Since the very beginning, humans have possessed spiritual energy within their bodies, an energy that existed even while they were still in the womb, particularly for those born after the great war had truly ended.
Long before the era of peace, before the year 1000, humans stored spiritual energy originating from the stars in the sky or from cosmic entities that came from distant reaches of outer space within their bodies as a form of adaptation.
This spiritual energy drastically changed human life at the time, coinciding with the emergence of fifteen supernatural abilities that could only be sustained by the world itself.
Humans adapted to particles of light, resembling specks of dust, produced by the existence of this spiritual energy, which flowed like currents of air. There were six methods of utilizing this spiritual energy, known as techniques, each possessing its own costs, risks, and consequences, as well as the ultimate outcome experienced by its user.
First, Release. Someone capable of controlling the spiritual energy within their body can release it outward, enveloping themselves and turning it into a mass that expands several meters ahead, allowing anything within its range to be detected by the user of this technique.
This can be considered a form of self-protection, because Receivers are capable of moving faster than the speed of sound or even exceeding the speed of light itself.
This technique requires focus to prevent the controlled energy from overheating. It is often used during combat, especially by users whose abilities belong to the Suppression type.
Second, Wound Exchange. This technique is frequently used because it provides a considerable advantage during combat.
A price is required for the technique to exchange wounds, regardless of whether the wounds are minor or severe, to succeed. One of the requirements is sacrificing their spiritual energy to perform it.
Third, Luring or Ascension. This technique is very different from the other techniques, because the user does not need to restrain themselves or perform any additional movements to use it.
In short, the user remains still and allows their spiritual energy to fluctuate, sometimes adapting to the user's emotions to immobilize an enemy's movements by releasing leaking spiritual energy that manipulates a person's psychology.
This allows the released spiritual energy to remain far smaller than that of other techniques, but this technique has a 75 percent chance of being avoided by someone. Simply put, the user's spiritual energy can manipulate someone within its range, making that person's body move like a puppet, forcibly putting them to sleep, and things of that nature.
This technique is sometimes misunderstood by some people because its method of operation resembles Level 3-2 spells and talismans.
Fourth, Absorption. This technique is simple yet highly favored; among the six existing techniques, this one is crucial to human survival and extremely important in combat situations that demand the use of such a method.
Ordinary immortal humans do not die biologically, because their spiritual essence sustains this abnormal state of existence.
A person can absorb an invisible spiritual flow, which is a fundamental element of the body, and process it at an extraordinary speed, transforming that energy into fuel for supernatural abilities and similar things.
Although this technique resembles the standard method of restoring internal spiritual energy, a process that usually takes around fifteen minutes or more depending on a person's body and soul, this technique serves to bridge that critical gap, considering that fifteen minutes is far too long to wait in the middle of a battle or during difficult circumstances.
Fifth, Condensation. This technique is rarely known or used, primarily because it is considered impractical.
This technique allows the user to create footholds from anything, such as by condensing air particles and transforming the atmosphere into a solid surface resembling the ground upon which ordinary humans walk. However, in truth, this technique is far beyond human understanding.
Why is this technique rarely used? Simply put, it consumes an enormous amount of spiritual energy, which can leave the user vulnerable in the midst of fierce combat or during critical moments.
Sixth, Half-Dead. This technique stands out as the most unique and extraordinary among the six techniques because it can transform spiritual energy into a tangible substance containing poison and curses.
This technique bears similarities to shamanistic abilities, although it does not possess their full potential. Of course, this technique has significant weaknesses and demands a steep price; channeling such deadly curses or poison into a target's body through supernatural means carries real consequences for the user.
It is a double-edged sword!
...
While lying on the living room sofa, Aaron found himself unable to sleep. It was all because of his stomach; the discomfort in his abdomen fought against his drowsiness, causing Aaron's attempt to sleep for a while to fail.
He immediately sat up and crossed his legs, just before the thought of making a drink occurred to him.
The palpable sense of loneliness had made him restless for a moment. However, once he brewed himself a cup of coffee, that feeling vanished; his weary expression transformed into blazing energy as his sense of taste was indulged by the flavor of one of the finest beverages in the world.
Coffee from Greysia was famous for its distinctive aroma and extraordinary taste.
Aaron, who was usually known for his indifferent demeanor, could not help but admire whoever was capable of brewing such a delicious drink.
It might sound exaggerated, but the fact was that various kingdoms throughout the continent of Chynoria, even those beyond its borders, imported coffee, herbal remedies, and spices from the Kingdom of Norn. More specifically, these commodities came from the provinces of Nature and Havanuheta, with the highest-quality coffee being produced by a county within the province of Nature.
The tangible evidence proved that those words were by no means an exaggeration!
"Ah..." Wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt, Aaron immediately rose from his seat and carried the empty cup to the kitchen.
Not long after eating, hunger began to grip his stomach again as the effects of the coffee started to wear off.
He could not let this continue; he returned to the kitchen to cook something else, because the previous meal was no longer his to eat, even though he had been the one who cooked it.
....
Not far from the rented house, near a nineteenth-century-style brick overpass, a man had been standing for quite some time with his chest resting against the railing. His gaze swept across the scenery below, and his eyes lit up when he noticed the existence of such a place in the city.
"Hey, are you sure you want to go there?"
The man nodded, grinned widely, and replied, "Of course. I've been looking forward to this for months."
"Oh? That's great."
A third man answered his friend in a weary tone.
For a moment, the man listened to the conversation of the pedestrians behind him before repeating the same question to another passerby.
"Hey, did you hear that the inauguration ceremony is about to begin?"
"You mean the airship worth millions of Pace?"
The man wearing a fedora nodded. "Yeah. Are you planning to go see the inauguration?"
The man beside him clicked his tongue.
"Do I look like a Duke? It has nothing to do with my life. Getting a job, that's the only thing I want in this boring life, bro!"
The man beside him laughed bitterly, acknowledging that such a problem was no trivial matter.
While holding something between two fingers, the man glanced at the two people who passed directly behind him.
'An airship launch? Shouldn't it be in Havanuheta? No, if I remember correctly, it's being held in GreyHeaven. No wonder he refused to go; there's really no point in watching an event like that.'
He turned his gaze forward again, enjoying the view of the city from above for several minutes before turning around and putting his bowler hat back on.
As he descended from the pedestrian bridge, Zavi's attention was drawn to a cultural parade passing by.
In the middle of the street, dozens of people, each playing a different musical instrument, created a steady, booming rhythm and captivating melodies.
Zavi briefly considered slipping into the crowd to get a better look at the skilled performances of the selected performers, but eventually abandoned the idea.
He took two steps forward and politely asked a passerby, "Excuse me, sir. What day is it?"
The tall-hatted man turned around, processed the question, and then answered, "It's Tuesday, the 8th."
A few seconds later, he added:
"Is your life so busy that you've forgotten what day it is? Relax, sir. Don't take life too seriously. It'll stress you out, and it'll make you look old."
At the end of his sentence, the man lowered the tempo of his voice.
Zavi smiled faintly while slightly raising his hat.
"You certainly have a sense of humor," he said softly.
'No wonder this cultural parade is taking place. But it's strange, why didn't I see it while I was up on the bridge earlier? Ah, right. Tonight, or more precisely, from the afternoon until night, the city square will be packed with adults and children alike. It's a pleasant way to enjoy the beginning of the year after traveling for so long.'
After pondering for a moment, a carrot landed on his head before falling to the ground. Zavi put his hat back on and smiled one last time.
"Thank you, sir. And once again, I apologize for taking up your time."
The man chuckled and said, "Don't be so stiff; you'll only end up looking old."
Zavi raised one eyebrow.
"Do I look old?"
He calmly walked past the man, ignoring the clamor of voices coming from every direction, focused on his steps.
"Well, you look like a grown man, not an old man like me," the man replied, his expression turning sour.
After walking several meters away from the place, he unexpectedly found himself on a street littered with vegetables such as carrots, long beans, pumpkins, and tomatoes scattered along the roadside. For a moment, he looked back and saw several people moving from their positions, following the route taken by the cultural parade through several streets.
As he continued walking, Zavi became lost in thought as questions began to emerge in his mind.
'It's truly amazing. How are they going to clean all this up later? Ah, I don't need to think about it, and I wonder if they would be willing to go to that place. Come to think of it, that woman will definitely agree, and Aaron will probably want to come along. Eh, I feel a little bad for leaving him alone in that house. For the two of them, whether they like it or not, I'll try later this afternoon.'
Zavi shook his head, deciding to make tonight a relaxing night after several months. He also wanted to make plans, aware that delaying his departure to that place was a poor choice.
However, all of this was highly advantageous, because it was being done to erase the traces of the advancement ritual.
Upon arriving at the rented house, Zavi did not immediately knock on the door. Instead, he waited for a few seconds to observe his surroundings before pressing the bell.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
Without further ado, Aaron opened the door; he recognized the signal because the signal itself had been his idea.
The five of them had already agreed on this: if the bell rang three times, it was definitely one of them.
But what if someone else, or an enemy, did it?
That was easy to deal with, considering the system had been designed by Zuhen and Aaron themselves, having endured the hardships of life as fugitives.
Then, what about the other three? They simply agreed to it without making any further comments.
Click.
The door opened. A man with messy blond hair and deep gray eyes met the gaze of the figure on the porch, whose eyes were a softly gleaming blue.
"Back early?" he asked softly. "Are you bored of being outside?"
Zavi took off his hat before stepping inside.
"I happened to see a cultural parade on the way," Zavi said while glancing around.
Aaron stopped and turned around. "So, there's something you want to tell me, right?"
'He couldn't possibly be talking about something trivial like that!'
Aaron remembered the festival held in the Forgenate district after the comet fell in the northern part of Niki district. He had gained a lot from being there; he learned that living alongside other people could actually be enjoyable.
"Yes." Zavi did not want to keep this to himself any longer.
The two sat facing each other. Zavi observed Aaron for a moment before placing his bowler hat on the table.
"Tonight, I want to take you to the city square," Zavi said.
"The city square? What for?" Aaron murmured, seeking confirmation.
'Doesn't he know about it? That's right, this is his first time in this city, just like me. But he rarely leaves the house, while I often go outside. Okay, I understand.'
After thinking for a moment, Zavi crossed his legs and answered, "To unwind. We'll go there so we can clear our minds."
"Aren't you worried about what happened that night?" Aaron seemed concerned about Zavi's condition; his tone conveyed anxiety.
"No." Zavi shifted his sitting position, uncrossed his legs, and leaned slightly forward. "You are all with me, so what do I have to be afraid of?"
Zavi did not give Aaron a chance to respond and immediately added:
"One thing is certain: I don't want to lose another trusted friend. Being shunned by friends who were so close to me, people I had already considered family, felt like falling into an abyss of despair..."
Zavi remembered a core memory from Earth, and merely talking about it caused the image to emerge with startling clarity: the silhouettes of his six friends standing beside Aaron, staring at him with deep hatred and disappointment.
'No. I... I'm not the person you think I am.'
The silhouettes of his six friends standing there slowly faded before an endless expanse of shadows swept Zavi away, carrying him back to the living room where he sat and talked.