Chapter 84
The vendor rubbed his temples, still trying to clear his groggy mind. "We must’ve heard wrongly," he muttered, shaking his head slowly as if trying to dislodge the fog in his thoughts.
“Most likely we did,” Auserre added, her voice laced with hesitation. "What are the chances of us meeting four God Sparks, especially ones in the recruit class with no masters?” Her words, though calm, were tinged with disbelief as she recalled the scene. It was almost too impossible to believe.
Silvie, hearing the term used again, tilted her head with genuine confusion. “God Sparks? What is that?” she asked, her tone innocently curious, as if the term meant nothing to her. Silvie’s face was genuinely puzzled, her wide eyes portraying that she had no clue what was going on. If someone didn’t know better, they would think she was simply asking a genuine question.
Kei M, who had been silently observing, couldn’t help but add, “Must be something really shocking for you two to faint like that.” His voice was soft, his genuine curiosity shining through.
Auserre, still rubbing her head, looked between them, confused by the reactions of the kids.
"Wait, you’re not...?” Auserre asked, her voice trailing off, half in disbelief and half in realization. “You’re not God Sparks?”
At her words, Silvie shook her head quickly. “No! No, of course not! We don’t know what that is,” she said earnestly, trying to calm Auserre's growing concern. “We just... we’re just us.”
Kei M nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’ve heard of them, but we're not...” His voice softened, and he glanced over at Silvie, trying to make it clear that they had no intention of revealing more than necessary. “We don’t even know what that really means.”
The vendors exchanged a glance, their confusion deepening as they tried to process everything. The kids were acting as though they truly didn’t understand what Auserre, and the others were saying about "God Sparks."
Auserre, however, seemed to relax a bit. “Hmm, I’m still not convinced,” she said, leaning back. “But if you really don’t know, I guess that makes things... interesting.”
The vendor let out a nervous laugh, trying to brush off the awkwardness. "It makes more sense that we misheard the little girl," he said, shaking his head. "I guess their revelation of their force progression made us a bit too hopeful about their talents."
Auserre glanced around the room, her gaze settling on the empty space where Mia had been. "Speaking of," she said. "Where is that little girl?"
Kei Y, caught off guard, quickly tried to cover for Mia’s absence. "Uh… she went and took a nap," he said, nodding as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Yeah, you know, little kids nap a lot." He blinked innocently, hoping the excuse would hold.
Auserre, however, was not so easily fooled. Without warning, her presence flooded the room, an almost tangible force that seemed to make the air around her heavier. It wasn’t a threatening pressure, but it was clear that she could sense far more than the average person. And just like that, she pinpointed Mia’s location. Her eyes narrowed, and without a word, she vanished to collect the girl.
It didn’t take long before she found Mia, tied up with cloth stuffed in her mouth, looking as if she had been trying to make herself scarce. Auserre’s gaze was steady, though her expression was less amused now. She stood over Mia, waiting for an explanation.
"Care to explain?" Auserre asked flatly.
Inpu, who had been trying to look inconspicuous, sighed in resignation and stepped forward. "Uh… that’s how she likes to sleep?" he offered sheepishly.
Auserre didn’t look convinced. She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, and Mia, still tied up and with the cloth stuffed in her mouth, shook her head furiously, as if realizing the mistake she’d made. Her eyes widened in panic, and she quickly turned her head, trying to make a silent escape from the situation she had inadvertently caused.
Auserre, with a dry smile, looked at the girl before speaking again. "Nice try, kid," she said, as she untied Mia and pulled the cloth out of her mouth. "You really should try a better excuse next time."
Mia, now free, looked up at Auserre with wide eyes, her guilt apparent. "I-I’m sorry," Mia stammered.
Auserre sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’d manage to get my hands on four God Sparks, all so young. I must’ve used all the fortune from my past lives and all my future lives to be this lucky.” She chuckled darkly. “Ugh, the rest of my life’s gonna be terrible.”
The words hung in the air, and for a brief moment, the tension in the room felt more pronounced than ever.
"You're stuck with us now," Kei Y said with a wry laugh, as if to lighten the mood. "I guess that means we get to be your students after all."
The vendor, still reeling from the shock of everything that had happened, let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, seems like it'll be a lot of work on your hands, let me help you and take one of them off you, huh?" He said, trying to inject some levity into the situation.
Auserre didn’t laugh. Without warning, she spun around and drove a cleaver into the vendor’s forehead, his eyes widening. Blood spurted from the wound, he staggered back, his hands clutching his head as he fell to the ground.
The kids watched in stunned silence; their eyes wide.
She addressed the kids. "Now, as for you," she began, her voice sharpening, "First thing’s first. I don’t know much about God Sparks, but the potential you hold is unmatched. You kids are destined for the top—if you live long enough to get there."
“What do you guys know about yourselves?” Auserre asked, her eyes scanning each of them.
“Basically what you just said,” Kei Y replied, his tone light. “I haven’t really gotten a manual on how to do this.”
Auserre chuckled, her amusement evident. “That’s a start, I suppose. What about your sparks? I’ve read about them being companions to accompany you along your cultivation journey. Have you learned anything about them?”
At Auserre's question, Silvie stepped forward. She reached up and gently adjusted her scarf, her fingers brushing the fabric as she spoke. “My spark is my scarf.” With a subtle flick of her wrist, the scarf began to unravel, splitting into ten thin strands. Each strand wrapped itself around one of her fingers like living tendrils, moving with a life of their own.
"It’s ability is to control bodies, sort of like puppetry," Silvie explained, her voice steady as she demonstrated. The strands of the scarf twitched and twirled, as though responding to her unspoken command. "And in its dormant state, it can act as a weapon." She allowed the strands to retract and weave back into the scarf, the display coming to an end.
Auserre blinked, clearly impressed by the visual spectacle. “That’s... quite impressive. A versatile weapon and control over others. A good start for sure."
To follow, Kei M stepped forward, his expression calm but purposeful. "My Spark is a skill called Resonant Shield," he said, summoning a clear, shimmering pane that appeared in front of him. The pane looked no different from a sheet of glass, though its presence felt like something more substantial.
"Basically, it's really bouncy," he continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "It resonates with what it contacts and shoots it out with greater force. I can summon a few panes at a time for strategic purposes, using them as a means of control." Kei M tapped the pane gently, and it vibrated slightly before springing back with a force that left an audible sound in the air. "The scope of what it can reflect right now is at Specialist Class level attacks," he explained, his voice steady.
Auserre impressed by the demonstration. "That’s... quite a useful Spark," she mused, her interest piqued. "Deflecting attacks and using them strategically? Good control and versatility."
Kei M gave a small nod. "It’s a work in progress, but I’ve been refining it. It’s useful when I’m in combat."
Auserre’s gaze shifted back to the group. Her eyes glinted with anticipation as she looked at Mia and Kei Y, waiting for them to reveal their own sparks. Both Mia and Kei Y exchanged a glance before turning their attention back to Auserre.
With a shrug and a slightly awkward smile, Kei Y spoke first. "We got nothing."
Mia nodded earnestly beside him, her face innocent and unbothered. "Yep, nothing at all."
Auserre blinked, surprised by their response. "Wait, what?" she asked, clearly not expecting such an answer from the two of them. "Nothing? No sparks? Are you sure?"
Kei Y shrugged. "Well, we haven’t figured it out yet. But we’ll get there eventually."
“Well, it’s time to get to work and see what you can do. Follow me,” Auserre said, turning to lead the group to a more private area in her home.
Inpu hesitated for a moment, looking back towards the vendor who had taken the cleaver strike. “What about him? Will he be okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
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Auserre waved a hand dismissively. “He’ll be alright. The bastard can survive being decapitated. That should be nothing.” She kept moving, clearly uninterested in dwelling on the vendor’s well-being, and continued leading the kids toward their destination.
They arrived at a spacious area, much larger than expected. It looked like a training ground of sorts, with weaponry neatly tacked against the walls. But as Kei Y and Silvie looked around, they saw something that was entirely unexpected in a place like this.
“Are those Koi fish?” Silvie asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
Auserre glanced over her shoulder and smiled proudly. “Oh, those? Those are my pets. Really pretty, huh?” She gestured to the fish, which were swimming gracefully in a large, shallow pond near the center of the room. “That vendor guy brought them over when he was in another kingdom. He thought they’d help me with my force progression.”
Auserre’s body shifted as water gathered around her. In a dazzling display, she performed an elegant movement with her hands, and the water seemed to dance with her, forming shapes of Koi fish that reflected her control over it. With a flick of her wrist, the water flowed seamlessly, a testament to her skills and precise aether control.
“Wow,” Inpu whispered in awe, his wide eyes taking in the spectacle. The others stood still for a moment, clearly impressed.
Mia, however, was more focused on the Koi fish. Without waiting, she darted forward, her small feet splashing as she rushed into the shallow pond. “Pretty,” she mumbled, delighted by the colorful fish as she tried to gently catch one, her hands moving in clumsy excitement.
Auserre chuckled, her eyes tracking Mia’s movements, but she quickly turned her attention back to the group. “Alright, enough about my pets. We’ve got work to do.” She turned. “So that I have a better idea of your abilities, all of you come at me. And to make it more fair, I’ll keep my strength to beginner Specialist Class level. This way, I can see the true extent of your Resonant Shield Spark.”
Auserre released a small fraction of her presence into the air, enough for the group to feel a glimpse of her immense power. It was only a taste, but even that was enough to send a ripple through them. The weight of her presence made the room feel slightly heavier, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Just enough to test their resolve.
“Don’t hold back,” she said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of challenge. “Let’s see what you’re capable of.”
Kei Y, Silvie, Kei M, and Inpu exchanged quick glances. They were ready.
In that same moment, the group charged at Auserre, each with their own approach to the challenge. Kei Y shot forward, his movements a blur, only for him to be thrown back five times faster than he had charged, crashing into the ground with a thud. The force of the impact left him momentarily stunned, his eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to regain his bearings.
Back at the clearing where Kei’s creatures were training, the scene was just as intense. Zeph, with his casual yet deadly grace, knocked Kai’s spare spear out of his hands in one swift, fluid movement. Before Kai could even react, Zeph kicked him away, sending the young man sprawling across the dirt. At the same time, Zeph’s tail lashed out and swept through Talia’s illusions, the force of the blow slamming into her real body. She was sent flying, crashing against the ground with a loud grunt.
Jenny, kneeling and panting heavily, wiped the sweat off her brow, glaring at Zeph. She stood back up, ready to engage him once more, though the monkey’s taunting grin only seemed to fuel her determination. Despite the fact that Zeph was unimpressed with her attempts to absorb his kinetic force, Jenny refused to back down.
Meanwhile, Wooloo, in midair, deftly pulled Owen up from the earth, severing his connection with the ground. Before Owen could react, he was rammed into a tree by Wooloo’s marble-white horns, the impact shaking the tree as Owen struggled to regain his footing.
Lisa was darting around anxiously, her movements a blur as she dodged the flying needles aimed at her. With each needle that pierced the air behind her, it struck with precision, cleanly puncturing whatever lay in its path. As Hachi charged forward, trying to close the distance between them, an aether projection of his claws swiped toward Lisa. In response, she made quick sound bursts under her feet, using the force to propel herself awkwardly out of range of Hachi’s attack.
“Does Kei really spar against all these creatures on his own?” Jenny asked, baffled by the sheer intensity of the fight. She, along with the others, were struggling to even stand their ground against Kei’s creatures.
Talia, clutching her side in pain, winced as she spoke. “Yeah, he is something else. While Zeph beats us up, he trains with Hachi and Wooloo. When he’s not training with them, he’s training with Zeph here. And when he’s not doing that, he’s doing physical exercises. And when he’s not doing that, he’s working on his crafting. Never really seen him take much of a break.”
Jenny nodded, taking a deep breath as she prepared to face Zeph again. “So, he just keeps going... nonstop?”
Talia grabbed her daggers, readying herself to face Zeph once more. “Yep. That only means we can only improve. We can’t afford to be left behind as his test subjects.” She grinned, though the exhaustion was clear in her voice. “He pushes us to our limits, but that’s how we get better.”
The intensity of their training was palpable, but it was clear that Kei’s relentless drive was shaping them into something more.
Huffing rather harshly, Lisa stared ahead at Hachi, who seemed to be playfully bouncing up and down, clearly pleased with its own performance. It sent out a proud bark toward her as if to say, “I’m really strong!” with a wide grin and its tongue hanging out in a mix of joy and satisfaction.
Lisa couldn’t help but laugh at its goofiness. “Heh, yes you are, puppy,” she said, shaking her head. “Sounds like I need to step it up a bit.”
She pulled out the weapon Kei had crafted for her, resembling a carving tool, and slashed forward, sending a concentrated wave of sound force toward Hachi. With a swift flick of its tail, Hachi deflected the wave with an aether projection, the wave dissipating into the air as if it had been nothing.
Closing the distance between herself and Hachi, Lisa circulated her aether control skill into her arms and legs. With a powerful kick, she aimed at Hachi, her limbs moving with precision. Hachi, unphased, met her attack head-on, the force of the collision sending the two of them flying apart in opposite directions.
The battle between them grew more intense as they continued their back-and-forth exchange. Lisa’s sound force picked up the vibrations of the surroundings—the rhythmic clashes between Wooloo and Owen, Zeph’s continuous taunting as he toyed with the others, and the sounds of footsteps, grunts, and the rhythmic pulsing of aether.
She focused on those sounds, listening intently to the fight around her. The vibrations of her surroundings—of their muscles, ligaments, joints—everything that made each movement. The timing of their breathing, the subtle shifts in their body weight, the movements they made instinctively or with intent. Lisa soaked it all in, amplifying her connection to the world around her.
As she listened more intently, Hachi began to notice something rather odd the more he fought Lisa. Her combat had been slowly shifting, becoming different from what she first started with, but it was gradually resembling something he had been used to. The more they fought, the more he found himself able to predict and counter her attacks, not through instinct, but through muscle memory. It was as if he had fought against these exact moves hundreds of times before, as though the familiarity of her style had been embedded in his training.
If Kei had been there watching, he would have felt the same way. He, too, had fought against those moves repeatedly. The rhythm, the timing—Kei would recognize them immediately. Lisa’s style was slowly aligning with the very attacks he had learned to anticipate and counter. It was like déjà vu in a fight.
Kai, still groggy from being thrown to the side by Zeph’s powerful Zephyr Wind punch, slowly pulled himself up. He stumbled slightly and looked around, his gaze landing on the ongoing fight between Lisa and Hachi. He tilted his head in confusion, particularly as he watched Lisa’s movements.
"Huh?" Kai muttered to himself, watching her attacks carefully. His eyes darted back to Zeph, who was fighting against Jenny and Talia.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something familiar about Lisa’s fighting style. His gaze kept shifting between the two fights, trying to piece together what was bothering him. Then, with a sudden crash, Owen landed next to him, soaking wet, his injuries clear from the force of Wooloo’s Ebb & Flow abilities.
"Hey, Owen!" Kai called, momentarily ignoring the obvious pain Owen was in. "Does her fighting look familiar to you?"
Owen, clearly trying to power through the pain, squinted as he turned his attention toward Lisa. As his eyes tracked her movements, he paused for a moment before glancing at Zeph, and then back at Lisa again.
"Huh?" Owen said, now more focused. He studied her kicks and punches, comparing them to Zeph's movements, and suddenly it hit him. "She’s fighting like Zeph."
His words were loud enough to carry across the battlefield, catching the attention of Talia, Zeph, and Jenny, all of whom immediately turned to look at Lisa. Zeph himself raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by the observation.
"She’s really fighting like Zeph," Talia said, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Meanwhile, Hachi, midair, dodged a sweeping kick from Lisa. As he flew upward, he found Lisa’s other leg already coming toward him, snaking around and kicking him mid-air, sending him upward once more.
Lisa, her breathing slightly heavier but filled with pride, looked at her status screen as she stood tall, a small grin on her face.
[Lisa Moriyama (soon to be Yuichi)]
[Aether Quality: Pristine]
[Unique ability: Mimicry]
Lisa’s unique ability, Mimicry, had allowed her to replicate hints of Zeph’s combat style. As she fought, she attuned herself to the sound of his movements—his body shifting, his muscles tensing—and her mirror neurons reacted, slowly adjusting her own movements to echo his. The more she focused, the more her body adjusted to mimic Zeph's style, picking up on subtle nuances in his techniques without even realizing it. The changes were slight, but noticeable enough to impress those around her, as her combat became a fluid blend of her own style and Zeph’s.
These unique abilities were often the reason why those born with pristine aether—impossibly rare through all iterations of existence—stood at the very top, looking down on others. God Sparks, specifically those with pristine aether, were the only real challenge for them. The quality of their aether wasn’t something to take lightly; it was far beyond even the purest aether found in the most revered and cultivated lands of existence—Origin Aether.
Origin Aether might be considered pure white, the embodiment of all creation’s beginnings, but pristine aether was even whiter—whiter than the whitest marble, almost too pure for the world to comprehend. It was the kind of purity that went beyond anything nature could produce, the kind that couldn’t be tainted, a canvas of such brilliance that even the brightest light couldn’t dim it.
This purity allowed the existence around them to form new and stronger creations. These unique abilities, born from this incredible aether, operated outside the rules of existence itself, existing by their own laws. And they allowed for feats that no one else could replicate—such as using sound to align your mirror neurons with another person’s movements, or, let’s say, using your blood as a medium to form connections, letting you access the force alignments of those who ingest it.
These were the strange but powerful gifts given to those who carried pristine aether within them.
Speaking of, Kei Y had finally regained his footing after being thrown across the arena. Silvie, Kei M, and Inpu were already preparing to confront Auserre, who stood confidently, waiting for the next move. But then something strange happened.
Auserre suddenly found herself being pulled toward Kei Y, the sensation growing stronger with every moment. She could feel an invisible force tugging at her, dragging her closer to him. Her eyes locked on Kei Y, who had his arm outstretched toward her, his fingers curled into the shape of sheep horns.
“You know, that really hurt,” Kei Y grinned mischievously, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
Confusion, mingled with curiosity, clouded Auserre's features. What was this pulling force she was experiencing? It was strong—strong enough to pull her off her feet, despite her composure. She narrowed her eyes at Kei Y, intrigued by the unexpected turn of events. “Then do something about it, brat,” she challenged, clearly eager to see what Kei Y would do next.