Mark finished up with his explanations as he had ended up speaking concerning other subjects. He couldn't help but feel like his only use was to reveal information. And in reality, his existence at that point was only useful for that.
The end of the discussion was simple. Both individuals had admitted to the need for higher-powered and better-knowledged people.
Mark had obvious limits and Tristan felt glad that he had gotten that much from him in only one day.
With that conclusion came an issue. Tristan revealed his intentions to leave that town just as Mark had previously suggested.
He didn't want to waste too much time since he wanted answers quickly. However, Mark had convinced him to stay by mentioning that Lax probably knew people that could help and it would be far much easier for him to gain the knowledge he desired.
Considering the idea, Tristan agreed to wait at least a few days before he set out on his journey. Mark already told him the major locations he'd want to go to. He only needed directions which the man had held back from giving.
Not long after that more than two hours of discussion, both individuals called it a night. The next day Mark would take him around the town since it would be daytime.
This was his only way of getting Tristan interested enough to stay put. Unfortunately, his motives had not been totally clear as Tristan had expected.
Mark had received direct orders from Lax to not let Tristan leave his abode or he would pay dearly for it. So out of fear, he did what he could to keep Tristan. Even if it meant tricking him.
At least this was the narrative put in his head.
Waking up pretty early, Tristan found himself continuing to learn about his body. He had the instinctive feeling that things had not always been like that., but he could not deny the presence of the great capabilities he could achieve with minimal effort.
Due to Shej being close to the oceans the wind that blew across its surface at night fell dangerously low in temperature, so much so that Mark mentioned he utilized at least two blankets every night.
The narrative would prove different from Tristan who had even been comfortable sleeping without his shirt on.
The cold did not bother him.
He also had great reflexes even if that detail was mostly recessive until he was in a situation that required him to move rapidly and with precision.
Apart from physical qualities he had no magical ones like Mark did. He watched the young man create fire with his mere hands.
All he did was open his palm and a small mass of orange flames appeared. He commanded it to do whatever he wanted.
That sight only caused a tinge of envy to appear in Tristan's chest after which it disappeared.
That day Mark prepared a meal for the entire house and they shockingly all sat around the same table to eat.
Words could not explain the sheer amount of awkwardness that event sparked, but they all quickly finished and the others set out for their tasks that day while Mark moved to take Tristan on the tour he promised.
Shej was a spectacularly unimpressive town, just as Mark had mentioned before they left the house.
Its structures were of low quality, and large areas were deserted. It was so bad that certain portions looked like a ghost town, as crumbled buildings lay here and there. Sights of damaged old and rusting cars. It looked like a battle had unfolded there.
According to Mark the events that led to the destruction of that side of town had happened years before even he was born. According to the few aged men and women still present there, it had been as a result of the monsters.
An injured specimen had washed up against their shores and in the process of killing it, many lives had been lost.
Fortunately, that was over thirty years prior, no such incident had ever occurred again after then.
Still, the government had never done anything to repair the damages caused by their men. People had stopped talking about the issue long ago and simply lived with the scars that fateful event had generated.
The standard of living was low, and that detail remained evident in the faces of those adults and children.
In order to get jobs people had to leave the town every day and return, journeying about 70km to the city just to make ends meet.
Surprisingly, although the presence of Kaos governed a significant portion of their lives, not many actually stepped on the path to power.
Then again, according to Mark's words, the average inheritance was between the 2nd-class and the 3rd-class
Even if they focused on achieving the strength their spirits were capable of, that level of power still wasn't much to deal with many things in the world.
With that in mind, many simply focused on doing what they could to earn and take care of whatever needs they had. Many could not go beyond their basic needs despite their hard work. Luxury was only something many dreamt about.
Still, there were occurrences where individuals discovered that their off-springs had high inheritances. This would be their ticket into a more favorable lifestyle.
Anything beyond the 3rd-class would grant them an audience to highly placed individuals in the government, or influential organizations who were ready to nurture such individuals until they were useful.
"My sister had been a fourth-class inheritor, while I was only second-class. Unfortunately, she died before she could reach the full potential of her power." Mark explained, taking a trip down memory lane while he and Tristan took a stroll down a street slightly bustling with individuals.
When it was closer to the day's end people returned from the city, or their jobs in close-by towns, and stalls began to open for the night.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Tristan responded, heaving a slight sigh.
"Hmm. Thank you." Mark fell silent for a short while.
"I started building up my spirit from the age of 16. And it's taken me this long to cross the halfway point of the 1-st-class. I might need to reach thirty or forty to even have hopes of reaching my peak."
"That, or I find a place in the city since it offers more facilities to increase my level. Its insides also possess a higher concentration of Kaos." Mark sighed.
"Unfortunately the cost of living there remains stupendously higher compared to this place. That's why all of us live here even if it's pretty bad."
"Why don't people take on more jobs or something... to earn more?" Tristan furrowed his brows, speaking out of blatant ignorance.
Mark ended up giggling until his giggle turned into laughter. He stopped when Tristan raised an eyebrow at his reaction.
"What? Do you think we've not thought about that?!" His tone now lost all signs of his timidity and laxity.
Before Tristan replied, he cut him short. "We can't. The highest-paying jobs are monster hunting. That or we go to school and return with a certification that the country needs."
"Well our low power stops us from doing the first and our bad background and poverty coupled with low inheritance essentially shatters any chances of chasing education."
"In other words, we're fucked. Trapped. Whatever you want to call it," Mark spread his arms wide in a cynical expression, catching the attention of those that walked past him. His sarcastic tone also remained creepy.
Tristan was at a loss of words so he simply kept quiet. The cruelty of life was all around him, and he suddenly felt it weigh on his shoulders.