《OP without wanting to be》 1. Philosophy is bliss How incompetent can someone be to fuck up collecting taxes from simple peasants. PEASANTS! Why didn''t you decapitate some of them? I am sure they could have paid then! Sir, they were starving "Floating in the abyss. Nothingness. Relaxation. Stillness. No thoughts. No sounds. Just nothing." His mantra did not stop the noise that continued to break down the walls of silence and bliss. It continued to grow louder and louder until it reached a crescendo with a booming crash. Ress dreamworld tore apart and he sat upright. Thousands of incoherent questions flittered through Ress mind. With a groan, his mental gears started turning and memories came flooding back. He was sitting on a giant four-poster bed and still in one of the royal palaces honorary guest apartments. To Ress great misfortune, he had received the room next to his fathers office. His father banged his fist on the table. I don''t want to hear any more excuses. We needed that money for an important gift to one of the high lords. You failed! Get out of my sight!" As if it was an afterthought, his father added: "No salary for the next two months. I have children and OUT! A door banged shut and a fat body plopped into a chair. Then silence returned. Res was livid with rage. Someone else would have been angry at the treatment the family servant had received. Res was only furious that his father had woken him up. Grumbling, he cast about in his mind for an excuse to sleep longer. Now I have to move. I could just sleep a little more? Nah. I guess Ill have to start the day at some point. He rolled out of his luxurious bed and combed a hand through his curly brown hair. I should get a cut. After a moment of hesitation, he concluded: Nah, that would be too much work. Just as usual, he would grow his hair out until it reached his shoulders. At that length, it would inconvenience him more than going to the barber would. To the horror of his mother, he would always get his head shaven bald C That would delay another exhausting visit to the barber. To someone who had never met Res before, he might seem like a resentful teenager. Yet, Ress eyes revealed a keen intelligence that had studied fundamental truths and ideas. At least he hoped so. For over four years, he had been thinking about free will, social norms, and the definition of justice. As a na?ve ten-year-old boy, he had told his father about some of his findings. To illustrate them, he had explained the reasons behind most of his fathers actions. His father had been alienated by his behavior and had ignored him ever since. That may have something to do with the fact that I explained to mother that father was cheating on her with a maid. I don''t know why she was so shocked by that and made all that fuzz. She doesnt show him any appreciation for his work, so he gets it from somewhere else. He rubbed his eyes and walked over to the ornate washing bason. After his thirteenth birthday, his father had required him to shave every day and he had opposed the notion for an entire year. When his father had cut his pocket money, Res had realized that body care was necessary for him to maintain his lazy lifestyle. Res picked up the razor and shaved his teenage stubble. With practiced motions, he dressed in his plain linen uniform with his familys crest on his chest. His clothes only adhered to the minimum clothing standard in the court. Most of the time, he didnt notice the condescending looks from his pompously dressed classmates. He opened the ornately carved door that led into the apartments living room and closed it again. Through the door slit, he peered at the monsters that occupied the living room. His mother and her dozen tattletale friends were lounging in the living room. Only hearing their chattering and giggling for a moment, ground on his nerves. If he exited the usual way, they would bombard him with questions like: Why arent you already in class? and How are your grades doing? Res snorted in annoyance. I can do without that. The quick way it is. I wanted to pass by the servants kitchen, anyway. Lets hope the guards dont catch me again. Sitting through another one of mothers lectures on propriety would be a waste of energy. He retrieved a rope out of a cupboard and fastened it to one of his beds legs. Res took in a deep breath to calm himself and put on his trusty leather gloves. From his sixth-floor window, he looked for any patrols on the walkways beneath. With a groan from his non-existent muscles, he jumped out of the window. He clung to the rope as if his life depended on it and gritted his teeth as his hands heated up because of the friction. Still, he endured the pain and finally landed on solid ground.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The pain in his hand and ankle spread out like wildfire, but his instincts were reigned in by the iron wall of his mind. When he turned to resume his walk, he saw a young maid about his age staring at him in apprehension. Res searched his mind for an appropriate reaction and settled on a conspiratorial wink. The small boost of adrenaline had brightened his mood, and he determined that it had been worth the risk. Whistling a catchy tune, he walked down the gorgeous tree avenue of the palaces courtyard. When Res was eight, his father had managed to suck up to one of the high lords. His father would always say: gotten into the good graces, but it was all the same. Licking other peoples shoes had earned his father a promotion, and they had moved into the palace. Even after seven years of living in the palace, Res felt insignificant when he looked up at the pompous structure. Its grand arches, ornate sculptures, and plush gardens turned it into artwork. The surrounding city of Trianon only enhanced its grandeur. The trade city itself stretched far into the distance. Trianon had a king, court, and laws. The only way it could thrive was the fact that it lay in the center of the continent. Because of its neutrality, it grew to be the center of trade and the home of two million people. Most cities didnt even come close to the five hundred thousand citizen mark. This immense population needed ludicrous amounts of grain from surrounding farming outposts. Ress father, the baron Boris, had to ensure that a steady flow of grain continued nourishing the city. Res buried both of his hands deep into his pockets and assumed his usual hunched walk. His steps slowed, as the smell of fresh-baked bread wafted over to his nose: Lets hope that she doesnt talk much today. That would be mentally exhausting. The banging of pots and the angry shouts broke Ress silent contemplation completely and he murmured: Here we go again. He went down a small flight of stairs, into the kitchen where the servants meals were prepared. Tens of grubby cooks were preparing meat, baking bread, and making stews. Everyone turned to stare at Res even though he was a regular at this point. They only continued their work when the head chefs ear-shattering voice called out. An overweight elderly woman with blonde hair and blue eyes emerged from a side room. When she saw him, her demeanor changed in an instant and she bowed: My lord, you have come again. I cant express how much I appreciate your presence. She continued with her praise for another minute and finally realized his impatient stare. Sorry for my babbling. What would you like to eat today? Fresh bread would suffice She immediately thrust a piping hot bun in Ress face. This is Res took a bite and cut her off: This is excellent bread. Sorry, I must leave, maybe . He couldnt continue as the chubby cook flung her arms around him and hugged him: You are the first noble to ever compliment me and I will be forever thankful for that. The bun was only average, but Res couldnt bear to say that out loud. Instead, he awkwardly patted the now crying woman on the head and said: Yes, you are a talented cook. Where is Francis? The cook recoiled in shock when she realized what she had done: I am sorry for Dont worry., Res waved it away. Finally, she gave him the information he came here for. He is in the canteen. Without further pleasantries, Res left the emotionally unstable cook to her own devices. Through a swing door, he entered the adjacent canteen. The whole room was situated partly underground and so the lighting was dim. Despite the dim light, he could make out the depressed form of the family head servant Francis. The middle-aged man sat on one of the crude wooden benches and staring into a mug of dark beer. Res approached Franciss wooden table and stood next to the hunched form for a moment. With a scraping noise that finally got the attention of Francis, Res slid four silver coins over to him. The servants eyes bulged when his gaze settled on Res. He tried to stand up and bow to Res: I-I am so sorry, milord. I didnt see you else Res waved the comment away, as he hated that kind of treatment: I have serious questions. Would you take money from your employers son? No, how could I. Do you have enough money to feed your family for the next two months? So, you overheard the conversation? Still, I still have some savings. Res realized he had no time for a rhetorical dance and his time would be better spent relaxing. He repeated his question: Do you have enough money to feed your family for the next two months? Francis deflated. No Do you want your children to starve? No Would you rather break a code of honor than to let your children starve? Yes Then take the four silvers. But, thats two months of your pocket money. Silver is a metal. But, to receive this silver, I need you to do one thing. Judging by the look in Franciss eyes, he would sell his soul if it meant that his children wouldnt need to hunger. You need to Franciss palms began to sweat in anticipation at the horrible condition that was sure to come. relax. With the matter settled, he left the dumbfounded Francis with coins worth half a yearly craftsmens wage. In shock, Francis was only able to stare at the retreating back of Res. Ill never forget this. Ill be forever in your debt. Res had already shoved the matter out of his mind and was now day-dreaming of a relaxing nap in the royal park. 2. Academy Headache When he surfaced from the dive into his mind, he was standing in front of the door of Lecture 1B of the palace academy. A quick look at the position of the sun revealed that he had slept through three hours of lessons already. Without hesitation, Res entered the palaces giant lecture hall. The doors ear-piercing creaking echoed through the enormous chamber. A white-haired woman whirled around from the blackboard. She focused her attention on the intruder that dared to disturb her class for the umptieth time. He supposed that he was the only one coming late out of 569 pupils. Still, Ms. Harlow should have realized by now that he wont change, and calling him out was a nuisance for both of them. As a statistics professor, she should have run the numbers by now. What do you have to say in your defense?, the shrill voice of Ms. Harlow demanded. Res continued with his usual bored gate and ignored her screeching. She banged her tiny fist against the blackboard: Answer me! It wasnt like he wanted to disrespect Ms. Harlow, but arguing with her would be too strenuous. Besides, Res knew that he had broken no rules and a teacher could only expel a student for a lack of talent. Right about now, the questioning should start. 3, 2 ,1 Fine, if you dont want to answer me then you can answer my questions. For what x is this equation true: 54/x = x-3? (Maybe try solving it without guessing, too). Usually, Res would take out some paper and imitate calculating. Today he was feeling lazy and answered right away: 9 and -6. I could go on, but I am afraid that would hinder the lesson more than it already does. Ms. Harlow sputtered in indignation for several moments but finally relented. Yes, you are right, we should resume the lesson. Everyone in the class was looking at Res either as if he was an elite palace guard or their most hated enemy. He buried his face into his hands in frustration. Shit, I miscalculated. Now that I stand out, I wont be able to relax as much anymore. I bet there will be someone who will want to talk to me. When he didnt find an effortless way out, he rested his head on the table. Never mind, its time for a brief nap. Ms. Harlow balled her fists in anger but continued her previous explanation. To Ress great displeasure, an excited voice interrupted his earned rest: Wooa, that was so awesome. You showed her who is the one in charge. Res didnt bother opening his eyes as he already knew who was talking to him. Answering would only spur that one on in his rambling. Next to him sat Vincent van Lawdall, a young man about his age with combed black hair and dressed in the finest robes. Ever since Res had arrived at the palace, Vincent had been tormenting Res with his talk about being best friends. He even told anyone they should call him Vin because a shorter name like Res sounded elegant. After some time, Res had found out that listening to the babbling, had improved his level of relaxation. So, he listened as Vincent whispered about trivial things that happened in the court. One sentence made him surface from his relaxation. Have you heard that the royal prince will even attend? I have heard that he has exceptional talent. Hmmm. Today will be one of the greatest initiation ceremonies of all Today is the initiation ceremony? Res immediately chided himself for losing his focus. When he realized everyone was staring at him, he dropped down onto his chair again. When and where is the initiation ceremony, I forgot.Stolen novel; please report. Vincent stared at him as if he told him the Boogeyman was real. Dont joke around. That is the most important day of your entire life. Who would forget the date of their initiation ceremony? As I before said, I bet you had a sleepless night. Just tell me. Ok, ok. The ceremony is at the 18th gong. Res sighed in relief as he realized he could still enjoy his afternoon in the park. Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a rich gong being struck ten times. In an instant, all the students turned from listening to loud chattering. Ms. Harlow tried to shout something about Homework, but gave up. Vincent caught him by the arm and said: By the way, we should go to the royal park today. I already talked to some of my sparring buddies. Lets have a picnic or something. Before Res could object, a clear and melodious voice resounded through the room. That sounds like a wonderful idea. Would you allow me to join you? The voice belonged to Antoinette van Mayford, who had sparked a house war over her beauty. Her perfect blonde hair flowed down her head like a spring river and her blue eyes held not only beauty. At least that was how his poet-loving classmates described her. Hundreds of challenging male gazes bored into Res. For some unknown reason, that girl had taken a liking to him: I am probably the only one in this class turning her down and I will continue to do so. Under the beauty and mature fa?ade lay a child that used her social connections like money. She lived after the philosophy consequences be dammed. That attitude disgusted him. Sorry, we will do fine without y Vincent clamped down his hand on his mouth and smiled nervously at Antoinette: He meant to say: We will do fine without beer Yes, that is what he meant to say - Beer. We know that you dont like the taste of beer. Antoinette nodded and a confident smile appeared on her face: After school in the royal garden. Vincents smile grew wider and wider and he nodded vigorously. Res tried to pry away Vincents fingers, but in comparison to his lanky frame, they were solid like steel. Through Vincents hands, he tried to shout: I will not be coming., I hate you. and Stop acting like you like me, but Vincents grip was like steel as he turned Res away from the girls. Despite his closed-off attitude, he and Vincent had grown closer in the last months. That notion passed when Vincent hissed at him: How could you deny Antoinette. She isnt a normal girl. As the daughter of a high lord and a member of the royal family, she has considerable power in the court. Are you crazy? Res crossed his arms: I dont want to send the wrong signals. Their discussion was interrupted by the furious trampling of feet and an enraged shout: How dare you lay your filthy gaze on my future wife? And now you even go on a date with her? In front of Res, stood the muscular form of Maxwell van Monttine. Maxwell was muscular and handsome which made him especially popular with the ladies. Behind Res, Antoinette gave a lady-like humph of clear dissatisfaction: I am no ones property. Maxwells head flashed red at the rebuke and he added: Of course my dear Antoinette. I would never presume. Still, I cant let you two go on a date. Maxwell struck a dramatic pose with his index finger pointed at Res. I challenge you to a duel! *** The entire room fell into hushed silence and Antoinette felt her hands tingle in excitement. Her mind was a stark contrast to her calm demeanor. Yes, fight for me. Earn my favor. Antoinette couldnt suppress her smile when she saw Res trying to wriggle out of the situation. I will have you submit to me. I will have you confess your love for me in front of the entire court. What Antoinette didnt expect was for Res to extend his hand in a gesture of friendship. His voice resounded loud and clear: I am not your equal. You are Antoinettes future husband and I will not hinder your future relationship. I hereby invite you, no everyone, to the picnic in the royal park after classes. Loud cheers and laughter broke out in the entire class. To her great displeasure, a crowd of pupils even engulfed Res, thanking him for the invitation. Most of them never had the chance to talk to the untouchable beauty, Antoinette. Even Maxwell put a hand around Ress shoulders in an obvious expression of companionship. Antoinettes facade crumbled, and she shouted out her frustration. Everyone looked at her in utter confusion as she turned around and rushed off to the next class. I have been outplayed again. Now I have to endure the meaningless babble of hundreds of fools. I just wanted to seduce Res a little and make him say the three words: I love you. I will enjoy the moment when he will submit. 3. Card Game Master After the fifteenth gong, Vincent gave Res no chance to slip away: Yo, arent you excited? Talking with Antoinette will be even more exciting than the initiation ceremony. Hmmm. Yeah, Antionette and some other girls have already prepared the food. Shes not only gorgeous but also has excellent management skills and she is interested in you Hmmm. Today, gather the courage and tell her you love her too. Hmmm. All the way to the royal park, Vincent bombarded Res with chitter-chatter. During the conversation, he let his consciousness float in the black abyss of his mind. Young nobles chattering away covered the entire lawn next to the fountain. In the middle of them all, calm like a rock in the storm, sat Antionette. Res felt some respect when he saw how she handled all the people that wanted to talk to her. Still, he wouldnt be able to handle social interactions that well, so he tried to slink away. Vincent saw right through him and shouted: Antoinette, we are finally here! ******************** When Antoinette saw Res trying to blend into the crowd and vanish, she inwardly cried out: You wont escape from professing your love! To Res, she shouted in a half-singing voice: Res, please honor me by taking a seat next to me! Res had halted when he heard those words as he would offend her powerful family, one of the high lord familys, greatly if he ignored her. With visible reluctance, he turned and casually walked up to her as if he had planned to do so. Pointedly, he let Vincent sit down next to Antoinette and took a seat as far from her as possible. Meanwhile, Antoinette was livid: He still wont sit next to me after I gift him one of my smiles and wear the best powders? Fine, Ill have to force him. She projected out a jovial expression and asked: Why dont we play a game of Karuta, Res? The looser will owe one favor to the victor. There are limits to the favor. At that, she faked a blush. The gesture stoked all surrounding male fantasies to new heights, and many sized up Res as serious competition. She let a fond smile stretch across her face to stoke the envy even further. To Antionettes great shock, an enormous smile stretched out on Ress face as well and he shouted to the hundreds of nobles: I hereby start a lottery. If I win the game against Antoinette, I will randomly select one participant who gets a wish from Antoinette van Mayford! This opportunity of a lifetime will only cost 2 silvers! You can even buy multiple tickets to increase your chances!The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Antoinettes complexion turned paler and paler with every shout of excitement that now filled the air. With the help of Vincent, Res collected hundreds of gold and nobles from all ages and houses were queuing for the chance of obtaining the favor. Antoinettes outrage turned into anger: How dare he use one of my favors as an opportunity to make money? He even spits on my honor by only asking for two silvers. Despicable. Yet, she had to admit that she had been neatly outplayed and her interest in Res rose even further. After everyone had bought their tickets, Arthur, who had bought tickets worth ten gold, had won the lottery. Arthur proclaimed that if Res were to win, he would go out with Antoinette, his future wife. First, I am not your future wife. Second, you have just lost money, as the discipline in which I challenge Res will be: Poems and philosophy From her information gathering on Res, she had found that he was a good-for-nothing who mostly dreamed his days away. Some might judge her actions as unfair as she was renowned for her talent in philosophy and practiced Karuta with the same deck of cards every day. Karuta was a simple game: The gamemaster reads out loud text describing a topic or idea of philosophy. The players need to be the first to put their hands on the matching picture card of which many lie on the ground face up. Vincent was assigned to the role of reciting the text and both Res and Antoinette took up positions on their knees and facing one another. By now, over three hundred people were watching or even listening to the game. Vincent read out the first quote: The greatest glory in living She already knew after the first five words that the quote belonged to the picture of a tanned peasant in the fields. As her hands were about to grab the card, the card vanished. She could only glimpse the hand that had snatched the card. Res was only looking at her with a quirked eyebrow. How did he do that? Rather, how dare he mock me? Anger threatened to break through her carefully constructed facade, but she quickly shoved it down. It was luck. Only luck. Calm yourself. I will have to dinner with that brute Arthur Dont panic. Breathe in. Breath out. Yet, in the next round, she lost again. In the round after that, again and again, and again After Res had completely wiped the floor with her, she was nearly bursting from rage. Her breathing had quickened to such a degree that it bordered at hyperventilating. All around them, people were yelling with surprise and admiration at the skill on display by Res. With emotionless indifference, Res stood up. Antoinettes heartbeat quickened: Now he will rub it in. Yet, Res only turned and left. Antoinette stood there dumbfounded while everyone was trying to question or console her about her loss: I have truly underestimated you, Res van Coventry. 4. Philosophers Paradise Res shouted out in glee when he found the perfect spot for some relaxation on top of the royal gardens wall. It divided the garden from the rest of the palace and was overgrown with moss. Today was a nightmare. Less than five hours of tranquility - Time to remedy that. With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes and laid down on the soft moss. Once again, he was comforted by the black abyss of his mind, alone with his thoughts. The striking of the palace bell tower made him sit upright, which had him scrambling to avoid falling. What the ? Do the bells need to ring right before I have a revelation? I was so close to understanding why we experience pain. Dazed, he realized that the sun had already descended to the rooftops. There were no servants rushing about on the gravel pathways, nor nobles. With a groan, he remembered Vincent telling him about the initiation ceremony. Never mind. Thanks, gong, for waking me up. It would have been too much of a hassle if I had missed the initiation ceremony. Grumbling, Res rolled off the top of the moss-covered wall and landed on his feet with a thump. Any other young noble would have been hysterical about their initiation ceremony. It was the fateful day when ones capabilities with the power known as aether were evaluated. In the court, magical talent was an indicator of a pure bloodline and so determined success to a high degree. Only a small percentage of the population could use aether and even less could harm people with it. With some talent, one could channel aether into the world to power simple artifacts. With more talent, one could learn techniques that manifested force outside your body. From what he knew about the ceremony, one would put their hands onto a crystal. Then you would mentally live through extreme hardship. Magic within the crystal then evaluated your talent. Depending on your talent, you received resources and training. Particularly talented individuals could join the elite palace guard. They provided their members with advanced aether channeling techniques. A sizeable income and fame made it popular with lesser male nobles. Apart from that, the elite palace guards had techniques that ranged from fireballs to poison clouds. If you were suicidal, one could even partake in the kings tournament. In contrary to other kingdoms, the position of the king was not hereditary. At least on paper. Every time a king died, a magical tournament would determine the next king. The fact is that the royal family has won the tournament since the founding of Trianon. Going through their selective inbreeding was the only amusing subject in the academy. Res only hoped that he didnt turn out to be a magical prodigy or something. Thinking about the hassle, he once again adopted his usual hunched posture. After strolling through the now empty avenues, he arrived at the primary entrance of the palace. With a sigh at the inevitable lecture from his mother, he entered the foyer. In contrast to the deserted garden, the foyer was filled with chattering nobles. I heard the prince might have the potential to be S++ Ranked. One day, he might even be as strong as the king who is an S++ Tier too., one noble whispered. I will be lucky if my boy has B- or A-Tier potential. Before Res could ask for directions, a female cry resounded through the hall: Res, there you are. We have searched for you for over 2 hours now. His mother, Cassandra van Coventry, emerged out of the crowd. Today she had such a thick layer of powders on that Res feared it would flake off. When she saw Ress casual clothing and the pieces of moss and dirt all over him, she stopped dead in her tracks. After her shock abated, she dragged Res into a side entrance of the foyer. When they were out of sight, she exploded: Why do you show up in those rags? Our family honor will be sullied for the next five years! She continued to fumble around with his shirt and picked several pieces of moss out his hair. Have you rolled yourself in the sewers? Never mind. The instructions for the trial have already begun. You will bring even more dishonor to our house if you dont attend at all. At that moment, Res determined that living without his family wouldnt be as bad as he had thought. True, I wont have the funds anymore, but being free of the family honor would be well worth it.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. His mother didnt utter any words of encouragement as she shoved him in an adjacent room with tens of young nobles. Behind him, the door slammed shut and Res stumbled into the room. His momentum made him stumble towards a young woman, so he tried to change his trajectory. Too late, he realized that he was about to crash with a well-built elite palace guard. Before Res could ram into the elite guard, he vanished in front of his eyes. He caught himself and saw the elite guard reappeared five meters apart from him. The black-haired elite guard was clad in a red army uniform and had golden accolades on his chest. The whole room was flooded with an oppressive aura of fear when the elite guard saw him. Young ladies dropped unconscious to the floor like flies while others tried to flee. The Elite Guard spoke in a low voice: You dare touch me? Res had pulled back part of his mind into the dark abyss in which he thought about the world. In a measured tone, he replied: I apologize. It seems there must have been a misunderstanding between us two. Please continued explaining the rules. You arrive too late, attack me, and then want me to explain the rules? You are lucky if your family doesnt disown you after I tell them about this incident. Res searched the room and found Vincent cowering behind several crates. The Elite Guard only smiled when he saw Ress searching look: No one will tell you anything. We wouldnt want the royal family to waste cultivating resources on filthy peasants, wouldnt we? Everyone, form a line with the peasant at the back. Your pitiful result will make the princes potential tier look even better. All the young nobles scurried into position, and Vincent flashed Res a guilty smile. He appreciated the gesture and smiled back. A side door opened and, one by one, the nobles went out onto the stage in front of the entire court. In the center of the stage stood an ornate wooden box with a white crystal propped on top. When the nobles touched the crystal, it flashed in the color representing their potential. Res had heard that the first challenge to determine ones rank was some sort of maze. Apart from that, he was clueless. I should have come earlier after all. He sighed. Ahh, life goes on. There is nothing I can change now. Most of the nobles ranked: E - (the power of an average man) D C (the power of a soldier) C C (the power to defeat ten soldiers). Although there was the occasional case of someone with B C (the power to capture a guard station). A Tier (the power to capture a castle) powers received applause. When Vincent touched the crystal, it turned out that he had S-Tier potential. The crowd oohed and aahed and general excitement filled the air. His potential would barely allow him to join the elite palace guards, but it was still rare. The potential tiers werent set in stone and Vincent could reach S+ Tier with some training. Finally, it was Ress turn, and he strode up to the crystal, ignoring the amused insults. Wanting to continue relaxing as soon as possible, Res slapped his hands on the smooth crystal. With a lurch, Res found himself sitting in a pitch-black room. A booming voice greeted his disoriented self: Brave one, find the exit to this labyrinth as fast as possible. Res waited for more, but clarification wasnt forthcoming. He strained his senses to pick up anything, but the only thing he could feel was the smooth stone floor. When he deduced that nothing would attack him, a contented grin settled on his face. The trials must have lasted for ages. Yet, everyone immediately took off their hands as soon as they touched the crystal. Heavens! This is paradise. There are no interruptions, no time passes, and my body doesnt demand nourishment. I have infinite time to think! Res settled down in the most comfortable position and retreated to the black abyss of his mind. A nervous clearing of a throat interrupted a train of thought about his mother: Hehem. Brave one, find the exit to this labyrinth. He ignored the booming voice and continued meditating. Res had already lost track of time, but the booming voice now inquired once again: Can you even hear me? Res still didnt bother answering. The voice continued talking: Is something wrong with the interdimensional transmission? No, that cant be. The Diatomic Nebulae would repair themselves if something went wrong. Is it the Only wanting to be left in peace, he answered: Yes, I can hear you and No, I dont want to solve your stupid labyrinth. I am happy where I am. There was a moment of silence, then the voice shouted: Are you serious? You dont want me to test you? But But But you cant! Yes, I can. But But it doesnt work like that. I am going to run out of power if you stay here. Res was horrified at the thought that this paradise would be taken away: How long can you last? The being stuttered out: If I tell you, will you go? I will even radiate a white glow. You would get the treatment of an S+ Tier. No Would you do it if I tell them you are an S++ Rank? No S+++ Rank? No You drive a hard bargain. Fine, I will show them that you are a god-tier. The power to destroy humanity. Sounds tempting, doesnt it? For the last time, no. I like it here. But what is so special about my maze? Dont you want to experience battle and the feeling of soft breasts? In here, it is dark and I can think. If you have nothing more to say for yourself, then stop talking. The male voice adapted a smug tone: Fine, I can win this battle of attrition. I doubt you can endure staying for over two hundred years. A smug smile spread across Ress face at the mention of two hundred years alone with his thoughts. 5. I broke your crystal ball. Sorry? Only after a short amount of time, the now concerned voice asked: You dont mean to stay here for two hundred years, right?. Res didnt bother to answer and stayed in his meditating position. I am the wrong person for this job. Res perked up at the opportunity to get information about the being: If you explain your situation, I will consider leaving. Great, you will leave if I only tell you my story? No, I Its so good to come to a compromise. You see, I am the first King of Trianon. The voice paused as if Res should bow down in awe, but Res stayed silent. Hehem. I would have expected more of a reaction out of that. It isnt like the strongest king of all time told you he is living in a crystal. In a monotone voice, Res stated: Continue. The voice seemed flustered for a moment but gave in: I was a fucking badass as a king. I started as a simple merchants son but developed into an S++++ Tier. You may also know it as the legendary god-tier. The voice, presumably of the king, stopped again as if to gage Ress reaction. Hehem. You are not a very excitable fellow, are you? The king waited for a response again but got none. Never mind. I transformed into a total badass and built Trianon from the ground up. Trianon was kind of powerful and then BAM! The eastern kingdom attacked. I stood on the crenellations and shouted: I will not allow you to kill my citizens! and everybody loved me. Especially the ladies. You know, being king also has its benefits if you know what I mean. There were sleepless nights and Get to the point already. Ok, ok calm down. So, I was the epic king on the crenellations and then I slaughtered their army by myself. You should have seen me. I was mowing through their ranks like I was cutting weed. That was fucking tight. I dont know if killing thousands of people is tight. Woah, they attacked first, ok? The soldiers should have known that someone as sick as me would defend Trianon. No matter what. After that, I destroyed their capital with like a giant meteor. Dude, I did it like it was nothing. I flew in the air and then Bam! Meteor! I went back to Trianon and met a hot chick. I thought nothing of it and we had a good night. Somehow, she had gotten her hands on extraterrestrial umbrich feces concentrate. Nasty stuff. When I fell asleep, she inserted it into my body. The next thing I knew was waking up in this crystal. Some old man said that they were sealing me up for: The good of mankind. I still dont know why I endanger humanity. But I dont care about that anymore. I have come to like it in my crystal. I can create my own little paradise in it. Every once in a while, I have to rate the capability of some noble brats but that is a tradeoff. When they leave, I once again have my little paradise to myself. Now that our trade is finished, please walk through the door on your right. On the left of Res formed a door with a bright light emanating from it. A huge smile began to spread on Ress face: I have found my paradise too. Ill look forward to 150 years of darkness. The cheerful voice changed to a panicked pitch: No man, you cant do that. I told you everything. I said I would consider it. Please, I cant move in this small room C I will go insane.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. That is a risk I am willing to take. His comment gave the voice the final push and it began to rage: How dare you attack your king? You should bow in front of me! Res ignored his surroundings and began to retreat into himself. Only when the voices volume turned down, he listened again. Look, man, we are both in a shitty situation and Lets clarify that. You are in a shitty situation and I am in paradise. The king let out an angry grunt and cried out when he saw that Res was lying down to think. Wait, dont do another meditating session. I wouldnt be able to endure nothingness. I can I can. What are the powers of a ghost again? Ahh yes, I can clean you. What? No, I dont need another servant. Not like that. I can clean your body from impurities in your aether channels. He knew that potions cleaning the aether channels sold for platinum coins. If he had been interested in becoming an elite guard, he might have agreed. Sorry, Mr. King. I am more of the thinker type and 150 years are too valuable. I will die if you do that. Didnt you say you were a ghost? The silence stretched on until the king admitted: Shouldnt have told you that. Wait, you will kill thousands of small children if you destroy me. A smile stretched across his face when he thought about what absurd excuse the king would come up with. Why is that? Look, pal. Back in my day, no one knew ones potential and everyone got the same amount of resources. What you dont know is that aether deadly to most people. If normal people channel aether, they explode like a grape. I have seen it many times in my day. Young mothers brought their children to a martial art school, hoping they one day will become strong and rich. In my days, they called the first day the: Bloody Monday. It wasnt fun watching women seeing their child explode into fleshy bits. Even if they didnt explode in their training, they might puff up in a bloody mist in the middle of a fight. There are hundreds of crystal balls that gage talent. You only look fancy. Everyone must die one day and you still have 150 years left. Res thought the discussion was over, but he could still hear faint noises. *Beep Bop Beep Beep*. A voice other than the kings resounded through the labyrinth. Hello, this is the customer support center of helpmeiamaghost.com. My name is Bryan, how can I help you? The king answered: Hello, my ghost crystal is currently occupied by a human who doesnt want to leave, what can I do? Have you already offered your visitor an aether channel cleaning? Yes, he declined. He is a kind of philosopher and wants to profit from the time dilation. The other person whispered with another person in the room, but Res couldnt make out the words. It sounded like the voices agreed on a point and the voice spoke again. Oh, sorry. Bssskskskss. Your connection is bad. Bsskksksks. I cant hear you anymore. Bskskskss. I will have to hang up. Bye! *Beep Beep Beeep*. The sound of an object being thrown at a wall and the kings voice could be heard. When push comes to shove, they drop their customers. I cant believe it. I trusted their website. They even had a video of a beautiful woman who likes the company. Res hadnt understood many of the words the king spoke and asked: King? What happened? A predatory gaze landed on him. Article 1 of the ghost rights: Never possess any human. If I dont break the taboo Ill die anyway. Shivers ran down Ress arms. Mr. King what are you Before Res could ask any more questions, a strange force began to crawl up his arm. He didnt need the nausea that now wrecked his body to realize that that force was bad. He tried everything: binding parts of his arm off with pieces of cloth, willing the intruder away, and shouting magic words. Nothing worked. Waves of pain shot through his body and Res threw up. The regions the small pumping ball of energy passed went numb. Veins bulged out from the numb parts and they began to jitter. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks C He was being possessed. The energy inched towards its final destination. His brain. When the energy reached his neck, the pain climbed up to intolerable levels. He couldnt bear the pain anymore. Together with all his hope, he fled into the comforting darkness of his mind. Res felt like ages passed as he floated in the dark abyss and nothing happened. Did the possession fail? Finally, he determined that the pain was worth knowing what had happened to his body. When Res left the abyss, he found himself in the spot where his physical body had stood on the stage. All around him, hang a deathly silence. A look down at his hands revealed the previous round crystal ball scattered all around him. The first thought that flittered through his mind was: I am done for. 6. Run for your fucking life Yes, you are., the kings voice resounded through Ress head. He couldnt think through the implications as the crowd erupted into angry shouts. Two elite royal guards materialized next to him. One guard leaned in and whispered: Resistance is futile. Follow us. Like a sheep to the slaughterhouse, Res was led off the stage. In the confused cries of the nobles, he thought he heard the outraged shout of his mother. Where do we take him? He has destroyed a national treasure. Seems like death by hanging to me., the taller of the elite guards asked. The kings brother will be mad if we interrupt his massage session. Despite that, he will handle this better than the commander. Ress palms sweated as he was led down long-deserted hallways. The voice of the first king spoke again in his head: I am so excited to see my descendants. I know I had over 1000 children, but I hope it is one of Alinas. She was my favorite, you know. Res doubted his sanity but still talked in his mind: Did you possess me? To his great surprise, an answer was forthcoming: Yes, or at least I tried. I didnt know you had such a powerful technique up your sleeve, bro. The possession was incomplete. In other words: I wasnt able to overtake your mind when you retreated into that little shell of yours. Guess we are inseparable now. We should dub ourselves the siamese twins. Res groaned, but determined he would deal with the implications later: Now that we are both in trouble, can you tell me how to get out? I doubt that they will understand my reasoning and the standing of my family is shaky at best. If I were you Guess that fits I would jump through a window and run as fast as I could. If you say pretty please, I can aid you somewhat with your muscle atrophy. By the way, what are those muscles for? Res felt a twitch in his groin and his private bit lifted a bit into the air. He stumbled and hissed in his mind: What are you doing? Testing out stuff. Dont worry, I cant use your body like a marionette. The comment had the opposite intended effect. Before Res could push the issue further, a teenager stepped in their path. His blue eyes and slick blonde hair had an air that Res detested. The elite guards next to Res snapped off a salute. Prince Robert, this is the boy who destroyed the initiation crystal. His frantic thinking was brought to a halt when he smelled sulfur. For some reason, an enormous stench permeated out from him. The surrounding guards had to take a step back, but the prince continued like before. Let him come to me, I will teach him a lesson he will never forget. Peasants need to be shown their place. Take this The prince made as if to strike Res but gagged on the rotten smell that now engulfed the entire room. Res was confused at first and asked: Did you do something, Mr. King? My name is Jason and I am detoxifying your body. Now, run! When he saw that the moment of hesitation was about to pass, he dashed away with all his non-existing might. Leaving the usual way wasnt an option, so he had only the kings option remaining C The window. Res had imagined crashing through the window would be an epic leap that would stay in his memory forever. The memory would stay, but for a different reason C Crashing through a window hurt. A lot. Thousands of small and large glass splitters cut his flesh. Luckily, he was on the ground floor and only fell for a brief moment. Despite having the cards stacked in his favor, his lack of exercise still made him tumble like a rolling barrel. Dude, holy shit that was sick. That could be in an action movie. That roll at the end was worth being in a James Bond movie., the excited voice of the former King, Jason, shouted in his head. What are you talking about? Never mind. RUN! Behind Res, the elite guards were already clearing away the glass shards to follow him. The princes head had turned red with rage and he was shouting childish insults. Without another glance back, Res ran for his life.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. You cant outrun them for long, bro. What the fuck did you do to reach this level of muscle atrophy? You run like a girl. I can already hear some of their angry shouts coming closer., Jason spoke in Ress head. You can use my senses? I must talk to you about that. I need to hide. What are you stupid? Turn and fight them like a real man. Do some kung fu or something. Res gave up on enciphering all the unknown words and concentrated on the best hiding spots. After he turned a sharp corner, Res dove into the opened door of a servant apartment complex. The clunking of footsteps passed by and his erratic breathing slowed down. He left the building through the back entrance. The gate isnt an option anymore. As long as they dont ring the alarm bells, I should be able to climb to one of the guard towers and jump down. Lets hope that I dont sprain my ankle. Damn bro, you have serious brainpower. His estimation of the kings intelligence shrank farther and farther. While Res was jogging to the closest guard tower, he tried to clarify the situation. After this, can you please leave my body? Nope, I couldnt even if I wanted to. We are destined to live together in a symbiotic relationship, bro. I dont like it, but at least I am not dead. Res stopped dead in his tracks. You are joking. You have to be joking. Nope Does that mean, I have to endure your brainless babble for my entire life? Hey, dont insult my intelligence. In my previous world, I watched the Discovery Channel daily and . Despair the likes which he had never felt crashed down on him. His most private space, his mind, was now occupied by one of the dumbest people he had ever met. I didnt want this to happen, bro., the now soft voice of Jason, the king, spoke in Ress mind. If the possession would have worked your soul would be with HIM. We are in a shitty situation, but lets make the best out of it. On a deeper level, there was a fundamental truth in that sentence. Fretting over something he couldnt change only led to depression. Even though it hurt, he accepted the fact that a ghost was now inhabiting his body. You arent intelligent, but you are wise I cant guarantee that I wont ignore you all day., Res chuckled and continued his jog towards the guard tower. Hey, thats not cool, bro. The closer he got to the palace wall, the more servants were going about their duties. They were carrying sacks of grain, loading up carts or running errands. When he thought he would get out without incidents, the alarm bell rang. The deafening bell signaled the guards to let no one leave or enter the palace grounds. The two stone-faced guards guarding the ladder up to the wall drew their shortswords at the noise. Think Res, think. How can I get up there? Bro, I have a perfect idea. You could throw a pebble in one direction and the noise will make them go over to where the pebble hit. Then you clamber up the ladder. You arent the sharpest tool in the shed, Jason. I dont know how you managed to run a kingdom. Actually I . Before Jason could finish his sentence, Res was already out of cover and waving his hands around. I have an urgent message for the lookout! The guards eyed him suspiciously at first, but one of them recognized Res as a noble: Are you from house Coventry? Yes, I have an urgent message for the lookout. There might be an attack on the palace. The fact that Res was a noble and the palace grounds were at stake, convinced the guards to let him pass. Whoooa bro, that was neat. Have you ever thought of being a spy or something? Res didnt bother answering and continued his climb. To the great surprise of the lookout on the wall, Res ran towards the edge. He stepped on the railing and pushed off. The slope of the terrain and the grass softened the impact, but he still tumbled end over end. With a dull thump, he landed on the main street. Above him, the lookout blew into a horn and threw a round object at Res. His bad reflexes were only enough for him to get a protecting hand in front of his face. In a shower of tar-like yellow goo, the object exploded. His senses were assaulted with a mix of rotten meat and his stench from detoxifying. Jasons comment: Get your ass off the ground, tore Res out of his stupor. He continued his mad dash into the direction of the poorer district. No one knew him there. The yellow goo solidified and Res had to stop himself from vomiting. What is that goo? Crushed spider babies. The concoction was my idea and now it comes to bite me in the ass. Am I going to die? No, its not that bad. Once you get the stuff on you, they can find you for the next five years. Even if you were to grow wings and fly away. They have little mother spiders on leashes who will pick up your trail no matter what you do. Water? No Can I burn it off? No How can I remove it? Restaurants, expensive blacksmiths, and jeweler shops flew by in a mad dash. Before Jason could answer, laughter resounded through the main street. When he risked a short glance back, he could see the prince pursuing him. Judging by the way the dust formed a sand storm behind the prince, he was fast. Res! Jump in the sewers entrance to your right, now! Without thought, he followed the advice and the princes glowing fist missed him by an inch. The air displaced by the blow shattered a nearby window and he was flung back. The last thing that Res could see before he plunged into the dark sewers, was the surprised face of the prince. 7. Arigatō, sensei Res had always thought he had seen the most disgusting thing. - A potion of fertility made of fermented rice and rat babies. When he plunged into the canal full of shit and piss, he decided fermented rat babies werent as bad as he had thought. Fluids and solids were trying to make their way through all the holes in his body. When he surfaced, he gulped in lungfuls of air. Which turned out to be a mistake when the stench in its complete glory assaulted him. Res threw up. A lot. He plunged into the depths of shit and piss again and made his way onto the surface. Then he threw up again and plunged down. This process repeated itself and, after some time, he was only dry heaving. The current continued to carry him further and further away from the palace. In a stroke of luck, Res managed to hold on to the ledge of the canal. His entire mind was focused on trying to get out when Jason said. Res, if you dont want to be killed because of the baby-spider-grenade, you need to stay. The only words Res stammered out were panicked denials, but James remained calm. Bro, remember when you asked me how to get that off your body? The only way is to bathe in a substance that smells even more disgusting than rotten spider baby corpses. I know it seems fucked up man, but endure it. Res contemplated killing himself but dropped that train of thought. To Jasons chagrin, Res found stairs where he made himself comfortable. In a weird trance, he sat on the steps and watched the shit and piss flow past. Bro, I cant believe you are taking a wellness vacation in the sewers. hahaha Shut up. Hey, that is I can hear steps. The seriousness in Ress tone shut Jason up. Aether formations in the tunnel walls emitted dim light. Legends say that the lights are the remnant of an ancient city. The sounds of the muffled conversation got clearer and clearer. Res could make out a childish male voice saying: I will kill Erick one day. He took all my copper coins even though I had already paid taxes. A deeper, but still young voice replied: Yes, I want him dead, too. He took even took my bread. If someone messes with my food, I will kill him. A firm female voice interjected: Shut up! Both of you know that you only talk and do nothing. If you say you will do it, then do it. If not, then dont say it. Besides, no one can kill Erick, anyway. By now, Ress gaze had landed on a doorway behind him. Three street urchins emerged out of the pathway. In front of the group walked a ten-year-old boy, wearing only some dirty rags. Behind the boy followed the fattest guttersnipe Res had ever seen. The last person to emerge from the tunnel was a girl with clean red hair. The boy in front had stopped when he saw Res bathing in the canal. Annoyed, the fat boy behind him shoved him forward: What is it, Brent? Look The young boy pointed at Res with his index finger. They stared at each other for a moment and Res returned to looking at the opposite canal wall again. The slim boy was the first to recover his wit: What are you doing in there? Bathing. I can see that but The girl tugged at the shirt of the slim boy, Brent: He is crazy. Lets leave before things escalate. Instead of following her advice, Brent approached him. Sorry for my manners. My name is Brent. What is your name? Res thought of different fake names, but before he could settle on one, Jason spoke up. Bro, tell him your name is sensei. Pleeeeaaaaasseee? Res figured that he could do him that simple favor. Call me sensei. Ok, so sensei. Do you know that bathing in shit makes you sick? Res told the first lie to pop up in his mind: I do it to strengthen my body. At the mention of strengthening ones body, the eyes of the two boys lit up: Are you a body cultivator? Ahhh, yes. You could say that. Without hesitation, the boy lowered himself into the sewage next to Res. The girl cried out in indignation, but the boy, Brent, ignored her. Res couldnt believe his eyes. That boy bathed in shit because it MIGHT make him a body cultivator? Brent put on a brave face and ignored the stink of the place: Mr. Sensei can I be your disciple? From the back of the room, the girl let out another cry of exasperation as the fat boy joined them as well. The fattie lowered himself into the sewage next to Res as well. I want to be a body cultivator too, Mr. sensei. In the back of his mind, Res could hear Jasons roaring laughter. Finally, he couldnt stop himself and joined Jasons laughter. All the stress he had gone through was channeled into it. Both boys were looking at each other as if they were already regretting their decision.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. When his laughter abided, Jason spoke up: You have suffered long enough. You should find clear water soon; the risk of infection is too high. Spin the boys a tale that you will show them techniques if they show you clear water. I cant lie to those boys. That would be against my moral code. You know what, bro? Because youre such a good pal, I will teach you basic cleansing acupuncture. Their aether channels will be clean and their body control will improve. You can do that? I thought the art of acupuncture was a myth? Well dough, I am the king? Besides, that is actually not true. One of my successors spread that lie because he feared subjects with long life spans. Res tucked that piece of information away and answered the boys previous question. I cant take you on as disciples, but I can only strengthen you and set you on the path of body cultivation. First, help me find fresh water to clean myself. Both of the boys eyes gleamed with eagerness and they grabbed his hands. We know just the spot only ten minutes away, sensei. The girl didnt seem so eager and hissed at the boys to run away. After the promised ten-minute walk, they arrived at a giant cavern. It was supported by enormous stone arches that were hewn out of the natural soil. Through the cavern ran a bubbling stream, and Res went about cleaning himself. The boys followed suit while the girl tried gave him angry looks. While the boys were cleaning up, Res focused his attention on Jason. What should I do now? Dont worry. Its simple hand acupuncture, bro. You only have to remember three spots: The lung meridian which runs from the tip of the thumb, down to the wrist. The inner gate point, which is two centimeters above the wrist on the back of the hand. Last but not least, the outer gate on the same spot but on the other side of the arm. Try to put one finger on each of them and then follow my instructions on when to press down. He called the eager boys over and Brent, the slim street urchin, wanted to be the first to undergo the procedure. After some back and forth with Jason, Res had found the right spots on the younger boys hand. Ok, bro. Concentrate on me now. 3 2 1 lung, inner, outer, outer, outer, inner . Res tried to follow the pattern of applying pressure as best as he could. He didnt notice that Brent was only staring at his now sweating form in confusion. I should leave . Jasons string of commands stopped and Brent collapsed like his strings were cut. Dazed by the exhaustion, Res staggered a few steps back and sat down on the floor. The girl and the fat boy hunched over the still form of Brent and both of them shouted at the still form to wake up. Bro, you are talented. You may have no muscles, but you have determination that can rival my own. I regret my decision to overtake your body less and less every minute. If I were you, I would get as much distance as possible between you and the boy. I have only once experienced the body cleaning of a street urchin and it was nasty. Res retreated from the limp form of Brent while the other children glared at him. Bro, are you sure you dont want to be a martial artist? No, its too much of a hassle. Like Jason had said, black goo poured out of every pore. Both children gagged on the stench and the girl shouted at Res: Isnt it enough to kill him? You even have to curse him to stay alive as an undead? Res looked at her in apprehension: Calm down, miss. I dont plan on turning anyone into a zombie. The black goo are his impurities being flushed out, so he can start cultivation. I dont believe you! You are a sick bastard who enjoys hurting children. Before Res could object, Brent coughed and stirred. Why does it stink? The fat boy hugged Brent even though most of the goo now covered his clothes too. Brent pushed him away and asked: Stop that. What happened to me? The girl was about to go on another rant, so Res spoke up: I have cleaned your aether channels. After you wash, try out your new body. Nobody objected to Brent taking a bath in the stream. When the slim boy stepped out of the stream, an elated smile spread across Brents face and ran around the chamber. During his romping, Brent laughed like the child he was. Brent came to a stop in front of him and prostrated himself: Master, I will be forever grateful. I feel so light now. Please let me stay by your side and I will serve you as best as I can. At the thought of a ten-year-old following him around, he responded: No, that isnt possible. I I have important cultivator stuff to do. The excited look on Brents face turned into a disappointed one. Sensei, can we at least be allies? Friends? As much as Res hated to admit it, the puppy eyes somewhat influenced him. All right, you can view me as an ally. Thanks Sensei. Can you please do that hand massage on all of us? Res spent the next minutes purifying the fat boys body who had a similar reaction to Brent. When the girl saw that Res didnt want to harm them, she warmed up towards him but didnt want him to do acupuncture on her. The girl and the fat boy had given him their names, but Res hadnt listened and didnt want to bother asking again. Brent had taken on a serious face and turned to Res: Sensei, what can we do for you in return? After some thinking, Res settled on his most immediate problem. Can you lead me to the crafting districts through the sewers? Res had figured that in this new life outside his noble family, the most pressing concern was money. He couldnt work as a merchant, as someone would find out his true identity. Being a soldier meant being at the whim of a fat lord and being a peasant was too taxing. The only line of work left was crafting. Brent grabbed Ress hand and led him down another tunnel: No problem. I know the way. The rest of their journey went without a hitch. Apart from the occasional grumble from the fatty who didnt enjoy walking. They finally emerged in a back alley in the crafters district through another sewers entrance. The main street was illuminated by flaming torches and the sound of metal on metal filled the air. On any other day, the shops would be closed now. On the initiation day, parents went on a shopping spree for their talented children. Hey Jason, do the smaller initiation crystals the citizens use also contain ghosts? Yeah. That shit is totally not cool. They imprison aether users that are against the royal family in a fucked-up ritual. I told you I had some freedom in my crystal, right? Like some fine kitsune bitches. They do that because they want me to be content and not destroy the expensive crystal. Hmm. The people entrapped in the smaller crystals only float in a white void. The forgers can get away with that because their souls are weak and they cant break out of the crystal, anyway. Thats a torturous existence, bro. Hmm. Seems like a perfect existence to me. Whaaat are you stupid? Wait Have you ever had any feelings toward a woman? No Thats it! We will have to get you laid! Feeling that the conversation got off track, he turned to the three street urchins. Thanks for bringing me here. No, we should thank you for strengthening us. Sensei, I promise you that no one will ever beat me. The passionate response surprised Res, but supposed it would give the boy purpose. Yes, do that. I must go. Goodbye to you all. Without looking back, Res left the three children in the dark alley and started his job hunt. 8. Finding a job that doesnt need you to work Res struck the leather crafters off from the list when he smelled the chemicals. Other occupations like carpenter and tailor didnt pay well for the work that went into every piece. Not knowing how to help himself in any other way, Res asked Jason: Do you know what is a good-paying job without much work? You know bro, when I was born into this world, I possessed so much fucking power that money never was a problem. The gifts from all the princesses that were in love with me alone would have paid all my bills. You always talk about worlds as if there are other ones. Do you mean that you are from another continent? No, bro. I am from a place called earth Jason drew out the words as if they were magical. If I hadnt philosophized about other life forms, I wouldnt have believed you. Either you are a ghost gone mad, the evidence points toward that, or you speak the truth. Lets give you the benefit of the doubt. What are you doing here? Look, I know this sounds ridiculous but bear with me. I was fucking broke and had offered myself as a subject for science. I arrived at some lab I have never heard of and was given a pill. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was about to be eaten by a fucking enormous tentacle-dinosaur monster. I completely freaked out and flailed around, which made me slip loose from the tentacle grasp. I ran away as fast as possible, but I was in some sort of control room with lots of monitors and rows upon rows of buttons. When I turned around, I knew that I couldnt run away from that monster, so I pressed random buttons. Before I knew it, I found myself in this world with an enormous affinity for aether. You are actually the first one to hear my crazy story. Ress head was spinning from all the information, but he believed Jason. He tucked his questions away for further meditation and focused on finding a job. Out of the corner of his vision, a price tag caught his eye. In a stall with the sign Kantor Blacksmith, lay a short sword priced at 60 gold coins on display. Res couldnt believe his eyes: 60 gold for such a simple short sword? Res approached the owner of the shop who, when he saw that Res wanted to speak to him, snorted out: No Discounts. In his most subservient tone, he asked: Do you need any hands at the forge? The man adopted a faraway look: Yes, I need a pair of good and sturdy hands to work my bellows. In mi days, the boys had to work for nine hours, but todays youth only endures six. I wish I would live in the good old days. Do you have anything that isnt physically demanding? At Ress question, the owner broke out into laughter. Not physically demanding, he says physically hahaha He determined that he wouldnt get any answers out of the shop owner and left. Res liked to think of himself as being neutral, neither happy nor sad. After he had gone through every occupation on the main street, Res was livid. Finally, he stood before one of the last stores and a sign reading: Grannies Alchemy Shop. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and entered the shop. To be honest, alchemy was his first choice, and he had saved it for last. Alchemists could increase ones strength through various potions, pills, and powders. He had some knowledge of the arts of alchemy through the palace academy. Alchemy was perfect in every way: you didnt need to move, you only needed knowledge and you got paid a lot. I heard that one basic refining pill costs over five gold coins. When he entered, a soft bell rang and a throaty voice resounded through the shop: The shop is closed. I forgot to close the door. I am actually here to ask for an apprenticeship. Res figured he could gamble a little and be straightforward. He knew that alchemists werent social butterflies and liked if you got to the point. At least the royal alchemist Evudor, the only alchemist Res had seen, was like that. The voice of Jason resounded in Ress head: Say whaaat? Do my descendants have to rely on the help of potions to be strong? They have turned into pussies. Res focused on the old woman that had emerged from a backroom and now eyed him. She wore her white hair into a bun and her dark brown eyes bored into his like needles. No, I dont need any apprentices. You can go now. I have knowledge of Stop talking. I know you are a spy from the old geezer and I dont blame you for it. Let me guess, he wants to steal my phoenix collar pill recipe. No, I Before Res could blink, he was standing in front of the closed and locked door of the alchemy shop. Bro, fate guides you to become an awesome fighter like I was. Lets go to one of the martial art schools. I have some savage Jet Li moves I can teach you. Despair started to fill Ress stomach as he thought about training and being beaten up. So, Res did the only thing that could get him out of the situation C Thinking. He still wanted to stay in sight of the alchemy shop and found a thick wall in the shops backyard that was perfect for thinking. With practiced ease, he ran at the wall and heaved himself up. Bro, please dont tell me you insist on being an alchemist. If I dont find a job until I am hungry again, I will consider becoming a duelist. After several seconds of contemplative silence, the former king whispered. Fresssshhhhh Cake Fruits Donnnnuuuutsssss. Res was about to retreat into the blissful silence of his mind when a window on the back of the alchemy shop opened. From his vantage point up on the wall, Res could see the old woman who had opened the window and the room behind her. The room was full of herb racks and an enormous workbench with countless alchemy equipment on it. From the lessons in the arts of alchemy he had had in the academy, Res recognized high-grade equipment. Erlenmeyer flasks, Crucibles, cylinders, thermometers, and a high-grade microscope capable of 200-times magnification. Jason let out a whistle in Ress mind: I know nothing about alchemy, bro, but that shit looks like it is expensive.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. It is. All the inventory must be worth more than 10 platinum coins. She isnt a clueless herbwoman, she is a master alchemist. The old woman didnt see him as the interior ruined her night vision lighting. Res watched her with rapt attention as she mixed several powders together. Like an expert dancer, the woman crushed, mix, and heat up herbs of all kinds. All the while, a strange feeling emitted from her. Bro, holy shit, she is actually a real alchemist, not only an herbwoman. Do aether users have this weird feeling as if the air is being pulled towards them? Yes, judging by the fact that even we can feel it, she is fucking powerful. In my alchemy classes, I heard that some alchemists use aether in a limited fashion but . Currently, she is pulling in more aether than a low B-Tier fire mage and infusing the herbs with it. Holy Macaroni, she must be a low A-Tier. Not bad as a brain core. How does she do it? How can I do the same? Aether is only potential and you can do everything with it. The basic rule is: The higher your aether concentration within your core, the more you can pull in and use. If you want to understand aether, store some of it in your body. There are thousands of different schools of thought on how and where to store aether. Not one is correct. I knew a powerful aether practitioner who stored her power in her giant boobs. She was a sight to behold. Such enormous beauty that Wait, dont get off track. What would happen if I store aether in my brain? Would I die? Baaah, dont do that. Thats boring. With a brain core, you can only be a scholar at most. Dont you want to jump to the clouds and destroy buildings? Have you never dreamed of being superman without having a weakness to kryptonite? Wait, you didnt. Did you want to be an adventurer as a child? No, but I somehow have the feeling that you are hiding some advantages of a brain core. Are there any more? Ahh, its nothing. You can do a few spells, but they are all harmless. Res was getting annoyed by the obvious belittling of the brain core. Jason, tell me the truth. Alright, alright, chill bro. As a brain core, you can think super-fast. You can THEORETICALLY cast bigger spells. The only problem is that it would take you ages. Even a simple fireball would take you six hours. Six hours! You can only concentrate on one tiny task if you engage your brain core. Most important of all C It is fucking boring! You have shitty reflexes and you are weak as fuck. Ill choose the brain core. Wait, wait there are other cool options like a bone core? Ill choose the brain core. Jasons voice turned whiny. Please, please, I beg you. Dont be a brain core. Skin core doesnt sound bad. Why have I even told you that there are brain cores? How do I start? If you think after that you get smarter, I will have to crush your dreams. If you engage your brain core, you are oblivious to your surroundings. Look at the old woman! You could walk into her lab and kill her without her even realizing something is wrong. Brain cores are powerful, but most of them get killed because they are fucking dumb. Then its good that I have you. Bro, you cant turn me into a guard dog. How do I start? Fine, you can still learn out of your failures and destroy your aether basis. I guess you will have to learn the hard way. On average, the first step takes five years, but I managed it in only one. You will have to bash open all 12 Meridians. If we factor in that I cleared your aether channels, your first gate will open today. After that, you will need intense concentration and regular cultivation to break them. First, imagine your body from a third-person view. At a questioning grunt from Res, Jason elaborated: Third person means from outside. Now try to simulate the feeling you had when the old hag used aether. Can you do it? Res did as Jason asked and projected an image of himself in his brain. With the feeling of aether still vivid in his mind, he found the twelve numb spots Jason had described. Yet, no matter how hard he tried to mentally shove, they wouldnt budge. He inflated. No, I cant do it. The gates dont give in. Bro, you are a genius! Res could barely stop himself from falling off the wall in fright. Ooopsie, sorry. I had to meditate for two hours to find the spots and I was fast. A normal person takes weeks for someone to feel it. Now concentrate on the specific spots where you cant do it. Tell me when you know with certainty where they are. Res retreated into the black abyss of his mind and gave a mental yes when he had pinpointed their location. Within the cultivation trance, Res heard the muffled voice of Jason. Listen to the cries of the merchants, the barking of dogs, and the singing of the wind. Find the essence of all things and then pull on it. After he heard the instructions, Res completely retreated into the black abyss. He focused his whole being on connecting thought and environment, will and creation. The black abyss of Ress mind turned from nothingness to ideas and concepts. Above it all stood one principal C Potential. He saw the potential hidden in the bricks of the houses, the ants crawling under him, and finally himself. Living is change. Res felt the intense desire to take some of that potential and pulled at it with all his strength. Then the world went black. *************** Granny was pulled out of her work by tingling in her hands. At first, she thought it was distress at another attempt at infiltration from Evudor. Yet, the feeling continued to nag at her. Is it because I have been trying for over a year to improve the phoenix body respiration pill? No, I already came to terms that I will never manage it. What is it then? When she concentrated on the feeling, she determined it came from her backyard. She went to her open window and looked out. After her vision adapted to the darkness, she spotted the young spy from earlier sitting on her wall. Get out of here or Ill get my crossbow! When the young man didnt move, she half-turned to make due on the threat. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw that the young mans hairs were standing end on end. That only happens when No that couldnt be Why is he trying to break one of his meridian gates on top of a wall? Enormous amounts of pure aether emanated out from the young man. Violent gusts of air and random raindrops manifested as a reaction to the change of potential. How? How? So much aether? So pure. So much . The aether channel control necessary encapsulated Granny. A part of her that was not enraptured, noticed that the raindrops had turned into ice. Most fascinating of it all were the boys aether channels. They were opening and closing at an astonishing rate. The boy walked on the edge between exploding and absorbing as much aether as possible. It was like being in the show of a tightrope walker from the southerner lands. The only difference was that this time, there was no safety net for the young boy. A tornado formed around Res and in the clear night sky above him, clouds formed. Grannys survival instinct sprang into motion. That na?ve boy pulls in enough aether to kill the whole district. If he were to explode all non-aether users would die due to aether poisoning. She slammed down the window and fastened it closed with a piece of rope. Outside, people were screaming in confusion as wooden stalls crumbled and windows shattered. Despite all that, Granny couldnt pull her eyes off the boy that sat undisturbed on her wall. The aether concentration built to a crescendo and, with a crash, a bolt of lightning arced down from the sky. When she regained her sight again, she saw the young man lying in her backyard. Without thought, Granny threw open the window and heaved herself outside. The young man was bleeding out of every hole of the human body and she could feel some aether in his brain. Granny looked at the still form for several seconds and then chuckled. You opened one meridian without guiding only to become my apprentice? Thats what I call dedication. Who would have thought you possessed such talent? Every other person in this city would kill you after your display. Lucky you that I am not one of them. With surprising gentleness, she emptied the contents of a vial in Ress throat. 9. Braindead Phoenix Broooooo, Broooooo, Broooo. Wake up, man! Broooooo, Brooo! Dont tell me he has fallen into a coma. An annoying sound pierced through the comfortable nothingness. I swear I will never again be angry at you for choosing a brain core, bro. Wake up! Feint memories of incredible powers coursing through his body surfaced in his mind. Bro, the old woman is here again! She is so kind to you that it is creepy. Res let out a groan to make the noise stop. Instead of having the intended effect, the voice intensified: Yo, you are finally awake! You absolute mad lad, you actually opened all your meridian gates in one go! At the mention of meridian gates, memories came flooding back. Alarmed, Res sat up and opened his eyes. He was lying on a plain mattress in the middle of the old womans laboratory and looking her dead in the eyes. When Granny saw that Res was fine, she spoke: Good morning. My name is Granny. What is your name? Maybe he trusted her because she was a grandmother and he answered: My name is Res. Why have you taken me in? If I hadnt taken you in, you would be dead from blood loss as all your aether channels ruptured yesterday. Jason interjected: Thats true. If I hadnt been there, you would have been dead, anyway. Res couldnt answer Jason as Granny continued: If I hadnt taken you in, the authorities would have killed you. To be exact: After your small spectacle, the guards knocked at my door. They asked about a powerful cultivator in the area. Do you know what you did yesterday? Yes, I wanted to see your work and so opened my 12 meridian gates all at once. Granny took in a sharp breath. Oh my. I thought you opened five at the most. That makes things even worse. Why? Do you know of the kings tournament? Everything snapped into place. The king is around his sixties by now, isnt he? Even though I am not a threat, I am an unknown factor. If you were noble and had pledged your allegiance, I am sure it would be different. Res winced at that, and Granny nodded. You arent only talented but also sharp, my boy. Res gathered all his strength and kneeled in front of Granny. Please let me apprentice under you. This is the only way I can live out my full potential and not die. Granny adopted a thoughtful look. She knew that this boy would turn into an alchemy monster like the world had never seen before. The more she thought about it, the more she realizes she had no choice: Fine. I already applied potions worth over 200 gold on you. I would be a terrible businesswoman if I killed one of my investments. It had been the first time in his life, Res had wanted a position, and the release from that pressure was palpable. Thanks, Granny, I would love to watch you at your work and I will pay you a 10% interest rate. Thats the spirit. You know what, boy? I trust you somewhat now. I hope you can appreciate that trust. Your first lesson will be humility. You might see yourself as a prodigy, but you still are nothing. Let me show you one of my recipes and explain it to you. Its simple. Res bowed to the waist down. I will do my best teacher. After Res had washed in a small bathroom and had put on fresh clothes, he looked Granny over her shoulder. Jason kept pestering him on being a warrior, but Res brushed all suggestions off as he already had his dream job. Watch. If you want to, you can try to circulate the little aether you have in your brain. How do I do that? You dont know? Then how did you Never mind that. You try to find the essence of what you want to do. If you want to watch, think of the essence of light and sight. The further you progress along the path of the brain core, the more you can do at once. You could use it to only watch the process, but you wouldnt hear the explanation. You couldnt even remember it.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Indeed, when Res followed the instructions, all his other senses got cut off. Only his sight remained, and the memory of the experience was fuzzy at best. No, I would rather watch you will all my senses. The old woman smiled to herself. Good choice. The phoenix collar recipe is one of my masterworks. Do you already know that everything in the world takes in aether over time? Yes, teacher. This potion binds the deadly but energy-rich phoenix feather bush with the healing Silver Bark. Why cant we mix the corresponding extracts?, I hear you ask. If you were to do that, you couldnt regulate the poison with the right amount of healing power. Parts of your body would be damaged so much that you would die. The difficulty in this potion lies in finding the balance between the two natural herbs. With practiced movements, Granny added tens of powders at certain intervals. As if that wasnt difficult enough, she heated up and cool down tens of other concoctions. Res tried to soak up everything, but sometimes he couldnt even follow her hand movements. Not to speak of her use of the aether. After two hours of work, Granny held a vial with a green liquid in her hands. She smiled at Res: I could make a pill out of the potion. I wont because doing that would take two extra hours. Now its your turn. When you have given up, you can start cleaning the shop. Bro, she set you up good. She wants a servant. You should try fighting instead., Jason commented. Res knew that he couldnt make the potion the way Granny wanted him to. An idea sprouted in his mind. Why do the bark and the phoenix leaf not fuse? Granny scrunched up her face in frustration. I dont know exactly. I had different theories, but they were all disproven. I have tried everything: different temperatures, different catalytic converter, and binding reagents. Res smiled and whispered to Granny: Life is change. Aether is change. Energy is change. No change is nothingness. They have to change. Can I touch or taste some of it? I need to understand it. Res instinctively felt that if he understood the plant better, he could feel why it wouldnt change. He needed information. Granny looked at Res intrigued: I dont see why not. You should take some of that antidote before you swallow the poison. Without hesitation, Res swallowed all the powders and circulated aether in his head. He focused his whole being on observing the taste of the different substances. The phoenix feather bush tasted like sand while the silver bark tasted like tangy grass. Res opened his eyes and asked: Does the silver bark have anything to do with a mushroom? You tasted it? Yes, the silver bark tree works in symbiosis with a mushroom. The tree provides the mushroom with food and the mushroom provides minerals. Could you tell me more about the phoenix bush? How does it grow? Its found at oases in the southern desert and its competitive. Its roots kill plants around it by stealing their aether. It dries up when there is nothing around it. After plants have grown again in the area, a new phoenix bush grows out of the spot where the old had died. Thats why its called phoenix bush. I have a weird idea. It wont work, but I cant reproduce your potion., Res said. Before Granny could object, he channeled aether. Granny shouted, but Res was already exploring the potential of the world. With increasing force, Res channeled aether into the powder of the silver bark tree. The bark didnt contain much aether, and it wanted no more. The symbiosis provided it with all it needed. The material resisted absorbing more aether, but Res only shoved even more energy into it. His view darkened around the edges and a vessel in his eyes popped. His vision turned red, but he still continued. After the silver bark stopped resisting the push of aether, Res passed out. He awoke to a slap to the face. Are you stupid, boy? Do you think because you can, you should summon amounts of aether that could flatten my lab? Now I even had to spend a tier two practitioner potion on you. Ill add another three hundred gold onto your bill You know bro that was not cool. Do you even realize that I can feel pain, too? You can blackout and feel no pain, but I have to endure it., added Jason in a hurt tone. Res realized that he had acted without thinking and apologized to Jason: Sorry for that. Ill stop using aether without your permission. Res smiled at Granny and replied: Lets hope that my potion will bring in some of that money. Res didnt like to show too many emotions, but he couldnt hold back a childish smile of glee. He strode to the workbench and picked up the previously white, but now dark powder of the silver bark. In one go, he emptied the now dark bark into the glass cylinder with the phoenix bush in it. Before the silver bark even came close, tentacles of phoenix powder shot out. Like the predator it was, the phoenix powder engulfed the dark bark. Granny stared at the spectacle in a combination of awe, horror, and fascination. Then Granny stared at him as if he was the bogeyman. Finally, she snatched the glass cylinder with the now dark orange powder out of his hand. I have been researching this for an entire year and I havent found this braindead solution. If you had failed, you would have flattened my lifes work. This is reckless on a level that I never have seen before. If something doesnt work, hammer on it with aether and make it work. I forbid you to do anything like this again without my supervision. Res tried to interject, but Granny was too engrossed in poking at the powder. She whirled around and shoved a silver coin in his hands. Go eat something or do what you young folks do. I need to examine the powder further. If I hear you spent the money in a brothel, I will force you to eat a castration pill. Understood? Yes. Jasons voice whispered in his head: Bro, we should go to a brothel. It has been so long until I have seen real women. No, I meant it. Did you have a habit of lying as the former king? Sometimes you have to make up a little white lie. There is no such thing. Think about it. 10. Muscular, dull friends Res took one last look at the completely enthralled Granny and then left the shop. He took in his usual first breath of the fresh morning air. Instead of the usual smell of grass, he was assaulted by the smell of metal, leather, and pastries? Sniffing like a rabbit, he made his way down the main street and followed the intoxicating smell. Finally, he found the bakery from which the smell wafted and entered it. Res bought so many pastries that the owner even gave him a linen bag. Content with his new lot in life, Res left the shop while chewing on a delicious strawberry pie. On exiting the bakery, he bumped into the chest of a giant. He had to strain his neck to look the colossus into the eyes and estimated the man to be about two-and-a-half meters tall. To finish off the intimidating look, his arms were tree trunks and his grim snarl promised pain. Through all that, Res could still see the glint of innocence in his eyes. Res was shoved back by the giant who shouted: You want to fight? Alright, Ill fight you, dickhead. Jason took on a lecturing tone: Yes, a classical novel situation. The thug bumps into the protagonist and they start a fight in which the main character wins. Go, Rocky! Instead of going along with the provocation, Res extended the bag of sweets to the bulking man. I only wanted to give you some of my pastries. Sharing is caring. Such a muscular and attractive man like you is hungry. The giant froze and sized him up again. Finally, the mans expression switched to that from a killing machine to that of an innocent teenager. Yes, Brutus is hungry and Brutus likes sweets. You are very smart if you think that Brutus is handsome. At that, the giant, Brutus, flexed his muscles. Res acted like he was frozen in awe and gave out the occasional Ohhhh and Ahhhh. Jason sent emotions of disgust at Res: Bro, that was pussy-like. You are boring. He couldnt respond as the giant Brutus put a hand around his shoulders. As if they were best friends, Brutus led him to some crates at the side of the main road where they sat down. In the next five minutes, Brutus devoured the bag of pastries but still left one in for Res. After he had finished, Res asked: So, Brutus, what are you doing here? Brutus is working. What is your job? Brutus is working for the council as a strongman. What were you doing today? Brutus had to fight this districts residents and then interrogate them. About what? Brutus lowered his voice and whispered to Res: There is a new gang leader. He is a powerful cultivator. Some street rats have stopped paying the councils taxes. They have the aether practitioner as an ally. It is rumored the man has even taught two of the street rats of cultivation. Last night, there was a big tornado and the guild leaders think it was a demonstration of power. Brutus needs to find out where the practitioner is. Cold sweat ran down his back. It didnt help that Jason laughed in his head: Bro, thats too funny. Bro Please ask him after the names. Out loud, Res asked: Do you know the names of the rebels? Yes, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Res put on a serious face. I promise not to tell anyone. Brutus nodded sagely and continued. A girl named Julie told us what had happened. The other two boys names are Aron and Brent. Res felt like he needed to hit himself but stopped the urge. You always talk about the council. What is that? It is very big. Very powerful. If Brutus would say something bad about the council, he would die. Brutus can say that council is crime. They have lots of crime in the council. Selling pretty ladies for money, killing people, stealing people, and asking for money. Everything. It was nice talking to you, Brutus. I admire your strength, but I have to go. Ok, one day Brutus will join Akilas guard and then Brutus will have lots of gold and then Brutus will buy you pastries. Before Res could stand up, a powerful voice boomed across the main street: Brutus! Why are you not at your station? Brutus whirled in the direction from where the voice had come from and executed a mock salute. From the crowd emerged four brawny and bald men similar to Brutus in stature.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Sir, sorry, sir. Brutus interrogated a man without violence. When the icy stare of their bare-chested leader landed on him, Res had to suppress the urge to run away. A snicker resounded in Ress mind. Do they think because they are muscular, they can run around bare-chested? Thats sexual harassment. A true alpha doesnt flaunt his strength. The leader pulled a sheet of paper out of a pocket and held it up to his face. The longer he looked at Res, the more his eyes lit up. Finally, he shouted: Sensei the tornado wrestler, I hereby challenge you to a duel. I will bring honor to my mistress, Akira. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Jason broke out into fits of laughter: Sensei the tornado wrestler I cant haha Thats the lamest alias I have ever heard. Thousands of scenarios flittered through his mind and he settled on a tried and proven method. He tried to recollect the city layout and answered: You got me. Prepare yourself for a glorious duel. Brutuss puppy eyes stared at Res in betrayal, but Res only shifted into a battle stance. Hahaha, you are a worthy opponent if you dont run from Akilas guard. Because you follow the rules of honor, I allow you to make the first strike.. The leader of the bare-chested giants puffed up his chest. Res made as if to attack the giant of the man and turned on his heels and ran. Furious roars resounded through the street as the hulking leader gave chase. He wouldnt fight a battle he couldnt win either way. Res sped down a narrow alley and entered another of the main streets. He wove through the throng of people while behind him they were flung aside by the force of the leaders charge. Jason took this opportunity to show his superior foresight: You cant run away from all your problems. Too bad you have no experience in any martial art. Shut up Jason and help me get out of this situation. The gap between him and his pursuer shrank and his stamina began to run low. Look, it sounds like you have ruffled some feathers in the council. The fact that they can show themselves in public, means they have some deal with the royal family. That means they also have a deal with the guards, so you cant go to a guard station. You could always go on another sewer dive. From a bend in the main road, a procession of guards flanking an ornate carriage emerged. His mouth widened in a mad grin. If a lion chases you, run towards an elephant. The horsemen in front of the carriage blew horns and shouted about a princess from Osma. Res didnt let himself get deterred by that - He had a lion in tow. Res spotted a slight gap between two soldiers and focused on that break in rank as if his life depended on it. The enormous bull of a man was within grabbing distance and Res could hear his wheezing breath. The soldiers that formed the perimeter stared in horror as Res slid through their ranks. Before they could start their attack on the intruder, the form of the giant thug rammed into their ranks. Contrary to expectation, the soldiers didnt budge an inch and instead retaliated. They are aether users too, huh?, Res grinned as he made his way to the other side of the guard circle. Bro what are you doing? Are you crazy? Those are mid-A-Tier cultivators. They could kill you with a slap. Can I strengthen parts of my body if I circulate aether in them? Without techniques, it would be like using parchment as fuel for a fire. You could maintain it for two seconds and then you would be out of aether. Two Seconds, huh? Lets hope this works. Res ran to the other side of the perimeter of guards. The ornate carriage stopped and a young woman in warriors attire stepped out. Bro, thats a fine female specimen. Her sword It is Usually, Res always brushed off Jasons comments, but this time Res had to agree. Emotions he had never felt burst to life, and he staggered. It felt all so wrong. Why was he James interrupted his train of thought. There is nothing wrong here. She is just beautiful. No, I have seen more beautiful women than It felt like someone foreign had taken over and was pushing him to ... Again, his objections were cut off by a burst of lust. The womans brown hair cascaded down her shoulders like a merry spring stream. Her intelligent green eyes took in the scene in an instant. Her cute, slightly upturned nose contrasted with the sprinkles on her marble-white skin. He tried to shake off the feeling and James shouted: Bro, we could stop for a chat. Res shoved the matter out of his mind and searched for any ways out of this mess. Judging by her deadly swinging step, she knew her way around a blade and he couldnt run past her. Jason whispered: I wouldnt mind being cuffed by that lady. Its like she is made of sugar and steel. At Jasons comment, an absurd plan sprang up in Ress mind. With a flourish, he pulled the last pastry out of the linen bag and presented it to the woman as if it was a precious gift. My lady, I have made this wonderful pie for you. The previous deadly gaze vanished from the young womans face and was replaced by confusion. A mischievous grin spread on Ress face and before she could recover, Res threw the last pie in her face. The tasty delicacy landed with a loud smack in the young womans face. Res couldnt hold himself back and he howled with laughter as he ran towards the guards that now faced him. Yesterday, he had found out that all one had to do to pull on aether was to become one with your surroundings. He tried to find the essence of the surrounding people, their intention, and himself. With a lurch, he could grasp the power and flung most of it under his feet. Accompanied by a cry of joy from Jason, Res was catapulted over the ring of guards. With a thump, he landed in a heap on the stone-cobbled street outside of the guard perimeter. As fast as he could, he got on his feet and vanished into the crowd. When he was already deep within the crowd, a female voice resounded through the street: I will kill you! After fifteen minutes of running, the tension leaked out of Res and they both laughed. Holy Shit, bro. That was some next-level shit. How you smacked her with that cake C Absolute Mad Lad! After both of them had quieted down, Jason asked again: Martial Arts? Res nodded: Now there is no way around it. 11. Martial Art for dummies Can you teach me about martial arts? Nah, bro, I was so fucking strong that I simply mowed everyone down. I regretted not learning martial arts, because you can get lots of ladies with it. Res sighed and buried his face in his right hand: What did I expect? When asking around for a respected martial art school, everyone he asked chuckled at him and recommended the flying crane school. The weird behavior confused him, but when he was standing in front of the training school, he quickly realized why everyone was mocking him. The school building was made of white polished marble and tens of ornate carriages stood waiting in front of the school. If he were to apply for training in there, he would eventually be found out. Res wasnt discouraged as there had to be more than one martial art school. After two hours of visiting every reputable martial art school in his immediate area, he realized that martial art was mostly reserved for nobility and rich merchants for self-defense. The only other group that practiced martial arts were thugs, bouncers and various other shady personages. That is how he finally ended up in front of the most beat down warehouse he had ever seen. In front of the warehouse stood two inconspicuous looking men, but Res could feel how the aether bent around them. They werent simple. Other shady schools had hulking figures standing guard in front, but Res knew that those two could probably take on ten of the muscular giants that stood guard in front of the other schools. Res retreated into the black abyss of his mind and processed everything that had passed and what he will do. After half an hour, he opened his eyes and strode towards the two rugged men. Both of them subtly placed their hands on their short swords when they saw Res. They dont underestimate me. A rare trait. Bro, you are totally in the role of Jet Li. Now do your macho thing! One of the men took a menacing step forward and called out: State your business! Res kept walking towards the two men. I want to join the school. Do you have a recommendation? No, but I am sure we can come to an agreement. One man extended a hand: Place your hand on mine. When Res did as asked, the man broke out into laughter. A brain core wants to join the school. Boy, you are so funny that Orson just might agree. Can I meet this mysterious leader? The tension went out of both of the men as they now knew his power level. Sure, but dont blame us if your ass gets kicked out. Res entered the warehouse and was greeted by one of his most dreaded sights. All around the room, athletic young men nearly twice the height of Res lifted giant wooden trunks repeatedly, all the while they were hit with wooden staves by instructors that screamed at them. In another corner, burly men were doing pushups while their instructor sat on top of them and shouted at them in a wide variety of swearwords. In the middle of the room, two giant sailors were exchanging punches with such force and speed that Res could feel the breeze the fists impact created from fifty meters away. One man had turned to Res with a mocking smile and asked: Have you decided otherwise? Res shook his head as if he knew what he was doing. The man grinned wildly just like that was the answer he was hoping for and led Res into a small cabin in one corner of the warehouse. After knocking, a deep voice called out: Come in, you landlubbers. and so they did. The small room only consisted out of a brawny sailor in his fifties sitting in a chair in front of a table filled with paper sheets. Boss, I have some fun to divert you from your paperwork., one man whispered conspiratorially and then promptly left the room. The man stretched out one of his tattoo-marked hands: I assume you want to join. Place your hands on mine. Just as the guards at the entrance, the man, apparently their boss laughed. Do you know what we are? A martial art school? Some would refute that. Some would call us Brawlers. Imagine it like this: We steal all the good stuff from different schools and leave out the bad. The problem is: You have a brain core and our fighting style, farmers wrath, doesnt just use kicks or punches. We use all we have. We have no rules. One error on your part could leave you paralyzed for life. At the hard tone of the man, he realized the man, Orson, wouldnt budge on that point. Res put his remaining forty coppers on the table and announced: Forty coppers and I am allowed to only watch. I will promise I will not interfere with your training. Orsons hesitation clashed with greed in his eyes and finally greed won out. Alright, but you are only allowed to watch. Res thanked the school principal and left to watch the training. Usually, James would always comment on Ress ongoing affairs, but he was eerily quiet through the entire conversation. Finally, a defeated sigh from James signaled that he had reached some sort of decision. Bro, you know that I said that you using aether hurts right? Yes? I have been thinking about it and I have concluded that we should upgrade, even though it hurts. I have been putting off telling you about this, but I really know a lot of things about the human brain. A dear friend of mine was a brain core and, in my world, every child learns about the different processes in the human body. If you want to have a stable cultivation, you will have to know about the place where you put your aether. Before I tell you all of my knowledge, you will have to learn how to circulate aether in the part of your brain responsible for memory. After Res made himself comfortable on a spot on the ground, Res learned how to stimulate what James called the Frontal lobe to boost his reasoning and the hippocampus for memory.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Bro, if I tell you to, start to circulate aether for memory. Then I will tell you everything I know about the human body. With your perfect memory you should be able to replay that as many times as possible with the reasoning part of your body. With that knowledge, we build your foundation. If someone knows the exact location and function of the part where they store their aether, they can be extremely efficient and exponentially increase their power in the long run. Are you ready for some discovery channel shit? 3,2,1 Go! Everything in the world shut off when he boosted his memory C no sight, no sound, no feeling. Only Jamess voice droned on about the different types of cells, neurons and even quarks. After one hour of talking, James couldnt remember any more information and Res proceeded to processing the data. When he replayed the memory, he couldnt believe how small his previous world view had been and probably still was. After four hours of thinking, he thought he had a complete grasp on the knowledge and stopped circulating aether. Bro, did you get everything? Yes, I still cant believe there are such small organisms. I am made of many tiny organisms. Thats science, baby. By the way, some people checked if you were dead when you used cycled aether. Now its time to rebuild your brain. When Res opened his eyes, he saw that the warehouse was mostly deserted as most of the trainees had gone to work as bouncers in the different establishments. Only a single lamp still burnt in the shed at the corner of the warehouse. Do you think its okay if we do it here? Bro, I dont know any place that would be more private. The first step of brain core cultivation is the complete substitution of normal cells with aether. What do you want to change today? Lets try to change the glia cells. Are you mad? They make up over 75% percent of your brain! You said that they are only supporting the true brain C The neurons. Thats true but they still make up You know what? Never mind. Channel the aether into the glia cells. Fuck. Do it. I am ready for pain. Res felt around the room with all his senses and thought about the weights around the room. Weights. Weights are nothing until we use them. Potential. With a snap, he felt the potential all around him and greedily pulled it in. He imagined the form of the glia cells he had heard about from James and their job to provide support and protection for the neurons. He thought about every little scrap of information he had previously stashed away in his mind and willed the aether to assume that potential. Sweat flowed down his body like a river and his head heated up dangerously. When he felt like it was complete and he opened his eyes, he stared right into the eyes of the schools boss, Orson. Orsons deep blue eyes pierced in his soul. Are you stupid? Do you know what you have just done? Quickly, move it! The elderly but stout man grabbed Res under the arms and dragged him in his small cabin. Res lay there motionless like a small helpless puppy. He tried to frantically shout to James, but no one answered. Orson quickly left the room and pummeled the training dummies. Suddenly, a loud flash and a sonic boom resounded through the whole warehouse. Practiced shouts could be heard: Squad Alpha, has target in sight. Teleportation detection and detention spells ready. Res could hear the sounds of countless footsteps all around the warehouse. CITIZEN! We, the elite royal guard, wish you no harm! Lie on the floor and dont move! The voice of Orson could be heard. I surrender and I am unarmed. Another white flash appeared in the room and Res groaned silently when he heard a voice he knew too well: I have you know you little maggot The voice halted and continued, enraged. COMMANDER! You said this was the maggot of house Coventry! DOES HE LOOK LIKE IT? No, my prince, but maybe he knows something. Alright, you do you. I dont want something like this happening twice. Do we understand each other? Yes, my prince. Another flash later, the prince had presumably left the scene. Damn bro, we are in deep shit. Res had never thought he would miss that voice, but he inwardly cried out: James, you are alive! I wont be killed that easily. Even though destroying and rebuilding hurts like a motherfucker. In the warehouse, the Elite Guard Commander spoke in a mocking tone: You know what, Orson? That was a good one. I know you are angry at me, but I didnt think you would send a spy in my midst and find out about the power tracker on the city. All that effort just to embarrass me in front of the prince. Clever, Clever. You can admit it now. You think I would be that dumb? You know, I think I have thought about your allegations and have concluded that Claras life was worthless. You You One practically feel Orsons intent to attack the Elite Guard Commander. I have found out that Clara was a worthless piece of shit. Someone already dipped their sausage in her sauce at a young age if you know what I mean. Intense Killing Intent radiated out of Orson, but he still held himself back. The Commander sighed dramatically: Sadly, you are a coward, so I am going to take my leave now. I have better things to do than to watch an unmonitorable man who abandoned the Elite Guard. His family. Res could hear the sound of tens of people spitting at Orson resounding through the room. Finally, a bright flash of light could be seen through the cracks in the shack and Orson shouted to Res: You can come out now. With significant effort, Res heaved himself up and walked to the spit-covered Orson. What did the commander do to you? Orson suddenly balled his fist and punched the stout wooden dummy so hard that it shattered into little wooden splinters. He let someone I cared about die. Boy, I have changed my opinion on you. The enemy of my enemy is my ally. They have primed the only power tracker in the entire city on you that means they want you dead pretty badly. To detect unauthorized power usage in Trianon, they would need to burn aether rich materials continuously. One day of usage costs them five platinum coins and it looks like you have been running from them for a while. Do you still want training? Yes. You will have to promise to fuck the elite guard up real good. When Res heard he was even pushed into fighting against the elite palace guard, he felt like he was in a boat that slowly drifted towards a waterfall. So, Res retreated into the black abyss of his mind and thought all the events through. I just want to live in comfortable peace. Now I have invented a revolutionary alchemy method, angered leading crime bosses, thrown a cream pie into the face of a powerful aether user and now someone wants me to make even more enemies. Desperately, Res circulated aether in the calculating part of his head and all his problems transformed into numbers and formulas. Little by little, he calculated outcomes and affects. After he noted all his conclusions, he circulated aether in another part of his brain, which he now knew to be responsible for emotions, and he looked at his problems only through emotions. One by one, Res analyzed his problems with different criteria: social interactions, sight, smell, touch and language. Finally, he stopped circulating aether in his brain and he looked at all his notes he took from different views. He now felt like he was in charge and knew where to go. With a last mental breath, he exited the dark abyss and looked Orson right in the eyes. Do I have to do that? Bro, are you serious? You just thought about that answer for such a long time? Res inwardly asked James: Artifacts have spells embedded into them, right? You could say that. Can I embed spells into me? Bro, that has been tried many times. Anything organic cant function as an artifact. Believe me. There were even people who tried to inject quicksilver into their system. You can already see where this is going. The only way it can work is by putting metal objects into your body. Now you know why blacksmiths are in high demand. Orson chuckled in response to Ress previous question and answered: You just stood there and circulated aether in your brain for half an hour. You sure as hell think things through. I like it. No, I wont train you if you dont harm the elite guard. I promise that I will hurt them when I can. Orson sighed dramatically and opened his previously crossed burly arms in defeat: I guess that is the most I will get out of you. Now, lets get you pumped up. 12. Power Up à la Jason The burly giant had already turned to the enormous metal weights, but Res stopped him: Wait. I have an unusual request to make. Right. What do you suggest? Thinking, as you brain cores always do? No, its not that simple. You were an elite guard once? One could see the pain in Orsons eyes at the mention of the elite guards, but he replied. Yes, I was. Can you just fight against an invisible opponent? Use all your best moves. Orson gave Res a look that expressed his thoughts about that, but he did as asked. Like a whirlwind, Orson began to wildly punch, block, clinch and grapple with an imaginary opponent. All the while, Res watched him intently while circulating aether in his eyes. Periodically, he would change to another sense like sound and touch. When Orson began to sweat, he stopped: Boy, you know that you are not the first to come up with this idea? Do you think you are smart? In a fight, the brain core will not have the power nor the reaction time to react to something unforeseen. I dont think I am anything. I know that I know nothing. Thanks for the demonstration. First, I will process the data. Orson snickered at Res: You dont believe me, huh? Boy, you are nothing. We will have a fight after you have processed the data. You will still have time to change your basis after that. Yes, lets do that., Res answered cheerfully, but sweat covered his brows. If his idea wouldnt work, Orson would pound him into minced meat. Angrily, Orson stomped off towards his little shack. You know Bro, I dont like agreeing with people, but that dude is right. I see that you want to become The Flash and run around in a tight-fitting red full body condom, but that is delusional. I am not sure whether this will even work, but it doesnt hurt to try. Alright, man. The best speed technique I know is Start with the simplest one. OK, thats reasonable. Try to grab some of the aether and DONT PULL IT. Res reached out to his surroundings and felt for the essence of his surroundings. He felt like he could force the aether to come to him, but that somehow felt wrong. Bro, what are you doing! Grab it already. Grabbing aether is something any child can do. Res thought more intently about the essence of his situation, but nothing worked. The temptation of grabbing the aether forcefully tried to wriggle its way into Ress mind, but he shoved it away. Instead, he retreated to the black abyss of his mind and he found a new truth in this place without pressure: Sometimes, it takes more strength to let go than to hang on. With mental effort, he let go of the desire to want aether and suddenly, he again was encompassed by this strange force. Bro, what took you so long? Now try to carefully grab some of it and form a string. Are you good with knots? I know how to tie my shoes. Ahh, man. Alright, you start by winding the end of the rope After 20 minutes of intense concentration, Res had finally made it work. During the process, he had continuously worked on the piece of rope until he finally held a small knot. When he released it at a small barrel, it began to slowly roll but stopped after a few seconds. Bro, see what I said? Lame. Lets get this over with and change your cultivation basis. No brain core could even match a heart core. Save your persuasiveness for what I am about to ask. From what I know, you can imprint a spell onto any object without a living aether signature. Sure, it is difficult but possible. What are you made of? Are ghosts counted as living beings? Jason stuttered around for several moments: I am made of ghost plasma. It is sticky goo. I see where you are going and I dont like it. Bro, but that is not cool. I thought you always wanted to be strong. Of course. But I would turn into an artifact. I dont want to force you, but what I am saying is that this is a unique opportunity for both of us. Jason was silent for several moments. Then, he blurted out: You know what? Fuck it. Lets do this.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. So, where are you in my body? ahhhhh everywhere, but your brain? Ok Jason, I dont know you very well but we will have to work together. When I was in your crystal orb, you said that: we are in this shit together and now it is true. From now on, we wont be two guys in the same apartment, ok? You dont have to agree, but this is a unique opportunity. Yes, brother Jasons serious tone made Res raise his eyebrows. Through their mental link, he sent Jason his emotions of fear, hope, and trust. Bro, I wanted to tell you that I have come to like you No homo. Me too. Lets try the best technique from the start, shall we? Wait, I have to ask Orson first. Res shouted over to the shack: Can I do another cultivation session? Yes, they will have marked this area as safe., Orson shouted back in a disgruntled tone. Content with his safety, Res again turned inward: Ok, lets start. Jason giggled. I want to see your face when Never mind. This will be akin to a tier change, so you wont be able to rely on any of your normal senses. Your only sense will be your aether sense. You start by grabbing the aether, but this time you imagine a normal paper sheet. Your only task is to fold that paper in half for fifteen times. Simple, right? In the back of Ress mind, a small thought of doubt wanted to wriggle free, but Res squashed it. Manifesting an aether paper within the trance was effortless. 1 Fold, 2 Fold, 3,4,5,6,7. Folding the paper sheet made out of aether became close to impossible, but he pushed on. 8 Res heard the amused snorts of Jason in the background as Res pushed with all his mental might. Bro, chill you A barrier broke in Ress mind and Jason was cut off as aether drowned his sense. His entire body felt like it was collapsing from the strain, but Res pushed on. Finally, he finished the ninth fold and released the power. With the release of power, he could hear Jasons screams of torture. Are you all right Jason? Holy shit that HURT. No, I am not. Suppose I did it to myself. The normal procedure consists out of compressing a ball over six hours. At least we saved ourselves some time. Instead of a folded paper, Res held a ball of energy that glowed like the sun to his aether senses in his hand. That is aether plasma. A purified version of aether. Most advanced runes are made out of it. Now, try to form the ball into a rope and then weave the left end under . What followed was the endless weaving of aether threads into more and more complicated patterns. Finally, Res held a piece of knotwork beauty in his hands. Where should I place it? I have part of my plasma outside of your body near your throat. Place it there. Yet, Res hesitated. When he looked at the complex knot, he somehow felt like he still missed something. Bro put it on your throat already. Wait, I need to What is force? What is this spell? Why? How? I need to think. Despite protest from Jason, he retreated into the abyss of his mind. What is force? Pushing, pulling, pressing. Pushing something away is one reason we live. One force that drives us. We always run away from something. Problems, relationships, everything. This new knowledge somehow filled a gap in his soul and he felt whole and ready. Res touched his throat with the rune attached to his hand and all his senses came flooding back. What assaulted his senses first was the steady rhythm of running feet on cobblestone. With a start, he realized that he was not in the warehouse anymore. When he tried to free himself from whatever was restricting him on his waist, it only tightened. Before Res could cry out for help, the deep voice of Orson drowned out any uncertainty: Boy, you are awake. Dont panic, its me, Orson. The rational part of him realized that he was flung over Orsons shoulder. In the dark gloom, he saw residential buildings fly past. Despite wanting to ask Orson thousands of questions, he tried to talk to Jason but got no answer. They passed into a side alley and Orson set Res down on a front porch. When Res took in the scenery, he saw that they were in one of the nicer districts of town. Boy, do you know what you did? I pulled in the aether. Orson deep laughter rumbled through the streets: I pulled in aether, he says. As if he only did some casual cultivating. Boy, you pulled in enough aether to destroy the district! At Orsons questioning gaze, Res only shrugged. You are a special one. My, my. When I said that you could do some cultivating, I didnt Never mind. How do you do it? Not even I in the glory days could have pulled in that much aether. Res didnt trust Orson in the slightest and so defaulted to a: Hmmm. Not a talkative one. Alright, keep your secrets. As long as you fuck up the Elite Guard, I am happy. I realize now why they were hunting you. Did they come again? They did. I didnt stay to see it. As soon as you pulled in aether like I would chug down beer, I threw you over my shoulder and ran. It is a secret that I shouldnt know, but there is a slight delay between the detection. Once they have your signal pinpointed, the elite guards will have you surrounded. Never underestimate the Elite Royal Guard. The requirement to join is being S-Rank. If I hadnt run through registered power areas, we wouldnt have remained undetected. Wait, you are an S-Rank? Not anymore. They used a special alchemy concoction to burn away my knowledge of the spells. I am in the middle of the B-Tier. Regardless, you need to go into hiding right now. Guards are already patrolling like crazy in the city and it will only get worse. I have to get back before sunup to avoid suspicion. My advice is to wait for all the workers to start their shift at sunup and then you join the throng. One last question before you go. How much power can I use and not get noticed by the power tracker? If I were you, I wouldnt use the tiniest shred of power. I have to go now. Good luck. With that, the bulking form of Orson vanished into the dim main street, and Orson left Res alone with his thoughts. Bro, you are never alone. No homo. Res couldnt hold back and cried out loud: Jason! Are you all right? Yeah, Bro. Even though I still cant believe you actually folded that piece of paper for a ninth time. Right! Try them out, man. Yo, you could straight up be superman if you push yourself away from the ground. I am not that suicidal. They have a tracking device pointed at the city. Lets go back to Grannys shop first. They cant track all aether users in the entire city after sunup. Now determined, Res made his way to Grannys shop. 13. Aether usage (gone wrong) The streets began to fill and Res passed various guard patrols without incident. He enjoyed the sense of freedom and for the first time since he had fled; he felt optimistic. When he passed the spot from where he had left the sewers with the three children, a small voice called out. Mr. Cultivator. Please give me a minute. Res turned his head in surprise and stared at a ragged ten-year-old boy with fire-red hair. What did you say? I am from the Sensei Rebellion. Your name is sensei, isnt it? Res sighed, but continued to answer: You could call me that. The boys visage brightened in elation and fear. Sensei, our leader, Brent, wishes to discuss an important matter with you. Tell him I have no time. Res was about to leave, but the adolescent boy clung to his hand and cried out: Please Mister! Please, Mister! Please, Mister! Dude, something is fishy here. That kid doesnt sound sincere. It sounds like At that moment four giant and bare-chested giants emerged from the crowd. It sounds like a signal. Fuck. When Res turned around, he saw the small boy climbing down into the sewers. He knew he couldnt follow the boy and so faced his attackers. Bro, its baldie from the carriage incident again. Time to test the new powers. Indeed, leading the party was the now grim-faced leader of the bare-chested perverts. We meet again, sensei. The incident with the Osmanian princess will be paid back a hundredfold. I have already thought through thousands of ways on how to kill you. I Jason talked over the babbling of the muscular thug. Bro, I have made a plan on how we can make this work. I have merged our aether channels, so power shouldnt be a problem. To activate the enchantment, let aether flow into a body part with the intent of pushing in a direction. I have specialized the rune, so it works by intent. For now, show that motherfucker who is boss. A smile spread over his face as he realized that he didnt have to run another marathon while a killer was hot on his heels. As Jason had instructed, he willed what he considered a small amount of power into the palm of his hand. He grinned as he directed the power at the still talking leader. But instead of flinging the thugs back, the power pushed back. With a snap, his shoulder got dislocated, and he was flung backward at ridiculous speeds. With a meaty thud, he impacted the wall and his entire vision was filled by a mysterious red liquid. Bro, shit. I should have known that. Shit, Shit. You have internal bleeding, cracked ribs, and head trauma. Shit, shit. Of course, they had more mass than you and you would be flung back. That was like trying to push a house only to find out that the only person who is moving is you. Res can you hear me? Res couldnt make out most of what Jason had said, but he nodded in confirmation. Alright. Keep the aether connection stable, ok bro? I will get us out of here alive. Through his red-filmed vision, Res glimpsed Baldies mocking smile. Suddenly, Ress body was flung into the air by the same force that had catapulted Res into the brick wall. The shock of flying thirty meters above ground didnt even register in his pain muddled mind. Grannys house came closer and closer. Jasons panicked cries resounded through his head. Holy shit, how do I stop? I cant push there? Bro, it will hurt a little. Res could only stare at the ground in numb horror as he impacted Grannys backyard with a meaty thud. On impact, two painful snaps from both of his arms rattled his body. Despite all the pain, the graceful darkness of the abyss never came to envelop him. Instead, he could make out Grannys angry screams about the neighbor kids having no manners. Which was followed by her horrified scream when she saw his bloody form lying in front of her window. Grannys shock was only short-lived, and she vanished into her lab. After one excruciating minute, she jumped out of the window with a small box in her hands. She turned Res on his back and cut away all his clothes with a scalpel. She touched every bruise on his body and then said in a sorrowful tone: Sorry Res, this will hurt a little. Granny stuffed some rags into his mouth and proceeded with setting his bones. Every crunch and snap was accompanied by excruciating pain. Only halfway through, he had already left his voice. A part of him wondered whether the gag had already been used on another patient. Finally, she took out a bottle of golden liquid and had him drink it. He had expected the usual grassy taste, but it tasted like honey and flowers. Oh Res, what have they done to you? You were in a brothel, werent you? I wont be mad if you tell me what happened.... No, I will still be a little mad because I had to use a master five potion that is worth five platinum on you. He coughed when he heard the ridiculous sum of money. 24 hours ago, life had been so simple to him. Res laughed at his nativity and stopped when another wave of pain assaulted him. After half an hour, the pain had faded enough for him to speak again: I wasnt in a brothel. Granny chuckled: Thats what men always say. The mischievous glint in her eyes made him like Granny and, on a whim, he told her the truth. I am wanted. I figured. A rich merchants son or noble fled from his family because of a quarrel. Unique kind of quarrel. I destroyed a national treasure. Granny turned pale and Res already regretted his decision, but her composure returned. And I thought they were indestructible. How did you do it? I shouldnt tell you that, because it would do you more harm than good. My boy, I appreciate you being so honest to me. That is why I will be too. When I met the royal alchemist during some herb shopping, I bragged a bit. I told him I had an apprentice who made his own unique concoction within the first half-year. What is the problem? He didnt believe me and we made a bet that he would give me one of his master craft recipes if my apprentice could beat his. If I lose, I will have to give him the phoenix pill. I am sorry Res, but my pride got the better of me. Please help out a poor woman. You only have to participate. I will give Evudor my old recipe for the phoenix pill.Stolen story; please report. Her eyes widened in anticipation and she clutched at his chest. Res winced and replied: Please dont press on my chest, it still hurts. I wasnt interested in the alchemy tournaments as a noble. But even I know tens of people that know me that go to watch them. If it were some sort of private duel, I could at least keep my identity a secret. Granny looked at him with new hope in her eyes: If your identity stays hidden, will you participate? Yes. But I have another condition. Grannys expression fell at that. Judging by your expression, I assume that you have a method to keep my anonymity. So, I ask you to please let me relax for the day. Grannys smile became even wider, and she motioned Res to stand up. That can be arranged. Stand up now, we need to make your mask. I made the potion. You should be healed by now, else I would have wasted those five platinum coins. With a sigh, Res picked himself up off the ground and he was indeed healed. He wriggled his fingers, toes, and hands and all worked fine. With a shrug, Res followed Granny through the ground window into her lab. Is wearing masks allowed in the tournament? Granny grinned from ear to ear. No. They even have special artifacts that find alchemical and aether-based masks. My mask isnt made of magic or aether. I learned this method from a tribe in the north who personate their gods this way. Its a complex mixture of various rubber trees and antioxidants. The final product looks like this: Granny pulled out a large pull of a clear yellow and brown goo. Now, lower your face into the goo until your whole head is submerged. Res eyed the bowl suspiciously but decided to trust Granny. When he pulled his head out of the mixture, Granny was already adding various other liquids into the bowl. She waved him away: Go to your brothel already. I have some sculpting to do. Res cleaned most of the residue off his face and then jumped out of the window and onto the moss-covered wall. With a contented sigh, he laid down and watched the early afternoon sky. Jasons comments interrupted his musings from time to time but Res found that he enjoyed them. Finally, he addressed the topic he dreaded the most: Jason? Yeah, Bro? You can use the enchantment. It was no question, only a statement. Arent you cool with that? I could No, it is all right. Before you saved me, I would have been angry, but Thank you. We are brothers, man. We are more than brothers now. I would always save you. I didnt thank you because you saved me. That wasnt altruistic. It is the way you tolerate my choices. You are a kind man, Jason. Res thought he could feel Jason turn away in embarrassment at that, but that was impossible. He realized both of them had needed this talk, but he knew wallowing in melancholy wasnt the way to go. They had taken their time meditating as the sun had already traveled to the horizons edge. Res tried to loosen up the mood a little: Hey, do you want to try out the enchantment? Jasons voice deafened him: Darn right, I want to test out the enchantment. Lets do it. He jumped down from the wall and landed with a solid thump. The most useful ability to learn would be how to fly or at least jump high and fast. How did you do it last time? I catapulted you by using the enchantment on the whole back for your body. Well, that wont work. Bro, I have a perfect idea. There was this total badass, his name was Iron man, in my world with rockets attached to his hands and feet. The following five minutes were the most embarrassing and painful of Ress life. Time and time again, he would position himself to push into the air, only to whirl around and faceplant in the dirt. Jason kept insisting that he had to train harder. The words Training and Hard just didnt sit right with him. He stopped one of Jasons motivational speeches and said: Train smarter, not harder. If we look at the center of mass of a person, it is in their pelvis. Lets try having most of the enchantment streams on the pelvis. Eight on the upper and lower body to allow for movement in the air. With this new configuration, Res lifted off for a moment before crashing - Progress. The underlying problem was balancing the estimated distance with force. The closer the object, the less power he had to use to get the same force. If one would only fling out force streams, they could impact an object that was too close. The imbalance would set him spinning. Which meant that he had to always search for spots against which he would push to propel his body. Res had to find out firsthand that spinning in the air wasnt an experience he wanted to relive. Bro, I have the perfect next enchantment . A singing call from Granny interrupted them: Reeees, come here for a moment. You have to get dressed. Confused, Res entered her lab through the window and froze when he saw a disembodied head lying on the table. Why is there Dont worry. That is your new face as Leonard, my apprentice. I have also prepared an extra set of clothes. Getting clothes fitted is always time-consuming. The carriage arrives in half an hour. Why would we need a carriage? The alchemy tournament, you oaf. Wait a minute. You have never told me that the tournament is today. His plans of training with Orson tonight went up into shambles in an instant. Granny adopted a nonchalant look and replied. It seems like I must have forgotten it. Forgive an old lady for her lacking memory. Jason felt the same as Res did and shouted in his head: FORGOTTEN? She has played you, Res. Besides, she is a fucking brain core! No matter how much he wanted to tell Granny how he felt when she manipulated him, he owed her this much. With a defeated grin on his face, Res answered: Ok, Granny. Do what you have to do. Grannys face split into a wide grin. Thats grand. Here, put this shirt on. While undressing, Res inquired: So, what am I going to make in the competition. Nothing? No, you would shame me that way. Put on a good show. What ingredients do they provide? Granny smiled slightly. Boy, you have every ingredient you can think of. Ress heart began to faster, by the new possibilities that now flooded his head. Can you take Lets say a little sip from one of your crafted potions. Grannys forehead creased in thought. There is no rule that forbids you from drinking your own potions. In a flash of inspiration, he retreated into the black abyss of his mind and circulated aether in his brain. After thirty seconds, his eyes fluttered open again. He grabbed Granny at her shoulders: Please tell me you have a lexicon for alchemists. Yes. It is in my sleeping chamber. Do you want to create a potion as a complete novice that you then drink? Are you crazy? The failure rate for complete novices is at 97%., Granny sputtered out. I have made my decision. Boy, I see where you are going, but stop that line of thought. Master-level potions need such a deep understanding of aether you wont be able to match. Even if you could do all the complicated processing steps, you would need several days. At the tournament, the finalists will make potions that are Novice four to five, up to apprentice one. Seeing that Granny wouldnt budge on that point, he stopped that line of questioning. What is the most effective brain core cultivation potion within the apprentice rank? All participants have trained for over eight years You know what? Fine, if you want to stay that stubborn. By the way that you throw around aether, worry about reinforcing your channels. The simplest potion on that level is called wyverns shadow. This way you at least have a tiny chance of surviving. I dont want you to come running to me if your arm gets paralyzed by a misstep. Jason sent feelings of excitement through their bond and added: YES. I dont have to feel pain? Bro, make at least a hundred of them. Granny continued her explanation: The difficulty in the potion lies in extracting the aether. The black wyvern leaf will eject poison if you break the delicate aether channels. You have to drag the aether out through the tiny aether channels of the plant. It is a perfect indicator of ones aether control. If you want to join the Alchemy alliance, they will require you to extract their lifeblood. Are there any special techniques that make it easier? Granny laughed and picked up a mirror from a workbench. There isnt. How do you think you look? Res barely even recognized the young man that was staring back at him. With his new luscious clothes, he resembled the prince. I liked my original appearance better. A loud knock sounded at the door and a deep voice shouted: Ms. ahhh Ms. Granny? Your carriage is here. Granny fuzzed about with his clothes and then grunted in a satisfied tone. Come on boy, we have no time to spare. If you pull off the wyvern potion, I will consider you free of any debt. Res followed Granny outside and took a seat in the carriage. It was time to prepare himself for a role. 14. Alchemy tournament - Wait, what? During the ride, Jason bombarded him with advice on how to flirt with women and Res listened to such talk for the first time. Finally, the carriage came to a halt and the carriage door was opened by a servant. Even though he had already been there, the sight was still humbling. Giant white stone arches towered over the surrounding buildings. They interlocked and merged into a giant colosseum. What shocked him the most, were the thousands upon thousands of people waiting to buy a ticket. Res still couldnt believe that he was about to make a fool of himself in Trianons second-largest arena. Res helped Granny out of the carriage and whispered in her ear. I knew that the alchemy tournament was popular with the nobility, but why are there so many citizens? They couldnt even afford the simplest potion. Granny gave him a mischievous grin and replied: You see, the apprentices like to make a scene. They throw around powders and create explosions to get the attention of the judges. Every round, one can expect a participant to fail in a violent explosion. Sometimes alchemists even die. Putting the spectacle aside, the citizens are fascinated by the powerful effects. They will never come closer to such treasures in their life. Please dont fall into stage fright. There will be only around 15.000 people. Res began to sweat under his mask at the mention of so many people watching him fail. Granny led him to the back of the colosseum where a small shield marked the competitors entrance. My boy, do your best. Having said her piece, she left. He tried to affect a confident gait and made his way to the clerk at the entrance. The deafening sound of a horn being blown and hooves on asphalt resounded through the streets. Make way for Prince Robert! Make way for the royal alchemist! Following the command, Res stepped off the path and watched as a squad of riders thundered past him. With a grim expression, two riders took up position near the entrance. What followed the riders was the largest and most ornate carriage Res had ever seen. Bro, what the fuck. I was king, and I didnt even have such a fancy ride. That is a fucking stretch limousine. Lets register before the procession arrives. Else I would have to wait for ages. Res made his way over to the clerk, but his way was blocked by two sharp pikes from the princes guards. They looked at him in disdain and the smaller one spat out: The registration booth is closed. He knew that fighting them on the point would be more trouble than it is worth, so he stepped out of the way. When the carriage rolled to a stop next to Res, the sneering prince stepped out of the carriage. His blonde hair framed his delicate facial features and his blue eyes seemed to look down on everyone. The only redeeming factor was his clothes. The tight-fitting trousers and his loose and puffed up shirt made him look like a parrot. Bro, I never believed that there were faces that one couldnt resist punching. The prince has taught me otherwise. Seems like my genes have been diluted to the point of being non-existent. Behind the prince followed an ancient-looking man with a stereotypical long white beard. The only jewelry was a golden medallion with the Alchemy Alliance insignia. That must be the royal alchemist C Evudor. The prince ignored him, but the old geezer looked him deep into the eyes and demanded: I do not know you. Who is your backer? He didnt like the deep intelligence in the royal alchemists eyes, buts still replied: Granny, my lord. The royal alchemists eyes flared up, and he sized Res up. More of a question than a demand, Evudor called over to Prince Robert: My prince, you should see your true competitor in this tournament. The prince whirled around and fixed Res with a frowning glare: YOU are my competitor? You dont deserve a second of my attention. The prince walked over to him and plucked at his shirt. Your clothes are waaaaay out of fashion, have you ever even ONCE visited the southern court? Guess you havent. Look at those arms, they are Res stared at the prince in disbelieve. Bro, he is roasting you. Hit him back. Your hairline is still missing even Dora cant explore it always lands. Oof, he wouldnt recover from that. Res only stared at the prince as he cursed his family and fertility. After some time, the prince ran out of shallow insults and stood there panting and glaring at Res. When Res didnt reply, the prince cursed at him for the last time and then left.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Jason, that was my first time seeing a young adult with the mental capacities of a six-year-old. Evudor, the royal alchemist, hissed at him about killing your family and castrating. Res was too engrossed with thinking about what would happen if the prince turned king to process the threat. When the last of the princes hangers-on had left, she registered without difficulties. Apart from the fact that the clerk asked four times whether Res only wanted three kilos of wyvern leaf. He was led into a small cabin by a servant and given the number 103. From his small room, he could already hear the announcer calling out the names of participants. Once again, he was reminded that he was going to make a fool of himself in front of 15.000 people. Bro, chill, relax. We are not doing this for the people out there. We are doing it for us. You are right. Finally, the announcer shouted out his new alias, Leonard Avvenci. One wall of his room glided to the side to reveal the arena beyond. The low hanging sun blinded him for a moment but found his bearings. As instructed by Granny, he walked out without making a fuzz and over to his workstation. All around him complicated instruments were bubbling with different colored liquids. Most participants wore some kind of special white protective coat. Transparent glass constructs that shielded their sight completed the look. The length of the different tubes in the workstations alone could span to the moon. Bro, I hate to say it, but the moon is far away. Like really far. That was only an idle thought. The barrenness of his small workstation was made even more obvious as it stood next to the princes podium. The prince fumbled around with complicated constructs that were pumping liquids through tubes. Hundreds of small vials of powder were arranged around him for easy access. His wooden platform only consisted out of an herb sack. When the prince saw him, he sneered and nodded at his bare podium: Are you joking around? Do you want to open an herb shop? You are pitiful. Several other young alchemists around him sneered in agreement. Res didnt let his distress show as he stepped onto his barren wooden podium. He tried to act as if he knew what to do and examined one leaf in the sack. The voice of the announcer resounded through the arena: Ladies and Gentlemen! Today we have a crowd-favorite at the krata-colosseum. The next generation of young alchemists has three hours to prove that they are worthy. Will they even fail against themselves? You all love explosions, dont you! Yo, bro. Did the cheers of the crowd turn bloodthirsty? The announcer counted down to zero and all the participants began combining various powders and liquids. Res made himself comfortable on the floor and stared at the wyvern leaf. He felt the energy radiating out from the leaf and pulled on it. Something in the leafs structural aether snapped, and he immediately threw it away. The damaged leaf immediately pumped out its deadly poison onto the stone floor. Bro, that was close. His heart was racing, but he still continued his attempts at extraction. In his first attempts, he lasted four seconds before he triggered the defense mechanism. Again and again, he pulled a leaf out of the linen sack and again and again he failed. A small mountain of rejected and now poisonous leaves formed. Yet, with every attempt, he got farther and farther away from the core of the leaf. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, but he endured. Another in his place wouldnt have been able to maintain the concentration for half an hour. Yet, Res had been sitting still and relaxing for most of his life. With increasing determination, he followed the channels with the plants aether in tow. After an eternity of struggling in the maze of channels, Res finally broke out. He tore open his eyes and could only watch in horror as the valuable drop of green liquid fell to the ground. Exuberant cries of joy resounded through his skull. Bro, you did it. Even though a cup would come in handy now. Why did you only ask for the wyvern leaves? Hubris. I cant change it now. There is still another way. Do you like to put your life on the line? Bro, stop. That is stupid. That would be like driving a formula one race without a seatbelt. It could work, but you shouldnt try it. He had come this far and wouldnt stop so close to his goal. Not giving himself enough time to overthink, he positioned the leaf over his opened mouth. Once again he retreated into the black abyss of his mind. Failing now would mean death. I just cant fail. His heart beat faster and faster, the longer he guided the aether through the tiny channels of the plant. After what felt like an eternity, he felt the end of the tunnel and pushed through it. All his senses came back in time for him to feel the pleasant drop of green liquid falling into his mouth. Bro you did it. That was totally mad. He sent Jason feelings of gratitude and grabbed another leaf out of the pile. After his seventh successful extraction, he fell into a rhythm. Guiding the liquid through the channels became second nature to him. With every successful attempt, his knowledge of the plant grew. He reduced his time from five minutes down to four seconds. Several times Res scraped the wall of a channel but always caught himself. With only ten minutes left, Res found a technique with which he could draw from four leaves at once. Still, there was no way he could extract all the leaves on time. When the final gong rang, Res had converted one and a half kilo of wyvern leaves. 15. Granny having three strokes (of luck) Grannys mood was at an all-time high when she walked away from the participants entrance. She whistled a merry tune out of her childhood as she strode down the stone corridors of the colosseum. A female servant stepped in her path and asked for her name and identification card. She obliged by showing the young woman her golden alchemy alliance medallion. I am sorry if I was impolite. I hadnt seen Its all right. I dont like to prance around with my medallion like the others. Of course. With a smile on her face, she entered the alchemy alliances senior members private booth. The room was furnished with luscious sofas from the south. Highly trained servants at the bar served various refreshments and delicacies. Scattered through the room were all the important figures of alchemy in Trianon. The requirement to join was to reach MasterCraft level. Socializing was not one of her strong suits, but she wasnt incapable. So, she walked over to some old colleagues and chattered about work as an alchemist. Suddenly, someone put hands over her eyes and a giggling voice asked: Who am I? Granny groaned and turned around. Silvia, you dont change. Indeed, her old friend, Silvia, was standing pouting behind her. You are no fun, Sophia. Granny would have scolded her for using her real name, but she couldnt keep the news to herself. She winked at Silvia and whispered: I have news that could rattle the very foundation of the Alchemys Alliance. Silvia was a tattletale through and through and, judging by her eager eyes, she was hooked. They took a place at a balcony as far away from prying ears and Granny began: I have a new apprentice that Granny was cut off by Silvias squeal of excitement. At last! Granny smiled and added: I wouldnt be so fast to judge How should I say this? He is different in that Their conversation was interrupted by booming laughter from another group of Alchemists. Do you know what her apprentice wanted for the tournament? Three kilos of wyvern leaf! What a joke. As expected, the voice belonged to Evudor, the royal alchemist and one of the people she hated most in this world. Since she had been ten years old, Evudor had tried to capture her attention. On her sixteenth birthday, she had rented an entire inn with talented musicians. She had invited most people she knew to celebrate with her. During the dancing, Evudor had climbed up onto the stage completely sober. What followed was the most embarrassing minute of her entire life. Evudor sang a clich love song in his teenage cracked voice. It wasnt like she hadnt told him before that she wasnt interested and so she shouted: I dont like you. I dont love you. You are nothing to me. After that fateful night, something in him had snapped, and he determined that if he wouldnt get her, no one would. With renewed vigor, he had managed to succeed the previous royal alchemist. He used the power to turn her life into hell. Every time she would find love, he would send people after the person and he always had someone watching her. After several relationships that had failed, she created an invisibility potion. With the help of the invisibility potion, she would sneak out of her apartment. Soon, she found a handsome young and intelligent young man - The love of her life. Over the course of half a year, their relationship deepened, and they decided to get married. They had bought a house in a small city in Osma where she could set up a shop. On the day of their departure, she only found the cut-off head of her future husband in their usual meeting spot. From then on, she swore that she would never try to find love as the pain of having it torn away would be too great. She knew that Evudor still wanted her to come to him and ask for forgiveness or permission to marry. She wouldnt give him the satisfaction to then say: No. The painful memories made her boil with rage and she shouted in the direction of the mockery: Ten platinum coins that my apprentice will qualify for the finals. Evudor emerged out of the crows with a mocking grin and scratched his bald head. Come on Sophia, ten platinum coins are change. How about twenty-five platinum coins? Granny cursed herself for a fool. Now half of her yearly salary was on the line. All right. Because you can swim in gold and my apprentice is so bad, lets change the odds. Twenty-five platinum if my apprentice loses, fifty if your apprentice loses. Deal. Both fractions glared daggers at each other, and alchemists murmured excitedly. By now, servants were finished setting up the different workstations of the students. Silvia, her childhood friend, tugged at her sleeve and whispered: Are you crazy Sophia? Do you even have that much money? I can sell some of my ingredients if I must. Look at the princes setup and your apprentices setup . Silvia groaned when she saw Grannys crossed arms and continued: How long have you had him as an apprentice?. Granny picked her nails and murmured: One day. Silvia froze up in horror. Are you ? No, you are serious. You cant expect him to compete against someone who has trained for eight years in the craft of potion-making? He will win. Come on Sophia. Apologize to Evudor already. Ignore your pride for the moment. Look Even if we assume that your apprentice is a god reincarnated, he doesnt have any the tools. Evudor has the newest technology. It is wyvern leaf. What? What do you mean? Wait Understanding dawned on her friends face. You cant expect Yes, I can. Believe me. Three Kilos in three hours? Are you crazy? My highest speed at which I can extract the sap is thirty seconds for one leaf. I have practiced for ages.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The only thing that Granny believed was the fact that Res was going to lose. Yet, the pain of begging for forgiveness would be greater than losing her stock of potions and herbs. She looked her colleague in the eyes: I have to admit that I am gambling. But This boy is a monster. A look of thoughtfulness crossed the other alchemists eyes: You are one of the most talented alchemists I know of. Those words out of your mouth, hold a lot of weight. You know what? Her friend called over to the servant at the bar, so the entire room could hear. A mischievous grin crossed her face: Servant, I want to bet two platinum coins on the boy making it into the finals. The entire room fell silent at the declaration and Granny gave her friend a thankful smile. One by one, the announcer called out names and the young alchemists entered the arena. Granny creased her brow when she saw a young lady who wore tight-fitting open robes. That outfit belongs in the red-light district, not an alchemy tournament, Granny mumbled. Loud, she asked: Silvia, who is your apprentice? Do you see the fat girl with the number 72? I thought you were an alchemist focused on beauty? Silvia chuckled: I picked her up when her mother told me to remove all the fat before her husband arrived. As if I could remove sixty percent of a person with one pill. When testing for compatibility with my fat burners, it turned out that she had impressive aether control. If your apprentice can extract wyvern leaf, I doubt that her control is as impressive. Granny had to suppress a grin, as she whispered: I know this comes a little late, but he has never done it before and I have taught him nothing. The look on Silvias face was gratifying and Granny had to steady her. You are joking, am I right? No, I am not. He will win. Silvia looked at her with new eyes: You have gone insane. Do you want him to die? The prince entered accompanied by fanfares and Granny answered: Lets see them in action first, shall we? Res entered the ring as the last competitor and sat down on the wooden platform. Sophia, I am not one to judge early, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt for now. By the way, I heard that the prince will make a potion at the level of apprentice 1. Look closer at his workstation. In particular, the part of the workstation that is somewhat covered by our viewing angle. You will find the reason for his talent Silvia pulled out a spyglass and broke out into laughter. All heads in the lounge turned around and looked at their colleague. Everyone! Please do me the favor and examine the princes workstation! Murmurs of confusion rippled through the crowd, but many obliged. Evudor had to watch in shame as one by one, alchemists laughed at his apprentice. One of the younger alchemists shouted: Wait, I can make some letters out. I can make out Leeching Brittlebush C Yellow. Wolpertinger Fang C green. He has color-coded his jars! All around her, people had to reign in their laughter as not to insult the royal family. Evudor wanted none of it. He screamed out his lungs about insulting the royal family Death by rope and done for. All the laughter got stuck up everyones throats. By now, the tournament had already begun and people turned to the apprentices. Res was holding one of the wyvern leaves in front of him and flung it away suddenly. With her spyglass, Granny could see that the telltale poison was oozing out of the leaf. After the twentieth unsuccessful attempt, alchemists around her snickered. Is he here to waste the Alchemys alliance resources? Seems like it. After the hundredths unsuccessful attempt, Evudor spouted tales about Res being a beggar she picked up from the street. Meanwhile, Silvia had become restless. Do you think he can do it? He has already wasted so much time. Hmm. She had to admit to herself that she had given up hope. She still wondered what she had expected. She listened in to a discussion next to her but was repulsed by the slimy way Evudor portrayed the prince. An irregularity hit Granny when she looked at Res: He wasnt throwing the leaf dripping with poison away. She already wanted to signal for a healer, when Res took out another leaf from his linen sack and held it over his mouth. Hey Sophia, what is your apprentice doing there? He will die! I have no idea. With the reflection of her spyglass, she gave instructions to the healers to be on guard. Three minutes later, the dragon dancing pill of number 34 exploded. The medics rushed and fed the scantily clad young woman healing potions. She refocused on the prince who continued with his premade choreography. Movement in the edge of her vision caught her attention, and she turned in time to see a drop of green liquid. Silvias excitable nature came to light when she hugged Granny and shouted: HE DID IT! At first, everyone in the room assumed they were speaking of Silvias apprentice who had completed a difficult stage of her potion. Granny clamped her hands over Silvias mouth and whispered: Dont draw too much attention to him. Silvia nodded and then added: The problem is that the jury didnt see it. It is also difficult to prove. Granny only grinned and answered: He is a quick learner. Indeed, Res continued to extract the sap. More attentive alchemists took notice and pointed at Res. What Granny didnt expect was that Ress rate would improve exponentially. There was a natural control limit at which point one couldnt improve the extraction speed. Yet, Res decreased his time even past the average of two minutes per leaf. Soon, everyone was whispering about the absurd aether control of her apprentice. Some praise about her teaching skill was undeserved, but she didnt care if it hurt Evudor. Sophia, you planned the complete thing out, didnt you? But how did you hide the existence of such a talented apprentice? Why doesnt he collect the drops in a glass vial? You wont believe me, but he has never done this before. He only joined the tournament because he could have access to infinite amounts of herbs. Silvia looked at her old friend with an uncertain smile. Sophia, you can drop the act now. I assume that you have been teaching him since he was two years old. Look, he has reached even my limit of thirty seconds per leaf. Granny kept silent and Silvia realized she meant it. Silvia looked on in horror as Res continued to reduce his time to five seconds. With that, Res had beaten the fastest extraction on record by one second. Silvia couldnt tear her eyes away from the monster born in front of her. As if he had heard Silvias thought, Res extracted the sap of two, three, then five leaves at a time. Alchemists were bombarding her with questions and everyones gaze was fixed on the mad boy. Granny watched Res in silence. In reality, she was astounded like everyone, but couldnt show it. The alchemists realized they couldnt get more information out of her. Wild speculations about the origins of the mysterious young man sprang up. An old alchemist pointed at Res: He can even split his mind. With such powers, he may even become more than a master at my age! Another alchemist added: We havent had someone at the King Stage for over a century. Even I would be hard-pressed to extract the sap from multiple leaves at the same time. Do you think ? No, that couldnt be. Imagine if he were to reach the Domination stage. A hushed silence fell over the room at the words: Domination Stage. Finally, the results were announced and, to no ones surprise, Ress display qualified for the finals. A shout pierced through the silence like a spear through a blanket: Sophia! 400 Platinum and I will take him in as my apprentice. Evudor strode through the crowd as if he owned the place. I will take this annoying brat out of your hands. You should be thankful. Granny steeled her gaze and hissed at him with all the pain she had had to endure by his hand: I cannot sell someone. If I could, you would be the last person I would sell anyone to. Evudor laughed, but his eyes were like steel. My dear. I was only joking. Do I look like I would buy people? No, I am a man of my word. Here are your recipe and your fifty platinum. He threw a check for fifty platinum coins in the olive branch bank towards her. I have tasks to attend to. Goodbye. The gathering dispersed as everyone informed various powerhouses of the developments. Silvia eyed Granny with concern. He gave up much too easily. I know that. He wont try anything soon though. I still have some time. Lets hope you are right. 16. THE council Harrison didnt fear death. He didnt fear loneliness. He didnt fear heights. What he feared was the council. His steps brought him closer and closer to hist most dreaded room. From behind the doors, he could hear the roaring of lions and the hissing of hydras. Of course, there were no lions or hydras in there. There were even more horrible creatures in that room. It wasnt like he was innocent. He had killed three men. In that room were the monsters of Trianon. They had killed so often that genocide, like the eradication of a slum district, was a viable option. He had visited the southerner lands once. Crime there was chaotic but simple. Hundreds of small band leaders ruled the city. They were like a pack of starving dogs compared to what waited in front of him. Organized Crime they had dubbed it. Instead of the ragtag bands, the council ruled all branches of crime. If the council said jump from a roof, you would ask where and when. In his hands, he held a stack of papers that could seal his fate. If the council feared someone, he would fear that person a hundred-fold. With a slight push, he opened the door and stepped into the room. Every gaze was stuck to him like glue and a drop of sweat was running down his forehead. Sirs, I am here because of the top-secret target. A middle-aged monk of a southerner god waved at him in a dismissive gesture. Harrison, my friend. Dont be so tense. We are all buddies. By the forced mirthful grin on his face, Harrison that it was part of a power game within the council. The silky-smooth voice of Akila, leader of the prostitutes, chimed in: We should hear the report. You, as leader of the intelligence department, most likely know what is written in the report. The smug smile on the leader of the intelligence departments face was all the confirmation needed. Harrison took a deep breath and read: The activities began with the disappearance of the street rats Brent, Aron, and Julie. Julie came back to her base after several days and told the story of the two boys starting a revolution. She claimed a powerful aether user named sensei supports them. One of his abilities involves cleaning aether channels to a horrifying extent. Our necklace of truth confirmed Julies testimony.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it A black figure seated in the corner of the room, the leader of the assassin department, asked in a mocking tone: What is so special about cleaning aether channels? He could have bought a potion and tricked the girl. Julie described the exchange as sensei punching the boys backs. All the evidence points towards the fact that he did an aether exchange., Harrison clarified. The head of the department of narcotics foggy gaze lifted, and he spoke up in his smoky voice. You dont mean to say... Yes, he practiced acupuncture. An elderly man with a beer gut, the department head of theft, leaned towards Harrison. I thought it was only a myth. It is the only explanation. Nobles would pay hundreds of platinum for such a treatment. On the same night, someone in the high crafters district created an aether storm. Experts say that such a phenomenon only occurs with pure aether without intent. The tornado that manifested damaged the surrounding building. Through the course of the next days, more and more kids vanished from their bases. One of Akilas guards confronted sensei, but the guard let the mysterious young man escape. Yesterday evening, the elite palace guard teleported twice to a training facility via the power tracker. Allegedly, they didnt catch the perpetrator. We can be sure that sensei must have been there at some point. In the morning on the next day, the same guardsman confronted the young man again. One of senseis spells backfired, and he was severely wounded. He still escaped. As for the instructions from your last meeting: I have already drawn sketches of senseis features. I have distributed those to every base with orders to kill the man on sight. Unfortunately, the young rebellion keeps growing every day. We have already sent in moles and should hear from them soon. With a loud thunk, a silver glint flew past inches from his head. The elite guard Commander has contacted us. He said that our underlings are now allowed to use aether in the city. Spread the word that aether usage on the boy is allowed. I will bet that he wont even last in a fight against our C-Rank users., the shadow whispered into the silence that had descended upon the room. As fast as his legs could carry him, Harrison scrambled out of the room and slammed the door shut. With a racing heart, he leaned against the wall and buried his face into his hands. Fourth visit to the lions den C survived. I hope I at least break the record of six visits of my predecessor. 17. Slimy Intrigue Why did the spymaster call me to the kings room? I thought it wasnt time for another meeting., the Kings brother wondered for the umptieth time. The long corridors of the royal palace were driving him to madness. After another turn, he stood before the golden archway that led into the kings chambers. The elite palace guards stationed outside recognized him and opened the door. His brothers room was in its original state, apart from the elderly scheming man sitting on the kings bed. In it still lay his aged drugged brother, the king of Trianon. The founding king of Trianon, Jason the mad one, had cast an enormous spell on the region around Trianon. When a king died, everyone older than eighteen in the spells area could join the kings tournament. The magic trial would find the strongest leader amongst the population. He still had to chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. Why would you put the strongest bullhead in charge of a country? Intellectuals should lead. Fighters should fight. After they had killed the crazy king, the royal family had to breed the strongest fighters from then on. When the strongest royal fighter won the tournament, they would keep them in a drugged state. Then, the true kings could rule Trianon from the shadows. The drugs had side effects like increased aging, but it was only a minor caveat.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Spymaster, why did you call for me? Is his condition getting worse? The elderly man smiled his sly smile. No. This time, his replacement has failed. Did the prince get beaten in a fight? I dont see that happening. With the amounts of artifacts and potions he has, he should be undefeatable. Luckily, he didnt lose in combat. Still, he lost in the alchemists competition. That wouldnt make me call you the only room safe from prying ears. In the tournament, he met a cultivator called Leonard Avvenci. The royal alchemist set both of them up as rivals to awaken the princes competitive spirits. In a surprising turn of events, that boy beat the prince and insulted him. Now, he is throwing a fit and wants Leonard dead. Sweat ran down his brow. The only unknown factor in their succession system was the prince. The prince had artifact implants with which he could kill everyone in the palace. Yet, it was a necessary evil to allow the intellectuals to rule. As long as one didnt anger the prince, it had always worked out fine. Shit, Shit, Shit. Dogshit. We need to keep the prince as content as possible. Find that boy and bring the prince his head on a platter. I dont care what it takes to keep him happy. Inform the council that the royal family allows them to use aether to attack suspects. The spymasters face paled at that command. Are you sure you want to resort to such drastic measures? He steeled his gaze with conviction he didnt feel. Do it. If the prince decides we are obstructing him He trailed off but the spymaster understood his meaning. My duke, I will send the message immediately. 18. BB - Bald Beserk The itch of sweat under the mask had intensified to such a degree that he tore the mask from his head as soon as he saw the exit. The feeling of wiping your actual skin with fabric felt like heaven now. With a content sigh, he stepped out of the participants entrance and into the cool evening air. For a moment he reveled in the sundown, the noises of hundreds of people C enjoying the feeling to be alive. Res was pulled out his revelry by a raspy voice that cried out. Hey, you! I have important news. Shit, bro. Someone has recognized you. Why did you pull off the mask? Yet, the only person who was giving him any heed was a beggar who leaned against the colosseum outer wall. When both of their gazes met, he could see the glint of greed and fear in the beggars eyes. Intrigued, Res walked over to the beggar and dropped one silver. Do we know each other? The bagger snatched up the silver coin and motioned Res to come closer. I have a secret message from the young revolution. Res didnt dislike the beggar, but he reeked of alcohol and shit. I am sorry. You must have gotten the wrong person. I dont know the young revolution Instead of answering, a silver glint appeared in the beggars offhand and he lunged towards him. The killing intent within the beggars eyes made him seize up. This action was his saving grace as the beggar had expected him to flinch. Instead of piercing his heart, it opened a shallow cut at the side of his chest. The pain let him snap out of it and he released an enormous amount of aether in all directions. The closeness to the colosseums outer wall flung him back. He flew through the air and came to a tumbling stop on the stone-cobbled street. Adrenaline got pumped into his veins and he picked himself up from the ground. Bro, shit. That was my fault. I have a slight delay between the action and receiving the information from your senses. Res cast about for any more attackers and lamented Jason. You could have told me that earlier. Never mind that. I dont think this is over yet. Everyone in the vicinity had been pushed back a step or two and most people had felt the unnatural wave of force. Bro, lets fucking leave. The elite palace guard will be here shortly. This shit gets too crazy. You are right. Lets hope we dont crash like in practice. Across the small plaza resounded the running footsteps of the colosseums guards. Res didnt stop to see what would happen if he stayed. During the carriage ride with Granny, he had thought of a workaround for his lacking control. If he pushed outwards into every direction, he would be pushed upwards no matter the terrain. With a burst of aether into every direction, he lifted off like a hero out of legends C At least that was how he had imagined it. Indeed, his theory had worked. Too well. His head was swimming from the immense force and his three-meter jump had turned into a fifty-meter jump. When he looked around, he realized how beautiful Trianons flickering lanterns were. What the fuck, Res? Do you want to kill us? The seriousness of his tone awoke Res from his musings. Sorry, you are right. We will impact the ground eventually, what can I or you do to prevent that? Res propelled himself upwards again with an uncontrolled burst of aether. Jason grumbled and replied. First, I wanted to keep the delay secret from you, because I thought I would become useless in your eyes. In a fight, one needs to react within milliseconds. Res continued to push himself fifty meters into the air, fall down and push back up. His body wasnt made out for being flung around by such immense powers and his vision turned dark around the edges. Jason? We dont have time for this right now. We can talk about it later. What should I do !!? I know you think it is dumb. Now I realize it too. We are bros after all and Jason, do something or we are both going to die! Oh, right, bro. I forgot. Ress descent slowed and he came to a stop two meters over the roof of a blacksmith shop. Then Jason let Ress body fall. Did you have to do that?, Res asked as he rubbed his hurting bottom. Bro, I did it for you. You need to learn your lesson. I couldnt let the opportunity slide to have you fall on your precious butt in front of hundreds of onlookers. When Res looked up from rubbing his butt, he realized that Jason hadnt lied. I should leave now. He waved at the crowd and gave a wink to the shop owner. The gesture unfroze the shop owner he shouted about calling the authorities. In the next ten minutes, they figured out a weird method on how to traverse the rooftops. Jason didnt want to use too much aether as it could lead to the actual enchantment knot adapting. In other words, the knot would continue to suck in aether even if it wasnt activated. It didnt take a stretch of the imagination to think of several horrible scenarios. They decided on a strategy where Res would push himself off the roofs and Jason would stabilize him in the air. The constant up and down was jarring at first, but Res adjusted to it. Whoooa, Bro that is sick. I wouldnt call it flying, but it is close. He allowed a contented smile to show on his face as he marveled at the wonderful sundown. The only thing Res feared was the inevitable landing. Instead of thinking about his immediate problem C Landing - he thought about the beggar. The inevitable conclusion hit him like a ton of bricks. Brent must have been really successful with his young rebellion, huh? Bro, that is a fucking unimaginative name, if I say so myself. Still, you are right. For them to react with such drastic measures must mean that at least ten thousand children have switched sides. Despite racking his brain on how to proceed, Res couldnt find an acceptable option. Relaxing and developing his powers further were incompatible on a fundamental level. His former self would have scoffed at the prospect of training, but Res had started to enjoy it. A loud rumble from his stomach interrupted his musings. With a new goal in mind, Res turned to head towards the talented baker near Grannys shop. Lets get some of those delicious pastries before we visit Orson. Bro, thats an excellent idea. Cultivating on an empty stomach is nasty.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. After they were one minute away from the bakers shop, Ress hands began to sweat. Jason? You can stop my fall again, right? No, my dear princess. Should I wipe your ass? Do it yourself. You cant depend on me all the time., Jason responded in a cheerful voice. Res was scared shitless, but judging on Jasons tone, Jason wouldnt budge. Bro, you should drop down now, before we enter the main street. Res wanted to, but his pounding heart and sweating hands told him to keep going. So, he did. Bro, hello? Can you hear me? Drop Down! I want to but, Are you a fucking pussy? Just do it! Res hesitated for a few more moments, so instead of landing in a side alley, he came down in the main street. The feeling of inevitable doom overcame him and he began to scream like a skewered pig. He impacted the wall of the bakers shop with a dull thump, but Jason luckily softened the impact a little. Still screaming, he slid down the wall and writhed in pain on the ground. Bro, that wasnt as bad as I had thought. Apart from the fact that I cant use any more aether or else I would suck up your life out of you. When Res saw it that way, he stopped the retort that was ready on his lips. Booming laughter resounded through the street and Res scrambled to his feet. People were shoved aside to reveal a giant of a man pushing his way through the crowd. Bro, that is the baldie from yesterday. Akilas guard, was it? The bare-chested giant flexed his enormous muscles and scoffed at Res. We meet again. Oh, how little Trianon is. This time, you will not run away like the chicken you are. I already let you go twice and I was punished. The whiplashes of my mistress will be forever imprinted on my loins. Bro, what the fuck? That is some fucked up shit. Res had to stop himself from chuckling as the baldie continued his prancing. My mistress has cut me free. She has cut my bonds. The lion has left the cage. I have defeated countless enemies in hand to hand combat. No one has ever defeated me and I will twist your neck as I have done to all my previous opponents. I will Ress amusement at the display was turning into annoyance. Baldie. Please come to the point. Baldies face flashed red like that of a tomato and he shouted in a fit of rage: You will not call me baldie. My name is Reinhardt the neck breaker! The act only ingrained the name baldie in Ress mind. The bull of a man charged Res. This time, Res could sense a tugging aura radiating out from Baldie. Bro shit. He is using aether! As fast as he could, he pushed up from the ground but tilted too much to the right. Under him, Baldie had rammed into the wall and a fist-sized imprint could be seen in the wall. Res shuttered at the thought of what such force would do to his frail body. Luckily, his changed trajectory let him crash into the softer linen canopy of a shop. When Baldie saw Res trying to scurry away, he shouted out: No, you dont get to run away again! Flaming charge! Baldies fists caught on fire and his eyes glowed a vibrant red. Holy shit, Res. You cant run from that. He has close to infinite stamina until he hits something. Res could only watch in horror as baldie demolished one stand after another to get to him. He estimated to have ten seconds until impact and so he did the only sensible thing C Think. He circulated such enormous amounts of aether in his brain that it hurt. His entire world went black, and he knew he only had seconds to think. What should I do? Flee? Not an option. Fight him head-on? Not an option. Negotiate? Pointless I need something to back me up. There was a wooden pole on the ground. With a plan in his head, he opened his eyes and froze up at the bloodthirsty sight of baldie. Res shook off the shock and rummaged through the debris. He was deafened by Baldies battle cry, but he still whirled around and held the pole in front of his chest. Both their gazes met for an instant and Res pushed against the broken pole. The sickening squelch of a sharpened piece of wood entering a human body would always stay in his mind. But Baldies cross punch had already been in full swing and wasnt stopped by the pole. For a moment, Ress world went black as he was flung back by his own spell. He tumbled end over end for several meters and his ears were ringing. Bro, stand up. The fight isnt over! Indeed, Baldie looked more offended than hurt as he pulled out the pole from his right biceps. The damage was done and his right arm now only hung from his shoulder. Res surged to his feet and ran to a blacksmiths shop. Behind him, baldie was shouting as if Res had murdered his entire family. You bastard! You destroyed one of my babies! Baldie cradled his torn right biceps like a mother would her child. Despite his various cuts and bruises, he still managed to grasp a basic army knife. His physical state wouldnt allow him to hold a sword, even if he knew how to wield one. He turned in time to see Baldie pulling in ludicrous amounts of aether while shouting: BLOOD PRISON BESERK Bro, shit. That dude hates you. Your only task now is to stay alive. Baldie has sacrificed five years of his life for five minutes of threefold strength. After five minutes, he will be defenseless. Get as far away from him as you can. Easy, right? When he looked at the monster whose gaze had snapped onto him, Res doubted it. Baldies veins were now bulging out like worms and his bicep was completely healed. The most terrifying thing could only be seen through aether sight. To his aether senses, Baldie was like the sun on a snowy winter morning. No matter where Res looked, he would always get blinded. "Running away doesnt sound half bad. When Res turned on his heels and ran, Baldie began to sprint at Res on all fours like a wild gorilla. Surrounding bystanders were now running and screaming for their lives. Res had never thought much of his athletic capabilities, but he must have broken some kind of record. The crunching of the cobblestones under Baldies feet and the constant cries spurred him on. Yet, the footsteps were coming closer and closer. When the pounding of feet stopped, Res knew that Baldie had pounced. He pushed as little aether as possible to his feet and was propelled ten meters ahead. Not a second too early, as the road behind him exploded into cobblestone pieces. Because of the delay between them, Jason cried out a warning as Res landed on the cobblestone. Everything is all right. Where should I run to? Shit bro, that was too close. You have more important matters to think of right now than the elite guards. That monster would mow down innocent people. The only place that would be deserted now would be the ghetto. Immediately, Res changed his course and raced into an alley. Followed by the furious roars of Baldie, they wreaked havoc wherever they passed. Baldies roars turned more and more to frustration as he could not catch Res. The whole cat-and-mouse game took ages, and the roars had now turned to desperation. After a sharp turn to the right, Res realized too late that he had entered a dead end. When he whirled around, he found himself cornered by that rabid monster. Waves of fear and despair washed over Res when he saw the monster coming closer and closer. Something in Res snapped. No running away. Too strenuous. Too much stress. Face the predator. Bro, why did you stop running? Push yourself onto the apartment building. Wait. Its not like I dont want you to fight, but that is the worst moment you could have chosen to fight. Res calmed his right hand in which he held the dagger. With that gesture, a sudden flood of nothingness washed all his emotions away. He righted himself. Baldies cries of victory resounded through the alley as he once again pounced at Res. With a mental shove, Res flung himself toward Baldie and gripped the dagger tight with both hands. The dagger sunk into the abdomen of the thug and ripped open a giant red slash. In this new detached state, he marveled at the ease with which one could cut through human flesh. The wound would have been fatal to any other person, but Baldies skin writhed like a living being and closed shut. When Baldiess muscular hands met nothing but air, he whirled around and faced Res with a snarl on his face. Instead of running or even standing still, Res charged at Baldie who looked on in confusion at first. When the criminal saw that Res didnt have any aces up his sleeves, he met Ress charge with an animalistic ferocity. This time, Res catapulted himself over the raging thug and even managed to land on his feet. Baldies reaction had slowed and when he turned, Res could see that some of the fight had left his eyes. Bro, you are sick. That was sick! Look, his eyes have stopped glowing and now are just flickering. He will be unconscious in five minutes. Indeed, the eyes only flickered and Baldie sat down on the dirty stone floor of the alley. Res didnt heed Jasons advice and approached Baldie who was currently holding his head in pain. Hello, Baldie. Can you hear me? The panicked face that stared back at him reminded him of a small boy, not a grown man. I dont want to hurt you. I want you to do one thing: Baldiess eyes opened wide in expectation. Think., Res whispered and then turned and left with a push of aether. Baldie stared on, dumbfounded. Everyone in the streets knew that letting an enemy live is suicide. Yet, he was still breathing. 19. Guerilla War not Gorilla War Res had imagined his ascent to the rooftops to be, as Jason would say, fucking cool. Instead, he had lost control after five seconds. With some luck, he had pushed himself onto several stacks of hay in front of a small shed. Rubbing his head, he stood up and made as if to enter the enlivened roads of Trianon, but stopped himself. Jason, it is time that I get a mask. Bro, it took you long enough. All superheroes have masks and judging by the show you put on back there, you most definitely are one. Wait, Superman wears glasses. But, whatever. He is superman. You are more of the flash type. I dont know a single word you said. I would like to visit your world one day. Yeah. It is pretty fucking cool. At least compared to this shithole. Apart from the magic, of course. Wait, you dont have aether? Yeah. We use a power called gasoline. Ahh. So only the name is different. Aeeeehhh. Yeah. Right. The name is different. When he finally stepped out onto the street, he tried to blend in as best as he could and walk with the flow of people. After several minutes of following the crowd, he found a small antique shop and entered it. When he asked for traditional clown masks, he received a weird stare from the elderly shop owner. Still, the shop owner sold him a very crude mask for twenty coppers. Bro, why the fuck would you choose a clown mask? You could have chosen one of those northerner sacrificial masks. That would have been badass. I cant imagine a costume that would stand out more than one of those grotesque faces. The clown mask was the most inconspicuous of them all. When he walked out of the store, he bumped into a street child. He dismissed the child but whirled around when the child whispered: Sensei. Where are you? I thought I saw him go in here. while pressing his face against a small window. On closer inspection, he realized that the child he had dismissed was actually Brent. Res wanted to clear up this mess with the revolution and distance himself from them. If he wasnt the face of a rebellion, it might help to quell the bad blood with Trianons criminal organization. Hey, Brent. Brent whirled around like a lightning had hit him. Who-o are-e you?, Brent stuttered. Res slid the mask halfway off and understanding dawned on Brents face. Sensei, we need your help. I am begging you. Please help us. We are done for. Brent began to cry and grabbed Ress sleeve in desperation. When Res looked in those puppy eyes, he couldnt object to such an innocent request. Fine. Do it quick. He could distance himself from all the trouble this revolution business brought in front of thousands of witnesses. Brents eyes alighted in joy. Of course, sensei. Follow me. Brent led him into an alley and Brent pushed away a manhole cover. Memories he wanted to forget surfaced in his mind. Memories of a bath in Res forced down those memories and followed Brent into the stinking dark abyss. Brent followed complicated twists and turns, and Res was already suspecting treachery. Right before he wanted to leave through the next sewers entrance, Brent told him they were there. A tunnel without a canal appeared on his right and Brent followed it. The path opened up into an enormous cavern supported by giant arches. The room was only that C a room. The only distinguishing feature were the two hundred children huddled around the room. When they entered the room, everyone looked up with faces of fear and hunger. To Res, this motley assembly looked like two hundred starving children, not a revolution. Brent announced with a radiant smile: I have found him! Instead of the excitement Brent expected, he received only: Why have you brought a clown? Dont tell me you spent money on him. Brent stood there bewildered but answered: He is the powerful cultivator. All the children looked in horror at Brent. They had put their hopes on a clown? After a look in his small linen bag from the alchemist tournament, Res took the initiative. Who is sick? Stand up. As the eldest in the room, Res supposed he had some privileges as many stood up. All of you, form a neat line and tell me of your ailments. All the children listed their problems and Res sorted them after perceived severity. He dismissed those who might recover and was now left with eight candidates. He pulled out one of the practitioner healing potions and the entire room went dead silent. Most of them had seen a potion once and few had caught glimpses of potions sold by licensed alchemists. He gave the girl with a festering wound a full bottle of healing potion and continued in the same manner. Res split his last small healing potion among the least severe cases. The most dramatic change was in the girl with the wound. The deadly wound closed in a matter of minutes. One could watch as all the toxins were swept out of her body until only white undamaged skin remained. Now all the children looked at Res in awe and fear. Yo Bro. Tell Brent you have to meditate for a bit. We have to talk. Res told the children he needed to meditate and Brent only nodded at him wide-eyed. He sat down in a corner and asked. What is it, Jason? Circulate aether in your brain. Memory and Rationality. You should help those poor kids. They deserve better. Are you ready for another lesson? I dont want to sound cruel, but that seems like a hassle.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jason stated: That was cruel and selfish. Res groaned as he buried his face into his hands. Fine, make it quick. Jasons knowledge about tactical combat was vague and more of hearsay than facts. Still, Res learned about the advantages of guerilla warfare which Jason knew from strategy games. It involved splitting your force into small groups that work together with the locals. You sow discontent in the enemys ranks, ambush them, terrorize them but never attack. When Res came back from his talk with Jason, everyone in the room had gathered in a half circle. Hundreds of puppy dog eyes were clinging to him as if he was a hero out of legends. Res determined that if they needed a hero, he would imitate being a hero. Being a genuine hero was too much work. Brent! Brent straightened up and gave a pale imitation of a salute. Yes, Sir Sensei. Our revolution cant go on like this. First, tell me about the things you did in the council and why you left. Brent gulped down and shouted out in an imitation of army slang. Some of us would be in the bazar and trying our best at pick-pocketing. The older ones would sell mild drugs like the golden glow. Some would help with cleaning in the whorehouses. We left because we were always fighting for every scrap of food. Dying of hunger isnt rare in the streets. If one of us were to die, there would be hundreds of other children in line to do our job. Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd at Brents words. Brent, pick four other children that you know you can trust and have the skills to lead. We need to talk. After some chatter, Brent had chosen the fat boy from the sewers, a young boy with raven black hair, and a pair of twin boys. When the six of them were far away from the main group as not to be heard, Res gave commands. The tactic we will employ is named: Guerilla war. You use it in an urban terrain, against an overwhelming force, and avoids all direct conflict. Lets get this straight: We do not fight for honor; we fight to win. All the childrens eyes were glowing with righteous anger and passion. It is only a matter of time until the council finds this place and then all you will be dead. Instead, you will work together with the citizens of Trianon. The council is not particularly loved. Today, the council has destroyed countless of shops through one of their lackeys who went berserk. He used aether, which is forbidden. You will form groups of three and go to the shop owners. You will tell them that: You have split from the council, because they became too ruthless. You couldnt bear to live in such a cruel world.. Then, ask them whether they would provide temporary shelter in a barn. Each group will receive twenty coppers as payment to the shop owner for one month. This will function as the base of operations for the individual teams. Being nice to the shop owners is priority number one. I have enough money on me to last three hundred children for two weeks. You will split your money into fourteen portions and hide them in various spots. Every day, you will get to one of those spots and then distribute the money. propos, the different teams will have missions like gathering intelligence or infiltration. To stay in our organization, one will need to finish missions in a reasonable time frame. One more thing: Try to recruit as many members as possible and expand your hierarchy. Questions? Brent immediately bombarded him with questions and the other children soon joined in. After some time, they finally reached a conclusion. With a sigh, Res stood up and turned to the expectant gazes of the hundreds of children. We do not fight for honor. We fight for survival. We do not care how we win, but when. We will show the council that children shouldnt be underestimated! Res had thrown the children an anchor they so craved. And they took it. Shouts and laughter arose in the cavern and excited chatter broke out. Four gold coins lighter, Res left the cavern with a sense of fulfilment he had never felt before. When Res smelled the air of the surface again, he cried out in joy. From down below, he could hear a last shout of Goodbye from Brent who had guided him back to a sewers entrance. By now, a beautiful black night had replaced the dim evening sky. Bro, you know what? I didnt know you had it in you to help people. You know with all the being alone with your thoughts thing you have going on. I dont help them. Yeah, keep lying to yourself. Fine. But I still want to get some peace, some relaxing. The problem is that I am hunted by the two most powerful entities of Trianon. See it as an investment. If I work now, I can rest later. That is one of the biggest lies of life and you know it deep in your heart. Res sighed as he reentered the adjacent main street with his clown mask. I will never let go of my dream. After doing some asking around, Res once again found himself in front of Orsons warehouse. One of the guards was still stationed outside, even though it already was night. When Res approached the man, the guard turned nervously and looked up and down the street. Before Res could speak, the mans mouth was next to his ear, and he whispered: This district. Addison Street 48. Apartment 30. Meet the boss there. Before Res could blink again, the man stood in his previous spot while ignoring him. Bro, seems like our friend got into trouble or this is a trap. Do I have any other choice? We wanted to completely cultivate the brain. If everything Orson said was true, the only way to cultivate will be for me to be carried around like yesterday. The requirement to join the elite guard is to be an S-Rank. What rank was Baldie? He most likely was a normal C-Tier. Mid B-Tier with his transformation. I dont even want to think about what would happen if I were to fight against an S-Tier. We have no choice. Five minutes later, Res stood in front of the typical apartment complex of the lower class of Trianon. It was a four-story-tall stone block with countless small apartments in it. Through the thin walls, he could hear the sounds of a couple arguing and the banging of pots. Bro, how can anyone bear this level of noise? It is fucking midnight. I cant imagine the noise levels when everyone is up. On the second floor, Res found apartment thirty and knocked. The door was torn open and before Res could blink, he found himself held in a chokehold by Orson. Before Orson could twist his neck, Res croaked out: Wait, its me, Res. With the same swiftness, Orson let him go. Sorry for that. I am a bit on edge right now. On closer inspection, Res could see dark bags under Orsons eyes and his hands were fiddling around. Orson shoved Res into the apartment and looked up and down the stairs outside. With a sigh of relief, Orson closed the door. The apartment consisted out of a bed, a small stove and a kitchen. All the furniture was pushed to the walls which created a wide free space in the middle of the room. Orson, I would like you to ask for Orson interrupted him: Yes, yes my boy. You will get your martial training. Martial Training sounds wonderful, as long as I dont have to lift weights or run around in circles, but that is not why I am here. I want to finish my foundation and the power tracker would spot me. Can you please run around the city with me like you did before? Orson only stared at him slack-jawed and then reached out his hand to Res. Let me see your cultivation. Res placed his hands-on Orsons. When Orson lifted his hands up from Ress, even more sweat began to run down his face. This is no joke, right? Of course, it isnt. Shit. I can already tell you that running around wont work. Last time you were like a spark to their senses, now you would be like a flaming torch. Res gulped down hard when he saw the mischievous look of Orson. You know what, boy? I have a solution. Are you good at sneaking around? 20. How not to break into a princesss manner One hour later, they were hiding in a side alley in the most influential part of town near the palace. For the umptieth time, Res tried to persuade Orson to stop his mad plan. We are one hundred meters away from the palace grounds. Do you want to kill me? Orson displayed one of his fearsome mad smiles. They cant span the entire city with the power tracker. Where wouldnt they use the power tracker? Yeah, you are right. But are you for real? Sneaking into the house of an ambassador? That is the only place in the city, the elite palace guard isnt allowed to enter. Besides, the ambassadors have free rein to use aether as they wish. No one will think twice about the aether usage. It will be another bodyguard cultivating to the higher stages. Res realized how bad the plan was with every word. Look at all those bodyguards. Do you think they would let me in? You have already shown me your awesome abilities. You can fly and this is the only villa with a flat roof. Calm yourself. You are hyperventilating. For good reason. If I am captured, I would fall under the jurisdiction of their country. Who knows what the punishment for breaking into an ambassadors house will be? Also, I dont fly. I am more of a drunken goose jumping off buildings. My boy, you make this more than it is. You have to tell me one day how you cast spells as a brain core. I will distract the guards now. You wont get a second chance. Res felt like the maw of a lion closing in on his neck as he stared at the looming outline of the luxurious manner. Bro, I like that Orson guy more and more. He is right. Grow some fucking hairs on your balls. The effect of the wyvern leaf wont hold forever, mind you. Now even you are on the plan. I hate my life. He checked his dark clothing for the fourteenth time and took in a deep breath. Orson was staggering around the arched entrance to the villa and shouting obscenities. Orsons dumb plan actually worked and tens of guards were cursing back. With all their focus on Orson, Res took a last deep breath. Jason, are you ready? Ready as I will be, captain. Ok, on my signal. 3,2,1 Res pushed aether into his legs and jumped. The wind blasted into his face and his spine was compressed, but his flight path was true. He felt how Jason readied his aether for a soft landing, but Res realized that he would rather keep an ace up his sleeve. So, Res gathered all his focus and released the tiniest shred of aether. He received a grunt of acknowledgment from Jason and landed silent, if not graceful. The gamble had paid off. With a mental nod of thanks, Res scurried over to roof ledge and looked down at the windows. Bro, five to the left and three down. Thats the one. Ress adrenaline levels began to rise higher and higher. This was the most dangerous part of their plan. He couldnt cultivate on the roof as it wouldnt take the elite royal guard long to connect all the dots. Instead, he needed to infiltrate the manner. Luckily, there was a window open to some sort of storage room. Res pulled a rope contraption off his special belt and fastened several straps. Orson had told him that the transparent rope was made out of spider silk, so he handled it with the greatest care. Bro, you are a fucking ninja, man. I should call you Leonardo or Donatello from now. A glance at the entrance revealed that he had no time for banter. Orson had already been driven off by the guards and everyone was returning to their posts. He attached the hook to the chimney and began to rappel from the ledge. All of a sudden, a murmured conversation started under him. Bro shit. There are still two guards under you. Res tried to keep calm and cling to rationality. I am safe. I am safe. I am During his frantic self-assurance, Res hadnt realized that he had reached the window that was open. One of the guards under him stopped the conversation Did you hear that? No. What was it? Never mind. Probably my imagination. Who would dare to break into the property of the princess of Osma. Sweat was pouring in rivers off of him. It wouldnt have surprised him if the guards had looked up because they thought it had begun to rain. Bro, we have been bamboozled. Now there is no turning back though. Orson, that asshole. I bet he is rolling with laughter by now. He pushed open the window and crawled into the room. The guards hadnt stopped their conversation and Res sighed in relief. Yet, when he took another step into the darkness of the room, he felt the soft resistance of an expensive carpet. When his eyes adjusted to the lack of any moonlight, he could make out a giant four-poster bed in one corner of the room. Next to him stood a giant mirror and various powders and paints were arrayed on a small cosmetic table. The final clue to his location was the delicate, yet ornate, jewelry crown propped up on a cosmetic table. Shit bro. You are a hundred percent in the princesss sleeping chambers. When he strained his ears, he could hear soft breathing coming from the four-poster-bed. His adrenaline levels rose to new heights and he felt himself hyperventilating. The fear built up to such heights until something in him snapped. All his doubts were blasted away by a sense of calm and indifference. Jason? I dont care if I die today. Lets cultivate. Whoooa Bro. Are you on your period? Those were some fucking giant mood swings. Fine, imagine the neurons, stem cells, and blood vessels with all their functions. Then, pull in all the aether you can grab and store it in this idea. It is alright if you cant succeed on your first try. The majority needs over four hundred cultivation sessions to reach that stage. The instant Res felt for the aether, he was crushed by a wave of it that burned away at his mind. He clung to the concept of his brain like a drowning man to a branch. It felt like rats were eating away at his brain. Through it all, he held steadfast to the knowledge Jason had given him. If he were to let go, his head would burst like a grape. The dark abyss of his mind offered him a way out, a way to let go, but Res refused and held on. Aether seemed to engulf his whole being and began to show him concepts. The link between Actuality and Possibility lies not in possibilities but in potentiality. Potential is all. Potential is real. With a lurch, he found himself back in his body and in the dark. He couldnt detect movement anywhere near him, but Jasons voice stopped him from standing up. Bro, you are a good person and you will need another enchantment if you want to live. This is going to hurt like a motherfucker for me. Imagine it like being dropped into boiling oil while being flayed to death. Do you know how we ghosts die?The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Res felt that Jasons words cost him a lot. No Ghosts are created by humans that still want to live, even though they are dead. Every ghost will one day experience such pain that living wont be preferable to dying anymore. If you dont hear from me after this, I want you to live the rest of your life without regrets. Res felt torn between joy and fear. Alright. I will wait for you. Through their link, he could feel Jasons hope and fear and he answered it with reassurance. Bro, this is some deep shit. Lets do this. We already have a way to flee and move, now we will need a way to attack and defend. Defense is more of a priority because we dont want you to turn into even more of a glass cannon. I already know a perfect spell that hardens your body with aether. The other option would be steel skin. With steel skin, you could still use your muscles and you could do more damage, but it would leave gaps at the joints. What do you choose? I trust your judgment. Alright, let me show you the knots. Res fumbled around with aether strands for over an hour, until he held a glowing masterpiece of knotwork. Place it on your throat. Res hesitated, as something still felt incomplete about the enchantment. Just like with the pushing enchantment, he still didnt KNOW hardness itself. Hardness. Hardness is relative. Hardship. With joy comes hardships and with hardships comes joy. Should you welcome hardships because you will soon experience joy? He tore his eyes open with a gasp and searched the dark room for any danger. After seconds of disorientation, Res felt for the link between him and Jason. Jason was still there, but in such an exhausted state that he couldnt speak. Outside of the door, murmuring could be heard. A strong female voice shouted something and the door flung open. When Res saw the woman in the door, he murmured: Five years of study about why there is no such thing as fate disproven in an instant. In the door frame stood the woman he had thrown a pineapple pie at. Seemed like she was some sort of bodyguard. Her brown hair was still lustrous and her green eyes held a fierceness that was mesmerizing. She held a razor-thin sword in her right hand and a small lantern in her left. The loose-fitting robes couldnt hide her curves. When her gaze fell on the kneeling form of Res, she froze mid-step. You You Res couldnt hold himself back. Yes, yes. Its me, your friendly neighborhood pineapple pie seller. The reminder at the slight he had done to her, gave her back some of her spirit. What do you do here. Did you She threw a glance at the undisturbed bed of the princess. Dont worry. I was only here to cultivate. By the way, my name is Res. What is your name? Res chided himself for giving her his true name, but at the sight of such beauty, he couldnt hold himself back. The bodyguard woman didnt take his inquiry well. My name is Serafina. Remember it well before you stand before the gates of hell. In an instant, she activated an aether technique that made her shoot towards Res. With his increased brain core cultivation, his thought processes were now lightning fast. He could see the sword point flying towards him, but his muscles couldnt react. Instinctively, he knew that it wouldnt be enough to drop to the ground. Instead, he sent the smallest push of aether into three points along his body: the head, his pelvis and his feet. The aether reacted to his commands and he was shoved to the right. He could hear the singing blade miss him by a few centimeters. The collision with the wall was painful, but the way the moonlight painted Serafinas face, made up for the fact. Luckily, Serafina hadnt expected to miss and her sword was now embedded into the windowsill. In a burst of inspiration, he grabbed the princesss crown from the cosmetic table and ran at Serafina. She recovered from the shock of not hitting her target and readied herself to receive the charge. Wild Hunt! Her sword warped like a living being and came down on him. When the gleaming sword cut his skin, Res threw himself against the sword and pushed away from it. His enormous mass compared to the sword made it fall out of her grasp and land four meters away. Her face wasnt that of a fangless tiger, instead, a deadly calm overtook her entire demeanor. He had no delusions of beating her in a fight, instead, he had calculated flight paths. When the moment was right, he let the ornate headdress sail through the air until it landed on Serafinas head. She was so confused by his action that she did nothing as Res jumped onto the windowsill. In passing, he whispered: I would exchange the princesss crown for one of your smiles any time, madame. With that, Res pushed off the window. The only problem with his dramatic exit was the fact that he lost his balance and landed head first on the lawn. Despite the general alarm his appearance caused, he escaped. As he was half jumping, half flying to the meeting point with Orson, he felt like he missed something. It is not the expensive rope that I left. It is I miss Jasons comments. I would have never thought I would say it one day. As if a higher power had heard his thoughts, his wish was fulfilled. Ohhhh I knew that you liked me, no homo. You forgot to say no homo. Res felt a weight lift off his chest. Jason, how are you? Fine. I have to admit though, the temptation of leaving was great, but I thought of my bro and I cant leave you alone. But a part of me died at the sickly sweet prince act you pulled earlier. The way that you gave her the crown, instead of just leaving. Uggghhh. I cant think of something that is more clich. You left a trail of caramel behind you, so abhorrently sweet was it. Ress face reddened in shame for the first time in eight years. Bro, the worst thing is: It worked. His mood immediately lifted. You think it wasnt too over the top? Bro, I am sure. You have that girl on a fishermans hook. You need to reel her in little by little. That Good morning my lady, I am your white knight act works like a charm on tsundere. Res would let the different unknown words Jason used to go, but this time he couldnt hold back. In the remaining fifteen minutes of jumping over rooftops, Jason told him about the world of Anime. When Orsons apartment came into view, his hands began to sweat at the thought of landing. Bro, why dont you try the new enchantment? You will need to guide aether to the spot with the goal to protect. Better do it to your entire body and dont let go no matter what. Res changed his trajectory to the main street and infused his body with aether. All the while shouting: Protect! Protect! Protect! in his mind to give the aether intent. His entire body seized up and he couldnt move a muscle. Even his eyes stayed open as the ground came closer and closer. Yet, he knew that if he let go of the aether now, he wouldnt be able to push off the ground in time. So, Res pumped more and more aether into his body. When he impacted the ground, he only felt a brief jolt and some dust in his eyes. Yeahhhh baby. That was sick. You took that fall as if it was nothing. That was rad. Jason shouted in wild celebrations and Res had to grin. He released the aether and feeling came back into his body. From the point of impact, a literal path of destruction lay in Ress wake. Bro, you have carved a fucking piece of the cobblestone road away with your body. Ress head spun with the possibilities as he made his way to the apartments entrance. He walked up the stairs and gave three short and three long knocks. The door opened and Orson was grinning back at him. Res had prepared hundreds of different accusations and evidence, but Orsons smile shouted: I am guilty. When Orson shut the door behind Res, he asked in an innocent and too casual tone: How was it? He responded in the same tone. Nothing special. I broke into the sleeping chamber of the princess of Osma. Orson choked on the tea he had made himself. When I finished my cultivation, a female bodyguard, a mid-A-Tier, walked in on me. I defended myself and fled. Now Orson was having a coughing fit. After he had calmed the coughing, he laughed in his booming baritone. Damn boy. You are a special one. I only had an inkling of who was in that villa. I thought it was some unimportant cousin of a royal house, but not a princess. You handled it fine, though. Was the bodyguard around the same age as the princess? I dont know, but I suppose. Then you were right with your power estimation. Those kinds of bodyguards are called retainers and they grow up with the one they need to protect. She was even a high A-Tier. Next time, you will need to win against her, you hear me? Yes. By the way, what did you gain from completing your foundation? I somehow can think so fast in certain situations, but my muscles wont react. That is the reason why brain cores are shitty fighters. They can see the enemy, but their muscles wont react in time. Instincts let muscles react without delay. You know what? You have the tools to remedy that. But right now is not the time to talk about it. You should sleep after all that excitement. We have a long day of training in front of us tomorrow. You can take my bed. Res gave a thankful nod to Orson and let himself fall into the simple bed. Before any thoughts of betrayal or doubt could cross his mind, Res was asleep. Orson looked at the sleeping form of the paradox-boy as he had named him. He scratched his stubble and murmured. A brain cultivator without the limitations of brain cultivators. I will create a monster, but if that is what it takes to take down the elite palace guard So be it. 21. Training or Torture Res awoke to the cries of children and the rumbling of carts on cobblestone. He pulled himself upright and rubbed his eyes. Good morning, bro. Orson has been gone for over four hours. When he stood up, he gagged at the stinking smell of sweat. There are showers in the backyard, right? I think so, bro. With heavy steps, he left the apartment and went to the backyard to get an ice-cold shower. When he came back to the apartment, Orson was sitting on a stool and rummaging in a large linen sack. Res watched in fascination as Orson pulled one potion after another out of the sack. When Orson pulled out protective gear like he had seen the guards use, shivers ran down his back. Last but not least, he pulled out a bundle of meat, vegetables, and bread. Orson pointed at the bundle. Can you cook? No Do you know how to cook? No Your first lesson will be learning how to cook. In a pleasant turn of events, Res found himself in front of a stove for the first time in his life. Cooking turned out to be very exhausting. Yet, the pride he felt at the sight of his first dish - a burnt pile of meat and vegetables C couldnt be denied. Boy, I thought you lied when you said you didnt know how to cook, but I have seen no one who is as bad at cooking as you. After ten minutes, Orson had produced a new and delicious plate full of vegetables. Res devoured the food and Orson watched him with twinkling eyes. Good. You cant fight on an empty stomach. Res perked up at the mention of fighting. What would you propose as a weapon for me? A sword? A true fighter is the weapon. What do you do if I disarm you? Apart from that, if you use the right techniques, you wont need an enchanted sword. Res thought back at Baldie and the immense destructive power and nodded in assent. Then, what martial art should I learn? I heard that the flying swan sects techniques are powerful. Orson only laughed at that Boy, there is no such thing as the ultimate technique. You can only try to achieve something resembling it, by combining all the martial arts into one. Imagine it like picking the best moves from all martial arts. It is called Farmers Wrath. All the different schools prance around with their elegant motions. Yet, if fighters from all arts were to meet in a dark alley, the Farmers Wrath practitioner would always win. Orson motioned with his fork like his teachers from the academy. Farmers wrath takes the best of every martial art and puts it into one. It cuts away all the unnecessary flourishes. Its entire purpose is winning, and it doesnt care how. The eastern empire collapsed when a rebel group taught the populous the techniques. Now, lets see what you can do. With that, he stood up and motioned for Res to do the same. Hardening ones body is an arduous process and you have a lot to catch up to. Most dont do it at all. You have to endure the hottest weather and lift the heaviest weight. You have to bathe in boiling water and do other hard tasks to achieve the hardening of the body with aether. Because you did none of that, you will wear some of that protective gear at first. It is a custom build. Actually, I can harden my body now. Res cringed at the furious and betrayed look Orson gave him. Then Orson began to smile at Res. I believed you there for a second. An eighteen-year-old boy able to harden his body. Orson gave a meaningful snort. Ridiculous. And my mother is the northerner queen. Res sighed and extended his hand. Why would I lie to you about something that you can check in an instant. Here, try to pinch my index finger. Res circulated aether with defensive intent and Orson took his now numb finger. First, Orson began to pinch then press, and finally, he somehow produced a hammer from a cabinet. To be sure, Res circulated aether in all his hand. That meant that he had to rest his hand on the table because all the muscles supporting it had seized up. Even when Orson hit so hard, that the table jumped ten centimeters in the air, his hand remained unharmed. Orson stared at Res slack-jawed Has that any restrictions? I cant use the muscles in the part that I am enforcing. Orsons face lightened as if a weight had been lifted from his consciousness. You scared me there for a moment, boy. I thought you still had full mobility. He began to adopt a serious look. Ready yourself for the hardest training of your life. Res winced and clarified: I dont think that will be that difficult not to reach that goal. It is my first training session after all. Both of them were standing in front of each other in the backyard and curious boys had gathered all around them. Orson had challenged him to a duel with Orson not being allowed to channel aether. Orson grin had turned bloodthirsty. Lets give the boys a little spectacle. A bloody spectacle. What Orson had forgotten was the fact that Res had analyzed most of his moves already in the warehouse. He had asked him to do all his moves and had saved them all with his increased sight and memory. In his mind, he had studied all the moves countless times and now understood how deadly Orson was. If he were to come withing grasping distance, he wouldnt stand a chance.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Bro, this is a fucking rocky scene. Imagine your neck being massaged by me, your trainer. You are chasing chickens and taking part in boxing championships Jasons musings were interrupted by a controlled jab to Ress face. He could see the punch coming and pushed himself a little to the left. Orson threw a lightning-fast round kick with his right foot and Res had to push back and out of the reach of the kick. The attack had pushed Orson back a step, but the push accomplished nothing apart from that. Behind him, one of the childrens mothers scurried over and dragged her protesting child away. Several similar aged children joined the group, and they exchanged buttons. Bro, they are betting on us. Come on, dont disappoint the blonde one. He bet on you. Res gave the blonde boy a wink and then turned to his opponent. He turned but couldnt see Orson The only warning Res got was a shadow flitting across his vision before Orsons fist connected with his cheek. Luckily, Res had flared aether in that region in time. His view of the world tilted sideways as he flew across the backyard. When he finally came to a stop, Res scrambled on his feet and shouted at Orson: You said, you wouldnt use aether! His martial art teacher only laughed. Rule number one. Never trust your opponent. Before Res could mount an attack of his own, aether springs manifested around Orsons legs. Dust swirled behind the bulky man as he shot towards Res with unimaginable speed. At that moment, Res realized that fleeing wasnt an option and not the point of this exercise. He had to engage. Jason felt his uncertainty and sent him feelings of strength and support. His world slowed down to an even slower crawl as he focused his entire mind on his one enemy. The wide-eyed boys, the apartment blocks, and the cries of street vendors were blotted out. Some deep animalistic part of his being awakened inside him and showed its snarling face. Orson opened with a cross punch and Res pushed himself down. His counter uppercut landed in thin air as Orson moved back a hairs breadth to avoid it. Early enough, Res realized his mistake and rolled out of the way of an otherwise fatal elbow strike. Orson started towards him and Res pushed his left leg upward for a kick to the face. Sudden pain lanced through his body. Bro, you arent a fucking ballerina yet. You are stiff as a rock. Even though he recovered his composure, Orson took full advantage. Two quick punches to his left shoulder to unbalance him. Res was pummeled with one strike after another, but with the help of Jason, he tanked most of the damage. When he tried to take another step back, he noticed too late that parts of his upper leg were still hardened. Orson had assumed he would continue on his retreat and his latest kick missed Res completely. Not willing to let the chance go, Res began to pummel Orsons liver and kidney with all the force he could muster. This time, Orson had to activate his spring technique to escape the barrage. He didnt give Orson any time to recuperate from the shock and pushed himself at his opponent. Jab, Duck, punch, punch, duck, jump back, disengage, kick, kick. Res fell into a deadly rhythm of punches, kicks, and ducking. After he had to disengage when he received a solid punch to his gut, Orson smiled like a psycho: I would say that was a good warmup. Ready for the real sparring? Shivers of fear ran down Ress spine and even in his enhanced state, he couldnt follow Orson. The next thing his brain registered was that Orson was now only a meter away. When Orsons fist shimmered in and out of existence, Res did the only thing a sensible person would do C Drop to the ground with your head tucked into your knees and channel all the aether into hardening. Boy, you arent dumb either. That was the right choice. I cant let you off without a friendly demonstration though. Res saw that Orson was aiming for his hand, so he circulated all his aether in it. Somehow, Orson managed to pierce through it and burning hot pain spread out from the point of impact. Res groaned and righted himself again. His battle focus had left him due to the immense pain and he cradled his right arm. Did you have to do that? Orson took out one of the health potions from the linen sacks and threw it to Res. I received that lesson too. Wasnt so clever as to stop fighting back then. I wanted to impress a girl and our instructor broke over 30 bones on my body. Shows you not to be arrogant. Most young fighters go out onto the streets thinking that they are unstoppable. There is always a bigger fish in the pond. Res gulped down the concoction and felt his flesh shift back into place. Can you increase my range of movement? In our fight, I noticed that despite your muscles, you are still flexible. I can only reach your chests with my kicks. Yo, Bro. I am in on that. You know, there is something called yoga from where I am from. Sometimes, I would go to yoga classes, to watch womanly assets on display. We should get a female training partner. Orson looked at Res with a surprised smile. Boy, I was about to stretch anyways. Why are you so keen on stretching? In my time, all the boys dreaded stretching. It is no work. You sit in certain positions for long periods of time and relax. Orson stared at him in disbelief for several moments and broke out into booming laughter. What the nobles of the royal court called stretching had been a lie. When Orson began to demand that Res perform a gymnastic bridge, it dawned on Res how naive he had been. Only when the midday sun was glared down at Ress torture, he was freed from the tyranny of Orson. Through the whole morning, he had twisted and turned his limbs in ways that he thought impossible. Every time he lessened the tension on the burning muscles, Orson would shout in his ear: Hold; Hold; Hold. Sweat was covering every inch of his skin and by the way, he was inhaling air, he feared he had some sort of lung disease. Bro, Fun Fact: that is called asthma and you dont have any. Feels like it though., Res groaned inwardly. Orson came up to Res and patted him on the shoulder. You did good, boy. If you do ten of those exercises every day, you will be flexible in no time. In other words: You have saved all the money that you would have spent on stretching aid potion. Res turned to Orson with fury in his eyes. You force me through that torture and then tell me AFTERWARDS that I can take a potion? It isnt like you could get a stretching aid. Most times, they arent even in stock. Only rich and petty nobles take them because they cant bear to sweat for five minutes. If Res looked at the matter with Orsons eyes he realized how childish he was being. Sorry, I didnt mean to Never mind. You should know that I may be able to get potions if they are under master level. If there is like a magical potion that would fit me and make super strong, then tell me now. Orsons eyes showed Res that he didnt believe him, but he left it there. Yeah sure. There is the master craft version of the stretching aid that grants the user full range of movement. Within limits of course. That would cost you forty gold. It grants increased bone density, flesh, and nerves potion. Each one of those will cost you eighty gold. If you are particularly dumb, you can even buy eyesight, hearing, and smelling pills. Each one of those will cost four platinum. The thing is: Why would you buy them? You can reach the same level of mastery through training for a year in different fields. I even think that is why they are so expensive: because they need master alchemists and nobody wants them. I joined the elite palace guard and had mastered the disciplines within a year. You need to train. When Orson listed off the different potions, an unconscious smile spread on his face. I need a break. I have some important business to attend to. Can we meet again tomorrow? Fine with me. Meet me here again at the same time. I have some gigs to settle, too. Res turned to leave but stopped. Orson? Yes. Thank you. 22. No u is a valid strategy Res entered another narrow alley and followed it with aether filled steps. It might seem like he was running fast, but he was only moving his legs to cover up that he was hovering above the ground. By the stares he was getting, he deduced that it didn''t work. Yet, too many people were on the streets and he couldnt fly around, so he took the stares in stride. He could be an undercover elite royal guard or powerful thug. During his sprint, he listened to Jason as he told him more of the wonderful medium called anime. When he rounded a corner, a monk barred the narrow alley. Res bowed and made as if to pass the monk, but the monk stepped in his path. Irritated, he tried to go around the monk another way, but the monk again barred his way. He put on his most polite face and asked: Can I help you? The monk answered in an arrogant voice that didnt belong to that of a tranquil priest. I was wondering whether you have seen any rebels out here. I have heard there is an organization out here called young rebellion. Your face seems awfully familiar. Res''s hands began to sweat, but fleeing now would mark his face as guilty forever. Bro, I am getting some fucking chill vibes from this dude. You should leave asap. Res made as if to leave for the direction from which he had come from, but a dome-shaped barrier sprung up around them. It glowed a dull white and had a radius of over ten meters. When he felt around with his senses, he was mentally burnt by the intensity of aether around him. Hey, dont leave. Those arent good manners. Res whirled around and faced the monk. What do you want? A little chat about the little revolution you got going. The monk''s bloodthirsty cultivation was like a bonfire in his aether sight. Who are you? Res chided himself for asking all the wrong questions. Even five elite guards wouldnt be able to bring down this monster. The monk''s face shifted to another face and continued to shift to different faces. I am the councils master of intelligence. To answer your next question: My little birds are everywhere. Res recalled the innocent little children watching them. Bro, you should fucking run for your life. Now. Res pushed off the ground with all his might and hit the barrier as hard as he could with his hardened body. He felt how the energy of the impact traveled into the shield and then was redirected back at him. Half a second later, he found himself pressed ten centimeters into the cobbled street.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. His impact caused a giant explosion of rock and dust that covered the entire globe. The dust in the air revealed that the head of intelligence wore the same shield of force around his whole body. Bro that is fucking unfair. He is invincible. I bet that as a child, he always only replied with No you to insults. Despite hardening his body with aether, Res was covered in bruises and scrapes. Like a landslide rumbling down the hill, the slow advance of the monk was inevitable. With a sudden flash, the monk appeared next to him and landed a solid kick on his stomach. His body folded in half and blood gushed out of his mouth. He was pressed so deep into the street that he could feel the stone giving away to reveal the dirt underneath. From the way that the monk picked him up, Res could feel the enjoyment he got out of hurting him. Lighting fast strikes assaulted him and the crime boss'' shields doubled in power. A punch to his stomach made him double over and spit out even more blood. Some of the blood drops landed on the monks robes. In disgust, he swatted Res away like an annoying fly. Through the pain, Res circulated aether in his brain. He knew that the monk was toying with him, the head of intelligence could have killed him at any time. Think, Res. I cant punch through. I cant fight him. Escape or Fight? Escape. Where can I escape? Air. No. Surface. No. The only path of escape would be . He propelled himself back into the air, but the monk only waved at him to come back. Come on. Dont make it harder for me. I have an important event I have to be at today. Res ignored the taunts and positioned himself in the air. When he had found the perfect angle, he released an enormous push against the domes ceiling. The force he pushed against the ceiling now propelled him twice-fold. Like an arrow in flight, he shot towards the edge of the barrier. Before he hit the ground, he pulled in all the aether he could and reinforced his body. As he had hoped, under the street lay simple dirt through which he cut like butter. After some time, he came to a stop two meters under the ground. He could hear the enraged cries of the council head, but he continued his plan. With dirt in his ears, mouth, nose, and hair, he pushed down as hard as he could. The dirt pushed into his wounds and the edges of his visions went dark from the strain. Yet, he could feel himself rising higher, as the enormous force pushed him upwards. With a final push, he punched through the cobbled street and soared into the sky. When he turned back, the spitting mad head of intelligence flung various spells at Res. In an ironic twist of fate, all were reflected by his own aether shield. Res swore that he would keep the angry visage of the monk, trapped inside his creation in his memory. Bro, you are a fucking mad lad. Fucking balls. You used yourself as a spear to ram through three meters of dirt. The dome might have doubled the force, but that wasnt half bad. Ill take the compliment that is hidden in there. Luckily, Jason stabilized him in the air, else he would have dropped to the ground again. With some last reserves of aether, he fled the scene. 23. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. In an explosion of pebbles and dirt, Res dropped into Grannys backyard. Bro, we have solved your landing problem. And the problem of how to make a big entrance. Dropping out of the sky and impacting like a nuclear warhead always works. With some guided pushing and prodding, Res opened the window to Gannys lab and let it fall shut again. His body was on fire and every last fiber of his being demanded rest. He hoped that Granny was in her lab. Jason told a joke to pass the time, but when Res laughed, he spat out blood, so he stopped. Finally, the window was shoved open and Grannys head emerged. When she saw his bloody state, she gasped out loud but didnt fall into shock. Instead, she ran into the lab and again jumped out with a green potion in her hand. When Granny put the vial up to his lips, he reveled in the grassy taste and welcomed the convulsions of pain. The pain would stop after that. As soon as Ress open wounds had closed, her eyes lit up and she hugged him. What happened, my boy? For a moment, he considered lying but scrapped the impulse. I was attacked by a powerful leader of a big crime organization. Granny began to pace up and down the length of the courtyard in thought. With swift movements, she entered her lab again through the window and motioned Res to do the same. When he stood up and clambered into the room, he felt that most of the injuries hadnt healed, but no bones had broken. I didnt think he would strike so early. How did he find out your real identity? He must have made an educated guess. Who are you talking about? Evudor that old geezer. He saw your talent in the tournament and now wants to recruit you. Res sighed and said to Jason: Great. Jason, move Evudor from the list: weirdos to enemies Bro, you have a talent for making enemies. They didnt attack you because of Evudor. Granny began to go through all her herb cabinets. You know what Res? We are going to buy you good self-defense equipment. Res scrunched up at the thought of clunky chainmail. I dont want a sword or armor. I am a novice martial artist. Instead, I have a list of potions I need to get. Of course, my boy. What are they? I wanted to look into the eyesight, hearing, and smelling pills. A master craft stretching pill and body cultivation pills. Great. I had no clue about swords anyway. The olive branch has an auction today. We will need to make you stronger now so that you dont get killed or kidnapped. Res gulped down a lump in his throat. The olive branch was the most exclusive auction house in Trianon and items didnt sell for under four gold. His father, who shat out money, could only rarely afford to take part in an auction of The olive branch. Bro, dont you dare turn down an invite to an auction. You have been invited to a fucking gala. Res eyed Granny with concern. Granny, I dont want to insult you, but I dont think you have that kind of money. Granny smiled a wicked grin and shoved a pile of platinum coins in his face. I doubt it. Before you say: I am not worthy of receiving that much money, I won it at the tournament. I bet on you making it into the finals. See it as an investment. He hadnt been about to say that but held his tongue. Granny looked at him for another moment, then began to fuss around with his clothing. What did you do again with your clothes? Did you roll yourself in dirt while fighting? Her words registered in her mind and she coughed to cover up her embarrassment. In a jubilant tone, she added: You will need to dress. You are lucky that I made a spare one. It was too late to ask what she was talking about as Granny had already disappeared through the labs door. She returned with a spare pair of robes and one of his most dreaded objects C The mask of Leonard Avvenci. One hour later, Res found himself once again in the air restricting and hot mask of Leonard. Despite his best efforts, he wasnt able to persuade Granny to buy the potions another way. The auction wasnt bad per se; it was the mandatory social gathering before the auction that made Res queasy. Today was the first day he felt that way about meeting and talking with people. It was all because of Serafina, the bodyguard of a princess.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Bro, you wont mess this up. I have already enlightened you on the complicated relationships between tsunderes in anime. You are a fucking expert now. Relax. Besides, she may not be even here. Res didnt know what he was more afraid of: Serafina not attending or Serafina attending to the auction. Behind Res, his last hope of retreat, the carriage, drove off and Res was left standing next to Granny. Come on boy. Dont stand there like a country bumpkin. Res caught up to Granny who approached the guards in front of the enormous marble entrance. When Res opened his aether sense out to the world, he immediately changed his opinion. The guards as their power glowed in his vision like a bonfire. Fuck bro. Those aren''t guards. They are high S-Rankers. Cocky ones at that if they project their aether cultivation outwards. They would win in most one on ones with the elite royal guard. You shouldnt grope at any bottoms for now. I didnt plan on touching anyones private bits. They were let in after Granny showed them a golden card with the Alchemy Alliance carved on to it. For some time, they went deeper into the building through a white marble hallway. It opened up into the largest and most luxurious chamber Res had ever seen. Tens of small bars were scattered around the room. The whole rooms interior was laced with gold and expensive fabrics. Even more lavish were the rooms occupants. Important lords were encrusted in countless jewels. Beautiful countesses were clad in various expensive fabrics and furs. His first instinctual action to search all the faces was interrupted by a jab in the ribs from Granny. Dont stare, boy. I hope you know how to socialize. Remember, most young lords and ladies want to be listened to. When he was still living with his parents, he had always avoided all social gatherings like the pocks. Now, he regretted that somewhat. Only a little bit. He was left standing there, alone. Bro, you have to get some of that wine. Go to one of the bars where there are people standing around. They are in the same predicament as you. Its like that in a disco too. We should go to a disco if you invent space travel by accident. You can get hella pussy. Given a purpose, Res strolled towards one bar where he spotted a lost thought friend - Vincent. Before he could reach for a wine glass, a soft hand held him back. When he turned around, he looked into the face he had least likely expected to be here - Antoinette van Mayford. She was related to the royal house and one of his former classmates in the royal academy. When she saw his mask, she sighed: Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Res switched into the behavior he had usually displayed in front of Antoinette. It had done the trick most of the time, so he couldnt see why it wouldnt work now. Besides, she would recognize his voice. Hmmm. Antoinette whirled around and looked at him as if she had seen a ghost. She put on a seducing tone and asked: Do you like dueling? Hmmm. Res turned away as if to leave, but was again held back by one of her arms. You are a very interesting man. Why dont you join our conversation? Without asking for Ress response, she dragged him over to a group of nobles. He recognized powerful lords and ladies and even prominent members of the royal family. Ohhh Bro, you have landed a jackpot. Those are some mighty fine curves indeed. Not to speak of her face. Not dumb, too. She is a classmate from the academy. She suspects. Bro what? You were such a banger in the academy? Shit, man, I underestimated you. I thought you were some stuck up guy, but this Paradise. With every passing second, he felt control slipping away, and he panicked. Being exposed and then not being able to talk to Serafina again was the worst outcome. For a moment, he retreated into the black abyss of his mind and circulated aether through his brain. Should I change my voice? Should I continue? Baah, this is too much work. When he opened his eyes again, Antoinette was tugging on his sleeve. Come on. Dont be shy, we are friendly. Res turned around and walked away. He ignored the confused shouts from Antoinette and walked back to the bar. Bro, why did you let go of that fine of a chick? I can show my genuine feelings to her for once. At the academy, I couldnt leave her like this. Now, I am free. With an elegant flourish, he grabbed a glass and placed himself next to Vincent. As expected, Vincent had watched the exchange and couldnt hold himself back. He stepped in front of Res and held out one hand, which Res shook. I am Vincent van Lawdall. May I inquire your name? Pardon, my forwardness. Res made a dismissive hand motion. You can stop with all the formalities. My name is Leonard. Vincent looked surprised but adjusted. What about your behavior towards Ms. Antoinette? You know that it will ruin your entire life. Res chuckled as he thought back to the days where Vincent had prevented him from doing the exact thing. Let that be my problem. I see that you have won a fencing championship. That is where you got that necklace from, right? The next half hour was filled with Vincents babbling about the art of fencing, not that Res minded. When Vincents monologue wound down, a servant from the main hallway announced: Greet our honorable guest, my lords, and ladies. The princess of Osma. Ress hands began to sweat when he heard the announcer. Even more so, when the princess showed up and she was accompanied by the same brown-haired beauty. Bro. Are you serious right now? You act even worse than some of Justin Biebers fangirls at a concert. Pull yourself together, man. Yet, his pulse began to quicken and quicken, until it dropped to normal levels All of a sudden. All his nervousness was gone in an instant and his head felt crystal clear. 24. White Knight mode activated The princess was completely different from what he had expected. Instead of a mature woman, she instead had the mannerisms of a child and always sucked on a piece of candy on a stick. She wore a constant mischievous smile and sometimes waved around with the candy. When the princess joined Antoinettes group, he wished there was such a thing as time travel. With another pointed question, Res spurred on Vincents monologue. Yet, most of his concentration was focused on the princesss bodyguard. All the while, Serafina was somewhat excluded from the conversation. Presumably out of pity, the princess motioned for Serafina to get something to drink. Bro, this is your chance. Dont jinx it. This may be the last opportunity. Res sighed and replied in an ironic tone: Thanks, for the encouragement With some vague promises about speaking again, Res left Vincent. With a confident smile, he strode towards the table that Serafina was walking towards. If that romantic quote he had spouted out last time had worked, he hoped that this would work too. He had read of this legendary action in various books they had to read in the academy. When Res was three meters away, he channeled a minuscule amount of aether that pushed her left boot to the side. Res cheered in his mind when she actually tripped. He sprinted towards her while using a small part of aether to push her so that her back faced the floor. With a last lunge, he managed to catch her soft but live form in his arms. The only thing that screwed up the situation was the steel dagger pressed against his throat. Yet, his immense calm remained and he grinned at Serafina. I couldnt help myself. I would even exchange the princesss crown for one of your smiles any time, madame. Her eyes widened to saucers and the pressure of the dagger lessened, so he retreated. She scrambled up and stared at him for several long moments, but Res only grinned at her. Then, she pulled her sword. I, the protector of the Res held his hands up in defeat and motioned for her to stop. All around them, nobles were watching them with a mixture of amusement and confusion. In contrast to his calm outer self, his whispers carried a hint of desperation. Let me explain this. Please dont tell anyone my name. It is our little dirty secret. For some reason, she blushed at that and whispered back. You will be my prisoner from now on, understood? Dont make any moves. Res grinned at her and gave her a wink. I dont mind as long as it is someone who is as adept with the sword as you. Her flush deepened and she roughly began to push Res along. Bro, what have I told you. It always works. You have to give a genuine compliment about something that the person loves to do. Do you think I did well? Yeahno. That is yes and no. It would be an eight outta ten. Res avoided one of Serafinas prods and began to walk next to her. You know, I wanted to ask you something. Res waited and waited Finally, she burst out: What would you like to ask me? He plastered one of his most innocent smiles on his face. I wanted to ask about the location of your window. For that, Res received a well-deserved sharp prod in his back. I dont like your real face. In comparison to your old face, you are more akin to a rag. From what hero painting did you pick your fake face from anyway? You try to twist hearts with allusions. Res laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of it. He wiped off some of his tears off his face. This is my fake face and the other one is my real one. Serafina flushed such a deep scarlet that her face began to blend in with parts of the red carpet. She took a deep breath and composed herself. I fell for a simple lie. You couldnt get past the two aether mask user detectors at the front door. My already low opinion of you continues to fall. Res turned to Serafina and looked her in the eyes. He picked at some of the rubbery material on the surface which began to bounce, not skin-like. Serafina. I dont lie. Especially not for you. For the umptieth time this evening, she began to redden. Jason cheered him onwards: Yes, perfect. Keep those bland compliments coming. The edgier, the better. Jasons confirmation spurred him on in his role. If someone blushes, it is usually a defense mechanism against awkward social interactions. You use it for offence because if you blush, I am left defenseless by its beauty. In the back of Res mind Jason howled with laughter: Bro, Holy macaroni, you are a total mad lad. Nailed it. Ten outta ten. Jason was right as always with women and Serafina began to blush even more than before. He studies her emotional cycle with interest. She would realize that she was flushing at his comment about her flush and flushing even more because of it. Once again, she fell back and began to prod him along with the scabbard of her sword like a prisoner. He continued up until he was driven into the group of nobles that was crowded around the princess.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. With the help of aether, he pushed the scabbard a little bit to the right and stepped to the left. The result was Serafina poking a powerful noble into the back with a scabbard. The spectacle that unfolded after that was a sight to behold. The noble screamed out in pain and whirled around with a dagger. The nobles gaze immediately fell on Serafina who glanced at Res who in turn shrugged. He was coming to like her blush. She cleared her throat and announced to a confused princess. My princess, I have made a Before she could say prisoner Res stepped in the gap that had formed and interrupted. friend. Serafina and me, Leonard, are friends. Before she could protest, the princess started in a fit of giggles: My, my Serafina. You are finally loosening up, are you? How did the two of you find each other? Res ignored Antoinettes victorious looks and instead continued in a dramatic tone. When I saw her Res gave off a dramatic sigh and feigned being heartsick. His tone shifted to a low monotone. I said: Hello and then she said: Hello and then I said: Do you want to be friends and then she said Yes He finished his performance with a little flourish. Serafina tried to step around him and protest indignantly, but he stepped in her way. All the nobles were looking at him as if he was a dork, but the princess broke out into laughter: I like you. Unfunny, but a fresh breeze. Finally, Serafina managed to bypass Ress blockade and cried out: He is my prisoner! Res turned to her with a sly look in his eyes. Yes, I know that you like that sort of play. By now, the princess had lost her dignity and was rolling on the ground with laughter. Serafinas elegant brows furrowed in indignation and she made as if to draw her sword. The princess interjected: I would love for you to be my guest. She held out her hand and Res performed one of his best bows and mimed kissing her hand. It would be my pleasure. Bro, holy shit that was smooth. The way you played both of them off against each other. Hmmm Olalalaa. You may become a master, yet. Serafina could only stare at Res with disbelief and shock. Before that could turn into rage, he whispered in her ear: Sorry for doing that. You can beat me up after the auction all you like. Bro, by the way, she is shaking in rage right now, I dont think that was a good promise to make. Yet, his most immediate problems were the raging mad nobles who all had wanted to join the princess in her booth. Before the matter could escalate, the announcer once again cried out. Greet our honorable guest, my lords, and ladies. The crown prince of Trianon. The prince strode into the chamber with his usual arrogant stride. When the princes gaze landed on the princesses form, his eyes took on a glint of lust and amusement. All the emotions were replaced by anger when he saw Res, disguised as Leonard. His cries of outrage and anger must have been heard even outside of the auction house. You, you bastard! You boot-licking peasant! How dare you even come close to my future wife? Parts of the prince began to glow with power and Res was blinded when he shifted to aether sight. Bro, shit. I thought the prince was a B-Tier at most. He must have a fucking overpowered artifact. I cant even gage his level right now. He is above S+ for sure. A servant whispered in the princes ear which toned down the princes emotions. With a smug look, he waved at Res. You are nothing but a mouse that I will crush under my foot. With the power granted by my office, I hereby banish you from the auction house. This time, the princess took the initiative and she clung to Ress arms. Sorry, he is with me. Bro, I dont know whether I should like or hate her. On the one hand, I cant relish enough in the sensation of her warm softness. But she has doomed us. The prince shouted in rage, but this time it sounded like the whining of a small, angry child. The servant scuttled over to him and once again whispered something. He took on a smug look and said. You know what? In comparison to the normal lounges, the royal longue consists out of four instead of three seats. Let me invite you with your retainer and that peasant into my longue. The princesss expression fell in resignation, so Res decided to gamble a bit. He put one hand around Antoinettes shoulder and said in his most sincere voice: I am so sorry, my prince, but Antoinette van Mayford owns a royal longue, too. She wanted to invite us, but was not able to say it out loud. It would be rude not to ask her opinion on the matter. The princess nodded as if she had planned to do so all along and all eyes fell on Antoinette. One could see how fear of the prince warred with curiosity and potential knowledge. Luckily, she didnt see the princes murderous gaze. Finally, curiosity won out and she announced in a clear voice. I, Antoinette van Mayford, invite you to my royal lodge. The announcement broke any last restraint the prince had and he began to scream in rage. Clouds of aether began to billow out from him and everyone had to take a step back from the display of force. Two men, like the powerful guards at the entrance, appeared next to the prince. Their counterwaves of aether were impressive but didnt measure up to the princes. Most of the rooms occupants hadnt realized the gravity of the situation and stared at the display of power in awe. The resistance seemed to bring the prince back to his senses and he let go of the power. The room took a breath of relief, but Res realized something odd. One of the nobles had fled to a corner of the room and a silver glint around him could be seen. It tickled some part of Ress memory. When the silver glint vanished and he watched the gate and everything fell into place. Jason, do you see that man with the small mustache and the purple robes. Yeah, bro. What is it? I am ninety percent sure that that is the head of intelligence we fought earlier. The monk even said that he had an important meeting to attend to today. Shit, you are right. The mannerisms have changed, but his gate. That arrogant swing in his steps. It is him. What do we do? Should we fight him? Good joke. We couldnt even touch him. Lets gather more knowledge first. Other nobles looked at the young group with scorn at their lacking diplomatic skills. Before the situation could escalate further, a bell rang out. A servant announced: My lords and ladies, the auction will begin within three minutes. Res inwardly thanked the organizers for their foresight in disbanding the gathering. As he followed the now pale Antoinette, he saw the prince miming slitting a dagger across his throat. Bro, you wont be able to keep the persona any longer after the auction. Granny emerged from a group of women wearing golden medallions and pressed a pouch of coins into his hand. Boy, you jinxed it this time. You could have angered anyone but the prince. Still, use this opportunity as best as you can. You will need to make powerful friends in this cruel world. 25. First Impression is key With a last wink, Granny vanished into the crowd again. With several long steps, he had once again caught up with Antoinette. A servant led them to an ornate red door and motioned them into the simple, yet luxurious room. Through a mirrored window, one could watch the entire auction. The lesser nobles, merchants, and alchemists sat in their regular seats in front of the stage. The room''s furniture only consisted out of four ornate armchairs. To Ress great pleasure, he was able to get a seat next to Serafina. The princess and Antoinette seated themselves on the far right and far left armchairs. The princess sucked on her piece of candy and spoke up: It is only a formality, but our royal bloodline is in possession of powerful binding magic. It is only used to keep information from leaking out. Is everyone ok with that? Antoinette and Res nodded. Great. You have to say out loud: Out of my free will, I wont leak any information that will happen and has happened in this room. Bro, its true. You can be as sure as one can be that no one in this room would divulge any information. The loophole would be someone listening in on our conversation. Reassured, Res said the phrase out loud and a piece of jewelry on the princesss neck glowed green in acceptance. When Antoinette said it though, the jewelry glowed red. The princess sighed: You think you are forced into this? You can leave if you want. You can. This time, when Antoinette said the words, the necklace glowed green. The princess relaxed and began to longue in her chair, in a complete not-princess fashion. You can say everything now, I am under the same vow. Would be unfair otherwise. By the way, you can call me Xenia. With a contented sigh, Res tore off the mask from his face and announced in a cheerful tone. It is good to be honest. You can call me Res. Antoinette gasped out in shock and shouted: I knew it when she saw Ress face. Even the princess looked at him as if he was the boogieman. Yet, Ress gaze clung to Serafinas surprised eyes and he smirked. You didnt even need to kiss me, for me to turn from the frog into the prince. Serafinas shocked eyes turned to outrage and she whacked him over his head with her sword scabbard. Bro, that was smooth as fuck. Man, you have a talent for this. Even though the fact still remains that it is slimy as fuck. Too bad that it works. As if he was not worth her time, she turned to the princess and announced: I did speak the truth. He is my prisoner and he is the pervert who broke into your room. Xenias eyes widened wide: You Then she broke out into giggles. That was a funny trick. When I was woken up by clatter in my room, I only saw Serafina standing next to the window. She had her sword drawn and my ceremonial crown on her head. You must have seen her face as she tried to explain the situation to me. Glorious. Such a glorious play of colors on her face. Serafina shrank into her seat with every word and Res tried to save some of her self-dignity. It was only a small misunderstanding. As a bodyguard, I would have reacted the same way. The only problem is that I am kind of an enemy of the state. They hate me so much that they activated their power tracker. Your manner was the only place that was accessible and not surveilled. Xenia looked at him while twirling the lollipop in her hands: What did you do? A power tracker burns money. I destroyed a national treasure by accident. For a moment, the room was dead silent. Then Antoinette broke out: We were told that the crystal ball was destroyed by a southerner spy. It was me, but before you ask, I wont tell you how I did it. Lets say that it was an unfortunate chain of events.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Their conversation was interrupted by a sweaty well-clad man on the stage: My lords and ladies, welcome to our humble auction today. As it is custom, everyone will need to either own a deposit with our bank or make a deposit right now. Accompanied by the announcement, a knock resounded through the room. A young man about his age entered the room. Sir, you are the only one to not have an account. Do you wish to make a deposit? Res let the pouch drop onto the young mans silver tablet and the young man counted the coins. The young mans eyes opened wider and wider the longer he counted. Sir, you now have a temporary deposit of 55 platinum coins with the olive branch bank. With a contented nod, Res dropped into the comfortable armchair again. Antoinette looked at Res askance. One doesnt carry so much money around. How did you get all that money anyways? Did you rob a bank? He once again switched to his default answer C Hmmm. Luckily, the auction host interrupted them once again with his deep and clear voice. My lords and ladies, you will receive several small flags to show how much you want to increase the price. The young man gave each one of them several flags. Now that we have all the formalities out of the way ... Lets start the auction off with a palette of the famous southerner beauty powders. A female servant pushing a small cart filled with various powders entered the stage. They are reserved for southerner nobility, but we bought them from a bankrupt family. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to you ladies. The starting bid is two gold. Antoinette had already forgotten their conversation and was transfixed by the small cart. After the auctioneer had stopped speaking, tens of flags shot into the air. four gold, five gold Antoinette pushed her flag through a hole in the wall to indicate a five gold increment. Ten gold. While Antoinette was busy bidding on the pallet, Res turned to the stony-faced Serafina. So, you are a bodyguard? Serafinas stony face twitched a bit in agitation, but Res continued: Excuse my ignorance. Her stiff demeanor softened a little. I am an honor guard. He was hoping Jasons advice to be genuinely interested in a hobby of hers wouldnt offend her. How does one become an honor guard? We are children picked up from the streets. The families put us through tests and only the best survive. He felt like he hit a nerve there, so stopped his line of questioning. How do you endure such force from your movement technique? That was close to teleporting. By now, the price of the powders had risen to twenty gold. The princess interjected. It is funny to watch. At our palace, they have a special catapult that can shoot people at different speeds. When they are small, they have to do several tosses a day. Our palace is much more interesting than yours. Res winced in remembrance of the stiff manners in court. That is not difficult. Antoinette released a victorious shout when she bought the powders for twenty-seven gold. With a merry expression, the announcer waved in another servant girl. Luckily, we have ANOTHER powder kit! Excited whispers ran through the crowd while Antoinette only groaned. Bro, you are currently at a stalemate. That is not fucking good. You have to get the ball rolling again. Res leaned forward and ignored Serafina. Xenia, the prince said you were his future wife, but I hadnt heard of such arrangements. The princess twirled around her piece of candy in her mouth. There are none. I am here because Trianon has in some ways forced Osma to do so. I only have to stay here for several years, so it isnt that bad. They hope that I will fall in love and have organized countless boring activities. I dont know how many romantic candlelight dinners I had with the prince by now. I have stopped to count. What would be interesting activities? Xenia looked at him with interest. Doing some bad stuff. Like breaking into the house of a princess. She began to suck on the piece of candy suggestively, but Res wrote it off as a kink. He replied without hesitating. I dont get satisfaction from all the stressful rides. I would rather have it slow and relaxing. Serafinas cheeks had begun to redden and when Res made as if to answer, she exploded in her chair. Do you have to flirt right in front of me? Res stared at Serafina in surprise, who was now breathing hard and getting redder with every second. For some reason, Jason was having a laughing fit at the back of his mind. The princess only continued to suck on the piece of candy with a smile on her face. He tried to think about what could have offended her, but they had only talked about break-ins. When the awkward silence had held for too long, the princess broke out into laughter: We were only joking, right Res? It was all a joke, Serafina. Res tried to laugh too, but to him, it only sounded like he was dead inside. Which he was at the moment. Yet, in the eyes of the princess, he didnt see humor. Instead, he saw an emotion he dreaded C Interest. His fabricated laughing cut off when he received a resounding whack on the back of his head. Then everything turned dark and he felt himself topple over onto the floor. 26. To trust or not to trust: That is the question! He could make out shapes moving around him and then the feeling of a grassy liquid on his tongue. After several moments, his vision cleared and he saw Serafina holding a potion bottle to his lips. Her previous anger was blotted out with concern and Res could admire her beautiful face. Are you alright? I am so sorry, I didnt mean to , asked the beautiful angel in front of Res. Bro, you have to guilt-trip her now. Always works. After what he had experienced because of Jasons advice, he was hesitant to comply, but did so anyway. You could repay me with an afternoon. By the firm look in her eyes, he realized that she was going to deny his request. Next to Serafinas face appeared Xenia who gave him a mischievous wink and interjected. Oh, we would love to come. Am I right, Serafina? She nodded with visible reluctance and took her place in the armchair. Bro, you are a fucking chad. A fucking twin-pack. I never thought you would come this far, son. With a sigh, Res propped himself up and tried to find his balance. The flat of a hand appeared out of nowhere and impacted his cheek like a wrecking ball. He went down like a sack of potatoes. Luckily, he landed on his back this time and could see his assailant C A now crying Antoinette. Through the ringing of his ears, he could only hear: pervert Am I not good enough? For years I tried Leave me for that whore Disgusting Pig Dog Then, she ran out of the room and slammed the door shut. From his view on the ground, he could see the shocked faces of Xenia and Serafina. Bro, if half of what she said is true, you deserved it though. With a defeated sigh, Res combed through his memories and realized that Jason was right as always. Serafina produced another healing potion from her robes and he emptied it. Res made a note to carry some healing potions around himself. Sorry Res. This wont heal the entire swelling, but it will stop the dizziness. Res felt the potion doing its job and, after several minutes, he was able to climb into his armchair. So, Res decided to make the best of it. I should change my career path to punching bag. The tension in the room had been so high that everyone began to giggle. When they had calmed down, Res tried his luck again. Serious question: What do you like to do? Xenia started off by telling about her love for horse riding and the bow and arrow. To his surprise, Serafina didnt actually like fighting, but viewed it as a necessity. Instead, she loved to talk about books and the art of writing. His days in the academy had prepared him well for such occasions and they talked for over twenty minutes. It felt like Res had finally found real friends for the first time, apart from Vincent. Bro, it might be because it is the first time you are actually open for conversation? Res filed up the comment back for later and gave Jason a mental maybe. After all the swords and spears on display, the fact that the next item wasnt a weapon piqued his interest. My Lords and Ladies, the next object on display will be 400 basic speed potions. They are of potions of the low practitioner stage and have a duration of over ten minutes. They can only be used by non-aether-users and will increase their speed by more than 180%. You wont be able to get such quantities anywhere else. It is perfect for a small squad of guards in a tight situation. The starting bid is eighty gold. In comparison to the previous bids, there were only few and poor nobles interested. Most established nobles had aether users in their service. His small revolution had good defenses now, but no way to attack. To the surprise of Serafina and Xenia, Res pushed one of his flags out of a hole in the wall. After some back and forth with a minor lord, Res managed to get the potions for 132 Gold. Why would you need speed potions?, Xenia asked him with her brows raised. I know I cant deny that request, but I wouldnt want you to know, yet. Do you want to still ask? Xenia stared at him with her deep green eyes. This is the most elegant way to say no that I have ever heard. I wont insult you, so you can keep your secrets. After the potions, various necklaces and even a desert tiger were put up for sale. The princess managed to buy a dress that was arrow proof and several minor artifacts. Somehow, their discussion deranged to Serafina and Xenia discussing whether swords or bows were more deadly. Res was content to listen to the two bickering while keeping an eye on the products on auction. The conversation shifted to him and Serafina said. Res, I have fought with you and you are an experienced swordsman. Please explain to the princess that a sword is way superior to a bow. Xenia pointed at Ress smooth hands. Are those the celeste hands of a swordsman? You are a good judge of character, Serafina. He uses one of the new southerner crossbows. Before Res knew what was going on, both of them were fondling his hands. All the while, they were pointing out evidence that supported their thesis. He disentangled himself and answered in a neutral tone: I am not a cow at the bazar. Actually, both of you are wrong. I am a martial artist. Both of the girls jaws dropped at his statement. A kind and comforting look settled on their faces. Oh Res, we didnt know. I am so sorry. You should have told us that you cant spend any money on a weapon. Look, that sword is made by a smith on the practitioner level. Let it be a favor from a friend. Before Xenia could indicate that she wanted to bet, Res grabbed her hand to stop her.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. It is not like I dont have any money. I like martial arts and they are powerful, too. The princess stared at him incredulous while Serafina began to chuckle in amusement. What shut her up, was when Res shot her a mischievous grin and remarked: I disarmed Serafina without any weapon. The girls still werent convinced, but Res left it at that and Jason shouted in his head: Quick, you have to bet. Increase the price by twenty platinum now! Get that ring! He had come to trust Jason, so he jammed a flag indicating twenty platinum through a hole. thirty platinum! Thirty-four platinum! From his vantage point, he could only see a delicate ring with a small red ruby embedded in it. Jason once again urged him to buy and Res did follow. Jason, why should I get this? Is that ring worth forty platinum? Shit Bro, that ring could be worth even more than that. The announcer said that it was found in a ruin within the southerner city of Paloa. In earlier times, that city was a veritable hub for smiths. Today, there is no smith alive on the level of King. Yet, that ring could be a fucking King-Level ring. Shit, do you know what that means? Res increased the bid to forty-two gold coins. No, I wouldnt be asking otherwise. That means that the fucking ring is a fucking nuclear reactor. It doesnt use the aether from the user, but instead pulls in aether itself. Immediately, Res knew he had to get the ring no matter what. Besides him, there were two other members of the royal family that bid on the ring. Xenia was looking at him with new eyes. Res realized too late that he had interrupted their talk and started bidding. How did you Never mind. Why do you want that ring at all? You know that it only has an ornamental value. It is not a true master craft artifact and it cant be restored. Res cast his mind inward: Jason, is that true? Res, increase the bid! Ok, nice one. I hope that it doesnt work. If the ring is empty, ergo the ghost has left for the creator, I can hijack the ring. A guarded secret of the smiths is that self-sustaining artifacts, are powered by a ghost. That pretty necklace from the princess that she uses to bind people has a ghost in it too. I have already spoken to her. Ill tell you, she is a hot one, but I will crack her one day. You will stay by the princesss side, right? Res sank into the dark abyss of his mind and thought through all the implications. He pushed the flag through the hole again and the price increased to forty-eight platinum. Res surfaced from his short deep dive and snapped out: Jason, you imply that you can talk with artifacts. Why didnt you tell me? Is it only a one-way communication channel? Are there any other artifact that you have talked to? The casual tone with which Jason answered was a dead giveaway: Ohhhh, nothing to worry bro. No one else can do the same as you as far as I know. Ress tone turned to ice. The other questions. Bro, dont be that stony. I only have a tiny, tiny crush on Serafinas sword. By now, Ress tone had dropped to temperatures that were lower than the coldest winter in the northern lands. What did you do? Ohhh, I used some tiny, tiny magic to you know, activate your hidden man. A small enzyme activation. Res was fuming by now. There was one thing that Res treasured: his mind and Jason had told him how he had manipulated him. He couldnt hold himself back anymore and he sprang out of his chair and punched the wall. With a sharp tug, he pulled out his hand that had sunk into the wall. He realized that this wasnt his normal behavior, so he sat down on the ground and began to meditate. Jason pierced this calmness with a hesitant whisper. Res, you should buy the ring. With calm he didnt feel, he opened his eyes and saw Serafina standing in front of Res with her sword drawn. Xenia was staring at him in horror and her candy lay forgotten on the ground. With his clam mask, he asked: Would my majesty be able to buy the ring? I dont intend to harm anyone. I would be forever in your debt. Res had said his peace and he once again was enveloped by the dark abyss. With a fine-toothed come, he went through all the events and compared it to his usual behavior. After several minutes, he realized that it was useless. How would he be able to decide whether he had been influenced? When you have no proof for something, act in a way that benefits the defendant. What Res knew for sure, was the fact that Jason had manipulated him in matters of Serafina and Xenia. When he had first seen Serafina, he had felt a rush of emotions that he had interpreted as affection. In hindsight, Res wondered how he hadnt thought of it as strange. Why Serafina was the first woman to awake those kinds of feelings in him? In his lifetime at court, he had seen hundreds of women that were more beautiful than Serafina. When he looked at Serafina again, he supposed neither Serafina nor Xenia were particularly pretty. If he were to measure them on a crude scale from 0-10, he would rank them at 7 with Antoinette being a 10 on the scale. Yet, he realized he couldnt avoid the inevitable confrontation with Jason any longer. As soon as he returned to his body, Jason began to list off excuses. Then, he switched to advantages of being together with Serafina. Finally, he cursed at him for being ungrateful. Like he had been taught by the old man that had brought him to the lifestyle of thinking, he listened. Jason ranted about his feelings and about how Res couldnt stop him from meeting the love of his life. Jason threatened to play around with his emotions if Res didnt agree. Finally, Jason began to tell him about how he felt lonely as a ghost and killing himself was a daily option. Then, Jason stopped talking and wept in self-pity. When he was sure Jason wouldnt interrupt him, Res began: Despite what you have done to me, I dont think you are a bad person. What you have done though, was a giant breach of trust and I have to admit that I am beyond furious with you. If we want to live together, we have to set rules. 1) We have to communicate. You already know much of me, but you also need to tell me about yourself. I didnt know that you were depressed, but I would have done my best to help you. 2) You dont mess with my mind. My mind is holy to me. You are an intruder, no matter whether we now like each other. I understand you had a rough couple of days, but you have to tell me your fears. In a subdued voice, Jason told him about how he was able to build some kind of virtual paradise in his mind. Yet, that would turn boring and then depressing. When Ress aether sight touched an artifact, he could recognize them. If Res was touching the person, he was able to communicate and share parts of his mind paradise. The most efficient way to touch Serafina often was to turn both of them to lovers. To that end, Jason had activated some kind of mating signal in Res. What followed were intense negotiations between Res and Jason. Res realized that Jason should have the ability to meet some of his kind and they quarreled over how long. Finally, they agreed that Res would have to first talk to the ghosts in the artifacts. Who knew whether the artifacts even wanted Jasons company. If they agreed, the ghost in the princesss necklace could form a binding agreement between them. Despite Jasons assurances that the girl in Serafinas sword was eager to see him again, Res didnt trust him. With that out of the way, Res opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of a steel blade against his neck. 27. Getting pounded (not sexual) He seized up for a moment and then looked up into the hard eyes of Serafina. He still didnt know what to think about her. Still, he was relieved when he didnt feel the tingling feeling he connected with seeing Serafina. When he looked at Serafina now, he only saw an unassuming young fighter. Nothing special. Xenia had turned from a blonde beauty to an average court lady with rich jewelry. Behind Serafina, Xenia was leaning in his direction and pursing her lips. What happened? Did you get the ring? Yes. What happened? As Jason had expected, the two girls demanded answers and Res had rejected lying to them. You will promise not to tell anyone? I couldnt if I wanted because of the necklace. I am somewhat unique. I have a ghost living inside me. The truth was out and Res knew that he had hereby entwined their pathways in life. Xenia looked at Res in horror as she must know the secret of artifact forging. Serafina only watched him with even colder eyes. What did he do to you? Are you possessed? No, and if I touch you, your necklace of truth will attest to that. Jason had told Res that artifacts could watch and listen to their environment. Jason had talked with the woman in the necklace about their situation. Some code prevented ghosts from communicating with someone other than their kind. Res was technically a ghost, so he hoped it would work. When Xenia had already turned away from watching the necklace, it gave a short pulse of green. She gasped out in disbelief. It doesnt do that It has never Can you please lift the sword from my throat, Serafina? Xenia motioned for Serafina to retreat and she did so like a wildcat with her sword still drawn. He stood up and extended one of his hands. I need to speak with your necklace. It is urgent business. Xenia pushed away Serafina and placed her hands onto his. Serafina hissed in frustration and once again placed her blade against his throat. When Res concentrated on Jason this time, he could feel, as if through a fog, the presence of another being. Through increasing his focus, he finally made out a smooth female voice: Hello Res. I have heard much about you from Jason. Jasons voice resounded much clearer in his head: Only good things, of course. Res tried to project his voice towards the being. I am grateful to meet you Aria of the white forest. Jason has only told me little about you. We have not much time left before Serafina kills me. Can we proceed with the binding ceremony? Both Res and Jason began to recite their temporary treaty and Res felt a weight settle around his heart. The smooth voice once again resounded through his mind, but now feinter. It is done. This took a lot of energy; I will need to rest. With a lurch, Res found himself back in his body and looking into the disbelieving eyes of Xenia. How did you . Xenia led him back to the armchair where he plopped down in pure mental exhaustion. To the great concern of Serafina, Xenia took a seat next to him and began to bombard him with questions. How did you do that? How did you activate the green glow? Why were your brain and a liquid in your body glowing? With a wave, he stopped further questioning and said: I cant tell you, but I can swear that I wont attack unless I am attacked in turn. Xenia scrunched up her face in dissatisfaction, but agreed to bind him to that basic contract. The voice of the auctioneer resounded through the auction house. My Lords and Ladies, the auction is finished now. If you dont have a private booth, you will have to collect your purchases in the lobby to your right. If you have any complaints, please feel free to visit one of our support staff in the lobby. Xenia waved her hands in complex motions and the necklace brightened. As the glow died down, someone knocked on the door and the young man from earlier entered the room with a cart. The servant bowed and left without a word. Xenia and Serafina were still thinking through all the implications of Ress words. He took the time to look at the cart. Apart from the jewelry and clothes, Res found a linen sack full of tiny vials and a small drop of potion in each one. Bro, I forgot to tell you. The princess bought the ring for you for 78 platinum. Res whirled around and bowed to Xenia. Thank you, Xenia. I will repay the remaining 23 platinum coins with full 10% interest. Xenia was pulled out of her thoughts and smiled. Think none of it. I will do without the interest, but you still will have to invite us to that afternoon you promised. Res nodded and a flash of inspiration struck him. I already have the perfect location. Lets meet tomorrow evening in your room. Serafina perked up at that. Where is that perfect location? I will need to know it so that I can protect my mistress as best as possible. Res gave her a wink. It is a secret. By the way, could you help me out with your sword? Serafina deadpanned. Ending your life? Sure, my pleasure. I would rather avoid that. Rather, I would like you to destroy something for me. In his mind, Res asked. Jason, tell me already. Is there still a ghost in the ring? Res had never heard Jason this happy before. Bro, it is as empty as the great expanse. The ring is in the red leather box. Res opened the box with great care and pulled out the ring. Serafina, I want you to bash this ring until the gem loosens.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. She looked at him as if he was a particularly daft fellow, but followed his instructions. With several clangs of the sword on the soft gold, the gem flew free from the ring. Res picked the gem up and put it in his mouth. Around him, he could hear gasps from Xenia and Serafina who had seen him swallow 78 Platinum coins. Res maneuvered the gem in his mouth to one side near the jaw and gave the mental Go to Jason. He could feel how tentacles of ghost plasma formed around the gem and pulled the gem into his cheek. The pain was nothing compared to his cultivation sessions. When the gem didnt move anymore and blood was running out of his mouth, he called to Serafina: Healing potion. She produced another vial of the miraculous liquid and poured it down his mouth. Serafina looked at him with concerned eyes. One shouldnt drink that much healing potions. Your strength is reduced after you drink five of them. With three potions, you would be about 10% weaker. Res nodded and grabbed Serafinas outstretched arm to pull himself up. Res grinned in anticipation and turned his attention inward. So, Jason how is it going? Please tell me can hypnotize someone or do the same as the awesome necklace from Xenia. Bro What is There is a fucking unicorn An assassin Why wouldnt you clean up? Jason? Right, right. It is like you have to switch cockpits. Imagine only having learned how to drive and now you need to fly a car. Wait, what does this button do? Aether all around Res was sucked into the small gem in his jaw. Bro, I found it! Ok, now Ahhhhh. Not bad, or good. It is a gem of darkness. It can cast a static orb of darkness no one can see through. A bit wacky, but better than a ring of potency. How can I activate it? You cant. I have to activate it. That means we will have to work together from now on. Seems like it, bro. 3,2,1 Darkness. All of a sudden, his entire view went completely black. He could hear the panicked scream of Xenia and a curse from Serafina and all sight returned. Xenia was lying on the floor and Serafina had her blade drawn, prepared for a non-existent enemy. Sorry, for that. I went ahead and tried it out. It was a ring of darkness. Xenia dusted off imaginary dust from her dress and pouted. That evening will have to be special. Very special, indeed. He grinned while putting his mask back on. It will be, it will be. After the auction, Xenia was invited to one of the princes candlelight dinner. So, they went their separate ways. Next to the stairway from where he emerged, stood Granny with one of her impatient frowns on her face. Boy, you have a storm brewing. No, you have five storms brewing. She motioned him to follow and began to rant. You have angered the prince like no other before you and that is an achievement. You have shamed the only supporter that stood between you and the prince, Antoinette. Yes, everyone heard how she ran away from her booth while cursing at someone. That could have been only you. Most important of all, was it you who bought the ring? Yes. Grannys eyes flared up but maintained her facade. Through her teeth, she hissed out: Did you know that the money was there for you to buy protection? We will make a loss of over fifteen platinum when we sell the ring to a collector. It works, though. Granny stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to Res in slow motion. Jason? Can you summon a shadow ball above my hand? Yes, bro. Res stretched out a hand and a ball of shadow appeared above it. That seemed to throw Granny out of her stupor and she motioned Res to stop. For the next thirty seconds, Res walked in silence next to Granny. Finally, Granny turned to him. I am sorry, boy. No matter. You cant show this to anyone. If an agent from another nation would find out You can run your imagination wild. I presume it is a ring of shadow? Yes Good, at least it is not a ring of flight or fire, then you would live for another week at most. I dont know if that ring is now a curse or a blessing. Lets talk about this later. I have to show you something. Granny approached one of the servants with her golden Alchemy Alliance medallion. I am Sophia Kartus and I want to retrieve some of my potions. The servant gave a practiced smile and gestured to a side passage. Follow me. The retrieval wont be associated with a fee for a senior member of the alliance, Ms. Kartus. Res kept silent as they walked for what felt like ages until they arrived at a small counter. The counter and the passage behind them were separated by glass and behind it sat a bored clerk. State your business., the clerk intoned. Granny slid the golden card to the clerk: Sophia Kartus. I want to retrieve one of each training aid potion and pills I have. The clerks expression turned from boredom to shock in an instant. I will be back in a second. Res bowed down to Granny and whispered. Why do you have training aids lying around? Grannys face split into a sly smile: It is a trade secret, but you are my apprentice, so I can tell you. All alchemists have agreed on making very few training aids and all the potions are priced high. The powerful nobles have their own alchemists, so they dont care about our business. Most of the potions are bought by somewhat rich young lords who dont want to train. We all have several of the potions in stock as they can fetch a sizable sum, even though it cost a silver to make. Res supposed that as long they didnt do the same thing with healing potions, he was fine with the practice. The clerk appeared with a giant box full of clinking vials and shoved them through a flap to the other side. Granny motioned to the pile of potions. Drink. Res had to take a step back. You dont mean Drink. Res reached out for a potion and chugged it down. Instead of the usual grassy flavor, it tasted sour and sweet. Granny noticed the surprised look and chuckled. It is as I said. The buyers are pampered lordlings that cant stand drinking a potion that tastes like grass. The next fifteen minutes were filled with Res chugging down one potion after another. The clerk stared at the young man who had drunk fifty platinum worth of potions. With a burp, Res gulped down the last of the potions. As if by magic, the clerk produced cloth and ropes and with the help of Granny bound and gagged him. The clerk was looking at him as if he would drop dead every second now. His stomach was rumbling in protest at all the sweetness, but Res could already feel some of the effects at work. From a tingling in his feet and head to slight waves of pain from his abdomen. That isnt as bad as I had thought. Granny grinned at him and examined his pupils. The aether practice potions only have visible effects that arent worth mentioning. You drank those first. The body cultivation training aids should start . His body convulsed and every muscle of his body began to contract and loosen. His arms and feet strained against their bonds and his jaw was jittering. Places he never knew had muscles were working themselves out tirelessly. Luckily, his bonds prevented him from hurting himself as he writhed on the ground. With some last twitches, his body stilled and Granny removed the now spit the drenched gag out of his mouth. My boy, that was a sight to behold. With practiced motions, she examined his arms and legs which had grown in size. Under his clothes, Res could feel the beginnings of a six-pack. When the clerk pulled out a mirror, he could see that his lanky body was now somewhat athletic. Thanks, Granny. You-You have helped me-me so much, Res stuttered out as parts of his jaw were still under the effect of the body cultivation potion. It is nothing. When you will be a King-Level Alchemist, you only have to remember me. The young servant and the clerk gasped out loud when Granny mentioned the King level. If I have judged your character correctly, you will reach the King stage before me. You are too competitive for that. Granny winked at him and whispered. You might be right. After you showed me how stupidity and brute force can work sometimes, I have made new discoveries. Out loud, she announced. If you leave through the main entrance, you will be ground into a fine powder by the prince or the elite guards. Servant, please guide this young man to emergency entrance 34b and me to 14a. The young woman nodded while still staring at Res in disbelief and bowed. Follow me, sir. Res gave Granny a last goodbye and a thankful smile and followed the servant. 28. Conspiracy theories This time, the kings brother ran along the long corridor to the kings chambers. He ignored elite guards who saluted and did his best at a dignified sprint. He rounded the final corner and tore open the door to the kings chambers. The room was kept in pristine condition and, like at the meeting two days ago, the spymaster sat at the kings side. He shut the soundproof door and began to let out all the steam that had built up in a torrent of curses. When he had composed himself again, he took a seat on a simple stool next to the spymaster. Have any of our meetings been less than two days apart? The spymaster chuckled and put on a thoughtful expression. The shortest duration between visits was seven days. Any news from Leonard Avvenci? We have him surrounded. A full squad of elite guards watches the entrance, but For the slim chance that we wont catch him: we have no choice other than letting the prince off the leash. I have read the report about the whole incident at The Olive Branch. Give that servant that calmed the prince a raise and take his opinion on how to keep him happy. He did a wonderful job back there. Great, we have resolved everything. I have an important meeting with an ambassador. Yet, the spymaster put up his hand. Do you think I would call a secret meeting for that? No, I have much more dire news. About Leonard Avvenci. When the spymaster couldnt suppress the primitive urge to wet his lips, he knew that they were in trouble. Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news? Bad news first. Leonard Avvenci is only a fake persona. I have received messages from my information network about Leonards true identity. He has produced some kind of mask that changes his appearance. A servant saw Leonard ripping off a mask which revealed his true identity C Res van Mayford. I have received a report from the councils head of intelligence and have already sent a copy to you. From it, we can deduce that Res van Mayford is a cover for a cultivator named Sensei. The incident with the crystal ball must have been planned out. He caused all the powerful disturbances from the power tracker. That monster of a man found a powerful technique that hides your cultivation level. Five days ago, he fought a mid-C-Tier with no powers. Yesterday, he escaped from a council head with a secret technique.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. His mind ran wild with all the implications that brought with it. How did that bastard live for eight years under our noses as a spy? Are the sources reliable? As reliable as they can get. Now think through all the implications that arise if you combine all the knowledge. His mind was racing and sweat was pouring down his forehead like a waterfall. It is war. The kingdom of Osma. They are mad that we managed to pin down their princess in Trianon. The princess has brought powerful cultivators with her. They somehow got intelligence that indicates that the king will die soon. She might have even more secret cultivators. Shit! They will take part in the kings tournament! The spymaster looked him straight in the eyes. Correct. They could take over Trianon without even mobilizing an army. Somehow, they have found out that you can form teams within the tournament. They have found a special technique that obscures the powers of their cultivators. There could be thousands of them in the city right now without us knowing. This particular aether user has even found shelter with an Alchemy Association member. We cant kill his supporter, else we would have to deal with the wrath of the Alchemy Association. How many elite guards do we have right now that could assist the prince in the tournament? We have four hundred S Classes: 23 low S+ Classes, 36 mid S+ Classes, 4 high S+ Classes, and the commander who is high S+. As you know, the last S++ class died four years ago. The prince himself may have even reached S+++ Class. Thank you, I needed that assurance. Now, the good news. We dont know the location of sensei, but he is the leader of a civil movement. The street children called The young revolution. They are little boys playing at being big and sensei seems to like them. We need to act if we want to save this kingdom. If we kill some of them, he may even appear himself. It is a risk worth taking. The kings brother waved dismissively. Do it. That should take care of the problem. Dont you dare kill sensei. We need more information. I trust all other information networks will work with increased speed. Ahh yes, torture his family for information. They must have been in on it all. His mood had lightened and he began to whistle the tune of a lullaby as he left the kings chambers 29. Lets turn children into Super Sonic After five minutes of walking, Res was led to a dead-end in the auction house. The servant pulled a hidden latch in the wall and a part of the wall slid up to reveal a dirty alley, lit up by the evening sun. He stepped outside and the door closed behind him. Res was left standing in a dead-end alley a hundred meters away from the auction house. Bro, that is some next-level shit. If we get a palace some time, we will have to have a hidden door. Fearing aerial surveillance from the elite palace guards, he decided to walk the rest of the way. To his surprise, he didnt feel any strain at all, so he began to sprint. Even then, the burning in his muscles was non-existent and he rejoiced in the freedom of running. Caught up in exploring his new body, Res bumped into the bulking form of two ragtag men after he cut a corner. He threw out a Sorry and made as if to leave, but a hand on his shoulder held him tight. Where do you think you are going? When Res turned his full attention to the thugs, as he now realized, he saw that they had been beating up a small boy. His still form lay on the ground with blood oozing out of countless wounds. He had known that beating up children was common practice on the street. Still, seeing the beat-up form of a boy in person made his blood boil. When they saw his fine clothing, they began to chuckle: I cant believe our luck today. Sorry boy, but your life isnt worth as much as those clothes you are wearing. Before the other thug could speak again, he landed a solid punch in his face. He intended to give the thug a broken nose or punch him unconscious, but instead, his fist sank into the mans skull. The thugs blood warmed the skin of his hardened fist as his hand burrowed deeper and deeper and deeper. Detached, he watched as his fist exited the skull on the other side of the mans head in an explosion of brains and blood. A deep part of him was abhorred at the massacre, but Res knew he couldnt let the other man get away. Who knew that men are so squishy? The other thug received a roundhouse kick to his temple and dropped like a sack of potatoes. For a moment, Res stood there, covered in blood and pieces of brain, and looked at his hands. The soft voice of Jason pulled him out of his shock: Bro, the first time is hard. It isnt that you fear that you have broken morals, you realize how fragile you are. You realize that you are mortal. If you need any help man, I am here for you. Luckily, he couldnt think about what he had done or what Jason had said as the boy began to stir. When his gaze fell on Res, he flinched but forced himself to watch Ress blood-smeared face. His eyes showed a keen intelligence and always flitted to his right and left - Searching for an escape route. Why did they attack you? The boy straightened up and looked Res straight in the eyes for the first time. I am from the young revolution and I am proud of it. You can torture me if you want, but I wont say anything. The sudden bottomless dedication in the boys eyes, made Res step back. He watched the boy for any signs of hesitation or deceit. What is your name? Elia. The young revolution sends you on a suicide mission. What do you do? Instantly, the boy shot out. I will die. I am a supporter of the young revolution and I have been there since the beginnings in the sewers. I am a servant of the man named sensei. The boy lit up in recognition and Res pulled two of the vials out of the linen sack in his left hand. This is a speed potion. It is worth over five gold and you have to bring the potion to Brent immediately. I believe you, someone from the council wouldnt be so nice. Everyone else doesnt know where Brent is, but I do. He always likes to linger around the edges of the territory of the council, because he is in love with Julia. We have told him that Julia is a bitch because she sides with the council, but Brent doesnt want to listen.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Great. You will drink one potion and then find Brent. I have other matters to attend to. He tossed the two vials at the boy and left. As soon as he was around a corner, he pulled the smallest amount of aether into his feet and jumped onto a roof. Lets see whether the boy is any good. Only seconds after he made himself comfortable at the edge of the roof, Elia zipped around the corner. Bro, holy shit. That boy is fucking Usain Bolt, he is fucking sonic. Was there some form of crack in that potion? With a combination of pushing and jumping, Res followed Elia over the rooftops. Ress job wasn''t made easier when, instead of slowing down, the boy accelerated the longer he ran. Res had to dodge birds and chimneys while keeping an eye on the boy who ran as if monsters were chasing him. The houses around him turned to shacks and he had to watch his step as not to break through a roof. Finally, Elia slowed down and slunk into the shadow of a nearby building. Res scanned the surrounding area and spotted Brent in an alley peeking into the main street. With some help from Jason, he touched down behind Brent. His descent had been silent and Brent hadn''t noticed him. Res thought about what to say to a scared boy and went with the most obvious one. Dont be scared. His abrupt appearance had the opposite effect and Brent whirled around with a cry of fear on his lips. He pushed himself forward and clamped a hand on Brents mouth. Its me. Brents eyes widened and he stopped struggling. A few passersby gave them a glance, but they wouldnt interfere in business if he wasnt about to kill or rape someone. What are you doing here? I have brought gifts. Those are 400-speed potions and the demonstration will arrive right about now. Res motioned to the clinking sack of vials in his left hand and then to the street. At that moment, Elia slunk around the corner and panicked when he saw Res together with Brent. By the way, Brent''s eyes widened when he looked at Elia, it was obvious that they knew each other. Elia, what are you doing here? Elia turned to Res. What are you doing here? I thought you had business to do. It was a test whether you would sell the speed potion. Elia jumped from one foot to another. Did I pass? You will have to show the powers of the speed potion first. A wicked grin spread across Elias face and he bolted off. He whizzed past Res bolt, stopped, turned around, and accelerated again. A veritable dust cloud formed in the alley and Res had to shout for Elia to stop. Brent only stared at Elia slack-jawed and Res explained: Those are the effects of the potion. From now on, you will handle those potions the same as gold. Until now, you could only watch. Now, I will start phase two. Did you scout as I told you to? Yes. Your plan went up well and most of the members have found shelter with the citizen. The problem right now is that we have grown to two thousand members. Res gawked at the increase in followers but supposed that he had underestimated how enticing free food and shelter would be. You had to change the command structure. Do you have departments now as I proposed? Yes, actually I dont get to fight or sabotage anything. I am always doing boring logistical work. This is the only time off that I allow myself. I know that you have thought of going into the lions den to get her out. The problem is that she wont come. I have heard from various sources that she went there. Do you know what you can do though? You can show her that you are a man. You can show her that you arent defenseless. You can show her how you ram the council into the ground. Yes, sensei., Brent replied through gritted teeth. Elia had been swept away by Ress passionate tone and had balled his tiny hands into fists. Now, lets talk about phase two. Where does the council get most of their money? Most of the money comes from prostitutes and intelligence. We have seen many nobles visiting the department of intelligence, so it is likely. As I had thought. From now on, you will sabotage all the vulnerabilities in those two branches. Deliver confusing messages to nobles, burn supplies, set fire to buildings. We will rip out the vein that provides the council with their lifeblood. When the funds cease to come in, they will tear themselves apart from the inside. They will shatter. Elia, still under the effects of the speed potion, was jumping up and down like the small boy he was. When will we start? I will let you decide. I would propose ranking missions after their perceived difficulty. Difficult missions will be provided with a speed potion. Remember, the speed potion lasts fifteen minutes, use those fifteen minutes. I am done here. Good luck. With a minuscule amount of aether, Res landed on the roof from which he had descended. Before he completely pushed off, he could hear a last Thanks, sensei. Bro, they are fucking cute. They give me some father-son vibes. Elia has it in him to be great. A mixture of melancholy and hope settled on him. On a whim, he dropped down on a sloped roof and made himself comfortable watching the sunset. It is time to relax. 30. Hitman-Style Infiltration ? When Res opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the ceiling of Grannys lab. With a smile on his face, he recalled the last evening. He had sat there for hours on the roof and thought about nothing and everything. Due to all the stress he had been in, he had lost parts of himself and was now back in his previous mindset. His contented smile stretched even wider when he determined that he would extend his nap. He closed his eyes and once again dived into the dark abyss of his mind. Some noises tried to pull him back, but he refused their temptation and continued to relax. What he couldnt ignore was the sudden icy cold that frosted over the dark abyss and tore him out of his relaxing. He pulled up upright and stared right in Grannys grinning face. Boy, the good old icy water bucket always works. Res groaned as he stood up and his wet clothes clung to him like tar. Did you have to do that? Wake you up, you mean? Yes, because today are the finals of the Alchemy Tournament. Another groan escaped his lips. I knew there was something I forgot. Wait I cant The prince will kill me on the spot. Yes, but they will only kill you before and after the tournament and I already have a plan on how to smuggle you in. I have decided otherwise, I wont go to the finals, Id rather relax a little in your lab. He received a deft whack on the back of his head. Stupid boy, delegates from the entire world will be there. Most important of all, the ambassador of the high southerner academies. You want to be great, right? Ahhhhhh, no?His objection resulted in another whack on the head. It is alright to be humble, but you are taking it to another level. Shut up and listen. You will need to impress the ambassadors of the high academies. Her protection will save your life in the long run. Grumbling, Res agreed and clambered out of bed. When Res heard how Granny wanted to smuggle him in for the first time, he laughed. When she didnt laugh along, cold sweat ran down his back. He redoubled his efforts, but Granny shut down all his objections. The next two hours were filled with fitting the torturous mask and new clothes once again. By early noon, Res was standing in the same spot, near the participant''s entrance. Behind him, the carriage that had brought them here left with a loud cracking of a whip. The only difference this time was the fact that he was alone and his appearance had changed. He wore a traditional wide red dress that showed a decent amount of fake jelly cleavage. There was so much makeup on his mask that it had added four millimeters of thickness to it. His shoes were now delicate slippers and on his necks and ears dangled expensive jewelry. When Jason had seen Res in the mirror, he had laughed for half an hour, and even now, he was cracking one joke after another. Bro, cum on, dont be insulted by some harmless gay jokes. Once again, Jason howled in laughter and Res did his best to remain stone-faced. You can save your laughter for later. The worst part is about to come. Jasons laughter redoubled and Ress fa?ade cracked for a moment to reveal his angry snarl underneath. Granny had told him that elite palace guards were checking every competitor. They could sense anyones cultivation level, so he couldnt just walk in with a new disguise. Only nobles and rich individuals were allowed to watch the finals of the tournament. Granny wanted him to get into another academy, but Res had had enough of school.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Finally, his distraction arrived. Once again announced by two foreriders, the long carriage of the prince came into view. He tried to put on his most convincing and alluring grin and began to wave at the carriage. The horses came to a stop in front of the competitors entrance. Res cried out while hoping that his feminine voice wouldnt crack. My Prince, my prince! Let me join you! I love you! All the while he kept his smiling mask in place. As soon as Res began to scream, the prince gave him one smile and then paid him no more heed. Several other court ladies giving him dirty looks emerged out of the carriage. but Res continued his act and followed the princes entourage. The prince ignored the protesting clerk responsible for registration and entered the arena. Res had wedged himself between two of the princes sycophants and tried to project an air of infatuation. The elite royal guards at the entrance looked displeased, but let the group with Res in it pass. As soon as he entered the building, he disentangled from the group and slunk away around a corner. Granny had pounded the layout into his mind and he strode along the premade route. With a sigh of relief, he rounded a corner and entered into an abandoned storage room. He tore off the dress from his body, only to reveal another layer of clothing underneath. He exited the room in the colosseums servant dress code and changed his stride to a purposeful one. When a female servant nodded at him, he had to hold back from punching her unconscious out of fear of being found out. Somehow, Granny had managed to find a secret servants passage into the colosseum. Res only needed to walk for one more Hey, you! Res whirled around in shock, but it was too late to save himself. An angry old woman had already grabbed his arm and was dragging him in the opposite direction. I forgot your name again, but you are the last-minute replacement for Selina, aren''t you? You know how to play the drums, right? Bro, shit. You have to agree, else she is going raise some sort of alarm. Please tell me you know how to play drums. Res began to sweat under the mask, as he definitely couldnt play any instrument. His parents had wanted him to learn the cello, but in his first lesson, the teacher had broken out into tears. Not because of his talent, but because she had never seen anyone so incompetent at music. He cleared his throat and answered in his best female voice. Yes. Fine, Fine. We are about there. With that, Res was thrust into a room made out of rows of orderly and ready to march musicians. The old servant pushed him past hundreds of musicians to the front of the entire parade. She attached a drum on a string to his shoulders and thrust a giant drumstick into his hand. You already know the drill. The song is the march of the glorious. Start allegro, continue into adagio and when the cadenza begins, add some diminution. Finally, you will execute a decrescendo that ends in a diminuendo. Ress head swam from all the southerner terminology. The only southerner words he understood were Pizza and Pasta, two delicious foodstuffs. Before he could think of an alternative, the stone wall in front of him opened up, to reveal the colosseum beyond. A shove from behind sent him into motion and he marched out into the field. Behind him, the musicians were hissing at him, so he began to bang on the drum in constant intervals. That wasnt the rhythm they expected, so all the musicians broke out into unorganized chaos. The trumpets blasted out random notes while the trombones were trying to stick to some cohesion. All in all, it was a mess. It degenerated into tooting and vain attempts of individuals to pick up some sort of rhythm. All the while, Res continued banging on his drums like a madman, he even had to admit that he was enjoying himself. After the first serious attempt had failed, he banged on the drum-like it was a piece of meat he had to tenderize. Nobles from surrounding booths laughed and pointed fingers at him. When he reached the middle of the stadium, he tore off his clothes, wiped his makeup away, and bowed. He could see recognition dawn in several nobles eyes. When he scanned the booths, he spotted Granny grinning at him from a stand and giving him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture and searched for Xenia and Serafina, but couldnt find them. Res shouted out as loud as he could. The fact that the musicians managed to put out music at all with me in the lead deserves applause. There was general laughter and light applause. He hoped that would be enough to save the old woman from more severe punishment. What made Res a little queasy were the countless elite royal guard that on top of the arena. With nothing to do, he spread out a small tower he had used to wipe his face, closed his eyes, and relaxed. 31. Brutal Retaliation One by one, participant names were called out and their assigned numbers. It didnt take long until the announcer shouted out his name. With a sigh, he made himself comfortable on his small wooden podium. The wooden podiums had been rearranged from a grid layout to a close circle. The platforms were all empty and he realized that Granny had never told him what the finals were about. He groaned when the last contestant C the prince C was announced. When the prince saw Res, the prince turned livid and he began to shout one obscenity after another at him. Res ignored the spit flying his way and continued his calm meditation. Another part of the colosseums wall opened and three elderly men and a woman stepped out. Several servants pushing carts accompanied them. One of the male alchemists announced. Thank you all for coming today. It is good to see that the next generation has some talents as well. The council has decided that instead of the usual alchemy duels, we try a new form of testing. The gracious inventor of this method, Evudor, has named it social alchemy test. We alchemists often need to banter with other alchemists for recipes and ingredients. It is a very important part of our work. This is why today you will be assigned one cartful of ingredients and utensils. You will have to create a potion within four hours with random ingredients. All the carts contents are your possession which means they cant be stolen or damaged, but they can be traded. We will draw lots, now. Please, Master Ada, please pull a lot for candidate number one. His hopes soared at the announcement as he could trade ingredients for a recipe. He had had already resigned himself to throwing random ingredients into a pot. The female alchemist drew the first lot. One by one, the participants received a cart full of alchemy equipment and ingredients. Finally, it was Ress turn. Candidate number five gets cart number four. When the woman announced that Res would receive wagon number four, she smiled. Judging by the reaction, it didn''t bode well for him. When he opened the top cover to his wagon, he was greeted by the sight of a sea of nuts. Just nuts. When he reached deeper into the sea of nuts, he felt nuts, nuts, and more nuts. He dug his way down to find anything of value until he finally pulled out something metallic. Res stared at the small nutcracker in his hands. The other competitors had received a veritable mountain of different alchemy equipment. Some even had literal herb racks and everyone was trading with each other. Bro, what the fuck! The prince even fucking has a full alchemy bar with fucking stickers. He fucking has a recipe painted on his hands and now he has all the necessary ingredients? BULLSHIT. For once, Res agreed flat out with Jasons assessment. As he always did when he didnt know a way out of a situation, he cracked a nut and sat down on his platform to think. The scornful mention of his name pulled him out of his contemplation and he turned to the source. When he saw it only was the prince on a tangent, he turned to his mind, but was stopped by Jason:This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. That fucking bastard! Shit! I will fucking KILL HIM! Res had never experienced such rage from Jason, so instead asked the prince. Can you repeat that again for me please? The prince grinned and rested his jaw on his hand. So that is your way of coping with problems? Denying their existence? I have them all. ALL. Each one of those cute little puppies you call The young revolution. I took each one of their delicate little cute faces into my hands AND CUT THEIR HEADS OFF. I know that you love them, so I have thought: Why shouldnt I bring some of your little friends along to watch the tournament?. You have to know that it was very expensive to reserve places at the highest point of the colosseum. Time slowed down as he snapped his gaze up to where the elite guards had stood. Now, there was a spear propped up next to every elite palace guard. Is that Res circulated aether in his eyes and the world turned crystal clear. At that moment, he wished that he hadnt circulated aether to improve his memory too C The image would haunt him forever. Impaled on the spear of the elite guard in front of him, was the head of a boy about ten years old. He watched as the blood dripped down from the head and collected in a small red pool on the floor. He couldnt tear his gaze away from those innocent eyes, those clever eyes, those The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Elia., Res gasped out. Those eyes It He swirled his head around and stopped when he saw a girl who was four years at most. Why did they Children? His breath came in shorter and shorter bursts. The analytical part of him realized that he was hyperventilating, but he didnt care. His eyes swiveled around the entire colosseum and he only saw impaled children''s heads. The blood The violence Jason screamed in rage in the back of Ress mind while the prince continued his mocking laughter. For the first time in his life, the dark abyss of his mind enveloped him. Death What is Death? Killing? Is killing a human being wrong? Killing in war? Killing to save yourself? Killing to save someone else? No, killing isnt wrong on itself. Should I have helped Brent in the sewers? Like a branch in the middle of a rushing stream, Res was swept away by a torrent of thoughts and doubts and he let it. His thoughts began to circle faster and faster. He only realized with a small part of his mind that he was building a mental prison for himself. The pull of the current got stronger and stronger and Res started to lose parts of himself. A voice called out to him and pulled him away from the tempting nothingness of the vortex in his mind. He was torn between the easy way out and the relentless shouting of that voice. The voice stopped its efforts and whispered. Please dont leave me. The mental vortex in his mind didnt vanish, instead, he was pulled away. In an instant, he found himself back in his body with his eyes still closed. Bro, you were about to fucking go batshit. Not in a good way. Res found a piece of his previous rationality and threw it away. Rage like he never felt filled his every word. I am going to crush them. All of them. The royal family, the elite guard, and the council. The only way the royal family could know about his hidden identity would be if they worked with the council. He opened his eyes and let them burn with all the rage he felt. What if the entire world was against him? Fuck yeah bro, that is the mentality. Show those fuckers what it means to mess with us. Jason? Yes? I dont fancy cracking open nuts. Lets cultivate. Lets prepare for war. Through their bond, he could feel a mental war cry from Jason. 32. Viagra Incorporated ? The next stage is painful. Your entire brain will be made out of aether. Imagine there is an area near your skull that isnt made out of neurons or any other cells and push all the aether into it. The new liquid aether will push on the brain from all sides. It condenses it down to the size of your fist while keeping all the nerves attached to your spine. The initial reason why I didnt want you to be a brain cultivator, is because of the cultivation process. If you fail at cultivating with a gut core, you will experience eternal wounds that can be healed. Even heart core training accidents can be mended. Brain core accidents are irreversible. Think back to everything I have told you about the brain and condense down your brain from the brainstem up. What is the next step? I dont think you should His determination was like steel. What is the next step? Jason sighed mentally. You will blackout from the pain, so the information is useless, but I am fucking with you. You will need to create a smaller duplicate of your brain in the space that formed. Finally, you imbue it with the will to connect and think. The next step? You do the same. The next step? You do the same ten times. Satisfied, Res lay down on the podium and relaxed all the muscles in his body. Casting out his senses, he felt the faint breeze coupled with the scorching noon sun. The faint smell of blood and brains in the air. Death. What is death? Aether is Potential. Death is potential extinguished. Taken without giving. With a snap, he felt the connection to the surrounding aether once again and basked in its potential. He remembered the undiscovered greatness of those lost souls and pulled in. When parts of his mind broke from the strain, he pulled harder, pulled through, pulled. He felt how all the surrounding aether reacted to his thoughts and hopes. A mountain of aether heeded his call and flooded towards him. Like a gutter drain, he pulled in, and in until he felt that his brain was near bursting. With some mental effort, he switched from storing aether to pouring aether into an area next to the skull. When he established his aether cultivation, he had thought that he would never feel such pain again. Res chuckled at his na?ve former self. His former self hadnt had a hundred spears impaling his head at once while rats tore away at the brain. The pain reached a new climax and the vortex in his mind continued to offer the easy way out of this mess. It whispered at him. Why are you doing this? For a boy you didnt know? Blissfulness is nothingness Res pulled in even more aether. The dull pain of over-drafting would stop tantalizing whirlpool in his mind. More, more With a deafening bang, his brain imploded and took on the shape he wanted it to. The tentacles of his aether reach were now snaking among the bystanders, pulling in more, MORE. While concentrating on all he knew from Jason, he built up another brain while shouting in his head: Think and Connect! Think and Connect!. Some might a pause without pain as relief, but for Res, it only made the way out of the dark whirlpool more attractive. I could No. Once again, he concentrated the aether in his mind, though it took more effort this time. He let his aether reach shoot out further and further. Even though he readied himself for the pain, his baser instincts screamed at him to let go, to stop. No, I wont give in I wont His entire body began to burn, first pleasant, then painful. *SNAP* The new brain imploded and snapped into place. He could feel his aether awareness increasing and he used all his new capabilities to once again pull in. In the back of his head, he could hear a protesting voice, but he played it off as a trick of the vortex to lure him in. By now, all his veins were burning like fire and something in his ears popped, but he pulled through. *SNAP* The brain imploded and snapped into his intended form. New data about nearby strong power sources and new potential was bombarding his mind. Through the blood haze, he could hear a small voice in his mind that some part of him still recognized. He ventured closer to the voice until he could make out what was said. Stop Hurts Bro His common sense came back to him at the name that Jason had given him and he returned to his body. He wanted to suck in lungfuls of air, but couldnt as a foul liquid filled his mouth. Res spat out the liquid and sat upright. Jason, are you alright? Through their mental link, he could hear only faint wheezing. No worry fucking crazy. Res laughed out loud and choked at that foul-tasting liquid in his mouth. When he looked down at himself, he realized that he sat in a pool of blood. Where is . He wiped his mouth with his sleeve which came up bloody. Internal When he let his gaze roam over his surroundings, he could see that everyone was staring at him in horror. Except for one overweight female participant who ran over to him, holding a green liquid in her hand. For some reason, he was now lying propped up against the side of the arena. Most of his strength was draining away as he watched the jiggling advance of his only rescue. His rescuer stopped dead in her track when the prince called out. With the power that I possess as the crown prince, I forbid you of giving that potion to Leonard van Avvenci. Res gave up all hope when he heard the prince. Instead of turning away, the overweight girl continued her brave run towards Res. She didnt default in a situation where thousands of others would have backed down. Due to the power of the Alchemy Alliance, the prince had to watch as the girl poured down a healing potion down his throat. You will pay for this insolence! I will flay your fat ass bloody! Yet, the same timid girl continued to hold Ress torso upright, so the potion could work better. The princes threat set the entire colosseum into motion again and general murmur broke out. Res turned his attention to the girl that saved him. Thank you. I only did whats right. I will give you all the nuts you want as thanks. How much time has passed? You have half an hour left. Can you tell me something about the nuts? She hesitated and looked back at the fuming prince. They are used to keep your ding dong straight. Not poisonous. You should eat some to recover your strength. I will have to get back to my potion now. She let his head drop to the floor and got back to her workstation. He pondered for a moment whether some of the old men had hoped that he could make some sort of elixir. Pictures he would never want to think about again flashed through his mind. Groaning, he stood up and staggered back to his podium. Without a better plan, he took as much nuts as he could gather and dropped them onto his podium. As not to tear open any healing injuries he sat down in front of the pile of nuts. With a shrug, he cracked open a nut and popped it into his mouth. The effect was instant, and he felt a slight stirring in his trousers as he chewed on it. The effect was gone after several seconds, so Res assumed there already must be some kind of extract. With one nutcracker, he wasnt going to produce enough nut milk, anyway. The nut itself didnt taste as bad as he had thought, so he cracked open another one. When he examined it, he could feel the effect of the nut taking place without him eating it. When he ate it after that, he didnt feel the effect. So, it isnt biological, it is aether based on touch. He concentrated on the aether flowing in the nut when he touched it but felt nothing apart from the aether flowing into him. He tried to force aether into the nut, but it wouldnt take it. Even specialized aether that Res shouted FERTILITY at, was rejected. The problem was that he knew nothing about alchemy. The thought made him marvel at how he had gotten into the finals. So, Res bided his time by cracking open nuts and watching the aether transfer. He ignored another barbed comment from the prince and continued to crack open nuts. The repetitive task made him fall into a trance and he accrued a mountain of nutshells. In the middle of cracking open a nut, Res called over to the fat girl.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Hey, what kind of plants are they? The silence between them stretched for minutes and, finally, an answer was forthcoming. They eat other plants. They send surrounding plants aether signals to grow. Then, they devour parts of the plant. They are plants farming plants. Some people even say they have some form of intelligence. A crazy idea took over the front of Ress mind and he laid out a plan of attack. He held it right in front of him and began to talk to it via specialized aether. He began by sending the nut aether with the intent Greeting over and over again. His logic went like this: If I was a nut, I wanted to be left in peace. If someone were to knock on my door, I would start to get annoyed. I would respond. A minuscule aether message appeared in the air after three minutes of bugging the nut. He didnt catch the meaning of the message, but still shut back: Food. He hoped the plant would understand that he offered food. The nut emitted aether with the intent: Danger from it. Res wondered if that was some sort of defense mechanism. He continued his successful aether pushes with the intent of greeting. Soon, the nut pushed out a lesser Danger aether push. After an extra five minutes of annoying the nut, he felt a minuscule amount being sucked in. Res shouted in triumph. After only one extra minute, the nut absorbed its second part of specialized aether. When the nut sucked in his directed aether, Res changed to MATE which spurred the nut on in its sucking. Finally, he switched to shouting Hot woman, Perfect Proportions; Attractive in his mind. Res pushed all the implications about plants having consciousness to the back of his mind. The nuts absorption stuttered for a bit but pulled through after a while. It seemed like it was close enough to the original special aether Mate, the plant had. Through his entranced state, he could hear the old alchemist announce: Fifteen minutes left. The nut refused to take in more aether and Res gave up on pushing more into it. Instead, he cracked open the nut, careful not to touch the seed, and shouted at the prince. My prince, Catch! The human reflexes cant be unlearned, so the prince caught the nut. Res could see the princes eyes widen when he felt an effect. The prince wore a pair of southerner, tight-fitting trousers. Res broke out into laughter at the tiny bulge on the princes crotch. Contented, Res grabbed a new nut as he didnt have the time to mess around. When he spared a glance, he could see the prince covering up his crotch area, which made it even more obvious. General laughter ensued. He couldnt only feed the nut specialized aether, instead, he needed to start the relationship. You needed to think with all your being, that you wouldnt want to gain anything from the nut. When the final gong resounded through the room, Res had managed to create nine booster nuts. To decrease their duration, he had filled all of them only a quarter and had even created a woman booster nut. On a whim, he had created a nut especially for the chance that he would meet a certain someone. The four alchemists had brought in tens of delicate microscopes, cylinders, and pipes. Bro, shit. That was hell, but I cant be angry with you. Brought it on myself. Res cried out in joy. I am so sorry for hurting you, I didnt hear you at first. Are you all right? Yeah, Bro. I had to spend all my energy to keep you from exploding. I doubt even I in my day, would have been able to pull in as much aether. Jason switched to an elated tone. Yet, that isnt even the most exciting thing right now. You just made Viagra and even fucking female Viagra. Dude, this is the perfect occasion to turn this into your product. You can make hundreds of platinum coins with this shit. Again, the youngest alchemist stepped forward and announced: We will now test your creations and evaluate your talent. Candidate four, step forward. What did you create? The chubby girl stepped forward: I created a practitioner one skin clearance potion. An appreciative murmur ran through the audience at that. Miss, those are outrageous claims. Lets see whether you can uphold them. The girl presented the potion to the judges, who ooed and aaad. It was determined that the girl had made an acceptable practitioner one potion. Res gave her a thumbs up. He understood why she wasnt concerned with her safety, as a future member of the Alchemy Alliance. With a mocking smile, the woman turned to Res next. Candidate number five, step forward. What did you create? He gave his most respectful bow and put on his presenter''s voice. I created something wonderful. Something unique. Something that has never been created before The woman scoffed at him. Everything has been created before. Res continued as if he hadnt heard her. I created a wonder of Alchemy. Have you ever wanted to spice up your sex life? It is no secret that with age, some areas of the body will sag and dont stiffen, especially with men. At that, there was general laughter with the woman of the luxury booths. Even most women cant seem to get into it no more? The spirit has been extinguished by the inability?Now, the elderly and powerful men chuckled. This problem will exist no more from now on! My product, the booster nut promises stiff extremities for men and soggy waters for women! Have a look at our wonderful test subject, the crown prince! As you see, he has been stiff for more than a quarter-hour and doesnt seem to lessen his efforts. Our booster nut provides guaranteed pleasure for up to eight hours! I will repeat that: Up to eight hours! Wait, there is more! Even for the wildest stallions and mares under you, this pill will offer you fornication as you have never felt before! If you arent pleased with our services, we have a MONEY-BACK-GUARANTEE POLICY! If you want to get your hands on the limited few nuts, I have produced, you can approach me after the tournament. I would be quick to buy if I were you, ONLY LIMITED STOCK! The general laughter had subsided and was exchanged for genuine interest. Bro, are you sure that you dont come from a family of salesmen, that was sick. The female Alchemist seemed displeased with his display. This is no market, boy. Give me the nut already. Once again, he put on his merchant''s voice and shouted. First, we need someone to use the nut. Lets demonstrate our secret formula for extra passion and duration. I wont tell you the secret formula of creating the nuts, as it is a trade secret. To please everyones curiosity, I bid the Sir on the right to step forward. The elderly mans eyes shone with hope and desire, so Res thought that he had the best chance of complying. Indeed, the old man stepped forward and announced, despite the old womans protests: I will offer myself up as a sacrifice for science! Res cracked open a nut and motioned for the old man to eat it. Everyone in the colosseum held their breath while watching the old mans crotch. Before the man had swallowed the nut seed, one could see an obvious giant protrusion in his pants. Breathless, everyone watched whether the nut would lose its effect. Yet, after the customary second, the old man stood firm. He had to struggle to keep a straight face when the man looked at him in wonder. With a tear in the corner of his eyes, the man grabbed Ress hands and pulled him into a hearty embrace. This is amazing. How did you do it? Res was trying not to touch the alchemists lower body while patting him on the back. Finally, he was let free and was greeted by the angry female alchemist. She thrust her hand into his face and he dropped a nut in her palm with a grin. She examined it from every angle and brought it over to the testing equipment. With a small plop, she dropped the nut into a complicated network of tubing. None of the liquids in the tubing changed color as they had done with the fat girls potion. With a contented tone, the female alchemist announced: This has no pill or potion properties. Thus, it doesnt fall under our evaluation criteria, which means that you could not produce a potion. I hereby disqualify you. A confused murmur passed through the crowd and the old man stepped in front of Res, displaying his giant bulge in his pant. You look at that and tell me that the effect isnt at least on par with the skin clearance potion. The old lady shook her head with obvious satisfaction. I cant bend the rules. The old man made as if to object, but Res stopped him with a hand on the old mans shoulder. It is all right. I am not here to win, anyway. With a snort, the old man gave in and took his place next to the female alchemist. The rest of the potions were under the level of apprentice two. The prince tried to bump up his ranking by accusing Res of obstructing him, but was denied the request. Finally, all the alchemists formed a small group and chattered among each other. After about two minutes, they turned back stone-faced. Again, the youngest one stepped forward and announced: Leonard van Avvenci is disqualified, but receives a monetary price of twenty gold. The old man winked at him and Res knew that he had made a new friend. Placed at number nine is the crown prince Robert. He will receive forty gold and a recipe for a cultivation aid. The prince promptly exploded at that and cursed the judges and their incompetence. After the prince had calmed down, the alchemist continued to list off participants. Finally, the chubby girl, Emma Vandrest, was announced the winner of the competition. Being first qualified her to join the Alchemys Alliance which she accepted. After some chitter-chatter about being an alchemist, a servant gave Res a money pouch. He put the twenty gold in a side pocket of his robes. Additionally, he packed up as many nuts as he could manage in all his pockets. Young alchemists, may I ask you to join me in a small banquette we have prepared for you and our honorable guests. You will be able to meet people from all over the world and create connections to future employers. Bro, I would love to see the face of that female alchemist if you tell her that you have never actually done alchemy. Now with a grin on his face, Res was escorted back into a hallway in the colosseum building. While they were walking to the banquet, Res caught onto the shoulder of the overweight girl, Emma. Hey, thank you again for saving me. Take this as a thank you. With that, he dropped the female booster nut into her hands. Her face turned red as a tomato and Res winked at her. It is a female booster nut. His actions left the girl blubbering, so Res fell back again and spoke through the plan with Jason. To some, it might seem as if Res had completely forgotten about the princes actions, which wasnt the case. Those feelings were bottled up deep inside him with rationality. He would bide his time until he could pounce. The group arrived at a spacious room, like the entrance hall of the auction, and were greeted by applause. Jason? Are you ready? Ready as Ill always be, captain! 33. GG - Granny Gambeling Today was one of the most important days, and one of her most dreaded days. Today was the day of the finals. Granny thought through her plan for the umptieth time, but couldnt find any fault in it. Calm down, Res will be OK. With heavy steps, she ascended to the exclusive Alchemy booth on the fourth floor. At least Silvia will be here today. I dont know what I would do without her. In her heart, she still harbored some hope that Res could win the tournament. Yet, she knew it was impossible. Today was the day she had to get Res an apprenticeship at a southerner university. With the protection of the southerner Alchemists, Res would be as safe as he could be. One doesnt insult, let alone kill a southerner alchemist. Entire noble houses had fallen for less of a slight. With a heavy, but hopeful heart, she passed the colosseum guards at the door and into the booth. She swiped her gaze over the room and found her friend flirting with a married alchemist. She cant stop herself, can she? Bad habits die hard.She approached the pair and cleared her throat suggestively. Lady Silvia Heartfire, may I have a word with you. The male alchemist wasnt as deft as not to get the hint and left. Granny planted her arms on her hips. You are not twenty anymore. You cant go flirting around with every married man and twisting them to your hearts contempt like you used to. Come on Sophia, dont you want to feel that tingling in your belly, the intricate back and forth. Dont be so dull, you were often accompanying me on my field trips and often getting more attention than me, might I add. Apart from that. I needed to wait for you to approach the ambassador from the southerner academy. You cant fault me for that. Granny gave her old friend a mirthful smile and walked to the balcony that looked over the colosseum. I had unfinished business. I needed to smuggle my apprentice in. Silvia grabbed her by the shoulders and hissed. Are you stupid? They have all the entrances locked up. Granny gave her a mischievous grin. I found a secret tunnel under the colosseum. A maid told me of it. Silvias complexion turned even paler, and she made her way over to the balcony to support herself. Now in utter panic, Granny hurried after and took the spot next to her. What is it? Tell me. You have doomed him. That tunnel is a mock secret tunnel. With only a little asking around, every maid will tell you that there is a secret tunnel that no one knows about. There are hidden guards in that tunnel that take anyone that passes into custody or kill him. Wait, that is not all. They held a surprise meeting only four hours ago to change parts of the tournament. They have completely scrapped the usual testing. This years finals are what they call social alchemy test. They are all given certain ingredients and can trade their assigned ingredients. Grannys entire world came crashing down, and she had to lean on the balcony fence. I have I have Only a few meters away, a voice that was burned into her mind sneered: Sophia, Sophia Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Before I give the command to kill him, I wanted to ask you something. Would you like his head served on a platter or different pieces of him, sent to your little lab? Granny whirled around and slapped Evudor with all her force. Her palm landed on target, which hurt like hell, but she enjoyed it. Evudor chuckled and rubbed his jaw: I will make you mine. It is inevitable. That is impossible. Unimaginable now, but you will see. With those last words, Evudor vanished back into the crowd of aghast alchemists. Slow clapping could be heard and a dark and wrinkly skinned woman in a tunic stepped out of the crowd. Granny shoved all her anger and fear down and faced the woman. Her voice was rough with age and carried the typical southerner play of high and low tones. It is good to see young people not losing their inner spirit. Some younger alchemists looked at the woman but luckily kept their mouths shut. The woman in front of her was rumored to be over two hundred years old C The symbol of a true alchemist master. I greet you, ambassador Aurora. It is an honor to have you here today. Silvia nearly fainted when she saw her idol face to face. The old woman waved the formalities away and took a place next to Granny. Non importa. Why is an Alchemists apprentice the target of an assassination? That is unacceptable, even in your primitive country. Granny skipped the insult to Trianon and responded in the most measured way she could muster. I have been in a competition with the royal alchemist. He has been blackmailing me and killing people around me. Now, he wants to kill the boy. The elderly woman looked at her askance as if she had told her that the heaven is green. Pezzo di merda! Well, then kill the royal alchemist already. Grannys mirthful chuckle got stuck in her throat when she saw the dead seriousness in the womans eyes. Why had she never killed Evuodor again? Now, she couldnt find a plausible answer. Luckily, Silvia saved the day, by breaking her silence. Lady Aurora, I am a lifelong fan of yours. I have read all your books at least ten times and I have been following all the instructions Aurora turned to Silvia with a dead-pan face. All? Yes. The ones I wrote as a practitioner? Of course. Well, they are garbage. Silvia tried to interject, but Aurora talked over her. They are garbage. Have you ever thought about why you would clean a utensil with Holy water when normal water suffices? I thought myself clever back then. Please dont fall in the same trap as me, you have much yet to learn. The sixty-five-year-old alchemist nodded and began to recite what Aurora had said. She wanted to continue speaking but was interrupted by a loud bang on a drum. Instead of the expected merry music, a steady, militaristic drumbeat could be heard. The first musician to emerge was even marching like a soldier. Aurora raised her brow at the display and asked: You cant even afford musicians, so you use the military? This is horrible. They cant even play. Look at the rimbambito marching at the front. Something seemed off about the leader of the group. The rhythm of his drumming changed which made him look more like a clown than a musician. Alchemists around them were demanding who was responsible for that pitiful performance. The rest of the audience laughed and grinned at the alchemists booth, the organizers. Granny circled aether in her eyes and it finally clicked. She broke out into relieved laughter and all her bottled-up fear was let out. Eurora looked at her irritated. Is this so pitiful that you are laughing? No, the young man in the front is my apprentice. Eurora tore open her eyes in shock. He is a musician? Porca puttana, a terrible one at that. He is smuggling himself in so he wont get killed. Euroras eyes lit up in understanding. How brilliant of you. I didnt know that he would do it that way. Now, Eurora was completely flung off balance. You told your apprentice that he should enter through a tunnel. That turned out to be a trap, but your apprentices intuition makes him enter in another disguise? Santo mulo de maria! I would like to meet that apprentice of yours. Granny had to keep herself from crying out in joy. Five minutes in and she had already arranged a meeting. Soon, Res wiped off the powders and excused his behavior. She could hear Evudors cursing from tens of meters away and reveled in the sound. When all the contestants had assembled, five of the Alchemy Alliances alchemists stepped forward. She had won a small victory against Evudor, but knew she hadnt won the battle. As customary, the youngest alchemist explained the rules and distributed the carts. Judging from what the other participants received, there was no foul play, and she relaxed. When Res opened his cart though, there were only buck loads of nuts in it. The boy dug deep and only found a nutcracker. Next to her, Silvia was shaking with rage. A cartful of nuts? Even Eurora sneered out. Have the northerners no honor? I exclude you two, of course. The calmest of them all was Granny. The problem was that she didnt know whether the boy could have even done anything with the equipment. It wasnt like he was an alchemist, to be more accurate, he knew nothing. In some ways, she was even glad she now only needed to convince the woman next to her that Res was talented. I have expected nothing less of Evudor. This tournament is only that C A tournament. In the real world, my apprentice would have beaten everyone. She received a challenging look from Silvia. Ok, not your apprentice. Eurora stopped her bragging in a dry tone. He is lying down and sleeping. That is not the mark of a true alchemist. I have misjudged you. Indeed, that stupid apprentice of hers was lying down on his platform with his eyes closed. Granny grabbed Eurora before she could leave and shot out. It is all planned. You have a plan? Granny realized her blatant lie too late but barreled through. She whispered: It is a secret technique. In her head, she screamed at her stupidity, but a small part of her still held some kind of hope. Eurora once again took her place next to Granny and stared at Res. The mocking laughter of Evudor as he told another lie about her apprentice resounded through the booth. Eurora turned to her with a knowing smile on her face.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Child, I understand that you didnt want to admit defeat, but I didnt expect you to stoop that She cut off and whirled around to the arena. Her sharp intake of breath was accompanied by furious cycling of aether in her brain. At first, Granny was thankful that some minor detail had caught Euroras attention, but then she felt it. One by one, the surrounding alchemists gasped out loud - A monster was rising from the depths. Through her aether sight, Granny saw the monster towering over Res for the first time. Thousands upon thousands of enormous aether tentacles lashed at the air and expanded. Even the untrained participants realized something felt wrong and stopped their tasks. Silvia cried out when the enormous construct engulfed her apprentice, Emma. A moment later, Silvia sighed out in relief. The raw aether wouldnt have hurt Emma, but it could have damaged the potion she was creating. Like a ghost, the tentacles passed through every object it came in touch with. Eurora pulled in even more aether and circulated it in her head. That boy Look at his skin. His channels. When Granny followed her advice, she saw it too and had to keep in a gasp of surprise. She nodded as if she knew what she was doing: Yes, yes, it all runs according to plan. That is a secret technique that allows his reach to not damage any objects. Silvia looked at her as if she was the bogeyman. How can he do that? He is opening and closing his aether channels every quarter second. Eurora gave an agreeing nod. That is extraordinary. Through the opening and closing of the aether channels, he is able to create a mist. Madonna! To the amazement of all onlookers, Res increased the frequency of closing and opening. By now, Ress reach enveloped the entire dirt-packed arena floor and Eurora turned to her in worry. That was a nice demonstration. So, when will he stop? Granny gulped down the lump in her throat and decided to at least save some of her hide. We will see. Euroras worried expression eased a little at the perceived insurance. Yet, Ress aether cloud didnt stop expanding when it reached the stands and also not when it had passed their booth. Silvia gave her a nervous grin and whispered under her breath. Fuck me sideways, that boy has some skill. The opening and closing blurred, and the air thrummed with power. Finally, the channels stopped and the aether cloud halted. After several tense minutes, each aether particle began to vibrate. Eurora turned to Granny and gave her one of the hardest slaps of her entire life: Are you crazy? Do you want to kill him? Porco cane C Do you think he can take so much? She didnt why Eurora was so angry and told her so. Oh mio Dio! Are you completely braindead or are you playing at being dumb? What do you feel when you cultivate? You direct the aether into your body to gather more aether from your surroundings. The gathering of aether feels warm and your skin tingles. What do you mean? How do you think the tingling in your body is created? All the pieces fell into place for Granny. She hadnt increased her cultivation for a year now, it was too dangerous at her age. Silvia had her eyes fixed on Res with a mixture of awe and horror. That boy will explode like a tomato under a cartwheel. Bring him away from the participants! Luckily, the colosseum staff reacted fast and Res was carried as far away as possible. The aether particles around them began to shiver and shrink. With a deafening boom, all the small liquid aether balls that made out the mist vanished. Not believing her eyes, she circulated aether and looked closer at her surroundings. The aether balls hadnt vanished. Instead, they had been compressed down to pipes that led to the person sitting at the edge of the arena. The pipes were of such minuscule size, that they were difficult to notice even for cultivators. The vibrating stopped and everything was still for several moments. During the spectacle, Granny had grabbed Euroras hand and was squeezing hard. When their gazes met, Eurora saw her cluelessness in her eyes and asked. You have no clue what he is doing, have you? I have had him as an apprentice for less than five days. Eurora went deathly pale at that and whispered while clutching her chest: He is a monster. We will have to invite him to our academies. He cant roam free with no guidance. Do you agree? Granny nodded but added. I have no power over him. If he doesnt want to, I cant force him. Eurora squeezed her hand. Mio caro. It will all work out. Lets stop him from exploding, shall we? She approached a servant handing out refreshments with assured steps. I am Eurora, ambassador of the southerner kingdoms. I demand that you send a runner to stop the madness down there. Several sweat drops appeared on the servants forehead. I am sorry My Lady, but I cant do that. Further than that, I must forbid you to leave the premises until the tournament is over. Behind her, she could feel a sudden pull of aether. A look around revealed that the pipes connected to the boy were now glowing red with heat and aether. Granny stepped forward and shoved the golden Alchemy Alliance card in the servants face. The servant cringed and whispered: I am so sorry, Ms. Sophia, but I wont be able to send any messages. Mocking laughter resounded through the booth as Evudor made his way over to her. You are a funny bunch. Eurora stepped forward and shoved a finger in Evudors direction. I will report this crime to my superiors, but I may gloss over some details, if you let us go now! Evudor held his arms up in a gesture of helplessness. I am willing to accept the risks and harbor the rewards of letting a powerful enemy die. Eurora hissed back. I realize why Sophia doesnt like you. I would recommend buying your coffin now. Silvia had tried to slip away but was brought back by elite palace guards. Her kicking and screaming revealed the right amount of skin for several male alchemists to help her. Old tricks are rarely forgotten. Resigned, the three of them got back to their spots. With a sad smile, Eurora hissed: That Puttana! Dont worry, he will pay for this insult. You can look away. I am surprised he lasted this long. Granny couldnt avert her eyes from the hundreds of small pipes pumped aether into Ress body. All gazes in the arena were trained on the madman who continued to absorb aether. The aether intake reached a crescendo, Granny closed her eyes, and she heard the boom she had dreaded. She tore open her eyes and Res was still lying in the same spot, but the pull of aether had abated. Granny cried out in joy and hugged the astonished Eurora and Silvia. My boy is alive! All around them, alchemists were muttering in amazement. How had the boy survived? They all wanted to ask her that question, but didnt dare to interrupt the conversation with Eurora. Instead of the cheerful expression that Granny had expected, Euroras face was a mixture of hope and fear. That boy is a monster. Do you want to tell me anything? Which organization do you belong to? What kind of secret techniques did you use? What is your price? Silvia gasped out in shock and Granny tried to wave it away. I am no part of an organization and I cant sell you anyone. Eurora looked her dead in the eyes. You didnt answer the question about the secret techniques. Especially that one with the pipes. Granny gave a frustrated sigh and looked Eurora straight in the eyes. I know you wont believe me, but I have already told the truth. I have had him apprenticed for five days. He only turned up in front of my shop. Eurora became agitated. Yes, yes, picito. Who was his former teacher? Granny gave a helpless shrug. No one. Eurora chuckled and waggled a finger in front of Grannys nose. No, my little Sophia. Lying is bad. Her chuckling died off when she saw Grannys deadpan face. I am serious. He was a noble before that. One day, he turned up on my doorstep and said he wanted to become an alchemist. I told him he couldnt, because I didnt trust him. Somehow, he knew that he wasnt qualified to do so. I tested him and he was untalented back then, without even one meridian open. He watched me through the back of the window and from feeling aether he opened all his meridians in one go. The pure aether without guidance that he pulled in created an aether tornado. Granny hoped Res would understand her telling the southerner academies about his powers. They were the only ones that could help him. In her eyes, Granny could see that Eurora believed each word she said. Eurora had to steady herself at a nearby pillar and under her breath she wheezed out. Not a monster, more than that. Such potential for evil, such potential for good. Is it too much of a temptation? Granny paled at Euroras conclusion and chimed in. He isnt like that. That is what every tyrants mother said. Granny closed her open mouth and shoved her retort down. Instead, she stared at the still form of Res in silence. Doubts were flitting across her mind, but she suppressed them. They all thought in silence while the surrounding alchemists continued their chatter. The theories about the origins of the young man got further and further out of hand. Finally, Eurora broke the silence. One cant judge someone for something they could do. Apart from that, we cant let that boy fall into the hands of your primitive nobles. Especially not Evudor, that Stronzo. Both Silvia and Granny nodded in agreement. Granny determined to lighten the mood a little. Hey Silvia, your apprentice is talented. The way she incorporates the material with her aether in the distillation isnt bad. Silvia took the bait, and they chattered about daily chores and alchemist problems. After a while they even laughed again. Eurora broke off her story about one of her apprentices who had made a potion that could turn nails green. Her gaze snapped onto Res. Do you feel it too? He is gathering strength again. Granny managed to get out an Oh, no before brilliant strands of power arced out from Res, following the pipes. When the white aether reached the ends of the pipes, it would extend even further than that. With increasing horror, they watched as Res finished the extension of the pipes. He pulled in aether once again. This time, the pipes shown like the burning hot sun. In the normal spectrum of colors, she could see the ground around Res distort like rippling waves. His hairs were standing on ends. Eurora whispered while clutching onto the railing. Before that, he pulled in approximately two years of cultivating energy. The power to ascend to a higher stage rises exponentially. This is for the best. The aether tubes flared up and the exploding sound could be heard again. Still, Res was unhurt. Before Granny could even think of sighing in relief, another wave of aether radiated out from Res. The tubing expanded even further to the great disbelieve of everyone. The pull now was so great that non-aether users even felt it. Each spectator was now watching the spectacle unfold. Grannys mind had done enough emotional acrobatics today. She only watched with detached fascination. With a last push, the dull exploding sound resounded once again through the arena. This time, Res was bleeding out of several wounds. Finally, his eyes fluttered open, but it seemed like he was disoriented. Everyone was frozen up in shock, except for one girl. Despite the prince ordering otherwise, Silvias apprentice ran over to Res and healed him. From her position in the Alchemists booth, she could see nobles gesturing in excitement. Eurora spoke as she watched Res strolling back to his platform. Do you know what he has done? Made a lot of nobles interested in him? Eurora chuckled, but the corner of her mouth didnt lift up. If it only was that. He has entered the global game. The game of kingdoms. A new player on a board that is balanced will bring destruction. Granny felt the truth in those statements and nodded along as Res began to crack open nuts. I will support you if you promise that you will provide for him like you would your own son. Eurora cracked a smile. I promise. I will have to admit that he is childish. Is he that fascinated with Common Farmer Nuts? He is still a young man after all. Silvia added. Young men are always sooo competitive about their manhood, so it is understandable. Granny felt that Res wasnt that kind of person. She had nagged him about spending her money on whores, but she knew that he didnt go. The smell of cheap perfume and smoke couldnt escape her notice. Res has something else up his sleeve. Eurora turned thoughtful at her suggestions and watched Res. For fifteen minutes, they watched Res crack open one nut after another. He is only cracking nuts open., Silvia said in a dry tone. A grin of triumph bloomed on Ress face and he cracked open the nut and threw it at the prince who caught it. Eurora chuckled. Look at the prince, ladies. Granny turned her attention to the prince and cried out in the general direction of Evudor. The prince has the self-control of a three-year-old! She knew that it was kind of petty, but at this point, she didnt care. Some nobles took the cry up and the entire stadium laughed at the princes expense. Eurora motioned to Res: Dont you think the time for the effect to wear off has come? The normal effect lasts only seconds. Silvia murmured, as her specialty was beauty and health. We would need to extract the nut milk, then concentrate it, then bind it which would make a potion. You cant insert aether into it, that doesnt work What has he done? Eurora gave her a weary smile. I havent found out either, but I hope that I will get a better look at the nut. I know why you trusted in him, Sophia. Res presented his invention like a fruit seller. She could get one herself One of the older alchemists, Ismael, volunteered to test the nut and experienced the effects. One of the female alchemists disqualified Res. Granny didnt expect less. Evudors dirty and long fingers of influence reached long. Silvia had gotten security for her apprentice within the Alchemy Alliance. While she had gotten the support from the southerner kingdom. Now Res only needed to be nice to Eurora. Easy, right? 34. Broccoli and Murder Res had expected to get some attention. What he didnt expect were the hundreds of people that wanted to talk to him. Generals from the military tried to convince him to scrap his brain core and continue with a gut core. They even promised him his own squadron of soldiers. One insistent general even told him he had a chance of becoming the commander of the royal forces. Res harrumphed when he thought about what fool would voluntarily take that position. Working all day and maintaining discipline? C No, thanks. Other richer nobles tried to bribe him with ridiculous amounts of money. It was enticing, but he preferred not being under the thumb of anyone. What turned Res off completely was when they presented their daughters like stock. When one father talked about how beautiful the legs of their daughters were, Res had to stop himself from vomiting. Around him had formed some sort of waiting line. He was already panicking that his plan had worked out too well when his saviors arrived. Deep in his heart, he hoped he didnt need to follow the gruesome path it would lie out for him. To the great discontent of the people waiting and the duke that was chatting with Res, Granny swooped in. May I have a short word with my apprentice? As the relation between teacher and student succeeded everything, they had to back down. Res took a deep breath and gave Granny a grin. Thanks, Granny. I needed that. One of the oldest woman Res had ever seen stepped forward and held up the flat of her hand for him to kiss it. Res had enough of political play and grabbed the hand in the most peasant-like manner he could think of. Jason gave a report that he hadnt found the target. The old woman was irritated, but continued to smile: Nice to finally meet you, Res. I am Eurora and my family has been in the service of the southerner kingdom for over twenty generations now. I have great connections to our academies and I will let you study there if you pass our entrance exam. Granny gave Res an encouraging smile, and he wanted to decline, but Jason interrupted. Bro, Bro, wait Ask for her name. Her actual name. It is rude, though. Res gave one of his most apologetic smiles and asked: I am sorry, I know little of your culture and I dont intend to insult you. What is your full name? The woman hesitated for a moment but still replied. My name is Eurora Armonioso. Jason exploded with excitement. Bro, that is my fucking daughter She must be my great-great-great-great-great-great granddaughter. One of those brats made something out of herself? Her great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a whore I liked. I fathered her eight times. Ahhh, the good old times Wait You are me and I am you. Hmmm. When her mother, Gianna, and I went on a drunken tangent, I threw up in front of a witchs door. That hag laid a curse on our children, but I wore an amulet that weakened it. The curse was meant to turn our children mentally disabled when a parent would say the word I love you. Because of the amulet, it was reduced to only forgetting what you wanted to say when I say the word Broccoli. Try it, bro. Now completely invested in Jasons idea, he asked in a casual tone: What kind of knowledge do you have in your libraries? The woman took on a smug expression and changed her voice to a lecturing tone. We have Broccoli. At first, Res only thought the woman was confused, but she clearly lost her entire speech. In his head, Jason shouted in victory and Res gave her an innocent smile. That doesnt sound like lots of knowledge. His comment made the womans anger flare up immediately and she pointed his finger at him. We have libraries that Broccoli. Once again, the woman forgot what she wanted to say, but now she looked more confused than angry. Jason was keening with laughter by now. You have libraries. Ok. Not any, our Broccoli. Granny was looking at the ambassador with a pleading gaze, but the woman only stuttered. Out of the edges of his vision, he spotted a gate that was he had ingrained in his mind. A nervous flick of his gaze confirmed his suspicions. With an apologetic smile, Res left the old woman to her stuttering and made eye contact with the target. His target looked like every other noble. Not too lavish, but also not too cheap C An ordinary noble. In fact, so ordinary that it turned extraordinary. With a smile, Res approached the nobles group, all the while keeping his eyes locked on the man looking at him. It was hard to keep the hostility out of his gaze. The image of the cut off heads was still burnt into his mind. In the cool eyes of the man, one could only see curiosity and arrogance. Now, they both stood face to face and Res reached out to shake the mans hand. I am sorry that we had several misunderstandings in the past and I would like to remedy that. The man raised his eyebrows. It seems I have misjudged you. I thought you would attack me then and there. It is fine either way. What do you propose? I have gone against you - I have failed and I admit defeat. I want us to be allies. Your council needs a reformation that I can bring you. The mans eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. What would you do that could be worth the risk of cooperating? I could stop the prostitution trade. The head of intelligence laughed as if he had made the funniest joke on the entire planet: No one can. I cant stop it without force. You know that every prostitute takes pills that hinder pregnancy? What if I told you I have four hundred children, ready to poison each one of those pills?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The mans eyes widened at the immense scale of deaths that could ensue. You would have forty thousand women killed? I will do what I must. The noble took a step closer which meant that their torsos touched. Res could smell the foul breath of the crime boss. If you try anything and I mean anything I will kill you. Not like others would. It will be the bakers boy who drops the poison onto your bread. Res looked deep in those dead eyes and nodded. Content with Ress commitment, the councils head of intelligence shook on the deal. With a flick of his wrist, Res let his special prepared nut touch the nobles hand. He had infused that nut with aether while thinking of fornicating earthworms. The noble seized up in confusion and Res unbottled all his rage. His hands balled into fists and, before the noble could react, his fist connected with the thugs temple. In the instant of impact, he hardened his fist and let loose all his anger and frustration he had kept bottled up. With an inhumane cry, Res punched through the skull and into mushy brain matter. A red mist covered the room. When it settled, Res stood over the decapitated body of the councils head of intelligence. The entire room stared at the tournament participant who had murdered in cold blood. Bro, the bird is in the basket. I repeat: the bird is in the basket. RUN! Aether shot into his body faster than ever before. The elite guards in the room reacted by drawing in aether as well and preparing binding spells. With an enormous push, Res broke through the only window and out into the city. If he hadnt reinforced his body, Res was sure that he would be dead by now. With significant effort, he could pull up in time to avoid ramming headfirst into a three-story family home. Phew Bro, if the nobles had reacted in time, you would be dead now. Res allowed himself to relax as he shot over rooftops and buildings. Now it was only a matter of pushing himself to the other side of the city and vanishing. Ah ah ah. You dont kill nobles and get away. He had only time to harden his body, before an enormous force hit him from above. Even with the hardening of his flesh, it felt like a horse carriage had driven over him. Res couldnt react in time to push off the ground and instead further reinforced the hardening of his body. Luckily, his trajectory was aimed for a side street. *Boom* His impact sent debris and pieces of road flying everywhere. Like a ball of destruction, he continued to tumble and carve through the street and into the soil beneath. At last, he came to a stop and got back on his feet. He ignored the screaming citizens running about and focused on the form of the attacker. Instead, he focused his intention on the descending form of the prince. The princes hair stood on ends and a liquid white armor had materialized around him. His entire being glowed with several rings and chains that were Worked into his body? An arrogant chuckle could be heard clearly over the sound of screaming people. You dont seem to get the direness of the situation, do you? Uncle says that I am only allowed to use 5% of my power in the city for my self-defense. The time has finally come to remove the stain you are from the world. Res muttered to Jason. I wish that Broccoli thing would work with the royal family, too. What is your assessment, Jason? Have some mental insights or tips to avoid getting killed by your descendant? The prince has inherited the arrogance from his great-great- Never mind. He is arrogant and definitely not playing with the 5%. That boy is on some serious steroids and those shiny rings in his body arent under master craft rank for sure. In five seconds, I can activate the ring of shadows. Then you have around five seconds until he gets his bearings and one minute until I can use it again. 3 2 1 ... Now A giant globe of darkness appeared around the prince and Res pushed aether into his legs. When he was ten meters above the ground, the prince shot out of the cloud of darkness. The prince possessed complete control over his body in the air while Res had to struggle to keep airborne. Despite having the clear advantage, it seemed like the prince didnt want him to escape again. With an enraged expression, the prince drew his sword and threw it. Res chuckled at the move but was actually happy for the extra boost it would give him. When he pushed against the sword, his power tore apart like wet paper. Panicked, Res stopped all his pushing. Instead, he reinforced his body with all the power he could muster. His actions actually saved his life as the sword missed him by a centimeter and only hit his calves. Instead of bouncing off the skin, the sword cut through his flesh like it was butter. The pain hit him and he only had time to conclude sword = bad before he smashed into the roof of a nearby house. He had never thought he would think such a fall was only annoying, but his hardened flesh tanked the impact like it was nothing. What was unnerving though was the fact that the prince was flying at him with the sword in his hand. Res had never experienced life and death situations to such an extent. Even though he had meditated on those kinds of situation forever, he still froze up. The only thing that saved him was the timely intervention of Jason, who pushed him to the right. The whistling sword cut through the entire stone floor of the apartment he had crashed into. The threat of a sword that could cut stone like it was nothing, spurred Res on and he pushed off once again. The hairs on his neck stood on end, as another whistling arc of the blade missed him by an inch. He felt like he was a pesky mouse and being toyed around with by a tiger. His premonition confirmed itself, when the prince teleported in front of him. Even though he hardened his stomach, the princes fist sunk ten centimeters into his flesh. He had tried to soften the blow with an aether push, but as with the sword, the armor tore his aether push to pieces. Blood spurted out of his mouth in a red spray and he doubled over from the pain. Such simple-minded animalistic furious . Pain. In an instant, the prince was behind him and pummeled his spine with the force of a battering ram. A loud crack resounded, but the prince continued his relentless assault. The prince teleported right in front of Res with his fist positioned so Res would impale himself on it. The prince appeared behind him and delivered such a kick into his loins that Res was sure he was infertile now. For several seconds he blacked out but awakened once again to the torture. He could feel his mind slipping on aether: He didnt want to feel the pain anymore. If you were to let An excited voice broke his train of thought. the fucking sewers Res saw only darkness around him, but he could feel himself fall. Suddenly, he saw light again and a globe of darkness against the wonderful blue of the afternoon sky. The animalistic instinct of survival screamed at him, so he pushed aether into all his body. Not a moment too late as he crashed into the rock-hard pavement of an alley. He was jostled around by the impact like a rag doll. During his tumbling about, he caught a glimpse of the mad figure of the prince high in the sky. The burning pain was building to an agonizing crescendo. His body was signaling him: Give up already. and Res was agreeing with it. Bro, dont leave me, man. You can pull through this like I did. We cant mess it up now, I still havent fucked a mermaid. That is still on my bucket list. I cant stand up, I broke my legs. As hard as he tried, his legs wouldnt budge. Jason chuckled and added: Rock n Roll, baby. His gaze focused on a manhole cover ten meters away from him while blood poured out of his ears. The prince high up in the sky got his bearings back and searched for his target. He didnt need to search for long to find the red blood trail on the ground and his target rolling around like a log. The princes prey came to a stop and fussed around with something on the ground. As soon as the prince realized what Res was about to do, he swooped down like the angel of death. You die here, you RAT! Res pulled at the latch with his bloody hands, it felt like he was a two-year-old child trying to open a door. Finally, he dislodged the manhole cover which revealed the black abyss underneath. Like a fish thrown on land, Res flopped around, trying to get into the hole, but the prince was nearing too fast. His instincts screamed at him to run, a predator was coming for him, but Res continued on. Like the mouse he was, he scrambled back into the hole he had come from. When he was already two meters down the tunnel, a silver flash appeared at the mouth of the tunnel. The princes sword flew at him once again. Ress head swam with such pain that he only stared at the incoming sword strike. Accompanied by a mad cry of fury, Jason used the last of his aether to move Res a centimeter. *THWAK* 35. Disembowelment hurts With a meaty thwack, the sword hit Ress abdomen instead of his heart. Then his body impacted the muddy sewage waters. Air Air is such a wonderful thing. Res realized then and there that he had underestimated the uses of air. Right now, he had no air and he definitely would go back to having air. His limbs flail around and his feet touch something solid and he pushed off of it. That precious good named air came to him again, and he didnt care a bit that it stank like shit and piss. The grime hurt his eyes as he opened them, but he endured it because he knew he needed to see and adapt to the dim lighting. Once again, Res found steps carved into the walls of the river of shit and managed to grab onto them. With slow, deliberate movements, he crawled out of the sewage. He gasped when his bloody and now filthy abdomen came into view. Bro, you will die if you dont get help within two hours., Jason drained voice resounded through Ress head. Res dragged himself in the opposite direction from where he had come. He pulled his limp body onwards with his arms. The burning and stabbing pain forced him to rest once in a while, but he never stopped. In a pain-induced delirium, he passed the body of a child, cowering in an alcove. The street child had been sleeping and was already turning to run. Wait, Res croaked out. I can give you food and money if you give me directions. The boy turned back to him with a suspicious frown. Who is your district boss? I bet it is Bryan. Despite the suspicion in the boys voice, he was interested. I am a worker who fell down a manhole and impaled myself on a metal rod. I want to go back to my wife, but I have not much experience with the sewers. In the young boys intelligent eyes, Res could see how he weighed the risks against the rewards. You cant even walk. For the first time within ages, Jason spoke. Bro, you can use aether now, can you? You will die like this. We cant fly around outside, but within the sewers C no problem. Thanks Brother. That is what brothers are for. With painful steps, Res crawled up to the boy, who turned with a disgusted face. Sir, you are stinking. Sorry, have you ever wanted to fly? The boy withdrew several steps. I have Res began to hover above the ground. We will have to fly from now on. The boys eyes widened to that of saucers. Are you An elite palace guard?This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. No. Hold on to me and lead me towards the ... The boy gave him a wink and babbled about Of course, you cant tell me. Res felt his strength sapping away, so he played along. He opened up his arms in a princess carry and said: You can see this as your first test. Where do you live? Res recalled Orsons hideout flat. Warehouse District. Addison Street 48. Apartment 30. With complete faith, the boy made himself comfortable in Ress arms. As if they knew each other for ages, he gave through the directions. After five minutes of flying, white liquid began to ooze out of the wound. After an extra ten minutes, the white liquid turned green. Res tried to keep his exhaustion from showing and asked: When will we be there? Sir, we started in the colosseum district. Even at your speed, it will take a quarter-hour to travel to the warehouse district. I know a boy who is living in the apartment across from yours and there is a sewers entrance. Res cursed his poor luck but supposed that dying in the sewers after killing someone was a mild sentence. The endless stretches of tunnel zipped by and the boy screeched in excitement. Res didnt have such a good time though. He had come close to smashing his brains on the tunnel walls several times. One time, the boys hands had been about to get sheared off when he stretched them out wide. Controlling aether became more and more difficult as the delirium progressed to hallucinations. Res was sweating and close to passing out. Finally, they arrived at an unassuming-looking sewers entrance. With a last burst of aether, Res shot out of another manhole cover. With a soft crunch of his broken limbs, he landed in an alley opposite of Orsons apartment. When he craned his neck to see that he hadnt crushed the boy, all the energy that had fueled his mad escape left his body. The boy shook his limb body and told him to stand up, but Res only hoped that if he would open them, everything would be fine. Luckily, the boy got the hint and ran over to Orsons apartment. Res was getting annoyed as the blissful black abyss of unconsciousness wouldnt take him. It was like his body was mad at him for not treating it well and wanted him to feel the pain. Some form of liquid had entered his lungs, and he was rasping and gurgling shallow breaths. He heard aggravated shouts and was picked up by strong sturdy hands. In a trance, he could see Orsons face in an emotion he had never seen before C Fear. With a last mental goodbye to all the people he loved, which werent many, he accepted his death. Sudden coldness washing through his entire body interrupted his self-pitying thoughts. With his limp hands, he tried to ward off the uncomfortable feeling, but only got more of the coldness on his face. Through the cold, he could feel something picking at his wounds. Like a chicken, it picked at pieces of torn off flesh and reached deeper into his wound. He arched his back in pain, but the insistent picking at his flesh continued. Through his stupor, he opened one of his lids and was greeted by the sight of blood and white goo. In his normal state of mind, he would have wretched at the sight, but now he only watched with fascination. Behind the bulky arms stood the boy from earlier with a water hose and Res hissed at the boy to stop. His warnings only made the boy steel his face even more. When Res felt the darkness take him, the sturdy hands poured a greenish liquid on the wound. Res fainted from the pain that his shifting bones caused. His body was tearing away pieces of fat and muscle to supply the needed nutrients. His new biceps was torn apart to fill out the hole in his gut. Only after his voice was lost on him, did he realize that he had been screaming the entire time. He was turned and another potion was applied to the wound which only managed to intensify the pain. Three other grassy-tasting potions were forced down his mouth. Res tried to spit them out, but the sturdy hands forced them down. After the hands made Res drink the three last potions, he finally passed out. 36. It feels good to be alive Harrison didnt know why he was still alive. The council hadnt experienced so much resistance for over two decades. Yet, he was still breathing. As he walked along the long hall to the council chamber, he clutched the letter that might mean his death. When he had received the message, he had gone home at once. He spent the entire afternoon with his two wonderful children. Their tinkling laughter and immense joy when he had bought toys remained. They must have realized that this moment was something special, something unrepeatable. After that, he and his wife talked about nothing and everything for two hours. Now, he was standing in front of the dreadful door, having said his peace. Pulling out some last vestiges of confidence, he swung open the door and entered. The atmosphere in the room was loaded with tension and he cringed. Luckily, the hostility wasnt directed at him, but rather at the other council members. He sighed in a deep breath of relief. Akila flicked up her long blonde hair into the air and stated. Our dear, dear master of intelligence is deceased. I have had my spy network in place for years. Men will talk to whores more than they talk to their wives. I nominate myself for the position of master of intelligence. Harrison realized that he wasnt the target, sure, but he was stuck in a battlefield of giants. They wouldnt look down on the ants they had crushed. The first one to object was the black shadow in the corner of the room. He twirled around the black blade of a stiletto in the palm of his hand and replied. Your protector is gone, my lady. I dont want to throw around threats, but I could slaughter your ragtag band of bouncers within several days.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Judging by Akilas reaction, the master of assassinations, it wasnt an idle threat. Loud coughing saved the standoff from escalating. The head of drugs, a filthy and greasy-haired young man, spoke up. I cant let you do that. You know that I and Akila have such vast amounts of money that we can drown you in bodies. The shadow gave an irritated hiss and turned to the only party that hadnt spoken their mind C The master of thieves. The thiefs beer gut swiveled around as he shrugged his shoulders and added. You know that we are and always will be neutral. It hurts our business too much, but dont mistake it as a weakness. True neutrality means that if either of you makes any moves, we will retaliate. The thief motioned to the shadow. If you want to kill me, you will be stumped to realize that every thief shares my view. Apart from that, I cant command them to do anything. Why cant we do it the usual way and let people apply for the job? The master of drugs and Akila agreed, but the shadow only shook his head. You think me so foolish? Akila, I know that you manipulated the last testing so that this incompetent snot would get the seat. One of our brothers was winning, so you manipulated the testing crystal. Do you think I am so na?ve to believe that if you did it once, you wont do it again? The shadow retreated to a dark corner of the room. For a moment Harrison thought he had only stopped speaking. Suddenly, a bleeding head flew out of the dark corner. When he tilted his head, he realized that the shadow was gone. Akila made her way over to the head and turned it around C It was one of her favorite slaves that she kept in her secret hideout. The beautiful, glowing eyes of Akila settled on him. Without a second thought, he blurted out. I am supporting the true ruler of the council, Akila. The drug addict threw him a dirty look, and he added. And the master of narcotics. Now satisfied, the young man turned his attention to the exotic herbs he had rolled up into a piece of paper. You can go now. Faster than he could think himself capable, he tore open the door and shut it again. As soon as he was outside of the building, tears of immense joy rolled down his cheeks. It felt good to be alive. 37. Kitchen Nightmares Water His words were accompanied by a wet and cold stream of liquid filling out his entire body. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring into the intense eyes of Orson. Res, what happened? Images of the powerful monster that the prince was flooded his mind. Fought the prince. His jaw felt like lead and he managed to raise his arms to his face. The little muscle he had put on through the potion was gone. Once again the frail young scholar., Res murmured. Orson took the news in stride or he didnt believe Res. Why would you attack the prince? He and the royal guard killed 2000 children, of which I was kind of the leader. Orson chuckled and put the waterskin to his mouth again. My best friend once told me on recovery that he had met an actual dragon. Guess that fighting a prince isnt that special in comparison. I am serious. Orson patted his head. Yes, yes. You are right. How did you come by that much money, by the way? I gave one gold to the kid to leave and not talk. He is still waiting in front of the house, blubbering about becoming an elite palace guard. When he turned his head, he saw his price money from the tournament lying next to him. Res realized that someone must have seen them. It would be only a matter of time until they would associate Orson with him. Bro, arent you forgetting something? Our date with Xenia and Serafina this evening? Res greeted Jason with a burst of happiness and groaned in defeat. Now it is even our date. Cant you ask me first how I am doing? Bro, I am in your fucking body. But you are right. That was kind of rude. It is only that I am so fucking nervous. With all his mental effort, he sat up upright and felt the taut skin under his bellybutton. Orson grinned when he saw how Res felt at his stomach. No worries, the ladies like scars. I have a few too. They like to trace them with their fingers and then you have to tell them how you got them. His wounds still ached, but he felt he could walk. He focused all his attention on Orson and tried to put his entire sincerity into his voice. I am serious. I appreciate that you helped me, but you have put yourself in the crossfires. I fought with the crown prince and escaped with my life. They will be at your apartment within the day. Orson put on a thoughtful look. How does the prince look like when he fights? He has hundreds of necklaces and rings embedded into his body and he can throw his sword like an axe. Additionally, he has white armor that diffuses magical attacks. Orsons expression changed from that of mockery to that of total horror. Something in Orson seemed to snap, and he toppled over. Bro, please dont tell me he is having a stroke now. When Res poked Orsons chin though, he stirred again and pulled himself up. Orson held his head like it was in danger of falling off and spoke: I told you that the elite palace guard removed memories, right? Sorry for doubting you. What happened? You speaking it out loud has unlocked a memory of the princes training. Orson began to sweat, as he realized the gravity of the situation. I have nowhere to go, nowhere. Do you have family? I have my brother in town, but he struggles with a restaurant he opened. He wanted to start some fine-dining place, but it didnt go as planned. Res watched the long shadows the sun was casting now. I will buy the last three of the potions you have for one gold and we will visit your brother. I have wanted to invest in properties for a while now. What Res didnt expect was the enormous bear hug from Orson. You are a good boy. His bones were on the verge of breaking again, so he pounded on Orsons enormous back and was finally let free. With a broad smile on his face, Orson gave him the three potions that Res stashed away in a pocket. What time is it? Approximately eighteenth bell. Res blanched at that and asked: Is the boy still in front of the house? Two minutes later, they were zipping down the long tunnels of the sewers once again. This time, he had to carry Orson and the boy in a princess carry. Luckily, he could reinforce his body. Orsons extra weight meant that the sewage under them now splattered all over the place. Which meant that he had to fly faster so they wouldnt get covered in shit. Jason used the time to tell him about what he had prepared to charm the female ghost in Seraphinas sword. Res wondered how Jason passed his time and, as if summoned by his thought, had to find out the hard way. Jason began to recite the love poems he had created for the girl. After listening to them for half a minute, Res interjected: Jason, I dont mean to insult you, but those poems could describe any girl. What do you mean with gorgeous flowing hair and white teeth? Why dont you say: I love that you have arms and I love your beautiful ten fingers. Jason continued composing love verses and asked him one question after another. A flash of inspiration struck Res: Jason, what do you think of a poem restaurant. All the naive fools who think great of their poetry skills have no outlet for their creativity. No Bro, lets open a disco. Boy, why didnt I think of that in my lifetime? I could have made some serious cash. What is a disco? People go there to dance and meet new people. Our target audience are young adults and you drink and dance. Intrigued by the idea, Res had Jason tell everything about discos. Res didnt want to turn this whole endeavor into a brothel, but a plan was coming together in his mind. The boy was having the best time of his life while screaming out direction. Orson was dead silent and only watching in horror. Res supposed that it could have something to do with him admitting that it was only his second time of doing this. After they had been flitting down tunnels for over an hour, they finally arrived. With a last push, he catapulted them out of the sewers and Res thought he could hear Orson screaming. His clothes got dirty from the landing, but he was content with his increase in aether control. Orson, who was vomiting, didnt agree with him. You little devil. You should have warned me, I would rather be killed by the prince than go through that again. Res gave him an inconspicuous wink and realized the boy was stuttering. What is it?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I want to come with you Res understood and motioned for the boy to stop. Wait here. I will be back soon. He didnt give the boy another chance for objections and turned to the streets. Indeed, they were full of merchant and rich nobles, like Res remembered. Orson motioned up the alley, away from the main street, and Res followed. The buildings turned simpler and Orson finally stopped in front of a sizeable three-story building. It seemed like an average high-class restaurant in a residential neighborhood. That the restaurant was this far off from the main road was a huge competitive disadvantage. With surprising agility, Orson climbed up the restaurants wall. Orson snickered when Res pushed himself over the wall and landed earlier than him on the soft grass. All the tables that were propped up outside were empty. Through a broad window, Res could see that the enormous unoccupied dining room. Is the kitchen so bad, or is there another reason why there is no one here? The kitchen is amazing. The food is perfect, and the service is not great, but also not bad. The problem was that one of the restaurant owners has accused my brother of stealing one of his recipes. The poor reputation meant that no one is coming anymore. Was the claim false? Orson grinned and answered with a wink as an answer. The restaurant itself was as fine as any he had ever seen, and they even had an enormous pond with exotic fish in them. They entered through a back door and were greeted by a bizarre scene. The kitchens surfaces were so clean that they reflected light back like mirrors. Even the pots and pans were shining like glass. The true irregularity was the form of a man slumped over a bottle of wine in the middle of the room. He wasnt as bulky as Orson, but he had the same light brown hair and blue eyes. Orson cursed, went to the figure and slapped him. The man was pulled out of his stupor and revealed a smile like Orsons. Hey, brother. If you join in on the drinking, I wont have enough to drink myself to death. Baahhh What am I saying? A mental disability works fine too. This time, Orson slapped his brother hard - Really hard. You have some of that sobering up potion lying around for emergencies, right? Drink it. The brother made as if to object, but Orson gave him a resolute stare. Bro, now we know who is the older brother. Grumbling with discontent, the man opened a cabinet and downed a small vial. He shivered in disgust, but his eyes cleared and Res could see keen intelligence in the mans eyes. What is that one doing here? Orson patted Res on the shoulder. He is the one who will get you out of this shit. Deep despair extinguished the flicker of hope that was shortly visible on the brothers face. Dont make me hope, Orson. Res put on the best imitation of a confident noble and began to circle the young brother. What is your name Arthur. Do you have any debt? I cant go into debt even if I wanted to. Your business is doomed to fail, but I see some potential in you. Arthur seemed to get annoyed with him and shot out. Who are you to ask those kinds of questions? Lets say that I have money. Imagine that I am the bank and because I know Orson, I would invest in your establishment. Arthur received a confirming nod from Orson and his entire demeanor changed. My lord, what do you want? I will buy your entire business for around twenty gold. With that, he let the sizable pouch of coins drop on the counter. Arthurs flittered back and forth between Res and Orson, to finally settle on Res. He held out his hand. Deal! Res laughed out loud at how na?ve he thought he would be. Can you read and write? Yes. Do you have ink and paper? Yes. Bring some. Five minutes later, Res had created two copies of a writ of possession, he had learned by heart in the academy. Res finished the two papers with two signatures at the bottom of each paper. Arthur picked up the paper and blanched at the conditions that Res had set. You want me to give up all my rights to change the restaurant? You can still go to me and propose changes and I promise that I will be open to change. I will need to have forty gold for this much. Res chuckled. Look, Arthur. You are a good man and I understand your concern. This restaurant is your baby and you dont want to lose it. The problem is that this is the only deal that anyone will offer. Be honest. In your situation, it is a fair deal if you take all the risks into consideration. What do you want to do with the restaurant? Res took a nearby stool and sat in front of Arthur. What is your biggest problem that is holding you back? My reputation. Which age group has ludicrous amounts of money while not caring about reputation? Something in Arthur clicked in the wrong way. You want to make this into a brothel. Res held his hands up in reassurance. I dont, but before I tell you my strategy, I will need for you to sign that paper. Arthur thought for a moment, but then cried out in frustration and signed the paper. With a contented smile, Res pushed over the gold. Do you have any staff? I would have sold the house today at auction. Res patted Arthur on the back as if they were long-time business compatriots. We will structure your restaurant into several big events. Do you have musicians? Usually, a friend of mine comes to play. He is good. Scrap that. I will get you Lee Barrett, who plays at the royal court, in your restaurant. The entire bottom floor will turn into a giant dancefloor. You will need to get eight of the enormous cook pots from the soup kitchen. Arthur blanched at that. You mean those giant ones where they can cook an entire bull? Those exactly. You will place them into the garden and make them look pretty with some wood and ladders so people can take a bath. Res drew his idea onto a piece of paper. The nobles will get into the pots with special clothes that will be sold at the restaurant. The kettles themselves will contain water that is heated by a flame. Giant wooden walls will divide the pots and lamps will Res trailed off as he saw that both Orson and Arthur were staring at him as if he were mad. He motioned to Arthur. I will write all the instructions down and you will execute them to the word. Res thought for a moment and added: It would be great if you cook a candle light dinner for three people and put it in a basket. I am going on somewhat of a date. Arthur laughed and whistled suggestively. Given something he was good at, he pulled out pots and pans and heated up the oven. Res wrote down his vision for the business: An enormous dancefloor on the ground floor. A new menu consisting out of drinks and small snacks. A lounge area on the second floor. Sleeping quarters on the third floor for nobles who were too drunk or too lazy to go home. Arthur could then cater those sixteen nobles at breakfast. That could generate another source of customers who would come for or lunch. Res turned to Orson. As the manager of the business, I offer you the position of manager of personnel. Orson looked at him as if he was mad. I am a fighter, a bouncer. You are good with people and the perfect one for the job. Do you accept? Orson looked uncomfortable from all the praise. Seems I have no choice. All right, I will do it. Res gave Orson an enormous smile and began to list off items on his mental to-do-list: You will have to: hire several attractive waitresses from both genders. Go around taverns and offer them more money. I trust that you will get some of your men that kind of look like officials and put them into shiny uniforms. Male patrons with a female escort will have the chance to win one of four booster nuts. Orson looked at the dirty four nuts in Ress hand. Believe me, they are more expensive than you can imagine. If you touch the nut that is inside, you will stay stiff. Apart from that, you will need to buy the pots and all accessories I have detailed on the list. Most important: Lots of booze. Dont go cheap on it and buy things that are trendy today. Give the drinks extravagant names like Cobras fang and try some new variations. Last but not least, you will hire four bartenders, two down here and two up there and lots and lots of carpenters. We will need a bar, walls for the pools, and new beds. Tell Arthur he needs to sell anti-hangover potions, too. Feel free to delegate any tasks to other people. Always keep in mind: we will have to open by tomorrow evening. We are now in direct competition with the prostitution district and Akila wont like that. We need to establish ourselves before we get snuffed out. This establishment has the potential to blow up big. We could combine the allure of the prostitute bars with the prestige of restaurants. Orson stared at him, dumbstruck. Then he broke out into laughter. Res, you are a handful. You know that all this will cost us. Like A lot. To open the restaurant, we will need all your money. I am counting on it. When we open our doors tomorrow at the eighteenth bell, we will make it or break it. They settled some minor issues, like entrance fees and the name of the restaurant. The fresh bread in the oven, the melted cheese, and the fine vegetables, smelled delicious. Res knew that he had done right in choosing Arthur as his chef. With a special technique that gave him a quick burst of energy, Orson crushed a gold coin flat. Res carved the words VIP and il ristorante into it. As the southerner tongue was trendy, they had settled on the word for restaurant. When they had finished, an enormous basket stuffed with delicious goodness stood ready at the kitchen counter. Res looked at both the brothers with a solemn look in his eyes. We will turn this place into something big. I can feel it. In the next twenty-four hours, I expect that you will have to work hard and at some point, you will question the entire plan. I will be back for the opening of the restaurant. Meanwhile, I will do some heavy advertising and get you the musician. With a swing in his step, Res left the kitchen. 38. Psychologist aka. Mr Romantico aka. Res He pushed himself onto the roof of the restaurant and lifted several shingles. With great care, he placed the contract in the gap and jumped down again. He set the basket down in front of the pond and jumped headfirst into it. The fish didnt enjoy his company, but Res couldnt stink of sewage on his first date. Jason bugged him again about a verse, and this time its beauty surprised Res. When he told him that the poem wasnt half bad, Jason was ecstatic. With renewed vigor, Jason continued brooding about another rime with rose. He didnt bother trying to dry himself and grabbed the basket and jumped over the back wall. Res once again pulled off the manhole cover and whispered into the dim tunnel: Are you there? Yes, sir, elite guard. I have an important mission for you and lives are depending on it. I am yours, sir elite guard. Call me Sensei. Also, put the idea out of your head that you will get to be a disciple of mine. I cant make you stronger and being around me is dangerous. That is your task: find out whether a boy called Brent, leader of the young revolution is still alive. If you find him, tell him to come here until the eighteenth bell tomorrow. If he asks you for proof, tell him that the last time we met, I had to dissuade him from rescuing his girlfriend. Yes, Sir. I will do that. Also, buy yourself something to eat, you need to put on some muscle if you want to get strong. Without waiting for an answer, he pushed himself up to the roof of a nearby building. The weight of the basket made him careen back down, but Jason saved him from the disgraceful fall. Aided by the dusk, he kept his flight path close to the roofs and stopped before crossing lively areas. All his caution was for naught as he arrived at Xenias mansion without further incidents. To his surprise, he could make out only half of the usual guards were on patrol compared to when he first visited. Bro, they have only tried to make your visit as easy as possible. Go on, man. Yet, Ress suspicion only increased as circled around the property. During his scouting, the light of a streetlamp reflected off something in a large bush. The glint piqued his interest and Res dropped down to street level. Mixed in with the crowd, he walked by the bush. Even from the street, Res could hear the muttering of distinct female voices. A grin stretched across his face: Seemed like they hadnt learned that whispering could be louder than speaking sometimes. He once again went into a side alley, picked up several stones, and pushed himself onto the nearby roof. With a short approximation of the distance, he threw and hit the bush in the middle. A surprised squeal could be heard from the bush and the concerned muttering of a guard. Bro, that was a straight-up Kobe. You have some talent in baseball. Ress next throw didnt land right in the middle but still hit metal, which made a small clang. With a shit-eating grin on his face, he dropped to the ground and scooped up as many stones as he could get his hands on. Back on the roof, he fired off a barrage of small stones into the bush. Cursing, two guards, Serafina and Xenia, appeared out of a small hole in the bush and scanned the street. Res whistled and raised his hands. When they saw him, Xenias and Serafinas eyes widened in outrage and they cursed at him. He pushed himself over the fence and realized mid-flight that he couldnt do his usual hardening of the skin. Jason sighed and made him float down. The guards looked at him with suspicion and not hostility so Res supposed that it wasnt a trap. What he didnt expect was the violent slap from Xenia. In such an exasperated tone that it hurt Ress ears, she said: I had to wait in this bush for over five hours. Something didnt add up here. You didnt need to. Well, I cant let a stranger break into my room twice. What would have happened if I had gone into the room? Serafina looked downtrodden: We set several traps that would coat you in tar and feathers. It took years to build that and now we will have to destroy all our work. When she realized that it sounded petty, she added. We have even prepared a special bath to get rid of the tar. Feeling that it was perfect timing for a smooth transition, Res swooped in. Dont fear, I, your savior, have come to sweeten your day. My initial plan has gone up in shambles because of the alchemist tournament. But I have something even better planned. Serafinas eyes radiated curiosity as she asked. What was your placement? We made a bet. I was disqualified. Everyone stared at him with such shock, even the guards, that their eyes were close to popping out. Res felt uncomfortable under their intense scrutiny: Ahhh, this is awkward. Can we go? Xenia grabbed his hand and looked him straight in the eyes to spot any deceit. You are actually the madman everyone is talking about with those crazy potency nuts? The army has blocked any information leaking out about your participation. Everyone who watched had to sign a royal contract of silence about the tournament for a week! The only tidbit of information we could find was that a competitor invented a potency nut. Res scratched at some stubble that was coming in. Ahhhh, yeah that was me. One guard stepped forward. Pardon my intrusion, but is it true that the prince has been under the effects of the nuts for over six hours? Yes, if our customer wishes it to be so, we can even extend the times to weeks, though I doubt that it would be very practical. Lets talk this over a nice meal, shall we? Jason had urged him on to finally come closer to Serafinas blade and now he was telling him to stop. Jason, you act like it is your first date, pull your stuff together. You can do this. Right bro, I can do this. Loud inhaling and exhaling could be heard in his mind. Xenia stepped forward and waved around with her lollipop. Which address should I give my carriage rider? Actually, I would like for you to call for a normal carriage. Serafina looked outraged at the motion, while Xenia looked intrigued. Xenia poked his chest. Good start. By the way, have you lost muscle? Five minutes later, they were sitting in a normal carriage and headed to the palace grounds. Luckily, the princess and Serafina had dressed in inconspicuous clothing. Their plain dresses only stressed the work they had put into their makeup. Serafina had undergone the most drastic change and Res caught himself staring at her cute lips. Yet, she hadnt lost the fierceness and attentiveness that he admired. When he complimented them, Xenia shot Serafina a triumphant look and Serafina blushed. When the elite guards at the gates saw the princess in the carriage, they waved them through to Ress great relief. Before they were halfway to the palace, Res told the carriage driver to stop, and they stepped out of the coach. On alert, Serafina eyed the surrounding servant houses. What are we supposed to do here? Res motioned for them to follow and went into one apartment. It was high noon for the servants, so everyone was busy in the actual palace. Over his shoulder, Res called out. How do you think the servants stay unseen? They have tunnels everywhere. With that, he turned to a door that opened up into a tunnel. Serafina looked even more uncomfortable while Xenia only smacked her lips in amusement. As one of the fiercest enemies of the royal family, you would go into the lions den? After several minutes of quiet walking, they emerged behind the enormous palace. The palace stood over ten stories tall and was topped off by an even higher clock tower. Res held up his arms in the position of a princess carry. I need you two to hop on. Serafina rumpled her delicate nose at him. You are a pervert after all. You only want to touch us. Xenia approached him and picked at his hardened flesh. She realized that his arms were as unbendable as steel and looked at him in wonder: How do you do that? I understand that you have a ring of feather falling that allows you to glide, but I have never heard of a ring of steel. Res grinned at her and gave her a wink. Find out. With a sigh, Xenia made herself comfortable in Ress hand and motioned to Serafina. This is an order. Come here. With great difficulty, he balanced the extra weight. After a quick check of his surroundings, he flung himself upwards, to the great dismay of the two girls. Both of them were clutching at him while screaming their lungs out. Res grinned at Xenias frightened face. That wasnt a bad one. They were now twenty meters in the air and on top of the palaces roof. Yet, that wasnt his final goal. He pushed himself towards the palaces bell tower and released an even greater burst of aether. The screaming was even greater this time and the wind-blasted against Ress face like a long enemy. Like an arrow, they streaked along the walls of the tower, higher and higher. When they had reached the top, Res stretched out one of his feet. In an instant, he hardened them again and pulled himself and the screaming two girls into the top of the tower. When he touched solid ground again, Serafina rolled off his arms and onto the ground. She continued to pant like she had run hundreds of miles. Xenia staggered around and slapped him. This time, he was prepared for it and staggered back in mock-pain. When he bumped into the wall, he realized that he had overdone it a little with the reaction to the slap.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He looked up at the confused Xenia with his best puppy eyes. This is getting somewhat of a habit. Xenias surprised expression hardened when she saw that Res was completely fine. You could have warned us. I thought you would do some stupid romantic boy stuff And I lost my lollipop. Res grinned his best charming smile. If I had told you, you wouldnt have hopped on And I didnt say there wouldnt be romantic boy stuff. Xenia pouted and took a seat at the enormous bench on top of the tower. When Res took a seat next to her, he got another halfhearted slap from Serafina and she asked. Is this why you brought us up here? Yes, I only managed to sneak up here four times. Despite that, each occasion is vivid in my memories. Look at Trianon in all its ugly glory. Res watched as Serafina took in the entire view of the city. Its chaotic mishmash of architecture, statues, and people was a sight to behold. Serafina noticed his stare and both their eyes met. Res finally witnesses Serafina for the first time without her guard up and what he saw was beautiful. An innocent, yet headstrong girl trying to fend for herself in a world that is against her. He tried to reflect the genuine admiration he felt for that in his eyes. The princess cleared her throat, and Res realized that he had been staring at Serafina. He tried to act as if that hadnt happened, but only made more of a fool of himself. The only reassuring thing was that Serafina had joined him in his blushing and stuttering around. Confused, he focused his attention inwards. Jason? Are you doing anything to my body? From somewhere far away, he realized that Jason was reciting his love poem. His interruption had thrown Jason off the track. He sent Sorry and Good luck through their connection and ruled out unnatural causes. He tried to laugh off the uncomfortable silence and fussed around with his basket. I have brought something special with me today. Have you already eaten?He received nods from the two girls. This basket is from one of the best cooks in Trianon. Xenia asked surprised: You know the chefs? I could never meet them. I only talk with the manager. I bought his restaurant and it will open in a style that has never seen before tomorrow. Xenia seemed interested. We will come to the reopening then, right Serafina? Serafina only gave a vague nod, her head still beet red. When Res gave her a glass of wine, she didnt even look at him and Res wondered whether he had overstepped. He felt for the connection with Jason and sighed when he could only feel him far away in the sword. Jason always knew what to do in such situations. Arthur had delivered on the candlelight dinner. A bottle of fine red wine, fresh bread with melted cheese, and fresh fruit in a neat package. He even packed some candles, which Res ignited with a flintstone that was in the basket. Orsons brother was capable indeed. Res turned to Xenia. You told me you hate boring candlelight dinners while Serafina likes them. So, I thought we should do a compromise. What do you think? Xenia had calmed down from the adrenaline rush and was now hugging his arm. This is awesome. I will tell my brothers; they will be envious. Serafina mumbled something that sounded like an objection and he tried to get her back into the conversation. What did you say Serafina? Her blushing got even worse, and she was now completely facing away from him. Xenia hugged his arm tighter and waved it away. She is always like that. You need to give her some time to adjust. After eating a piece of bread topped with cheese, he asked: You said that you have brothers. How are they? Xenias throaty laugh mortified Res. They are all sooo different. I am the youngest, so they are kind of protective over me. My youngest brother, Akeem, is always going around whoring and in bar fights but is nice. The one in the middle, Rhun, is a big clown. He likes to play pranks on everyone but is loved by the people for his good looks. My eldest brother, Lune, is the most responsible of them all. The only problem is that he is too responsible, always stony-faced. Xenia munched away at a carrot while talking. Res was drawn into her story about daily life in the court of Osma and her family. Hearing about another culture was refreshing, and Xenia blossomed under Ress interest. After a short while, they were joking about trivial things like what they liked to do in their spare time and gossip. Even Serafina warmed up again. The wine especially seemed to work wonders. Amid this free discourse, Res asked: So, why are you in Trianon then? When the stupid words had left his mouth, he immediately wanted to pluck them out of the air. Serafina had fallen still and Xenia was hunched over, holding her head in her hands. He tried to apologize, do anything to get back to how things were, but nothing helped. Finally, he dropped back into his seat and sighed. Xenia grabbed his left arm and clung to it as if her life depended on it. She buried her face into his shoulder and Res could feel the wetness at his shoulder from her tears. Res only sat there stock-still, not daring to move an inch, as not to disturb her. The last time he had cried out of grief was over ten years ago and back then his hunting dog had died. An old female servant had sat next to him while stroking his hair and he had felt safe and had stopped crying. Cursing the fact that Jason wasnt there to give him advice, he ran over her flowing blonde hair. Res wondered if it had always smelled like fresh apple and winter pine. Xenias sobbing voice interrupted his musings. I was going about my business as usual in the palace. My servants informed me that there will be an audience with the head of the royal family of Trianon today. It was nothing unusual, so I didnt think much of it. I got dressed, as usual, arrived with Serafina at practice as usual, and learned as usual. When the royal family arrived, they had brought the prince with him. The beginning of the meeting was as usual and the leader of the family, the kings brother, was kind. I had paid no heed to the prince or his entourage of mistresses. When we were eating dinner, the kings brother asked whether I was still available for marriage. My father responded that I will marry the southerner prince, Giovanni. I had met Giovanni several times, and he is only five years old but very kind. Apart from that, the southerner culture respects woman. My father was as gracious as to ask me before promising me and I had agreed to the marriage. Yet, the prince whispered with the kings brother, who continued to ask rude questions. One of my brothers remarked that this behavior wasnt fit for a noble. From that point on, the princes brother comments went beyond insulting. He asked whether I was still a virgin. He even concocted rumors that I had lost my virginity with a beggar. Everyone realized they were trying to anger us, but my entire family was still in an uproar. My father said that we would pay them back by costing them millions of platinum coins. He had a manuscript of the entire conversation which he wanted to use to create a trade alliance. I went to bed, thinking everything would be all right. When I woke up, the entire house was in an uproar once again. My youngest brother had slunk away in the night to restore my honor. After he got caught, he was subdued by the princes guards, but put up a good fight that injured some guards. At that, Xenia sobbed again and buried her face even deeper in his now wet linen shirt. Res had no doubt that they must have been elite palace guards and made a note Dont fuck with Xenias brothers in his mind. After that, the king revisited, and this time demanded my hand. It would be a dishonor to my family to give the prince my hand after he dishonored me. My father negotiated for my brother to be exiled in the military for five years. I would be exiled for thirty years in Trianon. THIRTY YEARS! She pounded his chest with her cute fists in anger and Res let her. After she had let out her frustration, she settled down again on Ress shoulder. In thirty years, I will be an old hag and no prince or king will want me. No one. They will imprison me in this shithole of a city for thirty years. My prime will race by and all my friends back home will marry, but I will be left like scraps to be salvaged. My tits will sag, my skin will be wrinkled and I will have to walk with a walking stick. No one would want me. Res knew it was his turn to say something encouraging, to give hope, to Res scrapped all the calculations and consequences and spoke his mind. That sounds bad. It might be bad or it might not. The only thing I can tell you is, I know this sounds clich, but your outer appearance shouldnt define you. The deathly silence in the room made Res suspect that he had said something foolish. He needed an enchantment with which he could sink into the ground. He nearly missed the slight whisper from Xenia: Res, you are the first one I have met in this city who is sincere and nice. Thank you. Then, they stared out of the window and at the beautiful full moon above Trianon. It was sobering knowing how small you were, and Res reveled in the sensation. Serafina broke the silence. She turned towards Res and looked at the ground. I dont hate you. Res grinned and met her searching gaze. I dont hate you too. In fact, I like both of you. Now that it was out, Res had to actually admit that it was true. He had thought the residue of Jasons manipulation drove him to like the two girls, but now he knew that he did. Serafina reddened a little and pouted, but Res could still see the small smile on her lips. He remembered that Jason had told him to talk about topics the other person enjoyed. Since Xenia seemed content to rest on his shoulder, he asked. So Serafina, do you have any secret tricks or training techniques that I could use? He had to hold back his grimace at the word training. Serafina began in the same amicable tone. I dont how you would train as a martial artist, but pushups with stones on your back or fighting predators in the arena strengthens hardening body with boiling water Serafina trailed off and put her hands in her lap. Res cleared his throat and tried to lighten the mood again. Hard training, I see. Then I will need your protection from now on. She flinched at that and Res mentally hit himself for doing whatever he had done wrong. Serafina hunched over her shoulders and rested her chin on her sword. Her voice sounded so dull that Res flinched from the complete lack of emotion. Funny that you would say that. Protecting Protecting My brother said those words to me. She realized that she was giving away something precious to a stranger and laughed. Sorry about that, I didnt know what I was thinking. Maybe Res knew that speaking now could only be misunderstood, so he watched Serafina as she toyed around with a ribbon on her dress. When she finally turned to look at him, he tried to project out nothing but acceptance and whispered. Its ok It was like a damn broke all her tension left her body and she collapsed in on herself even further. By now, Res felt like a psychiatrist. He had to suppress a grin when he thought of a sarcastic comment that Jason would interject right about now. Xenia stirred in his lap, grabbed Serafinas hand, and pulled her towards Res. Here, try this out. It feels good. Serafina didnt protest and rested her head on his other shoulder without clinging to him like Xenia. After a while of watching the moon and Trianons flickering lights, Serafina sighed. This is good. A mischievous glint appeared in Xenias eyes. Sharing is caring. It felt like he had stepped into a bear trap without realizing it. A bear trap full of trouble. When he saw the contented two girls, he relaxed while hearing the word trouble for the first time in his life. Those two were worth it. When an hour had passed and both Xenia and Serafina made no move to speak or move, Res murmured. Are you asleep? He only received a vague grumbling from both girls. You know that we cant sleep here. Xenia grumbled again, this time in a clear discontented tone. Res shut up and added. Yeah, why not? Lets sleep together. Res chastised himself for making a fuss about relaxing and tried to reenter his trance. Serafina coughed and blushed in various shades of red. Xenia snuggled closer to Res and put her arms possessively around him. Serafina tugged at Xenia and said. Princess, we have been taking enough of Ress time. If the problem were that simple, Res reasoned that he could resolve the situation. I dont mind sleeping with you both. Serafinas expression turned stony at that and Xenia wet her lips for some reason. Now more determined, Serafina pulled the princess off him and stated in a stiff tone. Res, we will leave now. The change in attitude was jarring, but Res played it off as one of her quirks. He extended his arms. Announcement to all passengers: please hop onto Ress arms. This time, Xenia climbed onto his hardened arms with something akin to eagerness. She tried to pinch his body but failed and looked up at him with her clear blue eyes. If you can harden all your body parts, this will become very handy. Res tried to hide his confusion and hoped that she wouldnt try to hire him as a bodyguard. Of course, I can harden each inch of my body. As if to interrupt the princesss attempt at recruiting him as a bodyguard, Serafina jumped into his arms and added in an icy tone: Lets go. He raised his brows and asked: Would it be okay if we have a short visit to a friend of mine? Both the girls exchanged looks. Why not? Who would that be? Res pushed himself a meter off the ground. You will like him. 39. Destructive Self-Questioning He pushed himself off the edge of the bell tower. Luckily, the girls didnt scream as they fell towards the ground. He found contact with the ground and pushed against it. Their free-fall slowed into a comfortable glide. Finally, they came to a halt near the residential wing of the palace. Res began to count the windows. Eight up, eighteen right, around the small tower and one up. Found it. From his arms came faint protest from Serafina, but Res ignored it for now. He had to hover around for a minute until he found the right angle to kick against the window. From inside, he could hear the stirring of bedsheets and he pounded harder on the window. Vincent walked up to the window and opened it while shielding his eyes from the moonlight. He recoiled at Ress towering shadow right in front of his window. Without asking, Res flew past and deposited the two grumbling girls in Vincents bed-chamber. Ahh, sorry Vin for disturbing you this late. Vincent had fallen on his back and was scrambling away from them on all fours. Princess of Osma? Res? You are dead Res offered his hand to Vincent. I am standing right here in the flesh and everything is still working fine. Besides, you forgot to mention the princesss beautiful bodyguard, Serafina. It dawned on Vincent that he wasnt hallucinating, and he grabbed Ress hand to pull himself up. Laughing, he punched Ress shoulder. Man, I was at your funeral and I wept in front of the entire royal court. It was embarrassing. It surprised Res how much being declared dead stung. How was it? Vin raised his eyebrows and looked at him with fresh eyes. It was boring. You have changed a lot. Have you come to enjoy talking? Res thought back to listening to Vincents endless monologues. I might have. If I want to completely relax, I will need to talk to people. Vincent clapped him on the back. That is the Res I know. Now tell me, why are you breaking into my room in the night? I wanted to give you something. Res pulled out the golden coin Orson had created, but Vincent didnt seem impressed. A flat golden coin? It will allow you to get special treatment and free drinks at my new establishment. It is a mixture of restaurant and tavern for young nobles. Are you kidding me? Why did you buy a restaurant? Why didnt you invest your money into the mines or trade? The restaurant is a passion project. It is called il ristorante on the fortieth Greenfield Avenue. I may have a perfect opportunity for you to grow your social circle. How many people can you think of on top of your head who are competitive in matters of poetry? I cant count them all. Exactly, that is where we come in. Our restaurant will have a poetry contest with the prize being a booster-nut Vincents eyes were close to popping out. You managed to get one? Res smirked. I have five of them and can get more. Each of the guys who has a girl accompanying them will get the chance to win a booster-nut. I can give you one nut flat and one nut if the poetry competition is full. How many teachers and poets do you know that are recognized as capable? And how many of them would be open to partake in judging young talents?Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. After hearing that he would receive nuts, Vincent was more energetic in his responses. Well, if you also factor in the teachers, about ten. You and Lee Barrett are fencing partners, right? Yeah It would be amazing if you could get him to play at the opening party, too. If he wants, I can pay him with gold or a nut. Vincents eyes clouded over in thought. Man, that is a lot to do, I will have to skip class. But I will do it for you. Perfect, I am counting on you. Do your best. Ahhh, yes, the princess will come to the poem reading, too. Some sort of qualification matches before tomorrows eighteenth bell might be necessary. Res turned to the pouting girls and hardened his arms once again in a princess carry. Hop on. With now practiced ease, they climbed on and Res pushed himself through the window. Contented, Res let the chilly air brush past his skin and reveled in the freedom of flight. The guards were only watching the outer perimeter, so he pushed past them without raising any alarms. He had thought there would be at least one elite palace guard, but for some reason, he only saw normal guards. Pushing the matter out of his mind, he zipped over empty streets until they arrived at Xenias property. From the air, Res spotted a young guard who was leaning on his spear and snoring. With some luck and fine aether control, he touched down only a meter behind the guard. Xenia giggled, and the guard whirled around with his spear at the ready. He lowered it when he saw the princess standing there laughing at him, blushed, and apologized. Other guards noticed their arrival, and the culprit was dragged away in a manner that suggested punishment. Res faced the two girls and made as if to speak. Before he could react, Xenia pulled him down to her eye level and kissed him on the cheek. He berated himself for stammering around like it was his first kiss, but realized that it was his first kiss. That only intensified his stammering, and he longed for his previous cool, calculating calm. Xenia poked Serafina in the ribs, who had looked away. When Serafina realized what Xenia was implying, her eyes widened in horror. He had to admit, the reaction hit him deeper than he would like to admit. With a faint smile, he turned away and said. Serafina, you have misunderstood. Have a good night. Having said his piece, he pushed off the grass and into the night. He didnt see the horror on her face change to sorrow and desperation. As he was zipped over countless buildings, his mind wandered. Doesnt she like me? Why should she? To be honest, I havent even been nice to her, why should she be nice to me? His thoughts raced faster and faster until he screamed out all his frustration into the night. When he realized what he had done, his hands began to shake. No, no. That is not me. Definitely not me. What to do when you dont know what to do? C Think. Res dropped down to the street level and impacted the paving with a loud crunch to let some of his frustration out. He sat down on the steps to a bakers shop and sank into the empty abyss of his empty mind. Now not so empty C The whirlpool was still there, but Res didnt care at the moment. His processing power was focused on replaying Serafinas every eye twitch, her every movement, and every expression. He cross-referenced her moods with other people. Res created a system that could categorize her emotions and let it run on all his memories. Right her raising her eyebrows when I told her I had a restaurant could be a potential lead to her past. It could also His thought processes increased in intensity and he felt his head heating up. Serafina felt Sorrow at that point. Why? What is sorrow? Sorrow is pain. Sorrow is loss. Sorrow is lack of purpose? What is her purpose? What is my purpose? Ress being began to whirl around in circles. Is purpose given? Or is purpose nothing? Res felt smaller and even more insignificant with every thought. I cant I cant do all this. Is my purpose to lead? No, I dont want to! His mind whirled and whirled around like a wagon wheel. He had never seen that part of his being. Am I that selfish? When he turned to look at all his actions, he felt despair welling up. I dont want to, but I should want to, because because. The whirlpool had a firm grasp on him now and was eating away at his thoughts. Why should I do anything? Why am I? From far, far away, he could hear a pounding on his mind, but Res dismissed it. He felt the entity still trying for several minutes, but it finally gave up. By now, Res was close to the edge and still drowning in self-loathing and questions. For an instant, he teetered on the edge of being sucked into the dark whirlpool. With a sigh of defeat, his consciousness was sucked down the whirlpool - His torture ended. 40. The smell of life After an indeterminate amount of time, he felt himself being sucked back into existence. His entire being was shrunk down into something tiny, minuscule. As he was floating, he realized that he was moving along some sort of pipe. He tried to move in the opposite direction, but he was carried along like deadwood. Panic rose in him and he screamed, flailed, punched. Yet, his body continued to float undisturbed. Yet, something primordial in him, shouted at him to escape, to run. With all the strength his immaterial body could muster, he screamed out for help. Res listed off gods from various cultures and even cried out for help from a unicorn. His mind tired when screaming out loud and he only sobbed as he felt something drawing near. What it was, he didnt know, and yet that was the most terrifying thing about it. He curled in on himself and whimpered. Please, please save me. Whoever is out there. Save me. Suddenly, he felt a disturbance in the monotonous tube. He could feel someone offering their hand and a way out. In the weird trance, he eyed the hand, but it remained a normal hand, so he grabbed it. When his soul touched the hand, an enormous indescribable presence engulfed him. It felt like he was standing in front of someone who was as large as the biggest mountains, yet also as small as a needle. The presence was made of so many facets, but also something whole. In the instant of clarity, while floating along, he asked in awe. Who are you? He was deafened by the rich, deep voice permeating his body. I am that I am Who are you? Somehow it felt to Res that the entity already knew everything, but he couldnt speak, couldnt move. His body was torn out of that tube and encompassed by the entity. With a lurch, he found himself back in his body. The pressure to say it out loud hadnt lessened, so he shouted out: I AM He trailed off as he found himself unable to continue the sentence. This inability to answer the simple question: Who are you? was What does that mean? I am not a noble and I am not a beggar. I am not an alchemist and I am not a restaurant manager. I am not a fighter or a diplomat. I am not a philosopher nor a scientist. I am As he had always done before, he sank down into the black abyss of his mind and began to circulate aether in his brain. The whirlpool was still there, but now a white glow surrounded it. When he touched the glow, feelings of immense understanding washed over him. Yet, the feelings didnt bar his way into the whirlpool. They were a reminder of what could be. Feelings of concern and fear washed over his entire being. When he felt for where they had come from, he felt a mental link in his body and asked out of habit. Jason? Bro, holy shit! I was shitting my pants and hoping that you hadnt gone mad. You know that possessing someone who is mad is shitty. Brother, it is good to have you back! What happened? I could have sworn that your soul was sucked out of your body. How did you rescue yourself? Something deep in Ress being stirred and he found some purpose again. Hmmm. Jason seemed flustered and Res slapped himself for jumping back into his old, uncaring behavior. Hey Jason, how did your date go? Jason blabbered about how beautiful and intelligent the girl, Layana, was. Res only listened to the torrent of words and gave his occasional comment. The only problem is that she is shy. If I say shy, I mean bat shit levels of shyness. When I first sang my poems, she ran away. Grinning, Res replied. Are you sure that it wasnt because your poems are bad? Shut up, sore loser. I bet your date was the same. With the only difference being that they wanted to get rid of you because you smell like sewers. Hey, that was a strike below the waist. At least, I got a kiss out of the date, unlike you. Jason bombarded him with questions, but Res held his silence. Their rambling was interrupted by someone poking him in the back. Res tore open his eyes, whirled around and came face to face with a terrified bakers apprentice holding a broom. Res cleared his throat and apologized for the inconvenience. Before the boy would report him to the authorities, Res walked into a random alley. The first light rays of dawn pierced his eyes and he felt glad to be alive. When he smelled his clothes and looked down at his torn shirt, it became clear why Serafina had rejected him. With an aether push, Res was on a rooftop and immediately dropped back down. His heart hammered and every fiber of his entire being was on alert. Flying only one hundred meters away, an elite guard squadron patrolled the block. Bro, what the fuck are they doing so deep in the city? Wait Ahhh the fight with the prince. Come on. Cant they assume that I am dead? They didnt find a body, bro. Act like nothing is out of the ordinary and you will be fine I hope. Following the few people who were up and going to work, he was led to the crafters district. The bustling of the district made him loosen up again. When he was about to turn to enter the alley that led to Grannys backyard, Jason hissed. Continue following the street. Rarely having been led wrong by Jason, he complied and continued. When they were one hundred meters away from Grannys shop, Jason explained. What the fuck. There were over fifteen elite guards stationed all around the building. I didnt see any. They wear special necklaces that radiate out strong specialized aether. I wasnt affected because you soaked everything up. Dude, go onto a roof now and I bet there are at least fifteen elite guards. Indeed, when Res climbed up onto a roof, he could see eight figures in the red uniform of the elite palace guard surrounding Grannys shop.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Jason? Yeah, bro? We are fucked. Yeah. Granny has to be alive, right? I think so? The thought of Granny getting hurt because of him was unbearable. Should we check? Bro, by your tone, you wont stop bugging me about it until we do. She must have friends, right? We should ask around. The owner of a leatherworking, told him that Grannys best friend was Silvia Heartfire. To his great horror, he found out that Silvia actually lived close to the palace district. With a sigh, he started his trip back the entire way. After a while, he pulled his shirt over his face in a makeshift mask and pushed himself through the alleys with aether. One time, he whizzed under an elite palace guard patrol. Res nearly shat himself when Jason pointed that out. At the eighth bell, Res finally arrived in front of Silvias majestic manner. They had already checked for any elite guards and had found none, so he knocked on the door. Clanging and shouting ensued, and the overweight girl who had saved his life opened the door. When she saw Res standing outside, she dragged him into the manner without another word. She stuck her head out of the door and looked at both ends of the street, then closed her door. The interior of the building was adorned with gold and expensive carpets hung on all walls. The smell of herbs immediately identified it as an alchemist lab. Emma rested both her hands on her hips and asked in clear displeasure. What do you want? The you had a certain uncomfortable connotation to it that Res couldnt quite place. In an instant, he circulated aether in his head and concluded that she was Silvias apprentice. By the way that she stressed you, he guessed that she already knew about him. I wanted to drop by to see Ms. Heartfire. Emma stared at him for several moments as if he would tell her any moment that he was joking. Sorry if I am mistaken but you look like the sort of individual who doesnt have the money for her services. I am Res. Our masters are bets friends and I want to ask your master something. She looked pretty annoyed at that. Master doesnt even have the time to judge my work, but I am sure that for you, the prodigy, she will make as much as needed. She had placed her hands on her hips and seemed to wait for a retort, but Res played dumb. Finally, she exhaled in defeat and gestured him to follow. You are special. Not in a good way. Hoping that he wouldnt stretch her hospitality, he asked. While you ask your master for a meeting, can I please take a bath and get some fresh clothes? The sheer disdain when she looked at him was palpable and mixed with envy. It was difficult, but he adopted his most innocent grin. Can it be that my booster-nut somehow wasnt able to satisfy you? Jason howling laughter echoed through his skull as Emma had to compose herself. I gave the nut to master to research. I will arrange for a bath, but not for mens clothes. Judging by the ragtag assortment you wear, everything would be an upgrade. Res chuckled and agreed. I would be grateful if you can get trousers instead of skirts. Emma led him into a room with a gigantic pool of steaming water. Racks of thousands of various cremes, shampoos and powders filled the room. Res gawked at the beauty equipment and the door slammed shut behind him. He heard the muffled voice of Emma: I will slide in the clothing when I found something suiting. You can take every soap you want. Res stared at the enormous rack and read labels out loud. Rose Blossom, Rose Full blossom, Rose bud, Honey Bro, you have to see this. Second highest rack: Strawberry Cake. Who the fuck in their right mind would like to smell like cake? Do women think when we men smell that we think of them as attractive? I would only get hungry. Res had to chuckle at that and they spend the next five minutes reading labels of absurd scents. Ress laughter about a crme that made you smell like Banana was interrupted by a basket being shoved into the room. At last, he selected a shampoo called: Flower Infinity and went into the enormous bath with a contented sigh. Bro, it is as I told you, right? If we have four of those pools in the restaurant, we will be rich in no time. This is heaven. When he stood up from his bath, he felt complete relaxation. In the basket were a pair of enormous loose pants and a shirt that he had mistaken for a bag at first. From somewhere, Emma had managed to get male undergarments and socks. Bro, wait. She got male undergarments, but only got those clothes? Somehow I doubt it. When Res had put the clothes on, he did some basic martial art moves he had stolen from Orson. They arent that bad. I look like a monk, but have full range of movement. With a swing in his step, he stepped out of the bath and stood face to face with Emma who burst out into laughter. Through the laughter, she stammered out: What shampoo did you use? Flower Infinity His answer only inflamed her laughter and Res waited for her to calm down. Why is it so funny? Her laughter died down to a chuckle. It is common sense that everything with the word Infinity on it will last forever. Sudden dread rose in his stomach, but he calmed down when Jason commented. Bro, chill out. Your women may even like the smell. Luckily, Res didnt have to respond as a loud knock resounded through the manner. With a groan, Emma turned and raced down the stairs. Res had a bizarre fascination with how fast she could move despite her weight. With nothing to do, he followed her. When he saw the face of the well-clad woman that entered the building, he gasped out loud. From undamaged parts of her face, Res deduced that she had been a beauty once. Now her face, neck, and body were battered and broken. Her half-translucent dress hung around her body in shambles. Her nose was bent at an odd angle and her entire face was bruised and cut and one of her eyes was swollen shut. When the curvy woman saw him, gave him a sad smile. It is this bad, huh? Emma gave Res an angry stare and motioned him to shut up. Res couldnt endure the pain he saw on the womans face and spurted out. I will get a healing potion, I will He made as if to leave, but the woman interrupted him. Do you think I cant afford a healing potion? When Res reassessed her, he noticed the glittering green emerald on her chest. Her skin was perfect and her proportions like that of a painting. C He was standing in front of one of the wealthiest prostitutes he had ever seen. Bro, she cant drink a healing potion. It would heal all wrong and it would ruin her job. Res could see how Emma struggled whether she should have Res or the woman leave. Finally, she finally cried out in frustration. Both of you, come follow me into the waiting room. Res followed her into a small room with tens of velvet chairs near the walls. She motioned them to sit down and pulled out a tablet with a piece of paper out of a drawer. From a pocket, she produced an expensive lead pencil and began to ask the prostitute questions. Did you already assess the damage with a physicist? Yes. What bruises? The most severe one is a Nasal bone fracture. Broken cheekbone and various other bruised bones. Did you do a LIDAR-Scan with a Master class artifact? Yes, the cheekbone is a clean break but the nasal bone has been shattered. Any other injuries? The woman threw Res a critical look that said: This shouldnt be for your ears. Vaginal tear and a broken right hip bone, clean break. Res stared at the woman in horror as she listed off injuries that one might get from a tavern brawl, but not Even Jason didnt comment and only sent shock and horror through their mental connection. Res couldnt hold himself back and asked: Did the patron got punished at least? The woman snorted in amusement. He was a duke, boy. Akila had the duke pay fifty gold coins and had me pay the visit at the doctor and alchemist. If I would have been killed, Akila would have smiled at the duke and asked for a platinum coin. I am a product with a price tag, not a person. Another knock resounded through the building and Emma pointed in the direction of the door. If you only annoy our customers, you can make yourself useful and open the door. The maid had a late shift yesterday and you can be a great substitute. Thinking about the consequences of the womans statement, Res left the room. When he opened the door, he stared into a face he knew well and instinctively exclaimed: Baldie! 41. Am I a pimp now? The two-and-a-half-meter tall giant muscle head standing in front of the door didnt have the same reaction. A flash of anger, confusion, and fear flashed over Baldie''s face. As fast as he could, Res stretched out his arm to defuse the tense situation. Luckily, Baldie grabbed his hand and crushed it. In time, he hardened his hand and pull Baldie into the building with the aid of an aether push. The pressure on his hand increased tenfold until Res had to channel half his aether. With an aether push, he pushed the door close, which luckily stopped the pressing. He put on his most amicable mask and clapped. It is so good to see you, Baldie. Why are you here? Baldies thick brows pulled together in anger. My name is Reinhard and I would like to know why you are here. Undisturbed, Res turned and walked up the steps to the waiting room. That is no matter. May I lead you to the waiting room?. For a moment, Res thought that Baldie would punch a hole in the wall out of frustration, but in the end, he followed Res. A single sweat drop was running down Ress head and his primordial emotions tried to break down his facade. When they reached the waiting room, his entire demeanor changed to that of a gentle bear. With open arms, he shouted. Jessica, is everything fine? I am so sorry that I wasnt there to protect you. I should have He sat down next to the woman to Emmas great displeasure and smoothed out her dress. Emma cleared her throat and Baldie shut up. Last question: Are you on any medication right now? I assume so, as you can still talk. Yes, I had some pain reliever pills. All right, that is all. I will try to talk to master now and see whether she would be available. The room went silent and Baldie positioned himself in front of the prostitute. Judging by her expression, she didnt like being protected and hissed at Baldie: Reinhard, do you know that boy? Yes, he is dangerous. Very dangerous. Res imitated being shot in the chest. Baldie, those words out of your mouth I feel betrayed. I even let you live last time. Baldie growled at him, but Jessica seemed more interested in Res. Did you tear his biceps? I had to. He was attacking me like a mad bull, tearing down houses and stalls alike. Jessica scrutinized Res closer. Do you know that there is a fifty-platinum bounty on your head? His entire macho facade crumpled, and he coughed. Jessica didnt seem finished. It is increasing daily. On the first day, it jumped from ten gold to one platinum. Dont understand my intentions wrong. I know that I couldnt kill you and that if I told anyone, you would kill me. I know that you killed the master of intelligence. That was news to Baldie, who sat down and toned his aggression down by a lot. The womans eyes bored into his and he realized that she wanted something. Res refrained from circulating aether in his brain and tried the direct approach. What do you want? He was startled when it actually worked. I want something to change. Our living conditions of most of the women are like living in a dark cellar and they treat us like animal stock. You have shown that you can change the rigid structure of the council and I beg of you to change us. We all would pay you, of course. Res was taken aback by the change in topic that he sat there silently for an indiscriminate amount of time. Bro, this is an amazing opportunity. You will get paid for the stuff you already wanted to do. Additionally, you can grow the young revolution even further. If that isnt the definition of a fucking great deal, I dont know. His initial impulse was to immediately deny the extra work. In the weird trance or dream, the entity had asked him who he was. He felt that denying her request would be equal to him running away from his responsibility. All right, I will do it. Under one condition, though. Baldie and Jessica alike stared at him with dread in their eyes. You will have to join the young revolution. Before that, they were hiring someone to do it. Now that contractor was asking them to do parts of the job themselves? We will join the young revolution, but we wont be under any jurisdiction from you after that. Res held out his hands and both Jessica and Baldie shook on it. I will need you to follow several important rules of the young revolution. First, you dont fight. You will infiltrate the organization and destroy its resources. You lay fires, destroy grain, steal money do everything to hinder them. Where do you live?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Bard Lane 45 I will send a boy to you who will have more information. For now, recruit more followers. Let the boy drop off the message to the small food stall across the street. If you have any trouble and have to blow your cover, you can go to il ristorante for shelter. But please Res was cut off by a deafening, ear-piercing cry from the direction that Emma had gone. Immediately, he jumped up and ran out of the room in the direction of the scream. Long ornate hallways passed in a blur as he pushed himself forward with aether. With his entire body hardened, he burst through the door into the room where the screams had come from. A part of him noted that he had demolished the door in the process. He cast about, but could only spot Emma and an elderly female alchemist, Silvia, in a normal alchemy lab. Feeling that he had overreacted, he looked down at his feet and murmured. Sorry for the intrusion, I thought you needed some help. I will go back to the waiting room. He half-turned to leave, but Silvia recovered from her shock and motioned him to stay. She shot an angry glare at Emma: You said that there was a guest waiting, not my best friends apprentice, Res. She turned to him and smiled. I am sorry. My lazy and dumb apprentice didnt say that it was you outside, else I would have let you in immediately. Outside the splintered door, Baldie and Jessica were staring at the mess. Silvia gave the prostitute a short once over and told her to wait some more. Instead, she scrutinized him. How did you do it? A brief glance at the labs workplace revealed a cracked open farmers nut. You mean the booster-nut? What else would I mean? Stupid. Are you sure everything is ok? You are shivering. Very much so. Through clenched teeth, she hissed out. I touched the nut, and I was too distracted to create a simple aether skin. Everything clicked into place and Res whirled around to face the wall and stammered out. So Seems the nut is working I I cant say how the nut was made. Figured. How about twenty platinum coins. Res was about to whirl around and shake on it when Jason shouted. Bro, stop! The idea you have is worth so much, you cant imagine it. If you have the recipe, you can ship the merchandise all around the world. It will be needed everywhere. Even old farts in the north have problems with their ding dongs. I wouldnt sell the recipe for any amount of money. This is an amazing opportunity to exchange nuts for cultivation potions. When Res thought about it some more, he realized what an impact such an invention would have on a population. The recipe isnt up for sale. Silvia hissed out through clenched teeth. Clever boy. I can sell you more nuts. The only thing is C They are in such high demand right now that it would only be profitable for me if we exchange for cultivation potions. I will give you three nuts for potions that will prevent me from exploding. I want to go from four aether brain to the completion of my foundation. The room was deadly silent for several moments and he feared that he had asked too much. Finally, Silvia spoke up: You want me to believe that you want to finish your foundation now? I know low master alchemists who didnt achieve that level of aether cultivation. I want potions that protect my aether channels. I want them to be made of diamond. Through their mental link, Jason sent him feelings of gratitude. That will cost you more than three nuts. Six at least. Five and we have a deal. Deal. I have something in stock for you. Follow me. Res turned around and saw the old alchemist walk deeper into the lab on jittering legs. Her workspace looked identical to that of Granny. The back on the other hand was stuffed full with rack upon rack of herbs, liquids, powders, and potions. When they were at the back of the windowless warehouse, she pulled a hidden latch which made a rack swing to the side. It revealed a small gap, which they pressed themselves through. The gap led into a small room that had a trapdoor embedded in the ground. A small black ring, presumably an artifact, secured the latch. The artifact glowed and Silvia pushed specialized aether it until it snapped open. Bro, that is some high-level security shit going on here. Silvia opened the trapdoor and climbed down deeper into the building. Res followed and found himself in a room with a single rack that contained only four potions. Jason cried out in glee. Shit bro, that is a fucking anti-aging potion, that is a berserk potion that lasts at least fifty days. That one I dont know, but that green-orange swirling one is an iron body potion. Granny grabbed the iron body potion vial from the rack and gave it to Res. This is an iron body potion. It turns you into a dense form of iron which makes you indestructible and unmovable. It is a powerful potion often used to escape ambushes or fights that you cant win. You could wait out until help arrives. It has never been tested, but it might also make your aether channels indestructible. It would be foolish to do so as it wouldnt be worth it, but your aether channel technique might change that. Following his intuition, he turned inward. Jason? Ok, ok bro. I used a special technique that monks used to commit mass suicide. Hundreds of monks would explode so they can execute a big spell. I have formed a suicide circle of sorts between us two. You dont have to worry now, but it all worked out, didnt it? Does your technique work with the potion. It should. Back in my days, I could open and close my aether channels when I used one. That is the core of the technique. Of course, it is about nine-hundred times more complicated than that. Res turned to Silvia and gave her an enormous smile. This is perfect. I cant wait to try this out. Can I sit down here? Silvia looked at him as if he were the dumbest person on the planet. You trust me to not lock you in? He realized that he couldnt do a one eighty degree turn now, so he smiled and said that he trusted her. Not wanting to waste any more time, he sat down on the floor and chugged the potion down in one go. 42. Big Brain Time To his surprise, he didnt feel the potion splashing down his throat. Bro, you dork. You are already iron cast. Start cultivating already. You know the drill, right? No biggie. If you finish with the twelfth brain, you pull them all together to create one giant brain again. After that, you begin with the other organs in your body. I would propose to improve the eyes. You dont need knowledge for body parts that arent your core. Pump them full with aether. With the freedom of not being able to hurt yourself, Res felt around himself in glee. The fact that he held nothing back allowed him to reach even more aether. Further and further, he reached out until he could feel some sort of resistance. All around him, a rectangular space was blocking him from reaching further. He got angry at the resistance and pushed against it. In his mind, he imagined the resistance to be butter, air, nonexistent. With a lot of effort, he had gained an inch on the resistance. Then, he pulled. Amounts of aether he had never felt before, crashed down on his small form and pressed him down. They seemed to taunt him with his powerlessness as he tried to form an extra brain. Some part of his consciousness asked: Why is there so much power? He realized that most of the power was coming from the pesky barrier. Armed with this knowledge, he only pulled from his surroundings until he had completed three of the nine brains. The power cost rose exponentially, and the air would not cut it anymore. With a groan, he began to once again burrow into the surrounding barrier. When he had dug about five centimeters into the wall, he pulled. Res was close to blacking out from the aether that reacted to that pull. With animalistic desperation, he redirected aether and created extra brains. *SNAP* *SNAP* *SNAP* . Three brains sprung into being and he had to absorb twenty centimeters of the barrier for the next ones. *SNAP* *SNAP* Only one to go, but this time, he had to dig over a meter into the barrier. *SNAP* Some deep part of him was urging him on and telling him he had no time left. Even when he dug four meters into the barrier, the energy he received was miniscule. When he had reached nine meters, he could finally move the twelve brains by an inch. His inner clock was telling him he didnt have much time left. So he drilled as far as he could go with no regard to how wide his influence spread. For an eternity, he explored the barrier until he felt his control reach a limit. Then he pulled. This time, it wasnt like being crashed by a wave, instead his entire world turned into aether. He blacked out for a second, but regained a tiny shred of consciousness to create a crude funnel into his brain. It was all he could do to hold that funnel intact. Sharp pain shot out from his spine into every part of his body. If he could, he would have screamed, but he couldnt move a muscle. The ultimate form of torture C Helplessness. It felt like his memories, his emotions and his being were ripped apart. Why should I hold that funnel anymore? Yet, a question bounced around his muddled mind that made him hold on. Who are you? That powerful, all-encompassing being had asked him: Who are you? He didnt know right now who he was, but he was something. Something. That sounds stupid, a snide part of commented. Despite the pain, he held on to the fact that he was onto something. Res compressed the enormous wave of aether to levels he had never thought possible. The iron body potion stopped him from exploding while the aether flow pressed harder. Suddenly, the flow of aether stopped, and he found himself back in his body and panting on the ground. When he felt his hands touching the dirt-packed floor, he laughed. I am fucking alive! The voice of Jason chimed in: We are fucking alive! When he had said his peace, he collapsed on the floor, still panting. Bro, you wont believe what I am about to tell you.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. What is it? Did I lose a leg? Worse than that. You have no brain anymore. Res chuckled. Nice one. I can still think, dummy dumb. I am not kidding. Your brain has been replaced by rock solid aether. You are one hundred percent sure? As sure as I can be. Why did you pull so much in, anyway? Then you funneled it into your brain like someone with suicidal thoughts. Ohh, I can see nothing wrong with getting a fuckton of explosive aether into my brain. You are a lucky bastard, you know that? Res had played along with the joke, but Jasons tone was serious. You arent joking, arent you? My brain consisted out of aether before. Yes and No. You see we are made of tiny building blocks called atoms. For various reasons that will be difficult to explain, they have lots and lots of room between them. If we cultivate, we fill up that space with aether, but your brain, your entire IS aether. There is no physical brain anymore. There was a long silence while Res considered his situation. I can think all right, not that I would notice if I didnt. I suppose it doesnt make any difference. I feel normal at least. Do you know by any chance how to continue cultivating from now on? No one has ever been dumb enough to funnel fucking aether into the brain! Do your enchantments still work? Bro, those werent damaged. The only thing that worries me is the question: ''What would happen if you use aether?''. Do you explode now? Does everything work fine? I have no fucking idea! Res opened his eyes and was greeted by a wide expanse of nothingness on all sides. When he looked up, he saw the ladder hanging around fifteen meters above him. An endless expanse of dirt surrounded him. Bro, you actually carved that much out. I only thought you could do about three meters. Res whistled. I should switch my profession to a construction worker. With an aether push, he was at the trapdoor and pushed against it C Locked. Before, he would have panicked, but now he could dig his way out of the bunker. With an aether reinforced fist, he hammered against the trapdoor. After five minutes of pounding, the trapdoor opened and Res shot through. He came face to face with Silvia, who was only covering herself up with a bedsheet and an unknown man in the same attire. It only took him a moment to add two and two together. You enjoyed the pill, didnt you? The elderly man was the one to blush while Silvia only continued her questioning. What did you do? I had to lock you in because if you had exploded, you could have done serious damage to my stock. This is a trustworthy alchemist, by the way. Res thought about how he could tell the truth without giving away anything. I wanted to use a complicated technique, but it backfired. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself down in that pit. On a different note, do you have any identity concealing potions? Silvia seemed like she wanted to ask him more questions, was distracted by the old alchemist. Res had to hold himself back from vomiting. Yes, in the bottom drawer of my desk. Finally, she waved Res away. I would like for you to stay in the waiting room. I will be back soon.. Giggling, she tugged at the mans arm and both of them vanished into an adjacent room. Bro, Ugh. That was fucking disgusting. With an unpleasant taste in his mouth, Res went back through the herb warehouse and once again into Silvias office. He found countless tiny vials in the bottom drawer of her working table. He grabbed as much of the clinking vials as he could stuff in his pockets. Hundreds upon hundreds of farmer nuts lay scattered all over her desk. After a brief look to check whether anybody was around, stuffed a linen sack full with the nuts. After five minutes, he had produced the five nuts he needed to pay Silvia and deposited them on her desk. After some thought, he added the note: I hope they will satisfy you. Bro, that joke never gets old. Only then did he bother to look out the window and notice that the sun was already hanging low in the sky. When he looked back at the nuts he had left for Silvia, he realized that filling a nut a quarter full meant that it held for longer than ten hours. With a shrug, he made a mental note to lower the doses on his next batch and left the room. Outside, he collided with Emma who was spurting out. Master, I have finished the fertility potion and She trailed off when she saw that it was him. Emma, what time is it? What did you do with my master? She is having fun wrestling with an old alchemist. Naked. Emma covered her ears and began to sing a lullaby. What time is it? She barely paused her insistent singing. Eighteenth Bell Bro, we are too late for our date! We cant leave bad first impressions. Fly there as fast as you fucking can! What about the elite palace guards? Coming late to a date hurts as much as exploding. He grinned at Jamess priorities, ran to a window, and jumped out of it. If he was going to die, he would go out with style. 43. Jumping to alcoholism and conclusions Luckily, he didnt explode and aether seemed to come much easier to him than before. As he zipped through the evening streets of Trianon, he realized that he hadnt actually asked how Granny was doing. That had to wait. His stiff body crashed into the cobblestones of a side alley and he quickly got up and ran as fast as he could. If he pushed himself over the rooftops, he would be found out within seconds. So tried to fuel every step with a push of aether. Because he wasnt able to fly anymore, he got lost many times but was still able to get to the back alley of the restaurant at last. He sighed out in relief when he heard the pompous voice of some noble presenting his poem. At least Vincent got one noble to join the poetry competition., Res muttered. With a hardened fist, he banged against the grate and a small voice answered. Yes, Sir Elite palace guard. Look, I told you he would come. When Res pushed the grate aside, the face of Brent emerged from the shaft. A gigantic smile spread across Brents face when he saw him. Sensei! As fast as he could, he clambered up the ladder and hugged Res. Sensei, I have missed you so much. Where were you? We have been attacked by the elite palace guard! Memories of decapitated bodies resurfaced in his mind as he stroked Brents dirty hair. I wish I was there to help. No excuses. There were none. It is what it is. They killed lots of our members, though. Morale is running very low. How many are left? About one thousand. Ress jaw dropped and Brent laughed. We have a new system. We cant feed as many, so we have outer members who have to prove themselves. Inner members who get food but also more dangerous jobs. The system felt eerily similar to that of a gang, but Res kept his mouth shut. I have expanded the young revolution to the prostitutes. You will establish contact with them at Bard Lane 45. Exchange messages through the food vendor who has a stall at that address. Get someone to write down all the important information you have gathered and make plans for more communication channels. Do you still have enough potions for raids? Yes, sensei. We already managed to burn down a warehouse and nine carts full of supplies. Excellent job. Make sure you dont burn down the entire city. I need to leave now and I hope that I can send you more money soon. To the great amazement of the two boys, he downed a potion and turned to them. Do I look different? Their scared faces told him that the potion was working as intended and he laughed. With a wave to Brent, he pushed himself into the direction of the restaurant and onto its wall. To his surprise, Orson had actually built and place the four enormous cook pots in the garden. A wooden facade around each pot and basic walls provided privacy and enhanced the appearance. Bro, how the fuck did they actually do it? Is Orsons second name actually Bob the Builder? When his gaze roamed the entire perimeter, his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. The entire building was stuffed to the brim with people. Hundreds of fine young nobles were standing around a podium in the middle of the bottom floor. A table next to the podium was populated with the most prestigious poets and poet teachers of the court. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw young members of the royal family as judges. When he realized that he was in plain sight of everyone present, he dropped down. Bro, that Vincent guy sure knows how to get a crowd. Those must have been at least three hundred nobles. The freaking second floor was even stuffed full. A quick look at the bouncers had sufficed for him to realize that he would not enter without a ticket. With a sigh, he made his way around the block to enter from the other side. When he entered the side street that led to the entrance, an enormous queue of nobles, servants, and rich individuals greeted him. Some of them were shouting at the bouncers at the door to finally let them in. All in all - The atmosphere was tense. Walking past everyone waiting in line wouldnt play out nicely, he could see that already. As inconspicuously as he could, he passed the first noble waiting in line. His actions provoked an enraged shout, but he only sped up. He tried to ignore the angry shouts and general ruckus as he passed one noble after another. One noble further down the line had noticed the ruckus and stepped in his path. You dont get to play like that. Furiously, he tried to think of an explanation and settled on the most likely one. I coming to help the owner out. The noble leaned forward and hissed. You ugly faced bastard. Stop playing around. You are the dirt on my boots and I am slowly questioning the ability of the guards to get rid of filth in this area. Realizing that he couldnt get any further, he screamed at the guards. I know your boss. I have trained with him and he would be spitting mad if I were to be turned away. The guards stared at him blankly and called out: You arent the first one to try that! The fact that he wasnt able to get into his own property bugged him. Tell him I am from the warehouse. It seemed like the guards knew Orsons training center and they exchanged looks. One of them vanished into the door and came out with Orson in tow. Nobles around him shouted about buying a ticket for four gold and Res took the chance to pull up his shirt which revealed the scar on his stomach. Finally, it clicked in Orsons mind and he motioned for all the nobles to stop. This is Orson raised an eyebrow and looked at Res who finished the sentence. an employee. Yes, yes. He is an employee. To my deepest dismay to you lords and ladies, we are already stacked full and I cant sell any more tickets. After entering, Orson guided him to a side door that led into the kitchen. Tens of cooks were prepping small strips of fresh fish and pastries. In the middle of this chaos was Arthur artfully instructing his employees like a true head chef. Orson poked at his nose and asked. Soo, why did you get a masking potion with that face. You can feel it? Everyone above C+ with some instructions can feel masks. I didnt choose the face, I got it from a friend. By the way, Arthur is in his element. I have never seen him this happy. How did the renovations go? We had to loan an extra two hundred gold from the carpenters to finish on time. The cost includes a built-in heater and a system that allows us to empty and refill the pools. First, we asked for one silver, but with all the demand we got up to eighty silvers. The musician you got is ecstatic about playing for such a crowd and your friend Vincent has some serious social skills. Res smiled and dropped two lesser booster nuts that he had prepared in Orsons hand. You did an impressive job. Get someone to decorate the nut and get a nice case. I can envision the competition taking place regularly. It will be called: The golden nut. Orson grinned and pocketed the nuts. We only have enough money for some gold paint and a small box, but it will work. I will delegate it to one of my men and taking bouncer duty myself.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Res didnt want to disturb Arthur in his element and so instead went into the cramped ground floor. Currently, a long-haired noble was singing about a flower peddle in the wind. With a bit of jumping around, he spotted Xenia and Serafina surrounded by hundreds of nobles, including Antoinette. When he had squeezed onto a propped-up table at the back, Res turned his attention inward. Jason, lets have a contest. I have improved my aether control quite a bit and I bet that you wont be able to prick them from here, but I can. Lets do it one at a time. Jason adopted a deep voice and said. Oh oh, Jotaro. Youre Approaching Me? Res could feel the minuscule push of aether from Jason and, a second later, Serafina slapped her hand to her neck. Bro that counted, right? Didnt get their attention. Res tried to grab as little aether as he could hold, and when he had caught a firm hold, he lessened it. His attention narrowed down to a fine pinprick of concentration and Suddenly, a foreign aether pulse shot through the left shoulder again. Outraged, Res sent feelings of betrayal to Jason. You sore loser. I didnt think you would be that kind of person. There was nothing in the rules about not shooting multiple times. As if to hammer the point home, Jason shot off a barrage of pinpricks that finally made Serafina turn. He hadnt thought of what to do when it would actually happen, which was stupid in hindsight. So, he formed a heart with his hand next to his chest. That might have seemed inappropriate because Serafina put her right hand on her sword. Serafina whispered something in Xenias ear, probably about a pervert at the back of the room. Xenia whirled around and stared at Res, who smiled and waved. When she mouthed his name and he answered with a thumbs up, she made as if to go to him then and there. Luckily, Serafina held her back and whispered something in her ear to which the princess nodded. The lackeys around the princess threw questioning glances at him, but he acted like the poems had enraptured him. When each participant had read their version of the poems, Vincent got up onto the stage. He cracked some of his lame jokes until the judges came to an agreement and the winner was announced. The winner, a sixteen-year-old boy, was brought up to the stage and Vincent gave him a red satin box. The young noble took the small box with such reverence as if it was his lifes achievement. When the noble opened it, it revealed a golden booster nut inside. In his normal cheerful attitude, Vincent announced that the lottery to win the other nuts would happen at midnight. There was general cheering and the new bar was overrun with people. Res watched in fascination as small drinks sold for tens of silvers. He could already hear the sound of money raining down in his head. Xenia didnt seem to care for the famous musician Lee Barrett or the drinks. Instead, she made her way over to him. Res tried to motion for them to meet later, but Xenia seemed determined on her path. At last, Res gave up and sat down dejectedly. Xenia curtseyed in front of him as if they had never met before. Nice to meet you. May I inquire your name? Res motioned at the sycophants that were following the princess. I would love to talk to you, but did you have to do it with those guys following you? Xenias grin when she heard his voice made him forget his objections. What part do you want me to play? I was playing the part of an employee. You could be a relative of Serafina? Serafina opened her mouth and closed it again, but Res ignored her. Somehow, he knew that bothering with Serafina wasnt a good idea when the last time he did, he went mad. With Antoinette in the lead, the sycophants arrived one by one. Antoinette turned to him with clear malice in her eyes: Who are you? It was short enough to warrant a duel in court, but Res put on his most peasant-like accent. Well, you know me and my mighty fine cousin Serafina over here are mi family. We are tied together like a mighty fine piece of sailors rope. Antoinette seemed overwhelmed by the accent while Xenia had to press her hands in front of her mouth to keep from laughing. Serafina didnt seem to like the joke as usual. We are only acquaintances and Res interrupted her, which only made her even more furious. Come on, Serafina, we have been rokin the ball for over ten years together. Res had made up that expression on the spot, but everyone seemed to interpret it in their own ways. Antoinette seemed askance at the perceived indecency, while the others only looked confused. Jason emerged from the dream world. Bro, relax. Why are you such a fucking douchebag? She did nothing. Res thought back over his actions and wondered why he had gone on the offensive like that. His immediate conclusion was interrupted by a menacing whisper from Serafina. I would be careful if I were you. She revealed a glint of steel from her blade. The threat was clear: if he were to continue, she would attack and judging by the fire in her eyes, it wasnt a keen threat. The fact that she would attack him, broke some last vestiges of trust and admiration he had felt for her. He felt her change in demeanor as he let some of the emotions, he was feeling surface into his eyes. She backed away several steps and Res asked in a sorrowful tone: Why do you hate me? Why do you hurt me? Xenia and the surrounding nobles were watching them like they were both on a stage of a bad romantic opera. Serafinas temper flared hot, and she hissed out. Because you shame me. I feel shame, lots of shame every time I am with you. His restraints and accent were now completely gone. What is shame? A mechanism in your body that tells you you are acting against some untold social norm? Serafina, I feel it all the time. Her entire body shook with rage now. Do you think you are better than me? Fine, I admit it, you fucking snake. You are better than me. That is the only thing you want. Recognition. Her facade cracked a bit when Res laughed. That is the most hypocritical statement I have ever heard. You were the one to turn me down because I was not good enough. Didnt you think that I would see your hesitation, your disgust warring with the duty to play along yesterday? Serafina drew an inch of steel, but she clung to the sword as if it was her only anchor keeping her from breaking. Res turned away, walked into the crowd, and called out over his shoulder. It broke my heart, but I have gotten over it. Without looking back, he went into the kitchen and snatched away a bottle of wine from a barrel. He had never drunken out of grief, but he supposed today was a good day to start. He exited out of a back door onto the green backyard. With a push of aether, he propelled himself onto the roof and opened the bottle. People were coming outside and trying out the pools, but the shouts of delight only hurt his self-pitying self. The cooking wine tasted horrible, but he gulped the contents down, anyway. Bro? Res didnt react and instead chugged down the entire bottle in one enormous chug. Bro, I speak out of personal experience. Drinking to drown grief doesnt work. Believe me, in my world, I tried the same with harder stuff than wine. He continued to watch the beautiful blankets of stars. You can talk to her. Can you please stop giving advice? I dont need someone constantly commenting on things. Through their mental connection, Res felt the immense hurt that his retort caused, but he shrugged it away. Despite protests from Jason, he sank into the black abyss of his mind where emotions didnt plague him. Pure rationality. His thoughts examined his actions and their consequences even went through possible future. He chided himself for perceived errors and questioned existence, love, and life. Oblivious to his environment, he was sucked into the whirlpool. Faster and faster did his thoughts spin. The white glow from that entity once again enveloped him. It filled him with empathy but allowed him to drift off into the whirlpool. Res reveled in that warm, forgiving place and decided to stay. Suddenly, a cold lance of anger shot through his entire being. It seemed to shout at him: Is that who you are? The warm glow vanished, the spear of anger vanished, and Res was left alone with the whirlpool. For the first time in his life, he knew what it was like to have an authoritative figure shouting at you to move your butt. Why was he doing this, anyway? Why was he that petty? He gave the whirlpool a last look of disgust and pulled himself out of the trance. With a lurch, he found himself back in his body and on the roof. He was freezing cold, so he must have lain in the cold for quite long. The pools were abandoned, but judging by the splatters of water around them, they had been excessively used. Holding out both of his hands to keep his balance, he rubbed his head and went to the other side of the roof. Bro, are you all right? I am so sorry for the things I said. I was angry at you because you were right. I love your comments even though I rarely react to them. The pause stretched so long that Res thought Jason would never answer. Shit happens man. The commenting part kind of hurt, but we will sort it out. On shaky feet, Res went to the edge of the roof facing the side street. He came right in time to see bouncers usher out the last pairC Xenia and Serafina. Without thinking, he dropped and impacted the cobbled street in front of Serafina. It didnt go as planned and his hardened body tumbled around, but he stopped himself. One of the bouncers recognized him, and Res faced Serafina. I am deeply sorry for what I have said to you. My reaction might have been my way to deal with hurt. I hope that I can make up for that. Simple, but everything he wanted to say. He looked up to see Serafina standing in front of him and holding out her hand. Grateful, Res took it and was surprised to receive a hesitant hug. The light form of Xenia crashed into both of them and encompassed them in a hug. That feels so good, doesnt it? We are back together. Laughter loud enough to let the surrounding air vibrate, shook the entire street. Isnt that cute? The reunion of someone with a high-level masking potion meeting with the princess. That is excellent information. Are you sensei by any chance? 44. Desperate times require desperate measures Res whirled around to face the most tattooed man he had ever seen. The hulking man standing in the street was about two-and-a-half meter tall, bald, muscular, and didnt wear a shirt C The trademark of Akilas men. Res tried to play it cool. Who wants to know? The man laughed with his booming baritone once again. This time, Res realized that he used a special technique that let the surrounding air vibrate. No other than sensei himself would answer me like that. It is good to be me. First, I get to kill a revolutionary leader whose name already pisses me off. Then, I get to burn a restaurant that is taking away business from the mistress. Res whispered to Serafina. Take the princess and run. Now. Her training kicked in and she threw the protesting princess over her shoulder. She squeezed his hand once and ran away as fast as she could. The man grinned at him and pulled out an enormous two-handed sickle that he had held behind his back. Thank you for removing pesky eyewitnesses from the scene. I, the death reaper, will carve my name into your flesh. What class are you exactly? C-Tier? Run like the prey you are. In front of you stands a mighty A-class officer of the Akilas guard and right hand to the commander. The sound effects must have been there to make him retreat, to gain an advantage. He had never seen someone fight with a sickle before, so he deduced that it must be uncomfortable. You arent that creative with your naming. Death Reaper? You are a low A-Tier, judging by your pitiful forearms. I could break them in an instant, you you undersized pimp. The mans forearms were actually enormous wood trunks while his own were comparable to chicken legs. His provocation worked, and the reaper prepared for an attack. For that, I will gut you like a pig for slaughter. Bro, I am readying the shadow. Just tell me when to release. The wind in his area picked up and a small tornado built up around the reaper. As fast as he could, he got out of the immediate vicinity to have his property stay undamaged. The reaper laughed maniacally. Come, little one. The only warning he got was a change in air pressure. He instinctively hardened himself and his back exploded in pain. Bro, shit. He has some serious air techniques right there. He must have been a sailor at one point because that technique is usually used to cut through a ships mast. When he felt at his back, his hand came back dyed red. With a sigh, he turned to face Akilas officer who was by now floating in the middle of a tornado. The reaper seemed surprised that Res hadnt been cut in half like a piece of bread, but recovered. You could tank a hit from my death beam. Impressive, but it will not stop me long. Bro, you need to put that guy down fast. He must be here with the permission of the elite guards. In about two minutes, the elite guards will notice that he met some resistance. With an enormous push of aether, Res catapulted himself towards the death reaper. The Tornado changed his trajectory to the right, but Res had readied himself and pushed against the pull. Yet, the reaper didnt seem worried at all. Instead, his hands blurred in the characteristic motions of creating spell-knotwork. Whatever it was, Res knew it wasnt good, so he pulled on all the aether in the area to fling himself at his opponent. The reaper threw out his hands and roared. Howling Domain!If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. All the aether outside of his body vanished, and he was sucked into the tornado. He frantically tried to gather aether but he could only move aether within his body. Res had to watch as the reaper prepared another of the Death Beam spells. A twist of his torso avoided most damage, but his left shoulder was still cut. His feeling for aether returned, but the reaper had already readied another spell. Howling Domain! For a fraction of a second, he could pull in aether once again in his hand, but it was torn away. He readied himself and inwardly commanded: Jason, ready the shadow ring. 3 2 1 NOW Res accepted the next slash on his right leg which began to pump out blood. Everything around him went black and Res pushed himself at the spot where he had seen the reaper last. His hardened fist connected with something fleshy. The darkness vanished to reveal the reaper in front of him, holding his dislocated jaw. His opponent wanted to say something, but Res didnt give him the chance. Another boost propelled him into the reapers guard, but the reaper was prepared for that. The thug twisted away and Ress fist only scraping along his ribs. A perfect block intercepted his follow-up punch, and the reaper produced a black blade out of a sleeve. Bro, that is an artifact! As he had never fought against a knife-wielding opponent, Res retreated several steps. That turned out to be a miscalculation as a whirlwind of slashes assaulted him. Bro, are you stupid? You completely gave up your momentum! What did you think he would do? Res beat a hasty retreat and fended off the blades as best as he could. Weighed down by time pressure, Res let himself be hit by the blade to get into the death reapers guard once again. Yet, he couldnt move anymore. No matter how much he tried, none of his muscles responded. Instead of attacking, the reaper scurried backwards while summoning the whirlwind again. His heart fell as he saw the reapers sneer. With a dislocated jar that was filled with blood and some loose teeth, he slurred out. I know all your tricks now. HOWLING DOMAIN! The aether once again left his body, and he was lifted off into the air - A helpless target once again. The reaper would be braced for the globe of darkness this time, and Res would once again be used for target practice. Bro, dont give up. Fight to your end! Where is the motivational music? It should fade in right about now? Bro, fight! The question: Who are you? from the entity resounded in his mind. Was he someone who would give up? He grasped at aether for a second, tried to push himself towards the thug and screamed out: Thats who I am! Another slash hit his neck and blood covered his face from many other injuries. Reaching for aether felt like trying to climb up a wall made of slippery glass. Occasional tantalizing flashes of aether would be visible between castings of Howling Domain. Was there a secret aether combination he had to find that enabled him to draft? Another slash at his abdomen carved out a thin piece of human flesh. When he felt for aether around him to find solutions out of this mess, enormous amounts of aether in his own brain blinded him. In my Jason, I am sorry. Bro, why are you Jasons words were cut off as he pulled on a part of his new brain that looked kind of unimportant. Immediately, everything turned black for Res. Unseen and unfelt by Res, his body shot forward and his enforced neck bent back dangerously. Punching through the sound barrier, Res shot through the form of the reaper. The reaper could only react by widening his pupils as his entire bottom torso turned into red mush. The shock of the impact resounded through the entire city like lightning. In all the surrounding districts, people were stopping what they were doing. Housewives, fruit sellers, merchants, and nobles alike looked in the direction of the impact site. The only sound that disturbed the deathly silence was the anguished cry of a young woman and the sound of slippers on cobblestone. 45. Red light district romance She looked up and down the alley for any pursuers before she opened the door. Reinhard immediately enveloped her in his hands. When she had been called on to take part in the first council war assembly for four hundred years, he had proposed to leave the city. Jessica, tell me everything is alright., her lover whispered as he pressed his lips against hers. I dont know whether to laugh or to cry. With his usual tender touch, he pulled her gaze up to meet his. Tell me. She went into their tiny kitchen and drank some water. What do you want to hear? The good news or the bad news? The good news. I can only estimate how many people will support us, but it should be close to forty percent. The bowl of water Reinhard had retrieved for a footbath, clattered onto the ground. Are you joking?If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She picked up the bowl and filled it with water. Now to the bad news: I asked for support in front of the entire war assembly. Reinhard dropped to his knees and stared her in the eyes. You did what? Akila asked me how I would assess our situation. I started as she would have expected, but soon I ranted about how we are treated like old potatoes and cows that produce money instead of milk. My speech ended with an appeal to all of us and all the guards, many of whom have a relationship with prostitutes too. Why arent you dead? I got a speed potion from the young revolution and used the invisibility potion that you bought me as a birthday present. Yet, that wouldnt have sufficed. Some guards acted like they couldnt see me, even though they obviously could. Reinhard, we have supporters. With trembling hands, he stroked her cheeks. I dont want to lose you. I dont want to die, but Id rather die than live my life like the meek money-making cows Akila thinks we are. He tore open cupboards and collected all their hidden savings. His tone was calculating but also filled with sorrow. I am with you, as always. I will protect you. They will be here within the next five minutes. I would bet gold coin that Akila knows the location of our apartment. She grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. I love you. Reinhard smiled and grabbed her hand. With a last glance at their apartment, both of them hurried out into the night. 46. Royal Report With a smile on his tired face, the kings brother red through reports. His nephew had somehow managed to eat a pill that gave him a continuous erection. Out of shame, he had stayed at the palace, which made him more manageable. He would rather have the prince occupied with fornicating than destroying the palace. Even when he went through the entire stack of reports a second time, he couldnt find the reason for a meeting with the spymaster. As he walked down the long hallway, he counted down the problems with his fingers. The prince is content, Sensei is dead, senseis revolution is dispersed Why the meeting now? The fight within the council? No, he wouldnt call me over such a small matter. With a swing in his step, he rounded the last corner and went into the kings bedroom. The spymaster once again sat on the side of the kings bed and he took a seat on his usual stool. Trying and failing not to sound annoyed, he asked: What is it? You better not have woken me up for nothing. Couldnt we have convened not in the middle of the night? His demeanor changed when he saw the spymaster wetting his lips. Sensei isnt dead. The news made him seize up with horror, which the spymaster took as a sign to continue. It is widely known street talk that sensei has survived. The previously low morale of the young revolution has increased to new heights. Their inner members have increased by two hundred. From our informants, we heard that sensei has increased the revolutions funding. He will even come to support them himself. Their leader has boasted about an increase in senseis powers. I will cite one of our informants: Sensei is really amazing. He can fly and he can make gold out of thin air. If he wants to, he can carry twenty boys while flying faster than an eagle.. If we connect that revelation with an incident that happened only about thirty minutes ago, we come to a terrible conclusion. Akila had invoked our contract Article 63b. It allows her to dispatch one fighter to remove direct competition. A new restaurant had opened and Akila sent out one of her officers to get rid of the perceived competition. Apart from the fact that the reason for the invocation was invalid, the A-Rank officer sent to do the job got into a conflict. The elite guards noticed the disturbances but played it off as the agent destroying the property. The focus of the aether destruction got farther and farther away from the property. Yet, the elite guards were playing cards on duty and didnt much care. I have punished them already. Only when a sudden bang resounded through the entire district, they investigated. Akilas officer was found dead. That wouldnt be alarming by itself, but listen to the description of the scene.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The spymaster pulled out the report and began to read. The entire torso of the target was spread out over a fifteen-meter radius. From where the remains of the two feet lay shredded on the ground, a tunnel had been carved out of the cobbled street. At the end of which, a human-shaped indent was left in a nearby wall. The force used to propel the human body could have been put out by an A-Class elite guard trainee C That is alarming but it doesnt warrant this meeting. What should disturb you is the fact that no one known in Trianon could push out the aether in such a short amount of time. Even the commander who is currently at the high S+ Tier thinks he cant put out that much aether at once. Total silence reigned between the two of them until he finally spoke. It seems like the princess has hired one aether user. Good and bad news. The fact that he could fake the fight between him and the prince only continues to accentuate his finesse. Both of them were staring at each other for answers until he broke off eye contact. Lets talk about the most immediate problem C the prince. He will find out one way or another. That is correct. Then, lets tell him first. From what I have heard from the court rumor mill, the princess is fond of him. Lets spin the prince a story about how he is only interested in her because he wants to marry and fuck her. We can have him spin a story about how we sent southerner assassins to kill her savior and they have him detained. The prince will then force her to sign a contract that makes her unable to marry or have sexual intercourse. Lets give him his imaginary revenge. The princess will be mad and the contract will be annulled, but only after the prince has won the kings tournament. We will drug the new king, as usual, apologize to everyone and release the princess. We will have to make reparations to the kingdom of Osma, but it will pay off in the long run. The spymaster looked thoughtful and then nodded his head. Simple, but effective. Again, silence reigned the room. Both of them knew that they were scooting around the main topic. After thirty minutes of staring, he broke and said: What do you think about increasing the elite guard patrols once again? We tell the city guards to look out for his face as well. The spymaster smiled and bowed. I will execute your orders with all haste. Grumbling, he stood up and left the kings room. That spymaster is too good at his job. If something goes wrong, I will receive the blame. I might have to remind him soon what happened to his predecessor. 47. Trapped inside a room with two young women - Worse than it sounds. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw the ceiling of a Darkness Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw the ceiling of a Darkness Slowly, he opened his eyes to look into the concerned eyes of a beautiful Darkness Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw the face of two young Darkness Slowly, he gathered his thoughts and asked himself Darkness Somewhere far away someone shouted: Aether Darkness There was something, I can kind of Darkness Aether, why do I think of aether. Should I Darkness Why did I think about aether? Can it Darkness The fear of knowing something is wrong with you, but not knowing what it is rose in his chest Darkness . Instinctively, he pulled at something - anything to get him out. Sound was the first thing to come back. Bro, can you hear me? Please dont tell me you are disabled? He gathered all his concentration and rasped out. Jason. He felt elation and joy through their mental link. Brother! What Where Connecting thoughts and emotions felt difficult, but it got easier the more aether he pulled in. You fucking drew aether from your brain, you dimwit! I cant fucking believe that you are breathing and talking. Images of the battle with the reaper shot through his mind. Did I win? You fucking pasteurized him, bro. After that, you lost most of your mental capabilities and your senses. I was cut off from the outer world too, but you already saw Serafina and Xenia, so I suppose we are safe. You should pull in aether as it repairs your brain. For now, Res put away the information that he should know a Serafina and Xenia and opened his eyes. He was greeted by two excited female faces at his bedside. When he tried to sit up, he felt a piercing pain in his leg and stomach, so opted to stay put. The two girls wanted him to say something, so he asked: Who are you? Judging by their expressions, that wasnt what they had expected. The blonde one leaned towards him and pointed to her face. I am Xenia and that is Serafina. He shook his head. Never heard of you. The more conserved brown-haired girl cried: It is like the doctor said. He is retarded. The blonde girl collapsed on his bed and wept. Bro, can you pull in some of that beautiful energy around you? It would be wonderful if you could store that in your brain. You dont have to talk to me as if I am a child. Fine. Fueled by his confusion, he grabbed aether and pulled it in his brain. To his surprise, his brain could store so much aether that he had to reach farther and farther around him. His reach found a square barrier, but he pushed through. Even the wave of aether that assaulted him was only barely able to fill up his entire brain. Memories and emotions flooded back into his head and he seized up. He shivered when he remembered living without parts of his memory. Bro, you are back! If I were you, I would talk to the two girls. When he opened his eyes again, fresh morning sunlight pierced his eyes. Xenia and Serafin were sitting on his bed with expressions of fear on their faces. All the walls around them had vanished and their room was now open to the outside, revealing that they were in Xenias manner. A servant that had been passing their room, dropped her tray in shock which pulled him out of his musings. Sorry for the wait, ladies. At least we can now say that we all have been in bed together. The two girls gaze snapped onto him and they slapped him simultaneously. Xenia was the first to rant on about how he couldnt just destroy her manner. Serafina chided him for making her worried and ashamed in front of their servants. Several of Xenias guards poked their heads into the room, but Serafina ordered them to leave. After both girls had let off steam, servants dragged his bed to Xenias room. With a melancholic smile, Res looked around the room and gave Serafina a mischievous wink. I still remember our first meeting as if it was tomorrow. Serafin reddened at his comment and shot back. I will have my revenge one day. Xenia flopped down on his bed and pulled back the covers. It revealed various bandages and wounds on his legs and torso which were not healed. Xenia stroked his bandaged foot and said: You have reached your potion limit for today already. The doctors say that you will need to stay put for three days. Enough time for you to tell us what happened. Res tried to dodge the question with a small compliment: Three days fly by with you, but was caught up in Xenias whirling blue eyes. On closer inspection, they looked like gleaming sapphires. When a knock resounded on the door, he realized that he had been staring into her beautiful eyes for more than a minute. While he was flustered, Xenia only caressed his bandaged legs and called out: Come in! A maid pushing a small cart filled with all sorts of foods entered the room. His stomach growled at the sight of all the beef, vegetables, and bread. Xenia laughed and stroked his stomach as if it was a purring cat. No worries, you will be fed. The maid blushed deep red and scurried out of the room as if she had seen something fascinating and horrifying. Serafina scowled at Xenia: Dont misunderstand me. I would have liked to do the same, but the king and your brothers will know that you have intimately touched Res. I dont care. Why do my brothers care if I stroke someone elses stomach? You are their little sister. I dont want to be pampered. It is not like I am a child anymore. I can do whatever I want. The argument went on, but Res was too preoccupied with shoveling as much food into his mouth to follow. He would wash some of the bread down with water and then continue devouring the platter. With a heavy heart, he picked up the last piece of bread and saw the two girls staring at him. What? I am hungry. Serafin looked at his stomach with some interest, too. How can so much fit in somebody. Are you teleporting it away? Res pulled up the sheets and asked: I dont want to sound ungrateful, but am I halting any important princess business by any chance? Serafina got a stool and sat down in front of him. There is no business today. Instead, we wanted to ask you something. You know so much about us already, but I dont know anything about you. I tried to dig up reports about Res van Coventry, but most of them filled with blank pages. Even your teachers wrote: He participated in the class and comes late. They wrote five lines at least on every pupil, except you. Tell us your story. He chuckled and tried to derail the conversation. Is this a job interview? Instead of the humor, he had expected to be there, he saw only serious consideration. Now a bit unsettled, he added: Are you considering Xenia interrupted him and punched him lightly in his side. Being too humble is also no good. Tell us about you. Res groped for any options that could get him out of the situation. After a five-minute staring contest with Xenia, he had finally found one. I dont know how your culture exactly works. What is Serafina exactly to you? Xenia took the bait and turned to Serafina. She is my blood servant. She turned to him as if it would mean something to him, but he only shrugged. Never heard of it. We have exchanged blood and both of us have lived through it. That means that our souls are now intertwined - We are more than sisters. I still command her, but she can retort if she wants. We share the same food, the same kind of clothes and the same bed. We share the same friends and the same family. We cant do that here because we are watched by Trianons nobles. They think those customs foolish and that is one reason why living here is so hard. Jason dryly commented: What would those two think of their ceremony if they found out that it is a hoax. You need certain blood antigens and antibodies and you always survive blood injections. So, this blood sister business is bogus? 99.999% With the new revelation, Res couldnt stop himself from grinning when they told him that they could feel others emotions. They were compiling a list of what they can do because of their blood relation when Serafina added: If you behave, you can become her consort and satiate her carnal pleasures. You are only her toy or pet at most. Nothing more than that. The entire room went deathly silent at that. His jaw dropped lower and lower until it was wide enough to fit in an entire loaf of bread. Xenia was staring at Serafina with the same expression of horror and widened eyes. When she realized what she had said, Serafina turned redder than he had ever seen her before and she put her hands in front of her face. The awkwardness lasted for too long, so Res acted like that had never happened. Nice weather today, isnt it? His comment was so unfitting that even Xenia flushed red and grabbed Serafina by the arm. With a snort, Xenia dragged her out of the room. Yet, when Serafina turned while she was being dragged out of the room, her face was completely changed. Instead of the shame and horror he had expected, she looked at him with a face of sorrow and another emotion he couldnt quite place. The door slammed shut and Res was left alone in the princesss private chambers. Jason conveyed feelings of surprise through their mental link: Well that escalated quickly. Jason, what should I do? I need your advice as a woman expert right now. What do you want me to say? Go with the flow and always keep in mind that there wont be anything serious. Both of us dont want to turn into a rent boy for only one princess. Outside the door, he could hear the angry shouting of Xenia and occasional sobs from Serafina. When he replayed what had happened, he realized that Serafina must have buried her face in her hands to hide her true emotions. Jason and Res discussed the unusual behavior and he mused: I dont want her to cry. Generally, I would say that you will acclimate to crying women. They do it if they want something and I have had to distinguish fake from real crying many times. Serafinas crying sounds fake to me, especially if you look at the regularity of her cries. If someone cries for real, they cry in waves. Still, Xenia is fucking harsh on her. Jasons comment didnt calm down his racing mind. Another servant came into the room with yet another tray of food. Due to Serafinas comment, his appetite had worn off, and he only drank some water to pass time. After another thirty minutes, they finally returned. Serafinas eyes were red-rimmed from rubbing, but she watched him with her usual sharp gaze.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. They sat down on their previous places in silence and Res tried to soothe Xenia: I wont hate you after this. Xenia shot Serafina an angry look and she said: That is very unlikely. Res asked: We could do your blood thing to show that I am not angry? A glimmer of hope shown in her brown eyes and she shot forward and hugged him. It was unlike Serafina, but he still stroked her long black hair. I may have destroyed our relationship because of my carelessness.She wept once again into his chest and clutched at his shirt. Xenia looked as if she considered to actually go through with it. Bro, take some of the blood from the two and let it drip onto your throat. If you have a matching blood type, I dont see why you shouldnt make them happy. Being thrown a lifeline, Res turned both of the girls heads to meet his gaze. A spirit has spoken to me and it tells me that it may be able to start a blood binding if it gets a test of your blood and approves. I will need a drop of your blood placed on my throat- Serafina immediately stood up and got her Katana out. I will do it Before he could protest, she had slashed her entire hand and let pools of blood drip onto his throat. The sheets under him were stained red, but Jason shouted out in glee: She is an A-Positive. You two are compatible. Res grinned and told Serafina so, to which she smiled shyly. Hesitantly, the princess put some of her blood onto his throat and Jason reported that she was compatible as well. Only after Xenia marched him through a lie detector with the necklace, did she crack a grin. Our fate is still intertwined even after Serafina said what she said. It must have been strong. Res sighed out in relief. Social Interactions were stressful. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she took a seat on his bed. We knew that you wouldnt divulge your secrets, so we would like to play a game with you. When he saw Xenias look, he felt like he was being sized up and it didnt feel pleasant. I will pass on playing the game. Luckily, you cant. We are your hosts and we invite you to play it. He knew that there was some obscure law in the code of the court that didnt allow guests to deny a game. Yet, he wasnt anyone to care about codes of honor. Before he could object, Serafina added: If you dont play, I will be forced to feed you snails for the next three days. The thought of snails alone gave him chills, so he quickly agreed. There is this new game where you ask Truth or Dare and you will I know what truth or dare is, but the last time I played it was when I was six years old. Even back then, I knew it was a game where everyone lost., he interjected. An evil grin stretched across Xenias face. Do you want to eat snails? Fine, but I will count you two as one person and I begin. Truth or dare? They exchanged looks and then answered: Dare I dare you to stop playing this game. Their outraged faces were comical. Hey, you arent allowed to do that. Who said I couldnt? Illegal move. Now it is our turn. Truth or Dare? Res groaned, but grumbled out: Dare. Xenia smugly said: I dare you to tell the name of your love. He found himself bound to a bed, captured by a princess who wanted him to profess his love to her. If he didnt, she would feed him one of the most disgusting animals in the world. Even his frantic calls to Jasons dreamworld were only answered with amusement. Defeated, he looked into the eyes of the two young women perched on his bedside and answered: I like your company. The next four hours were occupied with Xenia and Serafina asking lots and lots of questions. By noon, they were both lying snuggled up against him. Res tried to extricate himself, but was, as always, silenced by mumbling protest. From far away, he could feel Jason talking with the necklace and the sword. He didnt feel comfortable listening in, but as he was pinned down by the two napping girls, it was his only occupation. The voices of James and the other ghosts got clearer and clearer the longer he listened. The image of a translucent green clearing appeared in front of his minds eye. The beautiful nature scene pulled him in and in and in and *POP*. Accompanied by the feeling as if he had been sucked through a hole, he found himself in the same clearing. He was standing in front of a young man who looked eerily like the prince, a nymph, and a young lady with scales as skin. When the woman saw him, she bolted away into the forest. The nymph gave him a warm smile. Hello, Res. You have come to visit? The young man, presumably Jason, next to him had his hands balled into fists. Bro, you had to come at the worst possible time. This was the closest I have ever been to her. Res realized that he had entered one of the ghosts dreamworlds that Jason had told him about. Feeling like he had breached Jasons privacy, he held his hands up and tried to concentrate on leaving. I am so sorry for intruding on your personal talk. I swear it was an accident. Jasons expression relaxed. He grabbed Ress hands and pulled him in for a manly hug. It is all right and I know that it was an accident, bro. I didnt know you could do that. Face to face with Jason, he added: You have a punchable face. Too similar to that of the prince. Jason laughed and rubbed the back of his head. I would say that it is the other way around. The nymph morphed into an old woman and a table with piping hot tea appeared out of nowhere. Take a seat. We have some things to discuss. Her serious tone shut up all the retorts he had prepared, and he grabbed a cup of tea. Do you know that what Jason and you are doing is illegal? I only know that he has failed a possession and we are now living in one body. The old woman scrunched up her face. You can call it that. You are a somewhat special case because both of you didnt want to actually form an equal bond. Yet, as always, you arent the first one to find out that you can share your body with a ghost. Indeed, there are an uncounted number of people living on this planet that have a ghost in their body. Most of them use them to enhance themselves. Do you know that if either of you were to assert dominance, the opposite party would have to submit? Res looked at Jason, who was staring at the ground. I thought the possession had failed? The old woman gave off a raspy laugh. There is no such thing as a failed possession. Jason had the option to possess you, but he didnt when he realized what consequences that would entail. I am only telling you this because this is the only thing keeping you two alive and I wouldnt suggest you do otherwise. With my contract, but most importantly your trust, you have built a symbiosis I have never seen before. There is more than one planet out there and binding ghost to body parts is pretty common. You surely have hundreds of questions about that, but Jason can answer them much better than me. In my lifetime as a king-level alchemist, I have only managed to meet one other species from a different planet. It told me that people who use ghosts to enhance themselves are wanted. There are still those who have them, but they are regulated by a large society. There are smaller sub societies, but the biggest is called ghostbound. I may not give you information that I got after my lifetime, so that is all the advice I can give you. For the first time, Jason raised his gaze to look at Res and both stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Res held out his hand. What they both needed now was trust. Jasons expression lightened, and he grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a bearhug. Brother. Brother. Res whispered: I will treat you better than a brother, help, and protect you until I die. Maybe I can join you as a ghost. Jason chuckled and patted him on the back. I will do the same. I doubt that you will turn into a ghost, though. Lets turn your life into something worth living. The old woman cleared her throat. My owner is getting somewhat restless at your side. You may need to return and, to give a last piece of advice, I would advise you to train, the Suddenly, she broke out into a coughing fit and convulsed. She waved their helping arms away and stood back up. My old mouth ran ahead of my brain and I got a friendly reminder. To Res that didnt seem friendly, but he indeed felt someone stirring far away. Thanks for the talk. I will train, even though it pains me. Res felt for the connection to Jason and concentrated on it with the intent of leaving. As before, he got sucked back into his body. The jarring experience left him shivering, which awakened Serafina, too. He remembered that the old woman had talked about other species and other planets. Excitedly, he thought about the possibilities that new worlds would entail. His murmuring stopped when he realized that both of the girls were looking up at him with concern. Res grinned as thousands of different questions he wanted to ask the old woman sprang up in his mind. The knowledge of the old woman was far too valuable, and if he was honest, he didnt hate Xenia and Serafina. Remembering the old womans advice, he asked: Do you have some sort of cellar that I can cultivate in? It might turn the cellar into a cavern. Serafina looked horrified at the thought, but Xenia had a thoughtful look on her face. Finally, Xenia settled on: No, if you were to cultivate, I wouldnt be able to talk to you. My brothers cultivate all the time and it is boring. Remembering the weird blood rituals, Res offered: I will inject some of your blood and spend the time I recover from cultivating with you two. For some reason, Xenia reddened and squealed out: You would do that? Xenia and Serafina began to whisper, and when he strained his ears, he heard: My brother wont kill him. That will validate him as my consort and bodyguard. Shivers ran down his spine and he tried to interject. Xenia clutched his arm and interrupted him with a pout on her face. You said it and, like me, you cant take it back. Xenia took his arm and got close. Too close. Still, it didnt change the facts. There were better occupations than turning into a male prostitute with permanent employment. Some parts of him werent even that disinclined to the job, and that frightened him. Xenia rubbed her entire body at his side and he could feel her body heat while she breathed deeply. Not being able to cope with that for much longer, he cried out. All right, lets do it. He would go through with the farce and wriggle his way out somehow. The princess shouted something incoherent, and a maid opened the door. Judging by her beet-red face, she had been listening at the door for a long time. Serafina gave her an annoyed look and stated. I hereby request that the blood ritual utensils are brought to this room. The utter confusion on the maids face was painful. The maid had a duty to follow the princesss wishes and the interest of the royal family. Finally, an elderly servant stepped forward and Res realized there must be more servants behind the door. There might be even some guards to step in if something inappropriate were to happen. The old man cleared his throat and said: I cannot fulfill this request. I have already sent for a runner to the royal family, which explains your unfitting behavior. Your brother will arrive in two days from a military attachment near Trianons border. Res remembered Xenias story about how her brother had incapacitated three elite royal guards. A cold sweat ran down his back and he added: I shouldnt be here at all. The old man gave him a surprised, pleasant smile while Serafina held a hand over his mouth. Xenia stepped forward in her practiced princess walk and commanded: I hereby relieve you of any responsibility you would have had. I demand that you bring me the blood ritual utensils. We dont want to perform any blood magic. Instead, we want to show our curious visitor what the utensils. The old mans head turned redder and redder from the inability to stop something precious from being destroyed in front of his very own eyes: The boy doesnt even want to be here. Res couldnt answer as Serafina had one of her callous, yet delicate hands pressed against his mouth. The princess snorted in anger and the servants scattered in all directions. A moment later, the maid appeared carrying an enormous chest and shut the door. Serafina and Xenia opened the chest as if it was their birthday and pulled out some nasty-looking syringes. They propped up hundreds of small vials and powders and dipped them in each one. Res looked at them with slight amusement as they followed a strict ritual while gesturing in the air. To pass the time, he felt for Jasons bond and found him still in that other dimension. The singing had been building up and Res focused his gaze once again on the two girls. He felt a weird pressure emanating out from them which felt like Aether? When he focused on the aether spectrum, he saw that the two girls were alight with aether. They were spinning complex knotwork into wide nets that interlocked to form an even greater net. He tried to get Jasons attention, but Jason was still relaxing in his paradise. Panicked, he looked around for an escape and spotted guards looking through the window. When they saw the two girls waving their hands around in the air, the guards panicked and screamed. Now, Res knew that something wasnt going as it should. From outside the door, he heard shouting and Serafina paused her chanting to put a giant latch in front of the door. Someone strong hammered on the door and the room vibrated with every hit. All the while, the two girls continued to sing and to coat the syringes into powders and liquids. On closer inspection, Res realized that they had prepared four syringes, which meant Xenia and Serafina, I dont think this is a good idea. Your brother wont be pleased. Xenia scowled and responded hotly: I hate being bossed around. Why should my brother, who is whoring and drinking, give me morality lessons? He still didnt believe that the blood potion would do anything but didnt want to say it right in their faces. All those powders gave an official look, but it still was a farce. He only didnt want to risk offending another prince for exchanging blood with his sister. Yet, when he saw Xenias hurt expression and she said: Do you dont want to do this after all? Dont you love me?, he gave in. It would be bad to tell them now that he had actually never said that he loved them, only that he enjoyed their company. He watched the whirlwind of emotions he felt. I might have already felt love and I only dont know how it feels? With practiced ease, Serafina slid in a syringe in her right arm and filled it with her blood. Xenia did the same and signaled Serafina to insert the blood. Res felt nothing as Serafinas and Xenias blood was injected into him and gave off a relieved sigh. A part of him hadnt believed Jason that there was no such thing as blood magic. Yet, this felt wrong and a deep instinct was telling him to run, but he let the two remove his blood with the two syringes. A loud thump resounded through the room and the face of the guard captain appeared near the window. He hammered at the window with an aether technique which made countless vases topple over. The window couldnt withstand the onslaught and Res hoped that they would stop this charlatan business. The pounding on the window redoubled when the guard captain saw that they were close to finishing the ritual. The two girls gave each other a deep look and then injected his blood into their veins. First, nothing happened apart from the window finally breaking. Then, an enormous network of knots materialized all around the room. When he looked closer at the spell, he realized that the light was actually concentrated aether. In fascinated horror, he watched as the net spun faster around the room. It condensed until it was had turned into a spinning blanket of brilliant white aether. The guard captain was now lying on the floor and weeping at his failure to stop the ritual. The guard captain''s cries tore him out of his trance and he realized with horror that blood magic was real. The blanket of aether formed into a triangle and with a humm, the triangle stopped spinning with each edge above one of them. Xenia had opened her arms to the triangle while Serafina was watching his every movement. The humm intensified until it was unbearable, then everything went black. 48. Amputating healthy limbs Anger. Why am I angry? Surprise. Love. Sudden emotion flooded Res, and he gasped and tried to sit up. Something held him chained to his bed, though. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the same bed in the middle of a wine cellar. Next to him stood an enormous barrel filed with preserved meat and several loaves of bread. On his bed lay a piece of paper with the words: stay here written on it. Bro, you are in real shit. You know that? Ress anger flared white-hot. Why didnt you come back? He now felt soothing coming from above him, but he ignored it. Bro, they fucking practiced real fucking blood magic on you. How the hell would I know that the Osma kingdom still has actual blood magic? There are hundreds of kingdoms who claim to have blood magic, but in reality, it is only a farce. The only time I got to see blood magic was by a farmer in the northerner mountains who bound his goats to himself. Even then, I wasnt able to replicate his techniques. Even me! I was as close as one could get to a fucking demi-god. I was lucky to be in the other dimension. Who knew what would have happened to me if such powerful magic touched me? With a sigh, Res sent Jason feelings of understanding. When he looked at their bond closer, he noticed that he now had two other aether bonds attached to him. Jason chuckled when he realized that Res had seen the two bonds. Not bad, heh? Those two girls have it in them. A burst of lust and anger shot through Res and he looked into the direction it had come from. It wasnt enough to have one person in my mind. Now I have three of them. How ironic. A more subdued feeling of hesitance and sorrow shot into him from the other bond. Res reasoned that that was Serafina and the angry one was Xenia. I dont think it would be a good idea to wait until her brother comes to visit. Bro, I wholeheartedly agree, but I must tell you that the house has a good chance of being watched by the elite palace guard. I already have the perfect escape plan. Lets dig our way out of here while cultivating. I havent entered your head until now because I didnt want you to panic, but do I have your permission now? Res would have never thought he would say the phrase one day but said it anyway. They needed complete trust, and it was time for him to extend that trust. You can enter my brain. A warm feeling flowed from his neck to his brain and vanished. Bro, I have great news. I can change my permanent residence from your heart to your brain as long as you promise to never draw on your brain again. Res winced when he remembered how it had felt to live without his memories. Trust me, I will never turn my brain into mush again. Great, but you will need to talk to the two girls. I suspect that you will need to send emotions of comfort and love. But I dont love them. Or at least I think so. I enjoy their company, but I have never loved anyone. Do I love them? If you need to ask, it means that you dont. Which doesnt mean that there wont be anything. It means that you feel nothing yet. Try to think of the thing you most like about them. Talking with them is one of the things I love. Jasons comment made him examine the concept of love in his mind. He had always written it off as something not worth his time. On closer inspection, he was utterly fascinated by the interconnected web of correlation and Bro, you are wasting time. Send some reassuring feelings already, we need to get cultivating. Res thought of their first meeting, the talk at palace bell tower, Serafinas dark deep brown eyes. He thought about Xenias mesmerizing blue eyes and the body warmth he felt when they were napping next to him. All those feelings built up to a crescendo which he released into the two connections. For several moments, the two connections went silent. Then, he was flooded with more reserved feelings from Serafina and passionate emotions from Xenia. When the flood abated, he found himself sweating on the bed and panting for air. Even Jason was panting in the background.Stolen story; please report. Bro, we need to find some sort of private room for me. I cant handle the emotional rollercoaster you all seem to go through. He couldnt find any words for what he felt and so distracted himself with work. What should we do next? You have serious cuts at your right legs and arm. If you extend whatever cultivation you have now to those body parts, the wounds will remain. The goal would be to change your left leg and arm to aether. You still will keep some scars though. He rolled out of bed and shoveled meat and bread into his mouth. This cultivating session would last long. Finally, he sat down in the middle of the wine cellar and began to do some mental exercises. If one was cultivating, one fell into a trance with limited reasoning capacity. When he had said: down, forward, left arm, left leg for the five-hundredths time, he reached for aether. Potential. Potential is Change. Change is everywhere, so much so that we rarely feel it. When we feel it, we despise it. Is change consistent? Unstoppable? The fascinating world of aether opened up in front of him. Somehow, a last remnant of speech fluttered through his head. Down, forward, left arm, left leg. The thought made him feel down at his feet. He could feel a barrier that obstructed him to reach further down than that. Angry, he let his reach wriggle through the stone and then soil. Two meters, four meters, five meters, ten meters. When he reached fifteen meters, he felt that a liquid was mixed into the rock, so he pulled. Enormous amounts of aether flooded him and he kept on shoving it into his arm like a funnel. Thousands of small ants were simultaneously biting at his hand and the aether raged havoc in his arm. Judging by the damage the aether had already done, if he were to give up now, he could never use his arm again. Through the pain, he felt his body descending the hole he was digging. The pain became so intolerable he begged him for the black abyss of unconsciousness, but his rational refused. Finally, the torrent of aether subsided, and he sat up to the waist in icy water. Looking up, he could see the torchlight of the wine cellar. He realized that if his tunnel were to collapse, he would be dead before he knew it. Bro, that was perfect. Look at your arm, man. Limply hanging by his side, his arm was still glowing with aether. Yet, his biceps had already taken on the appearance of normal skin. The parts that hadnt taken on the color of his skin were still numb. The other body parts were indistinguishable in feel from his normal fingers. Bro, do you know how boring it is to count seconds? I had to sit through counting to 64834. That means you have been digging here for over fucking eighteen hours. I dont want to alarm you, but Xenias brother is most likely stationed at the Warwick castle. That is the only castle fit for a royal to be in. Res nodded but stopped himself before he dove back into cultivation. Why do you know of Warwick castle? It was built eighty years ago. Jason choked off like the old woman. Sorry, ghost business. That ghost business is getting on my nerves. What should get on your nerves is that her brother will arrive in roundabout five hours. Res gulped down the lump in his throat and Jason continued. You will need to use that wonderful new arm of yours. It seems barbaric to sacrifice a part of your body, but you can grow it back. Shoot out a beam of your influence in a certain direction and then pull in. Res gulped down the lump in his throat and closed his eyes. He felt the solid aether in his arm and focused on the task on hand C spreading his influence. Slowly, he drew on the arm, but half measures werent in his arms repertoire. Instantly, he held the energy equal of eighteen hours of cultivating in his hand - He couldnt resist releasing it. A beam with a radius of thirty meters shot out of his body and into the soil at an upward angle. The power that flooded his body told him he could do anything and beat anyone. It punched through the rock in an instant and pierced higher and higher into the air until it stopped eight kilometers above ground. As fast as it had begun, it subsided. The aether source on his arm had vanished, which didnt mean that he was aetherless. An unconscious grin appeared on his face as he pulled on the matter that was in his domain. Nothing. No movement. He strained to pull in harder and harder, but it felt like towing a three-story house. His physical body toppled over into the murky water from the strain, but he kept pulling. Finally, the soil next to him began to tremble. Aether is potential. Potential needs a slight nudge. Aether trickled into him. The flow of aether turned into a merry stream, a river, a vast torrent, and finally a crushing ocean. He used a funnel once again to concentrate aether in his left leg, which began to burn. Yet, he pushed on through the excruciating pain. It felt like hundreds of nails were shoved in and out of his foot while he was forced to run. The pain brought him to the edge of madness as he laughed about having a nail in his foot. After hours of torturing pain, his leg had turned to aether. He still had some left-over energy, which he forwarded to his left arm. The pleasant chills that came with getting feeling back in his arm felt like paradise. Yet, someone kept tugging on him, so he let go and found himself back in his body. He was standing right in front of an enormous tunnel and Res could glorious sunlight at the end. Bro, shit. RUN! 49. The pimp war When Jason said Shit run, Res knew that he should run like the bogeyman was chasing him. With a burst of aether, he catapulted himself into the direction of the surface. *Boom* An enormous shadow landed in the shallow water and spraying dirt and water everywhere. Without looking back, he pushed as if his life depended on it. He realized that it was when a fist missed his neck by a few centimeters. The sudden nearness of a new object, send him sprawling, but Jason pushed him in the right direction again. An instant after the near-contact, Res could hear another boom as the form landed on the makeshift tunnel. Res had only excavated some dirt, not built a sturdy tunnel, and the tunnel fell in on itself. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*. By now Res didnt question what the form was doing back there. His only concern was not pissing into his pants. He shot out of the hole just before the entire tunnel collapsed and he was basked in morning sunlight. With a glance, he took in the abandoned street where his tunnel had surfaced. Suddenly, Jason shouted out: ELITE GUARDS! As if summoned by Jason, hundreds of elite palace guards materialized on surrounding roofs. All of them held intricate networks of knots in their hands. Res chided himself for not realizing that an enormous tower of aether stretching into the clouds would put a target on his back. He reinforced his body with all the aether he could grab and, with a nervous intake of breath, drew on his left arm. The force that streamed through him the moment before he blacked out was terrifying. His eyes fluttered open when an enormous wrench passed through his entire body. His body wanted him to throw up, but the immense acceleration kept all his bodily fluids in place. He couldnt tear open his eyes and pieces of his shirt were torn away by the air pressure. A deep part of his mind realized that he was descending. Through it all, he could hear Jason screaming Fuck yeah, baby! Fuck you, sound barrier!. Finally, his body impacted the grounds, and he felt himself being flung around like a rag doll. Just before he threw up, he crashed into something solid and came to a dead stop. Bro, holy fuck. We need to do that again, ok? That was fucking crazy. I felt the adrenaline rush even though I dont have hormones. Before the power tracker could pick up the hardening his body, he stopped pulling in aether. That turned out to not be the best decision as he immediately threw up. He pulled himself upright again and staggered out of the wreckage of a wooden apartment building. The surrounding buildings had changed and were now made of wood and thatch C Trianons slums. His body had punched through several of the wooden homes and shacks and he made a note to reimburse the owners. With a wave to the slack-jawed onlookers, Res pulled at a manhole cover and jumped into the sewer. With an unpleasant taste in his mouth, he once again hovered above the sewage and pushed off into a random direction. After he had taken forty random turns, he sat down to take stock of the situation. Do I have any serious injuries? Bro, you have a torn eardrum and some new surface wounds, but nothing serious. If I were you, I would refuel myself by using your solid aether reserves to shoot into the ground. They will sense the disturbance, but it will take them a while to pinpoint the location. Before that, you will be long gone. This time, he managed to re-cultivate within an hour. Jason theorized that the time would improve the longer he practiced. After taking some extra random turns, Res climbed up to the surface once again. Luckily, the entrance lay in an abandoned alley and he could enter the city once again. From torn pieces of cloth and the scent of cheap perfume in the air, he deduced that he must be in the prostitutes district. Yet, when he entered a side street, several young ladies were pointing crossbows at him. Out of instinct, he hardened his skin immediately. What is your affiliation? Judging by the way their hands trembled, they had never done this before. Bro, do prostitutes now need to resort to robbery? Res loosened the hardening on his hands and pulled them into the air. *Twang* One of the womans crossbow fired, and his skin reflected the bolt. The woman looked horrified at what she had done. She turned even more horrified when she saw that Res wasnt lying dead on the ground. Look, ladies, can you please explain the situation? I dont want anyone to get hurt.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. One of the braver women shouted: We are from the young revolution and we want better working conditions for us. One of the elderly women shouted: And pension like the merchants! His mind was working in overdrive, but he continued: Look, I am the founder of the young revolution. I would like to help. What is going on? The brave woman stepped forward and sized him up. No one is going to believe that, but you can help. Akila has rallied her officers against the core of the revolution here C Jessica and Reinhard. They are fighting bravely but loosing. They fight near the young mermaid. Can you point me in a general direction? Eight hundred meters in that direction. Before the woman turned back, Res had already pushed off. As he zipped over the district, he saw an assortment of bouncers and prostitutes fighting each other. Mixed into the crowd were always the giant bald bare-chested thugs from Akilas guard. Finally, he found the place that the woman had described, but it didnt look like a fight. Instead, a crowd of women and renegades were being slaughtered. At the front of the enemy line stood four of Akilas guardsmen. The one in the middle wore a hilarious-looking cap and an enormous curved sword in a sheath at his side. Bro, no one would dress up like that voluntarily, so that must be their general. Take out the weaker officers first. Even the numbers. The attackers were completely focused on the ground level and didnt see Res swooping in. Res had already singled out an officer who was wreaking havoc with a long lance. Res would always have to fight close combat and a lance would counter his martial arts. An instant before Ress fist connected with his head, the officer turned only to receive Ress hardened to the nose. His fist blasted the skull into pieces and he pushed himself off to attempt another swoop. The death confused both sides, but Res was already positioning himself for another hit. The warning shout from the general came a second too early. As he swooped in again, his fist only smashed into the entire lower face of an officer wielding a crossbow. Yet, healing that one without further treatment would only result in more damage. The commander wasnt deft though and ordered his two other officers away from the line. He wasnt exactly invisible in the sky, so it didnt take the general long to spot him. Res had been prepared for his discovery and had hardened his flesh in a bearhug position. Arrows clinked off his skin before he crashed into another officer with a scimitar. The officer activated a skill that made him invisible which didnt help him much. With the force of a battering ram, he crashed into the officer and on impact he could hear bones cracking. When the commander saw another one of his comrades crushed, he roared: STOP! In a radius of five meters around him, time stopped. An arrow aimed at his face had frozen midair and Res was hanging suspended in the air. He had to watch as the commanders fist sailed towards his face. Luckily, he could still draft aether and he reinforced his face. As the fist connected, James shouted out: Bro, push in all directions! His entire vision turned black and followed Jasons advice. The push catapulted him above the globe of darkness Jason had summoned and created distance. Without hesitation, he dove back down and the globe of darkness disappeared. The Commander had the foresight to look up and see Res sailing at him. Everything depended on Ress speculation that the time-manipulation technique had a cooldown. The commanders confident grin vanished when Res changed his trajectory. With a shit-eating grin, he rammed into the last officer remaining. The officer activated a shadow teleport ability but Ress right foot had already sunken into the mans chest. Baldie and his men were now pushing back the detachment of Akilas guards with roars of victory. The general took in the scene around him and a morbid grin stretched across his face. Sensei, huh? I thought the others overestimated you, but it seems they were right. He spread his bulky hands wide as if to welcome an attack and Res didnt deny him the pleasure of feeling his fist. Reveling n the energy of the battle, he let himself fall towards the commander. Suddenly, the entire world around him slowed down and the commanders fist was kissing his precious nose. His entire body vibrated as he was flung into the air by a vicious uppercut. His world went spinning and, a moment later, he found himself in a smashed-up whorehouse. When the red from his vision cleared, he saw the commander calmly walking towards him. A southerner curved sword in his right hand. You have cost me a lot of money. Do you even know how expensive an alchemist is? Now I even have to draw my blade. Jason whispered in the back of his mind: Bro, that is some fucking mental sword. Feels like they trapped the spirit of a mass murderer in there. Jasons comment didnt help to elevate his anxiety, but he stood up and wiped the blood off with his sleeve. Why cant we conclude this peacefully? Give the poor women a raise and some necessities. We dont have to fight. A cynical voice in the back of his mind added that he should have asked before attacking. The commander seemed to take it as a joke. Good one. That shit about rescuing the prostitutes works on people who have never played the game of power. I have been a player for years and you do it for the exact reason I do. His stance shifted, and he brandished his blade. Prepare to die. 50. Sayonara *tips fedora* The commanders deep words triggered the instinct of wanting to run away and he pushed off the rubble. Yet, it felt like his body was stuck in thick honey while the commander ran at him with his sword raised. With all his might, he pushed on but realized that escape wasnt an option. Instead, he turned to meet the commanders sword charge. Getting cut by that sword wouldnt be pleasant, especially if it was a master craft artifact. His heart beat faster and faster as the sword inched closer and closer to his skin. In sheer desperation, he tapped into the aether in his arm and boosted himself forward. For an instant, he felt the enormous push of aether, then he was hovering motionless above the ground. Bro, what the fuck? The enormous push assaulted him once again, then he was hovering motionless. The commander lay hunched down on the cobbled street while whispering Stop as if it was the only thing keeping him alive. His chest swelled to inhuman size, and he shouted out Stop! while blood was fountaining out of his ears and nose. The commanders face had aged ten years, and he was covered in blood. The time-freeze wore off and Res pushed himself at the commander with full force. Mercy wasnt an option. Jason activated the globe of darkness and Res positioned his foot to hit the commanders head. Yet, he felt only the wind beating against his face as he was flung across and out of the globe of darkness. When the globe of darkness vanished, the commander was nowhere to be seen. Res whirled around in every direction. Finally, he spotted the commander behind the enemy lines next to one of his bleeding underlings. With a wave of the commanders hand, the shadow teleport officers wound knit close, and the officer stood up. The commander pointed at Res and he knew that wasnt a good sign. The only warning he got was a light swish of a coat, then he seized up and felt a burning slash across his back. He had felt the effects of the reapers black dagger before, but he had hoped to never feel it again. From somewhere far away, he felt two entities reaching out to him, but he had more pressing concerns. His assailant had found out that stabbing would work even better on his hardened skin. Res could push off into the air just in time for the shadow who had teleported behind him to miss. From the edges of his vision, he saw the shadow vanish and reappear next to the now exhausted commander. Despite his injuries, the commander channeled ludicrous amount of aether into his legs. Does he really think he can reach me? That was all Res thought before the commanders bulk shot towards him and collided with him in the air. The commander grabbed him in a bearhug and they went flying. Thanks to Jasons timely intervention, they landed with the commander on the bottom. Still, they rolled down the street like a barrel for tens of meters. They came to a stop and the burning pain of the reapers dagger pierced his back. While the shadow continued to stab him to keep him paralyzed, the commander pulled his sword out of its sheath and hissed: That is for killing my only loyal follower. With the precision of an executioner, the commander pulled his sword over his throat. Horrified, he had to watch as fountains upon fountains of blood spurted out of his throat like a red waterfall. At that moment, Serafina and Xenia reached out to him. Res threw all the pain and suffering he was feeling at them so he could die in peace. Suddenly, the blood flow subsided and Jason shouted out: Bro, I am covering the wound with my plasma which makes me vulnerable. Kill that bastard already! The commanders face changed from that of victory to horror. Before he could croak out another Stop, Res pulled aether from his leg into his fist. He felt the unfairness of it all. The commander had outplayed him on every level, yet Res was going to turn his head into pulp, anyway. Why am I set up? I dont want this. I dont want any of this. Or do I? It was so easy to let that fist continue on its trajectory and into the brain. The human body was mushy. His hand burrowed through the now dead mans skull into the ground. The shockwave of the enormous blast sent the shadow flying. Several nearby houses collapsed and shingles dropped down onto the street. Woodenly, he stood over the corpse of the dead commander and looked at what he had done. Spider cracks ran all along the street. The commanders brains were distributed within a radius of twenty meters. He righted himself and took in the carnage he had caused. The shadow officer was standing ten meters away from him, not daring to move. With detached fascination, Res turned to watch what he had done. He could still feel a remanence of that powerful being which asked: Who are you? and right now he felt like he was alienating himself from himself. Alienation from himself and his environment.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Is this me? In the back of his mind, he heard Jason clearing his throat: Bro, you need to think about that deep stuff later. I can only stop you from bleeding out for so long and you have visitors. Looks like some druggies. Indeed, across the street stood a veritable army of about two thousand thugs and drug dealers armed with an assortment of weapons. A lanky young man smoking a packed roll of herbs stepped forward: The master of narcotics has come to save the day. You can say that we are the cleanup crew, the latecomers, but also the winners. The men behind him cheered at that. Bro, there was this fucking sick documentary on the discovery channel. It was about like lions and stuff. There were those bushmen and they could steal the prey from the lions if they didnt show fear. The lions would simply back away. What I am saying is: Put on a good display and dont drag it out. How can I intimidate them if I will die within the hour and if I am covered in bruises? Play it off cool and say something like: this is my town bitch. You know, the high noon moves. With a sigh, he took on a carefree sneer. He hardened his body and hovered a meter above the ground. In a low tone that was silent yet could carry, he rasped out. This isnt a fucking a buffet. The young revolution has now overtaken the prostitute district. We have wiped out the entirety of Akilas guard and I dont think your men quite measure up to that. He hovered towards them. The leader blew out smoke and looked behind him. We have come at the perfect time, boys. The laughter had turned a bit uneasy, so Res played the carrot and the stick card. You know, I was living near a farm once. We had a farmer there who was so artful with his scythe that he could trim a lawn within seconds. First, I thought it was impossible to trim two thousand little blades of grass. Then, he slaughtered all the grass and their families within seconds. He accompanied his tale by pushing himself around with increasing speeds. Someone from the back rows fired crossbow bolts at him, but they only clanged off of his skin. Finished with the demonstration, he continued with the carrot. I dont want to destroy your livelihoods and we will still accept your trading at our establishments. Their leaders eyes narrowed to slits, but his men were nodding along. Why should they risk their life for potential victory if they could agree to a contract and continue like before? The young man noticed the mood in the group shifting and tried, but failed to rile them up again. Many of them had families, and their risk-reward calculation was in his favor. With a sigh, the young man waved lazily. I will take the offer. You can come by to get some of that quality stuff if you know what I mean. Res didnt know what he meant but nodded. As soon as the mob had vanished around a corner, the entire world darkened. Panicked, he cast about for anything and a shadow appeared in the spot where the drug lord had stood. Bro, there are over two hundred shadows surrounding us! Res grasped for aether to push off, but the shadow only bowed. With a cool voice, the shadow said: I am pleased to meet one of the ghostbound. I have only met someone from your organization once. I give my humble apologies if I have displeased you. He remembered the old woman within Xenias necklace telling him about ghostbound - an organization that regulated the use of ghosts for personal enhancement. Bro, I dont sense anyone in the immediate vicinity with a ghost. He must aspire to join the organization. Play a role. We are in deep trouble if they attack. Trying to sound confident, he asked: What do you know about the ghostbound? The shadow chuckled. I know that they bind ghosts to their will, which gives them incredible powers. I know that you are one of them by the ghost plasma in your neck. I hope that we can build a trusting relationship with each other, so we can thrive together. You might one day see fit to recommend me to a screening officer. Res nodded sagely and tried to project an air of knowledge: Yes, we will see. Behind him, he heard the protesting cries of the shadow that had fought aside the commander. When he turned around, he saw that two shadows were carrying him away. The leading shadow said: He is a lost lamb and needs to once again find the right path. Luckily, he is a trainee and still able to change. We will reeducate him. Judging by the screams, the reeducation would involve things he didnt want to think about. The lead shadow tipped an imaginary hat. Sayonara. As if it was a magic keyword activating a spell, all the shadows vanished. Bro, that guy was edgy. By the way, what I said about you dying soon if nothing happens wasnt a joke. Before he could push off the ground, a window on a nearby building opened. A middle-aged man with a beer gut waved at him. Boy, that wasnt half bad. I wanted to tell you that as the master of thieves, I approve. With a loud bang, the window shut again and Res was left standing in the street, slack-jawed. Jason? Yes? You saw and heard that, right? Dude, I have concluded that the council is completely brain dead. With a shrug, Res pushed off the ground and left Reinhard to finish the rest. 51. There is always a bigger fish in the pond The kings brothers steps resounded in the long spiral stairway. Through various intermediaries, he had received an urgent call from the spymaster to meet on the bell tower. We never meet there. Why does he A queasy feeling overcame him when a horrible thought popped into his head. Panting, he finally opened the door to the bell tower and sat down next to the spymaster on a bench. When the spymaster didnt speak, he prompted: What is it? The king had a heart attack. The doctors have placed him in a temporary stasis fueled by some expensive herbs. There is only enough stock left to last for three days. For several minutes, he let his mind race along thousands of implications. Finally, he asked: Do you think he is ready? The prince? Yes. As ready as he can be. The commander and hundreds of elite palace guards will accompany him. They will carry him through. What I fear is an attack from another kingdom. He spurted out. They cant do that. The continental conventions forbid it! The spymaster chuckled darkly: We both know that those one-thousand-year-old treaties would be broken, eventually. The founding fathers only expected the treaty to last for twenty years. We have been getting lax recently. The boy leading our forces around by the nose has lowered our standing. Even if he has given the kingdom a lot of trouble, his forethought is impressive. His palms began to sweat. Do you think they would invade? They have already come. My reports have concluded that the kingdom of Osma has only sensei as a spy in our midst. Do you think they would only send a normal aether cultivator to conquer an empire? Ghostbound, the kings brother whispered reverently That is the only explanation I can come up with to explain the immense power. Have you seen the reports of the ambush? First, that boy shot a beam of aether bigger than any of our elite guards could create. Then he escaped the ambush by flying away. Not only flying away. One moment he was there, the next he wasnt. His passing gave off an enormous booming sound that could be heard throughout the city. It felt like the world was crashing down on him. You are saying that there are more factions in this city? The spymaster pulled out a stack of papers from a case and leafed through them.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The royal alchemist, Evudor, denied one of the southerner ambassadors to leave. It was an impulsive and dumb diplomatic move, but it allowed us to get a glimpse of the actual powers in this city. After Evudor left the tournament, they attacked him in broad daylight. I will read his report: As I was riding in my carriage, I felt something deep in the aether around me shift. As I had readied myself for an ambush, I already had an invisibility potion on hand which I drunk. As soon as the effects kicked in, the entire carriage turned into sand. One moment it was stout wood, the next moment I was encompassed by sand. Too shocked to say anything, I rolled out of the sand mountain. My detachment of six elite guards reacted instantly. Three of them shot into the air, one cast a detecting spell and one created a shield around the sand mountain. They must have thought I was still in it. Then, the sand roiled like a living being and the bystanders screamed and ran away. The sand of my former carriage formed into spikes and impaled the sand mountain. The elite guards unleashed fire and lighting at the sand, which didnt do much of anything. After that, the sand formed into a snakehead and it coiled and devoured a nearby female elite guard with a bite. I watched as the sand took on various shapes and forms which killed elite guards like pesky flies. Three of them tried to flee, but a storefront turned to sand and cut their escape off. Not knowing what to do, I lay there motionless. When the massacre was finished, a figure with a grey cloth bound around his face stepped out of a side alley. I could only make out the reflection of his eyes. The sand whirled around him in a miniature tornado. With a wave of his hand, the entire sand rushed into some side alley. He must have been searching for my body but didnt find it. He kicked a wall which crumbled and shouted cazzo with the voice of an adolescent man. The assailant left through a side alley and I hurried back to the palace. The kings brother had his face buried in his hands. As if to deepen his misery, the spymaster added: A delegation of northerners has arrived recently. I have interviewed them and they are led by the eldest son of the father of tribes. After I got some of them drunk, they admitted that they were here to conquer Trianon as proof of maturity for the eldest son. It is customary that for a prospect for the position of father of tribes, to conquer at least one other tribe. Last but not least, the prince Akeem of Osma has come too. My theory is that they sent him in to reinforce sensei against the southerner ghostbound. He sat there paralyzed and felt like the future of his kingdom was slipping out of his hands. The spymaster didnt look away, but offered a hand to help him up: I dont think now is the time to fall into self-pity. Have you already forgotten that the prince has over four hundred S-Tier fighters? Even the best ghostbounds are overwhelmed with numbers. We have studied the intricacies of the kings tournament for several hundred years and have always won until now. Why should it be any different this time? Even as a last resort, we still have Plan B. He wiped away the tears of desperation and straightened. You should become a motivational teacher, you know that? I, as a representative of the royal family, command you to gather all our elite palace guards. Prepare them for what is coming. We cant wait any longer, else other kingdoms may decide it is their time to shine, too. The spymaster saluted and answered. It is my honor to do so. He produced a mirror out of his pocket and sent signals to a guard tower. With a sense of dread and fascination, he watched the spymaster and thought: That one already knew what I would decide. He is far too competent; I will need to remove him after all this is done. 52. Facing your ladyfriends brother After circling Grannys shop for the fifteenth time, he approached the backyard while expecting to be ambushed. Even as he knocked on the window to Grannys lab, no elite palace guards revealed themselves. He heard annoyed shouting from inside and Granny entered the lab. When she saw him in his current state, she hurried over and tore open the window. Boy, what did you do? Why dont you have any arms? What did you do with your left leg? Why arent you bleeding? Granny hyperventilated and Res put a calming hand on hers. Dont worry about the legs, that is a drawback of an aether technique. I can grow them back. My problem is the wound on my throat. Granny took a deep breath and put on a professional facade. All right, lie down right there. From inside the building, Res could hear Euroras voice asking what is going on. When Granny told her to come, Jason sighed and cursed in a downbeat tone. Bro, you know what? We are fucked. Fucked sideways. From the front and the back. We are simultaneously having a reverse French and an Alabama hot pocket. That is how fucked we are. We are so fucked that we will be pregnant. Res, you can throw the dream of living a solitary and peaceful life in the garbage bin now. Res wanted to ask why Jason had turned so pessimistic when Eurora entered the room. She froze when she saw Res lying on a stretcher. At first, he thought she was surprised to see him in his injured state or at all. When she gasped out: Ghostbound, Res knew that Jason had been spot on. Granny continued rummaging inside various herb racks and created a quick paste. When she was about to smear it on his neck wound, she paused and asked: What is that white goo? Bro, tell her to dump the paste into the wound. I know what disinfecting and cleaning paste is and how it works. Had to use it plenty in my lifetime. He asked Granny to put the paste in his wound and after some protest, Granny did so. Res felt the goo moving in around, spreading the paste, and pushing out dirt. Eurora had sat down on the floor and was staring at him in horror. Granny applied a lesser healing potion on his neck. His flesh shifted around until, after five minutes, the wound finally closed. Taking in a deep breath, Res sat up and faced the two terrified old women. I can explain this. That wasnt what the southerner lady wanted to hear. You can explain this? You are a monster. You are worse than a ghostbound C You are a ghost. You should be dead. No ghostbound can control the ghost so skillfully, except if the human mind was pushed out. Still not giving up on a peaceful solution, Res asked. What can I do so we go our separate ways, happy? Eurora clutched a crystal at her necklace. You will come with us. We have a place for your sort. Granny seemed torn and, with the agreement of Jason, he explained the situation to both of them. The old woman would track down his background, anyway. I went to check my potential at the royal testing crystal and a ghost possessed me. We are working together now. Jason cried out in frustration when he said that. When he looked up, he saw that Eurora had gone several shades paler. Now she was clinging to her skirts as if she was about to die. Her necklace shone with brilliant white aether and vanished. She bared her teeth at him and hissed: Enjoy your last moments on this plain, ghost. I have put one of our best-trained ghostbound onto your trail. For occasions like this, we have ghosthounds in every country. You cant escape him. He will follow you like a wolf until he finally banishes you to the afterlife you deserve. She closed her eyes as if she was ready for him to do something. Bro, you picked the worst option out there. I dont want to play mister obvious but you are pretty fucked. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but you are no fucking match for a ghostbound who has trained since he was four years old. If I were you, I would get my ass out of this place asap. Following Jasons advice, he backed up two steps and said to Granny: I promise it isnt like you think it is. I have been and always will be honest with you. I will come back and explain everything, but that lady screwed me up royally. With a last wave to the horrified Granny, Res pushed himself out into the open. Where to go, brother? Bro, the only place where you will find shelter from such a monster, is in some official building. The southerner kingdom could kill you in the palace, but what about an embassy? Res groaned. You know that the monster back in the tunnel probably was Xenias brother? Jason added in a conversational tone: I havent told you? Ahhh I am like one hundred percent sure that it was her brother. He stood at the edge of the pit for five minutes while talking about reclaiming family honor. Res began to sweat as he was zipping across rooftops. I prefer the sewers. Dont delude yourself, bro. It is not a matter of if he will find you, but when he will find you. Imagine them like human machines that are trained from birth to only find and kill people. The brother is the better choice C at least you can reason with him. With a goal in mind, he pushed himself in the direction of the palace grounds. When he finally arrived, he could spot elite palace guards watching the perimeter. For half an hour, he sat on a roof, thinking about how he could get into the manner unnoticed when something clicked. He dropped to street level and rolled himself on the dirty road. With glee, he shredded his clothing and smeared dirt all over his face. Bro, have you finally gone crazy? Dont you see it? I dont match any of their descriptions now. I am a beggar without his left leg and arm. Walking without hovering was more difficult than he had imagined. It took him a quarter-hour to crawl towards the entrance. When he was there, he opened himself to the bond and found that both Serafina and Xenia were still in the manner. He felt grief and anger through their bond and tried to send feelings of happiness and welcoming to them. The guards at the door told him to: fuck off else you will lose your other extremities. Res continued to send feelings of happiness and urgency through their bond. Just before one of the men went to rough him up, a maid jogged out from the manner, shouting: Stop. The guards did so, and the maid curtseyed before him. My mistress is so graceful as to offer her hospitality to a sick man. Without asking him whether he accepted, the maid dragged him into the manner. Apparently, she hadnt been clued in why she needed to collect a beggar from the street. He had to be scrubbed clean and got new simple clothes. Within the manner, he allowed himself to use aether and walking got a lot easier. Finally, he was led up several stairways and into the dining room. A long table filled up the room and an enormous glass chandelier hang on the ceiling. On the table made for sixty people, sat two young women with red-rimmed eyes who began to cry when they saw him. Serafina and Xenia looked like they had gone through hell recently. Xenias usually braided hair was a complete mess and Serafinas calm demeanor had vanished. Most important of all, both of their faces were streaked with tears. It felt wrong, so he gathered the image of the quirky Xenia and the clever Serafina. With a sigh, he pushed them through their mental links. For good measure, he added how he was drawn in by Xenias eyes and character and Serafinas wit and intelligence. Both of them broke down even further and Xenia stood up from her chair and ran over to him. She pushed the maid out of the way and hugged him. Serafina followed her lead and soon both of them were clinging to him as if he was their only lifeline. Through their mental link, they shared not what they had thought in the last hours, but what they had felt. Bro, I dont want to interrupt your happy reunion, but look up. As always, Jasons advice was lifesaving. When he looked up, he saw an unassuming man in his late thirties in an army uniform. The mans eyes promised a painful death and Res didnt doubt that for a second. Having learned from Jason that backing down wouldnt help him, he continued to stare into the mans eyes. He put on his best winning smile and offered his hand: My name is Res if it wasnt already obvious. You must be Akeem.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Akeems army uniform deformed and his biceps grew to be the size of a watermelon. Before Xenia could protest, Akeem clamped down on his hand, but Res only continued to smile. Xenia punched her brothers chest. Is this how you treat guests? Let him at least eat and tell his side of the story. Akeem harrumphed and his arm shrunk back to its original size. Res watched the transformation of Akeems arm with fascination. He remembered Jasons saying: If you let people talk about what they like, they will like you.. Acting in accordance with that principle, he asked: Can you do that with every body part? I suppose it could come in handy. Akeem turned away, but Res could see the smug smile on his face. It works on every muscle if that is what you mean. Remembering back to the fact that Xenia''s brother was a drunkard, Res added: I have heard that alcohol is stored in the muscles. You must be a good drinker. I own a famous restaurant in town, el ristorante, and for you, all drinks will be free. The prince couldnt hide his eyes from lighting up with interest as he sat down. Are you telling me you own THE el ristorante? The restaurant or bar to which you cant even get any entry tokens right now? Exactly that one. The prince slammed his hand on the table and hooted out loud. I am starting to like you. His expression switched to anger and he leaned towards him. But dont think you will get off like that. A chill ran down Ress spine as he looked into the same deep blue eyes that Xenia had. Bro, if you only cultivate via air, I may be able to help you with passive cultivation. You need to give me the reigns when you are done. Those two are our girls and I wont let that asshole take my babe away from me. Adhering to the option of not backing down, Res fell into aether cultivation. Spurred on by the threat sitting in front of him, he spread his influence as far as he could through the air. He pulled until the air finally gave in and aether trickled into his body. He pushed the trickle of aether to Jason, who continued cultivating. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Akeem looking at him with surprise while the two girls stared at him in awe. When he looked down at his left arm, one could see how small aether light particles zipped towards his body. Making the best of the situation, he waved it away. Those are some fancy light tricks. Dont mind them. The girls didnt seem to think so, and Serafina picked at the new-formed flesh. It feels real. It is real. I only got into a fight by accident. Akeem laughed wholeheartedly. Shit, I cant dislike you. On the one hand, I have been sent to castrate you, but you are a likable guy. The room went dead silent at that, and Res stared at Akeem in horror. Akeem rubbed the back of his head and said. We cant have little princess babies running around. Life as a consort isnt that bad. Xenia looked at him significantly while Serafina turned stone-faced. If you dont want to tell me what happened, we will have lots of time to get to know each other. Everyone knew something that he didnt and Res didnt like that. What do you mean? Serafina looked at him with compassion in her eyes. You dont have to talk about it. Torture, especially in the royal dungeon, is traumatizing. Now, his entire world made no sense. Who got tortured?", Res asked dumbly. Serafina looked more unsure now: You got tortured, didnt you? The prince captured and tortured you. You dont have to be ashamed of that. Ress eyebrows nearly touched the ceiling and his eyes were widened in pure confusion. When Xenia saw his reaction, she hyperventilated. We reached out to you and I was in a street fight supporting a revolution to demand better treatment for street children. *BANG* Before Res knew it; Akeem split the table in half by an enormous hand chop. A frustrated roar resounded through the room. That bastard! Once again! Once again! Res watched in horror as Akeem demolished one chair after another. When he was finished with the furniture, he pounded enormous holes into the wall and floor. When he had pretty much beat up the entire room, he deflated his muscles. Calmly, he picked up a half-broken chair from the ground. With a terrifying smile, he took a seat once again. Still, rage emanated from his crystal blue eyes. Xenia ran over to her brother, buried her head in his chest and cried. It felt like Res was in some surreal alternate reality, as he watched the proceedings. Finally, Xenia explained: The prince visited me after you fled from the cellar. He told me he had captured you and now held you hostage in their royal dungeon. The captain of my guard saw with his own eyes how hundreds of elite palace guards shot at you. Res supposed that it could have looked like that. Xenia had collected herself and was now sitting on Akeems lap. The prince said that I would need to sign a document that permitted me from marrying for twenty years. Else he would torture you to death. The blood bond is not only a strength but also a weakness. You can hurt all the participants of the bond if someone gets hurt. It is instinctual to reach out for any help and convey your pain. I didnt want you to get hurt, neither did Akeem want me to experience mental trauma. So, I signed it. I have one question: Is it true that you will participate in the kings tournament? The last question caught Res completely off guard and he stared at Xenia. You mean THE kings tournament? There isnt another one, dummy. Are you crazy? Firstly: How do you know the king will die? Secondly: It is forbidden to participate in the kings tournament and if you survive, you are executed. Thirdly: The kings tournament is batshit crazy. Because the prince is competing, I dont have a chance of winning, anyway. It is rumored that participants once had to fight through a jungle full of zombies. Fourthly, the losers are stripped of all their aether cultivation. No, thank you. Jason used the following silence to interject: I have actually helped set the test up. I can not tell you anything specific, but our chances arent that bad. As king, you could relax all you want and instantiate a puppet king, so we can go whoring and killing monsters. Thats life. Res sent feelings of irritation through their mental link and Xenia spoke up. The prince thinks you will compete for the kingdom of Osma to conquer Trianon. Res scratched the back of his head. He does? Well, I didnt plan to die after I lose my cultivation. I wouldnt make a good king, anyway. Serafina stepped forward and looked at him with her beautiful brown eyes. If the prince is so confident you would pose a significant threat, you must be able to defeat him. Jason stopped Res from giving a response: Bro, look out the windows. The elite palace guards are retreating. That isnt a good sign. Indeed, the elite guards stationed at Xenias manner all left in the direction of the palace grounds. Serafina continued talking, but Ress eyes were focused on tens of other forms flying above the cities. The elite guards were retreating to the palace. When Xenia blurted out: We can come, too., Ress attention was pulled back to the discussion. That is not a good idea. You two should stay here. Akeem nodded along and Serafina glowered at both of them: Do you think we cant defend ourselves? She brandished her Katana, and the princess pulled out a dagger. On closer inspection, it resembled more of an ornate butter knife. Suddenly, something poked at Res. It was some prodding at his aether cultivation? Jason had noticed too and was retracting his influence. Bro, someone has noticed our cultivation technique. By now, he had half of his arm back. Akeem was still arguing with the two girls about whether they should enter the tournament. Jasons voice sounded horse and scared like Res had never heard him before. Bro, look at the gate. Immediately, his gaze locked onto a slim figure with a grey cloth veil obscuring his face in front of the gate. When their gazes met, shivers of fear went down his spine as he looked into the eyes of a true killer. He backed away several steps, but the figure seemed content to wait outside for now. Inwardly, he asked: Jason, what does the tournament do with my body? You are actually teleported to another dimension. I struck a deal with the klengans. They are friendly folks and they organize the entire thing. You are especially lucky, because Jason coughed but regained his voice a moment later. Sorry, I forgot that I cant tell you anything I experienced after my lifetime. Lets leave it at that. I would choke to death if I would tell you more than this. Res cursed the entity that restricted what ghost could tell mortals and announced: You are right. I will take part in the kings tournament. Akeem smiled and clapped him roughly on the shoulder. Great. Look, ladies, we have solved the problem. He will go to the tournament without needing you two to babysit him. Xenia crossed her arms in front of her sizeable chest. I will go. It held a resolute tone and Serafina positioned herself next to her in a similar pose. As hard as Res tried to stop himself, his eyes were magically drawn to her athletic body. Serafina noticed his stare and reddened. Instead of reddening himself, he searched deep within himself for the reason for that action. Vincent back in the palace had told him of such problems, but he had never experienced them. Finally, he resolved to think about that later. When he returned his focus to reality, he realized that he had continued staring at Serafina and her face complexion had turned beet-red. Now even he was blushing. It wasnt like he didnt give a passing glance at body structure, but the assessment had always been without second intentions. At least he thought he did. He hoped he did. Akeem didnt seem exactly pleased by his behavior. The awkward silence was broken by rumbling from the ground. Enormous amounts of aether were drawn deep into the ground and intricate aether knotwork sprang up all across the city. Bro, the teleport arrays are activating. I cant believe my stone casting is still working after eight hundred years. People on the street were running about in panic, and even the hooded ghostbound shifted about. Res turned to Serafina as a yellow glow surrounded everyone and Jasons voice resounded in his head. It sounded dull, but Jasons unique speech pattern was unmistakable: Yiihaaa, good day to you all. I hope I finally got this shitty teleport array working. The klengans should have written the user manual in English. Anyway, this is your chance to be king. Have you always dreamed of leaving your peasant live behind? Fear no more! I have the perfect solution for you! Think of the word yes in your head and you will get the chance to become the next king of Trianon. You will fight all participants, but wit is also a key part of succeeding. Then the message looped itself. When Res looked outside, he could see the ghostbound had summoned a sand snake. Akeem and Serafin had both detected the use of aether and were now staring at the ghostbound. From the edges of his vision, he could see Xenia warping and vanish with a small *Pop*. He flashed the terrified Serafina and Akeem a grin and thought: Yes. 53. Team Pink Unicorn It felt like his organs were turned inside out as bright light enveloped his vision. In an instant, his entire body was wrenched away from his world. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an enormous room with a white floor and ceiling. With an instinctive push of aether, he caught himself as he still had no left leg or arm. As far as the eye could see, the rooms endless white walls stretched on. Next to him stood Xenia, gawking at the hundreds of flashing lights that appeared in the room. When the flash of light passed, it would reveal another citizen of Trianon standing in its place. Five meters apart from him, Serafina and Akeem materialized out of thin air. Thousands of people from all social classes, genders, and ethnicities appeared around them. He estimated that there must have been about twenty thousand people at least. There were beggars, thugs, traders, caravan overseers, peasants, some nobles, northerners, southerners and Ress gaze was drawn to an especially bright light. The entire elite palace guard with the prince at the front materialized five hundred feet away. Immediately, their commander shouted out orders, and they split up into units of four. Another flash of light appeared close to him and the ghostbound that hunted him appeared next to him. Before he could react, the ghostbounds fist hovered an inch before his face. A blue barrier had appeared around his face and the ghostbound backed away in confusion. Serafina, Xenia, and Akeem took on fighting positions and Jason chimed in: You cant hurt each other here. You could talk sense into him. Res extended his hand to the ghostbound. Nice to meet you, my name is Res. Hurting each is other isnt possible here. I dont know why you want to kill me, but I hope we can become allies. The hooded figure eyed his hand and hissed out: Foul Spirit, dont think you will get away with possessing a body. After saying that, he walked several steps back and continued to watch him. Res only shrugged his shoulders and turned to his immediate problem: Please tell me you have some secret aether talent you have hidden away, Xenia. She clutched at her necklace and answered hotly: I have enough aether to start artifacts and that is more than most of the population. Res deflated and sat down on the ground with his face buried in his hands. A voice resounded through the room: LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! This is the twelfth kings tournament of planet A3U7, also known as Planet Jason.Roaring applause resounded through the room and everyone cast about for the source of the voices. Res only shook his head. Jason, you have balls to name an entire planet after yourself. Jason sent feelings of smugness and pride through the connection. Bro, I didnt even do it intentionally. When I dropped by on their planet, they were being invaded by red slimes and I helped them out a bit. They asked me where I had come from. I didnt want to give them the fucking coordinates, else they could hold the entire planet hostage. He looked at the white room with renewed interest. Is this another planet? Another world? Why are there no plants or soil? Jason laughed heartily. Ahhh, that was refreshing. To your question: The klengans initially lived in a world like yours. This is only a special room to make teleporting easier. In their world, everyone lives better than the king in your world. They all know how to read and write and they have magic constructions that can kill worlds. His whirlwind of thoughts was brought to a stop by a voice that seemed to act as the announcer. Dear participants, it seems like there are even more participants than usual. Unfortunately for you and fortunately for us, we will need to root out most of you before the proper tournament starts. We will begin with a classic arena matchup. Always keep in mind: If you lose, you will lose the ability to draft aether ever again. We offer either one versus one fight or four versus four. You will have the next twenty minutes to either form a team of four. If you dont want to form a team, you can use the time to prepare yourself for a tense solo battle. You form a team by having four people hold each others hands while saying: We form a team. Good luck!This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. For several moments, the entire room was quiet, then havoc broke loose. People were shouting about how powerful they were and many were flocking to imposing thugs. Akeem grabbed his hand and motioned him to do the same with the two girls. Xenia will last four seconds in any arena and I dont want to besmirch my familys honor even more. Res looked into Xenias scared eyes and something primal came over him. He felt a faint vibration in the air and the weighing feeling of the entity flooded his body. He whispered This is me and grabbed Xenias arm. She smiled at him, but still bit her lip. Behind Res, the ghostbound screamed something about him needing to man up and face him in a one on one. Res ignored him and they spoke in tandem: We form a team. Pink lights in the shape of a unicorn appeared over their heads. Jason broke out into laughter and a voice in his head announced: Team pink unicorn has been formed. Akeem took on the same expression of dread as Res, while Xenia and Serafina laughed. Akeem buried his head into his hands as he viewed the other teams banners around him. Pouncing Tiger, Demon Reaper, Fire Wolf, Royal Undead, Electric Ravens and we are the fucking pink unicorns. The announcer will laugh every time we fight. Xenia chimed in: Unicorns can be fierce She trailed off and added: I think. Behind them, the ghostbound had stomped over to a group of thugs and turned a piece of cloth into sand. The thugs immediately pushed one of their friends out of the group and formed a group with him. The masked young man cursed at him and Akeem asked Res: Who is that guy? He had never felt such temptation to lie, but he remembered the entity asking him Who are you?. He wasnt a liar. As nonchalantly as he could, he said: He has captured a ghost and harnesses its power. All of them turned dead silent, and Serafina laughed nervously. No, be serious. Who is he? Everything that I said is the truth. Akeem took an involuntary step back and gasped out: Ghostbound Res looked at him, surprised. You know of them? I overheard father speaking about a ghostbound who killed fifty people in the palace. He wasnt persecuted Xenia definitely didnt like them talking about something she didnt know of. What are ghostbounds? They have taken control of a ghost within their body and can harness that ghosts power. I know little of them either., Res explained. Akeem raised his brows and eyed him. Why does such a powerful organization want you dead? His palms began to sweat. I have a ghost in my body, too. We are friends though and dont have the customary slave-master relationship. For several moments every one was silent, then Serafina asked: Are your personalities merged or do you take turns at piloting your body? Xenias face changed from shocked to horrified and Res interjected. I am in the unique situation that we are able to live side by side. We are like roommates. He doesnt mess with my body at all, has other ghost friends, and helps me with aether. I even already told you about him when we were in the auction house. His explanation didnt seem to calm Akeem at all, so Res continued. I didnt know for a long time that there were other people with similar powers. The time I was introduced to that concept was while you, Serafin, and I were sleeping together. Through their mental bond, he sent both Xenia and Serafina the sincerity he felt. Xenia was still for several moments and Serafina sent feelings of forgiveness through their bond. Not wanting to be outdone, Xenia sent feelings of lust and compassion to him. Their communication degenerated into a confusing swirl of emotion. Panting, Res had to break off the connection. When Res opened his eyes, he was only centimeters away from Akeems angry face. Akeems foot was tapping on the white floor and his fear of Res had evaporated. Picking his nails, he asked: Sooooo, you slept together. Xenia, still enraptured by the whirl of emotions, answered in a suggestive tone. Ohhh yes, it was so nice to feel Ress heartbeat That was enough for Akeem. The boy standing in front of him had established a blood bond with his sister and had slept with her. Res babbled incoherent words as Akeem drew his fist back with his muscles rippling: She misspoke. We only took a short twenty-minute nap, and I was bedridden. The merry voice of the announcer interrupted their friendly conversation. You will be teleported to your first match against wild beasts in three, two, one. 54. Slaughter and Leonardo di Caprio White light surrounded them and he felt a momentary burst of vertigo that he now associated with teleporting. When he opened his eyes again, he was in the middle of a colosseum like that in Trianon. The stands were empty except for giant black cubes pointing at them. With Jasons help, Res caught his balance. Bro, it has been so long since I have seen some nice tech. Seems like the klengan have finally created their own version of a camera. Res couldnt concentrate on the weird people in the stands. Instead, his attention was encapsulated by various enormous beasts in cages. Some Res recognized, like the mountain lion, the bull, and a jaguar. Others, Res had never seen nor heard of. Eagles the size of an apartment building, a spider bigger than a bear, and a colossal goat with the head of a tiger, to name a few. All the bars holding the animals in place clattered to the ground. Akeem had already turned to face the monsters, and Res knew that they could beat beasts with aether. The only question was whether Xenia would survive. Res scooped the screeching Xenia up in his arms and pushed himself off the ground. Only the fraction of a second later, an enraged gorilla missed them by a hairs breadth. In the air, Res could see that the animals were only occasionally attacking each other. Instead, they focused their attacks on the two humans. Akeem was wreaking havoc among the beasts with his inflating muscles. He even conjured up extra muscle fibers that strangled animals to death. Serafina was like a gleaming whirlwind of cold iron, and the beasts fell like weed. Her blade danced through practiced motions with ease. Her collected demeanor was replaced with that of an infuriated battle goddess. The only warning Res got was a cry from Xenia before something clawed at his hardened shoulders. That wasnt the problem, though. Xenia was bleeding from a deep cut in her right arm. With a push of aether, he created some distance between him and the attacker. The shrill cry confirmed Ress fears that the enormous eagle was behind him. Frantically, he searched for a way out, but all the ideas he came up with were batshit crazy. Bro, I dont want to pressure you or anything, but that giant eagle is coming for your ass. He held Xenia in his arms and whispered in her ear. Brace yourself For a moment, he let go of his hardened body, curled up around Xenia, and pushed himself backwards. His body impacted the eagles torso with a satisfying crunch. He could feel how he crushed various layers of bones and intestines and emerged from the other end. Xenia was screaming for most of the time and only when her mouth was full of blood, she stopped. After crushing the eagle, Jason had to stop his momentum so they wouldnt crash into a translucent barrier. Res softened his body and gave Xenia a reassuring smile. We killed a giant eagle. Xenia broke out into maniacal fits of laughter and she clung to him even tighter. Pieces of eagle heart and liver covered her face and every part of her was drenched blood. Down at the arena floor, Akeem finished up the last animal, a goat with the face of a tiger. Serafina stood basking in the sun with her blood-red sword in her right hand. Res descended and let down the dizzy Xenia. Serafina found her bearings and supported Xenia. The voice of the announcer resounded through the room for only a second: Room number 23 has passed while Room num Akeem and Serafina were talking to Xenia, so Res thought it would be a good time to cultivate. With Xenia being wounded, he needed to be much stronger to keep her alive. In his time at Xenias manner, he had regrown a small stump of his arm and leg. He tapped into that power as he pushed down against the ground. The small stump of his arm managed to push his influence twenty meters into the ground. Res heard several people talking around him but ignored it for now. When he had a firm hold, he pulled at the ground until he finally got the ball rolling. This time, he expected the wave of aether and completely recreated his arm and leg. With a sigh, he opened his eyes and stared at a man with blueish skin and long flappy ears. The rest of him was like that of a human and he held a tablet with a sheet of paper on it. The being seemed irritated and cleared its throat. In a very annoyed tone, it asked: Name? Out of reflex, he answered. Res. His three teammates wore undiscernible expressions on their faces. Jason surfaced from his ghost world and shouted in glee: A fucking klengan Then, his tone turned disappointed. Not a female though. Bro, I promise you, klengan women are hot af. I swear, if you see one of their females, even you will take a trip to their brothels. You know, big breasts and asses are actually ugly here.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Not being able to hold his tongue, he blurted out to the man with the tablet. Do you think that big tits are ugly? The blueish man, apparently named klengan, wrinkled his nose in disgust and said in his grading nasal voice. I am sure that you are the exact man to favor such traits. Flabby sacks of meat. Thanks to you, I will now need to climb up a primitive ladder. The blue klengan gestured up and Res realized that his cultivation had carved out a twenty-meter-deep hole as wide as the colosseum floor. Res scratched his head and laughed nervously. Oopss, didnt mean to. The klengan clerk harrumphed and went to the edge of the pit where a rope ladder dangled. When the clerk was out of the way, Xenia ran over to him with Serafina tow and opened herself up through their bond. Res felt the emotion of fear she had felt when she was attacked, but also the assurance that he was there. The part of him wanted to hold his feelings secret cracked and Res opened up too. With a sigh, he gave her a glimpse into his genuine emotions and Xenia tripped immediately. Akeem hurried over to her and helped her up, but Xenia was only staring at Res. She looked at him as if he had turned into an elephant and Res crossed his arms: What? She dusted her dress off, all the while staring at him. Both of the girls look made Res squeezy. Why didnt you feel anything? How To spite her, he opened himself up once again and showed her the anxiousness he was feeling right now. Then Xenia laughed. You are scared right now because I stare at you? He closed the connection to her and promised he would never do it again. He stood up, dusted himself off, and cleared his throat. Great teamwork back there. We should go now. His change of topic didnt work out as intended, and the silence only deepened further. Xenia walked up to him and looked him in the eyes. Thank you for saving me. Before Res could protest, Xenia was hugging him and she cried for some reason. Bro, crying is something women do. Men do it too, but we do it alone in the pubs bathroom while drinking the twentieth beer. Two powerful hands grabbed Xenia and pulled them away. When Res looked up, he was staring in the dead cold eyes of Akeem who was holding the struggling Xenia. With the same dead cold voice, he whispered: I will uphold a ban that disallows Xenia from being in the presence of this pervert, let alone touch him. Xenia protested: We are in the same team and we need to do a tactical assessment. Cant we turn him into my consort now? I want to use him to let off a little steam. The prospect of being used as a training dummy disgusted his rational. His male instincts were a completely different story. They were screaming at him to take the opportunity, if not now then as soon as possible. When he saw how Serafina was watching him with dead eyes, he slapped himself mentally. He wanted to retort and tell Xenia that he wont be toyed around with, but the sound of a lone cello playing a romantic tune interrupted him. Akeem threw Xenia over his shoulder and Xenia cried out dramatically. We wont be divided. Not for long. Now trumpets and a piano were added into the mix. Xenia ignored the music and cried out: Love knows no bounds. We will find a way. There is always a way. The music built up to a crescendo. Now a full-fledged band was playing such a passionate tune that Res was carried away as if he was in some play. Akeem, you dont have to man-handle her this way. Now even Jason was singing along with the melody: Neaarrrr, faaarrr, whereeever you are, I believe that thee heart doeeeess go onnnnnnn. Onceeee moorrrreee you Akeem tried to find out where the sounds were coming from and finally gave up. With a powerful heave and several strands of muscles, he bound Xenia to his body and climbed the ladder. Xenia called out and the tone of the music turned sorrowful and even louder. Now, Res could make out that the sounds were actually coming from several of the black boxes that were fixed on the edges of the colosseum. Somehow, it felt like he was being set up to play a role and he didnt like. Determined to not let himself pushed into a role, he tried to push off. Yet, he found that he was surrounded by a blue-white force shield that held him bound to the ground. Frustrated, he screamed out loud, but it only reinvigorated the orchestra. Klengans appeared in the colosseum ranks to adjust the black boxes. A klengan clad in red robes shouted instructions to the other klengans about angles and exposure. Out of the corner of his vision, he realized that Serafina had watched him the entire time. When their gazes met, they both stared at each other for an indeterminate amount of time. He saw the cluelessness he felt mirrored in Serafinas eyes, and he opened himself up. In contrast to Xenias passionate lust, Serafina felt curiosity and a mix of affection and respect. The difference was so jarring that Ress mouth hung agape. When Serafina saw that, she blushed furiously and turned around. It might have been his imaginations, but Res thought Serafina was shaking her hips as she went up the ladder. When Akeem had reached ground level, the directing klengan nodded. With a whirr, the blue barrier around him vanished. Res shook his fist at the klengan who must have been responsible for him getting caught up in this, but the klengan only laughed. With a burst of aether, he propelled himself up the pit and landed next to Akeem who was still Xenia. The clerk snorted at Res and walked through a door that was inlaid into the colosseum wall. The room beyond was the same cold white as the starting room. The klengan clerk directed them to stand on silver disks embedded in the floor. When the clerk used a highly sophisticated aether spell, the pads vibrated. After feeling the usual vertigo, he found himself standing in the same nondescript starting room. 55. One doesnt understand women This time, there were hundreds of tables with steaming food all around the room. Each group had their own table, chairs and a glimmering shield boxing them into that area. Res realized that many teams were now one or two members short. Most of the survivors had nasty bruises and cuts all over their bodies. A closer glance at their table revealed that the food was a gooey brown mass. An enormous barrel of water was the only extra furniture apart from the table and the chairs. Bro, they give you space food? Bahh Res asked for specifics and Jason explained: If you want to get from one world to another with cargo, you have to fly through dark empty space. That is the food you eat on the journey. He didnt like the sound of that but still took a seat. Xenia slid out of Akeems grasp and sat down next to him. She gave Akeem challenging stares, and he finally relented. Res knew that this stigma couldnt be allowed to continue to grow if their lives were on the line. Akeem, do you agree that we cant fight like this? Akeem eyed him suspiciously as he took a seat opposite him. Yes First, I would like to propose a deal. You are uncomfortable with me. What can I do to satisfy your concerns? Immediately, Akeem shot out. Dont touch her. So, I should have let your sister get killed by a giant eagle? No. You should halt your romantic relationship for now. I will stop shepherding Xenia as long as the two of you dont actually engage in romantic activities. Immediately, Xenia shot out: No way. Res held out a hand to Akeem which he took. Xenia pouted and Res turned her so she faced him: Look, there are lives on the line. Serafina pulled her over and whispered something in her ear. Then, Xenia and Serafina opened themselves completely. Res broke out into a coughing fit when he felt how much lust Xenia was feeling for him. Akeem studied all of them. There is something going on here. Xenia giggled and Res turned his attention to the disgusting brown goo. With a crude metal spoon, he shoveled the goo in his mouth. Maybe the meaty and salty flavor would hide his embarrassment. Under the watchful gaze of Akeem, they all finished the goo while Serafina and Xenia kept their emotional channels open to him. Their feelings of disgust for the soup, hate of Akeem, and fear of being killed at any moment flooded his system. After several minutes of quiet eating, Res couldnt bear it anymore and asked: Do you want to tone it down a little? Xenia giggled and continued the direct connection while Serafina followed his request. The difference between the two was as jarring as it could get. When they had finished, Res pointed to the barrel of water and had everyone drink plenty. With the leftover water, they washed out Xenias wound and cleaned a piece of cloth they used for bandaging the wound. Res felt Xenias pain as they picked pieces of dirt and eagle blood out of her wounds. In the middle of bandaging her, the voice of the announcer resounded through the room: Hello once again to all you winners. You gave as an extraordinary show today and we are thankful for that. Here is a small bonus tip as thanks: You can gear up and heal if you do well in the actual tournament. Because you are so many, we will need to do an extra two rounds of fighting which will begin in twenty minutes. Aaannnd, you wont get another chance to rest. They continued tending to their wounds and when they were finished, Res began: We need a tactic. How do you gage our opponents, Akeem? Him asking for advice drew Akeem into the plan and Akeem began: First, we have the battered group of crafters and farmers that fight in taverns. They wont pose a threat to us and we will repeat the tactic of you defending Xenia with Serafina while I beat them up. Secondly, we have the thugs. They will use underhanded tactics and will attack our weakest member, Xenia. It would pressure us into giving up ground and fighting on their terms. The best tactic would be for you to just fly into the air with Xenia. If they randomly assign the tournament fights, I would say that they are the likeliest group to face. If we meet one of the elite palace guards, we are in serious trouble. Their military way of thinking will crush us if we let them act like they want to. Res, I will need you to immediately attack together with me while Serafina guards Xenia. Res raised his eyebrows. That is a very solid plan. What about the eight northerner groups? Their giant axes will pose a significant threat to me in the air. Have you seen southerners throw stuff? They are accurate. Akeem made as if to reply, but was cut off by a bright light. A second later, Res found himself in a replica of the colosseum they were in before. He had no time to discuss further plans as his eyes were completely fixed on his four enemies C The shadows of the assassins guild of Trianon. One of them recognized him and gasped out distorted words, but the shadow in the front shushed him. With an enormous aether push, he tackled Serafina in time for a wicked blade that had materialized out of a shadow portal to miss her. Luckily, Jason understood the gravitas of the situation and activated the ring of shadows. Res heard frightened screams of Xenia and cursing from Akeem. He opened his connection to Xenia and catapulted himself towards her. With open arms, he grabbed onto the first human-shaped object in his path and pushed himself upwards. Yet, when he emerged from the globe of darkness, he held a struggling shadow in his hardened arms. In front of the man, a portal would flicker in and out of existence. So, you cant portal out if someone is touching you, Res whispered into the mans ear. The shadow flailed around, but Res wouldnt loosen his grip. Like a puppet with cut strings, Res plummeted down. With a meaty thud, he impacted the ground with the shadow taking the fall. Res was undamaged, but the shadows brains were spread across the entire colosseum. The shadow magic receded to reveal a middle-aged man underneath. The announcer called out from the black boxes: In Arena 45, Res aka. Mr. Romantico has . WOW, that was brutal. Was that a modified tombstone finishing move? That will go down in history, ladies and gentlemen. That is our Mr. Romantico, he wont only break your heart. Lots of action going on right now. In Arena 12 the Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Then the black boxes stopped playing. Everyone tried to disengage when the announcers voice resounded through the arena. Akeem picked up the fight against two shadows. Serafina used the distraction to ram her sword into the last shadows guts. The blow wasnt fatal though and Res had to watch as the shadow teleported behind her with the last ounces of his strength. With blood bubbling from his lips, the shadow ripped her back open with a black dagger. After the slash, he collapsed dead on the floor, but the damage had been done. One of the shadows fighting Akeem released a spiderweb of darkness at him. It gave one shadow the time to teleport behind him. Now he faced the dilemma of either letting Serafina possibly die or Akeem surely die. Utilitarianism won over and he tackled the shadow behind Akeem. Once again, the shadow experienced the same fate as his successor. The mans head scraped against the packed dirt, which left a trail of blood and brain behind. Hurriedly, Res shouted over to Akeem: Grab and hold him! Dont kill him. Luckily, Akeem had heard him and grabbed the surviving shadow in a chokehold. Res hurried over to Serafina, who lay panting on her stomach. Bro, you need to fucking clean her wound ASAP and get a clean bandage. He ripped off her shirt, which revealed the gash underneath. He sighed out in relief when he saw that the cut was clean and only some dirt had entered the wound. Yet, Serafina was losing blood fast. Res cut open Serafinas shirt and waved to Xenia. You need to strip, give me the clean shirt under your dress. Xenia reddened and Res turned away: No time, quick! When he received the shirt, he cut it into makeshift bandages with Xenias jeweled dagger. Akeem stared at him menacingly and Res snorted: Do you think I would choose propriety above Serafinas life? Akeem stopped staring after that. Serafina had closed her connection off when she felt the pain. Now, she was reaching out to him in sheer desperation. Res tried to reassure her, but through their mental link, he could only open himself up and show what he felt: compassion and uncertainty. The uncertainty part didnt help to calm Serafina. He had her stand up and Akeem cried out in protest when Res cut away her dirty shirt. Calm down Akeem, she has rolled around the floor in that shirt. I dont even want to think about what wearing a dirty shirt over such a wound would mean. Serafina was surprisingly open to his aid as he had opened himself and she didnt feel any second motives. Maybe he was deceiving himself a bit. Occasionally, his hands would bump into something soft and warm and his excitement levels would skyrocket. Every time it happened, Res thought he could feel amusement? No, that couldnt be. Still, it felt to Res like Serafina was now flaunting her womanly charms. Thankfully, Jason educated him: Bro, what the fuck? Are you incompetent? She is hitting on you like crazy and you want to play it off as another quirk? Ugghh, the main character vibes I am getting are infuriating! Thank you. What should I do now? Are you fucking around? You know what? Fine. Play along, kiss, fuck. In that order. Do you know where babies come from? Res ignored the insult and made a mental note to stop asking Jason for advice. The advice seemed too impractical. All the responsibility entailed in most of his suggestions would shorten his relaxation time significantly. Playing along seemed easy enough, but kissing and fucking entailed consequences he didnt want to think about. Then he would need to resort to dodging responsibility like Jason in his previous life. The thought of how much responsibility Jason had to dodge with over 1000 children alone stressed him. No thanks, Res grumbled. When he was finished, Serafina wore Akeems undershirt, which was way too big for her. Res found himself oddly attracted to the image. Res had forgotten that he had left their connection open and was reminded of it when Serafina grinned shyly at him. As fast as possible, he cut off the connection, and Serafinas look turned pleading. Xenia stepped forward and under the watchful eyes of Akeem asked. Can you open yourself to me? Res tried to play it off. I opened myself to Serafina because I needed to help her. We should concentrate on the arena. Akeem gave Res a questioning look and tightened the grip on the shadow. Xenia pouted and poked him in the chest again. You did it for Serafina. Dont you want to open yourself for me? Caught between a rock and a hard place, Res sighed. Fine He opened his connection with Xenia and she pulled his hand to her chest. Even though he had an inkling of what was coming, his manly instincts went into overdrive. Akeem hissed at Xenia. You arent allowed to do that. The agreement. She danced away while giggling merrily. Akeem gave him a dirty look as if everything was his fault. With an angry snort, he made as if to turn the mans head, but Res stopped him. Wait, I can cultivate some more. You mean that technique where you can let earth vanish? A nice party trick, but we need to get going. Even if I wont get stronger, we will have easier opponents. Think about it: We will be matched against opponents who took a similar time to complete the fights. If we wait, we will fight tired opponents. The voice of the klengan clerk spoke through the black boxes. Ahhh, you arent allowed to do that. Akeem looked back at Res and grinned mischievously. If they dont want us to do it, we will do it. The voice became even more stressed out: Wow, I want you to stay. Why dont you stay for a bit? Res blended out the klengan clerk and felt for the connection to Jason. What body part should I do next? I doubt they will allow you to remain there for more than four hours. Do your right arm. You can live without an arm, but if you drop out of the air without a leg, you are fucked. In other words, your genitalia will be crushed. Seeing the sense in Jasons advice, Res felt for the aether reserves of his arms. The urge to release all the potential locked up within his arm nearly overwhelmed him as usual,. This time, he had expected it and managed to hold back. He tried to *Wham* Aether pushed through his entire being and his influence now extended fifty meters deep. Yet, he realized that he could still feel an aether reserve in his right arm from the elbow up. His instincts screamed at him: That is a disgrace. Aether is potential. Aether is there to be used. Luckily, his rationality held him back from going further. Keeping his rational at the forefront of his mind, he began to pull on the matter that was under his control. The wave of aether hit him hard this time, even as he was prepared for it. When a small strand of aether escaped into his right chest and exploded within his muscles, he comprehended the gravity of his situation. If he were to slip up now, he would explode like a tomato under a sledgehammer. With this metaphor in mind, he pushed through the pain of hundreds of lice crawling under his skin. Finally, he tore open his eyes and found himself back in the colosseum. Akeem was taking a small nap with the shadow still enveloped in a bearhug. On the other side of the stadium, Serafina and Xenia were having a hot discussion. Xenia waved when he opened his eyes and the annoyed voice of the clerk resounded through the room: If you havent killed or incapacitated your last opponent within ten minutes, we will unleash all the leftover beasts into the ring. Akeem twisted the neck of the shadow without a shred of regret. A ladder was once again thrown down into the pit. The klengan clerk from their previous fight waved at them from above. Once again, they were led into the same room and onto the same silver pads. The klengan said several phrases into a small black box and cast the complicated spell once again. Akeem gave a last motivational speech and Res welcomed the feeling of vertigo C He was ready for another fight. When the bright light abated, the first thing he thought before battle adrenaline kicked in was: Shit. 56. Guess Ill die Their schooled faces, their unmistakable uniform, their formation - They stood in front of an entire unit of the elite palace guard. Guess well die, Jason added. Before the appropriate strategy could come into his mind, the elite guards fanned out. A tactic used for fighting against a weaker opponent. Rage filled him at the thought of those bastards killing them and he roared out: This is for you Orson! One of the female elite guards halted in shock at the name and Res ruthlessly used that hesitation. As soon as Res had only thought of releasing a fraction of his stored power, he was flung forwards. His body accelerated to speeds that would have killed anyone in his place. Before he could blink, he crashed into the colosseums barrier. It wasnt like he hadnt expected to improve after he cultivated, but that had seemed like instant teleportation. He could taste something in his mouth. It tasted like Bones? If the rippling blue shield hadnt absorbed most of the force, he would have turned into a human pancake. Dizzily, he slipped down the arena shield and stopped in a heap at the edge of the arena. With a groan, he stood up and spat out one of his back teeth. Everyone in the arena was staring at him in horror. One of the younger men went completely ape-shit when he saw the remains of the woman clinging to him. Enormous flames sprouted along his hands and he laughed maniacally. Claudia! What have you done? I will incinerate you! Incinerate! When he saw the elite palace guard coated in flame like a god, he pissed himself. Literally pissed himself. The other elite guards felt the same, but at least they tried to reason with the madman. Yet, the fire casters flame aura was radiating out so much heat that it turned blue. The aura grew bigger and bigger and the mans rambling even crazier. Ress skin burned, and he thought it would end by them being roasted alive. An ice shard impaled the fire mage, his flames were extinguished, and he fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Behind the madman, one of the elite palace guards had his hands still raised from when he had fired the spell. Bro, is there a kill one get one free sign I havent seen? Res wasnt up to jokes as the emotionless faces of the remaining elite palace guards promised pain. Lots of it. One of them held up their hand and an enormous arc of lightning struck out at him. Blackness. He regained consciousness early enough to notice an ice missile streaking towards him. A hasty dodge to his right, let the missile careen off his hardened body. A hailstorm of various ice, lightning, and earth spells pummeled him. Several times, he had to use part of his solid body aether to fuel a hardening of his body to escape a steel boomerang. Getting out of range or getting closer was impossible without getting sliced up. Res hunkered down into a hole that the steel boomerang had made, but being electrocuted by a lightning bolt made him reconsider that tactic. Jason threw a globe of darkness in the vague direction the bolt had come from. He slapped his spastically moving leg muscles and pushed off to continue his mad dash. All the dust in the air made it impossible for him to get any kind of target on the elite guards. His opponents with could just let loose one barrage after another in his general direction. Accompanied by a brief cry of pain, the steel boomerang turned into aether particles. By now, he had lost one tooth, and he had broken at least one of his ribs from that stupid boomerang. His skin was peeling off by the minute by all the burns he got from constantly being electrocuted. Last but not least, he had hundreds of cuts and bruises all over his body. His dodging had devolved into pushing himself into random directions. Sometimes, he would hide in the craters all the spells left behind. One of the beams of lightning hit him in his right leg, his last aether reserve.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bro, shit, one of your arteries tore. You will either need to use the lower part of that leg or die. As if summoned by Jason, the lighting user emerged from one of the dust clouds with his hands crackling with lightning. His pupils dilated as he saw the man pointing his hand at him and preparing a spell. Not only did he need to attack, he also needed to dodge. His rationality screamed at him to stop this madness. Yet, he had lost so much blood already that he had fallen into a trance of uncaring. Bro, we have to gamble! Drawing on the aether pool, he pushed himself to the side and then engaged his brain core. Everything apart from sight, memory, and two parts of his brain were shut off. Res watched passively as his body was flung to the side, which nearly broke his hardened neck. He waited for the perfect moment and changed direction. A moment before impact, he stopped circulating aether in his brain and returned to true consciousness. He only had the time to realize two things: First, that he had missed his target. Second, that he was flying into the mouth of a lightning dragon. For a fraction of a second, he felt excruciating pain, then he was enveloped by blissful darkness. The abyss rejected him and he found himself in his body again. The only difference was the extra layer of burning blisters that added to his misery. And the fact that he was flying in the air. From the edges of his vision, he watched the lightning spell that had catapulted him that far fizzle away. Akeem was locked in intense combat with the metal user. Their fight had degenerated into them, pummeling each other with their fists. It seemed like he couldnt expect any help from that front. The only aether user who was alive and well, was the evil faced lightning bastard hunting him. Jason activated the ring of darkness once again to stop the lightning guard from zapping him in the air. With a bone-crunching thump, Res impacted the roiled-up dirt ground and came to a halt right next to a big rock. The image of the lightning dragon spell replayed in his minds eyes and he found some last vestiges of energy. With his left arm, he dragged himself behind the rock in time to dodge another lightning bolt. A lovely voice whispered in his ear: Dont worry. If he comes here, I will stick my Katana in his heart. Horrified, he looked up into Serafinas grinning face. She sat crouched behind the boulder and sent him feelings of encouragement. If it was that simple, he would have done it too. He couldnt bear to watch her die and tried to stop her from this foolishness. Serafina cupped her hand over his mouth: Shhh, you need to be quiet. With tears of desperation in his eyes, he watched the crackling form of the elite guard rounding the corner. He had charged his entire arm with lightning and grinned wickedly: See you in hell. The glow intensified until it had built up to a lightning storm. Bro, you were a good host. What a shame that we werent able to visit the brothels at least once. You are a good man, Jason from earth. A lone tear streaked down Ress face and he accepted his fate. The light of the lightning began to dim and the attackers eyes widened. Only gurgling protest came out of his mouth as the lightning died down. When the lightning aether had vanished, the elite guards hands began to tremble. Finally, he toppled over with foam frosting from his mouth. Behind the elite guard stood a slim figure holding a bloody ornate dagger C Xenia!, Res croaked out through his cracked lips. All around them, doors leading into the arena banged open and countless klengans burst out. Several were carrying stretchers, and they were sprinting towards them. They hoisted him up onto a stretcher and carried to the same teleporting room. Soon, the others arrived too, and they were dumped onto the teleporting disks in the white room, too. The white teleporting light enveloped him, and he felt the vertigo again. When the light subsided, he found himself bleeding out on the white floor of the starting room. The life was draining out of him from the hundreds of cuts and he felt a numbing chill spread through his body. A nondescript voice spoke, but Ress hearing was dominated by an insistent ringing that turned louder the longer lay on the floor. He was turned on his back and something cold burned down his throat. Through their mental connection, Res felt Jason rejoice at something and Jason asked: Res, if we make it through this, will you go to a brothel with me? Res didnt think any of it and couldnt deny some last wishes. We will. Pinky promise? Pinky promise. 57. Drug Trip + Baking = Chaos A burning sensation filled his entire body and all the pain faded away. The surrounding voices became clearer and clearer. Res, Res can you hear me?, the voice of Xenia resounded in his head. He felt much lighter now and his returned smell brought her scent to his nose. Wow, I am in heaven. With that sweet of a voice and that smell, I knew that you must have been an angel, Xenia. Somehow, their bond still worked in the afterlife. He could definitely feel her joy intensify when he opened himself up. *Slap* Sudden pain on his cheek and Akeems rough voice, interrupted his dreaming. I saved you, but that doesnt mean that you have the permission to court my sister, do you understand. He was pulled up and instinctively tore open his eyes. Akeems attitude and the endless white room pulled him back into reality. With numb lips, he stuttered out: Why Why am I here? I feel so light, so funny, so Serafinas beautiful face came into view and he felt the urge to kiss her right on the lips. He shook his head and tried to recall what he wanted to say. Serafina laughed her tinkling laugh and said: The fight was rated and depending on how many people liked it, we could get an item. We bought a practitioner potion for me and a king healing potion for you. Because those people dont enjoy feeling pain, they have mixed some drugs in the mixture. Akeem crossed his arms and Xenia scowled at Akeem. You know that we chose the right option. Without Res, we wouldnt be here and we dont abandon teammates. But They had a king-level armor! I have seen only three low-king level armor pieces in my entire life. Xenia put her hands on her hips. Lives are worth more than metal. Akeem turned away and snorted. Seeing his chance, Res pushed himself forward and kissed Serafina full on the lips. Akeem whirled around at the sound, but Res was already innocently whistling. Serafinas skin tone turned a deeper tone of red than ever before and she stood up mechanically. She buried her face in her hands and sat down on the other side of their little perimeter. Ress rational questioned his actions, but the intense feeling of joy at doing what he had done overwhelmed all his common sense. You know what, Akeem? I like you. You could say that I love you. I love everyone. Akeem eyed him for a moment but then turned his attention to Serafina. All the while, Xenias head had taken on the same shade of red as Serafinas, but out of anger rather than shame. Like a tigress, she pounced on Res and pressed her lips so intensely against his that he couldnt breathe. Akeem cried out in horror, but Xenias kissing only intensified. Her tongue shot into his mouth and both of their tongues formed an interplay of passion. Finally, Akeem tore Xenia off of him and held her at her neck like a kitten. Akeem shook her and shouted: Why did you do that? Xenia only licked her lips suggestively and called over to Serafina: You got his first children kiss, but I got his first actual kiss. Akeem looked baffled and enraged at the same time and signaled Xenia to stop, but she continued. We even entwined each others tongues! Serafina held both of her hands over her ears while singing a children''s lullaby. The absurdness of his situation awakened some part of rationality and he called out. Hold me down. Akeem let go of Xenia and complied with obvious satisfaction. Vague shapes coalesced in front of him and he drooled. Wooooowwww, veggtables are blue His rambling was interrupted by the voice of the announcer: This show is sponsored by the Grupo Baking Group.A small kitchen with alien utensils materialized in front of each contestant. For a moment, Res thought that it was only another hallucination, but the announcer continued. The challenge for our contestants today is to bake an amazing cake with the help of Grupos patented Mixer. Our contestants can use sugar, Kamazari skin oil, one giant Civet egg, Pixy milk, water, and an assortment of fruits. As far as he could see, all the contestants only eyed the kitchen utensils in apprehension. Only the elite royal guards seemed prepared for the test. All of them were scurrying about the kitchen in practiced motions. Res giggled and asked: Akeem, tell me, do you have secret aspirations of becoming a housewife? His comment earned him a hit on the back of the head, but because of his dull state, he didnt notice it. Serafina had turned and when Res winked at her, she whirled around to face the other way again. Akeem luckily understood the gravity of the situation and asked: Do any of you know how to make a cake? Xenia snorted unladylike. I tried baking once, but the head chef threw me out of the kitchen. Serafina only shook her head. Bro, you dont know it yet, but women dig for a man that can cook. You know, making them a romantic cake when they wake up. Always lands. I know a recipe. As if he had heard the funniest joke, he began to laugh and Serafina looked hurt by that. He hated himself for hurting Serafina, but he couldnt stop himself. Xenia looked at him with concern as he continued to laugh. Akeem clamped a hand down on his mouth, but he continued laughing. A tear rolled down Xenias cheek. Do you find it this funny? With all his might, he tried to stop himself, but the image of Jason serving a whore a cake was too funny. Xenia broke out into full-fledged tears and slapped him. He welcomed the blow as it could stop him from laughing, but he still continued to. Slap after slap landed on his cheek. Xenia teared up and shouted obscenities like: I hate you, you pig, Shitbag, and I wish to take back everything I have given you. Finally, she hugged Akeem and cried. He now felt like the biggest scumbag in history, but he couldnt stop laughing. After thirty minutes, his laughing had died down and his head began to clear. Meanwhile, the two girls had sorted all the kitchen utensils while avoiding eye contact.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Bro, how are you? Fuck, that drug messed with me, didnt it? Bro, your melatonin levels were off the roof. Must be a new designer drug or something. During his high, he had tried to stick his finger in Akeems rectum. He had tried to eat his nose and shouted obscenities at Serafina and Xenia. When he felt that he wouldnt break out into another laughing fit, he asked: Akeem, I know how to cook. Can you let me go? Akeem looked down at him and said: Peanut costume. With all his mental fortitude, he turned the incoming laughter fit into a giggling fit. Please Akeem, I am telling you. I am on my way down and I know how to bake. Do you want to let them bake? He motioned to the two girls who were looking at kitchen utensils from different angles as if that would help. With a sigh, Akeem let him go while keeping a close eye on him. Without a clue, Res stood in front of enormous machines and piles of ingredients. Res had to hold himself back from laughing when Jason instructed him in a teacher-like tone: First, you separate the egg whites from the yokes. You crack the egg open and put the egg yolk in one half of the shell. Then, you let the egg yolk slide into the other half of the eggshell. The only problem was that there was only one egg, and it was as big as his head. With some reluctant help from Xenia, he somehow separated the egg white from the green egg yolk. His haze vanished as Jason bombarded him with instructions upon instructions. He hurried around the kitchen, pressing buttons, mixing ingredients, and adjusting heat settings. Finally, they ended up with an enormous bowl of fluffy dough. When Akeem tried it, he groaned in pleasure and took another helping of the dough. When it was time to spread the dough out onto a metal sheet, Jason instructed him to create a specific shape. It is a symbol that all klengans appreciate, I promise. You will need to create one long bar of dough with two mountains on one end. Res arranged the dough in the shape and pushed it into the magic oven. Wiping off the sweat from his brow, he had to admit that baking was kind of fun. Together, they had created something that wasnt half bad. Determined to set things right, he opened himself to them and said: Hey, Serafina and Xenia. Baking with you was fun, and I was forced to laugh by the drugs. I dont find it funny that you cant cook and I apologize for the hurt I have caused. Both of them didnt seem appeased, even when they felt that he was sincere. Serafina avoided eye contact while Xenia was pouting at him. Reluctantly, he added: I know that this is a breaking of trust, so to gain your trust back, I would be willing to open myself. As if those words were a magic key to happiness, both their beautiful mouths split into two smug grins. Through the weak protest of Akeem, they ran over to him and hugged him. A sudden warmth spread through his being and he let the feelings flow into their bond. Serafina reddened and turned away again. Before he could apologize Xenia nibbled at his ear and something soft touched his shoulder. In a breathy voice, Xenia whispered: I love you while filling her words with lust, passion, and desire. His heart skipped a beat and every part of his body screamed: Get ready for mating! Luckily, Akeem pulled Xenia away from him while she tried to free herself from his grasp. Dont think that if you can bake a cake, you can have my sister. Yet, the retort was somewhat subdued and Akeem whispered into Xenias ears. Res was only exhausted and sat down on the floor. Jason chimed in: Bro, that was that was I got the shivers, man That feeling Some women have told me we are sexually compatible. I have thought such a thing impossible. There is no such thing as the perfect woman, but that Dont understand me wrong, I dont want to do anything. Your melatonin levels were through the roof. They were even higher than when you were on that crazy designer drug. You definitely have to lay her flat one day. Serafinas blush had receded, and she had turned back to him. She took a seat next to him and motioned for him to do the same. Xenia is different than usual, isnt she? Res snorted and asked. Is that even a question? Serafina laugh was like tinkling bells and Res loved it. She felt his enjoyment through their bond and reddened slightly. Do you like my laugh? Very much so. Res felt the Serafinas enjoyment when he said that. She is behaving like that because you have kissed me. My bond with her as her honor guard lets me feel some of what she doesnt even acknowledge herself. Serafina paused and watched Xenia, who eyed them with interest. The weird part was that Xenia wasnt coming over to join in the conversation. Do you know that marrying two women is a horrible idea? It isnt meant to be, because human relationships dont work that way. It is unnatural. Res felt the truth in those words, and Serafina continued. I have seen many marriages with more than two partners. Each one of them is bitter, spiteful, and filled with backstabbing. A marriage needs such immense levels of trust that upholding it with two people is already difficult. Res traced the sign for infinity on the nondescript wooden surface of their table. You know, you need to get more credit for your whit. Why are you telling me this? Serafina picked up his hand but still looked down at the ground. I have thought the relationship between Xenia, you, and me a lot. We have a chance of working it out. This will only work because we all have a blood bond. We will need to balance on a pole in this relationship. Any shift to a particular side will have our relationship crashing down and it will. With Serafina, he felt that he could speak his mind, so he did. Actually, I havent thought at all about our relationship. The only thing I did before I got into all this He gestured at his surroundings and grinned melancholy. was thinking about everything. I would lie down on the lush green grass and think. I havent thought about our relationship. He felt the hurt from Serafina, but he went through with it. I dont want to insult you, but I may have to actually think for a change. I cant believe that I am saying this right now. Jason cheered him on: Yes man, we wont let ourselves get drawn into stupid marriages. We are lone wolves hunting for fresh and delicious meat! Somehow that analogy didnt sit so well with Res. A lone tear ran down her right cheek and she wiped it away. Actually, I shouldnt have told you about anything I have said. My true purpose for this talk is to feel out your feelings for Xenia. She plans on marrying you if you win the tournament. She thinks you hide some of your powers and that you have a chance of winning the tournament. Xenia thinks I am telling you about her giving you the prospect of marrying her. Can you look at her with an astonished expression if you want me to tell you more? Res didnt have to act shocked and when he turned, Xenia was winking at him shyly which confirmed Serafinas story. Through their mental link, Res could feel the same speechlessness from Jason. Serafina tried to smile, but one could see the pain in her eyes. You would be the king of Trianon married to a powerful princess. I think you like me too, so Xenia would let go of me and turn me into your mistress. Wonderful, isnt it? She broke off in sobs. Her beautiful brown eyes were puffy. Judging by the way she clutched at her shirt, she was close to breaking down. Shortly before she closed herself off, he felt desperation, sorrow, and love? He remembered Serafinas analogy of the precariously balancing pole and tried to play through the scenario in his mind. He was torn out of his thinking by someone clearing his throat right next to his ear. 58. Goblin lives matter Jason turned his head and found Xenias face only a centimeter away. She scowled and said: Akeem, I am not touching him. Behind him, Akeem grumbled: Some might consider that touching. Well, I dont Res didnt let himself get pulled in by her ample cleavage and her blue eyes and instead watched her mannerisms. It took significant effort as the knowledge that she had no underdress on only inflamed his fantasies. She realized his fixation on her face and her expression turned confused. Ress blood magic connection to Xenia was still open as he said: I am a fool. I havent thought about what this all means. It almost seems like I have lost something of myself. This entire thing between us three is rushed. We all should take some time to consider He was interrupted by her hot breath next to his neck. We shouldnt think about this too much. Her leg was on his upper thigh, out of sight of Akeem, and Desire. Pure and primal desire rushed through his entire body. He had never felt like this before. His body was spring-loaded, ready to pounce and Jason cheered: Yes Sir. That is what I am talking about! The comment pulled him out of his trance and he stood up and coughed. Hehem, I the cake is ready to be pulled out of the oven. The cake was still only a slightly hotter pile of dough, but Res stared through a glass panel into the magic oven. After five minutes, he asked Jason: Why did you do it? Jason laughed nervously. What do you mean? The cheering on? I thought you two wanted to fuck. I was all for it. Res grinned involuntarily and Jason got more and more flustered. Well, I thought, well, you know Res interrupted him. Thank you. You saved me from something I may have regretted. Jason got even more flustered. What? I am for You know Ahhh, fuck it. My first time was with an eighty-year-old woman. I was twelve and I cant live a single second of my life without thinking about it. I didnt want you to experience the same. Res knew that it was insensible, but he laughed. Are you serious? No Res immediately stopped laughing. Ohh What was your first time, then? With my first wife back in my world. Back there it is actually forbidden to have more than one wife. Or mistress. Our marriage was special. We met at a classic college party and I was the dumb kid that someone brought out of pity. She was way out of my league and when the time came to dance, no one asked her because she was way too pretty. I went up to her, asked her and she agreed. Somehow, we ended up in bed that night and she found out she had a thing for unpopular boys. A year later, we married, and I thought we were the happiest couple on earth. Only three years into the marriage, she said that she wanted a divorce. She had found someone more interesting, and she made stuff up about how I didnt care about her. Fuck bro, now I am already spouting nonsense, am I? No, you talk sense lots of sense Not knowing what to do, he did the only sensible thing C Thinking. After an indeterminate amount of time, someone tapped his shoulder and Res turned to face Akeem. He cleared his throat and announced: The cake will still take some time. Akeem grabbed him and peered into his eye sockets. No dilated pupils. He should be fine, but he is still confused. You sat in front of that oven for over fifteen minutes and watched that cake turn brown. He nodded sagely. Ahh, yes. I am still having some side effects from the narcotics. Under the supervision of Akeem, Res pulled out the cake. The youngest prince of Osma pointed at the form that Res had made. That looks a lot like a penis. Jason broke out into howling laughter and Res mentally hit himself for his nativity. Yes, that is a penis. I have been told that it is a sign of fertility. Two pairs of beautiful smooth legs slung themselves around him and two soft bumps pressed against his back. Xenia had jumped onto his back and had pressed her entire body against him. He could feel her two and the With all his mental might, he withstood the temptation and called the sensation of bathing in the sewers into his mind. Finally, Xenia gave up and let go, but still grabbed a hold of his arm and pressed it against her chest. That really is a just a giant dick. Res extricated himself from Xenia and ignored her pout. Akeem threw Xenia a half-heartedly angry look and continued to stare at the cake. From behind him, Serafina added: It isnt that bad. It could also be a mushroom. When Res turned, she didnt meet his gaze. At first, he thought it was because of shame, but out of the corners of his eyes, he could see Xenia sticking out her tongue. When he watched her closer, he found a hidden fire in Serafinas eyes that he had never seen before. If he did nothing, things would escalate. I have to admit that it was my ghost who suggested the form. His statement hung in the air and Akeem raised his eyebrows in obvious confusion. You wanted to create a giant penis cake. You can admit it. Jason broke out into another round of laughter at that. No, really His objections were interrupted by the announcer: Contestants, please put your creation on the unique teleporter array by the Grupo Baking Group. They put their cake on the designated spot and the plate vanished with a flash of light. A magic image appeared out of thin air with several klengans crowding around their cake. For several seconds, the klengans stared at their creation. Then they broke out into laughter. When the laughter died down, they taste-tested it. Several of the klengans Ooohd and Ahhd with surprise and all held up cards varying from 6 to 9. The value of all their cards was added up to create a total score of exactly seventy points. Their cake was teleported away, and the image shifted to another room with other klengans. This time, there was another cake on a similar table next to it. It was a perfect oval with a yellow coating on top. Akeem groaned: That is the cake of the elite palace guard. For some reason, the entire palace guard can cook and they have made all the same cake. With a surprisingly narrow margin, their cake lost to the elite guards cake. The image of the magic mirror switched to display the view of an enormous fortified city from a bird''s-eye view. Thirty minutes of awkward silence passed with Xenia snuggling closer to him while Serafina looked away. A nondescript voice spoke: Congratulations. Because you have passed the first round, we will assign each member of your group the rank: Captain with six low-grade troops. Your goal is to get as many points as possible. Killing low-grade soldiers, also known as mercenaries, will be worth one point. Killing basic soldiers will give two points. Killing a captain will be three points. This pattern continues until getting to the general. If you kill the general, you will be qualified for the last round of the kings tournament. Xenia whispered excitedly: We are this close. The final stretch to freedom. Bro, we are fucked right now. We are so fucked right now. You have no fucking aether reserves. In horror, he looked at his tiny stumps and screamed out in protest as lights enveloped him. In an instant, he found himself in the middle of the town that had been portrayed in the floating image. Jason stabilized him so he wouldnt lose his dignity. The buildings were like those of Trianon, but the small green creatures in front of him werent. They were arrayed in neat small rows with pots on their heads as helmets and javelins on their back. Serafina, who had appeared next to him, cried out in wonder: Goblins? One goblin stepped forward with a finger up his nose and spoke in a high-pitched voice. Gagag is leader! Jason shouted: Pound that goblin in the ground right now. Then, threaten each one of them, else they will turn on you or each other. Res was a little overwhelmed at the chain of event, so he assessed his surroundings. The sun hung high in the sky and the most impressive thing about the city was the enormous wall surrounding it. When he determined that there was no danger in the immediate area, he turned his attention to the goblins. With a complex aether push, he crashed into the goblin and sent it flying into a wall. All the other goblins had stopped shifting about and Res projected an heir of superiority: I will kill everyone if Luckily, Jason filled the gap for him. If they dont obey your orders. Threaten fucking their wives and eating their meat. Show them your cut-off arms and tell them you got those fighting against the klengans. Do some inspirational stuff. Indeed, Res did. He projected his voice out to the rooftops and adopted a commanding baritone: My name is Res. I will fuck your wives until they resemble a bloody bone pile. I will take your entire stock of meat if you dont follow me right now. We are on hard times right now. The enemy is at our doorstep, trying to attack our city. Our city! Do you see those wounds? The remaining 23 goblins nodded vigorously. I got those fighting the klengans. I lost my arm when I beat a klengan general to death with my own head. The goblins cried out in amazement. I lost my leg when I killed a klengan princess in her sleep. I fought my way out against fifty of their bodyguards. Some goblins raised their spears and shouted in agreement. The leadership of a small goblin band didnt seem that bad all of a sudden. He decided to put the cherry on top.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. He was now screaming on top of his lungs. The last leg, I lost by murdering their king! For a second, all the goblins turned dead silent. Then they went mad. They turned into bloodthirsty monsters with sharp teeth that wouldnt turn back if they felt pain C They had found a leader. All of them pumped their fists into the air while pounding the stone floor. King killer, King killer!!! Then another language was mixed into the cries and soon everyone was shouting: Vex Nash, Vex Nash, Vex Nash!!! When he turned to the others, they were looking at him with a mixture of horror and fascination. Res grinned at Serafina and motioned them to come. He threw up the arms of Akeem while whispering in his ear, do something impressive with your gift. Akeem grew his muscles to an enormous size while tentacle-like muscle strands whipped the air. The goblins roared in approval and Res split their forces in two. When he wanted to give Serafina her own detachment, Jason interjected: Bro, I wouldnt do that if I were you. Those are base goblins that have been trained for such occasions. They only have base instincts. The sole reason why they arent dry humping the two girls is because they have been marked as yours. When he told them that, Xenia hugged him and pressed her bosom against him: Wow Res, that was sooo impressive. I dont mind not having an attachment. I only want to stay closer to you. Res remembered back to when they had met. She was an innocent princess having a bit of fun with a side project and both of them knew it. He was sort of a plaything and he was Ok with that. Back then, she could speak freely in front of him and he could speak freely in front of her. Mutual benefit. This felt so wrong, so forced. Was she like this all along? Yet, his pants told him a whole different story. Bro, you cant show weakness in front of goblins. You lost a hell lot of respect. With some wriggling, he disentangled himself from Serafinas grasp. Some nonsensical shouting about raping made another approving roar resounded through the street. With a broad grin on his face, Res jogged towards the city wall. The goblins followed in a screeching mess, and Res found himself proud of his makeshift war band. After five minutes of light jogging, they were on top of the fortification. Until now, they hadnt met anyone, but on the crenellations were many other participants. A look outside the city revealed an endless sea of goblin leaders with several klengans mixed in. A look in all directions revealed that a sea of goblins surrounded the city. There is no way that we are winning this. There must be at least four million goblins. Jason cleared his throat and assumed a teacherly tone: Those arent actually goblins. They are base goblins. I played an integral part in making them and I am not proud of it. Once upon a time, the klengan found out how to make teleport arrays and visited a world next to their home moon. It is more complicated than that because they had to send a space shuttle, but that isnt important right now. More important is the fact that they met an intelligent species back there C The goblins. The goblin race was actually influential as they have uncanny intelligence and talent with technology. The klengan only arrived at the perfect time. The goblins had laid waste to their fortieth home planet with some enormous spell. The klengan could have taken the goblins as slaves, but that wouldnt have worked out for them. I would estimate that the goblins would have overtaken the klengan empire within a century. So instead, they agreed on giving the klengans several prisoners from their own species. They then bred the intelligence out of the goblins and the result are base goblins. How intelligent are they? I have no fucking clue because when I was still alive all this was only a plan, but it seems like they have done it. How did you know that I should threaten their families? It is goblin custom to do that, and I assumed that they kept some of their heritage. Suddenly, the prince teleported onto the crenellations only fifty meters away. Before he could react, the prince teleported down to the ground. An enormous white cloak was billowing from the princes shoulders. Additionally, many round objects were strapped all around his person. BRO! How did that dumbass get implosion grenades and a teleporting cloak? Ahhh Res sent emotions of confusion through their bond and Jason added. The names are self-explanatory. He must have won the baking competition. Why the fuck would a prince be good at baking? Or the elite guards, for that matter? It feels like the game is rigged. The prince had reached the first line of goblins and tore into them like a tornado of death. Goblin bodies were flung each way and his elite guards only added to the carnage. In fascinated horror, he watched as the prince slaughtered his way through the army. Not wanting to be outdone, a group of northerners jumped down the wall and rushed to join the fight. On closer inspection, it turned out that the base goblins were actually running away. After they would run for several meters, they would drop to the ground while trembling. Jason gave off an impressed whistle. Bro, they implanted chips into them that give them zaps of lightning if they dont comply. Impressive if I say so myself. How horrible, Res breathed out. Jason sent a feeling of danger through their bond and Res instinctively hardened his body. He had reacted not a moment too soon as a dagger sliced across his throat. Xenia cried out in horror behind him, and Res whirled around to face his attacker. Small drops of blood were running down his neck, but the dagger hadnt cut deeply. In front of him stood the ghostbound that was contracted to hunt him down. The ghostbound looked at his two long, curved daggers in confusion. When he felt Ress gaze on him, the ghostbound retreated with some impressive cartwheels. Instead of attacking, Res laughed, as if he had found a long-lost friend. He had thought little about his relationships in the last days, but he had thought about surviving. Making that ghostbound his friend, was the best-case scenario. Fighting without arms and a leg was suboptimal. If he had the ghostbound as an ally, they would mutually improve their odds. He extended a hand and scratched the back of his head: Oh, sorry. I didnt see you there. I dont want to fight you or harm you. This entire thing is a misunderstanding and I would be forever thankful if you could listen to me for a second. Your second is over. Now fight., the masked figure replied. Once again Res laughed and sat down on the ground: That was a good one. Should have seen that one coming. Judging by his voice, it was a young man four years older than him. I dont talk to ghosts. Actually, I talk to ghosts every day. The young man looked at him incredulously. You admit that you possessed this innocent man? Res sat back and exposed his bleeding throat. He had talked with Jason extensively about their relationship. It had clicked for him when Jason had told him about a game from his home planet. Imagine you are playing a game against another person. The game works like this: First, the participants will talk to each other. Then, they secretly choose between two options. Split or Steal. If one of them chose to split and the other one chose to steal, the one who chose steel will win one thousand platinum coins. If both of them split, they both get five hundred platinum coins. You and your ghost are the first pair while we are the second. The ghostbound studied Res with disdain. My teacher told me I would one day meet a person like you. If you are working side by side, your ghost should be able to activate this artifact. He threw a wooden cube over to him and Res caught it. Jason immediately cried out: Throw that thing away! With a push of aether, he instantly pushed the cube as far away from him as possible. The ghostbound tilted his head. You didnt lie. You are working with a ghost. How long have you two been together? One day or two days? 5 Days Tell me: Is she your wife? Res didnt have to fake wrinkling his nose. No Is she a close relative? No. One of your friends No Someone you love? No Are you having sexual intercourse in your aether dimension?Res had to stop the guy before he vomited. Now he would have cursed images in his head for the rest of his life. No, no, and no again. I met him for the first time when I got possessed. I am not some weirdo making endless aether love or trying to preserve my wife if that is what you are getting at. The ghostbound had watched him closely and seemed to conclude that he wasnt lying. Who is your ghost? Jason interjected: Dont tell him. Res hesitated and added: My ghost doesnt want you to know. The ghostbounds brows rose even higher Your ghost isnt only powerful, but also knowledgeable? I will have to kill you anyway. We know about people like you, but the balance will shift and either of you will take the reins. If everything you said was true, then I cant let the risk persist of you going mad. He brandished his blades, but Res only pointed towards the prince. Do you see the prince over there? How many points do you think he got with his elite guards? The ghostbound hesitated, but then replied: Sorry, I need to kill you fast so he doesnt gain on me even more. Look what should I call you? The ghostbound shifted about but replied. Call me Adrian. Look Adrian, I dont want to insult you. But we both know that you dont measure up to Trianons royal family and you dont want to lose your aether, right? Why dont we fight together? You can keep an eye on me and assess whether I am in danger of being overtaken by my ghost. You will have plenty of opportunities to kill me afterward. I will do my best to help you progress to the last challenge. Res said not only the words but meant it. Promise me that I can kill you afterward. I dont have to answer that. He exposed his back to Adrian and jogged along the fortifications to find a spot away from the prince. The sound of a deafening horn resounded through the city and the army of goblins began to march on them. Their advance resembled more of cows being led to slaughter than bloodthirsty warriors. Ress gaze swiveled over the desperate, yet hopeful faces of the goblins. They know they will die., whispered Res. Bro, that is abhorrent. Disgusting. Their small goblin squad looked at their brethren with concern. When they saw that he was looking at them, they straightened and nodded at him. This gesture of pure subservience C Nodding in affirmation right before you slaughter your own kind, broke his fighting spirit. He stopped running and took in the desperate faces of his goblins. Xenia ran up to him and snuggled against him. It is all right Res if you are scared before a battle. That is why I am here. Yet, Res was so sunken in thought that he didnt realize how she led his arm closer and closer to her bosom. Xenia breathed faster and faster and bit her lip when Res awakened from his thinking session and pulled away. I will not fight them. This is horrible. Everyone stared at him, then at the horde of advancing goblins. Are you serious, you cant Akeems objections were drowned out by the approving roar from the goblins. The goblin he had previously hit to show his superiority, stepped forward. In his high voice, the goblin shouted: We will show them the greatness of king killer!The goblins waved their pikes around in agreement. Bro, I dont disagree, but Can you tell me more customs of Goblins? Are you serious? There are hundreds upon hundreds of different customs. I know birthing dances, festival songs and the basic tribal structure. Res had found himself in hundreds of similar situations and it had always worked out. Adrian had jumped off the wall and ran at incredible speed at the advancing goblin line. Give me the fiercest festival song you know. Jason sighed when he felt his determination. It is actually a drinking song, but it tells the story of the goblins slaughtering civilizations. Res looked back at the fierce goblin warriors as he climbed down the wall to a nearby gate. Do you know the song Goblins wrath? The goblins nodded and pumped their spears into the air. Every goblin learns. Young, old, everyone. Dont sing often because of no drink. Their mood turned depressed as they probably remembered the horrible living conditions. While pushing open the enormous door, he asked: What are you? Only confused murmurs came back from the base goblins. Now louder, he shouted: Who are you? Now the base goblins seemed only scared. As the light from the setting sun cast him in its glorious colors, he said: You have defeated one civilization after another. You have raped thousands of women, have eaten enormous amounts of meat. And now you look at me with that expression when I ask you who you are? Dont you feel that intelligence still deep inside you, the keenness, the power, and the ambition? What is your heritage? Take it and hold it firm to your heart where it belongs. Somehow his small speech had gotten out of hand, but the goblins seemed to like it. They were looking at him wide-eyed as if he had revealed a deep secret. Who are you?! The eldest base goblin of the bunch stepped forward and shouted: We are goblins! Some looked at him askance, while others looked at him admiringly. Res repeated himself again as he faced the horde. Who are you!? Goblins! The answering cry was now more distinct. Who are you!!!? Goblins!!! Now every goblin shouted along. WHO ARE YOU? The following roar was deafening as they stepped through the gate: GOOOBBBLIINSSS! 59. Who am I ? Adrian had summoned an enormous sandstorm around him, yet he was only killing a fraction of the goblin sea. Res wasnt good at singing, but he had to admit that he nailed the tone of the goblin drinking song. With his loyal followers shouting out their lungs, they ran towards the wave of base goblins. The enemy goblins seemed confused but continued their jog towards the city. Res had to admit that the song wasnt as fear-inducing as they ran towards the line of base goblins. He didnt know what he had expected. Those goblins that were considering stopping, convulsed, and continued their jog. He answered their dull eyes with a dull look of his own and hardened his body. He didnt want to hurt them, but he supposed he would need to give a short and brutal demonstration. It would all work out like with his squad. He would blast them away, then tell them about raping their mothers, and then they would follow him. Behind him, he heard a female cry of fear and turned to see Xenia, Akeem, and Serafina standing rooted to the spot. The sight of the hundreds of thousands of goblins was indeed fear-inducing. It seemed like they had followed him and were only now realizing the danger of the situation. Akeem was the first to react. Akeem grabbed his sister, turned, and ran towards the gate in enormous bounds. Serafina cried out, but Res couldnt make out her words above the stomping of the goblins feet. Akeem stopped dead in his tracks, having heard the call, and ran back to pick up Serafina. Xenia whispered something in his ear and Akeem stopped dead in his tracks. Serafina was now running at them while gesturing for them to wait, but Akeem only gave her a last mournful look. Akeems muscles inflated, and he bounded off in the direction of the gate. Res had no time to think as the first row of goblins hit him. They clawed and bit at his skin and he would have turned into mincemeat without his hardened skin. Res pushed them off, just to be piled on again. Long fingernails scratched at his nose, tore at his hair, and tried to enter his mouth. Judging by their speed, the goblin front line had passed him already. It would be only a matter of time until they caught up to Serafina. An enormous aether push, coupled with the globe of darkness, freed him from being piled on. Finally, he was above the ... *PANG* *PANG* *PANG* Three jolts racked his body and Jason had to intervene so that Res didnt fall back into the fray. When Res turned, he was faced with a bulky klengan with a barrel in his hand. Bro, push off Res complied and three more jolts hit his upper thigh. Closer inspection revealed that three piping hot metal balls embedded in his hardened flesh. The klengan fumbled around with his barrel and Res took the opportunity to attack. An enormous aether A chilling shriek of pure terror reverberated through his bones. It was filled with despair, anguish, pain, but also the will to go down fighting. The klengan was still fumbling around with several other metal balls. With a heavy heart, Res pushed himself off as hard as he could in the other direction. He zipped over the heads of the goblins like an arrow honing on its target and reveled in the adrenaline rush. Serafina was like a battle goddess as she let her blade whirl around in deadly silver arks. Blood splattered her live, athletic form while she retreated. Yet, her face held only desperation as the goblins encircled her further and further and her sword strokes turned more and more frantic. With practiced ease, he positioned his arms to grab her off the ground. Like a hero from a fairy tale, he swooped her up into his arms while laughing delightedly.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Woooaa. That was intense. Sorry for His words got stuck in his throat when Serafina coughed up blood in his face. When he looked down on her, his entire body froze up and Jason had to jump in to keep them stabilized. No That cant be A cool part of his brain assessed: Blood. Everywhere. Javelin. Stuck in the upper chest. Lungs pierced. Death imminent. Res breathing quickened. No, this is wrong. Torrents of emotions assaulted him and his eyes rolled back in his head. When he regained sight, he laughed, but even to his ears, it sounded mad. He cradled Serafinas head in his arms. No, this is wrong. Serafina isnt One of her arms went limp and he began to hyperventilate No, I can fix this. Jason, you know something, right? Res was only met with silence. By now, he was breathing so fast that he was close to collapsing. He reached out to the wound and touched the blood as if in a dream. Frantically, he searched for a way out of this and reached back into the comforting darkness. In the emotionless void, he felt nothing, but that was better than going back to that horrible lucid dream. He snuggled himself into that blissful nothingness like a warm winter coat: I only wanted to save them. Why me., Grace brings destruction His thoughts were a whirlwind of questions upon questions and unsatisfying answers. Why did they do it?, Why am I here?, Why me The circle begins anew. Why am I alive? His being built up to a crescendo of tortured castings of help, of sense, of something. Should I be alive? He let himself go and followed the calming motion of the dark whirlpool. Still, a part of him cast about for anything. In that deadly spiral, a hand reached out to him. It didnt grab him but offered itself up. Res knew that hand and he didnt trust it at all. What are you? The hand didnt go away, but also didnt answer. Why didnt you come to help me back on the battlefield. I know you could have done it! Still no answer. Fine, if you wont talk to me, I wont too. I dont want you. You can go fuck yourself. Suddenly, the hand was gone. Res harrumphed, but the weight of his thoughts crashed down on him. For a moment there, he had been able to live with himself. Horror filled him at the thought of having rejected the entity. He couldnt call out again, could he? The pull towards the dark center of the whirlpool was inevitable. The more he tried to think on how to get away, the more he was drawn in. With his last shred of consciousness, he reached out again to that hand, knowing that he will be rejected, but hoping beyond hope. As he was about to give up, the hand once again stretched out towards him while holding no malice. With a roar of defiance, he grabbed it and found himself enveloped in immeasurable acceptance. Before he found himself back in his body, he heard the rumbling voice of the entity: Who are you? He breathed in the scorching air mixed with the sweat of the goblins. I dont know who I am. I do know that this is not me. The empty void around him pushed down on him, but another consciousness supported him. Bro, you dont have to go through this alone. We are brothers, man. He looked down at the masses of goblins and the glossy-eyed Serafina in his arms. A spark of defiance sprang up inside him. He pulled his head back and roared out his defiance to the world that wanted to crush him. He wasnt alone. A kindred spirit was raging on aside him at the world. Res took a deep breath. 60. I am not playing by the rules Promptly, a barrage of metal balls bombarded him. When he looked at the source, he saw fifteen armed klengans on the ground pointing more of the metal barrels at him. The sight of them sparked something primordial in him and he curled up around Serafina while continuing to shout. He let his vocal cords vibrate until they threatened to tear. When there was no air in his lungs, he touched the fabric of the world. Aether is potential, and he wanted to build, to protect, to live, to love. Res gathered all the aether in his surroundings, pushed it out, and pulled it in. He continued pulling in and pushing out aether. Soon, there were visible ripples in reality when the intense aether wave passed. His actions didnt stop the klengans from shooting him and injuring Serafina, so he pulled and pushed harder. More!, Jason shouted in agreement. By now, the surrounding goblins were flung back and forth when the wave passed them. With an aether enhanced voice that boomed across the battlefield, he howled: MORE!!! Grass began to dissolve around him, the ragged clothes of several goblins vanished and the klengans chest hair merged with the wave. The wave had grown to such a size that all combatants were shoved out of the range of the wave. It nibbled away at the wall and city. It had grown to such size that Res now only flung it away like hot coals, else the force wouldnt kill him, but Serafina too. The thought of Serafina in his arms gave him new strength as he continued to push. The wave had now taken on a radius of half a mile and it pushed ranks of goblins back. Once again Res broke from the strain of absorbing all the rings aether, but he barreled through. The pure aether that rippled out of him sucked up all matter in its path and a crater formed around him. The next impact knocked the wind out of his lungs. Another impact left his nose bleeding, and another made him cough up blood. When he started coughing up blood Jason shouted: Shit bro, we overdid it. We cant take that shit in again. You will need to stop hardening your mouth so I can push out the ring of darkness. If we channel it through the gem, it will lighten our burden. His vision had clouded over and he was clinging to his defiance, but he gave in and stopped hardening his mouth. Accompanied by a momentary burst of pain, he could feel the jewel in his mouth. Bro, you will need to pull all that aether through your brain and it will hurt, but you can pull through it. Dont push it out again. As a brain core, your brain is the hardest part of your body. As he faced the enormous wave of aether that had reduced parts of the city wall to half its width, Res felt powerless. In that moment, he felt the desire that every human has deep down in him - to be significant - more than he had ever felt anything in his life. Roaring out his hopes and dreams, Res ignored Jasons protests. He pulled the aether towards himself. The pain that had hampered his determination before was now only a confirmation of his choices. A colossal tornado formed around him and dark clouds above. Cracks spread in the fabric of space and his eyes glowed as they were flooded with aether. Lightning impacted him in a rapid-fire of electricity, but Res hardly noticed it. The entire battlefield had come to a standstill. Everyone, participants, and attackers alike stared at the aether storm and the young man in the center of it all. His hair was standing on end from all the lightning impacts and his clothes were singed and bloodied. Despite his mighty appearance, Res and Jason were fighting a losing battle. The pain was too much, their aether control sluggish. Res heard a faint cry of outrage from his left and spared a passing glance at the disturbance. There stood the prince with his entire army of elite guards. The image of the prince let old memories surface and he cocked his head back to shout: I will not yield! An inaudible hum built up in the air around him while Res pushed farther, farther, farther Farther!!! Ress motions turned frantic. He dropped Serafina and pushed himself as far away as possible. A deafening boom and an enormous shock wave racked the battlefield. From the source of the blast, Ress body parts were catapulted in all directions. Parts of his fingers, arms, legs lay scattered around the battlefield. The prince laughed as he saw Ress complete head impact next to him. Giggling, he walked up to the head and picked it up by the hair. When he turned it, two moving and defiant eyes stared back at him. They expressed such disdain that the prince instinctively dropped it. Yet, the head didnt fall onto the ground but hovered in the air. Suddenly, all goblins covered the ears while shouting in pain. When the ear-piercing shriek entered their hearing range, they rived on the ground just the same. Descending like a falling star, the sound decreased in pitch. Many didnt see how all the scattered body parts of Res, all the blood, began to hover in the air. When it had reached the low and bone-chilling hum, all his now black body parts shot into the detonation spot. Through it all, Ress eyes moved around independently while his body remade itself. The booming noise cut off and the black color of his flesh faded. Only his black lifeless eyes continued their mad jittering. For a moment, Ress body hung in the air. Then he dropped to the ground on his knees. The entire battlefield was deadly silent. The first one to move was the goblin Res had punched in the citys street to show his power, Gagag. His voice carried over the battlefield like he was speaking through a magnification crystal. Vexx Nash! Vexx Nash! Vexx Nash! The call was picked up by another goblin. Then another and another. Soon, the entire goblin swarm drowned out everything with their booming shouts. Res was only confused as he rolled on his back. Jason? Ahhhh, dont talk to me. I feel like I drank some of that fire spirit from the forest tribes. This is the worst hangover of my life. What happened? Man, I dont know. All I can remember was that I was in this weird space and I was going somewhere The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I remember seeing the princes terrifying face, but apart from that I have no idea. As he sat up to assess the situation, a bright white light appeared in front of him. An elegantly clad klengan stepped out of the light. He wore a tight-fitting vest and a walking stick which was covered in shining jewels. Young man, that was quite a spectacle. Our companys broadcast has reached an all-time high thanks to you. We would like to return the favor. We will be able to guarantee that you will win by providing you an amazing How would you say it in your world? Ahhh, yes, a domination-level bow. The only caveat is that you will need to deliver a show. You know, with your romantic acts with the woman, you have become quite popular with the ladies. They dont want you to die. It would be against a contract we once formed, but we have broken it so many times already with the royal family. It would only be fair to break it for you too. Res was so overwhelmed by the fluent rapid firing of words, so he stammered out. You are the announcer. The klengans wide ears flapped around and he chuckled: Yes, I am. Who else would I be? They dont call me the announcer; I am called the Gamemaster. Bro, take the offer. Think of it, they will give you a guaranteed win. That guy seems fishy, but becoming king will mean that we can whore and fight all day. The thought of winning, and the consequences, made his gaze snap onto the still form of Serafina. I want you to save her. My boy, lets think about it again you could I want you to save her., Res stated firmly. The announcer harrumphed. Boy, they will need to give her a new heart, a new liver, a new lung. Besides, our two species might seem the same, but our bodies are different. We dont even have a liver, so we would need to insert animal parts into her. Who knows what could happen? I want you to heal her., Res insisted. As if Res had flipped a switch, the Gamemasters entire demeanor changed: If you insist. Accompanied by streaks of light, several klengans in white coats appeared next to Serafina. In an instant, they teleported away again. The announcer gave him a smile and a last wink and teleported out. Bro, he has played you. How could he have known what they should transplant if she hadnt already been assessed? I was already wondering why he would offer you such a way out. Res balled his fists. I made the right decision. Res thought about the concept of altruism and Jason added: We will whoop the royal familys asses for manipulating the kings tournament, right? Indeed. The sea of base goblins was approaching him as if he was some god. Before they could come within speaking distance, the Gamemaster teleported back in and announced. Oooopsie, forgot. The game is over. The characteristic vertigo of teleporting assaulted him once again. Yet, when he thought about returning to the endless white space, he pushed back on the weird feeling. A high-pitched whirr resounded in his head and the white lights vanished. When he opened his eyes again, all the participants had vanished. Now he was the only one standing in front of an enormous army of goblins. Bro, what the fuck? You are already How? How can you push against space magic? Holy Shit! Res didnt like the sound of that. What is it? We have finished the transformation. We are completely made out of pure aether now. Do you feel any different? Res checked his entire body. No, everything is fine I think. Shit bro, this can be fucking difficult. Imagine you are made out of inflammable gases right now. Powerful aether users could use you as some sort of battery. If I still had my old body, I could suck you up into my cultivation base. I thought we still had some time to figure this new cultivation system out, but I hadnt expected this to happen. That didnt exactly inspire confidence in him. A flash of light next interrupted his thoughts and the announcer was standing right in front of him again. He wore an annoyed expression. Do you know how much trouble we have to go through to start a relay that is as big as a city? Dont reject it this time. Res thoughts raced, and he babbled out. You dont even have to activate such a big array. You could teleport me to Serafina and let me watch her operation. The announcer tapped his cane thoughtfully against the ground and finally said: Fine, but you will need to wear this. He produced a thin black band of obsidian out of his pocket and Jason hissed: Dont put that thing on! It is a slave collar. If you put it on voluntarily, you will need to serve the owner of the collar for fifty years. This intimate robbery of freedom disgusted Res and he spat on the clean shoes of the announcer. You are filth. The Gamemaster looked surprised at Res spitting at him. In an instant, a klengan teleported behind him cleaned the shoe, and teleported out. With a laugh, the announcer motioned to a pad that the servant had left behind. Sorry, this is a formality, but I will make an exception for you. Bro, that guy will make hella money if he shows you to others via a magic mirror. You can get something in return. Res put on his poker face and said. I know your tricks. You will make lots of money by showing me through a magic mirror. I will come if you give me valuable information for the last challenge. The klengan chuckled, which made his long ears move erratically. Fine. I wont give you high-grade information, but it will help you at the start. With a deal struck, Res stepped onto the pad and accepted the vertigo of teleportation. When he opened his eyes back again, he found himself in another white room. Hundreds of klengan were walking about in white coats. Most were pushing buttons on giant metal objects and watching events through magic mirrors. Yet, Res had no time to watch the proceedings and instead had to hurry to catch up to the Gamemaster. They left the white room through a door and Res found himself surrounded by an alien-looking environment. The door led into a fifty-meter-high glass tunnel. In it, hundreds of other klengans in white coats were hurrying about. In the distance, he could see the tunnel stretching on for as far as he could see. Beyond that, he could see a desert-like landscape with rocks mixed in for good measure. There were no trees, grass, or anything apart from that. Above him, three moons hung on the star-dotted night sky. In the far distance, Res could see an enormous glass dome in which giant towers of metal resided. An irritated call from the Gamemaster made him stop his staring and he caught up to the gamemaster. The klengans that passed them whispered or pointed at them. After a five-minute walk in that surreal glass tube, they turned right into a white dome-shaped building. The Gamemaster pulled out a device from his jacket and talked into it. The surrounding air smelled like an alchemy potion. All around him there were injured people being transported in carts. Res gawked klengans who had hundreds of pipes pumping liquid stuck into them. Some wore elaborate metal frameworks around limbs and some were covered in bandages. They went through several security checks and he had to wear the same white outfit. The klengan guards sprayed him with tons of the weird-smelling stuff. Finally, the announcer stopped walking near a corner and motioned for him to go on. After you round this corner, you will see your girl being treated. There will be a camera crew there, but dont make a fuzz about them. If you follow those principles, I will give you the tip that might save you. With a wink, the Gamemaster motioned him to proceed. Determined to make the best out of this situation, he rounded the corner. Immediately, he saw the twenty people that were the camera crew. They were all holding black boxes or sticks in his direction, but Res ignored them. He didnt have to fake his concern as he raced to the small glass window, which granted him an unobstructed view into the room beyond. 61. Rescue of organs and relationships On a treatment chair in the middle of the room lay Serafina. Her abdomen had been cut open and the thin layers of fat had been pulled back. Res had seen the innards of pigs and dead humans in the academy. He was one hundred percent sure that Serafinas heart wasnt supposed to be blue. Her lungs had been replaced by fleshy pinkish balls linked together and several other organs were clearly alien. Bro, what the fuck. It is like they went into a scrapyard and they pulled out random car pieces to fix a Ferrari. He couldnt tear his eyes away from the bizarre sight. It was horrifying but also fascinating to think of where they had gotten the different organs. One doctor in the room gave a thumbs up and they placed the abdominal skin over her organs like a curtain. Through the glass, Res could hear one doctor say. If this works, we will be celebrated, no revered. You know what, I dont like being disappointed, so lets drink the toast of victory now. They laughed and one of them pulled out several glasses which he filled with a white liquid from a flask. They drank the substance down in one go and then one of them opened a cabinet on the other side of the room. Steam flowed out of it and settled on the ground as the klengan retrieved a white liquid. He dumped all of it into Serafinas mouth and watched at her. With a squelch, the gut wound closed, but the doctors didnt let their eyes off her, so Res didnt as well. Serafina arched her back in pain and blue veins bulged out of her head. She released a horror-filled scream as her eyes turned into a mesmerizing pink. Her fingernails grew to ridiculous lengths and turned blue, but Res couldnt turn away. Finally, her writhing ceased, and she settled back onto the bed. For several moments, they all were silent, then one doctor shouted. Fuck Yeah! One Million Credits, Baby! The doctors soon were hugging and clapping each other on the back. An enormous burden dropped from his shoulders. The right part of her body was still scarred, but it seemed as if she would live. One klengan with expensive-looking clothing knocked on the door to the surgery. The klengan talked with the doctors in hushed tones. Finally, he motioned Res to come into the room and sit next to the bed. So, he sat there next to the girl he had hurt so much physically and mentally. In the time he had to think about her, he had realized how of an ungrateful bastard he was. He had shamed her, insulted her, and had taken her for granted. Res couldnt imagine how horrifying it must be to be sworn to serve a princess. To make it even worse, that princess forces you into the role of a mistress. A disposable toy for Res that wouldnt be allowed to even carry any seed or share genuine love. She would have been a semen bag that he could satisfy his lust when Xenia didnt want to. When he put it like that, he felt disgusted with himself like he never had before. On top of that, he had hurt Serafina and maned her for life. He knew that she would reject him, but he was determined to help her. He would stay by her side to pay for all the immeasurable damage he had caused. Serafinas eyes fluttered open and shut again. Tentatively, Res grasped Serafinas hand while avoiding her long nails. She didnt pull away but turned her head in his direction without opening her eyes. Whe Where am I?, she croaked out. Res stroked her hand as he watched the scarred half of her face. All the pain he had caused with his naivety. You are safe. You survived the goblins. I am Res. She opened her eyes a slit and immediately shut them. Am I in the afterlife? Res chuckled. No definitely not. She clutched at his hand. You saved me. Res grimaced, and a tear made its slow descent down his cheek. I didnt. I hurt you. I am so sorry. Serafina squeezed his hand with surprising force, which made his bone crackle and he cried out in pain. Serafina looked confused at her hand. I am sorry, I didnt mean to hurt you. You saved me. Without you, I would be dead. But I, No buts. You didnt know any better and didnt intentionally lead me into a mob of goblins. We all thought the fight would work out like usual. The problem was that Xenia left me behind., Serafina interrupted him. Silence hung between the two of them and Serafina cracked an eye open once again. What is this? I am seeing everything in the weird orange color. What happened to me? The leader of the people with black boxes stepped forward and whispered: We transplanted her heart with that of a mountain cat lion from Asteroid A7A0. Her eyes are affected by the aether that the mountain cat heart pumps out. She will need to guide pure aether to her eyes. Out of a side pocket, he additionally produced a hand mirror and pushed Res back towards Serafina. She now sat up in her bed and cast about. There are others. Who are they? Res extended his hand to comfort her, and she grasped it. Res had to harden his skin to stop her from crushing his hand with her new strength. Can you remember the announcer? Yes. He is the owner of the tournament and some of his subordinates are here too. You received grave injuries and you couldnt be healed with a normal potion. Her grip on his hand got even tighter. Many of your vital organs were damaged beyond repair, so they cut them out and put others in.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Serafina screeched in horror at the idea and touched her stomach. Res tried to calm her by stroking her hand. You are fine. You got organs from various animals and they apparently have some side effects. It seems like she might have gotten heat vision. She can turn it off by pulling raw aether into her eyes. After several seconds, she opened her now pink eyes and looked at him delightedly. With a quick flick of her gaze, she took in the entire room but focused on him. Why do you have black eyes? How did that happen? The revelation took him aback, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. He looked her deep in the eyes and whispered in a broken voice. Serafina, please dont panic at what I am about to show you. Do you promise? Serafina pressed his hand so hard that he had to put a considerable amount of aether into retaining its shape. I will do my best. Res gave Serafina the mirror, and he swore to never forget Serafinas face of horror when she saw her reflection. She stared at the mirror for several moments. Then, she broke out into tears and, when she wanted to wipe them away, she noticed her long blue fingernails. For two entire minutes, she stared at them until the same black-box man as before stepped forward and whispered: If she inherited the cats aether allocation, she may be able to retract them with aether too. Res told her so and a minute later, her fingernails slowly moved back to their original length. Serafina whirled to face the other direction. She buried her face in her pillow and wept so earnestly that Res instinctively reached out to her. Yet, he felt that the blood oath connection between them was non-existent, but he ignored that for now. For a minute, Res sat there, not knowing what to say, while Serafina cried and he felt bad. Bro, she needs you right now. I dont know what to tell her. Then tell her that, but you have to do something. Overcoming his anxiety, he spoke out his mind. I dont know what to say right now. I could tell you that it isnt that bad, but that would be untrue. Serafina cried even more, but Res barreled through. So, this is bad, but you know what? It doesnt matter. Out of impulse, he rounded the bed and sat down next to Serafina on the edge of the bed. When she saw what he was doing, she turned away and buried her head under the pillow. His initial impulse was to leave her alone, but he remembered his own tantrum he had thrown with the entity. He wasnt about to let it end by her falling down the whirlpool of despair, so he grabbed her hand. Serafina, you dont have to hide. Look at me. Serafina cried even harder. A muffled voice answered from under the pillow. I am ugly now. My life is ruined. The people will think I am cursed and I will be stoned to death. Her answer made her cry even harder. Serafina, I will be honest with you. You may perceive yourself to be damaged goods, but I think otherwise. Look at me Serafina. Those scars only underline your determination, strength, and goodness. When I look at your scars, I get angry. Angry at myself for letting this happen to you. But you, you are thankful that I saved you. You have such a big heart and I dont think you should be like this, but I love you for it. Not for the scars themselves, but the woman that lies beneath them. Look at me, Serafina. She peeked at him from behind her pillow while searching for any falsehood. Res only looked at her with all the passion he felt for her and her cheeks reddened in that wonderful characteristic blush. Quickly, she covered her face up back again and Res laughed. With some protest, he wrestled the cushion away which turned out to be difficult due to her new strength. Finally, the cushion tore, and a rain of white plush surrounded them. Res met Serafinas gaze. I want to say sorry for all the times I shamed you and you endured my stupidity. Res grinned mischievously. Especially for our first meeting. Serafina turned away and blushed cutely. I want to say sorry for all the times I insulted you and I want to say sorry for all the times I took you for granted. That weird servant-master relationship between you and Xenia messed things up. I know that you will hate me for all the bad I have done to you, but I hope that I can at least set some things right. Serafina looked tentatively back at him again. You mean it? That innocent look of hers inflamed a fire deep inside him. Yes. Everything and more than that. You are beautiful the way you are and nothing will change that. Bro, that was a slam dunk. The You are perfect as you are stick works wonders. She absently fumbled around with her thumbs. What about Xenia? Res looked her in the eyes. I am done with her. What she did back there has opened my eyes to her selfishness. She is wrong as a human being and no excuses will change that. Do you still have your bond to her?Res felt the bond still pulsing, but the connection to Serafina had been cut. I still have, but I didnt do it on purpose. Serafina looked disturbed by that and turned away with a thoughtful expression. Luckily, the well-dressed man was there to help. With a professional air, he announced. Serafina, your heart stopped beating when it was exchanged with another one. What is the exact phrasing of the spell? It might have been chained to the beating of your heart? The comment hit a nerve and Serafina gave Res a hopeless look. Even if that is true, you two will be bound forever. You wont be able to resist her charms of no fault of your own. Frantically, Res searched for a way out of this mess. He turned to face Serafina and cupped her hands in his. We will get through this tournament and win. We can form another blood bond if we still have our powers, right? Who will tell me to do anything when I am king and you are Both Res and Serafina reddened and looked away. Finally, Serafina added nonchalantly: I think you didnt finish the sentence there. Res blabbered incoherent words and remembered how troublesome marriage could be. You know what I wanted to say. Serafinas dejected expression made Res add: Serafina, that you are the most amazing woman that I have ever met I feel very how do you say that . Serafina didnt relent as she looked at him expectantly and Res sighed. Fine. I like the way you blush, talk, move, fight, think, feel, smell, I like everything about you. Serafina looked at him dreamily and caressed his cheekbone. Her hand trailed along his face. She pulled him to herself and Res let it happen. His breath came faster and he could hear that she experienced the same thing. They were only inches apart when Serafina breathlessly whispered: I love you too. Both of them closed the short gap when Res, for only an instant, flicked his gaze to her scars. The look of betrayal on her face this close made his heart crack. With a hurt grin, she pulled away from him and Res let her go with a heavy heart. Now both of them were sitting awkwardly on the same bed while trying to act like this all hadnt happened. Res tried to start the conversation back up once again, but the same nice black-box guy chimed in. I am sorry, but the tournament will not wait. It will begin in thirty seconds and you will need to be both on those two teleporting pads. Given an excuse to dissolve the awkward situation, they both clambered out of bed. Several klengans carried silver teleporting disks into the room and they each stepped onto one. As the vertigo set in, the friendly guy produced Serafinas sword out of a bag. The klengan threw it at her and shouted: The advice from the Gamemaster is that you cant win without playing games. Then, the white light encompassed him and he had to close his eyes. 62. I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! When he opened his eyes, an assortment of green colors assaulted him. All around them, gigantic trees, bushes, and high foliage surrounded them. Overhead, the sun glared down at them, but the enormous trees blocked most of the sunlight. The noises of exotic birds and insects filled the hot and humid air. Some of whom tried to bite him, but he had already hardened his skin as a precaution. What he didnt expect was to feel something warm and soft impacting him and barreling him to the ground. Res prepared to release a burst of aether at the attacker when Xenias face peeked out from his shirt. Showing him a wide view of her cleavage, she looked at him innocently and inched towards his face. It wasnt her attraction that blew him away, but he could also feel that she wanted him so badly right now. Her feelings of lust were as strong as to suggest that he should take her then and there on the forest floor. A smile cracked her face when she felt her attraction involuntarily mirrored. She stopped only a centimeter before his face: Why do you have black eyes? If he hadnt been on the defensive only a minute ago, he couldnt have resisted the busty girl taking in his scent. A part of him cried out in dismay as he pushed her away and sat up again. Serafina was sitting on the forest floor while tears ran down her now scarred and maned face. When he looked at her, she turned away and buried her face in her armpit. With a start, he realized how this must have looked to Serafina. He had to admit that she was right when she said that the blood bond is a connection beyond comparison. Akeem was sitting only meters away from them and was staring at the ongoings with a grim expression. Res remembered that Akeem had attacked elite guards to uphold the family honor, and he determined to speak with him later. A slight nudge from Jason made him school his expression. With assured steps, he left the confused Xenia lying on the floor and walked over to Serafina. He took a seat next to her and touched her arm. Res had only a split second to harden his skin before Serafinas arm impacted with his face. The force left him tumbling end over end until he came to a dead stop against an enormous tree. Serafina cried out in dismay and ran over to him, but Res only waved her away and held her gaze. I deserved that. That blood bond amplification you talked about is convincing. Serafina dropped her gaze, but Res grabbed the scarred part of her chin and held it up so he could look into her eyes. This may seem impossible, but I am sure that we will make it. You know what? Lets found our own team and let them do their own thing. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and threw her arms around him. Thank you. He stroked her wonderful brown hair and held her. Through the bond with Xenia, he could feel her anger flaring up and Xenia called out in a dangerously deep tone. Seraaffffinnaaaa. Comee hereeee. Why do you shield yourself from the bond? I wouldnt want anything bad happening to you. You are my blood bound honor guard after all. Serafina tensed up in his grasp and Res could feel sharp claws nicking his back. Reluctantly, Serafina let go of him and turned to face Xenia with fire in her eyes. Her fingernails were now completely retracted and a dangerous blue gleam reflected off of them. Akeem grew in size and positioned himself in front of Xenia. Serafina, think this through. We wouldnt want you to die. If I remember correctly, your blood oath will turn you into a pile of ash as soon as you attack your master. Rather, tell me what happened to you. Res didnt listen to the words as Serafinas new physique mesmerized him. Her thin frame had filled out with muscle and flesh and at all the right places. Bro, holy shit. That girl has the best butt I have ever seen in my life and I have been with over two thousand women. And that back is like Res was drawn out of his appreciation by Jasons comment and Res remarked. Sometimes your comments spice it up. Sometimes I have to imagine you as an eight-hundred-year-old man assessing my whatever Serafina and I are currently. Jason retorted, but Res had already returned his attention to what Serafina was saying. For some time, she had cursed and shouted at Xenia and her tone was now at a deadly low level. I have died because of you and the fact that I am standing here and finally telling you my mind is all thanks to Res. We part ways. Xenia looked shell-shocked at the idea and stammered out. You cant I do not allow it. Serafina had talked herself into a rage. I am telling you all this because from now on, we are no longer a team. Res and I will win this tournament and we will marry. Xenia cried out in outrage and Serafina blushed, but held her ground and clung to him. Akeem looked at him askance, but Res only chuckled nervously. Serafina had made a terrible mistake. Before, Serafina had talked about killing and surviving the tournament. Xenia knew as much about that as you would expect from a princess. Now, she had now allowed Xenia to fight on the battlefield of seduction on which Xenia thought she was superior. Xenia dropped onto her knees with her arms between her legs. She began to move her arms back and forth and a wave of lust like he had never felt before hit Res. It was possessiveness mixed with lude thoughts of such a scale like he had never felt before. Weird cries escaped Xenias lips and Res felt the pleasure increase. Akeem was on the verge of punching his sister who was besmirching the family honor right in front of her brother. Ress knees were buckling and his entire body was filled with the feeling of worldly pleasure. Serafina looked on in horror and supported him. Finally, Xenia stopped what she was doing and straightened up with a victorious smile on her face. Who do you choose now, Res? Me, or that maned monster. Look at me.She motioned to her beautiful hair that was perfect despite all the troubles. She pulled her shirt down to reveal her cleavage and her smooth skin. Now look at her. I dont know if I can even call her a human. What children will that monster bear? She is the ugliest creature I have ever seen! Xenia tried to spit at Serafina, but she didnt hit. The insults hit Serafina hard, and she swiveled her head between him and Xenia. Res stopped her swiveling head and pressed his lips against hers with all the passion he felt for her. Xenia roared in frustration in the background, but Res and Serafina didnt relent in exploring each other. They were one. Serafina tore open her eyes and broke off the kiss. She unsheathed her sword and looked behind them with concern. Res tried to spot what had caught her attention, but only saw the green of the forest.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. What is it? Dont you feel it? We are surrounded!, Akeem shouted out. Opening himself to aether had been useless for finding enemies as the entire world was filled with powerful aether signatures. It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. When he opened himself this time, he could feel a wave of emptiness rolling towards them. It was like there was no aether at certain points in space. After tense moments of waiting, the birds went silent, and the insects stopped buzzing. Then, Res could see them for the first time. They were ape-like humans with patches of fur on their chests. Their obsidian-black skin seemed to suck in light. The only part that reflected light was their blood-red eyes. All of them traversed the ground and trees with practiced ease, making it clear it was their terrain. Their unsettling red eyes were pointed at them the entire time. They would periodically bare their long and pointy teeth to let loose an unsettling shriek. The shriek sounded like a pig being dissected or a woman burning to death. Bro, I have only seen this aether absorption on planet U3I8 and that planet was nuked ages ago. Shivers ran down his spine as the ape-men tightened their circle around them. Through the dense foliage, Res could see that the hundreds of monsters left a hole in their encirclement. Akeems body was jam-packed with muscles and strands of them lashed out menacingly around him. Yet, the ape-men seemed only invigorated by that. Bro, they might be able to absorb aether. We dont attack, we run. Xenia smiled cockily and asked. Sooooo, we are a team now? I suppose that part about you marrying Serafina can be revoked too. Luckily, Akeem shut Xenia up by lashing out with a muscle strand. One of those magic mirrors appeared in the air with the face of the announcer on it. Hello to all our viewers and especially to all you participants. You will find yourself surrounded by beasts that will rip out your innards and eat them for lunch. The rules of the last game are simple. A circular map appeared in the mirror. Your current location is at the edges of that circle. You will need to reach the center of the ring and those devices will help you with that. Four round metal pieces dropped to the ground under the mirror. That isnt all! The stalkers all around you would like to taste your flesh. They will be scattered all across the jungle with a line of them tightening around you. Reaching the center means that you wont bet attacked. If you havent already figured it out, the longer you take to reach the center, the greater the density of those wonderful creatures around you. That brings us to the last point: You will need to carry one of those metal compasses all the time. Else you will be attacked. Because we want to bring in an element of skill, not brute force, you have an aether allowance. If you use aether, a bar at the side of the compass will show you how much you can use until the stalkers will attack you. I am not saying that they wont attack you before the progress bar fades out. You can increase your aether allowance by participating in a game. You can expect that everything out of the ordinary, in this wonderful jungle, is a game. You only have to approach the abnormality to join in on the fun. So, if you want to refill your aether allowance, you will need to go to something weird. Ok, that was all. Ahh, and if you think you are smart and can fly past everything, think twice. The mirror vanished, and they were left staring dumbstruck at thin air. Only a shriek of one of the ape creatures pulled them back to reality. Res walked over to the four objects and picked them up. Akeem was standing up in front of him, pumped up with muscle. You dont get to play like this. Stealing all of them and running away? I thought you werent that kind of guy. Res raised his brows and threw two of the metal objects at him and gave the last one to Serafina. Ignoring Xenia, he pulled Serafina along on a brisk walk in the direction the arrow on the compass was pointing. Serafina squeezed his hand in thanks and inspected the round metal slab. The functions were as described: a green bar showed how much aether one could use. An arrow showed the most direct route to the middle. Res whispered over to Serafina. You heard the message from the Gamemaster back at the doctor, right? He said that we will need to join a game. The challenge is meant to cut down on competitors. The closer we come to the circle, the more people we will meet. The more we will fight, the more we will have to play games, the more we will need to stop and the more likely we will get killed by those monsters. We need to stay on our toes all the time. Serafina gave him a questioning look. What do you suggest? We cant go the direct route of walking at a brisk pace to the center. If we do that, we run into the danger of fighting too much. If we run as fast as we can, we will be exhausted at the fight in the center and we will be flanked from behind. The best strategy in the long term is to stay as close to the ape border as we can. I dont know how long this will last, but I am already exhausted. We will have to sleep or rest at some point. Behind them, Xenia cried out. Hey, wait for us! Serafina whirled around and shouted. I dont want you anywhere near us! Here, you can go ahead. Xenia laughed her tinkling laugh, but Res could feel her bubbling rage. Why are you so angry, Sera? It isnt like you to fight a hopeless battle against a lady that will steal your man, anyway? Are you too scared that he will find me preferable? Especially regarding your chest. Dont fault him for that. It is in his blood. Serafina clenched her fists but didnt answer. Res turned around to face Xenia and the patronized Akeem. Akeem, you are an honorable man and you know that this behavior is wrong. It isnt your sisters fault as she has misread several signs. I dont harbor any feelings toward her and we can work this all out. If it came to it, I even would give up the crown and Xenia can testify to my earnestness. Akeem flicked his gaze over to Xenia, who couldnt hide her shock at those words and nodded. Under those circumstances, I agree to an alliance. That is great, else I would need to eliminate the enemy at my back. Akeem nodded respectfully while Xenia pouted. I will not do Akeem grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder, and said: This is no game. Xenia hasnt realized that yet. With a protesting Xenia on his shoulder, he jogged past them. Serafina had a new spring in her step and watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye. What you said about me and you. I didnt misunderstand that, right? Res gave her a nervous grin. Marriage is a big step and She still watched him, but her eyes were now dull. He sighed inwardly and thought about his dilemma. The only reason he was doing this dammed tournament in the first place was to get rid of all responsibility. With marriage came children and he already got a headache only thinking about that. After he discussed the matter with Jason, he tried what Jason called the diplomatic approach: I think you would be a perfect wife. She clutched his hand tighter and smiled furiously. That was the first compliment. Now came the hard part: It could work out, but a marriage lasts a lifetime. It is something sacred and should be decided with care. What if I have a fetish about bathing in beer while wearing panties? You wouldnt want someone like that. How Res had missed the breathy, sweet sound of Serafina laughing. You wouldnt have such a fetish Do you? Even then I would marry you. The seriousness of her tone surprised him, but Jason explained that that was customary with women. They walked alongside and he put on an expression of thoughtfulness. Now came the last stroke in the coffin. Jason had said that a man cant say No in such a situation, so he needed to use mens greatest tool - Distraction. To Serafina, he said: This whole situation is weird. I know you maybe 5-8 days and we are talking about marrying. I know nothing of you apart from that. Tell me your story. Serafina stopped dead in her tracks but quickly caught up with him again. I havent told anyone about my childhood, but that it is a good start. 63. Tedious, but necessary: Dodging marriage Jason sent him the image of a high five when she took the bait. As they moseyed in the direction of the center, Serafina told him about her life as the child of a prostitute. Her mother had tried to keep her away from her men, but some were very interested in her maidenhead from a young age. She would dirty herself and she always needed to have a full bladder. Several regular patrons of her mother sexually assaulted her. Soiling herself was the only defense she had. One hour passed with Serafina weeping into his shoulder, laughing at a joke and thinking about a profound truth about life. Somehow Jasons tactic had backfired. Res felt closer to Serafina with every passing minute, and she got more comfortable with him. She wouldnt blush as often and show her witty side. Xenia would throw dirty looks at Serafina, but they ignored her. For some reason, they hadnt been attacked by anyone, nor had they detected anyone. It seemed like a peaceful walk in a park, not the deadly hell he had envisioned it to be. Serafina told of how her brother died from hunger and how she was picked off the street by the royal family. The training hardened her, but in a way that broke her into million tiny little pieces. Then melted her back together into a weapon. She would live in constant fear of getting poisoned by their instructors or getting killed during sword practice. Over a third of the potential royal bodyguard suitors didnt even survive the first year. As a trainee, she had to watch as her friends died one by one from the training. She was the only one out of one thousand street kids to survive the training. Despite being forced into servitude, she made the best out of the situation. It struck Res how she didnt give up as everyone she loved died. Still, she found some form of happiness. Finally, there was a contemplative silence between the two of them and Serafina said: Tell me your story. Res was grateful when he felt his neck hairs stand on end. I have a weird feeling about this part of the woods. Can you please look around with your new sight? Serafina frowned, but closed her eyes and then opened them again. He hoped that the light of the setting sun wouldnt obstruct her sight. Immediately, Serafina drew her sword and whispered. I can see the shapes of people hundreds upon hundreds of them above the trees. Some of them are holding rectangular objects and Res realized that those must be the black-box guys and waved that away. I knew that they had to be somewhere, they arent dangerous. Look around us. Serafina turned all the way around and gasped out something incoherent when Res felt something rushing towards them. Out of instinct, he yelled and tackled Serafina to the ground. With a loud crash, an enormous sand spike impacted the spot they had been in and cut down one of the enormous trees. Seconds after the crash, Res heard the shrill shriek of the ape-like creatures. Serafinas eyes widened, and she flung Res away into the underbrush while rolling behind a tree into the opposite direction. Another sand lance missed Serafina by only a slim margin. The stalker-apes cried out in jubilation at the use of aether and Res could hear the rustling of leaves in the distance. The voice of an acquaintance resounded through the forest. Come out, ghost. Hiding from me is useless, I will usher you into your afterlife. Akeem and the princess had run away for a time and were now watching from a safe distance. A stupid plan came to him. Making eye contact with Serafina, he pointed to her fingernails and mimed climbing up a tree. She got the jest of what he tried to say. As he had thought, if she extended her nails, she turned into a perfect climber. When she looked down at him and saw him staring at her live form, she blushed, but didnt seem affronted. She even seemed to swing her hips some more. Bro, I am the last one to say such a thing, but you are handling a madman. You cant let yourself get distracted right now. When Serafina had reached the first branch, Res shouted: Please dont and immediately threw himself to the side. As he had expected, another sand spike impacted the spot he had been in. He had glimpsed Adrians unmasked face for the first time and his suspicions were confirmed. Adrian was a young man overwhelmed with the circumstances. Res tried to speak, but another sand spike immediately landed in the spot where he had stood. Hey Adrian Res jumped to his left. Why dont we He had to use a small bit of aether to push out of the way of a spike going for his head. talk? Adrian snarled and flung sand spikes wildly in his general direction. You are deceit reincarnated! My ghost has told me everything. Do you think you could manipulate me into believing that there is such a thing as a balance between the living and the dead? One can uphold the resemblance of a balance for a day or two, but there will always be someone pushing for more power.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The howls of the stalkers continued to increase in frequency. You lure me into trusting you by casting a mesh of dark and forbidden mind control magic. Do you think I wont realize how unnatural it is that I like you? Res stepped out of the cover of a tree and raised his hands. Lets assume that you got me. Lets assume that I am a ghost. Why should you kill me? I have done nothing wrong; I havent massacred people and instead I have helped many. Why should you kill me? Is that who you are? A mad killer? Adrians hand was trembling and sweat was running down his forehead. Adrian looked like a normal southerner: Black hair, hazel eyes, tanned skin and sharp facial features. In his hand, he held four compasses and Res pointed at them. I know this is difficult, but try to look at your actions objectively. Adrian whirled around to all sides as if he could spot his non-existent spell. He pointed an accusing finger at him. You are doing it again. Res tried to object, but Adrian flung his hand outward, which made one of the enormous trees next to him turn into sand. All the sand turned into a colossal twenty-meter-tall snake. Yet, it wasnt the hiss of the snake, but the shrieks of glee around them that made a chill spread through his bones. Do you want to die? Res tried to point at the black shapes jumping between trees, but Adrian didnt notice or care. The snake drew back and sprang at him like a spring. He had to use a significant amount of aether to push himself back two feet. Res felt a claw ripping at his shirt and a part of his body, which now consisted out of aether, drained away. He only glimpsed the stalker that had attacked him before he dropped back to the ground. He tried to assess his shoulder and realized that a part of his shoulder had been cut away as if it had never been there. It didnt bleed and healthy white skin lay beneath it. Res filed the information back for later because the enormous snake realigned itself to strike him in the air. He had to push himself back once more. A hasty look at his compass revealed that he only had a quarter of his allowance left. The landing used up even that and he was left with a small slither. The bulk of the stalkers was concentrated around a lone figure that was walking towards him. If he had used his entire allowance to escape the sand snake, he couldnt imagine how much aether Adrian had used. In front of Adrian hovered another sand spike and he sneered at Res. I got Adrian didnt see the shape falling down from a nearby tree with her sword gleaming in the light of the setting sun. Before Serafina could impale Adrian, Res called out. Dont kill him! Her sword entered his right shoulder and cut a bloody path down his body. The cry of pain was mirrored by several stalkers who dropped down from the trees and approached their prey. Res called out as calmly as he could. Are you able to carry him? Serafina looked at him confused, but nodded. As if Adrian wasnt two times her body weight, she threw him over her shoulders. She began to walk backwards while hissing at the creatures who were shrieking and clawing at the air. With this primal back and forth between human and beast, Serafina reached Res. Both of them were now walking backwards while keeping an eye on the shifting stalkers in the trees. Serafina muttered: Why are we saving him? He isnt evil, but his ghost has twisted him. Serafina looked at him with sudden interest. Are you a ghost possessing a body? I wouldnt mind. No. I am instead working side by side with a ghost. His name is Jason, I will tell you the story when we get out of this mess. One of the more ragged stalkers shrieked and Serafina threw Adrians limp body at Res. It was not a moment too early, as the stalker lunged at her and she impaled his brains on her sword. The stalker wasnt finished though and clawed at her in his death fits and Serafina only narrowly avoided a hit. Seamlessly, she started walking backwards again. I cant take more than one at the same time. They arent dangerous by themselves, but they take an awful long time to die. Touching them means you get sucked dry of aether. It might have been the knowledge that a misstep would kill him that made him stumble. But stumble he did. One unseen root was enough for him to lose his balance and fall on the flat of his back. Jason gave him a burst of aether though and shouted: Push off! All the adrenaline he had built up made him pull in all the aether he could, harden his body and push towards Serafina. Her highly trained mind had assessed the situation as hopeless too and she immediately understood what he tried to do. Her claws dug into his flesh as she clung onto him, but he didnt mind. Yet, an instinct told him it wouldnt be enough before the stalkers above the trees would impact them. After the weird blackout had transformed his body, he hadnt reassessed his reserves. He was blinded by the accessible aether and he greedily pulled on his right arm. When no sudden burst of power racked his body, he realized with delight that he could now control how much power he drew. Despite pulling only on his thumb cap, Res was flung forwards at ridiculous speeds. Serafinas hold was nearly broken, and Res felt how she dug her claws even deeper into him. BRO, this new body is fucking sick! I wish I discovered that technique in my lifetime Wait, I have changed my mind. I cant imagine how depressing it would be to lose your crown jewels. Res wasnt up for banter as he pushed through the trees to get the stalkers of their trail. Several of them materialized in a tree above him and jumped at him with uncanny precision. Dodging the trees while also avoiding the stalkers was tantamount to suicide. It was only pure luck that he didnt get pushed off into another direction and headbutt a tree. With a push of aether, they burst into a small clearing. Amid which stood a small tent with the Gamemaster sitting in front smoking a cigar. Akeem and Xenia stood next to the Gamemaster, waving wildly. The wild shriek of those horrible creatures and the Gamemasters advice was the only reason he stopped. With a small burst of aether, Res touched down. 64. Reasoning with a madman Immediately, he tore away at Adrians clothing and Xenia exclaimed. Res, that was so outstanding what you did back there. You were also kind enough to be merciful to your enemies - The sign of a true man. Once again Res was racked by the intensity of the lust that radiated out from Xenia. She had turned her previous assault of lust into pulses that mimicked being together. Bro that girl is fucked up if she feels that for you. Their bond confirmed they were as true as they would get and he suddenly felt bad for denying such feelings. Xenia felt him give in and walked towards him while swinging her hips. Yet, the blood on his hands made him come back to the present. He continued tearing off the shirt while turning away to hide the clear bulge in his pants. Xenias advance was stopped by Serafina, who elongated her nails and grabbed Xenia by the neck before Akeem could react. She held the kicking and gurgling Xenia in the air for several moments and then sat her back onto the ground. Judging by the fire in her eyes, she had contemplated killing her. Serafina turned and left the gasping Xenia to her own devices. By now, Res had ripped Adrians shirt into a makeshift bandage, which Adrian turned out to be useless. For some reason, Adrians wounds had already clotted up. With a powerful jerk, Ress shirt was pulled off his body. Outraged that Xenia would stoop so low, he turned around and came face to face with a blushing Serafina. She turned away when he stared at her in incomprehension. Finally, she muttered under her breath. I hurt you with my nails and I wanted to look at the wound. Res broke out into laughter at her blushing, pulled his undergarment off, and dutifully exposed his back. You are too cute. I dont think the cuts were that deep. I feel nothing. He felt her warm hand run over his skin and he got goosebumps at which she giggled. Xenia wasnt about to give up and shouted: Are you admiring something you know you wont have? He wont take you to bed, you know that? Not with your face, you ugly scarred piece of ! Akeem held his hand over her mouth and gave Res an apologetic look. Res gave Akeem a thankful nod and turned to Xenia: Lets clear this up once and for all. I dont love you and I am not interested in you. Xenia pulled Akeems hand away. Ahhh yes? Do you think I dont feel how you lust for me? Do you think I dont feel how you want to touch and experience my body? If you could, you would take me here and there, but you are chained by that witch! By that abomination! Stand to your feelings! Be a man! Serafina looked at him askance and with tears in her eyes while Xenia was having the time of her life. Res realized that he had made all this even worse and tried to paddle back: What you feel for me and what I feel for you is lust. I have switched up lust with love, passion with admiration. Love is giving freely and you just want something. That is greed not sharing. Serafinas wide, confused, but grateful and loving eyes confirmed his belief. Bro, you have some serious talent at being corny. I really need to wash my ears now that they are clogged up with sickly sweet romance stereotypes. Adrian broke the silence with a groan and sat up. Judging by the incredible recovery rate, the Ghostbound organization had some interesting secrets. When he saw Res standing only a few meters away, he scrambled back and prepared another spell. Xenia and Akeem immediately searched for cover behind the tent, but Res only raised his hands, palms up: I dont want to hurt you and I have even rescued you. I want nothing in return, other than that you give me a chance. Adrian lowered his hand wearily and examined his body. What did you do with me? Res sat down and sighed. Adrian, at this point I doubt your ability to think. We are turning in circles. That is why I will ask you a question and you will answer either yes or no. Either way, you leave without harm. Will you give me a chance? I would rather know why Res ignored the objection and reiterated. Will you give me a chance? Adrian tried to object, but Res would repeat this one question. Finally, Adrian cried out in annoyance. Fine, I will give you your chance. Res smiled and reached a hand out to Adrian who took it. Slow claps resounded through the clearing and the Gamemaster emerged from the tent. Adrian pointed an accusing finger at the Gamemaster. It is you again! Do you want to delay me again? The Gamemaster smiled and Res asked. What happened? I spotted the Gamemaster two hours before I attacked you. Suddenly, that guy appeared right in front of me with his tent. I had to play solitaire against him for over two hours! It delayed me, but also gave me an enormous amount of aether allowance.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Finally, all the pieces fell into place and Res asked. How many are watching us right now? The Gamemaster gave a sign to the heaven and then whispered. I would prefer if you wouldnt speak that out loud. All the other participants think this is a simulation. It is the appeal of our show that we have no actors. He gave another sign to the heaven and continued in his usual tone. You have a choice once again. Do you want to fight against each other or do you want to play a game? Before Res could object, everyone shot out: The game. The Gamemaster clapped in his hands and looked pleased with himself. A net spanning the entire clearing and a ball the size of Ress head teleported in. Bro, you can do this. With your mobility, you wont lose in a game of volleyball. Res asked Jason. Do you know the game? Is it dangerous? Bro, chill. I think I know it and however that asshole of a Gamemaster twists the rules, you will be on top. The Gamemaster motioned to them all. Who would like to begin? Serafina made as if to volunteer, but Res put a hand in front of her. I would like to play. Res turned to Serafina and Adrian. I will test this out. There is a catch and I will make it easier for the rest. The Gamemaster only laughed, and Res had the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake. The announcer pointed at Adrian. You will play against him. The winner gets a charge of their compass that allows them to leave. Both of them wearily approached the ball and Res pushed himself over the net to the other side. The rules are simple. You are allowed three consecutive touches every time the enemy manipulates the ball. If the ball touches the enemys side, you will get a point. You have five minutes! Digits counting down from 10 Minutes appeared on the net. Adrian looked at the ball for a moment but shrugged and grinned wickedly at Res. The ground under the ball turned to sand and a cobra carrying the ball in its maw shot out of the sandpit. Res reacted immediately by pushing himself forward. The well-placed kick that Orson liked so much crushed the cobra in an instant. The ball shot back and Adrian only had the time to summon a hasty sand spike. That deflected the ball but didnt give it much velocity. Res calculated the trajectory of the ball, pushed himself into the air, and executed an aether-aided jab at the ball. With an eardrum-shattering boom, the ball impacted Adrians side. Adrian didnt look amused at being humiliated and immediately picked up the ball. Another counter appeared on the net, displaying that Res had won a point. With a wave, Adrian summoned a breeze that turned into a tornado. As if that wasnt enough, he turned the surrounding earth into sand. On its own, it wouldnt have even bothered him. In combination, it turned the annoying tornado into a deadly sandstorm. He tried to cry out, but every time he did, he would swallow kilos of sand. A quick glance at his surroundings revealed that a cube-shaped barrier was keeping the storm contained. By now, he couldnt see the net anymore, but he caught a glance of the counter changing to 1-1, then 1-2, 1-3, 1-4. Res cursed and pushed himself over the net. After several seconds of searching, he found Adrian throwing the ball back and forth over the net. He pulled at a small part of his inner strength and barreled into Adrian. The ball got lost in the storm and Res was left with Adrian trying to kill him with a sand spike. Res had to admit that he was pretty fed up with Adrian, but he didnt counterattack. Instead, he evaded the sand spike which made him stumble into the ball. Before Adrian could react, he bounced the ball ten times off the ground and the counter now displayed 11-11. The sandstorm stopped and an enormous anaconda emerged from the sand craters. It circled around and tightened its grip fast. Res had to sacrifice a small part of his pinky to push off back to his side of the field. Annoyed, he shouted: Come on, lets fight square and fair! To his surprise, Adrian shouted back: Ok, I only wanted to test your strength, anyway. This turn of events pleased him so much that he threw the ball over to Adrian. Thats the attitude. Bring it on! When Adrian had the ball in his hand, he cackled with glee. You fool, you thought I would The rest of his words were lost in another sandstorm. Bro, that dude is getting annoying hella fast. Are you sure that we dont want to kick him out of our party or something? Res found himself agreeing more and more with Jason as he tried to regain the ball while avoiding a wide variety of sand snakes. When he stood on his side for the fifth time, he sat down and looked at the stump of his leg. Adrian. This isnt working out, you know. Adrian laughed gleefully and shot back. It isnt working out for you. I am fine. It is because I didnt hurt you so we can play. Do you think the time where I crushed your snake in a hit was only a farce? Ahhh, those are the excuses of the weak. Yet, Res could hear that Adrian had recited this sentence a lot. Deep down you know I speak the truth. Lets put that all aside for now and focus on what is important. Look at the net. We are even once again and there are twenty minutes left. We will split the victory by drawing alright? No one loses. That is what teamwork is. I will give you the ball now. You already know how you will decide. Bro, are you serious? Dude, that guy has serious mental issues. You are like holding your hand into the fire after being burnt for five times. Only to find out whether it will burn you again. I have thought so too for a long time and I mentally slap myself every time I do. The thing is, I have met someone who gave me many shots at redemption and I cant stop thinking about why one would to that. I want to find out why. Jason mumbled deep in thought: Was it Orson? No, that cant be Serafina? No The timer was counting down, but Adrian was only standing motionless in front of the net with the ball in his hand. When only two seconds were left, he jumped into the air. A sand spike he had hidden behind his back shot out to hit the ball dead center. Res watched the ball without moving a muscle. To Jason, Res said: On second thought, you might be right. Some people might not deserve another chance. He could still stop the ball if he pushed himself right nowwwww Torn, he watched the ball fall towards its inevitable impact. The grass under the ball turned to sand and a cobra shot out of it. It deflected the ball from its path and catapulting it back into Adrians field. The counter stopped and they could hear the excited cries of their onlookers. 65. Help! My ladyfriend has been possessed by a five-year-old! Res stared at Adrian for several seconds, who tried his best to look the other way. Finally, Res pushed himself over the net and pulled him into a bear-hug. Adrian, I thought you would never come around. Adrian reddened and mumbled: It wasnt because of you, I only felt like it. The announcer strolled over and said while slyly looking at his fingernails. Technically, you won Res, so I cannot give Adrian anything. Adrian whirled around to him and pointed an accusing finger at him: You knew that, you liar! Jason chimed in: Bro, you are a fucking actor mid-way in the film. You can tell the director to fuck himself and do what you want else you are not going to do your job. Res gave a mental nod to Jason and said out loud: Both of us won. You may think me ignorant, but I can say lots of fancy swearwords. Imagine me saying Cunt, Wanker, Motherfucker every ten seconds. The Gamemaster flinched at that. Ohhh, that would be unfortunate. Fine, you can have your compass charge, but that is the only time I am making an exception. Before Adrian could recover from his shock, Res gave Adrian another hug as if they were best buddies. Look, I told you everything will be all right. Adrian looked shell-shocked by all the body contact, which was exactly what Res had intended. Now, he could finally Jason pushed him violently to the side. Res already wanted to curse at him when he heard an affronted cry. When he turned, he saw Xenia lying on the ground where he had stood a moment ago. Bro, thank me later. Yet, Res could feel Xenias physical and mental pain. When his eyes locked on her barely covered up form lying hurt on the floor, he nearly pushed himself towards her to help her up. Xenia realized the effect this had on him and writhed on the floor. A deep part of his mind added: Hey, that would be too much trouble. Looking at Xenia through that lens turned her into somewhat of a nuisance. He dodged Xenia without sparing a glance at her appearance and pushed himself to the other side of the clearing. He needed some time to think and cultivate. Sinking back into aether sight calmed his roiling emotions and pulled in aether. During his cultivation, he had put up a short-term goal C Make things right with Serafina. When his extremities were restored, he pushed himself into the air. The time to cultivate had cleared up his head. He couldnt leave Serafina alone for all the bad he had done, but he also couldnt marry her. If he didnt make that clear now, there would be a lot of hurt later. He spotted Serafina watching him from behind the Gamemasters tent. With a determined gaze, he pushed himself towards her. Before he had even touched down, Serafina was already clinging to him. He had to harden his skin as not to be crushed by her new strength. He felt wetness on his chest and Serafina sobbed out: Tell me truthfully, how difficult is it for you to deny her? Res chuckled softly. Nearly impossible. She wept even harder, but Res stroked her beautiful brown hair. Serafina, I have to tell you something. I dont ... Jason usually savored every moment with the ghost, the feral girl in Serafinas sword. This time Jason surfaced from their dream world. Bro, can you please touch Serafinas sword? I need to clear some stuff up with Layana. Res gave Jason a mental nod and met her gaze. Can I touch your sword? My ghost has fallen in love with the ghost in the sword and they want to talk or something. Serafina looked at him strangely but pulled her sword out of her sheath. Jason put his hand on the blade and felt something push out from his hand C Ghost plasma. When the plasma touched it, the sword rippled like it was alive and scales and fur began to sprout from every inch of the blade. Finally, the fur and scales receded. When Res turned in shock to Serafina, he only saw the whites of her eyes. He barely had time to catch her before she toppled to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Inwardly, Res screamed in anger and fear: Jason, what have you done? Calm down. Nothing serious. They are having a cozy talk. I have talked with Layana a lot in the last few days. There once was a race on our continent that had scales instead of skin. Layana was one of them, and she was killed as a five-year-old for that. She had lived in isolation for all that while, but she isnt dumb. Most importantly, she likes the way you and I are buddies. She has been bugging me about telling me how to possess a human and work side by side since we first met. When Serafina transformed thanks to the new organs, Layana felt like she and Serafina were destined to be together. Despite growing up alone, she is fucking smart, man. Do you know how she got me to tell her how to do it? Res realized why Jason was dragging this all out as Serafina had stopped breathing. Res asked with apparent frustration in his voice: Jameeeesssss? Ahhh, it is nothing. If the possession fails, only the ghost dies.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Now Res was boiling with rage. Are you serious right now!!!? Bro, I will be honest with you. She promised me she didnt want to do it before we are finished with the tournament. Yet, I couldnt refuse her when she wanted to talk to Serafina so badly. By the way, she likes you and all your Hey look, I am better than you and tolerate everyones stuff. It gets annoying if I have to tell her about you when we are on a date. Res tried to calm down and ordered his thoughts. What is happening to her and how can I help? Bro, she has already talked with Serafina, and judging by the state she is in, she has already agreed to live side by side. I want to make one thing clear: I didnt do it impulsively. Well, a bit But you have to know that when I touched her vessel, I made myself completely vulnerable to her. If she overtakes the body, we will only need to banish the ghost. How would you do that? Well, I dont really know Serafinas eyeballs rolled forward to their natural position, and she coughed violently. Res stooped down to support her, only for Serafina to throw up black goo on him. While Res tried to clear his vision, Jason shouted: It worked! Holy shit, it actually worked The black goo stunk like hell, but Res held Serafina steady. Jason had also ejected all the impurities in the aether channels when he had possessed him, but he didnt cough it up. A clear, female voice resounded through his head. Hello, Res. Can you hear me? Res? Res? Res? The voice jumped up and down and Res remembered the feral girl back in Jasons dimension. Tentatively, he answered: Hello? Are you Layana? The voice seemed exhilarated at that: You know my name! Yes. Jason barreled in. I told him your name. Ress belief in Jasons ability to charm woman shrank, but Layana didnt share his opinion: Really? Wow, that is so nice Jason. Res thought for a moment that this was sarcasm on a whole other level, but remembered that she hadnt had social interactions for a long time. I am glad that you and Serafina came to an agreement and I hope that we can work great together as a team. Layana giggled. Yes, yes. I would love to be a team with Jason and Res. You and Serafina will be excellent mates and you will make healthy babies. Jason and I sadly cannot do babies, but I would love to see your babies. Res gulped down the lump in his throat and tried to explain: Ahh. Look Layana A faint and exhausted voice reached out to them: Res? Somehow, Jason could grip that voice and pull it towards them. Layana conveyed the sounds of clapping. Wow, everyone is here. Res, Jason, Serafina, and me. We will be a great team with lots of babies. Jason isolated him from the conversation for a moment and whispered to Res: I have to admit that the baby thing she is always talking about is my fault. Their kind lives ages and only reproduces seldom. They spend their entire life trying to reproduce. When she asked me how many children I had, I told her the truth and said that I have about one thousand children. In her culture, with one thousand children, she would not only turn queen. Not only that, but she would also go down in history as the most famous dragon-kin. Serafina wearily reached out to him. Res? He grasped her fumbling mind. How are you, Serafina? She paused for a moment, maybe in distress, then she said shyly. What do you think? About what? About being possessed by a ghost too, dummy. Res froze - He was treading on thin ice. I have to admit that Jason hadnt told me. The procedure is dangerous, but now that you made it through, I love you for that bravery. Res could hear her breaths quicken. What do you think about the other thing? What other thing? You know what I mean? Are you such a meanie to force me to say it out loud? Somehow Res felt that something had gone on behind his back. I dont know what you are talking about, but I may have a talk with Jason right about now. She held his consciousness back and whispered conspiratorially. The forbidden dual cultivation. Layana as a five-year-old dragonkin couldnt have such a technique. When the words forbidden and Jason were mentioned, Res knew that he wouldnt like what he was about to hear. Yet, he still asked. I am clueless. Tell me what Jason has brewed up this time. Serafina pulled his consciousness even closer and began. So, have you done that thing already with someone? What Sex!, Serafina shouted frustratedly. For several moments, both of them remained dead silent. Then Serafina began to babble, but Res waved her away. No, I havent. She returned to her whispering tone. I havent too. Layana said that there is a forbidden technique that bonds each other tighter than no other bond. It involves Res interrupted her. I can imagine how it works. Why is it forbidden? You cant break the bond. Never. You can track down your partner from anywhere and you feel what he feels from anywhere. Blood magic is a pale imitation in comparison. Res gulped when he heard the last sentence. I will think about it. Definitely. I will have to talk to Jason first. Jason pulled out of this weird dimension and returned to his body. When he opened his eyes, he stood up and stumbled into Akeems broad frame. Akeem shoved him away, but he didnt mind. Jason, what do you have to say to defend yourself? Res could feel Jason shifting about: Bro, this isnt as bad as it seems, but I overstepped my bounds a little. A LITTLE? You paired the two of them together and they dont know the consequences of their actions! She is five-years-old and only thinks about making babies. Hey, that isnt true. She is 1038 years old. She could be my grandmother. If you had spoken to her at length, you would have realized that she is intelligent as fuck. My handbook had a chapter about evaluating intelligence and she ticks all the right boxes. It doesnt work like that, but fine I will give you that. What about the dual cultivation? Jason, I have too many enemies to count already, it would not only endanger me but most importantly her. Jason replied in a corny tone while imitating his voice. Love overcomes all obstacles. Besides, she will get half of your power anyway, so she will hardly be defenseless. Res froze. Repeat that again. Now, Jason only mumbled: She will get half of your power. Res laughed wildly and listed off the cons. I will be bound to a woman forever. It will bind me to a mentally underdeveloped ghost. I will endanger that woman. I will endanger my sanity. I will share my power. Why should I do it? Is there anything else I should know? Love? Besides, you will grow in power faster after that. You will lose power first until both of you are on the same level. Then you will gain half of the aether capacity your partner gains every time you improve. Look at it in the long run. Res thought intently for a moment, realized the scope of the problem, and shoved it in the procrastination corner of his mind. It was time to put Jasons tactics against Jason and distract from the topic. I will think about it. 66. Catfight for Res When Res opened his eyes back again, Akeem was probing at his chest. With a booming voice, he proclaimed: He is alive Xenia emerged from behind Akeem and recoiled in disgust. Jason looked down at him and realized that he was still covered in black goo. A few meters next to him, Serafina groaned as she sat up. Icy water was poured down from above and the announcer emerged from behind the tent. We have had enough melodrama. Lets play the second game. I choose Serafina and Xenia. Xenia cried in outrage. I dont even need to play! The announcer whirled his staff around in a sign. Look again! Xenia went pale as her compass now displayed zero aether allowance. The announcer patted her on the shoulder and added. We are all about fairness. That is why we brought you the latest commercially available fighting suit. He motioned at Serafina and Xenia. Both of you: Take your place on either side of the net. Dutifully, both girls took up positions while Xenia tried and failed to show her fear. A faint whirring sound could be heard and a yellow-red streak of light shot towards them from the heaven. It slowed down and turned out to be a metal construction the size of a human. It hovered closer while being stabilized in the air by roaring fires on all the extremities of the metal suit. Bro, I cant believe they actually produced a fucking mech. I only drew the Iron man suit once on a napkin at the queens birthday. Fuck me, that looks scary. Res wholeheartedly agreed as he watched the metal abomination creep towards Xenia. It opened like a living being and revealed some sort of cabin. The announcer twirled his jeweled walking stick: Make yourself comfortable. Xenia hesitated, but when she looked at Serafina who was staring daggers at her, she complied. She squealed when the mech closed around her. After a while, her face shone through the glass helmet of the construction. The announcer cried out: One of you wins if one decapitates their opponent! Start! Res looked at the Gamemaster in horror who only smiled, gave him a wink, and teleported away. Xenias now distorted voice resounded through the clearing. This feels great. Serafina was circling the construction with her sword in hand. Accompanied by a distorted squeal, the mech jumped eight meters into the air and landed in an explosion of dirt. Xenias new voice came distorted from the metal monster: What is a plasma gun? Doesnt sound nice. Gatling mode? That sounds dangerous. Cortana, yes I want to activate Gatling mode. Hundreds of small barrels emerged from holes all over the mech. Serafina froze mid-step as random high tones resounded from the machine. A memory of a klengan shooting metal balls from a much small barrel surfaced in his mind and he tried to shout out. Everything was drowned out by a deafening assault of enormous hardened shells. He couldnt feel any aether usage from the metal construction, but it was still shooting metal at high velocity. He was sure that his normal hardened skin wouldnt have withstood that. The barrage stopped and a distorted female voice said: Energy shield reserve 0%. Stop feeding energy to shield as misfunction of the shield is likely. A blue shining barrier around the mech vanished and hundreds of metal balls dropped to the floor. The metal balls had bounced off the wall, yet the metal suit had survived without a scratch. When the smoke cleared, it became clear that Serafina hadnt been that lucky. Res cried out in horror when he saw Serafina lying motionless on the ground. She lay in a pool of blood which grew larger by the minute from several large impacts in her abdomen and legs. Res pushed himself towards her, but the energy barrier only had him bouncing right off. He had to watch as Xenia righted herself in her metal suit. When she saw Serafina lying prone on the floor, her eyes lit up. With enormous strides, she moved towards Xenia and positioned herself over her form. Res, you will remember and celebrate this moment forever. This will be the day that I freed you from the tyranny of that witch. He dropped to his knees and pleaded for mercy, but Xenia didnt relent. She pulled back her metal fist and punched down with such force that the impact made the shield ripple. A numb feeling spread throughout his body. In his minds eye, the scene of her death replayed over and over in his mind. He found himself stripped of an integral part of his purpose. Serafina had shown him an image of himself that he wanted to be and the goals he wanted to achieve. Slowly but surely, he was falling back into his old way of thinking. Thinking for the sake of thinking. Social Interactions are pointless, so dont have any. Yet, he couldnt accept that mentality anymore. He hadnt been better than anybody; he had ignored everybody. The last few days with all the people around him had shown all the errors in that way of thinking. Serafina and her shy, but determined attitude was like sugar in coffee. Like a refreshing summer breeze C Something he now found out, he couldnt live without. The enlightenment came too late., Res mumbled absently as the dust from the explosion settled. He couldnt bring himself to look at what carnage would await when the dust settled.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Bro, look! Jasons shout made him look up in time to see a bloodied Serafina pouncing at Xenias back. White ghost plasma was covering her wounds, and she had a wild look on her face. Her new claws raked over the glass shield and a deafening screeching noise resounded through the clearing. Her eyes were glowing pink-red as she battered at the glass. All the while, Xenia was trying to regain her balance with Serafina hanging onto her. A scared thought shot through his mind: Jason, tell me: Has Layana possessed her completely? The enthusiastic response simultaneously calmed and unnerved him: No man, it looks like Layana is an excellent trainer. When Xenia punched blindly at Serafina, Serafina wound around the punch like an agile cat and continued her barrage. Jason added: It looks like Layana shared some memories with her. Look at the way she winds through those attacks. It is a trademark of the dragonkin. They call it a lot of fancy words that I cant pronounce, but it looks cool. Xenia gave a cry of frustration and boosted herself back with several blasts of fire. All Serafina could do was to jump off her back or be crushed. She landed with a practiced roll and ducked into a low crouching position. Oddly enough, she didnt even spare a glance at the sword. Instead, she focused on punching and scratching. The mech could take punishment and her scratches had only annoyed Xenia. She immediately sprinted at Xenia once again with an expression of pure rage. Xenia freaked out at Serafinas expression and shouted random voice commands in her tiny cabin. When she said: Shoot, Shoot, Shoot The same female voice from earlier stated. Autopilot shooting activated. The robot lifted both of his arms and two barrels emerged from its palm. Not a split second too early, Serafina launched herself to the side and a rain of bullets followed her. Her claws began to glow violet as she raced towards the robot in a zigzag pattern. Abruptly, she changed her method of approach and ran at the robot head-on. Her nails had been glowing brighter and brighter with aether. Res couldnt tear his eyes away from the person he loved most, running straight into her doom. First, Serafina could deflect and dodge most of the bullets until all the barrels were pointed at her. Res knew that it was a fruitless endeavor, but he still tried to punch through the barrier. By now, he couldnt look directly at Serafina as she pumped her nails full of aether. He heard a shriek before everything was bathed in bright light. When the brightness finally receded and he could make out two forms on the ground. Serafina was standing over the robot with one of her hands jabbed through the visor of the mech. The other hand was deeply embedded in the abdomen of the metal construction. The announcer appeared next to him and threw a bottle with a clear liquid at him. He smiled widely and patted him on the back. That was a spectacle, wasnt it? We got so many people to watch a commercial for a mech suit. We have to meet up another time for a photo shoot or something. I would save your princess now if I were you. We dont want our viewers to get angry, dont we? Res was tempted to give him the punch in the face he deserved but settled on a grim smile. My patience with your games has run out. No more games. He didnt look back as he ran towards Serafina. Closer inspection revealed that she was unconscious and only her nails, which were embedded in a robot, propped her up. He could see hundreds of bullet wounds all across her body. White ghost plasma was everywhere and trying to stop a liver from spilling out again. When he touched Serafina to pull her out, Layanas presence assaulted him. Die! Die! Die! Dont hurt Sera! Dont hurt Layana! Jason had to jump in and restrain her until she saw a shred of sense and let him work in peace. He and Jason needed to have a serious talk about Layana soon. When Res pulled the nails out of the glass, he heard a whimper coming from the metal construction. When Res had pulled out the fingernails, he could hear Xenia crying out for help. The impact angle made Res believe that she had spared Xenia on purpose, and he somehow felt proud of that. Giving a health potion to someone who had dirt inside their wound would be a death sentence back on their planet. Yet, Res had no time to remove all the tiny pieces of metal from her body. In the background, Akeem tore away pieces of metal from the suit. Res poured the liquid down Serafinas throat, who groaned. Her eyes fluttered open for a moment and, when she saw him, she tried to speak but Res motioned her to be silent. Through his aether sight, he watched the potion knit Serafina back together. Judging by the way it scanned and collected objects with aether, it had intelligence of its own. You could buy a kingdom with that potion back on his planet. Despite all that, he felt that nothing would be as valuable as saving Serafina at that moment. The wounds closed up, but it didnt seem like that potion contained drugs. She groaned in pain and Res grasped her hand in comfort. All during being patched up, she had her eyes fixed on him. Akeem had gotten Xenia out of the robot and was now treating a shallow cut wound on her neck. When the last wound had closed up, she looked at him with her beautiful brown eyes. How was I? Res squeezed her hand and answered: You were like a battle goddess. You didnt kill Xenia. Why? She looked at him as if he would explode at any moment. I dont think she deserves to die. She isnt an evil person per se. Res looked at her for several moments and then stooped down to passionately kissed her. First, she tried to say something, but finally she gave in. One eternity later, he surfaced from that kiss. Serafina gasped in deep breaths of air, grinned, and pulled him in for another kiss. Another eternity later, they were both gulping in deep breaths of air and Res whispered. I love you for that. I havent realized until now how much I love you. From now on, I wont hold back. With her hand, she playfully ran through his hair. I want you. If the tournament is over, lets do the dual cultivation. Res gulped and looked away. I really dont think that ... Someone next to them cleared his throat awkwardly. When Res looked up, he saw Adrian standing next to them while trying not to look at them. The announcer has been gone for too long. I dont like the fact that there are lots of those terrifying apes lingering at the edge of the clearing. Indeed, when Res looked back, he saw at least eight groups of stalkers in the trees. He lowered his voice and called over to Akeem. We will go now, Akeem. Xenia wanted to blurt out something stupid again, but Res gave her a deadly look. In his perception, Xenia was now a petty noble child trying to boss you around. Nothing more. At least he hoped so. If Serafina hadnt defended herself, she would have killed her without batting an eye. Now in a group of five, they continued in the direction the compass pointed. As the announcer had said, the stalkers became more and more common which made them more aggressive. 67. Is stupidity a valid excuse? After half an hour of walking, Res called a stop and assembled everyone. We will rest as we have discussed. Lets create two shifts. One team will wait here while the other group will find a cozy place to stay fifty meters from here. The guards will warn the sleeping team when the border arrives. The sleeping team will have one member awake to warn them if any stalkers come close to them. Would it be all right if Serafina sleeps first? She needs it the most and I volunteer for the first guard shift at the border. Serafina tried to protest, but one could see that she did it out of habit. Adrian stepped forward. I am not tired as well. All right, the shifts will be around half an hour. Res and Adrian sat down on a large log back to back and began their shift. The others created some space within the underbrush to sleep in. The chirping of insects provided such a pleasant background that he had to slap himself. Lazily, he tracked the occasional movement of stalkers in the trees and asked: How is he? Who? Your ghost. Ahhh Silence. Adrian added: He is violent. Is he a mass murderer and rapist? He turned, surprised. How did you know that? My ghost told me. Why did you start a bond with such a ghost? He turned away to hide his face. Not that important. Ahhh Silence. Finally, Adrian added once again. It wasnt voluntary. The organization forced you? No and yes. They first go around giving young street boys food and showing off powers. They call that Casting the Net. Then they invite the boys to an audit to have the amazing chance to become a Guardia Reale. They are like your elite palace guard. They put the boy into a room with a magic relic that inserts ghosts into humans. If the boy beats the ghost, he gets to live, else he dies. Res mulled over the information. How does it feel to live in the same body as a mass murder? Adrian laughed mirthfully. How does it feel? Luckily, I received a spell to cut off most communication, but he can still influence my emotions. Res remembered back to what he had to endure when Jason had messed with his feelings. It had led to something he wouldnt change in hindsight, but it had been horrifying. I understand you. Somehow, it felt safe talking to Adrian. Adrian turned in shock. He actually manipulated you? We worked it out. Adrian was still staring at him with comically wide eyes. How can you still Res cheekily interjected: Remember the ball game only an hour ago? Adrian chuckled softly. I suppose you are right. Again, Res enjoyed the companionable silence hanging over the place. Bro, the only thing we need now is a grill and a six-pack of beer. Res chuckled at the image and asked Adrian: Lets suppose we win this thing. Lets suppose you or I turn king, what will you do? I dont want to be king. Me neither. If I become King, the first thing I will do is to instantiate a loyal figurehead. Both chuckled and then returned to silence. Res continued: Have you looked around at the technology here? This feels so surreal. I have thought about whether there are even more civilizations like this and there have to be. We are like ants compared to them. We are. They can heal every wound; they can live anywhere. I had the chance to look outside. You know what? They live in glass pipes on the damn moon. Adrian laughed nervously. The odd thing is: I actually believe you. I have a dream. I want to make Trianon such a place. That might sound foolish, but imagine a world where no one has to hunger or fear death. Adrian was silent for several minutes. This is good. You are good. Do you know that it infuriates me how good you are? You barely have any training, yet you kick ass. You arent that good looking and yet you have a gorgeous princess fawning after you. Despite all that, I cant hate you and it doesnt infuriate me, but instead, it makes me contemplative. Bro, tell him I said that I will guarantee him getting laid by the woman of his dream within the month. Res told Adrian, who chuckled. Actually, I dont want to be influenced by such a thing, but that sounds like a sweet deal. Promise? Res grinned nervously. He always brings me into situations like this, but I promise to help you. Adrians expression lit up: I didnt expect less of you. The rest of the watch went by with their blabbering about philosophy, living with a ghost and Adrians great fascination C Woman. To keep their members on track with a mission, the order forbid relationships of all kinds. He could get a glimpse at the orders principles warring with basic human desires like love and friendship within Adrian. When they switched with a muddled Serafina and Akeem, they were chatting away like they had known each other for years. The others had found a spot in a thicket that was only accessible via one narrow entrance and hid them pretty well. Res was pleasantly surprised when Xenia offered to watch their position. As soon as his head touched the ground, he fell into a shallow sleep. Something didnt feel right though with him.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bro, red alert, red alert! We are being assaulted! Jasons cry was deafening in his mind. He tried to open his eyes or sit up, but his body wouldnt react. What is going on? Somehow, we got poisoned. We wont die, but the poison will last until another Wait, I thought we were hit by snake poison which would Polyhydroxy acids? Why would those be This is a fucking crme! Res kept his sense of hearing and touch. Yet, he felt nothing out of the ordinary when he tried to identify attackers. That was until he felt the sudden barrage of lust from right next to him. A hand caressed his face and someone nibbled at his ear. Xenias breathy voice filled him with longing. Dont be hard on me in the future for that. The Gamemaster offered me such an enticing crme, which I couldnt decline. You will see the error of your ways after I have made you into a true man. Fear filled him and he tried to wriggle free from his invisible bonds, but he lay stock-still like a dead fish. She cant do that to me, she wouldnt. Her soft hand tousled his hair and began its slow descent. She bottomed open his shirt and ran her hand over his torso. It narrowly missed his private part but honed in on its ultimate target. She was confused at first when she didnt feel the bump she had expected. You want to see more, dont you? She bottomed off her shirt to reveal her two perfect breasts. The moonlight extenuated their natural curve and Xenia felt the spike in attraction. Their feelings of lust were feeding off each other and building up to an incredible crescendo. Xenia bit her lip and began to rub between her knees. When the lust had built up to intolerable levels, she released it in a muffled cry of pure desire. She was sweating now and started ripping off his clothes. He had to watch as she raked her fingernails over his chest and continued to undress him. With a jerk, she tried to tear off his pants. Rage bubbled up in Res as he felt violated like never before. How dare she? If the crme would wear off now, he would grab her throat and squeeze until her neck would crack. He tried to pull aether into his body and push his fist into Xenias lustful face, but his body wouldnt budge. For some reason, his arousal had translated over to only one part of his body. Xenia giggled in glee when she noticed. By now even Jason was frothing with rage. In a low voice, he whispered: Bro This is fucking rape Yet, that isnt even the fucking problem. If we cant stop her, Layana will be lost forever to me. I will kill her for this. Ress mind was descending into madness as his temper took on the temperature of a volcano. Jasons comment made his blood boil, and he screamed madly at Xenia in his mind. His finger twitched and, with all the power he could muster, he reached toward her. Xenia laughed and pushed his hand aside as if he were a child. You are angry, huh? No worries, let me reduce your stress. His breathing quickened to unnatural levels as Xenia positioned herself above him. His heart was hammering faster and faster as he raged in his head. Hello? Is everything all right? Are you sleeping badly or is anyone hurt? Serafinas soft voice sounded like music to his ears. Why is someone in there breathing so fast? Immediately, he breathed in erratic patterns, but Xenia clamped her hand over his mouth. It is nothing. I have nightmares about this place. Serafina paused for several moments and tried to spot Xenia in the dark. I may have been a little angry towards you, but you can still talk to me. It is nothing. Res heard Serafina standing up and dismay overcame him. He curled his consciousness up into a ball and whispered to Jason: We tried. A white liquid shot out of Ress head glinted in the moonlight and fell back into his body again. Serafina paused and asked. What was that, Xenia? Xenia herself had looked in shock at the ball of liquid and some of that shock was still held in her voice. Nothing. Just a medallion. Serafina harrumphed and walked into the cover of the shrub. When she saw Xenia sitting half-naked over Res, she froze. Xenia seemed to remember what Serafina had done to her after she had tried to make her look bad in front of Res. With an unsure smile, she backed off from Res. A tear rolled down Ress eyes as he looked at the heartbroken face of Serafina. She didnt pay any mind to Xenia and instead stooped down to pull his clothes back in place. With a broken voice, she asked: Why? Res wanted to talk, he wanted to tell her about everything, but he could only stare into her eyes and move his arm. Serafina broke out into tears as she looked at his irresponsive face in the moonlight. With a cry of anguish, she let his head drop onto the floor and ran out of the hiding spot. Adrian had awakened by now and he was looking around stupefied. When he saw Ress head bleeding from being dropped on a root, he tore away a part of his shirt and applied a make-shift bandage. The pain that radiated Ress body at the moment wasnt physical pain though. His minds eye replayed the moment when Serafina dropped him, lost hope in him, lost hope in them. The emptiness in him caught on fire when Xenia approached with a sly smile. She even had the balls to give him a wink of all things. Adrian tested his reaction time by feinting punching him in the face, but Res didnt flinch. Adrian checked for a pulse which revealed a green paste spread on his throat. Adrian grunted confused and wiped the substance off Ress throat with a flick. Res could feel his limbs tingling and coming back to life while Adrian had seized up next to him. Slowly, his aether control returned, and he pushed himself towards Adrian. With the help of Jason, they removed the paste from him too. When he had done his duty, he turned around with a deadly calm look in his eyes. Xenia shifted nervously when she saw his expression and shrugged her shoulders: I am sorry? She couldnt have chosen a sentence that would make him more infuriated. Slowly, he began to hover towards her while bloodlust permeated off of him. You still think this is a game? Xenia chuckled and took an involuntary step backward. I dont think it is a game. I know that you havent seen my full potential. Res laughed so loudly that even the stalkers above them shifted uneasily. His whole being was an incarnation of revenge. I have seen your full potential. Your full potential for evil. You are a petty child in the body of a young woman. If there is something you cant get, you pull it out of the dead hands of the owner. Xenia shivered at the killing intent of him and called out. Akeem! Help! HEL Her cries were cut off when Res grabbed Xenia by the throat, hardened his skin, and pulled her off the ground. She wriggled around like a freshly caught fish and Res enjoyed her squabbling. It was satisfying to watch the person who had nearly ruined your life choking out her life. A panicked shout resounded through their clearing: Res, stop! When Res turned, he saw the still tear-streaked Serafina running towards them. Res didnt let go. With a dead voice, he said: She is ruining our relationship, and I have given her enough chances. Do you know what she did? She drugged me and attempted to rape me. That would be like holding your hand into the fire after being burnt for five times. Only to find out whether it will burn again you. Serafina entered the hideout and begged. Please, dont. Do it for me. Xenia was now only weakly struggling. Now even Jason added: Come on, you proved your point. Killing women isnt cool. It is not like killing men is cool, but Serafina pounded on him ineffectually as he sacrificed his aether allowance to end this once and for all. With a last jerk, she stopped struggling and only hang in his grasp. Serafina grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes. Res, that isnt you. As if it was a magic phrase, memories of him sitting on some stairs in the middle of Trianon surfaced in his mind. He had asked himself the same question: Who am I?. Memories of being sucked into the black whirlpool, of starting a rebellion C That entity. Is that who I am? Do I want to be that man? He let Xenia drop to the floor with red claw marks on her throat. When she didnt breathe, Res stooped down to reanimate her. Several moments later, she gulped in deep breaths of air while holding her throat. A muted call came from the entrance to their hiding spot. Guys, come out. No hasty movements. Without hesitation, Serafina threw Xenia over her shoulder and they all scurried outside. What awaited them was close to a nightmare. Hundreds upon hundreds of stalkers were on the ground and above them. Some bared their teeth while some released bone-chilling shrieks when they saw the group. In the distance, a wall of stalkers approached. They were packed so tight that they climbed over each other to continue their relentless and silent march. The border., Adrian whispered. 68. Plan ABCDEFG Res gave Akeem thumbs up. Good Job. If you had run off like a scared rabbit, they would have attacked. Lets beat a tactical retreat. Akeem pulled out a compass, and they began to half walk, half run towards where the compass pointed. A concentrated silence had settled over them. The next hours would change their life. No one here wanted to be aether-crippled forever. The most disturbing thing were the black monsters in the trees who would try to get a jump on them. All the time, the mass of stalkers functioning as the border followed them steadily. They took turns watching the treetops for stalkers and gained some distance to the wall of monsters. Maybe it was because they were occupied with trying not to die, or maybe it was their fatigue. No matter the reason, they didnt see the countless shadows behind the surrounding trees. The only warning they got was a glittering dagger in the moonlight before Xenia was pulled behind a tree. A colossal northerner holding a dagger to Xenias neck stepped out of cover. The northerners voice was harsh and unchanging. Throw your compasses at me or she dies. Res snarled and hardened his skin. As soon as his full attention was on the man, he felt the poke of a dagger. He whirled around to face another slimmer northerner about his age. The young man had ragged blonde hair and two long daggers, which he looked at in confusion. Res chuckled. Did you expect to pierce my skin? He broke off and whirled around to the others. All of them were engaged in their own fights. Serafina was circling a fat northerner while Adrian was fighting the fiercest warrior Res had ever seen. The blood lust around the warrior was permeable and his eyes were steel. Adrian had to jump around while using his sand ability to the fullest to escape the colossal stone axe. Bro, we should get the hell out of here. That fucking axe only gets that yellow glow if the bearer killed over ten thousand enemies. I dont know what the heck that guy is doing here, but he is grave news. This time two daggers poked him and Res promised himself to make this quick. With an aether push, he tried to give the young man a kick in the groin, but he only got in a glancing blow. Which still meant that the boy folded up like cardboard. A panicked cry from Adrian made him whirl around. Adrian pressed against a tree by the enormous stone axe with only his sand snake between him and the blade. The blade was eating away at the cobra and Res mournfully looked at his right thumb. With a mirthful smile, he whispered: Bye, Bye Thumb. He shot forward and impacted the rock-hard Viking like a battering ram. The northerners torso cut down several trees before it came to a stop about a hundred meters away. Despite all that, the Viking was already getting up and Res knew that he couldnt fight that one yet. A look at his compass revealed that he had none of his aether allowance left, and Res grinned wickedly at Adrian. Ready for Plan B? Adrian yelped as Res grabbed him and, with the help of aether, threw him over his shoulder. Disgruntled with being manhandled, he asked: What Plan B? My ghost says you could call it kamikaze. Their surrounding turned dark as hundreds of stalkers swarmed towards the fight. Only a few moments later, the black wall of stalkers came into sight only one hundred meters away. Res had to push over a stalker while Adrian cried out when one monster tried to get a jump on them. When he was destabilized by someone trying to get a jump on them, Jason would jump in.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Behind them, the stalkers were shrieking as Res used ludicrous amounts of aether to evade them. Swooping in like an eagle catching a mouse, Res grabbed Serafina out of the air. He had to duck when she whirled around and nearly cut his head off with her claws. When she saw that it was him, she grimaced, but luckily didnt mind with excuses. They still had to get one last passenger. Akeem had won his battle, even if bruised and bloodied. When he saw Res with all his passengers, he began to wildly wave at something behind them. When Res didnt change his course, he shouted. Xenia! Res kept on flying towards him and Akeem noticed Ress grim expression. Muscles formed on his legs and he sprinted in the opposite direction. He watched in horror as Akeem had to dodge countless stalkers and northerners. Serafinas opponent threw a dart at Akeem, which made him slow down, but he didnt stop. Finally, he reached the ambush point, but the wall of stalkers had reached it too. Before the stalkers could rip him to shreds, he pulled a figure out of a thicket and threw it at Res. Res watched in morbid fascination as a screaming Xenia impacted his flying form. Jason had to spend his entire aether pool to keep them upright. Serafina grabbed Xenia and shouted. GO! It didnt exactly please him that he had that woman on his back, but he supposed that this was right. With a push of aether, he sped into the direction of the center. A red glow exploded outward from the ambush site and cast the jungle in an eery light. In awe, Jason whispered. Someone has dissolved their cultivation basis. The sheer skill required takes decades, but most important of all, you cant practice. That must have been the huge Viking. I cant imagine someone else with such a large cultivation basis. Res still marveled at that northerner. If someone had told him that man was the reincarnation of an ancient battle god, he would have believed him. On their way, the trees were actually the more dangerous opponent. Pushing himself through the jungle was a nightmare. Trees would appear in his pushing range and set him spinning. Suddenly, Serafina shouted: Dodge! Trusting her fully, he pushed himself to the right. An enormous ice shard shot through the spot they had been in. At his fearful look, Serafina laughed and said: Other competitors. A+ Rank. The forest opened up and the ground population of stalkers increased exponentially. With a questioning look, Res pointed up ahead. Isnt that a *WOOSH* A streak of yellow light missed him by only a centimeter. Immediately, he pulled left, which turned out to be a good idea. A lightning strike as thick as some trees impacted the spot where they had been in. Various other spells sprang up behind them. Adrians grasp on him loosened and Serafina had to pull him back up. Lotus flowers made of blades, Ice tornados, and blinding spells rained down all around them. It wasnt helping that Xenia was screaming like she was being grilled alive. With a curse, Res changed direction and shot straight towards the source of the spells. The casters hadnt expected the maneuver, and they broke through the canape of the last tree. Beyond the forest lay a peaceful meadow. The full moon provided ample light to reveal the circular plot of grass. Around the clearing, hundreds of elite palace guards had taken up position to block off entry. Res determined that the best plan would still be to go to the middle of the clearing. Judging by how thin the elite guards were already stretched, they couldnt detach units to the center. Serafina finally clamped her hand over Xenias mouth and, with a last push of aether, they touched down. That the elite palace guards hadnt triggered an alarm seemed odd. Yet, being too cautious would be inconvenient. With a whirr, aether from all around them was channeled. When he cast about for the source, he found a small floating black crystal above them. Before he could cry out in alarm, black metal bars shot out of the ground and formed a tight cage around them. When Res pushed on the bars, his aether got sucked up like a sponge and it felt like the cage had strengthened. Jason screamed out a warning and Res relayed it. With a loud thud, a gorgeous sword impacted the spot where he had stood. 69. Humans are so frail. Sneering laughter he knew too well resounded through his head. When he whirled around, he came face to face with the prince. The moonlight cast the princes expression into a paranormal grin. In a cheerful voice, the prince whispered. You do not understand how much I have longed for this moment. Taking where you have taken from me. Res whirled around to see other black bars shoot out from the ground and separating them. In the background, Res heard the explosions of fireballs, lightning bolts, and the cries of dying people. Res tried to keep his calm. Jason, do you have any idea what this cage is? Hmmm, it seems like an artifact. It has no ghost, though. Weird. I have never seen anything like this. Can you destroy it? I have no idea. The only thing that I can conclude is that all the energy is transferred to that crystal above us. The only way out of it seems brute force. Xenia called out: My prince, please save me from my tormenter! When the princes gaze fell on Xenia, his eyes lit up with lust. Xenia? Yes, it is me. Save me and I will reward you handsomely. Her tattered clothes only extenuated her curves, and the prince grinned. With a wave of his hand, the bars lowered. The prince squinted at Serafina, who was staring daggers at him. Is that your bodyguard? I will save her too. Ress heartbeat quickened. No matter the outcome, she would be Xenia crushed his hopes when she hissed at Serafina. She is a traitor to our house and the lover of that demon Res. When Res saw the violent glee in the princes eyes, he regretted not twisting Xenias neck. The prince hugged Xenia as if they were long lost companions while fondling her assets. Keep her out of this and we will duel!, Res spat out, trying to get Serafina out of the game. The prince got pretty annoyed, but he calmed down. We will have our duel in time, I promise. The only problem is that it is boring to fight against someone without motivation. The desperation of a fight they cant win is glorifying. With a wave of his hand, Serafinas cage lifted, and she tried to escape. Like a bear hunting a rabbit, the prince was upon her in an instant. She tried to claw and bite at him, but the prince beat her unconscious with a single enormous slap. Res cried out as he saw the dislocated jaw dangling limply from her head and he pounded against the black bars. With every strike, white light would spark from the impact. It always felt like something was being sucked out of him. The prince turned and harrumphed. Seems like you are actually made of aether. Who would have thought? How did you manage that? Isnt that impractical? Never mind. The artifact sucks in aether like it is the best booze. Wait the looser of the tournament gets his entire aether pool sucked out of him. You are made of aether for some reason. The prince scratched his head as if he was trying to solve a hard puzzle. Seems like this will be my last chance to torture you a little. To start, I need your full attention on your pretty lady. Or not so pretty lady depending whether you are turned off by scars. You seem to like them so much. Why dont we give her some more? Jason let out a silent: shit, balls, and cum. The prince held his hands up into the air and his sword zipped back into his hand. Res watched in horror as the prince began to playfully nick her neck. With a cry of anger, he pushed against the bars with all his might. The prince laughed at his struggle and looked at him with pity. Come on, this is useless. Trust Res blended out the inconsequential blabber and pushed his entire being into putting aether into that one bar. The entire cage vibrated, and the crystal pushed back against his aether. Jason roared: JUST DO IT! With a cry of defiance, he pushed through and felt something snap in the cages structure. The aether he had pushed into the cage, dispersed around him and he pulled all it back into his core. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself encompassed in a glittering rain of gem fragments. The prince didnt look horrified that he had managed to break free, but only annoyed. At that moment, he knew he didnt have the power to fight with the prince one on one, so he pushed himself away. The prince recovered from his stupor and activated his shining white knight armor. Res cast about for anything that could help him defeat the prince. The terrified scream of another team trying to break through the wall gave him an idea. When he felt bad about what he was about to do, Jason reminded him: This is fucking war.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. With a mental push that sacrificed his pinky finger, he began his bloody reaping. The prince tried to shout a warning, but it was already too late. His body shot towards the ring of elite palace guards like a homing arrow. The first impact was brutal. He barreled into a female elite guard that turned into a bloody mist in an instant. He could feel the prick of bone shards on his skin and the slimy content of her skull on his cheek. At the thought of Serafina being violated, he pushed through the next elite guard who met the same fate. He fell into this weird killing trance where he felt like his body was shredding through thin paper. Humans are so frail. He got to experience how frail they were when he rammed into an incredibly dense mount of flesh. With an enormous boom, he came to a dead stop. He had never felt so shitty in his life. It felt like every part of his body had been pounded to mincemeat. When he rolled onto his side to look up at who had stopped him, he looked into the calm eyes of a war veteran. The prince appeared next to the elite palace guard. Commander, excellent work. I didnt expect less. The commander saluted. It was a pleasure to bring down the bastard who killed one hundred of my men, my majesty! The prince grabbed him at the neck like a kitten and dragged him away from the impact site. Seeing the perfect opportunity for a strike, he pushed his left arm into the princes abdomen. Then, he drew on the entire solid aether in his right arm. The princes body was once again flung into the air at unimaginable speeds, and Res reveled in the feeling of power. Bro, you got him! That punch held the force of hundreds upon hundreds of battle rams combined. The prince was surely Slowly but surely, the prince got up. A gem in the princes feet glowed red and the grinning face of the prince appeared right in front of him. The spot on the shining armor where Ress fist had impacted was unscratched. I see you still have some fight left in you. Res saw the slap coming, but he could do nothing as the prince had grabbed him by the neck. *CRACK* The sound of the slap resounded through the entire clearing. *CRACK* He lost eight teeth. *CRACK* He was now vomiting blood, but the prince didnt seem to mind. *CRACK* The prince laughed at his expression of pure hate. Through his broken teeth, he muffled out: I wiff kill you. Once again the prince drew back for another slap. Bro, push at the prince, but try to focus the push into a tiny pinprick. It is fucking ineffective, but that fucker cant dodge that. We will take down that motherfucker. Res roared out his defiance at the world and pulled on his entire body. Jason joined in on the roaring as he drew on ludicrous amounts of energy. In an instant, he released all that aether at a tiny pinpoint behind the princes head. The beam of aether that left his body was like the sun in his aether sight. Ten meters in diameter, it was white terror reincarnate. Res smiled when he saw that the beam hit the prince squarely in the chest. Behind the prince, it burrowed its way into the ground and left a hundred-meter-long trench. Yet, the only thing that seemed off about the prince was an orange glow in his throat. Ress energy had left him. He was reduced down to only his neck and head, which were floating in the air like ghosts. When the prince noticed Ress desperate glance at the orange dot, he laughed: Ahhh, that. I knew that you would release a last desperate stance. I have this handy amulet that allows the wearer to ignore one attack a year. I thought to save it for this special occasion. Despair welled up in Res as he thought through the implications. Suddenly, the prince gripped him like one would grab a toy and he looked at him with a wicked grin: Wait, little Res. Dont leave me and your young lady all alone. We have loooottttssss of stuff to do. Res tried to push away, to use the last parts of his neck, or to even bite the prince, but nothing worked. Bro, we are in deep shit. Serafina was still lying unconscious on the ground while bleeding out. Xenia was sitting a few meters away and glaring at Serafinas bleeding body. With his sword, the prince cut out a piece of the ground and propped his head up onto the makeshift podium. He motioned to Xenia. Tell me if he tries anything. Xenia nodded vehemently and spat on him. Res didnt care as his entire attention rested on Serafinas prone body. The prince tickled her and whispered in a sweet tone: Serafina, it is time for you to get up. Dinner is ready. Serafina opened her eyes and cried out in pain when she tried to speak. When she saw Ress disembodied head, she broke down and tried to crawl towards him. A silver dagger appeared in the princes hand and she froze at the sound of a blade being drawn. No, my dear. I am afraid that you will need to stop right there. Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice. The flat of the dagger ran over the skin of her neck and she froze, but never stopped eye-contact with Res. He tried to gather aether to get that scumbag off of her. A quick deadly glance from the prince told him she could turn into dead meat in an instant. The prince continued stroking her neck with his dagger: Do you know how much distress you have caused me? You hunted me in my dreams. I couldnt show myself in front of my friends because you gave me an erection, and you stole my dream wife. At that moment, I realized that I have never hated, really hated someone before. The prince began to trace Serafinas veins. I have to admit that I love necks. They present something so vulnerable. That right there is the internal jugular vein. If I were to CUT Res wanted to cry out as the prince drew the dagger over her neck, but he couldnt. Yet, no blood spurted out of Serafinas neck who was now trembling. The prince giggled and showed that he had only cut with the dull part of the knife. Only if I WERE to cut, she would die within seconds. I have perfected my average time to about nine seconds. But I wouldnt do such a thing to my best friend Res, would I? Violently, he cut Serafinas hamstring. Res pushed himself off, but the prince was already next to him, holding him down. He held up his hand to his mouth as if he had made a terrible mistake. Oooopsie. I did mean to do that. 70. Birthing of a monster Jason and Res were mad with rage and their emotions fed off of one another. Bro, do you have an idea? I was about to ask the same. I have so many possible ways I could kill him if I had the power. With an annoyed expression, the prince punched Res full-on in his face. He felt his nose and cheekbone crack under the pressure, but he was still held tight in his spot. The pain was nothing compared to the helplessness he felt. The person he cared for the most was dying in front of his eyes. Robert, the crown prince of Trianon, went back to his subject. I dont want this to be dragged out too long. Your suffering will end now. The prince stooped down to give Serafina the final clean cut across her jugular. All the while, the prince watched him and reveled in his pain. Suddenly, a figure jumped at the prince with a dagger glimmering in the air C Adrian. Res had forgotten the Ghostbound who was now grappling with the prince. He wanted to cry out that this all was hopeless, but he had no voice. With a snarl, Adrian was thrown to the side, and the prince was above him with his sword bared in an instant. When Res saw the killing intent in the princes eyes, something in him snapped. I have always thought about what this would mean for me - What would happen to me if Serafina died or what would happen to me when Adrian died. Fuck this. This is not me. Yet, when he searched deep inside him, he didnt find the strength to fight, not for himself. A deep part of him still thought: What can I gain from this? No matter how he tried to reason or twist his convictions. The primal egoism engrained in mankind remained. Jason cursed the prince, but Res could feel that he only feared to lose Layana. It would hurt him mentally and he needed her to stop from going insane. In a flash of insight, he remembered the entitys bottomless sea of acceptance. When he recalled the entity, a white feeling shone in his mind. It was the same feeling that had stopped him from plunging into the dark whirlpool and he embraced it. The feeling swept through him like a wave and empowered his will. In an instant, he felt Serafinas fear, sorrow, and resignation, and Adrians self-doubt, anger, and panic. Somehow, he completely understood their motivations, feelings, and their essence. The princes feelings of anger, righteousness, and mirth flooded him. If he was in a similar situation, he would have They dont deserve to die!, he interrupted that dangerous train of thought. Even if the princes motivation was understandable, the facts remained. He sank into cultivation to at least get some of his aether back when he was punched again. When he opened his eyes back again, he came face to face with the sneering visage of the prince. Not minding him, he closed his eyes once again to cultivate. The prince kicked his head and he tumbled away like a ball. The prince laughed: You really are Res closed his eyes once again to cultivate. The prince cried in rage at being so thoroughly ignored and punched him once again. Yet, Res only let his eyes flutter open before he went back to trying to cultivate. His body was secondary and if he served as a distraction for Adrian to get away, he was fine with that. The prince pummeled his head, but Res kept going back into cultivation. Finally, the prince roared out in frustration: You want to ignore me? Fine, I have grown bored with you, anyway! When he opened his eyes, he saw the prince pulling his sword out of its sheath to finally end Ress pitiful existence. In contrary to what many had said, his life didnt flash before his eyes. Instead, he felt fear like he had never felt before. Not the fear of dying, he had felt that countless times before.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The fear of not being there to protect. Being unable to protect Serafina sickened and scared him. It scared him so much that he was sure that if he still had a body, he would have thrown up and shit his pants at the same time. In this tiny instant of clarity, everything around the prince turned black. It was like being in a plane of nothingness with only him and the prince on it. Bro, what the fuck? This is trippy AF. There was no ground, no grass, no people. Just blackness, the prince, and him. His frantic thoughts came to a stop as his survival instincts wouldnt allow him to be decapitated. In a vain attempt, he tried to find a way out by feebly grabbing onto aether. When he felt resistance, he froze in shock. On closer inspection, he found that he was midway between cultivation and reality. In a flash of inspiration, a dumb plan came into his mind. He used up the last leftover skin cells on his bald head to push himself out of the princes grasp. Bro, are you crazy? You have something akin to a seizure right now! Res ignored Jasons warning and pulled in aether while the prince caught his bearings. Jason, do your thing! You cant Do it!, Res interrupted. You dont understand. What if your brain gets damaged? I would rather live my life without aether than in the body of someone who is mentally disabled. What happens to you if I die? Jason shifted about mentally. The princes gaze had once again found Res. I could choose to get sucked into another artifact, but I have determined that I want to die after this. You know Jason, I was a selfish fellow. In the last days, I have determined that I want to change who I am. I want to be someone who protects and shares. Giving chances to someone even if it means giving up one yourself. For a short while, Jason was silent, and they both watched the prince running towards them. Finally, Jason spoke. Bro, I have heard nothing in my life that sounded cornier Res resigned himself to dying when Jason added. , but I suppose I agree. Lets fucking do this. Relief flooded him and he sent waves of thankfulness to Jason. Both of them exchanged grim nods and Res began to pull in aether. His body vibrated as he gathered aether from his immediate surroundings. While exhaling, he pushed it out in the form of aether influence. Hundreds of white pipes shot out of his body and he felt connected to aether like never before. ************* The prince stopped and looked on in awe as glowing pipes streaked by. The pipes only stopped growing after they were a kilometer long. For a second, the prince had feared that this insufferable fool still had a secret technique left up his sleeve. When the aether streaks didnt harm him, he only laughed: Are you reverting to fireworks now? Are you hoping to scare me off with some simple raw aether manipulation? Pathetic. Instead of trying to deny the princes claim, Res only looked on with a single-mindedness that bordered on the insane. For some reason, the prince felt like Res had focused his entire mind, no, his entire being on killing him. Robert, the crown prince, chided himself for thinking such negative thoughts. It wasnt like An enormous wrench ran through his entire being and he felt drawn to Res. When he looked up, Res had now laid back his head. He was screaming into the sky while lightning began to crackle along all the aether pipes. The entire aether construction around Res pulled in aether from everywhere. The prince watched in horror as Ress chest, then his entire body reconstructed itself from pure aether. With a start, the prince realized that he needed to end this quick. With a sigh, he realized that his sword would impale the pesky peasant right about ... An ultrasonic boom racked the meadow and the immediate area around Res exploded. The shock wave flung the prince and his sword back, but the prince quickly found his bearings. What emerged out of the spot that Res had occupied before was a monster. Ress hair was standing end on end and he had gained muscle mass. The most disturbing feature of them all was his left black eye. It bestowed judgment on the prince and would do anything to enforce it. When the prince looked into that black eye, he was sure that if he were to cut off that creatures head, it would still hunt him down until he hacked off every limb. 71. You are prey The moment Res pulled in aether, he felt his arms growing back, his wounds closing, and his mind clear. Despite all that, in this moment of clarity, he knew that if he were to fight now, the result would stay the same. He would give his best once again, but with so many elite palace guards around, he wouldnt stand a chance. The deep despair roiling inside him reminded him of that fateful day when Serafina had died in his arms. In excruciating detail, he relived being torn apart and the agony of failing to protect a friend. Only a wisp of his consciousness had remained in his body. Yet, when the prince had picked up his head, it was enough to set the despair on fire. At the moment his despair was set ablaze, he influenced the world around him with his own will. A will forged in the fires of despair. When he recalled that recent fire, he realized that there was the same despair roiling inside him. Yet, all the moments he had shared with Serafina, and even the guard shift with Adrian, contrasted the despair. He tried to light this mixture up as he had done on the goblin battlefield. It only flickered shortly and died out. The princes sword was now only a meter away. He shoved the despair to the left side of his body and took one last deep breath. It virtually took no effort to find that tiny spark of flame and his entire body lit on fire. Every fiber of his being was filled with such mad rage that his surroundings reacted to the influx of power. Ress eyes locked onto the prince and he launched himself at him like a wild beast. Before the prince could react, Res had landed a devastating kick to the groin that catapulted the prince into the air. He couldnt actually see the ground. But he could outline his surroundings from when his cultivation pipes met solids. An enormous aether push leveled him again with the dazed prince. Without emotion, Res pummeled the princes face. Left, Right, Left, Right, Left. The prince stared at him dully at first. Only when Res broke the princes nose, did the prince put on any fight. The prince tried to fly away, but Res only man-handled him and enveloped him into a bearhug. When the prince bit off his finger, he didnt flinch. His being was now dedicated to one task - Killing. Judging by the princes expression, he was close to passing out. The armor could survive, but the princes organs wouldnt withstand the continuous force. Through cracked lips, the prince blurted out: Save Net. An artifact in the princes bowls glowed, and he vomited onto him. Suddenly, Ress connection to aether stopped for several seconds, but he didnt put his eyes off his prey. In a flash of aether, the prince zipped off and, after several seconds, Res could access aether again. Bro, watch out for that next time. That wasnt all the artifact is capable of. Dont give second chances. Jason was right. His prey was getting away. Res pushed himself towards the prince who was heading to a rectangular array of people. His mind categorized them as elite palace guards. Not prey., Res murmured, reassured. By the way that his beams couldnt penetrate the surrounding forest, he concluded that the stalkers had completely closed in and had only left the meadow untouched. Outside of the clearing, he could hear stalkers feasting on the countless dead participants. Through the rattling of the wind, he heard the prince hurriedly talking with the commander. Five seconds before impact, the commander bellowed out orders, and the formation scattered. The moment that Res impacted the prince full force, he felt the first aether tentacle shatter. If his aether extensions met a physical object, they would extend or shrink, but that tentacle had shattered completely. The problem wasnt the loss of power, but the fact that the poles were part of his own cultivation system. It felt like someone shattered his knee. His sheer determination alone helped him to overcome that hiccup. When he pulled back to deliver another punch, his entire body was racked by tens of the poles being crushed. The pain made him instinctively curl up into a ball and his entire leg muscles cramped up from the agony. With tears in his eyes, he looked up to see the bleeding prince standing over him with a sneer on his face. The prince waved to someone behind him and he felt how hundreds upon hundreds of his tentacles broke off. Instinctively, he created new ones that were destroyed again. It was too much. Pain was a concept he hadnt understood before. How ignorant I have been He released an otherworldly cry of pain and let himself fall onto the ground in hopes of making it stop. Yet, it continued on and Res began to cry as he huddled on the ground and the prince rained down lightning spells at him. Finally, the prince shouted out: Stop, we broke him! Looking at the husk of a being lying on the floor, it seemed true. Ress eyes had glossed over and foam was coming out of his mouth. He even had reverted to biting off his own fingers as he could cope with that pain. That was rational pain. Pain without reason was true torture.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The prince picked him up by the scruff of his neck and Res didnt move an inch as he surrendered. He would do anything to stop this and Jason agreed in the back of his mind. The commander tried to interject something, but the prince waved him away: I want to show him something one last time. He will be the only one to die after this and I cant let such a unique opportunity go to waste. Time blurred as he limply hung in the princes grasp. Only a word that was special to him awakened his damaged mind. When the prince saw him looking up, he grinned: I knew that I could get your attention with Serafina. She has been very brave and this wonderful young man right here helped her to bandage some of those wounds. The prince held up something that Res couldnt see into the air. His attention wandered back into the cozy campfire of insanity inside his head. Only a faint gurgle of despair kept him from doing so completely. The prince pulled out his sword and played with it: She doesnt seem to smile enough. Why dont we change that? I have studied the arts of cosmetics too, you know? I need to The princes sword turned red as he swiftly made two cuts from the corner of Serafinas mouth to her ear. He heard the splatter of blood against the fresh grass and the desperate gurgling of the only person he loved. Finally, the wet thump of a body hitting the floor. I am sorry that I have no more time to play with you, but my captain says that I need to be quick. The prince raised his sword and hacked at someone else that Res didnt see. The person who the prince hit only gurgled out one word C Friend For a moment, Ress body froze up completely. Res exhaled. Then, he inhaled. The prince stopped dead in his tracks as Ress body began to hum. White veins spread from his brain towards his right side and his right eye burned white. Soon, the entire meadow was thrumming in such deep and ancient tones that they could be more felt than heard. All the tubes that were destroyed before, shot again out of his body. The commander reacted by immediately ordering another assault on them. As before, the pain was unbearable. This time, a powerful feeling stabilized him. It felt like a hot iron pressed to bare skin while also being cool to the touch. He was fighting to revenge, but also to save. The memories of the last days and the wrath of something unrightfully taken. Res didnt run but calmly walked forward. In his body, he was balancing the two sides in a fragile cease-fire. The prince had taken a step back at his calm demeanor and caught himself doing so. When he saw Ress emotionless face, he shouted out: I dont fear you, you monster! With a knightly battle cry, the prince threw his sword towards him. In an instant, Res hardened his skin to levels that could rival the steel of artifacts. With his right hand, he caught the sword blade-first. Red blood dripped down from the cut that the sword had inflicted despite his hardened skin. As Res had hoped the prince raised his hand to have his sword fly back into his hand. The tiny shred of concentration he could spare from watching over the tentative balance within him was used for walking. He wouldnt have been able to fight if he had to move, too. With a jerk, the sword zipped back to the princes grasp, but Res didnt let go. Too late, the prince noticed his mistake and Res crashed into him with the inertia of a mountain. On impact, he clamped both of his legs around the prince and had the prince take the fall. Their tightly entangled bodies slit over the grass for fifty meters before they came to a stop. The prince tried to free himself from his grasp while cursing him wildly. *BOOM* Res didnt hesitate for a single second as he pulled and punched the princes face. All the aether in his entire left arm was gone. The pressure wave that emanated from his punch, flattened the grass in the entire meadow. One of the princes teeth flying through the air glittered in the moonlight. The princes cheek had a fist-size indent in it and blood ran from the corner of his mouth. A gem in the princes forehead glowed green and the skin and bones healed within seconds. The prince looked at him with outrage. How dare you to Res had patiently waited for his left hand to grow back and he punched the prince at the same spot. *BOOM* This time, a yellow barrier manifested around the prince, but Res ignored it and let it fizzle out. When the prince looked into his dead eyes, he realized the full extent of the trouble he was in. Jason and Res didnt have to talk as their single-mindedness fed off each other. *BOOM* The next punch landed unobstructed on the princes cheek and the bone gave in more than it had before. Judging by the princes expression, the feeling of a healed bone-shattering wasnt pleasant. The prince rattled off something in an ancient-sounding language. A dagger made of blood materialized between them. Neither Res nor Jason paid the dagger any heed as their target was right in front of them. *BOOM* *Squelch* The prince now cried out in anguish as Ress punch dislocated his jaw. Hope and mirth gleamed in the princes eyes as he saw that the dagger was stuck hilt-first in Ress chest. The pain that the dagger inflicted would have been excruciating to Res at any other time. Now his entire being was only focused on one task and one task only C Remove the stain. When the prince realized that Ress eyes didnt glaze over as victims of the vampiric high king level amulet usually did, he panicked. The prince cried out for help before *BOOM* Bone shards flew in all directions as the bone gave in under all the stress. Res watched calmly as his prey began to scream like a pig at slaughter. He raised his hand and could feel his skin being enveloped by flame. He didnt care. *BOOM* 72. Plasma Nova The prince watched in horror as the monster survived the commanders hell-storm spell. The only reason why he hadnt turned to cinders was that he had a domination grade amulet of fire protection. The monster trapping him within its fangs was completely roasted. Its skin was a charred black, and in several places, one could see white bone. Yet, the glow that surrounded it told him it would be only a matter of time until it would be whole once again. When the commander saw that his most powerful attack had done nothing, he shouted: Permission given for Plasma Nova! The prince gurgled out laughter as he looked at the monster for the last time. Save net! The creatures didnt flinch as it was cut off from aether but waited patiently for its prey to come out of hiding. Behind them, the elite palace guards were arrayed in their respective squadrons. All of them snapped off a salute. They would soon find themselves back into their bodies without an aether cultivation. Through his mangled visage, the prince hissed out: Plasma nova. while reaching into his body to the heart of his artifact collection. It was the only known item of domination stage in the entire world and he was immensely proud of that. If he was honest, he had hoped to use the one use only item that promised to lay waste to an entire continent. The monster paused when it heard the words. It channeled its entire aether reserve towards hardening its skin. Before Robert could laugh at the feeble gesture, everything turned white. The devastation was all-encompassing. A white barrier had formed around his body to protect the user from the blast. Even though that barrier Robert felt how the entire aether pool was pulled in towards him. Within seconds, the gathered power reached a crescendo. The power was released in an enormous shock wave that devastated everything. If the prince hadnt had the artifact of far sight, he was sure that he would have been blinded by the flash. The earth underneath them rumbled as it was being shaved away like pudding. The prince was pressed so hard into the earth by the blast that several of his ribs broke. The glow settled down to reveal the full extent of the damage, and the barrier around the prince dissolved.Stolen story; please report. He found himself in an enormous crater a kilometer deep and five kilometers wide. The explosion had revealed a layer of orange rock below the forest soil. What the prince had assumed was the heaven, was revealed to be only a magical moving painting. After the impact, they were spouting little zaps of lightning. All the trees had been uprooted and catapulted far to the back of what had turned out to be an enormous room. In a flash of inspiration, he realized that he was in a giant house with its own ecosystem. When he remembered the monster that named itself Res, he cast about. To his great chagrin, the only thing left was a charred finger on the ground. When he realized that he had won, the prince cackled and made as if to crush the remaining finger. Suddenly, hundreds of small aether pipes shot out of the extremity and a hand began to grow out of the finger. The prince took a step back when he realized that the monster had lived through a domination-stage explosion. He gathered his strength and delivered an aether fueled kick. It destroyed all the aether pipes and shredded the hand in an instant. For several moments, the shredded pieces of the hand lay there, motionless. Accompanied by an abrupt jerk of the biggest piece of flesh, tubes shot out once again. The prince shot one lightning after another at everything that moved. Still, the bodys reconstructing continued. Not knowing how to cope with the situation, the prince sat down to stare at the unfolding horror. After only a minute, that monster was standing once again before him as if nothing had happened. Experimentally, it moved its shoulders and grimaced at him: That hurt. Robert had always prided himself on being immune to horror. He had watched beheadings and torture from a young age. But this The creature slowly walked towards him and he was paralyzed by its menacing gate. The monsters right hand balled into a fist and he unconsciously touched his right cheek. Before he could react, his view was engulfed by the view of his doom. *SPLAT* 73. Survival of the Fittest As soon as Res saw the princes brain turn into mist, he dropped face-first onto the ground. The mental concentration required to hold on to that finger with his consciousness had nearly made him mad. Even when the explosion had passed, he held onto that finger together with Jason as if it was their only lifeline. Which Res supposed it had been. Jasons dull voice whispered: Good Job brother., before he felt Jasons consciousness fade into his dreamworld to rest. Res wished to do the same, but the metallic voice of Jasons younger self-rang out in his head: Gratulations! You beat everyone who challenged you. Survival of the fittest means that you will be the king until someone greater comes along and kills you. I dont know what to say now except that you should be nice to your citizens. You stand before two options: You can either absorb all the aether cultivation bases from the participants and turn that power into your own. Or you can leave things as is. If you want to absorb the aether from all the participants, then channel aether now. Res chuckled and sat down next to the princes headless form. He didnt have the energy to be tempted by the option. Jasons voice resounded through his head once again: You chose the stupid, but the right choice. Great! You seem to be an amiable fellow. Citizens first, as I like to say. Like everybody else, your consciousness will now be transported home. You will get a clone that should be ready for you to pilot. Yeah, that was all. Bye! Ress body turned numb, and he felt a deep part of himself lifted higher at increasing speed. Res tried to relax as he watched the representation of his soul, a tiny blue flame, shoot up to the sky. Chained to him was another flame that Res supposed was Jason. He realized that the heaven was in fact more magic mirrors, but he didnt mind right now. All he wanted was to get home and relax. He would plunder the treasury and buy a house somewhere far away. Then, he would sit and think for the rest of his days. That didnt sound bad. His incorporeal soul shot through levels of klengans looking into magic mirrors. The density of klengans increased the higher up he went, and Res finally reached the surface. Once again, he looked at the klengan planet with its enormous glass tubes. I will relax, but I could also find the recipe for that amazing potion. I could also make education available for anyone like the klengans do. He stared at the bustling city and its metal buildings. On second thought, no. I think I will stick with the farmhouse.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. After a last glance at the enormous moon, he turned his view towards the way he was going. That enormous black void of nothingness. Yet, instead of finally zipping away, he was stopped. Something began to suck him back towards the planet. The metallic voice of Jasons younger version resounded through his head. Why would I record an error message? There are no errors in my system, but fine. The metallic voice changed to an ironic pitch. It is impossible that one of my construction will fail, but if you hear this message C You are fucked. Panic welled up in him as he continued to get pulled towards the planet. In his soul form, he couldnt do anything and instead had to watch as he was sucked into an enormous metallic device. He came to a stop within the device and the voice of the Gamemaster resounded in his head: I am sorry, but also not sorry. I cant let you go. I got an offer I couldnt refuse. The flame next to him, Jason, jittered in its invisible bonds, but the Gamemaster only laughed. There is no breaking out of your bond. I suppose you are his spirit, but you are still too weak. You will love your job. We will inject your souls into a beast. Then, we will create a machine that continuously hacks off your body parts. You have discovered such a unique cultivation technique that even I get excited about. The Gamemaster sighed dramatically. You can rest assured that we will sell your highly potent aether body parts throughout the entire galaxy. There will be a new generation of powerful aether users that will only eat your flesh. They will have a constant stream of high-powered aether and turn into the super soldiers. Ahhhh, such a bright future for you. Res processed everything he heard in horror as they were dragged into another tube. Jason next to him was struggling, but he couldnt move a centimeter. At the end of the pipe, Res saw how klengans were killing a slimy octopus with a clean cut. He could see the ghost of the octopus leave the body and vanish. Res couldnt think of something closer to torture than being forced into the body of an octopus while your limps are being hacked off. When his panic mounted to insurmountable levels, he released it in a cry of help to the world. Res couldnt resist the pull of the metallic device inside the octopus. Before he was sucked in, a soothing white glow encapsulated him and Jason both. Res could hear sirens going off all around them and klengan alchemists shouting in panic. He didnt notice any of it as he was wrapped into the presence of that entity. The feeling changed from acceptance to purpose and intensity. It didnt convey a message in the sense that he could hear someone speak, but he understood it nonetheless. He should prepare, act, build, defend, love live. 74. We need to talk, don’t we? Before he could thank the entity, he found himself surrounded by darkness. Jasons voice resounded in his head again: Bro, are you there? Elated, Res mentally showered Jason with joy. Jason! They both blabbered about what had happened and what they had felt. Jason had heard the voice of the Gamemaster too and they were both determined to pay him back as soon as they could. Abruptly, it felt like their dark space shifted. Jason stopped his story about what he had felt when the entity had saved them. Did you feel that too? I thought we were still in space. Res tried to shout out, but he received no answer. Jason stated in a flat tone. Bro, try to use aether. Hitting his head at his stupidity, Res extended his aether senses and found that he could pull in aether. Finally, given something he was good at; he began to greedily suck in aether. He felt his awareness expanding and he mentally did a weird Holy fuck, we are still alive dance with Jason. A loud female sigh interrupted their dancing. The sound made the body he was occupying reverberate. Res immediately stopped drawing in aether, but the damage had already been done. A squeal of surprise later, a female voice that he knew well whispered. My necklace, Ress hair. Why is it glowing? Dont make me hope. When he heard Serafinas sweet voice, he drew in aether with his entire strength. He felt how his body was shaken, but at the moment, he didnt care. He shot out his aether pipes in all directions and gathered aether at ridiculous speeds. He intentionally only converted the barrier above him into aether. With a sigh of relief at the feeling of actual space, he extended his aether pipes as far as they could go. It felt alienating when his entire head reconstructed itself and he could see again. The amount of aether he was man-handling would have made him explode only a few days ago. Yet, his determinedness to see the person that that voice must belong to, overwhelmed his fear. From the position his head was in, he could only see the ceiling of a common nondescript living apartment. When he had hands once again, he pushed himself upright. He found himself in a room that was only furnished by the bed he was sitting on and a simple closet. The only window in the room revealed Trianons apartment district in the light of the moon. In the apartment''s corner, a wide-eyed young woman had sunken to the floor in disbelief. She was staring wide-eyed at his glowing reconstructing feet. When their gazes met, a tear rolled down his face. It only took one word as Res walked up to her and offered his hand. Serafina. Serafina only screeched and covered her face with her hands. "Clothes! In the closet!" It took him a moment to realize that he was stark naked and he blushed furiously. In the back of his mind, Jason was howling with laughter and amazement. Res tore open the closet and quickly put on female leggings and a white blouse. With a calming breath, he turned and murmured: "Sorry about that." Jason would have made a sarcastic remark, but he was already occupied with talking to Layana. Like in a dream, she opened her eyes again and Res walked up to her. She grabbed his hand and she pulled herself up to look at him. They stared at each others tear-streaked face for several long minutes. Res broke the silence.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I am sorry. Serafina pinched herself and looked back at him. Finally, she asked: For what? No, I should rather ask why did you come out of my necklace? Res knew that she realized that they both had no future as he only brought her pain, but finally hearing it hurt. I was captured by the Gamemaster and managed to escape. I understand that you dont want to see me anymore after all the pain that I have caused you. He turned away and his heart broke. Before he could blink, Serafina grabbed his arm, pulled him close, and pressed her lips against his. Immediately, Layana shouted something about making babies in his head and Serafina reddened. Res looked at her in confusion. Why did you do that? She pouted cutely and said: I dont change my mind so easily. Even if I had to be tortured like that for years, I would still want to be yours. Res couldnt stop himself and pulled her in once again. After several minutes, they were both panting. What was with the necklace, anyway? She blushed cutely. I might have stolen some of your hair. Before he could comment, she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bed. Astounded by her strength, he asked: Why are you still so strong? She grinned and extended, then retracted her nails. Everyone kept their powers. I think the klengans changed my innate aether pattern, which I kept as well. With a small jump, she planted herself onto the bed and stared at the hole where the ceiling had been. His aether cultivation had removed the ceiling, parts of an attic, and the roof to reveal the clear night sky above. Impatient, she patted the space next to her: You have to tell me everything. With a contented smile, Res took his place next to her and grasped her hand. I should begin with the moment I beat the prince I Serafina immediately whirled around to face him: You are the king? Jason had been talking with Layana since they had touched, but Layana barred in now: Wow, we can have lots of princesses and princes. Serafina blushed, but not as much as he had expected. She looked at him expectantly, as if it was his turn to say something. Res frantically searched his mind for an appropriate response. Through their mental contact, Jason whispered: She wants you to propose. I cant give you any advice. You have to decide. He looked deeply into the eyes of that perfect woman and breathed in deeply. For a moment, he shut off all senses and retreated into the black abyss of his mind. Once again, the question of that entity resounded in his mind: Who are you?. Res dug down deep into his mind and asked himself: Why dont I want to? It was a painful self-reflection session, but he realized: I feel fear. Irrational fear. His instincts screamed at his foolishness, but he still whispered: Serafina, if you want to accompany me, you will be a target and you will suffer. She tried to interject, but Res put his index finger on her full lips. Her new body hadnt kept its scars and Res was captured for a moment by her beauty. I cant imagine that there is anyone else in this world who is more aware of those risks. I ask you despite that: Her eyes dilated and Ress heartbeat quickened: Do you want to Suddenly, a bright light shot at them from all directions. A deep booming voice resounded from surrounding roofs: Drop your weapons and spells now! You are surrounded by the elite palace guard! Above them hovered an imposing figure with an enormous fireball hanging above it. The rage he felt at the interruption came damn near close to the rage he felt when he thought the prince had crippled his friends. In an instant, he had pushed himself towards the leader. Fireballs assaulted him, but Res was unstoppable. He emerged from a wall of flame and came face to face with the elite palace guard commander. The elite palace guards on the surrounding roofs had stopped firing out of fear of hitting their commander. He hovered towards the commander until they were only an inch apart. The commanders face had turned ashen when he recognized Res, and Res grinned evilly. The commander extinguished his fireball and floated several steps back. Ress white eye glowed ominously while his black eye darkened until it sucked in the surrounding light. When Res saw the right amount of fear on the commanders face, he rasped out: We need to talk, dont we? Important Announcement Hey bro, I have decided to stop progress on this book and instead focus on my new book: "Just trying to be badass".If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. If you like this book, you most definitely like my new one. In the pre and post Author notes is a link to the first chapter that was just released. I appreciate each one of you :) A post needs to be 500 words long, so here is a love poem from William Shakespear