Deadman's Plateau (1)

It had been a week after the assassination attempt and the manor was on high alert. Marie Kent and Lord Thorne sat at the head of the meeting hall along with Bernard and his wife. Both couples had ugly expressions on their faces.

The only calm one was a man at the edge of the hall. This man was none other than Lord Antioch. He arrived shortly after the battle and informed the family of his information about the assassination plan on the Ubar family. 

The same information was purchased from Darius. But, Lord Antioch had taken it a step further and investigated thoroughly. He found evidence and details about the threats in the shadows before bringing his information forth. At a price, of course.

Lord Antioch led the family to believe the cousins of the Ubar family would strike next. In combination with Darius' words about the Kents, the family was now at a loss.

"This changes nothing." Marie finally spoke, "We knew the Kents would attack because of the Nemean Armor. Thanks to Lord Antioch, we also know the Ubar branches are getting restless. They will strike soon."

"So we're trapped." said Lord Thorne, "We all know this."

"Not exactly…" she said.

"Both outside the city and inside, ambushes await us. The Kents and Ubars wish to kill us. If this isn't trapped, what is it?" Bernard asked

"An opportunity." Said Marie, "Isn't that right, Lord Antioch?"

"Never…" said Bernard

"The empire may be our only avenue of salvation at this point."

"Never!" Darius growled, his voice rolling across the meeting hall as the doors opened.

Old man Karu was holding him up as he walked. The old man had a smug smile. He rejoiced silently having found a treasure like Darius.

"Give them what they want," he spoke, his voice hoarse.

"This isn't a conversation for children…" Marie scoffed.

"You can marry me off but I can't plot my survival. You'd rather trust a snake from a foreign land than your son!"

The air became heavy.

"Give them what they want!" He repeated, "The heads of the Ubar main family and the Nemean armor. All of it."

"Surrender…"

"Use your brain before you speak" Darius growled at Luna Ubar.

"Bait them." Said Bernard.

"Exactly. Clean house first. Push everyone out. Everyone aside from family. Start selling assets to the auction house. Lord Antioch can purchase them 20 percent below market price. Desperation."

"But we can't face them all." Said Lord Thorne.

"Split them." Said Darius, "We take my ship to water. This will force those in the city to move. Those outside the city will have to reveal themselves or give up. Either way, it is smooth sailing to Typhoon Isles."

"Naturally, this old man will also assist. " said Karu, " While you deliberate, we will be going."

——————————————-

Old Man Karu took me to his hut. He sat me down and I got comfortable. There I digested what was happening. I splashed water on my face. I drank cups of wine and even pulled a blade across my hand.

In such a short time, so many things had happened. Even now, life should be getting faster, surrounded by enemies seeking to destroy us. I couldn't help but blame myself. Playing with the future is obviously dirty work, but what choice is there?

Taking my problems, a step at a time, I learned to dismiss and request the system. This so-called family system was rather straightforward. Build a family. One way to do so is marriage and children. But I wanted much more in life than to start having children left and right.

According to Old Man Karu, I have talent. Talent that I planned to use fully. The second assurance came in the drop of the family fortune. After the battle at Thorne Manor, I lost 15 points in the family fortune. 

When my body healed, My family fortune tripled to 30. The system had notified me that the True Misery Body had entered awakening. Meanwhile, Annalisa's bloodline had followed suit.

Together, we are the family. Our states, blessings, and misfortunes, all of which can be converted to the system. That's when I decided to make an aggressive move to turn the tables.

"Kid, the wedding night isn't all it's cracked up to be?" A familiar voice spoke out.

I looked up with a smirk. "Old man, you're still lingering?"

"Haa, you didn't think you were the only one that could hover. Bout' time for that talk eh?" said Karu.

"I believe so," I replied.

My body tensed with shock as Old Man Karu appeared at my side like a soft breeze. 

"Do we know each other…" Karu suddenly sniffed at me, "You're different, boy. What happened to you?"

He continued to sniff me, the air. When he finally stopped. 

"Boy… you are an odd one indeed." Said Karu, "Come."

Old man Karu walked to the door, I put down my cup and followed close behind him.

———————-

Thorne Manor

Annalisa had finally awakened. She found herself in a room, alone. Looking to her side, the bed was a mess. She knew he had left. But where?

Her heart began to be faster. Annalisa pushed the linen aside and stepped out of bed. She rushed to the window and saw an empty estate.

Her mind went crazy. Images of that night appeared. The struggle of her second-stage husband fitting bitterly against a crazed assassin. She wanted to thank him, hug him, kiss his wounds. 

'Where is he?' she thought in her heart. 

Annalisa spun on her heels, her in the wind and tears in her trail. Barefooted, she left the room and rushed down the hall. The servants were gone. The guards were gone. With every step her heart became heavy and her legs became harder to move.

'Why?' she asked, "Why?"

Suddenly, she yelps, falling forward, she never hits the ground. A familiar arm caught her. Looking up with a reddened gaze.

"Ba, what's happening?"

"Rain Karu is happening." He sighs, "75 years ago, he was a martial genius. But his spiritual root was simply too low. But his talent in comprehension was amazing."

"What about, Darius?" She cried.

Bernard kept calm.

"After protecting a young lord's interests, he was taken into Storm Tower of the Free States. He only left after he gave up on his own future, but the legacy he owns is coveted by many in the martial world."

"Rivaling the Qian Dynasty and three kingdoms of the west shores, the Free States is the territory between the Western Shores and the Central Plains." Bernard picked his daughter up, "Darius is in good hands. If you want to see him again, we have work to do."

——————

-Karu's Hut-

"Old man, where are we going?" I asked him.

We stopped in a field and he turned to look at me.

"What do you want, kid? What have you heard of me? Did the Kent girl send you?" he asked.

"What everybody knows. You're a good martial artist and a recluse. I wanted to learn a few things before military service."

"Haha, an understatement if I ever heard one. But who cares? Lucky for you, I saw your sincerity. I went to your wedding to ask if you wanted to learn farming culture. Never did I expect that someone would try to kill you. In the process, bring you to the cusp of awakening a physique."

I trembled.

"Come with me."

We soon arrive at a large tree with an ancient air.

"Your physique is something special. You've learned some skills, right?" he asked, "Hit that tree with everything you have."

I had been waiting for this. Stilling my nerves, I took a stance and mustered my power. I could feel Karu's shock as he straightened up and leaned forward.

Stepping forth, my fist struck the tree with a muffled pop. I then exhaled and Karu scoffed.

"Wasting potential," he said. "Poor form, chaotic breathing, and a misuse of strength." 

"What did you take? The Nine Turn Sow Thistle?"

"How?" I asked, but I knew the answer.

"I was at the auction too. That precious herb is meant to increase vitality and smelt the body. Simply put, only high-status young lords could afford to be pampered in such a way. But now that you have, you're at risk of losing your gains."

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"A foundation must be deep, solid, and sturdy. Only then can you build the best palaces." he said, "The Nine Turn Sow Thistle has already crafted the outline. But you must construct that foundation before its medicinal properties trickle away forever."

"Teach me. Please." I bowed.

Then I collapsed to my knees.

"I have to get stronger. Without strength. My family and I…We'll die"

"That's if I don't kill you first…Get up! We have work to do." said Old Man Karu.

I followed Karu and was taken to a secret room in his hut. It was a place like a library yet favoring a greenhouse. Pulling a book from the shelf, he handed it to me as he began to talk.

"I've learned many things in my life. And I've become accustomed to the art of physiques. The scent you give is very special and unique. I have five years of life left and plan to teach you all that I know."

"What's the catch?"

"When the time comes, you'll pay with something of my choosing."

"When do we begin?" I ask.

"Now."

———————————-

The days that followed were all that imagined them to be. My family moved with intensity. The family sold off everything they had and converted it into plates. From plates into bullions and finally, five platinum notes. 

It should be said that 1000 plates will become a bullion. 10,000 bullions will become a platinum note.

The ship I purchased from auction remained in my father's control. No more than a week later, Karu and I wore cloaks and masks as we watched the ship set sail. There were no goodbyes or promises of the future. 

Word had spread that I had died in the assassination attempt. It was the only condition that Karu had put forth when he agreed to help us.

Old Man Karu kept his promise. As the shadows in the city emerged and rushed toward the departing ship, Old Man Karu released a power I had only felt once before when the mysterious lady had fought the man in the alley after the Yearly Upset Auction.

The Old Man Karu I remembered wasn't this strong. In my memories, he was more like a dying flame than the raging towering inferno that stood before me.

'Is he really going to die in five years?' I asked myself, recalling his words.

Old Man Karu moved to intercept and the air became muggy and electric. A trident then appeared in his hand then my eyes lost him. To us, lower beings, Old Man Kru was like a flash of lightning in a storm.

What followed that heavenly whip was a deluge of blood and body parts. 

"Come…" he said, appearing at my side once again.

I was at a loss for words. In awe of his prowess. Taking one last look at my parents, I swore to myself that I would endure, for their sake.

"You should worry about yourself. We have a lot of work and little time."

____________________

Old Man Karu didn't bluff. As the city rivaled the kingdom's capital with the auction of tomb map drawing near, Karu put me through body condition and literature studies.

Things started simple. Running and reading. Eating and reading. Pushup and reading. Everything I did, wasn't done without a book in reading distance.

On the day of the auction, Old Man Karu decided to leave the city and drag me along with him. But by no means was this a vacation. 

I had a braced ruck on my back filled with a thousand pounds of stone. And naturally, I had a book in my hand. The only blessing of the day was the breeze in the heat.

"Say, Old Man!" I called out.

"What?" he asked, "And don't ask where we're going?"

"Tsk, why does that matter?" I scoffed, "I'm just curious. In this book, it keeps talking about foundational skills. I don't get it."

"Mmm, take you for example. The skill that you've started with is an assassination art. It requires agility, speed, precision, and control of one's strength. It's very much aligned with my skills. You can learn both with ease. But, you'll have difficulty learning skills that require power."

"Power…" I mouthed.

"Yes, your mother's family. The Kents. Their Golden Monarch Rhyme is all about power and tyranny. It requires a strength that the majority of trained assassins or agile martial artists like swordsmen just can't produce."

"The Kents…" I sighed.

After the system showed my titles, I knew much of my history was a mystery to me. Once I decided to walk this path. My mother promised to tell me everything after achieving the peak of the martial realm. But Old Man Karu was a step ahead of her.

To him, learning about the Kents and my tie to them was part of my education. 

"Don't worry about those clowns. You'll get your licks back when we're finished training." Old Man Karu chuckled. 

I smirked as I watched him turn his map side to side, then change our course through the woods.

"But you don't have to worry about foundational skills. Just learn everything and you'll understand better later," he added.

"Learn everything? Old Man, you must be joking. You've taught nothing but theory." I rebuttal.

"Tsk. The theory is important. Trust me, there are a lot of stupid people in this world who wish to know half of what you do. And your conditioning is far from over! Keep reading!" said Karu.

I trembled at the thought of his words. I could already complete a thousand-pound ruck. How much more could I possibly condition myself?

Karu seemed to sense my thoughts. He looked back at the corner of his eye and said, "The Nine Turn Sow Thistle is what you make it. By my estimate, there's another month and a half before the medicinal properties are complete. Not to mention, you're the idiot that gobbled down a ridiculous amount of Black Elephant Elixir with no proper training."

'Can he smell that too? This guy must have a dog's nose' I thought.

"We're here" Karu stopped abruptly.

"This…" I shivered, Swallowed, "Deadman's plateau."

"Yup." Karu spoke with fervor.

"The city is getting crowded. You have one task until the medicinal energy in you is completely assimilated or wasted. You will climb this mountain to the plateau. Once there, you will build a house for your family. You will then move my garden one plant at a time. Finally, you'll relocate my hut here as well."

I looked at Deadman's Plateau with wide eyes and then at the maniacally old man before I relaxed. 

"Fuck it…" I shrugged, "If it doesn't kill me, why complain."

"That's the spirit, kid." he gave me a toothy grin then barked, "Go!"