Psychic Parasite

November 30, the year 333 of the Dawn Era; it was night-time as three people sat around a dining people: a teenage boy, a lady in her early twenties, and an old man, silently eating their food.

Jyovic Bone raised his head, gazing at Jyorta, "Your Sync Rate is quite the disappointment. But, at least, you've become an Esper. This way, you could contribute to the family to a greater extent."

"Yes, I understand," Jyorta nodded, looking disinterested, focused on gorging the food. "Basically, I need to do things that will raise the prestige of the Bone family…something along those lines right?"

"Who cares about something trivial like that?" Jyovic Bone laughed, "You are different from the rest. Don't bother yourself with pointless stuff like upholding the glory of the Bone Family. There are other family members to do that."

"Then…" Heima interrupted, curiosity plastered on her face. "Do you want to forge new connections using him? You have even obtained a method to contact Rhachis Ancestor Light; are other connections even necessary at this point?"

"Indeed, I have more than enough connections," Jyovic Bone replied, his tone placid, "The other old fogeys of our family are also working towards that. All I want from Jyorta is one thing…"

"And, that is?" Jyorta trailed off, stuffing his face with a mouthful of bread, dipped in gravy, its tantalising aroma enchanting his nostrils. The taste made him involuntarily close his eyes, relishing the taste.

"We possess an Unranked Skill, Bone Devour. I suppose Heima has mentioned it to you prior to this?" Seeing Jyorta nod, Jyovic Bone continued, "But, this skill can only be inherited by Warriors. That too, only by Tier 4 Shifters and Tier 5 Transformers. Due to its characteristics, anyone below that cannot gain the Skill."

"But," Just when Jyorta was about to speak, he was interrupted by Jyovic Bone, "But, our family has also produced many Espers. We have a significant number of them even when compared to other Aristocratic families."

"You mean to say…" Jyorta spoke, his eyes widening in surprise, "Our family needs an Unranked Skill for Espers and I should strive to create one?"

"Yes," Jyovic Bone nodded, "Your train of thought is different as compared to the rest of us. So, if you were to create a Skill, it would be quite different from the norm. Your predecessor created an Unranked Skill to manipulate space. It is unique and almost impossible to counter. Within the span of a century, she had become strong enough to be able to fight against Rhachis Ancestor Dawn."

"I understand," Jyorta nodded, not speaking anything else, finishing the last morsel from his plate.

"Any resources you need to create the Skill, the family will provide you. Also, this would have to wait until you become a Wave Controller at the very least. So, you have many years to think about it." Jyovic Bone said, putting his plate in the sink and washing his hands.

He sat on a sofa in the living room, looking at Jyorta who sat opposite to him, frowning. "Do you know about anchors?"

"What anchors are you talking about? There are many types of anchors." Jyorta poured some fruit juice in a glass and began to drink it, using a tablespoon to drink it like it was a soup.

"You know that unlike Espers, Warriors nurture a Skill at every Tier right?" Seeing him nod, Jyovic Bone glanced at Heima, wondering how much she revealed to him. "Bone Devour requires 3 anchor points. So, if a Tier 3 Developer were to inherit it, then he would lose all the three Skills he had nurtured, making the Unranked Skill the only Skill he would possess."

"Though," Jyovic Bone let out a self-deprecating laugh, "At Tier 3, Bone Devour is practically useless. It does not exhibit any of its characteristics and functions horribly than an average Tier 2 Skill. Hence, only Shifters and above inherit it."

"Coming back to the point," Jyovic Bone said, raising his hand, clenching it into a fist, "Unranked Skills for Espers require zero anchors. Since Espers don't possess any Skills, it is easy for them to accommodate an Unranked Skill. They can gain an Unranked Skill even at Tier 1. This is a major advantage. Do you now understand why I want our Bone family to possess an Unranked Skill for Espers?"

"Understood," Jyorta nodded, his expression serious, "Once I have become stronger, I will try to work on it."

"Any resources, personnel, talents, research subjects, etc. anything you need will be given. Creating an Unranked Skill is a daunting task. The research for Bone Devour began from my grandfather's generation; they poured a tremendous amount of resources and manpower, sacrificing many things in life. Finally, I was the one who had completed it, that too in my later years." Jyovic Bone sighed, recollecting the sacrifices his predecessors shouldered.

"I am not in any hurry. Even if it takes a century, as long as we obtain an Unranked Skill, time doesn't matter. This is for the benefit of the family. I already possess everything I need. Bone Devour is my legacy." Jyovic Bone stood up, approaching the exit.

He turned around, looking at Jyorta, "Just be careful to not expose yourself out there. Every action taken in the military academy is heavily monitored so, don't stir up anything unusual. Just focus on raising your strength using the abundant resources available there."

Jyorta flashed a smile, boding him farewell. Once the door was closed, Jyorta switched on the TV, raising its volume until it became uncomfortable to bear. He sat on the sofa, making eye contact with Heima. Heima heaved out a sigh, sitting beside him.

"How much of what he said is the truth?" Jyorta spoke, his voice hushed, bringing his mouth near her ear. The ear-piercing sounds from the TV ensured that their conversation wouldn't leak out.

Anyway, once he closed the windows and the door that lead into the balcony, he wasn't worried about the sounds disturbing their neighbours. There was basic soundproofing installed in every house. He was just being cautious since Jyovic Bone was a Tier 5 Transformer.

"You don't need to worry. He's a Transformer and not a Sky Controller. Moreover, he has already consumed a Cleansement Fruit ages ago. So, the only Skill he possesses is Bone Devour. Even though his ear is sharper than an average human, it's not to the extent you are assuming," Heima replied, a smile etched on her face. She imitated his action, whispering in his ear.

"Better to be careful than being sorry," Jyorta said, "Coming back to what he said…"

"Don't mind the stuff he said. No one knows what goes on in his mind. Anyone who has lived as long as he does will be brimming with a cunning nature. All you need to do at present is to focus on increasing your strength." Heima replied.

"Also," She began, her voice loud, "The Trait Fruits, get as many of them as possible. They would aid you a lot in your journey. Also, aim for the Unranked Skill Regen. As an Esper, that is the only Skill in your reach. As for the other 3 Unranked Skills for Espers in our City, they are all in the hands of the two Royal Families."

"I was planning to aim for that from the very beginning," Jyorta nodded, "In any situation, having the ability to heal oneself is of vital importance."

"Moreover," Heima craned her neck, inching her mouth towards his ears, her words a whisper, "Never experiment with your corrosion when you are at the military academy. Every inch of the place is under the watchful eye of Madam Mary, the principal of the military Academy. She is also the one who created the Unranked Skill Regen."

"I will keep that in mind," Jyorta nodded, switching off the TV. "Will you be accompanying me tomorrow?"

"No, I have work. I'll be going to Wild Zone 12 for a mission. This is slightly risky since there is a high chance of encountering Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts; especially those disgusting Ring Worms. They have a tough body and a soft inner carapace, diffusing the power of the attacks falling on them. So, I have to make some preparations and report early." Heima replied, ruffling his hair.

"Will you be fine without me?" Heima inquired, her tone filled with worry.

"I'll be fine," Jyorta snorted, "If we count my memories, I am technically older than you. Even otherwise, I can ask some random girl in the academy and she is bound to help me."

"From which of the two idiots did you inherit this narcissistic character?" Heima muttered, facepalming. She then remembered something, glaring at the teenager, "Have you packed your bags?"

"I still have time. It's only 8:30 PM; I'll do it in the morning." Jyorta waved his hands, acting like it was no big deal. Heima sent a kick at him, landing squarely on his butt, urging him to pack his bags.

"Fine," Jyorta replied, entering his room. Suddenly, he felt the world brighten up, the surroundings displayed to him in exceptional clarity. He also felt a strange sensation, as if he was one with the air, its gentle flow prickling his sensation, causing him to notice the minute swaying of the fine hair on his arm, in response to the presence of his psychic energy.

'I am one with ME!' A smile crept on his face, the minute changes giving him euphoria. He also began to feel a mild headache, feeling something accumulating within his head in trace amounts, so insignificant that he wouldn't have noticed them if not for the sudden sensation.

"From this day onwards, there is only Kaushik…I mean, only Jyorta." Jyorta hummed a tune, picking up his clothes. He took out two bags: a shoulder bag and a trolley bag. The trolley bag was huge, twice the size of the shoulder bag.

Jyorta packed his clothes and daily necessities, not carrying anything extra. He picked up a large notebook, A3 in size. He flipped to its first page, gazing at the face of a familiar youth. He then flipped the subsequent pages, looking past one familiar face after another, finally stopping on a particular page.

There, the faces of a middle-aged man and a relatively younger-looking woman were drawn, black and white—pencil sketched. The middle-aged man had sharp facial features, his countenance rough, looking like someone who had served in the military.

He had white sideburns while the hair on his top looked less dense as compared to the sides, looking like he would become bald within a decade. He sported a long, bushy moustache, their ends curling up, oily black in colour, painting his image like the wrestlers of the 20th century.

The woman had a round face, baby cheeks that never disappeared due to age, long curly hair that reached her hips, tied into a braid. Her hair to the front looked a bit messy, the strands refusing to be tied up. She had a gentle smile, her eyes twinkling with wisdom, looking like someone with countless academic accomplishments to speak of.

"This is from my deepest reserves of memory yet, why? Why do I feel nothing when I look at it? As the creepy-haired man said, I have really lost my attachment to my previous life." Jyorta sighed, packing the drawing book into the trolley bag.

He then noticed his headache turning worse, making him shout, "Sister, I got a headache."

"That is wonderful news!" A voice trailed back, "Try to bear with it. The pain will eventually disappear within a couple of hours. It wouldn't be that severe at Tier 1."

Jyorta heaved a sigh, quickly finishing packing. He rechecked the two bags, counting all the things, and ensuring that he hadn't left anything behind. Done with all the work, he slumped on the bed, "Military Academy, here I come."