31st May, Military Academy Training Center; Hancent stood before Heima, her eyes moist at his departure. He pulled her into a hug, ruffling her hair as he kissed her forehead.
"Heima," He muttered, his voice trembling at the separation, "For the next one year, take care of yourself; don't get into fights, study hard, and always maintain a steadfast mentality."
"I know, Dad; you have mentioned it 23 times by now." Heima sobbed, increasing the strength in her hug. Only when she heard a light grunt from Hancent did she extricate herself from the hug, gazing at his pained expression with worry.
"Espers have a normal human body; only our brains are developed." Thinking back to the statement Hancent had said to her before, Heima apologised. Due to her emotions, she had failed to control her strength that was increasing day by day.
"I forgot to mention this;" Hancent said as he fetched a small side bag he had brought with him, fishing out a book from within, "This was a gift from your mother. She had specifically created this with the help of your grandfather, compiling many details that would be helpful for your future."
Heima saw a thick book, approximately filled with 300 pages. The binding of the book was a shade of white, engraved with many designs she couldn't make sense of, and exuding an aura that made her body shudder in fear. She also noticed slight trembling of Hancent's hands, showcasing the level of the creature the book was made from.
"The materials of this book came from a Tier 5 Floating Spider, hunted by your grandfather 2 weeks ago. It would have been better if you hadn't obtained such a high sync rate, but what's done is done. Now, focus on raising your strength; with your accumulation, you could attempt to become an Amplifier within 6 months." Hancent placed the book in Heima's hands.
The moment she held the book, her legs gave out under her, her entire body shivered, almost convulsing. Hancent then waved his hands, lifting the book from her hands and placing it above the nearby table.
"It contains many techniques related to training a powerful physique, increasing your strength, methods to breakthrough until a Shifter, and processes to awaken certain Skills. They are confidential information that is the accumulation of our Bone family, so I don't need to specify it right?" Hancent said, helping Heima stand up.
Her legs still shivered, but she grit her teeth, harnessing her mental strength to control her body. "I know, Dad; I won't allow others to peek at it, moreover, even touch it." Sitting on the nearby bed, Heima took a couple of minutes to rest, thinking about the book.
"Dad," She said, pointing at the book, "This is releasing such a strong aura. Based on what mother said, why haven't the teachers rushed here by now?"
"Good observation," Hancent praised, pulling out a small box that looked like it was made from bones, "That is thanks to this box. It was made using the bones of your grandfather, its prime uses being to suppress the aura released by the book. When you are done browsing it, put the book inside this box and close the lid. This will ensure not an ounce of its aura is released."
Hancent opened the bone box, using his Psychokinesis to place the book in it, closing the lid shut. He then wiped a trace of sweat that covered his head, muttering, "I was using my energy on the box to suppress the book's aura all along. It was quite draining; after all, both the book and the box are Tier 5 Artifacts."
"A Tier 5 Artifact…" Heima muttered in a daze. Only then she realised the extent of her Bone family's affluence, it was significantly greater than her expectations. It was also partly due to her parents shielding her from all relevant information, lest it affected her childhood.
It was prohibited by the military to reveal the social standing of a person's family until they underwent the Induction Ceremony. This was to ensure that the children grew up in a normal environment that would enrich their lives, having healthier mindsets. Since such laws were personally enacted by Rhachis Ancestor Light, no one dared to defy them.
9:00 PM, Hancent noticed the time in his wristwatch as an announcement went off, the sound echoing throughout the military campus.
"All parents accompanying your wards, please leave the premises before 9:30 PM. I repeat, all parents accompanying your wards, please leave the premises before 9:30 PM."
"I should get going. Your mother is departing for the raid tomorrow." Hancent accompanied Heima, walking to the Head Office. They noticed many other parents, accompanied by their wards. Some were sad, some were hesitant, some were anticipant, and some were overjoyed. Sporting all sorts of faces, the group consisting of hundreds of people walked towards the Head Office.
A large hall came into their view the moment they entered the Head Office, a wide lift occupying the centre, looking massive, being the only object in the spacious but empty hall. One after another, the parents entered the lift, in groups numbering around 40. Having been one of the early arrivals, it was their turn before long.
Hancent turned to Heima, consoling the girl who broke into a fit of tears, "This is a valuable life experience, cherish it. Starting from tomorrow, life here in the military academy would be hellish, but you'll be fine. Just remember everything that your mother and I have taught you in the past month."
Seeing the child nod with a grief-stricken expression, trying to control her tears, Hancent felt his heart being crushed with pain. He controlled his expression, trying to look normal in an effort to instill confidence in Heima. He hugged her, and kissed her forehead once again, ruffling her hair into a messy bird's nest as he entered the lift.
Seeing the lift doors close, Heima plopped on the floor, tears streaming out of her eyes uncontrollably. She then stood up, running through the crowd, her gaze focused on the floor before her. Returning to her dorm, Heima slumped on her bed, burying herself on the pillow, the sounds of her sobs filling the room.
7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, 3rd Residential Complex; Hancent entered the 28th floor, walking towards his house. Swiping a card, placing his fingerprints, and scanning his retina, the door opened. Hancent entered, a dark home came into his view, lacking the vitality that a regular household ought to possess. Switching on the lights, Hancent closed the door, removing his shoes and jacket.
He threw them haphazardly, sitting on the sofa, gazing at the ceiling, his mind distracted. After what seemed like a long time had passed, the door to the living room opened. Henrietta entered, habitually hanging the thrown jacket in the hanger and placing the shoes in their respective spots. She then noticed Hancent sitting on the sofa, having dozed off.
As she tiptoed towards him, Henrietta noticed the apparent dark circles on his face and his pale complexion. His body also looked frail as compared to a month ago, looking weak. Faint white hair growth sprouted on his sides, in the region around his temples. The moment Henrietta closed in on his proximity, Hancent jerked his head, noticing her.
"At what time are you scheduled to arrive for the Raid?" He spoke, motioning for Henrietta to sit beside him.
"We have to arrive by 3:00 AM, pack our weapons and other stuff, assemble with our battalions, and perform a final check. We would then march out at 6:00 AM from Sector 12, 10th Ring." Henrietta sat on the sofa, letting out a grunt filled with exhaustion. She had been jetting to and fro between the Wilds and the Bone family mansion, also making trips to the military base that oversaw the Flying Signature Raid.
11:17 PM, Hancent noticed the time, exhaustion apparent in his eyes. "Take some rest; I'll wake you up at 2:30 AM. We would have sufficient time to reach the destination. From tomorrow, you wouldn't get the opportunity to have a peaceful rest. Do you still have anything to pack?"
"No, I've already finished my preparations 2 days ago. My luggage has also been transported to the destination. All I require to do now is to make myself present there at the designated time." Henrietta got up, walking towards the master bedroom. She wrapped a bedsheet over her, sleeping in a matter of seconds.
Hancent entered the room, sitting next to Henrietta. He placed his hand on her head, brushing aside a couple of strands of her hair to the side, gently patting her head. Henrietta pulled his leg, using his thigh as a pillow. She turned around, facing him as she spoke, "Heima is a smart child, she is a quick learner; so, I am not worried about her. But, Jyorta worries me. There are times where it makes me wonder if he is actually my child."
"What did old man Bone say? He's the most knowledgeable person in our family, if not the whole of Ring 7." Hancent spoke, feeling puzzled. Henrietta was the only one who spoke about Jyorta having strange behaviours, no other person besides her had commented on the matter. He too had assumed it to be the worries of a mother but, the statement from old man Bone a week ago startled him.
"I feel like some mysterious entity has formed a connection with Jyorta. I asked many questions to Jyorta, in order to grasp some clues. Most of the details Jyorta spouted were nothing but useless info; I don't know much about the video games of the younger generation, so what he said might have correlated to some of them. But, some parts were strange, if not horrifying. He knew complex equations in chemistry, knowledge of engineering related to manufacturing, metallurgy, etc. his mathematical ability was also off the charts.
"He himself doesn't understand what he speaks for the most part, but the information he said was undoubtedly true. There were also some things that I couldn't verify in the short term. Also, he has paltry knowledge about the Wisdom Parasite, knowledge that only researchers working on them know. I will observe Jyorta from afar, and try to figure out the cause. Don't mention it to Henrietta; it would affect her performance in the Raid, endangering her life."
"The same as always," Henrietta gritted her teeth, "He said Jyorta is perfectly fine. It worries me because something that I could sense isn't something that my father can't. I don't know what goes through his head." Henrietta clenched her fist, relaxing it after a moment of thought. Hancent was just about to change the topic when he noticed Henrietta had fallen asleep.
'Her exhaustion is worrying. I hope this three-and-a-half-hour of sleep can alleviate some of her exhaustion.' Hancent thought, noticing her slow breathing rate. She was probably in a state of deep sleep.