Rey was still stunned by the aura literally radiating out of Harris, as the pressure it exuded was so immense, that even a Commoner like Rey, who could barely sense energy, felt as though he was both drowning and bearing the weight of a mountain on his shoulders. If Rey knew that this was just a small sliver of Harris's power, he might just faint in the spot.
Right when Rey was starting to feel like he might pass out from the pressure, it disappeared. As soon as it was gone, Rey fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for air like he was just rescued from the ocean.
"That was called Chi energy. It's the energy that Warriors use to power out attacks we call, Abilities, and it's formed from our Willpower. The stronger ones Will, the stronger their Chi becomes and the more resilient they are to attacks. But, Chi not only depends if ones willpower, but their physique as well. If you have a weak body and try to use too much Chi energy, you could not only risk crippling yourself and it could even be fatal." Harris said in a grave, serious tone.
Rey was so excited to learn Chi and get stronger, but when he heard that, the excitement got quickly doused in cold water.
"So before I teach you how to harness your Chi, you must make your body stronger. For the next few days, you will run at full speed from the Clinic until you get here. It'll be hard, but part of having a strong will is pushing yourself past your limits. After you get here, you will stretch and then start working out with the equipment you see here. When you're ready, I'll let you know." Harris said as he gestured to the equipment and walked away.
Taking the hint to start working out, Rey didn't dawdle. Taking his Healer robe and his black tank off so it didn't get dirty and sweaty, Rey was now in nothing but his tight grey shorts. Coming to the equipment closest to him, Rey began his workout.
Hours went by as Rey did nothing but workout to the fullest. It was only until he saw something out of the corner of his eye that he stopped for a second. Looking towards the house, in the corner of one of the windows, thanks to his enhanced Beastian vision, Rey saw Rory watching him with a flushed red face, her arm moving erratically out of the view of the window. When she saw that he caught her, surprise covered her face as she quickly disappeared from sight. It didn't take a genius to realize what the lonely girl was doing.
Chuckling softly, Rey shook his head before he continued his workout. Rey didn't stop working out until it got dark outside and the sky was once again lit up by millions of colorful stars. Little did he know, that in his extreme focus on working out, he made a major breakthrough and made it to the peak of the Commoner stage. If others were to see his speed of Cultivation, even some prodigies would be beside themselves in envy.
Sore from the excessive workout and laying next to his staff, half naked as he looked up at the stars, Rey was once again enraptured by the simplistic beauty of this world.
Hearing movement next to him, Rey looked over to see Rory shyly walking over to him before she sat down close by. It was clear by her red face and nervous habits she was still embarrassed by what happened that morning and getting caught by Rey earlier. She was trying to find the words to say before he beat her to it.
"It's okay, you know. You don't have to be so embarrassed around me. You're a beautiful young girl living in the middle of nowhere with no one to talk to but your grandpa. It's only natural that you'll be a little curious and interested." Rey said casually, making Rory relax a little.
"S-so you don't hate me, right?" Rory asked, afraid of what his answer might be. Sure he said it was okay, but she walked in on him while he was naked and she was caught in an embarrassing moment watching him. But when she heard his soft chuckle and felt him lightly ruffle her hair, she knew everything would be okay.
"Rory, you literally saved my life. Plus, who could ever hate a beautiful, sweet village girl like you. Wait, you are a just a regular girl right? No secret, potentially dangerous background I should know about?" Rey asked, suddenly traumatized by his revelation of Kairen being a princess.
"Uh, yes? The last time I checked." Rory answered with an unsure, nervous chuckle.
Rey let out a relieved sigh. He didn't know what he'd do if he ended up caught with two beautiful, yet complicated girls. He would have to start reevaluating himself then and wondering if he wasn't some magnet for trouble. Suddenly, he remembered that he had something for her.
"Oh, that reminds me! I got you something today. Close your eyes and hold out your hands." Rey said as he started fiddling with his knapsack.
"R-really? For me?! But, I didn't do anything to deserve a gift!" Rory said, stunned, but she still closed her eyes and held out her hand as ordered. Tears were nearly threatening to fall at the corners of her eyes because she was so touched be the gesture.
'Cheap ass old man, Master Jory was right! Buy her a damn present every now and then, you old bastard. She didn't even get the present yet and she's already in tears!' Rey cursed Harris in his heart for being so cheap.
Meanwhile, Harris suddenly sneezed, wondering just who was badmouthing him.
When she felt something long, thin and cold gently placed in her hands, Rory opened her eyes in shock to find an expensive looking silver, needle-like hairpin in her hands. At the bottom of it was a large blue gem that seemed to almost glow under the moonlight. It was one of the most beautiful things she's ever seen. The dam that was holding back her tears finally burst.
Forgetting her earlier embarrassment, Rory surprised Rey by leaping at him and pulling him into a tight hug. Due to her leaping on him, she was now laying on top of him. Her soft, supple curves tightly pressed against him nearly sent Rey over the edge, but with great willpower, he restrained himself.
"Thank you so much, Rey! No one has ever gotten me a gift like this before! But, are you sure I can have it? It looks awfully expensive and I don't know if I deserve something like this." Rory asked as she sat up slightly. Oblivious to that fact that she was now mounting him.
Doing his best to control himself, Rey gently cupped her face as he gave her an alluring smile that made her heart skip a beat.
"Rory, as I said, you quite literally saved my life. On top of that, your a genuine, beautiful and caring girl who deserves far much more." Rey said genuinely.
Whether it was because she saved his life or something else, Rey genuinely felt a connection with Rory despite the short time that they knew each other. He wasn't prepared to ask for marriage or anything like that, but he could definitely see her becoming a major part of his life, and vice versa for Rory. Only when Rory thought on her future with Rey, she saw them married with a few children running around.
Rory was never interested in marriage or the domestic life before, as despite her grandpa hating magic, she had a secret dream to go on adventures one day and becoming a famous Witch. But now, the thought of being called Rorylan Reed was sounding all the more appealing to her. With some quick maneuvering, Rory quickly wrapped her long, dirty blonde hair into a bun, kept in place by her beautiful new hairpin. A radiant smile formed on her exquisite features as the large gem of her hairpin shined in the moonlight.
As the two sat there laying on each other, staring into each other's eyes in the moonlight, Rey was once again reminded just how drop-dead gorgeous Rory really was. But, before either of them could make a move, a loud, unearthly roar broke out that sent a chill through their spines. Without saying a word, they both got up, grabbed their things, then ran into the house.
Now in the house safely, Rey and Rory were panting, frightened by whatever made that roar.
"What.. the hell was that?" Rey asked as he struggled to catch his breath. The fear, exhaustion from working out, and the long distance to the farmhouse was effecting him heavily.
Harris brushed past them with a serious expression as he looked out of the window.
"I don't know, but I do know that whatever made that noise isn't native to these lands. Part of the reason that me and anyone else who settles down here is because this area is supposed to be free of beasts. At least any dangerous ones." Harris said, a deep frown setting on his bearded face. First the war, then the bandits attacking Rey, now a dangerous beast wandering the area. Something wasn't right.
"I have a bad feeling about this. Rory, until we figure this out, no leaving this house unless it's with me or Rey." Harris ordered, leaving no room for objections.
Right when Rory was about to do just that, she thought of something, gave a quick glance to Rey, then eagerly nodded an affirmative to her grandpa.
Letting out a heavy sigh from Rory's obvious infatuation, Harris looked to Rey. "And you need to start being more careful when traveling between villages from now on. Between those bandits attacking you and this beast, trouble just may be brewing." Harris said, and Rey simply nodded in reply.
The rest of the night went by tensely, as even during dinner, all three of them kept cautiously looking outside, suddenly realizing that this farm had far too many bare, open windows. Harris made a mental note to start building some sturdy shudders first thing in the morning.
After dinner and a much needed shower, Rey sat on his bed lamenting on the fact that he had one hell of a day. Kairen's face and their passionate kissing kept popping into his head, stirring up some strange emotions he wasn't nearly ready to sort through yet. Needing a distraction, Rey decided to empty his knapsack when he saw the old scroll that he bought earlier. With all of the excitement, he had completely forgotten about it.
Feeling his curiosity rekindling, Rey hefted the large scroll onto his lap and stared at what looked to be a wax seal in the shape of a shuriken holding the whole thing together. Though the old man seemed to not know where the thing came from, he said that it had been magically sealed to bind to one owner, but didn't explain how to use it. Seeing no other way, Rey pressed his thumb against the had seal and had to exert a surprising amount of pressure to it.
Right when Rey was worried he was about to somehow snap the scroll in half, the wax seal finally broken, but he felt a sharp prick against the pad of his thumb. Snatching his thumb and sucking the blood that was trickling down, Rey's jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw the small puddle of his blood in the seal soaking into the scroll like a sponge. When red lines began spreading all over the scroll, forming intricate designs, Rey nearly tossed the thing across the room, but he was too captivated to look away.
When new lines stopped forming on the scroll, he felt a clicking in his head before seeing a thin ethereal red line form between the scroll and his heart would be on his chest, but it quickly faded away just as quickly as it appeared.
"Oooh, I might've just fucked up..." Rey whispered to himself as he sat frozen, staring at the scroll.
Just when Rey was thinking about shouting Harris's name for help, a wizened male voice with an asian accent entered his mind.
'Don't be afraid, Young Lion, I mean you no harm.' the voice said, which only put Rey even more on edge.
'That's exactly what someone who secretly meant me harm would say?! Aw hell, why did I have to go and mess with some random ancient scroll. I'm better than this.' Rey complained as he berated himself with his face in his palms.
The old voice simply softly chuckled, and Rey imagined some old sage slowly shaking his head.
'You are wise to be cautious, Young One, but I assure you that I pose no threat to you. And though you berate yourself, it can only be fate that you found and were bound with this scroll. It's not just anyone who can be tied to this scroll.' the old voice replied. Listening to the voice, Rey was immediately reminded of the old man Ninja King from the Ninja Wars anime he used to watch.
'Oh really? Then tell me, what's so special about being bound to this old, dusty scroll then? Because the thought of just having some random old man living inside of me is super unsettling.' Rey said, making the old voice chuckle some more.
'I apologize in advance for the inconvenience. But, if it helps you feel better, my time is nearly at it's end anyway. My name is Gomori Jinbe and I was the head of a secret, powerful sect known as the Shinigami,' the old voice, Jinbe, said with a mix of pride and sadness.
Meanwhile, Rey nearly broke out in a nervous sweat. Rey then had a memory from earth about an anime dealing with a group called the Shinigami, and if this Shinigami was anything like the group from the show, then they were a truly terrifying existence.
'Tragedy befell my sect and I was forced to make a tough decision. Knowing that my end was near, I split my soul put that soul piece and all of my knowledge I to this Inheritance Scroll. I sealed it to where only one worthy of becoming my successor may bound with the scroll, that way I can teach them personally and all of my knowledge won't go to waste. You, young man, are now my successor.'