Chapter 97: Change and Growth
Chapter 97: Change and Growth
Chapter 97 - Change and Growth
Im going out, Kai announced heading for the door.
Okay, stay safe. Dont come back too late. Alana gave him a worried glance.
Not only did he have to deal with the lumbering figure of the hunter first thing in the morning, his mom also looked at him like he was about to break. Kai almost preferred Keas taunting about his lacking magical talent.
And this was supposed to be a relaxing vacation.
The brisk morning air welcomed him outside. Their large house was becoming suffocating.
Its all going to pass, just give it time.
Taking a deep breath to reset his mood, Kai did a quick stretching and headed down the streets in a jog. It was frowned upon to run at full speed inside the town boundaries. Children without a profession were the sole exception, their attributes low enough not to be dangerous. Naturally, if he were to go all out, it would raise more than a few eyebrows.
Away from the richer districts, the large straight streets grew smaller and meandering. On both sides, cramped buildings leaned against each other to reach some sort of balance. The day began earlier here, with kids and adults already going about their business.
Kai easily found his way through the maze of winding streets and alleyways. He couldnt tell if his increase in Mind made him smarter, but it definitely improved his memory. The docks were closer to poshtown and the merchant district, but the most direct path to the sea cut through the dregs.The debut release of this chapter happened at N??v€l-B1n.
He had made numerous visits over the years, but he had never felt at risk, like in Greenside. Growing stronger and more skilled had played a factor too. It certainly helped boost his confidence.
Without conscious thought, Kais eyes and ears were constantly scanning his surroundings by habit. Elijah had drilled in his soul to never let his guard down, submitting him to far harsher training than stray pebbles to ensure hed never forget. Together with Danger Sense, there was little that escaped his notice, especially if someone was targeting him.
The soft presence of people passing glances brushed against his consciousness to be quickly forgotten. A sharper prickle made him falter. It lasted just a moment. A subtle pulse of Mana Sense pinpointed the source. A scarred man stood by a dingy establishment, his eyes watching the people passing by. The bouncer of some illegal activity if Kai were to take a guess.
Where there were people, crime would follow. With the heavy presence of the Republic in Sylspring, they usually tried not to attract attention. Peeking out of the last line of buildings, he waved at the enforcer guarding the southern gate, before continuing along the shore to his destination.
A short stretch of sand extended before him. The northern side of town offered much prettier sights, but it was chock-full of tourists. Sometimes kids and teenagers looking to have fun came here, but no one was within sight this early.
Kai left his shirt and shoes by a palm tree. After performing a more extensive stretching session, he jumped into the sea. The water was cold but pleasant. His eleventh birthday had been just a month ago and Spring was about to get into full swing.
Blessed Swimmer enhanced his every movement. His muscles pushed against the waters with all their strength, relinquishing all shackles.
Elijah had not given him any homework for his brief stay, they were past such things. This was for himself. To relieve all the stress and tension of the past days. There was nothing quite like letting his body loose. He slipped beneath the waves faster than humanly possible. At least on Earth.
His mana begged him to be unleashed and Kai obliged. Blazing his skills for a moment, the seafloor flashed past. Tiny blue and yellow fishes darted away from his path. It was exhilarating. His heart beat fast and strong. A feeling of rightness and invincibility filled him.
Kai let his momentum drain away to a standstill. Floating underwater with Blessed Swimmer everything was in his place. Rays of sunlight penetrate the waters from above. Open sea on his left, a kelp field on his right. Large dark green leaves gently swaying in the currents. Thousands of swimming fireflies of light shone through Mana Sense. The call to explore the underwater forest beckoned him forward.
Another day, he promised.
Breaching the surface, he wasnt even winded. The shore extended hundreds of meters behind him, a thin line of sand and trees, clear to his sharp gaze. Buildings and ships rose further up. He had errands to take care of and potions to sell. Adventure could wait a couple days.
Damn, being responsible sucks.
Diving again, Kai explored the coast underwater, using only his passive enhancements. If he used Water mana and Empower, he could keep swimming for hours without growing tired. He didnt have that time. Plus, it was a chore to refill his reserves away from the estate.
As the butler said, it wasn't true training if you could stand on your own two feet by the end. Kai made sure to strain his muscles against the waves.
He emerged an hour later, heaving and satisfied. With barely a thought, the water flowed off his body, leaving him dry. He put on his clothes and sat on the beach against the palm tree.
Acting (lv67>98)Mana Sense (lv58>73)Mana Manipulation (lv36>58)Empower (lv26>55)Inspect (lv25>48)Blessed Swimmer (lv6>41)Water Magic (lv1>40)Alchemy (lv23>40)Runes (lv14>37)Nature Magic (lv10>36)Swordsmanship Advanced (lv1>20)Herbology Advanced (lv1>28)Danger Sense (lv1>14)Attuned Meditation (lv1>10)
Please come inside, Master Kai. Weve been waiting for you. Master Reishi has just come back from his voyage. Ill inform him immediately. The butlera real onewore a pristine maroon uniform.
Kai was led to an elegant room with two plush sofas.
Ill send someone to bring the refreshments. If there is anything you need dont hesitate to ask. We are at your service, Master Kai.
Im fine, thank you.
The butler bowed and left. Not a minute later, another servant came to bring an icy drink and cute glazed fish pastries in all colors.
Is there anything else you need, Master Kai? the woman asked without meeting his eyes.
No, thank you.
The obsequious ways of the servants grated against the casualness of the islanders he was used to. It made him uncomfortable, but it wasnt his place to tell them how to act. This wasnt his house. Most of Reishis employees were from the mainland or far away islands, recruited together with the crews and ships the merfolk bought.
More times than not, Kai delivered his order to his subordinates, since Reishi was usually at sea. This time he got lucky, they were both here by chance.
Kai sipped on the cold minty drink and got comfortable on the couch. Knowing Reishi, the merfolk could be on the other side of town closing a deal right now.
Soon most of the fish pastries were gone. The door opened again. As Kai was about to tell the servant he didnt need anything for the third time, he recognized the familiar scaled features.
I hope I didnt keep you waiting for long, Reishi smiled, with a heavy breath.
Did he actually run here from across town?
About twenty minutes, Kai stated flatly.
My deepest apologies.
If you really want to repay me for my time. A 5% increase in my share of the profits would solve it, Kai said with a cheeky grin on his face.
Reishi laughed and sat down, Should have expected that. 1% just because I like you.
Deal. He hadnt expected anything to start with.
Well, show me what you brought this time. The mermans keen eyes focused on his backpack as if he could see through the fabric and enchantments. Maybe he could.
One by one, Kai took out what was promised. Healing potions of different grades made up the bulk of the order. Nothing sold better than that. Then he passed to rarer effects. Concoctions to stave off exhaustion, poisons and antidotes, potions for endurance and strength, a mana replenishing elixir and a pill that granted you clarity of mind for a short period.
The small coffee table could barely accommodate all the glass vials and containers.
Thats quite the haul, Reishi commented, filaments of mana already at work around his hands as he analyzed the potions with his skills.
Its been five months, looking at them all together, Kai was also surprised to see how many there were. They pile up quickly.
Since they were both busy on unpredictable schedules, their deal didnt include numbers, but a list of alchemical creations Reishi committed to buying. Quantities were left up to what he could scrounge up in his limited free time. And prices were based on the local demand.
On top of those, Kai brewed the more exotic potions to see if the Reishi was interested in buying. He needed to challenge himself to push his Alchemy towards the first orange threshold.
Lets talk about the price. They shared a smile.