Kapitel 16: The Theory of Flux
After his talk with Nine, Thirteen tried to rest a bit, but thoughts of the fight kept circling in his head.
'Throughout the entire battle I lacked control of the situation. My swordplay couldn't match his, my speed couldn't keep up, and when I was disarmed I couldn't even get close enough to strike.'
Sitting up in his bed, Thirteen disregarded the idea of rest.
'What do I need to do better? Where should I focus my attention in the short term?'
'Improving my swordplay is an obvious bet, but I don't know if that's going to be enough to close the gap between us. I've admitted it before, but Eleven has more talent for the sword.
I could ask Melia to teach me how to combat a sword while unarmed, but I learnt the truth of this today. Even though I found I could deflect a sword with my hands, his speed was so quick that doing so was more dangerous than simply dodging.
In order to pull off advanced techniques, I first need to be able to contest him physically.'
At this, Thirteen's eyes turned to the only two books in his side of the room that weren't for him to write in. The Fundamental body Refinement Manual, and the Grand Life Tome.
Standing from his bed, Thirteen winced at the pain of his left leg, but still hobbled his way over to the desk. Collecting the two books, as well as his box of cultivation resources, Thirteen noticed two spirit stones resting on his desk.
"Helper Melia left those when she brought you in earlier" Nine said from his side of the room.
'Right. Sparring rewards.' Thirteen gripped the stones tightly in his hand. 'I'm going to need to earn a lot more of these.' He declared inwardly.
Making his way back to the bed, Thirteen began to once again read through his two books. Since he had taken the time to study the particular words used in the books, he had managed to understand both of them in their entirety, and had a mental road map now of his future cultivation.
'The Grand Life Tome begins with the Enrichment stage. It's like it has added one more step onto the fundamental refinement manual. After I've refined my blood, I will need to cultivate the Grand Life Tome to enrich the blood with lifeforce. The same thing must be done for every fundamental refinement, like the organs, bones, and muscles.
'According to the Life Tome, it won't take as long as the original refinement, and I just need to enrich at least my blood in order to use the techniques of this art.
'The techniques aren't legal in our spars at the moment, but even better, each enrichment will bring with it further enhancements to body and mind.
'Perhaps, if I can complete my blood refinement, and then enrich it with the Grand Life Tome, I will be able to contend with Eleven's speed. After all, while techniques aren't allowed in a duel, you can't stop innate enhancements, and a qi art like the Cloud Soaring Sword surely can't compete with body art in this aspect.'
Opening the box of resources, Thirteen placed one of the spirit stones he earned today inside the pouch, and noticed his final Fundamental Refinement Pill within its glass bottle.
'I don't have classes tomorrow. I'll use it then' He promised himself while closing the box.
The rest of the day passed quite peacefully as both Thirteen and Nine stayed inside cultivating their respective fundamental methods. Thirteen felt he was making good progress on his blood refinement, but one day was not enough to achieve anything.
The next day was one of their two free days. Nine cultivated for a while in the morning before leaving for the dojo. Thirteen on the other hand, decided to dedicate today to cultivation. Having consumed a Fundamental Refinement Pill, Thirteen began to absorb the ki of as many spirit stones as he safely could in a day.
By mid afternoon, Thirteen felt he could cultivate no more even with the consumption of his final refinement pill, and so opened his eyes. Washing himself and getting changed, Thirteen began to walk towards the dojo. His leg was still somewhat sore and he knew it was healing, so he had no intent to train, but he simply did not like being alone in the room with nothing to do.
After walking for a while, Thirteen decided to take a detour towards the library. 'Its a bit embarrassing to admit, but I've not stepped into this place even once.'
Opening the large double doors, Thirteen was amazed by the view before him. He had grown used to the exaggerated proportions of the estate, and the expensive food they ate every day, but now, he found himself slack-jawed again, as if he had returned to his first day here.
'So many books…' There were rows upon rows of them. There was even a balcony and second level. 'What could you possibly store in this many books?' Thirteen thought to himself.
Walking into the room, there was a counter with no one behind it. Thirteen did spot a bell, likely for calling out whoever manned the counter, but he decided not to ring it.
'I'm not really sure what I came here for, but I can't just do nothing for the day.' Thirteen realized how strange the idea had become. He had been working to the bone every day for about three months and now that he had a real excuse to do nothing, he found the thought irritating.
Walking up and down the many isles, Thirteen found books on more topics than he knew existed. From geography and history, to encyclopedias and biographies. After searching for a while, Thirteen found himself in front of a great deal of 'sciency' books as he labeled them in his mind.
'The Theory of Flux, and Our Changing World' Thirteen read out.
Taking that book from the shelf, Thirteen flipped through a few pages. He had been required to read books for literary class, but they were simpler, easier to read pieces. Grabbing one of many dictionaries, Thirteen took the two books back to the counter.
There was still no one there, but Thirteen noticed a logbook on the table, where he was supposed to list his withdrawal of the books.
Taking the quill in hand, Thirteen inked it and gave all his focus to writing his name and the book title as neatly as possible.
Giving a small smile and a nod, Thirteen cleaned the quill and placed it back where it belonged before leaving the library and making his way to the dojo.
When he got close to the dojo, Thirteen could hear a racket from within.
Opening the doors, he was greeted with a very large hall he had seen a few times on occasion, and two groups of people. Those sitting on the floor, either meditating or watching others, and those who actively cultivated their arts in the open areas.
Among them, Thirteen spotted Nine who was trying to dodge occasional strikes from his Helper with his eyes closed.
"Thirteen!" He heard a voice call. Looking over, Thirteen saw Ten sitting nearby the practicing Nine.
Taking a seat by her he asked "What is Nine doing?"
"You don't know? He's trying to begin the cultivation of his Heavens Eye art. He's been rotating between this and sword sparring."
"I see. And you?"
"Oh, I'm just taking a break. My helpers over there" She pointed to a slim man in his late 40's who spectated the children practicing. "And you?" She asked.
Holding up the two books, Thirteen replied "Just trying to keep busy."
Soon thereafter, Tens Helper came and took her away to continue her practice, and Thirteen got comfortable with a dictionary to his left, and the book on Flux open in his lap.
Time passed slowly as Thirteen read the book, occasionally looking up to watch everyone's practice. He noted that in practicing with his eyes closed, Nine was getting somewhat pummeled by the occasional strikes of his helper. Meanwhile Ten was practicing a set of movements he'd not seen before. It was a series of rapid palm strikes, with a very occasional kick.
He noticed too, Forty-five cultivating on her own a small distance away with a shot and thin sword in hand. While he got along with Forty-five, Thirteen never really became close friends with her. Sure, he considered her a friend, but at times he also thought of her as "Ten's friend".
Focusing back on the book, Thirteen read on.
'With the proliferation of the nigh undetectable 'Flux' throughout our world, mutations are becoming increasingly frequent. In just two hundred years, the world has been populated with monsters whom the steel swords of old are defenseless against, and our forests have become so called "places of spirituality", housing all manner of bizarre phenomena.
'My question is this. What about we humans? Sure, those affected by the Flux have become metahumans, each capable of greater feats than an ordinary man, but what else? We are able to cultivate, but is that a change in the human state? No, it is merely the birth of worldly qi that allows us to cultivate.
'Then why is the change to the human condition so minimal? Why does a common dog mutate into some titanic monster capable of trampling a bear, while we humans only gain a marginal increase to our capabilities?
'One discovery points to different animal species possessing varying levels of potential, and thus being affected differently by the Flux.
'For example, while we have observed rabbits undergoing complete mutation into spiritual creatures of various levels of strength in just a day, so too, have we witnessed snakes undergoing a year long mutation to become dreaded creatures far superior to the evolved rabbits.
'Even more interestingly, of the snakes we found exposed to Flux, only two completed their mutation, while the others remained in a half-done state. Greater than an ordinary snake, but returning to a stagnant state lacking further potential to evolve.
'Now, if knowing that, we return our attention to the 'metahumans', an idea can begin to form.
'One more piece of information I would provide, is that with each year that passes since the origin of Flux, greater and greater beings are emerging. 180 years ago, those horrid serpents could never have been born.
'So I ask you this... Are metahumans truly the pinnacle of our potential? Or are we simply waiting until the world to allow us our time.'
—
Thirteen was shocked. If what they wrote about was true, then there were all sorts of possibilities ahead of humanity.
He hadn't finished the book, but turning back to the front page, Thirteen cleared up a doubt he had. 'The writer had said the world changed 200 years ago but… As I thought, this book is a century old!'
Geschenke
-- Geschenk
erhalten Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein