1st Reverened, Conqueror of Evil?

Welpen: “Phew! I’m breaking a sweat now. We’re all getting a lot better now, aren’t we? I think I’m understanding how mana works now. As much as I hate to do this, I think I need to craft my sword to get a better one. I hate to throw away Lihard’s work, but I’m sure he would understand.”

It was the first time Welpen had said anything in their training. He was silent in the following days, but this sense of relief that he had gotten better provoked him to talk again, but he was not like his normal self, and Ryoko could easily tell.

Ryoko: “Welpen, I think we should take a break. Rest is just as important. We can work on some mana training inside, how does that sound? I’m still learning this stuff too.”

Welpen: “Can’t. Gotta train hard and fast. I have to be ready before they go off and try to defeat God. I have to show Clara that I can come with and help. Plus, I’m worried about what else is going to come after them. If Clara dies, then I’ll never forgive myself.”

Ryoko understood where he was coming from. That mentality and mindset that forged along a single path that led into a dark tunnel, not knowing if a train was coming or not, but still going anyway to get to the other side. He couldn’t say anything that would change his mind, but he decided that he would stick with him at all costs. He had already talked with Saikou before, and Saikou also agreed that he would help Welpen whenever he could. Having been trapped in a place for years, he was experiencing the same thing, but the opposite. He was learning to see the light and Welpen helped him understand that. He could only reciprocate by staying by his side no matter what.

Ryoko: “Hey Welpen, what happened to your friend that was with us in the games? I think his name was…A-Astro.”

Welpen: “Hmm, I don’t know. He got me to Isara, and then kind of disappeared. He let me do my own thing, but I thought he would come find me eventually. Maybe he's busy…

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Astro marched up a hill with a long sidewalk that was almost on a 90 degree angle. He recognized the area since it was close to the Coolian Mountains, but this place was isolated in a different section.

It was extremely difficult to get to and when Astro got to the base of the mountains, he noticed that he couldn’t use any shadow abilities to get up. It was like it was blocked purposely to prevent people from coming up, yet those who wanted to climb could also make the trip and use chaplets to get here.

Astro didn’t use any chaplets because he didn’t want Michiaki thinking that he was looking for a fight, but he figured that the 1st Reverend of the Great Swordsmen already knew he was here. At the top of the stairs, he saw a man tending to crops in a field with a smaller house in the distance.

It wasn’t a large farm, but enough for a couple people to tend to. A woman and 2 children were running through sprinklers minding no business to Astro who just stared and watched. He looked over at the man, knowing that he was for sure the 1st Reverend. He was completely concealing his mana, but there was so much that little spores still seeped out of the aura surrounding his skin.

Although, he looked disheveled.

His torn clothes showed hard work, but almost in a way that he was a poor commoner, and his beard matched his long dirty blonde hair that went down to his shoulders.

He turned and waved at Astro, as if knowing that there was no hostile intent towards him, and then went back to farming crops. Astro approached him right behind his back, trying to at least get him to give him an audience.

Michiaki: “Crops are getting better. You see this though on the corn? Black pieces are no good. Can’t feed these to the family. I can throw these to the bunnies and deer though. They will love it. You want to help me pick some of these?”

Astro activated his mana lines and sliced the corn from the ground with his scythe, but Michiaki instructed him to put them back in the ground and pull them by hand.

Michiaki: “No, no, no. Come, I’ll show you. You have to cut the stem from below and pull it out and then later, we can shuck them one by one until there is no excess hairs on the actual corn pieces. Put some butter and salt on them, and bam! It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted. Although, a lot of the vegetables I grow are pretty good. The salted pumpkin seeds are a hit with the kids.”

Astro: “I–”

Michiaki: “Don’t. Don’t say it. If you’ve come here for the same reason as everybody else, then I will not give you an audience. You have to earn it. Help me pick the rest of these vegetables and you can come eat with my family at night. I will hear you out then.”

With this, Astro decided to help pick the rest of the crops that were ready to go until nightfall fell. They brought the baskets inside where Astro helped clean them and prepare the food. It was something he hadn’t done in a while, not since he prepared food for his family.

Michiaki: “You like making food?”

Astro: “I used to. Not with my parents, but with my wife and kid. They would love it when I made a good meal.”

Michiaki: “I can tell. You have some experience with this. You still make food for them?”

Astro: “No, they are–”

Michiaki: “I see. I’m sorry. There is nothing worse in this world than losing those you love. I am grateful everyday for what I have in front of my eyes. I cherish it with every beat of my heart. I cannot apologize enough for what you must’ve gone through and what you are still going through. Please, if there is anything I can ever do, just let me know. Nobody is a stranger in this world. We just create that narrative. If I can help, then I will. Please, sit down. I’ll finish up here. The chicken is done. I just need to add it to the stir fry…Honey, can you put out an extra plate for Astro here?”

Michiaki’s kids climbed Astro, excited to see a fresh face. They were young, still younger than 5 years old each. A boy and a girl whose eyes glimmered with happiness…Something Astro hadn’t experienced in a long, long time...