Chương 34: ONE SIMPLE REASON..

*Shing*, A low sharp sound comes out as he re-sheath's the daggers blade.

With the help of a particular part if the dagger's sheath, Navi attached the daggers each to the side of his boots as he pulls out a filled up grey hiker's bag from the cabinet.

This bag already contains all he thinks he would need for his journey and more and so he swings the bag over his back and neatly buckles it in place.

Finally he goes ahead to wear his orange teardrop gem necklace but he hides its pendant behind his vest for protection. Patting the area where the pendant is hidden, he finally goes for his exit.

He swings the door open and for a minute, he stares at his distant mother's grave which had her favourite roses planted around its sphere. Naturally, emotions comes up but he soon removes his gaze as he forcefully stares at the distant horizon.

The sun is still rising over nature's green sea(The endless forest) and the mountain tall border walls were standing as strong and proud as ever.

With his face calm, he suddenly remembers his naive thoughts from five years ago. On his seventh birthday, he thought he would be free the moment he's finally allowed to wonder out of the guesthouse quarters.

How ignorant he was!. Now that he knows the truth about the place he is living in he has never felt more restrained. They are nothing but a bunch innocent criminals in an impenetrable prison made by both man and nature.

Navïælét -Vęr- Firųs..

Born to be free..

How ironic!, the very interpretation of his name is the exact opposite of his situation. He cannot bear live and die being the exact opposite of what his mother wants him to be!..

His mother had told him to set his own goals, a goal beyond even his own imagination and that he should boldly towards it so that even if he fails, he would see how far he comes.

She told him to live without fearing death and when he finally meets the end like all people do, death itself would be proud to take his soul!.

Although he hasn't found his dream, he is still going to walk towards the first step in the coming days.

He is going to work towards escaping the circle of punishment that's called the Outskirts.

With this thought in mind, Navi hikes the small hill downwards as he heads into the upper streets.

...

It's early in the morning, the small stalls were already opened, the streets is just like it has always been. Clean, calm and a little distant to anti-social people like himself.

Calm and bold steps with his hands naturally swinging beside his body, Navi's bearing and visuals attracted quite a bit of attention but he seems not to notice as he walks up to a fast food stall.

"One medium Diene meat Burrito with blood sauce.. and a Nutrient water pack to go.", Navi makes his order calmly to the man running the stall.

The man behind the counter lazily gives a nod as he repeats what Navi just said while packing the meal for him.

"One bald pence and two rumen..", The man requests.

Navi places three bronze shaded coins with one of them bigger and much shinier than the rest on top of the counter as he picks up his breakfast before continuing his journey.

He has barely walked twenty steps away from the counter when the Burrito in his hands disappears into his stomach in mouthfuls. He obviously cannot care less to savour his meal as he eats mostly for survival not thrill.

He tears open the sachet of Nutrient liquid in his hand and quickly uses it's content to wash his meal down.

Throwing the nylon into a nearby container, Breakfast is over for Navi as he keeps on walking.

Roads, cultivators, buildings, people then more roads and people and cultivators. Navi keeps walking forward for over thirty minutes before he nears his wanted destination.

Normally any twelve-year-old kid would be utterly exhausted from such a journey especially with a heavy hikers bag on his back but Navi is different.

Probably because his father(Whoever-he-is) is a cultivator but he's always been beyond the stats of normal for his age.

Another left turn and then, finally. Navi has arrived at his desired destination.

He looks straight ahead at two imposing wooden gates in the distant attached to a row of fence made out rows of undivided logs.

Two guards in full armour were standing at the entrance with spears in their hands and swords strapped behind their backs looking quite intimidating in their armours.

One of the Knights noticed his staring and looks towards his direction as if to intimidate him away.

Silently taking in a deep breath, Navi walks forward to the gates. Soon he's standing right in front of it with the guards staring at him strangely.

"What are you here for?!..", One of the knights growls in annoyance as she looks at him.

"I'm here to register,..", Navi responds without looking at the Knight as his focus is on the huge gates blocking him from entry.

His eyes were glued on the gates or rather the characters written on the gates that say.. Clingford's Academy.

The only present martial academy in the entire of the Outskirts. This place is the island of hope for all that can afford it regardless of being lower-class, higher-class or middle-class.

In the Outskirts, very few people are born with the ability to sense mana and other forms of ether. And amongst these people very few are actually able to break into even the first rank of whichever pathway they choose and become true cultivators.

This academy is the key to the very process of becoming a cultivator as far as the Outskirts is concerned. For those who cannot naturally sense mana, it increases their chances of ever coming in contact with it.

For those who can already sense mana, it teaches them the long path to becoming cultivators. The lower class fight tooth and nail to gather enough resources to enter the academy in hopes of changing their miserable lives,.. the middle class who feel they are meant for better also come here after gathering enough resources and the high class send their children here for training and nurturing.

Now, Navi finds himself in front of the Academy for one simple reason.. Power.