Soul of Blades - Chapter 62: Cosmic Loot (Patreon)

Authors note: I wanted to get this out tonight by any and all means. So I’ve just updated it to show him appraising the four enchanted and possibly ancient items from the Pyran queens loot: the gloves, the cloak, the stake, and the grimoir.

I’m also thinking of doing a poll on how the vessel of madness will be affected by ‘Assimilate Nexus’ how would his class effect a skill crystal that grants and swaps out a different skill every day but also drives you mad in the process?

preferably the skill assimilation would nerf or remove the madness element entirely.

Anyways, The crystal is just going to be a great and fun wildcard with random skills or effects of some sort. Either way it’s been tricky thinking of a fun twist or effect that you guys will enjoy.

So I may post the poll at some pinpoint over the next few weeks.

Well, that’s enough sleep deprived ramblings for the night. There’s a lot of cool information in this chapter and just a little bit of world building.

Enjoy

Chapter 63: Cosmic Loot

As Mei poured her trinkets before him, Alex summoned four items he had kept hidden during his time In Pyra. To his enhanced vision the items were vibrant and bounding with internal mana, and though they paled in comparison to Mei’s trinkets, they were still four of the most powerfully enchanted and possibly ancient items from the Pyran queen’s treasure hoard appeared before him: a strange pair of gloves, an equally strange cloak, a somewhat plain looking wooden stake, and a grimoire.

Alex viewed the items with concern. These were legendary pieces of equipment, the most magically powerful among the queens hoard according to his ‘Outer Sense’ skill. He was looking at a few of the best treasures that hive had found in hundreds of years.

He doubted it would be enough to survive in this world, but it would have to do, he would have to make them enough. He didn’t have a choice.

He crouched to examine the wooden stake, noting the aged timbre shaped like a wickedly sharp thorn, with visible green roots winding through its structure. The wood's surface showed the grain clearly, and the stake ended in a point sharp enough to work as a weapon. Vibrant green roots were embedded firmly into the body of the stake, threading through the wood without altering its rugged texture.The roots appeared vibrant with thick and deep mana that moved in strange indecipherable patterns, entwined tightly within the wood.

[Skill 'True Sight' has discerned the energies of the items you have inspected]

[Thorned Heart of the Mother - Rank E

Effects: Lesser Immortality (Passive), Vine Manipulation (Passive), Body of the World Treee (Passive),

This artifact bestows nature's immortality and grants the user control over thorns and vines and flora, binding the user's fate to the eternal woodland essence of a greater being in exchange for their humanity. The user’s body will merging with the ancient timber of deity class being designation ‘Great Mother’ of planet designation ‘Pyra’. with the heart of the user slowly turning to wood, along with a majority of the users form.]

Alex brows creased ever so slightly, concerned by the items dual nature. The artifact offered a form of ‘lesser’ immortality, which implied that the longevity it provided wouldn’t be perfect. The owner of the stake could potentially still be killable, only it would be much harder to do so. Being harder to kill was always a good thing. Yet, the transformation it required—gradually turning the user's body into wood—was a high price to pay. It's the kind of power you'd only think about in the worst-case scenario, maybe to save a life if there's absolutely no other way. Although… what if I used it as a weapon? In the wrong hands, it could curse someone to a horrific existence, or it might be used strategically to weaken a powerful cultivator. But then I’d have an immortal tree-man chasing after me forever… so maybe not.

Despite the thorn's power, he felt no desire to lose his humanity; his current form suited him just fine. The risks and transformations associated with the Thorned Heart made it appear as a last resort, something to consider only in the most desperate situations.

The thorns out, then, He surmised.

Next, Alex held up the cloak. The long dark cloak showed a minimal mana presence. Its mana moved slowly through the fabric, its presence barely perceptible. He only had to focus for a brief moment before a notification appeared.

[Skill 'True Sight' has discerned the energies of the items you have inspected]

[Veil of the Midnight Court - Rank E

Effects: Existing Dao progress enhance, Dao connection increase,

Crafted by the exiled Fey and tailored with the shadow of a young moon, this veil grants its wearer the enhanced connection to the realm of forms, an abstract dimension where perfect and eternal forms exist, such as beauty, justice, true immortality, or death, exist independently of the physical world and serve as the true reality that gives essence to all material objects experienced in all sensory worlds]

Alex’s jaw dropped as he read the description. The realm of forms… is that the Dao? That space where everything I looked at caused my head to almost explode? Alex recalled the experience, though somewhat hazily. Each glance had felt like trying to capture whole galaxies in his gaze, universes, even., he had immediately jerked away before his eyes bled and his heart stopped. even the smallest of truths had almost ruined him. And what are the forms? He wondered. Are they ideas, things, or laws… From his visions, he had already gleaned that these ‘forms’ were in fact universal truths. The arbiters of existence. They were truths so transcendent and incomprehensible that their very existence governed dimensions. He was beginning to truly understand the dangers of the Dao,

Shuddering at the sheer magnitude, Alex moved on to open the Grimoire. The cover was smooth, unmarred by wear and adorned with a crowned skull. That’s not ominous at all, he thought, slowly turning its pages. Inside, he saw the mana that coursed through each and every single one of its pages, its light steady and cool, illuminating the texts that detailed what he assumed to be necromantic rites and ancient secrets. Some held a subtle shine, some hummed softly. He studied the text, stable and clear, which highlighted the precise, sharp lettering of a language he couldn’t understand.

One page in particular held the image of what Alex could only assume was some kind of demon god, complete with horns and dark halo. The image was deeply infused with a steady, visible flow of mana, the color dim yet distinct against the dark ink. Yet the text remained perfectly clear, and the mana infused in the written ink radiated a steady, soft light, illuminating the words in a uniform brightness that did not waver.

[Libram of Forgotten Souls - Rank E

Effects: Necromantic Skill Mastery (Minor), Commune Dead (Active - 1 minute),

Penned by the undead sorcerer designation ‘Lich Nemorin’, at the brink of his first death, this tome served as his Phylactery, and now serves as a bridge to the afterlife. This time allows the reader to summon remnants of the spirits of the dead. Non-necromancers are incapable of commanding the dead, but can seek lost information, though the dead may demand steep prices for their knowledge.]

What good would communing with the dead be? Especially when he couldn’t control them? Not very useful, at least not immediately so, Alex rubbed his chin in thought. But it could be used to gain critical information. The only problem is the price, though. What kind of price would the dead need? Whilst he couldn’t control them, particularly strong ‘remnants’ could hold information impossible to find elsewhere. The item was valuable in its own way. Perhaps there was a spirit out there with knowledge of how to defeat the imperials?

Feeling somewhat satisfied, he then observed the Gloves. The material seemed durable, designed for utility, with visible lines of wear indicating frequent use. The patterns on the gloves subtly shifted with a quiet mana flow, the energy maintaining a consistent brightness that outlined the intricate stitching. The gloves seemed to be in a state of self repair, it’s threats reconnecting. Alex observed as the last remnants of wear faded, leaving the glove in pristine conditions. So it’s self-repairing, but why would you need self repairing gloves? He wondered. That’s not very useful… maybe they’re healing gloves, or protective somehow? He turned the gloves over curiously. Each glove appeared sturdy, crafted from a fine material that looked capable of enduring considerable use. The seams were prominently reinforced, it’s exterior detailed with fine lines of threads infused with thick and pulsing mana.

[Skill 'True Sight' has discerned the energies of the items you have inspected]

[Gloves of the Artificer's Pact - Rank E

Effects: Life Drain, Equipment Repair.

Forged by the legendary smith designation ‘Alaric the Enchanter’ as a gift to designation ‘heroes of the Last Siege’, these gloves channel the raw essence of life. Able to repair any equipment of the same grade in exchange for the user's mana pool. Equipment of a higher rank will exchange the user's lifeforce. Excessive use may result in the user's demise.]

Alex observed the Gloves of the Artificer's Pact, contemplating the unique opportunity they provided. They could mend equipment of the same grade without much fuss, merely draining his mana. As long as he held the pieces of a blade, it could be recovered to its complete and whole state. The Infinite Blade shattered in the spatial storm… all I have left is the hilt… but it can be repaired. He sighed, relief escaping him in waves. It’s gotta be a higher grade item, right? Its ability is too excessive. If it’s in the E-Rank, then I bet there’s some energy it can’t handle. If he could repair all enchanted blades, then he wouldn’t have to worry about losing the abilities they provided. Yet, repairing something of superior rank would cost him his very essence, his life force. It could potentially kill him. That’s steep, but it makes sense, higher ranks contain so much energy— oceans of it. Maybe life force contains energy even more powerful than mana? He turned the glove over, studying its complex energies. That class…’cursed blade’. The system forbade it and implied that the life force power it granted could threaten the imperials.

Alex paused, the cogs in his mind twisting at the pieces laid before him. Life-force it seemed, was a powerful resource. There had been a class that could utilise life force to threaten the imperials, and now he held an item that could utilize life force in a way that transcended the barriers between ranks.

A thought occurred to him.

Could I use this against a cultivator, Somehow?

What if I somehow managed to slip these on their hands in a skirmish with my ‘Inventory’, wouldn’t it drain them instead? On the surface it seemed plausible, but then he thought of the impression of imperials he’d gained from his Dao visions. He thought of how both the immortals and Jin had moved, their sheer speed, and how their steps had stretched through vast distances— then he decided that trying to place a life-draining glove on their hands was a terrible idea. Who's to say the drain would be quick? And what’s to stop them from just taking it off? His brow darkened at the thought. He imagined himself tricking someone like Jin into donning the glove, only for the young prodigy to simply take it off and scatter Alex’s form with a single blow. Perhaps the imperial would need to be weakened first? People of a much higher level than him had fallen before the likes of them like leaves in the subtlest of winds. The only sure way he could hope to slip a glove on them in battle, would be through taking advantage of the depths of their arrogance. But that would require him to be close enough to face obliteration.

So the glove option’s out, he thought, his mind still a whirl of possibilities. Unless Alex’s opponent had their guard down and he had a way to immediately escape, using the glove as a weapon would be his end.

But he hadn’t lost hope, as he continued to study the intricate movements of energy within the glove, he found that his hopes of surviving had only grown. His hopes began to once again border on evolution. The gloves could utilise and manipulate life force, that implied that it was energy. With Alex’s sense skills and ‘True Sight’…

“I can see energy,” he muttered in excitement.

With ‘Bestial Senses’, ‘Inner Sense’ and ‘Outer Sense’ I can use the glove, experimente with recognising lifeforce, and get a feel for how life force moves and works… without dying, of course.

The description implied that misuse could lead to disastrous outcomes. Alex had no desire to rapidly age to nothing or die due to offering more than he had to give. Life force was finite for all, and all had to succumb to the inevitability of death.

Except for Phoenix, Alex thought, his eyes widening. As he pondered the gloves potential, a deeper realization dawned on him. His dao vision had shown that life force wasn't strictly finite.

The very concept of a finite life-force could potentially be false, as he had long since grasped that all things existed eternally— just in different forms. Phoenix’s life force had been boundless, without a beginning or end. The being in his vision had appeared to have a life force so immense it had felt ever-changing, practically infinite. Perhaps Alex could achieve the same thing?

Yeah right. My Dao progress would have to be much higher… 70, 80, maybe even 100%, he sighed. That would take more lifetimes than he had to spare.

But still… it’s worth a try, I’ll only focus on recognising and understanding lifeforce, not using it. And I’ll use eclipse… it’s the only D-rank item I’ve seen so far, and the swords in perfect condition as far as I’m aware so it should be safe. I’d rather not waste my new youth on an experiment. Alex thought, preparing himself to test his hypothesis.

Alex stabbed his blade, Eclipse, into the hard floor, causing the weapon to sink into the resilient ground with surprising ease. I guess it isn’t D-Rank for nothing, he noted, observing the enhanced sharpness and durability of the blade. He donned the Gloves of the Artificer's Pact, sensing a soft rush of mana surging from within, directed towards the gloves. Experimentally, he grasped the D-ranked blade with the enchanted gloves.

Nothing happened.

Damn, I guess it needs the item to be damaged first. Alex summoned the hilt of the Infinite Blade, its intricately carved blue crystal landing in his gloved palm, cool to the touch. It was shattered, but he could still sense the infinitely complex code-like mana shifting through it. The moment the blade landed in his gloved palm, he felt his mana bottom out to nothing, similar to when he activated his skill, Mana Burn. His muscles coiled tight as the surge of magic rushed through him, fleeing his cells to pass through his gloves and into the shattered crystal hilt, infusing every part of the broken weapon and causing it to crackle and pop with slow growth. About a centimetre of crystal had been generated. That’s nowhere near enough, he thought with worry. The weapon remained broken, and only a single centimetre of repair had occurred. His mana flared violently, and his body shook as the final dregs of his mana were consumed by the gloves. In the blink of an eye, the remaining trickle of his mana completely vanished.

But it didn’t stop there.

Alex felt a curious chill creep along his spine, an unfamiliar stirring that stilled him to his core. It was unlike anything he had felt before— This was pure energy—not the usual ripple of mana that rushed up from his heart, but a raw, primal force that exploded from the depths of the center of his chest, right above his diaphragm. A surge of the most powerful energy Alex had ever felt erupted from the base of his chest, headed towards the gloves in a blink, surging through him like a wild beast charging down its prey in a torrent of power so intense it seemed to hold the very essence of his existence. The energy was stronger than even the mana he had felt from this world, seeming to contain the entirety of his being in each drop. It felt like potential and not just power, at some points it even felt like time. The artificer's gloves drank this energy greedily, and the shattered infinite blade began to shine, steadily growing in Alex’s vision, first by inches, then by feet until it was whole. It was as if all of his lives were flowing through him, past and present, every moment of potential and power encapsulated in each vibrant pulse.

Exhausted, Alex collapsed, his energy sapped to the marrow. Sweat soaked through his clothes, plastering fabric to skin, and his limbs felt like they were cast in lead. The completely repaired crystal blade clattered to the ground, brighter than he remembered it ever having been.

[Skill 'True Sight' has discerned the energies of the items you have inspected]

[The Infinite Blade - Rank E

Effects: Energy Absorption, Energy Stealing.

A mythical artifact from the era prior to systemic seeding. The Infinite Blade, forged by the deity class being designation ‘The God of Crafts’ over millennia from the blood and tears of his peers. This weapon adapts to and absorbs a fraction of any energy it encounters, storing this power until unleashed through its next strike. 

This blade is crafted from the materials of Deity class beings, and is thus of the highest quality and durability possible in the E-Rank, bordering on the cusps of D-Rank. Due to system adaptation, the efficacy of the blade has been greatly reduced to match the items Rank, though the materials remain unaffected. All energy absorbed is then released at a significantly reduced efficacy, ranging from a reduction of 70% to as high as 90%, making it a formidable tool against even the most powerful foes.]

Laid on the hard ground and drenched in sweat, he rolled on to his back, absorbing the item description with scrutiny.

Armed with gloves that could utilise and steal lifeforce, a cloak that enhanced his connection to the Dao, a grimoire that would allow him to delve into the most hidden of their secrets, and a weapon that could likely adapt to their energy, or ‘Qi’, Alex felt prepared to take this world for everything it had.

Mei stepped forward, interrupting his musings to ask him a poignant question. “And…did you just get a little taller?”

***

It turned out, sacrificing your life force to regenerate higher materials would indeed shave literal years off your biological clock. Alex suspected as much. Regenerating the blade seemed to have taken just under a year of his life, judging by the length of his beard, hair, and his sudden growth spurt.

It seemed the process had caused him to skip past the biological age of 21, the final year of every human male’s biological growth period, in terms of height at least. And now, he stood a few inches taller. About two, I’d guess, he thought as he assessed his reflection, careful not to cut himself as he shaved off the remnants of his impromptu beard.

Rubbing his now smooth chin, Alex took a moment to observe the items Mei had presented to him: a jade necklace, a ring, a metal peg that he assumed would be his new temporary leg, and a paper talisman.

He grimaced as he reached for the metallic peg resting on the wooden table. Its surface was a dull grey, marked with small scratches and imperfections. The peg had a subtle sheen, not quite reflective, and was cold to the touch. He was surprised that all of his passive sense skills alongside  'True sight' still worked to a lesser degree, despite the cooldown. Why was that? Was it because it was higher ranked? No that can’t be it, some of my passives are low ranked… the enigma deepened further. Perhaps he was experiencing the True Sight skill in a lesser form, it had to be limited in some way he was unaware of. He could hardly imagine how impactful the passive skill would be at full power.

He dismissed his musings and looked over the metal prosthetic. The enchanted prosphetic. mana swirled within it, as if waiting to connect and become a part of him.

He looked to Mei, who was busily organizing the rest of the items she had returned with, a look of mischievous greed evident on her face. "Alright, Mei, I'm going to put it on. Anything I should know?"

She didn't turn to face him, and just shook her head in response, as her fingers and hands moved at immense speeds, blurring as she sorted her items. "Just don't lose your balance. If you fall, don’t count on me to catch you!”

At her words, Alex moved, resisting the air to stand on his single leg and raised his prosthetic. He channeled all of his endless senses, forcing himself to remain perfectly balanced, as if to challenge her warning. “Guess I'll just have to rely on charm then. It's never let me down before,”

She paused, turning. Her eyes slowly moved from Alex’s steady hand to the enchanted prosthetic held unnaturally still in the air. “You’re definitely going to fall.”

With a chuckle, Alex focused on equipping the peg. Strapping it to the stump of his leg caused him to feel the point where metal contacted skin adjust, shifting to mould itself until it fit him perfectly. The sensation was odd but not unpleasant, and the connection firm without being restrictive. It didn’t even feel cold. If he wasn’t looking at it, he could almost forget it was there entirely.

Somewhat awed, Alex turned his attention to the remainder of his items.

Each item burned with a muted aura, the green gem of the necklace was surrounded with soft flames of energy, the ring’s lustrous metal carved with intricate designs, and a third, stranger item.

[Skill 'True Sight' has discerned the energies of the items you have inspected]

He picked up each item and inspected their energies for some time and as he did so, a panel of information popped up in his vision.

[Iron Tranquil Peg - Rank D

Effects: Adaptive Density Control

Crafted by a humble blacksmith of a serf world of the Empire, this peg utilizes the stored mana of its user to attach seamlessly to the stump. Once connected, it cannot be removed except by the user's will and adjusts its density to accommodate the user's movements and traversal needs. Despite being made with cheap tools and materials, the connection point is designed for maximum comfort.]

Pleasantly surprised, Alex hastily viewed the rest of the items, studying the energies within them for some time, until the familiar notification popped into his vision.

[Jade Harmony Necklace - Rank D

Effects: +350 Strength and Intelligence

Crafted as a first lesson by an entrant student of the revered Jade artisans of the Eastern Kingdom, imbued with the mana of a 500 year old celestial jade, amplifying the wearer's strength and intelligence.

As a mana intensive item of a higher rank, this item requires the absorption of ambient mana from equal or higher ranked worlds to function. Use within a lower world will result in the items destruction and resulting backlash]

[True Sight: Mastery 0 > 5%]

That was quite the jump in mastery. It could be due to the skill discerning the energy of higher ranked items, he surmised. The rank of the item must contribute more towards ‘mastering’ it… probably. Maybe the complexity does as well? I’ll have to find some complex equipment to study. He paused in consideration. But what does ‘complex’ even look like? He wondered, oblivious to the nature of magical enchantments. It’s probably best to focus on item ranks, for now, its probably fair to assume that a higher item rank would mean higher complexity. Alex picked up the ring while deep in thought, studying its contours with more than just his eyes.

[Ring of Fluid Motion - Rank D

Effects: +400 Dexterity

Made of cheap D ranked materials, forged in the stolen fires of Mount Eternity’s Edge, this ring was cooled in the energy filled waters of a Crystal Stream, transcending the limits of its humble materials and endowing the wearer with the grace and precision of the river's flow.

As a mana intensive item of a higher rank, this item requires the absorption of ambient mana from equal or higher ranked worlds to function. Use within a lower world will result in the items destruction and resulting backlash]

The last item was perhaps the most peculiar, a simple paper talisman with cryptic symbols that buzzed under his touch.

[Talisman of the Iron Tortoise - Rank D

Effects: +350 Endurance and Wisdom

Origin: This talisman was inscribed by an early apprentice of an Old Sage of the Western Peaks, using the ink made from the ashes of a fire that burned for a thousand nights. It grants the fortitude of the ageless tortoise, making the wearer more potent and receptive to the energy of nature. 

As a mana intensive item of a higher rank, this item requires the absorption of ambient mana from equal or higher ranked worlds to function. Use within a lower world will result in the items destruction and resulting backlash]

Alex was once again, dumbfounded by the items effects. They promised a total of 1800 stats. That was exactly 100 levels worth of stats. Or 180 for the average person with a lesser class. All of those stats, gained through just donning higher ranked equipment. 

Sure, the items wouldn’t work on lower ranked worlds, the description implied that attempting to do so would not only fail but prove dangerous. And he guessed that the items would be essentially useless on higher ranked worlds, too, when compared to the native equipment. But still, it would take him countless battles to achieve 100 levels worth of stats, and Mei had given them to him. Just like that.

“Th- damn, that’s a lot of stats, Mei. It’s too much to just give away. ” Alex turned the talisman over in his hands, inspecting the flow of mana surging through its inscriptions. “You haven’t fallen for me, have you?”

What’s her deal? He wondered, his outer appearance still displaying gratitude. Nobody’s that philanthropic… at least not without a reason. 

Her insistence on helping him for ‘no reason’ made him ever so slightly suspicious. She seemed like a good person, good people are not a myth, Alex reminded himself. But still, he’d rather be paranoid than dead.

“The baseline for D rank is roughly four thousand stats.” She waved a hand dismissively, “Don’t get too excited, buttercup.”

Then, she eyed him curiously, “You seem to fall far below the baseline, though… practically a flesh slime when I found you.”

Mei adjusted a lock of hair, appearing to revisit the memory of their encounter.

 “Some of you guys are really nothing without Qi, huh?” 

“But then again, that thing you did earlier looked like an inventory skill… I didn’t give you that.” A pause followed, she cocked her head, fingers pressed to her lips in speculation, gears turning and signs adding up to a conclusion that was all too evident.

“You’re from off-world, aren’t you?”

Alex remained silent- he would tell her, once he was sure there would be no consequences. For now, he decided to play the role of amnesiac.

Instead of facing her curious speculation, he began to remove his newly acquired E ranked equipment. According to Mei, equipment stat effects weren't stackable and the stronger effect would always override the weaker one.The D grade equipment he held would essentially render almost all of his E ranked equipment useless. 

He kept the Lunar earring studs on, though. The stealth boosts they provided held too many benefits and even more applications.

***

"Alright, Alex, you ready?" Mei was already on her feet, a cheeky grin on her face. It had barley been 5 minutes. She didn’t seem to care that Alex was an off-worlder and claimed that her and almost all mana users on the planet were originally, either through parents or their own long lives- although they didn’t tend to almost die at the moment of their arrival. 

Her hair was done up in a high ponytail, the ribbon holding it up matching the colour of her dark red robe. Despite her small stature, her big, boisterous presence seemed to fill the room in a way that caused Alex to smile, a subconscious act that he was unaware of.

Alex lifted the Jade necklace, eyeing its sparkling surface. "Hmm… so You're sure these are safe for me to wear? They’re really D-ranked?"

"Safe, he says." Mei rolled her eyes, a loud, dramatic sigh escaping her lips. "Yes, they’re safe. They're pretty trashy though, and I got them for cheap. But they will make you stronger, so quit whining." She huffed with a sly grin, donning a large jacket.

She pressed a button near the collar and Alex observed the jacket shifting, several energies racing along its threads to cause the winter coat to twist itself around her form, until it became somewhat stylish summer robes.

Alex raised a brow.

Mei watched him with an expectant grin, her small foot tapping impatiently against the dirt floor.

“What a difficult customer.” She said.

Taking his time, Alex slipped on the necklace curiously, the cold jade stone resting against his chest. An immediate rush of power hit him. He gasped, his body going rigid as the power soaked into him, every cell of his body suddenly screaming in protest before adjusting to the sudden surge, his muscles and tendons visibly rippling and shifting. The sensation briefly reminded him of mana burn, except it was less… intense, and far less encompassing. He slipped the ring onto his finger next, the solid weight settling around his digit and merging with his mana. The talisman, he stuck onto his skin, feeling the paper merge with his flesh. Another strange sensation. A shiver ran through him as waves  of energy rocked him, surging to his heart. His stats soared by almost two thousand, reaching three thousand in total.

He nearly passed out from the rush, his vision spinning as he braced himself against the table. Mei merely watched, a smug smile on her face. "Quite the feeling, isn't it?"

Alex glared at her through his dizziness. "You could have warned me."

"Where's the fun in that?" Mei was already heading for the door, her voice ringing back to him.

Alex felt a mild prick of annoyance, but he shrugged it off. She seemed to have quite the hard exterior, which he took to be an either defence mechanism in response to a harsh environment or just a result of being strong enough to become a system administrator. If her nature was a result of struggle and not just strength, he found himself wondering whether any harsh environment she had experienced would’ve been in the past or the present, before deciding that it didn’t really matter— the fact that she was helping him suggested there was quite possibly a good person buried underneath all of the energy that encased her.

Alex moved, slightly unsteady, and followed.

He grimaced as he stumbled through the narrow doorway, leaning on the wall to regain his balance. The peg felt natural. Almost like a leg, but not quite. He would have to get used to not having toes and only a single point of contact between his leg and the ground. It was disconcerting, slightly. His breathing was much smoother now, although the air still burned his lungs with mana; every movement was met with much less resistance from the energy and mana-dense air, with his stat boost, it now felt like he was moving through softer winds, and not dense sand.

Everything seemed more vibrant, more present. Most items and tools Mei possessed, even the wood of the house, seemed to be covered with an extremely thin yet clear, coloured haze of energy made clear to see with Outer Sense and True Sight.

He could see the colours for miles

What's up with this world? Alex wondered. And how strong is she to move so quickly when everything's so dense? Uncertain, but still grateful, he followed her into what he guessed must be the kitchen.

Alex grimaced as he hobbled into the kitchen, the dense particles of air resisting his every movement. The world of the Martial Empire was unlike anything he'd could ever imagine, and certainly unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. The simple act of breathing had become a laborious task. With his leg reduced to a stump, the harsh reality was taking its toll on him.

Mei, was stood over magical looking stove, cooking something that smelled amazing. Alex drifted over, mostly led by his nose. She handed him a ladle, and gestured for him to stir.

Alex grasped the ladle, squinting at the tender meat and myriad strange vegetables that burned with energy in the pot. His fingers fumbled with the ladle, trying to mimic the motions Mei had demonstrated. His first attempt was an unsightly, but he swallowed his frustration and started over.

He had no idea how to cook, often relying on his sister, grandfather, or even just ordering food rather than doing it himself. He'd always found it to be a waste of time. He could be practising with his sword, learning new techniques, or having fun with his friends. Why should he stay in the kitchen? Back on earth, he had hated cooking, always leaving it to others.

But now, it brought him peace, the pleasant smells, the taste. He was constructing something that would feed and strengthen him, while taking his mind away from his worries. It felt good.

"Alex, you hold a knife as if it's a sword. Ease your grip a little," Mei advised. Her voice was loud, boisterous, yet at times carried wisdom beyond her years. It was freaking weird, as far as Alex was concerned. At times he felt like he was talking to someone his age, his real age, and not a youth who had barely touched twenty.

Her small hands were skilled and certain, constantly demonstrating the right technique.

Following her instructions, Alex felt his grip relaxing, and the knife glided smoothly through the turnip. He observed Mei’s deft movements, her hands flying over the ingredients. It struck him how this tiny kitchen in the corner of the Martial Empire had become a haven for him, offering solace and purpose amidst the unknown.

"Tell me about your world, Alex," she said, her voice quieter now. The loud childish exterior seemed to fade away momentarily, replaced by a look of genuine curiosity.

Alex paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Well, it's more advanced than this one. Well, less advanced in some ways. This place is like ancient china, but then again they explore loads of worlds, while we're only just beginning to explore the cosmos."

"And yet you found the Martial Empire, or rather, they found you," Mei murmured, her gaze fixated on the pot before them. She still remembered the day her own world encountered the Empire. The panic, the fight, the eventual defeat.

"Yeah," Alex nodded, the smile on his face replaced by a sombre look. His home, his Earth, was now a vassal world under the Martial Empire.

Or as Mei called it, a serf-world.

The pair fell into silence, the sizzling of the pot the only sound in the room. Alex continued to stir the contents of the pot under Mei's watchful gaze, the once-empty kitchen now filled with the aroma of cooking food.

"More salt, Alex," she guided, handing him a small, worn-out salt cellar. Nodding, Alex pinched a bit of salt, letting it flutter down into the bubbling stew.

Alex glanced at her, his brows furrowing. "Is that the same as what happened when your world met the Empire?”His voice was hushed, as if wary of conjuring the specter of the past.

Mei stiffened momentarily but then nodded, pushing away a lock of hair that had slipped onto her forehead. "We were explorers," she began, her voice a mere whisper. "Our technology was advanced. Like, starships, superstarships, lightspeed, warpspeed advanced. All of that stuff, that was us. And then, we stumbled upon the Empire in our exploration, not knowing it was a Pandora's box."

She let out a humorless chuckle, her gaze focusing on the simmering stew. "I... heard stories, from others. I wasn't there, it all happened before i was born. But they taught it in our schools. Showed us recordings. Our first encounter was...unexpected. We fought back, with everything we had. Against that first group, against ten of them. The struggle spanned across our entire world...." Her voice trailed off, her hands clenching around the edge of the table.

Alex could only imagine the panic, the confusion. Mei described a world-spanning struggle, a fierce resistance against the Empire's cultivators. She claimed her people had managed to wipe out the first group they stumbled upon using their advanced weaponry; the outer disciples were no more.

They celebrated, thinking they had won.

"And then?" Alex's voice was empathetic, but filled with curiosity. Alex could hardly believe it, but here was a world that had actually confronted the cultivators head-on.

Her spatula slowed down as she continued. "We thought it was over, that we could take on the rest of them. But we were wrong. The ones we killed... they were just outer disciples. Low-level cultivators." Mei shook her head at the memory, her hands tightening around the spatula.

"Then, the stronger ones, the inner disciples showed up," she finished softly, the words barely audible over the sizzle of the stir-fry. "We were decimated," Mei stated, a hard edge to her voice. "And then seeded with the system. Incorporated into the Empire. Just like that. But it was way before my time. When i was born, it wasn't so bad. It only gets bad when they show up."

"Just like Earth," Alex confessed, the bitter truth rolling off his tongue. "We were more advanced, yet we couldn't see them coming either. We were blindsided. How they found us, I still don’t know.”

"Well Earthboy, maybe we'll find out one day. I'm sure we will. But for now, get some plates, its ready!". Despite the sombre mood, Mei beamed at Alex, and at the sight of her happiness, and the aromatic smells of the food they'd cooked, Alex couldn't resist the beginnings of the smile that spread across his face. He had to admit, her optimism was a little infectious.

He hobbled through the kitchen, the dense particles of air only slightly resisted his movements now. He could mostly move freely, albeit much slower than he had on Pyra. This world of the Martial Empire had turned his very existence into a precarious and deadly experience, a challenge where the simple act of breathing had been a laborious task. With his leg reduced to a stump, the pain of his losses, of losing his home, his limb, and life on earth, Was taking its toll on him. He needed something to keep him busy, to keep him distracted. He needed a sword.

Or some food