Chapter 181 - Climbing Stages

Mari said goodbye to her friends again, following Kyle back to what seemed like an operational center, large arctech radio with funky dishes aimed in all directions. She trailed behind his suit as he did not explain anything, even as they walked past charts and maps of the surrounding region, human and goblin clerks alike marking points and relaying information from the various squads.

“Squad Cobra Nine has sightings of Violet Demon activity on the border of Kregol: Coordinates 1.42123, 58.2391, requesting ordnance resupply and reinforcements.”

“Emergency medical teams and backup squads sent to conflict zone in Etriam to support ongoing Raven conflict. Reports of Bolsh Legion supplying local terrorists.”

Mari could not make sense of the various messages, but was aware that Kyle’s power and control was far higher than she had half expected, unable to comprehend just how much he wielded.

They soon reached back to an office dedicated just for him, one with a glass view of the ravine city in all its splendor, stretching out far into the horizon where the other mountains reigned in the distance.

“Mari, was it?” Kyle began, leaning against the front of the polished wood table, resting his hands on its curved edges and crossing his legs, looking at the slightly intimidated Mari who nodded in response, her eyes already darting around the room and picking out details of the furnishings as much as possible.

However, unlike the shops and restaurants that she had seen in the city, the office was remarkably barebones, as though the owner had eschewed every form of distraction or wasteful opulence in the vicinity, a sense of functionality over form.

“Here’s the truth – I want you to work for me,” Kyle stated clearly, not beating about the bush. “You will be compensated properly, and your friends shall be well taken care of.”

Mari could read the hidden intention: she did not really have a choice. If she rejected, her friends would be either exiled or killed. The images of their happy faces were still fresh in her mind, influencing her choice greatly. “Why me? Why not Gideon?”

“Do not play dumb – you are clearly aware of your ability to manipulate arcia energy, something none of your friends have.” Kyle sighed. “You already know why I want to work for me.”

“So I can kill people, just like how you had me kill the mercenary leader?”

“I had no control in that scenario: all I did was put him in front of you. Did you not want revenge? And it served as an important first lesson for you as well, one you should keep close to your heart.”

“If I did, I wouldn’t trust you.”

Kyle smiled. “Correct. Do not even trust me. Always be prepared to go alone, to survive alone and to fight alone. But if you can’t trust a human, there is always something you can trust.”

Mari was a bit confused, before a gush of air suddenly slapped her in the face, Kyle’s fist stopping again in front of her face. This time she hardly saw it move, the action occurring in the blink of an eye.

“Trust in strength. In power.” Kyle retracted his fist, returning to his original position slowly. “It is the only way you can get people to truly respect you and to not take you lightly.”

Mari inhaled sharply, catching her breath. “So what do you want me to do?”

“I need you to train with me.”

“What?” Mari was completely flabbergasted at this point. “I… I don’t even know how to fight!”

“But there’s something you know how to do.” Kyle motioned to her hands that had already channeled energy in response to Kyle’s fist on instinct. “In return, I will teach you how to fight and stand for yourself.”

“Is that why you showed me all of this?”

“I do not want to hide the truth from you – this is a paramilitary organization, operating beyond the law. We may not fight for justice, but we stand right by our people, and only our people.”

Mari could tell that the people in this city was treated extremely well. She hardly saw any homeless or crime occurring, with everyone living in harmony, or at least a level of tolerance and acceptance for one another. It was a far cry from the cutthroat towns that she had visited in Kregol.

“You seem to have something more in mind than just training.”

“Indeed.” Kyle did not deny it. “I intend to have you act as one of my elite force, alongside Sasha. She’s away on work currently, but when she returns she will assist in your training.”

Mari did not reply, weighing her choices. If she accepted, she would be like a bird in a cage, continuously restrained by Kyle, her friends also restricted and trapped. If she rejected, she could die free, but her heart long for more, to see more and experience more of the world. She could not entertain the thought of simply killing herself.

“I accept.” Mari finally declared. I’ll grow strong enough to kill Kyle when he least expects it.

“Good. Welcome to the Seven Snakes. However, you won’t be staying with your friends.”

“What? Why?”

“There is a better place for you.”

Mari would have continued to disagree with Kyle, until she laid eyes on the Goblin King’s Palace, restored to its full majesty over the last few months. The sheer opulence and luxury that she never thought she could ever come close to was all within reach. Sahusa and Orisa were already waiting for her, a row of honor guards and servants gracing the entrance of Kyle and Mari.

“From today, you will live here as a princess. Sahusa and Orisa will take care of your every need.” Kyle explained, leading Mari to her room. The room was far too extravagant, every amentity that she could think of was inside, and even more. Some of the arctech equipment within were new as well to her, representing the technological advancement of Raktor compared to where she used to work.

“Your training begins next week. Take this week to relax and familiarize yourself with the surroundings. Feel free to meet with your friends.” Kyle closed the stone door, leaving Mari to herself in the large room. Mari almost couldn’t stop grinning, whatever thought she had about being trapped in a cage long gone. She ran her hands over the fluffy sheets of the bed, soft yet firm to the touch. With a childish squeal she jumped onto the large bed, enjoying the feel on her skin. If this is the cage: I might just stay here forever!

Outside the palace, Kyle returned back to the Oracle Chambers, knowing that he had successfully hooked Mari. He had used plenty of tricks to persuade Mari: persuasion, blackmail, bribery and intimidation.

He had lied to Mari about having no control of the fight between her and the mercenary leader – if Mari had decided to leave the leader alone, he would have deactivate the restraints to force a fight. Kyle needed to push her over the edge and get her hands bloody, to reduce the acceptance barrier to what he was proposing.

Gideon and the others were also part of the plan, rescued days after to emotionally tie Mari down to this place. It would serve as a better anchor than fear and repression via strength. Carrot and Stick, show them both and they’ll fall in line.

“Orisa, pull up recording of fight with Mari.”

Kyle re-watched the fight with Mari, observing her motions and movements in the fight against the mercenary leader and him. He focused his attention on the readings of arcia energy. Though they were presented as noise in the recording, he could still roughly gauge the flow and motion of arcia energy.

The way that she channels to her hands is amateurish, but something I can yet to fully do myself. Kyle could infuse his punches with arcia-energy, but could not expel it nor bring it to the same level as Mari could.

He planned to let the rest of his members handle the fallout and reconstruction of the battle, content with simply training himself. Kyle’s goal for the next few weeks and months was to increase his Arcia Reinforcement Stage as much as possible.

There was also the looming prospect of the Prophet’s Trial, and he was originally planning on killing the elder when he comes until Guang Hwa explained further what was entailed.

“The Prophet’s Trial is said to be a legacy ruin, one where only the chosen of the Goddess can enter and receive her blessing. Everyone who enters never returns, only the Prophet has. But the Prophet had returned far stronger than anyone else, allowing him to secure the cult and push the religion forward.” Guang Hwa had explained to him before.

It was a tantalizing prospect, one which Kyle entertain. He was not adverse to high risk, as it usually came with high rewards, but the additional point of no one ever returning from the trial worried him greatly.

Obviously, the Prophet’s Trial must be a Galactic Era ruin. Kyle knew that clearly, but still did not feel prepared enough to undergo such a harrowing trial with legends behind it. In either case, I would have to become stronger than I am now currently.

For the time being, he had hit the limits of what he could do with the exosuit, so he would now focus on the manipulation of arcia engravings. He had yet to tattoo his own body as well with an engraving, but he did not trust anyone else to be able to do it without harming him nor killing him.

He had considered Orisa, but she did not have the pre-requisite motor control nor process routine to do such fine medical work. Orisa as an A.I was not omnipotent, only barely possessing the basic features of an specialized A.I.

Kyle sat down in the middle of the chamber, cross-legged. “Record.”

[Confirmed.]

He began to channel his arcia energy, trying to replicate the same movement and reaction that Mari had showcased. Slowly but surely, the arcia energy in his body moved, congregating towards his fist. However, the charge was extremely slow, as though his body served as a limiter to the energy.

Even with an Arcian Physique, the movement of arcia energy in the body is far too slow without an engraving. Kyle knew he could activate skills almost instantaneously with just a thought, though he knew that it was the System in his body that was facilitating this speed. What he was attempting to do now was not part of the System, nor did he know if the System could tell what he was trying to do.

Three hours passed in a mediation stance, as Kyle closed his eyes and focused, trying to ‘feel’ the arcia energy. He could get glimpses and tingles of it, his hand slowly warming up and building up albeit at a much slower rate than Mari. It seems this body was not talented enough, even with a racial modification to an Arcian-Human hybrid.

His mind went through all the known instances of arcia energy wielding: Mari’s pure arcia bolt, the elder’s dimensional leap, Ares’s disembodied arcia hand. Kyle could not see a clear pattern between the manipulation for each of them, as they all aimed to achieve a different target and had arcia shaped in a different unique way.

As he contemplated on it, he began to see glimpses of his dream, memories of his daughter cropping up once again. He could not shake it from his head, his mind stuck on replaying that same scene in the dining room, his heart beginning to ache for an unknown reason.

Is it because of Mari?Kyle wondered, but he soon calmed down, the raging emotions of his body slowly eroding away as he re-focused his mind once more, focusing again on the arcia energy towards his fingertips.

He could feel little drips or small pebbles and grains of sands moving through, albeit in a coarse inefficient manner. All he could was close his eyes and focus, a mental visualization of the flow in his body appearing like a river of sand, sloshing back and forth as the riverbanks failed to control the high waves.

He repeated the back and forth motion, between his chest and his hand, moving the river of sand continuously. With each repeated motion, the riverbanks expanded only ever so slightly, but it made the flow slightly smoother as well.

An unknown amount of time had passed before the river could now flow freely, the sands becoming less viscous. The charge time on his hand had gone from an hour to less than five minutes, with Kyle improving in every loop. It felt like days had passed at this point in time, Kyle having lost track.

Finally, as Kyle hit his thousandth loop, his fingertip began to glow blue, a sign of arcia energy accumulation. With a roar, Kyle’s eyes burst open, his finger aimed right at the ceiling and launching an arcia bolt. The bolt fizzled out immediately almost as it entered the air, unable to withstand its form and dissipating into the ambient air.

However, Kyle was already grinning to himself, knowing that he was on the right track as he stared at the system message that had just popped up.

MG404: [Title Obtained | Arcia Reinforcement – Stage 3| Unique Title Applied from Arcian’s Passive Skill. | +60 STR, +60 DEX, +60 INT, +60 VIT, +60 HP, +60 MP, +60 STA. +60% reduction in arcia activation cost. +60% improvement in duration of arcia skills. +35% affinity with arcia energy.]