《Eternal Magneta》


 Chapter 1 - The End and the Beginning (1)

    Chapter 1 - The End and the Beginning (1)


    Year 20534 of the Erka Period, planet Yuba.


    It was a typical summer day in Hillfort Village, which was located on the outskirts of the great Frederick Kingdom. Summer wasn¡¯t kind in this area, with the blazing sun producing intolerable heat for the majority of villagers living here. Despite the heat, thanks to the abundant precipitation that falls in the other three seasons, the hills and surrounding areas of the village were still filled with green grass and colourful flowers. Upon seeing such a scenery, most people would easily come to the conclusion that this village was definitely one of the best places to live of the entire planet.


    Under a large isolated oak tree on one of the hills adjacent to the village, not that far away from the village walls, rested a young teenage boy. He laid horizontally on the grass, hands crossed together under his head, while staring at the blue sky. The boy had black hair and was rather handsome for his age. He was observing a flock of beautiful birds flying in circles around the hill.


    This was none other than Kane Barker, the only son of James Barker, the Vice Mayor of Hillfort Village. He was wearing a summer uniform, composed of a half sleeve white shirt and a short grey trousers.


    He appeared disturbed, and was presently busy cussing into his heart. ¡®¡¯Damn it! Seriously¡­ what the hell is wrong with Madam Lena! This is just ridiculous! That ugly¡­¡¯¡¯ he kept swearing in his heart, clearly pissed off. ¡®¡¯I did over a thousand good deeds and she never congratulated me, and today I did the smallest mistake, and she went all out against me!¡®¡¯


    Kane kept cursing his luck, but there was nothing he could really do about this matter. After all, Madam Lena was the instructor of his class in Green Book College, not to mention her being one of the daughters of the Mayor of Hillfort Village.


    After spending around three more hours under the oak tree, Kane decided to head back home for dinner. Kane`s house was located near the centre of the village. The Household was rather large, which was pretty normal considering the financial status and reputation of the Vice Mayor. Compared to other families in the village, Kane`s family could be considered one of the richest families around.


    Despite that, Kane`s life was anything but plain sailing. His mother, Elena, died shortly after he was brought to life into this world. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t have any siblings. His only aunt, the sister of his father, wasn¡¯t on good terms with him. Kane was aware that she was secretly scheming against him. He wasn¡¯t exactly clear on what her objectives were, but he could roughly deduce that she was lobbying for her child Brandon. She wanted him to be the future successor of James Barker as Vice Mayor of Hillfort Village.


    This was rather a troublesome matter, but Kane didn¡¯t pay that much attention to it. In his opinion, his father was still full of life. The average life span of any individual amounted to roughly 500 Yubian years, while Kane`s father was only 100 years old. Thus, he could be considered rather young. Additionally, the remaining relatives of the Barker family, which numbered slightly more than a hundred, all had good relationships with James and Kane.


    As Kane entered the main hall of the Barker House, he heard an anxious but yet soft voice.


    ¡®¡¯Kane, where have you been? I was worried sick! I thought something bad had happened to you. I actually sent some guards looking for you an hour ago!¡¯¡¯ The voice came from Kane`s father. He had a look of a noble and a gentleman, was good looking and smartly dressed.


    Seeing the worried look of his father, Kane couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡®¡¯Ah¡­ father. I am at fault. I was pissed off over some trivial matter and decided to head straight to the hills to calm down. I should have come home first. I beg father for forgiveness.¡±


    James sighed, but then smiled and replied happily, ¡®¡¯Ha Ha, I am actually at fault as well! You are now almost sixteen years old, and yet I still treat you as a kid. But I guess it is normal for me to feel this way. You are my only treasure left in this world Kane, more important than my status as the City Vice Mayor. If something ever happens to you, I would never forgive myself! After your mother Elena had passed away in the Frederick civil war fifteen years ago¡­¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯No need to continue father. I know your feelings.¡¯¡¯ Kane quickly interrupted as he gave a light hug to his father. They spent time conversing together, while they also ate dinner as the rest of the day passed slowly.


    The next day, early morning.


    ¡®¡¯Oh shit! I remained asleep,¡± Kane murmured as he helped himself out of his bed and quickly left to prepare his stuff. ¡®¡¯If I arrive late, I would just be giving another excuse to Madam Lena to target me. I have to hurry my ass off!¡¯¡¯


    Kane quickly dressed and headed straight out. While he was passing in front of his father`s room, Kane saw it was empty, and assumed that his father had already left towards his office in the Village Headquarters. He didn¡¯t realise that his father was currently in the library doing some research.


    Kane then hurried outside and ran straight towards Green Book College, hoping he would be arriving in time. The College was outside the village below a mountain to the west of Hillfort Village. A normal walk from the village to the college would take roughly 30 minutes, but one could easily run the gap in under fifteen minutes.


    ¡®¡¯I can still make it in time,¡± Kane anxiously whispered to himself as he kept his pace. He kept running at full speed, barely giving attention to anything ahead. Still, it was impossible not to notice in the far distance the large statue of Kind Frederick IX, the current King of the Frederick Kingdom. The statue was located in the Capital City of the Kingdom, but it was so massive that it was basically visible from the entire Kingdom.


    ¡®¡¯It is all because of that bastard that my mother died. Shortly after I was born, he led the rebel armies and attacked our town.¡¯¡¯ Kane argued with himself, whilst his face showed hints of anger and disgust.


    In truth, the day when the rebel forces had attacked the village, James was the Mayor of Hillfort village. The enemy surrounded the village walls and fighting went on for two hours straight. The situation was precarious and the village demise was just a matter of time. It was at that moment that Frederick the Rebel arrived (now king Frederick IX), proposing that he would spare the lives of everyone in the village, as long as they surrendered unconditionally, whilst also paying him a quarter of the village total financial net worth. James had no other choice but to comply, otherwise they would have faced total annihilation. Frederick was highly impressed by James cooperation, and as an expression of gratitude, he didn¡¯t dispose of him but instead demoted him to the rank of Vice Mayor.


    All while this was happening, Elena happened to be doing an errand outside the village, and was caught in the middle of the struggle. After Frederick left, James hurriedly launched a search and rescue operation to find her, but to no avail. Thereafter, he also searched all the prisons and slave camps of the kingdom, as well as nearby kingdoms, but all his searches were unsuccessful. In the end, she had never returned to the village, and her body was never discovered either. After a couple of years, James had given up all his hope and acknowledged that his wife had definitely died on that day, otherwise she would have been found or would have returned back by now.


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    Kane had now finally reached the main door of the College. He rushed inside, taking only a couple of seconds to arrive in front of his classroom. When he entered, he saw everyone seated, and noticed that instructor Madam Lena was about to start a History session.


    She stared coldly at Kane, immediately shouting in an angry manner, ¡®¡¯so¡­ after the lesson I gave you yesterday, you still dare to challenge my authority and break the rules. Fine brat, I hereby punish you for four hours at the college stable, by cleaning and feeding the Horses. Go now!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯But¡­ but¡­ you didn¡¯t even started the¡­¡¯¡¯ Kane stuttered, but was immediately interrupted.


    ¡®¡¯Go to the stable right now you little punk, before I change my mind and keep you there for a whole day!¡¯¡¯ Madam Lena shouted angrily.


    Kane`s blood was currently boiling, but he had already decided to cowardly leave the class and head straight to the College stables, located around one hundred meters away from the College. Kane didn¡¯t want to directly challenge Madam Lena. She was after all the fifth daughter of the Mayor of Hillfort Village, who had a close relationship with King Frederick IX himself. Kane didn¡¯t want to cause any unnecessary troubles on his father.


    As she watched Kane leave the classroom, Madam Lena couldn¡¯t help but to grin coldly, and a hint of satisfaction appeared in her heart. Madam Lena always viewed the Barker family as a threat. After all, James used to occupy the position of the Village Mayor in the past; not to highlight the fact that he was loved and respected by a lot of villagers. Needless to say, her odium towards James extended towards Kane. That was the real reason for all this hostility towards Kane.


    Kane finally arrived at the stable. The stable was small and it only housed five horses. It was mostly used as a training ground by the military instructors to teach their fellow students. It only took Kane 30 minutes to sort out everything, then he rested against the wall outside the stable, waiting for the remaining time to pass.


    Suddenly, he felt a shadow approaching from his left. He turned around to look. In front of him, stood a chubby blonde guy, with freckles on his cheeks. Every student of the College would immediately recognize this face. He was rather infamous in Green Book College, the number one delinquent Terry Browly, nicked named ¡®The Deadly Candy¡¯.


    ¡®¡®Oi. You little kid... Daddy Terry wants to sit here, so how about you piss off? And while you are at it, how about you throw me 50 gold coins, everyone deserve to live an easy life after all right?¡± Terry said coolly.


    Kane hesitated for a moment, then he replied. ¡®¡¯Do you know that my father is the Vice Mayor of Hillfort Village?¡¯¡¯ He had hoped that Terry would change his mind and leave.


    Terry paused for a while, then fumed aloud, ¡®¡¯Do you think I give a crap about who your father is?! You can be the child of King Frederick himself for all I care!! In this College, once daddy Terry demands something, you have to bow your head and obey obediently!¡¯¡¯


    Instantly, without giving Kane any chance to dodge, Terry launched a potent punch on Kane`s chest, throwing Kane two metres away into the distance, as his face turned immediately pale.


    ¡®¡¯Now, I hope you understand what happens when you disobey daddy Terry. Now, be a good boy and give me 100 gold coins, or I will make sure that not even your mother will be able to recognize you!¡¯¡¯


    At this stage, Kane could have submissively handed 100 gold coins and fled. As the child of the Vice Mayor, money was never really a problem. But he couldn¡¯t do such a thing, he would never let such an arrogant punk have it his own way!


    ¡®¡¯Oh! Mr. Principal! Help me out over here!!!¡¯¡¯ Kane suddenly shouted. Of course, this was just a lie that Kane invented right on the spot.


    Instantly Terry became distracted, as he looked behind him. At that very moment, Kane immediately grabbed up a stone that laid next to him, and threw it with all his strength, smashing directly into Terry`s face.


    ¡®¡¯Arghhhh!!¡¯¡¯ Terry screamed in agony, but before he could do anything, Kane acted quickly and threw a powerful kick which landed between Terry`s legs.


    ¡®¡¯Arghhhh the pain!! Stop it! Stop it! I¡¯m sorry!!¡¯¡¯ Terry fell on the ground, one hand holding his face that was covered by blood, while the other hand was between his legs. He was in a very sorry state.


    In terms of physical strength, Terry was definitely stronger than Kane. But when one factored intellect into the equation, Terry was miles away from Kane. The sudden charge of Kane gave Terry no chance to counter him. After spending roughly one minute on the ground, Terry stood up slowly and then ran away from Kane. Seeing the fleeing Terry, Kane couldn¡¯t help but shout in a mocking way.


    ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t forget to tell your mother your name when you arrive at home, otherwise she might not be able to recognize you!¡¯¡¯ But Terry had already disappeared into the distance.


    Now, an hour had already passed since that accident.


    Kane was again resting against the walls of the stable. He seemed deeply lost in thought. He was contemplating about his life in general. He was wondering how the creators allowed people like Madam Lena and Terry to exist. He felt that the life of many people would have been much better without these kinds of people around.


    Kane was a rather lonely child. He had a strange sensation that he was different from the other people in the village. He also felt that his view of reality was somewhat different than that of other individuals. It was more of a feeling of being a fish out of its pond, rather than having an eccentric personality.


    As he was busy reflecting on his life, suddenly, something unexpected occurred.


    Kane felt a surge of mysterious power entering his body. It felt like his body was being attacked by thousands of invisible needles that were flowing into his body like an electric storm. The sensation lasted for just a few breaths, but for Kane it felt like an eternity. The tremendous pressure and pain this force was exerting on Kane`s body, was not something a common mortal could comprehend or endure.


    Kane panted heavily, as he felt that all his physical energy was being sucked away dry. He started to get dizzy, as he slowly lost his awareness, then he fell on the ground, totally unconscious.


    Next to Kane, a small grasshopper, which was resting on a nearby leaf, also fell on the ground. Its body, showed no sign of life.

 Chapter 2 - The End and the Beginning (2)

    Chapter 2 - The End and the Beginning (2)


    More than five hours had passed since the mysterious energy had enveloped Kane. He remained unconscious on the ground for several hours. His hair swayed gently with the wind, but the rest of his body was motionless. Suddenly, his right hand started to tremble, seemingly struggling to move. A few seconds later, Kane slowly opened his eyes. He was in a deeply terrified state.


    ¡®¡¯What the hell was that..?! What was that energy?! It felt as my body was being devoured by countless demons, which were happily shredding my internal organs apart! But yet, now that I am looking at my body and cloths¡­ I actually feel fine! There isn¡¯t even a stretch on my body!¡¯¡¯ Kane was wondering as he inspected himself.


    He used his recovering strength to help himself to stand up, something he managed to succeed after a lot of effort. Then he looked up in the sky and saw the current position of the sun. It was only now that he realised he had been there for several hours!


    ¡®¡¯What! I have been unconscious for all this time!¡± He said in disbelief. He paused for a moment to think, before he continued whispering to himself.


    ¡°But¡­ I wonder why has nobody come to check on me. Something seems quite off here. I am absolutely certain that Madam Lena wouldn¡¯t give a toss about me. But what about Mr. Principal and the high instructors? They would surely come and investigate when a student have gone missing. Could it be that nobody from my class reported that I didn¡¯t return back?¡¯¡¯


    He slowly walked to the entrance of the stable, as he removed dust from his cloths. Before he headed back to the college, he sent a quick gaze to ascertain that the horses were still doing well.


    Kane opened his mouth in surprise, and stared in disbelief. Don¡¯t misunderstand, the five horses were still in the stable, they hadn¡¯t run away. The only problem was that all five of them were dead!


    ¡®¡¯What the!?!? How did they die? What I am going to do now! If the college instructors learn of this incident, forget about Madam Lena, even the high Instructor and Mr. Principal will be mad at me!¡¯¡¯ Kane couldn¡¯t help but panic. He felt his mind spinning. He kept pondering to figure how the hell the horses had died. Then a thought appeared into his mind like a sudden flash of lightning.


    ¡®¡¯Was it that mysterious energy? Did it kill the horses?¡¯¡¯


    Quickly, Kane left the stables and hastened towards the College. But after running a couple of metres, he had the misfortune to experience another shocking scene. Ahead of him on the ground, laid the bodies of four male students. It didn¡¯t take too long for Kane to recognise this group, it was Terry`s gang! They rested motionless on the ground, and were surrounded by countless wooden weapons. Terry was present amongst the group.


    Kane hesitated for a moment, then he slowly approached Terry and touched his hand, examining his pulse. Kane could still see the massive scar on Terry`s face, the same injury that Kane had inflicted on Terry earlier today. Kane then let off Terry`s hand, then he stood and kept staring towards the group. He finally had a rough understanding of what might have happened here.


    Most probably, after that earlier accident, Terry wanted to obtain revenge over Kane. Instead of leaving, Terry had brought over his gang, armed with wooden weapons. They wanted to beat Kane badly because of what he had done to Terry. But on their way here, they had mysteriously died.


    Kane was clearly startled. It was now that he understood that this was some kind of calamity. He felt as the universe itself was playing a cruel joke on him. He charged, full speed ahead towards the college, and then headed straight to the Principal`s office. The Principal was the Head of the College.


    ¡®¡¯Mr. Norton!! Mr. Norton!! This is Kane Barker, an apprentice student of Green Book College!! Quick, please come out! Something terrible has happened!!!¡¯¡¯ Kane shouted several times like a mad man, with both of his hands banging violently on the door of the Principal`s office. After a while, Kane decided to release a powerful punch, and the door finally gave in. As the door opened, Kane lost his balance and dropped on the floor, but he quickly stood up again, and was about to apologize to the principal but¡­


    Kane could clearly see that Principal Alfred Norton, also known as Chief Instructor of Green Book College, was no longer amongst the living.


    ¡®¡¯This¡­ this can¡¯t be! Please tell me I am dreaming¡­ please someone tell me this is just a nightmare!!!¡¯¡¯ Kane shouted aloud to himself as he ran towards his classroom.


    He was already imagining the scene he would be seeing upon entering his classroom, but he forced himself to disbelieve his own thoughts, and instead hoped for some kind of miracle. But in his heart, he had already accepted that his fellow students were probably death.


    He finally arrived before the door of his classroom, then he opened it slowly. His former fellow students, and the detestable Madam Lena were there. All of them had shocked, agonized expressions. If someone had to see their faces, one would think that they just had a fierce struggle with a wild animal, before finally succumbing to it. Each and every one of them was death.


    Kane`s eyes were now filled tears, and was visibly mentally broken. He immediately ran out of the college, and headed straight towards Hillfort Village. He didn¡¯t even bother to check upon the other classes.


    But from now on, things would only be taking a turn for the worse. Everywhere he ran, he saw all sorts of deceased life forms, including several bodies of humans and animals. Even the trees were showing signs of decay. Almost all trees in the area were already just branches without any leaves. It appeared that all life of planet Yuba had completely vanished in an instant.


    Kane had for long been supressing a certain thought. Ever since he saw Terry`s gang death bodies, this thought had surfaced into his mind and never disappeared.


    ¡®¡¯Please, heavens. I beg you! Please father be safe!!!¡¯¡¯ Kane cried out to the heavens while running like a mad bull towards Hillfort Village, as tears kept flowing from his eyes. He silently prayed into his heart for his father safety.


    Shortly after, Kane arrived at Hillfort village, then sped towards the Village Headquarters. He was out of breath and on the verge of another physical collapse.


    As he entered the village, he came upon a scene that left him with a deep impression. The village was filled with hundreds of human corpses. All of these were people that he used to see around every day, and some who he used to interact with on a daily basis.


    Before this day, Kane had never seen a corpse. He always lived in peaceful times and none of his relatives he had memories of had died during the course of his life. He never imagined that in just one day, he would be seeing countless amounts of cadavers.


    Corpses covered the entire town, and it seemed like a scene taken directly from hell. But this wasn¡¯t hell. This was Hillfort Village, one of the most beautiful villages in the Frederick Kingdom. Or let`s say, it used to be.


    Kane, who was on the verge of going crazy, whispered into his own heart, ¡®¡¯I can¡¯t believe all these people died?! How could that mysterious energy kill all these people without leaving any survivors? How am I still alive?¡¯¡¯


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    Several questions kept popping in Kane`s mind. But the answers for these questions weren¡¯t that important right now. His priority was to find his father!


    He finally arrived at the village headquarters. It didn¡¯t take long for him to discover the dead bodies of the countless nobles, the several guards and even that of the Mayor. However, when he arrived at his father`s office, he noticed that the room was empty, and his father wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡®¡¯What?! Could it be that my father had survived and fled?¡¯¡¯ A tiny amount of hope appeared in Kane`s eyes. He checked every floor of that building, searching in every room, but his father wasn¡¯t there.


    Seeing this, Kane hurried towards the Barker Household. When he arrived, he noticed the dead bodies of his aunt and her beloved son. Even though he wasn¡¯t on good terms with them, he still felt sorry for them, and his heart ached. Kane was after all, a rather good hearted person.


    He started searching the various rooms, until he arrived in front of the library. There he saw his father seated on a chair, with the rest back of the chair facing Kane`s direction. James head was partly visible. His father stayed there quietly and was holding a book in his right hand. Seeing this, Kane smiled as he believed that his father was still alive.


    "Father! Are you ok?! Are you injured?! What the hell happened in the town?!¡¯¡¯ Kane asked several questions, whilst moving in the direction of the chair, and then he grabbed his father`s right hand.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Only three breaths had passed since Kane had touched his father`s hand. Immediately, the book dropped to the floor, breaking the silence for a breath. The deep silence quickly returned. Kane just stood there and looked expressionless. If you had to ask how he felt like now, it would be a mixture of denial, anger, depression and a general feeling of misfortune.


    Today was the day that Kane`s last pillar of support, his darling father, James Barker, the only relative he had left in this world, had perished. After around five minutes of conflicting emotions, Kane finally let everything out, screaming in agony. He remembered how his father had taken care of him for all this time. The beautiful moments they had together. The countless memories of his father passed by in Kane`s mind like a gentle stream.


    ¡®¡¯Why¡­ why¡­ why is this happening to me!! Father! Why did you leave your only son alone on this cruel planet?! What about your promise you made to me¡­ that you would never leave me alone¡­ have you forgotten that I am your only treasure!!¡¯¡¯ Kane continued to sob painfully.


    When one lost a relative, while it is a very painful experience, one would have to accept reality and move on. One could also count on the support of other relatives and friends. One could either calculate what one had lost and remain depressed, or calculate what one still had and move on. After all, nothing was permanent in this universe. That was the harsh reality of the life. The universe keeps changing, otherwise it will become stagnant.


    Unfortunately, Kane was in an entirely different situation. Not only he had lost his father without even being able to do anything to save him; in just a few breaths, he had also lost everyone he knew! As from now on, he was basically a lone survivor in a barren land!


    The remaining of the day slowly passed away and it was now night. But this night, Kane didn¡¯t sleep, but instead spent the whole night crying.


    The night passed very slowly, and it was finally early morning. In the Barker`s Family courtyard, several deep holes could be seen. In them, rested all the corpses of the Barker Family Household, including Kane`s father. Kane silently bowed as he completed the death ritual, and then began to bury all his relatives. The last corpse that he buried was that of his father.


    Kane was now holding an amulet in his hand. It was made from pure gold, and had a red ruby engraved on it. It was the amulet that his father always carried with him. James had received this amulet from his wife Elena, and after she died, he had always kept it on himself, as a reminder of the good memories they had together as a couple.


    It took Kane a whole five hours to bury all those people. When he was done, he rested on a stone chair in the courtyard, and began to reflect about his current crisis. Everyone had died, and the food stockpiles would only be lasting for a few months at most, before they would become inedible. To complicate matters, all animals had also perished along with the humans. Even the surrounding vegetation became rotten. There was no way of replenishing the stockpiles.


    Kane stood up, and then spoke solemnly, ¡®¡¯Father, my relatives and all of you who had died today, I promise that I will not die until I find out what caused your demise and avenge you!¡¯¡¯ Then he left the village and headed straight to his favourite oak tree, on the nearby hill. There he would then decide his course of action.


    It took only ten minutes for Kane to arrive next to the oak tree, with his right palm now resting on the bole of the tree. The sun was high, and the unbearable heat could already be felt. But things were very different now. They were no birds high up in the sky. There was no green grass around, just yellowish rotten grass. The majestic oak tree, was now just a dead trunk.


    ¡®¡¯Everything seems death here. I should depart towards the Capital of the Kingdom. Maybe I can find a clue there.¡¯¡¯ Kane said in a very weak disheartened voice. As he was about to leave, he suddenly heard two footsteps landing on the nearby ground, instantly followed by a wicked aura.


    Kane quickly turned his gaze and instantly froze in shock. In front of him stood a man, roughly two metres tall. He was wearing a military like uniform, which was split in two. On the left side it was white, on the right side it was also white but it had lots of colourful symbols and diagrams drawn on it. He had the face of a bandit, with funky brown hair. As soon as his eyesight made contact with Kane`s eyes, the man suddenly burst out in laugher.


    ¡®¡¯Ha¡­ Ha Ha¡­ Ha Ha Ha Ha... This is unprecedented! There is actually a survivor!¡¯¡¯


    Kane terrified, couldn¡¯t help but ask, in a stuttering voice, ¡®¡¯who¡­ are¡­ you?¡¯¡¯


    The mysterious man, sill laughing, chuckled evilly as he walked towards Kane, ¡®¡¯so¡­ how about¡­ you actually die now kid!?!¡¯¡¯


    Kane tried to escape but at that very moment, he felt a wave of powerful energy penetrating into his body. It was somewhat similar to the energy he felt last time at the stables! But this energy was much stronger! He shivered as he felt his blood boiling, and his bones felt like they would start cracking at any moment. Then, out of the blue, Kane felt massive pain in the upper part of his right hand, as another wave of mysterious energy rushed out from his body. At the same time, the invading energy was immediately repelled out of his body.


    "What?! How can this be? What¡­ the¡­ f¡­¡¯¡¯ The mysterious man screamed in surprise. However, these were the last words he uttered, as he vomited out a river of blood, then fell lifeless on the floor. Just like that he had perished.


    Kane fell on his knees totally exhausted. He was deeply astonished, as he stared in disbelief of what has just transpired a few breaths ago.

 Chapter 3 - Julia Spector

    Chapter 3 - Julia Spector


    High up in the skies of planet Yuba, there were two bright dots of light that were flying together at an astonishing speed. Viewing them from the ground, it was impossible to distinguish them from meteorites or other space objects. However, if someone had to zoom on them, one would end up deeply shocked! Because they were both humans!


    ¡®¡¯Julia, did I hear correctly? Did they found the key already? It hasn¡¯t even been two days!¡¯¡¯


    As the woman heard the excited voice of her companion, she smirked and gently said, ¡®¡¯Hey now Ozzy, aren¡¯t you underestimating my special squad a little? I did train them to be fast and swift after all.¡±


    The woman looked young and had long blonde hair. She was pretty gorgeous, with a delicate slender figure. One could easily say that her beauty was top notch. Next to her stood a bulky man. Unlike his companion, he looked rough and savage.


    Suddenly, a device attached to Julia`s belt began to emit signals. She quickly picked her device and uttered, ¡®¡¯Chief Scientist Julia Spector has connected, what do you need?¡¯¡¯


    The device looked similar to a small stone cube, but had a green crystal embed in it. From the device, a man`s voice could be heard.


    ¡®¡¯This is Glen, Head of the Communications room speaking. I have some updates for you Ms. Spector. First of all, we have found the key. We are currently performing relevant tests on him to confirm.¡±


    Julia frowned and promptly interrupted, ¡®¡¯I already know this. If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I will be terminating this conversation.¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Of course not Ms. Spector, there is a rather important matter I wish to bring to your attention.¡± The voice echoed from the box.


    Julia, speaking in a rather irritated voice, ¡®¡¯Spit it out. What happened?¡¯¡¯


    The voice originating from the cube turned solemn, ¡®¡¯we have lost the signal of Gregory Belly a few moments ago.¡¯¡¯


    ¡°What!¡± Julia suddenly halted and stopped mid-air. ¡°Glen! Tell me exactly what happened!!!¡± Her face was now displaying a nervous expression. Ozzy also stopped mid-air as he followed the conversation attentively.


    ¡®¡¯We don¡¯t have much details Ms. Spector. All we know is that Gregory isn¡¯t picking his communications device. It could be the case where his device malfunctioned. There is also the possibility that he found himself in some danger. I am going to send a special squad to investigate this.¡±


    ¡®¡¯There is no need. Send me the coordinates. I will be investigating this matter personally,¡± Julia replied with a serious expression.


    ¡°We lost connection with Gregory at the following coordinates: 34¡ã North, 20¡ã West,¡± the cube vibrated out.


    Hearing this, Julia immediately replied, ¡®¡¯ok listen to what I have to say. Instruct all venturing squads to enter back to the base. I shall be coming there in a few hours. Then we shall depart this planet. I`m out.¡±


    She swiftly placed back her device onto her belt, then started concentrating with her eyes closed. She seemed to be scanning the entire planet with her mind. She remained motionless for around five minutes, as her elegant hair waved gently with the wind, giving her an appearance of an angel.


    ¡°Fortunately, this planet isn¡¯t that big. I was able to make a rough estimate of the location that the coordinates point out to. Come on Ozzy, let`s go check.¡±


    Ozzy nodded and followed her, as they slowly vanished away into the distance.


    Few minutes earlier, the hills around Hillfort Village, Frederick Kingdom.


    Kane was currently on his knees, next to the dead oak tree. He seemed fine, albeit exhausted both physically and mentally. However, his right hand was totally unresponsive and in deep pain. In front of him, rested the body of a mysterious man. This man had tried to kill him with some sort of power, yet he ended up dying instead. No matter how much effort Kane exerted to try and figure what exactly had occurred, he couldn¡¯t connect the dots.


    He stood up and moved cautiously towards the mysterious man corpse, whilst holding his left hand on the top of his right hand. He slowly inspected the man`s body without touching anything. He could see that the man only had three items on him, and all of them had green crystals embed in them. The items were a small cube, a tiny plastic-like container not larger than a finger, and a large silver sword.


    The silver sword caught Kane`s attention, but hesitated if he should snatch it or not. He was scared to touch anything this man possessed, as he didn¡¯t understand anything about these mysterious items. Who knows how many dangerous secrets were hidden on this man`s body?


    After pondering for a while, Kane finally made his decision. ¡°I should depart to the Capital and check things out. It shouldn¡¯t take me more than one day of walking to arrive there.¡± He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°I wonder if this calamity has hit the Capital city as well.¡±


    As he prepared to leave, he turned his gaze one last time towards the corpse of the mysterious man, then he sighed inwardly. ¡°I can¡¯t risk suffering another injury while I am in this condition. Once I heal completely, I will come back and take his stuff. Then I will see if I can find any use to them. Just wait for me here like a good man.¡±


    Kane wasn¡¯t afraid that someone would come and steal this corpse. After all, there was nobody alive left in this area. Even if someone really did appear and steals this corpse, Kane wouldn¡¯t really be bothered by that much. He then walked slowly, as he left towards the Capital city.


    Roughly around thirty minutes later, two bright dots could be seen high up in the sky. They were none other than Ozzy and Julia. As they stepped on the ground, the nearby land trembled like an earthquake. Both of them had shocked expressions, as they looked towards each other in disbelief.


    ¡°He actually died¡­ He died! Gregory has died!¡± Ozzy cried in alarm.


    ¡°I can clearly see that Ozzy¡­¡± Julia clinched her fists and began showing signs of anger. A trace of smoke could also be seen emitting from her left hand.


    Ozzy still shocked, turned to face Julia. ¡°How did he die? He was one of the elite soldiers of the Scientific Research squad. He definitely wasn¡¯t weak. Could it be that those Imperial dogs managed to track us down?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it.¡± Julia rapidly interrupted. ¡°The Imperial Government shouldn¡¯t be aware about our real motive. Besides that, I can¡¯t imagine them to act openly like this. If they wanted to act, they would have stopped us long ago, before we even arrived at this planet.¡±


    Julia then moved slowly to Gregory`s corpse. ¡°Whoever killed him didn¡¯t steal anything. Not even his sword, really weird¡­¡¯¡¯


    She took out a tiny bottle that was attached to her belt. She pressed on the blue crystal of the bottle, and suddenly the space above the bottle became distorted, as a small dimensional portal formed. Gregory`s sword, tiny bottle and communications cube levitated into the air, then they got sucked into the portal. With a flick of a finger she closed the portal, and placed the tiny bottle back to her belt.


    She then spread her hands on Gregory`s body and began to examine him. Her face immediately turned dark, and instantly shouted. ¡°Ozzy get on guard! Whoever killed him is unbelievable strong!¡± They both assumed combat stances and stood on the lookout. They scanned the entire area but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t notice anything unusual.


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    Ozzy was rather alarmed at this point, as he gazed towards Julia. ¡°Are you by any chance saying that a Kanklar is on this planet?¡±


    ¡°What I am saying is that whoever killed him is most probably an expert! I suggest you keep on your guard. If he is still here, he might be hiding his aura and waiting for the perfect moment to try and ambush us!¡±


    Julia then kept scanning the surrounding areas. Suddenly, she widened her eyes, because she had sensed that someone alive was slowly walking towards to north.


    ¡°Listen Ozzy, there is actually a survivor out there. Let`s go check him out. Maybe we can find answers.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ a survivor?¡± But before he could finish the question, Julia had already departed, so he immediately followed her.


    Few minutes later.


    Kane was moving slowly towards the Capital, when out of the blue, Julia and Ozzy appeared in front him. Their sudden appearance terrified him, as he rapidly walked in reverse, before losing his balance and falling down sitting on the ground. He only used his left hand to halt the descent, as his right hand was still unresponsive.


    ¡°Now¡­ now¡­ what do we have here? How come you are still alive kid?¡± Ozzy couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    In an instant, Julia disappeared and reappeared in front of Kane.


    ¡°Shut up Ozzy. Let me handle this.¡± She kept staring at Kane for a while, then she politely uttered, ¡°Hello Kid. By any chance, have you seen anyone that was wearing a uniform similar to mine, or any other humans flying around?¡±


    Kane already understood that these humans were friends of that mysterious man. If Kane had to reveal what actually happened, they would instantly kill him right here on the spot. He suddenly felt delighted that he didn¡¯t steal the mysterious man`s sword, otherwise he would have been in big trouble!


    ¡°Who are you?!! This is the first time I am seeing someone dressed like you. Are you perhaps Deities that descended from the heavens to save me from this terrible calamity?!¡± Kane said in a hopeful elevated tone, as he pretended to be completely ignorant.


    Upon hearing this from Kane`s mouth, Julia smiled. She had already scanned Kane`s body quite a few times, and yet she couldn¡¯t notice anything unusual about him. ¡°Ozzy, looks like this guy doesn¡¯t know anything. I have scanned his body several times and his definitely a cripple like the rest of humans that lived here.¡±


    ¡°Oh if that`s the case, allow me to give him the marching orders.¡± Ozzy expression flashed with killing intent towards Kane.


    ¡°No wait!!¡± Julia cried in alarm. Ozzy turned to face Julia, clearly confused by what he just heard.


    Julia ignored Ozzy`s gaze, as she lowered her head, whilst slowly whispering into her heart. ¡°I wonder how he survived the powerful wave of the Violet Crystal Radiator¡­ only the key should have been resistant to that wave. All lifeforms on this planet should have been eradicated. Damn it! This should have been an easy task, I never expected such complications! The first problem is that there are actually two survivors instead of one, and the second problem is that a supreme warrior is actually roaming around on this planet!¡±


    ¡°Ozzy, we are bringing this kid together with us to base, move on.¡± Julia immediately said. Both Ozzy and Kane were shocked by this declaration.


    ¡°Hey wait a minute Julia, what is the meaning of this! I want an explanation!!!¡± Ozzy couldn¡¯t help but feel dumbfounded.


    ¡°Ozzy until we are 100% sure that this guy is not the key, we can¡¯t kill him. Even though the chance is very remote, we just cannot risk. We have no way to verify his identity right now. You surely are aware what will happen if we accidentally kill the key? Not only our families will be killed, but entire clans bearing same surnames as us would be immediately annihilated!¡±


    Ozzy seemed lost in thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    When Kane heard this, who was quietly staring at them without saying anything, instantly panicked and began asking random questions.


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me? What Key? Where are you¡­"


    While Kane was in the middle of his blabbering, Ozzy waved his palm towards Kane. Kane`s body was immediately pulled towards Ozzy, who then grabbed Kane from his neck. Kane was powerless to resist this force.


    Immediately, Ozzy put his finger on the crystal of his tiny bottle, as a small dimensional portal appeared. A pill flew out from the dimensional portal, then it closed again. Ozzy forcefully pushed the pill into Kane`s mouth, as he struggled to resist swallowing the pill. However, the pill moved on its own and headed straight to his stomach. It was only then that Ozzy let off Kane from his grip.


    Kane was about to shout angrily, but to his shock, he realised that he wasn¡¯t even able to make the lightest sound. Seeing the struggling Kane, Ozzy laughed out and coolly said, ¡°It is useless kid. That pill is one of the special pills that our Scientific Research Centre produces. Once taken, it will mute you for a long time, depending on the doze. But after the effect passes, you will be able to speak again.¡±


    Kane now realised that he was in danger of being captured. He could see that in their eyes they harboured ill intentions. He frowned, thinking of what to do next. He panicked, then turned around and ran away from them. The only option he had left was to run as fast he could!


    Julia turned her funny face towards Ozzy, ¡°You actually gave him the pill that lasts for six months?! You really are a bastard!¡±


    ¡°Ha Ha Julia, If it weren¡¯t for you telling me to refrain from killing him, I would have already killed him! Besides, our journey will be taking around eight months. I really don¡¯t want to spend six of those months listening to his moans and whines!¡± Ozzy said humorously.


    Julia let out a soft sweet laugh, ¡°Ok Ozzy, the time has come for us to return to base, and don¡¯t forget to keep on guard¡­ we might end up running into that expert.¡±


    Ozzy felt worried and immediately replied, ¡°I wonder... if that expert will date to attack our base...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ozzy, even if this expert is someone ridiculously strong, we have a force of around one thousand fighters. No expert would dare to assault us.¡± Julia said proudly.


    Ozzy nodded with agreement. ¡°Yes. Only someone out of his mind would dare to take such a force on his own.¡± As he finished speaking, he noticed the running Kane, and immediately burst into laughter. ¡°Ha Ha, that kid is so funny!! He thinks that he can escape from us!¡±


    Kane was already around two hundred metres away from Ozzy. Unfortunately for Kane, he again felt the same pulling force he experienced earlier. Kane couldn¡¯t resist the force, as he saw himself being drawn towards Ozzy`s large back, before finally colliding with him like a sticker. Kane was terrified, but no matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t even move an inch!


    Without further delay, Julia and Ozzy floated straight up in the sky.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up Julia, even though his a just kid, having a guy attached to my back is rather embarrassing for me.¡± Ozzy said as a hint of humiliation appeared on his face.


    Julia laughed, as she flew upward, whilst Ozzy followed suit. Then they both sped away, until they disappeared over the horizon.

 Chapter 4 - The Key

    Chapter 4 - The Key


    Kaloka was a small island located in the southern seas of Planet Yuba. In the middle of the island, stood a large whitish structure that resembled a large medieval castle. However, it had no doors and no windows, and instead of watching towers there were four enormous blue crystal structures. Each crystal structure was about two hundred metres long, and they seemed to be glowing with a strange type of energy, that was slowly moving and swirling inside them.


    Tons of people could be seen arriving here at a fast speed, and one after another entered through a large dimensional portal that was above the structure, as they completely disappeared within it. This kept on going for quite a while. However, as time passed, the rate of people that arrived kept dropping, until no more came.


    Time continued to pass slowly. It was now almost dusk and the sky was starting to turn dark. It was at this instant that the structure became visible to both Ozzy and Julia, and a smile appeared on their faces.


    ¡°I wonder how the key looks like,¡± Julia spoke excitedly. ¡°I do hope he actually is the key we have been searching for. I can already imagine how pleased Master will be.¡± Ozzy nodded in agreement as his face flashed with anticipation.


    Kane was floating in the sky with them, still attached to Ozzy`s back. Earlier, he had viewed the pulling force that kept him stuck to Ozzy`s back as an obstacle. However, Kane was aware that right now this force was the only thing keeping him alive, and he hoped that Ozzy would never let him go. Kane could already imagine the consequences if he had to accidentally fall from this height! He would definitely die before even reaching the ground! The group of three then slowed down as they arrived above the dimensional portal.


    Kane`s vision was limited to one direction, so he couldn¡¯t really observe the surrounding areas. However, at one point, his line of sight was directly facing one of the towering blue crystals. The size of the crystals left him completely stunned. The view lasted for a few breaths, as the group moved down into the portal and reappeared inside a large white room.


    Julia then picked her communications cube and spoke, ¡°Zalister we have arrived. What is the status, is everyone inside?¡±


    Shortly after, a prideful voice could be heard, ¡°Everyone has returned. The crystals can be activated at any moment and we can depart this planet upon your command Ms. Spector. We have been waiting for the three of you to arrive.¡±


    ¡°Are you by any chance complaining that we were slow Zalister?¡± Julia said, completely annoyed.


    ¡°Why should a humble servant like me be irritated about such a trivial matter? Even if you stay here for a year, humble servant will never complain about it.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine Zalister, I was just teasing you,¡± Julia giggled.


    ¡°Listen Zalister, go ahead and activate the crystals. Once we head out of this planet, head straight to the Eastern Sector at full speed.¡± Julia instructed as she put away her device. Thereafter, Julia and Ozzy floated in the air, as they started travelling through various long white corridors. The corridors were built with complexity, similar to a maze. If someone entered into these corridors and didn¡¯t know the way, one would definitely get lost.


    ¡°Hey Julia, how does he know that we are three people? Do you think he figured it out that we have a prisoner?¡± Ozzy spoke curiously.


    ¡°No, Zalister shouldn¡¯t be aware. The presence of the kid is completely concealed behind your aura. Don¡¯t forget that I have Gregory`s communications cube on me. Even though it is sealed within my storage bottle, Zalister should still be able to track its signal. He definitely believes that Gregory is with us.¡±


    ¡°Oh that`s true. Ha ha.¡± Ozzy seemed to have understood now. Shortly after, he spoke again, this time in a rather depressing way.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that Gregory died. We should have at least brought his body with us Julia.¡±


    Julia frowned, and spoke insensitively, ¡°Why so? Were you by any chance thinking of making a souvenir out of his body? The presence of his dead body would just serve to create commotions amongst the other fighters. Not like his indispensable anyways. I have already secured his valuables, and as for his position, it can be easily be replaced by someone else. We can easily cover up his death.¡±


    They had now arrived at a large room. It was filled with lots of scientific equipment and they were several officers roaming around the room, all doing some particular task they had been assigned. All of them were wearing identical uniforms, which were similar to the ones Julia and Ozzy wore.


    Plak!


    The silence was broken as Ozzy released Kane, who suddenly dropped flat to the ground.


    ¡°Hey guards, take this kid to one of the concealed rooms. Give him three bottles of water and two plates of food every day. Except the time when you delivery the food and water, you are not allowed to enter his room. Anyone who breach these instructions will be severely punished. Move on.¡± Julia ordered as she sat cross legged on a chair.


    Instantly, two bulky man appeared before Kane, as they grabbed him and carried him away. They passed through some passageways, until they arrived in front of a concealed room. One of the guards pressed on a green crystal that was ingrained on the door of the room, then the door opened. Kane was thrown savagely into the room, as the door closed again.


    It took a while for Kane to recover from the hit. As he returned back to his senses, he gave a quick gaze around the room. It had only a bed, a toilet and two wooden chairs. In the roof, there was a small hole, which ventilated air around the room.


    Kane stood up and then sat on the nearby bed. The Phenomena that transpired lately were too tragic for him, and he felt miserable. Few days ago, he was relaxing under an oak tree, as he watched birds flying high up in the sky. Few days ago, he had a dear father that was worrying about him, whom he took care of. Few days ago, he was living a normal life, dreaming of becoming a successful scholar like his father, with the aim of eventually succeeding him as Vice Mayor. Few days ago, he dreamt of marrying a gorgeous noble wife. Few days ago, he dreamt of his future family, and the respect he would have earned from the villagers of Hillfort village. Few days ago he had everything, but now he had nothing.


    In his heart, Kane knew that the sudden appearance of these mysterious humans coincided with the annihilation of his village and death of his family. The death of everyone was definitely connected with these people. However, he was incapable to do anything about it, because he was too weak and fragile, like a lamb in a lion`s den. He now laid down on the bed, crying. His body was in bad shape, whilst his right hand was still recovering.


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    Outside of the base, the four big blue crystals began glowing with a blue aura, as a powerful pushing force emerged from beneath them. The whole island trembled, and the ground below began to break, as faults appeared everywhere. The sea surrounding the island instantly turned chaotic, as waves as high as ten metres started to form, as they moved away from the island together in circles.


    Shortly after, four blue jets of powerful energy were unleashed, which triggered a huge explosion. The explosion completely blew away the remaining parts of the island, and the sea was instantly pushed away by hundreds of metres, totally exposing the sea bed underneath.


    The white base then rose up high in the sky, whilst travelling at an astonishing speed, and shortly after it broke through the upper atmosphere, as it entered the vast region of space. The base gradually changed direction, then departed away with tremendous velocity. It had finally left planet Yuba.


    Down below where the island once stood, the natural elements were now in total disorder. The sea rushed back, creating chaotic waves that covered the entire area. The colour of the sea was brown, and on its surface stood countless of debris and corpses of humans that once lived on the same island.


    High up over the sea, a shadow of a man could now be seen. He stood there immobile observing the sky, while frowning slightly. He wore a white robe, and above his robe stood a thin military plastic-like coat. It was split in two and had no buttons. It was dark green and it had an image of a long serpent-like black dragon drawn on it.


    ¡°Oh fuck, looks like I was late.¡± His sound echoed around the area, but obviously nobody was there to hear it. He took out his communications device, which unlike the one that Julia had, it had the shape of a square based-pyramid.


    ¡°Hmm. I tried to be fast, but I didn¡¯t make it in time Mark. I have failed the mission.¡± His voice echoed into the device. Not even a breath had passed before a reply could be heard.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ronald, you have tried your best! May I ask you to indicate which direction they are headed?¡±


    ¡°Well Mark, from what I can deduce, it seems they have taken a straight route towards the eastern sector. With their speed, they should arrive there in around two months. What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha. Is that so? That`s very important to know. You actually did a good job man, so need for concerns. I and my friends will make sure to welcome them with an unforgettable party!!¡±


    ¡°Oh and by the way... I have some good news for you directly from the Imperial Palace! For your contribution into this mission, they have now given you two years of paid leave starting from today! You lucky bastard, pack your bags and go enjoy your holiday already! Oh and don¡¯t forget to be gentle with the ladies eh.¡± The voice humorously resonated from the device.


    Ronald had a rather surprised expression, and promptly felt excited about his sudden long term vacation. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand Mark, but since the order came directly from the headquarters, I will definitely be taking up the offer. But, are you sure you will be fine without me? I could sense that Julia Spector was on board. She is a prodigy of the Spector Clan, and her strength should be on par with that of a Kanklar.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, you really worry too much Ronald!! I have everything in hand, and I will definitely not fail. I¡¯ll get going now. I¡¯m out.¡±


    Ronald, immediately put away his device, as he slowly muttered to himself. ¡°Those bastards, did they really believed that we will just sit down and watch them do as they pleased? Bunch of fools. They are so going to regret this!¡±


    ¡°All this could have been simply avoided if the Barracuda clan had bothered to inform us beforehand. We could have sorted things out without going through all this hassle! Anyways, it is useless complaining at this stage, what`s done is done. Time to go and enjoy my little vacation!¡± He instantly soared high up in the sky and then flew away.


    Deep space, inside the base of the scientific research centre, there was a large circular room that was filled with various scientific equipment, making it look exactly like a medical lab. Several scientists could be seen discussing and performing a variety of experiments. In the middle of the room, stood a large solitary wall. Chained against the wall was a young looking man.


    The man was very handsome, had long grey hair, while his eyes looked similar to that of a wolf. He was completely naked except his grey boxers. Several wires could be seen coming out from his body. He stood there quietly, seemingly immobile. When he heard a rumbling sound of an opening door, he turned his gaze to this left to check what`s going on. He stared at the door, as he saw a woman walking out of it. The woman turned her gaze towards him, before she jumped high up and landed directly in front him.


    ¡°Hi there. I am Chief Scientist Julia Spector, the one in charge of this little operation.¡± She said as she smiled like an innocent little girl.


    Hearing this, the face of the man in front of her instantly turned vicious. He struggled to break free and killing intent spread into his eyes. His mouth was moving savagely, but no sound came out, because he was under the influence of a pill of silence. By just observing the movement of his mouth, Julia could easily deduce that he was swearing at her.


    Seeing that his hatred wasn¡¯t reaching her, the young man decided to instead spit in her face. However, before his spit could make contact with her delicate face, it stopped mid-air around ten centimetres away from her face, before falling silently to the ground.


    ¡°Oh dear. You are actually rougher than I was expecting you to be,¡± Julia uttered as she kept smiling.


    Steps could now be heard, as an old man appeared next to her. ¡°Pardon me Julia for interrupting you, but we have already confirmed some facts about this fella.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What is it that you have discovered?¡± Julia promptly said.


    ¡°We have confirmed that in his veins runs the blood of the Barracuda clan. As for whether his body contains what we are looking for, it will take us around one more month of tests to confirm. Moreover, we have discovered that he was known as Konrad on planet Yuba. That is everything we currently know. Once we have more information I will be contacting you. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now Julia. If you ever need anything from me, don¡¯t hesitate to come and find me.¡±


    The old man bowed his head towards Julia, then slowly walked away from her.


    Julia too decided to leave the room. The capture of Konrad Barracuda had left her delighted, because within this man laid dormant a terrible secret, a secret that could throw the whole galaxy into turmoil.

 Chapter 5 - My Way of Fun

    Chapter 5 - My Way of Fun


    Three days had already passed since Kane had been abducted by a secret organisation know as the Scientific Research Centre. In one of the corridors inside the base, a cloud of smoke could be seen, that was leaking out from a particular room. Inside the room, there was a scene that closely resembled that of hell.


    The room was filled with countless flames, and its temperature was over eight hundred degrees. In the middle of this infernal scene, there was a woman that was cross legged busy meditating. She remained there static for hours, before finally getting interrupted by a yell that came from the outside. Instantly hey eyes opened, visibly annoyed. She stood up, as she headed outside the room.  She opened the door, and slowly came out as she moved towards her servant that was around fifty metres away from her.


    Her body was still burning with flames, giving her the appearance of a fire goddess that had just descended. She stopped midway and promptly shouted, ¡°I hope you have a valid reason for interrupting my meditation, otherwise you are courting death!¡±


    The servant bowed to her as she swallowed a mouth of saliva. She was deeply terrified of her. Even at this distance she could feel the unbearable heat, while some parts of her cloths began to turn black. ¡°Ms. Spector, the reason I have interrupted you is because Doctor Vegu is requesting an audience.¡±


    ¡°Oh is that so? Thanks for informing me, I shall attend to him shortly.¡± Julia coolly replied. It was only now that the flames of her body began to fade away, until they totally vanished. Surprisingly enough her cloths were left still intact. She then immediately flew away at a hurried pace.


    Some moments later, she arrived in front of a small room. Inside the room there was a towering stone, which on top of it stood a floating red crystal ball. Around the ball, orbited five smaller blue crystal balls, in a clockwise direction. This construction was actually a high level communications device. Over small distances, normal communications devices would suffice. However, longer distances required devices of a higher calibre, such as this one.


    ¡°Head Chief Scientist Doctor Vegu, I was informed that you requested an audience with me. Please speak.¡± Julia gently spoke to the crystal.


    ¡°Julia, Julia, my dear Julia. How many times do I have to tell you that there is no need for any formality between us?¡± An ancient voice echoed inside the room. ¡°I`ve heard that you succeeded in your mission, is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes Doctor Vegu, the key suspect, a man named Konrad Barracuda has been captured and is currently being detained in the Central lab. We still require some more tests before we confirm that the power we are searching actually resides within him.¡±


    ¡°Well done, well done my darling Julia. Not only you are beautiful and strong, you are also extremely intelligent. That`s why I have sent you directly to take care of this mission, I knew you would succeed.¡±


    Julia promptly giggled, ¡°Oh come on Doctor Vegu, your sense of humour never cease to amaze me. You are making me blush red now.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Vegu is quite the flirty old man isn¡¯t he Julia? Ha ha ha.¡±


    Julia laughed for a while, then she stopped as her voice turned serious, ¡°Oh, Dr. Vegu, there is actually something that I feel I should tell you. When we were on planet Yuba, one of our fighters encountered some expert and was killed by a single blow from his aura.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Dr. Vegu asked in a thoughtful voice, as he continued speaking. ¡°Well, Planet Yuba was an isolated planet, where the people who knew about its existence could be counted on one`s hand. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me that some criminal had escaped to this planet and made it his new home. Our fighter probably annoyed him as he mistook him for a crippled human.¡±


    ¡°That is the most plausible cause,¡± Julia said in agreement. ¡°I was worried that the Imperial forces had managed to track us down.¡±


    ¡°Well Julia, if I were instead of the Imperial forces, I wouldn¡¯t even come out in the open. I would just wait into the shadow, and while you are departing, I would destroy one of the engine crystals, rendering the ship useless. By the time you realised what happened, I would have already fled away from the planet. Without any means to repair your ship, you would have remained stranded on that planet. Don¡¯t forget that there are no Dimensional portals on planet Yuba. Anyways Julia, I will be awaiting your arrival. Whatever happens, please make sure that the key stays alive, at all costs!¡±


    ¡°Understood. As long as I am still alive, I will guarantee you that the mission will be completed without any failures.¡± She then stood up, and left back to her meditation room.


    Gradually, the days kept passing by, and now over a month had already passed.


    Julia was currently relaxing horizontally on a sofa, as she smoked a red cigarette. This cigarette was actually a medicinal pill that when smoked, it would make one`s skin to look younger and fresher. Not that far away from her, in the same room, stood Ozzy. He seemed bored, as he complained aloud. ¡°Seriously, this is just taking too long. I am starting to get annoyed here.¡±


    Julia blew away some smoke from her mouth, as she turned her gaze towards him. ¡±We have a long way to go Ozzy, in less than a month we should be arriving at the eastern sector. However, we would need around two more months to cross to the north east sector and another two months to cross half of the north sector. Don¡¯t forget the ship`s crystal power will only be getting weaker along the way. You can always take a teleportation portal once we arrive at the eastern sector, but I believe Dr. Vegu will not be that pleased if you do that. If you are that bored, you can always go meditate, maybe you will finally manage to break the Kanklar barrier, you lazy punk.¡±


    Ozzy was about to say something, but suddenly the door of their room burst open, as an excited servant came to deliver an important news. ¡°My lords! My lords! I have good news coming from the central lab. It is now confirmed! That guy is the key!¡±


    Julia let out a laugh, ¡°Oh is that so? Well it is hardly surprising at this point. Thanks for the information, but next time, make sure that you knock before you enter. Otherwise I will have to personally teach you some manners.¡±


    The servant face turned white pale, as he nodded in an apologetic way, then quickly left the room.


    Ozzy cooly said, ¡°Mission accomplished.¡±


    Julia promptly interrupted. ¡°It is only accomplished once we return to the Head Quarters.¡±


    Ozzy frowned, as he said, ¡°Come on, you jinx!¡±


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    It was at this instant that Ozzy seemed to have remembered about something. ¡°Julia, now that we have confirmation on the key, I guess it is fine to kill that kid now, right? I really want to send him out in space haha.¡±


    Julia expressed a weird funny look. ¡°Ozzy, we have killed billions of people, and you still want to kill more? Ha ha.¡±


    ¡°Let him live, if he was lucky enough to survive the violet crystal radiator, I guess it was his destiny. I will be selling him to a slave market on planet Magenta. I have actually taken a liking to that kid ha ha.¡±


    Hearing this, Ozzy worriedly said, ¡°What if he speaks out?¡±


    Julia burst into laughter. She stood up and threw away her cigarette. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be making sure that he will never speak out. I am going to pay him a visit right now.¡± She slowly left the room, with an excited look on her face.


    Kane was still locked inside that strange room. His injuries were healed, including that of his right hand. He still couldn¡¯t speak though, and it greatly annoyed him. He was wondering when the effect of the pill would finally start to run out. Suddenly, the door of his room opened, as Julia entered his room, immediately closing the door and resealing the room.


    Kane was rather shocked. For all these days, only the same servant came to visit him each time to provide food and water, who would then leave shortly after. He had always wondered when those two would reappear again and kill him. Perhaps, his moment of death had finally arrived. However, he still felt somewhat grateful towards this woman, because she was the one that saved him when he was about to be killed by Ozzy.


    Julia moved towards Kane, as she slowly bit her sexy lips. She sat down on one of the chairs, then she moved the other chair in front of her, and at the same time invited Kane to sit down. Kane felt a little weird, but obliged with her request and sat down.


    ¡°How old are you kid?¡± Julia suddenly spoke out.


    Kane stared blankly at her. Seeing this, Julia couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes and smile like a little girl. ¡°Oh I forgot, you can¡¯t speak at the moment, how about you show me with your fingers then.¡±


    Kane, hesitated for a moment, then he opened his hands of ten figures, retracted them and then showed up six fingers.


    ¡°Oh you are actually sixteen years old. Such a young age and you already have such an amazing body. May I ask you if you ever had a girlfriend before?¡±


    Kane suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable about the way the conversation was evolving. He shook his head, then lowered his gaze to the ground, clearly nervous.


    Julia kept staring at him for a while, then she stood up, as she moved closely to his bed. She slowly removed her military coat and her shirt. She was now only left with a short skirt and a bra.


    Kane gaze was now locked on her. His carnal desires, which have been dormant for all these years, suddenly emerged. She was such a beauty, and her perfect figure made the inexperienced Kane`s heart to burn with lust.


    She turned her gaze towards him, as she called him. ¡°Let`s have some fun together. Be a good little brother and come to your big sister. Don¡¯t be afraid, it might hurt a little bit, but I promise it will be worth it.¡±


    If Kane was similar to most ordinary men, he would have already jumped on her. However, Kane had never experienced such a situation before, so he was rather cautious in his actions. Still, there was nothing that was holding Kane back. He didn¡¯t have a girlfriend or a wife, so he could freely engage in a sexual relationship without worrying about the later consequences.


    Kane resisted for a moment, but Julia was just too beautiful. He couldn¡¯t resist her body, as he slowly moved towards her. When he was a short distance away from her, she grabbed his right hand as she put it on top of her shoulder.


    ¡°What do you think about my body? Do you like it little brother?¡±


    Kane promptly replied in a stuttering way, ¡°Your¡­body¡­ is so stunning big sister.¡±


    Hearing this, Julia slowly moved his right hand on her right chest, as she slowly murmured. ¡°My left chest is feeling rather lonely now, how about you bring your other hand too.¡±


    Kane, was now breathing heavily, as he reached out his left hand towards her. Then, without any warning, Julia swiftly hurled a powerful kick on Kane`s chest, sending him flying to the other side of the room, as he coughed out soundlessly a mouthful of blood. Kane remained on the floor totally dumbfounded and in deep shock.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you kid, but my way of having fun is different than yours. I like to play games with my little preys.¡± She said as she kept smiling. Shortly after, she exerted a pulling force on Kane`s body. He was immediately pulled towards her, as she grabbed him from his hair. She raised her hand up, with Kane completely suspended in the air. She kept grinning at him. Then she suddenly waved her hand and threw him away towards one of the walls of the room.


    ¡°BOOM¡±~~~~


    A powerful sound echoed throughout the room as Kane body smashed into the wall, then bounced back and fell to the ground.


    Seeing him lifelessly on the ground, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh, since she thought that her fun was now over. She moved towards his bed again and started to dress again. Once she was done, she turned her gaze and a surprise look appeared on her face.


    Even though he was beaten that badly, Kane had stood up again, and his expression was now filled with killing intent. He immediately rushed towards Julia as he unleashed several kicks and punches. However, none of them had connected with her. It seemed like there was an invisible wall in front of her that blocked all of his attacks.


    Still, Kane wasn¡¯t willing to give up, and kept on going. His hands were now visibly bleeding.


    Suddenly, flames emerged out of Julia`s body as they engulfed Kane, who panicked as he tried to turn off the fire. However, while he was distracted trying to put off the flames, Julia threw a powerful punch on his chest. The power employed into this punch was severally higher than before. Half of his ribs had shattered, and a quarter of his bones were instantly smashed into pieces.


    He fell horizontally on the ground, with his body facing the floor, as blood leaked from his mouth. He was now totally incapable of moving, and was on the verge of death. Seeing that he was now totally incapacitated, she calmly moved towards one of the chairs, and slowly sat down.


    She had already decided to educate this kid, about the harsh reality of this galaxy.

 Chapter 6 - The Monologue of Truth

    Chapter 6 - The Monologue of Truth


    Inside Kane`s concealed room were two people. One of them was Kane, who was disabled on the ground, and the other one was the beautiful Julia, who sat quietly on a chair.


    Julia brought out one of her red cigarettes, which she placed on her right`s hand index figure. A small flame erupted from her finger, as she lit the cigarette up and then took in a breath of smoke.


    ¡°As you are most probably already aware, my name is Julia. I form part of an independent organisation called the Scientific Research Centre. Our objective is to perform various scientific experiments throughout the galaxy, with the aim of improving the scientific knowledge of our Human race. This organisation has now existed for hundreds of thousands of years.¡±


    She then inhaled and exhaled another deep breath of smoke as she continued.


    ¡°One of the various scientific projects that our ancestors had started, was the one of genetically modified lifeforms. This was actually a secret project that only the higher ups of the Scientific Research Centre and the higher echelons of the Imperial Empire were aware of. For this project, the then uninhabited planet Yuba was designated as the perfect place to conduct such experiments. Planet Yuba was the ideal candidate because of various reasons. First of all, it was located in the southern sector of the galaxy, a sector which lacks habitable planets and no human clans are stationed within it. This was ideal as it reduced the possibility of unwanted external interference by other humans. The second reason is that it lays within the habitable zone of its star system. The third reason was that out of all the other planetary candidates, the day and year cycle of planet Yuba was almost identical to our standard galactic time, with only a trivial difference of few seconds every century.¡±


    Julia kept chatting, at times taking a small break to smoke. Kane listened attentively to her, even though his body was in terrible pain.


    ¡°My ancestors then brought over animals and vegetation from other planets, and performed numerous genetic tests to alter and assist them in their evolution. This lasted for thousands of years. However, around one hundred thousand years ago, the implementation of this project took a different direction. The scientists started to modify a particular race of apes, and slowly transformed their DNA to resemble that of us humans. In just a period of ten thousand years, the first genetically modified humans had appeared on that planet.¡±


    ¡°We then stood behind the shadows, while we slowly taught your ancestors. We educated them how to tame animals and farm basic food needs. We indirectly thought them our language, time, some of our technologies and basic infrastructure and constructions. You could say that the Scientific Research Centre was like the parental guardian of that planet.¡±


    ¡°However, the real goal of the project was not attained. That is because no matter how much we tried, we didn¡¯t manage to create any of the three forms of powers into your bodies. We had spent thousands of years trying to succeed but we had failed regardless of which approach we took.¡±


    ¡°It was around twenty thousand years ago that we had finally given up and decided to conclude the project. The few remaining scientists left planet Yuba shortly after. Even though we didn¡¯t view you that much different from other animals, we had decided that there was no harm in letting you live. You have been our pets for so long, it was only normal for us to feel some attachment for you.¡±


    ¡°For the remaining years, the modified humans of planet Yuba kept evolving at a rapid pace, even without us as guardians. Slowly you managed to form villages and towns, which were followed by cities and even empires. We were actually amazed by your rapid progress.¡±


    ¡°However, one year ago, we were forced to make a though decision. Following a three day meeting organised by our Higher Scientific Council, we had finally come to an agreement. The decision was to exterminate all living life forms of Planet Yuba.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kane`s eyes widened. Julia`s words triggered a tremor inside his body, like he was suddenly hit by a bolt of lightning. His mind was thrown into total chaos, as tears appeared into his eyes, slowly moving down his face as they mixed with his blood that laid on the floor.


    ¡°It took us a while to prepare for this mission. The galaxy is split into nine sectors, and our Head Quarters is located on a planet in the middle of the northern sector. Since the central sector is a dangerous region, we had to travel all the way around it while passing through four different sectors, until we finally arrived here.¡±


    ¡°When we arrived, we unleashed a powerful weapon that was totally harmless to us. However, for you genetically modified humans, it was more than enough to kill you. All living lifeforms on planet Yuba were instantly annihilated.¡±


    ¡°However there was an exception, and that was you. I don¡¯t know if it was a case of some freak coincidence or if the creators actually took pity on you and instructed the heavens to lend you a hand. Even though you lack the first form of powers, and which I can safely assume you even lack the second and third form of powers, you actually managed to survive. Maybe your physical strength was tough enough to resist the force, or there was some malfunction in the weapon that prevented it from covering the entire planet. In any case, you should really consider yourself lucky to be still alive.¡±


    ¡°Despite that, your future prospects doesn¡¯t look good. You are a basically a total cripple, the weakest strength a human being could possibly be. Among the various clans and Imperial Planets, you will be basically considered a slave which families casually buy as a luxury. Overall, your life will be much worse than it was on planet Yuba.¡±


    Julia then stood up and walked towards Kane. She lowered herself on her knees and placed a yellowish looking pill into his mouth.


    ¡°The pill I gave you is a high level healing pill. Once swallowed, it will heal all your injuries and fractured bones in roughly a week`s time. If you want to die you can always spit it out. In the condition you are, at most you have around two hours left before you succumb to your injuries.  On the other hand, if you want to live and spend all your remaining life as a slave, feel free to swallow it. I will leave the decision up to you.¡±


    Julia then got back straight up, as she slowly moved towards the sealed door of the room. Before she opened the door, she turned her gaze one last time towards him.


    ¡°Let me warn you about something. Just in case you decide that you want to keep on living; I would recommend that you never mention with others what has transpired here over the course of these few weeks. You would only be putting yourself into unnecessary danger. Most people wouldn¡¯t even believe you as they aren¡¯t even aware of the existence of planet Yuba. I am sure you are wondering why I haven¡¯t killed you. Well, I don¡¯t really view you as a threat since you are a cripple. You are far too weak to do anything dangerous against us.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Then she paused for a moment, as a hint of sadness appeared upon her face. She softly said, ¡°Your appearance greatly resembles that of my little brother who died not so long ago.¡± Again, she paused for a few breaths, seemingly lost in thought.


    ¡°I shall be leaving now. Soon we will be arriving on planet Magenta to replenish our supplies. When that time arrives, I will be sending two guards to check upon you. If you are death, I will promise you that they will give you a proper burial so that you can rest in peace. If you are alive, they will be selling you to a nearby slave market.¡±


    Kane could hear the sound of the rumbling door as it slowly opened and reclosed. The pill in his mouth was still solid despite being covered by his saliva. He actually was enjoying the pleasant taste of the pill as he moved it around his mouth. After playing with it in his mouth for a while, he then gave the pill a push with his tongue and swallowed it. Instantly he felt a warm aura that quickly spread throughout his body. He felt his internal organs and bones were already healing, albeit at a slow pace. At first he had his doubts that such a small pill could actually save him, but after experiencing its effects, he instantly felt relieved.


    He had already decided that he wanted to keep on living. It is true that he had lost everything, but he still had the most important thing. And that was his own life! As long as he was alive, he could always rebuild everything from scratch. He could find new friends who would be willing to support him, and maybe even find a foster family who would take care of him.


    Even though in his heart he wished for immediate revenge, he knew that he didn¡¯t have the strength to do it now. But it was his duty to stay alive, because with him laid the sole hope for all those who had died on planet Yuba. If he failed to avenge them, he would be letting all of them down.


    He whispered to himself. ¡°Father¡­ family¡­ friends¡­ all the habitants of planet Yuba, just wait for me. I¡¯ll definitely find a way to avenge all of you! You just have to give me some more time, I¡¯ll promise you I will not disappoint you.¡± He then closed his eyes as he slept on the floor.


    Days kept on slowly passing by. Finally, the base of the scientific research centre had arrived over planet Magenta. The personnel at the command room were currently making the necessary preparations for the landing. Shortly after, the descent had begun. It didn¡¯t take that long for the base to land peacefully on the ground.


    Kane was currently sitting on his bed. He was in good shape, totally recovered. Suddenly, he heard the door of his room open, as two men came inside his room.


    ¡°Oh¡­ his still alive,¡± One of the men promptly said.


    Kane looked at them, then waved his shirt, seemingly telling them that he requires a new set of cloths. The two men looked at each other a little confused.


    ¡°Okay, okay I will bring you a new set of cloths¡­ just wait for me here.¡± One of the men said as he left the room while complaining into his heart.


    Meanwhile, the other man stood guard. It didn¡¯t took long for the first man to arrive with a new sets of cloths, who then gave them to Kane. Kane nodded with a smile, then started changing. The two guards patiently waited outside for him to finish changing.


    ¡°Looks like his done, let`s get moving," one of the guards promptly said as he saw Kane coming out of his room. They moved together through several passageways, before arriving in front of a dimensional portal. They walked through the portal and reappeared outside of another portal that was located at the bottom of the base.


    Kane slowly observed his surroundings. The sky was violet coloured, and in the distance he could see several large violet mountains. The ground around this area was covered by a durable blackish material, and it wasn¡¯t hard to figure that this material was actually man made. However, outside this area, the ground was violet coloured like the rest of the planet landscape. Kane could also finally view the majestic base in its entirety, as last time on planet Yuba he was obstructed by Ozzy.


    The guards started walking, while Kane stared at them in a weird way. One of the guards turned around and asked, ¡°What`s wrong?¡± The face of the other guard turned red in embarrassment as he said, ¡°Regretfully, we aren¡¯t yet strong enough to engage in flight. I fear you have to walk with us.¡± Kane instantly frowned, then walked behind them in a hurried pace.


    They kept walking nonstop for three hours. On their way they had passed through several villages and towns. All the surrounding vegetation was yellowish in colour, and there were all sorts of weird animals that Kane had never seen before in his life.


    Finally they had arrived on the outskirts of a large city. The guards at the city walls stopped them for verification. It was then when one of the men showed his Scientific Research Centre Emblem. The city guards immediately recognized the emblem, and allowed them to pass. They kept moving ahead until they appeared in front of a long tower. They entered inside, and in the reception they saw an old man who was wobbling on his chair.


    ¡°Greetings, greetings my dear customers! Welcome to my shop!  If you need any¡­¡± the old man was immediately interrupted by one of the men.


    ¡°We hail from the Scientific Research Centre. We have found a cripple along our way, and we decided to hand him to you for free. I am sure you will be able to find a new home for him. We are leaving now.¡±


    The other man turned towards Kane as he said, ¡°We are leaving now young chap. I wish you all the best for your future.¡±


    The eyes of the old man instantly flashed with delight. ¡°Woohoo, you of the Scientific Research Centre are always so generous. If you ever need some exotic ingredients, come and find me, I will definitely be of an assistance!¡±


    Both men nodded to the old man and departed the shop. The old man instantly woke up and slowly approached Kane, whilst waving the index finger of his left hand towards his face.


    ¡°You are lucky young fella! You are lucky young fella! An old time friend of mine, had just lost a servant and is on the lookout for a new one. He requested my help two days ago. Who would have thought I would find him one so easily! Ha Ha.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry young fella! My friend is a real gentlemen and the clan he hails from treats its servants with respect, unlike the majority of clans on this planet. I will be sending a messenger to inform his clan immediately, and they should come and pick you up in the coming days. Until then you can enjoy living here.¡±


    Hearing this, Kane nodded in agreement as he smiled. Perhaps, his dream of finding a new family wasn¡¯t that far away.

 Chapter 7 - My New Friends

    Chapter 7 - My New Friends


    After conversing alone for a while, the old man invited Kane to sit down on a nearby chair. Kane duly complied.


    ¡°My name is Titu, and I am the little boss of this tower. Here we sell all types of stuff you could possibly imagine. Need pills? Weapons? Armor? Recipes? Crystals? Just poke this old man, and he will find anything you wish for. Of course, as long as you pay for it that is.¡±


    The old man was clearly showing off in front of Kane. As he finished speaking, he turned towards Kane, ¡°Hey young man, you haven¡¯t said anything yet¡­ no need to be that shy, you`re acting like you are in front of a sexy beauty ha ha. So how about you tell me a little about yourself? What is your name? Which clan are you from?¡±


    Kane instantly put up a funny hopeless expression, as he pointed his index finger towards his mouth. Titu stared at him puzzled. ¡°What!? Are you saying that something got stuck into your throat?¡± Titu curiously asked. Kane still patient, shook his head, clearly indicating that it wasn¡¯t the case. He then put his thumb and index finger together in a form of a circle, then put them in and out of his mouth and afterwards he moved his hand up and down his throat. What he wanted to tell him was that he swallowed a pill that silenced him. Titu stared at him with shock, before he uttered, ¡°You actually did that stuff¡­ and developed an infection?¡±


    Hearing this, Kane`s face turned pale, and his calm expression immediately turned into that of irritation. Who knows what kind of perverted stuff the mind of Titu was currently imagining at this moment! Kane`s angry gaze fell upon Titu whilst shaking his head denying it. It was only now that the old man eyes flashed, like he had just received some kind of illumination. ¡°Oh! Oh! Now I understand, you actually took a pill, and it silenced you!¡±


    Kane had already given up trying to explain what happened to this old man. However, after Titu`s words reached Kane`s ears, his hopeless expression immediately turned into one of delight. Kane nodded happily as a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face.


    ¡°Bullshit! Bullshit! I have seen all kinds of pills, and there are no such pills that can silence people! You can fool everyone kid, but you can¡¯t fool me! I am an expert that specialises in the field of pills and herbs! I know you are mute, so there is no need to try and hide it with stupid lies.¡± Titu said in anger and disgust.


    ¡°This old man is really hopeless,¡± Kane whispered in his heart, whilst at the same time decided not to keep arguing with Titu. He frowned, then laid back totally relaxing his head on his chair. He was wondering though, that for an expert not to be aware of such a pill, could only mean that the pills created by the Scientific Research Centre were truly something else.


    ¡°Well kid, you being a mute might be a bit problematic. There is a risk that the clan taking you might actually reject you now. I will do my best to convince them that you have the qualities though, so no need for concerns. Go up to the eight floor, you will find an empty room there. That shall be your room for your entire stay at this tower.¡± Kane nodded thankfully towards the old man, then started climbing the tower. It was only eight floors, but it actually took him a long while to completely climb all of them. The room allocated to him was simple and decorated with weird ornaments. There was only one window in the room. Kane walked towards it, and was instantly fascinated by the panoramic view of the whole city. In the middle of the city, was a huge stone eagle, and on its head were carved the following words: ''Violet Eagle City''.


    For the next few days, the tower became Kane`s temporary home. He lived on the 8th floor along with the servants of Titu. The hospitality offered by Titu`s servants was actually quite impressive. Kane was given all kind of appetizing food and his daily needs were constantly satisfied. This prince-like life actually made him feel suspicious of them. It was too nice to be true, but yet it was!


    While he spent most of his time on the 8th floor, Kane was sometimes allowed to venture to the higher floors. On each floor there was a shopkeeper in charge of the various merchandises that were for sale. The type of goods sold varied from floor to floor and the most mysterious materials and weapons were sold on the top floors.


    This was the perfect opportunity for Kane to get familiar with some of the products of this planet. He managed to memorise the names of various pills and herbs, thanks to the captions that were written at the bottom of each item. From the same captions, Kane could straightforwardly deduce that the currency of this planet was the ¡°Pira¡±. Most items ranged from few Piras to astronomical figures of millions of Piras.


    However, the object that impressed Kane the most was a solitary item being sold on the 20th and highest floor of the tower. It looked like a small white pearl, and under it there was a caption that read as follows: ¡°Seed of life. Price Tag ¨C 20,000,000,000 Piras¡±. He speculated that for something this small to cost this much, it must surely be some kind of extraordinary treasure. However, in his present state Kane couldn¡¯t even buy the cheapest items, yet alone this thing!


    Days kept on passing by, and it was now already the seventh day of Kane`s stay at the tower. He was relaxing on a nearby couch when he heard the steps of someone approaching him. It was Titu, who came to deliver an important update.


    ¡°Hey young man, I have good news for you. The Elders of the Zafisi clan have accepted you as their servant with immediate effect. Ha ha, I would advise that you go prepare yourself, as they should be arriving later on today to pick you up. Just ask my servants if you need any cloths.¡± Titu smiled, while Kane kept staring calmly at him. ¡°What are you waiting for!? Ha ha move your ass off and go prepare already!!!¡± Titu laughed out. Tears appeared in Kane`s eyes, as he bowed thankfully towards Titu. Kane didn¡¯t waste any more time as he headed straightaway towards his room.


    Few hours later, Kane was patiently waiting together with Titu at the ground floor of the tower. Kane was visibly anxious and appeared rather agitated, whilst his gaze was locked on Titu. Upon noticing this, Titu exhaled as he uttered, ¡°I know what you are thinking. You want to stay here with me in this tower. However, I believe that your future would be much better at the Zafisi clan. The previous Patriarch of the Zafisi clan was a good friend of mine, and we had our share of good times together. I still can¡¯t fathom how he managed to get himself killed on that day¡­ Sigh¡­ Helping his clan is the least I could do for him now. I believe a young servant such as you would be an asset for the Zafisi clan. Don¡¯t be afraid, they shouldn¡¯t treat you any worse than I did.¡±


    Titu was then interrupted by an approaching rumbling sound. ¡°Oh ha ha, looks like they have arrived, let`s go greet them young lad.¡± Titu immediately stood out as he walked outside of the tower. Kane followed closely behind him.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.A small carriage was outside waiting for them. It was made from some weird type of wood, it had four wheels and its build was very simple. Pulling the carriage were six strange yellowish coloured animals. For Kane, these identical animals looked like an amalgamation of horses, lions and dogs.


    A small cracking sound was heard, as one of the door of the carriage opened. A middle aged man came out of it, then he bowed respectfully towards Kane and Titu. Titu was the first to break the silence. ¡°Oliver! You have finally arrived. You are actually quite early ha ha. I hope you haven¡¯t met any obstacles along your journey.¡±


    ¡°Elder Oliver Zafisi pays his respects.¡± The middle aged man said happily as he continued, ¡°The journey was a peaceful one thank you.¡± He then turned his gaze towards Kane. ¡°I believe that young man standing next to you is the promised servant, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed he is. He has already prepared himself and is ready to come with you. Just keep in mind that these parts are rather new for him, so be sure you teach him the basic stuff.¡± He then turned towards Kane, ¡°The time has come to bid farewell young fella. Don¡¯t forget to come visit me from time to time¡­ or I might get angry ha ha. Take care pal.¡±


    Kane bowed respectfully one last time, then he walked towards Oliver. Afterwards, they both climbed into the carriage, as the carriage driver prepared to leave. From the window of the carriage, Kane stared towards Titu one last time, as tears began to drop from his eyes. Ever since the calamity of planet Yuba, Kane always felt lonely and in danger. Titu was the first person that made Kane feel safe and valued, and for that reason alone he felt very grateful towards Titu. Kane would never forget this benevolence. The carriage started moving, then it quickly accelerated and disappeared into the distance.


    Meanwhile, Titu who had just entered back into the tower, was greeted by three of his servants. The oldest looking servant nodded respectfully towards Titu, then he spoke.


    ¡°Lord Titu, while we aren¡¯t questioning your orders, we are still very curious to know why you, the City Patriarch, have taken such a liking to that kid...to the extent that you forced us to serve him.¡±


    Titu laughed out. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ yes, yes I went a little overboard ha ha. I even forbade you to reveal my identity. I so love keeping the low profile ha ha.¡± He kept laughing to himself.


    ¡°Well¡­ I admit that I exaggerated with my pretending, but I had my own reasons. Ever since the guards at the gates notified me of the presence of officers from the SRC (Scientific Research Centre), I became worried, because those bastards are always up to no good. That`s why I have decided to hurry myself towards the tower to greet them. After all I am the City Patriarch, and it is my duty to protect my citizens.¡±


    ¡°In the past, this tower used to be a slave market, but one year ago I had lost my patience and ended up kicking all those traffickers out of my city. It is now my personal private shop, but those at the SRC shouldn¡¯t have yet been aware of this.¡±


    He then walked away from them while he softly muttered, ¡°About that young man, he seems ordinary, but my instinct tells me he will be of great asset to the Zafisi clan. I don¡¯t know exactly how, but that kid might actually be the catalyst needed for the revival of the Zafisi clan¡­¡±


    Titu smiled whilst whispering to himself, ¡°I will definitely be missing him.¡±


    Meanwhile, Kane was sitting inside the carriage together with Oliver, as it marched outside Violet Eagle City. Oliver was busy reading some weird book, while Kane kept observing the outside landscape from his window. At one point Oliver closed his book as he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°The Journey will be a long one. It will take us around three days of Galactic time to arrive at Violet Tiger City.¡± Kane gave him a rather curious look. Oliver smiled as he explained.


    ¡°This is planet Magenta, located in the Eastern Sector of the Galaxy. There are several main cities located around this planet. The city we just left is one of the main cities and is named Violet Eagle City. We are now heading to the nearby Capital City of planet Magenta, Violet Tiger City. It is the biggest city on this planet, and the headquarters of our clan is located within it.¡±


    ¡°We are the Zafisi clan, one of the three strongest clans in Violet Tiger City, along with the Dabsika and Dorba clans. We have a long history that stretches out for thousands of years. Actually, until a few decades ago, we used to be the strongest clan in the city, but after an unfortunate event we declined in strength.¡±


    ¡°Regarding your duties, they will be explained in more detail once we arrive at the clan`s headquarters. Until then, you can relax and enjoy this journey.¡±


    Oliver then reopened his book and started reading again. Along the way, they passed through several small villages, sometimes stopping for a while since Kane had to accommodate his daily needs at the several public stations located for passers-by. It was at this point that Kane realised that Oliver never ate or drank anything, which made Kane a little puzzled. Oliver noticed this, as he patiently clarified.


    ¡°I can survive without eating, drinking and even breathing for long stretches of time, since my main source of energy comes from my cultivation centre. However, you lack an active cultivation centre, so your energy must come from natural sources.¡±


    Kane nodded his head thankfully for this explanation. Along the way, he kept pondering on what exactly was a cultivation centre. He immediately understood that for him to become stronger, one day he had to form his own cultivation centre. He had already decided to learn more about the properties of a cultivation centre once they arrived at the capital city.


    Slowly the three galactic days passed by. After emerging through a small road within a mountain ridge, Kane could finally get a glimpse of Violet Tiger City. If one had to describe the vastness of this city, the word enormous would be an understatement.


    Seeing Kane astonished face, Oliver burst out laughing, ¡°Impressed by the size of our capital city eh? According to latest statistics the size of this city is around thirty thousand square kilometres. Truly remarkable isn¡¯t it? And don¡¯t forget, this will be the place you will be living throughout the rest of your life!¡±


    As they advance further down towards the city, Kane couldn¡¯t help but not notice that instead of city walls, there were just long towers in the shape of conical frustums, and each of these towers were roughly one kilometre apart from each other. On each one of these towers, there was a person. Every one of them was crossed-legged seemingly meditating.


    As the carriage approached one of these towers, a middle aged woman that was sitting on the tower slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Hmm¡­ I have never sensed this presence before. Must be a new visitor.¡± She then smiled as she uttered to herself, ¡°Welcome to our Violet Tiger City. Hope you will enjoy your stay.¡±

 Chapter 8 - The Zafisi Clan

    Chapter 8 - The Zafisi Clan


    ¡°Grawl! Grawl!¡± The visibly tired beasts immediately roared in delight as they stepped into the city. They knew that the journey would soon come to an end and they will finally be able to rest. ¡°Ho Ho! Ho Ho! Almost there, Almost there! Keep marching my children!¡± The man driving the carriage shouted in encouragement.


    ¡°As noisy as ever,¡± Oliver said whilst smiling. Kane nodded in agreement as he soundlessly let out a small laugh. He was still under the effect of the silence pill.


    The carriage barged fast throughout the city. Along the way, Kane was already getting familiar with the various buildings and locations. Of course, this was just a small glimpse of this part of the City. Actually memorising such a large city, would take even the brightest geniuses over ten years at least.


    From one of the windows, Kane saw a weird mountain that came from within the city. However, upon further inspection, he realised that it was actually a statue of a fierce tiger! Forget about greatness, the existence of this statue made the likes of statues such as that of Frederick IX look like shit!


    The carriage kept going on for an hour, before it came to a halt. Oliver promptly said, ¡°We have arrived kid. Let`s get down.¡±


    They stepped down from the carriage as Oliver left to thank the carriage driver one last time. Kane took this opportunity to explore his surroundings. Ahead of him was a gate of a large circular wooden wall, which encompassed a large area within it. There were several wood constructions inside, and in the middle of the area stood a large wooden constructed palace. On top of the gate, artistically written was a caption that read: ¡°Zafisi Clan.¡±


    As both of them entered the palace, they were instantly greeted by two little girls that rushed out from a nearby shop. ¡°Daddy! Daddy! You have finally arrived! We missed you!¡± as they both jumped up on Oliver hugging him. Oliver felt overjoyed as he lowered himself to hug them, ¡°I have missed you too¡­ my two little flowers.¡± Kane stared at them for a while, until he noticed an old man and a middle aged woman approaching, who immediately yelled at her children.


    ¡°You two little rascals! Who told you to leave the shop without first asking for my permission!?¡±


    Oliver turned his gaze towards his enraged wife, then he quietly stood up and coolly replied, ¡°Come on Tania, they haven¡¯t seen me for all this time, they were eagerly waiting for my return¡­¡± However, he was immediately interrupted by the angry Tania.


    ¡°That`s what I hate about you the most, you always defend these two little brats. They are already disobeying us now, I can¡¯t imagine how they are going to treat us when they grew older!¡± Tania turned her gaze to the left as she put up a stubborn expression.


    Oliver put his right hand after his head as he slowly itched his hair in embarrassment. ¡°Come on Tania, aren¡¯t you exaggerating a little with your reaction?¡±


    However, Tania totally ignored Oliver. After a while she turned and looked straight into Kane`s eyes. ¡°Is that kid the promised servant?¡±


    Oliver nodded his head in agreement.


    ¡°Good, come with us kid, we will be taking you to the head servant, he will tell you everything you need to know.¡± Tania calmly said.


    ¡°No wait Tania! It is normal practice that new servants meet with the Matriarch of the clan,¡± Oliver immediately stated.


    Tania`s face showed a worried expression. ¡°The Matriarch isn¡¯t really in a good shape at the moment. In my opinion we shouldn¡¯t interrupt her rest.¡±


    ¡°I agree with your reasoning Tania, but I would be disobeying her orders if I don¡¯t bring this youngster to her. It was her who summoned me to fetch him from Violet Eagle City, and it was also her who requested me to bring him to her once we arrived back.¡±


    Oliver then looked towards his two little daughters, whilst he placed his hands on their heads. ¡°Be patient and wait obediently with your mother. I have a small matter to attend to, then I will return back to home.¡± The two adorable girls nodded gracefully.


    Oliver made a hand gesture towards Kane signalling that it`s time to start moving again. Both of them then walked away from the rest and went deeper into the lands of the Clan. They kept walking until they arrived before the middle palace. The guards at the palace gate saluted them, whilst Oliver nodded respectfully.


    ¡°Elder Oliver and this youngster request an audience with the Matriarch of the Clan. It was her grace that summoned us.¡±


    Upon hearing Oliver`s words, one of the guards calmly said, ¡°We are already aware of this. Quick, follow me, I will be taking you to her.¡± Both Oliver and Kane followed the guard inside the Palace. Kane was impressed by the grandiosity of this Palace. Its art, architecture and decorations made it look like being in a land of dreams.


    Shortly after, they arrived ahead of a large door. Two other guards were standing in front of the door, as one of them opened it. Oliver quietly entered into the room, followed by Kane.


    In the heavily decorated room, there was a large bed, and laying silently in the bed was a middle aged woman. She looked very weak, like she was suffering from sort of terminal sickness. She struggled to turn her head towards them, then she smiled and weakly spoke.


    ¡°You have finally arrived Oliver. I presume that this is the kid that the Patriarch of Violet Eagle City Titu promised me right?¡±


    Kane gaped in disbelief towards the Matriarch. Countless of questions suddenly popped into Kane`s mind. ¡°Titu? Patriarch???! He was such a big shot?!¡±


    Seeing Kane`s dumbfounded expression, the Matriarch laughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t be that shocked kid, Patriarch Titu has an eccentric personality and he likes to live in simplicity. I am actually not surprised that he hid everything from you.¡± Both she and Oliver continued laughing, whilst Kane simultaneously put up a bizarre smile on his face.


    Shortly after, the Matriarch looked towards Kane for a while. She kept staring into his eyes, seemingly inspecting him. ¡°Not bad¡­ Not bad¡­ You will make a fine addition to our servant squad. I approve of you. Oliver take him downstairs so that he meets Head Servant Colin.¡±


    ¡°Understood Matriarch Tracy. Hurry up youngster, follow me.¡±


    Oliver and Kane bowed respectfully, then left the room. The Matriarch smiled whilst she watched them leave, then she rested and closed her eyes.


    Both of them walked down towards the basement. ¡°The Basement of this Palace is the residence where the servants of the Zafisi clan live. Of course, there will be times where you will be assigned outside duties, but those will be kept to a minimum.¡± Once at the basement, they walked towards a large room, then Oliver knocked on the door, before opening it. Inside the room were around fifty servants. The servants all had different ages and genders. They immediately recognize Elder Oliver.


    ¡°Greetings Elder Oliver,¡± they all stood up as they shouted together, like a choir.


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    Oliver spoke calmly, ¡°I am just passing by¡­ I just have a small matter I need to discuss with Colin. Please continue.¡± Both Oliver and Kane kept walking towards the other exit of the room. Kane couldn¡¯t help but not notice that all the gazes of the servants were locked tightly on him. Some of them were whispering into each other¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Oh? That must be the new recruit?¡±


    ¡°His younger than I thought, that is a good thing right?¡±


    ¡°I was expecting him to have a tougher body ¡­ but as long as he fulfil his duties, I don¡¯t really care that much.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ his actually quite handsome.¡±


    Kane just pretended he wasn¡¯t listening and ignored them, as he kept moving together with Oliver, until they arrived into a small room. In the room stood an old man, and next to him there was a small kid that was totally lost in concentration.


    ¡°Elder Oliver, what a surprise!¡± The old man stood up to greet him.


    Oliver was now clearly exhausted and in need of a rest. ¡°Colin I wish to chat with you privately.¡±


    He then leaned towards Kane, ¡°I will be leaving now youngster. If you ever need me you can find me at the clan`s inn between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. Oh¡­ and by the way, welcome to the Zafisi clan.¡±


    Oliver then left the room along with Colin. Kane was now alone together with the young kid. The kid was standing up, with both palms of his hands positioned straight out perpendicular to his chest. His eyes were closed and he had a slightly nervous expression. He kept in this position for like five minutes, sometimes biting his tongue out of frustration. Suddenly, a small glass that was upon a chair roughly three metres away from him, started vibrating. The kid`s mood immediately changed into a positive one as he kept focusing.


    ¡°Come on baby! A little more¡­ a little more¡­¡±


    Kane kept staring at him, wondering what the kid was up to. The kid somewhat felt Kane`s gaze was upon him, as he annoyingly opened his left eye whilst shouting.


    ¡°Hey you! What are you looking at? Stop gazing at me. You are making me nervous!¡±


    Kane smiled as he pretended to turn his gaze away, but he was still secretly spying on the kid.


    All of a sudden, the glass levitated as it was pulled straight towards the kid`s hand. The kid opened his eyes as he prepared to grab it. However, he was distracted by the sudden cough of the returning Colin, and the kid totally lost control of his movements.


    SPLASH~~~~~ BLING¡­ BLING¡­ BLING¡­~~~ Various sound were heard as the small pieces of glass spread out across the floor. The kid frowned comically in disbelief.


    ¡°Damn it! I was so close! Why you had to come in now!? And above all that, you had to cough too!?¡± The kid screamed in anger.


    Colin didn¡¯t say anything, but instead he started laughing crazily. Kane, who appeared like he was viewing a little play, couldn¡¯t resist anymore and he too laughed out soundlessly at the kid. The kid who was already furious, couldn¡¯t take it anymore and left the room whilst stomping his feet.


    ¡°His still young and he has a bright future ahead. However, he is a little clumsy when it comes to concentrating. I coughed in purpose to see if he could still manage to grab the glass but he failed. He needs to work much harder.¡±


    ¡°Well then, welcome to the Zafisi Clan Youngster. My name is Colin, and I am the head servant of the clan. I am the one in charge of all the servants here.¡±


    ¡°Oliver already gave me a brief description about you, so I will not be taking a lot of your time. Here take this.¡± Colin threw a key towards Kane. ¡°That is the key of room number 21, which will be your room from now on. I have also left some cloths there for you.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow you will be off duty. I encourage you to use this opportunity to grow a little familiar with the surroundings of our clan. The day after tomorrow, you will be doing some cleaning in the Palace. Let me remind you that this planet takes roughly three galactic days to complete one revolution onto its axis, so at times you will be working totally in the dark. In view of this, I recommend that you keep a watch on you to keep track of time. The last thing I wanted to bring to your attention is that every month, you will be receiving 500 Piras as compensation money.¡±


    ¡°You can leave now.¡± Colin coolly said as he relaxed on top of his chair.


    Kane nodded in agreement, then left to his room, and shortly after he took a deep rest. When he woke up, it was early morning on his watch, but the light outside appeared like it was late afternoon. He went outside for a stroll as he began inspecting the various buildings. After some walking, he arrived in front of a large farm. At the entrance of the farm, he observed a notice that read: ¡°Gululu farm¡±.


    Kane curiously entered the farm to inspect it. There he saw camel-like animals, without the humps, but with much bigger spherical heads. He slowly approached towards one of them to examine it better. As he saw it eating with such a funny head, Kane couldn¡¯t restrain himself from laughing. Unfortunately for Kane, what he didn¡¯t know was that these Gululus were highly intelligent animals, much more than the familiar dogs. Although Kane made no sound, the Gululu could still figure out that this young man was laughing at it. Slowly, the Gululu approached Kane, then suddenly, without any warning, it spit out its digested food accompanied by the disgusting saliva, that totally covered Kane`s face.


    Kane`s entire body turned green, and he started to feel dizzy. He panicked, as he quickly rushed towards a big tank that was filled with milky-like water. He rapidly cleaned his face with the tank`s water, as a sign of relief appeared on his face. He had never before suffered such form of humiliation in his whole life!


    Meanwhile, an old man who happened to be sitting on a rock near this water tank, stared at him in disbelief. ¡°I know you young ones are adventurous, and you like to do stupid things¡­ but I cannot understand the idea of bathing your face in that tank. Do you know that this tank is filled with the urine of the Gululus?¡±


    When he heard this, Kane`s body turned stiff and became completely paralysed, then it started to shiver. Shortly after, he stood up, as he ran straight towards the Gululu, like a fierce predator preparing to tear the Gululu apart into tiny pieces of flesh. However, when he was only about one metre away from the Gululu, it swiftly did a double-barrel kick that landed on Kane`s chest. Kane was thrown into the air and landed around six metres away onto the ground. It was only now that Kane understood that this was a lost cause. He gathered his remaining strength, then he ran away almost crying towards the Palace. The Gululu raised its head proudly, apparently happy about the outcome of this little skirmish.


    This was the start of Kane`s short period of peace at the Zafisi clan. Of course, this period of peace didn¡¯t exclude the possibility of random misfortunes such as what ensued today at the Gululu farm.

 Chapter 9 - The Rescue

    Chapter 9 - The Rescue


    Patches of water vapour could be seen hovering inside a room that was located at the basement of the Zafisi Clan Palace. In the middle of the room, there was a large pond of warm freshwater, which was covered by a small layer of fog. Bathing inside the pond, there was a young man. His head and arms were resting against the stone wall of the pond, whereas the rest of his body was totally immersed in the water. His eyes were closed and his facial expression was one of total relaxation.


    This young man was none other than Kane Barker, who was busy releasing his tension. What transpired a few hours ago at the Gululu farm left him totally humiliated, not to mention the minor injuries he had sustained. At the same time, this incident served him as a lesson. This was a very different planet when compared to his home planet Yuba. He still didn¡¯t know anything about the various life forms that lived on this planet and the location of the different danger zones. He had already decided that next time he ventured into the unknown, he would firstly obtain information about that place. He had to be extremely vigilant, without showing any hint of overconfidence.


    Suddenly, the door of the room burst open as two young female servants rushed into the room. The one in front was laughing whilst she ran holding the hand of the other servant, apparently pulling her. The face of the other servant was scarlet red. Their sudden intrusion alarmed Kane, but upon seeing that they were just servants, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    After moving for a while, the woman in front turned her gaze towards the pond.


    ¡°Oh! So sorry! Oh dear this is so embarrassing! I just wanted to fetch some cloths I had forgotten in this room, I had no idea that someone else was currently bathing! I will be leaving immediately.¡±


    Needless to say, Kane immediately realised that their sudden intrusion was done deliberately. Their acting actually sucked pretty hard.


    The leading servant turned around and started heading towards the door again, whilst at the same time she was laughing and pulling her companion in a funny way. When the leading servant noticed that her companion`s face was crimson red, she instantly shouted to tease her. ¡°Come on Monica! Move your ass! Why are you staring at him!?¡± as she kept running and giggling. Most people would have thought that it was impossible for Monica`s face to turn even more redder, but it actually did! They finally exited the room as they closed the door behind them with a bang. Seeing all this, Kane couldn¡¯t resist not smiling.


    ¡°Audrey you! You devil! That was too embarrassing!!! How did you even thought about doing something like that!¡± Monica screamed to her companion.


    ¡°Ha ha that was so funny¡­ too bad he was in the pond, I wanted to see more of his body!¡± Audrey replied giggling. Monica was visibly annoyed at her companion, but at the same time there was a hint of a smile on Monica`s face. ¡°Come on Monica, you know I am a little naughty,¡± Audrey said as she hugged her companion. ¡°Life here could be a little boring, it is up to us to make it more fun. Now we better hurry and get ourselves back to work, because if Colin notices we are here slacking he will definitely be mad at us!¡± Both of them immediately ran away while laughing.


    Roughly two hours later.


    Kane exited the pond, then he slowly dressed up. He left the room and slowly walked as he explored the rooms that happened to be on his way. In one of these rooms, a somewhat tattered poster caught his attention, as he approached it to inspect it. Kane`s eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Servants Sword Tournament?¡± he whispered in his heart. He immediately picked up the poster and hurried towards Colin`s office.


    Colin was currently reading a book when Kane`s steps interrupted him. ¡°Oh, you`re back. How was your little excursion outside the palace then?¡±


    Hearing this Kane frowned and pressed both of his lips together. It seemed like that Colin`s question had reminded him about an event he had just forgotten. Colin noticed that something wasn¡¯t right and immediately asked, ¡°Did something happened?¡±


    Kane shook his head denying, then he put out the poster on the table, as he repeatedly poked his index finger on the poster. Colin glanced at the poster with a peculiar expression.


    ¡°Oh. That`s the Servants Sword Tournament. You know, every three years a tournament is held at the City`s arena. There are two different tournaments, one is the Young Genius Tournament, where the strongest youngsters below 23 years of age fight with all their might, and the other is the Servants Sword Tournament, where any cripple can take part of, irrespective of age. It so happens that the next Tournament will be the servant¡¯s one and it is planned to start in eight months¡¯ time.¡± Colin calmly explained.


    When he heard this, Kane eyes flashed with excitement and anticipation. Kane`s behaviour surprised Colin as he uttered softly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you are interested in participating?¡±


    Without any hesitation Kane nodded his head in agreement.


    ¡°Have you ever used a sword before?¡± Colin asked curiously. Kane frowned as he shook his head.


    ¡°Then how are you supposed to take part in a ¡®sword¡¯ tournament if you have never used a sword before?¡± Colin asked in a somewhat mocking way. However, Kane had already decided and he kept insisting in participating. Colin let out a small sigh as he uttered, ¡°Ok, listen, let`s make a deal. I will be giving you access to our sword room. There you will be able to use some of the clan`s swords for your training. The sword room is actually the training room of Charles Hearn, the strongest servant of our clan. He is currently outside of the city on orders of the Matriarch, and he should be returning back around one week before the start of the tournament.¡±


    Kane instantly felt thrilled, whilst Colin continued with his speech.


    ¡°Let us be clear about something. I will be allowing you to train for three months. If by then you are still interested in participating, come and find me and I will immediately send someone to enlist your name. Just make sure that any training you do is done after you complete your daily duties. If by any chance I notice you have been slacking around, I would definitely punish you by prohibiting your participation.¡±


    Colin then gave him the key of the sword room and the general directions of the room. Kane nodded joyfully and gratefully towards Colin, then immediately left.


    ¡°This young man, is really strange¡­¡± Colin whispered into his heart, before he grabbed the book again to continue reading.


    Kane arrived at the sword room and instantly closed the door behind him to avoid any undesirable interruptions. He quickly inspected the room. In one of the corners of the room he found several different type of swords, which he examined one by one. The sword that he felt most comfortable with was a long one handed silver sword, that had a small green crystal gem engraved on it. It was nowhere as impressive compared to the sword Gregory Belly had back then on planet Yuba, but it was still good enough for him.


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    He then grabbed onto the sword and gave it a few swings to test it out. He was instantly pleased by the results and began to swing it harder and faster. Although the design of the sword was simple, he could feel that the power employed within it was beyond his expectations.


    Time slowly passed by, as Kane remained totally immersed into his training. His desire to fight, which had been forever suppressed within him, had finally been unleashed, motivating him to keep on training.


    Meanwhile, on another green planet far away from planet Magenta, the atmosphere was beginning to turn tense.


    On the ground there were hundreds of tents, and each of these tents had the symbol of a black serpent dragon drawn on it. In front of the tents there were around one thousand fighters, while higher in the sky stood another one thousand fighters. Two men high up in the sky were leading the armies, and one of them was wearing the green black serpent dragon military coat. Both of them were looking at the sky, patiently waiting.


    Suddenly a flash of light appeared into the sky, as a huge base dropped from the sky onto the nearby ground, creating a powerful shockwave that rattled the surrounding area. If Kane was here he would instantly recognize the base, it was none other than the base of the SRC!


    Shortly after the landing, a dimensional portal formed as a woman came out from it. She looked like a demoness, as her angry gaze swept the area, until it finally stopped on the man with the green coat.


    ¡°How many years has it been Julia,¡± the man with the green coat said in a very casual way.


    ¡°Shut your mouth Mark Bordas. I hope you have a valid reason for interrupting our journey. Why have you issued a high level imperial order for us to land here?¡± Julia furiously asked.


    ¡°Oh my! Such hostility Julia¡­ I don¡¯t need anything from you in particular, but it so happens that this man standing next to me is actually searching for a subordinate of his. He had politely asked for my assistance, and since I am a true gentleman, I duly agreed to help him. Then I remembered of you dear ones of the SRC, so I came here to greet you, maybe who knows, you might actually be of an assistance to us.¡± Mark said sarcastically as he signalled the man next to him to speak.


    ¡°My name is Frank Barracuda, one of the elders of the Barracuda clan. I am looking for Konrad Barracuda, and according to our intel, he should now be on your ship. Hence, we are demanding his release with immediate effect!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Julia twitched her eyes slightly, as flames began roaring out of her body. ¡°You¡­ You¡­ Bastards!¡± Julia angrily shouted, as her battle aura was suddenly unleashed. The weaker fighters on the ground quivered with fear, whilst the weakest fighters couldn¡¯t even resist the aura as they started vomiting blood.


    ¡°What are you trying to do Julia? Are you going to start fighting against the Imperial Government?¡± Mark asked mockingly.


    ¡°I am not afraid of you Mark. We may have been evenly matched in the past, but now I am more than confident that I can beat you. You don¡¯t even stand a chance against me¡­¡±


    She was, however, immediately interrupted by Mark, who was now losing his patience. ¡°Cut the crap Julia! You of the SRC should know your place already! Who do you think you are, to talk to me with such an attitude? I represent the Imperial Government, the strongest human organisation of the entire galaxy! All our warriors hail from the greatest clans of the galaxy. We are the protectors of the galaxy! We aren¡¯t murderers like you shits of the SRC!¡±


    Then he paused for a moment, before speaking calmly. ¡°Now, be a good girl, and bring Konrad Barracuda out.¡±


    ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Julia asked arrogantly.


    ¡°Right, you know you can¡¯t refuse. Besides, I am not the only one here.¡± Mark coolly replied.


    Julia was cursing into her heart. ¡°Damn it, this was unexpected. If I release Konrad Barracuda we would be failing the mission, after all the effort we spent to capture him! On the other hand, if I fight openly against them, it would be considered an act of open aggression against the Imperial Government, and the higher authority of the Imperial government will surely punish me!¡±


    It was at this instance that an ancient voice was heard, originating from one of the tents below on the ground. A colossal aura suddenly descended upon the entire area, calming even the wind. Everything returned to a still, and nobody dared to move an inch from their positions.


    ¡°Julia of the Spector Clan. I just had a conversation with Dr.Vegu, where he agreed to release Konrad Barracuda. Thus, I am giving you no more than five minutes to release him. In case of failure to fulfil my request in time, I shall be crushing you along with the entire base.¡±


    Julia was completely stunned, as blood fell from the right corner of her mouth. She immediately took out her communications device and started yelling.


    ¡°Ozzy, no questions asked, immediately release Konrad Barracuda and bring him out now! Hurry up your ass if you want to continue to live!¡±


    She then removed her device as she stared downwards towards one of the tents. She was completely terrified, as she stuttered into her heart, ¡°This aura¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­ this person¡­ is definitely an immortal! Why¡­ why would a Chief Kanklar be here!!?¡± She was deeply horrified and kept staring in disbelief.


    Inside the tent, there was an old man that was sitting on a large chair. He looked ancient, had long grey hair and his face was totally expressionless. He was wearing the same cloths as Mark, with the only difference that the colour of his military coat was red not green. He was waiting patiently, whilst he slowly tapped two of his right hand`s fingers on the arm of the chair.


    Two minutes later, Ozzy came out together with Konrad Barracuda. Before Ozzy could utter a word, Julia promptly commanded him, ¡°Take him to that man standing next to Mark Bordas, then return to base and wait for my return.¡± Ozzy couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard, but he still obeyed her instructions. Then he flew inside the base.


    ¡°The request has been fulfilled.¡± Julia`s shout echoed throughout the area.


    The old man completely ignored her, as he leaned his posture to the front. He rested both of his elbows on his knees, fingers crossed together, still sitting. He slowly murmured, ¡°So now you are after the power of the black crystals eh? If you want to start a full out war again, go ahead, we of the Bordas clan aren¡¯t afraid of you, Lafran clan! If a war happens, this time we will make sure that it doesn¡¯t end, not before one of us is totally annihilated!¡±

 Chapter 10 - The Humiliation and the Application

    Chapter 10 - The Humiliation and the Application


    The tension was now higher than before, but nobody dared to make a move. That is because everyone was anxiously waiting for the eventual appearance of the Immortal. They knew he would be coming out of his tent, it was just a matter of time. Silence reigned, and was only rhythmically interrupted by the sound of their heartbeat.


    Suddenly, a hand came out from one of the tents below, followed by the emergence of an old man. He gently walked away from the tent, until he arrived at the middle of the battlefield. Julia and the base were on his left, whilst Mark Bordas and the rest of the Imperial Army were on his right.


    Julia was one of the few who recognized this man. Her hands shuddered with fear and anger. ¡°Jason Bordas¡­ Why are you wasting your time on such trivialities? Shouldn¡¯t someone of your status have extremely important tasks to take care of?¡±


    Jason remained there expressionless, and without even bothering to look at her, he spoke with a calm yet superior voice. ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever telling you that you are allowed to speak to me.¡±


    His aura coalesced over Julia, and she instantly started screaming in agony. She writhed in pain, as she began descending and losing latitude, until she fell squirming on the ground.


    ¡°And regarding your question, you can find the answer you are seeking in the same question you asked,¡± Jason calmly replied.


    After seeing such a scene, most of the onlookers stared in disbelief. They had already experienced the powerful aura of that woman. If she wanted to, she would have killed them with relevant ease. However, even a monster such as her, is just random fodder before the might of this man. The strength of this man was just too monstrous! He was after all, a Chief Kanklar, one of the highest ranked fighters of the Imperial Government. Any clan that managed to produce someone of this strength would instantly receive a huge reputational boost, and it will even be considered one of the main clans! The strength of Chief Kanklars was just on a whole different level than the common fighters!


    Even Mark Bordas, who was the calmest of them all, felt a little fear into his heart. He was imagining what could happen if he ever pissed off someone of this strength. He somewhat felt relieved that Jason was on his side.


    While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Jason extended outwards his left hand into the air. The space around his hand started to become distorted.


    BOOM~~~


    Suddenly, a huge explosion was heard as power rushed out from Jason`s hand, forming a ten metre dimensional portal. Jason then walked into the portal, before disappearing within it.


    Mark Bordas turned his gaze towards Frank and hastily uttered, ¡°Quickly, follow him with the kid! It will not take long before the portal closes again!¡±


    Frank smiled and nodded respectfully towards Mark, ¡°Thanks for everything Mark. As a sign of appreciation, I am inviting you to visit our clan whenever you are available. The Patriarch would surely want to meet you personally so that he can express his sincere gratitude.¡±


    Mark laughed as he replied, ¡°Whenever I find the chance, I will come and pay you a visit.¡±


    Frank, with Konrad in his arms, landed on the ground next to the portal. Frank started heading towards the portal, but was interrupted by Konrad. Konrad, who was still wearing only his boxers, extended his palm towards Frank, seemingly telling him to wait. Then Konrad ran a few metres away from him, and started waving both of his arms towards Julia, in an attempt to catch her attention. Julia, who was on the ground struggling to raise her body up with her arms, couldn¡¯t help herself not to turn her gaze towards Konrad.


    When he noticed that Julia was now staring at him, an evil smile appeared on his face. He raised his head proudly, and his body posture was filled with arrogance. Instantly, his face turned serious, as he waved his left hand towards her, pompously giving her the middle finger. He then proceeded by turning around and spanking his own butt, followed by other obscene and indecent body moves; so offensive that they don¡¯t merit being described here.


    Julia widened her eyes in shock. Not only she was being tormented by the pain induced by Jason`s aura, she was now also being ridiculed by a kid! This was just too humiliating for her! Upon seeing Konrad acting this way, the faces of the remaining bystanders fell. Frank, who was the most ashamed out of them all, yelled in a funny irritated voice, ¡°Come into the portal already¡­ stop embarrassing me and our clan. Are you really 18 years old as they say? Because I am starting to have my own doubts!¡±


    Konrad frowned, as he turned his funny disgusted gaze towards Frank, before proceeding towards the portal. Frank entered the portal first, followed by Konrad. However, Konrad`s right hand remained out of the portal for a while, as he waved one last time the middle finger in the direction of Julia, then his hand vanished into the portal. The portal continued to shrink, until it completely closed a few minutes later. In the end, Konrad Barracuda was successfully rescued!


    Shortly after, Mark Bordas waved his palm, then he unleashed a powerful force that rushed towards one of the base`s crystals.


    BOOM~~~~


    Half of the blue crystal exploded into countless tiny pieces, as they precipitated slowly downwards until they fell on the ground. It was actually such a beautiful scene to witness. The tiny crystals impressive glittering and dispersion of light was just too outstanding, even the finest fireworks wouldn¡¯t be able to create such an amazing spectacle.


    ¡°Oh! Oops! There was a fly that was orbiting annoyingly around me. So I decided to kill it, but who would have thought that I would accidentally destroy one of your base`s crystals in the process! My deepest apologies! Fortunately, you of the SRC are rich so it shouldn¡¯t be that much of a problem, right? If you want you can write a letter to the Imperial Palace, they might offer you some type of compensation.¡± Mark Bordas said in mockery, then he turned his head towards his army and ordered. ¡°Ok, our job is done here, it`s time for us to leave.¡±


    However, more than half of the imperial fighters ignored him. The blue crystal was a very precious material, and even few grams of it would fetch a high price on the market. Just obtaining some of the crystals would be enough for them to comfortable live the remaining days of their life relaxing, instead of working as fighters for the Imperial army. How could they throw away such a unique opportunity? Their eyes shone with greed, as they marched towards the base to acquire as many crystals as possible.


    Julia`s fury was now beyond her limit of endurance. She gathered all the strength she could currently master, then let out a powerful cry.


    ¡°Bastards!!! What do you think you are doing!!? 4th Major art of the soul, Fire wall!!!¡±


    Flames erupted from Julia`s body, as they quickly formed an enormous wall of fire, completely separating her and the base from the Imperial army. The wall was massive, and it extended for several kilometres. The approaching fighters instantly halted their advance, and nobody of them dared to proceed any further.


    Seeing this, Mark Bordas frowned, as he ordered for a second time. ¡°I am not going to repeat myself again. Now that Konrad has been rescued, there is no point for us to stay here any longer. Follow me, we are now leaving this planet.¡±


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    The fighters began retreating as they followed after Mark. The ones that had rushed towards the crystals kept staring towards them with desirable eyes. Then, one by one, they turned back, at times stopping and turning their depressed gazes towards the pieces of crystals. After a while, the tents had been removed and the Imperial army departed the area. It was only now that some fighters of the SRC came out of the base to assist Julia.


    On their way towards the planet`s dimensional portal, one of the imperial fighters asked Mark, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you killed that woman? She was in a weak condition, it wouldn¡¯t have been that hard for you.¡±


    Mark replied bitterly, ¡°I would have liked to do that, but she`s the granddaughter of the Patriarch of the Spector clan. Not even Jason dared to kill her. We would be hurting the reputation of our clan if we killed her.¡±


    Meanwhile, back on planet Magenta, the situation was rather calm in the main servant room. The various servants of the Zafisi clan were relaxing after a hard day of work. Some of them chatted with each other, others napped, while the rest of them were playing different cardboard games.


    At one point, an old man uttered to his companion. ¡°Have you heard the latest news? Apparently that young servant that joined our clan yesterday is considering competing in the Servants Sword Tournament. Colin even gave him access to the sword`s room so that he could train.¡±


    The other man was startled. ¡°Really? I am surprised¡­ he doesn¡¯t look like the warrior type to me. But if he can achieve some wins for our clan it would be nice.¡±


    A young man, who was attentively listening to their conversation whilst he rested on the nearby floor, instantly opened his eyes, before he burst out into laughter.


    ¡°This is beyond ridiculous! That newbie wannabe fighter actually dares to participate in such a tournament?!! He can¡¯t even talk! Yet alone use a sword!!! Totally outrageous!!!¡±


    This man`s name was Clinton Logan and he was the 2nd strongest servant of the Zafisi clan. He was extremely arrogant, and he treated other servants with little sympathy. The only two servants he acted gentle at were Monica, because he had a secret crush on her, and Charles, because he was afraid of him. The remaining servants were just as good as garbage to him.


    ¡°I will go and teach that little punk a lesson. I¡¯ll teach him the difference between an idiot and a seasoned sword fighter such as me.¡± He stood up and prepared to leave the room, but was interrupted by the old man. ¡°He is just training, he didn¡¯t yet apply for the tournament. There is no harm if someone trains with a sword, right?¡±


    Clinton turned his cocky gaze towards the old man, then snorted. ¡°I guess you are correct, for once. I just can¡¯t stand seeing stupid servants humiliating our clan in the tournament. Only the strongest servants should be allowed to compete. Our clan can¡¯t afford to suffer further humiliation! We used to be the strongest clan, but now everyone look down on us! So shameful!¡± After he was done with his little rant, he sat back down on the floor, like a spoiled kid.


    Oblivious of all this, Kane was currently busy training peacefully alone in the sword`s room. He kept training every day, as he established his daily routine. First he would finish his daily duties, then he would go straight to the sword`s room to train. Sometimes when he felt tired, he would go to the Clan`s inn to have a drink together with Oliver. These encounters with Oliver always ended with the latter narrating to Kane about his personal life and mishaps. Still, these meetings weren¡¯t in vain, as Kane did learn a few things about the different personalities within the clan.


    The days passed by, and the three months waiting period was finally over. The excited Kane appeared before Colin in his office. Kane was now a little more muscular, and his hair was slightly longer than before.


    ¡°Oh hello there. Have you come for the monthly pay? I would like to inform you that the higher ups are amazed by your dedication and passion you are showing when performing your daily duties. They are even considering increasing your monthly wage. Keep up the good work!¡±


    Kane smiled, before he took out the Servants Sword Tournament poster.


    When Colin saw the poster, he let out a short laugh. ¡°Ah! About that tournament. Don¡¯t worry, I have already enlisted your name a week ago, along with Charles and Clinton. This year only the three of you will be participating.¡±


    Kane looked at him with a rather surprised expression. However, his face became dumbfounded shortly after.


    Colin smiled as he explained, ¡°I know what you are thinking. You are asking yourself, how I am aware of your name. Haha¡­ to tell you the truth, I don¡¯t know your name! Fortunately, it is possible for people to be registered with a nickname in the Servants Sword Tournament. So I have registered you with a name that I thought it would be best suited for you. Our clan has a lot of landmarks and cultural traditions. I wanted your name to represent something that can be associated with our clan. After spending several sleepless nights envisioning, I had finally decided! I named you after one of the most beloved animals of our clan! Your name in the tournament will be Mr. Gululu!! I hope you like it!¡±


    Kane`s face immediately turned pale as he raised both of his hands on his head. His expression was similar to a man who had just obtained a huge fortune, before losing all of it shortly after.


    Colin moved his head backwards in surprise, ¡°What? You don¡¯t like it? Come on, it is such a cute name! The people in the arena will definitely go crazy for it! The Gululus are one of the most adorable animals of this planet!¡±


    ¡°In any case, it can¡¯t be changed now! You are allowed to withdraw from the tournament, but you aren¡¯t allowed to change your name. Here take this, this is your ID (identification card).¡±


    Colin casually threw the identification card, as Kane struggled to catch it up. He then inspected the identification card, which was made of a plastic like material. The ID card had the name, date and location of the tournament. On the back of the card there was written: ¡°Participant: Mr Gululu, Clan: Zafisi¡±.


    Kane then left the room frowning, whilst uttering into his heart. ¡°Seriously out of all possible names, he named me after those detestable creatures?!! This is so stupid!¡±


    ¡°Hey Kid! Aren¡¯t you forgetting your pay?¡± Colin shouted when he noticed that Kane left the room. But Kane was already gone.


    Colin`s face was one of confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand this kid at all. ¡°At first I thought he was a little weird, but after today I can confirm that he is actually bizarre.¡±


    Kane arrived at the sword`s room, as he grabbed his sword to start his training. He became distracted by a gentle voice, and quickly turned his gaze towards the source. On the other side of the room, there was a young female servant, who was leaning against the wall. Kane recognize her face. She was one of those two female servants he saw whilst he was bathing in the pond. Her name was Monica.

 Chapter 11 - The 2nd Strongest Servant of the Zafisi Clan

    Chapter 11 - The 2nd Strongest Servant of the Zafisi Clan


    During his stay at the Zafisi clan, Kane preferred solitary activities. He liked to spend his time alone, especially whenever he performed his daily duties or actively trained. For him socialising wasn¡¯t that important for now; his aim was to get stronger as fast as possible. Besides, trying to communicate without the ability to speak was too much time consuming for him.


    Ever since Kane started training in the sword`s room, he never experienced any visitors. However, after all these months, an unexpected guest appeared before him. She was Monica, one of the servants of the Zafisi clan. She was good looking, and her characteristics and personality were rather cute. She smiled at Kane, before she broke the silence.


    ¡°Hi. My name is Monica. I was just passing by¡­ when I noticed the door of the room was slightly open. I thought you were inside, so I decided to come in to ask you¡­ if you wanted some company.¡± She felt a little embarrassed and her delicate cheeks turned slightly red. ¡°When I saw you weren¡¯t here, I waited here for your return.¡±


    She then sat down of the floor, as she crossed her arms around her legs. Kane kept calm as he patiently listened to her. He was still mad at Colin`s choice of name, so he wasn¡¯t really in mood to train.


    ¡°In the past, I used to spend time here in this room as I watched Charles training¡­ You know Charles Hearn right? His the number one servant of our clan, there is nobody here that can wield the sword as better as him. With him rest our clan`s hopes for the tournament. His success will be our clan`s success, and his failure will be our clan`s failure. It was thanks to him that we finished 3rd place in the last tournament.¡±


    She sighed as she continued, ¡°I kind of miss him now. He has been away for so long. He is taking this tournament way too serious¡­ I really hope he comes back safe and sound.¡±


    Kane watched her with a curious expression. Monica smiled as she explained. ¡°The last ten tournaments, were always won by a servant from the Dorba clan. His name is Yakov Dorba, and his the current servant sword champion. He literary is a beast; his strength is totally unprecedented for a cripple, and the sword he wields is powered by a high quality blue crystal. Even Charles was no match for him in the last tournament.¡±


    ¡°But Charles isn¡¯t the type who gives up that easily. He obtained permission from the Matriarch to go training outside the city, by killing random savage beasts found in the nearby mountains. He really is a hardworking man.¡±


    She then smiled as she turned her gaze towards Kane. ¡°You are similar to him. Like Charles, you prefer to be alone while spending most of your time focusing on your training. At least, you stop and listen to me while I am speaking. Charles usually ignores me and just focuses on his training. He rarely spoke with me, but at the same time he never told me to leave him be. So I guess I don¡¯t annoy him¡­ hihi¡­¡±


    Kane smiled, as he grabbed his sword. Monica promptly asked him, ¡°Is it ok if I stay here with you for some more time?¡± Kane nodded as he signalled that it was fine, then he started to lightly swing his sword.


    In the meantime, Clinton arrived at Colin`s office to collect his tournament ID. After he was done, he prepared to leave whilst he asked Colin, ¡°How many fighters will the clan be sending this time for the tournament Colin?¡±


    Colin coolly replied, ¡°Just three. You, Charles and Mr.Gululu.¡±


    Clinton stared dumbfounded at Colin. ¡°Mr.Gululu? Who the hell is that?!¡±


    Colin coolly replied again, ¡°That newcomer who joined our clan three months ago. He been busy training for all these days, and the least I could do for him is to let him participate. Who knows, he might actually be able to register a win or two for our clan.¡±


    The calm face of Clinton instantly changed into one of aversion, ¡°What?!! Are you kidding me!!!?? What the hell!! What`s the big idea to allow him to participate!!! Are you trying that hard to embarrass our clan?¡±


    Colin expression turned solemn as he interrupted Clinton. ¡°I have already decided. He will be participating. If he fails, I will shoulder responsibility.¡±


    Clinton clinched his fists, struggling for control. ¡°That brat¡­¡±


    Colin, who was experienced enough to read Clinton thoughts, immediately warned him. ¡°Clinton, that kid is important for our clan. Even the higher ups think highly of him. If by any chance it happens that you do something to him¡­ rest assured that you will not be getting away with it.¡±


    ¡°Blabla¡­blabla¡­ I know, I know¡­ no need to spout nonsense. Colin Zafisi, I promise you that no harm will come to him,¡± Clinton said as he left the room.


    Colin sighed. He never expected such a reaction from Clinton. ¡°Guess I am becoming too old for this kind of stuff, I really should start considering my retirement¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Clinton was heading straight to the sword`s room. ¡°I can¡¯t hurt him eh¡­? But as long as I don¡¯t kill him¡­ or break his bones¡­ it should still be fine to smack him around? Fools like him just deserve this kind of treatment.¡±


    He arrived before the sword`s room door, then he unleashed a powerful kick that burst open the door. Both Kane and Monica were given a fright by his sudden intrusion. Clinton looked straight in Kane`s eyes, like a dog readying for battle. He was about to say something offensive, when he noticed Monica was also there.


    Clinton`s mind was totally caught off guard. His face turned similar to that of a ghost, as he resisted to control the sudden insurgence of emotions that rose out of his feelings. Clinton knew that Monica had a soft spot for Charles, but he was never worried. In Clinton`s opinion, it was more likely that Charles would marry his own sword, rather than end up marrying a woman. But not even in his wildest dreams he ever imagined that the woman he liked, would actually be here all alone with this trash.


    Clinton`s face turned furious, then he brought out his sword. Seeing this, Monica stood up and quickly ran towards him, seemingly trying to calm down the situation.


    ¡°Clinton what`s¡­?¡± However, before she could finish, she was slapped hard by Clinton`s palm, as she lost balance and fell on the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me you dirty slut¡­¡± Clinton roared as he prepared to kick her in her stomach.


    BAMM~~~


    Fortunately for her, his kick was blocked by Kane, who swiftly interfered by rushing between them. Clinton retreated his leg, then he smiled. Kane couldn¡¯t believe that this guy actually dared to attack a weak innocent woman. He turned his gaze towards Clinton in resentment. Kane deeply detested cowards like Clinton who only preyed on the weakest and the defenceless. For Kane, bullies like Clinton were the scum of the whole universe.


    ¡°Oh, I was being merciful by allowing you some more time to breathe peacefully¡­ but since you are so eager to be beaten by me, I will generously grant your wish!¡± Clinton laughed out, while Kane gentle grabbed Monica and put her down at one of the corners of the room.


    Kane moved away from Monica whilst he assumed his fighting stance. He raised his sword but he didn¡¯t make a move. He was busy carefully observing his opponent.


    Monica softly screamed, ¡°Please you two! Stop it, why are you doing this!!¡± However both of them ignored her. They both knew that this battle had to be fought.


    Clinton then raised his sword and remained still. His sword was similar to Kane`s sword, and it too had a green crystal embed in it. Suddenly, Clinton rushed towards Kane, fiercely swinging the sword. Kane used his sword to block the incoming attack.


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    CLASH~~~~


    Clinton`s attack was easily blocked by Kane. Kane grinned, then used his physical strength to push back Clinton. Clinton was forced to retreat away from him by a couple of metres. He was a little confused, but he quickly recovered his composure.


    ¡°Not bad¡­ not bad¡­ I underestimated you... but don¡¯t get any high hopes¡­ you are still way too weak to pose any threat to me!¡± Colin screamed as he launched a barrage of sword attacks towards Kane. However, each attack was effortlessly blocked by Kane. Their swords danced together for a while, until Clinton stopped and retreated back. Even though Kane never exchanged blades with someone before, every move he made seemed to come off naturally for him. He felt like he had this talent from birth; his dormant instinct finally awakened.


    Clinton was now deeply shocked and began showing signs of exhaustion. Not only Kane successfully blocked all the attacks with relevant ease, but he did so by only using his right hand, contrary to Clinton, who was using both of his hands to attack. Even though he didn¡¯t want to, he started trembling, as fear started to pile up.


    Whilst Clinton was distracted trying to calm himself down, Kane ran swiftly towards him, then he raised his sword and threw a light swing. Clinton was lucky to dodge, but the strike still brushed his face a little. Clinton quickly recovered his fighting stance. Afterwards, Clinton inspected his face; just to realise that his face was bleeding. In fact, Kane`s strike had left a small scar on Clinton`s face.


    Clinton was now enraged. He was after all the 2nd strongest servant of the Zafisi clan. Besides Charles, there was nobody from the servants that he feared! How could someone like him lose to some random newbie that just joined the clan!


    ¡°You¡­! You¡­! You¡­ piece of junk! I don¡¯t give a crap about Colin`s warning anymore, prepare to die!¡± Clinton said as he prepared to attack Kane again.


    Kane, now clearly uninterested, took the initiative, as he raised his sword whilst jumping into the air, before smashing his sword down towards Clinton. Clinton panicked, as he tried to block the incoming strike.


    BOOM~~~~Clink~~~~Clink~~~~


    Clinton`s sword fell on the guard. However, it made two sounds not one, because it was actually split in two by Kane`s strike! The strike left a long scar on Clinton`s chest. Fortunately for him, no fatal organs were hit, and the scar wasn¡¯t that deep either. However, for a cripple like Clinton, it was more than enough to defeat him, not to mention the severe blood loss he was now experiencing.


    ¡°Arghhhh the pain! The agony¡­!!! How could this be happening to me!!?¡± Clinton screamed. He was in a truly miserable state.


    Before Clinton could utter another a word, Kane threw a powerful kick, landing directly on Clinton`s sorry face. Clinton landed on the ground shortly after, totally flabbergasted.


    Kane then moved casually towards Clinton, as he grabbed his head from his hair, and turned it facing Monica. Kane wanted him to apologize to her. Monica stared at them astonished, like she was finding it hard to believe what her eyes were currently seeing.


    ¡°What the fuck you think you`re doing¡­¡± Clinton promptly screamed. Kane frowned, as he smashed Clinton`s face on the ground. This was followed by a few kicks that landed on Clinton`s chest. Clinton was powerless to stop him, and all he could do was to keep coughing up blood.


    Then Kane raised Clinton`s head for a second time. Clinton face was filled with desperation. He then spoke, although it seemed that he was struggling to utter the worlds. That`s because, the words he was saying were hurting his pride.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I`m¡­ sorry¡­ Monica¡­¡± finally the words came out of his mouth, then he smiled and let out a sigh of relief.


    However, Kane was still not happy by this half-assed apology, as he smashed Clinton`s face again on the ground.


    Then, unexpectedly, Clinton turned around and unveiled a small blade that was hidden in his sleeve, as he charged his arm towards Kane. Kane was fast to react, and managed to catch Clinton`s hand before it could move any closer to his body.


    Kane was now furious. He crunched Clinton`s hand until it let off the blade.


    CLANK~~~


    Clinton`s eye twitched, ¡°You¡­! How can you be so strong? Are you really a¡­¡± However, he was interrupted by a series of kicks from Kane, and he didn¡¯t stop until he was sure that Clinton didn¡¯t have any more strength remaining to perform another sneak attack. Clinton now laid motionless on the ground, with both of his arms and legs wide apart, his face facing the roof.


    Then Kane grabbed his sword with both of his hands, then smashed it straight down with all his strength between Clinton`s legs.


    Both Clinton and Monica screamed in fear. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!¡±


    Fortunately for Clinton, this strike was a near miss. However, Kane`s current expression was saying it all. Next strike, there will be no misses.


    Clinton wet himself and immediately screamed, while desperately crying, ¡°Sorry! Sorry Monica! It was so shameful for me to act how I did! Please forgive me! Please forgive Monica!!¡±


    He kept crying in fear for a while, before he turned his head towards Kane.


    ¡°And as for you, I admit I acted disgracefully towards you! I will acknowledge you as the 2nd Strongest of the clan from now on! I pledge to the creators that I will never bother the two of you again!  Please! Please forgive this man who isn¡¯t any better than filth!!!¡±


    Kane smiled, now clearly satisfied by the apology. He then grabbed Clinton and casually threw him far away out of the room, together with his broken sword and blade. Then Kane closed the door behind him. There was no need to pursue the matter any further. He was sure that Clinton had learned his lesson. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t want to ruin his current reputation within the Zafisi clan. Nothing good would have come if he actually killed this man.


    Monica looked at Kane with an astonished expression. She was expecting him to be beaten badly by Clinton, and yet the opposite actually happened! And it was also mostly one sided! The clan`s second strongest was trounced just like that!


    At the same time she felt grateful towards Kane. She smiled, then leaned towards him as she gave him a kiss on his cheek. Kane looked towards her, kind of confused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, I already have a man in my heart, and I don¡¯t see that changing any time soon. I just wanted to express my gratitude for what you did for me today. I will never forget your kindness.¡±


    She then turned to look down at the floor, then she smiled, ¡°The least I could do for you now is to clean this mess of blood that now lays on the floor. Wait for me, I shall return shortly.¡± She quickly ran out of the room to fetch the cleaning mats.


    Kane smiled alone after hearing this. He wasn¡¯t mad at her for the kiss either. Even if she fell in love with him, Kane would have refused her advance. He didn¡¯t have time to venture in any amorous affairs. His heart was still quite rigid after the Julia affair at the SRC base.


    Kane then sat down to relax, as he let out a small sigh. His eyes instantly opened wide in surprise. He actually heard a small sound that originated from his mouth. After all this time, the effect of the silence pill, was finally beginning to abate.

 Chapter 12 - Cultivation Centre

    Chapter 12 - Cultivation Centre


    Kane`s voice was recovering at a rapid pace, and in just a week he could utter the first words in months, albeit with great effort. He had decided not to yet reveal that he could speak, and he continued pretending that he was a mute.


    During this period, a shocking news quickly spread throughout the Zafisi Clan. The 2nd strongest servant of the clan, Clinton, suffered the misfortune of being wounded by a wild animal. The injuries he suffered were so severe that he was forced to retire from the Tournament. Of course, Clinton hid the fact he suffered defeat from Kane, otherwise he would have ended up being the laughing stock of the clan. Monica, who also knew the truth, didn¡¯t reveal anything, because she felt that it wouldn¡¯t be a wise idea to annoy Clinton any further. Even Kane didn¡¯t reveal anything to others, for a different reason than Monica`s. He just didn¡¯t give a damn about the whole affair!


    Time kept passing by slowly. There were now only four months remaining for the start of the Servants Sword Tournament. Kane was already getting excited for it, and he couldn¡¯t wait to test his newly found sword skills against powerful fighters from other clans. He now felt some attachment to the Zafisi clan, and wanted to do all the best he could to obtain a good result. Who knows, maybe with some luck, he might actually be able to win the whole tournament!


    Today happened to be a sunny day, and the weather was very warm. The sky was clear from any clouds. All of this encouraged Kane to leave the palace and go for a stroll. He had obtained permission from Colin to take a temporary absence from his duties.


    Kane calmly walked through the clan`s streets, and after walking for a while, signs of sweat began to appear on his face. He noticed that the atmosphere was very lively today. It was the annual market day of the Zafisi clan, where various merchants from within and outside the clan gathered inside the clan`s territory to sell their goods. They set up their market stalls next to each other in a long line, and a large mass of people had gathered up in front of them. Competition between each Merchant was intense, and they tried their best to attract as many customers as possible. Their cries echoed all over the area.


    ¡°Very nice weapons made directly by our Wupan clan, very cheap!¡±


    ¡°These cultivation pills are of 15% purity! You will not find any better around!¡±


    ¡°Food exquisites directly from our ¡°Chop Shop¡± butchery! We kill, you cook!¡±


    ¡°Your husbands losing their desires?! You can¡¯t seem to motivate them after they come back from a hard day at work?! No more worries!!! Our new series of sexy lingerie will guarantee you countless of sleepless nights! It worked with my husband!¡±


    Kane was bombarded by other similar shouts, but he just smiled bitterly and hurried his pace. He was still impressed though; he never imagined that this market would have such a wide variety of goods!


    He finally arrived before the door of a small wooden house that was located near the outskirts of the clan`s territory. He knocked three times on the door and waited patiently. Shortly after a woman opened the door.


    ¡°Oh. It is you kid. Are you here to meet Oliver?¡± Tania casually asked.


    Kane nodded smiling in agreement.


    ¡°His currently slacking in his room; just head straight up the stairways and knock on the first room you see on your right. He should invite you in, unless he isn¡¯t sleeping.¡±


    Kane nodded to her and left straight upstairs. He knocked on the door of Oliver`s room. Shortly after, an irritated hoarse voice was heard.


    ¡°Come on Tania! I already told you I am not in mood for anything! Leave me alone. I want to be left in peace.¡±


    Kane was startled, and became a little confused. He thought for a moment, then he decided to knock again. That way Oliver will suspect that the one knocking isn¡¯t his wife.


    When he heard the second round of knocks, Oliver was a little surprised as he whispered into his heart, ¡°What? It isn¡¯t Tania? Could it be the children? Err¡­¡±


    He lazily woke up, then he opened the door of his room. Upon seeing Kane, Oliver let out a laugh, ¡°Ha ha so it was you! Come! Come! Help yourself, sit, sit!¡±


    ¡°Apologies for earlier! I thought you were my wife¡­ she has been pestering me too much lately!¡± Oliver spoke like he was arguing with himself.


    Kane sat around the small table that was located in the middle of the room. In the meantime Oliver started preparing some drinks for both of them.


    ¡°It has been quite some time since we met young man. A lot of things happened since then hehe. Of course, my wife is still as annoying as ever. That`s something that unfortunately will never change hehe.¡±


    ¡°Ever since I heard that Clinton suffered that unfortunate accident, I became worried for you. There is only two left from our clan competing, so your role in the tournament is now even more crucial for us. I just hope that you will find a way to handle the pressure.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, this is the first time you have decided to come to my house during your entire stay at our clan. Is there something that`s bothering you young man?¡± Oliver asked curiously.


    Kane coolly replied, ¡°Actually there is an important matter that I wish to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh is that so? Give me some more time until I prepare¡­¡± Oliver stopped halfway of his speech, as he turned to look at Kane totally stunned.


    ¡°W¡­what¡­you can talk?!!¡±


    Kane coolly replied again, ¡°It is a long story Oliver¡­ please prepare the drinks and come next to me so that I can explain better to you. I didn¡¯t deceive you back then, I really wasn¡¯t able to talk. It was only lately that my voice started returning.¡±


    Oliver hastily prepared the drinks, then he sat around the table next to Kane. Still stunned, Oliver curiously asked, ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Kane Barker,¡± Kane softly replied.


    ¡°Kane¡­ Barker¡­ Barker clan¡­ I have never heard of such a clan¡­ is it a minor clan on another planet?¡± Oliver asked again. However, Kane stood there staring depressively, without replying.


    Oliver noticed that he shouldn¡¯t have asked this question and quickly changed subject. ¡°Kane, you made a mistake by not informing us about your identity any sooner. I know we don¡¯t have any writing equipment here in the clan, but you could have used other forms of communications. You could have used any liquid to write down the words...¡±


    Kane turned his gaze towards and quickly interrupted Oliver, ¡°After what I experienced, I decided not to trust anyone. It was for the best of me to keep a low profile and not reveal much information about myself. Otherwise you would have viewed me suspiciously.¡±


    Oliver sighed, ¡°Damn it. We should have obtained more information about you. I can¡¯t believe that we didn¡¯t enquire about your identity!¡±


    ¡°Maybe because I am a cripple, someone so useless that the clan doesn¡¯t even require to know my name? I also cannot fathom why you are so distressed about this matter,¡± Kane replied expressionless.


    Kane`s statement left Oliver completely speechless. That is because he knew that Kane was right! If he was a fighter, the clan would have definitely investigated his identity. But why would the clan even bother about investigating the name of a useless servant?


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    ¡°I am not mad at you Kane¡­ it isn¡¯t about you¡­ As an elder of the Zafisi clan, I feel that we were a little lax¡­ What if a rival clan decided to send servants to infiltrate us in the future? I believe that the time has come for us to review our recruitment procedures¡­¡± Oliver worriedly replied.


    Kane then turned his gaze towards Oliver and promptly asked, ¡°Oliver, I wish to ask you something. What exactly is a cultivation centre? I had searched the library of the clan in the past, but all the books were written in weird symbols, and I couldn¡¯t understand anything.¡±


    Oliver calmly replied, ¡°All academic books are written in a different language. It is the language academics use to write down information. They use a different language in purpose so that parents send their children to the various academic centres to learn it. You know, it is a kind of business for them.¡±


    Oliver then paused for a while to drink, then he continued speaking.


    ¡°The Cultivation centre is the source of power of all human fighters. So far in this galaxy, only we humans developed a cultivation centre. It is made up of three powers as follows: Magnetic Power, Elemental Power and Dimensional Power. The cultivation centre is basically the place where these three powers reside. The stronger your cultivation centre is, the larger is your aura. Once your aura reaches a certain height, you will be able to fly, and also crush weaklings without even lifting a finger.¡±


    Kane was satisfied with this explanation. His eyes were now full of desire, as he asked, ¡°Is it possible for someone like me to have a cultivation centre?¡±


    Oliver laughed as he replied, ¡°Actually, every human is born with a cultivation centre. The problem with you cripples is that due to a birth defect or misfortune, you are born without the base of the cultivation centre.¡±


    Kane curiously uttered, ¡°The base?¡±


    ¡°The Magnetic core is the base of the cultivation centre. Let me explain. The cultivation centre looks like a star system. At the centre of the system is the Magnetic core, and it represents the first form of power. The larger the Magnetic core is, the stronger the first power is. The other two powers orbit clockwise around the Magnetic core, similar to planets orbiting their parent star.¡±


    ¡°If you are born without a Magnetic core, even if you have the other two powers, they will remain static and you will not be able to rotate them. They will eventually decay after a few years, and then completely disappear from your body. You will then be left with a useless and empty cultivation centre.¡±


    Hearing this, Kane became a little hopeless as he asked, ¡°Is it possible that I was born with a magnetic core? If not, how can I obtain one?¡±


    Oliver let out a sigh. ¡°Back then Patriarch Titu had scanned your cultivation centre. His a Kanklar, so he should have been able to sense if you had a magnetic core or not¡­ I am sorry Kane¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no way to form a Magnetic core if you don¡¯t have one. Either you have it, or you don¡¯t. You have no other choice but to accept the truth...¡±


    Kane forcefully nodded, his mood now completely ruined.


    Oliver then gave him a friendly hug. ¡°You want my advice Kane? Whatever happens, don¡¯t you dare to give up! I don¡¯t believe in miracles, but if you give up nothing will ever happen! Only by working hard and train you can achieve your goals. Always do your best, and if you fail, then just accept that it wasn¡¯t meant to be. But at least you tried your best! Who knows, maybe one day you will find your own special path of cultivation!¡±


    ¡°Now go and work your ass for that tournament, you got some beating to do in a few months!¡± He continued encouraging Kane not to lose hope. Oliver knew that Kane was probably feeling like shit at the moment. That`s why Oliver tried his best to cheer him up.


    ¡°You are right Oliver¡­ I can¡¯t give up¡­not now¡­ I must keep training¡­ I must become stronger! This tournament shall be my first stepping stone! Thanks for everything Oliver. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Kane said as he stood up and started walking towards the door.


    Oliver was about to stop him and ask him why he was already leaving, but on second thoughts he changed his mind and let him leave.


    Kane was now in a slightly better mood. Before he left the house, Kane smiled towards Tania, who was busy cleaning the front door.


    ¡°Thanks for the hospitality Ms. Zafisi. I encourage you to go visit the market today, maybe you will find something of interest¡­ who knows, you might be able to find a product that will help you reignite the passion between you and your hubby.¡± Kane said as he ran away laughing.


    Tania looked at him completely dumbfounded. ¡°Since when this kid talks? What¡­? A product that will help reignite our passion¡­?¡±


    The rest of the day passed away slowly. The next day, another shocking news circulated throughout the clan. The news concerned a servant that everybody thought he was a mute, the other participant of the Servants Sword Tournament. The name of Kane Barker resonated all over the clan, and was on everyone`s lips. Unfortunately for him, the phrase Mr.Gululu also made the rounds along with his name.


    This revelation didn¡¯t really affect Kane`s life by that much. He kept training with his sword every day. The only difference from before, was that he sometimes spent some time speaking with the other servants in the main servant`s room. On orders of the Matriarch, Kane was also temporary released form his daily duties until the tournament was over.


    As the saying goes, time flies. The following months passed away quickly like a breeze. There were now only two days left for the beginning of the tournament.


    At the gate of the Zafisi clan, there were five elders happily chatting with each other. The old woman standing next to Oliver teased him. ¡°I noticed that lately you have been in a very high mood Oliver. Did something happened that we aren¡¯t aware of?¡±


    Oliver shook his head in embarrassment as he replied, ¡°Ha ha nothing much, nothing much¡­ it is just my wife, have been behaving strangely lately¡­ and I would add a little wildly too!¡±


    The other elder laughed out when she heard this, then she turned her head, ¡°oh oh¡­ our hero has finally arrived!¡±


    A man could be seen into the distance, as he slowly became more visible. He had red hair and a thin muscular body. He was shirtless and on his chest were numerous scars. On his back there was a large two-handed sword, with a big blue crystal embed in it. He arrived before the elders, as he nodded respectfully, with a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°How was your trip Charles? We were worried you will not be arriving in time for the tournament. Ha ha¡­ We are so glad to see your face after all this time.¡±


    Charles kept smiling whilst he walked through them, then slowly started walking away from them.


    ¡°The trip? It couldn¡¯t have been any better than this!¡± He then raised his head to the sky and uttered to himself. ¡°Just wait for me Yakov¡­ it is time that you taste your own medicine. Payback is a bitch!¡±

 Chapter 13 - The Arena

    Chapter 13 - The Arena


    Today was a special day for Violet Tiger City, and the excitement was higher than ever at the Zafisi clan. The triennial fighting tournament had finally arrived, and this time it was the turn for the Servants Sword Tournament. Whilst it didn¡¯t attract the same interest as the Young Genius Tournament, it was still an important event that only a few people would have dared to miss.


    It was early morning for the planet, and it was also early morning on the International Galactic time watches. This wasn¡¯t a coincidence, as the organisers of the tournament had ensured that the tournament would be held in broad daylight.


    The Zafisi clan was by now almost deserted. The numerous clan members had already left towards the ¡®Tiger Arena¡¯, the place where the Servants Sword Tournament is being held. They decided to depart earlier so that they could find the best seating positions. After all, not everybody could afford to pre-purchase a reserved seat.


    Inside the Zafisi central palace, Matriarch Tracy was sitting on a chair in the main hall. It was very rare of her to leave her room, because she was physically weak. However, today she made an extra effort, and with the help of her assistants, she walked to the main hall so that she could see off Kane and Charles, her two warriors. Behind the Matriarch, stood protectively the five elders of the Zafisi clan, whilst on the sides of the halls, there were numerous guards and fighters of the Zafisi clan.


    The Matriarch slightly raised her right hand and the whole hall instantly went silent. She then spoke with a weak yet prideful voice.


    ¡°Today is an important day for both of you, but it is also an important day for our clan. I have great expectations, especially for you Charles. Six years ago, you made us proud by finishing 3rd in the overall ranking. This time, I hope that you can improve your result even further by participating in the final.¡±


    Charles bowed, ¡°Lord Matriarch, this humble servant is confident enough that he will be able to win the whole tournament. I promise I will not fail.¡±


    ¡°As ambitious as ever Charles. However, I would advise for caution. Overconfidence can lead to undesirable results,¡± Matriarch Tracy replied.


    ¡°As for you Kane¡­ I know you are new to our clan, and that you haven¡¯t even be with us for a year. At first, I was against the idea of you participating, but Colin`s insistence had convinced me to send you to the tournament. Perhaps, the decision to entrust you with such a large responsibility is a wrong one, and could come back to haunt me.¡±


    ¡°But I am impressed by your commitment nonetheless. If you give it your all, I believe you can achieve a good result for us, and you may even end up the surprise of this tournament. I wish you all the best of luck.¡±


    She paused for a while, then she smiled, ¡°I also like your choice of name; Mr.Gululu is such a sweet name. I really adore those charming animals.¡±


    When Kane heard this, his blood boiled with fury and humiliation. However, he was in front of the Matriarch, so he had no other choice but to keep himself calm, as he bowed respectfully. ¡°Humble servant promises Lord Matriarch that her trust in him would not have been for naught. Doing well in this tournament, is the least he could do to repay you for your benevolence. If it wasn¡¯t for the Lord Matriarch`s generosity, humble servant wouldn¡¯t have been able to live in such a great clan.¡±


    The Matriarch was highly impressed by his reply, and she suddenly felt sorry for going a little harsh on him in her earlier speech.


    A tear dropped from her left eye, as she addressed both Kane and Charles. ¡°Our clan used to be the best out of all clans in this city. After the death of my father, who was the previous Patriarch of the Zafisi clan, we started to decline. To complicate matters, my current physical condition doesn¡¯t really assist our cause. I have to admit, that if it wasn¡¯t for Patriarch Titu`s assistance, we wouldn¡¯t even be among the top three clans of this city anymore.¡±


    ¡°My dream is that our clan recovers a little of its past glory. Even if this tournament is fought by servants, winning it would still bring a reputational boost to our clan, which can then help in attracting skilled new recruits.¡±


    She then paused and coughed weakly, apparently tired. ¡°Oliver¡­ I am done¡­ please guide them to the arena¡­¡±


    Oliver, turned his gaze to the other elders, seemingly telling them to take care of her. Then he walked towards the two participants, ¡°It`s time to leave, come, follow me."


    The three of them started walking towards the exit the hall, whilst the guards and other fighters repeatedly shouted.


    ¡°ALL HAIL THE MATRIARCH!!!!¡±~~~~~


    ¡°ALL HAIL THE ZAFISI CLAN!!!!¡±~~~~~


    The trio left the palace and kept moving. Along the way, Kane was starting to feel a little curious about the tournament. ¡°Hey Oliver, at what time will the tournament start then?¡±


    Both Oliver and Charles looked at each other and laughed out, then Oliver replied. ¡°The tournament has already started. The preliminaries are already underway at this very moment. Once they are over, the main event will follow shortly. There will be eight servants participating in the final, of which two of them will be you two.¡±


    ¡°The current rules state that the top three clans will automatically have two of their servants qualify for the main event, who will then be joined by the two finalists of the preliminaries. You should consider yourself lucky that Clinton isn¡¯t participating, because otherwise you would have had to go through the preliminaries first.¡±


    The three of them kept walking until they arrived before a long tower. They entered through a narrow door and started climbing a very long spiral stairway. At the end of the stairways, there was a circular room. In the middle of the room there was a teleportation portal, which was supported by two pillars of green crystals on both ends. Some fighters of the Zafisi clan were busy guarding the portal.


    Oliver smiled and shouted, ¡°Tiger Arena, here we come!¡± Then he walked straight through the portal and disappeared from sight. Charles and Kane followed suit.


    Shortly after they reappeared in a large hall. The hall was filled with several teleportation portals, and walking around were numerous spectators from other clans.


    ¡°Haha, we are so lucky that we could effort to commission a small teleportation portal from our clan to this hall. It truly save us precious time,¡± Oliver laughed out with pride.


    ¡°The time to separate has come guys. I¡¯ll be going to the Zafisi clan`s seating area from here. For the last time, I wish you good luck for tournament. Be brave young warriors.¡±


    ¡°And Charles, don¡¯t forget to assist Kane, it is his first time here,¡± Oliver said as he winked, then he left towards one of the several corridors that connected the hall.


    Charles casually looked at Kane, ¡°Follow me Kane, we must head to the main participant¡¯s area. We will be waiting there until the preliminaries end.¡± Kane nodded in agreement, then followed him. After around ten minutes of walking, they finally arrived before an entrance. Kane was immediately stunned by the view he was currently witnessing.


    The arena was vast, much bigger than he had imagined. In the middle of the arena there was a very large battle platform, in the form of a square. It was covered by big yellow tiles, and at each corner there was a statue of a colourful fierce tiger, the size of a tile and around five metres long. On each side of the arena there were four other smaller platforms, which were connected with the main arena by long narrow pathways. The four smaller platforms all had big banners that read as follows: North End - Preliminaries fighting arena, East End ¨C Medical area, South End ¨C Main Tournament participant¡¯s waiting area and West End ¨C The Judges area.


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    The connected platforms were encompassed by a circular wall that was ten metres high, which marked the start of the spectator area. The spectator area was the largest structure, and it could accommodate up to 200,000 spectators. It was divided equally in five zones in this clockwise order: one general spectator zone, a zone reserved for the Dorba clan, a zone reserved for the Dabsika Clan, a zone reserved for the Zafisi clan and a zone reserved for the City Patriarch and his subordinates.


    The Zafisi participants, who had just arrived to the South End area, moved coolly to the nearest couch, then quietly sat down. There were eight circular seating couches spread on the platform. Three other competitors were already there too.


    ¡°Honey, look¡­ those of the Zafisi clan have arrived. Oh¡­ and by the looks of it, it seems that Charles obtained a new sword too. This is going to be troublesome.¡± A young woman spoke worriedly to her fianc¨¦.


    ¡°Yeh Babe¡­ troublesome indeed¡­ I just hope we are lucky and avoid both Yakov and Charles during the first round of matches¡­ and it seems like the Zafisi clan has a new contestant too. Honestly, I was expecting Clinton to show up¡­ I`ve never seen this man before.¡± The young handsome man spoke whilst touching his chin.


    These duo were the contestants of the Dabsika clan, Peter and Martha. It was not the first time that this couple participated in the tournament, so they were quite familiar with the names of the other participants.


    Martha giggled as she uttered, ¡°You really don¡¯t keep yourself updated honey! I`ve heard that Clinton was wounded recently and he had to withdraw from the tournament. Instead of him, the Zafisi clan sent this young man. I bet he is even weaker than Clinton. Look at him, he is only wielding a green crystal powered sword. His of no threat to us!¡±


    Peter let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Oh, is that so?! How dumb of me, I haven¡¯t notice that before! Poor kid, his going to experience hell in this tournament!!¡±


    Time kept passing slowly, as both Charles and Kane remained seated quietly, patiently waiting for the end of the preliminary phase of the tournament. Kane became annoyed after a while, so he started asking random questions to alienate his boredom. ¡°Hey Charles, what`s that violet smoke high up above the arena?¡±


    ¡°Those are clouds Kane,¡± Charles replied coolly.


    ¡°What!? Clouds!!??? Where exactly are we!??¡± Kane asked totally dumbfounded.


    Charles relaxed his pose as he explained, ¡°The arena is located on the head of the great statue of Violet Tiger City. As you might already be aware, all the administrative buildings of the city are located on or inside the statue, including the Palace of Cory Terba, the City Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°It is very cold up here, so the arena is kept warm by a large crystal powered underfloor heating system. Pretty impressive isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kane listened attentively to him, completely stupefied. Charles smiled for a while, then he changed subject. ¡°You see that man sitting alone over there? His Yakov Dorba, the main bastard to beat. His a man full of prideful bullshit.¡±


    Kane immediately raised his head as he tried to obtain a better view of Yakov. He was middle-aged, partially bald and had a slightly long black beard. He had a simple sword that was powered by a blue crystal.


    Suddenly, a powerful voice originating from the North Area radiated out, completely catching the attention of everyone.


    ¡°The two finalists of the preliminaries have been decided! Both contenders, please cross the arena and join the main contenders at the South End!¡±


    Shortly after, a man and a woman could be seen walking triumphantly towards the South End, amidst shouts of encouragement and appreciation that came from the viewing stands. The members of their respective clans were totally ecstatic, and they had every reason to be so.


    After all, the participation fee per servant was of 50,000 Piras. Not many clans could afford such a fee, while a lot more wouldn¡¯t even think about spending such a sum on a servant of theirs. That`s why the participants of the tournament numbered less than a hundred, in spite of the population size of Violet Tiger City.


    ¡°Since the Dorba have only sent one participant, we will be holding one last preliminary match between the other two semi-finalists. The winner of the match will be our 8th and final contender. After that, we will randomly announce the fixtures of the quarter finals of the main tournament.¡± The powerful voice resonated for a second time.


    It didn¡¯t take that long for the winner of this match to be decided. He was a young man, and he too crossed towards the South End and joined the others.


    Then, the old man who was presiding the preliminaries, and also the one shouting the results, flew away and joined the other judges at the West End area. The judges¡¯ panel was now composed of three old women and two old men.


    They kept muttering for a while, then the oldest woman rose up and finally announced, ¡°The running order of the matches is finally available.¡±


    Instantly the whole arena fell dead silence, and everyone eyes shone with anticipation.


    ¡°The first Match: Charles Hearn vs Tony Juko¡± ~~~~~


    ¡°The Second Match: Peter Dabsika vs Yakov Dorba¡± ~~~~~


    ¡°The third Match: Zafisi`s clan Mr. Gululu vs Martha Dabsika¡± ~~~~~


    ¡°The fourth Match: Diane Rodgers vs Bugi Traspa¡± ~~~~~


    The first reactions of the main contenders could now be seen. Charles and Martha were grinning, Tony`s and Peter`s faces turned white pale, Diane and Bugi were both delighted, Kane appeared thoughtful and humilated, whilst Yakov didn¡¯t express any type of reaction at all.


    ¡°Easy one for me¡­ but not the same can be said for you Kane. Your opponent wields a sword powered by a blue crystal; you have no chance of winning,¡± Charles uttered calmly.


    Kane replied dumbfounded, ¡°What? I don¡¯t understand what you mean?¡±


    Charles instantly answered him, ¡°Your sword is powered by a green crystal, which is weaker than a blue crystal. You are at a big disadvantage Kane.¡±


    ¡°Blue crystal¡­ green crystal¡­ weaker¡­?¡± Kane was busy thinking aloud. He knew that these crystals improved the power unleashed by the sword, but it never crossed his mind that different colours represented different strengths!


    Seeing the confused Kane, Charles stared at him bizarrely. ¡°What? Are you really not aware that different coloured crystals have different power capacities? The green crystal is the most common and also the weakest. It is the cheapest out of all power crystals, which explains why most weapons are powered by green crystals. Then there is the blue crystal, which is stronger than the green crystal, and it is also very expensive. Then there are also the more powerful red crystals and the even stronger violet crystals. These are very rare and cost a shocking fortune.¡±


    Charles was about to continue, but was interrupted by the sudden screams of the audience. Patriarch Cory Terba had just stood up to deliver the opening speech.

 Chapter 14 - Yakov`s Request

    Chapter 14 - Yakov`s Request


    Prestige, dignity, fame, respect, elegancy and charisma; this man had all of these qualities and more. He was the most important person in Violet Tiger City, and his subordinates wouldn¡¯t even think twice about sacrificing their own lives for him. Cory Terba, the Protector Patriarch of the largest city of planet Magenta, who was directly appointed in his post by the Imperial Government, was an untouchable treasure for the citizens of Violet Tiger City.


    When Cory stood up from his seat, the spectators of the arena erupted into positive furore. He wasn¡¯t an old man, but he wasn¡¯t young either. His short blonde hair and green eyes gave him the appearance of a god, and his luxurious cloths made even the richest female nobles burn with jealousy.


    He waited for a while, then the Patriarch greeted the spectators with simple hand gestures. His voice was very potent, and there wasn¡¯t need for him to raise it to get his message across the entire arena.


    ¡°As Patriarch of Violet Tiger City, I welcome you to this edition of the Servants Sword Tournament.¡± He continued speaking, occasionally interrupted by the shouts of the spectators.


    ¡°The organisation of this tournament holds a big significance for us today. I am aware that some might question in their hearts the purpose of such a tournament. Maybe some of you wonder, why we don¡¯t just organise the Young Genius Tournament every three years.¡±


    ¡°But this tournament has its own importance. Because it gives hope for our servants, it provides hope for those less fortunate, it gives motivation for the weak to get stronger, and it is also helps uniting the various clans within our city. It also proves that power is not everything in such tournaments.¡±


    He then turned to look down towards the participants at the South End Area.


    ¡°I can see some familiar faces, but there are also some new faces here. I am observing good spirits among this year`s competitors. This augurs well for the competition of the tournament.¡±


    ¡°I will take this opportunity to thank the various elders and leaders of clans for coming to the arena today. I wish to personally introduce some of them to the audience present here.¡±


    ¡°Patriarchs Bohn Dabsika and Jackson Dorba, it is always an honour to have you here. Last and not least, I would like to also introduce Elder Oliver Zafisi, who is here on behalf of the Matriarch of the Zafisi Clan.¡±


    He paused for a while, then turned his head in the direction of a particular person in the stands. The spectators showed signs of curiosity as they too looked towards this person, who was seated next to the Dorba Patriarch.


    ¡°What a surprise, we have an unexpected guest with us here today. If my memory serves me well, you must be Jeffrey Yukan, a Kanklar.¡±


    ¡°WHA?! A KANKLAR IS HERE?! AND HE HAILS FROM THE MAJOR YUKAN CLAN?!!¡± ~~~~~


    This revelation caused a commotion among the various spectators in the stands. Till now they thought that the only Kanklar present at the arena was the City Patriarch. They never imagined that someone of similar strength would be here as well!


    Jeffrey slightly nodded his head in agreement with Cory`s words, whilst Jackson Dorba grinned in excitement. That is because with such a powerful ally, the Dorba clan`s rankings will undeniably continue to rise. At this rate, it would be just a matter of time until the Dorba clan is considered the number one clan of Violet Tiger City.


    It was then that Cory seemed to remember something, as he signalled with his hand. ¡°There is one more person I wishes to introduce to you, my esteemed friend Marcus.¡±


    A young green haired man, who was seated next to Cory and busy picking his nose, was totally caught off guard by this sudden introduction. He felt embarrassed as he waved his hand to the audience.


    The City Patriarch took in a breath, as he raised his voice for the first time during his speech. ¡°Please enjoy the tournament! Let the Servants Swords Tournament begin!!!¡±


    The crowds erupted in excitement, whilst the male judge who presided the Preliminaries flew away from the Judges area and landed on the Main arena.


    ¡°During the quarter-finals and semi-finals the following rules shall apply. The match will be decided when someone is defeated, or when one loses grip of his sword, and the sword falls on the ground. Anyone can retire anytime without any consequences. It is not allowed to venture outside the main arena, including the connection pathways. Anyone who does that will be immediately disqualified from the match.¡±


    ¡°To make the tournament more interesting, the rules of the final will be slightly different. The match will only end if one opponent is completely defeated. Losing your sword for a while will not incur any penalties. However, retiring is only allowed if the other participant agrees to it. Furthermore, whoever steps out of the main arena, will lose. His clan would also be prohibited from participating in the next three editions of the Servants Sword Tournament!¡±


    When he was done, the oldest woman of the Judges panel promptly yelled, ¡°The first two contestants, please come forward.¡±


    Charles, who didn¡¯t feel like doing any unnecessary walking, was hoping that his opponent would retire immediately. Unfortunately for him, his opponent decided to fight this match. Charles scowled, as he followed his opponent towards the main arena, amidst the shouts and cheers of the audience.


    Both contestants assumed their positions, whilst they patiently waited the judge to signal the start of the match.


    ¡°FIRST MATCH OF THE QUARTER-FINALS:  Charles Hearn vs Tony Juko shall commence!¡±~~~~~


    Not even a second had passed. Charles swung his sword in a fashionable way, and then smashed it on the floor.


    BOOM~~~~~


    The strike was so powerful that the tile on the ground was shattered into pieces, as cracks spread out to the adjacent tiles.


    Charles smirked, ¡°So... you still want to continue this fight Tony?¡±


    Tony was trembling in fear, as he let go his sword, which landed sweetly on the ground.


    CLANK~~~~~


    The oldest woman of the Judges panel immediately shouted, ¡°First match of the quarter-final is over! Charles Hearn is the winner!¡±


    ¡°The next two contestants, please come forward.¡±


    Yakov coolly stood up from his couch. He moved expressionless towards the main arena, whilst the returning Charles was heading back to the South End. They crossed each other`s paths midway, as they both glanced at each other very briefly. Both of their eyes were filled with killing intent.


    ¡°This insect keeps getting stronger and stronger. I need to deal with him once and for all. I cannot prolong this any longer,¡± Yakov whispered to himself.


    Yakov was the first to arrive, whilst Peter Dabsika was still moving slowly, seemingly trying to delay the start of the match. His expression was similar to a man who was about to be executed.


    ¡°How ironic, we were the two finalists in the last tournament. This time, destiny was that we meet again during the first match.¡± Yakov uttered when Peter arrived on the main arena. Peter looked at him disdainfully without uttering anything.


    The Judge was about to announce the start of the match, but he was promptly interrupted by Yakov.


    ¡°Lord Judge, I wish to make a request to the Lord Patriarch. This request concerns my match.¡±


    The Judge looked at him a little puzzled, but shortly after he nodded and said, ¡°Lord City Patriarch, contender Yakov Dorba wishes to put forward a request that concerns his match!¡±


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    ¡°HUH?!¡±~~~~~


    The various spectators were surprised by this declaration, as they murmured to each other trying to guess what exactly Yakov was up to. Even the City Patriarch appeared confounded. Only the Patriarch of the Dorba clan and his Kanklar friend remained calm, apparently already aware of what is going on.


    ¡°Speak Yakov, what is your request?¡± Cory asked calmly.


    Yakov took in a deep breath, then he shouted with all his might.


    ¡°AS THE WINNER OF THE LAST TEN SERVANTS SWORD TOURNAMENTS, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GRANT ME A LITTLE FAVOUR LORD CITY PATRIARCH, AND ALLOW A SMALL AMENDMEND FOR THIS UPCOMING MATCH. I WISH TO FIGHT AGAINST BOTH OF THE DABSIKA CLAN`S SERVANTS!¡±~~~


    Yakov`s words struck like thunder into everyone ears. A lot of people stood up, completely shocked. Seriously, what was he thinking? They knew that Yakov`s strength was unprecedented, but going against both strongest servants of the Dabsika clan was just complete madness!


    The surprised Cory, paused for a moment, then he calmly uttered, ¡°If the Dabsika Patriarch approves of this, I have no objections.¡±


    Instantly, everyone`s eyes present locked on Bohn Dabsika, patiently waiting for his answer.


    Patriarch Bohn frowned with a worried look. He was put into a very difficult position. With the current fixtures, he was more than confident that Martha could manage to rank at least 2nd overall. If Martha had to join up with Peter, they would have to face both Yakov and Charles, the two strongest contestants of the tournament! There were no guarantees that they would reach the finals. However, he had nothing to worry about, because he knew that the clan rankings are decided by the Young Genius Tournament. He also knew that if he refused, then it would be a big blow for his clan. His clan would become the laughing stock of the arena. Refusing a two against one match would be too humiliating for the Dorba clan!


    ¡°I too have no objections¡­ but, if by any chance we win this match, what would happen thereafter? Will one of our contestants be disqualified?¡± Bohn worriedly asked.


    Cory calmly replied, ¡°It is already decided then. I will wait for the outcome of this match first, then I decide according to the final result.¡±


    When he heard this, the Judge instantly invited Martha to come as well. She walked slowly with a depressive face towards the main arena. She was deeply disappointed with the way things have turned out. After all, her fixtures were very easy and she could have made her way to the finals for the first time!


    However, after she arrived next to Peter, she forgot about all this and a smile appeared on her face. The opportunity to fight alongside her partner made her feel delighted.


    ¡°As cocky as ever, that bastard¡­ what the hell is he thinking? Don¡¯t tell me that he became even stronger than last time?¡± Charles murmured to Kane.


    ¡°What about my match?¡± Kane asked totally baffled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, let`s just watch this. It will be fun,¡± Charles grinned.


    ¡°SECOND MATCH OF THE QUARTER-FINALS: YAKOV DORBA VS PETER AND MARTHA DABSIKA SHALL COMMENCE!¡±~~~~


    The couple instantly separated as they rushed towards Yakov, surrounding him on both sides.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking Yakov, but if you think you can beat us that easily, you are badly mistaken!¡± Peter shouted in anger.


    The servant couple were more than confident that they would be able to beat him. Their swords were powered by blue crystals, so they had nothing to fear. Besides, they had the numerical advantage.


    The couple then unleased several attacks on Yakov. They worked in harmony and their attacks were done rhythmically. By the way they were coordinating their moves, it was very evident that they had spent a lot of time training together.


    However, Yakov still managed to block all their attacks, even if it was done with some difficulty. After around one minute of clashes, the couple retreated away from him.


    ¡°What kind of freak is he?!¡± Martha murmured to Peter.


    ¡°Calm down. The moment we lose our concentration is the moment we will lose this match. It is important that we stay focused. The time to go all out has arrived!¡± Peter replied as he moved a tiny lever located next to his sword crystal. Martha followed suit.


    ¡°I know you are still hiding your power, so how about we go all out Yakov¡±, Peter grinned. Yakov frowned as he too moved up his sword`s lever.


    Seeing this, Kane asked Charles for an explanation.


    Charles calmly replied, ¡°Unlike our swords, some swords are equipped with a lever that limits the power of the crystal. By moving the lever, they have increased the overall power of their swords.¡±


    ¡°Well it doesn¡¯t really matter though, since this match is going to end very soon.¡±


    Kane asked curiously, ¡°End very soon? Who will win?¡± But Charles just replied casually, ¡°Just wait patiently and see for yourself.¡±


    The couple marched again towards Yakov, as they unleashed a barrage of strikes, now clearly much more powerful than before. However, Yakov was still holding on his own against the two of them.


    Seeing this battle unfolding, the spectators began to cheer for Yakov. He was after all fighting alone on par with the top two servants of the Dabsika clan. Patriarch Bohn frowned and was now anticipating the worst result.


    After several minutes, Yakov suddenly retreated from them by a couple of metres.


    ¡°What, already in need for a rest Yakov?¡± Peter asked mockingly.


    ¡°Not at all¡­ I am just thinking of the best possible way to finish you two¡­ I want my win to be a little flashy to attract the maximum support of the crowds¡­ and I think I have an idea how now!¡± Yakov calmly replied as he moved the lever of his sword up one more time.


    Both Peter and Martha shocked themselves when they noticed that Yakov was still not using his maximum power.


    ¡°Why so surprised? Unfortunately for you¡­ my sword has three modes of power: low power, medium power and maximum power.¡±


    ¡°See you all again in six years, you bunch of garbage.¡± Yakov shouted as he rushed towards Peter. Peter used all his strength to block the incoming attack, as both of their swords collided with a powerful clash. Unfortunately for Peter, Yakov`s strike was just too powerful, and he lost grasp of his sword. Peter`s sword flew upwards into the air rotating, until finally falling back on the arena platform.


    CLANK~~~~~CLINK~~~CLINK~~


    Peter`s sword bounced three times before finally coming to a halt.


    Yakov then moved swiftly and headed straight in the direction of Martha. She was still completely distracted by Peter`s defeat and hadn¡¯t any time to react to his sudden charge.


    ¡°WHUUUSSS!!!¡±~~~~~


    The sound of Yakov sword rushing into the air was heard. Everyone was now shocked by the scene they were seeing.


    Yakov sword had stopped just a couple of centimetres away from Martha`s neck. Martha trembled in fear, as she let go her sword, before falling on her knees, completely defeated.


    The Judge Panel was prompt to declare, ¡°Yakov Dorba is the winner of the 2nd Quarter-final!!¡±


    Yakov then unsheathed his sword and walked triumphantly towards the South End Area. The masses of the arena immediately erupted into screams and cheers of support towards Yakov.

 Chapter 15 - Charles vs Yakov

    Chapter 15 - Charles vs Yakov


    Throughout the entire history of the Servants Sword Tournament, there was nobody as successful as Yakov. Not only was he the first person to have won the tournament for ten consecutive times, he continued to make a name for himself by accomplishing other feats that nobody before ever dreamt of realising. He was the current champion, and the crowds in the arena simply revered him.


    What transpired today had shocked everyone.  A participant fighting against two others was completely unheard of. And mind you, they weren¡¯t just random fodder. They were the strongest two servants of the Dabsika clan! And to still come out victorious after such a match, was just too incredible! If spectators weren¡¯t present here in the arena, nobody would have believed this!


    The support Yakov was currently receiving from the masses of the arena was equal to the support the City Patriarch Cory had received during the opening ceremony. For the majority of them, Yakov was already the winner of the Tournament.


    However, there were still two more matches he had to face, and anything could still happen. In reality, the most exciting parts of the tournament were still in the pipeline! The fun had only just begun!


    The Judge Panel were currently busy chatting which other, seemingly arguing about something. After a bit of time went by, the oldest woman stood up and promptly yelled.


    ¡°GIVEN THESE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND NOT TO COMPROMISE ANY FURTHER THE FORMAT OF THE TOURNAMENT, CONTENSTANT MR.GULULU FROM THE ZAFISI CLAN WILL AUTOMATICALLY ADVANCE TO THE SEMI-FINALS!!¡±~~~~~~~


    ¡°WHAAAA!!??¡±~~~~ The crowds in the stands erupted in surprise. It is the very first time this Mr.Gululu is competing in the tournament, and before his first match even started, he was awarded an automatic qualification!? He`s really a lucky bastard!


    ¡°Seriously, this is ridiculous! How can anyone be anymore lucky than this!¡± A disgruntled spectator in the general viewing stands complained to the two female companions that were sitting next to him. This was none other than Clinton Logan, who was cursing at all this. If he hadn¡¯t suffer any wounds, he would be the one participating and benefiting from this automatic qualification!!!


    These two women were servants that hailed from other minor clans. Being a member of the Zafisi clan, it wasn¡¯t that hard for him to invite them out to come with him to the arena. One of the women, looked at him a little confused, ¡°Isn¡¯t he someone from your clan? Shouldn¡¯t you be cheering for him?¡±


    Clinton lowered his head in fury and didn¡¯t even bother to reply. Cheer for him? As if!!! He hated Kane to the core! He was just hoping that Kane would experience a crushing defeat. Only then he would be satisfied!


    Contrariwise, the spectators of the Zafisi clan were delighted with this news. This result meant that they now had two competitors in the semi-finals!


    Kane frowned funnily upon hearing the announcement of the Judge Panel. For all this time, he was burning with desire to fight his first match! He actually felt quite disappointed with this news!


    Meanwhile, the next two contestants had arrived on the main platform. They happened to be the two finalist of the preliminaries, so they were both eager to continue from where they had left from. The fight was a long one, and it lasted for more than fifteen minutes. Finally it was over, with Diane Rodgers emerging victorious from this match. This match also marked the end of the quarter-finals.


    The tournament then paused for a twenty minutes respite. Afterwards, the old woman from the Judge Panel announced the beginning of the first semi-final.


    ¡°FIRST CONTENSTANT CHARLES HEARN PLEASE COME OVER TO THE MAIN ARENA.¡±~~~~


    Charles turned his gaze towards the worried Kane, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine! You should focus on your next match. You have a great chance of making it to the final. Who knows, we might actually meet each other in the final!¡±


    Charles then began walking along the connection pathway in the direction of the battle arena. At the middle of the pathway, Charles casually threw away his shirt, unrevealing his robust and brawny chest. The arena instantly erupted into screams. When he arrived at the main stage, he raised his resplendent two handed sword up in the air to further entice the masses, whereupon he assumed his fighting stance.


    After the defeat at the semi-finals of the last tournament, Charles was filled with determination and had trained nonstop. He never forgot how Yakov had humiliated him back then. For the last six years, his heart burnt with desire for revenge.


    ¡°SECOND CONTENSTANT YAKOV DORBA PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MAIN ARENA.¡±~~~~


    The prideful Yakov moved towards the arena for the second time, amidst the lauds of the masses. When he arrived at the stage, he let out a laugh full of mockery, ¡°Trying to impress the little girls Charles!?¡±


    Charles instantly replied scornfully. ¡°There will be only one impressive moment, and that`s when I beat you to the brink of death. During the last six years¡­ I only thought about this very moment, the day that I will beat you! Your era of cockiness is now over Yakov! Today you shall meet defeat by my very own hands!¡±


    Yakov immediately burst out in laughter. For him, Charles was like a little barking dog. Just talk and no substance.


    ¡°So for all these last six years¡­ you only thought about beating me?! Ha ha¡­ HA HA¡­ you are so hilarious! You know what? I recommend you go pay a visit to an herbalist, maybe he can give you something to fix your ridiculous fixation, and maybe he puts some sense into your mind!¡±


    Yakov then twitched his eyebrows as his voice`s tone turned serious.


    ¡°And¡­ I am sorry to disappoint you but¡­ an insect like you stand no chance of beating me! And what is that? Your new toy sword!? I wonder how much of your clan`s fortune was spent to create that sword¡­! The elders of the Zafisi clan must have surely gone crazy to waste such a fortune on a stupid servant like you!¡±


    Once he was finished with his speech, Yakov unleashed his sword and immediately increased the lever to full power. It was obvious that he wanted to end this match as quickly as possible.


    ¡°FIRST MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS: CHARLES HEARN VS YAKOV DORBA SHALL COMMENCE!!!¡±


    With his sword already in the air, Yakov charged like a wild beast towards Charles. Before Yakov could arrive within striking distance, Charles blocked his way by unleashing a powerful strike on the ground.


    BOOM~~~~~


    Pieces of tiles could be seen flying around. Charles strike was so strong that the tile underneath was completely fragmented into smithereens. Thanks to his quick reflexes, Yakov was lucky to halt his charge and promptly distanced himself away from Charles.


    Yakov paused for a while, as he thought into his mind. ¡°This bastard¡­ he was really hiding his true strength¡­, I definitely can¡¯t allow him to hit me with that sword. The moment he does¡­ I am finished!¡± He now understood that this fight will not be an easy one. Yakov then charged again and again, but each of his attempts were blocked by Charles`s heavy sword. No matter which direction he took, Yakov couldn¡¯t move any closer to Charles. His heavy sword was like a perfect defensive barrier, a barrier that Yakov couldn¡¯t figure how to penetrate.


    ¡°What`s wrong Yakov? Are you by any chance trying to play ¡®merry go round¡¯ with me??¡± Charles asked sardonically.


    Yakov was now losing his patience, and decided to change strategy and instead go for a direct attack. However, Charles was on alert and promptly counterattacked him. Both of their swords clashed with each other with tremendous force.


    Stolen story; please report.


    CLASH~~~~~~


    The swords of the two warriors remained pressed against each other, seemingly cancelling each other out. After being locked in this stalemate for a while, Charles coolly asked, ¡°is this all you`ve got Yakov?¡±


    Yakov was about to say something, but Charles used all his strength to completely overpower Yakov`s sword. Before Yakov could recover his defensive posture, Charles unleased a powerful horizontal strike that landed directly on Yakov`s chest. Charles then used the momentum of his sword to lift Yakov and propel him upwards into the air. Yakov flew into the air until landing around fifteen metres away from Charles.


    Yakov was totally left dumbfounded by Charles¡¯ newly obtained strength. He never imagined that Charles would become this strong in just six years! Even the numerous spectators of this match were completely dumbstruck by this sudden turn of events. The ten times champion of the Servant Swords Tournament was currently being trashed! Even the Patriarch of the Dorba clan was beginning to show signs of frustration at the way this match was evolving.


    Yakov stood back up with some effort, spitting blood from his mouth. He groaned inwardly with pain, and his facial expression darkened, revealing a heinous look.


    ¡°What happened to your pontificate speeches Yakov? Lost on words? That`s so unusual for you.¡±


    ¡°I am curious about something¡­ Before today, have you ever experienced the true meaning of misery Yakov?¡± Charles asked him coolly.


    Yakov remained staring at him, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Fine¡­ let me show you, the true meaning of misery!¡± Charles yelled as he prepared to unleash his most powerful attack. He rapidly ran towards Yakov, and when Charles was around four metres away from him, he jumped into the air whilst spinning the sword around himself to gather momentum, then he performed a powerful strike that landed very close to Yakov, who was trying to dodge. The force brought about by the power of this strike exploded outwards, throwing Yakov away by several metres. The four tiles underneath were instantly replaced by a two metres deep crater!


    ¡°WHAAAAAAA???!!!¡±~~~~


    The crowds instantly shouted in astonishment. The power of this attack was just too shocking!


    ¡°How is that possible!? How can a cripple be that strong!?¡±


    ¡°That strike had the power to defeat an apprentice soul fighter!!! Yakov has no chance of winning this match! He should really consider retiring!¡±


    The arena immediately erupted into raptures.


    ¡°CHARLES!!!¡±~~~~ ¡°CHARLES!!!¡±~~~~ ¡°CHARLES!!!¡± ~~~~


    Hearing the shouts of support, Charles cried out tears of joy. He had worked so hard for this special day, and was now finally reaping the fruits of his training. He suddenly remembered the countless days spent surviving the dangers he had to face every day against the various beasts of the wild.


    In the meantime, Yakov had used his sword to help himself to stand up again, whilst heavily panting. Blood covered his face and was visible tired. However, he was similar to a wounded wolf, and his resolve to fight never faded away.


    He again switched to his first strategy as he tried to close in on his opponent, whilst at the same time keeping a safe distance. Charles was prepared for this as he easily blocked the incoming barrage of attacks with his sword.


    ¡°You already know that this isn¡¯t going to work against me Yakov. Why don¡¯t you just retire already? Or you want me to ridicule you even further? I can now easily read your erratic movements, you aren¡¯t even capable of aiming your sword at me anymore!¡±


    Yakov ignored him and kept attacking, but after a while he suddenly withdrew himself away from Charles and then paused motionless. Yakov then kept staring at Charles with contempt.


    Charles looked at him with a confused expression, but he wasn¡¯t bothered by that much. ¡°Are you finally giving up?¡± Charles asked curiously, but Yakov didn¡¯t utter a word and his face showed no kind of reaction. This pissed off Charles as he yelled, ¡°Fine! Since you are the former champion of the last ten tournaments, I¡¯ll honour you by giving you the crushing defeat that a champion deserves!¡±


    Charles assumed his attacking posture, then he performed his ultimate attack. To the surprise of everyone, Yakov didn¡¯t try to dodge and kept staring at him immobile.


    ¡°Go to hell Yakov!!!¡± Charles screamed as his sword headed towards Yakov.


    ¡°CLASH¡±~~~~~~~


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°WHAAAAA???!!!!!¡±


    The various spectators of the arena instantly rose onto their feet, including the many clan Patriarchs. All of them had surprised and shocked expressions. The only person who didn¡¯t show any kind of reaction was Marcus, who was bored with this tournament, and fell asleep around ten minutes ago.


    The surprised Elder Oliver whispered to himself, ¡°This can¡¯t be, is he cheating??!!!¡±¡±


    Charles retreated a few metres away from Yakov, completely perplexed. Charles couldn¡¯t believe¡­ he couldn¡¯t accept that his most powerful strike was easily parried by Yakov!!


    ¡°You!!??? Don''t tell me you''ve been hiding your true strength until now...??? No wait¡­ that can¡¯t be, what the hell is going on!¡± Charles yelled at Yakov.


    Yakov, still expressionless, coolly walked towards Charles. ¡°Obtaining such a large sword was a truly magnificent idea. It complimented your strength, and at the same time it allowed you to easily defend yourself from my close attacks.¡±


    Suddenly, Yakov`s face turned dark and evil. ¡°Did it ever crossed your mind¡­ that having such a large sword¡­ can make you vulnerable¡­? Did it ever crossed your mind¡­ what would happen¡­, if I were to land a hit¡­ on that 5cm wide blue crystal that is powering your sword??!!¡±


    Charles looked at him completely thunderstruck, then his face turned white pale, and his head started spinning.


    ¡°CRINK CRINCK CRINCK¡±~~~~


    Fragments of blue crystals could be heard dropping on the floor of the arena. Upon, seeing such a scene, Elder Oliver`s face fell. He was one of the few that knew how much that blue crystal had costed the clan! Entire savings equivalent of three years profits of the Zafisi clan were just wasted!


    Charles trembled in fear. Without his power crystal, his heavy sword was now totally useless. He knew that he had lost. Even though he was unwilling, he had no other choice but to admit defeat!


    ¡°I RETIRE FROM THIS MATCH!¡±~~~~~


    His shout echoed and filled the entire arena. Charles then prepared to leave, but was interrupted by Yakov, who was now totally infuriated.


    ¡°You¡­?! Where do you think are you going?¡± Yakov totally ignored Charles` announcement and marched towards Charles, then striking him with three consecutive sword assaults. He was about to continue striking him, but the Match Judge intervened to stop him.


    ¡°Enough! Haven¡¯t you heard him? He has retired!¡± The Match Judge shouted disdainfully towards Yakov. Charles was now on the floor yelling in pain, heavily injured.


    A lot of spectators were stunned, they never expected Yakov to keep on attacking even after Charles had confirmed his retirement from the match!


    The shocked Kane, instantly ignored the rules of the Tournament and marched towards the main arena to assist Charles.

 Chapter 16 - The Incredible Mr.Gululu!

    Chapter 16 - The Incredible Mr.Gululu!


    The first match of the semi-finals had finally come to end, in a rather controversial fashion. After Yakov`s despicable actions, the Zafisi`s clan spectators immediately vented out their fury, whilst they heavily demanded his disqualification! Elder Oliver was likewise deeply shocked by all this, because this match had ended with the worst possible outcome for the Zafisi clan!


    However, the biggest loser was Charles. He laid there on the ground, looking at the clouds above him, with a completely dumbfounded expression. He couldn¡¯t believe he had lost... he was in control of the entire match, and victory was just a matter of time. Who would have ever thought that he would be defeated by some cheap trick?


    Today happened to be the first time he had actually used his heavy sword in a real duel. In past duels, he had always used smaller swords, which were always powered by tiny crystals, and he never had to worry about protecting the crystals! Not knowing the weak points of his sword has costed him dire! His pride was in tatters, because in the end he had failed, not just himself but also his clan. He ended up being humiliated by Yakov again. Charles was so close to victory, and yet so far.


    Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming heated, the City Patriarch tried to calm down the situation. ¡°I would like to remind all participants to keep calm and respect the rules of the tournament. I will not be tolerating any further transgressions.¡±


    Meanwhile, Kane had just arrived next to Charles on the main arena. Kane was about to ask Charles if he was fine, but after seeing Charles deeply wounded and covered by blood, Kane changed his mind, because he could figure that Charles wasn¡¯t fine. ¡°Charles! Are¡­ are you going to be well?!¡±


    Charles weakly replied, ¡°No need for concern Kane¡­ I have experienced countless of wounds like these back when I was training in the mountains¡­ and injury like this will not kill me. However, I have suffered a mental wound that will never heal!¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t believe¡­ I have lost¡­ I was so close¡­,¡± Charles now couldn¡¯t hold his tears anymore, and began crying like a little child.


    ¡°Move away kid, he needs treatment!¡± Two medical officers arrogantly interrupted Kane as they grabbed Charles body and placed it on a stretcher.


    Charles struggled to turn his face towards Kane, ¡°Kane, please¡­ retire from this match¡­ retire now¡­ while you still have the chance! I don¡¯t want¡­ any harm to befall you! You can¡¯t do a thing to Yakov with that sword¡­! Kane¡­!¡±


    Kane observed caringly the departing Charles, who was being carried away by the medical officers. Upon first observations they quickly realised that Charles wounds were severe, so they decided to head straight to the Medical Lab located inside the arena, under the spectator stands.


    Kane felt sorry for Charles. Kane had only known him for two days, but they clicked so well together, it felt like they knew each other for years. He was aware of how much effort and time Charles had dedicated so that he could do well and win this tournament.


    Kane then turned his angry gaze towards Yakov. When Yakov noticed him, he let out a short funny laugh, then moved slowly towards the medical area. He too had suffered some injuries that required medical attention. Fortunately for him, his injuries weren¡¯t severe, so there wasn¡¯t the need for him to visit the Medical Lab. He remained on the medical platform, as three medical officers attended to him.


    Whilst everyone attentions were focused on Yakov and Charles, Diane Rodgers had walked towards the Judge Panel Area, and was presently busy conversing with the Judges. Shortly after, she left and walked gracefully outside of the fighting ring towards the spectator stands. Afterwards, an announcement from the Judge Panel was heard.


    ¡°CONTENSTANT DIANE RODGERS HAS DECIDED TO RETIRE FROM HER NEXT MATCH! REASON CITED WAS BECAUSE SHE DOESN¡¯T HAVE ANY WISH TO WIN HER NEXT MATCH, ONLY TO RISK SCARRING HER DELICATE BODY IN THE FINAL MATCH. SINCE SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO RETIRE IN THE FINAL, SHE HAS DECIDED TO DO SO NOW. HENCE, ZAFISI`S MR.GULULU IS BEING DECLARED AS THE WINNER OF THE SECOND SEMI-FINAL!¡±~~~~


    ¡°WE ARE NOW GOING TO STOP FOR A TWENTY MINUTES BREAK. THE TOURNAMENT WILL THEN BE RESUMING ONCE THE BREAK IS OVER!¡±~~~~


    Kane frowned, as he sat down on the main arena cross-legged, then rested his sword horizontally in front of him on the floor. He closed his eyes and patiently waited for the start of the final match. It seemed that he had forgotten about not competing in a match for the second time in a row, and about how much he hated his tournament`s name.


    Meanwhile, the spectators in the arena¡­


    ¡°I have seen all sorts of luck, but this kid`s luck is just¡­incredible!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he a new servant that just joined the Zafisi clan? They must be surely proud that one of their warriors has reached the finals!¡±


    ¡°This Mr.Gululu has really done it now! Regardless if mentioned in a positive or negative way, his name will be on everyone lips for the days to come!¡±


    ¡°The Creators must surely be helping this young warrior! To allow him to arrive to the final without even having to lift a finger!¡±


    Amongst the crowds there were mixed feelings of jealousy and joy. The stand of Zafisi clan was thrown into complete ecstasy and disarray, as the various members of the Zafisi clan instantly celebrated this unexpected success! One of their warriors has made it to the finals!!! This meant that they have ranked at least second best in the whole tournament!!! Even Elder Oliver couldn¡¯t believe Kane`s luck as he took out his communication device and delivered this exciting news to the Zafisi clan`s Palace.


    Inside the Palace, the Matriarch was presently resting on a chair in her room, when two guards came to inform her about the Servants Sword Tournament. ¡°Lord Matriarch, we have just received news about the Tournament.¡±


    The Matriarch eyes instantly glittered excitedly, ¡°Please tell me¡­ How are our two warriors doing?¡±


    The guard replied solemnly, ¡°Charles has lost the semi-final against Yakov. To complicate matters, he was badly injured during the match, so he isn¡¯t in a position to participate in the 3rd/4th ranking match either. He is confirmed as 4th placed in the overall ranking. Fortunately, his injuries aren¡¯t life threatening and he should be able to recover in just a few days.¡±


    Matriarch Tracy instantly felt depressed and worried for Charles` well-being. ¡°Thanks for updating me. You can depart, I now wish to stay here alone by myself.¡±


    ¡°Please Lord Matriarch, there is another news, one that I am sure you would like to hear!¡± The other guard responded.


    ¡°Other news? Please speak.¡± The Matriarch asked curiously.


    ¡°It is about the other participant, Mr.Gululu has made it to the finals! He will be fighting against Yakov very soon!¡±


    The Matriarch was left completely stunned. ¡°Kane¡­ in the final¡­? Is he that strong!?¡±


    ¡°Lord Matriarch, we don¡¯t know if he is strong or not, because he didn¡¯t engaged himself into any fights! It so happens that by a series of freak coincidences, Mr.Gululu was lucky and advanced up to the final without fighting anyone!¡±


    The Matriarch instantly opened her eyes wide. ¡°He arrived at the final without fighting anyone?¡± She remained staring blankly for a while, and shortly after she started laughing weakly from her nose. She found all this "arriving at the final without fighting anyone" slightly hilarious, as she kept tittering softly. She felt bad for laughing whilst knowing that Charles was currently injured, but she just couldn¡¯t hold her laughter anymore.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Fine, you can leave now.¡± The Matriarch ordered the guards, whilst she kept giggling weakly. She felt very happy, and shed tears of joy.


    Back to the arena, time was slowly passing by, and now only one minute remained before the start of the final match. The crowd was still lost discussing Mr.Gululu`s luck.


    Amongst the crowd, a particular man was fuming furiously. ¡°I can¡¯t accept this! That Bastard!! He made it to the final! At my expense! No, this is just too much! I can¡¯t bare myself any longer! This is unacceptable!!¡± Clinton was on the verge of a mental collapse from his anger, but then he apparently remembered something.


    ¡°Right! How can I be so stupid! Even though he made it to the final, his now against Yakov!¡± He grinned evilly and rubbed his hands together, ¡°I just hope Yakov will lay waste to his body¡­ yes Yakov¡­ show him hell!¡±


    ¡°THE RESPITE IS NOW OVER. PARTICIPANT YAKOV DORBA IS BEING CALLED BACK FOR THE FINAL ROUND!¡±~~~~~


    Yakov walked with a victorious pose, as he saluted his supporters. Everyone had already acknowledged him as the champion of the tournament, and this match was just a formality to honour the remaining fixture. Even though some of his supporters were disappointed by his earlier actions, when they realised that he was minutes away from being crowned champion of the Servants Sword Tournament for the 11th consecutive time, they instantly forgot about the incident.


    On the other hand, they also knew that this was the end of the road for Kane. No luck could save him now. Even Oliver was lost ruminating about the possible outcomes of this match. He was worried that Yakov might inflict intentional injuries upon Kane.


    Yakov finally arrived at the arena, as he placed his sword vertically on the floor, whilst resting both of his hands on its grip, in a somewhat cool and tranquil posture. A mocking smile could be seen on his face.


    Kane then opened his eyes like a hawk, as he too grabbed his sword and coolly rose to his feet.


    Suddenly, Yakov took in a deep breath and shouted.


    ¡°AS A SIGN OF GOODWILL OF MY PART, AND TO PERMIT HIM TO ENJOY FURTHER HIS REPUTATION AS THE TOURNAMENT`S MOST LUCKY PERSON, I AM ALLOWING THIS ¡®MR.GULULU¡¯ THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETIRE FROM THE MATCH!!!!¡±~~~~


    The whole arena, excluding Kane, was surprised by this sudden declaration. The eyes of the various members of the Zafisi clan flashed with hope. They knew that Kane didn¡¯t have any chance of beating Yakov! This was truly a miracle!


    ¡°Nooooooooooooo¡­. This can¡¯t be! This can¡¯t be true!!!!¡± Clinton cried desperately as he placed both of this hands into his hair, seemingly trying to pull it out. He had now lost all of his senses, as he stared lifelessly, like a wild beast on the verge of death.


    Kane, remained calm for a while, and afterwards he casually replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be fighting this match.¡±


    Instantly the Match Judge shouted.


    ¡°THE FINAL MATCH: YAKOV DORBA VS ZAFISI`S MR.GULULU SHALL COMMENCE!¡±~~~~~~


    The entire arena went dead silent. The faces of the various members of the Zafisi clan fell in disbeliefs, and Oliver felt dizzy as he started to faint. Even the various spectators and Patriarchs present were left completely dumbstruck! This Mr.Gululu was a complete idiot!


    Yakov was completely stunned at first, but afterwards he burst out in laughter. ¡°Ha ha, oh dear! Oh my! You actually want to fight me with that sword of yours! This is beyond funny! I first thought that only Charles would be this foolish, but now I am going to start believing that the servants of the Zafisi clan are infected! Infected by some kind of weird disease that spreads stupidity!!!¡± Even the spectators in the arena started making fun of Kane as they shouted several taunts at him.


    Kane ignored everything, as he started running towards Yakov, holding his sword only with his right hand. Yakov kept his cool pose, as he pushed forward his chest funnily, seemingly playing down this match. However, when Kane arrived within striking distance, Yakov instantly broadened his eyes wide open. He was a veteran and an experienced fighter. He had fought many battles and he could tell when a strike is dangerous or not. The moment he felt Kane`s sword approaching, he could immediately tell, that Kane`s attack was very, very dangerous!!!


    Yakov desperately used all his strength he could master, as his eyes bulged out, and thick veins popped all over his face. He barely managed to hit the point of Kane`s sword, and with great effort he succeeded in parrying away his strike. Kane`s strike instead landed on the ground.


    BOOM~~~~~ CRACK~~~~~~


    When Kane`s sword hit the ground, a huge explosion was heard, as a ten metre long fault appeared on the ground. He then casually retracted his sword again as he started chasing the now running Yakov.


    There wasn¡¯t a single person in the arena that hadn¡¯t his mouth open, and nobody dared to utter a word. Even Marcus, who was resting his cheek on his palm sleeping, suddenly opened his eyes with curiosity.


    ¡°Damn it to hell! Dammit! From where did this monster came from!!!?¡± Yakov completely terrorised kept running stupidly as he tried to avoid going near Kane at all costs. However, Kane was very fast, and it didn¡¯t take him long to corner Yakov. Kane then swayed his sword horizontally, barely missing Yakov by a few inches.


    BOOM~~~~~~~~


    Ten tiles from the floor were instantly cut and thrown away flying for several metres by the same strike! Kane made it seem like he was cutting through a piece of paper!!! Yakov stared at the strike in disbelief. If the strike had landed on him, forget about him losing, he would have been chopped in half!


    The eyes of Jackson Dorba twitched, and instantly went into fury. ¡°There is no way this kid is a cripple! Something`s amiss here!!!


    ¡°This is rather strange indeed¡­ but Jackson, I have scanned this guy for several times, and I can¡¯t sense his magnetic core!¡± Jeffrey replied dumbfounded.


    Meanwhile, Marcus who was busy observing the kid with his tranquil expression, grinned and whispered into his heart, ¡°So¡­ that`s how it is eh?¡±


    The remaining spectators couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing. Never before it was the case that a servant using a green crystal powered sword would be winning against someone using a blue crystal powered sword! And the one wielding the blue crystal powered sword was the current champion!


    Oliver`s mind was thrown into complete disorder! The countless emotions experienced before and during the match had completely exhausted him, and his mind was now blank. Kane had completely exceeded his expectations!


    Meanwhile, Kane was still chasing after Yakov, until finally trapping him near a corner. When he noticed he was at a death end, Yakov screamed in despair. ¡°I surrender!!! I retire!!! Please stop I beg you! I am willing to give you anything! Here, come take my sword!¡±


    However, Kane ignored his pleas as he coolly uttered, ¡°It is only proper that I finish you with the same technique Charles used.¡± He then ran towards Yakov, whilst Kane span on himself and landed a powerful strike on Yakov.¡±


    ¡°Nooooooooooo¡­¡­¡­..!!!!!!!!!! arrghhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­¡­¡­!!!!!!!¡± The only thing Yakov could do was scream, as he fell on the ground defeated in a pool of blood.


    CLANK~~~ CLANK~~~


    Kane coolly removed the blood stains from his sword, then he uttered to himself. ¡°It seems cutting swords in half is slowly becoming my own speciality!¡±

 Chapter 17 - Great Commotion in the Arena

    Chapter 17 - Great Commotion in the Arena


    There a lot of things which are considered impossible in life. No matter what, the laws of the universe reign supreme, and everything that occurs is only allowed to happen as long as it is within their set parameters. Everything else, can only be dreamt.


    However, the human mind is different from the laws of the universe. It is very weak and fragile, stained by feelings, and it can¡¯t accurately predict everything like the laws of the universe can do. That`s why humans who believe they can precisely predict something, they will end up disappointed over and over again. When compared to other animals, humans are indeed intelligent. But when compared to the laws of the universe, humans are just too ignorant. The rules and laws of the creators are what dictates this galaxy, not the puny minds of humans.


    Almost 200,000 spectators in the arena predicted that Yakov would win. Almost 200,000 spectators in the arena predicted that Kane was an idiot for fighting the number one champion with such a weak sword. Almost 200,000 spectators in the arena predicted that Kane would suffer a terrible defeat. But the 200,000 spectators were wrong, and Kane was right. As long as the laws of the universe permitted it, it was possible, regardless what the human mind thinks or assumes of.


    Kane coolly walked in the middle of the arena, as he stared at the crowds. His mood was now clearly better, and was finally enjoying himself. He sheathed his sword, then turned his gaze towards Oliver, and promptly shouted, ¡°OLIVER! I DID IT! I FOUGHT FOR THE NAME OF THE ZAFISI CLAN, AND OBTAINED VICTORY!¡±


    Oliver looked at him smiling, and instantly burst into tears of joy. Kane`s victory was just unbelievable, it was too incredible to be true! Oliver felt a feeling of appreciation, and slowly whispered into his heart, ¡°I think I should start believing in miracles after all¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, the medical staff rushed as they picked up Yakov`s body. The three of them were shocked by the severity of his injury. ¡°Hurry! We have to hurry! His body is heavily wounded, and a lot of his internal organs have been severely damaged! We can¡¯t waste any time!¡± They instantly sprinted forward towards the Medical lab, as the arena turned silent again.


    The spectators of the arena were still totally stunned. The strength that Kane had showed was abnormal for someone without a magnetic core. However, the most puzzled were Jeffrey and Cory, who couldn¡¯t fathom how all this was possible! How strong this kid would have been if he actually had a magnetic core? Definitely a great and fearsome warrior!


    Finally the crowds began recovering from their initial shocks, and slowly after, a chant could be heard, that slowly intensified, then it evolved into full blown screams and shouts.


    ¡°MR.GULULU!¡±~~~~ ¡°MR.GULULU!¡±~~~~~


    The chants rang into Kane`s ears like needles stabbing him directly into his feelings. Each scream reminded him about the humiliation he had suffered by the hands of those despicable creatures. He tried to control himself, but in the end he failed. His hatred towards Gululus had long since passed his mental limits.


    ¡°SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!!!!!¡±~~~


    The crowd instantly felt confused and shocked, as Kane continued shouting his rant.


    ¡°MY NAME IS KANE! KANE BARKER! I DON¡¯T WANT TO HEAR THAT OTHER STUPID NAME ANYMORE IN MY LIFE!! I HATE THOSE UGLY, FREAKISH, DEFICIENT, FATTY, STUPID, CRAZY AND DETESTABLE CREATURES!!!!!!!!!! IF I COULD, I WOULD KILL THEM ALL AND EAT THEIR MEAT UNTIL I GROW OLD AND PERISH!!!!


    He then shook his head in disgust. Shortly after, he finally seemed to have calmed down, as he paused to recover his breath. He felt relieved that he let out his hatred, he had to release the frustrations he had been accumulating during all this time! Meanwhile, the arena was again thrown into complete silence, as everyone stared dumbfounded at Kane. The guy that named himself Mr.Gululu, actually hates gululus?! They couldn¡¯t understand! Oliver too was confused, but then he burst out in laughter. He was in a joyful mood.


    The City Patriarch was about to stand up and announce the winner of the tournament. It was normal custom that the winner of the Tournament was announced by the City Patriarch and not the Judges Panel. However, he was interrupted by Marcus.


    ¡°Hey Cory, listen to what I have to say,¡± Marcus leaned towards Cory and whispered something into his ear. Shortly after, Cory`s eyes widened, like he had just heard some kind of heresy. Cory then looked towards Kane, then towards Marcus again, then again towards Kane. He repeated this for four times, then he uttered to Marcus, ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡±


    Marcus relaxed his pose as he spoke, ¡°What is there to do? Just follow the rules of the tournament, and leave the rest to the almighty Marcus!!!¡±


    Cory seemed worried as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then he rose up to deliver his announcement. Sweat appeared on his face, and he became increasingly agitated. He made some effort before finally announcing.


    ¡°The winner of this edition of the Servants Sword Tournament is Yakov Dorba!!!¡±


    ¡°WHATTT!!!??¡±~~~~~


    Instantly the arena went into uproar. Everyone felt confused and stunned, because they had clearly seen the outcome of the final match! What nonsense was the City Patriarch spouting?!


    ¡°What bullshit is this?!! What is the reason for all this?!!¡± Elder Oliver stood up and yelled in fury. It was very rare for Oliver to be angry, but he had lost his cool upon hearing this announcement. Everyone questioned the decision of the City Patriarch, whilst others started to suspect that he had secret ulterior motives.


    Kane too was confused by this declaration, because he was competing on behalf of the Zafisi clan. If he was competing for his sake, he wouldn¡¯t have really cared that much about winning this tournament. He just wanted to test his strength, but in the end this tournament turned out to be a complete waste of time!


    The now visible tensed Cory swallowed another load of saliva as he slowly replied, ¡°Candidate Mr.Gululu is being disqualified!¡±


    Elder Oliver promptly replied back fuming, ¡°Are you kidding me?!! On what basis he is being disqualified??!!!¡±


    Cory lowered his head in shame, ¡°it seems that he isn¡¯t a cripple¡­ which makes him ineligible.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!!!!!¡±~~~~~~~~~ A wave of commotion instantly spread throughout the arena. Kane remained there totally stunned, seemingly not believing what he was hearing.


    ¡°Stop saying stupid jokes Cory, you are a Kanklar, you should have been able to sense way earlier if Kane was a cripple or not! Why disqualifying him now?!!¡± Oliver was now totally immersed in his anger. He then savagely turned his head towards Jeffrey, ¡°Hey Jeffrey, you are a Kanklar right! Tell me, can you sense a magnetic core inside Kane?¡±


    Jeffrey frowned, because he didn¡¯t want to be brought into this entire affair, but now he had no choice left but to answer Oliver`s question.


    ¡°I scanned Kane several times, and each time I did I couldn¡¯t detect a magnetic core. However, let¡¯s be realistic, it is not possible for a cripple wielding such a weak sword to exhibit such frightening power! Something about that kid`s body is definitely strange!¡±


    Elder Oliver frowned in anger, then turned his gaze towards Cory whilst proposing. ¡°It is useless arguing at this point¡­ what I suggest, is that you test him with the yellow crystal. The yellow crystal is a special crystal that will instantly melt away if in contact with a body that has a magnetic core. I presume this shouldn¡¯t be a problem for someone rich like you?¡±


    Cory sulked. Yellow crystals were worth a large fortune, since they were very rare. In fact, they were priced as much as a red crystals. Unfortunately, he was now driven into a corner and had to defend his decision. He had no other choice but to comply with Oliver¡¯s request. ¡°Fine, fine, guards, immediately bring me a piece of yellow crystal.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Everyone patiently waited for the arrival of the yellow crystal. Kane stood alone in the arena like a statue, whilst several thoughts passed through his mind.


    The piece of crystal finally arrived on a small red cushion, as Cory grabbed it, then flew downwards towards Kane. ¡°Here Kane, grab and hold this crystal.¡±


    Kane reached out with his left hand, as he grabbed the crystal. Slowly the time passed by¡­ 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds¡­ but the crystal showed no type of reaction. The face of Patriarch Cory slowly turned white pale, his body started to tremble, as he began to express signs of internal panic. This test wasn¡¯t just a matter of knowing if someone was a cripple or not! What was on the cards here was his reputation as City Patriarch! He couldn¡¯t afford to lose face in front of such a large mass of people! He had to be correct!


    After a minute had passed, the now irritated Oliver uttered, ¡°Lord City Patriarch, I bet everyone can now peacefully agree that Kane isn¡¯t a cripple. So¡­ how about you revoke your earlier decision? You don¡¯t want to be suspected of having hidden motives right?!¡±


    Cory was now desperate. His heartbeat turned erratic, and sweat covered all of his body. He turned his gaze towards Marcus, seemingly asking him for help. Seeing this, Marcus signalled something with his hand, but Cory didn¡¯t understand. They kept doing signals with each other, but it was evident that they weren¡¯t understanding each other.


    Everyone in the arena looked at them stupidly. It was now so obvious that they were communicating with each other, there was no need for them to keep trying to hide it anymore. Marcus let out a sigh as he facepalmed his face. ¡°Just come here Cory¡­.¡±


    Cory obediently nodded, and flew back to the stands.


    Marcus then coolly shouted, ¡°Kid, you are using the wrong hand, grab it with your right hand.¡±


    Kane made a funny face, because he found all this grabbing affair stupid, but he still complied and grabbed the yellow crystal with his right hand. Not even five seconds had passed, the crystal cracked and split in two, then slowly melted away. In just a few seconds it was gone.


    This was followed by a short moment of silence. Then, the various members of the Dorba and Dabsika clans stood up and immediately screamed several insults and accusations, all directed towards the Zafisi clan.


    Jackson Dorba shouted angrily towards Oliver. ¡°Shockingly shameful! This is so disgraceful of the Zafisi clan! They actually dared to send a cheat for the Tournament! This is a grave offence! We demand the Lord City Patriarch to ban the Zafisi clan from taking part in future tournaments!¡±


    Oliver was left completely stunned. Every member of the Zafisi clan present was shocked. The entire arena was shaken!


    Meanwhile, Kane stared blankly as he slowly uttered, ¡°Melted¡­Magnetic Core¡­I can have power¡­I can obtain revenge!¡± He cried in ecstasy, and immediately burst out into laughter. ¡°I am not a cripple! I can become a powerful fighter!¡± He was in seventh heaven. He didn¡¯t care about the insults being aimed towards him. He didn¡¯t care that he was currently being accused as a cheater. He just stood there laughing like a crazed person!


    Upon seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Marcus choose to intervene personally. He instantly disappeared from his position, as powerful winds were suddenly unleashed all over the arena. The high winds reduced visibility for only a few metres, whilst a lot of the spectators had to lower their bodies to cover themselves. Kane struggled for a while against the wind, but then the calm returned shortly after. When Kane uncovered his face hidden behind his arms, he saw Marcus standing before him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I dragged you into this mess, so I should also be the one to fix it,¡± Marcus said as he patted Kane on his head.


    He then turned towards the audience, and promptly yelled. ¡°Listen you little flies, cut the crap already!!! He has a magnetic core, but his magnetic core is very weak, even a Kanklar wouldn¡¯t be able to perceive it!!! Nobody from the Zafisi clan can be blamed, because they didn¡¯t know about it! And judging by the way this kid had acted a while ago, you can safely deduce that he also wasn¡¯t aware!¡±


    He then made a funny evil face, whilst he said, ¡°Now if anyone else feels like complaining, feel free to do so. I, Marcus Verde, will patiently listen to your whines!!¡±


    The entire arena suddenly went silence, and only the sound of the blowing wind could be heard.


    ¡°Verde¡­? Verde of the three pillars?¡± Clinton asked scared to himself. One of his female companions heard him, and curiously asked, ¡°The three pillars?¡±


    Clinton looked at her surprised, ¡°You?! You seriously never heard about the three pillars?!!! They are the three most powerful clans in the galaxy, the foundation of the human empire! They have countless of planets under their direct control! This Marcus hails from the Verde clan, a clan that is up there with the likes of the Bordas and Lafran clans! Their leaders are considered the most powerful warriors alive, and they have a high number of immortals within their clans! Nothing good will ever come out if you piss them off!¡±


    The Patriarchs of the Dorba and Dabsika clan were now lost on words. Jackson Dorba expression was a little depressive, then uttered apologetically, ¡°Now that this gentleman has mentioned it¡­ it was impossible for the Zafisi clan to know that this kid wasn¡¯t a cripple. I offer my apologies, I let my feelings control my own thoughts. I hereby retire all my earlier accusations.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the tournament, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± The Patriarch of the Dorba clan stood up and slowly left the arena, followed by other members of his clan.


    Marcus grinned as he whispered to himself, ¡°That`s right, you little hypocrite shits¡­ leave already you cowards!¡± Then he turned around and prepared to fly away. However, he noticed that Kane was now on the floor bowing to him.


    Marcus laughed out, ¡°There is no need to thank me you punk!¡±


    Kane then cried begging, ¡°Please! I know you are a very strong warrior. Please take me as your disciple!!¡±


    Marcus was stunned by this, as he itched his head with his right hand. ¡°Disciple?! Nah, in my entire life I have never taken in someone as a disciple, and I don¡¯t see that changing anytime soon. You shouldn¡¯t get carried away kid¡­ even though you have a magnetic core, I have never seen someone as weak as you!¡±


    However, Kane kept begging him, with his tears now forming pools as they joined together on the floor. ¡°Please I beg you! I have to take revenge! I must become strong!¡±


    Marcus was now visibly inpatient as he uttered, ¡°You don¡¯t need me to take a revenge against some random bully. They are a lot of strong fighters here who could do that. Go ask them.¡±


    He then sniffed and prepared to fly, but for the 3rd time he was interrupted by Kane.


    ¡°All my family, my friends, and my dear father¡­they were killed by the Scientific Research Centre!!!! I will never find peace in my heart... Please I need your help!!¡±


    Marcus was visibly stunned. He paused for a while. This whole SRC affair had caught his interest. Marcus then coolly said, ¡°There are too many eyes on us here kid, let`s go somewhere else.¡±


    Instantly, Marcus flew high up as he uttered something that nobody heard. Kane was suddenly surrounded by powerful circular winds, which levitate him up in the air like he was some kind of leaf, as both of him and Marcus flew away from the arena.

 Chapter 18 - The Promise

    Chapter 18 - The Promise  [End of Book 1:  Planet Magenta (Prologue) Arc]


    Marcus and Kane were now roaming in the sky, as Marcus was looking for an ideal place to talk undisturbed, whilst Kane was seeing his surroundings in amazement. He was astonished by the technique Marcus used, and by the splendid view that could be observed from up there. On top of the statue, besides the arena, there was another city and an impressive palace that was the home of the City Patriarch.


    Marcus was presently searching for a place to land, until he finally descended and landed in front of an inn. Then Marcus coolly warned, ¡°Follow me kid, we are going inside. Remember not to say anything and allow me to do all the talking.¡±


    Then they entered the inn. The hall of the inn was huge, much larger than the inn of the Zafisi clan. Kane instantly noticed that the service offered by this inn was one of excellence. Judging by the cloths of the various individuals, he realised that these were most likely people of high profile. This place was after all the central part of the city, where only the families of the Patriarchs` guards were allowed to live.


    Shortly after, a young elegant woman wearing high class cloths, came before them to greet them. ¡°Welcome to Rubalka inn. How may I be of an assistance?¡±


    Marcus replied politely, ¡°I wish to rent one room for a while for the two of us please.¡±


    The young lady nodded her head gently, ¡°A room for one day will cost you 500 Piras each, for a total of 1000 Piras.¡±


    Whilst she was replying, Marcus took out a yellowish wood tablet from his red crystal powered storage device. The wood had various marks and symbols on it, and it looked timeworn with quite a few cracks covering its surface. He then promptly gave the wood to the young lady for her perusal.


    She glanced at it quickly and her expression changed, now seemingly more politely and respectful than before. ¡°It is always an honour for our inn to house a senior imperial official, please let me guide you to your room. The accommodation fee is being waved.¡±


    Both Kane and Marcus followed her till their room, and as she was about to leave, Marcus promptly requested, ¡°Thanks for everything madam. If you don¡¯t mind, we wish to remain undisturbed for an hour.¡± The Young lady nodded respectfully before departing.


    As they entered the room, Marcus complained with a funny face, ¡°Bleh! Bleh! I so hate this!¡±


    Kane wondered what happened and promptly asked him curiously, ¡°something`s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I just detest acting this formal! It goes against my natural character!¡± Marcus glowered comically. When Kane heard this, he pressed his lips together in embarrassment.


    Marcus then sat on a chair and looked towards Kane. ¡°I am now a little curious regarding your story, so how about you tell me everything from the start to the end.¡±


    Kane complied, as he started with the mass genocide of planet Yuba, followed by the events at the SRC base, and his life during his stay at planet Magenta. Marcus listened attentively, sometimes seemingly not believing what he was hearing. After Kane was finished, Marcus remained calm as he raised his head to face the roof, busy pondering. Kane waited unwearyingly for him, but after five minutes had passed, he lost his patience and duly interrupted him with a cough.


    Marcus, who was completely lost in his thoughts, suddenly got back to his senses and uttered, ¡°Kid, what a story¡­ Planet Yuba? Never heard of that planet before¡­ and a Genocide ordered by the SRC? I can¡¯t seem to make myself accept that all this really happened! I know you are not lying, but at the same time I feel that such a story can¡¯t be real¡­ However, for now I am going to trust you brat!¡±


    Kane instantly replied, ¡°Rest assured that everything I told you is the complete truth!¡± Then his eyes shone with anticipation, ¡°Will you be helping me now?¡±


    Marcus stood up as he walked randomly around in the room. ¡°Listen kid, regardless if this whole story is true or not, just forget about obtaining revenge! It is impossible for you or anyone else to do anything against the SRC!¡±


    Kane felt furious and promptly yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t care about others! I will do it by myself if need be! I just need to become stronger!¡±


    Marcus let out a laugh of mockery, ¡°Stronger?! Do you exactly know what you are up against? The SRC are backed up by the all-powerful Lafran Clan! Even if all the other clans combined their forces together and attacked them, there would still be no guarantees about obtaining victory! That`s how powerful they are! Are you by any chance suggesting that you will singlehandedly kill all of their 20 plus immortals?!¡±


    Kane was now visibly angry, ¡°I already told you, I don¡¯t care! Even if the creators side with them, I will still find my own way of obtaining revenge! Otherwise I can just die here and now!¡±


    Marcus grinned and whispered into his heart, ¡°So young and such recklessness¡­ but his resolve is indeed astonishing. I said that to test him and see if it will make him give up, but instead I only made his determination even stronger. His a stubborn idiot like me, and I really like it¡­ since if I were in his place, I would have acted the same!!¡±


    ¡°Listen kid, let`s make a deal. I¡¯ll allow you three years to train. If by then you form your elemental soul and reach the rank of apprentice soul fighter, I will then take you in as my disciple!¡±


    Kane curiously replied, ¡°Elemental soul?¡±


    ¡°It is the second form of power, and the most important of the three forms of powers. Once formed, you will be considered a soul fighter!¡± Marcus replied excitedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the details, I am sure the Zafisi clan will help you with it!¡±


    ¡°And¡­ as proof of my promise, I am going to give you for free this storage device!¡± Marcus took out a blue crystal powered storage device, which he then gave to Kane.


    ¡°Put your index finger on it Kid,¡± Marcus instructed. Kane placed his finger and a small dimensional portal appeared above it.


    ¡°Now bind it with your blood!¡± Marcus instructed again. Kane then started to softly scratch his finger, hoping that blood will eventually fall off.


    Marcus frowned amusingly, ¡°What the hell are you doing you pussy?! How can you become a warrior if you are afraid of your own blood?! Here, let me show you how it is done!!¡± Marcus scolded him as he grabbed Kane`s finger, then made a deep savage cut with his nail.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Kane grinded his teeth and let out a short shout of pain.


    ¡°What ahh! What ahh! It`s just a small scar you wuss! In a few minutes` time you would have already forgotten about it! Geez¡­¡± Marcus replied irritated.


    Two droplets of Kane`s blood fell into the dimensional portal, then the blood started swirling and mixing with the portal. Shortly after the blood disappeared, as if nothing has ever happened.


    ¡°That`s it, it`s done. This is now your storage device, and only you will be able to open it and close it. Your items can be stored safely here from now on. However, be aware that any dimensional fighters are able to crack open such a weak dimensional lock. You shouldn¡¯t worry that much at this stage though, since only the very powerful soul fighters are able to utilise dimensional power.¡±


    ¡°Now, go ahead, give it a try!¡± Marcus was clearly enjoying all this. The idea of having a disciple for the first time was slowly growing on him. He was already thinking in his mind about the various ways of how to make his training exercises as torturing as they come! He now wanted his future disciples to experience all kind of hells. Only then they can grow up as fearless warriors!


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    Kane then inspected his body, and after a while he took out an object that was well hidden under his cloths. It was the amulet of his father, which Kane had always carried it out with him as a lucky charm.


    When Marcus saw the amulet, he opened his eyes wide in curiosity and instantly asked, ¡°Kid, can I have a quick look at that amulet?¡± Kane hesitated at first, because this amulet was very valuable for him. It was the only physical memory left of his parents.


    ¡°Hey, why that face! I am just going to examine it a little, then I will give you back.¡± Marcus replied in a childish promissory tone. Kane trusted him, as he stretched out his hand to give him the amulet. Kane knew that Marcus was a strong fighter, and if he really wanted to take the amulet, he would have already done so by now.


    Marcus grabbed the amulet and examined it for a while, then he asked worriedly. ¡°Hey kid, may I ask from where you have obtained this amulet?¡±


    ¡°It belonged to my parents, more precisely of my now deceased mother,¡± Kane replied as he wondered why Marcus asked such a question.


    ¡°What was your mother`s name?¡± Marcus asked curiously.


    ¡°Elena Barker,¡± Kane instantly answered.


    ¡°Elena Barker¡­?¡± Marcus paused for a while, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. ¡°Elena Barker he says¡­ I can¡¯t seem to recall¡­, but this amulet is definitely ¡®that symbol¡¯, what is it doing with this kid? Could it be¡­?¡± He kept pondering but¡­


    ¡°Hey kid, change of plans!¡± Marcus suddenly stated out of the blue. ¡°First thing, starting from today, you have the misfortune of becoming my first disciple! Second thing, if you want to avoid any unnecessary troubles, never show this amulet to anyone else, understand?!¡± He then casually threw the amulet back to Kane.


    Kane caught back the amulet, but was left completely dumbfounded by this sudden change of events. He was about to say something, but before he could do so, Marcus chanted out, ¡°3rd Minor art of the soul, Spherical winds!¡±


    Marcus then flew straight out of the window, whereupon Kane was again engulfed by that weird wind technique, and was carried away by Marcus. He was now in a very happy mood as he shouted towards Kane, ¡°Prepare to say your goodbyes to the members of the Zafisi clan! In five hours¡¯ time we are departing this planet!¡± Kane was still confused, but a smile was visible on his face. In the end he had finally found his first Master!


    Shortly after, Marcus had transported Kane to the Zafisi clan, then left again to meet with Cory one last time. In the meantime, Kane had bid farewell to the various servants, members and Elders of the Zafisi clan. Many of them were still startled at what happened earlier today at the arena, but with Kane`s elimination, Charles was then ranked 3rd, which meant that the clan had obtained the same result as six years ago.


    Time kept passing by, and now the five hour period was finally over. A large crowd gathered outside the gate of the Zafisi clan, including the elders and even the Matriarch, of what was one of her very rare appearances outside of the clan`s palace.


    Kane then felt emotionally, as he bowed respectfully. ¡°I am very glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of your clan. I will keep these good memories close to my heart for the years to come.¡±


    He then turned his gaze towards Oliver and the Matriarch, ¡°I promise you that in three years¡¯ time, I shall get stronger, and will come back to participate in the Young genius tournament. I will raise your clan to first rank within the city again; the place it deserves!¡±


    The Matriarch emotionally replied, ¡°It was a pleasure to have you in our Zafisi clan. I shall be awaiting your return with anticipation. Until then, on behalf of my whole clan, I wish you a safe journey. May the creators be with you!¡±


    Oliver, who now had watery eyes and somewhat emotional, softly said, ¡°That care young man, I look forward to see the newly obtained level of your strength in three years` time. I¡¯ll definitely miss you by then!¡±


    Suddenly, two man appeared out of nowhere. One of them was Marcus, while the other was the injured Charles!


    ¡°Charles!!??¡± Oliver instantly shouted in a surprised worried expression. ¡°Your injuries aren¡¯t healed yet, why have you already came!¡±


    Charles smiled as he replied, ¡°I heard from this man that Kane is about to depart, so I annoyed his ass to bring me back here.¡±


    Charles walked painfully towards Kane, then gave him a brotherly hug. ¡°Thanks Kane¡­ Thanks for everything¡­ really¡­ thank you Kane¡­,¡± as he burst crying like a baby. ¡°After I heard¡­ what you did to Yakov¡­ I felt overjoyed¡­ just too great¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe it!¡±


    Kane smiled as he patted him on his back. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be ashamed at all, you fought bravely, and everyone could see that you are already stronger than him. Don¡¯t give up, you have a bright future ahead!¡±


    Kane then seemed to remember something as he whispered in Charles ear, ¡°I recommend you take a rest now, and you should take more care of Monica in the coming days!¡±


    Charles let out a painful laugh, as he departed slowly towards the elders of the clan, ¡°Farewell Kane Barker, it was a pleasure to meet you!¡±


    Marcus then coolly shouted, ¡°My dear disciple, the time has arrived for us to leave!¡± When he noticed Marcus pretending, Kane sulked comically whilst he turned around and followed him. As they were walking away, Marcus grinned and spoke softly, ¡°Hey kid! When I give you the signal, turn around and look to your left!¡±


    Kane felt puzzled, but he still obeyed. After walking for some more time, Marcus randomly chanted, ¡°1st Minor art of the soul, Wind blow!¡± Which was followed by a quick instruction, ¡°Quick! Now kid! Turn your head!¡±


    It so happens that today was a rather warm day, a lot of the Zafisi clan`s female fighters and servants were wearing skirts. Suddenly, a powerful wind erupted from the ground, headed straight upwards. As Kane turned his head, he could see all kinds of sexy legs and colourful panties, with different colours and images. There was even a particular woman who was wearing a pink panty with the face of a gululu imprinted on it. Kane`s face turned bright red and his face fell upon seeing this wonderful scene.


    Marcus laughed out as he chanted, ¡°3rd Jointed arts of the soul, Teleportation Spheres!¡±


    ¡°WOOSH¡±~~~~~


    Kane felt himself dragged away at incredible speed, and after few seconds, he found himself before a very large dimensional portal, which was around ten metres high, and suspended by two big green crystals on both sides. The resting Portal Keeper opened one of his eyes and then spoke slowly, ¡°1000 Piras per person, and you can go to any planet you wish, as long as it is within the range of the portal that is.¡±


    Since there is no way of avoiding the teleportation fee, Marcus didn¡¯t use the yellow wood trick again. Instead he casually threw a bag of 2k Piras in the direction of the Portal Keeper, as he replied, ¡°Just send us to the farthest planet, towards the north east direction. Our destination is far away and we will have to take several portals anyways.¡±


    The portal keeper adjusted some mechanics and the crystals moved, changing the angle of the portal. ¡°Done, you can safely enter the portal now.¡±


    Then the Master and his disciple entered the portal and left Planet Magenta.

 Chapter 19 - Lord Emperor

    Chapter 19 - Lord Emperor     [Start of 2nd Book: Soul Discovery Arc]


    Far away from planet Magenta, there existed an isolated planet, located in a remote region of the Western Galactic Sector. The planet orbited a distant whitish star, and its dim glow only made the reflective surface of the planet appear even darker than it really was. The vastness of blackness dominated everywhere, the barren land stretched ubiquitously, and living organisms were nowhere to be found. Planet Berungu was the epitome of desolation.


    At a particular location, there was a deep circular black water lake, its diameter around 350 metres wide. The water of the lake was in complete stillness, with no sign of currents or ripples. In the middle of the lake, there was a small flat rock, and its height was just a couple of meters above the water level of the lake.


    Sitting cross-legged on top of this rock, there was a young man. The man had long green hair, so long that some of it rested on top of the rock. He was wearing simple cloths and had a long earring on his left ear. An elegant violet crystal was engraved on the earring, giving its appearance a fashionable touch. He remained there expressionless, as he stared blankly ahead, seemingly patiently waiting with his hands crossed.


    BLURP~~~~ BLURP~~~~~


    In the waters adjacent to the rock, bubbles of air began rising, originating from within the depths of the lake, and when they reached the surface, they instantly burst out with popping sounds. The frequencies of the bubbles kept increasing, until a shadow of a creature could finally be seen.


    SWUSHHH~~~~


    Suddenly, the head of a majestic blue serpent dragon emerged, as it blew out a powerful jet of black water, stretching for hundreds of metres. The dragon then peacefully rested its head on the water, as it inhaled back some air.


    A droplet of water fell on the face of the green haired man. He sneered as he turned to face the creature, ¡°You`re so weird¡­ it is my first time that I am seeing a dragon that enjoys bathing in water¡­ and even breathing it out!¡±


    The dragon griped as it lowered slightly its head onto the water, whilst uttering slowly in a feminine voice, ¡°My soul is a water elemental¡­ it is only natural for me to favour regions with ample of water. Besides, for my own well-being, I must keep a safe distance¡­ from ¡®that thing¡¯ over there...¡±


    On the other side of the lake, there was an enormous stone giant, so immense that it completely occupied an entire side of the lake. The giant laid horizontally sideways on the ground, whilst its head quietly rested on its fist. The eyes of the giant gradually opened, and its brown body began to change into a reddish colour. The stones then caught fire, and in just a couple of seconds the giant transformed himself into a blazing fire giant, with lava flowing slowly down from its body, giving the surrounding atmosphere a hellish hue.


    The green haired man frowned at the fire giant, but then he turned his gaze towards a towering construction, which was around five kilometres away from the lake. He rose up to his feet, then nonchalantly informed, ¡°Finally, they have arrived.¡± He then muttered to himself, ¡°About freaking time¡­¡±


    At the top of the tower, stood a large sphere made up of violet crystal, and around it orbited in a clockwise fashion five smaller red crystal balls. The space above the tower started to twist, whilst cracks appeared in the air above. Then, the violet crystal below emitted an incredible violet electrical-like beam, as a very large dimensional gateway formed. From within the portal, furiously emerged a three headed black dragon, which immediately let out an ear piercing roar that rattled the very surroundings, then it travelled with tremendous velocity towards the lake. The powerful creature landed aggressively at the edge of the lake, producing a violent shockwave. The very lands trembled, the several mountains in the vicinity collapsed and the winds expanded out with an incredible force. The flames of the fire giant were completely extinguished by the strength of the winds, whilst the water of the lake was completely blown away, revealing fully the fantastic physique of the water dragon.


    The green haired man, who was forced to use the power of his magnetic core to protect himself from the shockwave and rising waters, fumed in protest, ¡°You bunch of show-offs! As if waiting for your tardy asses wasn¡¯t bad enough! Who treats his guests this way?!!¡±


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡± The black dragon growled as it moved its three necks erratically, then rested its body on the ground.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t understand a thing about style Amerigo! I wouldn¡¯t consider us as being late at all. We are just being fashionably late you dumbass!¡±


    This voice originated from a black haired man, who was riding on top of the black dragon. He was wearing stylish black cloths; a trouser and a button less plastic-like military coat, which only covered half of his muscular chest. He had three decorated bracelets on his left hand, and on his back there was a two handed great sword. The shape of this black sword was very artistic, with golden lines and diagrams drawn on it. He then hopped from the dragon and slowly descended down below onto the ground. His appearance radiated an aura of a formidable fighter.


    ¡°The feels¡­ seeing all five of us gathered here is so nostalgic, isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t summoned you like this for over 100 hundred years¡­¡± The black haired man said as he reminisced about the old times.


    Amerigo wasn¡¯t mesmerised by these words, and replied ironically, ¡°For the last 100 years, we have been waiting for you to finish your so called master plan. Did you finally manage to come out with something with sense, oh dear great Emperor?!¡±


    ¡°Hey Amerigo! Watch your mouth, who do you think you`re talking to?!¡± The three heads of the black dragon furiously roared simultaneously, as if controlled by a single mind.


    The black haired man laughed as he interrupted, ¡°Calm down my little brother, you should already know by now of what kind of impulsive man Amerigo really is. He is after all, a person who betrayed his own clan, didn¡¯t you Amerigo?¡±


    Amerigo remained silently frowning and his eyes turned dark. ¡°The reason you summoned us¡­ what is it?¡±


    The black haired man grinned in excitement, ¡°Now that is what I would call an intelligent question! The reason I`ve sent for you all is very simple. I have an important matter to announce, and I felt it would be best to tell you face to face rather than over the telecommunications devices.¡± He then opened his arms grandiosely as he continued, ¡°The moment we have been waiting for has finally arrived! Yes, it`s just around the corner¡­ a war that will shake the entire galaxy!¡±


    The giant was visibly shocked by this declaration, and instantly expressed in surprise, ¡°Lord Emperor! Are you saying that we are going to immediately mobilise our armies for an attack?!¡±


    The black haired man instantly replied, ¡°No¡­ not yet¡­ We can¡¯t go all out like that, we have to be extremely vigilant this time. At all costs, we cannot afford to alert the Pillar clans, or the Supreme Kanklar, at least not at this stage!¡±


    The clearly disinterested Amerigo interrupted him sarcastically, ¡°Did I hear correctly?! Are you really comparing this hush-hush plan of yours with a war that shakes the entire galaxy?!¡±


    The now slightly irritated black haired man replied, ¡°Just be patient and let me finish what I have to say¡­¡± He then paused for a while before uttering, ¡°I hope you remember what happened around 100 years ago Amerigo? We were too rush, and we ended up paying a hefty price for that; by failing miserably. I trust you don¡¯t want us to repeat the same mistake again?!¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Afterwards, the black haired man`s expression turned serious, as he commenced a long speech. ¡°Let`s not deviate¡­ from the scope of this meeting.¡±


    ¡°I am sure all of you are already aware of the current political situation. With our present military might, securing the three Western Galactic Sectors will be a piece of cake, whilst the Southern and Southeast Galactic Sectors are uninhabited, so there is no need for any military action. In contrast, the Northern Galactic Sector will most probably end up as a war zone, and the major battles will be focused in there.¡±


    ¡°The main Headquarters of the Imperial forces is located in the Northeast Galactic Sector. Attacking that sector before conquering the Northern and Eastern Galactic Sectors would be tantamount to suicide.¡±


    ¡°Now, the plan I have in mind is actually quite simple. First we distract the Imperial forces by having someone acting as a decoy, and at the same time causing havoc in a specific Galactic Sector. Meanwhile, the rest of us will make good use of this opportunity, by organising our armies. Then when we are fully prepared, we will attack the Imperial Forces with all of our forces. When that time arrives, they will not even know what has hit them.¡±


    He then turned his wicked gaze towards Amerigo, ¡°In my opinion, the perfect decoy from all of us would be you Amerigo. You are already labelled as a traitor by your clan and the Imperial forces. They will surely believe that you`re doing your little revenge game; they will never suspect that you have a connection with me!¡±


    Amerigo`s eyes shone with excitement, ¡°Finally¡­ some music for my ears! So far this meeting had only bored me to death!¡± He then grinned evilly, ¡°I am assuming that since you are choosing me, you are going to target the Eastern Galactic Sector, am I right?¡±


    The black haired man agreed, ¡°Precisely. May I enquire on the present strength of your entire army?¡±


    ¡°My army? Sure, I have two Chief Kanklars and three High Kanklars as direct subordinates, with an overall army of 2,000,000 fighters, all hidden and ready to strike,¡± Amerigo replied coolly.


    ¡°Hah, you call that an army?¡± The rock giant asked in ridicule. It was clear that he and Amerigo didn¡¯t see eye to eye.


    ¡°Shut your mouth you pile of rubble,¡± Amerigo replied irritated, as he turned his gaze towards the black haired man. ¡°Was there really the need to wait for one hundred years for all this?¡±


    The black haired man instantly responded, ¡°Not bad, but could have been better¡­ As regards to your question, I was secretly training in seclusion for the last 100 years, in a far away place. My training was abruptly interrupted a while ago, when I was informed that we had found and acquired the power of the ¡®unlocker¡¯. However, when I returned back to the clan two months ago, I was surprised to hear that the Imperial forces had captured him back¡­¡±


    ¡°I am sorry my lord, we have been played by the Imperial forces,¡± the rock giant solemnly interrupted.


    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t played, you were used! They let you do the dirty work, and then they just stole all your work. That way they acquired what they wanted without even hurting their reputation by a bit! In the end they made you look like complete idiots!¡± The black man replied irritated. His expression was now full of anger, but it slowly changed into a wide grin. ¡°But anyhow, now I know who the ¡®unlocker¡¯ is, so it will be an easy task for me to recapture him. Don¡¯t worry about this anymore, I will be taking this matter directly in my hands now!¡±


    ¡°I now said what I had to say. I hope my instructions were clear enough. I will definitely not be tolerating any further failures from now on.¡± The black haired man threatened his companions.


    All but Amerigo replied back, ¡°Understood Lord Emperor!¡±


    The blue serpent dragon then gathered dimensional power on its tail, before smashing open a portal, then disappeared within it and left the planet. Even the black haired man, without moving a part of his body, opened a large portal, and instantly the black dragon flew and vanished into the portal. Amerigo was about to leave too, but was interrupted by the black haired man.


    ¡°Hey Amerigo¡­ there is something I wish to remind you. It has been 100 years after all, and you may have forgotten about it¡­¡±


    The curious Amerigo stopped in his movements and asked, ¡°Remind me? What exactly? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    The rock giant, who had just stood up, paused as he attentively listened to this conversation.


    Suddenly, a burst of dark power erupted out from the black haired man`s body, as it rushed towards Amerigo. The strange power forcefully entered Amerigo`s body, leaving him totally shocked and temporary paralyzed. He opened his mouth completely thunderstruck, as pain spread all over his body. Shortly after, black smoke began emerging from his ears and nose, followed by his mouth and other parts of his skin. His eyes changed and were now glowing with a pitch black colour, whilst his body shivered. A spasm of pain contorted his face, before he fell panting on the ground. He couldn¡¯t endure this suffering anymore, and at one point he finally let out a scream full of agony and desperation.


    ¡°ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH¡±~~~~~~~~~


    His cry appeared to have shaken the entire planet, as it echoed back for multiple times. The power of the cry itself had cracked the very lands and the remaining mountains of the area. He then fell on the ground almost unconscious, as he scratched the ground with his fingers in torment. Luckily for him, the black smoke gradually vanished, and his body slowly returned to normal.


    The Lord Emperor then smiled sadistically as he slowly elevated himself upwards, ¡°I just wanted to remind you¡­ that I am still your Lord Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, the agreement we made is still in force. I shall be appointing you as the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch once this impending war is over. I really have high hopes for you Amerigo, don¡¯t disappoint me!¡±


    The Lord Emperor then disappeared within the portal, which closed shortly after.


    Few moments after, Amerigo struggled to raise up his head, and was still on the ground heavily panting and shaking in fear. His mind was presently filled with countless of thoughts, ¡°How did he become this strong in just 100 years¡­? How can someone be so monstrous¡­?¡±


    The rock giant seemed to have enjoyed viewing all this. He then started to gather dimensional energy over his hand, whereupon he released a powerful punch. However, nothing happened and no portal formed. He instantly turned his irritated gaze towards Amerigo, ¡°Idiot¡­ stop blocking my portal formations with your spiritual aura¡­¡±


    Amerigo looked at him disdainfully, ¡°That`s for laughing at me Nero!¡± Amerigo immediately punched his fist upwards and formed a portal, then unleashed a downwards force onto the ground, which propelled him upwards and straight into the portal.


    ¡°What a spoiled¡­¡± Nero was clearly annoyed by this childish behaviour of Amerigo.


    Nero then again gathered dimensional energy and formed an enormous portal, large enough to accommodate his entire body. He then impressively moved inside the portal. With his departure, the meeting of planet Berungu was officially concluded.

 Chapter 20 - A Master and his Disciple

    Chapter 20 - A Master and his Disciple


    Since the calamity of Planet Yuba, a total of 312 days had already passed. It was now the 6th May of the year 20535, Erka Period.


    The International Galactic Time is the standard time measurement officially recognised by the human empire. A galactic year is composed of 360 days, split in twelve months of 30 days each. Each day is composed of 24 hours, which divides again into 60 minutes per every hour.


    Marcus and Kane were presently hopping from one planet to another. They had no time to chat, because as soon as they emerged from a portal, Marcus would instantly use his ¡®Teleportation Spheres¡¯ technique for multiple consecutive times, until they arrived before another planetary portal. At that point, Marcus would instantly pay the fee and then they depart the particular planet, restarting again the process.


    After twelve different planets, Marcus was now visible fatigued. ¡°One more planet Kane, and we will arrive at our destination. Then we will begin the training, but I need to take a rest first, because the energy of my cultivation centre has been almost completely exhausted!¡± Upon hearing this, Kane nodded eagerly without replying.


    At last, Marcus arrived in front of the planetary portal, as he instructed the portal keeper. ¡°Please send us to planet Giji!¡±


    This portal keeper was a very old man. He began inspecting the portal and slowly muttered, ¡°Planet Giji¡­ let me check if I can find it¡­ here it is¡­ good, it is within the portal`s range. You must pay¡­¡±


    Marcus impatiently interrupted, ¡°I know! I know! Here, take your 2k Piras.¡±


    The portal keeper grabbed the sack of money and immediately started counting the money within the sack, and whilst he was calculating, he softly uttered, ¡°That kid with you¡­ is he a servant from some minor clan? If yes, I wouldn¡¯t recommend travelling to Planet Giji, since the gravity of that planet is higher than normal, and can leave undesirable physical effects on his body.¡±


    When Marcus heard this warning, he just replied in a happy-go-lucky way, ¡°Just send us already, I am tired and in need of a rest now! Don¡¯t worry about this young chap, his tougher than he looks.¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± The portal keeper coolly responded as he started adjusting the portal construction. ¡°Ok, the preparations are done. Have a safe Journey.¡±


    Kane was lost worrying about this gravity affair, but was unexpectedly grabbed and thrown with force into the portal by Marcus. ¡°Geez, I told him that I was tired, and he just kept staring motionless¡­¡± Marcus whispered irritated whilst he entered the portal.


    PLAK~~~


    When Kane emerged from the portal, he ended up falling stupidly on his face. ¡°Ouch!¡± He groaned, as he held his hand over his face in pain. Shortly after, the carefree Marcus appeared as well.


    ¡°Hey! What`s the big idea for throwing me like that! That hurt me!¡± Kane replied totally pissed off, still facing the ground.


    However, Marcus ignored him and kept his cool, as he chanted the Teleportation Spheres technique again. ¡°Urghh!¡± Kane complained, but it was all in vain; all he could do is see himself getting teleported again by the spherical winds.


    After the teleportation, they ended up on an open flat land, near various hills and mountains. Two yellow stars were shining low in the sky, and the weather was mostly clear, albeit a little windy. There were no signs of any living humans in this region.


    Marcus then carefully inspected his surroundings, ¡°This location doesn¡¯t seem that bad¡­¡± he said whilst nodding his head in satisfaction. ¡°Ok! I`ve made my decision! This will be our resting place for the time being!¡± He then opened his storage device, and from it came out two separate beds.


    BANG~~~BANG~~~~


    The two beds descended onto the ground, and Marcus instantly jumped on one of them as he prepared to take a rest. During all this time, Kane remained glaring at him, totally perplexed. ¡°Why did you take out two beds in the middle of here?¡±


    However, Marcus kept ignoring him as he casually uttered. ¡°Kid, I am going to take a rest now. Don¡¯t even dare to wake me up; I will be waking up by my own! Goodnight! Oh¡­! I almost forgot that there is no night on this planet! Good rest then!¡± Marcus expressed before closing his eyes.


    ¡°Hey, wait a second Master!¡± Kane instantly exclaimed, but the only reply he received was that of Marcus¡¯ snoring. The dumbfounded Kane frowned comically, ¡°The hell?! How is he able to fall asleep so fast?!¡±


    Kane, contrary to Marcus, wasn¡¯t in any mood of sleeping. However, Kane was physically tired, so he decided to sit down instead. He sighed, as he prepared to walk slowly towards the other bed. It was only now that he noticed that his physical movements were somewhat slowed down, and even simply taking a step required a greater deal of effort than normal. ¡°Damnit, what the hell is this weird pulling force?! Is this the gravity thing that the portal keeper had warned us about? Urghh!¡± He struggled to arrive to his bed, and when he did, he immediately let out a sigh of relief.


    Kane then spend his time observing the surrounding environment. ¡°The landscape and vegetation of this planet is very alike to that of planet Yuba. Even the green vegetation is strikingly similar to the vegetation that surrounded Hillfort village. The only difference I can see is the yellowish sky, and the two suns¡­¡± Kane was lost comparing his past memories with this planet.


    He unwillingly rekindled his memories about his past life on planet Yuba. He recalled the time spent in Hillfort Village with his family, friends and neighbours. Kane`s eyes slowly welled up with tears, ¡°Father, I really miss you now¡­¡± He paused for a while, lost in his own thoughts, gently raising his head upwards, ¡°Look at me father! I am still alive; safe and sound! I have made new friends, and even found a master who is willing to take care of me ¨C although I would like to add that he seems a little odd. I will soon start my own training, with the hope of becoming a powerful fighter. I am sure if you were still alive, you would have been very proud of your only child!¡± He kept crying alone for a while, but slowly recovered his mental state, as he patiently waited for Marcus to awake again.


    Bit by bit, a whole two hours had passed, and the two yellow stars were now slowly setting down, creating a bewitching sight. Kane was totally immersed watching a double sunset for the first time in his life. ¡°This is incredible. A one star sunset on planets Yuba and Magenta was already outstanding, but this is truly something else!¡± Kane voiced in admiration.


    Gradually, the sky turned redder, whilst at the same time Kane felt his back becoming warmer. When he turned around, he opened his eyes wide open in amazement; two reddish stars had just appeared on the other side. ¡°Wow! How can this be possible at all?! A double star dusk and a double star dawn!¡± Kane shouted in complete astonishment. This was just too spectacular! Unfortunately, this scene lasted for just a few minutes, as the yellow stars completely disappeared below the horizon shortly after.


    ¡°Puki! Puki!¡±


    Suddenly, a sound of a chirping bird was heard, originating from high above. Kane immediately turned his inquisitive gaze towards the sky. There he could see a small colourful bird descending rapidly downwards, until it arrived and rested on Marcus chest. ¡°Puki!¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The bird stared curiously towards Marcus face, seemingly attracted by something. The bird then moved its beak closer to Marcus¡¯ face, then started softly preening his barely visible moustache and lips. Marcus still sleeping, began making hilarious facial expressions as he unconsciously pronounced, ¡°Hmmm... come on¡­ slow down¡­ ohhh¡­ careful my honey bunny¡­ ahhh¡­ you`re scratching me Miranda¡­ uhh...¡±


    The colourful bird was apparently enjoying this, as it now bit Marcus even harder than before. The dreaming Marcus moved his shoulders and lips funnily as he uttered excitedly, ¡°Hmmm¡­ no Miranda¡­ you`re going way too hard now¡­ ohhh¡­ no need to be this rough Miranda¡­ no, not like that¡­ huhu, your tickling is so amusing¡­¡±


    The joyful colourful bird then paused for a while, as it let out a far reaching cry, ¡°Puki!¡± In the space of a few breaths, a flock of multi-coloured birds appeared in the sky. They rotated gloriously together, as they descended like arrows, thereafter landing and totally covering Marcus¡¯ body and bed. The leader of the birds then turned and raised its head, and afterwards it proudly commanded, ¡°Puki!¡± All the birds¡¯ eyes shone with desires, as they started biting mercilessly on Marcus¡¯ body.


    However, their delightful moment was short lived. They were interrupted by a sudden enraged aura that emerged from Marcus¡¯ body. The birds quivered, as they flew away completely terrified, seemingly fleeing for their lives.


    The now infuriated Marcus woke up and fumed aloud, ¡°You little pests, how dare you do this to me?! Why you had to come now of all times?! You interrupted my fascinating dream!!¡± He stared at the fleeing birds totally infuriated. ¡°Where do you think you`re going you freaks of nature?!¡± He then grinned evilly at them, preparing to kill them with his aura. However, he then paused to think of a more flashy method to dispose of them. He quickly made up his mind, and instantly enchanted, ¡°5th Major art of the soul, Tornado of Doom!¡±


    Suddenly, a large tornado formed that instantly engulfed the whole flock of birds. They tried their best to avoid the tornado, but their pitiful efforts were all for naught. In the end, all they could do was to let out miserable shrieks. The tornado then carried away the now crying birds high up into the skies, before disappearing from sight. This was followed by a rain of colourful feathers that slowly descended over the surrounding areas.


    Marcus then frowned, as he brought out a bottle from within his storage device. On the bottle there was written a caption: ¡®Women sensual attraction cream. Any woman will be instantly left captivated by the aroma of this cream. For best results, it is recommended to apply it two times daily, in the morning and in the evening.¡¯


    ¡°Seriously, this cream was supposed to attract women, not birds! What a waste of money!¡± He looked totally pissed off, as he threw away the product.


    During all this time, Kane just watched this whole scene in embarrassment, without saying anything. However, when he noticed that Marcus had calmed down, he instantly asked excitedly, ¡°Hey Master, are we going to start the training now?¡±


    Marcus then looked at him and nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, we can now start the first stage of your training. It will be quite boring at first, but it is imperative that you keep focused and master this phase as soon as possible.¡±


    Kane responded curiously, ¡°What does the first phase of training consist of exactly?¡±


    ¡°Before completely mastering the power of your cultivation centre, you first need to be able to visualise it. So far, you have been using it unconsciously, without being able to control it. That is not the correct way. In fact, it was only possible for you to utilise the power of your cultivation centre because you had the aid of a power crystal. Without a power crystal, the current you is totally vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°Visualising the cultivation centre usually doesn¡¯t require a lot of effort. However, in your case it will be much harder. For some odd reason, the power of your cultivation centre is restricted only to your right hand, making the rest of your body no different than that of a cripple. Most probably, the reason for this is because your magnetic core is very weak. Once it becomes stronger, it should be able to cover your entire body.¡±


    ¡°You should now calm yourself and start meditating. Remember, focus your own mind on the power hidden inside your right hand, and try to visualise it. Once you succeed, you will be then able to immerse yourself within your cultivation centre. Only then you will be capable to observe the properties of your cultivation centre, and properly utilise its powers.¡±


    ¡°All of this is hard to understand with just words. However, keep in mind that there are trillions of fighters in this galaxy, and they all have managed to visualise their cultivation centres. Some just needed a few days, whilst others needed several weeks. There is no reason for you not to be able to succeed.¡±


    Kane smiled in agreement. He then searched for an ideal place to meditate in peace; a spot under a small cliff. He sat crossed-legged meditating, as time slowly passed by. Kane remained like this for days, only occasionally interrupted by his personal needs. Meanwhile, Marcus read several books to kill his time, at times stopping to observe Kane`s progress.


    It was on the 16th of May, when Marcus sensed a sudden change in Kane`s aura. Marcus smiled in excitement as he turned his gaze towards the meditating Kane. ¡°Looks like he finally succeeded in visualising his cultivation centre¡­ I am very curious about the makeup of his cultivation centre¡­ this is going to be quite interesting!¡±


    Kane was presently completely lost in a trance. He felt himself being dragged into another world, and when he opened his eyes, all he could see was complete emptiness. He searched around him, carefully exploring the place. After a while, he paused, trying to figure out what to do next. He kept pondering, until he sensed something calling for him. His eyes glowed with excitement, and instantly flew towards the source of this mysterious attraction. He kept moving for some time, until he arrived before a small black ball.


    ¡°What is this ball? Is it my cultivation centre?¡± He asked curiously to himself whilst the small ball rested over his right hand. Shortly after, the ball gave the impression that it was expanding itself. However, in reality it wasn¡¯t the ball that was becoming larger, it was Kane`s body that was becoming smaller in size. Kane`s body gradually shrunk, until finally stopping a few moments later. The situation was now completely reversed. Kane`s size was presently miniscule when compared to the large spherical ball in front of him.


    He then reached out his right hand and slowly inserted it into the sphere. Ripples formed on the surface of the sphere, as Kane`s body was gently being dragged inside it. Kane then closed his eyes in anticipation. After a while, his entire body was absorbed inside the black sphere.

 Chapter 21 - The Colour of the Soul

    Chapter 21 - The Colour of the Soul


    A person`s life is filled with all kinds of emotions, ranging from pleasant ones such as joy, love and friendships, to undesirable ones such as fear, anger and shame. Then there are those few unique experiences, those special moments, which will remain forever engraved in one¡¯s heart. Those unforgettable memories that everyone would preserve, and keep treasuring them until the very end of their lives.


    Right now, Kane was living through such a kind of an experience. There were no human words that could perfectly describe it. Some people would have called it a godly sensation, whilst others would have termed it as a kind of divine ecstasy. But in reality, it was different than that.


    He remained motionless, eyes closed, as wave after wave of purifying energy penetrated his body. His mind turned purer, his physique became stronger, and an imposing aura surrounded him. Like a caterpillar who just metamorphosed into a butterfly, Kane was today born anew. The sensations, the feelings, the goose bumps; a completely otherworldly experience. He smiled gracefully, then opened his eyes.


    Before him, he saw white ellipsoids, not larger than the size of his fist. They were grouped closely together, attracted by some kind of unexplainable force. In the middle of the group, there was a slightly larger ellipsoid, emanating with an enigmatic power. Kane could feel a weak voice calling from the ellipsoid, similar to a cry begging for help. He tried to reach out for it, but his body was too large, and didn¡¯t manage to enter the ellipsoid.


    Kane felt sad, because in his heart he was curious and really wished to solve this mystery. He remained staring at the central ellipsoid with a depressive gaze. He sighed, then he started exploring his surroundings. To his left, he noticed another group of ellipsoids, this time much smaller, like glitters. However, almost half of them were obscured by a black fog, and couldn¡¯t be seen. He then turned his gaze to his right. There he saw a large white sphere, though not as white as the ellipsoids in front of him. He observed that the entire space was encompassed within a spherical border of black fog.


    Kane quickly figured that he and the two sets of ellipsoid were orbiting in a clockwise fashion around the large sphere. ¡°According to Uncle Oliver, that middle sphere should be my magnetic core or the cultivation base, the first form of my powers. And if my memories serve me well, this set of ellipsoids before me should be the second form of power, the power of my elemental soul, whilst the other set is the 3rd form of power, my dimensional power!¡±


    He then exerted force to approach his Cultivation Base. He slowly deorbited, as he spiralled inwards towards it, until finally arriving and stopping before it.


    ¡°Impressive¡­ I can feel such a powerful energy radiating from within it!¡± He kept glaring at it completely captivated. It was then that he noticed that his cultivation base wasn¡¯t completely spherical. There was a part of its surface that was slightly compressed, whilst drawn on it there were several black diagrams filled with transparent-like swirling energies.


    ¡°I wonder what would happen if I touch my cultivation base¡­¡± Kane remarked curiously whilst moving his index figure cautiously towards it. He felt excited as his heartbeat accelerated, and anxiety started taking over.


    As soon as he touched it, a luminous energy instantly rushed from it towards his body. His right hand glowed with this energy, gradually strengthening, until it blinded him and completely covered everything with its luminosity. Kane worried as he shouted, ¡°What the¡­!¡± However, before he could finish, the light exploded and submerged everything¡­


    ¡°What the hell!¡± The heavy panting Kane woke up in shock, overwhelmed with fear.


    ¡°Welcome back kid! Now, tell me¡­ how was your first journey visualising your cultivation centre? Have you enjoyed it?¡± Marcus smiled as he moved towards Kane, until he arrived before him.


    The fearful Kane, when he heard Marcus¡¯ voice, calmed down and began laughing with joy. ¡°It was weird Master, but I can feel it¡­ something inside me has now changed!¡±


    Marcus nodded as he explained. ¡°You are now no longer a cripple, but you can¡¯t be considered a fighter either. You are somewhere in between the two states. However, you now have direct access to the energy of your cultivation centre. The first change you will notice is that you won¡¯t need to consume food any longer, you will never feel sleepy, and you can survive without breathing for long periods of time. Of course, this only applies when you are idle. If you utilise the energy of your cultivation centre, like engaging in a fight or expending energy with soul enchantments, you will be forced to switch back to your natural resources again, until your cultivation centre recovers back its energy.¡±


    ¡°Now let`s see how strong the current you is.¡± Marcus uttered as he brought out a sword from his storage device. The sword was simple, without any power crystals. Kane instantly felt disappointed when he saw it. He was expecting some kind of overpowered sword, not a useless metallic weapon.


    Marcus put up an annoyed expression, ¡°Why that face? If you want to become strong, you need to be able to fight without the aid of power crystals. Once you learn to do so, feel free to use any sword you like! If you don¡¯t like my method, you can always go find a new master!¡±


    Kane replied frowning comically, ¡°Ok! Ok! No need to act so touchy¡­ give me the sword already!¡±


    Marcus smiled as he casually threw the sword to Kane. He grabbed the sword, and instantly threw a powerful slash on the ground. The power employed by the sword was similar to strength he exhibited during the Servants Sword Tournament.


    Marcus was visibly surprised by this and slowly whispered into his heart, ¡°Incredible¡­ with such a weak cultivation base, he can still unleash such a power. What a beast¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoo hooo! This feels great!¡± Kane was apparently satisfied by his new found power.


    CRACK~~~CRACK~~~


    Kane`s sword suddenly cracked and broke down into tiny pieces, which fell graciously on the ground. He frowned funnily, outwardly surprised, then sat down on the ground like a pissed off child.


    ¡°Ha ha¡± Marcus let out a laugh. ¡°You still can¡¯t properly control the power of your cultivation centre. Don¡¯t feel that bad, it is a very normal thing for a beginner to break swords. Who knows how many swords I had broken myself in the past!¡±


    He then sat down next to Kane, whilst offered him a piece of chocolate. ¡°Give it a try, it is a delicious chocolate produced directly by the servants of the Verde Clan, directly from my home planet!¡±


    Kane promptly accepted the offer, then grabbed the chocolate and started unpacking it. Marcus stared at him, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He felt a little sad, as he slowly said, ¡°This last year¡­ must have been a very hard one for you kid. I really hope that from now on, your life will be making a turn for the better.¡±


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    Kane remained staring blankly ahead, without responding, but his face displayed a sad smile. Then he took a bite of chocolate and softly replied, ¡°You were right, this chocolate is truly delicious.¡±


    Marcus smiled hopelessly at Kane, as he thought into his mind. ¡°This kid has a very deep wound in his heart. It can be a good thing because it may serve him as a motivation, but it can be very bad if he doesn¡¯t recover emotionally from it. However, I don¡¯t really blame him. He actually has a strong will to keep on living. Others would have just given up on their lives when faced with a calamity of that magnitude.¡±


    Marcus then sighed, ¡°I am going to give you a small advice kid. In this galaxy, you will find a lot of people who will be of an assistance to you, but you will find many more who will try and obstruct you along your way. You will encounter a lot of challenges in the future, some will strengthen you, and some might hurt you. You will be forced to make a lot of tough decisions, and you will be bound to make mistakes. Nobody is perfect; so mistakes are acceptable. Additionally, I would suggest you learn from the mistakes of others too, since you will not be surviving in this galaxy if you will be making too many of them. And one last tip, always be extremely careful of whom you trust!¡±


    Marcus then stood up as he uttered, ¡°It is time we start the next phase of your training. However, before we start¡­ I am a little curious about something. What colour is your elemental soul?¡±


    Kane wondered a little before he replied, ¡°If you are referring to the first set of ellipsoids, they are white.¡±


    Marcus paused for a while, then he uttered, ¡°White eh¡­? The only white elemental soul I can think of is that of light element. It might also be the case you have an eccentric soul¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Kane was completely confused, not understanding a single word that just came out from Marcus¡¯ mouth.


    Marcus remained calm as he replied, ¡°The 2nd form of power, the elemental soul, is the most important form of power out of all three powers. Proof of this, the strongest fighters in this galaxy all have powerful elemental souls. The type of soul you have is a natural process decided before birth and it is all up too luck; although some clans have a tendency to lean towards a particular type of soul.¡±


    ¡°There are two types of elemental souls, ones based on natural elements, and others called eccentric souls. Natural elementals include elements such as fire, light, dark, water, wind and wood. These are just a few examples and there are more of them. On the other hand, eccentric souls are souls that are not based on natural elements. They can range from ridiculous overpowered souls, to useless and stupid souls.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t possible to exactly tell what type of soul you have until you completely form your soul and advance to 1st rank fighter. However, it is possible to have a rough indication by its colour. For example, fire souls tend to be coloured red, water souls tend to be coloured blue; my wind elemental soul doesn¡¯t have a colour at all and it is transparent.¡±


    ¡°The only white natural elemental soul that I can think off is that of light, which would be a very strong type of soul. You can consider yourself lucky if you have it!¡±


    Kane`s eyes instantly shone with delight and anticipation, and a wide smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°However, there is also the possibility you have an eccentric soul. I can¡¯t think of any right now¡­ what can be white...? Maybe cheese?¡±


    Kane instantly conveyed a funny expression full of despair, ¡°But isn¡¯t cheese yellow? It can¡¯t be that!¡±


    Marcus paused for a while, ¡°You have a point, how about milk then?¡±


    Kane`s body shuddered, as he started daydreaming about the consequence of him having a pointless soul like that¡­


    ¡°Mayor! Mayor! We have a huge crisis! We ran out of milk! The babies can¡¯t stop crying! Nobody can sleep anymore! We are doomed!¡± A desperate servant screamed.


    The frantic Mayor was in tears, ¡°My town is finished! This is really the end!¡±


    Suddenly the shadow of man appeared before them. The Mayor instantly asked in surprise, ¡°Who might be you?!¡±


    ¡°I`ve heard you had a milk crisis, so I came here to save you! I am Kane Barker! Mr. Milkman!¡± He proclaimed as he moved like a hero ready for action. He was wearing white cloths and a large mantle, which had a big blue ¡®M¡¯ written on it, and underneath a large drawing of a black and white cow.


    Mr. Milkman grinned as he enchanted, ¡°5th Major art of the soul, Milky way!¡± Suddenly, a large wave of milk formed, covering the whole town, almost drowning everyone in the process. All mothers instantly screamed tears of joy, ¡°All hail our saviour! All hail Mr. Milkman!¡±


    Mr. Milkman then grinned and winked, ¡°My job here is done, and Mr. Milkman saves the day yet again! Mission accomplished!¡± He flew triumphantly high into the sky, then he disappeared with a white flash.


    ¡­


    ¡°Kid¡­! Kane!? Is something wrong?¡± Marcus asked curiously, interrupting Kane`s bizarre daydream.


    ¡°No! No! I can¡¯t afford to have such a stupid eccentric soul!¡± Kane cried in alarm.


    Marcus looked at him weirdly, then he burst out in laughter. ¡°It is very improbable that you were born with such a weird eccentric soul in the first place! Why are you worrying that much ha ha?! Not like you can do anything anyways! You have to be happy with what you will find!¡±


    ¡°Now move your ass, we are going to start the second training session!¡± Marcus instructed as he took out a large container from within his storage device. The tank was filled with countless metallic swords, all without a power crystal. He then took out a bottle and threw it towards Kane.


    Kane grabbed the bottle, ¡°What is this Master?¡±


    ¡°Those are healing pills, and these are the swords you will be using for the next training session. We are now going to focus on improving your magnetic core, until it gets strong enough to reach out all of your body. After that, I will teach you how you can cultivate the power of your soul. If you get a move on, later on I will showcase you some techniques from both forms of powers, so that you will get an idea of how terrifying the strength of the cultivation centre can truly be!¡±


    ¡°Understood Master¡­ but why the healing pills?¡± Kane asked a little concerned.


    Marcus grinned evilly, replying with a rather sadistic voice, ¡°Trust me, you`re going to need them! And that`s because you will be engaging in a savage fight!¡±


    ¡°Err? I will be fighting you?!!¡± Kane asked completely shocked.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ you will not be fighting myself.¡± Marcus smirked, whilst he started gathering energy on his left hand. ¡°Be prepared! Your opponent shall be none other than my little clone¡­ Marcus Junior!¡±

 Chapter 22 - The First Form of Power

    Chapter 22 - The First Form of Power


    The two yellow stars were high up in the sky, and a moderate breeze was presently blowing over the area. Kane stood motionless in anticipation, his hair fluttering in the winds, watching Marcus gathering energy on his left hand. After a while, a white ball formed on Marcus¡¯ hand, as it gradually expanded in size, until it roughly reached the diameter of 50cm. The sphere weakly glowed, as Marcus let go his hand, leaving the sphere suspended and floating in the air above the ground.


    Kane looked at Marcus excitedly, waiting for the appearance of the ¡®little clone¡¯. However, Marcus just casually walked towards Kane, ¡°Ok¡­ It is done! We can start the training now!¡±


    Kane raised his eyebrows and opened his eyes wide, ¡°Err¡­? Where is it?!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marcus instantly replied confused.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say¡­ that I will be fighting your little clone?¡± Kane responded completely dumbfounded.


    Marcus looked at him weirdly, then answered grandiosely, whilst pointing his finger, ¡°Huh?! Are you blind? That ball is my clone! The incredible Marcus Junior!¡±


    Kane expressed a funny face, and instantly said, ¡°You¡­ you call that weird ball your clone?! I was expecting a clone that looks similar to your appearance! Not some random ball! So much for the hype!!¡±


    When he heard this, Marcus paused to think, then looked towards the ball of energy. He pondered for some time, as he touched and played with his chin. Then he smiled and waved his left arm, ¡°Ha ha, relax, relax, I can easily fix that! Such trivialities hu hu. I am your Master after all, don¡¯t you dare underestimate my abilities!¡±


    He coolly walked towards the ball, then he took out his storage device and started searching in it. Meanwhile, Kane waited with interest, seemingly trying to figure out what exactly Marcus was up to. Shortly after, Marcus took out two items, a hat similar to a sombrero, and a portrait. He then placed the hat on top of the ball, and stuck the portrait firmly vertically on the ball of energy. The portrait was of Marcus posing stupidly with a bottle of wine in his hand, more drunk than sober.


    Kane`s face instantly fell and stared in disbelief. He didn¡¯t know if he should laugh or cry at all this.


    Marcus then placed his hands on his waist, completely satisfied, ¡°It definitely looks more like me now! What do you think kid?¡± However, Kane didn¡¯t feel like replying at all. Seeing this, Marcus decided to change subject. ¡°Have you noticed the change kid?¡±


    Kane looked at him puzzled, ¡°What change?!¡±


    ¡°The gravity of the planet maybe?¡± Marcus coolly asked.


    Kane paused for a while, ¡°Now that you`ve mentioned it¡­ it isn¡¯t affecting me anymore!¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t! Now that you have direct access to your cultivation centre, the gravity of this planet will not have any more influence on your physique!¡±


    ¡°Anyways, we wasted enough time, let`s start now,¡± Marcus uttered, as he moved back towards Kane and explained. ¡°Before we start with the training¡­¡± Marcus paused to rub his nose, then continued, ¡°I need to enlighten you about the properties of the magnetic core.¡±


    ¡°The magnetic core is the first form of power, and it represents force and physical strength. It is classified into three categories as follows: attraction, repulsion and manifestation.¡±


    ¡°Attraction is the ability to attract any matter towards you. Solids are obviously the easiest to attract. Let me give you a quick demonstration.¡±


    He reached out and pointed his left palm towards a small stone that was around 30 metres away from him. Instantly, the stone flew in a straight line, from the ground directly into his hands. This only took just a couple of seconds.


    ¡°The stronger your magnetic core is, the farther your attraction force can extend, and the larger the objects you will be able to move and attract!¡± Marcus continued whilst he juggled the stone.


    ¡°However, attraction is rarely used in combat, and not advisable either. The reason for this is very simple. If you attract your opponent, you will only be making his attack even stronger, since you will be accelerating his speed!¡±


    ¡°As for repulsion, it is the ability to repel matter away from your body, and this ability is mostly used for attacks. The basic attacks allows you to push away or slow down enemies that are approaching you, whilst more advanced attacks allows you to attack your enemies from range. There are various standard techniques that can be learned, which unlike the skills of the soul, they don¡¯t require any insights to learn or enchantments to cast.¡±


    ¡°Finally there is what it is called manifestation of the magnetic core, which is the ability to draw out the power of the magnetic core outside of your own body! This can be either in the form of partial manifestation or total manifestation.¡±


    ¡°Partial manifestation is the case where the manifestation is still in contact with your body. It can be used defensively by erecting invisible barriers around your body, or it can be used to strengthen the attack of material weapons. The four power crystals compliment and amplify this very power.¡±


    ¡°Kid, remember when you did that earlier sword attack? That can be considered a form of partial manifestation of your magnetic core.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Kane asked surprised as he turned his gaze towards the ground, staring at the broken pieces of his previous sword.


    Marcus nodded in agreement, then he pointed his finger towards the floating ball, ¡°Now look at my clone, which is a form of total manifestation of my magnetic core. The manifestation is physically separated from my body. However, the clone is still directly linked with my internal magnetic core. Hence, any damage dealt to my clone would be also dealt to me!¡±


    Marcus then interrupted his speech, ¡°I guess I have bombarded you with enough information for today! Hope I haven¡¯t lost you Kid?¡±


    ¡°No Master, I have understood everything you said,¡± the thoughtful Kane replied. It was now that Kane seemed to have remembered something. ¡°So those techniques that Ozzy and Julia used against me back then were all techniques of the magnetic core...¡±


    Kane then smiled and enthusiastically stated, ¡°Master, I just can¡¯t get myself to accept that my future self will be able to do all of this! It feels so unreal, so incredible!!¡±


    "Ha ha, you don''t even have the slightest idea yet of what incredible really is kid! Allow me to show you something impressive!¡± Marcus grinned as he waved his palm towards a large cliff, whilst Kane watched curiously.


    ¡°This repelling technique is called Magnetic Wave, observe it well!¡± Marcus uttered whilst his hand glowed, forming a white flat circle of energy over his palm, circa one metre wide. Then with a powerful blast, the circular wave departed his body with incredible speed, rushing straight towards the cliff. As the wave moved, its edges bended, changing the appearance to resemble that of an empty spherical cap, similar to the shape of winds generated by a meteorite travelling inside the atmosphere of a planet. The wave then collided with the cliff, generating a small explosion. When the debris and dust cleared, Kane could see that the wave had left a human sized crater on the surface of the cliff.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Kane was clearly startled by the power of the blast.


    ¡°And this is another repelling technique, called Magnetic Slice!¡± Marcus proclaimed as he waved horizontally his hand, generating an elongated arc of white energy that marched towards the same cliff, slicing it horizontally in two on first contact.


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    Kane instantly opened his mouth in disbelief, whilst Marcus continued his little show. ¡°Now I am going to use my attracting ability to pull over the top half of the cliff!¡± Marcus shouted as if he was playing a little game.


    ¡°The hell¡­!¡± Kane jumped out of his skin in fear and immediately ran as fast as he could, away from Marcus.


    Marcus laughed hard whilst he pulled the cliff towards him, then caught it with a small bang, seemingly with no effort at all. He then raised his hands vertically upwards, with the cliff suspended in the air, resting peacefully on his hands.


    Sweat now covered Kane`s forehead, as he shouted completely terrified, ¡°Are you kidding me?! How is all this even possible?! How can your physical strength be this strong?!!¡±


    Marcus smiled as he replied, ¡°My physical strength isn¡¯t that strong. If this large piece of rock had to fall on me, I would be instantly killed! The reason I am able to lift it like this is because of two factors. First, I am using my repelling powers to counteract the gravitational force of this planet, making the weight of this large rock not any higher than that of a human being. Secondly, I am using the power of partial manifestation to surround my arms, increasing their durability. The only downside for using both techniques together is that I am rapidly burning away the power of my cultivation centre. Thus, I will only be able to hold in this position for like 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes at most!¡±


    ¡°And now¡­¡± Marcus smirked and shouted, ¡°This repelling technique is called Magnetic Pulse!¡±  A gentle yet powerful force was unleashed on the rock, propelling it upwards with incredible speed.


    ¡°Ha ha! Are you ready for the grand finale kid?¡± Marcus laughed out like a crazed person, whilst he used both of his hands to form a large circular white energy, much larger than before.


    ¡°Oh come on! What else now!¡± Kane replied completely irritated by Marcus¡¯ madness.


    ¡°This high level repelling technique is called Ultra Magnetic Wave!¡± Marcus screamed as he unleashed its devastating power. The shape of the blast was similar to the lesser Magnetic Wave, albeit much larger and its power was on a whole different scale. As the blast powered off Marcus¡¯ hands, the area surrounding him trembled and large cracks appeared on the ground below his feet. The powerful blast sped with tremendous speed, until it hit the flying cliff.


    BOOM~~~~~


    The cliff was completely disintegrated into pieces by the power of the attack. An ear piercing sound echoed throughout the area, forcing Kane to cover his ears with his hand.


    Marcus stared satisfied at the explosion, and at the same shouted, ¡°Hey kid! Are you sure you want to stay there standing? Soon this area will be covered by falling rocks! You don¡¯t want to hurt yourself right?!¡±


    Kane opened his eyes in disbelief, then he ran like a madman towards Marcus, busy cursing into his heart, ¡°Seriously! And here when I thought he couldn¡¯t go any more overboard, he instantly proves me wrong and pulls out this shit on me! The hell!¡± Kane barely made it to Marcus before a barrage of rocks descended on the ground.


    ¡°Right now I am using my hand to create an invisible barrier on top of us, using the power of partial manifestation. In general, the power of the magnetic core will remain transparent as long as it is touching the body, but it will turn white once it completely detach,¡± Marcus happily said, whilst the various pieces of rocks bounced on the barrier.


    However, Kane wasn¡¯t that appreciative of this information, and instead replied in fury, ¡°What`s the big idea! Are you trying to kill me?!!¡±


    Marcus retracted his hand, then turned facing Kane and calmly asked, ¡°Let me ask you something kid. If one day you are fighting an enemy, and you will be on the losing end, you think they will be taking pity on you just because you beg them? You think that all this is just a little game?¡±


    Kane stared at him, but didn¡¯t reply because he was lost on words.


    Marcus then asked, ¡°You know the reason why I took you in as my disciple? Back then, when you had fought Yakov in the tournament, I had noticed that well deep inside you, there is a fearsome warrior, a merciless fighter ready to be unleashed. The expression you showed, the ruthlessness, the bloodlust¡­ all of these characteristics can only be found amongts the most powerful fighters of the galaxy!¡±


    Kane remained staring at Marcus, now with a very thoughtful expression. He seemed to have finally realised that becoming a fighter isn¡¯t like practicing a hobby. If he wanted to become strong, he had to train hard, and experience all kind of hardships. Only by lots of hard work and several sacrifices one could become a strong fighter!


    Kane smiled at Marcus and softly uttered, ¡°Thanks Master¡­ for bringing me back to my senses.¡±


    When he heard this, Marcus smiled, then he looked around him, and afterwards he grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that this area needs a clean-up with all these rocks laying around?¡±


    Kane turned around to look, but before he could finish turning, Marcus immediately uttered, ¡°1st Major art of the soul, Wind blow!¡± Suddenly powerful winds erupted outwards from Marcus¡¯ body, clearing and pushing away all objects in the area, including Kane.


    ¡°Ughh!!¡± Kane shouted in air before landing with force on the ground, several metres away, with his face facing the ground. The now pissed off Kane struggled to raise himself up whilst he whispered, ¡°That Bastard¡­!¡±


    ¡°Hey Kid! Shouldn¡¯t you be worrying about your opponent?¡± Marcus raised his voice so that Kane could hear him.


    Kane immediately reacted and turned around. Right before him, almost touching his face, stood the clone ball. Kane shocked himself and promptly retreated backwards by a few steps. Marcus Junior then started rotating on itself, until its back was facing Kane. In the meantime, Kane watched curiously trying to figure out what exactly is going on.


    ¡°Damnit! I had forgotten about this stupid ball! I have to figure a way to get rid of it somehow¡­¡± He then turned his gaze towards the swords tank. ¡°Right, I should go and grab a sword already!¡±


    Whilst Kane was lost contemplating, out of the blue, a small magnetic wave erupted from the ball, straight into his stomach. The speed of the wave was so fast that it didn¡¯t give Kane any chance to react, yet alone dodge. ¡°Arghhh¡­!¡± Kane screamed in pain completely stunned. ¡°Damnit!! This thing is capable of firing those waves too?!!¡±


    The explosion of the wave sent Kane flying horizontally with tremendous speed, as he bounced and rolled several times on the ground during the process, before coming to halt when his back collided with a large rock.


    Kane coughed out blood, then he immediately swallowed two healing pills. He was reduced to a very sorry state, and his entire body was covered with wounds and bruises.


    Marcus stared at him from afar whilst he whispered. ¡°Sorry kid¡­ but if by any chance my one and only disciple would end up dying in the future because I was too lenient with his training, I would never be able to forgive myself!¡±

 Chapter 23 - An Unforeseen Obstacle

    Chapter 23 ¨C An Unforeseen Obstacle


    WUHHHHH~~~ WUHHHHH~~~


    Today happened to be a very windy day, with the noise of howling winds dominating the surrounding atmosphere. Marcus took shelter behind a small vertical rock, because the winds made it hard for him to page through the book he was currently reading.


    ¡°This is funny. I am a wind man, and yet I am forced to hide from the wind!¡± Marcus laughed at himself. He then brought out a watch that was hidden inside his cloths. ¡°Hmm¡­ a new month eh? 1st August already¡­¡± He smiled, turning his gaze towards a large rock, ¡°You should be aware by now kid, it is useless to hide from my clone¡­ I can easily sense you with my aura!¡±


    Behind the large rock, Kane was resting, but his expression was one of full alert. His eyes were half red and completely dry, whilst his top half of his body was full of white bandages, covered with patches of dried blood. Kane took a deep breath and thought, ¡°It`s attacking again¡­¡± He quickly jumped to dodge the incoming magnetic waves, rolling himself on the ground. The rock exploded into smithereens, but Kane had already safely distanced himself from it. He then rapidly stood up and ran towards the ball of energy.


    Marcus smirked, ¡°Going for a direct attack eh¡­?¡±


    Marcus Junior instantly fired another magnetic wave, but to the surprise of Marcus, Kane didn¡¯t try to dodge, but instead used his sword to take on the incoming attack. The two attacks fiercely collided, creating a powerful clashing sound.


    Marcus instantly opened his eyes wide in surprise, ¡°He actually managed to block my clone`s magnetic wave?!¡±


    Kane twitched his eyes in pain, but stayed focus, at the same time running and reducing the distance between him and the clone. ¡°Ugh¡­ my arm feels numb¡­ I can only directly take on another wave at best¡­¡± Kane thought to himself.


    Meanwhile, Marcus Junior recharged and fired another magnetic wave, just to be blocked again by Kane, this time with much more effort.


    Marcus was again surprised, ¡°Incredible¡­ his growing strength isn¡¯t showing any signs of slowing down any time soon¡­ In the last few weeks this kid has improved himself by leaps and bounds!¡±


    Marcus then grinned, ¡°Still charging ahead eh? Don¡¯t be overconfident kid, your body will not be able to handle another¡­¡± Before Marcus could finish his sentence, Kane unexpectedly used his right hand to grab his sword from the middle, then threw it away with full force, similar to an arrow, straight towards Marcus Junior.


    Marcus was caught off guard, and immediately tried to change direction of his clone. However, the sword slightly touched the ball of energy, slicing a part of it away, whilst a piece of the hat fell down. Marcus instantly put up an annoyed expression, ¡°Hey! That hurt me¡­!¡± He quickly recovered though, and whispered, ¡°I never expected him to act so random and use his sword as a projectile¡­!¡± He promptly retreated his clone away to think of a different strategy. Marcus Junior quickly reformed its spherical shape, but now it had lost some of its size.


    ¡°So close¡­!¡± Kane whispered disappointedly to himself, whilst stopping his movements to analyse the current situation, ¡°The ball is retreating¡­ this is a good opportunity for me to go and fetch back my sword!¡± He now made his final resolve, and irritatingly uttered, ¡°This fight¡­ it`s time to finish it off! I am totally sick of this ball now, and I don¡¯t want to see it anymore in my life!!¡±


    ¡°Damnit¡­ this kid! He keeps on surprising me¡­¡± Marcus whispered with a thoughtful expression. ¡°I am now more and more convinced that my hypothesis is true¡­ There is no doubt that the people that this kid recognise as his parents, aren¡¯t really his actual parents after all¡­ otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have died that easily! But I still can¡¯t figure out how and why they ended up fostering this kid, or how they had managed to obtain that amulet¡­ could it be they were¡­¡±


    BRING~~~~BRING~~~~


    Marcus was suddenly interrupted by a ringing sound, originating from one of his communications devices. ¡°Oh great¡­ a call from the Imperial Palace?! I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡± Marcus frowned, then he grabbed the device and politely uttered, ¡°Marcus Verde over here.¡±


    A very low pitched voice echoed from the device, ¡°Imperial Secretary Avito here. How are you Marcus?¡±


    Marcus replied, ¡°I`m fine¡­ did something happened?¡±


    ¡°You have just been assigned a new high level mission. You are required to be back at the Imperial Palace by not later than 21st August. Failure to conform will result in a severe punishment. Clear enough?¡±


    Marcus frowned and responded, ¡°I am kind of busy with something right now? Can¡¯t, you assign the mission to someone else?!¡±


    ¡°Is it something urgent?¡± Avito inquisitively asked.


    ¡°Not really, I just¡­¡± Marcus replied but was promptly interrupted.


    ¡°Not a valid excuse. See you until then. I`m out,¡± Avito replied before he terminated his connection.


    Marcus¡¯ expression instantly turned solemn, ¡°Bleh¡­ What a humourless and unreasonable person¡­¡± Marcus was lost hating on his newly assigned mission, but suddenly his expression changed into one of complete shock. ¡°Shit! I distracted myself!¡±


    Whilst Marcus was preoccupied with his thoughts, Kane had charged towards Marcus Junior, and with a very powerful slash, the clone was split vertically in half. The two half of the clones disappeared shortly after, leaving only a completely ruined hat and a portrait cut in half. Kane then moved victoriously towards the portrait, grabbing the two pieces together, giving them one final glance filled with disdain and hatred. For him, this stupid portrait was the symbol of all the suffering he had to endure for all this time. The pain, the sleepless days, the humiliation; his misery had finally come to an end. Veins of anger popped up all over his face and arms, and then, like a crazed devil, he teared the portrait into countless of pieces, then laughed out like a madman, ¡°Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!¡± Then he jumped and stomped his feet on the pieces that fell on the floor, apparently in attempt to release his tension.


    Marcus stood up, whilst he used the base of his right hand`s index figure to rub out the blood that leaked from his mouth. Then he slowly moved towards Kane.


    ¡°You know¡­ that portrait was one of my favourites!¡± Marcus said with a gloomy tone.


    Kane, who now was feeling much better, coolly replied, ¡°Come on¡­ that was one of the stupidest portraits I had ever seen in my entire life!¡± He then paused to catch up some breaths, and continued, ¡°I have now killed your clone and passed your training! What do you think Master?¡±


    Marcus kept his cool, then answered, ¡°Good job. I am very satisfied by your current progress.¡± However, his voice turned serious shortly after, ¡°Kid¡­ there is something I have to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it Master?¡± Kane curiously asked.


    ¡°I was summoned by the Imperial Government for what it seems to be a very important mission. Unfortunately, this is something that I will have to do alone. Hence, I fear that our training sessions will have to come to an end earlier than anticipated. I am sorry kid,¡± Marcus replied apologetically.


    Kane felt sad, but nodded in understanding, ¡°We can always continue after you`re done with it right? Are you going to take me back to the Zafisi clan now?¡±


    Marcus thought for a while, then suggested, ¡°Actually I was thinking¡­ it might be a good idea to use my imperial privileges to enlist you to an academy¡­¡±


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    ¡°Enlist me to an academy?¡± Kane replied slightly dumbfounded.


    Marcus explained, ¡°On every planet, there is an academy, where anyone between 16 and 22 years old is eligible to attend. An academy usually last for just two years, first year is for learning several subjects, whilst the second year is strictly military training.¡±


    ¡°I feel that you would greatly benefit from such an experience. You would be able to learn various techniques, and make new friends of your own age.¡±


    ¡°What do you think kid?¡± Marcus asked, hoping for a positive reply.


    Kane remained pondering for quite some time, but then he decided, ¡°If Master believes it would benefit me, then I will trust Master`s judgement!¡±


    Marcus smiled when he heard this, ¡°This planet has a very good academy, I think it is the best option for you.¡±


    Kane nodded without objecting, then asked, ¡°When you will be leaving Master?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I can stay here till the 20th August, then I have to teleport to the Imperial Palace¡­¡± Marcus responded.


    ¡°There is still 19 more days left Master¡­¡± Kane replied before excitedly proposing, ¡°How about you teach me how to do that magnetic wave of yours?¡±


    ¡°That`s not possible kid,¡± Marcus instantly acknowledge. ¡°Even though your cultivation base kept improving throughout the fight against my clone, it is still strangely confined to only your right hand. Unfortunately, to be able to use the repelling techniques, you require a magnetic core that covers your entire body.¡±


    ¡°And now that you`ve brought this up¡­ I am finding all this entire affair really strange.¡± Marcus wondered before demanding, ¡°Kid, remove your bandages, I want to inspect your body.¡±


    Kane felt a little awkward, but he obeyed and removed his bandages. His body was full of scratches and injuries. Marcus then placed his left hand on Kane`s chest, apparently trying to sense the energy coming from Kane`s body.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I can¡¯t even sense a hint of power from here¡­¡± Marcus then continued his examination by placing his hand on Kane`s right arm, slowly raising upwards. ¡°Here I can feel the energy¡­ and this is the point where it stops.¡±


    Marcus¡¯ hand was now resting just below Kane`s shoulder. ¡°Weird¡­ it looks like there is a blockage here¡­¡±


    ¡°Blockage?¡± Kane replied confused.


    ¡°Shusshh!! Don¡¯t talk kid, let me focus,¡± Marcus uttered as he began performing tests, ¡°No reaction from my magnetic energy¡­ let`s try with the power of my elemental soul¡­¡±


    Kane suddenly felt winds pressing on his body, whilst they leaked from below Marcus¡¯ hand.


    ¡°Strange¡­ strange¡­ no reaction from my elemental soul either,¡± The puzzled Marcus thought aloud. ¡°I wonder if there will be any reaction from my dimensional power¡­¡±


    The air surrounding Marcus¡¯ hand glowed with a distorting aura. ¡°Hmm no reaction either¡­ Urghhhh!! What the¡­!¡± Before he could finish the sentence, a powerful repelling force emerged from Kane`s body, blowing Marcus away with incredible force. Marcus instantly stabilised himself in mid-air, then he landed crawling on the ground, as he decelerated himself by using the friction between the ground and both of his legs and right hand, until coming to a halt circa 50 metres away from Kane.


    Marcus spitted out blood, then rose to his feet, whilst he inspected the damage he suffered in his left hand. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t anything serious.


    In the meantime, Kane had fallen on his knees, his face filled with agony. His eyes were full of desperation, whilst he painfully uttered, ¡°Arghhh¡­ Not this pain again! My right hand, I can¡¯t feel¡­!¡±


    Marcus remained staring towards Kane with a totally dumbfounded expression. He was completely shaken from the inside by this unexpected force. He paused observing Kane for a while, then he enchanted, ¡°3rd Major art of the soul, Teleportation!¡±


    He instantly teleported before Kane. Then he grabbed one of his storage devices, and from it he took out a green pill, which he offered to Kane. ¡°Eat this pill kid, it should heal your hand in just a couple of hours.¡±


    Kane trusted him and instantly swallowed the pill, ¡°Master, what is happening?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, calm down, it`s over now. The remaining power of the dimensional protection technique has been exhausted against me.¡±


    Kane asked, ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Some very powerful expert had placed a 5th tier dimensional technique on your body, seemingly to protect you from harm. From what I can figure, most of the power of this technique was already unleashed some time ago, but some of its power still lingered inside your body. The leftover power reacted with my dimensional power, and burst out against me.¡±


    Kane worriedly interrupted, ¡°Are you fine Master?¡±


    Marcus laughed out, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be worrying about yourself rather than myself kid?! Who could place such¡­ no way!!!¡±


    Kane appeared startled, ¡°What else now!!?¡±


    Marcus stared in disbelief, whilst his entire body shivered, and sweat covered his face. He slowly stuttered, ¡°This is the first time in my entire life¡­ the first time I am witnessing a 6th tier Dimensional technique!¡±


    A small patch of black lines and diagrams, which were slowly moving around in circles, appeared just below Kane`s right shoulder. When Kane noticed this, he was instantly left petrified with fear.


    Kane was now filled with desperation and cried out, ¡°What is this thing on my arm?!!¡±


    ¡°Calm down Kane!¡± Marcus shouted, whilst grabbing Kane from both of his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, it`s just a mark left over by a very powerful dimensional technique, it will not harm you!¡±


    ¡°A powerful¡­ dimensional technique? How did something like this appear on my body in the first place! What have you done to my body?!¡± Kane screamed, at the same time pulling out from Marcus¡¯ grasp and started moving backwards away from him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to you! It has always been on your body for all this time! It just wasn¡¯t visible, because it was covered by another dimensional technique!¡± Marcus explained, then continued, ¡°And it isn¡¯t just an ordinary technique either! I wouldn¡¯t have believed all this if I am not seeing it with my very eyes!!¡±


    Kane felt his mind spinning, and was on a verge of a mental collapse, ¡°What is thing doing on my body then?!!!¡±


    Marcus face turned very solemn, ¡°There is no easy way to say this¡­ briefly, a very powerful immortal, and I mean a VERY powerful immortal, had used this technique to lock away the power of your cultivation base, by throwing it away into another dimension!


    ¡°I think this is the first time in the entire history of the human empire that someone has successfully managed to lock away the power of someone else!¡±


    Kane was visibly shocked, and hurriedly questioned in concern, ¡°Can this technique be undone?!!¡±


    Marcus thought for a while, then stated, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. If there is anyone who can help you that would be someone who has a deep understanding of 6th tier dimensional techniques. However, the number of fighters that are capable of utilising 6th tier dimensional techniques can be counted on the fingers of my hand!¡±


    ¡°But... I do happen to know a person who might be able to help you with this matter...¡±


    ¡°Really?! Who?!¡± Kane replied in excitement.


    Marcus kept serious whilst suggesting, ¡°The only person in the Eastern Galactic Sector who is capable of high level dimensional techniques, is Pietro Verde, the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch!¡±

 Chapter 24 - Who am I?

    Chapter 24 ¨C Who am I?


    Ever since the Yuba calamity, Kane was blinded by a desire; he yearned for strength, he wished for revenge! As long as his actions conformed with his moral values, he was willing to do anything to satisfy this very desire.


    When he learned from Marcus that someone had locked away his power, the first thought that crossed his mind was how to get rid of this technique. For him, it was another obstacle along his path of becoming a strong combatant. However, this feeling only lasted for a moment, as new thoughts emerged, completely throwing his mind into confusion.


    Kane continued to glance sorrowfully at his right hand, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t understand. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be a powerless human that lived on planet Yuba? I can make myself believe that I had survived the calamity of planet Yuba by some sort of luck. Even back then at the arena, when I learned that I had a cultivation base, I found it strange, but I didn¡¯t give it much thought, because you said it was very weak when compared to other fighters.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ having my cultivation base sealed by a powerful fighter? This shouldn¡¯t have occurred¡­ this doesn¡¯t make any sense at all!¡±


    Marcus remained serious and slowly itched his head, then suggested, ¡°I can only think of one possible scenario. Having these techniques placed on you confirms that you weren¡¯t born on planet Yuba. You`re definitely a born fighter, and someone hid you on planet Yuba, for an unknown reason. This very individual then sealed away your powers, so that nobody would notice you`re different than the inhabitants of planet Yuba.¡±


    ¡°And from what I can see, the person that performed the dimensional lock and the dimensional protection technique is one and the same. I am sure this very person wanted to protect you!¡±


    Kane remained thoughtful and his eyes all chocked up, then he clinched his fists and stubbornly responded, ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be that case! I am sure¡­ I am definitely sure! I know my father more than anyone else, and he would have never lied to me! I am the child of James and Elena Barker! I was definitely born on planet Yuba! I can¡¯t be anyone else!!!¡±


    Marcus remained serious and replied, ¡°Then try to explain to me the appearance of these two dimensional techniques on your body? Or try to explain to me why you have an active cultivation centre, when your parents didn¡¯t?!¡±


    Kane responded with a slightly angry expression, as tears began falling down on his cheeks.


    ¡°These¡­ before the calamity of planet Yuba I had never seen or met any human beings that had a cultivation centre! I don¡¯t know from where these techniques could have come from!!! As for my cultivation centre¡­¡±


    Marcus replied solemnly, ¡°Kane¡­ you have to face and accept reality¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!!! I`ve already told you! I am the son of James and Elena Barker! There is probably a reason for all this! Something that I am not yet aware!!¡± Kane shouted in tears, as he turned around and hurried his pace away.


    Marcus was startled, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Kane kept his pace and replied without bothering to turn around, ¡°I wish to spend some time alone...¡±


    Marcus frowned, but he understood how Kane was probably feeling, so he let him go.


    In the meantime, Kane started climbing a small hill, then rested himself under a tree, which was similar in appearance to the oak tree of Hillfort Village. He then turned his gaze to sky and asked in tears, ¡°What`s the meaning of all this? How was I born with an active cultivation centre? And why would a very powerful fighter lock away this very power? Am I really Kane Barker¡­?¡± He remained staring lifelessly, asking him to himself, ¡°Who am I?¡±


    His thoughts blinded his mind. Then he reminisced about a particular memory, during the time when he was still a child living in the Barker`s Household.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Papa! Papa! What are you going to show me?! Is it a new toy?¡± The excited young Kane circled his father whilst pulling him from his trousers.


    ¡°Haha Patience Kane! Patience Kane!¡± His father laughed out. ¡°And stop pulling my trousers! I almost lost balance because of your pulling haha!¡±


    Kane`s joyful eyes shone with anticipation, as he followed his father until they arrived before a large wooden door. His father took out a bunch of keys, and one by one he patiently tested them inside the large bronze lock of the door. ¡°Oh dear¡­ I forgot which one of these is the right Key!¡±


    Kane kept staring in anticipation towards the keys; his heart felt like pulling out from his body with the excitement!


    CRACK~~


    ¡°Finally, here you are troublesome key,¡± James laughed softly, whilst he slowly opened the door.


    Inside there was a large room. The walls of the room were covered by red decorative draperies, with gold designs engraved on them. The room had six ornamental pillars, three on each side. A large amount of gold and treasuries laid neatly around the room, and everything was organised and in place. The room also had eight large long vertical windows, and the light that sneaked inside made the treasuries shine with brilliance.


    The youthful Kane was instantly left captivated by this scene, as he turned his gaze towards his father in curiosity.


    ¡°This is the treasury of our Barker family. The wealth that our family accumulated for all these years is stored in here,¡± James explained.


    Both of them kept walking, until they arrived in front of the opposite wall, where on it hanged three large portraits. Kane looked at the first portrait and enquiringly uttered, ¡°Who is this man?¡±


    The portrait showed a middle-aged man, who was riding a horse, whilst holding a lance in his left hand. The man was short and had a funny curly moustache. By the looks alone, one could easily conclude that this person was a strict military officer.


    James smiled and replied, ¡°That is your grandfather, Paul Barker. He was a very well-known mayor and military general, and he had fought and obtained numerous victories during his time with the army. Unfortunately, the same battles he so loved and which were the source of his success, were also the reason of his demise.¡±


    James then moved towards the next portal. Here there was a middle-aged woman, she was very tall with an elegant posture, and had a penetrative smile on her face.


    ¡°And¡­ this is your grandmother, Mary Barker. She was a kind-hearted woman, and always tried her best to help all those who were in need. She was greatly respected by the people of this village, and everyone admired her.¡±


    James voice then turned solemn, ¡°She fell ill around 20 years before you were born Kane, and after 5 years of struggles, she had finally lost her final battle.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°To this day, I still miss her a lot¡­¡± James finished his speech with a sad tone.


    He then moved towards the last portrait, whilst asking, ¡°Kane, do you know who this wonderful woman is?¡±


    Kane turned his face and instantly locked his eyes on the portrait. There was the image of a young woman sitting smartly on a brown chair. Her skin was snow white, her penetrative eyes brown. She was wearing black noble cloths, which complimented well with her long black hair. By looking at the portrait, it was very difficult to tell if she was smiling or if she was serious; it was actually impossible to read her expression at all.


    James then grabbed Kane, holding him tightly within his arms, so that he could have a better view of the portrait. Then James softly uttered, ¡°This beautiful woman is your mother, Elena Barker.¡±


    James paused for a breath as tears welled up in his eyes, ¡°Kane, do you agree that your mum was and still is very beautiful?¡±


    Little Kane was emotionally surprised. This was his first time that he ever saw a portrait of his mother. ¡°Mummy?¡± Kane asked innocently, then began crying with joy and sadness, whilst he rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°Mummy¡­ so beautiful¡­ mummy I love you!¡± He remained staring at her for a while, then asked ¡°Mummy¡­ why did you leave us?!¡±


    James then tenderly hugged Kane and softly uttered, ¡°Kane, there are times where things in life doesn¡¯t go the way we want them. Likewise, I miss your mother but there is nothing we can do¡­.¡±


    He then cuddled him and promised, ¡°There are two memories of your mother left for me. One is an amulet that your mum always carried with her. She had told me it was her lucky charm. The other memory is you Kane. As long as I am still alive, I promise you that I will be protecting you. In you runs the blood of the barker household, and the blood of my wife! I will never allow any harm to befall you!¡±


    Little Kane instantly felt better, whilst enjoying his father`s warm embrace, as both of them remained staring at the portrait of Elena.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Kane had finally snapped out from his daydream. ¡°There is no way my father would have ever lied to me¡­.¡± He remained motionless, looking at the two red stars. ¡°Could it be¡­ that I was the first human of planet Yuba who managed to unlock the power of the cultivation centre? Could it be that I was the first successful experiment?¡± Kane pondered for a moment, ¡°But who could have sealed my powers?


    He contemplated for some time, but then he let out a sigh and surrendered himself, ¡°It is useless speculating, whoever I am, it doesn¡¯t really matter at this time. What matters now is that I need to become strong!¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t let myself be consumed about this mysterious person that sealed my powers, or about who I really am. The truth will eventually surface out alone.¡±


    He smiled and was finally able to relax, ¡°I am beginning to feel excited about the prospect of attending an academy. I wonder what kind of an experience¡­¡±


    During all this time, Marcus was presently sitting cross-legged on the floor, whilst he observed the lonely Kane from distance.


    Marcus then seemed to have remembered something. He took out a small device, powered by a red crystal. He pressed his finger on the crystal, forming a small dimensional portal. He then shouted inside the portal, ¡°Is everything fine in there?¡±


    However, he received no answer.


    Marcus made a funny irritated face and shouted again, ¡°Valentina!? I know you are hearing me! Is everything fine in there?!¡±


    After a while, a girlish voice rang out from the device. ¡°Yes! I am busy training as you should know! Everything is fine in here! Actually, now that I heard your voice, my stomach aches! So I am not fine anymore! Hmmmpp!¡±


    Marcus frowned funnily, ¡°You should show more respect to your only uncle¡­¡±


    Valentina replied, ¡°Bleh Bleh! Trying to make me feel sorry for you isn¡¯t going to work!¡±


    The voice paused for a breath, then it rang out again, ¡°By the way, are you still training that kid?¡±


    Marcus instantly replied, ¡°I was, but we stopped now. I will let him heal his wounds, then I am going to enlist him to an academy. Oh¡­ and since when you are interested in this kid? I thought you didn¡¯t want to reveal yourself to him?¡±


    Valentina replied stubbornly, ¡°Hmmppph! I am just enquiring that`s all! You know I am busy with my training! Besides, what good would it have done if I came out? He wouldn¡¯t have been able to focus on his training, because he would have been distracted by my sexy body!¡±


    Marcus made a stupid face, then prepared to close the portal, ¡°His coming back, we will talk later¡­¡±


    Marcus closed the portal and put away his device, then he stood up and faced Kane.


    ¡°Feeling better Kane?¡± Marcus asked curiously.


    ¡°A lot better. Apologies for that earlier emotional burst, I lost control there hehe¡­¡± Kane shook his head a little embarrassed.


    Marcus replied, ¡°Haha, great to see that you have calmed yourself down!¡±


    Kane nodded and replied, ¡°What are we going to do now. Are you going to enlist me to an academy, or you are going to take me to see the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch?¡±


    Marcus smiled and uttered, ¡°Both.¡±


    Kane responded, ¡°Both? Do we have enough time?¡±


    ¡°No we lack time, but that can be easily solved. Instead of nominating you to the academy of this planet, I am going to nominate you for the Royal Academy. With my imperial status, they will not be able to refuse you!¡± Marcus proudly announced.


    ¡°Royal Academy?¡± Kane promptly questioned.


    ¡°The Royal Academy is the most prestigious academy of the Eastern Galactic Sector. Only the most gifted individuals are allowed to attend, and they all generally hail from the major clans!¡±


    ¡°The academy is under the direct jurisdiction of Pietro Verde. Once he learns that I am the one who recommended you, there is no doubt he will summon you to personally meet you!¡± Marcus kept boasting.


    Kane appeared startled, ¡°You know the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do, we are both from the same clan, and we have been together in the same academy class in the past too!¡± Marcus confirmed, then continued, ¡°We are done with the training. During the coming days make sure you rest yourself well.¡±


    Kane nodded in agreement, then he sat down and inwardly thought, ¡°Kane Barker¡­ fellow student of the Royal Academy. On second thoughts, it doesn¡¯t sound that bad!¡±

 Chapter 25 - Until we meet again!

    Chapter 25 ¨C Until we meet again!


    During the following days, Marcus and Kane spent most of their time enjoying themselves, whilst they ventured to various cities. For Kane, this experience not only aided him to acquire further knowledge about never seen before objects and materials; this was also the greatest holiday of his life!


    Marcus and Kane had so much fun together that they seemed to have forgotten about the passage of time. However, the days still passed by without waiting for anyone, and it was now the 20th of August.


    Marcus was presently flying, whilst Kane followed in his trails inside a spherical wind sphere. Kane was fully healed, whilst he was wearing a new set of mostly white coloured cloths, giving him the appearance of a scholar.


    ¡°There it is¡­ it is finally visible, the great portal of Planet Giji!¡± Marcus informed whilst turning around to look at Kane. ¡°This portal is different than the others, and it only teleports you to one destination: Moon Gazayo II, the Imperial Administrative Centre of the Eastern Galactic Sector!¡±


    Kane glanced at the portal whilst inwardly uttered, ¡°This portal is indeed different than the others, it`s at least five times the size of the other portals!¡±


    When Marcus arrived near the portal, he slowly descended, until finally landing on the ground, bringing Kane down with him.


    Marcus then turned facing Kane, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the time for us to separate has come my disciple!¡± He then paused for a breath, ¡°To be honest¡­ I was hoping for a longer training session. Unfortunately we were interrupted!¡±


    ¡°It`s ok Master. I have learned a lot already, and I am sure that at the academy I will be learning much more,¡± Kane assured.


    Marcus smiled in agreement, then invited Kane to sit down next to him on the ground. ¡°Before we depart, there are some items that I wish to give you and some final advices too.¡±


    ¡°Let`s start with the items¡­¡± Marcus uttered whilst he took out a large one handed silver sword that had a bronze grip, and had a small red crystal engraved on its pommel. The moment Kane saw the sword, his surprised eyes glowed with excitement.


    ¡°Here take this sword. It is a very precious sword, made by an expert bladesmith of our Verde Clan. If you had to estimate a value, the sword would fetch a market price of around 10 million Piras! And you don¡¯t have to worry about the crystal running out of power, since it was charged up by an immortal! In fact, this sword has a charged life time of around 200 years.¡±


    Marcus then placed the sword on top of Kane`s shivering hands. Kane remained staring at it, seemingly not believing he had acquired such an extraordinary weapon. ¡°Wow. This is an amazing sword!¡± Kane shouted with excitement. ¡°But¡­ are you really sure you want to give me such a valuable sword?¡± Kane asked, but at the same time unconsciously hoping that Marcus¡¯ reply would be in the positive.


    ¡°Take it, it is yours,¡± Marcus confirmed but instantly warned, ¡°I don¡¯t recommend that you go and show that sword around. Instead, you should keep it safely stored in your storage device, and only use it in precarious circumstances. Considering the value of the sword and your current strength, people would unquestionably try to steal it from you!¡±


    Kane nodded in agreement, but was interrupted half way when Marcus threw a bag of money.


    ¡°In that bag there are 100k Piras. That should be enough pocket money for you!¡±


    Marcus then took out another item. It was an orange crystal, shaped as an octahedron, the size of a finger. ¡°This is called a crystal of connection. I have bonded it with my blood, and it is directly connected to another crystal of connection that I have. If you ever find yourself in any troubles, immediately crush the crystal. I will instantly notice you are in danger and will come for your aid, provided I am in the vicinity!¡±


    Kane felt relieved as he grabbed the crystal and hid it well under his cloths.


    Marcus then brought one last item, a green amulet. On it were engraved the following words: ¡®Royal Academy Recommendation ¨C Owner: Marcus Verde.¡¯


    ¡°Here take this and immediately bind it with your blood Kane,¡± Marcus instructed. Kane promptly obeyed, as drops of his blood fell on the amulet, producing a sparking effect that lasted for a few a seconds.


    ¡°What is this object Master?¡± Kane curiously asked.


    ¡°It is an amulet of recommendation. With this amulet, you will be able to completely bypass the selection process. You can already consider yourself a student of the Royal Academy! Remember, without this amulet you have zero chance of being accepted into that academy! Don¡¯t lose it!¡±


    Marcus then laughed out like a child, ¡°Haha! I can already imagine the faces of the recruiters upon seeing that I have recommended a weakling such as you! I am sure you will infamously be known as the academy`s weakest student of its entire history!¡±


    Kane instantly expressed a comically annoyed face. ¡°You aren¡¯t being that inspiring Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha! Kane, if everything goes according to plan, your dimensional lock will be removed, and you will become one of the strongest scholars of the academy! Imagine their surprised faces then!¡± Marcus laughed.


    Kane didn¡¯t felt much relief though; he was already imagining the ridicule he would be suffering! He now deeply hoped that the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch would actually help him, otherwise he would end up in big trouble!


    Marcus then stood up. ¡°Kane, now listen to these instructions very well.¡±


    Kane looked at Marcus weirdly. ¡°Hmm?!¡±


    Marcus promptly said, ¡°This is my first Instruction. As your Master, I am forbidding you from engaging in a fight with a Kanklar, or anyone of the higher ranks! For whichever reason it might be! Am I being clear enough?!¡±


    Kane slowly rose on his feet and funnily uttered, ¡°Do I look that stupid?¡±


    However, shortly after Kane seemed to have thought of something, and queried thoughtfully, ¡°Is there a way to tell if a fighter is a Kanklar?¡±


    Marcus pondered for a while before replying. ¡°If they decide to hide their powers, it will be impossible for you to know their real strength. However, some of them like to wear military coats and can be easily identified, whilst others will openly boast of their powers.¡±


    ¡°Remember this Kane. There are two ranking systems in this galaxy, the lower ranks and the higher ranks,¡± Marcus explained. ¡°The lower ranks are based on the powers of the elemental soul, and they range from rank 1, the apprentice soul fighter, to rank 12, the complete soul elemental.¡±


    ¡°However, any fighter that reaches the 6th rank of the soul, have the potential to unlock a formidable ability, and advance to the higher ranks! A Kanklar is a fighter who succeeded in unlocking that very ability!¡±


    ¡°There is quite a big gap in strength from the fighters of the higher ranks compared to those of the lower ranks! For an example, a Kanklar who is still at the 6th rank of the soul can easily crush a fighter who is at the 12th rank of the elemental soul but not a Kanklar!¡±


    Kane wasn¡¯t surprised when he heard this. He had already assumed that Kanklars were very strong fighters, because of their high administrative positions they hold, and the respect shown to Kanklars by other people.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°And now¡­ this is my second and final instruction.¡± Marcus suddenly moved towards Kane and hugged him tightly, ¡°Until we meet again, make sure you are still in one piece, my one and only disciple!¡±


    Kane felt a little emotional whilst he jokingly uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll try to, but no promises!¡±


    Marcus let out a soft laugh. ¡°Let`s go to the portal now. I will be paying you the fee, then I shall depart for the Imperial palace.¡±


    Kane instantly felt a little nervous, ¡°Already?! I thought you were coming with me to the Royal Academy!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t come with you kid¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?!!¡± Kane instantly probed.


    ¡°Err¡­ I am just¡­ allergic to the air of Moon Gazayo II!¡± Marcus confirmed.


    Kane was left dumbfounded by this bizarre declaration, ¡°How can anyone be allergic to air?!!¡±


    Marcus frowned funnily. ¡°It is a very rare condition¡­ it only happens to me on that moon! Anyways! Consider this as part of your training! If you want to become a strong fighter, you need to learn to be independent! Besides, all you need to do is pay someone to transport you to the Royal Academy. Even a six year old kid can do that!¡±


    Marcus then enchanted the teleportation sphere techniques, and shortly after they appeared before the portal keeper.


    When the portal keeper saw Marcus, his eyes opened wide in disbelief, and his body started to shiver, ¡°Marcus?!! Why have you come here?!!! Don¡¯t tell me you`re¡­¡±


    Marcus moved coolly towards the portal keeper, interrupting, ¡°I am just seeing off this kid. Here take the moneys.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the portal keeper let out a long breath of relief, and his terrified expression quickly disappeared.


    Marcus then turned to look one final time towards Kane, ¡°This is where we depart kid. When I am done with this stupid mission, I will come and find you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you Master! Be safe!¡± The now emotional Kane said one last time, before walking slowly towards the portal, then disappeared shortly after.


    Marcus felt sad seeing him go, ¡°Heh¡­ I¡¯ll miss him...¡± He kept contemplating for a while, then he teleported himself away to a remote region of Planet Giji. He then took out a large staff from his storage device, which was powered by a very small violet crystal.


    ¡°Time to go to the Imperial Palace,¡± he thought inwardly, ¡°But first¡­¡±


    He took out one of his devices and shouted inside it, ¡°Valentina! Come out for a moment!¡±


    The portal of the device gradually widened, and from it emerged a young teenage girl, with very long green hair and adorable green eyes. She had a half-eaten chocolate muffin in her hand. She quickly glanced at her surroundings, then spoke whilst she bit another piece of her muffin, ¡°Hmm, did you see off that kid already? Which junior academy have you enlisted him?¡±


    Marcus looked at her stupidly, ¡°Do you ever pay attention to me?! I already told you that I was going to enlist him to an academy, I never mentioned a junior academy!¡±


    ¡°What!!? Hey! Wait a moment! How old is your disciple exactly?!!¡± Valentina asked completely dumbfounded.


    ¡°His 17 years old¡­¡± Marcus coolly replied.


    ¡°What?!!! I thought he was only 13-14 years old! Who in his right mind would call a 17 year old a kid?!!¡± Valentina screamed in surprise.


    Marcus made a weird face. ¡°What? For me anyone under 200 years old is a kid¡­¡±


    Valentine opened her eyes wide open in disbelief and heatedly shouted, ¡°What kind of flawed reasoning is that!¡±


    ¡°Hey now Valentina¡­ are you by any chance feeling sorry for not seeing his body?¡± Marcus started pulling her leg.


    Valentina didn¡¯t respond, instead crossing her hands together and then turned her face away stubbornly. ¡°Hmmmpphh!!!¡±


    Shortly after she ate the remaining part of her muffin, as she elevated herself upwards in the air and flew towards Marcus. She then glanced down towards Marcus¡¯ face, hands on her waist, her body posture radiating with superiority. ¡°Then you must have enlisted him to the Yellow Ribbon Academy of this planet?¡±


    Marcus, now a little annoyed, said, ¡°I have sent him to an academy of another planet¡­ aren¡¯t you asking me too many questions now?!¡±


    Valentina couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard and furiously shouted, ¡°Which master would send off his only disciple alone?!! How can you be so insensitive?!!!!!¡±


    ¡°I had no other option¡­¡± Marcus comically frowned. ¡°I have enlisted him to the Royal Academy. If I had gone with him, I am sure that Pietro Verde would have been able to sense my aura. He would have chased after me to try and kill me!!¡±


    Valentina`s eyes expanded, her body trembled, and her facial expression was now full of desperation. She furiously roared, ¡°Are you nuts!!!!!! What`s the big idea!!!!!!!! Are you trying to get your only disciple killed already?!!!!¡±


    ¡°I had no other choice Valentina! Pietro Verde is the only person who can help him from his current condition! Besides, I know Pietro very well, he would never lower himself to kill a defenceless kid, though I fear he might use him to lure me out¡­¡± Marcus complained. ¡°Geez¡­ I can¡¯t believe Pietro still holds a grudge against me over those petty matters!¡±


    ¡°You must be joking uncle!¡± Valentina yelled whilst she funnily pressed her finger on Marcus¡¯ chin. ¡°You know, I had heard about your incidents with Pietro in the past¡­ how he had ended up being captured and tortured for three months because you had forgotten about your mission; you had been busy dating two young lasses instead!... I also heard how he had borrowed you 80 million Piras and you never paid him back! ¡­and how about your little adventures you apparently had with his little darling sister¡­¡±


    Marcus pressed his lips together stupidly. ¡°You brat! How you know all of these things?!¡±


    ¡°Hmmppph!! Everyone in our clan knows these things! And I know a lot more¡­ hey! What are you doing?! Let me go!!¡±


    Marcus smiled whilst holding Valentina from her cloths. ¡°Geez what a troublesome niece I have. Ok, time to depart for the Imperial Palace!¡±


    ¡°No! Wait! I don¡¯t want to go there! Take me home already!¡± Valentina cried as she randomly kicked and punched Marcus.


    ¡°Hey stop it, you`re tickling me now¡­¡± Marcus laughed out, then he raised his staff. Power emerged from it, and a large dimensional portal formed.


    ¡°You weakling! You can¡¯t even form a portal without the aid of a teleportation staff!¡± Valentina mocked.


    Marcus kept smiling, coolly saying, ¡°Dimensional power was never my forte you know! Are you ready now my lovely niece? Because you are coming with me to the Imperial Palace!!¡±


    He then flew into the dimensional portal. Valentina instantly screamed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the Imperial palace!!! Take me home now!!! Noooooooooooo¡­!!!¡±


    Her frantic voice resounded through the area for a while, as the dimensional portal slowly closed, until fading away.

 Chapter 26 - Fancy a Ride?

    Author`s note:


    Dear Readers,


    I hope you all had a great day.


    First of all, I wish to thank you for reading my novel. I believe that there is no better gratification for any writer than having regular readers.


    I wish to point that this is my first ever attempt in writing a novel, a project which I am taking very seriously and dedicating a lot of my free time to ensure that the chapters are of the highest quality.


    With that said, I am not perfect and I am bound to make mistakes. Some of my mistakes are being corrected along the way, mostly of grammatical nature. As I gather further experience, I am sure the frequency of these types errors will considerably drop. I believe that my largest current obstacle is that I am not a native English speaker, hence my English vocabulary is fairly limited.


    At this stage, what I would like, is feedback about what you like about my novel, and more important, what you hate the most about it. Only by knowing my defects will I be able to improve my writing. I am not pretending a full review; just a few words in the comments below would be enough for me to get an idea where I might be screwing up.


    Please keep in mind that I am writing this out of passion. I already have a well-paid job, so I am presently not interested in any moneys or donations. I just feel that I have a great story in mind, one that I wish to share with others.


    One last thing, I would like to personally thank all those who are currently supporting me. Even a simple thanks means a lot for me and it encourages me to forge ahead with the story.


    Thanks and regards,


    Penguin


    Notes (a little spoilerish if you haven¡¯t read until chapter 25):


    1)      I am aware that the story is currently jumping from one place to another. This is bound to continue for 4-5 more chapters, then the story will remain focused in one location for several chapters.


    2)      The story was mostly focused on the main character with secondary characters come and go along the way. Expect the other main characters/semi-permanent characters to be introduced in the coming chapters. In general, when I describe a character in detail, he/she will play an important part in the future, whilst if I barely mention them, then you can safely say that they will not be appearing again. Marcus is the only exception, since I left his image to your imagination.


    3)      Because of the massive info dumping involved with such a large world setting, I was forced to limit it and spread it over a large amount of chapters, whilst at the same time keeping the chapters as interesting as possible. Regarding the combat system, it may feel a little complicated but that`s intentional, and I have great future plans for it.


    4)      One style that you will notice from me, is that I like to put twists or make my readers believe that something will happen, just for something entirely different ends up to occur. This will be a very common style of my writing. However, I will promise you that my story will not be a troll (like the current Bleach manga) and every twist that will happen will have a logical explanation to back it up.


    ********************************************************************************************************


    Chapter 26 - Fancy a Ride?


    Planetary portals are a very efficient and convenient means of transportation. Not only they allow humans to travel long distances in just a matter of seconds; these portals can also be considered one of the safest ways of travelling. The only downside is that in order to use them, one would have to pay a high fee, which was not always affordable.


    Kane was expecting his teleportation to be similar to his previous experiences, but much to his surprise, he noticed that he was yet to be teleported to Moon Gazayo II. Instead, he found himself inside a large dimensional room, in the form of a cuboid.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± Kane anxiously thought whilst he explored his surroundings. He quickly figured that he was alone and there was nothing to be found in this dimensional room. ¡°Why is this teleportation taking so long?¡± He paused thinking for a while, then uttered, ¡°Maybe Moon Gazayo II is a faraway moon, that`s the most plausible reason I can currently think of¡­¡±


    Whilst he was focused on his thoughts, suddenly a shadow of a human being appeared behind one of the semi-transparent dimensional walls of the room. The human quickly took out a bow, and fired an arrow straight towards Kane`s heart. The deadly arrow easily pierced through the dimensional wall, taking the unaware Kane totally by surprise. The shocked Kane instantly tried to dodge this devious attack.


    Luckily, thanks to his now improved reflexes, he was swift enough and avoided the arrow, as it collided with the opposite wall and remained stuck on it. Kane then prepared himself to guard against the next attack, whilst he silently stared towards the shadowy human. However, the shadow gradually faded away, until it completely vanished.


    Kane still traumatised, screamed to himself, ¡°The hell?! Who was that and why did he sudden attack me?!¡±


    His mind was filled with fear, whilst his body shuddered at this near death experience, ¡°That person was definitely trying to kill me!¡±


    Kane then turned his puzzled gaze towards the arrow to examine it. From the distance, he saw that the arrow was shiny silver with a gold coloured tail, whilst an image of a lizard was inscribed on it. The eyes of the lizard shone bright; they were actually two very small green crystals.


    Kane speedily moved towards the arrow to retrieve it, but before he could do so, he was interrupted by a powerful bang.


    BOOM~~~~~


    The dimensional room collided with another dimensional wall. Kane was thrown out hovering into the air, until he fell on a smooth ground that was covered by large decorative tiles. Kane was now situated inside a large circular hall.


    ¡°Ouch! That was one hell of a blow¡­¡± Kane whined to himself. He struggled to wake up, then immediately searched the floor to try and find the arrow, but to no success, much to his annoyance.


    ¡°Welcome to Moon Gazayo II young man. What business has brought you here?¡± A masculine voice asked.


    Kane turned around and noticed a young man standing next to a portal. Kane quickly deduced that this man was the portal keeper guarding the other side of the teleportation portal.


    ¡°I wish to visit the Royal Academy Sir,¡± Kane politely replied.


    The young man analysed Kane then asked, ¡°From which clan do you hail?¡±


    ¡°My name is Kane Barker. I am an adoptive fighter of the Zafisi clan, located on planet Magenta,¡± Kane confirmed. This wasn¡¯t something he thought up on the spot, he was specifically instructed by Marcus to respond like this whenever asked these types of questions.


    The young man smiled, ¡°ah¡­ that must be one of the minor branches of the Major Zafisi clan,¡± then continued into his heart, ¡°and an abandoned one too¡­¡±


    These words had confused Kane; he never expected that there were other Zafisi clans scattered around in this galaxy!


    ¡°Kane, leave through the first door on your left, which will take you directly outside in the plaza. There you can hire a transport to take you to the Royal Academy. I suggest you hurry up though, since the Royal Academy is on the other side of this moon.¡±


    ¡°Remember, this moon is the central administrative centre of the Eastern Galactic Sector. Any breach of the laws will be harshly punished. Always keep that in mind!¡±


    The portal keeper then sat down, whilst Kane nodded and left towards the plaza. He felt a sense of urgency and hurried his pace, and after few minutes of walking, he finally saw the external light shining through the end of the tunnel. When he exited the tunnel, he paralysed himself, because the view in front of him, was no different than paradise.


    Kane`s reaction was similar to a man who lived underground for all his life, then coming out and sighting a woman for the very first time. His dry mouth was half open, his eyes wide in adoration, as he felt the refreshing winds blowing over his face.


    One fifth of the visible blueish sky was occupied by a large gas giant, which was mostly blue but had horizontal whitish stripes too. The colour transition from one stripe to another wasn¡¯t immediate, but it changed gradually. The gas giant was surrounded by two wide rings, a blue one and a silver one. A yellowish star brightened the skies, whilst several terrestrial moons could be observed. It was impossible for Kane to tell if these moons orbited the gas giant or Moon Gazayo II.


    However, what captivated Kane the most, was the impressive architecture of the various human constructions. There wasn¡¯t any building that wasn¡¯t artistically build. Even the stone roads were greatly build; they seemed to be urging and inviting passers-by to go and walk on them. Several long towers could be seen scattered around, and unlike Planet Magenta, wooden constructions were nowhere to be found.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Kane slowly walked towards the plaza, trying to sneak past the large mass of people that was currently gathered in there. He inwardly sighed, ¡°This place is too chaotic with all these people running randomly around. Life on this planet appears too hectic and stressful!¡±


    After a long effort, he finally emerged on the other side of the plaza, ¡°Pheww¡­ going past all of these people was really a nuisance!¡± He laughed out alone. ¡°But what a wonderful planet¡­ err no, this is actually a moon!¡±


    ¡°And to think that this will be my residence for the coming two years¡­¡±


    He searched around and he promptly noticed a set of carriages. His eyes flashed, and immediately ran towards one of the carriages, until he arrived before one of the drivers.


    ¡°Mister! I am looking for someone to transport me to the Royal Academy. Are you by any chance available?¡±


    The carriage driver turned his concerned gaze towards Kane and asked, ¡°Are you a new student or just visiting a friend?¡±


    Kane promptly answered, ¡°I am a new student. Why?¡±


    The driver let out a sigh, ¡°Bad timing my friend; it is already too late now. This year the registrations are closing earlier than usual, on the 26th of August. No matter how fast a carriage is, you will not be able to make it!¡±


    Kane was stunned when he heard this, and his mind was already feeling dizzy.


    ¡°Hey! Hey! There is still hope!¡± The driver shouted. ¡°If you have the money, you can go ask those guys over there to help you out!¡±


    Kane quickly got back to his senses, as he turned around to look at the direction the driver pointed to.


    ¡°They can help me?¡± The now mentally recovered Kane asked. The driver nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Thanks a lot for the assistance!¡± Kane said whilst he ran towards the indicated area. He kept running until he arrived in front of a notice. Kane looked weirdly at the notice, ¡°Jet booster?! Wonder what it¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hey imp, what do you want?!¡± A bulky man with an irritated expression shouted towards Kane.


    Kane replied, ¡°I am looking for someone who can take me to the Royal Academy in the shortest time possible. One of the carriage drivers said you¡­¡±


    The man suddenly yelled aloud, interrupting Kane, ¡°Hey Laydon, you lucky ass! There is someone who like you have to go to the Royal Academy!¡±


    On the ground, there was a young man resting, with a piece of straw in his mouth. He had short red hair, green eyes and the face of a troublemaker. He had three long earrings on his left ear, and around his neck there where three brownish goggles; one on his forehead and two others resting on his chest.


    When he heard his companion shouting, he grinned and uttered, ¡°Oh a fellow student?¡± He rapidly stood up and quickly tidied his casual looking cloths from the dust. On his shirt there was written the word ¡®speed¡¯.


    ¡°Hey you! A ride from here to the Royal Academy will cost you 1,000 Piras!¡± Laydon shouted.


    Kane slowly approached Laydon, ¡°I have the money¡­ here, take them! Please, take me to Royal Academy, I am very late!¡±


    Laydon smiled reassuring, ¡°Relax! I¡¯ll promise you that you will be arriving at the Royal Academy today!¡± He then started running and instructed, ¡°Follow me to my jet booster!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Why are you running so fast?!¡± Kane said whilst he too started running, ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    Laydon then stopped before a large white mechanical construction, with Kane catching up with him shortly after, almost out of breath. The mechanical construction was very large, around 4 metres in length and 1 metre in width. It had two wheels on the back and one wheel on the front, whilst it was powered by a very large green crystal. On each bottom side of the mechanical construction there were three horizontal cylinders.


    ¡°This is my new jet booster!¡± Laydon proudly announced, as he slowly caressed it like it was his child.


    Kane remained staring at the jet booster and Laydon. He was impressed by the shape of it, especially its wheels. This was his first time ever that he saw something this mechanical.


    Laydon then sat down and invited, ¡°Come, have a seat.¡±


    Kane promptly obeyed and rode on the jet booster.


    ¡°You have three belts to put on, two of them are below; wear them around your feet. You have another one just behind your seat, turn it around you. Then hold on tight with me and never let me go!¡± Laydon explained.


    Kane obeyed, even though he found the instructions confusing.


    ¡°Are you new to these parts? What`s your name?¡± Laydon asked whilst he waited.


    ¡°My name is Kane. This is my first day on this moon,¡± Kane replied, then continued, ¡°I think I am done with these belts¡­¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡± Laydon excitedly said as he placed both of his hands on the crystal, activating the jet booster. Then he controlled some levers and grabbed the steering wheel. The jet booster then accelerated rapidly in reverse.


    ¡°Whooaaa! Unbelievable! This is incredibly fast!¡± Kane screamed in surprise.


    ¡°Brace yourself Kane, the fun is just about to start! Here, take these goggles and wear them!¡± Laydon instructed again.


    When he noticed that Kane was ready, Laydon changed the positions levers, and ran the throttle full speed ahead. Six green jets of energy emerged from the cylinders, propelling the jet booster onwards with tremendous speed.


    Kane then noticed two sets of wings slowly emerging on each side, for a total of four wings. The dumbfounded Kane questioned, ¡°This thing can fly?!!¡±


    ¡°No Kane¡­ only can birds fly! Saying that my baby can fly is an offence, because it can do better than that!¡± Laydon yelled whilst the jet booster lifted off from the ground.


    ¡°Ahahah! Fantastic! Fantastic! Wuhuuu!¡± Laydon cried in enjoyment. He then placed his right elbow on the jet booster and said, ¡°You know Kane, for me, this thing is more thrilling than women! First of all, it never complains to me! And it doesn¡¯t cost me that much money either!¡±


    Kane found Laydon`s reasoning weird, but he wasn¡¯t in position to reply back due to his motion sickness, ¡°Ughh¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha! You are probably asking to yourself, how can my jet booster be as exciting as women?! Well, let me show you how!¡±


    Laydon then increased the speed to maximum and performed numerous manoeuvres and aerobatic stunts. Then he descended the jet booster full speed downwards, until it hoovered just above the waters of a large lake. During all this, Laydon laughed like a crazed person, like he was experiencing the best day of his life.


    On the other hand, Kane`s face was now completely yellow, and he was on the verge of throwing out.


    ¡°Did you like it Kane?¡± Laydon passionately asked.


    ¡°Uh oh¡­¡± Kane uttered as he tried to control his stomach.


    ¡°Hey? Are you alright?¡± Laydon curiously probed. However, he seemed to have forgotten about Kane when he noticed something behind him, ¡°Haha! Hey Zaza! Buddy, how have you been?!¡±


    Kane struggled to turn his head around, and then he noticed three other jet boosters approaching. One of them was driven by a bulky man, followed closely by a bald man and a violet haired woman.


    ¡°Holy cow! Who would have thought I would be meeting my old pal Laydon here!¡± Zaza screamed in delight.


    ¡°Haha Zaza! Your body just keeps becoming larger every time I see you! What exactly are you eating haha!¡± Laydon joked.


    ¡°HoHo, your sense of humour hasn¡¯t changed one bit Laydon!¡± Zaza said before asking, ¡°So¡­ where were you heading with such a rush?¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me? I am going to attend the Royal Academy! I should be able to qualify now that I have broken through the 2nd rank!¡± Laydon pompously responded.


    Zaza laughed out in surprise, ¡°Want to hear something funny? Even I and my friends will be attending the Royal Academy starting from this year! Hoho!¡±


    ¡°Wow! That`s freaking amazing man!¡± Laydon shouted with his mouth open in surprise.


    ¡°Hmm, is that a new jet booster?¡± Zaza finally realised that the jet booster Laydon was using wasn¡¯t his usual one.


    ¡°Yeh! A masterpiece right?¡± Laydon boasted out.


    ¡°The looks are great, but looks alone aren¡¯t enough Laydon!¡± Zaza replied mockingly.


    Laydon grinned, ¡°Wanna bet?¡±


    Zaza put up a wicked smiled, ¡°5 bottles of happy shots!¡±


    ¡°Hey! I have a passenger with me¡­ I am at a big disadvantage! Make it at least 8 bottles, and it`s a deal!¡± Laydon proposed.


    In the meantime, Kane thought worriedly, ¡°I don¡¯t like where this is going¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine! You bummer! 8 bottles it is!¡± Zaza shouted whilst informing to his companions, ¡°Whoever of us four arrives last at the academy will have to pay for 24 bottles of happy shots, eight for each of us!¡±


    The four of them then smirked in anticipation, as they switched their jet boosters to maximum power, signalling the beginning of the race.

 Chapter 27 - Registration

    Author`s note:


    Apologies for the delay in releasing the chapter, I was busy planning and taking notes to work out the remaining chapters of this arc - I estimate 9-10 more chapters for the end of this arc, but might be more if I slow down the pace of the story.


    Enjoy chapter 27. (Ps. When I post chapter from MS Word, the paragraphs will lose the spacing. The only way to fix this is by quick editing the chapter after it was posted. So please be patient until I am done xD)


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 27 - Registration


    Two old men were currently resting on a bench, under the shade of a large tree, in the Emerald Park of the Royal Academy.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­,¡± one of the men, who was completely bald, groaned. ¡°This back pain; I can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡±


    ¡°Ehhhh¡­ my friend,¡± the other man sighed, ¡°our natural enemies have always been time and old age.¡± He then lowered his head downwards and depressively uttered, ¡°My wish when I was young, was to complete all 12 ranks of the soul and become an immortal, but I have long given up on that dream of mine!¡±


    The bald man sympathised with his friend. They were both in the same boat, so they understood each other¡¯s feelings pretty well.


    ¡°What do you think about this year¡¯s students so far?¡± The bald man asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I would say same quality as previous years. From the brief inspection I made, most of the accepted students are only ranked 2nd, but there are a few of them who reached the 3rd rank of the soul already.¡±


    ¡°However, we do have a monster, and I have an ill feeling about him,¡± the other man ended his speech in concern.


    ¡°We have a monster?¡± The bald man curiously probed.


    ¡°Would you believe me, if I had to tell you that a 17 year old has already reached the 5th rank of the soul?¡±


    ¡°A¡­a¡­ a 17th year old at the 5th rank?!!!¡± The bald man yelled in surprise.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be that surprised once you learned of his background though. His name is Zak Lafran and he is Victor¡¯s grandson.¡±


    ¡°Victor¡¯s grandson???!!¡± The bald man queried in surprise. ¡°Unbelievable! Why would the Lafran clan enlist him to our academy?!¡±


    The other man remained thoughtful, then said, ¡°According to the rumours I¡¯ve heard, he apparently threatened to kill the other prodigies of the Lafran clan, which would have ultimately resulted in a big loss for the clan. In the end, the clan was forced to send him to a different academy than the rest of them.¡±


    The bald man instantly clenched his teeth in anger. ¡°Oh! So it is fine to accept him here then?! What if he kills our students instead?! This is simply preposterous!¡±


    ¡°I agree, this whole affair reeks my old friend. I truly hope that the Rector upholds his promise and makes him skip directly to the military year.¡±


    It was then when the bald man, noticed something that made him even madder. ¡°Those unpleasant brats! How many times do I have to warn them that races with jet boosters aren¡¯t allowed over our academy?!¡±


    The other man turned around to look, then laughed. ¡°Hah! Let them enjoy themselves my old friend, they are still young and full of energy. I somehow regret not doing that stuff when I was younger!¡±


    ¡°Ooy! This is the Royal Academy, not a leisure park!¡± The bald man rebuked. ¡°Don¡¯t sympathise with those brats!¡±


    ¡°Discipline! Reprimands! That¡¯s what they truly need!¡±


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the Emerald Park, a jet booster descended and landed gracefully on the ground. The driver grinned triumphantly, then cracked his knuckles, in an attempt to relax his now numb fingers.


    ¡°And the insuperable Laydon does it again!¡± He then raised his head to explore the sky, ¡°Still no sign of those idiots. Suckers, did they really thought they could beat me?¡±


    Laydon then turned to face Kane and yelled, ¡°We have arrived Kane!¡±


    However, when he saw Kane¡¯s current expression, he comically frowned, ¡°Hey, why that face?! It is normal for someone to feel slightly dizzy after the first ride!¡±


    In the meantime, the yellowish Kane was desperately trying to remove the belts, and his eyes were visibly craving the firm land.


    ¡°Well, irrespective if you have enjoyed the ride or not, we have arrived safely at our destination! The registration centre is south of here, in that direction. Around twenty minutes of walking, or maybe thirty; surely not more than thirty!¡± Laydon said whilst pointing the direction with his hand.


    Kane finally descended the jet booster and his expression immediately changed into one of relief, then stuttered, ¡°It was much faster¡­ than I was anticipating¡­ actually way too fast...¡±


    Laydon laughed out, ¡°Haha. If you ever need me for another ride in the future, I¡¯ll be around in the academy, of course provided my academic application is successful.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that both of us will be accepted as students! Good luck with your registration!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I doubt I will be riding another jet booster again in the future,¡± Kane responded assertively, still dizzy.


    ¡°Never say never in life Kane!¡± Laydon shouted whilst he turned on his jet booster. He then extended a two finger salute towards Kane, departing away shortly afterwards.


    Kane instantly walked towards the nearest bench to rest himself, something which his lethargic body badly needed. He peacefully closed his eyes, and inwardly complained, ¡°Where is Master¡¯s ability when it is really needed the most? If he came with me, I wouldn¡¯t have had to struggle this much to arrive at the academy! Why he had to suffer from that stupid allergic condition?!¡±


    He napped for a whole hour, and when his rest was over, he restarted his journey and headed towards the Registration Centre. He hurried his pace, and didn¡¯t take him that long to arrive before a massive open air tent. There he saw a queue of large number of youngsters, forming a long straight line. The queueing passage was surrounded by rope barriers on each side, supported by metallic poles.


    ¡°Hello young warrior! Are you here for the registration?!¡± A cheerful young lady asked.


    ¡°Yes Madam,¡± Kane gently replied.


    She then showed the way with her hand, ¡°Follow the others behind that queue. Best of luck young and handsome warrior!¡±


    Kane nodded thankfully, whilst his cheeks turned slightly red.


    He patiently waited, at the same time worried by the massive amount of people in the queue. However, much to his surprise, he realised that the overall pace of the registration process was a very quick one, and at this rate it wouldn¡¯t take him more than an hour before his turn arrived.


    As he slowly advanced forward, he spent his time silently observing the adjoining areas. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the anxious family members and Masters of the hopeful prospective candidates. Kane¡¯s mood slowly plummeted, and he felt a sharp emotional pain, because amongst that large mass of people, there was nobody there to support him. He rubbed his watery eyes as he took another step forward.


    After a while waiting, he could finally see the end of the queue.


    A lonely half bald middle-aged man was seated behind a rectangular table. He was the registrar, the one in charge of the applications. Next to his table there was a weird large machine glowing with several green power crystals, whilst behind him sitting and chatting on a table, there were three middle-aged men and one young woman, all of them dressed in an elegant academic uniform.


    Candidates were appearing before his table, then he examined their applications, and shortly after he would announce his ruling. Kane realised that those who took the left route, were accepted candidates, while those who exited from the right route, were rejects.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°I have counted 50 candidates so far, and they have all exited from the right side¡­ which means they have all been rejected!¡± Kane thought to himself, as he took out his amulet of recommendation. He felt at ease, because with that amulet in his possession, he had nothing to fear.


    Step by step Kane approached the table, and there was now one only one person in front of him.


    ¡°Next!¡± The powerful voice of the registrar shouted.


    The young man before Kane quickly took out his certificates and presented them to registrar.


    ¡°Henry Fork, 1st rank of the soul, apprentice of Warlord Maximus¡­,¡± The registrar uttered as he inspected the certificates. ¡°Twelve times 1st placed in the regional exams of the junior academy of Planet Patela¡­ not bad¡­ not bad¡­¡±


    Henry¡¯s eyes shone with hope, but it was short lived.


    ¡°Application rejected!¡± The powerful unemotional voice of the registrar vibrated out. ¡°Next one!¡±


    Henry frowned, as he quickly grabbed back his certificates and made way for Kane.


    Kane felt anxious whilst he moved towards the registrar. From this close, Kane could notice that the registrar had no beard. However, his white moustache was so long that it seemed like he actually had a beard.


    Kane was about to give him the amulet, but the registrar totally ignored him.


    ¡°Next one!¡±


    Kane remained there staring stupefied like an idiot. He felt dumbfounded, completely undecided on what he should do next. Then, out of hesitation, he said, ¡°I have an amulet¡­¡±


    Before he could finish the sentence, the unemotional robotic voice of the registrar responded back, ¡°Piss¡­Off¡­¡±


    The registrar then turned his gaze towards the young woman behind Kane. ¡°Hey! Haven¡¯t you heard me?! I¡¯ve said next one!¡±


    The girl behind Kane felt confused, but when she heard the registrar calling for a second time, she made quick effort to sneak past Kane, as she prepared to present her certificates to the registrar.


    Kane was left speechless and humiliated, ¡°Hey! I have an amulet of recommendation! You can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Then, like a thunder strike that just descended from the heavens, the registrar voice rocked the entire tent, ¡°Are you deaf?!! I¡¯ve told you to piss off!!!¡±


    His terrifying voice silenced everyone, and the students next to Kane shook in fear. The ones at the back appeared perplexed, as they curiously stood up on their tiptoes and raised their heads to try and see what exactly is going on.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s happening over there?¡± One of the three men behind the registrar stood up and started walking towards Kane. He was a man of high class, something that was easily evident by the way he moved his elegant body. He first glanced towards the registrar, and thereafter he fixed his gaze on Kane.


    ¡°Hello junior. I am the Dean of the Faculty of Languages, William Hathaway. I regret to inform you that your current level of strength isn¡¯t sufficient for you to join our academy.¡±


    ¡°Please train harder, and once you reach the 2nd of the rank of the soul, come back and apply again. As long as you are younger than 23 years, you will be accepted in the upcoming years,¡± William informed.


    ¡°Stop wasting your breath William, as if a weakling like him can ever reach the 2nd rank!¡± The registrar impatiently mocked. ¡°He isn¡¯t any better than a cripple!¡±


    Kane was now very nervous. He unconsciously knew that the eyes of many people were now locked on him. All this affair was turning a tad humiliating for him.


    ¡°But Sir, I have this amulet of recommendation by my Master. Have a look,¡± Kane said as he extended his hand.


    ¡°Bwahahaha! A student using the privilege of an amulet of recommendation to join our academy?! Completely unprecedented, shockingly shameful!¡± The registrar burst out in anger, then continued mocking, ¡°And who is this Great Master of yours? By any chance, is he the Supreme Kanklar himself? Bwahahah¡­¡±


    When the surrounding people heard the hilarious attitude of the registrar, they couldn¡¯t help but snicker at Kane, with the snickering slowly evolving into clear sounds of unrestrained laughter.


    William frowned as he grabbed Kane¡¯s amulet. However, at that very moment, an unexpected powerful earthquake rattled the area, amidst the screams and panics of everyone present. Fortunately, the earthquake was short lived, and there were no signs of any structural damage.


    William immediately elevated himself a few metres above the ground, inspecting and making sure that everyone was fine. He seemed a little concerned whilst he thought, ¡°What`s going on, earthquakes shouldn¡¯t be happening on this moon¡­¡±


    After scanning the entire area, he reassuringly shouted, ¡°Keep calm please, it¡¯s over! Luckily it doesn¡¯t seem like there are any casualties. The registrations shall hence proceed as planned.¡±


    He then descended down, inspecting the amulet that Kane had just given him. William was a very calm person, and it was very rarely for him to lose his composure, especially when he was in the public. However, when he read the words ¡®Marcus Verde¡¯ written on the amulet, there wasn¡¯t a part of his body that wasn¡¯t shaking.


    ¡°This young man is Marcus¡¯ Disciple?!! Since when he has a disciple?!!¡± William thought totally startled. ¡°I can¡¯t comprehend, why would he take such a frail guy under his wing?¡±


    Upon seeing William¡¯s surprised expression, everybody fell dead silent, including the registrar. On the other hand, a faint trace of hope appeared on Kane¡¯s face.


    Droplets of sweat appeared on William¡¯s worried face, ¡°What is Marcus thinking? Didn¡¯t he anger Pietro enough already?? Once he learns that Marcus recommended a weakling in our academy, Pietro is going to be extremely infuriated!¡±


    He desperately thought of a solution, but he quickly gave up, ¡°Marcus is one of the Emissaries of the Supreme Kanklar, we aren¡¯t in a position to reject his recommendation! We have to bow our heads and accept this disciple of his!¡±


    William then let out a sigh, ¡°junior, there is a high chance that the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch will summon you once he learns who your Master is. Are you really sure that you want to register into this academy?!¡±


    Kane, who was completely oblivious of Pietro¡¯s relationship with Marcus, responded in delight, ¡°That would be amazing! The main reason I wanted to register myself here was specifically to meet the Lord Patriarch!¡±


    William opened his eyes wide in disbelief and thought, ¡°His actually looking forward at the prospect of meeting with the Patriarch? Doesn¡¯t this confirm that his an accomplice with Marcus in this whole affair?!!! Isn¡¯t he afraid of Pietro? Doesn¡¯t he have any idea on how terrifying the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch can be??!!¡±


    The puzzled William remained staring at Kane for a while, then he recovered his cool, thereafter walking slowly towards the registrar. William then gracefully gave the amulet to him, like a parent dropping a candy in the hands of a child, then he coolly walked away, whilst uttering, ¡°Note his credentials, he''s in!¡±


    The Registrar¡¯s eyes bulged out, whilst he turned to look at the amulet. When he learned the name of Kane¡¯s Master, his eyes protruded even further out, and they now seemed like they would drop from his face any second.


    Everyone else was shocked by this sudden turn of events! The candidate that everybody thought that was out, actually made it in!


    Kane was now in seventh heaven, as he faced the now dumbfounded and humiliated registrar with a wide funny payback smile, full of mockery.

 Chapter 28 - The Awakening

    Author''s note:


    Chapter 28 is up. Apologies for the slow releases, I was very busy with other work lately. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.


    Penguin


    Ps: If you see no spacing, wait a few minutes please. I fix them a few minutes after posting chapter. My chapters lose the spacing when pasted from MS Word. Anyone knows a work around for this? It''s very annoying!


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 28 ¨C The Awakening


    One of the first things us humans understand shortly after we are born, is that we are on a journey; a journey that we call life. To some extent, the course of this journey is predestined by the strength of our physical body, our intellect, and the social status that our primary family holds. It will be an easy road for the lucky few, whilst it might feel like a bumpy road for the less fortunate.


    But in the end, what is it that drives the life of us human beings? What is it that inspires humans to resist and fight the various struggles that this very life throws at us?


    Some people would suggest it is the will to survive and our instinctive desire for power. Wiser individuals would definitely vow it is love and relationships, whilst older experts would say it is obtaining immortality. But in reality, there is only one thing that motivates us humans to challenge, to face all currents blowing against us, to seek, strive and succeed. And that`s being able to dream.


    Who doesn¡¯t dream of a better life? We dream of achieving our goals. We dream of becoming successful and popular despite the limitations of our physical bodies. We dream that one day we find the people that take care of us; our friends, our loved ones and all those who emotionally support us. And the few of us who have lost all hope of this life, we dream of a better next life.


    Spirited young fighters; filled with bundles of energy, their minds flourishing with dreams. But if there is a dream that these young fighters yearn for, it would be none other than attending one of the great academies. Located in every habitable galactic sector, the six great academies of the human empire are the unquestionable pride of the galaxy. Testimony of this, any fighters that left their mark on the course of human history, always hailed from one of these six academies.


    The Royal Academy is the great academy of the Eastern Galactic Sector. It is directly governed by the Rector, Professor Philip Socret; although he still has to report to the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch. The academy stands isolated from the other cities, no different than an independent town. It is divided into four different areas: Emerald Park, The Dormitory, The Commercial Area and the Main Academic Area.


    A large long tubular tower protruded out from the centre of the Main Academic Area, surrounded by six adjacent buildings, one for each faculty. Inside the tower, circulating around the internal offices of the tower, there was a lengthy six metre wide passageway, precisely in a form of a slope spiralling upwards. Several weapons could be seen attached on both sides of the brown painted walls, separated by large gilt-edged portraits, which depicted the previous Rectors of the University. On the floor, there was a carpet, and drawn on it there were the pictures of mythological beasts and mighty dragons.


    ¡°This is terrible!¡± A panicked man whined in despair, whilst he ran up the passageway. He was a dwarf, who was dressed in a red academic attire. He had curly grey hair and was rather muscular for his size. He was struggling to run as fast as he could, but was held back by his size, long dress and massive bulk of books and papers held under his right arm. At one point, he lost balance and fell flat on his face, as the countless amount of papers and books spread out on the floor.


    ¡°The Legends! The Legends were true after all!!¡± He stuttered as he tried to pick up back the documents. It was a simple task, yet his frenzied state made it much harder for him. His hands shivered along the papers he held, amidst his mental confusion.


    ¡°This is awful! The Rector¡­ I need to find him! I need to inform him!!!¡±


    It was at that moment that another man appeared flying down the passageway. He stopped before the dwarf. ¡°Arkos!! Have you felt the tremor?!¡±


    Arkos eyes shone in hope and replied, ¡°Thank Goodness, it¡¯s you Professor Socret!!¡± He then changed his tone, like he was about to announce the end of the universe. ¡°Of course I did! It came from the underground pit! After 3 million years, the accurst temple of the Eternal Wraiths is showing signs of activity!!!!¡±


    The Rector¡¯s face showed hints of uneasiness. ¡°As I feared the most¡­¡± He remained static, pondering, whilst Arkos stared at him in suspense. ¡°Distressing indeed, but there is no cause for any alarm. The temple is sealed behind a very powerful dimensional technique. What is worrying me is that according to the records we have, every time the temple showed signs of activity, it was always followed by a series of horrifying events!¡±


    Arkos nodded. ¡°Should we inform the Sectorial Patriarch?¡±


    ¡°Better not Arkos, that would just unnecessary complicate¡­¡±


    The Rector stopped midway, interrupted by an incoming communication. He checked his communication devices, and much to his surprise, he noticed that it was a call from the Sectorial Patriarch. He quickly made a hand gesture for Arkos to keep quiet, then answered with a self-depreciation tone. ¡°Lord Patriarch, Philip Socret awaiting for your command.¡±


    ¡°Philip, may I ask you a question?¡± A calm voice from the device asked.


    The anxious Philip replied, ¡°Modest Patriarch, there is no need to lower yourself by asking for my permission, just tell me, how may I assist you?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that I am very busy person?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am Lord Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°And, are you also aware that I rarely have free time to spare?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am Lord Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me, do you know what I like to do during my free time?¡±


    Philip felt confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know my Lord.¡±


    ¡°I enjoy doing bets against the other Sectorial Patriarchs! And today, I so happened to make a bet of two million Piras against the Northern Sectorial Patriarch! And it was a simple one! All I had to do was building a twenty storey tower of cards in one try!!¡±


    Philip felt even more confused. ¡°That¡¯s a fascinating idea my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Now try to guess Philip. How you think I felt when my tower collapsed on the 19th storey?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very upsetting my Lord. I can imagine that it takes a lot of patience and dedication to construct such a tower. I wonder what kind of evil thing brought down your tower, was it the wind Lord?¡±


    What replied back, was a raging voice, similar to fifty demons screaming all at once. ¡°It was a fucking earthquake!! One that originated from your academy!!! What the fuck is happening in there?!!!¡±


    Philip opened his eyes wide in terror, completely stunned, then stuttered, ¡°Lord¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it! Just answer this question Philip, even though I fear that I already know the answer. The earthquake¡­ was it triggered by the underground temple?¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± A pensive Pietro replied back.


    Philip waited for a few seconds, then asked, ¡°What are your orders Lord Patriarch?¡±


    After a long pause, Pietro enunciated, ¡°After three million years, something or someone must have aroused the attention of the guardian spirit of the temple. I am now too interested to know who this someone or something is... Bide to my orders, I want you to investigate this issue!¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Yes Lord Patriarch!¡± Philip replied.


    ¡°Make sure you keep me informed!¡± Pietro said before terminating his connection.


    Philip then removed the sweat from his forehead and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Arkos, take action to conceal the entrance to the underground pit. Meanwhile I¡¯ll go meet with the Dean of History, I need to obtain more information about this matter!¡±


    Arkos and Philip nodded to each other, then parted ways.


    Back at the Registration Centre, the humiliated registrar was doing his best to avoid eye contact with the people present under the tent. He brought out a piece of wood, which he inserted into the machine. Then with a soft voice uttered, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Kane Barker,¡± Kane replied with a grin.


    The registrar frowned, then pressed some keystrokes that were on the machine. The machine started humming, followed by striking sounds. The crystals of the machine glowed during the entire process. Then, when it was ready, the registrar took out an object from the machine. ¡°Here, take this, it¡¯s your collar. Bind it with your blood and don¡¯t lose it,¡± murmured the registrar.


    Kane took hold of the collar, his scrutinising eyes inspecting it. It had a very small green crystal engraved in the middle of it, and after stressing his eyes with effort, he could read the following faint glowing words: ¡®Kane Barker, Royal Academy Identification Tag.¡¯ He felt satisfied by the appearance of the collar, then he bonded its crystal with his blood.


    The registrar then stretched his hand towards Kane, holding a small cup. ¡°Give me some droplets of your blood, we need to verify your real identity with the Blood Registry.¡±


    Kane felt disquieted by the possible future implications of giving his blood away, but he had no other choice.


    Once he obtained Kane¡¯s blood, the registrar turned to his right, and yelled in mortification. ¡°Pippo! Please guide this fellow student.¡±


    Kane conveyed one final sardonic smile in the direction of the registrar, then turned to his left and moved forward victoriously towards Pippo, amidst the puzzlement of everyone present.


    The eyes of the registrar twitched, then whispered, ¡°Enjoy all you want this victory of yours, you little bastard! Because very soon, you are going to be meeting with the devil himself!!!!¡±


    Kane followed after Pippo, until they arrived before a teleportation portal, which they entered. They emerged from another portal, on the other side of the Emerald Park. Here the ground was barren, with several large boulders and numerical wooden stands scattered around.


    ¡°Your number is 72. Go find your stand, and wait for your invigilator. It shouldn¡¯t take long for your group to gather.¡± Pippo said, preparing to leave back to the registration centre.


    Kane nodded thankfully, then started searching for the No.72 wooden stand. However, it turned out to be a much tougher task. ¡°The hell! Couldn¡¯t they have made them next to each other?! Why complicate things?!¡±


    After thirty minutes of running around in circles, he noticed a far off stand with the number 72 on it, next to a large boulder. ¡°Finally!¡± He said, sprinting towards the stand.


    He then sat down not that far off from the stand, in what was a perfect opportunity for him to take a respite. He laid on the ground, observing the sky, whilst wondering how his Master and the Zafisi clan were doing. He tried to stay awake, but his mind was too jaded, and he ended up sleeping.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Kane suddenly opened his eyes in surprise, awakened by the sound of approaching footsteps. He appeared annoyed for allowing himself to fall asleep. He pulled himself up in a sitting position, as he turned his head to get a better view of the person approaching him.


    This person was a young male student, around Kane¡¯s age. He had disorganised brown hair, almost touching his shoulders. His attentive eyes were yellowish-brown, and he was rather baby-faced. He was wearing simple shirt and shorts, and around his right arm he had an armband with a picture of an eagle.


    Without any hurry, he walked with both hands in the pockets of his shorts, until arriving before Kane. Then he asked, ¡°Hey man! My name is Jefferson! Is this stand no.72?¡±


    Kane nodded to him in agreement.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Jefferson observed his surroundings. ¡°I see no signs of the invigilator yet! I hope he doesn¡¯t arrive late, as I hate waiting!¡±


    He rested his back against a nearby vertical bolder, taking out his green storage device, then started searching within it. Shortly after, Jefferson¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement. ¡°Wuhuuu, this one seems so long and big¡­¡±


    When Kane heard this, he stared at Jefferson, seemingly trying to guess the item Jefferson was going to bring out.


    It was then that Jefferson brought out a large shiny carrot. His expression was one of adoration, like he was holding a precious treasure. He then took a bite and moaned in pleasure. ¡°Hmmm¡­ so freaking good¡­¡±


    Kane raised his eyebrows and looked at Jefferson, slightly dumbfounded. When Jefferson noticed this, he extended his hand and offered. ¡°Want a bite?¡±


    Kane was surprised at first, but then he smiled and replied, ¡°No thanks, carrots aren¡¯t my thing...¡±


    Jefferson retracted his hand and said, ¡°Your loss! You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re missing man!¡± He then took another bite, as he kept enjoying crunching the carrot.


    ¡°Hello! Nice meeting you, I¡¯m Kiona Winters.¡± An adorable soft voice took both Jefferson and Kane by surprise.


    A young blue haired female student appeared before them. She smiled whilst closing her charming blue eyes, then she sat down a few metres away for them. She was wearing a blue uniform, which suited well with her delicate body. She was a little flat-chested, but had voluptuous legs.


    ¡°Hi there Kiona, I am Jefferson. And this one is¡­ hey! You haven¡¯t told me your name!!¡± Jefferson shouted towards Kane.


    ¡°My name is Kane,¡± Kane said.


    ¡°Ok! His name is Kane!¡± Jefferson replied back to Fiona.


    Kane frowned comically, ¡°Was there really the need to repeat it again?¡±


    Jefferson ignored him, his face now full of irritation. ¡°Stupid invigilator, he¡¯s so late! Considering my luck, I bet he will be some random old freak!¡±


    PLAK~~ PLAK~~~


    The sound of landing footsteps was heard, followed by the voice of a man, ¡°Brat, did your parents ever teach you that you should always respect your superiors?¡±


    Jefferson pressed his lips together in embarrassment, because he knew he had fucked up.


    Meanwhile, around 200 km north of the Royal Academy, stood the great city of Gloria, the Capital City of Moon Gazayo II. In the middle of the city, there was a colossal gold and white coloured palace, which was the residence of the Sectorial Patriarch.


    In one of the rooms, there was a man reading a book. He sat on a chair, legs cross-legged on a table.


    The door of the room burst out, as another man entered the room and asked, ¡°Hey Germo! How is Pietro¡¯s mood today?!¡±


    Germo lowered his head, and looked towards the other man from above his glasses. ¡°He''s pissed off because he lost a bet of 2 million Piras.¡±


    ¡°Great! Just great! Can it become any worse than this?!!¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡± Germo asked.


    ¡°I have to deliver two messages to him. Once he hears them, I am sure his going to explode in fury!¡± He then barged out of the room and yelled, ¡°Wish me luck, because I am going to need it!¡±


    Germo paused to think for a while, then shrugged his shoulders and continued reading his book.

 Chapter 29 - Eastern Sectorial Patriarch

    Chapter 29 ¨C Eastern Sectorial Patriarch


    Who knows how many times had he walked through these rooms? He had lost count centuries ago, but if he had to give an answer, he would reply a thousand times. He was the courier of the palace, a job he was so proud of. But today, it was a different story.


    He arrived in the gallery, his mind in a lather. He knew that this was the final room, and behind the opposite door stood the devil reincarnate. The courier slowed down his pace, seemingly trying to delay the inevitable, enjoying his last moments of tranquillity. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then paused before the entrance of the Imperial Hall. There was no need for him to knock because the Sectorial Patriarch had already sensed him.


    ¡°Come in,¡± said a calm voice.


    It was such a serene invitation, but the courier felt no relief. He unconsciously knew that this was just the calm before the storm, the eye of the hurricane. He slowly opened the door, then started walking in a straight line.


    The Imperial Hall was as magnificent as it could come. Stylish red crystal chandeliers decorated the roof whilst the floor was covered by large ornamental tiles. The hall was illuminated by the rays of the star, shining through the tall vertical windows. In the middle of the hall there was an adult man sitting on a throne.


    He was wearing a dignifying white dress and had white polished shoes. His hair spiky green, body not as muscular as one would expect. He was the only person present in the hall; he didn¡¯t need any guards since his strength alone was more than enough.


    The courier walked until he arrived a few metres before him, then he fell on his knees and bowed.


    ¡°Be quick. I¡¯m not in mood,¡± Pietro said.


    ¡°Sincere greetings my lord. As you wish, these are today¡¯s messages. I fear both of them are unpleasant.¡±


    Pietro remained unruffled. ¡°Just tell me already¡­¡±


    The courier nodded, and uncomfortably uttered, ¡°The first is an update that concerns the uprising. Unfortunately, all of our reinforcement squads have been eliminated my lord, and twenty additional planets have fallen since the latest update. Most of them where minor planets, but we did lose Planet Silva. We¡¯ve grossly miscalculated their military forces my lord!¡±


    Pietro appeared pensive, then asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Planet Silva governed by a Chief Kanklar?¡±


    ¡°My lord, according to our distressing military reports, he was captured and killed by the leaders of the rebellion. Please understand, this isn¡¯t just an ordinary uprising! This is a mass scale rebellion!¡± The courier said, now anticipating the worse.


    Pietro¡¯s face began showing signs of irritation. ¡°Foolish lunatics, what exactly are they planning?!¡± He appeared lost in his own thoughts, his face wary at how this event was unfolding. ¡°I¡¯m curious¡­ do they have any demands?¡±


    The courier felt devastated; he had previously hoped and prayed that Pietro would never ask this question. ¡°They only have one demand my lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Spit it out already!!¡± Pietro asked impatiently, his glowering eyes fixed on the person before him.


    The courier, now almost in tears, said, ¡°They¡¯re requesting the severed head of the Eastern Sectorial Patriarch, delivered to them in a golden treasure chest!!!¡±


    These words struck Pietro like a lightning bolt. He appeared stunned, seemingly not believing what he just heard, and unconsciously repeated. ¡°My severed head¡­? In a golden treasure chest¡­?¡±


    He rose from his chair and clinched his fists, his face covered with protruding veins, then he spoke with an ever-increasing voice. ¡°Have I heard correctly¡­?! Did you just say, my fucking head in a chest?!!! A fucking golden treasure chest?!!!!!¡± His yell rattled the entire palace and the windows of the hall shivered with force as small cracks appeared on them.


    The courier lowered his doleful head in terror, awaiting the horror to come. But much to his astonishment, what came next was the laughter of a crazed devil.


    ¡°Aahaha, ahahahaha, bwahahahaha!!!¡± Pietro¡¯s explosive laughter resonated throughout the hall. ¡°And you call this an unpleasant news?!!!¡± He then swung his index finger, ¡°No, no, no... I¡¯m deeply disappointed with your judgement this time my dear courier!!¡±


    Pietro then sat back on his chair, whilst the courier looked at him with a perplexed expression. ¡°This whole affair is just a ridiculous comedy!!!! Yes!!! A one fucking big joke!!!!¡±


    Then, in attempt to progress the conversation forward, the bewildered courier asked, ¡°What are your instructions my lord?¡±


    Pietro appeared to contemplate for a while, then said, ¡°Starting from today, the security level is to be raised to the maximum alert! Additionally, summon all the high ranked Patriarchs and acting City Patriarchs for a council meeting. I want all the Chief Kanklars to remain in their positions though, to keep the defences up. Also, instruct the stealth squads to investigate the leaders of the rebellion, I want to know who these fucking clowns are!!!¡±


    Then he relaxed his seating position, and with a wicked grin said, ¡°And finally, inform our goldsmiths that the Patriarch requires a nice golden treasure chest. Remember, it¡¯s to be made from the purest gold and be of the finest quality!¡±


    The courier nodded, not daring to question any of the patriarch¡¯s instructions. He then rose and prepared to leave, but was left paralysed by a colossal overpowering aura.


    ¡°Why in such a hurry my dear courier?! What about the other ¡®unpleasant news¡¯?!¡±


    The ashamed courier bowed again and apologetically uttered, ¡°On second thoughts, I believe that the second news doesn¡¯t warrant your attention anymore. It only concerns a student attending the Royal Academy.¡±


    Pietro eyes were visibly shocked when he heard this and instantly exploded in laughter. ¡°Ahaha, Bwahahahahahhah!!!¡±


    ¡°You must be kidding me right?!!! If we have reached a point where the Sectorial Patriarch has to start dealing with students because of the incompetence of those at the Royal Academy, then I can just go in that corner over there and start banging my head against the fucking walls!!!¡±


    The Courier nodded. ¡°I wholeheartedly agree my lord, there is no need for you to trouble yourself with such a minuscule matter.¡±


    Pietro smiled, resting his right cheek on his fist. ¡°Ahahaha! These unpleasant news of yours are so fucking funny!! You really have turned my mood around!¡±


    The courier smiled back, more out of relief than anything else. He stood up, then turned around and marched towards the hall¡¯s entrance. He hurried his pace, his eyes flashing with hope with every step he took. Ultimately, he felt satisfied by the way things had turned out. In his opinion, the end result could have been much worse.


    However, his elated mood was short lived.


    ¡°Before you leave, please tell me, what did this student do?¡± Pietro asked still laughing. ¡°Did he kill a chicken?!! Bwahahaha!!¡±


    The courier¡¯s body shivered on the spot, then he raised his sorrowful look towards the roof, similar to a widow who just lost her only child, seemingly hating on the creators for ignoring his pleas. ¡°The student did nothing my lord. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s so physically feeble, and yet the academy was forced to accept him because of an amulet of recommendation!¡±


    ¡°What the?!! An amulet of recommendation?!!!¡± The Patriarch asked thunderstruck. He then started banging the armrest with his hand and holding his stomach with his other. ¡°Bwahahahhaha! This is hilarious! This is so fucking hilarious!!!!¡±


    He kept laughing from the bottom of his heart in a craze of convulsive laughter, his face redder than a cherry.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°I am sure it was a mistake, go and inform this master of his to retire the amulet of recommendation!!¡± Pietro instructed still laughing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was an oversight my lord¡­¡±


    Pietro appeared puzzled. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is¡­ Those spoiled losers! Just because they can¡¯t win their bets against me, they do this?! Bwahaha!!! I wonder which Sectorial Patriarch was it?!¡±


    ¡°It also wasn¡¯t one of the Sectorial Patriarchs my lord¡­¡±


    Pietro seemed confused and asked, ¡°Who would even dare¡­?¡±


    The courier expressed a face similar to a sad trembling puppy and replied, ¡°You really don¡¯t want to know that my lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I do! Spill it out already!!! Who was it?!!!¡±


    The courier braced himself as he uttered, ¡°Marc¡ª¡±


    There was no need for the courier to say the surname, and neither there was the need for the courier to finish the name; one syllable was more than enough.


    The windows were instantly blown away out of the hall and the once stylish chandeliers were reduced to fine dust. The armrest of the throne exploded into pieces, as a large crater formed below the throne. The furious outburst of the Patriarch¡¯s aura shook not only the hall, but the entire City of Gloria. Everyone present in the city was silenced, fixing their gazes onto the palace. They immediately understood that the patriarch was enraged.


    But the worst of all was the poor courier. Before he could finish speaking or react to the situation, before he could even do anything; he found himself blasted away. He had the expression of an idiot, and started cursing: his luck, himself for not keeping his mouth shut, the professors of the academy and last but not least, Marcus. The courier was pushed with incredible force outside of the hall and straight into the gallery, coughing out blood during his entire flight. He fell half dead on the ground, powerless to move an inch. Still, the fact that he was now out of the hall made him feel somewhat comforted.


    On the other hand, the enraged Marcus was completely out of control. ¡°That¡­ That fucker¡­! I¡¯ll kill him!! I¡¯ll rip and shred his body apart!!!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°You think you can keep messing with me like this eh??? You think I¡¯m afraid of you??!!! Just keep hiding like a coward you fool! Remember, we¡¯ve only been playing little games till now Marcus! I¡¯ll swear one day I¡¯ll find you and that will be the day that you will be crawling on the floor begging for my mercy!!!!¡±


    He then appeared to think of something that calmed him down, and even brought about a wicked smile on his face. ¡°Wait a second¡­ I¡¯m wondering¡­ if this student of his were to be beaten to a pulp, would Marcus come to aid him?¡± He grinned maniacally, but was interrupted by a ringing device.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a call from my sister Miranda¡­¡±


    Back at the Royal Academy, the invigilator was now standing before the three young students. He was slightly old and his hair was white, although his moustache was still black.


    ¡°Hello young students. I¡¯m Nick Hawkins and I¡¯ll be your invigilator for the next few days. I¡¯m here to guide you through your pre-academic practical.¡±


    ¡°As you know, the academy will officially be starting on the 1st of September. However, this year we¡¯ve introduced a practical session with the aim of providing some prior experience to our new students.¡±


    ¡°Now before I continue, mind telling me your names and ranks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jefferson Bordas, 2nd ranked fighter with a lightning elemental soul.¡±


    ¡°What?! You¡¯re from the Bordas clan?!!¡± Nick asked, amidst the surprise of both Kane and Kiona.


    ¡°And? So what?! Not like I hail from one of the elite families of the clan!¡± Jefferson played it down as a hint of sorrow appeared on his face.


    ¡°What a coincidence¡­ an apprentice from the Bordas clan! I have to be extra careful. If something bad were to happen to him my entire clan might end up in trouble!¡± Nick thought to himself.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Hawkins! I¡¯m Kiona Winters, 3rd ranked fighter, natural elemental soul of ice.¡± She had such a soft and sweet voice, yet it still stunned her companions and the invigilator. They couldn¡¯t believe that such a fragile and delicate looking girl would be at the 3rd rank!!!


    ¡°And, what about you?¡± Nick fixed his gaze onto Kane.


    ¡°Kane Barker here,¡± Kane said as calm as the wind, whilst the other three kept staring at him weirdly. Kane felt irritated by this and uttered, ¡°Hey! Why are you staring at me?!¡±


    ¡°Your rank¡­?¡± The invigilator asked, wondering why Kane was acting like this.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t wish to reveal my rank¡­¡±


    Nick felt dumbfounded at first but then he laughed out. ¡°HoHo, there is no need for you to feel ashamed that you¡¯re still a 1st ranked fighter! The fact they¡¯ve accepted you in the academy it means you must have a very powerful eccentric soul!¡±


    However, Kane remained speechless and somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Hey Nick! Are we going to go kill some ferocious beasts?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Of all possible stuff, you want to go kill beasts?! That¡¯s dangerous!!¡± Kiona replied.


    ¡°Hoho, relax both of you! Nothing of that sort. Our mission will be crystal farming!!¡±


    Jefferson opened his eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°Are you freaking serious? That¡¯s the most stupid and boring thing that exist in this galaxy!¡±


    Nick sent a dumb look towards Jefferson. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too whiney to be from the Bordas clan? This mission was assigned to me by the higher ups, it cannot be changed!¡±


    ¡°Bleh, but it can be skipped!¡±


    ¡°Hoho, of course it can be skipped! But then I¡¯ll have to mark you as a failure!¡±


    Jefferson appeared annoyed, but in the end he had to suck it up. He then brought out a carrot in an attempt to relief his frustration.


    Nick then smiled and said, ¡°Looks like we are ready and all set to go to Planet Adur.¡±


    Kiona seemed surprised. ¡°We¡¯re going to a different planet?¡±


    ¡°Hoho! If we want to farm crystals, we need to go in a place where we can find them in the first place! And Planet Adur is that place!¡±


    The four of them walked towards a nearby tower, then they used the teleportation portal to travel to Planet Adur. They couldn¡¯t help but not notice the high number of guards on both ends of the portal.


    Planet Adur was very similar to planet Yuba in almost every aspect. The sky was blue and the air couldn¡¯t have been any fresher than this. Kiona was left fascinated by the vast amounts of flora and fauna, and she already decided that she would bring some flowers back with her to the academy.


    They walked for hours deep in the countryside. Along the way, they noticed that a high number of different types of squirrels inhabited this planet, much to the annoyance of Jefferson, who hates squirrels. They kept walking until arriving near a small fresh water pond, the place where Nick decided to camp.


    Nick then took out several maps. ¡°The main scope of this practical is to farm three pieces of green crystals, which must be larger than 3mm. I believe the caves of that mountain range over there would be best place to start looking.¡±


    Jefferson ignored Nick, instead taking out a different map from his storage device, then grinned and whispered, ¡°What a fool¡­ does it even pass through his mind that my clan already has the caves marked? This is going to be much easier than I thought and that¡¯s good... The quicker we end this boring shit, the better!¡±


    But what Jefferson didn¡¯t know was that this new adventure was going to be anything but boring¡­

 Chapter 30 - Let鈥檚 go farming! Or not?

    Chapter 30 ¨C Let¡¯s go farming! Or not?


    Sitting on the ground waiting in patience, Jefferson curled up his lip whilst staring at two butterflies hovering a few inches away from his nose. ¡°Shuu Shuu away,¡± he said, blowing out air on them. He then laid on the ground and complained like an old man. ¡°I cannot believe this! How can they be so indecisive?!! Is it that freaking hard to pick up a location?!¡±


    Few metres away from him, Nick and Kane seemed cut off from reality, immersing themselves into the sea of maps that surrounded them.


    ¡°This cave looks promising enough, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Hoho, what about this one? It¡¯s giving me that mystery vibe!¡±


    ¡°Wait! Look at this! It seems so big!¡±


    ¡°You think that¡¯s large? What about this gigantic cave I just found on this map?!¡±


    Jefferson sighed, shaking his head at them in incredulity. ¡°It¡¯s useless! I¡¯ll just have to patiently wait until they¡¯re finished with this trumpery!¡± He then brought out one of his carrots and took a bite. ¡°What an odd group I¡¯ve found myself mingled with! Two map loving nerds and one weird overpowered girl¡­ and thinking of whom, where did she go? Meh, not like¡ªwhuuoaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡±


    Out of nowhere, the intruding head of a loveable squirrel appeared, almost touching Jefferson¡¯s face. This frightened Jefferson, who screamed like a little girl. On the other hand, this temporary distraction proved the perfect opportunity for the adorable squirrel. Thanks to its swift body movement, it stole Jefferson¡¯s carrot, then joyfully fled away.


    ¡°St-stupid squirrel!! That¡¯s my freaking carrot!! Give it back you little pest!!!¡± Jefferson cried in shock, struggling to bring himself to stand up. He was about to commence pursuit but the squirrel had already disappeared, god-knows-where.


    Kane and Nick looked at each other with an amused expression, then they burst out in laughter. Jefferson, who was already pissed off, felt vexed by their laughs. ¡°Haaaa¡­ haaaa¡­ sooo freaking funny!!!¡±


    However, Jefferson rantings did nothing to lessen their laughter. They kept snickering at their heart content, until being interrupted by a distant shout.


    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!¡±


    Kiona¡¯s sudden screaming voice alarmed the trio, as Nick soared up using force, blowing away all the maps and forcing Kane to cover up his face from the dust. Nick flew straight towards the location of the shout, with both Kane and Jefferson worried about what might have happened to her, their heartbeats accelerating.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Nick to reappear again, holding Kiona in his arms. Her entire body trembled, her eyes filled with tears as sweat began forming on her face.


    ¡°What happened?!¡± Kane asked with a concerned expression. ¡°Her hand!! Why is it violet?!!¡±


    Nick seemed worried, snatching out his storage device, then taking out a pill and a yellowish looking bottle. He assisted her to swallow the pill, then poured the liquid of the bottle on her tender hand.


    ¡°Relax yourself Kiona. The poison will hurt for a while but it is now under control. You just need to rest for a few hours until your body recovers.¡± Nick comforted her whilst bringing out a resting bed from his device.


    Kiona smiled, then with a lot of effort laid on her resting bed. ¡°Th-thanks, Nick¡­ why me¡­ feeling too cold¡­¡± She said whilst her fragile looking eyes began to close.


    ¡°It¡¯s the poison¡¯s induced fever. I have administered the antidote, you just need to rest now,¡± Nick explained.


    The severity of this powerful poison had shocked Jefferson. ¡°Nick, did you kill the animal that poisoned her?¡±


    Nick sat down on the ground, playing with his moustache. ¡°It¡¯s not an animal, it¡¯s a flower. One of the rarest ones too. People of this planet call it the ¡®Venomous tongue¡¯ and is considered one of the most poisonous flowers in the entire galaxy!¡± He then let out a sigh. ¡°Off to a bad start! We now have to wait for her recovery before we can go and farm those crystals!¡±


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t we start the exercise already?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Apathetic brat, your companion needs healing! It is my duty as invigilator to stay here and protect her!¡± Nick replied.


    ¡°I know! I meant me and Kane, it¡¯s getting boring waiting here doing nothing!¡±


    ¡°Out of the question!! It¡¯s too dangerous for you two to go alone! Look, I distracted myself for a few minutes and one of you already got injured!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Since when crystal farming became so hazardous?! What danger could there be?¡± Jefferson was trying his best to convince him. ¡°Besides, who would dare to harm a disciple of the great Bordas clan?¡±


    Nick frowned at Jefferson¡¯s stubbornness, then sighed. ¡°Fine! Fine! I¡¯ll allow you to go there¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Hey Kane, let¡¯s head out!¡±


    ¡°Wait a second you brat! I¡¯m not finished yet!¡± said Nick, bringing out a communication device. Jefferson instantly understood Nick¡¯s intentions. He reached out his arm, then used his powers to attract the device, which landed over his hands.


    ¡°You are only allowed to go to that mountain ridge over there,¡± Nick said.


    ¡°Understood! Thanks Nick!¡± Jefferson said, expressing an evil grin as soon as he turned his back on him.


    Kane expressed a weird look towards Jefferson. ¡°Are you sure we will be fine? What if we get ganged by an army of squirrels?¡±


    ¡°Hoho! Hoho! Good one Kane! Hoho!¡± Nick laughed.


    Jefferson frowned comically, then babbled something to himself in annoyance, with the words ¡®stupid¡¯ and ¡®squirrels¡¯ the only ones making sense. ¡°You two¡­ Come on Kane! Move your lazy ass already!!¡±


    Kane laughed, before saluting Nick and followed after Jefferson. The duo then began walking towards the mountain ridge, with Jefferson stopping at times to check the current distance from Nick.


    Kane noticed this and asked, ¡°What are you planning?¡±


    ¡°Shusshh! Don¡¯t turn around as well or he will notice! Here, take a look at this map!¡±


    Kane grabbed the map. ¡°What¡¯s this map?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret map, one of the many documents that I had stolen from the archives of my clan! It pinpoints the location of a particular mountain ridge. All the marked caves should contain countless of crystals!¡±


    Kane inspected the map for a while then uttered, ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like the mountain ridge we are heading to?¡±


    ¡°Yeh, I know! It is a different ridge, not that far from here.¡±


    Kane felt uneasy. ¡°But we promised Nick¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be a pussy! Aren¡¯t we two proud fighters of the Royal Academy? What is there to worry about?!¡± Jefferson rebuked.


    They kept walking for a while until Jefferson came to a halt. ¡°This distance should be enough¡­¡± He opened his storage device and brought out a jet booster, much to Kane¡¯s horror.


    ¡°The hell! I¡¯m not riding one of those!¡±


    Jefferson expressed an irritated face and pointed his hand. ¡°Fine, you can always walk. Move in that direction. Meet ya in 10 hours.¡±


    Kane was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re joking right??!!¡±


    ¡°Just hop on it you wuss! I hate these things myself, but I still prefer them then walking such a long distance!¡±


    In the end, Kane had no other choice but to surrender his stance. They both rode on the jet booster, which swiftly elevated up. Unlike the ride with Laydon, this one was much smoother.


    ¡°See? It¡¯s not that bad after all!¡± Jefferson said.


    After travelling with the jet booster for half an hour, they finally arrived at the bottom of the small mountain ridge. The top of the mountains were covered with fresh snow, whilst the remaining parts were brown coloured with some vegetation here and there. Several caves could be seen scattered around.


    ¡°Hey Kane, select a cave from the map. Let¡¯s get this shit done.¡±


    Kane inspected the map, then asked, ¡°Hey Jeff, why is there a cave marked with two circles and dot instead of an ¡®x¡¯ mark?¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Eeeee? Let me see!¡± Jefferson snatched back the map and carefully examined the mark. ¡°What the feck is this¡­?¡± He pondered, moving the map closer to his eye to examine it better. After a while, he suddenly yelled, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a drawing of a boob!¡±


    ¡°Ehhh???!!!¡± Kane replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know and don¡¯t ask me! I¡¯m curious myself to know why there is such a drawing! Let¡¯s check this cave first!¡±


    Jefferson instantly changed direction and headed towards the ¡®boob¡¯ marked cave, before finally landing on a narrow pathway in front of the cave. He then stored back his jet booster into his device.


    Both of them walked inside the cave, which at first glance looked pretty normal and uninteresting. Then they began their search for the crystals. They spent two hours examining the cave¡¯s walls for crystals, walking deeper and deeper. At one point, Jefferson stopped and itched his head. ¡°This is strange, this cave should have had countless of crystals!¡±


    ¡°Hey Kane! Brace yourself!¡± Jefferson shouted out of the blue. He accumulated energy over his hands, forming a powerful magnetic wave, which he smashed directly against the wall, creating a potent impact that left a crater the size of a human.


    Kane struggled to protect himself from the powerful blast. When the dust receded, he stared at Jefferson with shocked eyes. The strength of the magnetic wave was at least twice more powerful than the ones Marcus Junior created back then. Kane understood that if a blast of that size had to hit him, he would end up maimed for life.


    Jefferson began checking the crater for any hints of crystals. After a few minutes of searches, he frowned. ¡°It¡¯s useless, there is nothing to be found here! I suggest we leave for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey Jeff! I¡¯ve found something! Over here!¡±


    Jefferson¡¯s eyes shone with excitement. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m coming!¡± He shouted, sprinting towards Kane. When Jefferson arrived, he experienced the biggest shock of his life.


    On the floor, next to Kane¡¯s feet, there was a large violet crystal.


    Jefferson looked at Kane with his mouth open, seemingly not believing that all of this was real. ¡°It¡¯s a violet crystal! It¡¯s a freaking violet crystal!!!¡± Jefferson screamed whilst grabbing Kane from his shoulders, shaking him violently. ¡°We have found a violet crystal! Woohoooo we¡¯re rich! We¡¯re freaking rich!! Woohoooo!¡±


    Jefferson celebrated and danced around Kane. Upon seeing Jefferson¡¯s festive mood, Kane couldn¡¯t help but laugh at him.


    ¡°Time to pick this crystal out!¡± Jefferson screamed in delight whilst lowering himself to reach the crystal. As soon as he touched it, the unexpected occurred.


    Jefferson¡¯s touch triggered a hidden door mechanism under the floor, opening up a tunnel. Both Kane and Jefferson were caught by surprise, as they fell through the hole and straight into the long slanting tunnel, amidst their screams. After a long descend, they exited the tunnel and crashed on the floor below.


    ¡°Urghh!!! My head!!¡± Kane said, holding his head.


    ¡°Ouch!!! My butt!!¡± Jefferson yelled, pressing his butt.


    Kane stood up straightaway and started exploring his surroundings. They found themselves in a large underground bronze construction, with towering walls covered with flush vegetation. Engraved on the walls were several crystals of different shapes and colours. Light rays penetrated from the various cracks and holes located on the roof of the construction, enough to light up the entire building.


    Kane and Jefferson were at the start of a narrow pathway that connected with several platforms, whilst the rest was empty space. If they had to fall off from the pathway, they would end up dropping in a bottomless abyss.


    ¡°Jeff, what is this place?¡± Kane remained staring completely stunned at the sight before him.


    Jefferson stood up, still holding his lower back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this!¡± Jefferson said as he slowly walked towards one of the edges of the pathway. ¡°I¡¯ve read about these ruins in history books before, but not in my wildest dreams I would have had ever imagined¡­ that one day I would be seeing one with my very own eyes!¡±


    ¡°Ruins?¡± Kane asked.


    ¡°This place is a Grigullian Ruin!¡± Jefferson replied, his mind busy marveling the construction.


    ¡°Grigullians were intelligent reptilian-like creatures that ruled the southern parts of the galaxy millions of years ago. During that era, the Grigullian Empire flourished and was the dominant force of the galaxy. Their technology was top notch, much better than anything us humans dreamt back then.¡±


    These words had shaken Kane¡¯s mind. ¡°What?!! There are other intelligent beings besides us humans?¡±


    ¡°There were, not anymore,¡± Jefferson said.


    ¡°During that time, we humans remained confined to our home planet; Planet Chain. Still, there were a number of freaking powerful immortals who managed to survive space flight, which enabled them to establish colonies on nearby planets. As time passed, various space fairing clans formed, consisting of several powerful immortals, which marked the start of the human empire. There were pretty badass!¡±


    ¡°At first both the Human Empire and the Grigullian Empire coexisted peacefully. However, things changed when a certain man appeared 20 million years ago. His name was Justin Crawford, a man with unprecedented strength, a man that had the ability to throw the entire galaxy into chaos.¡±


    ¡°He rebelled against the Government of Planet Chain, then proceeded in conquering all space faring clans, forming the Imperial Government and giving himself the title of the ¡®Supreme Kanklar¡¯. But he didn¡¯t stop there. He created a powerful army and began advancing southwards, straight into Grigullian territory. Relationships between the two empires quickly deteriorated and a massive scale war broke out.¡±


    ¡°At first both sides were in a stalemate. The Grigullian Empire relied on their superior technology whilst the human empire counted on the raw powers of the Cultivation Centre. However, the Grigullians began finding it hard to deal with the most powerful immortals of the human empire. According to our history records, our powerful immortals were capable of surviving any attack that the Grigullian¡¯s forces threw at them. Little by little, the Grigullians began losing ground, until their territory shrunk down to two sectors; the Southern and South Eastern Sectors.¡±


    ¡°When they sensed their looming defeat, the Grigullians lost their minds and turned into sadistic psychopaths. You know what those bastards did? They believed that if something wasn¡¯t theirs, then nobody had the right to have it! They began destroying their own planets, unleashing powerful toxins on the remaining habitable planets, turning all planets in these sectors into barren wastes! They freaking wiped out billions of life forms!¡±


    ¡°Then the cowards retreated to their Homeworld and gathered all their remaining forces for one final defensive line. Yet, it was this very move that sealed their faith. After a massive assault by the human forces, we exterminated their sorry asses along with their home planet!¡±


    Jefferson then began walking along the pathway, carefully examining each step he made. ¡°Some of the Grigullian culture and technologies have survived to this present day. The language of the academics is the language the Grigullians used. The crystal technology is also something we stole from them.¡±


    He then turned around to look at the thoughtful Kane. ¡°Come! Follow me! We may be able to find something interesting in here, maybe something even more precious than that violet crystal!¡±


    Kane nodded and began trailing behind him. After walking for a while, they arrived before a notice written in Grigullian language. Jefferson glanced at the notice and uttered, ¡°What does this thing says?¡± He used his hand to clear the dust, revealing the words inscribed on it. He then read it out, ¡°Welcome to the Grigullian Ascendency Ceremony.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Grigullian Ruins

    Author''s note: Hope you all had a good day!


    This arc is about to reach its climax soon. The good thing is that after this arc is done all the main plots would have been set in motion and most of the world building would be finished. Took me long enough I know, but this novel will be around 300-400 chapters long, so it isn''t that bad xD.


    After that, I will be starting the proofreading of chapters. All changes made to chapters will be summarised and provided to you. This might take me around two weeks at least (if not more!), so yeh there will be a hiatus in chapters until I am done. This will be followed by the 3rd arc, which will be focusing mostly on character development, action, several secrets and suspense!


    Last but not least, thank you for reading!


    Penguin


    Proofreading will be focused on the following:


    1) Dialogue and conversation (some tags are not needed whilst others can be simplified, some conversations can be improved and some commas should be changed to fullstops.)


    2) Excessive use of adverbs, especially in the starting chapters. Some will be eliminated whilst others replaced with stronger verbs.


    3) Where possible, I will try to eliminate lazy words such as ¡®very¡¯ and ¡®really¡¯ .


    4) Simplify hard to read sentences.


    5) Introduce a wider range of vocabulary, especially in the starting chapters.


    6) Grammar and typos correction, although there shouldn¡¯t be much left at this stage.


    7) Some scenes will have increased details and be emotionally stronger.


    8) Reducing passive voice


    9) Reduce useless words. For example:


    Elena shouted in anger. "Little rascal!! What the fuck are you doing??!!"


    The words "in anger" are not needed, since the anger is being expressed in the the dialogue. Sadly, I have noticed my story is littered with these and I am going to remove them all. Sorry for this, still learning, my first novel!


    10) Fix name of first arc. Naming an entire arc as a prologue was a bad idea and might scare readers away xD!


    11) Punctuation marks will be fixed, including reduction of comma usage.


    12) Plot holt in chapter 18. MC should suspect there is something wrong with the amulet. This can and will be fixed by altering a part of Marcus speech in the same chapter.


    13) Why the feck the royal academy has a dormitory when nobody needs to sleep? I will be fixing this too.


    14) The transition from chapter 23 to 24 is terrible. I made a mistake with the MC reaction at the end of chapter 23, something which i tried to fix in the start of chapter 24. Hence, the akwardness. Also, the speech between MC and Oliver in chapter 12 will be altered (it''s terrible!!!!)


    15) Please note that there is a lot of stuff you think. "oh! It''s a plot hole!! Bad author!!" Well, you''re wrong baby! example:


    a) How planet Yuba survived the ravaging of the grigullians? Well, sorry guys. The days of spoon feeding you everything are now over. You need to start speculating!


    b) How the Girgullian ruin survived the natural elements for 20 million years! Yes there is a reason for that too.


    c) Why people eat food when they do not need? Hey? Ever heard that eating food is one of the pleasures of life??!


    Still, if you noticed something akward, pm me and I will let you know if it is a plothole or not. I only have one brain, can''t make miracles xD!


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 31 ¨C Grigullian Ruins


    The general atmosphere inside the ruin emitted an ancient aura. Silence reigned, only interrupted by the sounds of cautious footsteps.


    The pathway was linear, although it changed directions. Sometimes it turned 90 degrees to the right or left and sometimes it inclined itself upwards or downwards. Rhombus shaped bronze tiles covered the dusty floor of the pathway. For this pathway to survive for so many years, it was an existing proof of how advanced and resistant Grigullian architecture was.


    The duo kept walking for a while until arriving before a large tile. Jefferson then lowered himself to inspect it. ¡°Freaking amazing¡­ according to the information written on this tile, this pathway was a trial Grigullian warriors undertook before officially joining the armies!¡±


    He kept the lead with Kane following close by. Kane did his best to stay as close to the middle of the pathway as possible, feeling somewhat acrophobic.


    They walked and walked in what it seemed to be an endless journey. Every time they finished a pathway, they found themselves on a small platform, where from there they commenced walking over a new pathway. This routine kept going for hours, only occasionally interrupted by Nick¡¯s calls.


    When they were about to give up hope, they saw a tower into the distance. Their motivations returned, eyes reignited with hope, hurrying their pace towards the tower.


    It didn¡¯t take them that long to arrive before the tower. Its shape was cylindrical and build from the same bronze-like material of the passageway. It had no windows, no style, no designs; just a boring plain building.


    They entered through the only door of the tower and arrived inside an enormous circular hall. What greeted them were the countless rubble and broken statues that littered the hall¡¯s ground. The passage of time had clearly left its mark.


    Kane then moved towards one of the few remaining standing statues. Although it had lost some detailed features, it was still recognisable; the physical appearance of a Grigullian. If the statue was true to its scale, a Grigullian stature was similar to that of human beings. The skin was green and scales covered the entire body. The statue had extended pointed ears, reptilian eyes and the hands only had four fingers. The statue also had a long green tail emerging from the lower back. However, what surprised Kane the most was the short red hair which was something normal reptilian creatures lacked.


    ¡°Hey Kane! Move your ass already!! Start looking for anything valuable!!¡± Jefferson yelled.


    Jefferson¡¯s shout snapped Kane out of his trance, who then began aiding Jefferson in their hunt for treasures. They searched behind the rubbles, under broken tiles, inside the cracks of the walls; everywhere. Yet, all their efforts were in vain.


    Jefferson then sat down on a pile of rubble and sighed. ¡°Damn it man! There is nothing to be found here!¡±


    ¡°Hey Jeff look, there are some words scrambled on the floor¡­¡±


    Jefferson stood up and moved towards Kane. ¡°Hmm¡­ these look quite recent¡­¡± Jefferson inspected before reading out aloud. ¡°Year 20127, Erka Period. I, Jason Bordas, a proud warrior of the Bordas Clan, have completed the Grigullian Ascendency Ceremony and obtained Spiritual Illumination.¡±


    Jefferson appeared startled and whispered, ¡°Jason came to this place before? What¡¯s spiritual illumination??¡± Lost pondering, he noticed another message. ¡°Follow me! There is another one over there!¡± Both of them marched towards the next text.


    Jefferson then recited the message. ¡°Suckers! Can¡¯t find your precious treasures? Naturally! We have taken them all!! Now go home crying to your mommas!!!¡±


    ¡°Oh! And I hope you didn¡¯t believe the bullshit Jason wrote? He¡¯s just a dramatic moron!!!¡±


    Both Jefferson and Kane trembled in shock. Jefferson fell on his knees, his moral broken and his hope of finding any treasure all but vanished. Even Kane felt frustrated; despite their efforts they were going to end up empty handed.


    ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± Kane asked.


    ¡°What is there to do? We need to find a way out from this shitty place, go back to the boob cave and take that freaking violet crystal!¡± Jefferson replied.


    Still broken hearted at their failure, they began walking towards the exit.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? What am I sensing?! Hmm¡­ WHAT??!!!!! HUMANS???!!!!!!!!!¡± A mysterious voice rang into their ears.


    ¡°The hell? Who¡¯s there?!¡± Kane shouted. They both assumed their fighting stances whilst investigating their surroundings. However, they didn¡¯t notice anything strange.


    ¡°YESSS! YESSSSS!!!! My saviours have finally showed up!!!!¡±


    Jefferson started shivering, turning his terrified gaze towards Kane. ¡°It-it¡¯s a gh-ghost!!!!¡±


    ¡°Shit! Run!!!¡± Kane yelled as the duo sprinted towards the exit.


    ¡°You idiot!!! What ghost?!!! It¡¯s me!!!!!¡±


    When they heard this, they stopped their movements and looked at each other with a puzzled expression. Jefferson then displayed courage and shouted, ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    The mysterious voice proudly replied, ¡°The sexiest universal existence!!!!¡±


    Kane and Jefferson stared at each other dumbfounded. ¡°Are you a Grigullian?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Grigullian your butt!! Mistaking my beautiful body with those ugly lizards?!! Outrageously shameful!!¡±


    ¡°Hey now! How are we supposed to know how you look like?!!! And what the freak do you want from us?¡± Jefferson replied.


    ¡°Simple! There is a pathway hidden behind that rubble over there, behind that headless statue!! Clear the entrance and come down to the floor below and break me out! Out of this stupid prison!!!!¡±


    Jefferson paused to think. After a while, his eyes flashed and he smirked. ¡°Nothing is free in this life... What will you give us in exchange for your freedom?¡±


    ¡°Jeff! Don¡¯t be hasty! He could be someone dangerous and we don¡¯t know his true intentions¡ª¡± Kane said, interrupted by Jefferson¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Shuss, I have a plan!¡± Jefferson said.


    ¡°What plan? You idiot, you know I can hear you right?!¡± The mysterious voice butted in.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Jefferson began losing his patience. ¡°Do you want us to save your ass? Then answer my freaking question already!!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The mysterious voice said followed by a long period of silence. ¡°Ok! You can have my body for two years!!! You can cuddle me, pet me and we can sleep together in bed. How does that sound?¡±


    Jefferson¡¯s face turned dark. ¡°Are you freaking kidding me??!!!!! I want precious treasures!!! Not your freaking body!!!¡±


    ¡°You!!!! How dare you refute this beautiful body of mine!!! Hear me you idiot!!!! Regardless if one is old, young, male, female, an eccentric freak; when faced with this ultimate beauty, there is nobody in this galaxy who can resist me!!¡±


    Jefferson grinned. ¡°Hey Kane, let¡¯s leave this place!¡±


    ¡°Nooooooo!!!!!!!!! You understood me wrong! What I meant was me becoming your immortal slave for two years!!¡±


    Jefferson and Kane shocked themselves. ¡°You¡¯re an immortal???!!!¡±


    ¡°Yeh babyy!!!¡±


    Kane was the first to recover his mind from this revelation. ¡°Since you are an immortal, what guarantees are there that you will uphold your end of the bargain?¡±


    ¡°Youuuuu!!! How dare you question my manliness? A true man like me will never back out from his words!¡±


    Kane fixed his gaze on Jefferson, who nodded and signalled to move downwards. They removed the debris and descended the staircase, arriving at the floor below. They found themselves at the entrance of a labyrinth.


    ¡°Is this a maze?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Are you blind? Of course it¡¯s a maze!¡± The mysterious voice replied. Jefferson, who was running out of patience, started complaining into his heart.


    ¡°So now, which path should we take?¡± Kane asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ to the right!¡± The Mysterious voice said.


    Jefferson led the way and took a step to his right.


    ¡°You idiot!!!! How can you be this stupid??? It¡¯s my right side, not yours!!!!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jefferson started to tremble, protruding veins covered his face, struggling to keep himself calm. ¡°You¡­ How the damn am I supposed to know which side is your right side¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re correct! Turn to my left then!¡±


    Jefferson felt confused, since ¡®his left¡¯ would mean right again. He took another step forward, only to receive a barrage of insults.


    ¡°You imbecile!!! Do you have any cells in your brain?!! I¡¯ve turned my position around for you, and you keep moving straight!??¡±


    Jefferson¡¯s patience was now paper thin. ¡°You ingrate fool!!! Show some freaking respect to your saviours!!!¡±


    ¡°Noooooo!!! Why is this happening to me?! For all these years I¡¯ve dreamt of my two beautiful saviours!! My two stunning princesses! Why did it turn out to be someone as stupid as you??!!¡±


    This was only the start, with Jefferson and the mysterious voice arguing against each other along the way, using all kinds of insulting words the human language could possibly offer. Kane ignored them and followed behind his companion, quietly observing the maze¡¯s walls, encaptivated by the numerous drawings representing the now extinct Grigullian culture.


    After several detours they had finally arrived inside a room. It was a death end but there were three large red buttons on the floor.


    ¡°What now?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Press the red button?¡± The mysterious voice replied.


    ¡°Maybe there are three freaking red buttons?!!¡±


    ¡°So?! Just press one of them you idiot!!¡±


    Jefferson expressed a disgusted face then walked towards one of the buttons and stood on it.


    ¡°Ooohhhh~~~ ooohhhh~~~ ooohhhhh~~~¡± The button triggered a melodic song, like a religious chorus. The entire floor then started to tremble whilst a widening fissure appeared on the roof above them. Without any warning, the platform they stood on began elevating itself whilst two large green crystals located on the maze¡¯s walls changed direction, illuminating the platform with green lights.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Kane asked.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know that?¡± Jefferson replied.


    They kept rising upwards accompanied by the mystical notes of ecclesial music. The roof above them was now completely open as the platform kept rising. The pair looked like two spiritual beings ascending towards the heavens.


    This scene was short lived as they found themselves transported to the room above. The music stopped and the floor below began closing again, forcing them to step on it. Then they heard the sound of the platform receding back until everything returned to a still.


    Jefferson blinked his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the hall we were at before?¡±


    Kane looked at him and nodded.


    Then, like the sound of a rampaging thunderstorm, like a flash of lightning that appeared out of nowhere, a voice interrupted Jefferson¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°YOU IDIOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! All you had to do was pressing a button!!! And you pressed the wrong one!!!This is beyond stupid!!!!!!¡±


    This was the final straw for Jefferson. He had arrived at a point where he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. This was no different than mental torture. He knew he was a hot-tempered person, he tried his best to remain patient but this affair had turned too unbearble for him.


    ¡°Enough of this shit!!! I¡¯m leaving!!!¡± Jefferson said, walking towards the exit.


    This was followed by several desperate cries of the mysterious voice that did nothing to dither Jefferson¡¯s stand. Jefferson kept walking towards the exit, though at one point he stopped and started laughing like a mad man. He then turned around and pushed both his ears forward.


    ¡°Yes!!!! Let me hear the cries of despair!!!! Because of your stupidity you¡¯re going to remain here for all eternity!!! Enjoy waiting for your two stunning princesses that will never come!!!¡±


    The mysterious voice, now almost crying, started begging Jefferson and Kane. ¡°Please!!! I love you!!! Please, I¡¯ll promise I¡¯ll be your immortal slave for eternity!!!!¡±


    Jefferson paused his movements. ¡°What if I will become an immortal myself? I won¡¯t need you anymore!!!!¡±


    The mysterious voice replied, ¡°A weakling like you? An immortal?!! Ha! Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡±


    Jefferson¡¯s body trembled and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m out of here!!!¡±


    ¡°NOOOO!!!!!! I actually have two precious treasures you might want!!!¡±


    Jefferson turned around, then opened both of his arms and pushed forward his chest. ¡°You can insert your precious treasures into your butt!¡±


    ¡°Kane! Let¡¯s leave!!¡±


    ¡°Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯ll give you¡­ but I love them¡­ but I¡¯ll still give you!!! My two seeds of life!!!!¡±


    These shocking words paralysed both Jefferson and Kane. Jefferson already knew what kind of a valuable treasure the seed of life was whilst Kane had seen its price tag back at the tower of Violet Eagle City.


    This new offer aroused Kane¡¯s curiosity, who asked, ¡°What kind of treasure is a seed of life?¡±


    ¡°You!!!! You don¡¯t know about the powers of the seed of life?! Three things are what makes up this galaxy! The laws of the universe, matter and beauty! And I am beauty! Yeh baby!!¡±


    Kane frowned comically.


    Seeing this, Jefferson explained. ¡°Seed of life is a seed that grows on the flower of life. Unlike normal flowers that obtain their energy from matter, this flower obtains its energy directly from the laws of the universe! It can grow anywhere and natural elements cannot harm it. It can even grow in space or on stars! During its life it will produce a seed. Once the seed is removed the flower will wither and die.¡±


    ¡°The seed of life is filled with energy of the laws, which act as a stimulant for the soul. Once consumed a level breakthrough of the soul is guaranteed! That is why it is so freaking precious! It can finish in one day what could have taken months or years!


    Unfortunately, according to my clan, it¡¯s so rare that only one is found every ten years!¡±


    Jefferson then paused. Although he found this mysterious creature annoying, he couldn¡¯t refute such an offer. He had to become stronger if he wanted to beat those three.


    ¡°Kane, we are going back down there. However, you will be the one that will lead now!¡± Jefferson said.


    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ve left marks on the walls.¡± Kane winked.


    Jefferson smiled. ¡°You shrewd bastard¡­¡±


    They went again to the lower floor and started walking until they arrived at the button platform. They now had two choices left. Kane moved ahead and pressed one of them. Much to Jefferson¡¯s surprise, the wall ahead of them lowered and opened a new path.


    ¡°How did you figure which button was the right?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s my instinct,¡± Kane replied.


    Jefferson stared at Kane dumbfounded. He didn¡¯t give it too much thought though. They walked the last part of the maze, which became darker and darker the further in they went. At one point, Jefferson noticed something and rushed towards a stone. A small black insect was resting on it.


    ¡°You!!!!!! So that¡¯s how you look! You ugly thing!!!¡± Jefferson pointed his finger almost touching the insect. The barely sentient insect lacked the necessary intelligence to respond to this awkward situation, although it still gazed at Jefferson with a ¡®what the fuck?¡¯ expression.


    ¡°Hey Jeff! Over here!¡± Kane yelled.


    ¡°Ehh?¡± Jefferson felt stupid as he rushed towards Kane. Jefferson then saw a room. Inside it there was a large semi-transparent dimensional bubble. Sealed within it, there was a fluffy creature, which he immediately recognised. Out of all animals that lived in the entire galaxy this was the one that he hated the most.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a buflu!!¡±