Noticing that the Tama-Artist weren't looking at him, Lucy takes out the hammer that killed his mother. Without any hesitation, he clashes it with his fist; those who couldn't see the silver tincture thought he was doing a trick. However, Lucien was happy —doesn't show expressions in front of strangers— at the sight of the hammer breaking.
His joy didn't last, as the chroma vanished, leaving his body drained like someone who ran from Mexico to Argentina. Feeling giddy as a windmill, Lucy lies his head on the table, hiding his smile.
'This is the power of the soul; if I keep using it, I'll feel less fatigued, and be on the same level as the strongest Tama-Artists.'
Stopping himself from sleeping, Lucien listens to the surrounding sounds. Meanwhile, Katsura walks to the other Tama-Artists, grimacing, "Did you tell them what is going on?"
The question was rhetorical; the movement of the head could answer. However, Girashi, a tall man who could match Lucy in height, replies with furrowed brows, "There is no need. The smart ones already know."
'Why are tall people acting cocky today?' Katsura thought, instinctively gripping his tachi with a snort, "That doesn't mean you shouldn't tell them?"
The brown-haired man bends forward, inciting his eyes to look at Katsura's scalp reflecting his face, "Then, who would tell the mortals you brought, Academy failure?"
Katsura gnashes his teeth, stepping back.
"It's not like you passed."
Girashi smirks, standing up straight with a puffed chest.
"At least I had a better grade than you."
Katsura's scowl deepens, pulling his sword out of his scabbard slowly. All the Tama-Artists in the restaurant are Academy failures, but he had the lowest evaluation. Halfway taking his tachi, his hand turned to fire, melting the sword.
Girashi laughs, his hands on his belly.
"Your Tama might allow you to turn your body into fire, but it's useless to Bushi like us who don't have much Rei."
Clicking his tongue, Katsura throws his flaming fist toward Girashi's toned abs. However, before it could connect, the hand returned to normal.
'Shit! I'm out of Rei already!'
Sweating, Katsura' face turns red from embarrassment, but he still opened his big lips.
"If I didn't kill the kyuketsuki on my way here, I would've ended you."
Not wanting a reply, Katsura strides over to the mortals. Playing nonchalant, he lands his gaze on the red-hair looking at the table.
'What is his name again? Lucy Duterere? Luchitori? Eh? Whatever!'
"Silver Hammer! Explain everything from the start!"
Although Bushi are the weakest class of Tama-Artist, they are not to be underestimated. Their Tama can enhance or change their bodies; with the right liquid Tama they can shoot out elements from their bodies. Knowing that mortals who opposed their command would have hell on earth, Lucy didn't hesitate, even though bothered by the nickname.
Standing, Lucien shows his kindest face in front of strangers —indifference.
"At sixteen, everyone is taken to drink the Faith Tama and open their Primordial Space to become Tama-Artists."
—Tama is either awakened, plundered from something, or mined from the ground. In some occasions, Tama might appear in the form of liquids just like petrol when the latter is done.
—To date, two theories make sense about the origins of liquid Tama. Firstly, it's a Tama that has experienced weathering, and since Tama is from a spirit it turns into liquid instead of soil like rocks. Lastly, it's the benevolent spirits that move around the world that make liquid Tama.
That aside, Lucien continues:
"Those who fail can't have access to use Rei. Such are sent to the mortal regions of Kurenai Village to live as mortals who worship and obey Tama-Artists' every command.
"Moreover, the Tama-Artist have the right to bring us into Age regiment camp."
The mortals trembled in fright. They knew, but the way Lucy said it, made it feel horrible.
"Every male mortal child between the ages of 16 to 20 has been gathered in this restaurant to go fight profound beasts in the bordering forest of the two villages on Kokoro Island. As the profound beasts' stages increase, the deadlier they would be. Sometimes they might have Tama or unique abilities. We, also, have to kill the Kushi Village mortals to decide whether the two villages should go to war or not."
For a moment, the whole restaurant turned silent.
All they had to do is simple: fight profound beasts; sometimes, they had to kill it, tire it out... or simply offer their pitiful lives in hopes that it would be full and go back before all of them die —killing people sounds easy, so they thought.
Their lives were as meanings as bugs'... well, at least, bugs have the option to run.
For them running is worse... they would be captured, and placed under the rat torture. The rat would be placed on their back-hole or stomach, firing it up to dig its way into the victim's body.
After a few seconds of deathly silence, one boy rushes to kneel at Girashi's feet, tears in his eyes.
"Lords, please spare me! I am only twenty, and expecting a baby in the next few -"
His words were cut short as Girashi chops off his head in a swift motion of his nodachi, before returning it to its scabbard.
He casts a cold gaze over the mortals in the restaurant.
"Silver Hammer, tell them what happens to mortals who disobey the orders given by Tama-Artists."
'I'm used to people naming me things, but why did they have to call me that?'
Helplessly sighing, Lucien replies coldly, "All mortals who disobey Tama-Artists are killed without exception."
***
During the night, walking crop jack o'lanterns ate the mortals' hearts; the lucky ones had cockroaches enter their guts. Of course, this was a product of their sweet dreams —worse lay ahead.
For a stick like boy with umber skin and coiled pink hair, however, it was a different story. Curled up in a corner, he hugged himself to supplement the heat his dilapidated jinbei couldn't produce.
"Big brother, I'll kill you. How dare you lie that I'm 16? I'm 15! Fifteen! Fif..."
The young man stopped grumbling. Likewise, the wind had imported blades of coldness, instigating him to clash his teeth against each other, as he coughed on the side.
The day had been the worst for Tento; not only did his chance to be a Tama-Artist get robbed, but when he tried to explain his age, the (son of a bitch) Tama-Artist lashed him.
"Tsk, at least this place smells nicer than the compost my neighbors threw me."
Although the restaurant has the funk of unwashed bodies, it can't over power the lovely scent of flora coming from the broken shoji (paper screens), and ceiling that might fall anytime. Testing the brisk zephyr, Tento wryly smiled, enjoying his freezing hell.
'If only I had a girlfriend to warm me up at times like this?'
—Aren't you too young to be thinking that?
"Shut up! I don't need a girlfriend!"
Tento grumbled with a yawn, standing up from his corner. Glowering, he walks around; to his vexation, everyone in the restaurant looked to be either handsome, or chiseled more than him.
Noticing a rat, he kicks it toward the window.
"Is this what I would've become if I ate regularly?"
The rat didn't go anywhere, and started attacking his tabi. Clicking his tongue, Ten cursed himself for almost letting food escape. Licking his lips, the pink-hair chased the rat that now realized he wasn't a walking twig.
After a minute, the rat went inside a muscular man's kimono. Sacred and excited, Tento continues his journey. Suddenly, nonetheless, his gaze lands on Lucien's silver birthmark on his left wrist.
'Those none-kanji characters, they're the same as my brother's green birthmark.'
—Mmm... lets look.
As someone who had the same last name as the First Tama-Artist, curiosity is Tento's middle name. Taking careful steps, he advances closer to the sleeping red-hair. However, the moment he touched Lucy, he woke up.
Already with a second plan, Ten brought out a bottle, smiling.
"This material is called plastic. My brother made it to store water. Want some?"
Lucy narrows his brows. Entering deep thought, he frowns, inciting the pink eyes to flinch. Letting go of his words, he nods, taking the bottle.
"Thank you."
'Your face doesn't look thankful at all.'
Tento sighed, his little plan had worked. If it didn't, he would've acted crazy —always works. Patiently waiting, he scratches the back of his head, smiling.
"Silver Hammer-san, do you've a girlfriend?"
—People always ask me that.
Lucien knits up his brows, returning the bottle.
"Yes."
"Ah... she must—"
"There is a well on the west side of the restaurant."
"..."
Tento blinked, his words caught in his throat. His mouth moved, but couldn't produce a word, as he trembled.
'This guy is scary.'
—Maybe it's those amber eyes.
The pink-eyes lets go of all thoughts, bowing to Lucy, he heads out of the restaurant. The arid forest ahead sang the sounds of ghosts, emitting an eldritch sensation that intensified Tento's explorer's spirit... well, with his crippled sense of direction, he didn't know which way is west.
'It won't hurt to reconnoiter a little.'
—Maybe, I'll find a way to escape without being caught by the Bushi.
Placing his hands into the pockets of his jinbei, Tento walks straight forward, his countenance calm as a mother's kiss. The forest was a grandicious mixture of tropical and savanna trees, filled with an embrace of fruits, broadening Ten's knowledge of plants.
After three minutes, Ten chews on a guava, passing by a jacaranda tree, only to be greeted by a marvelous sight.
'It's that bastard who lashed me!'
—What is that beast chewing his heart like gum?
The creature, humanoid and wooden, had hair from lush green branches, together with spikes for fingers. Furthermore, it's elephant like leg stepped on the Bushi, splattering his insides out.
'I've seen enough for today.'
Tento gulps down the remaining part of the guava, turning around with a nonaligned mien.
"What are you doing here—?"
Ten didn't wait to hear what the profound beast had to say, befriending the wind, he runs back to the restaurant with a stiff visage.
Arriving, Tento frowns at what the mortals did to his chill spot, prompting a grumble out of his thin lips.
"Why did they discharge there?"
Shrugging, Ten went to an empty table to sleep —his body was warm as intended. However, something bothered him.
'Why didn't I feel fear against that beast? Could it be because I don't have desires? But fear is an emotion, isn't it? Well, I don't have most emotions to begin with. Wait, didn't I fear Silver Hammer-san...'
The young man continued thinking, but he was already asleep.