《The Synergistic Effect》


 Beginnings

    Derrick woke with a start. His room was bland but packed with different items, the most numerous of which were books. After dressing he left the room and promptly saw his cousin, Marisa.


    ¡°Finally up Derrick?¡± She inquired with a bit of laughter in her voice.


    ¡°Yeah, at the crack of 2:30 as well, life is horrible sometimes,¡± replied Derrick with what could only be taken as terror in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering becoming slightly more lax on my schedule,¡± he continued, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe how tired I am in the mornings.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, your life is awful, how can you stand putting up with your timing? I will have to ask your father about it. Maybe he will have a solution.¡± She looked at Derrick with an amused, devilish grin on her face.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do something so awful to your nice little cousin, would you?¡± Derrick asked with a bright smile. ¡°Plus, tomorrow is my testing day as well. If it turns out bad¡­¡­¡± Derrick trailed off with a hint of trepidation in his voice. ¡°Still, I will get to find out my affinities. I just hope its money.¡± Derrick smiled brightly as he said something which none nearing their sixth birthday would usually say.


    ¡°You know that money isn¡¯t an affinity! Stop saying that!¡± Marisa reprimanded Derrick for his behavior. He had shown an odd talent for irritating her when he wanted to, although it could be said that his talent extended to more than just her.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Derrick paused, ¡°Marisa, do you like being able to live happily here?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do, but Derrick, but how does that relate?¡± Marisa replied, expecting him to elaborate.


    ¡°Then, by extension, would you say that you like the life of a noble? Is it wrong to say you like living in comfort? Money is the thing which allows you to do that. It is extremely useful and important. Some say money has no meaning, is so, then why do some spend the majority of their lives trying to earn it? Yet, you never hear anyone complaining about how people value life too much. Each person has things they like. For example, I like money. So stop trying to stop me from exploring my passions!¡± Derrick showed large capacities for arguing and high intelligence by a young age, and for others it could be fun, or simply tiring, to be around him. His personality was fairly good, aside from the way he would sometimes rant. Like most children, he had a jovial smile plastered to his face most of the time.


    Derrick¡¯s family lived as minor nobles in the Kain Empire. It was one of three major kingdoms and was a strong power with a good standard of living. Derrick continued to talk to Marisa and the day passed by quickly. Derrick was exuberant the next day as it was a deciding factor in his life. He would find the level of his abilities for the future. He was young, but he knew how important this day was.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Derrick¡¯s father called out. They were outside in the town square with around twenty children. As usual in the Kain Empire the area was lush with greenery but abated by the settlement of the town. The weather brought warm air and the shine of the sun down on Derrick.


    Today, Derrick thought, I will never forget. He smiled under the warmth of the light as the testing began.


    Any given entity was comprised of multiple different parts. The most important pieces are the physical body, the soul, the aura, and the mind. Each could be used in a multitude of different ways and each had its own intrinsic value. The body was, of course, the most obvious in its importance and usage. The soul would function in conjunction with everything else; it acted as the central unit and would unite the different pieces as well as produce the aura. The aura itself would sit like a haze around the soul and was the way one could interact with the world without the body. The mind was also fairly self-explanatory in its capacities however it would function very closely with the soul.


    The soul and aura were the deciding factors as to what one could specialize in. The soul and aura would both resemble the abilities which one could use. Take, for example, an aura which would generally specialize in fire. The aura would contain different properties of the fire which that person would use. Personality and mood would play a part in specialties as well. Fire itself usually shows an impatient and explosive person. Each aura would have its own unique quirks and they would then manifest as a personal ability. The personal ability is unique to each person and is pivotal for their future.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.I really hope I have a good ability, thought Derrick. His mind was full of hopes as he aspired toward someday being someone with power, a great man who could elevate himself and his family to astounding heights. Ambition was a quality Derrick did not lack, indeed, he had it in abundance. As Derrick walked toward the man who would judge him, a man who possessed an air of nobility and power, he examined him and held expectation deep within his eyes. The man was tall and of a medium sized build, he had blond hair, blue eyes and was the type that would be idolized by many. Derrick was no exception.


    The man gazed at Derrick with indifferent, placid blue eyes.  ¡°Kid, your aura is weird; it¡¯s unlike any I have ever seen.¡± Generally the test would consist of showing ones proclivities and the strength of their aura. ¡°It has a smooth white color. The only thing I could think of is mist, and even that is a stretch, as there are none of the accompanying factors associated with that type of aura. Even then, because of the relation to the water element, there is at least some blue mixed in. It doesn¡¯t seem to be accented in any of the normal ways. It has a texture which doesn¡¯t resemble any I¡¯ve seen before. Sorry, but I can¡¯t give any advice as to what you should do to train. Nonetheless, your soul is powerful, uncannily so. Unless your abilities manifest or you talk to someone more insightful than I you probably will not find what you tend toward. With such a unique aura I might think you would have a special type of affinity. I once heard in a far off kingdom there was a man who could manipulate gravity. You might have something good, I¡¯m not sure. Unfortunately, with something so odd you can only try to gain understanding yourself, without anyone else¡¯s help.¡±


    Derrick was a naturally optimistic person; however he didn¡¯t know how to take the new. Instead, he just sighed and said, ¡°Alright, thank you for your advice.¡± Derrick then turned and walked away. No one tried to stop him, as none knew any way to help and any that said they did would, at most, have a few superficial words of comfort. The young man was from the imperial army and was much more suitable to give a diagnosis than any others there. Most couldn¡¯t even see others auras, only those who were trained could.  His father walked away with him as other children began to be evaluated by the young man who remained puzzled by Derrick. As they approached their home, which by most accounts would be regarded as large, derrick inquired, ¡°Dad, I know you have some different books regarding different methods of practice, could I look through them and try to find something that suits me?¡±


    His father, Edward Lock, looked at him worriedly and said, ¡°Fine, you can read them but do not forget that some of their contents are dangerous. Be careful, do nothing that could be dangerous.¡± Edward gave his son a look of warning to caution him. The books held multiple different types of magic and some were very potent. As nobles, albeit minor nobles, they had quite a collection of texts. Given that their heritage as nobles went back for multiple generations there was a surplus of content which could be accessed. ¡°. These early stages will act as your foundation. You cannot build to anything significant if you don¡¯t have a beginning.¡±


    Edward followed Derrick up to the main library. At this point, he was unsure of how his son¡¯s life would turn out. On one hand, there was no way he could give any counsel on training, but on the other there existed possibility for something powerful, as Derrick¡¯s aura was strong. He decided that letting Derrick decide his first abilities would be the best, as generally the personality would influence the different affinities an aura could possess.

 Chapter 2

    Derrick entered the restricted section of his family library, followed closely behind by his father. Unlike the rest, which was of moderate size with a pleasant, familial arrangement and the ever-present smell of books, the restricted section was an area that was strictly kept, and Derrick was not allowed to mess around inside of it. Derrick surveyed the area and inspected different books. Piercing of the stone-claw one read out. Derrick discarded it, thinking it much to crude to serve as his first skill set.


    Others were thrown out just as fast as the first and none fit something he found interesting. They were all blatant in their usage and none had the right style to it. After going through twenty or so books, all of which would be considered valuable, one appeared which had a different title. Derrick grinned and picked up the book, Secrets of the mental tactician, it was called.


    It must be realized that the mind is something which is an integral part of a person. It is not something present in only certain individuals, although after conversing with some that conclusion could be doubted somewhat. In fact, many did doubt it, and would say so in an extremely verbose manner, generally toward another whom they did not particularly like. The opposite could be said, though, towards a friend, as insulting is oftentimes the norm for many.


    To not be waylaid too much though, the mind does possess one quality which made it very suitable for Derrick, aside from his interest in it. This is the fact that it is unattributed, making it something which Derrick could utilize even with the peculiar situation surrounding his aura. He assumed, so long as he cultivated it, there was a high possibility that he could use it.


    Derrick grabbed the book and began to read intently. ¡°The first step to using any mental technique stems from the aura, or something which resembles it to a degree, in that they are both produced by the soul and are readily usable energy forms once cultivated. To access another¡¯s mind a special type of aura must be used; a type which needs to be cultivated separately. This special type of aura is generally referred to as mental energy. As each person¡¯s aura has its own special quirks so does each person¡¯s mental energy. Added to that fact it is also given off by the mind as a part of your aura. This is where the similarities end. When you cultivate your aura and soul your body naturally gets stronger. The amount of strength gained depends on the person and how they are practicing but there is at least some correlation between the two. This works in the opposite manner as well; if you train the body enough then the soul and aura will improve as well. If one part gains strength then everything else will also improve, it is a fundamental rule of existence. Mental energy is the exception.¡±


    This puzzled Derrick, after all if training would improve everything with a gross effect then why wouldn¡¯t mental energy be gained as well? Of course, in training, there would be a disparity in the strength of what was cultivated and what wasn¡¯t but there was still a relation. ¡°Odd,¡± he thought, ¡°The soul takes in energy ambient in the surroundings and uses it to nourish itself to slowly gain in power. If everything is given off through that integration point then wouldn¡¯t it gain in power as well?¡± Derrick was confused about the point but decided to continue reading.


    ¡°Mental energy is special; in fact it is not naturally produced. Cultivation is also very rare because of this added challenge. The reason that it does not grow in parallel to the soul is because it is not naturally a part of it. Mental energy is energy that is released by the soul and then refined by the mind. Because of this it has to be slowly gained as the soul continuously lets out more and more power which is suitable to go through this refining process.


    When refining mental energy there is a secret many do not know of, aside from the existence of mental energy itself, which is the properties it displays for both internal and external effects on the mind. There are two main types of attacks which can be utilized mental tacticians. The first is illusions, which can vary in utility based on whoever is using them. They affect the mind and while most only think of sight and sound being replicable through illusions it truly does depend on the person who is creating said illusions.


    All five senses can be affected and one property which is almost unknown is that some can even manipulate all five senses without first invading someone¡¯s mind. That is to say without first getting inside of the mental barrier within another¡¯s mind all five senses can be tampered with. Invasion of the mind has other benefits, and the main reason others think it is impossible to manipulate a mind to this extent without the need for invasion is simply because it is extremely challenging. This highlights one capability which full, and successful, invasion of the mind has; it makes manipulation much, much easier.


    The other common tactic is a mental barb. This type often is used to launch an assault on the mind and is the most common way to both injure the mind and break through the mental barrier. Other concepts also exist but are limited to those with who have attained very high prowess in the mental arts, one such technique is said to allow for the viewing of memories. The mind is an extremely complex system and there are bound to be other usages but they have not become known, to me at least, as of yet.¡±


    The author continued in his explanation of the mind for a while and after reading vehemently for an extended period, Derrick began to try to apply what he learned in reality. Derrick had never actively tried to absorb the ambient power latent in his surroundings, most people couldn¡¯t gain anything from it and energy had to be condensed into a pill beforehand. Edward watched his son, amused as he saw Derrick trying to do something which would inevitably result in failure, as the first periods of even sensing energy took a large period of time. Luckily, the process to produce mental energy was described from the lowest level in the book. Derrick began following the process and soon he entered into a meditative state.


    Initially, he couldn¡¯t see a thing. After a time though, his surroundings began to brighten. Different types of energy were moving around him, of all different colors and textures. Some of the surroundings were blue and soft energies resembling water, while others were just plain grey particles.  A myriad of particles, something which, for Derrick, was nearing mental overload, moved around him. Doing as the book instructed, Derrick began pull the energy toward himself. Immediately, his surroundings obeyed with, in anthropomorphic terms, a servile grace. They began to vibrate, rush, and flow toward him in all different forms.


    Before long a torrent of energy was swirling around Derrick as the epicenter. Oddly enough, Derrick remained akin to what one would call the eye of the storm. The energy swirled but did not enter within a certain perimeter around his body. Slowly, energy began to trickle in, calm as the waters of a still pond, and began to accumulate within his aura. The silky white haze began to shine with a multitude of colors as the particles began to assimilate into his aura. Slowly he began to feel his bounds of control grow; however the storm began to quiet down as if it was an inverse relation between the amount absorbed and the control one gained.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Derrick opened his eyes, only to find his father shaking him vehemently. With reddened eyes full of panic Edward shouted, ¡°Derrick, are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need help? Answer!¡±


    Derrick felt around his body and, indeed, nothing was wrong. He felt more energy than usual, just by a small margin, but more nonetheless. He smiled weakly at his father amused in his heart by his father¡¯s concern and replied, ¡°I feel really tired, could I have my favorite meal tonight? I¡¯m really exhausted, please father? I know it¡¯s expensive, but please?¡± Derrick laid back and looked at the ceiling, considering how long after the meal to wait to tell his father the actual events that transpired.


    Edward heaved a sigh of relief and replied to his seemingly powerless son and said, ¡°Of course you can, anything today, just don¡¯t worry me like that again. I can see you¡¯re tired so I will wait a little while, but after that you need to explain to me what just happened.¡± Edward then helped his son walk to his room, telling servants to prepare a meal, and then examining Derrick carefully to make sure there was nothing wrong.


    After partaking in the expensive and luxurious meal lathered with time, spices, money, and care Derrick grinned, widely. Taking a look around at the others at the table, those who were there were only close family. Those present were his aunt, uncle, cousin, mother, father, and brother. He was very close to all of them, although his brother was a person who he both idolized and loved, likely more than the rest by a good margin. Derrick surveyed the room and with an incandescent smile said, ¡°Everyone, after my testing, in case you did not hear, I was not able to figure out my affinities. My aura is an almost silky white, but it is extremely bright without even a trace of color.¡±


    Edward looked at his son with a reprimanding gaze, ¡°You should not act in such a way, this is important. The brightness of an aura can affect the type heavily. A dark fire aura can often be oppressive and dangerous while a light one is jovial. Do not exaggerate onto things you do not know, the young man from the army never once said that. Do not mislead when it is on matters of import.¡±


    Derrick¡¯s grin just widened, obviously taking pleasure in his father¡¯s retort. ¡°You are right dad; I shouldn¡¯t exaggerate my knowledge during important talks. Luckily this time, due to your negligence,¡± Derrick paused slightly in laughter, then continued, ¡°I was able to see my aura during a successful meditation. I must say, it really is a refreshing feeling to be empowered like that.¡± Derrick burst into a fit of childish laughter at the now dumbfounded expressions of the others present.


    His brother, Artian, looked at him inquisitively, ¡°How did you manage to achieve meditation? Moreover, how were you so negligent father?¡± Artian pushed blame onto both of them, giving remonstration where it was needed. ¡°Still, I would expect that from my brother. I knew you would be different, given your personality. Still, those at your age who are able to enter the meditative state are extremely rare. Even all of them generally would start training at a young age, which can be deleterious toward the body. So, little brother, did you train without telling us?¡± Artian looked at his little brother whom he spoiled with disapproval in his autumn brown eyes. Derrick had always been a free spirit, which was both a good and a bad thing. Never before had he been exposed to danger or the darker side of humanity.


    Derrick looked around at everyone, all of whom were nodding in agreement with Artian¡¯s words and analysis. ¡°No, I never practiced before this; I always assumed it would be boring. Speaking of which, you are all liars. In the beginning I could only see darkness but after a time I could see more and more. Eventually I could see all sorts of different things. Some were beads while others were like pieces of fire. There were even types of liquids moving in strange patterns. Beautiful, it was really beautiful.¡±


    The already startled expressions of the Lock family morphed, this time into two different types of expressions. The majority was extremely surprised; an apt comparison would be having been struck with a bolt of lightning. One, however, had on a face full of consideration. His brother looked to be contemplating something. ¡°I realize now that something is different. I can see when I look hard that there is a very slight white haze surrounding you Derrick. I figured before that I had something in my eye, but it is definitely there.¡± The test consists of diving next to someone¡¯s soul to view the miniscule traces of the aura, a feat that is a challenge to say the least. Most people, once they have gained any meager level of strength, begin to emanate an aura which is detectable. Before training though, it was near impossible to see any traces of the aura without being trained to. Derrick had reached the level of having a visible aura.


    ¡°What¡¯s more is that you were able to sense each type of energy. People are only supposed to be able to notice ones they have high affinity with until they reach a higher level of practice. It truly is odd that you are able to sense those different types of energy. Oh, and Derrick, you never mentioned what type of practice you chose, if you did.¡±


    ¡°I chose the book called Secrets of the mental tactician. It¡¯s about using something called mental energy. I don¡¯t know how well I will be able to use it, but I can try at least. It shouldn¡¯t have any bearing toward my odd affinities.¡±


    His father interjected, ¡°I think it is suitable for him to use, as it doesn¡¯t hold any bearing on other abilities and will still let him decide how to grow in the future. I think we need to keep in mind that growth is very important, as our little Derrick does not know his abilities.¡± The family shared a look, and within it was agreement, albeit with a little confusion mixed in.


    Then, he looked back at Derrick, aggravated. ¡°Derrick, just because I was on a different subject just now, don¡¯t forget that you lied to me about your condition. You are not allowed to lie like that.¡± Edward fiercely reprimanded his son for the second time during the dinner.


    ¡°Dad, you always said to use my circumstances to my advantage; I was only following in your footsteps. After all, I always try and respect my family. I truly am sorry for acting in accord to your teachings; obviously it was the wrong action to take. Next time I will know better. Really, I have to thank you father.¡± Derrick retorted sarcastically, and using his personal talent annoyed the rest of the people at the table.

 Chapter 3

    Derrick was cultivating calmly inside a newly discovered place near his home. It was a fairly secluded spot; he discovered it by accident while walking around. Just a few hundred meters from his home was a small outcropping of rock with a wide crevice inside. This served as the entrance to a cave, and was the sole entrance aside from the stream which ran into the cave and fueled the pool. Inside Derrick found a dimly lit cave with a small pool. Altogether it was only around twenty by twenty; however it was composed of a rock which emitted a faint light. The rock had patterns of grey and black running through it, which along with the odd light emissions added to the appearance overall.


    Wasps of white, near transparent energy were drifting inside of Derrick¡¯s aura as he cultivated. The coloration was much more apparent now, and Derrick considered the last month he spent to be used well. Well, he though, I¡¯m done for today. Derrick left the cave, and went into town. Generally, he would go sometimes to try and find something interesting, and if there was not anything he deemed interesting, he would simply pester others for entertainment.


    Inside of the town there was a flurry of activity. People shopping, eating, or simply wandering was normal and each individual action was lost in the torrent of peoples everyday lives. The town was not enormous to the average person¡¯s eyes; however it was also not something which would be considered small. A few thousand people lived inside of the town, and the area Derrick was in could be considered the center. This was because this area was the merchant center. Dealings between folk was unceasing, and many things happened which were of more interest than the rest of the town.


    Ahead, near the gate to the town, Derrick noticed a commotion. As per his usual behavior, he approached the crowd without the slightest bit of hesitation. A local storeowner was yelling at a man who appeared to be the head merchant in a caravan. ¡°So you only have half of what I ordered, great! And here I thought you were competent, just my bad judgment it seems.¡±


    The merchant had an angry look on his face, ¡°I did say that my offers were refused, right? You do realize that there is still anger over the skirmish near the border, and it is disastrous for business? You sent me there, it shouldn¡¯t surprise you! I even said that obtaining the materials was going to be an awful experience, but you wouldn¡¯t listen!¡± The merchants face was a beet red, and he was yelling at the top of his lungs.


    Derrick turned to another in the group of people gathered around the argument and nudged him. ¡°Hey, do you know what he means by a skirmish?¡± Derrick was confused, why would someone refuse to sell normally? Wouldn¡¯t that bring a better profit?


    The man looked at Derrick, ¡°About half a month ago two groups of people from both the Kain and Seon Empires got into a fight, and the outcome wasn¡¯t the nicest.¡± He didn¡¯t delve into any more detail, as Derrick was a little kid. Still, this was enough explanation for Derrick, who continued watching in silence. After a few minutes the two men began to calm down, and with it the crowd began to disperse. Derick walked up to his home and searched for his father. Finding him, Derrick asked, ¡°Dad, two people were fighting, and trade seems to be going badly because of a skirmish. One man said that he only was able to get half of the order. I don¡¯t really understand why, could you explain?¡±


    Edward was a noble and would most likely be the most informed person in the area.  Sighing, he responded, ¡°A fight broke out and people from the fringe of Seon Empire are refusing to sell to anyone from the Kain Empire. Because of the scarcity of products, some people are selling at an exorbitant price, which makes buying anything much more challenging. There was probably not enough money to purchase anything more. Honestly, these fights have gotten out of hand. It¡¯s just ruining the nice system we had.¡± Edward had an irritated look on his face as he talked about the problem between the two empires.


    ¡°Is it really that bad Dad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a nice situation, but I think we will be able to get over it given enough time. Let¡¯s just hope that we can fix it before it gets truly unmanageable, as we are the ones getting the brunt of the fallout, being so close to Seon.¡± The talks continued for a time, and eventually Derrick stopped his questioning and left.


    The sun quickly fell and with it the people did as well. The next day dawn arose and Derrick went to see his brother. The entrance way had a large wooden doorway with small ornaments scattered across it, and had pictures occasionally appearing in the hallways. Many of these pictures conveyed important familial moments, such as gatherings or other times of emotional significance. One such picture was of a festival, a happy occasion worth remembering.


    The life of a low noble was one of interest when it came to speculation. This was due to the fact that they remain distinct from the common people who go about their lives stuck in their own specific slot, never pulling up their heads to observe the trends occurring around them. Another important distinction also exists; this is because of their classification as a low level noble. If one was a high noble then they would be exempt from noticing and sympathizing with the common folk, however a low noble is but one stop away, and thus is seeing both the strategic movements of nobility and the hardship of the people. They are close to both worlds and can hence observe two types of lives with clarity, which widens their view. It could be applicable to say, in context, that they get the best of both worlds, at least in terms of their understanding. For young children, creations of certain dispositions can be vital to their further development. If secluded from parts life one cannot often fathom its depths, nor can one truly empathize with those parts. This understanding can bring about an altruistic person who, unlike many, actually has the means to assist, along with having the motivation to do so.


    Walking inside, Derrick looked around for his brother, thinking him one such figure in this world. Of course, in depth analysis of positions did not occur, instead, a simple but powerful admiration and love existed. Not understanding how a person grew and only seeing their current stature is a concept applicable to children, given their short breadth of experience. Even without a full analysis of a process, appreciation for said process can still exist.


    Artian was practicing, a powerful hot energy radiated from him as fire skirted around his body. A cloak of flame surrounded him, twisting and flickering. Shadows retreated in the room, pushed back and close to the edge of oblivion. The bright light and heat was a signature of Artian¡¯s, and Derrick always thought that of all the attributes that Artian had the most prominent one, the one that led him toward the path of flames, was his passion. Since a young age Artian had shown to be an extremely passionate person in life. Always a hard worker, and always one which could be called righteous, Artian was a pillar in Derricks life. He was a moral guide, and an exemplary figure within Derrick¡¯s eyes. Passionate yet meticulous, a temperament which rarely showed itself was present inside of Artian. A seven year difference was between the two of them, and this allowed Artian to have consolidated his beliefs. His thoughts were those which were only present in a very small portion of the population. A belief in justice, a belief in analysis and logic, and a belief in loyalty, these were the characteristics which could be said to be fundamental in Artian¡¯s mind.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Walking inside, Marisa spotted Derrick. ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it, how strong Artian is? Just look at the flame he is in, it seems like he is already an incredibly powerful figure. Derrick, what do you think?¡±


    Derrick looked at Marisa and said, ¡°Of course he is amazing! He is my brother after all.¡± Derrick responded nonchalantly, but Marisa knew that he had a deep reverence toward Artian just like she did. Marisa was just as impressionable as Derrick, and was only about a year older; however she expressed herself emotionally much more.


    ¡°When I see this I do realize why they always call him a genius.¡± Lost in admiration, Marisa continued to spout her sentiment. ¡°At this age he even managed to awaken his innate gift. It really is odd at such a young age you know. And to think he managed it at the age of twelve.¡±


    Derrick sighed; listening to her monologue was painful, as reiteration of knowledge was not something which he particularly fancied. ¡°I know, you have only said it a million times. Most of which were in order to nag me, I might add. Thanks for that by the way, I always have enjoyed your nagging.¡± A monologue from any but Derrick was perceived as annoying, and would immediately be met with some type of remark. It was one character trait which was unfailingly unpleasant, and which was deeply rooted inside of his personality.


    ¡°I appreciate the joyous attitude in the morning; it really does help me start off on a happy note. I guess you have also found your gift, even if it is an extremely unpleasant one.¡± Marisa was not the type to simply accept a sharp tongue in silence. Some would even go so far as to say she could be a contrarian on certain occasions, though to a much lower level than Derrick.


    The room underwent a change, in that Artian noticed the two of them bantering. Of course, such an occurrence is not at all an odd thing. Walking over, he inquired, ¡°So why did you interrupt me? You do realize I was cultivating here? Anyways, thank you for stopping me for your oh so important drivel.¡± With a smile appearing Artian asked, ¡°That aside, what do you want? Or was it just to watch me in the morning?¡± Pausing a second, shock registered upon Artian¡¯s face as he asked quietly, ¡°Derrick, how are you awake? Did someone die?¡± Derrick himself was unable to tell whether Artian was being serious or not, as it was extremely strange for him to be up at this early a time. 9 O¡¯clock was considerably different from his usual schedule, and a distinct change usually did not signal something favorable.


    Derrick put on a face of consternation in response. Looking at the ground, Derrick began. "No, no one died. Something bad did happen though. A fight broke out in town and not four people are injured badly. Apparently it has something to do with the Seon Empire or something.¡± Hah, let¡¯s see if this gets him, it will be hilarious if it does, though Derrick.


    Artian fell hook, line, and sinker for the ploy. With a concerned face he asked, ¡°How were the damages to the surrounding areas? And how long will the recovery time be?¡±


    Derrick was laughing inside; however he managed to keep a straight face. ¡°The damages were minimal; again, they were just merchants. As to the recovery time, I¡¯m afraid it will be months before a full recovery, if they do even make a full recovery. Anyway, that¡¯s all about that subject. I actually came for a different reason. I wanted to try and spar against you. I¡¯ve now been training for a few months, and have made some improvements to my abilities.¡±


    Silence hung in the air for a few moments, and Marisa decided to interject. ¡°You do realize that Artian is years older than you, right? Added to that, you have just begun practicing, how could you fight back?¡± Mental energy had a certain peculiarity to it, and that was that when cultivating or using it perception was nigh impossible unless one intentionally probed at it. Even then it is just feeling around at it blindly. It is akin to a mountain and a hill in a sense, in that when walking upon one it is hard to differentiate with your eyes closed. Because of this factor no one actually knew how Derrick was coming along in regards to his training, and even if they did mental abilities were something which was only trained very rarely.


    Artian looked at his brother who was only six and decided that he would not humor him. ¡°If I did attack it could hurt you, even if I didn¡¯t use my aura. I still am not at the level where I can perfectly manipulate it. If I could perfectly regulate it, I would spar with you. Remember this, the body is only about thirty percent of my power, and my aura is also only about thirty percent of it. Don¡¯t forget that the other forty percent is neither of them; it is the skill to use both of them together skillfully. If you are able to do this right, you can create a synergy which exceeds your normal capacity. Do not forget this Derrick.


    Derrick nodded, having listened with one hundred percent attention. Slightly annoyed, he acted without shame and increasingly said, ¡°Scared, I understand. My prowess is something truly amazing.¡± Derrick responded with a simple retort, but he did still listen carefully to Artian¡¯s words, as he did greatly respect and admire him. However, Derrick would never admit to such a thing.


    Artian¡¯s words did have an important meaning, as power used without skill renders it nigh useless. Synergy, though Derrick, I wonder what that really counts for in the world. In truth, Artian¡¯s words went past being able to use each available asset in conjunction well, but he didn¡¯t truly grasp why.