"Your boxing technique is straightforward, your footwork unremarkable, yet your execution is incredibly fluid," Butcher Garcia observed, his voice booming through the squad room.
He hoisted up the desk he had knocked over with one hand, picked up a mug from the floor, strode across the room, and filled it from the faucet. He then gulped down the cold water, shaking his head and smacking his lips in satisfaction. "It's a shame such a talent ended up in the police force!"
"Are H.A.R.M.'s teachings inferior to those of security schools?" I inquired, genuinely curious about his perspective.
"Not at all," Garcia replied, setting the mug down. "H.A.R.M. has amassed combat techniques from across the globe. In terms of foundation and resources, they're the best option."
He let out a sigh. "However, H.A.R.M. is bound by countless rules and regulations. You'd have to start at the bottom and climb your way up. At Kongo Shintai Securities, a genius like you would be treated like royalty. You'd have first pick of precious tonics and powerful weapons."
His voice turned wistful. "But that's not an option for you now."
"Why not?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Well," Garcia explained, "if your talent were mediocre, I wouldn't hesitate to pull some strings and help you conceal your identity. But with your potential, claiming that H.A.R.M. rejected you... no one would believe it. No security school in Seattle would dare accept your application."
His words were surprisingly insightful, and revealed a depth of thoughtfulness, belying his usual carefree demeanor.
Butcher Garcia paused, producing a few yellowed pages from his pocket.
"I joined Kongo Shintai Securities at the age of six," he began, his voice taking on a somber tone, "and was hailed as a prodigy by my mentor. But now, at forty-eight, after countless slain vamps and countless vamp cores consumed, I've only managed to fill seven chambers."
"There are two reasons for this," he explained. "Firstly, Kongo Shintai Securities differs from other firms. It emphasizes tempering the human body with celestial essence. Most of the absorbed essence is utilized for physical enhancement, making progress significantly slower than other methods."
Garcia flexed his massive arms, a hint of pride in his voice. "But you've seen the results. If I had used my internal essence earlier, I wouldn't have been harmed, even if I couldn't defeat you."
"Unfortunately, I can't share the Kongo Shintai forging techniques with you. But take a look at this."
He placed the yellowed pages in my hand. "It's a technique I developed myself, and it's the reason I managed to reach the advanced stage of the First Realm."
I unfolded the pages, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar script. Even if I didn't fully comprehend it, I had to at least attempt to read it.
"Private security firms have their downsides as well," Garcia continued, his voice tinged with bitterness. "If you cross the wrong person, your career is effectively over."
His expression remained stoic as he recounted his past. "They withheld the Wave Realm techniques from me, so I had to figure it out on my own. It took over a decade, but I believe this technique can help you cross that threshold... It's just a theory, mind you. But even if it doesn't lead to the Wave Realm, it'll at least make you as strong as the Kongo Shintai methods can."
"This is only the first half," Garcia explained. "The second half deals with the Wave Realm. I'll share it with you once I've fully developed it."
I carefully examined the pages, the panel materializing before my eyes.
[Wave Realm - Body of the Golden Sun Part 1: (Untrained)]
A wave of excitement washed over me. The path to the Wave Realm, once a distant dream, now seemed tantalizingly close.
My heart raced as I absorbed the full implications of the words on the panel.
Butcher Garcia claimed this was merely the first part of a technique, the second half still a theoretical concept. Yet, the panel's confirmation proved his intuition correct. All that remained was time. Once the second volume was complete, this would be a genuine Wave Realm training technique.
Compared to the Blood Evil Sword Technique, which, despite its raw power, had limited potential and inherent risks, the Body of the Golden Sun was far more valuable.
I remained silent, my mind racing with possibilities. Butcher Garcia, thinking I was hesitating, shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"It's just a theory, mind you," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of self-deprecation. "But the foundation is solid, based on the Kongo Shintai forging techniques. The chances of it being flawed are slim... Anyway, I'm the guinea pig here. If anything goes wrong, you can always back out."
"Sensei, you are truly gifted," I said sincerely, carefully storing the yellowed pages.
The panel had used fifty years to deduce a First Realm sword technique. Yet, Garcia had achieved a similar breakthrough in a mere decade, with no external aid. He was a true genius.
"Enough with the 'Sensei' nonsense," Garcia grumbled, heading towards the door. "I'm serious about the exchange. Besides, I came here from Seattle with barely a penny to my name. I'll need your help to make ends meet from now on." He winked. "Just have that sword technique copied and ready for me."
I watched him leave, shaking my head in amusement. Pinewood County might be small, but plenty of wealthy individuals would pay handsomely for a First Realm security specialist. Why was he so fixated on me?
But I had no time to dwell on it.
I closed the door and turned my attention back to the panel.
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 226 Years]
Initially, I had planned to save this lifespan for later, after Rose delivered the promised manual.
But yesterday's encounter had instilled a sense of urgency. I needed a reliable means of self-preservation, and I needed it now.
A wry smile touched my lips. When I had only a year left to live, I had challenged the black-skinned jackalvamp without hesitation. Now, with forty-six years ahead of me and a glimpse of the Wave Realm within reach, the fear of those snake women lingered.
It seemed that even with a second chance at life, the instinct for self-preservation remained strong.
With renewed determination, I poured lifespan into this newly acquired technique.
[In the first year, you grasped the essence of tempering your body with celestial essence. Unlike the Astral Fortification, this method didn't treat the body as a mere vessel, but as a weapon to be forged, refining flesh and blood into an instrument of divine power.]
[In the second year, your twelve brimming chambers provided a continuous flow of essence, making this meticulous refinement effortless. Years of patient tempering would lead to a natural transformation.]
[In the seventh year, you became an apprentice of Body of the Golden Sun.]
[In the fifteenth year, you became a journeyman.]
[In the twenty-ninth year, you reached master level.]
[In the forty-second year, you attained perfection, your physical form ascending to a new plane of existence.]
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 184 years]
A nagging doubt lingered in my mind: was I squandering too much lifespan on these deductions? The seamless progression displayed on the panel felt almost... unearned.
Through many deductions, I had noticed a pattern. Tasks requiring patience and meticulous effort consumed minimal lifespan, while those demanding profound understanding or leaps of intuition seemed to have no upper limit.
Garcia's theory had been proven correct, but I still couldn't gauge the true extent of its power.
My gaze fell upon the saber on the table. I rolled up my sleeves, drawing the blade and lightly slashing my forearm.
Nothing.
I gradually increased the force, watching in astonishment as the blade bounced off my skin again and again, leaving not even a scratch.
Finally, I infused the blade with the Blood Evil aura, channeling my full power into a single strike.
A shimmering barrier materialized on my arm, dispelling the crimson mist.
Clang!
The blade shattered, its fragments scattering across the floor.
I stared at the broken weapon in disbelief. It had survived countless battles against vamps, only to break against my own flesh.
Was this the true power of the Body of the Golden Sun? The foundation upon which security schools could built their reputation?
I bent down, gathering the shards of the blade. It wasn't a cheap weapon, but I could always blame the damage on yesterday's encounter with the tigervamp and request a replacement.