Chapter 525: Facing the Frontier Elites on New Ground
Despite everything he had been through, Kai was still nervous to meet the Frontier elites as they walked through the portal. These people were everything he wanted to be, actually giving their lives in order to defend the people of Deadwaste, incursion after incursion. In theory, he had done all of this in order to support them.
Yet he didn't see very many smiling faces in the group.
He was familiar with only two of the elites: Sheiri Kagskan was the woman who had sent him to Krysal in the first place, and she had stood up for him after he caused so much trouble, so he was glad to see her again. By contrast, he hadn't seen Aeglien of Torleen since the Krysali man had teleported him away from the abyss.
Was it a bad sign that they'd sent a Krysali elite? Kai glanced around the unfamiliar faces and saw that they were from a wide range of nations across Deadwaste. All looked serious, but not entirely hostile, so he hoped they could still talk.
"Kai Clanless," one of the unknown elites said, barely a greeting. "We understand you've returned at the eleventh hour to help us prepare for the incursion."
"That's why I've done all of this," Kai said. "Wasn't I clear about that?"
"You also took four of our elites-in-training."
"For development off the continent," Sheiri put in. She glanced toward him, smiling but just a little nervous. "You did bring back Inafay and the others, right?"
"Of course." Kai gestured toward the city. "I signaled them as soon as you arrived, but you can see my other trainees meanwhile."
The group settled into an uneasy silence. Kai noticed that some of the elites had grown tenser at his words and he wondered why - had his words made it seem like he was signaling for backup? Surely he was beyond that with the Frontier elites, though he had to admit that it occurred to him.
With the group so stony-faced, he was honestly wondering how a fight with them would go. As far as he knew, people on Deadwaste never broke the 999 Power barrier, so he would be substantially stronger than each individual elite, but that didn't guarantee his victory. They all had effective shrouds that made it hard to gauge their strength, and the real problem was that they would all be attacking him with phases.
Unlike the cultivators he'd been fighting, who gained partially phased qi as they ascended, the elites wielded the compressed power like a weapon. If Kai maintained a defensive phase, his defenses should easily be able to resist their phased attacks. But if his focus faltered and one of those got through, in theory he'd be annihilated, just the way Matiavel the Destroyer had wiped out opponents.
The bigger problem might be speed phases, since they would render him moving in slow motion and give his opponents plenty of time to strike. Kai thought he had a pretty consistent half-phase of speed, from dealing with cultivators all the time, but they might still have a speed advantage over him despite their lesser Power.
Of course, none of them were supposed to fight each other. Kai was still glad that Omilaena and Zae Zin Nim were on their way.
"These are the reported trainees?" Aeglien had made his crystalline helm retract and examined the group, which was pretending to train while staring at the meeting. "Much stronger than last year."
"I didn't risk their lives on Cloudspire," Kai explained, "but I let them train in an area with enriched mana. They've done great work, so I'm pretty sure they can make other breakthroughs before the incursion begins."
"Which is what he promised," Sheiri put in with a smile. "The Clanless was a big investment, but isn't this worth it?"
"They're average." The harsh new voice came from one of the unfamiliar elites, so Kai gave him a second look.
Based on the light green hair flowing in mana wind, the man had been from the Elemental Nations originally. Yet he wore a monk's robes, a rich burgundy cloth that made Kai think of Rosemount. The beads he wore around his wrists held concentrated chakra, as did those above his bare feet. Whatever skin color he'd originally had, it now had an odd metallic sheen to it.
"We can bring many trainees to this level," the man continued scornfully. "It isn't worth mobilizing the entire continent's resources just to train a few more." He was actually speaking loudly enough for the trainees to hear, and that pushed Kai to act.
"With all due respect," he said flatly, "these aren't your trainees. These are the warriors that you rejected as having no futures, returning to defend the continent anyway. If you call them average, that's an indictment of your judgment."
"I heard you already launched an attack of your own on those cultivators." The Windborn man turned to face Kai directly, eyes narrowing. He shifted slightly, and there was something oddly liquid about his movements - Kai realized that his opponent was using a speed phase, not to attack, just to test him.
Kai matched it, his eye flicking to the subtle movement. Neither one was gathering their power, and his opponent was still firmly shrouded, yet they both compressed their power as if preparing. Strangely, even though this was more aggressive than the first meeting, Kai felt as though there was less risk of it actually becoming a fight.
That didn't mean there was less danger, though: he was being tested and he wasn't sure how.
"Kai, this is Yuinafal of Spring," Sheiri introduced, stepping between them. She might be a bit weaker, but her speed phase matched theirs. "He's one of our own, but he's spent the past five years training on Rosemount. We do sometimes decide that it's worth the risk."
"Then you should be all the more understanding," Kai said.
Yuinafal didn't respond, just continued staring at him.
The deadlock was broken by the approach of a Cloudspire vessel, a large floating sword. It had Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena at the front, looking toward him with tightly controlled concern, so he twitched his head just slightly from side to side. They'd brought along Inafay, Orotaisin, and the Tonjin brothers, so the elites should have their proof soon enough.
Actually, they looked more tense than anything, to see such powerful strangers approaching. Zae Zin Ni leapt off the sword first, landing at a safe distance and beginning another stare-off. Omilaena leapt past her and, with an odd glance at Yuinafal, came to stand beside Kai with an arm around his waist. He assumed she had a reason, though he was baffled - it wasn't like Yuinafal was hitting on him, or like Omilaena was possessive in the first place.
"What's this?" another one of the elites asked. "You brought back an expert from Rosemount and... a Cloudspire matriarch?"
"Nor precisely." Zae Zin Nim introduced the group to her scowl, then went to stand beside Kai. "I fought in the incursion seven years ago, and I am here to help again. But it seems none of you are appropriately grateful. Not to me, I mean to one of your own who has gone to great lengths to help you."
That made the silence stretch even thinner, yet Kai was less worried. A few of the elites, presumably familiar with Cloudspire sociology, relaxed slightly. Yuinafal looked even more prickly, as if the new arrivals troubled him, but he had stepped back and didn't look inclined to begin another staring contest.
"Is that you, Orotaisin?" Sheiri asked, looking up toward the sword. "Why don't you come down and let us get a look at your progress?"
He shrugged at the edge, then stepped off, with Inafay right behind him. The Tonjin brothers followed as well and soon they were surrounded by elites. Kai realized that while most of this group was unfamiliar to him, they were intimately familiar with the four young warriors who had stayed on Deadwaste. He felt a strange melancholy for the life he'd never lived: if he hadn't been denied by fate, Kai would have joined all of them in elite training.
It seemed as though that familiarity was going to end the standoff in his favor, though: the elites might not be familiar with his students, but they knew Inafay and the others well. And there was no denying their progress: they had returned with strength comparable to most elites. Plus Inafay was entirely supportive of him, effusive about their training on Darkmist Island, so she quickly turned the group in his favor.
Except for Yuinafal, who shot him another glance. Kai couldn't read a single thing in his eyes, and that neutrality itself became ominous.
"Obviously we've been gone a long time," Kai said, taking a conciliatory tone. "Where can we help? I'd love to hear about the current situation across the Frontier nations. I'm going to request some training for the others, but in return we'll go wherever you want us."
"A promising offer," Aeglien said, "but we are only here to evaluate you. For the overall situation, you must speak to our organizing body."
"I can tell you that Krysal went to hell thanks to the last time you tried to help." Yuinafal folded his arms in his sleeves and became statue-like as he spoke. "You aren't one of us, so you have no right to negotiate like this. Technically you have no more standing than any other Clanless from Goralia."
"Don't be ridiculous," Sheiri said, moving between them again and putting her fists on her hips. "Stop trying to antagonize them, Yui. Obviously we're going to work together."
"In what capacity? They aren't trainees, they're basically foreign warlords trying to interfere with the Frontier."
"What keeps us from being elites?" Omilaena asked quietly. "Seriously, if we asked to join, to work together with you properly, what would we need to do?"
That question cut through the tension again. Some of the elites nodded approvingly, including Aeglien, so it seemed like Omilaena had judged rightly. Sheiri waited at the back, more thoughtful, and he wished he could talk to her and figure out what sort of internal politics was going on. Only Yuinafal responded differently: though his face was controlled, for a moment he'd almost sneered.
"You think you're really elites?" he asked. "Then prove yourselves. It's time for mortal phase testing."
Chapter 526: The Mortal Trial of Phases
Kai hadn't heard about "mortal" phase testing before, but since the other elites treated the proposal as a normal one, he decided to act the same. He didn't object as they stepped through a new portal, just kept his wives close. Zae Zin Nim was vaguely hostile in all directions while Omilaena looked more contemplative than he expected.
On the other side of the portal, he felt the change in the air and knew that they were somewhere within the Frontier wall. There was a stocky building, mixed Goralian and Earth Union construction, that told him nothing about the purpose of the location.
"We'll be testing you just there," Sheiri told them as she passed. "Give us time to spin it up. You'll want that time to focus on your phases."
While she walked past, she lowered her shroud in order to begin some work, so Kai got another look at her soul.
<
Name: Sheiri Kagskan
Total Power: 652
Path of Steel: Truesteel 9 (108)
Windborn: Twiceswept (294)
Physique Level: E-7 (101)
Soul Level: 7 (49)
Hybrid Essence: Whistling Steel (+100)
>
Her Power of 652 was no longer insanely far above him, in fact his first impression was that she was weak. However, he recognized that all her growth had been hard-won with limited Deadwaste resources, and she had years' more experience with phases. He thought he would still win, but he wouldn't want to underestimate her... or any of the other elites.
As the other elites passed, Yuinafal shot them all a harsh glance. Kai was tracking his gaze this time: the elite might focus first on Kai, but he was glaring at his wives as well. None of his attention seemed to be on their connection, such as Omilaena's arm on his waist, and unlike many men he didn't ogle the women. Whatever his problem was, it seemed to be with them as individuals.
"I don't think this is likely to be actually fatal," Omilaena said in a low voice, "but you should go first, just in case."
"Were you pushing for this?" Kai asked.
"Not this in particular, but I wanted to get past the squabbling and get on with it. You want to talk to the leaders, right? I just want to get my hands on Krysali and Irunians, with more official sanction this time. And Zin Nim... well, she can get off glaring duty."
"This is not so unreasonable," Zae Zin Nim said quietly. "We are a potential threat to them, and many sects would be less hospitable."
Omilaena rolled her eyes. "I think your standards are a bit skewed."
While they spoke, power had been rising near the building, but it had yet to produce anything visible. That changed when a great ring of metal floated into the air, and Kai realized that the focus was actually the field beyond the building. The ring was easily five times his height, which he could estimate easily because it rotated into an upright position.
As they approached, he saw a second metal ring, just slightly smaller, rise as well. Both circles rotated directly into the earth, into great grooves that seemed to exist for that purpose. A total of three rings spun within one another, each nearly touching the others as they rotated in different directions. Within all three, an intense power was growing, but all he saw was an arena that seemed to be composed of the same dark metal as the rings.
Yuinafal stood within it, warming up with a martial arts exercise.
"You could think of this as a phased space." Sheiri approached them again, brushing off her hands. "Power within is compressed, like a reverse phase: a Class that normally produces an inferno will barely produce a tongue of flame unless phased. It also prevents any power from escaping the rings, so you can cut loose and show us what you can do."
"That's the test?" Kai asked. "Confirming that we can use phases?"
"In a manner that can't be denied, yes. But due to the obvious use of offensive phases, it has great potential to be lethal, so it is only permitted to confident elites. You're jumping over the normal procedures by coming here, so hopefully you're ready for it."
"Forget that," Omilaena said, "where did you get this thing? No offense, but I don't think we could make something like this on Rosemount."
"That is... a bit of a story." Sheiri shifted uncomfortably, eyes wandering south. "Some of our number attempted to explore Lostwreck, a generation ago. Unfortunately, most of them perished, but they did bring back a number of other resources, including this."
"Ooh, after we finish your test, we need to talk about that."
For his part, Kai watched the spinning rings with a new sense of understanding: these were another reminder of how risky the elites considered the other continents. They understood the power that could be found there, but too many of their own had died or been seduced by easier lives than fighting a never-ending war on Deadwaste.
"What are we waiting for?" Yuinafal spread his arms to either side, addressing the group. "We have a quorum. Let the outsiders prove themselves or die in the attempt."
None of the others objected, so Kai decided that it was time. He walked forward, timing his steps so that he reached the spinning rings at a gap in their patterns. As soon as he was on the inside, the air itself pressed from all sides as if trying to suffocate him. Trying to achieve a defensive phase was instinctive, and made him feel a little better, but it was difficult to maintain here.
Or maybe it was the man across from him: Yuinafal had dropped his shroud and adopted an offensive stance.
<
Name: Yuinafal of Spring
Total Power: 1068
Sprinter Class: 66 (76)
Windborn: Thriceswept (401)
Ironbody Monk: Amber Rank (105)
Physique: D-1 (205)
Soul Level: 9 (81)
Hybrid Essence: Hastened Wind (+100)
Hybrid Essence: Steelwind (+100)
>
Finally getting a glance at Yuinafal's soul, Kai was impressed: the man was the first elite he had seen with over 1000 Power. Not only that, he had trained as an "Ironbody Monk" on Rosemount. The ability alone was only moderately powerful, but with the usual elite resourcefulness, it had produced a second hybrid essence that increased his power another 100. Based on that, it was possible to guess his trajectory... as well as why he might be so aggressive.
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By power alone, Kai was unquestionably superior, but Kai could see that the thin chakra around his opponent's hands was phased. If Kai lost focus and a blow struck him without a defensive phase, it would tear through him no matter the difference in power.
"Ready?" Yuinafal bounced on the balls of his feet, ready to move in an instant.
"This is just sparring?" Kai asked.
"No, you need to prove your mastery of phases. First you need to survive one blow from me, via speed or defense. If you do, then you get to return the favor. We have other tests for other phases, but for fighters like us, this is what matters."
"Fine." Kai dropped into a combat position, hands at his sides, beginning to curl into claws. "Whenever you're ready."
Yuinafal was apparently ready that instant, because he leapt forward, one hand sweeping out in a knife blow. Kai had been ready for a speed phase, so he managed to step back, dodging the knife-hand that seemed slow by comparison.
Then Yuinafal vanished: when he used his own speed phase, he was shockingly fast, equal to a Sky Soul. In an instant he was at Kai's back, stabbing out, and all Kai could do to react was focus his defensive power on his back and desperately hope that his defensive phase held.
He felt the man's fingers bite into his back, hard as steel, but his body was too tough to be blown apart. Kai grunted in pain and turned on him, chest still open, daring him to attack again.
Instead Yuinafal vanished, again targeting his back, but this time Kai was ready: he rotated as well, still facing Yuinafal head on. Yet he didn't dodge, just spread his arms as if welcoming the attack.
Without hesitation, Yuinafal took it, his hand glinting like metal as it slashed out again. The fingers struck across Kai's chest, cutting open a long wound, but failed to penetrate deeper. His blood splashed out across the dark arena floor, but he didn't go down.
In the silence that followed, everyone could see that Kai's chest was beginning to heal. The phased injury didn't regenerate as quickly as normal, but it was visibly closing. If that wasn't proof enough, Kai didn't know what was.
"Is it my turn?" Kai asked.
"It is." To his credit, Yuinafal took a firm stance, lowered his fists to his sides, and bared his chest. "Do your worst."
Kai didn't want to actually do his worst, since killing or injuring his opponent would only turn the elites against him, but that made it harder. It was easy to achieve a power phase with his monstrous abilities, particularly Tyrant's Claw or Manticore's Spine, but those might be dangerous. And even if the rings were supposed to block all power, he didn't want to risk the possibility that Baleful Breath would be an exception.
Instead, he tried to do everything deliberately, clenching a fist beside his head and also compressing all his physical power into it. Maintaining the phase wasn't as easy as achieving it briefly, but it wasn't as hard as he remembered, perhaps due to all his growth.
Then he stepped forward and slammed the fist into Yuinafal's chest.
The elite skidded backward, almost losing his stance. A phased defensive technique had leapt into being the instant before Kai's fist connected, but it had cracked at the impact. Yuinafal stood just beneath the smallest ring, unable to hide his grimace at the blow.
Honestly, Kai was impressed: he had held back a little, but that blow would have instantly killed a lot of cultivators.
"The result is clear," Aeglien of Torleen announced. "Kai Clanless has demonstrated clear control of offensive, defensive, and speed phases. He is fit to join us."
That moment was something Kai had been waiting for all his life, yet now he was so caught up in other things, he couldn't even enjoy it. While the attention was off him, Yuinafal rubbed his injured chest and continued to watch him sourly. Meanwhile the other elites seemed largely approving, though a few were commenting, perhaps noting his limitations.
"Thank you," Kai said with a Goralian bow. "But I know my phases still fall short of mastery. I had hoped to train with you in preparation for the incursion."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," another elite said. "Nobody gets to join us by association or reputation: the women have to prove themselves too."
And so Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena stepped into the rings to face the mortal trial.
Chapter 527: Phase Trials and Negotiation Phases
Technically she should have been concerned about the upcoming trial, but Zae Zin Nim was more focused on the elite who had attacked her husband so aggressively. That was not an appropriate level of aggression for a test of this sort. Even though this was Deadwaste, such a thing could easily become a vendetta that would lead to many future troubles.
Their wife was clearly more conscious of the overall situation, because while Zae Zin Nim went to Kai as soon as he left the rings, Omilaena shifted to address the elites.
"Are you going to try to kill all of us?" she asked. "Because I don't have a defensive phase mastered, so if you attack, my only solution is to go lethal immediately."
"Not all elites are required to master all phases." It was the Krysali man, the one who had previously assisted Zae Zin Nim and Kai. He appeared mildly perturbed by the aggressive trial, but not perturbed enough to disrupt the elite sect's politics. "You can request a more specialized trial, so long as involves real world conditions."
"Then I'll demonstrate poison. 'Real world conditions' is a very mild way of describing how its been used, so I think you'll be satisfied."
Zae Zin Nim thought that her wife was being somewhat self-deprecating, perhaps as a tactic. Omilaena had been able to poison Matiavel via a phase years ago, and she had only grown more powerful since then. Furthermore, she had grown used to fighting cultivators using qi phases, so she wouldn't be entirely overwhelmed by power or shielding phases.
It seemed that the elites were negotiating the new terms, so Zae Zin Nim edged even closer to her husband.
"Are you alright?" she asked. "And do you know why he dislikes you?"
"I'll heal," he grunted. "And I just have a guess."
There wasn't much time to discuss it further, because they stepped through the spinning rings in order to clear the arena again. Yuinafal retreated in the opposite direction, not acknowledging defeat and clearly plotting further schemes. For a moment there was only Omilaena standing in the arena, then a stocky Earth Union woman leapt to stand across her.
"You think you have phased poison?" The woman jabbed a thumb at her chest. "Try me."
"You sure?" Omilaena's lips twitched in that seductive look that made Zae Zin Nim's heart twist when it wasn't directed at her. "I was thinking I could take a poison and prove I can work with phased antidotes, but I'm happy to start."
She raised a hand to her lips, telegraphing far more than usual, then breathed out a thin stream of poison. Using a speed phase, Zae Zin Nim watched it roll out, wondering if she would see one of the elites die - their husband would not be happy about that.
At first the woman's face remained arrogant, but as the blue cloud roiled in her direction, her eyes widened. She shifted her flatfooted stance and in the end nearly threw herself to the side, escaping the line of poison and then edging back from its cloud.
"What, you aren't going to test me?" Omilaena raised her hands languidly as if helpless. "Are you cheating me out of a trial? I wouldn't want to lose on a technicality."
Then, without warning, she managed to achieve a speed phase. It wasn't perfect, as Omilaena had never fully finished her phase training, but she still moved fast enough that she seemed to spin and unleash a cloud of poison. Perhaps more impressively, she imparted her half-phase to the poison, so the cloud blossomed in an instant.
When it was done, Zae Zin Nim observed two things:
First, the poison had halted at the radius of the innermost ring, as if against an invisible barrier.
Second, the elite had appeared outside the arena, sweat rolling down her face.
"Are you sure you don't want to try?" Omilaena's voice emerged from the poison. Her low chuckle reverberated through the mists and she was little more than a wraith, a flash of legs and a flicking dress.
"That's..." The Earth Union elite had recovered, but still looked at the poison cloud grimly. "That isn't a normal poison phased up, it's a poison generated entirely from phased essence. She passes as far as I'm concerned."
"Was that so hard? Let's stop these games and really negotiate. I can generate poisons for your troops to use, but I want access. You should all know what I did to help Irun, so let me continue."
"We're willing to acknowledge you," Aeglien of Torleen said, "but we would need to discuss this further. Such dangerous poison could be a double-edged blade, especially since we cannot always work with the fully-trained. Surely you understand the potential risk."
"Certainly, but I can provide immunity and antidotes as well." Omilaena emerged as the poison cloud began to dissipate, revealing herself at the edge of the arena. "Zin Nim, would you like to demonstrate?"
That had never been the plan, but Zae Zin Nim understood well enough. She leapt through a gap in the rings to land beside Omilaena, then visibly drew in a breath of the poison. The air was a bit stuffy, but otherwise it just smelled like her wife. She would be ashamed to admit it in public, but she liked the sweet tingle of poison.
It seemed as though this convinced the elites, so they began to make arrangements. Zae Zin Nim slipped closer to her wife to speak quietly. "You should train your other phases, though."
"And I will," Omilaena said, "once we have the elites properly on our side. But you should get ready, because I think I irked them a bit."
"No thanks to you."
"Entirely thanks to me."
Omilaena departed the arena, though she didn't take all of the poison with her. Locked as it was inside the arena, Zae Zin Nim suspected it would only disappear as the chakra lost strength, which would take some time. Then, to her surprise, she saw a new elite arrive and place her hand on one of the rotating rings.
Without warning, the world clenched a fist around her and Zae Zin Nim staggered a step.
She had suspected the rings produced some sort of suppression, but that was nothing like a suppression technique. The clenching hadn't harmed her only because she had full control of her own qi, developed through years of cultivation. A weaker cultivator might have experienced a complete collapse of their dantian.
The process also somehow wiped out the poison, not that Zae Zin Nim had many thoughts to spare for that. She fixed her attention on the new elite, who had surprised her for a second reason: it was Handelrey Orgoron, the woman who had teleported her away from the abyss and saved her life.
Handelrey looked much the same as seven years ago, with her somber tunic and a jungle of prehensile hair, but something had changed about her. She had a new shroud that felt like Cloudspire, and there was quite an aura of qi about her.
"Unlike the others, I am not here to challenge you," Handelrey said as she calmly stepped through the spinning rings. She didn't dash through when all three opened, she walked slowly, letting them pass just in front of and behind her. "I'm truly concerned for you. Cultivators gain easy access to phased qi, but because it comes naturally, it can lead to gaps in their understanding."
"I also trained in phases here." Zae Zin Nim didn't feel attacked, yet still felt the need to defend herself. After her spouses had proved themselves clearly, she refused to be considered the weak link who might harm their negotiation position.
"Yet you are, despite your strength, still an Earth Soul. In my experience, cultivators only fight as if fully phased when they reach Sky Soul. It has been rare for cultivators to join us during incursions, but I once saw an Earth Soul killed in an instant by a phased monster."
That might have seemed like an empty threat, if Zae Zin Nim hadn't seen the monsters from the abyss increase immensely in strength. Perhaps it was merely bias toward Handelrey, but all of this seemed like a sincere objection.
"Test me, than," Zae Zin Nim said.
"Very well." Handelrey gave her a bow - a Cloudspire bow - and then blurred to the side.
Maybe Zae Zin Nim would once have lost track of her, but her eyes had been reborn when she awakened the True Blackblood Physique. She still needed to push herself to track the elite as she began running in a circle, a shadow on the wind, and Zae Zin Nim continually shifted her attention, not letting her opponent get a clear opening to close the distance.
Except Handelrey never rushed in to attack: without warning, she made vines grow from the naked metal of the arena floor.
Only the fact that Zae Zin Nim was pushing herself to her limits made it possible for her to even have time to react. The vines sped toward her legs, razor sharp and carrying phased mana. All she could do in time was release her Coldfire Corona, which leapt around her leg in time.
The flames burned away the vines, but a sharpened tip on Zae Zin Nim's side of the barrier fell in a trail of ash.
She reacted before she had time to consciously think, one hand thrusting out, gathering all the blue flames and drawing them down her arm. Zae Zin Nim formed a Coldfire Palm, not to strike but moving into her opponent's circular path. Too late, she realized that she was still pushing her qi phase as hard as possible and that she shouldn't have attacked so recklessly.
Handelrey struck her technique and then skidded back from the fiery palm, protected by a shield of vines projecting from her hair. Zae Zin Nim almost immediately switched from concern to being annoyed that her technique hadn't done more damage to the vines. She supposed that was the advantage of a full defensive phase, which she should think about as a Sky Soul tier technique.
"That's well beyond the average Earth Soul." Handelrey released her mana and bowed again. "Clearly, you absorbed your training here. You have my approval to join us."
"Wait just a second." Yuinafal spoke up again from the edge of the arena. "She doesn't actually have any specific phase, so that means she's not eligible."
For a second Zae Zin Nim wondered if the sect's rules could be used against her like that, but to her surprise the elites responded with groans and rolled eyes. Some of them even walked or flew off, as if convinced the event was over.
"Come on, Yui," one of the others said. "It's not like she's getting in on a technicality, she's obviously strong enough."
"If it helps," Zae Zin Nim said politely, "I intend to continue preparing until the incursion. I would be happy to accept phase training alongside my cultivation."
Her suggestion seemed to go over well with the elites listening, including Handelrey, who gave her the slightest of nods. The two of them needed to talk, but there was still the matter of Yuinafal. His antagonism might have reduced his standing, but he remained a member of a very egalitarian organization who was directly opposed to them.
The other elites were approaching, and Zae Zin Nim realized that this success brought with it greater problems. They had earned a seat at the table and now it was time for the real negotiations.
Chapter 528: Debating Courses
Now that Kai was finally here, he felt almost unprepared. From the perspective of raw strength, he had wildly over-prepared, bringing a huge amount of firepower to the table. But when it came to military intelligence and how to actually negotiate with the Frontier elites, he was far ahead of himself.
Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena had both done excellently in their trials, however, both in displaying strength and showing the sort of character the elites would care about. When his wives came to stand beside him, he immediately felt more certain.
"Some of you are acting like we're here to dictate terms," he began, "but I never viewed it that way at all. We've been training and building up resources for the incursion, like anyone else. Now that we're back, we just want to help."
"And what does that help look like?" one of the unfamiliar elites asked.
"We'll go where we're needed once the incursion starts, of course. But even if it's early, we're likely to have a solid three months to help prepare." Kai scratched the back of his head, figuring out where to start. Probably not with Omilaena's aggressive plans, so... "The people we brought back with us have trained hard, but I think they have more potential. Is it possible to have them try to awaken Classes or elemental powers?"
"Done," Aeglien said.
Kai blinked in surprise, looking around the elites as if this might be some sort of trick or hazing ritual. He knew those things were real requests, since his old mentor Gunjin had needed to pull strings to arrange them years ago. Was it really possible they'd just been granted those favors?
He instinctively looked back to his wives - Zae Zin Nim frowned slightly, as if he shouldn't be surprised, while Omilaena smirked. Somehow that got him back on track: he was bringing the elites an unprecedented amount of power, beyond anything they'd used against an incursion in generations, so of course they were owed a few favors. Still, this wasn't the time to throw his weight around.
"Good, thank you," Kai said. "We helped them overcome their barriers, but we don't have all the answers. If any of you or your people want to take a hand, feel free. On the other hand, we can continue guiding their training if that's easier, so long as we get the necessary resources."
"Don't be so deferential." Omilaena stepped up beside him, bumping his hip with hers. "You saw what I did in Irun a few years ago? Unless they've started keeling over dead, I'd like to keep doing it. I'm bringing the resources, all I need is teleportation over there and a conversation with your experts on Irunian abilities."
"We will require teleportation in general," Zae Zin Nim added. "It would not be a productive use of our time to go trekking across Deadwaste."
"Everyone needs to teleport right now." Yuinafal spoke up in a reasonable-sounding voice, without any trace of anger on his face, yet there was no question how he was positioning himself. "That includes teleporting a considerable number of resources, which drain our abilities."
"You can't be suggesting to send them slower," Sheiri objected. "I revisited Irun and they helped more than anything I was able to do. If they're honestly helping, it would be insane not to put them where they can do the most good."
"But that doesn't mean gallivanting across the continent. I move that we send them to Krysal, since they were the ones who ruined our position there. Let them prove that they can fix their mess before we let them cause any others."
The argument was biased, but unfortunately Kai saw some agreement among the other elites. He had to admit that the revolution in Krysal had set back the region's raw power - the incursion didn't care if the new system was more fair and just. Of course, he hoped that he would more than make up for that loss now, but that argument wouldn't fly in this negotiation.
"I could do that," Omilaena said, "but we're running out of time. I'd like to get started in both Irun and Krysal. Irun especially will need more time for their bodies to adapt, even if I can come up with something."
"This is exactly what they claimed they wouldn't do." Yuinafal gestured broadly to the elites as if in demonstration of his own point. "She wants to take over Irun and make it an experimental lab."
"And you have a better plan?"
"I brought back metal chakra resources from Rosemount that are showing promise for Irunian abilities. Maybe not as fast as you like, but I prefer to do things the right way. You won't find me torturing Krysali to use as experimental subjects."
Even though Kai wanted to support his wife automatically, he had to admit that their moral position was weak there: just the other day Omilaena had been talking about using people as test subjects and only semi-ironically. The problem was that he was fairly confident her methods would be superior for the people of Irun and Krysal.
"Didn't you previously agree that conservative methods were failing?" Zae Zin Nim spoke up unexpectedly. "Your continent won't survive another incursion if you seek incremental improvements. Taking risks is the only way to survive."
"I've spent the last seven years taking risks!" Yuinafal shot back.
Things were turning into bickering and Kai still remained silent, because he wasn't sure about his target. It might be best to show their reasonableness and make concessions now, then prove themselves superior as tempers cooled. On the other hand, he agreed with Omilaena's argument that they needed time for their methods to work.
"Okay, enough." Kai didn't shout or take a stance, but all attention turned to him. "Before we debate exactly which plan would be best, we should go over the entire situation as you see it. How prepared is Deadwaste for the incursion?"
His words completely ended the argument, but no one moved to speak right away. After some glances among the elites, Sheiri spoke up.
"We're delegating and separating these days," she said, "so you need to talk to our administrators. Which we can arrange, of course. You worked under Gunjin, so you can meet with him."
"Right, good." Kai was actually a bit uncertain about meeting his former mentor again, but he smiled as if that was an unalloyed good. "We should also formally return the Clanless to you, since I always intended it to be used by the elites. If we've agreed about teleportation, others can make better use of it, anyway."
"Where exactly did you go?" Handelrey Orgoron asked. She had been completely silent up to that point and looked oddly curious in a way he couldn't put his finger on.
"There's an island in the middle of the ocean rich in mana, chakra, and qi," Kai explained. "You could get there and back in a month... actually, do any of the elites want to go train there? We might be able to arrange something."
That set off another discussion, but this one was surprisingly constructive instead of argumentative. Some of the elites believed that a safe source of powerful energy was critical, while others pointed out the uncertain starting time and potential for them to miss the incursion entirely. The conversation was settled by very sensible calculations about the value of potential growth, and in the end the elites agreed that it wasn't worth the risk with so little time left.
Still, Kai thought that the offer had earned him a little more political capital. He was pleased in general: he really did want the elites to be able to use Darkmist Island, backing up their expertise with even more power. It might not help them this incursion, but in the long term it might be more important than any of his other actions.
"I have another suggestion," Kai said as the discussion concluded. "Omilaena, would you be able to produce resources quickly enough to treat all of Irun's army?"
"Not possible." Her face was fixed in a smile, but he could see the colder Omilaena looking out from within, analyzing what he was doing and thankfully responding. "I need some time to experiment and make sure my methods will be safely compatible."
"That's what I expected. Yuinafal, did you bring back enough resources from Rosemount for the entire Irunian army?"
Yuinafal stared at him emotionlessly for a full second, then folded his arms across his chest. "You're proposing a contest, is it?"
"Not exactly." Kai gestured between them for the sake of the watching elites. "Let Yuinafal and Omilaena both work with a group of Irunian volunteers best suited to their methods. After a suitable period of time, we can begin scaling up our methods in whatever combination is most effective."
This time the pause among the elites seemed more promising. A few murmured to one another, and it looked like Yuinafal was beginning to object, but they apparently came to a consensus first.
"Give us some time to create an exact plan," Sheiri said with an apologetic smile.
They moved back a little and Kai resisted the urge to try to listen in on the elites' quiet conversation. From what he caught, it definitely sounded like they were trying to plan a competition that wouldn't involve any wasted energy. Likely no staged tournaments or elaborate contests, just both groups doing their best and then presenting the best proof they could.
That suited him just fine.
Once at a safe distance along with his wives, Kai let out his breath - he'd managed to shift the negotiation back on the right track, but he hadn't been confident about it. Zae Zin Nim gave him a slight smile and patted his arm encouragingly. Meanwhile, Omilaena barely looked at either of them, simply analyzing through narrow eyes.
"So we all get what's up Yuinafal's ass, right?" she asked.
"He went to Rosemount to find solutions of his own," Kai said, "and that means our plans are in conflict with his."
"Oh, I think it's simpler than that. He did something almost unprecedented, increased his Power over a thousand, and expected to come back and be a big damn hero. Now he's pissed that we completely overshadowed him."
"I concur," Zae Zin Nim said. "What should we do about it?"
"I don't know," Omilaena shrugged languidly, "should I just poison him now?"
"A conflict does seem inevitable, so we should accelerate the timeli-"
"Hey, no." Kai stepped in between the two of them. "Maybe he's just being petty, but we haven't even evaluated his plans. Let's just prove our point with results."
Zae Zin Nim's scowl deepened. "I still think it's a matter of pride. Maybe we can just arrange a duel between the two of you, get pride out of the way?"
"A poisoned duel," Omilaena said, but based on her smirk she was kidding now.
Before they could discuss their plans any further, the elites finished their own discussion. The way they arranged themselves in an arc, they looked almost like a tribunal. Yuinafal had been speaking with them, but now he separated from the group with several others, forming a third faction.
"We've made our decision," Sheiri announced. "This is how we will determine the future of Deadwaste..."