Other world (2)

Elijah blinked as his vision cleared, taking in the massive room around him. It was enormous, with high ceilings and smooth, polished floors that reflected the soft, ambient lighting. The walls were a clean, neutral color, giving the space a modern, almost minimalist feel. Despite its size, the room was designed with simplicity in mind—no elaborate decorations, just clean lines and a sense of order that spoke of efficiency and purpose. The only real features in the room were rows of benches along the walls, a few vending machines offering basic refreshments, and a large digital display near the entrance showing various announcements and schedules. 

As Elijah struggled to regain his balance, a tall, burly man in a military uniform approached him with an amused grin. The man was imposing, with broad shoulders and a stern demeanor that hinted at years of experience. He looked down at Elijah and said something, but Elijah, still dazed from the nausea of the veil jump, only caught fragments of the speech. The words "Welcome" and "rookie" floated into his mind, but the rest was a blur. Not wanting to appear rude, Elijah simply smiled and nodded, despite not understanding a word.

Before he could gather his thoughts, Elijah felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see a woman standing beside him, dressed in a uniform that resembled that of a flight attendant, but with a few subtle differences. The most notable was the badge on her chest—a sword and shield emblem that marked her as part of the Wanderer's Union. She smiled warmly at him and handed him a cup of water, then turned to the burly man with a reprimanding look.

"You need to let the new arrivals rest first before annoying them with your voice," she scolded. "Can't you see the poor kid's still out of it?"

The man huffed, crossing his arms. "Kid or not, he's a Bellator now—a warrior of the union and a wanderer of a new world. If he's bothered by a simple veil jump, then he should have just stayed home."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Do you think I don't know what happened to you when you first came here?" The man's confident expression faltered, and before he could retort, the woman continued, her voice quickening. "They said you nearly pissed yourself. You vomited and kept complaining, so why do you think you can judge the rookies?"

"WHO SAID THAT?? I WILL KILL HIM!" the man roared, his face turning red with rage. He glared at a door not far away and began stomping toward it. "IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT, MICHAEL?"

As the man stormed off, the woman sighed and turned back to Elijah, offering a more gentle smile. "How are you doing?" she asked kindly.

Elijah returned the smile, feeling a bit more at ease. "I'm okay," he replied, thinking to himself, 'They've got quite the characters here.'

"Since you're feeling better, I'll do the welcoming speech instead of that muscle brain." She cleared her throat and began, "Welcome to the Union Headquarters in the other world. This is the biggest union base in this world, but of course, it's not the only one. We'll give you a map of the surrounding area later, but any further than that you'll need to purchase yourself. We have a weapon shop here, forged by Bellatores blacksmiths with incredible abilities. Some can enchant the weapons, others enforce them, and some can even inscribe them with stat boosts and so on. We also have an armor shop and a huge branch of the Medicine Valley here. It's a shop that belongs to the biggest pharmaceutical companies in this world and on earth, and you'll find anything you need there—from cultivation resources to healing elixirs and poison antidotes of every kind. For more details, please grab a brochure on your way out, and please be safe."

She delivered the entire speech in one breath, leaving Elijah slightly stunned by her efficiency. He nodded, thanking her. "Are you also a Bellator?" he asked, curious.

"Yes," she replied with a nod. "Fighting, exploring, and risking your life isn't for everyone, so I decided to join the union and work as part of the staff here. Plus, I have a small disability that wouldn't allow me to fight anyway." She gestured to her leg, and Elijah noticed a slight misalignment in her knee, barely noticeable through her uniform. 'So I have that path too if hunting doesn't work for me' Elijah thought to himself.

"Alright, I have to get back to work," she said, giving him a final smile. "You can leave after you've completely rested. If you have any other questions, you'll find me at the front desk. Good luck, and be safe out there."

Elijah thanked her again and watched as she walked away. After a few minutes of rest, Elijah felt the nausea subside completely. He took a deep breath and decided it was time to explore further. He walked toward the same door the woman had exited through, and as he stepped through it, he was met with a sight that took his breath away.

The Union base was massive, unlike anything he had imagined. The building was like a combination of a luxurious hotel and a high-tech military base, with towering ceilings, grand architecture, and wide hallways that stretched as far as the eye could see. Everything was on a colossal scale, with enormous doors that looked like they could fit entire vehicles through them. The floors were polished marble, and the walls were lined with sleek, modern designs. There were signs directing Bellatores to different areas: training rooms, cultivation chambers, armories, lounges, and even personal quarters for rent.

Elijah couldn't help but be impressed. The scale and sophistication of the place were beyond anything he'd ever seen. It was a fortress, a sanctuary, and a hub of activity all rolled into one—a place where warriors of the union could train, rest, and prepare for the challenges that awaited them in this new world.

Elijah took in the impressive scenery of the Union base, feeling a mix of awe and determination. The grandeur of the place was undeniable, but he knew he couldn't afford to indulge in its luxuries. He quickly grabbed a map and a brochure from the front desk, his eyes widening at the prices—1,000 union credits for just an hour in a first-level cultivation room. Shaking his head, he resolved to make do with what he had and swiftly exited the building.

Outside, Elijah found himself in what looked like a bustling town. It was a place of constant activity, with people dressed in various forms of armor and wielding all kinds of weapons walking purposefully in every direction. The buildings around him were diverse—some were sleek and modern, others more rustic, but all had a certain mystique to them. Shop signs hung from almost every building, advertising everything from weapons and armor to mysterious elixirs and enchanted trinkets. The air was thick with Soul Energy, a subtle hum that seemed to permeate everything, making the very atmosphere feel charged with power.

The energy in this town was different from Earth—more potent, more alive. It was as if the entire place was infused with the essence of the world itself, a constant flow of Soul Energy that the Bellatores could tap into at will. Elijah could feel it all around him, a presence that was almost tangible, feeding into the abilities and strength of those who walked these streets.

Consulting the brochure, Elijah knew where he needed to go and made his way quickly to a store with a sign reading "Medicine Valley" in elegant script. As he entered, the door chimed softly, and he was greeted by a sight that blended modernity with mysticism. The interior was sleek, with polished floors and bright, clean lighting, but the shelves were lined with bottles, vials, and jars filled with all sorts of potions, pills, and elixirs. Each item seemed to shimmer with an inner light, as if holding a piece of the world's magic within it. The air inside the store was filled with a faint, herbal scent that was both calming and invigorating.

"Welcome, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" A beautiful woman approached Elijah with a warm smile. She wore a white uniform, pristine and professional, with a logo of a four-leaf clover embroidered on her chest. The emblem was the mark of Medicine Valley, a symbol of quality and trust.

"I'd like to see the options for cultivation boosters, please," Elijah requested, though the term still felt inadequate for what he was asking.

The woman nodded and led him to a counter where she handed him a small, neatly bound booklet. "Here are our options," she said, her tone professional yet friendly. "We have various types available—Soul Energy attraction pills that enhance the draw of ambient energy to your core, cultivation time extenders that slow the depletion of your Soul Energy reserves during extended sessions, and instant Soul Energy replenishers for quick recovery. Each type comes in different levels, depending on the potency, with the lowest starting at 1,000 union credits."

Elijah's eyes widened as he skimmed through the booklet. The prices were steep, far beyond what he had anticipated. But he knew he needed something to aid in his cultivation, so he settled on the lowest option—two cultivation time extenders and three pills that enhanced the attraction of Soul Energy, which he begrudgingly paid for with his watch before leaving the store.

With the pills secured in his pocket, Elijah headed towards a popular inn. From the brochure, he knew that while the Union base offered superior accommodations, they were also priced far beyond his means—it was 500 credits a night for a room that was larger and brimming with abundant Soul Energy. Instead, he opted for a much cheaper inn room that cost 100 union credits a night. Even that felt expensive, but he reminded himself that this was not Earth. A safe and proper place to sleep was a commodity worth paying for in this world.

The inn was more like a regular hotel on Earth, with a cozy lobby and a friendly atmosphere. The beautiful hostess at the front desk greeted him with a welcoming smile and quickly processed his rental. Elijah thanked her, took his key, and headed up to his room.

Unlocking the door, he stepped into a simple but comfortable space—a small bed, a basic desk, and a window that looked out onto the bustling street below. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Elijah placed his backpack on the bed and then sat down, preparing to cultivate.

He closed his eyes and began to focus on the flow of Soul Energy around him. The difference between this world and Earth was staggering. Here, Soul Energy was abundant—almost overwhelming in its presence. It felt like breathing in pure power, and as Elijah opened his core, the energy rushed into him, filling the emptiness that had been left after summoning his Avatar back on Earth.

The sensation was exhilarating. The Soul Energy filled his depleted core. His reserves were small, to begin with, but it still took him 30 minutes to replenish it.

"I can't imagine how long it would take when I have a larger core!" He muttered to himself.

But Elijah didn't stop there. Feeling revitalized, he continued to cultivate, directing the newly absorbed Soul Energy to grind against the walls of his core, slowly expanding it. Progress was slow, but each increment was a step forward.

An hour later, his reserves were empty again, and he paused, eyeing the pills in his bag. They were tempting, but he shook his head, deciding against using them just yet. "I'll save those for when my progress slows down too much," he whispered, returning to his cultivation with renewed focus.

In the back of his mind, Elijah briefly thought of his sister. He wasn't worried about her, they were used to not talking often, and she usually ate dinner with her clubmates at school. She wouldn't even notice that he was gone, thinking he was still in his room. For now, all that mattered was his progress—he needed to grow stronger.

And just like that, hours passed.