Gleam Karma Cultivator Isekai

“Don’t be so harsh, Drake,” another proctor said, giving the young Shikari what was probably supposed to be a motivational grin. “You should both feel proud of reaching this far in the finals. You’ve got a lot to learn, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate accomplishments.”

Neither Yeo nor Jake responded. Jake spat a glob of blood onto the ground and spun his hammer, slinging it over his shoulder as his armor melted away. Drake walked over to Yeo and handed him a healing pill.

He swallowed it, not taking his eyes off Jake as the other boy walked back into the crowd. Chance approached Yeo.

“That was a really good fight.”

“I lost.”

“Yeah, but it looked like you were at a big disadvantage because of your styles of fighting,” Chance said, trying to choose his words as carefully as possible but still feeling like he was somehow ending up with all the worst possible options. “You almost got him at the end. I don’t want to imagine what a storm of metal fragments would do if it was inside of me.”

“Nothing good,” Yeo said with a bark of bitter laughter. He rose to his feet and returned his kusarigama to its spot at his side. “I just can’t control my aura enough to actually make it work… if it’s even possible. That wasn’t a good fight. Jake destroyed me, and I barely managed to hurt him.”

“Then train and get him next time,” Chance said. “Come on. That doesn’t sound like you.”

Anger and disappointment marred Yeo’s face, but only for an instant. He shook his head, and his normal personality was back with a cocky grin. “Yeah. You’re right. Next time, I’ll get him.”

Chance had never taken himself for a particularly perceptive person, but he had no doubt that Yeo was faking it, burying the shame of the defeat and trying to pretend as if it didn’t bother him.

“Just as long as you don’t let the defeat bury itself in your subconscious,” Bella said, walking to join them. “That would only cripple your growth. Your powers are only going to be at their peak when you’re convinced that you’re on the right path. There are many aspects to every Essence. Just because yours is different than Jake’s doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Just… figure out what you’re weak at and get better.”

Yeo snorted. “Yeah. Sure. Thanks. I already know I’m the best.”

He’s lying again.

Chance shook his head slightly, dismissing the thought. He had no way to know that for sure, but he couldn’t shake the feeling, even though it felt like he was looking down on his friend.

If Yeo says he’s fine, shouldn’t I trust him?

“She’s right,” Drake observed idly. “Not every metal cultivator I have ever known tanked themselves up like a big tin can. A lot of them do, mind you, but I’ve seen some very powerful Shikari with unique takes on their abilities. Straying from the treaded path is difficult, and it’ll be harder for you to improve. But, if you can, you’ll likely find yourself more powerful – or at least more versatile – than those who just copy what others do.”

Yeo paused, then inclined his head. “I already knew that. Thanks, though.”

“Good,” Drake said. “If I have to watch a fight as boring as that one again, I might go find the nearest monster and feed myself to it. I have no idea why I got assigned to this godawful role, and I hope it never happens again.”

He strode off. One of the other proctors gave them an apologetic grin as everyone started to disperse, leaving the training grounds.

“Come on,” Yeo said. “I need to get a lot of training in. I’ve been slacking off on my cultivation too much.”

***

Pete greeted them with a wide grin as they returned to the Whiteheart house.

“Gibson came by. You passed!”

“Yeah,” Yeo said with a grin. He slapped Chance on the shoulder. “We all did great, even though Chance started pestering our proctor with questions. He probably could have done pretty well in the individual rankings if he didn’t get himself disqualified.”

Chance grinned sheepishly and shame washed over Pete’s face. He inclined his head, his grip around the gnarled staff tightening.

“I apologize, Chance. I was told why you were disqualified, and the blame lies entirely on me. I believed that you would have been instructed on the proper usage of Essence when you arrived, but I should not have made assumptions. I am a poor instructor.”

“It’s fine,” Chance said. “I know now, and the rankings really don’t matter that much right now anyway. The important tournament is later. Let’s just be happy that we’re all Foundling ranked now.”

Pete smiled and gave him a nod before turning to lead them inside, where three leather pouches were laid out on the kitchen table. He picked them up, handing one to each of the newly appointed hunters.

Chance opened his. It was separated into several compartments. The largest held a silver disk roughly the size of his palm and carved with flowing letters and markings. Beside it, in the main compartment, there were half a dozen small metal orbs. There were also several gold coins in a small side-pouch.

“The disk is called a Ward,” Pete explained. “Don’t do it now – but when you’re on a hunting job, direct your Essence into it and focus on the monster. It’ll pull you and it, along with any other nearby Shikari, into a pocket dimension. Just remember that you need to weaken the monster first, and don’t let it overpower you and change the environment you arrive in.”

“How exactly does that happen?” Chance asked, studying the disk. “Is it just a willpower fight?”

“Willpower and strength,” Pete said with a nod. “A mixture of the two. It’s easier for the Shikari, since we’re just trying to maintain the appearance of the city, while the monster will likely want to change things in its favor. Don’t try to do anything fancy until you’re much stronger. That’ll give away your home ground advantage and put you on equal footing with your target.”

“Understood,” Chance said. “These orbs are the things that collect the monster when we’ve beaten it, right?”

“They are.” Pete gave him an approving grin. “And they’re what powers most of Gleam. They’re also how you can make a lot of bonus money to better equip yourself and, hopefully, fix up this wreck of a house.”

“It’s not that bad,” Chance protested. “Nothing’s wrong with it!”

“Except it’s too small. And it’s creaky and we don’t have anywhere to train yet. But don’t worry, gramps. We’re going to be rich soon enough.”

“Just be careful,” Pete warned. “If you do too much damage to the city for any reason, most of your earnings are going to be going toward repairs. Trust me, I know firsthand.”

“We’ll be careful,” Bella promised.

“Good, good,” Pete said. “I bet you’re all very excited to get your first job. Just make sure–”

“Actually, I need to train,” Yeo said. “Excuse me.”

He slipped up the stairs, and the door to his room shut behind him a few seconds later. Pete pursed his lips.

“He took his loss hard, did he? Second place is nothing to scoff at. He should be proud.”

“He took it pretty hard. I’m sure he’ll get over it,” Bella said with a shrug. “But he’s got one thing right. I need to train too, and I was actually hoping to talk to you a little bit about my fighting style. One of the proctors told me that I don’t have any cohesion, and I think he might have a point.”

Pete raised an eyebrow and gestured to the chairs in the living room. Chance took the opportunity to slip away and head upstairs. He paused between his and Yeo’s rooms, wondering if he should talk to the other boy.

He shook his head and headed into his own room. Yeo probably needed some time alone, and there was a lot that Chance had to improve at as well – starting with getting a real grasp on what his Essence could actually do.

Chance sat down on his bed, leaning against the wall and sitting cross-legged as he closed his eyes and stilled his breathing, focusing on –

Cold wind nipped at his skin, and warmth of the daylight on his skin from the window vanished. He sighed, allowing his eyes to open but already knowing where he was. The comforting metal hilt of his urumi materialized in his hand. “Yamish, how do you always know when I’m alone? It’s honestly a little… unsettling. You know? It feels like you’re watching me.”

“I am,” Yamish replied. For once, the strange cultivator was standing upright, leaning against a cracked wall. To Chance’s surprise, they weren’t actually in a tight alleyway, though there was no mistaking the dreary, run down atmosphere of the Old City.

They stood in a small town square, beside the ruins of an old fountain. The buildings surrounding the two were dilapidated and rubble littered the ground. As usual, an ever present haze hung in the air above them, blurring the purple and orange sky. Shadows twitched and swayed along the edges of the square.

This time, Chance was certain that the emotion he felt was excitement. The Old City was making him stronger. That did little to temper his nerves, as something told him the Old City wouldn’t hesitate to use him up and spit his broken corpse out when it was done.

Chance swallowed. “Ah. I guess that makes sense. I don’t suppose you’d stop doing that?”

“I will not.”

“Fair enough. Uh, where are we? I can tell this is somewhere in the Old City, but I don’t recognize it. There’s a pretty stark lack of alleys.”

“We are deeper,” Yamish replied. “The maze of alleys is just at the very edge of the Old City.”

“Didn’t you tell me it was dangerous to go deeper?”

“Yes.”

Chance cleared his throat. “So… is there a reason we’re here now?”

“Yes.”

“Are you being slightly difficult on purpose?”

A smile passed across Yamish’s face. “Yes. We are here to continue paying your debt to the Old City. It would take far too long if you only hunted young Soothounds.”

“…just how much debt do I have?”

“That is for you and the Old City to determine,” Yamish said. “You will learn, one day. For now, we hunt.”

Chance started to nod, then stopped. “Actually, I had a question. Do you think you could help me out?”

“Ask. I cannot promise an answer.”

“It’s about cultivating Karma. Or really, how to actually use my powers. All I’ve been able to do is basically give people bad luck, but I know there’s got to be more to it than that. You’re also a Karma cultivator, right? So I was hoping you could tell me what to do.”

“There are many ways to seek understanding,” Yamish said slowly. “Following the teachings of others is not necessarily the proper path. Every living being is different, and though we follow the same path, I have no doubt that we will not match each other’s footsteps.”

“I’m not trying to copy you, I just want a starting point. I feel like I’m looking at things wrong. Isn’t there anything general or the like that I could start with? Just to get me in the right direction.”

Yamish drummed his fingers against a leg. “I see. I can answer this question, if you wish.”

“I’d really appreciate that.”

“Very well,” Yamish said, his words intoned as if Chance had just agreed to something more than just a simple question. The cultivator extended his hands outward, and a faint golden glow enveloped him. Streaks of dark energy stretched through it, swimming through the golden light like fish. “Karma is balance. The natural cycle of all things. To take, one must give. To give, one must take.”

The energy twisted, separating itself into a yin-yang in the air behind Yamish. Chance watched in rapt attention as the glowing light spiraled behind him.

“To cultivate Karma, you must embody it,” Yamish continued. “As it stands, you do not. Ah, your target has arrived.”

The shadows at the edges of the square lengthened and a paw the size of a dinner plate emerged from them, padding gently against the stone. A large Soothound prowled out of the darkness, its hackles pulled back in a growl and its burning eyes affixed on Chance.

“To connect with the Karmic cycle, you should begin by seeing that which cannot be seen.”

Chance took a step back, raising his weapon and keeping his eyes trained on the Soothound as it sniffed the air. “That’s a little bigger than the ones I fought before.”

“Growth is natural,” Yamish replied. “It has arrived at a good time. Look at it and see.”

“That makes zero sense,” Chance complained. “How am I supposed to look at something that isn’t there? I get you’re trying to be cryptic, but I’d love some actual advice.”

Yamish grinned. “Focus on seeing. The threat of the monster will give you sufficient motivation. I had to seek a more powerful target for you in order to properly pay off your debt to me for answering your questions. You cannot defeat this creature in your current state. Succeed or perish.”