Memory Packet

As the night settled in, I decided to dedicate my time to studying the Memory Packet I had extracted from the unfortunate soul of the self-proclaimed Cultivator. Being psychic: delving into matters of the mind was my forte. I settled into a comfortable chair on the first floor, the soft glow of the lamp casting shadows across the room as I opened the luminescent cuboid of psychic energy the size of my thumb.

"Cultivator, Transcendent, Sorcerer, Wizard, Chosen, Graced, and Mutant… I could understand what a mutant to some extent is, but in essence, all of them were of a mystical nature that I wouldn't even know where to begin studying them."

The memories flooded my mind as I delved deeper, each scene unfolding like a vivid dream. Presented before me was the life of Vajen Omon. I could hear the voices, see the faces, and feel the emotions as if they were my own. Lost in the intricate web of memories, I barely noticed the passage of time.

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Vajen was only eight years old when he awakened the gift. "I… I have the gift!" He announced to his village so filled with hope and desire.

The village that day celebrated for a straight week, and every one of them was in a festive mood. The village was adorned with colorful banners and ribbons, echoing with laughter and joy. Vajen's proclamation spread like wildfire, igniting excitement in the hearts of his fellow villagers.

"I knew it, I knew my boy was special!" exclaimed Old Joren, his eyes twinkling with pride as he patted Vajen on the back.

"Such a gift, at such a tender age," remarked the village chief filled with admiration in his voice. "Our village is blessed indeed."

Vajen, surrounded by friends and family, basked in the warmth of their affection. He grinned from ear to ear, soaking in the love and support of those around him. It was a moment he would never forget, a turning point in his young life.

"I'll make you all proud, you'll see!" Vajen declared, his voice ringing with determination. And with that promise, the celebration continued long into the night, marking the beginning of Vajen's journey into the world of the gifted.

But the revelry was short-lived. As darkness descended upon the village, a shadow loomed over the festivities. The joyous atmosphere shattered like glass as the sound of thundering hooves and clashing steel filled the air.

A bandit raid, merciless and swift, descended upon the unsuspecting village like a tempest. Panic and chaos ensued as homes were ravaged, and lives were torn asunder. Vajen found himself thrust into a nightmare he could scarcely comprehend.

Desperation clawed at his heart as he faced the onslaught of the bandits. With little experience wielding his newfound power, Vajen struggled to defend himself against the ruthless invaders. Despite their lack of gifted individuals among their ranks, the bandits easily overwhelmed him, their brutality crushing his feeble attempts at resistance.

As Vajen lay battered and bruised amidst the wreckage of his village, his once bright future now seemed lost in the depths of despair. The following events were barely a memory to the young Vajen. He became a slave and was sold from one rich person to another until he reached his 20s when a wandering cultivator took an interest in him, he called himself the Master and invited him to become his disciple.

The Master's hand reached out to him, offering solace amidst the chaos.

"Are you alright, young one?" a voice asked, gentle yet commanding.

Vajen looked up to see a figure cloaked in darkness, their features obscured by the shadows. He hesitated for a moment before nodding weakly.

"I... I don't know," he admitted, his voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.

The figure knelt beside him, offering a reassuring smile. "Fear not, for you are not alone. Come, let us depart from this place before more harm befalls us."

With little else to cling to, Vajen nodded in agreement, allowing the stranger to lead him away from the devastation that had once been his home.

Under the guidance of the Master, Vajen embarked on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. With each passing day, he immersed himself in the teachings of cultivation, learning the intricacies of harnessing the power of qi.

"I sense your potential, young Vajen," the Master remarked, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "But to unlock it, you must first learn to perceive the qi that flows around you."

Vajen nodded, his determination reignited by the Master's words. "I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger," he vowed, his voice filled with resolve.

With unwavering dedication, Vajen devoted himself to the practice of cultivation, honing his skills under the watchful eye of his mentor. Together, they delved into the mysteries of qi manipulation, exploring its depths and unlocking its hidden potential.

It was a strange sensation— qi was not a singular power, but a derivative of psychic expression honed through perception. It was the very essence of what fueled a person's powers and gifts. To become a Cultivator means cultivating the self, and breaking boundaries by breaking through perception.

"Focus, Vajen. Feel the qi coursing through your veins," the Master instructed with a steady guiding presence.

Closing his eyes, Vajen followed the Master's guidance, allowing himself to become one with the energy that surrounded him— the very energy that he perceived as his own. With each breath, he felt the once unperceivable qi flowing more freely, empowering him with newfound strength and clarity of mind.

Vajen's gift was about increasing the heat of 'something', but with cultivation, he was able to reach the level that he could control the temperature of the air around him. From the Master's teachings, he was able to learn what it meant to cultivate and pursue immortality.

It was a strange sensation as if Vajen's every cell was being reborn each time he achieved a new level, thus lengthening his lifespan— it was incredible!

As weeks turned into months, Vajen's proficiency grew, his mastery of cultivation surpassing even his own expectations. With each milestone reached, he felt a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that he was one step closer to realizing his full potential.

In time, Vajen was able to perfect the Frost Fire Fist method.

"Never forget, Vajen, that true strength lies within," the Master reminded him, his words echoing in the depths of Vajen's soul. "Now that you have achieved such strength, it was time I leave you…"

Vajen nodded, gratitude swelling within him. "Thank you, Master, for everything you have taught me. I will never forget your guidance."

With a final nod, the Master turned to depart, his form fading into the shadows as he vanished from sight. Vajen watched him go, a sense of bittersweet farewell tugging at his heartstrings.

Despite the passing of time, Vajen remained youthful, his age belied by his appearance. The years had been kind to him, leaving him unchanged by the passage of time. When he should be well in his 60s, he still looked like he was in his 20s, it was the marvel of Cultivation.

Reflecting on his journey, Vajen felt a profound sense of gratitude towards his Master. In gratitude, he vowed to continue his legacy by taking on disciples of his own.

Taking on the mantle of mentorship, Vajen selected two promising individuals to become his disciples. With patience and dedication, he began to impart his knowledge and wisdom, guiding them along the path of cultivation.

But Vajen's altruism didn't stop there. Recognizing the potential in those without the gift, he extended his teachings to include non-gifted individuals as well, offering them the opportunity to unlock their own latent potential. This was the true power behind cultivation— to share the Gift.

Though the process was brutal, Vajen managed to artificially awaken plenty of Gifted who had willingly given up their lives to him.

Vajen was ambitious and had power. But ten years later, he met me… I killed him by burning him until he was charred.

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Exiting from the Memory Packet, I savored the wealth of information I had gathered. It seemed that the 'Master' had to be a powerful psychic, perhaps a Telepath or Hypnotic like myself.

Judging by how the memories of Vajen were tampered with, it appeared that the Master had a significant power over Vajen's life. Each time the Master was mentioned, all I could discern was a mysterious silhouette, shrouded in darkness.

Reflecting on Vajen's journey, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of admiration and skepticism. His transformation from a frightened young boy into a powerful Cultivator was nothing short of remarkable. However, there were gaps in his memories, hints of manipulation that begged further exploration.

I was still unsure what a Cultivator was, and they didn't match my knowledge of what supers were like in my past world. A cultivator seemed to be a mixture of an attribute-class, psychic-class, and esper-class which was stretching it too much. Even I didn't have that much breadth.

It was true I could replicate most feats other supers could do, but not in such a blatant manner as how would Cultivators do it. The way Cultivators could artificially awaken Gifts was not surprising however as similar feats had been performed in my old world either through guided surgery, psychic applications, high-end mutation via radiation, or even mechanically modding the human body.

I must say though that my greatest boon from Vajen's memories was my learning how this world's 'common sense' worked. Considering that this was an entirely different world, I had to at least play the part of someone not overly ignorant.