Bab 45: 45 Making it to the city
After they got done with dinner Tom went over to Ryan and said. "We can leave to the city in a few days once I am healed, if you don't mind.
"I don't mind." Ryan said in a nonchalant tone.
"We don't have much room, so all I can offer is the couch to sleep on. Just ask Brian or Elizabeth if you have any other questions. I will be in my room recovering from my injuries in the mean time." Tom said before walking up the stairs.
Ryan sat on the couch thinking what he should do next, there still alot of time before its time to go to sleep.
(Should I go outside to train a bit, I haven't spent my time actually training for a while. I been focusing on running every day.)
Ryan look for Brian to ask a few questions, to see if it okay to train out side. Seeing Brian about to walk out the door Ryan followed him to catch up.
"Hey, would it be fine for me to train outside, like is there something I should worry about."
Brian was turning around as he heard Ryan words. "Yeah it's mostly safe to train but just like today keep a look out for beasts. It don't happen often but it is possible for them to wonder over."
"Thanks"
Just as Ryan was about to walk away Brian stopped him to ask him a question.
"Are you really just a rank 1?"
"yeah I am, why don't you believe me?" Ryan asked in a confused tone.
"Its just, I'm a rank to and I can only run if I see a rank 3 beast. I wouldn't be able to even harm it, I tried before. Brian clench his fist just thinking about it.
"What makes you so much stronger than me? Is it because you learned some high level martial skills? I know I shouldn't be asking questions like these but I need to get stronger." Brian said looking at Ryan for answers.
Ryan look at Brian and can see himself in him. "You know this is ironic to me, im actually not that strong. I am not talented, I was one of the weakest people in my academy. I was even told, even if the most talented person left the city, they are only average compared to the people in other cities."
"So your question why am I so strong is hard to give a good answer. I haven't learned not even one martial skill, I can't perform spells, and I am below average at martial arts. The only thing I may be good at, is using my head and finding ways to win with what I have." Ryan said in a helpless tone.
"Than how could you kill a rank 3 beast, if you are not strong. Brian asked skeptically
" I will tell you how, what is your element?"
Brian hesitated a little but still answered. "I have earth and fire element, its a mutated core"
"What can your aura do?"
"Heat things up and feel the vibration in the ground."
"Humm. Depending on how fast and much you can heat things up at, you might be able to trap a rank3 beast. Do you know any spells?"
"My dad taught me earth spikes spell, but its not strong enough to peirce the beast skin."
"Can you preform earth spike for me."
"Yeah."
"Earth spikes." Brian cast the spell and Ryan studied how it had interacted with the ground.
Seeing that all it does is compress the dirt to hardened it and send a few spikes up from the ground. The reason why his dad spikes spells is more effective, he can compress the ground more.
"Okay I got an idea make the ground under as hot as you can and don't burn your feet. After that use earth spikes on the hot ground and it should be stronger than your normal spikes spell." Ryan told Brian.
Brian did what Ryan ask, not understanding how it will make a difference. It probably will just be hot spikes but it shouldn't change much.
As Brian got it as hot as he could make it the ground was smoking around him than he used the spell. To Brian surprise the spikes look slightly different. He touch the top and realized it was sharper and harder.
"How, how did the spell become stronger?" Brian ask Ryan with visible shock and confusion in his eyes.
"Hahaa, to be honest I had no idea what will happen. I just heard somewhere when you apply heat and pressure to rocks the can change and become different. Lucky for you it became different in a good way." Ryan said with a slight chuckle.
Where Ryan heard it from was his dreams. Over the months of having the strange dreams every day, he did learn a few things.
"Well i don't know if it have the ability to kill a rank 3 beast but my point in doing this have a different purpose. I was just showing you how i manage to kill a rank 3 beast, by thinking of different ways to use the things I have. My mom always told me knowledge is power and I think this is what she meant. The more I know, more options I will have to solve a problem."
"Thanks, so I should think more. Is that what you are telling me? Brian ask.
"Yeah, I think that what im telling you. I never really gave anyone advice, haha. I kinda just told you what my mom told me and showed you example of what I thought she meant by it." Ryan said slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, still thanks." Brian said chuckling.
"I will go and train now, byee." Ryan said as he walked farther away.
Brian stood there for a while with thoughts going through his head. Than he walked off too in a different direction. Unknown to the both of them the dad and sister was listening to everything. They was right in front of the house talking.
A few days went past pretty fast and Tom was ready to go to the city. Over the few days nothing interesting happened. Ryan trained like he used to when he by his self and only interact with the family during dinner.
Brian didn't have to many conversations with Ryan it was always simple and quick topics.
Elizabeth never took any initiative to talk to Ryan only responded back if he say something to her.
Tom made a few jokes about things every now again but spent most the day cultivating in his room.
"Did everyone put everything they need in the storage ring." Tom asked his kids.
"Yeah." They both replied.
"It will take a weak to get there on foot so let start walking." Tom said as he walked off.
The 3 kids follow behind as Tom led the way.
(I could get there in half the time, I wonder if it will be okay to suggest to run there. But what if they ask why, I can't just say walking is slow, or can i, humm.)
"Hey Ryan what is your plan for finding your way home, are you just going to buy a map?" Brian ask Ryan interrupting his thoughts.
"Actually, i never really thought that hard about it. I kinda just always had it in my mind, the best chance to find a way home is to make it to the city. I don't think a map will help, if im being honest. I guess I could try showing people my map and see if they know anything."
"Oh, can I see." Brain ask.
"Sure." Ryan pulled out the map and gave it to him.
"What city are you from?"
"This right there, Garfield" Ryan pointed at a spot on the map.
Brian injected mana into the map and saw the dot at the very edge. "Could you just keep walking south and make it back on the map?
"I honestly don't know, I thought the same thing. I probably would of tried first but I didn't know which direction was south. Plus I don't know if that how maps work, what if it just pop up at a random corner of the map once you are off the map. It may have nothing to do with the direction you are currently in."
"Yeah you right." Brian replied back while handing the map to Ryan.
"Why are yall going to the city if yall got a home out here?" Ryan asked.
"We are going to the academy, you can only get so strong without the academy." Brian said.
"Both?"
"Yeah. Don't let her young innocent face full you, she pretty strong." Brian said with some pride in his voice.
A week later, they was looking at the city walls from the distance. During the journey it was uneventful and the had little conversation every now and again.
Ryan and Brian gotten a little closer while Elizabeth was silent most of the way. Ryan never asked why she so quiet, he simply never cared.
There was many people leaving and coming at the gate. There was a short line too.
"Why is there a line at the gate." Ryan ask.
"To pay, It cost a rank 3 beast core per person to come in but not everyone have to pay. If you live in the city you don't have to pay technically but you have to pay taxes. If you are apart of certain factions you won't have to pay." Tom answered Ryan question.
"Oh, and don't worry I will pay the beasts cores."
"Okay, thanks. What if people don't have the beast cores, not everyone can kill a rank 3 beast."
"You simply can't come in but most people would be capable of killing a rank 3 beasts. It is not often for a rank 2 to be traveling around solo, they won't even want to leave the city by themselves."
They eventually made it to the city gates and paid the cores to get in.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone