Tuning out the world, I immersed myself in my training. From the moment I woke, I was tree cutting and hauling the down tree to the foot of Deadman's Plateau. Once piled high, they were cut to planks and pulled to the top of the plateau to be restocked.
Hours were also spent foraging additional material and taking up the plateau. In the beginning, my body burned and bled. Karu refused medicinal baths as he wanted me to use the medicinal energy that already saturated my body.
Along the way, he would quiz me on the books I've read. For every wrong answer, I would find material that I had taken to the top of the plateau at the bottom once more.
The routine became gruesomely monotonous until the house was finished. Once the last nail was hammered, a great thud could be heard. I turned to find a cloud of smoke and Karu lounging in a reed chair.
"Kid," he said, "That's your new uniform."
I gave him a half-cocked chuckle as I looked at the metallic suit. It was wonderful craftsmanship. Metal woven like silk. The more pieces I put the heavier it became.
"5,000 pounds. That's 1,000 more than a peak second-stage martial artist." Karu spoke nonchalantly, "Keep moving, Kid."
Back down the plateau, I went. I soon collapsed at Karu's hut. My body felt like it had no strength. All of my water leaked from my pores and the sun felt ten times hotter.
With a meager few minutes of rest, I uprooted a goji plant and began to run. With every mile, I became slower and met my misfortune at the top of the plateau.
"Kid, It's dead." Karu barked. "Give me two miles, two hundred squats, twenty-one-mile sprints."
This was now my life.
After a week of failure, Old Man Karu finally told me the plants were special. They required aether to survive and grow. And once removed from that source, they had a time limit before they began to wither.
For a month, I became acquainted with spiritual plants and their properties. When the last plant was moved, my celebration was short-lived.
"A new suit!" I exclaimed,
Karu laughed at my plight.
"The Hut, kid! Get to it."
_________________________________
The season passed like slow trickling sand. The world around me seemed to be moving at high speeds. Before I knew it, the tomb of the 12th stage grandmaster had been raided and the Ubar family couldn't escape their fate.
Still, The Kent family was a problem. Annalisa and the family continued to sail, occasionally sending letters of their adventures. All the while I continued to make Deadman's plateau a home for them.
Once the medicinal energy of the Nine Turn Sow Thistles had run its course, Old Man Karu continued my torture until the Plateau was finished.
Only then did we leave society altogether and start my martial training.
He felt it was best to continue my study of the Sun and Moon Hands, Flesh and Bone Arts, and 99 Toxin Codex. With him at my side, learning the skills was a lot easier, but more grueling at the same time
All the while, he taught me farming culture. It was a tedious thing that required patience. But I was willing to take whatever he was willing to teach.
I progressed smoothly, bringing my skill to an elementary level of mastery when the System chimed for the first time in months.
"Ahhh," I shouted.
The surprise and shock caused me to misstep and Karu smacked me upside my head. As I tumbled, the information on the prompt sunk in.
[Congratulations! The host has received his first child! Reward: Professions unlocked. Mystery Box]
[Congratulations! Your child has Inherited the Vermillion Bloodline and has 7th-grade talent! Reward: increasing in martial talent.]
Karu looked down at me and shook his head.
"Take a rest, Kid." He said, "I'm going into town."
As Karu walked away, I sat in the lotus position and contemplated. First I was overjoyed to have a child of my own. The. The sadness of separation sat in.
Karu made sense when he said that might be right. Even if I brought them to the plateau, I didn't have the strength to make this place what Karu had in mind. I had a long way to go and many things to learn.
But my child. My child can't grow up on a boat. Especially in the Typhoon Isles with that pirate captain destined to rise and bring terror to the tides.
"I have to make another move," I told myself. "I need to bring my child home."
——————-
It was midday and the winds were beginning to spin up. Particularly so for Deadman's plateau. So high up, the climate was colder and windier than the usual fall day at lower altitudes.
After making my rounds around the grades, I split some wood and tossed them into the hearth.
Sitting beside the blaze, I intended to look over my system. Now was a better time than any considering Karu went down the plateau for the day.
First, I did what should never be done. I took a pen and paper and I began to write. As a merchant, I learned many scholarly habits. Writing was a common and private way of sorting and clearing thoughts.
' For starters, The biggest concern was the Ubar assassination. With that solved, now the Kents were a prominent problem. Then we have the coming pirates of Typhoon Isle. The future of the business is no longer a target on our backs because it was all sold off. So we have assets… In terms of assets, the Ubars must return and preserve their assets long enough to liquidate. But to bring Annalisa and the child back, I need funds now. Without drawing the attention of the Kents…How does one take over a franchise and remain unknown… Unknown.'
My pen fell and I understood exactly how to solve my problems to focus solely on martial arts. It's said that ages five to twenty-one are the best years to begin training. Missing that window will be near fatal to any dreams one had of becoming a top-tier expert.
This issue has to be solved now.
I tossed the paper into the fire and kindled the flames until every last scrap had turned to ash. I then laid back and shut my eyes as if I was napping.
__________________
Name: Darius II Thorne
Title: Heir to the Marquis House of Protus
Talent: Tier 8
Physique: True Misery Body(20% Awakened)
Realm: Second stage Martial Realm
Techniques: Sun and Moon Hands (Elementary- 2%), Flesh and Bone Arts (Elementary- 4%), 99 toxin codex (Initiate- 93%)
Profession: Grade-9 Farming Culture, Grade-9 Ink Maker, Grade-9 Paper Maker, Grade- 9 Poisoner
Family members: 3
Family Fortune: 50
___________
Rewards:
15 years of insight, 2 Mystery Boxes, and Drought of Returning
______________
'It seems my talent has increased. Just as the system said,' I realized.
'If that's the case, This insight stuff may be worthwhile. As for the Drought of Returning, I'll have to ask Old Man Karu about it. I've never read about….he's back. With a guest?' I thought in my heart.
"Seems you've exhausted the boy, Rain," she said.
"Mmm, this boy isn't human. The level of his endurance is frightening if I must admit." Karu replied, " Tanz if you don't return him in one piece…I'll kill you."
The woman called Tanz tittered cutishly.
"Rain Karu, have you grown…soft?"
"This Rain Karu's only disciple," he spoke.
"Mmm…The trip to Greenbarrow should be two weeks tops." said Tanz, " If he can't learn the wind step by then, he'll surely die."
"He'll be fine and the young master's reward?"
"Hmm." Tanz snorted.
"You remember your young master?" she asked mockingly.
"He will always be my young master," said Karu.
Tanz sighed, "If he can impress me, I'll give him the token. But if he causes trouble…"
"He won't"
"Good. Because the young master will not help." She declared, "Last time he helped the country bumpkin, he vanished in failure."
"So spiteful…" Karu sighed
'Is that how Old Man Karu came to live in this place? Or, is Old Man Karu from Hell Fiend City like me?' I couldn't help but wonder.
"I'll be back at dawn. Have him ready." Said Tanz
—————————
Tanz and Old Man Karu were a problem that I didn't want to deal with. And if she was truly coming back to take me on some trip, I had to be prepared.
Peak shape is the goal and I hope the system won't fail my expectations
'Can I use one year of insight?' I asked the system
I had no idea what insight could be to the system. To me, insight is the understanding of something. How that translated to martial arts and how the system would express this insight is what I looked forward to.
The system lagged briefly as if hesitating.
Soon, I watched one year subtract from unused insight and a wave of images, experiences, and pains came to me. In a single moment, I had lived a year.
Slowly I recalled that year and digested the gains. One of the most prominent changes was how I thought of the Sun and Moon Hands. With a lance, I noticed that the Sun and Moon Hands had gone from 2 percent of elementary mastery to seventy-five percent of elementary mastery.
"How long will you play sleep?" Karu asked, he must have sensed my excitement.
I smirked and slowly opened my eyes.
"I was just resting my eyelids." I told him, "So who was that?"
"You'll meet her tomorrow. Go get some rest," he said, walking towards his room.
Karu suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder at me.
"Before everything went to shit for you, what was your plan?" he asked.
"Mmm, I planned to marry, hit the sea for a bit, then do my duty and join the military," I replied.
"If you get that woman's approval, you can still do all of that. And your family, they can return without problem." Karu added, and then he left.
I took Karu's words to heart. As long as I've known him, he was a man who says what he means and means what he says. I could also see his sincerity. Whoever the woman was, he saw her as an opportunity to reunite my family.
Soon after, In the privacy of my room, I continued with the system. The insight reward was a gem. To what extent had yet to be determined, but I had more to unfold within this system at the moment.
"Open mystery box." I thought.
[How many would you like to open?]
"One," I replied
Once again the system lagged and what followed left me gobsmacked. With eyes wide and a stampeding heart, I looked at the system.
"Blood Quenching Ichor…"
The name isn't what held me up. But, I had discovered that the system had a very special function. Right below this new item was a description. After all, I had no idea what a Blood Quenching Ichor was. Which also made me wonder, what was the purpose of all the text Old Man Karu made me read.
Anywho, the description read: Blood Quenching Ichor, concocted from twenty precious herbs joined with the sap of the Dragon Blood Tree. A brew of alchemical splendor set to ignite the most hidden bloodline.
'My son and Annalisa have bloodlines. If this thing is real, I wonder what kind of blood I can tap.' I thought in my heart.
I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I still had one more box to open. I also had an item that was unknown to me.
"What is the Drought of Returning?" I asked anxiously.
A smile formed as the system prompt changed for me.
[Drought of Returning is a special chemical concoction used during intercourse to supercharge the sacred masculine and feminine energy. With proper skill, there is a slim chance to sublimate Primordial Synergy, a balance of Yin and Yang within oneself. ]
'A useless thing at the moment' I thought.
"Open the mystery box" I commanded.
[Cicada Killer is a specially crafted weapon of assassination. Hidden in a lightweight bracer. The blade is pressure-activated to eject and retracts on command.]
'This can be very useful' I thought.
I immediately claimed it and appeared from thin air. I bit my lip to keep from exploding with excitement. I quickly equipped the bracer and looked at the wall. I walked over and launched a palm. As the muscles in my arm flexed I could feel the mechanism in the brace clicking.
Although, a blade never appeared. Again I stuck out and nothing. Looking at the brace, I noticed a string inside the bracer, Pulling it out, I found a loop at the end and everything clicked form.
Once the loop was worn like a ring, I gave it a tug when I flicked my wrist and the blade shot forth with great force.
Upon inspection, I figured out two things immediately. The first was that the blade was forged with poison causing it to have a light violet hue in the steel. Secondly, I had to flick my wrist a second time to retract the 9-inch blade.
No longer able to contain my excitement, I slipped from the room, and then out of the hut. Once outside, I opened up. I began with the flesh and bone arts, like the Sun and Moon Hands, this skill had also entered higher levels of elementary mastery. reaching an outstanding 81%.
It took me nearly half an hour to incorporate the blade into my martial arts effectively. Afterward, I focused solely on my skills as I could feel new power from my moves and a fluidness I never had before. Without realizing it, I displayed my techniques like a madman.
I only stopped when I suddenly felt the morning sun warming my wet skin. A new focus then came to me and two people came into view.
"You are a special one…" said Tanz
"To enter enlightenment at such a young age." she continued, "The techniques from Datura Pavillion will not be a problem. They are of the lowest grade. I'm sure they'll overlook them considering…"
She then stroked her chin and walked around me.
"I didn't notice yesterday, but your physique. Such a sturdy build, compacted muscles. A little too bulky for the flesh and bone arts, but the tendons and muscle have adapted so well. " she commented.
'Is that why it was hard performing some of the forms? My build was unsuitable for the technique. And with the training I've been doing, no wonder…' I thought in my heart, 'It took a year of insight to get to 75% elementary mastery. It's safe to say without the system, I would have struggled for a long time. Prolly loses Old Man Karu's interest in the process. Based on my memories from the insight, practicing the Sun and Moon Hands along with my professions also played a part in the time it took to progress. The Upside is that the body is also trained to withstand this progress.'
"Rain… I like this little disciple of yours." Tanz tittered, "How about we up the deal?"
Her eyes were sharp when she looked at the Old Man.
He sighed, "What are you thinking?"
"You told me of the kid's situation. Even traded an opportunity of yours for him. How about I add my chakram technique to the mix? If he can grasp both skills, not only will I give him my token and handle those Kent Bastards, but I'll add his name to the acquisitions branch." Tanz spoke, now with her arm hung over my shoulder like a good buddy.
I had no idea what the hell they were talking about, but the Old Man seemed excited. He walked over and took me from Tanz and began to whisper as we created distance.
"Kid, this is good for all of us. This trip is going to retrieve something I found a long time ago. I'm not strong enough to take it, but that lady is an old friend and officer in the young master's acquisition corps. They're secretly stationed all over the western territories and a few are sea-based."
"Who's the young master?" I asked.
"Don't worry about that for now. All you have to know is that the woman is going to retrieve the item and exchange it for credits. Those credits can be exchanged for all manner of resources. Resources to help and train you and the entire family. Maybe even heal my wounds…."
My heart thumped.
"What wounds?" I asked
I waited for Old Man Karu the night of the auction. He was nowhere to be found. I then began to wonder how I obtained those wounds. He told me the story once in my first life. But things were no longer adding up.
"Focus!" he hissed, "In exchange for this free money she will receive, she's agreed to handle the Kent family for us. And give you a token so I can pass my teachings on to you. With a position in the acquisitions corp, your rise is all but guaranteed. Work hard, Kid. If not for yourself, or your master, then for your wife ...."
Karu stopped for a moment.
"And your kid," he added.
'He knows!'
"I wasn't supposed to tell. I planned to teach you everything and give you my token when I passed if you weren't strong enough to help me first. But after I received your mother's news of Annalisa's pregnancy, I went to find Tanz." he sighed.
I didn't hide my shock all too well. But it wasn't because I didn't know of my kid. It was because I didn't know that Karu knew. But, I understood why he would tell me now. He wanted me to be motivated. Naturally, I wouldn't fail him or my family.
"What'd you say, Rain?" Tanz asked.
I gave him a strong nod and he gave me a toothy grin.
"It's a deal!" he shouted.