Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
"Ahhh! There is nothing better than a good beer after a day of work!"
I gave Beulus a nervous laugh as I took a small sip out of the mug of beer in front of me and took a long look out the window. The moon hung in the night sky, but within the confines of the building, its presence was hardly noticeable. Illuminated by lights, the place buzzed with people, most likely sharing Beulus' state of mind, engaging in drunken conversations.
'Though Beulus was right, today was a lot of work. I made my first contact with the students I will be staying near the rest of the year. I awakened my Duranian and picked out my first Fruit, the Crossbow Bolt Fruit. Afterward, Pulchra's father babysat us for the rest of the day. He showed us how to put our Fruit in our Duranian and take it out. That really surprised me when I first saw it, just what is this Duranian?'
"C'mon Quis, show some spirit! You've taken the first step toward becoming a remarkable Fruit Cultivator like yours truly," He gave a deep bow while finishing his sentence. There was no doubt in my mind, he was drunk.
After abandoning his fulgurant act, he took another gulp of beer, followed by a loud burp. Placing his hand on my shoulder, he continued, "Plus a little birdy told me that the Fruit you chose was quite unique! The Crossbow Bolt Fruit! What would've possessed you to choose that? Ah, I guess your Duranian is good for Technology Path Fruit with that weird tow-"
I quickly covered his mouth with my hand, shushing him in a panic. "Shh, sh, shhh! I thought you promised not to reveal anything!" I gave him an anxious stare, placing a finger over my lips. It felt as if I were hushing a friend who was about to spill embarrassing secrets to my parents.
His eyes widened in sudden shock. He glanced around the bar before letting out a sigh of relief. "You're right, my apologies. But seriously, what were you thinking? That Fruit has very little significance in our Sect. We aren't called the Firearm Fairy Sect, you know. The sect only possesses that Fruit because of an old ally who gave us their inheritance—"
"Inheritance?" This was news to me. I simply chose the Fruit because it fit my fighting style more than flames or plants would, but I never heard anything about an inheritance.
"Oh, I almost forgot. You've got a serious case of the memory loss! Inheritances are a big part of Fruit Cultivator culture, and not just us of the Jungle Region. Inheritances can be found across the world, whether it be in the rigid Volcano Region, the secluded Stone Region, or the turbulent Grassland Region."
He took another swig of his seemingly bottomless glass of beer. It seemed like he was about to switch topics after that, but I didn't want that. I quickly said something to put him back on track, "Say, Beulus, I get that part of it, but what exactly is an inheritance?"
Beulus scratched his head as if he were trying to recall information. He then suddenly jolted; he seemed to have recalled some memory, "An inheritance is just an old dying Fruit Cultivator that wants his research and Fruits to be carried on to the next generation. Most of the time, at least in the righteous philosophy that governs our sect, inheritances are given to a specific person or group, like the Crossbow Bolt Fruit you got from the Firearm inheritance that was given to us. Of course, some Fruit Cultivators of other philosophies, like Demonic Fruit Cultivators or Chaotic Fruit Cultivators, don't have that option as they didn't have anyone to pass their inheritance onto. So they just place it somewhere randomly in the world."
This sparked a new train of thought within me, 'Oh? Perhaps that could be another way for me to catch up with those highly talented individuals. It would require incredible luck, but it's worth a try to search for one.'
Lost in my thoughts, Beulus snapped me back to reality with an eager question, "But never mind that! Tell me, why did you choose the Crossbow Bolt Fruit!? I'm dying to know!"
I gently pushed away Beulus' face, which had come uncomfortably close, and hastily responded to his persistent question. "It was because it was so unique that I chose it. While I may act recklessly at times, I know that I won't be able to surpass those who have trained for a specific Fruit Branch since childhood. Since I didn't grow up here, I lack an affinity for Fire or Wood Branch Fruits like everyone else. Besides, there's just something appealing about shooting crossbow bolts from my hand."
I grinned at Beulus, laughing as I took another sip of beer. He playfully nudged my shoulder. "That's the spirit! Go against the grain! I like it kid! Hahaha! Hell, with that smart head on your shoulders, you might just bring some entertainment to this world."
His words puzzled me and brought me back to my original objective. "Speaking of which, Beulus, may I ask you something?" He nodded, signaling me to continue. "When Florence taught me the basics of Duranians and Fruits, it made me believe that the world must be in a state of chaos. However, looking around, I see no signs of it. Just what is the state of the world?"
Beulus gazed at me with a strange expression for a moment before sighing. His eyes dimmed slightly, hinting at an unpleasant recollection. The cacophony of voices in the bar faded into the background as I focused entirely on his forthcoming words.
"It's not that this world isn't chaotic Quis… There is always something going on. Some demonic cultivator doing something stupid. More news of the ongoing wars in the Grassland Region. Things are all over the place, but at the same time, the world is peaceful. People are mostly able to live comfortable lives, just by being a Stone Class Fruit Master like me."
With little enthusiasm, he took a sip from his beer. The jovial drunken demeanor had vanished. "That's just recently of course. There is one thing that will always throw the entire world into chaos. The birth of a Sovereign Fruit Cultivator. They might always be different people, and there have only been about 10 of them since recordable history, but one thing they have in common is the spur of chaos that follows them. Fortunately, the last Sovereign's demise was over 500 years ago. They tend to appear only once every thousand years or more. So, you and I should be able to live peacefully!"
He regained his earlier energetic attitude and continued to berate and lecture me for picking a Fruit with no foundation. But I couldn't take my mind off of what he said, 'So the creation of a Sovereign Fruit Cultivator breeds chaos? I suppose I'll have to take that role then. I'm sorry Beulus. You seem like a nice person, but I need chaos for me to have a chance of becoming stronger.'
The bar brimmed with activity, voices bombarding my ears, but none surpassed the intensity of the thoughts swirling in my head. Not even the sight of Beulus' lively eyes and his frantic reaction as someone insulted him from another table.
I glanced out the window, staring at the full moon while deep thoughts infiltrated my mind. A shiver ran down my spine, not one of fear or a result of the cold, but one of anticipation.
'I'll have to destroy this peaceful life you desire so much… it sort of gives me a rush of excitement.'