Things being slow to change seems to be pretty common in Gaian Society.
[X] {Sidequest} Hunt the Tsuchigumo (Who would you want to come help with the hunt?)
-[X] With the town guards
[X] Wander your home village (Looking for what?)
- [X] Remaniss on how different it is compared to
[X] {Sidequest} Look into the child who is skilled at chemistry (What would you want to do in regard to them?)
- [X] Maybe they would be interested in some of the basic sciences (and safety standards) you learned at the academy? Maybe see if they would be interested in learning about Kido.
This kid seems to be interesting, also the hunt for the Tsuchigumo could do some good and be great exercise.
I'm having to leave out the second option while voting because you all left it incomplete. Compared to what? Also you all spelled reminisce wrong. The others are being written about though. The first sidequest is over and this next post is already at 1.5k words.
The next day you took the guards out to hunt the Tsuchigumos. As there were two of them, you wanted to avoid facing both at the same time but as they had overlapping territories it was more a matter of when, not if, the other would get involved.
Additionally, you couldn't start with your orbs or your double out, each glowed and you remembered Tsuchigumo needed light to see unlike Gaians.
Tsuchigumo could feel through the earth, or rather their webbing. Your double could fly… Wait, did your double actually glow? You hadn't tested it out in a dark environment since getting it. If it could fly then that would be an amazing advantage.
You therefore summoned your double when you started finding cobwebs in the tunnels.
Finding the first Tsuchigumo didn't take long. When you realised it was in front of you, you commanded the guards to halt with a hand signal. You were as close as you dared go before battle began.
The damage was annoyingly light as the hollow dodged away. It couldn't make out all of you, only seeing you in a flash. It could now make out your double in the light your orbs cast though.
As they fought, you could even see this was the same class of Tsuchigumo you'd fought in your first year, a humanoid form with four spider legs sticking out.
Neither attack made it through sadly but it made it so your double had more reiatsu to spend on defending themselves.
You spent a moment splitting up your holy orbs to both attack and defend. Half your orbs flew towards the spider while others split up to block possible routes the hollow might move to evade the orbs.
Now if it wanted to evade, it would be unable to attack your double at the same time. In theory, at least.
But she couldn't do valuable damage. Instead you just clapped your hands together and broke your swarm of orbs into individuals and spread them out as walls to try and restrict movement. You then sent one more at the hollow itself to force some movement.
That blow knocked the first Tsuchigumo out of the fight. Just in time too because as you drew your orbs back into one cluster and the guards reloaded, the second Tsuchigumo arrived.
Tsuchigumo 2: 16+10
(After your double, before you)
Better your double than you with that bite attack. You seemed to remember it was poisonous during your first year. That wouldn't worry your double that much though.
…I mean, it would. But not for long.
You cast out your orbs again to try and scare the hollow closer to the firing line and ordered the squad to hold fire until the hollow was closer. They could probably hit it from here, but best to trap it anyway. Scaring it away would mean more work later.
Your host backed away, intentionally bouncing against the web to draw the Tsuchigumo closer to you. Taking the bait, the hollow charged through some of your orbs.
As the reloading began, you drew your orbs in close, creating a constellation that would ensure the hollow would certainly take some damage. Then your double swung in, trying to give its all.
The hollow knew it was doomed when your double didn't charge, opting to instead refill its own strength. Instead, it was your orbs that were the greatest risk.
The guards seemed like they'd gotten some good training in too, and your summons had ensured their safety as it happened. They won't forget your service, both to your home village and to them.
Together, you headed back to the village.
In the late afternoon, you decided to look into the matter of the young chemist. You had encountered his parents briefly before so you were able to get them to chat a little.
They had been worried at first about the fact you might be here to take him away or something like that, but they didn't have to worry.
"I wanted to see if they were interested in some of the other sciences." You told them "Or even Kido. There's a lot he might be interested in with one of the Academies."
You got to speak with the boy for a time after that. His name was Parafaren and he seemed… very dedicated.
In the room next to his bedroom was a miniature laboratory. Strange concoctions bubbled above small fires that he maintained by dropping kindling into the fire with tweezers.
On the wall was a collection of small boxes, each box had a letter code above it, written in Gaian script. "Cu""Ag" "Au" one column read, within each was a small piece of metal.
Ah, you'd heard of this before. The periodic table. You didn't really know what it meant but it had something to do with chemistry and the building blocks of the living world.
You talked with Parafaren and while he was interested in Kido, it was mostly in an academic sense. He didn't really care about casting spells, more how they worked.
"The spiritual worlds too." He remarked "That which makes up the living world is Kishi, that which makes up the spiritual world is Reishi. Elements are Kishi, so what happens if you keep splitting something in the spiritual worlds."
…You didn't really get it but the question was interesting.
If by breaking down things in the living world you'd eventually find elements, would the same hold true in the soul society for example? If so, would those elements be different than the ones made of Kishi?
…It might be interesting to take him as an apprentice. But it would probably be best for him to gain some sort of academy training first.
…A week passed. You'd want to go back after the fourth week but for now you still had a lot of time.
What did you want to do?
(feel free to vote for as many of these as you want, you have plenty of time)
[ ] Talk with your someone (Who and about what?)
[ ] Wander your home village (Looking for what?)
[ ] Other (Completely free write in)
[ ] {Sidequest} Spar with Hesiodio (Though it might result in one or both of you being unable to fight for a few days.)
Every two votes of this type will be a week, you could in theory do as many as you wanted to within a single vote, but only so many sidequests would be open at a time. Plus, think of me and how long it takes to write!
I would have had this out sooner, but my battle managing software was being really laggy.
The fight went pretty well and the kid seems interesting. But I think given that Kalina is going to be exiled soon she should focus on doing stuff she'll not be able to due because of her exile.
[X] Plan: Wandering around
-[X] Wander your home village (Looking for what?)
--[X] Reminisce on how different it is compared to other places you've been. You're not sure if its changelessness is a good or bad thing.
-[X] Talk with your someone (Who and about what?)
--[X] The town guards, see how they're doing after the fight. Maybe see if there's anything else interesting that's happened recently.
--[X] You had some friends, more like acquaintances really, back before you went off to the academy. You wonder if any of them are still around?
-[X] {Sidequest} Spar with Hesiodio (Though it might result in one or both of you being unable to fight for a few days.)
[X] Plan: Wandering around
-[X] Wander your home village (Looking for what?)
--[X] Reminisce on how different it is compared to other places you've been. You're not sure if its changelessness is a good or bad thing.
-[X] Talk with your someone (Who and about what?)
--[X] The town guards, see how they're doing after the fight. Maybe see if there's anything else interesting that's happened recently.
--[X] You had some friends, more like acquaintances really, back before you went off to the academy. You wonder if any of them are still around?
-[X] {Sidequest} Spar with Hesiodio (Though it might result in one or both of you being unable to fight for a few days.)
Tsukisen no Manzo ran along the road of the underground City as the sounds of chaos erupted from around him. His body eclipsed the light sources that shone softly from within houses even though the order had gone out to turn off all electronics during the Hollow attack.
His reiatsu was pounding within him as he ran from one enemy to the next. At least these hollows were stupid and not travelling around in groups.
How had this many come about though? For this many hollows to attack at the same time… and all seemingly of about the same level of spiritual development- this would take mass death and improperly performed funeral rights.
But Manzo hadn't heard of either happening recently. Meaning there was very likely something going on he wasn't aware of.
Had one of the Masters ordered the Children of the Curtain to wipe out a group of heretics or something and then completely ignored giving them last rites?
No matter, now was not the time to look into that sort of thing. Now it was a matter of protecting the people.
There! A hollow was rising over the head of a frightened group of his people. Manzo ran in and raised his hands. As the hollow swung down, a brilliantly shimmering shield appeared to block the blow.
A few hours later, Manzo was giving his report to the City's Bishop.
"It's unknown how the Hollows were able to generate." He was finishing off "But it is likely that some sort of check should be made of the Undercity."
The Bishop nodded "I believe it would be, child. You are excused now."
Standing, Manzo left the Bishop's office and exited out into the city's large temple. There, some of his old friends were chatting and laughing, a good mood after the struggles earlier.
One of them waved over.
"Hey, Manzo. I hear you got the most hollows again."
The girl of the small group sighed "It doesn't matter who got the most, just that the Grand Elder's Cities are safe."
The first boy laughed "So you say, but weren't you working just as hard earlier to get a good score."
The girl's face blushed slightly as she made excuses "I… I just want to get promoted faster. You don't get to be a saint by lazing around like you seem intent on."
Manzo wandered over and commented "You also aren't likely to get promoted if you keep making too much of a fuss. It's power and prowess that get you there."
The boy snorted "Yeah, you'd need to be able to beat Manzo in a fight first."
The girl shivered at that "You know I don't like…"
Manzo nodded, allowing her to not need to say it "I'm sorry. If we were to fight without our innate authorities…"
The girl nodded, but she didn't seem too sure. Her Divine Shadow authority was strong, but his New Flash was far more deadly. She was scared that if something went wrong, the Archmages wouldn't be able to heal her fast enough to save her life.
It was a valid fear, as far as Manzo understood. There was a reason he only ever used Black Flash if the opponent was one he didn't think he could beat without it.
When all ways said and done though, his group met up with their teacher, a fully ordained saint. He led them out of the City. Next stop was the capital. There were rumours of strange reiatsu signatures originating from outside of the world's domain.
Who knew what lurked outside there? Nothing good, that was for certain.
So their teacher was going to see if they could help in any way with the investigation.
Such was their holy duty.
Yes, not enough votes (and the fact that this story hasn't had its own interlude yet) made me write an interlude instead of just writing the next chapter.
You may notice: depending on which culture you assume this to be, you might have a lot of questions after this chapter's end. I specifically wrote things to leave it vague for those who don't know. I hope you can enjoy theorising.
Though please do vote on the proper chapter. We've currently only got two votes on the most recent chapter.
One thing I'll note about this faction: I have no clue where they get their Christian symbolism from. Historically, there really isn't a time for them to have gained it. They haven't had major contact with normal mortals for a good couple millennia.
Even so, I'm using the naming terms that are there.
(In case it isn't obvious, I'm also saying they aren't Quincy as they have had interactions with mortals in that time)
This faction has had two (or three, depends how you count it) indirect mentions in this quest so far. Their name has never been written out though.
I did leave one smoking gun in there, a proper noun that is in the last few lines of the sidestory that has been used elsewhere in the quest.
As the second week of your stay in your hometown began, you reflected on the things you'd seen.
Did nothing change in this world?
Gaian Society had been as it currently is for the last three thousand years, from what you'd heard from Shinigami they were much the same, having maintained their current "state of being" for two thousand years at least and maybe more.
From the books you'd read Hueco Mundo was the original example. The way the books told it, that land had never been anything more than ashes, no development at all. Though that made sense seeing as its main citizens were driven to consume one another.
Quicnys on the other hand were humans and they couldn't maintain their faction in the face of eternity. Was that truly their fault though?
…Yes, if they destroyed souls en masse.
But then there was humanity proper. The endless enduring force of humanity who created things more wonderful than others in their short lives. You were curious about them, hopefully your not-an-exile would allow you time to wander around the lands of humans so you could take more in about them than you could by seeing their images left behind in soul society.
Was changelessness really a good thing? It seemed that humanity's nature as ever-changing helped improve their society as a whole?
Well, what would happen if Gaians needed to change? A civilization's ruler determined the path it would follow, what if that guiding hand changed every four or five years? There'd be anarchy probably. At least compared to the emperor's firm hand that was currently there.
If the center is broken or rotted by other rulers then the empire couldn't hold.
Then what about social mobility for only the best and most moral- well, who defined moral in that context. If the emperor was set to be the single guiding point then perhaps his will would decide it.
But in a way, from what you knew that was already the case. The emperor would have been willing to raise you to nobility to marry the prince. Is that not uplifting people based on the traits they show?
Maybe technologically? There needed to be some improvements there for sure. While Gaians were adept at natural philosophy (At least as much as they could do underground) most of the advanced sciences that the humans figured out had to be stolen to be used.
Many Gaians understood how a human flashlight worked, but the empire just didn't have the industry to make their own. You had access to most of the raw materials but there were many small things you lacked that made that kind of mass production difficult without Terra Knights with just the right abilities standing by at factories.
And even then, Gaian innate abilities couldn't do everything. They couldn't create water or ice to cool machinery for example. Some could create acids that could serve the purpose but not every knight could do that. Besides, using acids could have its own problems.
As you walked around, you stopped by the guardpost to ask if anything strange had come up. They told you that there wasn't but that they'd love to have you help the training of the guards again if you were up for it. You'd need to wait to recover though as you did want to have a spar with Hesiodio soon.
Next, you had some other friends from your childhood you wanted to check in on.
Constantos had gotten work in the excavation team of the village and he seemed to be doing well. They were currently digging a new cavern out for another tree plantation for lumber. Constantos himself had decided against being a knight when he realised how much he hated the idea of needing to make "Do or die" style choices. He liked giving things lots of careful thought first. When you were young, he was thought to have been the strongest kid in the village but now Hesiodio had surpassed him in strength. Both literal weight lifting and in personal power.
Lyrian was a performer instead. She'd started taking lessons in the nearest city but had returned home for the summer to relax. Relaxing however did include playing tunes on her accordion. The instrument was a fairly new fad of the empire below but there were many who enjoyed it. Lyrian had some of the best reiatsu manipulation you knew of someone who'd never trained as a knight. Unlike most civilians, her body could process reiatsu with no training required to open up. That said, she was a pacifist. She much preferred letting others fight for her when necessary.
Each had offered to hang out with you if you had anything you wanted to do with them. Though again, that was a thing for later.
For now… there was sparring to do.
The only question was where at first but Hesiodio suggested the guard's sparring arena as it would let them watch what sort of fight Knights had.
You shrugged, it was a good enough suggestion as anywhere else.
Hesidio would be starting with his weights on but he told you he'd take them off in the battle. The power boost he'd get would hopefully put him on tier with your orbs if you planned to use them.
He slipped off the first piece of clothing as he stepped away from your orbs. You just directed the orbs back at him but this time he worked to dodge them.
He slipped off another piece of weighted clothes and got a further boost but you noticed the problem with this- that is that your orbs were probably going to get him down to half stamina before he had really even gotten going.
…How could you push him to improve? While he was indeed stronger and faster now, it wasn't nearly enough to fight you.
He was certainly stronger than when you'd start at the academy obviously, but there was a strange lacking to how he fought. You had your innate ability, your kido, your blade arts. He could just use his spear and that's it. Once he got the boosts from removing his weights he was stronger and faster than you but-
Instead of directing your orbs at him again, you raised your hand and incanted.
"Golden bindings wrap, Thousand strands of power twist! My will shall bind you! Bakudo number ten: Hōrin."
Well, he blocked it. You just stepped away though. You weren't going to cast Kaisatsuguchi… as doing so would mean you couldn't lose and you wanted to help Hesiodio improve. Instead you repeated the same spell for a third time.
"Golden bindings wrap, Thousand strands of power twist! My will shall bind you! Bakudo number ten: Hōrin."
Of course, he knew that if one of these spells caught him then he'd be bound. He's been your friend long enough to know how potent this Kido could be. That meant he needed to exhaust himself dodging each one as he kept on advancing.
First attack: 15+16
Your defence: 1+15
Damage: 2d6+5, 2
Second attack: 18+11
Your defence: 3+15
Damage: 2d6+5, 7
The attack didn't knock him out, but it did send him flying out of the ring. He hadn't been able to offer any resistance as his reiatsu was already dangerously low. Or at least what he could consider dangerously low. He was probably just fatigued like you were after that heavy strike.
"I'm… not out." Hesiodio groaned as ichor flowed from his wounds. It was true in a way, he wasn't out yet. You'd never actually said leaving the ring was grounds for defeat. It wasn't a rule.
The charge threw you back to the center of the ring but didn't knock you out. Instead you staggered for a moment and just directed your orbs at Hesiodio.
Well that was… that was something. You helped him to the medical area where you both collapsed on beds.
As you rested, you wondered if you could prompt Hesiodio to fight harder. Maybe then you could fight him while holding back less?
You slept until the next day, waking up still in the guard post. You both apologised for imposing on the guards and you each headed home to continue resting as it would still take a bit longer to heal.
After those two days, both of your spiritual powers were restored but your injuries remained.
What were you planning to do while recovering?
(feel free to vote for as many of these as you want, you have plenty of time)
[ ] Talk with your someone (Who and about what?)
-[ ] {Sidequest} Spend time with Constantos (Talking about what?)
-[ ] {Sidequest} Spend time with Lyrian (Talking about what?)
[ ] Wander your home village (Looking for what?)
[ ] Other (Completely free write in)
[ ] {Sidequest} Spar with the town guard (Not recommended while you're still healing)
Poor Hesiodio, I mean, he is strong but he still needs more experience. You really weren't trying as hard as you could of in that fight (Your double, not keeping on him with your orbs which had a far higher damage output, not using spells like your armour. There will be a rematch sidequest later which will give him higher templates which should make him more dangerous.
Poor Hesiodio, I mean, he is strong but he still needs more experience. You really weren't trying as hard as you could of in that fight (Your double, not keeping on him with your orbs which had a far higher damage output, not using spells like your armour. There will be a rematch sidequest later which will give him higher templates which should make him more dangerous.
I admit some curiosity about his current abilities. It does seem that its simply his lack of power that is holding him back. Or lack of something to complete his build?
He got a... surprising number of hits in honestly.
[X] Expanding our knowledge for fun and profit
-[X] Find somewhere relatively secluded and Experiment with the abilities of your clone, and your orbs.
-[X] What is the precise mechanism that the orbs use to destroy something for example? How intelligent is your clone, with or without you directing it?
-[X] You have so far strictly summoned your clone to help you in battle. Can it assist you in other ways?
-[X] {Sidequest} Spend time with Lyrian (Talking about what?)
--[X] Ask her about her travels, and the peoples she has encountered. Share some of your own stories with her in turn.
I admit some curiosity about his current abilities. It does seem that its simply his lack of power that is holding him back. Or lack of something to complete his build?
He got a... surprising number of hits in honestly.
Partially it was you just not going all out that let him get those hits in at all.
His build is gimmicky in the way it lacks gimmicks. It gives him an improved EXP gain rate in return for those limitations. But that gain rate isn't that helpful when he still isn't managing to get as much as you do.
It's more a problem that when I give all of your classmates EXP so they catch up to you, that amount plus the bonuses from his EXP mods, still aren't enough to let him keep up with you.
As the second week of your stay in your hometown began, you reflected on the things you'd seen.
Did nothing change in this world?
Gaian Society had been as it currently is for the last three thousand years, from what you'd heard from Shinigami they were much the same, having maintained their current "state of being" for two thousand years at least and maybe more.
Maybe technologically? There needed to be some improvements there for sure. While Gaians were adept at natural philosophy (At least as much as they could do underground) most of the advanced sciences that the humans figured out had to be stolen to be used.
Many Gaians understood how a human flashlight worked, but the empire just didn't have the industry to make their own. You had access to most of the raw materials but there were many small things you lacked that made that kind of mass production difficult without Terra Knights with just the right abilities standing by at factories.
And even then, Gaian innate abilities couldn't do everything. They couldn't create water or ice to cool machinery for example. Some could create acids that could serve the purpose but not every knight could do that. Besides, using acids could have its own problems.
Hesiodio isn't weak it's just that Kalina is to strong.
[X] Expanding our knowledge for fun and profit
-[X] Find somewhere relatively secluded and Experiment with the abilities of your clone, and your orbs.
-[X] What is the precise mechanism that the orbs use to destroy something for example? How intelligent is your clone, with or without you directing it?
-[X] You have so far strictly summoned your clone to help you in battle. Can it assist you in other ways?
-[X] {Sidequest} Spend time with Lyrian (Talking about what?)
--[X] Ask her about her travels, and the peoples she has encountered. Share some of your own stories with her in turn.
Testing out the natural abilities seems like a good idea.
