BZZT!
BZZT!
The sound of electricity finally flowing through the machine filled the room.
"Fuh… Finally, it's Upgraded…"
Kael wiped the sweat from his forehead looking at his mechanical boots.
"This alone took me three days…"
He looked over the scattered tools on his workbench and then his eyes moved to all his inventions as he put his boots beside all of them.
"Haah… All of my inventions are finally repaired."
He glanced at them one by one. He added a new battery to his boots to make it last longer in battle. He repaired his gloves, and even polished his might splitter blade.
"My Might Splitter… My boots… My gloves…"
Kael picked up the glass container of blinding powder.
"And I even improved my blinding powder."
He carefully examined the powder inside.
"I added a little sulfur to it. That should make it more effective."
Kael placed the container back on the table
And as for my tactical shirt…" Kael glanced at the shirt hanging on the wall, still unfixed and slightly torn from his previous attempt. "I'll deal with you later."
"But all of this still means nothing if my body hasn't healed yet."
His gaze shifted toward his shoulder.
It was still wrapped tightly in bandages.
Kael stood up and looked down at his body.
Bandages covered his shoulder, waist, and arms, with scars and bruises still visible across his skin.
"Yeah… I can feel myself healing…"
He clenched his fist slightly.
"But it's slow…"
Kael lowered his gaze
"If only my body could handle Might…Elvareth could heal me and speed up the recovery process."
Kael sighed before sitting back down in his chair.
He leaned against the backrest and stared at the ceiling of his room.
It had been almost two weeks since he had stopped training because of his injuries.
Two weeks…
And he still wasn't fully healed but he cannot waste more time…..He forced himself to train tomorrow.
On his table, countless blueprints, tools, and unfinished inventions were scattered everywhere.
Kael's eyes wandered across the mess, searching for something important.
The three XYZ books.
The books Kael had now begun calling his Guide Books.
"Aha! There you are!"
Kael reached toward the wooden box on the left side of the table and pulled out all three books.
"Old Elf was right… Sometimes I really need to clean my room."
He glanced around at the mess covering his table.
"It would make finding things a lot easier if everything was organized."
Kael paused.
"Nah… I'll do it later."
He placed the three Guide Books on the table.
"For now, let's try to open these new pages…"
Kael picked up his Tesseract.
He had no choice but to carefully slip the blade between the pages and use it to separate them from the previous section.
"Haa… This might take a really long time…" Kael sighed. He knew opening all three books, one page at a time, took almost an hour each.
But even so, he patiently slipped the blade carefully between the thin layers of the pages.
Forty minutes later…
Slowly…
The pages began to open.
SKRREECT!
"Oh yeah! Finally! X Book, show me whatchu got!"
The pages reveal the blueprint of a glove that somehow has more added detail and features,
"Hmm? Isn't this a glove? But Elvareth already made me one…"
Kael turned back through the previous pages and saw the tactical shirt with many pockets to store his inventions.
"X Book seems to always give me something I already have… Why?...."
He paused.
"Never mind… I don't need to overthink it…"
"It's fine if it already gives me something I have. That means I just need to improve it, right?"
Kael talked to himself.
"Well, what about the other books?....Haa…. Once again…."
Kael grabbed his blade and tried to split the pages of the Y Book the same way he did with the X Book, using his mechanical sword. Once again almost an hour consumed by just Kael trying to split open the pages.
Slowly but surely the pages began to split apart. And then….
SKRREECT!
"Fuhh! Finally! So, what does this book have this time?"
Kael's eyes moved across the blueprint, scanning all the way to the bottom of the page.
"Whoa! This is interesting!"
"A chemical that can enhance fire?!"
"This Y book always gives me something chaotic, I like it!"
"This is great! I can finally control one of my favorite elements despite being Mightless!"
"What a discovery!"
"I'll save you for later, Y Book…"
"Hahaha! You always surprise me!"
Kael's gaze then turned toward the last Guide Book he had.
The Z Book.
This was the one Kael felt a little uneasy about.
The last two blueprints from this book had been unpredictable.
The first was a really powerful energy drink he had tried to make and it takes him a lot of time.
While the second invention from this book wasn't even a physical invention, but rather a step-by-step guide for stretching, warm-ups, and cooldown exercises.
That made Kael uneasy.
What could possibly come up next?
"Alright, Kael…This is the last time…. Another hour will be gone just to open one page…."
"And yeah ... .I hope Z Book… It doesn't give me complicated or difficult inventions for me to build."
Kael then once again slips the blade between the pages. As expected he spend almost an hour splitting it apart.
SKRECCHT!
Then the page slowly, and it reveals a blueprint of some kind of tape or bandages.
"Yahhhh….Huh? What is this?" Kael's sigh was cut by a sudden reaction.
Kael looked at the blueprint, confused.
"Looks like a bandage… But it's more sturdy, I guess."
He examined it carefully.
"Is this like… something to wrap around my body?"
"Wow… This one is quite complicated to understand despite having such simple ingredients to make."
Kael closed the Z Book.
"Sigh…I need to wait for my training to begin before creating all this inventions… or else that old elf might get me injured again"
then he put the three books to the side of his table.
"Alright, I already made up my mind to train tomorrow."
Kael moved his shoulder, feeling a little pain.
"Well, if that's the case, I can make those three inventions tomorrow!"
"Yeah! I can't wait!"
Suddenly, a voice echoed from downstairs.
"Kael! Do you want to go out or not?"
It was Elvareth, calling him from downstairs.
"Yeah, yeah! Wait for me, Old Elf!"
As usual, Elvareth was going to the street-brick-path market across the Kallidorra main route to buy some food for herself and Kael.
Since Kael was home, he would help her carry the ingredients.
"Where are we going today? Same market?" Kael asked.
"Of course. And today, I want to meet my friend…"
"Alright, Old Elf…"
Then they left the house.
Maybe it would take a few hours, but Kael didn't mind spending time with the only person who was truly close to him.
Even though they were always screaming at each other…
As time went by, night finally arrived.
Kael knew he wouldn't be training tonight, so he simply sat on the wooden chair in the backyard, trying to understand all the inventions from the X, Y, and Z Books.
Then Kael's eyes moved toward the blood bracelet he had placed on the side of the wooden table in front of him.
Kael grabbed it and thought for a moment.
"Hmm… Should I call El? Well, he said just call him if I have anything to ask, right? Also, I wanna ask him a few important things..…"
Kael smiled slightly.
"and…..about my second attempt…"
Kael grabbed one of his black blades and made a tiny cut on his finger, producing a small drop of blood.
He quickly let the blood fall onto the bracelet.
At first, as usual, nothing really happened.
Until…
The red color of Kael's blood slowly merged with the red bracelet.
Since this was the second time, there was no sudden wave of air like the first time.
Instead, the bracelet's color slowly changed as it began emitting a faint red light.
"Wow! Another different reaction from last time, huh?"
Kael watched the bracelet's reaction closely.
"Good mechanism for narrow-brained creatures in this realm."
Tap!
"Who is narrow-brained, human?"
Kael's body jolted as he felt a cold, white finger tap his shoulder.
"AY! El?!"
"Yeah, it's me, Human. You doing good? It's been a while since you called me…
Kael turns back to look at CC Yiell.
"Oh, I heard you already completed your second attempt a few weeks ago, right?" He asked.
"Yap! And I got injured, so I couldn't call you, El… My shoulder can barely move."
"Cannot move, huh? Why? You got kicked by Commander Aeronis or what?"
"Kicked? Nah, it's even worse, El… I got pinned to the ground, and he tapped both of my shoulders using one finger. I was stunned! I couldn't move!"
"Woah! AHAHAHA! That's humiliation!"
CC Yiell laughed.
"Yeah… And it hurts so bad. How? He didn't even make a move for that?"
"Haaa… That's… Actually one of Tan'Mara technique, Kael."
CC Yiell answered, finishing his laugh.
"Tan'Mara? Huh? Isn't Etherian Tan'Mara more about speed, agility, and flexibility?" Kael argued.
"Wow You know about Tan'Mara, huh?"
"Of course! I train every day with Grak'Mar and Nibsken ... .Well not everyday since I rested for two weeks ... .But basically I train for it!"
"Oh? Not bad."
CC Yiell sounded impressed.
"But still, I can't make movements like Commander Aeronis did to me…"
"Of course you can't, Kael."
CC Yiell paused.
"Let me tell you about that move. What you said about Etherians' Tan'Mara is right. They fight with incredibly flexible movements and speed."
"What Commander Aeronis did to your shoulder isn't Etherian style… It's actually Tan'Mara for the Elemarit Race. Simply put, it's the Elemarit style."
"Elemarit?! Your race?"
"Yap… My race. Our Tan'Mara style is different from all the other four races. Since our bodies don't have any physical nerves, we're almost immune to physical damage or skin contact from other races…"
"So… I can hit you with my sword and you won't feel any pain?"
Kael immediately sounded interested, wanting to test it out.
"Well… We cannot feel too much pain, but if you manage to destroy part of our body… we still struggle to regenerate. And that consumes a lot of our Might energy making us exhausted."
"Ohh…"Kael nodded.
"So, back to our Tan'Mara."
CC Yiell continued.
"Elemarit Tan'Mara is simple. Find the opponent weak spot and end the fight early."
"Our style is all about precision… critical hits."
"Whoa! What other moves do you guys have?"
"Well, there are a lot, Kael… It may take a while to explain them all."
CC Yiell paused.
"Better tell me why you lost to him again this time…"
"Sure… It's because… I-I simply lacked preparation, I guess…"
Kael scratched his head.
"I also underestimated him as a commander…"
"Hmm… You underestimated a commander?"
CC Yiell laughed.
"Hahaha… You've got some nerve, human."
"But what can I say? He is strong."
CC Yiell's tone became more serious.
"Just tell me how you lost."
"No… Tell me from the beginning."
"Maybe I can help you."
"Of course, El! I'll tell you what happened."
For a straight half an hour, Kael told El everything that happened while he nodded, occasionally responding to what Kael said.
"And yeah… That's all, El."
"Hmm…"
CC Yiell thought for a moment.
"Well… You gave him a good fight, Human. No wonder you underestimated him."
Kael nodded.
"Now that I've heard all of it… I think I know what you need to do, Kael."
Kael seems to focus on what CC Yiell is about to say.
"You know what? Keep doing what you're doing right now…"
"But be more aggressive."
"And, of course, prepare more."
Kael looked confused.
"Hmm? What do you mean, El?"
"You know why Aeronis keeps telling you to stop underestimating him?"
"Why?" Kael asked.
"Because he's pressured by you."
CC Yiell pointed at Kael, poking him in the chest.
"Wait, what?"
"By me? He's getting pressured?"
"Yeah."
CC Yiell nodded.
"Well, it's not like you've already surpassed him…"
"But remember when I told you about the Etherians' weakness?"
"Chaos?"
"Like unpredictable outcomes, too much noise, and too many things happening around them?"
"Ye… Yeah, I remember that."
Kael nodded.
"I think you've already done that part…"
CC Yiell paused.
"But what you need now is to make it more consistent."
"Pressure him more. Make more unpredictable inventions, Kael."
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"And don't just give him one problem to deal with… Make yourself a problem for him."
"It's not enough if you try to overpower the Commander using your sword skills and physical strength. It's never going to be enough…"
"So what you need to do now is focus on your inventions, Kael."
"Create more pressure. Make him confused."
"Then you can strike him using your sword and physicality!"
Kael nodded.
"So what you mean is… I need to create an opening for the Commander to lose his focus?"
"Yeah! Exactly."
"But it's not easy for someone like him to lose focus just because of chaos…"
"You need to have something…"
CC Yiell paused.
"Something that even a commander like him has never seen before."
Kael's eyes lit up.
"Whoa! That's a brilliant idea, El!"
"And….what's that? What's something that even a commander has never seen before?" Kael asks blindly.
CC Yiell simply placed his pale hand on Kael's head.
"And for that…"
"You need to think of it yourself."
Kael nodded enthusiastically.
"Hehehehe…Of course"
"Well, if that's the case, and you already know what you need to do…"
"I expect a better result from you on your next attempt."
"Yeah…Sure…"
Kael nodded. Then his mind crossed a question that had been lingering around for a moment.
"Uhm… El?"
"Hmm? What?"
CC Yiell looked at Kael.
"Why do you want to help someone like me?"
"Someone like who?"
"Me…"
Kael lowered his gaze.
"Mightless."
"No special ability…"
"And nothing else that the other races have…"
Kael explained quietly.
CC Yiell stared at him for a moment.
"That's all the reason you can give me, Kael?"
"Huh?"
"Why would I help someone who already has Might?"
"Or someone with noble blood?"
Kael remained silent.
CC Yiell continued.
"Kael, I'm a Realm Protector."
"It's our instinct to help someone who wants to join us in the future."
"I think Commander Aeronis wanted to tell you this…"
"But he never got the chance."
CC Yiell's expression softened.
"There is one thing we always talk about as a realm protector….It's called Legacy, Kael."
"Legacy?"
"Yeah! Legacy!"
"Something that I also read from Buku Lalu, for sure."
CC Yiell said proudly.
"So just consider me helping you as me helping our realm in the future."
He smiled.
"Ye… Yeah, El…"
Kael lowered his head.
"Even though… I still don't know if I can become a Realm Protector or not…"
CC Yiell tapped Kael's shoulder.
"Wait…"
"What happened to the Kael who used to be so proud of his dream?"
Kael remained silent.
"No, El…You know… It's been a bit hard for me.."
"
"A Mightless being that always relies on… well, just hard work."
Kael turned his head down, looking at both of his hands.
He clenched his fists.
"I begin to doubt myself…"
CC Yiell slowly turned his back toward Kael.
He looked at him over his shoulder.
"So?"
"Why don't you quit already?"
The question hit Kael hard.
"Come on, Kael."
CC Yiell turned back toward him.
"Don't tell me I need to teach you this too?"
"Teach what"
Kael asked, confused.
CC Yiell tapped his shoulder.
"Kael…"
"Just because you don't have Might, you want to give up?"
"Just like that?"
"Come on, Kael!"
CC Yiell placed both hands on Kael's shoulders and shook him.
"Wake up, Human!"
"Eyooo! Stop it, El!"
Kael squirmed.
"Okay, okay! I understand!"
CC Yiell finally stopped.
"Kael…"
"Please…"
"Please keep your dreams alive."
"Please… believe that you can still become a Realm Protector."
"It doesn't matter if you have Might or not."
"It doesn't matter if you can't fly, or even have super strength or speed."
"All of that…"
CC Yiell paused.
"Those are just tools of the strong."
"Even if they have all of that, without a dream… what can they do?"
Kael remained silent.
"Remember this, Kael…"
CC Yiell looked straight into Kael's eyes.
"A dream is only over…"
"If the dreamer is already dead."
Kael fell silent.
He didn't know how to respond.
All he had been doing for the past week was doubting himself…
Killing his own dream…
Only to realize that the dream he had been trying to kill was standing right in front of him.
A true manifestation of the dream he had been chasing.
A Realm Protector was standing right in front of him.
So?"
CC Yiell looked directly at Kael.
"You still want to become a Realm Protector or not?"
Kael straightened his body and inhaled deeply.
"Fuh!"
"Yeah…"
"I'm Mikael."
"I will become a Realm Protector."
"That's my dream!"
"I will not allow even death to take it from me!"
Kael's blue eyes reflected the moonlight.
His eyes lit up again.
The spirit that drove him to pursue this path had returned.
"Thanks, El!"
"I promise you… I will not lose."
"I will become a Realm Protector and fight alongside you and Commander Aeronis!"
CC Yiell patted Kael's shoulder.
"Great…That's what I'm talking about, Human!"
"And make sure…"
"You keep that promise."
CC Yiell smiled.
He had managed to save a legacy that had almost given up on itself.
"So?"
"When will you start training again?"
"Tomorrow."
"Yeah… Tomorrow morning, I'll start training again."
Kael answered confidently.
"Good…"
"Anyway, focus on your training and show the Commander what you've got in the third attempt."
Kael nodded.
"Yeah, El… That's what I'm gonna do anyway."
CC Yiell nodded and smiled at him.
Their meeting had come to an end.
But then…
CC Yiell suddenly turned his back toward Kael, looking at him over his shoulder.
"Huh?"
"What's going on, El?"
Kael was confused by his sudden movement.
"If there is nothing more, I, Commander Candidate Yiell, must take my leave."
CC Yiell suddenly spoke in a strange, noble-like tone.
It was clearly a completely different personality from the one he had been showing moments ago.
"What?"
Kael was still confused.
"…"
"See you again next time, Human!"
"Or, I must say…"
"Legacy of This Realm."
CC Yiell blinked his eyes before covering his mouth with his cape that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
He looked almost like a vampire.
Even though…
He already was one.
And then, without another word, he vanished in an instant.
"What the…?"
"Just like that?"
Kael sighed.
"I can't understand this guy…"
"He acts like a mature man, then suddenly becomes an irrelevant idiot…"
"Sigh…"
"Never mind."
Kael stood up from his wooden chair.
He gathered all his tools, unfinished inventions, and all three Guide Books before heading upstairs to his room.
Without anything left to do, Kael turned off the light in his room and looked up at the sky through the glass roof above him.
Elvareth had already fallen asleep.
What remained was Kael, the moon, the stars…
And his dream of becoming a Realm Protector.
A dream that was still vague, still far away.
But this time…
At least he still wanted to achieve it.
Kael rested his head on his pillow, raising one hand as if he were trying to reach the stars.
"Tomorrow… my training will start again…"
"I will…"
"I will do my best…"
"And show Commander Aeronis that I'm capable…"
"Of becoming a Realm Protector…"
Suddenly, he remembered his conversation with CC Yiell.
Legacy, huh?
CC Yiell's words were still lingering in his mind.
That's quite arrogant to say…
But it's not wrong.
It's the only thing every mortal being has to leave behind.
Kael stared at the stars above him.
"Honestly…"
"I like that."
"Legacy…"
"It's uncertain…"
"Yet somehow, it always finds a way to exist…"
Kael's eyes slowly became heavier.
Eventually…
He fell asleep.
His dream…
Was still waiting ahead of him.
To be continued…