Chapter 67: Light vs Grim
"I’ll explain clearly. I see possible paths. Not a single future. Multiple ones. Which ones activate depends on the decisions you make. When someone is in front of me, I see approximately five to ten main paths for that person. The ones more likely to activate are brighter. The improbable ones are dimmer."
"Understood."
"In your case."
"Yes?"
"The paths are different from what I normally see."
"Different how?"
Kalen paused for a second to process.
Then he spoke with his specifically careful voice.
"Most people have paths that branch gradually. A bit more strength. A bit more rank. A bit more resources. Over time, the differences accumulate."
"Yes."
"Your paths are different. All of them."
"In what sense?"
"The growth curve isn’t gradual. It’s specifically exponential. Most variants show you, within about two years, reaching levels of strength currently completely outside your registered stats."
Nathan processed that for a moment.
"Kalen."
"Yes?"
"I’m officially F-Rank."
"Yes."
"Level 5."
"Yes."
"And you’re telling me that within two years I’m going to be at levels that don’t match those stats?"
"Yes."
"By how much?"
Kalen inclined his head.
"Nathan. The possible paths I’ve seen indicate you can face C-Rank dungeon creatures under appropriate conditions. You can defeat extraction teams with A-Ranks. You can activate higher-level skills in emergency mode that produce effects not in the standard catalog. All of that is currently true. You’ve already done all of that."
Nathan looked at him.
*How does he know that.*
"Kalen."
"Yes?"
"Are you telling me you know what happened in the dungeon?"
"Yes."
"Without having been there?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I saw the possible paths that brought you here to Sareth. Each path includes what happened in the dungeon. The details vary. The basic structure is the same. Nathan, bearer of the seventeenth’s Seal, activated emergency mode. Annihilated a major threat with full Class manifestation. Recovered the person he cared about. Returned."
"Understood."
"I also see other paths. From before I knew who you were. Before we met."
"How?"
"Nathan. I’ve been seeing paths that include you for approximately five years. Without knowing your name. Without knowing who you were. Just the figure of a human with a specifically unusual Seal that appeared in our paths with increasing probability each year. The probability peaked six months ago."
Nathan was silent for a moment.
*Five years.*
*Kalen has been seeing me in possible paths for five years before I even had the Seal.*
*Before I left the warehouse.*
*Before my life specifically took the turn it took.*
Kalen continued.
"I also see earlier paths. Retrospective ones. From situations that already happened but left traces in the possible paths."
"Like what?"
"The warehouse. Three and a half years in a city. Ended when the owner went bankrupt. Your father and mother. Your brother’s death when you were seven. The village. All of that appears as structural background."
Nathan looked at him.
He was silent for a moment.
"Kalen."
"Yes?"
"Apparently you know practically everything about me."
"Apparently yes. But not as an investigation. As specifically inevitable perception. The possible paths show context. I can’t avoid seeing the context of people who appear in my visions."
"And what do you do with that information?"
"Nothing. I observe it. I use what’s necessary to guide my sister and aunt. The rest stays in my head."
Nathan drank more water.
*Incredible.*
*Another individual with access to information about me that I didn’t authorize, but who apparently won’t use it against me.*
*Selene already had it. Now Kalen too. And probably several others within the Veil.*
*Good.*
*Apparently it’s the price.*
"Kalen."
"Yes?"
"One last thing."
"Go ahead."
"The possible paths you see for me specifically grow exponentially in strength over the next two years."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don’t know. I see the paths, not the causes. But the trajectory is different from others who appear in my visions."
"Understood."
"Sella."
"Yes?"
"Sella also sees this through me. That’s why she challenged you upon arrival. And why she wants to keep challenging you."
Nathan looked at him.
"Sella wants to test my strength?"
"Yes. And the relationship between you two. She believes that in some possible path, the two of you are going to be important allies."
"In how many paths?"
"In approximately forty percent of them."
"Understood."
Silence.
Nathan looked at the river.
Liaraen and Sella had finished the race. Sella had won, specifically due to the nature of the duel, but she’d timed her finish to arrive approximately ten seconds after Liaraen at the goal. A specifically diplomatic gesture Nathan interpreted as genuine respect.
The two of them laughed.
They came out of the water.
Sat on the flat stones.
And Nathan, beside Kalen under the big tree, silently processed the new information he’d received.
*I’m going to be much stronger in two years.*
*Kalen sees it.*
*Sella senses it.*
*Selene apparently does too.*
*And now I know it too.*
*Good.*
*Noted.*
*I’m going to swim the rest of the day as if that information didn’t matter to me.*
*And I’ll process it later.*
---
After lunch, Sella stood up from the flat stone.
She stretched again with her arms above her head. Nathan kept his gaze on the big tree’s bark.
"Nathan."
"Yes?"
"Training duel."
Nathan looked at her.
"Duel?"
"Yes. Formal. Without water. In the clearing beside the river. You and me."
"Sella."
"Kalen told me your growth curve is exponential. I want to verify it. I want to test against you without you activating any major skills. Just hand-to-hand and minor magic. Like sparring."
Nathan thought about it for a moment.
"With rules?"
"With rules. No serious injuries. No using the light stinger. No activating full mode. Just training."
"Alright."
"Now?"
"Now."
They both stood and walked to the clearing beside the river. Kalen and Liaraen followed with attentive expressions—they knew this was going to be interesting.
Nathan positioned himself in the center of the clearing. Sella facing him, about five meters away.
"Sella."
"Yes?"
"Kalen told you I can handle C-Rank. I’m also aware. But Kalen didn’t tell you the cost. Handling C-Rank consumes approximately eighty percent of my mana reserve. That’s the real cost. I’m not F-Rank official by chance. That’s where I’m currently calibrated."
"Understood."
"Then we limit."
"We limit."
"Only hand-to-hand. No Soul Reap. No Death’s Domain. Only Soul Pulse at minimum intensity."
"Acceptable. I limit too. No continuous flight. Only short takeoffs. Strength at twenty percent of my maximum."
"Alright."
Kalen raised his staff.
"One. Two. Three."
Sella lunged.
---
Nathan blocked the first punch with his left forearm.
The impact pushed him back half a step.
*Twenty percent of her maximum.*
*Still considerably stronger than an average human.*
He blocked the second punch. Dodged the third. Sella moved with the specific speed of mixed divine bodies. Nathan had to increase his own speed to approximately ninety percent of his recovered capacity to avoid being hit by each attack.
After the fifth blocked attack, Nathan counterattacked for the first time.
With a direct punch toward Sella’s right shoulder.
Sella dodged with a short spin.
Nathan launched a Soul Pulse at minimum intensity toward the ground behind Sella to destabilize her.
Sella jumped over the wave.
And in the air, with the silver light lines briefly activating on her back, she spun toward Nathan with a descending kick.
Nathan dropped backward.
Rolled on the ground.
Stood up.
Sella landed exactly where he’d been a second before.
They both turned at the same time.
And for a full half-minute, the choreography continued. Blocked strikes. Dodges. Counterattacks. Minimal Soul Pulses. Short jumps. Partial aerial movements. Nathan absorbed approximately four minor hits. Sella absorbed approximately two.
Then Sella retreated three steps.
Raised a hand.
"Nathan."
"Yes?"
"Enough."
"Alright."
Sella looked at him. She was slightly out of breath. Nathan was too.
"Kalen," Sella said. "What did you see?"
Kalen inclined his head.
"Nathan held back approximately sixty percent of his actual capacity. You, approximately twenty-five. The choreography was balanced because both operated under restriction."
"Understood."
Sella turned to Nathan.
"Nathan."
"Yes?"
"You’re going to be very dangerous."
"Apparently."
"Not to me. To other things."
"If you say so."
"I’m sure—by your side."
They shook hands.
And they both turned at the same time toward the water to wash off the clearing’s dust when it happened.
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