《A journey Nothingness》 THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: Magic or Power – CH1
"Magic is imagination, and imagination is infinite, and infinity is power."
Power in this world I was born into is one of the most revealing themes, because the moment you¡¯re born, destiny assigns you a specific gift. And if you¡¯re born into the lower class, you¡¯ll already have enough work to do. In my case, it¡¯s very different. I was born a bastard and of impure blood. [NARRATOR] A new day begins. The scene shows Mar¨ªa lying on the bed, and Pedro enters with food for her: ¡ªHow¡¯s our daughter? ¡ªPedro asks. ¡ªIt¡¯s a boy, Pedro!¡ªMar¨ªa replies. ¡ªSeriously, you¡¯re not thinking that¡¯s what Iactuallywanted, are you? ¡ªIf you want to spend time with your kids, start by dropping your obsession with training them to exhaustion. Look at Nazael and Sacha: all they do is fight and test every spell that pops into their heads. ¡ªWhat?I have nothing to do with it. I¡¯m too strong, plus I¡¯m their father. They got it from the factory, so don¡¯t blame me. I just teach them to control their strength. ¡ªStop bragging about your strength. Their magic talents come from their biological mother. And I hope you¡¯ve told your kids we¡¯re expecting a child together, right? ¡ªHeh¡­ about that¡­ ¡ªPedro hesitates. ¡ªPedro!¡ªMar¨ªa says, shocked. ¡ªIt¡¯s just¡­ kinda tricky. I know my kids well enough. Sacha¡¯s practically no problem, but what worries me is how Nazael will take it. He tries, but I don¡¯t think he ever really accepted you being here after his mother¡¯s death. ¡ªYou¡¯re the strangest father I¡¯ve ever seen, love. He¡¯syourson: go talk to him. He¡¯ll understand. ¡ªWhat? I have to do itright now? ¡ªOur son is due in a month, Pedro.Yes, do it now! ¡ªHow about tomorrow¡­? Mar¨ªa immediately shoots him a piercing glare, warning him to do it now¡ªor she might just kill him. By chance, Sacha was already behind the door, eavesdropping on her father and stepmother. She quietly slipped away to the living room. ¡ªI have to tell my brother ¡ªshe mutters. Night fell. During dinner, Mar¨ªa placed a delicious chicken dish on the table and went to fetch the fried fish she¡¯d forgotten in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Nazael, Sacha, and Pedro sat at the table. Suddenly, Pedro began: ¡ªMy children!I have great news: you¡¯re getting a new baby brother. Hearing this, neither child reacted or looked up. Pedro pressed on: ¡ªMar¨ªa and I are having a child together. ¡ªWe heard you, Dad ¡ªNazael says flatly. ¡ªAren¡¯t you happy to have a new sibling? ¡ªI already knew. It was obvious with that belly ¡ªNazael replies. Pedro laughs and says: ¡ªYou¡¯re so much like your mother! The air stiffens with uncomfortable silence. Nazael pushes his chair back and says: ¡ªI¡¯m not hungry anymore.Goodnight! He teleports away instantly. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ªBrother!Brother!¡ªSacha shouts, but gets no response. Mar¨ªa, returning, glances at Pedro and mocks: ¡ªSometimes I wonder how a clueless man like you became Earth¡¯s protector.Shocking, really! Sacha giggles before asking: ¡ªHave you picked a name for the baby yet? Mar¨ªa and Pedro exchange glances. ¡ªA name? ¡ªShe¡¯s right, Pedro. What will we name him? ¡ªWhat?You haven¡¯t thought about it yet? ¡ªWell, since you¡¯re the father, he¡¯ll take your name, right?Think of something for once, you idiot! ¡ª¡­ ¡ªSeems you¡¯re both clueless ¡ªSacha concludes, teleporting to the hilltop where the moon shines brightest. At the edge of the cliff, Nazael sits, staring at the sky. Sacha approaches slowly. Nazael asks as she stops beside him: ¡ªHow¡¯d you know I was here? ¡ªNot hard to find you when you¡¯re radiating so much Ether. ¡ªThis forest is dangerous.Go home. ¡ªLook behind you! ¡ªWhat? I don¡¯t see anything. ¡ªExactly:nothing. You¡¯re scaring everything away. And with you here, I¡¯ll be safe. Because no matter what, you¡¯ll protect me. Right, big bro? ¡ªShe hugs him tightly from behind. ¡ªOw!But Sacha, be careful!We¡¯re on a cliff!Besides, I don¡¯thaveto protect you. You¡¯re the prodigy here.Youtaughtmeto teleport, and worst of all, you¡¯re still a brat. Sacha, grinning, slaps his back: ¡ªOh, please! Don¡¯t talk bullshit. Without realizing, she shoves him off the cliff. ¡ªSachaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡ªNazael screams as he falls. ¡ªOops!He sounds mad¡­ Bro, you mad? ¡ªSacha shouts mockingly. ¡ªYou¡¯ll pay for this!Teleport me back now, you spoiled brat!Stop with your shitty jokes! ¡ªWhat? Can¡¯t do it yourself? ¡ªGet me out of here!I¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t, dammit! Just before hitting the ground, Nazael screams. Sacha snaps her fingers, and he reappears face-down in front of her. ¡ªYou act all tough, but now you look like a maiden ¡ªshe laughs. ¡ªHey!¡ªRealizing the danger¡¯s passed, he scowls¡ª.You¡¯ll see who¡¯s the maiden, spawn of evil! Sacha drops him headfirst. Nazael grabs her in a headlock and starts noogying her. They brawl for hours until exhaustion leaves them lying side by side, staring at the stars. ¡ªHey¡­ ¡ªWhat? ¡ªDo you think one of those stars is Mom, like the stories say? ¡ª¡­Probably. If the stories are true, she¡¯d be watching over us from the sky. ¡ªI know you¡¯re not happy about our new mom. ¡ªShe¡¯snotour mom. ¡ªBut¡­ ¡ªShe¡¯s not.End of story. ¡ªDon¡¯t be selfish, Nazael. She¡¯s the only one who eased Dad¡¯s pain and endless thirst for revenge. Now he can smile without faking it, all thanks to her. You should give her a chance, if¡­ ¡ªLeaveif you¡¯re gonna talk about this all night. ¡ªYou¡¯re stubborn. But it¡¯s late, and I¡¯m dead tired. She walks three steps, then remembers: ¡ªIt¡¯s a boy, by the way.I¡¯lltrain him. He¡¯ll inherit Mar¨ªa¡¯s kindness, not turn out a hollow-headed fool like you. ¡ªWhat did you say?¡ªNazael growls, his Ether flaring so fiercely the forest trembles. Sacha flashes an innocent smile: ¡ªNothing. Just excited ¡ªshe says before leaping away and teleporting. After she leaves, Nazael declares: ¡ªI won¡¯t talk to a traitorous coward who abandoned everything. And Iwon¡¯taccept a human-blooded bastard into my family. ¡ªThose damn humans, I hate them! His rage unleashes a ferocious gust, shaking trees for three kilometers. --- Your support is crucial to continue the journey of Kyomu e no Tabi! I post new chapters three times a week. Don¡¯t worry¡ªthe adventure will go on. Follow me on social media for updates! Thanks for reading. ?? THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: Magic or Power – CH2 1 mes despu¨¦s¡­ En una noche oscura Esa misma noche era el momento en que nacer¨ªa el esperado beb¨¦ de los padres de Nazael. Desde fuera de la casa se escuchaban los gritos de Mar¨ªa en labor de parto mientras daba a luz a su primer hijo. Pedro no estaba en la habitaci¨®n; ella gritaba ¨®rdenes a la sirvienta para que fuera a buscarlo, sin importar d¨®nde estuviera. Sin demora, la sirvienta corri¨® hacia su amo, Pedro, quien estaba justo afuera de la habitaci¨®n, profundamente dormido en un sof¨¢. De repente, la sirvienta trat¨® de despertarlo: Sirviente 1: ¡°?Se?or Pedro, despierte por favor! ?Su esposa necesita verlo urgentemente!¡± Pedro: ¡°?Qu¨¦ quiere ahora? ?D¨¦jame dormir!¡± Siervo 1: ¡°?Se?or, ella est¨¢ a punto de dar a luz a su hijo!¡± Pedro: ¡°??Qu¨¦?! ?Dios m¨ªo, ya es la hora? ?Maldita sea!¡± Inmediatamente se levant¨® de un salto y sali¨® corriendo directo a la habitaci¨®n de Mar¨ªa. Sirviente 1: ?El amo era realmente un protector? pens¨®, confundida. En el momento en que Pedro entr¨® en la habitaci¨®n, Mar¨ªa lo mir¨® furiosa y grit¨®: Mar¨ªa: ¡°?Maldito idiota! ?D¨®nde estabas? ?Ah, al diablo con esto!¡±. Logr¨® decir unas palabras antes de gritar de dolor otra vez. Pedro, ante la ca¨®tica escena, se qued¨® paralizado al verla sufrir y luego se desmay¨®. El sirviente intent¨® reanimarlo, pero nada funcion¨®. Esto se prolong¨® durante otra hora.
Una hora despu¨¦s, el parto hab¨ªa sido un ¨¦xito y en los ojos de Mar¨ªa y Pedro brillaba la alegr¨ªa al recibir a su primer hijo juntos. La ternura de Mar¨ªa era inconfundible mientras jugaba con los deditos de su hijo. Pedro orden¨® r¨¢pidamente a los sirvientes que trajeran a los otros ni?os para que conocieran a su nuevo hermano. Una sirvienta se apresur¨® a llegar a la puerta del dormitorio de Sacha, pero apenas hab¨ªa comenzado a hablar cuando Sacha se teletransport¨® detr¨¢s de ella, estallando de emoci¨®n: Sacha: ¡°?Mi hermano peque?o est¨¢ aqu¨ª, verdad?¡± Sirviente 2: ¡°?Se?ora, por favor no me asuste as¨ª!¡± Sacha: ¡°??Y bien?!¡± (con entusiasmo) Sirviente 2: ¡°S¨ª, mi se?ora. Tu padre pregunta por ti y por tu hermano¡­ aunque no lo veo. ?D¨®nde estar¨¢?¡± Sacha: ¡°Probablemente en cualquier lugar menos aqu¨ª, ese tonto¡­ De todos modos, ?voy a ver a mi hermano!¡± Baj¨® corriendo las escaleras y entr¨® corriendo en la habitaci¨®n. Pedro: ¡°?Ah, Sacha! Ven a conocer a tu hermano¡±. Sacha vio al beb¨¦ en brazos de Mar¨ªa y jade¨®: Sacha: ¡°?Oh, qu¨¦ precioso! ?Es tan adorable!¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Pedro: ¡°??Verdad?!¡± (asiente) Luego pregunt¨®: ¡°?D¨®nde est¨¢ tu hermano, Sacha?¡± Sacha: ¡°?Ah, cierto! Ese idiota de Nazael¡­ ?est¨¢ aqu¨ª!¡±. Despu¨¦s de decir esto, chasque¨® los dedos y lo teletransport¨® con fuerza frente a la puerta. Nazael herv¨ªa de rabia. Nazael: ¡°??No te dije que no me molestaras, mocoso?!¡± Sacha: (burl¨¢ndose) "Eres tan tonto que ni siquiera puedes resistirte a un teletransporte forzado. No es mi culpa que seas in¨²til con la magia". Nazael (furioso): ¡°Ya ver¨¢s qui¨¦n es el tonto, hijo del diablo¡±. Pedro: ¡°?Basta de pelear! Este es un momento importante. ?Nazael, ven aqu¨ª!¡± Nazael, tercamente arrogante, se neg¨® a acercarse a su hermano y se qued¨® mirando en silencio las paredes. Para convencerlo, su padre le dijo: Pedro: Si te acercas te doy la espada. ?Trato hecho? Nazael estir¨® el cuello para mirarlo: Nazael: ¡°Est¨¢s bromeando, ?verdad?¡± Pedro: ¡°Claro que estoy bromeando. ?Crees que te dejar¨ªa tener algo tan peligroso? Ni siquiera depende de m¨ª. Ahora ven a saludar a tu hermano. No seas terco, hijo¡±. (Afectuosamente) Nazael se acerc¨® de mala gana, mir¨¢ndolo fijamente como si lo desafiara. El infante simplemente sonri¨® inocentemente. Pedro dijo: Pedro: ¡°Si alguna vez no estoy aqu¨ª para protegeros a todos, quiero que cuides de todos¡±. Nazael escuch¨® neutralmente, impasible. Nazael: ¡°Claro, pap¨¢.¡± Pedro: ¡°Bien, ese es mi chico¡± (sonriendo) Nazael: ¡°Me voy. Te espero en mi habitaci¨®n¡±. Se dio la vuelta bruscamente y se fue sin mostrar el menor inter¨¦s por su hermano. Sacha: ¡°Por cierto, ya has elegido apellido para el beb¨¦, ?verdad?¡± Pedro y Mar¨ªa se quedaron paralizados, sin palabras. Sacha no se sorprendi¨®. Sacha: ¡°S¨ª, me lo esperaba¡±. Pedro (a la defensiva): ¡°?Claro que he pensado en uno! Ser¨¢ Don ¡±. Mar¨ªa: ¡°?Mi hijo se llamar¨¢ Shaw !¡± Pedro: ¡°?Shaw? ?Qu¨¦?¡± Mar¨ªa: ¡°?Sobre mi cad¨¢ver le pondr¨¢s Don, imb¨¦cil!¡± Pedro: ¡°??A qui¨¦n llamas idiota, mujer malvada?!¡± El llanto del beb¨¦ los interrumpi¨®, oblig¨¢ndolos a calmarlo durante m¨¢s de media hora. Una vez dormido, Sacha le rog¨® que lo abrazara. Mar¨ªa se lo entreg¨® y los ojos de Sacha brillaron: Sacha: ¡°?Esperar¨¦ a que crezcas! ?Jugaremos mucho! Te ense?ar¨¦ magia, c¨®mo hacer bolas de fuego gigantes, c¨®mo volar... Entrenaremos todos los d¨ªas. Mi hermano peque?o ser¨¢ el hombre m¨¢s fuerte del mundo... ?verdad?!¡± (sonriendo) Mar¨ªa: ¡°Espera, ?eso no es¡­ demasiado?¡± Sacha: ¡°Jeje¡­ Querida Mar¨ªa, ¨¦l es tu hijo, pero en el momento que toc¨® mis manos angelicales, se convirti¨® en m¨ªo¡±. Mar¨ªa: ¡°??Pedro?!¡± (en p¨¢nico) Pedro: ¡°No me mires. Cuando se le ocurre una idea, ni el diablo se atreve a detenerla. ?Mi consejo? Que se rinda¡±. Mar¨ªa se desmay¨® al instante y los sirvientes corrieron a reanimarla. Mientras tanto, Sacha, encantado, cant¨®: Sacha: ¡°No me importa si lo llamas Don o Shaw, ?yo lo llamar¨¦ Don! ?No puedo esperar a que crezca! ?Hay alg¨²n hechizo o sello que acelere ese proceso?¡± Pedro sonri¨® ante su alegr¨ªa pero murmur¨® en voz baja: Pedro: ¡°Ella nunca me perdonar¨¢¡­¡±. Y luego, replic¨® bruscamente: ¡°Conozco a alguien que podr¨ªa, pero ya no est¨¢. No soy bueno con la magia. Ya lo descubrir¨¢s¡­ pero no te atrevas a probarla con mi hijo¡±.
La escena cambia a Nazael, encerrado en su habitaci¨®n junto a la ventana, mirando las estrellas. Nazael: ¡°Mam¨¢¡­ te juro que te vengar¨¦.¡± (apretando los dientes, l¨¢grimas de rabia en sus ojos) Escuch¨® los pasos de su padre acerc¨¢ndose a la puerta y r¨¢pidamente fingi¨® dormir. Pedro lo llam¨® por su nombre tres veces, pero se fue al no recibir respuesta. Nazael herv¨ªa de odio. ?Por qu¨¦ desprecia tanto a su padre? Agotado por la confusi¨®n, se sumi¨® en un sue?o que nunca debi¨® haber experimentado: una pesadilla que alterar¨ªa su vida para siempre. Im¨¢genes borrosas y destellantes: una casa ba?ada por una luz roja, dos cuerpos carbonizados colgando detr¨¢s de ella (uno m¨¢s peque?o que el otro), los gritos agonizantes de una mujer mientras es atacada y ¨¦l mismo arrastr¨¢ndose indefenso por el suelo. THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: Magic or Power – CH3 Y de repente, Don se despert¨® de golpe, interrumpido por un balde de agua que le arrojaron en la cara. Su visi¨®n se nubl¨® entre la confusi¨®n y la cegadora luz del sol, que iluminaba d¨¦bilmente su cuerpo. Not¨® la imponente figura de su amo, Max, lleno de cicatrices y envuelto en una enorme capa hecha de piel de drag¨®n y quimera, vestido elegantemente y agarrando su bast¨®n, mirando a Don con tal indiferencia que rayaba en la ira. El B¨²ho , un hombre mayor, viv¨ªa con su esposa Helena, una humana com¨²n y corriente, en la pac¨ªfica aldea de Duncaster, de 339 habitantes, al sureste de Glimmetropolis. Max: ¡°?Despierta, maldita sea! Nunca he visto a un ni?o m¨¢s vago que t¨². ?Y te he soportado durante a?os!¡± Don gir¨® la cabeza de golpe, desorientado, hasta que vio a Max y entendi¨® lo que hab¨ªa pasado. Se puso de pie de un salto. Max: ¡°Te ense?¨¦ disciplina, muchacho. En mi casa nadie duerme como un vago despu¨¦s de las seis de la ma?ana¡±. Helena, todav¨ªa somnolienta, sali¨® y se rob¨® la atenci¨®n con su cara grasienta y su cabello desordenado. Parec¨ªa mayor que su esposo: Max parec¨ªa tener 40 a?os, mientras que Helena, que se acercaba a los 81, parec¨ªa tener 70. Mir¨® primero a Max y luego rega?¨® a Don. Ignor¨¢ndolos a ambos, cant¨® inocentemente: Helena: ¡°Buenos d¨ªas, cari?o. ?Todo bien?¡± Max: ¡ªDeja de mirar boquiabierto, muchacho ¡ªgrit¨®, se?alando el campo que hab¨ªa detr¨¢s de la casa, un regalo del conde Richard Choiniere despu¨¦s de la guerra contra los Impuros , un conflicto cuyas consecuencias los humanos a¨²n no comprenden¡ª. Los cultivos no se cuidan solos. Los cuervos destruyeron el espantap¨¢jaros. Arr¨¦glalo. Ahora. Don: ¡°?S¨ª, se?or! ?En eso!¡±, dijo con entusiasmo. Max: ¡°??Entonces por qu¨¦ sigues aqu¨ª?! ?Mu¨¦vete!¡± Golpe¨® el trasero de Don con su bast¨®n, lo que lo hizo correr gritando. Cuando Don sali¨® a la luz del sol, Max le golpe¨® los pies con el bast¨®n y lo hizo tropezar violentamente. Don exigi¨® una explicaci¨®n. Max: ¡°?Idiota!¡±, escupi¨®, sus ojos de b¨²ho perforando a Don. ¡°? Espejo! ¡±. Un c¨ªrculo se materializ¨® frente a Don, las mol¨¦culas se fusionaron en una superficie reflectante que revel¨® sus brillantes ojos rojos, penetrantes y antinaturales. Don: ¡°Ah¡­ ?eso? Es que¡­¡± Max: ¡°No te hagas el tonto. Es peligroso salir as¨ª... Tonto imprudente. Sabes lo que est¨¢ en juego¡±. En un instante, Don record¨®: Don, de 15 a?os: ¡°Maestro, ?qu¨¦ est¨¢s haciendo?¡± En ese entonces, Max parec¨ªa m¨¢s joven, aunque su mirada permanentemente furiosa nunca cambi¨®, incluso cuando pelaba verduras o entrenaba a Don a diario. Max: Escucha, muchacho. Recuerda tus ra¨ªces. Vienes del antiguo dominio de Glimmeria. Tu sangre... es sangre Supaibi . Esa es raz¨®n suficiente para que el nuevo reino de Glimmeria te torture durante meses, experimentando contigo como si fueras una rata. Helena: ¡°?Max, por favor! ?Es demasiado joven para esto!¡± Max (sombr¨ªo): ¡°Tendr¨¢ que afrontarlo si quiere sobrevivir a los humanos¡±. Don el joven: ¡°Entonces¡­ ?los humanos son los malos?¡± No hubo respuesta. Mientras Max preparaba una poci¨®n¡­ Don joven: ¡°La abuela no es mala, ?verdad? ?Maestro¡­?¡± Max se puso r¨ªgido, intercambiando miradas inquietas con Helena. Max (r¨¢pidamente): ¡°Tu abuela es una excepci¨®n. Pero recuerda: la confianza se gana¡­ no se compra. No conf¨ªes ni siquiera en tu sombra. ?Entendido?¡± Joven Don: "S¨ª, se?or", murmur¨®, evitando la mirada g¨¦lida de Max. Max: ¡°Ahora bebe esto.¡± Don (presente): ¡°Bueno¡­ me qued¨¦ sin pociones, y de todos modos los efectos no duran mucho¡±. Max: ¡°Lo dudo. He trabajado en un disfraz mejor. Hoy har¨¦ el doble de trabajo¡±. Le arroj¨® a Don dos frascos. ¡°Bebe¡±. Don obedeci¨®. Al instante, su cola, sus venas brillantes y sus ojos radiantes desaparecieron. Su cabello se volvi¨® rojo y sus ojos se volvieron de un carmes¨ª apagado. Se toc¨® la cara: las venas gruesas alrededor de sus ojos hab¨ªan desaparecido. Ahora con aspecto humano, suspir¨® aliviado, libre del miedo a los cazadores del Reino de Montesis. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Don: ¡°Ahora me voy al campo¡±, dijo con una media sonrisa. Max le devolvi¨® la mirada, tan silencioso como siempre.
[La perspectiva de Don (primera persona)] Mientras buscaba al espantap¨¢jaros en el campo de trigo, pens¨¦: Supongo que el Maestro siempre ser¨¢ un muro de ladrillos. Llevo aqu¨ª m¨¢s de 20 a?os. Dice que nadie puede saber mi edad real. No lo admitir¨¢, pero odia a los humanos. Es ir¨®nico, ya que se cas¨® con uno... De repente, un p¨¢jaro hizo caca en mi hombro. Perfecto. Encontr¨¦ al espantap¨¢jaros, con su n¨²cleo de ¨¦ter destruido, como si se lo hubieran comido. Incluso el metal azul estaba da?ado. Qu¨¦ raro. Me guard¨¦ el n¨²cleo destrozado en el bolsillo. El Maestro lo resolver¨¢. Tengo que comprar suministros en la ciudad... Sent¨ª un zumbido agudo y demoledor. Grit¨¦, me desplom¨¦ y me retorc¨ª de dolor. Luego, ?BAM!, se detuvo. ? Migra?a? ?Insolaci¨®n? Camin¨¦ con dificultad hasta el centro del pueblo, el ¨²nico lugar animado. Algunas caras conocidas me saludaban con la cabeza (no eran amigos, de peque?o me escond¨ªan por ser ¡°raro¡±). De repente, dos ni?os patearon una pelota directamente a mi cabeza. Por reflejo, la atrap¨¦ en el aire. Ni?o: ¡°?Guau! ?C¨®mo lo hiciste? ?Eres fuerte, ?verdad?¡± Yo (sonrisa forzada): ¡°Pura suerte. ?Un movimiento en falso y me doler¨ªa la cabeza!¡± ?PUM! Una ni?a, Mar¨ªa, le dio un pu?etazo al ni?o. Mar¨ªa: ¡°?Disculpa, idiota!¡± Murmuraron disculpas. Yo: ¡°No pasa nada. ?Sigues resolviendo problemas a pu?etazos, Mar¨ªa?¡± Mar¨ªa (sonriendo sin dientes): ¡°?Supongo que s¨ª!¡± Yo (riendo): ¡°?Parece que a ti tambi¨¦n te faltan dientes!¡± Mar¨ªa: ¡°?C¨¢llate, te odio!¡± ?PUM! Su pu?etazo en el est¨®mago hizo que mis venas y mis ojos brillaran por un momento. ?Casi muero! Mar¨ªa: ¡°?Perd¨®n! ?Me dej¨¦ llevar!¡± Yo (respirando con dificultad): ¡°Con esa fuerza, podr¨ªas ser un caballero real¡±. Mar¨ªa: ¡°??En serio?!¡± Yo (susurrando): ¡°S¨ª. Pero no mates a nadie¡±. Mar¨ªa (pu?o levantado): ¡°?Cuando crezca, ser¨¦ un caballero de rango 7 y destruir¨¦ el mal!¡± Su madre la levant¨® en brazos: ¡°Si estudias , ser¨¢s de s¨¦ptimo grado , mocosa. ?Es hora de comer!¡±. Me salud¨® con la mano. ¡°?Hola, Don!¡±. Yo: ¡°Hola, Kira.¡± Kira: ¡°Sigue tan tranquilo como siempre¡±. Yo: ¡°T¨² tambi¨¦n. Te ves bien¡­¡± Kira: ¡°?Adi¨®s, Don!¡± ?Por qu¨¦ siempre sale corriendo a mitad de una conversaci¨®n? Ahora a encontrar a ese comerciante espeluznante... ?D¨®nde se esconde ahora? Horas despu¨¦s: Comerciante: ¡°?Hola, Don! ?Qu¨¦ te trae por aqu¨ª?¡± Yo: ¡°?Por qu¨¦ cambias de lugar tu puesto todos los d¨ªas? ?Qu¨¦date ah¨ª!¡± Comerciante: ¡°El capitalismo, Don. Tu cerebro de mono no lo entender¨ªa¡±. Yo: ¡°Eres insoportable. ?D¨®nde est¨¢ tu tienda?¡± Comerciante (sonriendo): ¡°?Aqu¨ª mismo!¡± Lanz¨® un cubo gris que se transform¨® en una tienda de campa?a. ¡°?Crees que eres mejor que yo?¡± Yo: ¡°1 kg de metal azul, hierro m¨¢gico, polvo de ¨¦ter¡±. Comerciante: ¡°100 monedas de oro¡±. Yo: ¡°?Est¨¢s bromeando? 10 monedas de plata¡±. Comerciante: ¡°?El metal azul escasea! ?Los precios han subido!¡± Yo: ¡°Me ir¨¦ a otro lado¡±. Comerciante (sonriendo): ¡°?En serio, mocoso de B¨²ho ?¡± Yo: ¡°2 monedas de oro y un afrodis¨ªaco¡±. Comerciante (d¨¢ndome la mano): ¡°?VENDIDO! ?El mejor cliente!¡± THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: Magic or Power – CH4 And that¡¯s how I convinced that shady merchant. I always have to brew these kinds of potions if I want to buy valuable materials from a depraved guy like him. Who knows what he¡¯ll do with them¡­ I really need to find a new merchant ASAP, I thought, frustrated. Don: ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m leaving¡­ Oh, wait¡ªlook at this and tell me: What do you think happened?¡± I showed him the damaged core. Merchant: ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s wild! Never seen damage this bad on the world¡¯s toughest metal.¡± Don: ¡°Could a monster have done it?¡± Merchant: ¡°No way. We¡¯re too far from the border dangers. Even if one slipped through, Zephyria¡¯s top-ranked knights handle that stuff. We¡¯re miles from conflict. Why do you think I¡¯m in Duncaster? Soon as I get my trader¡¯s permit, I¡¯m moving to Astoria¡ªthey say it¡¯s a merchant¡¯s paradise. I¡¯ll get filthy rich, just like God intended!¡± He grinned, then turned dead serious. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this info, kid.¡± Don: ¡°Pay? I just asked your opinion!¡± Merchant: ¡°Do I look like I care? Knowledge ain¡¯t free.¡± Don: ¡°I urgently need a new merchant¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°But if you won¡¯t help, my master¡¯ll come collect it himself. Just saying.¡± I lied blatantly. Merchant (panicking): ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t want trouble with your old man. Take it and scram.¡± Don: ¡°Leaving now.¡± Merchant: ¡°Say hi to the Owl for me. Haven¡¯t seen the legend in ages.¡± I grabbed my supplies and left, lost in thoughts about my master¡¯s reputation. They say he¡¯s insanely strong. I remember nothing of his past, but I know he¡¯s leagues above me. The seal on my back¡ªthe one he says suppresses my elemental powers¡ªmeans I can¡¯t use magic. Flashback: Max (snarling): ¡°Attack!¡± I lunged, dodging his kicks, but he outclassed me completely. He sidestepped my final strike, kneeing my chin. I blocked, but he twisted my momentum, dislocating my shoulder. I crumpled, screaming. Max: ¡°Pathetic. For a Supaibi, this is unacceptable.¡± He glared down, voice icy. ¡°You¡¯re too weak. Harden your body and mind, or you¡¯ll die. I swear on my eyes: I¡¯ll make you the fiercest thing alive.¡± That seal is one of the worst curses. Only a Rank 7 mage could cast it. No matter how hard I train, my magic stays locked. Worse, as a Supaibi, my purpose is magic. Our race bonds deeply with ether¡ªbut my ether point is gone. Instead, I radiate something¡­ dark. Max: ¡°I¡¯ll force it out of you. Life brought you to me for a reason. Even sealed, you heal¡ªsomething¡¯s protecting you.¡± He raised his left hand. ¡°Jhanmm!¡± A spell crushed me between two invisible forces, compressing my bones. After that day, I trained nonstop. Max taught me potions, tools, human behavior¡ªeverything except magic. My grandmother worried constantly. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Another night: Grandmother: ¡°Don, do you know who cast that seal? It¡¯s¡­ powerful.¡± Don: ¡°No clue. I¡¯ve got 44 years of memories, but none before Master rescued me from kidnappers.¡± Max (storming in): ¡°Stop filling his head with ¡®family¡¯ nonsense. The past is gone. Move forward.¡± Don: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m safe here, thanks to you both.¡± Max: ¡°Sentimental garbage.¡± He stormed out. Don: ¡°Why¡¯s he always so angry?¡± Grandmother: ¡°His kind are sworn to protect ether¡¯s flow. But something broke his people¡­¡± Max (interrupting): ¡°Enough. Focus on training, boy.¡± Grandmother: ¡°Let him breathe, Max! He¡¯s not immortal!¡± Max: ¡°He¡¯s lucky you coddle him. But mark my words: I¡¯ll beat that kindness out of you. You¡¯ll need cruelty to survive.¡± His glare terrified me. Don: ¡°Why make me suffer so much?¡± Max turned away, almost¡­ laughing? Max: ¡°Suffering¡¯s life¡¯s best teacher. Consider this a gift¡ªI¡¯m sparing you 20 years of pain. Remember: live without Influence, Power, or Wealth. Understood?¡± Don: ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Max: ¡°And quit calling yourself ¡®44.¡¯ You¡¯re 41, idiot.¡± Don (timidly): ¡°Master¡­ how did you and Grandma meet?¡± Max (flustered): ¡°W-What kind of question¡ª?!¡± Grandmother (laughing): ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a great story!¡± Max: ¡°Helena¡ª!¡± Grandmother: ¡°Your ¡®scary owl eyes¡¯ don¡¯t work on me. I¡¯ll tell him anyway.¡± Max: ¡°Over my dead body.¡± Grandmother: ¡°Watch your tongue, little bird, or I¡¯ll pluck it out.¡± Her sweet demeanor vanished. That day, I realized neither was what they seemed¡ªyet their bond was unshakable. A fallen king and the woman who tamed his rage. But why did their love fill me with dread?
Back to the present: ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll never be as ruthless as Master wants. He knows it.¡± Returning to the farm, I found Max waiting, shadowed and stern. Don: ¡°Master, I¡¯ve got the parts to fix the scarecrow. Took forever to find that merchant¡­¡± Max: ¡°Hand me the core.¡± His voice trembled. He inspected the damage, paling. Max: ¡°This is¡­ catastrophic.¡± Fear flashed¡ªa first. Don: ¡°Master? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Max (recovering): ¡°Repair the scarecrow later. Your second task starts now.¡± He tossed me a list and a pouch. ¡°200 gold. Buy these by dawn. My patience is thin.¡± Don (reading): ¡°Royal tree leaf¡­ empty ring¡­ blue tears? Where? The merchant only sells tool parts!¡± Max: ¡°Figure it out. You¡¯ll camp out two nights. Go.¡± Don: ¡°Let me tell Grandma¡ª¡± Max: ¡°Go. Now. Or I¡¯ll throw you out myself.¡± Don: ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± Max: ¡°Wait.¡± He handed me his tattered, fur-lined coat. Don: ¡°Why give me this?¡± Max: ¡°It¡¯ll protect you.¡± Suddenly, his eyes burned crimson. Veins glowed, claws sprouted, and an owl-like crown materialized. Now I understood Grandma¡¯s words: ¡°His eyes are beautiful in the sun.¡± Don: ¡°See you soon, Master.¡± I bowed, hiding my awe. Max (softly): ¡°Your grandmother¡¯s proud. To us¡­ you¡¯re our son.¡± He ruffled my hair. ¡°One last lesson: Be great or be smart¡ªyour choice. But never burden those who love you. Clear?¡± Don: ¡°Yes, Master¡­ Dad?¡± Max: ¡°Go!¡± As I left, I glanced back. Max stood rigid, watching me go. Inside, Grandma wept silently. He hugged her, whispering: Max: ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± Grandmother: ¡°Till death parts us¡­¡± They kissed¡ªa fragile hope in the storm ahead. What do you think about Max?
Your support is crucial to continue the journey of Kyomu e no Tabi! I post new chapters three times a week. Don¡¯t worry¡ªthe adventure will go on. Follow me on social media for updates! @thepetalobox
THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: Magic or Power – CH5 the map is official, but it is the map in spanish version, I am working on the english version. "All journeys are thrilling adventures, but not all of them teach you how to venture out."
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There are eyes that witness horrors so vile, they can never return to what they once were. By force and bloodshed, Don managed to sneak into New Glimmetropolis¡ªa city built on filthy blood, greed, and power¡­ a secret fiercely guarded. Some might know this, but New Glimmetropolis was declared part of the Montesis Kingdom after the Purification War. [Don. P] My master and I live far from the metropolis and the Montesis Kingdom to avoid too much contact with humans. I¡¯ll repeat his exact words: "The folks from the capital or the Montesis Kingdom are all elitist pricks who think they¡¯re better than everyone else¡ªthey look down on and crush anyone they deem unworthy of living in their shit-stained kingdom." He¡¯s always warned me never to go there. But staring at this list¡­ What?! I froze, clutching the tiny slip of paper between my fingers. And damn if I don¡¯t know where to even start with this packed list my master left me. ¡ª"But like always," I muttered bitterly, just thinking about it, "you gotta tackle the hardest job first. But out of all these¡­ which one¡¯s the worst¡­?" ¡ª"Let¡¯s see," I said before reading it aloud, "I need to buy a common ring¡­ Pfft! Easy enough. Just gotta find a blacksmith¡­ and I already have one in mind¡­ Then I need melted obsidian crystal¡­ That complicates things. Ah well, I¡¯ll figure out the rest as I go." Strolling lazily through the green fields near home, I soaked in the view and mused: ¡ª"Might meet loads of new people along the way¡ªnot just the same old faces from Duncaster. Hey!" I hyped myself up, "What if I bump into a smoking-hot chick?" My mind instantly spiraled into very unethical fantasies. "I pictured her body, her pink lips, my fingers slowly trailing down from her neck to her nipples¡­ Enough!" I shouted, snapping back to reality. But I faltered again, wondering: "Will I ever actually get a girlfriend?" So lost in my head, I didn¡¯t notice the guards at the village entrance until I slammed right into one. ¡ª"Damn it, Don!" ¡ª"Ugh, I¡¯m such an idiot! Sorry, I wasn¡¯t paying attention." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡ª"What the hell were you daydreaming about, huh?!" he barked. ¡ª"I¡¯m sorry, forgive me." ¡ª"Too late. It¡¯s getting dark. Where you headed, kid?" ¡ª"Buying supplies for my master. My birthday¡¯s in three days. Heading to the village smithy." ¡ª"Oh, really? Didn¡¯t know. Happy early birthday, but watch your ass after sunset. This place ain¡¯t the same at night. Hurry up¡ªMr. Snuch closes early these days." ¡ª"Thanks for the heads-up. I¡¯ll be careful. Shit!" I gasped, eyeing the sky. "The sun dropped fast." I bolted toward the smithy, dodging villagers and enduring curses from those I bumped into. Whatever¡ªif I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll never see these assholes again. Finally, I neared the street with the village¡¯s only blacksmith. Just a sprint and a left tu¡ª - ¡°Nooo! Please! Let her go! She has nothing to do with this!¡± A mother''s screams tore through a dark alley. In my haste, I skidded through the alley and froze at the scene: a mother, battered and pleading, with her daughter trapped by three filthy lowlifes while another raped her mother in front of her. -Shit, how did you end up with such a sweet cunt?¡± the scum moaned, lost in her frenzy. Disgust and rage boiled in me as I watched. - ¡°If you don''t want us to slit her throat and then rape her corpse, you will obey, slut. Or else-¡± - ¡°Don''t hurt her! Do whatever you want to me,¡± the mother pleaded, her voice cracking as she closed her eyes. - ¡°Boss, what about the brat? We''re getting bored,¡± taunted another bully. - ¡°Mom! Let her go, you bastard!¡± the girl shrieked, ignored as her mother collapsed under the horror. The ringleader, raping the sobbing mother, smiled: - ¡°Rape the girl too. Teach them to pay their debts... and then kill her.¡± The mother screamed, but a punch silenced her. I stepped into the alley and roared: - ¡°Stop this shit right now and get out of here!¡± Then my teacher''s warning resounded, ¡°Don, no matter how bad it gets - and I don''t care how bad it gets - don''t ever play the hero. You are not, and you never will be. Those who try, end up dead or worse. Take a chance, and you''ll swallow the consequences like a man.¡± ¡ª"Who the hell do you think you are?!" the rapist spat. ¡ª"Me? Nobody," I said coldly, locking eyes with the boss. Flames surged through my veins. I bit down, fury seething, as a fireball formed in my palm. They paused, sizing me up like trash. The boss laughed: ¡ª"You joking? We¡¯re fire users¡ªrank 3, and I¡¯m 4. Still wanna stare me down? Walk away now, kid, or die." I weighed it: Kill or be killed. Four against one. One thug groped the girl, knife to her throat; the mother lay unconscious. The boss smirked, underestimating me. Good. Let him. But then I recognized the girl¡ªMaria. Rage detonated. I snuffed my flame. ¡ª"Burn!" ¡ª"The hell¡ª?" the thug holding Maria stammered. I slammed both hands down, erupting flames beneath their feet. Burn them to ash. I lunged without thinking. Protect Maria. No regrets. The boss and one lackey survived, the boss shielding them with hydrokinesis. The thug holding Maria burned to cinders. The boss and I clashed¡ªhe was stronger, I was faster. His punch shattered a wall behind me. The others lunged for Maria¡ªone grabbing, the other priming fire. I blasted a fireball at the boss¡¯ gut. He blocked, exploding backward, buying me seconds to reach her. He lunged back, roaring: ¡ª"You¡¯re interesting!" His hand gripped my face, slamming me toward the ground. ¡ª"RUN!" I screamed at Maria. She stood petrified. Shit! The thugs panicked, and my master¡¯s words rang: "A desperate man will burn his own allies." And... BOOM! THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL: My first adventure – CH6
Helena: What the hell was that noise? Max: Chill, it¡¯s nothing. Just some brats testing the patience of a demon. Helena: Huh? Max: Forget it. Wanna stuff your face with cheesy burritos, just how you like ¡¯em, babe? Helena (smirking, surprised): What¡¯s gotten into you? You¡¯re in a mood today¡ªwho even are you right now? Meanwhile¡­ The explosion devoured two whole houses around us, but somehow we were still breathing. Everyone shielded themselves however they could¡ªexcept the bastard who caused it. His power wrecked everything except himself, ¡¯cause that¡¯s how shit works in this messed-up world. But right before everything blew sky-high, he managed to slam my skull into the ground. The pavement cracked, and I almost blacked out, but I snapped back fast to finish the job. I twisted around, grabbed the arm he¡¯d used to claw at my face, locked it between my legs, and snapped it. Then I pulled my last trick¡ªthe one that always lets me out-speed my master: my Key, a device that teleports me anywhere I can picture. I spun mid-air, balanced on the wall behind me for a heartbeat to aim, then kicked off hard, hitting the Key¡¯s button. A portal flashed, and I shot through¡­ Time crawled. I spotted the asshole trying to grab Mar¨ªa from the left. Rage boiled up. I knee-dropped his teeth, shattering his jaw. But I was moving too damn fast. When I crashed into the wall¡ªright fucking there¡ªhis skull split against it. Then everything exploded. I barely shielded me, Mar¨ªa, and her mom by hardening the ground into rock, sweating and bleeding to make it hold. Thanks to my master, I¡¯d unlocked two skills: Pyrokinesis and Geokinesis. I had to protect her mom solo ¡¯cause she was too far. Now that Mar¨ªa¡¯s with me, I can breathe. Dropping the earth shield, I muttered: ¡°Now I gotta figure out how to explain this mess. They¡¯ll pin it on me if these pricks escape¡­ and I just offed two of ¡¯em.¡± Mar¨ªa (stunned): Don¡­ is that you? Fire User: You¡¯re worse than a cockroach¡ªyou never die! Don (to the sobbing girl, weakly): Easy there. They won¡¯t lay a finger on you again. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. She bawled and clung to me like glue. I lowered the earth shield over her mom and growled: ¡°Go to her. Try to¡­ wake her up¡­ and run. Now.¡± Mar¨ªa: But¡­ you¡¯re bleeding! Don: If I¡¯m standing, I¡¯m fighting. You wanna be strong? Start by saving your mom. Go. Mar¨ªa: Okay! Mam¨¢! Don (to himself): Fuck! My regeneration¡¯s busted when I need it most. Shouldn¡¯t have jumped in reckless. Never again. No time to rest. Still two problems: the fire user in front and that slimy water bastard behind me, who just popped up and hasn¡¯t shown his full hand. But I¡¯m done playing hide-and-seek. I stopped holding back my transformation, shattering the potion¡¯s suppression¡ªmy true form fights the effects over time. My veins lit up, my eyes reverted, and as my tail started forming¡­ I felt sadness. Like I¡¯d lost something vital. Again. The void turned to rage, and for a split second, I heard laughter¡ªhysterical, happy laughter. I shut it down. Going full monster ain¡¯t worth blowing my cover. I forced the transformation back, chugged another potion, and cursed: Idiot. Now I¡¯ve only got one dose left for two days. Not. Enough. Gotta make it work. Boss: I don¡¯t know how you survived, but you¡¯re one twisted fuck. What the hell were you thinking?! Fire User: Sorry, boss! Boss: You killed two of my men. You¡¯re not walking away unscathed. Should¡¯ve fled, dumbass¡ªnow you die! Like my master said: ¡°Evil just exists, but humans perfected it.¡± Time to make these pricks choke on their own shit. Both attacked at once. The boss hurled a wave of ice spikes growing bigger every second. I threw up a stone shield, but his attack pierced through, gouging a hole. The fire asshole sprayed flames nonstop. I blocked, then slammed both walls forward at full speed, crushing everything toward them. The fire idiot amped his blast, stalling my wall¡ªbought me seconds. Gotta end this without accidentally killing ¡¯em. But the water freak¡¯s pissing me off. No matter what I did, he kept coming. Water User (stunned): Who the hell are you?! How do you have two skills?! [Far off, unnoticed in the chaos, eyes watched from the moonlit sky¡ªfixated on Don. A woman, ethereal and deadly, silver hair cascading to her waist, glowing faintly. Her sapphire eyes pierced the dark, ears slightly pointed, a coiled serpent tattoo behind one. The wind kissed her hair, revealing a predator¡¯s grin.] I didn¡¯t answer. Raised my hands, summoning rocks orbiting me like a goddamn asteroid belt, flames dancing in my palms. His face twisted¡ªfirst envy, then that same cocky smirk. Water User (laughing): Interesting. Water User (screaming): INTERESTING!