Chapter 3: VE

Jun woke up early, dressed slowly, and walked toward the temple where she was supposed to train. She had some time to spare, so she paid closer attention to the various buildings around her. The paths, constructed of a polished stone of a soft gray hue, branched off in multiple directions. Every few meters, there were beautifully designed lanterns shaped like elongated dragons with open jaws. Inside these jaws burned a dark liquid that illuminated the surroundings.

The temples were the most distinctive, with two red pillars holding up the beginnings of their roofs and double wooden doors adorned with carvings of animals. There were also residential buildings of one or two stories with single or double-door entrances, made entirely of wood. The walls were white or gray, and the roofs were black due to the type of tile used. Jun assumed that the larger the construction, the higher the status of the one residing there.

As she walked, Jun passed by many people, but nobody gave her a glance or was distracted from their activities. Finally, she arrived at the temple where she was to practice. It was similar to the others but considerably larger. As she entered, a gust of wind struck her face.

"Is someone training in there?" Jun thought, her curiosity evident.

In front of her was a young man whose age she couldn't discern. He wore a white suit and wielded a long, thick wooden staff, executing various movements. Each strike unleashed a wave of wind, and Jun could perceive the power behind each one.

"His movements are strong, but his speed doesn't match; he's quite slow," Jun thought proudly. "I could easily dodge any of those attacks."

The young man, noticing Jun's presence, finished his exercise and approached her, visibly exhausted.

"I don't think we've met," he said, extending his hand. "My name is Nirey."

"I'm Jun, nice to meet you," she responded, always having enjoyed her vocabulary and etiquette classes with her teacher Axxes.

"Jun, that's an unusual name. You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, I come from the far islands to the north. I got here thanks to my teacher Axxes."

Upon hearing this, Nirey displayed an expression of surprise and disbelief.

"Incredible, your teacher is none other than the great Axxes?"

"Yes," Jun replied proudly. "Is that a problem?"

"I find it hard to believe that Axxes would be your teacher. She's not one to take on pupils," Nirey retorted, his tone mocking.

Before Jun could respond, her classmates and Seraxxis entered the temple. Jun turned and bowed to Seraxxis, although she bitterly thought that she refused to call her "teacher."

The girls lined up, and Jun joined them.

"Alright, girls," Seraxxis began, her tone sweet but her eyes empty. "Yesterday, I was able to assess your skills, so today the class will be more 'theoretical'," Seraxxis exclaimed energetically.

"As I see it, you all know about Vital Energy or VE. But what is VE, really? VE is the engine behind everything in our world. There are two fundamental types of VE," said Seraxxis, pausing to gauge reactions.

Jun began to get excited. Her teacher had not explained anything about VE, and if there was something she wanted to learn in-depth, it was the expert handling of Vital Energy.

"The first would be what we could call 'Organic' Vital Energy. This is what all living beings emit or possess, from plants and trees to animals and people. Then we would have 'Primordial' Vital Energy; this comes from places rather than living beings. Places like the sea, mountains, or rivers can also have vital energy. All Vital Energy that doesn't come from a living being is called Primordial Vital Energy. Up to this point, does anyone have any questions?" Seraxxis suddenly exclaimed. All the girls, including Jun, shook their heads.

"Very well, as I was saying. People are born with a certain amount of Vital Energy. The amount of a person's Vital Energy depends on three factors: two simple and one more complicated. The first factor is the Vital Energy of the parents; there's a ten percent chance that their child will inherit a combination of the sum of both reserves. This sum only occurs if the amounts of Vital Energy from both parents are similar. If there's a significant difference, the child will inherit the smaller reserve. The second factor is lineage. Specifically, one can inherit Vital Energy from up to three previous generations. This inheritance will come from your direct lineage, meaning you can only inherit the reserve from your grandparents, great-grandparents, or great-great-grandparents, whether maternal or paternal.

And the third factor is the influence of Primordial Vital Energy, which is still not well understood," said Seraxxis, taking a breath.

"As for inheritance through lineage, it's a pretty rare event. Of every million people born, only one will inherit the reserves of some ancestor. Now, moving on to the third factor, Primordial Vital Energy can modify the Vital Energy reserve of the child to be born, depending on the environment and the type of Primordial Vital Energy to which the mother has been exposed. The results vary greatly, from people with absurd amounts of VE to slight deviations or unique effects. Although unique effects can appear for different reasons, we'll discuss these unique effects more in-depth later on," Seraxxis concluded, heading to a small table where there was a jug of water. She poured herself a glass and cleared her throat.

"And so, considering what I've just explained, millennia ago very intelligent people developed a method to measure each individual's Vital Energy levels. Given the variables I've already discussed, they classified people into different categories based on their 'reserves' of Vital Energy. These pioneers discovered that certain metals reacted to prolonged exposure to Vital Energy. These metals were termed 'Indicator Metals,' and there are six of them: aluminum, copper, iron, gold, titanium, and platinum. Each metal reacts according to the amount of Vital Energy a person possesses. A Category 1 individual can only react with copper; these people have a reserve slightly above average but not extraordinary.

"In Category 2, we find people capable of activating both copper and aluminum; these people possess reserves significantly greater than those in Category 1. Interestingly, Category 3 individuals activate neither copper nor aluminum but only iron. Category 4 individuals, like those in Category 3, activate a single metal: gold. Category 5 individuals can react with iron, gold, and titanium.

"Finally, we have a special category, which we call 'Super User.' A Super User can activate any of the first five metals and, in addition, is the only one that reacts with platinum. To offer a clearer picture, we could say that a Category 1 person has, on average, an VE reserve five times greater than a normal person. A Category 2 person would have a reserve three times greater than Category 1; Category 3, six times more than Category 2; Category 4, ten times more than Category 3; and Category 5, forty times more than Category 4."

Jun started to feel dizzy with the data that Seraxxis was explaining, but she shook her head and refocused.

"Finally, we come to the most unique individuals: the Super Users. These people are exceptional, blessed with practically limitless amounts of VE. To give you an idea, a Super User would have at least ten times the amount of VE as someone in Category 5. But don't be fooled by the numbers; those figures are just statistics. The key in combat is the ability to manipulate that VE effectively. Having large reserves is not enough; if you don't know how to use them, a Category 1 person with full mastery of their VE and physical and mental abilities could defeat someone with much larger energy reserves," Seraxxis concluded her explanation, and all the girls, including Jun, became excited.

"This means that, even if my VE level is low, with the proper training I could be formidable," thought Jun, inspired.

"We've talked a lot, but all of this is merely an introduction to the world of VE. I think it's enough for you to have a basic understanding of the topic," Seraxxis paused, took a sip of water, and cleared her throat before continuing.

"Now, let's determine your compatibility with different metals and classify you into the previously mentioned ranges. Your training plan will be adapted based on your respective abilities," Seraxxis showed a brief ironic smile.

"Is she underestimating us?" Jun started to feel a growing disdain for the woman, who turned out to be her teacher's sister.

"Number five, please come up to the table," Jun was surprised. She did not expect to be the first to be called. She walked over to the table and observed the strips of different metals: aluminum, copper, iron, gold, titanium, and platinum.

"First, release your vital energy," Seraxxis directed her instruction at Jun. "Once you do, grab the aluminum rod and imagine it as an extension of yourself. Let your energy flow through the metal." Jun nodded and started to focus her mind.

"This is my moment. Relax and focus your energy, remember the hot springs, remember the hot springs," as she repeated those words to herself, Jun closed her eyes and, after a few moments, felt her vital energy emanate. When she opened her eyes, she saw no change in the metal.

"Tsk," Jun sighed, disheartened. "Am I really that inept?" At that moment, Seraxxis spoke, but Jun was too absorbed in her thoughts to hear her.

"Remember, number five, the energy must flow not just through your body but also through the metal," Seraxxis repeated her instruction. Jun decided to try once more, this time visualizing the metal as a natural extension of her body. In an instant, the aluminum bar turned an intense black. The change was so abrupt that Jun was startled, and the bar returned to its original state.

"Very well, number five, let's proceed to the next bar," Jun picked up the copper bar and focused her energy, but this time nothing happened. She looked at Seraxxis's face and found an expression that seemed to say, "as expected."

"Alright, number five, you triggered a reaction with the aluminum, but the copper remained unchanged. Please, go back to your seat," Jun returned to the row, giving a small but sarcastic bow.

"That woman thinks she's so clever, humiliating others. But she'll get a surprise from me. I'll show her how wrong she is to underestimate me. I'll be the best in this absurd class," Jun told herself, her mind a whirlwind of determination and anger.

"Alright, now, number 1 to the front, please," ordered Seraxxis. Trebita walked cautiously up to the table, her hands shaking slightly. Despite her concentrated efforts, she was unable to trigger a reaction with the aluminum. In fact, it took her several tense minutes to even release a trace of her VE.

"I think it's evident that your reserves of VE are quite ordinary, Trebita," exclaimed Seraxxis, smiling condescendingly. "Please, return to your room; there's no longer any need for you to continue with the training."

Trebita, her expression a mix of relief and shame, accepted her fate and quietly left the temple, avoiding eye contact with others.

"Excellent," exclaimed Seraxxis, his palpable energy filling the room. "Number 2, please, step forward."

The girl named Adreita exuded confidence from every pore. She walked with assurance to the table, as if already knowing the outcome of the test.

"Now that I think about it, that girl hasn't fought with any puppet," Jun mused, watching intently.

Without wasting time, Adreita grabbed the iron shard, and with a flash in her eyes, activated her vital energy. What Jun felt was like a slap to the face; Adreita's emitted energy was overwhelming. The metal instantly turned a deep blue. Adreita, with a satisfied smile, said nothing and returned to her seat without waiting for Seraxxis' approval.

"As always, the Sendra family never disappoints. Excellent job, Adreita," praised Seraxxis, his tone far kinder than the one he'd used with Jun and Trebita.

"Number four, please come forward," he added, turning his gaze to the other girls.

Daria emanated an intense aura; she approached the table containing the indicator metals cautiously. She remained still, her deep gaze fixed on the objects in front of her. Jun, watching with curiosity, thought he heard her murmur, "This will be chaos." At that moment, Daria released her Vital Energy, a magnificent force that filled the room.

It was like a silent explosion. Her energy was so overwhelming that it completely eclipsed Adreita's prior demonstration. Daria's VE rippled everyone's clothing, vibrated the ancient temple windows, and stirred the dust accumulated in nearby corners. Seraxxis opened his eyes in a surprise he rarely showed in public.

"Wow," Seraxxis exclaimed, almost in a whisper. "You didn't even need to touch a bar; the gold instantly turned to pale gray."

"This is indeed a pleasant surprise," Seraxxis added, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "It's rare to find a category four user. Clearly, you're in a league far above your peers."

Hearing this, Jun lowered his head, his mind swirling with tumultuous thoughts. "That girl is amazing. With that absurd amount of VE, I'll never be able to compete with her," he thought, his heart filled with envy and a touch of sadness.

Adreita, for her part, couldn't hide her anger and frustration. Her face was as red as a tomato, clearly upset at being overshadowed by Daria. Jun couldn't help but chuckle at Adreita's reaction; at least he wasn't the only one grappling with complicated emotions.

Daria, feeling she'd demonstrated enough, cut off her flow of VE. Peace and quiet returned like an invisible cloak covering the temple.

"Very well, Daria," said Seraxxis, his voice filled with genuine pleasure. "You've earned the right for me to use your name. Now, please, go back to your room. I will soon assign you to a squad more suited to your skills."

He cast a disdainful glance at Jun and the others, as if they were little more than hindrances in his path.

Just then, Adreita broke the silence with a scream full of rage and resentment.

"What about me!" she yelled. "I am not like these useless ones here, and you know it very well, Seraxxis!"

Seraxxis returned her gaze, his eyes expressionless but his smile still present.

"If you try hard enough, you can join the same squad, Adreita," he replied, his tone so sweet it contrasted with the tension of the moment.

"My father will hear about this!" Adreita threatened, leaving the temple in a fury that seemed capable of setting the world aflame.

"Well, girls, it looks like training has concluded," Seraxxis exclaimed, his laughter barely contained. "You're free to go back to your rooms or stay here to train."

With that, Seraxxis turned on his heels and left the temple briskly. Jun was left alone with Veranice and Nirey, the boy who had been training with them.

"Wow, that was strange," Nirey suddenly commented, startling both girls. "So you are part of squad seventy-seven."

Jun immediately turned to look at the boy's face.

"What do you mean by that?" Jun interrogated, his tone icy and sharp.

"Not much," Nirey replied, shrugging. "Just that now I understand why you're here. Don't you know what squad seventy-seven is?"

Both girls shook their heads.

"Well, it's not public knowledge, so to speak. Nor is it a secret. But squad seventy-seven was created by Bernabel with the sole intention of having 'pretty faces' at his disposal to send to caste leaders or important people in an attempt to seduce them. And of course, they're also there for his own pleasure."

Jun and Veranice were petrified.

"You see," Nirey continued, "in reality, Seraxxis doesn't train anyone in that squad. What he does is evaluate whether any of the women coming in have potential in the use of vital energy. And even then, that doesn't guarantee that they'll train you; they might simply use you as an VE battery, among other things."

Jun couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No!" she yelled angrily. "I refuse to believe you," she retorted, her distress escalating.

"Does this mean that if I wasn't chosen now, I'm useless in the eyes of Seraxxis?" Jun thought, rapidly losing control of her emotions. "No, get a grip, Jun! We can't let down the master or Mr. Nikantres."

Jun took a deep breath and quickly regained her composure.

"And how do you know all this?" she asked sharply.

"As I said, everyone knows," replied Nirey, sounding uninterested.

"Is there anything we can do to get out of this squad?" asked Veranice, her voice laden with urgency.

Jun turned to look at her. There was something about Veranice that intrigued her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

"Hmm, well, you could try talking to another master to take you in and train you. But that's complicated. Seraxxis holds authority here; very few masters would dare to defy her. And even if you do find such a master, convincing him to take you on would be difficult in itself," explained Nirey.

"Damn it," Jun exclaimed, impatiently. "If you know of someone who can do this, stop playing the mysterious know-it-all."

At this, Nirey's eyes widened in surprise, and Veranice began to chuckle quietly. Realizing her emotional outburst, Jun's ears turned red, particularly noticeable against her pale skin.

"I'm sorry," Jun murmured, ashamed.

"Could you please help us?" Jun asked, this time in a softer tone.

"Hmm," Nirey replied, pondering. "Alright, but on one condition: fight me, and if you can land even one hit on me, I'll tell you the name of the master who might take your request."

Hearing this, Jun looked at him with a defiant expression.

"That's perfect," Jun responded, revealing her self-confidence.

"This idiot thinks he can talk like he knows so much. I saw him train; he's not that fast. This will be easy," Jun thought, feeling proud.

"Great," exclaimed Nirey enthusiastically as both moved to the center of the temple. "Attack whenever you're ready, little one," Nirey taunted her, his tone mocking.

Jun's face flushed with anger, and without wasting any time, she lunged at Nirey. It took her less than three seconds to reach her top speed. She was closing in quickly, but Nirey just stood there, grinning ear to ear.

"What is he doing? Why isn't he moving?" Jun thought, puzzled. When she got close enough, she pulled back her fist and aimed it straight for his face. But just as her fist was inches away from Nirey's nose, he dodged it with surprising agility and gave her a light tap on the head.

"Come on, little one! I know you can do better than that," Nirey shouted jubilantly.

Blood boiled in Jun's veins. She quickly spun around and launched a kick, which was again dodged easily.

"Damn it, was this idiot not using his full speed during training? He didn't look as fast as he is now," Jun thought, furious.

In a whirlwind of emotion and failed strikes, Jun threw herself into the battle, attacking relentlessly. But after a few minutes, she began to tire out.

"I'm not getting anywhere; damn this fool, is everyone here trying to make fun of me?" Rage engulfed Jun in a way she had never felt before. "I won't let these idiots continue to humiliate me," she thought, standing still and beginning to concentrate.

"I'll release my EV. Focus, Jun. Remember the warm bath…" And suddenly, energy began to radiate throughout Jun's body.

"Wow," Nirey whistled in surprise. "Let's see what you've got now, girl," he responded, a playful tone in his voice, as he too activated his EV. However, it was a very controlled release; it was barely noticeable that he was using his vital energy.

Jun could feel her senses sharpening just by releasing her vital energy. She also noticed that her muscles felt tenser and stronger. She took her stance and attacked again with ferocity; her speed had noticeably increased. But Nirey had also amped up his speed even more. Jun attacked relentlessly—jumping, spinning, and throwing every punch she could.

"It's amazing the power that my vital energy grants me," Jun thought, amazed. She slowly began to forget her anger and started to enjoy the battle she was having.

"Releasing my energy has granted me a flexibility in my attacks I've never experienced," Jun thought, excited.

"Come on, Nirey, don't disappoint me. Let me test my power on you," she thought, even more thrilled.

Jun attacked and spun relentlessly, and a smile slowly crept onto her face.

"This girl, I noticed she was only a category 1, but at the rate she's burning through her EV, she should've been drained by now," Nirey thought, astonished. "This seems to be the first time she's activated her EV in battle; she must be euphoric. I'll see how she behaves now, but this is entertaining," Nirey thought, energized.

Jun quickly realized Nirey was far from weak. Despite her abilities being boosted by the vital energy she was releasing, it was not enough to even graze the guy.

As the minutes ticked by, Jun ramped up the ferocity of her attacks, gradually increasing her speed. At the same time, she was becoming filled with a euphoria she had never experienced before.

"Damn it, I need more power, much more," Jun thought, no longer able to contain her growing excitement.

Jun leapt towards Nirey, who deftly dodged the attack. Nirey stayed alert, anticipating another offensive; however, Jun remained still.

"More power, focus, focus, Jun," she thought. At that moment, Jun felt completely intoxicated by the sensation her released Vital Energy (EV) was providing and began to enter a trance-like state.

"This girl," Nirey murmured cautiously, "is she going into a release state? What's happening? This is getting dangerous. She could drain all her vital energy and die if she doesn't control herself."

"Jun!" Nirey yelled. "You have to stop your flow; it's dangerous if you continue like this!"

But Nirey's words fell on deaf ears.

Jun opened her eyes and found herself no longer in the temple; instead, she floated above an apparently infinite lake, whose waters precisely reflected her silhouette.

"But what is this?" Jun thought, amazed. "Where am I supposed to be?"

As she moved closer, she could examine her reflection in greater detail and quickly understood that it was not a simple mirage: it was she herself submerged under the water.

"How is this possible?" Jun thought, completely perplexed.

Jun's double extended her arm toward her, and Jun reciprocated. As their hands drew near, the double smiled, and then, abruptly, the image faded away. Jun let out a deafening scream; she was back in the temple, and with that scream, she released such a surge of vital energy that Nirey and Veranice were violently thrown, embedding themselves into the temple wall.

The magnitude of the release was such that the floor, walls, and ceiling were completely splintered. Jun was releasing so much vital energy that her blood pressure skyrocketed, beginning to bleed from her ears and nose. Seconds later, she lost consciousness entirely and fell to the ground with a sound barely audible.

"What the hell just happened?" Nirey thought, overtaken by a disbelief he had never before experienced. "This girl just released an amount of VE I've never witnessed. Is she some sort of super user? But that's impossible; I saw with my own eyes that only aluminum reacted."

Nirey rushed to aid Veranice, helping her dislodge from the wall.

"Are you okay?" Nirey urgently asked.

"Yes," Veranice responded, still quite stunned by the event.

"Stay here and look after her; I need to find someone, I'll be right back."

With those words, Nirey exited the temple and ran full speed in search of his master.

"This girl, someone has used seals to conceal her power. She said Axxes brought her here. This is serious; I must speak to my master now or, otherwise, they'll find out and could kill her or worse," Nirey fretted in thought.

It took him no more than two minutes to reach his master's temple. He entered hastily and found him, as always, training with the team.

"Master!" Nirey shouted urgently. "You must follow me immediately!"

The person whom Nirey called "master" turned and, without wasting any time, accompanied Nirey back to the temple.