Chapter 9: Seeker

When Kaze finished telling his story, Shoun had to stay silent for a few seconds to process everything.

—You're... surprisingly good at telling stories.

—...? Thanks.— Kaze didn't understand where the compliment came from, but he simply accepted it without questioning much.

—Though I have a couple of questions about things that weren't clear to me. To start, how exactly did you feel when you first woke up?

—Hmm... it's hard to describe. It's closer to saying I felt nothing.

—What do you mean by nothing?— Kaze didn't answer his question and instead gave Shoun a light tap on the forehead.— Ow! What was that for!?

—I didn't feel that. I didn't feel cold, heat, or anything like that. I also didn't see colors—just white, black, and gray. To make it clear, I didn't even have the same cognitive capacity I have now. What I did, I did out of instinct, or so I think.

—I see... I think you mentioned something about this, but did you recover some of your memories when you became a Seeker?

—Something like that. To start, at that moment, I began to feel sensations. I remember it was cold that night, but it's not like I remembered much. For example, I knew how the Codex worked, the ranks of Vestiges and humans, and how human society functioned. I also knew that elves and demons exist, but I don't know much about how their societies work. Not much more than that, aside from basic things.

—I see... What was your first time here like?

—Unlike you, I didn't run into a Brute. I was careful and explored little by little. It took months, but I eventually made a mental map of the areas I could and couldn't go. From that point on, I was able to ascend more calmly. I didn't mess with Brutes, and whenever I saw one, I stayed away. That was a wise choice. When I became an Apprentice, I learned that most Brute zones border Executor zones. In total, my first trip to the Mirror World lasted three months. It was during that time that I ascended to Apprentice. That was no more than two weeks ago.

—How many times have you been to the real world?

—Well, a few times. I don't have a place to go, and I don't have money or anything to buy food or a place to sleep, so it's more convenient to live here, where I only need to stay alive.

—I see...— Slowly, Shoun began to understand Kaze's situation better. The conversation had gone on so long that the light was starting to return to the Mirror World. Shoun could see that his upper body was wearing a heavily torn and stained shirt—it was a miracle it was still intact after everything that had happened. And his body, despite being healed, now had scars on his abdomen. When he tried to get a better look at them, he made a wrong move and felt pain in that area.— Ow!... That last fight really messed me up... Now that I think about it, how long was I out?

—Hmm, about two days.

—What!?

—Well, the wounds you had were more serious. I assume your body needed more time to recover, even with my artifact.

—Damn... How many days have I been in this place?

—About 3 or 4, but it's hard to tell. I'm not sure if the days here last 24 hours. I know my previous trips lasted three months based on the times I briefly went to the other world.

—At this rate, someone will notice I'm gone... Kaze, do you think we're ready to face the trial?

—We're supposed to be. The trials are never something we can't handle. Even if the enemy we face ascends, it'll adapt to that. We already went hunting so you could get used to fighting, so whenever you're ready.

At those words, Shoun leaned back against the wall. Remembering his previous fight, he knew he had done well against the Grunts, but against the Wretches, he could barely do anything—he was more of a distraction than anything else. And when they faced the Alpha, he was practically a liability.

More than anyone, he needed to understand his own capabilities. He knew his abilities were powerful, but he could wait and keep hunting with Kaze. However, that wouldn't make the trial any easier.

—I'm not sure... Do you think I'm ready?— At that question, Kaze stayed silent for a few moments. It was similar to the question Shoun had asked earlier, but also very different. With his limited understanding of others, Kaze responded with another question.

—Does it really matter what I say?

—What do you mean?

—You only doubt yourself, not my abilities. It doesn't matter what I say because, in the end, it's all in your head. So only you can know when you're ready.— Kaze's words were spoken in his usual monotone voice, but even though Shoun thought it was a rude way to say it, he knew Kaze was right.

—Sigh... It's hard to trust others. Why does trusting myself have to be so hard too?— Kaze didn't respond to that question and simply stared at him. Shoun, unsure whether to fight or not, remembered that night—the night he always tried to push away whenever it came to mind, the night that shaped who he is today but that he still tries to pretend never happened, the night he became a Seeker.— ...I know how you became a Seeker. It's only fair that you know how I became one.

Without giving Kaze time to respond, Shoun began to recount that night.

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A young boy, no older than 10, was running on a starry night. Nearby, a loud alarm was blaring. On the streets he passed, people were rushing into their homes, barricading every entrance they could.

The boy didn't take long to reach his home, where a woman was waiting at the door. She was no older than 40, with long brown hair that reached her waist and a simple dress. With visible relief, the woman let the boy inside.

—Phew, when the alarm went off and we realized you weren't here, I almost had a heart attack. Luckily, you didn't take long to get back, sweetheart.— The woman said as she closed the door and locked all the bolts.

—S-sorry for being late, Mom. I was talking with some friends after my— The boy tried to explain, his face showing clear anxiety, but before he could continue, his mother hugged him calmly to soothe him.

—It's okay, sweetheart. Your father and sister were really worried too. Come with me.— She took his hand warmly and led him to the kitchen of their home. It wasn't very big, but it was enough for the family of four. At the round table sat a man around the same age as the woman and a young girl about 15 years old.

—Shoun!— The girl shouted as she got up to hug the boy. He returned the hug without saying a word. The man stood up and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and another on the boy's back.

After that, the family didn't say much more. They all knew the situation they were in—after all, it wasn't the first time. A rift had opened near their location, and Vestiges were pouring out. The authorities were already working to contain the threat, but it would take a while, so it was vital for everyone to stay in their homes until further notice.

The father and mother stayed by the kitchen counter, listening to the radio while waiting for more news about the situation. Meanwhile, Shoun sat at the table with his sister. Seeing her younger brother worried, the girl tried to cheer him up, even though she wasn't doing much better herself.

—Hey, how were your combat classes, little one?

—I told you not to call me that... They were normal. They still don't want to introduce metahuman combat.— The boy answered with a tone of frustration in his voice.

—...Shoun, you have to understand that you're special. There are few humans who have powers like yours... outside the Codex, obviously.

—I know, Chelsea, but right now, I wish I could fight to protect you, Mom, and Dad.

—Hey, that's our job... I mean, I can't let the school know my little brother saved my butt.— The girl replied as she ruffled Shoun's hair. He quickly brushed her hand away in annoyance.— ...How about this? Red Phoenix just released a new album. When this emergency is over, do you want to listen to it with me?

—Alright.— The young Shoun didn't understand what his sister saw in that rock band. Not that he knew much about music, but in his opinion, the band was average at best.

Time passed, and the alarm blaring in the streets slowly faded. Everyone in the family visibly calmed down, until they heard a scratching sound at the back door, which led to the kitchen where they were all gathered.

At that moment, everyone in the family began to sweat. With a determined look, the father glanced at his eldest daughter. She understood and picked up little Shoun in her arms. The mother followed behind as the man grabbed a knife from the cupboard and slowly backed away.

The sound of scratching from the door gradually filled the silent house. The family huddled in a corner until the sound stopped.

Even after a few seconds of silence, the family didn't let their guard down or breathe. Only after a full minute did they finally relax a little. The mother stood up and walked to the window.

The woman moved the curtains slightly to look outside, but before she could react, something jumped from outside and shattered the window. With its immense strength, the monster landed on the woman.

Everyone froze in shock, but that brief moment allowed the beast to end the woman's life with its sharp, deadly claws.

After slashing the woman's throat, the beast stood on two legs. Its body resembled a leopard's, but the claws at the end of its paws were the size of a human head. Its entirely white body was stained with red human blood, but on its right side, there was a deep wound dripping purple blood. The creature's face was alien-like, completely different from anything any of these people could recognize, but that face was also stained with even more purple blood due to the loss of one of its eyes.

Without hesitation, the creature pounced on the closest person—the father. The man quickly snapped out of his shock, enraged by his wife's death, and fought back. He was a professional boxer, a champion of several titles. Using his body, he feinted the creature and pushed it onto the kitchen table. This exchange caused the knife the man was holding to fall near his two children.

—Get out of here now!— The man shouted as he ran back toward the creature. It didn't take long for the beast to react and pounce on the man, knocking them both to the ground and starting a struggle. Chelsea didn't take long to snap out of her shock. With little Shoun still in her arms, she grabbed the knife from the floor and ran to the door, which was locked with multiple bolts.

With the knife still in hand, Chelsea set Shoun down and handed it to him. Nervously, the girl began unlocking the door as quickly as she could, but her nerves were making her fumble.

—Grrr— The growl made both children turn their heads toward the creature. It looked more battered than before, but its fangs were dripping with fresh blood. Limping, the creature quickly approached the two children. Chelsea, under all the pressure, finally managed to open the door, but it was too late.

The creature slashed at her fiercely with its claws, tearing through her clothes and skin. Coldly, the beast pounced on her and began clawing at her until it took her life—all in front of Shoun's eyes.

The boy was paralyzed with fear. He looked into the creature's eyes—completely black and devoid of any light. The beast slowly approached the boy, perhaps wanting to savor its last meal of the day.

Shoun backed away little by little until he hit the wall. At that moment, the creature finally reached him. Out of pure instinct, before it could kill him with a swipe of its claws, the boy placed his hands on the creature's forehead. Countless blue electric sparks flew toward the beast, scorching it and causing it to fall to the ground, stunned.

The boy knew the creature wasn't dead yet. Snapping out of his daze, he saw the knife he had dropped near the beast. Quickly, the boy ran to it and lunged at the creature, stabbing it repeatedly in the spot where its eye had been.

Shoun stabbed and stabbed until something finally broke, but the boy didn't care. He was in shock, and the only thing he could think about was killing the creature. It wasn't until a notification appeared before his eyes that he realized the creature was dead.

[You have slain the "Bearer of Chaos," an Alpha Vestige of Grunt rank. You are now officially a Seeker.]