights between the little boys and girls in the village. This ¡®divine¡¯ tree was a ¡®Chewing¡¯ Gum tree, one that produced tasty chewing gum fruits or more aptly, gum seeds. As they were passing by it, the three friends did not even glance at it since it was not the right season. However out of the corner of his eyes, Mwana noticed something! He saw that the tree actually had two pieces of ¡®gum¡¯ on it. Immediately, he made the wise decision to move on and come back for them later. Unfortunately Cheza had been watching him intently after asking a question and waiting for his answer. Indeed Mwana and Cheza were true best-friends, soul mates even, but this isn¡¯t always a good thing. Despite Mwana not giving any external signs, Cheza still noticed it! Seeing that the secret was out, Mwana tried making eye signs at Cheza to silently communicate with him. After all they could still share the two pieces of gum as long as Nyaga didn¡¯t know. As the two were still silently communicating, they heard Nyaga¡¯s excited voice, ¡°Ah, there gum on the tree, lucky, lucky me¡± as he headed to pluck it. Cheza and Mwana didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and bolted to take the gum before Nyaga could. It was every boy for themselves. Unsurprisingly, Mwana as the fastest of the three got to the gum first and they immediately got into an argument over it with everyone claiming to have discovered it first. However, as they were still squabbling, the gum suddenly disappeared from Mwana¡¯s hands! ¡°Give me that.¡± The culprit was so fast or maybe so silent that they had not even noticed him. Cheza and Nyaga turned towards him with grievance ready to fight but suddenly shut up. It was not that they were scared, just that this was a person they did not like interacting with at all. However, the gum was still in his hands so they couldn¡¯t help but argue for it. The culprit seemed angry simply because people he had stolen from dared to complain. ¡°You un********* brats dare stand in my way?¡± He said with an extremely condescending tone adding an unpleasant insult that left the three boys fuming. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This culprit was Jua Uchoyo, who was older than them by 2 years. This age difference might not be much to adults but to kids their age, the difference might as well have been exponential. Uchoyo, known by many as the stingy guy, continued berating the three as if he was in the right before finishing, ¡°If you are walking down the path and see me walking in the opposite direction, you will stand to greet me and stand aside to let me pass. Is that cleaaaaaar?¡± This signature statement had probably come out of his mouth hundreds of times to the point that he got nicknamed, Mr. Cleaaaaaar. Needless to say, he enjoyed bullying kids younger than him. The three stood aside as they watched him swaggering away but suddenly Mwana burst into laughter. ¡°I got him.¡±Nyaga and Cheza were surprised hearing this and did not understand exactly what Mwana did. ¡°What did you do?¡± Cheza couldn¡¯t hold his curiosity anymore. ¡°I placed a delayed thunder charge on them, hehee.¡± ¡°What!¡± Both Cheza and Nyaga exclaimed at the same time before similarly bursting into thunderous laughter. ¡°Oh my god, that¡¯s so bad. What if¡­¡± ¡°Stop being such a coward Nyaga, that egg-head deserves it for swaggering all over us.¡± Cheza quickly stopped Nyaga¡¯s worries. At the Mpira Recreational Field, a group of boys that looked around nine or ten years old were gathered together. Among them was Jana, Mwana¡¯s little cousin, who had snuck away while Mwana was getting scolded by their third aunt. Beside him was another boy his age, Jua Mwanga. This was Nyaga¡¯s little brother who was younger than him by one year. Not only was he taller than his older brother, his strength was on par or even slightly stronger than Nyaga. He was a true genius! Mwanga was dressed in white like a priest with golden bracelets and rings on his hands. The golden radiance coming from him was brighter than even Cheza¡¯s and his eyes seem to emit light as though torches in the dark. However, Mwana still noticed how Mwanga¡¯s eyes were a bit dull compared to how brilliant they were in the past. He knew the latter was still mourning since the two brothers had also recently lost their father. As such he decided not to tell him about the gift his mother got from him so that it remained a surprise for the eight year old. There were two other boys beside Jana and Mwanga. When they saw Mwana and his friends, they immediately came to greet them by bumping fists with each other. These two were Jua Duma, the boy whose brother they had just been gossiping about and Jua Tembo, a large stocky boy who was more on the fatter side. Chapter 17: Game Time Duma was tall and slender and in their class, he was the fastest, even faster than Mwana. However given his improvement in his 100 Steps in an Instant technique, Mwana was raring to compete against him. Duma was dressed in cheetah hide around his waist and another cheetah hide served as a cape with the head of the cheetah as a cap on his own head. Beneath the waist hide, he wore dark green pants which were baggy at the top while being close fitting from the knees down. His hands and feet were clawed and his teeth were fanged showing that not only had he awakened his bloodline, but it was also some type of feline bloodline. Finally, he had many beaded necklaces around his neck that reached almost to his stomach with green and black alternating beads. Next to Mwana, Cheza and another figure on the opposing team, he was the most sophisticatedly dressed. In contrast, Tembo wasn¡¯t even wearing animal hide, just a simple white loincloth. He looked as ¡®free¡¯ as ever compared to some of his friends who seemed to be attending a fashion show. ¡®Why is everyone so dressed today? Is there some event I didn¡¯t hear about?¡¯ However, these four weren¡¯t the only ones here. The opposing team that they would be playing today was also here. ¡°You guys sure took your time.¡± ¡°Scared? You know we will kick your ****¡± ¡°Yeah, ****** cowards.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have all day, let¡¯s get on with it already!¡± Suddenly a slew of nonsense exploded from the other side as soon as Mwana and his friends arrived. There were four boys on the opposing team with three of them looking extremely similar. The first one had long hair that went all the way to his back, starting straight and ending in curls. His handsome face looked like a fox or trickster and gave everyone the natural urge to punch him. No matter the words coming from his mouth, he maintained a perpetual smile. The second boy had ''harder'' features compared to the first. He only wore a waistcloth with no jewelry. From his face and clothing, he seemed like the stern type. As for the third and youngest one, his looks were extremely shifty like a criminal in hiding. Every part of his body including his neck, ears, nose, eyebrows, hair, arms, waist and legs were adorned with expensive-looking jewelry. All three boys were dressed in blue aqua-marine robes. The first and third boy clearly lived up to the stereotypes of sons of business men and merchants. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. These boys were three of the four sons of the Pweza family and they were all cousins with the same name, Jua Maji Maji. As a result, they were nicknamed Maji 1, Maji 2, Maji 3, while the youngest one who was not present was called Maji 4. There was a lot of bad blood between these cousins and Mwana as they had previously bullied him for a long time when he had to pass by their home on the way to school. The cousins owned as some pretty nasty dogs that they would let loose on Mwana for no reason but their own pleasure. As for the final team-mate, another boy was standing behind the three cousins. He could be described as ¡®fat with muscle¡¯ just like Tembo. His whole body was wrapped up in thick grayish-black hide that looked like it was from some type of aquatic mammal. One could see faint ripples of energy that looked like waves of water on it. In terms of height, he was the tallest among everyone here which offset some of his weight making him appear less round compared to Tembo. This tall dark-skinned kid boy was Jua Kiboko, Jua Uchoyo¡¯s younger brother. In the morning sun his skin was so dark that it almost appeared indigo as with most Siribi. In fact, among the Siribi people, his skin color and height could still be considered below average for his age, mostly because he and his brother were half Siribi and half Jemedari due to their parents¡¯ intermarriage. While Jemedari people like Mwana also had dark skin, it still couldn¡¯t be compared to Northerners like the Siribi who lived in the desert nations north of the Toro kingdom. As for their height, they weren¡¯t even in the same dimension. The Siribi were the second tallest tribe in the Zika world with adults reaching heights of up to 10 feet tall. Even the shortest Siribi would be at least 7 feet tall and taller than almost everyone in Jua village apart from Uchoyo and Kiboko¡¯s mother. ¡°Four vs. Seven? A piece of cake. I wouldn¡¯t mind if not for my younger brothers, haish.¡± Maji 1 said while letting out a hypocritical sigh. He clearly wanted others off Mwana¡¯s team but instead pretended it was for his younger cousins. Besides, their two other teammates had yet to arrive yet the Maji cousins still gave Mwana, Cheza and Nyaga trouble for arriving late. However, it was already late and school would start in less than thirty minutes so no one had time to argue. Jana was left off the team once again and would exchange with Mwanga in the second match as they were the youngest two on their team. In addition to this, Maji¡¯s team got to pick one person from Mwana¡¯s side to fill their ranks. Maji 1 did not hesitate and picked Duma which was probably to counter Mwana¡¯s speed. ¡°No hard feelings,¡± Duma said while crossing over to the opposing team, after all this was just a game. Jana was picked as the referee by default since he was not a player. Seeing everyone ready to enjoy the game while he could only watch, he vowed to catch even the slightest mistakes and expel anyone from the fun. As the teams were set up, a small audience of other school kids on their way to school, assembled around them. Jana as the referee finally whistled. It was game time! Chapter 18: HookBall, the boy who couldn’t take a loss ¡°Pass the ball, pass the ball!¡± ¡°Hoarder!¡± ¡°You ******!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a foul, Jana are your eyes even open! You are the referee.¡± ¡°Be impartial, stop favoring the other side!¡± ¡°Mwana, pass the ball.¡± ¡°Foul foul!¡± ¡°Wallop them, destroy them, tear them to shreds!¡± It was hectic! The ten players were scampering all over the place while the audience had already started cheering for their respective sides. The young children in the village had their own informal Hookball tournament and presently, the two teams playing could be considered sort of a semi-final match. Mwana had the ball at his feet, running after it as fast as he could. One could only make contact with the ball once at a time with either their hands or feet. Maji 2 tried to intercept Mwana but he could barely perceive his movement. He didn¡¯t even understand how the other got past him. After reaching 11 Steps in an Instant in his footwork, Mwana¡¯s movement speed was at the top of his age group. ¡®The Center Point is mine!¡¯ However, he celebrated too early. Just as he was about to reach it, a green blur even faster than him was already standing there and received the ball in his arms before hitting it towards the North Hook! A 5 pointer! For a moment, everything was silent but right before the ball flew onto the hook, a golden light intercepted it. With a sideways spin, Mwanga arrived in front of their team¡¯s hook bathed in gold, and with a mighty kick, he redirected the ball towards the opposing side. The ball was so fast that it looked like golden light had shot out all the way to the South Hook. However, it was intercepted once again! The tall Kiboko had jumped lightly but that was enough to launch him more than 5 meters into the air. He returned it! Mwanga who had just been mid-air was already falling. He wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the returning ball as by the time he reached the ground and jumped again, it would be too late. As the ball neared the North Hook once again, Mwana pushed himself to his limits. ¡®I have to correct my mistake! I lost the ball at the Center Point to Duma so if they score, I¡¯ll be blamed.¡¯ He moved with extreme speed towards the ball but beside him was another person just as fast as him. Out of everyone present, Duma was the only one who could keep up with him. However, Duma¡¯s intention was to hinder Mwana from intercepting the ball. The audience of little boys and girls were already going crazy with excitement. The match had just started yet it was so ¡®heated¡¯. Duma¡¯s sprint was incredibly fast. It was so fast that the air was almost compressed around him. His figure was barely visible as he shuttled across the ground only seeming like a green haze. His body leaned forward almost horizontal to the ground. His back was still and steady while his joints moved flexibly like a cheetah on the hunt. From the Center Point which he previously occupied, he caught up to Mwana despite the latter starting the sprint after him! A fast ordinary warrior could cover 10 meters in a second and warriors with access to natural energy and corresponding speed enhancement techniques were obviously faster. 100 steps in an Instant was just a basic technique. It required no special training materials or comprehensive skills and any random villager could learn it. However, even at a mere 10 steps in an Instant, a warrior could already run at speeds of a third the speed of sound! Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Mwana was already at the 11th step yet Duma could catch up to him in a fraction of time. At that moment, Duma disappeared from Mwana¡¯s vision making the latter¡¯s heart beat in trepidation. When all hope seemed lost for Mwana, Tembo who was in front of the two reacted sending Mwana a quick signal. In an instant, Duma had slid towards Mwana at extremely fast speeds aiming to trip him up but the latter was already in the air narrowly evading the sweep! Mwana¡¯s second step was on Tembo¡¯s locked palms before Tembo launched him high in the air behind him with his great elephant-like strength. The ball was intercepted! The audience went mad! There was a mixture of cheering and cursing from fans of each side. Professional Hookball was far more complex than the version the village children were playing. The rules were also far more complicated as the field would have more than 5 hooks while the version that Mwana and his friends played only had 2 hooks. The ball itself would have a hole on one end where it could latch onto the hooks. In the professional version, there were Passes which were a foot wide and guarded by the Keepers and each would give 1 Pass Point for passing the ball through them. However, scoring the hook would give more points called Hook Points with 1 hook point being equivalent to 4 pass points. The Hooks did not have any Keepers but were guarded by 2 Defenders each. A team would also have a Lead Attacker, a Center Pointer and a Cross Pointer but the version being played by Mwana and his friends obviously did not have enough players for that. Previously, Duma and Mwana had competed for the Center Point where only 1 person could occupy it at a given time. Everyone aimed to occupy it especially for the Center Pointers as a score from the Center Point was worth 5 Hook points. However, the cross pointer shots that Mwanga and Kiboko let off were each worth 7 Hook points making them much more lethal. At their expertise, once the ball was shot out, it was a guaranteed score as long as nobody intercepted it. Despite the hole in the ball being small, everyone on the field was already at the third level of martial practice. All these children had gone past the second level of quenching and strengthening their muscles and had already entered the third level, skin hardening. 10 minutes later, the match was nearing its end. At this point, Mwana¡¯s team, the Mbwa Motos which could be translated as the ¡®Hot Dogs¡¯, were already in the lead. Predictably, a certain individual had caused trouble the entire time. ¡°Foul foul foul!¡± ¡°Duma! Are you working for the enemy to sabotage us?¡± ¡°Jana, you *****, that was a foul and you clearly saw it.¡± Maji 1 had already cried foul more than a hundred times by the 10 minute mark. He would try all manner of dirty tactics even pretending to trip and fall whenever he was near an opponent so as to cry ¡®foul¡¯. At this point everyone was already used to him and decided to ignore him. Some of the audience even started jeering and cursing at him. Maji 1¡¯s already sweaty face looked extremely vexed as if he was the victim. Hearing the audience cheering for his opponents and jeering at him while the ball was in his reach, a cunning glint went through his eyes. He turned towards the left side of the field as if to strike at the North Hook, before aiming and shooting. The ball buzzed through the air and as Mwana¡¯s team was busy guarding their hook, no one intercepted it as it shot into the crowd felling approximately 5 boys and girls. Everything went silent before chaos erupted. ¡®This match is over,¡¯ Mwana thought while panting. His body was sweating buckets and his feet were full of dust. ¡®Mother would be so mad if she saw me this way especially with these clothes on. I have to clean up again before the ceremony.¡¯ As expected, Maji 1 was run off the field as several indignant boys and girls poured out of the sidelines after him. However, it seemed he was prepared for this as they could barely see the tip of his clothes when they reached where he had been standing a moment earlier. ¡®He ran so fast!¡¯ With the culprit gone and his team out of the match, another team was quickly formed from the children in the sidelines. The game resumed but not for long! Chapter 19: Fight vs. Bone Forging ¡°How about this, everyone to play the game with their left side.¡± ¡°Shameless Cheza, aren¡¯t you a lefty!¡± The children at the field continued their match while making changes here and there to make things more interesting. They were having so much fun that they weren¡¯t aware of their surroundings anymore. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you brats at school yet?¡± A heavy shout came from down the road away from the field. It was loud enough to cause the air to vibrate before the person was even visible. ¡°Get off the field, are we cleeeeear!¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Cheza said with a sigh, setting his foot on the ball. Trouble was coming and everyone knew who it was. A boy about 11 or 12 years old arrived at the field walking in large straight steps as if a puppet on strings. Although he was a boy, he did not seem like it. He was exceedingly tall for his age being over 6 foot tall. He dwarfed all the children in the playing field by almost half a meter. His skin was as dark as obsidian and his muscles were thick and chiseled making him look like a temple idol. This was naturally Jua Uchoyo who Mwana and his friends had bumped into earlier. The man nicknamed ¡®Mr. Cleaaaaar¡¯ and Kiboko¡¯s older brother. Uchoyo only wore thick black hide around his waist but his upper body was fully exposed. His chest and arms were covered with blue tribal markings that seemed to glow in the sun. The markings presented a hammer and a forge as well as various weapons. These were the village blacksmith tattoos that children in the village got after their big ceremony and undergoing apprenticeship. ¡°He looks different from earlier, did he change his clothes?¡± Cheza asked while looking at Nyaga. ¡°Yeah, he was wearing a black robe in the morning. But¡­¡± Nyaga was about to continue but after getting a clear view of Uchoyo as the latter arrived, he was tongue tied. The silence was deafening. For a moment, no one talked, no one made the slightest sound. They could not compute what they were seeing or maybe they did not dare believe it. However, without knowing who did it first, someone let out a repressed laugh. Although they tried to cover it up with a cough, it was too late! The floodgates were open. Everyone burst out into laughter. Even Kiboko, Jua Uchoyo¡¯s younger brother, was laughing. At this time Uchoyo was standing in front of the other children with puffy cheeks and swollen lips that made him look like a pregnant toad. If not for his already dark skin, his cheeks would have already been red as an overripe tomato. He stood amidst the laughter but did not say anything else as he looked dangerously at Mwana. ¡®It is this bastard¡¯s fault¡¯. He remembered how he had fallen for Mwana¡¯s trick like a fool. Earlier, as he snatched the fruits of the ¡®chewing gum tree¡¯ from Mwana, the latter had charged the seeds of gum tree with a delayed thunder charge. When Uchoyo was enjoying his spoils later, the charge went off in his mouth like a thunder explosion electrocuting him as soon as he chewed the gum. ¡°Kneel down and apologize.¡± That was the only statement he could master in the middle of his anger. He definitely had to make Mwana grovel before giving him the beating of his life. In the background Maji 1 was sneaking around and snickering. He was enjoying the show and looking forward to Mwana¡¯s misfortune. He had met the grumbling Uchoyo as he ran away and ¡®humbly¡¯ led the latter to where the other kids were. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Immediately after Cheza saw Maji 1, he knew that this fellow was involved. He wanted to spoil everyone¡¯s fun by bringing this bane to them after he got chased out. ¡°Every person is a raw material, but you Maji 1, you are just waste!¡± With Cheza as the lead, Nyaga, Tembo and even the usually silent Duma in addition to their other playmates, joined in to berate and trash talk him. While Maji 1 was angry at this, he just sneered instead while exaggeratedly rolling his eyes. He knew he couldn¡¯t win a battle of words against Cheza and almost half his entire class. Either way, Uchoyo would physically take care of Mwana and even Cheza if the latter jumped in. ¡®Yep. That will be more satisfying, just smash their mouths.¡¯ ¡°Hahahahahaha,¡± After a moment of silence, Mwana suddenly burst into laughter, ¡°Kneel to literal garbage like you.¡± Hearing this, Uchoyo kept silent while fuming internally as his eyes turned red. He was resolved to teach Mwana a lesson he would never forget. ¡±I¡¯ll teach you to respect your elders today!¡± Seeing literal war about to break out, Cheza suggested that they gang up on Uchoyo and beat him up if he dared to try anything. However, Mwana stopped him while walking towards Uchoyo. ¡°Sometimes like a rose growing through hardened soil, the survivors overcome their ordeal at the hands of their cowardly attackers.¡± His meaning was clear, he was fed up with Uchoyo¡¯s bullying and this was his fight. ¡°Mwana what are you doing?¡± Nyaga asked as he tried to stop Mwana. ¡®Did this fellow also go crazy from anger? He wants to fight Uchoyo himself!¡¯ Uchoyo got even angrier at Mwana¡¯s words, ¡°What did you say, did you just call me a coward!¡± ¡°You are a coward and a bully! A weakling.¡± Mwana responded. Everyone was shocked, ¡®Uchoyo is actually strong, you know.¡¯ Uchoyo was already 2 years out of the academy. In those 2 years, he had already participated in 9 hunting missions despite only being at early Bone Forging. He had actually fought a Black-water Buffalo barehanded in a one on one fight. He had also shown great strength when he ripped a Great Purple-shine Crocodile in half yet the aquatic beast was over 10 meters long! The fight began in an instant and ended in an instant. As Mwana arrived before him, Uchoyo performed a two-handed overhead strike aiming to put Mwana on his knees. The force of this strike was unimaginable and Mwana could feel the air pressure on his face before Uchoyo¡¯s arms even reached his shoulders. ¡®I have to stop it with equal strength!¡¯ ¡°Get down!¡± Uchoyo¡¯s strike was accompanied by a shout to which Mwana answered, ¡°Gladly.¡± He had wisely decided not to match the latter¡¯s strength as Uchoyo was a Bone Forging realm expert while Mwana was just at the Skin Hardening level. Uchoyo also had the advantage in height being over 6 foot tall at just 11 or 12 years old while Mwana was maybe 5 foot tall, heck maybe barely 5 feet. This meant that Uchoyo¡¯s reach was much greater and his strikes much heavier as they covered more distance while accumulating momentum and force. Mwana grabbed Uchoyo¡¯s hands and used his opponent¡¯s momentum to go into a backward roll. When they landed on the ground, Uchoyo cried, ¡°You bastard!¡± as he quickly performed a low sweeping kick. At any other time, Mwana would have found such an attack impossible to react to but everything was clear during this fight, as if he had a third eye. His senses were greatly enhanced, maybe due to his bloodline awakening. Mwana lied almost flat on the ground as Uchoyo¡¯s kick passed above him only grazing his clothes. At the same time, he released his own low kick in a semi-circular arc. The kick was so low that it scraped the ground before hitting his opponent¡¯s chest. Almost instantly, he expertly used the momentum from hitting Uchoyo to launch off the ground before delivering a round house kick to the latter''s face. The entire scene took only an instant before any of the other children had time to react. They had just been laughing and trash-talking less than a second ago but now Uchoyo had a footprint decorating his already pitiful face. Although Mwana had the upper hand in the first exchange, Cheza and the other children knew this wasn¡¯t an accurate representation of the fighters¡¯ strengths. Uchoyo was inarguably stronger than Mwana. Even if Mwana wanted to fight Uchoyo alone, Cheza and the others still had to step in as his friends. Chapter 20: All in Combat As he reached the spot Mwana and Uchoyo were fighting, Cheza was suddenly intercepted by Maji 1. ¡°You snake!¡± He did not have time to curse before activating his Moon Bracelet and releasing dozens of Moon Blades. These blades were made of some type of bright blue glowing energy and were curved like a crescent moon. Maji 1 responded in kind activating his own Moon Bracelet. The ground constantly shifted below Cheza¡¯s feet as he tried to get past Maji 1 but to no avail, the latter would stick to him like a loach. Behind them, Uchoyo stood glaring at Mwana as his eyes brimmed with fury. He could swallow humiliation but not from a brat 2 years younger than him. Worst of all, he had already been humiliated twice in one morning. He was extremely furious not just at Mwana but also himself. No one doubted he was stronger than Mwana yet he still ended up humiliated. While Mwana was still looking at him, his opponent was no longer in his sight, ¡®Fast! Extremely fast!¡¯ That was all Mwana could think before quickly ducking. He felt the heat of friction on his scalp as Uchoyo¡¯s fist grazed past the top of his head like a meteor. If this punch had connected to his chest or face, he would be down in one hit! Mwana was 100% sure he wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge this attack if it were the previous day. His bloodline awakening boosted his senses and reaction speeds while his accomplishments with 100 Steps in an Instant boosted his speed, As Mwana and his opponent came to blows once again, his other friends had already stepped into the fight and among them, Duma easily slipped past Uchoyo¡¯s ¡®guards¡¯ trying to help Mwana. However this was a fight Mwana wanted for himself. ¡±I¡¯m not even losing yet and you are talking about saving me? At least wait till he gets a few licks in before ¡®saving me¡¯,¡± Mwana responded to Duma with a chuckle. Uchoyo was even more infuriated after hearing this, ¡°Looking down on me brat. What do you mean until I get a few licks in? You think you¡¯ll be so lucky to continue dodging?¡± ¡°Kiboko keep them away.¡± Uchoyo¡¯s ¡®guards¡¯ were indeed Kiboko and the Maji brothers. After Cheza had charged in, Nyaga and Mwanga had followed. With Nyaga at the front, Kiboko had easily knocked him away into the air before Mwanga caught him. Mwanga was relatively better off from the collision before performing a mid-air flip and landing elegantly on the ground but the 2 brothers had been besieged by Maji 2 and Maji 3 instantly. ¡°Leave this to me,¡± Tembo quickly charged in with his large body. Tembo and Kiboko¡¯s collision was like a battle between an elephant and a hippo as they clashed body to body. The ground trembled and cracked when they collided. After a short pause, both of them shot away from each other at extreme speeds like rockets before crashing heavily into the ground creating small craters. Despite the might of the collision, they remained relatively un-injured. Kiboko¡¯s hide clothes seemed to have a reflective property forged into them that could deflect part of an attacks physical force. As for Tembo, he had a village Blacksmith Apprentice tattoo just like Uchoyo though the latter had even more tattoos. Tembo¡¯s tattoo was that of a hammer on his shoulder and it was currently shining with red light to counter the effect of Kiboko¡¯s clothes. He had received this tattoo from his smithing teacher and it had the effect of increasing Kiboko¡¯s physical might when activated. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Despite his friends being tied up and refusing Duma¡¯s help, Mwana kept persevering under Uchoyo¡¯s constant pursuit and attacks. His opponent was faster than him but he was always dodging his attacks at the last second. ¡®It¡¯s like I can sense them with my soul.¡¯ At this time, the other spectating children were shocked when witnessing Mwana¡¯s movements. Uchoyo was so fast that they could barely see him. As for Mwana, his speed was indeed fast but nothing special, however Uchoyo still couldn¡¯t hurt him. ¡°What is that movement technique? It can¡¯t only be 100 Steps in an Instant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Withered Wood Dance, no, not just that. He is combining them!¡± The speaker was one of Mwana¡¯s classmates, Vitali. She was a blonde girl with green eyes and wearing a white butterfly robe. From her looks and clothing, it was clear she was of foreign origins. ¡°Aren¡¯t both techniques just basic techniques? How could they be so formidable as to go up against Bone Forging!¡± Jua Jode, another one of Mwana¡¯s classmates heavily exclaimed. Indeed, the gap between Skin Hardening and Bone Forging was sizeable. The first 3 levels from Entry level, Muscle Quenching to Skin Hardening were the early phases of martial practice and were relatively easier to get through. As for Bone Forging, it was considered the first among the mid-phases and was relatively harder to train. After a warrior underwent muscle quenching, they would gain considerable strength as high as the strength of 10 bulls. Additionally, these weren¡¯t ordinary bulls but Long-horned Crimson Abyssinian bulls. However, before attaining Bone Forging, warriors like Mwana and his friends at the 3rd level, only has access to at most 4 or 5 bulls of strength. If they went past this limit, they risked broken bones and injured tendons. This was because their skeletal structure could not support the strength of 10 bulls before being forged anew, hence Bone Forging realm. Even for those at the 4th level like Uchoyo, they could only safely access about 8 bulls of strength even though their maximum strength increased beyond 10 bulls of strength in the late stages of Bone Forging. It is only when a warrior achieved Tendon Strengthening that they would get maximum access to their power. After all, while bone fractures could be healed easily, no one wanted to risk damaging their tendons which would be far more complex to fix. Hearing the conversation around him Uchoyo was getting frustrated by the minute. He started regretting getting pulled into this. He had always caused trouble for Mwana and other children, sometimes on behalf of the Maji brothers. He had indeed sucked up to them in the past as the Pweza family was one of the 10 Great Crafting Families in Jua Village. ¡®Who in this world didn¡¯t want free lunch?¡¯ Uchoyo knew he should have won easily as he was an Intermediate warrior at the mid-phases while Mwana was just a junior warrior at the lower phases. The nine levels of martial training were divided into 3 phases each with three levels before one entered the 10th level, the Apex of Mortal Martial Arts! These 9 levels were: Entry Level, Muscle Quenching, Skin Hardening, Bone Forging, Tendon Strengthening, Blood Boiling, Organ Quenching, Perception Domain, Spirit Sense Awakening, and the Apex Level. Chapter 21: Colliding As the fight intensified, the fighters¡¯ strengths gradually became clearer. Uchoyo threw a powerful straight punch which Mwana received with the top part of his elbow deflecting it above his head. Mwana then aimed a blow at his opponent¡¯s solar plexus as he closed in. ¡®In-fighting!¡¯ Uchoyo silently exclaimed but he still could not react fast enough. His size which was usually an advantage became a disadvantage once Mwana closed in, Uchoyo found his defensive techniques restrained for a time. However, he was still a skilled warrior with much more combat experience than Mwana. Instead of backing away from Mwana¡¯s blow, he chose to move forward in order to reduce the distance Mwana¡¯s punch could cover hence reducing its impact. At the same time, Uchoyo¡¯s huge body collided with Mwana literally ¡®bodying¡¯ him. Mwana was just as fast in his reaction as he moved back at the last second before stumbling with a midair flip. Unfortunately, Uchoyo had already zipped behind him! A punch so heavy like getting hit by a train landed on Mwana¡¯s back. Everyone who saw that scene flinched for Mwana¡¯s sake. However, a golden luster could be seen shimmering on Mwana¡¯s skin as he activated the [Golden Statue technique]. As he was shining with a golden color, it made his dark skin appear bronze gold. However Mwana knew this wasn¡¯t enough to counter the might of that blow. This all happened in the instant the blow landed on his back, Mwana activated the [Golden Statue technique] and subsequently, the [Millennium Wood technique], another basic technique. This technique might have been basic but it had an extensive history. It was said that an expert created the wood technique by observing a thousand year old tree for decades. An even crazier theory said that it was created by an expert who meditated in a forest filled with millennium trees for a thousand years. Both techniques, the [Golden Statue] and [Millennium Wood technique], required the body to be rigid. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The strength of Uchoyo¡¯s blow would push Mwana at least 10 or 20 meters mid-air and he instinctually knew Uchoyo would be at the end waiting to knock him again. Uchoyo¡¯s movement speed was faster and just as he had been able to get behind him, he would zip back again in front of him and Mwana would be defenseless and end up getting knocked around like a ping pong. Although everything was happening in the fraction of a second, Mwana¡¯s brain worked at overdrive to predict where he would land. It was complex calculation accounting for the force he was launched at, the distance he would cover and most importantly, comparing it to Uchoyo¡¯s rushing speed. At almost the last moment, Mwana used a fist technique, the [Concave Fist], to slow his momentum making Uchoyo miss his strike by just a sliver. This technique was taught to Mwana by Jua Waya, who he had drawn a celebration portrait of. It functioned by forming a concave barrier with ones energy around their fist which would collect the air in front of the fist allowing one¡¯s punches to carry air pressure shockwaves. These shockwaves were what allowed Mwana to slow his momentum even as he had been sent flying by Uchoyo. This opportunity gave him a chance to land a blow at Uchoyo¡¯s chest as the later had missed his strike. Uchoyo was punched almost 5 meters away sliding on the ground and creating two feet deep skid marks on the field. However, it was Mwana¡¯s fist that was hurting with the skin on his knuckles shaved while Uchoyo¡¯s injuries only resulted in some mild pain. Seeing Mwana wincing, Uchoyo couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Hahaha, this is the difference between bone forging and skin hardening. Regret it yet?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Mwana¡¯s responded while waving away the pain. What was a little pain in comparison to his dignity? Chapter 22: Sun and Moon Arts Mwana knew he couldn¡¯t compete with Uchoyo in a head on fight. This was because the only defensive abilities that allowed him to fight Uchoyo could only be activated when he stayed still and did not take action like when he was punched in the back. Otherwise, it was impossible for Mwana to use the [Golden Statue technique] or [Millennium Wood technique] to enhance one¡¯s fists while fighting. Using these abilities at Mwana¡¯s current mastery was like a tortoise hiding in a tortoise shell. Additionally, each level of martial training had its own unique ability. Those at the Entry Level tempered their flesh and because of that, their flesh could absorb and store energy making it more shock absorbent and increase resilient. This was especially important as further training in subsequent body forging realms was a rather arduous and violent process. Warriors at the second level, the Muscle Strengthening and Quenching, could channel energy through muscles to increase strength to ridiculous degrees. As for warriors at the Skin Hardening realm like Mwana, they could add a thin film of energy around, above and beneath the skin for better defense. By practicing the Solar Light Turn of the Solar Divine Canon, this defensive film came in the form of a golden light radiating from the skin. At higher mastery, one could master the Golden Statue technique which was mandatory for all children at the Academy to practice. This technique was categorized as a body tempering technique with 3 levels: [Bronze, Silver, and Gold]. It tempered the entire body so that each cell was denser and more powerful. The practitioner¡¯s skin would give off a golden luster at the Gold level. At the Apex of the technique, one could even form a [Golden Light Shield] around one''s body. If a warrior went further and understood the Concept behind the technique, this shield would have many forms like a shell, armor, inter-layered shields, scales, and more depending on the warrior¡¯s specialization. There were even warriors who achieved high comprehension of this technique reaching the Image Level where a golden armored statue appeared around the practitioner. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Looking at all the capabilities of Skin Hardening warriors, it was obvious that Bone Forging warriors like Uchoyo had their own strengths. The first was that they could fill their bones with energy making them more durable. Not only that, they could also manipulated their bones in strange ways such as lengthening or shortening them, making their bones flexible, enriching the bone marrow to increase blood flow among other new abilities. One of these abilities was the Bone Piercing Fist which made their bones radiate a sharp aura. It is this very technique that Uchoyo landed on Mwana''s shoulder. Although the technique only grazed Mwana, it caused him unimaginable pain. However Mwana powered through it and slipped behind his opponent before grabbing him around the waist and dropping him backwards. Uchoyo was frustrated as once again he was on the ground. He launched a backward elbow to Mwana¡¯s stomach which had Mwana reeling but he did not retreat. Instead Mwana charged up his palm and landed a heavy palm to the Uchoyo''s head. This was the [Rushing Thunder Charge]! The blow landed with crackling noises pushing half of Uchoyo¡¯s head into the ground and almost knocking him out as the electric current ran through his head and brain causing his body to twitch endlessly. The way he was twitching made him look like a scarecrow dancing in the wind and the spectators couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Uchoyo, hearing the laughter, wanted to retaliate but his body was basically incapacitated by Mwana¡¯s technique. Just like the [Delayed Thunder Charge] Mwana had used to explode gum in Uchoyo¡¯s mouth earlier in the morning, the [Rushing Thunder Charge] required a warrior to have great accomplishments in the [Lunar Thunder Route] of the Lunar Divine Canon granting users electromagnetic capabilities. The [Solar and Lunar Divine Canon] had 10 turns and routes each with a set of unique arts. These routes and turns were: Solar Fire, Solar Light, Solar Wind, Solar Flare, Lunar Water, Lunar Earth, Lunar Darkness, Lunar Mirror Light, Lunar Thunder and Lunar Cold Wind. ¡°Ding dong ding dong.¡± It was the sound of the school bell! On hearing it, all the little children fighting or watching on the field ran to class. Their faces seemed filled with fear. ¡°Shit, we were so busy playing and fighting we lost track of time!¡± ¡°Teacher Bine will kill us! I know he is definitely waiting at the gate to whoop us.¡± Uchoyo on the other hand was left all alone on the playing field looking up to the sky while questioning his life. Chapter 23: White Rock Academy White Rock Academy was located at the edge of Jua village surrounded by a few streams of clear water. Children in the village would enter the school at age 6 and graduate by the time they were 9 or 10 having advanced from the Entry level to the Bone Forging realm. It took children an average of 3 or 4 years to move across these 4 levels of martial warrior training. All the children running to school from the playing field were soon near the school gate where 2 Lion Guards stood. It was a strange sight, these 2 tall humanoid men standing at over 7 feet while donning golden armor and covered in red fur. The bodies of the Lion men looked human yet their heads were lion heads. They held huge red spears in their arms fitting the image of guards. Although they were supposed to look intimidating, one of them was snoring peacefully while the other was squatting on the ground looking bored as hell. These two Lion Men were Spirit Beasts. In the Zika world, there were many strange sights due to the presence of all manner of magical, spiritual and divine powers. It was not rare for animals to gain some sort of awareness and intelligence due to some magical opportunity. There were different types of beings in this category: Magical Beings, Beasts, and Creatures, Spirit Beasts, Demonic Beasts, Anima among others. The classification of these beings mainly depended on what their ¡®opportunity¡¯ was. Animals affected by magic could gain magical abilities and be referred to as magical beasts. As for Spirit Beasts and Demonic Beasts, they were polar opposites influenced by Spiritual Energy and Demonic Energy respectively. Spirit Beasts therefore had calmer temperaments similar to humans while Demonic Beast attributes corresponded with the characteristics of Demons. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The Sword Scar Continent and most other places in the Zika world had extremely strict Spirit Beast Protection Laws to allow harmony between humans and Spirit Beasts. The higher the intelligence of the Spirit Beast, the more humanoid they were and the more the law protected them. These rules however did not apply to Demonic Beasts which were far more aggressive due to the negative influence of Demonic Energy. Even after gaining intelligence, they would be far more bloodthirsty, sadistic, and cruel similar to evil humans and demons thus the relationship between them and humans was antagonistic. The 2 Spirit Beasts at the gate were Radi Muruthi [Thunder Lion] and Mwaki Muruthi [Blazing Lion] also known as the Thunder and Fire twins. They were famous for their Radi-Mwaki [Thunder-Fire] technique and Radi-Mwaki formation all over the village. This was the main reason they got the role of guarding the children at school. Afterall it wasn¡¯t uncommon for strange things to wander into the village. This world was full of the unknown. Between these 2 guards was Teacher Bine whom all the students were scared of. He stood there chatting with them but it was more like he was speaking to himself. As Mwana and the rest of the students zoomed past the gate, he gave them a deep glare looking ready to start giving a speech but no one gave him the chance. The little children¡¯s speed seemed to have multiplied several-fold despite how tired they were from the run. Chapter 24: Academy Schedule The view inside the academy was simple yet breathtaking, a perfect learning environment. In the center of the school compound was a large rectangular thatched hut that was open on all sides with red flame grass as the roof giving it a fiery orange color. This grass was not just a decoration as it could absorb and convert solar energy making it easier for the children to train. The main building itself was partitioned into several sections for the different classes. There was a purple tree outside the classroom building whose fruits could accelerate the students learning speed when prepared into juice by the Herbal teacher. To the right of the classrooms, there was a bridge over a small green stream with many species of colorful fishes swimming within. One could even see vague signs of Water Spirits that looked like transparent fish. The stream seemed to curve into a small pond behind the school where the head of the school lived. The Mermaid Head-teacher! However, it was just a rumor among the junior students that she was a mermaid who could take human form. In the morning, the students first had to meet up with the new physical instructor, Teacher Karaka. They would follow the school schedule which involved: Morning training ¨C physical training, running a marathon [endurance], Boulder Field kickboxing [strength], and Moon Blades Target Practice [precision]. They got onto the field track in on the other side of the school and started running. They had already warmed up from their previous Hook-ball game and running to school. The schedule continued with Mid-morning: Theoretical Classes and Mid-day: Technical Classes ¨C combat, energy manipulation, smithing and magic. This training would take place in school facilities such as the Drill Hall, Indoor Fitness Rooms, and Intensive Training Private Rooms. The schedule ended with Afternoon Classes involving Mental and Spiritual Training. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The Academy classes included subjects such as general studies, applied skills, and specific skills which was a class where one was appointed a mentor to learn a specific skill of their choice. At least with these 3 classes, even a kid like Pendo who could not learn martial arts could acquire useful skills. Mwana himself had an art mentor who was actually Jua Urembo herself. After the morning training, he passed by her small office which was in the form of a hexagonal hut to check on his art supplies. However when Urembo asked him about the painting he was working on, he couldn¡¯t help but sheepishly dodge the question remembering his deal with the old man. At least he gained a good sword out of it. Apart from the art lessons, Mwana was also in a sewing and embroidery class to further sharpen his skills. He quickly gave an excuse and ran to start his Mid-Morning classes. The lesson the children of Mwana¡¯s age would be attending was Martial History. The teacher for this class was a middle aged man who was always wrapped in long green robes and had pierced ears hanging down almost to his shoulders due to the weight of his earrings. They were large and wooden earrings. In addition, he wore multicolored necklaces with many small beads that were even brighter than anything any of Mwana¡¯s aunts wore. His hair was short and he had a square head with small eyes that made him look as if he was perpetually squinting. Mwana had never seen this man smile in his life! Naturally, this teacher was the younger brother of Jua Ugumu. Just like his older brother, Jua Maadili possessed a ¡®hard¡¯ and no-nonsense personality. He was very successful as he owned a large potato and cattle farm in the village and his time teaching at the school was just voluntary work. For his experience in this field, he taught other social studies apart from history such as geography, agriculture, and religious studies. When the he came in, the students were already in their seats and Mwana was busy rubbing in the loss of Maji¡¯s team and making fun of him. The teacher immediately called him out in a dry drawn out voice without mentioning Maji 1 who was also speaking back. Mwana always thought this teacher had ¡®beef¡¯ with him since he always picked on him. Chapter 25: RAT As the students were seated waiting for Maadili to start his boring lesson, what he said next surprised them. "Put away everything on your desks, there will be a test today." On hearing this, all the students started perspiring. Some were complaining but on seeing Maadili''s ''hard'' face, everyone knew nothing could move him. They hadn''t even settled down yet they were already getting a Random Assessment Test (RAT). The class representative, a mousy kid nicknamed ''Combined Harvester'' for his insatiable gluttony, quickly distributed rectangular stone tablets to each student. These 12 inch tablets were different from ordinary sheets, scrolls or books. The teacher simply had to use a ''Write Skill'', a Rank 3 Magic Spell, to transfer the RAT questions from his mind to the tablets. And after the test was over, the content on the stone tablet could be deleted unlike with scrolls and books. Seeing the RAT questions, many students felt a deep sense of hopelessness. The test was no joke! Maadili really lived up to his reputation as a ''hard'' teacher. 1. Name and describe the 10 spirits of the body and 2 spirits of nature "I can only name 4 or 5!" The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. 2. Give the names of the three great nation''s superior armies "At least I know this one!" The second question was a breath of fresh air for most students as it involved the general history of the Sword Scar continent. The entire continent was comprised of 21 nations: 16 Small Nations attached to 3 Great Nations and 2 isolated nations. Each of the 3 Great Nations had a superior army: The Order of the Black Knights, The Demon Suppression Army, and Poseidon''s Navy. Unlike small nations like the Kingdom of Toro, the military power of the 3 great nations put them at the level of hegemony. It was said that in these superior armies, even the lowest level soldier was a High Rank Crystal Warrior of at least the 7th level and their strongest had already surpassed the 9 ranks of Crystal warriors entering another unknown tier of strength. 3. Explain the relationship between the Kingdom of Gold and the kingdom of Darkness among the 3 great nations. "Ah, these are easy, wheew." Mwana started feeling as if the test was simple but it turned out he had rejoiced too early! 4. Explain 10 major contributions of the human emperor 5. Discuss with detailed examples at least 5 fundamental meanings of each line in the true spirit canon 6. Write an essay discussing the thematic relevance of Petals of Blood in contemporary society [at least 500 words] "5 minutes left!" Maadili''s croaky voice came in at the worst possible time breaking the student''s already messy concentration. Some were trying to write the essay so fast that their fingers were shaking from pain yet the minutes kept counting down. "Why is time moving so fast today?!" Chapter 26: Is this a test for 9 year olds!
  1. Analyze the benefits and weaknesses of each route of the sun and moon arts
  2. Differentiate between the following aspects of the soul: Soul DNA (Essence Soul), Soul Origin (Origin Soul), Soul Flame, Soul Core and Soul Root.
¡°What is this?! This isn¡¯t a test you should be giving to 9 year olds!¡±
  1. Describe the martial path. Provide an in-depth analysis of the following paths with respect to the way of the warrior: - Indomitable Will, Sovereign Ruler, Paragon Ascension, Destruction, Just Payments, Illusory Obsession, Fate Reversal and Dream Desire.
¡°Aaah, I give up!¡± Many sighs could be heard across the class room and some students completely gave up and leaned back on their chairs. Others like Cheza were busy trying to steal a peek at other students¡¯ answers but Teacher Maadili was eyeing them like a hawk. There would be no cheating under his watch. Mwana could barely answer half the questions in this test and he knew most would be far worse than him. ¡°As for the second part of [Question 9], I only know Illusory Obsession ¨C the obsession that truly remains in the mind. As for the rest, I¡¯ll just guess off their names. I hope the naming is accurate and not just made up words to seem powerful or amazing, otherwise I¡¯ll done for!¡± he sighed to himself after considering his thoughts. Although almost everyone understood the basics of the martial path: ¡°a path is a state of mind built off personality and experience,¡± it was still something too vague for these young children to comprehend. Even adults did not really understand it. The martial path could be said to be comprised of one¡¯s experiences, dreams, desires, trials, and martial arts. It was the equivalent of a personal law. ¡°A path is both real and not real. It materializes by funneling one¡¯s persona and experiences on a mental, physical and spiritual scale, into one direction that leads to one¡¯s Core Power.¡± These words had been passed down for thousands of years from the Human Emperor, Sanaan Jin-Fire. Indeed charting the path forward for human martial artists was one of his great contributions [RAT Question 4]. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Alright, time is up. Everyone place your tablets on the table and stand up.¡± Maadili did not even give the students an extra second. Some children stood up while trying to continue writing but with a swipe of his wrist, a strange wind collected all the tablets as they flew into his arms. He did not even ask the class representative to collect them as if he feared that it would be too slow and give some students an few extra seconds. ¡°What a petty man. Even using magic for this?¡± That¡¯s what the students collectively thought. What followed after Maadili took the tablets was a series of ¡°Fail, fail, fail,¡­¡± and endless scolding. It wouldn¡¯t take long for someone of Maadili¡¯s levels to mark all the tests. As expected, the results were atrocious. ¡°Come receive your results one by one,¡± With Maadili¡¯s words, the students could all expect a serious scolding. ¡°How do you expect to pass the village Martial schools interviews with these types of results¡± When it was Maji 1¡¯s turn, he was endlessly berated. Maji 1¡¯s father had always been friends with Maadili so the latter promised to provide his son with ¡®special attention¡¯. Naturally, no student would be too happy receiving extra attention from a teacher even if it was for their own good. Hearing Maji 1 get chewed out, Cheza couldn¡¯t help snickering to Mwana, ¡°Maji thought that the teacher would lick his ass just because they ¡®talk¡¯ haha.¡± However, his joy at other¡¯s misery was quickly cut off as Maadili caught his grin off the side of his eye and called him next. Although Maddili was being hard on the students, it was for a good reason. For these nine year olds, they would be graduating within the year after surpassing the third level. At that point they would have to join a Martial school in the village if they wanted to go further in martial arts. However unlike the Academy which was government-run education in not just Jua village but the Kingdom of Toro as a whole, Martial schools were independent organizations. Invigilators from each school would come and observe the students to choose the best out of all of them. Depending on one¡¯s talent and expertise, students could be picked by different schools after going through a series of tests to show their value. These included tests such as a written test, smithing test, farming test involving knowledge of spiritual herbs, hunting test, Sun and Moon Arts test, affinity and bloodline test, spiritual talent test and a dangerous test involving hunting demonic beasts and demonic warriors. Chapter 27: Invincible in the Night After Maadili¡¯s class, the students still had to sit through four more classes before their lunch time break. Luckily for them, apart from Teacher Bine and Maadili, the Academy did not have many strict teachers. Some of them even allowed the students to self study. As Mwana was coming from one of the outdoor classes, he noticed that something precious was missing from his desk. ¡°Has someone taken my book?¡± It was a book titled ¡°Invincible in the Night.¡± However after repeatedly asking, no one answered him. ¡°Who stole my book?!¡± At this point he was getting angry and exasperated. The book was very important to him as he had received it from his father. The book was a traditional hero¡¯s journey that included a lot of knowledge such as Crystal Warrior classifications, various sword styles around the world, the journey of a hero, and a unique adventurous story. There were even sequels in the series, Book 2: ¡°Across the Stars¡±, Book 3: ¡°The Tired Journeyman¡±, and Book 4: ¡°The End of the Road or a New Beginning ¡°. It had launched a successful book franchise. The author of this series, going by the simple name Funga, was rumored to be a great warrior who had long surpassed the highest level of Crystal warriors. However, it wasn¡¯t the book¡¯s illustrious origins that made it important to Mwana. It meant much more to him as it was the last gift he ever received from his father. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Please, please return it.¡± Mwana was very angry but he held his emotions back begging for whoever took the book to return it. ¡°If you have it, if you know it¡¯s you, don¡¯t be a thief. Just return it. Why ignore when it¡¯s with you.¡± However he got no response. Even when he got Cheza, Nyaga, and his other friends to help him search other people¡¯s desks despite their protests, he still couldn¡¯t find it. Even when he had gotten to Maji 1¡¯s desk, the main suspect in Mwana¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t find anything. Although Maji 2 was in the same class, he was a more straightforward character unlike the two-faced Maji 1. Mwana asked Maji 1 whether he took the book several times, ¡°Maji did you take it?¡± ¡°What! Didn¡¯t you refuse to lend it to me when I borrowed it? Don¡¯t blame me for everything.¡± Two more classes came and went before the lunch break and by then Mwana was in an extremely foul mood. He decided to go to the resident witchdoctor in class. The kid¡¯s title as a witchdoctor was not for show as he was the son of genuine witchdoctor. Even though he was the same age as Mwana, Jua Motikatika was already a 3 Star Rank 2 Magician. The Star System represented Magic Capacity while Ranks represented Magic Knowledge and a Magician¡¯s Skill. In terms of magical knowledge and skill, the first five ranks were Magic Pupil, Magic Student, Magic Teacher, Magic Master, and Magic Grandmaster. Most of the students were only at the Magic Pupil level or were simply Un-awakened Magicians who couldn¡¯t even use a simple spell unassisted. As for the teachers, they were only at the Magic Teacher level. A 9 year old like Motikatika having already reaching the Magic Student level made him a magic prodigy! Chapter 28: Jua Motikatika The Star System had 9 stars in total. A 3 star mage could be said to posses the innate capability of casting rank 3 spells as long as they have the knowledge. On the other hand, a 2 star mage who was also a rank 3 magician would not have the magical capacity to sustain rank 3 spells. These types of mages whose knowledge and skill exceeded their magic capacity would use things like magic crystals, wands, magic staffs, potions, etcetera to supplement their magic power and boost their magic levels. When it came to magic, it was harder to increase one¡¯s magic capacity compared to magical knowledge but most magicians would try to advance them at the same time. Only a few monstrous geniuses were born with their magic capacity already high. When it came to Mwana, he only had a low level 2 star magic capacity at the time. It was better than those with 1 star magical capacity but nowhere enough to make him talented in magic. As for his magic rank, he was just a Magic Pupil like the rest of the students. As the class¡¯ resident witchdoctor, Motikatika was always ready to lay down a curse at any time as long as there was a valid reason and he received a request. ¡°There is someone who will lay an egg here today, haiya!¡± Some people thought he would first say some convincing words to get the thief to confess but he had already started pulling strange things from his sack to start the spell. ¡°Let¡¯s do this pronto, I must make someone lay at least 3 chick-, no! at least 4 chicken size eggs today!¡± Although he genuinely enjoyed setting up curses, it also seemed like this was a form of training for him too. His limit had always been 2 chicken sized eggs. A lot of the children were already excited watching him lay out the strange things including feathers, chicken legs, a ball of fur, some ugly plants and even weird bones. While Witchdoctors and Magicians both used the same source of power, the means they used it was different. Witchdoctors as their names suggested, were a cross between Witches and Doctors thus they had much stranger and weirder methods. Their medical knowledge was also extremely high rivaling that of Healers, Medicine-men and Herbs-men. In comparison, magicians could be said to be those who used magic in a standard and by the book manner. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Jua Motikatika, in particular was a strange boy. He wasn¡¯t originally from Jua village. He was a ¡®seedling¡¯ his father left behind when he was frolicking while travelling around the Kingdom of Toro. For the first five years of his life, his father never knew of his existence. He was born in Mrogi village which was a strange place rumored to have contact with ogres, the Amanani. Motikatika had been promised to an ogre when he was young probably due to his high magic capacity which would make him a delectable snack for the Amanani once he grew further. After that ¡®promissory ceremony¡¯, both sides of his head were shaved and he was branded with the ogre¡¯s mark granting him some of its abilities but also acting as a tracking device. The ogre¡¯s power within him would act as fertilizer in a farm boosting the growth of his magic so that the ogre would have a bountiful feast once it found him in the future. Luckily for him, his father had found out he had a son through divination and taken him back to Jua village. At that time Motikatika was just 6 years old. He always wore a set of large beads around his neck which worked to counteract the ogre¡¯s tracking spell. This was not a weak Ogre like what Jua Waya faced but a powerful high-ranked Amanani, the Two-faced Ogre prince. After laying out the items in a star-shaped formation, Motikatika started chanting. Seeing things get serious, the culprit had no option but to come forward quickly to avoid falling victim to the witchcraft. Chapter 29: Cockroach! The culprit stood up and interrupted Motikatika. On seeing who it was, Mwana already expected it, ¡®this snake!¡¯ As expected, Maji 1 was the culprit who stole the book. ¡°Maji did you take it? I kept asking yet you played the idiot?¡± Mwana was so incensed that he immediately started screaming at Maji 1. ¡°Playing the idiot? Who¡¯s the idiot you leech?¡± Throwing back the book aimlessly, Maji 1 did not seem perturbed at all by Mwana¡¯s anger as he replied with a smile on his face. Naturally he was aiming at Mwana¡¯s sore spot. Mwana''s family was basically the poorest in the village after his father¡¯s death. The cost of treating his mother and sister¡¯s sickness as well as his uncle¡¯s injury was a bottomless financial pit. With those words, the conflict had already started. Mwana proceeded to call Maji 1 a snake but the latter shot back even more viciously, ¡°What do you know you yapping leech? People like you are the reason my uncle couldn¡¯t marry a second wife haha. Now we have to hear him cry about it all the time at home. Your family is just a bunch of useless freeloaders in the village. And so what if your uncle is a veteran? Which family doesn¡¯t have a veteran? Even your mother is just useless and isn¡¯t active in the village, and you? You are just a low-level con man!¡± Maji1 1¡¯s nasty statement was followed by the entire class exclaiming. ¡°Weeeeey!¡± ¡°Eish!¡± ¡°Maji 1, stop it you are going too far!¡± ¡°Why is he provoking Mwana so much today when he is the one in the wrong?¡± "Fishy." Maji 1 was known for being extremely pretentious. He was always smiling amiably while plotting behind the scenes so it was not surprising to hear him speak in that manner. However, he was obviously taking things a notch higher so as to rile Mwana up. This fellow reminded people of a cockroach, slow at times but fast when it counts; annoying; seemingly harmless but secretly harmful. He was known for his two-faced snaky personality. His nature was like a cockroach terrorizing you at night. The whole situation reminded Mwana of a particular night when he went to hang up his sleeping covers only to hear some cockroaches scratching the door. Whenever he lit the light, they would scamper away and hide; but in the darkness, they would even overrun him under his blankets. For that entire week he only dreamt of these creatures. He would try to kill them as they entered the house as they were slow but they would suddenly accelerate when they reached the door and hide in the room. It could be said that in this world, his two most hated animals were snakes and cockroaches both which Maji 1 embodied. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Mwana shouted while flipping his desk. He walked over to Maji 1 as the latter stood up looking ready for a fight. It was then that his friends came to try and hold him back. Both Maji 1 and Mwana were being held up as they screamed at each other. Although Mwana smelled something fishy with Maji 1¡¯s sudden courage, he couldn¡¯t take insults to his family lying down. More than a few insults peppered the heated argument as words like ¡®idiot¡¯, ¡®prostitute¡¯, ¡®garbage¡¯, ¡®m*th*r******¡¯ , ¡®****s*ck*r¡¯, were thrown around. Even some insults too colorful for the ears of kids their age let alone coming from their own mouths, could be heard. ¡°You dare insult my mother!¡± Maji 1 was yelling back. He seemed more worked up now compared to his laid back attitude before but he soom clamed down again. ¡°You insulted my parents first, you rat!¡± ¡°You rat.¡± ¡°Yellow fever ****.¡± ¡°Yellow fever ****.¡± ¡°You, you!¡± ¡°You, you.¡± Indeed after calming down, Maji 1 found a way to aggravate Mwana even more by simply mirroring his words and actions. He was extremely insufferable. This was a type of way children would insult each other by repeating what the other person said in an extremely annoying and grating voice in order to mock them. ¡°The only reason you talk is so that your mouth doesn¡¯t stink,¡± Mwana was still letting insults fly and trying his best to escape his friends¡¯ grasp and attack Maji 1. Cheza chose the moment to remind Mwana to keep his cool, ¡°You give someone an emotional reaction and they will hold power over you.¡± However, Mwana could not stomach an insult to his own mother. It was always an instant fight among boys whenever mothers were mentioned in an argument. ¡°He insulted my mother! No one can back down from a fight where one''s mother is smeared. A mother is Sovereignty! Let¡¯s see what gives him the confidence.¡± Although Mwana suspected Maji 1 had an increase in strength giving him a momentary high and boosting his confidence to instigate a fight with him, he could not back down. Immediately after his words, Mwana tossed down his right Moon bracelet before taunting Maji 1. ¡°Imbecile, stand up if you dare?¡± ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± Maji 1 asked with a smirk. In the Jua and Mwezi villages, the Moon Bracelets were a sign of belonging. Before a friendly spar, fighters would bump their bracelets together. However, in case of a conflict, tossing ones bracelet to the floor was considered issuing a challenge. In response, the challenged individual could also toss down their bracelet to accept the challenge. ¡°Why? Are you a coward?¡± To make sure Maji 1 would not refuse, Mwana even taunted incredulously, ¡°You are truly a coward aren¡¯t you? A true chicken.¡± Naturally the next instant, Maji 1¡¯s bracelet also hit the ground. ¡°Challenge accepted!¡± Chapter 30: New Classmate ¡°What is all the ruckus? All you brats sit down! Today you have a new classmate.¡± Immediately after the teacher walked in, he found the little critters arguing and making noise. Apart from Mwana and Maji 1 who were arguing, the rest of the class was just as lively with many of the kids chatting away and moving around making the class seem like an evening market. After everyone scrambled to their seats, they got more curious about the new student. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s a girl, a beautiful one.¡± ¡°Ew, you pervert!¡± ¡°Pervert! What? No!¡± The little boys and girls had already started chattering away again about the new student making the teacher feel helpless. However, a cough from him was enough to shut them up again. ¡°Come in.¡± As everyone looked to the doorway, what appeared before their eyes was a sight they would never forget. Although it might be exaggerated, it was indeed a moment out of a million. Time seemed to have slowed as the new student walked in step by step. ¡®Tap, tap, tap.¡¯ The children¡¯s mouths were agape seeing this character that seemed to belong in legendary fairy tales. The most noticeable thing about this person was their eyes. They were a deep black but as soon as the sun shone on them, they appeared a turquoise blue as if an optical illusion. On seeing those eyes, Mwana was lost in them and he couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Kia.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The entire class was silent as their new classmate¡¯s beauty was simply indescribable. Kia, as Mwana called her, was wearing a golden concave shape crown with golden threads and pins hanging over her forehead. Her long thick black hair was held together by a golden pin. In terms of clothing, she was dressed in a black dress with a pattern of crisscrossing golden threads. Additionally, she wore necklaces with gold, blue, red, and white beads as well as large white earrings. Her skin color was even darker than Mwana seeming extremely regal surrounded by the gold adornments. Glittering light seemed to ripple over her skin whenever the sun shone past her giving her a fairy-like look. None of the students could look away. Some of the students felt like they were meeting their favorite celebrity musician while the others were lost in dreams of marriage. Apart from Mwana, everyone else was lost in their own fantasy world regarding Kia. Mwana was still intensely observing this girl he had not seen in about 2 or 3 years. His heart was racing like a train engine as he observed her from her head to her feet. Although Kia¡¯s feet were bare without any shoes, there seemed to be a thin invisible layer between her feet and the ground. ¡®Tap, tap, tap.¡¯ As she walked, not even a single speck of dust touched the bottom of her feet. Even the teacher was impressed. He could tell that as the girl walked, her every step seemed to utilize each and every one of the 650 skeletal muscles of the human body creating a minute rippling effect on her body that was imperceptible to the common folk. Only those who had a keen and trained vision could perceive this marvel. Apart from the teacher, none of the students even had a clue that this girl whose beauty they were lost in, possessed an incredible martial spirit. ¡°It really is her, Kia, Jua Malkia!¡± The new classmate was her; a girl Mwana had dreamt of constantly. He still could not forget how he met her and his antics whenever he was around her. It had already been 2 or 3 years but those memories brought him both joy and embarrassment. Chapter 31: Memories of Kia As Mwana looked at Malkia, her eyes seemed to meet his causing his memories from when he was 6 years old to come rushing back. He had just been enrolled into the academy when he met Malkia. At that time, the Maji cousins had started bullying him for no reason with their dogs. ¡®We didn''t even know each other, ye t they had their dogs chase after me every time I went to and from school.¡¯ Mwana¡¯s memories of this time were not pleasant as he could not walk to the academy in peace. Even after telling his mother and her speaking to both the Maji cousins and their parents multiple times, the bullying did not stop. Mwana already expected his mornings to be filled with running from dogs until one fateful day. It had been the memorial of one of his distant aunts, Jua Sahau, a cousin of his father. On that day, his distant similar-aged cousin, Jua Fury Jin, came to the Jua village to celebrate her mother with the family. Apart from her father, a new girl came along who Fury Jua called cousin. Mwana did not know her or recognize her as part of their family so he guessed she was related to Fury Jin¡¯s father instead of her mother who was the one from the Jua clan. It was on the same day of meeting Kia for the first time that the bullying stopped. As Mwana had been taking her on a village tour, the Maji cousins thought it was the best opportunity to bully and embarrass him. However, they were not prepared for what they experienced that day. At first when the dogs chased after them, Malkia ran away alongside Mwana. However, she ended up falling at which point she got extremely angry and tragedy ensued on the Maji cousins. Unlike Mwana who was still a bit weak at that age, Kia had the power to fight back. Both the dogs and the Maji cousins received a beat-down they would never forget. Even watching from the side, Mwana had never forgotten the savagery the Maji cousins experienced as they ran away bleeding like fountains. It was from watching that scene of pure violence, pure justice, and pure karma that Mwana first felt the early tingling of love in this life. He developed his first crush. From that day on, Mwana was never bullied by the Maji brothers again even after Malkia left the village and for that alone he was eternally grateful. While a tiger cannot change its stripes in Maji 1s case, the rest of the Maji cousins seemed to have mellowed out in general. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Although Kia stayed in the village for a few weeks, the day still came when she had to leave Jua village and go back home to Eastern Jin Nation. Mwana¡¯s memories of those few weeks spent with her were filled with happiness and some embarrassment. He still remembered how he sheepishly tried to seem taller by standing almost on his toes to boost his height as Kia was taller than him. However, the memories that stuck with him the most were the playful moments, the evening talks, and the time he almost confessed to her during an eclipse. ¡®Kia¡¯, seeing her again, Mwana could not help but sigh with a hint of hope. ¡®I won¡¯t miss my chance this time.¡¯ As Kia was joining the Academy, she could not help but think back to the home she had left behind. It was a huge change to make, moving from one country to another. For most of her life, she had been living in Eastern Jin Nation with her uncle and cousin. The Jua clan had other branches and villages outside the main Jua village. Out of the bigger villages, there was the Jua Tanga village also called the Wandering Sun village, the Jua Moto village also called Scorching Sun village and the Vunja Jua village also called the Breaking Sun village. Chapter 32: Eastern Jin Nation The Jua clan was part of the Jemedari tribe with the entire tribe having over 1 million tribesmen; and while everyone in the tribe spoke the Dari language, there was diversity in dialects and customs. Location was one of the reasons for this diversity as the tribe was spread across not just the Kingdom of Toro but the neighboring countries as well. There were also different bloodlines within the tribe such as the Mwezi clan, a clan of farmers whose ancestral lands bordered those of the Jua village. The Mwezi clan possessed stronger bodies because of the Celestial Moon Race bloodline flowing through their veins. Despite this, the clan chose farming as their profession instead of combat which disappointed many ¡®warmongers¡¯ in the country. The Breaking Sun village was the home of Jua clan members in the Eastern Jinfire Nation. This nation was named after Jin Fire or demonic fire but its name had an even grander origin. Jinfire was the name of the ¡®Human Emperor clan¡¯! The Human Emperor clan that lorded over all humans; the human emperor clan that resided on Purple Mist Star; the same Purple Mist Star that served as the Grand Moon of the Sunken Zika world! This purple planet illuminated the Zika world from an entirely different dimension. This had been confirmed a long time ago after some powerful magicians had attempted to fly across space to reach the illustrious purple moon but no matter how long and how far they flew and no matter how close it seemed, they never reached it. It was a in a wholly different dimension. Eastern Jinfire Nation also referred to as Eastern Jin Nation was named after this massive ¡®beast¡¯ in terms of reputation. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The nation was known to have a lot of demonic warriors due to an unstable gate to the Demon Realm existing there. This gate would constantly spout demonic energy and in some cases some actual demons and demonic treasures would come through the gate. This was both a blessing and a curse but mostly a curse. No amount of treasures could make the constant threat of demons palatable. The nation was also a coastal country connected to the Dream Ocean. As a result, there was a constant stream of foreigners from the Eastern continents arriving at the nation¡¯s coast despite the dangers. This made Eastern Jin nation an economic melting place in the entirety of the Sword Scar continent. However, Eastern Jin was separated from Toro by the Black Dragon Mountains which made travel between the two countries a hassle. There were only two passages between Eastern Jin and the mainland continent with one at the tail, at Dragon Spike which was a border between 3 nations. The other passage was at the Dragon head or the North Dragon location of the Black Dragon Mountains. The Dragon Head was in one of the 3 great nations instead of Toro thus it was much safer than Dragon Spike which was a perpetual warzone. There were also rumors of a secret passage in the form of tunnels that went through the mountains but this was otherwise unproven. As for going over the mountains, this was basically impossible as one could not climb over them due to the black thunder from the skies. This black thunder was also referred to as Dragon Thunder and was known for being extremely destructive. Even a powerful warrior in the Sky realm could be turned to ashes instantly. The second threat was the Dragon Hell-flame spewing from ¡®Hell Holes¡¯ in the mountains into the sky thus polluting the air and making it lethal to breathe. The scary black-red ash clouds would discourage any climber no matter their strength. Chapter 33: Fury Jua As everyone was lost in their own thoughts after Kia¡¯s introduction, a high-pitched voice brought them all back to reality, ¡°You guys are treating me as if I am air?¡± The speaker walked in behind Kia but unlike the latter¡¯s gentle footsteps that did not disturb the dust, the new character¡¯s steps felt like a threat in the ears of the students. It was a shirtless girl dressed in red shorts with a black skirt over the shorts. For children their age, there wasn¡¯t a notable difference between boys and girls yet. Even among adults, the culture of the Toro Kingdom did not view breasts sexually so it was not uncommon for women not to cover their chests. The girl that had just walked in was naturally Fury Jua. Her black eyes seemed to shine a deep crimson when the rays of the sun shone on her. These eyes were what granted her the nickname ¡®Red-eyed demon¡¯. Fury also had golden rings on her neck that looked like circular plates with the center hollowed out to fit over her head and neck. The 3 rings fit perfectly creating a concentric pattern with each of them bigger than the last. Further, the rings were so large that they reached all the way down to her diaphragm. It was not strange to view these rings as some type of breastplate or chest armor. Hearing Fury Jua¡¯s words, even the teacher was embarrassed, after all he had only mentioned a single new student. Malkia¡¯s aura and entrance had overwhelmed everyone. When all the students saw Fury, their memories were immediately triggered. This girl had actually gotten into a fight with almost 90% of the students in the class about 2 years prior. She had basically terrorized everyone there in one way or another: and it was not just the students in this class but all their age mates in the Kijani Age Group. Seeing everyone ignore her, Fury was already pouting with her cheeks looking puffier by the second. Mwana could already predict where this was going simply by observing the size of her cheeks. ¡°You guys dare ignore me? Do you know what my tribe¡¯s name is? Jin. Do you understand what that means?¡± Hearing her words, Mwana was already slapping his head, ¡®She¡¯s implying she¡¯s royalty?¡¯ Indeed while the authorities in Eastern Jin Nation claimed to be descended from the Human Emperor, the authenticity of these claims was unproven. Fury was indeed a Jin tribeswoman as that was her father¡¯s tribe while her mother was from the Jua clan. As a result of her mixed heritage, she took on both Jin and Jua as last names but even she was not firm on which name she used. She would interchange ¡®Fury Jin¡¯ and ¡®Fury Jua¡¯ sometimes on a whim, other times based on the circumstance. On hearing her words, the class¡¯ reaction was to be expected. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha.¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°She''s one of those, right?¡± Someone asked with a shocked expression. Clearly people who claimed to be royalty to feel superior were not uncommon. ¡°Jin right? Ha ha.¡± ¡°Delusional¡± ¡°Are you trying to be the emperors?¡± After one person commented, it opened the floodgates and together they gained the courage to criticize Fury. Naturally, Fury¡¯s current state could be predicted. Fury had lighter skin than both Kia and Mwana so at this point the blood on her face was clearly visible. She was tomato-red and her lips were shacking almost violently from her silent anger. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Cheza, what did you say?! I''ve marked you from now on.¡± She had already seen some of the people who were mocking her and Cheza, as one of the jokers, was naturally very easy to notice as he had been laughing recklessly. ¡°What! Why me alone, Maji 2 also said that you are delusional, didn''t you just hear him?¡± How could Cheza go down alone? Maji 2 who had only silently commented was also dragged into the mud. ¡°Ooh, Maji, how courageous. Ha ha''a.¡± On hearing Fury¡¯s menacing laugh when addressing him, Maji 2 felt a shiver down his spine. He couldn¡¯t believe that rascal Cheza would drag him into this, ¡°Cheza you bastard!¡± He almost felt ready to challenge Cheza to a fight the same way as his older cousin Maji 1 and Mwana. ¡°Maji what did you call me? Did you just insult my mother by calling me a bastard? You are seeking a beating!¡± In one sentence Maji 2''s words had already been misconstrued into ''insulting ones mother''. He almost could not believe his ears when he heard Cheza¡¯s rebuttal. Luckily, as he was about to blow his top, the teacher intervened, "Enough, shut up or all of you will be punished together, there is still a lot of construction work in the village, hmmm." The teacher was already fed up with these rascals scrambling about like rats and shouting around like parrots. He was fuming and his forehead was red from anger. One could almost see steam rising from it, a fire attribute warrior indeed. These children were treating him as if he was invisible and this all started when Fury walked in. He couldn¡¯t help but address her, ¡°Fury, it is your first day back in the village and you are already causing trouble? As for the rest of you, is this how your age group behaves?¡± Although Fury shut up, her little face still remained indignant. She clearly didn''t think she was wrong at all and she was definitely holding a grudge. As the teacher was about to assign temporary seats to Kia and Fury, the former walked directly over to Mwana. Mwana¡¯s heart was almost beating out of his chest seeing her walk over to him. Some of the children were already fantasizing of sharing a seat with her until they saw her walk towards Mwana¡¯s seat. All of them could not help but be jealous. When Kia reached him, she calmly greeted Mwana who could only reply to her greeting while stammering. It was a miracle that he managed to string together a sentence. Luckily, he still maintained enough thought to scoot over for her so that she could sit next to him. However, from the corner of his eye, he could see his classmates¡¯ different reactions. Most of them seemed surprised that Mwana even knew Kia while Cheza was snickering off in the corner laughing at Mwana¡¯s nervousness. As Mwana¡¯s best friend he clearly knew about his crush on Kia and he was somewhat friends with Kia himself over the weeks she spent in the village. Mwana also noticed Maji 1 steaming in jealousy out the side of his eye. On seeing that reaction Mwana could only think that, ¡®Maji 1 seems to have gotten a crush even after he was beaten up. Was he always a masochist?¡¯ However, Mwana did not entertain him and just chose to revel in Maji 1¡¯s stink eye. Anyway, he could not bother thinking about a rival like Maji 1 with Kia next to him as it was already hard to concentrate when her scent reached him. On seeing that Kia had already chosen her seat, the teacher dismissed Fury and told her to sit with someone she knew. Unlike Kia, Fury had already been to the village two or three times and knew many of the children in the same age group. The Jua village categorized age into Age groups and Age Sets. The children in this class were in the Kijani or ¡®Green¡¯ Age Group. Usually several Age Groups would make up an Age Set with a single Age Set spanning 20 to 30 years. The name of the Age Group could be added at the end of someone¡¯s name, for example: Jua Mwana Kijani or Jua Jana Kijani. Fury chose to sit down next to one of the girls, Jua Maisha. Despite her notoriety, she still had some friends in the village. Before sitting down, she made sure to give Mwana the ¡®I see you¡¯ eyes by pointing to her eyes with her fingers to which Mwana responded by rolling his eyes. Chapter 34: Myriad Dragon Bloodline After the class ended, Mwana planned to go and consult the Academy¡¯s vice-head regarding his bloodline awakening. Before he left the class, Fury came over and the two hugged for a long time. It had been over a year since they last saw each other and for children their age, a year or two was almost an eternity. It was enough time for them to forget how annoying they found each other and genuinely miss each other. ¡°See you later?¡± Kia questioningly said to Mwana who stammeringly replied, ¡°Yeah¡± as he left the class. He knew that they would see each other as Fury¡¯s father would arrange to live near Mwana¡¯s family household. As Mwana walked to the Vice head¡¯s office, he was joined by Cheza and Jua Damu. Both were also newly awakened in the past few months and had questions to ask thus choosing to discuss their bloodlines with the vice-head. Jua Damu was one of the 13 boys in Mwana¡¯s class. The meaning of his name was ¡®blood¡¯ and he lived up to it by wearing dark red robes 90% of the time. ¡°The old man sure is living comfortably,¡± Mwana commented when they got to the old man¡¯s office. The ¡®office¡¯ in this case was a straw hut at the edge of the school. There was a small forest garden near the hut and at the center of this garden was a small pond. After walking past the trees, Mwana and the other two boys found the old man fishing at the edge of the pond without a care in the world. Unlike the other teachers whose schedules were packed from morning to evening, the old man clearly had a lot of free time. He was dressed in white robes with black patterns. Besides that, he did not wear any shoes. As for his physical features, he was a typical old man with a thin frail-looking body, wrinkled face, sunken eyes, bald head, and a long white beard. The 3 boys first greeted him with a bow before sitting beside him around the pond. The vice-head had an amiable smile on his face suggesting that this was a good time to seek his advice. However, as they asked their questions, the old man kept deflecting and asking them about their daily antics. He was clearly bored and looking to liven up his day by hearing the children¡¯s stories. Eventually they got the old man to stay on topic, ¡°When it comes to Bloodline Affinity vs. Elemental Affinity, you ask which is more important, which takes precedence of the other? Well blood can be called the fundamental base of all things in the body! What could be better means of transporting natural energy than blood? Your blood circulates through every nook and cranny of your entire body. Every organ, every muscle, every bone, they are all connected by blood!¡± The boys found these words simple to understand and direct to the point so Mwana said with a nod, ¡°En, you really do have some knowledge old man. Over 60% of the human body is water with a lot of that being blood. Indeed to circulate energy in the body, blood has to be the most crucial thing!¡± The old man looked at Mwana strangely, he always felt as if Mwana treated him like an infant whenever they interacted. ¡°You just awakened yesterday? Stretch out your hand, let me see.¡± The vice-head asked Mwana. While Cheza and Duma came for advice, they had awakened their bloodline for a while now and were just looking for general advice to further advance their bloodline power and synchronize it with their martial practice as they edged closer to Bone Forging realm. It was Mwana who needed more specific advice. After the old man caught his wrist, Mwana could feel a powerful yet gentle energy pour into his body. It left him with a feeling of nakedness as if his entire body was being perused which immediately made him shiver. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Sigh, The Myriad Dragon Bloodline?¡± With a somewhat disappointed sigh, the old man guessed Mwana¡¯s bloodline. Although it was just a guess, with his level of expertise he was more than likely accurate. ¡°Sigh? Is it that bad?¡± Mwana asked with a concerned look on his face. The old man answered Mwana truthfully, ¡°It isn¡¯t bad but it isn¡¯t the best either especially with the combinations of Dragon bloodlines making up your Myriad Dragon Bloodline. Sometimes it is better to have one pure bloodline rather than a mixture. As you know, your father had the Bright or pure Sun Dragon Bloodline. It was very powerful and compatible with the Sun Divine Arts thus allowing him to improve in martial practice at breakneck speed. The Myriad Dragon Bloodline loses some of these advantages and there is something even worse! ¡± ¡°Worse! Old man, stop scaring me. What do you mean worse? ¡± Mwana slowly felt the joy at his bloodline awakening turning into pain. The old man kept explaining, ¡°Apart from the Sun Dragon Bloodline mixed in, I¡¯ve also sensed 2 more bloodlines in your Myriad Dragon Bloodlines and if I¡¯m not wrong, the other should be the Blood Dragon Bloodline!¡± On hearing that, Damu gave Mwana a strange look. Mwana himself looked deflated. He knew well of the Blood Dragon Bloodline. In the legends of legendary dragons, Blood Dragons were known for two things: their love for war and bloodshed, and their extreme gluttony and hunger. The Blood Dragon Bloodline encapsulated both these aspects. The first could be controlled but the second could not. Mwana knew for sure that his mother had aspects of the Blood Dragon Bloodline. This bloodline was one of the half-awakened bloodlines. The reason it would not usually fully awaken was because in its ¡®greed¡¯ the bloodline would siphon off energy and nutrients from the host. As a result, people with this bloodline were like bottomless pits. Most of the energy they accumulated would be absorbed and locked up by the bloodline making it harder to advance in martial arts. They would only be able to awaken it much later making their early path much harder. However, this was rewarded by greater strength in the later stages. Mwana only managed to awaken it as his bloodline was a mixture of the Sun Dragon, Blood Dragon and another unknown Dragon Bloodline instead of the pure Blood Dragon Bloodline. Compared to warriors, people who did not practice martial arts would be affected much more by the Blood Dragon bloodline leaving them in a perpetually weakened state. Although it was not the sole culprit, Mwana knew this was one of the reasons for his mother¡¯s health condition. The old man further explained the issue with Mwana¡¯s bloodline using Damu as an example, ¡°This kid Damu has a pure bloodline solely related to blood. His bloodline simply enriches his blood. It is a small thing but enough to put him in the top 10% of bloodlines. The Blood Dragon on the other hand is the exact opposite as it is gluttonous. It sucks up nutrients from the blood and after awakening, it gets even more gluttonous. The power it grants is incredible after awakening but the energy and resource consumption will double or even triple!¡± Hearing the vice-head¡¯s words, Mwana was almost despairing. His family was not rich. Where would he get double or triple the training resources? He was barely making it with what the village provided him! ¡°Old man, is there a way around this issue?¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s tone, the old man felt like he had scared him too much. He could also see Cheza giving him the eye from the side as if saying, ¡®soften the blow¡¯. ¡°Cough cough, of course there is a solution.¡± With a cough, he quickly put to rest some of Mwana¡¯s worries. Seeing calm return to Mwana¡¯s face, he smiled with a nod before continuing. ¡°The most direct method is to get to Blood Boiling as soon as possible. At Blood Boiling one has much more control of their blood. They can directly control how much energy and nutrients are absorbed into their blood. However, you don¡¯t have the resources to reach Blood Boiling so you should just skip the other levels and directly enter Blood Boiling.¡± ¡°Skip levels!¡± All the 3 boys exclaimed at the same time. Chapter 35: Weakness and Solution Seeing their shocked faces, the old man continued with a smug look, ¡°Yes, skip levels. You know warriors do it all the time, right? What are the 10 levels of martial training in Mortal Body Forging?¡± Cheza instantly replied with the 10 levels which were: 1. Entry Level, 2. Muscle Quenching , 3. Skin Hardening , 4. Bone Forging, 5. Tendon Strengthening , 6. Blood Boiling, 7. Organ Quenching, 8. Perception Domain, 9. Spirit Sense Awakening, and 10. Apex Level. ¡°Do you want to know an open secret?¡± The boys instantly pecked up their ears hearing the old man¡¯s words. ¡°Traditionally, Organ Quenching actually comes before Blood Boiling. In reality Blood Boiling is the 7th level not the 6th! After-all, the level gets its name from the Blood Boiling technique that allows warriors to excite their blood to a boiling state and multiply their power. This technique is harmful to internal organs that have not gone through the organ quenching process so why would Blood Boiling come after Organ Quenching? The answer is resources!¡± The 3 boys were mind-blown by the answer but it made sense. Since the beginning of time, internal organs could not be trained through martial arts so warriors would always have them as a weak point. This continued for eons and for a long time internal destruction martial arts that targeted internal organs were extremely popular as they could down even the most powerful warriors. However, this came to an end once a great medical researcher found a way to nourish and quench organs so as to protect them. This great medicine woman who had walked the earth numerous millennia ago went by the name Maisha, the same name as one of Mwana¡¯s classmates with the apt meaning of ¡®life¡¯. The medical method she theorized was later applied to martial arts. Therefore, Organ Quenching involved creating a permanent protective coating over internal organs that would act as a cushion protecting them from damage. A thin film of energy would be formed protecting these organs. However, every organ is different and varying resources, herbs, minerals, and skills were necessary for each of them. The brain, heart, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, nervous system, etcetera all had different requirements. As a result, Organ Quenching was one of the most expensive levels for a warrior to get through thus many warriors opted to go through Blood Boiling first. ¡°If it can be done with Organ Quenching, why can¡¯t it be done with Tendon Strengthening? After your Awakening Ceremony, you will likely reach Bone Strengthening in the next few weeks. You should then directly aim at Blood Boiling!¡± The old man went straight to the point and Mwana felt like he made a lot of sense. Immediately a heavy load was lifted off of his shoulders. However, before Mwana could sigh with relief the old man¡¯s next words almost made him vomit in anger, ¡°But those are just the big problems, you still have another weakness!¡± Mwana could only glare at the old man while thinking, ¡®why didn¡¯t you drop all the bad news at once!¡¯ The vice-head did not leave Mwana hanging and went on to explain, ¡°Your biggest weakness right now is that your Elemental Affinity which is thunder does not match your Bloodline Affinity of fire thus it will be more difficult for you to excite your blood and utilize your bloodline power.¡± Mwana understood this point very well because as soon as his bloodline awakened, he felt a boiling heat. Most dragons usually had a fire element affinity with a few having other elements as their affinity. In Mwana¡¯s case, the Sun dragon definitely had a high affinity for fire with light coming second. As for innate elemental affinity, this was the affinity one was born with. Once a warrior started training and absorbing natural energy, different people would be more inclined towards different elements. The reason the Sun and Moon Arts had 10 different forms was to accommodate the various elemental affinities. Usually these affinities fell within the 7 major elements or their variations: Earth, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, Light, and Darkness. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Mwana¡¯s elemental affinity was thunder thus his mastery over the Lunar Thunder Turn of the ¡®Sun and Moon Arts¡¯ was exceptionally high. This could be seen with how he utilized its techniques such as [Delayed Thunder Charge] and [Rushing Thunder Charge] in his fight against Uchoyo to great effect. The vice-head continued advising Mwana, ¡°If I were you, I would focus on your soul talent. You have something there kid.¡± To start fixing his issues, Mwana indeed understood that his strengthened soul was one of the solutions. His two strong points were his soul strength and his understanding of the way of the sword. The old man explained further, ¡°Spiritual sword techniques and the sword path could be your way out. While your sword talent is nowhere near your late father¡¯s, even a sliver of your father¡¯s sword talent is already a notch above most in the village.¡± Mwana did not take these words negatively as his late father had indeed been a true genius. He was the only Crystal Warrior to come out of Jua village in a long time. However, Mwana still pointed out to the old man that the spear was the main weapon on the battlefield while the sword was mostly a sidearm. Even Damu added that the spear was superior to the sword in combat. Cheza did not add anything but nodded to show his agreement. In the Zika world, spearmen usually trounced over swordsmen of the same level more times than not. Warriors mainly carried swords as side-arms for close combat and backup. However, the old man clarified that with enough talent and by reaching a level higher than your opponents, you could always beat those at a lower level but with a superior weapon. ¡°Rookie, Master, Grandmaster, Great-grandmaster and so forth; the path of a warrior is long. If you are a master swordsman, you can beat a rookie spearman. If the spearman is a master, you just need to be at a higher mastery of the sword. I know you might think it might be impossible to achieve martial arts mastery at a young age, but your father was already a grandmaster by the age of 15!¡± Mwana, Duma, and Cheza were shocked to hear this. Most martial arts grandmasters were old men past the age of 50. After all mastering martial arts was not the same as increasing their natural energy levels. It was more about skill and expertise. However, after thinking about it for a bit longer they realized that power level alone was not enough to be a Crystal Warrior. The tournament to fight for core discipleship of the tribe would weed out anyone who only possessed high energy levels but low skill level. Fighting strength and technique was just as important in becoming a Crystal Warrior. After seeing the look of realization on their faces, the old man gave himself a pat on the back for leading them on the right path. He then suggested a solution to Mwana. Mwana could go seek apprenticeship with the Sword Elder, the same man that had trained his father to reach the Grandmaster rank at 15! However, this elder was a recluse who did not bother to see or interact with anyone. While other people planted crops, he had a sword farm that visitors would have to go through in order to see him. When Mwana pointed this out, the vice-head elaborated saying that, ¡°Do you want to know a secret? That old man has been waiting for you.¡± Mwana was shocked at the revelation before asking, ¡°How do you know? I heard the old man never leaves his hut and no one can reach him.¡± The vice-head replied with a simple answer that made a bit of sense, ¡°What is so hard to understand? The same way you boys know all the gossip and secrets of other ¡®critters¡¯ your age even if you don¡¯t interact with them, we old people also know a lot about other oldies.¡± Chapter 36: Elemental Affinity vs. Bloodline Affinity ¡°However, if you choose the most common path of an elemental warrior, it will be hard. Even your secondary elemental affinities of water and wind make it almost impossible. There would still be a chance if your secondary affinity was fire to match your bloodline affinity.¡± Mwana felt deflated hearing this. It was good to have talent with the sword, but elemental affinity was still one of the most important bases for martial arts. He understood that while a person¡¯s primary affinity was the main element they were aligned to at birth, the secondary affinity referred to the elements one was second or third best at. The secondary affinity was usually determined by 2 major laws: the cycle of elements and the birth of the elements. On the first law, the cycle of the elements would start with earth, water then rested on earth, it would then connect to the air before rising and forming clouds and then it would strike down as lightning before being absorbed into the earth. Fire could be said to be buried by the earth on one end on the other end, wood would grow from the combination of the 4 elements of life [earth, water, wind, and lightning] and while in contact with air, the wood would give rise to fire. As for the birth of the elements, it mainly depended on which elements resulted in the creation of another element. Usually ones secondary affinity was the elements adjacent to their primary affinity. As the vice-head explained it, ¡°If you have lightning as your primary affinity, your secondary elements will be air and water because that is what clouds are made off. If water is your primary, your secondary will naturally be earth and wind. For earth element affinity, the secondary would be water, fire, and in some rarer cases wind.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The old man¡¯s words were not new knowledge but still enlightened the 3 boys. On seeing the little boys looking more ¡®enlightened¡¯, the old man nodded in satisfaction. He had indeed fulfilled his role as a teacher today. ¡°Herein lies the question, what if your elemental affinities don¡¯t complement each other? What would be the result?¡± For this question, Damu who had been quiet most of this time took it upon himself to answer, ¡°If you have lightning and earth as elemental affinities, the earth will ground the lightning thus restraining it. Same for water and fire, these two elements restrain each other. In rare cases where one has earth and wind affinities, earth would hinder mastery of wind type spells and lightness skills. As for the extremely rare wood attribute, a secondary affinity for fire will make it hard to practice wood type healing techniques but fire type attack techniques will be even stronger as wood feeds fire.¡± ¡°Good, good, good!¡± The old man exclaimed with a smile, ¡°It seems you brats are not wasting your time in school.¡± He then asked while looking to Mwana and Cheza, ¡°Anything to add?¡± ¡°For earth and fire coexisting together, the earth will ¡®bury¡¯ the fire creating an oven like effect to ones techniques which delays them but eventually produces extreme heat. This type of warrior would be the strongest in fire attribute techniques and spells with their only weakness being a slight delay to their techniques.¡± This time, it was Cheza who replied. After listening to his answer, the old man also shared some of his own thoughts. For a time, the little pond turned into a debate space with the 3 boys and the old man bouncing ideas off each other and discussing hypothetical scenarios. Chapter 37: Lord Rank While the old man was obviously countless times more knowledgeable than these children, he did not look down on them. He understood that the minds of children were filled with endless ideas and their thinking was usually flexible and creative unlike adults whose thinking had long turned rigid and inflexible. As for the boys, they were all enlightened after listening to the vice-head¡¯s teachings. Their last class for the school day had already started yet they did not even notice the passage of time. After realizing how late it had gotten, they said their farewells to the vice-head and headed for class. However, before he left for class, Mwana who was still worried continued to ask, ¡°Affinity. When does it stop mattering elder?¡± He asked the question with hope. As someone without matching affinities, the elemental warrior path that a majority followed was not suitable for him. The old man stroked his beard before replying playfully, ¡°When you become a Lord.¡± ¡°Old man you are pulling my leg!¡± Mwana woke up to leave in a huff before adding, ¡°and return the things you borrowed!¡± While he was a vice-head at school, the old man was one of Mwana¡¯s neighbors. He also had a good relationship with Mwana¡¯s uncle, Jua Vumilivu. As a bachelor at his old age, the old man was known for borrowing essential items. He had borrowed an old special wine gourd and even a unique rocking chair that lessened back pain from Mwana¡¯s family along utilities like salt and sugar. With a pout that did not seem to fit his age, he replied to Mwana, ¡°Kid you are too two-faced. Aish.¡± However, Mwana had already left following Damu. Cheza on the other hand was chuckling and made sure to leave a parting sentence for the old man, ¡°Everyone knows when you owe someone you should do your best to flatter them.¡± Mwana walked towards the next class while huffing and puffing. He was right to be mad at the old man for his ¡®joke¡¯. ¡®How far is the Lord rank! To actually make a joke like that!¡¯ Using the village warrior ranks as an example, the Lord rank was 7 ranks away from Mwana¡¯s current rank. These ranks were: Junior Warrior, Intermediate Warrior, Senior Warrior, Young Elder, Core Elder, Senior Elder, and finally the Grand Elder. In a simplified manner: - Junior Warrior: Level 1 to 3 of Mortal Body Forging. Mwana was only a Level 3 Junior Warrior. - Intermediate Warrior: Level 4-6 - Senior Warrior: Level 7-9. Warriors above the 7th level could use Bloodline Magic such as Beast Transform. - Young Elder: These were warriors at the 10th level, the Apex of Mortal Body Forging. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. - Core Elder: Earth Rank warriors ¨C these were the strongest fighters in Jua village and considered beyond mortals. They had completed forging the Mortal Body and entered the Earth Rank. There were only a few warriors of this caliber in Jua village. - Senior Elder: Sky Rank ¨C they could be counted on one hand in Jua village. Apart from the Chief and a few extremely old men, Mwana did not know of other villagers in this rank. - Grand Elder: Void Rank ¨C this was the highest rank an ordinary warrior could achieve in the Zika world. There was only one person of such strength rumored to exist in Jua village, the Sword Elder. However, he was living in secret and whether his strength was at that level was unverifiable. The Lord rank only came after the Void Rank! The Void Rank was already a myth by itself so what of the Lord Rank. In the Kingdom of Toro, Mwana did not even know if there was an expert of that caliber. After all, the rank of a Lord meant that one had enough power to lord over a region of a continent. It was the power of rulers not warriors! Even Crystal Warriors were still warriors. However, a Lord was someone who had far surpassed the mere classification of a warrior, a foot soldier, and they had risen to the ranks of Rulers! As far as Mwana understood, the ordinary martial ranks in the Zika world were: Mortal Body, Earth Body, Sky Body, and Void Body. For children his age, they were just in the third level of the first rank of Mortal Body Forging. Mwana also understood that Crystal Warriors had slightly different ranks. Specifically, an extra rank involving Solid Body Casting was added to prepare the body for Crystal Infusion. This was because an unprepared body could even explode because of the high energy contained in Crystals. The rest of the ranks remained the same as other ordinary warriors. The only difference was that Crystal Warriors would be much more powerful and advance much faster due to the Crystals embedded in their bodies. The Crystals basically made them walking batteries unlike ordinary warriors of similar rank who would still have to rely on external natural energy. The Crystal Warrior Ranks were: Mortal Body, Solid Body [1-3 Crystals], Earth Body [4-6 Crystals], Sky Body [7-9 Crystals], and Void Body [Crystal Fusion/Fusion Core]. A Lord was therefore someone who had surpassed a Fusion Core level Crystal Warrior! Mwana threw the old man¡¯s comment to the back of his mind to save his blood pressure and focused on the solutions. First, he could take the old man¡¯s advice and seek the Sword Elder¡¯s help. Second, he could seek apprenticeship under the Shrine Master. If Mwana wanted to pursue pure soul training, he could look to the village shrine or temple. The shrine was headed by a Shrine Master while the temple was headed by the Village Priest. These two were part of the three spiritual pillars of the village. Apart from those two, the village also had a Master of Ceremonies whose responsibility was to oversee births, initiation ceremonies, marriage ceremonies, funerals, and memorials. He was the last of the village¡¯s three major religious leaders. Out of the three, one of them was rumored to be one of the most powerful people in the village with their soul power rivaling the physical might of the strongest village elder. There were also other minor spiritual figures such as diviners, rainmakers, fortune tellers, and spiritual masters whom Mwana could seek teaching from with regards to matters of the soul. Chapter 38: Once the Strongest Man in the East Going back a few hours, the night of Mwana¡¯s awakening might not have been anything special in the Jua village but a shocking event that could shake the entirety of the Kingdom of Toro took place that same night. However, this world-changing event went unknown to the majority of people. Whether it was the ordinary civilians or even high officials, they were none the wiser. 2 hours before Midnight¡­ On this rainy night somewhere in the South Central region of the Sword Scar continent, an old man with a lamp in hand was looking out the window of his hut. While the heavy rain did not interrupt his writing, something else had caused him to put down his pen. This old man was dressed in green robes made out of reeds from the lake. He was very thin with his eyes sunken to the point where he looked emaciated. As he looked out the window at the rain, the old man, Mwenda-Kasi, sighed to himself, ¡°How time passes. Are we all nothing before the flow of time?¡± After putting away his writings, the old man left his home. Outside the hut, the sky was as dark as the abyss with large clouds moving to cover the entire region. The rain tapped on the lone hut with a pitter-patter but none of it fell on the old man. Looking from above, this hut was the only house in this region with the region itself being a small island. There was neither a bridge nor a boat from this lonely island to the outside world. However, Old man Kasi simply walked from his hut and across the water as if he was gliding. Even when the rainfall intensified, it did not hinder him as he continued to walk across the lake water with his hands behind his back. A wall of rain moved towards him but it did not faze him. ¡°The rain tonight¡­it seems that even the sky is crying.¡± There was so much rain that the sound it made when it hit the lake blurred into a long, whistling noise as if the cries of a ghost; it was the cry of nature. Only a few seconds passed but despite his slow pace of walking, the old man already arrived on dry land. As soon as he arrived, he saw a huge white bird descend from the sky. On its back was a middle-aged woman, a tall muscular dark-skinned man, and 2 young boys who looked exactly alike. The 2 boys looked around 11 or 12 years old and were clearly identical twins each of them having long hair but with their heads shaven at the sides. They were both dressed in thick and warm purple blankets. As for the burly man, he had a more traditional look and was only dressed in animal hide. The strange thing about all 6 beings at the scene including the bird was that the rain did not touch them. Even stranger, the rain was not deflected by some type of energy barrier but naturally flowed to the side as if that was its original path. ¡°Did you hear it?¡± It was the old man who asked this question. ¡°Yes.¡± The response came from the middle aged woman and was accompanied by a sigh. This middle-aged lady was dressed unlike others in Toro as she was wearing Eastern silk. Her hair was also white, thick and lock-ed. The locks were tied in a neat bundle and covered under a headscarf. The words that had brought all of them hear were, ¡®It is time.¡¯ These words were uttered by a voice filled with power but also endless vicissitudes. The voice felt as if it came from ancient times. This place that they had landed at was also an island named Sese Island. However, this island was much larger than the one the old man came from. It was almost as big as an entire province. Off in the distance, the 5 individuals could see blinking lights, the sign of a town. In a flash, the 5 had already covered dozens of kilometers arriving at the town gates. These gates did not have any guards and were left wide open so that anyone could walk in. The town itself had the standard village design instead of an official town design. Its walls were still made of sticks, logs, and vines instead of the rock or even steel walls that most towns had. One could tell that this town was simply a village that had grown too large due to time and prosperity. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. As everyone walked into the town, they saw people running for cover from the rain. The clouds seemed extremely aggressive today as they spat out pails of water onto the town. The ground was filled with puddles while the roofs of the houses were soaked wet. However, one could tell that the town itself would have looked like a beautiful Southern village if not for the rain. While the walls were only made of wood, they were reinforced from the inside with whitewashed stone that looked exceptionally beautiful even at night. It was a true ¡®beauty is on the inside'' scenario. The streets were lined with dim lamps with the light refracting everywhere due to the heavy rain. There were many small houses scattered everywhere separated by small streets and water drains. Although the outer edges of the town were a bit disordered, the town got more organized towards the center with the buildings getting larger. This small town and the island it stood on was the origin of Toro. Unknown to most people, this was also where the future of Toro and the entire Sword Scar continent would be decided on this night. At the very center of the town and surrounded by tall trees, was a grand compound filled with several buildings. At the very center of these buildings was an ordinary commoners hut. This hut was the destination of the 5 people. On reaching the hut, there were already other people kneeling inside the hut. The small hut had upwards of 20 people crammed in it. The 5 were immediately welcomed into the hut by an old woman who seemed as if she was bosom friends with death itself. She was that old! In the middle of the hut was a bed covered by heavy purple and lavender-colored blankets. These blankets bundled up an extremely old man that seemed on his last breath. He was extremely thin with his bones and joints almost sticking out like a porcupine. His eyes were open but seemed empty as they had been hollowed out by time. His face was full of wrinkles to the point of looking like ocean waves. However, despite how he looked, his body naturally released enormous pressure that kept everyone on their knees. It was not that the dozens of people in the hut were kneeling by choice! Although they would have still kneeled out of respect, it was the old man¡¯s aura that compelled them to kneel. ¡°Forgive me everyone. Even my aura is out of my control now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, father!¡± the middle-aged woman immediately replied while already shedding tears. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, my King!¡± At the same time the old man, Kasi, cried out as well. Although he had a stern face on the way here, he immediately broke down after seeing his king¡¯s present state. ¡°Kato my son, come closer.¡± The old man stretched his frail hand towards the door. Everyone else made way as the 5 people moved towards the old man. It was only when they arrived while still in a kneeling position that one of the twin boys took the old man¡¯s hand. This young boy of 11 or 12 was also shedding tears like a fountain. ¡°Father.¡± Despite all the words stuck in his chest, the word ''father'' was the only thing he could say. His heavy emotions made it almost impossible to talk. ¡°Now now don¡¯t cry,¡± the old man said while patting Kato¡¯s head. At the same time his eyes moved to the second twin who had also arrived at his bedside. ¡°Wasswa, I hope you understand.¡± The old man said with a sigh while patting the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mmm,¡± the second boy replied calmly, he was clearly the less emotional of the twins. These two boys were the old man¡¯s youngest children. He was exceptionally fond of them as they had been conceived in his old age. Today, the old king had a declaration; one that he knew was probably his last. ¡°Kato, in front of all your siblings, uncles, aunts, and followers, I now confer you the King of Muwawa.¡± As Kato kneeled before the old king¡¯s bed surrounded by his siblings, such a shocking declaration was made! However, no one in the room was shocked as if they had expected it but if this was said anywhere else, the situation would be different. What did the ¡®King of Muwawa mean?¡¯ Over a century ago, there had been 4 Great Nations in the Sword Scar continent instead of the 3 currently existing ones. Muwawa had been the fourth Great Nation! Who was the old man to confer such a heavy title? This old man was the former ruler of Muwawa; the Ruler of the 4th Great Nation. He was a man who once bore heavy titles such as [the Strongest Man in the East] and [Kagona, the Dragon of the Central Plains]. As the King of the East, Kagona had been a True King who surpassed the Lord Level. He had ruled for almost 200 years but in his waning years, he was injured in war and what followed was sickness and weakness that led to his country breaking apart. Muwawa split into 4 larger nations and 7 minor nations with the Kingdom of Toro as one of the larger nations split of from this former titanic nation. Chapter 39: The Great Declaration The 4 larger nations split from Muwawa were: Butterfly Country [Pepeo], the Land of Enlightenment [Uono], the Nation of Calling [Wito], and the Eternal Night Kingdom [Toro]. Of these 4 countries, Uono had taken refuge under one of the 3 Great Nations, The Golden Kingdom, while Toro obviously had ties to the Dark Kingdom going by its name alone. Apart from these four, there were other smaller lands such as Madi, Kiziba, Buddo, among others. The Kingdom of Toro was the largest of the 4 larger nations split from Muwawa. Toro was under the leadership of the former renegade Prince Bemba, Kagona¡¯s own younger brother. It was Bemba who had led a rebellion against his own brother seeking the help of one of the 3 Great Nations, the Dark Kingdom, to oust Kagona. If not for the help of the Dark King Kunguru, a King level combatant and one of the 3 strongest generals in the Dark Kingdom, Kagona would have never been injured even in his old age. As expected, the glory of Muwawa and Kagona was obfuscated in Toro with Kagona¡¯s accomplishments purged from the records and his reputation smeared under Bemba¡¯s reign. Some of the 3 Great Nations went as far as to praise the breaking away of Muwawa¡¯s former territories as winning a fight for freedom and gaining independence. There were four Great Wars that led to the fracturing of Muwawa. In the First Great War, Kagona suffered an untreatable injury in his fight against Bemba and Kunguru. As he could no longer sustain the kingdom, the throne was handed over to Kagona¡¯s oldest son Mabuku. However, while Mabuku had been a great scholar at the time, he was not as accomplished in terms of martial arts or military achievements when compared to his father in his prime. Mabuku found it hard to live up to his father¡¯s reputation and expectedly, he could not triumph over his uncle Bemba in the Second Great War of Muwawa. This further split Muwawa as Mabuku chose to carve out his own nation instead. This nation was Kiziba to the North West of Toro near the Sese islands. When Mabuku died, his brother Kisitu replaced him as ruler. It was during King Kisitu¡¯s rule that the Third and Fourth Great War occurred; wars that spanned decades. As time went on, the lands under the former royal family were slowly eaten away by Bemba¡¯s force. Similarly, King Kisitu¡¯s own spirit of resistance had been gradually eaten away by Bemba¡¯s cruelty in war. A particular incident 1 year ago had driven King Kisitu to the edge. On seeking to conquer Kiziba once and for all, Bemba had set up camp in Budo right at the borders of Kiziba. Bemba¡¯s reputation of cruelty and ruthlessness had long intimidated King Kisitu and in his fear, he vowed to hand over his ceremonial chair to whoever could kill Bemba. This ceremonial chair was a symbol of authority and represented the right to kinship. It was that incident that had led to the events of today as it was the young Kato out of all his siblings that had vowed to accomplish the task. The Old King Kagona looked at his children fondly before addressing Kato, ¡°Child, you are now the King. I also see that you have gained some powerful followers. However, you should only trust in your own personal power from now on. Whether it is national or military power, they are empty. They could slip away at any moment.¡± Sigh. ¡°If there is rebellion, you should be able to quell it yourself by the might of your own fist! That¡¯s what I learned in my final ruling years as my kingdom gradually slipped from my grasp. I should have dedicated myself to advancing my martial arts. I was lost in politics and lost focus on what was truly important. Maybe, just maybe, no not maybe but surely, surely I could have become a Monarch with my own power and talent! A Monarch living for 400 or 500 years while suppressing everything beneath them!¡± Kagona articulated his hopes for Kato and his regrets all in one breath. However, the statement seemed to have sapped away most of his strength. The Old King then turned away from his children before looking towards two people who were kneeling at the edge of his bed. These two were Old Man Kasi, his former King¡¯s Guard and Namu Kana, Kato and Wasswa¡¯s mother. ¡°Kasi, I¡¯m sorry I disappointed you. You joined me while young, you put your aspirations in me, you gave up so much but you did not get to enjoy any of the glory.¡± Old Man Kasi felt even more emotional hearing the Old King¡¯s words. He was crying like a fountain while begging Kagona not to apologize. Kasi¡¯s dignified image had long been lost as he genuinely cried himself into a mess. He had served King Kagona since he was young and had been prepared to share in his king¡¯s joys and sorrows. ¡°My King, although I will probably follow you shortly, I promise to use my last years to keep the young king safe. This recluse of a writer will finally come out of my lonely island. Even if you did not ask me, I will consider this my last mission!¡± Hearing Kasi¡¯s solemn promise, Kagona couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit guilty before apologizing once again, ¡°Sorry, old friend.¡± When Kasi heard these words, he cried even more as it was his honor to be called a friend by the Old King. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. When Kagona turned to look at Namu Kana who was crying at his side while holding his other hand, he could not help but feel guilty towards her. He had married her in his last years while she still had a long life to look forward to. He would always think that maybe it would have been better if she had not been tied to their waning and troubled royal family. ¡°Kana, you are young. For my sake and your own, please be happy.¡± To his wife, these were the Old King¡¯s last words. On this night, a man who was once peerless under the sky breathed his last. The fall of a legend! Instantly, multiple cries filled the room. Many of the people in the hut were either part of the royal family or the most loyal followers of the royal family. They viewed Kagona, the symbol of Muwawa, like a deity! A moment after Kagona passed away, a golden light shone from him enveloping Kato. Kato was shocked but he soon felt as if his body was greatly empowered by the light. The rest of the people in the hut were shocked to the point that their cries abruptly stopped. The golden light had illuminated the entire hut. When the light subsided, Kato¡¯s eyes shone with a golden color and his aura skyrocketed. The vague aura of a True King emanated from his body! However, when Kato tried to stand up his body felt heavy as he almost fell down but Wasswa was there to support him. Once the last aura of the Old King disappeared, the people kneeling in the hut could stand once again but they all remained kneeling. Only Kato remained standing as he performed the last ceremonies for Kagona as he was the new heir. It was only hours later that everyone¡¯s emotions calmed down. As Kato turned to address his siblings and family, he was filled with emotion as bittersweet memories overwhelmed him. He was still a young boy yet the few years he had spent with his father and siblings had been filled with sad and happy moments. He still remembered how he cried when he and his brother were sent off to the Masaba Mountains to hide away from Bemba¡¯s assassins. The two twin brothers could not see their father or siblings till their decent from the mountains a year ago. Standing before Kato were his siblings: Kisitu the King of Kiziba, Rukidi the Conquerer, Mu the Creator, the Self-proclaimed King Kabaka Mateso, Merina, Suna, Wasswa, and his oldest sister Wada who was the middle-aged woman with white hair in locks. Apart of his twin brother Wasswa, the rest of his siblings were all decades older than him with some such as Kisitu being over 100 years old! At his young age, Kato already had the support of his brothers¡¯ and sisters¡¯ maternal clans in addition to a few other major ancient clans. One of his brothers, Rukidi, ruled over Madi, a small country in the Nothern regions. This small country had a prosperous port called Podi which made the nation a financial giant. Apart from finances, Rukidi¡¯s support was also important as he was currently the strongest of Kato¡¯s siblings. Not only did he possess ridiculously strong martial strength, Rukidi also had a secret but strong conquering army. As for Wada and Mu [short for Muubi, Mumbi or Mbuubi], these 2 sisters roped in their husbands and the clans behind them further increasing Kato¡¯s influence. Looking to his oldest brother, Kato reminded him that he would travel to Kiziba see him after their father¡¯s rites were settled. The reason was clear to both of them as Kato would only go there to take over power and unite the South East. In their agreement, Kisitu had conceded power to Kato on two conditions. The first was the promise and responsibility of taking down Bemba while the second was that Kato had to create his own clan. As the eldest living son of Kagone, Kisitu was also the head of the clan and he only conceded power on the condition that Kato formed his own clan. This was so that Kisitu¡¯s own legacy would not be erased once Kato took the throne. After all, despite his helplessness towards Bemba, Kisitu had indeed built up a legacy in his over 100 years of life while the current Kato was barely a teenager. Kisitu answered Kato saying that "En, I await for you to show me, show us, and show the entire world your power. Remember Kingship is earned in Battle". In response, Kato reflected back to their agreement 1 year ago before answering his brother, ¡°I shall keep my promise. I will bring you Bemba¡¯s head!¡± His words were filled with confidence that moved his siblings¡¯ and followers¡¯ hearts. ¡®The boy is so young yet he already has the mark of a True King.¡¯ Old man Kasi couldn¡¯t help exclaim in his mind. On this day, Kato made 2 declarations that would alter the future of the continent for a long time to come. His first declaration was simple yet ambitious: ¡°I will unite all major clans west of the Great River in 5 years time. Then it will be time for war! I swear we will only have to fight once and we will win!¡± Kato had thought about it for a long time and he did not want to fight a protracted war against Bemba like his brother Kisitu. If there was something Kato deeply understood, it was that preparation was everything. His second declaration was shorter yet its effect radiated all over the continent. Kato¡¯s declaration was that: ¡°Muwawa shall see the light again.¡± At the same time this declaration was made, oracles and diviners all over the Sword Scar Continent felt a shift in the flow of fate! In response to Kato¡¯s words, Kisitu nodded in acknowledgement before adding, ¡°After father¡¯s funeral come to the capital, I shall hand over my military at that time. But first, we should take care of those flies outside. They dare desecrate this place!¡± Chapter 40: Assassins in the Night The lands of Muwawa were located to the South-central region of the Sword Scar Continent with the current Toro being to the South East. In the old era of Muwawa, the Great River passed through the country draining water from the Great Lakes region and funneling it to the Northern Red Sea. This great river was a source of livelihood for many in the continent and after Muwawa¡¯s fall, it still existed as a border between Toro and Kiziba. The Sese islands were located in the Great Lakes connected to this river. These islands had a very important spiritual and cultural meaning to all the clans and tribes of Muwawa. As far back as history goes, not a single king of Muwawa ever established direct rule of these islands. While the islands were recognized as part of Muwawa¡¯s territory, they had an even greater identity: The Islands of the Gods! It was this identity that kept the matters of war and politics from the shores of these islands. Even for someone of Bemba¡¯s character, it was hard for them to go against thousands of years of ancestral teachings in order to invade the Sese islands. This was because the islands held a great position in the hearts of Muwawa¡¯s former peoples as each of the original major tribes had an important shrine in Sese. The high status of the Sese islands was one of the reasons Kato¡¯s declaration had such a drastic effect on the flow of fate. However, while Bemba did not dare invade these holy islands, it did not stop him from sending assassins to hunt down any remnants of the royal family still remaining in Sese. It was for this reason that some elders of the royal family in Sese concocted a secret plan to send away Kato and Wasswa to the Masaba Mountains in the north. It was only a year ago that these two boys descended from the mountains. ¡­3 hours after midnight, Sese Town¡­ As the rain continued hammering on Sese, the plip plop of the raindrops hitting the accumulated water on the ground hid something more menacing. Dark figures could be seen shuttling across the streets of Sese towards the center of the town. Each of these figures wore dark robes made of some type of fur that did not soak in the heavy rain. They also wore thick hide boots that did not seem to disturb the rainwater whenever they stepped on the ground. In the lead was a man in a dark purple cloak; a man that many of the important figures in Toro labeled as the Merchant of Demise. This was an assassin with an ¡®amazing¡¯ story if one could even call it that. At the very young age of 11 he had already stepped into the Apex of Mortal Body Forging. His great genius was naturally recognized in Toro and from then on he enjoyed a smooth path through the military ranks; from a cadet, to a commander and all the way to a general. In a few years, this man had already reached one of the highest political and martial positions in Toro. However, while his genius was unmatched, his morality left a lot to be desired. Rape, human trafficking, murder of innocents, indiscriminate plundering, corruption, and embezzlement of military funds, none of these crimes were beneath his doing. However, Toro was not a saintly nation either and what got him in trouble was not any of these crimes but another incident altogether. ¡°Every other crime is fine under the heavens but touching that shitty royal blood brings down the floodgates. Those nincompoops worship royalty like deities. Well tonight I will slay royalty!¡± As he thought about the incident that caused his downfall, the Merchant of Demise could not help but be consumed by anger for a moment. Sure he had indeed raised a hand against royalty in Toro¡¯s capital but didn¡¯t he also have some royal blood flowing in his veins too! Although it was just from a side family of the main royal family, royal blood should still be royal blood! Instead those ¡®clowns¡¯ in court had labeled his entire family as false royalty as he was convicted and sentenced to death. However, the nation could not lightly toss away his strength and he was inducted into the Black Cards Organization as a Dealer. This was a government-run assassin organization that utilized enslavement sealing techniques to control its operatives. After serving as a Dealer under the title of the Merchant of Demise for almost a decade, he had finally seen some light at the end of the tunnel. As someone who had a high potential of stepping into the next level: the Lord realm, his intelligence exceeded the limits of the field of martial arts alone. After researching the organization¡¯s seal on his body for almost 10 years, he finally had hope of escaping from Toro¡¯s clutches. That hope was the very same royal blood he hated the most! Before taking the mission, he had been very close to breaking the seal and the last step was acquiring pure royal blood. Once he accomplished this, he would be free once and for all. Therefore, despite knowing the dangers of this mission, he even fought tooth and nail to be assigned this task. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Ha ha, good, good, after I escape I will make sure to give everyone ¡®what they want from me¡¯. Haa-aaa, I¡¯m a merchant after all, I sell people their ¡®wishes¡¯; the entire royal family, the capital city, no, not just that but the entire country shall ¡®receive my blessing¡¯ once I¡¯m free. This seal is the only thing limiting my strength and suppressing me from reaching the Lord Rank! The only thing in the way of my birthright! The only thing keeping me from greatness! Once it¡¯s gone I will be able to immediately rise up to a Lord level combatant and not a weak one at that given my level of accumulations.¡± As he silently spoke these words to himself he could not help but laugh internally while thinking angrily, ¡°I served yet this was my repayment!¡± However he was more excited than angry as tonight¡¯s mission would bring him freedom and it would be the beginning of his revenge. This was a mission to strike the former royal family while they were at their weakest. ¡°Isn¡¯t it some un*********ed brats and dying old f*rts?¡± With that mentality, the Merchant of Demise had taken this mission alongside some other top assassins. Apart from his own team that went by the name: the 12 Martyrs of Death, there were 2 Coordinating teams: the Cleaning Vultures that ¡®cleaned¡¯ after assassins finished their ¡®work¡¯ and the 3 Hyena brothers who were the backup strike team on this mission. Apart from the Cleaners, every assassin on this mission was above the Earth Body Realm! The Merchant of Demise was a Void Body expert and a peak Fusion Core Crystal Warrior, just a step away from the Lord Rank. As for the Merchant¡¯s team, most of the 12 Martyrs were in the Sky Body realm with the strongest of them being Void Body realm Crystal Warriors. Apart from their high martial strength, some of the assassins emitted vague magical radiation of a high grade. It was clear that this group had Magic Masters in its midst with some of the assassins being Combat Magicians: warriors adept at both martial arts and magic. A force like this could decimate a village like the Jua village a hundred times over like nothing. Indeed while the Jua village had some Sky Body realm experts, none of them were Crystal Warriors! The structure of the 12 Martyrs of Death had 3 lieutenants under the Merchant of Demise. They were not necessarily the most powerful but instead they were the most compliant subordinates in the Merchant¡¯s team. The first lieutenant was [Red Mist], a powerful poison master who was currently dressed in dark-red robes. A layer of mist the color of dried blood seemed to envelop his entire body keeping away the rain. This was a figure that had been responsible for many major victories in war for the kingdom of Toro. Many enemy warriors had died under his poisons and the title of the Poison Witchdoctor echoed throughout Toro. The second lieutenant was [Skeletal Demon], a Demonic Warrior with a borderline immortal body. Demonic Warriors were warriors who used Demonic energy and Demonic techniques as their foundation in training. Most of them came from the east, from wastelands known as the Demonic territory. This territory shared a border with Toro and Eastern Jin nation. Similar to Eastern Jin, this territory was filled with demonic energy and sometimes rampant demons would cross over too. Many humans were also influenced to practice demonic techniques by these demons while throwing away their humanity in the process. Skeletal Demon was one such man if one could even call him that as beneath his cloak all one could see was a skull with red fiery eyes. He had long ceased to be human. As for his reason to join the assassin corps, it was to escape imprisonment. The third and final lieutenant had a vicious title: the [Plague Master]. He was different from poison masters like Red Mist as he controlled diseases, viruses, and plagues. Naturally, his method of attack had an extremely high risk and amount of collateral damage with many innocent men, women, and children dying by his hand. This man had been responsible for the massacre of tens of thousands in the Eastern Province just 20 years ago. He was a true sinner! One that had been condemned to die yet here he was, alive and working for the government. If the people of Toro knew that this monster was still kicking, what would they think? Below the lieutenants were 6 "Middle Men" and below those six were 3 escape artists who served as the back-liners. The 6 Middle Men in the 12 Martyrs of death each had a codename fitting their personality and expertise. These 6 were: [Wind Walker Swift Gale], a wind-attribute warrior rumored to be one of the 3 fastest people in Toro; [Darkness Emphasis], an Illusion Expert with powerful befuddling techniques that could target the body senses, mind, and even the soul; [Swift Blade] who was a Sword Path expert rumored to have the fastest sword in Toro and condemned for attempting to assassinate the current king of Toro; [Thunderclap Chain], a thunder element warrior who claimed to be as fast as lightning; [Rain Walker], a rain maker and a diviner whose strength multiplied during rainy days; the last of the 6 Middle Men went by the title of [Grand Mole] and he was an the earth escape artist who was well versed in earth attribute spell techniques. As this formidable assassin team stalked around outside Kagona¡¯s hut, they heard a powerful command, "Fudu, take care of those rats outside." This was the voice of Wasswa Winyi, Kato¡¯s twin brother. Immediately, the door of the hut opened and a great battle began. Their hopes for a silent assassination had just been dashed. Chapter 41: The Fearsome Fudu Who was Fudu? He was the tall muscular guard with dark skin who had accompanied Kato, Wasswa and Wada; he was the fourth passenger on the giant white bird. When the assassins heard Wasswa¡¯s voice, they immediately made their move. There was no use in hiding anymore. In the lead was Skeletal Demon. Even though he had given up his freedom by joining the Black Cards Organization, today he was more excited than ever. This was because just a few days ago he had found out about a possible oncoming Demonic Territory uprising. "I can feel it in my bones! The Demon King has descended into this world. Within the next few years, the Demonic Territory will definitely invade Toro and the entire South East region!" This news that would shock anyone in Toro was known only to him. He knew that with a Demon King descending right outside the borders of Toro, the nation would sink into chaos sooner or later. ¡°I only have to rise to a higher rank within the organization and this mission is the way.¡± His plan was to rise further and obtain a high position in the country so that he would have the power to assist the Demon King from within once the invasion happened. ¡°That way, I can receive more rewards from the Demon King!" As he thought this to himself, he could not help but let off a maniacal demonic laugh while rushing towards the door of the hut. Although his bony face had a naturally staunch look, what remained of his face could not help but contort in joy as he saw his future right before his eyes. However, at that point someone took one step from within the hut and some of the other assassins sensed something. A shocking strike! Skeletal Demon did not understand what had happened as his body continued moving forward due to momentum with his face still contorted in joy. However, his eyes which used to glow a fiery red had already turned pitch black. Death! A shocking spear strike had ended the life of the pseudo-immortal demonic human. Neither his regenerative powers nor immortality could save him. The mission had barely started yet one of the lieutenants of the 12 Martyrs of Death was already dead! All the assassins were almost frozen in shock but everyone knew that a moment¡¯s hesitation would reduce their momentum and in turn cost them their lives. Before Skeletal Demon¡¯s corpse even touched the ground, the second assassin had already arrived. It was another lieutenant, the poison master who went by the title of [Red Mist]. As he reached the door, he released a thick red mist around his entire body. In a split-second this mist split up into 3 parts. One part formed a [Seven Layered Poison Armor] around his entire body. The second part transformed into a red gaseous wall around the hut, the [Red Poison Veil Technique]. As for the last part, it formed a calabash poison gourd. This gourd named Buyu-Tango or simply Buyu was a Spiritual Item used to store over 1,000 lethal poisons. Unlike Red Mist¡¯s usual poisons that came in a gaseous form, the poison in this gourd was in liquid form. Another strange aspect of the Buyu was that while the gourd could fit in the palm of his hand, within it was a poison lake so vast that it could drown out an entire village! Stolen novel; please report. As Red Mist arrived within attack range, he pointed the Buyu at the inside of the hut. A poison master like him could kill everyone in the room without resorting to physical might. ¡°Sigh, they are done for,¡± he thought with a sigh. After all, even opponents countless times stronger than him were helpless in front of his poisons. He was not just bragging. Red Mist¡¯s greatest achievement had been defeating a Lord Rank warrior of an enemy nation! His title as a master of poisons was well earned. In response to Red Mist¡¯s attack, Fudu took his second step out of the hut. The burly man then clenched his free left fist and punched. His punch seemed slow to the observers but it was extremely fast. It only seemed slow due to the time dilation as all the combatants were moving at extremely fast speeds; speeds far beyond the limits of ordinary mortals. The speed of sound which children like Mwana found hard to reach had long been surpassed! A river of poison that weighed upwards of dozens of tons flowed towards the inside of the hut in a collision course with Fudu. His fist seemed as if a tiny branch trying to stand in the way of an elephant. As the fist and the poison river from the Buyu collided, a shocking scene unfolded. The river of poison immediately evaporated before it even touched Fudu¡¯s skin! Following that, Fudu¡¯s fist continued unimpeded and crashed against Red Mist¡¯s [Seven Layered Poison Armor]. The latter had barely sighed in relief for equipping his armor in the nick of time before noticing that the fist continued moving as if the armor was non-existent! The fist violently crashed into his stomach letting off a loud sound as if an explosion, ¡°Bang!¡± Red Mist was downed in one punch! He immediately fell to his knees coughing out several days¡¯ worth of food. Following the vomit was a stream of blood and within the vomited blood one could see chunks of internal organs. Fudu¡¯s punch did not send him flying away like a rocket; instead it had kept all the power and force of the punch within Red Mist¡¯s body exploding within him like a bomb that ravaged his insides. ¡°What a powerful punch!¡± Everyone could not help but exclaim in shock. In less than a second, 2 of the lieutenants who were both at the Void Body realm were put out of commission! This was enough to halt the assassins¡¯ steps. Following Fudu, Kato and Wasswa came out of the hut side by side. As the heir, kato did not intend to hide as his guards did all the fighting. A huge battle was imminent. Chapter 42: A bow from a King As Fudu fully stepped outside, his momentum was enough to shake most of the assassins¡¯ vigor. The most noticeable thing was that his body did not emit any energy fluctuations. He just seemed like an ordinary man as if none of his attacks utilized any special energy. Seeing the assassins stop, Kato moved to the forefront while observing each of them closely. ¡°What an ¡®honor¡¯ to have visitors on this sorrowful night. Since you are here to ¡®help¡¯ us send away our father, we shall gladly accept your ¡®contribution¡¯. On behalf of everyone, I Kato thank you in advance.¡± Kato said with a loud voice and even bowed down slightly towards the assassins. A bow from a King! From within the hut a deep metallic voice commented, ¡°A bow from a King. You should all feel honored.¡± This was Rukidi¡¯s voice. He uttered those words as he followed his little brothers out of the hut. The assassins had just come in time to help the family blow off steam and wash away their sorrow after their father¡¯s death. That was the reason Kato had even bowed to them. Their great sacrifice was indeed commendable. ¡°No wonder aunt did not sense them or send a warning.¡± As Kato looked up at the sky, he seemed to have noticed something that settled his suspicions. He had been wondering all along how the assassins got so deep into Sese unnoticed. While the town did not have guards with everyone having the freedom to enter and leave freely, it did not mean that there was zero security. A secret network of observers and guards had protected Sese in secret for countless years. Additionally, Kato had a secret information network in Sese placed under his maternal uncles and aunts. Up in the sky, one would not notice anything if they did not look carefully but on closer inspection, Kato saw a dark veil enveloping not just Sese town but the entire island. He instantly understood how the assassins could get to his father¡¯s hut undetected. This veil was the technique of one of the assassins who went by the title [Darkness Emphasis]. Unlike an ordinary illusionary domain, this technique consisted of 3 parts: Dark Veil, Dark Curtain, and Dark Blanket which targeted the physical senses, mind, and soul respectively and befuddled them. Kato reached behind his back and retrieved his spear. With his treasured spear in hand, he took a step back as his muscles bulged and his veins popped. He then extended his body and leaned backward in an awkward position like a taut bow. ¡°Pierce! Reigning Maiden!¡± With a great shout he moved forward and released his spear like a canon ball. ¡®Pew¡¯, the first veil was ripped through! ¡®Rip¡¯, the second veil was pierced! ¡®Boom¡¯, the Reigning Maiden spear collided with the last veil resulting in a huge explosion as the veil shattered like glass. This was a spear throw that combined Kato¡¯s physical power, psychic power and even spiritual power all in one attack. An attack that many spear grandmasters could not even hope to replicate. This was Kato¡¯s power! The instant the veil was shattered, everyone¡¯s senses felt sharper. The assassins on the other hand were even more shocked. Tonight was not their night as their plans collapsed one after the other. With the veil gone, Kato¡¯s side was able to sense the position of the 3 back-liners under the Merchant of Demise as well as the 3 Hyena brothers and the Cleaners. Unlike the front liners, these assassin teams were distributed all over the island. With a hand sign followed by a wave of his hand, Kato¡¯s followers shot out of the compound towards the edges of Sese where these assassin backup teams were located. Kato had a total of 10 followers all possessing exceptional strength. When Kato had first descended from the mountains, he landed at the Podi port in Rukidi¡¯s territory with his followers before moving on to Kiziba. In the year after his deal with his older brother King Kisitu, Kato had settled down in Kibiro with his subordinates. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. While he had many subordinates, he only had ten followers as this was a special class of subordinates. All 10 had taken an oath to the king unlike the ordinary subordinates. Kato¡¯s followers were: Bukulu and his wife Wada who was Kato¡¯s eldest sister; Kagwe and his wife Ndimu Wala; Yaddon and his wife Nansa Sang Wawo; Bulemezi and his wife Kweba; Mazina and his wife Mu who was also another of Kato¡¯s older sisters. Apart from these followers, Kato also had another Internal Security Organization. This organization had been formed long before his position as heir was made official. For a long time, it was already known that Kagona would offer his kingly blessing to either Kato or Wasswa. As the mother of the twins, Namu Kana¡¯s position had also been elevated to Queen Mother and together with 9 of her siblings they formed a team called ¡°Mabawa ya Mfalme¡± which translated to The Wings of the King. Each former king of Muwawa relied on his own maternal aunts and uncles as the backbone of this internal security team. The Queen Mother¡¯s sisters and brothers would be scattered across the kingdom where they collected information in order to forestall any rebellious plots by civil chiefs, or a prince¡¯s attempt to dethrone the king. After Kato pierced the three-layered veil, the [Merchant of Demise] quickly told [Darkness Emphasis] to retreat behind him as the latter was not as strong in physical combat as in illusions. Not a moment passed before another move was made. This time it was by the assassin Swift Blade. This was a man known for possessing an extremely fast blade, one that could even draw blood from the king of Toro. It was his plans for rebellion that had landed him in the Black Card¡¯s Organization as a dealer. While his strength was no less than the Merchant¡¯s, Swift Blade was known for his extreme arrogance no matter who he faced thus he was not placed in a leadership position. ¡°Is he the heir? It¡¯s just a brat. Let¡¯s not waste anymore time here.¡±As he thought this, Swift Blade¡¯s sword had already reached Kato¡¯s eye. However, although Kato noticed his attack, he did not even make an attempt to dodge or parry the sword. Kato looked at Swift Blade plainly as if he did not care about the attack that was about to end his life. ¡°Where does his confidence come from? Even a Lord Rank expert would not be able to escape unscathed if they do not take this attack seriously. For him, he is guaranteed death!¡± However, Swift Blade¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a light to his side before an object hit his sword at extremely fast speeds parrying it to the side. Kato did not even lose a single hair to the attack however he was not the one who blocked it. As the sword continued vibrating in his arm from the force, Swift Blade looked to the side where an old man was standing with one arm outstretched holding an energy blade. This was old man Kasi. Watching the entire sequence of events, the Merchant set his eyes on Kato as the magical device in his hands vibrated. This was a sensory device given to him for this mission for the purpose of identifying the heir. While the initial plan that involved trapping the royal family in the illusionary veil before killing them all with Red Mist¡¯s poison had failed, killing off the heir would still turn the mission into a major success. As for the Merchant, Kato¡¯s blood was the most ideal for his escape plan. Although the strength Fudu and Kato had showcased had shocked him, he still had to strive towards his goal. ¡°I will attain my freedom no matter the cost!¡± As the Merchant was thinking about how to isolate Kato from everyone else, Kato himself pointed at him with his spear and called him out, ¡°You. Are you the leader? Let¡¯s go elsewhere. Let us not disturb my father¡¯s rest any further.¡± Chapter 43: The Strength of the Royal Family Kato¡¯s feet slowly left the ground as he started hovering while still speaking to the Merchant, ¡°You should know winning this battle in a group fight is almost impossible for you. You are outnumbered. But as the heir, taking my head is as good as completing the mission so follow me if you have the courage.¡± Even without the magic sensory device, the Merchant could still tell that Kato was the heir from the faint golden aura radiating from the boy that even faintly suppressed his own aura. A kingly aura! After speaking, Kato flew up into the sky and the Merchant followed after him. As he followed after Kato, he still looked around and behind him but found that no one followed after them. From above him, Kato¡¯s voice reached him, ¡°My people have faith in me. You don¡¯t have to fear that they will use dishonorable means such as sneak attacks.¡± After rising above the clouds in the sky, the battleground was decided and the Merchant proceeded to quickly form a separation domain. He thought Kato would try to dodge the enclosure but the latter simply stood there waiting for him to complete his preparation. ¡°How can he be so confident? Is it just blind confidence or is he just that sure of his strength?¡± The Merchant could not understand Kato¡¯s thinking as a territorial domain would offer an absolute advantage to the warrior who cast it while the trapped opponent would have to play by their rules. ¡°Let¡¯s fight!¡± With those words from Kato, it was the beginning of a great battle in the sky. As Kato¡¯s battle in the sky ensued, his twin brother was facing his own opponent on the ground. However, this was a fight against an extremely dangerous opponent, the Plague Master. This was a man whose plagues had decimated an entire province. Countless innocent women, men, and children lost their lives to the diseases unleashed by this man. As someone who always considered himself a scientist over a warrior, the Plague Master had conducted multiple inhumane experiments to improve the plagues in his possession. He used science and magic to enhance various bacterial and viral diseases and tested them on live subjects. Seeing Skeletal Demon and Red Mist lose to their opponent in one attack, Plague Master did not dare take his chances. He instantly activated the Zombie Virus! However, instead of using it on his enemies, he activated it within his body giving himself the characteristics of the undead: his skin hardened and turned grey under his black robes; his eyes turned a greenish hue; he could also feel his heart and blood come to a stop as a unique energy replaced their functions. It was Netherworld energy! With this Netherworld energy, his body would be un-killable unless his brain was crushed. However, he did not worry about his head as he already had sufficient protection for it. Under his cloak, one could see a greenish gold metallic glow. It was helmet and not just an ordinary one but a Spiritual item! Not only was it a spiritual item but one that possessed special effects such as reflecting attacks and enhancing vision. Seeing his opponents, Plague Master was happy to have made all his preparations before the mission. The old woman opposite him emitted an aura of ancientness while the boy next to her had a calmness that almost made him shiver. These two were Granny Kena and Wasswa. The old woman Kena was the woman who had welcomed Kato¡¯s group to the hut. She looked so old that even the Plague Master who was using energy from the netherworld felt that she had more closeness to death than him. He did not hesitate to use his strongest technique. Puffing up his lungs, he prepared to fire his Netherworld Plague Bullet. The [Netherworld Plague] was his latest invention, a disease that could even infect the soul. Neither the living nor the dead were safe from this plague. With his chest puffed up, the Plague Master then leaned forward and spat out the ¡®diseased bullet¡¯ from his mouth as if a dragon spitting out a river. The plague bullet which was in the form of a mass of greenish energy flew at extreme speeds towards his opponents. Once this condensed mass of energy and disease hit its target, it would explode a second time and spread not just in this compound but the entirety of Sese. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The Netherworld Plague technique was as a result of Plague Master¡¯s blood and sweat. He had always been regarded as beneath [Red Mist] in terms of the lethality of their techniques as the latter could already defeat Lord Rank warriors. ¡°With my Netherworld Plague, I have now entered that realm. No, I have already surpassed Red Mist. His poisons might have caused the defeat of a Lord Rank warrior but I¡¯m sure my plague could kill them and turn their corpses into pus!¡± As the technique neared Granny Kena and Wasswa, [Plague Master] was even more excited. Granny Kena did not hesitate to stand in front of Wasswa before opening her mouth wide as if swallowing. What happened next shocked everyone to the core as the plague virus was swallowed into her mouth. It was like her mouth was a bottomless pit. Watching her, the Plague Master surmised that she had decided to sacrifice herself to save Wasswa and everyone in the compound by swallowing the plague. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a maniacal laugh, ¡°he he he he he he. Admirable but it¡¯s all useless, useless, useless! Useless, you hear me!¡± Seeing the old granny look uncomfortable, he couldn¡¯t help but continue his mockery, ¡°You sacrificed yourself and for what? Let me let you all in on a secret. This plague has been modified by me to turn whoever comes into a contact with it into another ¡®primary point¡¯. After you die, your body shall become the new source of the plague! He he. Regret it now old coot?¡± However, it didn¡¯t seem as if the old woman listened to him. Wasswa was also looking at her in a concerned manner but after almost swaying for a bit, the old woman stood firmer than ever. ¡°Buuuurp,¡± she let out a loud burp of white mist. Plague Master could not believe his eyes and ears. ¡®A burp? Is that all? That¡¯s my strongest attack here. Even if you don¡¯t die can¡¯t you just be affected slightly?¡¯ Seeing his attack neutralized like nothing, he could not help but ask, ¡°You, who are you?¡± His voice was even slightly trembling. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know.¡± It was Wasswa¡¯s voice that answered him. Wasswa knew this old granny very well as she was their father¡¯s chief physician. She was also one of the elders of the royal clan from the very same generation as Kagona. She was not just an ordinary elder but one of the 5 Grand Matriarchs of the clan. Wasswa did not plan to waste anymore time exchanging words with the enemy. He stretched his hands and out of thin air, a pair of gloves with claws was equipped. These metallic gloves had multiple contractions that could extend and retract the claws with a thought. From the spiritual energy fluctuations surrounding them, they were clearly high level Heaven Grade Spiritual weapons! With a flash, Wasswa had already arrived a few meters away from Plague Master. However, Plague Master had already prepared his next attack ready to retaliate. ¡®I won¡¯t make it in time, I have to use it¡¯, seeing his enemy almost fire his technique, Wasswa shouted, ¡°Stop!¡± One would think: ¡®why would the enemy stop just because you said so¡¯, but Plague Master¡¯s body momentarily came to a pause! As Wasswa and Plague Master passed by each other, the latter had already lost his head! Wasswa had immediately taken off Plague Master¡¯s head in that short instance of pausing. This was because of a fearsome ability of the royal family called the [Divine Decree]. This ability could command or weaken other warriors. However, the stronger the warrior was, the more they could resist it. Wasswa could only hinder his opponent for a few microseconds but this was more than enough time for him to behead him with his speed. ¡°The Royal Divine Doctor, the Angel of Mercy Kena. I should have recognized you sooner.¡± As the gloomy rain continued falling, the Plague Master¡¯s decapitated head uttered in a hoarse voice while still in Wasswa¡¯s hand. Under the effects of zombification from the zombie virus, he would not die unless his brain was destroyed. Plague Master already knew some of the techniques of the royal family and was not as shocked by the Divine Decree. What shocked him the most was the failure of his Netherworld Plague; a technique he believed could kill a Lord and even endanger a King Rank expert. His suspicions on the Granny¡¯s identity were proven as even after Wasswa touched him, he was still unaffected. Similar to poison masters who had toxic skin from the strong poisons stored within their bodies, a plague master¡¯s skin also harbored extremely fearsome diseases that would kill or severely weaken those who touched their skin. Wasswa clearly had high resistance to diseases but given the young boy¡¯s strength, he was nowhere near a Lord Rank expert let alone the King Rank. Seeing how Granny Kena had swallowed his attack like nothing, he guessed that she was also responsible for Wasswa possessing this immunity. ¡°Who knew you were still alive; I guess it is too late for me to regret anything now, sigh.¡± ¡°It is.¡± These were the last words Plague Master heard from Granny Kena before his head was crushed in Wasswa¡¯s hands. His blood and brain matter were washed away by the rain and mixed in with the mud. The last of the lieutenants in the 12 Martyrs of Death had met his end. Chapter 44: Rukidi the Conqueror vs. Jakuta the God of Thunder On another side of the battlefield, Kato¡¯s brother Rukidi was fighting against the sole lightning element assassin. This assassin who went by the title of [Thunderclap Chain] was called Jakuta. He was a man from the Oyo tribe that resided around River Oyo in Toro. Unlike the other assassins, this man had taken off his disguise as soon as they were exposed. He did not wear any shirt or clothes to protect him from the rain. He only had a pair of red shorts that went up to his knees covered by a skirt made of thick animal hide. The hide and shorts were fastened to his waist by a belt made of huge colorful red and white beads that were the size of oranges. He had a small sword, a club, and a short ax fastened on his waist. There were 2 things about Jakuta that would catch anyone¡¯s eye. The first was the large fiery tattoo of a double-headed axe on his chest. This tattoo seemed to be filled with the fire and thunder elements. It was glowing bright orange in the dark night and faint electrical arcs could be seen moving around the tattoo. However, the most noticeable thing was the huge drum on his back that was twice as large as an adult man. While one would expect the drum to dwarf Jakuta, he was not a small man as he stood at a height of about 7 feet tall. His dark skin that was shining in the rain and his rippling muscles that looked like steel cables made him appear like a divine messenger of the gods that descended onto the mortal world. ¡°Jakuta!¡± ¡°Look where you are now! Look how pitiful you have become; a mere slave to that old man Bemba. You should have taken my offer when you still had the chance.¡± ¡°Shame, shame, shame, shame.¡± Rukidi shouted out these words to Jakuta. Just like any other ruler, Rukidi always had his eye on talented warriors. Jakuta had been one of them as his strength had granted him titles such as ¡®the God of Thunder¡¯ and the ¡®Divine Envoy¡¯. 10 years ago the Oyo tribe produced a formidable warrior. This small tribe that was many times smaller than the Jemedari tribe had never produced a Crystal Warrior in almost half a century. Jakuta changed this history as he rose to the peak of Crystal Warriors in less than a decade. Naturally, Rukidi had tried to poach him from Toro and recruit him into his conquering army but this ended in Rukidi¡¯s disappointment as Jakuta chose to remain loyal to his home country. ¡°You refused my deal and now you ended up as a prisoner.¡± Hearing Rukidi continue to press on with his scathing words, Jakuta could not withstand it anymore. If someone said he had a good temper, they would be deceiving the world. This was a man who was once seen as the wrath of God manifested on the battlefield. As the rain continued falling, Jakuta did not hesitate to attack. He pulled out a short black sword from his side and with a wave of his arm the sword shot out a dozen electromagnetic thunder balls towards Rukidi. Rukidi did not take these thunder balls seriously and let them envelope him; he was that confident of his defense. However, after coming in contact with him, they did not injure him at all. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. At the same time, Jakuta shouted out the words he was suppressing all this time, ¡°I can run from Toro, but where can my people hide? Huh? Rukidi, can you afford the blood of my people?¡± These words were uttered with such fury that a stream of fire spewed out from Jakuta¡¯s mouth with each word and evaporated the water and falling rain ten meters around him. He then proceeded to raise his short sword which had already turned bright blue from the lightning running through it. ¡°Thunderfall!¡± This was a terrifying technique! The clouds seemed to become even denser which further intensified the rain. Heavy cutting winds were pulled all the way from the great lake waters towards Sese. There seemed to be a giant storm¡¯s eye in Sese. Terrifying chains of lightning crisscrossed in these clouds before condensing together into a single bolt that seemed as if it could decimate all matter in its path. As Jakuta lowered his sword in the same manner as a king declaring an execution, the lightning was pulled down from the heavens at extreme speed. Rukidi finally understood the use of the thunder balls; their purpose was to attract the lightning to strike him. Once they merged into his body, even if he avoided the lightning bolt, it would still find him! ¡°Well played.¡± Despite the grave situation he said those words with a smile as the lightning bolt proceeded to strike him. From the epicenter, a huge explosion erupted with the shockwave spreading all over Sese waking up many ordinary civilians who were asleep. If not for the protective magic circles curved in Kagona¡¯s compound preventing the damage from spreading out, the collateral damage could have been much worse. Seeing the devastation from this attack, everyone couldn¡¯t help but worry for Rukidi. There were still over a dozen people who were not engaged in a fight. However, as the smoke cleared, Rukidi could be seen standing in the middle of a crater unharmed. Not even a speck of dust tainted his clothes. At his side, he had a medium-sized drum tied to his waist by a leather harness. This drum was crackling with electric light as if it had absorbed the attack. Seeing the destruction, Rukidi knew that this compound could not withstand any more attacks of such a high level so he asked Jakuta to follow him into the sky. Although Jakuta was known to be quick to anger, he still flew into the sky after his opponent. Both of them could soar into the clouds freely as all warriors who had stepped into the Sky Body Realm or beyond could fly. As the fight battle between Rukidi and Jakuta continued in the sky, the assassin [Grand Mole] was tied up in a fight against 2 of Kisitu¡¯s guards. As an Earth element expert, he utilized great attacks such as earth palm, earth dragon, earth drill, and earth twister to keep the 2 guards at bay but as the fight progressed he was the only one sweating. Even though he could form building sized earthen constructs he was the one being pushed back! The main reason for this was that his opponents were a pair of twins who could control multiple knives. These 2 guards named Pepea and Kisu were collectively called the Flying Knives Twins. Seeing most of his attacks fail, [Grand Mole] proceeded to condense the ground hundreds of meters around the twins into a massive earth dragon. All the buildings in the compound apart from the central hut were dismantled to form the humongous dragon. With a roar, the dragon sped towards the twins as if to consume them. ¡°Haha, big brother, he is trying to use a little snake to scare us.¡± One of the twins laughed finding the situation comical. ¡°Let¡¯s show him.¡± After the elder brother¡¯s response, the number of flying knives in the battlefield multiplied. Over 1,000 flying knives materialized out of thin air! As Ground Mole watched incredulously, these knives swiftly came together and bonded as if a puzzle before forming a silver-white Sword Dragon that was hundreds of meters tall easily matching his Earth Dragon. As the two dragons clashed, endless winds erupted from their collision blowing away the rain. The initial clash destroyed the part of the earth dragon but Ground Mole did not worry as the dragon could swiftly repair itself with the earth element. However, after an extended clash, he noticed something he had failed to see before that shook him to the core. Chapter 45: The Might of the Sword Dragon ¡°It¡¯s an illusion! No, not the whole thing, only a part of it is an illusion.¡± He quickly flexed his mental power as if flexing his muscles to dispel the fog clouding his mind. The reality in front of him was that his opponents had somehow trapped him in an illusion. However, this illusion did not alter his perception to a great degree thus making it difficult to for him to sense the changes. The brothers only used the illusion to hide the extensive damage the earth dragon took and to conceal the true form of the sword dragon. This sword dragon was not an autonomous technique but a whip. The twins controlled thousands of knives telekinetically to form the [Dragon Tail Whip] which the elder brother wielded in his right hand. The younger brother was focused on using his psychic abilities to maintain the psychic link with his older brother as well as set up minor illusions. ¡°Oh, big brother looks like he found out.¡± These 2 brothers were psychic experts who could also share their mind space through a psychic link to coordinate attacks and multiply their psychic abilities. They also had other abilities such as: minor mind reading to predict attacks, telepathy to share their plans without alerting the enemy, and minor illusion control. As Grand Mole looked at the twins, he found that the tail of the dragon was in the hands of one of them. This made it much more lethal than his earth dragon. As the sword dragon also doubled as a whip, it could be controlled manually while also receiving a constant stream of energy injected into it. ¡°They played me!¡± Before he realized it, his earth dragon was already destroyed. He quickly put up a building-sized earth wall and prepared to escape by quickly diving into the ground. In an instant he had covered a hundred meters deep underground as if he was a mole. However, before he could burrow further, a great pressure came from behind him causing him to perspire despite the rain and cold. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The sword dragon had smashed his earth wall defense before following him deep underground while cutting apart the earth with slashes of sharp knife energy. Its might was unbelievable. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± A pitiful scream was heard from deep underground piercing through the rain all the way into the sky. The sword dragon had swallowed Grand Mole whole. He could not escape the dragon¡¯s maw! As the dragon moved around in the rain, its body seemed to compress and decompress as blood flowed from the gaps in between the knives forming its jaw and neck. Seeing this, everyone knew that Grand Mole who had mostly been known for his escape techniques was dead. Apart from [Grand Mole], the last of the ¡®Middle-men¡¯ in the 12 Martyrs of Death assassin team was also embroiled in a risky battle. Standing opposite [Wind Walker Swift Gale] was Kato¡¯s uncle, a Hidden Elder in the royal family called Ficho. The remnants of the royal family in Sese had their own hierarchy starting from Grand Matriarchs like Granny Kena, followed by Hidden Elders, Supreme Elders, Core Elders, and finally the Young Elders. In terms of authority, Hidden Elders possessed the most power under the Matriarchs. However, their position was not acknowledged in the royal clan registry and all their meetings and plans had to be done in secret. All the Hidden Elders had to live in hiding as they were the secret weapons of the waning royal family. Before rising to the position of a Hidden Elder, a Supreme Elder had to show outstanding strength and gain great accomplishments. They would then proceed to sever their ties with the mortal world by faking their deaths. This was a practice that Kato hated a lot as it signified their family¡¯s weakness and decline. ¡°We are still weak. However, I promise you that I will let you see the light of day again in your lifetime. You will be able to go home with your head held up high and enjoy life with your family.¡± Remembering Kato¡¯s promise to him, the Hidden Elder Ficho could not help but be impassioned as he clashed against the Wind Walker. Chapter 46: The 7 Great Swordsmen ¡°Young man, why do you still insist on fighting? Don¡¯t you see it is hopeless? Once your group lost the element of surprise, your chance of succeeding in this mission was reduced to less than 20%. However, you still had a poison master and a plague master who could turn around the situation but now with them down, your chance is even less than 1%! Look around you. Your teammates are dropping like flies!¡± In the middle of the rain almost 10 kilometers away from Sese town, two shadows could be seen cutting apart the rain as they moved at high speeds. One of them was attacking with their sword while the other defended. These words were uttered by the figure on the defensive. Naturally this was the old man Mwenda-Kasi. Opposite him was [Swift Blade] who had previously sneak-attacked Kato only to be stopped by the old man Kasi. In response to Kasi¡¯s words, Swift Blade only smiled as if the dead assassins had nothing to do with him. With his speed he could have easily escaped especially as the fight with the old man had already taken the two combatants out of Kagona¡¯s compound and beyond the walls of Sese town. However, in this battle Swift Blade was the aggressor and old man Kasi clearly did not want to fight. Kasi had retired from the battlefield for almost a century now. He spent most of his time writing and he had achieved some relative fame for his works in the last century. Additionally, the old man lived in isolation in his own little island. As expected, he had long lost the bloodthirstiness and spirit necessary for battle. Why did [Swift Blade] not take the opportunity to run? Was it pure confidence or blind arrogance? Or maybe it was a bit of both. The answer to this question lay in the true identity of this man. This was a man who had previously held a similar title of [Swift Sword]. He held an extremely notorious reputation in Toro; a reputation that surpassed all the other members of this assassin team including the Merchant of Demise. Unlike the Merchant who had only fatally harmed a worthless royal prince during a personal conflict, Swift Blade was a man guilty of coveting the throne for himself and attempting to assassinate the current king of Toro, King Mawa the grandson of Bemba! That assassination attempt was the first and only time King Mawa had ever bled. [Swift Blade] was the only man to ever draw the king¡¯s blood in the palace and live to tell the tale! Just like the Merchant, a mock execution was set up to fake his death but he was kept alive and had served as a dealer in the Black Cards Organization for about a decade now. For his strength and notoriety, the only reason he was not put in charge of his own team was that he was extremely arrogant and not a team player. He only viewed the team as a means to build merit and rise higher in the Black Cards Organization. After his plans for the throne fell through, he did not despair and set his goals a little bit lower by planning to take over the entire assassin organization first. Just like the other team members, this was also another character with their own plans. The two combatants exchanged thousands of blows in the rain without anyone coming out on top. As the battle continued, the 2 fighters had already reached the location where some of Kato¡¯s followers and subordinates were fighting the backup assassin teams such as the Hyena brothers, the Cleaners, and the remaining 3 members of the 12 Martyrs of Death. ¡°Is that old man Mwenda-Kasi? What is he doing fighting all the way here?¡± ¡°Who is his opponent to be able to keep up with Kasi, the Speed Demon?¡± ¡°Who is he fighting? They are so fast!¡± As the fight intensified, Kasi still continued to try to dissuade his opponent from continuing the battle, ¡°Young man, this is your last chance to escape. Don¡¯t waste your life here.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. However, [Swift Blade] seemed almost offended by such a suggestion. ¡°Is it because I still have my assassin garb on that I¡¯m getting so underestimated today?¡± ¡°Fine then!¡± With a flex of his aura, terrifying sword energy poured out of [Swift Blade] shredding his dark assassin¡¯s cloak. Tonight he was the second assassin to reveal their true identity after Jakuta. Clearly this was not a disciplined assassin team at all. While the members were exceptionally powerful, none of them behaved like assassins at all. This was because all of them had illustrious backgrounds before being forced to join the assassin organization. ¡°I cannot believe it!¡± ¡°So it was him?¡± Immediately some of Kato¡¯s subordinates who had either completed their own fights against the weaker assassins or had paused amidst their battles, exclaimed upon seeing Swift Blade¡¯s face. ¡°Kaskara, the Rebel!¡± ¡°What? Kaskara? I thought he was executed.¡± ¡°Executed? What do you know? This is Bemba¡¯s style after all; blackmailing and enslaving his enemies!¡± ¡°If it is Kaskara, no wonder he could give the elder Kasi some trouble. He is one of the 7 Great Swordsmen of the Rock generation after-all!¡± Exclamations could be heard even amidst the rain once Kaskara revealed himself. Even Kasi was shocked to find that he was facing a famous character of this generation. Living in isolation for so long, Kasi did not know much about other swordsmen of the younger generations but he knew about Kaskara. This was a man who had led a rebellion in Toro and even come close to eliminating the present king! His reputation was just as notorious as the Plague Master¡¯s as he had brought chaos and great political upheaval in Toro. His rebellion was not only supported by his great political power and military might, but also his exceptional personal strength. The title of Great Swordsman was an illustrious title not just in Toro but the entire Zika world. Each generation would have their own legendary swordsmen and including Kaskara, the rock generation had 7 Great Swordsmen. Among them the 3 most famous ones were: Swift Sword - Kaskara the Fastest Blade in the East; Instant Sword - Epesi the Teleporting Swordsman; and Bright Sword - Dhahabu the Golden Dragon General. In this case, generations represented a gap of 20-30 years in the same manner as age sets. Currently, the generation of children like Mwana, Cheza, Malkia, Wasswa, and Kato was the Leaf Generation. Therefore, their tribes would add different variations of words representing leaves to their names in their local languages such as: Kijani, Tawi, Mahuti, Nyeni, and etcetera. After exposing his true identity, Kaskara¡¯s aura seemed to explode with liveliness. The first thought everyone had after seeing his true self was ¡®royalty¡¯. He was dressed in all white robes tied with a grey belt at his waist. This belt held a large black sheath that held a type of a curved ceremonial blade that noblemen in Toro usually carried. Around his neck was a shawl that was half white and half black and he also wore a similarly colored cloak covering half of his body on his left side. This cloak was also decorated by a large curved square golden plate that settled over his chest. As for his visible features, his face gave him a naturally stern look despite his large eyes and thick brows. He also had a neatly trimmed medium length beard. His skin was fairly dark and so was his hair which was short, jet-black, and curly. As for his arms, even though they were mostly covered under his clothes, one could still tell that they were well muscled. His posture as well as the image he presented was that of a man who believed himself to be above all beings; a king. ¡°My eyes might have been closed but after exchanging blows from you for so long, I¡¯m sure of it. You are the former Royal Guard Mwenda-Kasi aren¡¯t you? You were still alive!¡± After fighting Kasi for a while, Kaskara was already sure of this old man¡¯s identity which made him even more excited. His trip here had not been wasted after-all. ¡°Fighting one of the 3 Great Swordsmen of Muwawa, the man labeled the Right Wing of the King. It is all worth it.¡± With these words, Kaskara retrieved a large round metallic shield from his back. This shield was a dark black color with multiple spherical bumps. It was made of animal hide specifically the hide of the Demonic Hippopotamus. However, one would be mistaken if they thought he utilized a shield in battle. This shield mainly served as a sword sheath. What type of blade required a shield as a sheath? The blade he had been using previously was just a Simi, a long bladed dagger of just under a meter in length. This was not his personal sword but a weapon he mainly used for his assassination attempts. His true combat weapon was the other sword sheathed within the shield. This was a long sword that had a length of up to 2 meters long! Chapter 47: The Sword of Extermination This sword had its origins in the northern parts of the continent and was generally referred to as a ¡®kaskara¡¯ similar to [Swift Blade¡¯s] name. Clearly his parents had been sword enthusiasts given the name they gave him. As he pulled the sword from the sheath, it radiated a violent piercing aura that momentarily tore a hole in the sky! The clouds were parted and for a few seconds, no rain fell around Kaskara and Kasi. Kaskara did not waste any more time and with a swing, a thick wave of sword energy arced towards Kasi as if a thunderstorm descending from the sky. Kasi quickly blocked this blow with his conjured energy sword but he was pushed back a great distance until he was out of the dry circle causing the rain fall on him once again. ¡°What strength?¡± ¡°Can I even block that?¡± ¡°Is the old man in trouble?¡± Several exclamations rang from the sidelines. At this point most of the weaker assassins had already been taken care of. Warriors below the [Sky Body realm] were not a threat to most of Kato¡¯s followers. As Kaskara and Kasi exchanged blows, their vast experience in single combat was immediately clear. Each attack seemed to lead into the next amplifying the power and effectiveness of subsequent blows. All the accumulated power converged in their last clash where Kasi was pushed back once again. He was at a disadvantage! ¡°Will you still keep battling with an energy blade? Do you take this battle seriously at all? Let me see your true sword!¡± Kaskara¡¯s sword was indeed a major reason he held an advantage over Kasi. This ¡®kaskara¡¯ sword was named the Demon Extermination Sword. It was forged from the bones of a rare demonic beast occupying the Great River, the North River Dragon Crocodile; an ancient crocodilian beast that had the bloodline of dragons. The sword¡¯s forgers also used Meteorite Genium, a metal that fell from the heavens, to supplement this sword. The meteorite containing this metal landed on Mt. Rono, a Ghost Mountain in the Northern lands, and this in turn contaminated the Meteorite Genium metal. Therefore, both of these materials were considered to be of an ¡®evil¡¯ nature. The sword contained the boundless hatred of the Dragon Crocodile towards its killers and the endless coldness of the Mt. Rono Ghost Clan within it. This sword was also referred to as the Sword of Extermination because of its effect in battle. This was a sword that could shave off lifespan even through a minor scratch. The combined ¡®evil nature¡¯ from the Ghost Clan¡¯s and the Dragon Crocodile¡¯s influence would devour the opponent¡¯s life force once they were struck by this blade. This was the second major reason Kasi found himself at a disadvantage. Although the old man did not accurately remember his age, he could approximate it to at least 200 years old! This was a man who had seen and lived through Muwawa¡¯s golden age alongside Kagona. However, even he could not avoid getting some minor cuts during the countless blows exchanged with Kaskara. These small cuts shaved away at Kasi¡¯s remaining short lifespan. In his old age, Kasi¡¯s body had naturally slowed down. He was no longer untouchable. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He could not compare to his prime where many labeled him a ¡®Speed Demon¡¯ for his fast speed. ¡°Sigh, I have really gotten old.¡± ¡°Young man, what sword is that? Seeing its strength, it must have an illustrious name!¡± After momentarily lamenting about his state, Kasi seemed a little bit interested as he asked about Kaskara¡¯s sword. This was the first time in the battle that Kaskara saw the old man show some form of interest. ¡°Old man you are still being stubborn? You don¡¯t want to use your true sword? You won¡¯t be able to ¡®see¡¯ my blade in your current state. This sword¡¯s will is invisible and undetectable making it harder to block until the last instance. It¡¯s an ¡®evil sword¡¯ made from demons to slay demons, the Demon Extermination Sword!¡± The Demon Extermination sword was sheathed in a special shield due to its corrosive properties that most warriors could not defend against including the user. However, there were some special physiques in this world such as the Demon Descent Physique and the Holy Demon Slaughtering Physique that would allow one to wield the Blade of Extermination and use Demon Slaying techniques without being corrupted by the sword. ¡°Hooooo, the Demon Extermination Sword.¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s relaxed tone, Kaskara felt the annoyance at being underestimated that even made his neck itchy throughout the fight burst out in full fury. ¡°No more games!¡± With a shout, Kaskara decided to unleash his true power on the old man. ¡°3 Sword Steps of Demon Extermination: 1st Step ¨C The Step of Belief.¡± As he finished those words, Kaskara¡¯s sword clashed against Kasi¡¯s. He had moved only one step yet he covered the dozens of meters separating him and Kasi. As the sword came down towards Kasi and even before the two clashed, everything in the 50 meter region around the two fighters was turned to ash. Once the swords clashed, even Kasi had to use both of his arms to withstand the blow but he still found his feet sinking deep into the ground. This was followed by the ground itself turning into a concave shape as a deep hole the width of a large field formed with both the combatants located at the center. ¡°2nd Step ¨C The Step of Calling.¡± With a sideways swing of his sword, a river of sword energy poured upon Kasi decimating everything in its path. ¡°No way! What strength!¡± ¡°Is the old man going to be okay?!¡± As the spectators watched, they were shocked by each of Kaskara¡¯s blows that seemed to change the terrain greatly. Each of his sword swings dug wide gullies into the earth changing the terrain to almost look like a valley. Following the 2nd Sword Step, a wide channel formed in the earth extending away from the deep hole. The sword energy overturned the soil and split the earth forming a massive crack in the area that continued on into the distance all the way to the waters at the shores of the island. On the other end of the channel, the water from the lake poured into the channel forming a temporary river that flowed all the way from the lake to the deep hole. This small river was already over a kilometer long illustrating the might of Kaskara¡¯s sword. Kasi could not be seen anymore but as the smoke, dust, and mist cleared, a blue circular force field could be seen in the water. Within the bubble of energy surrounded by the lake water, Kaskara could see old man Kasi holding a writing brush. ¡°Is he joking! Does he intend to use a brush to fight?¡± ¡°3rd Step ¨C The Step of Devotion!¡± With a shout Kaskara shot off like a missile towards old man Kasi and launched himself into the water aiming at the energy force field. Chapter 48: The Sword of Sacrifice As Kaskara¡¯s sword descended upon Kasi, the old man waved his brush in the air bubble within the energy force field writing several words: swift, shield, block, deflect, and overturn. Immediately the words seemed to take life before expanding to several tens of meters. Kaskara¡¯s sword momentum was reduced by over half and his sword strike, ¡®The Step of Devotion¡¯, was halted in its tracks. The clash vaporized a large volume of water and an even higher amount of water was raised out of the lake and shot out into the sky like a vertical river at the point of impact. This was the might of a brush. As the battle continued, Kasi wrote many words to block or parry his opponent¡¯s blows: sword, shield, parry, block, swift, absorb, deflect, rage, overturn, etcetera. His brush could actually match the might of a sword! Kaskara had always believed in the supremacy of physical might. He had always seen sayings like ¡°The pen is mightier than the sword¡± as a joke but tonight, his worldview changed. However, this kind of battle frustrated him the most as he felt that he could not move forward. Finally, he decided to stop his attacks. ¡°You have many tricks. If we continue like this, this will never end. Old man, be prepared. I will use everything I have.¡± After saying those words, a long white candle that was almost half a meter long materialized out of thin air in front of Kaskara. The aura coming from the candle had an otherworldly feeling. It did not feel too powerful but Kasi immediately knew he was in danger. ¡°Holy Aura!¡±Kasi exclaimed loudly once he realized this candle had holy aura emanating from it. Kaskara did not waste any time and he proceeded to light the candle. ¡°Wrath of the Fire God!¡± With a shout, the candle was tipped towards Kasi and a golden river of fire flowed out from it covering the skies, waters, and the earth. Suddenly, the entire region for several kilometers turned into daytime! Even the spectators did not have comments to make in response to this. Everyone was flabbergasted. At this point, Kasi knew he would be risking his life if he did not use his full strength. His right hand dug into thin air and disappeared as if it had entered a separated dimension. It seemed as if a small opening to a pocket of space had formed. The old man then pulled a sword out of thin air! Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°It''s been a long time, sigh.¡± He had finally been forced to use his weapon. This was a weapon he had not drawn for over a century. This was because this sword required a sacrifice of blood every time it was drawn. Although it only had a simple look with an ordinary silver color, this sword had a notorious reputation. It had been forged over 1,000 years ago and passed down through numerous generations. Both righteous and evil warriors had wielded this weapon. It was a blade that had drunk the blood of countless people. This was the [Sword of Sacrifice]. Immediately after it was drawn, the sword emitted a sword cry that was so loud that the rain in the entirety of Sese Island paused momentarily. It was if the sword was celebrating its freedom. The ears of many of the spectators who were nearby started bleeding and even those who were off fighting in the distance still heard it. The entire Sese town was awoken by the commotion brought by this sword cry. Kaskara exclaimed in shock as the sword draw alone not only split the golden flame river attack in half but also cut deep into his chest drawing blood. The momentary brightness from the [Wrath of the Fire God] technique dimmed and was snuffed out like a candle as the night and rain returned fiercely. A blood red light seemed to remain in the air as Kaskara¡¯s blood was instantly turned into vapor by the clash of both powers. However, the expression on Kaskara¡¯s face was not shock or fear but pure glee. ¡°Elder, you are finally willing to be serious.¡± This was the first time Kaskara referred to Kasi as ¡®elder¡¯ showing his respect to him for finally putting his full strength into the battle. ¡°You said I wouldn¡¯t be able to ¡®see¡¯ your blade in my previous state. Young man, can you ¡®see¡¯ my blade in your current state?¡± Kaskara did not answer him but proceeded to laugh before exclaiming, ¡° Hahahaha, I can feel that my Kingship Aura will rise after beating such a high level opponent. Kasi the Invisible Blade, you are my doorway. Rejoice for your sacrifice today shall lead to the rise of a new King!¡± Kasi did not reply to this. He disdained to reply. He did not think Kaskara could bear the weight of these arrogant words. However, Kaskara did not give him time to doubt him further before explaining further, ¡°I know you think I am arrogant, but what if I told you I could use the momentum from this victory to directly break past the next realm!¡± ¡°To all swordsmen you are a legend so I am naturally happy to face you, but that is not enough reason for me to risk my life. You kept asking me why I did not retreat. Well this is the answer. This is my true intention, my Martial Path.¡± With these words, Kasi immediately understood his opponent¡¯s stubbornness. It was related to his martial path. Once Crystal Warriors reached the Fusion Core realm, they would have to decide on their own unique martial path in order to advance further. No two paths were exactly alike but some of the more famous paths were: Indomitable Will, Sovereign Ruler, Paragon Ascension, Destruction, Just Payments, Illusory Obsession, Fate Reversal and Dream Desire. Kasi could tell that Kaskara¡¯s path was one that involved ruling, kingship, and trampling over others in order to ascend higher. By defeating stronger opponents, his vigor would rise and in turn increase his martial strength! Chapter 49: Divine Invocation ¡°I have decided, I will stake everything on this!¡± With that declaration, Kaskara decided to use his two secret techniques. One of them used the very same item he had used to conjure the golden flame river. It was a candle referred to as the [Sacrificial Candle]. The second technique was named [Hundred Night Sacrifice] and was used to raise the vigor of a peak Void Core warrior to possibly beyond the Lord Level. Kaskara knew that if he failed to defeat Kasi, these techniques would probably end his martial path for good. However, this was a risk he was more than willing to take on the road toward power. Immediately after he activated these 2 techniques, a vast inhuman aura erupted from his body flowing across Sese all the way to the opposite end of the island. Even lake waters dozens of kilometers away were affected. It was like everything was boiling. ¡°A Human Divine Seal! So that was why the candle was emanating holy aura.¡± Faced with this power, old man Kasi did not falter but he was still shocked by his opponent¡¯s means. His opponent always seemed to have a trump-card waiting to be revealed. A Human Divine Seal was means that allowed humans to channel and use the power the gods. These seals were similar to the Devil Ancestor Seals utilized by the demon race. This process of invoking the power of gods and devils was referred to as Divine Invocation or Devil Invocation. The Sacrificial Candle was an item used for Divine Invocation while the [Hundred Night Sacrifice] was a Demonic technique; the man who wielded the Demon Extermination Sword and once used to slay demons was now using their techniques! Kaskara was mixing the techniques passed down by the gods with those imparted by demons. Needless to say, both gods and devils would curse out such actions as it was the highest form of blasphemy. The power of Divine Invocation was passed down by the gods in the earliest ages of the Zika world to allow their devotees to call upon the divine power of a particular god to descend onto them. As for the Hundred Night Sacrifice, it was a demonic spirit technique that allowed users to absorb and seal numerous Remnant Souls into their body. This technique interfered with the cycle of life and death by trapping the souls of the dead in the world of the living. Therefore, this technique was considered a diabolical power. It was similar to the ¡®Butterfly Wings¡¯ of Soul Eater Demons that were formed purely of thousands of consumed souls. ¡°The spirits of my followers are forever with me.¡± Indeed from his words, it was not that Kaskara had wantonly massacred people to master this demonic technique. Instead, he had incorporated the souls of his fallen followers into his body after they died during his rebellion in Toro. Kaskara¡¯s rebellion had involved numerous people from all walks of life including the military and political arena. After-all, for him to even aim for the throne there had to be many people who supported his ambition. However, most of these followers had died during the coup attempt or after Kaskara¡¯s capture. Kaskara had collected all the salvageable remnant souls of his dead followers which amounted to over 10,000 remnant souls. However, the [Hundred Night Sacrifice] demonic technique was not without drawbacks. Remnant souls were usually filled with resentment and an immense grudge accumulated in their core before their death. The negative emotions held by these spirits could attack the user¡¯s consciousness. The biggest danger was getting possessed but even if one had a strong will they were still at risk of being emotionally and mentally influenced by the spirits. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. After using the 2 secret methods: the [Sacrificial Candle] and [Hundred Night Sacrifice], Kaskara¡¯s aura had far surpassed the Lord Level! The shocking inhuman aura that had exploded from his body returned to him and condensed around his body. This golden-red aura twisted and compressed to form a special armor. Kaskara¡¯s royal robes disappeared as his body was now wreathed in fire. Then as if building blocks being laid on a foundation brick by brick, a black demonic armor appeared on his body plate by plate. This armor had dark purple flames on its shoulders and edges. As for the golden flames on his body, they condensed into a long white cloak that was on fire and a golden crown. This was the figure of a King, albeit a False King. The fire emanating from him turned a large part of the lake waters at the shore into nothingness. The ground cracked as if a desert and the rain evaporated across the entire shore due to the heat which had torn apart the clouds. These heat waves reached all the way to the spectators and the light emitted brought back the daylight situation once again only much greater than before. For the second time tonight, night turned into day. However, the most shocking thing was that there were waves of kingly aura radiating from Kaskara¡¯s body. Although this aura was very vague, it was enough for old man Mwenda-Kasi and the other spectators to conclude that out of all the assassins tonight, this was the greatest display of power. ¡°Has he entered the King Rank through those secret techniques?!¡± ¡°No he should only be at the False King Rank.¡± Indeed after studying Kaskara¡¯s aura, old man Kasi was able to tell that the latter had surpassed the Lord Rank but had not yet stepped into the True King Rank. He could only be considered a False King. However, this still put Kaskara¡¯s power at a completely different dimension of strength from what he showcased before when he was only a Fusion Core Crystal Warrior. As Kaskara and Kasi stood opposite each other, the atmosphere seemed to have solidified around them. In a radius of several dozen kilometers, nothing could move! Not even the spectators. The rain drops were frozen in the sky, the splashes of water, mud, dust, and uprooted trees were all strangely stuck in mid air. Whether it was due to the combatants¡¯ aura or the extreme speed, one could not tell. Even before they moved, the two men¡¯s perception was enhanced to the maximum and the length of a second seemed to last forever. This was a contest of speed. The exchange that happened next was over in less than a microsecond! There were no great changes or earth shattering movements after the clash. There was just an eerie calmness. The two opponents had only taken one step and had already passed by each other. By the time the spectators could perceive anything, the two men were already standing on the opposite ends with their backs to each other. After a few seconds of silence, Kaskara opened his mouth and spoke, ¡°So this was the true Invisible Sword! What a fast sword, it looks like my title as the Fastest Blade in the East was unearned.¡± After those words the rain that was previously blown away by the two fighter¡¯s aura suddenly soaked Kaskara as if someone poured a bucket of water on him. ¡®Ting!¡¯ The golden crown from his transformation hit the ground in 2 parts. It had been split cleanly in two halves. Following this, the spectators watched in shock as his body split in half with each side slowly curving and falling to the side like a peeled banana. It looked extremely eerie and horrifying. The heavy rain that had just returned supplemented the reigning silence and only Kasi¡¯s heavy panting could be heard. Kaskara the ¡®Fastest Sword in the East¡¯ had been taken down in one strike! This was the ¡°Instant Sword¡± technique. Kasi, whose name translated to ¡®fast¡¯, had also once held the title of [Swift Sword] over a hundred years ago. In his prime, his sword had been known to be so fast that it would turn invisible whenever he struck at an opponent. As time passed, other warriors labeled him the [Invisible Sword]. After-all, everyone could agree that the man had far surpassed the definition of ¡®swift¡¯! Chapter 50: Domain As Kasi¡¯s battle concluded, a fierce battle was happening between Jakuta and King Rukidi, Kato¡¯s older brother. In the sky, Jakuta moved as fast as lightning dodging, parrying, and attacking. Speed was the advantage of a lightning element warrior and exceptionally talented ones could even be as fast as lightning. Jakuta also had the unique ability to chain his lightning attacks one after the other which made the bolts of lightning in the sky look like steel chains. This was what had granted him the moniker of [Thunderclap Chain]. When Rukidi realized that he was outmatched in terms of speed, he did not hesitate to release his ¡®Territorial Domain: Journeyman Altar¡¯. This was the second domain unleashed tonight after the Merchant¡¯s. If Rukidi managed to enclose Jakuta within his domain, the latter would lose his advantages and would be forced to play by Rukidi¡¯s rules. Domains were a special ability that was realized once a warrior stepped into the Void Core realm. A Void Core Crystal Warrior was a person that had achieved the Void Body Rank as well as the Fusion Core Realm. Upon seeing Rukidi¡¯s domain rush to envelop him, Jakuta did not hesitate to activate his own domain, ¡°Absolute Domain: Divine God of Thunder.¡± This instantaneous reaction was something that only he could achieve with his incredible reaction speed. Usually, trapping an opponent in your own domain would mean victory. Once you were trapped in someone else¡¯s domain, you would have to play by the rules of their territory. You would also not be able to deploy your own domain within someone else¡¯s domain. Finally, a domain user could manipulate objects and laws within their domain with a thought thus increasing their attack range. However, as a lightning element warrior, Jakuta was extremely fast when reacting to the enemy. Not only was his physical speed fast, but his thoughts were also far faster than other warriors. Therefore, even though Rukidi deployed his domain first, Jakuta still managed to cast his domain quick enough to match him. The two domains collided and clashed in the sky before fusing. As soon as the domains were cast, the 2 fighters disappeared from everyone¡¯s vision. This was because domains were independent spaces of their own. They were created using the understanding of spatial laws of a Void Rank warrior combined with the mastery of world laws of a Fusion Core Crystal Warrior. Within the domain, an apocalyptic scene emerged. Jakuta¡¯s side of the fused domain was filled with endless storms and raging fires. The soil in this domain was dark red and dry, the trees were scorched and the lava flowed right out of the earth. This was a territory that spanned numerous kilometers. Rukidi¡¯s side of the fused domain was a bit calmer but still very chaotic. There was endless barren land in the domain and but a wide long road that seemed to have no end separated the territory at the center. On the two sides of Rukidi¡¯s territory, howling sand storms and sorrowful winds were blowing creating an atmosphere that affected the heart. The road separating his domain in half moved from the fusion point of the two territories all the way to the domain¡¯s edge. Even at the edge, it seemed to curve upwards going all the way up to the heavens. Rukidi was standing in the middle of this road surrounded by a procession of illusionary soldiers. Suspended above him was a stone altar that was emitting a melancholic ancient aura. ¡°Thunder-fire Destruction!¡± Within the fused domain, Jakuta was the first to attack by mobilizing a lot of his storm power towards his opponent. It was an apocalyptic scene as the storm made up of arcing lightning and blazing flames rolled towards Rukidi. Before the attack even reached him, Rukidi¡¯s illusionary army was decimated. ¡°Looks like I have no choice but to use it.¡± Rukidi spoke to himself as the thunder nearing him drowned out his voice. He quickly activated his ¡®Holy Skill: Divine Vow¡¯. This was a skill that consisted of 9 divine vows in total. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Similar to Holy Weapons that could even make an ordinary mortal into a god, Holy Skills represented abilities that were not reliant on martial strength. Usually one would not train for such skills but would instead awaken them after a ceremony involving a Holy Gem. These gems were extremely rare and in the Sword Scar continent, only the 3 Great Nations would have them. ¡°Divine Vow: the Law of Equals ¨C Rebound.¡± Rukidi instantly activated the first divine vow reflecting Jakuta¡¯s attack back at him. The storm power was so powerful that once the lightning and fire hit Jakuta, it also destroyed a large part of the entire domain blasting Jakuta out of it. A huge hole formed in the skies as thunder and fire illuminated the night. ¡°Mama, I¡¯m scared!¡± ¡°Ng¡¯eeeeeeee, ng¡¯eeeeeeee!¡± ¡°God save us! Deliver us from this evil!¡± At this point, the entirety of Sese was already awake from the previous intense battles. The noises of scared crying children and even rattled adults could be heard. Jakuta was blasted out of the domain towards the streets of Sese but physically, he was mostly unaffected. As he fell from the sky, he released his technique [Thunder Chain] which successfully ensnared Rukidi who was still standing in the intact part of the domain. ¡°Get down here!¡± Using his momentum as he fell, Jakuta pulled Rukidi from the skies before slamming him into the streets of Sese town. At this point the domain completely collapsed once both fighters exited it. Large chunks of earth, fire, and lava fell from the sky like pieces of shattered glass. ¡°Wooooiii!¡± ¡°Wololoyaye! Are we going to die? Did the gods and devils descend here tonight?¡± Parents in the town could be seen holding their children in fear while lovers hugged in their houses as if it was the end of the world. However, once the pieces of the domain touched the town, they passed through into the ground as if they were phasing through physical matter. This was because the domains of powerful warriors would appear in a completely different space-time from the real world. However, this event was one that would leave many residents of Sese traumatized. After slamming Rukidi to the ground with the chain of lightning, Jakuta proceeded to drag him along the streets of the town like a train car. ¡°Rukidi, let¡¯s take this outside!¡± No matter how much Rukidi tried to dig his arm into the ground, he could not stop the momentum as the street tiles and earth were dug up in his arms. Finally, he was slammed into and through the walls of Sese town which were reinforced with magic protection circles. It was only then that he could re-balance his body but by the time he found his bearings, the 2 fighters were already a considerable distance from the town. ¡°I have never been disrespected like this before! Divine Vow: the Law of Calling ¨C Attract.¡± To counterattack against Jakuta¡¯s chains, Rukidi did not hesitate to use his second vow. Jakuta who was still flying at fast speeds while dragging Rukidi through the ground, felt an irresistible force pull him back. ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± Hearing Rukidi¡¯s calm voice, he knew he was in danger. He quickly spun around to face his opponent before putting up both arms to guard his face and chest. The next instant, Rukidi¡¯s entire arm collided with his guard like a lariat. Jakuta was launched a far distance like a missile through the rain. A large horizontal hole formed through the falling rain due to the speed at which Jakuta was knocked away. His body only came to a stop when he smashed into a huge rock that stretched high into the skies before sliding down and falling into a valley. Even though he had blocked the attack, his arms were sore and moving them slightly, he could almost hear his bones creaking. ¡°The humiliation of being dragged around like a sandbag finally got to him. Rukidi is going all out now.¡± After landing on the ground, he turned around to check his surroundings only to notice something extremely shocking. The huge rock he had slammed into even though he was so high in the sky was just one part of a doorway! ¡°The old temple!¡± ¡°Indeed. This place is the old temple. Before even the age of our ancestors on Sese, this temple already existed. It is unlike the tribal and clan shrines on the island.¡± It was Rukidi who had just landed in front of Jakuta that spoke these words. This old temple was now in a dilapidated state but its magnificence could not be denied. The entrance alone was made of two huge rocks that were hundreds of meters high. These rocks or boulders were like small mountains and had a rough oval shape. The boulders intersected at the top forming a triangular arc with a huge pillar in the middle that seemed as if it was holding up the entire structure. This pillar separated the triangular doorway into 2 parts. Although the bottom of the doorway was within a valley, the doorway was so high that the top almost touched the clouds. In front of this structure, the 2 men were smaller than ants. ¡°Playtime is over. Since you came here, you must have been prepared.¡± At the ancient temple¡¯s entrance, a decisive battle was fought; one that only lasted 2 minutes and 58 seconds. Chapter 51: 2 Minutes 58 Seconds Rukidi immediately launched himself towards his opponent while adopting a strange posture. As he moved, he was hovering a few millimeters off the ground while his body maintained a perfect balance. His movement seemed almost robotic as he could move forward and horizontally without even changing his posture. This type of movement resembled a dragon fly¡¯s flight thus it was labeled the [Dragon Fly Dance]. It was a form of martial arts that prioritized quick, unpredictable, and balanced techniques. Although Jakuta retaliated with his own close quarters combat techniques such as the [Dark Lightning Fist], he still found himself a bit overwhelmed by his opponent. ¡°This is the genuine Dragon Fly Dance, not the fakes that are taught in many modern martial schools!¡± Jakuta finally had an epiphany on Rukidi¡¯s martial arts. Rukidi easily countered his fastest fist art despite being slightly slower than him. This was only possible as Rukidi was using the authentic Dragon Fly Dance instead of the watered down versions. A majority of schools in the continent only emphasized more on general programs and teaching empty martial arts forms that were only nice to look at. Many martial arts learners would end up emptying their pockets in these schools yet the system did not instill the true meaning of martial arts. Jakuta was struggling to react to Rukidi¡¯s blows but he still managed to hold the latter off with his [Radi Arts]. Rukidi pursued Jakuta before unleashing a powerful jumping side kick. Jakuta was not slow to react and responded with a front kick. In this exchange, Jakuta¡¯s kick reached Rukidi¡¯s stomach first almost knocking the wind out of him. As the two fighters were airborne, Rukidi was sent flying in a horizontal line like a glider before falling to the ground. Jakuta did not give him space to breathe as he ran up to him before grabbing him and slamming him into the ancient temple¡¯s central pillar which caused multiple cracks to appear on the hard stone. The [Radi Arts] that Jakuta utilized emphasized precise, linear, and fast attacks such as the Dark Lightning Fist. The Dark Lightning Fist was an aggressive fist style that targeted vital areas such as the eyes to cause maximum damage. Jakuta used his lightning-fast punches to cause cuts on Rukidi¡¯s brows and temporarily blind his opponent before unleashing a lightning barrage on him. Rukidi constantly struggled to escape the bombardment but his opponent grabbed him by his clothes, slammed him back onto the pillar, before delivering a rapid of punches to his stomach. However, Rukidi¡¯s stomach was harder than iron and he was barely injured by the attacks. He made sure to protect his face after he was cut so his head remained uninjured and his mind remained clear. All seemed hopeless for Rukidi until a red glow of energy appeared on his skin. ¡°Red Star Aura Activate!¡± ¡°Scarlett Blazing Aura Activate!¡± Immediately, Rukidi activated two aura techniques which gave his skin a red glow. He followed up by using another form of Martial Arts named the [Gudi Chini] or ¡®Low Boxing¡¯ to counter Jakuta¡¯s continuous assault. Low Boxing allowed a martial artist to exhibit overwhelming force as long as their body was conditioned enough. It was extremely effective in medium to short range close quarters fights. ¡°Red Blast!¡± With an aura enhanced punch to Jakuta¡¯s stomach, Rukidi was finally able to free himself. This attack was followed by several more punches to Jakuta¡¯s stomach and torso. As the two fighters moved backwards, Jakuta swung his left fist in retaliation which Rukidi ducked to dodge before moving forward and picking up Jakuta by the waist. With his opponent over his shoulder, Rukidi raised his speed to the maximum and slammed Jakuta hard into one of the boulders forming the arc-way of the temple. Due to the powerful impact, the huge drum on Jakuta¡¯s back emitted a loud booming sound that echoed throughout the entire temple and the valley outside. After pinning his opponent to the wall, Rukidi then proceeded to land five blows on different parts of Jakuta¡¯s body where each blow managed to break through the latter¡¯s guard. On seeing that his guard was useless, Jakuta left himself open to Rukidi¡¯s attacks before placing his arms behind his opponent¡¯s neck. In that position, he delivered a terrifying upward knee attack driven by his lightning element. Rukidi was too late to block this attack and his quickly placed defense was broken apart as Jakuta¡¯s flying knee landed squarely on his jaw. The blow was so powerful that Rukidi¡¯s neck seemed to extend as if his head would fly off! The momentum caused his entire body to bend backwards. With a front kick to his disoriented opponent, Jakuta was finally able to get free from being pinned against the wall. At this point, the two fighters were already bloodied as they circled around each other. However, if one looked closely none of them had any fatal injuries. ¡°Hahaaa, even after being a king away from the frontlines for so long, your skills in battle have not waned.¡± ¡°You are already impressed? I have not even warmed up yet.¡± Rukidi replied with a cocky smirk. ¡°Bring it on then.¡± Jakuta threw a straight punch at Rukidi which the latter blocked with an open palm. In a martial arts move that entered a new frontier of physics, Rukidi closed his palm over Jakuta¡¯s fist and slightly tilted it upwards at the wrist which reflected Jakuta¡¯s own fist power back into his body. If one had an X-ray, they would be able to see the power travel up Jakuta¡¯s arm all the way to his shoulders and neck. The pain Jakuta experienced from this attack was so severe that he almost toppled over and only managed to support himself with one arm on the ground. ¡°Defensive martial arts?!¡± ¡°Indeed, most of my martial arts like the ¡®Dragon Fly Dance¡¯, ¡®Dambe¡¯, and ¡®Gudi Chini¡¯ focus a lot on defense. When combined with my divine vow which can reflect attacks, my defense is almost impenetrable!¡± ¡°Almost, almost, huh. Let¡¯s test that!¡± With three limbs on the ground, Jakuta jumped high while twisting his body at fast speeds. He was aiming a spinning back fist at Rukidi¡¯s neck with his left hand. The force of the punch compressed the air around the fist and even the sonic boom from the strike¡¯s extreme speed was left far behind as Jakuta¡¯s speed reached the extreme almost instantly. In his [Radi Arts], Jakuta was using the [Lightning Dance] when spinning which boosted his speed with the lightning element. As his fist reached Rukidi¡¯s neck, the latter utilized [Dambe] to block the punch with his outstretched left arm but he did not counter it with force. Instead he went along with his opponent¡¯s momentum throwing Jakuta off balance. With his left arm still tightly grasping Jakuta¡¯s wrist, Rukidi took 3 well spaced steps circling around Jakuta while delivering three lethal blows to his opponent: one blow to the lower back, another to the right side where the liver was, and a frontal attack to the stomach on his third step. Rukidi finished the ¡®three step maneuver¡¯ by throwing Jakuta onto the ground with the wrist he had been grabbing before jumping high up to deliver a stomp with both legs. However, his opponent was quick enough to react and rolled away from the attack which broke apart the earth causing huge cracks to spread everywhere. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. After reorienting his body, Jakuta realized that Rukidi was nowhere to be seen as his jumping stomp had so much force behind it that it drove him deep into the ground like a nail being hammered. Only a hole was left in the original position. ¡°He¡¯s in the ground! He will attack from below!¡± Jakuta thought before quickly jumping into the sky and hovering several meters off the ground. In this martial arts exchange, Jakuta had already realized that Rukidi was superior to him in close quarters combat. However, as a lightning element warrior with exceptional speed and power, Jakuta was still confident in his strength in mid range and long range battles. ¡°Rukidi! At the end of the day it does not matter which martial arts style you use, a punch is a punch, a kick is a kick. Victory goes to the best of us!¡± As Jakuta watched the ground carefully, cracks started to appear everywhere. What followed was a large chunk of the earth shooting out of the ground towards him. ¡°Petty tricks.¡± With a smash of his fist, a large chunk of earth was destroyed. However, more kept coming! ¡®It is not a boulder?!¡¯ It is only when Jakuta realized that the attack was not just a simple boulder that he decided to fly out of the way. Indeed it was not a boulder but a road emerging from the ground. This road was similar to the one previously seen in Rukidi¡¯s domain and clearly represented his martial path as a journeyman. Once again the earthen road extended from the ground to the sky; [The Journeyman¡¯s Road]. Standing in the middle of this road was Rukidi. As the road was vertical going all the way to the sky, Rukidi was standing horizontally defying gravity. In his hands, Rukidi was holding a black magical spear. This was a dark black spear made from the bones of a creature called the Shadow Mountain Beast. The spear was so dark that it appeared unreal. It looked like an ink line as none of the light that touched it could escape it. This was a magic spear of the darkness attribute. As the two fighters stared each other down, someone else appeared on the scene. It was not the newcomer¡¯s identity that was shocking but what he had in his arms, a severed head. The man who had just appeared was the Hidden Elder who fought against Haraka, the [Wind Walker Swift Gale]. The Wind Walker was said to be one of the three fastest warriors in Toro yet he had been beheaded! Yet another famous character had died in this island on this night. The Hidden Elder was holding Haraka¡¯s head in his right hand and a sword in his left. For him to reach Rukidi and Jakuta¡¯s battlefield, it was clear that Haraka had ran away but the Hidden Elder managed to chase him down and kill him thus ending up here. Both fighters were shocked to see the elder but Rukidi still refused when the latter offered to help him. It was beneath him to work with someone else to gang up on his opponent. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t that be the same as admitting his weakness? That he was not up to par.¡¯ ¡°Forbidden Magic: Violet Flame of Repentance!¡± As a combat magician who mastered both martial arts and magic, Rukidi could perfectly fuse these two powers together. Once he activated his forbidden magic, a purple flame suddenly appeared on the pitch black spear. The magic he used combined the fire and darkness element. As for the spear, Rukidi used it to channel his magic in the same way a mage would use a staff or wand. This spear was forged using Dark Magic and was an excellent weapon for a combat magician. There were many different types of magic in the Zika world. Some of these included: Elemental Magic, Summoning Magic, Enhancement Magic, Forbidden Magic, and Evil Magic. In the case of Evil Magic, it was especially notorious for ruining the reputation of Dark Magic. Dark Magic was a type of elemental magic that was feared and outlawed in many places in the past because of people confusing it with Evil Magic. The uniqueness of Evil Magic could be seen in the balance of costs after using magic. All magic had a cost and the stronger the magic spells, the more the cost. However, evil magic was deemed evil as it tried to pass on the cost of magic to someone else. Evil magicians would usually use other people¡¯s bodies and sols instead of taking on the burden themselves. Dark magic received a bad reputation because of how closely entwined it was with evil magic. As for Forbidden Magic, it was a type of magic that involved advanced spells of each form. Ordinary magic spells went from Rank 1 to Rank 10 while forbidden spells were rank 11 spells. Any magician could use a forbidden spell as long as they had the knowledge but the cost to be paid would be devastating. The spell would either require a large magic source or an exceptionally powerful magical item. After activating the forbidden magic on the spear, a Battle Spirit was summoned. This was the ¡®Shadow Mountain Phantom¡¯, Rukidi¡¯s Battle Spirit. It was a giant humanoid phantom that stood several meters in height and wreathed in purple flames. Jakuta did not hesitate to pull out his trump cards too. He dug his hands into his chest and pulled out a huge double-headed ax! This ax was actually the tattoo on his bare chest. As he grabbed it, the tattoo extended and turned into an oversized ax. However, with Jakuta¡¯s large frame this weapon did not look unnatural for him to use. The ax was red hot with arcs of lighting and tongues of fire snaking across it. Seeing Jakuta¡¯s violent momentum, the Hidden Elder felt like he should still help Rukidi but before he could think further, a shocking force blew him away from the battlefield as Jakuta¡¯s battle spirit erupted. The force was so powerful that Rukidi¡¯s road to the sky was shattered. An endless rain of boulders fell from the sky! ¡°Is this an apocalypse?!¡± The elder could not help but exclaim once he stood up again. The sight in front of him shocked him to the core. A gigantic lightning bird circled around the skies emitting shrill cries. With each cry, lightning would shoot forth and with each flap of its wings, violent tornadoes would form. This was Jakuta¡¯s Battle Spirit: the ¡®Storm God¡¯s Messenger¡¯ ¨C Divine Lightning Bird! However, even after the two fighters activated such powerful techniques, neither of them made a move. In the end, Rukidi was still the first to speak. ¡°Why are you still fighting? I know you are not like the other assassins. What do you hope to achieve?¡± Rukidi had once tried to recruit Jakuta and he had known of the latter¡¯s talent for a long time. Jakuta was not a man who would willingly become an assassin. Although he did not have a slave seal like the other assassins, he still came here tonight under the king¡¯s orders. It was clearly not his choice and Jakuta could not refuse as he had to think of his people. The people of Oyo were entirely reliant on him. Their rise and fall would also be tied to him. ¡°Assurance. I¡¯m waiting for assurance.¡± This was the short answer Jakuta gave. Before he was sent on this mission, someone important had sent him a secret letter. It assured him that all his questions would be answered and all his worries would be taken care off once he stepped foot on Sese. ¡°King Rukidi, we can work together to take him down and return to the compound to help the rest if they need us. There is no need to negotiate with an assassin.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha.¡± Jakuta found these words a bit comedic before replying to both of them, ¡°Indeed, I am not going anywhere. Feel free to attack.¡± Rukidi did not respond to any of the two and proceeded to ask Jakuta, ¡°Jakuta you did not use your Divine Invocation: Wrath of the Storm God. I know it is very destructive especially on a rainy night like tonight. Your Annihilation Storm could have threatened to destroy the entirety of Sese Island. Yet you did not use it. Even more shocking, you did not beat on your drum even once!¡± Of the assassins that came here tonight Jakuta and [Rain Walker] were the strongest on a rainy night. Rukidi also knew that Jakuta¡¯s strongest weapon was not the ax in his hands but the giant drum on his back. This was because he and Jakuta were very similar. Rukidi¡¯s strongest weapon was also the drum tied to his waist that could absorb attacks among having many other abilities. Neither he nor Jakuta had gone all out. It is only after hearing Rukidi¡¯s words that the Hidden Elder realized that Jakuta had never taken the assassination mission seriously. He did not use any of his strongest techniques. ¡°Cough.¡± The stare-down was interrupted by a cough which stood out even amidst the rain. A hooded figure had somehow appeared in the middle of the battlefield. As they watched him remove his hood, everyone was slightly surprised but Jakuta finally broke out into a grin. ¡°It seems you did not trick me.¡± ¡°I always, keep my word.¡± The man said to Jakuta before bowing towards King Rukidi and speaking, ¡°Your Highness, I rushed here on the heir¡¯s call.¡± By the heir, this man was referring to Kato. To this, Rukidi only replied with a soft, ¡°Umn, I understand now¡±, before flying back to the town. Some of the things he could not make sense of tonight had finally clicked into place. He deactivated his technique to return to Sese town where everything would conclude. As for Jakuta, he nodded at the man before the both of them also flew toward Sese town. However, the Hidden Elder was left frozen in the rain by what he had witnessed. He had a shocked and perplexed look on his face because of the identity of this man. If anyone in Toro knew of what transpired tonight and who this man was, chaos would ensue. As everyone including Rukidi, the Hidden Elder, and even old man Kasi converged back into Sese town, a decisive event that would affect Toro¡¯s future days occurred in this island town of the Great Lakes. Chapter 52: The Awakening Ceremony ¡­Jua Village¡­4 hours after midday¡­. The plasma-blue sky which decorated the day was gradually receding as airy clouds drifted around the sun. The sun was still burning strong turning the trees and vegetation in the village into a flaming collage of colors: scorching-reds, golden-yellows and wooden-browns. The scene¡¯s strange glamour elicited some long buried memories in Mwana. ¡°Keep your thoughts and heart as one. Rationality or emotion, they don¡¯t matter, what matters is your own will.¡± For a moment he heard his father¡¯s voice. ¡°Father,¡± as he reached his hand towards the sun, a nostalgic atmosphere surrounded the young boy. His hand blocked the sun from his sight but when he lowered it, the sun was no longer there. In the push and pull between the gleaming sun and the drifting clouds, the clouds emerged victorious. A soft cool wind started blowing causing the leaves to sway left and right. ¡°It is going to rain.¡± Not a second passed after this statement that a drizzling mist-like rain approached the village. The drizzle was like white noise to Mwana¡¯s ears as it amplified his thoughts of the past. The plip and plop of rain hitting the ground and dripping off the roofs brought back memories of simpler times, memories of his late father. By the time he awakened from his day dream, he had already arrived at his destination. He had just awakened his bloodline and it was crucial to take the next step, the awakening ceremony. Bloodline Awakening was divided into several stages namely, Gateway, Entry, Initiation, and True Awakening which involved the methods of Blood Boiling and Blood Rush. At this moment, Mwana was standing at an isolated pathway, the road to the village shrine. When he arrived at the entrance of the shrine, there were already other people there including his family and some of his classmates. ¡°What took you so long? What did you do?¡± While still lost in thought, Sana¡¯s voice reached his ears. Mwana only give a sheepish smile. He felt his mother¡¯s questions had destroyed the melancholic atmosphere he had been building up on his way here. However, he did not dare answer her lest he implicate himself. He had played with his friends before and after school dirtying the clothes Sana had prepared for him so he had to freshen up before showing up here. Even his friends had arrived at his own ceremony before him. Apart from Sana, his uncles and aunts were also there and another additional man was standing beside them. This man was tall and dressed in black but his hair was flaming red. His robes only covered one side of his body showing off half of his chest and left arm which was well muscled. ¡°Come greet your uncle.¡± The man did not wait to be introduced and called to Mwana. The boy recognized full well who this man was and walked over to give his greetings. ¡®As her guardian, her guardian maybe one day I will have to ask this uncle of her hand I marriage.¡¯ After thinking of this, Mwana even straightened his clothes before greeting the man in the most respectful manner he could manage. ¡°What a well behaved child. It¡¯s just been 2 or 3 years since I last saw you and you have really grown up,¡± the man said while patting Mwana¡¯s small head with his massive palms. This man was Fury Jua¡¯s father and Malkia¡¯s uncle and current guardian, Jin Mwaki. If he knew of Mwana¡¯s thoughts regarding Kia, what would he think? Behind the adults, Mwana could see some of his friends like Cheza, Nyaga, Mwanga, and even Malkia and Fury who had accompanied her father. After respectfully greeting all the adults gathered there including some of his teachers and neighbors, everyone turned to enter the shrine. ¡°Son it is your big day. Today you will take the ¡®first step¡¯.¡± These words by Mwana¡¯s ¡®little¡¯ father, Jua Vumilivu, had a double meaning. After taking a deep breath, Mwana finally took the first step into the shrine with everyone following behind him. The shrine entrance was decorated by two statues of man and woman. These statues were extremely huge dwarfing most huts in the village. Mwana remembered once when he saw these statues as he passed outside the shrine at night, ¡°They scared the living-monkey out of me!¡± As far as Mwana knew, these statues were of the Human Emperor and Human Empress. Both characters were dressed in white with golden haloes radiating from the statues. ¡°Recite the True Spirit Canon.¡± A voice appeared out of thin air and Mwana knew the ceremony had started. ¡®The Shrine Master!¡¯ There was nobody in the Zika world who did not know of the True Spirit Canon. This was not just a mantra or technique but a way of life. A means that allowed people to gain enlightenment in whatever path they pursued by unearthing a human¡¯s full potential. It could even be considered as an art or even a religion as it involved worship, chants, a mantra, hand signs, dances, and mental imagery. This art was taught to human children since their young age. It had been created by the Human Emperor Sanaan Jinfire Ngao also referred to as ¡®the Shield of Humanity¡¯ and the Human Empress ¡®Rose Doctor¡¯ Waridi also referred to as the ¡®Divine Mortal¡¯. Their names appeared in the chants of the canon and could help humans awaken the power of their True Spirit thus raising their talent. For a martial artist, this would help in training martial arts, mental arts, spiritual arts, and finally synchronizing all 3 aspects of human existence. The Human Emperor and Human Empress, Sanaan and Waridi, had developed this art to close the gap between humans and other races with outstanding ancestral inheritances such as Demons who could utilize many powerful abilities such as Demon Arrays and Ancestral Power Summoning. After everyone recited the canon, they all followed behind Mwana and walked towards the interior of the shrine. They had to walk through a long path of over a hundred meters to get to the central area. On both sides of the path, there were statues and idols set up in front of some caves. These caves were offering grounds for these minor deities and the ancestors of the Jua village. If one were to enter these caves and walk further, they would find some tunnels that took one to an open area which was the village burial grounds to the left and right. Walking along this path was therefore similar to walking between walls of death. Mwana had rarely been to the shrine and as he walked on this path, he was constantly amazed by the statues. The last time he was here was when the shrine master had to perform rights after his father¡¯s death. Back then, he was naturally not in a mood to admire the scenery. However, before he asked anything about the statues, his sister Pendo who was also looking around curiously asked their mother about them. ¡°These statues represent different gods. You see that red one over there, that¡¯s Mhunzi Mara, the God of Smithing. As this is a blacksmith village, he is very revered.¡± Sana said while referring to a statue forged of black meteorite. The figure on the statue was extremely muscular and painted brown-red. He had a red mane of hair that looked like iron nails and golden tattoos were painted on the reddish statue. As the god of smithing, this statue had far more offerings in front of it than others due to the profession of the village. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Sana continued to explain the statues along the path such as those of Uzazi the Goddess of Fertility, Vuma the Goddess of Rain, Amani-Jutia the Goddess of Peace and many others. There were also many smaller idols of lesser gods such as human divinities and mortal gods. By the time Sana was done explaining, they had already arrived at the core area of the shrine where two old men were waiting for them. These two were the shrine master and the village priest. While Mwana and most other children were not familiar with the shrine master, they all knew the Village Priest, Jua Mzee. This old man¡¯s name ¡®Mzee¡¯ translated to ¡®old man.¡¯ This name had always baffled Mwana but he didn¡¯t dare ask the old man about it. ¡®It doesn''t sound out of place now since he is old now, but I can¡¯t imagine the awkwardness when he was a young man with such a name. He must have suffered.¡¯ Mwana thought that if the old man had friends like Cheza in his younger years, he would never have a day of peace. Mwana even sniffled a little when he thought of the old man¡¯s ¡®troubled¡¯ younger years. The interior of the inner shrine could only be described as dark. The tall trees at the side blocked out the sun and the earth on both sides rose up like a curved valley almost forming a large cave over the shrine. The walls of rock were carved to form the vague shape of a building with tall pillars of hardwood on the four corners of the shrine. However, these pillars did not hold up any roof. Instead the branches and leaves of even taller trees outside the shrine formed a canopy like nature¡¯s roof. The massive size of these trees could not be imagined as the inner shrine¡¯s width was already in the hundreds of meters! So how large were the trees that could form a canopy over it? These were trees that had been alive for thousands of years! As for the sides of the inner shrine, several caves were carved in the walls each for a different purpose. Some of these caves had ponds in them. The three most important ponds in the shrine were the Bloodline Awakening Pond, the Maternity Pond, and the Life Pond. The function of the life pond was self explanatory as its waters were like a lesser fountain of life that could heal minor diseases and illnesses or poisons. Mwana¡¯s uncle and mother had been frequent visitors to this pond. While it could not cure their serious problems, it could alleviate their pain as well as side effects. As for the maternity pond, it was reserved for pregnant women who had complications during pregnancy or birth. It was said to be connected to the underworld and could improve a baby¡¯s luck. At the end of the shrine grounds, there was a small temple and behind it was a huge statue etched into the cliff walls. These cliff walls existed behind the entire village and the statue carved into them was countless times bigger than the others. This was the statue of the Zika world¡¯s Creator God! This statue adopted a kneeling posture on one knee with its right arm outstretched. From this right arm, a river of multicolored water originated and split into multiple small single colored streams that flowed into the caves to the right and left forming the shape of a blossoming flower when viewed from the top. The Shrine Master did not waste any time and called Mwana to him to begin the ceremony. This old man was dressed in white fur and above the fur, he wore an orange cloak. He was also holding a black umbrella with red strips to block the slight drizzle of rain. Unlike modern curved umbrellas, this umbrella was completely flat with no curvature and the umbrella¡¯s cloth only dropped down at the edges. The old man grabbed Mwana¡¯s arm and walked towards the small temple at the innermost part of the shrine with everyone following behind them. The temple seemed to float over the multicolored river and Mwana could not understand how they would get to it but what happened next altered his very view of the world. The shrine master took off his orange cloak and used it to part the river! ¡°No way! Just like that a path was created?¡± Not just Mwana, but all the other children exclaimed in shock. This multicolored river was not small. Its width was at least 70 meters and this was just an underestimation of its size. Mwana finally understood why the Academy Vice-head had told him he could take the Shrine Master as a teacher if he wanted to take advantage of his Spiritual talent. ¡®This is the Shrine Master. The man rumored to be a Spirit World Master, a Rank 4 Divine Spiritualist; someone at the same level as the Sword Elder!¡¯ Mwana felt that this could not just be a rumor anymore. It was probably the truth given this display of power. In the small temple, the ceremony finally began. First Mwana¡¯s family had to make some offerings and libation to the ancestors. The shrine master then led them to bathe in ash and kneel in prayer to the Creator God. The next step was a cleansing ceremony which used the water from one of the streams to spiritually cleanse Mwana¡¯s body. This was followed by the born again ceremony where Sana was involved. This ceremony represented the fact that Mwana would be reborn on this day. Through all this, the shrine keepers stood at the side of the shine beating their drums as Sana Jua danced while everyone else chanted and sang. At this point, she had forgotten her pain and her sickly body did not hinder her. It was her son¡¯s big day. She danced with her arms moving widely all around. She whirled and jumped as happiness flooded her. Her sweat decorated the air but she did not feel tired at all. This was true dancing: a foot forward, a step back, a twist here, a jump there, a shake of her waist. When was the last time she had moved like this, she could not remember. As the drums and singing came to a stop, her feet came to an abrupt stop as she stood there breathless. However, a bright smile was etched onto her face. She was happy. For a long time maybe no one had seen her smile as much as she did today. At the Bloodline Awakening pond, Mwana finally went through his bloodline awakening ceremony after receiving the ancestral blessing. It was said that this ritual would awaken latent bloodline abilities. In Mwana¡¯s case, he had already experienced the enhancement of his senses since this morning. ¡°Maybe after this I will be able to use abilities like Dragon Claw or Dragon Roar!¡± Mwana said excitedly. Seeing the young man deep in fantasy land, the shrine master could not help but remind him to concentrate. ¡°Stop dilly dallying. Step into the pond and sit at the edge and then meditate. Remember to deeply concentrate on your bloodline as you meditate. You cannot sense it now but you will after you step into the pond.¡± Taking the old man¡¯s words into account, Mwana finally sat cross-legged in the pond. He almost let off a laugh as the pond water tickled him. This slightly red water had a nice scent that immediately put him in a meditative trance. Mwana found himself in a world of red as if he was standing in an ocean of blood. ¡°How do I even find my bloodline let alone concentrate on it? The old man should have been clearer in his words.¡± However, as soon as he had this thought, a heartbeat entered his ears. Remembering back to some of his dreams and visions, he understood that he had to follow the sound of the heartbeat. Following this sound, his small figure drifted over the endless ocean of blood before reaching a giant swallowing current that formed a hole in the ocean. He could not resist it as he was swallowed into the deep black abyss. In this world of darkness, Mwana saw another vision. A giant green dragon with scales like ruby, torch like eyes, and massive wings that spanned across space was flying in the void. The dragon threw out a terrifying claw attack which ripped right through a planet in the deep black space smashing it into pieces. Once again, an apocalyptic scene that Mwana could not comprehend ensued. The claw was not only destructive but it also seemed to have a corrosive effect that wiped out the massive chunks of rubble from the destroyed planet completely annihilating them. Before he could even comprehend the scale of the attack, the green dragon turned and locked eyes with him. Even though this was an illusionary world, Mwana was frozen in place by the dragon¡¯s stare. The dragon then let out a great roar that reverberated across space shattering the void. The force was so powerful that in the real world Mwana¡¯s nose started to bleed and his bones started to emit audible growls like a dragon. The shattering void was enough to break Mwana¡¯s meditation as he woke up with a start. His bones still emitted growling noises which even caused the interior of the cave to slightly shake shocking everyone around. However, Mwana was ecstatic as he had finally understood what all his previous dreams of the same nature had been trying to tell him. When he combined all his previous dreams with the present one, he vaguely understood that they were spelling out a vague mantra, the [Green Dragon Mantra]. ¡°Dragon Bone Refinement.¡± He exclaimed out loud. This method was just a small section of the Green Dragon Mantra that he had deciphered and was the main reason his bones were growling. It was a method to forge dragon bones! Remembering the feeling he experienced when facing the green dragon and replicating it would allow Mwana to smoothen his path through Bone Forging. ¡°An inherited ability? You are one of the lucky ones.¡± The shrine master¡¯s voice finally brought Mwana back to reality. Hearing that her son had an inherited ability, Sana was almost crying in joy. Today had been a happy day for her. With a few more pleasantries to the villagers who attended, Mwana and his family returned home. Although he wanted to spend time playing around, he knew he had to prepare. Not only did he have a big fight coming but he also had to aim for Bone Forging. In a few weeks, it would be his 10th birthday. From then on, he would only have 5 years. Only 5 years to become a Crystal Warrior or else he would have missed his window for good. Time was tight. Chapter 53: Jua Waya On a sunny morning a few weeks after Mwana¡¯s awakening ceremony, the young children of White Rock Academy could be seen running a marathon around the village. They ran all the way from the village gates to the school grounds and back the same way. This was endurance training. ¡°Give me 40 laps, no 50.¡± ¡°Give me 50 laps.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jog! You¡¯re warriors, not farmers.¡± ¡°Full speed ahead! I want to see you sweating!¡± ¡°I want to see your snot! Your mucus should be dropping at a rate you can¡¯t even wipe it anymore!¡± ¡°Your legs should be sore!¡± The person shouting these orders was a young man of about 17 or 18 years old. He presented a dashing figure in his white fur coat and flowing red clothes. His hair was long and as dark as night. His eyes had the color of red emeralds and seemed to glow in the sun. Although he had softer facial features, his eyebrows were thick and his jaw looked as if it was curved out of marble; this gave him an overall handsome and manly appearance. The softness and hardness of his facial features was perfectly balanced making this young man a high quality specimen in the looks department. This young man was Jua Waya Wanyama, the young hero of Jua village. He stood at the school gates instructing the children to run. Several meters to his side, there two other teachers discussing his actions in hushed voices. One of these teachers was Karaka, the new teacher in charge of physical classes. At the moment, he had a scowl on this face as he felt that Waya was infringing on his area of expertise. ¡°His lesson isn¡¯t about physicality like yours but spirituality and the mind.¡± ¡°Spirituality and the mind? Then why are they running laps?¡± Karaka was asking these words to teacher Bine who was at his side. ¡°He started out with the physical side for a simple reason. The goal is to tire the body to the maximum in order to help awaken the power of the mind and spirit. If the physical body is at the limit, then the children can only draw strength from their spirit and mind. This is one of the sure ways to train these aspects even for the untalented.¡± Teacher Bine¡¯s voice reached Karaka¡¯s ears from his right. The logic in Bine¡¯s words did make some sense but it was not something Karaka was knowledgeable of. Seeing that there was a teachable moment here for a young fella like Karaka, Bine took it upon himself to further educate the youngster. A few moments later, Karaka was already regretting asking anything as Bine¡¯s mouth seemed to know no limits. The children finished their laps and filed into the school gate while panting like thirsty goats> Waya who had already moved to the school field pulled Mwana over to him for some small talk. He started by telling Mwana about how his painting would be added to his wall like some sort of mural. ¡°I also heard about that other painting from my old man,¡± ¡®wink wink¡¯. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Knowing what Waya was referring to, Mwana still chose to act dumb. ¡°Don¡¯t play dense. Can I get a similar one like that?¡± ¡°A similar one? Is that your taste?¡± For a moment, Mwana thought Waya was someone into women the same age as his own mother. It was a bit of a shocking thought let alone the fact that Urembo was Mwana¡¯s teacher. ¡°No no, I mean of ¡®her¡¯, you know ¡®her¡¯!¡± This conversation already had Mwana exasperated. He could see his friends like Nyaga, Vitali, and Kia at the side stretching their ears to the maximum as if trying to understand what the two were talking about. ¡®It seems there is nothing sacred to that old man. How can he tell his perversions to his son? Is he not afraid Waya will rat him out to his wives? One of them is his own mother after-all.¡¯ Mwana had just sold the old man a painting of Jua Urembo for some extra shells of money yet that old fellow had already told his son all about it. Mwana knew full well that Waya was not experienced enough to be an official teacher and that he only came to teach at the academy in order to pursue some of his ¡®impure¡¯ thoughts. Waya had only started teaching recently and he only had 3 lessons under his belt. The ¡®her¡¯ that Waya wanted a painting of was Jua Uzuri. "You have the same taste as your father." Mwana concluded out loud but he did not give a solid answer as they were in public. He did not want to make this his ¡®career path¡¯. At least for the painting of Urembo, he had painted it under her supervision and had the permission to o whatever he wanted to do with it. The same could not be said for Uzuri who Mwana was only acquainted with through her mother. Jua Uzuri was one of the daughters of Jua Urembo. She was a teacher at the academy in charge of Herbal Classes. Mwana knew full well that this botanical expert was the main reason Waya came to teach at the academy; it was the pursuit of love. Uzuri was an extremely beautiful woman in her early 20s. She was unmarried and had many potential suitors in the village. Waya on the other hand was barely 18. With regards to the whole situation, Mwana thought the young chap was aiming too high. ¡°You are so young yet you already have your eyes set so high. I can only wish you luck.¡± Mwana added an encouraging but half-hearted thumbs-up to Waya. To this, Waya responded by knuckling Mwana¡¯s forehead till it almost turned purple from the friction. Mwana quickly escaped from his grip to join up with the rest of the class while grumbling internally, ¡®My head will be swollen from this.¡¯ When he reached his classmates, he found Vitali talking to Kia and Fury. She was introducing Waya to the two girls as they had just moved to this village. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Hearing Vitali refer to Waya as a hero, Mwana could not help but add on, ¡°His heroic reputation only serves as sheep clothing to mask his wolfy nature.¡± Although he said these words to Kia and Fury in a whispering voice, Waya still heard him. He could not let the little brat ruin his reputation further so he quickly asked all the students to settle down at the school field. ¡°My lesson is about to begin.¡± The lesson started with a roll call by the class representative, Mlafi. The boys in the class were: Cheza, Damu, Duma, Jode, Kiboko, Maji 1, Maji 2, Mlafi, Motikatika, Mwana, Nyaga, and Tembo. As for the girls, they were: Ana, Baraka, Baran, Bosibori, Fury, Karo, Malkia, Maisha, Ona, Teso, and Vitali. In total the class had 12 boys and 11 girls making a total of 23 students. Waya proceeded to give each of the 23 students some purple fragrant fruits and a few calabashes of water. While the students did not know what these two items were, the teachers who were watching at the side identified them at a glance. These two items were [Mind Nodes Refreshing Water] and [Purple Soul Bonding fruit]. ¡°Purple Soul-bonding fruits! Over 20 of them at that!¡± ¡°Tssk tssk, this fella is rich.¡± Teacher Bine and Kaskara could be heard commenting from the side. It was clear that Waya¡¯s pockets were more or less the full kind rather than the empty kind. The Soul-bonding fruits were especially known for being expensive. However, as a village hero and someone who had numerous adventures outside Jua village, Waya had already accumulated some considerable wealth. The two items he handed out today would help the children strengthen their minds and souls. Although he was also young, he was already investing in the next generation. ¡°Okay okay, everyone settle down. Let¡¯s start with a question. Can anyone tell me the classifications of martial techniques?¡± Vitali who had pretty much exposed herself as a Waya fan girl was quick to answer this question, ¡°Techniques can be split into six types: Basic, Elementary, Advanced, Superior Grade, Comprehensive, and Conceptual.¡± After commending the girl, Waya proceeded to explain the categorizations further. Most martial techniques in the Zika world were considered Basic techniques. These types of techniques had very simple descriptions and were similar to real world martial arts such as boxing. An example was Mwana¡¯s [1000 leaves in one¡¯s palm] which was a basic boxing training regimen. Anyone could train in basic techniques as they did not require any special energy such as magic or natural energy. While basic techniques could be ranked, personal compatibility was the most important thing to consider when selecting one. The next rank of techniques was Elementary techniques. These were are a bit more complex and detailed how to utilize natural energy or spiritual energy in martial arts. However, they were still considered entry level techniques that anyone who had just started training as a warrior could learn. Most of the techniques the children in the academy could use were in this level. Above elementary techniques were advanced techniques and superior grade techniques. The fifth rank of techniques were Comprehensive techniques which took multiple aspects of being such as the body, spirit, mind, life, magic, etcetera into account. These high level techniques required a warrior to have already mastered and synchronized different aspects of their power. Human beings had several aspects of being which determined the different grades of comprehensive techniques that they could use based on how many aspects a person could combine. Usually only high level warriors above the Apex of Body Forging could use comprehensive techniques. However, there were incredible magical or technological tools that could allow even low level warriors to use these high level techniques. The last category of martial techniques was Conceptual techniques. Simply, these were martial arts that involved a type of conceptual law. It was not a level that the ordinary high level warriors could reach. Waya¡¯s voice entered the children¡¯s ears once again, ¡°The Moon Blades you all use count as a comprehensive technique. They combine natural energy, magic, and psychic energy to create the body of the blade. Every section is important. For example, without psychic power you will not be able to control the blade.¡± ¡°So why is it that you can use a comprehensive technique despite your current low stages?¡± In response to this question, it was Motikatika who answered, ¡°The Moon Bracelets or Moon Arm Bands.¡± ¡°Right, the bracelet is a tool that helps in controlling, synchronizing, and shaping different types of energy. It is not just a weapon but a symbol of pride for both our Jua village and our sister Mwezi village.¡± Indeed all students had this bracelet. It was a symbol of their village as well as a means to aid warriors in using Moon Blade and Sun Blade attacks. The bracelet had a colorful Moon gem at the center that would change color depending on the warrior¡¯s techniques. For the Jua [Sun] Village, the moon gem was the color of a yellow sun during the day and a purple moon when viewed at night. As for the Moon [Mwezi] village, it remained the color of a blue moon both during the day and night. The bracelet also had another symbolic function. Before friendly fights, people would cross bands to signify a friendly match. However, when they are angry, they would drop their band or swap away the opponent¡¯s band which represented a challenge such as in Mwana and Maji 1¡¯s case. The third function of the Moon bracelet was to measure and show the abilities of the wearer. Usually only the wearer could view this information through a psychic link to the bracelet. For example when Mwana checked his bracelet early in the morning, his abilities were listed down as: Name: Mwana Jua Kijani Age: 9 Martial Rank: Body Forging 3rd Level ¨C Skin Hardening Energy Capacity: 28 Magic Rank: Magic Pupil Magic Capacity: 76 (Level 2) Soul Power: semi-awakened Psychic Power: semi-awakened After his awakening ceremony, most of his abilities had increased significantly. His magic capacity rose from a value of around 20 units all the way to 76 units of magical power. It was a massive increase in magical power. His energy capacity also rose to 28 units showing that he was only 2 units away from reaching the 4th Level of Body Forging. His soul had also been boosted by his awakening which raised his soul and mind attributes. Waya did not have to explain all the applications of the bracelet as the children had already learned most of this when they got their bracelets. ¡°Your natural energy forms the core of the blade making up most of its power while magic wraps around it like runes giving the blades a unique effect. This effect might be something like sharpness, shearing, pressure, concussive force, etcetera. Finally, the bracelet helps you channel your psychic power to control the trajectory of the moon blades. Today we will be training your mind and soul attributes. The [Mind Nodes Refreshing Water] you just drank will stimulate the nodes in your mind. Don¡¯t waste this opportunity and start training your moon blades now.¡± After Waya¡¯s words, the next hour was spent on target practice as numerous blades of energy flew across the entire field while decimating pre-set targets. As Kia and Fury were also from a branch village of the Jua clan in Eastern Jin Nation, they had their own set of Moon bracelets so no one was left behind in the morning training. After the lesson that focused on training the mind attribute, Waya proceeded to teach the students a technique called the Spirit Sword Dance that enhanced the soul attribute. The children also had to train with steel swords and attempt to form a spiritual connection with them so that they could communicate with the weapons. In general, only spiritual weapons would have a spirit however even low level weapons could still develop a temperament. After the end of this lesson, the students would have gained some applicable battle skills and a considerable increase in the mind and soul power. For someone who had only taught 3 lessons before, Waya had the makings of an excellent teacher. Chapter 54: Breath Control At the end of the school day, Mwana still followed Waya despite how much he had grumbled previously about the latter. He did not have time to spend with his friends knowing his match against Maji 1 would be in 3 days time. ¡°Big bro, although my strength has increased, I¡¯m still not sure of my victory.¡± ¡°How much surer do you need to be? Double sure?¡± ¡°No, I need to be at least co-co sure!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already teach you the Concave Fist?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I haven''t mastered it yet. On top of that, it does not seem too special. If I use it in a fight all I can do is change directions mid-air, I don¡¯t think I could use it as a trump card.¡± The Concave Fist technique was the fist-style Mwana had used in his fight against Uchoyo to slow his momentum when the latter punched him in the back. It was indeed powerful as it could compress air and create air pressure shockwaves, but it was not a match for the Bone Piercing Fist of a level 4 Bone Forging warrior. ¡°You are thinking about it too rigidly.¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s experiences with the technique, Waya knew Mwana had been stuck in a rut thus halting his progress of the technique. ¡°You are stuck in a rut because you lack imagination. You are the last person I expected to have this problem Mr. Artist.¡± Following these words, Waya punched towards a thick tree by roadside. Mwana and Waya were more than 5 meters away from the tree but the entire tree disintegrated into saw dust! Mwana was so shocked by this display of might that his mouth turned into an O shape while Waya laughed at the side with a smug look on his face. He was clearly very happy to see the effect his demonstration had on Mwana. ¡°Ha ha, you look like you have swallowed a whole orange.¡± However, a clanking sound of something dropping to the ground distracted the both of them. They turned at the same time to look towards the sound only to see a middle-aged villager who had dropped her basket. She had the same shocked face as Mwana but the two soon noticed a subtle look of anger flash through her eyes. It turned out this neighborhood was where her home was located and the tree Waya had disintegrated had stood here for over 100 years. It was basically a relic. Mwana and Waya did not miss the subtle change in her expression and only left dust in their wake. Before she could even open her mouth to disparage them, the two fellows were already long gone. It is only when they got away that Mwana finally asked Waya about the mechanics of his punch. ¡°How can the air pressure shockwave from your punch be so powerful? I would understand blowing a hole in the tree or even shredding it apart but turning it into saw dust!¡± ¡°That shockwave had a vibrating concussive factor. Stop thinking your energy is dead and treat it like a living thing. Communicate with it. Apply what I taught you guys in class to everything else. If you can communicate with a sword why not try it with energy, especially your own energy. If your magic power can have different effects then why can¡¯t your natural energy? It is all the same concepts.¡± Mwana was amazed by these words. His world view regarding martial arts went through a shift once again. ¡°Everything is connected.¡± He had finally come to a realization. Seeing that he had somewhat opened the ¡®little brat¡¯s¡¯ eyes, Waya proceeded to explain other types of force that could be derived from ones energy with examples such as: Spiral force, Vibrating force, Concussive force, Ripping force, among others. The two young fellows walked to Waya¡¯s home as Mwana continued to seek pointers so that he could increase his strength before his match. ¡°What you should do is look for techniques that increase your overall ability, instead of simply boosting your power.¡± ¡°Overall ability; what¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Just think of them as support techniques.¡± ¡°Which ones do you think fit me?¡± ¡°How can I tell you that? Only you know yourself best. However, if I were to offer you a suggestion, I would say the [Demon Sealing Portrait]. You can make full use of your artistry with such a technique. If you are thinking about dealing with creatures of the night such as demons and Amanani like ¡®yours truly¡¯, such a technique will come into handy.¡± Apart from the Demon Sealing Portrait, Waya suggested 2 more techniques to Mwana which were: Magic Amplification ¨C a magic meditation technique; and Military Boxing ¨C a standard boxing technique used in the army. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. After hearing of Mwana¡¯s issues where his elemental affinity and bloodline affinity were mismatched, Waya went further and handed the boy a booklet titled: Breath Control: Unique Applications of Breath in Body Forging Realm This booklet described different classifications of breath and how to utilize one¡¯s breathing to accelerate their training and increase their overall power. There were 4 applications of breathing which were described as:
  1. Outer Breath: this comes from increased lung capacity of warriors. This breath consists of air and nature energy mixed together [inhale] that is taken into the body during inhalation. It is directly applicable in combat as a warrior does not have the time to absorb natural energy through the Energy Nodes on their skin in the heat of battle. Therefore, a good breathing technique to regulate outer breath is important.
Waya further explained this section while leaning over Mwana¡¯s shoulder, ¡°The 2 parts of the body used to intake natural energy are the lungs and skin. Usually one can only attain outer breath at around late Bone Forging. However, there are still some geniuses out there that achieved it even earlier at the 3rd level like ¡®yours truly¡¯. Anyway, you only need to start training early and train hard. You can use techniques like deep water breath training, calabash breath training, and etcetera to achieve this.¡± The next section of the booklet continued:
  1. Inner Breath: this type of breath comes from the body itself [exhale]. It can be very powerful based on how much energy you put into your breath to the point that it can be used in battle. Once one has mastered inner breath, they can circulate it in the body to produce Inner Power. After a warrior steps into Organ Quenching, their organs already have excess power stored within them. This excess energy can be exhaled as an attack that can harm others.
  2. Inner Power: as stated above, this comes from within the body by circulating inner breath. It can produce a boost to a warriors overall strength as it can give birth to inner strength.
For this section, Waya¡¯s explanation was very straightforward. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Academy vice-head already tell you that you could skip levels? You can apply that same thought process to Organ Quenching. You need strong lungs for Breath training and what better way than to ¡®quench¡¯ your lungs first.¡± ¡°Can that even be done?¡± Mwana asked in a shocked voice. Mwana had thought the vice-head¡¯s suggestion was unconventional but Waya¡¯s suggestion was in another whole dimension. If this could be done, did this not mean that the various realms in body forging were only a guiding structure that one did not have to strictly follow? Waya¡¯s next words answered his rising questions. ¡°That¡¯s what I did. You cannot guarantee that you will find all the things to quench your organs at the same time. So you have to make a choice. Some things will have to come first and others last. Usually many warriors choose to quench their heart and lungs first and you can even do this early if you have the resources.¡± Waya proceeded to suggest that Mwana should quench his lungs first so that he could acquire a trace of inner breath. Even with a small trace, he would have access inner power! ¡°If you can do that then you will be invincible before the 7th stage even if you are just a 5th stage warrior at that time!¡± The last entry in the booklet described inner strength that was born from inner power:
  1. Inner strength: this is the entry level for unique personal strengths born strictly from within one''s body instead of external energy.
Seeing Mwana so absorbed into the booklet, Waya decided to show off even more. ¡°Let me show you something cool.¡± Waya proceeded to demonstrate the power of his breathing after using one of the steel swords he had given to the students for training earlier that morning. He held the sword in front of him and slightly breathed out. The next moment, Mwana was shocked as the steel sword disintegrated as soon as it came into contact with Waya¡¯s breath! What a shocking sight? From their exchanges earlier, Mwana now knew that the young man in front of him was near the apex of body forging. Waya¡¯s strength had already secretly reached the 9th rank in the time after his slaying of the Amanani and redirecting the river waters. However, not even that could explain what Mwana was witnessing at the moment. ¡°That¡¯s a steel sword! You just disintegrated a steel sword!¡± Mwana was so shocked that his eyes turned round and his eyeballs bulged out of his eye sockets. His mouth was in an even bigger O this time. ¡°Yup.¡± Waya responded nonchalantly but internally he was filled with smugness. ¡°A steel sword!¡± Mwana shouted the words over and over again while going around in circles. He could begrudgingly accept that Waya could completely destroy a thick tree with his fist power; he could even accept it if Waya replicated the same with the steel sword by using a powerful fist attack; but using his breath? Waya just breathed a little and a bar of steel was erased like that! Not melted, not broken, not shattered, but completely disintegrated! ¡°Why are you overreacting? It¡¯s just an ordinary steel sword, not even a ranked weapon.¡± ¡°Still, doesn¡¯t this mean that a powerful warrior could kill me just by blowing a little air on me?! It¡¯s like my existence is nothing!¡± Mwana was almost crying out loud at this point. How come he did not know he was so weak before this? ¡°Why do you always have to look at everything so negatively? Not every powerful warrior can compare himself to me.¡± One lamented and one boasted as the two chattered away while walking towards Waya¡¯s home. Mwana was on his way there to pick up the sword the old man had promised to smith for him in exchange for Jua Urembo¡¯s painting. When Mwana met the old man Fisi once again, the latter still tried to recruit him again. However, Mwana rejected him firmly. Although this was blacksmith village, Mwana only had a painfully average talent for the art of smithing. His talents lay in things like painting, poetry, and embroidery. He could also do well for himself in spiritual careers such as a master of rites, diviner, curse warder, rain maker, exorcist, or even a priest. However, he did not have much interest in such career paths. ¡°Old man, my talent in smithing is only average. Average smithing talent can make you an average blacksmith but I¡¯m not willing to be average.¡± Chapter 55: Battle Preparation After leaving the old man¡¯s home, Mwana first returned to the school library before passing by the main village library and the village temple. He then made a visit to a Medicine shop to buy some items for training. By the time he was done, the small allowance he had received after the awakening ceremony was close to exhaustion. Apart from borrowing some techniques from the libraries, he also bought some potions and special minerals to help advance his training. When he returned home, Mwana was greeted by a figure jumping towards him. It was their dog Fana, medium-sized brown dog. The family had owned 3 dogs since Mwana was young: Simba, Fana, and Nameless. However, apart from Fana, the other 2 has already died. One was injured by other dogs while the other died after eating poisoned crops at a neighbor¡¯s farm. After playing around with the dog for a while, he went to help his mother with the house chores. Mwana and Jana were usually on milk duty to milk the cows in the morning and sometimes in the evening. Mwana¡¯s mother owned one cow which the young children had named ¡®Red¡¯ while his uncles and aunts also had a few cows and goats. The livestock kept by the family was mostly to provide milk essential for the growing youngsters. As for taking care of the animals, Mwana¡¯s younger cousins, Sawa and Chenga, were usually in charge of herding whenever they did not have learning activities. After finishing up his evening chores, Mwana went on to help his mother and aunts in preparing dinner while telling them about his day. The young man was a jack of all trades. He could even be considered a great cook. ¡°I hear your fight against that Majimaji brat is coming up. Was it really necessary to challenge him?¡± ¡°He insulted you¡­¡± Mwana answered his mother in a low tone. He understood that she was concerned for him and would never even want him to fight a single time in his life if she had a say. ¡°So you are using me as an excuse? You know it might feel good if you win but will it be enjoyable if you lose.¡± ¡°No, but the challenge has already been made. I can¡¯t think of such things now.¡± ¡°I am not speaking about only right now. What about in the future? Will you keep fighting anyone who throws an insult at your family? How many people do you think that is? Can you guarantee you will win any and every challenge you make over some petty comments?¡± ¡°Eish, eish, Sana take it easy on the boy. He¡¯s still young and it is a fact the Maji boys have poked him too many times. I know you are worried but let him stand up for himself sometimes.¡± Luckily, Mwana¡¯s aunt Jumatatu came to his rescue just as Sana¡¯s questions transformed into scolding. Gaining a bit more courage, Mwana finally articulated his true feelings on the matter, ¡°I might not have said anything back then but not being able to do something in retaliation was suffocating; and then the bullying stopped but the Maji cousins just got away with it like that. No one punished them and I never retaliated.¡± ¡®Sigh.¡¯ To some extent Sana understood, it is just that she did not want her child to be hurt. After their violent encounter with Malkia, the Maji cousins stopped bullying Mwana physically however, their scathing words especially with Maji 1 never stopped. On Mwana¡¯s side, he did not feel as if he had gotten enough ¡®revenge¡¯ yet. Only by pummeling on Maji 1¡¯s detestable face would he put their past behind him. After the cooking was done, the tables were set in the central hut and everyone sat to eat. The entire family usually ate together but there were times when some of the adults were unavailable due to work reasons. However, they still tried their best to enjoy a meal together whenever they could. Tonight, even some of Mwana¡¯s married female cousins, Shera and Mengi, had visited the family which made the dinner table much livelier. At the end of the long day, Mwana narrated a bedtime story to little Pendo. The little girl kept fighting off the sleep but in the end she lost the battle and fell asleep. As for Mwana, he could not sleep just yet. He was planning on starting his night training. After settling down, Mwana first examined the sword he had gotten from Waya¡¯s father. This was not an ordinary weapon but a Silver ranked sword. Weapons were divided into several ranks: Earth Rank, Sky Rank, Heaven Rank, and Spirit Rank. The Earth rank of weapons had several levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Black. The short silver sword Mwana had gotten from old man Fisi was a silver ranked weapon. Usually such a weapon could deal with an Intermediate warrior. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. If one used an ordinary weapon against a warrior who had already surpassed the 3rd level of skin hardening, it probably would not leave even a shallow mark on the skin let alone injure them. Bronze level weapons could deal with junior warriors while silver ranked weapons could deal with intermediate warriors. As for gold level and black level weapons, they were used by senior warriors and warriors at the apex respectively. Mwana also extracted an extra sword sheath from his sisal bag. He had received it as a bonus from the old man after a round of begging. This sword sheath was many times more valuable than the silver rank sword. It was very important to Mwana as he could use it for his father¡¯s sword style. The most valuable thing Mwana¡¯s father, Jua Dhahabu, had left him was his sword was called the [Sword Dragon Ita]. The [Ita sword] was said to have been forged from the bones of a dead dragon. Mwana could not use this sword due to its extremely high level as it was a Spiritual weapon! In the entire village the Sword Elder was probably the only person who could use it. However, just because Mwana could not use the sword did not mean he could not benefit from its inheritance. The [Sword Dragon Mantra] was the inherited technique that came along with the Ita sword. It was a sword technique that Mwana had been learning for a while now and the additional sheath would make this learning process easier. Apart from the [Sword Dragon Mantra], Mwana planned to learn the other techniques he had picked up on the way home after following Waya¡¯s advice. One could get martial arts techniques in the village in places like the martial road, school library, village library, temple, or directly from a teacher or mentor. From his mentor in the field of art and painting, Jua Urembo, Mwana had received the [Demon Sealing Portrait manual] and a standard [Telekinesis spell]. He then visited the school library where he borrowed the [Magic Amplification meditation technique] and the [Solar Scorching Fist]; a supplementary technique and a complementary technique respectively. The solar scorching fist was a complementary technique that combined nature energy and magic. Complementary techniques were techniques that served to complement other techniques or abilities. In the case of the solar scorching fist, it complemented the [Sun Divine arts] section of the [Sun and Moon arts] that everyone in the village practiced. As the school librarian described it, ¡°This fist art simply allows you to channel the solar energy you have already absorbed to basically punch people with it. That is all. In the end, its strength depends on how well you have practiced the [Sun and Moon arts].¡± In addition to the school library, Mwana visited the general village library to get a basic magic skill ¨C the [Linear Wind Spell]. After-all Mwana was someone who relied majorly on his speed during combat. Even without bringing martial techniques into play, Mwana had a talent for speed. In his class only Duma could outmatch him and the latter had awakened the bloodline of a Cheetah-type spiritual creature. Additionally, in the days following his awakening Mwana had already made great progress in the [100 steps in an instant] movement technique. Therefore, training in the linear wind spell would boost his speed even further. The last technique in his hands was one he had extorted from Jua Mzee, the village priest. This old man had long noticed Mwana¡¯s spiritual talent so he did not make things too hard for the boy. From the temple, Mwana returned with a Spiritual technique titled [Soul Breaker]. Although he had gone to the temple to seek advice on strengthening the soul, it turned out soul power was not an issue for Mwana. In fact, according to Mzee, Mwana¡¯s soul was overflowing with spiritual energy. However, he could not advance to the next level as if a barrier was blocking his progress. ¡°Your soul is overflowing with power but you are still in a semi-awakened state. This soul breaker art will fix that problem albeit with temporary side effects.¡± Indeed, Mwana¡¯s soul power had more than doubled since the day his bloodline awakened. He had gone through an awakening ceremony which boosted his spiritual power further. Several weeks since then, he had felt the higher levels calling to him but he failed to make that last step. Tonight Mwana set his first goal as capitalizing on his soul talent to advance the speed of his soul training. Mwana¡¯s soul was currently semi-awakened, that is to say he was at the second level of the Spirit Sense Novice Realm. A person in this realm was only considered a Rank 1 Divine Spiritualist which was a far distance from Rank 4 Divine Spiritualists like the village priest who could even part a river with pure spiritual might. The Spirit Sense Novice Realm had 10 levels which were: Sensing the Soul and Spiritual power, Spirit energy absorption, Spirit energy circulation, Spirit energy shrouding, Spirit energy shaping, Spirit energy expulsion, Spirit energy imbuement, external manipulation of Spirit energy, Spirit energy retrieval, and Spirit Force. Most of Mwana¡¯s age-mates were at the 2nd or 3rd level. The technique that many of the children used to strengthen the soul was the True Spirit Canon. However, the canon was more of a way of life rather than a spiritual technique therefore one could not advance as fast in soul training while relying on it. The first 3 levels of the Spirit Sense Novice realm had almost no external application thus one was considered semi-awakened when in those levels. Mwana sat up on his bed and started meditating on the Soul breaker technique to break through to the next level. However, he was not just aiming for the 3rd level but the 4th level ¨C Spirit energy shrouding; this would allow him to shroud his body in armor made up of pure spiritual energy. Chapter 56: The Green Dragon Mantra 2 hours later, Mwana¡¯s spiritual energy finally shattered the walls of the second level and rose all the way to the peak of the third level. Even then, there was still enough energy left to surpass the 3td level but an even sturdier barrier prevented this. Due to the surplus of spiritual energy in his soul, Mwana was left with a bloated feeling as if he had overeaten. After drinking a glass of water that did little to alleviate the uncomfortable feeling, he sat down on his bed and took out a thick red book. This book was a record Mwana had kept since he was 6 years old. It recorded the strange dreams he had since he was little and noted down a breakdown of some of his techniques. The latest entry in this book was the [Green Dragon Mantra]. This mantra was the overall name of the inheritance he received from the visions of the Green Dragon. In total, Mwana had experienced about 6 dreams concerning the dragon which seemed to detail its life in reverse. However, he could not remember some of the earliest dreams experienced when he was 4 or 5 year olds. All he could remember about the first dream was that it was a great nightmare. After his awakening ceremony, Mwana finally understood that the dreams spelled out multiple sections of a mantra. For example, the dream he experienced on the night of his awakening that involved the shattered planet with a heartbeat coming from its core represented the [Heart Section] of the Green Dragon Mantra. In the bloodline awakening pond, Mwana received the [Dragon Bone Refinement Section] of the mantra. In addition to these 2, Mwana had decoded a part of the [Spiritual Section] from some of the previous dreams he had recorded in the thick red book. In total, he currently had 3 sections: Heart, Bones, and Spirit. The main technique he had decoded from the Spiritual Section was named the [Dance of Dragons]. It was a set of movements and chants that Mwana tried to replicate every morning before sun rise. Even little Pendo had been interested in this dance due to its interesting movements. When he reminisced on these moments, Mwana had some tears of happiness brimming in his eyes as he remembered even their mother joining them despite her weak body and sickly bones in order to motivate her children. However, in the weeks Mwana had been practicing this technique it had shown almost zero effects. He stood up from his bed once again and tried to perform the movements in the dance but 2 steps in, he could feel something! ¡°Ha ha, it works, it works!¡± He was very excited but reminded himself to keep quiet as it was the dead of night. ¡°It seems the problem was that my soul was still in a semi-awakened state. Now that it has awakened and I have entered the 3rd level, I can finally feel the benefits of this technique. It is a pity that I could not decipher the entire [Spiritual Section] since I had that dream so long ago.¡± After training a bit more, Mwana finally got in his bed to sleep. It did not even take a few seconds for him to fall into deep sleep. The day had left him very fatigued. ¡®A dream!¡¯ This time Mwana was self aware when he found himself in yet another dream world. His fear of these dreams had long been eroded and he decided to be more observant this time. He was standing in the void of space surrounded by many stars. However, everything was so far away which left him with a deep feeling of loneliness in the midst of vast space. As he looked at the stars, some of them flickered, brightened, and moved to form some vague patterns. ¡°The Green Dragon Mantra [Spiritual Section]! Is it a coincidence that it appeared after I was just meditating on it and lamenting about its incompleteness?¡± Mwana did not hesitate and sat down cross legged in the empty space as if there was a platform beneath his feet. Unknown to him, his real body also sat up from the bed and adopted a meditative position. As Mwana meditated while viewing the stars, more of the [Spiritual Section] revealed itself to him. Suddenly things he could not understand before became much clearer. A name of a technique appeared as Mwana¡¯s consciousness sank deeper into the void ¨C [Spirit Energy Channeling]. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. As this technique revealed itself to him in the illusionary world, his body in the real world started churning with spiritual energy. The stagnant energy in his soul started cycling at an extremely fast speed while violently assaulting the barrier to the fourth level. This was the effect of channeling spiritual energy through the body. The moment the barrier to the fourth level shattered in the real world, Mwana¡¯s consciousness in the illusionary world felt itself sinking once again. To be more precise, Mwana was still seated cross-legged in space but a force seemed to have pulled away his eyes. His vision felt as if it was stretched to infinity, travelling light years in a short moment. When the sensation finally subsided, Mwana found himself above an open silver-walled hall. In fact, only his vision had arrived at this hall while Mwana¡¯s body remained in its original position light years away. He felt as if he had omniscient vision from viewing things so far away. The silver hall had 6 pillars at each side forming a hexagonal shape. The walls forming the hall seemed as if they were made of some type of metal and multiple images of dragons were curved onto them creating a dazzling sight. Further, the surroundings were even more dream-like as the hall seemed to be on a cliff by the beach surrounded by crashing waves and a roaring mountain range of volcanoes. ¡°It seems this place is a volcanic island of some sort.¡± In the great hall, Mwana could see a group of large dragons. Their sizes were surreal being multiple times larger than the dragons Mwana had read about in legendary tales. ¡°Little Green, are you even listening?¡± ¡°Yes teacher, I¡¯m listening.¡± Hearing the dragons speak, Mwana was a bit shocked. These were majestic creatures so his image of them always involved them roaring mightily, not talking in such a human-like manner. ¡°It seems this vision is actually something that happened, like a snippet of the past.¡± Mwana could tell that the ¡®Little Green¡¯ in question was the Green Dragon he had always seen in his dreams. However, it seemed much younger now. While its size was still as large as in his previous dreams, the scales looked glossier and even its eyes looked livelier far from the image of ancientness it previously held. ¡°The dreams were indeed in reverse. They seem to be a chronicle of this dragon¡¯s life.¡± The Green Dragon was seated in the silver hall like a cat while receiving a lecture from ¡®Elder Silver¡¯. Beside it, there was also an enthusiastic blue dragon that the elder kept calling ¡®Little Blue¡¯. In the entire hall, there were about a dozen dragons listening to this elder dragon. Elder Silver was a Silver Dragon with Sword like horns and claws. The scales on its body looked like massive swords inter-layered together and they radiated waves of suffocating sword energy; the perfect image of sword law. The lecture these dragons were receiving was not anything serious or important. It seemed to be ordinary life skills and some customs of dragons that Mwana did not understand. Elder Silver finished his lecture by talking about dreams and the importance of pursuing them. Mwana was a bit disappointed in this. He had thought that with the Silver Dragon seeming to be an expert in Sword Law, he would talk about similarly deep topics but instead the old dragon seemed to only want to talk about ¡®life¡¯. Once the lectures ended, Mwana felt his vision get pulled towards the Green Dragon. This dragon flew out of the hall but at some point, there seemed to be a glitch in Mwana¡¯s vision. He was still viewing the Green Dragon but it seemed older as if a few more years had passed. ¡°Looks like the vision skipped a bit into this dragon¡¯s future.¡± ¡°So confusing.¡± ¡°What is this vision trying to tell me?¡± He did not have to wait long before the dragon came to a stop in front of a deep abyss in the ground. Inside the huge hole in the ground, there was only endless darkness and cold. Even though Mwana was not there physically, he felt himself shiver. To the right of this abyss were the endless waters of the ocean and to the left there was a mountain range of active volcanoes. It was a surreal but apocalyptic scene; calmness and chaos co-existing side by side. All around the abyss, Mwana could see dragons and other mighty creatures thought to be extinct in present times. They all surrounded the hole but did not dare go in as if plagued by anxiousness. Chapter 57: Dragon’s Mirror Eye As the other beings hesitated, the green dragon was the first to dive headfirst into the abyss. It accelerated in the cold darkness at extremely fast speeds and Mwana¡¯s vision was pulled alongside it. The darkness was overwhelming but somewhere in the far distance was a green light, a glowing rock or maybe a gem. The dragon rushed to swallow the glowing object but on the way it collided with something else causing a booming sound in the endless darkness. From the illumination of the green object, Mwana could see what had collided with the green dragon; it was a Black Rock Dragon. Instead of ordinary scales, the scales of the black rock dragon species were made of rocks. Due to the dragon¡¯s massive size, these scales looked like boulders. The green dragon did not pause for even a moment from this collision. Multiple rocks fell off the black rock dragon while the green dragon was mostly unscathed. It did not hesitate anymore and rushed to swallow the glowing object which plunged the abyss into deep darkness once more. However, before the object was swallowed, Mwana managed to see some vague lines on it. It seemed as if a technique was inscribed on it which Mwana could only catch a glimpse of. ¡°Its name¡­it looked so powerful but the greedy dragon swallowed it!¡± The name of the technique Mwana saw was [Dragon Soul Restoration]. ¡°What a greedy dragon.¡± Thinking about it, Mwana could not help but exclaim. The abyss started shaking as if its walls were about to cave in after the green object was taken away. The next moment, everything collapsed causing Mwana to wake up with a start. This was one of the most immersive dreams he had experienced. However, before he could think about it further, his forehead ached in deep pain. ¡°Aaargh, it hurts! It¡¯s like something wants to pop up out of my forehead!¡± A moment later, he felt as if something literally dug out of his forehead before the pain subsided. However, when he removed his hands from his forehead, he could suddenly see everything around the room as if he had a third eye. However, when he looked in the mirror there was nothing strange on his forehead. ¡°How freaky! But it seems to be a less exaggerated version of the extended vision in the dream allowing me to see a distance away. What is it? It is clearly not physical since I did not grow a literal third eye so maybe a Soul related innate ability or a psychic ability?¡± Further, when Mwana examined himself he realized that his soul power had broken the barrier of the next rank which made him extremely joyful. ¡°I am a level 4 Spirit Sense Novice now! Even the bloated feeling in my soul has disappeared.¡± He quickly relaxed and sat down to meditate on the [Spiritual Section] again. Now he could view the progress in his own consciousness as he had successfully awakened his soul power. His mind also felt refreshed and there was a vague feeling as if he had a second mind. He could tell that even his psychic power had increased at a sharp rate. Now that he could come into contact with his consciousness or the interior of his mind, he did not hesitate to look around. Inside his mind, he noticed that his spirit and mental energy took the shape of a green ancient mirror with dragon carvings on it. Instinctually, he knew the several names of this mirror: Dragon in the Mirror, the Dragon¡¯s Third Eye, Dragon Mirror Eye, and the Third Eye Mirror. He still did not know its exact abilities. However, he could guess that one of them was the ability to see new angles that he could not see before from 3rd eye view. Indeed from what he had seen of the Green Dragon so far, it had 3 eyes. This ability was related to both the soul and mind. ¡°It seems my psychic power has increased too. It has more than doubled and there is a vague feeling of 2 minds! Splitting Thought?¡± Just like people could train their bodies and souls, they could also train their minds. The first 2 steps of Mind Training usually involved Psychic Accumulation and Splitting Thought. During the accumulation process, one would multiply their mental power through psychic meditation techniques and compress that power. The power could be compressed twice, thrice, or even dozens of times before being accumulated again and again so as to increase the density of psychic power. This density of mental energy would determine a psychic¡¯s strength at the later stages. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. In the second step of Splitting Thought, one would split their consciousness creating parallel minds. An ordinary person would not survive this but someone with dense enough psychic energy would have a consciousness dozens or even hundreds of times stronger than an ordinary person. With the 3rd eye mirror, Mwana felt as if he had achieved a sort of pseudo split thought. He had only done a few psychic energy compressions yet he already touched on the next level. It seemed as if the mirror held a portion of his consciousness imitating the state of parallel consciousnesses. This would improve his telekinetic range and also increase his spatial awareness. Sure enough, when he finished his meditation and tried out the [Telekinesis Spell], he had improved by a large margin. The fact that he could see in a 360 degree angle further enhanced his control. The next day, Mwana woke up early to train his movement technique and fist style. His movement had already broken past the 20th step in [100 Steps in an Instant] thus doubling his speed. As for [1000 leaves in ones palm], he had long broken past the 100 leaves mark. Mwana did not forget to also practice the [Magic Amplification] technique as well as the [Green dragon mantra]. Magic was a power deeply connected to the soul and mind and now that both had improved, it became much easier for Mwana to advance in his magic training. On the second day, Mwana decided to focus on consolidating his soul power as he had crossed 2 levels in a day. It was important to maintain balance so that he did not face too many side effects from his rapid progress. With his body, mind, and soul all improving, his understanding of magic was also boosted further. Naturally he took the opportunity to practice the [Linear Wind Spell] too. After another day of hard work, the figures on his Moon Bracelet left him a bit amazed: Martial Rank: Body Forging ¨C Skin Hardening (Level 3) Energy Capacity: 29 Magic Rank: Magic Pupil Magic Capacity: 85 (Level 2) Soul Power: Awakened ¨C Spirit Energy Shrouding (Level 4) Psychic Power: Awakened ¨C Pseudo-split thought (Level 2) His magic units had risen all the way to 85 units from the previous 76 units while his natural energy got even closer to the fourth level. At this rate, he was only a few days away from achieving bone forging. Looking at his spiritual and psychic powers, they were no longer semi-awakened and were now fully awakened. On the evening of the same day, Mwana visited the village temple. His purpose was to use the Elemental Testing Stone there to test his elemental affinity once again. He could vaguely feel that the Green Dragon had influenced him more and more as he continued experiencing visions of it. Sure enough on testing his affinity, the results were: Lightning, Fire, Water (Blood), Wood (Faint). He already had the first 3 due to his natural lightning affinity as well as the affinities from the Sun Dragon and Blood Dragon whose powers resided in his bloodline. However, the faint Wood affinity was new! ¡°It must have come from the Green Dragon. Logically, I should not have this bloodline given neither my parents have it. It could be a mutation but the dreams and visions seem too real. Usually Mutated Bloodlines also don¡¯t have any inherited techniques like the [Green Dragon Mantra].¡± Mwana could not say that the entire situation surrounding the Green Dragon did not leave him a bit uncomfortable. It seemed to have even more effect on him than his actual inherited bloodlines. On the last day before the battle with Maji 1, Mwana mainly used the True Spirit Canon to smoothen out his new abilities and enter a state of calmness. He even felt his wood element strengthen as some of his long stagnant techniques such as the [Withered Wood Dance] took a step further. After consolidating all his current strengths, Mwana turned to look at his shoulder where a new addition decorated what was once bare skin. It was a tattoo of a sword and a pen crossed together. This was his first Tribal tattoo that he could only receive after undergoing the awakening ceremony. Usually the first tribal tattoo was decided by one¡¯s Mentor. In Mwana¡¯s case this was Jua Urembo. As an artist, Urembo thought that the pen made sense and as Mwana also fancied the sword, she suggested a tattoo involving the two objects. This tattoo naturally boosted swordsmanship and penmanship. The complexity of the Jua clan tattoos was usually based on one¡¯s blacksmith rank. There were 2 major categories: General Unranked Tattoos and Ranked tattoos. Mwana and the other children could only receive an unranked tattoo until they obtained a blacksmith rank. If one did not have any smithing abilities in this village, there were many rules such as the scenario mentioned that would leave you feeling as if you were discriminated against. ¡°Tomorrow cannot come soon enough.¡± Mwana was ready for battle! Chapter 58: Fight! Early in the morning somewhere to the east of the Jua village, a crowd was already gathered in a wide field. There was a stage two meters high at the center of this field. At the two ends of this stage, two boys could be seen seated on stools and surrounded by a few people as if they were boxers in a boxing match. One of these two boys was Mwana. Currently, Cheza was busy massaging Mwana¡¯s shoulders and giving him pre-fight advice like a boxing coach. ¡°Breathe in, oooh. Breathe out, poof. Are you ready?¡± Mwana¡¯s cousin, Fury Jua, was busy fanning his face despite the fact that the sun had not even risen. The fight had not even started so it was impossible for Mwana to be sweaty or to overheat. Apart from Cheza and Fury, Jana was kneeling down on one knee while slapping Mwana¡¯s calves. Seeing the actions of these three, you would think this was a fight already in the final rounds. ¡°Guys, stop overreacting. You will only increase his anxiety.¡± Luckily Kia who was standing beside Mwana had a bit of sanity compared to the other children. ¡°Good luck.¡± Hearing Kia¡¯s encouragement, Mwana felt as if he could gain a win over anyone. ¡°Mwana are you ready to lose?¡± Mwana had stood up with confidence but Maji 1¡¯s piercing voice ruined his mood once again. Both fighters had already reached the center of the stage and were ready to fight. ¡°Is the referee here yet? Please keep people away from the platform and activate a magic barrier. I don¡¯t want them to be destroyed by the shockwaves of my attacks. Only one monkey needs to go down today.¡± Maji 1 added in an extremely arrogant tone. ¡°Mister Mea, there¡¯s no need to do so much. I will only need a few seconds to finish this, so you don¡¯t need to trouble yourself. Feel free to relax and maybe just prepare first aid for this roach.¡± Mwana replied in a cool tone. Although both boys addressed the referee, he was clearly the last thing on their minds. The referee, Mister Mea, found himself caught in between the shit talking between the two brats. He almost gave up and went back to bed right there. ¡°It is so early in the morning, I could be enjoying a few more minutes in my sweet warm bed yet here I am supervising some brats. Sigh. Just start already!¡± ¡°Mwana what did you say? Just a few seconds to finish this? You must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today.¡± Maji 1 replied to Mwana¡¯s taunt with a cold laugh while completely ignoring the referee. ¡®You will win over me in a few seconds?¡¯ ¡®Ho!¡¯ Maji 1 was confident in crushing Mwana in this fight. Just like Mwana, he had never slacked off. He trained day and night and in combination with his rich family¡¯s resources, he was confident that his strength had far surpassed Mwana¡¯s. ¡®This poor brat, even if he works hard and has some talent, he cannot hope to surpass me. I worked hard, I have talent, and I have something even more important that he doesn¡¯t: resources.¡¯ Maji 1 was confident that at least in terms of Body Forging training, he was near the top of the class, if not the first. Then how could this ¡®brat¡¯ speak to him like that? He resolved himself to crush Mwana¡¯s mouth today while simultaneously showing off to everyone else. Seeing that he had successfully agitated Maji 1, Mwana could not help but fire back ¡°Maybe you are right, I must have been out of my mind to say ¡®a few seconds¡¯. That is indeed an exaggeration. Majini, stop yapping and get ready to get packed up in an instant!¡± Maji 1 was almost huffing and puffing at this point but seeing Mwana prepare to attack, he also started boosting his own aura. A fiery red aura with crackling arcs of red lightning rose from Mwana¡¯s body colliding against Maji 1¡¯s white-blue flowing aura. ¡°Why are you huffing you little demon, can you even withstand one of my punches?¡± In this aura clash, Mwana chose to agitate his opponent¡¯s emotions to break the stalemate. One¡¯s aura was usually affected by their emotional state. ¡°You dare you use that insult again?!¡± Maji 1 could not resist anymore, he stopped raising his aura and immediately launched an attack. ¡°Sky Tearing Eagle Claw!¡± With a shout, Maji 1 shot off towards Mwana as the image of a blue claw formed over his right hand. The claw seemed to tear through the air creating an explosive vacuum wherever it passed. Despite the might of the incoming attack, Mwana did not panic as he was already prepared for this. He unleashed his own technique: Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Imitation Dragon Claw!¡± This was not a true or official dragon claw technique that Mwana had learned; instead it was just an imitation of the claw attacks Mwana had witnessed the Green Dragon perform. Most animal or creature-based martial arts were created by observing the creatures the techniques were based on in their natural habitats. Mwana followed the experiences of the Green Dragon up close and witnessed not just its techniques but also its astounding aura. From his experiences in his visions, he was able to imitate a portion of the Green Dragon¡¯s form. Although this was just the opening clash, a terrifying pressure acted on the surroundings as the air boiled due to the two fighters¡¯ momentum. An instant later, the two claws clashed creating a vacuum of space around the two boy¡¯s hands. The roars of dragons and cries of eagles could be vaguely heard as the shockwaves from the clash spread over the field. ¡°What tyrannical power!¡± The audience could not help but be shocked especially those who were Mwana and Maji 1¡¯s age mates. Some of them would have lost on the first clash. The clash blew the two fighters away some dozen meters but both of them still landed firmly on their feet. ¡°I won¡¯t give you a chance to breathe!¡± Before either could even catch their breath, Maji 1 instantly activated his Moon Bracelet and unleashed a wave of Moon Blades. Mwana did not have the time to prepare any other technique and could only retaliate in kind. Moon blades clashed against moon blades but Mwana found himself in a disadvantageous position. This was because Moon blades corresponded to the [Moon Section] of the [Sun and Moon arts] while in Mwana¡¯s case, apart from the [Thunder Route] of the [Lunar Divine Arts], he mainly focused on the [Solar Divine Arts] in the [Sun and Moon Arts]. However, the same way lunar power could be used to condense Moon Blades, solar power could be used to condense Sun Blades. Mwana did not hesitate anymore and switched to using Sun Blades. He waved his arms vigorously as the multiple condensed semi-circular energy blades slowly changed color from moon-blue to solar-orange. His disadvantage immediately disappeared and the two fighters became evenly matched. Mwana had a lightning elemental affinity and a fire bloodline affinity thus making his moon blades weaker than his sun blades. As for Maji 1, his elemental affinity and bloodline affinity were both perfectly matched making his mastery for both moon blades and water-based techniques extremely high. Whether a person was more proficient in moon or sun blades usually depended on their elemental affinity and their temperament. Seeing the stalemate, Maji 1 instantly switched to using Moon Spears launching piercing spear-like bolts of energy towards Mwana like a crazed man. Mwana¡¯s sun blades were swallowed up by the moon spears in the first exchange. The moon spears flew towards Mwana¡¯s figure homing in on him as if intending to turn him into a beehive. The referee almost stepped in to stop the battle. He knew that while these attacks would not severely injure Mwana due to the durability of those who had achieved Skin hardening, the attacks would still leave him bleeding. However, before he could intervene, he saw a soft wind coil around Mwana¡¯s feet before the boy flashed meters away. ¡°An agility magic skill?¡± Mwana had used his initial mastery [Linear Wind Spell] to evade the attacks. However as more moon spears shot towards him, he had no choice but to retaliate with his own offensive skills. ¡°Solar Scorching Fist!¡± Mwana shouted loudly while channeling the solar energy in his body towards his fist before punching wildly. His boxing training technique [1000 leaves in one¡¯s palm] was already approaching the 120th leaf mark which made Mwana¡¯s punches look as fast as lightning. On the fighting platform, waves of fist-shaped flames clashed against streams of spear-like energy. Maji 1 was once again the one to change up his attacks as he unleashed another terrifying technique that sent Mwana flying. ¡°Cold Moon Spear Technique.¡± This was an ice element technique driven by Maji 1¡¯s water element affinity and bloodline power. While still in the air, Mwana quickly defended himself by activating the [Sword Dragon Wave technique] which transformed his aura into a wave of sword energy to defend against and disperse the power of the Cold Moon Spear technique. This Sword Dragon Wave was just a portion of the defensive arts within the [Sword Dragon Mantra] that Mwana had been learning. On the fighting stage, one pursued as another retreated as attacks flew left and right. The sword dragon wave was a defensive attack and had no offensive power which gave Maji 1 an advantage in terms of momentum. ¡°Why is Maji 1 so aggressive?¡± Kia asked worriedly. Although she had never known Maji 1 to be a calm individual, he attacked very aggressively in this fight putting Mwana at a disadvantage as soon as the fight started. Cheza explained the entire situation from the side as he had known the two boys for a longer time, ¡°Mwana¡¯s insults got under his skin. Maji 1 can brush off anything with a smile on his face but there is one thing he cannot brush off; that is being called a demon.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fury could not help but ask curiously. However, Cheza noticed the subtle glint in her eye which suggested that she was not asking purely for curiosity¡¯s sake. ¡°This has to do with their family¡¯s naming history. Majimaji¡¯s name used to be one of the most common and prestigious name in the Pweza family. This name has been in their family for over hundred years but it was not always Majimaji, instead it was Majini. The name is supposed to mean ¡®in the water¡¯ but it has another meaning referring to demons and ghosts. So of course there are people who used the second meaning in a derogatory manner. Back then people did not have as much tolerance as today so the name was changed from Majini to Majimaji.¡± Just as Cheza had explained, the real meaning of a name like Jua Majini was ¡®the sun that shines in the water¡¯ or ¡®the sun in the water¡¯. This could be seen as poetic or even beautiful name if it did not have a double meaning. This name was born from the Pweza family¡¯s water element bloodline. Just as Cheza finished explaining, another shocking change happened on the fighting stage. Chapter 59: Heart Burning Ice Maji 1, who had been relentlessly attacking Mwana, finally ceased his attacks standing still on the stage. Everyone only had one thought on their minds, ¡®what is he doing stopping in the middle of a fight?¡¯ However, Maji 1¡¯s ocean-blue aura flared up in the next moment sending waves of cold air across the stage all the way to the audience. The next moment, something that shocked everyone happened. Pale blue flames started burning on Maji 1¡¯s body but on careful observation, these flames were actually wisps of cold air. The cold ¡®flames¡¯ resembled the legendary undead ice flames found at the ice capes. A glance at these ¡®flames¡¯ of ice was enough to elicit a feeling of freezing to the bone. ¡°Heart Burning Ice!¡± Someone in the audience suddenly exclaimed in shock. As the Jua village was very united, martial techniques were not kept a secret from other villagers. While different families had their own special techniques depending on factors such as bloodline, they did not go as far as to hide or deceive others about their martial arts. If the techniques were powerful, some families would even go as far as to ¡®spread the word¡¯ in order to increase their reputation in the village. Therefore, most of those present at the field could recognize the technique. However, there were others in the audience who were not as informed such as Malkia and Fury who had just moved to the village recently. Additionally, the Jua village did not lack foreigners whether from the nearby villages or even the neighboring nations. There were several people in the audience who did not know of the arts of Maji 1¡¯s Pweza family. ¡°What is Heart Burning Ice? Is it famous or powerful or something?¡± ¡°Of course it is famous and powerful!¡± ¡°Jua Majimaji the First or Maji 1 as people call him is the most talented seedling in the Pweza family¡¯s Kijani generation. Compared to his brothers and cousins within an age range of 5 years, he is indeed a genius considering his elemental affinity and bloodline affinity are perfectly matched! He has the rare Stacked Elemental Power!¡± ¡°Stacked Elemental Power?!¡± ¡°Shocking right? AS a result, the Pweza family did not hesitate to seek out the legendary Heart Freezing Octopus and extract its essence for him.¡± ¡°How is that possible? I heard they are only found thousands of meters deep in the Dream Ocean. Isn¡¯t it dangerous to capture such a high level sea-type magic beast?¡± ¡°Indeed it was. Not only is it extremely dangerous but it is also very expensive. The [Heart Burning Ice] is not just an ordinary technique as it requires the body to be infused with refined magic potions created from the heart essence of the Heart Freezing Octopus. This means the creature has to be caught alive! You can imagine how hard that is. This legendary creature has such a shocking origin that it is rumored to be the origin of bloodlines! Since they live so deep in the sea, only expert [King Fisher Divers] can capture them.¡± ¡°Is Mwana going to be okay? I heard his bloodline affinity is fire. Doesn¡¯t this technique counter him?¡± ¡°There is no need to even talk about it. It is over for Mwana!¡± ¡°After all, the Heart Burning Ice technique is not an ordinary technique but a Supreme-Grade technique!¡± ¡°Supreme-Grade?!¡± ¡°Right. Not only will Mwana¡¯s body experience terrible freezing and burns, but even his psyche will be affected by the technique. After all, the technique¡¯s name is not just for show. It can really burn the metaphorical heart. Physical defensive techniques like the [Golden Statue technique] are useless before it.¡± As Mwana listened to the conversation below the stage, his bulging forehead veins could not help but twitch. However, he did not have time to care about the words of others during his current predicament. An instant later, the entire fighting stage was frozen over before the surface shattered as an invisible icy flame spread over it. Mwana reacted in time by dodging to the sky where he formed a temporary platform mid-air with his psychic energy. This was an elementary application of psychic power referred to as [Platform Stacking]. He then turned to the crowd below the stage and shouted: ¡°You all underestimate me. Don¡¯t bark too loudly otherwise you might just bite your tongues.¡± Hearing him, some people could not help but be shocked at his confidence. ¡°Where is this guy¡¯s confidence coming from?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Mwana proceeded to point his finger at Maji 1 who had already gathered his power. He then proceeded to slowly raise his finger and shook it in a casual manner to symbolize the number 1. ¡°One punch, not more not less.¡± These words sent everyone into an uproar. Many people who knew Mwana did not expect him to be this boastful. It is only his friends that understood that his bad competitive side was drawn out by his rival and former bully, Maji 1. Hearing Mwana¡¯s words which basically insulted his strength, how could Maji 1 tolerate it? The flame-like ice and cold air was collected on his fist before he flew towards Mwana. Maji 1¡¯s enclosed fist emitted creaking and cracking sounds as if it was a cracking continental ice shelf. Before Maji 1 even got 10 meters close to him, Mwana could already feel his body and mind freezing. Mwana immediately conjured a blazing inferno around his body that quickly shrank and condensed around his fist turning his hand burning-red. From the tip of the fist, a ball of fire was formed which was emitting an extremely dangerous aura. ¡°Solar Scorching Fist: Miniature Sun.¡± Mwana¡¯s solar scorching fist shot out the miniature sun while Maji 1¡¯s heart burning ice transformed into a freezing ray of pure cold. As the two techniques collided, one hot and one cold, a violent explosion of rapidly expanding air blew through the entire stage shattering a huge portion of it. The explosion was so powerful that even the referee, Mister Mea, had to keep the magic barrier running at maximum capacity to protect the spectators. As the dust cleared, the icy beam and the miniature sun could be seen contending with each other seeming evenly matched at first. However, a short moment later the freezing ray pierced through Mwana¡¯s flames scattering them around the stage. Seeing the expected outcome, most of the audience collectively thought, ¡®As expected, he lost. How could the Sun Scorching Fist stand up to a Supreme-Grade technique like the Heart Burning Ice.¡¯ While the might of the heart burning ice had been reduced due to the clash, its remaining power shot towards Mwana at extreme speeds. Mwana managed to narrowly dodge the attack due to the time bought by the collision however, the ice still managed to graze his shoulder and burn it causing a nasty injury. As everyone thought Mwana had already lost, a shocking change occurred on the battlefield. The tongues of flames that had been scattered by Maji 1¡¯s technique suddenly gathered together as if attracted by something. Those who were observant enough noticed an almost invisible electromagnetic thunder charge that was moving towards Maji 1. The scattered flames of the miniature sun were attracted to the charge before the newly reformed miniature sun struck Maji 1 who had not expected this at all. Boom! The sound of an explosion rocked the fighting platform once again sending ripples of impact across the stage. From the epicenter, a whirlwind of fire wrapped in crimson lightning rotated while sending out the occasional arcs of electricity. Witnessing this scene, the spectators were left in a daze. ¡®Is Maji 1 okay?¡¯ Before the spectators could even complete the thought, a scream was heard from the stage. ¡°Ah!¡± This was Maji 1¡¯s voice as he screamed in pain. As the flames dispersed, they carried with them droplets of Maji 1¡¯s blood! However, once his figure was revealed to everyone, it was clear that he was not out of the match yet. His luxurious ocean-blue robes had been burned to a tattered pitch black leaving his chest bare. As for his lower body, only his black shorts remained. Most of his long curly hair had also been burned leaving him with patched medium length hair that was smoking like a chimney. Nevertheless, he did not have any serious injuries as his body seemed to be covered in cracked shiny blue scales. At the last second before Mwana¡¯s attack hit him, Maji 1 had activated the [Fish Dragon Scales] to defend himself otherwise he would have been more injured. The Fish Dragon Scales was a water element technique that functioned by breaking apart the scales whenever excessive pressure was applied to them in the same manner as pressure plates thus acting as a shock dissipater. While everyone had been surprised by Maji 1¡¯s Heart Burning Ice, Mwana¡¯s Solar Scorching Fist left most spectators in a state of disbelief. ¡°Since when was the Solar Scorching Fist so powerful? Isn¡¯t it just an ordinary Complimentary technique for the Sun and Moon arts?¡± ¡°Genius! Indeed a genius. What a genius move!¡± Off to the side of the stage, Mister Mea could not help but mutter to himself. Hearing his words, some of the spectators such as Fury gathered around him to ask for an explanation. After-all, everyone wondered how Mwana managed to get the better of Maji 1 with an inferior technique. ¡°Indeed that kid Mwana did something very unique. The Solar Scorching Fist has many variant forms such as [radiant sun], [flash bang], [piercing sun], etcetera and occasionally, new forms are invented and added to the main form. Mwana¡¯s technique could be considered a new form by itself!¡± ¡°If I were to guess, this form was created by combining the flames of the [Solar Scorching Fist], the shape-factor of the [Concave Fist], and finally the magnetic properties of the [Rushing Thunder Charge} which served as the core of the ¡®miniature sun¡¯ to keep the flames together. This is why the flames gathered back together even after the technique was destroyed the first time.¡± Hearing this explanation, everyone could not help but sigh in admiration. Mwana had indeed been right when he said that they had underestimated him. On the fighting platform, Mwana was still standing mid air on a stack of psychic energy. However, while his psychic power had risen recently, it was not enough to keep him afloat for long periods of time so he had to descend. ¡°Maji 1, it is time to end this.¡± Mwana did not hesitate before jumping from the mid-air psychic platform towards Maji 1 with a descending downward fist. ¡°Descending Forest!¡± Maji 1 did not have time to rest and could only leap once again to meet Mwana mid-air with his own fist technique: ¡°Ascending Falcon.¡± The following clash was not as flashy as the previous ones as both fighters were using basic fist techniques. However, it revealed something crucial that no one had expected. In this clash, Mwana who had a higher ground and the benefit of gravity was at a disadvantage resulting in him being pushed back in a clash of pure strength! This could only mean one thing. Maji 1 had already advanced to Bone Forging! ¡°Ha ha, Mwana you didn¡¯t expect this did you?¡± Chapter 60: Martial Arts! Mwana and the spectators were shocked by the revelation on Maji 1¡¯s strength. From this new knowledge, Mwana knew he was physically outmatched but he still remained confident since he had his speed to rely on. The moment he landed on the ground, he started zooming around his opponent. ¡°You think I did not think of your speed before the match? Do you really think I am that na?ve?¡± ¡°Summoning Magic: Silver Hawk Demon!¡± With a raise of his right arm, the bracelet on Majimaji¡¯s wrist lit up as dense magical energy rotated around it. This bracelet was clearly a magic treasure used by [Summoners] to summon and store spiritual beats and magical beast partners. Usually, only well off families could afford such a luxury. A moment later, a violent bird cry could be heard from the sphere of magical power around Majimaji¡¯s arm. A massive bird that was almost half the size of an adult man was summoned into the world using the magic vortex as a gateway. This bird had a shocking look that left everyone gasping. It looked like a cross between a biological creature and a technological monstrosity with silver metallic parts. This was a modified demonic beast that had undergone an extremely cruel process known as Demon Beast Modification. Unlike spirit beasts, demonic beasts were not protected under the [Spirit Beast Protection Laws]. Demonic creatures were known to hunt, kill, and even eat humans. However, human beings also hunted demonic creatures in order to: harness their power, sell their body parts, create weapons, or even use them as experimental test subjects when testing new medicines, potions, or techniques. After the bird circled around Majimaji, it perched itself on his back before melding itself onto him. The metallic parts seemed to move over Majimaji¡¯s body like moving steel plates. The Hawk¡¯s head rested over Majimaji¡¯s head transforming into a bird-shaped silver helmet with glass-like purple eyes. The legs and claws of the bird melded into his arms granting him an armor of silver feathers over his arms and talons that looked as sharp as a sword. However, the most noticeable thing was the large silver wings attached to Majimaji¡¯s back that gave him the look of a silver-winged angel. This fusion process granted him the abilities of the Silver Hawk Demon. Through the purple glass-like eyes on his helmet, Majimaji gained the perception ability [Hawkeye] which greatly improved his vision to capture Mwana¡¯s movement. ¡®Ha ha, I can see him clearly now. His speed is nothing to me in this form.¡¯ The talons on Majimaji¡¯s body granted him an attacking ability: [Sharp Talon Edge]. However, the most important part of the fusion was obviously the silver wings which granted Majimaji the ability to fly at extremely fast speeds through a technique called the [Wind Wings]. Maji did not hesitate to use his Wind Wings as he executed a high speed charge towards Mwana. The two opponents clashed at extremely high speeds. Some of their age mates and children younger than them could not even capture Mwana and Majimaji¡¯s figures with their own eyes. While Majimaji was using the Silver Hawk¡¯s Wind Wings to move faster, Mwana was utilizing a total of 3 high speed movement techniques. The [Linear Wind Spell], [100 Steps in an Instant], and [Withered Wood Dance] were all utilized at the same time which increased Mwana¡¯s speed to a ridiculous level. The speed of sound that always seemed so far away from Mwana now seemed only a step away. As the two boys engaged in close quarters combat, Majimaji used two different martial arts forms that greatly utilized his latent flexibility. These were [Club Fist] and the [Funga or Rope Acrobatics] martial forms. On the other hand, Mwana mainly used [Dambe] to defend himself against his opponent¡¯s blows. One of Mwana¡¯s arms was wrapped in hardened white cloth increasing his striking power. His other arm was held in an outstretched position with the palm facing forward in order to: keep his opponent at bay, make parrying easier, and simultaneously reduce the opponent¡¯s angle of attacks. This posture was Dambe¡¯s basic stance. On the fighting stage, the two boys showed a shocking mastery over the agility and stability of their own bodies as they exchanged dozens of blows every time they clashed. From his mastery over the [1000 leaves in one''s palm] boxing technique, Mwana¡¯s blows were so fast that heat radiated from his fists due to the friction. However, Maji seemed to have a greater range than Mwana as his Club Fist clubbed Mwana over the head even from a distance away. A moment later, Mwana was disoriented and dropped to the ground. He quickly sprung back up again before his opponent could follow through with his attacks. Mwana immediately retaliated by unleashing a flurry of kicks from different angles kicking Maji away. As Maji 1 was already at the initial stage of bone forging, he took less damage from Mwana¡¯s attacks. As for Mwana, he could only withstand Maji¡¯s blows as the latter had softer bones than other people in the same stage due to the bloodline of the aquatic octopus. This was a bloodline that prioritized flexibility over hardness. ¡°Majini, is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°You might as well give up if that is the limit of your strength.¡± ¡°Are you really at bone forging realm or were you just boasting?¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Even while experiencing pain from his opponent¡¯s blows, Mwana did not forget to continuously taunt Maji. However, as the fight continued, it was clear that Maji would end up in the advantageous position if this ended up a protracted fight. Not only did he reach Bone Forging thus making his skeleton sturdier, his arms and more importantly his head were protected by the Silver Hawk armor. ¡°Bird Cry!¡± ¡°Screeeeeeeeeeeeetch!¡± A powerful sonic attack spread from the stage almost deafening everyone¡¯s ears. This technique knocked into Mwana almost making him pass out on the fighting stage. He was pushed back by the attack all the way to the edge of the stage. This was a sound attack launched through the power of Majimaji¡¯s Silver Hawk Demon summoning. One of the spectators who supported Maji 1 in the fight started commenting on seeing the turn of events. ¡°Mwana will lose.¡± ¡°What? Why? How can you be sure?¡± At this point the fight seemed to be nearing the climax which fueled the spectators¡¯ discussions once again. ¡°In the Funga Acrobatic martial arts, stepping into bone forging can grant more flexibility as the practitioners can even dislocate their joints with minimal pain. This allows them to use more difficult maneuvers. This state of achieving maximum flexibility through body manipulation is called [Flowing Body like Water]. This state is why Maji 1¡¯s Club Fist is so lethal.¡± ¡°Despite Mwana and Maji 1 being the same height, Maji 1 has more reach with his Club Fist as he can dislocate his joints to strike further.¡± ¡°Dislocate bones?! Isn¡¯t that too horrific?¡± ¡°Yes, but apparently it is not too painful for those who have achieved that state.¡± ¡°So in a battle of head on punches, Mwana loses?¡± ¡°Indeed. He has received several blows to the head while his opponent has a helmet on.¡± ¡°Man that sounds a bit unfair.¡± ¡°Some would argue money is also a form of strength. Unless someone is extremely honorable, they will use all the resources they have.¡± Hearing these discussions, Mwana¡¯s friends who were among the spectators could not help but worry for him. The battle on the fighting stage was intense as Maji 1 relentlessly attacked Mwana seeming as if he would never tire. Despite being on the attacking side the entire time and using numerous energy consuming attacks, Majimaji was still going strong as if he had infinite stamina. ¡°Fish Breathing Art! No wonder.¡± This time it was Cheza who had exclaimed in shock. While observing the fight, he had noticed the subtle movement on Maji 1¡¯s neck as if there were invisible gills on his neck. This was a Breath Control technique that originated from the Vua clan of fishermen called the [Fish Breathing Art]. While Maji 1¡¯s breath control was not as powerful or exaggerated as what Waya had demonstrated to Mwana 3 days before, it was enough to boost his stamina to a great degree. On the stage, Maji moved extremely nimbly showcasing his exceptional and inhuman flexibility. Mwana was able to evade him but at the end of the day, everyone has a limit. Maji finally got Mwana in a hold using the Funga martial arts. After all, the essence of this martial art was tying things up or binding opponents like a rope. ¡°Bind!¡± The move was almost enough to choke Mwana to unconsciousness. Maji 1 clung tightly to Mwana¡¯s neck as the two boys fell to the ground. Mwana could feel the blood run to his forehead as he was slowly suffocated. At this rate, his breath would be stifled causing him to pass out thus losing the match. ¡®I cannot go down here. What is the point of challenging him if I go down? Things will be just as Mother said, it will not feel good to lose and this snake will only get more emboldened if he beats me. How can I stand up to him if I lose here?¡¯ However, thinking was different from doing. While Mwana was desperately trying to escape, he still could not manage to get free of Majimaji¡¯s grip. Mwana clawed, elbowed, and back-punched his opponent but Majimaji did not let go. Majimaji was exhausted too and he knew that he would not get another clear chance at victory as good as this so he could only hold on amidst the assault, ¡®Just a moment longer. I just have to hold on a moment longer and he will go to sleep. Victory will be mine!¡¯ ¡°Mwana don¡¯t lose! ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t lose consciousness or it will all be over!¡± ¡°Mwana, Mwana, Mwa¡­¡± As Mwana sunk into unconsciousness, he could hear his friends¡¯ encouraging cries. ¡®I don¡¯t want to lose!¡¯ His eyes scanned everywhere one last time hoping to see a lifeline. Finally, he had an idea! With his last burst of strength, Mwana stood up while Majimaji still held him in a lock. Mwana utilized all his high speed techniques accelerating to the maximum as a sonic boom erupted across the stage! In that moment of desperation, the speed of sound had been surpassed! Usually, as Mwana had already reached 20 steps in an instant in his [100 steps in an instant] technique, he could already move at two thirds the speed of sound. By boosting the [linear wind spell] with most of his remaining magic power and adding on the [Withered Wood Dance], the speed of sound was finally surpassed. While moving at extremely fast speeds, Mwana turned his back and smashed into a boulder sized piece of a detached part of the fighting stage, ¡®you¡¯ve reached bone forging, right? Your body can take it¡¯. This piece of the fighting stage had broken off as the two boys fought with their flashy attacks earlier in the fight. As Mwana had turned his back at the last moment, Maji 1¡¯s back collided with the boulder-like rock at the speed of sound as he was smashed through it entirely. The pain was enough to make him wince and loosen his grip. If he had not stepped into bone forging, such an attack could have cracked his spine and broken many bones. Mwana did not lose the opportunity and proceeded to smash Maji 1¡¯s face with the back of his fist. ¡°Weak.¡± Mwana did not forget to add a scathing comment in an extremely arrogant tone as soon as he got free from his opponent¡¯s grip despite the fact that he was just on the ropes earlier. It was always good to attack your opponent¡¯s morale during a fight. Maji did not have time to snap back at his opponent as he retreated on all fours like a panther to avoid Mwana¡¯s somersault kick. The kick was followed by a downward leg swipe which Maji nimbly dodged by somersaulting in the air. Maji then retaliated by unleashing a moon spear with his moon bracelet which Mwana faced head on and countered with his [solar scorching fist]. The two attacks canceled each other out but Mwana¡¯s fist still reached Maji. As Mwana¡¯s fist approached Maji¡¯s face, he firmly grabbed it stopping it with his hand. From such a short distance, Mwana threw dozens of kicks at once which Maji blocked by raising his arms to guard. However, he still got launched into the air by the strong force. Mwana leaped to follow his opponent before turning his body upside down and threw a [Flying Spear Kick] which Maji countered from midair with his own [Falling Eagle Kick]. For a moment, their feet connected at the soles in mid-air as time seemed to have frozen. Both fighters were sweating heavily as the rivers of sweat fell from their bodies at what seemed like slow motion. This was a moment worthy of a painting. Chapter 61: Village Martial Schools As the stalemate in the air was broken, Majimaji was pushed back further up in the air while Mwana crashed to the ground. At the same time the fight was going on, six people had covertly entered the field and mixed into the spectators. ¡°Kifaru what are you doing here in the morning?¡± ¡°Oh me, I was just passing by on my way to the barber.¡± ¡°Pshh. Who would believe that? Aren¡¯t you just here to scout?¡± ¡°Haaaa, so you know. You are here to do the same thing, Umeme, so why even ask?¡± Among these people were 4 men and 2 women. Of the two who were conversing, one of them was a tall dark skin woman with purple lightning-shaped tattoos and the other was a giant burly man dressed in ashy grey robes. The woman was named Jua Umeme and was a representative of the Thunder Bull Martial School. As for the huge man, he was a scout from the White Rhino martial school. The remaining four were naturally scouts and representatives from various martial arts schools in the village. These experts had come to watch the fight to assess the new blood in the village. The Jua village had many martial arts schools but only 6 of them were officially recognized as the top martial schools. Once children graduated from White Rock Academy, they would have to join these schools if they wanted to continue their martial arts careers. Whether it was accessing secret techniques, joining hunting parties, or finding a martial arts mentor, they all required one to join a martial arts school. The main martial schools in Jua village were:
  1. Thunder Bull School: it mainly focused on the Thunder Style.
  2. Blazing Tiger School: this school focused on the Fire Style. Majority of its people were of foreign descent from the Eastern continent. The school was mainly known for their [Flame Swallowing Mantra] which could allow people to swallow flames.
  3. White Rhino School: Metal Style.
  4. Green Cheetah School: Wind Style.
  5. Jungle Lion: Wood Style. This was a school that admitted a multitude of races in the village including intelligent Spirit Beasts and Beast Men. The twin lion guardsmen who acted as the security at the gate of White Rock Academy, Radi Muruthi and Mwaki Muruthi, were both members of this martial school.
  6. Eastern Elephant School: This was another school that admitted a lot of foreigners from the East. Most of the school¡¯s martial arts forms emphasized strengthening the body and using the elbows, knees, and even the head as weapons. This was all classified under Earth Style. The school¡¯s main meditative martial art was the [Sunless Martial Form]. This was a martial art developed for foreigners who arrived at the village when it was already too late for them to practice the [Sun and Moon arts].
Apart from these 6 major schools, there were also other minor schools like the Maroon Whale School which focused on the Water Style, the Spear Master School which focused on Spearmanship, and the Shark Blade School which focused on Swordsmanship. From the scouts¡¯ exchange, the spectators noticed them and proceeded to greet them. They attracted people them like ants to sugar. In the middle of the battle, Mwana and Maji 1 clashed with their fist techniques again. Maji 1 used the [Ripping Fist] where he shaped his energy like a razor to tear through his opponents. This was a fist technique that involved the Concept of Ripping. Mwana responded to this attack with the [Concave Fist]. However, this time there was something new to his fist technique. After taking Waya¡¯s advice, Mwana had finally been able to raise his concave fist to the next level. Waya had explained that energy was not dead and that one could communicate with it. They could even go further and add a special effect to their energy in the same manner as one did with magic when they utilized magic spells. Mwana took this advice and applied the concepts of the Sword Dragon Wave to his fist technique. This was the Concept of Reverberation which caused his energy to move in waves and bounce around as if in an echo chamber. The clash between the two boys was a clash of concepts. The result of this clash was as expected with Mwana ending up at a disadvantage. His left hand was even bleeding. Seeing this, many did not have much hope of him winning. On the other hand, Majimaji was feeling even more confident. He was experiencing the benefits of Bone Forging realm even more. He could distinctly feel that he had more access to his natural strength now that his bones had toughened up. With each strike, he managed to circulate his strength from his legs flowing up to his waist before being channeled to his arms. The flow of his strength moved in a much more fluid manner. This type of unique state that only experts who had stepped into Bone Forging could access was called Dynamic Strength Flow. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. One of the scouts from the village martial school explained this state to the curious spectators, ¡°When it comes to martial arts it is important for one to utilize the maximum available body strength in their strikes. Ordinary people are said to have access to about 65% of their maximum strength. As warriors, we increase our maximum strength through the 10 hurdles of Muscle Quenching. However, you have to remember that available strength and maximum strength are different. Just because you increase your maximum strength does not mean you have increased your available strength.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Someone curiously asked. ¡°There are several factors but the main ones are neural blockers, internal chemicals and hormones as well as the sturdiness of our bodies. Neural blockers ensure that we do not hurt ourselves. As for chemicals and hormones, they give an additional boost multiplying the strength we can use but as humans we obviously have no control over them. We can only gain some semblance of control over our internal structure through extensive conditioning. Lastly and also the most important factor, our bodies just cannot handle our maximum strength. The first 7 stages in Mortal Body Forging are all about honing the body for this very purpose: the flesh, muscles, skin, bones, tendons, organs, and blood all need to be reinforced.¡± Jua Umeme¡¯s explanation was very eye opening to most of the spectators here who were mostly children. ¡°Although you have a rough look to you, you¡¯re a good teacher.¡± Mister Mea added from the side while clapping. Hearing this, Kifaru and the other martial school scouts started snickering. Umeme could not help but snap back at Mister Mea, ¡°What are you saying Baldy? Are you trying to make me angry in the morning?¡± What followed was a series of bickering matches from the adults while the children continued focusing on the match on the fighting stage. As Umeme had explained to the spectators, Muscle Strengthening and Quenching had 10 hurdles each granting the strength of at least 1 Long-horned Crimson Abyssinian Bull. However, before achieving bone forging, warriors only had access to at most 4 or 5 bulls of strength. At bone forging they would be able to access 6 to 8 bulls of strength. However, the maximum strength would increase even further to about 20 bulls. It was only after tendon strengthening that a warrior would get max access to their full strength. In their battle, Majimaji who had recently advanced to bone forging had been using 6 bulls worth of strength. In order to match him, Mwana had to risk injury by going past his limit to use 6 bulls of strength as well. As he could not maintain this for any longer, Mwana had no choice but to go all out and use his trump cards. ¡°Great Overwhelming Divine Forest!¡± With a shout, a wave of wood attribute energy originating from Mwana¡¯s body showered the stage like rain. When this energy touched Majimaji, he could feel some of his exhaustion disappear. For a moment he was wondering if Mwana had decided to help out the enemy amidst battle. The [Great Overwhelming Divine Forest] shortened as GOD. F was a wood element basic skill that enhanced defense, offense, and healing by boosting one¡¯s aura. This was a basic technique that anyone could practice. The main benefit of such basic techniques was that it would usually get stronger as long as the user got stronger. GOD.F was a technique of humble origins as it had been created by an ordinary farmer after they observed nature. These types of techniques originated from the Creed of Observing Nature. They were martial arts available even to the common man despite their relatively higher level. As Mwana¡¯s affinity for the Wood Element had been enhanced through his experiences with the Green Dragon, his GOD.F was much stronger now than it was before. This shocked him even more than it shocked Majimaji and the spectators. After all, the last time he used the technique it did not create such a large a commotion. This was a technique Mwana had gotten from the village Martial Road almost 2 years ago. The Jua village had a martial road with plaques where these public basic martial arts were scripted. The further one walked down the martial road, the more the pressure one would experience. Therefore, how far one could walk depended on their strength. Predictably, the martial arts got more complex and more powerful the further one walked on the road. As far as Mwana had heard, not even the strongest people in the village had ever gotten to the end point of this road. The road itself moved deep into the back mountains and no one knew exactly where its destination was. ¡°How many wood arts do you use?¡± Seeing Mwana wrapped in a cloak-like film of green energy, Maji 1 could not help ask in an incredulous tone. ¡®Wasn¡¯t this guy just supposed to have fire and lightning affinity? How come his wood arts are so strong?¡¯ Mwana only smirked in response and did not reply to Majimaji¡¯s queries or the spectators¡¯ curiosities. In total Mwana had trained in several Basic techniques with most of them originating from the observation of nature. These techniques were:
  1. Withered Wood Dance - Maneuverability Method - Reaction Speed
  2. Millennium Wood Tree: Defensive method - Endurance
  3. GOD.F : Aura Method ¨C Imitates the overwhelming feeling of nature.
  4. 1000 Leaves in One¡¯s Palm: Boxing Training Method
  5. 100 Steps in an Instant: Footwork method - Movement Speed
These types of Basic techniques were usually developed by martial schools or martial arts experts after the pure observation of nature. They were simple, easy, and inexpensive to learn. All one needed was to engage in meditation, physical practice, sparring, and using the right type of strengthening potions. Therefore, for someone like Mwana who did not come from a well off family, he had learned these basic techniques and polished them to best of his abilities. Chapter 62: Instant Sword vs. Hydro Spear As Mwana and Maji 1 continued fighting, the benefit of the GOD.F aura method showed itself as Mwana was now able to fight on par with Maji 1. The pressure on Mwana¡¯s bones reduced and he now had his own form of energy ¡®armor¡¯ which somewhat offset the advantage Maji 1 had due to the Silver Hawk Demon Armor. However, this was still not enough to give Mwana the advantage. ¡°Mwana, pull out your sword. Let¡¯s finish this.¡± Maji 1 was the first to suggest using their weapons in order to end the battle that had dragged out way longer than the 2 boys had intended. At the beginning of the fight, both had vowed to end the other in a few seconds but ¡®alas¡¯, reality was different from their imagination. ¡°I don''t need my sword to take care of you.¡± ¡°Arrogant!¡± However, Mwana¡¯s next move shocked everyone watching. He pulled out sword his ¡®Instant Sword¡¯ unleashing a sudden unexpected attack despite his words. Most people could not help but exclaim, ¡®how two-faced. What a trickster!¡¯ ¡®I was tricked!¡¯ These words went through Majimaji¡¯s mind as he had been caught off guard. He quickly raised his aqua-blue spear to block Mwana¡¯s sword swing. In spars like this, the spear was usually held in reverse while swords were not pulled out of the scabbard. This ensured that fellow villagers did not severely harm each other. However, even this form of combat was still dangerous enough to cause injury if one was caught off guard. It could also kill any ordinary person who had not entered the martial path. Mwana utilized his father''s sword technique, the Sword Dragon Mantra, as he chopped towards Majimaji with his sword still in the scabbard. The Sword Dragon Mantra was not complicated and it only had 3 forms focusing on speed, defense, and attack. The defensive form was the [Sword Dragon Wave] that Mwana had used at the start of the match. The technique also had the added benefit of strengthening the body like a sword. As the two boys clashed with their weapons, Majimaji was not left behind as he utilized the Pweza family¡¯s [Ice Spear Technique] to the maximum. Although his spear was held in reverse, its piercing intent was no joke. Spears were the main specialty of Majimaji¡¯s family making his spear work very impressive. As one of the 8 Great smithing families in the Jua village, there was no other smiths-man that could forge spears greater than what expert Pweza family blacksmiths did. The other members of the 8 great families had their own specialties, whether it was forging swords, shields, bows and arrows, armor, non-combat tools, or even forging the body itself. As Mwana and Majimaji clashed, Mwana held the advantage as his overhead strike drove Majimaji¡¯s feet sinking into the ground. ¡°SSaaaa!¡± With a loud battle cry, Majimaji unleashed a wave of psychic energy creating a platform below his and Mwana¡¯s feat. This was the same move Mwana had used at the beginning of the fight to stand mid-air, [Platform Stacking]. With this method, Majimaji created a psychic platform below him and Mwana feet to avoid getting sunk into the ground by the overhead strike. The theory was that the platform would redistribute the force thus both the person casting it and their opponent would sink at the same level. At its highest level, this was a notorious spatial ability. However, the 2 boys could only utilize the watered down version of it that replaced spatial power with mental power. ¡°Wood feeds Fire.¡± Seeing his surprise attacks against Majimaji yield no results, Mwana decided to change his method of attack. He sacrificed his wood energy cloak from the GOD.F aura technique to feed and strengthen his fire element. ¡°Majimaji, prepare yourself. I won¡¯t hold back anymore. This is your last chance to surrender!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself yet Mwana.¡± ¡°Have it your way then.¡± After speaking, all the green wood attribute energy surrounding Mwana was gathered at the tip of his sword. The green energy then suddenly lit up with a bright red glow. Blistering heat was emitted that forced Majimaji to move back. Mwana proceeded to use the sword tip to draw a circle around his body with the bright red energy as the ink. One circle, two circles, and then three circles of fire surrounded his body forming a triple layered defense. The heat from the circles created a mirage around him making him seem as if he was very far away. Even when Majimaji attacked with his water and ice element spear techniques, his attacks lost their impact on Mwana. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The technique Mwana had just utilized was the [Comet Solar Ring]. Similar to Mwana¡¯s favorites, the [Rushing Thunder Charge] and the [Delayed Thunder Charge], the Solar Ring technique was a supplementary defensive move within the [Solar and Lunar Divine Canon]. This Divine Canon that was also simply referred to as the [Sun and Moon Arts] had 10 turns and routes each with a set of unique arts. These 10 routes and turns were: Solar Fire, Solar Light, Solar Wind, Solar Flare, Lunar Water, Lunar Earth, Lunar Darkness, Lunar Mirror Light, Lunar Thunder, and Lunar Cold Wind. The Solar Ring that Mwana conjured utilized the fire element and was part of the Solar Fire Route. "Majini let us see how you stop this! Comet Rapid Fire!" Roaring loudly, Mwana activated all of his natural energy and unleashed a barrage of concentrated fire attacks towards Majimaji. ¡°Comet Fire! Comet Rapid Fire! Comet Explosion!¡± The attacks kept coming and all Majimaji could do was retreat while defending. It seemed as if Mwana had lost it and was recklessly expending his energy. ¡°Mwana, since you want to go all out, let¡¯s go all out!¡± Suddenly, an unnatural silence enveloped the entire stage. In the blink of an eye the sky around the field seemed to have darkened eerily. Even the spectators were plunged into darkness. They could only see a few meters ahead of them. However, the darkness was even more concentrated within the stage taking on the very darkest color black. If one viewed this village open field from above, they would see a dark gaseous burble covering a 50 meter radius on the field with the fighting stage at the very center of this bubble. Majimaji had unleashed this sphere of octopus ink in gaseous form in order to blind Mwana. As someone with an octopus-type bloodline, he could use some of the basic arts of octopi even before achieving Bloodline or Beast Transformation. He could use bloodline abilities such as octopus ink manipulation, hydro tentacles, and hydro suction. Within the darkness on the stage, there were two glowing spots whose light was not completely extinguished by the pitch black ink. One of the lights was red while the other was blue. The red light naturally came from Mwana¡¯s Solar Rings. As for the blue light, it came from a blue moon hanging in the darkness. This blue moon looked extremely realistic. Just like Mwana¡¯s Solar Rings, this moon had been conjured using the Sun and Moon Arts. This conjured moon that hang behind Majimaji was referred to as the [Lunar Ice Mirror] and naturally utilized combined elements of the [Lunar Water] Turn and [Lunar Mirror Light] Turn of the Sun and Moon Arts. In the pitch black sphere, a huge blue beam sliced through the darkness, possessing a terrifying momentum as it attacked towards Mwana¡¯s Solar Ring defense. The first two rings directly crumbled under Majimaji¡¯s tyrannical might. This was the power of the conjured moon hanging in the darkness. Majimaji did not give Mwana the chance to breathe as he zoomed around him in the darkness while unleashing his strongest moves. The Ice Spear techniques, the Cold Moon Spear technique, the Heart Burning Ice technique, all were used one after another. ¡°Hahaha, Mwana it is over. You can¡¯t even see me. You can¡¯t attack or counterattack. How much longer do you think your defense will last?¡± Majimaji¡¯s voice came from multiple places on the stage at the same time. In the darkness, not even the spectators could pinpoint his exact location. If the spectators could not then what about Mwana who was trapped in the darkest part of the sphere? Majimaji was not wrong in his assumption as even experts stronger than him at the 5th level had trouble seeing in his Sphere of Darkness let alone Mwana who was only at the 3rd level. However, Mwana could see! In the last few days, Mwana¡¯s senses had been enhanced to a great degree due to his stronger soul. His senses were first sharpened after his bloodline awakening and continued getting stronger as his soul entered a new realm. However, strong senses from a strong soul would only allow Mwana to see a meter or two in Majimaji¡¯s Dark Ink Sphere. Therefore, this was not Mwana¡¯s only reliance. His biggest advantage was the third person perspective of the [Dragon Mirror Eye] innate ability! Most importantly, this innate ability utilized psychic and spiritual power to view the world so Majimaji¡¯s Sphere of Darkness did little to hinder Mwana¡¯s actual vision. Mwana could have delivered a ferocious counterattack against Majimaji in the darkness but he chose not to. After his last Solar Ring was shattered, Mwana coated his right hand with the thunder element and his left hand with the fire element. He was wielding his dual elemental and bloodline affinities in order to parry Maji 1¡¯s blows. Even though Mwana could see the attacks coming, he only reacted at the last second putting on the front of a person who was completely on the ropes. However, despite the precarious position he was in, Mwana decided to continue pretending to be helpless in the darkness. He would only react in full force when he was assured of victory. He stayed calm as Maji 1 ran circles around him while harassing him and gloating happily. ¡®Patience. Let him be smug for now. I must be patient.¡¯ Chapter 63: The Victor Outside the stage, the conversation among the spectators continued in a heated manner. What had been predicted to be only a small skirmish transformed into a huge eye opening battle. Most of the children here were nowhere near Mwana and Maji 1¡¯s level and had learned a lot today. ¡°Your friend is not out of the sticks yet especially in a clash of elements. His opponent has 3 advantages over him. First, Majimaji¡¯s water element counters Mwana¡¯s fire element. As for the thunder element, it finds no victory over water. Majimaji can simply use his water as a channel to direct it away.¡± One of the scouts was explaining the battle situation to Cheza and Mwana¡¯s other friends and classmates. While the children could barely see the events on the stage, these scouts¡¯ eyes were barely hindered. ¡°Majimaji¡¯s other benefit is his Stacked Elemental power.¡± ¡°Stacked Elemental Power. Everyone is mentioning it but what exactly is it?¡± Another child around Jana¡¯s age could not help but ask. ¡°To put it simply, someone with Stacked Elemental Power can utilize almost twice as much elemental power as everyone else at the cost of their stamina. Usually even if someone¡¯s bloodline element affinity and natural elemental affinity are matched, the person will not have Stacked Power. Their elemental power will phase and mix together in one metaphorical tank. This is called Phased Elemental Power. With this type of power, one has almost twice the elemental power of the same kind which means their stamina and endurance increases.¡± ¡°However, with stacked elemental power, the two affinities do not mix. So when someone like Majimaji uses a water attribute spell that would consume 2 units of elemental power, the spell will draw power from his natural affinity and bloodline affinity separately thus spending 4 units of power. This is unlike someone with phased power, who would only spend 2 units since his affinities are in the same tank. In the end it is a question of attacking power vs. stamina and endurance.¡± ¡°What about Majimaji¡¯s third advantage that you mentioned?¡± ¡°This is related to the concept of ¡®Elemental Affinity born out of Organs¡¯ though it is not as watertight as other theories. It almost borders on pseudoscience.¡± As Umeme explained to Kia, Cheza, and the other children, Majimaji had intentionally aimed for Mwana¡¯s head with his Club Fist earlier in the match. This was to not only disorient him but to also disrupt his natural elements. In the Zika world, there was a major theory that the elements were born out of different organs. These were:
  1. Lightning - Brain (fast thinkers)
  2. Fire - Heart (stronger force)
  3. Wind - Lungs (greater lung capacity)
  4. Water - Kidneys (better vitality)
  5. Earth - Liver (increased endurance)
Even among ordinary people, it was said that one¡¯s strengths and personality could be inferred based on their elemental affinity. This belief was very similar to Astrology. According to this theory, if the organs corresponding to one¡¯s affinity were injured, then you would lose control over your element temporarily creating a weakness during battle. Indeed in this fight, Mwana¡¯s lightning element did not seem as impressive as before. ¡°Is this theory really true? I always thought it was bullshit. Even my parents say it is pure nonsense.¡± One of the kids could not help but ask. Umeme continued explaining, ¡°Who knows whether it is true or not. However, I can say that there is some merit to it. Take people with lightning affinity for example, even if they do not become warriors they can become great scholars and mathematicians. This is already a proven statistical fact. Some of the greatest scholars throughout history were of the lightning affinity. Considering how rare lightning is as an affinity, this could not be a mere coincidence.¡± ¡°As for water, ehem, well they are said to have more virility than the ordinary person. They usually litter kids everywhere.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hey, hey that sounds biased.¡± Another scout could not help but exclaim. It was clear that this guy had a water element affinity. Indeed the ¡®Elements born from Organs¡¯ concept was very similar to Astrology including how personality traits were assigned based on things one had no control over. ¡°As for fire, these people excel in physically straining jobs as their hearts are sturdier and their blood flow is more robust.¡± Back on the fighting stage, the elemental exchange continued. Majimaji unleashed water element attacks which Mwana resisted with his ¡®skin like bark¡¯. Mwana stood firm amongst the waves like a tall tree in the middle of the forest. This was the defensive technique known as the [Millennium Wood] technique. Majimaji had not expected Mwana¡¯s wood element energy to be so strong. While his water attacks countered Mwana¡¯s fire affinity, they had a reduced effect on the Millennium Wood technique as water usually nourishes wood. ¡°Mwana, it is over.¡± After Majimaji made this declaration, he settled down and even the rampant energy on the stage disappeared. Majimaji was like a calm pond. Clearly a storm was brewing within him. Just like Mwana, Maji 1 had his own trump cards ¡°Hydra Tsunami of Spears!¡± Seeing the wave of violent spears of water shooting towards him, Mwana was finally left with no choice but to use the power he had been hiding. As the audience looked at Majimaji¡¯s attack in awe, some could not help but exclaim. ¡°Does he have infinite natural energy? How could he launch one powerful attack after another?¡± However, they had not even finished being awed by Majimaji before something even more shocking occurred: a trembling in the depths of their souls! Despite the darkness on the stage, everyone felt their souls flicker for a moment. ¡°No way! Did I sense wrong? Who would have thought Mwana already achieved that level. It seems his spiritual power already rose to the fourth stage! No wonder he dared to step on the fighting platform.¡± Indeed to defend himself against the tsunami of spears, Mwana knew that basic and elementary defensive techniques like the [Millennium Wood technique] and [Golden Statue technique] were useless. He could only activate his Spirit Energy Shrouding revealing to everyone that he had already stepped into the fourth level of the Spirit Sense Novice Realm. With the armor of spiritual energy around him, Mwana was able to withstand his opponent¡¯s attack. ¡°No wonder Mwana dared to challenge Majimaji. The 4th level of physical training vs. the 4th level of spiritual training! Suddenly, the fight does not seem as mismatched as before.¡± ¡°Indeed Mwana hid himself too deeply.¡± Hearing such conversations amused Mwana greatly. After all, he had not really hidden anything. However, the spectators made this assumption because they did not know that Mwana only reached the 4th level in the last 3 days all the way from the 2nd level! Even if he told them the truth they would not believe him since this level of advancement speed was almost unheard of. Majimaji could not afford to be shocked by the revelation of Mwana¡¯s power as he launched himself towards Mwana at extremely fast speeds. ¡°Hydro Lance!¡± As his attack reached Mwana who seemed blind and clueless, Majimaji thought to himself, ¡®While the fact that Mwana reached the fourth level of Spiritual Training is shocking, he still cannot see me in the darkness. This is my Domain!¡¯ Majimaji¡¯s Hydro Lance inched closer to Mwana¡¯s spiritual barrier seeming as if it would break through in the next instant. The entire time Mwana retained a clueless look on his face as if he could not see where Maji 1¡¯s attack was coming from within the sphere of darkness. ¡¯ Mwana, this is my victory! I have won.¡¯ As Maji 1 was preemptively celebrating his victory, he suddenly noticed that Mwana¡¯s eyes which were previously unfocused were looking right at him. Mwana had a plastic grin plastered on his face that sent shivers through Maji 1¡¯s body. ¡®He can see me?!¡¯ The lance went right past Mwana¡¯s shoulder as he calmly sidestepped it. While this attack was very fast, Mwana had long anticipated it through his Dragon Mirror Eye that let him see in the darkness. Maji 1 had attacked at very high speed so even after Mwana evaded his attack, his body kept moving forward due to the momentum causing Mwana to end up behind him. ¡®He got me!¡¯ Maji 1 could not help but lament. It was too late for Maji 1 now. Mwana unleashed a kick at Maji 1¡¯s buttocks causing the latter to yelp in pain and humiliation. This attack launched Majimaji high into the air greatly disorienting him. ¡¯I am finished!¡¯ Mwana easily caught up to his opponent mid-air and landed a Concave Fist to Maji 1¡¯s back launching him out of the fighting stage like a canon ball. With a loud boom, Maji 1 fell into the crowd of spectators. Mwana had even made sure to punch him towards where Majimaji¡¯s cousins and fans were standing. With Majimaji defeated, the sphere of darkness finally receded and the sun once again shone on the victor. At the center of the fighting stage, Mwana did his best to maintain an aloof yet heroic pose as the morning sun enhanced his shining silhouette. ¡°I cannot believe Majimaji lost!¡± ¡°Indeed, but he lost because of his assumptions about Mwana¡¯s affinity. He also fell for a pretty standard fake out.¡± As expected, the commentary was back again. Chapter 64: Jua Mkata-mwezi ¡°Uchoyo what do you think you are doing?¡± An angry roar interrupted the momentary peace that had appeared after the end of the match. Mwana did not even get to bask in the glory of his victory before another pest appeared. ¡°Bring it on!¡± However, he was not one to back down despite how tired he was. His opponent did not even wait for the end of Mwana¡¯s statement before attacking. With Mwana¡¯s ¡®battle confirmation¡¯, Uchoyo was already zooming towards him at his fastest speed. Evidently, he could not forget the humiliation he had faced at Mwana¡¯s hands. However, Uchoyo was much stronger than Maji 1 in a straight up battle as he had already been a Bone Forging Warrior for a long time. Uchoyo¡¯s [Bone Piercing Fist] was like a missile as he propelled it towards Mwana¡¯s stomach. Even though Mwana activated all his defenses at once [The Golden Statue Technique, Millennium Wood Technique, and the GOD.F¡¯s Aura Shield], he had been significantly drained of energy. He knew that he would not have an easy time blocking this hit. However, the pain he expected never came. The punch never landed. ¡°Haha, you sure are courageous huh?¡± The first part of the statement was said in a humorous tone but the final questioning part was asked filled with anger to the point that the speaker¡¯s voice was vibrating. Hearing this voice, both Mwana and Uchoyo first looked to the side then at Mwana¡¯s stomach where Uchoyo¡¯s fist was stopped less than half an inch from Mwana¡¯s stomach. The fist was tightly clasped in someone¡¯s hand. ¡®Just how strong is she?!¡¯ Both boys could not help but think at the same time. This was Malkia¡¯s hand. Although Mwana knew that Kia had been stronger than both him and the Majimaji cousins 2 years ago, he had grown stronger since then. He could not be bullied anymore and had learned to stand up for himself. However, it seemed that Kia¡¯s strength had also not stagnated. After all, just because one worked hard to get stronger did not mean that others were not working hard as well. On Uchoyo¡¯s end, before he even had time to comprehend what was happening, fists and kicks rained on him driving him into the ground. Cheza, Jana, Fury, Lotan, Jode as well as some of Mwana¡¯s other friends were right behind Kia as they quickly stepped onto the stage and ganged up on Uchoyo. Mwana even saw his little sister throw in a few jabs with her meager strength, ¡®Isn¡¯t this brat supposed to be in bed this early? What is she even doing here?¡¯ Mwana had to forego throwing in his own attacks in order to drag his little sister away. However, he was eternally grateful to Kia and his other friends for standing up for him. ¡®I have really been blessed with great friends¡¯. ¡°Uchoyo! Shameless! What are you attempting?¡± Even though he was the one getting beaten up, Uchoyo was still getting scolded. This voice was the very same voice that had roared angrily at Uchoyo when he first attacked Mwana. Although Mwana had supposedly accepted Uchoyo¡¯s challenge, everyone knew it was only out of pride. Uchoyo should have never made a move against a tired and weakened opponent. The person who had just spoken was another young intermediate warrior. Even after Mwana¡¯s friends stopped attacking Uchoyo, this young warrior still continued scolding the latter. This young man was a swordsman and the village heartthrob in the current young generation of the Kijani age group. At the young age of 12 or maybe 13 years old, he had already achieved Tendon Strengthening stage. In fact, this young man could have even gone further if he only focused on training his body normally. However, he had decided to focus his training on acquiring the legendary True Sword Body. Therefore, this boy was far stronger than he seemed especially with a sword in hand. This young man was Jua Mkata-mwezi also nicknamed as the Moon-cutter Swordsman. Mkata-mwezi wore all white everything: a white cylindrical wool hat, a knee-length white wool skirt, a long white robe that covered his entire body but was open at the chest area, white leather sandals, and a huge icy-white sword sheathed in a white scabbard that was secured on his back. His white robe was loosely tied at the waist like a bathrobe with a silk-like white belt. Mkata-mwezi did not mind the robe being a bit open since he already had the wool skirt underneath. One of his hands was hidden under the robe since this robe did not have sleeves. It looked more like a long sheet in the same vein as a traditional Shuka. Apart from his dapper fashion sense, Mkata-mwezi¡¯s looks were not left behind. He had healthy brown skin with a subtle golden glow. His long black hair was tied with a circular band at the back but continued to spread out over his back almost reaching his waist. His facial features were smooth and refined giving the image of a young budding warrior. However, his most outstanding feature was his eyes which seemed to emit a strange light similar to the sun. This was the effect of his unique physique, the Violent God Sword Body Physique. It had the effect of making his body and especially his gaze emit minute sword rays like the sun. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Uchoyo, you are actually picking on Junior Warriors who have not even left the academy?¡± Mkata-mwezi did not let go of Uchoyo who had already stood up after the beating he took. Uchoyo stood there at the stage looking at his feet in shame. Clearly, he valued Mkata-mwezi¡¯s opinion on him far more than any of the other people in the field today. However, their interaction did look a bit comical. It looked as if a child was scolding an adult because of the height difference between the two boys. While Mkata-mwezi was slightly above the average height of a 13 year old, Uchoyo was far taller than him already reaching over 6 feet tall. Uchoyo had the bloodline of the Siribi people making him the tallest child in his age group in the entire Jua village. In the history of the Siribi tribe, the tallest adult male had been 12 feet tall; a towering giant! Even the shortest men were around 9 feet tall while the shortest woman would be at least 8 feet tall. In such a tribe, a height of 6 feet or 7 feet would be akin to dwarfism. Listening to Uchoyo being scolded, Mwana and some other children around the stage could not help but verbally pile on him. This was a fellow who had built up a lot of enmity with almost everyone. ¡°Right on, tell him big bro Mwezi.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick on people your own size instead of bullying little chicklings?¡± Another older intermediate warrior in the audience added. ¡°Right, yeah, wait no!¡± ¡°You are insulting us too? We aren¡¯t chicklings! You take that back right now or let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°Big bro Mkata-mwezi, why are you here to cause trouble?¡± Mwana could not help but ask as Mkata-mwezi¡¯s presence alone had swept up the crowd into a state of frenzy. Additionally, as far as Mwana knew, Mkata-mwezi should have been adventuring in the outside world far away from the village. ¡°I heard about your Awakening Ceremony when I was outside so I came with a gift as soon as I returned to the village.¡± ¡°A gift! Where? Show it.¡± ¡°It might be useless to you now. I thought you didn¡¯t have a good sword but it seems you have your means.¡± Mkata-mwezi replied with a sigh. He had thought Mwana would not have a good sword but the boy had gone ahead and swindled an above average weapon from Waya¡¯s old man, Jua Fisi. Mwana had named that sword ¡®the Instant Sword¡¯. ¡°Stop beating around and take it out. No one ever complained about a free gift just because they have something else.¡± Mkata-mwezi proceeded to lay down some materials he had collected for forging a sword. ¡°I got these from the Sword Grave when I was exploring in the Giza Forest.¡± Mwana and the other children who were listening were shocked to hear this. Their mouths were almost dropping in shock and a bit of fear. The Giza forest was also called ¡®The Forest of Darkness¡¯ or the ¡®Million Men Grave¡¯. Mwana believed that he even as much as dared step into the periphery of this famous forest, the only outcome was death. It was said that hundreds of years ago, a major war had been fought where the forest currently grew littering the ground with millions of broken corpses and shattered weapons. Due to changes in climate over the following hundreds of years, what had once been an open plain transformed into a full blown forest. This forest had grown on the blood, flesh, and bones of a million fallen warriors. The amount of resentment and malevolent energy within this forest was simply immeasurable. The items Mkata-mwezi had brought back were ¡®Sword Shards¡¯ with strong energy radiating from them. Some even seemed to be remnants of Heaven Grade tools and broken Spiritual Weapons. There was also a piece of Sword Wood among the pile of metallic shards. This was a type of wood that formed after trees absorbed a huge amount of sword energy. These sword shards and sword wood were retrieved from the ¡®Sword Grave¡¯ within the Giza forest. Sword Graves were unique locations of great providence which were used to burry many weapons used in war so that they could be cleansed of their malevolent energy by nature itself. After Mwana collected his gift, Mkata-mwezi took him to the side for some gossip. ¡°I hear that you have someone now.¡± Cough, cough. ¡°You have grown up. Ehm, so which one among them is your girlfriend?¡± Mkata-mwezi said these words in a very normal tone as if what he was asserting is true. Unlike Waya, Mkata-mwezi was not a joker or a pervert so Mwana knew his words were probably told to him by someone else. He was not teasing Mwana instead he was just repeating what he was told. ¡°Chezaaaaa!¡± It did not take a rocket scientist to realize that Cheza had been prattling around about his crush on Kia and probably spreading misinformation everywhere. However, Cheza had already escaped and landed on the fighting stage. After Mwana¡¯s match today, the rest of the children did not leave and proceeded to challenge each other to some friendly matches. As expected, the battles were not as intense as Mwana vs. Maji 1¡¯s fight since most of the other children did not have deep grudges against each other. Cheza fought against Maji 2 with their fight ending in a draw. The 2 giants of Mwana¡¯s class, Tembo and Kiboko, competed once again testing their strength against each other but none could gain a win over the other. Even Fury entered the stage and after constant provocations, some hotheaded young boys and girls could not help but fall for her trap and enter the stage only to be beaten up black and blue. In all these, the village martial schools¡¯ scouts were the biggest beneficiaries as they could assess the abilities of the younger generation beforehand. At the end of the Academy year, some of these children would join their martial schools and it was important to start courting the talented ones earlier. Chapter 65: The Steel Bone Gauntlet After the rounds of friendly matches, Mwana and his friends finally left the field as the morning sun slowly got brighter. In his hand, Mwana had a token that he got from Jua Umeme. With this token he could visit the Lightning Pond of the Thunder Bull Martial School a single time. Umeme was indeed trying to scout Mwana and her words had indeed been convincing. ¡®She was right. Ever since my bloodline awakened I have been relying on fire techniques more and more. I barely have any lightning element techniques. Heck, even my wood techniques surpass my lightning techniques.¡¯ According to Umeme, Mwana¡¯s main lightning element had been significantly left behind. She had successfully convinced Mwana to visit the Thunder Bull Martial School. However, beyond the first free visit provided by the token, martial schools were not like the village academy where learning was free. They were private institutions for those who wished to pursue the path of martial arts as their future career. Most people in the village would train under blacksmith masters instead as this was a village known for the arts of forging. Mwana understood that if he was to join a martial school, he would need money for the private tuition; something that neither he nor his family had now. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Berry Hotel, I will treat you guys to breakfast. Or it is lunch now?¡± ¡°Brunch.¡± Mkata-mwezi invited Mwana and his friends to eat at a hotel and as they walked there, he started telling them about the upcoming competitive event known as the Steel Bone Gauntlet. ¡°Is what you said about the gauntlet true?¡± Cheza asked in a serious manner. The Steel Bone Gauntlet was something they had to think about now as before the end of the year most of them would have stepped into Bone Forging. ¡°It is true. There are 3 victory slots in the competition held within the Silver Steel Pyramid. At that time almost everyone who has recently attained Bone forging will participate but only the top 3 will greatly benefit. These 3 slots are for (1) steel bones, (2) iron bones, and (3) copper bones.¡± These descriptions of the slots were not the actual elements of steel, bronze, and copper. Whoever was in charge of naming just borrowed these names but in actuality these ¡®blessings¡¯ were actually much stronger. ¡°If you can win the first position, you will receive the Blessing of Steel Bones which will allow you to completely disregard most of Bone Forging and reach the peak of the realm nearly instantly. As for the second Blessing of Iron Bones, you could get half way, with the third taking you a third of the way.¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°So many will participate but only the top 3 get this type of benefits?¡± Kia could not help but ask. While the benefits for the top 3 would allow them to soar, especially the first blessing, there would be many participants in this trial. Their class alone had 23 students and several of the students a year ahead of them and a year behind them would have the chance to participate. In total, she could estimate that the numbers could even surpass 50. ¡°Of course the top 3 get the best rewards but that does not mean that everyone else is left in the dust. Even just participating in the trial is a benefit that will get you at least a sixth of the way in Bone Forging realm. For every level conquered in the Silver Pyramid, a wave of purified energy is released and this energy can be directly absorbed without any need to refine it. You don¡¯t even have to meditate in order to purify it, just absorb.¡± Hearing this, the group could not help but be excited. The top 3 might be hard for most to achieve but as long as one got rewarded after every level they cleared, they would still benefit as long as they were not weak enough to be eliminated on the first level. The venue of the Steel Bone Gauntlet was usually at a plain 5 kilometers away from the Jua village. A silver metallic pyramid was built in that plain and it had several levels where the participants would undergo different trials. This silver pyramid was no ordinary structure and it was in fact a Spiritual item. The group walked in the streets of the village while dragging their feet with Mkata-mwezi mostly doing the talking. He had been outside the village for almost half a year so he had countless interesting stories to tell. His listeners were glued to listening by each of his words. ¡°Did you guys hear the rumors concerning the people of Oyo River?¡± Naturally someone like Cheza was more up to date with the rumors and happenings of the outside world so he was the first to answer. ¡°An entire tribe with over 100,000 people disappeared in thin air. ¡®Snap¡¯, just like that!¡± Hearing this, everyone was shocked. Little Pendo who was perched on Mwana¡¯s shoulders couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°Disappeared? Why?¡± ¡°The rumors of demons have started flying around.¡± ¡°Demons!¡± Everyone could not help but exclaim at once. Was there a world where demons were not feared especially among children? The answer was definitely no and it was the same in the Zika world. ¡°Sorry, sorry, sorry, I will meet you guys at Berry hotel, just give me an hour. No, less than an hour.¡± Before they even reached the hotel, another intermediate warrior called out to Mkata-mwezi. It seemed he still had some unfinished business so he had to leave. He clasped his hands and apologized while promising to meet up at the hotel in an hour. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The group now had an hour with nothing to do. After all it was not a school day today. After parting with Mkata-mwezi, Mwana, Kia, Fury, Cheza, Jana, Vitali, and Pendo continued walking around aimlessly. Mwana had his little sister on his shoulders as they walked through the village browsing things here and there. However, as Mwana was walking, he was suddenly stopped in his tracks by a hand on his clothes. ¡°Big sis, Kia what did you see.¡± Pendo asked Kia who had suddenly stopped Mwana. Kia was pointing towards a colorful shop at the end of the street. When Mwana turned to look, he could not help but almost sigh. ¡®It seems that even Kia has such interests.¡¯ This type of shop or establishment usually carried out ¡®nature¡¯ tests. They had Affinity Readers who would read the ¡®nature¡¯, affinity, personality, and relationships of a person. They claimed to be able to foretell your future after analyzing these aspects. These types of places basically peddled beliefs similar to the Zodiac and Astrology. These were the kinds of things that girls in the Zika world were obsessed with. However, the boys were obviously not as excited. They each had their own daydreams about how to waste the next hour. Mwana the training maniac wanted to go back home and start training immediately. ¡®No time to waste. Free time is training time! My strength may have improved recently but there is no time to rest. Recently, I have been resting a bit too much. Yesterday I even slept for a full 4 hours! I must be going mad to waste that much time sleeping.¡¯ Jana the sleeping expert wanted to go back to his bed and sleep. ¡®I still have time to clock in a short nap. It is a crime that I have not broken my previous nap record. Things have been too busy lately. I can¡¯t even sleep in peace anymore!¡¯ Cheza the ¡®gamer¡¯ still had enough energy left in him to play around even after fighting several rounds of matches on the fighting stage. ¡®I know these guys won¡¯t agree to play Hookball right now; maybe in the evening. What game can I play today? I want to go to the Sky Faring Illusion Center but do I even have enough shells to pay for the rides there?¡¯ After some pestering from the girls, the boys reluctantly gave in to go. Everyone entered the shop to take a look. Within the shop, a woman was seated behind a translucent red curtain. She wore thick colorful robes with multiple multicolored beads and necklaces. Her ears had huge piercings that almost hang to her neck and while her face was covered with a veil, everyone could see the glistening teary eyes behind the veil. It looked like her eyes constantly released tears as if she had a medical condition. Looking closely, the kids could even pick out a slight shiver from her body. This woman who was also of foreign origin was an Affinity Reader. ¡°What do we do next?¡± Naturally, Mwana was clueless on how these types of things worked. The woman retrieved 6 blue balls that floated around her body and asked to check the hands of all the children there. After the palm reading, the woman wrote down some characters in thin air which condensed and shot onto the balls scorching the characters onto them. ¡°We will buy this week¡¯s providence card.¡± Vitali was the one to speak up. It seemed that she understood the process best. These types of shops were part of the culture of Vitali¡¯s people. She and the Affinity Reader were of the same ethnicity as immigrants from the Eastern continent. After they paid, the rest followed Vitali¡¯s instructions and they put their hands on the football-sized purple orb set on the table. The orb produced a whirling purple light which transformed into a stream of energy circulating above the ball. The six engraved blue smaller balls were caught up in the rotational power of this energy causing them to revolve around the bigger purple orb. The children were mesmerized by the entire magical process which lit up the entire shop in various beautiful colors. Pop. ¡°Ooof! That shocked me.¡± With a pop, a huge sheet of paper the size of an A24 popped out from the circulating multicolored energy. This was the Providence Card and on it were a string of statements.
  1. Fire: You are brash and hotheaded and also extremely confident.
Do not let the brightness and closeness of the sun dim the beauty and brightness of the stars. The sun is not the only star hanging in the void. This message was clearly directed at Fury who had a fire element affinity.
  1. Earth: You are calm and steady but maybe too calm that it borders on laziness.
You shall find your true strength in what you love. ¡®What is this card trying to tell me; to sleep more? That¡¯s what I love the most.¡¯ Jana¡¯s part left him stumped. He could not sink into laziness but then again what he loved was sleeping. What a conundrum.
  1. Water: You are calm and collected. Sometimes you are cool, sometimes cold, and sometimes destructive.
  2. Wind: Your nature is equal parts calm and equal parts flighty.
If you do not slow down, you will not even be able to see what¡¯s right in front of your eyes. What is important can easily slip through your fingers. Naturally such an ominous message could only be directed at Cheza.
  1. Thunder: The color of thunder is regal. Wielding thunder is wielding the mighty feeling of dominion like rulers. With this power comes: fast and decisive actions, an authoritative might, and a great potential for destructiveness. Providence shall come in the form of the green.
Mwana already had an idea of what the last line in his card meant. ¡®As for the rest of the nonsense about becoming some ruler who could lose themselves, I say bullshit.¡¯
  1. Light: The representation of the Holy, the Saintly, and the Wise-men.
Your wish shall be the command of the universe. Seeing such lines Pendo could not help but be excited. She started shouting out absurd wishes then and there.
  1. Darkness: Usually darkness is known for its ¡®darkness¡¯ but that is unlike you. Your calm is like a pond whose depth is unknown... [Cannot evaluate further]
Everyone felt stumped when they saw Kia¡¯s card. ¡°What does it mean, ¡®cannot evaluate¡¯?¡± No one had an answer, not even the Affinity Reader.
  1. Wood: The bonds of life are a blessing but also a chain. A great trial can only be weathered through great perseverance.
The last to read their card was Vitali who possessed the rare wood element affinity. However, her card was just as ominous as some of the others. Apart from these ordinary elements, the cards could be produced to represent elemental combinations such as Earthfire, Icewind, and etcetera but usually one would have to pay more in such cases. After they left the shop, the group met up back again with Mkata-mwezi at the Berry hotel. Mwana was eager to hear more about the upcoming Steel Bone Gauntlet from Mkatamwezi. To him who did not come from a well off family, this competition would be his chance to rise up quickly otherwise he might find himself stuck at Bone Forging for a few years like everyone else. Chapter 66: Origin of Bloodlines ¡°Order anything you want.¡± ¡°Anything? You sure are loaded.¡± ¡°Beef, beef, big brother I want beef!¡± ¡°You want to eat meat in the morning? Didn¡¯t you just eat breakfast? Drink juice or something.¡± After sitting at a table in the hotel, Mkata-mwezi offered to pay for everything that the rest of the group would order. However, most of them were not hungry and they were only interested in hearing more about the upcoming Steel Bone gauntlet. ¡°As I was saying, it is a tower competition with several floors. Each floor has a different test.¡± ¡°The first test is the Test of Strength which usually involves fighting battle puppets and golems or moving rock formations.¡± Mkata-mwezi proceeded to explain the different tests within the Silver Pyramid. The second trial was a Test of Wit which involved things like illusions, puzzles, problem solving, and formations. The test on the third floor was a Test of Courage. In this test, the participants would be put in a scary or impossible position to see who pushed through even when everything seemed hopeless. ¡°During my year, this third test had an unbeatable swordsman. However the requirement for clearing the stage was not defeating this swordsman but to persevere till the end. They did not even give us a time limit making everything feel so hopeless but a few people still stood till the end of the test. In your year it will probably be different but expect something extreme in this stage.¡± The fourth test was the Test of Spirit. The fifth was the Test of Personality. Mkata-mwezi explained the necessity of this test further, ¡°This is a necessary test as one must have a steely and firm personality in order to fuse with the Mystic Steel Bone. The steel bone is a foreign entity after all. If your psyche is weak, it is easy for one to get corrupted when fusing or absorbing foreign matter.¡± ¡°The sixth test is a Test of Comprehension. They usually just place some murals there with techniques engraved on them and you have to comprehend some of them. These will mostly be techniques fit for Bone Forging stage and Tendon Strengthening stage.¡± ¡°Then there is the Test of Heart. This one is no joke. In our year they had a terrifying projection of a powerful opponent standing in front of us and we had to strike no matter what!¡± Mkata-mwezi added with a hint of fear. ¡°How hard is that, is it not just striking?¡± Mwana could not help but ask after hearing Mkata-mwezi¡¯s fearful words. ¡°Hmm, what do you know? Just the aura coming from the projection was enough to freeze the body. It was not an ordinary warrior¡¯s aura but a Monarch¡¯s aura!¡± ¡°A Monarch?!¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that overkill.¡± Monarchs belonged to the realm of rulers and their aura naturally had a strong sense of authority and suppression over those weaker than them. Most would not even be able to let off a single strike in front of a Monarch even if the Monarch just stood there and let them attack. After explaining the stages, Mkata-mwezi revealed some of the things at the top of the pyramid. ¡°Naturally there are rewards the higher you go. The Phantom Light Sword; everyone knows I use this sword technique but do you know where I got it? This was one of the rewards for the top 3 during my year. Every year has a different reward but they will all be of a high level.¡± The Phantom Light Sword was a metal element, light element, and gravity based sword technique that Mkata-mwezi had learned after clearing the Steel Bone Gauntlet almost 3 years ago. Seeing the various energies encompassed in this technique, it was obviously a Comprehensive sword technique. Mkata-mwezi continued to explain the other benefits of the trial. One of them was related to bloodlines. As the ¡®blessings¡¯ from the trial strengthened the bones, this had a direct effect on the bone marrow which is responsible for the production of a lot of blood components in the human body. Naturally, enriching and strengthening the bone marrow meant boosting one¡¯s bloodline power. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. When this topic came on, Jana could not help asking about the origin of bloodlines. He could remember some people talking about the origin of the Pweza family¡¯s bloodline when Majimaji revealed his Heart Burning Ice technique on the fighting stage. However, the things Jana heard felt a bit too incredulous, ¡®King Fisher divers, thousands of meters deep in the ocean, transplanting¡­!¡¯ He could not help but wonder if all families went through the same process as the Pweza family. At least he was almost sure his family had not. It was Kia who answered Jana¡¯s question. ¡°There are different ways for humans to acquire bloodlines. Usually people with beast type bloodlines inherit them from some type of spiritual or magical beast. As for how it happens, a magic or spirit beast that has attained a human-like level of intelligence can learn a transformation skill to take human form. They can then lay with humans to produce offspring, the beast-people: beast-men and beast women. These half-human half-beast beings will then continue procreating mostly with other humans and after hundreds or even thousands of years, the beast-like features would have long disappeared. However, just because the visible aspects of their ancestry have disappeared doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t invisible ones left. This invisible part is the bloodline.¡± ¡°He he he, ¡®lay¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Cheza don¡¯t you dare make any dirty jokes. Otherwise I will smash your face.¡± Fury already had her fist near Cheza¡¯s face ready to strike if the latter continued with his dirty jokes. ¡°Sheeesh. Fine fine, Calm your¡­¡± Cheza said with his hands raised up but caught himself at the last moment. He nearly said something that would get his head torn off. ¡°Finish that statement if you dare.¡± Fury had a smile on her face as she said this in an ominous tone. ¡°I don¡¯t dare, I don¡¯t dare, please finish what you were saying Kia.¡± Cheza could only defend himself by deflecting while desperately waving his hands. Kia did not take any of this o heart and continued explaining, ¡°But this theory alone has some holes¡­¡± Kia looked at Mwana who naturally continued her statement. ¡°1st, numbers: there is not enough intelligent beasts to influence humanity as a whole and give rise to all these bloodlines.¡± ¡°2nd, speciesm: At the end of the day, transformation magic won¡¯t erase the difference between humans and animals.¡± Kia picked up on Mwana¡¯s words and continued her explanation, ¡°Right, Just because an animal becomes smart and learns some transformation skill, does not mean they will become ¡®hot¡¯ on the human romantic market. While it is understandable why people would line up to enjoy ¡®fansy-pansy time¡¯ with regal creatures like dragons¡­¡± Kia said this statement while pointing to Mwana which made the latter blush a little. ¡°Hey!¡±Mwana could not help but protest in a low aggrieved tone. Realizing the somewhat embarrassing statement she just said, Kia chose the smart way out and completely ignored the situation while continuing her explanation. ¡°A dragon is one thing but who in their right mind would want to lay with some creatures: a crow, a snake, etc. Just look at Majimaji for example. Their family has an Octopus bloodline. Do you really think there are people lining up to lay with octopi?¡± ¡°So how do they get such fish bloodlines?¡± Pendo could not help but ask. She was the least knowledgeable on this topic but even she knew that humans were not lining up to marry or procreate with beasts. Intermarriage could not explain the wide proliferation of bloodlines where a huge population of people in the Zika world had one. ¡°Bloodline Transplantation.¡± Kia¡¯s answer quickly answered Pendo¡¯s doubts. Indeed in the Zika world, bloodline abilities could be transplanted by injecting the blood of spiritual or magical creatures into people during a prepared bloodline ceremony. This would allow the subjects to gain these creatures abilities. There were 3 different levels to this. The first level granted the abilities temporarily and the bloodline power would run out after it was used repeatedly. The 2nd level granted the abilities permanently but the subject could not pass them down to their offspring. As for the 3rd level, it could only be performed by a handful of people on the planet of Zika. The subjects of this experiment could pass on the bloodline to their descendants unlike the previous two levels. ¡°For most humans today, about 60% of them, Bloodline Transplantation is the source of their bloodline. The likelihood is that one of their ancestors had a level 3 bloodline transplantation and passed down the bloodline power to his progeny.¡± After Kia¡¯s explanation, Mkata-mwezi also added his own piece. ¡°Of course there are also other stranger and rarer ways to gain bloodlines apart from transplantation and interspecies ¡®hanky pankys¡¯.¡± ¡°One of them is a ¡®Blessing¡¯ almost similar to the Steel Bone Gauntlet¡¯s blessing but much stronger.¡± ¡°As you guys know, powerful sagely beasts can ¡®bless¡¯ specific humans they approve off with their bloodline abilities.¡± Indeed when it came to powerful creatures, there was no limit to what they could do. They could bestow their abilities upon humans of their choosing in the same way gods could bestow powers to their followers through Divine Invocation. ¡°The fourth and last way to attain a bloodline is through advanced Summoning Magic and Beast equip.¡± ¡°Beast Equip? You mean like Maji 1 and his Silver Hawk Demon?¡± Jana could not help but ask. ¡°Yes and no. Maji 1¡¯s beast equip isn¡¯t even on the same level as the real deal. It is too surface level.¡± Mwana who had fought Maji 1 knew that if the latter had even scratched the surface of true beast equip, he would have been extremely formidable. ¡°For practitioners of summoning magic, those who achieve a higher level of beast equip can fuse at a cellular level with their summoned beasts and use their powers. This is higher level than just wearing the beast like armor the way Maji 1 did it. If that was level 1 of beast equip, this would be level 4 or 5 or something. A few fusions will not have a significant effect but if you continue fusing with your spirit or magic beast partner too many times for long periods of time, both you and the beast will leave effects on each other at the genetic level. This will in turn influence the bloodlines probably to an even deeper level than all the other methods of acquiring bloodlines above.¡± Chapter 67: The Great General’s Treasure Son 00:20; 12th year of King Mawa¡¯s Calendar; Edge of Shina Province; Eastern Border of Toro High noon¡­ Within an ordinary garden inside an ordinary compound, an extraordinary man of great stature dressed in clothes made of thick blue fur walked around the garden while watering the plants. The blazing hot sun of high noon did not deter him and his thick clothes did not make him uncomfortable. For 10 minutes, the man watered the plants in silence before sitting down at a table in the middle of the garden. Steaming hot coffee was waiting for him on the table and yet again the heat did not deter the man. He downed the hot beverage in a single gulp! ¡°Coffee from Axum is really something special.¡± ¡°I wonder how Jire is doing right now. He should have already begun his journey back home.¡± As this man, whose face and demeanor alone could compel an entire army to surrender, mentioned the person named Jire, an almost imperceptible smile could not help but break out on his serious and hardened face. It was clear that Jire was someone he cared for and was proud of. Sitting in the hot noon sun, he could not help but reminisce about the past. It was as if he was talking to himself but behind him, an almost transparent silver-blue figure stood still while refilling the cup every time the staunch man downed it with one gulp. Who was Jire? At just 5 years old, Jire had chosen his own unique path of martial arts. He refused his esteemed father¡¯s training and even when his father hired numerous renowned masters to teach him, he had rejected them all. He even directly rejected his father, the Great General¡¯s ways. In front of his father¡¯s threatening aura, the 5 year old was not even moved. The general who was so used to enemies giving up just by sensing a hint of his aura could not believe it when his powerful aura failed to even make the corner of 5 year old Jire¡¯s eye twitch. Not even the whole eye, just the corner! At that moment, the Great General who could move the masses without even speaking or fighting felt like empty air in front of this child. This was a child whose willpower knew no bounds. However, who really was Jire? Beyond his identity as the General¡¯s son, Jire was a special child. He was a child who showed not even a hint of fear when he first saw death. On that night, Jire had just turned 6 years old. He joined his father on a journey to his maternal home; a visit to his grandparents. Passing by the border separating two tribes, the young Jire had witnessed a tribal war break out. These types of abrupt tribal clashes were all too common in Toro and the entirety of the Zika world. They were mostly clashes over territory and resources. The winning tribe would carry the loot and the loser would concede even more of their valuables and land. On that night, even more people would have died if his father had not stepped in. However, dozens of people had still died despite the general personally acting to stop the conflict. Some lost their lives right in front of the Jire, but even when facing their killers, the young boy still had no fear. His fearlessness reached the point that the look in his eyes even scared these experienced warriors. However, beyond the fact that ¡®fear¡¯ and ¡®Jire¡¯ would never be mentioned in the same sentence without the word ¡®no¡¯, who truly was Jire? Jire was a spearman to the core. It could be said that his dedication to the spear was unsurpassable. Despite his extremely powerful bloodline, Jire had shunned it and sealed it swearing never to use it. This was the main issue that had caused conflict with his father. However, this was the one thing Jire could never compromise on. His bloodline was something he absolutely hated and the spear was something he absolutely loved. His future path as a warrior was clear. As expected, the Great General had also been adamant that his son develop all his strengths including his bloodline but something had made him finally give in. This was Jire¡¯s talent; a talent so great that calling it divine talent was almost an understatement. Throughout history, there have been many warriors touted as untouchable. Through their excellent reflexes and incredible speed or their expert predictive abilities during battle, these characters gained the reputation of untouchable warriors. However, compared to Jire they were nothing. Jire¡¯s talent was so great that it was enough to silence his father. After the boy had shown his talent, the general decided not to interfere with the path his son had chosen. As a martial artist, it was accurate to say that Jire could not be touched in close quarters combat. According to his father¡¯s guess after training with him, his son could predict an opponent¡¯s moves beforehand to an exaggerated degree. ¡°My guess is that he can dodge up to 136 combinations and alterations even by opponents who are much faster than him. He can account for up to 136 futures of his opponents¡¯ possible moves making his precognition one of the strongest ones in the Zika world if not all of history.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± Even the transparent figure serving the general coffee could not help but exclaim. This was an absurd claim and an even more absurd level of talent. ¡°What? You doubt it?¡± ¡°It is too shocking!¡± The transparent figure replied with shock and disbelief in his voice. ¡°It is indeed too shocking but this is my guess after sparring with the child and falling into a quagmire. I was so embarrassed that I almost cheated and used my energy and domain power to lock the brat down. I could not even graze the corner of his shirt in a contest of pure martial arts!¡± The transparent figure was even more shocked when he heard that even the general was a victim of Jire¡¯s terrifying talent. While he had seen Jire grow up, he was one of the many masters that had been ruthlessly rejected but the boy so he had never been part of Jire¡¯s training sessions. ¡°Predicting an opponent¡¯s moves in combat is not rare. However, other warriors with precognition usually account for only 1 possible future move. As long as a higher level warrior realizes that their opponent has precognition, they can utilize martial combinations to fool the future and overcome the prediction.¡± After taking another sip of the hot coffee in a big gulp that emptied the entire cup, the Great General continued his explanation as his cup was refilled. ¡°In an instant, an expert martial artist with fine control over the smallest aspects of their body can execute dozens of martial combinations making their next move completely unpredictable. However, Jire can ¡®see¡¯ even beyond that! There is almost nothing in this world that can fool that child¡¯s eyes.¡± Apart from his borderline divine talent of precognition, Jire was also extremely talented in martial arts. At his age he was already a Spear Master on the cusp of attaining the Spear Grandmaster rank. This was a great accomplishment among other children of his age such as Mwana. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The two men who were conversing and reminiscing about Jire were people who held illustrious positions in Toro¡¯s military. Jire¡¯s father was given the title of Blue Smoke General. He was one of the 7 Great Generals of Toro and he guarded over the Eastern Border at Shina. His full name was Adze Moshi wa Samawati and this was usually shortened to General Moshi by those who knew him. His last names ¡°Moshi wa Samawati¡± represented ¡°Blue Smoke¡± while his first name Adze was the name of a type of vampiric creature. The general was someone who possessed Adze vampiric powers due to possessing this bloodline. Naturally, Jire¡¯s full name was Jire Samawati. However, people nicknamed him as Sama Jire. The reason Jire hated his bloodline so much was that it was the cause of his mother¡¯s death. The Adze was a terrifying vampiric creature that sucked blood and spread disease. It was also known for its great transformation abilities. This creature had both a humanoid form and a transformed form that looked similar to a giant firefly. During the day, Adze were indistinguishable from regular humans but at night, their thirst for blood would overwhelm them causing them to attack not just humans but any living breathing animal. The reason General Moshi had not pushed back too hard when his extremely young son chose to seal his bloodline was because even he hated this bloodline. Moshi was the son born from the unholy union between an Adze and a human. This was an extremely rare phenomenon as most recorded pregnancies between Adze and humans in the Zika world had ended with still births. However, Moshi had survived. Nevertheless, his survival came at the expense of his mother¡¯s life. According to the midwives, the fetus had literally sucked the life out of the mother due to the Adze bloodline. As a young man, Moshi swore to never pass on his bloodline. He chose to live a life of celibacy as he knew it was a death sentence for any woman to be pregnant by him. However, a temporary moment of weakness and decisions made when drunk and inebriated destroyed Moshi¡¯s oath. Jire¡¯s mother had just been an ordinary brothel lady and by the time Moshi found out she was pregnant with his child, it was too late to do anything. Just like his father before him, Jire¡¯s vampiric bloodline had killed his own mother. It was natural for the boy to hate this cursed bloodline. Unlike his father, he went further than an oath to celibacy and chose to completely seal this evil bloodline. The second man in the compound who was serving the general was his right hand man. He was someone who had followed Moshi from long before he ever joined the military. These two men could be called brothers due to their strong bonds forged through shared experiences. Muraika was a man who had earned the names ¡°18 Winged Archangel¡± and the ¡°Archangel of War¡± on the battlefield. Just like Moshi, he was considered a mixed-blood who possessed the bloodline of the Fallen Angel race; a race of refugees that came from outside the Zika planet. People like Muraika were considered beast-men, Halflings, half-castes, or mixed-bloods for their appearance but most of these words were usually used in a derogatory manner. While humans desired the powers of beasts and mythical creatures, it was only when they came in the ¡®neat package¡¯ of an outwardly human look. If you looked too different, it was almost impossible to escape discrimination. Due to possessing the bloodline of the Fallen Angel race, Muraika had a total of 18 wings in 9 sets [2 at each side of his head, 6 at the back, 2 at sides of the waist, 2 at the knees, 2 at the ankles, 2 at the elbows, and lastly 2 at his wrists]. The 2 wings at his wrists could transform into feather swords or an arm guard that would combine with the 2 wings at his elbows. Most of the wings could wrap around his body in battle forming a translucent silver-blue armor. Apart from his wings, he also had the unique ability of blending in with nature, erasing his presence, and even turning completely invisible and undetectable. Moshi and Muraika had similar experiences and troubles when they were young causing them to bond. They had met as test subjects in some shady experimentation facility where mixed-bloods like them were studied in order to find ways to perfect human bloodlines. Naturally, all the advancements concerning bloodlines in the Zika world had been built on the corpses of countless test subjects such as the two of them over thousands of years. After all, techniques like Bloodline Transplantation could never be perfected without numerous tests. This was a ¡®dirty secret¡¯ that those in power in the Zika world knew. After their escape from the experimentation facility, the two men had fought and struggled till they rose to their current ranks in the military. Naturally, for them to succeed against all odds, their power was fearsome. The Blue Smoke General had the ability to turn into blue smoke and teleport anywhere in the battlefield. Additionally, although he rarely used the Adze powers, he had a terrifying control over anything concerning blood. As a result of his overwhelming might, General Moshi was appointed as one of the country¡¯s 7 Great Generals who guarded the most dangerous areas of Toro¡¯s borders. The location Moshi established his military¡¯s stronghold was the Dead Man¡¯s Swamp. This was a swampy region connected to a stream of the Eastern Befuddling River ¨C the river famous due to the ogre-like Amanani that inhabited its depths. The Dead Man¡¯s Swamp was one of the danger zones along Toro¡¯s borders. On the Eastern and Southern borders of Toro which lied along the Black Dragon Mountains, there were 3 extremely dangerous zones each guarded by a Great General. These were the Dead Man¡¯s Swamp, Demon Veil Valley, and Dragon Spike. However, Toro¡¯s northern border was relatively safe thus there were no Great Generals stationed there. As for the West, there were 3 Great Generals posted at the Western border due to the conflict with Kiziba, Madi, and the Skyfeather Kingdom. These 3 enemy kingdoms were ruled by King Kisitu, King Rukidi, and King Mateso. The 3 kings were the eldest living sons of Kagona, the former legendary King of Muwawa. Kiziba and Madi already had great military power and as for the Skyfeather floating island, it was also a looming threat over the west in a literal sense. Further, rumors of the ¡®True King¡¯ rising in Sese had made the Western border even more chaotic. In fact, one Great General was transferred from the south¡¯s High Mountain region to guard the west. This meant that the south which previously had 2 Great Generals guarding over both the High Mountain region and Demon Veil valley now only had one Great General. ¡°If a demonic uprising really happens in the Demonic Region to the south, we are screwed.¡± Moshi could not help but sigh when he thought about the state of the country. To him, leaving the Southern border to one Great General was an extremely foolish idea. It was like guarding one¡¯s back but leaving their front completely unguarded. ¡°Now the conflict in the West is bubbling with talks of a legitimate heir so of course no one at the top cares about Demons or Amanani anymore.¡± However, when Muraika started mentioning ¡®talks of a legitimate heir¡¯, Moshi quickly shushed him. ¡°These are not things we should be talking about. We only need to do our job. Leave those other matters to the chiefs and politicians at the capital.¡± ¡°Now that you mentioned the capital, did you hear the latest talk from the capital?¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t keep me in suspense.¡± ¡°Early this morning there was a secret report from out team in the Capital. Apparently from a team of 12 experts who travelled to Sese, the Wind-walker was the only one to return!¡± Moshi could not hide his shock when he heard this news. Naturally, he had his own information channels and knew a bit about the things that went down in the Capital. In fact, Muraika was the man in charge of this information network. This right hand man was not only formidable in battle but also an expert in spy-work. While General Moshi did not know the exact mission that the 12 Martyrs of Death were tasked with or who exactly was on the team, he knew that this was a team of experts comprised of convicted prisoners each of them with strength similar to his or only slightly below him. ¡°What?! For them to be wiped out, their opponent¡¯s military and combat strength was definitely not a joke. We will probably be called to the Capital soon to discuss this. No wonder General Lima was moved from High Mountain to the west. A rumor of an heir would not have that effect but the military might to wipe out the 12 Martyrs would naturally spook the Capital into making such a rash decision.¡± Within a few sentences, General Moshi was able to analyze the situation and get to the core of the issue. ¡°Haaaah, it is just stress all over. I hate summons to the Capital the most. I hope Jire can return home safely before then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry your son will be fine.¡± New Words Muraika ¨C Angel Adze ¨C Vampire Moshi wa Samawati ¨C Blue Smoke Jire/Jere ¨C ¡®Tell me¡¯ Lima ¨C Till or Cultivate land Martial Combinations ¨C Method of overcoming prediction through the minute control of the body as well as completely abandoning martial arts forms. Kiziba, Madi, Skyfeather kingdom ¨C The 3 Kingdoms ruled by Kato¡¯s 3 older brothers: Kisitu the 2nd eldest son of Kagona, Rukidi the Conqueror, and Kabaka Kin Mateso. Chapter 68: The Terror in Town Midnight; Milele Town; North West of Jua Village Shaaaaaaa. On this dark gloomy night, the rain was so heavy that it blended into a long droning sound. The night hung over the town like a dark curtain obscuring everything. One could not even see 5 meters ahead of them if they were walking outside. The houses were tightly locked and all the creatures of the night whether birds or insects were all absent, chased away by the hammering rain and freezing cold. Within one of the wooden shacks in Milele town, a young mother was tucking her child into bed. The child was a girl of around Mwana¡¯s age. Even when tucked tightly underneath the thick and heavy blankets, the girl was still very scared. The hammering rain, the occasional terrifying lightning flashes, and the rumbling of thunder made the little girl all the more jumpy. ¡°Mum, I am scared.¡± ¡°Shhhh, shhhh, it is just rain. It is just rain.¡± ¡°When will dad be back?¡± On hearing this, the mother could not help but feel a trace of sadness but she hid it well before assuring her daughter with a smile; but who truly knew when or if the girl¡¯s father would be back. Even the mother was not sure. Drops of water continuously dripped from the house¡¯s roof. In fact, rainwater had been leaking into the house for a while now but there were several containers inside the shack to catch the falling water. This was clearly a poor family where the ¡®man of the house¡¯ was absent. It was not all too uncommon for some men especially those of lower status to work far away from their families. In this case, the father and husband in this family worked one of the more dangerous jobs that were usually taken up by the poorer in Toro. He was a Transporter. The man¡¯s job put him in the lowest social and financial position in Milele and as such he could only afford a shabby house in the town¡¯s outskirts. This house was so rundown that most of the windows had been walled up. Of the few windows that remained, they were rustily barred and covered with torn curtains. The house was located in an isolated area behind an old brewery. However, no brewing was happening in it, and the brewery had clearly been inactive for long long time. After getting her daughter into bed, the mother decided to relieve herself before settling for the night. As she picked up an old curved umbrella at the side of the bed, she could not help but lament at its worn out state. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ ¡°It was once beautiful and purple.¡± Each of her steps through the house was accompanied by the creaking of the old moldy wooden floors. The whistling of the wind outside caused the entire house to rattle. A thick soily smell spread in the entire house due to the rain. The smell was so strong that although the woman was indoors, she felt as if she was already outside. However, after opening the door, the difference between the moderately cold inside and the extremely cold outside was immediately clear. As the woman walked to the small toilet a few meters away, the cold wind blew at her body causing her to retract further into her clothes. ¡°Why does the wind smell so strange? Are the toilets overflowing?¡± The strange cold air passed in between the heavy raindrops with neither the wind nor the rain interfering with each other in an unnatural scene. ¡°Nature truly is strange.¡± Many thoughts rushed through the woman¡¯s mind before she reached the small toilet. On reaching her destination, the floor was extremely soggy that she almost did not dare step inside. It was not uncommon to hear stories of pit latrines collapsing when it was rainy causing occupants to fall into them and be buried in sh*t. ¡°It would be the worst way to die!¡± She could not think of any worse end. Within the small toilet, it was as if all the stormy rain outside had been muted out. A truly strange atmosphere pervaded the entire time. As she was finishing up in the latrine, she heard a thumping sound that penetrated the humming of the rain. It was so hushed that it made her doubt her ears but even when she peeked into the pitch black outside, she could not see anything. With a quick light step, she rushed outside running towards the house. Every step she took increased her heartbeat as she ran across the water that was pooling outside. The umbrella was completely useless as the rain now fell in a diagonal angle. By the time she entered the house, she was already shivering. However, whether it was because of the cold or an unknown fear, she could not tell. All she knew was that she had to get back to bed with her daughter. ¡°What was that?! Was it a shadow?¡± The woman seemed to have seen something flash in the darkness by the window right across her but when she approached it, there was nothing there. ¡®It¡¯s just the old curtains.¡¯ Even though she did not see anything, her heart was still palpitating in fear. When she touched her own palms, they were already sweaty despite the rain and the cold. She quickly rushed to bed and got under the covers with her daughter. However, when she put her arms around her daughter to cuddle her, she felt as if she had touched something cold and hot at the same time. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You!¡± However, as a mother she still held herself back from getting angry. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ ¡°Honey, did you wet the bed? You have only slept a few minutes and you already could not hold it in?¡± However, a mother¡¯s instinct is still nothing to laugh at. Even though it was extremely dark, the woman could sense that something was wrong with her child. Worse, her nose which had been numbed by the cold outside could now smell something else after her sense of smell recovered. In fact the smell was getting even stronger, making her nauseous. There was also a constant sound of something dripping; however, she could tell that the frequency was different from the rain leaking into to the house. What was it? What was happening? Immediately, dread, pain, fear, and a multitude of other emotions assaulted the woman¡¯s mind. Her pulse started racing once again and her hands started to feel clammy as if the sweat on them was solidifying into a paste. She was shaking! It was delayed but what followed was a hollow scream, almost frantic. She screamed her daughter¡¯s name while desperately trying to wake her up but there was no response. Therefore, she could only rush to light the single lamp that the family owned. Unfortunately, she ended up tripping on something hard and slippery like a wet log causing the lamp to crash down. She was a bit disoriented at first and could not stand but she still managed to grab onto the lamp. However, a task that only took one whip of the hand in the past seemed to take forever as her shaky arms could barely ignite the light. Moreover, another sound that filled her with even more dread entered her ears. The woman could hear munching sounds coming from right beside her on the bedroom floor. When she looked behind her, she saw two torch-like spots staring right at her. The two spots were bright green eyes that vaguely illuminated the face around them: ugly, hairy, scaly and cracked, jagged teeth like a crocodile, and covered in blood. At that moment she managed to light the lamp but what broke her spirit was not the scariness of the ¡®beast¡¯, but what it was holding instead. In its arms, the ¡®beast¡¯ was holding a bloody mess. The creature seemed to be gouging itself on raw flesh! What followed were the mother¡¯s screams; tragic screams that decorated this chilly night. On the next morning even before first light, a crowd had already gathered outside the house. They gathered despite the unfavorable weather which had yet to settle. The morning was dark and gloomy due to the heavy fog that filled the entire town. Moreover, the cold rain was still falling like sharp arrows only that it had become a bit sparser now. As a result, the ground was filled with pools of muddy brown water everywhere. Most of the people who had gathered here were all dressed in thick hide or leather cloaks due to the extreme cold. Standing among the crowd were Mwana and Malkia. In fact, apart from the two of them, there were also a few more people from Jua village within the crowd. The reason Mwana was here was because he had finally become an ¡®Intermediate Warrior¡¯ over the past few days. Therefore, he was finally eligible to leave the Jua village and travel outside. When he had learned of a caravan heading to Milele town, Mwana made sure he was on it. This time, Mwana, Kia, and Fury accompanied their aunt Jumatatu when she came to Milele town to do her own business. Jua Umeme, Waya, and Mkata-mwezi had also been in the same travelling group for different reasons. The group had just arrived in Milele town when they happened to bump into this tragedy. They had only rested for a few hours before the activity woke them up. Due to the commotion, Mwana and Kia had rushed out first thing in the morning to find out what happened. All they could hear were the voices of people talking, each of them filled with fear and confusion as they reacted to the unbelievable scene. ¡°Goodness!¡± ¡°That poor thing!¡± Whether it was horror or pity, everyone reacted in the same manner. ¡°It¡¯s the woman and girl from that house.¡± On the scene of the crime, some men who belonged to the town¡¯s local authorities were maintaining order and trying to shoo people away. In the small area outside the house, Mwana and Kia could see two white sheets of cloth covering two objects which could only be human. ¡®A corpse? Or pieces of corpses?!¡¯ One of the covered objects was the size of a football while the other seemed the size of an adult man. On listening more to some of the knowledgeable people in the crowd, the situation became a bit clearer. ¡°It is not just the two of them.¡± As it turned out, the terror had claimed a third victim. ¡°A headless corpse!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaah, is that true?¡± Immediately, some middle-aged women among the crowd reacted in horror while covering their mouths. ¡°Hey, hey, is that really true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My god that¡¯s terrible!¡± The confirmation almost sent people into frenzy. ¡°What is happening in this town?¡± ¡°Can we even be safe in our houses?¡± The crowd¡¯s rising state of alarm and furor was interrupted by the sound of horse hooves. Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap. The crowd quickly gave way as three horses rushed to the scene. All 3 horses were white as snow and looked extremely robust and muscular. Instantly, Mwana understood that these were the Roaming Divine Steeds of the Silver Guard. A saying rushed to his mind: ¡®The Silver Guard always arrives on white horses.¡¯ As the horses entered the small compound, a deep voice sounded, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you cleared the area yet?¡± The one who had spoken was the horseman in the lead. He did not even wait for his horse to stop or slow down before jumping off it and landing elegantly. He had a thin face and was dressed in all white which made him blend in with the morning fog. The 3 men who had just arrived all wore white clothes made of thick sheep wool with a Silver armor on top of the clothes. The armor was made up of a breastplate, helmet, and armguards. Additionally, all 3 men wore a set of gloves and boots lined in glowing silver-blue silk. The entire uniform was completed by a long flowing cape with patterns of silver feathers sewed into it. The man who had just spoken had a thin face, sharp eyes, and long hair that peeked out of his helmet and reached his back. The other two men were almost undistinguishable under their helmets. The thing that stood out the most was the large eagle emblem curved onto the 3 men¡¯s breastplate. In fact the entire armor including the helmet, breastplate, belt, shoulder-guards, and cape, all had an eagle motif. From the emblem on their breastplate, everyone understood that this was the investigative unit of Toro¡¯s Silver Guards, the Silver Eagle Corps. After the admonishment from the thin-faced man, the local authorities tried to verbally defend themselves but were quickly dismissed. ¡°Just do your jobs and keep people away.¡± The three men did not bother to bicker and quickly entered the house to begin the investigation. ¡°It seems as if something big has truly begun.¡± Kia could not help but add and Mwana could only nod in agreement. This was the first time he had seen members of the Silver Guard in person. It seemed as if this case was not a simple one. Chapter 69: The Blood Mural Case Part I Out of the three Silver Eagle Guards, the one in the lead was known as Woni Tamazia. His subordinates would usually refer to him as ¡°Service Zia the All-seeing¡±. As for the other two men who looked a lot alike, they were Officer Kaguzi and Officer Kuo. Despite their physical similarities, they were neither twins nor even blood-related brothers. However, they were brothers in arms who had joined the Silver Guard at the same time and had been partnered up for five years now. Further, Kaguzi and Kuo were silver guards who had earned a badge with more than three stars. They were only a few stars away from attaining the rank of a ¡®Service¡¯ like their team leader. When Service Zia stepped over the shack¡¯s door, he was all the more reminded of the inequality in this world, ¡®Could this even be considered a house.¡¯ However, the scene inside the house cut his thoughts short. The other two silver guards and the local authorities at the scene followed behind him and entered the house with muddy footsteps. Outside, the rain started to intensify but the crowd did not leave. After entering the house, the first thing Service Zia noticed was the strong smell of blood; so strong that it almost made him cover his nose, As someone who once fought on the most dangerous battlefield in Toro ¨C Dragonspike, he found this to be extremely strange and unnatural. Even the rivers of blood on a battlefield could not compare. Some of Milele town¡¯s law enforcement officers were already in the house studying the scene of the crime and the bodies of the victims. These men were clearly of higher status than the ones outside who had the tasks of shooing civilians away. They were members of the Investigation, Research, and Scientific Division (IRS) who mostly dealt with crimes that stumped local law enforcement. However, when these men saw Service Zia, they did not dare to waste time and respectfully greeted him. It was not just his Silver Guard uniform that wowed them; Service Zia was reputable among other investigators for his godly deduction skills and incredible crime clearance rate. Service Zia¡¯s amazing reputation rested chiefly on his inspiring investigative career. ¡°Can I get an overview of everything?¡± Even before he finished his sentence, some of the men were already scrambling to be the ones to speak to Zia. By this time, Zia and the other two silver guards had already reached the main crime scene, the place where the mother and daughter slept. Even before focusing on the bodies of the victims, the most noticeable thing in the room was the large mural drawn on the wall using fresh blood. While none of the IRS officers understood what it meant, the three silver guards felt a headache incoming. ¡°Kuo, send a message to headquarters.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Officer Kuo instantly took out a wooden azure brush and wrote directly on the air in front of him. Everyone at the scene was mesmerized to see the air used as paper. When Kuo finished writing the letter, the words suspended in midair suddenly burst into flames, then the flames turned into a trail of light that left the house flying into the sky. The crowd gathered outside was shocked by this sight. The trail of light cut through the rain and pierced the clouds above Milele town before zooming into the distance like a shooting star. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°What a mesmerizing sight, is that the Silver Guards Flowing Light Letter?¡± Mwana could not help but comment. ¡°Flowing Light Letter?¡± Kia who had lived most of her life in Easter Jin naturally did not know much about Toro let alone the Silver Guard. ¡°It is the Silver Guard¡¯s fastest means of communication. It is said that at its fastest, it can even deliver messages at the speed of light!¡± ¡°Speed of light!¡± Mwana understood Kia¡¯s shock. Most other methods of communication in the Zika world utilized magic, natural energy, animals, or unique frequency signals. Either way, they were nowhere as fast as the Flowing Light Letter which utilized the even rarer spiritual energy. In Toro, the majority of the population living in villages and non-urban settlements could only use animals such as messenger birds for long distance communication. This usually took weeks or months to pass messages. A few people in the specializing in the field of magic or those living in slightly advanced settlements had access to communication means that utilized magic signals. While one could find magic communication technology in a major town like Milele, most people lived in rural villages that did not even have a single magic circle let alone a complete Magic Relay and Communication System. ¡°Only a few people can use the Flowing Light Letter even in the Silver Guard. You need to be an expert in light and spirit manipulation to use it. They are firing it now so that means it¡¯s a big deal! What happened here is no small matter at all!¡± Just as Mwana had guessed, this was a complex case that made even Service Zia contact his superiors. Inside the small house, the scene was extremely horrid. The two victim¡¯s bodies were unrecognizable; they were extremely mangled. Both corpses had their stomachs torn open and their entrails were spread everywhere from the bed to the floor. Seeing this scene, one of the rookie local officers who had followed after the three silver guards could not help but rush outside to vomit. Even the veteran officers felt unwell from witnessing the brutality of the scene. As people who mostly lived and worked in and around the peaceful Milele town, they mostly dealt with ordinary crimes. Most had never even seen a murdered child let alone one whose life was taken in such an inhumane manner. Crack, crack. It was the cracking of knuckles. Service Zia¡¯s fists were tightly clenched as he suppressed the rage within him. For others, the scene made them sick and fearful but for him, it only made him extremely angry. ¡°Team Leader, we will definitely catch this bastard!¡± The one to speak was Officer Kaguzi. From the tone of his words, it was clear to everyone else that the three silver guards had some knowledge about the culprit. ¡°Are their livers missing?¡± After calming his anger, Service Zia made sure to confirm his suspicions. ¡°Yes, yes, both their livers are gone.¡± Hearing this, the three silver guards did not seem too shocked. They already expected this after seeing the blood mural on the wall. The local officer who had answered the question continued to describe all the information they had collected including the witness testimonies. ¡°Earlier when we questioned the civilians who were first to respond, they told us something truly shocking.¡± Indeed all morning the local authorities had interviewed the victims¡¯ neighbors to understand what had happened. The beheaded man outside was also connected to the happenings of the previous night. The woman¡¯s scream when she came face to face with ¡®the terror¡¯ had been so loud that none of the neighbors could ignore it. Many left their homes amidst the cold and rain and rushed over to the wooden shack. However, after banging on the door for a while, there was no response. Instead, a great demonic terror burst out of the house¡¯s back window. Unfortunately, some of the men had circled around the house to check on the windows after the woman failed to respond. They were met with the escaping terror and with a swipe it carried off the third victim¡¯s head before tossing it aside like a harvested watermelon. The man did not even know how he died. Blood spurted out of the victim¡¯s neck like a fountain as the terrifying creature flew off into the night. The night was once again populated by howling and wailing. Screams of fear and pain rang through this particular district of the town for hours. It had been absolute terror! Chapter 70: The Blood Mural Case Part II Hearing the description of the incident, it was necessary to call on a witness to give a description of the culprit. So far the killer had been referred to as a creature, monster, and even ¡®the terror¡¯ but what or who exactly was it? One of the old men in the crowd answered Service Zia¡¯s request and stepped forward to recount last night¡¯s incident. Old man Wema lived just a few meters away from the deceased woman¡¯s household. As a man who had lived for over 70 years, he had watched both the mother and child grow up. Even now, his eyes were still red from the sorrow. Wema had lived a long life. Therefore, not only did he witness many deaths but he had experienced the loss of loved ones. Wema had even lived through Toro¡¯s cruel civil war a decade or two ago. Nevertheless, the death of the young mother and her little girl affected him far more than he expected. ¡°Such young lives, snuffed out just like that!¡± Sigh. While the incident had filled him with sadness and anger, he did not dare to think about revenge due to the terror he and the other neighbors who were first to respond experienced when they were face to face with that creature. ¡°I would like to think that I have been through almost everything. In my life, I have fought in wars as a soldier and hunted all kinds of monsters as a mercenary, but what I saw last night, I cannot even explain that feeling in words.¡± Even just recounting the events of the previous night had Wema trembling. ¡°Just the aura emanating from that thing was enough to freeze us all in place! I felt like I was nothing.¡± The old man described the killer as a humanoid creature with ¡°Great black wings and a horrific face.¡± It was so terrifying that all the people who saw it were frozen in shock. Even after it beheaded the man named Mokene and flew off into the sky. Everyone was still left rooted to the ground. They could neither chase the creature nor run away. The creature had an aura that made them feel as if they should surrender their lives to it. Even the strongest warriors at the scene knew they would have no better fate than Mokene had the creature come after them. ¡°If the creature had targeted me instead of Mokene [may the ancestors guide his rest], I could only have stretched out my neck and offered up my head.¡± Hearing this statement, Service Zia more or less had some idea of the creature. ¡°Is it a suppression of state of being?¡± Officer Kaguzi voiced out his thoughts toward the other two silver guards. Service Zia came to the same conclusion as Kaguzi on the cause of the incident, ¡°Probably, like the meeting between a completely high level creature and a low level creature; like a rabbit standing before a lion. This does narrow down the list of possible culprits by a great deal. It has to be a creature capable of completely dominating humans.¡± Stolen novel; please report. After observing the crime scene, hearing the witness accounts, and analyzing the creature¡¯s habits, the silver guards already had some suspicions on what kind of creature they were dealing with. ¡°It could be a Pink Baby.¡± It was Officer Kaguzi who spoke once again. However, don¡¯t let a cute name like ¡®Pink Baby¡¯ fool you. This creature was a hairy giant humanoid creature. The only reason it had ¡®baby¡¯ in its name was because its body structure was similar to that of a baby: a large head and short arms and legs. However, everything else about it was scary and unnatural. It had extremely hairy limbs and sharp black claws. The origin of this creature was extremely mysterious and there were all sorts of rumors about how Pink Babies were born such as from the corpses of babies or from pregnant women who were cursed. ¡°It might be but as far as we know, very few Pink Babies can fly. Importantly, none of the eye witnesses mentioned the Pink Baby¡¯s most defining physical feature.¡± Service Zia replied to Kaguzi explaining why it was unlikely to be such a creature. After all, the most defining physical trait of a Pink Baby was a bright pink area around its chest that looked like a tumor. This contrasted with its dark skin and hairy fur. If one was attacked by one from the front, they would surely notice this contrast of colors. ¡°Could it be an Amanani or an Adze?¡± ¡°There is no way it is an Adze otherwise the smell of blood would not be so strong. Usually, Adze don¡¯t even leave a drop of blood behind within or outside their victims¡¯ bodies. They are greedy for blood in that manner. Also the description does not fit an Adze at all.¡± ¡°Indeed, but it could also be another type of Vampiric creature that¡¯s a picky eater like a Bat Vampire or a Nightwalker.¡± As the three men spoke, all manner of creatures were discussed. It seemed they had forgotten themselves and started a discussion on mysterious creatures, some of which no one else at the scene had even heard off. From bloodthirsty Adze, to giant Chebekere, to different kinds of Marimu, to flying Kishi, to high ranking flying Manani, to Chemakut Teret ¨C the monster with a strong appetite for the flesh and blood of humans, all sorts of creatures were brought up. When he heard the three silver guards¡¯ discussion, old man Wema who had come face to face with the creature decided to chip in. ¡°No no no. The creature it was just like, it was just like, ... ¡­!¡± However, in the middle of the sentence, the old man started stammering leaving everyone in suspense. His finger started trembling as if he was sick. Another man in the audience could not help but make fun of him, ¡°Old man, have you started going senile mid-sentence? Are you having a stroke?¡± Some in the audience could not help but laugh. It felt as if the little drama had helped alleviate the mood even if a little bit. However, old man Wema¡¯s wife was quick to berate them, ¡°You mango-heads, is this the time to joke?¡± Looking back to her husband, the old man was still standing still as if rooted to the ground; Wema¡¯s finger was pointing to the sky as he let out, ¡°Ah ah ah¡± sounds. Finally, everyone realized that something was wrong and looked up into the sky where the old man was pointing. When the crowd looked up, the sight almost terrified their clothes off. Some of them could feel their legs shaking at what they were seeing. It was a black figure whose massive wings almost blotted out the morning sun that had just started peeking out of the dark clouds and heavy fog. The sunlight had just started to show before it was snuffed out again by this terrifyingly huge creature! ¡°Creeeeeeeew.¡± A terrifying cry that assaulted everyone¡¯s eardrums was released as the creature swooped down from the sky. Even the most courageous people in the crowd could not keep calm anymore and scrambled away while screaming in terror. ¡°The monster is baaaaack!¡± Chapter 71: The Blood Mural Case Part III One of the silver guards, Officer Kuo, tried to calm the hysterical crowd, ¡°No it¡¯s ¡­,¡± but the noise and screams from the chaotic mass of people drowned his voice. Even if the people were to hear his words, they would have landed on deaf ears. Officer Kaguzi stopped Kuo from speaking as he knew it was just a waste of time, ¡°At this point it is useless to say anything. Just wait.¡± Now that the crime scene was almost cleared out, a giant black bird with a wingspan that was over 20 meters wide swooped over. With a powerful flap of its wings, the bird slowly came to a stop over the compound. The bird¡¯s wings were so mighty that they pushed away not just the dust but even the rocks in the vicinity. It was only when the bird landed that people noticed a man dressed all in black sitting on its back. On seeing this man, Mwana could only admire his otherworldly aura that seemed seeped in the deepest darkness. Unlike Service Zia who had even jumped off a moving horse, the new arrival calmly alighted once the bird had landed and settled. After the man came down from the bird¡¯s back, something even stranger happened. It was almost like a magic trick to everyone witnessing the scene. The huge bird suddenly shrank in size transforming into a small cute bird. After a few chirps and a flap of its wings, the little bird perched itself on the head of the man in black. The scene made him look comical as if he was wearing a hat. In a way, this reduced the pressure that the bird and man had brought with their arrival. The scene went from an extremely scary and intimidating moment to a comical sight easing most of the crowd¡¯s anxiety. When Mwana and the rest of the remaining people saw Service Zia greet the new arrival with great respect, they realized that this was someone from the Silver Eagle Corps¡¯ headquarters. Specifically, it had to be someone in a high position. The silver guards called this man, Mr. Black. The aura around Mr. Black made it seem as if he came from a different world altogether. Presence, sharpness, resoluteness, among other shades of character; in a sense it could be said that his qualities were written on his person. Mr. Black did not waste any time and before even going inside the house, he inspected the corpse on the ground. This inspired a few ¡°ah¡¯s¡± from the few people who had been courageous to remain or slow to retreat. The sight of the victim¡¯s corpse was exposed once the white cloth covering his head and body were removed. Mr. Black did not even care to dismiss the remaining crowd and after inspecting the headless corpse for a few seconds, he already came to a conclusion. ¡°There is a huge problem.¡± ¡°Why? What is it?¡± ¡°Did you not inspect this body?¡± When Mr. Black asked Service Zia this question, the latter felt a bit guilty. He had rushed straight into the house when he heard that a woman and especially a young child had been the victims. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. As a father, Service Zia had let his emotions get to him. In the end, he had not directly inspected Mokene¡¯s body. He only listened to the reports of the local authorities on the body outside. Further, Mokene was not part of the ritualistic killing they were investigating as the blood mural case. Instead, he was just collateral damage so his corpse had not been given priority. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. When I heard, I just¡­¡± Sigh ¡°I have been negligent.¡± ¡°It is okay. I understand. It is a parent¡¯s instinct.¡± After reassuring Zia, the man in black continued explaining the problem, ¡°The main issue is that this man is a practitioner of External Martial Arts.¡± The external martial arts that Mr. Black mentioned were body strengthening martial arts that had no Energy Training System. In this case, an energy training system relied on techniques like the Jua village¡¯s [Sun and Moon Arts] to absorb natural energy. Spiritual arts and Magic also fell under the energy category as they involved absorbing or controlling unique types of energy. As for external martial arts, the training was dependent on breaking through one''s physical limits through extreme and sometimes fatal training. The training could go from ordinary exercises such as weighted training, waterfall training, and boulder training to extreme exercises such as gravity training, element-shaving training such as walking through live flames, etcetera. Other external means were also utilized to supplement the physical training including skin hardening potions, pain cancelling amulets, vital strength totems, and power storing tattoos. This was a complete martial system for the less talented in Toro. After-all, not everyone would be talented in absorbing natural energy, awakening bloodlines and soul power, or mastering magic. Most of the world¡¯s population was simply ordinary. ¡°While Milele Town is encircled by a Normalization Magic Formation, the external physical strength of warriors still remains.¡± The Normalization Magic Formation that Mr. Black brought up was a giant magic circle that restricted warriors from using their powers. This was one of the ways to allow warriors, no matter how powerful, to integrate into society. Such magic formations were usually found in major towns and cities in the Zika world. They helped maintain order in urban centers by reducing conflicts, property destruction, and collateral damage. Particularly, the flowing energy within a warrior¡¯s body was restricted. Even if a warrior could carve out valleys with their energy attacks, they would still be reduced to slightly superhuman levels when restricted in the formation. While their physical strength was still high, at least they were not strong enough to do things like fly or rip other equally strong warriors'' heads off. ¡°This man is already a high rank warrior going by the external martial arts system yet he had his head ripped off!¡± Officer Kuo could not hold back his words when he heard that the corpse was that of a high rank external warrior. While inspecting the cuts and tearing on the corpse¡¯s neck, Mr. Black continued sharing his observations, ¡°This is the first case in a major town. Before this incident, we only found these ritual killings in isolated villages and smaller settlements. Such places would not have any magic formations. Therefore, we could not tell what kind of person or creature committed the acts but now it is clear it is something with incredible natural strength.¡± ¡°A creature this strong even without utilizing any form of special energy?!¡± Service Zia could not help but exclaim. When Officer Kaguzi saw the cut on the man¡¯s neck, his words were simply what everyone else was thinking, ¡°Cutting open a stomach is doable with many objects, a knife, farming tools or even sharp and hard claws. However, we are talking about ripping a man¡¯s head off with bare hands, and not just an ordinary man, but a high rank external warrior! Whatever did this is no joke!¡± At this point, most of the investigators and local officials were gathered around Mokene¡¯s corpse. They finally realized that they had been wrong to neglect his body leading to them missing some key details. However, none of them could be blamed as the scene inside the house had been too brutal that it blinded everyone with emotion. ¡°True. Not even an Apex Body Forging warrior or even Transformation Stage warrior could kill a high rank external warrior by ripping their head off within the town¡¯s formation.¡± This is the conclusion Mr. Black and the other silver guards at the scene came to. Chapter 72: The Blood Mural Case Part IV As Mr. Black had explained, the magic circle limited everyone within it therefore making pulling a man¡¯s head off a pipe dream for most people. It was only possible if the perpetrator possessed a high level of inborn power or innate strength. Another possibility was a creature or warrior of high rank, at the Sky Realm or Void Realm, making a move. This was because the formation gradually lost its effects the stronger someone was. However, let alone Sky Realm and Void Realm warriors, even Earth Realm warriors and creatures were very rare. Additionally, while the formation could not perfectly restrict stronger warriors and creatures, it had a detection system that could recognize those above a certain level of power. That way, if they used their high level abilities within the town, a similarly strong town official or soldier could be sent to deal with them. Some twenty or so meters away from the scene, Mwana, Kia, and a few of the remaining crowd were still watching intently. While Mwana and Kia had been swept away by the might of the frantic crowd, they had managed to extricate themselves from the swarm of fleeing people. The two children remained and continued to watch the scene from afar. Half of the reason was child-like curiosity while the other half was the simple reason that they had nothing to do in the morning. Unlike Fury who slept not only during the journey but even after they arrived in Milele, Mwana and Kia did not have that much dedication to their blankets. While watching the silver guards¡¯ discussions, a strange smell wafted into Mwana¡¯s nose but on asking Kia, she could not smell it. Even after turning her head upwards to smell, she could not catch the scent, ¡°Still nothing. Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mwana realized he was the only one who could smell the foul scent. ¡®It is probably because of my enhanced senses?¡¯ ¡°A strange smell? What smell?¡± Suddenly, a deep male voice entered Mwana¡¯s ear from behind him. Without even looking, Mwana answered truthfully, ¡°It is something like ammonia mixed with something else. However, it is not coming from the toilet.¡± With his Dragon Mirror Eye in a semi-activated state, Mwana could almost see a yellow haze around the shack. However, it was also with his special visual ability that he realized the identity of the man speaking behind him. It was the man in black! Mr. Black had appeared behind Mwana and Kia unnoticed. ¡®Was it speed or just his natural stealth?¡¯ The two children could not help but wonder. ¡°Kid, your senses are very sharp. You should consider my line of work. Your senses captured something that even the officers failed to notice.¡± Mr. Black was indeed a bit impressed. He knew that only he and Zia had captured a hint of the strange smell. It was so faint that even the two starred silver guards did not notice anything. Before returning to the scene of the crime, Mr. Black threw Mwana a black card that had nothing written on it. He did not even explain the purpose of the card which left Mwana and Kia dumbfounded. Just as Mwana and Kia were staring at the card with a confused look in their eyes, some of the sunlight managed to peek through the dark clouds and white fog successfully landing on the card. The light hit the card at an angle due to the refraction revealing the words: [Bureau of Supernormal Investigation]. Seeing this name, it finally clicked for both Mwana and Kia. It was known that the Bureau of Supernormal Investigation was one of the 6 main "wings" of the Silver Eagle Corps. In Toro, the general constitution of policing and military power was split into two: the military which handled external threats and law enforcement organizations which handled internal threats. The Silver Guard was a key power in Toro responsible for internal security. In other stronger countries, such as the 3 Great Nations, they had the even more illustrious Golden Guards. The power of the Silver Guard was further divided into 2: The Silver Wolf Corps which was similar to a Combat Police Unit and the Silver Eagle Corps that served as an Investigative Unit. ¡°While peace has relatively set in for about a decade now and compulsory military conscription is no longer a must, warriors still have to do 1 or 2 years in the Silver Guard before the age of 30. This card should make things easier when my time comes. I can go straight to the place on the card.¡± Mwana explained what he thought was the card¡¯s purpose to Kia, ¡°If I show someone this card, it is like the man in black saying to them, ¡®I know this brat¡¯ so it should at least make things a bit easier. However, I still don¡¯t know why he gave me the card so easily.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°When will you have to join the silver guards?¡± As from someone from a country without such a system, Kia could not help but ask. While she knew that people had to contribute to the nation in one way or another, she did not know the exact specifics. However, Kia knew that even Waya and Mkata-mwezi who came to Toro with them were here for a silver guards¡¯ escort mission. ¡°Once you reach the 5th level of Body Forging, you can join the Silver Guard and complete your compulsory service. However, if you are young and weak, you can only do mundane tasks and your life might also be at risk. However, even if you have till the age of 30, it is not wise to wait too long.¡± ¡°Naturally, the younger you do your part the better as the tasks won''t be too hard and the danger won¡¯t be too high. Even if there is a risk of death, it is nothing compared to that same risk when you are much older and stronger as the missions will be far more complex.¡± ¡°So it is best to find a middle ground?¡± ¡°Right!; and you can also split up the time and do one year as an Intermediate Warrior and the second year as a Senior Warrior. At least that¡¯s what Waya did.¡± The whole process was not too complicated. After joining the silver guard as a new warrior trainee, one would go through 3 months training and depending on their performance, they would receive either a Wolf Badge or Eagle Badge depending on which branch they joined. After completing their mandatory time, those who continued could upgrade the badges and earn [Silver Stars]. In this manner, one could become a starred officer. While Mwana and Kia were still chatting, Mr. Black had already left the scene. He had even left Milele town flying off to the North East. Further and further, higher and higher, the little bird had once again grown into a giant bird flying the man in black to the Silver Eagle Corps Headquarters ¨C the Nest. File: Blood Mural Case Notes 28 Author: Featherstone ¡®The case has been labeled the Blood Mural case.¡¯ ¡®Victims: 3 (recent) ¨C 36 ritual killings and 9 collateral damage.¡¯ ¡®The crimes are committed in a systematic manner following a pattern in time, place, choice of victims, and the mode of killings.¡¯ ¡®The set up of the scene suggests a ritualistic killing.¡¯ ¡®The motive¡­¡¯ Within an office in the headquarters, Mr. Black went over the case notes and became even more determined to stop this evil. ¡°It does not matter what type of creature it is, as long as I can accurately trace its pattern and understand its thinking, I can catch it!¡± Currently, Mr. Black was addressing his superior the [Chief of Special Crimes Unit] and letting the latter know of the facts of the case. ¡°Even if it is an Amanani, a blood sucking creature, or man eaters, none are as bold. I dare to say most are extremely reserved. In fact, they manage to live among ordinary humans with none the wiser. The few that act out do not come close to this degree.¡± From the side, the chief¡¯s grainy voice replied to Mr. Black. ¡°Big brother, how has my previous proposal gone over? This case has already affected many smaller villages before this, and Milele is the first time the killings have happened in a major town. From now on, things are bound to escalate and we both know there is something bigger here. Anyone who is perceptive can tell even if no one outright says it.¡± In their conversation, Mr. Black referred to the chief as Big Brother. The two men had a very strong relationship that had lasted decades. After a pause to let his words sink in, Mr. Black continued, ¡°That clan, they are finally moving!¡± ¡°Finally? It is as if you were waiting for it!¡± Mr. Black did not appreciate the chief brushing the issue away with a joke as the latter had yet to answer on how his proposal had been received by the higher ups. ¡°Heh, joke around and say what you will but since you know about the irregularities, are you even doing anything about it?¡± The suggestion Mr. Black was pushing was the establishment of a specialized unit to investigate the recent uptick in mystical creatures¡¯ activities including the Amanani. ¡°There is something even deeper underway. Don¡¯t forget we even found traces of demon blood in some of the cases. So do not just sit on your ass and complain about my ¡®little¡¯ request.¡± In the end, Mr. Black finished speaking while shooting off one harsh statement after another. ¡°Little! What are you smoking? If you consider your request ¡®little¡¯ then I don¡¯t know what is considered major in your eyes. And sitting on my ass? I am already losing my joints running after this case and bending down to those elders for your sake!¡± The chief defended himself while circling around the office to sit on his chair. He had been standing beside Mr. Black all along but indeed his bones were too old now. A few minutes standing and he already needed to sit down! ¡°That is because you are old.¡± Mr. Black replied with a chuckle. Indeed, the Mr. Black here and outside were like day and night. After all, outside no one had even seen the man in black lose his composure in frustration let alone smile and crack jokes. ¡°Eish, don¡¯t be cocky. You won¡¯t be young forever.¡± ¡°Then push those old men. I know they are hard to ¡®shake¡¯ but we can¡¯t let off now especially as a pattern has started to emerge.¡± ¡°Then stop treating me as the enemy. You already know that I am not the barrier. The old fellows up top always have ¡®righteous¡¯ excuses: ¡®oh, we are short on staff¡¯, ¡®we even have to cut the funding¡¯. That is not end of it especially as the country is now prioritizing external matters over the internal state of things. Recently, most efforts and funds have been redirected to the east.¡± ¡°Weh, now you know why I refused to take a ¡®sitting job¡¯. Anyway, hang in there and try your best okay.¡± With those words, Mr. Black walked out of the room after patting the chief¡¯s stiff shoulders. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you hear me, I am already trying my best!¡± the chief could not help but shout at Mr. Black¡¯s disappearing back before slumping back into his chair. Looking at the blood mural case files on his desk, the chief came to the realization that even in his older years he would not have any rest. Both his subordinates and superiors were truly ignorant of his pains. ¡°Hai, maybe I should just retire.¡± Chapter 73: Milele, the Eternal Town Milele Town Population: 570,046 Permanent Residents Distance: 170.7 kilometers Southwest of Jua Village Estimated Size: 5000 square kilometers As a town located next to a gigantic shield volcano with one of the largest calderas in the Zika world, Milele was a major destination point for tourists, miners, traders, and settlers from all over Toro and the neighboring lands. Therefore, its actual population especially in the high seasons was much higher than the population of its permanent residents. It was not uncommon for over 2 million people to frequent the town around the high season. The town had an estimated size of 5000 to 10,000 square kilometers when accounting for adjacent settlements and the expansion during high seasons. In relation to the Jua village, the town was 170.7 kilometers away constituting a journey that could take a day to a week depending on the mode of transportation. Between Mwana¡¯s village and Milele town, there were many unsafe zones that made it necessary for even powerful warriors to be cautious when embarking on such a journey. That was the main reason, merchants, warriors, and people of other professions would band together in a caravan when travelling long distances. In terms of the town¡¯s structure, it was divided in 2 areas: the Inner Ring also called the Business District and the Outer Ring also referred to as the Residential District. The outer ring was divided into 4 Sections named after the 4 Cardinal Directions with each section overseen by government officials referred to as Headmen and Headwomen. The inns and lodgings that travelers like Mwana¡¯s party would stay in were also within the residential districts. As previously mentioned, Milele was famous for its location near a massive crater. However, there was more to this fame as a crater alone did not account for much. The other reason for the town¡¯s fame was that one of it¡¯s external settlements, the Sundown Settlement, had a giant Magic Competition Platform. While such platforms were nothing special, this particular one had been established by a Magic Grandmaster! In Toro, even an ordinary Magic Master would receive extreme respect. As for the most powerful Magic Masters, they were comparable in status to Great Generals and Void Core Crystal warriors. As for Magic Grandmasters, their illustrious reputations, social standing, and combat power were comparable to Lords and Kings! They were top existences not just in Toro but in the entire Sword Scar Continent. The magic platform established outside Milele was named the Magic Peering Platform by the grandmaster. Its purpose was to help enlighten young magicians allowing them to peer into the secrets of magic. An even more shocking fact was that the platform was build right next to the God-peering Crater. One could not help but wonder what would happen, not just to the platform but the entire Sundown settlement and in extension Milele town, if the volcano exploded one day. However, Milele had an extremely long history lasting in these plains right next to a volcano for close to half a millennium. After all, the town¡¯s name translated to ¡®Eternal¡¯. In the old days of Muwawa and the ensuing civil wars, the town had even been a military fort under the name, the Eternal Stronghold. On the question of: who established the town, which people contributed to Milele¡¯s economy, as well who were the inhabitants, the town was a mixed pot of people from all over Toro most of which had settled there over the past 2 or 3 centuries. However, the main ethnic groups within Milele were the Jemedari tribe, the Kusini clans, the Cat and Mouse tribe, the Majiwe tribe, Thuo people, the Siribi tribe, and the Mutheca-Itu tribe. Mwana and the people of Jua village were part of the Jemedari tribe. As one of the largest ethnic groups in Toro, the tribe consisted of over ten clans each with their own vocation including the Vua clan of fishermen, the Jua clan of blacksmiths, and the Mwezi clan of farmers, among others. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As for the Kusini clans, they consisted of the descendants of immigrants from the Eastern lands across the ocean. Someone like Mwana¡¯s classmate Vitali would be counted as a member of the Kusini clans within Toro. Milele was also home to the people of the Cat and Mouse Tribe - a small tribe with only 2 clans, the Cat clan and Mouse clan. The Mouse clan was responsible for a large part of Milele¡¯s trading activities. Most of the traders, shopkeepers, and merchants in the town belonged to this clan. As for the Cat clan, they were mostly hunters who operated outside the town. Further, Milele¡¯s structure and architecture was supported by the people of the Majiwe tribe ¨C the Rock people. They were experts at anything to do with the earth including farming, mining, architecture, and construction. The tribe was responsible for designing, building, and maintaining most of the buildings in the town as well as supplying food through farming. In addition to crops as a source of food, the Thuo people also provided fish to the town. The Thuo people worshiped the God of Fishery Thuo-le and mainly lived around the rivers and small lakes outside Milele town. The last two groups were the Siribi tribe and the Mutheca-Itu tribe whose name translated to Cloud-Piercing tribe. Both tribes were labeled as two of the tallest tribes in Toro. Even in Mwana¡¯s village, Uchoyo who was just half Siribi was already taller than a lot of adults. However, the Cloud-Piercing tribe was even more extreme in the height department. Some of the tribesmen of the Cloud-Piercing tribe were as tall as 14 feet. The tribe was basically similar to Giants and body proportions were the only difference between them. The Cloud-Piercing tribesmen were well proportioned unlike Giants who had an extremely stocky build usually with a crouched back, broad chest, long arms but shorter legs. With Giants, it was clear that they were another species different from humans. While it was observable that giants were close to humans on the taxonomy scale, it was clear that they were still a separate species. As for the Cloud-Piercing people and the Siribi, they were clearly 100% human in every way only that their heights were a bit exaggerated. When it came to the people of the Cloud Piercing tribe, they were distributed across the entire Sword Scar continent. In fact, their people within Toro were just one of the tribe¡¯s many clans, the Yellow Cloud Clan. All in all, Miilele was a truly diverse place as not only did it have the major tribes mentioned but many other smaller ethnic groups. All contributed to keeping this town eternal. The scene of the crime this time had been in the outer parts of the Eastern Residential district of Milele town. After Mr. Black had left through the skies, the crime scene was cleaned up and the bodies were carried away. The hullabaloo started to dissipate and the remaining crowd slowly dispersed. As Mwana and Kia were preparing to leave, Jua Umeme appeared behind them while yawning and scratching her stomach. She had clearly had a great nap. ¡°Did you guys even sleep? We just arrived so I expected you kids to sleep through at least half the day.¡± Seeing the two kids out and about so early, Umeme was surprised by how energetic they were even after a long journey. Although it was a cold morning, Umeme was wearing wolf fur around her shoulders that barely covered anything and exposed her heroic stature. Umeme¡¯s body could be described as well proportioned with impressive musculature that not many men could even hope to compete against. Even in terms of height, she was taller than most men. However, she did not lose any of her womanly charms as she could be described as ¡®big¡¯ everywhere. God clearly did not hold back when crafting her. Further, her impressive lightning tattoos were openly showcased to the world. As for her lower body, Umeme wore a short purple warrior¡¯s skirt and sandals made of animal hide. Even as someone who just woke up from taking a nap, she looked as if she was ready for battle at any moment. Umeme proceeded to ask them about their plans to the day, after greeting the two children. As the party had just arrived in Milele, they would have some free time before everyone was busy again. ¡°Aunty, we want to visit the town library later.¡± Mwana was the one to answer the question. He had gotten a bit closer to Umeme after she tried to recruit him into the Thunder Bull Martial School. Although Mwana had not chosen the martial school he would join yet, Umeme had gone as far as to help him in his training. ¡°Don¡¯t call me aunt, I¡¯m not that old. Call me big sister, I have already told you this at least five times.¡± Umeme could not help but defend herself from the title of ¡®aunt¡¯ in an exasperated tone. ¡°You will forcefully age me just by calling me that.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± While patting their heads, Umeme thought that she had to let the two children know of the process to be followed within facilities such as the library. After-all Milele¡¯s town library was considered a legacy location in Toro. One could not just waltz in there however they wanted. Chapter 74: Jua Umeme The main reason Mwana and Kia were planning to visit the library was due to its reputation. Milele with its 500 year history had one of the most well equipped and excellent libraries in Toro. The last time Mwana was here in Milele, he had been accompanying his father and was too young to even think about books. However, now he was more curious to explore the famed library. Hearing their plans, Umeme decided to explain everything to the two children. ¡°You just cannot waltz into the main library. On top of that, if you want to borrow books one needs Silver Merits or Special Tribal Merits.¡± The silver merit rewards Umeme was talking about were earned by serving your country in some way. Umeme explained that before the age of 28, every citizen was required to serve the country for at least 2 years in fields such as the military support units, policing units, social services, health services, government sponsored education. ¡°28? I thought it was 30.¡± Kia who was currently holding on to Umeme¡¯s arm and tracing the latter¡¯s tattoos could not help but ask. To kids like them, these tattoos were truly fascinating especially as they would crackle with faint sparks of electricity when touched. Umeme just ignored the actions of the clingy girl and answered her question, ¡°New day new rules. They just changed things again about a month ago. I don¡¯t know why though. Do you think it is to insult us 30 year olds? Are we considered old now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mwana could not help himself after which he promptly got a knock to his head. In terms of tribal merit rewards, they were earned by contributing to your clan or tribe in a major way. An example was Waya¡¯s actions where he used his smarts to prevent extensive damage to the Jua Village by redirecting flooding river waters. As the Jua clan was the weapon production division of the Jemedari tribe, Waya¡¯s actions indirectly contributed to the entire tribe. ¡°That incident alone earned him so many merit points that no gold or silver can compare. After all, for warriors there are many things that cannot be exchanged for with just gold and silver.¡± ¡°Is what Waya did so impressive?¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s question, Umeme had an incredulous look on her face. She could not help but think that, ¡®these kids really do not understand the value of merits at all¡¯. However, she still explained the point to Mwana in a simple and clear manner, ¡°Slaying monsters like Amanani is no big deal. Anyone with sufficient strength could do it but not just anyone could redirect flooding river waters. That is even harder to do especially in the mountainous region where our village is located. You also have to realize that Waya did all that within a short time amidst crisis! Not even the elders knew what to do back then despite their strength. During such times most people cannot even think straight let alone come up with complex plans.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. After explaining everything to the two, Umeme left the scene to do her own business. She was an adult after all so she wasn¡¯t here for sightseeing like the children. However, before parting from the two children, Umeme gave them a card with some merits stored within it. ¡°Remember, you can only borrow 4 books. As for the rest, just try reading them within the library as much as possible. Only borrow what you feel is absolutely necessary.¡± Once Umeme left, the two children realized they were the only ones remaining at the scene. The original crowd had long dispersed as the fog slowly disappeared with the rising morning sun. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything to do right now so we can just go eat then visit the library. Later in the afternoon I have to accompany Aunt Jumatatu for family business. Apparently, she is thinking about opening up a shop here.¡± Mwana had free time now but later in the day he would have to tag along with his aunt to inquire about rental locations and prices in the town. ¡°Then if there is nothing else to do, let''s go explore around and find some food. I¡¯m famished!¡± While grabbing Mwana¡¯s hand, Kia continued, ¡°¡­to get our minds off death and tragedy¡± and followed with a trembling motion of her body to show her shock. They had just arrived in Milele yet the first thing they stumbled onto was a serial killing case. After grabbing Mwana¡¯s hand, Kia proceeded to pull the latter towards the inner parts of the district but Mwana did not budge. With a pout, Kia turned around to question the boy, ¡°Let''s go. Didn''t you tell me that you would show me around the town?¡± However, Mwana was too shocked to move. If one could see an X-ray of his head, they would probably realize that his brain had experienced a short-circuit, "She is holding my hand! Kia is holding my hand! We are holding hands, holding hands, holding hands, ....¡± It wasn''t until Kia ran her fingers through Mwana¡¯s face that he returned to reality. ¡°Are you still sleepy or something?¡± Seeing Kia ask this with a clueless but concerned look, Mwana could not help but internally berate himself. He could only crack a joke to calm himself down. ¡°I hope you don''t want to go to a fortune teller again," Mwana said in a sneaky tone remembering the last time they visited a fortune telling shop in Jua village. In response, Kia only gave him ¡®the look¡¯ before pulling him harder that he almost stumbled and fell. However, Mwana was ¡®smart¡¯ and prepared so he followed the momentum, pulling ahead of Kia and dragging her along hand in hand. ¡°Milele, here we come!¡± Chapter 75: A Date, Part 1 – The River Maiden ¡®Oh na na, oh na na na, oh na na, oh na na na¡¯ ¡®Cautious I should be but I just can''t help myself¡¯ ¡®The beauty of attraction¡¯ ¡®Every night I just can''t resist the seduction¡¯ ¡®Breasts, skin, and bellies, a longing reunion¡¯ ¡­ ¡®Playing a game on my feral mind¡¯ It was early morning and a sweet voice that seemed to belong to the angels of music could be heard coming from River Uhai. This river was one of the waterways that connected Milele town to Uhai, another major town in the Toro Nation. The river was not only essential as a mode of travel, but it was also a source of water for the people living in the settlements outside Milele town. In mornings such as this, it was not uncommon to see women at the river bank fetching water, washing clothes, or even taking a bath. The key but invisible rule that allowed the river waters to be utilized efficiently was that: the water fetching areas were upriver, the clothes washing was done somewhere in the middle, while people bathed down-river. This ensured that no one drank contaminated water used to clean clothes and utensils or other people¡¯s bathwater. A young woman named Taili who lived in the Western Settlement outside Milele was on her way to the river when she heard the heavenly voice. She could hear the enchanting singing coming from downriver when she arrived to clean her household''s clothes and items. This surprised Taili as usually no one would bath in the river water this early as the water was freezing cold. ¡®She has the voice of an angel but she¡¯s gotta have 25 centimeter thick skin to conquer this morning river water.¡¯ That was the only thing Taili could conclude hearing the woman washing herself downriver while singing without a care. Further, on hearing the water splashing Taili was even more astounded, ¡®What big splashes! That girl is crazy!¡¯ Crazy indeed, after all one would expect someone who took a bath in cold water to be as careful as possible like a cat approaching water. Splashing ice-cold water all over oneself could only be described as an extreme sport. Even Taili who was only washing things felt her arms go numb after a few minutes of touching the cold water let alone whatever would happen if she immersed her entire body in the river. ¡°I might just freeze to death if it was me.¡± Nevertheless, while Taili was fascinated by the woman¡¯s voice and the ¡®unique¡¯ word choice in her song, she was not a busybody. She ran into ¡®talented¡¯ weirdoes all the time and had long learned to mind her business. However, it seemed as this day would not allow her to avoid the craziness as from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone peeking at her. It was the woman! In terms of designated areas across River Uhai, the places for men and women to bathe had been carved out from the river and covered by a wall of river plants such as water trees and reeds. This was naturally to maintain privacy and uphold public decency. However, one could still swim out of these designated bathing pools and enter the main river. It seemed that the woman in question had exited the bathing area and started swimming upward towards Taili¡¯s location. ¡®Has she no shame at all! She is naked! What if someone else comes?¡¯ Taili could not help but exclaim internally at the woman¡¯s boldness. While people in smaller villages usually bathed together in rivers and streams without a care for gender or each other¡¯s nudity, Milele was a major town with many settlements surrounding it. The oneness and freeness of a close-knit village did not exist here. It was also not uncommon for boats to be seen going up and down river Uhai since it was a major waterway in Toro. This was another reason why the bathing areas had been carved out from the river. Taili naturally maintained a judgmental opinion of the ¡®bold¡¯ woman but when she finally saw her clearly, she was frozen on the spot. Her mouth was gaping wide open like somebody who lost control of her facial muscles. The woman¡¯s beauty truly matched her voice. ¡®Beautiful voice, beautiful skin, beautiful hair, beautiful eyes, truly the gods have favorites,'' Taili could not help but think to herself after laying her eyes on the woman''s swimming figure. She had not looked away or even blinked the entire time. She was completely captivated by the woman¡¯s beauty. ¡°Wow, you are really gawking like an old pervert. I am not even safe from young women my own age!¡± With an abashed tone, the woman¡¯s voice entered Taili¡¯s ears. When Taili finally snapped out of her ¡®hypnosis¡¯, the woman had already reached a few meters away from her almost causing Taili to move back in shock. However, even though Taili had been caught gawking like a pervert, she was still smart enough to pretend as if nothing happened. She was indeed a huge proponent of the life principle, ¡°If I do not acknowledge it, it did not happen.¡± ¡°What''s your name pretty.¡± However, the woman¡¯s next words wiped out any guild Taili might have felt. ¡°Pretty? Just look at the pot calling the kettle black. You even have energy to flirt so early in the morning when it is so cold? Anyway my name is Taili. Why are you asking anyway?¡± Even though Taili acted annoyed, she still found herself answering the woman¡¯s questions. After all, she was a godly beauty. Who could possibly ignore her. ¡°How are you doing Taili?¡± once again a sultry voice entered Taili¡¯s ears almost making her body vibrate, ¡®What is wrong with me today? Has she no shame speaking to me like this?¡¯ However, while Taili was flustered when accused of gawking, the woman was unperturbed when accused of flirting and instead of backing off she even escalated things. ¡®Truly a shameless woman; beautiful but shameless.¡¯ However, Taili could not make known her true thoughts and continued putting on a serious front, ¡°Wow, what''s with the tone?¡± ¡°Why don''t you come and swim with me? I don''t bite.¡± ¡°I don''t think so, lady.¡± ¡°You a coward?¡± ¡°What?! In addition to swimming butt-naked in cold river water, are you also drunk in the morning too?¡± ¡°Ey, ey, ey. Calm down. Want me to sing you a soothing song to calm your temper?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Are you mocking me again?¡± The two ladies found themselves going back and forth arguing about the petty matter as if it was the most important thing in the world. In the end, Taili was convinced to enter the water. She was clearly the type of person who could be worn down by repeated pestering like a river shaves rock. Nevertheless, she was not as crazy as the woman and only took off her outer garments before slowly walking into the river. ¡°Why are you so slow?¡± With a mischievous smile and hard tug, Taili was pulled into the river. ¡°Aaaah! So cold! So cold!¡± She could not help but scream when her entire body hit the water. However, from the side, the culprit watched her as if she was watching a clown before breaking out into laughter, ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± The woman then splashed even more water onto Taili¡¯s face. It was at this point that Taili realized that the water was actually warm instead of cold. ¡®What kind of sorcery is this? The water is not cold around her? Can she control the temperature?¡¯ As an ordinary person living in one of Milele¡¯s external settlements, Taili did not have much warrior or magic training. At most her body was a bit stronger than regular humans for learning external martial arts briefly when she was younger. However, after becoming an adult, the responsibilities overshadowed the pursuit of martial arts, magic, and spiritual arts for many who did not have the talent to succeed in these fields. This was not just the case for Taili, but for most of the population in the Zika world. Realizing the situation, Taili could not help but remark, ¡°Haish, are you even human?¡± It was just an offhanded question but it was still answered. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. Who cares.¡± ¡°I am really stupid to get in the water with you like this. You might even be some evil water spirit: a shape-shifting Manani or a Kitapo trying to lure me into the river and eat me alive or worse an underworld snake spirit dragging my soul to the Devils Pool!¡± In the legends of Toro, there were many mythical water creatures and spirits that inhabited the rivers. The most famous one was Mami Wata, a water spirit venerated in many places across the Zika world as the goddess of the rivers and lakes and a protector of women. However, there was nothing simple about spirits and gods as rumors did exist that even a benevolent goddess like Mami Wata would abduct humans who she was fond of. Naturally, some of the water creatures were downright evil such as the river mermaid known as a Kitapo. The Kitapo was a river spirit that took on the identity of a mermaid and was notorious for dragging human victims to the bottom of the river in order to feast on them. Further, the reptilian Simbi spirits of the Kongo region and Owu Mwiri from the West all had their own points that induced fear in ordinary humans. However, there still existed some good spirits such as the Miengu (plural for Jengu) water spirits from the Central lands. ¡°Hey! Why can¡¯t I be a good water spirit like a Jengu that cures diseases and brings good fortune? Do I have to be compared to Kitapos of all things?¡± ¡°Well are you a Jengu?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± In response, Taili shrugged her shoulders as if to say ¡®you see¡¯. However, her concerns did not prevent her from swimming into the woman¡¯s embrace and further, deeper, across the river. The clothes she had come to wash were left abandoned on the shore as peals of heavenly laughter from the women spread across the river long after they had disappeared from the place. Back in Milele town, although Mwana was flustered when holding hands with Kia, his confidence was no joke. However, before moving deeper into Milele town, Mwana remembered his trusty companion and pet, his dog Fana who he had left at the inn. As he would be gone the entire day, Mwana passed by the inn and picked up Fana before dropping him off at the town gate. There was a great park outside the town with a giant tree where all types of animals would ¡®hang out together¡¯, play, and enjoy the sun. A few children were paid some shells or coins to watch over them. After dropping off Fana, Mwana and Kia went back to their mission of the day: exploring the town to the maximum. Chapter 75.1: Bonus Chapter 1 ¨C Pet Life After Fana was allowed to leave the town gate, the fellow rubbed himself on Mwana¡¯s leg while wagging his tail happily. ¡°Go on. Go on and play.¡± After the boy and dog exchanged some more loving gestures, Fana finally left towards the center of the park where a giant tree was located. However, what Fana did not know was that someone, a fellow of the same animal family, was watching him with deep disdain. At the center of the park, there was another fellow that Fana knew. It was a giant tortoise who went by the name Kobe Mweusi. ¡®Although this fella left the town long before me, she still has not reached the destination yet!¡¯ The saying ¡®pole pole kama Kobe¡¯ [slow like a tortoise] was not just empty words. While the tortoise in question was slow, she was also known as the Indestructible Black Tortoise and she was the spirit pet of Jua Jumatatu, Mwana¡¯s aunt. Mweusi¡¯s shell was extremely sturdy and it could expand to aid Jumatatu in battle doubling her defense. As the tortoise went on her merry way at a slow pace, another animal passed by both Fana and Mweusi like a bolt of lightning kicking up the dust. This was a cute white rabbit, the hyperactive Thunder Rabbit Sungura Radi, who brought the saying ¡®Haraka haraka kama Sungura¡¯ [fast like a rabbit] to many people¡¯s minds. After this little fellow reached the tree at the center of the park where the other animals were gathered, the rabbit started chatting with everyone. The rabbit¡¯s really small size, cute looks, and innocent mannerisms made everyone like it. However, this little fellow would mention its big brother in every sentence. Apparently he was a big shot by the name [Rabbit Master]. However, none of the other animals on the scene even knew who that was. At this point, Fana and Mweusi had already reached the giant tree. Mweusi was reunited with other Kobe like her: turtles and tortoises. The turtles and tortoises would eat the grasses and herbs in the park or take a swim in the pond near the base of the tree. They also had the habit of cramming together and stacking on top of each other beneath the shade of big trees in order to avoid the sun. They were really living ¡®the life¡¯. The animals in the park were a mixture of wild and home animals; some were wild beasts while others were ordinary pets or spiritual pets. There were rabbits and hares, house cats and wild cats, dogs and wolves, etcetera. One of the fellows was a white wolf who held a kingly disposition. As a wild fellow, he was extremely disgusted when he saw Fana and Mwana interacting lovingly at the town gates. Seeing, Mwana pet the dog before sending it off to play made him extremely annoyed to the point that he could not help but speak his mind. ¡°You pets have no pride. You are a shame to all beasts!¡± The wolf spoke while looking in Fana¡¯s direction. ¡®What is wrong with this fellow?¡¯ Fana could not help but think to himself. At this point well over a dozen animals of different species had gathered under the tree. As some of them were wild and while others were tamed, the wolf¡¯s statement raised a huge uproar. ¡°You let humans pet you!¡± The white wolf continued berating the pets in an aggrieved tone as if they had personally harmed him. "Yeeeeeess, tell them off." Naturally, some of the wild animals loudly supported the wolf. ¡°Feed you!¡± "No independence." Some in the crowd could not help but shout out to support the white wolf further. ¡°Caress you!¡± "Mhmm, yes. No! Ah yes." It seemed as if someone had gotten confused in their answer and the atmosphere was immediately ruined causing the crowd to burst into laughter, in animal voices that is. By the time the white wolf wanted to continue his anti-pet speech, the animals under the tree had already moved on to other activities, playing, eating, and sleeping. The fellows sure did have a short attention span. ¡®No wonder they can¡¯t win against humans. It seems only I am dependable,¡¯ The white wolf could not help but think to itself as it lay lazily under the tree shade. After yawning a few times, it could not resist the warm embrace of sleep. Chapter 75.2: Bonus Chapter 2 ¨C Undead Marsh In the darkness, a firefly that was glowing with a grainy green landed on a skeletal hand; the hand¡¯s owner lay in the marsh, on wet soil. In the distance, there were flickering lights and the sounds of drums: du du du dudum, du du du dudum, du du du dudum. The sound of an approaching procession. Words and Terms Taili - Tile Mweusi ¨C Black Fana ¨C resemble/look like someone or something Kobe ¨C Turtle/Tortoise Radi ¨C Lightning Sungura ¨C Rabbit/Hare Chapter 76: A Date, Part 2 – Mwana and Kia ¡°Let''s go eat breakfast first, I know the best place.¡± Mwana excitedly pulled Kia through the streets of Milele in search of something to eat. Although it had been a while since he was here, the town had not changed much. ¡°Just look through the menu first.¡± Within a medium sized restaurant, Mwana and Kia were seated opposite each other near the window. Looking at the menu, there were all types of food from baked ones to fried, roasted, smoked, and boiled foods. However, Mwana¡¯s eyes were permanently glued on the meat section where the picture of an impressive tower of meat was shown. This picture even rippled and simmered as if it was a video of the real thing. From this, it was clear that magic penmanship had been utilized in drawing the restaurant¡¯s menu. The meat dish Mwana was salivating over was a Meat Castle also referred to as a Meat Pyramid: a dish made by layering different types of meat on top of each other. Each layer was separated by assorted herbs and toppings. Further, each of the different layers of meat were also cooked uniquely. ¡°Aah, I want this Meat Castle so bad. Too bad its only available in the afternoon.¡± ¡°You want to eat something like that in the morning?¡± Looking at the picture on the menu, Kia could not understand the appeal of such a meal. ¡°Yeah, it is a top grade dish. The meat is soft, tender, and easy to slice. You can even cut it without ruining the castle.¡± Further down on the Menu, there was a dish of simmering Frost Beef. This was a type of meat whose source was the Northern Cape Hosts in the North Ice Capes. The Frost Beef had an icy hot feeling which made it extremely delicious as the hot and cold mixed together in the mouth. Just looking at it, Mwana and Kia could not help but salivate. However, just like the Meat Castle, the Frost Beef was not available till later in the day. The Frost Beef was usually served with Lightning Demonic Blazing Hell Pepper - an ingredient that was said to be the hottest to ever exist. Even gods would weep from a taste of this pepper. While the two dishes Mwana wanted were not available, there was still an assortment of different foods on the menu. ¡°Aaah, I am so hungry, how about we get chicken?¡± Kia could not help but comment seeing all the different types of chicken. ¡°Steamed or fried, honey-layered. God, they have everything here.¡± ¡°Maybe garlic chicken.¡± ¡°or roasted¡­ooooh, chili deep heat chicken.¡± The two children just started shooting off the different kinds of chicken they wanted. Although, the menu was meant to make things easier, it made it harder as the two were spoilt for choice. However, after some back and forth, they finally ordered their breakfast. After a hefty meal to start their day, one of the servers at the restaurant came to ask them if they would get any refreshments before leaving. ¡°You should get the Axum Orange. It''s amazing.¡± Immediately, Mwana jumped to suggest the orange drink. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Server: ¡°What will you get?¡± ¡°Strawberry flavor.¡± Kia answered without hesitating. Turning to Mwana, the boy had a betrayed look on his face which made Kia let out a soft laugh ¡°Now you know my favorite.¡± With a smile, Kia continued, ¡°Eastern Jin may be chaotic compared to Toro, but the whole country is not some big village. We have whatever brands of drinks you can think of too". Hearing her explanation Mwana felt a bit dumb and apologized for his ignorance. At least through this he had learned of Kia¡¯s favorite drink. The Axum Brand was a company located in the Land of Axum that produced all manner of natural drinks from fruit drinks to tea, coffee, and even alcohol. There were many different flavors and versions including Axum Orange, Axum Strawberry, Axum Prime, Axum Fresh, Axum Gold [Old is Gold], Axum Deepwater, etcetera. After Mwana and Kia finished their breakfast, they walked around Milele looking for activities to do. The two watched a fire-festival at the center of the town where people played with fire. This was even more impressive as none of the people were using fire manipulation techniques or fire magic to perform the tricks due to the power dampening formation set in Milele town. Apart from the performers, there were also small fire fairies that swam in the air around the performers and the audience. Not only did these fairies dissipate the morning cold making everyone feel warm and invigorated, their fire could not harm humans so even children could touch and play with them. By the time the fire festival ended, it was almost midday. Mwana pulled Kia along the streets to a stall that had a water trough in front of it. ¡°What are we doing here? Is there a game here or something?¡± Seeing people huddled around the trough outside the stall, Kia could guess what they were here for. The stall in question had a Mini-Canoe Racing game where people could compete with each other using miniature boats or canoes. ¡°There are many small small prizes if you win.¡± After picking some canoes from the stall owner, Mwana and Kia entered a competition with the other people at the stall. Usually, this game was all about calculation and luck as no one could use magical powers to cheat. The game held a special place in Mwana¡¯s heart as he had once come here with his father when the latter was still alive. At the end of the day, neither Mwana nor Kia won anything as there were some experienced locals who took the lead every time. As expected, even a horse could not beat a donkey in its own vocation. As the middle of the day approached, the two children got a midday snack before visiting an archery shooting range. Not only did they watch many talented archers practice their shooting, the two also dusted their hands and practiced with the bow too. Although it was just practice, there were still a few people at the archery range competing with each other for fun. Two of the competing people that stood out to Mwana and Kia, were a boy and a girl a little bit older than them. The two stood out due to their clothing which showed they were probably not from Milele or even the province that Milele town and Jua village were in. Seeing these two, Kia remembered all the younger children she saw all over Milele this time. Most of these children seemed to come from outside Milele. However, this was not the strange part as Milele was a trading town with caravans coming and leaving daily. The strange part was the age of most of the arrivals. Usually, mostly adults would be on these caravans but this time it seemed as if even more children had visited the town. ¡°It¡¯s like a flock. Why are there so many?¡± Although Kia did not directly mention it, Mwana knew that she was talking about the influx of kids, ¡°It is that competition I told you about.¡± ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t but maybe things have changed. It is a small competition that Milele holds every few years: kids competing over some sweets.¡± ¡°Sweets? Who could travel kilometers for sweets.¡± Kia was a bit befuddled hearing Mwana¡¯s explanation. Sure a competition made sense but shouldn¡¯t the prize match the task. ¡°Ha ha, of course it isn¡¯t just ordinary sweets. The subject of the competition is set around magic so naturally the prize also involves magic, Magic Candy! Magic Candy is what we are talking about. Last time I was too young and weak to participate but this time maybe I can. You should try too.¡± As they walked out of the archery field and restocked on their snacks, Mwana continued explaining the magic competition as he understood it. Chapter 77: Swift Revenge At a corner of a street in the south western part of Milele¡¯s inner district, a young boy was standing at an open shop looking at the items on sale. Specifically, he was focusing on the drinks which were currently chilled in a pit full of ice near the shop¡¯s entrance. ¡°Hey brat, are you buying anything? You have been standing there for half an hour! If you are not buying, move to the side. Don¡¯t block customers!¡± The shopkeeper could not help but comment when he saw that the boy was not purchasing anything or leaving even after such a long time. The boy moved to the side without replying but he still continued staring at the food and drinks. ¡®Truly hungry with no money,¡¯ with this thinking, the shopkeeper could not help but comment further, ¡°Kid, if you have no money then don¡¯t torture your stomach by looking at the drinks and food.¡± However, seeing the kid continue to ignore his words, the shopkeeper gave up and continued with his own business serving other customers. ¡®I hear this is shoooooo good!¡¯ Although the boy had a calm and collected look, his present thoughts were far from that. He could not help but hold and caress one of the drinks which earned him a sharp glare from the shopkeeper after the latter noticed this from the side of his eye. ¡®It''s so hard to let go. I bet it tastes really good: fragrant and sweet.¡¯ The drink in the boy¡¯s hand that made him go crazy was a new product in the Axum Brand. However, it was extremely expensive so all the boy could do was admire and stare at the drink. Recently, the Axum Brand had released new products such as Axum Malt - Honey Flavored Fermented Milk, Berry Flavor, and Banana Flavor as well as recreational tea drinks such as Axum Forest Breeze - Serene Mountain Water Iced Tea, etcetera. The product the boy was currently looking at was named "Axum Fresh!" It was stored in a spherical glass container with intricate patterns. It was said that these patterns could even resonate with nature to keep the drink in its best state. ¡°I blew all my money in 6 days.¡± With a sigh and a final longing look, the boy finally left the shop. However, he had just stepped onto the street when he bumped into someone. Food and drink spilled on the street. Mwana and Kia had been aimlessly walking around the business district, perusing different stalls, window shopping, and sampling free stuff but when they turned a corner someone bumped into them. Mwana could only watch in pain as the snacks and free samples he had amassed tumbled to the ground. Worse off, the culprit did not even apologize and seemed to be ready to go his merry way. Mwana stared at the food on the ground then back at the culprit then at food again then back at the boy once more. He then proceeded to give him a long stare but still received no apology. After the long uncomfortable stare, the boy could not help but comment, "What, why are you looking at me like that, want to start something?" ¡®This fellow! Instead of apologizing he¡¯s even talking crap!¡¯ "Did you do this on purpose? It felt like I was rammed into by a mammoth! Aish, now look I''ve got food everywhere. All the food is ruined! The free samples, woo, woo, woo." Mwana could not help but lament as he looked at the food on the ground as well as his dirtied clothes and shoes. "Are you a ***** or something. Stop overreacting, ewe!" (Author¡¯s note: not one for cursing but this refers to a female dog) This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Hearing this response, Mwana and Kia could not believe it. The only thought in their mind was, ¡®who is this fellow, no, who is this bast*rd?¡¯ The boy¡¯s rudeness truly caught them off guard. "Why do your eyes even look like that, did you even wash your face when you woke up?" Mwana gave a completely unrelated comeback throwing off the ¡®enemy¡¯. The question was so out of left field that after hearing it, the boy almost stumbled and fell. ¡°Stop being stubborn and apologize.¡± Seeing the conflict escalate over some spilt food, Kia could not help but berate the boy. However, while this fellow dared bite back at Mwana, he didn¡¯t dare talk back at Kia. Fellows of this age all had a common ¡®weakness¡¯. From the side, Mwana was also giving him dagger eyes and he continued doing so long after the boy apologized and left. If one were to see the inside of Mwana¡¯s mind, they would see the wheels of revenge plots turning. ¡°Stop doing that.¡± ¡°Doing what?¡± Mwana could only respond innocently. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are thinking. I still cannot believe what you did to Uchoyo.¡± Kia was reminded of an incident that happened a few weeks ago back in the village. ¡°Sometimes, you are really mad.¡± It was such a strange incident that Kia still couldn¡¯t quite believe it to this day. After Uchoyo had attacked Mwana that morning on the fighting stage, Mwana naturally bore a grudge against him. However, Mwana had never been a believer of ¡®a gentleman¡¯s revenge can wait 10 years¡¯ or other nonsense sayings. Instead, he believed in swift revenge. It was the incident or rather the incidents after that which made Kia realize the extent of Mwana¡¯s pettiness in seeking what he called justice for himself. On the same day after fighting Majimaji and getting attacked by Uchoyo on the fighting stage, Mwana even spent money to get one of his classmates to show Uchoyo some ¡®goodwill¡¯ by getting him free drinks. He had done it several times after that with the correct timing to ensure Uchoyo¡¯s bladder was ¡®active¡¯ at night. Naturally, Uchoyo would have to leave his ¡®keja¡¯ (the hut of a boy who has been initiated) almost every night to relieve himself in the latrine within their family compound. Usually, a keja was just a small hut set aside once boys underwent the initiation ceremony and therefore, these houses did not have facilities such as toilets and kitchens. On the very first night, Mwana had taken Jana with him on this important mission. However, they were caught by Kia before they could sneak out and the girl ended up following the 2 boys. Even remembering the incident, Kia was still in disbelief about this ¡®mission¡¯. Even more horrific was that she had watched Mwana and Jana repeat this ¡®mission¡¯ at least a dozen times. In fact, had they not come to Milele, who knew when Mwana would ever have stopped. ¡°You were willing to sacrifice weeks of sleep, stalk and camp outside someone¡¯s compound just for petty revenge. My god, now that I think about it, Jana must be celebrating now that you have left.¡± As Kia hypothesized, those days of accompanying Mwana had been hell for Jana, someone who valued sleep more than the gods and probably even more than his own ancestors. The so called mission had involved using Uchoyo as target practice and throwing rocks at him almost on a schedule. Mwana went as far as to ¡®hire¡¯ an agemate who was a neighbor to Uchoyo¡¯s family to spy on Uchoyo¡¯s nightly movements. The compounds in the village had very low fences with others having none so this was not difficult. Mwana¡¯s friend acted as a lookout and sent messages to Mwana through Moon Bracelet resonance ¨C a method that only worked in short distances within the village. Therefore, Mwana was always ready to pepper Uchoyo¡¯s head with rocks and hide in the night whenever the latter thought of relieving himself before sleeping. On the second week, Uchoyo¡¯s brother and Mwana¡¯s classmate Kiboko even revealed some of his brother¡¯s woes including the fact that Uchoyo had even pissed his bed rather than leave his keja at night. In all this, no one else even knew who the culprit was. In all these machinations, the victim Uchoyo never once realized that even the free drinks he had been getting in the first place were part of the trap. ¡°You were crazy but I indeed learned something from you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Persistence." Mwana¡¯s persistence was something else. Maybe, ¡®The key to everything is persistence¡¯ could even be added to his many mottos. In his planned ¡®revenge schedule¡¯, he did not miss even a single day in the plans. Some other times he took a one or two day break within the strict ¡®revenge schedule¡¯ to give Uchoyo a false sense of security before turning the latter¡¯s world upside down the next day. Chapter 78: Magic Items and Spells Jia Treasure House, Eastern Business District¡­ In the eastern part of Milele town, there was a large treasure house the size of a small palace. It was an establishment that traded in all types of treasures with a particular focus on magic items and spell conduits. Standing at the entrance, Mwana and Kia were frozen by the majesty of the establishment¡¯s name on the door plaque: The Boundless Drizzling Treasure House. This magic items shop also went by another simpler name, the Jia Treasure House. A madam of the Jia family, a prominent trading family in Toro, was the owner of the treasure house. Walking inside, Mwana and Kia understood that this was not an ordinary magic shop. Its size on the inside was shocking compared to how it looked from the outside. It was basically a large hall. ¡°A pool!¡± In the middle of the large hall, there was a pool of jade blue water that glittered as if filled with magical power. Additionally, the walls were all decorated with different colored gemstones and the floors had intricate magical patterns that produced various light effects. The whole sight made the two children feel like country bumpkins. For a moment, they almost walked out due to the intimidating atmosphere. After all, they were only here to window shop and waste away the day on their little date. They were nowhere near being rich enough to buy the magical items on sale. The Jia Treasure House had 3 floors with the value of items increasing the higher one went up. While the lower two floors were open to everyone, only important business was conducted on the third floor. Within each of the floors, there were several elevated display platforms which held the magical items on sale. The two children walked around while inspecting the magic tools while chatting carelessly. The Magic Tools on display had multiple purposes ranging from enhancing particular stats, boosting casting rate, reducing cast time, etcetera. [Black Sapphire Earrings: Magic Power +25] [Wood Fairy Necklace: Defense +20, Magic Power +15] [Lightness Belt: Agility +10] [Clarity Robe: Stealth Effect +5, Meditation Effect +20, Lightness Effect +10] [Featherine Sandals: Speed +10] [Serpent Robe: Defense +5] [Shoga Necklace: Charm +2] [Jirijiri Hairpin: Clarity +3] [Azure Jelly Bracelet: Strength +10, Flexibility +30] [Saturn Ring: Minor Spatial Tool] [Zena Spell-caster Ring: Casting Time ¨C5] ¡­ Each of the items tempted the two children so much that they almost decided to waste all their money. At the end of the day, most people would not be able to resist the allure of treasures especially those that enhanced power. In the case of those who practiced the magic arts, items which could improve strength were rare but valuable. Even the slightest increase in magical power or a reduction in the time it took to cast a spell could vastly boost a magician¡¯s strength. For example, in Mwana and Kia¡¯s case they were just magic pupils. While their magic capacity was above average, it was not easy for them to cast powerful spells. This was because the magic capacity of most magicians below the magic student realm was not enough to cast spells worth anything. Therefore, they had to rely on magical items such as wands, staffs, and bracelets such as the Moon Bracelet. Mwana was only able to cast spells like the [Linear Wind Spell] since his magic capacity surpassed his magic rank. While he was just a Magic Pupil in rank, his magic capacity had already surpassed 90 units. That was already well into the Magic Student rank. In Mwana¡¯s case, it could be said that his magical talent was above average. While his talent for the magic was not as impressive as Motikatika¡¯s or Fury¡¯s magical talent, it still made him stand out among magic pupils as he did not need to use magical items to cast Rank 1 spells. Further, he could even support some weaker Rank 2 spells. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The path of magic was long and arduous involving both talent and knowledge. A person¡¯s magical capacity depended on talent while their rank depended on knowledge. Based on these two dimensions, a magician could utilize the various ranked spells. These spells ranged from Rank 0 spells, Rank 1, Rank 2, all the way to Forbidden Spells. The start of the magic path was a beginner magician, warlock, wizard, or witch. To elaborate, there were 5 beginner levels one had to complete before stepping into the Magic Pupil Rank. These levels were: Level 1: sense magic in the surroundings Level 2: absorb magic Level 3: imagination realm: shape magic Level 4: externalize magic Level 5: use Rank 0 spells After a magic beginner reached the 5th level, they could use Rank 0 elemental spells with the help of a magical item. Each of the rank 0 beginner spells was divided into 2 sections: the Elemental Control Spell section and Elemental Flow Spell section also called the attack section. The Rank 0 spells for the 7 core elements and wood element were: Earth ¨C [Earth Movement Spell] & [Rock Gun] Water ¨C [Water Controlling Spell] & [Water Hose Spell] Wind ¨C [Air Walk Spell] & [Wind Flow Spell] Fire ¨C [Fire Control Spell] & [Fire Palm spell] Lightning ¨C [Static Burst Channeling] & [Electric Current Flow] Light ¨C [Focus Light Beam] & [Light Setting Spell] Darkness ¨C [Dark Shadow Spell] & [Night Guardian] Wood ¨C [Friend of the Green] & [Vine-master] In order to advance to a Magic Pupil, the beginner magician had to master the respective rank 1 spell for whatever rank 0 spell they mastered. For instance, if someone practiced the Fire element¡¯s Fire Control Spell & Fire Palm Spell, they would have to study and master the Rank 1 Fireball Spell. Additionally, they would use their new understanding of Rank 1 spells to forge a Rank 1 Magic circle on their own bodies. Although it sounded complicated, these beginner ranks depended on one''s magical aptitude and even people with average talent could cross them quickly. Some geniuses even mastered all main rank 1 spells on the first try. The Rank 1 elemental spells in discussion were: Tier 1 Spells [Main] [Fireball] [Water-ball] [Rock Bombardment] [Wind Blade] [Thunderbolt] [Paladin Flash] [Dark Shadow] [Tree Vine Spell] The Rank 1 Spells were considered Primary Magic as each spell only utilized one element as opposed to Secondary Magic (Dual Element Magic) and Tertiary Magic (Triple Element Magic). These three tiers coincided with the 3 tiers of elementary warriors on the Purple Moon Star. Similarly, Elementary Magicians in the Zika world coincided with the magic ranks of: Magic Pupil ¡ª> Magic Teacher. Above Elementary Magicians were Intermediate Magicians who ranged from: Magic Master ¡ª> Magic Sovereign. Last was the pinnacle of Magical power that no one had been able to achieve in the Sunken Zika world since the fall of the Creator Deity, the Advanced Magician Ranks: Magic Sage ¡ª> Magic God. The low magical rank of children like Mwana and Kia necessitated them to seek out magical items in order to supplement their magic power when casting powerful spells and to offset the taxing feeling experienced during spell-casting. After all, even the action of casting a spell consumed power. So calculating a spell¡¯s total magic cost, one not only had to consider the magic energy to power the spell but also the energy used up while spell-casting as well as the energy wasted. For this reason, although the two children could barely afford any of the magic tools, they could not help but go from platform to platform inspecting each and every item on display. At the same time that the two children were admiring the various magical items, a luxurious carriage was speeding through the streets of Milele. This carriage had the insignia of the Jia family and was naturally headed to the treasure house. After it arrived, 4 extremely tall and large men got off from the carriage while carrying a large metal box. The men easily towered over everyone in the streets as well as everyone within the treasure house. They were obviously from the Cloud Piercer tribe, one of the founding tribes of Milele town. Even placed among their fellow tribesmen, these four would still be on the larger side. The four men did not waste any time and carried the box into the treasure house and up to the third floor. Considering their strength, the fact that this box needed all four of them to carry it and even made them strain a little, showed how heavy the box and its contents were. Further, seeing the box carried up to the secret third floor, it was clear to everyone that its contents were extremely valuable. Expectedly, it was like the floodgates had opened as many forces local and external rushed towards the treasure house. If one had an aerial view of Milele, they would notice several carriages heading to the magic shop. Apart from the carriages, there were also people riding on their pet magical beasts and others simply moving on foot all heading towards the treasure house. From the east, west, south, and north, they were like ants heading to the home after a day of hard work: a procession. It was clear that all these people had some prior inside knowledge about the contents of the box and its value. Chapter 79: Sunshine Wizard Hall Sunshine Wizard Hall, Milele Central District ¡°The Jia family has just brought in the item.¡± Within a gigantic hall in the central area of Milele town, a group was gathered around a table discussing the item the Jia Treasure House had just brought in. Each of the people sitting around the table had magnificent and otherworldly auras. It was clear they were not ordinary people. The place these people were gathered was also extraordinary. It was the Sunshine Wizard Hall in Milele town. The hall¡¯s design was even more illustrious and exaggerated even when compared to the Jia Treasure House. After all, this place was a wizard hall and the base of Milele town¡¯s magic council. The first speaker was a swordsman who specialized in Sword Magic. Katakata [Sword Wizard] A swordsman from the East with a very carefree personality. He was also a wanderer who had travelled across many continents in the Zika world before settling in the Swordscar Continent. So wide were his travels, that he had even been to the Northern Ice Capes, as well as the mysterious Dark Continent, the shining Blue Continent, the Western Desert Lands, and of course the Eastern Islands where he originated. Katakata¡¯s homeland was in the Council of 100 Islands to the far east of the Planet Zika. [A Peak Level Master] ¨C Naturally he was experienced in swordsmanship and magic achieving the peak of the master rank. ¡°I hear this time the Magic Competition Rewards are on another level. The Grandmaster is going all out from Spirit Potions to a large cash reward, a Magic Beast, and even open recruitment spots into the Wizard Tower. Our Wizard hall must enter the top 10 no matter what!¡± This time the speaker was an old man in the hall who was dressed in a gigantic suit of armor made of black rocks. He looked like rock troll in his heavy and clunky armor. This man was one of the 6 Guardians of Milele Town, Jamani Juma Jenga. Jamani J.J. [The Fifth Guardian] An experienced Combat Magician specializing in Earth Magic. Extremely skilled in battle and had received great military recognition in the civil war 12 years ago. After his retirement from the army, he focused on furthering his magic skill and advanced to the peak of the Magic Master Realm. After returning to his hometown of Milele, he was given the position of a Guardian. [A Peak Level Master] After Jamani spoke, another man seated at the table also added to his point. ¡°Moreover, the additional reward for the top 3 is too great. The Bird of Heaven! The Izulu is a divine magical beast!¡± One of the rewards for the top position in the upcoming magic competition was a baby lightning bird. This bird was a spirit of storms and it could command wind and lightning. Not only was the bird itself sacred, it was said that even its droppings could be used as key ingredients for various powerful potions. The Izulu bird was described as having glittering red wings with flashing feathers that released lightning and wing beats that produced the sound of thunder. As a sacred creature of the heavens, it brought prosperity and had the ability to dispel evil. After reaching adulthood, the bird would possess the strength of the Void Core Stage at the very least. ¡°If our hall can obtain the divine bird, it will be equivalent to improving our fate. Once it grows up, it will also showcase its limitless potential and strength. At that point, it might even be possible for our Wizard Hall to rise in ranks among the 18 Wizard Halls. We might even enter the top 3.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. As the man spoke, the other magicians at the table got excited just from hearing his words. Although it would be extremely difficult for their candidates to win the top prize, they still had a bit of hope. A ¡®Bird of Heaven¡¯ as a reward was a crazy opportunity for their hall that could take them to the top in a single bound. However, none of the other magicians at the table knew that the speaker did not state his full thoughts. Unexpectedly, his inner thoughts did not match his words at all. ¡®If my clan can obtain the Izulu divine bird, our strength, prosperity, and even overall fate will improve tremendously. Our clan will dominate the eastern region and maybe even a large part of the northern region. For the sake of the future, it must be ours no matter what!¡¯ Although the man held treacherous thoughts, he did not show it on his face. This man who dreamt of dominating the East was Uchini Gurudumu, the fourth son of the Burning Wheel Clan¡¯s current clan leader. Uchini Gurudumu [The Illusion Master] For his clan, Uchini was willing to do anything, including robbing, betraying, and even killing those he viewed as a threat to his people¡¯s prosperity. It did not matter whether they were friend or foe. A peculiar fact about him popularized by many who knew him since young was that Uchini had never worn anything but black his entire life. Even when he was a child, his clothes and ornaments had always been black. [A Peak Level Master] ¡°I don¡¯t care about anything else. I only want The Heavenly Gate Spirit Potion.¡± A gruff voice spoke echoing throughout the hall. Just from the voice alone, it was clear the owner was not someone to be trifled with. He was a brute going by the name: Indama [Thousand Man Slaughterer] Aims to take over the Western Axis. He led his people from the Southern Plains to prosperity in the North. With only a group of 50 warriors, he was able to take down a fortified castle in North Western Toro and resist an army of over a thousand men. Indama was recognized as the nominal leader of the Southern Plains Nomads. [A Peak Level Master] While everyone at the table had their own desires concerning the upcoming competition, Indama only desired the almost divine potion said to be capable of opening a warrior¡¯s Heavenly Gate. A single potion could shape the internal heavenly path in a warrior or magician¡¯s path. For people who were stuck at the peak or edge of one rank, it could open the gateway for them to reach greater heights. Naturally, this was a huge temptation to these Peak Level Masters. The Grandmaster Rank was right in front of them but they could not truly enter the realm. While no one argued with Indama over the potion, who knew what everyone was thinking. If a candidate from their hall truly got the top position, a battle would probably break out between these experts. After all, this potion was extremely rare even in the entire planet, let alone a small nation like Toro. It was said that the key ingredient for the potion came from the blood of Indombe the Flaming Serpent. The myths of the Blue Continent said that after she was slaughtered, Indombe left behind several cups-worth of blood. A single droplet of her blood was enough to craft several Heavenly Gate Spirit potions. That was just how divine the serpent was. However, after many millennia, this blood had long run out and the present potions were made with reproduced or cloned blood cells. While it was nowhere near the original in efficiency, it was still a divine potion in every right. ¡°From the rewards this time, it is clear this is not a minor children¡¯s match anymore. In the past, all the kids could win was some money and obviously the magic candy but now they are even winning things they cannot use; things that even get adults like us in a frenzy. What is the Grandmaster planning?¡± The speaker this time was a woman dressed in a long peacock patterned feather robe. The robe had beautiful blue, green, and purple feathers. Further, the woman also had some colorful feathers around her ears and jaw, and long black hair tied in a ponytail. Her skin was brown with patterns of blue that looked like ocean waves and her hands were long and skinny. From her physical features, it was clear that she was not all the way human. In fact, Milele was a place where humans, magic beasts, spirit beasts, beastmen, ancient races, earth tribes, and all manner of different creatures coexisted together. This woman was the leader of the Salisali flying agency that specialized in transportation and messenger jobs in and around Milele. Sali Salama [Matriarch of the Salisali Family] Whether human, beast-woman, or a transformed spirit or magical creature, no one knows her true identity. The Salisali family which she was in charge off was not an old family but a new one created by flying creatures and humans. Some are transformed birds, others are beast men, and others are humans who have awakened Avian Bloodlines. As a transportation family, speed is naturally important. [A Peak Level Master] Chapter 80: The Ignition Core During the entire discussion there was a man at the table who did not speak. The man was dressed in luxurious white clothes with a giant white sword strapped to his back. Further, he was the only one with an assistant standing beside him. He sat at the head of the table signifying that his rank within Milele¡¯s Wizard Hall was very high. Although it sounded like a clich¨¦, this man did indeed have sharp sword-like eyebrows. Whether they were natural or he shaped them himself to give off a sharp aura, no one knew for sure. Either way, he did not need to do anything as just his gaze alone projected an imposing presence. The man¡¯s eyes were also deep giving off a scholarly yet warrior-like feel. Meeting his dark starry eyes, anyone could tell that this was someone who had experienced the vicissitudes of life to a great extent. However, the sea of hardships did not shave off any of the sharpness from this man¡¯s gaze. Throughout the entire conversation, none of the rewards mentioned had even moved this man. His expression remained as calm as water in an ancient well. Only a slight smile surfaced on his lips as he watched the other people at the table discuss, argue, and salivate at the rewards. Although he was retired from any type of combat, this man was the strongest man in the present Milele town as well as one of the strongest warriors within the Kingdom of Toro. During his heydays, he had been a prodigy of the Rudisha Fire Dragon Family which had personally served the Seat of the King for over 100 years now. Half a century ago, the man¡¯s talent and strength were unmatched in the entire Toro Kingdom. Even the top elites of the Royal Family could not compare to him back then. This man was Zua Rudisha, an accomplished retired warrior in Toro. Zua Rudisha Moto [The Sword of the King] A former Kings-guard. He retired after his age set in but he still retained a considerable status in Toro. He was also part of the Hidden Sword Squad in his later years where he worked under one of the 7 Great Swordsmen of the Rock Generation, Epesi the Teleporting Swordsman. Although his age was already over 70, he had the looks of a middle aged man in his early 40s. [A Peak Level Master] Cough, cough. With a slight cough from Zua Rudisha, everyone at the table stopped talking and turned to listen to him. As the deputy Hallmaster of Milele¡¯s Wizard Hall, Zua Rudisha naturally had considerable prestige among all the magicians in Milele town. ¡°It is pointless to fantasize and argue about the rewards when we are not assured of winning yet.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± The carefree Katakata chipped in to agree with Zua. He was wondering why everyone was talking about ¡®rewards this¡¯ and ¡®rewards that¡¯ when all he had done was mention the Jia Treasure House bringing in the Ignition Core. ¡°Indeed, our priority right now should be to acquire the Ignition Core when it goes up for auction. No. It¡¯s when they go up for auction.¡± Zua continued his point while dropping a shocking fact. ¡°They?! Is there more than one Ignition Core?¡± Sali Salama was the one to ask the question on everyone¡¯s mind. Zua did not beat around the bush and answered swiftly to satisfy everyone¡¯s curiosity, ¡°Yes, the Jia Treasure House was able to obtain 3 Ignition Cores this time, all of them being Legacy Armor Cores ¨C the Sunbreaker, Chaos Bomb, and Divine Transformation Ignition Core.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Some of the people in the hall even stood up abruptly causing their chairs to fall to the ground. The guardsmen at the doorway almost thought a fight was about to break out. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. However, even Zua Rudisha understood their shock as he had been just as shaken when he found out the news. ¡°If we can get our hands on even one of them, then the top 3 is not out of reach for our candidates especially the salty brat and that battle maniac. Those two are already a cut above their age-mates. They just need the right tools.¡± After he revealed the news, the others at the table were not only shocked at the number and grade of the Ignition Cores but also the fact that Zua Rudisha had managed to obtain this secret information. After all, the Jia family had kept the news a secret when transporting the Ignition Cores. ¡°Hey, do you have a spy within the Jia family or something?¡± Katakata could not help but ask while leaning back on his chair. To this question, Zua Rudisha only smiled and put a finger to his lips, ¡°Shhhhh.¡± Expectedly, As the deputy Hallmaster of Milele¡¯s Wizard Hall, Zua Rudisha was probably privy of some insider knowledge that others could not access. ¡°Send more money to support the people we sent. They must win this auction no matter what and get at least one core, no two. It will be embarrassing if outsiders beat us in a game of money in our own hometown.¡± Before dismissing the meeting, Zua Rudisha gave his orders to the other seats at the table so that they could mobilize more resources and ensure they won an Ignition Core or two at the auction. However, what was an Ignition Core? Why was it such a big deal? Ignition Cores were a type of specialized magical cores created from magic crystals using unique magical methods. The most common types of Ignition Cores were Magic Armor Cores, Channeling Cores, and Micro Cores. Channeling Cores were usually installed within magical equipment and magical vehicles to help power and channel magical energy. There were smaller versions of the same placed within wizard staffs. As for the micro-cores, they were used to line the edges and tips of wands in order to empower them. As for the 3 cores brought in by the Jia family, they were all Magic Armor Cores. With this type of core, a magician could translate their unique form of magic in order to impose armament magic techniques on the core. The result was the materialization of a magic suit of armor. Naturally, the main draw of these cores was enhancing the physical capabilities of magicians allowing them to sustain longer battles and fight in close combat. Further, the magic armor materialized by the core would enhance and ¡®ignite¡¯ the magic form and magic class of the user. Therefore, this type of armor was called an [Ignition Suit]. Apart from a magician¡¯s box, grimoires, amulets, wands, and staffs, Ignition Suits were recognized as one of the principal strengths of a magician. Therefore, the quality of the core was paramount as it decided the strength of the conjured armor. Magic Armor Cores were divided into 7 ranks: Trainee Core, Student Core, Illusion Core, True Master Core, Crashing Gate Core, and Legacy Core. Usually, the cores were fist sized spherical crystals full of magical energy. They could absorb, compress, circulate, and release magical energy in various forms. Most importantly, they could give form to a magician¡¯s unique imagination and accumulated spell knowledge. For these reasons, these cores were very expensive. Due to the expensive nature of the magic cores, it was not easy to acquire one. Acquisition of magic cores usually involved buying or borrowing a core. However, not everyone was equal in life and some people from illustrious families and clans were lucky enough to inherit powerful Legacy Cores. With such cores, they were pretty much guaranteed to form a top tier Ignition Suit that could even take on opponents stronger than them. As for ordinary people and people from poorer families like Mwana, they could only rely on borrowed cores and hand-me-down cores. Even then, the cores would be of a lower class. In Mwana¡¯s case, he had received an Illusion Core from one of his aunts back in the village before leaving for Milele town. Before receiving the Illusion Core, he had only ever trained with a Trainee Core like everyone else. Naturally, the hand-me-down cores or second hand cores had a disadvantage ¨C they were contaminated by the previous users¡¯ magic forms. This contamination happened because every person¡¯s magic form was distinct even when two magicians focused on the same field or used the same spells; a slight difference would still exist no matter what. It could be said that everyone had a different Magic Footprint even when their study was the similar in the same manner that even identical twins had different fingerprints. The value of the cores was such that the trainee cores were the least valuable while legacy cores were absolute treasures. Further, the different classes of cores varied in color based on their order from the weakest to strongest: [Trainee Core ¨C Ruby Red], [Student Core ¨C Silver], [Illusion Core ¨C Transparent], [True Master Core ¨C Gold], [Crashing Gate Core ¨C Aqua Blue], and [Legacy Core - Multicolored]. Legacy Cores were the strongest and they varied in color depending on the function. They could encompass as many colors as all the colors of the rainbow. The more the distinct colors, the more versatility the legacy core had. This also implied that legacy cores had multiple grades. Chapter 81: Bonus Chapter 3 – Spell Ranks In the Zika world, spells were divided into different ranks or tiers that coincided with the 9 ranks of magic. Further, below Rank 1 spells which coincided with the Magic Pupil rank, there were Tier 0 spells which coincided with the Beginner or Magic Apprentice ranks. However, out of all the different types, classes, and forms of magic, Elemental Spells were the basis for a majority of Orthodox Magic. Usually, whether it was Armament or Body Strengthening Magic, Lifestyle Magic, Healing magic, Combat magic, etcetera, most of these magic types relied on the natural elements and their derivatives. The 7 core elements in the Zika world were: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Light, and Darkness. These core elements also had derivatives such as Ice, Lava, Plasma, Poison, and etcetera. Further, although it was rare, there were a few people with the Wood element attribute such as Mwana¡¯s classmate Vitali. In terms of Beginner Spells (below tier 1), they were divided into 2 sections: elemental control spells and attack spells (elemental flow spells). ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Tier 0 Elemental Spells: Elemental Control Spells & Elemental Flow Spells Earth ¨C [Earth Movement Spell] & [Rock Gun] Water ¨C [Water Controlling Spell] & [Water Hose Spell] Wind ¨C [Air Walk Spell] & [Wind Flow Spell] Fire ¨C [Fire Control Spell] & [Fire Palm spell] Lightning ¨C [Static Burst Channeling] & [Electric Current Flow] Light ¨C [Focus Light Beam] & [Light Setting Spell] Darkness ¨C [Dark Shadow Spell] & [Night Guardian] Wood ¨C [Friend of the Green] & [Vine-master] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Tier 1 Elemental Spells If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [Fireball] [Water-ball] [Rock Bombardment] [Wind Blade] [Thunderbolt] [Paladin Flash] [Dark Shadow] [Tree Vine Spell] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Tier 2 Elemental Spells [Law of Flame]: Explosions (+others) [Tidal Spells Manual]: water wall, tsunami barrier, +others [Earthen Destruction] [Rushing Wind Tornado Scythe] [Thunder Punishment Edity] [Light of Judgment] [Extreme Night Emanation] The common observation with Tier 2 Spells was that they had different subclasses for instance, Law of Fire: Explosions, Razing Attack, Fire Wall, Blazing Dragon Spell, etc. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Derivative Secondary Magic [Tier 2 Spells] In total, there were 7 main Tier 2 Elemental Spells ignoring the Wood Element. Each of them had their own derivatives. Further, some could be combined together to resulting in Secondry Magic Spells. Out of the many secondary magic spells, some of the most commonly taught ones involving the Fire Element are: Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic) Eagle Diving Flame (wind + fire) Dark Blaze Cage (darkness + fire) Berserker Blood Flame (blood + fire) Flame Eruption (fire + earth) Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic) For someone like Mwana, if he wanted to become a magic student [Tier 2 Mage] at a faster rate, it was best that he focus on his strengths. For instance, his strong sensory abilities due to his strengthened soul and Dragon Mirror Eye would make it easier for him to learn a spell like the Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic). Further, his sword mastery made a spell like the Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic) perfect for his fighting style. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Tier 2 Wood Magic [Forest Bloom] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Tier 1 Poison Magic [Poison Veil] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Tier 2 Poison Magic [Dragon King of Poison] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Tier 1 Body Enhancement Magic [Bone Enhancement] [Statistics Double] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ With derivative spells, the original elemental spells could be altered slightly either through different hand motions when casting or altering the spell wording slightly in order to produce different effects. While the base of the spell remained the same, the spell¡¯s effect was altered. One main application of derivative spells was in casting defensive magic. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Defense Magic: Derivative Magic [within the same element] [Fire Dome] - Fire Style Defensive technique: modified Fireball. [Earth Wall] - Earth Style Defensive technique. [Water Sphere] - Water Style Defensive technique: modified Water Ball Spell. [Thunder Canopy] - Thunder-Lightning Armor: Levels of the Armor include Blue Lightning, Red Lightning, and Purple Lightning. [Wind Barrier] - Wind Cloak: casts an air film around the user making them almost untouchable. [Light Protection] - Bright Armor Spell Collection: Divine Judgment Armor. [Dark Defense] - Shadow Cloak Spell Collection: Dark Cloud Armor. Chapter 82: Jua Urembo – Demon Sealing Magic While every magician faction in Milele was clamoring for the Ignition cores, Mwana and Kia continued their window shopping at the treasure house, admiring but not buying anything. A moment later, numerous carriages, transportation beasts, and people running on foot all arrived at the treasure house like a flock of flies. ¡°It seems like what was brought in was a really big deal.¡± Kia could not help but exclaim. Before, there were only a few people in the hall but now dozens of people had flocked in and there were even more on the way. However, most of these people did not stay on the first floor and quickly rushed to the higher floors. While the two children were curious, they were not busybodies so they did not even bother to go up and check when the big fuss was all about. Even if Mwana had known that the object causing all the commotion was a set of Ignition Cores, it was not like he could afford it. Even his entire family putting all their funds together could not afford it. When it came to Ignition Suits, the suit which Mwana could summon with his Illusion grade Core was the Demon Sealing Armor. Naturally, this armor had its origins with the Demon Sealing Portrait Technique, an art which Mwana had mastered under the tutelage of his mentor and art teacher, Jua Urembo. The technique allowed Mwana to bring forth the incarnation of the artist ¨C combining his knowledge of swords, spears, music, embroidery, painting, the elements, magic, dragons, among others and giving them life through his art. Jua Urembo had explained to Mwana that the Demon Sealing Portrait technique qualified to be a Canon. In the Zika world, Canons were more or less comprehensive arts that covered all angles a warrior could possibly want to train. Some examples were obviously the True Spirit Canon and the Solar and Lunar Divine Canon also referred to as the Sun and Moon Arts. ¡°Canons encompass all Aspects of Being even if they have a particular one they focus more on.¡± As Urembo had explained, canons were all encompassing but had a particular focus as well. The Aspects of Being in discussion were just the basic: Body, Soul, and Mind aspects; these three were the main aspects of being. Others included the Lifeline, Nature, Magic, and Divinity. Naturally, there were arts and techniques aimed at each Aspect of Being for example: spiritual techniques for the soul, psychic techniques to strengthen the mind, natural energy techniques to control nature, body strengthening arts, vitality arts that enhanced or took advantage of one¡¯s life energy, magical arts, and divine contracts with the gods such as Divine Invocation. However, canons could cover one or more aspect allowing warriors to train themselves in a more even and direct manner rather than using a technique for each aspect. For example, with the Sun and Moon Arts, the people of the Jua and Mwezi village could absorb sunlight and moonlight to strengthen their bodies, minds, and souls. With the companion Moon Bracelets, they could even train their magic further when using techniques such as the Crescent Moon Blade. In the same manner, the Demon Sealing Art that Urembo taught Mwana encompassed sealing techniques that targeted the body, mind, and soul of opponents as well as the environment around them [nature]. ¡°You can draw on the pen tattoo I gave you to draw the demon seal, the sword tattoo can server the seal and the hammer to forge it.¡± Urembo had explained the use of Mwana¡¯s tattoos in practicing this art. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The pen and sword tattoos had been chosen by Urembo as she was his mentor at White Rock Academy. After his Awakening Ceremony, he received these two tattoos. As for the hammer, Mwana had only received it recently a short while later after he became an entry level smith. It was also Mwana¡¯s first Ranked Tattoo! With this, even in the village he had some privileges that he did not have when he only had unranked tattoos. For instance, after graduating from the Academy, if Mwana did not choose to pursue martial arts, he would be taken as an apprentice by a veteran blacksmith. This was actually the most common career path in the Jua village. Not many would continue pursuing martial arts to the very end especially as Martial Schools were not free unlike the government sponsored Academy. In the Jua village, Mwana was just an entry level smith and it was not considered impressive at all. However, such level of skill would be considered great almost everywhere else. After all, the standards for blacksmiths in a smithing village were much higher. Another skill that Mwana greatly depended on when learning and using the Demon Sealing Portrait and its derivative sealing art was his skill in painting. He was an extremely skilled painter and this also contributed to his beautiful designs when sewing clothes. In the Zika world, artists were graded based on how immersive their art was and Mwana had already broken past the third level. Artists were graded as: > Level 1: Ordinary painter. > Level 2: Injecting emotion into art > Level 3: Emotion radiating outside the painting. > Level 4: Painting World - The viewer sees the painting as if they have been sucked into the world of the painting itself. > Level 5: The world of the painting comes to life in the real world. > Level 6: The real world including people and objects can be physically transported into the artwork. Even months ago, Mwana¡¯s art was already capable of radiating emotions just from looking at it. Now, he had long surpassed that level. When utilizing sealing arts, the feeling of being sucked into the art was exactly the effect that Mwana aimed to replicate. [Note: covered in Chapter 14: THAT Painting!] ¡°The form of a magician¡¯s Ignition Core is determined partly by their Magic Class and partly by their Magic Form. In this case, form is more or less the core of one¡¯s magic while class is how that magic would be classified according to magic institutional standards.¡± As Mwana understood it, Magic Form was the outward presentation of the core of a magician¡¯s unique energy. Others had described it as a magician¡¯s unique way of doing things. It was the basic form in which ones magic came in, for example: Transformation Magic, Transaction Magic, Conversion Magic, Magic Call, and etcetera. As for the Magic Class, in general it was what one based their magic circles on. The classes themselves had already been decided by magic institutions. Therefore, the magic class was more like which field of study the magician was focused on. After-all, the field of magic was extremely wide and encompassed numerous classes such as the Enchanter Class, Elementalist, Lifestyle Magic, Necromancer, Barrier Mage, Magic Communication, Spatial Magic, Blood Magic (Berserker), Armament Mage, Attack Mage, Healer, Wizard Knight, Soul Mage, Alchemist, Potion Mastery. Earth Mastery [Gravity Magic], Fire Mastery [Explosive Magic], Wind Mastery [Cutting Magic] and many more. Further, the many classes of magic also had subclasses due to how wide they were. It was also not uncommon for institutions, clans, and magic groups to focus on one or two classes of magic. For example, the Jin Clan of Eastern Jin Nation focused on [Berserker Magic] and [Possession Magic]. Mwana¡¯s cousin, Fury Jin Jua, was extremely versed in these two subclasses. The two types of magic were subclasses of Blood Magic and Soul Magic. As for the Jua clan, they obviously specialized in [Smithing Magic] which was a subclass of Fire Magic. Among the wide range of magic classes and subclasses, the first path for Mwana to master the Demon Sealing Portrait Art was to enhance his knowledge in sealing magic, painting magic, and even sword magic. While he could not get far in the little time he had, Mwana had still managed to materialize the Demon Sealing Armor. This armor was black and red in color with many crescent shaped plates intersecting like a Pangolin¡¯s armor. Chapter 83: God Killing From Jua Urembo, Mwana received advice on magic classes and magic forms as well as the intersection between these 2 dimensions and the sealing magic he was learning. ¡°Sealing magic, apart from sealing people, can also compress power. So don¡¯t just think of the Demon Sealing Portrait as a way to seal demons.¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it as direct? Before, you told me that the portrait art was a way to deal with the evil creatures of the world: the evil ghosts, demons, bloodsuckers, and the likes.¡± Mwana naturally remembered the portrait as a technique and sealing magic in general had only been introduced to him as a means to seal things not to compress power. ¡°As you know different classes and forms of magic can have different effects on the same spell. Sealing magic is not all about just restraining people. In fact, in the same way it can restrain people, it can also restrain power effectively sealing it.¡± Mwana made his own conjecture on the nature of sealing power after listening to his teacher¡¯s explanation, ¡°By gathering and sealing power together and when that power is released in a spell, it will be more explosive.¡± ¡°Smart and correct!¡± For Urembo, mentoring Mwana had always been easy. The boy was so smart sometimes it felt like conversing with a peer, a small and cute peer. She could not help but rub his head before continuing her explanation. ¡°Even with other forms of magic, they have multiple uses beyond the surface level definition. For example, Transformation Magic can also be used to alter spells by changing their shape and essence. The Fire Snake spell as an excellent example of this as it is just an ordinary fire spell with transformation applied to it. At higher levels, those who have mastered Transformation Magic can even transform one element to another as long as they fulfill some conditions.¡± ¡°Like a rock to a diamond? I have heard of this! As long as it is the same mass and ¡®value¡¯, they can do it!¡± Although he had heard of many famous and strange people across the Zika world who could use transformation abilities, the most shocking had definitely been the ones who could convert objects with little value into invaluable things. ¡°Righ. Such people receive the title of Alchemist. Naturally, they are very sought after all over the world. Something like money is never a problem to them. However, it is not easy to reach such a level as one needs to understand many elements at an atomic level.¡± While Mwana listened keenly to Urembo¡¯s talking about Alchemists, his brain zoomed in to the words, ¡®money is never a problem to them¡¯. At that moment, he could not help but fantasize about how nice that would be. ¡°With Sealing Magic, it is important for sealing many things including demons, ghosts, curses, among others. However, what sets apart this type of magic from other common classes and forms is that it is also very useful against conceptual beings that cannot be killed.¡± Urembo quickly got to the key of the issue. ¡°There exist various worldly concepts like desire, war, lust, envy, slaughter, disease, and etcetera which can spawn spirits, demons, and even gods to embody these concepts. In such cases, even exorcism and killing might not work on them. Can you kill a ghost that is already dead? Can you kill a formless spirit? Can you kill a god? At one moment or another, someone somewhere in this world and even across the entire universe has asked these questions.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Urembo¡¯s lesson had gone into an area Mwana did not have much understanding of so all he could do was listen. However, it was this lesson from Urembo that had motivated Mwana to learn the Demon Sealing Portrait Art and choose Sealing Magic as the form and class that he would build his second magic circle on top of. It would be the foundation for his advancement to the Magic Student realm. Urembo¡¯s lesson perfectly explained the unique strength of Sealing Magic, a power that Mwana desired. ¡°If a spirit or creature embodies a human concept like war, it will exist as long as war exists. If it continues getting stronger, it might even rise to become a minor god of war. Killing such a being might work temporarily but as long as war exists, such a creature will resurrect or experience rebirth in a different form. Therefore, the most optimal solution to prevent it from causing chaos is to seal it. You can think of the highest level of Sealing Magic as sealing everything under the sun. One can theoretically seal concepts like fate, luck, disease, entropy, and even death.¡± After Urembo¡¯s lesson, Mwana understood that sealing abilities at the highest level was a supreme power: A power that could fight and ¡®kill¡¯ the unkillable gods. Most importantly, it was a power that could restrain the concepts and laws of nature. Although it was na?ve of him, in the end Mwana still wished to reach a level where he could ward all curses and pains from his family¡¯s back. No pain, no sickness, no sadness, no poverty, no grief, no war. ¡®Our family had already been through enough!¡¯ From his father losing his life in the army to his uncle crippled on the battlefield to his sickly mother and sister to their poverty-stricken family, all these pains drove Mwana¡¯s obsessive desire to change his family¡¯s fate. For this reason, he chose sealing as the path to advance to a second level magician, the Magic Student level. This was also another contributing factor to Mwana¡¯s choice to go to Milele immediately after he had the rights to leave the village. After all, Milele was a fairyland for Magicians in Eastern Toro due to facilities like the magic competition stage, the Sunshine Wizard Hall, the many magic meditation facilities, as well as the famous Infinity Magic Library. At his current magic level, Mwana had hit a barrier. His magic capacity was well into the magic student ranks. In fact, it was at the very peak of the second level. However, his magic rank had yet to improve. In terms of a magician¡¯s rank, only knowledge could raise it. The difference between a Magic Pupil, Magic Student, and Magic Teacher, was simply that one knew more than the other. Presently, Mwana¡¯s magic power according to the Moon Bracelet was recorded as: Magic Level/Rank: Magic Pupil - Level 1 Magic Capacity: 94 As for magic power in relation to capacity and rank, the official magic system used a simple grading system: Level 1: 1-10 units of magic power Level 2: 11-100 units Level 3: 101-1,000 units Level 4: 1001-10,000 units Level 5: 10,001-100,000 units From this type of grading, it could be understood why a Magic Grandmaster was such a scary existence. After all, just like Mwana, most people¡¯s magic capacity was higher than their magic rank as increasing one¡¯s rank needed one to accumulate magical knowledge. Therefore, while a Grandmaster''s magic power was usually in the 10 thousand to 100 thousand units range, it was possible for it to even exceed that number in the same manner Mwana''s magic capacity greatly exceeded the Magic Pupil Rank even spilling over into Magic Student levels of magic power. Chapter 84: Spell Cards A few moments before the Ignition Cores arrived at the treasure house bringing chaos with them, Kia discovered something and took Mwana along with her. Within the Jia Treasure house, Mwana and Kia were still window-shopping when Kia noticed something at one edge of the hall before pulling Mwana along by his hand. ¡°I have always been weak when it comes to magic. Come let¡¯s see.¡± There was a hint of excitement in her voice. ¡°Weak? Are you sure? Or are you not just comparing yourself to Fury?¡± Mwana asked in an incredulous tone while following after Kia. When it came to his cousin Fury Jua, she was extremely talented in magic and had long stepped into the Magic Student rank so comparing oneself to her might make one feel weak and untalented in the mystical arts. ¡°Eeh.¡± Kia could only shrug to Mwana¡¯s questions as the two children arrived at her target. When Mwana looked around, he realized what had gotten Kia so excited. ¡°Spell Cards!¡± ¡°Yeah, spell cards.¡± In a jovial tone, Kia had already started examining the spell cards and asking some of the workers at that particular station for details. This was before Mwana even moved a step. Mentally, Mwana took a note that this was something Kia liked and was enthusiastic about. ¡®When I can, I will get some for her as a gift.¡¯ As the name suggests, spell cards were cards which had spells stored within them. In the Zika world, these types of cards were usually owned by two types of people:
  1. Collectors ¨C just like in the real world, there were a lot of people who collected spell cards as a hobby.
  2. Battlers ¨C naturally, the original use of spell cards was battle although they were not as popular among higher level magicians. The lack of popularity among high level magicians was because of 2 major weaknesses:
  1. (I) Some cards needed recharging while others were only single-use items.
  2. (II) Additionally, only a limited number of spells could be stored per card unlike other spell storing methods. A spell card with 2 spells was already a rare commodity.
For higher level magicians, they were more likely to own their own Spell Books with tens if not hundreds of spells. A spell book was simply a record of spells usually unique or particular to the magician who owned them. The mages in the Zika world would record their spells in a book and grant it a magic title; this was a spell book. Further, there also existed magic arts stored in grimoires. In such a case, the grimoires would contain ancient spells instead of personal spells. These spells were not handwritten by present mages as in spell books instead most of them were carved into grimoires by the old mages at the early eras of magic. However, in some rare cases a personal spell book could become a grimoire if the owner managed to master their own personal unique magic. Further, the magician had to master not just a few spells but an entire study of magic in order to elevate their spell book to a grimoire. [Desert Wolf X Spell Card (Earth Style)] ¨C Surveillance card. [All Killing Y Spell Card] ¨C Attack card. At this section of the hall, everywhere Mwana looked there were rows upon rows of spell cards. They ranged from cheap ones that even he could afford to some that were so expensive that they could buy his family¡¯s compound and land a dozen times over. As Mwana and Kia were looking around, one of the workers within the Jia Treasure House came to check on them. Although the two did not plan to buy anything at first, the spell cards had already caught their eye. [Flying Clouds Broken Moon] [Burning Sky] [Smokescreen] [Rising Flame] [God of Thunder] Seeing some of these cards, Mwana¡¯s eyes were literally sparkling. It was not just the spells that made the cards attractive, but even the designs of the cards were exquisite. For instance, the God of Thunder Spell Card had the image of the God of Thunder, Shango drawn on it. The God looked majestic with his lightning axe and flaming breath. Most of the spell cards had a design based on whatever spell they stored, where they came from, and who made them. All in all, Mwana truly admired the artwork on each of these cards. The worker who had approached the two children went further and made things ¡°worse¡± by introducing a new full set of high rank spell cards that the treasure house had just obtained. At that point, the money almost flew out of Mwana and Kia¡¯s pockets by itself! If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°It is too expensive! Only rich collectors would try to acquire the entire set.¡± Mwana could not believe the price that the worker had quoted but the latter was quick to clarify that they did sell the cards one by one. Although it would still be too expensive for someone like Mwana, it was a bit more affordable to those who were not in the trenches financially. This Spell Card set was the [Water Manipulation] Set. The set had 10 cards in total which were: [Lady of the Lake Card (Water Song Spell)] ¨C Although it was still expensive, Kia decided to purchase this card. One part of it was for the card¡¯s aesthetics and the other reason was its use in battle. The card had a beautiful artwork of the Lady of the Lake singing a song. Although it was a water element spell card, the purpose of the card was to put opponents in a trance. The remaining cards in the set were: [9 Headed Dragon Prince Card (Hydra Spell)] ¨C This spell card had the depiction of a 9 headed dragon swimming in the waters engraved on it. The dragon and the water looked so realistic that it seemed to be moving. Although Mwana greatly desired to buy this card, he did not have money to waste. If he was to buy a spell card, it would be at least of the thunder or fire element to match his elemental proficiencies. [Lake of Reflection Card (Water Reflection Spell)] [Gluttonous Octopus Card (Devouring Ocean Spell)] - When Kia saw this card, she could not help but remark, ¡°This card would suit that fish boy.¡± ¡°Fish boy? Who?¡± Mwana could not help but ask before coming to a realization himself. ¡°Oooh! Ha ha ha.¡± Indeed this card would have suited someone like Majimaji especially as he had an Octopus-type bloodline. The other cards in the set were: [Purity Water Morning Glory Card (Purity Violet Water Spell)] ¨C this card contained a water element healing spell which elevated its value; it was extremely precious. [Great Abandonment River Card (Roiling Rapids Assured-kill-strike Spell)] [Stormy Waves breaking on the Shore Card (Ocean Wave Spell)] [Raging Tides Devastating the Lands Card (Red Tide Spell)] [Illusionary Grotto Card (Secret Waterfall Spell)] [Sea of Blood Card (Blood Draining Spell and Blood Control Spell)] ¨C This card specifically attracted Mwana¡¯s attention due to its relation with blood. If he had the card, it would definitely help Mwana channel and take advantage of the Blood Dragon part of his Myriad Dragon Bloodline. In a way, the Sun and Moon Arts already covered the fire element affinity gained from the Sun Dragon part of his bloodline, as for the Green Dragon ¨C Mwana already had the Green Dragon Mantra. As for the blood dragon, it was the most destructive part of his bloodline seeing as how Mwana greatly suspected it for the illness his mother and sister shared. As a result, Mwana knew he needed a technique or spell to help him nourish and control this aspect of his bloodline lest it turned into a weakness in the future. However, it was impossible for him to get this spell card as it was too expensive. The price naturally came from the fact that the card stored 2 spells within it rather than the usual one spell. Additionally, the 2 spells were Blood Magic spells which was extremely rare thus making the card fall into the ¡®Rare Card¡¯ category. Within a set of cards, there must be a ¡®Rare Card¡¯. In fact this ¡®Rare Card¡¯ was why the entire set was so expensive in the first place. On top of that, the entire set was made up of rechargeable spell cards which raised the price even further. Unlike single-use cards, rechargeable cards could be refilled with magic after they were used. The cards had intricate magic patterns within them that could store and channel magic energy and spells. After admiring the cards, the two children still ended up buying some of the cheaper ones. After all it was not good to waste people¡¯s time especially after the treasure house worker spent their time explaining most of the cards to them. Apart from the [Lady of the Lake] card, Kia also bought the [Shadow of Darkness Card (Nightfall Spell)] - a spell card that had the power to create darkness even during the day. This card naturally matched her darkness element affinity. As for Mwana, he did not get a high grade card like Kia. Instead, Mwana got the mid grade [Flying Clouds Broken Moon] card and the [Burning Sky] card as well as the low grade card [Smokescreen]. The two mid grade cards Mwana had gotten were very compatible with the Jua village¡¯s Sun and Moon Arts. As for [Smokescreen], it was really cheap and it was similar to a large scale smoke grenade that could be used to obscure an opponent¡¯s vision. ¡°Isn¡¯t that card a bit weak?¡± Kia commented once she saw Mwana choose the Smokescreen card which seemed like a waste of money. ¡°Anything can be strong in the right hands. I plan to use it in conjunction with my Dragon Mirror Eye.¡± To this answer, Kia could only nod. Although Mwana had long explained his awakened power to some of his friends including Kia, none of them could truly understand how powerful this innate ability made Mwana¡¯s vision and senses. His ordinary senses as well as his psychic vision and soul sense were all boosted by the Dragon Mirror eye. For others, while Mwana could explain the ability to them, they would never understand it truly since they did not have a similar power. ¡°After fighting Majimaji in his Ink Domain, I got the idea to use something to obscure people¡¯s vision in my future battles.¡± In his fight with Majimaji, anyone else would have been blind in the domain of darkness but Mwana could see because of his special ability. Therefore, he could possibly use the same tactics as Majimaji in the future and even to greater effect than the latter. Apart from the cards the two children had bought for themselves, they also bought other cheap low grade utility cards such as a tracking spell card, low level healing spell card, agility enhancing spell card, attack multiplier spell card, communication spell card, regular storage spell card, and the [Energy Bank] card which was basically an energy storage spell card. Chapter 85: Young Lord of Deity Mountain At the same time Mwana and Kia were checking out the spell cards, part of the shipment that arrived with the 3 Ignition Cores was also brought over to the same section. At this point some more people started gathering around the spell card section to see what the new goods were. Although Mwana and Kia already bought what they wanted, they also decided to stick around and see what the fuss was all about. ¡°A Supreme Rank Spell Card!¡± Someone could not help but exclaim when the package that had been brought over was opened. The first thing to be revealed was the [Shattering Void Eye] spell card. Just its design alone was already a tier above all the other cards. The card had the image of an eye drawn in intricate golden magical patterns. This was a card that directly impacted the user¡¯s abilities allowing them to see through all manner of illusions and disguises. The next card to be revealed was not shabby either. It was a double element spell card: the [Rise of the Sun] card which was Fire & Light element spell card. Apart from these two cards, 3 more Supreme Rank spell cards were revealed, these were: [Heavenly Mirror Card] ¨C This spell card had the ability to mirror the user¡¯s consciousness. [Phoenix Flame Card] ¨C This card had the power to heal the physical body through the power of Phoenix Nirvana. [Soul Recovery Card] ¨C As for this card, it was extremely rare and valuable as it could heal soul injuries. While all these cards were displayed openly, supreme rank magical items could not be bought in the Zika world. Instead, they could only be battered for items of similar value. For instance, when the treasure house worker revealed the card they elaborated that the Shattering Void Eye card could only be exchanged for a Dragon Fruit. This fruit was an extremely valuable natural resource. Even in the real world, a dragon fruit is a fruit with endless health benefits. It is expensive both in the farm and on the shelf. In the same manner, the dragon fruits of the Zika world were similar to their real world counterparts only that they were further bathed in magic and the natural mystical forces of the world. As for the other 4 cards, the worker mentioned that they could only be exchanged for a Vitality-fortifying potion or Innate Spiritual extract. Naturally, both these items were extremely valuable as they could nourish the body¡¯s vitality and refresh the soul. ¡°If you have any of these treasures, you can exchange them for the cards. The cards this time have power related to the mind, soul, and vitality so naturally the treasure house will batter them for treasures of the same kind.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. After the server made this statement, Mwana was sure that no one would offer anything. After all, this was just too expensive. This was beyond the level of ¡®ordinary rich¡¯ but alas! He was proven wrong as right behind him he heard a voice ask to batter for the soul recovery card. Mwana, Kia, and everyone else at the scene including the worker, all turned back in shock. In their sights was a young man who was probably not even 14 yet. His way of dress could only be described as regal: with a multicolored robe, jewelry made of precious gems, and headgear made of colorful rare feathers. His entire attire screamed, ¡®RICH!!!!!¡¯ ¡°Don''t even ask. Here is the extract.¡± Before the worker could even ask if the young boy had the Innate Spiritual Extract to exchange for the soul recovery card, the boy had already answered. He pulled out a small glass bottle out of thin air and handed it to the worker while the latter stood frozen in place. Usually, the treasure house worker had never seen supreme rank items exchanged so easily. From this one exchange, the worker would definitely earn a hefty commission. Mwana and Kia were shocked witnessing the actions of this moneybag that did not seem all that much older than them. ¡°Young Lord of Deity Mountain!¡± As the exchange was going on, someone in the crowd seemed to have recognized the boy and blurted out his name. Hearing his title called, the young man only turned and nodded before collecting the spell card and walking towards the higher floors of the treasure house where the Ignition Cores had been taken. Mwana was shocked to learn the identity of this boy; this was someone who a lot of the young boys in Toro would know. As for Kia, she did not know anything at all about the young heroes of Toro. After all, she had only been in Toro for a few weeks at most. Mwana went ahead to explain to Kia about some of the young heroes of Toro. Some were so famed that they ended up in an official ranking called the Young Hero Ranking. The Young Lord of Deity Mountain also had another title: The "Martial Breaker" Katana Vuma. This was not just an empty title. Just like Sama Jire the ¡°Untouchable¡± who showcased his divine skill by even dodging the attacks of General Rank combatants, Katana Vuma was famed for similarly insane martial arts feats. The ¡°Martial Breaker¡± title came from the fact that Katana could break his opponents¡¯ martial arts within 10 exchanges! No exceptions! To this day, he had never even failed once no matter how powerful or complex the martial art was. Whether it was fist arts, sword moves, military boxing, spearmanship, etcetera, it was all useless before him. Analyzing and finding the weaknesses of martial arts then exploiting those weaknesses was his forte. Katana had once made the declaration that, ¡°There is no martial art that I cannot triumph over,¡± and to this day, he was yet to be proven wrong. Although he flaunted his name as the most technical martial artist in his generation, no one could complain as none of his challengers had ever managed to last more than 10 exchanges when sparring against him. Right after Katana Vuma ascended to the higher floors of the Jia Treasure House, a commotion occurred at the entrance as many carriages, transportation magic beasts, and people piled up. All these people were here for the 3 Ignition Cores that had been taken to the 3rd floor. Among these people were representatives of the 10 Masters of Milele, as well as the servants of the town¡¯s 3 Supreme beings who surpassed even the 10 masters: The Paragons. Apart from the servants and workers of Milele¡¯s influential people, there were people from the external settlements and neighboring towns. In fact, there were even some big shots from all over Toro sandwiched among this group especially as the Grandmaster¡¯s Magic Competition was about to commence. Chaos was about to ensue in this town. What once used to be a friendly exchange between young magicians had turned into a wolves¡¯ rumble once the Grandmaster upped the rewards for this event to the point of making even peak level Masters salivate. Whatever the old wizard was planning, no one knew. Chapter 86: Young Heroes Ranking In addition to servants of reputable people, the young men and women who would participate in the upcoming magic competition flooded into the Jia Treasure House one by one. For those Mwana recognized, he made simple introductions about them to Kia. Even for those Mwana did not know, there were still some people in the hall that recognized them. The first young fellow to squeeze through the commotion at the doorway was a young white haired boy dressed in a white robe with blue patterns. The boy¡¯s entire look gave off a careless vibe; he had messy white hair and a laid back nature. Even though his clothes had been crumpled up by all the pushing, this boy simply looked unbothered. The boy¡¯s brown skin and white hair pointed to a possibility that he was most likely of mixed ethnicities. Further, the boy had a crude wooden sword on his back showing that he was a swordsman. This boy was Sakara Jina, the sole apprentice of Katakata. Name: ¡°Sleeping Sword¡± Sakara Jina Age: 12 Origin: Sunshine Wizard Hall Young Hero Ranking: #25 Sakara Jina had learned the way of the sword from Katakata the Traveler, one of the peak level masters in Milele¡¯s Sunshine Wizard Hall. The boy specialized in sword magic which put him on the path of becoming a Wizard Knight. Within the wizard hall and Milele town as a whole, Sakara was one of the two strongest young generation experts. Not only was his strength recognized in Milele town but his overall ranking in the country¡¯s younger generation was exceptionally high. He was ranked in the top 30 in the entire country! The Toro Kingdom had 3 rankings for youngsters in their country. These rankings were: Young Hero/ine Ranking: this was a ranking for children under the age of 14. Rising Dragon Ranking: age 15 to 19 Ascended Dragon Ranking: age 20 to 28 ¡°Young Chief, it looks like the place is crowded, we will a make a way for you.¡± Within a dew-green carriage parked outside the treasure house, some well built servants were speaking respectfully to a young man. The servants looked ready to join the commotion at the entrance and fight their way through for the boy. From the fact that he had several servants, a luxurious carriage, and from his way of dressing, it was clear that this boy¡¯s origins were not ordinary. In terms of how he looked and dressed, the boy wore over 10 blue, green, and white necklaces made of crustal and wooden beads. Atop his head, he had a wreath of white and purple flowers tilted to one side. Further, he wore headgear that looked like a black and white shield standing horizontally with his face at the center. Simply put, it was like a shield with a hole where one could insert their face so that the bottom part went under the chin and the top part went over the top of the head. It was like a mask without it truly being a mask. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. From the front, the headgear hid his long hair that went all the way down to his back. However, it was not just his accessories that were impressive, even his clothes showed that he was of a higher class. He was dressed in a long beautiful robe that was lavender-brown on the left side and blue-green on the right side. ¡°There is no need for you to do anything. Patience. I can¡¯t have my own servants fighting with peasants. Think about what that would do to my image.¡± In response to his servants¡¯ offer, the boy was not too impressed and directly rejected the actions with a haughty tone. ¡°Sorry Young Chief, this servant was wrong.¡± ¡°No need to be sorry, I understand. Although my family took you in, it is hard for you to get rid of that peasant mentality.¡± With a sigh, the boy continued side handedly berating his servants. ¡°We do not have to fight and scramble like some commoners. Why is that? Because what talks within a treasure house is money! This is not ¡®first-come-first-served¡¯. It is ¡®whoever has more money has the loudest voice¡¯. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Young Chief. Thank you for educating us.¡± In response to the young boy¡¯s lecture, the servants could only nod and listen. ¡°The mission this time is very important for me. That¡¯s why I had you guys gather everything and then some. I have to make father proud during this exchange and cement myself as the clans¡¯ sole inheritor making the ¡®Young Chief¡¯ name not just a title but reality! Even the prince is coming so the competition this time is no joke. Don¡¯t just look at the surface level. This competition has another hidden purpose.¡± ¡°Hidden purpose?!¡± All the servants could not help but exclaim at the same time when they heard the boy¡¯s statement. ¡°Yes, there is another hidden purpose in this competition: to measure the promise of the younger generation.¡± Hearing this, the servant¡¯s could not help but be impressed by their Young Chief¡¯s intelligence. ¡°We must succeed at all costs.¡± The boy added in an almost somber tone. ¡°Young Chief, What is there for you to worry about?¡± One of the servants could not help but comment, ¡°There is no way you the Young Chief won¡¯t stand out during this competition. After all, no one truly knows your true strength outside the family. Even the Young Heroes Ranking does not represent your true strength at all especially since you have never shown your ¡®True Face¡¯!.¡± Hearing this, a fierce but determined light entered the young boy¡¯s eyes. Indeed, he was amazing. There was no need for him to worry like some commoner. Even when greatly suppressing himself, he still had a very high raking nationwide: The #27 rank Almasi Kishirani. Name: ¡°Diamond Riot¡± Almasi Kishirani Age: 11 Origin: Million Sins Temple Young Hero Ranking: #27 Following Kishirani¡¯s arrival at the treasure house, the next young hero ranker who entered the treasure house was dressed in a thick blue robe with a large hood that could cover half the face. The robe was even thicker than any blanket. On their back, the ranker carried a huge brown sisal sack the size of an adult man which greatly contrasted to the fellow¡¯s small size. It was clear that they were extremely young, even younger than Mwana. Name: ¡°Puppet Master¡± Babu Yuvirani Age: 8 Origin: Great River Puppet School Young Heroine Ranking: #57 The ranker in question was Babu Yuvirani, a little girl who specialized in puppet magic. At her young age, her skill in puppeteering was already recognized at a national level. As for her overall talent in the mystical arts, she was definitely a prodigy. It would not be long until she entered the top 50 of the Young Hero/ine Rankings. After the little girl ascended the stairs, another young hero entered Mwana¡¯s sights. In fact, seeing this boy, Mwana instantly recognized him as he was a legend in Toro. Of all the rankers today, he also had the highest rank. Even the Young Lord of Deity Mountain was ranked lower than this boy. Although they had never fought, experts who had witnessed both boys¡¯ martial arts believed that this boy was simply better. Chapter 87: True Dragon Name When he entered the treasure house, it was not just the boy¡¯s rank that caught everyone¡¯s attention as even his way of dress was extremely unique. He had a large thick ring of beads around his face set up horizontally. This made his face look as if it was within a circular canvas or portrait. Additionally, his face was painted with white coloring on one side and Arctic green face paint on the other side. As for clothing, unlike Kishirani before him, he was only dressed in a simple shuka with sky blue, dark-blue, and white patterns. While his strength and eccentric dressing style stood out, what made him so famous that even someone like Mwana idolized him was his name: Name: ¡°Sleeping Dragon¡± xxxxxxx-X Age: 10 Origin: Rising Dragon Tower Young Hero Ranking: #12 That¡¯s right! No one could even say his true name! Even though people could read his name in their minds, they just could not understand the words let alone articulate them. This was because unlike Mwana, this boy had a True Dragon Name written in Dragon Tongue! Only those who understood and spoke dragon tongue could say the name. Even for Mwana who had experienced dreams of the Green Dragon and inherited draconic techniques, he could only read dragon tongue but could not speak it. This was because there was also a bloodline restriction on speaking dragon tongue. Simply, Mwana¡¯s bloodline was not pure enough. Unlike Mwana¡¯s ordinary human name, this boy had a true dragon name. As the name was in dragon tongue, it would come out as gibberish when someone tried to say it out loud. Therefore, people simply called the boy X or X-Dragon. Usually, to possess a True Dragon Name like X-Dragon, it came down to various factors including:
  1. Bloodline Purity
  2. Understanding your own Dragon Origin
  3. Name Bestowal by a Higher Dragon
  4. Divine Invocation: Recognition by a Dragon God
Unfortunately, Mwana did not have any of these things. Even in terms of bloodline purity, his Myriad Dragon Bloodline was the most mixed dragon bloodline there was. Following X-Dragon was another boy who looked a bit older. This boy stuck to X-dragon as if they were the best of friends but it was clear the latter did not care much for it. This boy was dressed in pure metallic purple armor and a pure black cape. On top of that, he had a thick iron Great-sword strapped to his back. Coupled with his medium-length black hair, thick eyebrows, and dark brown skin, the boy looked like someone from the Iron Fortresses at Toro¡¯s northern border. Name: ¡°Half Devil¡± Chuma Muumbaji Age: 13 Origins: Secret Origins Young Hero Ranking: #17 Chuma had received the title ¡°Half Devil¡± because of his extremely nightmarish power. Apart from this devilish power, he was also skilled in anything concerning metal which fit with his name Chuma Muumbaji [Translates to Metal Creator]. He was a skilled metal worker and smith who also excelled in [Earth Magic (Metal Style)]. However, while Chuma specialized in creating metallic tools and controlling metals, he was also experienced in elementary Spatial Magic such as the spell [Blink]. The [Blink] spell allowed users to teleport at least a few meters. While it might not be useful in covering distances, it was extremely useful in battle. This made Chuma¡¯s fighting style very reminiscent of Epesi the Teleporting Swordsman. In fact there were rumors that Chuma was an apprentice of Epesi. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Seeing all the people flowing in and all the young geniuses introduced by Mwana, Kia could not help but ask why there were so many ¡®young lords¡¯ in town. After all, she did not think a mere Candy Battle would cause such a commotion that people would even fight over entering the treasure house. Apart from that, their clothing showed that they were from all over Toro and not just locals. ¡°Truly, what event are we missing?¡± Although she did not ask this question expecting an answer, someone answered from the side, ¡°The inflow of people into Milele is for the upcoming Grand Wizarding Battle.¡± Looking to his right, Mwana was shocked to see that some extremely handsome young fella had inserted himself between him and Kia at some point. This new arrival was Almasi Kishirani and he did not waste time before introducing himself to Kia. ¡®Another wolf!¡¯ Mwana¡¯s instincts were already on alert and he did not dare hesitate to take action. Before Kishirani could say another word, Mwana had already outmaneuvered him and once again stood next to Kia in a very natural manner. At the same time, Mwana made sure to throw out some words in a mocking tone, ¡°Huh, ¡®grand wizard battle¡¯? Is that what we call a fight for sweets nowadays?¡± Hearing the mocking tone, Kishirani almost forgot that he had came over to flirt with Kia. Entering the treasure house, this girl¡¯s beauty had been the first thing he noticed. Although he gave his servants a lecture on the importance of this mission, in the end he sent his servants up to the 3rd floor in his stead while he remained to flirt! Simple hypocrisy. ¡°A fight for candy?!¡± Kishirani could not believe what he was hearing. After all, he had put so much stock into this magic competition that he could not imagine others not doing the same. ¡°This is a competition of a lifetime we are talking about; a grand battle between young magicians from all over the country.¡± Kishirani was very insistent on it being a wizarding battle to make it sound serious and less juvenile. However, for Mwana all he could think was why this fellow had come out of nowhere to try and ruin his date. ¡°Stop sugarcoating it. Go train then since it is such a serious event instead bothering complete strangers. Why are you out here lying?¡± Hearing this, Kishirani sucked his teeth in disdain at Mwana¡¯s ignorance, ¡°Mscheeew, You don¡¯t even know anything. It is actually very serious this time. It is not just a game between children.¡± ¡°Suuuure!¡± Mwana replied in a non-believing tone which made Kishirani more agitated. Sure everyone with eyes could see that this event was special this time but Mwana just did not like this guy¡¯s vibes. ¡®Why did he not ascend to the 3rd floor to fight for whatever treasure they are fighting for like the others.¡¯ It was obvious to Mwana that Kishirani just like all the other ¡®rich kids¡¯ was here for whatever treasure the Jia shop had brought in. However, instead of Kishirani going to the 3rd floor, he had his servants go up and remained down here to flirt. Just from his clothing Mwana could tell that this fellow was from an influential clan or family. Kishirani¡¯s dialect was also obvious and Mwana could tell that he was from the central lands, possibly even Ssuna, the capital city of Toro. ¡®He might even be from one of the 5 Great clans in the Capital or a disciple of one of the 8 Great Martial Schools but who cares.¡¯ Despite his suspicions, Mwana would not let status ruin his date. He did not wish to remain longer as he and Kia had already bought whatever they needed. The shop was also getting messy and crowded as more people flooded in. The two of them could no longer window-shop in peace. This time, Mwana turned the tables and took Kia¡¯s hands in a confident manner and pulled her along to leave the shop. He was no longer like his earlier self who blushed and froze when Kia had held his hand. However, as they left hand in hand, Kishirani reacted in jealousy and tried to stop Mwana from leaving by grabbing his sleeve. ¡®This fellow is simply looking for trouble!¡¯ ¡°Get off.¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯m not trying to stop you anyway. You can leave if you want,¡± Kishirani said while shiftily looking sideways at Kia. Mwana obviously understood what he was implying. It was similar to saying that Mwana could leave but Kia did not have to. ¡°You hyena! Don¡¯t make me cause a scene and humiliate you here. Mind your status rich boy.¡± Kishirani was caught off guard by the insults he was getting. Truly, his entire life the people who had spoken to him in such a rude manner could be counted on one hand. ¡°How can you be so rude to me? Do you know who my father is?¡± ¡°Why? Did your mother not tell you?¡± Before Kishirani could react in anger to Mwana¡¯s comment, a loud laugh broke out in the hall. It caused almost everyone to turn their heads. The person who was laughing was a guy dressed in red flowery clothes and wooden sandals. However, what stood out was his head; this guy had the head of a wild rabbit covered in grey and white fur. He was clearly not human. ¡°Rabbit Master!¡± Chapter 88: A Split Face On seeing this interfering character, all Kishirani could feel was anger and dread at having to interact with this ¡®animal¡¯ - an animal not just in being but in how they acted. When Kishirani tried to tell off the rabbit, ¡°You ¡­,¡± he was interrupted before he could even begin as the rabbit got in his face while laughing, ¡°Don¡¯t even say nothing to me boy. Do not dare.¡± Surprisingly, Kishirani did not dare retort. It was not that he was scared of a mere rabbit that had taken human form but anyone with a sharp sight could see that the rabbit had some dirt on him. Rabbit Master clearly knew a secret about Kishirani that instantly shut the latter up. As someone with status to the point that even his family was tied to the royal family, Kishirani had never experienced anything like what he went through today. ¡®That brat earlier and now this contemptible rabbit, how much humiliation am I supposed to stomach today?!¡¯ However, while he was angry internally, he did not react that way and simply said: ¡°Don¡¯t think I will fall for your provocations again.¡± After that statement, Kishirani left for the higher floors. Mwana and Kia had already left anyway so there was no reason to remain here and interact with this rabbit that he clearly had a negative history with. Seeing Kishirani leave without falling for his provocation, the rabbit only pouted in a cute manner as if he was innocent in all this before calling Kishirani ¡°a boring little hyena.¡± The fellow also left as he had only come here for the drama. This fellow, [Rabbit Master], was actually the older brother of the little thunder rabbit, Radi Sungura (Note: Bonus Chapter 1: Pet Life). In terms of the Zika world¡¯s classifications, this rabbit qualified as a Spiritual Animal and Magical Beast hybrid. Not only was his spirituality and intelligence high, he was also extremely talented in the mystic arts. Naturally, he was also in the top 30 of the young hero rankings. However, his celebrity status was even greater as he had taken the top medal in many regional junior racing competitions and even a national competition. ¡°Mwana, you sure love a battle of words.¡± After Mwana and Kia left the treasure house, Kia could not help but point out Mwana¡¯s ¡®love¡¯ for arguments. After all, it was just half a day and Mwana had already gotten into two verbal altercations, first with the boy who spilt his food and now with Kishirani. ¡°Sorry, sorry, that guy just got on my nerves. Maybe my nerves have been acting up the whole day.¡± ¡°We just saw something horrible in the morning. Seeing death like that, it can mess you up in a way.¡± Kia added as the two children continued walking and checking things out along the way. Indeed, the two of them had woken up to a crime scene; a brutal serial killing. Although the Zika world was a world heavy with martial battles and wars leading to children being much more mature than their age, things like murders and serial killings would still impact children like them. After all children were children. Even adults were traumatized by the scene of the brutal slaughter of the mother and child and the beheading of one of the good Samaritans. So children like them could not just brush off something like that. ¡°Anyway, we could have just left directly. If we ignored that fellow and left, he would have looked more like a fool if he tried to pester us.¡± Indeed as Kia said, if the two had left instantly without entertaining Kishirani and ignored him if he tried to follow them, he would have been less inclined to keep pestering them. When it came to such a situation that is how Kia would handle it if she was alone. ¡°What if they don¡¯t stop even after you leave?¡± Mwana could not help but ask. ¡°Well there is always the fist.¡± Although she answered with a chuckle, Mwana felt as if her words were based on experience. It was just a feeling. However, the strange thing was that as Mwana and Kia walked further and further away from the treasure house, there was someone watching them from the second floor. It was Kishirani! He kept watching the two children until their backs completely disappeared from the main street. ¡°Do you like that girl or something?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were that easy to provoke in a battle of words.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on such nonsense again especially not at such an important time. If you can do something, do it yourself. Why leave it to servants when even fellows such as Katana Vuma and X-Dragon went up themselves? Do you think you are better than them?¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Kishirani, oh Kishirani. Listen to me, do not waste your youth. All you need to do is do as I say and I can guarantee us the position of the next head of the clan. How many brothers and cousins do you have to fight against? How about your revenge against those who harmed you, insulted you, stole your birthright? Or your mother? Have you forgotten all those who spit on and shat on her name? How can you let them be? Right now you do not have time for a carefree life of chasing girls and exchanging insults with random little brats.¡± Watching from the 2nd floor, Kishirani did not utter a single word. However, if anyone who was familiar with him heard the voice speaking to him, they would be shocked as it sounded exactly like Kishirani yet he had not opened his mouth. ¡°I know I know, I have not forgotten anything but do not go breaking our agreement. I already had to sit through that dirty rabbit¡¯s insults and now you want to add on to it. Did we not agree never to bring up my mother¡¯s issue again? Or are my thoughts just air to you?! Keep your silence where it matters otherwise I will seal you forever! Your face will never see the light till the day I die!¡± Kishirani¡¯s response to the hidden voice was full of threats and anger. One thing he could not tolerate was anyone bringing up anything about his mother. It was Kishirani¡¯s biggest shame. In response to Kishirani¡¯s outburst, the voice only answered in disdain and contempt, ¡°Everything you are is because of me. Do not ever forget that. You are nothing without me. Nothing! You hear me! Nothing! Nothing!¡± The voice got louder and louder as it seemed to be extremely angry. ¡°How dare you threaten me? Threaten my freedom? Who do you think I am?¡± Along with the angry voice, Kishirani¡¯s headgear also broke apart falling to the ground. Even though the room was calm, his long hair started to move wildly as if a strong wind was blowing across it. If one looked closely, it seemed as if something was about to burst forth from beneath his thick long hair. In response to this outburst, Kishirani did not take it seriously. He only calmly walked to the shattered pieces of his headgear and picked them up before responding, ¡°Get angry all you want, but you have no right or say in how I live my life. I will threaten you now, I threatened you before, and I will threaten you again. What can you do about it?¡± With those words, he finally left the 2nd floor and ascended to the 3rd floor to join the scramble for the Ignition Cores. ¡°Only I can help you. Only I can. Only me. It is only me. Me. me¡­¡± As he left, only the echo of a fading voice remained. At the same time Kishirani ascended to the third floor of the treasure house, Mwana and Kia who had entered another street, turned back in the direction of the Jia Treasure Shop at the same time. ¡°You sensed that right?¡± Kia was the first to ask. ¡°Yeah, it was so eerie. Like an invisible parasite stuck to our back.¡± In Mwana¡¯s case, his soul strength and the Dragon Mirror Eye made his overall sensory perception extremely high. ¡°Who was that? Kishirani?¡± As Kishirani had introduced himself to Kia before Mwana had cut him off, Kia knew his name. ¡°Yup.¡± Mwana confirmed her guess as he had just sensed the same aura as Kishirani only this time it felt countless times more dangerous and sinister. Hearing this, Kia could not help but ask Mwana if that was the reason he had been hostile to Kishirani from the first moment he appeared. After all, she knew that Mwana¡¯s senses were extremely sharp. In fact, his senses were sharp enough that Mwana had even been recognized by an Honored Detective of the Silver Eagle Corps. ¡°Mmmhh? Yeah, yeah.¡± After momentary confusion, Mwana readily agreed with Kia¡¯s assumption even though the only reason he was so hostile to Kishirani was due to jealousy. After all, Kishirani was more handsome, richer, taller, muscular, and even better dressed than him. The fellow had also been trying to flirt with Kia and ruin his date so Mwana had reacted negatively in an instant. After the two children left the treasure house, their next destination was a racing track. ¡°You will never forget this. It is like a Racing Game where you sit on a flying T shaped vehicle.¡± Mwana was excitedly describing this racing game where people would ride a magical vehicle across a long racing track. The device was called ¡®The T Flying Swallow¡¯ and it basically looked like a thick bicycle handle with a flat horizontal body to seat on but no wheels as it could hover above the ground. The reason these vehicles could hover and fly was because they were equipped with flight-type magic enchantments. In terms of their build, T flying Swallows were made from all sorts of materials from wood to metal to other sorts of natural elements. Not only did they have practical applications, T Flying Swallows were also used recreationally as both kids and adults loved riding them. However, when Mwana and Kia reached the track, they were disappointed to find that the establishment was closed. They could only turn back and leave dejectedly. On the way back, Mwana and Kia started discussing the upcoming magic competition considering they heard that it would be a serious affair this time. ¡°I will not participate but Fury definitely will.¡± Given her talent in magic, Kia was not confident in participating in a magic competition. After all, her main focus lay in training her physical strength using the Gates technique. It could be said that she walked a true body forging martial path. ¡°I pity those who will face her,¡± Mwana could not help but add with a chuckle, ¡°then talk of the devil¡­¡± ¡°¡­and the devil appears.¡± A voice continued Mwana¡¯s sentence from right beside his ear. He was so spooked that he almost jumped out of his shoes. However, it was obvious to him who this new fellow was. It was Fury, Mwana¡¯s cousin Fury Jin Jua. Author Note Question 1: What do you think is Kishirani¡¯s true identity? Question 2: What is his secret? New Words Kishirani ¨C his name is a play on Kishi and Kisirani. Kisirani means to throw a tantrum. Almasi ¨C Diamond Jina ¨C Name Sakara ¨C mess something up, stir stuff up. Babu ¨C Grandfather Yuvirani ¨C within something, amidst something Chapter 89: Jua Jodenia Indeed the person Mwana and Kia bumped into was Fury who seemed to have just woken up. "It is past midday!" Mwana exclaimed in an incredulous tone. In fact for a person like him who saw 4 hours of sleep as too much sleep, this was a huge shock to him. He kept repeating the sentence: ¡°it is past midday,¡± over and over again out of pure shock but Fury just lazily scratched her stomach with an unperturbed look on her face. "The journey was tiresome. I had to get that sleep in one way or another." Fury smacked Mwana on the mouth before continuing, "You know I don''t compromise on rest." ¡°You hungry?¡± This time it was Kia who spoke. ¡°Of course I¡¯m hungry.¡± Hearing Fury¡¯s answer, Mwana pulled out the remaining snacks and even meat skewers he had picked up along the way. Even Kia handed Fury some of her own snacks and street food. There was bread, meat skewers, roast sweet potatoes, some fruits, and other strange things. Even for the few snacks that Mwana did not hand over, Fury had already grabbed them herself as she started to wolf down on everything like a starving hyena. Earlier, when the Axum-obsessed boy bumped into Mwana, most of the snacks had fallen to the ground so Mwana and Kia were also starting to feel the hunger set in. Therefore, the three children were on their way to meet up for lunch with Jodenia, Vitali, and other children from the Jua village who had been on the same caravan as them ¡°Hey, will you even have room for lunch after this?¡± Seeing Fury eat endlessly, Kia could not help but ask whether the former would even have space left in her stomach for an actual full meal. ¡°Of course, skewers aren''t even food. It is just a snack, a snack.¡± Seeing Fury eat, Mwana felt his stomach start to rumble. ¡®The wait for lunch will be long, first we have to get there, then meet up with Jodenia and the others, then struggle against other eaters considering the time, then order, then wait for the order, all before we can eat. Will I even make it through all that?¡¯ He was getting tired just from thinking of the entire process. With this thinking, Mwana decided to a buy another snack. This time he got the Zig Zag Honey-dipped Meat Skewers. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Obviously, Mwana could not be selfish and bought some for Fury and Kia too. However, when he handed Fury the zig zag skewer she almost broke it causing the meat fall off. Luckily, Mwana was fast enough to catch it. ¡°Ai, why are you so clumsy with food?¡± As she ate, Fury kept making random comments about the snacks and meat as if she was a chef judge, ¡°Sweet chewy and soft¡­the flavors busting in your mouth¡­the taste of sweet honey and sour spices¡­the perfect texture¡­the scent of spring breeze¡­a triple threat of flavor, texture, and scent.¡± As the 3 headed towards a restaurant to quell their hunger, Mwana sent a message to Jodenia through his Moon Bracelet. While the bracelets were not meant for communication, they could still send simple messages within a short distance. As Mwana had been to Milele before, he was the one to choose their lunch spot. It was an external restaurant named ¡®Barbecue House¡¯ so it obviously had barbecue as its main attraction. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. When nearing the restaurant, the 3 children finally caught sight of Jodenia approaching them while sprinting. From a distance Mwana could see that Jodenia was rushing towards them with a look of excitement on his face. Others may not know but Mwana understood what was going through this fellow¡¯s mind so he accelerated his eating speed and wiped out all his skewers. When Jodenia finally arrived, the only thing waiting for him was the sight of Mwana licking his fingers and the scent of honey-dipped roast meat. ¡°Aish! Mwas, greed does not pay. You couldn¡¯t even leave me a piece?¡± Both Jodenia¡¯s mouth and stomach grumbled at the same time. Jua Jode or by his full name Jua Jodenia was one of Mwana¡¯s classmates at White Rock Academy. He was almost a year older than Mwana and was already 11 years old. In terms of his physical appearance, Jodenia definitely could not be described as ordinary. Even for his age, he was already very tall, almost a head taller than Mwana. He had Mohawk locks, a thin triangular face, and very dark skin. In terms of accessories and dressing, he had white face paint around his eyes and part of his cheeks with black dots that looked like cowry shells distributed across the face paint. Around his arms, Jodenia had multiple golden bangles covering his hands from the elbow to the wrist. Further he had a piece of brown animal fur around his neck that looked almost like a wreath. In terms of clothes, he was only dressed in a simple red shuka with white patterns of shields on it. While he was not dressed that fancily, his way of dress said, ¡®this guy is going somewhere¡¯ unlike Fury¡¯s attire which screamed, ¡®this fellow just got out of bed¡¯. While Jodenia and Mwana were not the best of friends, they had some close ¡®collaborations¡¯ here and there as ¡®little businessmen¡¯ like them liked to call it. In fact Jodenia had been Mwana''s ¡®spy¡¯ who had been watching Uchoyo all along to help in Mwana¡¯s ¡®revenge plot¡¯ against the bully. Jodenia¡¯s family was neighbors with Uchoyo¡¯s family so it was easy for the boy to keep tabs on the bully and inform Mwana. His payment for this business arrangement had been all kinds of sweets that Mwana could find. This was because Jodenia was actually a sweets aficionado. He could skip out on anything but never sweets. In fact, the only reason this guy was here for the Magic Candy Battle was not to test his strength against other young magicians or show off his skill, he was here for the purest reason: the actual magic candy. After Jodenia arrived, the other children from the Jua village also arrived one by one and by the time they met up with the last kid, the group had already arrived at the Barbecue House. The new arrivals were, Vitali, Teso, and Maisha who were all Mwana¡¯s classmates. Vitali stood out among them for her unique way of dress that was different from how any tribe in Toro dressed. As previously mentioned, this girl was the daughter of immigrants from the Eastern lands across the seas. With Toro and Eastern Jin¡¯s closeness to the Dream Ocean (Eastern Sea), both countries received many immigrants on a yearly basis. While would later leave, others settled for good and even had families. As for the other two girls, one of them was Teso who actually had some history with Mwana. In fact, this girl once used to have a crush on Mwana but the two ended up falling out due to how she chose to express that. The girl had chosen to use the "bullying the one you love" tactics which Mwana could not tolerate especially as someone who had experienced bullying before at the hands of characters like the Majimaji cousins. The other girl was Jua Maisha, a quiet and reserved girl who did not exude much of a presence. Just like everyone else, Maisha had come to the town for her own reasons. She came to Milele town to meet her mother. Maisha¡¯s mother was actually an important big shot in the government as she was a high level provincial officer. After the group arrived at the Barbecue House, Mwana¡¯s worst fears were confirmed. The place was packed! By the time they were getting served, they had waited in line for almost an hour! Everyone was almost dying of hunger. Chapter 90: Silver Guard Reserve Candidate Card Lunch Scene¡­ ¡°Wololoyaye, when will we ever eat?!¡± At the entrance of the restaurant, Jodenia was busy complaining as he wiped away beads of sweat from his face. After arriving at the restaurant, not only did they have to line up and wait for empty seats to open up, they still had to wait an even longer time for their order to be delivered. At this time, the group¡¯s stomachs were rumbling and Jodenia did not forget to remind Mwana over and over again. ¡°You should have chosen a less busy place. I don¡¯t care how good the food is here, I just want to fill my stomach.¡± After they finally sat down and met the server, tons of meat dishes were ordered. Apart from Vitali who was a vegetarian, everyone else was basically ordering plates upon plates of meat. After all, this was a barbecue place, the Barbecue House! As they waited for the food, the children started chatting about their day. While some like Fury had slept all the way to midday, the rest had all done various activities across Milele. When they heard about Mwana and Kia¡¯s experience at the Milele outskirts crime scene as well as the arrival of the Silver Guard, naturally everyone was shocked. ¡°Even a town like Milele is not safe. No wonder we are not allowed to leave the village until we step into Bone Forging. It seems that even a Normalization Magic Formation can only do so much to deter crime.¡± Teso commented when she heard about the murder of the mother and daughter earlier in the town. ¡°Indeed, evil is evil, whether powerful or powerless.¡± With Mwana¡¯s answer, the topic of the Silver Guard also came up including Mwana receiving a card from Mr. Black, an Honored Detective of the Silver Eagle Corps. Kia narrated the entire encounter with Mr. Black and how the latter recognized Mwana¡¯s talents and gave him a card. From the side, Mwana had a shy and abashed look as someone who was uncomfortable with getting praised by others. ¡°Then take it out, let us see it already!¡± From Jodenia¡¯s excitement, one would think he was the one offered the card but Mwana still took it out and gave it to him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°I still don¡¯t know everything about it though, apart from the Bureau and other general details, there isn¡¯t anything on it.¡± Mwana said while handing the card to Jodenia to inspect. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything? That¡¯s where you are wrong. See.¡± With the card on hand, Jodenia swiped his other hand across the card which revealed a row of words written in glowing golden script that perfectly contrasted against the Card¡¯s deep black color. ¡°Those words were not there before! How did you do it?!¡± ¡°Ha haaa. You wanna know? You wanna know so bad right?¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s desperate tone, naturally Jodenia could not help but drag out the answer. The reason Mwana was so surprised was that the card that was once blank now had his name, age, and some of his other personal details somehow engraved on the card. It was truly mystical. Unlike the Moon Bracelet where students had to enter the initial personal details themselves with the rest of the details captured and measured off body contact, the card even got Mwana¡¯s name and age without him entering anything. After some back and forth with Jodenia playing ¡®hard to get¡¯, he finally answered Mwana¡¯s question, ¡°It is a transaction, specifically a transaction between the card and your moon bracelet. Once you verbally accepted the card, it was like giving it permission and access to your bracelet. This is why you should never just trust anyone or accept what others offer carelessly. You are lucky this time it was a Silver Guard, but even cons sometimes use such methods.¡± Hearing this, everyone slightly become a bit warier of what they accepted from others in the future. However, they could not help but wonder how Jodenia discovered everything so quickly the instant he held the card. ¡°How did you know? You even revealed the hidden words.¡± Jodenia¡¯s response was simple, ¡°How would I not know, Transaction Magic and Mystical Arts are my expertise.¡± In the same way that Sealing Magic was Mwana¡¯s Magic Form, Jodenia¡¯s expertise was Transaction Magic ¨C a type of magic that governed exchanges between different parties. With this magic a user could even lend magic to other magicians or borrow power from others at a cost. This was a very useful skill for team leaders within a magic squad. As the other kids also examined the card, Mwana also found out that the card even had a communication formation within it. This was revealed by Teso who specialized in Communication Magic. It meant that the card could be used as a mode of communication with the Silver Eagle Corps. However, the effective communication range was unknown. Overall, this card known as the Reserve Candidate Card of the Silver Guard probably had even more uses that Mwana was yet to know. Chapter 91: A Date, Part 3 – Food Garden As the conversation continued among the growling and grumbling of stomachs, the first dish was finally brought to the table. Before the servers even set down the pot and the wooden trays, Fury and Jodenia had already pounced on the food. Not only were there even more meat skewers courtesy of Fury, there was also a multiple pieces of chopped steak. It was a sumptuous and heavy meal. ¡°Mmmmm, meat skewers with just the right amount of fat. Ooooh, roasted garlic skewers combined with cumin seeds and some chilli! Mmmmm, forms the ultimate bite.¡± Fury was already on her third or fourth bite by the time the food rested on the table. While Mwana and Kia were taking their first bites, Fury and Jodenia were already bolting through the meal. Fury focused on her favorite skewered foods and Jodenia attacked the steak and chopped meat frenziedly while giving commentary here and there, ¡°This is all good however the strong part is still the lamb chops which are just legendary.¡± ¡°Noooo, it has to be this Marble Steak, not only does it have more fat but it is also served with greens which neutralize some of the excessive meatiness. It feels almost like eating glass-like meat, a food for the gods.¡± This time, Mwana had finally gotten his hands on a different type of meat, the Marble Steak, a famous meal that originated from Pepeo the Butterfly Country. However, while everyone else was busy devouring the various meat dishes like voracious wolves, Vitali just sat there eating her greens peacefully. ¡®Scrunch, scrunch, scruuuuuunch.¡¯ Although she was eating slowly, the crunch of the vegetables was still audible across the entire table as the greens were basically huge crunchy leaves. ¡°Meeeheheee!¡± The sound came out of nowhere almost making everyone spit out their food in shock and laughter. Naturally, it was Jodenia who would make such a crude joke. As for Vitali, she continued eating her greens while looking around innocently when she noticed everyone¡¯s attention on her. Clearly she enjoyed her food so much that she did not even register that someone had made a ¡®goat joke¡¯ at her expense. For his crimes, Kia gave Jodenia a strong bomp to the head while berating him. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of other people¡¯s cultures.¡± After coming to Toro and the Jua village, Vitali and Maisha were two of the girls who had befriended Kia. Although they had only known each other for a short while, they quickly felt connected to one another. The group continued eating and laughing while making merry until their next dish arrived. This time it was a Fish dish. The first taste almost killed Mwana, ¡°Hsssssssssss!¡± His mouth was boiling like a furnace and his tongue was out like a snake. However, while he was in pain, he still praised this first bite for its exceptionality: ¡°One thing I love about Thuo food is that when they say spicy, they are not kidding around! The texture is amazing too, like ¡®silk running through your tongue¡¯ as they say.¡± The last sentence was said in the Thuo people¡¯s language as fishing and fish food was their area of expertise. As previously mentioned, Milele was a melting pot of different peoples and ethnicities. This was one of the reasons why the food was also so diverse. In the same manner, the entire Toro Kingdom was also a mixed porridge of different ethnicities each with their own culture and language. In the days before the fall of Muwawa, there had been even more tribal diversity in this region. For that reason, the ancient rulers chose the Ssunamani language as the national and official language of the nation. Apart from this language, there were many other major languages such as the Dari language spoken by Mwana¡¯s Jemedari tribe, Jinjiri language spoken in Eastern Jin, Desert Peoples Mwamba language, Oyo people language, Thuo-lu language spoken by Thuo fishermen, and Eastern Province¡¯s Mwaki language among others. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. To the south, the Southern Barbarians spoke the Uungo language ¨C a unification language for their people¡¯s numerous dialects. Further to the north, the North Eastern Nomadic tribes spoke the Rokoiyan language groups which contained a mixture of dialects from all over the continent due to the mobility of those living the nomadic pastoralist lifestyle. As for the western regions of Toro, the main language used was the Western Abamuntu language spoken by tribes of the former Wanga kingdom which existed over half a millennium ago. Naturally, with over 50 tribes in the nation, dozens of unique languages, and hundreds of dialects, it was necessary to find a common language to unify everyone. For that purpose, Ssunamani was chosen. The Ssunamani language (named after the Capital of Toro) which was also simplified to the Suna language was the unifier to all the different people of Toro. For children like Mwana, the languages he could speak started with his mother tongue ¨C the Dari language, then the official or national language ¨C Suna language; as for everything after that, it was all up to the individual on what languages to learn. As the children continued fawning over the Thuo people¡¯s fish dishes, they witnessed something that made them feel almost ashamed. ¡°What did I just witness?!!¡± Unlike her usual calm nature, Kia reacted loudly in shock. The sight in front of her would shock anyone. While it just seemed as if someone had ordered a huge meat dish, that clearly was not all there was to it. ¡°That is insane. I''m fully convinced that Milele people are on a completely different level when it comes to food and the eating experience.¡± Everyone watching the scene could only nod and agree with her words especially those who were visiting the town for the first time. Everyone had just witnessed a family order a huge crispy fish that was so large that it covered the entire table! This was not a small table, but one that was over 2 meters in length and width! The restaurant was suddenly filled with exclaims, ¡°Is that really fish? It''s gotta be over 2 meters!¡± Even the waiters were grunting and heaving when taking the fish to the table. That¡¯s just how heavy it was. Before it was uncovered, some people even thought that someone had ordered a full cow but it was actually a fish?! When everyone, especially Mwana¡¯s group, compared the fish to their own orders, they could only feel shock and some shame resulting in silent sighs everywhere, ¡®We really are not as good as them.¡¯ What most people did not know was that the family ordering the fish was the famous ¡®Talisman¡¯ family whose members lived in both Milele and Uhai town. By their family name, it was obvious that they specialized in talisman making. Today the family was having a feast to celebrate the return of one of their younger generations from the Capital. This was not just an ordinary kid, but someone in the official nation rankings, Jura Hirizi ¡°Talisman¡± also known as Jura Talisman. In addition to the giant fish, an additional egg dressing was added making the meal something that Mwana did not understand. ¡°I can¡¯t even understand how those two go together.¡± In his mind, Mwana could only see the two different foods clashing in terms of taste especially as the egg was still in a state between liquid and solid. ¡°Fish with egg dressing is a common food in Eastern Jin. It is really good especially when ¡®water-retaining¡¯ fish is served with Volcanic Bird eggs.¡± According to Kia, the volcanic bird eggs in question had a molten lava-like look when cooked which balanced the water retained within that particular fish species. ¡°I''m so craving an egg dish right now; something spicy.¡± Seeing the Talisman family¡¯s meal, Kia¡¯s craving for eggs was stoked. ¡°You could get the egg lake; it is simply heaven.¡± The egg lake that Mwana mentioned was just a huge bowl filled with eggs. While Mwana and Kia were still conversing, they heard Fury exclaim from the side as clearly something else had shocked her. ¡°There are no jokers in this place!¡± This time it was single person who seemed to have ordered a ¡®meal for 6 people¡¯ before devouring it all by themselves! ¡°Waiter, bring us the boiling egg lake!¡± Seeing other people in the restaurant ¡®get to work¡¯ on food quantities the kids didn¡¯t dare imagine, they all got pumped up and made more orders. Anyway, it was not their money they were spending. They were just spending the adults¡¯ money given to them. This time the adults travelled to Milele town for a mission, an escort mission to be precise. They had received some money for at least the basics including food before the journey even began. Some of that money was allocated to the kids as allowance which the children later pooled together to cover the food cost. As a result, they would be able to eat very well although who knew if the money would even last 2 days at the rate they were wolfing things down. With this thought in mind, Mwana instantly started formulating plans to make money in Milele town. ¡®I could try selling artwork or some of my cloth designs. I still don¡¯t know if we will be able to close the deal with mother (in this case - Mwana¡¯s aunt) to promote the clothes we make in Milele. Or maybe I could try doing some smith-work, but this does not seem feasible.¡¯ Chapter 92: A Date, Part 4 – Lovers Net Act 1: Eat! ¡­ When the egg lake was brought over, it looked like it was boiling and sizzling while producing endless steam. However, this was the egg lake¡¯s normal state especially as it was made from the eggs of a Red-beaked Fire Bird. It did not even need to be cooked to emit heat. For this reason, the evaporating part of the egg actually had some consequences on whoever chose to eat it. After the vapor rose into the air, it would condense into solid after a while before sticking to the hair, skin, and clothes of the eaters. It would be a mess all around. Therefore, Mwana chose to put a Lovers Net that he knitted himself on Kia¡¯s hair in order to protect it. The lowers net was an elegant white mesh net with glittering stars made of white and transparent minerals. ¡°It looks really beautiful on you.¡± The sight of the net on Kia¡¯s head was so breathtaking that Mwana almost forgot to breath. "Lovers Net?" Seeing what Mwana had placed on her head, Kia had a light smirk on her face, ¡°Aren''t you moving way too fast?" Hearing this, Mwana started stammering while waving his hands desperately, ¡°That¡­ that¡­ that was not my intention.¡± He had never been so nervous. In response, Kia just laughed at Mwana¡¯s antics, ¡°I was just teasing you.¡± The Lovers Net in question was naturally a symbol of love in the Zika world. Its origin came from ancient legend about a celestial maiden who had been forcefully separated from her lover due to tradition. The maiden made the net for her lover and through its threads the two were connected even when separated by space and time. While Kia ate the egg lake, she kept conversing with Mwana and he even moved over to ¡®prey¡¯ on some of her food. While Kia tried to ¡®defend¡¯ her lake at first arguing that he could have just ordered his own, in the end she gave in and allowed Mwana to eat with her. Along their conversation, Mwana got bolder and bolder. He went from cracking jokes to even promising to enter top 10 of the Candy Battle so that he could buy a magic hairpin for Kia. It sounded as if he was just a moment away from proposing marriage. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. From the side, Jodenia was getting more and more jealous seeing Mwana and Kia flirt and argue. He could not help but vent to Fury about it. However, Fury was oblivious to whatever this fellow was even trying to say and only berated him for his insinuations. ¡°Your eyes are tinted by your hyena-like nature. If this continues you will be a menace to women.¡± ¡°It is puberty, puberty. I am already 11 years old now. I''m not a kid anymore.¡± Jodenia could only defend himself by mentioning his age but Fury¡¯s response almost made him spit out his food. ¡°Puberty what''s that?¡± She asked in innocent questioning tone which left Jodenia smug as he poked her head. ¡°See you''re a still a kid, ha ha.¡± However, the response he got was Fury slapping away his hand and smacking him in the head, ¡°Puberty my foot, dumbass! You think I don''t know. If you are acting this way now, how will you act when you are older? You will be a dog, a hyena in fact. Get your brain in line, you hear me?¡± Fury berated him while holding down his head in a lock and repeatedly giving him thunderous smacks to the back of the head. The smacks constantly echoed across the entire restaurant even attracting attention to the groups¡¯ table. Jodenia could only repeatedly say ¡°Yes¡± in a distressed tone in order to get Fury off his neck. ¡®I am the victim here. Mwana was clearly flirting with Kia but you somehow cannot see that, but when I mention it, I get beat?¡¯ Although he thought this, he did not dare say it lest he get more embarrassed. ¡®I should have just spoken to Teso instead.¡¯ After the fish and the egg lake, another delicacy was brought over to the table. This time it was Crying Panther Beef. This type of beef was a delicacy all over Toro. As for its name, some said it was called ¡®Crying Panther¡¯ because of the hissing sound produced when it was roasted on a grill. ¡°It is one of the most delicious, straight up grilled beef you can imagine.¡± Before they even started eating, Mwana was already hyping it up. Even the aroma alone was enough to entice a pure vegetarian like Vitali. ¡°Ho ho wow, that is delicious!¡± ¡°That is so meaty and garlicky.¡± ¡°The fat¡¯s flavor is transforming everything! God has descended!¡± All sorts of comments were uttered as the group tore apart the meat. Their table full of new and old dishes and everything was just scattered everywhere. Apart from the beef, there was also fragrant fermented source in a wooden pot to dip the beef in and enhance its flavor. It was simply heavenly. While dipping some of the beef into the sauce, Kia could not help but praise it endlessly, ¡°This is supreme!¡± ¡°In fact other meats should build an altar to worship this Crying Panther Beef. It is just that good.¡± The table was just filled with sounds of tearing meat, chewing, even crushing bone, followed by swallowing gulps and satisfied moans. With the strength of the group¡¯s physical bodies, bones, and teeth after reaching Bone Forging, not even the bones of the meal were spared. Everything was devoured cleanly! ¡­ Chapter 93: The Heroic Trio Act 2: The Strongest ¡­ As Mwana¡¯s group ate, they also spoke about the upcoming Magic Competition and the participants who had streamed into Milele for the Candy Battle from all over Toro. ¡°Have a look at this.¡± Jodenia pulled out a booklet showing it to everyone. ¡°The Top 100 of the Young Heroes Ranking!¡± With exclamations, everyone huddled over to check out the booklet. In fact, Jodenia had actually purchased this booklet containing the top 100 of the Young Heroes Ranking only this morning. While 100 people made up the long list, it was only the top 20 who received in depth explanations in the booklet. Those in the Top 50 only had their details listed but no further information while those from the 51st position down to 100th position had only their names listed with no further information. In such a list children like Mwana could never hope to even appear in the top 100. It was not because of lacking resources or talent, but also an issue of visibility. After all, the makers of the rankings were only human. It was unlikely for them to know about brats from random villages. However, the first name made everyone turn to Mwana in shock for a moment as the name at the front was: ¡°Mwana.¡± ¡°Mwana?! Ooh it is Mwana Mtakatifu. So it is just a namesake, huh.¡± Even Mwana found himself sighing in shock. ¡°It seems this is the first time the true name of the Sacred Religion¡¯s Holy Son is revealed to the public.¡± Indeed, while everyone knew who the number 1 on the list was, his true name had never been revealed till today so no one knew he was Mwana¡¯s namesake. Instead of his real name, people only referred to him as ¡°Light¡± or simply ¡°Holy Son¡±. His details on the booklet were as follows: Name: Mwana Mtakatifu ¡°The Holy Son¡± Origin: Sacred Light Religion Young Hero Ranking: #1 Magic Form: Holy Magic Psychic Talent: Atomic Matter Manipulation Inborn Power: Human Divinity Inherited Physique: Mortal God Physique ¨C God of Light Model Details: The first position on the Young Heroes Ranking hailing from the Sacred Light Religion. Mwana Mtakatifu is the son of the Sacred Light Religion Mistress and the Dark Kingdom¡¯s God of War. With his name Mtakatifu meaning ¡®Holy¡¯, he is an expert in Holy Light Mystical Arts. Perhaps the scariness of his innate talent stems from his ability to harness the power of faith as the Sacred Light Religion¡¯s future Saint and as a descendant of the God of Light. Mtakatifu¡¯s perverse strength could be attributed to both his parents but mostly his mother¡¯s lineage. Through his mother, he received the position of the Holy Son of Sacred Light Religion as well as the God Body inherited from his and his mother¡¯s ancestor. Naturally, his physique which touched on the divine offered him a body with extreme strength. Reading through Mtakatifu¡¯s details, Kia commented on his father too as the man was no slouch either according to his description. ¡°Even his father is the God of War of the Dark Kingdom! What a great status! Apparently, the father has an innate psychic ability to manipulate matter with his mind. While such mental abilities are not usually hereditary unlike physical powers, it seems that his son also inherited this power!¡± ¡°With such powers no wonder he is #1 in his generation.¡± Even Fury who always saw herself as superior had to give him his due. ¡°Indeed. Who could possibly even match him?¡± While Mwana and the other kids from the village already had an idea of the top 10 positions, Kia and Fury were not as knowledgeable in most matters about Toro. Mwana took the initiative to answer Kia¡¯s questions, ¡°You would be surprised but there is actually someone who is his match! I heard that Mtakatifu and the #2 have fought over a dozen times and their battle record is actually 14:12!¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that the fellow ranked second has actually won 12 out of 26 matches?! Who is it?¡± While asking, Fury had already grabbed the booklet herself to flip to the next page. Expectedly, the reason the 2nd position could challenge the Holy Son was because they had an even more perverse innate ability: Negation - the ability to negate any power no matter how powerful the opponent. In fact, it was not just ordinary power negation but a complete negation or all supernatural powers that brought opponents down to her level. In such a way, she could even the playing field with anyone no matter how powerful they were. When it came to such innate abilities, they usually either originated from one¡¯s bloodline or a special mental awakening. However, there were rare times where people were born with abilities or awakened them later in life due to a random mutation such as with the rank #2. In such a case, the person simply had unique powers that no one else in their family had ever possessed. The strange thing with such innate abilities was that they were completely unconnected to any sort of training or martial arts. On looking at the second page, everyone finally saw who the #2 position was. Although their real name was not revealed, their title or alias ¡°Nyikang¡± was highlighted. Name: ¡°Nyikang¡± Origin: Shilluk World Young Hero Ranking: #2 Magic Form: Magic Cancelling Inborn Power: Absolute Negation Inherited Physique: Nyikang Sun Striking Body Weapon: Nyikang¡¯s Sun Hunting Adze In the distant past, the semi-legendary founder of the ancient Shilluk Kingdom gained fame and worship across the world through his mighty yet controversial actions. He was a man that dared to throw an Adze at the Sun! His actions shaved away some of the sun¡¯s essence while insulting the Sun God in the process. However, Nyikang was also recognized as a notion, specifically about how people comprehended unity and coherence in the Shilluk World. So not only was the name ¡°Nyikang¡± used to refer to a legendary figure, it was also a concept representing unification with others and the world as a whole. Naturally, the girl ¡°Nyikang¡± was a descendant of the legendary figure. After the Holy Son and Nyikang, the third person on the ranking was someone who was not any weaker than the two of them. In fact if any of the two were to compete with him, it might just end up as a stalemate due to this person¡¯s heaven-defying unique ability. Name: Sama Jire ¡°The Untouchable¡± Origin: Eastern Border Protection Army Young Hero Ranking: #3 Magic Form: Oracle Spear Arts Inborn Power: Perfect Prediction Just from the short rows of words, this person was the most ¡®normal¡¯ in the top 3. He did not have any unique weapons or mighty physique. Even in terms of bloodline, as the son of the Blue Smoke General and someone with a vampiric bloodline, Jire had long sealed his own bloodline to avoid bringing the same terrible fate that killed his mother and grandmother towards other women. As the concept of special physiques was also connected to bloodlines, Jire naturally did not have any unique physique. However, despite this it could be said that his strength was not much less than the other 2 in the top 3 due to his almost divine prediction abilities which were effective even against high level experts. ¡°It seems that this guy is the most normal in the top 3. He does not have so many additional lines.¡± This time even the usually quiet Maisha spoke up to comment. ¡°What are you talking about ¡®most normal¡¯? He is still an absolute monster.¡± In addition to Fury who responded to Maisha, everyone else agreed that although Jire did not seem to have as large a background as the other two, he was still extremely monstrous. Mwana also chimed in highlighting Jire¡¯s extraordinary nature, ¡°In fact, his lack of a special physique just shows how talented he is as he can keep up with all the top 10 when they seem to have one unique physique after another. Who knew physiques were like cabbages nowadays! I would sure like to meet this Sama Jire one day.¡± However, what Mwana did not know when making this statement was that he had already met this Sama Jire! Looking at the top 10 of the Young Heroes Rankings, the two most noticeable things were the two additional rows for inborn power and inherited physique. In terms of physique in the top 10, only Sama Jire did not have one. ¡°How can they have their physiques already? Others have to go through multiple bloodline awakenings to even dream of awakening and solidifying their physique!¡± Jodenia could not help but lament at the unfairness of the world. Indeed in the Zika world, most people would at least need 3 Bloodline Awakenings to even touch physique awakening. After the initial Bloodline Awakening, the 2nd awakening came during the Blood Boiling realm while the 3rd awakening was during Solid Body Casting. Through the casting process, the warriors¡¯ physiques were awakened and strengthened in preparation to entering the path of a Crystal Warrior. ¡°Bloodline purity; the answer is always bloodline purity.¡± Sigh. For someone like Mwana with a mixed bloodline, the importance of bloodline purity was all too clear. However, Sama Jire¡¯s situation did give him some hope as the latter had even sealed his bloodline yet still managed to remain undefeated. Although Mwana did not have some overpowered inborn power like Jire, the latter still inspired him. Naturally, the top 3 were different from everyone else on the list. These three, Mwana Mtakatifu, Nyikang, and Sama Jire, were on a completely different level from everyone else including the others in the top 5. Therefore, the three this received the informal title of ¡°The Heroic Trio.¡± Chapter 94: Those at the Top The Heroic Trio were the 3 strongest young generation experts in Toro but the figure who was ranked below them was also very strong. While the number 4 on the Young Heroes Rankings was a bit away from matching up to them, he was still a very influential figure in the nation. Name: Prince Baraza ¡°The Council¡± Origin: Toro Royal Family Young Hero Ranking: #4 Magic Form: classified Inborn Power: classified Inherited Physique: classified ¡°Why is every important detail classified?¡± Vitali was shocked to see that the important details in Prince Baraza¡¯s entry were all obscured. All one could learn was his rank, name, and origin but as a prince of Toro, everyone already knew this so it was not new information. ¡°This is the privileges of the royal family.¡± Although Maisha simply stated the truth, everyone felt that it was a bit unfair. ¡°So unfair to everyone else!¡± As a prince of Toro and one of Bemba¡¯s descendants, Baraza¡¯s important information was heavily protected. In a way this was also to protect the overall secrets of the royal family. Since his page did not have much information, Fury quickly flipped to the next page and the person on that page left all of them shocked. Name: ¡°Ice Maiden¡± Origin: Mwezi clan of Jemedari tribe Young Hero Ranking: #5 Magic Form: Frost-Moon Celestial Magic Inborn Power: Waning Moon Inherited Physique: Celestial Moon Body That¡¯s right, it was someone from the Mwezi clan of Jemedari tribe. If this did not ring a bell, the Mwezi village was the sister village of the Jua village. As for the overall Mwezi and Jua clans, the two clans had very close relations within the Jemedari tribe. In the Jemedari tribe¡¯s mythology, Jua (Sun) and Mwezi (Moon) were said to be two sisters, twins in fact, and the daughters of the tribal ancestor. At the end of the day, while ancestral myths were just myths, they still influenced relationships in the present. The two clans were close through both trade and the many marriage ties between them. Additionally, they even had the same martial arts base, the Sun and Moon Arts. ¡°Woah! That cold girl is not joking around. Last time I saw her, I could beat her with one finger.¡± ¡°Braggart, I remember you were defeated in one move.¡± ¡°Well, all I¡¯m saying is that she was not as strong back then. At least I could scratch the edge of her skirt but now I probably can¡¯t even see her figure.¡± The context of what Jodenia and Mwana were talking about concerned the regular exchanges between the two villages. As both villages were very close together even physically, the two villages had many shared ceremonies and events so the children from Jua village had been to the Mwezi village and vice versa many times. Even the academies including White Rock Academy would arrange talent shows and all manner of competitions between kids from both villages. While Jodenia had faced the Ice Maiden before and lost, she definitely was not as strong back then. It seemed that in just a year, her strength had skyrocketed to a whole new dimension. The girl, Ice Maiden, and a few talented individuals from the Mwezi village possessed physical bodies with great superhuman strength, invincible durability, godly agility and speed, as well as the power to manipulate gravity, water, and light! They were basically walking supermen! This was because of their completely insane and overpowered physique inherited from the Celestial Moon Race. Ironically, the Celestial Moon Race was the weakest of the Celestial Races yet their power still far eclipsed that of humans. It was said that in the distant past, a member of this Moon Race had fallen from the skies and landed in the region occupied by the Mwezi clan. As she was injured, the clan took care of her and nursed her back to health. In the end she did not leave the clan and instead chose to settle there, marry, and have children. Therefore, while not everyone in the Mwezi clan inherited her physique, in every generation there were a few direct descendants who would inherit her superhuman power. ¡°It is kind of sad that our Jua clan does not have something like that though there is the 7th class inheritor of the Jemedari tribe who possesses the Sun God Body. If he was from our clan and practiced the Solar Divine Canon of the Sun and Moon arts, what a pride that would be!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t envy other people to that extent, and what Sun Body or Moon Body, if I wanted to, even I could get on this shitty list.¡± While berating Jodenia, Fury still took the opportunity to heavily praise herself. ¡°There you go again Fury. Even though I brag here and there, I still cannot compete with you.¡± Coincidentally, the Jemedari tribesman who was the 7th inheritor of the tribe was also ranked 7th in the Young Heroes Ranking. Apart from him, the others that caught the groups¡¯ eye were two new additions to the top 10 that Mwana and the others had never even heard of before this. Name: Kifo Kisimani ¡°Deathmaster¡± Origin: Soul Clan Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Rank: #8 Innate Ability: Zombie Virus Weapon: Hero Slaying Needle ¡°What a nasty power!¡± Maisha and Vitali exclaimed at the same time once they saw the person¡¯s abilities. As people who focused on life, light, and healing, the two girls felt as if this person was their natural enemy. This guy was actually born with the power to replicate what the assassin [Plague Master] spent years just to learn and perfect. If the [Plague Master] was still alive today, he would probably slit his own throat if he saw this information (Plague Master is one of the 12 Martyrs of Death who died in Sese Island). The now deceased assassin had sacrificed everything just to master a trace of the power of the dead and perfect his Zombie Virus and Netherworld Energy attacks. As for Kifo Kisimani, it seemed as if he was born with power over death; a Natural-Born Necromancer! While the Soul Clan naturally specialized in soul arts, power over the dead was still a supremely difficult endeavor for them. Only those at the pinnacle in their clan even mastered the basics let alone being born with such a power. For that reason, Kifo Kisimani was basically the hope of the Soul clan to rise to new heights. As for the other new entry in the top 10, they were in the #10 position. Name: Daima ¡°The Idle Musician¡± Origin: Pazuri Music House, Land of Usemi wa Hekima (Land of Wise Sayings) Rank: #10 Innate Ability: So Near Yet So Far With the name Daima that translated to ¡°Forever¡±, Daima the Idle Musician was a new entry to the Young Heroes Ranking altogether. She was not even on the list a few months ago yet now she was already in the 10th rank. Further, it seemed as if she had an even crazier inborn ability that could govern the space around her. When compared to Sama Jire who was untouchable due to technical skill, this girl was untouchable in a literal sense due to her spatial manipulation abilities. On top of that, she specialized in 2 complex magic forms of both sound and space. In fact, if she did not split her time and mind by focusing on 2 Magic Forms, who knows, she might have been in the top 5! Compared to these perversely talented children on the ranking, no one in the Jua village even touched their shadow apart from maybe Jua Mkata-mwezi who was actually ranked within the top 50 of the official rankings. Mwana¡¯s group even felt some despair set in just from looking at the list. These were their age mates yet the distance was so wide. Apart from Fury who was ever confident, everyone else had a subtle shift in drive desiring to work a bit harder. ¡®I might not be able to reach their level but I should at least see their back, right?¡¯ With this in mind, Mwana was pumped up once again. He did not fear working hard, his talent was not bad, and he still had some minor hope of at least improving his bloodline problem. ¡°Although big bro Mkata-mwezi is not that high on the ranking, it is not like he has showcased his entire arsenal and these rankings are always subject to change.¡± Vitali mentioned the obvious observation. Those in charge of deciding the rankings would travel from one region to another while collecting information, observing different martial arts matches and challenges, while sometimes using some divination arts in order to decide on the ranking. Therefore, if you did not showcase your abilities publicly, it was obviously hard to get a high rank. After finishing their meal, the group walked out of the restaurant while still discussing the booklet. Each of them now had round bellies like well fed cows and they would occasionally scratch their stomachs satisfactorily. ¡°I am soooo full.¡± ¡°Although I am also very full, I still would not mind another bite.¡± For Fury, it was like she had a bottomless pit for a stomach. ¡°You guys are deviating¡­ but have you noticed that there are barely any 13 year olds on the list with the 14 year olds being basically non-existent?¡± This was something Vitali had noticed when they went through the list. Everyone in the list was 2 or more years short of the actual age limit for the ranking. ¡°They are not on the list by design.¡± Mwana answered her in a tone that implied, ¡®isn¡¯t that obvious¡¯, while picking at his teeth. ¡°You are right! Why aren¡¯t they counted? I thought the Young Heroes Ranking was for everyone 14 and under?¡± ¡°It is but at that age, they have something even greater to prepare for.¡± ¡°Greater?¡± ¡°Right. In fact, those at that age range and from powerful backgrounds are already prepping for Solid Body Casting so that they can become Crystal Warriors and enter the Rising Dragon Rankings! They don¡¯t have time to waste going around showcasing their abilities. Otherwise, the list would definitely be greatly shuffled if some of them were on it.¡± As the group walked out of the restaurant, each of them knew it was time to go their separate ways. Fury was planning to visit some of the town¡¯s entertainment scenes while Maisha wanted to get in touch with her mother through the town¡¯s communication channels. Everyone else also had their own things to do. After a short moment, Mwana and Kia were once again left by themselves. However, before Fury left, she told Mwana that they did not have to go to the cloth shop with their aunt Jumatatu on that day as the meet up had been postponed. ¡°Aunt Jumatatu told us to just enjoy ourselves today.¡± ¡­ [Top 100 Young Hero Ranking Booklet] Additional Notes Apart from two figures, everyone else in the top 10 is of human descent. While some have inhuman physiques or ancestries, they can at most be called Human Hybrids. However, there are still two pure Magical and Spiritual creatures that have managed to compete with the humans:
  1. [Parrot] Rank #6
Identity: An Avian Spiritual Animal Although he can take full human form through mystical transformation arts, he chooses to retain his parrot head and a humanoid body when he transforms. Weapon: a silver sword shaped like a feather (unknown name) Affiliation: Silver Eagle Corps ¨C he usually wears a multicolored cloak with the shape of a giant feather and held together by his conferred Silver Eagle Badge. Underneath the multicolored cloak, he wears the standard white Silver Guard uniform with silver armor while leaving his talons (legs and hands) uncovered. He is recognized as one of the youngest to receive the position of an official Silver Guard in the organization¡¯s history. Magic Form: Imitation Magic and Sound Magic Further, he is also very experienced in Earth Type Metal Magic.
  1. [Son of Crow] Rank #9
Identity: High level Magical Creature He is a mysterious and striking figure so not much is known about him. However, his most outstanding feature is his winged arms which have gigantic feathers extending from his wrist to the elbows and part of his entire arms. When these feathers are extended, his arms transform into beautiful dark purple wings. Magical Nature: Magic Amplification His hands have sharp talons that can emit high magic frequencies that allow him to amplify magic. Apart from these 2, there are other notable non-human characters in the top of the rankings such as [Rabbit Master], a Spiritual Animal and Magic Beast Hybrid. He is recognized as one of the fastest younger generation experts in Toro. Further, there is even the more impressive [Honey Badger] that ranks 11th on the ranking.
  1. [Honey Badger]
Identity: Spiritual Animal This unassuming and small creature has shown great acts of extreme fearlessness, strength, toughness, and ferocity. Through a fated spiritual encounter, it has climbed from an ordinary animal of low intelligence to a relatively powerful spiritual creature all within the span of 5 years. Even with the intelligence surpassing ordinary humans, it still retains its inhuman fearlessness. Even against the most fearsome experts, it has never cowered. In the jungle, the badger survived and repelled animals such hyenas, lions, and extremely venomous snakes. In the same manner, it is known for even wearing our strong experts in the human world as it is virtually tireless in combat. It is an expert both in the wild and among civilization. Chapter 95: A Date, Part 5 – True Intentions Act 3: The Water Park ¡­ ¡°There is one last place I have to show you, I promise you won¡¯t regret it.¡± That is how Kia found herself at a water park. This was the final place that Mwana wanted to bring her before closing the day. While their plans for the day had included going to the library then the information center before accompanying their aunt to the cloth shop, now everything had already been jumbled up. ¡°There are two main activities at this water park, swimming and the bridge battle.¡± Mwana quickly explained as the two entered the park. ¡°People everywhere!¡± This was the first thing Kia noticed. The place was stacked full of people; a sea of them, an ocean of humans. Mwana took Kia to a stand section where they could join a team to participate in the bridge battles. Each team needed at least 5 or 6 members to be eligible for participation. In fact the more the better considering the game seemed to encourage chaos. After they were assigned to a team and given blue shirts signifying their team, the two finally moved to the section where the bridge was located. Looking ahead of her, Kia finally understood what the bridge battle was all about. Above a giant pool, there was a swaying bridge suspended above with two groups occupying opposite sides of the bridge. While Kia was still watching, the two teams started jumping and moving causing the bridge to sway violently. As the bridge swayed left and right, those from each team who fell into the water were disqualified. It was something that Kia had never seen before and most of all it looked like a very fun activity. As the two teams competed, one kid was rocking the bridge as if he had no cares in the world and little by little the other team started going down. ¡°Now prepare to fall!¡± After the boy at the front of the bridge uttered those words, he started moving so vigorously that he was even dancing. In fact, he was jumping and swinging with one leg at a time to increase the momentum and whenever he was about to fall into the water, the teammate behind him would grab his hand and pull him back onto the bridge. Meanwhile, the opposing team was dropping off the bridge like flies. One of them grabbed onto the person in front of them who also did the same to the one in front leading to a situation where the remaining team members fell into the water in a file. They were absolutely demolished. A complete wipeout! In all the water bridge battles Mwana had witnessed, he had never seen such absolute dominance. Now, the team of little kids who had just won looked like adults in small-sized bodies to him. ¡°Who will be next to face the Ankle-Destroyer Team? Get reeeeeeady!!!!!¡± The announcer was hyped up and screaming at the top of his lungs like a man on drugs. Although he did not use anything to amplify his voice, it travelled far and wide rocking everyone¡¯s eardrums like a beat drum. At this point the bridge battle had already attracted Kia¡¯s attention to the max. She was lost in the rising emotions and she could not help but stand when she heard the announcer¡¯s statement. In her blue team uniform, she quickly stood up and raised her hand while shouting excitedly, ¡°Us us us!¡± at the top of her voice. Mwana was flabbergasted. He was incredulous. He was even a little scared. After all, the Ankle-Destroyers truly lived up to their name. Everyone had just witnessed them destroy other teams left and right. They were absolutely demolishing everyone. Who would want to face them?! ¡°Us!¡± Mwana could not help but protest in a scared tone. However, it was too late and the announcer was already excitedly beckoning their team over. ¡°Just look at their legs!¡± Their legs were like rocks so Mwana was indeed right to be scared. Although everyone in the Ankle-Destroyer team was young, Mwana wondered if they were secretly child bodybuilders or something. These little fellows had calves bigger than even real world adult footballers. Seeing Mwana in shock, one of their other team members pushed him forward while persuading him, ¡°It is okay, it is okay.¡± ¡°Okaaaay???! Look at their legs man!¡± However, it was too late to back down now. Needless to say, the next thing Mwana remembered after getting on the bridge was waking up in the water. Their team had indeed been absolutely destroyed. Although it was a ¡®traumatizing¡¯ experience in some angle, this was also what made the water bridge game attractive to these children. In the end, Mwana and Kia spent hours at the water park and climbed the bridge over and over again no matter how many times they fell into the water. It was that addictive. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Act 4: True Purpose ¡­ ¡°You know, as someone who is experienced with embroidery, the fabric of the universe is not so mysterious. As a painter, the world is just like a painting on a canvas. To understand the world''s secrets, one must be able to gaze at the canvas below.¡± ¡°Seriously, what are you talking about? Are you half-dreaming?¡± ¡°No, I am just thinking out loud. These seams, these patterns, just think about it. Isn¡¯t this how the Creator made the world? As humans we can paint and make all sorts of complex designs so what of the gods.¡± ¡°Mmmh.¡± It was a strange conversation spoken in a serene atmosphere set by the beautiful orange afternoon sun while Mwana and Kia sat in the grass at a green park. Looking at the setting sun and the scarf he was knitting, Mwana suddenly felt a little philosophical. Kia on the other hand just felt like he was airing his stray thoughts out loud. The two had played around at the water park for hours and now they could not even go to the library. They settled in this green park and were actually knitting while admiring the orange afternoon sun. With the evening fast approaching, Mwana and Kia started packing up whatever they were working on. The day had been fun but it was now time to retire. Mwana glanced at the scarf Kia had been making and he could not completely stifle his laugh. Kia turned to him and frowned with a slight trace of unhappiness. However to Mwana, she was still extremely beautiful with her long black hair and elegant face. Her striking dark eyes which seemed to mirror the sun and always held a tinge of amusement now held a bit of a ¡®down feeling¡¯. ¡°Why laugh? Is it that ugly?¡± ¡°Ugly! What? No way. It''s beautiful, Kia, really beautiful.¡± Mwana quickly replied. He had just thought the design was funny but it was far from ugly. ¡°Well, it is good that you think so because when I finish it, I¡¯m giving it you. If you think it is so beautiful, then you better wear it.¡± Kia said in a tone that signified ¡®and that¡¯s final¡¯. Imagining wearing a scarf knitted for him by Kia herself, Mwana¡¯s heart was jumping around restlessly. In his mind, it was like having Kia¡¯s hands around him at all times. How could that not move him? ¡°Of course, I will wear it. I will wear it every day!¡± Mwana quickly replied, perhaps too enthusiastically which caused Kia to burst out in laughter. A moment later, Mwana also joined in and started laughing. For a while, the two laughed until they forgot what they were laughing about in the first place. After a pause Kia spoke up again, ¡°Do you know why I followed my uncle to this country?¡± Hearing her tone, Mwana knew that she was speaking about something serious. In life, even when you are close to people, there are some personal things you cannot bring yourself to ask until they open up to you. In Mwana¡¯s case, he was always wary of asking about the matters of Kia¡¯s family. After all, while she and Fury were technically cousins, they were not related by blood at all. As far as Mwana knew, Kia was not even from Eastern Jin nation originally. Therefore, when Kia decided to reveal her personal matters to him, Mwana just shut up and listened. In a way he was glad that the trust between them had crossed a certain threshold at least something a bit beyond ordinary friends. ¡°I am looking for a flower. I know the general location where I can find it but I don''t know when or how I can get it.¡± ¡°Haha, I did not know you were a flower girl, Kia.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Kia slapped Mwana¡¯s thigh while berating him with a smile on her face. She could not truly get mad at him even if she tried. The two started pushing into each other while joking around in silence. However, a moment later Mwana took on a serious tone and asked what was truly on his mind. ¡°Is it really that important to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although Kia did not mention it, the main reason she was looking for such a rare flower was for her family¡¯s sake. ¡°Then you can count on me. Even if it is in hell, you can count on this warrior to go through it with you!¡± Mwana courageously said while even slapping and pointing at his chest with a heroic look plastered across his face. No matter how she tried to hold back her laugh, Kia could not triumph and burst out in laughter. In a way, Mwana¡¯s antics always lightened her mood. ¡°Don''t laugh.¡± Mwana was smiling while speaking in a fake aggrieved tone, "I''m serious, you can count on me," but he finished his sentence with a more serious tone while looking directly into Kia¡¯s eyes. Although he did make a joke about the situation, he was completely serious in helping Kia through anything. Hearing Mwana¡¯s reply and assurance, Kia was felt emotionally touched. Although she wanted to say something more, in the end the words that came out of her mouth were: ¡°Mhm,¡± She proceeded to hold her legs against chest in a sitting position while thinking about her future. From the side, Mwana just watched her but he did not say anymore. He had already spoken his heart and she had understood him. After some silence while watching the gradually disappearing sun, Mwana finally spoke up again. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to make it to the library today will we?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Kia said while packing the last of their things. With that, the two finally left the green park. Originally, they were only supposed to spend a few minutes at the water park before heading to the library but they ended up wasting their whole afternoon there. After leaving the water park, they had decided to relax at the green park while knitting for a while. Therefore, they did not have time to visit the Infinity Magic Library today. For Mwana, it was very important for him to visit this library as it was said to have infinite halls built by the Magic Grandmaster and containing a grand number of mostly magic works, historical literature, martial arts, and most importantly hybrid arts. For someone who was prepping for the Magic Student stage, hybrid arts were absolutely integral to his success as they could assist him in forming flexible arts and easily transforming his existing martial techniques into spells. The general definition of a Hybrid Art was a technique that combined different aspects in the same manner as but less complicated than a canon, for example Magic + Martial Arts. Chapter 96: Swordsman Act 5: The Sword of Dream Fulfillment ¡­ 16:00, Dragon-Belly Forging Mountain, Toro Eastern Region The Black Dragon Mountain Range was like a massive rock serpent cutting through more than half of the Sword Scar Continent. The mountain range started from the South East at Dragon Spike where Toro, Eastern Jin, and the Demonic Territory shared a border, and ran all the way to the North West of the continent. At one of the mountains in this mountain range, black and red smoke as well as white and grey ash clouds were a common sight 24 hours a day. This particular mountain was tall with an extremely wide crater that made it look almost like a cylinder instead of the conical shape of most mountains. Further, the mountain had many cave openings across its length which made it look almost like a multi-storied building from afar. This mountain was the Dragon-Belly Forging Mountain, a volcanic mountain that had been transformed into a massive artificial furnace by the blacksmiths in Eastern Toro. Each of the caves in the mountain was assigned to a blacksmith according to their ranks. Blacksmith Apprentices worked in the higher caves where the heat was lower while Grandmaster blacksmiths worked underground almost at the core of the volcano. As for the external middle caves, they were mostly for experts and masters in smith-work. ¡°This fellow, he actually ran away to Milele as soon as he got a new set of weapons. What a slippery brat!¡± In one of the underground caverns within the mountain, an old man who was only wearing a brown skirt made of animal hide was busy at work while complaining to the air. Although he was old, the man¡¯s back was like a fortress and his arms were like canons. Each time he swung his hammer, the air vibrated and split apart leaving a trail of fire due to the sheer speed and power of his swings. The item he was forging stood no chance at all and it could only obediently get in shape. This was the might of true blacksmith. This old man was Jua Fisi, Waya¡¯s father as well as the man who had forged Mwana¡¯s silver Instant Sword. For a long time, he had been trying to recruit Mwana as an apprentice but the latter was far from interested. Before Mwana left for Milele, his mentor Jua Urembo had tasked Fisi to forge a set of weapons to match Mwana¡¯s current martial path. Fisi had readily agreed but at the condition that Mwana visit the mountain and take apprenticeship under him for a while but who knew the brat would disappear to another town as soon as he got the weapons! ¡°Weh! I was tricked. I can¡¯t fall for that brat¡¯s words again.¡± ¡°¡­but alas, I hope you use them well kid. They might just be imitations but I am confident that my work would not sully Jina Kufana¡¯s name.¡± Old man Fisi spoke to himself once again as if he was directly addressing Mwana. Anyway, it is normal for old people to speak to themselves. What the old man was referring to was the Three Swords of Jina Kufana. Historically, Jina Kufana was one of the greatest swordsmen in Toro¡¯s history. He was a legend and much of his success in his heroic tales was attributed to his 3 legendary swords: Sunset, Noon, and Moonlight. The old man Fisi had forged new weapons for Mwana and even strengthened Mwana¡¯s previous Instant Sword with the three legendary swords as inspiration. In Mwana¡¯s practice of the Demon Sealing Portrait, he needed a pen and the Sunset Sword was that pen. The Sunset Sword was a golden sword with a black groove running through its center from the handle to the tip. The handle of the sword held the ink which would flow through the groove all the way to the sword tip when activated allowing the sword to double as a pen. In addition to its multipurpose nature, the sword was forged using rare Magellica metal born at the heart of a star. This type of metal would only reach the planet after it was ejected during solar explosions. The explosions caused mass solar matter ejections and while most of that solar matter was reabsorbed into the stars as a result of high gravity, some of it still escaped. If the explosion was powerful enough, the matter could be ejected so fast that gravity was not able to act on it before it left the gravitational field. The matter would then cool in the vacuum of space as it hurtled off towards faraway worlds and fell through their atmospheres like meteorites. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The other new item that old man Fisi had granted Mwana was his first personalized forging hammer. Mwana was indeed worthy of it as he had already earned his first ranked blacksmith tattoo. This hammer was given the name: Timboroa, the Moonshine hammer. Although the hammer had a massive hammerhead, it had a very short handle wrapped in strong reeds. The color scheme of the hammer was a silver-blue metallic hue that would glow blue at night. This was because it was made of malleable Moonshine minerals and metals. As a result, at some specific times during a day¡¯s 24 hours, this hammer could actually change shape! This was the nature of Moonshine rocks, metals, and minerals. The transformation property of the hammer was actually shared and inspired by Jina Kufana¡¯s Moonlight Sword. With these three items, [Instant Sword, Sunset Sword, and Moonshine Hammer], Mwana¡¯s path in mastering the Demon Sealing Arts would be much easier. With a sword, pen, and hammer in hand he would seal all evil in his path. Over in Milele, maybe Mwana was affected by the old man Fisi¡¯s thoughts and curses that he started sneezing uncontrollably. At this time, he had separated from Kia and went outside the town to pick up his dog Fana and his aunt¡¯s spiritual tortoise. The two fellows had played at the animal park all day so it was time to go home. At this moment, the difference between pets or ¡®kept animals¡¯ and ¡®free animals¡¯ became clear as many people also came to pick up their pets from the park alongside Mwana. Some of the ¡®free animals¡¯ started to doubt the White Wolf¡¯s propaganda. Maybe being a pet was not so bad. As for Kia, instead of returning to the inn, she had taken a detour to visit one of the Information Centers in Milele in order to find out more about the flower she was looking for. So far, the clues she had about the whereabouts of the flower was the Undead Marsh and Dragon Heart Island, However, she did not know exactly where she would have to search in these two places in order to find what she was looking for. ¡°The Sword Path is long and winding, like a great river. There is almost no end to this path.¡± Mwana spoke his thoughts out loud as he walked back to the town with his pets. For no particular reason, he had just thought of the swords the old man Fisi had forged for him. The old man had even helped him somewhat in designing some electromagnetic plates for his Azama in the Magic Student realm. Mwana somewhat felt guilty for running on him but he could not miss the opportunity to come to Milele. It was not just for the Magic Competition but also the Infinity Magic Library. The library was his hope especially as his sword path had stagnated! While his late father¡¯s Sword Dragon Mantra was an amazing and even godly technique, maybe it was for that reason that Mwana could not advance much with it. ¡°Its level is too high above me. I am barely making progress even though I have been at if for years. At this rate I will never be able to cross the Sword Farm.¡± The Sword Farm in question was the farm around the Sword Elder¡¯s hut back in Jua village. In order to get the elder¡¯s council, the requirement was that one had to cross the Sword Farm with their own power. According to the White Rock Academy vice-head¡¯s suggestion, Mwana should have absolutely sought out the Sword Elder¡¯s mentorship in order to progress further. Not only was the Sword Elder a Void Rank warrior, he had also been his father¡¯s mentor. Through the elder¡¯s training, Mwana¡¯s father was able to rise to the rank of a Sword Grandmaster while still a teenager! In Mwana¡¯s eyes, that was almost an impossible accomplishment. The gap between an ordinary swordsman and a grandmaster of swordsmanship was almost as wide as that between an ordinary magician and Magic Grandmaster. The most common levels of swordsmanship recognized across all orthodox sword schools in the Zika world were: - Sword Apprentice - Swordsman - Great Swordsman - Sword Master - Sword Grandmaster Apart from these levels, there were even rumored ranks coinciding with the Lord, King, Monarch, and Emperor ranks in the traditional Ruler System of the Purple Mist Star. However, although such ranks were very impressive, the true heroes that only existed in legends but had never shown themselves to the world were: the Enlightened Swordsmen ¨C Sword Sages, the Holy Swordsmen ¨C Sword Saints, and the highest attainable level of swordsmanship, the absolute peak ¨C Sword God. Nevertheless, in the present Zika world, how high one could rise in the sword path was severely limited. It was the same for other proficiencies whether it was magic arts, spiritual arts, psychic arts, and even ordinary martial arts. The world laws and energy paths in this world had long been damaged. However, this was not something Mwana could even think of yet as he was only a Swordsman in rank. ¡°Aiiiiiii, I am only one rank from the bottom?! I have to change that no matter what. I hope the library has what I need. If I don¡¯t improve, I might as well be a dog!¡± Mwana thought while silently berating himself. From the side, Fana who was walking happily while wagging its tail turned to look at Mwana with a suspicious look, ¡®Why did my fur tingle? Is this fellow cursing me?¡¯ This time Mwana hoped that the library would have a solution. The place rumored to possess infinite halls would not lack sword manuals and books on swordsmanship would it? Mwana did not think so. If he could find simpler but more diverse sword arts, he was sure that he would overcome his stagnation and even improve his practice of the Sword Dragon Mantra. His goal was to at least attain the skill and expertise of a Great Swordsman before he returned to the Jua village in order to clear the Sword Elder¡¯s test. Chapter 97: Haggling Act 6: God Hunter Dragon Tendon Bow ¡­ Dull grey skies¡­ Due to the much shorter days during this season of the year, the town was already getting dark by the time Mwana returned from the animal park to pick up his pets. He walked through the outer streets aimlessly perusing things here and there while on his way to pick Kia up from the Information Center. ¡°Then we can return to the inn together.¡± Mwana thought out loud with a smile plastered across his face. He could confidently say that today had been a good day for him. On the way to the info center, Mwana had to pass through some worn down streets where many small stalls, beggars, and sellers who set their wares on the ground were located. It was more like a lower grade street market. Usually, there was nothing of worth in places like this but this time Mwana was caught by surprise. A chill struck his body almost causing him to jump in defense. ¡®What the hell was that?!¡¯ However, he did not discover any sort of danger when he looked around. There was nothing. Everyone on the street was going about their business as usual. Everything should have been normal but Mwana¡¯s heartbeat was accelerating and his blood was slightly boiling. ¡®What is it?¡¯ While asking this, he spread his senses to the max including his observation abilities with the Dragon Mirror Eye. It was only then that he noticed an object that almost seemed to be glowing bright red among a sea of grey. It was a small and unassuming crossbow. While it looked red hot through his draconic senses, the small bow was just an ordinary broken and tattered weapon through his normal senses and eyes. The bow was laid out on an old tattered mat alongside other relics, bones, old books, and other miscellaneous stuff. Next to the mat, an old man with a beggar-like appearance was sitting in a cross legged position while slightly dozing off. It looked as if sleep was overwhelming him and he was doing his best to stay awake. Not only was he drooling but his head was periodically nodding up and down due to the sleepiness like a pecking duck. ¡®The old fellow sure is trying his hardest to stay his eyes; looks like business has been slow. I should check what the bow is.¡¯ [¡®stay his eyes¡¯ is another way to say ¡®stay vigilant/awake¡¯] With this thought, Mwana approached the mat to check out the bow. By the time the old man opened his eyes, Mwana already had the bow in his hands. It took all the old man¡¯s strength not to call Mwana a thief, after all, in his dream-like state just now, he just dreamt of someone robbing him of all his possessions and reducing him to a true beggar. ¡°You are just dressed like a beggar now¡­next I will turn you into a real beggar!¡± The perp had shouted before escaping with all his wealth. It was truly a nightmare of a dream. ¡°Old man, name your price.¡± After examining the broken bow for less than a second, Mwana immediately wanted to buy it. This was because Mwana could tell that the trash-looking bow actually resonated with his bloodline. While the body of the bow did not produce any special reactions, from touching and examining the bowstring with his third eye, Mwana was sure that the string was made from a Dragon¡¯s tendon! Seeing how fast Mwana chose the bow, the old man let out a series of coughs as if he was clearing his throat. Just from this sound alone, Mwana knew this fellow was about to increase the price. ¡°Let me just stop you there ¡®chief¡¯, before we get this ¡®battle¡¯ started just know that money and I are like oil and water. I am not rich.¡± Mwana already made a preemptive strike before the old man could speak. In his drowsy state, the old man slightly nodded before realizing he was giving away the momentum in this bargaining ¡®battle¡¯. ¡°Okay, then how much do you want to pay for it kid. Just know that this bow was once a true treasure. It would have been millions of cowry shells back in the day and now I am just selling it for 200 cowry shells. This is an astronomical discount and I am already taking a huuuuuuge loss!¡± Instantly, the old man made sure to hype up the bow¡¯s value and highlight how much of a loss he was taking. However, with his mentality, Mwana was obviously not moved by the supposed illustrious history or great value. 200 shells!? Was the seller insane? Did he think Mwana was the son of an actual chief or something? With all the money Mwana had spent during the day whether on the spellcards or on food, he did not have 200 shells to waste on an old broken bow. ¡°200?! Do I look like a moneybags? Just so you know, even the clothes on my back were made by my own hands. My pockets are empty!¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Fine. Fine then. Although I usually don¡¯t deal with empty pockets, I will help you today.¡± The old man quickly answered Mwana. However, Mwana highly doubted the seller¡¯s assertion that he did not deal with poor customers. Just from the old seller¡¯s brown and patched clothing, it was clear the fellow was struggling. Seeing that Mwana did not intend to leave, the old man then continued speaking, ¡°And what price are you suggesting then?¡± ¡°20 shells maximum would be fine.¡± Mwana answered immediately. In response, the old man then said, ¡°Oh, and what would you say if I threw in these additional martial arts book, plus some Vitamin pills and blood nourishing pills, a fully maintained G-Swallow, even this energy breaking blade right here. They are all cheap stuff.¡± ¡°Wow, are you joking?¡± Mwana said in a sort of excited tone. The old man replied, ¡°Yes, but you started it.¡± Mwana indeed knew it was too good to be true. This old fellow was just pulling his leg the entire time but for someone with Mwana¡¯s pocket depth, anything that saved him money was like music to his ears. For a moment, even if it was just an instance of a second, he did buy the old man¡¯s words as those words greatly flattered his pockets. Mwana was not angry at the old seller for pulling his socks but the night was about to set in and he did not have much time to waste haggling so he made his final stance clear, ¡°Then state the real price but I am not joking around when I say I am truly poor. If your next price does not align with my pocket, there is no need for us to talk anymore. I will walk.¡± ¡°100 then.¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s tone which signaled ¡®and that is final¡¯, the old man finally lowered the price to 100 cowry shells. ¡°Eish, it looks like we are truly not fated,¡± After hearing the old man¡¯s offer, Mwana replied with finality before turning and walking away decisively. By the time the old seller came to his senses, Mwana was already over 5 meters away. The seller quickly shouted, ¡°80.¡± ¡°60.¡± Mwana directly cut down the price by 20 shells. ¡°Eish, 60 will press me too much, I cannot sell it at that price no matter what, let us do 70.¡± ¡°65.¡± ¡°65? What is a difference of 5 shells? Just pay 70.¡± In response, Mwana answered with a bright smile plastered on his face, all his teeth showing, ¡°Right?! We finally understand each other. What is the difference of 5 shells to you right. Then I will pay 65.¡± The seller had directly walked into that one and his own words were used against him. In this ¡®battle¡¯, Mwana emerged as the victor. Seeing that this fellow was so agreeable and ¡®easy to work with¡¯, Mwana returned to pay for the bow and even squatted down so that he could take a look at some of the other things on sale. After all, they all seemed to be old relics so who knew if there was something else good among them. ¡°Kid, this is THE Dragon Tendon Bow. Do you understand? This was the bow used by the God Hunter yet I just sold to you for cheap. This speaks to my integrity that I am willing to take a huge loss for the sake of the younger generation. So do not con me out again.¡± ¡°Yes yes, elder.¡± In response, Mwana answered halfheartedly while packing up the bow before proceeding to examine some of the other things for sale. ¡®Anyway, old men like to listen to themselves talk¡¯, Mwana was used to such stuff in his dealings with such old men. This fellow kind of reminded him of old man Fisi. In his mind, Mwana just thought the old seller could not fully stomach his loss in the haggling ¡®battle¡¯ and chose to falsely elevate the bow¡¯s capabilities. While the bowstring was surely made of tendons from a draconic creature, Mwana did not take any of that God Hunter nonsense seriously. When the old man finished mouthing off about God Hunter, he found Mwana already examining an old pot. Out of all the items on sale, this pot was in relatively good shape without even a single chip. With some light touchups, Mwana knew he could get it as good as new. While weighing it in his hands, Mwana spoke to himself saying, ¡°mhm, mmh, this could make a good gift for mother.¡± ¡®Another in the box!¡¯ The old man almost raised his fist in the air knowing he was about to make another sale after a slow day. ¡®I have to make this kid buy this no matter what.¡¯ ¡°Kid, before you haggle, you should know that this pot is genuine Dhahabu pottery!¡± The ¡®Dhahabu¡¯ the old man was speaking about was the Golden Kingdom Dhahabu, one of the 3 great nations on the continent. ¡°But it says right here ¡®made in Uhai¡¯.¡± Mwana said in a questioning tone as he examined the base of the pot. ¡°Cough.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± After some heavy coughs that made Mwana think that the old seller was going to choke to death, the seller finally caught his breath before replying to Mwana, ¡°Indeed, haven¡¯t you heard of Dhahabu Street in Uhai?¡± Coincidentally, such a place did indeed exist. This time Mwana did not haggle as the old man did not dare to raise the price too much knowing that he had been caught dead in a lie. After all, there was a huge difference between something made in Dhahabu Nation and something made in Dhahabu Street. Just like that, Mwana had gotten a gift for his mother. With the bow and the pot, Mwana did not really spend much. Additionally, he still had a feeling that there was something good among the old junk the old man had laid out. However, just his normal eyes alone would not be enough to find the treasure among this trash. He had to rely on something else. ¡®Looks like it is finally time to test out how far this ability can be stretched.¡¯ With that thought, Mwana¡¯s draconic senses, specifically his invisible third eye, were placed on overdrive. He was using one of his new psychic abilities which he had categorized under the 4 Directions, the Appraisal Eye. Unlike before when he just relied on his regular Dragon Mirror Eye, the appraisal power manifested itself in his left eye causing it to glow a blue color like a mirror in the water. However, Mwana was quick to restrain this external manifestation when he activated this power. After awakening the Dragon Mirror Eye innate ability, Mwana had discovered new powers and applications for this ability as time passed. 2 of these new powers were external while 2 were internal with the Appraisal Eye as one of the external powers. Collectively, he categorized these 4 abilities under the 4 Directions: East, West, North, and South, with the Appraisal Eye occupying the West direction ¨C the left eye. Chapter 98: Appraisal Eye Act 7: The 4 Directions ¡­ Naturally, the purpose of Mwana¡¯s appraisal ability was to estimate the different values that could be attributed to both items and people. For example, an item¡¯s worth could be calculated based on age, craftsmanship, long-lastingness, wear and tear, durability and sturdiness, as well as any external power stored within, etcetera. As Mwana was someone who believed in order, he organized his Dragon Mirror Eye ability into 4 distinct sections which he named the 4 Directions. The first ability of the Dragon Mirror Eye was the ability to increase his sensory range and capacity. Through this ability, not only could he see clearly even when his vision was obscured such as in Majimaji¡¯s Ink Darkness Domain, he could also detect things that others could not such as the trail of the Blood Mural Case serial killer whose discovery had earned him a Silver Guard Reserve Candidate Card from Mr. Black. Therefore, Mwana labelled this unique sensory ability as the Awareness Eye and assigned it to his right eye. The second external ability was therefore the Appraisal Eye which he assigned to his left eye. As for the 2 internal abilities of the Dragon Mirror Eye, they were the Reflection Eye and the Inner Eye. The Reflection Eye was naturally related to the state that Mwana had found himself in when he first awakened his innate ability. His consciousness was sucked into his mind and he found himself standing before a mirror within his mental plane. This mirror was the psychic representation of the Dragon Mirror Eye or Third Eye Mirror innate ability and by reflecting and mediating before it, there were some noticeable benefits. As for the Inner Eye, it was related to the even deeper Dream Realm that Mwana would experience occasionally ¨C the dreams of the Green Dragon. However, he naturally did not have control over this state yet. Therefore Mwana¡¯s 4 Directions were:
  1. Mashariki-Jua [Eastern Eye of Perception] - Awareness Eye
  2. Magharibi-Elewa [Western Eye of Discernment] - Appraisal Eye
  3. Kaskazini-Kioo cha Fikra [Northern Eye of Contemplation] - Reflection Eye
  4. Magharibi-Wazia [Southern Eye of Insight] - Inner Eye
The external abilities of his Third Eye Mirror were each assigned to an organ ¨C Jua was to the East therefore assigned to the right eye while Elewa was to the West therefore assigned to the left eye. If Mwana had an entry in the Young Heroes Ranking booklet, then his innate abilities would be classified as: Innate Ability: Dragon Mirror Eye Derivative Powers: External Powers - The Right Eye of Perception [East ¨C The Awareness Eye] and The Left Eye of Discernment [West ¨C The Appraisal Eye]. After activating appraisal, Mwana started scanning through the old man¡¯s wares like a hawk scanning for prey over a grassland-plain. In his vision, while he did not perceive the value of the objects directly as numbers, his senses could pick up different aspects of the items, measure them, tally them up, and then present them to Mwana in a form he could easily understand such as a colour value. The first thing that stood out to him was a Sherehani-brand curse idol. These were basically wooden idols sewn over with thread. These things were not uncommon at all as they had many uses from playthings without the ¡®curse¡¯ aspect to ritualistic objects to items for warding off curses. However, their most common use was obviously cursing other people. The curse idol Mwana was looking at was obviously of the more sinister kind. ¡°Elder, how much is this doll? It looks like it would make a great gift for my little sister.¡± ¡°For your little sister, how old is she?¡± The old seller could not help but ask in an incredulous tone. ¡°6.¡± Mwana replied with a deadpan tone. ¡°This is a curse idol!¡± The seller made sure to stress this point. ¡°Yeah.¡± Hearing Mwana¡¯s answer, the old seller could not help but stress again, ¡°¡­it is not the plaything kind, it is a genuine tool that can be used to hold and send curses.¡± ¡°I heard you the first time. My sister has strange hobbies¡­and it is not like she will curse anyone anyway. Well not anyone who does not deserve it. Are you selling it or not?¡± In the end, the old man could only relent even though he felt he was doing something unethical. Not only was he selling a genuine curse idol to a child, that child was going to hand it over to an even younger child! Before choosing it, Mwana had discovered the uniqueness of the idol by its bright colour value compared to the other items. It probably had its own secrets that he would probe later. After getting the idol, he did not stop looking around and noted down some valuable things in his mind: a set of needles, two different eggs, a unique rock, and an old bone dagger. Although he was interested in them, he did not know exactly what to pick so he directly asked the old man¡¯s advice. This time, the old man suggested that Mwana pick an egg. One of the eggs was that of the Lookout bird while the other egg belonged to some type of fish called the Flying masquerade bone-mask fish simply referred to as the Bone-mask fish. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Mwana was not at all interested in raising a Lookout bird considering his Eye of Awareness made him the best lookout for himself. In the future, his observation, surveillance, and scouting abilities would definitely grow to surpass a mere bird. Since he rejected the Lookout bird egg, the old man suggested the Bone-mask fish egg. ¡°This Bone-mask fish is not too bad either. You hear it has the word ¡®flying¡¯ in its name right. That means that this fish can fly through the air! Amazing, right? Makes you want it, right? In adulthood, the fish grows to be really large with sharp colourless scales covering its whole body. It also has sharp sword-like fins that can split the air in half like nothing when it swims. The most amazing thing is its teeth, sharp, serrated, and can chew up a person faster than any swam of piranhas! It is amazing right? This is the perfect creature! How much do you want it for?¡± It seemed this old seller really loved this kind of fish considering how excited he got just describing it to Mwana. ¡°What made you think I would want such a thing?¡± Obviously Mwana was not moved in the slightest. He was not interested in owning a pet man-eating fish. ¡°Well you are buying a curse doll for your little sister who is only 6 so¡­ anyway I figured anything goes for you.¡± The old seller could only reply with a disappointed shrug of his shoulders. ¡°It seems there isn¡¯t anything anymore left for me. Thank you for everything elder. Have a good night.¡± There was not much left that Mwana was interested in so he put the doll in his cloth bag alongside the pot and bow, thanked the old seller for the service, and prepared to leave. Seeing this, how could the old fellow just let his last customer for the day leave like this? ¡°You are not even going to look at the martial arts books, tablets, or manuals? There might be something good there.¡± The seller added luring Mwana back. ¡®Indeed, I did not look at the martial arts yet. I doubt I will find something good but I was looking for simple things anyway,¡¯ Mwana thought before asking, ¡°Do you have a sword art? Just something basic and simple will do.¡± In response, 3 books were pushed before Mwana¡¯s feet. The first one was the [Burial Sword Art] which Mwana dismissed immediately. Not only was the name bad, but it seemed like a sinister art. The second book was flower-type sword art probably from foreign lands. It was even in a completely different language and written script that Mwana could not understand. As for the last book, it could not even be called a book. It was just a cover and 3 tattered pages. Dusting it off, the words that entered Mwana¡¯s eyes were: ¡°Moonshine Sword Manual.¡± Mwana was instantly interested just from the name alone so he turned to the fist page. Ssshwiiiiing! A blinding white light and a loud sound of a sword tearing through the air entered Mwana¡¯s senses. In his third eye vision, his body had already been cut in half with blood flying and the houses behind him shattered. Even though he had pulled his Instant Sword to defend almost instantly, he could not block the blow. His face was full of sweat as the pain and fear assaulted his senses. ¡°¡­.ey¡­.id¡­kid¡­hey kid!¡± It was like being pulled from a deep well. When the old seller¡¯s voice entered Mwana¡¯s ears, he realized that he was still holding the tattered book in his hands. His Instant Sword was still hidden away under his clothes and he was still in the same squatting position as before. He had not moved even a single inch! ¡®So that was all an illusion? What kind of sword art is this! And this is just 3 pages of it. What was the complete version like?!¡¯ While it was an incomplete move, the shocking sword aura had shaken Mwana to the core. However, as his hands were tightly grabbing the book while sweaty from the illusion, he felt something strange on the cover. ¡®Cough cough.¡¯ Once again, the old man coughed suspiciously. Mwana already knew what that cough meant. Checking the book¡¯s cover again, even a toddler would realize that the name had been plastered on. He could not help but look at the old seller with a disapproving look. ¡°Hey, this time do not blame me. You can see how unique this sword art is right? Unfortunately, it was heavily damaged when I got it with only 3 or 4 pages. The cover was also destroyed beyond measure. So I just gave it a name based on what I understood from the remaining pages.¡± Hearing this, Mwana did not blame the old seller for being a con this time. It was not as blatant a lie as with the Dhahabu pot. To add, the sword move recorded was pretty amazing. This time, Mwana did not haggle and paid the full price since it was not that expensive. It was just 3 pages of an incomplete art anyway. Even after Mwana bought four items from him, the old seller was still interested in continuing to milk his pockets. The martial art he tried to sell to Mwana this time was a compound art that could be applied to almost any fighting style including both weapon and weapon-less styles. However, Mwana was not interested at all as this was an art that he and everyone else were extremely familiar with. ¡°I know what that martial art is old fellow, Radimo¡¯s Body Shattering martial arts named after lightning itself, the Final Art of Mheni.¡± That¡¯s right it was [the Final Art of Mheni]. If one were to ask, ¡®what are the best martial arts in the Sword Scar Continent?¡¯, then the Final Art of Mheni would definitely be in the top 10. At high mastery, the user of this martial art can cut through mountains like butter and slice through seas like the wind. Through sheer speed, their swords can slash lightning itself. Nature offers no resistance to such power. Mheni is a deadly technique that guarantees victory in speed and power. However, despite the praise and status, this technique was like common cabbages in how it was distributed in the continent. Even the Jua village¡¯s library had a copy of it. The main reason for this was that the technique was like a false mirage of a lake in a desert. Despite how amazing the Final Art of Mheni was, it was a complex technique that required the user to fulfil some impossible conditions. To this day, no one has ever truly mastered it apart from its creator, Radimo. ¡°You know your stuff kid. Indeed, Radimo was probably able to perfect this art because he had a physique that perfectly suited it. After him, no one else has ever mastered it, not even his direct students and descendants. However, it is still good reference material¡­and this time I won¡¯t cheat you on the price. I will give you a discount.¡± After some back and forth, the old seller finally ¡®caught¡¯ Mwana again and another sale was in the bag. However, this time both felt as if they had taken a loss. The old man even gave a discount yet Mwana still haggled lowering the price by almost half! As for Mwana, he felt a bit wronged as he had not been intending to buy anything else but was still ¡®tricked¡¯ into purchasing the Mheni book. Anyway, the Art of Mheni was still very powerful and while Mwana could not practice it, he could gain inspiration for enhancing his sword moves and improving his lightning arts. Chapter 99: Power Act 8: The Strength Guide ¡­ ¡°Maybe this is something you might be interested in,¡± the old seller said while pulling a book from a bag behind him and dusting it off repeatedly. It was an extremely old book. The old man directly stated its price and was sure Mwana would buy it considering how cheap it was. ¡°Is the price negotiable?¡± ¡°It is 2 shells!¡± The old seller almost exclaimed out loud, ¡®for God¡¯s sake how much of a miser can you be?! You even want to start haggling over 2 shells. You want to buy it for 1 shell now or something¡¯. However, he kept his calm once Mwana handed over the money. After receiving this booklet, Mwana simply started reading it on the spot: Martial Body Building Strength Guide
  1. [Ordinary Warrior]: up to 1 tonne
  2. [Mortal Body Forging]
[Low Mortal Body Forging]: 1 - 10 tonnes Seeing these 2 sections, Mwana was indeed shocked. According to the old man, this booklet was the strength ranking of ancient martial artists. While it was not too much different from the present, it seemed as if they were a bit stronger especially for the ordinary human warriors. As for Junior Warriors [Low Mortal Body Forging] in the present, their strength was measured in units of bulls, tigers, elephants or whatever other animals and concepts a core martial art and martial school followed. In Mwana¡¯s case, he previously had access to 6 bulls of strength at the Skin Hardening level but now as an Intermediate Warrior, his strength had already surpassed 8 bulls of power. With his draconic bloodline, he could go as high as 10 bulls of strength at the risk of injury which was well over 10 tonnes. However, looking at the next section for Intermediate Warriors, he was ashamed of his meagre strength. [Mid Mortal Body Forging]: 10 ¨C 50 tonnes Bloodline Awakening: Depending on the Bloodline, physical strength can increase exponentially with cases of over 100 tonne strength recorded and some rare instances of strength nearing 1000 tonnes arising. ¡°What a shocking figure?¡± Mwana could not help but exclaim out loud. He was truly shaken by the figures he was seeing. 50 tonnes seemed reasonable for an expert at the peak of the Intermediate Warrior level but who were these monsters with over 100 tonne strength? What bloodlines did they have and what treasures did they eat? During the 6th stage of Mortal Body Forging, the Blood Boiling Realm, warriors would experience their 2nd Bloodline Awakening. It was at this stage that massive differences in physical abilities would appear in warriors based on their bloodline quality and purity. After all, warriors in this stage could use Bloodline Transformation abilities such as Beast Transformation. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Seeing these numbers, Mwana finally understood why many people risked their health by going through the Blood Boiling stage earlier. The strength boost was too large! After all, blood boiling was supposed to be the 7th realm due to the dangers of ¡®boiling blood¡¯ but most of the world took it as the 6th stage. Even for this, it was only because of the need for resources and the fact that some time needed to pass between the first and second bloodline awakening. Otherwise, most warriors would have elected to go through it sooner. In fact, those who got other opportunities would chose to go through it earlier either at the same time as Tendon Strengthening stage or even alongside the Bone Forging process. [High Mortal Body Forging]: 100 ¨C 1000+ tonnes - The wide range of physical ability in this stage is attributed to the growing influence of bloodlines on strength at the later stages.
  1. [Solid Body Casting]
- Naturally, casting the physical body increases strength to over 500 tonnes even for those without any bloodlines at all. [Low]: 500 ¨C 2000 tonnes [Mid]: 1000 ¨C 3000 tonnes [High]: at least 5000 tonnes - Additionally, after Physique Awakening, some physiques have perverted strength making it impossible to grade strength clearly. [Physique Awakening] Specified Category: Physical Combat Types Single Awakening ¨C at least 10,000 tonnes Double Awakening ¨C 50,000 to 100,000 tonnes Triple Awakening ¨C 1/2 million+ tonnes In some rare cases, blessed individuals undergo a final ancestral blood awakening that grants them immeasurable strength though only a handful of such cases have been recorded in history. [Ancestral Blood Awakening]: Ancestral Strength ¨C Immeasurable - The number of Awakenings depends on Bloodline Purity. Reaching this point, Mwana had already turned numb to the giant figures. Anyway, it was levels of measurement from millenniums ago so he did not have to care. However, seeing bloodline purity mentioned again, Mwana almost felt like crying. He was seeing and hearing the words ¡®Bloodline Purity¡¯ everywhere nowadays. It was like someone jabbing at his sore wounds. However, the figures and information also helped Mwana understand the difference between Transformation Stage Warriors and Crystal Warriors. It was clear that the growth of Crystal Warriors undergoing Solid Body Casting was exponential while Transformation Stage experts would only experience a linear growth in strength. At most, those who went through the Transformation Stage would only go through one physique awakening before stepping into the Earth Body Realm/Earth Rank.
  1. [Earth Rank]: Virtually Immeasurable Earth Strength borrowed from the Earth itself.
- The only limits the warrior experiences are: Time, Body Capacity (Nodes), Energy Conversion Rate, Contact between the Physical Body and the Earth, and Energy Storage Space within their Crystals.
  1. [Sky Rank]: Law Strength (Immeasurable).
- Law Strength is determined by a warrior¡¯s Law Mastery. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean that there are so many people can kill me with a slap?!¡± This was Mwana¡¯s first thought after perusing the booklet. He felt like an ant in this wide world. Before this, Mwana had maybe thought he was like a cat in a world with lions, hippos, and elephants. A cat was outmatched but maybe it could outmanoeuvre the larger animals, scratch their eyes, threaten with a hiss and at the worst case scenario, it could run away or hide. However, Mwana¡¯s worldview was shattered. It seemed as if he would not be able to do much even against the lowest level experts in the High Mortal Body Forging ranks let alone Solid Body Casting experts and other higher ranks. Even his chances against just ordinary Senior Warriors were trash! [Additional Notes] Body Forging can be divided into 4 unique realms: - Physical Realm: Mortal Body, Solid Body - Elemental Realm: Earth Body, Sky Body - Firmament Realm: Void Body, Heaven Body - Seeking Divinity Realm: Sacred Body, Divine Body Chapter 100: Green Dragon Mask The Ancient Strength Manual greatly widened Mwana¡¯s horizons and in fact, it could even be called a strength guide as it also contained some information on how ancient warriors boosted their strength. While most of the methods were outdated, Mwana still found two viable methods within the text. The first method involved the use of magic potions made from some rare herbs that grew in areas steeped in Fiend Energy. While such places were extremely rare in the entire Zika world, Mwana knew one such place; a region deep within the Black Dragon Mountains said to be protected by a fierce Fiend Guard. The potions created from the rare herbs growing in such a place were very efficient in raising the strength of the physical body. After all, Fiends were negative creatures with extremely powerful bodies. It was truly saddening that humans would experience a violent reaction if they ever tried to absorb pure fiend energy. However, some of the rarer herbs growing in such places sort of distilled this energy reducing its side-effects to humans if they used potions made of these herbs. By applying the particular potions in the Strength Guide to the base of the feet, one could open the Earth Nodes much earlier allowing them to borrow power from the earth as long as they were standing on the ground. This provided a considerable boost in leg strength, speed, and stamina. Apart from the fiend herbs magic potions, the second method that Mwana found applicable was a special type of flower filled with dragon energy that could boost one¡¯s bloodline. Seeing Mwana read this section of the booklet, the old seller let out a few coughs. ¡°Let me guess, you will say that you have it.¡± Mwana asked with an almost sarcastic tone that implied ¡®yeah right¡¯. In his mind he had already pinned this old fellow as a wolf when it came to money. Little did he know that the old seller also formed his own negative opinion about him, someone that dared haggle over 2 cowry shells, the old man was sure that if there was an award for misers, Mwana would definitely be on the competitor list. Although it seemed like the boy had spent a lot, he had cut down the price of almost everything he bought by more than half, sometimes even more than three quarters! ¡°Scamming people at your age cannot be healthy.¡± Mwana said to the old man while closing the book. He did not believe that such a shabby place would have such a precious treasure. Not one bit. ¡°Boy, do you really have to doubt me on everything?¡± The old man said with a long face as if he was truly sad due to Mwana¡¯s remark. His face drooped and if you observed closely, you could even make out a little tear hanging on to dear life on the edge of his eye bags. In Mwana¡¯s eyes, this old fellow could indeed make a good actor, ¡®a little overdramatic but okay¡¯. ¡°You bet I do with your ¡®Dhahabu in Uhai¡¯ nonsense. If I was not observant, I would have been conned a thousand times over by you.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, this time I am not concealing anything. In fact this opportunity has nothing to do with me. Take a look at this first.¡± The old seller quickly defended himself before handing Mwana an old worn out bronze coloured coin. ¡°What is this?¡± Holding the coin in his hand, Mwana sensed that it was a bit extraordinary. Even the coin¡¯s colour value, through his third eye, was a solid orange. ¡®There is something strange about this coin.¡¯ However, even after keenly observing the coin the only thing he could make out was a barely visible dragon emblem due to the coin¡¯s wear and tear. There were also traces of some words on the edges of the coin but time had long dealt with them. ¡°It is a token. With it you can join and participate in this town¡¯s Underground Masquerade martial arts battles. You just need to know where to go and once you hand them this coin, they will let you join. With this, you will be able to gain aaaaaall the resources you want with your own strength and if you can reach the top of the fighting tower, the flower is yours. My only request is that¡­¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Before the old man could continue with his request, he was shocked to see the coin back in his hand. Mwana had a disinterested look on his face as he started to hurriedly walk away from the seller. ¡®I have already wasted time haggling here that the night is almost here!¡¯ The sky had already turned grey black as heavy rainclouds gathered from all directions and a soft chilly breeze washed over the town. ¡®Looks like it is going to rain again. Sheesh, I have to hurry.¡¯ Mwana had already relegated the old seller¡¯s words to the back of his mind. Who truly had time to participate in some shady underground fight club? ¡®Not me.¡¯ ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be too quick to throw away such a golden opportunity.¡± The seller hurriedly said as he grabbed Mwana¡¯s arm and forcefully stuffed the coin back into Mwana¡¯s hands. Mwana had a smile on his face as he questioned the man, ¡°If it is so good why don¡¯t you take it? It¡¯s a ¡®golden opportunity¡¯ after all.¡± The sarcasm in his voice could not be missed. ¡°You have no shame suggesting that an old bones like me should join fist fights. 5 years, 10 years, will I even be alive? Think how fragile I am.¡± The seller defended himself with an aggrieved tone and a face that looked as if he was begging and crying at the same time. Mwana had to acknowledge that the man was an expert at playing the victim and garnering sympathy. However, who was he to be outdone? ¡°You have no shame suggesting that to a kid like me either. You are asking if you will be alive in 5 years or 10 years? Was I even alive 10 years ago? I am so young, so fragile, haish.¡± With a sigh and a pitiful face that would make any adult¡¯s heart soften, Mwana¡¯s counterattack was naturally victorious. In the end, the old seller could only relent and tell Mwana everything to keep him from leaving. What caught Mwana¡¯s attention was the reward of a Blood Nourishing Potion if one managed to top a fighting ring in the Underground Masquerade. On top of that, there were even different power, gender, and even age categories so Mwana could compete with the young or old. It was his choice. While the fighting stage was ¡®underground¡¯, there were still strict regulations to keep such businesses running. After all, ¡®underground¡¯ did not mean ¡®invisible from the government¡¯ but instead it just meant ¡®invisible from the common people¡¯. Joining a fighting ring and participating in rewarding battles was indeed a good idea. Even if Mwana had to fight with just his physical abilities alone due to Milele Town¡¯s Normalization Magic Formation, he was still extremely confident in his physical strength. As someone who had grown up in a blacksmith village, physical strength had never been an issue for Mwana. Further, although the Myriad Dragon Bloodline had its weaknesses, it was still a dragon bloodline after all and dragons were creatures known for their mighty and indestructible bodies. With the Green Dragon Mantra in hand, Mwana had relied on the [Bone], [Skin], [Muscle], and [Flesh] sections to refine his body even further, or at least beyond other ordinary warriors. Further, Mwana specialized in mostly basic techniques which boosted his speed so even when his supernatural powers were suppressed, his agility remained relatively high even when suppressed. ¡°It is a masquerade fight so you need to chose a mask if you are going to participate.¡± The old man said as he produced a pile of masks from god-knows-where and laid them on the mat. ¡°Ho! Another way to milk money.¡± Mwana had to commend the old man. Everything to him was business, even the so-called opportunity. Among the old man¡¯s line-up of masks, there were all manner of strange masks but the ones that caught Mwana¡¯s eyes were 4 of them: a white wolf mask, a black wood laughing mask, a silver metallic eye mask, and a white cloth mask. However, while sorting through the masks, Mwana found something he felt resonated with his spirit: a green dragon wooden mask. The mask was right at the bottom of the pile. It was made of wood and painted over in a green shade of paint that seemed to be wearing off at some sections of the mask. As a result, its overall colour was a mixture of green and brown. On top of that, the dragon scales design as well as the dragon horns were extremely realistic. Mwana obviously wanted it but he was not too keen on spending even a single coin more than he had already done. Seeing Mwana¡¯s hesitation, the old seller immediately went into veteran salesman mode pointing out the perks and functions of this item. The mask was not just for show as it had: a built-in air filter to protect against low level gaseous poisons, lenses that could come up and down like a shutter to protect the eyes, and ear flaps to guard against low level sonic attacks. The masks capabilities were really well rounded. Chapter 101: Suspicious People By the time Mwana left the old seller¡¯s place, he had already decided to participate in the Underground Masquerade. Anyway, it was not like he had many great ideas of making a quick buck. Before, he had thought to smith or do some embroidery but Milele was a big place; it did not lack people, adults at that, in these professions. Art? There was a thing called starving artists. They were everywhere. He had also thought of selling some art and story books that he drew containing the tales of old and new heroic legends as well as age old romantic tales. If he could sell them to some of the young boys and girls flooding to Milele, he would surely make some shells. However, it was not like children were known for having full pockets. At most, what he earned would only be enough for covering mundane costs. ¡°At the end of the day, this fighting stage seems to be the easiest path for me towards Blood Boiling stage.¡± ¡°Anyway, I wonder what request the old man wanted to ask. Ha ha ha, he did not know he was playing with a veteran.¡± Mwana had indeed caught on the old man¡¯s tone when he gave him the coin the first time. Even though he had been a bit interested in the underground masquerade fights, Mwana was not ready to do anyone any favours thus he acted like it was nothing to him; but his disinterested reaction was not all acting either as the special dragon flower was just something he learned of today. It had yet to attract him to a significant extent. While the unique Dragon Flower did not hold much value to him at the moment, resources that could nourish blood were an absolute necessity to him. The Blood Dragon aspect of his Myriad Dragon bloodline was like a guillotine hanging over his neck but it was also his way out. It had its benefits and negative effects. In terms of side effects, his blood dragon bloodline had the [Drain Ability] which reduced his stamina and would have made him sickly and unable to practice martial arts had it been a pure blood dragon bloodline. The solution to such an issue albeit temporary was to acquire a lot of blood nourishing resources and practice spells and techniques that boosted his blood and overall health. As for the positive aspects of the bloodline, it would theoretically be much easier for him to excite his blood the second time as it was a blood related bloodline. In general, some bloodlines were just easier to nurture and excite during the Blood Boiling realm than others. For instance, in the case of someone like Mwana¡¯s classmate Damu whose bloodline was related to the core nature of blood, the blood boiling realm might as well not have existed. ¡®While other people are worrying, Damu probably already forgot that such a level even exists. It is just a breeze to him. At this point, he has probably advanced much farther than the rest of us. He might even be the strongest in our year if it turns out he has crossed this hurdle; obtaining the power of Bloodline Transformation!¡¯ [Damu ¨C Blood. His name just means blood and his bloodline is also related to blood.] ¡®There is also big bro Mkata-mwezi, he said he is almost done quenching his organs now. With his bloodline, I doubt the Blood Boiling Realm would even pose an issue to him. He even chose to do things the traditional style and save Blood Boling for last.¡¯ Mwana had to shake his head a bit to escape these thoughts. Whenever one obsesses over the talent of others it is easy to become hopeless and depressed. In that case, Mwana decided to just focus on himself. The target was simple: Blood Nourishing ¨C> Blood Boiling ¨C> 2nd Bloodline Awakening ¨C> Bloodline Transformation While his initial goal involved becoming a Magic Student, magic alone was not enough to dominate the world; no single aspect was. Apart from physical weaknesses, the other drawback for Magic users in the Zika world was the scarcity of magical energy in the environment. Natural energy was more abundant than magic so even if someone had a natural energy capacity of 100 units the power they could mobilize in the environment was much more than a magician with the same magic capacity. This was the main reason magicians had 2 tiers: Tier 1: Pure Mage Tier 2: Magician + Warrior It was obvious who would be stronger and the 2nd tier was naturally the path many chose to pursue, at least when one was younger. With age, it was inevitable that those whose talents could not keep up dropped off along the road. The few whose talents were not adequate but still wished to remain on the path would choose to only focus on one or at most 2 aspects of being: body, mind, soul, lifeline/vitality, nature, magic, and divinity. As Mwana was still young, he could still split his focus and train in multiple aspects. Therefore, Mwana¡¯s overall Goals during the time he was in Milele Town were: - achieve Magic Student rank - advance his swordsmanship and become a Great Swordsman - attain Blood Boiling and hasten the 2nd Bloodline Awakening Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. - quench his lungs and attain Inner Breath If he achieved his goals, he would attain the ability to fight opponents far above his level. Even if it might be at the cost of serious injuries, at least he would not be completely helpless. He would at least attain strength comparable to a Senior Warrior. ¡®My Bloodline Transformation will obviously be a type of Dragonification. If I can achieve that, I will not have to worry about physical strength ever again.¡¯ ¡®Pting ting.¡¯ ¡®Kacha!¡¯ It was the sound of things falling and something crashing down and breaking that awakened Mwana from his thoughts. When he looked at the ground, his wares were scattered all over and while everything else was fine, the pot he had bought for his mother was shattered to pieces. Instantly, his frustrations almost burst to the surface. He was already feeling down due to comparing himself with others and his random worries about his future yet now his mother¡¯s gift was wasted. How could he not be angry? ¡°Who broke it?!¡± Mwana only managed to catch the shadow of the culprits. These people were already over a hundred meters away by the time he looked up; fast! They could only be described as extremely fast, faster than the fastest athletes on Earth. From the brief glimpse Mwana had caught of them before they disappeared, he could tell that the culprits were around a dozen men all dressed in black. ¡®It seems like they were chasing someone. Who are they?¡¯ While Mwana could not pinpoint their identities, just from their mode of dress, he was already extremely suspicious. ¡®They are all dressed in black?! Almost 20 men all in black chasing someone¡­I am sure this is¡­¡¯ Mwana¡¯s suspicions were not without cause. This was because within the overall culture in Toro, usually only unmarried women in some tribes such as the Siribi and Warana tribes among others would dress this way. Before marriage, the main way of dressing was a robe or shuka tied diagonally around their chest with one breast exposed. After marriage, the robe would be tied to cover both breasts and the head would be shaved. As for older women, there was no strict dress code or hair style. These were some of the customs among various Nomadic pastoralist tribes in Toro. It should be noted that these tribes did not view women''s breasts in a sexual manner. In fact it was not uncommon for men who tried to ''explore'' around the area during ''relations'' to receive the rebuff, "don''t play with the children''s food". Anyway, when anyone saw men dressed in black, they automatically knew they were up to no good. At least within Toro¡¯s borders, Mwana did not know of a single black cultural dress for men in any of the tribes. Looking at his scattered things, Mwana picked them up before setting his eyes on the broken pot. There was sadness in his eyes and a hidden anger too. Something he had spent efforts to haggle for had been broken. It was a gift for his mother. ¡®My mother deserves all the good things. How could I possibly let this go?¡¯ With that in mind, Mwana¡¯s legs were like a hot engine as he chased after the men at wind breaking speeds. They had to pay. However, was this all there was to Mwana¡¯s motivation? ¡­ Shaaaaaa Wheeeeeeee ¡°God! At this rate won¡¯t I get blown away too?!¡± Kia was leaving the information center when a furious wind blew strongly across her. She was holding her dress down but the wind was so strong that it almost carried her entire self with it. Looking up, dark clouds and faint sounds of thunder covered the skies, ¡°It is going to rain¡­ I better hurry.¡± Even after inquiring about the flower that was her mother¡¯s lifeline at the town¡¯s information center, she got the same information, ¡°Undead Marsh and Dragon Heart Island.¡± These were not places she could go with her current strength. As Kia hurriedly walked back to the inn the Jua village entourage had rented, there was a park ahead that she would have to pass through, a dead zone that barely anyone used. Before she even got to the park, a light drizzle and cold wind had already filled the empty streets. Everywhere looked deserted and the little people remaining were rushing indoors. Lately, the town had been unsafe with things such as serial killings. Further, with many people arriving in Milele for the magic competition, there were obviously the snakes mixed in among the ordinary folk. Even ignoring criminal outsiders, as an urban center, Milele did not lack its own criminal underground. Therefore, many people would close down their businesses before night arrived. It was especially so on days like this when the rain was predicted to be heavy. In Kia¡¯s eyes, there was almost no one else on the street as she walked back to the inn. Her present state of mind was a bit muddled and absent minded as she thought about many things especially her family and home. It had been too long since she came to this continent and she had also been extremely young when she left home. As a result, memories of her home were gradually fading away into a blur of nothingness. ¡°In a few years more, will I even be able to remember mother¡¯s smile?¡± The thoughts made her a bit melancholic and a sense of homesickness pervaded her body. It made a chocking feeling arise in her body. However, Kia¡¯s unique emotional state was suddenly broken when she noticed something. Through her pitch black eyes, she saw something pass by the cross section of the street she was on. It was several meters away but Kia still etched that brief sight into her mind. However, it was not what she saw that shocked her but instead, what she smelled; a scent she would never forget; a scent that she had been seeking all along. ¡°Weeping Purgatory!¡± When she uttered these words, a strong invisible force burst out of Kia¡¯s body. Despite the normalization formation that dampened the use of supernatural powers in the town, none of the drizzling rain could touch her. The "Weeping in Purgatory" flower which also went by the simpler name, Funeral Flower, was Kia¡¯s salvation; her mother¡¯s salvation. Who were those people? Why did they have the scent of the flower on them? Were they adventurers strong enough to enter the danger zones and harvest the flower? Did they have the flower and was it up for sale? One way or another, Kia had to know. In the street, the few people who were walking on the same lane as Kia were shocked to see her disappear. A single leap was all it took and she had already turned the corner following after the group towards the ¡®dead zone¡¯ park. ¡­ Final Note: The moment of conflict rapidly approaches. The conflict that sparks here shall determine the fate of these children''s future. Chapter 102: 1 Boy vs. 15 Men The rumbling thunder, slashing cold winds, and the gradually escalating rain hid the evils that occurred in this town. It was like a curtain for those who existed only in the underground. Moments like this were when they would crawl from their dark holes with the night and weather as a curtain for their terror. Instant Movement [Dash] It only took Mwana a short while to cross the gap between him and the over a dozen men who had broken his pot, his mother¡¯s pot. However, he naturally did not chase over a dozen suspicious men in the grey of approaching night just to demand compensation. He had long noticed that these men had actually been chasing someone else. When Mwana finally caught up to them, they had turned and entered a deserted and dark back alley. There was nothing there, only a disgusting river of sewage and dumped trash. Even Milele town had sections like this. When Mwana heard the men¡¯s conversation, he did not enter the alley and climbed onto the roof of one of the buildings to eavesdrop. ¡®1, 2, 3, ¡­14. So it is 14 men.¡¯ From his hiding spot, Mwana counted a total of 14 men all dressed in black cloaks who were assailing one man. ¡°¡­then why did you have to play hard to get, huh? The boss¡¯ demands were simple. We could have had a good relationship.¡± A deep menacing voice entered Mwana¡¯s ears. This was clearly one of the assailants. In response, the victim only coughed violently. Mwana could tell that the man had been roughed up to the extent that he could not speak clearly. ¡°My request is simple right? I will not ask you again, where are the Blood Devil Fruits?¡± ¡®Blood Devil Fruits!¡¯ How could Mwana not be shocked hearing this, it seemed this was no ordinary robbery. In fact, what Mwana did not know was that the victim below was actually a very influential and rich apothecary in Milele town. He was someone who dealt in a variety of herbs, medicines, and potions transported from various regions to the town through his own transportation methods. The man had just gotten a shipment of Blood Devil Fruits from the north but somehow the Red Hawk gang had found out. ¡°How did you bring the shipment in? You might not know, but we have been tracking all your channels but they still got past us this time, huh? Speak!¡± The same man who had spoken before continued to question the apothecary but received no response. When the apothecary failed to answer the questions, what followed was a terrible beat-down of punches and kicks. Whack! Whack! Whack! Whack! Crunch!!!! ¡­it was the sound of bones breaking, no not just breaking but absolutely crushed. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaah¡±, a painful scream naturally followed. Seeing the situation escalate, Mwana could no longer stand on the sidelines. He also could not lie and say that the mention of blood devil fruits did not attract his attention. If he had only intended to seek trouble before, then this time he was fully in. ¡®This is an opportunity!¡¯ ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey now, there is no reason to resort to violence.¡± Before the men could continue beating up the middle aged apothecary, someone suddenly appeared between them and the victim. It was naturally Mwana. In his grey and white fur coat that reached his ankles, Mwana looked like a squirrel in its comfy squirrel fur. Turning to the victim on the ground, he finally saw him clearly. The victim of this crime was a partially bald and scantily bearded middle-aged man dressed in green feather robes that were now drenched in blood. His face was currently fattened up from the savage beating and his left hand which had been broken was swollen like a club, ¡®internal bleeding? But he seems otherwise fine.¡¯ After examining the victim, Mwana turned to look at the perpetrators. Seeing everyone so tense he could not help but comment, ¡°I come in peace. I hope you guys can settle my worries, alright? Alright.¡± Mwana did not wait for the men to respond before taking out pieces of the broken pot and pouring them onto the ground. Pting. Pting. Everyone just stared at the broken pieces in bewilderment. A strange atmosphere had overtaken the gravity of the situation. While Mwana had first swept away the broken pot pieces, in the end he had chosen to circle back and pick up a few pieces as ¡®evidence¡¯. ¡°If you break something, you have to pay for it.¡± Mwana said firmly while pointing at the broken pieces he had dropped on the ground before pointing at the men at the end of his statement. Everyone was flabbergasted watching the entire situation unfold, not just the attackers but even the victim. The only thing on their minds was, ¡®where did this daring brat come from?!¡¯ Finally one of the men could not take it and proceeded to shout at Mwana, ¡°This is a personal matter, settling the matters of the greatest trading and security organization in the world!¡± the man said the statement while flipping his cloak in a forceful yet confident manner before continuing, ¡°The Red Hawk Organization! Now please, enlighten me, who the f**k are you?!!!¡± While the man called their group a global trading and security organization, the Red Hawks were obviously a local gang; one of many in Milele Town. The speaker was clearly fanatical in his loyalty to the gang. From his voice, Mwana recognized that this man was the one who had been questioning the victim. He was someone who went by the code name, the Cipher and within the Red Hawk gang he had the complimentary title of Code C. ¡°That is a good question. Great question in fact.¡± Mwana had a contemplative look as he slightly tilted his head like someone in deep thought before continuing, ¡°But what does it have to do with anything? My request is simple right?¡± ¡°Hoo, we have a brave one here don¡¯t we boys?¡± From a distance away behind most of the men, Mwana heard a calm voice that was filled with confidence. ¡®Someone strong,¡¯ from this person¡¯s voice and aura alone, Mwana could tell that this man was above the rest. ¡°Ha ha ha ha.¡± Waves of condescending laughter entered Mwana¡¯s ears as the other men laughed in response to this man¡¯s words. All Mwana could think was, ¡®These jerks are not taking me seriously at all.¡¯ ¡°Since you dare interfere in our matters and even speak rudely to your elders, I can only teach you a lesson in place of your parents.¡± The man continued speaking as the other gang members separated creating a straight open path between Mwana and this man. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take action yourself, vice leader Mizira.¡± Somewhere in the darkness, another voice that was extremely chilling like blades of ice wind entered Mwana¡¯s ears causing him to break out in a nervous sweat. ¡®I did not detect him at all even when I was spying on them from above. Is he perfectly blended into the darkness? I should have activated my Awareness Eye from the start! So it was 15 men, not 14. But who is this man? Is it their leader?!¡¯ Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°No, leave it to me boss. We have already wasted enough time as it is. This little bastard is pretty fast, he appeared out of nowhere. It is best I deal with him myself so we can finish our mission quickly and go get a drink, right boys?¡± ¡°Yeaaaaaaaaah!¡± The vice leader had quickly dismissed his superior¡¯s words to the agreement of the crowd. He was clearly much more popular among the men than the leader. The man then entered a strange stance while staring right at Mwana. With his arms outstretched, he looked like a plane about to take off. This man was the vice leader of this particular squad: Code B, the Barracuda. In this special team that worked in the night, he was the second in command. In full, people referred to him as Storm Barracuda and his real name was naturally related to these words, Mizira wa Dhoruba or his family name, Sansuri. ¡°Uncircumcised brat, Prepare yourself!¡± ¡°A wingsuit!¡± when the vice leader stretched his arms, Mwana noticed that he was actually wearing a wingsuit. He instantly knew that this would be a battle of speed. Before Storm Barracuda even attacked, the tension in the air had almost turned solid. The next moment, the man was not there! His speed reached a shocking level as he dashed at Mwana like a speed jet. Not only was his physical speed incredible, but the wingsuit spread out to boost his speed allowing him to run as if he was gliding resulting in vastly superhuman speeds. ¡°Heavenly Thunder, Tiger Spirit Rain of Strikes!¡± Barracuda shouted at the top of his voice while unleashing hundreds of blows in an instant. The flurry of punches was so fast that it blurred into a fog of attacks that slightly brightened the dark back street. ¡®Thrakoom!¡¯ The sound of Storm Barracuda¡¯s punches breaking through the air sounded like vicious thunder. ¡°What a long technique name.¡± However, when everyone expected Mwana to be laid out by this attack, an immature voice entered their ears. While the attack had been fast, Mwana had still seen through it and dodged at the last second. He did not dare to be careless and quickly prepared his counterattack. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°He dodged the vice leader¡¯s attack?¡± ¡°I could not even see how the vice leader moved yet this brat managed to dodge?!¡± Everyone at the scene was shocked when they heard Mwana¡¯s unperturbed voice and his next words shocked them even more. ¡°You dare play with thunder in front of me?¡± In a sarcastic tone, Mwana asked before retaliating against Barracuda with his own martial art. ¡°Blood Thunder Cycle: Rushing Blood!¡± after a short pause, Mwana realized he had given his technique a long name too just like his opponent, ¡°I guess I am not any better given how I name my own techniques, he he he.¡± He could not help but laugh at his own hypocrisy. Naturally, Barracuda was not amused by Mwana¡¯s antics, ¡°You still have the gall to joke about while facing meeee?!¡± In anger, Barracuda increased his attack speed chaining his punches one after another like a machine gun but this time Mwana did not dodge. Mwana faced the man head on blocking and parrying each of his blows at close range. This left everyone shocked, ¡®this brat isn¡¯t good at only speed alone!¡¯ In close quarters combat, Mwana used his thunder affinity to increase the rate at which his blood cycled through his body and processed oxygen creating the effect of rushing blood. At the cost of stamina and oxygen deficiency, this was a basic self-created technique that temporarily boosted Mwana¡¯s physical power. ¡°Whaaaa, the brat can actually match the vice leader?¡± The scene in front of them naturally shocked the Red Hawk gang members. Hearing the exclamations behind him, Barracuda resolved himself to go all out, ¡°I cannot waste any more time!¡± He disentangled from Mwana before unleashing his most fierce attack yet: ¡°Thunder Wave Canon!¡± Barracuda punched out towards Mwana with this irregular technique. For a moment, it was extremely silent and nothing happened, but then a brutal and violent explosion followed! In fact, the technique could be described as a vacuum blast created through extreme speed and power akin to the punch of a mantis shrimp or pistol shrimp. Just like the shrimp¡¯s attack, the temporary vacuum and the collapsing air that followed resulted in an instantaneous explosion that was as hot as the surface of the sun. The ground was immediately blasted apart causing waves of dust to rise all over the place before the wind carried it away. However, this was not a supernatural technique! It was an attack of pure power and speed mastered through the observation of ordinary creatures and animals; the genius of mankind. As a result, it would be categorized as a Basic Skill. Due to its extreme attack speed, this technique was practically inescapable. ¡°Did you get him?¡± Before the dust settled, an immature jokey voice entered the vice leader¡¯s ear from behind him. It was not just Barracuda, but everyone else at the scene could not believe their ears and eyes. Mwana was currently behind the vice leader on his tip toes while leaning over the man¡¯s shoulder to take a look at the shocking damage from the attack. While Mwana maintained a calm exterior, the attack¡¯s power left him sweating. ¡®It would have been terrible had I been hit by that!¡¯ The moment Mwana¡¯s voice entered the vice leader¡¯s ears, he rolled to the ground while throwing a kick behind him which Mwana easily sidestepped. A sweep followed which Mwana circled around without even needing to jump over it. His speed could only be described as a flash hidden in the wind. This insane speed was as a result of Mwana using hidden flash to outmaneuver his opponent. Instant Movement [Hidden Flash] ¨C a high speed movement technique that could be used after one surpassed 30 steps in the [100 Steps in an Instant] technique. Now that he had an advantage, Mwana did not give his opponent the opportunity to gather himself as he unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches. ¡°Tiger Coat Defense!¡± ¡°Dambe: Spring Blast Power!¡± Entering a one arm forward stance, Mwana utilized his Dambe martial arts to unleash an attack that sent his body barreling towards his opponent like a released spring. This blast power attack was a spring punch pulled from far back and thrown almost like a reverberating spear to break an opponent''s defense. In front of this punch, Barracuda¡¯s Tiger Coat Defense stood no chance and was instantly pierced sending him flying a great distance away. His body was sent all the way to the sewage river that flowed through this back alley. Not only did he hit the sewage river, Barracuda even bounced on the dirty water three times like a stone skipping game before slowly skidding on the water surface and coming to a stop. ¡°H-how, did you get through my tiger defense?¡± From the distance, Barracuda stood up unsteadily not even caring about the dirty water that soaked him and asked in a shaky voice. He was clearly injured as the punch had been delivered with Mwana¡¯s full body weight behind it straight to his solar plexus. ¡°Tiger? Are you sure you did not train in the house cat defense?¡± The only answer he got was Mwana¡¯s mocking words that made him almost faint in anger. The sight of Mwana¡¯s smug face as he picked his nose with his middle finger while mocking him almost sent Barracuda into a frenzy of anger. ¡°Attaaaaack!¡± His subordinates did not need any more encouragement as they leaped towards Mwana like locusts in the dark. ¡°1 vs 15? Bring it on!¡± ¡°Tsiiiiiiiiiia!¡± With a loud battle cry, Mwana went into his stance before clashing against the men. A flying knee here, a punch that sent one of the men flying there, a finger jab to the neck, an ear clap to disorient balance, an elbow to the base of sternum, a reverse somersault throw, multiple leg swipes and tripping techniques, followed by repeated explosive punches to the crotch, ¡®after all, you cannot train your defence there¡¯; all sorts of unorthodox techniques were applied assaulting the men with endless pain. From the moment of attack, barely 5 seconds had passed yet 4 men were already lying on the ground groaning in pain. ¡°Your basics are so weak that no martial technique could save them.¡± In addition to the physical assault, Mwana did not forget to include a few words here and there to strike at his opponents¡¯ morale. Fahamu-hali (Situational Awareness) This was the reason Mwana was able to keep up in a battle against multiple opponents. Fahamu-hali was a concept in the martial arts of Toro referring to a unique state of awareness amidst battle. As one progressed in their training as a fighter, their Fahamu-hali would grow to the point that the minutest details during combat were captured by the martial artist¡¯s senses and ingrained into them like second nature. After reaching such a stage as a combatant, one even had spare mental faculties to focus on other aspects of battle. Meanwhile, a fighter who was yet to reach this stage would find all of their mental strength consumed by the battle. Mwana was simply able to dominate his opponents since his awareness during battle was much higher than theirs. While they had to put 100% focus into the battle, Mwana could set aside some of his mental faculties to plan several steps ahead and even come up with counter-tactics. Chapter 103: Iron Breaker Witnessing the severe beat-down they were receiving, some of the men could not help but hesitate to attack. ¡°Where are you from young chief?¡± One of the men who was grimacing in pain from a kick to the shin finally took the opportunity to question Mwana. At this point, no one dared to continue attacking. ¡°Hoooo, now it isn¡¯t ¡®bastard¡¯, ¡®rascal¡¯, or ¡®uncircumcised brat¡¯ anymore. It is now young chief?¡± With a throaty laugh and a mocking smirk plastered across his face Mwana could not control his tone as he replied. Internally, he kind of felt gleeful that these jerks were finally learning their lesson. In fact, he was doing his best to prevent a wide grin from breaking out on his face. ¡®It is soooo hard to be a good guy, haish.¡¯ After gathering himself, Mwana continued questioning the man who had asked his origins, ¡°Where am I from? What are you asking? Don¡¯t all humans come from the same place? Hmmmm or are you asking my origins? Are you asking for the specific location? Or is it the village? Hmmm, even if you knew everything about my background, it would not help you much, that probably means you are asking about the organization I come from right? Preferably a rival force? Someone you can dump the blame on to your bosses?¡± ¡°Right right, at least let us know on whose behest you are doing this? Who sent you?¡± The man did not deny Mwana¡¯s reasoning and shamelessly admitted his purpose. If they did not succeed today, at least they would have someone to blame. If it was a rival gang like the Umbrella Assassins then even better. Their superiors might even feel bad for them and seek revenge on their behalf rather than punish them for the failure. ¡°Well sorry to burst all your bubbles, but this was completely random. If you did not destroy my things, insult me, refuse to pay up, and even attack me, none of this would be happening. There is no higher force! Your actions are the only thing that led to this moment¡­¡± Before Mwana could finish his statement, someone managed to grab onto him! Code G, the Grappler! ¡°Got you¡­¡± The man happily exclaimed. ¡°The fight is won!¡± Everyone else let out a sigh of relief. Why did they have so much faith in this man? Well just like his name, once Code G got a hold of someone, the fight was pretty much over. That was how lethal his grappling skills were. Takedowns, locks, sprawls, groundwork, submission holds, etcetera he was simply the best. However, what everyone else failed to notice was the change of expression once the man firmly caught Mwana. His smile was short lived as he had only caught an afterimage! ¡°You want to catch me?¡± Mwana quipped as he speedily slipped past the man¡¯s outstretched hands and delivered a high knee to his opponent¡¯s stomach. Before the man behind his current opponent could circle around, Mwana had already stepped back and delivered another devastating attack. As this was a back alley of a mostly business area, the buildings in this region did not have residents at night. Their entrances were also located on the opposite side facing the main street. However, there were a few buildings with heavy steel back-doors at the back-street mostly for throwing out trash and bringing in supplies; stuff like that. It was at one such thick metallic back-door that Mwana dug his fingers through the reinforced bricks of the building and literally dug out the door to forcefully open it. In the process, he broke the reinforced metallic lock like it was a withered stick. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. When Mwana¡¯s opponent charged at him, he was met face first by the forcefully opened thick metal door. He was rammed so hard that his face flattened, his nose broke, and his teeth shot out of his mouth like bullets before the man himself flew out faster than he had charged while spinning in the air dozens of times before crashing down. The force that hit him was so powerful that his flying body cleaned out 2 more men behind him before coming to a stop. ¡°Demon King, Binding Grasp.¡± Before Mwana could relax after taking down that gang member, a shocking attack approached his back threatening to tear him apart. With a roll, he was able to narrowly evade the attack but a large boulder and a wooden chicken coop in the attack¡¯s path were not so lucky. If any chickens had been in there, they would have instantly been ready for the table. The technique easily tore through solid rock and carved through wood like it was butter. The attacker was Code D, the Demon; someone who used grasping and tearing hand techniques. His hands were like a demon¡¯s claws: black-red with purple veins. Whatever physical martial arts he had practiced, it had even changed the structure and appearance of his arms. ¡°Whaa, you almost tore my overcoat, my mother made this for me.¡± Mwana exclaimed in shock. That had truly been close. His roll on the ground immediately transitioned into a spin that took him in the before he launched a jump spin kick. At the point where Mwana leg and the Demon¡¯s hand collided, a loud burst like an explosion emerged blowing the rocks, leaves, and sand in the vicinity away. After the collision, both opponents separated but Mwana was once again on the Demon¡¯s neck. In an instant, a horrifying kick approached the man¡¯s neck. From the force alone, the Demon realized that it was far more powerful than the boy¡¯s previous kick. ¡®What are kids nowadays eating!¡¯ Even for a stone-faced man like him that never showed emotions, he could not help but lament internally. He felt as if this kick would decapitate him or at least fracture his neck. ¡®At this distance, I cannot dodge it!¡¯ With that in mind, he could only guard with his hands. Craaaack! It was an unmistakeable sound; the breaking of bones. ¡°Did that brat break his legs on the Demon¡¯s steel-like claws?¡± Although someone asked the question, no one answered. At this point the gang-members morale was down and even if they won, they would not believe it for at least a few minutes. Even the person who asked the question did so in a doubtful tone. Expectedly, Mwana¡¯s next words confirmed their worries, ¡°You are lucky. If you had actually torn my overcoat, a broken arm would seem like mercy to you. In fact, you would have welcomed it.¡± Mwana was naturally concerned for this coat as with his mother¡¯s weakening condition, it was the last thing she had made for him with her own hands. At several moments, he even had to pry the sewing materials and needle from her arms due to her tremoring hands. In the clash with the Demon, Mwana was indeed the victor and his opponent retreated with one of his arms drooping like a broken stem. The hardened skin on the Demon¡¯s left arm fell off like flakes of hardened paint. His bones had been broken and his demon skin had been shattered. What technique could possibly be strong enough to cause such damage? 100 Iron Breaker Kicks ¨C this was a derivative technique of the [100 Steps in an Instant] movement technique. After all, 100 steps could be translated into 100 kicks. If you could run fast, naturally you could also kick fast. The Iron Breaker Kick was a kicking style that utilized absolute speed to deliver extremely powerful kicks. After-all speed is power. In the short clash between Mwana and the gang, 3 strong fighters had already suffered a crashing defeat and 6 more mid-level fighters had been moderately to severely injured. How did a simple mission turn into such? Suddenly, the young boy before them looked like a demon even more than their own member, the Demon himself. If things continued like this, they could only rely on their reclusive leader who always hid in the shadows, Code A, to resolve this matter. Chapter 104: The Phantom Tip tip tip tip tip Pearl shaped raindrops would occasionally drip from the roofs of the buildings. Shwaaaaaaaaaaa! A short cold wind was all it took for the rain over the town to intensify. It went from a slight drizzle to a powerful soaking shower. With the increasing rain, the darkness fully descended onto Milele town. However, Mwana¡¯s next action did not match the weather as he proceeded to take off his heavy coat. ¡°I cannot have you getting damaged now, can I?¡± Mwana said as if he was speaking to the coat before continuing, ¡°Come! Take it to the inn. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± It was as if he was talking to empty air but the next moment, something leaped out of the darkness, bit onto the coat, and raced away. Most of the thugs on the street did not even see what it was. ¡°Don¡¯t panic guys, it is just my dog. Anyway where were we?¡± With a little reassurance to ease his opponents¡¯ nerves, Mwana reached to his waist pulling out a yellowish white rope. Even as he wrapped this rope around his right arm, none of the gang members interfered. Whether it was respect for a fellow martial artist or plain fear, who could tell? Mwana¡¯s current garb was basically a short black skirt with three-quarter pants underneath that reached slightly below his knee. These pants had traditional Jemedari tribal patterns drawn in black and white lines. As for his upper body, he only had a strip of black and red wrapped multiple times around his stomach and chest like bandages. As a result, most of his upper chest and arms were exposed to the rain. Further, Mwana was also carrying a white weapon-holding sack and a gold green half-spherical object that looked like a shield attached to his back. The half sphere-like object was obviously the tortoise Kobe Mweusi ¨C his aunt Jumatatu¡¯s spiritual pet. Once he was done wrapping the rope cloth around his arm, Mwana took on his stance: left arm outstretched with an open palm, right arm pulled back for a punch, one foot forward and one back. It was time to end this. ¡°Whoooooooo! Whoooooo! Whooooooo!¡± Even in the heavy rain, sounds of heavy breathing filled the street. Then everything exploded! Aaaaaaaaaaaah! With loud powerful cries that shook the roofs of adjacent buildings, up to six men pounced on Mwana with a shocking momentum. In response, Mwana¡¯s body was again in the air throwing his most powerful kick yet and sweeping across his opponents; an Iron Breaker 540 degree turning kick carrying with it all of the physical power accumulated in Mwana¡¯s body! When his kick landed on one of the opponents, Mwana did not hesitate and launched a follow-up spear punch. In Dambe martial arts, the wrapped up arm was always the spear used to attack while the open palm left arm was the shield. The first opponent that received this combo attack naturally stood no chance. His ribs cracked and his skull was immediately fractured! Mwana¡¯s feet had not even touched the ground and one man was down. Not wasting that momentum, the moment Mwana landed back on the ground he transitioned into another kick. With one leg tucked, this time it was the Iron Breaker variant of a spinning hook kick. The key to chaining such attacks one after another was Mwana¡¯s natural flexibility which was enhanced even further once a warrior reached the Bone Forging stage. However, this time the opponent Mwana targeted was able to narrowly dodge the kick and the attacks that followed by rolling on the ground. Although his clothes were dirtied by the accumulating mud, he did not care one bit. ¡®I cannot take his attacks head on but with my speed, I can rely on the others as shields and use hit and run tactics on the brat.¡¯ With this thought, the man pulled out 4 knives from under his cloak. Holding two knives in each arm, he was throwing the knives and spinning them rapidly like some sort of carnival performance. This man was Code S, the Skylark and he was naturally a knife-master as well as an expert in high speed combat. As he had already been injured in Mwana¡¯s first clash against the gang members, he did not dare get close and only attacked from afar with his spinning flying knives ¨C the Sky Blades. Each of these knives looked like a 4-bladed boomerang or a Goleyo. With the addition of these attacks, Mwana was pressured to the wall. Since he had to dodge and defend against the attacks of 5 men, he barely had any space to make his own attacks and counters. Apart from Code S who terrorized Mwana from a distance with his boomerang-like knives, Mwana was also facing 4 other members of the Codes (Alphabet Codes) Squad: Code E ¨C the Egalitarian, Code P ¨C the Phantom, Code F ¨C the Forlorn Knight, and Code I ¨C the Iron. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Each of Mwana¡¯s attackers was a formidable opponent that could challenge Mwana in a one on one fight let alone as a group. ¡®On top of that, I have to deal with the attacks of that flying knife guy that always come from my blind spot! It is only because of my Awareness ability that I can even react and even then, it is only at the last minute. I need an opening!¡¯ However, as Mwana was internally strategizing while trying to parry and circle around his opponents, a terrifying aura approached him from his side. It was an open palm attack followed by a punch that Mwana almost could not dodge. ¡°Close! Too close!¡± While jumping back, Mwana was surprised to see that the attacker was one of the men he had been manhandling. ¡°It seems like you finally decided to get serious, huh?¡± As Mwana guessed, this man had been holding back his true strength the entire time. ¡®It seems not only protagonists can do that.¡¯ It was completely out of Mwana¡¯s expectations. This man was Code P, the Phantom. While the man was still dressed in the black gang uniform, the fight had torn off the upper part of the cloak and taken off his hood revealing his head and part of his torso underneath. ¡®Bandages? Like a mummy?¡¯From what Mwana could tell, this man¡¯s entire body was wrapped in white bandages like a mummy. ¡°My fists only bring death. Prepare yourself!¡± The Phantom¡¯s voice was low and hoarse to the point that it merged with the sound of the rain. The next moment, he launched himself towards Mwana timing his attack with Skylark¡¯s sky blade. It was a two-pronged attack. ¡°Death Strike!¡± Mwana instantly recognized the move. It was a deadly martial arts punch that created air pockets in the opponent''s blood sometimes leading to heart attacks. Along with the Internal Destruction Punch, One Touch Kill, and the Vacuum Palm, the Death Strike was one of the most fatal basic martial arts techniques. Like the rest, it was a fist art that did not require any special energy in order to use, it was pure skill. As a result, the Phantom could use it even under the effects of the town¡¯s Normalization Magic Formation. 4 punches! Although Mwana only saw 2 blows approach him, the Phantom had actually thrown 4 punches all at virtually the same time. If not for his special awareness, Mwana would not have been able to dodge the 2nd set of punches at all. ¡®Fighting this man is like fighting an opponent with multiple arms!¡¯ It was only thanks to his heightened senses that Mwana managed to dodge the invisible punches: Phantom Hands. All 4 attacks as well as the knife passed above Mwana''s head as he ducked low to dodge before responding with a strong uppercut to the charging Phantom who had entered Mwana¡¯s range. While this punch was not strong enough to break bones, it still managed to rock his opponent¡¯s head. ¡°Let''s see who will be the last man standing.¡± Mwana did not give the opponent a moment¡¯s rest as he dived under the Forlorn Knight¡¯s blade and skipped over the Iron¡¯s charge to pursue the disoriented Phantom who was retreating. When he caught up to him, Mwana immediately unleashed 5 swift and deadly butterfly punches that pinned the Phantom to the wall behind him. He was done! Before Mwana could turn his back, two swift sky blades approached him from behind. ¡°Got you brat! Your sacrifice will not be in vain Phantom Ha¡­¡± Skylark was just celebrating hitting the mark when he saw Mwana spin and grab one knife while kicking the other so far into the sky that it disappeared into the night. However, while he defended against the knife attack, Mwana did not have time to rest as another opponent was already on his neck. With a swift defensive check kick, Mwana was able to keep this opponent away. ¡°Why am I getting further away from him?¡± Code E, the Egalitarian wondered when he noticed the distance between him and Mwana widen in an almost slow motion view. Mwana¡¯s kick had been so fast that the charging Egalitarian only noticed the distance increasing between him and Mwana before coming to a realization that it was a kick that had caused him to slide back. However, unlike the other men who had received kicks from Mwana, this man was not injured in the slightest. It was not because he had bones of steel or iron like skin, rather, this man¡¯s core martial arts was the [Law of Equals] which was more like a school of thought rather than a pure martial art. The [Law of Equals] was a way for a fighter to exercise maximum freedom in combat without interfering with others, an ultimate defensive form that scratched the boundary of law! Chapter 105: Drunken Dragon In the falling rain, two fighters were shifting back and forth on the back alley like a pair of dancers. ¡°Kid, you might as well give up now. Cut your losses. Your fist cannot reach me.¡± the Egalitarian said with a confident look on his face. Although it sounded as if he was taunting Mwana, this was not the case. He was completely confident in his defense. After-all, the [Law of Equals] was a form of martial arts that controlled combat rhythm. Both the fighter and their opponent¡¯s rhythm were restrained to the same tempo and synchronized creating a strange illusion as if the fighters were dancing together. However, this meant that while Mwana found it hard to land a blow on Code E ¨C the Egalitarian, the latter also could not harm Mwana using this fighting style. Nevertheless, Code E did not have much to worry about as he was with fellow gang members who would back him up while he tied Mwana down. He was sure victory was his. He could not have been more wrong! When Mwana was still engaged in the fight against the Egalitarian, a knife swiftly and silently approached him from where his blind-spot should have been. It was Skylark¡¯s attack. However, with Mwana¡¯s perception, how could he not sense it? It was nearly impossible to catch him off-guard and this time with a sideways spin, Mwana dodged the knife easily. After dodging it, the knife was on the trajectory to land on Mwana¡¯s opponent who was in front of him. As Mwana had only dodged the knife by a hair¡¯s breadth at the last instance, the Egalitarian had not even seen the knife before it was already at his chest! ¡®Skylark, are you trying to kill me too you bastard! But I can still¡­¡¯ The Egalitarian¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain on the right side of his chest. ¡®What?! How?!¡¯ His body had only started dodging the knife yet it was already halfway in him. In front of him, Mwana¡¯s body was like an outstretched spring, coiled, twisted but still hitting the mark. His attack was a long range 360 degree kick that had been launched even when Mwana was twisting sideways without any leverage. The kick had landed right on the knife handle driving it into his opponent¡¯s right shoulder-to-chest area. While the Egalitarian had been out of Mwana¡¯s kicking distance all along, the range of this kick was extremely large as it was augmented by Mwana''s massive spring-like power. Even when the opponent was out of Mwana¡¯s effective range by over a meter, the kick still landed. This specific attack combined the spring-like power learned through Dambe training and the striking power of the 100 Iron Breaker Kicks thus Mwana aptly named it: [Iron Breaker ¨C Dambe Spring Kick]. ¡°Aaaaaaaah!¡± The pain hit the Egalitarian all at once and he could not stop himself from screaming as he fell in the mud. ¡°E!!!,¡± Code F - the Forlorn Knight screamed out towards the Egalitarian who seemed to be falling in slow motion as he charged at Mwana. Although he was wearing a hooded cloak, the Forlorn Knight was a man with blonde hair which peaked out from under the dark hood. His hair looked like dirty and uneven straw. Further, his face was thin, sickly, and pale with an overall lanky appearance. As his black cloak had been torn apart by Mwana¡¯s blows at certain sections, a silver knight¡¯s armor was slightly visible underneath all the black. As he charged at Mwana, he swung one of his swords at Mwana¡¯s side while pushing the other forward in a thrust aimed at Mwana¡¯s center-mass. ¡®[Gemini Guillotine], with my two swords, I can defeat anything.¡¯ Since he learned martial arts, the Forlorn Knight had always been a dual wielder: a long sword on one hand and short sword that was pretty much a knife on the other. ¡°I cannot miss at this range. Huh!¡­¡± Although his attack had already reached Mwana, things did not go the knight¡¯s way. With someone attacking him head on, Mwana did not have any trouble avoiding this two-pronged stab and slash attack. His figure suddenly vanished like a ghost right in front of the knight¡¯s eyes with the latter¡¯s weapons tearing through Mwana¡¯s afterimage like smoke. In the same motion, the long-sword was violently pulled from his hand flying away into the air while spinning madly. It had been kicked! But he did not see the kick itself. ¡®Too fast! Where did he go?!¡¯ In an instant, Mwana had already moved behind the knight and attacked swiftly with Skylark¡¯s knife that he had pulled from the Egalitarian¡¯s shoulder. The knife headed towards the knight¡¯s waist at striking speeds as Mwana knew that would be one of the joints or weaknesses of the armor. However, while Mwana was too fast for his opponent''s eyes to capture, the Forlorn Knight was quick to react to Mwana¡¯s instantaneous movement. With a simple yet elegant flip, the knight threw his own knife behind him and performed a blind catch with his free arm that had just lost the long-sword. The entire time, the knight¡¯s body was still facing away from Mwana. Nevertheless, he caught the knife and managed to block Mwana¡¯s incoming blow from behind without even looking back! It was pure warrior instinct. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. With the force and momentum from Mwana¡¯s knife thrust, the knight borrowed that power to pull away from the boy and in the same motion he managed to catch his long-sword which was coming down from the sky. When his feet landed on the ground, he did not pause to recollect himself but instead attacked right away, ¡®This is the knights¡¯ way.¡¯ The attack was a straight sword thrust headed towards Mwana¡¯s stomach. This time, Mwana did not even step away or step back. Instead, he dodged the sword by simply leaning sideways. In that moment, time seemed to have slowed down as the knight¡¯s sword and body flew by Mwana¡¯s body as he charged forward. For a moment, the 2 opponents locked eyes in this frozen world and both knew that the victor had already been decided. Mwana responded to the sword thrust by grabbing his opponent¡¯s wrist in place. When the knight finally stabilized himself from missing the blow, Mwana had already leaned back with one of his legs stepping on the knight¡¯s knee. Like a released spring, Mwana¡¯s body rotated backwards as he delivered a knee to the knight¡¯s chin with one leg followed by a kick that sent his opponent flying upwards with the other leg. It was a back-flip that incorporated a flying knee and kick. This attack sent the Forlorn Knight high into the sky before his body came crashing down and barreled through the muddy back alley. By the time he came to a stop, a long trench had been dug on the ground and a pile of mud was covering him. It was unknown whether he would wake up to fight again or not. The Forlorn Knight was down for the count! Seeing others dropping like flies, the remaining gang members were like a berserk swam of flies as they threw themselves at Mwana. Even if they got injured in the process, they had to hold the boy down and tire him out otherwise they would lose this battle completely. Mwana found himself contending against Code C, Code I, Code M, Code S, Code W, and Code Z all at the same time. While most of them were injured, the 6 men threw all caution to the wind and attacked Mwana relentlessly. ¡°A battle of attrition?! I cannot continue this way.¡± While it had only been a few minutes since the fight started, battling against many strong opponents was very draining to Mwana especially as it was a battle of physical might under the town¡¯s normalization magic. Even though each person here had superhuman strength and stamina, it was still straining to fight without the ability to mobilize natural energy, magic, spiritual power, or other special powers. Before Mwana could plan out his next move, a strong blow to his back sent him flying but he still managed to turn in midair and land on his feet. However, things were not so simple with this blow. Although, the punch hit the shell of the tortoise on Mwana¡¯s back (Jumatatu¡¯s defensive spirit pet), it still reverberated through Mwana¡¯s body. In fact, it created a tingling sensation throughout his body almost making him almost puke. For an instant, Mwana¡¯s body was wracked with deep nerve pain. Worse of all, in the chaotic scuffle, Mwana could not exactly pinpoint who the attacker was out of the 6 men but they were a total danger. ¡®Whoever it is, they are absolutely dangerous! What if that attack landed directly?¡¯ With this thought, Mwana turned towards the 6 men before coming to a decision, ¡°Aiya! I cannot continue like this at all. Looks like I have no choice but to use ¡®that¡¯¡­¡± [Build up the power. Cycle it through your body, flesh, blood, muscle, skin, and bones. Let the fire rise within you, consume you, empower you, drive you. Ignite!] With this mantra, everyone watched as steam started to rise from Mwana¡¯s body even amidst the contrasting falling rain. ¡°Quick, stop him!¡± Sensing danger, Code C ¨C the Cipher quickly instructed the other men as he rushed to interrupt whatever Mwana was doing. However, they were too late. The moment three of the men reached him, they were blasted back by a strong concussive force that seemed to have emerged from thin air. At the same time, a drunken euphoric feeling arose in Mwana¡¯s mind almost overwhelming him. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Heheee!¡± The boy could not help but let off a crazy drunken laugh as he settled in this state. To everyone else he looked manic! A strong power filled Mwana¡¯s entire body creating vague sounds of blood rushing, crashing waves, and roaring creatures. It was draconic power! This was the first time Mwana activated the power of his bloodline in battle! However, as he was still inexperienced in utilizing bloodline power, the power of his bloodline muddled his mind almost consuming most of his rationality. This led to a state akin to drunkenness. This was because even when compared to Maji 1 who could use bloodline-specific martial arts such as [Heart Burning Ice] and freely utilize some of the Pweza (Octopus) bloodline¡¯s innate abilities such as the [Ink Dark Domain], Mwana was still very green when it came to using his bloodline in combat. ¡°The kid is out of it. Attack all at once!¡± The Cipher took charge once again commanding the men as he rushed towards Mwana spear in hand. The Cipher¡¯s weapon was a long red metallic spear the size of two men with a giant spearhead. Even when he was more than 5 meters away from the dazed-looking Mwana, the tip of the spearhead was already poking Mwana¡¯s forehead! Chapter 105.1: Bonus Chapter 4 ¨C the Codes The Codes of the 15 Red Hawk gang members that Mwana battles are: A ¨C Apotheosis B ¨C Barracuda [Storm Barracuda] C ¨C Cipher D ¨C Demon [Demon Hand] E ¨C Egalitarian F ¨C Forlorn [Forlorn Knight] G ¨C Grappler I ¨C Iron [Iron Jaw] M ¨C Machete [Papa Machete] P ¨C Phantom [Phantom Hands] R ¨C Raze [Raze-fire] S ¨C Skylark | Scorpion (a unique shared code) T ¨C Time-bolt W ¨C Willow [Willow Battle Wizard] Z ¨C Zero There are other Codes who are not present as there are 26 Codes in total. The letters do not represent strength; instead, they represent rank. In terms of strength, each Code has their own specialty. Apart from the Codes, The Red Hawk Gang also has other squads such as the Numbers, the Bandit Unit, the Irregulars, and the Beasts of Burden among others. Chapter 106: The Strange Procession In an isolated dark part of Milele town, several carriages were rolling down a path with a weird otherworldly quietness. There were 5 carriages in total and each of them was accompanied by 4 people at each corner. Additionally, there were several other people walking in front and behind the carriage forming a short procession. However, everyone in the group was eerily silent as if they were not even alive. They walked with quiet footsteps and even when they stepped on the puddles of water, there were no sounds of splashes. If one truly focused their attention on these people, not even the sounds of breathing could be heard. After travelling for a short while, the procession took a turn entering a dark park. While this particular park was usually lively at daytime, it was home to all sorts of crows and sharks in the night. ¡°Hehehe, boss it looks like there is a big fish today!¡± In the dark, numerous sinister eyes gazed at the carriages entering the dark park like a bunch of hawks. These eyes were red with greed and the desire to rob, kill, and destroy; the absolute filth of society. To these lowlife thugs and robbers who treated the park as their hunting grounds, it was obvious that whatever was in the carriages was something of value. Then with some barely audible sounds of rustling, over 20 men emerged from shadows and who knows where else. From their stealth and speed, it was clear that they were veterans in the ¡®trade¡¯. ¡°We cannot let others get to them first!¡± With a silent decision, the group of robbers rushed the after the carriages like a swarm of locusts. The dark night was like a giant curtain enveloping everything and the deeper one went into the park the darker it was; deep black, like an abyss. It was so dark that coloured clothes appeared black and one could not even see their own hands when placed right in front of their face. Soon, both the carriages and the robbers disappeared into the darkness as if rocks tossed into a murky pond. However, the expected sounds of clashing did not appear. A short moment later, the carriages reached the centre of the park which was a lit up area. Not only were there fluorescent flowers, there were also beautiful green lanterns everywhere that created a calming atmosphere in this area. However, all the robbers had disappeared by the time the carriages arrived at this place. Where did the over 20 men go? There was no noise or sounds of a struggle at all. Crunch, crunch, crunch ¡°Blergh! That tastes horrible.¡± ¡°F*ck! I will never eat this type of trash again!¡± ¡°Haish, too bad we can¡¯t eat the goods otherwise that would be a true feast.¡± Surprisingly, one of the men in the procession opened his mouth to speak. What stood out about this man was the nasty black coiling tattoo that stretched out from his mouth to the top of his bald head on the right side of his face. The tattoo looked like a mixture between a snake, scorpion, and skeleton. Additionally, his face was thin but looked loose at the same time thus giving him an ugly leathery appearance. This man was wearing a brown coat made of animal hide and fur and a red-black robe underneath. As he spoke, he spit out a piece of strange raw meat from his mouth into the nearby bushes. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. By this time, Kia had finally managed to catch up to the carriages. Although she took a slightly different path, she managed to traverse the park much faster. It could be said that the carriages took straight paths and sharp turns since they had to follow the main roads while Kia could travel along the footpaths and cut through the park much easier. For this reason, she was already standing in the middle of the road amidst the green lanterns waiting for the carriages to reach her. ¡°Someone on the road?¡± Among the procession, the first person to notice Kia was a woman. This woman was dressed in purple robes with a green cloth wrapped around her shoulders. Further, she had short hair, dark brown skin, and sharp features. She was neither thin not fat but instead she was impressively built with iron-like muscles. When the procession finally arrived a few meters near Kia, she was finally able to see everyone clearly. Apart from the short-haired muscular woman dressed in green and purple, there were 5 other men at the front of the procession. Of these five, 4 of them including the man with the tattooed face were all dressed similarly. While the tattooed man had a brown fur coat, the other men had dark under-clothes just like him as well as fur coats of different colours: red, blue, and ash grey. As for the last man, Kia could not even tell if he was a man at all. ¡®Is he a man or a beast?¡¯ The man was wrapped up in torn grey-brown cloth strips covering everything including his face. Beneath these cloth strips, Kia even saw thin sheets of grey and rusted metal which also seemed to be wrapped around the man¡¯s body. She could not even understand how he could move with them. Further, apart from the strange way of dressing, the man¡¯s stature was not a joke! He was well over 2 meters tall, almost approaching 8 feet tall. Additionally, the man carried a gigantic heavy metallic bow that seemed even larger than him on his back. It was so large that it seemed like siege bow. When Kia was observing these people, they were also observing her. They could not understand why a girl would appear before them at night and even stand in the middle of the road blocking their way. Was she a robber too? Obviously not. When Kia felt these people¡¯s gazes, an uncomfortable feeling arose in her heart as if she was being pricked by millions of needles. ¡®Something is not right about this atmosphere.¡¯ However, despite the strangeness o the situation, Kia was determined to get the Purgatory flower. For that reason, she threw everything to the back of her mind and addressed the procession. After-all, her mother¡¯s life was more important than anything. ¡°Hello, please forgive me for stopping your esteemed selves like this but I am desperate.¡± With a respectful bow Kia greeted and apologized in the same statement before going straight to the point, ¡°I am hoping to trade with you for the Purgatory flower¡­if that is too much even just information about it will do.¡± The entire time she did not raise her head and after a few seconds, she still received no answer. When she looked up, everyone seemed to be looking silently at her. It was as if they were trying to bore through her body with their eyes. It was a chilly and unnatural reaction with neither acknowledgement nor anger for stopping them; there was neither a positive nor a negative reaction. A procession with over 20 people yet dead silence?! Not even a cough?. One could not even tell if these people were human. The only response was from a lion-like reddish brown dog at the side of the first carriage which was constantly glaring at Kia while snarling sinisterly as if it would attack her the next moment. Author Note: Who are these strange people? Chapter 107: Rabid Hyena Bandits Part 1: Revelation ¡­ After an uncomfortable silence that seemed to last forever, Kia finally got her answer. ¡°Sure sure young lady we will help you.¡± Once again it was the man with the tattooed face speaking. ¡°Paltry¡­Patory Flower? Permanently Flower, whatever, we have it.¡± When the man¡¯s pretentious words and the sight of him licking his lips while laughing entered Kia¡¯s eyes and ears, she could already tell that there was something severely wrong with this camp of people. After clearly seeing Kia¡¯s face, it seemed as if this tattooed man could not put a lid on his lust. It was clear that he did not even know what the Purgatory Flower even was yet he decided to speak nonsense. Worse of all, the gaze he directed towards Kia was worse than a hyena¡¯s. It looked as if drool would come out of his mouth at any moment. He was especially disgusting as he kept sucking his saliva like someone who was desperately trying to keep the floodgates from opening. ¡°Men should not be lustful. Do you want to become half a man?¡± Kia could not tolerate such a gaze. She instantly took a hostile stance to this group as she had already smelled something wrong. ¡°I was respectful yet met with mockery.¡± Kia shook her head in disappointment and then started to approach the carriages step by step. What was she thinking by approaching them? Even the members of the procession could not tell. It was only when she neared the carriages that she noticed something shocking. In the bushes to the side of the road, Kia was finally able to see what the tattooed man had spat out. It was a finger! A chewed up human finger! ¡°Hi hi hi, little girl don¡¯t be scared away now. It isn¡¯t what it looks like.¡± When the men saw that Kia had discovered the ¡®evidence¡¯, one of them, the one in blue, tried to ¡®assure¡¯ her in a high-pitched voice. It was a voice not fitting his large stature of around 2 meters in height. For a moment, everyone thought that the girl was frozen in fear but Kia only stopped for a short instance before continuing to walk towards the group in silence. She casually passed in between the men and arrived at the first carriage; she was completely fearless. Grrr! Woof woof woof woof! At the side of the first carriage, the lion-like dog was barking and snarling wildly. In this moment, this was the only sound in the dark chilly park. It seemed as if even the previously fierce wind and rain had given way to the events that were about to happen. Even the men could not speak anymore due to the shock. They also somewhat realized that this situation was not right at all. By the time they turned back, Kia was already pulling off the carriage¡¯s cloth covering. ¡°This is where the scent of the Weeping Purgatory is coming from.¡± Kia said as she grabbed the cloth curtain that covered the entire carriage. Indeed after hearing the tattooed man¡¯s confusion at the mention of flower, Kia knew that this guy did not know anything. ¡°So it turned out the scent came from the goods in the carriages not the transporters.¡± ¡°You! You why are you just standing there? Stop her!¡± The short haired woman growled at the man in the blue fur coat as he was the one standing closest to Kia. Immediately, the man rushed towards Kia and grabbed her arm so that she would not remove the cover. However, things did not go as expected. Despite the man¡¯s arm being over three times the size of Kia¡¯s arm, he could not do anything to stop her arm from casually moving. In fact from the onlooker¡¯s perspective, it looked as if he was even helping her. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You, what are you doing?!¡± The woman who seemed to be the leader of this group once again shouted at the man berating him. But how could the man defend himself and say he was exerting all his strength. No one would believe him. ¡°Aaaaah! To hell with it!¡± With a shout, he finally decided to go all out and his arm swelled up to twice its original size. It was only then that everyone understood that something was wrong with this little girl. However, even after doubling his strength, the man still found himself helpless with snot coming out of his nose and sweat dripping from his face. ¡°Haaaaaaaa!¡± With another even louder shout the size of the man¡¯s arm expanded once again this time to 4 times the size! It looked like a balloon about to burst. With his exertion, the man¡¯s skin started to tear and blood splattered from the wounds like jets of pressurized water. Even then, it had zero impact on Kia¡¯s hand motion. What disturbed the man even more was that the girl had not even turned once to look at him. However, it would be wrong to say that Kia had not even looked at the man; it was more like she had not looked at him with her eyes but her senses were always trained on him. She noticed that when the man¡¯s skin tore from the arm¡¯s swelling, fur emerged from underneath the skin. It was as if he was a beast in human skin! This was the only thing that could explain the man¡¯s inhuman strength; but what about Kia? This man was exerting several tons of force on her small hand yet it had zero effect! It could not even slightly hinder her arm¡¯s motion as she pulled the cover off the carriage. After pulling the cover off, the sight that entered Kia¡¯s eyes shocked her to the core. ¡®What is this?! What are these beasts doing?!!!!¡¯ ¡°I have heard that all humans wear masks and it is only in the dark that their true selves come to light but this seems more than that. You¡­You guys aren¡¯t human in the first place are you?¡± What these people were transporting had angered Kia. It was actually children! Unconscious children all tied up. It turns out these children were the ¡®merchandise¡¯ that the tattooed bald man was lamenting he could not eat. ¡°Hooo¨Coooo, Looks like we have been found out boys. My careless little brothers, we can no longer hold ourselves back. Let¡¯s clean this up quickly before there are anymore funny incidences.¡± These words were spoken by the man in red as he tore off his fur coat and even his inner garments. ¡°Let us have a feast!¡± The man stood there completely nude showcasing his hardened mountain-sized muscles before releasing a shocking low-pitched giggle-like roar. With him as the lead, the other 3 men followed suit releasing strange sounds that seemed to combine laughter, grunts, and roars. Graaaaaaah! Raaaaaaah! A shocking transformation took place right in front of Kia¡¯s eyes. Each of the 4 men grew over twice their original size. Their skin was torn off as if bursting apart with blood and strings of flesh flying everywhere. However, from beneath the skin, fur appeared and the men¡¯s faces convulsed and deformed growing outward. Their eyes turned red and shocking fangs emerged from their barely human mouths. After the transformation, what stood before Kia were no longer 4 men but 4 humanoid hyenas: Hyena Men. These were creatures with a hyena¡¯s head, human-like torsos and arms, thick fur all over their body, sharp claws, and legs that were both human and hyena-like. However, what was noticeable even under all the blood and pieces of human skin coating their fur was that each hyena man had different-coloured fur. The older of the 4 brothers was a red hyena, the 2nd brother that had tried to stop Kia had blue fur, the third had grey fur, while the youngest ¨C the previously tattooed bald man, had brown fur. As for their names, the oldest brother was named ¡°Red Sun¡± Speedman, the 2nd was ¡°Blue Moon¡± Kaka, the 3rd one was ¡°Ash Cloud¡± Vumbi, while the brown furred little brother was simply called ¡°Little Brother¡± Kipi by the other 3. However, his size was the largest with an exaggerated muscular but also bony look. Further, Kipi still retained the ugly black tattoo on his hyena face even after transformation. This gave him a far more sinister appearance than his older brothers. These 4 brothers had the title: The Rabid Hyena Bandits and they usually performed most of their evil business outside Milele town. New Terms Vumbi ¨C Dust cloud Kaka ¨C Brother Kipi ¨C a boy who has not gone through the traditional initiated process (derogatory) Chapter 108: Were-hyenas Part 2: What is a Were-hyena? ¡­ However, what were the Rabid Hyena Bandits exactly? Were they men turned into beasts or beasts turned into men? The nature of hyena men was not a well understood phenomenon in the Zika world as there were many explanations for their existence. Some would say that hyena men or were-hyenas were hyenas disguising themselves as humans while others said they were human-born. According to what Kia knew, some were-hyenas were capable of transforming at night through special spells, the use of a magic stick, or the sprinkling of ash. However, in other cases the smell of raw human flesh or blood could trigger their transformation. When Kia saw their transformations, she immediately started thinking about their origins. After all, when it came to battling creatures of the night, a deep understanding of their origins was necessary in order to grasp their weaknesses. Without that, it would be difficult to craft an optimal battle plan due to the many strange powers of such mystical creatures. So what were hyena men? ¡°These evil fellows transformed even without any external assistance?¡± This was the most shocking thing to Kia as cases of such creatures transforming without some type of magical assistance were very rare. In her head, she ran through all the information she knew about hyena men and were-hyenas. [In the beliefs of the Warana people of Northern Toro, the Bouda was a term used simultaneously for those who had the ¡°Evil Eye¡± as well as were-hyenas. The Bouda curse was said to be a punishment from god in the earliest days of man. However, with the passage of time, these cursed people managed to harness some of the power of this curse. As a result, they could wield the power of the evil eye to transform into were-hyenas at will. This particular belief about were-hyenas was born as a cautionary tale towards those who disrupted the laws of nature and did not respect the power of god.] [Isitwalangcengce ¨C this was a creature from across the sea to the southern regions of the Blue Continent west of the Sword Scar Continent (Toro is located in the Sword Scar Continent). This creature had the body of a hyena with a basket attached to its head. This vicious man-eater would stuff its victim whole into its basket-like head then spit them out after eating only the brain.] However, from what Kia knew, such a creature could not be found on this continent. Not only was it vicious but it could overcome the strongest and bravest of men. ¡®If it was something like that, I could only run.¡¯ Kia¡¯s thoughts were in line with the mainstream thought. Only absolute experts would be a match for such an abomination. Apart from evil creatures transforming into humans, Kia had also heard stories of men transforming into hyena-men through strange rituals and powers. There were many secret societies and cults in this world that the sought to evoke the dirty, nasty, tricky, greedy, and fear-inducing nature of the hyena. [The Koriko Mask ¨C Secret societies such as the Fisi cult of the Aba people and the Fallen Heaven Geld cult used the Koriko mask in their transformative rituals to ¡°become hyenas.¡±] However, while these cults used the helmet mask to become hyenas, the goal was to urge people to avoid the negative traits and habits that humans associated with the creature. Naturally, this counterproductive way of doing things led to a negative reputation for these cults. The average human could barely differentiate between the intended lesson and the hyena-like appearance. For this reason, Kia deduced that these creatures were less likely to be human sorcerers in hyena skin. The other option between man and beast were actually creatures that existed in the crossroads between human and mythical creatures such as the Kishi. [Kishi ¨C This was demonic creature with two-faces: a human face at the front and a vicious hyena head at the back of the head.] ¡®These guys cannot be Kishi. If they were they would not be so ugly.¡¯ Kia¡¯ thoughts on the topic were not just nonsense. Kishi were known to have an extremely attractive human male''s face while the ugly and vicious hyena face was at the back of the head. By maintaining long hair and wearing head gear, the hyena face could be easily hidden. Further, the Kishi used their handsome appearances to charm and attract young women, who they would later devour with their hyena face. In this aspect, they were very similar to the two-faced branch of the Amanani. With the rough pre-transformation appearances of the 4 hyena brothers standing in front of Kia, she would not believe they were Kishi even if her head was bashed. ¡®In fact if someone were to be a Kishi, it would be that boy we met earlier. He even has the word in his name as if he was announcing it to the world. Plus that demonic aura¡­¡¯ (Referring to Almasi Kishirani ¨C Chapter 87 & 88/68 & 69) You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. In the end Kia could only use the hyena men¡¯s method of transformation to categorize this particular group. ¡®The 4 are capable of transforming at will so they should be the more dangerous kind. I should at least expect some type of special secondary ability.¡¯ Although it was just a guess, Kia¡¯s thoughts were right on the money. Part 3: Hanging Maiden ¡­ The Rabid Hyena Bandits¡¯ ¡®jobs¡¯ usually involved kidnapping girls and women for the figure only known as ¡®Q¡¯. Not only were these bandits gluttonous man-eaters, they were also lustful creatures. The reason they were hired for this particular job was that even under the normalization formation, transformed beasts like them still had advantages over humans. However, it was usually impossible for evil creatures like this to bypass Milele¡¯s security at the town¡¯s different entrances. It was unknown how they had gotten past the gates. ¡°Meat human meat, shall you be my dinner little lady?¡± ¡°No no no, she is mine, MINE!¡± Roooar! ¡®With their transformation, these fellows seem to have partially lost their minds!¡¯ Kia¡¯s thoughts were interrupted when the little brother, the brown hyena man, made a move. The moment this creature moved, the ground below his feet exploded from the pressure. With a swipe of its claw, it looked as if Kia¡¯s head would be torn off by the sheer strength and pressure. A shocking shockwave of tearing wind blasted out from the claws and tore apart 5 deep claw marks on the ground behind Kia. However, Kia was uninjured and the only thing that changed was her fighting stance. At some moment, she had pulled out a weapon that seemed like an ordinary metal ball. ¡°Huh!¡± In the next moment a red line formed on the brown hyena, Kipi¡¯s shoulder. Although Kia had dodged his blow, he did not think that he would be injured instead. Not even a second passed before his arm was suddenly blasted off by the pure pressure of his own blood. It had been cut clean off! It was a shocking sight to everyone on the scene. ¡°Aaaaaaaaargh!¡± Kipi could not stop his screams as blood continuously jetted out of his shoulder wound like a pressurized water hose. ¡°Aaah, little brother! How dare you hurt our cute innocent little brother!¡± Seeing their younger brother¡¯s perilous situation, how could the older siblings tolerate it? They immediately leaped towards Kia with a threatening momentum. ¡®Cute? Innocent? Are these guys serious?!¡¯ ¡°Lights off.¡± With a silent declaration, maybe a command, everything plunged into darkness as all the green lanterns in the park suddenly turned off. However, with the vision of these mystical creatures, the hyena men could still somewhat see in this world of pitch black darkness. Although they could not understand what tricks the girl was pulling, all they had to do was to destroy the enemy in front of them. There was no use for complex thoughts for instinctual creatures like them. However, this type of thinking almost cost them the life of one of their brothers. As Blue Moon Kaka was closest to Kia, his attack reached her first. Expectedly, this did nothing as Kia easily jumped over his arm performing a front flip over the charging hyena man. However, she had left him a ¡®gift¡¯ that almost took off his head if the 5th man, the bowman, had not interfered. With the pull of his bow, the giant bowman shot a massive javelin-sized arrow at Blue Moon Kaka almost making everyone think he had turned against them. However, the arrow passed slightly by the side of the hyena bandit¡¯s neck and actually managed to strike something that none of the Rabid Hyena Bandits had sensed. It was actually a thin wire, thinner than even a hair¡¯s width. Kia¡¯s weapon was called the [Hanging Maiden ¨C Smash and Server] and it actually consisted of a heavy metallic ball that weighed over 50 tons attached to an extremely thin wire so thin that it was virtually invisible. This wire was the most lethal part of the weapon as it could slice through almost anything. Due to the bowman¡¯s interference, Blue Moon Kaka managed to survive a decapitation. Currently, if not for his fur, one could have seen nervous sweat trickling down his hyena face. ¡®I almost got beheaded by a little girl!¡¯ Realizing the gravity of the situation, the remaining uninjured hyena men all picked up their weapons. Each of them used gigantic heavy weapons, a heavy war hammer, two giant heavy swords, and a spiked mace. Additionally, each of the weapons was a Silver Grade weapon matching the middle levels of the mortal body forging realm or the Intermediate Warrior stage. Chapter 109: Vicious night battle In the abyss-like darkness, the battle started instantly. Two gigantic blades made their way towards Kia¡¯s head from two opposite directions. The sheer force of this attack was enough to cut an intermediate warrior in half several times over. ¡°Dieeeeeeeeee!¡± The usually calm Ash Cloud Vumbi screamed at the top of his voice as he brought the blades crashing down towards Kia¡¯s head. The grey were-hyena¡¯s muscles were stretched taught and his palms almost bled just from the strength he used to grip the blades. His swings tore apart the air creating a whistling sound accompanied by the cry of the blades due to the strain. Vumbi was not just using all his strength in this attack; he was using at least 150% of his physical power! Kraaaaak! Clatter! Boom! There was a powerful impact followed by an even louder scream! ¡°Aiiiiiiii!¡± Like a high impact shrapnel bomb, both giant swords were shattered at the same time sending metallic pieces of the swords into the were-hyenas. As the one holding the blades, Ash Cloud Vumbi naturally suffered the most as the shrapnel tore through his right arm almost severing it. His chest was severely wounded and even one of his eyes was blinded when a sharp piece tore through it almost penetrating all the way to his brain. If not or the study bone structure of the were-hyena¡¯s he would be dead! ¡°Brother!¡± The older brother, Speedman, exclaimed as he rushed to support his younger brother. This time, none of the hyena men had even seen the attack that broke their third brother¡¯s blades. These were silver grade weapons! They had been shattered forcefully before they could even reach the target. The darkness combined with Kia¡¯s speed made it so that her enemies could not capture her attack patterns at all. However, in the next moment, Kia¡¯s suspicions about the hyena men were confirmed. The youngest were-hyena who had been bleeding out from losing his limb picked up his severed arm and tied it to his waist. The bleeding on his shoulder had already stopped and Kia could even see squirming flesh around the wound as if it was struggling to heal. As for the third brother, Vumbi, Kia could see his surface level wounds close up and heal at a rapid pace after the older Speedman pulled out the metal shards. ¡°Regeneration? I knew it!¡± Kia¡¯s guess had indeed been right that the hyena men would have some special abilities. Although their healing abilities did not seem powerful enough to immediately regrow severed limbs, the youngest hyena man managed to seal his bleeding wound while the grey Vumbi also closed his bloody wounds. It was only that these two could no longer use an arm and an eye respectively. However, they could still battle. After recovering, the 4 brothers united once again and fanned out in an attempt to encircle Kia. Her response was quick as she charged at the weakest one in the battle formation. Due to losing both an eye and even a weapon, Vumbi was the most vulnerable one thus creating an opening. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Seeing his brother in danger once again, Speedman was fast to react as he swung his heavy spiked mace towards Kia¡¯s back like thunder. However, the attack still narrowly missed striking the ground with a shocking force. Booooom! It was a force strong enough to shatter a small hill even under the town¡¯s normalization formation. Instantly, a large crater was created on the road with slabs of rocks flying everywhere. The carriages were pushed off the road onto the grass by the powerful shockwaves. Vaguely, a tremor could be felt across the entire park. However, Kia did not even look back at the attack as she charged at Vumbi. With a powerful punch to the chest, she drove through the retreating half-blind were-hyena pushing him over 10 meters away with the force of her blows. His chest wounds instantly opened up once again gushing out with copious amounts of blood. ¡®1, 2, 3.¡¯ When the other hyena men attempted to interfere, Kia¡¯s battle tactics involved maneuvering the grey hyena-man putting him between her and the other attackers so that they formed a sort of line. In that way, the others would have to get around their brother in order to successfully fight Kia together. Through this method, Kia was able to isolate and launch repeated assaults on Ash Cloud Vumbi until he was on his knees. ¡®1, 2.¡¯ For each action she and her enemies took, Kia made sure to keep count in her head. When the other hyena men tried to fan out to the sides in order to help their brother, Kia abandoned attacking Vumbi and turned her attention to the opponent at the end of the line. In this case, this was the now one-armed younger brother Kipi. Once again the same strategy repeated in front of the were-hyena¡¯s eyes; they were forced into a line when the little brother was positioned between them and Kia. Through this strategy, by the time they repositioned again, Kia would be able to repeat the same motions until the fight was over. However, if it was just Kia¡¯s battle tactics against multiple opponents, the hyena men would not be so shaken. The result that caused their hearts to sink was their piling injuries every time they clashed with the girl. They could not even withstand a few blows. After the bowman first interrupted Kia¡¯s Hanging Maiden from beheading Ash Cloud Vumbi, the girl had not even used the weapon again. While they were using giant maces, heavy swords, and war hammers, she was beating them with her bare hands! ¡°How is she strong even under the formation?! Did she sneak in like us? Or does she have an Exception Card?¡± Vumbi who had been beaten black and blue with no more fighting power left could not help but ask. ¡°Probably not, she must be a practitioner of a type of [Gates Manual].¡± While Speedman said this, even he was not too sure. ¡°1, 2, 3.¡± However, before Speedman could gather his breath, the sound of silent counting that entered his sharp ears caused his fur to stand on edge. ¡®It is coming!¡¯ ¡°Quickly dodge!¡± With a shout he tried to pull two of his injured brothers away but Kia¡¯s attack still reached them. ¡®1, 2, 3, 4¡¯ There was a perfect opening and Kia naturally took it. ¡°Strike!¡± what followed was a bone crunching sound as 4 bone piercing punches were unleashed at the 4 hyena men almost instantaneously. To the observers, it was like all 4 punches had been unleashed at the same time with Kia¡¯s left hand. The power of this hand far exceeded what Kia had showcased before with her other right hand punches or her kicks. It was earth shattering power breaking the sternums of all 4 creatures of the night and almost shattering their hearts and lungs. ¡°Unleash the serpent.¡± Speedman shouted with blood gushing out of his mouth like a river. They did not have the luxury to hold back anymore. ¡°Go all out at once!¡± With this shout, not only did the brothers once again forcefully suppress their injuries and leap into battle, 3 new strange but extremely powerful combatants also joined the fight: Guam Serpent, Lion Spirit Hound, and the towering archer Flame Spirit Hand. Chapter 110: Abominations Part 1: The Guam Serpent and Lion Spirit Hound ¡­ Hissss! It was an unmistakable sound. ¡°A snake?¡± Kia exclaimed loudly when she heard the hissing sound. She could instantly tell that this was not just some ordinary snake. The hissing caused her skin to slightly tremor and her hair to stand on edge. It was like her body was dropped head first into a vat of ice ¨C an extreme negative instinctual reaction. Krrrrrr! Hisssssss! ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± This time Kia could not stop herself from cursing. This was the first time she had experienced such a strange dreadfully cold thing. This creature elicited a feeling in people as if meeting a natural predator of humankind. ¡°Hey, what did you guys unleash?¡± However, what greatly disturbed her was that despite the powerful and escalating hissing sounds, she could not see the snake at all. In her mind she already expected it to be a leviathan-sized serpent. ¡°Ha ha, girl, there is no use for regrets now.¡± Feeling as if they had an advantage in this battle for the first time, the youngest were hyena could not help but remark in glee. In the next moment what came into sight was an unforgettable thing for Kia. A small green serpent, the size of a grass snake, came into view. Suddenly, there was a bulge on its head, its eyes bled, and disgusting twisting bumps appeared all over its body. Like a twisting mass of flesh, the small snake suddenly transformed into a gigantic beast! Guam Serpent! ¡°Hisssssss!¡± With a hiss that went deep into everyone¡¯s core, the wind started blowing violently as dust and rubble was sent flying everywhere. Dust demons formed and sharp blades of piercing rain assaulted everyone at the scene. The snake had transformed into a massive purple serpent with toxic orange-green flames and fumes of dark purple smoke occasionally flowing out of its mouth. Witnessing this scene, Kia could tell that, ¡°Monsters like this are beyond human control!¡± What was a Guam Serpent? In the mythologies of the ancient continent, Guam Serpents were ancient creatures similar to the dinosaurs. They were pre-historic, ancient, archaic, old, and even mythical among other mythical beasts. However, Guam could be more than a snake as there were also other species of Guam. It had been suggested that Guam could have been an ancient water-born creature like a whale elephant, the ancestors of the hippopotamus,a dinosaur, or even an ancient species of crocodile. No one knew for sure but what was clear was that Guam was more akin to an ancient primordial bloodline rather than one species. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The Guam Serpent was a species of the ancient Guam. Though it was not truly comparable to its predecessors, it had an air of ancientness around it. From what Kia knew, the earliest depictions of such a beast in the legends of her homeland depicted it as a snake with a plume of feathers, which could transform into a human-like form after bathing in volcanic flames. Later, different types of the creature emerged with cultures and religions venerating them as gods: living on and in the ground and blessing it; guardians of the underworld; and deities of wisdom. Naturally, while these serpents represented hidden wisdom and sacred mysteries, they were also symbols of the more sinister ideas of death, evil, treachery, or sickness. ¡°Dangerous! Dangerous!¡± It seemed a short walk had turned into fatal danger for Kia. She knew for sure that not only was this creature dangerous, it was also likely to be extremely poisonous. Before, Kia could compose herself in the face of the charging serpent, a sharp swish entered her ears and by the time she turned around, a tip of an arrow had already pricked her nose. With less than a microsecond to react, Kia could only violently jerk her body sideways while putting all her strength into her right arm. With the threat of sudden death so clear in that moment, it was like time had frozen and a moment later, her hand reached the speedy, vibrating, javelin-sized arrow clasping it tightly in her hand. However, she did not pause nor try to stop the arrow¡¯s momentum. With a twist of her waist, the arrow in her palm was redirected towards the Guam Serpent¡¯s open mouth that was spewing purplish-green toxic poison towards her. In the same movement, not only did she dodge the serpent¡¯s poison but she also wielded her twin chain daggers ¨C the [Dark Soul Twin Blades], and quickly swung behind her in an X direction cutting 2 more arrows in half. ¡®1, 2.¡¯ Whenever she fought, timing was always at the forefront of Kia¡¯s mind. It was not the strong attacks or the battle strategy that counted the most, it was all about timing. Especially in the face of an arrow sniper shooting from far in the dark, she could not rely solely on her eyesight or hearing to tell when the attacks came. All she could do was to grasp the bowman assassin¡¯s timing and synchronize her movements to match his. ¡°This is so dangerous,¡± Kia could not help but lament for being surrounded by enemies on all sides. Enemies leapt towards her from all directions closing any path of escape. In response, she could only punch downwards with all her might. Boom! Like a bomb going off, the ground shook all around her causing the were-hyenas surrounding her to lose balance. Not even wasting a moment¡¯s time, one of the brothers was sent flying with a powerful hook. ¡®1, 2, 3.¡¯ Three arrows were dodged. ¡°Twin Blade Slash!¡± When the Guam Serpent¡¯s attack reached Kia again, she swung her twin blades horizontally aiming at the serpent¡¯s giant neck. ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t even get through its scales!¡± The serpent¡¯s defense was as steady as diamond; impossible to break through. A second swing and all Kia saw was sparks flying of the serpent¡¯s scales as they deflected the twin daggers once again. Chapter 111: Dominating Strength The chance to attack the Guam Serpent a third time was interrupted as another of the werehyena brothers leaped towards Kia managing to grab her by the waist. As he pushed her, both fighters¡¯ feet dug through the muddy soil like a tractor going through a farm. However, in the end it was Kia¡¯s physical strength that triumphed as she disposed of her opponent with an overhead slam into the ground. From the slam, it was like the ground under their feet changed from a hard surface to a springy trampoline as the opponent bounced over 5 meters high into the air. Blood sprayed everywhere with jarring ¡°kaka kachk¡± sounds of bones breaking spreading everywhere. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaa!¡± What followed was a tragic cry as the werehyena¡¯s body landed meters away like a tattered sack. ¡°Blue!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°You will pay for that you puny little witch!¡± ¡°Make me pay? How?¡± Kia could no longer tolerate these hyena-brothers, and she had long been tired of this battle. ¡°I can only go all out and everything at once.¡± Interrupting Kia¡¯s thoughts was a spiked metallic mace. However, when it seemed as if Kia was finally at the end of the rope, she obliterated the spiked metallic mace with a headbutt! Vumbi who had just picked up the mace and swung at Kia¡¯s face was left dumbfounded for a moment as he watched the handle left in his hands. Before he could even exclaim in shock, Kia¡¯s head that had just broken his mace approached his face in his vision. In the same motion as when she broke the mace, her head rammed into Vumbi¡¯s nose bridge, headbutting him into the ground which knocked him out cold. The youngest Kipi who was attacking at the same time as Vumbi only found himself in the air with no recollection of how he got there. When his body came down, Kia was already waiting. She caught him and while holding him horizontally over her head, she used the agonized hyena as a battering ram slamming him into his brothers. After they all crashed down into the ground groaning in agony, the serpent¡¯s attack arrived once again. But this time, Kia did not dodge. What met the unsuspecting snake was a punch so hard that it caused friction in the air igniting a miniature explosion of force. ¡°I cannot give it time to react!¡± Not wasting a moment, Kia jumped high in the air and followed through with another twin blade slash. The punch and the slash were aimed at the same area as the previous two attacks in order to break through serpent¡¯s defense. After the slash, Kia performed a series of attacks so fast that they were all performed while she was still in the air; before gravity could work on her. The serpent was slashed over a dozen times below its neck and it even received a few smashes from the hanging maiden wire-mace. By the time Kia¡¯s feet touched the ground, some of the snake¡¯s shiny scales were littered around her feet as blood gushed from its wound. The snake could only wriggle around in pain spewing a venomous spray of mist and flaming clouds everywhere. Although it was not fatally injured, it could no longer continue to fight. However, before Kia could continue to attack, the sound of a flute seemed to calm the snake down. ¡°Return!¡± A command was issued and an instant later, the giant serpent transformed back into its miniature form causing Kia¡¯s full charged attack to hit empty air. The little green snake then slithered away into the bushes disappearing into the night. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Who was that? A snake charmer? As expected, it looks as if these foolish hyenas were not the ones controlling such a mythical beast.¡± Before she could take a breath of comfort, another beast joined in the fight. This time it was a hound. ¡°Woof, woof, gnarl. Roar!¡± This dog that came out of nowhere arrived with a vigorous roar almost like a lion. In fact, the dog had always been here but after the caravan was attacked in the night by that bunch of thugs, it had rushed after those who escaped. On the way, it had also ¡°handled¡± other thugs who had come to check on their missing companions. As the hound rushed towards Kia, it gradually transformed from a majestic dog with a lion-like mane to an unknown colossal blasphemy with glaring red eyes. Its dog paws transformed into bony claws that could crush skulls into ash. Before it attacked, it dropped into a crouching position making Kia feel as if it would pounce at any moment and turn her into prey. ¡°Damn it all, it is one thing after another. What is this fiend?¡± Truly, even the words out of her mouth this time were filled with fear. Not just fear of the upcoming battle, but fear of the fiendish creature itself. In her own eyes, this beast was much more demonic compared to the almost divine Guam serpent. This was a fiend that elicited nothing but panic ¨C the dog face that seemed almost half human, the pointed demonic ears, the bloodshot eyes, the lips drooling with fiery red saliva oozing demonic energy, the deformed flat nose, and the flaming mane that spewed fires like ash. For all its features, the body made of scales and red fur, the black demonic spikes along its spine and head, the bat-like red wings, and the extra set of blood-hungry eyes ¡ª any one of them might well have driven any man or woman to madness. This creature was a lion spirit hound - an unassuming dog with a lion''s mane that could transform into a Demon Lion-dog. However, while this creature was extremely fearsome, with a powerful aura that far surpassed the body forging stage, the moment Kia sensed the demonic energy she was actually relieved. ¡°If it was anything else, I would have rather ran away, but a demon¡­¡± As the creature lunged to attack, 2 weapons came from god-knows-where within Kia¡¯s clothes. Anyone who saw her pull these weapons out could not understand how they could be hidden under her clothes. ¡°Aoooooooo!¡± With a loud wolf-like howl, the rocks, rain, and win in a 20 meter radius around the Lion Spirit Hound were swept into a whirl of destruction. The beast rushed towards Kia with this miniature storm as its vanguard. However, despite the rocks, water, and wind pelting her like a storm of knives, Kia stood her ground. Only her clothes flattered along with the storm but she did not take even a single step back. When she was face to face with the beast, the first of the 2 strange weapons came into play. It was a calabash shaped spray bottle. It was a container for the Anti-demon spray which hit the beast right in its face. The stinging pain caused the creature to shut its eyes even in front of its own enemy. ¡®With the beast blinded, it won¡¯t¡¯ be able to dodge this.¡¯ With that thought, Kia drove the second weapon, the Anti-demon Bone Breaker Spike, right between the beast¡¯s eyes. Before the creature could even howl in pain, the thin chain which was attached to the spike was wrapped the beast¡¯s legs trapping it. It could only whimper in despair as it watched the spray approach its face again, and again, and again. Even its demonic regenerative abilities could not keep up with the damage done by the combination of the spike and spray. As previously mentioned, due to the existence of a dimensional rift in Eastern Jin that acted as a gateway to the demon realm, the nation faced frequent invasions from lower level demons. The inflow of demonic energy also caused animals, plants, and even the natural landscape to mutate resulting in the birth of demonic beasts and demon spirits. This was how creatures like the Lion Spirit Hound came into being. In the same way, some human warriors used this demonic power in their warrior training resulting in the warrior class of Demonic Warriors. As a result, there were many methods to deal with demonic creatures devised in Eastern Jin. While the hound might even have been stronger than the serpent, Kia had a much easier time taking down the hound due to its demonic nature. Chapter 112: Battle Emperor The fearsome creatures that had emerged on this night including werehyenas, giant serpents, and demonic dogs had all been defeated by a little girl. Who would have guessed? The snake charmer had disappeared to god-knows-where and the square jawed woman was nowhere to be seen. ¡®Maybe they are hiding. All I hafta do is deal with the arrows now.¡¯ While counting intervals in her mind, Kia continued to dodge and parry the arrows that shot towards her from the dark. None of them could even get within a meter of her. From her handling of multiple weapons, her downed opponents could understand that she was a weapon master. What made her a dangerous fighter was not just her mastery of multiple weapons but also her aggression in combat. Since the beginning of the battle, Kia had maintained aggression and persistence in all her attacks ¨C constantly attacking, holding firm, refusing to take step back, and counterattacking with devilish ferocity whenever an opportunity arose. ¡°It is time to end this.¡± As she dove towards the archer from high in the air like a hawk swooping down on its prey, a blazing red arrow emerged from the darkness startling her. ¡°This is different from the others! What kind of energy is he infusing in them?¡± Before she could think further, the arrow had already arrived in front of Kia. It hit her sending her flying far back and crashing through a small building at the center of the park. ¡°This is no ordinary arrow! A technique?¡± While the arrow had hit her dead center, it was now in her hands. Clearly, even though its speed was frightening, it could not threaten Kia¡¯s defence. However, as she held it in her hand, she felt the heat of the arrow which was hot to the touch. This was because this red arrow was named the Blading Arrow. It was an arrow so fast that while travelling through the air, the friction produced heated up the arrow¡¯s body causing it to catch fire and glow a bright-red like a shining beacon. As Kia observed the arrow in her hand, there were others who were despairing. ¡°How can this be? Monster!¡± The statement felt quite ironic coming from the half-hyena half-man beasts. Just think about it ¨C before the defeated werehyenas could even celebrate about their ¡®bully¡¯ getting hit by the arrow attack they saw her stand up completely fine! How could they bear it? ¡°Is she, is she maybe an irregular?¡± One of them could not help but stutter and exclaim in shock. This was because Kia¡¯s battle power reminded them of the Battle Emperors of old. The heroes and legends of the ages: the Dark Heaven Emperor - Rom; the Giant King - Mwindo; the Great Sinner of Mankind ¨C Roiman; the Leader of the Rainbow Warriors also titled the Unity of Heaven and Man ¨C R.A; and the Defiant Blood Throne - Queen Adamu Kisa-Kani. In fact, the hyena men were not that far off the mark. Kia did actually practice the Battle Emperor Manual as her primary martial arts. Unlike other primary arts that focused on accumulating natural energy in the body, the manual focused on the internal body. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. While other meditative martial arts emphasized taking power into the body from an external source or environment, the manual focused on releasing power from within the body itself. It was a case of external vs internal. However, the manual had extremely strict requirements which many martial artists simply could not fulfill. First, the practitioner has to practice other gate opening methods to target the illusory gates within their bodies. Second, at least 8 different body forging methods were a strict requirement just to get past the manual¡¯s gateway. This was because stage 1 of the technique which included the first to eighth levels of the manual corresponded to 1- 8 body building tactics. In the same manner, stage 2 needed 13 physical martial techniques followed by 26 in phase 3 then 52 in the final stage. This was clearly a technique that focused solely on strength accumulation. Moreover, this was not the only hurdle in practicing the technique. In the first stage, the practitioner only had to master some lesser heaven techniques. As far as Kia understood, lesser heaven techniques corresponded to low level techniques. However, things got progressively harder in each stage. In the second stage, one had to learn 5 fallen heaven arts. In the third and fourth stages, the practitioner had to master abandonment (level) techniques and defiant (level) techniques respectively. One would ask, why go through all this trouble. The answer lay in the manual¡¯s final goal ¨C to produce the Battle Emperor Force only referred to as Ikon. For Kia, she had practiced the technique to the first stage. After mastering this level, Kia¡¯s body possessed Battle Emperor Aura ¨C Aradu. The levels within the Aura or Aradu stage were:
  1. Spark (like lightning)
  2. Radiance (like fire)
  3. Manifestation (of inner spirit)
  4. Atmosphere (like a canvas of space)
Within the Aura stage, Kia was at the 3rd rank, the manifestation of inner spirit. That is to say, she had mastered up to 6 body building tactics! It was for this reason that her physical strength and defense were so perversely strong. Even though they were just low level techniques aimed at strengthening one¡¯s physique and nourishing the body, learning and mastering six of them resulted in tremendous physical changes in a martial artist¡¯s body. On top of that, the Battle Emperor Art acted as a catalyst that exponentially boosted the effectiveness of these techniques on Kia¡¯s body. After the Aura stage within the Battle Emperor Manual, the next stage was Battle Emperor Thunder ¨C Toraj. One truly mastered this level by learning the required number of Fallen Heaven techniques. When the martial artist reached the third stage of the manual, their bodies could produce a unique field termed the Battle Emperor Aurora. This level was also called the Stage of Abandonment where the martial practitioner¡¯s body was like a galaxy. After crossing the third stage, the martial artist¡¯s body was finally capable of producing Battle Emperor Force. This was the Defiant Stage ¨C defying everything between heaven and earth. With Battle Emperor Force, even a common-born peasant could possess the vigor and stature of a true emperor. Facing the elusive archer hiding in the darkness, Kia knew she had to bring everything she had to this battle. From her feet, a burst of concussive force sent her barreling through the rain like a bullet cutting through the wind. This was pure strength-assisted speed. When a javelin-sized, red blazing, arrow flew toward her like a comet, she could only narrowly dodge the attack. However, she could not avoid her clothes and hair getting singed by the arrow¡¯s red flames. Nevertheless, the arrows bright red illumination was enough for her to see her attacker in the dark. Kia could only describe the man as a horror. This man had burnt pieces of cloth and metal sheets wrapped around his body. Looking at his right arm, the cloth wrapping the arm was burnt to a crisp. The metal sheets were also burning with a deep red color. As the man nocked another arrow on his giant bow, a flame erupted from underneath the burnt cloth and metallic sheets covering the entire arm in fire. However, this flame was not a singular color. Instead, it alternated from red to green flames. Chapter 113: Rainbow Form Archery In the exchange of arrows and attacks that happened, Kia could already guess that the giant man before her was using the Rainbow Arrow Technique. ¡°This is a military technique used by archers at Dragon Spike. How could you know it?¡± Amidst dodging the arrows, Kia asked a question but received no response. The man seemed to attack almost in a robotic fashion. ¡°Is it not shameful for a military officer to be participating in filth like this?¡± Sometimes one would shout at their opponent out of genuine curiosity, and other times it was to make them doubt themselves and reveal an opening. Many people, even the most evil demons, were still tied down by the norms of society. Even if they broke away from their sense of morality and embraced evil, it was still hard to shake off the shackles of the teachings of childhood ¨C one¡¯s moral upbringing. However, this man was not shaken at all and he did not relent on his attacks. ¡®As far as I know, the archery technique has 7 forms, but he has only used two. I have to find an opening and end this in one blow.¡¯ Facing an opponent adept at mid range to long range combat, Kia could not even get close. Even when she swung her chain and wire, they could not reach her opponent. Of the Rainbow Arrow technique, the Red arrow was the fastest and also the most dangerous. The high speed produced even more friction which consequently produced even more heat causing the arrow to catch fire. For this reason, this arrow was named the Blazing Arrow. The second arrow that the archer used against Kia was a Yellow arrow. This arrow was named the Morning Sun Arrow due to one unique feature noticeable only in the morning. This arrow was actually invisible in the morning sun! For this reason, it was relatively popular among Daylight Assassins. Although it was a specific arrow technique within the Rainbow Archery, many other forms and schools of archery also studied and mastered this arrow move. Not only was this arrow extremely lethal in the morning, but it was also still significantly powerful at night. Dodging or parrying these two arrow moves was no problem for Kia, but the third arrow move managed to catch her off guard! Even with her calculations, she could only narrowly dodge an arrow aimed at her eye! ¡°What a close call? Who is this man? What is that arrow technique?¡± Perhaps an arrow aimed at her extremities or her torso would not shake Kia, but who could risk an arrow through the eye socket? No matter how many body building techniques Kia mastered, she herself would never take that risk. In a battle against an archer, speed was of the utmost importance. Specifically, it was important for a warrior to have fast reactions. On one hand, in a battle at the Bone Forging Stage, experienced warriors could travel at the speed of sound. Nonetheless, this type of speed was limited under the normalization magic formation to a fraction of their original speed. After all, under the magic formation, the use of special internal energy was restricted, all one could rely on was the natural athleticism of their physical body. On the other hand, taking the archers of a similar level into account even under the normalization magic formation, their arrows could travel at speeds well over 3000 km per hour which was more than twice the speed of sound! This also meant their arrows travelled about 800 meters every second! With such an attack speed, any warrior facing such an archer especially when their energy and power was limited was at a severe disadvantage. So a split of a second was the difference between victory and defeat, life and death. The moment Kia blinked even once against such an opponent, her opponent¡¯s attack would have moved by an incredible 200 meters! Therefore, to respond to the attacks, Kia could not even blink as she wished otherwise she would not be able to react to the attacks with as minimal delay as possible. ¡°Kaching!¡± The attack that came next was a cross attack. It was only with the moon bracelet and a horizontal spin that Kia was able to narrowly dodge one arrow and deflect the other. However what came next was an even more daunting attack. From two arrows to 3 arrows coming from 3 different directions and aiming at the center mass at the exact same time! This time, even though Kia was ready to catch one of the arrows when it reached, her fingers could not close around the arrow. Without warning, it was if the arrow had changed speed! ¡°Shit, I miscalculated!¡± Kia could only exclaim as the arrow hit her shoulder causing her to spin mid-air like a spinning top. The arrow whose timing Kia had failed to calculate was the Journeyman Arrow. In the Archery technique, this arrow was third in line and left an orange trail that alternated between hot and cold. The unique feature of this arrow was that it could sometimes appear slow and sometimes appear fast thus messing with the opponent¡¯s reaction time. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. After all, no matter how fast their body, a fighter¡¯s brain would still take time to translate visual information into voluntary or conscious motor commands. Once a wrench was thrown into this process, the warrior¡¯s actions and movements would be delayed. Further, even though martial arts practice would have an influence on the brain¡¯s associative centers thus allowing a person to respond faster to events in the visual world, information flow between the visual and motor nerve pathways remained relatively constant regardless of the amount of practice. Therefore, training one¡¯s reaction time was more akin to training one¡¯s attention rather than making the brain ¡°faster.¡± It all came down to ¡°being in the zone!¡± As she reeled from the attack, another 4 arrows reached her at the same time! From 4 to 5, and from 5 to 6! In each attack, the archer got faster and faster and the duration between each cross attack lessened. Kia could not even touch the ground as each attack sent her flying left and right, up and down. ¡°If this keeps going, I am ******! My internal clock has been entirely messed up!¡± Kia said to herself. At this point, she knew that her best bet was to charge through and hope for the best. While in mid-air, she curled her body up like a ball. Each muscle was compressed then stretched taught, with the process repeating rapidly. When the arrows hit her in this position, they could not even budge her. The moment her feet touched the ground, she was like a released spring, instantly, she broke through dozens of arrows hitting her head on like a tank rushing through enemy fire. In an instant, she was already in front of the archer. ¡°I got you!¡± Kia valiantly shouted as she threw a punch straight through the archer¡¯s bow which was used as a guard. Seeing his body shatter and crumble, the man in the dark was quick to raise his arms and guard in front of his chest. However, this punch was like a released rocket! It could not be stopped nor could it be slowed. ¡°Kachak! Kabaaaang!¡± With a loud explosion that deafened the ears, the archer¡¯s crude sheet-like armor was broken! Flying pieces of metal travelled through the air slicing through everything in their path carried along by a huge shockwave. For the first time, Kia was finally able to see the man behind the armor. It was no man at all! What entered her eyes was a giant humanoid figure. Instead of skin, there was only rotten dark-grey flesh beneath the white cloth bindings. The ¡®thing¡¯ had a bony figure with white pieces of bone sticking out at several parts of its body. Instead of eyes, it only had empty eye sockets with an eerie flame within them, the Green flames of Death. It was a reanimated corpse warrior from the Undead Marsh. ¡°No wonder he never even answered me when I spoke to him. This is no man at all! It is a reanimated corpse.¡± Kia could not help but exclaim in pure horror when she came face to face with this undead creature. She finally understood why her words had sunk into the mud when she spoke to it. ¡°This creature has no mind, only instinct.¡± However, before Kia could even ''digest'' her victory, her body suddenly gave her some warning. This was a sudden sense of crisis. ¡®Why was my battle Instinct was triggered? Why didn¡¯t I sense anything with my perception?¡¯ It was as if the sense of danger came from thin air. Then suddenly, a dart seemed to materialize right in front of her face! Then a second attack and a third! ¡°Salt and Fire Poison Dart!¡± ¡°Ghost Devouring Fishhook!¡± ¡°Snake Swallowing Spear!¡± As the attacks sped toward her, darkness and a strange aura enveloped the surroundings. The opponents hidden in the dark had already seen the ¡®generous¡¯ treatment that Kia had given the hyena brothers, so they went all out. While she was frozen in place by the sheer speed of the attacks, the screams of countless ghosts tethered to the fishhook woke Kia up. ¡°Dodge!¡± Kia¡¯s body instantly released a purple light as she dodged to the side. ¡°Swiiish!¡± The poison dart that had been aimed at her face missed. ¡°Ding!¡± The ear-piercing sound of metal startled even Kia herself. She had been hit! However, it was not her that was the most surprised. Instead, it was her opponents whose mouths were gaping wide open at the moment. One attack missed and two hit their target yet there was no effect. Why did the attacks do nothing? What happened!? At that moment, the attackers¡¯ minds were in a mess. The Snake Swallowing Spear, which was said to be able to break through all defenses, actually failed to penetrate Kia¡¯s body. ¡°You can withstand the spear with your body, but what about the thousand ghosts? Physical strength is useless in withstanding that soul tearing pain,¡± one of the men in the dark spoke as if he had already predicted Kia¡¯s fate. Since she had been hit with the Ghost Devouring Fishhook which had 1,000 angry ghosts tethered to it, Kia¡¯s soul would still be damaged, torn apart, and possibly devoured whole no matter how great her physical defense was. ¡°Blood Maiden!¡± However, the attackers were bound to be disappointed tonight. Kia¡¯s entire body suddenly released a bright red light as she activated the [Blood Maiden] physical skill. It was as if the blood in her body was burning which released a suffocating pressure that enveloped the surroundings. The endless brutal ghosts charged at Kia like a demonic army while continuously tearing at her body. However, the Blood Maiden skill caused Kia¡¯s blood to heat up and escape through her pores creating blood-red steam around her. With the burning blood-red steam around her, the ghosts kept tearing and screeching but they could barely even get close to Kia¡¯s body. It was completely useless. In addition to the Blood Maiden skill, a subtle purple light flashed through Kia¡¯s dark eyes. This was the [Violet Mansion] skill. This technique was also part of Kia¡¯s physical martial arts as a practitioner of the Battle Emperor Art. However, unlike other techniques that only strengthened the body, the Violet Mansion skill was a body and soul dual technique. Practicing it was like building invisible protective walls around one''s body and soul. With both skills activated, a demonic shade of red and purple surrounded Kia¡¯s body while her black hair was dancing wildly in the wind and rain! New Terms Di-Ran ¨C Di means Waypoint while Ran means Pathway. Author Note 1: The Blood Maiden skill and Violet Mansion skill are two of the six Lesser Heaven body strengthening skills that Kia has fully mastered while practicing the Battle Emperor Manual. Author Note 2: The procession Kia faced passed through the Undead Marsh on their way to Milele. To some such as Flame Spirit Hand, this danger zone is the only home they have ever known. This group holds the title ¡°The Beasts of Burden¡± within the Red Hawk organization. Excerpt from Bonus Chapter 2 ¨C Undead Marsh (Chapter 75 or 57): In the darkness, a firefly that was glowing with a grainy green landed on a skeletal hand; the hand¡¯s owner lay in the marsh, on wet soil. In the distance, there were flickering lights and the sounds of drums: du du du dudum, du du du dudum, du du du dudum. The sound of an approaching procession. Chapter 114: Inverse Morality Kia locked on the demonic enemies in the dark then suddenly attacked. ¡°Demonic creatures! You deserve death!¡± ¡°Omni-Sword!¡± As a weapon master, how could Kia not have another weapon in stock? This time it was the mysterious and omnipotent Omni-Sword! The moment this sword was unsheathed, the dark night seemed to light up! Night and day reversed! The ever-present dark and eerie arura of the vicious ghosts was washed away and with a single swing, the tethers on the ghosts were severed. The ghosts who only seemed capable of one expression, a vicious one, suddenly seemed confused. Then their faces showed deep sorrow, followed by a sense of understanding, acceptance, and then gratitude for their freedom. Not only did the ghosts¡¯ expressions change, but even their color changed from a blackish-red to a calm azure. Their immeasurable gratitude towards Kia for having saved them condensed into white lights that entered Kia¡¯s body. ¡°You poor departed souls, you can now rest in peace,¡± Kia said with a sigh as she watched the departed souls disappear into the void. The ghosts seemed to rise in the sky before turning into a white smoke that shot into the heavens. Although the process seemed long, all this happened in an instant. Watching this scene, for a moment a deep sense of melancholy seemed to overtake Kia. She could not help but lament about the sorrows of life. Among the thousand ghosts there were men, old and young, women and even children! What kind of monsters was she dealing with?! Neither the living nor the dead were left alone! ¡®These Beasts!¡¯ Towards these people, a deep sense of hatred had already welled up in Kia¡¯s heart. The encounter tonight stimulated more than Kia¡¯s sense of justice; a desire to massacre this group of monsters was ready to burst out. Exterminate! After freeing the ghosts, Kia charged along the hook¡¯s line towards the first opponent she saw. The dark purple Ghost Devouring Hook seemed to have lost its ¡®mojo¡¯ after clashing with the Omni-Sword. It fell to the ground grey and powerless. Without the tethered ghosts, the hook was just another piece of scrap metal. The user of this weapon was named the Ghost Serpent. Naturally this man had not only mastered numerous snake arts, but he was also a practitioner of the dark arts who specialized in corrupting, imprisoning, and manipulating the souls of the dead. Having lost a thousand souls in the clash with Kia, Ghost Serpent was naturally livid. ¡°My childreeeeeen! How dare you take them away from me,¡± he cried out while charging towards Kia. ¡°Wait!¡± The other two men beside him tried to stop him from haphazardly meeting the enemy but it was too late. The Omni-Sword was swung once and blood sprayed like a fountain. The silver sword slashed into Ghost Serpent¡¯s chest in a horizontal line. A spray of blood shot out of the narrow cut like water through a compressed hose before the man fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Whether he was alive or not, no one knew. At this point, Kia was already in position to clearly see the remaining two opponents. Both of them wore grayish green heavy cloaks that looked as if made of coarse sisal. Their faces seemed to be extremely deformed and filled with potholes, boils, and strange bumps. In fact, as people whose line of work involved all kinds of evil things including vicious ghosts, poisonous snakes, and even undead corpses, it was not strange for them to be scarred through their work. Whether it was snakes, ghosts, or corpses, they were all poisonous to the living. However, despite how deformed they look, these two men exuded an extremely powerful aura that seemed to freeze everything around them. They were unlike Ghost Serpent who Kia had just slayed. Outside of Milele¡¯s gates these two men were probably at the Earth rank. The black mist around the two men seemed to carry a sort of malevolence and grievance that could not be dispersed. ¡°You dare kill him?!¡± the man standing on the right screeched in anger. The strange thing was that despite his words or the emotions he was exuding, he still retained a strange creepy smile on his face. This man was aptly named Smiling Serpent ¨C the man who never stopped smiling. ¡°Your actions are an open declaration of war against the Red Hawk Organization,¡± The other man named Black Serpent snarled as he repeatedly pointed at Kia as if disparaging a naughty child. ¡®The gall of these beasts!¡¯ Kia could not believe what she was witnessing. It seemed these evil beasts were ready to play the victim despite their villainous line of work! ¡°How dare you? How dare you? What right do YOU have to be angry at ME after what you have done? You monsters!¡± How could she lose a shouting match against a bunch of ¡®snake-men¡¯ like these? It was naturally impossible, or so she thought. It seemed Black Serpent was ready to counter as he shouted even louder while filled with a sense of righteous indignation, ¡°You slave to morality! Do not dare lecture me!¡± The man did not even pause before continuing, ¡°We do what benefits us? They say that since ancient times those who obey the law, those who keep the moral code, they are promised rewards for their good deeds, for their obedience, either by government, by religion, or by family. But the reality is: a sword is dangled over their necks ¨C obey or else?¡± When he got to this point, Black Serpent¡¯s voice got even louder as if he was afraid Kia would not hear him as he said, ¡°Or else what? Ostracization? Excommunication? Imprisonment? Death?¡± ¡°Well I, Black Serpent, have already tasted all that long before I even became a criminal?¡± ¡°As for the rest of you, you are slaves to morality; puppets to empty societal structures; existing without your own desires!¡± The way Black Serpent spoke, it was as if he was the righteous one in this encounter. To Kia, it was evident that this man had already sunk beyond the point of return. ¡®What a long speech; very well put together.¡¯ Even Kia had to silently admit it to herself. But she naturally could not outwardly show it. ¡°Excuses, excuses, excuses. That is all I hear,¡± Kia replied to Black Serpent in a mocking tone while holding her hand behind her ears and tilting her head as if to listen more, ¡°but do you know what I think? So you had a hard life? Bummer. You are not special in this world. In fact, you are nothing. Before the grand structures of this world, EVERYONE is NOTHING!¡± ¡°No one, not even Kings or Emperors, has any right to do what you beasts are doing to these little girls! You will go down tonight!¡± In response to Kia¡¯s answer, Black Serpent did not continue arguing as he declared, ¡°So be it, I will ruin you here and now!¡± A fierce battle immediately erupted between the two sides. Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 1: Kia¡¯s Weapons so far
  1. Hanging Maiden [Smash and Server]
  2. Dark Soul Twin Blades
  3. Anti-Demon Spray
  4. Anti-Demon Bone Breaker Spike
  5. Omni-Sword
Bonus Notes 2: Beasts of Burden The members of the Beasts of Burden, a human-trafficking division of The Red Hawk Gang, are: 1. Barbarian Bull Queen (Leader) 2. The Rabid Hyena Bandits: - ¡°Red Sun¡± Speedman - ¡°Blue Moon¡± Kaka - ¡°Ash Cloud¡± Vumbi - ¡°Little Brother¡± Kipi 3. Snake Charmers: - Black Serpent - Ghost Serpent - Smiling Serpent 4. Mythical Beasts: - Guam Serpent - Lion Spirit Hound 5. ¡°Rainbow Archer¡± Flame Spirit Hand (a high level Undead Marsh corpse puppet) 6. Over a dozen other low level corpse puppets controlled by Black Serpent 7. 1,000 ghosts controlled by Ghost Serpent Chapter 115: Body of 9 Treasures In her encounter with this group tonight, Kia had already started to understand that rules were nothing but illusions. They would not function unless everyone chose to abide by them. ¡°These people tonight, the rules don¡¯t apply to them! They were able to get past the gates, past security in the streets, and are entrenched in this town like a cancer! They are immune to the law, at least within these walls!¡± When this realization hit her, a sense of determination welled up in Kia¡¯s mind. She swung her sword even faster with a much fiercer momentum. Over a dozen corpse puppets rushed towards Kia from behind Black Serpent. While Ghost Serpent was an expert in ghost control, Black Serpent specialized in manipulating corpses. It was he who controlled the ¡°Rainbow Archer¡±, Flame Spirit Hand. However, compared to Flame Spirit Hand, the flesh on the corpse puppets attacking Kia was more decayed and their movements were even more mechanical. These were low level corpse puppets. Nevertheless, while low level corpse puppets could not perform complex arts like the archer, their leathery skin was as tough as iron, their rotten bones were like hardened steel, and their claws were like high grade swords! These puppets could turn a regular man into minced meat in under a second! At the same time that the corpse puppets had attacked, a black gooey mass oozed from Smiling Serpent¡¯s body and also rushed towards Kia. ¡°Disgusting!¡± Kia could not help but exclaim in shock seeing the mass of wriggling ooze. While it looked like a black liquid, it was actually a mass of dense and concentrated worms. These worms were meshed together similar to real world Bootlace worms. It was obvious that they had probably been hybridized through numerous experiments by Smiling Serpent. ¡°Hihihihihi,¡± the man laughed in a strange manner before shouting, ¡°go ahead and feast my lovely worms!¡± ¡°First Treasure ¨C Heart of Stone!¡± The moment Kia shouted these words her distressed and disgusted expression seemed to disappear and was replaced by a stony ¡®no-nonsense¡¯ appearance. As she swung her swords, numerous corpse puppets were blown away just by the wind produced by the swing. However, Black Serpent was not a ¡®back-bencher¡¯. As the leader of the 3 snake charmers, he chose to fight at the front! After losing his main weapon in the first joint sneak attack against Kia, this man chose to use a heavy, black, curved club as his second weapon of choice. "Clang!" The two weapons clashed sending rocks, grass, and rain water flying everywhere. Both opponents were pushed five steps back. They were evenly matched! It seemed this man had even greater physical strength than the titanic were-hyenas! In fact this was not shocking at all. As someone who specialized in corpse control, Black Serpent¡¯s body was sturdier than all his puppets including Flame Spirit Hand. Despite being a snake charmer and a puppeteer who was suited for mid to long range combat, Black Serpent¡¯s body was immune to water and fire, capable of withstanding a rain of arrows, and durable enough to deflect all mortal weapons with his bare skin. After repeatedly clashing with Black Serpent, Kia knew she had no advantage in a battle of muscles against this man. Not only did she have to fight Black Serpent head on, she also had to guard against Smiling Serpent¡¯s sneak attacks, dodge the disgusting hybrid Bootlace worms, and escape from the other corpse puppets¡¯ encirclement. The strength of these snake charmers was suddenly evident. Who could escape this quagmire let alone defeat this group. First, they had the Guam Serpent, a beast so strong that it needed all 3 snake charmers working in tandem in order to control it. Second, each snake charmer had a second specialty apart from controlling snakes which included corpse control, ghost control, and the control of parasitic worms. Third, their leader, Black Serpent, had a high grade corpse puppet adept at the Rainbow Archery technique. Lastly, each of the members was a strong warrior in their own right. Without the effects of the town¡¯s formation dampening their abilities, this team was enough to strike fear in any warrior within Toro¡¯s borders. No matter how strong a warrior was, they would not enjoy being encircled by this group of three. ¡°Second Treasure ¨C Bronzen Head.¡± Kia suddenly said but this time her voice was much calmer partly due to the effects of Stone Heart. After activating the second treasure, although there were no outward changes to Kia¡¯s body, Black Serpent could sense that something had changed. However, Kia¡¯s next action made him almost glee in delight. When they clashed this time, Kia actually went for a headbutt. ¡°Go ahead; shatter your skull on my head!¡± Black Serpent was ecstatic as he willingly welcomed the headbutt. After all, although living, he already had a corpse physique better than any zombie. His skin, bones, and flesh were tougher than any mortal instrument or material. He was ready to watch Kia¡¯s brains splatter on his forehead. But he was wrong! When Kia¡¯s attack landed, a sharp stinging pain assaulted Black Serpent going from his forehead to his neck then all the way to the base of his spine. His mind was in shock and his body was frozen as if paralyzed. A short instance later, he fell to the ground in a stiff manner very much like a frozen corpse. Soon darkness set in devouring his clarity as he lost consciousness. The moment he collapsed to the ground, the corpse puppets under Black Serpent¡¯s control started attacking wildly. Even Smiling Serpent was caught in the crossfire of their attacks. ¡°Did the corpses go berserk without his control?¡± Kia guessed as she watched the puppets get even stronger and wilder. ¡°Fourth Treasure ¨C Leviathan Hide.¡± When the puppets got close to her, Kia did not even bother to dodge their sword-like claws. However, when their attacks landed, they did not even leave a single mark on her skin. This was the effect of the Leviathan Hide. However, unlike the zombies, Kia was still cautious about the mass of black parasitic worms released by Smiling Serpent. She did not dare take them lightly. Once these worms got into someone¡¯s body, either through the orifices or pores in the skin, the victim would be in for a world of hell. ¡°Fifth Treasure ¨C Hand of Glory.¡± ¡°Earth Splitting technique.¡± Kia¡¯s next attack was a strong palm strike to the ground. With this strike, it was as if an earthquake was released shattering the ground beneath her feet and sending all the worms around her flying into the distance. Even Smiling Serpent who had still been fending off the zombies as well as the remaining zombie puppets themselves were all sent flying into the air before crashing heavily to the ground. However, even while reeling in pain, Smiling Serpent still retained a smile on his face. But at this point, he had already understood that his group of three had thoroughly lost this battle. The main reason for their loss despite their formidable strength when fighting as a team was Kia¡¯s activation of the Body of 9 Treasures. This martial skill was a comprehensive technique that combined numerous body forging arts into one technique. The nine treasures in this skill were:
  1. Heart of Stone ¨C This was a skill that focused on strengthening the martial heart. After mastering this skill, the warrior¡¯s heart would transform into a peculiar triangular shape. It was said that at the peak, a practitioner of this art would gain the power to withstand the immeasurable.
  2. Bronzen Head ¨C Naturally, this was a skill that strengthened the head. However, not only did the user gain an extremely strong defense, their entire heads received a comprehensive boost in all attributes.
  3. Starry Toe ¨C At the peak of this technique, one¡¯s toes gained the weight of the stars. Any random kick from them could dig through mountains and part the oceans.
  4. Leviathan Hide ¨C This was a skill that imitated the defensive capabilities of the mythical Leviathan.
  5. Hand of Glory ¨C The 5th treasure was the Hand of Glory. A ridiculous fact about the original skill that was used to develop this treasure was that it originated from a band of thieves and a hanged man. This skill granted the user the power to unlock any door. However, over the ages it improved to the point that it allowed users to freeze people in place. Not only that, the user¡¯s palm strength was also raised to an extraordinary level. Further, there was an even stranger associated skill linked to this treasure - the God nails also titled the Holy Whetstone.
- Holy Whetstone: A warrior who had these nails was like a whetstone of good and evil as well as courage and cowardice. Against an enemy, the nails would draw blood as long as the user was brave and full of courage. However, if the user was cowardly, then the nails would draw no blood whatsoever. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
  1. Statue-like Bones ¨C with these bones, the user gained a connection to Ikenga ¨C the God of Beginnings. Ikenga was the embodiment of human endeavor, victory, and achievements. Naturally, the owner of these bones that honored Ikenga was bestowed with super strength from this divine connection. A common feature of this skill was a ridiculously strong and skilled right arm. The user also gained joints similar to a brazen bull. This secondary ability was aptly named Brazen Bull power.
  2. The True Gateway ¨C This treasure was also labelled the Infinite Devouring Stomach. Given its name, it is obvious that it was a skill that allowed the user to digest all kinds of food and easily transform anything into energy with minimal wastage. Apart from energy efficiency, the person could even digest poison, rocks, metals, and other harmful materials.
The remaining skills in the Body of Nine Treasures naturally targeted other body parts. Overall, the Body of 9 Treasures was an extremely overpowered ability that combined numerous other skills into one major skill targeting different parts of the body. It is also noteworthy that the 9 treasures were not truly accurate in their exact number. Instead, the figure 9 was just symbolic. In fact, in the myths of tribes like the Agikena, the number 9 was used to hide one¡¯s offspring or property from the evil eye by disguising their true value. Similarly, many other cultures used the number nine in place of infinity. Technically, the Body of Treasures could have as many skills as there were body parts, both external and internal. The technique even extended beyond the basic human organs. For example, the tattoo of the Winged Sun was part of the Body of Nine Treasures as a skill that granted greater mobility and enhanced speed. When this skill was activated, a tattoo of wings placed around a sun would appear on the user¡¯s back. According to ancient Toro mythology, the winged sun was a symbol associated with power, royalty, and divinity. Further, some body parts such as the head housed multiple smaller parts and organs such as the eyes, ears, mouth, brain, nose, and hair. These parts also had their own martial skills within the Body of Nine Treasures. And even the same organ could have multiple skills. For instance: - Valori Eye ¨C the user¡¯s pupils would enlarge and gain supernatural abilities. Based on the god named Valori, at the peak of this eye art the user could wreak destruction just by opening their eyes. The mages of old had once termed this eye art as so poisonous and destructive that no army could withstand it. - Rota¡¯s Eyes ¨C In this instance, the user¡¯s eyes would glow like stars in the night. The star-like eyes could also emit powerful waves of heat that could burn even gods to ashes. - Ogre Fang ¨C This skill naturally targeted the mouth and teeth allowing a warrior to bite through virtually anything. While the Body of Nine Treasures had many shocking skills condensed into one martial art, the main selling point of this art was its capacity to evolve. Shockingly, the art had different levels ranging from the lowest mortal warrior level all the way to a divine level that could challenge the gods! Basically, it was classified in 3 major categories:
  1. Spirit or Human level
  2. Sacred or Saint level
  3. Divine or God level
These 3 levels corresponded to the three major realms of the world. Anyone or anything below the Martial Saint stage was at the spirit/human level. Let alone Toro, Martial Saints were extremely powerful beings that did not even exist in the vast Zika world. Naturally, Martial Saints could practice Saint Arts. As for divine or god level arts, only a divine being or a True God could use them. Therefore, for the Body of Nine Treasures to have all 3 levels, it was most likely created by a True God! The fact that the snake charmers had forced Kia to rely on the Body of Nine Treasures, even if it was at the lowest level, was already a testament to their strength. ¡°If I was pushed further, I might have been forced to use the Might of the Underworld! Then who knows what would have happened,¡± Kia¡¯s next words surprisingly revealed that she had even another scarier martial art under her sleeves! As the battle ended, the black fog that was emanating from the snake charmers and their unholy creations slowly began to dissipate. However, the Smiling Serpent was still standing; only very far away. He had basically run away. Witnessing this, Kia did not have the energy to chase after the strange man yet still look after the girls in the carriages. After all, some of her defeated opponents could wake up at any time. Seeing her opponent going further and further away, Kia could only shout after him, ¡°Even if you escape today, I will come after you with everything I have got. For what you have done to these girls, for desecrating the corpse of a great warrior, for treating human souls like slaves and weapons. None of you shall get the luxury of escape.¡± From this experience, it was evident that the law was not gonna do anything about such evil. Even if she was not a lawmaker, Kia would be these children¡¯s guardian angel. However, despite her harsh words to the fleeing Smiling Serpent, the man kept smiling as he disappeared further into the dark night. ¡°Why are you still smiling? Either you are stupid or you are ignorant.¡± Although Kia uttered these words, she started to consider another possibility, ¡®Perhaps this man¡¯s mouth is permanently glued in that smile-like shape. Whether he is sad, angry, in pain, or in joy, he is stuck like that. If that is truly so then he is one pitiful beast.¡¯ In this battle, the only person who had gained Kia¡¯s admiration was the Rainbow Archer. Even though his corpse had been used for nefarious purposes by Black Serpent, Kia still respected what Flame Spirit Hand once was ¨C a warrior, and a particularly strong one at that. ¡°If he had been alive, I am not sure I could have defeated him.¡± Importantly, Flame Spirit Hand had not used the last 4 arrows of the Rainbow Archery technique some of which were extremely formidable. Kia speculated that this was because his overall skill had dropped due to brain degeneration after his death. The remaining arrows were:
  1. Green: Venom Arrow ¨C This technique involved shooting a highly poisonous arrow. As the arrow travelled through the air, the poison on the arrow tip would react with the air thus becoming even more poisonous during the arrow travel. Therefore, the longer the range, the more lethal this arrow was.
  2. Blue: Malleable Arrow ¨C The unique feature of this arrow technique was that the archer could alter its trajectory mid-travel. This was achieved either depending on the wind or by bouncing the arrow on the water vapor in the air. As a wind and water element arrow art, this form naturally stressed great flexibility. Therefore, for Flame Spirit Hand who was not only a stiff corpse but also someone with a fire affinity that was opposite of the water element, he was least achieved in this arrow form.
  3. Indigo: Silent Arrow ¨C It was also called The Assassin¡¯s arrow.
  4. Violet: Devil Arrow [Quick-shot] ¨C By applying a special purple powder on the hands, bow, and arrow, the archer could can enhance their shooting power while also boosting their reloading speed thus allowing them to fire off multiple arrows.
When one not only fully mastered all 7 arrow techniques but could also use them all in tandem, they were said to have achieved Rainbow Form Mastery. There were two more levels above full mastery which were: - White Arrow Form: a higher level of mastery. - Transparent Form: an even higher level where the practitioner no longer even needed a bow or arrows to perform archery. While Kia was pondering on the wonders of Rainbow Form Archery, she suddenly realized that something was off! ¡°Something is wrong; where did the woman go? She seemed to be the one giving out orders.¡± However, as she looked around, Kia did not see anyone else. Apart from her downed opponents, the woman was nowhere to be seen! Suddenly, wind pressure assaulted Kia''s back! ¡°Ramming Canon!¡± The attack seemed to have come out of nowhere! Kia did not even have time to turn around let alone dodge. The short-haired muscular woman had crashed into her back like a charging bull exerting all of her body strength and mass into the charging attack. When this attack landed, Kia felt like she had been rammed by a freight train! The body blow sent her flying like a canon through the park destroying the ground and any structure in her body''s path! ¡°Barbarian Bull Queen!¡± Witnessing their leader in action, the broken and barely conscious were-hyena brothers exclaimed at once. However, what they got in return was naked rebuke. ¡°Stop wasting time. 7 men ganging up on one little girl and you cannot even win? Shame on you, you pieces of trash! Do I have to always do everything myself?!¡± Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 3: Kia¡¯s Lesser Heaven Techniques so far
  1. Blood Maiden skill
  2. Violet Mansion skill
  3. Body of 9 Treasures
  4. Might of the Underworld
Bonus Notes 4: Rainbow Form Archery
  1. Red ¨C Blazing Arrow
  2. Yellow ¨C Morning Sun Arrow
  3. Orange ¨C Journeyman Arrow
  4. Green ¨C Venom Arrow
  5. Blue - Malleable Arrow
  6. Indigo - Silent Arrow
  7. Violet - Devil Arrow: Quick-shot
- Rainbow Form Mastery - White Arrow Form - Transparent Form Chapter 116: Unbeatable Foe – Riddle Me This While Kia was taking on the Beasts of Burden, Mwana¡¯s battle against the codes was still ongoing. After activating his bloodline for the first time ever, Mwana had entered the Drunken Dragon mode. His body was filled with so much strength that he was literally ¡®drunk with power¡¯. However, his opponents did not give him time to savor the feeling. A spear tip was already at his forehead! The attacker was Code C ¨C the Cipher. This man had extremely long eyebrows that basically touched his hair at the sides. His hair was also very long and tied in a neat bun. Further, it was noticeable that he had grey sides so he obviously was not a young man. Concerning his weapon of choice, the Cipher mainly used a long spear with a huge spearhead. This spear was at least the length of 2 men. Judging by the size and material of the spearhead, the entire spear probably weighed several tonnes! However, when this spear got close to Mwana¡¯s head, the Cipher was shocked to see the boy easily break his precious spear with a single kick! In the same breath, the boy who looked ¡®out of it¡¯ blasted out another attack. This time it was a powerful punch which sent the Cipher crashing into the mud. However, he was not the only one who received Mwana¡¯s attacks. ¡°Drunken Dragon Fist!¡± The man beside the Cipher was also hit by this punch. This man was Code I ¨C the Iron known for his sturdy defense. Despite this, Mwana¡¯s punch still sent the Iron flying even though he had already put up his guard! This naturally shocked everyone on the scene since Mwana¡¯s previous attacks had not been able to affect this man that much. After all, he was an over 2 meter tall giant of a man, and one who specialized in physical strength and defense at that. There were barely any warriors in Milele that could force him to take a step back let alone send him flying. However, despite his opponent¡¯s strong guard, Mwana¡¯s attack was strong enough to even stun his arms. ¡°What power! I almost can¡¯t close my hands into a fist!¡± Watching his trembling hands, the Iron could not help but silently exclaim. After activating his bloodline, Mwana¡¯s physical attributes had more than doubled. He was now stronger, faster, and more durable than ever. However, all this power came at a cost ¨C his mental state! Luckily, under the town¡¯s normalization magic, only Mwana¡¯s physical abilities could be enhanced while the more supernatural aspects of Mwana¡¯s bloodline power were still suppressed. Otherwise, if they had been triggered Mwana might have lost his mind in the process! Without proper training and control, the activation of this kind of bloodline power was more of a detriment rather than a boon. ¡°Aaaaaah! Boy! You have angered me now!¡± While Mwana¡¯s remaining opponents seemed unable to continue holding on, a shout emerged from the spot where the Cipher had fallen. While his body was covered in mud, he was surprisingly fine. The Cipher instantly leaped back into battle joining the encirclement against Mwana! ¡°You are not down yet? You cockroach!¡± Seeing this guy come back to pester him, Mwana who was out of sorts could naturally not tolerate it. Mwana broke into a sprint unleashing the Running Man Punch onto the Cipher¡¯s chest. This attack was basically the Dambe version of a Superman Punch. ¡°Hahahahaha, brat, keep tickling me.¡± Bang! Another attack landed on the still gloating opponent¡¯s face. ¡°Is this the kind of weak massage you give your father? He must be crying with back pain everyday!¡± Bang! Pow! Smash! This time Mwana landed three solid attacks on his opponent¡¯s body. ¡°Haish, what a worthless son.¡± Once again, the Cipher was back up and standing as he continued taunting Mwana. Bang! ¡°God damn, are you trying to scratch my itch? Apply more strength!¡± The man kept shooting off layered insults one after another. He was beaten down by Mwana with each attack being stronger than the last yet he kept getting back up! Suddenly Mwana regretted calling this man a cockroach. ¡®Is this what they mean by ¡°beware the power of the tongue¡±? Did calling him a cockroach transform him into one?¡¯ Mwana¡¯s inner thoughts were messed up when facing this man. It was as if the man had gained a cockroach-like vitality! While Mwana was able to bulldoze him in each clash, the Cipher surprisingly took zero damage! Even other defense experts like Code E ¨C the Egalitarian and Code I ¨C the Iron could not boast of this! Not only was the Cipher able to withstand Mwana¡¯s attacks, he even managed to create openings for his allies. ¡°You are full of hot air!¡± Mwana shouted in his response to his opponent¡¯s taunts. He had already guessed that the Cipher was an inflated balloon but he could not yet tell where the opening was. It was like a riddle where the answer was right at the tip of your tongue but you couldn¡¯t get it quite right; a very frustrating feeling. In fact, the Cipher¡¯s shocking defense was not due to a martial skill. Instead it was due to the Seven Star Armor that he was wearing underneath his clothes. Fitting its name, this armor had 7 stars located at different parts of its entire whole. There was one star on the head located within the invisible helmet, two stars on each of the arms, one star at the center of the chest, and another at the waist. The final two stars were located on the right shoulder and the left leg. The armor itself was golden-colored with mesmerizing red patterns. As for the stars, they glowed with a bright white light when the armor was fully activated. Although Mwana¡¯s attacks did no damage to his opponent, they still managed to tear apart his outer garments. Therefore, Mwana was finally able to see this armor that stood in the way of his victory. ¡°Illusion Dragon Claw!¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Iron Breaker: Dragon Scissor Kick!¡± ¡°Useless!¡± the Cipher shouted in response to these attacks, ¡°Your legs cannot break through my defense.¡± ¡°Hohoooh, are you sure?¡± As he said this, a strange glint flashed through Mwana¡¯s eyes. Immediately, a sense of unease entered the Cipher¡¯s mind. ¡®Has the brat figured out the trick? Impossible!¡¯ In the end he still chose to place his faith in his armor. However, he was bound to be disappointed. The 7 Star Armor was extremely complex. In fact, between each two stars, there existed a path and this path could transmit up to two unique signals. However, at a junction between 3 stars ¨C a central star and two branch stars, the signal could only take one direction and this process was completely random. It was slightly similar to a simulated quantum particle experiment. However, despite the complexity, Mwana was still able to catch a glimpse at the proverbial Achilles heel ¨C the chink in this godly armor. ¡®It all lies in the reverberations! As long as I get the timing right, I can break through his defense!¡¯ With this thought, Mwana¡¯s rain of attacks did not stop. While he still had to fend off other opponents, Mwana made sure to give the Cipher ¡®special care.¡¯ With each attack that he landed, the armor¡¯s signals and energy dispersal patterns became clearer and clearer right before his eyes. Dong! With every attack it received, the armor would light up with red sparks. This time, when Mwana focused on sensing the armor¡¯s reaction, he finally captured the subtle pattern that arose. ¡°Drunken Dragon Fist - Dragon Shot!¡± Without hesitation, a finisher was unleashed. Before the attack was even released, all hair on the Cipher¡¯s body stood on end. ¡®Crap!¡¯ These were the Cipher¡¯s last conscious thoughts. He could not even think fast enough to dodge the attack. Suddenly, everyone saw the Cipher¡¯s body fly out. However, they did not hear any sound for a moment or so. ¡®The sound was delayed.¡¯ The Iron who had been fighting right beside the Cipher silently thought about the lack of sound or impact. He was naturally shocked at this strange phenomenon. Kaboooooom! An explosion that rocked the street suddenly emerged from the point of contact. The strange thing was that it appeared a while after the Cipher had already been sent flying! This scene really looked like a videogame lag. The Dragon Shot that Mwana had just unleashed was a self-created technique that fused the irregular movement of Mwana¡¯s Withered Wood Dance with the [Muscle Strengthening Section] of the Green Dragon Mantra. When this technique was aimed at the Seven Star Armor¡¯s Achilles heel, the Cipher was naturally taken down in one move. His body was sent flying crashing through multiple walls in this empty back-street. In fact, this could have been prevented if one of his allies in his trajectory had caught his body. However, when this other man had seen the Cipher come crashing toward him, he chose to dodge the Cipher¡¯s flying body instead of catching him. This man actually walked up a wall backwards just to avoid saving his ally! He was Code W ¨C the Willow Battle Wizard. Just like his name implied, he was a practitioner of strange magics. Even when his magical power was suppressed, this Wizard still found practical ways around this. The Wizard suddenly took out a flaming torch from god knows where and blew on it. A river of flames suddenly flowed towards Mwana¡¯s direction at an extreme speed. Mwana could not help but wonder if this man was storing a fuel tank in his mouth. Regarding his looks, the Wizard had a yellow vertical line on his forehead. He also wore yellow clothes below the standard black cloak. His hair was long and messy like the typical wizard. Combine that with the flames flying out of his mouth, one look at him and anyone would think: ¡®Now that is a real wizard!¡¯ ¡°Holy Flame: Atomic Fire Breath!¡± The fire art unleashed by the Wizard was a type of Holy Flame that could deconstruct anything in its path. Naturally, it was much weaker when unleashed under the effects of Milele¡¯s normalization magic formation. Nevertheless, it was still strong enough to scorch everything in a 20 meter radius. In response, Mwana actually chose to get close to his opponent instead of stepping back. While moving at extreme speeds, he narrowly ducked under the fire and leaped towards the wizard. The margin of error in this move was extremely narrow! In fact, when he had ducked under the flames, he had less than half a meter of space between the flames and the ground to pass through. Mwana¡¯s body had leaned forward to the point that his face was only a few millimeter from the ground. Even his running form looked more like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon run. After reaching the Wizard, Mwana¡¯s speed was instantly transformed into a kick combo. This was the Devils 3 Spin Kick Combo. It started with a 360 degree kick followed by a sweep to the opponent¡¯s legs that transitioned into a 540 finisher. With these fast rotational kicks, the Wizard who was not that strong in close quarters combat was naturally taken out. However, at this point, Mwana¡¯s energy had already stated running out mostly due to the pressure of his bloodline activation. After all, it was his first time activating his bloodline so he was not as skilled with the process. Due to the drop in power, some of Mwana¡¯s opponent¡¯s finally gained a minor advantage in the battle. Even then, Mwana still kept landing one kick after another, sometimes using his opponents as footholds instead of landing on the ground. ¡®I feel like I am gonna pass out at this rate.¡¯ At this point, the fight had already become a battle of attrition. Mwana activating his bloodline for such a lengthy time also lead to a huge stamina drain. He could barely maintain his clarity. Naturally, when his opponents saw that the boy was a bit disoriented, they would not let go of the chance that had just opened up. Bang! Mwana was rammed into a building wall so hard that half his body, his upper body, broke into the building. He could even the smell of food in this building so it was obviously some sort of kitchen or restaurant. As for his lower body, his legs were sticking outside the building and enjoying the harsh rain. While he was still stunned, Mwana felt some rough hands grab him by the waist and pull him from the building. He was lifted up and rammed into the ground head first! If Mwana¡¯s body was not so sturdy, his brains would have been splattered all over the damp streets after this attack! Naturally, the man who could manhandle Mwana so easily was Code I. After dropping Mwana into the ground head first, this man was still not satisfied. The iron once again picked up Mwana and then proceeded to powerslam him into the ground once again. Only this time, Mwana landed on his back. Kabang! The pot-holed rundown tiles of the alley could not take the stress of this attack and neither could the ground below Mwana and the Iron. Everything exploded at once as a huge dust eruption erupted outwards. The resulting shockwave sent everything within a 10 meter radius flying everywhere. Even then, while Mwana was left reeling from these powerful attacks, between him and the ground, he was more durable. Therefore, he did not receive much injury. However, before he could reorient himself, the Iron came charging at him once again. This time the attack was one that utilized the head as a weapon. The Iron could afford to risk his head and use it to attack since he was actually wearing a sphere-shaped iron cap on his head. This iron cap was green in color and had snake-like patterns. As for its use, what else but to ram people with it! Against the attack, Mwana did not even have the energy to jump around so he just chose to roll back on the ground even if his clothes got dirtied by the black mud in the dark alley. ¡°Huff, huff, huff, huff¡­¡± At this point, everyone in the street was huffing. It was not only Mwana that was tired; even his opponents were at the end of their stamina rope. After a short break, Mwana and the Iron traded blows once again. This time, the iron landed a punch on Mwana¡¯s face. However, he only managed to catch Mwana¡¯s saliva. Mwana had slipped through his punch! What followed was a counter punch that sent the Iron reeling once again. But this time, Mwana did not pause between his attacks, his counter blow directly transitioned into a turning back kick that created distance between him and his opponent. ¡°Iron Breaker!¡± The finisher was landed straight to the Iron¡¯s jaw. But this man, this man was still standing! If this attack had landed on another member of the Codes such as Demon Hand, his neck and jaw would have been shattered. However, unlike the other gang members, the Iron was neither blown that far back nor injured by the Iron Breaker kick. Not only did he have a large stature, but his tank-like nature due to his Body of Iron skill made him almost invincible against physical attacks. Of all the men in this specific squad, Mwana was sure that this man had the strongest pure physical defense without the use of powerful armor like the Cipher¡¯s [7 Star Armor] or strange martial arts like the Egalitarian¡¯s [Law of Equals]. Expectedly, his abilities lived up to his title, Code I, the Iron ¨C the man with an iron jaw. Chapter 117: Battle Frenzy After pulling some distance between him and Code I - the Iron, Mwana once again took to the air unleashing a version of the [advanced bicycle kicks]. This was a 5 kick combo! Each kick was so fast that it heated up the air from the friction alone! If not from the rain and wet atmosphere, Mwana¡¯s clothes would have already burned up. This time, the Iron Breaker truly broke Iron! The large man was blasted back like an exploding bomb before crashing right before the leader¡¯s feet. When his body landed on the ground it kicked up a storm of dust despite the rain that had already soaked up the soil. The heat and friction from the attack had literally caused some of the mud to dry up into regular soil and dust! After witnessing the terror of his men getting destroyed and receiving broken bones one after another, the leader could not help but berate them, ¡°Attack him all at once, why are you going one by one?!¡± Everyone that was still conscious at the scene was shocked by this order. However, they were shocked for a completely different reason. ¡°L-leader, we are all attacking together.¡± The feeble voice of the large man, Code I - the Iron, came from near the leader¡¯s feet. Although the entire battle had looked as if the men were attacking one by one, that was not the case! In fact, it was Mwana¡¯s actions that forced the men to effectively fight him one person at a time. Instant Movement: Circling Steps ¨C this was a type of footwork within the [100 Steps in an Instant] basic movement technique that allowed warriors to circle around and handle multiple opponents. Mwana¡¯s first thought when he resolved himself to fight against over a dozen men was to first get his opponents lined up. This way, when he applied his techniques to one opponent, the others did not get the opportunity to harm him or disrupt his rhythm. At the start of the group altercation, Mwana picked one opponent to engage based on their position. He then circled around them so that the other opponents were directly behind his first target. Whenever those behind tried to step around to engage Mwana in battle, he would circle in the same direction as his opponents making it so that one of them was always between Mwana and the others behind. When facing two opponents, this technique naturally reduced the chance of the two working together to double-team you. However, for multiple opponents, things were obviously much harder. If not for Mwana¡¯s exceptional speed and acrobaticism, he would not have been able to pull it off. While the men sprawled around the street were grumbling about their leader failing to understand their predicament, they still got back up and rushed back into the fight. Seeing this, Mwana could not help but commend their tenacity. The first man who arrived before Mwana was Code D ¨C Demon Hand also referred to as ¡°the Demon¡±. In their previous clash, Mwana had already shattered one of his hands. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get rid of me so easily this time!¡± The man said as he leaped towards Mwana aiming to grab him only to be met with a powerful kick. Crack! ¡°You should have stayed down.¡± Mwana was not shocked that his attack had broken the Demon¡¯s other arm. However, the man whose hands were broken just maintained an uncomfortable smile on his face. In fact for the usually stoic man, this single unnatural smile was probably more facial expressions than he had ever shown in the whole year. Even with all the pain, he still kept his broken hand tightly clasped around Mwana¡¯s outstretched foot after the earth shattering kick! Shockingly, the Demon had actually sacrificed his arm in order to grab Mwana¡¯s leg. Before Mwana could retract his leg from the Demon¡¯s grasp, his opponent tugged at him and pulled him through the air horizontally. It was at this moment that someone came from the side bringing a powerful machete swing crashing down at Mwana¡¯s torso! This attack was aiming to split Mwana in half at his stomach! The change in the battlefield was too fast almost to the point that Mwana failed to react. However, who was Mwana? Even with a fraction of a second to react, he still managed to evade the machete. As for how he did it, it was a move that left everyone at the scene questioning the laws of physics. When the blade came crashing down, Mwana actually did a mid air sit up! By pulling his head and hands until they touched his knees, the machete only brushed past Mwana¡¯s butt. In the same motion, Mwana grabbed the Demon¡¯s broken arm and easily extricated himself from his opponent¡¯s grasp. However, while he had gotten out of the risky situation, he was still shaken since he had only managed to dodge the oncoming machete by a hair¡¯s breath! Literally. The attacker with the machete did not give Mwana any time to rest. The blade quickly approached Mwana¡¯s back once again. With the machete approaching the back of his head, Mwana turned to face it and then leaned back to avoid it. This time the weapon passed right over his nose tip! If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. While he did not even lose a scrap of skin, the purple tips of his black locks were not so lucky. Part of his hair was shaved off and sent flying into the distance. The attacker did not relent on his attacks and continued to chain one attack after another while carrying the momentum forward. This time Mwana had no option but to guard with his arm. Kaching! ¡°Moon Bracelet Armguard Mode!¡± Even though it was currently hidden below Mwana¡¯s Dambe wrappings, the Moon Bracelet was extended transforming into an armguard that blocked the machete head on. The man behind the machete was Code M, the Machete. He was an expert at Tire Machete. Code M also liked calling himself ¡°Papa Machete¡± but frankly, he was nothing compared to the real deal. The real Papa Machete was not only a martial arts legend, but also the creator of the secret martial art of Tire Machete. This machete fighting style was developed with the sole purpose of helping slaves win against their enslavers. Even as a young village kid, Mwana had already heard about the legend of Papa Machete dancing with the blade. That was how popular the legend was. The machete was a brutal slashing weapon where a good slash to the arm could easily disable or amputate an opponent. Naturally, Mwana would neither take the weapon nor the fighting style lightly. Against Code M¡¯s attacks, Mwana kept his hands safe by repeatedly knocking the opponent¡¯s weapon away. With Code M tying Mwana down, the other goons finally found a chance to encircle him again. However, Mwana would always randomly shoot off powerful kicks to the side that sent some of the goons flying. As they rushed back to attack, the goons witnessed Mwana perform a strange action. He actually did a handstand! With his arms down on the ground and his legs up in the air, Mwana actually started rotating like a break-dancer! ¡°What martial art is this?!¡± Someone could not help but exclaim incredulously. However, the spinning quickly got faster. It was gaining momentum! At this point, no one could get close. Mwana¡¯s spinning had a lot of rotation built in. At the expert level, this technique could actually create a twister or tornado of fire because of the accumulated speed and power. This attack was named: ¡°[Sun Twister] Iron Breaker variant!¡± Although Mwana was still limited in his mastery of this technique, his attack had a lot of rotational power and its impact was even more shocking. Everyone was sent flying, bones were broken, and tendons were snapped! Others went down but surprisingly, Code I ¨C the Iron was still standing! Even though the attack shocked him, the Iron still charged straight at Mwana aiming his iron cap at Mwana¡¯s forehead. ¡°You are too slow to even race my grandma,¡± Mwana said to this man. While the Iron¡¯s defense was impressive, his speed was atrocious. ¡°Iron Jaw, get him!¡± Some of the thugs could only shout empty encouragements while sprawled on the ground. However, it was Mwana who landed an attack on Iron Jaw first. The attack was a flying Superman punch. However, the punch did not even faze the Iron. He was still standing!! Seeing this, Mwana could not help but complain internally, ¡®What is this guy¡¯s skull made off!¡¯ He proceeded to perform a [master bicycle kicks] with several kicks thrown while suspended mid-air. The last kick was even thrown right before Mwana¡¯s feet touched the ground. This was a feat of extreme speed especially since this was the master bicycle kick. Unlike the advanced version that had 5 kicks, the master version had 8 kicks! However, after these attacks landed on the Iron, the result left Mwana flabbergasted. Once again, the Iron was still standing!!! Seeing the man still on his feet, Mwana could not help but exclaim in pure disbelief, ¡°Oi, you are truly sturdy!¡± It was like fighting a literal wall of iron. After withstanding Mwana¡¯s attacks, the Iron could even retaliate! With two punches aimed downwards at Mwana, the Iron smashed everything in their surroundings. This was a double fist ground smash. However, with Mwana¡¯s speed, he was able to easily evade this attack by rolling sideways. Using that momentum, Mwana threw another kick to the Iron¡¯s face before transitioning into an advanced bicycle kick. However, this time the 5 bicycle kicks were so fast that Mwana¡¯s legs blurred into one line! Even then, the man was still standing!!!! ¡°He tanked that?!¡± One of the goons exclaimed in shock. ¡°I knew he would not fall.¡± Another remarked. ¡°Prepare yourself brat!¡± Seeing that their comrade still had juice in the tank, the other goons shouted at Mwana. They were already convinced that in a battle of endurance, the Iron had Mwana beat. In their eyes, it was time for the brat to finally face the fire. Bang! It took everyone a moment to compute the source of the sound. The man who had been standing all along just fell down unceremoniously. Seeing this, a smile crept up on Mwana¡¯s face as he asked the remaining thugs, ¡°Prepare for what?¡± Of all the thugs who had ganged up on Mwana on this night, only their leader who was yet to fight was still standing. ¡®After taking care of the chaff, I guess it is time for the main course,¡¯ these were Mwana¡¯s thoughts as he looked at the leader of these men who was standing a distance a way from him. ¡°Enough of this charade!¡± This voice started in front of Mwana but by the end of the statement it was actually behind him! A smooth, shiny, cold blade was then placed on Mwana¡¯s neck! Gulp! Mwana heavily swallowed his saliva. He was yet to believe what was happening. ¡°I did not sense him at all even when I had been focusing on him the entire time. Even while looking straight at him, I did not see how he moved! Is this the legendary¡­No Breath State?!¡± The leader had finally acted! This man was Code A ¨C the Apotheosis. The culmination of divine wrath! Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 5: Assassin Proficiencies Every assassin has their own proficiencies depending on their talents and the kind of assassin they are. The proficiencies can possibly be endless but the most well-known ones are: - No Face State [a face not worth remembering] - No Aura [complete erasure of one¡¯s presence] - Everybody [easily blending in among people] - Daylight Assassin [can erase their presence in broad daylight] - Extreme Speed - Extreme Precision - No Breath State [controlling one¡¯s breath is key for assassins] - Shadow Realm [mastery of Shadow Steps and Assassin¡¯s Shadow techniques] - Born Assassin [someone who naturally exists in NoS ¨C The No State] Bonus Notes 6: The Codes The Codes of the 15 Red Hawk gang members that Mwana battles are: A ¨C Apotheosis B ¨C Barracuda [Storm Barracuda] C ¨C Cipher D ¨C Demon [Demon Hand] E ¨C Egalitarian F ¨C Forlorn [Forlorn Knight] G ¨C Grappler I ¨C Iron [Iron Jaw] M ¨C Machete [Papa Machete] P ¨C Phantom [Phantom Hands] R ¨C Raze [Raze-fire] S ¨C Skylark | Scorpion (a unique shared code) T ¨C Time-bolt W ¨C Willow [Willow Battle Wizard] Z ¨C Zero There are obviously more who were not present as there are 26 Codes in total. The letters do not represent strength; instead, they represent rank. Each Code has their own specialty. Apart from the Codes, other squads such as the Numbers, the Indomitable Bandit Unit, and the Beasts of Burden among others do exist within the Red Hawk Gang. Chapter 118: Code A – the Apotheosis ¡°Hidden Flash!¡± The moment the cold blade touched Mwana¡¯s neck, he instantly activated "Instant Movement: Hidden Flash" to move away. It is only when he got his back away from his opponent that he experienced a hint of temporary relief. But mentally, Mwana was completely shaken. ¡®This is the first time someone has ever sneaked up on me like this! Is he faster than me? Or is it that his assassination proficiency is so high that he can easily slip through my perception?!¡¯ Numerous chaotic thoughts ran through Mwana¡¯s mind. Since he got the Dragon Mirror Eye, Mwana always had a 360 degree perception and sensory field around his body at all times. Not even a fly could get close to him without him noticing. On top of that, Mwana had always been proud of his speed. And this was not without reason. After all, with how many speed techniques Mwana had mastered it was only natural for him to be confident in his speed. Facing the opponent, Mwana finally got a good look at him. Apart from wearing the same outer clothes as the other Codes, the man standing opposite Mwana also wore a ridged golden mask. The only thing that could be seen was his dark eyes. Not only were his pupils and irises pitch black, but his entire eyeballs were also completely black in color. At the sides of the man¡¯s mask and neck, Mwana could see some exposed skin. ¡®This guy is not human!¡¯ Mwana¡¯s thoughts were formed based on this slight fact. This man¡¯s skin was completely paper-white! Not just pale but completely white in color. Combining his extremely white skin and dark eyes, Mwana could roughly guess what kind of alienoid being this man was. However, none of this mattered. A battle was about to break out. ¡°Tsiaaaaaaaa!¡± This was Mwana¡¯s war cry; a way to raise his vigor in combat. According to Mwana¡¯s teachers at the academy, it was always best to give your best war cry before a fight. There were three main reasons for this. First, a war cry served as an intimidation tactic. Second, it could be used to distract attackers thus creating a better chance to counterattack or get away. The third reason was to draw attention. In case one was overwhelmed in battle, a war cry could be used to draw more people to gather around you. If the war cry was unique enough, it could even be used to signal your allies. Although Mwana¡¯s strong war cry shook the tiles in the street, the man opposite him was not the least intimidated. ¡°Child, a war cry won¡¯t help you here.¡± The man said in a calm tone. After speaking, the man suddenly unleashed a weird blazing yet cold aura that shook Mwana to the core. Nevertheless, Mwana was prepared to give it his all. To win this fight, he needed speed! Extremely fast speed! ¡°Let us see how you stand against my ultimate speed technique combination.¡± Mwana said as he suddenly activated everything at once. This ultimate technique combination aimed at producing absolute speed so fast that any opponent would be frozen in place. The first technique in Mwana¡¯s list of movement skills was 100 Steps in an Instant which had evolved into Instant Movement. Further, from the Thunder section of the Sun and Moon arts, Mwana had not only learned the palm technique Rushing Thunder Charge, but also the movement art Rushing Thunder Steps. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The Rushing Thunder Steps was not even the only thunder and lightning technique that Mwana had learned. There was also the basic lightning stepping technique. To butter up Mwana to join their ThunderBull School, Jua Umeme had taught Mwana the basics of this movement art ¡®under the table.¡¯ Unlike the other agents and scouts of martial schools in the village, Umeme was a proactive woman. In fact, Mwana felt like the lightning steps was more like a bribe rather than enticement. From Mwana¡¯s own unique martial art, the Green Dragon Mantra, he had mastered 3 profound dragon steps so far. After watching the exploits of the Green Dragon in his dreams as well as during his meditations, Mwana would be a fool if he couldn¡¯t even glimpse some of the mysteries of the dragon¡¯s speed. The last speed technique came from his father¡¯s sword art. Out of the three major sword moves, the sword cleave inspired a movement technique that cleaved apart air resistance. This move was named Sword Cleave Movement. ¡°Instant Movement + Withered Wood Dance + Rushing Thunder Steps + Basic Lightning Steps + 3 Dragon Step Art + Sword Cleave Movement!¡± With this ultimate technique combination, Mwana suddenly shot towards his opponent with incredible speed. In all his years of training, this was the fastest that Mwana had ever moved! When he shot forth at top speed, he looked like a bolt of lightning streaking through the street. He even got the feeling that his opponent was not worthy of fully grasping the sheer speed of the ultimate skill combination. Could anyone grasp how fast he truly was? In Mwana¡¯s eyes, Code A ¨C the Apotheosis was frozen in place. It seemed as if he couldn¡¯t even think. And it was not just him; all the thugs in the street were basically just statues. Even the rain looked nearly frozen as if it was struggling to move even the smallest millimeter. Instantaneously, Mwana appeared right in front of the Apotheosis. His movement was fast but his fist was even faster! Mwana¡¯s fist was aimed right at his opponent¡¯s neck. No matter how durable the Apotheosis was, a warrior¡¯s neck was always a weak-point. This move would surely put him to sleep. However, when the punch neared his opponent, Mwana suddenly saw Code A move slightly. He shot a glance at him! Given the speed at which Mwana was traveling, everything around him was either frozen in space or in slow motion. Only he alone could move in this kind of a world. But now, he suddenly saw Code A turn his head and glance at him at what looked like normal speed! The glance gave Mwana quite a shock. His current speed was achieved by combining multiple high-speed movement techniques yet his opponent easily reacted to his full speed! Worse of all, there was no sight of Code A activating any special moves or techniques. This was pure inbuilt reaction speed! Not good! Bang! Code A sent out a punch clashing against Mwana¡¯s fist. An instant later, Mwana was sent flying. He then spun a number of times in the air to counteract the force before landing unsteadily on the ground. In contrast, Code A was only pushed back slightly as he slid across the mud for 4 or 5 meters before steadying his feet. ¡°Interesting. That fist style has echoes of both Southern and Eastern military boxing. And your aura, that draconic feeling, that power seems similar to that of the elusive Sun Dragon Bloodline? Or is there something else mixed within?¡± Code A muttered. ¡°Mhm, mhm, you gotta be from the Jua clan right?¡± Listening to the mutterings of this man, Mwana was already sweating bullets. In just a sentence or two, this man had already guessed his origins. ¡®He could track my origins just based on my fist style and identify my bloodline just based on my aura?!¡¯ Mwana almost could not believe it. Code A had used Mwana¡¯s fist style to determine the general geographical area Mwana came from. Combining this information with Mwana¡¯s percieved bloodline, he was able to guess Mwana¡¯s ethnic origins to a very accurate degree. Thinking of this, Mwana knew he had run into a thick wall this time. In their exchange, Code A was able to guess the origins of Mwana¡¯s base martial arts since its echoes were in ever technique Mwana used. This martial art which was the basis of everything Mwana practiced was "Natural Boxing - Thousand Leaves in Ones Palm". Although it was just a regular boxing form taught at the Academy, this practice form had many variations across all of Toro and beyond. As for Code A, he also used a basic fist technique called ¡°88 Cudgels Pounding Yam.¡± This was a technique that emphasized building up force, accumulating raw strength, and boosting one¡¯s endurance. In addition to his solid foundation in boxing arts, Code A, the Apotheosis had also achieved the ¡°No Breath Realm.¡± With this assassination proficiency, it was not just his speed that was amazing but he could also completely erase his ¡®breath.¡¯ In this way, he could practically appear and disappear from anywhere without anyone noticing him. He could even easily get past the perception fields and senses of powerful warriors let alone a kid like Mwana. Chapter 119: True Assassin Tap! Tap! Tap! Rain falling like a rising crescendo. Watchful eyes in the dark. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­......... Code A ¨C The Apotheosis, what a formidable opponent! To this day this was the strongest enemy Mwana had ever faced. ¡°It was a good thing to come out of the village otherwise I would still be stuck in ignorance.¡± Mwana silently said to himself. After leaving the village, he had learned about the horrors of the night with the Blood Mural incident, seen with his own eyes some of his agemates on the Rising Dragon Rankings, learned about all kinds of unique magical spells and intense sword moves, and even fought against a whole gang by himself! He probably would never experience anything like this if he was still stuck in the village. While Mwana was spacing out with all sorts of thoughts running through his mind, Code A said with a calm voice, ¡°Hidden Technique: Shimmer.¡± Code A seemed to disappear from where he was standing like a swarm of butterflies. Disappearing without a trace; this was the mark of a true assassin! ¡°Moon Bracelet: Blade Form.¡± Kting! Sword and blade collided. Mwana was quick to react by raising the extended blade on his moon bracelet to guard. ¡°So close!¡± It took everything just to parry a single move from his opponent. However, Mwana did not despair. Although he would not claim to be a ¡®God of the Sword¡¯, Mwana¡¯s achievements in swordsmanship were not low. He was almost scratching the Great Swordsman rank after all. More importantly, the Sword Dragon Mantra that Mwana practiced could be used to strengthen the body like a sword thus increasing speed and attack power. The sword art itself was no joke! Just the sword cleave move alone already had 3 sub-moves covering speed, defense, and attack. Cling! Clang! Cling! Clang! Ting! Ka-ching! The sound of metal clashing rang out repeatedly in the streets as the two opponents went back and forth. However, the strange thing was that the sound seemed to be a few paces behind the actions of the fighters. In fact with both Mwana and Code A¡¯s speed, their sword swings easily surpassed the speed of sound. Each clash was like a flash of lightning exploding out with endless might and bright silver lights. ¡®I have to switch up and catch him off-guard!¡¯ Mwana thought as he suddenly threw a punch with one arm while swinging his moon blade with the other. ¡°Dambe: Heavy Arm Blow!¡± The attack Mwana launched was a Dambe punch that mysteriously increased the arm¡¯s weight therefore generating more physical power with each successive attack. ¡°Physical arts? Bring it on!¡± Code A said with a slightly excited voice. This voice did not seem to match the stony expression on his mask. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. However, despite Mwana being an enemy, Code A still could not help but marvel at the boy¡¯s strength, ¡®So young yet so skilled! What a talented kid!¡¯ It was very evident to him that Mwana¡¯s martial rank was not anything special, just the 4th rank of Body Forging ¨C the Bone Strengthening realm. However, what truly impressed Code A was Mwana¡¯s martial arts skills; he had a high level of expertise and skill despite his young age. Outside Milele town, Mwana was no match for most of the thugs he fought tonight. They would have been able to suppress him based on their high ranks alone. After all, most of these gang members were already Senior Warriors! However, when the use of mystical powers was limited under the Milele¡¯s normalization magic formation, their skill was insufficient to take down Mwana. In response to Mwana¡¯s fist technique which was accumulating power with every move, Code A responded with his own physical external martial art. Suddenly, Mwana¡¯s arm felt as if he was striking iron. His arm even felt stinging pain! [Muscle Rigidity] ¨C this was a skill that made the muscles across the fighter¡¯s body enter a state of rigidity. These hardened muscles were the perfect move to counter Mwana¡¯s strength. After deflecting Mwana¡¯s fists, Code A retaliated with a body blow that sent Mwana flying. ¡°Not good!¡± Mwana exclaimed as he almost lost consciousness from this attack alone. The worst thing was that he saw his opponent take off one of his gloves and point his hand at him as if unleashing something. Naturally, Mwana had a bad premonition when he saw this. ¡°What is he doing?¡± Mwana asked himself. But he soon came to understand his opponent¡¯s actions when a projectile came flying at him, ¡®Oh no, I have to dodge!¡¯ In the same movement that Code A had launched Mwana back, he also removed his gloves and shot out his own nails like bullets! In fact, what Mwana saw were the nails peeling off from his opponent¡¯s fingers before being ejected by a spray of blood and shooting out of his hands! This technique! One could not even imagine the pain. Only a madman would use such a move. Puff! Puff! Mwana¡¯s body was pierced! By reorienting his body midair, Mwana dodged three of the nails but two of them still managed to strike his body. Instantly, a wave of extreme pain rushed through Mwana¡¯s arm and stomach. Although the attacks did not penetrate his body that deeply, the pain did not match the damage at all! [Nail Bullets] ¨C This was a very lethal but also painful technique. Before Mwana could get through the pain, he saw his opponent repeat the same action with his other hand! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Five finger nails flying through the air! ¡°What a masochist?!¡± Mwana could not believe what he was witnessing. With Code A¡¯s strength, did he really have to resort to such a self-torturous technique against Mwana? No. At least Mwana did not think so. ¡°Sword Cleave ¨C defensive form.¡± This time, Mwana did not dare get hit. He instantly swung his blade to defend himself from the flying nails. At the same time, Mwana took on a defensive stance. ¡°Dambe Curtain¡± ¨C This defensive stance involved hand movement that started with placing one hand forward. The palm was open and flat as if warning someone to stop. The fighter then moved both hands in a strange manner forming a screen of misdirection. With this move, Mwana¡¯s opponents would not be able to easily predict where his next attack came from. ¡°Where did he go?!¡± Code A was shocked to see Mwana disappear right in front of his eyes. This disappearing act was part of the Dambe Curtain. Through misdirection, the user could even disappear into their opponent¡¯s blind spots with the ¡°Blindspot Screen¡± technique. ¡°Hidden Technique: Shimmer!¡± Code A was quick to deploy his own movement technique as he once again disappeared from the spot like a cloud of smoke. Bang! The two fighters seemed to flash in and out of existence through sheer speed before clashing. A knee to the groin flew towards Code A. No explanation is needed as to why this was effective against any opponent. However, Code A reacted quickly by protecting not just his groin but also each of his vitals. Although his defensive form was not as amazing as the Egalitarian''s Law of Equals, his Close Quarters Combat skills were still very impressive. The exchange between the two fighters involved a shower of lethal strikes ranging from low kicks to the knee, groin, and abdomen, to elbows to the neck and head, as well as powerful punches, claws, and even grappling moves that would tear an amateur fighter apart. The two zoomed back and forth across the street as their kicks broke through rocks and bricks like nothing. Dozens of large barrel-sized water containers were also smashed apart with water splashing everywhere. Each punch and kick was extremely destructive to the point that neither Mwana nor Code A could even breathe properly. Ka-bang! A loud sound exploded across the street as Mwana¡¯s kick collided with Code A¡¯s knee sending him to the ground. However, the opponent was not willing to lose. From his kneeling position, Code leaped toward Mwana and tackled him through a building wall! This attack sent both fighters barreling into what seemed like a restaurant. On this night, it was the second time that Mwana had been smashed head-first through a wall. In fact, this wall was far sturdier than any concrete wall; tough as thick steel and iron. It was enough to momentarily knock the wind out of Mwana. Building rocks crashed everywhere. Dust exploded out of the hole in the wall mixing with the rain outside. The violent air currents flowing outside the building quickly filled the once calm restaurant. Chapter 120: Swords out of the Sheath ¡°Urrrrghhh!¡± On the restaurant floor, Mwana was groaning in pain. His lungs felt compressed to the point he almost couldn¡¯t breathe. However, Mwana¡¯s opponent was not faring much better either. Code A was also reeling from the tackle through the building. After all, while Mwana¡¯s back was the one that hit the rock-wall first, Code A¡¯s own body including his arms and head still took on a lot of the impact. Nevertheless, as the initiator of the attack, Code A was still in a much better state compared to Mwana. At this point, both fighters were groaning in pain while struggling to get up. It was a race to see who would get up first. Whoever was first on their feet would probably take the advantage in this battle. ¡°Kid, why not just give up?¡± Code A said with a slightly pained voice but it was all to buy time and shake Mwana¡¯s resolve. ¡°Haha, not before YOU!¡± While shouting the word ¡°YOU¡±, Mwana suddenly sprang to his feet with a burst of strength. In the same motion, he kicked a heavy metallic table sending it flying towards his opponents. Code A was naturally prepared for this as he swung his sword vertically slicing the table in half from the bottom - up. The two halves of the table passed by his right and left side. However, behind the flying table Mwana was there! After sending the table flying, he had quickly run towards his opponent using the table as a cover. A palm came flying at Code A¡¯s face but his was quick to react. The silver sword that was still in an upward motion after cutting the table transformed into a horizontal swing. ¡®What a fast transition!¡¯ Although Mwana was shocked, he still managed to dodge the sword swing. But things were not so positive for Mwana¡¯s opponent. After missing to hit his target, the excess momentum made it so that Code A¡¯s body was almost turned away from Mwana. ¡®An opening!¡¯ Mwana was quick to notice. This was an opening in his opponent¡¯s defense! Naturally, Mwana would not let this opportunity go. He instantly unleashed a heavy punch aimed at Code A¡¯s abdomen; a liver shot! ¡®Not good!¡¯ Sensing the danger, Code A was even faster in his response. When his sword move failed to hit Mwana causing him to be disoriented, he instantly transformed the momentum into a spinning kick. The kick was successful! Bang! This time Mwana was kicked through a wooden door in the restaurant. Code A¡¯s quick gamble had succeeded, however, he was still slightly shaken. He quietly remarked to himself, ¡°If that body shot hit, I would probably have collapsed in a mess of pain and snot! Anyway, it is time to end this.¡± Before Mwana could collect himself from his opponent¡¯s attack, Code A once again launched vicious kick at Mwana. This kick sent Mwana flying into sharp metal hooks! Since this building was most likely to be a restaurant, these hooks were probably for hanging meat. However, when Mwana¡¯s back hit the hooks, they just bent upon contact with his hardened skin. At Mwana¡¯s current level, ordinary metals could not hope to pierce his skin. In fact, most of the damage he took was directly from Code A¡¯s attacks rather than the environment around him. ¡°Urgghhh!¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Mwana groaned in pain as he watched his opponent step over the wooden door. ¡®I really poked the hornet¡¯s nest this time!¡¯ He could not help but lament with the looming threat of defeat quietly approaching. Swiiiiiish! The sword came slashing towards Mwana¡¯s chest. Craaaaaack! However, what followed was not the sound of a blade tearing through flesh; instead, it was the sound of shattering metal! With a single backhand, Mwana actually broke the blade! And not just an ordinary sword but a silver rank weapon! Code A was left stupefied holding the broken blade. However, Mwana¡¯s actions and success were not too outrageous. In fact, in their continuous clash, the blade had already deteriorated. Without energy infusion, not only could the blade not do much harm to Mwana, but it also accumulated a bunch of cracks and dents throughout the battle. This was because a warrior could not infuse their own energy into weapons to reinforce them while under the effects of Milele town¡¯s normalization and magic cancelling formation. Even then, with Mwana¡¯s current durability, ordinary silver rank weapons could not harm him. Not only had he completed the Skin Hardening realm and become a Bone Forging warrior, he also had a dragon bloodline. As the saying went, ¡®Even the youngest dragons have the toughest scales.¡¯ Ka-ka! While his opponent stood there stupefied watching the sword break, Mwana obviously took action to pay him back. He sprung from his position and unleashed a headbutt directly to Code A¡¯s head. However, Code A was wearing a golden mask of unknown material. This attack by Mwana was a gamble. After all, if the mask was made using some super-dense heavenly metal, it would be Mwana¡¯s skull that would shatter. However, when his head connected with his opponent¡¯s golden mask, the mask creaked and cracked before shattering into many tiny pieces. ¡®This gamble; I win!¡¯ Some of the metal shards from the golden mask even embedded themselves into Code A¡¯s face. As one of the hardest bones on a person¡¯s body, the forehead was a formidable weapon. If used correctly, such an attack could do some serious damage. In Code A¡¯s case, he was almost seeing stars from the impact of his mask shattering. It was only when the final pieces of the golden mask fell to the ground that Mwana finally saw this man¡¯s face. ¡°I knew you were not a human! Are you from the White Marsh populations?¡± Mwana asked with curiosity. What entered Mwana¡¯s eyes was a man with extremely pale white skin. The man¡¯s eyes were pitch-black with barely any whites. He also had thick black lines on his skin around his eyes, cheeks, and neck. There was also a conspicuous black mark on the man¡¯s forehead. However, the black markings and lines did not look like paint on skin; they were all natural. In response to Mwana¡¯s question, Code A just entirely ignored it and responded with a question of his own. ¡°Why are you not using your real sword?¡± Code A suddenly asked, ¡°Is it just for show?¡± Code A asked the question while pointing at Mwana¡¯s Sunshine Sword which was still in its sheath. In fact, in their exchange today, Mwana had only used his moon bracelet to block attacks either using the bracelet¡¯s armguard form or its blade form. Sometimes Mwana even went as far as to disrespect opponents like Code S ¨C the Skylark by blocking, parrying, and deflecting their knives and blades with his bare hands. ¡°You would have a much better chance with a real sword. Mine is coming out.¡± Code A added, ¡°Watch out for yourself. I cannot guarantee your safety when I use my full power.¡± Although this a fair warning, Mwana also felt very irritated, ¡®This guy is talking to me like a child!¡¯ Well he was a child after all. Perhaps that was the reason he felt even more annoyed when his opponent took on a softer tone with him. However, Mwana¡¯s mind was still clear enough to recognize that he was outmatched. If he did not go all out even at this point, he might as well kneel down, surrender, and beg for mercy like a coward. Mwana proceeded to pull the golden sword from its sheath; he then proceeded to introduce the sword. ¡°This sword is called the Sunshine Sword.¡± With the same courtesy, Code A also pulled the blade on his back and unsheathed it. This was his real weapon unlike the low grade silver rank weapon he had used to clash with Mwana before. Mwana was not shocked to see this. He could already guess from the skill gap that Code A was probably not just a Senior Warrior like some of the other gang members that Mwana had beaten up. ¡®It is highly probable that this guy is at the Apex. Maybe even beyond that!¡¯ Mwana¡¯s thoughts were indeed accurate. Code A was not a run-of-the-mill body forging warrior. He had long surpassed that! For someone of his level, a silver rank weapon was basically trash. In the same manner as Mwana, this man also introduced his own weapon when he unleashed it to the outside world. ¡°This is the Dark Emersion Blade.¡± Clink! The two fighters then walked towards each other and proceeded to clink swords. The sword cry released when the two blades met was if they were saying, ¡®Nice to meet you.¡¯ When the swords separated, the two fighters also leaped away from each other creating distance between them. ¡°I will win!¡± Mwana was filled with conviction. Momentarily, it was as if everything froze. The wind, the rain, the sound, even the fighter¡¯s heartbeats, everything was still. Bang! Then both opponents rushed towards each other with the ground exploding below their feet. A clash of swordsmen! [What is coming? A ferocious battle determined in a single clash of swords!] Chapter 121: Terran ¡­ Act 1: White Marsh ¨C The Fate of the Foreign Races [13 years ago ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran: Age 6] ¡­ 13 years ago a travelling procession consisting of tens of thousands of people moved from the west trekking all the way to Toro¡¯s North Western border. Among these people was a 6 year old boy; his name ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran Liew. But everyone just called him Terran. What was strange about these people was that none of them were human. In fact, whether it was their origins or their destination, both were places populated by alienoid beings. These people had extremely pale white skin. In fact, they were whiter than a sheet of paper. They did not even have the pink flush of blood flowing underneath the skin. If you cut them, who even knows what color their blood would be. Not only did they have an unnatural skin color, but their fingers were also a deep black color. In addition to this, they also had thick dark-black lines on their arms as well as around the eyes and necks. Another unique feature of these people was a black symbol on the chest and the forehead. These symbols ranged from dots to clovers and hearts. They represented the unique power that a person of this alien race possessed. In addition to powers which were unique to the individual, this group of people also had a common biological ability. They all had access to Magnetomotive Force at varying degrees. ¡°The Arun¡± was the true collective name of these people. However, at some point in history everyone started referring to them as ¡°the Shades¡±, an alien race from the Shadow Realm. The population of the Zika world was in the billions. Naturally, the planet was very diverse with thousands upon thousands of ethnicities. Within a single country, it was possible to have dozens or hundreds of tribes each with their own language and unique attributes including varying heights and body sizes, skin color, hair texture, facial features, and other body type differences. In general, the human population in the Zika world was very diverse; probably even more so than everywhere else. However, all these people were still humans born in these lands. In the same way, the spirit beasts, beast men, and other mystical creatures were also full natives of the Zika planet. So who were the Arun? In this world there actually existed aliens? Beings from other realms, planets, or even other dimensions! These people were the residents of the White Marsh. In the Sword Scar continent, the White Marsh was located to the North West of Toro and it extended into 3 or 4 other nations. It was also the place where the foreign races congregated from all over the world. The White Marsh was not only their safe haven but also their new home on this human planet. A home far away from home. Terran was born in the Lands of Yellow Sands, he grew up on the road, and at age 6 he and his parents finally arrived at the White Marsh where they settled among other Arun. Although they were practically alien refugees, the Arun people had a shocking origin. They were descendants of one of the 12 Followers of the Eclipse Dragon. ¡°Why do the humans hate us?¡± ¡°Why did we have to leave home?¡± As far back as Terran could remember, he had always asked his parents these two questions. For what reasons were they forced to migrate from the continent in the West ¨C the Lands of Yellow Sands? However, even if he was a child, his parents, especially his father Etibar Nu-Yuga, never sugarcoated the matter. Nu-Yuga had always explained to his children that they were a foreign and alien race. This was the main reason their people were hated. It was hostility that had lasted hundreds of years. ¡°Once upon a time, our people, the Shades, were at war with humanity on behalf of our ¡®god¡¯.¡± Etibar Nu-Yuga spoke to his children. The shocking thing was that when he mentioned ¡®god¡¯, there was a hint of mockery in his voice. Along with it, there was also a hint of pain, melancholy, and defeat. However, his young children including Terran naturally could not sense this. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Nu-Yuga continued, ¡°In this war, humans who were captured were taken back to our home world as slaves. Those in conquered territories were given the title ¡®subjects¡¯ bound to serve our people until they died. Even after they died, their descendants also could not escape this fate.¡± From this explanation, it was evident that the Shades were a conquering alien race. The Shades worshiped the Eclipse Dragon. This was a powerful dragon god that had awakened the primordial dragon blood. Because of this, the Eclipse Dragon had the power of a True God ¨C capable of reshaping reality at a whim, slaughtering other dragons that were once its peers, and conquering the Beast Realm. A tyrannical conqueror! Without experiencing a single setback in its conquests, it was not long before the Eclipse Dragon had set its sights on the human race. However, its plans to conquer the human world were thwarted by the rise of the Human Emperor, Sanaan. This was a tale of a thousand years ago. Even though the dragon had been stopped, the skirmishes between humanity and the followers of the dragon had continued for hundreds of years. Who knows, maybe these conflicts were even going on as of the present but on other planets and planes of reality. Nu-Yuga continued his explanation, ¡°After the dimensional gate to our home world collapsed a hundred or so years ago, those on that side could not come over and those of us on this side were stuck here. Forever!¡± ¡°The humans who were highly mistreated, the humans who were once at the bottom of the food chain; suddenly they had the numbers, they had freedom and they had power! Predictably, the few of us left on this side were the target of their hatred.¡± ¡°Sigh, it is hard to let go of hate. Decades, even centuries cannot easily erase hate.¡± With a soft sigh, Terran¡¯s mother added. Raikar ¨C that was her name. She was a kind woman; but very strong as well. ¡°Terran, remember always that love is messy and it is hard, very hard. But hate is clean, it is very easy. But that does not mean you should take the easy choice.¡± This had always been Raikar¡¯s advice to her eldest son. In this great world, most people were consumed by hate, anger, and enmity. Love and understanding were rare concepts to come by. And even rarer, was forgiveness. Apart from a few humans, the White Marsh was mostly populated by four alien races: the Shades, the Reds, the Protectors, and the Revenants. The Red Zonia also known as ¡°the Reds¡± were a race that came from a foreign domain. On the surface, this domain was populated only by women. These women looked human in form but their skin was red and they had statuesque figures like the traditional Amazons. In reality, these women were not truly women in the human definition of the term. In nature, there are certain organisms referred to as bisexual or hermaphroditic organisms. These animals are usually invertebrates such as snails, slugs, bryozoans, trematodes, and barnacles. The organisms possess both male and female reproductive organs during their life span. Concerning reproduction, some hermaphroditic organisms self-fertilize, while others require a partner. This was the case with the Red Zonia. Not only did the Red Zonia possess both male and female reproductive organs, they could even choose what to outwardly present as once they reached adulthood. However, in their society, each member was classified as a ¡°mother¡± since they worshiped the Ancestor Mother. The title ¡°mother¡± was also linked to the Red Zonia¡¯s high nurturing instinct. In fact, even if lovers in a romantic couple took on traditionally ¡®masculine¡¯ or ¡®feminine¡¯ roles, both parents would still take on a nurturing role for their children. For this reason, it could be said that Red Zonia children had two mothers, sometimes even more depending on the romantic arrangement. Another common rule in nature is that different species cannot reproduce with each other. However, the Red Zonia also broke this rule without the use of any external magic. Shockingly, the Red zonia could reproduce with all other alien races and species including humans. It was said that since ancient times, there were even humans who migrated and settled in the Red Zonia domain. However, even when a human interacted romantically with a member of the Reds, the resulting offspring would always appear like the Red Zonia. This was because their genes were just too strong. Whether it was a human male that got someone of the Red Zonia race pregnant or that a Red Zonia impregnated a human female, the resulting child would undoubtedly be a Red Zonia. And it was the same if the Reds interbred with any other alien races or mystical races! For this reason, while they were not a typical violent alien race, the Reds were classified under [Reproductive Parasitic Alien Race] in the pages of the Universe Race Canon Guide. The third group of alienoid beings that populated the White Marsh was called ¡°the Protectors¡±. The origin of the Protectors was not simple. In fact, their full name was ¡°the Protectors of the Blood God Ring¡±. This Blood God Ring was a quasi-divine Sacred Relic that had once belonged to the Blood God. It was said that this ring had a huge world within it; a world almost as big as a planet! The ring also had many other uses that included casting a variety of magic spells, controlling the tides of war, blood manipulation, and even summoning an avatar of the Blood God. In the not so distant past, a great war had been fought over this ring at the edge of the Zika world and Small Heaven. This war had been caused by eight Demon Saints, a powerful force that the Zika world could not even support. If not for the interference by emissaries from Small Heaven, the world might have been destroyed. However, the Blood God Ring was lost in the chaos of this great battle. No one even knew where it was including its protectors. After losing their purpose, the Protectors settled in the White Marsh. After the years passed by and new generations arose, many had long forgotten the original purpose and responsibilities of their ancestors. Hardly anyone was even searching for the ring anymore. The other major group that settled in the White Marsh was the Angel Blood Revenants or simply, the ¡°Revenants¡±. These were not good people. Although they were extremely secretive, this was an open secret in the White Marsh. One of the main reasons for this conclusion was the existence of Angel Blood Veneration, a technique that used the virgin blood of women to strengthen oneself. It was rumored that this technique had originated from the Revenants before spreading all over the world. From observing the populations occupying the White Marsh, it was evident that the situation there was murky. Peace and disorder were mixed in together. However, the pressure from the outside world still kept the White Marsh populations relatively united. From the age of 6, the White Marsh was where Terran grew up. Although the lives of the Etibar family were hard, they worked with what they had and lived a good life. As Terran¡¯s mother put it, ¡°A happy person doesn¡¯t necessarily have the best things in life. They just work with what they have.¡± Chapter 122: The Fate of the Etibar Family ¡­ Act 2: Excommunication [5 years ago ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran: Age 15] ¡­ ¡°You demon spawn! You dare slander his Eminence Ruk! Who do you think you are?!¡± In a great white hall, a booming voice echoed. This hall was gigantic and majestic. The main entrance¡¯s archway alone was already over ten meters in height. In addition to the majestic size, the hall was decorated in an alien-like yet tribal manner. The roof of the hall was decorated with patterns of natural phenomenon such as storms and scenic artwork such as lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests. However, what stood out the most were the dragon-like creatures carved onto both the roof and walls. There were also seven giant pillars containing writings in the dragon language that supported this magnificent roof. This was the Great Hall of Pain ¨C the central structure representing judgement among the Arun people. At the center of this hall, there were five seats shooting up to the roof. Not only were the seats were almost four meters off the ground, the backs of the seats were so long that they almost touched the roof. In addition, each seat was a different shade of brown and decorated with carvings of dragons, forests, rivers, and stars. Around these five seats, there were massive tables as well as hundreds of other smaller seats. Seated on the five seats were five people, three men and two women. These people were part of the Elder Council of the Court of Arun. The Arun people worshiped the Eclipse Dragon, Ruk. Ruk went by many names from titles such as the Great Dragon of the Apocalypse, Shadow Divine Dragon, Supreme Dragon God, and God Dragon King to epithets such as dispenser of rain, commander of the seas, lord of the earth, and the king of wells and springs. Under the supreme dragon god was Dalibor, the Chief Diviner of the Arun people. Dalibor was also occasionally referred to by the title ¡°Indwano¡±. A common saying among the Arun was, ¡°What Indwano says is what God says.¡± This man¡¯s words were considered the ¡®word of god.¡¯ It was because of this man that Etibar Nu-Yuga was standing in court under accusations of blasphemy. For the religiously devout Arun, blasphemy was a major crime that warranted complete excommunication from the community. The man who had just spoken harsh words to Etibar Nu-Yuga was Todorov, a member of the elders¡¯ council. In addition to Todorov, the other seats of the Court of Arun were Arindin, Thow, Stoil, and R?ileanu. ¡°Blasphemous dog!¡± These words even came from an elder of the court. All traces of civility had already been lost. On the council, it seemed as if only Arindin retained a clear mind. However, his words and vote alone could not shake the entire court. To the accusation of blasphemy, Etibar Nu-Yuga only responded with a single statement: ¡°It is only a god under men¡¯s foot that requires man to speak up for him, to act for him, to defend him, and to seek vengeance on his behalf. If the great god is supreme, he does not need you to fight for him.¡± ¡°That would only ridicule his supremacy!¡± However, despite how sensible he sounded, his words did little to shake the court¡¯s opinion. This was the reality of religious extremism. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. It was this event that led to a split in the Liew clan ¨C the clan to which the Etibar family belonged to. After all, it was only natural that some clan members did not agree with the decision to excommunicate the Etibar family from the overall Arun community. Nevertheless, in the end, the Etibar family still had to leave the safety of the White Marsh. ¡°Fwooosh! Fum¡± In one inconspicuous room somewhere within Toro, a young man was training a kick and a punch a time. This young man was Etibar Aurel-Terran. At first, there was nothing special about Terran¡¯s kicks and punches but as time went on, each random blow started giving birth to flames! ¡°Phew, I finally mastered the Serer Fire.¡± Terran said as he looked at his handiwork. The tiny training room was full of hot red-pink flames. This was the unique Serer flame, a fire so unique that it could burn through intangible concepts such as emotions and desires. This year, Terran was already 15 years old. Not only had he grown up, but his strength had also greatly increased. In fact, he had already completed all 10 levels of forging the Mortal Body! With his talent, it was not surprising that he qualified for the Arun¡¯s Solid Body Casting quota. Even his father¡¯s blasphemy case could not change this. Although alien beings like the Arun had different biological constitutions compared to humans, they still adapted to the human martial path when living in human worlds. After the body forging stage, there were two directions that warriors in the Zika world could take:
  1. Transformation Stage ¨C Some warriors chose to slowly accumulate their strength until they reached the Earth Stage. This period of accumulation was labelled the Transformation Stage. Mwana¡¯s aunt, Jumatatu, was a warrior of this stage.
  2. Solid Body Casting ¨C If a warrior reached the Apex of Mortal Body Forging before the age of 15, they could undergo Solid Body Casting. This would give them the rights to become a Crystal Warrior! However, after the suitable age, a person¡¯s body would have already grown past the point of surviving and benefiting from Solid Body Casting.
Evidently, what determined whether a warrior could undergo Solid Body Casting and become a Crystal Warrior or go through the Transformation Stage and become a regular Earth Rank expert was the age at which they completed forging their mortal body. Overall, there were 3 stages of casting the Solid Body. The first stage was Gold Casting. In this stage, the fire element, light energy from the sun, and the earth element, specifically metal, were used to temper the body. After this was completed, the warrior¡¯s body would be greatly purified granting them the ability to resist evil. For this reason, warriors who had completed this stage were called Purity Matriarchs. The second stage was Obsidian Casting. Earth, lava, space, or fire elements could be used in this stage. Warriors who went through obsidian casting were immune to evil energy, curses, ghost possession, corroding demon arts, witchcraft, and other evil arts. After all, obsidian is known as a weakness of evil forces. As a result, warriors in this stage were referred to as Nocturnal Foes. The third stage of the process was Bloodline Physique Casting. The stage involved upgrading one¡¯s bloodline into a physique. For instance, bloodline physique casting could involve transforming a Dragon Bloodline into the Ancestral Dragon Physique. Naturally, converting a bloodline into a physique was even more extreme than regular Bloodline Awakening. In fact, warriors at this stage would require a high level bloodline awakening pool to even complete the process. After casting the bloodline into a physique, such a warrior would be suitable of the title: True Bloodline Warrior. After the three stages, a warrior could finally open up the nodes in their body and finally achieve the Earth Body Realm. Once the nodes on one¡¯s legs were opened, you were connected to the earth. Therefore, warriors in the Earth Rank could borrow earth elemental power directly from the earth beneath their feet at any time. They basically had an infinite supply of earth energy. This was the basis for the Earth Rank¡¯s ¡°Immeasurable Strength.¡± At the young age of 15, Etibar Aurel-Terran underwent Solid Body Casting. And at age 16, the young man had already become an Earth Rank Crystal Warrior. Terran¡¯s speed of progress was rapid, almost second to none. For this reason, he was recognized as a great talent not just in the Liew clan but also in the entire Arun population. Even among the youngsters in the entire White Marsh, he was ranked at the top. A truly demonic talent! However, even though Terran had achieved such strength at a young age, he was neither prideful nor complacent. He knew he still had a long way to go. After all, he was only a first stage Earth Rank warrior. Within the Earth Rank, the power grades were: Regular Earth Grade, Eternal Cliff Grade, Deep Valley Grade, and Divine Mountain Grade. In each grade, the power of the earth that a warrior could mobilize varied greatly; and their strength was measured in earth power units. When he became an Earth Rank warrior, a man in black had approached Terran in secret. The man only had one request, ¡°Work for the Demon Suppression Department and you will receive an Order of Life.¡± An Order of Life was a government decree that could stretch individual merit to cover entire families. This was enough to change the situation of not just the Etibar family but even the entire Liew clan within Toro¡¯s borders. With such an offer, how could Terran possibly refuse? Chapter 123: Terran 2 ¡­ Act 3: The girl of my dreams [2 years ago ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran: Age 17] ¡­ In a wide open field that was more than five kilometers in width and length, a mass of people was lined up in rows in a very neat fashion. There were thousands of them, both male and female. A dot of light suddenly appeared in the distant sky. A second later, the light had already arrived. But this was not a just an ordinary light; it was a giant fiery lion! However, the lion wasn¡¯t even the main character of this moment. Instead, what stood out about the scene was that there was a man of great stature seated on the back the giant fiery lion. The man wore a silver-purple armor which had blue electric arcs occasionally charging across it. Combined with his long silver hair and dark skin, the man almost looked like a portrait, otherworldly! ¡°Oh my god! Does the General have a fire beast as mount?!¡± The people on the field only referred to the man as ¡®the General¡¯. ¡°Ignorant! You don¡¯t even know? That¡¯s the Fire Lion Puppet technique.¡± ¡°A puppet? Oh.¡± The person who first spoke sounded a bit disappointed. However, his compatriot did not take well to this response. ¡°You ignoramous! This is why I don¡¯t like interacting with you country bumpkins. Do you know how rare a puppet of this grade is? Some random beast mount is like a pile of dog crap before it!!¡± ¡°Look at that lightning charged armor. It might only be pure steel but it still stronger than 99% of all magical armors in the world! Who do you think the General is? Divine and Unparalleled. Unequal! He is someone who has entered the Lionheart Inventory! You clowns¡­¡± Cough, cough! Before the fellow could continue his tirade, a soft cough interrupted him. It was the General! It turns out that even he had heard everything. Even in a crowd of thousands, the General¡¯s senses were naturally strong enough to pick out any conversation. Further, when the two fellows had started speaking, it was just ordinary low toned chattering but one of them gradually got louder while defending the General. This kind of guy was a real fan! Even the General was a bit embarrassed hearing what he said. Seeing his idol¡¯s eyes on him, the fellow also could not help but shrink back into himself and zip his mouth. ¡°Everyone! Welcome! You have entered the Terrace as newbies, trainees, rookies, but I promise you that you will walk out of these fields as experts!¡± With a loud booming voice, the General finally spoke to the crowd. All around him, Terran could already see the crowd¡¯s excitement. This was the start of a long journey for most of these young people. Some of them would naturally drop off along the way, but others would go on to become great men and women. Terran was determined to be the latter. ¡°A new world, here we come!¡± It was with excitement that Terran started his training at one of the top military institutions in the country, Black Terrace. In such a competitive cutthroat environment, Terran was not disadvantaged in any way. In a week, his seniors are already acting like juniors before him. However, there were always some in the crowd that would be jealous of the talented. This was natural in any institution no matter the field of practice. And in a shadow military institution like Black Terrace, this sense of competition was naturally amplified ten times over. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Why does this greenhorn think he can just come here and act like he is some type of royalty?¡± ¡°Talent, he has it, you don¡¯t?.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha.¡± An instigator. ¡°Are you just going to take that lying down Zeri?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you challenge him?¡± Another instigator. ¡°¡­or is gossip all you have?¡± This was THE true instigator. ¡°You shut it!¡± These types of conversations were not uncommon around Terran. The previous star of the military institution, Zeri, was naturally not all too pleased about Terran¡¯s quick rise. As for the other military students and cadets, they were all too eager to instigate a clash between Terran and Zeri. However, Terran never cared about nonsense like that. Since a young age, he had always kept far away from any childish games. To him, these types of people were not worth interacting with let alone listening to their nonsense. It could be said that Zeri was also not a shallow man. However, the power of words is immense. Words have the power to break through people¡¯s wills like a river shaving through rock. On the surface, Zeri had always been calm and collected. His hair was long, his clothes were stylish, his way of speaking was refined, his mannerisms were elegant, and his overall nature was generally reserved. Although he had a playful side to him, he was still someone with clear-cut boundaries. However, with the passage of time, the subtle implications that he was a ¡®coward¡¯, he was ¡®old news¡¯ or that he was ¡®falling off¡¯ naturally got to him. One rainy night, he finally came to a decision and went to find Terran. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Who is disturbing my sleep late at night?¡± Terran was a bit angry as he opened his door. Finding Zeri standing before him, Terran did not have any thoughts about it. After all, he had never interacted with Zeri that much in the past. They were at most distant acquaintances. When Zeri asked Terran to follow him, he was a bit reluctant but still followed. The path they followed took them to an underground bunker. The bunker was hidden in a giant hole that was almost a kilometer in diameter. When they walked inside, Terran saw many cadets behind a glass wall hard at work even though it was late in the night. ¡®One-way glass? It seems as if they can¡¯t see us.¡¯ In the room behind the glass wall, there were many giant wooden boards and hundreds of cadets were stepping on them as if operating a giant pump. As for whatever machine was being operated or whatever substance was being pumped, no one here knew. When they came to an isolated are, Terran finally could not stand it anymore and spoke up, ¡°This has better be most important. It is quite late for you to be calling me out here like this.¡± Terran could not understand why this fellow came to drag him out at night. ¡°Fine, fine, I will get to the point. Have you heard of the analogy of the king and the horse? In front of seniority, authority, and strength, it is only right that the knee that bends.¡± When he uttered the words ¡°bends¡±, a heavy pressure like a mountain emerged from Zeri¡¯s body. Boundless earth strength crushed towards Terran¡¯s shoulders from above. It was if the power to crush mountains and empty seas was compressed into a small area only covering Terran¡¯s body. This level of strength control was absolutely terrifying! These were the means of an Earth Rank warrior! Terran finally understood why this fellow had called him here. ¡®If this type of force was applied outside this bunker, the ground would be crushed tearing a hole through the earth. Instead of bringing me to my knees, I would be pushed deep into the ground instead!'' Terran mentally exclaimed. However, his thoughts were still calm, ''Only if I let it though.¡¯ His thoughts were not far from the truth. When he released the pressure, Zeri could already see the scene of Terran crumbling to the ground. However, with a sly smile, Terran calmly walked out of the range of Zeri¡¯s pressure. ¡®It did not even ruffle him!¡¯ Seeing Terran completely unbothered by his pressure, Zeri was naturally shocked. His power could not even affect Terran¡¯s clothes let alone the man himself! ¡°There are many words in my mental dictionary; many words that shake me. But bending the knee is not in my list of trouble words.¡± This voice came from behind Zeri yet he could still see Terran in front of him. ¡®Not good! An afterimage!¡¯ Zeri was shocked as he tried to quickly turn around but no matter how he tried he could not move a single step. Terran¡¯s hand was already on his shoulder! ¡°You have too many issues competing with your objectives in coming here, To Black Terrace. You are gifted and you have skills. But you are immature.¡± Terran¡¯s voice sounded once again. As he was speaking, Terran exerted great strength on Zeri¡¯s body. Sounds of creaking emerged as Zeri¡¯s shoulder was violently ¡®massaged¡¯ in Terran¡¯s hands. However, even though he wanted to scream in pain, Zeri could not even muster his voice. It was gone! ¡°They say that every person is a raw material so I will give you a chance. But only the single one! Not another!¡± When the word ¡®another¡¯ was uttered, the pressure disappeared. Turning back, Terran was no longer there. Gone like a flash of wind. With his back dripping in sweat, Zeri finally collapsed to the ground. As he sat on the ground, there was a sense of defeat but also a sense of relief hidden deep in his eyes. Chapter 124: A Love Story A few months later ¡­ In coming to Black Terrace, Terran¡¯s plan was to graduate and join the Demon Suppression Department where he would receive an Order of Life. However, one naturally had to pick up skills and accumulate credit in order to graduate from any military institution. One way to accumulate credit was to train under a master to learn a vocation or life skill. However, in the same way all men were not created equal, the teachers and masters at Black Terrace were also not equal. Someone like Terran naturally had to be taught by the best. ¡°The best option is naturally to apprentice under one of the 13 Masters, the Protectors of the Black Sword.¡± ¡°Why not just train under all of them if they are all so great?¡± Terran asked. ¡°Dream on! One needs permission from the first master to be taught by all 13 masters. How easy is that to get? It is almost impossible.¡± This conversation was between Terran and another student. Surprisingly, the man who Terran was speaking to was actually Zeri. After their encounter in the underground bunker, the two had actually grown closer rather than apart. ¡°So far, of the 13 masters, there are only 5 of them currently in the institution: the Chameleon who is a master of espionage, the Musician who is a renowned artist all over Toro, as well as the Blacksmith, the Painter, and the Healer.¡± Zeri paused before continuing, ¡°As for the others, I heard that they are always outside seeking the mysterious legend of Agent Know; a tale of another dimension. Very elusive, mysterious, and aloof, no one even knows where they are.¡± Zeri¡¯s words helped Terran understand the general gist of the 13 masters. However, to even train under one of them, Terran knew that he had to go through multiple hoops and hurdles. Nevertheless, this did not discourage him. Regarding how to secure apprenticeship under the 13 masters, Terran already had a solid plan. As the top student in Black Terrace, it could be said that Terran had the most contact with ¡®the General¡¯. In his interactions with this military leader, he had actually discovered a shocking secret. A few weeks ago Terran had visited the General¡¯s office; he knocked only to find a woman in the room. At first, he did not know who it was. But given the woman¡¯s mannerisms, Terran who frequently interacted with the General was able to grasp some clues. ¡®Crossdressing?¡¯ Even more damning was that when caught red-handed, the woman actually tried to brush everything aside as if it did not happen. Terran was even surer about his guess. That day, he must have uttered the words, ¡°I am not blind¡± over a dozen times. The woman¡¯s real name was actually General Zafarani; titled Zafarani the Cobra (cobra saffron). Although she usually dressed as a man, she was actually a woman. From that day, Terran had a shared secret with this powerful woman. And needless to say, he also smoothly got the general¡¯s recommendation to study under a true master. The relationship between Terran and Zafarani also became much closer; from a superior-subordinate relationship to close confidantes. ¡°Mr. Magnet, you also got called in as well?¡± On a particular uneventful day, Zeri had been summoned to the general¡¯s office only to meet Terran on the way there. The name Zeri used, Mr. Magnet, and Magnet Man were some of Terran¡¯s nicknames within the military school. Entering the general¡¯s office, the first thing Zeri saw was a beautiful woman. Beautiful beyond reason! He was tongue tied for a moment struggling to recover any semblance of composure. ¡°Who are you?¡± Zeri asked in shock, ¡°I would have remembered a girl as beautiful as you within these military walls.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Girl! What do you mean girl? Oh right!¡± The woman in the middle of the room responded in doubt before looking at herself. ¡®This fellow sure is careless. Did she forget to put on her disguise yet again?¡¯ Hearing Zafarani¡¯s exclamation, Terran knew that she had actually forgotten her usual daily routine when she called them here. Terran shook his head in naked disappointment aimed towards Zafarani, ¡®She probably thought she was still in her male ¡®the General¡¯ disguise!¡¯ He naturally made sure that Zafarani would notice the ¡®disappointment¡¯ in his gaze. With a sly smile, he quickly corrected Zeri¡¯s words, ¡°Shut up Zeri, this is not a girl! This is a beautiful woman!¡± At the same time he said this statement, Terran was also winking secretly but also repeatedly to the general. It was as if he was afraid that she would not notice his clear mockery. ¡®What an unruly pair of brats.¡¯ How could Zafarani tolerate such level of teasing? She was even more intent on punishing these two. Expectedly, both Terran and Zeri got a severe beating that day. ¡°Come in!¡± After straightening out the two youngsters, Zafarani suddenly called out to a door at the side of the office. From that door, a woman walked in. Elegantly. White hair, shiny black pants like spandex, long legs, and a face like a fairy. This woman was devastatingly beautiful. It was not only her looks that were dashing, but her sense of dressing was also highly provocative. Terran and Zeri were awed beyond measure. Tantalizing! As a famous writer once said, ¡°When they are flaunted it¡¯s unappealing, but just a little glimpse is a good feeling.¡± This woman had mastered the art of showing just the right amount to leave people wanting more. Her impact on others was the embodiment of the saying, ¡°Unsatisfied desire is in itself more desirable than any other form of satisfaction.¡± When Terran saw this woman, his blood was bubbling. It was a new level of excitement that he did not even know his body was capable of. When she turned her eyes to look at him, Terran could have sworn that an invisible lightning bolt flew from her eyes into his, or vice versa; heck, he was not even sure of anything anymore. But what was clear at this moment was that he was completely won over. And to his embarrassment, it seemed as if the woman had noticed how lost he was in her eyes. A soft chuckle escaped her deep red lips arced into a somewhat mischievous smile. Terran suddenly understood the meaning of the words, ''Once the giver now the receiver.'' What a smile! Badum! Badum! Terran¡¯s heart was thumping heavily. His mind was utterly consumed. For a moment, he was completely lost in the scene. ¡°Meet your immediate superior; you will be working under her from now on.¡± Zafarani¡¯s words suddenly broke Terran out of his daydream. ¡°Superior? Are we being transferred?!¡± Zeri asked, ¡°Where are we even going?¡± After all, they had just been regular military students up to this moment. Zeri could not help but wonder why they were getting a superior in the first place. It¡¯s like getting a job without even sending in an application. However, Zafarani did not bother to explain anything to Zeri. Instead, she went ahead and introduced the woman they would be working under. The woman¡¯s name was Nawiri Alizeti (blooming sunflower). After introducing the woman, Zafarani could not be bothered to continue dealing with Terran and Zeri again. ¡°Follow her to the Underground NOW! I don¡¯t want to see your ugly dog-faces again.¡± She shouted at them while hurriedly chasing them away. Begrudgingly, the two could only leave with nary an explanation about where they were going or how they were even selected for the job in the first place. Leaving through the side door in Zafarani¡¯s office, the corridor was actually slanted downwards! Headed deep into the earth! ¡°You two were chosen ¡®cause you are the top students in your respective years,¡± Nawiri¡¯s voice entered the two young men¡¯s ears. To say her voice was smooth like silk would be an understatement. There was probably nothing more beautiful, more divine, or more elegant than her voice. If there was, Terran had never heard it. ¡°The underground is a secret world that not many in Toro even know about. It is a pseudo-underworld that exists right beneath the ground that we walk on.¡± By the time she finished this sentence, the three people had already walked deep underground along the slanted corridor. At the end of the corridor and beyond a giant steel door, Terran could hear the sounds of metal clinging and clanging. ¡°Beyond this place is the Infernal Demon Gate,¡± Pushing open the giant steel door, Nawiri finally led Terran and Zeri into the world hidden beneath the surface. What entered Terran¡¯s pitch black eyes was the sight of a reddish black gate standing tall in the distance. Around this gate, there were countless blacksmiths working tirelessly to reinforce the gate at all times. There was only one road leading all the way to the gate. Apart from this road, everything else was molten lava and steaming black rocks. It was a literal hellscape! On the road leading up to the gate, there were many priests and exorcists as well. Unlike the blacksmiths who were basically half naked due to the nature of their work, the priests and exorcists were dressed in either red of grey garments. They also had all kinds of ritualistic instruments on their person. When Terran looked farther, he also noticed countless demonized creatures chained up in the distance to the right and left of the gate. Seeing all this, Zeri and Terran almost climbed back up the slanted corridor to beg General Zafarani for another assignment. ¡°What kind of Hell is this?!¡± The two had almost exclaimed at the same time. However, no matter how fearsome it was, this world would be their ¡®workplace¡¯ from now on. Chapter 125: A Love Story 2 A few weeks after visiting the Underground for the first time, Nawiri took Terran on a trip to Eastern Jin Nation. ¡°What are we going to do all the way over there?¡± Terran asked on the way. ¡°This is my first time leaving the Terrace after I enrolled,¡± He added. Heck, since he arrived in Toro with his parents when he was a child, Terran had never left the country. ¡°The Stargazing Tower is our goal this time.¡± Nawiri answered him while taking out a map out of her clothes. ¡°We will need this when we get there.¡± This map was a Star Map. The journey to Eastern Jin took them full two days. On the way, the two of them used a series of transportation means including mounts ¨C both flying mounts and ground-bound mounts, vehicles including armored beetles and horse-drawn carriages, magical means such as teleportation circles, and even moving through the air with their limited power of flight as Earth Rank warriors. Given the twists and turns of the long journey, the two of them were already tired beyond measure when they arrived in Eastern Jin. Nevertheless, they still soldiered on and went to the Stargazing Tower without taking a moment¡¯s rest. Compared to the Underground that was located deep under the earth, the tower stretched all the way into the clouds. After reaching the tower, the two travelled up the tower through a rope mechanism that was similar to an open elevator. It was like ascending high into the heavens. One of the first things that Terran noticed about the Stargazing tower was that there were fewer people stationed here compared to the Infernal Demon Gate at Black Terrace. The main reason for this was that this tower was actually a giant device rather than a regular building. ¡°Place the Star Map on the table right there,¡± at the top of the tower, Nawiri directed Terran to place the map on a table located at the center of the room. This table had many kinds of markings in a strange language that Terran did not understand. After the map was placed on the table, the markings actually lit up before projecting a giant image of what looked like an island or even a continent. Soon, Terran realized that this was actually a projection of the south eastern region of the Sword Scar Continent! Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. On this projection, there were different kinds of lights and markings with the most conspicuous ones being a few bright red lights scattered across the projected map. Terran was awed by this sight. It was like getting a 3 dimensional view of the world. Nawiri proceeded to explain the purpose of the map, ¡°The Star Map is used alongside astronomy calculations to predict the location and emergence of dormant demon gates. As long as we can find them first, we can seal them. This is the work we do at the Demon Suppression Department.¡± Indeed, while working at the Underground, Terran had found out that their job there was similar to an internship to enter the Demon Suppression Department. ¡®Zafarani, she did not just assign me there, to the Underground, to punish me. I shall remember this favor.¡¯ In fact, taking a position in the Underground was a simpler shortcut to get into the Demon Suppression Department rather than studying for years at the military institution. ¡°What are those red lights?¡± Terran could not help but ask when looking at the map. There were several locations on the map that were lit up with bright red lights. When Nawiri replied, there was a sense of heaviness in her tone. ¡°Entrances to the Demon Realm.¡± She said. ¡°So many demon gates!¡± Terran almost could not believe it. There were dozens of them! ¡°What? Are you scared?¡± This time the heaviness in her voice was gone as Nawiri replied to Terran in a somewhat teasing tone. ¡°Me? Scared? How many demonic creatures have I taken care of in just the past few weeks? And all done solo!¡± ¡°Solo?! Don¡¯t make me mad by reminding me. How many times have I had to remind you not to act on your own? Do you know how worried you made me?¡± This fellow¡¯s bragging brought back memories of the past few weeks that Nawiri had pushed to the back of her mind. As Terran¡¯s immediate superior, Nawiri had had to admonish the guy several times for flying solo. ¡°When you are strong, you are used to acting individually.¡± Terrran replied. He was not one for teamwork. ¡°The ones here, they don¡¯t compare to puny demonic creatures at all!¡± Nawiri felt that she had to remind Terran lest he try something stupid. ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡± Terran said. Clearly words were going in one ear and out the other. In exasperation, Nawiri could only stress what they were dealing with, ¡°Keep bragging, these are REAL demons we are talking about!¡± In fact, it was not that Terran did not understand the gravity of the situation. He just loved teasing and frustrating Nawiri a little bit. The thing he enjoyed the most was probably watching her concern for him. Looking into his pitch-black ¡°smiling¡± eyes, Nawiri realized that he was just pulling her leg and gave up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what happens, I will protect you.¡± Terran said while puffing out his chest in an exaggerated manner like the ¡®Superman¡¯ himself. ¡°I guess you are a tough guy huh, I think I just fell for you.¡± A confession? Way to catch a man off-guard! ¡°Nawiri¡­¡± Before he could complete his words, Nawiri quickly kissed him; a kiss right next to his lips. Waaaaaay off-guard!! Chapter 126: A Love Story 3 Throughout the entire day at the tower and all the days that came after, Nawiri ¡°came onto¡± Terran many times, always brushing past him, sneaking in a playful touch, and throwing in compliments that had Terran blushing all the way to Sunday. It took all his will to resist. It was not that Terran did not like Nawiri. Instead, it was because he was plagued by all kinds of hang-ups; from matters of his own alien origin and identity confusions, to his pursuit of power and strength for both his family¡¯s sake, to his own personal ambitions. Love is one of those things that the weak hearted understand better than the strong. Even then, Terran almost could not resist her ¡°moves¡±. And Nawiri was not ignorant of this. She understood full well that her strongest weapon was her precious smile that came with a sensual mind. Hot and fierce! She knew it was only a matter of time till this man completely fell for her. During their stay at the tower, Terran was ¡°terrorized¡± almost daily until the two completed their task. Their objective in coming to the Stargazing Tower in Easter Jin was to manually map out the locations of demon gates located in the stretch of land from Eastern Jin Nation to the Kingdom of Toro. With the alliance between the 2 nations, dealing with demons was a collaborative and collective effort. However, for Terran and Nawiri, they mostly did the reconnaissance work. The battles between humanity and demons were mostly left to the true experts of the 2 major departments that dealt with demons ¨C the Demon Suppression Department and the Demon Slaying Department. The two spent a few weeks in Eastern Jin and Nawiri had yet to succeed in breaking Terran¡¯s ¡®will¡¯. After around 2 weeks in the foreign nation, Terran and Nawiri finally returned to Black Terrace after collecting and forwarding all their data. For a time, Terran¡¯s life went back to normal ¨C chattering away with Zeri, bickering with Zafarani, and flirting with Nawiri. ¡°Why are you so shy?¡± At one point, Nawiri asked Terran. ¡°I am not shy, I am just holding in my awesomeness so I don¡¯t overwhelm you.¡± A cocky answer. ¡°Yeah right.¡± She replied with a chuckle. Knowing he was just blowing white smoke, she decided to a bit braver. Nawiri got on her tippy toes and whispered in Terran¡¯s ears, ¡°Then let¡¯s go ¡®home¡¯, and spend a steamy night together.¡± She made sure to stress the words ¡®steamy¡¯ which left Terran shivering in excitement, and some fear. Expectedly, Terran bolted. However, after ¡®escaping¡¯, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he was even running away. ¡°Why am I even running away? I haven¡¯t had any sort of relationship in 3 years!¡± Terran asked himself. When he met Zeri later that evening, Zeri also asked him the same question. ¡°Why are you running away indeed?¡± ¡°When was the last time you were in a relationship?¡± Zeri continued asking. ¡°3 years ago.¡± Terran answered. ¡°3 years? 3 years! 14, 15 years old? That doesn¡¯t count. You were practically a toddler!¡± Zeri exclaimed in shock. ¡°What are so scared of? Even if it doesn¡¯t work out, so what? Look here, in 3 years time do you want to say ¡®I went out with the hot girl¡¯ or do you want to say ¡®I haven¡¯t seen any action in 6 years¡¯?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. While ruminating on Zeri¡¯s words, Terran finally started his apprenticeship under one of the 13 Masters and Protectors of the Black Sword, the 3rd Master titled ¡°The Chameleon.¡± Zafarani had finally managed to contact the Chameleon, her own teacher, and connect him to Terran. The Chameleon was a short and stout man who usually dressed in all green. The most notable thing about him was actually that he had no discernible facial features. He looked completely ordinary. However, when Terran met him, he knew that this ordinary appearance was just another disguise. Udona Delphin ¨C That was his name. However, within the borders of Toro, there was probably not a single soul who knew this man¡¯s real name, not even his fellow protectors of the sword. Since the day he had entered the field of espionage, he had never used his real name again. At this point, he had not used the name ¡®Udona Delphin¡¯ for several decades. Now, everyone just called him ¡®Kallo¡¯ or the ¡®Chameleon¡¯. ¡°That excuse of a student recommended you to me. And I can see that you are qualified. My only hope is that you will not embarrass me like her.¡± The first words out of Udona¡¯s mouth were an admonishment to General Zafarani. Hearing Udona call Zafarani a poor student, Terran could only agree silently, ¡°How can someone so casually forget their disguise, all the time!¡± ¡°Right now, there are undercurrents in this nation. The skill of being able to become anyone, at anytime, in any moment is more crucial than ever.¡± Udona said. ¡°As my student, I will teach you everything I know. What I don¡¯t know, I will look into it or find others who are more knowledgeable to teach you. I will give my 100%!¡± From Udona¡¯s words, Terran understood that he was a thorough teacher. Once he committed to something, he would give 100% of his effort to fulfilling his task. ¡°All I require of you is hard work and diligence, nothing more nothing less. At the end of the day, every accomplishment lies on the foundation of constantly pushing forward and refusing to give up.¡± Diligence and hard work. This request was something Terran was more than willing to do. With such a diligent teacher, how could he as the student possibly laze around? ¡°Give me some iron powder and I can make all the demons go poof, easy peasy.¡± It was the voice of someone boasting to their peers. As Terran entered the Underground after a few weeks of not going there, he was met with the voice of someone boasting about how they could deal with demons so easily. When he saw who it was, he almost could not believe it. Hearing this person¡¯s words, Terran¡¯s upper lip twitched endlessly. ¡°Well aren¡¯t you a clever little girl.¡± Terran remarked in the most sarcastic tone he could muster. ¡°Terran!¡± Hearing his voice, Nawiri actually screamed in happiness. There was a bright grin on her face as she turned towards him. ¡°You are truly a hypocrite.¡± Terran said with a smile on his face as well. Nawiri had previously chastised him for not taking demons seriously yet here she was. It was truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. ¡°Sue me.¡± As an expert in ¡®shamelessness¡¯, Nawiri was not phased by Terran¡¯s words. Instead she was overwhelmed by happiness after seeing his again. Nawiri skipped over to him happily and fell into Terran¡¯s arms hugging him tightly. To Terran, her hug was like a breath of fresh air that sent his heart racing; her scent was like a drug that left him intoxicated; her breath on his neck caused his skin to shiver in excitement. ¡®Too much stimulation! I can barely keep my balance!¡¯ These were Terran¡¯s thoughts as he held onto Nawiri. He had truly missed her so much. Under Udona¡¯s tutelage, the first few weeks were very crucial so Terran had been under a strict schedule. He could not even leave Udona¡¯s compound let alone visit his friends. This was actually the first time he was allowed to leave. ¡°What nonsense were you saying about demons? You know all true demons possess peak strength and have invincible bodies right?¡± When they finally got away from Nawiri¡¯s friends and colleagues, Terran did not forget to tease her about her boasting. Indeed, while true demons could be beaten, their bodies were invincible against any real damage even from the strongest warriors. The only way to deal with them was through methods such as sealing, exorcism, and purification. As for killing them, the only things that could do so were demon slaying techniques and weapons such as the Sword of ''Demon'' Extermination belonging to Kaskara the Rebel. ¡°Enough talk about demons,¡± Nawiri quickly deflected all the ¡®demon talk¡¯ and mentioned what had been on her mind for many weeks now, ¡°You haven¡¯t given me your answer yet.¡± Terran knew what this was about, ¡®It¡¯s about the confession!¡¯ ¡°You should be with someone who gives you the love you deserve.¡± This was his reply. ¡°You are that someone.¡± She countered. Terran was left speechless. ¡°How about this, look into my eyes. They say the eyes are a mirror to the heart. To prove whether or not there is love between us, we will know with a look.¡± Nawiri said. Terran who had always been avoiding eye contact knew had gotten got! When they looked into each other¡¯s eyes, they were both lost in the worlds behind each others¡¯ eyelids. With his heart almost beating out of his chest, Terran quickly looked down. Point proven! Chapter 127: A Love Story 4 Luckily for Terran, his ¡®free¡¯ time was over so he took the opportunity to quickly ¡®escape¡¯ again. This time, Nawiri did not push him. She had already proven her point. As for Terran, he almost ran as he walked away. He was that nervous! In Terran¡¯s head, many reasons why he could not let love entangle him ran through his mind ¨C from his many responsibilities as the first born son, to his alien nature as part of the Arun, to his non-human appearance, and to his general lack of confidence in all matters concerning love. However, before he could leave the Underground, he actually bumped into Zeri. ¡°Sometimes when I see you I can¡¯t help but fantasize about kicking you in the face.¡± These were Terran¡¯s first words to Zeri. ¡°Wow, how can you say that so unprovoked. No hi, no how have you been, no I missed you, straight to violent words, huh.¡± Zeri exclaimed with pain in his voice. He felt really wronged. However, in the next instant, he was already back to his upbeat self. ¡°I heard that you and Nawiri snuck off together, did you seal the deal.¡± Zeri asked. All the while, he was winking shamelessly. Seeing this, Terran felt that this guy really looked like a perverted leprechaun. With one look at Terran¡¯s face, Zeri knew that the fellow had not gone through with it. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t, man what are you even waiting for?¡± Zeri asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know why I ran away.¡± This time Terran was honest. Even Terran did not understand his own fear anymore. Zeri could not believe what he was hearing. He shouted in mild anger, ¡°Just kiss her!¡±, Terran was almost shaken by Zeri¡¯s shout, ¡°Please if you won¡¯t do it for your sake, if you wont do it for her sake, do it for my sake cause I am dying here. What is with all this will they won¡¯t they nonsense?¡± ¡°You are lucky she is so patient with you. Giving you chance after chance.¡± Zeri added. Maybe this was the wake up call that Terran needed. ¡®She has been so patient with me. What if my fear, my rejection, causes her to slip away?!¡¯ Terran could not bear the thought. A determined look entered Terran¡¯s eyes. He would no longer hesitate. Without even answering Zeri, Terran turned back and ran to find Nawiri. When he found her, she was already back with her friends but Terran did not care. He ran towards her, grabbed her, and planted one on her lips in front of all of her friends! Bold! Audacious! Everyone witnessing this was shocked. As for the two people at the center of it all, they were lost in a world of their own; a world of raw lightning, excitement, and pleasure. When they finally separated, Nawiri asked what had been at the back of her mind all this time that she was pursuing Terran. Although she did not show it, rejection after rejection had definitely eaten away at her confidence. ¡°What changed your mind?¡± She was breathless from the deep kiss as she asked. ¡°My mind did not change. Maybe I truly learned something about life while training under the Chameleon.¡± Terran said. ¡°No disguise can conceal love where it is nor feign it where it is not.¡± Terran¡¯s answer was accompanied by a wave of confidence. He, she, they were deserving of love! This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. That is how the love story between Etibar Aurel-Terran and Nawiri Alizeti began. If he was asked later in life, those days when Terran was na?ve had been like heaven to him. At one point, the two lovers almost got caught sneaking around about to do all kinds of ¡®sinning¡¯ within one of the backrooms of the Underground. In this type of happy atmosphere, the two years at Black Terrace went by in a flash. Before he knew it, it was almost time for Terran to graduate. And in that time, he was no longer a rookie Earth Rank warrior. He had already stepped into the second level, the Eternal Cliff Grade. Two winters and summers had gone by. The clearance period where students would graduate had finally arrived. As a commendable cadet and model student, Terran was one of the students who would have an early graduation. Similarly, Zeri and Nawiri, who had joined the institution earlier than Terran, would also graduate in this period. ¡°Hey babe what are you looking for?¡± Nawiri walked up to Terran and gave him a huge hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just a little payback that¡¯s all.¡± Terran answered as he held her in his arms. Nawiri laughed nervously as she gave Terran a scared look. ¡°What? I haven¡¯t done anything yet!¡± She exclaimed in feigned shock. ¡°It¡¯s not for you silly.¡± In fact Terran was looking for Zeri. During the clearance period, there were superiors from all over the kingdom coming to Black Terrace to oversee various things. And Zeri had actually gotten Terran into trouble when he caused a scene in front of superiors before disappearing to god knows where. It might have been okay to throw tantrums in front of General Zafarani who they were already familiar with but other experts they didn¡¯t know? At least Terran he would not do it. Zeri was truly a ¡®different breed¡¯. ¡°Zeri does pull his share of prissy prima donna tantrums.¡± Nawiri commented after hearing what Zeri had done. However, in this moment, both lovers were overcome by a sense of sadness. Their time at the Terrace was coming to an end. Both of them knew that they would soon be separated. After the clearance period, Nawiri was the first to leave the Terrace while Terran stayed back for a few more months to complete his apprenticeship under Udona. When Terran had seen her off, he had given her a mini back-hug before asking for a way to contact her. Nawiri gave Terran a magic communication card that had the number triple 9 on it. The funny thing was that, this number actually gave Terran a shock. Once in the past when he was still a newbie working in the Underground, he was traumatized when dealing with a demonic creature. That demonic being had actually tricked him and given him a demonic number that haunted him for weeks! However, this was just a passing thought. ¡°I will miss you, very very much.¡± Terran said as he rocked Nawiri in his arms. ¡°What will you do when you miss me? I don¡¯t want to hear rumors about another woman.¡± She said with a pout on her face. Seeing her cute pouting face, Terran couldn¡¯t help but pinch her cheeks almost molding them like clay. ¡°When I miss you, I don¡¯t have to stray far. I just have to look inside my heart because that is where I will find you.¡± This was Terran¡¯s reply. A very cheesy reply. But to Nawiri, it was music to the ears. ¡°You smooth talker.¡± She knocked his chest while giggling. She was really ¡®down¡¯ for this man. Practically on her knees in an emotional sense. But it wasn¡¯t just her. Terran¡¯s heart was also filled with love for this woman. Whatever she wanted, he would do it. Before she left, Terran even composed a love song for her. The song that Terran composed for Nawiri went like this: Daughter of Zavala Oh divine, Behold the daughter of Zavala Who has grown up. Young woman, when will she return? When does my love come back? Daughter of the mountains Daughter of Zavala Leader of girls and women ... Tell me, when will you return? Oh, Nawiri, chief of women Behold, daughter of Zavala Her teeth are like ash Her neck resembles a snake Coming out of a vase. All the men want her My girl appears on the path from Suna If you see her, I shall meet her ... Behold, daughter of Zavala Tall, graceful Who can compare to her Yes, all the men are in love with her But I shall ward them away Come, I will take you from home Listen, let us return together To the house I built for you Oh, Nawiri, chief of women Chapter 128: Raging Fire ¡­ Act 4: Uncontrollable Rage [Some time ago ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran: Age 19] ¡­ ¡°Kile kinachofanywa mmoja kinaeneza chuki kwa mamia. Chuki inaenea kama sumu.¡± ¨C The words of Professor Haida in the feature Athari ya Wagaidi. Translation: ¡°That which is done to one person spreads hatred to hundreds. Hatred spreads like poison.¡± ¡­ Location: Giza Forest. The forest was burning. There is a common statement in the Kingdom of Toro, ¡°Jua to the East, Giza to the West¡± which translates to ¡°the Sun to the East, Darkness to the West.¡± Nevertheless, the Giza forest was more accurately in the North Western part of Toro rather than the West. In this great forest, one man was facing off against an entire family consisting of hundreds. This family was the Zabibu or Mzabibu family. The word ¡®Zabibu¡¯ meant ¡®vine¡¯ and most of this family¡¯s martial arts involved the Wood Style. Within Toro, the Zabibu family was under one of the elite Chiefs in the capital city. For this reason, many in the family held government jobs. They were genuine political elites. The leader of this family was a man by the name Zabibu Koroma. He was tall and bony which gave him a scary appearance like the ¡®Slender Man¡¯. Standing behind him were 2 teams each made up of 7 people. These people were dressed in different-colored clothes representing their position within the team. Within the family, these 2 teams went by the title ¨C the 7 Deadly Sins. There were two teams of these ¡®Sins¡¯ with the first team consisting of Mlafi, Pupa, Mzembe, Kiburi, Wivu, Hasira, and Harara. As for team 2, the members were Kiburi, Tamaa, Ashiki, Husuda, Ulafi, Hasira, and Uvivu. Their names were different variations of the 7 deadly sins ¨C Pride, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Lust, Wrath, and Gluttony. In addition to the family head Zabibu Koroma (koroma ¨C snore), there were also 3 elders standing beside him each with a code name that corresponded to ominous plants and flowers ¨C Night Jasmine, Peacock Flower, and Nightshade. Further, apart from the family head, the elders, and the two teams of the 7 Deadly Sins, there were also hundreds of warriors hidden within the trees and the bushes of Giza forest armed to the teeth with all kinds of weapons. All these warriors were aiming their weapons at one man. This man actually had the family head¡¯s son, Zabibu Manemane (also named Myrtle), pressed firmly into the ground by stepping on his neck. If this man was vicious and applied any force, Manemane¡¯s neck would be crushed under his feet. ¡®She spent years combating demonic beings yet it was a human being who harmed her!¡¯ ¡°What is the difference between you people and demons then!?¡± Terran asked in rage as he applied more pressure to the whimpering excuse of man crushed beneath his feet. Witnessing his son in distress, Zabibu Koroma shouted sternly, ¡°Terran, if you dare to harm my son, even if it¡¯s at the ends of the world, my Zabibu family will hunt you down relentlessly. We will use the cruelest criminal law to make your life a living hell!¡± Zabibu Koroma¡¯s voice was hoarse like grinding gears on a bicycle. His voice made anyone who heard him extremely uncomfortable. When Terran heard Zabibu Koroma¡¯s words, a strange expression appeared on his face before he shouted, ¡°What a joke. After today, your despicable family will no longer exist in the world!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t kill me.¡± Hearing Terran¡¯s murderous words, Zabibu Manemane who was in immediate danger cried out in fear. His current expression was far from his initial arrogance when he first met Terran. ¡°Father, save me!¡± The confrontation today originated from a tragic event some weeks before. Shortly after Terran had left Black Terrace after completing his apprenticeship with Udona, he had gone to find Nawiri. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Terran had learnt his lesson and was no longer a hesitant youth anymore. That is how the two love birds got engaged. What Terran did not know was that the Zabibu family, specifically the family head¡¯s son, had noticed Nawiri when she worked in the capital city Suna. The Zabibu family had tried to coerce Nawiri into marriage which she naturally refused. After Terran and Nawiri got engaged, Terran introduced her to his family including his father Nu-Yuga, his mother Raikar, and his younger siblings Etibar Aurel-Yok and Etibar Aurel-Rodin. At that point, Terran and Nawiri even started living together at his father¡¯s home. However, they naturally did not spend much time at home but instead on missions. Terran took on missions assigned by Udona while Nawiri worked as a surveyor visiting places across Toro to look for and detect any demon signs. Life was good, but not for long. Neither Nawiri nor Terran could predict the evil in Zabibu Manemane¡¯s heart nor the enabling actions of the Zabibu family. When Terran was out on a mission, these wolves had actually arrived in his home and severely injured his fianc¨¦ after she refused Manemane¡¯s advances again! Worse of all, when Terran¡¯s father, Etibar Nu-Yuga stepped in trying to protect Nawiri, he was heavily injured by the Earth Rank elders of the Zabibu family. Unfortunately, as an alien refugee who had been on the migratory road for half his life, Etibar Nu-Yuga was already old, weary, and sick. After getting assaulted violently, it was not long before he died. The injuries he got were the final nail in the coffin. When Terran returned home after completing his assignment, he arrived to find a dead father, a fianc¨¦ confined to bedrest, and a grieving family. Back to the Giza Forest¡­ Seeing the crying Zabibu Manemane beneath his feet, Terran was even angrier. He shouted at the man, ¡°If you are going to be a villain, be a villain to the very end! Why are you crying like a baby NOW?!¡± Terran¡¯s words were said while grinding his foot on Manemane¡¯s face and neck which released creaking sounds, almost breaking! Nawiri was terribly harmed and even now, her health was not out of danger. Nu-Yuga had sadly passed away. Now Terran¡¯s younger siblings would grow up without a father. And his mother, Raikar, was now a widow. No matter how ¡®strong¡¯ his mother was, Terran knew she loved his father more than anything. Right now she was holding the family together, but deep down Terran knew she was broken for having lost the love of her life. The worst thing was that after harming his father and lover, the Zabibu family actually got away with the crime because of their political connections. On one hand, the members of the Etibar family were aliens, refugees, and outcasts from their own people in the White Marsh. On the other hand, the Zabibu family had political support in the capital; they were also humans and natives of Toro. It is a no brainer who the courts were biased towards. In an example of a gross betrayal of justice, the Zabibu family only had to pay a little ¡°Blood Money¡± for their crime. This was like pocket change to them! Remembering their smug looks when the decision was made during the court hearing, Terran was extremely disgusted. His only thoughts were, ¡®They must all pay. They must all die!¡¯ Terran¡¯s mind was filled with uncontrollable rage. That was why he lured them to the Giza forest today. With their overconfidence, Terran was sure that they would come. He was going to get his revenge, and in the most cold-blooded way possible! ¡°Attaaaaaack!¡± Seeing his son in peril, Zabibu Koroma quickly ordered an attack on Terran. Suddenly, over a hundred men jumped up from behind the trees armed with swords, spears, cross-bolts, slingshots, clubs, and bows and arrows. All these men were dressed in dark green camouflage clothes that blended in with the vegetation in the forest. Looking at the green tips of their weapons, it was evident that each and every one of these weapons was dipped in highly poisonous concoctions! However, who was Terran? How could this shake him? He was more than happy to meet his opponents head on. Hundreds of arrows were launched at him. ¡°They are experts.¡± From the attack trajectory alone, Terran knew these people were not amateurs. The arrows targeted him while narrowly missing the man trapped under Terran¡¯s feet. To dodge the archers¡¯ attacks, Terran was forced to fly back. As he retreated, the spearmen arrived from his side pushing him to defend himself. At the same time, the swordsmen rushed down from the treetops attacking Terran from above. It was a perfect three pronged attack! Any regular warrior would be skewered to pieces by such a well organized formation. And even expert warriors would still be in a world of Hell if they were scratched by any of these poisonous weapons. In one well planned move, Zabibu Koroma was able to pull away his son from Terran¡¯s clutches. However, there was one thing that Koroma did not account for ¨C Mr. Magnet! In this world, there is a legend about Mr. Magnet, the strongest human magnet. Not only is this man said to be the strongest human magnet, but he also possesses great power that defies normalcy and logic. Human magnetism is an ability that allows some unique individuals, even if they are regular untrained humans, to attract metallic objects with their skin. The individuals with this power are called human magnets. And among them, Mr. Magnet or the Magnetic Man is the best ¨C a regular human with NO powers who is able to lift up over 100 kg (220 lb.) of metal upon his body. Terran is not a human magnet. After all, he is not human. However, back at the military institution, Terran was given the nickname ¡°Magnet Man¡± by his peers ¨C such as Zeri. This is because the Arun have the inborn ability to control 2 forces ¨C shadow force and magnetic force. Expectedly, as the Shadow people, manipulating shadows and darkness is like eating and drinking to them. But another power that the Arun have is the control or possession of Magnetomotive Force. This force is also known as magnetic potential, and it is the property of certain substances, objects, phenomena, and in this case, individuals, that gives rise to a magnetic field. Due to his magnetic body, the weapons aimed at Terran actually accelerated towards him and along with them, their users! Suddenly, everyone was panicked but this only lasted an instant. While Terran was not the true ¡°Magnet Man¡±, he could do more than just attract metal weapons to his body. In one swift move, Terran not only attracted all the weapons to his body but also robbed his opponents of their control on any metallic weapons. With a twist of his body, all the arrows flying towards him, all the spears and even the accompanying spearmen, the swordsmen, the metal clubs, and even metal balls and pellets shot towards him using slingshots, ALL these weapons and even warriors, they were all redirected towards Zabibu Manemane who had just escaped from beneath Terran¡¯s foot! Today, Manemane was destined to be a porcupine! Chapter 129: Magic Decree ¡°Swish swish swish- ¡± In the pitch black forest, blood flowed. Dark clouds covered the sky and eerie violet flames danced in the forest as countless cold silver swords, gigantic piercing spears, and all other kinds of menacing weapons flew over, pressing down on Zabibu Manemane until he could hardly breathe. Seeing this, Zabibu Koroma and the other family members felt as if their eyes were about to split open. ¡°Myrtle, be careful!" Hearing his father¡¯s anxious voice, Manemane¡¯s (Myrtle) face turned pale in the face of danger. If someone questioned him a few months ago, he would have never guessed that Terran had such capabilities. Even when he had been lured by Terran to Giza forest, he had waltzed in confidently. He had underestimated Terran and now it was too late for regret! ¡°Eeeeuurrrrghaaaaauugh!¡± The wailing that came from Zabibu Manemane was almost indescribable in writing. It did not sound like it came from a human. Extremely tragic! The cold swords and long spears pierced through Manemane¡¯s flesh like needles sticking into cotton. The iron pellets and metal clubs pounded on his skin and bones like a meat pounder. ¡°Kraaak! Snew! Crush!¡± Countless ugly sounds emerged from the scene as Manemane¡¯s body was mangled beyond recognition! ¡°Myrtleeeee!¡± Zabibu Koroma screamed in despair when he saw Manemane¡¯s fate! He had just managed to pull his son from Terran¡¯s grasp yet this was the current scene! ¡°Terran! You disgusting reject! Inhuman Alien! I will kill you! I will drink your blood and strip your bones from your flesh!¡± Zabibu Koroma shouted in naked anger, ¡°All of you attack! Attaack! Attaaaaaaaack!¡± He could no longer maintain a calm exterior anymore. As for Manemane, the man had become a porcupine. One of his eyes had been stabbed through bursting open, his nose was destroyed, his ears were gone, and he had lost one arm. It was even more tragic below the waist ¨C not only did he lose both his legs which were cut off at the knees, but even his manhood was no more! And that was not the worst of it, the poison on the tips of the weapons had spread all over his body invading his blood, organs, and marrow. With the poison coursing through his body, it did not take long for black blood to start flowing from his orifices and open wounds. It looked extremely horrific. Even more nauseating were the yellow-purple lumps that emerged all over his body filled with disgusting puss. Zabibu Manemane¡¯s experience at the moment was worse than death! After all, as an Earth Rank warrior, his life force was extremely resilient. So even with all the injuries, he was still partially conscious! He was experiencing all the pain and anguish! Responding to the family head¡¯s order, the 2 seven deadly sins teams suddenly attacked. Each of them held a unique weapon based on their ¡®sin¡¯, a sword for pride, a spear for envy, a war hammer for wrath, a bow and arrow for greed, a shield for sloth, a dagger for lust, and a sting for gluttony. Ironically, these weapons were collectively named the 7 capital virtues. 14 people suddenly attacked Terran and behind them, a 100 more rushed forward with their fists and feet sharpened to attack. They might have lost their weapons to Mwana¡¯s magnetic control, but each of them was a veteran warrior who had mastered countless leg and fist techniques. In response to the wave of humans charging at him, Terran did not choose to use a blade to sweep away his enemies. Instead he pulled up his sleeves revealing 2 silver gauntlets with crisscrossing gold dragon-patterned marks on each arm. These gauntlets were called the Impact Gauntlets. When the first attacker reached Terran, the latter did not even bother to block their weapon and launched a punch. A fist and a sword collided. Ting! Kraaaaaak! The sword shattered instantly. Before the sword user could even comprehend what was happening, Terran¡¯s fist crashed into him along with the shards of the broken sword. The force was like a crushing mountain. The opponent did not even get the chance to scream out before their body exploded into blood mist! Not even the bones were left! Everyone charging forward was struck silent by the scene in front of them. This was the strength boost that the Impact Gauntlets brought Terran. The mechanism of these gauntlets was not only ingenious but also very unique. The gauntlets were each composed of a standard metal arm-brace and a complex mechanism that relied on 2 pressurized silver cylinders concealed in the interior to increase the impact of the user¡¯s punches. Activating the first pressurized cylinder boosted strength Terran¡¯s physical strength by 2 times (X2) while the second boosted his strength by 3 times (X3). Further, if both cylinders were activated together, rather than simple addition, the strength output would be increased exponentially! With such power, it was not a shock that Terran had the power to blow someone up into bloody mist. Despite pausing momentarily, everyone still kept charging forward. It was too late to turn back now. Bang! Riiiiiiiiip! The second person to reach Terran faced an even bloodier fate. Stepping forward to attack with his spear, the man did not even see how Terran dodged the thrust; the spear struck the ground forming a huge crater almost 5 meters deep. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. At the same moment, a cold wind assaulted the man¡¯s back. Before he could turn around, he felt the pain of fingers digging deep into his back. And then a sharp pain assaulted him spreading from his spine to the rest of his body like a lightning bolt. The last thing this man was saw was everyone staring at him in shock and horror, then his own mangled body, then his spine, then it was just darkness, death! In a single move, Terran had ripped out the man¡¯s spine along with his head! Before everyone could recover from the horrific sight, Terran had already jumped into the crowd like a wolf into a crowd of sheep. Each action Terran made was a killer move sending flesh and blood splattering everywhere. Even the 7 Deadly Sins who had Earth Rank experts among them fared no better. ¡°Spiraling Hand - Vortex Punch!¡± Combining the X3 multiplier of the Impact Gauntlets and the Vortex Punch, each of Terran¡¯s punches would grind his opponents¡¯ bones like a meatgrinder. With the edge of his palm, his bare hands easily sliced weaker opponents¡¯ in half. It was a complete massacre! In a few seconds, dozens had already died! ¡°Stoooooooop!¡± A cry came from behind the group of attackers as someone rushed in with a vigorous momentum. This person was the elder with the name Peacock Flower. He had just seen Terran blow up someone¡¯s head and it turned out to be one of his grandsons! He could no longer stand back. As an elder, not only was Peacock Flower at the Earth Rank, but also he had already reached the 3rd stage of the Earth Rank ¨C Deep Valley Grade. Compared to Terran who was at the 2nd level ¨C Eternal Cliff Grade, Elder Peacock Flower was one stage higher. This was his source of confidence against Terran. However, it was only when he reached Terran that he understood the latter¡¯s horror. A single clash was enough to rock his entire body with blood bursting out of his nose and flowing from the corners of his mouth. ¡°What kind of beast did we provoke?¡± Peacock Flower almost could not believe it. They were both Earth Rank warriors yet he was so helpless before him. Before the elder could even regain his footing, Terran followed closely and attacked with a punch to the chest. This time Terran did not hold back to only the X2 or X3 multiplier of the Impact Gauntlets, instead, both metal cylinders in the gauntlet were activated at the same time multiplying Terran¡¯s power endlessly. There was a crunch; then Terran¡¯s fist went right through Elder Peacock Flower¡¯s chest and right out his back! One Strike One Kill! Like a bullet, the elder¡¯s body shot off from the devastating punch¡¯s remaining force. Along the trajectory where the body flew off, countless warriors were smashed to pieces forming a path of blood, bones, and entrails. Kaboooom! Like a rocket, the elder¡¯s body only came to a stop after crashing into a nearby cliff letting off a terrifying explosion. Rocks, dust, and trees were flying everywhere. After taking down the elder, Terran did not give anyone the time to collect themselves. Before Zabibu Koroma and the other 2 elders could react to Peacock Flower¡¯s death, Terran unleashed his magic. [Magic Decree: God Arrow] A violent bloody light burst out from Terran¡¯s body. The light spread out like particles before congealing into a deep crimson arrow. This arrow looked like a combination of flowing water and dancing fire. With a wave of his hand, the arrow followed Terran¡¯s hand movements and landed on the group of Zabibu family mercenaries as well as the remaining 7 Deadly Sins. Even after Terran¡¯s previous slaughter, there were still around a hundred people left. Even if this number was less than a hundred, it wasn¡¯t by much. However, the arrow, like a guided missile, obliterated all of them! They did not even get the chance to scream out as their bodies were melted gradually like candle wax after coming into contact with this arrow. Even if the arrow only slightly grazed someone, they could not escape the fate of their body melting down into a bloody wax-like substance. In the eerie silence of the forest, the arrow zipped between the warriors like a silent ghost; untraceable! Faster than the eye could follow! Flexible and unstoppable! Everyone was scared stiff as they waited and then slowly succumbed to death. This was not a power that they could understand. Magic Decree ¨C This was an advanced magical skill. A skill that Terran could control with just his thoughts! It was absolutely petrifying to whoever found themselves on the wrong end of such a power. In this group of Zabibu family warriors and hired mercenaries, even the lowest level warrior was a Senior Warrior. There were also many Apex Warriors as well as Solid Body Rank experts in the group. Further, among the two teams of ¡®Sins¡¯, 6 out of the 14 warriors were 1st stage Earth Rank warriors. But each of these people were all the same before the power of this arrow. They were obliterated like wheat to be reaped. Their souls were harvested, forcefully tossed into the river of death, banished to the netherworld, and doomed to disappear from this world, forever! And in all this, Terran did not move from his position; standing there unbothered by all the death and carnage around him. This effect! He looked like a god of war reincarnated! When everyone regained their senses, there were only 5 people left alive. Terran stood on one side among the corpses and on the other side, there were 4 people remaining including Zabibu Koroma, the 2 elders, and Zabibu Manemane who was still struggling at the edge of consciousness. Step! Terran took a step, quietly approaching them. As he moved, the God Arrow rushed back to him before fusing back into his body. A cloak of reddish-black smoke arose from Terran¡¯s body causing his aura to condense into a demon-like fog. This scene in addition to his looks, made him look extremely domineering, like a vengeful spirit from the depths of hell! Terran¡¯s skin was white like paper, but on his entire body he also had thick vanta-black lines. His fingers were also entirely black as if soaked in death. This gave him an scary ghost-like appearance. Below Terran¡¯s dark cloak, a shiny silver armor with gold bands at the joints was also barely visible. Further, just like Mwana, Terran¡¯s hair was long, black and purple. As a strong wind entered the forest, his long curly hair looked like a dark purple raging flame. With each step Terran took, Zabibu Manemane who was watching out of his remaining eye felt his heart clench up. Even the 2 elders found themselves unconsciously taking a step back. This was pure fear. At this point, Terran had his eyes closed. He was focusing on his form. When facing off against the 2 elders and especially against Zabibu Koroma the family head, he had to bring out all of his power holding nothing back. Terran¡¯s arm was at his waist grabbing his blade. This blade had a thick wooden handle and a short black hexagonal sheathe. The blade was not too long, only medium length. But it was thick, almost as thick as a machete. Naturally, this was the Dark Emersion Blade. ¡°Falling Leaf Sword Technique: 3rd Move ¨C Bird Cry.¡± Terran suddenly opened his eyes. Like a bolt of lightning his blade was unsheathed. The process was extremely fast unleashing a sound that sounded like a bird cry. With every inch that the blade was unsheathed, feathers materialized on its surface. And by the time the blade was fully unsheathed, actual birds with red-black feathers emerged from the blade rushing towards Terran¡¯s opponents. ¡°Blood Shadow Art!¡± In response to Terran¡¯s attack, the elder who went by the name Nightshade activated a secret technique turning his body into bloody mist. The mist not only hid his true body but also obscured the people beside him from the birds that flew out of Terran¡¯s blade. Although the cries of the birds quickly dispersed the mist, the elder had already bought enough time to prepare his trump card! ¡°Deep Valley Emergence!¡± A deep dark valley formed between the heavens and the earth. It was if someone had used the world as a canvas to materialize this valley. This was one of the killer moves of 3rd stage Earth Rank warriors. ¡°Deep Valley Erosion!¡± Just like Elder Nightshade, the elder by the title Night Jasmine also unleashed his own ultimate skill! When these two techniques came together, creation and destruction were combined producing a violent reaction, like a miniature Big Bang, which engulfed Terran seeking to erase his very existence. This was the true power of the Deep Valley Grade elders. Unlike the now deceased Elder Peacock Flower who Terran swiftly killed in one move, the other 2 elders actually had a chance to prepare their attacks and showcase their full power! Chapter 130: The Power of Divine Mountain Grade ¡°Falling Leaf Sword Technique: 11th Move ¨C Twilight.¡± The 11th move - Twilight was a technique that combined sword technique and darkness manipulation; a move that could cut through almost anything by severing the light. In front of this technique, the combined attack of the two elders was severed; it withered like specks of falling dust. Surprisingly, the two elders¡¯ attack was actually an incomplete space technique! Yet in front of Terran, it was nothing. The manifestation and erosion of a valley was a unique skill that materialized matter out of one¡¯s imagination using earth energy mastery and rudimentary space law knowledge. For this reason only experts of the Earth Rank 3rd stage and above could use this technique. Seeing their combination technique easily defeated, the two elders were struck numb. ¡°Don¡¯t get full of yourself yet. So what if you shot down our technique? I still have a thousand ways to make you beg for mercy!¡± After gathering themselves up, one of the elders said while pointing a trembling finger at Terran. Who knew if he even had confidence in his own words. ¡°You are already dead.¡± Terran responded in a cold but calm voice. ¡°Ha ha ha, what are you talking abou-¡± Before he could complete this sentence, this elder who went by the name Night Jasmine actually split in half at the waist! Terran¡¯s sword move had not just severed the two elders¡¯ combination attack, but it had also swiftly struck their bodies cutting clean through them! Seeing his fellow elder¡¯s upper body fall to the ground, Elder Nightshade could not help but scream in horror fearing the worst, ¡°Nooooooo-¡± However, his scream was interrupted by Terran¡¯s blade as the latter followed through with flurry of slashes which fell on the two elders¡¯ bodies. ¡°Falling Leaf Sword Technique: 5th Move ¨C Aversion to Iron.¡± While not as powerful as Twilight, when Terran attacked with this move, his attacks were like waves enclosing and drowning the enemy in a sea of slashes. Aversion to Iron ¨C this move was like covering the hilt of a Takoba, only that instead, it was applied externally to the enemy. Rather than covering the blade, one was exposing it ¨C fast and ruthless. The two elders did not stand a chance as Terran¡¯s sword energy bisected them into pieces from a distance. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. However, right after Terran erased the lives of the two elders, he realized that Koroma and Manemane, this duo of father and son, were no longer in his line of sight. Then darkness suddenly enveloped Terran; pitch-black darkness! The time bought by the two elders was enough to allow Zabibu Koroma, the Divine Mountain Grade family head of the Zabibu family, to prepare his ultimate move. At this point, Koroma¡¯s heart was bleeding in anguish after not only losing his family¡¯s warriors and elders but also witnessing the mutilation of his own son. How could he tolerate it! ¡°Terran, you must die today!¡± Koroma¡¯s voice echoed between the heavens and the earth as the gravity in a radius of several kilometers intensified by several times over. Before Koroma¡¯s move was even unleashed, countless birds, insects, and other creatures were already running away in panic. It was an absolute terror! ¡­ Dong¡¯nau village ¨C some children are playing in the outskirts. This village is located at the edge of Giza Forest, and it is not the only one. In this stretch of land, there are 18 villages mostly made up of hunters and gatherers who rely on the animals and herbs in Giza Forest for their livelihood. Although Giza Forest is dangerous, as long as they stick to the outer edge of the forest, there is not much danger. The village children are having a tournament today ¨C an all too familiar game ¨C Hookball. In the middle of the game, sweat was flowing and emotions were high. To the adults, it was just a game between children, but to these kids, this was a matter of honor and victory, like the most important thing in their lives. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see anything?!¡± Suddenly, one of the children screamed out. ¡°Me too!¡± A brat named Rama replied in confusion. There was a tinge of fear in his voice. ¡°Rama, where are you? Where is the ball? What is going on?¡± Another screamed in shock while running around like a headless chicken. Although everyone was shocked at first thinking that they had been struck by sudden blindness, when their eyes refocused after a while, they realized that the sun had been obscured! Turning to look towards the sun, which previously hang above the Giza Forest, what entered their eyes was a giant mountain floating in the sky! ¡°My God!¡± Even the adults exclaimed in shock. Deep in the Giza forest, there was a mountain floating in the sky! This gigantic mountain pierced through the clouds hiding the sun. Before the villagers could absorb the shock from this sight, something even more shocking appeared in their vision. A second mountain! In the span of a minute or two, one mountain materialized from thin air, a moment later, another mountain emerged. However, this second mountain was actually inverted like the letter V. The 2 mountains appeared together then collided into one another before collapsing into each other! The aftermath alone was catastrophically devastating as trees were uprooted while rocks and gravel were sent flying everywhere. A shockwave emerged from the collision point spreading through the forest in an ever expanding circle that decimated everything in its path leaving only flat land. Even though Dong¡¯nau village and the other 17 villages were far away from the epicenter of this collision, they still felt the aftershocks as the ground trembled and the houses rattled. The adults hurried bringing the children inside and interrupting their game. ¡°Is this the wrath of God?¡± This was the question in everyone¡¯s mind. If someone looked at the section of Giza Forest where the collision occurred from above, they would only see a giant circle, several kilometers in diameter, where the trees and vegetation were no more. It was like someone had let off a nuclear blast! Chapter 131: Seeking Death but Not Finding It Standing at the center of the circle of devastation were 2 men ¨C Zabibu Koroma and Etibar Aurel-Terran. At this moment, Zabibu Koroma¡¯s mind was screaming in disbelief. This was because Terran had just blocked his strongest move. He had just materialized a mountain! This was an ultimate technique that could only be performed by warriors who were the strongest experts among the BEST Earth Rank 4th Grade warriors. This was the true power of Divine Mountain Grade. However, Koroma had unleashed the devastating attack only for Terran who was just at the 2nd Grade to actually successfully block it! ¡®Madness!¡¯ He could not believe it. He could not even form a complete sentence as he looked at Terran in shock and horror while constantly stammering, ¡°Impossible¡­¡± [Paradox Oblige] This was the technique Terran used. Paradox Oblige was a technique that utilized [Paradox Force] and had the ability to contain and express two opposite facts. It was the embodiment of self-contradiction and absurdity. Like the "Uncertainty Principle" where a particle can be in two places at once, Terran used Paradox Oblige to ¡®hook¡¯ onto Zabibu Koroma¡¯s mountain divine power. Through this method, Terran managed to replicate a power opposite of Koroma¡¯s mountain like a mirror¡¯s reflection. When the two opposite powers collided, everything in the vicinity was decimated. With Paradox Oblige, even a mountain could be pulled out from thin air without the necessary martial arts level. ¡°Swish swish-¡± ¡°Magic Synchrony + Magnetic Shadow.¡± This combination served as fuel for Terran¡¯s next sword move. ¡°Falling Leaf Sword Technique: 12th Move ¨C Nightjar Deification.¡± Zabibu Koroma, who was still shocked and disoriented from his utter failure before Terran, was caught unprepared by this attack. The technique combination blasted him into the distance, far out of sight. After knocking away Koroma, the first thing Terran did was look for Manemane. This evildoer''s father had acted extremely fast and when Terran first began his battle against the elders; Koroma had actually sent Manemane away from the battlefield. Further, during the entire time when the fighting was going on with the hundred mercenaries, the seven deadly sins, and the three elders, Manemane¡¯s father had actually taken time to tend to his wounds to the best of his abilities. At least the poison had been suppressed temporarily and his two legs had been haphazardly reattached - soldered back onto the bone. At this moment, Manemane was lying somewhere below a tree in the Giza forest a distance away from the circular battle zone. He was yet to find out the fate of the elders but when he saw the mountains summoned in the sky, he had thought that both mountains and the resulting collision were his father¡¯s work. ¡®Hahaha, that bastard is for sure dead!¡¯ Manemane thought with a gleeful look on his mangled face. However, what happened next almost made him jump out of his skin in pure fright. ¡°What did you do to my father back then?¡± The voice came from right beside him leaving Manemane shivering. He didn¡¯t even see how Terran got there. Terran¡¯s tone was calm, but his pitch-black alienoid eyes were deep and terrifying. Meeting his gaze, Zabibu Manemane felt as if he had entered hell. However, he did not seem to know that the Grim Reaper had quietly arrived. He was still had the thought of provoking Terran. ¡°Why? Is this all for revenge? Don¡¯t you know that I actually took care of your father personally? I only used one move, and all the tendons and veins in his body were ruptured.¡± Manemane was just bragging; stretching the truth. The real facts of the matter were that it was the elders who had done all the work while he only stepped in to torture Terran¡¯s father. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. In this moment, rather than beg for mercy, Manemane¡¯s strategy was to break Terran¡¯s mind and launch a sneak attack when the latter was in despair. After all, despite all his injuries, he was still a genuine Earth Rank warrior. Any of his random attacks had the power to shake heaven and earth and if the opponent was caught off-guard, it would be curtains for them. ¡°You were probably not told what happened, huh?¡± Zabibu Manemane said while revealing a creepy smile, wanting to see Terran¡¯s pained face. ¡°I just watched your father crawl on the floor like a maggot and then stomped his spine to pieces. I have to say, although you aliens are trash, your father is quite something, ha ha. But I bet his last days were torture.¡± Manemane¡¯s wild laughter filled the air as he taunted Terran. He had gotten even bolder when he saw his father in the distance flying towards them. Since he had been knocked away by Terran¡¯s sword move, Zabibu Koroma was injured and his speed was greatly reduced. However, even after incurring somewhat heavy injuries, Koroma''s speed easily broke the sound barrier. A distance of several kilometers from the opposite edge of the battlefield would be covered in a matter of seconds. ¡°And your fianc¨¦e, he he he¡­¡± It seemed as if Manemane¡¯s mouth could not shut up once he started speaking. As he taunted Terran, Manemane¡¯s one remaining eye was keenly trained on Terran¡¯s facial expression wanting to see him reveal pain, anguish, self-reproach, and weakness. But he was bound to be disappointed. Terran¡¯s expression did not change. The way he looked at Manemane was no different from a dead person. ¡°Very good.¡± Terran only said 2 words. Then he attacked, [Serer Flames] ¡°Flame Dragon Breath!¡± Plop! In the next second, Manemane, who was still laughing loudly, rolled around on the ground. Even though his legs had just been reattached at the knees, he was moving as if they were brand new. But this was not as a result of getting better; instead it was due to the excruciating pain. Due to intense pain, Manenmane let out a furious roar. His already mangled facial features distorted even more due to the pain as he screamed out his lungs. ¡°Myrtleeeee! Terran STOOOOOOOOP!¡± Zabibu Koroma screamed. Although he was still a distance away, Manemane still clearly saw his son¡¯s face when Terran breathed his flames onto him. However, screaming was of no use. If you are already moving beyond the speed of sound, how can your voice possibly reach somewhere before your body gets there? Obviously Zabibu Koroma¡¯s screaming was pointless. At this moment, Koroma wished he was not injured. He wished he could go faster. His son had literally turned into a burning man and he could do nothing about it! A giant fire with mostly pink, yellow, and purple tongues of flames engulfed Manemane burning into his flesh. His skin was burned to coal and all the fluids in his body started boiling. Kkak! Ktak! Pop! It was the sound of flesh cracking, bones splintering, and Manemane¡¯s remaining eyeball exploding into mush! At this point, even Manemane¡¯s anguished screams had turned into hoarse grunts and wheezing sounds as his throat was strangled by the flames that entered through his wide open mouth and nose. The Serer Flames were also called the flames of love. This was a power that Terran had mastered when he was only 15 or so years old. The Serer Flames would gently embrace the opponent and ¡®lovingly¡¯ burn through their bodies, melting their skin, squeezing out the fat, searing the flesh, boiling the blood, roasting the bones, and saut¨¦ing the organs ¨C a slow yet beautiful death. Due to the ¡®love¡¯ of the Serer Flames, Zabibu Manemane¡¯s body had the feeling that he was gnawed by countless insects. The power of the flames flowed through his entire body spreading even to the smallest organs. ¡°Noooooooo! My son!¡± Zabibu Koroma had finally arrived but what met him was a sight that no father, no parent would ever want to see. It was an extremely tragic sight. ¡°Terraaaaaaaan! I will kill you!¡± After a momentary pause, Koroma leaped towards Terran who still seemed unperturbed by the events in front of him. Stomp! When Koroma was just 10 or so meters away from him, Terran heavily stomped on the earth. Terran¡¯s leg sunk into the earth as a trail of broken earth and rock emerged heading towards Koroma. Before Koroma could dodge, lava sprouted out of the ground along the line formed by Terran¡¯s stomp! [Lava Coffin] Zabibu Koroma did not even have a chance to dodge as an eruption of molten lava swallowed his body. This was not the end, after swallowing Koroma, the lava wrapped around his body in a form that looked like the opposite of a blooming flower. This created a twisting sphere of molten magma that had the ability to burn and grind opponents to ash. Koroma¡¯s body was assaulted with endless heat and pain as his clothes and skin were ground and melted by the rapidly twisting lava. In a few seconds, he had already become a red ¡®muscle man¡¯ with all his skin gone! Manemane who was still burning in the Serer Flames was also not spared this fate. Another stomp and another Lava Coffin emerged wrapping around Manemane¡¯s already broken and abused body. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill you,¡± Terran did not know if the two of them could hear him from within the two lava coffins but he still spoke his mind, ¡°I will let you father and son enjoy some quality time together.¡± With a punch to the ground, the two lava coffins followed along Terran¡¯s actions and sank deep into the earth beneath the Giza forest, lost forever, never to be found! With Zabibu Koroma and Zabibu Manemane¡¯s Earth Rank vitality, they would not die until their core was irreversibly damaged. It would take years of torture, maybe decades before they could succumb to their wounds. The punishment Terran gave them was a fate worse than death! Sigh. It was only when these two father and son were vanquished that Terran exhaled with a sigh. ¡°Has the weight in your heart lessened after revenge?¡± A voice entered Terran¡¯s ear from right beside him. However, Terran was not surprised. It was Udona. ¡°No.¡± Terran answered. In the beginning Terran had thought that revenge could fill the hole left in his heart but he was wrong. He still felt empty. His father was gone forever and his fiancee might be next. Revenge could not change this. Chapter 132: Resolution ¡°Have you heard of Broken Fantasy Technique?¡± Udona asked Terran. ¡°Inverse the real and the fake, and break whatever the user deems as fantasy.¡± Terran answered. Naturally Terran had heard of this technique. But he still didn¡¯t know why Udona was asking. Even with such a technique, inversing reality and fantasy was not an easy task even for legendary Lord Rank warriors. Udona did not let Terran keep guessing his intentions. He went straight to the point, ¡°Every technique has a source of inspiration, that is, whatever inspired the original creator to make it. It can be observing nature, watching the movements of animals, and in the case of the Broken Fantasy Technique, it was inspired by a flower that although rare, has very little value.¡± ¡°I am sure you have heard of its more mainstream names ¨C Buni flower or Fantasia.¡± Udona said in one mouthful of air. His talking speed was something else. ¡°Fantasia? Isn¡¯t that just a flower used by the rich to decorate their tombs?¡± Terran was mildly interested as he asked. ¡°Indeed it is. But this flower is really the Broken Fantasy Flower!¡± Udona said before continuing, ¡°Although it has been reduced to a decorative flower over the years, that is not its true purpose. Even its use in decorating tombs is somewhat based on old traditions attempting to shatter the reality of death!¡± Hearing these words, light slowly started entering Terran¡¯s eyes again. Although the change was subtle, Udona caught it. Naturally as a teacher, how could he stand and watch his student fall into despair. That was why Udona said these words to at least bring some hope into Terran¡¯s heart. The Broken Fantasy Flower was extremely rare. Further, while the flower was not as valuable today, this was not actually a good thing. Fantasia¡¯s value had dropped because it had lost its value after the original medical formulas, potion skills, and magical techniques of utilizing this flower had been lost. Simply put, Fantasia¡¯s true value was still there but the ways to use it had been lost in the river of history. And even if Terran got his hands on the flower as well as how to use it, he would still need other extremely precious and rare materials to concoct what he truly needed. However, none of this mattered to Terran. ¡®It is hard? So what? Just do it! Move forward!¡¯ This was Terran¡¯s mindset. After all, there was finally hope to save Nawiri! ¡°Fantasia. Where do I get it?¡± Terran asked. There was a hint of enthusiasm in his dry voice. ¡°Unless your turn into a grave robber or a tomb raider, there is only one place to get this kind of rare product in the province and the next three over ¨C Milele Town within Boss Q¡¯s organization,¡± Udona said. ¡°With a normalization formation in the town, you won¡¯t be able to act as willfully as outside. It is best to do things smart,¡± Udona continued advising Terran, ¡°So if you want things to go smoother, go to the Soaring Door. It is in the 14th area somewhere in Milele Town¡¯s Southern District. You will meet someone there.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± These were the only words that Terran could say. And they were enough. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank yo-¡± As he left, Terran kept muttering these words. In his moment of despair he had finally seen a hint of light. However, to Udona, these words were like gently flowing water but also like cutting blades of wind. As a teacher and a master, no matter how much he helped in this moment, he still felt inadequate. When Terran had needed him the most, Udona was not there. In fact, Terran¡¯s mission far away from home when tragedy struck had been assigned by him. Although Udona knew that this entire event was as a result of life¡¯s cruel fate, to some extent Udona still blamed himself partly for what happened. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The journey from Giza forest to Milele town which usually took caravans days if not weeks to cover, only took Terran a single day. And late in the evening of that same day, Terran arrived at the Soaring Door in the 14th area as instructed by Udona. It was there that he met two men, Miko-no and Akrabu Nge. Their names could be shortened to Miko and Nge. These two men also had other aliases: Code H ¨C the Hands (Miko) and Code S ¨C the Scorpion (Nge). Both men were part of the Codes in the Red Hawk Organization but they were also some of the many eyes and ears of Udona the Chameleon across Toro. While Nge was a normal looking tall and slim man, Miko stood out even in a crowd since he actually had 4 arms! The Soaring Door where the two men waited for Terran was just an unassuming wooden house with a plaque at the top of the entrance. Seeing Terran walk through the door, Miko did not bother with greetings. Instead, what greeted Terran was a large fist, almost the size of a football, swinging towards his face. In one swift motion, Terran ducked the first punch and sidestepped the second before proceeding to deliver a body blow to Miko¡¯s torso. After landing the blow, Terran did not pause in his attacks as the body blow was quickly followed by an uppercut launched from the side. He not only narrowly evaded Miko¡¯s third blow but landed a punch to the chin from behind his opponent¡¯s swinging arm! However, even with such a powerful shot, Miko did not falter or fall. His huge and sturdy body was not just for show. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Miko shouted as he unleashed a rush of punches with all his 4 hands. Terran was obviously not left behind as he also used his boxing technique throwing punches so fast that they blurred into one stream of power. Miko was shocked to see that for every of his 4 punch combinations, Terran was able to keep up with just two! This was a difference in speed. After clashing for a while, the two opponents were evenly matched in close quarters combat so they decided to step away from each other. Although Miko was just testing Terran¡¯s strength and they seemed evenly matched, deep in his heart Miko already counted this as a loss. ¡®If you cannot overwhelm someone¡¯s 2 hands with your 4, then you have already lost.¡¯ Seeing the two men separate after the short clash, Nge who had been standing silently at the side finally spoke welcoming Terran. ¡°Welcome to the Codes. From henceforth you are now part of the Red Hawk Organization.¡± ¡­ Act 5: Battle Results [Today ¨C Etibar Aurel-Terran: Age 20] ¡­ An instantaneous attack. That was enough. A battle between powerful individuals is usually decided by millimeters; a victor emerging in a fraction of a second. Resonance ¨C A flash into the opponent¡¯s mind, their memories. There was only a 1 in a million chance of this happening when 2 warriors clashed. Mwana had caught a glimpse of his opponent¡¯s life. Suddenly, this man was no longer just a nameless thug to him anymore, but a worthy opponent; someone worthy of respect. ¡°What is your name?¡± Mwana asked, even though he no longer needed to ask. ¡°Terran.¡± The man answered as he collapsed and fainted. This man was Code A ¨C the Apotheosis of the Red Hawk Gang, but he was also Terran of the Arun, a man who was still fighting for those he loved! With Mwana¡¯s victory, he underwent a fundamental transformation. The golden sword in his hands emitted a sword cry that rushed to the heavens and Mwana¡¯s eyes seemed to have opened anew. He had finally achieved the Great Swordsman rank! The Grandmaster rank was close at hand.
Battle Results Looking at the men sprawled on the ground, littered everywhere like beaten fruit, Mwana turned towards one of them who was still conscious. Although he was covered in mud and groaning in pain, Code C ¨C the Cipher, who was the spokesperson of this group, was still awake. He was also the least injured compared to the rest of the Codes who were mostly broken and unconscious. He had his 7 Star Armor to thank for that. ¡°We will pay!¡± Meeting Mwana¡¯s hawkish gaze, the Cipher said with a hint of fear in his voice. ¡®Will this guy take a shot again?¡¯ The Cipher thought. Mwana¡¯s ¡®violence¡¯ had already shaved away the Cipher¡¯s arrogance. ¡°Oh. Now wasn¡¯t that easy? You should simply have paid from the beginning when I asked you to.¡± Mwana said in a tone that implied ¡®I am giving up with you¡¯ or ¡®I told you so¡¯ while sighing helplessly. ¡®Bastard! You accosted us in a back alley and said ¡®you have to pay¡¯ in such an aggressive tone,¡¯ although he dared to think it, the Cipher did not dare to say it. It can be said that apart from some payment and looking to save the man that was getting assaulted by this gang, Mwana did not actually intend to partake in violence on this night. But the members of the Codes escalated the situation and a fight broke out. If he was weaker, these thugs would not have been merciful so naturally, Mwana was not merciful either. Some of these guys would need a few months to recover from their injuries. Even if they recovered, their battle strength would definitely drop in the future. One could say that this entire matter was the consequence of living on the side of violence; one would end up interpreting everything as violence. Because these rogues were used to living a life on the edge and settling everything with violence, they interpreted Mwana¡¯s words as violence. Some of the thugs even thought he was an enemy sent by a rival organization! In the end, this was the result. Chapter 133: The Scent of Wealth After fleecing some wealth off of these ¡®gangsters¡¯, Mwana rubbed his hands in anticipation. ¡®It is finally time for the main course,¡¯ with that thought, he approached the pitiable man who he had saved from the Red Hawk gang¡¯s assault. Even at this point, this man was only partially conscious. The assault he had faced at the hands of these thugs had been truly vicious. Saving such a rich man who also seemed to be in the business of trading Blood Devil Fruits, how could Mwana not ask for any benefits? As they say, there is no free lunch in the world. Although the man seemed to be on the brink on unconsciousness, he had actually witnessed Mwana perform a severe beatdown on the thugs. Witnessing the entire process of crushing bones and severing tendons, he was sweating bullets. When Mwana came to talk with the businessman about the goods that the Red Hawk gang had sought to seize, he was surprised to find the man so cooperative. After questioning the rich man, Mwana found out that he was an apothecary ¨C Ma Dawa of the Mugo clan. Based on his profession, it was understandable why Dawa was so pitiable when faced by this assault. Although Dawa¡¯s strength outside Milele Town would be comparable to senior warriors and on the same level as his attackers, he did not have any martial skill at all. For this reason, he was completely helpless within the town¡¯s normalization magic formation where martial skill reigned supreme. Dawa¡¯s troubles had begun when he received a shipment of Blood Devil Fruits a few days before. Through their network of spies, this information quickly reached the Red Hawk Gang. After finding out, the gang leader naturally sent out his men to inquire about the shipment. In front of the gang¡¯s might, the apothecary naturally had no ability to resist. If Mwana did not interfere, it is likely that Dawa would have spilled the beans about the location of the goods while under torture. However, while the apothecary was looking up at Mwana like a savior, the boy¡¯s only thoughts were, ¡®Fate is truly on my side!¡¯ This was an opportunity for him. Tap tap tap. It was the sound of someone landing from a high height followed by silent footsteps on the wet ground. ¡°Who is this now?!¡± Mwana was extremely annoyed hearing someone approach just as he was about to open his lion¡¯s mouth and make his demands. Now it seemed someone else wanted to step in when Mwana had done all the hard work! When Mwana turned around, he found that a boy who seemed around his age had jumped out of god-knows-where. In fact, this person was always here, in the vicinity. During Mwana¡¯s fight with the gangsters, this boy was the eyes watching in the dark! Seeing the boy, Mwana¡¯s heart did not relax at all. The person on the other end might be young but this spoke nothing of their strength. After all Mwana himself was a good example of this. Just because someone was young did not mean they were weak. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Mwana asked coolly while maintaining a vigilant stance. However mentally, Mwana was completely shocked, ¡®Another expert at hiding their breath! How many are there in just one night.¡¯ ¡°Hey hey hey relax. I am just a spectator; an admirer of your work.¡± The newcomer said while raising his arms as if saying: ¡°I come in peace.¡± However, how could Mwana possibly be calm? After all, stories of someone doing all the work and then some people coming in to fish for free were all too common. When the boy got closer, Mwana was finally able to see his face. ¡°You, you, ¡­¡± Mwana exclaimed while pointing at the boy. His finger wagged dramatically up and down at the sight of the newcomer. It was a face he recognized! The face of someone who knocked into him when he was on a ¡°date¡± with Kia; someone who spoilt Mwana¡¯s food; someone who did not even bother to apologize. Mwana was almost tempted to rush out and give this rude boy a lesson on manners. However, before he could ¡°pounce¡± and ¡°enact his revenge¡±, another ¡°intruder¡± entered the scene. ¡°What is going on here?!¡± A shout started from the distance. The strange thing was that when the shout began, the speaker was clearly far away but by the end of his question, he had already arrived at the scene of the ¡°crime¡± __astounding speed! The newcomer was dressed in red and black clothes. On his upper garments, there was a symbol of a silver-blue parasol tree right at the shoulder. This was the official uniform of the Milele Town Guard. The town guards basically acted as the police force overseeing order in the town. When the town officer realized that his question went unanswered, a red aura, like weighted air, burst out of his body. When this pressure hit him, Mwana felt as if a boulder was placed on his shoulders causing his legs to sink in the black mud on the alley. ¡°Strong.¡± This was Mwana¡¯s first impression of this officer. It was even worse for the already injured apothecary lying on the ground and the dozen or so gang members who had been beaten black-and-blue by Mwana. Immediately, inhuman groans and pig-like wails filled the street as some of the injured could not take it anymore. Seeing that the people on the street were only two kids and some injured fellows, the officer withdrew his aura but a stern look still remained on his face. However, after getting a good look at the clothes of the men lying on the ground, the officer could not help but startle. While his face remained unchanged, internally he was shocked beyond measure. ¡®Aren¡¯t these guys sprawled on the ground like dried prawns part of the Red Hawk Gang?! What is this, a gang war?¡¯ Although he thought this, he could not understand how the 2 tiny brats in front of him, the only ones that were uninjured, would be involved in a gang brawl. But his refusal to believe did not last long. Even if he did not want to believe it, he was forced to when he heard the story. Before Mwana had even gotten a chance to say anything, the apothecary lying on the ground was quick to lay down the facts of the matter. Everything was explained in colorful words painting the picture of an epic battle. However, no matter how epic everything sounded to the officer, the story did not gel with the kid in front of him. If it was an older heroic-looking young man, the tale would have been easier to swallow. But all this was not what truly mattered; rather, the main concern was the identity of the gangsters. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡®Oh god no! I can feel a headache coming. Why did I have to come to this street now?¡¯ the officer silently lamented as he took in the scene in front of him, ¡®And I was just about to retire for the night.¡¯ This officer¡¯s name was Kerani, and although he looked powerful now, one thing he understood was that he was just a small guy in Milele town. The only reason he could even show off some of his power was because officers in the town were granted an Exception Card that allowed them to keep a portion of their supernatural abilities or warrior powers. In the grand scheme of things, Officer Kerani understood that the Red Hawk Gang was like a giant to him. For this reason, Kerani was extremely reluctant to cross the Red Hawk Gang. Hearing of the gang¡¯s evil deeds, most regular officers would simply turn a blind eye in fear of bringing more trouble to themselves. After all, the claws of the gang extended everywhere in the town. In his mind, Officer Kerani had already decided to send the two brats away and ignore all this matter altogether; and Mwana, with his keen insight, had already noticed this. Even though Officer Kerani had yet to say anything, Mwana could already see it on his face clear as day that the officer was leaning towards releasing the gangsters and ignoring the matter right in front of him. ¡®I have to think fast!¡¯ Thoughts rushed through Mwana¡¯s mind before a solution popped into his mind. ¡®Oh that will do it.¡¯ It was like a lightbulb switched on inside Mwana¡¯s brain. In an exaggerated manner that left everyone on the scene dumbfounded, Mwana reached back and whipped out something ¨C a black card. At first, no one at the scene understood what it was but when Officer Kerani saw the name and the special energy frequency on the card, he was left rooted on the spot. ¡®What now?! A Reserve Candidate Card! I couldn¡¯t have picked a worse day not to retire to my home early?!¡¯ The officer knew that this matter could not be brushed under the rug anymore. The card Mwana had revealed was the Silver Guard Reserve Candidate Card given to him by the Honored Detective of the Silver Eagle Corps only known as Mr. Black. It was time to play the ¡®nepotism¡¯ card. It was not just the card that shocked Officer Kerani, but the name on the card as well. ¡°Mr. Black!¡± He could not hold his tongue and loudly exclaimed. This detective was simply an unfathomable legend. ¡°You, you, why do you have this card?¡± Officer Kerani asked with a stammer as he inspected the card. This was the real deal. ¡°Why not?¡± Mwana¡¯s response was non-committal. By playing the ¡®nepotism¡¯ card, Mwana knew he could not admit that he only got the card by chance. He had to let Officer Kerani form his own conclusions about Mwana¡¯s status. ¡®This kid must be related to some super-bigshot!¡¯ Officer Kerani was not offended by Mwana¡¯s tone as he had already started forming his own opinions. ¡®He barely has the qualifications to join the Silver Guards so the only way he can get a card like this is through connections!¡¯ All kinds of wild thoughts ran through his mind. ¡®Is he Mr. Black¡¯s relative? Maybe a nephew.¡¯ ¡®¡­or even a hidden son!¡¯ The officer¡¯s eyes widened like round goggles as he made all kinds of strange assumptions. ¡°Do you think just an ordinary person would have this?¡± Mwana asked. This question naturally sealed the deal. Although Mwana was just pretending to be of status to intimidate him, Officer Kerani would never be able to guess this. After all, the case of Mwana getting his card the way he did almost never happens. Mwana had used his awareness eye to find clues which impressed the investigation officers including Mr. Black. However, while Mwana deserved credit for his potential detective skills, the entire matter was also a huge coincidence. Further, there had only been 2 other Reserve Candidate Cards handed out in the past 5 years, and only officers at the Honored Detective level and above could hand out these cards. That is how rare it was for Mwana to possess this card. Once Mwana showed the card, everything was set in stone. Officer Kerani naturally decided to heavily punish the gangsters. Chains spread out from under his garments heading towards the thugs like coiling snakes. Those who tried to escape were quickly whipped back and in a moment the 15 gang members had all been wrapped up like dumplings. Seeing how quickly the so-called officer of the law switched sides, the boy who was standing beside Mwana could not help but lament, ¡°The world is clamoring all for the sake of gain.¡± This was the law of the world, the nature of humans. The world was filled with people seeking their own benefits and profit. Officer Kerani was no different. For him, whether he took action against the gang members tonight was all a balance of costs and benefits. The cost of offending Mwana outweighed the benefit of licking up to the gang members. And in a way, the benefits of befriending someone like Mwana, outweighed the cost of offending the gang members. Therefore, the right choice was crystal clear to officer Kerani. Watching the officer haul the thugs out of the street, the boy next to Mwana asked a question that was on his mind, ¡°I saw your fight with those men, none of them is an easy opponent. How could this guy burst out with such power and treat them like helpless babies so easily?¡± From this question, Mwana understood that the boy was asking about the Exception Card. This question was enough for Mwana to guess that this boy was not from Milele town. However, even Mwana did not understand much about Exception Cards beyond their name and basic functions. However, the apothecary who seemed to have gotten better after witnessing the thugs who had tortured him get drugged away like wailing pigs-to-the-slaughter, finally spoke up. As a resident of Milele and an influential businessman in the town, there was little he did not know. Apothecary Dawa spoke, ¡°Exception Cards ¨C That is what makes these officers, no matter how low ranking they are, almost invincible in this town. Criminals almost stand no chance against them,¡± the apothecary added, ¡°of course unless they have connections.¡± All this was common knowledge to Mwana but new news to the other boy. ¡°However, if you want to understand what the Exception Cards, you must first understand the normalization formation in this town, this city.¡± Apothecary Dawa continued. ¡°For the normalization magic formation, there are actually 2 levels ¨C humanization and equalization. It is this formation, in tangent with exception cards, that maintains order in such a big place like Milele.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s words, both Mwana and the boy were amazed. ¡°Truly, what a way to use magic!¡± The boy exclaimed in mild shock. It was like he was witnessing new horizons. While Mwana was not as shocked since he already understood the basics, he realized that this formation was almost perfect in how it regulated strength. It was the reason why the earlier Blood Mural Case was so strange; so strange to the point that Silver Guard have to come. If there was no formation ¨C no ¡°humanization¡± and ¡°equalization¡± factors, naturally no one would be shocked to see such a brutal killing. But there was, so where did things go wrong? Mwana could not help but ponder, ¡®Is there a hole in the formation? Is there corruption in the city allowing even murderers to have access to Exception Cards? Or did the enemy device a new way to ignore the parameters of the formation?¡¯ All these were questions that needed answering. But it obviously was not Mwana¡¯s turn yet. Nevertheless, the Silver Guard would not show up just for regular murders which could be dealt with by regular law enforcement in the town. After officer Kerani dragged away the gang members, Mwana, the boy beside him, and the apothecary all followed the officer to the town guard headquarters. ¡°Why are you still following me?¡± Mwana asked in an annoyed tone as he watched the boy follow beside him like some sort of parasitic tick. But this kid, did not even answer. He just kept walking while hamming a tune as if saying, ¡®Is this your road?, Is this your tone?, Why does it matter to you where I go?¡¯ Mwana could only ignore him. Anyway, important matters first. Although Mwana looked down on Kerani¡¯s moral standards, he understood that this man, and by extension the town¡¯s guards, could help him. With Mr. Black¡¯s card in hand, he had some minor privileges. For instance, he could enter the town criminal hall to research on the thief guilds around the town. ¡®I have realized there is a limit to what one man can do.¡¯ Multiple plans had already started to form in this little boy¡¯s mind, ¡®In life, a MAN should be proactive.¡¯ Even though he was far from a man, maybe he had already started thinking like one, maybe just a little bit. Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 7: Weapon Ranks 1. Mortal Grade Weapons (a) Earth Rank ¨C Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Black. - These weapons are used by warriors in the Mortal Body Rank (b) Sky Rank ¨C Blue and Red. (c) Heaven Rank ¨C 1st Heaven to 7th Heaven. 2. Spirit Grade Weapons 3. Sacred Grade Weapons 4. Divine Grade Weapons Chapter 134: Cows are far better than People Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of fists clashing was like metal drums exploding in the night. Two figures, one tiny like a newborn calf and one huge like a mountain bull, collided again and again. Boundless Might! Demon Bull Fist! A tiny fist like a child¡¯s ¨C no, it was truly a child¡¯s fist, and a giant fist like a hammer, connected. It was an incongruent scene. But out of this incongruity, an inhuman power exploded outwards levelling everything in its path. The pressure wave blasted through the park flattening the grass and blowing rocks into the air. After the collision, the two figures were launched like cannon balls in opposite directions crashing into the landmarks in the park. Ruummmbble! From one of the piles of rubble, a girl emerged with rocks and sand flowing off her body like a landslide. It was Kia. Her golden hair pins snapped like a whip breaking letting her hair loose. Her laid-down hair immediately exploded into an afro shape like an angry peacock announcing its arrival. As she slowly stood back up from the rubble, in her always dark-black irises there was now a purple glint. At this moment, Kia had already begun using the 5th lesser heaven technique: the 3 Steps to Divinity.
  1. Gate of Heaven ¨C ¡°Boundless Might.¡±
  2. Gate of Man ¨C ¡°Down-to-Earth.¡±
  3. Gate of God ¨C ¡°Embodiment of the Divine.¡±
This technique was aptly names the 3 World Bearing Gates in Kia¡¯s homeland but in Toro, it went by the name the 3 Steps to Divinity. Nevertheless, it was the same technique regardless of the name. Kia¡¯s martial arts mainly consisted of physical skills and most importantly, her model of practice greatly varied from the mainstream warrior system in Toro. In fact, as someone who came from outside the Swordscar Continent, Kia was not a practitioner of the traditional body forging method. For this reason, she did not need to go through the 10 body forging levels like everyone else. Outside the Swordscar continent, there were many other methods and training systems in the Zika world that followed different models such as the Western Essence Gathering System, Eastern systems that involved either the control of spiritual power or resonance with heaven and earth energy, Southern systems that involved totemic power, and many others. On the darker side, there also existed curse realm ¡°procedures¡± that harnessed the power of witchcraft and the taboo demonic training system that originated from the Demon Realm. Kaboom! From the opposite end, a giant muscular woman emerged from the crushed earth like a warrior entering battle. Without even moving a finger, all the rocks and rubble around her were crushed to dust. ¡°Ha ha ha, you have some oomph little girl,¡± The woman said with a chuckle. Bang! The next moment, she leaped towards Kia like a bullet leaving the barrel. The ground below her was torn apart as a sonic boom exploded visible across the entire town park. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Bring it on!¡± The woman who only went by Barbarian Bull Queen or ¡°Queen¡± rushed forward sending a punch barreling towards Kia like a bullet train. Before the punch even arrived, its sheer pressure was enough to blow away the sweat and dust on Kia¡¯s face. Kabang! Another fierce clash blasted through the park. This time there was no separation ¨C a kick for a kick, a punch for a punch, a head-butt for a head-butt, a shoulder check for a shoulder check, an elbow for an elbow. ¡®What a dangerous girl!¡¯ Seeing that she could not gain the upper-hand quickly, Barbarian Bull Queen finally realized why her ¡®useless¡¯ underlings had failed to bring Kia down. ¡®This little girl is not an easy opponent at all!¡¯ ¡®I have to break her rhythm.¡¯ With that thought, ¡°Queen¡± opened her mouth to speak. ¡°What do you really hope to achieve here tonight, do you think you are the hero here?¡± However, such level of taunting naturally fell on deaf ears. Kia ignored her and continued her onslaught. ¡°Let me tell you, while I am the primary enforcer here, the pain and suffering that I inflict on these ¡®merchandise¡¯, hehehe, is guided by human hands.¡± ¡°Merchandise! Is that a way to speak about the children you are treating like cattle?¡± This time Kia could not ignore her opponent¡¯s taunts. ¡°Cattle? Hey now, relax on the racism, or speciesm, or whatever.¡± The woman replied with a fake-hurt tone; an expected response to the mention of cattle to someone named ¡°the barbarian bull queen¡±. Seeing that her taunts were working, the woman continued speaking between the exchange of blows, ¡°Girl, look at those plump little girls, haha you don¡¯t want to know what they have endured in our hands. Or do you?¡± ¡®I have to break this girl¡¯s spirit so that I can truly break her!¡¯ While her words and tone was filled with evil humor, in her mind the woman knew that Kia was not an easy opponent. Sometimes words were the key to hurting an opponent. ¡°After I am done with you, you will be in chains as well! Later, maybe you will be food on some beast¡¯s table, or even worse, hehe.¡± The woman said the last part with an added wink. ¡°Curses!¡± Kia exclaimed in anger. However, it was not the taunts aimed at her that angered her but rather the fate of the young children who were trafficked by this group. ¡°Dare to commit such a barbaric act.¡± Kia shouted as she launched herself in the air using Queen¡¯s shoulder as a foothold. From high in the sky, Kia came down with a guillotine kick so devastating that it felt like it could split the earth apart. ¡°Cows everywhere, cows are far better than these people.¡± The woman did not know how to feel when she heard Kia¡¯s mutterings. After all, she was similar to a ¡°cow¡± and a person ¨C a hybrid demon beast with the blood of a Barbarian Bull running through her veins. Therefore, any interpretation of Kia¡¯s words would be offensive to her. ¡°Impudent!¡± Queen responded upon hearing Kia¡¯s words. Immediately, she responded with a kick of her own slashing through the air like an executioner¡¯s sword. If any unlucky fellow were to be caught between these two kicks, they would instantly be bisected in two! Kraaak! The clash between the two was like a crack of thunder tearing through the air. ¡°Impudent? You of all people dare scold me!¡± Kia¡¯s anger was like a boiling victory, ¡°How dare you show anger here? How dare you play the victim?¡± She could not believe that the villain would dare act offended in front of her. The two fighters did not rest as each unleashed a series of heavy blows each stronger than the last. However, this time it was Kia who took the initiative to speak while her opponent remained silent, ¡°Those humans who have employed you, their time will come. However, that has nothing to do with you. You will not live to see it. Your time is now!¡± ¡°All you killers who tread on human lives are like hungry and dirty cows in the desert. I will let you never know peace in your entire lives!¡± ¡°Sheesh, calm down little lady!¡± Since when had Barbarian Bull Queen been admonished like this? However, this time she was not angry at the mention of cows since she could see that amidst the battle, the anger and the blood had rushed to Kia¡¯s head. However, what vexed her was that no matter how angry Kia had gotten, there was no opening in her defenses. In fact, it seems that Kia had gotten even mightier and more strategic in her attacks. Gate of Man ¨C ¡°Down-to-Earth!¡± With a single palm strike to the chest, Kia blasted the Queen away almost like swatting a fly. This was the second gate of divinity. Even though her ribs were still uninjured, for a moment the woman could not breathe as pain assaulted her lungs. Naturally Kia did not give her a moment to breathe and followed up with more palm strikes each aimed at a vital point. Steel Smelting Palms! Barbarian Bull Queen could only respond with her own palm technique. When her large palm shaped hands covered Kia¡¯s small palms, an electric sound like static emerged between the two fighters. However, none of them could gain the upper-hand temporarily. Chapter 135: The Knight Arrives ¡®I can¡¯t let this drag out anymore.¡¯ Kia thought; but before she could come up with a victory plan, she felt the hair on her back stand like pins. ¡®Danger!¡¯ ¡°Too late.¡± Barbarian Queen shouted while locking down all paths of escape. Swiiiiiiish!!!!!! A bright yellow arrow rushed towards Kia before striking her shoulder. However, because of the distance, this attack did not have much effect on the girl. Looking into the depth of the night, one could see the dead man, Flame Spirit Hand, who was standing with his hands outstretched holding a giant bow. Before Kia could even plan for the extra opponent, another attack came from a different direction! From her left, a giant claw mark printed on space, pierced towards Kia¡¯s temple as if aiming to lobotomize her. It was another opponent she had previously taken down, the werehyena known as ¡°Red Sun¡± Speedman ¨C the eldest of the hyena brothers. What was previously a one on one fight had now transformed into a 3 vs 1 battle situation. Physically, Kia had to contend with Barbarian Bull Queen while Speedman and the zombie man provided support to the Queen from the side. Facing this unfavorable situation, Kia was quick and decisive. ¡®Take out the support first.¡¯ With that thought, she disengaged from Queen and rushed towards the archer. The archer, Flame Spirit Hand, was a giant man who had a fire spirit as a hand. He was an unnatural existence formed when a corpse in the Undead Marsh fused with a Fire Spirit. The resulting abomination was a Ghost Flame Corpse Spirit. Although this type of corpse spirit had low intelligence, it retained memories of its martial skills when it was still alive. Therefore, it was exceptional in combat. ¡°You won¡¯t get away!¡± With a strong leap, Queen went after Kia to protect the archer. She knew that if she lost the archer¡¯s support, it would not be as easy to take down Kia. In fact, she valued the archer far more than the werehyena since Flame Spirit Hand could offer long range assistance. When Kia closed the distance between her and the archer, she was once again shocked to see his appearance. The man was a half decomposing corpse! However, this shock barely lasted a second as she launched her fist at the corpse man. Swooosh! The speed of an archer! _So fast almost like flying. Even with the body of a zombie, the archer was still swift enough to dodge Kia¡¯s strike. After dodging, the archer performed a series of footwork like a sliding scale and headed towards Barbarian Bull Queen''s side. It was a speed that did not match his bulky body. Once again, Kia¡¯s opponents had regrouped! Previously, when Kia had reinvigorated herself so had her enemies. Even though he had been beaten up severely, as the oldest brother, Speedman was the most tenacious. A few minutes had first since his first brutal defeat yet he had already recovered his combat power. While he feared Kia¡¯s strength, he was confident that with Barbarian Bull Queen and Flame Spirit Hand at his side, ¡°there is no way that we will lose!¡± ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± The painful roar immediately broke the stalemate that had developed. Everyone including Queen and the half dead man were shocked as they turned to look at the werehyena. ¡°Speedman, do you really need to go that far?¡± Queen exclaimed. Even she would not have been so brutal to herself. At this moment, a copious amount of blood was bursting out of Speedman¡¯s back like a fountain. His claws were inserted deep into his back and with a violent tug, he ripped out his own spine amidst painful roars! This was an extremely dangerous and self-harming demonic technique ¨C the Dark Devil Spear, a spear formed out of bones. However, why would anyone practice or use such a technique? Naturally, the answer was power. The dark devil spear formed from one¡¯s spine had many extreme abilities. ¡°It is said that this is a spear that can pierce through almost anything! I have never tried it before today so help me open my eyes as well.¡± Speedman said with a whimper while looking at Kia. While he sounded like a wounded animal, at this monent no one dared to underestimate him. This was a truly crazy man. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The next moment, there was silence and then Speedman disappeared from where he was standing. ¡®So fast!¡¯ ¡®Like teleportation!¡¯ Kia almost failed to see the trajectory of her opponent¡¯s move. The speed of the spear could only be described as devilish ¨C as fast as a rocket. It was a shocking attack for sure, but who was Kia? She was someone who trained in many physical martial arts. It was not just her physical strength and body defense that was unmatched; her speed was nothing to scoff at either. In a straight race, even Barbarian Bull Queen could not catch up to her. ¡°What!¡± What happened next left Speedman reeling in shock. The girl actually caught his almost imperceptible spear thrust with her bare hand! ¡®It is of no matter. She can¡¯t counter the momentum.¡¯ Speedman¡¯s thoughts were not far from reality. While Kia succeeded in grabbing the spear, the sheer speed and momentum of the spear was too much. The next moment, the spear directly landed on her stomach with so much force that it created an explosion tearing apart Kia¡¯s dress at her stomach area. The spear directly landed on Kia¡¯s stomach sending her flying back, but she still did not let go of her hold on the spear. ¡°Hahaha, your insides must have turned to mush now, hehehe.¡± Seeing the girl hanging on his spear, Speedman was quick to celebrate. But when he saw Kia¡¯s gaze, a deep sense of unease enveloped him. ¡°Speedman, get the hell away from there?¡± Queen¡¯s frantic shout entered the werehyena¡¯s ears; but it was already too late. Kia¡¯s grip on the devil spear felt like the force of a giant holding a toothpick ¨C overwhelming and unshakeable. He could not shake her off at all; and when the hyena man glanced down at where his spear should have pierced her stomach, he was even more shocked. Underneath Kia¡¯s clothes, there was no wound but only ¡°¡­rock hard abs!¡± that made Speedman blush in shame at his own inadequacy. That was his final thought before a fierce counterattack, a blow like no other, barrelled into his head knocking him down and creating a miniature crater in the ground with dust flying everywhere. It was lights out for this rabid hyena. To withstand the spear thrust, Kia¡¯s physical martial skills were not enough. This time she used a mental skill called Dark Annihilation Will [D.A. Will]. This was a unique type of mind over matter mental technique. However, given the mental energy expenditure, she could not keep the technique active any longer. ¡®I am already keeping multiple martial skills active simultaneously. My mind¡¯s processing power can¡¯t keep up any more.¡¯ ¡®And now my body is also experiencing fatigue from operating at 120% without rest.¡¯ ¡®Maybe I overestimated myself. Fighting multiple opponents successively with each of them stronger than the last is not easy at all.¡¯ Kia silently lamented as she tried to catch her breath. However, her opponents did not give her any opportunity to rest. [Ghost Flame Cannon] This was a technique that combined archery with fist techniques. When Flame Spirit Hand activated this skill, his fiery arm turned into a giant cannon more than 5 meters long. The next moment, he punched out ferociously towards Kia. The gigantic fiery arm shot out an arrow of flames like a fierce cannon! Kia¡¯s first thought was to dodge but Barbarian Bull Queen had already anticipated that. Steel Smelting Palms! The woman''s palms glowed with a red hot shine as she attacked Kia. Once again, she blocked the girl¡¯s path of retreat. ¡®If these attacks land, there is no way I can escape unscathed.¡¯ Kia knew that even with her inhuman stamina, her strength had dropped considerably after the series of battles. After all, fighting so many opponents without rest was very draining. However, at the moment of crisis, the titanic flaming arrow suddenly diverted from Kia¡¯s body. What should have been a direct attack only grazed her. Someone had arrived. It was Mwana! With a moment to breathe, Kia managed to repel Queen again. Mwana and Kia did not have time to converse but a nod was enough to communicate with each other, to understand one another. With a tacit understanding, both of them launched a combo attack so smooth that one would think they had practiced it countless times. When Flame Spirit Hand aimed to fire off a second attack, Mwana chose to slide beneath him from behind which made the archer miss his shot against Kia. As the as the burly archer¡¯s body fell backwards, Kia leaped into the air and ¡®delivered¡¯ a devastating punch to Flame Spirit Hand¡¯s face. The punch was so powerful that it not only slammed the corpse warrior into the ground, but it also caused his body to bounce back up into the air! It was like the solid ground made of rock had turned into rubber for an instant. When Flame Spirit Hand finally landed on the ground again, the fire on his body went out; this time for good. Looking at their downed opponent, Kia and Mwana slapped hands almost like a high-five as a sign of celebration. Victory! The two then turned to look at the only remaining enemy. "How the tables turn." Kia commented with a smile on her face. This time, the situation had reversed from the previous 3 vs 1 in Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s favor to the current 2 vs 1 in Kia¡¯s favor. Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 8: Nations in the Swordscar Continent Countries already mentioned in the story: Three Great Nations
  1. Golden Kingdom [Dhahabu]
  2. Dark Kingdom [Giza]
  3. Waterfall Kingdom [Biyaha]
Other Nations
  1. Butterfly Country [Pepeo]
  2. Land of Enlightenment [Uono]
  3. Nation of Calling [Wito]
  4. Eternal Night Kingdom [Toro]
  5. Madi
  6. Kiziba
  7. Buddo
  8. Axum
  9. Skyfeather Kingdom
  10. Eastern Jin Nation
  11. Demonic Territory
There are 21 countries in the Sword Scar Continent: 3 Great Nations, 16 small nations, and 2 isolated states one of which is the Demonic Territory. The other nations not mentioned in the story so far are:
  1. Hidden Forest Territory (a forest land where all sorts of mythical creatures reside. Its boundaries are shrouded in mist, hard to enter, and even harder to leave. This is the second isolated state)
  2. Land of the Tall [Warefu] ¨C it is where the 12 feet fellows and half-giants reside. Everything in this country from roads to buildings is scaled up.
  3. Koma Ancient Boundary (a strip of land located within the thickest part of the scar on the continent itself. It is like a boundary separating the continent in two. Most people born in this boundary have a Sword Soul since birth)
  4. Land of Drums [Doromo]
  5. Black Dragon Island (located off the shores of the north eastern part of the continent. It directly faces the ¡®Dragon Head¡¯ of the Black Dragon Mountain Range and has therefore faced the ¡®dragon¡¯s breath¡¯ for eons. The island nation is filled with volcanic rock and red fiery gems. Most of the plants on the island are variations of red and black instead of green)
  6. North ¡®Scar¡¯ [North Kovu] ¨C a kingdom located to the north western parts of the continent and the gateway to the western and northern continents
  7. Land of Blemishes [Dosari]
Additionally, there are many other smaller semi-autonomous states and territories in the continent such as the Land of Wise Sayings [Semi za Hekima/Hekima State] which is partially controlled by Toro. Concerning continents, there are 2 continents to the East of the Sword Scar Continent, 1 continent to the North and another 1 continent to the South, and finally, there are 4 continents to the West. Therefore, in total, there are 9 continents on the Zika planet. Chapter 136: Free Rein Before arriving at the town park to help Kia, Mwana had a very ¡°productive¡± conversation with Apothecary Dawa. From the medicine man¡¯s mouth, Mwana had learned that the Red Hawk Gang did not just rely on torture to get their way as kidnapping was also in their cards. In fact, the gang had kidnapped Dawa¡¯s daughter to blackmail him before resorting to good ol¡¯ torture. When he heard this, Mwana had naturally been shocked at the time. He seemed to vaguely sense that this town was not as peaceful as it seemed. Whether it was shocking monsters or rampant gangs, Milele town seemed to have it all. Peace in this town was just a thin veil that could be pierced at any time. ¡°Didn¡¯t you report it to the authorities?¡± Mwana asked Dawa about the kidnapping. ¡°You should know ¨C a lot of the law enforcement in the town has been bribed by these gangs. They move like snails when it comes to any gang-related cases.¡± Although Mwana already guessed the outcome, there was still a feeling of incredulity at the lawlessness in the town. When describing his pains, Dawa took the opportunity to ask Mwana for help. He was sure that Mwana had some people behind him. After all, the kid dared to do what he could not. Not only did Mwana take on members of the Red Hawk gang but he also had a Silver Guard card which was apparently issued by Mr. Black himself. Even local officers and town guards would move sideways when Mwana whipped out the card. And that was not all. Possessing Mr. Black¡¯s card was also enough to grant Mwana some preferential treatment in the local branch of the silver guards. Naturally, all this was due to a coincidence and Dawa¡¯s own assumptions but who was Mwana to refuse when blessings came knocking at his door. The medicine man had offered generous rewards after all, ¡®Am I supposed to just say no. There is a girl¡¯s life at stake here!¡¯ ¡°If it is within my power, I will do everything to help.¡± Mwana responded to Dawa¡¯s request. After entrusting Mwana to save his daughter, Dawa actually paid! A certain sum in advance and another promised after the task was complete. It is not like Mwana would refuse to save someone without money but naturally cash makes any deal sweeter. ¡°Recently, the Red Hawks have intercepted a lot of herbs and medicinal treasures.¡± ¡°If anyone can retrieve them along the way, they will receive a lot of gratitude from the medicine community in the town.¡± _-__An even sweeter deal in Mwana¡¯s ears. ¡°And if a few stalks of herbs are missing, who knows who took them. It is only natural for the gang to have used some of them, right?¡± It was a question but also an implication. Dawa did not need to say anymore to convince Mwana. His words sounded like honey to Mwana¡¯s ears ¨C make some direct cash, earn the gratitude of the medicine community, and pocket some ¡°free¡± loot somewhere along the way; and if anything went wrong, all the blame would still rightfully fall on the Red Hawk gang. ¡°You know how to talk, I like that.¡± Mwana responded with a face full of smiles, all his teeth showing. ¡°Happy to advice,¡± even with his broken fingers, the old apothecary still cupped his fist when speaking. A period of silence followed in the dark alleyway and then laughter erupted, two voices ¨C one old and one young. ¡°Men¡± could really understand one another. ¡­¡­ Ramming Cannon: Deicide! This attack was like a meteor shooting through the air. A sense of heat followed Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s two fists as they expanded towards Mwana and Kia. This was not just an expansion due to movement but also in size. Barbarian Bull Queen had entered a half transformation state! With deft footwork, the two youngsters narrowly dodged the older woman¡¯s attack. However, even though they successfully evaded the blow, just the force coming from the wind pressure on ¡°Queen¡¯s¡± extended fists was enough to grate against their skin. This alone made them understand that a full force attack like this would probably leave them bloody if it connected. Just from its name ¨C Deicide, this was an attack meant to slaughter the gods! ¡°Impossible! This kind of attack power should not be possible!¡± Mwana exclaimed in shock. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The power their opponent used clearly surpassed the perimeters of the Normalization Magic applied to Milele town. ¡°Shape up, she is about to attack again.¡± Kia spoke from Mwana¡¯s side. In her mind, she thought the boy was losing it. ¡®What?!¡¯ Internally, all Mwana could do was exclaim at the ¡°dig¡±. When Barbarian Bull Queen came barreling towards them again like a freight train passing through, the two of the dodged her attack by the skin again. But this time, Mwana dodged while turning over the fallen hyena man with his feet. What he saw finally confirmed his suspicions. ¡°I knew it! There are remnant fluctuations emitted by the use of supernatural powers through Exception Cards on all of them! At least 5%.¡± Mwana exclaimed, loudly at that. After all, while allowing 5% usage of supernatural powers might seem negligible, even that was enough to make a huge difference in a battle. ¡°Exception card? What is that?¡± Kia asked. The question left Mwana dumbfounded. Although he did not know much about these cards until meeting the patrolling officer and learning from Apothecary Dawa, Mwana was shocked to hear that Kia had no clue about them. ¡°Did you not feel that your opponents were stronger than usual?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± This exchange opened Mwana¡¯s eyes. He could only marvel at his own inadequacy, ¡®How strong do I gotta be to not even notice when my opponents are cheating?¡¯ Learning that their enemies had access to exception cards also allowed the two youngsters to understand how deeply corruption was rooted in the structure of this town. ¡°Even some child traffickers can actually get exception cards!¡± Exception cards ¨C this was the only formally established way to exert supernatural power within Milele¡¯s boundaries. The only power that could break this rule was the Paradise Ring ¨C a power controlled by Paradise Elders stationed across various villages in Toro. The elder who was in charge of the escort mission from Jua village during this trip, Elder Kirigiti was an example of a Paradise Elder. Naturally he also had a Paradise Ring. These rings actually functioned like the rings of a certain famous group of space corps. Not only did the rings grant temporary peak level powers to their users, they could also bypass seals, formations, and bans that restricted other forms of supernatural powers. The unique power of these rings came from the material used to create them ¨C shards from broken Holy Crystals. When Mwana had first learned of these rings, not only did he desire them, but he also truly understood that ¡®the talents of humans are unfathomable.¡¯ ¡°Steel Smelting Palms!¡± Barbarian Bull Queen was akin to a raging Minotaur as she continued her assault. ¡°Stand still you damned brats!¡± ¡°Just let me hit you. Just once.¡± ¡°I promise it won¡¯t hurt.¡± While her attacks were fierce, the bull-like woman grew more frustrated as the battle continued. The two brats were too nimble! Despite her immense strength, she was outclassed in speed. However, in this clash, Barbarian Bull Queen still had no trouble holding her own against the two ¡®damned brats¡¯. While the battle was going on, Kia informed Mwana about the situation ¨C including the child trafficking as well as the girls with space storage talismans in their stomachs who were locked away in the carriages. Naturally, this was enough to raise Mwana¡¯s emotions of anger and wrath to the point that his fierceness in battle increased. While Mwana had just witnessed members of the Red Hawk gang torture a man, it seemed that this cell of the gang did even more nefarious things. The gang even hired actual monsters to do their dirty work and bribed town officials to get access to exception cards. It was clear that they had free rein in Milele town¡¯s underground scene. ¡°This gang cannot continue existing.¡± Mwana said in a resolute tone. ¡­¡­. ___Mwana was still very young, and he obviously was not a saint, but it was very hard for him to tolerate the evil right in front of his eyes. ___If you asked someone to ignore something bad that happened a thousand miles away, they can ignore it and even sleep with peace of mind. But if you shine a light on the extreme evil a few meters away from them, it is very hard for anyone to even eat and sleep in peace. Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 9: Exorcist Guide
  1. Demonic Being ¨C they are formed by the lingering evil, murderous intentions, and a great concentration of negative feelings such as pain and despair. If such negativity is incubated by Demonic Energy, either naturally or unnaturally, it hatches into a demonic being or spirit.
  2. Remnant Spirits ¨C they are formed from spiritual parts of dead beings. They are not necessarily good or evil.
  3. Evil Spirits ¨C they are remnant spirits that carry the evil emotions and thoughts of the dead.
  4. Ghosts ¨C they are formed from dead souls that usually have their memories damaged. Therefore, they can¡¯t remember what is keeping them in the world of the living.
  5. Wandering Souls ¨C these are souls that cannot get through the veil between the living world and the afterlife. They wander across the heavens and the earth and even between space and time. As time goes on, they lose their memories and become mindless ghasts.
  6. Tethered Souls ¨C unlike wandering souls, some souls are tethered to something, someone, or somewhere in the living world. They cannot move on to the afterlife unless the tether is undone.
  7. Poltergeists ¨C unlike ghosts and spirits, they are formed from the mental emissions of living creatures as they die. The feelings of fear, despair, pain, and helplessness congeal at the moment of death and solidify into an invisible force ¨C a poltergeist. Poltergeists can only exist in the living world for a few hours or days after the person dies. However, there are strange things that can extend the lifespan of a poltergeist.
  8. Specter of Death ¨C they are formed when someone has a true near death experience or returns from death. Mental and soul emissions that would have formed poltergeists and remnant spirits respectively merge and collect together forming a death specter. The specter is like an invisible parasite that hangs on the back of the person who emitted or ¡°created¡± it.
  9. Grave Spirits ¨C they guard the graves of their corpses. They are emitted by the residual soul power that remains in the corpse. However, only specific corpses can emit grave spirits so in general they are very rare. They are usually docile most of the time unless the graves they guard over are disturbed.
  10. Aberrants/Anomalies ¨C unexplained phenomena that can appear in different forms from inanimate objects to living beings to spirits. However, these phenomena have no direct explanation rooted in the world. They are neither ghosts nor demons. They have no connection to the netherworld or the spirit world. Therefore, there is no singular way to deal with them.
  11. Doppelgangers ¨C Residents of the Forgotten Realm that exists below the Netherworld. They are incongruent replications of living beings in the real world.
Author Note: Unlock the second side-story ¨C Exorcist Chronicles on my Patreon. Chapter 137: Sword Demon Jua Mkata-Mwezi Barbarian Bull Queen ¨C she was a woman who came from the Forsaken Valley in the country known as North Kovu. She was born in a dark, gloomy, and cruel world where everything went by the rule ¡°might makes right.¡± For this reason, her motto in life was always: ¡°If brute force didn¡¯t work, you didn¡¯t use enough.¡± ¡°Go harder!¡± As for her mission, this mission, failure was absolutely unacceptable. ¡°I cannot fail! I will never fail!¡± ¡°Curse my luck, why did I bump into such a scary brat tonight?!¡± Despite her determination, she still could not understand how her luck could be so terrible for her to come into conflict with someone like Kia; someone young but strong; someone who was even more relentless than her. ¡°So stubborn!¡± And now another tricky ¡®brat¡¯ had jumped in out of nowhere. How could she not be frustrated? The mission this time was meant to be easy and straightforward. It was a simple transport mission. There were three types of merchandise in this particular group ¨C the children, the drug, and the flowers. Melancholy potion ¨C this was a drug brewed from many ingredients including herbs in the same family as the Funeral Flower. Because of its side effects, this drug was banned in most countries across the world. The potion had gained its notorious reputation due to one feature ¨C it was a drug that took advantage of the sorrows of people in the most literal sense. In Milele, the Melancholy potion was usually smuggled through patches that were stored in the stomachs of young children. The entire process was made all the more possible by the bi-monthly Fire Fox Parade where the number of children in Milele would skyrocket; And now that there was an additional Candy Battle that attracted even more children from across the nation, no one would ask too many questions if a few more appeared out of nowhere or disappeared unexpectedly. In fact, this season of celebration was also considered a prime season for human traffickers. Nonetheless, the traffickers of these illegal drugs were smart and always made sure to use orphaned or homeless children who no one would miss. A surprising coincidence, or maybe not, was that the leader of the Codes that Mwana had just fought who went by the name Terran was also aiming for almost the same thing as Kia. The Broken Fantasy Flower which Terran needed to heal the person he loved was the ¡®King¡¯ flower in this family of Funeral Flowers. Among the different types of funeral flowers that grew together, the broken fantasy flower was a rarity, one flower growing among hundreds. The surrounding funeral flowers would be used as nourishment for the broken fantasy flower. This was because the broken fantasy flower was itself a unique type of a funeral flower. When many of these types of flowers grew together, a natural formation was formed that would lead to one of the funeral flowers mutating into a broken fantasy flower. This type of phenomenon sometimes happened in nature and humans had also tried to do the same. However, it was extremely difficult to artificially replicate this rare natural occurrence. Despite the difficulty, there was a rumor that within Milele town, there was someone who not only grew funeral flowers but had also somewhat replicated this natural formation to produce broken fantasy flowers! Naturally, the actions of Red Hawk gang members like Barbarian Bull Queen were all in service of this figure that existed in the shadows of Milele town. ¡°Looks like I have to use that.¡± Barbarian Bull Queen muttered to herself. ¡°5% will do.¡± ¡°Prepare yourself brats, grit your teeth and see if you can withstand this.¡± Taking a stance similar to a giant bull preparing to charge, the woman unleased a new attack. However, just from the earth crushing aura that emerged from her body, Mwana and Kia knew that this attack was leagues beyond what their enemy had shown before. ¡°Bull Horn!¡± A giant dark red bull skull was projected around Barbarian Bull Queen. One of the horns of the bull aimed for Kia while the other horn aimed at Mwana. The attack reached them almost instantaneously. ¡°Fast!¡± This was the only thought in their minds as they rushed to react. However, it was too late to dodge. The two could only block in front of their bodies with their swords. Mwana blocked the spear-like horn with his golden Sunset Sword and silver Instant Sword placed in an X or cross shape in front of his chest. Meanwhile, Kia held her Omni-sword vertically with one hand grabbing the sword¡¯s hilt and the other palm putting pressure against the top of the sword to push against the horn attack. However, despite their best efforts, Mwana and Kia¡¯s swords still curved inwards and bumped into their chests due to the sheer power of this attack. Immense pressure impacted their chests pushing all the air out of their lungs and knocking them into the distance. Bull Horn ¨C this was a technique performed with an exception cards at 5% release! Given that the person using the card was a strong person like Barbarian Bull Queen, the power she could exert far exceeded what people like the hyena men could showcase. However, before the bull-like woman could celebrate her victory, a sharp silver sword light rushed out of the darkness. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Although she managed to dodge the sword light, all of Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s hair stood on edge as she watched the sword light curve a narrow gash into the ground that extended endlessly into the dark night. It looked like a long silver thread disappearing into the unknowable distance. ¡°A dangerous foe!¡± Although the attack did not seem too powerful, from its sharpness, the woman understood the danger of this new opponent. At the same time when the attack landed, two men walked out of the darkness. One of these men was someone that both Mwana and Kia recognized. It was Jua Mkata-mwezi, the ¡°Moon Cutter.¡± When Mwana saw Mkata-mwezi walk out of the pitch-black darkness, he exclaimed in joy, ¡°Big brother moon.¡± The man, or boy, who had just arrived, looked more like a teenager. In response to Mwana¡¯s exclamation, he smiled showing off his perfect teeth. ¡°I got your message.¡± That¡¯s right. Before coming to the park, Mwana had made sure to send out a message. Because Mwana¡¯s senses were enhanced to the extreme, he was able to pick out that Kia was in danger and ger to her location as fast as possible. However, Mwana was not na?ve enough to come without calling for help especially now that he had a direct line to the Silver Guards in Milele town. Since Mkata-mwezi was in Milele town training with the Silver Guards for an important future mission, he got Mwana¡¯s message very quickly. Beside Mkata-mwezi, there stood another man who Mwana and Kia had never seen. Silver Eagle Corps [5th Wing] Flying Squad Number 5 [Jiwe Maraduni] The man standing next to Mkata-mwezi was Jiwe Maraduni, a trainee of the Silver Eagle Corps. When this man entered Mwana and Kia¡¯s sights, their mouths were left hanging down. However, Jiwe was not offended. He was used to this. In a town like Milele, there were many beast men, talking animals, spirits, half-giants, dwarves, men of myth, and all kinds of other strange and foreign races. Therefore, most regular humans in the town were already used to strange sights. But Jiwe Maraduni still left even the ¡®experienced¡¯ Milele residents gasping in shock at his sight. First, he was extremely tall. Tall like a giant. Even an average man would be lucky if they could reach up to his waist. Let alone his waist, if anyone could just reach his knees, it was already enough to feel accomplished in some way, ¡®At least I am not too short.¡¯ Second, Jiwe Maraduni¡¯s body was made of rock. He was a giant rock man! Although no one knew his exact origins, Jiwe Maraduni was rumored to be a descendant of a mountain god. Even in the Majiwe tribe where he hailed from, he was unofficially recognized as a demigod. Basically his true origins were so confusing that not even he knew the whole truth. What was known though was that he had exceptional physical strength and his control over the earth was unparalleled. Jiwe Maraduni and Mkata-mwezi had one thing in common. They were both trainee officers in the Silver Guard. Different from those who only joined to fulfill mandatory service, trainees sought to actually enter the organization as permanent full-time members. Therefore, their training time was much longer than volunteer conscripts ¨C who were called that even though they obviously did not volunteer. Naturally, while a trainee officer¡¯s training time was longer, they had privileges that their counterparts did not have due to their status as permanent recruits. ¡°Strike first!¡± Seeing two new opponents emerge out of nowhere, Barbarian Bull Queen decided to strike first before her enemies could adapt to the situation. With her own already exaggerated strength as well as an exception card that allowed her to draw out more of her sealed power, there were very few people in Milele that Barbarian Bull Queen feared. While Mkata-mwezi¡¯s sword was impressive, it was not enough to get her to back down. Kaboooom! Queen and Maraduni collided. Krak! The sounds of bones, or maybe rocks and cowhide, creaking and cracking against each other could be heard but none of the two fighters gave way by even an inch. ¡°Go down!¡± Seeing her strength fail to push back the opponent, Barbarian Bull Queen underwent another transformation and a giant illusory bull took form behind her. At the same time, her own muscles, height, and overall size exploded reaching almost the same body size as the mountain-like Maraduni. Moreover, the transformation did not end there as two giant purple horns emerged from the place where her hair met her forehead. Her skin also darkened further taking on a reddish-black hue. At the same both her hands and feet turned completely pitch-black. It seemed as if a black hardened material had covered both of her hands and feet starting from the wrists and ankles and spreading all the way to the fingertips and toe tips. After transforming, the giant bull-like woman was finally able to push back Maraduni. However, Maraduni was not too embarrassed as he shouted with a booming voice, ¡°Strong! But I can still go a few more rounds with you.¡± Even if she took on this new form, Queen was only slightly stronger than Maraduni. Looking in the distance, she could see that Mkata-mwezi was yet to move. Further, his face remained unchanged. He did not seem shaken or distressed at all at the sight of Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s new power. Let alone shaken, he was not impressed. ¡®If these two join hands, can I still hold on?¡¯ ¡®Let alone winning, it might be me who loses.¡¯ ¡®But I still have that.¡¯ In an instant, a myriad of thoughts went through the giant woman¡¯s equally gigantic head. However, in the end she still chose to keep fighting. Against Mwana and Kia, she had used the Charging Bull Form. When clashing with Maraduni, she transformed once again into a form called the Reckless Bull Form. In this form, she overcame the stalemate of power and overpowered Jiwe Maraduni. She understood that against both Jiwe Maraduni and Jua Mkata-mwezi, the reckless bull form might not be enough. However, she still had a trump card! ¡®If the reckless bull form is not enough, I can still go into my Minotaur Form!¡¯ In addition to the inhuman strength of the Minotaur Form, her exception card could also release as high as 8% of her supernatural power. This naturally much higher than what the hyena men¡¯s cards could do. For this reason, Barbarian Bull Queen was extremely confident in her own victory. Both Mwana and Kia were directly disregarded from her equation. After all, she could tell their fatigue at a glance. They were both exhausted from fighting multiple opponents before facing her so their strength had dropped by many levels. ¡°8% Release!¡± With a flash of her exception card, Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s aura shot up into the sky like an upside-down waterfall. She had increased her supernatural power output from 5% to 8%. Taking a stance on all fours, she prepared to charge directly at her opponents like a mad bull. However, today was really not her night. ¡°Whoooo?!¡± With a loud shout that stretched out almost like the moo of a cow, Queen asked as she looked vigilantly into the darkness. Before the new arrivals were could be seen, two sets of footsteps, one heavy like mercury and one light as feathers, could be heard. ¡°This brat!¡± Barbarian Bull Queen muttered while looking at Mwana and Kia¡¯s location. Before she could even see the two people, not knowing if their friend or foe, she had already come to the conclusion that it was all Mwana¡¯s doing. Against 2 opponents, she was confident; but if more people kept coming, then there was no chance for victory no matter how many trump cards she had. ¡°How many did you call?!¡± She screamed while dangerously staring at Mwana as if seeking to devour him with her eyes. In response to this, Mwana just shrugged. Obviously he had not just called Mkata-mwezi. From the opposite side behind Mwana and Kia, two more figures emerged, finally walking into the light. Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 10: Barbarian Bull Queen ¨C Forms and Transformations
  1. Sealed Human Form
  2. Charging Bull Form
  3. Reckless Bull Form
  4. Crimson Minotaur
  5. True Barbarian Bull Transformation
Author Note: Appeal to all Readers ¡­ Please support me on my Patreon as I start to upload more things there. Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/gitagon6991 I have yet to sign any contract with web novel sites so I am not earning anything from writing this. I also have to work Monday to Friday and have to replace my laptop because of other issues. So the cost-time balance for this novel is not ideal at all. Any support would be greatly appreciated. Chapter 138: Zuren Let us go back in time to some few minutes ago¡­ While following Officer Kerani to the town guard tower in Milele town, Mwana had happened to pass by near the park. His senses instantly picked up that something was wrong. Since this place could be part of Kia¡¯s route, Mwana did not take any chances. ¡®It might be, it might not be, but I cannot leave it to chance.¡¯ With his enhanced senses of smell and hearing as well as the excellent vision granted by the Third Eye Mirror, Mwana was quick to discover the chaotic situation in the Central Park. At that time, he sent a message through flying paper birds given to him by Officer Kerani who was now eager to please. One of the messages reached Jua Mkata-mwezi at the Silver Guard branch while the other was sent to Jua Waya ¨C who was one of Mwana¡¯s closest ¡®confidantes¡¯ and a big brother figure from Jua village. When Jua Waya received the message, he was walking with someone in the Sanguine ¡®Couples¡¯ District. Nighttime had just set in and in this district this was ¡®couples time¡¯. As far as the eye could see, there were many couples walking hand in hand. Jua Waya also had someone walking beside him, someone whose beauty overshadowed everyone else on the street. It did not matter if one was a man or woman, everyone on the street could not help but stare when this person walked by them. This person''s beauty was that lethal! However, the man walking beside this person did not seem all that thrilled. Now Jua Waya was not exactly known for his dislike of beauty so what gives? ¡°You can just tell me how to get there, there¡¯s no need to take me there.¡± Jua Waya was reluctant to walk with this person. Why was he reluctant? It was because this person was a man, an extremely beautiful man who went by the name Zuren. Zuren completely ignored Jua Waya¡¯s words as he continued walking alongside him. Their destination was the central park where the battle was happening. Jua Waya had no choice but to follow Zuren towards the park. After all, he did not know the direction of the park by himself. Zuren was simply too attractive. Even though the two avoided crowded areas, he was still noticed by everyone they walked past. The first reaction was, ¡®wow, what a beauty, I am in love.¡¯ The second reaction was to take a look at Zuren¡¯s androgynous figure, and then the person¡¯s heart would skip a beat. ¡®Are they male or female?¡¯ The third reaction was to disregard Zuren¡¯s gender. ¡®As long as they are pretty, nothing else matters.¡¯ This was the usual reaction from both men and women. Silver Eagle Corps [5th Wing] Flying Squad Number 2 [Zuren] ___An unrivaled beauty. Maybe it was because Jua Waya feared ending up like Zuren¡¯s many male and female admirers that he did not want this man to accompany him. However, the situation at the park was unknown. It was best to come with all the help one could get. ¡­ Kyaaaaaaaah! A roar, no a scream, sounded in the dark central park. Before Waya and Zuren got to the scene, a battle had already exploded between Barbarian Bull Queen and the duo of Jiwe Maraduni and Jua Mkata-mwezi. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Take them down quick. I will hold her back.¡± Maraduni once again collided against Barbarian Bull Queen but this time, the power difference was even greater. Chunks of his rock-like skin broke off his body and went flying. His feet dug into the ground as he was pushed back by tremendous power leaving two deep gullys on the ground. The one who released the roar-like scream was surprisingly one of the werehyenas. ¡°What a shocking healing ability! I already put these guys down and they are already back up again!¡± The tenacity of these werehyenas surprised Kia to no end. Despite all their injuries, they kept getting up again and again. ¡°Maybe it is because of the curse. Were-creatures like them usually have very good regeneration. As long as the heart and brain remain in tact, they can come back from anything.¡± Mwana remarked in amazement. A human warrior could not do something like this. A shattered arm here and a broken leg there was more than enough to end most warriors¡¯ careers. In comparison, were-creatures like werewolves, werehyenas, werejaguars, werelions, and werecheetahs had the unique abilities based on the respective animals in addition to terrifying regenerative abilities. The only serious weakness that were-creatures had in comparison to human warriors was the loss of human reason and the lack of control due to heightened animal instincts. However, these creatures were better than regular human warriors in every other metric. Therefore, although the were-curses that led to the creation of these creatures were called curses, there were many who viewed them as blessings. Author Note 1: The wiki will be up soon! Some entries will be profiles of the characters such as below: Character Profiles
  1. Kia
Name: Malkia Gender: Female Age: 9 (Introduction), 10 (Milele Town), 14 (Tribulations), 19 (Independence War) Ethnicity: unknown Aliases: Kia, Battle Empress, the Irregular, the Successor, Winged Dark Panther, 13th ********, Beast of the Apocalypse Martial Rank: Aura/Aradu Stage ¨C 3rd Rank Manifestation of Inner Spirit/6th Lesser Heaven Magic Rank: unknown Abilities: Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Senses, Mind over Matter, Extreme Statistics Enhancement, Soul Barrier, Darkness Manipulation, Blood Manipulation, Underworld Power Manipulation Skills: Weapon Master Weapons: Hanging Maiden (ball and wire), Dark Soul Twin Blades (daggers), Omni-Sword, Anti-Demon Spray, Anti-Demon Bone Breaker Spike Family: unknown mother, Jin Mwaki (guardian), Fury Jin (sister, not blood related) Friends: Fury, Mwana, Maisha, Vitali Love Interest: Mwana Mentor: Waridi Enemies: Rabid Hyena Bandits, the Snake Charmers, Barbarian Bull Queen, the Beasts of Burden, Blood Demon Prince
  1. Mwana
Name: Mwana Jua Kijani Gender: Male (********** *****) Age: 9 (Introduction), 10 (Milele Town), 14 (Tribulations), 19 (Independence War) Ethnicity: Jua Clan ¨C Jemedari Tribe Aliases: Mwana, Mwas, Sun, ***, Son, ***** ******, Son of the Sun, All-Knowing Sun, Child of God, Hidden Detective, the Collector Martial Rank: Bone Forging Realm, forced Blood Boiling Realm Magic Rank: Magic Student (2nd Rank) Abilities: Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Brain Capacity, Limited Telekinesis, Wind Manipulation, Lightning Manipulation, Fire Projection, Wood Manipulation, Combat Aura, Soul Barrier, Sealing Power Skills: Swordsmanship, Spearmanship, Assassination, Painting, Carving, Embroidery, Blacksmithing Weapons: Instant Sword, Sunset Sword, Moonshine Hammer ¨C Timboroa, Demon Sealing Portraits, the Sword of Calling ¨C Ita, Dragon Tendon Bow, Demon Sealing Armor Family: Sana (mother), Pendo (sister), Jana (little brother/cousin), Dhahabu (father - deceased), Moja (eldest aunt), Vumilivu (little father/uncle), Wapili (uncle), Jumatatu (aunt), Vua Moyo (aunt, in-law), Fury Jin (cousin), Jin Mwaki (uncle, in-law), Chenga (younger cousin), Sayari (younger cousin), Sawa (younger cousin), Mengi (older female cousin), Shera (older female cousin), Soko (older male cousin), unnamed oldest cousin Friends: Jua Cheza (best friend), Nyaga, Mwanga, Malkia, Fury Jua, Jodenia, Sama Jire, Maisha, Vitali, Waya, Mkata-Mwezi, Motikatika Love Interest: Malkia (Kia) Mentor(s): Sanaan, Jua Urembo, Old Man Fisi (Hyena), Waya Enemies: Jua Majimaji (Maji 1), Uchoyo, Red Hawk Gang, Haraka, Kaskara, Blood Demon Prince
  1. Terran
Name: Etibar Aurel-Terran Liew Origin: Great Zika World ¨C Land of Yellow Sands, White Marsh Gender: Male Age: 20 (current) Ethnicity: Arun/Shadow People Clan: Liew Clan Alias: Mr. Magnet, Terran the Earth God, Code A ¨C the Apotheosis, Magnet Man Martial Rank: Earth Rank 2nd Stage ¨C Eternal Cliff Grade Abilities: Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Durability, Accelerated Healing Factor, Innate Darkness Manipulation, Geokinesis, Magnetic Manipulation, Fire Manipulation, Lava Manipulation, Electrokinesis Skills: Swordsmanship, Assassination, Espionage, Leadership, Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant Weapons: Dark Emersion Blade, Impact Gauntlet Family: Etibar Nu-Yuga (father), Raikar (mother), Etibar Aurel-Yok (sister), Etibar Aurel-Rodin (brother) Friends: Zeri, Code H ¨C the Hands, Code S ¨C the Scorpion, General Zafarani Love Interest: Nawiri Alizeti ¡°Blooming Sunflower¡± Mentor: Udona the Chameleon Enemies: Boss Q, Zabibu family ¨C Zabibu Manemane, Zabibu Koroma, the 7 Deadly Sins Appeal to all Readers ¡­ Please support me on my Patreon as I start to upload more things there. I have yet to sign any contract with web novel sites so I am not earning anything from writing this. I also have to work Monday to Friday and have to replace my laptop because of other issues. So the cost-time balance for this novel is not ideal at all. Any support would be greatly appreciated. Donations would also be appreciated. Chapter 139: Devil Reaper While the battle was ongoing, both Mwana and Kia had already sat down comfortably on the grass. They had already embraced their role as spectators. After all, the ¡®big men¡¯ had arrived so there was no reason for little children like them to keep pushing themselves. A dull grey sword strike rushed towards the barely alive werehyenas causing them to scream in fear. While Jiwe Maraduni held back Barbarian Bull Queen, Jua Mkata-mwezi aimed to clean up the battlefield in the quickest way possible. Slash! Blood spluttered. ¡°Big broooooother!¡± The younger hyena brothers cried out as they watched their big brother block the sword for them. Although Speedman used his spinal Dark Devil Spear to partially block Mkata-mwezi¡¯s attack, a giant gash was left on his torso extending from his left shoulder to his pelvis. The sword cut was so deep that it looked as if it would have bisected him diagonally in two if it went any deeper. Badum! Badum! Badum! Through the gash, one could even see Speedman¡¯s heart beating rapidly. At the same time, a river of blood escaped from the wound spilling everywhere and dying the ground red. With this one attack, Speedman could no longer keep fighting and dropped down to one knee. However, although filled with fear, his younger brothers struggled with their injured bodies and formed a triangle around their older brother to protect him. ¡°You bastards! What are you doing right now?! This is not an enemy you can face! Get the hell away from here!¡± ¡°We cannot leave you. Where would we be as brothers without you?¡± ¡°You disgraceful brats! You choose now to be disobedient? Leave now!¡± ¡°Such brotherly love, how touching, but it is too late to leave now.¡± Even Mkata-mwezi was surprised by the spirit of brotherhood he was witnessing between these half-beast half-human were-creatures. Swiiiish! Mkata-mwezi once again swung his oversized icy sword towards the brothers. It was a simple slash but each of his enemies knew that their life would be forfeit if it landed on them. Boom! At the critical moment, Speedman used his last burst of power to push away his three younger brothers from the center of the blow. Naturally, he was not so lucky having to face Mkata-mwezi¡¯s attack head on. A horizontal slash appeared on his stomach causing his guts to spill out like a ball of thread that was unravelling as it rolled on the ground. At this horrifying sight, although Kia remained relatively unperturbed, Mwana almost wretched his guts out. Blood and bones were tolerable but intestines?! No way. Witnessing such cruel means, Mwana finally understood why the kind and amiable Mkata-mwezi he knew was also labelled ¡°the Sword Demon¡± by those who had seen him in action. When this horizontal slash was added to the previous diagonal slash, the hyena man looked like he was about to split in four. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Despite all these injuries, Speedman still tried to turn back and escape since his brothers were no longer in range. However, he was not so lucky this time. As he rushed away from Mkata-mwezi towards his brothers, the tip of a sword emerged from the front of his chest. ¡°Aaaaaaarghhhh!¡± ¡°Roaaar!¡± The moment Speedman¡¯s eyes went black he could hear his brothers¡¯ angry roars from the distance as they rushed back towards him. He wanted to scream at them and tell them to turn back, to run away, that this was not an enemy they could handle, that it was too late for him, but he could not even move his mouth. Speedman had been pierced through the heart! In the pitch black darkness of human consciousness, only Speedman¡¯s inner voice remained. ¡°My magical energy is fading away.¡± ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°In the end, I could not even save my brothers.¡± ¡°What did I ever even achieve in life?¡± ¡°Was it all worth it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± In the outside world, Speedman¡¯s body withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, from a burly half-man half-hyena to a skeletal man with grey scattered hairs. This was the unique power of Jua Mkata-mwezi¡¯s sword ¨C the Devil Reaper Bone Sword. Devil Reaper was a sword that had the ability to suck magical energy and life energy from Mkata-mwezi¡¯s opponents to strengthen itself and its wielder. The sword was silvery white and gave off an icy feeling. Although it looked as if it was made by some type of crystal-like metal, a closer look revealed that the body of the sword was forged using some type of bone. However, what creature these icy bones came from was unknown. Nevertheless, based on its name, this was a sword whose main purpose was reaping the lives of devils. ¡°Big brotheeeer!!!! You beast, we will kill you!¡± Seeing their elder brother¡¯s tragic fate, the remaining three hyena men screamed in raw pain and anguish as they rushed towards Mkata-mwezi in a frenzied fury. ¡°Now I¡¯m the beast? Look at yourselves.¡± In response to their anger, Mkata-mwezi could not be bothered or shaken. How can he be scolded by a group of inhuman creatures who drink human blood and eat human flesh. ¡°No one can escape!¡± [Devil Reaper ¨C Blood Bone Technique] ¡°That is a supernatural technique!¡± Kia exclaimed with some shock. ¡°Naturally. As a Silver Guard permanent recruit brother Moon naturally has an exception card even if it is the lowest 5% card.¡± Mwana already expected Mkata-mwezi to have a card given his status. Although trainees were not anything special, it would be a bit ridiculous if thugs could get their hands on exception cards but actual silver guard recruits could not. Even Mwana did not think Milele had degenerated to that level. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± At the last second, Barbarian Bull Queen knocked away Jiwe Maraduni and rushed to intercept Mkata-mwezi¡¯s deployment of his technique. ¡°Too late!¡± Plunging the Devil Reaper sword into the ground, Mkata-mwezi lifted his face to grin at Barbarian Bull Queen. The next moment, the entire world seemed to have turned silvery white as a metallic cold invaded the space. A boundless sea of mercury seemed to envelop the entire world. In an instant, everyone''s heart sank; whether it was Barbarian Bull Queen or the remaining brothers, their hearts were filled with uneasy palpitations. Even Mwana and Kia almost forgot to breathe despite the fact that the technique did not target them. Wherever everyone¡¯s eyes passed, all they could see was a cold metallic icy color, their surroundings filled with thick blood-like mercury which greatly hindered their movements. The sea of mercury was also filled with a strange force that suppressed the flow of energy through their bodies. All of Mkata-mwezi¡¯s opponents seemed to have fallen into a huge muddy pond that they could not find a way out of. Instantly, they all banded together and took defensive measures while searching for an exit from this world. Mkata-mwezi had disappeared from their sights, but the silvery-white sea was still filled with his aura. He seemed to be everywhere! Inside the thick sea of mercury, a number of sword dragons took shape and began circling around the enemies, each one exuding a chilly dangerous aura. In the next moment, the dragons all attacked at the same time like a dozen meteors falling from outer space. Unsurprisingly, none of the injured hyena men could withstand the killing domain for long as the silver dragons rushed into their bodies peeling their skin, flaying their flesh, crushing their bones, sucking their marrow, swallowing their organs, and drinking their blood. The pain was simply indescribable. Before they could even release their tormented screams, the three brothers completely ceased to exist in this world. No amount of regeneration could save them from this horrific fate. Author Note: Appeal to all Readers ¡­ Please support me on my Patreon as I start to upload more things there. Patreon link: patreon.com/gitagon6991 Any support would be greatly appreciated. Chapter 140: Underworld Prince ¡­ Once again the Underworld Prince descends into the world. An era of chaos is approaching ¨C a time of endless tribulation. ¡­ In the rubble left by Mkata-mwezi¡¯s attack, there was only one figure left standing. ¡°You squeezed out every ounce of potential at the last second. You even exceeded the limits of the exception card. It seems not only protagonists can surpass their limits.¡± Mkata-mwezi commented in an awestruck tone as he looked at the figure that had survived his onslaught. Apart from the deep cuts that covered her entire body, Barbarian Bull Queen was otherwise un-injured! However, she was no longer in her giant bull form and had gone back to a regular human shape albeit still with minor features resembling a cow or bull. As Mkata-mwezi had mentioned, at the last second she had managed to surpass the 8% limit of the exception card and draw upon 10% of her power. This allowed her to fortify her defense and survive the onslaught of the silver dragons that had decimated the hyena siblings. ¡°Is the battle already ending?¡± ¡°And the way we rushed here so fast.¡± After arriving, Jua Waya and Zuren did not even have an opportunity to act and yet the battle was already reaching its end. Even though they had already arrived at the park before Mkata-mwezi attacked, it only took a very small fraction of time for Mkata-mwezi to obliterate all the enemies at the scene apart from Barbarian Bull Queen. When the two, Waya and Zuren, finally stepped into the light, there was another figure with them. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°That guy¡­¡± Kia instantly recognized the third figure. ¡°That guy? You know him?¡± Mwana asked. ¡°I just fought him. He escaped.¡± The man who was with Waya and Zuren was someone Kia had just fought. It was Smiling Serpent! This man was one of the three defeated Snake Charmers but unlike his companions, he had managed to escape. However, this time he was back, lifted up like a chicken. Waya entered the scene, smiling, while actually holding up the ¡°Smiling¡± Serpent by the neck. Whether the man was alive or dead was hard to tell. But given Waya¡¯s vice grip on his neck, he was surely not conscious. ¡°Seems like he didn¡¯t escape.¡± Kia. __A deadpan tone. On the other side, surrounded in all directions, Barbarian Bull Queen had no choice but to reevaluate her situation. ¡°Sh!t! Sh!t! Sh!t! It¡¯s all going wrong!¡± ¡°How can I fail?!¡± ¡°Screw my luck!¡± ¡°Although I have increased my supernatural power output, I have lost the ability to transform. I cannot take on four enemies in my current state.¡± After muttering to herself in frustration, she finally came to a decision, one that she hated very much, to retreat. Bang! With a strong leap, her body was elevated dozens of meters into the sky almost flying out of the central park! However, one man had noticed her action before she even took it. Jua Waya. [Battle Breath] Ka-Bang! The sound of an explosion emerged from the dark night sky. Although the people on the ground could not see clearly what had transpired, they knew that Waya and Barbarian Bull Queen had collided mid-air. Waya had successfully intercepted her! The technique Waya used to boost his physical abilities this time was the breath of battle. While this breathing technique was obviously not as powerful while restricted by the town¡¯s supernatural power seal, it still considerably boosted Waya¡¯s strength. Battle Breath was a form of breathing that could easily double or triple the user¡¯s pure physical strength depending on which Breathing Mode was used. ¡°Don¡¯t trouble me anymore!¡± Barbarian Bull Queen screamed as she and Waya wrestled all the way from the sky to the ground. Boom! The two fighters landed on the ground sending out a blasting impact as if a bomb was exploding. While Waya wrestled the woman to the ground with pure strength, she still managed to gain an advantage over him and get back up. ¡°Piss off you puny ¡®Bone Knocker¡¯!¡± ¡°Eish! What?¡± Waya felt extremely insulted. He surely was not so thin to be referred to as someone whose bones knocked against each other. In fact, his body was well-structured and well-muscled. However, to a woman of Queen¡¯s stature, he was indeed ¡®puny¡¯. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡®Why does someone always have to get in my way?¡¯ ¡®Why can¡¯t things just go smoothly?!¡¯ As she wallowed in self-pity, Barbarian Bull Queen flared up even more getting angrier and angrier. The two fighters struggled against each other using only their physical strength. However, even this strength alone was enough to flatten the park like a road roller. ¡°How beastly! Truly barbarians!¡± Zuren commented as he watched the scene. While Zuren obviously was not impressed, Mwana was basically googly-eyed over the sight of this battle. ¡®This is it!¡¯ ¡®This is the true strength I pursue!¡¯ How could one not be awed? ¡°What big nostrils!¡± ¡°Damn woman save some air for the rest of us.¡± Waya taunted his opponent as the two struggled back and forth. But this time it was true. The more Barbarian Bull Queen struggled against him, the more her nostrils enlarged, like a bull¡¯s. ¡°Enough with you!¡± The taunts as well as the mounting pressure of being surrounded got to her. Finally, she decided to stake it all as she charged towards Waya with all her strength, win or lose, this would decide it! However, she did not notice the grin that momentarily emerged on Waya¡¯s face. ¡°Counter Breath ¨C Force Redirection!¡± Krak! It happened in an instant. One moment Barbarian Bull Queen was charging forward with all her strength and the next scene was her flying back even faster. When she landed on the ground, she was already unconscious! Everyone stood there watching, mesmerized. In that moment, only pin-drop silence remained in the park. Counter-Breath ¨C as its name suggests, this was a counter technique, one that used the opponent¡¯s own strength against them. However, it was an extremely hard move to pull off the way Jua Waya had done it. After Barbarian Bull Queen was defeated, the process that followed was long but also relatively simple. The trafficked children were freed but from that point on the silver guard took over the case. After all, the events of this night had taught everyone at the scene that local law enforcement and town officials were no longer worthy of trust. Further, Mwana did not forget to tell Waya and Mkata-mwezi about the big moneymaking plan that came his way, and of course the opportunity to ¡®fight for justice and save the innocent¡¯. In fact, when Mwana told them about the apothecary¡¯s offer Waya had responded ¨C ¡°We are ¡®poor¡¯ people from the villages so how can we not make as much money as we can when we are here in the ¡®civilized¡¯ world.¡± Whether it was for selfish goals or benevolent reasons there was no reason to refuse. If you can save lives, protect the innocent, build a favorable reputation, all while making a substantial profit, then why not do it. Kt kt kt kt kt! Kr kt kr kt kr kt! When everyone had already left this chaotic park, a metallic mechanical sound emerged from the soil. There was something here! It had burrowed underground! Fwaaaaash! The soil bulged upwards and then a figure emerged. This figure was black as ink and made of metal. A closer look revealed that the metal was actually not one piece but rather several plates connected together. At the end of this figure¡¯s back was a giant tail that looked almost 2 or 3 meters long. The figure also had muscular arms that ended in sharp pincers like a crab, no a scorpion. When the firefly lights in the park flickered, the shape of the figure became visible but only for a moment. It was a scorpion! A giant metal scorpion! Krr Kt Kk Kkrr The next moment, the long tail moving around in the wind shortened before finally disappearing. It was a retractable tail. The metal plates covering the figure¡¯s body also moved around left and right, in and out, up and down. Along with these actions, the figure also slowly got up from the ground; and finally what took shape was something that resembled a man! ¡°Terran, this may just be the opportunity we were waiting for. These people might just pave the way forward for us.¡± A voice that sounded like grinding metal emerged from this dark figure. If Terran was here, he would recognize this figure, it was Code S ¨C the Scorpion, Akrabu Nge. ¡°Scorpion¡± was neither a man nor a beast. He was a hybrid creature, someone who had never shown his body to the outside world since he was a child. This black metallic scorpion suit had always been with him. Since he never took it off, it was his second home. If he had never taken off this suit then what was up with his appearance when he first met Terran? In fact, Akrabu Nge¡¯s tall and slim normal looking appearance was actually an illusion created by the Cloak of Impermanence, a magic tool that could fool the 5 senses. Although magic tools were restricted by the town¡¯s normalization seal on the supernatural, the cloak¡¯s power of deception was so strong that it could even partially deceive the town¡¯s normalization power! That was how amazing it was. However, the cloak did not have much application in direct combat. It was more fitted for taking on disguises. The image Akrabu Nge took when wearing the cloak was based on his ideal human form within his subconscious. It was not only deceiving the outside world but also a deception on himself. However, in a way the cloak allowed him to live out his fantasy of normalcy as a ¡®normal¡¯ human in Milele town. Nevertheless, while the cloak had amazing functions, the Scorpion suit was the true source of Akrabu Nge¡¯s power. With a retractable tail, extra metal limbs, and sword like pincers, the Scorpion Suit made him extremely dangerous even in an environment like Milele town where the use of supernatural powers was banned. Akrabu Nge could burrow in the earth or crawl on the ground faster than any man could run, he could attack from the shadows with swift precision, and naturally his scorpion tail carried a lethal venom that could kill even giant elephants. Although the metal suit was pitch-black, the joints would glow with a bright blue color every time Akrabu Nge moved. This was even more evident during the night. It was a truly scary yet also beautiful sight. ¡­. Kisima town ¨C Northern Toro This was a much smaller town compared to Milele town. Its population was not even a quarter of Milele¡¯s total populace. However, if there was one thing this town had over Milele, was life, that sense of light and vibrancy. Even the environment was bright and vibrant. The town was located in a hilly area that was usually sunny and warm most of the year. The people of Kisima town also matched the warmth of the town¡¯s environment. They had a very vibrant culture, one where people wore multicolored clothes and overdesigned ornaments. It was like a Carnival, only that this was every day. Here in Kisima, a common saying was that ¡®every day was a special occasion!¡¯ Maybe it was because of the town¡¯s carefree and warm culture that it became the birth place of many a famous musicians including Mwana¡¯s favorite singer ¨C Sera. This was a land of joy, music, and dancing. However, at this moment it was chilly. There was no longer any warmth or any sun. The whole town was covered by a chilly mist that spread as far as the eye could see. There was no more joy, music, or dancing, just a deep silence, one that covered every inch of the ground. ___An unnatural silence. What was shocking was that one could still see the townspeople walking in the mist, silently. In a place somewhere beneath the town, there were two sets of red eyes shining in the darkness. One set of eyes looked like flickering candles while the other flared up like burning torches. The owners of these red eyes had¡­ Unlock the rest of the chapter on Patreon Follow the Patreon link below or on my author bio: https://www.patreon.com/posts/underworld-evil-96006176 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gitagon6991 Chapter 141: The Infinity Magic Library Part I Early one morning, Mwana finally got the chance to go to the place he always desired to visit. To others it was just an ordinary place but to Mwana this place was a heavenly paradise, a paradise of knowledge. This place was the Infinity Magic Library in Milele town. The library¡¯s exterior looked old and weathered. It gave the illusion of existing in a different era altogether. Even the architecture did not match the current architectural style in Toro. This was because the library was a remnant of the previous age. When this building was first constructed, it served as a temple for one of the core religions in Muwawa at that time. The building was built with giant slabs of rock piled onto each other with metal protrusions at each junction as if to ward evil away. In each layer of the rock wall, there were inscriptions of all kinds, many of which could not be deciphered anymore. After Muwawa was no more, this temple was left purposeless. It was only in the present age that one of Toro¡¯s magic grandmasters refurbished this long abandoned temple into the prestigious library it was today ¨C a place filled with nigh-infinite magical knowledge. When Mwana entered the library, the first thing he did was to close his eyes and take a deep breath. ¡°What an amazing smell.¡± ¡°The smell of books here is so strong!¡± Then he opened his eyes and what entered his two shiny orbs left him shocked. Gasp! ¡°There are so many books¡­¡± ¡°¡­so much knowledge!¡± ¡°There have to be over a million books in here!¡± ¡°Time to start the treasure hunt!¡± At the same time Mwana entered the library, many unforeseen events were happening across the country as different groups rushed towards Milele town with their most talented youngsters. From the same direction as Jua village, a huge carpet that looked as fluffy as a cloud flew in the direction of Milele town. Expectedly, there were people riding on this carpet. The two that stood out the most were two children, a girl with long icy-white hair and a boy with short pitch-black hair. Both of these children were dressed in fluffy white clothes made of part-cotton and part-fur. From a distance, they looked like 2 bundled up cotton balls. One might even think they were two giant dumplings. On their foreheads, the two children had the tattoo of a silver crescent moon that glowed with bluish light. And on their arms, they wore bracelets that looked almost identical to the moon bracelets that Mwana and the rest of the children from Jua village wore. The people on this magic carpet came from the Mwezi clan who inhabited the Mwezi ¡°Moon¡± village near the Jua village. In another direction, West of Milele town near the Great ¡°Jemedari¡± Ridge [Great Heroes Ridge] ¨C the place rumored to be the ancestral home of the Jemedari tribe, a giant bird that looked like a deformed vulture flew over an uninhabited forest. This place was several dozen kilometers away from Milele town. On top of this gigantic bird, a few figures, some old and some young, could be seen seated or standing in different positions. All of them were dressed in clothing that could only be described as eccentric. On their faces were different markings that almost looked like the face tattoos of hunters. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it At this time, the giant vulture-like bird was circling an area of the forest where an angry wolf¡¯s snarl emerged. On the ground looking up was a white wolf, a wolf famous for hating people. However, compared to that time when this wolf was outside Milele town hanging around other animals and pets like Fana, this time the wolf was emitting a shocking aura that would put fear into everyone. Unlike Mwana¡¯s dog Fana who was just a regular dog with barely any supernatural abilities, this white wolf was clearly a spiritual animal. As for the wolf¡¯s enemies who were situated atop the giant deformed vulture, they were members of the Southern magic beast taming school ¨C Maksa, a school that received great ire from all parties across the country for its rampant behavior when capturing spirit beasts. They were even notorious for robbing other people of their pet companions. Naturally, no one liked them. In another place a distance away from Milele town, a fantastical confrontation was happening. Krakoom! A lightning bolt dropped out of the sky hitting the tip of a cigarette. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! He used lightning to light a cigarette!¡± ¡°Insane!¡± ¡°Sick!¡± An explosion of exclamations could be heard from a boat several hundred meters away from the man holding the cigarette. However, this place was not the sea but the sky! Both the boat and the man were suspended, floating, in the sky. Below these people was a pitch black land that looked weathered and beaten. It was a mine. Inside the mine, there were figures hiding in the dark to avoid the commotion above. One of them was a young man who looked about Mkata-mwezi¡¯s age but with a hint of naivety printed on his dark face. Next to him was a woman who was also looking up into the sky at the confrontation that was going on. However, this woman seemed to be injured to the point that she could no longer move. The man who was the center of attention was as shocking in his looks as he was in his actions. After all someone who lights a cigarette with lightning from the heavens cannot be an ordinary man. First, this man was extremely handsome, beyond any ordinary man. His face surpassed even that of angels. Second, his hair was smooth and silky as if it was flowing water. With the wind blowing on his face and his hair flying in the sky, he looked like a deity descended on earth. The cigarette he was smoking added a wild vibe to his overall look. His manner of clothing further enhanced his aura. The man was dressed in black silk robes. However, the V-line of his robe was extremely wide leaving a significant potion of his chest and stomach showing, exposing even his bellybutton. Further, the man was also extremely tall, definitely closer to the 7 feet mark rather than the 6 feet tall mark. Puffing some smoke in the air, the man turned to smile at his enemies which left even them reeling. ¡°A very beautiful feminine face that carries a mischievous air ¨C The visage of a trickster. This man is the rumored ¡®Silk Hair¡¯!¡± One of the men floating in the air opposite the handsome man exclaimed. This was an extremely formidable enemy that had everyone at the scene quaking in their boots. There was only one reason ¨C this man was not human! The man known as ¡®Silk Hair¡¯ was no man at all. He was a high level Amanani! One who held the same rank as the ogre prince with many faces! However, despite the fear at having to face such a monster, the adults in the sky had no choice but to fight. After all, their juniors were watching them from the flying boat. Opposite these people, Silk hair stood there with a relaxed and unbothered look on his face as he continued to enjoy his cigarette. His long silky hair that was even longer than his own body was flying behind him like a glorious mane. It looked like a superhero¡¯s cape as they flew through the windy sky. In front of the figures in the sky, two men took the front stage. These two were clearly the leaders. One was cool like a calm river while the other looked like a volcano ready to explode. ¡°Let me take the lead on this.¡± One of the men in the lead said as he flew towards Silk Hair without waiting for an answer from his comrades. Whether it was the calm-looking man or the 30 or so subordinates standing behind them, none of them objected. The all knew this man¡¯s temper. The fiery man flew slowly towards Silk Hair and only stopped when he was about 20 meters away from the enemy. To be described as fiery was probably an understatement because this man had red fire for everything! His short spiky hair, his rough bear, his long eye brows, his accessories, his clothes ¨C all of them were a fiery red color. Even if one looked underneath his clothes, they would be shocked to see red veins that looked like flowing lava glowing on his dark-red skin. This man currently standing opposite Silk Hair only went by the title Fire Guardian ¨C a well known magician in the capital city. When it came to fire spells, his expertise could be said to be in the top 20 within Suna¡¯s magicians circle. Without even exchanging a word with his enemy, he started chanting. ¡°Arise arise.¡± ¡°Gather the sparks of eternity.¡± ¡°Come forth from the depths of Hell.¡± ¡°Condense, condense.¡± ¡°Erupt [Genesis Flame]!¡± Chapter 142: Battle of Magicians Like a horizontal volcano appearing in mid-air, the terrifying Genesis Flame rushed towards Silk Hair. The majestic flames appeared to be like a wall stretching to the heavens. The gloomy cloudy sky was instantly illuminated with a bright red color that stretched across the horizon. The range of this spell was so great that it was simply unavoidable. There was no way to dodge this attack! However, before the Genesis Flame hit Silk Hair, something strange happened. Everything within a ten meter radius of Silk Hair disappeared, and then this range expanded to a hundred meters, and then a thousand, and so forth. The near-limitless Genesis Flame was not spared either as it was swallowed up in this torrent of nothingness along with the heavy clouds that filled the sky. ¡°The Origin Point Spell!¡± Fire Guardian finally realized the spell his opponent had used, ¡°What an ingenious move.¡± Silk Hair who had always been carefree even when facing the wall of flames was now holding a dark blue marble in his palm. This was the manifestation of the Origin Point Spell [Gravity] ¨C a spell that created a small origin point with the ability to suck everything in its surroundings into itself. Since the spell created a small point with a great amount of gravity, it functioned like a weaponized miniature black hole. ¡°To be able to weaponize gravity to this extent, your attainments in magic are not low. What else are you capable of?¡± Fire Guardian could not help but praise his opponent. He was a true magic aficionado and could not wait but want to see more from the man standing opposite him. ¡°You want to test my magic skills? Here!¡± ¡°Wind Blade!¡± The air in front of Silk Hair, as if ordered by god himself, compressed itself while rotating at high speed and formed a wind blade that was over a hundred meters tall. The gigantic blade of compressed rotating winds flew towards Fire Guardian like an arrow released from the bow. Although chaotic, this attack was made of the wind thus it was invisible like a silent killer. Fire Guardian was no slouch either. Before the giant blade of wind could enter his range, an even larger fireball the size of a meteor materialized from the tip of his right index finger. Since this spell was cast without any chanting, it was naturally weaker than the Genesis Flame. However, the power of this fireball was still extremely domineering. For the spectators watching from the flying ship as well as those in the mine, this fireball seemed to be the power of the God of Fire himself. Fireball spell ¨C it was the kind of spell where someone could say ¡°everyone and their mother know this spell.¡± After all, fireballs were cool so it was not uncommon for every person who dabbled in magic to learn this spell. Of course if the individual did not have an affinity for flame magic or were just bad at fire spells, the person¡¯s enthusiasm would soon dwindle down. However, many had still learned the basics of this common spell. If you met 10 magicians, 9 could probably cast the fireball spell. What amazed everyone about Fire Guardian¡¯s fireball was how large it was. Ordinary people can cast a fireball the size of a football. Even skilled fire mages can at most cast a slightly larger fireball. But compared to Fire Guardian, they were nothing. The size disparity was too evident. Fire Guardian¡¯s fireball seemed the size of a football field or two, spanning across the sky and obscuring the sun; a football vs a football field? The size was not even in the same dimension. The ball of fire collided with the blade of wind causing all the clouds in the vicinity to evaporate into pure nothingness. An apocalyptic scene ensued with tongues of fire and ropes of wind shooting out from the collision point and flying in all directions. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Screams could be heard on the ship as the flames whipped it back and forth in the sky and the wind scarred its body leaving deep gushes in the millenium wood used to build it. Luckily, the ship was also protected by strong magic so the people inside were not injured. Nevertheless, the aftereffects of the battle in the sky were still enough to leave them rattled. The two spells were in a stalemate for a while and then at the collision point, a change arose. The fireball started expanding even further and its brightness also rose up. ¡°Wind feeds Fire!¡± ¡°The elder, Fire Guardian, is going to win.¡± Excited exclamations could be heard among the dozens of men suspended in the sky behind Fire Guardian. The fire spell had been strengthened by the opponent¡¯s wind. The next moment, an even fiercer fireball shot towards Silk Hair seeking to burn him to ash. However, Silk Hair seemed unperturbed even at the sight of this tremendous power. ¡°Ice Arrow.¡± The next moment everyone understood why the Amanani in front of them was not the least bit shaken. Water was drawn from a radius of several kilometers, from the clouds and from the earth, from the streams and even from the plants and trees. The water that was drawn out instantly condensed into an ice arrow the size of a train! The moment this ice arrow materialized it emitted a divine vigor akin to a god¡¯s descent that had everyone who saw it shivering. Even for those who were far away from this area and could not even see the arrow like those in the surrounding villages or travelers on nearby roads, they were still affected subconsciously causing them to shiver. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Why am I suddenly feeling cold?¡± ¡°Did I catch a cold?¡± This and other similar questions arose in different places near and far from the battlefield. When the ice arrow finished condensing, the intense ball of heat was already nearing Silk Hair. However, the ice arrow shot off towards the fireball the moment it was formed. There was no time lag at all. ¡°Perfectly cast!¡± Once again two spells collided but this time there was no struggle. The ice arrow had instantly blown a circular hole right in the middle of the fireball! By the time the fireball reached Silk Hair, there was a circular gap through it like a ring. Therefore, Silk Hair was able to emerge unscathed even when the attack reached him. When the fireball went pass by him, he passed right through the ring in the middle of the attack like going through the center of a donut. His opponent though was not so lucky. The fireball had not managed to reduce the power of the ice arrow at all and by the time Fire Guardian understood his situation, it was too late to counter the attack or dodge. ¡°Guardian Shield!¡± A circular golden light shield with many totemic tribal markings materialized in front of Fire Guardian. Naturally this was a defensive magic spell. The ice arrow hit the Guardian Shield right at the center sending a chill right through Fire Guardian¡¯s body even before he came into direct contact with it. The power of the arrow was so powerful that it sent Fire Guardian flying through the sky. The dozen or so men behind him were quick to dodge Fire Guardian¡¯s body as well as the ice arrow. It was not that these men were heartless and did not want to catch Fire Guardian. Instead, unlike Fire Guardian who had quickly cast the Guardian Shield spell, these men had not cast any defensive spells yet so even getting grazed by the ice arrow could have frozen them to the bone! Boom! Fire Guardian¡¯s back hit the side of the flying ship rocking it left and right and almost dropping it out of the sky. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°Are we going to die?¡± Frantic and scared screams could be heard all over from the children on the ship. These children were all from different powerful forces in the capital city of Toro. Since when had they ever had to experience something like this? Their lives had always been smooth sailing; but now they were caught up in the middle off a chaotic battle! As for the ¡®victim¡¯, Fire Guardian, he was left reeling from the attack. Even though the Guardian Shield blocked most of the ice arrow¡¯s power, the arrow still proved superior and shattered the golden shield causing shards of golden light to fall to the pitch black mines below. The icy energy entered Fire Guardian¡¯s body freezing his magic power and slowing his movements. At this moment, his body was experiencing hypothermia! Even his usually visible red lava-like veins under his skin had turned to a bluish color. If not for his innate flame constitution and the immense amount of fire element magic running through his veins, this level of attack would have killed him! ¡°Heal.¡± When he finally regained the ability to mobilize his magical power, Fire Guardian cast a healing spell on his own body. Wisps of white cold air slowly escaped from his body as the ice around him and the ship evaporated into the air. Turning to look at the current scene, his comrades had already jumped into battle attacking Silk Hair from all directions. ¡°Sigh, I lost. I lost handily.¡± Between victory and defeat, seven spells had been cast in total by the two men; from Genesis Flame to Origin Point to Wind Blade to Fireball to Ice Arrow to Guardian Shield to Heal. A battle between magicians was always decided quickly. Chapter 142.1: Common Magic In the Zika world, there were many types of magic practiced for different reasons. If one asked someone walking on the street what the most common type of magic was... Unlock the rest of this Bonus chapter by subscribing to my Patreon: https:\\patreon.com\gitagon6991 Chapter 143: Death Dealer Once the ice arrow collided with Fire Guardian¡¯s shield, the other experts had already realized the gap in strength between the two men. Therefore, the moment Fire Guardian was blasted away by the ice arrow his comrades had already jumped directly into battle. Although Fire Guardian was always the kind of man who believed in the sacredness of a 1 on 1 battle, no one bothered to ask for his opinion this time. ¡°He is the kind of person who refuses to eat some type of food when things are laid back. He would never openly admit defeat.¡± Someone among Fire Guardian¡¯s comrades commented. ¡°Take him down!¡± The man in the lead ordered the others to take on a formation and attack Silk Hair. ¡°Attaaaaaaaaack!¡± With Silk Hair in the middle, countless attacks of all natures came flying towards him as if seeking to obliterate him from this reality and send him to the next world. However, it was at this moment that everyone understood why this handsome man with long silky hair bore that name. Everyone had always thought that it was just a tacky nickname but Silk Hair''s next actions made it all make sense. The Amanani¡¯s hair which was floating in the air suddenly started whipping around so fast that it blurred in everyone¡¯s vision. ¡°So fast!¡± ¡°I knew that hair was not just for show.¡± Even amidst battle, his opponents could not help but let out sighs in admiration. This Amanani could actually control his hair like tendrils which allowed him to block all of their attacks. The exchange of blows between these experts was so powerful that the already devastated mine below was destroyed acre by acre. The figures in the mine had no choice but to escape even deeper underground lest they be destroyed by just the aftershocks of the collisions happening hundreds of meters high in the sky. At the center of the battle, the air was compressed into a solid state and then shattered by the violent energy. The most commonly used visual senses of humans had completely lost their effect at this moment. Under the tempestuous flow of energy, even light could not be maintained in a straight line. Around two dozen experts surrounded Silk Hair in a ring and continuously blasted out terrifying streams of energy. Even for a monster of Silk Hair¡¯s caliber, this was not an onslaught he could withstand for long. ¡°Nine Mountains and Ten Lakes¡± ¡°Take the World as a Canvas¡± ¡°Invert the Left from the Right¡± ¡°Confuse the Ground and the Sky¡± ¡°18 Nations Inverted Domain ¨C [Inverted World]!¡± When Silk Hair finished chanting this Inverted World Spell, something strange suddenly happened. It seemed as if the world had turned upside down! In the next moment, all the attacks from the 30 or so men reached their target. However, this time Silk Hair did not even bother to use his whip-like hair to block the attacks. While the inverted domain left everyone disoriented, they could still try to keep their bearings. But what happened next broke logic and common sense. ¡°Aaaaarghh!¡± ¡°Uuuuuuuui!¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°How can this be?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m dying!¡± Disordered wails filled the field of battle. At the moment the attacks landed on Silk Hair¡¯s body, they were instantly redirected and ¡®sent back to the sender¡¯! ¡°The Inverted Domain is not just a realm where the world turns upside down. It would be too useless if that is all it could do. In this world all actions become reversed.¡± Silk Hair calmly explained the situation. When his enemies had attacked, they were met with an opposite force that even surpassed their original actions. If someone threw a punch, that punch would instead move backwards thus fracturing the person¡¯s arm. If they performed complex techniques, the consequences were even worse. Their bones were broken and their limbs were twisted like pretzels. Although all the experts confronting Silk Hair were mighty in their own right, the Inverted Domain immediately left them severely injured. Even trying to retreat turned out to be an impossibility as one of the men broke his spine when trying to move backwards. This time when Silk Hair lashed out. Not only had his enemies lost all power to counterattack, but none of them could even block his attacks. In less than five minutes, they were defeated and dropped from the sky like dazed flies. But remember, there was no ground to fall to! Noooooooooo!!!! Cries of despair were slowly swallowed up by chaotic atmospheric winds and then the deep black void itself. With the sky and the ground now inverted, it looked as if they were falling down into the atmosphere and then to the void of space itself! Of the two dozen attackers, only their leader remained standing. [Twisting Thrust: Spatial Vacuum] The leader, a man named Volk, unleashed a simple sword thrust with a twisting motion. However, although the sword thrust seemed simple, it created a flow that ejected all the air in the path of the sword. The twisting motion of the sword created a horizontal tornado that first shred apart the air and then created a spatial vacuum! If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In less than a second, the inverted world created by Silk Hair was pulled apart and erased by the tornado-like force which had the power to shred everything in its path including space itself! In fact, both Mwana and Terran could actually perform the basic [Twisting Thrust] sword move. However, the difference in effects between their version and the one that was currently on display was like night and day. Compared to this swordsman, they were like ants crawling in the mud ¨C weak and hopeless. The swordsman¡¯s technique immediately reversed the inverted domain returning the world to normal. The crying voices that had almost disappeared out of the world¡¯s atmosphere emerged once again, but this time those voices were filled with panic instead of despair. The men who had almost been sent out of the planet¡¯s atmosphere were now barreling towards the ground like meteors from outer space. Since they were heavily injured and their ability to fly was greatly restrained, this would not be an easy landing. Even at their caliber, a fall from space while already carrying heavy injuries was nothing to laugh about. [Death Thrust: Lifeforce Cut] Needless to say, the Swordsman Volk did not pause his assault on the enemy. The second sword move he performed was a technique that was infused with the energy of death. It had the unique power to cut off the enemy¡¯s lifeforce. This technique was so lethal that even a scratch could lessen a person¡¯s lifespan or directly kill them depending on how much lifeforce they possessed! ¡®A technique of the Deathdealers?!¡¯ Silk Hair was slightly confused when he saw this move, ¡®But it can¡¯t be since Volk is¡­¡¯ This technique¡¯s origin was naturally not simple. In fact, it was a move mainly used by Deathdealers, a special division of dealers within the Toro¡¯s Black Card Organization. While some of the top assassins of the black card organization such as the Merchant of Demise, Kaskara, Red Mist, Skeletal Demon, and the Plague Master were merely strong prisoners given a second chance, the organization also had official members who had been trained to be Deathdealers since they were young children. Regardless of their actual strength, these born-and-raised Deathdealers were far more deadly compared to someone like the Merchant of Demise as they had been indoctrinated since they were young toddlers. However, it was obvious to everyone including Silk Hair that Volk was not a Deathdealer. From where he learned their techniques, no one knows. The Wolf Swordsman ¨C ¡®Volk¡¯ stood out even among the men that followed him. The man not only had green eyes but he also wore western silver Knight Armor that clashed with the types of armor worn in Toro and across the entire continent. In addition to the silver armor, he also had an extremely full and long blue cape attached to his shoulders that followed the wind wherever it went. The Wolf Swordsman¡¯s hair was long, pitch-black, yet rough like a wolf¡¯s fur. His skin was tanned showing that he was someone who was always outside a lot. In fact, this man had very humble beginnings. He had never touched a sword or learned any martial arts before the age of twenty. He was raised doing farm work by his parents and it was only in his 20s that he became a warrior. However, in the two or so decades after he had picked up a sword, Volk¡¯s strength had advanced rapidly. Not only did he have great achievements in swordsmanship achieving the Sword Grandmaster Rank, he was also an accomplished magician ¨C a Magic Master who was one realm away from the Supreme Realm. Further, his two paths ¨C magic and swordsmanship were directly integrated rather than separate. Those who had achieved this unique state, excelling in magic swordsmanship, had the title of Wizard Knight! Volk was not born in the Kingdom of Toro or even anywhere within the Swordscar Continent. His hometown was in one of the western continents ¨C Zero Acadia also called Continent Zero. Unlike the Lands of Yellow Sands which were basically a stretch of apocalyptic deserts, Zero Acadia and the Herenfterl Continent [the Land of White Forests] that bordered each other were lands of year-long ice and snow. Heading back to the battle... The death thrust which had been struck out by Volk created a dangerous stream of dark energy that headed towards Silk Hair seeking to devour him. Looking at the black stream of energy, Silk Hair could see images of contorted wailing faces stretching within as if struggling to escape to the outside world. ¡®If the dark energy lands on me, those faces would surely latch onto my flesh with their teeth seeking to bleed me dry of anything and everything I have!¡¯ Although Silk Hair seemed flustered, this type of attack was still not enough to make him despair. After all, the methods of a monster are endless. When the death thrust hit Silk Hair, Volk already sensed that something was wrong. ¡°No weight?! An illusion spell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A sound emerged from right beside Volk answering his speculations. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± With a shout, Volk swung his sword horizontally cutting apart Silk Hair who had appeared beside him. ¡°Another illusion!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Once again the same answer drifting in the wind. But this time Volk did not react violently but chose to pinpoint his opponent¡¯s true location. ¡°While it is hard for illusions to mislead warriors of your caliber, I only needed to trick your senses just enough for your attack to miss by a hair¡¯s breadth. And as long as I keep this up, you will never be able to hit me no matter how many times you swing your sword.¡± ¡°You can evade it once, you can evade it twice, but there will not be a third time!¡± With these words, a greyish blue aura emerged from Volk¡¯s body shooting high into the sky. ¡°Awoooooooooo!¡± A wolf¡¯s howl appeared from thin air as the aura gathered together forming the visage of a gigantic wolf¡¯s head and torso. The moment the wolf image fully materialized, the glowing blue and silver energy around it immediately disappeared causing Volk¡¯s aura to turn pitch-black. [Wolf Aura] This pitch-black aura in the form of a wolf seemed to affect the world around him as the bright daylight suddenly turned into a pitch black night with no stars in the sky. Within a radius of 5 kilometers, everything was plunged into absolute darkness creating endless panic among anyone in this range. This darkness only lasted for a few seconds before Volk chose to dissipate it himself. However, when he appeared in everyone¡¯s sight again, his entire look had already changed. Just like Mwana¡¯s GOD.F [Great Overwhelming Divine Forest] that could conjure the image of a divine forest, [Wolf Aura] was an aura technique that shrouded the user in a black fog that took on the image of a wolf. When Volk appeared again, his green eyes had turned golden and he was wearing a black wolf mask on his face. The wolf projection behind him was as black as ink with contrasting deep white teeth. Even though it was just a projection, its eyes showed an uncanny sense of intelligence. By activating this aura technique, Volk received a buff in defense, agility, and cutting speed since the wolf claws would lend power to the sharpness of his sword. But most importantly, the wolf aura had the ability to counter any and all illusions including the ones cast by an Amanani like Silk Hair. ¡°Such great power! As expected of a guardian swordsman of the great magician!¡± That¡¯s right, as Silk Hair had said Volk was the Right Guard of the Grandmaster magician. [Conical Light Finger] A cone of bright red light circled around Silk Hair¡¯s index finger while rotating at a great speed. It looked like an inverted spinning top rotating on his finger. Fwish! The cone of light shot off towards Volk at a speed that exceeded what natural eyesight could capture! But for someone of Volk¡¯s level, he did not need to see an attack to block it. As long as he caught the enemy¡¯s body movement before they struck, he would be able to dodge or block any attack no matter how fast it was. ¡°Where are you aiming?¡± Volk was prepared to block this attack but he was left confused since the beam of light only passed beside his face without even harming a single hair on his head. Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha However, the sound of someone¡¯s thunderous laughter quickly answered his question. ¡®He is here!¡¯ Both combatants had the same thought. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha However, the strange thing was that even though they could hear the sound of laughter around them, they could not pinpoint where it came from. The man who was laughing seemed to be invisible. No, not invisible, he was just moving too fast! So fast that even characters of Volk and Silk Hair¡¯s level had trouble tracking him with their eyes! Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 11: Wizard Knight Ranks
  1. Silver Knight
  2. Golden Knight
  3. Black Knight
  4. Beyond Knights
Chapter 144: The Teleporter Ha ha ha ha ha ha ¡°Show yourself!¡± Silk Hair shot out multiple Conical Light Fingers in all directions following the voice of the laughter. For a period of time beams of light illuminated the sky like a fireworks show. However, the laughter continued uninterrupted. The lightspeed attacks did not even cause the person laughing to pause at all! Clearly, no matter how Silk Hair attacked, it posed no threat to this invisible foe. Swiiiiiish! ¡°There you are!¡± Finally the invisible foe had revealed themselves swinging an ocean blue sword towards the back of Silk Hair¡¯s neck. The sword swing was so fast that it seemed to have teleported and materialized out of thin air appearing right on Silk Hair¡¯s nape! Although this attack would leave anyone flustered, Silk Hair was actually glad that the opponent had finally appeared. Kting! The sword sliced two or three inches into Silk Hair¡¯s neck before coming to a stop as if it had hit an iron wall. ¡°Wrong move! Did you forget that I am not human?¡± Strangely, when these words were spoken, Silk Hair did not open his mouth. So where did the voice come from? The next moment the man who had attacked looked at the point where his sword had struck Silk Hair¡¯s neck. ¡°Hehehe. A mouth? Teeth? No wonder! As expected of an Amanani.¡± The man¡¯s sword had indeed gone deep into Silk Hair¡¯s neck. This was enough to cut off the spine of any normal man. However, on a closer look, the sword had not sliced into Silk Hair¡¯s neck at all! Instead, on the back of Silk Hair¡¯s neck there was a second mouth, hidden by the long hair! It is this mouth that was clenching onto the attacker¡¯s sword with its steel-like teeth preventing it from going even an inch deeper. ¡°Stay where you are!¡± With a smile, Silk Hair finally spoke with his front mouth. He then proceeded to put his arm into his mouth all the way to the elbow causing his neck to bulge out exaggeratedly. It looked extremely disgusting. All the while the mouth on the back of his neck never let go of the opponent''s sword. ¡°Weh! His teeth are like steel pincers!¡± Although the enemy had not tried his best to recover the sword from Silk Hair¡¯s mouth, he was still greatly impressed by the jaw strength shown by Silk Hair¡¯s back mouth. From his stomach, Silk Hair pulled out a red metallic sword that looked like blood red rusted iron. The sword also had a fire burning on its tip. Although the fire looked small and harmless, Volk and the still incapacitated Fire Guardian felt their soul¡¯s shake when they saw that fire. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°What kind of flame is that?¡± ¡°Is it the flame of the Amanani? The tail?¡± In fact they were right in their speculation. Amanani had red tails and the tip of the tail was usually on fire. The tail of an Amanani was an extremely precious item. The main reason for this value was the unique flame that burned at the tip of the tail. Depending on the class and rank of the Amanani, this flame could possess a wide range of unique abilities and uses. The red metallic sword that Silk Hair pulled was the manifestation of his own tail! ¡°It seems I was not worthy enough for him to show his full strength.¡± Although their battle was left inconclusive once the laughing man appeared, Volk could not help but lament about his own strength once he saw the red fiery sword. Kting! With a backward swing, Silk Hair sought to cleave his opponent in half and burn them to ashes. The sword did the cutting while the fire did the burning. However, his opponent tilted his sword downwards almost breaking Silk Hair¡¯s neck and in the process the man blocked the backwards sword swing with the hilt of his aqua blue sword. Silk Hair had no choice but to open his back mouth and release the opponent¡¯s sword lest he get a much nastier attack from behind. What followed was a series of exchanges between the two men. Clang! Kting! Clang! ¡°Hehehe. Impressive. You can actually keep up! Then let¡¯s ramp up the speed.¡± The man opposite Silk Hair laughed again before suddenly disappearing before everyone¡¯s sight. ¡°Where did he go?¡± This was the question on everyone¡¯s mind as they intently stared at the sky. The only people who could somewhat see the man¡¯s figure were Silk Hair and Volk. But even for them, their sight of the man was simply like toddlers trying to look up at the sun ¨C blurry and confused. When the man moved to attack, multiple afterimages were formed heading towards Silk Hair like a torrent. ¡°Fast but predictable.¡± Silk Hair remained calm as his sword struck out hundreds of times in an instant unleashing a rain of fire on the opponent. ¡®From behind!¡¯ Once again Silk Hair struck out behind him slicing the man in half. ¡®Another afterimage!¡¯ Swish! A sword appeared as if from the void slicing a narrow gash in Silk Hair¡¯s forehead. However, Silk Hair had already anticipated this. He reacted so fast that before the tip of the opponent¡¯s sword had finished slicing into his flesh, his own sword had already cut into the enemy¡¯s body! A perfect counterattack at the risk of one¡¯s life! The sword strike landed perfectly. However, when he cut into his enemy, Silk Hair did not feel the resistance created by muscle, flesh, and bone. ¡®How can this be?! It is another afterimage!¡¯ He could not believe it. He even risked his life by letting the enemy slice into his forehead yet he could still not land a counter sword strike! Even when the enemy¡¯s sword was still in contact with Silk Hair¡¯s body, the latter could not even touch him. This was a demonstration of absolute speed! The battle in the sky went on for a few more seconds but no matter what Silk Hair tried, he could never even touch the opponent¡¯s clothes! Swiiiiiiiiish! ¡®Crap! So fast! I can¡¯t dodge this!¡¯ Silk Hair was frantic. Exclamation marks popped up in his mind as he felt a silent wind approach his back. In the next moment, the man had appeared behind him as if to strike him down. Pat pat. However, instead of agonizing pain, all that Silk Hair got was a pat on his shoulder. It was as if the man was telling him ¡°this is the difference in our strength.¡± ¡°Hehehe. You tried your best. But in this country there is only one man who can keep up with me.¡± Out of thin air, the man finally materialized long enough for people to finally see him clearly. This was a man that nearly everyone at the scene recognized. It was Epesi. Epesi ¨C the Teleporting Swordsman. Along with Swift Sword, Kaskara, who held the title of the Fastest Blade in the East, this man Epesi was recognized as one of the fastest men on the continent! Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 12: The 7 Great Swordsmen Overall, the 7 Great Swordsmen of the Rock Generation are:
  1. Instant Sword - Epesi
  2. Bright Sword - Dhahabu
  3. Swift Sword - Kaskara
  4. Mourning Sword
  5. Void Sword
  6. Joyful Sword
  7. Kingly Sword
Chapter 145: Wizard Knight ¡°Silk Hair, what is your clan planning?¡± ¡°Fwahahahaha, Epesi you think I will just tell you.¡± Silk Hair had finally let go of the stone in his heart. After all, given who his opponent was, it was only natural that he would lose. ¡°The time is coming. And it will be soon.¡± With those foreboding words, Silk Hair¡¯s body started to disappear like smoke rising in the sky. ¡°Not so fast!¡± The wolf-masked Volk rushed to grab Silk Hair. However, he was only met with a light laughter before Silk Hair vanished completely. When his hand swept past the enemy, all that entered Volk¡¯s palm was a puff of smoke. ¡°He is gone. This time it is not an illusion.¡± Epesi who had not even bothered to stop Silk Hair¡¯s retreat commented when he saw Volk¡¯s futile efforts. Epesi¡¯s comment left Volk embarrassed since he now knew that this man had been watching all along. He was even watching him cut thin air like a prancing deer while previously under Silk Hair¡¯s illusion spell. ¡®I felt so proud of myself yet¡­¡¯ ¡°Someone must have set up a summoning spell on ¡®the other side¡¯ to call him back at any moment.¡± ¡°What did he take?¡± ¡°He stole ¡®the pearl¡¯.¡± The pearl that Volk spoke of was a strange object, one of many that were part of the flying ship¡¯s cargo as it headed to Milele town. ¡°The pearl? You mean ¡®THE PEARL¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That thing! What use even is it?¡± ¡°According to the old man, while it is not that useful to humans, it can be used in some ¡®serious¡¯ Amanani rituals.¡± The old man that Epesi and Volk were speaking about was the grandmaster wizard. ¡°Hey, I have been looking for the old man. It seems as if he disappeared into thin air!¡± ¡®You are one to talk.¡¯ Volk wanted to say out loud but decided to keep the thought in his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he went either.¡± With that sentence, these two powerful men looked downfallen. They felt like failures as guards. ¡°Eish. We get paid generously but we barely do any work as guards. Half the time we have no clue where the old man even is!¡± That was Epesi¡¯s parting comment before even he disappeared into thin air. It was as if he was never there at all. After Epesi left, the scene finally calmed down. A group of elders flew down from the flying ship towards the 30 or so men who had fallen to mines below after the battle with Silk Hair. For these elders, this was just a colorful day for them. However, for the youngsters on the ship, this was a moment they would never forget. They had just witnessed a true battle of peak masters! These young people were all from different powerful forces in the nation¡¯s capital city ¨C Suna. Naturally, they had many powerful masters as teachers and seniors. Some were lucky to have even sparred with these powerful warriors. However, they had never seen an all out battle between powerful magicians and warriors like the one witnessed today. One of the young men on the ship who did not recognize Epesi asked an elder about this illustrious warrior. After all, Epesi had left a deep impression on everyone. When they first saw Fire Guardian and Silk Hair¡¯s magic contest, they were deeply impressed by the size of the attacks. When the 30 experts attacked Silk Hair, the light show in the sky left everyone mesmerized. Similarly, Volk¡¯s short clash against Silk Hair impressed everyone since the rules of physics seemed to have been broken and recreated several times in that fight. But Epesi was a different beast altogether. The spectators could not even see a shadow of his figure during the entire battle. It was the same for both the inexperienced youngsters and the experienced elders. Epesi¡¯s speed was simply overwhelming; purely inhuman! No one was a match for him. ¡°That man was Instant Sword ¨C Epesi the Teleporting Swordsman. He is a Wizard Knight. You guys don¡¯t see him much but he is actually the Left Protector of the Magic Grandmaster.¡± The magic grandmaster that the elder mentioned was the Grand Sorcerer ¡°BitterMoon¡± Mkali Mwezi. Grand Sorcerer Bittermoon was the reason why the magic competition in Milele town was happening in the first place. ¡°The grandmaster was supposed to be with us on the ship but who knows where he went. If he was here, a ¡®puny¡¯ Silk Hair would never dare to attack us.¡± Another elder commented. However, would he dare call Silk Hair ¡®puny¡¯ to his face? Unlikely. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What is a wizard knight?¡± Another young boy asked. ¡°Ignorant.¡± It was an almost silent mutter. ¡°You!¡± However, that silent mutter alone was almost enough to ignite a fight between the youngsters on the ship. After all, they were from different forces. They were not friends. ¡°Calm down,¡± the elder who first spoke forcefully calmed the youngsters before continuing his explanation, ¡°A Wizard Knight is a special profession that combines magic with swordsmanship. All of you have learned about magic swordsmanship before but wizard knights are slightly different from regular magic swordsmen.¡± As the elder explained, the difference between wizard knights and regular magic swordsmen was that one had to go to one of the 3 Great Nations or visit the Herenfterl continent itself in order to be consecrated as a wizard knight. Without receiving the Holy Baptism, one could not become a wizard knight. ¡°The lowest requirement to participate in the Wizard Knight Holy Baptism ceremony is to achieve both the fourth rank in magic ¨C Magic Master and the fourth rank in swordsmanship ¨C Sword Master.¡± ¡°Sword Apprentice ¨C Swordsman ¨C Great Swordsman ¨C Sword Master.¡± ¡°Magic Pupil ¨C Magic Student ¨C Magic Teacher ¨C Magic Master.¡± ¡°It is only when you achieve this that you can even qualify to take the Wizard Knight test.¡± With such requirements, even regular peak level masters like Fire Guardian were not qualified. ¡°What? So strict?¡± The youngsters on the ship could not help but exclaim in shock. Even for those who knew what a wizard knight was, they did not know the extremely high requirements to qualify for this profession. ¡°So strict? Of course. Did you just think anyone could become a wizard knight?¡± Another elder commented in a condescending tone with a sneer plastered on his face. Who knew why he was ¡®beefing¡¯ with ignorant children? ¡®Maybe the elder tried to become a wizard knight before and failed. But why is he taking it out on us?¡¯ Everyone thought the same thing but no one dared to say it out loud. The previous elder ignored the bitter man next to him and continued to impart his wisdom to the youngsters, ¡°Once one receives the holy baptism, they start from the lowest rank the Silver Knight. Then through various undisclosed tests and achievements, they can move up the ranks to become Golden Knights, Black Knights, and ---the Knights of Beyond.¡± ¡°According to the ranking of the 3 Great Kingdoms, Epesi is currently a Golden Knight.¡± ¡°Only a golden knight! Yet he is already so strong!¡± Someone in the crowd exclaimed in shock, their voice dripping with awe. One would shudder when thinking about the strength of Black Knights and the Knights of Beyond. Undoubtedly, they were all at the dual Grandmaster class and above! Experts at both swordsmanship and magic. Wizard Knights like Volk and Epesi had already achieved the Sword Grandmaster rank. However, their magic skill was still stuck in the Magic Master rank. It is for this reason that they did not have the qualifications to become Black Knights. Black Knights were powerful and Beyond Knights even more so. In fact, it was said that the sword strokes of the Knights of Beyond could not be seen by mortal eyes. It was not just a matter of speed or invisibility, but rather a phenomenon stemming from a difference in the life level; like the difference between a lion and an ant. In addition to Wizard Knight Ranks, as a profession, the field also had different occupations within it including: Genesis Knights, Exodus Knights, Judgement Knights, and Salvation Knights. Each occupation had different responsibilities such as Genesis Knights who controlled the Genesis Power of Creation or Exodus Knights who specialized in speed. ¡°About Judgement Knights, although hard to confirm, it is said that they control the power of judgement. They can kill those who are deemed guilty with just a gaze!¡± The words of the elder left everyone shaken. These children could fathom such a domineering power. The power of Judgment Knights was very similar to the ability of a certain prominent and heroic skeleton man that likes to ride fiery vehicles. ¡°As you might have guessed, Epesi is an Exodus Knight.¡± This was Epesi¡¯s true identity. His strength and achievements made sure that he had a place in the continent¡¯s hall of fame. Within Toro, Epesi was a great swordsman mentioned in the same sentence as the deceased Kaskara the Swift Sword who was recognized as the fastest blade in the East. Epesi¡¯s name was also mentioned alongside Dhahabu the Bright sword, one of Toro''s greatest generals who was pronounced missing in action almost half a decade ago. Another elder commented, ¡°Right now, among the strongest three within the 7 great swordsmen of the Rock generation, only Epesi remains.¡± At this point the elders had already started speaking among themselves while ignoring the children. The other swordsmen within the seven greats were the Mourning Sword, Void Sword, Joyful Sword, and the latest to be ranked among the seven, the Kingly Sword. ¡°Have you guys heard those rumors about the Kingly Sword?¡± ¡°Shhhhh!¡± A serious looking female elder stopped the man who was speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it. Some things are better left unsaid and undiscussed!¡± After all, there were people from the royal family on this ship! The rumours about the Kingly Sword were many. One rumor was that he was a prince of Toro. Another prominent rumor was that he was the brother of King Mawa. Some even said he was the king¡¯s secret twin brother. An even more egregious rumor was that the man known as the Kingly Sword was actually the king¡¯s body double! Naturally, many even theorized that King Mawa himself was the Kingly Sword. To this day, the true identity of this swordsman remained muddled. However, what everyone was sure of was that even if the Kingly Sword was not King Mawa, it was someone very close to him. The reason everyone was sure of this was because this man was solely responsible for King Mawa¡¯s survival when Kaskara the rebel had attempted to kill him. Before this event, no one had ever heard of this secretive swordsman. And after Kaskara¡¯s rebellion was quelled, the man sunk back into the shadows and once again became an enigma. ¡°Enough about the Kingly Sword. With even the 7 Great Swordsmen getting chipped away before our eyes, my only hope is that the next generation can rise up quickly now that the years of civil strife are approaching.¡± With this comment, a heavy atmosphere filled the ship. These elders had lived through the civil war era that happened a decade ago. An era of total chaos where figures like Kaskara incited rebellions across the country. Clans fought against clans and tribes fought against tribes. It was an era of Toro¡¯s burning. And now, similar winds of war seemed to be approaching the Kingdom of Toro once again. An era of tribulations was approaching! Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 13: Wizard Knight Occupations Major Occupations:
  1. Genesis Knight ¨C the Makers
  2. Exodus Knight ¨C the Journeymen
  3. Judgement Knight ¨C the Judges
  4. Salvation Knight ¨C the Saviors
Minor Occupations:
  1. Priest Knight ¨C the Holy Knights of the Grand College
  2. Numbered Knight ¨C the Numbers
  3. Bridge Knight ¨C the Devarim
  4. Companion Knight ¨C the Associates of the Order
While magic swordsmanship has roots from all over the world, the formal Wizard Knight system originates from the Herenfterl Continent. Chapter 146: The Infinity Magic Library Part II Back at the Infinity Magic Library ¡­ Someone was shuffling between the endless rows of books like a cricket jumping from plant to plant. Naturally, this was Mwana. ¡°There is nothing here!¡± ¡°I have even looked through the least browsed books like recipes known to everyone yet they have all been kept clean.¡± Mwana quietly lamented. He was currently filled with endless disappointment. ¡°Did those books lie?¡± As a youngster who loved martial arts, Mwana had read many martial arts novels depicting the heroic journeys of many legendary figures. ¡°In those books the hero always finds the god-level techniques by browsing through the old, dusty, and torn books that are neglected by everyone and stashed away at the corner of the library.¡± This was so in those novels but reality was different. In the Milele town library, even the least important books were kept clean and tidy. With the first novel-inspired plan failing, Mwana had no choice but to do everything by the book. When it came to the rules of the library, they were not so strict. In fact everyone could walk in into the library at any time. Given the size of the library, even if all of Milele¡¯s residents came to read they would never be able to exhaust all the books off the shelves. ¡°From outside the library looks like a normal building but inside it is truly infinite!¡± From Mwana¡¯s guesses, the library was probably constructed with the laws of space infused inside the building. When one walked inside the building, it was like entering another world ¨C a world of books. This was the reason why the library could hold an almost infinite amount of books. It was also the reason why it was ridiculous for Mwana to try shuffling between the shelves without even knowing what books he was looking for. While anyone could read in the library, there were naturally rules governing things like borrowing books, purchasing books, exceeding the allotted library time, getting a private reading room, setting up in-library book clubs, and having one¡¯s own books on the shelves as a publisher. However, there were several types of documentations that could grant the holder significant library privileges. One such document was a badge from an educational institution or national identification documents. Badges included items like the Jua and Mwezi village moon bracelets while identification documents included Education Certificates, Military Service Certificates, Awakening Certificates, and other such documents which served as proof of some sort of achievement. Overall, there were many other ways but each carried different privileges. Even just how residents and non-residents were treated was different. After all, it was much easier to track down a resident compared to a visitor to the town who could just leave the town with borrowed books and disappear forever. Even with the existence of magical ways to track and retrieve the books, it would still be a hassle for whoever had to do it especially for just a book. This time Mwana walked to the librarian section. The person at the desk was not a sloppy old man who was hiding his true abilities like in the martial arts novels that Mwana read. Instead it was a young woman dressed in black formal clothes and with her hair neatly tied at the back. Surprisingly, despite the large size of this library and the huge inflow of people, there was no one at the librarian¡¯s counter. It is only when Mwana talked to her that he understood why. ¡°A Book Catalogue, It looks like a light magic scroll.¡± In front of Mwana there was a translucent projection shaped like a cone that was cut in half. The scroll looked like a digital gaming screen in medieval fantasy games. To move across the contents of the projected scroll, all one had to do was to move their finger in the air as if scrolling and pointing. ¡°What an ingenious way of using conjuration magic. No wonder no one bothers to disturb the librarian. They can just pull up the book catalogue in mid-air!¡± The projected screen contained a collection of all the books in the library. However, since the library had over a million books, they were divided into different sections and categories which made it easier for readers to find what they were looking for. The books and techniques in the library were further arranged into sections like biographies, fiction, educational, martial arts, and so on and so forth. Fort techniques, they were also divided based on general categories such as the body, mind, soul, and magic. There were also more in-depth categories such as elemental arts and animal-based techniques. Since the library was so large, it would almost be impossible to find what you were looking for without checking the catalogue first. Fwish! ¡°It can actually do that!¡± When Mwana chose a martial arts book on the projected scroll-like screen, a book instantly appeared in his arms. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It is like teleportation.¡± This book was one Mwana had chosen on a whim to test out the functions of the scroll. Looking at the purple covered book in his palm, Mwana flipped to the first page. This martial arts book was titled ¡°The Core Technique of Shango''s Thunder Lightning Mansion.¡± The book¡¯s cover seemed to have been made of some strange beast¡¯s purple hide and its pages were all a pale brown color. Clearly, this was a slightly older book. Although this book recorded information about martial arts, it did not actually contain the martial arts themselves. Instead, it was more like a historical account of the Thunder Lightning Mansion established by Shango ¨C a prominent Sky God. Within this book, one could read about the different form of the Violet Lightning Dragon, an extremely domineering fist technique that existed in 7 parts, as well Jakuta¡¯s signature technique ¨C the Violet Dragon Roar. There was also a breakdown of the development process of Gudi za Dhoruba [Storm Fist], a common fist technique among lightning practitioners in Toro. Nevertheless, while these martial arts greatly interested Mwana, he did not have infinite time or memory. After all, he had come to the library with a very particular purpose. ¡°Anyway, these techniques are not going anywhere. I can always learn them next time.¡± Mwana still proceeded to look through many other books before making his final choice. Among them were the Bright Moon Martial forms of the Mwezi village as well as a book that he was intent on borrowing: ¡°A Book on Scientific Magic.¡± This book recorded a lot scientific knowledge that would be useful to magicians, warriors, and even ordinary laymen. One such example was the Alkane Series Fire Control Method which included the Super-acid Formula and extensive knowledge about Free Radicals Reactions. ¡°Maybe this can expand my magical knowledge before I forge my Azama. I am about to become a Magic Student so I have to make all the right preparations.¡± In addition to books that just recorded knowledge, Mwana also looked through the Technique Section in the scroll. What entered his eyes was a sea of techniques that seemed to cover anything and everything one could think of. There were many categories and subcategories covering every field of martial arts or magic. When Mwana chose a technique, what entered his hands was an engraved stone tablet. Unlike books, the techniques in the library were usually in the form of thin manuals or engraved tablets whose content had been written using magic penmanship. ¡°Volcano Fist? I already have Solar Scorching Fist so this is of very little use to me.¡± ¡°Tornado Wave Strike. This can help me improve when training the Sword Dragon Wave. If I integrate these two techniques, it might bear some results!¡± Mwana found a place to seat down within the library and started choosing some techniques. While he intended to borrow some books from the library when he left, he did not plan on leaving the library while carrying any martial techniques. ¡°I will just read and memorize them all here.¡± If it was just one or two techniques, anyone could read and memorize them when given time. However, Mwana was confident in memorizing over a dozen techniques, perfectly at that. ¡°It is finally time for these eyes to show their worth.¡± Mwana¡¯s confidence came from his unique power originating from the Dragon Mirror Eye ¨C the 4 Directions.
  1. Eastern Eye of Perception - Awareness Eye (Mashariki-Jua)
  2. Western Eye of Discernment - Appraisal Eye (Magharibi-Elewa)
  3. Northern Eye of Contemplation - Reflection Eye (Kaskazini-Kioo cha Fikra)
  4. Southern Eye of Insight - Inner Eye (Magharibi-Wazia)
Mwana¡¯s right eye, the Sun Eye or Awareness Eye, was mostly used to gather information and investigate phenomena. Naturally, it also enhanced Mwana¡¯s combat ability. As for his left eye, the eye of discernment, it had the ability to understand, discern, and appraise many things. With his right and left eye, there were not many things in this world that could escape Mwana¡¯s eyesight. His vision was extremely powerful and clear. Reading even books with thousands of pages would be like drinking water to him. However, at the end of the day mastering magic or martial arts was not all about being able to read well. One had to memorize the techniques and most importantly, one had to understand these techniques. ¡°With the Reflection Eye, I can directly imprint the things I read on the Dragon Mirror itself. Even if I want to forget them I won¡¯t be able to forget. And with the Inner eye, I can slowly decipher and train these techniques in my inner world.¡± The remaining two abilities of the Dragon Mirror Eye were Mwana¡¯s main reliance. With a plan already set in place, Mwana continued looking through the different categories: Psychic Arts In this section, Mwana chose to memorize the Basics of Shadow Boxing. This was a psychic method recorded in an informative book format rather than a technique. Nevertheless, the knowledge in this book would be extremely helpful in helping a warrior sharpen their minds. Aura Techniques This section included a lot of suppression techniques such as aura, bloodline, and even willpower suppression techniques. Some of them included: - [Dragon Roar Bloodline Suppression technique] Description: this technique excavates aura from one¡¯s bloodline and expresses it outward through a mighty roar. - [Lion Sovereign Roar Aura Suppression technique] Description: the warrior exudes the unique sovereignty of the king of the jungle suppressing the weak and the strong alike. Naturally, Mwana chose the dragon technique without a second thought since he had a matching dragon bloodline. The next section Mwana looked through was the section on invoking the power of a god. There were many warriors across the world that used such methods to greatly boost their powers. One prominent example was Kaskara who was previously able to boost his power from the peak of the Void Core rank to the peak of the Lord realm! This was like transforming from an insect into an elephant. Divine Invocation Methodology - [God Invocation Seal] Description: even the lowest level seal can call unto a fraction of a given god¡¯s power. ¡°Can I really use these methods?¡± At his young age, Mwana had never thought about borrowing power from any gods. Frankly, he was not that religious. Although he worshipped his ancestors and prayed to the creator deity everyday, he almost paid no heed to the other minor or major gods. ¡°Those who have the invocation seal in the village are usually connected to the god of smithing. But since I don¡¯t plan to really follow the blacksmith path, this type of seal is mostly useless to me. It cannot be used in battle.¡± ¡°It would be nice if there was a God of Painting or something.¡± In the end, the divine invocation methodology was something that required careful consideration before choosing to follow that path. After all, there is no free lunch in this world. Apart from the creator deity who held love for every living thing, one could not expect the same from other minor deities. If one received their power, naturally they would have to give something in return. Chapter 147: The Infinity Magic Library Part III Poison Arts - [Jade Black Hands Skin Hardening Method] Description: A skin hardening method that transforms the practitioner¡¯s hands to be as hard as meteorite metal. Once mastered, the hands turn completely black and can break through stone and steel alike. ¡°Ah!¡± When Mwana saw the description of this technique, a lightbulb switched on inside his head, ¡°This must be the technique that that guy used.¡± Mwana was referring to the poisonous technique practised by Code D the Demon of the Red Hawk gang. Although the strength of this technique was undeniable, Mwana did not dare practise it lest his hands transform into a charcoal. - [Venom Heart Technique] Description: At full mastery, the technique allows the practitioner to convert negative emotions and sentiments into pure venom. With the respective palm technique, the venom can be implanted into the opponent¡¯s heart! ¡°What a nasty technique!¡± Mwana was about to put this book down but the more he read through the description, the more he saw its value. In fact this technique was very compatible with his Sealing Arts and could help improve his overall magic skill. In the end, Mwana dropped his prejudices about the technique and decided to record it on the Third Eye Mirror inside his mind. Body Strengthening and Potion Making - [Berserk Bull Potion] Description: This magic potion can be used by combat magicians, hybrid magicians, and regular warriors to boost physical strength for 5 to 30 minutes. Advantage: 5X strength boost. Side-effects: When the potion is in use, the person¡¯s brain is affected lowering the overall intelligence. ¡°This is the clear definition of a ¡°muscle head.¡± Mwana was not interested in something like this. What was the use of being strong if your intelligence became worse than a toddler¡¯s? It was naturally better to keep one¡¯s wits in a battle. - [Sugar Power Breathing Method] Description: This breathing technique temporarily boosts metabolism. It uses glucose and other sugars in the person¡¯s body to boost physical might. Side-effects: Naturally, if one activates this technique they have to consume a lot of sugar, otherwise they will experience a glucose deficiency. Some warriors have also reported experiencing a sugar rush that made them more impulsive when using the breathing method. - [Horned Dragon Head Style] Description: This technique makes the user¡¯s head as hard as that of a horned dragon. In each new stage, the skull will thicken by two inches. Reading this description, Mwana was left speechless. ¡°Won¡¯t the person turn into a pumpkin head by the end?¡± The technique had 6 levels. ¡°How many inches is that!¡± ¡°If one is stupid enough to practise this technique, then they will end up transforming into a mutant!¡± Mwana now understood that the library had both great techniques and questionable methods mixed in together. It was also the reason why it was not advisable to pick one¡¯s core techniques without any guidance. If Mwana did not already have core techniques and came here as a novice, it was likely that he may have been misled by some of these questionable methods. However, in Toro, there was already an established educational system. Therefore, almost everyone learned the basics of fields like martial arts and magic in a specialized school. For this reason, rather than choosing their main techniques, people mostly visited the Infinity Magic Library to broaden their knowledge or learn support techniques. Weapon Arts - [Marching Marshall Spear] Description: The standard military spear technique in the Kingdom of Toro. ¡°I have seen this before in the martial road.¡± Mwana instantly recognized this technique. After all, he had just seen it recently on the Jua village Martial Road. The Marching Marshall Spear had a very unique status in Toro. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that every male in the kingdom had at least learned the basics of this spear technique. When Mwana had asked the White Rock Academy head about the technique, the old man had vaguely implied that this spear technique was the Old King Bemba¡¯s way of preparing everyone for a sudden mass conscription. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Naturally such an implication had left Mwana sweating. However, despite the possible intent behind how widespread this technique was, there were two positives about this spear art that made it so widespread. First, the spear art was extremely powerful. Not only was it powerful but the basics were publicly available for everyone to learn. Second, this spear technique had a very irresistible positive side effect ¨C boosting vitality. Once someone mastered the basics of this technique, their vitality increase was plainly evident; whether the technique was a form of military propaganda or not, no one cared. On Bemba¡¯s part, this was an open conspiracy. ¡°Should a nation-wide crisis ever erupt, all the people who learned the technique would stand out like candles in the dark. Naturally, they will be instantly conscripted into the army!¡± However, even though Mwana could see the conspiracy within, he also understood why no one cared even when they could see through it. ¡°Even if they know what¡¯s up, the technique is too amazing; nationwide crises are also too rare. People will still take the risk.¡± It was not that everyone did not see that this was a trap set by the military, but rather, they saw and still chose to practise it. ¡°However, the biggest reason why people don¡¯t care should be that if a huge crisis really appears, no-able bodied male will be able to dodge the military draft anyway.¡± On this point Mwana was indeed right. If the kings of Toro really chose to implement a mandatory draft, there was no escape unless one was ready to be charged with the crimes of draft-dodging or treason. Looking through the technique, Mwana was amazed by each of the moves of this spear technique. - [Marching Marshall Spear] First Move: Sweeping Armies Second Move: Indomitable Mountain Third Move: Piercing the Heaven Fourth Move: Sky Thunder Spear Fifth Move: Coiling Snake Breaking Thrust Sixth Move: Weeping Cyclone Twisting Thrust Seventh Move: Hell Gate Guardian Eighth Move: Fate Destroying Spear Mwana had only seen 3 parts of this technique on the martial road. He was intent on learning it especially for the vitality boost. Now that he wanted to force his way into the Blood Boiling realm, he had to find ways to counter the negative side-effects of the Blood Dragon part of his Myriad Dragon Bloodline. ¡°I have already secured some useful blood-nourishing herbs as down-payment from Apothecary Dawa. Now all I have to do is find useful techniques. The vitality boost from this spear technique should help.¡± In addition to the vitality boost, there was also another reason why Mwana chose this spear technique. ¡°So far, my focus has always been on the sword, but now that I have become a Great Swordsman I have to walk out my own way, my own path. That is the only way I can become a Swordmaster.¡± The path to the swordsmaster rank was not easy. One actually had to master their own path. The simplest way was to accumulate knowledge by learning many other martial arts and integrating them into your own unique sword path. ¡°Sword arts alone will not suffice.¡± Mwana knew that to understand the simple, one had to learn the complex first. Therefore, the first weapon Mwana chose to expand his weapon expertise was the spear. ¡°Either way, it is unavoidable. To become a Crystal Warrior, I have to join the military. In the military, it is inevitable that I will have to master the spear.¡± ¡°As they say the sword is the nobleman¡¯s weapon while the spear is the soldier¡¯s confidante.¡± Further, Mwana¡¯s dream to become a Crystal Warrior was inseparable from the military. Although he was no longer na?ve enough to think that joining the military was all candies and roses, it was not something that any Crystal Warrior could avoid. Usually, Crystal Warriors held an almost insurmountable level of power compared to others in the same rank. For instance, Epesi was a Crystal Warrior while Volk was not. While both were in the same rank in every regard [Warrior Rank ¨C Void Rank, Swordsmanship Rank ¨C Sword Grandmaster, Magic Rank ¨C Magic Master], Epesi was far stronger than Volk. Because of the gap between regular warriors and crystal warriors, the government made sure to keep a tight leash on crystal warriors. There was no way the royal family would allow the uncontrolled creation of characters that had the level of power held by crystal warriors. The Marching Marshall Spear in the library included the full description of the 1st to the 6th moves. The 7th and 8th moves were only listed but not included. And while this spear technique had 9 moves in total, the name of the 9th move was not even revealed. ¡°One probably has to join the military and achieve some form of merit before getting the final 3 moves.¡± Mwana¡¯s thoughts were right on point. It was like dangling fresh grass in front of sheep. In addition to the Marching Marshall Spear, Mwana browsed through the library directory and chose other ordinary forms of spearmanship to improve his basics. These techniques included the spear of the bamboo cutter, grassland spearmanship, mountain splitting spear, and springing spear. ¡°Although these techniques are not exceptionally powerful, they can improve my basics of spearmanship.¡± In addition to spear techniques, Mwana naturally chose some sword techniques as well. His father¡¯s Sword Dragon Mantra was too complex and took too long to unravel. He had also bought some unnamed sword techniques from the old seller in the town but this was not a complete sword system. What he needed now were techniques that were not only complete but also easy to master. The techniques he chose were: Takfiri Sword ¨C the Sword of Wisdom Reflection, Falling Leaf Sword (this was the sword technique that Terran specialized in), Thunder Calming Sword, and Spirit Gourd Sword and Shield Form. The most unique out these four techniques were the Thunder Calming Sword and the Spirit Gourd Sword and Shield Form. The Thunder Calming Sword was so powerful that at the highest level a sword swing could dispel storms and quell the rage of thunder. As for the Spirit Gourd Sword and Shield Form, this technique stood out to Mwana due to its special origins. Seeing the name on the Spirit Gourd Sword and Shield Form technique book, Mwana exclaimed in shock and admiration, ¡°Someone from the same clan?!¡± - [Spirit Gourd Sword and Shield Form] Description: An ordinary woman once found a strange gourd. From it she comprehended a profound sword and shield technique and rose from a non-warrior housewife to a military general within a decade. This technique created a legend, the Sun General of 300 years ago, Jua Maridadi ¨C the Beautiful Sun. Although Mwana had heard the story of Jua Maridadi from his mother over a million times, he did not actually expect to find her sword technique here. ¡°And it isn¡¯t just a regular sword technique either. It incorporates the shield as well!¡± ¡°This is it!¡± With these weapon arts, Mwana was sure that his expertise when it came to the sword would improve at an exponential rate. Becoming a Swordsmaster was not easy. The warrior had to actually create and master their own sword technique. Therefore, learning techniques was not enough. One had to glimpse something from these techniques and use that to feed into their own unique sword style. Further, the more techniques one learned, the more their future path would expand even after they already had their own unique sword style. After all, the title of sword grandmaster was just the shortened form of the term ¡°grandmaster of a hundred schools.¡± Not only did a grandmaster have to establish their own swordsmanship school but they also had to have learned countless other sword arts and weapon arts. So learning different martial arts today was setting the foundation for tomorrow! Chapter 148: The Infinity Magic Library Part IV After choosing his desired weapon arts, the next section that Mwana looked through was the specialty of this library: Magic Skills As a Magic Pupil who was only a thin line away from the Magic Student rank, Mwana had already learned several Rank 0 and Rank 1 spells that corresponded to his primary element and secondary elemental affinities. He had learned spells of the fire, lightning, and wind elements. The Rank 0 spells that corresponded to the wind, fire, and lightning elements were: Wind ¨C [Air Walk Spell] & [Wind Flow Spell] Fire ¨C [Fire Control Spell] & [Fire Palm spell] Lightning ¨C [Static Burst Channeling] & [Electric Current Flow] Each Rank 0 Spell model was composed of a magic control skill and an elemental flow spell. The Air Walk Spell was the predecessor of the Linear Wind Spell which Mwana used to boost his speed. With Air Walk one could walk very fast and with Linear Wind one could run very fast. As for the rank 0 fire spells, the fire palm would turn the palms red hot similar to Barbarian Bull Queen¡¯s steel smelting palm. Naturally, the effect of this spell was not as good as shooting out a palm of flames. However, this was understandable since it was just a tier 0 magic skill that could be learned and performed by apprentices and novices. The fire control spell granted the user pyrokinetic capabilities; but given its low rank, there were limitations on the range of the spell as well as the type, size, and intensity of the flames that could be controlled. Expectedly, users of the fire control spell had to rely on already existing flames since they could not produce their own flames due to the limitations of the rank 0 fire palm spell. Mwana had also learned the lightning-type tier 0 spells, static burst channeling and electric current flow which in combination with the thunder section of the Sun and Moon Arts, greatly inspired two of Mwana¡¯s signature techniques ¨C the Rushing Thunder Charge and the Delayed Thunder Spark. For Rank 1 spells, the standard elemental spells for fire, wind, and lightning were: [Fireball] [Wind Blade] [Thunderbolt] After his fight against Majimaji, Mwana had made sure to train in these three abilities as much as possible. The Fireball spell and Wind Blade showed the fastest progress. Surprisingly, despite being so good at lightning techniques, mastery of the Thunderbolt spell still evaded Mwana¡¯s grasp. After all, wind and fire were things near to human beings. One could listen, observe, and even feel them. As for bolts of thunder, they were heavenly phenomenon far away from the hands of mortals. In fact in the study of magic, the easiest elements to master were always those closest to humans like earth and water. ¡°Things would go much faster if I could bathe in the lightning pool.¡± The pool Mwana was referring to was located in the Thunder Bull Martial School. In fact, most of the martial schools in the village had an elemental pool that held a great concentration of whatever elemental power the school specialized in. For instance, the Blazing Tiger School had a volcanic fire pit while the Green Cheetah School which focused on the Wind Style had a storm valley. These ¡®pools¡¯ of elemental power naturally made it much easier for the students in these schools to master their respective elemental abilities. In addition to the three elements, Mwana also had the intention to learn wood style spells after a trace of wood power was born in his bloodline. This wood power naturally manifested due to the influence of the Green Dragon. ¡°What is that Green Dragon? It clearly isn¡¯t a regular Martial Arts imprint.¡± Even to this day Mwana was still baffled about the true origins of the Green Dragon Mantra. Initially, he had imagined that the technique that appeared to him through dreams was related to the Jua clan¡¯s bloodline but now he was sure that he was a unique case. After all he had never heard of anyone else in the village that had such dreams from a young age. ¡°Maybe I have a Green Dragon God watching over me!¡± For a time, Mwana could not help but fantasize. For the wood spells, the most basic skills that Mwana had to learn were: Rank 0 ¨C [Friend of the Green] & [Vine-master] Rank 1 ¨C [Tree Vine Spell] ¡°If I can master wood spells to the zenith maybe I won¡¯t have to wait for a wood type spellcaster to heal my mother. I can do it myself.¡± This was the main thing that motivated Mwana to pick a fourth element despite how unadvisable it was. After all humans don¡¯t have infinite time. However, rank 4 wood type healers were extremely rare. Even magic masters like Epesi and Volk or the members of the Sunshine Wizard Hall did not have a true healer among them. ¡°Next is tier 2 spells.¡± It is important to note that a magic pupil like Mwana could not use tier 2 spells. However, magic was just like any other field of learning. For one to graduate into the next level not only must they be knowledgeable but they must also pass an exam. The test that one faced before officially receiving the title of a magic student was to perform a tier 2 spell. Once you could even perform a single tier 2 spell, you advanced to the second rank of magic. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Tier 2 Elemental Spells [Law of Flame]: Explosions, Wildfire, Burning Heaven, Hellfire, Natural Kiln (+others) [Rushing Wind Tornado Scythe] [Thunder Punishment Edity] Based on the 3 elements that were part of Mwana¡¯s focus, Mwana chose 2 spell law books and one tier 2 elemental spell. Law of Flame and Thunder Punishment Edity were books that explained numerous magical skills. For this reason, they came in the form of extremely thick books. ¡°Even a year straight would not be enough to finish reading all this.¡± As for the wind element, Mwana chose not to bite of more than he could chew so he chose to forego a wind element law spell book. Instead he chose the [Rushing Wind Tornado Scythe] spell which incorporated elements of the [Wind Blade] spell. ¡°Primary spells are one thing, but the true power of a rank 2 magician comes from tier 2 combination magic. According to teacher Urembo, magic pupils can only perform primary magic while magic students can perform secondary magic melding 2 elements together.¡± Mwana spoke to himself as he browsed another section of tier 2 spells: Derivative Secondary Magic [Tier 2 Spells] In total, there were 7 main Tier 2 Elemental Spells ignoring the Wood Element. However, the true power of a rank 2 magician came not just from single element spells but through secondary magic involving the fusion of 2 elements. Out of the many secondary magic spells available in the library, Mwana focused on the ones that fit his expertise: - Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic) - Eagle Diving Flame (wind + fire) - Berserker Blood Flame (blood + fire) - Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic) - Wind and Lightning Soul Blade (wind + lightning) Although Mwana wanted to study much more tier 2 spells, he knew it was pointless to pick too many especially since he had not even become a magic student yet. Once he actually became a magic student, he could master as many tier 2 spells as he liked. When Mwana chose the tier 2 spells, he mainly focused on his strengths and the spells that would enhance these strengths. For instance, his strong sensory abilities due to his strengthened soul and Dragon Mirror Eye would make it easier for him to learn a spell like the Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic). Further, his sword mastery made spells like the Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic) and Wind and Lightning Soul Sword (wind + lightning) were perfect for his fighting style. And if Mwana mastered the Eagle Diving Flame (wind + fire), he would truly master the power of flight that every rookie magician dreamed of. As for the Berserker Blood Flame (blood + fire), although it sounded extremely terrible, this spell actually had some blood nourishing effect. However, the essence of blood type spells could not be divorced from the water element which was not part of Mwana¡¯s expertise. At most, Mwana just hoped to glimpse some inspiration from this spell. If he worked to master it, it would take a much much longer time. ¡°This is enough. I don¡¯t know how long it will take me to get through all this.¡± Even though Mwana had this thought, he was still reluctant to put the books on magic down. The other spells he chose to memorize were: Tier 2 Poison Magic [Dragon King of Poison] Defense Magic: Derivative Magic [within the same element] - [Fire Dome] - Fire Style Defensive technique: modified Fireball. - [Wind Barrier] - Wind Cloak: casts an air film around the user making them almost untouchable. - [Thunder Canopy] - Thunder-Lightning Armor: Levels of the Armor include Blue Lightning, Red Lightning, and Purple Lightning. It was only after looking through all these spells that Mwana chose to move on to the next section. ¡°This is the main course meal!!!!!¡± With his eyes glittering, Mwana finally started picking what he truly wanted; the main reason why he came to the library ¨C Speed Techniques! His bread and butter. His true love in the path of martial arts! Speed is King! Speed, Footwork, & Movement Arts Mwana looked through almost everything on speed that fit his level in the library. In the end, Mwana settled on 3 techniques: - [Optical Aberration] Description: a light style befuddling technique that enhances one¡¯s movement directly through a speed boosts and indirectly through misdirection. - [Thunder Bird Dive] Description: a soaring and diving technique that imitates the flight of the thunder bird. The user¡¯s speed reaches the highest point when diving from a high distance like an eagle rushing from the sky towards its prey. - [Great Ape moving through the Heavens] Description: Like a monkey in its natural habitat, this is a leaping technique that boosts speed and agility over long distances. From Mwana¡¯s choices, it was evident that he was not just chasing plain speed but also versatility. For pure speed arts, Mwana had already inherited the Thunder & Lightning Steps of the Thunder Bull Martial School. This was basically a gift (bribe) from Jua Umeme to entice him to join her school once he graduated from the Academy. The main reason Mwana picked these particular techniques was because he had a particularly grand dream: to create his own movement technique! With the Reflection eye Mwana could copy all these techniques and later rely on his insight to either combine or strip down the techniques so that his own unique style of speed would emerge. ¡°No more 100 Steps in an Instant, No More Withered Wood Dance, No More Linear Wind Spell, No More Rushing Thunder Steps, No More Thunder & Lightning Steps, No More Optical Aberration, No More Thunder Bird Dive, No More Great Ape moving through the Heavens... I will call this technique...¡± at least these were the words that Mwana wanted to say one day. Unfortunately for him, it would still take him a long time to create his own fusion movement technique even with the help of the Dragon Mirror Eye. But once it was created, it would become an Ultimate Speed Technique! Even if he could not create it now, Mwana had already decided on a name, ¡°I will call it [Liquid Mirror] ¨C a technique that specializes in moving, concealing, attacking, and reflecting everything under the sun like a liquid mirror.¡± Mwana¡¯s Book of Knowledge Bonus Notes 13: Jua Village Martial Schools The main martial schools in Jua village are:
  1. Thunder Bull School: it mainly focuses on the Thunder Style.
  2. Blazing Tiger School: this school focuses on the Fire Style. Majority of its people are of foreign descent from the Eastern continent. The school is mainly known for their [Flame Swallowing Mantra] which can allow people to swallow flames.
  3. White Rhino School: Metal Style.
  4. Green Cheetah School: Wind Style.
  5. Jungle Lion: Wood Style. This is a school that admits a multitude of ethnicities in the village including intelligent Spirit Beasts and Beast Men. The twin lion guardsmen who act as the security at the gate of White Rock Academy, Radi Muruthi and Mwaki Muruthi, are both alumni of this martial school.
  6. Eastern Elephant School: This is another school that admits a lot of foreigners from the East. Most of the school¡¯s martial arts forms emphasize strengthening the body and using the elbows, knees, and even the head as weapons. This is all classified under Earth Style. The school¡¯s main meditative martial art is the [Sunless Martial Form] - this is a martial art developed for foreigners who arrive at the village when it is too late for them to practice the [Sun and Moon arts].
Apart from these 6 major schools, there are also other minor schools like the Maroon Whale School which focuses on the Water Style, the Spear Master School which focuses on Spearmanship, and the Shark Blade School which focuses on Swordsmanship. Chapter 149: Bonus Chapter 5 – The Rift between Man and God It was late at night when Mwana returned to the inn. He had spent a full day in the library going through countless books. Even at the end, he was still not satisfied and borrowed some books to take back with him. Entering the inn, the first thing that entered Mwana¡¯s eyes was a portrait. ¡°No matter how many times I see it, I am always amazed.¡± This portrait was shocking in every way. Just looking at it, one would feel as if their mind was sucked into it ¨C the mark of an expert painter. As for the person who occupied this painting, he was even more shocking. The man had the visage of a legendary hero; an ancient great hero from the Jemedari tribe. His eyes seemed to encompass the world gazing into the future from eons in the past. Not only was his face striking, his black dragon armor enhanced the ethereal violence evident in the man¡¯s aura ¨C the aura of a conqueror and a liberator folded into one. By the time Mwana returned to his room, the moon was already high in the sky. However, Mwana did not intend to sleep. Instead, he took out a lamp and started to read. The book that Mwana chose to read was one that was heavy on religion. It explained many religious things involving the relationship between man and the gods. The reason Mwana chose this book was to expand his knowledge on the topic of god invocation. After all, while this method resulted in great ability it was not an easy power to use. If you made a mistake you would be damned for eternity and no one would be able to save you. The power of the gods was not something to be trifled with. The book Mwana chose was titled: The Rift Between Man and God. What were gods? There were as many gods as there were religions and ethnicities. Within a single tribe, there might even be over 10 gods worshipped. However, many of the established gods were nothing more than false gods. In fact, some of them did not even exist and were just a figment of people¡¯s imaginations while others were slightly stronger spirits worshipped by ignorant mortals. When it came to actual true gods, very few existed. Gods were Supreme Beings with the strongest of them all credited for the creation of what comprised the universe. After creation, the universe God lived in the world they created and sustained its inhabitants. ¡°This speaks of God¡¯s imminence.¡± This all powerful creator deity in the Zika world was called the ¡°Sunken¡± God ¨C the creator of this universe. It was said that in the early days after creation, God dwelt in the sky (heaven) which was quite low. For this reason, humanity could freely go to him and tender any complaints. God would also respond to the worries of humans spontaneously. However, at some point in time, a rift formed between man and God, one that had been expanding to this day. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. There were many reasons given for this across different religions ¨C some cited man¡¯s disobedience as the reason while others highlighted God¡¯s disinterest in humanity. To bridge this gap, God appointed his ministers, the divinities endowing them with various responsibilities. ¡°A transcendent withdrawn God...¡± This was the true nature of the creator deity. The book Mwana was reading also outlined the creation myths of many ethnicities across the world. For instance the Kongo People believed in the God Bumba who according to them had vomited up the universe when he was lonely and unwell. The image of God according to them was a being that had an intense need for company. The Ituri also had a myth of creation where God was symbolized by All. It was from them that all life forms radiated. The first human being received the name ¡®Junior Light¡¯ symbolizing that he was very close to God ¨C ¡®the Great Light¡¯. Therefore, in the Ituri¡¯s creation account, man was next to God in the order of all things that comprised existence. From this book, Mwana came to understand many things about the origin of mankind, the gods, and the present state of the world where the mortal and the divine were cleanly separated. What was clear was that after the separation, both the mortal and the divine had taken steps to try and heal the rift that existed between them. The book highlighted 5 paths of mortal-divine reintegration across the ages which included: Craft Inheritance, Divine Incarnation, Divine Invocation, Soul Traversal, and Divine and Devil Bridges. 1. Craft Inheritance In this path, individuals inherit the craft or skills of a particular god or deity. For example in blacksmithing clans such as the Jua clan, there were many blacksmiths who had inherited the skills of Gu, a god of blacksmithing. In the myths of old, Gu was the son of Mawu-Lisa, a creator god who possessed both a female side, Mawu ¨C creator of the moon, and a male side, Lisa ¨C creator of the su. Gu was known for his knowledge in fixing things and he came down to the earth to do exactly that. After the he impressed the early humans with his skills, his status as a god was upgraded obtaining the official title of the blacksmith god. To this day, Gu still had a very active shrine in Mwana¡¯s village where he was revered and worshipped. The path of craft inheritance was usually followed for technical skills, abilities, and vocations. After all, it involved inheriting a craft. 2. Divine Incarnation The path of divine incarnation involved the belief in the independent existence of the divine and human natures of a figure. However, this belief had been condemned by many branches of religion, which affirmed that the deity in human flesh was a single person who was fully human and fully divine. Originally, cults like the religion of Nero envisaged the divine nature of god as having associated with itself at the Incarnation a complete, independently existing man. In the Zika world, the belief of God-made-man came from myths and stories about the fall of the creator deity. The story of the Fallen God also in turn explained the sinking of the Zika world among the myriad dimensions. In this way, god came closer to man but at the same time the path between man and god was cut off. However, according to prophecy, during the next calamity of the world, the creator deity was bound to rise again thus ushering prosperity into the Zika world once again... ¡­ (Read the rest on my Patreon) - https://www.patreon.com/gitagon6991 Direct Link - https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-149-5-99774988 Chapter 150: Exorcist Chronicles Prologue The ground was dark and damp. The air was grey, almost opaque. Two people could stand next to each other but all they would see of their companions was a silhouette. But in this environment, a lively song was sang; hundreds of voices joining together to praise a man. ¡­ The messenger of God has come to Kuhai Stone horses ran rampant, their manes swaying White spirits gleam in the sunlight Shepherds chase down the young lion But what do they know This mere ¡°little¡± boy will be empyrean over them None will dread to meet with him For in his presence, the wolves will rest with the lambs All well fed ¡­ The subject of this song was seated a top a tribal altar decorated with patterns of various humanized animals all making exaggerated faces. Whether this was an altar built for the sake of a god or a demon, one could not tell. The person on top of the altar was young and strong. With every breath he took, his muscles rippled across his skin like thick wires stretched taught. Apart from a pair of grey shorts, the person was shirtless showing off his Olympian body. But from his face, his youth was evident. This was not a man, but a boy, a boy who was coming of age, a young man. ¡°Haaaaaaaaah!¡± Along with a powerful shout, an otherworldly aura erupted from the young man¡¯s body pushing back the circle of voices gathered around him. The young man¡¯s long silver hair violently fluttered as arcs of milky white static electricity emerged and disappeared rapidly like flickering stars. At the same moment, an illusory white shell with black stripes appeared in the gray void. ¡°Kraaak!¡± A crisp sound emerged from the shell. Then it disintegrated, slowly cracking and then breaking completely. The shell turned into nothing but silver dust which was then absorbed by the young man. ¡°The shattering of the mortal shell, it is done.¡± A voice muttered from the gray. However, no matter how low the voice was, it could not hide the owner¡¯s depth or power. The speaker was the young man¡¯s father. The young man was not a nobody. In fact, many in this eternal town viewed him as the successor of the town¡¯s hidden reins. His name? Silver Mane ¨C Fedha Arufu. ¡°Mortal Shell, Otherside Transformation, Earth Deity, Sky Spirit, Void Walker, Heavenly Ascendant, Polar Sanctification, Supreme Divinity¡­You have finally taken the first step towards the great road. You have overcome your mortality. Congratulations, son.¡± Mortal, Solid, Earth, Sky, Void, Heaven, Sacred, and Divine ¨C this was the common martial path. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. As for the young man, the path he followed was the exorcists¡¯ ascendant path ¨C Mortal Shell, Otherside Transformation, Earth Deity, Sky Spirit, Void Walker, Heavenly Ascendant, Polar Sanctification, and Supreme Divinity. Although these two paths shared similarities, there were differences in the interpretation of ¡®the divine¡¯. The common martial path emphasized the transformation of the body into a weapon. Meanwhile the path taken by exorcists emphasized getting rid of the mortal shell to ascend into divinity. At the root of these two martial paths was the Royal Path originating from the Jinfire Clan on Purple Moon Star: But over thousands of years, most of these realms had been changed and castrated over in the Zika world. All that remained of the old system were the four realms of Lord, King, Monarch, and Emperor. When the young man on the altar heard his father¡¯s voice, he stood up and walked down the steps of the altar. However, when he left the altar a body was still sitting there, eyes-closed, cross-legged. It was the young man¡¯s body! ¡°The deity walks out of the mortal shell.¡± A figure dressed as a traditional priest commented in the dark, ¡°Young Lion, you have finally taken the first step towards deityhood, otherside transformation.¡± Walking out of the mortal shell was the first step towards becoming an Earth God in the Exorcists Path. Unlike the martial path where one concentrated on strengthening and solidifying the body during the Transformation or Solid Body stage, the exorcist path completely abandoned the physical shell. ¡°Since you have taken the first step on this path, there is no going back.¡± The young man¡¯s father commented once again. ¡°It takes a decade for the mortal husk to decay and mummify. Once that happens, the earth deity will instantaneously transform into a sky spirit regardless of whether they keep up their training or not. So within that time you have to become as strong as possible lest your strength be affected in the Sky Realm. So if you falter on this path, you will be nothing more than a hapless spirit floating around in the void of nothingness.¡± When the young man heard this, he could not stop doubt from creeping up in heart. He had always been confident, but after finally taking this step, the sense of finality had now set in within his heart. A sense of fear had already been born. However, with his father¡¯s keen eye, how could he not see this? ¡°It is okay to let the weight of this moment settle in your heart. Let that drive you. But of course there is not final thing in this world. There are ways to delay the transformation of the deity. But they are both rare and priceless. And even if you delay the process during the transformation stage, what will you rely on during the earth rank or the sky rank?¡± ¡°If the sky spirit is not consecrated within 100 years, it will be forced to go up the Heaven Ascension Bridge, fading into divinity. This is a process that starts when one takes about 2 steps into the sky.¡± Overall, there are 4 realms in the sky stage with each has 10 steps. ¡°Each step you take, you will walk further and further away from humanity!¡± After hearing his father¡¯s words, a sense of depression had already started settling in the young man¡¯s heart. Although he already knew a lot of the things his father was explaining, it was only now that his brain was catching up to this reality. He could not help but ask in a somewhat resigned tone, ¡°So when can one be truly free?¡± ¡°It is only a voidwalker who can choose where to stay and where to go and truly gain freedom in this world.¡± ¡°Once you begin transforming the mortal body, you must be prepared to walk to the end. Many in our line of exorcists have fallen halfway through this path. It is the reason why even though many experts have reached the earth and sky realm over the years, few remain in the world.¡± Although the father¡¯s words were depressing, this was the path he, his son, and many of their ancestors chose to walk. Naturally, there were explicit benefits to this path that ensured its survival throughout the ages. At the moment when the man and his son were still speaking, the body that was left on the altar suddenly opened its eyes! ¡°No matter what, do not forget why you chose to walk on this path.¡± Quevazikile said to his son before turning around and walking into the darkness. This man, Fedha Quevazikile, was the most influential man in Milele town. However, not many knew his real name. Only the moniker Boss Q rang in the ears of many in the town, scaring not only humans but demons and ghosts alike. Words and Meanings Kuhai ¨C Land of Life Fedha Quevazikile ¨C ¡°those silver clothes from the othershore¡± Fedha Arufu ¨C Silver Mane Chapter 151: The Underground Masquerade Part 1 Start: ¡°The Underground Masquerade¡± East District 150 meters underground ¡­ Since ancient times there has always been a belief that the deeper in the ground you dig, the closer you are to the lands of nether. However, this place was only 150 meters under the surface, not deep enough for hell, yet the atmosphere was thick and oppressive, like wading through mercury. However, this dreary atmosphere did not stop people from living their lives. In the dark cave passages there were lights everywhere. Many people could be seen shuttling through at inhuman speeds, some because they were warriors and others because they were not even human in the first place. ¡°Ten, Ten¡­¡± ¡°Fifty, Fifty, Fifty, don¡¯t miss out. You won¡¯t find an offer like this anywhere else.¡± Every 2 steps one would meet a hawker or a peddler advertising their wares and every 5 steps there was a stall set up. Two men suddenly entered this chaotic space heading deeper into the darkness. Both of them were dressed in dark robes and scarves that covered their faces. However, a closer look at their clothes revealed that they were more or less hand-woven, made out of bulky cotton thread rather than any smooth threads. While both their clothes appeared black in the poorly lit underground, a shine of the light showed that one of the men¡¯s clothes was a deep dark red while the other¡¯s was a dark green color but closer to black than green. ¡°What about Jaken Academy¡¯s secret martial competition?¡± The man on the left who stood at 1.8 meters tall commented. ¡°Not worth it. The payment is good, prize money paid in Azure Fire Cowry Shells equivalent to 1000 gold, with additional earnings of 10 gold coins for each small win and 50 gold coins for the main fights. If it was only money I was looking for, I would have jumped on the opportunity. But here¡­¡± The speaker was the shorter of the two men, around 1.7 meters tall. Clearly, whatever event was held in this underground venue was much more profitable to the man. ¡°They have more right? More than just money?¡± The man on the left asked to confirm and was met with a firm nod. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known about this place if not for that old man.¡± ¡°Fill your stomachs, 10 silver a piece, fill your stomach, 10 silver a piece.¡± As the two men were walking, they heard the sound of another man trying to attract customers. Naturally, they would just ignore it and walk by but before they could even see the man¡¯s face or his stall, a heavenly smell had already wafted into their noses. Subconsciously, their feet could not help but quicken and even their bodies involuntarily turned towards the direction of the voice. The smell that came from the food stall ended up eliciting some buried memories in one of the men. In that memory¡­Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°You can have anything on your hot potato.¡± A young man, probably in his 20s, said to a small boy that he was pulling along. The scene was a bustling food market with all sorts of food, raw and cooked, for sale and ready to eat, laid out as far as the eye could see. Even though the sun was hotter than a stove and the ground was dry and brown, the young boy could not help but be excited as he followed his father to the hot potato stall. ¡°Our veges are unlimited,¡± The stall owner said as he prepared the filled hot potatoes for the father and son. ¡°I¡¯d like more bacon please,¡± The boy added enthusiastically. Although he looked only 5 years old, he had already developed the heart of a foodie. Even the seller was mildly amused. ¡°Ah yes, bacon. My favorite vegetable.¡± As the boy watched the food seller¡¯s process of adding more ingredients, sauces, cheese, meats, veges, and etcetera, he could not help but breath heavily while salivating like a hungry wolf. Years later, this memory was still etched in his mind both for the food and the experience with his now late father. ¡°Every time I thought it was perfect, he just kept going.¡± The young man commented as he pushed 10 coins into the food seller¡¯s hands. This time, both men were even more impressed by what they got for their pay. ¡°The most loaded potato I''ve seen in my life.¡± ¡°A potato filled with obesity and heart failure, just how I like it.¡± Just like last time with his father, this was another enriching food experience that this young man would likely never forget. After the two men, finished their snacking, they walked further into the dark underground before coming to a wide open space filled with light, even more noise, and hundreds of people. The two men meandered through the crowd before coming to a hall that looked like a row of stone offices. This was their destination. As for the identities of these two men and why they were here, these two were naturally Mwana and Waya. It can be said that despite their almost 8-year age difference, these two fellows shared very similar personalities. If they were together, where one went, the other would follow. However, during this particular instance, both of them were wearing disguises to hide their identity. In fact Mwana¡¯s disguise was so good that he had even grown an extra foot or two. After all, this underground location where the betting matches were held was not 100% legal in Milele town. ¡°So noisy. Like a market.¡± ¡°Even though we are so deep down, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if this sound leaked all the way to the surface.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the echo that¡¯s making it all the much more louder.¡± This was not the image of a ¡°Black Market¡± that Mwana or Waya expected to see. Even though everyone hid their identity, the light in this cavern was very bright and the people peddled their items openly and loudly. The sellers here were even more extreme than the food sellers in the previous pathways. However, despite all the commotion, Mwana was quick to intermingle with the peddlers in the market, as if he truly belonged. With a few pieces of silver, he had already collected two martial arts books into his ¡°library.¡± One was a sword technique called the ¡°Illusionary Seven Ocean Splitting Swords¡± and the other was a fist technique with the simple name ¡°Mountain and Sea-breaking Fist¡±. Well, the names were really loud, but in fact these two martial arts were just common goods on any street. Although they were not terrible, they were not considered to be secret manuals or magic skills. As for why they were given such heaven-shaking names, of course, it was to increase the sales and ocassionally fool the ignorant. And it was not just these two techniques, out of the sellers¡¯ mouths, one could hear names like: ¡°God Killing Spearmanship¡± ¡°True Dragon Claw of Destruction¡± ¡°Earth Splitter Technique¡± ¡°Void Shattering Fist¡± ¡°Sea Destroying Secret Manual¡± ¡°Heaven and Earth Obliteration Technique¡± ¡°Indestructible Titanium Body Skills¡± ¡°Lightspeed Sword¡± ¡°¡­¡± All kinds of otherworldly and extraordinary names were thrown out. However, despite the crazy marketing, everything in this market was legitimate. For both the basic martial arts books and the mysterious magic skill manuals that were peddled in the black market, whether they were copies of techniques recorded manually or high quality original texts, there would ordinarily be no fakes allowed in this place. It was one of the unwritten rules of the trade.