《Path of the Berserker (A Daopocalypse Progression Fantasy) [Book 5 in progress]》


 Prologue - The last night on Earth

    November 4<sup>th</sup> 2023 Denver, Colorado, United States


    The last night on Earth


    I was eight years old when the cultivators first arrived.


    It was a Friday night, a fun time to relax and chill after a boring week at school. Dad was in the living room with Mom, watching a movie. My older sister, Jess, pretended to be watching the movie with them, sitting the wrong way on the love seat, dangling both legs over the padded armrest as she thumbed away on her cell phone.


    I played Minecraft in the adjoining computer room, just out of sight and earshot of the PG-13 movie. That¡¯s why it took me a few extra seconds to realize something was wrong. I was too busy clicking away at blocky pixels to notice the loud beep of the emergency broadcast warning.


    It was only when my mother let out an alarming gasp, did I look up and see all three of my family members standing and gawking at the flatscreen on the wall. My heart sped a little as I joined them, confusion turning to apprehension as I entered the living room.


    My dad, a plumber by trade who sported a grey-streaked beard and a beer gut, upped the volume on an Asian-American anchorwoman on the news. She was visibly distressed, but clearly doing her best to remain professional as she read from an unseen teleprompter.


    ¡°¡­reports as far as Australia, China, parts of the Middle East. As far as our sources can confirm, this is a global phenomenon we are witnessing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked my mother.


    She didn¡¯t respond to me, her hazel eyes wide as they remained glued to the TV.


    ¡°Mo¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Max!¡± my sister snapped.


    Normally I would have snapped right back at her, but something in the way she said it caused me not to. That strange tremble of fear in her voice said to do exactly what she said. So I did. And for the next thirty minutes I stood in dead silence as I watched the end of the world play out on the TV.


    The first anomaly detected were the golden pagodas floating in the sky. Minutes of chaos ensued as footage rolled in from TikTok and YouTube stars filming the strange objects. It took them a few minutes more to realize they were not in the sky, but in space.


    And getting closer.


    White House press secretaries and Department of Defense personnel came on next, blubbering about the sightings, mostly trying to downplay it. That¡¯s when the first of the attacks happened. I can¡¯t recall which country was first. Indonesia? China? It didn¡¯t really matter.


    They all folded just the same.


    The only thing I truly recall were the images on the TV screen. It was like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. I watched the snow-capped peak of Mount Everest get cleaved off like a watermelon being sliced by a katana. Later I learned that the actual truth wasn¡¯t too far from that.


    A shaky image of an aircraft carrier taken from a helicopter, I assumed, came next, depicting a man-sized figure hovering over it, suspended by nothing. It was an old man as far as I could tell, with loose flowing white hair and a matching beard that undulated as if underwater. Robes made of some unknown, sparking material moved in sync with the beard as three golden rings rotated in a circular pattern behind him. Missiles and anti-aircraft guns fired on the old man at point-blank range, only to detonate prematurely as they collided with an unseen barrier expanding several meters around him. After the assault, he raised his hand and huge bolts of purple lightning crackled from the sky, shaking the footage with static as they struck the deck of the carrier. Huge explosions engulfed the vessel and a hundred thousand tons of steel upended and sank into the sea.


    Another image caught a woman with cat-like ears, wielding a sword against a battalion of tanks, slicing through them like they were made of Play-Doh. A group of warriors in ancient bronze armor and spears faced off against a company of modern-day soldiers with assault rifles and tactical gear¡­the warriors won. At one point some country panicked and launched a nuke, I think, but as it detonated the enormous mushroom cloud was consumed by a vacuum, generated from the palm of a bare-chested old man wearing a rusted crown who flew through the sky like a Greek god.


    My young mind didn¡¯t know how to make sense of it all, still in that stage of deciphering fact from fiction. They were like superheroes to me, or supervillains, I suppose. I kept waiting for the real superheroes to appear. To arrive at the very last minute and save the day, just like in my comics.


    But no heroes came that night and things only got worse.


    Reports of strange creatures began to appear. Giant leviathans crawling out of the sea, wildlife mutating and attacking people in the streets. The footage grew more and more graphic as the editors, I assume, gave up and let the reports stream in uncensored in real time. There were ghastly scenes of carnage my young mind couldn¡¯t handle, and I recall my mother pulling me to her chest at one point to shield me from it.


    But she couldn¡¯t shield me from the sounds. I can still hear those screams to this day.


    Yet strangely it was still all just like a movie to me at the time. Unreal.


    Perhaps almost¡­not real. Or so my young mind sought to protect itself.


    Only when I saw the reactions of my family did the reality of the situation finally hit me and my heart began to race. I vaguely remembered my sister crying and my mother desperately trying to console her despite the tears streaking down her own face. My father was as I¡¯d never seen him before. The blue-collar tough guy reduced to a man trembling and fearing for his family¡¯s safety, yet not having the slightest clue as what to do.


    He stayed fixed to the TV as if waiting for answers.


    Only when the lights flickered and the power cut off, did he finally spring into action.


    ¡°Everyone, get to the truck. Grab what you can. Now!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± my mother cried. ¡°Where the hell are we going to go, Steven?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± my father fired back aggressively, but more out of fear than anger, I could tell. He then composed himself a little. ¡°Look, we can¡¯t stay here. We need to get out of the city. Maybe head into the mountains or something.¡±


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    ¡°Steven, it¡¯s November!¡±


    My father ignored her. ¡°Kids, grab your things now. Come on! Move it!¡±


    That¡¯s when I finally began to cry.


    The next ten minutes went by in a flurry of sobs, tears, and hasty confusion. By the light of cell phones, we tossed canned goods, sleeping bags, and whatever we could think of into the back of my dad¡¯s plumbing truck parked in the garage. I remember packing my iPad, some comic books, and a stuffed walrus named Sammy that I was growing too old for, but that night, I clung to like he was my very last friend on Earth.


    After wrestling the garage door open with no power, we hopped in the truck and my dad gunned it in reverse and onto the street. It¡¯s hard to remember what happened next, because there was a loud bang and my head flew into the side of the car door.


    The blaring sound of an unyielding car horn woke me and I realized I must have blacked out for a moment. My head hurt and felt wet when I touched it.


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    My mother was there in an instant, already outside the truck, helping me and Jess out of the wreck with tears in her eyes. My sister was screaming and crying almost hysterically, causing me to do the same when I saw blood gushing from her nose, having smashed it into the back of the headrest.


    When my mom finally got us out, I saw a convertible had slammed into the back of the truck, spinning us in a 180. My father was outside yelling at the driver, a guy in his 20s that was holding his own head and bleeding while shouting aggressively in my dad¡¯s face.


    Fear and pain paralyzed me. All I could do was cry and cling to my mother and sister.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, babies,¡± she said, trying her best to console us. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡±


    I stared up at her and the vacant, fear-soaked look in her eyes did the opposite of fill me with comfort. I looked past her instead to the night sky beyond. In that odd moment I recall never seeing the stars so vividly before. The entire street was pitch black, with only the sound of sirens filling the cold November air.


    Then I saw it.


    One of the golden pagodas floating in the sky. It had looked so fake on the TV, but now with my own eyes, it looked both real and unreal. It was small yet huge, looming like a second moon in the sky. The moon itself was also odd-looking, tinted a deep orange-red. Small objects streamed out of the pagoda like a trail of ants and in the sky, shooting stars whipped by like lightning.


    The blaring car horn must have alerted something, because the next moment an object the size of a semi-truck dropped violently out of the sky. It decelerated rapidly, stopping just meters before impacting the ground. It was shaped vaguely like a sailing ship, made of what looked to be wood with a mast and sails of stiff, white cloth. A loud humming emitted from several glowing rocks lining the bottom of the hull.


    All of us grew silent then, even my dad and the man arguing with him.


    My breath caught as a gangplank lowered from the strange craft and visions of all the horrors I¡¯d witnessed flashed through my mind. Two men in black robes trimmed with jade descended the plank, curved scabbards held tightly by their sides. They looked somewhat Asian to me, but darker skinned, like Malaysian perhaps. A woman then followed behind them and as soon as she looked in our direction, my blood froze with an inexplicable fear.


    Her face was what you¡¯d think an angel would look like, narrow with elegant features, her skin so pale it was nearly paper white. In the darkness she seemed to produce a light of her own, accentuated by her silvery eyes. Her body was as slender as her face and moved with a grace that made her float more than walk in her silver robes. Her platinum hair was pinned in a top knot and held in place by a small crown of jade and gold.


    I could hear only sniffles from my sister as the woman approached us, flanked by the two men with swords and although I could see no sword of her own, something told me she was far more dangerous than the two men with her.


    They shared quick glances between themselves, speaking in a clipped language I didn¡¯t understand. Finally, the woman took hold of a small jade bead on her necklace and began speaking into it. While her lips moved, sound came from the bead itself in perfect, accent-less English.


    ¡°This One is known as Silver Tear, Seventh Warden and Silver Leaf sect elder, Chief Administrator for Cultural Appropriation of this¡­¡± She paused and whispered something to one of the men who whispered something back. ¡°¡­of this planet formerly known to you as Earth. You are now wards under the protection of her divine majesty, Third Princess Lunalah, Two Hundred and Fifty-Seventh heir to the Imperial Yee Dynasty.¡±


    No one said anything, stupefied by what the woman had just said.


    The guy in the car made a sudden break for it, his fight or flight response choosing the latter. He got all of five steps before one of the men literally flashed across the street twenty meters to reach him and stomped him into the tarmac with a swift kick to the back of his thigh. The man cried out, wailing in pain, cursing about his leg being broken.


    My sister shuddered against me, whimpering even more. ¡°I want to go home¡­¡±


    The silver-eyed woman spoke again. ¡°You are mortal savages unfamiliar with our ways. Thus, only due to your tremendous ignorance, shall This One pardon your transgressions for not showing proper respect. This one shall spare your lives, but you will pay for this insult with something else.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± my dad said. ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Luckily This One has need of what you possess.¡± She then turned to her subordinate. ¡°Deliver the children to me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± my mother screamed. ¡°No!¡±


    Her cries went unheeded as the other man zipped across the distance to us and grabbed both my sister and I by the arm. We screamed and struggled in unison, our feet skidding across the asphalt as he dragged us towards the vessel.


    My father let out a primal cry as he rushed the man.


    He slammed a fist into the back of the man¡¯s head and suddenly his eyes shot open with pain like he¡¯d just punched a bowling ball. He cursed, grasping his wrist, but that didn¡¯t stop him from trying again. He lunged into the man with a shoulder tackle. My mother joined him, screaming as she thumped the man repeatedly on the back.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this!!¡± my mother screamed hysterically. ¡°Max! Jessie!¡±


    The man finally pushed them both aside with a gentle sweep of his arm that somehow threw them back ten meters across the road, slamming them forcefully into the side of the truck. It was Jess and I¡¯s turn to cry out now, wailing for our parents. They stirred slowly, stumbling to get back on their feet, but both clearly had broken bones or more.


    ¡°Mom! Dad!¡±


    My vision blurred as I cried uncontrollably, tears filling my open mouth with salt. Just as we were being dragged up the gangplank the silver-eyed woman stopped and gripped my sister forcefully by the chin to stare directly into her bloodied face.


    ¡°Not this one,¡± the woman said. ¡°Too old. She will remember too much. Never learn our ways. Leave her.¡±


    The woman stared into my face next and pinched her slender brows together curiously. ¡°How old are you, boy?¡±


    I¡¯d always been small for my age, but I prayed that somehow, just this once I¡¯d look older than I was. I steeled myself, purposefully trying to hold back my sobs.


    ¡°Twelve,¡± I said.


    The woman smirked, amused. ¡°Clever, but not very wise. You barely look half that age. You¡¯d have been better off saying seven. Even then you¡¯d be too old.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I shouted. ¡°I¡¯m eight! I¡¯m really eight!¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°This one has spirit. Take him. He may have potential to assimilate even at his age.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I cried.


    My sister screamed, reaching out for me as they pushed her down the gangplank. ¡°Max!¡±


    Our fingers barely touched before they pulled us apart. I screamed my lungs out, crying for my sister and my parents. As the gangplank raised my father made a desperate last attempt to rush the boat. He got halfway up the gangplank just a few feet from the silver-eyed woman, fist cocked with a punch. In a flash, one of the men jabbed him lightly in the stomach with his scabbard, causing my father to keel over with blood leaking from his mouth.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    My sister and mother rushed to his side, cradling him as he wheezed in pain on the ground.


    ¡°Shall I kill him for attempting to lay hands on you, Lady Silver Tear?¡±


    The man¡¯s words caused my heart to stop. I looked desperately up at the woman¡¯s cold, steely eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± she said finally before gazing at the sky. ¡°The Bloodmoon is nearly formed. The aberrations shall come to devour them soon enough.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what that word meant but images of those frightful monsters came to my mind and I began to wail uncontrollably. ¡°No! Please, no! Don¡¯t leave them! Mommy! Daddy! Jessie!¡±


    ¡°This One will waste no more time here,¡± Silver Tear said as she turned her back to me to depart. ¡°Go.¡±


    With that, the gangplank was secured and the craft began to rise. I dashed to the side of the boat, screaming over the railing for my parents and sister, my stomach sick, my mind filling with the horrors of what would soon happen to them.


    I cried out for them futilely, their figures growing smaller and smaller in the darkness as the screeches of monsters began to fill the night.

 Chapter 1

    Year 14,754 of the Imperial Yee Dynasty, Native Housing District, Jurin Province, Planet Terra


    Twelve years later¡­


    The final memory of my sister and parents flashed through my mind as I endured another hard slap of bamboo across my back. My bare skin screamed, but I refused to let my mouth do the same. I gritted my teeth instead, breathing hard through my nose in a vain attempt to diffuse the pain. I balled my shackled hands into fists, squeezing the wooden stump between my legs and arms as the public flogging continued.


    ¡°Two!¡± the robe-clad Enforcer shouted as he struck me again. ¡°Three!¡±


    The count continued up to eight. By that time, the overweight Enforcer was desperately out of breath and half the population of the Native Housing District had gathered to watch. The Enforcer¡¯s face was concealed behind a black veil, the same color as his robes, but by his sloppy build and the force of his strikes, I knew he was Terran just like the rest of us.


    That made him all the more pathetic in my eyes.


    But although he was the one administering the strikes, the true instigator of my punishment was the low-tier Foundation Realm cultivator smirking behind him, Li Fet. Li looked human at first glance. He could pass for a middle-aged Asian man with a broad face and double chin, but a closer inspection would reveal a slight point to his ears, pegging him as one of the many alien races the Yee Dynasty had conquered over the millennia.


    Li Fet looked down at me smugly as he approached the stump, hands behind his back. ¡°That was to let you know that I am not joking with you, Chun. Now I¡¯ll ask you again. Where is my money?¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll tell you again,¡± I said, huffing through my nostrils. ¡°I lost it gambling.¡±


    I probably shouldn¡¯t have said that. Sassing him in front of an audience would cause a loss of face that would demand a lot more than an eight-tap beating. But to hell with it. I was having a bad day and was on a roll.


    Li Fet ordered more strikes for my insolence and the Enforcer got back at it.


    Through grunts of pain and watering eyes I saw her looking back at me in the crowd. In all honesty, she was probably the only one truly looking at me. The rest were shuffling by and pretending not to look. After all, a frown of sympathy or disapproval could land them on the stump next to me.


    But Yu Li had nothing but concern in her deep brown eyes as she stared back at me from the edge of the public square. She was a couple years younger and from the old world like I was. I asked her once where she came from, and she thought California, but was too young when they took her to truly remember. Her sandy brown hair and tan complexion said she was Hispanic though. In her arms, her baby cried. A newborn barely three months old now.


    Yu Li had named her Su Ling.


    The enforcer finally ran out of steam at 21 and by that time my back was raw and screaming for ice. My body trembled with the pain, my forehead dripping sweat onto the dusty asphalt that used to be the center of an intersection in old downtown Chicago. Or so the old maps said anyway.


    ¡°Perhaps now, Chun, you will answer more sensibly. Where is my money?¡±


    He said my Yee name with the alternate tone that changed its meaning to stupid. It was a joke I¡¯d grown accustomed to from the time I was force fed the Yee language in Foundational school at the age of nine or so.


    I forced myself into a submissive tone to respond¡ªmy back couldn¡¯t suffer another loss of face today. ¡°This One lost it gambling, honorable Li Fet. This One will have double the rent for you next month. This I swear by the heavens.¡±


    Li Fet nodded, seemingly appeased. He then shouted for all the crowd to hear. ¡°Let it be known that Li Fet is a merciful landowner. I have spared the life of this irresponsible wretch for two moons. Let any of you fall behind in payment and you shall receive the same just and merciful punishment.¡±


    As if on cue, the entire gathering performed small bows of thanks towards the cultivator for his great demonstration of grace.


    ¡°Release him,¡± Li Fet said and then lowering to me he whispered, ¡°this month is your back. Next month, will be your head.¡±


    *                 *       *


    The Enforcer threw my overcoat at me after he pushed me back into the crowd. I winced trying to pull it on over my throbbing wounds. That¡¯s when Yu Li suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side.


    ¡°Hey, take it easy. This freaking hurts, you k¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she said, cutting me off in a hushed whisper while bouncing Su Ling on her hip. ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I mean, why did you give me all of your money if you were short yourself? If I knew you were giving me your rent money, I wouldn¡¯t have even asked much less taken it!¡±


    I chuckled through the sting on my back. Yu Li had come looking for me the day before. She¡¯d run out of silver a week after payday as usual. I¡¯d stuffed the entire contents of my coin purse into her palm no questions asked.


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said. ¡°You haven¡¯t been able to work because of the baby. How else were you going to pay? Unless you wanted to be the one on the stump back there.¡±


    I gave her a cocky smile and Yu Li looked at me with an infuriated scowl, before quickly huffing out a sigh and then pulling me into a hug that made me wince again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you, Chun. As soon as I can find someone to look after Su Ling, I¡¯ll pay you back double. I promise.¡±


    ¡°You bet you will,¡± I said, but I had no intention of asking for a single Wen of copper back from her. Yu Li was about the closest thing to family that I had¨C¨Ca younger sister to me.  ¡°And you should be making plenty soon. You were close to breaking through the 9<sup>th</sup> Tier of Body Refinement and into the Foundation Realm before you had to quit school, right? Nothing but big money after that.¡±


    She huffed out a laugh, bouncing Su Ling who started to fuss. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. I¡¯ll never be able to show my face in that place again. I¡¯ll be lucky to ever break through on my own at this point.¡±


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    What Yu Li said was probably true. Cultivation took years of focused meditation and training to absorb the ambient energy of the universe and refine it into the usable form of Qi. Higher-level techniques could make the process faster, but that only came with formal education and training. Trying to break through to the next realm of cultivation, from mere Body Refinement to Foundation Establishment, took massive amounts of Qi and mental focus. For Yu Li, now with a kid, it was probably next to impossible. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to let her get discouraged over it.


    ¡°Hey, who needs ¡®em,¡± I said, folding my arms. ¡°Bunch of control freaks in that school anyway. Besides, it¡¯s supposed to be all self-study past that point, right?¡±


    Yu Li laughed. ¡°This from the guy who still hasn¡¯t broken through the 7<sup>th</sup> tier of Body Refinement yet.¡±


    I shrugged with a smile. ¡°What can I say? I like living up to my name.¡±


    We both laughed until an intrusive voice came from behind me.


    ¡°And what name would that be?¡±


    The voice was familiar and caused my lip to curl. If I had been able to break through to the 9<sup>th</sup> Tier of Body Refinement like Yu Li, I¡¯d probably be able to sense the massive well of Qi to my rear.


    But dumbass as I was, I sensed nothing.


    Except the stink of arrogance.


    I turned about slowly, careful not to lift my gaze too fully to meet the eyes of the cultivator as I performed an obligatory bow. ¡°Young Master Hein.¡±


    He was about the same age as Yu Li, fair skinned and dressed in the robes of nobility from one of the minor families within the greater Silver Leaf Clan. His baby face wore a smile of confidence that only wealth and privilege could provide. Two other similarly aged boys were with him, dressed in the same air of refinement. The three of them stood out like flies in congee being in the middle of the Native Housing District, but perhaps only those of even higher status would truly care about them being here.


    ¡°Master Hein,¡± Yu Li said, performing a small curtsey that made my stomach sick. ¡°You do recall my friend Chun, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The prick had met me at least three times already.


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± he said with an exaggerated smile. ¡°Chun!¡±


    The three boys laughed at the great joke and I humored the young master with a smile. ¡°Good one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course I remember you, Chun,¡± he said, patting me on the back and I resisted the urge to wince as the sting set my brain on fire. ¡°Chun here was an upperclassman of Yu Li. Sadly you had to drop out of the Foundation academy quite early, didn¡¯t you, Chun?¡±


    He wore a smirk that caused his two friends to grin.


    If I bought into the same cultural norms that they were accustomed to, the loss of that much face would force me to have to challenge him right there on the spot. But as a mid-tier Foundation Realm cultivator, Hein¡¯s strength, young as he was, would make even the likes of Li Fet, ¡®the gracious landowner¡¯, quiver.


    ¡°I did,¡± I answered simply with a smile. ¡°Like I said. I live up to my name.¡±


    The three laughed again and I simply grinned, playing the fool.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, turning from me and gesturing towards Yu Li. ¡°Did I not tell you that there were great beauties amongst the natives?¡±


    This caused Yu Li to grin and blush, while Hein¡¯s lackeys nodded like idiots, stroking their peach-fuzzed chins.


    I hated this guy, even though he was likely Su Ling¡¯s father. Although Yu Li had never admitted it, not even to me. To this day she¡¯d never said who the father was, which made the answer all the more obvious. To have a concubine at Hein¡¯s age was revolting, but to father a child was even more so. Plus, as detrimental as it was to Yu Li, it was perhaps even more so to him. If people who mattered ever found out, that was.


    But the fact that he¡¯d brought his friends to parade her about was a testament to the likelihood of that ever happening. The thought caused ire to burn deep in my soul. I wanted to snatch him by the collar and pound him in the face until he explained why Yu Li had to ask me for rent money while he flew home every night to the great gold pagoda in the sky.


    But I knew the answer.


    Hein wasn¡¯t rich; his family was. At his young age, there¡¯d be no decent reason for him to be giving money to a young mother in the Native district. Not that his family would miss the paltry sum that would allow Yu Li and Su Ling to live a good life. No, his lack of financial support stemmed from an even deeper rut of depravity.


    Hein didn¡¯t pay¡­because he didn¡¯t have to.


    My temples throbbed with simmering anger as I watched him continue to flirt with her.


    Yu Li was merely a thrilling pursuit to him before, but now she had become a proof of conquest to show off to his friends. It sickened me. All Yu Li could do now was pretend that Hein had no obligation to her at all¡ªto keep his secret and allow him to save face before his family, in hopes that one day he would honor her discretion with a show of charity.


    Damn cultivator society. And they call ¡®us¡¯ the savages?


    My hands balled into fists and I became acutely aware of how much anger and hatred was welling up inside of me. I wanted to lay this bastard low for what he¡¯d done and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he or any one of his family members could kill me in an instant, I¡¯d probably go for it too. He¡¯d robbed Yu Li of her innocence. Ruined her future. But worst of all.


    He had stolen Yu Li¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Perhaps some tea?¡± Yu Li offered.


    Hein smiled and nodded along with his friends.


    She finally extended the offer to me, but I shook my head and made sure I didn¡¯t let my disappointment or anger show as I put on a smile.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I have to get to work. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    *                 *       *


    Rain fell as I ran through the old streets of downtown.


    I welcomed it as it soaked through my overcoat and cooled the rawness of my back and the anger burning in my soul. By the time I neared the city¡¯s edge however, the coat started to chafe and I began to regret choosing today to tell Li Fet that I didn¡¯t have his rent money.


    Towering edifices of the old world lay in crumbled ruin all around me as I made my way east towards the fields. Skyscrapers with shattered windows, abandoned storefronts painted with graffiti and strewn with old banners for the Tournament of Mortal Champions last year. Even remnants of rusted war machines and burnt-out cars littered the streets, which were now overgrown with tall grass and weeds.


    The entire place was a dump, but the cultivators had no need to beautify this part of the city. It instead was home to those unable to afford even the paltry rent of the Native Housing District. Meanwhile the cultivators themselves dwelt within the golden pagoda that hovered eerily several hundred feet above the old city. Even in the grayed out, rain-drenched sky it glowed with the otherworldly light of a second sun. Small crafts and high-tier Core Realm cultivators flew back and forth from it, looking like flocks of tiny birds from this distance.


    I assumed that it was one of the same that had arrived to attack us that night. I wondered just how many there were now, each one hovering over the ruins of major cities from Old Earth. Regretfully, such details were never mentioned in any of my Dynasty reeducation classes, where my traumatized, young mind was forcibly remolded to conform to the society of our new cultivator masters.


    My first re-education consisted of learning the hieroglyphic-like script of the Yee language, and then from there learning about the hierarchy of cultivation and the ranks of power within them. The five realms of Mortal-level cultivation: from Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Sacred Soul, Lesser Deity and then beyond.


    I realized now that the superheroes I saw on TV that night were perhaps of the Lesser Deity Realm, on loan from the central planets at the core of the Dynasty¡¯s domain. That godlike figure that stopped the nuke for example was likely some elder half-brother of the current Yee Princess that now ruled our world. Big bro doing little sis a favor by clearing her newly gifted planet of its native pests.


    That¡¯s what most of them saw us as.


    Pests to be eliminated with a few to be tamed as pets.


    Apparently, while humans were common throughout the universe, the aptitude to detect and cultivate Qi was not. Our species, now dubbed Terran, was woefully inept at it, earning an overall D rating on average. That meant that less than 10% of the population could truly aspire to become Qi cultivators.


    Maybe that¡¯s why we excelled at science and not magic in our past.


    Magic, I thought, chuckling. That¡¯s what it still all was to me.


    Yu Li had fallen into that lucky 10%, which made it all the more infuriating that Hein had ruined her chances at a better life in this new world. As even a low-tier Foundation Realm cultivator she could find a decent job as an artisan or crafter. Maybe even more if she were allowed to continue her education, or God forbid, participate in that stupid Tournament of Mortal Champions that promised true Yee citizenship to the winner. She¡¯d be able to join even a sect then.


    But for me? I knew I was a dumbass when it came to Qi early on.


    Chun had become my schoolyard nickname by the age of 12, as did the daily beatings that came with it. But the feeling was mutual. I despised not just the cultivators, but the very idea of the thing. Sucking up the life force of the universe for selfish gains? To hell with that. Maybe that¡¯s why I had no aptitude for it. It just rubbed me wrong, in the worst kind of way. My entire family died for their savage gluttony and I wanted nothing to do with it.


    Still, this was my reality now.


    And angst didn¡¯t pay the bills.

 Chapter 2

    Banners with directions to the Jurin Province proving grounds littered the dirt road as I passed through the lush farmlands on the outskirts of the city. Wheat, rice, vegetables; every crop you could think of was grown by the farming sects, which, despite their low ranking in terms of martial status, more than made up for it in terms of economic power and control. Most of what was left of humanity worked here now, slaving away in the sun for paltry sums of silver per month. Some of the farmers waved to me as I passed by, a few of them older than I was. They could still make a decent living in time, maybe even cultivate if they had the aptitude.


    But for a Qi-less wonder like me, my prospects for employment were much worse.


    I approached the wooden structure that housed the guard post of the City¡¯s eastern gate. It was the shape and size of a small barn with a roof but no walls. Already I could see cultivators from various sects milling underneath the shelter, while guides and handlers were being assigned to them for their excursions beyond the wall.


    I was one such handler.


    And I was late.


    I picked up the pace and hoped the supervisor wouldn¡¯t notice as I slipped into the routine with my fellow guides. The giant pagoda that floated in the sky provided one more vital function besides being a secondary sun for our dreary city. It created a protective barrier that shielded us from the effects of the Bloodmoon. Everything beyond the low stone wall marking the edge of the barrier was a no man¡¯s land. The realm of monsters, demons, and spirit beasts. And it was my job to guide Qi-hungry cultivators through it each day.


    ¡°I told him your dog died,¡± whispered Mu Lin¡ªone of my co-workers¡ªas she rushed past me and pushed my uniform into my arms.


    ¡°Again?¡± I said, as I slipped it on over my overcoat.


    ¡°I told him you had three.¡± She then paused thoughtfully. ¡°Well, I guess that means you only have one left now. So don¡¯t screw up again, okay?¡±


    I chuckled at that. Thank God for Mu Lin.


    The slightly stocky Indian girl with glasses was another old Earther like me. If not for her and my other co-worker, Lee, I probably would have given up on this world a long time ago. Lee was already leaving the compound, tethered to a trio of cultivators from the Golden Sparrow Sect. He spotted me and gave me a head nod and eyeroll that told me to look out for the boss.


    The boss in question was named Sumatra: a tall, gray-skinned mountain of a man from some other world. I looked over at him and the big, bald-headed bastard laughed and then made a ¡°boohoo¡± gesture, by rubbing his knuckles under his eyes.


    Geeze, what an a-hole, I thought.


    I acknowledged the gesture with a slight nod and wave, wanting the day to be done with already.


    ¡°Well at least he¡¯s not punishing you,¡± Mu Lin said with a grin, as she fiddled with a backpack full of provision, maps, and other essentials for venturing into the wild. I did the same, wondering where and how far this day would take me, or if I¡¯d even make it back at all.


    Most times only highly seasoned Core Realm cultivators were allowed permission to venture into the Bloodmoon zones for a large fee and a small tax on whatever they would bring back with them. It was actually the planet¡¯s main source of income. So much so, that the Dynasty propaganda that the cultivators had actually come to Earth to save it from the Bloodmoon, seemed almost laughable now. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they caused the damn thing. Either that, or they had found an ingenious way to turn a cataclysmic, species-ending event into an opportunity for profit.


    Both possibilities sickened me.


    Apparently, Earth had now become to the Yee Dynasty what the Caribbean was to the old world. A distant locale with exotic attractions for cultivators to come and ascend to new heights.


    For me that meant tagging along while visitors from other worlds tore apart monsters by day and then retreated to the safety of the protective barrier by night, avoiding the full influence of the Bloodmoon which turned the already scary monsters into even scarier Demons. Sometimes though, overzealous young masters like Hein would hire tours just to show off to their friends. The result was usually the cultivator running off while the handlers were killed by creatures far too powerful for them to be messing with. Or it could be as simple as people ventured too far out and got caught outside the barrier when night fell.


    Regardless of the cause, there were a multitude of ways to die if you ventured out alone, which made our job dangerous, yet essential. You¡¯d think with a combination like that it would pay a lot to be a handler and in the old world it probably would have, like that Alaskan fishing show I used to watch on TV. But in a hierarchical society, there was no need to pay. You simply left the dangerous jobs to those without the wherewithal to do anything better.


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    ¡°So, who we got today?¡± I asked, looking at the small handful of cultivators left.


    Across the shelter from us was a group of three locals from the Fire Bird Sect, known by their flamboyant red and orange robes. Joining them were two other cultivators who looked like they were from off world. One was a man who wore monk¡¯s robes with a bald head and a long wispy beard. He looked to be in his eighties, which in cultivator terms could mean literally ten times that for his actual age.


    ¡°Hey, how powerful is he?¡± I asked, nudging Mu Lin.


    Unlike me, Mu Lin was already a Foundation-level cultivator who did this job by choice, not default. A chance to ¡°learn from the masters,¡± as she called it, before she applied to some fancy post-Foundation school to become a scholar. I didn¡¯t care about any of that, but with her skills, Mu Lin could gauge a cultivator¡¯s relative strength just by looking at them. For me, it was an easy way to ensure that I got attached to someone skilled enough to not end up on the wrong side of a spirit beast¡¯s jaws. Plus, I knew she got a bit of a kick out of it too.


    Mu Lin squinted at the old man while adjusting her wire-framed glasses. ¡°Really strong. Low-tier Core Realm at least. Perhaps 3<sup>rd</sup> or 4<sup>th</sup> tier even.¡±


    ¡°Looks like I found my guy,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°Who said you¡¯re going to get him?¡±


    I was just about to start haggling with Mu Lin, when the last cultivator suddenly stood from a crouched position and caused me to do a double take. It was a woman, but she was a good head taller than my boss Sumatra, who himself was a head taller than me. She looked to be built like him too, muscles on top of muscles with the same dull gray skin. She wore a leather breast plate and tartan instead of robes and strapped to her back was the largest sword I¡¯d ever seen, nearly as long as she was tall and as thick as a plank of wood.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I said in a hushed whisper, fearful she might hear me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Sumatra¡¯s big sister?¡± Mu Lin said with a grin.


    ¡°You can have the old guy. I¡¯ll take her. How strong is she?¡±


    Mu Lin squinted again and a puzzled look flashed across her face. ¡°Huh? I think she¡¯s mortal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t detect any Qi concentration in her at all. I thought she¡¯d be high-tier Foundation Realm cultivator at least, looking like that.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯re telling me she¡¯s not a cultivator?¡±


    Mu Lin shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Maybe she¡¯s just really big and strong?¡±


    I looked at the giant woman again, who was alien even for this strange world in more ways than one. Her skin was covered in ritual scars or tattoos and her face, which might have been pretty once, was covered in the same. In fact, the only thing feminine about her was the shock of messy white hair that spilled to her mid-back.


    ¡°Nevermind. I want the old dude back. I don¡¯t care how big and strong you look. No way you¡¯re going to survive out there against a pack of raplings without Qi Body Refinement. How did she even get a pass?¡±


    ¡°Beats me. But I guess the silver talks as usual?¡± Mu Lin said, jutting her chin towards Sumatra.


    I thought about that for a moment. One had to take certain tests to even qualify for a Bloodmoon pass. But even after that there was the fee, which would be about ten years¡¯ worth of wages at my salary. I glanced at Sumatra. I¡¯d seen the bastard make these kinds of exceptions before¡ªturning a blind eye to an ¡°extra¡± guest if the group tipped a little ¡°extra¡± coin. Maybe this was the same. A favor for a fellow countrywoman from his home world.


    Man, the corruption here never ends.


    But then something else occurred to me. If Sumatra truly had done something like that, then he was not just putting that woman¡¯s life in jeopardy, but our own.


    A slow ire began to build in my gut as my eyes narrowed at him. Had he sold our lives for a few extra Taels of silver? I watched as he joked and cajoled with the Fire Bird members, buttering them up for a healthy tip. Why wouldn¡¯t he do it? All he cared about was the money. And if a couple of natives had to die to give some muscle-headed idiot a crack at a swift death, then why not? I bit my lip the more I thought about it, drawing the coppery taste of blood.


    Suddenly the giant woman snapped her head to the side, as if someone had just called her name. She then turned about fully and her slate-gray eyes fell directly on me. I stiffened, unnerved by the sudden movement. An uneasy feeling then came over me as she continued to stare, her face made of stone.


    Then, as quickly as it happened, she turned away again and focused back on Sumatra.


    ¡°Wow, that was creepy,¡± Mu Lin said. ¡°She must have overheard you or something.¡±


    ¡°Overheard me say what?¡±


    Mu Lin shrugged just as Sumatra called us over.


    ¡°This is Chun and Mu Lin,¡± he introduced us. ¡°Two of my best handlers. Since it¡¯s so few of you, I¡¯ll give you both of them for the price of one if you travel as a group. What do you say?¡±


    The cultivators began to confer with one another, discussing how they¡¯d split the cost between them. I felt slightly relieved. Maybe Sumatra wasn¡¯t as bad a guy as I thought he was. At least he was trying to group us all together with the real cultivators for protection.


    ¡°No,¡± the tall woman suddenly said.


    That caused everyone to pause.


    Sumatra chuckled. ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±


    ¡°I need no guide. I¡¯ll travel alone.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, I told you already, there are rules,¡± Sumatra said, and then he added something else, slipping into another tongue that I didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Vul wert ist?¡±


    The woman responded in the same language and a heated discussion took place between them, ending with both of them looking frustrated. Finally, Sumatra shook his head, huffing out a long sigh. ¡°Look, the Imperial Guard patrols the proving grounds. If they find someone without a handler, it¡¯ll not just be your head but mine. It can¡¯t happen.¡±


    A few more tense seconds passed as the woman¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said eventually and then her gray eyes fell on me again. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡±


    I expected Sumatra to protest some more, but then he paused a moment before slowing nodding.


    ¡°A fine choice,¡± Sumatra said with a smile before giving me a wink. ¡°No one is better than Chun here.¡±

 Chapter 3

    I cursed non-stop in the back of my mind as I huffed down the forest trail like a madman.


    Why did shit like this always happen to me?


    I bit my lip, pumping my hands into fists that I wanted to bury into Sumatra¡¯s face. I made a vow that if I ever did make it back alive, I¡¯d do just that. The satisfaction of pummeling that greedy, gray bastard would be well worth the reciprocation it would no doubt bring. I glanced over my shoulder at my so-called cultivator.


    The giant oaf of a woman hadn¡¯t said a word since we departed. She lumbered along with slow, deliberate steps, which, due to her height I suppose, matched my own hurried pace quite easily. And that was fine with me. Standing still for too long was a surefire way to attract the kind of attention I just didn¡¯t want today.


    As for where I was headed, that was something I hoped to keep a mystery for as long as possible. Before we had left, the woman didn¡¯t give very specific instruction as to what she was looking for out here in the wild, but what she did say, caused me to tense and Mu Lin to grow pale with fright.


    ¡°Take me to wherever the strongest monsters lie,¡± was all she¡¯d said.


    That had sealed the deal for me. This woman was either delusional or suicidal and I wanted nothing to do with her. Thus, I made a concerted effort do the exact opposite of what she¡¯d said. The barrier was marked by the low stone wall ringing the city, but from years of taking cultivators into the Bloodmoon zone, I knew there was a residual effect that spread slightly beyond it. It was a thin sliver of perhaps only a quarter mile or so wide, a space where the monsters wouldn¡¯t dare approach during the day. At night that was a different story, especially on a full moon where the demons would sometimes attack the barrier en masse.


    This meant I was now spending my time trying to wind a long yet imperceptible loop within that thin space. If this woman was truly delusional then hopefully she wouldn¡¯t even notice and I could waste the day away and chalk the lack of monsters up to simply bad luck.


    The terrain we were currently traversing through was helpful in that regard. What used to be the suburbs was now transformed into a juvenile forest, with young spruce and oak trees vaulting through the rooftops of decades-old duplexes and apartment blocks. The semi-uniformity of it all gave the forest an indecipherable sameness that hopefully I could keep backtracking through unnoticed.


    But that wasn¡¯t my only task.


    Most of the monsters in this area were not the truly mutated kind, like those found deeper in the wilderness. They were usually C rank and lower and more like giant animals, which was perhaps another side-effect of the barrier¡¯s influence. Still, giant beasts were no joke. Once I¡¯d come across a giant stag the size of an elephant. It took a group of five Foundation-level cultivators to bring it down and none of them walked away unscathed. Against something like that, Bodybuilder Barbie and I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    So while I navigated, I also actively tracked and scouted ahead.


    What I lacked in Qi detection, I more than made up for in wilderness survival skills. It was mostly just survival instinct at first, but now after nearly five years of doing this crap, I had developed a sixth sense as what to look for when it came to seeking out prey and ensuring you didn¡¯t become the same.


    Traces of stool, hoof prints, even a broken twig were all telltale signs I could use to decipher exactly what type of creature had passed, its direction, and how long ago. But where I¡¯d be normally using those skills to follow a beast, I was now using them to do the exact opposite.


    After a few hours of doing this a loud thunk! suddenly came from behind me.


    ¡°This is far enough.¡±


    I turned to see the woman had planted her massive sword into the ground.


    I stiffened and feared that she might have figured out my ploy, but I was actually more impressed that she had finally decided to say something after all this time. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. You can leave now. Go back to the city. I told you I need no guide.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say for a few seconds. Should I really just leave her here? Not like I could stop her from doing so anyway if she so chose. Non-cultivator or not, the woman was still three times my size. But crazy as she was, I couldn¡¯t just leave her here to die.


    ¡°Look, lady. I really can¡¯t let you stay out here. You need to come back with me. It¡¯s not safe.¡±


    ¡°Do I look defenseless to you?¡±


    I really didn¡¯t want to answer that question, because the truth might give her the wrong idea. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I think you look like. My friend could detect your Qi concentration, or more accurately, your absence of it. We both know you¡¯re not a cultivator. And trust me when I tell you that you will not survive out here as a mortal.¡± And then I added, to hopefully convince her further, ¡°We both won¡¯t.¡±


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    ¡°What you say may be true. I may not survive,¡± she said with a subtle smile. ¡°We shall see. So long, young man.¡±


    I sighed, frustrated. ¡°Lady, please. That pal of yours Sumatra might not give a damn if you get killed out here, but I really can¡¯t have that on my conscience. So please come back with me, okay? Please¡­¡±


    Her eyes softened as her smile grew warm. ¡°You have a kind heart, don¡¯t you? Tell me, young man, do you believe in destiny?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The woman stared up at the sky. ¡°I knew my path would lead me here, to the furthest reaches of the domain, but never would I have imagined, that it would lead me also, to the embers of an unkindled Flame.¡±


    What? Was that a freaking poem? ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± I really didn¡¯t have time for this. ¡°Look, lady, we really just need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I sensed your anger from before the time we left and it¡¯s only grown since then. A deep seething rage building up inside of you. Tell me¡­if you had the strength to match that rage. What would you do with it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. If you had the strength to become a cultivator. To put into action the rage burning in your heart, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t underst¡ª¡±


    ¡°Humor an old woman¡­please. Tell me what is it that ignites your [Frenzied Flame].¡±


    I licked my lips wondering if this was some kind of trick or mind game by the strange way she said it, but she sounded completely sincere too. More than that I could feel a sudden burning in my chest, like a memory bringing on a heated resentment and anger. My mind began to churn.


    What would I do if I had the strength of a cultivator?


    My first thought was of Sumatra and punching him in the face without fear of retaliation or reprisal. Then I thought of Hein and doing the same. That sparked an even greater resentment as I thought about how much he¡¯d ruined Yu Li¡¯s life and got away with it scot-free. The hypocrisy and injustice of it all. The entire cultivator society and their arrogant sense of superiority and privilege. The society they imposed upon us in the name of saving us, forcing us to rely upon them by destroying our world.


    ¡°I¡¯d burn it all down,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d rip every damn pagoda right out of the sky. I¡¯d free my people and crush the cultivators for what they¡¯ve done to us.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°And what have they done? Tell me what it is that drives your fury? Tell me your [Sorrow and Pain].¡±


    My mind began playing backwards, reliving the torment and humiliation of my short adult life. I went back further to my teens, facing the ridicule and abuse of privileged young masters eager to remind me of my place. My earlier years as a young child, terrified and alone, filled with the constant fear and confusion of being thrust into a world I just didn¡¯t understand. And finally, to that night twelve years ago, where an eight-year-old me had my life torn apart.


    That last glimpse of my parents and sister flashed through my mind again. I relived every second, my young psyche shattered by the terror and grief of knowing how horribly my family soon would die.


    Mommy¡­ Daddy¡­ Jessie.


    I had tears in my eyes now, the deep pain pulling me back through time. I looked up at the woman. ¡°What is this?¡±


    She merely nodded. ¡°Thou art indeed an unkindled Flame, a frenzied spirit, tempered by struggle and sorrow, fueled by rage and pain.¡±


    She said it like a poem again and something seemed to open up inside of me.


    ¡°I will make you an offer that can change your destiny, unkindled one, if you so choose. I can reveal to you a path to strength, but you must be willing to sacrifice everything for it. Even your life.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She then turned from me and withdrew her sword from the ground. ¡°I plan to remain here until the Bloodmoon rises and will face the Demons that come for me. I do not know if I will survive. I do not care. I will fight them regardless. For this is my path. My Dao. If you wish to follow the same, then come with me, and bear witness to what you may become¡­if you survive. Else, leave now and be in peace.¡±


    I wiped my tears, trying to understand what she¡¯d just said. ¡°Wait, you came out here just to see if you could survive or not? You don¡¯t even know if you can? And you want me to hang around with you to find out?¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°You still have doubts. I understand. My strength is not something I can reveal without recourse, but just know that Qi is not the only path to power.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Cultivation can take many forms, but few travel the path that is difficult and narrow. Qi may be the widest and swiftest route to progression, but it is not the only.¡±


    I huffed out a caustic laugh. ¡°Yeah, well¡­wouldn¡¯t matter to me anyway. I can¡¯t cultivate Qi.¡±


    ¡°Neither can I¡­¡±


    She then reached into a pouch at her side and produced a metal ball that fit within her palm. ¡°Take this¡­¡±


    She tossed the ball to me and when I caught it, I realized it was much larger and heavier than I first thought, being closer to a shotput in both weight and size. I winced, barely cradling it as I absorbed the throw. I looked at it more closely in my palms. It was completely smooth and made of a highly polished metal like chrome or steel, but it seemed to weigh even more than steel would.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It contains instructions that will guide you on this path. Follow them and you will gain strength and power¡­ even immortality¡­ the same as the cultivators you so despise.¡±


    Was this for real?


    ¡°How do I open it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t. But if you wish for it to reveal itself to you, then follow me. When the Bloodmoon rises, we both shall see if we survive or not. If this is not something you can do, then return to the city now.¡±


    I looked hard at the giant woman, trying to decipher if she was a sage or merely insane.


    ¡°Think not long on this, unkindled one. There is neither shame nor glory in either choice. Let your destiny be your guide.¡±


    She then hefted the massive sword onto her shoulder and began heading deeper into the forest.


    A rush of conflicting emotions filled me as I stared down at the metal orb. Could this thing really teach me a different path to cultivation? Or was this woman still just a delusional and/or suicidal freak? Mu Lin said she sensed nothing from her, and I trusted Mu Lin. But I couldn¡¯t deny the strange sense of conviction and memories I¡¯d just experienced either. Still, was I really willing to risk my life on just that? She clearly didn¡¯t seem to care much about her own.


    I hesitated a moment, before finally shaking my head.


    No, this couldn¡¯t be real. And I couldn¡¯t trust my life to a stranger from off world who I¡¯d just met either. Hell, I didn¡¯t even know her name!


    ¡°Spend a night outside the barrier?¡± I huffed out a scoff. ¡°I must be as crazy as she is to even think about it!¡±


    I took one last look at the giant crazy woman, wished for her a painless death and then tossed the orb aside as I turned and walked away.

 Chapter 4

    Sweat beaded on my brow as the late afternoon heat took hold.


    I tried not to let the strange encounter play on my mind as I made my way back to the gate. A small part of me worried about what Sumatra would say when he saw me returning without her. No doubt he¡¯d panic about losing his position or something. Ironic that losing both a handler and client was perfectly acceptable and even preferable to losing just the client. With no witnesses to report the facts to the authorities, almost anything could be written up as death by misadventure within the Bloodmoon zone.


    A sudden flash of lightning stirred me out of my thoughts, followed by an immediate boom of thunder. I at first thought it was another rain shower approaching but the sky above was still clear as day.


    The thunder came again and this time I saw the lightning itself. Not a vertical flash but horizontal, up on a small hillside perhaps less than a quarter mile away. Squinting, I saw figures in red and orange robes dancing back and forth using martial techniques and qinggong.


    It was the Fire Bird Sect members that were a part of Mu Lin¡¯s group. The lightning flashed yet again and this time I saw it emanating from the old man who had joined their group as well.


    I figured they must have stumbled upon something. I was about to pay it no mind and start off for the gate again when a new sound caught my ear in between the cracks of thunder. A sudden high-pitched scream.


    Mu Lin.


    *                 *       *


    My legs pumped like pistons, driving me up the hill side. I wasn¡¯t a cultivator, but I¡¯d completed most of the Body Tempering Techniques they forced upon us in school. That made me what was perhaps an Olympic-class athlete back in the old world. I prayed that would be enough to get me there in time. In the few minutes that it took me to reach the hill, I¡¯d heard Mu Lin cry out at least twice more, but after that there had been only silence.


    My worst fears began to take hold as the silence continued, but I rejected them immediately. No, she¡¯d be alright, I told myself, but I couldn¡¯t deny the facts either. Mu Lin was here with not just one but four high-tier cultivators. For her to have screamed like that, they had to have run into something so powerful that even the four of them combined couldn¡¯t handle it.


    The list of things capable of that was quite short in my mind. A corpse demon, or a reaper beast perhaps? Nothing that should be this close to the barrier. But whatever it was, it was already far too powerful for me to even make a difference. Yet still I pressed on. I had to help my friend. I crested the rise where I saw them fighting earlier and my mind did a double take when I saw the huge swath of blood spilled all over the ground.


    My fears grew stronger.


    ¡°Mu Lin!¡± I called out for her.


    No answer.


    I followed the blood. Someone had been crawling on their stomach, the trail leading to a tree with faint and shallow breathing coming from behind it. Please don¡¯t be you, Mu Lin. I rounded the trunk and was somewhat relieved to see it was the old monk gasping and wheezing on the opposite side. But my relief was short lived when I saw that his insides had been torn out. I wanted to retch immediately from the stench of his bowels. He could barely register that I was even there.


    ¡°Old man¡­¡± I stooped down to him. ¡°What did this to you?¡±


    I feared to think what his answer would be, but his eyes were already glazed and growing fixed. ¡°They¡­ they took it¡­¡±


    ¡°Took what? Who?¡±


    ¡°My core¡­¡±


    What the hell¡­?


    I looked at his stomach again. It indeed wasn¡¯t a gore or bite wound, but the clean cut of a blade. His innards too looked like something had been pulled out from inside of them. I thought back when I saw the sect members fighting on the hillside. Were they actually fighting each other?


    ¡°Did the Fire Bird Sect members do this to you?¡±


    I¡¯d heard of such things before. Murderers who would rob Core Realm cultivators of the solidified lump of Qi they had spent decades or even centuries cultivating. They could fetch high prices on the black markets, but the punishment for such a crime was steep. It could bring down the wrath of entire sects or the empire itself. Were the Fire Birds really that stupid?


    I waited for a response, but the old man kept going on about his core as he continued to bleed out and die. I didn¡¯t have time for this.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted to get his attention again. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl? Where¡¯s Mu Lin?¡±


    He merely kept babbling.


    Screw this¡­ I didn¡¯t wait for him to respond any further. I needed to find her.


    I drew on my skills of the wild to piece together what had taken place. It was a chaotic scuffle that had ensued, but through the chaos I began to make sense of the conflict. The three members of the Fire Bird Sect must have surrounded the old man, gotten behind him perhaps. Even out-numbered though, it was surprising that they were actually able to defeat him if he was as powerful as Mu Lin had said.


    That increased my concern for Mu Lin. She was a cultivator, but she was more a scholar than a fighter. I left the dying old man and followed the trail, looking for any trace of her. Eventually I found something: the faintest sliver of her thick, dark hair. I tracked it further, where she looked to have broken into a run and I did the same.


    I descended the leeward side of the hill and eventually heard voices.


    ¡°Do it, just make sure she can¡¯t run again. The little bitch is quick.¡±


    My heart thundered with panic at the sound of that. I dashed into the small copse of trees where the voice had come from, just as a muffled cry filled the air. I finally saw Mu Lin about a hundred feet away, surrounded by the three Fire Bird Sect members, their orange robes now stained with a deeper shade of red. One of them, who was bald, held Mu Lin from behind, his hand cupped over her mouth. Her glasses were missing and tears streamed from her eyes. Just in front of her, another man with a thick beard was busy driving a sword deep into her thigh.


    ¡°Not too much!¡± the last man, who was white haired, and much older than the other two said as he began removing his robes. ¡°I don¡¯t want her bleeding all over me.¡±


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    My mind snapped, realizing what he was about to do. ¡°Get away from her!¡±


    I charged forward, no weapon in hand but I didn¡¯t care. I was going to tear them apart with my teeth if I had to. The cultivator holding Mu Lin glanced up, but merely grinned as I bore down on him.


    ¡°Look! The other one showed up! Guess it¡¯s a two for one special, just like Sumatra said.¡±


    He began laughing at his own joke and the slight distraction was enough for Mu Lin to sink her teeth into the flesh of his palm.


    ¡°Ah! You filthy bitch!¡±


    He let loose his hand and Mu Lin yelled.


    ¡°Chun, just run! They¡¯ll kill y¨C!¡±


    The cultivator coldcocked her hard across the temple and her body hit the ground like a sack of rice.


    ¡°Mu Lin!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t moving.


    An uncontrollable rage filled me as I watched her lying there either unconscious or dead. I fixed my sights on all three of the cultivators as I ran towards them and suddenly nothing else mattered to me besides their deaths.


    The sect member with the beard lunged at me with his blade from thirty feet away, moving so quickly that he was behind me before I knew what happened. I didn¡¯t even feel the pain until a moment later when a huge gash opened up in my side. I belched blood as my body lost all strength and I collapsed to my knees. Jeering laughs came next, as if I¡¯d just become the latest source for the trio¡¯s entertainment.


    ¡°You¡¯re as stupid as your name, you dumb bastard,¡± the man who cut me said while standing over me. ¡°You really think you can do anything to stop this? The best you can do is watch your lady friend enjoy the last moments of her life, right before we take yours.¡±


    I heaved and wheezed, shaking with rage as the pain in my side zapped all strength from my body. But as my blood began to pool on the thick grass, a new strength began to take hold. I thought back to the giant woman and her offer and wished I could have that power right now. As a cultivator, I would slay these scum no matter how powerful they were.


    No, forget that. I would slay them now!


    A primal grunt escaped my lips as I forced myself onto my feet and then drove my head deep into the bearded man¡¯s stomach. It was like headbutting a wall and I saw stars, but the move must have surprised him too, because it was enough to make him lose his balance for a second. I felt another surge of energy within me as a desperate thirst for violence and vengeance took hold. I lashed out with my fists and hands, clawing at his throat, and managed to tear off a piece of his beard.


    ¡°Gah!¡± he cried. He then volleyed a kick into my stomach, and the world spun as he sent me tumbling backwards and onto the ground.


    As I lay there heaving on my back, a smile crept onto my lips. I raised the clump of hair in my hand as if in victory. ¡°See? You¡¯re not so tough. I¡¯ll tear you all apart. Even if it¡¯s piece by piece.¡±


    Somehow saying that made it feel like it was true and a renewed strength returned to me.


    ¡°Beat the hell out of him!¡± the cultivator said, rubbing the hole in his beard. ¡°Don¡¯t make his death quick!¡±


    All three came at me at once and my world became a shitstorm of blood, gore, and pain. It was all I could do to merely cover my face with my arms. I cried out as the blows fell, but something inside me made me laugh instead of wail, which only goaded them on further. It was a beating far worse than any I¡¯d received at the schoolyard or in the square. Each blow felt as if delivered by a hammer. My ribs snapped, my arm broke. The world began to tunnel into blackness.


    I refused to let it fade¡­. not until¡­ somehow¡­ I killed them all¡­


    Then abruptly the pummeling stopped.


    After a few seconds I cautiously pried open my eyes to see why. When I did, I saw all three cultivators had now turned their backs to me to face the giant woman standing behind them.


    She¡¯d returned, but as for how she got here this fast I didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t really care. There probably wasn¡¯t much she could do against the three of them anyway. But maybe, between the two of us, we could kill at least one of these sick bastards before we both died. That¡¯d be enough for me. One final, well overdue act of retribution against the cultivators before my sad joke of a life finally came to an end.


    The thought made me smile.


    It was a nice thought.


    A shame I couldn¡¯t move anymore.


    The older cultivator snorted as my vision began to darken further.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to a be a three for one special today, boys,¡± he said. ¡°Too bad you¡¯re as worthless as these damn Terrans, you big bitch. I wonder how much you even paid that idiot Sumatra to let you come out here and die.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we should get it back from him,¡± the bearded man said. ¡°She¡¯s got no core to sell. He should owe us for doing this.¡±


    The murderous scum. Even their sensible ideas sickened me.


    ¡°She looks strong though.¡± The bald man dropped into a martial stance, the air around him stirring, undulating his robes with Qi. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long she lasts.¡±


    He leapt into the air with a claw-like weapon in his hand, spinning like a top.


    ¡°[Fire Eagle meets the Mountain]!¡± he cried.


    The giant woman didn¡¯t even try to move as he raked the claw hard across her face, the Qi-infused technique sending blood flying. Then in a blur, her hand snatched him right out of the sky, gripping him by the neck.


    ¡°[My Turn],¡± she said, before burying her forehead deep into the man¡¯s face with a sickening wet crack. The back of his bald head exploded from the force of the hit, sending its contents spraying into the air.


    Holy shit¡­!


    A deathly silence took hold as the woman dropped the cultivator¡¯s body unceremoniously to the ground. ¡°Well¡­I hope that lasted as long as he thought it would.¡±


    A palpable sense of horror and dread descended as the remaining two cultivators backed away, their eyes widening in fear. I stared at the giant woman wide-eyed myself, but not with fear. My heart swelled with an unbelievable sense of awe and disbelief instead. The man she just killed had been at least a high-tier Foundation Realm cultivator. To do what she just did, everything she said had to be true.


    Everything¡­


    An immense pressure thickened the air as she drew the massive sword from her back. A sensation of hate and rage filled me like never before. But it wasn¡¯t coming from within me. It was coming from her. Her eyes blazed with a light of their own as she let out a feral cry.


    She rushed forward, her massive body moving with a speed that seemed impossible. She leapt and spun in the air with her greatsword in tow. The two cultivators barely managed to leap to the side with qinggong as she brought the blade crashing down where they¡¯d stood just seconds before. The sword sundered a tree in two, throwing dirt and debris high into the air. She roared, taking huge swipes of the air, leaving a trail of destruction behind her as she chased after the cultivators.


    ¡°Hold nothing back!¡± the older one cried. ¡°She must have a beast core!¡±


    The two cultivators began using martial techniques of their own, slinging flames from their palms while desperately trying to keep their distance from the woman. One summoned a spinning wheel of fire that hit her dead in the chest. She hollered with irritation, but little more. Nothing they did seemed to slow her down. In fact, the opposite seemed true. The more they attacked her, the more vicious and incensed she became.


    ¡°It¡¯s no beast core!¡± the older cultivator screamed, his voice high pitched with panic now. ¡°She¡¯s a Berserker!¡±


    As he said the name everything clicked. Her ferocity and rage. Her brute strength and raw power. I felt every ounce of the primal energy coursing through her as the battle played out¡ªthe power resonating within me, seeming to almost fill my own veins.


    The Fire Bird members kept their distance, peppering the giant woman with Qi techniques from afar. Although they didn¡¯t seem to be harming her, she wasn¡¯t able to catch them either, it seemed. Finally, the woman stopped and lifted her sword towards the sky.


    ¡°[Furnace of the Frenzied Flame]¡­¡±


    As she spoke the words, the entire sky darkened and became streaked with veins of yellow fire. I thought that perhaps I was hallucinating from blood loss at first, but then the cultivators reacted to it too, glancing about in abject terror.


    ¡°A pocket reality!¡± one of them cried. ¡°She possesses an inner world!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but when I looked to the woman again, she appeared to have transformed. She looked even bigger than before. The tattoos on her body had turned into some kind of ethereal armor, metallic bracers and pauldrons floating just above her skin, which had now turned a deep shade of red and on either side of her head, a set of bull¡¯s horns had emerged.


    Releasing a savage howl, she drove straight into the cultivators with superhuman speed, fear locking them in place. It was all they could do to scream and lash out wildly with techniques and weapons. The woman took a sword strike deep to her chest and a swath of flames right to the face, but she pressed on unfazed. Then with a single cleave of her massive sword, she cut them in two at the waist, killing them instantly.


    The woman stood there breathing heavily as she stood over the severed bodies, her eyes wild as if still craving more. In that moment, as I beheld the fearsome being of raw anger and rage, I knew what it was that I needed to become.


    If I wanted to fight against the cultivators, to avenge my family, to protect my friends, then I would need that same strength. As the darkness finally took me, I made a vow. If somehow fate allowed, I would become what she is.


    I would become a cultivator¡­I would become a Berserker.

 Chapter 5

    Imperial Yee Palace, Li Wan Province, Planet Terra


    Third Princess Lunalah, Two Hundred and Fifty-Seventh heir to the Imperial Yee Dynasty, studied the Qi-infused tablet hovering before her while sitting in lotus position upon her gilded throne. Hovering about her, six jade urns, each filled with the remnants of ancient artifacts centuries old, circled her body slowly, constantly imbuing her with their essence. She cycled her Qi through them, refining the Qi further through her meridians before feeding it slowly to the secondary soul found deep within the solid core of her Dantian.


    She did so without thinking, her abilities now so advanced that she could cultivate passively while her present mind focused on something else. In this case, the Qi tablet hovering before her, now held her attention. Across its marbled surface, charts and figures from the latest commerce reports flashed by as she mentally scrolled through its contents.


    She was not impressed by what she saw.


    ¡°Arrival figures have decreased again this month, explain.¡±


    Through ornate windows, the first rays of dawn spilled onto the jade-infused marble of the imperial throne room floor. Seated on ornate cushions upon it, the six members of her imperial cabinet looked towards her with apprehension. Her question was directed at Wui Lang, the Minister of Commerce.


    The tan-skinned Dharmian was thin even for his lanky race, his back¡ªarched from decades of inactivity as a scholar¡ªseeming to only emphasize the fact. Besides that, he was near indistinguishable from a human, appearing as a man in his middle years. His gray-streaked hair was grown long and pinned in a topknot, but his beard was shorn short and dyed red, as was the custom of his people. It was something Lunalah prided herself on¡ªto allow for small semblances of indigenous cultures to coexist within their own. Diversity made for a more interesting tapestry to behold.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± he said in his frail and quivering voice. ¡°Despite the subsidies you have graciously afforded, the expense to reach here by vessel from the core worlds is still not proving insignificant. Despite our efforts, those who embark on the voyage are still very few. In addition, we rely upon the word of return travelers to attract new prospects. With so few arriving, growth is expected to be slow. But with time, I believe we will¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are wrong!¡± Lunalah snapped. Her voice resonated powerfully within the throne room, causing the urns to glow faintly with the passive strength of her heightened Qi.


    ¡°It is slow, because so few visitors ever leave.¡± She then spun her Qi tablet for them to see. ¡°Already there are seven more reports of off-worlders lost to the wilds in Jurin and Zhan Provinces alone. How are we to attract more cultivators from the core worlds if none return with a good report?¡±


    Her cabinet ministers all lowered their heads at the rhetorical question.


    So useless and weak, she thought. If not for their various position of rank within the major sects, she would have long since replaced them. But the tendrils of feudal tradition ran deep within the empire. How ludicrous was it that those decrepit old sect patriarchs and elders in the core worlds could exact their influence even here.


    ¡°My apologies, your majesty,¡± Wui Lang finally spoke, prostrating himself before her. ¡°You are correct, of course. But unfortunately, the figures do not tell the full reality of the story.¡±


    Her eyes sharpened, flaring with Qi. ¡°You dare to contradict me?¡±


    ¡°This One would never imagine to do such,¡± Wui Lang said in an even more obsequious tone. ¡°The truth is, your majesty, the majority of cultivators who arrive are not from the core worlds. Those who can afford the voyage do so from only the neighboring planets. Most are but mid-tier Core Realm cultivators at best. But the beasts grow stronger with each moon. As you well predicted long ago, this planet is a place for higher-tier immortals to advance. I am certain that once we complete construction of the Omni Gate and create a bridge to the core worlds, immortal cultivators will venture here and we will see extremely high returns.¡±


    Lunalah brooded inwardly. What Wui Lang said held logic, but it still did not sit well with her. To simply accept such losses was a sign of weakness. ¡°And what is the status of the gate construction?¡±


    Xi Liu, a former general and mid-tier Core Realm cultivator within the Iron Mountain Sect, spoke with a deep and authoritative voice. ¡°Ahead of schedule despite the resource issues we encountered last year, your highness. The mines in the southern continent have proven fruitful, with the extraction of over a hundred Jin of high-quality spirit stones each month. We anticipate completion in now only nine years instead of twelve.¡±


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    Nine years. A mere blink in her lifespan of nearly 300, but to suffer losses for so long was unacceptable. She was already but a Third Princess of a Sixty-Fourth concubine, given the scraps of her father¡¯s domain to cultivate and control. To produce nothing after two decades would be a loss of face that she could not bear to suffer before even her siblings, much less her peers within the lower courts of the core worlds.


    She had held high hopes for this planet, but she was beginning to lose sight of that hope.


    The indigenous species of humans she had found here were somewhat advanced. Although, they had advanced in the wrong direction, choosing to follow the mundane arts rather than the divine. Few such civilizations lasted long. Some would even progress to the point of space travel as this one had, through complicated and convoluted means. But like a man holding his breath underwater and then diving deeper to somehow find air, their advancement could end only in folly.


    It was the duty of the Dynasty to find such backwards worlds and save them from their own conceit and ignorance before they destroyed themselves. Within her short lifetime alone, the Dynasty had successfully integrated three such civilizations, one which had remarkably expanded to populate its moon before being enlightened with the gift of cultivation.


    This world was no different. It held potential. And it supposedly possessed something of even greater value.


    Supposedly.


    The species of this world held remarkable growth capability. A natural accelerant of some kind perhaps born from their mundane roots. Her father, the Great Soul Emperor of the Yee Dynasty, had sensed it decades ago. He had gifted her this knowledge in advance of her making the voyage across the stars from the core worlds. These were a frantic people, constantly on the edge of their short mortal lives. If they could learn to progress in cultivation, the same rate at which they progressed mundanely, then who knew what prodigies this world could eventually produce.


    So far however, it was proving fruitless.


    The mortals of this planet were weak. D class at best. It had been over a decade already and no prodigies had emerged from the schools or the tournaments. That meant the value of this world now lay only in its flora and fauna which shared the same characteristic as the humans but were perhaps more fruitful in that regards. Under the influence of the Bloodmoon the monsters and spirit beasts had grown exponentially, some already to the point of developing their own highly sought-after cores.


    These monsters were now her only means of saving face.


    ¡°Min Wei!¡± she called.


    The fair-skinned woman with ruby hair and crimson eyes, indicative of her high ranking within the inner core of the Fire Bird Sect, snapped upright. ¡°Yes, your highness?¡±


    ¡°As Minister of Culture, I commission you to venture to the Core Worlds as my envoy. Once there, deliver this message to the lower courts.¡± Min Wei immediately produced her Qi tablet and began scribing. ¡°The Planet Terra, sovereign domain of Third Princess Lunalah of the Yee Yu Lun Clan, shall hold a special tournament to take place in conjunction with the annual Tournament of Mortal Champions. One hundred high-tier Core Realm cultivators are invited to participate. All expenses, including travel, shall be paid for by her royal majesty, Third Princess Lunalah. The winning prize shall be 100,000 spirit stones.¡±


    Wui Lang¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°Your majesty! If I may, the royal treasury can scarcely¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am well aware of the state of our treasury. Put the Omni Gate on hold for a year if you must. It will take far too long to help us at this rate. If we are to be successful as a new arm of the empire, then I will need for this planet¡¯s bounty to be known throughout the core worlds. And what better way than to host a tourna¡ª¡±


    Something abruptly interrupted her thoughts. A sudden burst of energy. It was distant and faint, yet somehow very distinct. Like the opening of a sudden void in existence that should not exist.


    ¡°Did you sense that?¡±


    Her cabinet stared back at her as if she were mad.


    It was a foolish question.


    None in her cabinet were over two hundred years old and most had not surpassed even the middle tiers of the Core cultivation Realm as yet. But Lunalah¡ªwho had long since awakened her nascent spirit and had now broken through to the higher tiers of the Sacred Soul Realm¡ªpossessed the Qi sensitivity to detect what she had. Closing her eyes, she cycled her Qi through her meridians and then further through the circulating jade urns, heightening her senses to their peak.


    She felt it again, a strange, chaotic energy.


    Was it an awakened demon? Or a devil?


    Surely the Bloodmoon had not advanced to that stage as yet?


    She focused again, seeking a location. Far to the west it seemed.


    As the general location settled in her mind, she reopened her eyes and accessed a planetary map on her Qi tablet. Jurin Province. Why was she not surprised? Those western continents and their inhabitants were even more barbaric and uncivilized than the rest of the planet. It was why she had set her capital within the eastern continents, whose lineage was clearly descended from the Yee progenitors who seeded the universe eons ago. Or so the holy scriptures said. She glanced again at the reports of the missing off-worlders. Was there a connection perhaps?


    ¡°Under whose domain is Jurin Province? The eastern district specifically.¡±


    ¡°That would be the Silver Leaf Sect, your majesty,¡± Min Wei answered glancing down at her tablet. ¡°Lady Silver Tear. She is Seventh Warden of the Eastern District.¡±


    Lunalah grimaced. She had relegated that troublesome Sect to those barbaric provinces for a reason. She hoped that decision was now not returning to bite her.


    ¡°Send Lady Silver Tear word to increase security within the city, especially the Bloodmoon zones. There is something amiss within her domain.¡±

 Chapter 6

    I awoke slowly to the fading hue of twilight.


    It took me a moment to stir at first, but when I recalled my last unearthly vision of the giant woman and the frightful beast that she had become, my eyes popped wide open. I found myself still in the wild and it was nearly night. My heart jumped with alarm as I sat upright. I immediately winced from the action, a stabbing pain shooting through my side and arm. Glancing down, I found my torso wrapped tightly in green bandages that seemed to be producing a heat of their own. At the same time my left arm was cradled in a makeshift sling made of the same material.


    As my thoughts coalesced, I glanced about in another panic. Mu Lin!


    To my instant relief I found her lying asleep on the grass next to me, her leg and head dressed in the same green bandages.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    I turned to the voice that called from behind me and saw the tall silhouette of the Berserker woman leaning against the stone wall of the city¡¯s protective barrier. She had transformed back to her normal self again, it seemed. No more horns or red skin.


    We were now several miles from where we were and I nearly asked how we got here, but that was a stupid question. A couple of lightweights like Mu Lin and I would have been no problem for someone like her to carry.


    I instead did something else that I would have considered quite stupid just a few hours ago. Over my twelve years of forced integration into the Yee Dynasty, I had learned the customs and practices of the cultivator empire. The concept of face, of showing respect, and I despised every bit of it. But for once in my life, I truly understood what it meant to show respect towards someone you truly considered worthy of it.


    I huffed out a groan as I repositioned myself on my knees and performed a painful one-armed kowtow before the giant woman, touching my forehead to the grass.


    ¡°Honored warrior,¡± I said with the highest order of tonal respect I could utter. ¡°I beseech you to become my master. Take me with you now. I am ready to face whatever is out there. I want to gain your strength. To become what you are. Please teach me. Train me to become a Berserker.¡±


    A low chuckle was all I heard in response.


    ¡°Arise,¡± she finally said. ¡°There is no need to honor me so.¡± She then stepped forward and crouched before me, bringing herself closer to my eye level. ¡°I will not become your master and I no longer need for you to come with me.¡±


    I looked up at her, confused and more than a little concerned. Had I already missed my chance to accept her offer? The thought caused my blood to pound in my ears with the fear of loss and regret. ¡°Please, I just need¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already achieved a breakthrough on your own,¡± she said, cutting me off. ¡°And besides. You most certainly would have died if you came with me.¡±


    Now, I was really confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps this will help¡­¡± she said. Then, reaching down, she offered something to me in her large hand. ¡°You seemed to have dropped it.¡±


    There in her palm was the metal orb again, but it appeared to be glowing now and on its surface were thousands of tiny characters, etched in the finest print.


    ¡°It changed,¡± I said, cautiously taking it from her. I resisted the urge to try and read what was written there. It had to be several books¡¯ worth of text.


    ¡°No. It hasn¡¯t changed. You have. I but stirred the embers of your Frenzied Flame in what I spoke to you, but you managed to kindle it all on your own by mastering the first step of the [Death Mastery] Technique. You have gained mastery over the fear of uncertain death. Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°When you fought those sect members, your fury overcame your fear and death no longer mattered to you. And I must say, you put up a good fight, considering.¡±


    ¡°You were watching me?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°You took the first step of [Death Mastery] all on your own. Also, I cannot train you to become a Berserker. No one can. To become a Berserker one must master this first step. Thus, you are one already now.¡±


    My head suddenly felt light with euphoria and disbelief.


    Was I really already a Berserker somehow?


    I didn¡¯t think of it consciously at the time, but I supposed she was right. I glanced at Mu Lin. I was really only trying to save her, but I knew deep down I couldn¡¯t, but still I wasn¡¯t going to let that stop me. Not anything. Not even death, apparently.


    ¡°When I invited you to join me, in truth, that was all I was intending to do. To help you reach this first step of enlightenment.¡±


    ¡°How was that supposed to work? Didn¡¯t you just say that I would have died if I went with you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed you would have. And thus I wouldn¡¯t have taken you if you had agreed to go.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If your conviction would have driven you to say yes then you would have broken through and kindled your Frenzied Flame, the same as you have now. But I see your destiny has perhaps an even greater path laid ahead of you. Your ascension came through struggle and pain and on your own terms. You are well on the way to following your own Dao already.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± I said. ¡°And pardon my language, but¡­you really said all that cryptic crap just to try and help me?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I did. But clearly, I failed. As well I should have, perhaps. The Path of the Frenzied Flame is a solitary one, after all. One can only advance according to their own effort and struggle.¡±


    I shook my head with a little laugh. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got to be honest with you. Trying to encourage me like that did kind of the opposite. I thought you were crazy. Maybe if you had hacked a tree down in one blow or turned into that demon goddess or whatever, I would have believed you.¡±


    She chuckled, her deep laugh lines creasing her face in a matronly way. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have worked then. I was intentionally vague for that reason. If you knew my true strength, you¡¯d have no reason to fear death. And that was my spectral form you saw by the way.¡± She then paused, her eyes squinting and shifting to the side in thought. ¡°Or perhaps it was a step too far. Perhaps in your mind it was not uncertain death, but certain?¡±


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    I thought about it as well. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve never seen any cultivator survive a night out here. But seeing your spectral form¡­I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m starting to think you could be the first.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I hope you are right. I hope also you see now why I would make a most terrible teacher for you.¡±


    I laughed along with her. This close, I could see now that what I first thought were ritual scar or tattoos, were in fact real scars of battle, the three fresh slashes across her cheek no exception.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying all this to say that you won¡¯t become my master¡­got it.¡±


    ¡°Not just won¡¯t. Can¡¯t. A Berserker has no master, we have no sect. Even the manual I have given you, is but a guide. Rage, pain and struggle are our only true teachers.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡± I said, nodding. To be honest, I kind of liked the idea. ¡°Better than joining a Sect, in my opinion. I would have despised the idea of having to do that to learn how to cultivate.¡±


    ¡°And they will despise you equally. Qi cultivators look down upon Dao cultivators such as we. Berserkers especially.¡±


    I nodded again, liking how she kept using the word ¡®we¡¯ but¡­was I really a cultivator already? I mean, I hadn¡¯t even learned anything yet. ¡°How do I know if I can really cultivate? I never could before.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can sense it, can¡¯t you? The power of rage, pain, and fear?¡±


    I thought back to when I was watching her fight the sect members, the intense rage I felt exuding from her. ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡±


    ¡°What you felt, that is our form of Qi. The essence that we use to refine into our own frenzied energy. In time and with diligence you will learn to cultivate your own Frenzy and use it to strengthen yourself.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But keep your Flame well hidden, kindled one. As I said, Berserkers are hated and feared amongst all Sects. Reveal your strength only when necessary or when you can be assured there will be no witnesses thereafter.¡±


    The way she said it made me think of how quickly and definitively she had dispatched those three sect members. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°But they fear us with good reason. It is a narrow path we tread¡­¡± She then stood from her crouched position, rising to her full height again. ¡°Many who travel the path grow addicted to the power of the Frenzy and are eventually consumed by their own Flame, becoming Demons. It is why there are so few of us. Your Frenzy must always be tempered with Struggle. This is the core of our Dao. As an elder practitioner, the best advice I can give you is this: trust and follow the path of Frenzied Flame, but ensure the Struggler wrestles always with the Demon. Without struggle there can be no true growth, only descension into madness.¡±


    I swallowed a little when she said that, wondering if I had just joined a pathway straight to hell.


    ¡°But fear not,¡± she said, perhaps noticing the look on my face. ¡°I would not have shared this path with you had I thought you apt to fail. It is why I asked first, what it is you would do with this power. And I believe that you shall find struggle in great abundance in the path you have chosen. To exact retribution against the Dynasty and free your world from its control, will bring you many hardships indeed.¡±


    I chuckled a bit nervously. It was easy to spout lofty goals when you were fired up, but in truth I didn¡¯t know where to even start or if it was even realistic at all. I would commit myself to thinking more on it later, I decided. Gaining power was one thing, but I would still need a plan. Even if it was as simple as being able to protect Mu Lin and Yu Li as a start. Perhaps yanking the pagodas right out of the sky was a bit ambitious for now¡­but hell, I watched an old man swallow a nuke with his bare hands.


    Anything was possible with cultivation¡­given enough time.


    ¡°And what is your struggle?¡± I asked and then added quickly. ¡°If I may ask¡­that is.¡±


    She looked up slowly at the darkening sky. ¡°I seek to slay a god.¡±


    I nodded slowly with a low whistle. ¡°Yeah, that sounds a hell of a lot more badass than mine.¡±


    She suddenly laughed out loud and the sheer volume of it frightened me. ¡°I do enjoy your humor and company, kindled one. It is not often I can speak so freely.  Oh¡­ and speaking of your struggle, I have something else that may aid you.¡±


    She reached again into her pack and handed me something wrapped in a rune-covered cloth. When I opened it, a crude blue gemstone illuminated my palm with miniature crackles of lightning bouncing within its crystalline surface.


    My chest tightened. ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°A lightning core,¡± she said. ¡°I found it within one of the Fire Bird members¡¯ possessions. I assume it came from the monk who was with them.¡±


    An image of the dying old man flashed through my mind and I said a short, mental prayer for his passage. ¡°Poor old guy. But really¡­ I can¡¯t take this thing. The enforcers will detect it a mile away. That¡¯s like, instant execution, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Perhaps you are not ready for that level of struggle as yet, but fear not, the cloth that it is wrapped in will mask it from the Qi cultivators.¡±


    Okay, that was good to know. ¡°Fine, but still, what am I supposed to do with it? I can¡¯t use it right?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I have no idea, but yes, you have no use for it in a traditional sense. As neither do I. As Dao cultivators our energy comes from the adherence to our path, not Qi. But it is valuable to many, especially to those who seek the power of concentrated Qi for breakthroughs to higher realms of cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure those Fire Bird dickheads had the same idea.¡±


    She laughed loudly again. ¡°You use such strange and colorful language, kindled one. Still, you¡¯ll need to decide what is best to do with it. Overthrowing a 14,000-year-old dynasty sounds like a big task, though. I just thought some extra resources might be helpful.¡±


    It was my turn to laugh now. ¡°Well, thank you. I guess.¡±


    I wrapped the core tightly in the cloth and stuffed it into my sling. It still felt like I was holding a bag of cocaine in a customs line, but I guess I¡¯d have to deal with it later.


    ¡°Thank you also for bandaging me,¡± I said as I stood shakily to my feet. ¡°You did a good job.¡±


    ¡°You can thank your friend there.¡± She nodded towards Mu Lin. ¡°She came well prepared. These bandages are expensive. Hopefully you will both mend quickly.¡± She then looked back to the sky, where the stars were now almost formed. ¡°You should both return to the gate now. It is not far from here.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Are you still going to stay out here and wait for the Bloodmoon to rise?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°The [Death Mastery] technique I mentioned earlier is one of our core tenets. You cannot break through into higher realms of cultivation without advancing it. Your next advancement will be to gain mastery over the fear of certain death. At higher tiers you will fear no death at all. The last step is known as the Wish for Death.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Death wish. Makes sense.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s why I came here. Like you, I must achieve a breakthrough on my own. I must go well beyond facing certain death if I am to advance.¡±


    ¡°What stage are you at now, if I may ask?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m within the 9<sup>th</sup> tier of the Lesser Deity Realm.¡±


    My eyes bulged and I nearly choked on my own spit. ¡°What? Are you serious! You¡¯re a god?¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Demi god,¡± she corrected. ¡°But by morning, who knows? I¡¯ll either be ascended into the next realm of the heavens or dead.¡±


    My mind was still whirling. That glimpse of her in spectral form was perhaps just the tiniest fraction of her true strength. Suddenly I had the urge to still go with her, if only just to see what she was in her true unbridled state.


    ¡°Perhaps my destiny leading me here to find you is a good sign. It¡¯s no small coincidence that I meet an unkindled Flame on a newly cultivated world, right before my final attempt at ascension. It¡¯s confirmation, I believe, that I will be leaving this world shortly ¡­ one way or the other.¡±


    I still didn¡¯t really know this woman at all, but the way she said that caused a sadness to fill my heart. I suddenly had a million questions to ask her. How long did it take her to reach this stage? What was this spectral form and the inner world those cultivators spoke of? Where was her homeworld even? But there wasn¡¯t time for any of it. Still there was perhaps something more important that I could ask her.


    ¡°Please. What do I call you? I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°My name is Threja. But you may call me simply sister, or big sister if you like. We are brethren now. Fellow cultivators of the Frenzied Flame. And you, little brother? What shall I call you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Chu¡­ my name is Max,¡± I said.


    ¡°Max.¡± She nodded as if committing it to memory. She then cupped her hand over her fist and performed a mid-tier bow, signifying us as equals. ¡°I wish you well on your path, Brother Max. I will look forward to if destiny shall ever see fit to make our paths cross again.¡±


    ¡°As do I, big sister.¡± I performed the same bow but couldn¡¯t help but do so ever so slightly lower than her own. ¡°I pray for your ascension.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. She found her sword and hefted it onto her shoulder, but as she turned to walk away, she paused briefly again. ¡°Oh, and congratulations once more.¡±


    ¡°On what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°On your own ascension.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve broken through to the first Tier of the next realm. You are now a Foundation-Realm cultivator.¡±

 Chapter 7

    A giddy excitement filled me as I hobbled towards the city gates.


    Even the extra weight of Mu Lin, slung over my shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry, didn¡¯t seem to slow me down. Luckily most of the damage was limited to my torso, leaving my legs relatively functional. Luckily? The logic of that was probably backwards, but whatever, the pain was still there as a reminder of how close I¡¯d come to actually dying. Each shuffled step was a lesson in agony but with my newfound knowledge it was also a chance to cultivate.


    Or so I hoped.


    I could still remember the basics of the nine tiers of cultivation mastery within the Body Reformation Realm and the grueling exercise regime that came with it. The first five tiers were relatively mundane and were devoted to bringing the body to its peak performance through physical effort alone.


    1<sup>st</sup>  Tier, Breathing Exercises.


    2<sup>nd</sup> Tier, Muscles Refinement.


    3<sup>rd</sup> Tier, Bone Strengthening.


    4<sup>th</sup> Tier, Skin Hardening.


    5<sup>th</sup> Tier, Organs Refinement.


    I suppose I was a natural athlete of sorts because those tiers came somewhat easy to me in school. The endless running and the repetition of basic martial forms, the lifting and carrying of weights. Even my routine beatings, I suppose, had added to my Bone Strengthening and Skin Hardening mastery. The next few tiers were a bit more challenging for me, though. The 6<sup>th</sup> Tier was the Focusing of Mind which involved meditation and studying mantras. Although I had struggled with the memorization at times, I got the practice down at least. The next tiers however I knew in theory only, but I could see them clearly laid out in my mind.


    7<sup>th</sup> Tier, Meridian Opening.


    8<sup>th</sup> Tier, Meridian Channeling.


    9<sup>th</sup> Tier, Qi Perception.


    I was stuck on the 7<sup>th</sup> Tier, knowing where the meridians were on the body, but no matter how much I meditated I could not sense them, much less open them.


    Until now.


    If what Threja had told me was true, then I had not just skipped the 7<sup>th</sup> and 8<sup>th</sup> Tiers of mastery and mastered the 9<sup>th</sup> Tier of Qi Perception¡ªor our version of Qi perception anyway¡ªbut I had also broken through to the First Tier of Foundation Mastery, which was Qi Gathering.


    So, for the last half mile or so, I had been testing the theory out, trying to detect the pain coursing through my body. I didn¡¯t think I could detect anything at first, the pain running through my side so sharp that it caused me to hiss with each step. Finally, I tried to ignore the pain, focusing my mind on something else, the same way I had endured the beating in the square by focusing on my childhood loss. I knew I could slip into a state where I could feel almost nothing at times. I tried that, but the effort of trying to walk while at the same time balancing Mu Lin kept breaking my focus.


    It was too much, I thought. I could passively transport myself to someplace else when someone else was causing the pain, but not when I seemed to be causing it myself. I needed something simpler perhaps, something more focused.


    I thought back to something Threja had said and paraphrased it within my mind, turning it into a mantra of sorts. A Berserker has no master, we have no sect. Rage, pain, and struggle are our only teachers.


    I repeated it over and over again with each step, but then I personalized it some more.


    I am a Berserker. I have no master, I have no sect. Rage, pain, and struggle are my only teachers.


    I continued until I began speaking it aloud and hearing my own voice seemed to reinforce my belief. ¡°I am a Berserker. I have no master, I have no sect. Rage, pain and struggle are my only teachers.¡±


    Suddenly I began to feel something. The pain was still there but I could detect something else as well. A prickly sensation that was almost like pins and needles began forming on top of the pain. I focused on that as my chanting continued and the more I did the more pronounced it became.


    Holy crap, am I really doing this?


    I tried not to let my excitement break my focus as I sought to attempt the next tier of mastery. If I could sense this energy, could I now try to gather it?


    I knew the theory as to how, by redirecting it through the meridian points of the body and gathering it at the central point known as the Dantian. I knew where it was: three finger widths below and two behind the navel, but it was a bit like trying to drive a car by reading only a book and also having no idea of the basic concepts, like what a steering wheel looked like, or what a hand brake was. I knew the meridian points and could sense them now, but I didn¡¯t know how to match what I was sensing to the mental images of them in my mind.


    The energy flowed wildly as a result, sometimes concentrating in a single leg or arm, or bouncing in between. But I was really doing it. I was cultivating my own Qi! Well, sort of. Threja had called it something else.


    Frenzy¡­


    Normal cultivation absorbed the life force energy of all things and then through refinement turned it into your own personal form of energy: Qi. But the Qi was flavored by the particular process used¡ªno different than how the lightning core had taken on the characteristics of the martial arts form that monk had practiced for perhaps most of his life. If this tingling sensation was Pain Qi, then how exactly did I go about processing it into Frenzy?


    I knew where the answers lay.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The metal orb was now almost burning a hole in my backpack for how desperately I wanted to put everything else aside and just dive into it. I was almost tempted to read a few verses now, but with the Bloodmoon on the rise I needed to get both Mu Lin and I to safety.


    Still, the fine script I¡¯d seen on its surface reminded me of the complicated cultivation manuals that they used to force us to memorize in school. I had hated it at the time. It was pointless to me after all, plus I had an axe to grind against the whole damn system. But now it was a godsend. I at least knew the basics to start to attempt to understand this new form of cultivation and my thirst for knowledge had me on the brink of turning into a bookworm.


    But even more than that there was the elation of feeling true power. To finally feel for myself what was simply ¡®magic¡¯ to me before. The things I just couldn¡¯t do, were now possible.


    I can now do this, I thought. ¡°I can actually do this!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, Chun¡­¡± Mu Lin suddenly groaned. ¡°What are you shouting about?¡±


    ¡°Mu Lin?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Put me down...¡±


    The tingling of the pain energy quickly dissipated as I lost focus and the full-on regular hiss-through-your-teeth pain returned. I stifled it as I stooped to rest Mu Lin as gently as I could against the side of the barrier wall. The sun was nearly gone now, and the shadows stretched long across the ground. It hadn¡¯t really registered before, but it had been at least 4 hours or more since we fought with those sect members.


    Mu Lin was still opening and closing her eyes groggily and holding a hand to her head. ¡°What happened?¡±


    It took me a moment to answer, not knowing quite what to say. As she lay there in the grass against the fading light though, I realized that I had never really seen her without her glasses before. I also wondered why she even wore them at all, but I supposed even Body Refinement mastery could only take you to your peak natural ability. It would perhaps take her reaching the 3<sup>rd</sup> Tier of Foundation mastery or Qi Body Refinement to enhance her eyes to the point of not needing glasses anymore. But without them, I realized for the first time how pretty she was. Deep sparkling brown eyes, a slender nose and highset cheekbones despite the couple of extra pounds. I immediately felt like a bit of an asshole though for looking at her in that way, especially in the state she was in.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± I said and then more importantly added, ¡°Do you remember anything?¡±


    It took her a few more seconds to come around, but then her eyes shot open. ¡°Those men! The Fire Bird members, they killed the old monk and ripped out his core! Where did they¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, they¡¯re gone now.¡±


    ¡°How? What happened to them?¡± Her eyes then darted back and forth, growing even wider as she studied me. ¡°Heavens, Chun! What did they do to you? You look awful!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a cheesy grin. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m okay, and they¡¯re all¡­¡± I paused a moment, pondering just how much I should share with her. Telling her about Threja being a Berserker and killing them was probably a bad idea. ¡°¡­they¡¯re all dead,¡± I said. ¡°I managed to get them to chase me and I ran them into a rapling nest.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± she said, her dark brows pulling together with a furrow of skepticism. ¡°You actually managed to do that?¡±


    It felt bad as hell lying to her, so I just gave her a sort of nod. I probably should have picked a more plausible monster too. Raplings were dog-sized lizards that hunted in packs; faster and more vicious versions of a Komodo Dragon that could also spit fire. Against a normal human, even one was deadly, but they were only D-rank monsters, which meant against three cultivators at the level of the Fire Bird members were, even a pack of them would give only a ¡®lively¡¯ challenge at best. Still, I had to stick to my story now.


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    I could tell her scholarly mind was already ticking away behind those dark eyes of hers, tearing my story apart. Mu Lin probably knew all this ranking stuff and comparative power levels way better than I did. The imperial government had published rankings on all the known creatures in the wilds. If there was one thing I could say for the cultivators, it was they liked to categorize damn near everything. It was like an endless dick measuring competition that crossed all segments of their society, from cooking to the magic kung fu I could now wield. Or at least I soon hoped to wield anyway. I wondered if it was kind of racist or something to say magic kung fu these days. People didn¡¯t even use the word kung fu anymo¡ª


    ¡°Chun! Did you hear me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I said, realizing it was lost in my own thoughts.


    ¡°I said are you sure they¡¯re all dead? For what they did to that old man, they¡¯d want no witnesses. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Gods, I hope so¡­¡± She breathed out a sigh and seemed to calm down some. ¡°I¡¯m not sure they even were true Fire Bird Sect members. They were more like thugs.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Hey who knows what kind of ilk they fill their outer disciple ranks with these days?¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said. ¡°We need to go and report this.¡± She then glanced up at the twilight sky. ¡°Nine hells! It¡¯s this late? Why are we even out here talking, Chun? We need to get to the gate! Quick!¡±


    ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s go,¡± I said, welcoming the shift in focus.


    I lifted her up and was about to hoist her over my shoulder again when she stopped me. ¡°No, let me ride on your back. Your shoulder digs into my stomach too much carrying me like that.¡±


    I did as she asked and after a few painful winces from her as she locked her wounded thigh about my waist, she then wrapped her arms around my neck while I supported her weight the best I could with my good arm.


    I then started my shuffle again, enduring the full pain without trying to cultivate this time. Luckily there wasn¡¯t much farther to go anyway and the lights from the gate were already in view. Still, I pressed on with relative speed as the wind picked up and the echoing howls of unnatural creatures drifted upon it. The eerie sound had my imagination stirring. Normally, hearing them at night would have reminded me of my family again, but for some reason it didn¡¯t give me that same sense of fear anymore. Perhaps it was my [Death Mastery] kicking in or something, but I thought instead of Threja and wished her well against her soon-to-be demonic foes.


    ¡°Thank you, Chun,¡± Mu Lin suddenly whispered softly and her grip around me tightened with what I supposed was a kind of hug, her face nestling into my back. ¡°You saved my life.¡±


    I heard her sniffle a little and then realized she must be crying. With the initial shock wearing off, I guess the full impact of the trauma she¡¯d been through was just now starting to take hold.


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know if I can take credit for that,¡± I said while cracking the cheesiest smile I could, hoping that she could hear it in my voice. ¡°Running blindly for your life from three maniacs and then having the misfortune of diving right into a rapling nest just happened to work out for me this time.¡±


    She laughed and I counted the lie well worth telling to change her mood.


    I then added to soothe my own conscience a bit and perhaps give credit where credit was due, ¡°I guess you could chalk it up to some divine intervention being involved.¡±


    She laughed again and then as if our minds were connected, Mu Lin said: ¡°Hey, what happened to your client? The big giant woman.¡±


    ¡°Dunno,¡± I said. ¡°She ran off after a bit. Guess she was hell bent on going at it alone.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? What an idiot. I guess that¡¯ll be the last we¡¯ll ever see of her.¡±


    I chuckled half-heartedly, the thought bittersweet. I then stared out into the darkness. ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    As we finally approach the light of the gate, I saw something that made my chest tighten. I had been preparing myself for dealing with Sumatra¡ªthe big idiot was no doubt going to throw a fit when he saw us returning without the clients, but never did I expect to see him like this.


    Standing just outside the gate, he was surrounded by no less than ten enforcers and one high-ranking member of the Imperial Guard, who also appeared to be a member of the Silver Leaf Sect.


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± I whispered as my heart rate sped¡­


    The lightning core tucked away in my sling seemed to start burning a hole against my arm. My stupid bag of cocaine in a customs line analogy had just become very, very real.

 Chapter 8

    Shit, shit, shit, I cursed.


    I thought about trying to toss the core, but we were already too close.


    I wished I had thought to climb over the wall earlier or tossing it over the wall at least. Not that I could have scaled the barely twelve-foot wall in my condition, much less with Mu Lin. And forget tossing it. I honestly had just forgotten I even had the damn thing! And who would have expected an actual Imperial Guard to show up like this? We¡¯d lost a group of nearly ten cultivators before and it took the enforcers over a month to show up just to sign the paperwork.


    I was beginning to wonder if my struggles against the Dynasty was about to start in earnest.


    ¡°Mu Lin? Chun?¡± Sumatra rushed forward ahead of the Enforcers, both his face and countenance dark with rage. ¡°How in nine hells did you two make it back? What happened? Where are the clients?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell if he was putting on a show for the Imperial Guard or not. The guard in question was dark skinned and looked to be in his early thirties. He didn¡¯t look like one to mess about with either. Looking back to Sumatra, I realized that I could actually sense the rage coming from him. Or was it truly rage? It looked like rage but as I sampled the energy itself it, tasted? different. It was actually more like¡­fear.


    ¡°Yes, indeed¡­¡± The Imperial Guard stepped forward, casually asserting his authority over Sumatra. ¡°Tell me what transpired. Where are the cultivators who hired this excursion?¡±


    ¡°The three Fire Bird members,¡± Mu Lin began, ¡°they a¡ª¡±


    ¡°All died,¡± I spoke over her, giving her thighs a quick squeeze, signaling for her to keep quiet. ¡°The off-worlders too. Mu Lin¡¯s group came across a rapling den with a broodmother. Me and the other client happened to be close enough to try to assist. There had to be over a hundred of them. None of the cultivators survived.¡±


    I tried to control my speeding pulse and prayed Mu Lin knew how to keep a poker face. Not that they even played poker anymore. I checked on Sumatra and as I suspected his ¡®rage¡¯ turned quickly to a look of confusion and then suspicion.


    ¡°How the hell did you both survive then?¡± he said.


    I glanced at the guard. There was only one thing I knew that would convince him of my fantastical story. ¡°We survived¡­because we are weak¡­¡±


    Both their eyes shot open then.


    ¡°¡­and because we are cowards.¡±


    ¡°Explain,¡± the guard demanded.


    ¡°The cultivators stayed to fight,¡± I said. ¡°The monk with them even protected us, but when he got us to safety, we both fled fearing for our lives.¡±


    The guard seemed to consider this for a moment and then nodded. ¡°So, you abandoned your posts and your clients?¡± He then huffed out a snort through his nose. ¡°Typical. You natives truly are spineless and weak.¡±


    I released a sigh within. He¡¯d bought it.


    ¡°Also incompetent,¡± he added and then turned to Sumatra. ¡°How is it that your handlers led a group into such dangers? Have you not trained them in the study of rankings?¡±


    It was Sumatra¡¯s turn to come up with a lie on the spot now.


    ¡°It was the monk,¡± he said without missing a beat. ¡°The off-worlder. He came looking for enough spirit stones to break through to the Sacred Soul realm. Mu Lin, she did her job. I¡¯m sure of it. She gave them what they wanted. Ain¡¯t that right, Mu Lin?¡±


    I nudged her subtly again and she spoke in a quivering voice. ¡°Y-yes. They wanted a challenge.¡±


    I noticed the Guard¡¯s countenance shift and I quickly covered for her with another lie. ¡°It was the broodmother. That¡¯s what changed everything. Right, Mu Lin? What was it, a C-class right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, sounding a bit more confident. ¡°It was a C-class together with the hundred or so D-classes combined. That would have been the equivalent of an A-Class encounter. It was clearly unexpected. That¡¯s what shifted the battle.¡±


    Sumatra¡¯s poker face was on now as he gave a nod. ¡°Cursed luck is all.¡±


    ¡°Where did this take place?¡±


    ¡°Beneath the underpasses,¡± I answered first, giving a general area that was within the range of our travels.


    He raised a brow.


    ¡°Sorry, the ruins that are about ten miles or so to the southeast.¡±


    I had used the old Earth term purposefully to throw him off, following up with something even more vague.


    ¡°And you can show me this area?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not right now, of course,¡± I said, hinting up at the Bloodmoon. ¡°But perhaps in a few weeks when I heal, sure.¡±


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    I was glad that I had picked raplings now. They were a transitory breed. If I did have to follow through with that ¡®tour¡¯ of the crime scene, I could simply claim the broodmother must have moved on.


    The guard didn¡¯t look satisfied, but he didn¡¯t seem too suspicious either.


    ¡°Search them and let them go. I suppose the wounds they have received is punishment enough for their failure.¡± He then turned to Sumatra. ¡°For you, however. I shall be submitting a review of your records to the Warden. There have been far too many mishaps of late.¡±


    Sumatra gave a bow of humility before the guard. ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    My heart pounded in my throat as the group of enforcers approached us. I lowered Mu Lin from my back and a trio of them quickly began poking and prodding us while a couple more began rummaging through our backpacks. I wished that I knew some kind of Berserker technique to swallow up the fear rising in my stomach, because I was afraid it would soon show on my face.


    ¡°Hey, take it easy,¡± I said with an exaggerated wince. ¡°These are fresh wounds.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The prodding continued, getting dangerously close to my sling. I tried to keep the core pinned between my elbow and my body as inconspicuously as possible. The enforcer searching me was just about to start poking inside it, when another one of them called out, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    The enforcer in question was holding the glowing metal orb in his hand.


    Shit, I thought. I didn¡¯t know which was worse: finding the orb or finding the core.


    I dropped my jaw to try and make something up when a voice called out.


    ¡°Hey, you found another one. Congrats.¡±


    Everyone turned to see who had spoken.


    It was Lee.


    The somewhat tall, red-haired kid with freckles and a lazy smile winked at me, encouraging me to play along with whatever he was concocting.


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± I said. ¡°What luck huh?¡±


    ¡°And what is it?¡± the guard asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of those Bocce balls, right?¡± Lee said and I nodded to him in confirmation, playing along, even though I had no idea what a Bocce ball was.


    Lee turned to the guard and gave a small bow. ¡°Apologies. It¡¯s an ancient game from our world. You need a bunch of them to play. Chun here has been collecting them.¡±


    Thank goodness I didn¡¯t say anything stupid. I forgot that to everyone else this thing still just looked like a shiny metal ball. And thank goodness for Lee. I owed him a solid for sure with that save.


    The guard rolled the orb in his palm a few seconds before shaking his head with a scowl. ¡°It is no wonder your kind is so weak. Wasting time playing games.¡± He tossed the orb back into my backpack. ¡°Get them out of my sight.¡±


    *                 *       *


    We got about a mile away from the gatepost before the tornado of questions began.


    ¡°What the hell was that, Chun?¡± Mu Lin demanded, who now rode on Lee¡¯s back instead of mine. ¡°You had me lying to an Imperial Guard!¡±


    ¡°Whoa, you guys lied?¡± Lee said, cracking a grin. ¡°That¡¯s kind of nuts. What did you lie about?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± I said.


    Lee probably wouldn¡¯t care anyway. He never took anything too seriously. It was one of the reasons I liked the guy so much.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Mu Lin shouted. ¡°And why did you stop me from telling them what really happened? Those men were dangerous. The Fire Bird Sect needs to take responsibility for what their members did!¡±


    ¡°What did they do?¡± Lee asked.


    ¡°Nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t do ¡®nothing¡¯! They tried to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay stop,¡± I said, coming to a physical stop as well.


    We were still out in the middle of the fields and after dark so hopefully there wasn¡¯t anyone in earshot, but I lowered my voice anyway. ¡°Alright Lee, for your sake this is what happened. Those three Fire Bird members killed the monk and then stole his core. Then they tried to kill Mu Lin to cover it up.¡±


    ¡°No shit?¡± Lee said, his eyes widening.


    ¡°Yeah, but then I led them into a rapling nest and they all died.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that part was true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, pretty much,¡± I lied.


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡±


    ¡°But the main point is this. They seemed to know Sumatra pretty well. They were talking about him and stuff.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Mu Lin said. ¡°I don¡¯t remember that.¡±


    ¡°You were knocked out by then. Anyway, I don¡¯t think Sumatra was expecting us to come back, Mu Lin,¡± I then added for emphasis. ¡°Any of us. You noticed the first thing he said when he saw us? ¡®How in the nine hells did we make it back?¡¯ Plus I don¡¯t think he was expecting the Imperial Guard or the enforcers to be there either. He was pissing his pants just as much as we were just now.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like the idea of us lying to an Imperial Guard, Chun. We could get into big trouble for this! And I don¡¯t need anything that¡¯s going to mess up my chances of getting into the academy. Or that will get me thrown in prison!¡±


    I had to remember that not everyone hated and mistrusted the cultivators like I did. Most didn¡¯t, in fact¡ªall of them taken too young to remember life before the attack. Or what little they did remember was wiped clean by years of social reprograming. To Mu Lin, the Dynasty wasn¡¯t an oppressor, it was a savior that was protecting us from the Bloodmoon and giving us a path to immortality if we worked hard enough.


    Her goals and aspirations were far different than mine. Maybe even opposed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said. ¡°We were lying more to Sumatra than to the guard. We can¡¯t let him think that we know too much. Chances are he was in on that deal. Maybe all these botched tours have been his doing. That off-worlder has no clan or sect to back him up here. If he goes missing, who¡¯s to know any better? Or even care?¡±


    ¡°We know,¡± Mu Lin said. ¡°And we should care. If they are doing something illegal like this, then we need to expose it.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Mu Lin, there¡¯s no other witnesses besides us and the bodies will be eaten before morning. No evidence. You think they¡¯ll believe the word of two Terran commoners against the likes of the entire Fire Bird Sect?¡±


    Plus, I have the damn core on me, so that wouldn¡¯t look too good, now would it? I almost added. But I wasn¡¯t going to put my friends in any more danger than they already were. The fewer people who knew about both the core and the orb the better.


    I guess my suffering in solitude is beginning already, I thought with chagrin.


    Mu Lin frowned but seemed to accept the logic after a bit. ¡°So what should we do then?¡±


    ¡°We do nothing,¡± I said. ¡°We take what really happened to our graves. So long as Sumatra doesn¡¯t find out that we know, we¡¯ll be safe. Plus, I think he¡¯ll have his hands full with the authorities now anyway. By the time we¡¯re fit to get back to work, hopefully this will all have blown over. Just be careful taking excursions involving any off-worlders, okay, Lee?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡±


    ¡°And thanks,¡± I said. ¡°For covering for me. How the hell did you know about that game? Is it real?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s real,¡± he said. ¡°Pretty fun too. So what is it anyway? Really.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just thought it looked kind of cool.¡±


    Lee stared me a moment before laughing out loud. ¡°Seriously? You really are an idiot, Chun.¡±


    I grinned and laughed with him.


    Being a Chun was a far better explanation than the truth for sure.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s get home.¡±

 Chapter 9

    We made it back to the Native Housing District within an hour and Lee offered to take Mu Lin home while I headed for my own hovel just across the square. I was stiffening up something awful now. I wanted nothing more than to dive into my cot and start reading the orb, but I needed something in my stomach if I was going to survive the night.


    The square was now filled with night vendors and the smell of wood smoke from their wok fires cause my stomach to growl. The light din of conversation mixed with the airy notes of a zither somewhere off in the backdrop, creating a welcoming atmosphere, especially when returning from the desolation of the wild.


    I dropped a few pieces of copper for a bowl of rice, pickled vegetables, and a thin strip of braised pork. Finding a table, I powered through the meal with the voracity of a starving man, my chopsticks clinking against the bowl. As I ate I idly thought of how back in the day, we¡¯d call this Chinese food, but now it was just food¡­and pretty shitty food at that.


    Glancing up at the glowing pagoda, I wondered what they dined upon every night. Perhaps the same stuff, I figured, but likely infused with Qi to make it taste ten times better. I was just about finished when a loud raucous laughter drew my attention across the square to a group of cultivators playing dominoes.


    ¡°No frigging way,¡± I said, when I saw who it was.


    There was Hein and his two buddies, shitfaced and slamming dominoes onto the table. But that¡¯s not what really irked me. Yu Li was there also but not seated with them. She was instead placing bowls of rice liquor onto the table, grinning and laughing at their jokes. Su Ling was on her back, slung in a harness and screaming her head off. Hein and his friends seemed oblivious to it, and just kept on laughing and drinking while she served them.


    Had those pricks been here all damn day?


    By the exasperated look on Yu Li¡¯s face, I would say that they had. For a split second, I almost considered just letting it be. I may have unlocked my Frenzied Flame but I still didn¡¯t know jack about magic kung fu yet. But who was I kidding? It just wasn¡¯t in my DNA to allow something like this to go on. And besides, I didn¡¯t give a shit about death anymore. I was on my feet and halfway across the square before I knew it.


    There were at least a hundred-odd people in the square and the closer I got, the more I saw the appalled looks on all their faces. They were as disgusted by Hein and his friends as I was. And Yu Li pandering to them like a damn slave while her baby was screaming brought up a wave of heated anger in the pit of my stomach.


    I couldn¡¯t even focus on it properly, but it felt different now.


    It wasn¡¯t just emotion.


    I was feeling Frenzy.


    ¡°Young Master Hein,¡± I greeted him, sans the bow. ¡°Still here I see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, look! It¡¯s Chun!¡± Hein slapped his hands together laughing. ¡°Welcome, my boy!¡±


    Yu Li looked up with a nervous smile, but it vanished immediately when she saw my bandages and sling. ¡°Chun! What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°Just a rough day at the office.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    I had to remember that not everyone remembered the old colloquialisms from Earth. Sometimes it didn¡¯t translate too well either. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m fine though.¡±


    Worry and concern flashed through her eyes as she tried to bounce Su Ling on her back. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Getting kind of late, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said directly to Hein. ¡°Think maybe it¡¯s time to start packing this up?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, the night is just starting.¡± He then reached sloppily into his robes and threw a few Wen of copper onto the table. ¡°Yu Li, fetch us more wine. We¡¯ll entertain this oafish friend of yours.¡±


    His two friends started laughing again.


    Yu Li began reaching for the coins, but I slammed my hand down on top of them, making the dominoes jump. ¡°How about you go get your own damn wine and then get the hell out of here?¡± I said. ¡°Or better yet, why not just get the hell out of here period? Like right now.¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Chun!¡± Yu Li exclaimed, her face white with fear.


    A bit of chatter died down as a few people close by overheard what I¡¯d said. I could sense the anger boiling off of Hein as well as his two friends as they stared at me in silent outrage. I tried to match them with a stare of my own, feeling the Frenzy filling me with confidence and resolve.


    Hein¡¯s hand moved so fast that I felt it before I even saw it. The ringing backhand across my face sent me flying back through a couple of tables and landing hard on my side.


    ¡°Insolent dog!¡± he screamed. ¡°You dare to give me commands! Teach him a lesson!¡±


    They were on me in a second. I winced as Hein and his buddies kicked at my bandaged sides and through the pain I vaguely mused what the chances were that I was receiving my second beating of the day from three cultivators. I focused on my meridians, trying to turn the pain to Frenzy as I endured the pounding.


    ¡°Master Hein!¡± Yu Li cried. ¡°Please stop!¡±


    She reached out to him, catching Hein by his sleeve. The cultivator wheeled on her, a look of disgust on his face as he raised his hand high to strike. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere, you bitch!¡±


    As his hand came down, something inside me snapped and an image of a raging fire appeared inside my head. I was up on my feet in a flash and threw a punch straight into Hein¡¯s jaw. It felt like I was punching a wall as his head snapped back. The punch must have hit harder than he expected though, because he touched his face slowly in disbelief.


    I felt a surge of rage erupt inside of him as he literally flew at me with a martial strike.


    He froze in midair as he delivered two rapid kicks to my chest that sent me sailing into a couple more tables behind me. Steel flashed as he drew his sword and then from twenty feet away, he suddenly appeared before me, moving without moving, in a sudden burst of Qi.


    Even his friends let out gasps of panic as he drew the sword back, ready to plunge it into my chest. Strangely, I didn¡¯t care and leered at him all the same. The look must have unnerved him slightly, because I felt a pang of fear bubble up inside of him, disrupting his rage and resolve.


    The entire square was watching now.


    Deathly silence took hold.


    He glanced at the crowd as he continued to breathe heavily while standing over me. Finally, his body loosened. ¡°You will count yourself lucky that This One¡¯s station is too high to snuff out a wounded and insignificant commoner such as you.¡±


    There it was. What he was really afraid of. The loss of face.


    He spat on me instead, but with a flick of steel I felt something sharp slice my cheek. A few seconds later, the hot wetness of fresh blood poured from it.


    ¡°Take you that,¡± Hein said, staring down at me with a hateful glare. ¡°Let that scar remind you each morning of your place and how merciful I was to have spared your pathetic life today.¡±


    If he was expecting some kind of groveling, he wasn¡¯t going to get it. I grinned at him instead as I touched my cheek.


    One down, one thousand more to go, I thought. I¡¯ll catch you up yet, Big Sis.


    Hein finally sheathed his blade and then stormed out of the square with his two lackeys in tow, kicking tables over as they left.


    ¡°Childish pricks,¡± I spat.


    A murmur of cautious conversation resumed as everyone tried to pretend like nothing had happened. A woman came up to me and handed me a cloth to press against my cheek, giving me a smile as she did so. It was then that I sensed a different kind of energy flowing through the crowd. It was fear but slightly different, fear mixed with anger and resentment both.


    I felt the same spilling off of Yu Li as she stooped down to me.


    ¡°What the hell was that, Chun? Are you crazy?¡±


    I gave her my cheesy smile again. ¡°You¡¯re always calling me that.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve just done? You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t kill you. Or all of us for that matter. What are we to do now if he returns still vexed? Or brings one of his family members with him? Did you think of that?¡±


    I huffed out a sigh. I thought at first that maybe I had instilled some kind of defiance in the crowd. But it was the opposite, it seemed. They were more scared than ever from fear of retribution and their anger was directed at me. I understood their fear, but I just didn¡¯t feel it the same way anymore.


    ¡°Let them come,¡± was all I said.


    I got myself off the ground and an old man tipped his straw hat to me. He wasn¡¯t Terran but he didn¡¯t look like a Yee citizen either. A lowly commoner just like us.


    ¡°Well at least someone did something,¡± he said.


    I smiled. That made it all worth it, in my mind.


    ¡°Go take care of Su Ling now,¡± I said to Yu Li. ¡°She sounds hungry.¡±


    *     *       *


    I left the square with Yu Li and half the Native Housing District drilling holes into my back from their stares. I could tell she was still pissed off something proper, but I didn¡¯t really care. I did what needed to be done and had taken the beating to pay for it.


    One day she¡¯ll thank you, I hoped.


    But she wasn¡¯t wrong to be afraid either. None of them were.


    Who knew what Hein or his family might do once word got out? But that just got me to focus more. Once I had reached my small 10-by-15 room in the retrofitted Days Inn hotel, I quickly stashed the lightning core under a floorboard and then whipped out the orb.


    Finally, I thought.


    There was nothing like lighting a fire under yourself for motivation. My body would have liked nothing more than to fall dead asleep from the exhaustion and pain. But a new thirst was running through me now. I stared at the tiny script until it began to make sense, characters superimposing themselves within my mind. If Hein was going to return, as I was sure he would.


    Then I was going to be prepared.

 Chapter 10

    I stayed up half the night reading and then resumed as soon as I woke again the next morning. By noon I had consumed at least half the scriptures while scanning lightly over the rest. By that time my brain felt fried, but after having reached the 6<sup>th</sup> Tier of Body Refinement and Focusing of the Mind, I thought I had committed a fair potion of it to memory as well.


    The introduction spoke to me especially, reminiscent of my first conversation with Threja.


    #


    ¡°Thou art indeed a kindled Flame, a frenzied spirit, tempered by struggle and sorrow, fueled by rage and pain¡­¡± -Unknown


    #


    Shura 1


    Think not that we speak for the Flame, for the Flame of Frenzy has no master nor does it seek to create masters of its own accord. We who speak, have through consult agreed to these doctrines, not by direction, but through independent revelations of the Flame. Know with confidence then, that these words are true and are fit for enlightenment along your path.


    #


    Shura 2


    They call us Berserker, we who follow the Frenzied Flame. Let us embrace the moniker, for it instills fears in our enemies. And fear is our strength.


    #


    I noted that the Yee word for Berserker was made of two separate characters. The word for demon combined with the word struggle. The demon that struggles, literally. The first few passages or Shuras were close to what Threja had explained to me already, warning of the dangers of becoming addicted to Frenzy and going full Demon. But the pendulum swung the other way as well. Too much failure, defeat, and hardship without the fury of the Demon and you became what was known as a Waning Ember and if that continued you could extinguish your Flame completely, becoming unkindled yet again. I feared what hardships you¡¯d have to go through to reach that phase of demoralization.


    Once I¡¯d read enough of the philosophy, I had moved onto the parts I more eagerly wanted to know. Practical application. There were three distinct forms of energy that I could detect at my level as a 1<sup>st</sup> Tier Foundation-level cultivator. Pain, Fear, and Rage. I could also begin gathering them and convert them into Frenzy. At the next Tier up I¡¯d be able to channel it efficiently to all parts of my body and at the 3<sup>rd</sup> Tier I would be able to start using Frenzy to strengthen my body.


    That became the goal for me.


    I needed to reach 3<sup>rd</sup> Tier as quickly as possible if I wanted to stand up to the likes of Hein, or any true cultivator for that matter. And the more Frenzy I could gather the faster I could reach that breakthrough. But the key to gathering Frenzy lay in the techniques.


    There were a multitude of techniques listed under each tier, broken up into stances and actions. After a brief summary, which described the technique and its purpose, the manual then used a series of diagrams to show exact body positioning and movements to perform the technique correctly. Scanning through the list of basic techniques under Foundation Establishment, I found a few that caught my eye.


    #


    [Frenzied Flame] ¨C the most basic of all techniques within the Berserker¡¯s domain. Use it to instantly channel your internal energies of Fear, Rage, and Pain into Frenzy. Evoking this technique can also stir the embers of an Unkindled or even reignite the fallen Flame of a Waning Ember.


    #


    [Fear the Flame] ¨C the simple baring of one¡¯s fangs is sometimes all that is required to defeat one¡¯s foe. Gather your Frenzy and with a mere look or phrase, exert your dominance and feed from the fears of your enemies or bolster the resolve of your allies.


    #


    [Mask of the Despised] ¨C take heed always, kindled one, for the hatred of the Frenzied Flame is great amongst those who follow the path of Qi. Use this technique to mask your strength while in their presence, for their own arrogance shall paint you as a mere fool, simpleton, or dull brute in their eyes. Use this to your advantage to move freely among them while posing no threat.


    #


    [Lust for Battle] ¨C not a true technique, but a trait shared by all kindled of the Frenzied Flame. The drawing of blood in battle, even one¡¯s own, can trigger a burst of Frenzy. And to slay one¡¯s enemy will produce even more so. Yet take heed, kindled one, for the pull of the bloodlust is strong and the need to draw blood can easily extend to a friend as well as foe, if left unrestrained. Let not the Demon within you take full control.


    #


    [Struggler¡¯s Resolve] ¨C the path of the Struggler is forever filled with tribulation. This technique will convert your Frenzy into an iron will of determination that even others can feel and see.


    #


    [Indifference] ¨CThink not, dear kindled, that your power lies in aggression and hostility alone. To induce rage and fear in others can be many more times as effective, for nothing offends the proud and powerful more than indifference. Use this technique to withstand attacks and to demoralize your foes through your apathy when you disregard even their strongest techniques with a scoff.


    #


    This all sounded cool as shit. It was like reading an instruction manual on how to be an absolute badass. As I read through the details of each technique, I found the most subtle actions were involved. A well-timed turn of the head or even where and how you held your hands all mattered. Thinking back to Threja, everything she did was perhaps a different kind of stance or technique, even the way she walked. I understood also why she had used that poem on me now. She had used the [Frenzied Flame] technique to help ignite my Flame and thinking back I did kind of feel something ¡®open up¡¯ inside of me when she did that.


    Under the 17<sup>th</sup> Shura, I found something else of interest.


    #


    On Empathy


    Think not, dear kindled, that your strength lies only in your fury. While fury is what is beheld by others, your true strength lies in your empathy. Your ability to sense the pain, fear, and anger of others can be your greatest asset.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    #


    Below it were listed three techniques that all had similar functions and names. [Your Pain is my Strength], [Your Fear is my Strength] and [Your Rage is my Strength]. By focusing on certain meridian alinement sequences, I could actually absorb the Pain, Fear, and Rage energy of others and refine it into Frenzy of my own. There was one catch though. I couldn¡¯t just suck up random emotions, if that¡¯s what they really were. The trigger had to be me.


    I was beginning to understand the limitations of the Dao route now. Qi cultivators could just meditate and suck up energy willy-nilly. I, on the other hand had to work for it. There were other limitations too, a few listed in the 3<sup>rd</sup> Shura which outlined the philosophy of the Frenzied Flame.


    #


    Shura 3


    Know this, kindled one. A Berserker can never back away from a challenge, or an injustice which ignites one¡¯s Flame. Even if victory is unlikely, press forth, for even in defeat, survival is never your aim. The destruction of your enemy is all that matters. If destruction is yet impossible you may retreat to gain more strength and return once again, but return you must, until victory or death. But to turn your back on a challenge or injustice, untested, is to stray from the path of the Flame.


    #


    That sounded a bit hardcore. And maybe the first verses about these revelations coming from the Flame itself were right too. I didn¡¯t need to read any of that to already feel that same way in my soul. The same way how I didn¡¯t even think to back down from challenging Hein in the square no matter the cost. But I don¡¯t think I would have reacted the same way if I hadn¡¯t already ignited my Frenzied Flame. But just below the text there was a technique that seemed tailor made to deal with not backing down from a fight.


    #


    [Odds Against Me] ¨C there is no greater thrill than a challenge. Without challenge, without struggle, there can be no progression. The cowardly prey on those who are weaker to ensure easy victory, but the Berserker seeks to oppose strength far above his own. When facing greater odds, either by strength, numbers, or both, this technique will generate enormous amounts of Frenzy by suppressing your inner fears and unleashing your Flame¡¯s full potential. The power of this technique is limitless, bound only by the strength of your foe and your ability to withstand him.


    #


    Holy crap¡­limitless? That sounded like some kind of cultivation hack. I made a note of it to study it fully later. I then saw another technique that looked a bit familiar.


    #


    [My Turn] ¨C a retaliation technique used best when combined with [Indifference]. Unleash a mighty burst of Frenzy with your next strike by releasing the stored Pain energy of any previous attacks endured.


    #


    The image of that savage headbutt Threja unleashed on that cultivator flashed through my mind. I wondered if she had used [Indifference] before it, taking that claw technique right to the face. Probably. She didn¡¯t even try to block it. I wondered also why she¡¯d spoken the phrase as I didn¡¯t see it as a requirement within the instructions of the technique itself. After a bit more searching, I found the answer under the 76<sup>th</sup> Shura.


    #


    On Evocation


    It is not necessary to proclaim thy stance or technique, but a well-timed phrase may enhance a technique¡¯s outcome by manyfold, and further instill fear in others. Do so sparingly, however, for there is no impact greater than a word unexpected.


    #


    So that¡¯s why cultivators were always yelling out their attacks and shit, I thought. I always found it somewhat stupid to tell your enemy exactly what you were planning to do next, but I guess it made sense within this context. Who cared if the guy you were attacking knew you were going to pummel him with ¡°Flaming Qi Fist¡± or whatever if you stood a better chance of killing him with it?


    When I got towards the end of the manual, I found an entire section devoted to the [Death Mastery] technique.


    #


    [Death Mastery] ¨C the fear of death grows only stronger the closer ones gets to immortality. Power over this fear defies not only the Heavens, but mocks it to its face. Consider it no small wonder then, dear kindled, that your path shall be blighted with misfortune, for the Heavens are not lightly mocked. In exchange for this rebuke, you shall enjoy the bounty that is clarity of mind, body, and soul in places where others falter and fail. Your words and actions will instill fear and respect in others and your Flame will burn yet brighter with each evolution, heightening the potency of all your abilities.


    #


    It seemed [Death Mastery] was a core passive ability just like Threja had said. I confirmed the higher forms of [Death Mastery] existed in the manual also: [Mastery of the Fear of Certain Death], [Fear no Death] and [Death Wish]. The instruction of how to achieve each one was vague, but I probably wouldn¡¯t have to worry about obtaining them to break through to the next cultivation realm any time soon.


    My curiosity got me and I began skimming ahead through the manual for the [Furnace of the Frenzied Flame] Technique I saw Threja use to transform into her spectral form, but I didn¡¯t see it. Perhaps the manual didn¡¯t teach up to a level like that or maybe as the introduction said, there were some things that came as a revelation of the Flame all by themselves. As I flipped back to start reading through again, I contrastingly found a technique that I could perhaps take advantage of right away.


    #


    [Pain soothes the Frenzied Flame] ¨C Pain shall be in abundance upon your journey, but think it not a means of loss and suffering only. Gird thyself with this technique to mend thy wounds with the very pain that they cause.


    #


    Now that sounded useful, especially in my current state. I spent the next two hours focusing only on that, practicing the meridian opening techniques as I sat in lotus position on my cot. After a while, I was finally able to feel the Pain in my arm convert into Frenzy within my Dantian. Following the next instructions of the technique, I then used that Frenzy to focus on mending my arm. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was working completely or not, but just as I was starting to hone my focus a knock came at my door.


    Releasing a huff of irritation, I quickly stashed the orb then glanced between my bamboo shades to see who it was. Yu Li was standing outside.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I greeted her casually as I opened the door.


    She smiled as she looked up at me, Su Ling on her hip. ¡°I¡¯m ah¡­ doing the wash. Was wondering if you needed anything done.¡±


    I chuckled inwardly. This was typical Yu Li. She was nothing if not proud¡ªher inability to ask Hein for money perhaps the most bone-headed example of that. But I knew her love language. Her offering to do my laundry was her way of saying sorry. It was probably the closest I¡¯d get to a real apology, so I accepted it and gave her a pile of my soiled clothes.


    ¡°You need anything else?¡± she asked, peeking into my hovel of a room.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    She nodded and turned to leave, but then paused at the doorway. ¡°Hey¡­ thanks by the way,¡± she said. ¡°For what you did last night. I know you were only trying to help. And I know Hein can be a little over the top too sometimes, but¡­.¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. Even after nearly striking her she was still in love with that clown.


    ¡°You know you can do a lot better than him. You deserve better. Su Ling too.¡±


    Yu Li huffed out a sad little laugh. ¡°What? Better than a young master? If only.¡±


    I felt a sudden pain growing inside of her and I realized then that it wasn¡¯t love she was feeling towards Hein, but desperation. When she finally left, I returned to my cot with more on my mind than just cultivation.


    The rules of this world had warped her thinking. Perhaps everyone¡¯s thinking. She and everyone else just didn¡¯t see a way out. That¡¯s why they feared so much and did the nonsensical things that they did. Frenzy built within me as I curled my hand into a fist. The only rule the cultivators truly respected was the rule of might. To give Yu Li even the hope of a better life, I had to show her that one was possible by growing more powerful than the ones who oppressed us, starting with our fat landlord and going right up to the damn princess if I had to.


    But I had to be smart about it too.


    The world was fixed within a giant pecking order now and I was on the bottom rung.


    Pick the wrong fight too soon and someone much higher on the food chain could easily swoop down to snuff me out. Not that I cared about dying anymore. But Yu Li and Su Ling, hell even Mu Lin and Lee¡ªthey all deserved a better life than what they knew was even possible.


    And I¡¯d have to show them that possibility.


    But to do so, I¡¯d needed to become strong, both quickly and quietly.


    I used the Frenzy building in my gut to speed the healing of my arm while I contemplated my options. There was a lot to think about. But one thing was certain. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to merely overpower the...

 New Cover Reveal

    Hey guys!


    Just thought I''d share this with you all.


    Final cover is ready for Path of the Berserker Book I. Let me know what you think! :D


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I hope to start back up with book 2 in a few weeks. Just undergoing final editing process for Book I. Once it gets uploaded to KU the bulk of the story will have to be removed, so if you haven''t finished reading please do so before next month. and if you know anyone who may be interested let them know.

 Book 2 moves to KU on Friday

    Hey all!


    It''s that time again. Book 2 will be releasing on KU on friday, which means the chapter will have to come down before then. I''ll leave as late as possible, but assume sometime on Thursday. Book 3 is already started on Patreon and will be coming to RR in due course.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Thanks again for all your support and if you wish to leave me a positive review on launch day I''d appreciate it!


    Amazon.com: Path of the Berserker 2: A Daopocalypse Progression Fantasy eBook : Scott, Rick: Kindle Store</a>


    Peace!


    Rick

 Book 2 is live on Amazon!

    Good morning all.


    Path of the Berserker Book 2 just released on Amazon today.


    If you have time, please consider leaving me a positive review as it truly makes a difference in the early days of a launch.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    You can click the link below to get to the Amazon page.


    Amazon.com: Path of the Berserker 2: A Daopocalypse Progression Fantasy eBook : Scott, Rick: Kindle Store</a>


    I once again wish to thank you guys who have stuck with me for this journey with Max that is going on near two years now!


    Chapters for book 3 will be coming shortly so stay tuned.


    Thanks so much again guys!


    Cheers,


    Rick

 Book 3 to Release on KU tomorrow!

    Hey guys!


    It''s nearly that time. Book 3 will release in about 12 hours and I want to have these chapters down on RR before then. So This is the six hour warning. Read them while you can. And you can ways get the full story on Patreon for around $1 right now as well.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Also, if you can leave a review when the book launches that would be awesome!


    Thanks again for all the support guys!


    See you in the next book!


    Rick


    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Path of the Berserker 5 - Intro Blurb and Book 4 Recap

    Path of the Berserker ¨C Book 5 (A Daopocalypse Progression fantasy)


    Blurb


    A world destroyed. An axe to grind. And a path to infinite power. Welcome to my reality.


    I¡¯ve survived my tour of the Hell Worlds¡­no¡­scratch that. I did more than just survive¡ªI damn well thrived.


    I¡¯ve unlocked secret knowledge, advanced to the edge of the Sacred Soul Realm and even managed to perform feats of cultivation that no one in history has ever done before me.


    And now it¡¯s time to put my new-found strength to the test.


    My path hasn¡¯t gotten any easier and a new set of trials awaits me upon my return home. Good thing I got a damn good barrister and a family of loyal supporters to back me up.


    Theres been a lot of shady business going on while I¡¯ve been away.


    But Daddy¡¯s home now and there¡¯s going to be hell to pay.


    Path of the Berserker Book 5 is a progression fantasy novel that contains immortal cultivators, an oppressive intergalactic dynasty, rage-inducing imperial bureaucracy, magical spirit beasts, fantastical martial arts and one pissed off MC who¡¯s sick of it all. Fans of western style cultivation fantasy, post apocalypse and Xianxia will enjoy.


    Click buy to read now!


    <u>#Max¡¯s Techniques and Abilities</u>


    <u>Max¡¯s Berserker Techniques</u>


    Taken from the sacred scripts regarding the Path of the Frenzied Flame.


    ¡°Thou art indeed a kindled Flame, a frenzied spirit, tempered by struggle and sorrow, fueled by rage and pain¡­¡± -Unknown


    Shura 1


    Think not that we speak for the Flame, for the Flame of Frenzy has no master nor does it seek to create masters of its own accord. We who speak, have through consult agreed to these doctrines, not by direction, but through independent revelations of the Flame. Know with confidence then, that these words are true and are fit for enlightenment along your path.


    Shura 2


    They call us Berserker, we who follow the Frenzied Flame. Let us embrace the moniker, for it instills fears in our enemies. And fear is our strength.


    [Frenzied Flame] ¨C the most basic of all techniques within the Berserker¡¯s domain. Use it to instantly channel your internal energies of Fear, Rage, and Pain into Frenzy. Evoking this technique can also stir the embers of an Unkindled or even reignite the fallen Flame of a Waning Ember.


    [Fear the Flame] ¨C the simple baring of one¡¯s fangs is sometimes all that is required to defeat one¡¯s foe. Gather your Frenzy and with a mere look or phrase, exert your dominance and feed from the fears of your enemies or bolster the resolve of your allies.


    [Mask of the Despised] ¨C take heed always, kindled one, for the hatred of the Frenzied Flame is great amongst those who follow the path of Qi. Use this technique to mask your strength while in their presence, for their own arrogance shall paint you as a mere fool, simpleton, or dull brute in their eyes. Use this to your advantage to move freely among them while posing no threat.


    [Lust for Battle] ¨C not a true technique, but a trait shared by all kindled of the Frenzied Flame. The drawing of blood in battle, even one¡¯s own, can trigger a burst of Frenzy. And to slay one¡¯s enemy will produce even more so. Yet take heed, kindled one, for the pull of the bloodlust is strong and the need to draw blood can easily extend to a friend as well as foe, if left unrestrained. Let not the Demon within you take full control.


    [Struggler¡¯s Resolve] ¨C the path of the Struggler is forever filled with tribulation. This technique will convert your Frenzy into an iron will of determination that even others can feel and see.


    [Indifference] ¨CThink not, dear kindled, that your power lies in aggression and hostility alone. To induce rage and fear in others can be many more times as effective, for nothing offends the proud and powerful more than indifference. Use this technique to withstand attacks and to demoralize your foes through your apathy when you disregard even their strongest techniques with a scoff.


    [Odds Against Me] ¨C there is no greater thrill than a challenge. Without challenge, without struggle, there can be no progression. The cowardly prey on those who are weaker to ensure easy victory, but the Berserker seeks to oppose strength far above his own. When facing greater odds, either by strength, numbers, or both, this technique will generate enormous amounts of Frenzy by suppressing your inner fears and unleashing your Flame¡¯s full potential. The power of this technique is limitless, bound only by the strength of your foe and your ability to withstand him.


    [My Turn] ¨C a retaliation technique used best when combined with [Indifference]. Unleash a mighty burst of Frenzy with your next strike by releasing the stored Pain energy of any previous attacks endured.


    [Death Mastery] ¨C the fear of death grows only stronger the closer one gets to immortality. Power over this fear defies not only the Heavens, but mocks it to its face. Consider it no small wonder then, dear kindled, that your path shall be blighted with misfortune, for the Heavens are not lightly mocked. In exchange for this rebuke, you shall enjoy the bounty that is clarity of mind, body, and soul in places where others falter and fail. Your words and actions will instill fear and respect in others and your Flame will burn yet brighter with each evolution, heightening the potency of all your abilities.


    (Max¡¯s Death Mastery Levels)


    Fear of Uncertain Death (Mastery) ¨C [Foundation Realm]


    Fear of Certain Death (Mastery) ¨C [Core Realm]


    Fear no Death (Mastery) ¨C [Sacred Soul Realm]


    Death Wish ¨C [Deity Realm]


    [Iron Core] ¨C (internal) use concentrated Frenzy to temporarily form a layer of protective armor around vital organs and bones to withstand tremendous blows.


    [Death¡¯s Door] ¨C (internal) should you suffer a fatal wound use concentrated Frenzy to replace any bodily function that is lost.


    [Iron Skin] ¨C (external) use concentrated Frenzy to temporarily form a layer of hardened armor on a specific part of the body. Use defensively to avoid critical strikes or offensively on the knuckles, feet, or palms when fighting unarmed.


    Marks of the Berserker


    Take special care when utilizing the marks. While initially only one Mark may be used at a time, higher levels can sustain as much as two. In very rare practitioners, all three marks can be manifested, but take heed, as such will quickly Frenzy thy Flame towards complete madness.


    [Mark of the Beast] ¨C (external) take on the likeness of a frenzied beast, greatly increasing one¡¯s reflexes and speed.


    [Mark of the Giant] ¨C (external) grow in physical size, greatly increase all of one¡¯s physical strength and power.


    [Mark of the Demon] ¨C (external) take on the likeness of a demon, greatly increasing the potency of one¡¯s Frenzy and the effectiveness of Frenzy techniques.


    [Diamond Skin] and [Diamond Core] ¨C enhanced variations of the [Iron/Steel Skin/Core] techniques.


    [Soul Shield] ¨C the most elementary of soul techniques. Use it to guard thy Flame from attacks from both without and within the spiritual realm.


    [Sacred Soul Shield] ¨C an enhanced variant of [Soul Shield] that can grant protection from even the rays of a Cursed Star.


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    [Spectral Body] ¨C the form of one¡¯s soul is forever being molded, but for it to take true shape, it must first develop a body. Use this technique to both envision and inhabit a spectral body within thy own Core. Tread thou carefully however, for the refection of one¡¯s true inner self is forged not by will, but the history of one¡¯s thoughts and deeds.


    [Spectral Armor] ¨C once developed, this armor can embody the strength of one¡¯s soul and protect one¡¯s spectral body in the spiritual realm.


    [Spectral Weapon] ¨C the extension of one¡¯s will in spiritual form, use it to inflict damage within the spiritual realm.


    [Everyone¡¯s Fear] [Everyone¡¯s Sorrow] [Everyone¡¯s Rancor] ¨C the lamentations of the masses can hold much strength when in large numbers. Be they the oppressed or the downtrodden, so long as a focus for their oppression can be challenged, so too can a Frenzied Flame lend its strength to aid the many.


    [Furious Flame of the Father]


    Know thee not, oh kindled one, from whence thy might doth flow? For we who Struggle against, there is no greater strength, but to succumb is annihilation. In times of dire need, one may use the strength of thy progenitor to greatly multiply the effectiveness of thy Flame, but to do so for too long will see it consumed and returned to its origin.


    The next ones seemed to be upgrades to my existing abilities, of [My Turn], [Fear the Flame] and [Indifference].


    [I Still Live]


    When thou doth suffer a fatal blow by thy enemy and through thy strength doeth survive, use this technique to ensure that such kindness is repaid one hundred-fold.


    [Torment of the Frenzied Flame]


    Use thy Frenzy to strengthen thy words with the power of the Flame itself, for the [Fear of the Flame] is innate. Do so to sharpen thy tongue as a barb, where thy words prick and shatter the very spirit, mind and soul of one¡¯s foe. For the proud and boastful, often fortify themselves with words, creating confidence where there is truly none, for false confidence is no confidence at all.


    [Barren Ground]


    Thy inner world can be a place of fortification and also peace. Yet take care, oh kindled  one, that thy struggles are not overshadowed by one¡¯s loss and grief. In such time, one¡¯s [Indifference] can be harnessed to produce a void of solace. A place where thy cares can be cast down. Yet, where thy cares lie, thou shalt see not one, for thou carest not and all shall be barren ground.


    The last one seemed kind of heavy, and I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of it. I searched further through the Shuras for some more practical manifestation techniques.


    [Trudge]


    Combine the strength of ones resolve and indominable will to step forward with a dominance that strikes fear and terror in the hearts of one¡¯s foes. To fly quickly into combat and gain an initiating strike are the tactics of the weak and unsure. Do thou the opposite, for surely, one who marches slowly into the face of battle, or the presence of his foes, will show them no mercy nor weakness. Once initiated, such steps cannot be broken nor stalled. For not even the gates of Heaven nor Hell can withstand the trudge of a Berserker¡¯s iron-willed resolve.


    [Focused Fury]


    It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Use this technique for one to take a glimpse within thy own. As thy eyes become burning embers of rage and pain, use it to shatter the will of thy foes or to bolster thy allies with hope and resolve.


    [Burning Soul]


    If thy eyes are yet not good enough, use thy entire body instead. Draw upon the strength of thy Flame to create a burning effigy of thy indominable spirit, terrorizing all.


    [Three Fold Frenzy]


    An advanced manifestation technique that briefly combines all three of thy forms for a single technique or blow, greatly amplifying one¡¯s strength. Do so sparingly however, for such will greatly tax both body and soul, resulting in an immediate slumber. Be assured then, oh kindled one, that a death blow of one¡¯s foe is assured.


    [Fury of the Fallen]


    The fall of one¡¯s comrades in battle can be a source of great loss and grief, but also power. Use this technique to channel one¡¯s inner rage and despair, drawing in the very essence of the fallen to aid in retribution and recompence.


    <u>Max¡¯s Demonic Cultivation Techniques</u>


    [Absorption] ¨C a demonic technique that renders Qi essence from solid cores.


    [Devil¡¯s Shadow] ¨C a demonic technique that masks one¡¯s Dantian with the Qi gained through [Absorption]. By absorbing the essence of a sliver of Lightning Core implanted in his body, Max is able to mask his Frenzied Core as a normal lightning core.


    [Faux Lightning] ¨C by combining [Absorption] and [Devil¡¯s Shadow], a small sliver of lightning core can be sent to Max¡¯s jing meridian to create a small spark of lightning.


    <u>Max¡¯s Martial Training</u>


    One and Two handed Axe Mastery ¨C derived from a standard training manual.


    Phalanx Glaive Mastery ¨C perfected under the tutelage of Venja and Iron Pot Wong


    Axe and Glaive Mastery ¨C a combined martial form utilizing the quick strikes of the axe in conjunction with the slow and heave strikes of the Phalanx Glaive


    <u>Max¡¯s Self Made Martial Techniques</u>


    [One/Two Log Chop] ¨C a powerful vertical cleave utilizing the power of Frenzy


    [One Chop Cleave] ¨C a powerful spinning horizontal chop designed to fell a tree in one blow.


    [Struggler¡¯s Lightning Fist/Blade/Cleave of Fury] -¨C a group of hybrid spiritual techniques involving the partial projection of his [Spectral Body] and [Spectral Weapon] for a single attack that can cause Lightning, physical and spiritual damage simultaneously.


    <u>Max¡¯s Lightning Techniques</u>


    [Frenzied Lightning] ¨C by utilizing solid frenzy and sending it to his jing meridian, Max is able to produce Lightning the same as a Lightning Qi master.


    [Lightning Arc Strike] ¨C manifests an arc of lightning that is cast from the edge of his blade.


    [Wrath of a Thousand Slain Souls] ¨C a manifestation technique that releases a large burst of [Frenzied Lightning] from Max¡¯s body.


    [Wrath of a Million Slain Souls] ¨C an enhanced variant of [Wrath of a Thousand Slain Souls]


    [Lightning Splits the Towering Oak] ¨C a technique combining [Frenzied Lightning] and [Three Log Chop] to produce a devastating killing blow.


    [Steel Lightning] ¨C an ablative armor technique utilizing a combination of [Steel Skin] and [Frenzied Lightning]


    [Lightning Walk] ¨C a modification of the [Air Walk] technique combining [Frenzied Lightning] to produce the ability to walk on air.


    [Ride the Lightning] -¨C an advanced form of [Lightning Walk] utilizing the power of [Wrath of a Thousand Slain Souls] to move at incredible speeds.


    <u>Max¡¯s group affiliations, titles and martial rankings </u>


    Furious Lightning Sect -¨C Sect Leader


    Terran Sect ¨C Founder, Leader and Warden


    Wooden Bracket League ¨C 1<sup>st</sup> place Ranking and overall winner


    Iron Bracket League ¨C 1<sup>st</sup> place Ranking and overall winner


    Gold Bracket League ¨C 92<sup>nd</sup> Ranking


    Du Gok Bhong Academy ¨C Graduate Legionnaire


    #The story so far


    Max¡¯s mission to the Hell Words is immediately derailed by the appearance of Tai Su Long, a governor from the core worlds and uncle to Jei Su Long. As the Su Long family is a major sponsor of both the Academy and the military transport the Xin Long, Tai Su Long is able to exert his influence over President Tzu Li Zen and forces him to grant Jai Su Long a new title of Senior Platoon Commander above Max.


    The mission is further interrupted by a distress call from the planet El¡¯Dshar which has suffered a meteor strike from one of the cursed stars. Max assists in battle and saves a young Lieutenant which he later discovers is Hein.


    The two have a rocky reunion at first, but his time in the military has changed Hein greatly and Max and he soon learn to become friends as well as future brothers-in-law. Max suffered a few more trials on the way to the Hell World with first having to participate in an exhibition match with a High Tier Sacred Soul Realm cultivator named Rhe Su Long, which he wins by default, but by embarrassing himself and his opponent. As punishment, Max and the battalion are forced to join a planetary assault on a native world, led by the very same team of Lesser Deity Realm Cultivators who conquered the Earth.


    While on the planet, Max manages to hide away a small portion of the local population which hopes he can save later save once he has more influence within the empire.


    On their descent to the Hell World of Fhae I¡¯ung, Jei Su long double crosses the entire platoon and leaves them all to die, but tells the powers that be that Max killed the entire platoon and that he eventually killed Max in self-defense. He then convinces his uncle to give him authority to go on another two tours as ¡®security and oversight¡¯.


    Back on Earth Fia is preparing for her upcoming trial against the three bird sister and is helped by her mother to learn a new martial art that will allow her to defend herself without putting stress on her body or the baby.


    While Fia trains on Earth, Max trains on the Hell World after finding a refuge underground. He learns how to project his Sacred Soul and in doing so discovered there is a planetary Spirit of Fhae I¡¯ung dwelling deep inside the planet. Max uses his projection technique to teleport his spirit to find her and discovers that she is under attack by a Deep Dweller. After defeating the Deep Dweller, Max realizes Fhae I¡¯ung is already dying. She uses the last of her strength to gift Max with new revelations from the Frenzied Flame as well as secret knowledge of the true relationships between the Frenzied Flame, the Greater Will, I¡¯xol¡¯ukz and the One True Flame which is the embodiment of the Cursed Stars.


    Max uses this new knowledge to train and grow stronger while he awaits the next tour of legionnaires to arrive. When they do, Max meets up with them, only to see Jei Su Long again as well as Blue Rose, but through Jei Su Long¡¯s incompetence, the skiff and most of the platoon is lost.


    Max, furious for what Jei Su Long has done, cripples him by destroying his Dantian, but stops just short of killing him thanks to Blue Rose, who counsels him that he will need Jei Su Long alive to face court and help clear his name. Max keeps Jei Su Long alive while they make a plan to trek across the Hell World to the next drop zone.


    Kelsey, who has been training under the Bloodmoon, discovers the demonic reincarnation of Hong Feng growing ever stronger. She is able to connect with Max while he is on the Hell World and Max tries to convey to her that he is still alive.


    Princess Lunalah learns of Max death and is painfully distraught, but decides to keep the news from reaching Fia so that she may vengefully injure her with the news on the night of her match with the bird sisters.


    Princess Lunalah travels to Jurin Province for this sole purpose and ahead of the match, publicly announces Max¡¯s death which causes Fia much emotional distress. Kelsey tries to refute it, but Fia is torn and confused. As a result, when the match begins, the bird sisters get the better of her and manage rip off her robes, revealing Fia to be pregnant. The princess, incensed that Fia now carries a child which she believes should have been hers, orders the Warden to ensure both Fia and the baby are killed in the match.


    The Warden relays the order to her nieces and the Lady Silver Hawk manages to kick Fia in the stomach, gravely wounding both her and the baby, but is stopped from causing further damage by Kelsey who jumps into the ring. At the same moment, the demonic Hong Feng breaks into the arena, now super powered by a cosmic gate in his chest and partially inhabited by I¡¯xol¡¯ukz.


    In the turmoil, the bird sister flee, leaving Fia going into labor and fearing the baby is already dead. Kelsey tries to connect to Max to convince Fia that he is still alive. She finds Max while he is just about to depart the Hell World and Max uses his [Spectral Projection] technique to appear back on Earth in a spectral form.


    He joins Kelsey in defeating I¡¯xol¡¯ukz and Hong Feng, but is enraged when he sees what the bird sisters have done to Fia. He chases after them and brutally slays them as retribution for killing his unborn child. He is about to take on the Warden next, but is out of time and is further stopped by the Princess who is overjoyed to see Max still alive.


    The princess promises him a proper match with the Warden upon his return, but envisions her own future with Max, thinking that Fia and the Baby are already dead.


    Max returns to Fia to find she has given birth to a son, which somehow survived the trauma. Max names him Bryce and uses his [Sacred Brand of the Frenzied Flame] technique to imbue Kelsey¡¯s axe with a portion of his spirit, turning it into a barrier producing weapon just like Venja.


    He then tells Kelsey to take the entire family into the wild as the Warden and Princess already assume them all dead. He still has two weeks to get back to Earth and doesn¡¯t trust what might happen to them while he is still away.


    Max returns to his real body just in time to get off the Hell World and reunites with Hein on board the Xin Long. Jei Su Long is sent to the brig to await trial once they return to Du Gok Bhong. Kelsey gets Fia and her family to the settlement out in the wild and they see hope there, but Fia then notices a small birth mark of an inverted triangle on the back of the baby¡¯s neck.


    I¡¯xol¡¯ukz, having finally found its true vessel in the form of Max¡¯s son, has marked him to be inhabited once he reaches maturity.

 Path of the Berserker Book 4 KU Release Tomorrow! [RR Chapters Stubbing Tonight]

    Hey all,


    Book 4 is set to release on KU tomorrow. As such the chapters will be coming down later tonight.


    To assist with the launch, If you have the opportunity to leave a review or even pick up a copy tomorrow, I''d greatly appreciate it.


    To do so you can click the link on the cover image above.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    In sadder news, my Dad unfortunately passed away yesterday in hospital.


    I wish to thank everyone for all their well wishes over the past couple of weeks while he was getting treatment. While its been quite the blow, as you can imagine, I am thankful to God allow he allowed me a great about of time to spend with him before the end.


    That said, I have quite a bit to deal with over the next couple of weeks while I settle his affairs. I''ll be back to start book five as soon as I can.


    My thanks everyone for all of your support.


    It''s truly appreciated.


    Sincerely,


    ~Rick

 Path of the Berserker 4 Live on Amazon Today!

    Hey y''all,


    Just me again with a reminder that Book 4 is now live on Amazon and KU.


    Link is here -> https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DVKHTWLV</a>


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Or you can click the cover image above.


    If you have the time to leave an amazon review or even grab a copy now is the time!


    Its been a great launch so far and every little bit added will make it even better.


    My thanks in advance if you can!


    Appreciate the support, guys!


    Best,


    ~Rick

 Path of the Berserker 5 - Prologue

    My Dearest Younger Sister, Lunalah,


    I greet you with good tidings from the Lu Shui territories.


    Having read your letter regarding the Iron Bull, it would seem there is indeed some discrepancy in regard to his demise. As of the writing of this letter, I have been informed that the Iron Bull was safely recovered from the Hell World of Fhae I¡¯ung, as was the Young Master of the Twin River Sect, Jei Su Long.


    You have made some bold accusations in your letter, dear younger sister, about Master Jei Su Long, but now that the full cast is assembled, I will see to it that the truth is revealed. As the Academy of Du Gok Bhong falls within the remit of my domain, I will be sending a magistrate to discern this matter fully.


    Trust and believe, younger sister, that if this letter penned by yourself, instructing the Iron Bull to murder his own men, is indeed proven to be a fraud, then I will have no choice but to retract my earlier statements and issue the just punishment to my own subjects.


    However, if your hand in this is proven, then it will be done so in an official court of law.


    I trust I will not have to remind you of the consequences of such a thing.


    Especially in the eyes of our father.


    Let us pray, for your sake, dear Lunalah, that the search for truth will not reveal such misdoings.


    I wish your tribute all the best in his upcoming trial.


    Sincerely


    Second Princess Rheutera


    Crown regent of the Lu Shui territories


    98<sup>th</sup> heir to the imperial throne


    Lunalah¡¯s insides curled as she re-read the letter from her older half-sister.


    Curse the damned bitch, she thought.


    For all her luck in finally securing a clear path to the Iron Bull, now this woman throws a further obstacle in her path. It had only been days now since the Iron bull had revealed himself to her, projecting his Sacred Soul across the stars. That feat alone was worthy of some kind of ascension, but it seemed he would have a trial even before arriving home now.


    Lunalah looked across her desk to where her aide, Ling Wei, was waiting patiently for a reaction to Rheutera¡¯s letter. The girl knew as well as she did the truth regarding the letter she had sent, instructing the Iron Bull to return from his Hell World mission alone so that Terra could benefit from the imperial reward. In retrospect, it was a rash and hasty act. One born of desperation for balancing the planet¡¯s finances. But now it had become a weapon in the hand of one of her sisters.


    No way could she afford to have something like that revealed in court.


    ¡°Ling Wei,¡± Lunalah said. ¡°You are trained as a barrister, are you not?¡±


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    Ling Wei bowed humbly. ¡°Indeed, I am your majesty.¡±


    ¡°What do you make of it then?¡± she said. ¡°This letter.¡±


    Her brows furrowed with uncertainty. ¡°What aspect, your majesty?¡±


    ¡°Well can she prove my letter is real or not?¡±


    Ling Wei again looked stumped for an answer.


    Lunalah sighed. ¡°Perhaps I need to make myself more clear. Is it possible to prove my letter was fraudulent?¡±


    ¡°That is¡­a great challenge indeed, your majesty, considering it is not.¡±


    ¡°Who says it is not?¡±


    Ling Wei blinked. ¡°I suppose only those who consider it is not?¡±


    The girl was being careful around her. As well she should. But she was also quite clever.


    Lunalah smiled at her. ¡°Exactly. So, who is needed to say my letter is a fraud to convince those who say it is not?¡±


    Ling Wei¡¯s eyes shifted to the side in thought. ¡°Well¡­ perhaps the best and only way, would be for the Iron Bull to deny its authenticity?¡±


    Her heart soared. The Iron Bull would be needed to come to her rescue yet again. ¡°Yes. Surely with his standing now, they could not deny such a testimony.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that is if he agrees.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean agrees?¡±


    ¡°He would have received the letter from you already, your majesty. He would know it is authentic.¡±


    Lunalah could not fathom what she was talking about. ¡°Then tell him it isn¡¯t. I will simply write to him again to tell him to deny it in court.¡±


    ¡°Your majesty, I have dealt with the Iron Bull previously,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°He is not one easily tamed. Or commanded.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that the truth, Lunalah thought with a wicked smile.


    It was just those qualities that brought a stirring of her desire.


    A wild untamable beast.


    But one she would make her own.


    ¡°We must use tact then,¡± Lunalah said. ¡°Let us commence drafting the letter immediately.¡±


    ¡°But time has passed since this letter arrived, your majesty. The Iron Bull is likely to arrive at Du Gok Bhong in a matter of weeks. A letter may not reach before his arrival.¡±


    She was right.


    Time was of the essence.


    Lunalah smiled at Ling Wei. ¡°Then you shall attend to Du Gok Bhong as my royal hand. The Iron Bull will no doubt need a barrister to defend him from the treachery my elder sister has planned. You would be the perfect envoy.¡±


    Ling Wei blinked in surprise. ¡°Me? I¡­ well yes, your majesty. I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°You must convince him that the letter is a fake and ensure both he and I are delivered safely out of the net that has been cast by my elder sister, understood?¡±


    Ling Wei bowed. ¡°Y-yes your majesty.¡±


    One last obstacle, she thought.


    But she would ensure his success by any means.


    ¡°You will travel by my own imperial vessel to arrive in time for the Iron Bull¡¯s return to Du Gok Bhong,¡± Lunalah said. ¡°And you will return with him on the same.¡± She then smiled. ¡°I wish to be the first to greet the Iron Bull on his return home. He will then immediately have his duel with Lady Silver Tear for control of Jurin Province. From there I will see what other accolades may be befitting of the trials he has overcome upon the Hell Worlds.¡±


    Like a royal consort perhaps, she thought with a smile.


    She then thought a moment more. The Iron Bull had just lost his betrothed and child. He would be nursing deep wounds. Wounds she yearned to heal with her own warmth. But she had to be certain that it was only her warmth that he would seek. Even sending the likes of Ling Wei was perhaps a risk.


    ¡°Ensure you spend no more time with him than necessary,¡± Lunalah said.


    Ling Wei raised a brow.


    ¡°The man is grieving, Ling Wei,¡± Luanalah said. ¡°Or did you perhaps forget his recent loss? It would not be appropriate for an unwed woman such as yourself to be in such close proximity to a man perhaps seeking comfort. Your relationship must remain strictly professional. Is that understood?¡±


    Ling Wei looked aghast. ¡°Why of course your majesty! I would never dream of any such impropriety taking place!¡±


    The girl seemed almost offended, but in truth Lunalah envied her.


    The thought of spending a week or so alone with the Iron Bull aboard her imperial cruiser was a thing of fantasy. The temptation was almost enough for her to force going on the trip herself, but such a move would be too bold for many reasons.


    One, she would not dare to confront her older sister in person, especially upon her home territory. And two, she could not so quickly make her intentions with the Iron Bull known.


    Patience, she reminded herself.


    The hard part was over.


    Ridding herself cleanly of the Iron Bull¡¯s betrothed was accomplished.


    All she had to do now was fulfil his every desire for power.


    And that started with clearing both his name and hers.


    ¡°Ensure the Iron Bull knows that his discretion regarding the letter will hold very high reward,¡± she said. ¡°Reward that I will bestow upon him personally on his safe return.¡±


    ¡°I will, your majesty,¡± Ling Wei said but still looked unsure.


    Lunalah didn¡¯t like that.


    The task had no room for error.


    ¡°Ensure you do not fail me either, Ling Wei,¡± she said and then narrowing her eyes threateningly, she made sure the message was clear. ¡°For your future relies on the success of the Iron Bull¡¯s trial as well.¡±

 Path of the Berserker 5 - Chapter 1

    As I peered out the view port of the drop skiff, the twisted spires of Du Gok Bhong came into view and a sense of relief and nostalgia washed over me. I smiled.


    Who would have thought I¡¯d be so happy to see a damn prison again.


    But here I was.


    My final pitstop before being able to return to Earth, fight for my freedom and see Fia and my newborn son again. But a fight was waiting for me here as well. As we touched down and the doors to the skiff opened, the familiar stench of sulphur greeted me.


    But that wasn¡¯t all.


    On deck were a cluster of people awaiting our arrival and when I saw who they were, I was filled with elation and chagrin, both. I gave a bow of respect towards President Tzu Li Zen, Chief Yora and Master Eiji, all of whom looked more than happy to see me.


    Less so were the cluster of people standing next to them.


    There was a tall man with a full white beard and bald head that I didn¡¯t know, but whom I assumed was the magistrate judging by his imperial robes and funky hat. Joining him was none other than Governor Tai Su Long himself as well as a group of three men who wore barrister¡¯s robes.


    That was to be expected, I supposed, but most surprising was the last figure, whom I recognized but couldn¡¯t quite believe was standing there. It was Princess Lunalah¡¯s aide, the one who had accompanied me on the skiff to the prison transport.


    What was her name again? I thought, trying to remember. Ling Ling or some shit?


    Before I had a chance to think further, Jei Su Long was pushed off the skiff by my soon to be brother-in-law, Hein. Jei Su Long still had his hands bound and when Tai Su Long saw him, he immediately went into a tirade.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this!¡± he screamed. ¡°Release my nephew at once!¡±


    A chuckle came from behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Blue Rose shaking her head. ¡°And so it starts, right? What bullshit.¡±


    I merely smiled at her, holding a fa?ade of [Indifference].


    Blue Rose knew as well as I, the fight that lay ahead. Clearing my name from the accusation of that prick Jei Su Long, who would now be backed by his uncle and a team of barristers it seemed. But I didn¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t give a shit how the court case actually went. So long as it ended in an eventual trial by combat, I was all in.


    General Gong stepped off the skiff next and quickly issued a command to Hein.


    ¡°Release him to the custody of President Tzu Li Zen,¡± he said and then turned to Tai Su Long. ¡°Governor, as per my communication, your nephew stands accused. It is fit that he remains¡ª¡±


    ¡°And crippled!¡± Jei Su Long suddenly cried out, cutting him off. He then turned to me. ¡°That man! The Iron Bull crippled my Dantian! He is a liar and a savage. He survived my killing blow somehow and now he seeks to¡ª¡±


    ¡°That will be enough, young master!¡± one of the three barristers with Tai Su Long said. He then bowed to Master Tzu Li Zen. ¡°President, I would demand that Young Master Jei Su Long be released to the custody of his uncle.¡±


    ¡°That decision will be mine,¡± the tall man in the magistrate¡¯s robes said, stepping forward. ¡°President Tzu Li Zen, I will remand both the Iron Bull and Young Master Jei Su Long into your custody pending the outcome of this trial. As far as I understand it, this is a highly complicated matter, with claims being launched from both sides. As I am yet to hear official opening arguments from either side, I want both under the care of a neutral party.¡±


    Tzu Li Zen bowed. ¡°It will be done, your honor. Both the Iron Bull and Jei Su Long will be confined to private quarters.¡±


    He nodded to Yora and with a snap of her fingers a set of legionnaires took Jei Su Long away, kicking and screaming. Chief Yora herself came to do the honors for me personally, giving me a smile as she gently took hold of my arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you still in the flesh, Iron Bull,¡± she whispered to me. ¡°Your friend Blue Rose shared everything with us. This court case will be but a formality.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Chief,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s good to be back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you had time to focus on your artwork?¡±


    I grinned at her. ¡°Trust me. What I have to show you, will literally blow your mind.¡±


    Her smile widened as she led me away and President Tzu Li Zen gave me a swift nod as we passed by him, but nothing else, perhaps to not to seem biased in front of the magistrate, but the lemonade in his soul spoke volumes. As I passed by Governor Tai Su Long, he shot me a nasty snare.


    ¡°You will pay for what you have done to my nephew,¡± he said with hatred and anger in his heart. ¡°You have crippled a member of the Su Long family, a very influential family within the Twin River Clan. We have the favor of our princess! You will pay with your very life, Iron Bull!¡±


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    ¡°I would not be so certain of that,¡± a voice said.


    The interjection came from Ling Ling or whoever she was. She approached Tai Su Long with an air of confidence that seemed unreal, hands behind her back and all. She then gave him a polite bow.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Tai Su Long spat.


    ¡°This One is Ling Wei,¡± she said, and instantly I recalled her correct name. ¡°I am personal aide to Third Princess Lunalah of Terra and the appointed legal representative of the Iron Bull.¡±


    Tai Su Long harrumphed. ¡°A barrister, eh? Good. He¡¯ll need it.¡±


    He gave me the stink eye as he departed with the three barristers of his own.


    Ling Wei then gave me a bow. ¡°It is a great relief to see you again, Master Iron Bull.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you too,¡± I said. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I was going to have a barrister for this, but you¡¯re more than welcome to represent. So, you¡¯ve come to extract me from this mess?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°In all hopes. But there is much we need to discuss.¡±


    ¡°You can do that once he is confined,¡± the magistrate said. ¡°I will give both parties an hour to confer with their respective counsel. After that the trial will begin.¡± He then frowned. ¡°I wish to be away from this stinking place as soon as possible.¡±


    *          *          *


    Out of the sight of the magistrate, Chief Yora pulled me to the side and allowed me to have a brief reunion with my friends. There was the towering sullied Tu¡¯lok as well as the Ren brothers Ku Ren and Lo Ren. They all embraced me like madmen, tears in their eyes with being so happy to see me alive again. Blue Rose shared in the reunion as well, enduring a crushing hug from Tu¡¯lok. Master Eiji greeted both of us with slaps on the back, staring at us as if we were both returned from the dead.


    And for all intents and purposes, I suppose we were.


    We fell into quick conversation then, all of them eager to hear how we had survived the horrors of the hell world for weeks. Before I could even get going however, our conversation was cut short by a clearing of the throat from Ling Wei, who then reminded us of the one-hour time constraint.


    Chief Yora then hurried them to speed things along and I said quick goodbyes to my friends before Yora took me to my old room and led me inside with Ling Wei.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgo the lock,¡± Chief Yora said with a smile. ¡°But I trust you to behave, Iron Bull. I leave now to have the assembly for the return of the 30<sup>th</sup> deployment. After the trial, hopefully we can have the same for you and what remains of the 29<sup>th</sup>.¡±


    She left then and Ling We immediately began diving inside a satchel, pulling forth documents.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to prepare,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°Tell me exactly now what transpired upon the hell world.¡±


    I sat down and prepared to give her the full story, albeit the quick version considering the time. ¡°That prick left us down on the surface for dead,¡± I said. ¡°He even killed a handful of my men before he did it. I did attack him, that much is true, but he used one of my legionnaires as a shield.¡±


    I paused for a moment, considering Dim Wei and how horribly she had died.


    Screaming for me to kill her while she transformed into a demon.


    ¡°They suffered horribly because of what he did,¡± I said. ¡°I was lucky enough to use one of the tunnels we had dug for shelter, which led to a cavern below. That cavern is why I and the rest of the 29<sup>th</sup> are still alive.¡±


    ¡°So what happened when you saw Jei Su Long again?¡±


    ¡°I nearly killed the bastard of course. My companion Blue Rose stopped me just short of that. But knowing the prick he is, I couldn¡¯t risk him pulling something while we waited for the next transport, so I pulled out his fangs instead.¡±


    ¡°So you did cripple his Dantian.¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± I said proudly. ¡°I hope it never recovers too.¡±


    Ling Wei scribbled some notes down. ¡°And his version of events?¡±


    ¡°He told everyone he killed my ass after he witnessed me killing everyone else.¡±


    ¡°What did he say about the letter?¡±


    ¡°You mean the one from the Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I mean¡­ no, there was no letter from the Princess. But what did he claim?¡±


    I eyed her warily. ¡°He said he found it on my body, but that¡¯s bullshit because he snatched it out of my hands months before. I didn¡¯t realize he hung onto it all that time. What the hell are you talking about there was no letter?¡±


    A bit of fear bubbled up inside of her. ¡°Well¡­ we have reason to believe that the letter itself was a fraud. Written by perhaps the Governor and sent to Du Gok Bhong under the guise of the princess.¡±


    I studied her and watched her melt like wax under my gaze. ¡°You expect me to believe that shit?¡±


    I emphasized my words with [Struggler¡¯s Resolve] causing Ling Wei to shift uncomfortably in her seat.


    ¡°Well, it is a theory that somehow¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me spare you,¡± I said, cutting her off. ¡°No way the contents of that letter came from anyone besides the princess.¡± Even now I could recall the cringy inuendo dripping from each word. ¡°Either that, or the Governor has one sick ass imagination.¡±


    Ling Wei finally blew out a sigh. ¡°Fine, I knew you would never believe it, but I had to try.¡±


    ¡°Had to try what? What are you even saying?¡±


    ¡°Iron Bull, the contents of that letter are damning to the princess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no shit,¡± I said. ¡°It was like she was begging me to bang her or something.¡±


    ¡°Not that part!¡± she said covering her ears. ¡°By the heavens your words are so vulgar!¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Did you not recall where she requested you return alone?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Yeah, of course. That¡¯s probably where the dumb prick got the idea.¡±


    ¡°Well, in a certain perspective, something like that could be considered treasonous.¡±


    ¡°Treasonous?¡± That got my attention 100 percent. ¡°Like the princess can be accused of treason?¡±


    ¡°If it is not proven a fake, yes,¡± Ling Wei said.


    I leaned back in my chair and let out a whistle. ¡°Hot damn.¡±


    Did I just stumble on a jackpot here? I thought. I knew the request was jacked up, but treason?


    This could be the leverage I needed to oust the princess eventually.


    Or at least force her to do perhaps whatever I say.


    ¡°Master Iron Bull,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s imperative that you deny the authenticity of this letter. The safety of our princess and by extension, your world, depends on it.¡±


    I thought on that a moment. ¡°How am I supposed to do that? Other people saw it too, you know?¡±


    ¡°Did they?¡±


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know how you think this is going to work, but I¡¯m honestly more concerned about clearing my name at the moment. That bastard Jei Su Long had me pegged for murdering my own platoon, and I ain¡¯t going to lie down for that.¡±


    ¡°So we are in agreement then,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°The idea of murdering your platoon must remain a fabrication by the Su Longs.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but his previous story of finding the letter on my body is where he messed up. That¡¯s like my whole defense. Kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°You being alive is proof,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, but you heard that prick just now. He¡¯s trying to say I merely survived the attack. The letter is the clincher.¡±


    Ling Wei sighed. ¡°I need a moment to think. I have only minutes to prepare an argument.¡± She then paused a moment before looking back at me. ¡°What was it you said just now about Jei Su Long lying about the letter?¡±


    ¡°He said he found it on my body. Which is bullshit. He took it off me weeks prior.¡±


    Ling Wei stared at the ground while she rocked back and forth in her chair.


    ¡°I may have an idea that will clear your name,¡± she said eventually. ¡°But you will need to deny that letter while on the stand.¡±

 Path of the Berserker 5 - Chapter 2

    I had a roiling mixture of emotions churning through my gut as I made my way towards the assembly quad behind Ling Wei. Perpetrating a fraud wasn¡¯t my style. Straight up and direct was the Berserker way. But having a trump card to hold over the princess¡¯s head wasn¡¯t anything to sneeze at either.


    Still, did I have the stomach to do this?


    The story didn¡¯t make sense to me, so how would it look to everyone else?


    Plus, Blue Rose and Tu¡¯lok had read the letter as well.


    I wondered for a second if perhaps Tai Su Long and his lawyers had already figured this out. Proving the letter was a fake was damn near impossible. If that was going to be our defense, then I couldn¡¯t see how it could possibly work.


    But I was in Ling Wei¡¯s hands now.


    For the most part she said to keep quiet.


    I might not even have to say anything.


    And considering what I might need to say, that would be just fine with me.


    We descended the stairs, and the wide expanse of the courtyard greeted me with more nostalgia. I could almost envision the ranks of Brown, White and Black Robes who had perhaps just left the bi-weekly assembly that had welcomed the 30<sup>th</sup> deployment home. Now, instead of ranks of tributes, there was an impromptu courtroom set up, complete with a dais for the magistrate and robed off boxes for the plaintiff and the accused.


    I for once was in the plaintiff box, led by Ling Wei.


    I looked around, hoping for some moral support from Blue Rose and Tu¡¯lok, but Ling Wei cautioned that them being called as witnesses might work against us. I still didn¡¯t have a good grasp of her plan, but I was going with the flow for now.


    Across from me, Jei Su Long was gathered with his uncle and three barristers. The barristers were conferring with one another like crazy, almost seeming to be in an argument.


    ¡°That a good sign?¡± I asked, nudging Ling Wei towards them.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said, ¡°We won¡¯t know until we present our case and see how they respond.¡±


    The magistrate was joined by President Tzu Li Zen and Chief Yora and once they took seats flanking him, he banged his gavel.


    ¡°I now bring this court to order,¡± he said. ¡°I, High Magistrate Dim Fok will now preside over this matter.¡±


    I snorted out a laugh when I heard his name and had to stifle it quickly with a stone-cold grimace of [Indifference].


    Ling Wei glared at me from the side.


    ¡°What is the matter with you?¡± she whispered in a hiss.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said. ¡°His name sounds like something kind of funny in my native tongue.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯d better shape up. He is a high magistrate from the core worlds. You do not want to offend him, even in this makeshift court.¡±


    Luckily old Dim Fok didn¡¯t seem to hear me and continued on with the proceedings.


    ¡°I have with me two writs it seems today,¡± he said glancing over some documents in his hands. ¡°A writ by the Iron Bull against Master Jei Su Long and a counter writ by the Su Long family against the Iron Bull. I will now allow the counsel for the Iron Bull to present their writ.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, your honor,¡± Ling Wei said with a bow. ¡°Our case against Master Jei Su Long is a simple one. Jei Su Long falsely claimed that he witnessed the Iron Bull slay his entire platoon on the hell world of Fhae I¡¯ung. He then further claimed that he fought and slew the Iron Bull himself and found a so-called official letter penned by Third Princess Lunalah on his body that commanded this action. Our claim is that none of that is true and the letter was falsified by Jei Su Long to cover his actions, which were to not only slay several of his own men, according to the testimony of the Iron Bull but to also leave him for dead.¡±


    ¡°And your evidence?¡± the magistrate asked.


    ¡°The fact the Iron Bull still lives is proof that Jei Su Long¡¯s entire story was fabricated. How could he have found a letter on a body if there was no body? The entire story is fabricated in order to shift the blame of Jei Su Long¡¯s crimes from himself to the Iron Bull. He is the one who should be charged with the loss of the 28<sup>th</sup> deployment and face the consequences of not only committing the act, but shamefully trying to cover it up.¡±


    Ling Wei stepped back and I had to give her a little nod of appreciation.


    She had mastered the details of everything already.


    In like an hour.


    ¡°And the defense?¡± the Magistrate said, as he wrote something down.


    One of the barristers from the Su Long family stepped forward. ¡°Your honor, it is clear that this clanless native seeks to besmirch the name of the Su Long family, in an act of vengeance. Master Jei Su Long maintains his version of events. He caught the Iron Bull in the act of killing his own men, and in a selfless act of bravery, Master Jei Su Long took on the Iron Bull. Clearly with the evidence now presented. That of the Iron Bull being alive, the only logical conclusion is that Master Jei Su Long, weary from his battle, mistook the Iron Bull being simply unconscious, for dead. He found the letter and left. Somehow, the brute managed to survive and now here he is, furthering lies to protect himself from the truth.¡±


    ¡°And you also have a counter claim?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the barrister said. ¡°We now charge the Iron Bull with the crime of an unsanctioned assault against a fellow martial sect, crippling a member of the Twin River Clan in a senseless act of revenge. Clearly, he was not strong enough to defeat Jei Su Long before and resorted to this cowardly act so that the Young Master would not be able to defend himself under martial law.¡±


    I was rocked back on my heels with how much bullshit he had just spouted.


    Ling Wei however, looked nonplussed.


    ¡°And evidence?¡± the Magistrate asked.


    ¡°We have the letter your honor,¡± the Barrister said. ¡°Penned by Third Princess Lunalah herself.¡±


    ¡°Allegedly!¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°There is no proof that letter is real.¡±


    ¡°It is marked with Princess Lunalah¡¯s imperial seal,¡± the barrister said.


    ¡°Seals can be faked.¡±


    The magistrate banged his gavel. ¡°Order, these arguments are irrelevant to the claims before us. Are there any counter arguments from the plaintiff?¡±


    ¡°We have, your honor.¡±


    ¡°Speak then,¡± Dim Fok said, looking almost bored as he continued writing without looking up.


    ¡°Your honor, the defense has laid its cased based only upon the testimony of Jei Su Long. However, if there was any truth to Jei Su Long¡¯s story, even if the Iron Bull miraculously survived his killing blow, would it not have served the Iron Bull¡¯s interests to slay him, when he had a second chance?¡±


    The magistrate finally looked up this time. ¡°Second chance?¡±


    ¡°The Iron Bull saved Jei Su Long¡¯s life during the 29<sup>th</sup> deployment. If the matters were as Jei Su Long claims, the Iron Bull would have sought to silence him through death. But he did not. He crippled him for safety but that is all. Also, how would it have been possible for Jei Su Long to even bring the Iron Bull to a state of unconsciousness? The Iron Bull at the time of the deployment was within the Sacred Soul Realm. Master Jei Su Long is still within the Core Realm. None of his testimony makes logical sense.¡±


    ¡°The letter does though, your honor,¡± one of the Barristers said. ¡°There was no motive for Master Jei Su Long to do anything that the plaintiff claims. But there is plenty of motive held within that letter for the Iron Bull to do so.¡±


    ¡°A letter penned by the Su Long family, your honor,¡± Ling Wei said.


    Tai Su Long suddenly burst into yells. ¡°Blatant lies! That letter can stand for treason!¡±


    ¡°Order!¡± the magistrate yelled.


    ¡°Your honor,¡± one of the barristers said. ¡°The defense stands by its testimony. The letter was clearly found on the unconscious body of the Iron Bull. He was in possession of it. Not Jei Su Long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Bullshit!¡± I shouted.


    The courtyard went silent and I suddenly found myself on center stage.


    Ling Wei was looking back at me with warning signs in her eyes, subtly shaking her head, but I didn¡¯t care. That damn bastard had gotten away with far too much already.


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    ¡°Jei Su Long took that letter from me weeks ago. He hatched the plan because the letter gave him the idea. He¡¯s a weak, pathetic piece of shit who killed his own men. If he can¡¯t mount a proper defense then order him to sort it out in the ring! Because I¡¯m damn well ready to fight him or whoever else he chooses to cover for his weak ass!¡±


    The magistrate was banging his gavel like a blacksmith, trying to get control of the court as all manner of shouting words broke out. I got a little bit of lemonade from Chief Yora and the President, but inside Ling Wei all I could sense was fear.


    ¡°What the hell have you done!¡± she hissed at me in another whisper. ¡°I told you not to say anything! Not only do you say something, but you say exactly what I told you not to say!!¡±


    She was probably right, but I didn¡¯t give a shit about the Princess either at the moment.


    The pandemonium continued as Ling Wei banged her palms against her temples.


    ¡°The defense wishes to file a second counter claim, your honor,¡± one of the barristers said as the court settled down. ¡°Based on the Iron Bull¡¯s statement, we conclude that the letter is authentic. We thus file, on behalf of Second Princess Rheutera, a writ against Third Princess Lunalah for inciting treason against the throne.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°Your honor that statement should not be allowed!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow it,¡± he said.


    Slowly I was beginning to see the bigger picture unfold.


    Maybe that was what they were arguing about earlier. This thing seemed to have less to do with me and Jei Su Long and more about that letter and the princesses.


    ¡°Think, think,¡± Ling Wei said to herself as she paced in a circle. Suddenly she looked up at me, her eyes a deathly stare. ¡°Alright Iron Bull. You said you¡¯re looking for a fight. Then I hope you¡¯re ready for one. A big one.¡±


    Before I could even gather what she was saying, she yelled to the magistrate: ¡°Your honor, I present this final argument. The defense is claiming two counter arguments that cannot co-exist. If their claim is that the letter is authentic based upon the Iron Bull¡¯s statement, then that would mean the statement from Jei Su Long is false. So which is it? Is Jei Su Long a liar, leaving the letter to be true, or the opposite?¡± She then turned to look at Master Tai Su Long. ¡°What say you, Governor Tai Su Long? Is your nephew a liar deserving of death? Or are you standing by his story, which proves the letter a fake. It can not be both.¡±


    ¡°Objection!¡± one of the barristers cried. ¡°She should not be speaking directly to our client!¡±


    The magistrate rubbed his beard. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it. Answer for your client. Is the boy lying or not?¡±


    A mischievous grin spread across Ling Wei¡¯s face and in that moment, I understood how this unassuming woman was a true genius in disguise.


    ¡°We need a brief recess your honor!¡± one of the barristers said and as soon as it was granted, they went into a huddle.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°Just be ready for what comes next.¡±


    My curiosity was piqued and when the other side finally got their act together, it looked as if Tai Su Long had swallowed a cactus. His face was red and he looked like he wanted to die. Jei Su Long however was in a much worse state. He was shaking visibly and tears were streaming from his eyes.


    ¡°Your honor, I wish to address the court directly,¡± Tai Su Long said.


    ¡°You may, governor. What say you to the accusations?¡±


    ¡°The Iron Bull¡¯s statement is proof that letter is authentic,¡± he said and then paused a moment. ¡°Which makes it clear, that my nephew¡­ has lied.¡±


    I laughed inwardly as Jei Su Long burst into sobs like the damn crybaby he was.


    ¡°We wish to now claim a martial defense, your honor,¡± one of the barristers took over. ¡°But more importantly we wish to officiate the writ against Third Princess Lunalah as a result.¡±


    ¡°A martial defense?¡± the magistrate said. ¡°And who will stand for the defendant seeing as he is a cripple?¡±


    ¡°We will need time to summon a suitable proxy,¡± the barrister said. ¡°As you rightly said, Jei Su Long is now a cripple and¡ª¡±


    ¡°His uncle is suitable, your honor,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°To claim a martial defense mid-trial they must have a proxy ready to stand, else Jei Su Long must face the full consequences of the sentence.¡±


    ¡°I will have to agree,¡± the magistrate said. ¡°A proxy must be put forth, but is the Iron Bull of equal standing to Master Tai Su Long?¡±


    ¡°He is of the diamond bracket now, your honor,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°Having completed his tour of the hell worlds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I am a governor,¡± Tai Su Long said. ¡°I can not be dragged into martial combat with a man of such lowly standing as the Iron Bull.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ, your honor.¡±


    All eyes turned to President Tzu Li Zen who had spoken.


    The magistrate wrinkled his brow at him. ¡°You wish to speak in my court, Master Tzu Li Zen?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he said and then stood.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Your honor, the Iron Bull has accomplished something this four thousand year old institution has never seen before. He has survived for over forty days on a hell world and saw to the survival of others as well. A single tour is but a day upon such a place. While unofficially this breaks every measure we have, officially he survived three tours. As such, his return here today, makes him not just a legionnaire, but an Imperial Marshal.¡±


    Hushed whispers went through the court as chills went up my spine.


    Holy shit¡­ I wasn¡¯t even considering that.


    ¡°As such,¡± Tzu Li Zen continued. ¡°He would be more than equal to face a mere governor. He in fact should officially outrank me. Or any who have come before me. He should be considered not just a Grand Marshal, but a High Grand Marshal and perhaps the first and only in history to accomplish such a ranking.¡±


    As Tzu Li Zen sat back down, I could sense the lemonade in the air.


    They all looked at me like I was a god.


    A huge spike of fear came from Tai Su Long.


    He was looking at me with new eyes as well.


    And I pressed it by letting him have a glimpse into the [Focused Fury] of my [Burning Soul]. As my eyes lit up, he seemed to take an involuntary step back.


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Ling Wei said. ¡°I believe that more than settles the matter. In fact, it may be clear that the governor is not of high enough ranking to face the Iron Bull and unable to mount a martial defense.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Tai Su Long suddenly blurted. ¡°I¡­ I do not have the standing.¡±


    Well holy shit¡­ I thought. The apple really didn¡¯t fall too far from the tree. The cowardly assed bitch.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Jei Su long said. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Governor, will you no longer mount a martial defense?¡± the magistrate asked.


    All eyes turned to Tai Su Long and the cowardly piece of shit folded like tissue paper. ¡°It is clear, this¡­ this trick has rendered me unsuitable at the moment.¡±


    The magistrate harrumphed unimpressed.


    ¡°Then your nephew shall face the full consequences of the charges raised against him,¡± Dim Fok said. ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    The pathetic nephew and uncle duo shared one final sad look, before Tai Su Long responded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Uncle!¡± Jei Su Long cried.


    The magistrate banged his gavel. ¡°I rule in favor of the Iron Bull. You, Young Master Jei Su Long have been found guilty of the murder of your platoon and will be sentenced for your crimes.¡±


    ¡°Wait, your honor,¡± Tai Su Long spoke again. ¡°We beseech your mercy in sentencing. The boy is already rendered a cripple. The Iron Bull has had his revenge. Please allow him to return home to his family.¡±


    The magistrate shrugged. ¡°That decision is not mine to make. I was summoned to discern the truth of this matter and I have. As Jei Su Long is still an official ward of Du Gok Bhong, I will leave it to the president to determine his fate.¡±


    A cold chill blew through the courtyard as a smile drew across President Tzu Li Zen¡¯s face. He then stood. ¡°The legionnaires are a brotherhood. The actions of Jei Su Long go against everything this institution stands for and his punishment shall be fitting of such.¡±


    ¡°President!¡± Tai Su Long said. ¡°Remember whose domain you dwell within. We ask for mercy.¡±


    Tzu Li Zen¡¯s face became grave. ¡°Those ties no longer extend to behind these walls, Governor. Not for this. As Jei Su Long chose to execute his peers, so too will he be executed before them.¡±


    Jei Su Long¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A general assembly will be called at sunset,¡± Tzu Li Zen said. ¡°To suffer the same fate as those he left behind on the Hell World of Fhae I¡¯ung, Jei Su Long will face the horrors of the Bloodmoon as a mortal.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Jei Su Long cried. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! I¡¯m innocent!¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± the magistrate shouted.


    But Jei Su Long kept up his rant, now pulling on Tai Su Long¡¯s robes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight, uncle? You need to fight for me! What will my mother say? Are you a cowa¡ª!¡±


    The ringing backhand from Tai Su Long sent his nephew sprawling across the ground.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Tai Su Long shouted down at him. ¡°Face your destiny like a man. It¡¯s your foolish actions that led to this and now your sacrifice is necessary for the greater good of Lui Shui and the princess. For the sake of my sister, I¡¯ve done everything I could to protect you. But you have gone too far this time.¡±


    Jei Su Long held his face to his hand in stunned silence.


    I could almost feel sorry for the bastard.


    Almost.


    That piece of shit deserved everything he had coming to him. Even the betrayal by his pussy of an uncle. But at the moment, I couldn¡¯t tell who the bigger piece of shit was between the two of them.


    I looked at Tai Su Long and smirked as I shook my head.


    The bastard avoided eye contact like the plague, and I could sense his soul shriveling up with fear inside of him.


    You got off light for now, Tai Su Long, I thought. But your ass will face a comeuppance one day.


    And soon I hoped.


    The magistrate banged his gavel. ¡°The sentence for Jei Su Long is death. President, you may remand Jei Su Long into custody until his execution.¡±


    The kid began to scream and wail, then suddenly he was on his feet and running towards me.


    ¡°You did this!¡± he screamed. ¡°You did all of this, you bastard!¡±


    I responded with a shit eating grin. ¡°Damn right, skippy. And I hope you burn in hell.¡±


    I said the words with [Torment of the Frenzied Flame] and he stopped dead in his tracks as if struck by a bullet. He fell to his knees then, curling into a ball and crying.


    ¡°He is not natural!¡± he screamed. ¡°There is something wrong with him. Don¡¯t you all see it? He¡¯s some kind of demon. A monster!¡±


    I chuckled.


    For once the kid wasn¡¯t wrong, but Chief Yora was already on her way to collect him from the ground.


    As she picked him up, I gave him a final nod and smile.


    Checkmate bitch.


    A cold realization filled his eyes then and he looked beside himself.


    I chuckled. ¡°So long, Jei Su Long.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away.


    Merely looked back at me perplexed.


    ¡°What the devil are you?¡± he said.


    As Yora led him away I felt a sense of both closure and emptiness run through me.


    The asshole was getting what he deserved, but that wouldn¡¯t bring my men back.


    Dim Wei. Juk Sui. All of them


    I prayed this would at least bring them some comfort.


    Wherever their souls might be.


    *          *          *


    The law had worked in my favor for once, but not without a price it seemed. After Jei Su Long was led away, the lawyers went back at it, discussing the matter of the princesses and the damn letter. I could barely keep track of it all, but eventually the magistrate banged his gavel again.


    ¡°Madam counselor,¡± Dim Fok said to Ling Wei. ¡°We have gone back and forth over the arguments several times now. How do you respond to the writ against the Third Princess Lunalah? The accusation is serious and would have to go before a high council.¡±


    That did sound serious.


    I didn¡¯t even know what the hell a high council was.


    ¡°We wish to raise a defense by martial means,¡± Ling Wei said without skipping a beat. ¡°And the Princess¡¯s proxy will be none other than the Imperial Marshal known as the Iron Bull.¡±


    I looked down at her. ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°I told you to be ready for a fight,¡± she said. ¡°A big one.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t got time for this shit!¡±


    ¡°We have no other choice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®we¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We accept the challenge, your honor,¡± one of the barristers said. ¡°We will await the summons from the High Council and identify a suitable proxy to represent the Princess Rheutera to face the Iron Bull within that time.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Dim Fok said. ¡°The matter is adjourned for now. Both parties should expect a summons before the High Council within eight months. I suggest both parties use that time to prepare.¡± He then banged his gavel one last time. ¡°Court dismissed.¡±


    As the various parties went to their respective corners, I couldn¡¯t help but think I had just gotten myself screwed over again. I had a wife to marry, a son to raise and a planet to free from a degenerate princess, that I was now forced to defend before a High Council?


    ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed, causing Ling Wei to jump. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m the real Dim Fok here.¡±

 Path of the Berserker 5 - Chapter 3

    The sky was bathed in the crimson rays of sunset as we gathered at the edge of the barrier. The entire assembly was formed, just as President Tzu Li Zen had promised. I found myself tethered to Blue Rose, Song De, Wu Liang and Wing Pho, all of us representing the lost deployments returned.


    We were grouped together and positioned atop a dais that had been erected close to the barriers edge. Front row seats for the main event that would soon transpire. Out about a hundred feet from the edge of the barrier and staked to the ground by a set of chains, was Jei Su Long.


    He was in a set of gray robes.


    A true prisoner now.


    He wasn¡¯t gagged, but for once he wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    I could sense his fear from even where I stood a hundred feet away. In mere minutes his life would be violently ripped from him and for once, there wasn¡¯t a damn thing he could do about it. At the far end of the dais his uncle looked on.


    The man hadn¡¯t risked a look at me as yet, but I could sense a seething mixture of fear and hate inside of him as well. The fact that I could cultivate it however, said it was truly all directed towards me.


    President Tzu Li Zen and Chief Yora then joined us on the dais.


    We saluted them and then Tzu Li Zen took center stage, bringing us all to attention.


    ¡°Tributes!¡± he shouted in a resounding voice. ¡°We gather this evening for an occasion that will be forever marked in the history books of Du Gok Bhong. One of our own has been found guilty of not only crimes against his fellow legionnaires, but of a scheme to both cover it up and shift the blame to someone else.¡± He then paused and glanced towards Tai Su Long. ¡°There was a time when such things were tolerated at this institution, but the dawn of a new era is at hand. The time of seeing good legionnaires lost from outside influence is over. We will stand proud as those who are charged to do what the rest of the empire dare not. To face the horrors of the Hell Worlds. To see the unseen. And tell tales of the unspeakable. We few will now stand tall upon our accomplishments and resist those who war against us, both inside and out.¡±


    As his words echoed across the expanse of the desert, a sense of pride welled within me, and within the faces of my colleagues as well. For Tai Su Long however, it was as if a dagger had been plunged into his back. He shot the President a glancing stare and from within him a new sense of hate emerged.


    ¡°The Bloodmoon now rises,¡± he continued. ¡°Jei Su Long, for the crimes you have committed, you are now condemned to die. The first wave of demons is already on the horizon. If you have any final words, now is the time.¡±


    The entire assembly went silent.


    Jei Su Long looked up at me.


    For a second, I almost expected to see some kind of contrition.


    But then, true to form, he scowled.


    ¡°You¡¯ll all pay for doing this!¡± he shouted. ¡°Think you have won? My family will crush this institution and everyone in it! Starting with you, President Tzu Li Zen! You could have granted mercy, but you didn¡¯t!¡± He then looked at me. ¡°And you¡­ you¡¯ll die at the hands of one of my family. It will not be forgotten what you did to me, Iron Bull!¡±


    Tzu Li Zen harrumphed. ¡°Sadder last words have never been spoken. Only the heavens can have mercy on your soul.¡±


    ¡°To hell with all of you!¡± he screamed. ¡°Even you uncle! To hell with you!¡±


    Jei Su Long then began pulling on his chains as he looked over his shoulder behind him. A weird, gurgling cry then escaped his throat as he gazed towards the Bloodmoon now cresting over the night horizon. It was then I realized he was already under the effects of the Dark Frenzy. His eyes were wild with fear and panic and within his soul I could already sense it succumbing to the Demonic Qi.


    Without a Dantian to push back against it, he was the embodiment of what would happen to any mortal caught under the effects of the Bloodmoon. He began screaming like a banshee. Howling and crying.


    ¡°This is barbaric,¡± Tai Su Long muttered, as he averted his gaze.


    But for me and everyone else.


    We just looked on.


    The rays of the Bloodmoon were not strong enough to transform him physically like it did Dim Wei and the rest of my platoon, but he at least experienced the same agony they did before they died.


    Of losing his mind to the otherworldly presence of an outer god.


    Even as the thought emerged, I could sense the monster¡¯s presence consuming his soul.


    Jei Su Long began laughing then as well as screaming, fits of hysterical laughter between wails of sheer terror and pain. After a while he ceased to be Jei Su Long and just became the latest poor bastard to fall victim of the war between humanity and Hell.


    Suddenly, he stopped screaming and looked right at me.


    His eyes were pitch black circles and I could sense a new presence there.


    ¡°Curse you Iron Bull!¡± he spoke with words not fully his own, his voice reverberating with a dual tone. ¡°I see what you are now. A tool of hell! A flame of destruction that will burn the empire down!¡± He riled up in a frenzy again, screaming and ripping at his chains. ¡°Foul husk! Cursed traitor! Thy seed is now mine!¡±


    My ears sharpened at that.


    That wasn¡¯t Jei Su Long at all.


    That was I¡¯xol¡¯ukz.


    And what did it mean about my seed?


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Jei Su Long suddenly cried, reverting to his true self again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! I don¡¯t want to die like this! I don¡¯t want to go where they are!¡±


    His pathetic pleas for help continued amidst the laughing fits as a stampede of demons barreled across the desert toward him. They were the normal variety, not a Star Cursed in the bunch, but still more than capable of tearing him apart, body and soul.


    ¡°Please!¡± he cried. ¡°Help me! Please!!!¡±


    His final cry drew into a high-pitched wail of panic as the horde slammed into him. The monsters ripped him from where he stood, tearing the limbs from his body as his arms were still tethered to the chains. There wasn¡¯t anything to see after that.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Only the chilling screams of pain and horror as he was torn apart.


    Finally, after a few seconds even they were silenced.


    When the demons finally moved on, the chains were empty and bloodied.


    Jei Su Long was no more.


    * * *


    What should have been a moment of triumph and justice, for me became one of contemplation and concern. What the hell had I¡¯xol¡¯ukz meant about my seed? I instantly thought of Fia and Bryce. Was it somehow aware that I now had a son?


    Shit¡­ I cursed inwardly. I need to get the hell home.


    Just as I felt like breaking formation and running into the effects of the Bloodmoon to make a long-distance call, Governor Tai Su Long stepped across the dais towards us. His face was a visage of pure anger and grief.


    ¡°As my nephew rightly said,¡± he spoke to Tzu Li Zen directly. ¡°Your lack of mercy will not be forgotten and nether will your words.¡± He then shot a glance at me. ¡°I will see you in court.¡±


    He turned and left then, storming off the dais.


    Tzu Li Zen let out a scoff. ¡°And so the die is now cast. Fates be with us.¡±


    It was my turn to give him a stare of question. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°We will discuss it all, in a moment,¡± he said. ¡°For now, there is some unfinished business to yet complete.¡±


    Before I could understand what he even meant, President Tzu Li Zen took center stage again and then addressed the assembly. ¡°Now that that unpleasant but necessary business is over, I wish to now switch focus and honor those who have returned to us from the Hell Worlds. May the legionnaires of the 29<sup>th</sup> deployment step forward.¡±


    Confused looks shot between Blue Rose, Wu Liang, Song De and Wing Pho, before Chief Yora gestured for them to stand next to the president.


    ¡°These here have survived not just one, but two official tours of the Hell Worlds,¡± Tzu Li Zen said. ¡°Let us honor them as they take on now, their well-earned jade trim as full-fledged legionnaires.¡±


    The assembly broke into whistles and applause as Chief Yora did the honors, granting each of them a strip of jade ribbon that she placed bout their necks. Blue Rose looked back at me and smiled excitedly.


    It was the first time I could remember seeing her looking so happy for once.


    ¡°I now call forth the sole survivor of the 28<sup>th</sup> deployment,¡± Tzu Li Zen said. ¡°The Iron Bull!¡±


    As I stepped forward, a hail of applause and lemonade washed over me.


    ¡°It goes without saying that the Iron Bull has made history at Du Gok Bhong,¡± Tzu Li Zen continued. ¡°Having officially survived three tours, he is now granted the title of not only legionnaire, but Imperial Marshal.¡±


    Chief Yora then approached me and stood on her tiptoes to drape a set of jade and gold ribbons around my neck.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± she whispered. ¡°Marshal Iron Bull.¡±


    A chill ran through me as she addressed me by my new title.


    I was still reeling from that when Tzu Li Zen addressed the assembly again. ¡°It will go without saying that the rank of Imperial Marshal is woefully understating what the Iron Bull has accomplished. He has survived on the surface of a Hell World for weeks and is the sole reason these members of the 29<sup>th</sup> deployment have returned home safely as well. Their combined fortitude sets a new standard and will see the Academy achieve new heights of success. We now eagerly await the secrets the Iron Bull has gleaned upon his excursion, as it will no doubt aid us in our battle against the Cursed Stars. Let us, once again, congratulate him for this remarkable achievement.¡±


    As the applause went up, I was faced with an ocean of adulation and praise.


    I was almost too embarrassed to cultivate it, my eyes welling with tears.


    In the crowd, I spotted Hein, along with General Gong and Captain Li Jeng. They bowed to me and then President Tzu Li Zen did as well. The assembly finally broke and I was mobbed by the hundreds of Black Robes surrounding me, starting with Blue Rose.


    ¡°An Imperial Marshal?!¡± she said, her eyes wide with awe. ¡°Holy shit! Congratulations, Max!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, Imperial Marshal!¡± Wing Pho said with a bow.


    ¡°All hail Marshal Iron Bull!¡± someone else shouted. ¡°Master of the Hell Worlds!¡±


    ¡°Marshal Iron Bull!¡±


    ¡°Marshal Iron Bull!¡±


    The shouts of praise and slaps on the back continued, causing my head to spin.


    ¡°Let us not forget,¡± Tzu Li Zen said, more to the Black Robes than the full assembly now. ¡°The Iron Bull has spent more days upon a Hell World than anyone in history. He outranks me now in terms of ability.¡± He then cracked a smile. ¡°But he will have to return to serve his full duty to wear those already well-earned stripes to outrank me officially.¡±


    I shot the president another quizzical stare, but he merely laughed again, causing everyone around us to as well. I spent close to half an hour, being greeted by every color of robe in the assembly.


    Finally, Ling Wei found me as the crowd thinned out.


    ¡°The imperial transport is ready to depart,¡± she said. ¡°I trust you have now served your duty and are free to leave Du Gok Bhong?¡±


    I looked to Chief Yora and the president.


    ¡°Not until you have a full debriefing,¡± Yora said. ¡°And remember you need to transcribe your new art collection as well.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I might need an extra day or so Ling Wei.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure the princess wont mind. It will give me a chance to communicate your arrival to her in advance.¡±


    As she turned and walked away, President Tzu Li Zen slapped a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Well done, Marshal,¡± he said. ¡°But now that we are alone, I wish to make my true intentions known to you.¡±


    ¡°True intentions?¡± I said.


    ¡°The execution today was more than the putting down of a vile coward and a monumental pain in the ass,¡± he said. ¡°For the Su Long family and indeed even the Princess Rheutera, it was a declaration of war.¡±


    I stared back at him stupefied. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They would have expected me to offer Jei Su Long clemency,¡± he said. ¡°By not doing so, I crossed a line. But it was your return that gave me the courage to do so.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I meant what I said just now, about you returning to earn your stripes. I realize you have other matters to address, not least of which will be defending your princess against the accusations by princess Rheutera. I have no idea who they will put forth to challenge you, but after what you have accomplished, I have no doubt, that you will soon be, the strongest cultivator in the mortal realm.¡±


    He said it without a hint of bullshit or humor and the steady look in his eyes said he was seeing the unseen.


    ¡°For now, your exploits upon the Hell Worlds will be a thing of whispers and rumors. This will work to your advantage while you consolidate your power. People will be wary of you. But when the time is right, you must return to Du Gok Bhong to finish what you have started here. In preparation I will write to the emperor himself to establish a new ranking of Supreme Grand Marshall. One you will immediately qualify for.¡±


    I looked at him, stupefied again.


    Yora laughed. ¡°You really can not grasp what you have accomplished, can you?¡±


    ¡°How can he?¡± Tzu Li Zen said laughing with her. ¡°He is too humble in his ambitions. But trust me Iron Bull, once your exploits become widespread, you will be tested, as will this academy. They will fear you, but with the granting of this title, you and by the extension, the Academy will be protected by will of the emperor himself.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Yora said. ¡°We need only suffer the loss of funding till then.¡±


    Tzu Li Zen harrumphed. ¡°I would suspect the Governor is even now planning to beseech his elders to withhold our funding for next year. Which is why you must return as soon as possible, Iron Bull.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How would me returning have anything to do with funding the academy?¡±


    ¡°When you reveal your true power, people will fear you, some may even try to destroy you if they believe you are still weak. But when the emperor himself acknowledges what you have achieved, every cultivator in the realm will cower, just as Tai Su Long did in court.¡± He then looked out at the Bloodmoon. ¡°For all the strength of cultivators, they lack the mental fortitude necessary to face the unknown. You will have accomplished something impossible in their eyes. You will be feared as a dark god. When that happens, I will be in a position to seek patrons other than the Su Longs, but also of greater support by the emperor himself.¡±


    That suddenly made me think of Blue Rose and her family ties. ¡°Actually, I know someone who might have access to a lot of money already.¡±


    So long as I could restore her family title, that was.


    ¡°That is good,¡± he said. ¡°The academy has fallen out of favor in the public eye, but with you, it will be placed squarely in the forefront again. It¡¯s your accomplishments that gave me the fortitude to make this step, Iron Bull. For too long I have had to endure the mockery of people like the Su Longs. But I meant what I said in my speech just now. With your triumph, all that ends today.¡±


    I suddenly felt a new weight of responsibility fall upon my shoulders.


    A Supreme Grand Marshal?


    I couldn¡¯t even fathom it.


    But everything Tzu Li Zen said, was right. A title like that would paint a huge bullseye on my back right now. And I had a lot to achieve before then. But the stance he had just taken set the stage for a greater conflict to come.


    That against not just the Hell Worlds, but the very scum of the empire who ignored it.


    The thought brought on a stirring of my Twin Dao and a flare of my Flame.


    This was indeed both the Demon and Struggler¡¯s new path combined.


    I chuckled inwardly with chagrin.


    The scope of my battle against the empire, just got a hell of a lot wider.