F-Rank Frank: Chapter 34 The Introduction (Patreon)

<<<Author's Note: Sorry I realized there was not enough of a cliff, so I added a few more lines at the end to make sure everyone felt satiated with this chapter. Thank you and sorry about the second release.>>>

Chapter 34

The Introduction

Gentle breeze.

There was an odd cold breeze that seemed to flow in the courtyard immediately outside the dormitory. Feeling the breeze, Frank felt something awaken within his mind. There was an odd tingling sensation that seemed to speak of actions needing to be taken.

Focusing on the sensation Frank realized that it almost felt like one would feel when they were at the very heart of a raging storm. The one calm point where safety would be available. Undertones of trying to seek safety and wants to get to this exact spot were pressed into his mind.

Then to make matters even more odd was the fact that he realized he was safe. That he was at the exact spot being warned about by the breeze, the warning stopped. The breeze that he felt blowing on the back of his neck, causing his hairs to rise up in danger were suddenly allowed to relax.

“You okay?” Yolinda asked.

Frank for his part looked around, trying to see if anything was out of place. In his mind he knew that he was fine, for now. That he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Yet, there was something disconcerting about that sudden breeze that seemed to send chills down his spine.

The fact that Yolinda didn’t even flinch at the bitingly cold wind only made Frank feel slightly inferior. As if he was somehow weak for feeling ill at ease by that wind. A wind that Yolinda, a stronger cultivator seemed to shrug off so casually. With that Frank lied.

“Yeah, I guess it was nothing?” Frank said, looking at Yolinda and trying to see if she would break and say that she too felt ill at ease from the breeze that just came through. Or that she would even acknowledge it, yet she didn’t.

Looking into her beautiful eyes, Frank felt that if he called attention to his inadequacy that he might not make a favorable impression with Yolinda. While he still knew that this was a one off event, he knew that if things went wrong here, it would be a really long night that might go terribly wrong.

With that thought in mind, Frank decided to bring up thoughts of his own inadequacies and instead focused against that nagging sense of dread that seemed to cling to his consciousness from that breeze. A breeze that only affected him, the weakest cultivator, as of course it would only affect him.

“You sure?” Yolinda asked, a note of concern in her voice. No doubt seeing the way something had suddenly affected him.

Truth be told Yolinda too was nervous about Frank, as she had seen the glowing purple hair, and the way his purple hair seemed to stand up on top of his head and glow brightly for a second, before dropping. The light was unmistakable as it momentarily illuminated the area around Frank almost as if a slight purple halo of light was being released.

“Yeah, it was nothing.” Frank replied.

Hearing him, Yolinda thought that Frank might be hiding something, but ultimately chalked her own apprehension up to nerves.

“Come on you two love birds. You can make out after the dance.” Holsy said, his words cutting the awkward tension that had suddenly built up between the two.

After that comment, both Frank and Yolinda realized that they were close and just staring at each other in the eyes. While this might normally appear to be the event right before a kiss, it was anything but. Then again, thinking about it, Yolinda glanced down to see that he chose that exact moment to wet his lips together.

Then realizing that if this went any further her older brother would be certain to make what happened next exceedingly uncomfortable, decided to gently pat Frank on the chest, and then turned her head to continue walking away.

“Yeah, come on. I still need to introduce you to my Captain.” Yolinda stated, her tone making it known that she had every intention of trying to lure Frank to her team once he graduated.

“Hey, none of that now, you know he is under my protection.” Holsy noted.

“Just as I am under Captain Parinne’s.” Yolinda added.

With that the two began bantering back and forth in a seemingly well-rehearsed version of sibling bonding.

Listening to them, Frank felt pangs of nostalgia for his own little brother. A brother who he apparently had to abandon, lest the brother be used as a possible threat to keep Frank in line. This was something that Holsy noted as a reason to cut all ties with his family.

While he realized that he could make his true family status known at any time. Making it so people forgot about his family, and didn’t forcefully remove them from the safety of the deeps was something that could not be undone. That was why, for the moment, he kept his mouth shut about his own family.

Seeing that Holsy had a sister who was within a year or two of Frank, but was as accomplished as she was now hinted at just how hard life was outside of the slums. While life might be tough at the lower levels, there was never a true sense of dread that was apparent here.

Frank had noticed it, even from his brief but limited interactions with others. Though admittedly most of the students he saw were dual awakened people like himself. Unlike him however, this meant that everyone he interacted with was a seasoned combatant with years of experience and therefor all had that distant glassy eyed stare that denoted a harsher life. A life that Frank himself also now apparently exuded as none of his peers seemed to look down on him for the fact that he had never seen front line combat.

Instead, they just scanned him, saw his affinity glanced him in the eye and then quickly dismissed him. This he had come to understand meant acceptance. Particularly when compared to the scowling gazes those same students gave to the newly awakened people. People who Frank by all accounts should have been classified with, due to time and age constraints if nothing else.

Then thinking about it, he realized that something was off about those new students. Only now that he had time to think about it, and see the difference that Yolinda and Holsy both exuded did he realize that there was a weight to their gazes. Almost as if there was a physical presence.

Thinking back, he remembered how Holsy said there was a name for that, a Killing Intent, but it was more than just Killing Intent. It was a Survivors Intent, that intent that you called upon when you body ached, when your muscles burned, but yet you still refused to give up and die. The same intent that made you reach deep, no longer caring about being cordial, pretty, or worried about being honorable. This was the intent that you used when the only thing that mattered was survival at all costs.

As Frank had this insight, he remembered back to his long desperate fight to leave the underlayers of the slums. Where he had to fight off hordes of starving rodents and mercilessly kill his way out for survival. This is where he drew his inspiration for Survivors Intent, as even now he could feel…

Tap.

A solid hand tapped Frank on the shoulder, bringing him from his darker thoughts.

“You okay there?” Holsy asked, his tone light but hiding just a hint of concern.

Pausing, Frank looked down to see Yolinda was also staring at him with wide-eyed concern. Seeing the look of shock on Yolinda’s face caused Frank to inwardly kick himself.

“Yeah, sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Just thoughts of the past, I guess.” Frank answered sheepishly.

Squeeze.

Holsy gave a strong but reassuring squeeze to Frank’s shoulder before letting him go.

With that they were apparently at grand dining hall for officers, dual awakened, and people who had spent at least one year deployed. Everyone else would have to go to the shabbier dining hall just down the cobblestone walkway.

Seeing the differences between the older seasoned warriors that seemed to be entering the dining hall before them and the much lower scale dining hall at the far end of the street Frank couldn’t help but notice the disparity.

For a moment, he felt concern about entering in the upper tier dining hall. The hall where majors and above would all be served, along with generals and the strongest the cultivating world had to offer.

Then just as he was about to take a step away and head towards the lower dining hall, a firm hand grabbed him and directed him towards the much more lavish dining hall that even now Frank could smell the aroma of spiced meats and exotic ingredients coming from. Scents that caused Frank’s stomach to awaken and rumble it’s want to enter.

“Come on, our table is already waiting for us.” Holsy ordered, his words letting Frank realize that he had broken through yet another boundary.

“Yeah, come on, it will be fun.” Yolinda said, grabbing Frank’s arm and all but pulling him into the opulent restaurant.

At this, Frank realized that both Holsy and Yolinda were no doubt used to this type of lifestyle. Then realizing how quickly Yolinda had advanced on her own path of cultivation, it was clear that her family had ample resources available to get both her and Holsy through the lower-level bottlenecks that most cultivators would be subjected to. Even with an exceptional talent like Yolinda’s ‘A’ Rank talent.

With that realization, Frank couldn’t help but feel that he was even more of an imposter, that he somehow didn’t belong. For a moment he thought about protesting, to say that he knew his place in life.

Yet, it was at that exact moment that an image of Luther Camello came back. Someone who all but demanded he conform to the fate society had chosen for him. With that a switch flipped in Frank’s mind.

A switch that said the only reason he was lesser than anyone else here was if he chose to believe that. The only reason he would need to cower from now on was if he chose to cower. While he still needed to be cognizant of treating others with respect, he realized that respect and kowtowing obedience were two completely different aspects of human interactions. That he could be respectful without having to feign reverence. That if he wanted to break the mental yoke that held him in place, and held him down for all his life to be a whipping boy for those depraved few who gained pleasure from the suffering of others, he needed to first break his own mental constraints.

Shatter.

With that realization, he felt something break loose in his mind. The effect was minor, and yet profound.

By walking into the grand dining hall. A hall previously held only for the elite of the world, Frank realized that the only thing holding him back now was himself. While he still had doubts about himself and his own competency, he knew that the only way to overcome most of these doubts was through repetition, and perseverance to do what needed to be done.

Repetition was what he would get from his time here.

As for perseverance he had that in spades, this went back to his Survivors Intent that he thought about. An intent more powerful than Killing Intent, as Killing Intent seemed too volatile and too chaotic to harness accurately. With Killing Intent it seemed that you were setting yourself up for a quick burnout. Sure, you go focus on killing a target with everything that you have, but then what? There are always more enemies.

Survivor’s Intent however was just as powerful, but focused on holding back just enough for one more kill. This was the practical cultivator’s art of war. This was knowing that putting all your force into one strike, while often effective will only be effective until it isn’t. That if you miss your strike, or worse, only graze with your killing strike you will miss. These thoughts and more came to Frank’s mind as he casually introduce himself to all the powerful people that Holsy and Yolinda both pointed out and seemingly went out of their way to introduce him to.

Finally, after a few minutes of greetings, and when they were alone, Yolinda asked, “what are you thinking about?”

With that Frank paused, and then staring directly into Yolinda’s mesmerizing eyes he answered truthfully. “I’m thinking about survival.”

At that Yolinda just paused and stared at Frank for a moment. Then realizing that he was being completely truthful just nodded to herself before speaking, “James did say you were a philosophical one.”

At that Frank just paused and twisted his head to the side as he asked, “James?”

“Yeah, my brother? You know he does have a first name, right?” Yolinda asked.

“Oh right,” Frank replied, only now remembering that Holsy had told him his first name, but still continued to refer to the superior officer as Holsy. Mainly out of respect for the wise, albeit often sarcastic, advice that the senior officer gave to him.

At that Yolinda just stared at Frank for a second, then seemed to come to a realization as she let out a low sigh and then shaking her head she said, “come on, let me introduce you to my Captain.”

With that Frank was taken to a table where Holsy, well James Holsy, was already seated with an attractive woman who had long silky blue hair and dark eyes. To his surprise, the woman, this Captain, also wore a white uniform similar to the one that Yolinda wore. Though it was clear from a glance that the Captain had more golden discs and slashes, though she was moving too much to get an accurate count of both.

Seeing the glowing hair on display, Frank paused as he realized something.

Noticing that Frank had suddenly come to a complete stop, Yolinda looked back to look at Frank.

“Oh, you noticed the hair too?” Yolinda asked, a knowing smirk coming to her face.

Finally after seeing the Captain Parinne a few things became crystal clear in Frank’s mind. First, the obvious attraction that Holsy, or rather James, had for this woman was clear, as she was clearly beautiful. Even her pale under skin seemed to glow with a healthy radiance of cultivation. Also, the reason for why the Captain would agree to a double date with Frank and Yolinda in tow was also apparent, as she like Frank was a native of the slums. At least, that is where her hair all but screamed that she had come from, as her hair’s healthy shine and energetic glow all but denoted her as being fully awakened to the water element.

“Kind of hard to miss,” Frank admitted. Then a bit sheepishly turned to ask, “does my hair stand out like that as well?”

With that Yolinda just giggled in a cute melodic way that sent shivers down Frank’s spine.

“More,” Yolinda answered.

“More?”

“Yeah, as impressive as the Captain’s hair is, yours actually stands out more. At first, I thought James was exaggerating as always, but I have to admit that he might have undersold it with you.” Yolinda said, then before Frank could say anything a wonderous feeling overtook him as he felt Yolinda’s gentle hand flow through his hair.

Tingle.

There was yet another tingling sensation just like last time. This time Frank saw the shiver go down Yolinda as she clearly felt the effects of the caress as well.

Then before Frank had a second to comment on the act, a clearly embarrassed Yolinda grabbed Frank’s arm and pulled him forward to the table, where she introduced Frank directly to the very woman they had been commenting on.

“Captain, I would like to introduce you to Cadet Fotos, my date for the night.” Yolinda said.

At that the Captain’s eyes quickly flicked over Frank, stopping on his hair, and then flashing down to his rank, then back up to his face. There her eyes seemed to linger for a second, before she rose to greet Frank, with an outstretched hand.

“Well hello there,” Captain Parinne said, a slight purr to her voice as she reached out a gloved hand.

Being this close, Frank felt his Energy Sight engaging to see the powerful aura of her hair, and then proceeded to wash over her. He saw the trails of power coursing through her as her cultivation was clearly beyond even the realm of Skeletal Cultivation and was working on the advanced realms that lay beyond the mortal advancement phases.

Yet, despite her obvious power, there was something holding her back from advancing further. A slight block, no not one, but multiple. Focusing his sight, Frank then quickly saw the problem. Tiny shrapnel fragments of dark energy coursed through her body.

Whoom.

Reaching out his sense, he noticed that while the shards themselves had taken hold of her body, they hadn’t been allowed to take root, as she constantly kept her internal energies flowing around the dark masses.

Pausing, Frank thought about offering to remove the sources, but then remembered the warnings offered by Dr. Evans. Warnings that he still needed more control or to be able to offer quicker healing solutions if he did attempt to heal.

Still, it was clear that these shards of death energy that had been forced to be within the Captain were preventing her from achieving any more breakthroughs, at least for the time being.

Then pausing, Frank felt out and realized that the Captain wasn’t alone in this state, as almost all of the higher ranking officers had similar shards within their bodies.

Now that he knew what to look for, the signs were obvious.

Turning his head, he scanned the room and saw the traces of dark energy in each and every high ranking warrior.

Pausing for a moment, Frank wondered how these people weren’t being tracked as according to dark beasts they should stand out like a beacon. Frank was only partially attuned to death energy and therefor had to focus on the energy. Yet, Frank couldn’t help but wonder how easy these cultivators would be to track by higher tiered monsters of the dark. Monsters that could likely keep track of noted enemies and avoid them at all costs.

At least that was the impression that Frank got from his interaction with holding the Captain’s hand. Then closing his eyes, he felt out and realized that the energy within the Captain was doing just that, sending out a mental warning to him. One that spoke of danger.

Stay away, danger.

Hearing the message, Frank opened his eyes wide as he realized that the dark energy did in fact have a message embedded in it. With that Frank began realizing that the higher leveled cultivators had been marked for a reason. For a moment he thought about trying to see if this warning was true for each of those infected. Honestly, Frank wished he had done the same for his time with Dr. Evans, though he doubted he was aware enough about the use of death energy back then to have been able to notice this subtle warning.

Seeing his reaction, Captain Parinne asked with a slightly nervous look to her. “What is it?”

“Tell me, ever since your injury,” Frank said, gesturing with his free hand to the spot on her right side where solidified dark energy had pierced and broken through her skin. “Do you still get attacked by monsters?”

At that, Captain Parrine stopped and stared at Frank as if he had somehow unearthed a hidden secret. That was until she answered with words that would shock not only Frank but all who were close enough to overhear the odd conversation that was going on.

“I…”

 Gentle breeze.

But before Frank could hear her comment, that’s when he felt the gentle breeze blow again. This time as the breeze blew, he could feel the dark energy within the various shards around the room all activate and seem to cry out all once.

Danger, stay away.