Chandi and Emerald stepped in front of Ken in order to protect him. Chandi clenched her single fist, feeling the cool metal of the gauntlet. Emerald needed to hide her identity, so it would be a struggle for her to defend herself without exposing her abilities.
"No need," Ken said, waving his hand dismissively as the experts drew closer. They were so ready to grab him in order to impress the Bluewind family.
They seemed to have forgotten Ken's abilities. It was rather silly considering they had seen him, only moments ago, saw him fix an array that their great Arrayists could not fix.
Ken raised a finger, and he triggered an array. A large dragon made of blue light emerged from him, translucent, and yet so solid. It coiled all around his companions and himself.
“What is that?” One of the Martial Experts swung down with his sword, slashing against the dragon, which did not even shudder under his blow. The other Martial Experts continued to slash at the dragon.
"Petty tricks. Do you think this barrier could stop me?" a Martial Expert asked, manifesting his ki into his fists. They were red, forming in the face of a bear with each fist. He attacked the blue dragon, which was still coiled around Ken, but it did not shudder or break.
Ken looked to the Town Lord, who seemed to be patiently waiting, judging Ken’s abilities. "It seems I won't have the chance to undo the array in such a hostile environment," Ken said, closing his eyes and sighing.
"What nonsense are you speaking, you fiend?" Young Master Bluewind shouted at him.
"I have merely reformed the array so it can be broken, but there isn’t much time for it to be broken. Otherwise, the entrance will collapse and disappear.”
"I don't see an array," an Arrayist said, shaking his head. “He must be lying to gain more from us, or he wants to sabotage the array for someone else.”
"It just so happens that I'm more familiar with this kind of array." Ken smiled innocently, keeping up the dragon. "However, since I'm no longer welcomed here, perhaps I should leave? Or perhaps I'll watch the show, the chance of everyone here to gain priceless treasure slipping away, all because of the Bluewind family."
"Did you know the entrance was going to collapse?" Town Lord Firewind asked.
"I wasn’t surprised by it. This array seems to be formed so that it would slowly break over time after it revealed itself, and then some time later, it would reform and collapse itself. However, since it was ruined, it is quickly breaking to allow us in, but it will collapse itself sooner than expected. However, if the array isn't fixed soon, then the entrance will be destroyed."
"Would you be willing to assist us?" The Town Lord wasn’t sure if he truly believed Ken yet, but the young man had been decent to him.
"So that I will be beset by more dogs?" Ken looked to the Bluewind family. "This cripple must humbly refuse. I don't have the ability to defend against all these dogs at once. I've seen how I am treated when I tried to assist with my array skills. I will stick to alchemy."
"Before one talks about assistance, there should be the talk of compensation," Rojja said, stepping forward. He had been watching Ken for the last little while, and seeing how calm the cripple had been, he hadn’t revealed himself yet. "After all, he was treated quite rudely."
"Commerce Head's sincerity is something which always impresses me!” Ken laughed. “It seems you always have to clean up after the Bluewind family's mess."
"There are always misunderstandings that form on a daily basis, but hopefully those misunderstandings can be resolved peacefully. It's always best for the town to come together to stop such misunderstandings."
There was a warning in those words, but Ken understood that the Commerce Head wasn’t personally threatening him.
Ken was an outsider, and he shouldn't cause trouble for all the families. He had already called the Bluewind family a bunch of dogs for attacking him, so the major families would view him poorly now, even if his life had been in danger.
Ken's eyes fell across the Town Lord’s eyes, then the Bluewind family, then to the other major families.
[Right. It's the greed of people which always destroys their principles.]
"I'm sure the Bluewind family can show their sincerity to me in some way, can’t they? Perhaps a visit to their vault?”
"Can you afford to make such a request?" The Young Master asked.
"Can you afford to refuse?" Ken replied. "It was due to the Bluewind family that I had stepped away from the array, and it's due to you prestigious family that I will be unable to open the array."
"You!"
"Of course, I'm more than happy to accept a treasure for any other major family." He looked to the Town Lord and the other family heads, only looking at the major families.
"Since this is a matter to do with the Bluewind family, it is only right that they fix the issue they created," Town Lord said, looking at the Bluewind Patriarch, whose son was digging a deeper hole for himself.
"Isn't that obvious enough?" Patriarch Wildwind said, looking to the Bluewind family.
The Bluewind Young Master grit his teeth, looking at the two men who had tossed down his family.
"It's a small price to pay for everyone to enter the realm," Patriarch Bluewind finally said.
"Then we can leave immediately,” Ken said, smiling up with his eyes. “Commerce Head, why don't we go together? Someone with a keen eye such as you would be great to have accompany me."
He asked the Commerce Read for two reasons. Firstly, with Rojja around, the Bluewind family would think twice about starting trouble. Secondly, Ken would owe him a favour, and Rojja would do his best to protect an investment like that.
Ken understood that life was a game like this. Before, he was innocent and naive. Twice he was punished because of it, but he would no longer allow himself to be taken advantage of, even if it meant he had to play the game as ruthlessly as everyone else.
"I will be happy to assist," Rojja said, glad to see that Ken was putting his faith in the Commerce Head.
Patriarch Bluewind couldn't refuse the Commerce Head under such a pretext, so had to let the matter go. He felt if he tried to push back, then something bad could have happened. This way, at least there was an insurance for the Bluewind family too, since they didn't want to earn the scorn of the other families in case something happened. It would also keep the other Bluewind family members at bay.
[What luck I have to have such fools in this generation…]
"Chandi, stay here with Yue and Nana."
Chandi nodded her head, though was wondering if it was a good idea. She was a wolf woman, meaning that the people around here did not like the sight of her. Still, no one would bother the Arrayist’s slaves.
It was then that Patriarch Newblade approached Yue. “It’s good to see you, miss.” He smiled down at the woman and started a light conversation with her. Even if she was a slave to Ken, she had been seen with the Commerce Head quite often, meaning she was a trusted confidant of Ken.
Ken smiled and left with Emerald, who pushed him forward. Rojja followed, with a Martial Expert by his side. Patriarch Bluewind followed with his own Martial Expert, not that he needed one at his side.
The Bluewind family’s estate was quite large, and Ken could see the various arrays inside it. There was a large gate at the centre which was the key of it all, and it gathered so much energy through it that it was probably their greatest prize.
He could see two older men already cultivating within it, both of them Masters. He could feel their strength even from the entrance.
Bluewind led Ken to the treasury, which was a small building near the gate. He placed down his token in front of the treasury, which glowed. He then gathered his ki into his sword and completely each step of the Blue Sword technique, until he reached the eleventh step, which then opened the treasury.
As Ken entered the treasury, he looked all around. There was a large number of floating weapons towards the ceiling, and he saw something which caught his eye.
A branch made of pure white, and it glowed gently.
[[It’s powerful…]]
Hearing the goddess’ approval, he motioned up towards it. “I’ll have that,” he said.
Patriarch Bluewind sighed, reaching up towards the ceiling, and the branch flew down to his hand. He held it out towards Ken.
[Isn’t this too easy?]
Ken wondered what would happen if he touched the branch. Was this a trap? He looked to Emerald, who reached out for the branch, but Ken’s hand quickly snapped up towards the branch to grab it. His heart pounded wildly in shock, unsure of what had come over him.
The branch was soft to the touch, and quite warm. There was something comforting about it, like the hug of a mother. He looked down at it and he could feel it. The intense pressure emanating from the branch.
[…]
Commerce Head Rojja looked at the branch. He was going to give his opinion on whatever items took his fancy, but even he didn’t know what the branch was.
[I should send someone to find information about it.]
Ken looked up to the Patriarch, who remained silent and still.
[Just what did I pick?]
[[It’s powerful enough that you could kill the Patriarch in a single strike, though you will lose the branch in the process. It’s best to be used as an ingredient.]]
[An ingredient?]
Chandi and Emerald stepped in front of Ken in order to protect him. Chandi clenched her single fist, feeling the cool metal of the gauntlet. Emerald needed to hide her identity, so it would be a struggle for her to defend herself without exposing her abilities.
"No need," Ken said, waving his hand dismissively as the experts drew closer. They were so ready to grab him in order to impress the Bluewind family.
They seemed to have forgotten Ken's abilities. It was rather silly considering they had seen him, only moments ago, saw him fix an array that their great Arrayists could not fix.
Ken raised a finger, and he triggered an array. A large dragon made of blue light emerged from him, translucent, and yet so solid. It coiled all around his companions and himself.
“What is that?” One of the Martial Experts swung down with his sword, slashing against the dragon, which did not even shudder under his blow. The other Martial Experts continued to slash at the dragon.
"Petty tricks. Do you think this barrier could stop me?" a Martial Expert asked, manifesting his ki into his fists. They were red, forming in the face of a bear with each fist. He attacked the blue dragon, which was still coiled around Ken, but it did not shudder or break.
Ken looked to the Town Lord, who seemed to be patiently waiting, judging Ken’s abilities. "It seems I won't have the chance to undo the array in such a hostile environment," Ken said, closing his eyes and sighing.
"What nonsense are you speaking, you fiend?" Young Master Bluewind shouted at him.
"I have merely reformed the array so it can be broken, but there isn’t much time for it to be broken. Otherwise, the entrance will collapse and disappear.”
"I don't see an array," an Arrayist said, shaking his head. “He must be lying to gain more from us, or he wants to sabotage the array for someone else.”
"It just so happens that I'm more familiar with this kind of array." Ken smiled innocently, keeping up the dragon. "However, since I'm no longer welcomed here, perhaps I should leave? Or perhaps I'll watch the show, the chance of everyone here to gain priceless treasure slipping away, all because of the Bluewind family."
"Did you know the entrance was going to collapse?" Town Lord Firewind asked.
"I wasn’t surprised by it. This array seems to be formed so that it would slowly break over time after it revealed itself, and then some time later, it would reform and collapse itself. However, since it was ruined, it is quickly breaking to allow us in, but it will collapse itself sooner than expected. However, if the array isn't fixed soon, then the entrance will be destroyed."
"Would you be willing to assist us?" The Town Lord wasn’t sure if he truly believed Ken yet, but the young man had been decent to him.
"So that I will be beset by more dogs?" Ken looked to the Bluewind family. "This cripple must humbly refuse. I don't have the ability to defend against all these dogs at once. I've seen how I am treated when I tried to assist with my array skills. I will stick to alchemy."
"Before one talks about assistance, there should be the talk of compensation," Rojja said, stepping forward. He had been watching Ken for the last little while, and seeing how calm the cripple had been, he hadn’t revealed himself yet. "After all, he was treated quite rudely."
"Commerce Head's sincerity is something which always impresses me!” Ken laughed. “It seems you always have to clean up after the Bluewind family's mess."
"There are always misunderstandings that form on a daily basis, but hopefully those misunderstandings can be resolved peacefully. It's always best for the town to come together to stop such misunderstandings."
There was a warning in those words, but Ken understood that the Commerce Head wasn’t personally threatening him.
Ken was an outsider, and he shouldn't cause trouble for all the families. He had already called the Bluewind family a bunch of dogs for attacking him, so the major families would view him poorly now, even if his life had been in danger.
Ken's eyes fell across the Town Lord’s eyes, then the Bluewind family, then to the other major families.
[Right. It's the greed of people which always destroys their principles.]
"I'm sure the Bluewind family can show their sincerity to me in some way, can’t they? Perhaps a visit to their vault?”
"Can you afford to make such a request?" The Young Master asked.
"Can you afford to refuse?" Ken replied. "It was due to the Bluewind family that I had stepped away from the array, and it's due to you prestigious family that I will be unable to open the array."
"You!"
"Of course, I'm more than happy to accept a treasure for any other major family." He looked to the Town Lord and the other family heads, only looking at the major families.
"Since this is a matter to do with the Bluewind family, it is only right that they fix the issue they created," Town Lord said, looking at the Bluewind Patriarch, whose son was digging a deeper hole for himself.
"Isn't that obvious enough?" Patriarch Wildwind said, looking to the Bluewind family.
The Bluewind Young Master grit his teeth, looking at the two men who had tossed down his family.
"It's a small price to pay for everyone to enter the realm," Patriarch Bluewind finally said.
"Then we can leave immediately,” Ken said, smiling up with his eyes. “Commerce Head, why don't we go together? Someone with a keen eye such as you would be great to have accompany me."
He asked the Commerce Read for two reasons. Firstly, with Rojja around, the Bluewind family would think twice about starting trouble. Secondly, Ken would owe him a favour, and Rojja would do his best to protect an investment like that.
Ken understood that life was a game like this. Before, he was innocent and naive. Twice he was punished because of it, but he would no longer allow himself to be taken advantage of, even if it meant he had to play the game as ruthlessly as everyone else.
"I will be happy to assist," Rojja said, glad to see that Ken was putting his faith in the Commerce Head.
Patriarch Bluewind couldn't refuse the Commerce Head under such a pretext, so had to let the matter go. He felt if he tried to push back, then something bad could have happened. This way, at least there was an insurance for the Bluewind family too, since they didn't want to earn the scorn of the other families in case something happened. It would also keep the other Bluewind family members at bay.
[What luck I have to have such fools in this generation…]
"Chandi, stay here with Yue and Nana."
Chandi nodded her head, though was wondering if it was a good idea. She was a wolf woman, meaning that the people around here did not like the sight of her. Still, no one would bother the Arrayist’s slaves.
It was then that Patriarch Newblade approached Yue. “It’s good to see you, miss.” He smiled down at the woman and started a light conversation with her. Even if she was a slave to Ken, she had been seen with the Commerce Head quite often, meaning she was a trusted confidant of Ken.
Ken smiled and left with Emerald, who pushed him forward. Rojja followed, with a Martial Expert by his side. Patriarch Bluewind followed with his own Martial Expert, not that he needed one at his side.
The Bluewind family’s estate was quite large, and Ken could see the various arrays inside it. There was a large gate at the centre which was the key of it all, and it gathered so much energy through it that it was probably their greatest prize.
He could see two older men already cultivating within it, both of them Masters. He could feel their strength even from the entrance.
Bluewind led Ken to the treasury, which was a small building near the gate. He placed down his token in front of the treasury, which glowed. He then gathered his ki into his sword and completely each step of the Blue Sword technique, until he reached the eleventh step, which then opened the treasury.
As Ken entered the treasury, he looked all around. There was a large number of floating weapons towards the ceiling, and he saw something which caught his eye.
A branch made of pure white, and it glowed gently.
[[It’s powerful…]]
Hearing the goddess’ approval, he motioned up towards it. “I’ll have that,” he said.
Patriarch Bluewind sighed, reaching up towards the ceiling, and the branch flew down to his hand. He held it out towards Ken.
[Isn’t this too easy?]
Ken wondered what would happen if he touched the branch. Was this a trap? He looked to Emerald, who reached out for the branch, but Ken’s hand quickly snapped up towards the branch to grab it. His heart pounded wildly in shock, unsure of what had come over him.
The branch was soft to the touch, and quite warm. There was something comforting about it, like the hug of a mother. He looked down at it and he could feel it. The intense pressure emanating from the branch.
[…]
Commerce Head Rojja looked at the branch. He was going to give his opinion on whatever items took his fancy, but even he didn’t know what the branch was.
[I should send someone to find information about it.]
Ken looked up to the Patriarch, who remained silent and still.
[Just what did I pick?]
[[It’s powerful enough that you could kill the Patriarch in a single strike, though you will lose the branch in the process. It’s best to be used as an ingredient.]]
[An ingredient?]
