NOVEL NEXT 44: Building an Odyssey
Kai found himself back on Skyhearth, in the same spot outside the tent.
Congratulations! Your final position is 6/2500, your rewards are:
Eligible to be sponsored by any order.
Title: First Odyssey Champion
Details: A Sovereign’s journey is no easy feat, you passed the first of seven trials.
Reward: Once the seventh trial is complete, forge a unique title based on your achievements and highest trial completed.
You have earned 1,062,000 Trial tokens, which will now be converted into a one-time crystal bonus: 1062 E-grade crystals.
Odyssey Champion shop now available:
Protocosmic Fruits (Locked, Reach 1st)
Buildings (Visit Aura river nexus)
Defensive structures (Visit Aura river nexus)
Achievement: Reaper
Details: Slay at least 20 individuals during the reaping ceremony.
Reward: +10 stat points.
Rarity: Mythic (3/100)
Trial 2 begins in 3 days.
Struggle for supremacy!
Kura’s pride soared, her eyes glinting like crystals.
A drop of blood fell from Kai’s severed arm onto the grass. I will find you, Herod. Kai barely noticed Milah and Hawkin gawking at him while he internally seethed about the five individuals who had placed higher than him; they had to all be the chosen of the triumvirate, which could mean some had yet to be chosen since he was assuming each Monarch could have at least three disciples. If my hidden bonuses weren’t disabled I’m sure I would be first. However I was only 46th before contributing crystals for the dominion bonus.
He had painted a large target on his back and angered pretty much everyone at the reaping. Then again, he had gained 3 levels and 26 E-grade crystals through Kura, plus his soul had improved from the beating he’d taken, not enough to move into middle mastery, but he could feel the difference. He was amazed that in that short but intense fight his Vortex Heart had absorbed the equivalent of several E-grade crystals, meaning he could happily spend those 1062 E-grade crystals on the most expensive defensive structure he could afford.
Milah waved a hand in-front of his face. “Umm, hellooo, your arm is gone? You don’t seem concerned?” she said, then leaned in conspiratorially. “You know, they already call you Lord Bloodless around here.” She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Let me guess… you’re going to make an arm out of blood or something?”
Kai looked at her blankly while his thoughts came back to reality. “…uhm, I’m just going to grow it back?”
Milah chuckled. “Oh of course, silly me, how obvious!” Kai smiled when she rolled her eyes theatrically.
Despite his traits that let him function despite the pain, his severed arm was throbbing; while the pain was nothing compared to when he had ruptured his vital meridians, it still hurt and he was extremely woozy from loosing or rather using a large portion of his blood, and he sat on the grass.
I hope this works. “Give me a moment,” Kai said. Taking a deep breath, he focussed on his Limb Regrowth vital trait; the trait itself allowed him to intrinsically sense it would take several days to regrow his arm naturally. If he was a normal person that would be nothing short of a miracle, but he wasn’t and that was too slow. He grimaced; the next trial started in three days. Kai sent a torrent of aura to his stump of an arm, which started noticeably growing back and he estimated it would be fully regrown in less than a day at most, he just needed to keep feeding the process. Unfortunately not a powerful enough trait to use in the middle of combat, but that’s what it needs to be, since I can’t use healing crystals anymore.
“So how did the first trial end… Lord Kai, First Odyssey Champion?” Milah grinned. “That’s going to become a mouthful in future if you keep collecting titles.”
Kai looked between Milah and his arm stump and shrugged. “Honestly, it went better than expected. Hang on, let me check if I can somehow not display my titles.” He did not relish the idea of blatantly advertising his accomplishments unless he needed to. Unfortunately there seemed to be no way to turn it off.
Kai sighed, “Looks like anyone with high enough senses can see my titles now. But I can also see theirs.” Not great for keeping a low profile but useful for building a reputation.
Kai then explained to Milah and Hawkin what had happened in the reaping. Hawkin’s face paled as his story progressed, however Milah simply digested the conversation while shaking her head.
Kai scratched his chin, noticing that he had not stuttered in quite a while, he could chalk most of it up to his improvements, but he also suspected that his sense of self worth, or rather being sure of purpose gave him more confidence. He tapped his chin absently. “You know, pre integration I’d be a stuttering mess just talking to you.” He blushed. “Talking to anyone that is.”
Milah brushed away his rambling. “Yeah that’s nice, so let me get this straight. You effectively painted a huge target on your back and by extension ours, is that right?” She glared at him.
Kai flinched. “Yeah, sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Suddenly he grinned and Milah narrowed her eyes at him until he withdrew his 26 newly acquired E-grade crystals; they were a rainbow of colours and shapes and hummed with powerful aura. “Here you go, let’s make everyone stronger,” Kai said with confidence. I need to keep the rest until I see what things cost.
Milah’s eyes grew as big as saucers. “Filthy rich bastar— ah, I mean that’s very kind of you, however you better keep us safe if trouble you caused comes knocking.” She jabbed his chest with her finger.
Kai nodded. “I have to find a way to both get stronger and keep everyone safe, and I’m unable to get stronger by staying here.”
“That’s true,” Milah said, thoughtfully tapping her chin.
“Until I can make it back here, what would be most useful would be some way to communicate over long distances with you both,” Kai said.
Milah tilted her head in thought. “I think I have an idea, but it’s going to take some time, let me work on it, you go on ahead and focus on getting stronger.”
Kai cleared his throat. “Well I have three days before the second trial starts, and there are a few things I have been meaning to do,” Kai said, then looked at the small treasure chest on his finger eagerly awaiting her evolution.
Yes yes yes!
***
Algrom watched the disheveled man grow his arm back from a distance while speaking with the pretty butterfly lady who had rejected his rock and slapped him.
Algrom snorted.
The seed had blossomed, but the fruit was not yet ripe for harvest.
Let the age of overgrowth begin.
***
Kai started heading off in the direction of the Rakin elder, to ask about a long rope while wondering what had happened to Algrom, when an unexpected notification popped up.
+1 Follower of your path
+100 F-grade Crystals
Achievement: Aura Hunter III
Details: You have gained the first follower of your unique path.
Rarity: Legendary (3/10)
Reward: Your understanding of the truths of the universe deepens, your ability to discover and improve aura traits increases.
What! Hafez? Finally…
Kai’s eyes sparkled and warmth spread through his soul at the thought of his reinvented monastery techniques and aura traits reaching across the universe.
He wondered if there was anything he could do with followers, or did he just earn crystals.