“Haht! Haht! Haht!”

“Taht! Taht!

(Author’s note: All fighting noises)

Jinn’s meditation was broken and ceased levitation in midair.

“Which idiot is exercising before sunrise?” Veda said.

Jinn looked out the window and it was Dario sparring with his younger brother, Glenn. Dario mentioned his brother one time to him.

So that’s his younger brother…

Looking closer with his enhanced vision, Glenn looks to be a spitting image of his older brother, though, Glenn has longer hair. Interestingly enough, Glenn has a tattoo on the left side of his temple, the complete opposite of Dario’s tattoo on the right temple.

Elder Saru once explained that those are not tattoos, but the symbol of the people of the Omen Tribe. The children from the Omen Tribe are born with it and it is a rare occurrence to have such markings. Unfortunately, Elder Saru lamented that the true meaning of those tattoos has long been gone from the records of the Omen Tribe. What is known is that the markings represent the Omen Tribe.

The first meeting between Jinn and Dario was one of surprise. First, the tattoo on Dario’s right temple raised some questions. Yet, Jinn thought it was not in his place to judge anyone nor did he care about what other people do with their bodies.

Now, after learning more about the Omen Tribe, his intrigue of those tattoos grew even more. He thought that they may hold some hidden power, but, that is neither here nor there. Rather than seeking the truth about those markings, there were more important affairs to contend with.

Thwap!

Dario defeated Glenn with an upward swing.

Veda peered from the right shoulder of his master. “Both those punks seem to have some potential. Though… if they train like that, they’ll never know what it truly means to be strong.”

Jinn replied to Veda’s remarks. “If I taught them, it would be a different story.”

“Why of course, sir. But, don’t you think it’s quite unfitting for you to teach anyone?”

“Hmph.” Jinn found Veda’s statement amusing and held a grin on his face. “You’re right in that regard.”

Jinn returned to the middle of the room and levitated once more into the lotus form meditation. His journey to Holy Manalum will begin at high noon, therefore, he had time to spend on increasing his quantum reserve through meditation.

***

He was shrouded with mystery.

Grace and elegance emanated from his every move.

And he is subtle, acquainted.

He was wise like Elder Saru.

I taught him this world’s language once and he never forgot.

When I saw him fly, that’s when I realized…

I wanted to be like him.

Dario held thoughts like those when Jinn was with them in the beginning. They brought Jinn along when they were cleaning up the monsters in Hollow World. With that, Dario was able to witness the martial prowess of the hooded stranger. And the more time they spent together, the more he wanted to ask if he could teach him. Yet, Jinn was about to head to Holy Manalum. And so, he withheld that question only until Jinn returned from his journey.

At the very least, Dario was hopeful that Jinn would repay him. From what Dario observed, Jinn would give him that much.

Quite an odd way of getting things. Still, it is up to Jinn on what he plans to do about returning the favor that has been shown to someone like him who was once a stranger to them.

“Big bro! Your technique is as good as always. I still got a long way to go.” Said Glenn.

Dario replied, “You’re doing just fine little brother. I could barely hold a sword when I was your age.”

Dario placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. An action to uplift Glenn.

“When will you leave with Sir Jinn, big brother?”

“Once the blazing sun reaches its highest peak, then we depart.”

“Do you think he can reach the floating mountains? No one has ever been able to return to our origins. We live so close to it, but we still can’t reach it.”

Dario smiled at Glenn. “I have a good feeling about Sir Jinn.”

Glenn’s eyebrow perched up. “It’s been a long time since you had a ‘good feeling’, big bro.”

“Haha! Practice your technique little brother. I’ll be heading to ‘that’ place.”

Glenn understood his big brother’s words and proceeded to train with a straw dummy and wooden sword.

Dario left his wooden sword and equipped his trusty iron sword on the left side of his waist. It may not look like much, but his sword saved him in many battles.

He headed to a hill not too far from the Omen Tribe’s vicinity. Over there, Dario took to a beaten path. Usually, roads are safer than the brush, so what could be the young desert boy’s initiative to enter such a path?

(Author’s note: In this context, “brush” means roads without naturally occurring paths)

The answer - a tombstone.

Dario got on his knees. The forest he entered shaded his face. If anyone was looking, the only thing that could be seen was a silhouette of a person.

Silently, a single tear started to fall from Dario’s left eye. And, the tear that was shed was blood. A blood tear.

Dario, still on his knees, stared intently at the tombstone with his piercing eyes. Suddenly, a surge of emotions overwhelmed his mind. Anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, nervousness, sorrow, all these things combined swirling inside Dario’s mind and body. Yet, the young man’s outward reaction to those emotions was only a single blood tear falling from his left eye. The human mind is so powerful that even in an extreme melancholic state can also affect the body. In this instance, shedding a single blood tear is quite a spectacle.

Truly, Dario depicts a person with a strong determination and great sorrow. Indeed, whatever meaning the tombstone holds for Dario makes him worthy of the former statement.

Forgive me.

I wasn’t strong enough.

One day, I’ll find them.

Please, wait for me. I beg of you, please wait a little bit longer.

Dario raised his two hands in the air. Palms facing upward.

With these two hands, I will…

***

Jinn ceased his meditation and looked out the window once again. He sensed Dario leaving a short while. Glenn was vehemently swinging his wooden sword against a practice dummy made out of straw.

“You once said that you fear a man who practices one technique ten-thousand times.” Veda stated.

Jinn softly smiled. “That boy…”

Not understanding his master, Veda questioned. “Sir?”

They say that fighting has a language of its own. People who are capable of understanding such a thing are fighters themselves. And, to understand each other, blades must be crossed.

Jinn, being the one pinnacle power back on Earth, understood Glenn well without even having to cross swords with him.

“You see that, Veda?” Jinn said.

“I see a young boy proficiently swinging his sword with one technique.”

“Even though you are the most intelligent being created, still, you only see the surface, Veda.”

Not understanding Jinn’s words, the Super A.I. turned his head towards Glenn and analyzed once more.

Chuckle.

“Come. I’ll show you what dwells within their souls.”

“?”

Perplexed, Veda observed diligently with his brain made out of quantum technology.

Jinn exited the small house and proceeded on the path of Dario’s. While strolling about in the village, a question was posed to Veda.

“Do you know why you were created, Veda?”

Perturbed, Veda looked at his creator.

“Is it not to fulfill your revenge?”

“Hmph.” Jinn grinned at such a remark. “It would be better to show you.”

The hooded man stopped a good distance from the tombstone that Dario was kneeling in front of. Jinn leaned on a tree and crossed his arms facing the direction of the tombstone and Dario together. The space between Jinn and Dario was enough for privacy’s sake. Although it might be rude to steal a glance, Jinn wanted Veda to understand something. The intention was pure and not to pity or disrespect Dario’s private moment.

The scene with Dario kneeling was indicative to not intrude. Jinn understood that wholeheartedly. It was obvious to not disturb Dario at this time. That much is understandable.

“...”

From a distance, Dario spoke a few words that sounded like whispers. However, for Jinn and Veda, they heard the conversation with Dario and the tombstone.

“Did you know?”

“I didn’t eat when I was training. Instead, you gave me your food. That was all that you had. Still, you gave it to me.”

“I really hated that.”

“The burden killed me inside, knowing that you were starving for my sake.”

“I became angry at you the more your stomach grumbled with pain.”

“You thought about me when you should have thought about your own health.”

“Just how much did my words strike your innocent little heart?”

“When you were taken away, that’s when I knew.

“What it feels like to beg for forgiveness to someone that’s not there.”

“No one would know such a feeling...”

Dario held a somber moment. And, the single blood tear that Dario shed from his left eye was the symbol of the moment.

Sensing that Dario was almost finished, Jinn left shortly.

“Do you understand why we had to witness a private matter like that even though we had no right to?”

Veda did not know the answer to Jinn’s question. All he could do was relate the scene from Jinn’s memories.

“Revenge… it looks like.”

Jinn grinned for a quick second. “As expected of you, Veda. You learn quite fast. However, there is more to it than that.”

“Your lessons are quite hard to grasp, sir. Still, my quantum brainwaves increase the more I learn from you.”

Understanding Veda’s reply, Jinn headed to the rendezvous point where they would journey to The Heavenly Mountain.

***

Jinn and Dario were walking within a dense, dark forest. Although the sun may be shining brightly in the sky at the time of high noon, the forest was such that the trees and plants were overgrown that it did not let sunlight pierce through the forest grounds.

A forest with that characteristic was dangerous in the fact that it would not be able to sustain itself for much longer if sunlight did not reach the interior parts where certain plants required photosynthesis.

Additionally, dark areas were certain to contain unfavorable events such as this.

A bald man wielding knives on both hands stood in the way of Dario and Jinn. Moreover, dark figures started to show themselves and gathered.

“Now! Now! That’s far enough. This forest belongs to us and there’s a fee to pay for using our path.”

Dario whispered to Jinn, “It looks like highwaymen, Sir Jinn. I’ll handle them.”

“Hey! I hope you two aren’t planning anything! You see how many men we have on this side do you?!”

Jinn scoffed at them and the highwaymen saw.

“W-What. Did I just see you laughin’ at us?!

These vermin only know how to shout. Thought Jinn.

“Dario, I’ll show you how to deal with vermin like them. Watch carefully.”

The young desert boy did not protest as he already saw how Sir Jinn fought. Yet, he didn’t know that Jinn was not showing himself earnestly all along when it came to battles.

Jinn brandished a one-handed sword from out of nowhere. The sword he wielded began to emit a dark purple aura like a transparent flame. It looked sinister, but beautiful at the same time as the blade’s design was quite eye-catching and the aura made your spine feel cold.

Then, with each swing, the highwaymen were torn to pieces like a hot blade cutting through butter.

Jinn uttered a single word, “Fantasia.”

Dario’s eyes were wide open. He didn’t believe the sight that he just witnessed. Not only that, the highwaymen did not have time to react at all. Jinn’s speed was such that they could not perceive it. After all, Third-Rates are mere rabble that could do absolutely nothing to Jinn. Only Dario was capable of seeing Jinn’s sword technique. The only thing Dario was not able to understand was how Jinn moved at extreme speed.

“Come, Dario. Let us proceed.”

Quickly gathering himself from the amazement of Jinn’s power, the young man jogged to Jinn’s side. Dario glanced at the highwaymen’s bodies where it looked like they were sliced so thoroughly. In all the fights that the young desert man has been in, he thought that cleaving a man like that would require great strength to make a clean, smooth cut just like Jinn did.

Jinn asked Dario. “Did you see how I dealt with those vermin?”

Still amazed, Dario replied. “Y-Yes, Sir Jinn.”

“Remember it well.”

Mystified, Dario didn’t understand what Jinn was getting at. All that he could do was do what Sir Jinn said.

“How much longer, Dario?”

“We should be at the edge of the forest by now. Once we exit, there’s a naturally occurring path that leads to Holy Manalum. I’m sorry to say, Sir Jinn, but that is how far I can guide you.”

Jinn looked at Dario and understood that he wanted to come. It wasn’t hard to tell.

And so, he asked. “Would you like to come with me on this journey, Dario?”

Dario halted for a second, “But, Sir Jinn, I would only get in the way.”

“That’s not true. There is much that you can do.”

Dario stared intently at the hooded man, surprised at the sudden comments that Jinn said to him.

Breaking him from his trance, Jinn asked once more, “Will you come with me, Dario?”

This time, Dario answered with eyes radiating with conviction. “Yes.”

***

Does this tea have a name?

No. I haven’t found a name worthy of this tea.

“Baihao Yinzhen.”

Hmmm?

It means, “White Hair Silver Needle.”

Chuckle.

“Not only does he exude nobility, but his words manifest likewise?”

Elder Saru was reminiscing about the conversation he had with Jinn. It wasn’t that long when they had their last dialogue with each other. Nonetheless, it left quite an impression on the old man.

Being able to sway such a feeling to a person like himself, a being in Transcendence Level, it must have been quite an impression.

Knock! Knock!

“Elder! Are you home? Elder!”

An incessant visitor was busy hammering on Elder Saru’s door. The voice that Elder Saru heard was someone he knew all too well.

The elderly man placed the wooden pipe that he was smoking onto a wooden ashtray and stood up from his humble, comfortable chair sofa.

Opening the door, the sight of a burly and tan man with a cook’s apron overshadowed Elder Saru.

“Chef Bostwick, how many times must I tell you that your knocking is gonna break my door at any moment!”

“Gwahaha! Sorry about that Elder.” Chef Bostwick let out his signature hearty laugh. “May I come in?”

“Hmph!” Elder Saru expressed an annoyed face and turned around heading to the chair sofa. “You have yet to control your Aura so be careful next time.”

“Hehe.” Chef Bostwick closed the door gently and also proceeded to another sofa chair beside the Elder.

Elder Saru picked up the wooden pipe from the ashtray on the table next to the chair sofa.

The elderly man produced a small flame from the tip of his right index finger and lit his wooden pipe.

“Care for a smoke, Bostwick?”

“Don’t mind if I do! But, I’ll need your help to eliminate the toxins when I inhale chi medicine.”

Elder Saru nodded in response.

Not wasting any time, the Elder got straight to business. “There must be something on your mind, Bostwick?”

The tan chef passed the spare wooden pipe to Elder Saru for him to burn the chi medicine and inhaled it moderately.

Cough! Cough!

The burly chef pounded his chest lightly. “Damn! I dunno how you do it Elder Saru. This type of chi training just makes me so hungry and light-headed every time.”

Chef Bostwick coughed a few more times. “It’s already been a few days since Dario and Sir Jinn left for Holy Manalum. And, Dario should have been back already by himself.”

“Hmmm…”

Elder Saru also inhaled from his wooden pipe. Unlike Chef Bostwick, Elder Saru smoked from the pipe like a smooth, classy old gentleman. Calm and relaxed, he had no trouble handling the chi medicine.

Inhale. Exhale.

Interestingly enough, the cloud of smoke had a green color to it, not having the usual color of grey. This is specific to the chi medicine that they’re smoking and different chi medicines produce various colors corresponding to their ranks.

“I believe Dario intended to go with Sir Jinn all the way to Holy Manalum.”

Cough! Cough!

Surprised, Chef Bostwick unintentionally coughed a couple of times. Though, he was already regularly smoking from the wooden pipe.

“Control your breathing Bostwick or you’re going to cause an imbalance with the chi medicine.”

Cough! Cough!

The burly chef stood from the chair sofa. “Never mind all that! We need to retrieve Dario as soon as possible!”

Elder Saru let out a long sigh.

Sigh.

“I’m sure you’ve witnessed Sir Jinn’s swordsmanship? He’s more or less on my level when it comes to martial prowess.”

“That may be true, Elder, but, Holy Manalum is unknown to us! Who knows what danger looms in the floating mountains!” Chef Bostwick held a slightly bewildered expression. “Not only that, bandits and highwaymen prowl the Demonic Lands!”

Elder Saru looked intently into Bostwick’s eyes. It was an action that would assure the worrisome chef.

“It’s not like I know how you feel. There’s another reason why I allowed Dario to journey with Sir Jinn in the first place.”

Chef Bostwick sat back down. “And what reason would that be?”

“First, regarding the bandits and highwaymen, I believe Sir Jinn and Dario would have dealt with them accordingly. A person in Transcendence Level and Dario being on the verge of Peak Level is more than sufficient to deal with those trash. And, as for the reason…”

Elder Saru became quiet for a short moment while and even stopped smoking.

The chef questioned. “Elder Saru?”

“Do you remember seeing the red insignia on the back of Sir Jinn’s robe?”

“Huh? I vaguely remember it. But, what does that have to do with the reason why you let Dario go?”

The elderly man chuckled for a bit.

Chuckle.

“I’ve torn through my study where I keep the Omen Tribe’s history. Scrolls, books, documents, I’ve searched without rest as to what that insignia means. Finally, I brought our Tribe’s ancient, holy scripture to see if it could divulge anything. And it did!”

Chef Bostwick looked surprised and confused at the same time in response to Elder Saru's sudden facial expression. An expression where the old man was smiling from ear to ear.

“Chef Bostwick, he has returned. The promised one is here!”

Every single member of the Omen Tribe understands who Elder Saru is talking about. Chef Bostwick also knew.

With that said, the tan, burly chef dropped the wooden pipe out of extreme astonishment. His face was serious.

“N-No! It cannot be!”