Chapter 545: Three Powers, Three Pills
There was enough going on for Omilaena, which meant it was too much for everyone else. So many political concerns, so many events and deadlines, even three separate lines of projects. Another woman might have been confused, but she simply split herself...
.
..
.
As valuable as it was, as unquestionably beneficial as it had been, as fortunate as they were to do it... robbing the Brightwind Sect's grand vault had taken some of the wind out of Omilaena's sails. Half of what she could do was useless because they already had the materials that some poor alchemist sap had "donated" to the vault ages ago.
Not for long, though. On top of all her other work, Omilaena was determined to exceed anything the vault could offer.
Pure cultivation pills were annoyingly simple: alchemists figured out the qi-related properties of plants and condensed them into pill form. Their idea of creativity was using the plants in a different combination than they read in their recipes. Trouble was, they were damn good at it. Generations of that focus meant that they could produce a pure qi pill with extremely high efficiency and Omilaena wouldn't be able to simply better the process in a few weeks.
To improve on it, she needed to cover more than cultivation alone. And so, for her first goal pill, Omilaena focused on her wife: she need stable qi, strong chakra, fiery mana, dark Physique...
And she needed them all in one pill.
It began with her work for the Krysali - she had successfully broken altruism so that it would serve her - as she experimented with alternate forms of pills. Her first success was an "acid pill" that could grant a boost to acid cultivation. Based on her conversations with Aeglien, she managed to strengthened it further through several iterations before getting bored and leaving it to acid cultivators to keep iterating on the concept.
That was only half the job, however: she also wanted to master an equivalent for crystal cultivation, to truly understand how cultivation could fill the different aspects of the soul, and how qi pills could interact with it. Given that Krysal already had pills, typically mediocre qi/mana combinations, this one might have stymied her in the past.
Now, however, she had a new angle of attack: instead of trying for a qi pill, she tried to work on a qi potion. She started with the idea of melting down crystals, and after a few attempts that definitely would have been lethal for any testees, she managed to use potion-brewing techniques to make the liquid crystal survivable.
The result was an instant boost to crystal cultivation. Maybe effective for Krysal, maybe a dead end, but Omilaena didn't really care: she had figured out how the reagents worked in the soul, so she could create a pill that boosted every piece of Zin Nim's cultivation.
A day later, Omilaena had her result, but the batch of pills wasn't good enough. This was something that didn't exist on Cloudspire, but it wasn't good enough for her wife. Omilaena absently sent them with someone to Krysal and went back to the drawing board.
She needed a way to incorporate a Physique element, which would normally be too much to work into a single material. Fortunately, she knew someone who already fused such energies freely, so she went and "extracted" some energy from her own husband.
Being married was less emotional work than she'd expected. Oh, there were some disagreements and some mushy times, without question, but there was no need for dances of seduction and manipulation when she wasn't in the mood. She could just meet up with Kai between his teleportation trips, take everything she needed, and move on.
Of course, she would need to finish with energy from all three of them, but Omilaena had a viable pill in the very next iteration. An exact match for all of Zin Nim's abilities, perfect for helping her break through when she reached the next tier.
Which left part of Omilaena suddenly without a project. Since she'd already been thinking about how to develop souls holistically, she began to consider whether Goralian potions could be improved with other disciplines. Juray had said something about a survival flask made from monster cores...
.
..
.
Developing a pill to help Kai break the 999 barrier was one of Omilaena's largest challenges, so she devoted a significant portion of her mind to it. This was the sort of thing that many cultures said was impossible to create, as soul-expanding resources could only be found in nature and refined.
She was betting a lot that this ancient wisdom was bullshit.
Of course her research took her to Krysal, made convenient via teleportation, since they had the most examples of soul-expanding materials. Their moonmelt pills to break the 99 Power barrier had become a common product, mass produced in the acid pits and spread across Deadwaste. The only reason it wasn't making them more money was that not enough people could get up to the barrier in the first place.
Instead of wasting time with commerce of her own, Omilaena just headed to Zin Nim. Her wife smiled from her cultivation seat and patted the ground beside her. She'd just come for information and banging, but fine, she shouldn't let her ice cultivation get stagnant.
"You had something to discuss?" Zin Nim asked after a period of meditation.
"Do you have pure moonmelt pills? I got some at a market, but the quality is shit." Omilaena rolled one in her palm to demonstrate.
"I could request some, but I actually have something that may interest you more." Zin Nim reached into her spatial bracelet and withdrew a small crystalline case, within which were three glowing pills. "These are sunmelt pills, a new product of Krysal. They use-"
"Mana and chakra too." Omilaena snatched up one and began examining it with her goggles. "That's more than I expected them to accomplish. I want to know how, but first, why?"
"I believe that their goal was to find a method to break the barrier that would be useful to more types of fighter. It may seem all the same to us, at the 99 Power barrier, but for some who have been stuck there for years, the minor differences are relevant."
"That's amazing, exactly what I need. Even if they blundered into it, they've done critical work on the shape of the soul..."
Zin Nim had a small smile on her face, absurdly pleased to have made Omilaena happy. She was so cute, Omilaena wanted to push her down right then and fuck her. But Zin Nim was more delicate than Kai, so instead Omilaena warmed her up over multiple visits with romance and questions about the process.
On her visits to Krysal, Omilaena first learned to make moonmelt pills - a braindead activity, better left to less competent people. She used that knowledge to replicate the sunmelt pill, which took more time and effort: discussions with Zin Nim, a visit to Yurwa, and more focus than expected.
After she'd mastered that, Omilaena set about developing her own soul-expanding pill. Distracted by another part of herself's thoughts of Irun, she ended up making something they named an ironmoon pill, which was more suited to Irunians and chakra-users. Some of the Krysali were impressed, but as far as Omilaena was concerned, it was just another step of her process.
"I knew you could do it," Zin Nim said with that same smile on her face. "While you weren't here, some of the Krysalif spoke of how complex it was, but I expected you to make something new."
"And that's just the start." While peering at her work, Omilaena leaned over onto Zin Nim in a relaxed posture.
"You mean to break the barrier for Kai, yes? He told me about his Physique blockage."
"That's exactly right. It's orders of magnitude more difficult than just breaking the 99 Power barrier."
"I can imagine. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."
"Oh, there's one thing." Omilaena tossed the pill aside and pulled her wife closer with a grin. "Kai's pill will need a lot of unique energy. He can supply the yang, but he needs yin to synergize with... and who better than us to supply it?"
Zin Nim blushed, then melted as easily as any of the pills.
.
..
.
Of course a major fraction of Omilaena's mind was dedicated to herself and her own advancement. If she didn't become more powerful, what was the point of all this experimentation anyway?
This was the part she spoke about least with anyone else, not due to secrecy but simply because she was so far beyond what anyone ordinary was doing. Kai could understand the principles, and Zin Nim had provided many Physique examples, but ultimately it came down to her trying to break new ground.
The goal was for her to revolutionize her own body, a poisonous or metallic equivalent to Zin Nim's Blackblood Physique. Ordinary Physique development involved working energy into the body to reinforce it, and normal Physique advancement pills usually boiled down to an unusually large surge of energy. To transform herself, she needed something that would force some kind of phase transition.
Drawing blood from so many different sources had been very useful there. In particular Kifaela, who Omilaena suspected had done something similar in abandoning the usual naiad soul formation. It definitely seemed like the process wasn't a simple one.
Zin Nim was her primary model, but there were plenty of examples from Rosemount over the years, warriors who had worked metals or other materials into their bodies. The tricky part was finding the line between just incorporating foreign material, which she'd been doing her entire adult life, and transforming the body on a level that was somehow more fundamental.
One thing that seemed fairly sure based on her experiments, both abstract and with Irunians, was that the change required a lot of time for power to saturate the body. In improving the Ironpath Physique and using it on large numbers of trainees, she'd discovered a useful trend: how well it was taken up was directly related to how extensively the Irunian used their powers. Not the raw strength or tier, only intimate familiarity. It was like there was some deeper mechanism beneath the obvious layer of the soul, similar to what she had discerned with the primary soul components.
Her attempts to actually see those, via new goggles or otherwise, had ended in failure, yet she could still keep working. She developed an iron chakra pill that could boost Irunians without actually putting them on a chakra path, for example. All the Irunians she worked with were very impressed, but Omilaena remained frustrated from her goal.
As her irritation grew, she took a break by getting both Kai and Zin Nim together, to harvest dual cultivation energy from them for her eventual pill. She'd been saving that as a reward for herself, but fuck it, what was the point of being married if she didn't take advantage?
With that easing her frustration, Omilaena attacked the problem from a new angle. She really wished she could draw blood from Quinta, but the woman remained inexplicably hostile. Instead Omilaena drew some from Tusquo, which was useful since he'd been developing his Irunian Physique so long.
Along the way, Omilaena flirted with him a little, just to check his wife's reaction. Quinta glowered, but not particularly more than usual, and solely at Omilaena. The woman didn't seem to doubt her husband in the slightest - justifiably, since Tusquo either didn't notice or ignored her - and this just reinforced some preexisting dislike for Omilaena.
Odd, but irrelevant to this project. Back to pills.
In the end, she still hadn't managed to do it. Omilaena could produce a pill that enhanced Irunian Physique, and she could create a "poison pill" for herself, but she couldn't create anything that would cause a fundamental phase shift.
Back to the drawing board.
.
..
.
As much fun as all the experimentation was, Omilaena knew that it couldn't last forever. Eventually, she would need to draw her full mind together for the competition, which was now only days away. She had mostly ignored Yuinafal's alleged progress and focused on her own work.
Except not even that, because she was really doing it all for the three of them.
One complete cultivation pill, a nearly-complete barrier breaker, and only experiments for her poisonous Physique... she would have to do better.
Chapter 546: Embracing and Forsaking Classes
Due to being banished, Kai had never actually gotten to take on the role of a senior hunter, guiding the next generation through the Hunter Trials. He supposed that technically he had helped Zae Zin Nim awaken a Class, though that had involved stealing the mana pool and had only worked due to her talent. This time he'd done things more properly... yet he still worried as he paced outside the guild hall of Rayakan.
None of the trainees had been as thoroughly cursed as he had, but what if their Classes didn't work out for them? He'd gone to a lot of effort to get them approval to use a mana pool at this time of year, when most were in a drained state, plus prepare them through fighting the Bydra. If they did all that and didn't obtain something useful, it would be a blow to his plans, and his reputation among the elites.
And he had no control over that. Surely fate wouldn't try to screw him over indirectly?
It had been years since he'd been in Rayakan, and when he could pull his attention back, he was surprised both by how much and how little it had changed. In many ways, it was the same wealthy southern Goralian city, yet he'd seen so much more of the world that his view of it had shifted. These simple buildings clustered around a river no longer seemed so decadent to him.
The Hunters Guild hall looked more austere than before, and he thought that wasn't just his subjective impression. He'd been told that his actions had been a shock to the system, which had caused both positive and negative changes. Razz thought they were mostly positive, and Kai hoped he was correct, because he couldn't spend more time here.
While he was staring toward the Guild, Soeraina emerged and approached him, one hand on her sword. She looked harder as well, with a new scar across her cheek and a bit more power at a basic glance, though he stayed focused on her eyes.
"They all made it through," Soeraina told him. "Give them some time to get used to their new powers and I'm sure they'll be glad to show you."
"Thanks for arranging this," Kai told her. "I know Rayakan's not so rich that it can afford to just throw mana pools away."
"It should still recover, and anyway I view it as a good investment. Where are you off to after this?"
"We won't be leaving just yet. I thought the trainees could stay here and help you with some monster hunts, just to get a handle on their new powers. Consider it partial payment for using your mana, plus they could use some guidance from experienced Goralians."
"Fine, we can do that. The Rayakan Hunters Guild is more serious than it was when you were here." Soeraina regarded him with a calculating expression, then shook her head. "Though I suppose with how absurdly strong you've gotten, you might not notice the difference."
"Hey, I wouldn't say that," Kai said as he took a better look at her soul.
<
Name: Soeraina Corinin
Total Power: 119
Warrior Class: 51 (61)
Physique Level: F-6 (42)
Soul Level: 4 (16)
>
Soeraina had leapt from a mid-rank hunter dependent on a Class to a decent one with 119 Power. Maybe it wasn't much on the scale of the entire country, but that was worthy of being head of the local guild. On the other hand, he wasn't sure how to say any of that without sounding like he was damning her with faint praise.
"Hey, you broke the 99 Power barrier," he decided to say. "Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since that was how you helped me out last time."
She snorted. "It's absurd how much more you needed that item than me. You needed it right away, and it took me five years to need to break through. Even thinking of keeping it to myself was ridiculous."
"Funny coincidence, though - I meet you again right when I'm dealing with another barrier. I don't suppose you have any treasures that can break the 999 Power barrier?"
"Uh..." Soeraina was doing her best to control her expression, but her eyes still bulged a little. "No, can't say that we do."
"That's fine, my wife is working on it." Kai realized that might be an awkward thing to say, especially since it might set off a round of small talk. She would ask him about his marriage, he would be obligated to return the favor, and it would go on for too long. They'd met for a short time years ago; it wasn't like they were good friends.
Both of them were saved by the arrival of Kai's students, who burst out the doors of the guild showing more good cheer than he'd seen in some time. Ankrastor had fire flickering around his head, Kifaela was holding a new sword, and Untariin just looked smug. They all tried to talk at once, thanking him or explaining what Classes they had awakened, and Kai raised a hand to stop them.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
"No, don't tell me now," he ordered. "Too many hunters try to rely on a strong Class, but you all know better. We have a week until we need to leave, so use that time to train your mana. Then, at the end, you can show me what you can do."
"And what are you going to do?" Soeraina asked him.
"Oh, I have some training of my own to do."
"Seriously? More?"
"Honestly, it's overdue."
.
..
.
Of course Kai hadn't neglected his cultivation, Physique training, or chakra reinforcement. But it had been some time since he'd merged monstrous abilities together and he was eager to get started. Since the battle with the Bydra, he'd been training up his new abilities, preparing them for a merger, and he took another day to polish them before considering his options.
<
Behemoth's Heart - X (kappa)
Thunderbird's Wings - X (kappa)
Baleful Breath - VIII (theta)
Manticore's Spine - V (epsilon)
Tyrant's Claw - XII (mu)
Famished World - V (epsilon)
Direboar's Strength - XV (omicron)
Void Gaze - VIII (theta)
Mutefang's Stealth - XV (omicron)
Isulfr's Bite - X (kappa)
Sahagin's Soul - XII (mu)
Lizarkyl's Tail - VIII (theta)
Wallcrawler's Feet - IV (delta)
Abominalgum - II (beta)
Rose Piranha - IV (delta)
Cloud Piranha - IV (delta)
Bloodtrap - III (gamma)
Slime's Immortality - II (beta)
Silver Demon - II (beta)
Voidmaw's Bite - II (beta)
Great Cetae - III (gamma)
Bloodtail's Armor - III (gamma)
Bloodtail's Tail - VIII (theta)
Bydra's Tail - VIII (theta)
>
All the additional essence within him wasn't doing any harm, but he was glad to finally merge some abilities again. Maybe just because he was rusty, maybe because the monsters within him actually hungered in a different way. He was surprised that the Lizarkyl, which had been a less memorable monster becoming what he thought was a useless ability, was now proving worthwhile after all.
Eventually he hoped to do more, especially with some of the pieces of his soul that remained mysteries to him, but today his work was obvious. He had three tail abilities, so he was going to give himself a tail.
Physically changing his body that quickly was unlikely, of course, and even transforming with the Savage Heart would take a while to grow a full tail. But now that he had better control over his abilities, he could manifest the tail spiritually, or even rapidly as a mana attack, so he thought it would be a good option. Monsters could have a lot of limbs, like the Bloodtails, and now he would have another of his own to fight them.
Kai returned to his wasteland training ground, just in case, and looked inwardly. This time there were no complications: he fed the tail essences to one another simultaneously in a single wheel of consumption and they all merged into a single ability:
<
Monstrous Tail - II (beta)
>
The fused "Monstrous Tail" ability might not be enormously powerful, but he already had several heavy-hitting attacks, so it was good to acquire more flexibility. More importantly, he still had several days left to test and train the new ability.
Almost immediately, it proved easy to use for basic attacks. Kai could manifest a mana tail that lashed out in a blow about as strong as one of his punches, so it was like a third arm. Except, being a spiritual limb, it could extend much further, giving him unexpected reach. That alone was a handy little ability.
Using a tail with chakra proved harder, as expected, and he had mixed results in Savage Form. That didn't worry him, however, because the qi version of the tail proved stable and useful. He could easily use it to grab and hurl a boulder, for example, and though he needed an equal sparring partner to know for sure, he thought the tail could grab an incoming attack.
All of that passed in a flash, so Kai continued training, seeing what else he could discover. Since he'd been focused on flexibility when he fused the ability, it proved more variable as well, sometimes in surprising ways. In natural form it emerged with a spike at the end, but he could also make a mace-like end for blunt attacks. With a little bit of training, he was even able to fire a Manticore's Sting from the end of the tail.
It seemed as useful as he'd hoped... and that put him in an awkward position. Kai could only use six monstrous abilities at once, and by his count he had a full twelve that he might theoretically want to use. Hopefully once he broke the 999 Power barrier, the theory would be confirmed and he would gain a seventh slot, but even then he'd need to choose intelligently. Life would have been much easier, and required less thinking, if he could just use everything at once.
Fortunately, he didn't need to be so selective now, when he wasn't dealing with truly dangerous opponents. The largest threat was the competition against Yuinafal... which he realized was almost upon them. For all the time he'd spent training, he hadn't actually been preparing for this moment.
Soon enough, he would gather his students and leave Rayakan. As he looked back toward the city, Kai considered, not for the first time, whether he should have tried to enter the mana pool himself. Thanks to months and months of work with the mana tattoo, he had somehow restored his mana capacity, so in theory he could awaken something new. With his Physique blocked, it was so tempting to reach for an easy source of power.
But no, he rejected the idea then, as he had before. For one, it was entirely possible that he would just end up with a useless Laborer Class again. Perhaps more importantly, he now set his sights far higher than being a hunter in Goralia. His mana capacity was a precious advantage and he could afford to wait to find something perfect for it.
Until then, he could only continue forward and hope it was enough.
Chapter 547: Departures Across Deadwaste
Kai had been in a lot of tight situations in his time, but usually had a fair amount of control over them. No matter how much fate stood in his way, no matter how overwhelming his opponents might be, at least he could fight himself. Now the competition with Yuinafal would be decided by the Irunian trainees and he could only watch.
Omilaena had been taking point on this, and that made the most sense. He trusted her - he'd married her, after all - and this was her area of expertise. Still, he worried.
It was difficult not to bring down the mood as they were teleported around the continent. His students were jubilant with their new power, going forward into exciting new training opportunities, while he had to keep fighting the more subtle battles that let them advance like that. He wondered if this was how Gunjin and the other older hunters felt.
"Your training is up to you now," Kai told them. "We've given you the tools you need to succeed, you just have to seize them. I might check up on you before the incursion, but I need to focus on my own training from now on."
Everyone nodded in agreement, then they were off.
They left Ankrastor first, since he was going for training in a Frontier city - not only had he taken to his Class, he'd seemed to fall in love with Goralia in general, thriving in an environment without long lineages like his home in the Elemental Nations. At the moment he was showing off his new flame combinations, and Kai checked his soul while he did.
<
Name: Ankrastor of the Undertow
Total Power: 250
Flameborn: Twiceburned (109)
Novice Firebrand Class: 9 (9)
Physique: E-9 (107)
Soul Level: 5 (25)
>
Even though Ankrastor's efforts to reach D rank Physique hadn't worked, he had an even 250 Power, which was primed to spike rapidly. More importantly, he'd awakened a "Firebrand" class that allowed him to manifest flame in more permanent forms. Unlike so many fire-users who shot great beams of fire, he used it in liquid and solid forms, so Kai was interested to see what he'd make of it.
"I'll be fighting here," Ankrastor said at the last second. "Thank you, Kai. I'll give my life to defend your home, if I must."
"Try to make the monsters give their lives instead." Kai put a hand on his shoulder, then stepped back. "Good luck."
Next they were returning to Krysal, but the elite helping them teleport needed a moment to refocus. Untariin took the opportunity to show off his new abilities as well, his knives leaping and dancing around in midair.
<
Name: Untariin of Cuulisi
Total Power: 274
Crystal Cultivation: 9999 (125)
Novice Rogue Class: 6 (6)
Physique: E-9 (107)
Soul Level: 6 (36)
>
He had awakened a "Rogue" Class, which had offended his noble sensibilities at first, but the Krysali man had changed his mind. It seemed to synergize well with his crystal knives, giving them even greater agility in the air. If he managed the mobility skills that Kai had seen similar hunters use, he'd quickly become a force to be reckoned with.
On the other hand, when they reached the other side, he wasn't nearly as optimistic as Ankrastor.
"Are you sure I have to stay in Krysal?" Untariin asked. "I was never exactly popular here, and from what I've heard, they've only gotten more violent."
"You can refuse," Kai said, "but I think it's the right path for you. There are a lot of new Krysali developments that might help, and crystal cultivation is still the bulk of your strength. Just lie low with our allies and Zae Zin Nim will be back to train you in time."
For the moment, however, she was actually leaving with him. Zae Zin Nim arrived, briefly nodding at the students and the elite before attaching herself to his arm. They hadn't spent much time together due to their separated training, except one night that Omilaena had insisted on, so her presence was welcome.
"I'll train whoever you suggest," Zae Zin Nim said, "but it's important to support Omilaena."
"I don't disagree, that's why we're here." Kai glanced back to the Windborn elite. "Ready?"
Their next portal took them back to Irun, though not to Tusquo's home or the competition grounds. Instead they went to the home of another elite Kai hadn't seen in some time: Talndim Bundrin. He had an Advanced Class, so he could help Kifaela adjust to hers, plus his unusual path might help her fuse her abilities together.
After polite greetings, Kifaela demonstrated her abilities, both for Kai and so Talndim could see what he had to work with. She'd unlocked a "Tideblade" Class, and though it hadn't advanced far, her Physique made it easy for her to be dangerous with it.
<
Name: Kifaela
Total Power: 255
Naiad Essence: 8 (1)
Plague Artisan: Quartz Rank (15)
Novice Tideblade Class: 4 (4)
Physique: D-2 (210)
Soul Level: 5 (25)
>
He noted that she'd begun to grow her chakra as a Plague Artisan as well, yet there had been no massive leaps. Kifaela had started as one of the strongest students, but as the others developed abilities and especially caught up in Physique, she would fall behind. Hopefully this training would stabilize her new abilities and give her the growth she wanted.
"Is Omilaena going to want to draw more blood from me?" she asked.
"She hasn't figured out her problem yet," Kai said, "so probably. Is that a problem?"
"No, I just wanted to ask."
"Good, because that was part of why we stationed you here. Anyway, you don't have to fight in Irun, but think about it, because they could use more warriors with alternate abilities. We'll catch up to you later."
Kifaela nodded and went with Talndim, so now it was only Kai and Zae Zin Nim being transported. They returned to Tusquo's home, only to find it empty - apparently all their transportation had taken too much time and so they'd already left. The elite sighed, but managed one more trip, this time taking them to the arena outside the capital of Irun.
One day Kai wanted to visit Irun City, even though he heard that the capital was as predictable as its name. That wouldn't be today, however, not with the competition looming. Somehow it had been a month already, so it was the midpoint to the elites determining which path they would pursue in Irun. They'd gained very little information about Yuinafal's plans up to this point, so they were going in blind with only their own preparations.
This wasn't going to be a grand event with a crowd in a huge stadium - the elites didn't do things that way, even when they were forced to a direct competition. In fact, when Kai got a look at the bland rectangular arena, it looked much less dramatic than the rings for the phase trial. Just a blank Irunian plaza in order to determine the results of all their tests.
Admittedly, as he got closer he saw that it wasn't quite that simple. There were benches along two of the sides for spectators and the walls on the other two sides had seats along the top - all empty, of course, since this was not meant to be a public spectacle.
Kai actually caught a glimpse of their opponents before anyone else: there was a group of Irunians marching from the city with Yuinafal at their head. He tried to examine their souls and immediately hit a shroud - some sort of obscuration from Yuinafal himself. Beyond that, all he could sense was strong vibes of chakra and metal, which told him next to nothing.
Yuinafal smiled directly at him from across the distance, as if he had noticed, and turned away.
It looked like the opposing Irunians were filing into a space on one side of the arena, which suggested Kai's side was on the other. Zae Zin Nim was already tugging on his sleeve, trying to get him to go that way - ah, others had noticed. Three people had emerged atop the other wall: Omilaena, Tusquo, and Quinta.
The Irunian couple stood in somber silence, while Omilaena gave them a cheerful wave. An Irunian official emerged to show them stairs, but Zae Zin Nim ignored him to simply hop up to the top of the wall, so Kai joined her. It looked like there were seats for Irunian VIPs, though no one was sitting in them yet.
"Observers are welcome," Tusquo said, "I only remind you that no one is permitted to interfere in any way."
"That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?" Kai shrugged as if the idea had never occurred to him, even though he couldn't vouch for Yuinafal and he suspected Omilaena had at least considered it. Hopefully everyone was on the same page, setting ego aside to truly strengthen Irun.
To his surprise, Quinta regarded him seriously and may even have given a nod. Then again, there could have been wind in her hair and he just imagined the nod, as she was certainly examining him. No, actually all three of them, her dark eyes flicking between them as they approached.
"Glad you're here," Omilaena said, her casual tone belaying the tension in her shoulders. She kissed first Kai, then Zae Zin Nim. "How today goes will have a huge effect on the next month."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Zae Zin Nim asked. She latched onto Omilaena's arm, holding her as if she could keep her from going away.
"Afraid not. There aren't any fancy rules that could be gamed, and they resisted the impulse to turn it into an elaborate event. Looks like it'll be a short and brutal contest."
"No matter what happens, I doubt our support will change," Kai pointed out. "So we stay focused on the long term."
"It's easy to say that, but I feel like the elites have been glaring at me every time I teleport around lately." Omilaena sighed and then embraced them both again before pulling away. "Okay, I should go. We'll reconvene after it's done."
Then she vaulted over the side in a flash of skirts, off to go talk to her Irunian recruits. Kai belatedly wished that he had spent more time with the Irunian trainees, as he could surely have increased their Physique or Soul Levels a little, which would matter in a direct contest. Then again, to do that he would have had to sacrifice either his own progress or working with his students, and there was only so much time left.
Those thoughts evaporated as Kai looked to their seats... and saw that Quinta was definitely glaring now. He'd never seen her so actively hostile. Unfortunately, he'd been paying attention entirely to his wives while they were together, so he hadn't noticed when her expression changed. Surely it couldn't be something as simple as disapproving of Omilaena's lascivious behavior.
In any case, Tusquo was ignoring the tension and waving for them to sit down. So Kai and Zae Zin Nim took their seats over the bleak courtyard, just as a steel horn was sounded and the Irunian soldiers took to the field.
Chapter 548: Irunian vs Irunian
Soon the stone arena was filled with two Irunian units, mirror images of one another in body and uniform. There were differences in their souls, and those differences were the key to the whole competition, but Kai saw Pourila walk out between the sides and focused his attention on her.
"We have only months until the incursion," she began, "and Irun still needs to prepare. With limited resources, we have sought help from our allies. From their generosity we have been offered two different plans forward, plans that may be mutually exclusive. We gather today to choose our path into the future, for this incursion and the next."
All the Irunians on both sides stamped one foot on the ground in unison, like highly abbreviated applause. Kai had to admit, it was a striking effect. Pourila nodded to them and began returning to her position, but before she finished, Yuinafal leapt out onto the grounds.
"As the elder said, you are being offered two paths." Whatever technique he was using, it made his voice ring clearly to everyone without sounding like shouting. "The other side has generously offered to give Irun many resources, but those resources are limited, and based on the expertise of one individual. I offer you a new art based on chakra, understandable by anyone, that can continue to be refined by Irun even if I fall in battle. Choose wisely."
It sounded like he could go on for a lot longer, but Yuinafal jumped back to the other side. That was probably smart, since Irunians didn't generally like flowery speeches. He got another stomp, in any case.
Now, unfortunately, there was the expectation that Kai's side would say something. He had been trying to think of a good speech, but that wasn't his strong suit. When he glanced at Omilaena, she shook her head slightly, indicating that she hadn't been aware. His gaze shifted on to Tusquo, who winced.
"I was not told of his plans," he said grimly. "This will not be decided by words, but they may influence the elders watching. It would be better if you could say something."
All Kai could do was look to Omilaena, and he saw her eyes tighten slightly, perhaps in understanding.
While she walked to the center, Kai noted that Quinta was staring again, though he had no idea what she was thinking. Hopefully whatever had inspired her animosity wouldn't also turn the other Irunians against them. Kai noticed that Omilaena had pulled an Irunian shawl around her shoulders at some point, and when she reached the center she stood with a stiff posture, not exuding any of her usual sexuality.
"You've seen what we offer," she said flatly. "Let Irun decide."
Then she leapt away.
There was actually a moment of silence, then both sides performed another approving stomp. Yuinafal smirked from his seat on the opposite side, but most of the elders seemed to approve, so apparently Omilaena had chosen the right tactic. Even Quinta gave her a slight approving nod when she landed beside them.
"Clever," Tusquo said, "to remind them of your previous work so subtly."
"I tried to give an Irunian speech," Omilaena said as she relaxed down in between them.
"Good job, Omi." Zae Zin Nim reached over to pat her arm, though her attention was now focused on the battlefield.
Kai's went in the same direction, because now the two Irunian companies were stepping forward to attack one another. He wasn't sure if he had been expecting duels, but they fought as a squadron, just the way Irunians did on the battlefield. Irunian against Irunian wasn't a very good parallel to the incursion, but it definitely contrasted their souls.
At first the clash had no clear winner, so Kai began to analyze their abilities with his spiritual senses. Omilaena's side had been working hard over the past month, making gains that were quite significant for their level. There was variation, but Kai settled on an average warrior.
<
Name: ???
Total Power: 139
Physique Level: E-3 (89)
Enhanced Physique (+25)
Soul Level: 3 (9)
Path of Steel: Iron 4 (20)
Ironbody Physique (+10)
>
This one had 139 Power, largely from Physique but boosted by Omilaena's two special additions, which she had apparently figured out how to make work together. The result wasn't flashy, but neither were Irunian methods, and these boosts helped them work more efficiently.
By contrast, the other side had changed more than Kai had expected. They still wielded Irunian steel weapons, but they formed chakra around them, and some of the more skilled could use those to extend their melee range or throw chakra attacks from a distance. Fortunately, the new abilities weren't devastating because Omilaena's side had durable armor, plus their archers were skilled as well.
After analyzing the group, Kai again tried to discern the average opponent.
<
Name: ???
Total Power: 131
Physique Level: E-0 (80)
Irunian Chakra: Opal Rank (32)
Soul Level: 3 (9)
Path of Steel: Iron 2 (10)
>
Only 131 Power on average, so the total seemed to go in Omilaena's favor, but their new "Irunian Chakra" ability offered a greater boost than Omilaena's Enhanced Physique, and in fact it was well above the average for her Ironpath Physique boost. Would that matter to the watching elders? Would Yuinafal's argument about his path being more communal win the day?
Kai didn't think that his argument was actually legitimate, since Omilaena had left Tusquo and the others with an ability they could easily train, even without more chakra. He had to admit, though, that their progress was heavily reliant on Omilaena's genius.
Worse, he had argued that their side would receive a handicap in return for full use of resources. That had seemed very reasonable and fair a month ago, but now he found himself worrying. Presuming that Yuinafal wouldn't let such a thing be forgotten, that would likely mean a multiplier added to the other side, which could well make them look more superior to the Irunians.
The squads below continued fighting, and the Irunians lay still when they received an injury, as if they had been felled. What remained of both sides were the strongest, though, so they ground against one another, steel weapons and armor clashing.
"How does it look to you?" Omilaena asked Tusquo. Her voice was tense, which didn't put Kai at ease at all.
"Closer than expected," he answered without taking his eyes away. "If his chakra abilities had transformed the battle, it would be his victory, but this way... the ultimate value of his chakra is still unknown."
"It isn't Irunian chakra." Quinta folded her arms and scowled at the battlefield. "That is mere propaganda."
"You're right for now," Tusquo said gently, "but if we use it for generations, it will become Irunian."
She didn't seem to like that idea, but at least Quinta's anger was directed toward someone else for once. Meanwhile, Kai watched the fight on the edge of his seat.
In the end, with both sides so equal in skill and discipline, Omilaena's superior strength won out. The last fighters on the other side surrendered... but that left only about 10% of their own side. Kai had been hoping for a rout that would prove Yuinafal wrong and make the elites accept him completely. A close victory just left everything up in the air, so Kai frowned.
When he looked across the arena, he saw that Yuinafal was smiling.
"Why's he happy about losing?" Zae Zin Nim asked.
"I think it's because he could match my boost." Omilaena sank lower in her chair, fingers steepled as if calculating something. "He can't just replicate my immortality elixir, and he definitely can't copy the Ironpath Physique, but the elites are good at hybrid powers. If he can really do it... shit."
Kai nodded as he understood. "So he thinks that he can give his fighters an easy boost in the next month, which you can't match."
"And he's not entirely wrong. I can't win this one easily... I need to think carefully about our next steps."
"Nonsense." Zae Zin Nim folded her arms in her sleeves. "This chakra technique is a simple power boost, nothing complex. If they follow this path, they will soon be blocked again."
"But how far will it take them?" Tusquo received Zae Zin Nim's glare, but only shrugged and continued. "Even if they become limited by your standards, if such techniques can take them to 200 Power, that would be revolutionary for Irun. Many elders will approve of what they saw here."
There was no more time for discussion, because several elders walked down to the field. Instead of announcing any results, they began congratulating both sides and distributing recovery potions. Only after the fighters were all being healed or bandaged did more of the elders began to gather together to discuss. It seemed there would be no grand results, as without a clear victory, this was just another step toward the final decision in one month.
Across the arena, Yuinafal rose to his feet, stretched, then grinned and disappeared.
Not wanting to leave things like that, Kai jumped down to the arena himself and began helping up Omilaena's side. Even though he wasn't sure it would have made a difference, he cursed himself for not putting the soldiers through his own training. He'd been so focused on his own power and students that he hadn't spent much time with the soldiers.
The Irunians he helped didn't seem unhappy, but they also weren't exactly celebrating. It seemed clear they were proud of their progress, which meant a little... but how much did it mean to the elders who were making the decisions? Once he had helped enough, Kai managed to draw Pourila aside to speak to her.
"What's the consensus?" he asked.
"We won't decide until the end," she said, "but there are two conclusions. First, your side won today, barely. But second, many believe that Yuinafal's path offers more opportunity for Irun. Given that the elites agree he started from a lower position, you need to aim for a more decisive victory."
Exactly what he had been afraid of. Kai glanced back at Omilaena, but judging from her expression, she already knew.
