《Dao Long, Dao High》 The Man Named Spirit It was a rainy day in downtown New York City, on that nameless street. Yet still people hustled about, whether by subway, car, or walking. There was a single mother with her two toddlers, walking out of Cold Stone Creamery, an old man strumming his guitar on the street corner, a business man waiting in his car for the traffic light to change color, yelling at someone on his phone. People coming and going, getting on with their lives. And in the midst of this crowd of busy people, stood a young, handsome man, not over twenty. The young man had jet black hair, just covering his startling blue eyes before giving way to his chiseled cheeks and elegant nose that rested over a sharp chin. Under his black cardigan coat, white shirt, and black jeans, bronze skin rippled with muscles, like a tiger¡¯s: Lean and explosive with no excess to inhibit his movement. Hair sticking to his face, the man turned his face to the sky as he closed his eyes. Across the street, a little girl, hardly three years old, with a pink jacket and light brown hair finished her lollypop while walking hand in hand with her mother. ¡°Mommy, who¡¯s that man?¡± she asked, pointing. ¡°Who dear?¡± Her mother returned, confused. ¡°The weird man that¡¯s just standing over the-¡± The little girl paused, her eyes wide. . When the girl had turned around, the man was gone. High above the busy street, Garth Franklin appeared on the roof of a building and sighed. ¡°And what would your name be?¡± Across the roof, stood a stocky stranger with a bald head and a terrible scar running down his left cheek. ¡°Walter Tesla,¡± he said, greed filling his bloodshot eyes. ¡°Even disbanded, your Tesla Family continues to be a pain in my ass,¡± Garth lamented, as he shot a disgusted glance at the man. ¡°If I kill you, the Li Clan will definitely reward me!¡± Walter laughed before he lunged across the roof with a brandished sword. When Walter came within 10 yards of Garth, the young man reached into his coat, and pulled out a handkerchief. It was a plain handkerchief, white with a simple pattern on it. Walter eyed it for a while, before laughing. It seemed that this would be easier than he thought. Finally, as he reached Garth and swung his sword, Qi pouring into the area, Garth flicked the piece of cloth in his hand. There was no killing intent, no rage of Qi, and hardly a snap. Nonetheless, bells rang in Walter¡¯s mind and told him that the hankie was dangerous. Eyes wide, he twisted his attack into a defensive position, intersecting the handkerchief while it was on its way toward the assassin¡¯s neck. But when the sword met the cloth, a peculiar phenomenon took place. With his Qi heightened eyes, Walter saw the handkerchief hit the sword, pass through, and stretch to wrap around his neck. Walter¡¯s mouth hung agape as he looked at the elongated handkerchief that defied common sense. While his prey continued in stupor, Garth flicked his wrist again, which retracted the cloth, and brought Walter to his knees. Walter stared up at Garth incredulously, still not sure what had happened. But why would Garth explain? With large swing of his arm, the handkerchief tightened, crushing Walter¡¯s wind pipe, and then released him, returning to its original form in Garth¡¯s hand. Walter fell to the ground, grasping his neck as he watched the young man walk off a ways, before pulling a black, hooded cape from thin air. As Garth put it on over his head, he heard Walter struggling to say something. ¡°Spi¡­rit¡­¡± But Garth ignored him and continued to walk before he became a blur and disappeared. Unbeknownst to Garth, a set of blinds closed on a building across the street, which had a perfect vantage of his fight with Walter. ¡°To think that he was actually Spirit,¡± a middle aged man with a grim expression said. ¡°Do you have confidence, Grand Elder?¡± Next to him, the Grand Elder of the Li Clan turned and walked to a table in the room. ¡°Haha, the Reaper of Souls, the number one assassin in the Martial Plane, Spirit. To be that young, he certainly has terrifying talent. If it was before I completed my closed door cultivation, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be his match. But don¡¯t worry, he is still at the tenth rank, while I have broken into the eleventh.¡± The Grand Elder opened a bottle of wine that sat on the table, and poured himself a glass. Swirling it in his hand, the old man adopted a thoughtful expression. Then, taking a sip, he said, ¡°But call him, just in case, Arthur.¡± Arthur¡¯s face contorted in confusion, ¡°Who?¡± The Grand Elder chuckled, a malicious light flashing across his eyes, ¡°We cannot afford to let him grow any longer, and it¡¯s troublesome as it is, already. Tell me, Arthur, who do you call to exorcise a spirit?¡± Still, confusion clouded Arthur¡¯s face. Sighing, the Grand Elder got up and walked to the door. ¡°When exorcising a troublesome Spirit, you call a Saint,¡± he said, before he disappeared from the room. Garth walked through the construction site, looking around under his hood. Suddenly, his ear twitched and, like a shadow, he jumped to a support beam above him. Where he once stood, bullet holes appeared, still smoking from the friction. Garth glanced at them calmly, before speaking into the darkness. ¡°I thought we decided to stay out of each other¡¯s way, Saint.¡± After a moment of silence, another voice echoed around the construction site, ¡°That we did. Unfortunately, business is business, and someone hired me to kill you.¡± A blur appeared on the beam across from him, then changed into the figure of a man in his thirties. Saint had short black hair, with sparkling brown eyes and a sharp nose. A silver earring designed as a cross connected to a chain adorned his right ear. In his hand, was a handgun that shined in the moonlight, connected to a silencer. ¡°But I gave you a warning shot, didn¡¯t I?¡± Garth chuckled, ¡°I guess you did. So who wanted to kill me so badly that they hired you?¡± ¡°I did,¡± The Grand Elder said as he materialized next to Saint. ¡°To think that the thorn in my Li Clan¡¯s side would actually be the infamous Spirit was beyond our calculations.¡± ¡°Oh? Might this be the Li Clan Grand Elder?¡± Garth asked as a cold smile creeped across his face. The Grand Elder nodded, before he said with a chilling voice, ¡°You should have stayed out of my nephew¡¯s business. Who he marries is none of your concern.¡± Garth laughed, ¡°That may be true, but only if it was any other woman in the world. Unfortunately, I promised someone to protect her from you.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start already, I have to be in Italy by tomorrow morning,¡± Saint complained, before he leapt off his beam and aimed his pistol at Garth. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.¡°Yes, I suppose we should,¡± Garth sneered. He leapt as well, dodging three rounds that shot right through the beam he once stood on and continued into the floor below. Garth landed on an incomplete wall before launching at Saint from an angle. But just as he was about to reach his longtime rival, the Grand Elder appeared before him, his hand curled into a fist. With a bang, the Grand Elder¡¯s punch met Garth¡¯s timely cross arm guard, sending the young man crashing onto the second floor of the incomplete bulding. ¡°Eleventh stage¡­¡± he muttered with narrowed eyes. But before he could think, Garth had to dodge another round of bullets. ¡°Really, you cultivators and your ranks. It pisses me off that what I obtained after tortuous experimentation has to be compared with how long you guys sit on your asses,¡± Saint said bitterly. I¡¯ll have to figure out how to kill Saint first, otherwise I have no hope of beating the eleventh stage cultivator. Garth thought while he dodged a kick from the Grand elder. Then, he rushed off, through the construction site, amidst the rain of bullets and the pestering of the Grand Elder. Reaching another area, Garth turned around abruptly, which caught the Grand Elder who was behind him by surprise. Having grabbed his cape, Garth flicked his wrist, which launched an end of the cape toward the Grand Elder¡¯s neck. Since he was in midair, the Grand Elder flipped back, avoiding the cape, but as he righted himself, he saw a shadow flying past his face. Garth had latched onto a support beam behind the old man, and used it to get passed him. Cursing, the Grand Elder followed the shadow. Moments later, when he finally managed to catch up, the Grand Elder reached out and grabbed¡­ an empty cloak. Glee turned to confusion, before finally changing into anger when he heard a guttural scream behind him. When the old man whipped his head around, he found Garth, without his cape, holding Saint by the neck with one hand. Garth¡¯s other hand was stabbed deeply into Saint¡¯s chest. ¡°I know that seventy percent of you is metal,¡± Garth sneered, ¡°Even your brain is half computer. The only thing that is completely organic, is your heart.¡± On the side, the Grand Elder roared in fury, ¡°Let him go!¡± His image blurred as he headed in Garth¡¯s direction and launched a martial technique. ¡°Raiden¡¯s Fury!¡± Thick streams of lightning coalesced around the Great Elder¡¯s hands, which he used to lash out at Garth, who jumped to the side after he had freed his hands from Saint. But although he was able to dodge the punch, lightning shot sideways and slammed into Garth¡¯s chest. The young man groaned, as he coughed up blood and circulated Qi to get rid of the residual lightning that intruded his body. ¡°Haha! Do you even know where we are? You¡¯re practically in a metal cage! Garth Franklin, this place will be your grave!¡± the Great Elder laughed maliciously. ¡°No thanks, no one would want to bring flowers here,¡± Garth joked. Seeing the young man act so carefree, the Grand Elder¡¯s face darkened, ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can mess around. Thor¡¯s Hammer!¡± Lightning coalesced above Garth¡¯s head, forming a massive hammer. Even if he had been in his peak condition, the young man knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the massive attack, and he was even injured. ¡°Garth Franklin,¡± he said as killing intent soared from his body, ¡°Die!¡± The Grand Elder raised a fist over his head, then smashed it down into a waiting palm. The hammer fell upon Garth with a thunderous roar, which later gave way to his screams of agony. With a cold snort, the Great Elder turned around, ready to leave Garth to die a painful and unresigned death. Suddenly, the World Qi within the construction site started to gather, which caused the Great Elder to stop in his tracks, and turn incredulously toward the ball of lightning. ¡°No¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡± A series of pops and cracks rose from the ball of lightning, before it started to dim, and finally disappeared. In its place, was a young man with his shirt burnt off, revealing his sculpted torso. ¡°Thank you, Grand Elder, for helping me break through. Shall we continue?¡± Garth asked with a cold smile. The Grand Elder¡¯s face turned pale with fright, as he turned around to flee. His last two attacks had consumed an enormous amount of Qi, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have been able to even burn Garth, who was at the peak of the tenth stage. ¡°Where are you going, Grand Elder?¡± Garth laughed, throwing back on his cape. With a flick of Garth¡¯s hand, the Grand Elder was caught by the neck. With a pull, he was thrown backwards, and landed at Garth¡¯s feet. The Grand Elder lifted his head and looked into Garth¡¯s eyes as he planned to say something along the lines of ¡°Don¡¯t touch me or my clan will not let you off with a painless death.¡± But when his eyes reached Garth¡¯s malicious smile, which stretched from ear to ear, all of his words were forced back down his throat. After that night, the construction was halted and torn down under pressure from the district under the premise of tormented spirits screaming in agonizing protest to the building that night. As he dropped the Grand Elder¡¯s severed head, Garth sighed with weariness, then coughed a mouthful of blood. Although his breakthrough was able to help him recover his Qi, it hadn¡¯t healed all of his internal injuries. But as he started walking away, a shot rang out, and blood poured from Garth¡¯s chest. When he turned around, Garth spotted Saint lying on his chest and holding his pistol aimed at Garth. Dropping it, Saint coughed a mouthful of blood and said, ¡°As if¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ die¡­ without you¡­¡± Then, the only assassin able to rival Spirit breathed his last. When Garth had thrust his hand through Saint¡¯s chest, he hadn¡¯t realized that the heart was moved to make way of the rest of his metal organs. As such, Garth had only put a small scratch on Saint¡¯s heart. Although he would eventually die, it would still take a while, and he used that to wait for Garth to let up his guard. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Garth said as he fell to his knees. Unlike Saint, his heart was in the right place, and so the bullet did incredible damage. Although he could use Qi to slow the bleeding, Garth knew it wasn¡¯t enough to save him. Normally, cultivators would be able to heal such a wound rather quickly, but his fight with the Grand Elder left Garth terribly injured as it was. Although breaking through was able to heal him somewhat, the injuries were too serious. Garth fell on his side and, as his eyes started to grow heavy, his life flashed before his eyes¡­ Chapter 1: Last Day of School ¡°Hey, Garth! Wait up!¡± a familiar girl¡¯s voice resounded from behind Garth. The seven year old stopped on the path leading to the Academic Peak of Imperium Private Academy, the greatest school for cultivators in America. When he turned around, he saw a boy and a girl running down the path leading to the Dorm Peak. ¡°Come on, man. You couldn¡¯t even wake me up?¡± the boy asked, bitterly. Garth chuckled, ¡°I tried, but I woke up late myself today and didn¡¯t have the fifteen minutes to spare waking you up.¡± ¡°So you leave him for me?!¡± the girl asked indignantly. ¡°Well of course. You¡¯re his girlfriend after all. You¡¯re also the daughter of the Headmaster, so it¡¯s your job to make sure everyone gets to class on time.¡± The girl gaped as a hint of sadness flashed across her petite face. ¡°Who wants to be his girlfriend¡­¡± she muttered. Garth looked at her with sorry eyes. He knew that this girl, Adeline Washington, was in love with him, but he just couldn¡¯t return her feelings. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adeline. Just forget him, and find comfort in my embrace,¡± the boy said while he tried to catch the girl in a hug. ¡°Shut up, Peter,¡± Adeline said as she jumped away from him. ¡°Why do you have to joke so much?¡± She then rushed ahead of the two boys, while Peter Franklin¡¯s depressed eyes followed her. Garth sighed as he patted his best friend and cousin on the shoulder to comfort him. While Garth knew that Adeline had feelings for him, she herself was totally oblivious to Peter¡¯s feelings for her. ¡°Dude, why don¡¯t you date her already?¡± Peter asked Garth, ¡°She¡¯s beautiful with her bright, blonde hair, amber eyes, and button shaped nose. Not to mention her perfect lips and cute cheeks¡­¡± Garth watched the drool roll down Peter¡¯s chin in disgust for a while, before continuing to walk while saying, ¡°We¡¯re only seven years old. What¡¯s the rush? Besides, I just don¡¯t have those feelings for her, while you, my best friend, do. So hurry up and get her out of my hair, will you?¡± ¡°Oh, come on. You know how it is in the Martial Plane. Most marriages aren¡¯t about love, they¡¯re about benefits, which you would get the better bargain out of. You wouldn¡¯t just be the adopted grandson of my family¡¯s Great Protector, you would be the son-in-law of the Headmaster of Imperium and most likely to obtain the position yourself someday!¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± Garth retorted with a lazy wave of his hand. ¡°Enough of this, come on. We¡¯re going to be late.¡± The two rushed into class, just as the bell rang. Before they could even let out a sigh of relief, a snappy, feminine voice said, ¡°Hurry up and find your seats.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Nakiri,¡± Garth and Peter replied before they hastily made their way to their seats. ¡°Humph, idiots of the Franklin Family will always continue to be just that,¡± a boy snorted from the back of the room. ¡°Shut up, Merlin!¡± Peter roared before Garth put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, the First Grade Ranking Tournament is coming soon. You¡¯ll get your chance then, so train hard and make sure you¡¯re ready.¡± Gradually, Peter calmed down and continued toward the seats Adeline had saved for them. Getting to their seats, Garth gave Adeline a thankful nod, then sat down at the desk on her left. He then turned to the girl on his left. ¡°Hey there, Erin. How are you today?¡± he greeted. Erin Li was the jewel of Imperium¡¯s First Grade. She had long, silver hair; deep, blue eyes and a nose, chin, and cheeks that screamed elegance and nobility all with skin of white jade. She was also his adopted grandfather¡¯s precious granddaughter, whom he asked Garth to take care of just before he died. Erin glanced at Garth coldly, then nodded before she returned her attention back to the teacher. Garth sighed, then did the same. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°You just had to make your last wish something so impossible, didn¡¯t you Old Man,¡± Garth thought to himself and shook his head. ¡°Save her, Garth,¡± Old Man Mo had said as he bled out. ¡°Because of my damn in-laws, she¡¯s lost within herself, drowning in indifference. My friend can protect her from the Li Clan in Imperium, but you can¡¯t say she¡¯s really living right now.¡± Shaking himself out of his memories, Garth listened to Miss Nakiri lecture. ¡°Class won¡¯t be very long today, since it¡¯s the last day of the school year. However, each of you needs to remember to prepare for the Ranking Tournament in two days. Each of you will have an assigned ranking based on your exam results, but others could challenge you for it. Likewise, you can challenge anyone higher than you as well, but make sure you actually have a chance. It will go on for three days, so make sure you keep in good condition. Alright, let¡¯s begin the lesson¡­¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Peter cried in victory, ¡°The last day of class is over! Hello, summer vacation.¡± Garth chuckled, while Adeline slapped him on the back of the head, ¡°Tournament first, then summer, nitwit.¡± The three walked through the mess hall and grabbed some food. Then, they headed to the commons area, which was down in the valley created by four of the seven peaks that Imperium inhabited. Heading toward their usual tree, they found Erin already eating. ¡°Hi,¡± Garth greeted as he sat down next to her. Once again, Erin nodded at him before returning to her sandwich. Garth frowned, and lifted his hand, poking her cheek. ¡°I let you get away with it in class so you wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed, but you need to learn to greet people properly.¡± Erin rolled her eyes and gave a resigned sigh before replying, ¡°Hello.¡± Garth nodded with satisfaction, and began to eat his lunch while he tuned into Adeline and Peter discussing preparations for the Ranking Competition. ¡°Hey Garth, what are you going to do with the two days before the Ranking Competition?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Master Sejus probably has something for me to do,¡± Garth replied. Peter and Adeline both shook their heads in wonder, before Adeline said, ¡°You actually managed to live through a year under that psycho, and even still you go back willingly.¡± Garth shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s a good teacher.¡± ¡°How can you say that he¡¯s a good teacher?!¡± Peter asked, ¡°The first day, he threw you into the misty valley! You almost got killed by a Hellbourne Mammoth of the tenth rank in there!¡± Again, Garth shrugged, ¡°It did the trick though.¡± At the beginning of the year, the first day he met Master Sejus, the old man had thrown him off a cliff and into the misty valley, where the strongest of the demonic beasts fostered by the Academy lived. The first night, he had almost gotten killed when confronted with a Hellbourne Mammoth. In the battle, however, Garth had found out how to control his Soul Force, which was a special power belonging to the few Soul Craftsmen of the world. Garth had also managed to break through into the second stage of cultivation, which is why he was now at its peak, ready to break into the third stage in just one year. This was considered godly talent, even in Imperium. The group conversed for a little longer, before they parted ways after they finished their meals. It also didn¡¯t escape Garth¡¯s notice that Erin had stayed to listen to the others, even after she finished her lunch, which was a major improvement compared to the beginning of the year. ¡°Now then, off to find Master Sejus,¡± Garth mumbled to himself before heading up Soul Peak. Chapter 2: Soul Martialist Walking around Soul Peak, where all the Soul Craftsmen who taught at the Academy live and teach their disciples, Garth came to an old, tattered sign that read ¡°Sejus¡± in letters just barely discernable. Turning right at the sign, Garth left the road and headed into the heavy trees. Other Soul Craftsmen would have a road leading to their mansion, but Sejus only had a sign, because there weren¡¯t enough people walking the road to his dwelling to form a path. After a few minutes, Garth found himself at the mouth of a suspicious cave. Undaunted, Garth marched through, soon coming to a domed room. In the middle of the room was a lake, made from the flow of an underwater spring, and emptying further into the cave. In the middle of the cave, was a small platform of rock that barely seated the robust old man that meditated on it. Master Sejus couldn¡¯t even be bothered to open his eyes as he ordered, ¡°Sit down.¡± Suddenly, another stone platform rose from the lake directly in front of him. Garth poured a little Qi into his feet, and leapt the twenty feet. After he safely landed on the platform, he faced his master and sat down. ¡°Explain to me what a Soul Craftsman is,¡± Master Sejus demanded. ¡°When at the embryo stage, a cultivator must open his acupoints, dantian, and meridians. World Qi is brought in by acupoints, refined in the dantian, and controlled using the meridians. Soul force is used to refine Qi in the dantian, and how much soul force a cultivator has depends on the cultivator. Those who have an excess of soul force not only have incredibly pure Qi, but also have enough excess to use for their own uses. These uses are the Soul Crafts, and those who practice Soul Crafts are Soul Craftsmen.¡± ¡°And how does one cultivate soul force?¡± Master Sejus asked. ¡°Soul force is cultivated using the heart! One¡¯s life and death experiences, as well as their goals, dreams, memories and responsibilities are all used to cultivate soul force!¡± Garth answered. Master Sejus opened his eyes and said, ¡°Good. Over this past school year, I have taught you all the basics needed for any of the Soul Crafts. Now, it is time to choose which one you want to pursue.¡± Garth responded without hesitation, as he had already decided the night before, ¡°I want to be a Soul Martialist.¡± Soul Martialists were Soul Craftsmen who used their soul force like Qi. The difference is that soul force is more tangible, able to directly move and create things with much less effort. It also has the unique ability of attacking the mind, and damaging the soul force of others, which is deadly to a cultivator. Master Sejus nodded, ¡°Very well. This path suits my teachings because I too am a Soul Martialist.¡± ¡°I await your instruction, Master!¡± Garth said earnestly. Master Sejus disappeared from his platform, and Garth soon heard footsteps from the cave tunnel behind him. Garth followed, but by the time he had reached the entrance, Master Sejus had already had time prepared a fire and a boulder. ¡°All things can be divided into hot and cold, even the heart. When fighting with soul force, it takes too long to prepare attacks of great effect. So, we fight using soul force in each small attack. Every punch, kick, or chop contains soul force that will ravage the opponent¡¯s body slowly, until he is unable to fight. Thus, Soul Martialism is not about creating or using techniques, but how you fight altogether. Soul force is not what you fight with, but how you fight.¡± Garth nodded as he engraved these words into his heart. ¡°There are two ways to fight, the first is to control everything, like a rock. Rocks can never be broken, only made smaller. There is an absoluteness in their very being. When a rock such as this is thrown into a river, it does not move. Instead, it forces the water to move around it,¡± Sejus continued as he placed a hand on the boulder beside him. Then, he gestured to the fire, ¡°The next is to be uncontrollable. A fire does everything it can to survive. This primal instinct has jumped rivers, devastated mountains, and destroyed cities. Even after being put out, a fire might spring up again from a single hot coal. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. One is of logic, the other is of instinct. In the end, every cultivator must make this choice, but yours came early because you are a Soul Martialist, and everyone has a certain affinity with one or the other. Now, it is time for you to choose.¡± Garth thought for a while, before he asked, ¡°Master, how does someone find his affinity?¡± ¡°Simple,¡± the old man said, then walked up to his disciple and put a finger on his forehead, ¡°By being pushed to the edge.¡± Suddenly, a flash of light emanated from Sejus¡¯ finger and entered Garth¡¯s forehead. Afterwards, Garth¡¯s gaze became dull, and he continued to stand there, even after Sejus had walked away. Garth awoke to a multitude of groans and wails. ¡°Wha¡­ What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked as he looked around. Garth was sitting up against a cold, stank wall, in what looked to be a dungeon. Before him, was a pile of corpses stacked into a small mountain, and on top sat a burly, muscular man, with his wide back facing Garth. ¡°I¡¯m glad you finally woke up. I really wanted you to see this,¡± the man said in a deep, guttural voice filled with murderous intent. ¡°I was so close to just killing you while you slept. You know how tiring it was, waiting?¡± ¡°What did you want to show me?¡± Garth said as a deep chill made its home in the pit of Garth¡¯s stomach. ¡°Hahaha! These!¡± The man swung a knapsack closed with a coarse twine over his head. It arced high in the air, slowly making its descent, and landed with a hideous plop. The twine snapped under the impact, and several heads rolled out. Each one made Garth¡¯s eyes widen in horror, because these were the heads of his friends and family: Katrina, the first sibling he had ever had, Mo Franklin, the old man who had adopted Garth, and even Adeline, Peter, and Erin. More rolled out, but Garth didn¡¯t see them, for his eyes had gone blurry. He stared at the figure on top of the mountain of corpses, with only a single word running through his head: Kill, kill, kill, kill, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯LL KILL YOU! He screamed in his head, so loud that he almost thought he was actually saying it. But as words tried to come out of his mouth, they got stuck in his throat, only leaving a series of guttural growls. Garth leapt from the wall he sat on, straining against his chains. His eyes had gone dark red from bloodlust, and he had lost all sense of reason. The chains groaned as they strained against the tension, before they finally freed themselves from the wall. Master Sejus opened his eyes after a large explosion resounded in the area surrounding the trees. He eyed the crater in front of him, and the boy who was kneeling inside it. ¡°So you¡¯re a Berserker,¡± he said. Garth stared at him, confused. ¡°That was an illusion, Garth. One which you would react to in one of two ways: completely lost in rage, like you were, or calmly, coldly, like an arctic hell, waiting and calculating for your chance at revenge. These define the two types of fighters: The Berserk type, and the Control type. You, are a berserk type fighter,¡± Sejus explained, before he adopted an evil smile. ¡°Now, let¡¯s start training.¡± A chill ran down Garth¡¯s spine as he knew that the demonic training was about to begin. Chapter 3: Gregory Washington The coliseum on Death Peak was bustling with activity as people came to see the new crop of the Academy enter the power rankings. Near the entrance, a boy and a girl conversed in serious tones. ¡°Have you found him yet?¡± Adeline asked with a worried expression. ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t even come to the dorm since he went to find Sejus on the last day of school,¡± Peter answered. ¡°But on the way here, I found churros!¡± In his hands appeared two steaming churros with so much cinnamon it made some of the people around the two drool. Adeline¡¯s face turned ugly, and she slapped him on the side of his head. ¡°Why the hell are you looking for churros?!¡± she scolded fiercely, ¡°Garth is still out there! Who knows where that crazy geezer took him?! He may be cold, scared, alone...¡± But as Adeline''s voice trailed off while she thought of all the horrible things that could have happened to Garth, a voice resounded from behind her. ¡°Or, you know, I could be right behind you?¡± the voice suggested. Adeline spun around. In front of her appeared a disheveled young man with rags for clothes and bedraggled hair. Nonetheless, the distraught appearance could not hinder Garth from swaying the hearts of women with his chiseled cheeks and deep, blue eyes. ¡°Garth!¡± both Peter and Adeline exclaimed, relieved that their friend was still alive. Garth smiled at his friends, ¡°Come on, I have to register, then let¡¯s go find some seats.¡± Walking into the coliseum, Garth glanced at the ranking board for freshmen. Surprised, Garth muttered, ¡°I¡¯m second among the freshmen?¡± ¡°Humph, of course you are. Did you think everyone makes it to the peak of the second stage in their first year? I¡¯m more surprised that you didn¡¯t take first place,¡± Adeline snorted. ¡°Ah, how the heavens are unfair. Can you give me some of your talent, Garth?¡± Peter complained. ¡°As if. You¡¯d probably just waste it anyway,¡± Garth replied with a chuckle before he returned his gaze to the rankings. ¡°But third and fifth place are rather troublesome¡­¡± he muttered. Adeline sighed, then said, ¡°Sorry that he¡¯s such a pain in the-¡° ¡°Cousin! There you are! I saved us seats, so join me. I¡¯ll help you get rid of those plebeians as well,¡± an arrogant voice interrupted behind them. ¡°Look, Adeline, it¡¯s true that if you talk about the devil enough he¡¯ll show up,¡± Peter cursed under his breath as he turned around with his two friends. A scrawny figure wearing pure white robes appeared from the masses, with several people following him, and stood before the three friends. He had long, brown, curly hair that parted at the forehead to reveal a bony face with an arrogant smile. The boy had brown eyes, thin eyebrows, and an abnormally long nose. He looked average, almost ugly, but no one dared to tell him that because he was the heir to the Washington Family: Gregory Washington. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. After he gave Adeline a quick grin, Gregory turned to Garth and Peter and sneered, ¡°Hurry up and bug off you pieces of shit. You think that you¡¯re worthy of the privilege of associating yourselves with my cousin?!¡± ¡°Shut the¡­¡± Peter began to rage, before he was stopped by Garth. ¡°We understand, Sir Gregory. My friend and I will be going now,¡± Garth said politely. Then, he turned toward the registration area and pulled Peter away. Gregory was surprised, but covered it up quickly with an arrogant sneer. As he watched Garth and Peter walk off, Gregory said, ¡°Now, cousin let¡¯s-¡° But Adeline had walked off, following her friends, and left Gregory to choke on his words. When she caught up to them, Garth turned around with an innocent face. ¡°Oh dear,¡± he said. ¡°It would seem that, even though we left, Lady Adeline would rather accompany us than a sniveling ingrate like you.¡± As the words resounded, everyone within earshot nearly tripped over themselves as they stared at Garth, mouths agape. Even the offended Gregory, and Garth¡¯s friends, Adeline and Peter, were no exception. Gregory Washington, heir of the Washington Family, had never been so blatantly insulted in his life. Where he walked, men worshipped, and where he sat, women prayed to the heavens! And yet, the nobody who stood before him dared to insult him. ¡°How dare you!¡± Gregory seethed, ¡°I am a chosen one! Lightning fell, the oceans roiled, and even the wind howled in worship at my birth! Who are you to dare insult me?!¡± But his boasts were met with the deadpan, unimpressed face of Garth, who replied monotonously, ¡°Oh, just Garth. Lightning did not fall at the moment of my birth, nor did the wind howl or the waves churn. Are you sure they weren¡¯t just cursing that such a bastard came into existence when you were born?¡± This time, everyone around the ranking boards stumbled in disbelief. Not only had this seven year old insulted Gregory Washington, he had done it twice. Gregory¡¯s mouth was agape, and as he tried to retort, the words got stuck in his throat. Seeing the fool stutter and fail to speak, Garth rolled his eyes and walked off to register for the competition. Meanwhile, within the crowd, Merlin Tesla watched the proceedings with a malicious smile on his face. With his long, wavy, white blond hair waving behind him, Merlin sauntered over to Gregory. ¡°Young Master Gregory¡­¡± Chapter 4: Beginning of the Tournament Next Chapter Tomorrow ............... Death Peak was one of the seven peaks of Imperium Academy, and was adorned with multiple smaller rings, for duels and matches, and a massive coliseum where official Academy events happened. Today, that event was the Freshman Tournament. By around nine o¡¯clock in the morning, the coliseum was filled, except four seats on an elevated booth overlooking the whole of the arena. There were sixteen different stages for the competition to take place, with sixteen different instructors as judges. Finally, an old man with a black robe appeared in front of the seat furthest to the left in the elevated booth. ¡°Rise, and welcome the Headmaster, his wife, and the Vice Headmaster!¡± he shouted across the coliseum. Immediately, whether it was a student or a teacher, all rose from their seats and responded in unison, ¡°Imperium greets the Headmaster, his wife, and the Vice Headmaster!¡± After the greeting, a middle aged man with sandy brown hair and bright brown eyes walked out. Next to him, an elegant lady of perfect temperament, yet still some warmth, was wrapped around his arm. This couple held great similarity to Adeline, who was sitting next to Garth, and were precisely her parents: the Headmaster of Imperium and his wife. Behind them walked another old man with a beard stretching down to his stomach. His white hair was thinning, and he had an amiable, grandfatherly smile on his face. After the three VIP¡¯s had taken their seats, the Headmaster¡¯s voice resounded across the coliseum. ¡°Welcome, and please take your seats,¡± he said in a gentle yet strong voice. ¡°Today, the newest students take their place amongst the ranks of the school. This year, we have many bright talents, and they have made me proud to be Headmaster of Imperium. Now, through fierce competition they have the chance to temper themselves. Coal will become diamond in the fires of battle. And so, let the Annual Freshman Tournament begin! You have command, Instructor Trujillo.¡± Instructor Trujillo was the black robed old man who had introduced the Headmaster and his party. He was also one of the most senior instructors in the Academy, and was chosen to be the Supervisor for the Freshman Tournament. The instructor stood from his seat next to the Vice Headmaster and pulled a scroll from a box next to his seat. ¡°The rules for the Freshman Tournament: 1) only freshmen can challenge others for the first three days, and may only challenge other freshmen. 2) Each student can only challenge another three times per day for the whole of the Tournament. 3) Each duel will last until the judge or myself declare that a person is unfit to continue, or the student himself declares defeat. Rewards for the tournament will go as follows: Rank twenty-five through twenty-one among the freshmen will receive a Qi stone. Ranks twenty through sixteen will receive two Qi stones. Ranks fifteen through eleven will receive a Qi pearl, and the top ten through six will receive an additional Qi pearl. The top five will obtain a grade three martial technique. The third ranked freshman will obtain a Qi gem, the second ranked will receive a Low Mortal-Ranked treasure, and the first ranked freshman will obtain the Qi Crown, a Low Mortal-Ranked treasure, and access to the inner library three times before reaching the sixth rank.¡± As the instructor reviewed the rewards, almost all the freshmen sucked in an envious breath. Most of them knew that they wouldn¡¯t even be able to make it to the top twenty-five to obtain a Qi stone, much less the top ten. That made first place look even farther away, like the heavens were to the earth. Even Garth, who had excellent mental fortitude because he was a Soul Crafter, couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the wealth of the Academy. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°As expected of the only cultivation school backed by the Twelve Great Families,¡± Garth muttered. The Twelve Great Families were the twelve cultivation families that ruled America from behind the scenes. They were the wealthiest, most powerful figures of the nation, and had created the Academy to help grow the geniuses of the continent. Often, they would even have their direct descendants study at the academy as opposed to the servants and unrelated disciples. The Washington Family and the Tesla Family were two of the Great Families, and Garth¡¯s adopted Franklin Family used to be one of them as well before they were overcome by the Tesla¡¯s. ¡°I will now announce the first sixteen duels of today,¡± Instructor Trujillo continued. ¡°Rank 315, Robert McKinley, challenges rank 312, Mark Trent. Rank 274, Marie Yun, challenges rank 270, Lindsey Madison¡­¡± Because they were the weakest of the school, all of the freshmen had ranks 215 and up until the student who placed last in the semester examination, which was rank 409. This meant that, although he was second among the freshmen, Garth was rank 216 amongst the three grades of the Academy. As one entered a new grade, from the freshmen or first grade, the number of students decreased. This was either due to being weeded out, being expelled, or dying on the martial path. So although the freshman class was usually around 200 students, there were only around 150 in the second grade and hardly even 50 in the third grade. Others in the first grade but not a freshman usually move to the second grade by the Freshman Competition. Those who graduate are usually around twenty in number, and only a handful are ever offered a teaching position at the Academy. Like this, one is able to see just how dangerous the Martial Plane was, as well as how strenuous the qualifications to enter Imperium Private Academy were. ¡°Rank 256, Harry Goldwillow, challenges Rank 260, Peter Franklin. These are the first sixteen matches. Students, please take to the stages and begin.¡± While most didn¡¯t notice because the whole list had just been a slur of numbers, a few held ugly faces at the last challenge, and Garth and his friends were among them. Why was someone challenging below their rank? What¡¯s more, it was someone the trio hadn¡¯t met or associated with before either. Suspiciously, Garth searched the crowd for two certain people. Sure enough, he soon found Merlin Tesla and Gregory Washington snickering as they eyed him evilly. ¡°Be careful,¡± Garth told Peter in a serious tone. ¡°If there¡¯s a risk of you getting hurt, forfeit immediately.¡± Peter looked in the direction Garth was staring, and realization filled his face. ¡°Damn assholes,¡± he grumbled angrily as he walked down to the stages. Upon the platform, Peter stood face to face with another seven year old white boy. Curiously enough, however, he had a scraggly beard that mixed into his sideburns and the rest of his hair. With his orange colored beard and hair, his face looked like an orangutan. A golden spear rested on his right shoulder, as his eyes gleamed with a frisky look, as if Peter was only food that he was playing with. ¡°No hard feelings,¡± Harry said, ¡°but you¡¯re not going to be able to leave by yourself.¡± Peter¡¯s face darkened, as he spat, ¡°Shut up, Monkey.¡± At the insult, Harry¡¯s face stiffened, but quickly relaxed. The playful look in his eye, however, was now partially mixed with a murderous glare. Chapter 5: For the Lady Although he noticed the heavy atmosphere, the judge simply shrugged it off with an indifferent face and lifted his hand. In front of him, the two freshmen readied their weapons. Harry held his spear loosely in both hands, then slid backward into a lunge with his forward, left ankle nearly touching the ground and his elbow resting on the knee. Likewise, a spear appeared in Peter¡¯s hands, which he held across his chest as he assumed a horse stance with the tip of the spear pointed toward his opponent. Unlike Harry¡¯s spear, Peter¡¯s was a deep grey, like roiling clouds, with stark yellow lines placed randomly across the shaft. A heavy moment passed, before the judge let his hand drop as he said, ¡°Begin.¡± Like an arrow from a bow, Harry flung himself across the arena. As he entered combat range, the bearded youth stomped hard on his right foot and pivoted. With a golden streak, Harry¡¯s spear was thrust forward with the deadly momentum of his charge. But no expression broke Peter¡¯s determined look as he swung his own spear to intercept. As Peter¡¯s spear swept up diagonally to the right, he flung Harry¡¯s weapon off course before sweeping down at his opponent¡¯s shoulder. But as these actions were taken, Harry¡¯s face bloomed with a cold smile as his spear, which was originally passing well over Peter¡¯s shoulder, bent. Once again, it headed dangerously toward the young child, but the target didn¡¯t notice because the dangerous spear tip was well within Peter¡¯s blind spot. As a cold chill crept down his spine, Peter¡¯s eyes widened as he hurriedly jerked his head back. The bent spear passed by his nose as it barely missed his face. But before Peter could heave a sigh of relief, Harry¡¯s spear straightened once again into another stab. Frantically, Peter rolled back, but was too late as the spear tip scratched him just above his left eye. Completing his roll, Peter gave a quick jab with his own weapon to stop his opponent from following him. But Harry was just too agile to stop, and did a sideways flip over the attack. Firmly gripping the shaft, the monkey thrust down at the unbalanced youth below him, and Peter was just able to jump to the side in a dodge. As Harry planted his feet, Peter was finally able to regain his composure. Once again, the two youths stood across from each other, neither making a move. How the heck do I beat this monkey face? Peter asked himself. Harry was fluid like water, and his spear was like a flying viper: swift, ferocious, and unpredictable. As he thought, one of the first lessons he had in Imperium came to mind. ¡°In this world, one always subdues another,¡± Instructor Nakiri had said. ¡°This not only applies to the elements, but to all things. Whether it¡¯s in martial arts or with animals, or with plants. Everything can be restrained, and everything can likewise restrain.¡± Finally, Peter was able to think of an answer. Sort subdues hard, flexible suppresses stoic. The opposite, however, can also be said. A piece of paper might be able to move a pebble, but it couldn¡¯t move a boulder. The wind might blow sand away, but it couldn¡¯t blow away a mountain. Harry¡¯s technique was like a tree branch: flexible and adapting to each situation. But when striking the ground, the only thing a branch could do was break and submit. Once again, Peter took up his horse stance, left shoulder facing Harry. But although the stance was the same, there was a different feeling behind it. Before, he had a balanced attitude, aiming for a mix of both strength and speed. But now, he seemed to have given up on speed, which left the feeling of an insurmountable mountain to permeate from the youth. In the stands, many of the students were startled. How would Peter be able to win with such an attitude? But high above them, within one of the towers supporting the coliseum¡¯s structure, Instructor Nakiri observed the scene with a smile on her face. ¡°Even though it looks like he¡¯s just dozing off all the time, it seems that he learned something at least,¡± she chuckled to herself. Within the stands, a small smile crept across Garth¡¯s face. He shook his head at the change that had happened to his friend. Just a few minutes ago, he had been carefree and humorous, yet now he was just as serious as Adeline, who often rebuked him for his behavior. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Within the arena, Harry was just as startled as everyone else, but was quick to catch on. With a disdainful smile, he once again assumed his starting stance as well. ¡°Fine, I guess I¡¯ll play with you,¡± Harry muttered. Then, his cultivation base exploded with the power of the second realm, causing the coliseum to be shocked. Not everyone was as freakish as Garth, and at the beginning of the match, both had started with only the peak of the first layer. Obviously, Harry had managed to make a breakthrough in the last three days between class and the tournament. And although it was only a small change in words, the realistic gap between two realms meant Peter would have a hard time. Once again, Harry was the first to make a move. But this time, he opted to jump at his opponent instead of dash. The monkey¡¯s back arched, almost into an upside down ¡°u¡± shape, and when he was nearly upon Peter, the force of both the jump and his stretch exploded, sweeping down on Harry¡¯s opponent. But Peter¡¯s face was unchanged as he tightened his hold on the spear. Only one word was rolling through his mind: ¡°Thrust!¡± Peter stomped off the ground with his back foot and pushed his spear toward Harry. The attack was like a phoenix ascending to the heavens, and made full use of all the power within Peter. But he wasn¡¯t aiming for Harry¡¯s descending spear. No, Peter didn¡¯t bother to waste time trying to defend against something that would be able to find its way around his fortifications. Instead, he tried for a mutual blow, and bet everything on the single strike. Seeing the direction of the thrust, Harry¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°Fucker!¡± he cursed, then changed his downward swing into a thrust. With a crack, the spear was embedded in the stone of the platform. Using it as a foundation, Harry swung himself around Peter¡¯s thrust and kicked him heavily on the chest. Coughing blood, Peter was thrown by across the stage by the kick. With a wrathful expression, Harry pulled his weapon from the stone and walked slowly toward his prey. Peter coughed again, and struggled to his feet. By now, the cut above his eye was bleeding profusely, blinding him. At the same time, Harry¡¯s kick had utilized momentum close to three times his normal strength, making it comparable to the second stage middle rank. Nonetheless, his eyes were still steeled with determination. Up in the audience, Garth and Adeline wore worried looks on their faces. Peter glanced up at them, then smiled to himself. What did he do to deserve such great friends? Peter¡¯s gaze came to focus on Adeline, and he sighed. Garth had told him to forfeit if it got dangerous, but how could he do that? Undoubtedly, Adeline, who was only around ten ranks above him, would challenge Harry as well, but who knows if she would be able to win without hurting herself? Harry had broken into the second stage, while both Adeline and he were still at the first. And besides, having the girl he loved defend him was something Peter just couldn¡¯t swallow. Sigh, the things one does for a lady, Peter thought before turning his attention back to his opponent. Harry had finally come within range, where he stopped. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll skewer you,¡± he sneered. Obviously, he was still feeling insulted that such a worthless person had actually been able to threaten him. Taking a brisk step forward, he muttered, ¡°Tree among the Seasons.¡± Accompanying the mumble, he thrust his spear toward Peter. It started with a single strike, before spear shadows branched off the spear, appearing as a tree, growing ever stronger. First, it was spring, where the sprout had just began to grow, then summer, as it grew into adulthood. Then, the lively aura around the spear started to weaken, signifying autumn, before emanating a deathly, murderous aura that signified winter. By this time, the spear tree had completely obscured Harry from Peter¡¯s line of sight. However, he also knew that the opposite was true for Harry as well. Chapter 6: Plying the Mantis to Catch the Oriole Lifting his spear over his shoulder one last time, Peter gathered the remaining strength of his meager cultivation base. Explosively, every muscle in his body erupted with the will to pierce the spear through Harry¡¯s spear tree and into him. Carried by this single intent, Peter¡¯s weapon flew from his hand, right towards Harry. Once again, Harry was caught by surprise. A scream echoed through the air as everyone beheld Peter¡¯s grey and yellow spear embedded through Harry¡¯s abdomen half way up the shaft. However, Peter was not fast enough, and was pierced by Harry¡¯s martial skill numerous times before it was stopped. Quickly, the judge confirmed the condition of the two students. Although Peter had several severe injuries, none of them were close to Harry¡¯s injury. Thus, he decided Peter as the winner of the match and called for the medical team on standby. With the match called in his favor, Peter fell to his knees, exhausted and injured. Two figures flashed from the audience, and made their way to his side. ¡°Peter!¡± Adeline cried out before she shook the boy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Hey¡­ I won,¡± he responded faintly, as he looked at her face. Then, he fell into her arms, suddenly weak and unable to move. All the adrenaline had finally been washed out of his body, leaving him an exhausted husk. His eyes drifted to meet Garth¡¯s, and in that moment a silent word was exchanged. As Peter was carried away, Garth solemnly nodded, before resuming his nonchalant attitude while comforting Adeline. In their seats, Gregory and Merlin were scrutinizing Garth¡¯s expression, looking for anything that might give away his fury, worry, or anything. However, much to their surprise, there was no crack in Garth¡¯s attitude at all, leaving them to wonder just how much he really valued his friend that had just been terribly wounded. The rest of the day ended without many incidents. Although a few students got injured, it was nowhere near the level of Peter¡¯s match with Harry. The next day, Garth simply waited in the stands for Gregory and Merlin to make their next move. Since Adeline was the daughter of the Headmaster, they probably wouldn¡¯t mess with her, so their next target would logically be him. But Garth was a tough opponent, and a freak genius of their generation. Most likely, the schemers would have to come out of the dark and challenge him themselves. Half the day passed, uneventfully. Garth took a glance at the duo in their seats, and noticed them return a cold look. The corner of Garth¡¯s mouth raised slightly as he laughed to himself. It was clear that these two were waiting for Garth to use his strength before challenging him, giving them more of a chance at victory. Naturally, Garth wasn¡¯t going to do something as low as what Harry did, so the only choice was to battle it out with the number one freshman: Marcus Adams. ¡°They say the ¡®mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind,¡¯¡± Garth murmured to himself, ¡°but what if the mantis is aware?¡± Adeline, who was beside him, glanced in his direction quizzically. Nodding his head, Garth affirmed his decision and walked to the challenger registration desk. Filling out the form and returning it to the teacher in charge, Garth made his way back to his seat. This action did not go unnoticed by Gregory and Merlin, who sank into deep discussion. Another round of matches were displayed, before finally, ¡°¡­ Rank 216, Garth Franklin challenges rank 215, Marcus Adams¡­¡± Immediately, Adeline was able to see what was going on. She gave a hard glare at the two troublemakers across the coliseum, and then a helpless and worried gaze at Garth. A smile crept up the boy¡¯s face, as warmth spread through his heart. Garth was an orphan, so the thing he wanted the most was family, and his friends had given that to him. So, when one of his friends gets injured simply because the other party couldn¡¯t take any loss of face, you could be sure that Garth was furious. With a chuckle, Garth patted Adeline on the head and headed down to the stage. Along the way, his warm and friendly face became serious. Finally arriving, he looked across the platform at the youth that was his opponent: Marcus Adams. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The Adams Family was another of the Great Families, and Marcus was the genius second son of the Family Head. Although his elder brother would be the one to inherit the position, the family carried high hopes in Marcus being the ¡°second front.¡± His brother would be their leader, while Marcus would be their symbol and protector. Sadly, Marcus¡¯ brother, Jason, was extremely jealous of Marcus¡¯ talent, so the brothers didn¡¯t get along very well. Marcus was a stout, well-muscled young boy. He was tall for his age, and equally broad. Although he was only seven, Marcus had a mature and serious aura around him. All of this, paired with his uncommon and piercing brown eyes, as well as his bronze skin and short, black hair, made him look like a hero. Everyone knew that this boy would surely become a dragon amongst men when he grew older. No words were exchanged as the two boys took up their fighting positions. Neither used a weapon of any kind. The judge¡¯s hand rose and fell, and immediately the two disappeared from their original positions. As they rushed to meet each other, two powerful cultivation auras spread: one of the third stage and one of the peak of the second. Gasps were heard around the coliseum, as some stood in shock. ¡°He¡¯s at the third stage! Marcus broke through to the third stage of cultivation!¡± a freshman exclaimed. Even the upper classmen, who viewed such level as child¡¯s play and only came to enjoy the show, were shocked. Although all of them had reached higher cultivation levels, Marcus¡¯ progress speed was astounding, and some of the second graders feared that they would soon be overtaken. Back on the stage, Garth furrowed his brow slightly. It seems that this isn¡¯t going to go as smoothly as planned, he thought to himself. Finally, the two planted their feet in the middle of the ring. Marcus¡¯ left fist snapped in a quick jab at Garth¡¯s face. As he ducked under the blow, Garth returned the favor with an elbow to the ribs. Likewise, Marcus deftly dodged with a spin and brought a chopping right palm down on Garth¡¯s head. In this fashion, the match continued and the pace steadily rose. Quickly, those of the first, and even the second, stage were unable to see anything more than a blur in the middle of the stage. Suddenly, an explosion resounded from the stage, and Garth was pushed back a couple steps, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Marcus took the advantage, and again stepped into Garth¡¯s chest and let loose his right palm. Seeing the situation, Garth gritted his teeth. With a roar, Garth threw four punches in a burst. Two made contact with Marcus¡¯ palm, deflecting the attack, while the other two exploded on his chest. This time, it was Marcus¡¯ turn to cough up blood as he stumbled back. Looking at Garth, he suddenly smiled as his eyes burned with a competitive light. ¡°Interesting,¡± Marcus laughed. Abruptly, a heavy sword appeared in front of the child prodigy, coming from his storage ring. Of course, although domineering, Marcus¡¯ physique was still that of a seven year old. Thus, the heavy sword was made to fit his stature, and could only be said to be a pseudo heavy sword. Pointing his weapon at Garth, Marcus continued, ¡°I deem you worthy of meeting my blade.¡± Garth snorted and crossed his arms as he replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be so full of yourself.¡± Once again, Garth turned into a shadow as he dashed to meet Marcus. Seeing this, Marcus¡¯ grin grew wider. ¡°Come, let me see how you fare,¡± he said. As Garth darted towards Marcus, he hoisted the heavy sword over his head. Finally, just as the two met, Marcus unleashed a powerful downward slash. Upon the impact, the stage completely shattered. Dust and debris spread in a cloud, hiding the results of the clash within. Chapter 7: Beast? So I read the single review for this book today, and it made me realize that I haven''t really explained why children are so mature yet (Thank you EternityCubes). At first, I tried to make them more seven-year-old-like, but that''s really hard to do since children don''t allow for many in depth plots. It''s all "You stole my action figure" type stuff. I also wanted them to be young so its incredibly clear that the school is very strict and that the students are definitely geniuses (which I haven''t explained either). Then I realized, the world they are growing into is pretty messed up. Anyway, long story short, I''ll explain such things clearly in a few chapters. Thanks for reading by the way, and please comment/critic so I can improve it. Now the last chapter for today. If it''s easier, just think of them at that age group. Thank you, LZM ................ ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Who won?¡± Multiple questions rang through the crowd, as they strained to see through the settling dust cloud. On one side, Adeline held her breath, a worried expression plastered across her face. Was Garth able to win? And even if he did, what would happen to him now? There was no way he had come out of the battle completely unscathed, and with how incredible the last attack was, he was probably terribly injured. Now, all he could do was wait for Merlin or Gregory to challenge him. Granted, he had the right to concede, but that would give the two young masters the right to step on his head, and Adeline knew that such a result was unacceptable to Garth. Meanwhile, opposite to Adeline, the two schemers were watching with bright smiles and malicious eyes. Although they hoped that Garth had lost, it wouldn¡¯t really matter. Everything had gone according to plan, although they were worried by Garth¡¯s casual attitude. Due to the thrashing of his friend, Garth would want to challenge Merlin and Gregory. Yet, due to his pride, he wouldn¡¯t challenge them directly. Thus, he could only wait for them to challenge him. But Merlin and Gregory were unwilling to fight Garth at full strength, so he would have to challenge the first rank in order to lure them out. The plot rested on three things: Garth¡¯s care for his friends, his pride as a cultivator, and the fact that he himself understood Merlin and Gregory¡¯s plan. Nevertheless, whether he knew the plan or not, what could Garth do? Both Merlin and Gregory refused to believe that he would be able to come out of a match with the first rank freshman unharmed. Finally, on the stage, the dust had settled. Two figures gradually emerged. One was breathing heavily, with his head back and his eyes closed. This was none other than Garth. At his feet, a large gash was torn through the stage. The scar stretched forward, before it ended at the blade of the heavy sword, still entrenched in the stone, several feet away. Marcus was seen grasping the hilt with both hands like a cane. As he used it to support himself, Marcus stared deeply at Garth¡¯s figure, then started to smile weakly. ¡°Well played¡­¡± Marcus mumbled as his arms failed him and his sturdy frame fell to the floor. The judge waved the medical team onto the stage, then announced Garth as the winner. The crowd exploded with applause, invigorated by the blood boiling match. Garth closed his eyes and started regulating his breathing. After a few breaths, he walked off the stage and headed to his seat. Along the way, he felt two cold glares drilling into the back of his head. Knowing the culprits, Garth shot a glance over his shoulder, a chill flashing in his eyes. ¡°Humph,¡± he snorted as he continued toward his seat. As he walked up the steps, Garth found Adeline standing next to his seat. Her hip jutted out, her arms were crossed, and her face was twisted in a cute frown with a cheek puffed out. Garth gave a well natured chuckle as he sat down, ¡°Don¡¯t furrow your brow so much, you¡¯ll turn ugly faster.¡± No one knew whether it was because of Garth¡¯s care free attitude or his statement, or both, but Adeline gritted her teeth with rage and suddenly kicked her friend in the shin with rage. ¡°Oww¡­¡± Garth groaned with a smile on his face as he rocked back and forth on his chair while cradling his leg. At the exaggerated sight, Adeline¡¯s fuming face finally cracked with a smile. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.In the VIP booth, the Headmaster and his wife were chatting busily while Instructor Trujillo continued to announce matches and the Vice Headmaster quietly watched. A messenger entered the booth and handed another scroll filled with matches to the Supervisor. Glancing at the pair ups, his brow furrowed as a frown crept across his face. As he noticed this change in expression, the Vice Headmaster asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong Instructor Trujillo?¡± The Headmaster and his wife turned to the teacher as well. ¡°Sir, another person has challenged Garth Franklin, who just completed his challenge for first place among the freshmen,¡± Trujillo explained. ¡°Oh?¡± the Headmaster replied quietly as he searched for the young boy. Looking around the coliseum, he soon found Garth and his daughter messing around. But soon after the Headmaster¡¯s eyes landed on the youth, Garth also turned to the Headmaster, whose eyes widened slightly in surprise. What¡¯s up with this kid¡¯s instincts? He wondered. Normally, when someone with such a difference of power as there was between the Headmaster¡¯s tenth stage cultivation base and Garth¡¯s second stage, the boy wouldn¡¯t be able to notice the Headmaster observing him. Suddenly, the Headmaster noticed something else about Garth, and chuckled. ¡°Sly little brat,¡± he chuckled, then glanced at the Tournament Supervisor. ¡°Give him an hour to rest, then call his match. Before then, send someone to go get another pair.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Headmaster?¡± the Vice Headmaster asked. ¡°Hahaha!¡± the Headmaster replied with a laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know the weasel. That boy is fully aware of the situation and knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Yes, Headmaster,¡± Instructor Trujillo said with a bow and quickly sent someone to find another match. With that, the tournament was once again under way, and an hour quickly passed. Finally, Trujillo¡¯s voice resounded, ¡°¡­ Rank 220, Merlin Tesla, challenges rank 215, Garth Franklin.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Merlin and Gregory rejoiced. The only thing they were worried about in their plan was whether or not the judges would hold their matches today instead of waiting for Garth to rest completely overnight. Merlin smiled as he rose from his seat. In a few leaps, Merlin landed on the stage. Pausing for a moment, a wild aura swept out into the crowd, making a few almost suffocate. Looking at Garth, a wild violence raged in Merlin¡¯s eyes as he proclaimed, ¡°Come, Garth Franklin! Today you will give over your rank under the might of my Raging Lightning Fist Gorilla Technique! Allow me to show you exactly what it means to face a beast!¡± After Merlin finished his speech, all eyes turned to Garth as they waited to see how the child would react. Garth continued to sit calmly, with his right ankle rested on his left knee as his hair lightly covered his eyes. The boy¡¯s elbows rested on the seat¡¯s arm rests while they supported his hands, which were lightly pressing against each other at the fingertips as they formed the ¡°chapel¡± position. A smile crept up Garth¡¯s face, and a low chuckle emitted from his throat. Slowly, the chuckle rose into a cackle, before becoming a full-fledged, hysterical laugh after Garth flung his head back. Suddenly, the laugh ended, replaced with a disdainful curl of the lips, as Garth¡¯s eyes landed on Merlin. ¡°Beast, you say?¡± Garth asked, a faint amusement hidden in his cold voice. ¡°You call that a beast?¡± Suddenly, everyone within a hundred meter radius felt a terrible chill descend. Most around Garth were freshmen, and such a feeling of death was inexplicable to them. Some, however, were upperclassmen who have gone through a couple life and death experiences and have been to places like the Trial Peaks. These students knew exactly what this cold air was: the feeling of being hunted. Chapter 8: Win Some Lose Some There is a primal instinct that every living thing in the world has: Fear of death. Some animals are reigned by the fear of death, the need to survive. Others, have enough intelligence to bury it slightly under logic and reason. Humans, can bury this timeless instinct so deep, it might never be found in their lifetime. Besides logic, humans have faith, love, courage, bravery, or numerous other feelings to hide fear of death. Nonetheless, when alone at night, in the middle of a dangerous wilderness, or surrounded by enemies, there is not a single person that is able to stop the terror that wells up from their very soul. This inexplicable dread was completely triggered in most of the students surrounding Garth, though some were able to push it back down, and bottle it deep inside. Even Adeline, who was partially protected due to her friendship with Garth, felt strength disappear from her limbs. Everyone within the VIP booth held shocked expressions on their faces. Finally, the Headmaster regained his composure and laughed. ¡°Bwahaha! No wonder this kid was so confident. Not only has he done that, but he¡¯s also cultivated an aura!¡± The two types of fighters had different key points. Control type fighters cultivated a domain, and bent the enemy to their will. Within a domain, the opponent was forced to abide by the laws of the domain. Berserker type fighters cultivated an aura, and enforced it on the enemy. An aura would be used directly, often making the foe unable to do anything. But of course, auras and domains were only able to affect those close in cultivation to the fighter, and Garth¡¯s was unable to affect anyone but the students. Although he was still farther than a hundred meters, Merlin was able to feel his own sense of danger rise in his chest, making his limbs heavy and his mind dull with the sound of his racing heart pounding in his ears. Slowly, Garth rose from his chair and started walking toward the stage. Tap¡­ tap¡­ tap¡­. The seven year old¡¯s footsteps rang across the quiet coliseum, and each one seemed to grow increasingly louder to the boy waiting on the stage. Before, Merlin had been entirely confident. Naturally, he had investigated Garth, who had joined the Academy later in the year with the last name of his family¡¯s nemesis, and found that Garth was only the foster grandchild of the now dead Mo Franklin. After the old man had died, Garth hadn¡¯t even had the chance to meet with any of the elders of the family and immediately rushed to Imperium. So, although he had access to the valuable resources of the Academy, Garth didn¡¯t have any of the key resources that set the high ranking families apart from the school. This was especially true when concerning the Twelve Great Families, even the Franklin Family that had already recessed from their position former glory. Merlin¡¯s Lightning Fist Gorilla Technique was also one of the Tesla Family¡¯s valuable skills, which was another reason why the boy was so confident in facing Garth. Once mastered, one would have the strength and ferocity of the beast named, and would be able to level cities with a few swipes of the hand and make mountains crumble with a roar. The beasts were also lightning attributed, which was great for the Tesla Family, which was greatly known for its prowess in the element. Merlin finally awoke from his thoughts after Garth had stepped onto the stage. For every step Garth took, Merlin took a step back. Garth glanced at the judge, who had an amused and slightly impressed look in his eyes. Understanding the unspoken meaning, he quickly started the match. At the wave of the judge¡¯s hand, Garth took off like a rocket and quickly appeared before Merlin. Shocked into silence, all the seven year old could do was stumble backwards. But before he could get very far, Garth¡¯s foot shot out and effectively tripped his opponent. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.¡°Indeed, the Lightning Fist Gorilla is powerful, but you do not understand the essence of being one. In this world, all things can be separated into two categories: The predators, who take, plunder, and display dominion. They are the kings, the heroes. But people like you won¡¯t get very far. You are the dust underfoot, the pebble in the way: An annoyance. You, are the prey.¡± By this time, Garth was standing high over the fallen Merlin. To him, Garth seemed like an unreachable mountain, and the chilly atmosphere had long invaded his very bones, causing him to shiver. And yet, in the midst of his fear, deep down, in the very core of his soul, Merlin felt something he had never felt before: Admiration. In his short seven years of life, Merlin had never felt admiration for anyone. Everything given to him was taken for granted. His father was simply there to give him wealth, food, and other resources. His mother was only some woman who gave birth to him. Merlin¡¯s elder brother only had a higher status than him because he was older, and his younger sister was just a pain in his side. Before now, everything had been about himself, and everything was seen through the same guise. Merlin¡¯s father, Merlin¡¯s brother, Merlin¡¯s lackey, Merlin¡¯s enemy. Merlin¡¯s toy, Merlin¡¯s bed, etc. Everything had been seen in relation to him instead of what they truly were, yet now Merlin was forcefully shocked into awe of the boy standing over him. This was not Merlin¡¯s nemesis, nor his stepping stone. This was Garth Franklin. Why was I messing with this guy? He wondered to himself. And why do I feel this competitive feeling rising? And it was true, the admiration inside Merlin had ignited a burning fighting spirit in his eyes. ¡°Oh?¡± Garth muttered to himself, surprised. Then, a smile crept up his face as he understood that Merlin must have had a change of heart. Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone whose foundations came from a shaky, spoiled lifestyle to fight against his Predator Aura. ¡°Nice,¡± Garth said approvingly. ¡°You have my respect.¡± Garth was very impressed, especially since the opposite party was Merlin, whom he had no good impressions of whatsoever. But it took a lot of determination to have a sudden change of temperament, even in the face of fear. This showed Garth that, underneath the boy¡¯s upbringing, was an originally good soul that wasn¡¯t completely gone yet. Again, Merlin froze. Looking back on his life, this was the first time he had ever been respected by someone, and it was another new feeling. Granted, due to his family and father, no matter where Merlin went, there were an excess of people who feared him, sucked up to him, and other things, but he had never felt respect before, from anyone. Quickly, the dazed Tesla shook his head to regain his wits, then launched himself at Garth who put his hands up in a defensive stance. Blows were exchanged, and yet even Merlin¡¯s Electric Blade Hand, his most powerful move, was overcome by Garth. In the end, Merlin could only admit defeat, but knew he had gained something worth the loss: maturity. Chapter 9: Sora Hancock After seeing Merlin off with a good natured smile, the cold look resurfaced on Garth¡¯s face. As he turned on his heel, he glanced at the other young master that needed a beating. Seeing Garth stare at him, Gregory started to shiver, and an ugly expression alighted on his face. Quickly, he rushed in the direction of the registration desk to withdraw his challenge. Seeing his cowardly actions, Garth snorted. It would be impossible to get him on the stage now. Even if Garth challenged him, Gregory would most likely forfeit before the fight. Although he valued face, who would risk their life for it? Humph, I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯ll continue to get away, Garth thought to himself. Then, with a slight yawn, he ambled to his seat. Sitting down heavily, the boy¡¯s chest caved deeply as he expelled a heavy sigh. Although things worked out in the end, Merlin was also a strong opponent. Add to that his prior battle with Marcus Adams, Garth was exhausted. But of course, he still had confidence to fight Greg if the coward was up to it. By his side, Adeline stole furtive glances at her friend. ¡°How could a seven year old be so handsome, reliable, gentle, and heroic all at the same time?¡± Garth suddenly asked as he eyed Adeline with a mischievous look. Slowly, her face turned beet red, for that was indeed what she was wondering. With a snort, Adeline bashfully punched Garth on the shoulder before returning her attention back to the tournament. Humorous too, she thought, before sighing. What do I have to do to catch your eye? For a while now, Adeline had been terribly frustrated at how Garth completely shut down her advances so effectively. Even her cousin was interested in her, so why was it that the only guy that Adeline ever fell for paid no attention? Without her noticing, Adeline had started to bite her bottom lip in a pouting manner. Seeing this change, Garth could tell what was going through her head, and smiled bitterly. ¡°Come on,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°We¡¯re only seven! Isn¡¯t this something that usually waits until much later?¡± ¡°Did you say something?¡± Adeline asked quizzically. Sighing, Garth replied, ¡°Nothing.¡± Adeline was about to say something more, but was interrupted by an angry voice on stage. ¡°Get up here you lazy bastard! I refuse to believe that you¡¯re deserving of a higher rank than me!¡± a young boy raged. ¡°Ai, Ai. Stop being so mad, Big Brother Dan! You know it¡¯s not good for your health,¡± another voice replied in a playful, laid back tone. ¡°If you want my rank, you should have just said so, there¡¯s no need for us to fight.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Dan roared, ¡°I won¡¯t be satisfied unless I beat you into place as well!¡± Slowly, a lean figure emerged from the crowd. He had light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and green eyes, with a sharp, handsome jawline. But what really drew everyone¡¯s attention, were his limbs. The boy had almost no torso, with long legs, and his arms came down to almost the middle of his thighs. He wore a simple, brown robe that gave off an earthy feel. ¡°Hahaha! That lazy-ass that only sleeps in class is ranked higher than Dan? Looks like even the teachers want him to be thrashed,¡± a random voice laughed through the crowd. Garth examined the boy, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face. ¡°Did you hear his name?¡± he asked Adeline. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think it was Sora?¡± Adeline said, unsure. While Garth and Adeline were discussing, the judge started the match. From a storage ring, Dan pulled out a peculiar staff with a large metal ball on each end. With a huff, he dashed forward and swung at Sora¡¯s head. But just as the heavy ball was about to make contact with the frail boy¡¯s face, Sora disappeared. Dan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he looked around frantically. The staff was resting on Dan¡¯s right shoulder, his arms taut and ready to swing in any direction. Suddenly, Dan noticed that the audience was staring at him with wide, amazed eyes. No, they¡¯re not looking at me, they¡¯re looking at¡­ Dan realized as he saw their line of sight. He looked up and over his shoulder, and at the top of his staff, he found Sora, with a wide grin on his face. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Observing, the Vice Headmaster chuckled, his old, wrinkled cheeks flapping with each sound, ¡°Hoho, it would seem that this young boy has completely mastered the featherweight movement technique.¡± The headmaster smiled, ¡°Indeed, as expected of the young genius of the Hancock Family. Although his personality is somewhat undesirable, the low ranked Featherweight skill is worth dirt in the face of this young man¡¯s prowess.¡± At his side, the Headmaster¡¯s wife asked, ¡°But isn¡¯t he only squatting? If the Featherweight skill is a movement technique, then it shouldn¡¯t be able to be used while being still.¡± As he fondly patted his wife¡¯s hand, the Headmaster replied, ¡°But he isn¡¯t just squatting, dear. Look closely at his feet.¡± At her husband¡¯s remark, Avery squinted her eyes, carefully observing Sora¡¯s feet. Although the distance was rather long, and Avery didn¡¯t have much talent in cultivation, she was still at the fifth stage. Thus, it was easy for her to see the boy¡¯s movements. Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what Sora was doing. Next to Garth, Adeline was asking the same question. A gleam of interest flashed in Garth¡¯s eyes as a smile widened on his face. ¡°His feet are still moving,¡± he told her. And indeed, if a person was to look closely, he would find that Sora¡¯s feet were lightly tapping on the metal ball atop Dan¡¯s staff. In a movement technique, the primary function was to move, either with great speed, great agility, or both. Thus, all movement techniques use movement to help the technique as well. Like an electrical circuit, if movement is stopped when using a movement technique, it would fall apart. Movement techniques are also not meant to be slow either, and so the smaller or slower the movement, the harder it is to keep the technique functioning. As such, what Sora was doing could be considered as the benchmark for complete mastery of the Featherweight technique. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Adeline muttered in awe. ¡°It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s facing such a weak opponent,¡± Garth remarked. Looking over, Adeline was just able to catch the mischievous light flash in Garth¡¯s eyes, making the girl roll her own. It was obvious that Garth was going to do something completely unnecessary and dramatic again, just as it was when he challenged Marcus, or provoked Gregory. ¡°Why do you always go making trouble?¡± Adeline asked, exasperated. ¡°What?¡± Garth said with an injured expression. ¡°When have I ever made trouble?¡± At the question, Adeline couldn¡¯t find any words to properly express her grief, and could only roll her eyes again. Garth smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t go looking for trouble, but when something doesn¡¯t sit right with me, I feel the need to meddle.¡± Suddenly, Garth¡¯s smile turned rather sad as he continued to watch the fights. ¡°I¡¯ve given up too much as it is, so I refuse to leave any more regrets,¡± he mumbled to himself. However, his comment did not go unheard by Adeline, who looked at the boy quizzically. After a few moments, she shook her head and returned her attention back to the stage. The fight had continued, and Dan¡¯s breathing became heavier as he swung his staff at Sora and missed every time. Many of the more experienced people in the crowd shook their heads in disgust at the scene. It was apparent that Dan had absolutely no combat skills and was not at all familiar with how to use his weapon, which was appalling because in the first year, every student is allowed to pick up a skill manual from the first floor of the Martial Library. Deciding to cultivate rather than practice skills was a common and honest mistake that many have made before, but by Dan¡¯s cultivation level of the initial phase of the second rank, this was also not the case. One can only enter Imperium Private Academy if they have reached the first rank before seven. Most children would be unable to cultivate until they were five, and it was very hard to pass the Embryo stage, where one begins to feel and draw World Qi, then clears the acupoints, dantian, and meridians. Because of the difficulty, most take around four or five years to make it to the first stage. Thus, it was safe to say that everyone in Imperium was a genius of some sort. By the time that the end of the freshman year, most have reached the peak of the first stage, and would break into the second over summer break. But if Dan spent all of his time cultivating, he would be far ahead of where he was now. So what was he doing? Nothing. All he was doing was enjoying the work of his talent. Right now, he may be slightly ahead of the others, and thus admired, but that would wane with age.