It was late at night.

Kyon was lying in bed, awake. His task was not easy: to find out what the “keys” were and what he should do with them. It was time to sort the things out.

He activated Synergy in his body and sent it to the first key located in the kidney stroma.

The key was a perfect sphere 1 cm in diameter, made of unknown solid material. No liquid, no light, no gas could penetrate it... Synergy succeeded in getting inside, though not without some effort.

Kyon found out that the “key” sphere was not limited to its size. Inside, there was a kind of a long tunnel of unknown length. It was like he had found a little gate to another dimension.

Synergy filled the unknown “tunnel” bit by bit. The ghostly walls were corroded, covered with stains and some obscure layers as if it was a blood vessel mutilated under the impact of atherosclerosis. Here and there were masses of viscous sludge... The passage narrowed and expanded, doing occasional whimsical twists. Synergy flowed around the obstacles like a flexible snake stubbornly working its way.

In some places, it was difficult to get through for no apparent reason as if the energy was going against the current of a raging river. Sometimes, the invisible pressure prevented it from moving further. Other times, the walls of the tunnel covered with micropores absorbed Synergy just like a hole in the spacecraft sucks everything into non-existence.

Synergy was penetrating deeper and deeper. For some reason, Kyon couldn’t accurately estimate the distance it traveled. It might have covered an inch or a whole yard.

Eventually, Synergy had overcome the last obstacle…

«Ahhh!» - Kyon let out a quiet moan of pleasure. He had never expected such emotional turmoil. The feeling was indescribable as if he had touched his very core. It was a moment of insight, revelation. He felt enlighted after discovering the essence of existence. It was as if he had been thirsty for days and finally reached the spring water. The substance Synergy had touched was beyond the sinful world. Inside, the soul turned out to be an alive, self-sufficient aerial world. Moderate winds slowly rotated in a circle, concentrating around the keys in the spiritual body.

Kyon allowed himself to savor the thrill of the uncanny feeling.

{This... Is it the soul?}

The soul resonated with Synergy as if it were its natural habitat. Synergy felt vibrations that didn’t exist in the physical world. They came from space beyond the soul. Wild winds collided with the shell of the spirit and turned into cold gusts like those in the eternal snows at the top of Mount Everest. The process was similar to the protection of the planet by the atmosphere from cosmic radiation.

Kyon tried to determine the size and shape of the soul and found out that it coincided with the outline of his body to the point of the facial features and even clothing. He felt the place where the 10th element was supposed to be, near his head, and stumbled upon an invisible hard barrier in the shape of the brain. He could not move further, not even a little.

{Who knows, maybe my achievements in the field of Synergy from the past are sealed in this hard substrate?}

Kyon tried to change the perspective and penetrate it from the body. He repeated the process of entering the key but failed. He had to leave it for the time being.

Kyon began to check the other keys. The situation was the same. The passage was strewn with obstacles, corrosion, blockages. Different keys had different obstacles in their “tunnels.” Synergy either rushed to his soul in the unstoppable flow or pushed its way through all the barriers drop by drop. All the channels leading to the spirit were tied in a knot. It wasn’t hard to untie them, but there was one thing that bothered him:

{It’s weird. All this is unlikely to have formed by itself. I am sure a considerable amount of time and effort has gone into creating it all!} - Kyon remembered Martin mentioning that his keys had been acting up.

Thanks to Synergy that had penetrated through any cracks, Kyon was able to feel his soul. But the elemental energy in this world wasn’t that nippy, which means he had to work hard, cleaning the channels and unraveling the mysterious knots to allow the energy to flow freely from his soul to his body. Now he knew what the concept of “unlocked keys” meant.

Kyon decided not to ask Byron anything. He would figure it out.

He developed a plan of action that he was going to implement with the help of Synergy.

Kyon got down to cleaning the first key. At first, he didn’t know where to put all the sludge, toxins, and waste of unknown matter. Unable to find the right solution, he decided to scrape them off the walls and leave them in the tunnel. However, the problem suddenly solved by itself: as soon as Synergy touched the scum, it vanished into thin air. But that’s not all: {The time in the channels is distorted... It is difficult to understand how it runs. The process that should take half a day gets done in a minute while the use of Synergy is minimal. It’s pure cheating.} Apparently, the whole process would take less time than he had expected.

When Kyon untied the knot in the first key, he felt a burst of energy. After clearing the debris, it felt easier to breathe. His body seemed to grow younger when he got rid of the blockages. He fixed all the microfractures, evened out the width of the tunnel, and found peace, stability, and balance. At last, the feeling of pressure and passing through the water... It disappeared as soon as he got rid of the rest of the defects. The scales fell from his eyes, the world bloomed with new colors, fresh, bright, different. {And it’s just the first channel I’ve unlocked…}

When the cleaning was finally over, Kyon removed the “plug” that he had put there just like any conscientious plumber did when repairing the faucet and…

The unstoppable stream flooded in. The purest fiery energy burst out of the key and spread throughout his entire body. His body had received a new lease on life.

Half a minute later, everything returned to its former state, but a slight fever and other sensations remained.

{It’s unlocked!} - Kyon was pleased. The whole process took no more than an hour. One out of nine channels that had been closed before were now functioning.

As he found out later, each channel had its own individual and unique structure that had nothing to do with the organic matter. It was pure energy with a dense structure.

…

About the elements and their purity. (Kyon was going to learn about it in the books tomorrow)

There are nine elements in this world. Sometimes there can be different variations, but their essence is the same. The type of the element determines its level of complexity.

1) The element of the force/spirit/soul energy/pure energy/pure power or just “energy.” The key is located in the navel. Level of complexity 1. It’s the fundamental element.

2) The element of the water. The key is located in the bladder. Level of complexity 2.

3) The element of the wind. The key is located in the lungs. Level of complexity 2.

4) The element of the earth. The key is located in the stomach. Level of complexity 3.

5) The element of the heat. The key is located in the right kidney. Level of complexity 3.

6) The element of the cold. The key is located in the left kidney. Level of complexity 3.

7) The element of the ether. The key is located in the liver. Level of complexity 4.

8) The element of the light. The key is located in the heart. Level of complexity 5.

9) The element of the darkness. The key is located in the intestine. Level of complexity 5.

Mixing up the energies of different elements, you can get unique features. For instance, the darkness and the light combined create a spatial element. The combination of the water and the cold create ice. The symbiosis of the fire and the air gives incredible destructive power. It is possible to mix any items in any order and combination. It all depends on talent and skills. The higher the total complexity of the mixed elements, the more difficult it gets to control them. It requires lots of experience and power, and a better understanding of the elements.

For example, spatial specialists who can mix up the light and the darkness are highly appreciated as these elements are challenging to master. Flitz, who left the mine, was one of them. The late Martin used to be as well.

The channel is a tube that runs between the physical and spiritual worlds. Between the realms. It is a conductor of energy. On the way outside, it transforms the soul into the element to which the channel belongs.

…

The purity of each element differs. Some channels are more clogged, others are less. It’s possible to clean the keys, but it’s incredibly hard. Even the wealthiest dwellers of this world could increase the purity of the element by one-tenth at best. People like Kyon and Byron, who were born with badly clogged channels, couldn’t even dream of unlocking the key easily. There is also a rule of thumb: the more complex the element, the more impure it is before getting unlocked. For instance, the element of pure energy maintains the highest level of purity, while the elements of the darkness and the light stay respectively at the lowest.

Purity depends on heredity and the techniques that help connect with the spirit, i.e, unlocking all the nine keys. The process usually takes up to 10 years. Apparently, not everyone knows about this “technique.” Otherwise, almost the entire population could sooner or later open the keys. The remaining individuals, people like Byron, would have to accept their mediocrity.

For example, three-quarters of people in the mine haven’t unlocked their keys, and those who have live in the 7th sector.

The purity of the key is considered an incredible talent. It’s rare to have the key of the light or the darkness pure at 35%, the ether at 45%, the cold or the heat at 60%, the earth, the wind or the water at 75%, and the energy at 90%.

The fire benders, people with innate talent whose element of the heat is completely pure, are an outrageously rare phenomenon. The energy benders are those who have unlocked the key of physical power.

Unfortunately, Kyon was still unaware of all this. He was going to buy the necessary books only tomorrow, on the market day. In the meantime, he had no idea that he had become the bender of all the elements in just one night, something other mortals wouldn’t even dream of.

…

When Kyon activated the first key, he felt the heat. The second key radiated cold. The third key unlocked with a light breeze that ruffled his hair. The fourth one seemed to unite his soul and body in a single whole. It was easy to guess which key and which organ were responsible for each specific element. The elements of the darkness and the light showed themselves in the most unusual way, performing a spectacular light show. The key of the light seemed to radiate life while the contrary element breathed death.

Meanwhile, a woman was sitting on the highest mountain sat. She was shining with ethereal light. Although her face was beautiful, she looked sick and tired with this place, people, and life.

Suddenly, a sparkle flashed in her soul. Her eyelids opened wide, showing the world her eyes shining like the morning dawn: {Hmm... After all this time, the first in line for human lineage has shown up.}

The spark flashed once again, even brighter than before. Something deep inside told her that there was a second person in the world worthy of her bloodline.

Her eyes darted down through the clouds and the trees. {Can it be that…}

Kyon kept unlocking the keys randomly without even thinking about the sequence. With each next channel, he needed less time to activate his soul.

When the cleaning was complete, Kyon was full of energy. The easiest key, the physical one, started working immediately. But it wasn’t all. Kyon felt his Synergy changing, as well. {Yes! I knew it!}

The 10th element of mind had upgraded from the beginning to the intermediate level of Newbie degree (1). The possibilities to use Synergy had increased many times! He had enough power to release it from his body.

Kyon knew that his innate Synergy would upgrade along with his cultivation in this world.

Overwhelmed by almost childlike enthusiasm, Kyon did not notice that someone had long been watching him closely. A figure in the black cloak was hiding in the dark corner, waiting patiently for him to finish the process.

After his joy subsided, he suddenly felt someone trying to penetrate his brain. At the same time, a blue bolt of lightning flashed from his head. Kyon turned in its direction, but there wasn’t anything.

Somebody in black wanted to scan his thoughts, but they didn’t expect that his mind was Synergy-guarded. Curious... very curious...

It was also weird that the lightning did not make any sound: no characteristic crackle, no explosion in contact with the floor. It was like it had a mind of its own and used its energy solely to hit the target.

{What could it be? Am I seeing things?}