1 A Serval Among Tigers

Her in-game mother and grandmother were martial artists while her new in-game father was called a singular. The terms to categorize their strength made no real sense to her but she figured it would be explained soon. When she opens her eyes, Tara finds herself in a courtyard among twenty ten-year-olds sitting on the grass before a bespectacled man.

"Ever since I taught every one of you to read and write, you've also come to have a basic understanding of why our country is revered by others. Yes, little Chun?" Elder Guo points at a girl towards the front row, her cheeks chubby and adorable.

"It's because a lot of our plants, after being raised under starlight, are super strong and rare!" Chun speaks up, lowering her hand when called upon. Elder Guo smiles, happy that she recalled his lesson.

"Yes! Others come from across the seas to look for precious herbs for their elixirs and pills. Our Dawn Jungle is well known for their Fire-based Aural Beasts while our Riversword Kingdom is home to many Water-based Aural Beasts so people come from far and wide to look for all sorts of body parts, either to sell off or help with a craft!" Elder Guo laughs proudly.

"Some of you have been diligent in your studies of geography, economics, and politics, which will make you powerful scholars and aides to nobles," He continues smiling to several among the children, before annoyance covers his face, "Others have been oh-so-patient in wishing to learn more about our family's more physical aspect."

His voice carries an edge of sarcasm that is lost on the children as he watches most of them straighten up. His gaze lingers on the smallest girl, whose bronze-colored eyes glitter with excitement.

"All living things are said to be able to manipulate at least one of three great energies. Warriors manipulate body energy and mystics command mind energy. I haven't heard anything concerning spiritual energies, but I'm sure such beings who can use it exist. Such people are called singulars." He points to another child.

"When a martial artist can focus all three energies, known as aural energy when combined, this creates our aura! It protects our body from being hurt!" The child recites and the elder nods.

"In order to master any of these energies one must go through Body Altering. They say to go from a novice to an apprentice of Body Altering, one must attend a Martial Academy; to go from an apprentice to a master one must join a Sect." Elder Guo stretches the pause for his own personal dramatics with some of the children laughing at his action. That he did this quite often was something Tara learned in that moment.

"Accomplishing even the former without someone to guide you or a family name to back you is nearly impossible. But as you know, our common ancestor was a wandering aurator, or aura user, who was able to achieve this incredible feat. Our family came into being after they joined the Eightsword Sect, having stood apart within their Martial Academy."

Even among those who didn't aspire to be an aurator were listening intently. Hearing about the founder was a source of honor and inspiration.

"What level did the ancient founder reach?" One of the children squeaks excitedly.

"Why don't we first establish what the levels are? Does anyone know what they are?"

Immediately a tiny hand shot up, sienna brown skin among the beige tones.

"Tara, what can you tell me?" He asks, choosing her without hesitation.

"My baba said that there should be eight stages of Body Altering and each one connected to a different element. The first four are called the novice stages: Skin Igniting for Fire, Blood Directing for Water, Bone Crystallization for Stone, and Billowing Muscles for Wind! You have to go in that order and every stage is split up between low stage, mid stage, and high stage." Tara speaks confidently using the knowledge given to her by the system.

Elder Guo nods, picking up where she leaves off. "Afterwards comes the apprentice levels but all we know about is Vein Plating, for Metal. The final three are not common knowledge outside of Martial Academies. Our Hufang's Matriarch has reached mid stage Vein Plating with only heiress Di being a realm below as a low stage Billowing Muscle. And while this is prestigious, it is recorded that our ancestor was well beyond the Body Altering phase."

The first four Body Altering Stages were attainable simply revolving one's aura. Skin Igniting is the first and most fiery of the Body Altering stages. Once this point was reached, an aurator's body would burn up as if they were within a forging oven. When the process was over their skin would be as hard as a rock even without their aura around them.

After going through the low to high stage, next came Blood Directing, the Water aligned level. This one allowed an aurator to control the direction of their blood which helped focus on healing and recovery. Bone Crystallization was the Stone element that caused an aurator's skeleton to become tough like crystal. Billowing Muscle enhanced the muscles to be able to move with the deftness and grace of the Wind.

As long as an aurator used an aural energy circulation technique, these four levels were obtainable with enough patience and diligence. Crossing into Vein Plating, which made the veins and blood vessels sturdy as steel but as light as lithium, was much harder. One needed to not only perfectly achieve mastery of each previous level but also have a sound mind, spirit, and body as they forced their bodies through true qualitative change. This is why the Matriarch reaching the mid stage was so amazing!

As for what was beyond that? Nobody outside of Martial Academies had any true knowledge, only inklings from ancient text or rumors from the capitol, Tabanos.

Many of the children started chattering with surprise and awe--they weren't aware of the shared blood with such a strong figure! Even Elder Guo puffed up in pride. Despite his distaste of combat, Elder Guo himself was only a mid stage Skin Igniting but had his honor as an aurator.

"Some of you have been instructed by either your parents or other teachers in unarmed combat, but now you have finally reached the age where you can spar with your peers. Come off of the arena square and then I will choose two of you for the first round!"

The children scrambled off the marble floor, each stone cut into a square, forming a 100 by the 100-foot platform. Elder Guo had them all line up based on whose parents had attainments in martial arts. To the far left of them was a large child, who had clearly been reared for such a lifestyle. This was Hufang Tej, Elder Guo's great-nephew. However, standing on his left was the tiny brown girl, Hufang Tara.

This caused many of the other children to be confused. When they were being taught, the information on the other children's parentage was kept quiet, in order for them to bond naturally and without their parents' feuds, if any.

"Little Tej, your opponent shall be Tara." Elder Guo announces, surprising them all. Tej merely chuckles as he walks on stage with Tara skipping.

"How is this fair? Tara's even smaller than me!" Chun whispers to one of her cousins.

"You may begin," Elder Guo says once they were spaced apart enough. The children watched intently as Tara gave a toothy grin to Tej's arrogant smirk. The next moment his smirk fell as Tara shot forward. Her long braided brown hair whips in the air as Tara darts towards him.

She pulls back a fist to aim at his upper chest, Tej crossing his arms to block the blow. However, thanks to her momentum, her strength has multiplied. Tej skids back several meters.

"You're more formidable than you look," Tej calls out, clenching his hands several times to stop them from shaking. "I guess I should take you seriously!"

Tara, on the other hand, was frowning slightly. The power from her new virtual body was much more than she's used to. Since it was common practice to learn self defense, Tara sparred at school and with her parents, so she was aware of how strong she usually was. It will take some time to get used to the difference.

Tej took the initiative this time, running with a punch of his own. Tara tilts to the side, grabbing his arm as it passes by her chest with both hands. Locking her feet in place, she twisted her body and tossed him like a sack of potatoes. He sails through the air with a soft 'thump' as he hits the ground. While others were shocked at this, Elder Guo remained calm. He knew exactly who this small girl's teacher was. Even so, he wishes that his nephew was more of a match.

The sparring continues but young Tara is excused. Normally such an active child would be upset and unruly about this decision, but Tara knew that none of them could fight on even terms. So instead she helps each kid correct themselves where she saw flaws. Each of them, even Tej, was thankful for the pointers and showed growth with every future fight.

"You've done well today, Tara." Elder Guo praises the young girl as her cousins run home for the evening. "I will be sure to inform the Matriarch of your victory, singular as it was, as well as the leadership skills you displayed today."

Tara cups her hands and bows. "Thank you, Uncle! I only copied what I learned about teaching from you. To be patient and fix things not just by telling but showing!"

As Tara runs off, Elder Guo's eyebrows finally rise in surprise.

Tara zips to her parents' pavilion. She greets every maid and butler she runs into with a hug or a high five. She zips down the hallway, slamming the sliding door open.

At that moment a young girl no older than seven came flying at her. With practiced grace, Tara catches this girl and spins her around in a circle. The girl laughs as she hugs her sister.

"Where are our parents, frog face?" Tara teases, poking her younger sister on the nose as she is released.

"Mother went to see Baba but our father is still home, cat hands," Zawen returns, following Tara through their house and to their father's study. They found him with his broad back turned away. He was polishing a silver double-edged sword. Splayed out on the table in front of him was a set of armor and a small circular shield. On both pieces of equipment, there was a tiger head etched on it, two hooked swords forming an X through the tiger head.

"Father, are you going out to train?" Tara asks, her brow furrowed. Her father was a warrior and was close to his next breakthrough to the next level of Body Altering.

Her father pauses, placing the sword down before turning around to face his daughters with a loving smile. "No, my tiny star, there's an expedition happening in two months."

"An expedition!?" Zawen cries, "Just like the one you found big sister on!"

"The same one, yes. Every expedition is so our family's youngest and brightest can gain some real-world experience. Your mother and I have been requested as protectors and--Tara Prakash, I know that look."

Tara feels her tiny body vibrating from eagerness, her grin wide and her eyes shining like starlight. It would be a good opportunity to see this world. "Take me with you!" She begs, dropping onto her knees before her father.

"Tara--" Her father starts, but she cuts him off.

"Father, I may be two years younger but I'm just as strong! I can take care of myself, honest!" She pleads. He sighs before closing his eyes and thinking for a moment. After several breaths, he opened his eyes.

"Go ask your mother. She returned only a moment ago and is waiting in the sparring room." The smirk on his face had Tara's bubbling excitement freeze over. Still, she rose from her knees and quickly headed to where her mother was, leaving her sister and father behind.

In the middle of the room sat a woman in a gorgeous blue dress. She watches as Tara enters, her face stoic.