Ki Horizons - [Litrpg, Adventure, Power Levels]

"It's time. Today is the day you begin to learn how to use Ki."

My heart beat in excitement. Today was the day! After years and years of being so far below others that it was like a pipe dream at best, I was, I was finally here.

The last two months had been… brutal.

After Cooler's…departing… I had spent the rest of my 'break' healing in the tank and not leaving the Dojo. I'd have hated to randomly die because The Smile Company was looking for me, and I was also exhausted and didn't want to risk having a single more exciting moment happen to me. Possibly ever again. That one day had been more than enough. I hoped Cooler was well, but I tried not to worry. After all, regardless of anything else, he was someone in the triple digits of power. He didn't need my weak self worrying about him. He'd be fine, hopefully.

But after that… I of course told Master what had happened. His response…

Snort.

"Even on your break you're getting into trouble and being a pain in the ass to people? Well, at the very least, it doesn't look like you've destroyed your body even though I told you not to use ki."

There had been some real anger in his eyes and my heart may have literally stopped.

"Whatever." He said, petting Sparky as it meowed. "Just try not to do it again before you're ready for those lessons."

He hadn't cared a single bit about my fights, the attacks, the destruction of a skyscraper, or etc. He had even barely cared about me killing someone in the triple digits of power. Though he had at least commented on it saying 'Wow, you got pretty lucky.' I don't know what I had expected but Master barely caring at all about my adventures seemed par for the course really. It's not like he didn't have thoughts on it, I didn't believe that. Just that he was still angry at me, and he'd had to see me twice within two days after telling me to go away.

The two months of training day in and day out though had been… I was lucky to be alive. Master was far less angry, but that didn't mean he wasn't annoyed. I'd been destroyed so many times over and shoved into the healing tank that even I had been starting to go crazy. The fierce drive within Vincent was probably the only thing keeping him sane. And alive.

And now we were here, standing before Master in the main part of the Dojo. A previously unfathomable amount of power within us.

[50]

[50]

"Let's start simple. What is Ki?" Master asked.

Seeing him be an actual lecturer was always strange.

"It's the energy permeating our bodies, growing from our lifeforce and existence." Vincent answered.

Thank god, my answer would've been-

"Wrong."

"What?"

"Your answer's wrong."

Vincent blinked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"But…"

"At the very least, it's not specific enough. Is it energy? Sure. Most things are, when you really get down to it. Does it 'grow' from our lifeforce and existence? No. Mutai, what is Ki?"

Damn it. Now I had to think about this. I thought hard about the two times I'd used Ki, the strange visions and dreams, the feeling of it leaving my arms, and…

"Energy? Uh, just Energy."

"Also wrong."

Damn it.

"Ki is your life force. Its growth outpaces your body, letting you use it in a more direct state. The reason for that is because Ki originates from your essence, the combination of body, mind, and soul. The 'core' of it, is how all modern devices measure power levels. Power Level is measuring your essence in effect, and Ki is the source of that empowerment. It's your lifeforce, and the 'extra' can be used for all kinds of abilities. In short, Ki is you. All beings make it, produce it, have it. It's energy from your essence, whatever form that essence takes."

Vincent looked thoughtful, and I nodded along. That seemed about right to me.

"As an example to hone the point further. Most biological forms naturally produce some sort of benign energy to survive. For Humans and Salors," So that was Vincent's race. "It's electricity. Your nerves carry it, your brain uses it, your body needs it, etc etc. Your cells create it. For those more scientifically inclined, which I suspect is neither of you, you can think of it as the trinity of what you are making an energy from their combined existence. Using Ki is not unlike if you learned how to naturally use the electricity your cells create to shock people."

I raised my hand, feeling like I was at school.

"Don't-" Master just sighed. "What?"

"Then wouldn't that mean things without either a mind, body, or soul don't have Ki?"

Master handwaved in the air, in an 'ehhh' fashion.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"We've talked about something similar before but with power levels, but energy gets just as tricky. Some beings, like elementals, simply have different kinds of bodies. Their bodies are just more ethereal in nature. But as a general rule, yes. That general rule isn't helpful though because the existence of those three things is not an opinion but a fact, and yet you'd see many races and creatures and believe they're missing all three. If you ever see an item produce Ki, for example, it has all three of those things."

An item that produces Ki? I'd seen Living Dolls and Gargoyles before, but it seemed he meant something else.

"Wasn't there a war about that…" Vincent muttered.

Oh. Right. I'd actually researched that one. That was-

"Yes, the war between androids and, well, everyone else. That was a dark war. Having Ki and a Power Level doesn't make you sentient or sapient and- We're getting off topic. So Ki is you, it's energy, and more. It's your life force, your very vitality, the result of all that you are. We won't get into why it usually takes the form of beams or blasts when expelled forcefully; that's more science than we need right now. Now, what causes someone to be able to actively use Ki? I'm specifically asking not for the 'how' but the 'why'."

I was stumped and looking at Vincent, so was he. I had expected him to know. After all, I had grown up on an island out on the ocean, while Vincent grew up in a clan of warriors and blacksmiths. Surely they would've taught him how to at least start using it right?

"Master," Vincent said. "Each journey towards Ki Unlocking is special and unique, becoming easier the stronger you are. There is no one reason why-"

"Wrong. Well, no, half right. Sure, yeah, the individual way is kind of unique-ish, but they all mostly have the same thing in common. It's your essence overflowing and connecting to the universe on a metaphysical level. The Universe itself has Ki, and when your essence and it connects, you unlock the ability to actively use Ki. Some races are simply born with this connection or an extreme degree of control, most others aren't. The-"

"The universe is alive?" Vincent blurted out.

I too was stunned. What did, what did that even mean? It… had a body, mind, and soul?

Master nodded.

"It's not taught, because it can't be 'proven', and the evidence is currently more multiple theories stacking together than anything else. But I can assure you, this is the case."

My jaw dropped. The, entirety of everything was… alive? The very thing all of existence was in was alive?

"That… can't be true." Vincent said.

"It is." Master simply replied. "Sentience and Sapience levels are unknown but it is the truth. That connection is also certain. What is uncertain is the why's of it all. But it's how Ki is unlocked. The more inner Ki you have, the better. If you use Ki too early," Master said, staring daggers at me. "Your body won't survive the connection. That's not usually a problem anyone has."

I frowned. Not just at being stared at like I'd done something wrong.

"Do you need that connection to unlock Ki?"

"Technically no, practically yes. You could simply feel the Ki within your own body and eventually figure out how to use it, given you had enough. But the connection grows easier to have the more you inwardly have and instantly connects if you manage to use it in an active form. If you have enough inner Ki to start doing anything with it, you'll form the connection first."

I guess that made sense. It actually made me relieved. I'd gotten tired of relying on others for everything all the time and having no independence. Learning that I might have needed to form this connection in order to-

Wait.

"Wait. I've, already formed that connection. So, why can't I use Ki?"

"Because you brute forced it, twice, you idiot. There are supposed to be a few small steps before you suddenly try shooting deadly beams from your hands. Ki is not just a weapon." He seemed actually angry when saying those words, and I felt my scalp tingle from the killing intent.

"It is life force, it can and does do a great many things beyond simply blowing stuff up. Even at the level you two are at, you will find the utility aspects otherworldly as you suddenly can sense Ki around you. Or the rather fun ability to fly."

So saying, he briefly hovered up about a foot into the air, before going back down. My mouth dropped open and I could practically feel Vincent's eyes widen.

I could feel my excitement growing. I hadn't considered how it could change my day to day life or the things it could do outside of combat. More strength, more power, would always be great but the ability to fly…

"Master," Vincent said, fire in his eyes as he looked at me. "How do I form this connection?"

"You will both be learning it the typical, standard way. Even I haven't reinvented everything. The basic way works and it works well."

He sat down, crossed legged on a mat on the wooden floor. We each had our own and copied him, sitting before him.

"For those without a Master, Matriarch, Patriarch, or general Elder, they would have to do a lot of meditation and focus. It could take years. The ones who already have a powerhouse to guide them get a sped up version."

So saying, I suddenly felt my entire body tingle, as if the air was full of invisible fire. My heart rate skyrocketed and I felt the same sensation I did when Master was about a single moment from killing me. My body wanted to run but it also couldn't sense any danger. It was like I'd simply jumped into fire that couldn't hurt me. I looked down and saw that I was shaking.

Vincent looked better off, the monster, barely even flinching. He simply sat there, his eyes widening a little.

"I am releasing my Ki. An extreme amount of it, well, for you two that is. This entire room is currently filled with it. Ki energy's default form, after all, is not visible. It's also not usually useable in the pure default form. This is an exception. I am going to sit here and bombard you with my Ki till you unlock your Ki senses. It's like putting a blind mouse under intense light. Even if it can't see it, sooner or later, it'll start to feel the heat."

That… I just had to sit here?

Vincent must've felt the same.

"Master… is this all we will be doing to unlock Ki?"

"No, of course not. You also need to shut up, close your eyes, focus, and meditate. Feeling the connection to the universe and my Ki surrounding you. As well as the Ki within yourself. When you can feel all three, your mind will become open to Ki, and we can proceed from there."

Vincent simply nodded, a hint of excitement in him, and closed his eyes.

As for me…

I stared in horror at this new training. It wasn't from enduring the feeling of being in some kind of fierce energy storm, no, that I could deal with. It was because…

"M-Master. How long will this training go on for?"

"Till it works."

"How long will that be?"

"Till it works."

"S-Surely there must be an average time and-"

"Close your eyes and shut up."

No… no, it couldn't be! How long was I just going to have to sit here and meditate?

This is going to be so boring!