The first thing I noticed was an acrid smell hitting my nose. I didn’t recognize it. Something toxic and alien that made me cough. The sounds hit me next. A cacophony of unseen people, music, and vehicles grinding together. All fighting each other to be heard.
I was standing on a rooftop in a city. All around me were tall apartment and office buildings. Skyscrapers could be seen in the distance, stretching up beyond the clouds. Each one glimmering a different color to try and grab your attention.
It was night, but there were so many neon signs plastered on the surrounding buildings that it barely mattered. The signs themselves consisted of logos and brands, while another featured a purple alien with an oval-shaped head holding a drink. The writing next to them was translated by the System. It told me to enjoy a cool breeze.
The longer I stared at the sign, the more I swore that I could suddenly smell lemongrass and the forest. But as soon as I looked away, the scent had vanished.
That was fine. I wasn’t here for sightseeing. The person I’d come for was sat with their legs crossed on the roof with his back to me. It was a strange place for meditating. But then again, every god I’d met so far had been strange in their own way.
Yakeshi, the Heaven’s blade, was still wearing pristine white robes. His long, dark hair tied back with a simple ponytail. At first glance, you’d assume he was in his late teens, that is until he looked at you. It was his eyes that told the truth. That Yakeshi, the Heaven’s Blade, was an ancient being of immense power.
I was taking a risk by coming here, but he had always been very fair and reasonable with me. When it came to how I should proceed through the tower, his advice was worth hearing. Even if I didn’t always choose to follow it.
“This is an odd place for a meeting,” I said.
He didn’t respond at first. That was fine. I could wait. I couldn’t be here without him accepting my request for an audience. So there must be something he wanted from me.
A few minutes passed like this until he said, “I didn’t think I’d hear from you again after spending so long with Samara.” He tutted. “Not making a formal pledge to her after all that time? She’s probably not pleased. You think you can avoid it forever and just keep bouncing between the two of us for guidance?”
That was exactly what I’d thought.
“It’s not the worst strategy, but it can’t go on for much longer,” he continued. “Eventually, you’ll have to choose.”
“Well, I came for advice on that and other things. In the tower, Gundred’s champion saw my Class and called me a mad dog. Then I got a Class evolution option for something called a Scarlet Beast.”
He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Did you pick it?” His voice was calm, but there was an implicit threat underneath the question.
“No.”
He nodded and stood up.
“You haven’t come at a good time. As you can see, I am pre-occupied with other matters,” he said, gesturing at the city. “So let us get down to it. As I told you before, the bloodlust can drive people mad and a Scarlet Beast Class is one of the more obvious paths that can happen with. But do not think you are safe. You can remain a Blood Reaver and still be taken over by it. This champion you spoke of was likely shown other Blood Reavers fighting to help prepare him for his fight with you. Given that you are here, I’m assuming it didn’t help much.”
“He’s still alive. The Officiator interfered and saved him.”
Yakeshi’s eyebrows rose. “That is odd. Usually, he only interferes when things are too unbalanced. How did you beat him?”
A chill ran down my spine. I’d beaten him using Crimson Domain. A power I’d only unlocked after drinking someone’s blood. Would I be endangering myself by revealing that information? No, others would’ve seen me use it on the ship. It’s probably public knowledge to anyone who watches the tower.
“Ah yes, I see,” he said, his eyes distant. “You trapped him with a domain ability that significantly enhances your blood powers. An advanced ability for your level, though you were slow to implement it. Both of you were also holding back your full power.”
“We were worried about the ship breaking.”
“Worry more about your life next time. You were also unfocused. I saw at least half a dozen times when he could’ve killed you.”
“But I won the fight!”
“He will not fall for the same tricks twice if Gundred is coaching him. Do better.”
“How?”
“For starters, you need a new sword.”
I formed a blood sword in my hand and held it up. “This one works just fine.”
He arched one eyebrow. “Really? Show me.”
I burst forth with a lunge. A sword appeared in his hands and he parried it. I backed off to reassess and gain some ground, but Yakeshi wasn’t moving.
“Again,” he ordered.
I executed a series of strikes as fast as I could, moving around him to try to find a weakness. Even when I targeted his back, he did not turn around. He simply held the sword behind himself. It was like he sensed where my sword was going to be before even I knew.
“This isn’t fair,” I huffed, trying to catch my breath. “You’re stronger than me.”
“I have only moved as fast as you and matched your strength,” he replied calmly.
“Well, then it’s experience.”
My legs suddenly gave out.
“I do not need greater experience to beat you. What is the most important thing a swordsman needs?”
My mind went back to speed, strength, and experience, but he’d discounted those. There was something more important. More fundamental. That was when it hit me.
“Focus,” I said.
He nodded and looked pleased.
“Even the fastest, the strongest, the most experienced can be undone if they lose focus in battle. I do not say that you need a sword because I find blood magic distasteful. I say you need one because you’re splitting your focus. You’re trying to fight in a duel and keep a magical construct’s shape in your head at the same time. Keeping your attention on two things at once like that will get you killed.”
I stood up and brought out my knife. The Blade Weaver ability was next. With it, I drew blood from my bracer to the knife. It embedded into the blade until it glowed red and sparks flew off of it. Just from the feel alone, I knew that it would have greater cutting power.
“So what? I shouldn’t use my blood abilities at all?”
I lunged with my knife. As he deflected it, I formed and swung my blood sword down. A jolt ran down my knife arm, paralyzing it. Yakeshi brought up his blade to block mine, but that was okay. They’d connect, I’d make the sword go liquid, and then reform it once inside his defenses.
As soon as our swords met, my connection to the blood vanished and my sword collapsed into a pile of blood. I could no longer sense it or reform it.
“I nullified the magic within the blood that you were using for a connection,” Yakeshi explained.
“You can just switch off my magic?”
He shrugged. “There are ways of disrupting and dispelling magic. I hunt blood magic users far more powerful than yourself. It is prudent to have countermeasures.”
“Like Samara?”
He frowned. “Samara has been… very restrained. Suspiciously so. But she has not broken the rule.”
That sounded ominous, but I was still fixated on this rule he was impressing on others.
“You mean your rule?” I asked.
He shook his head. “This isn’t some vendetta. I’m not chasing around the galaxy on a crusade. But perhaps it's time you learned that firsthand. Come.”
Yakeshi casually walked to the edge and stepped off of the roof.
I ran over in to see him standing in an alley below. He gazed up at me with a look that said he wouldn’t wait forever.
I considered jumping after him. The landing would be excruciating, but I could recover. But then I pictured part of my shin bone breaking off and stabbing me in the heart or the fall causing my neck to break. There’d be no coming back from that.
Reluctantly, I found a fire escape and used it to climb down. A set of rusty iron stairs that groaned in protest from my presence, but they held until I reached the bottom.
Yakeshi started walking away as soon as I’d reached him. I followed him out onto the street and was immediately assaulted by holograms. They flew around my head like buzzing bees. One was a pie that smelled of cinnamon, another was a bottle of something alcoholic. It flew through me and I started choking. I could actually taste the alcohol as it burned my throat.
Yakeshi waved his hand, and the holograms were dismissed.
“Advertisements here always pester new people the most,” he said.
“Those were ads?” I groaned. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.”
His mouth twitched into a slight smile. “Welcome to Rahklesh-9.”
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