4 Days (2)
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Before condensing his fifth spirit ring, Ja Sun had already condensed a Spirit Core in his World of Consciousness that improved his mental energy at a pace far greater than what the ordinary techniques of tolerating pain could provide him with. Still, the effects of Life Gold rousing his mental energy, the effects of Titanium Crystal finally making his Vajra Gauntlets grow in quality and rousing his body to a higher level should have a positive feedback on his spirit energy not to mention the fact that his fifth spirit ring came from a spirit soul with the age a little over 83000 years. Still...
"Rank 54?!" Bibi Dong was the first to notice the change and the first to gasp the next morning she saw Ja Sun and Ah Yin waiting near the table of the courtyard.
A 21-year-old Spirit King. Gazes landed on Ja Sun the next instant as he idly played with a small chunk of gold melted from a few coins. The only one unimpressed by this was Ja Sun himself. The spirit ability was extremely great, however, the advancement of spirit energy made Ja Sun feel gloomy. This was what Ja Sun considered Fat-man's concept. The larger the person, the greater the nutrients and calories needed to sustain. Similarly, now it seemed like the greater the quality of the treasures his body can make use of, the greater the amount and quality of spirit energy he needed to refine to attain greater heights. Weaker ones will have weaker foundations even when they reach higher levels while he can compete with higher levels just fine aside from the quantity of the spirit energy, which, coincidentally could be covered by the existence of the Sigh of Immortal.
Still, the fact that future cultivation would grow more grinding in nature made Ja Sun sigh a little. This world was already amazing, expecting even more would only make him short-sighted given that he already understood that he had been rocketing through the spirit ranks in just a little close to two years.
Everyone expected yet another story but this time, Ja Sun and Ah Yin kept their lips shut. None were kicked in their heads to not realize that even with their trust, such a situation shouldn't be easily shared and others, too, found that the duo seemed more secretive.
"Did you know, a few evil cultivators use sexual practices to raise their spirit ranks. Just a rumor I heard... you two didn't do something strange, did you?" Hu Lana finally smiled, lightening the situation.
"Yes, that's what we wanted. Ah Yin likes black and burly men while I enjoy burly and blue-haired men," Ja Sun scoffed.
"You said it, not us," Xie Xan quietly sipped on the cool tea, feeling greatly relieved after a peaceful sleep.
"How would two men even—" Liu Erlong began asking truly groundbreaking questions when Bibi Dong glared at Erlong and cut her off, "Let's not discuss stupid things. Did any of you come up with any prominent idea to deal with Ground Devil Douluo that doesn't include us escaping and giving up on so many benefits?"
Benefits being the unknowing pursuers that they were rushing towards their demise. Everyone fell silent at this point. Given that Bibi Dong herself didn't speak up meant she fell short on thinking regarding this problem, too.
"Well, then let's focus on those we can take care of," Bibi Dong mumbled and looked at Ah Yin, "For this, your domain is once again the best solution. It can hide us even when we're in a disguise. Not only that, we have to make sure that no matter what happens, we do not attract Ground Devil Douluo's attention. If he is supposedly attracted by the scent of blood, then we won't cause a single drop to leak. Yesterday, one of the three groups was actually from the Fire Leopard Sect. Clearly, there are going to be more interested parties entering the City soon enough. Since we willingly caused this ruckus, there won't be any excuses for mistakes we accidentally commit so keep a sharp eye out. And, we change our disguises every two days, too."
Others nodded and yet again, Ja Sun's fifth spirit ring turned another mysterious thing about him.
Of the five days designated by his trait, one day had already passed and four days now remained. After eating breakfast, Ja Sun left to scout the city once again. After all, the Yin-Yang True Illusion expended his mental energy continuously so the more people he took, the greater the expenditure and exhaustion— one of the major reasons why Ah Yin refused to tag along this time. If she cannot be helpful, then at least, she didn't want to burden Ja Sun any further.
This time, Ja Sun specifically chose to be an old man. Short white hair pulled back neatly with his scalp a bit oily and his long eyebrows drooping just like the short white hair growing out of the corner of his ears. Instead of training robes, Ja Sun's hunched body was covered by a blue suit and a beautiful steel watch clasped around his wrist. Anyone seeing this old man would consider him an individual of the older generation wealthy enough.
With a cane supporting his gait, Ja Sun walked around the town, stopping occasionally to sit on public benches to catch his breath. Meanwhile, his mental energy penetrated the surroundings, observing many things at once. Aside from the gold of his pupils, everything was completely disguised. The only reason his Fiery Golden Pupils couldn't be hidden was none other than their immunity towards the illusion. Still, with his iris turned greyish gold, his pupils by themselves didn't attract too much attention.
Being alone with his thoughts, Ja Sun began to plan on how to absorb the three prominent spirit bones. It was no doubt that each spirit bone will increase his spirit rank by at least 1. But how to explain it without revealing his true wealth was the true problem.
Explain nothing to them? Has been easy enough until now, and will remain easy later on, too.
However, three spirit bones meant three spirit ranks at least. This much of a quick increment will surely allow others to speculate as to the source of such advancement: Spirit Bones. The answer to all of Ja Sun's problems was leaving the group. But two reasons stopped Ja Sun from doing so: Benefits and people. It would be a lie if he wasn't the least bit attached to the goofy Hu Lana and slightly slow but steady Xie Xan, much less others.
But what is life without complicated troubles? Ja Sun only would ever intend to run away from problems that are simply too cumbersome to overcome without apt rewards. This, right here, wasn't one of them. Not the least bit cumbersome even if there were no rewards. Although he didn't consider himself as a self-sacrificing individual that would do everything for the happiness of his comrades given that his last wish in his previous world was to have his teacher assassinate his group, he, however, happened to be a selfish individual who would go at great lengths to satisfy his needs and now that he wasn't restricted by any duty or responsibility, he found himself quite satisfied with this small group.
But thinking of his old teammates, Ja Sun couldn't help but let out a disappointed sigh. After all, they were too good to have fallen against the very wishes their rebellion stood for, and honestly, if he was dying, as the leader of the rebellion, his greatest accomplishment would be not only destroying the Federation but also curbing yet another federation before it even had the chance to rise.
---
"Sir... what... is this..." Though battered after one exhilarating thrashing with a shark in a small pool, Jason looked at his teacher inquisitively as he saw four young men standing behind the tall man.
"Your new team. You have your first official task for the movement," the bearded man teaching Jason whatever he knew spoke with a smile.
"I... fucking hope it's an S-ranked... one..." Jason smiled weakly yet the burning desire in his eyes shook the four youths behind Teach and the expressions in their eyes changed. Even lying on the hospital bed with a major portion of his shoulder torn out, Jason's presence intimidated the group of four young mercenaries.
"Their traits?" Jason inquired once he drank a little water with Teach's help.
"Unidentified," Teach smiled, "Your trait was simple enough to find because the trigger is a verbal one. Who knows what others' triggers are," Teach chuckled.
---
"Unidentified, you said. This fucker had a killing trait. Its trigger: his injuries. You knew it," Jason turned without any hesitation. His body caked with dust from the blown-up room and a long scar muddied the dust over his chest with dark blood spilling out. Aside from the room of old men and women, bundles of currency destroyed already and that which could be salvaged still lying in the thin pool of blood, there were four corpses. His teammates.
Teach had followed them, Jason now realized. And why? He knew it, too. He may just be 17 at this point, but he did understand when he's been set-up and this was one of many such 'educational' scenarios that Teach put him with. After all, his teachings often came with the threat of life.
Unlike Jason, Teach leaned against the edge of the giant hole in the wall of one of the safehouses of the Federation storing dirt money.
"These four are traitors. I just never removed them from the movement thinking they might be useful. And there you go, it was their time to shine and reveal their benefit," Teach narrowed his eyes as Jason scoffed and sat down with a resounding splash, uncaring of the blood around him.
"You said to remember that kid's face whenever I kill: Value of Life. You taught me to embrace the pain, giving me my first S-ranked mission that only brought me a swimming technique... do tell, what I am to learn this time?"
"Careful when you take that tone of jest," Teach chuckled and spoke lightly, "Federation is led by a single leader advised by a committee of thirteen presidents of the most powerful countries. Yet, the world degenerates further as a whole? It is none other than the leader not being responsible enough.
Responsibility. That's the lesson. This time, I picked the team, so their responsibility lies with me. If you died, I would have stepped up to end them. Good thing I taught you well," Teach smirked and Jason crossed his arms.
"Who's jesting now? I got most of the techniques by my trait?"
"And who did you set your missions against? Me, right?" Teach retorted and turned around.
"After me, Jason... no, Cowl, you'll be the leader of the movement. Now, you will find your own men. Remember, you will be responsible for their actions. Make it clear to them. The cost of betrayal, the benefit of loyalty, everything."
"Why should I even trust anyone else? In theory, my trait should be able to mark their loyalty... but still, why even trust after all this?"
"Trust a thief to commit a crime. Trust a killer to butcher. Trust... I think, it makes life beautiful. It certainly made mine more vibrant. Use your trait to mark other's loyalty, I don't care. It'd be hypocritical to stop you from doing that. But just that it will become boring."
"What will?"
"Your life."
---
"Oh? You're the one who donated almost 10 mil to that charity and got fucked for it, right? Wanna help me?" Jason pulled a rather weak middle-aged man up.
"The Butcher of Grekxville? Yes, please!" Jason snickered and threw back the butcher's knife still stained with his own blood back at the stunned and equally destroyed burly man.
...
"The Sin Widow? Tacky, but sure. Welcome to the team," Jason enthusiastically welcomed the 20th member as he did with his first one.
---
"We're finally going to destroy Federation. Just a week until the final raid!" The young, eleven-year-old girl codenamed Bluejay with the trait of enhancing one's body with each death smiled beautifully. None would believe that this girl had killed the most in their group. An expert killer who needed only a thin stick to show her wonders.
"Boss, I was thinking what should we do after the federation is gone," The slightly older man wearing a pair of glasses, codenamed Hunter's Whistle, spoke softly yet the room trembled at his voice and everyone's attention in the small room fell on the dark-haired youth lying idly on the couch, swiping right on the screen of his smartphone and occasionally left.
"What is with girls nowadays. Do you know that in western countries, they get to bang when they're almost sixteen, and Teach screwed me over at the best opportunity..." Jason pouted, locking the phone with the press of the side button, and looked at the bleak expressions of his teammates.
"What after Fed's gone? Didn't you always want to open a cafe? To let the kids of your locale play as many games as they like?"
"Boss, that was just sentiments talking. What after the Fed is gone? Can't we take over? After the federation, we are the greatest power!" Hunter's Whistle couldn't help but speak up.
"That's not how politics work, old cunt," Jason scoffed and hummed thoughtfully, 'I might not even get to live after killing Teach's daughter. Honestly, that man truly has me wrapped around his fingers... but, in for a penny, in for a pound. No, too sexual. Anyway, dying when I was six or dying now that I'm 19 doesn't make any difference...'
His gaze dimmed momentarily.
"We discussed amongst ourselves," The Butcher remarked with a gruff tone.
"Oh? Discussed it amongst yourself? Already sounding like the committee, I see," Jason's chuckle made everybody's expression twist.
Sitting up, Jason looked at everyone. Even Bluejay, as she hid her deviousness through the mask of innocence of a little girl.
"Didn't I say that you all are my responsibilities?" Jason smiled gently, "If you want to take up federation's ashes after they're gone, be my guest."
"We want you to be the next leader of the worl—"
"Don't you finish that sentence," Jason whispered and everyone shivered as they felt themselves facing the true beast releasing his cold and silent killing intent.
"Prepare for the raid. Think of the future later..." Jason finally lied down.
---
"Then you know... what will happen in the next few breaths. Do you have any last words?"
Teach inquired.
Humming an amused tone, Jason sat back in his chair and then leaned back with a careless expression. His fingers scratching the back of his head.
"I have a last wish, yeah. Once you're done with me, kill everyone from my group."
"Why?"
"Why not?" Cowl shrugged, "I'd rather not have my rebellion turn into the next leaders. We don't even have educational background for it... we're just a bunch of losers who huddled together. There are much better individuals and besides, even if it is the rebellion who rules, I guess that it won't even take 20 years before they become the second federation."
"You've always been an astute one," Teach slowly stretched his hand forward while a pitch-black gun with silver markings appeared in his hand.
"I will give them an easy death," he nodded. He hesitated for a moment before gritting and inquiring softly.
"Jason... do you regret it? Following me?"
Giving a loud chuckle, Jason smiled widely.
"What do you think?"
*Bang*
---
Ja Sun gently opened his eyes. The clarity in his eyes was momentarily muddied by past events as he couldn't help but question himself. Was it necessary? Dooming his old teammates alongside himself? But recalling how Butcher would laugh and eat thighs of his 'hunt' and offer others enthusiastically, Ja Sun smiled.
'From ambitionless little rat to a fake leader of the world and once again an ambitionless youth...' Ja Sun leaned back, looking at the amber sky. Unknowingly, he had already stayed in that single seat for hours. Evening orange spreading throughout the city.
'I guess, I always wanted to open a bakery or a small tavern. Make the best cupcakes... try and brew wine. I could do that after I've had enough fun with cultivation,' Ja Sun chuckled and stood up.
Why he didn't try to be a leader but settled for the group's scout? Because the decision of giving his life didn't haunt him, just the single wish of his teammate's death did. If possible, Ja Sun never wanted to feel that way, or speak those words again.
Needless to say, Ja Sun returned without a lot of information save for a few white-robed individuals circling the city continuously at a high speed. It was a slow day. Yet, Ja Sun felt quite light-hearted. Maybe being old wasn't the worst thing that can happen to him after all. Though the fourth day had almost ended, no team of bounty hunters vanished. Instead, others even started to itch for the slightest whiff of Ja Sun and his group's location. Needles to say, the Dragon Rising City had turned into a fort not to defend against the Beasttaken tide only, but to also restrict the exit of any possible spirit master.
The next morning, with enough spirit masters forcing the hand of the owners of the city, the actual search began with full force.
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