Encounter (4) - Hidden Guilt and Request

'Joining a clan might not be a bad idea, it would give me the support of a powerful backer so I can move around more freely, but... '

When Stigma was about to get some tickets, he bumped into Felix, who asked him a strange question after they exchanged greetings. Curious on his proposal he returned their cores first, then Felix payed for both their tickets, later Felix brought out a proposal to have a chat by a tea shop to discuss somethings

It wasn't long when they entered and placed their orders for steamed meat buns and some tea, Stigma choose the general area, but Felix picked out a private tent right behind the shop and walked ahead, with not much choice Stigma followed behind.

The tent Felix picked out was the furthest away from the crowd so they could have a more private conversation, before they entered Stigma was told go on ahead, since the former had to relieve himself. The surrounding tents were occupied and the food and tea has yet to arrive, so out of boredom Stigma checked the occupied one using his skill, what he saw were empty tents.

After a few minutes Felix returned with their orders and had their snack. After they settled, Felix continued off with their topic. Although he was in friendly terms with Felix, Stigma wasn't as clueless to believe there was no alternative motives in mind, and he was still skeptical of the other group who approached him first.

"By the way, where did you guys sleep last night?"

"We had to camp out last night, not much we can do since we had to stick with a budget, you saved us a lot of time when you returned the cores so you have our thanks."

"I am curious though why did you leave last night?"

"Something came up so we all had to leave, its a family emergency so we all had to go and leave you behind."

So far the conversation was like that, unlike before where Stigma had to break the ice with exchanging core and Felix had kept to himself, the conversation was more lively and open as if they were never strangers.

Both were obviously trying to avoid subjects from last night, causing the two to try and ask in a round about matter to make the other confess , Felix was concern while Stigma was being cautious. Yet neither one of them was breaking their act, thus continuing on with their long conversation.

"So, why do you want me to join your clan all of a sudden? I just met you yesterday and we are more of acquaintances than people with history."

So far, the people Stigma had met were nothing but scum, swindlers or those that were almost killed by him, but they all had one thing in common - they believe they can deceive others without consequence.

Due to those past encounter, Stigma had been skeptical to who ever he meet, Felix was on the level on acquaintances and those three assassin were on the level of employers for now.

Between the two groups, Felix's groups holds the most suspicion since Hilda pointed out that Felix and his group left after finding out the Naga group was drawing near.

Stigma was already scouted to be an assassin, so being invited to join another group means that he had caught the attention of any hidden experts within the crowd at that time. So that means he had to be wary to who ever he meets later on.

"Of course there is a need to be wary, but it's also because I saw your little display yesterday, and I believe that you have a lot of potential. So much that I think that it's a waste to not guide your training to be a proper Cultivator. So would you like to join?"

The display Felix meant was what happened last night, calling it a fight would be considered insulting as the entire event was one sided, though Stigma displayed his strength and speed in dealing with five men with ease gave awe to most spectators.

Like Felix, a handful of experts observed the situation and had the same opinion that was no different from the little brother's. By physical strength alone, most cultivators would mistaken him as a Second or Third Tier Cultivator, but Felix knows the truth behind his strength.

"What do you think we won't treat you differently."

"I'm not as strong as you think though, it is true I overpowered those men with no effort but it was with pure brute force, so joining a clan sound more like a narrow minded dream if my cultivation doesn't match. Confident is good to calm a nervous heart, but overconfidence can cloud, replacing a mind's calm judgment by emotions and individuals will make irrational choices."

When Stigma first started working, the hope of earning money easily had always crossed his mind, but after three days of working he soon found out that all his work only ended him earning a minimum wage. Barely enough to even feed him for one night, but being a working student, he can only endure and add more jobs that took up most of his personal time.

"Quite perceptive for your age, did you perhaps meet a powerful cultivator and told you that? Or did you experience it first hand?"

"Just a realization when I fought a beast beyond my capability, as you already know I am still in the a small cultivator with a powerful body after all, so I have to be careful from time to time."

"Do you now? Then I suppose you have a goal in mind?"

"Not at the moment, I just got an offer to a job not long ago so I plan to earn a little as I experience the world, then decide where my fate lies. After all I have nowhere to go..."

....

....

Their discussion went on like a philosophical debate, asking one side about their point of view or asking another suggestion about an idea. As they continued to talk, Felix started to overlap a memory of a young boy that was around Stigma's age, causing him to feel a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to Stigma like he had known him a long time.

He wanted to continue with the discussion but Stigma had told him beforehand that he had somewhere to do, so Felix didn't waste time and finally approached a sensitive topic. But his face showed genuine concern that was like an older brother trying to convince a little brother who was trying to be mature for his age.

"Stigma, have you thought about my offer, there's nothing to lose and you can have someone guide you during your Cultivation."

....

"Think about this very carefully, with a clan's backing you can have seniors guide you in you cultivation training so there won't be any danger for you as you progress. Not only that, you can gain resources that are rarely found or circulated within the public markets, an escort to any places that are privately owned along with secret knowledge."

"...I know what I am doing, I may be a low level Cultivator that is still within the lower ranks but I'm not as reckless as to put myself in a difficult situation. If there is nothing else, I will be leaving as I have something else to do."

"WAIT! What are you trying to pull here Stigma, I am recruiting you for your future. Try to think this carefully."

With his fist clenched to the table, Stigma didn't miss the opportunity and made his statement clear. When Felix gave that comment, Stigma feel silent and thought of numerous scenarios and only a few matched with the exact same thing reason, Felix was planning to exploit Stigma for his own gain.

With him pushing that topic, it only proves that Felix is trying to keep Stigma near him and had some plan in mind, while Felix is trying to watch over Stigma his men are surrounding the area and keep him from escaping.

Stigma wasn't against being part of a group, but if felt that the leader believes that they can manipulate and order their subordinates to do everything without question while ignoring the consequences, then Stigma would decide to end that person's ability to talk by cutting of their tongue.

"What I do is none of your business, besides, you don't know what I do so stay out of my business. Excuse me I have someone to meet now."

When Stigma was about to leave, he didn't hear the sound of him being stopped or the sound of silence, what he had heard was something like a voice mixed with an emotion he hadn't expect to hear - sincerity.

"Stigma, do you not, trust me." After hearing those broken words, Stigma turned back to see Felix frowning but his eyes were almost losing light.

....

"Stigma, just wait a moment, answer some of my questions, then you can leave..."

"...What is it?"

"....Stigma, do you distrust every person you meet?"

"...It not that I don't trust people like you in general, if I always believe that everyone I meet is like you, then I will be eventually fooled. So you have to understand what I am going through."

"Fine, next question, Stigma did you make a breakthrough that night."

?!?!!

Stigma's reaction was only for a moment but then returned into a poker face, Felix however was able to tell for a moment that Stigma was hiding something, but does not know exactly what he is trying to hide.

"...I have nothing to hide from you. And it doesn't concern you...."

*Slam!* Felix slammed his fist so hard that the table was about to split in half, his face showed anger yet his eyes showed slight guilt close to tearing up, as if the more he looked at Stigma the more he felt that he was remembering an old memory his heart weighing down on his hidden guilt.

"....Why are you so concern about me? What I do doesn't concern - "

*Crack!*

When Stigma attempted to stand and leave, he heard the sound of wood snapping eventually the table was broken in half. Under the weight of his fist, Felix had used the table to keep his nerves calm, but even he can't hold on to his anger the more he heard Stigma and finally released all his pent up anger.

"Do you think everyone you meet is a scumbag that would try to fool you! Don't you dare try to hide it! I know you made a force breakthrough that night, so why are you trying to deny it! You are going to die if you continue being reckless! You can think badly of me all you want, but don't you dare think I am going to use you for personal gain! I am not a monster that denies the existence of another!

*Cough!**Cough!**Cough!**Cough!*

Out of nowhere, Felix started coughing violently causing him pull back on his chair to catch his breathing. The sudden outburst had left Stigma speechless, if he didn't knew any better Felix might be sick. After a while, the coughing stopped, but Felix was still looking at Stigma like he wasn't going to give up and continued to berate him for over an hour.

Contrary to what Stigma had thought, Felix gave his explanation as his voice was filled with rage from Stigma's stubbornness, not with annoyance but with concern as he scolded. Felix already verified that Stigma was still in the Early stages in the Zero Tier before he left, so he was stunned to find him in the First Tier after one hour had passed, which was impossible unless it was forced.

By placing together the pieces information from yesterday, Felix made an assumption that Stigma felt that he was in danger, so he made a desperate attempt to make a breakthrough to protect himself. He also guessed that Stigma was curious about a Cultivators breakthrough and forced it, without the guidance of a senior or the danger behind it.

When he discussed this to his men they all had the same concern, unlike Stigma who had the Demons to support him at that time, the Boars clan had supported and lost a number of young members from recklessly forcing a breakthrough when they didn't heed the warnings. Some of them were even their own relatives, while Felix lost his little brother.

Felix at the time he was around Stigma's age and he tried to teach his little brother to cultivate, believing himself to be a genius and had the ability to teach anyone younger than him, ignoring the warnings of the clan elder.

However, he later found out that forcing a breakthrough can lead to shortening one's lifespan greatly, it was especially dangerous to a young cultivator who are still in the early age.

Fearing for the worst outcome he remembered his brother trying to make a breakthrough, and when he came home, Felix was watching the living nightmare of his mistake. His brother laying by the bed with a white handkerchief, with such an event that traumatized him, instead of grieving from his mistakes Felix mourned for his brothers life and changed from being an arrogant youth to a disciplined child all the way to his current self.

Now Felix was before Stigma, an outsider who was doing the same reckless mistake that could lead him to counting his days, reminding him about his negligence and weight of guilt from unable to look after them all.

With an angered face glaring at him, Stigma could only stand in silence as his skin turned numb forcing him to sit back down his chair, slowly realizing that Felix was not offended from his request being turned down, but from Stigma's reckless attempt and ignoring his stretched out hand as he continued with his sermon.

After an hour had passed Felix finally calmed down and took a deep breath and sighed, a brief moment of silence, while Stigma was studying him from across the table.

"Are you aware of the consequences from skipping the stages, do you think I am after you because of talent! What I am trying to do is preventing you from going through a premature death!"

"....What does that have to do with you though? I have no relation with you remember." Felix was about to say something but only tightened his grip and he showed a grieving expression, eventually a teardrop fell his eye and he finally told him the truth.

"....I'm sorry, but I must warn you, what you are trying to attempt will end your life earlier than expected..."

"Because of the life force being used substitute."

"! So you know....how did you find out about it, did you really met and expert and lied about it?"

....

Stigma was conflicted, how can he explain that a little Demon told him about that knowledge, when Felix believed that he was an orphan. Felix concern for him was an outlet of pent up grief that he should have done better as a older brother and a role model for his younger brother who looked up to him.

With a deep sigh Stigma finally came clean but withheld the information on the demon. Stigma explained to Felix, that he had found an old text with a training method that suited him but he had to consume a strange type of food before he could start, by the time he noticed he had passed out from time to time without him noticing, when he read final line of the text he found out he had to go through those phrases until he can get to the higher tiers for the effects to lessen.

When he finally found a place to sleep in the forest, a small Heavenly Beast had rummaged through his belonging and the had destroyed the manual before he could understand everything.

As Felix continued to hear Stigma side of the story, but instead of his face changing from being angry to calm, it changed to anger to great irritation. He was having a hard time believing such a dangerous cultivation exist, if he didn't knew any better, the one who made this method had suicidal thought or wanted the one to read this to die.

If he took in account that Stigma had made a breakthrough, the training method might me effective but only to a few exception. There are some cases that some royal families uses strange or bizarre methods for their cultivation training but that was due to them having a hereditary circumstance, so he had no choice but to believe it Stigma was special.

"Haaaa! Stigma, this is new information to you so please listen, once someone decides a cultivation method they are bound to its method. They are rare cases where some cultivators can perform two or three cultivation method, but they must have one similarity like they come from the same creator, or the use the same element."

After swiping his hand in the air, an iron plate that was the size of his palm landed, it had a symbol of a horns in front of a shield and gestured Stigma to take it.

"So I won't tell you to stop cultivating since this is how the world works, but you have to keep in mind, if you ever need someone to rely on, you are welcome to find me. OK. Ah, don't mind the joining the clan thing, it was just someway to watch over you, you can be a friend of our clan or be employed."

"Ah, you can call me senior or brother, alright."

After receiving the badge, Stigma thought for a moment and brought out a topic Felix was avoiding, after pulling something out of his pocket he gave it to Felix. The item Stigma brought out was the space ring that belonged to the so called follower.

Puzzled from the ring on front of him, Felix only needed moments to realized who the ring belonged to.

"Stigma, can let me see the contents, if you will...."

When Felix put the ring on his finger, he checked the contents and had a serious expression, moments later he summoned an odd number of items like badges, robes, and some form of documents.

Slowly Felix grabbed each one and had a murderous look when looked at each symbol on the robes, the seal of serpents embroidered in.

"Stigma, did you ever show these items to anyone...."

"None. Only you and me..."

"...Good, Stigma, would you mind if I take these items, you can keep the space ring along with any of the other contents. But the items here should be taken away for your own safety."

"Alright, do you want the cores as well, or would you rather want the funds inside."

"Take them both, will you excuse me I have something to do now."

*Cough!**Cough!**Cough!*

"! Senior Felix, are you okay!"

"Hah, hah, hah, I'm fine, just some old wounds acting up."

'Does he not know, his arm is contaminated with a different energy?'

"Senior Felix, I have a method that may help you in healing, but do you trust me?"

Felix was already treating Stigma like a younger brother, so he nodded his head and let Stigma proceed in inspection.

Before Stigma met Felix, he used his skill to check on some bystanders condition, what he saw were something similar like status condition in rpg games like exhaustion, drunken mind, minor injury. But Stigma wasn't sure his skill: 'Essence Reader' can check Felix condition if he had something similar to a terminal illness.

When Stigma activates this skill, he could clearly see how Felix's condition was. He was concerned that Felix health was more severe than he realized, if he ignored him now after what he did, then he won't be able to hide the guilt .

Not long ago his skill upgraded to tell a individual's stats, so when Stigma checked he was shocked to find out his secret.

[Name: Felix (Paralyze - Moderate)

Age: 26

Rank: Uncommon(III)(Mid stage)

1770 / 3000

Strength: 420

Agility: 220

Vitality: 380

Zen Reserves: 3600 / 5500

Affinity: Earth

Skills: Parallel Thinking, Boost Endurance, Reckless Charge]

Stigma wasn't surprised to see Felix' were higher than his, what got him baffled was the yellow shade coming from Felix's body. Before it was like seeing colored strings that were barely visible leaking out of his arm and neck, now it looked like it was radiating from his very body being more visible for Stigma to see.

Grabbing his left arm, Stigma checked the pulse, and soon found out that he wasn't feeling the pain he was applying on his grip. When he checked the pulse, the heartbeat was slow, to verify his theory checked the other arm but the heart beat was faster than the other.

'It really is paralysis!'

"...Senior Felix, did you perhaps gained a wound around your arm and neck, then have lost all feeling and had gained paralysis."

"?! Indeed...not long ago actually. This injuries causes me some severe paralysis around the arm, but as time passed I have difficulty breathing as if I have asthma, but as long as I use some Zen energy the numbing sensation lessens and I can breath normally. I'm surprised that you can tell just by grabbing both my wrist and checking them. Do you perhaps have knowledge in medicinal field."

"Not exactly, my cultivation has some training in vision, so I can tell to some extent if I tried. Excuse let me try something."

Without waiting for Felix's reply, Stigma closed his eyes and used his skill: 'Soul Eater', the skill itself was capable of absorbing foreign energy and souls in the air, so he was attempting to absorb the energy from a distance.

Raising his hand towards Felix shoulder, Stigma was attempting to see if he can take out the energy in the arm from a distance, but it failed. Puzzled from the sudden action, Felix just watched as Stigma their with his eyes closed.

But instead of achieving his goal, Stigma just found out that he can't take Zen energy from a living human being which was enough for him, so he tried a different method, grabbing the arm of Felix he again used his skill and another result came out.

*Bing!*

[Host is attempting to absorb foreign energy do you wish to store]

[Yes] [No]

'Obviously [YES]!'

?!?!

Without warning Felix was experiencing a burning sensation on his arm when Stigma grabbed it, the sensation was similar to having his arm submerged in a boiling pot of water, before Felix could demand an explanation, he tried to move his arm and had felt the sudden sensation of pain which he hadn't felt in a long time.

Unable to understand what he was doing, Felix had to endure as Stigma continued with his bizarre but effective method, as time passed he tried to wait for the session to end, the more he wanted to cut of his own arm to end it.

Stigma on the other hand was having a harder time, his skill was actually pulling the Zen reserves inside Felix without him trying, so he was struggling to only pull the yellow energy on his arm. Since he attempting this method for the first time, he rather forceful and was making Felix feel worse.

After thirty minutes, Stigma finally released his grip and was lying on the ground gasping for air, while Felix was sitting on his chair trying not to pass out. Slowly Felix lifted his and realized a familiar sensation on his left arm and tried to flex it, eventually tears started falling from his face and started to bite it.

Pain. The lost sensation had returned to Felix as he tried to grab an object on the ground an loft it, but due to not using it for a long time the object feel but he didn't mind since he can finally feel his arm.

Stigma on the other hand was hearing a notification, and his discovery.

*Bing!*

[Congratulation Host! You have just absorbed a foreign energy "Lightning"]

[Lightning Energy: 30%]

'What the heck? Lightning element what was that doing in his arm?'

"I can feel my arm, Stigma what did you do?" After testing his arm, Felix was looking at Stigma as of he was a saint. Stigma wanted to tell him but Felix might make him do some impossible thing at the moment.

"....I have some secrets so you have to understands, it was my first time attempting it so don't count on me fixing you entirely."

Using his skill, Stigma was now looking at Felix, his status changed from moderate paralysis to minor paralysis and only affected his arm and some parts of his neck. Though with this, Stigma could create a whole new possibility when he experiments with the core.

Before Stigma could say anything, Felix kowtowed on the floor and had his head touching the ground.

"Stigma! I beg of you please follow me to my clan, my clan is in a similar stat and are reaching their limits. Please use your method to heal them, if you will, I can give you anything you desire as long as it is within my power! So I beg of you, please save my clan!"

'.....I knew it'

"Fine, but hear me out..."