*comment REMOVE *save_checkpoint *label chapter2start *temp val 0 *temp norobbery false *temp chusuccess false *set chapter 2 *if (firstchapter = 2) *comment REMOVE *save_checkpoint You take one step outside the next morning, ready to start your new life, when a voice interrupts you from behind. *goto Next_continuestory *if (sonarmode) [b][Chapter 2][/b] *else *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ap-chapter-two.png [b][i]In which a Warrior begins their Path,[/i][/b] *line_break [b][i]An announcement shakes the core of society,[/i][/b] *line_break [b][i]And the innocent disappear.[/i][/b] *line_break Dynasties are forged, every one of them, in a series of important victories. Yours is no different. The fledgling ${clan} Clan enters the world under young leadership and a new life stands before you. But such peace is an illusion. As your power finally becomes a reality, so too do the dangers of this world. You have been noticed. *page_break *set chispent 0 *set powspent 0 *set forspent 0 *set agispent 0 *set solspent 0 *gosub_scene quicks timepass A new day, a new era! Sunlight shines down on your village through the rolling fog of the mountain peaks. It's a day for celebration: after a week of constant itching and imbibing Mother's horrendous medicinal soup you've finally removed your bandages. A few groggy steps take you into the kitchen for some real food; drinking nothing but burnt acidic leaves for days does a blow to the stomach. Father, Mother, Jin, and Rin all sit around the family table when you enter. They audibly gasp at the sight of you. "What's wrong?" You ask, taking a quick sniff to see how bad you smell. Pretty bad. "Not that." Rin says. "It's worse" Jin adds. "No, not worse," Mother says between giggles, "just...different." Father gets up and beckons you to a reflective glass in the washroom. "Why don't you see for yourself?" He says. You're a bit put off when he stands, he seems...shorter. You walk to the reflective glass and peer in. $!{eyecolor} *if (yokaitrait2 = "cat eyes") feline *elseif (yokaitrait2 = "reptilian eyes") reptilian eyes stare back through the face of a ${manwoman} a few years older than you. More mature, more defined. It takes a long pause before you accept you're looking at your own reflection. You were on the cusp of adulthood already but it looks like you leaped to the good end. No wonder your body had been sore and itching so fiercely while you healed, it was growing! You look at the mirror and marvel at what your first Advancement must have done to your body. *if (heshe = "he") As a man you've grown into your full physique that's most noticeably... *choice #Lean and agile, like a wolf. [Increase Athletics] *set athletics + 1 *set bodytype "Agile" #Large and muscular, like a warrior. [Increase Survival] *set survival + 1 *set bodytype "Muscular" #Defined and handsome, like a hero from the tales. [Increase Persuasion] *set persuasion + 1 *set bodytype "Handsome" #Short and stocky, like a builder. [Increase Craft] *set craft + 1 *set bodytype "Manlet" *if not (jadedragonfoundation) *achieve kingofdwarves *elseif (heshe = "she") As a woman you've grown into your full physique, most noticeably you have... *choice #A runner's build with shapely legs. [Increase Athletics.] *set athletics + 1 *set bodytype "Legs" #A lean and petite build. [Increase Stealth] *set stealth + 1 *set bodytype "Petite" #An eye-catching hourglass figure. [Increase Persuasion] *set persuasion + 1 *set bodytype "Hourglass" #More muscle than I ever expected! [Increase Craft] *set craft + 1 *set bodytype "Dommymommy" *if (subrace = "Bovine") and (heshe = "she") #The need for a bigger bra. A MUCH bigger bra. [Requires Female Bovine Yokai] [Increase Persuasion and Deception] *set deception + 1 *set persuasion + 1 *set bodytype "Bodacious" Your body isn't the only thing that's grown. Your unkempt ${haircolor} hair has traveled past your waist from the transformation, you decide to... *choice #Keep it that long. *set hairlength "waist-length" #Keep it that long and tie it back. *set hairlength "long and tied" #Cut it to chest-length. *set hairlength "chest-length" #Cut it chest-length and tie it back. *set hairlength "tied-back" #Cut it to shoulder-length. *set hairlength "shoulder-length" #Cut it to shoulder-length and tie it back. *set hairlength "short and tied-back" #Cut it short. *set hairlength "short" *if (alchemy >= 1) #Cut it short and spike it up with alchemical treatments. *set hairlength "spiked" [b][Your continuous use of alchemical preparation each morning has improved your understanding of cultivation.][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure + 2][/b] *set aurapressure + 2 *if (heshe = "he") #Cut it down to a mere quarter-inch. *set hairlength "short-trimmed" *if (heshe = "he") #Shave it all off. *set hairlength "bald" *if (heshe = "he") More than just the hair on your head, the hairs of your face have come in. The beard hasn't grown as much as your hair has but whether you let it grow out or trim it down, the time to shape it is now. You decide to... *choice #Grow out a long beard. *set beardlength "long" #Grow out a long beard and braid it. *set beardlength "long braided" #Grow out a modest beard. *set beardlength "medium-length braided" #Grow out a modest beard and braid it. *set beardlength "medium-length braided" #Keep a short beard. *set beardlength "short" #Trim it to a goatee. *set beardlength "goatee" *if (race = "Lunargoth") #Trim it to just the mustache. *set beardlength "mustache" *if (race = "Oni") #Trim it to a sharp goatee with twirled mustache. *set beardlength "devilish goatee" *if (race = "Human") #Trim it to a fu manchu mustache. *set beardlength "fu manchu" #Shave it clean. *set beardlength "" After that you take a long steaming bath and finally make your way to the kitchen again where you can enjoy a proper meal of peaches and porridge with your family. It's the first thing you've tasted besides burnt leaf soup in half a week and it is wonderful. When you're done Jin and Rin get to their chores and you steady your nerves to prepare for your new life as disciple of the Thunderfall Sect, whatever that entails. You open the door, fill your lungs with a breath of thin yet crisp mountain air, take one eager stride outside, and step on something. A parcel. Thankfully the package isn't damaged. It only contains a letter and a palm-sized, smooth, oval rock with handseal runes etched around its center. A keystone. You haven't used one before but you've seen merchants use them all the time to get through their ritual-locks. *page_break Read the letter. *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ac-linebreak-top.png [i]This will get you into the lower barracks.[/i] *line_break [i]Take a martial arts gi and Belt from the armory.[/i] *line_break [i]You'll be trained by a lower sensei.[/i] *line_break [i]Do not fuck up.[/i] [i]-Master Mao[/i] *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ac-linebreak-bottom.png That was almost polite. You wonder how many tries it took him to write that. Mao was terrifying at first. Not just his presence and demeanor, but the very idea of him. Discovering that your safety had always been dependent on a glorified bandit's demands. However, between Magistrate Khan's scheme and the passage of time you've gotten over the shock. You take one step out the door when you're stopped again, this time by a voice from behind. *label Next_continuestory You groan impatiently. "$!{name}, wait!" Father calls, closing the door behind him so the rest of the family can't hear. "I've got something for you." He pulls a gift wrapped in old curtain out from behind his back in both hands. His expression is an odd one, you'd call it...embarrassed. "I already packed a lunch." You say. "It's not that, and be silent. I have a lecture to give." *page_break [Let out a second, more powerful groan.] Father takes a deep breath. "First I want to say, I was so afraid of bringing bad kinds of attention onto this family that I never even entertained pursuing power, so when you did it I was madder then a crazed *if (name = "Asura") Asura-" "But [i]I'm[/i] a crazed Asura." You say, being named Asura. *label damnwell *set solexp + 2 "Don't think I won't spank you. But let me finish. Picking *elseif (clan = "Asura") Asura-" "Wouldn't [i]we[/i] be the crazed Asura?" You ask, being the Asura Clan and all. *goto damnwell *else Asura. I mean, picking a fight with the Crusher family? Ancestors know I was fuming, but once I'd come to my senses I accepted the truth. That fight started before you arrived. Your brother is the idiot, not you - oh and don't tell him I said that." You nod. You'll save that ace up your sleeve in case you and Jin get into an argument somday. Father continues. "Truth be told, you saved your brother and that should be rewarded. Joining the Thunderfall Sect? Making us Warrior Caste? Those are pretty titles, nothing more. They were given, they can be taken away. But you did the most important thing in the world when you made sure your family [i]wasn't[/i] taken away. I'll trust your decisions from now on, odd as it may feel seeing as I raised you so I've seen you make plenty of bad decisions, but first I want one last chance to be your Father. To be the man responsible for you. One last thing I can give you before you've grown so much that there's nothing I can do to help." He hands over the curtain-wrapped object. "What I'm saying is, while you've been training I *if (background = "Trapper") went out and got something I've had my eye on. I've got no use for it, too dangerous for me, but I think you can use it well." Father removes the curtain-wrapping to reveal a giant egg almost as big as your chest. Your eyes bulge. "Is that a..." *if (firstchapter = 1) "Yep, one of that Thunderbird's eggs. *else "Yep, one of that giant bird's eggs. Grabbed it out on my trapping route when the mother was away. She's probably trying to follow my aura's trail to track me down this very minute but...shucks, ain't got one." [b][Item Obtained: Roc Egg][/b] *set roc 1 He rubs the back of his neck as you take the skull-sized egg. "Don't know a single thing about taming or rearing it, that life ain't for me, but if there's anything that can help you with your new journey it's this. I hope you like it." *choice #"This is fantastic! Thank you Father!" [Keep the egg] *set ruthless - 1 #"Yes! All the skies will fear the combined might of ${fullname} and Egg!" [Keep the egg] *set roc 1 #"I can't, it's irresponsible to bring another monster into this world. [Sell the egg to alchemists] *set honor + 3 *set roc 0 *set silver + 5000 #"Ew." [Sell the egg to the highest bidder] *set ruthless + 2 *set honor - 2 *set roc 0 *set Silver + 6000 *elseif (background = "Herbalist") spent my time brewing something up." You remove the curtain-wrapping to find a wooden rack of preserved alchemy ingredients and one blue pill glowing inside a vial of purple liquid. [b][Item Gained: 20 Alchemy Reagents][/b] *set alchemyreagents + 20 *line_break [b][Item Gained: 1 Earthly Prowess Pill][/b] *set earthlyprowess 1 "The powders and herbs are good for any occasion, but the real joy is the pill. Normally they're too expensive. Gathering the materials takes years of searching. Heh." Father brushes his shoulder nonchalantly, "I've had plenty of years. There's also the real trouble, being that it needs to steep for so long in natural aura. An unreal amount of chi has to go into these to fake it, but you make your own chi now that you're a Martial Artist, and you've got time. Keep putting power into this pill and when it's finished you'll have something beautiful that'll make any disciple cry with envy." He shoves the collection into your arms. "And I do mean cry." *elseif (background = "Blacksmith") hammered out something in the forge, you'll find it more useful than my usual craftsmanship." You remove the curtain-wrapping and find a pair of padded metal vambraces with a light amber glow in your spiritual senses. Father looks down on his work with pride. "Third Soul Treasure I've ever worked with. They're imbued with a simple Earth-aligned Core, the only one I could get my hands on. Damned shortage these days, but it should be able to add some weight so you can take a punch or dish one out. Nothing flashy, but slow and steady wins the race." [b][Item Gained: Empowered Armguards][/b] *set armguardname "Empowered Armguards" *line_break [b][The Armguards are an Accessory-type item that provides a bonus while equipped.][/b] *line_break [b][They can be equipped from the Inventory page][/b] *choice #"Father, these are amazing!" "Aw shucks." Father says, "I mean sure they're...Hells," He drops the facade. "I know they're amazing. Honestly they're incredible. I can't believe it actually worked when I got the damned thing bound together. Had to bribe an alchemist with a crate of nails. They're my Heaven-sent masterpiece and I cannot [i]wait[/i] to see you punch some rich disciple in the face with my creation." He pulls you in for a big hug. "I'm so damned proud of you, $!{name}." #Punch the ground to test them out. The ground cracks against your blow. Not in some grand earthquake, but with a few broken cobblestones and far more of a crunch than it should have landed, especially since your hand doesn't hurt at all. Oh yes, these will do nicely. #"Put nails on them." *set ruthless + 2 *set armguardname "Empowered Armguards (Spiked)" You look to Father while holding his masterpiece creation. "I appreciate the armguards, Father," You say, "and I appreciate the gesture, but they're not done. We need one final adjustment." "And that is?" "Nails." Father sighs with relief. "I thought you'd never ask." The two of you head down to the forge and bond over your love of nails as you transform your new armguards from an aesthetic piece of armor into a [i]more[/i] aesthetic piece of armor. When you're finished the two of you look upon your creation with pride. "Nailed it." You both say simultaneously. *elseif (background = "Merchant") worked out the paperwork and purchased a partnership with a Caravan Sect from Outer South." You stare at Father in bewilderment. "A Caravan Sect? Like, a Sect that runs multiple caravans? How could you afford it?" "How? I'm a businessman damn it!" Father proclaims with righteous indignation, "I've been trying to sell my debt-ridden trap of a store for years but couldn't find a good deal *if (firstchapter = 1) due to our Caste. As soon as you got us jumped up a notch to Warrior Caste *else since everyone thought we'd be downgraded to Laborers soon. Once you fixed that bad reputation I had more people willing to deal with me, and that gave me some ideas." He withdraws a pile of inventory listings, contracts, and Bills of Sale and flips through them. "First I took out a lower interest loan to pay off my higher interest loans and that made the whole shop more appealing on records. Offered it to seven local buyers and got their offers on paper, took the highest one to eight caravans over a season to get a competing offer until one offered me thirty percent more. Then I took [i]that[/i] offer as a proof of value so I could get a new loan from a different caravan, renovated the storefront, got a NEW offer-" He goes on a bit as you zone out and cycle your own chi. It doesn't give you any power since you're not adding anything into your spirit but it's a good practice to keep your soul "in shape". A few minutes later you realize he's still going and you snap back to reality. "-And once I resold that contract for the third batch of theoretical new inventory rights I had enough to pay off that sixth loan from the town's treasury. That's when the caravan's banker sees my notes on the table. After reviewing the paper work and realizing I never even had to sell the store for real, he makes me an offer to buy a five percent cut of his Trade Sect's caravan businesses in Outer West if I help with their paperwork." Father flails his hands in the air. "It was too good to pass up! I did pass it up, of course, and haggled us an advance payment of the first year's profits." "Uh yes Father, very good." You stifle a yawn and try to leave before he keeps going. "Where are you going ${boygirl}? Didn't you hear me? You need your cut of the profits!" [b][Item Gained: 4000 Silver][/b] *set silver + 4000 *set commerce + 4 Your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as he drops bag of money into your hand that's heavy enough to use as a murder weapon. Next time you'll pay a bit more attention when he explains how he got it. *else *bug *page_break Nothing else interrupts your trip to the Magistrate's. That surprises you. All this time you had imagined some revenge duel against Jack at the grand pagoda's entrance but instead there's only the hustle and bustle of regular villagers going to the clerks or the library. It's surreal to see life go back to normal after everything you've been through. You enter and ascend the stairwell to the second floor where Warrior Caste's lower barracks lie behind a single locked door, the place where they store equipment and rest between missions. With a deep breath you hold up the keystone and it begins to glow. The door slides open. You're shocked when you see what's been going on inside the barracks all this time: Everybody was kung fu fighting. *page_break No wonder you never found out where the Thunderfall combat dojo was, they've been hiding it inside the pagoda! A blur of auras clash as four Martial Artists fight five others, all garbed in dark blue martial arts gi with black trim and white belts. Fists, elbows, kicks, weapons, and blasts of chi volley throughout the wide featureless room that resembles a dojo far more than a barracks. You see in particular a man with a spear launch flames from its tip towards an elderly woman in leather armor. She deflects the attack with two glowing arms and charges at him with a flying kick, but she's not what gets your attention. You're more alarmed about the fire she redirected towards a wall. It's going to burn the place down! *page_break At least, you thought it would burn the place down. When the flames splash against the wall they do nothing. A soft blue glow of ritual-seals emits from the wall, extinguishing the fires and sending lines of glowing energy from the impact site down to the mat that covers the entire room's flooring. *if (handseals >= 1) [b][Handseals 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break Some sort of ritual to conserve chi, you think. It gives you an idea to try later. *set val (3+handseals) *if (val < (3+insight)) *set val (3+insight) [b][Aura Pressure +${val}][/b] *set aurapressure + val *set val 0 *else [b][Handseals Check Failed][/b] *line_break You don't really get how it works. You wonder if the clerks downstairs know that there are deadly attacks being launched just twenty feet above them. You [i]know[/i] the commoners don't know they're happening. More importantly they don't [i]hear[/i] that they're happening. But the second you opened the door all that noise from roaring flames, thunderous impacts, enhanced kiais, and metal on metal suddenly burst into the stairwell and out the town's main square. A ritual-seal must have been blocking the noise too. Opening the door seems to have interrupted it and everyone inside notices. "By the Heavens, ${boygirl}," says the older woman in leather armor, "don't just stand there dumbfounded!" "You're letting the sound out!" barks a middle-aged man resembling a lumberjack. "Think of the peasants!" "The door! Shut the damned door!" shout three younger students in plain martial arts gi. One of them you even recognize from the fiasco with Jack earlier. *choice #I calmly shut the door behind me and bow respectfully. "You may continue." *set honor + 2 Sneers come from the younger disciples but the older lady nods in approval. "You must be $!{name}," she says, "welcome to the Sect. See to the armory in the back." #Oh Heavens. Oh crap. I shut the door as quickly as possible to protect the people's eardrums downstairs. *set ruthless - 2 There's a steady grumbling but the (fellow?) Thunderfall Sect disciples get back to their dueling positions. You work your way around the room until you see it: #"Silence you idiots! You're making it worse!" I shout while slamming the door behind me. *set ruthless + 3 *set honor + 1 The room grows dark as their stares turn icy. One of the younger disciples steps up to you, a Human girl with a flat face. "Who do you think you are to talk to me with such disrespect? Face me in a duel or acknowledge your cowardice!" "Fuck off." You say and waltz past her with a shoulder-check. She's lost for words. The lumberjack laughs. You've been in the Thunderfall Sect for a week, any extra rivals can wait until you've learned the bare basics. #What a bunch of whiners. I leave the door open and waltz past them. *set honor - 1 You roll your eyes and stroll across the room. If the sound is such a problem and the door is so important to them then they can close it. You aren't the one who's been secretly launching murder techniques within ten paces of children. None of them bother you as you walk past, they're too busy racing to the doorway. On the opposite end of the dojo floor is another door to the actual barracks, which must be about as big as a wide hallway since the dojo section takes up most of the second floor. You open the door and step in, seeing a minor treasury of Martial Arts artifacts. The rightmost hall is lined with trophy showcases displaying weapons, glowing plants, jars of powders, sealed cursed objects, Beast trophy parts like claws and fangs, and a few Path Manuals. The leftmost hall contains a few resting mats and a wardrobe full of white cloth belts and sleeveless blue martial arts gi with black outer trim. The official Thunderfall uniform. *page_break Disrobe and don your new Combat Gi. Unexpected energy rushes through your body and spirit when you finish tying the knot of your new white belt. *if (firstchapter = 1) It takes a moment to realize the capital B in "Belt" wasn't a mistake from Crusher Mao's letter. No one ever trained you so you don't know the specifics, but your energy seems to run more smoothly through your body with this White Belt on. [b][Item Gained: Combat Gi][/b] *set combatgitf 1 *set equippedoutfit "Thunderfall Combat Gi" *set health + 1 *line_break [b][Combat Gi equipped, adding +1 to Health][/b] [b][Item Gained: White Belt][/b] *set whitebelt 1 *set equippedbelt "White Belt" *set prestige + 1 *set chipool + 1 *line_break [b][White Belt equipped, adding +1 to Chi][/b] With that it's time to get back home and figure out your burgeoning powers in private. ...or... Everyone else is back in the dojo, unable to see you, and those treasures in the leftmost hall look oh so tempting. *choice #Just one wouldn't hurt, I am a disciple of this Sect after all. It's time for some unspoken benefits. You wander across the hall to the treasury of the armory and gaze at the wonders. The weapons are locked away and are probably ritually-sealed seeing as even the dojo's sound was sealed away, but after close inspection you find many of the lesser items are unprotected. *choice #Take one of the trophies. *if (stealth >= 1) or (thievery >= 1) [b][Stealth/Thievery 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break *rand val 350 500 *set armorytrophy + val [b][Item Gained: Bestial Soul Treasure][/b] *line_break [b][Soul Treasures can be cycled in the Cultivation Page to increase your Aura Pressure.][/b] *else [b][Stealth/Thievery Check Failed][/b] *goto Next_caught #Take some of the alchemy reagents. *if (stealth >= 1) or (thievery >= 1) [b][Stealth/Thievery 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break *rand val 18 25 *set alchemyreagents + val [b][Item Gained: Alchemy Reagents (${val})][/b] *else [b][Stealth/Thievery Check Failed][/b] *goto Next_caught #Take some of the ritual components. *if (stealth >= 1) or (thievery >= 1) [b][Stealth/Thievery 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break *rand val 18 25 *set ritualcomponents + val [b][Item Gained: Ritual Components (${val})][/b] *else [b][Stealth/Thievery Check Failed][/b] *goto Next_caught #Take one of the Path Manuals. *if (stealth >= 1) or (thievery >= 1) [b][Stealth/Thievery 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break *set skillmanual + 1 [b][Item Gained: Path Manual - Skill][/b] *else [b][Stealth/Thievery Check Failed][/b] *goto Next_caught Your brother Jin always says the greedy fish becomes a meal. You don't know where he heard it, but he mumbles it whenever he gets caught and spanked. You take his bad example to heart and quit while you're ahead. *goto Next_Chu #I am a Martial Artist now, I am above such petty needs. *set honor + 5 *set solexp + 3 *set powexp + 3 *set forexp + 3 *set agiexp + 3 *goto Next_Chu #I take everything that isn't nailed down! *if ((thievery + stealth) >= 4) *set honor - 2 [b][Stealth + Thievery 4 Check Passed][/b] *set skillmanual + 1 [b][Item Gained: Path Manual - Skill][/b] *line_break *rand val 18 25 *set ritualcomponents + val [b][Item Gained: Ritual Components (${val})][/b] *line_break *rand val 18 25 *set alchemyreagents + val [b][Item Gained: Alchemy Reagents (${val})][/b] *line_break *rand val 400 500 *set armorytrophy + val [b][Item Gained: Soul Treasure (${armorytrophy} AP)][/b] *line_break [b][Soul Treasures can be cycled in the Cultivation Page to increase your Aura Pressure.][/b] *set val 0 You've had your fair share of mischief and robberies in the past but you've never had access to a bounty like this, and you have no intention of missing out on it. By the time you finish looting the armory's less secured treasures your gi is stuffed with perfectly balanced loot so it doesn't look like you're a thief. It simply looks like you're fat. *goto Next_Chu *else [b][Stealth + Thievery Check Failed][/b] *set honor - 3 *goto Next_caught *label Next_caught *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/big-chu.jpg "What are you doing?" says a heavy man's voice from behind. Spinning around you see an excessively large and fat Human in combat armor. He notices the open treasury cabinet in front of you and grimaces. "You would rob the bounty earned by Big Chu?!" Oh shit. You think of something, fast. *if (deception >= 2) [b][Deception Check Passed][/b] "Honored Warrior, what are you talking about?" You feign ignorance and concern, "I was ordered by a caravan merchant to bring this out due to the Trade Agreements." Big Chu glares down at you, his eyes shifting to the hall. "Hmph. I'll check on that later. For now, follow me to the library. I know who you are, $!{name}, Master Mao has instructed me to train you to the point that you do not embarrass *if (firstchapter = 1) us." *else us now that you've proven yourself in the initiation trial." You eye him questioningly. "Are we to fight in the library?" "If you question my every order then we will fight wherever we go." Big Chu says with an uncaring shrug. He turns and leaves, motioning for you to follow him. You do of course, but only after grabbing the closest sack on a cabinet when he's no longer looking. [b][Item Gained: 50 Shards][/b] *set shards + 50 *goto Next_training *else [b][Deception Check Failed][/b] *set honor - 3 "Uh...No?" Suddenly, you are airborne. The wall rushes in to meet your face when Big Chu slaps you with his meaty hand. [b][Lost 2 Aura Pressure][/b] *set aurapressure - 2 *set forexp + 1 *page_break Blackout Water splashes against your face, washing away your unconscious state. Some of it goes up your nose. The room is dark and the sensation of drowning takes hold when you realize you're upside down on a reclining table with a towel over your face. Big Chu's large hand is on your shoulder and he seems to be trying to wake you up. "I'm up!" You shout through panicked coughing fits. "I'm awake!" "I know." Says Big Chu while waterboarding you. "Master Mao instructed me to give you the basic *if (firstchapter = 1) lessons. *else lessons if you survived your initiation trial. Consider this the first." As soon as you finish blowing the water from your nostrils another stream pours in. "The armory's supplies are rewards for success, worm. You lack the strength to seize them, so do not touch what you have not earned." After another few minutes of simulated drowning he finally relents. "That should do it. You may stand, student. It is time to train you to the point that you do not embarrass us." Bright light fills the room when he takes the towel off. You rise on shaky feet. It takes more effort than you expected to regain your composure and pretend you weren't embarrassed. "Right...Right. So, what's-" you snort out more water from your nose involuntarily, "what's the first lesson?" Big Chu opens the door of the armory. "We're going to the library." *goto Next_training *label Next_Chu *page_break *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/big-chu.jpg As you open the door back out into the dojo you are blocked by a boulder of a man, an excessively large and fat Human. His stomach bumps into you and he looks down as if noticing you for the first time. "Ah, you must be $!{name}. I am Big Chu. Master Mao has instructed me to train you *if (firstchapter = 1) only *else if you survived your initiation trial, but only to the point that you do not embarrass us." Only to the point that you don't 'embarrass' them? *if (honor < 50) "How very Mao-like." You say with an eyeroll. "Let's get this started." Big Chu shrugs. "Indeed. We will begin in the library, follow me." *goto Next_training *if (honor > 50) It doesn't matter. You'll use this to Advance your Cores and work from there. You bow respectfully, one hand forming a fist and the other overlapping it. "Thank you, Sensei Chu. I would be grateful for any instruction." *set churep +3 Big Chu nods and turns. "Proper respect was not mentioned in your report. I find it refreshing. Follow me and we will begin your training in the library." *goto Next_training *label Next_training *page_break Two flights of stairs lead you to the library. Big Chu covers each flight of stairs with a single leap that shakes the building. "Coming?" He calls back. You ascend after him and find yourself in the town's library, the 4th floor of the Magistrate's grand pagoda. Rows of wooden shelves and scroll racks fill the room and line the walls, but Big Chu doesn't bother with any of them. He sits you down at a desk. "I have a question before we begin. You must answer it honestly." You nod. "Why are you weak?" *choice #"Because I'm only getting started." "That is a good mindset to have, but I am not speaking of mindsets. You see, #"Because supporting my family was more important than personal strength." *set ruthless - 2 *set churep + 5 "Honorable, but also a comforting excuse for those who refuse to improve. You're weak because #"The traditions dictate we prioritize the Warrior Caste so we all survive." *set honor + 2 "That is a reaction to the real reason, #"Fuck you, pig, why are [i]you[/i] weak?" *set ruthless + 2 *set churep + 2 Chu laughs. "At least you have a warrior's spirit, even if it's a tiny one. You're weak because *if (survival >= 1) #"Because the natural aura of our region is weak". [Survival Check Passed] [b][Survival Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +4][/b] *set aurapressure + 4 "I was not expecting the correct answer." Big Chu sits down across from you, clearly bothered. "Yes, *if (jadedragonfoundation) #"I'm not." [Jade Dragon Foundation] "I'm not." You reply simply, as a matter of fact. A tingle runs down your spine just between your shoulders as Big Chu scans your spirit. "You're...by the Ancestors, your spirit and body are magnificently aligned. Very well. I...huh..." Big Chu coughs into his hand and shakes his head in silence for a moment. "For the sake of my pride, I ask you still follow my instructions as if you [i]were[/i] weak. Learning the fundamentals of the Martial Arts is always important, even to those blessed by the heavens to such an absurd degree. In truth, and unlike you, this entire region is weak. The leylines do not cross each other in most of Imperial Rasen's outer lands, so we get our chi from what limited sources we have. *if (firstchapter = 1) Your cycling of the mountain's Heavenly Gate during your fight with Jack ruined half of what that corner of our territory emits in a year, and you took it a day before it was at full power. We were scheduled to march there the next morning." "Why wait?" You ask. "Because we needed it to be at peak conditions to not waste even a Shard's worth. We need every edge we can get." Big Chu exhales. "You ruined that. It was a grievous crime in the eyes of many, so I want you to understand how you're viewed amongst the students." *choice #Apologize *set ruthless - 2 "I had no idea." You give a light bow. "My apologies, Warrior Chu." He waves a hand dismissively. "Such trivialities mean nothing. You cannot make it up to the others. Luckily you can make it up to me by succeeding in the martial world. I will be your first true trainer, your success will be my success." He #Move on *set honor + 2 *set churep + 4 You're supposed to be a Martial Artist now so you try your best to impersonate some sort of wiseman. "I cannot undo what has happened, I can only make myself an asset for the future." Big Chu assess you, testing your sincerity, but only nods. It seems that was the correct answer. He #Mock the Sect *set churep - 2 *set ruthless + 1 "Cry me a river." You sneer and raise a palm dismissively. "A bunch of empowered Martial Artists lost a resource race to a ${age} year old ${boygirl}. Boohoo. Do better." Big Chu stares at you with a disgusted expression, but he is disciplined like a true warrior against insults, so instead he- No. Wait. You were wrong. His discipline caves as his giant hand grabs you by the back of your head and slams your face into the reading table, knocking a couple braincells loose. [b][Lost 2 Aura Pressure][/b] *set aurapressure + 2 *set forexp + 1 He covers your mouth with one giant hand and waves to the others in the library as you try to scream obscenities. Your nose might be broken. It takes a while for you to calm down, but you can't break out of his *if (jadedragonfoundation) grip without making a massive scene, *else grip, so calm down you must. It's not like you can fight your way through the entire Thunderfall Sect...yet. When you've calmed he drops four notebooks on the table. "I will train you in the foundations of Martial Arts. Beyond that, avoid the Thunderfall Sect. For your safety." "But I'm a student of the Thunderfall Sect, why would I turn down a lifetime of real training?" Big Chu cringes, "Student...No, $!{name}, you must understand your situation. Heavenly Gates are dangerous to established bases, they interfere with long-range spiritual scanning. They're the best time for our enemy Sects and Clans to attack us. The Inner Kingdoms and our ally sects would not detect an ambush against us until it was too late. Every time we detect an incoming Heavenly Gate we put great effort into procuring a messenger system or alarm system or requisition our allies to send scouts, and in exchange they ask the same of us. We didn't just lose that Heavenly Gate to some upstart, we lost many resources in preparation and, worse, our allies' scouts witnessed us fail." This is the first time anyone told you that you caused an interregional incident. It seems an important detail to leave out. "That can't be right," you protest, "all I did was absorb some chi. That's not even against the rules." "Indeed it's not, that's the point. You were fair competition. [i]Civilian[/i] competition. Jack and his friends were supposed to protect the resource from competition. It was a formal mission given to our students and they failed. The Gate occurred just outside our territory, and we failed to claim it, beaten by an unpowered novice child. And we didn't just lose what you absorbed, your fight triggered the Heavenly Gate early. It finished within two hours and ended before most of us even got to it." Big Chu pulls a turkey leg out of his gi, somehow, and takes a bite. "Personally, I don't think you understand how hated you are right now." *else Every single additional Martial Artist in the Sect is a liability unless they bring in more power than they take. None of the other disciples are pleased with your Advancement giving them another rival." "Isn't there more strength in numbers?" You ask. "For the Sect, yes, but for the individual? Let's say a Heavenly Gate happens, where the environment surges with natural energy and we can harness it to increase our power. What do you think happens when we bring an additional Martial Artist to the surge?" *if ((lore = 0) and (background != "Merchant")) [b][Lore Check Failed][/b] *line_break "We each get...more?" You guess. "What? By the Heavens, no. No. Who taught you such terrible math skills? Or just basic thinking." "Nobody did." You answer with a downcast frown. "Ancestors save me...Very well, we each get [i]less[/i], which makes everyone [i]less[/i] happy. *else [b][Lore 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +2][/b] *set aurapressure + 2 *line_break "Everyone would get less, right?" You assume. It makes enough sense. "Correct. There's a finite amount of free chi released during a Heavenly Gate. So while Khan and the higher authorities dictate we accept every local Warrior into the Sect, that does not mean you are wanted." Big Chu takes a turkey leg out of his gi, somehow, and takes a bite. "In fact," he says while chewing with an open mouth, "you'll have a harder time than anyone. Jack is likely martialing his friends against you. Even if he isn't, our Master Mao is displeased with your squabble. That bodes poorly for your health." "So then...What do I do?" "You study, you train, and you grow strong enough that you're not worth killing. We will begin with Mortal Core Advancement which brings out the power inherent in the body already. Essentially, exercise. Here." Big Chu grabs your head with his greasy hand and aims it down towards the notebooks. "These are Path Manuals, get acquainted with them well. I will be testing you against their lessons in the coming months." You try to ignore the gross feeling of turkey grease on Big Chu's fingers and pick up one of the Path Manuals. It's empty. *page_break "Sensei, it's-" "Empty, to your mortal eyes," says Chu. "Use your spiritual senses instead." *if (insight >= 1) [b][Insight Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +2][/b] *set aurapressure + 2 You push chi from your Cores into your vision, envisioning the flow of life energy swirling around your pupils and willing it so. Glowing letters appear on the pages. *else [b][Insight Check Failed][/b] "My what?" You ask. "Your senses. Your sense of chi. Path Manuals are written in faint traces of chi to keep the unpowered out and-" "How the hell do you [i]see[/i] chi?" Big Chu's mouth hangs open, then he covers his face in one big hand. "This is going to be a long night." *set churep - 2 Four hours of study later, you finally envision your own chi swirling around your pupils and see the trace outlines of words on the manual. Damn, your eyes [i]hurt[/i]. The title reads "Martial Advancement of Heavenly Might". From what you can tell, it's meant to enhance one's Power Core. The other three are for the Fortitude Core, Agility Core, and Soul Core. So much to learn in such a small package. The 15-page notebooks contain footnotes and philosophies but it's the quantity of technical content that stuns you. Breathing methods, chakra alignments, flexibility exercises, feng-shui for your sleeping area, specific strength training, willpower visualizations, balancing of different chi intakes, and all sorts of other requirements per Technique quickly point out just how impossible it would have been to guess the correct way to cultivate the mystical side of Martial Arts without instruction. "Impressed?" Chu says and you realize you've been reading with your mouth agape. "We will meet every other day to ensure your Mortal Cores are forming correctly. I can't have you embedding any mistakes into your routine." You nod and pack the notebooks away. Now that you have real resources you realize just how blind you've always been. This changes [i]everything[/i]. [b][Choosing your Combat Cores will determine how successful certain rolls are in combat.][/b] [b][Power Cores increase damage dealt and improve your choices focused on brute force.][/b] *line_break [b][Fortitude Cores give +0.5 health and improve your choices focused on physical resilience.][/b] *line_break [b][Agility Cores can evade ambushes and improve your choices based on speed.][/b] *line_break [b][Soul Cores give +0.5 chi and improve your choices based on energy or mental resilience.][/b] *page_break Begin your new life. The next year seems to go by in a haze of blood, sweat, and tears. *set age + 1 *set shards + (commerce * 10) Every minute drags on with a grueling exercise pushing your body and soul to its limits, yet every day ends far too soon with so much left to do. You take that frustration with you to your next training session every day like a ${manwoman} possessed. Big Chu's lessons and tests are cruel but productive. In the Spring he signs you up for your first mission where you're forced to... *choice #Plow rocky fields with your bare hands. [Increase Power] With crops season starting the Thunderfall Sect has been commissioned by some local farmers to build a new field. These are mountains. There's no such thing as new fields. There is only rocks. Big Chu accepts the job on your behalf and has you digging through a deforested patch to rip out tree stumps and boulders, using only your hands, and the soil hasn't finished softening from the cold winter. "You're doing good work, keep it up!" Big Chu shouts while laying down half a mile away at the other edge of the "field", eating strawberries. Of course he thinks you're doing good work. Your enabling the creation of more food. "This is impossible!" You shout back at him, "Some of these rocks are longer than my body! Isn't there some secret to moving them?" "Of course there is," Big Chu replies after a sip of some sort of juice, "start with the smaller ones!" Sure, as if that will help. *page_break Big Chu's awful advice helps. The field is so large that you have weeks to work up your muscles on the smaller rocks until you're ready for the tree stumps and medium rocks, then after months more you're able to dig out and roll the biggest boulders. You're no legendary powerhouse hoisting giant house-sized rocks, but you're strong enough to dig out a ramp and shove them. [b][Power Core +1][/b] *set power + 1 When the season ends you've finished excavating the soil, plowing the lines, and building a large simple stone wall around the premises with all your spare rocks. The farmers are pleased. *goto chuchoice1 #Train unpowered Warrior Caste. [Increase Fortitude] All Warrior Caste children are expected to train for an aura on their own without wasting Shards or siphoning Heavenly Gates, two things you definitely did. You get a glimpse of the proper way to do it when you're sent to the dueling ring to fight younger teenagers. You're a proper Martial Artist, so clobbering them is easy. For the first four hours. Per day. Then your stamina runs low and the fresher kids start landing hits with their staves and clubs. After three months of beating up unpowered fourteen year olds, and getting beaten up by an endless horde of wooden instruments, you become one with your bruises. A single, walking bruise. Which is exactly why Big Chu signed you up for it. [b][Fortitude Core +1][/b] *set fortitude + 1 *goto chuchoice1 #Catch birds for a new messenger aviary. [Increase Agility] With winter gone there is no time like the present to collect potential messenger birds from the wilds so their eggs will be laid in captivity. Messenger birds are an important resource in difficult terrain like Thunderfall's surrounding mountains. Collecting them is a noble task that's often done at night when they're asleep. And yet. Big Chu is making you catch them only in the morning, when they're most active. With your hands. Your progress is minimal at first. You don't catch a single one for weeks. But eventually you [i]do[/i] catch one. Then two. Then five. Eventually your eyes catch on to their fast movements, their flight paths, their reaction speeds. You learn to focus your muscles towards the explosive speed needed to capture your prey by the dozens. [b][Agility Core +1][/b] *set agility + 1 *goto chuchoice1 #Fill an entire lake with your chi. [Increase Soul] "I want you to stand in the shoreline and exert your aura as hard as it can go." Big Chu says while sitting on a chair on the large lake's beach. He wears a straw hat to block the sun and sips some alcoholic pear wine from a gourd. Asking 'why?' seems natural, but it's your first training task so you give it a try anyway. You walk into the cold waters of the crystal clear mountain lake and push your aura around yourself until it forms a thick white mist. A second push surges your internal energies harder and your aura burns like white fire, shaking the water away from you in a soft boil. "More." says Big Chu. *if (soul >= 2) It would've broken your concentration but you're quite proud of how strong your Soul Core is. *else He almost breaks your concentration. Extra power goes into your aura until its releasing tremors of white light out from your body, shoving the water away from you by several inches. Big Chu nods in appreciation at your efforts. "That's good." Thank ancestors, you're done. Keeping this up was aching on your soul and causing your whole body to sweat. You drop your aura and take a breath before your next test. "What are you doing?" Big Chu asks, "we need to keep that going until dusk. I meant that [i]pace[/i] was good." You last 27 seconds. *page_break A quick breather and you're back at it. This time for 24 seconds. Another quick breather and a drink of the cold water and you last 29 seconds. By the end of the day your record is 31 seconds. The next day you last 37 seconds. Three days after you last 58 seconds. Days turn to weeks and your seconds turn to minutes. Weeks turn to months and you realize it's not about exponential progress, it's about balancing yourself once you're strong enough. Like increasing the speed of your sustainable jog rather than learning to sprint longer. Finally you're able to keep your aura going for hours. One day Big Chu tells you to stop showing up at the lake because the mission is over. You don't really understand what the mission even was, until he explains that Beasts normally use chi to grow, not to gain auras, so they're trying to "seed" the lake with chi to push for bigger fish in the area. It may have cost your internal chi for an entire season but it built up your capacity to use and control that chi. [b][Soul Core +1][/b] *set soul + 1 *goto chuchoice1 *label chuchoice1 Throughout the season you grow into your new body and your aura pressure begins to swell. [b][Aura Pressure +25][/b] *set aurapressure + 25 The tasks grow a bit easier from then on, no matter the problem. Each season of your training seems to melt by faster, starting with Summer where you get a new mission that has you... *choice #Lifting sunken boats from the deepest lakes. [Increase Power] Boats are heavy, and you can't breathe water. Two problems Big Chu completely ignores when he tells you to get back to it. So you do. Starting with the cargo, then the smaller vessels, you work your way up to dragging the biggest fishing boats through the thick mud of the lake beds with only one breath's worth of air in your lungs. The urgency pushes your Power Core to fuel your strength more and more every time. [b][Power Core +1][/b] *set power + 1 *goto chuchoice2 #Patroling the town gates. [Increase Fortitude] Guards stationed at the town gates are often supplemented with Thunderfall Sect members. For the spring, you've been hired out as one of them and your mission is to patrol for issues along the gate. Usually teenagers sneaking in or out, but if that was allowed then your enemies would send teenagers as spies. Any weakness in policy will be exploited. That's what you tell yourself, anyway, to give purpose and meaning to the fact that you're jogging in village-wide circles nonstop for twelve hours a day, seven days a week, in fifty pounds of steel scale mail for the guard uniform. Your lungs constantly burn and your muscles ache, but after months of routine your stamina builds into something greater. [b][Fortitude Core +1][/b] *set fortitude + 1 When the season ends you're let off duty and some other poor sap has to take the job. Later you learn that two people take the job, and it's supposed to be six-hour shifts. Damn it all. *goto chuchoice2 #Racing through forest fires to rescue travelers. [Increase Agility] What was supposed to be a one-time task becomes a season long issue. Your Agility Core gets a good workout almost every other day with the massive amount of forest fires until some upper disciple of the Thunderfall Sect catches the culprit. Not even a Beast or a spirit, just some arsonist kid. That explains why you never sensed an enemy aura. It's for the best, you decide. Thanks to you no one got hurt, and the threat of innocent deaths pushed your Agility Cores to their limits. [b][Agility Core +1][/b] *set agility + 1 *goto chuchoice2 #Adding chi to potions mixed by powerless alchemists. [Increase Soul] Herbalists collect the herbs, alchemists mix the herbs into potions, and you imbue your chi into the potions to activate their power. A steady process that leads to a successful trove of mystical potions for the armory and the village. Plus a good workout for your control of internal chi. [b][Soul Core +1] *set soul + 1 *line_break [b][Item Gained: 3 Alchemy Reagents][/b] *set alchemyreagents + 3 *if (background = "Herbalist") It's a pleasant process since you get to hang out with Father all day, him being an Herbalist and all. He tells relentless jokes about Big Chu's weight when you get home every night. You have no clue where he gets them all. *set alchemyreagents + 2 [b][Additional 2 Alchemy Reagents Gained][/b] *goto chuchoice2 *label chuchoice2 [b][Aura Pressure +25][/b] *set aurapressure + 25 True to his word Big Chu checks on you multiple times per week, ensuring you're following the proper forms and techniques for your combat training whenever you finish you day's tasks. Autumn comes with a new mission where you're forced to... *choice *if ((power <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Deliver 55 gallon barrels of water throughout the village. [Increase Power] It was a pleasant problem where no danger was involved, but by the Hells, nobody told you that 55 gallons meant over 400 pounds. Your first delivery takes 5 hours. Your tenth takes 2 hours. Your fiftieth takes 20 minutes. [b][Power Core +1][/b] *set power + 1 *goto chuchoice3 *if ((fortitude <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Collect spirit-enhancing honey from empowered bees' nests. [Increase Fortitude] Insects rarely form into Beasts except for spiders and bees. Lucky you, there are nearby bees. Big Chu has you collect their honey every day and return after 30 seconds of digging through their house-sized nest. Then you spend hours drinking curative tonics and meditate to suppress screams while their enhanced venom attacks your body and spirit. Shockingly, your Fortitude Core grows used to it. By the end of Autumn the first few stings stop bothering you at all. [b][Fortitude Core +1][/b] *set fortitude + 1 *line_break [b][Item Gained: Common Poison][/b] *set commonpoison + 1 *goto chuchoice3 *if ((agility <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Catch arrows for specialty archers. [Increase Agility] Many of the guards and even some Thunderfall Sect students are trained to practice in specialty arrowheads tipped with explosives or Soul Treasure components that inflict elemental explosions, but they weigh the arrows down and require retraining to become proficient. The problem is, most of these arrowheads are ruined upon impact with the target. So you're the target. Big Chu trains you in catching arrows by blunting the tips of his and shooting you for weeks until you're ready. You body soaks up more of Mother's medicinal soup like than a dry towel and you learn the most important trick: try to catch it to the side, not in front of your chest. By the time you're sent to catch the enchanted or explosive arrows you catch enough to call the duty a success. [b][Agility Core +1][/b] *set agility + 1 *set an "arrowcatch" *goto chuchoice3 *if ((soul <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Empower ritual seals along the village walls. [Increase Soul] The village's sage designs ritual seals that are placed every ten feet along the walls, but powering them with her own chi would be costly. That's why she has someone else do it. Big Chu decided someone else was you. At first you're able to make good progress down the wall in a single day, until you realize just how long the wall really is. After an entire season of expending your entire chi reserves daily, you have a bigger pool of chi to work with and better mastery over what you have. [b][Item Gained: 3 Ritual Components][/b] *set ritualcomponents + 3 [b][Soul Core +1][/b] *set soul + 1 *goto chuchoice3 *label chuchoice3 [b][Aura Pressure +25][/b] *set aurapressure + 25 *label Next_wintertraining Finally Winter comes, with Big Chu giving you a mission to... *choice *if ((power <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Dig through an old collapsed mine to recover equipment. [Increase Power] Collapsed mines are collapsed for a reason. You spend three entire months just to confirm that the mine is screwed, as every time you move a set of rocks a new set falls in its place. At least you're able to find some useful nuggets of gold while you're at it. Eventually the broken support beams get replaced (by you) and after week over week of progress you finally get 50 feet into the tunnel, just to have it collapse again behind you. Digging your way out before your oxygen runs out pushes your already tired Power Cores to their absolute limits and then even further. [b][Power Core +1][/b] *set power + 1 *line_break [b][Item Gained: 2 Gold][/b] *set gold + 2 *goto chuchoice4 *if ((fortitude <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Meditate under the constant pressure of a freezing waterfall. [Increase Fortitude] You think Big Chu is pulling your leg, no one pays to have someone else meditate, but it turns out there's a risk of an ice spirit forming from this waterfall due to too much chi being softly leaked into the area, like the world's slowest Heavenly Gate. *if (subrace = "Reptile") You lash your dragontail and try to plead with him that this training would work better for anyone else. Anyone that doesn't have your [b]COLD BLOODED[/b] ancestry, but he seems adamant that the increase in danger will only help you more. *set apval 6 *gosub_scene quicks apboost *else ...Well he doesn't have to tell you twice. Days and off-nights are spent battered by freezing water falling on you from one hundred and fifty feet above your head, crashing against your body every second. The feeling is pure soul-shredding agony. But it's free chi. Your stubbornness keeps you on your task, and your task gifts you with a bit of the excess power that the village wanted removed from the area. [b][Fortitude Core +1][/b] *set fortitude + 1 *goto chuchoice4 *if ((agility <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Perform deliveries through Beast territory. [Increase Agility] Big Chu signs you up to deliver to hermits on the other side of a mountain peak, but the peak itself is grounds to a massive Beast eagle that's absorbed enough Storm aura to gain power over lightning. A thunderbird. The winter is leaving it hungry for new prey. *if (background = "Trapper") You actually know this thunderbird from your Trapper days. You've got its routine memorized already so this one is easy for you, you perform it much faster each week and finally have free time to spend with your family. *set brorep + 5 *set sisrep + 5 *else Evading the beast is easy enough at first but the second you sense the tiniest spark of Storm chi you surge your Agility Cores and run like hell. It's almost a weekly occurrence, and you've grown faster from the sprinting exercise. [b][Agility Core +1][/b] *set agility + 1 *goto chuchoice4 *if ((soul <= 4) or ((((power >= 4) and (agility >= 4)) and (fortitude >= 4)) and (soul >= 4))) #Burn through an avalanche with energy attacks. [Increase Soul] When an avalanche claims a mountainous trade-road, Big Chu signs you up as one of the volunteers to clear it out. The forest is thick and the snow piles up to ten feet on the road, there's no room on the sides to shovel it out so your only hope is burning it away. Big Chu trains you in the art of pushing your energy outside of your body, focusing it into hostile scorching chi. You wrap your hands in the blazing power and he points to the snow. "Congratulations, you did it. Now dig." Your hands melt the snow with a touch and the water trickles downhill before refreezing. It's slow going at first but more and more of the snow succumbs to your attack as you keep pushing the power of your soul into your hands, day after day. [b][Soul Core +1][/b] *set soul + 1 *goto chuchoice4 *label chuchoice4 [b][Aura Pressure +35][/b] *set aurapressure + 35 *page_break *gosub_scene quicks timepass *set chapter 2.1 The grueling training combined with Big Chu's weekly corrections does its work to fix the flaws of your Martial Arts basics. More than anything, however, it helps to advance your spirit towards something deep within that you never quite understood. One night you rush to Big Chu's house in the village, feeling something unsettling in spiritual Core. "Sensei!" You shout. "Something's wrong with my aura!" He rips the door open after your incessant knocking, displeased. A tingle runs between your shoulders as he spiritually scans your aura and nods. "You're developing your first Technique. As I have given you no Technique Manuals, it is almost assuredly built into your lineage. A Racial Technique. Now get out of my doorway." "But what does that mean?" You plead, wondering what the growing feeling throughout your body implies. "All creatures possess potential for a natural Technique. Dragons breathe fire, Phoenixes are immortal, and Kitsune steal your money. Your spirit has matured from a minnow to a carp, and so you are manifesting your natural Technique." A young woman's head pokes out from behind his door and he quickly closes it more to block her view of you. "Congratulations student. Now get [b]out![/b]" *if (subrace = "Cat") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 3230740100000000 "Apex Predator" "Passively increases Stealth by +1. Increases Agility Core by +1 when focused." [b][Apex Predator increases your Stealth by +1. In addition, when focused to your Agility Core, it increases your Agility Core by +1.][/b] *elseif (subrace = "Wolf") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 1210720100000000 "Apex Hunter" "Passively increases Perception by +1. Increases Power Core by +1 when focused." [b][Apex Hunter passively increases your Perception by +1. In addition, when focused to your Power Core, it increases your Power by +1.][/b] *elseif (subrace = "Reptile") [b]["Walking Dragon" Technique Acquired][/b] *gosub certaintechs Unlike other racial powers, Reptile Yokai gain the benefit of their ancestor's draconic power directly. Rather than employing some sort of trick, they evolve toward the final form of their lineage's might and become [i]better[/i]. The lineage you call upon is... *choice #Drakes, four-legged fiery Beasts known for hoarding wealth. [+1 Power Core] *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5010000100000000 "Walking Dragon (Drake)" "Passively increases Power Core by +1." #Wyrms, subterranean tunnelers responsible for earthquakes. [+1 Fortitude Core] *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5020000100000000 "Walking Dragon (Wyrm)" "Passively increases Fortitude Core by +1." #Sea Serpents, rulers beneath the waves. [+1 Agility Core] *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5030000100000000 "Walking Dragon (Sea Serpent)" "Passively increases Agility Core by +1." #Celestial Dragons, messengers from the Heavens. [+1 Soul Core] *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5040000100000000 "Walking Dragon (Celestial)" "Passively increases Soul Core by +1." *goto continuechu *elseif (subrace = "Bovine") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 2500050112000000 "Natural Armor" "Passively increases Aura Pressure by +5. Passively increases Health Pool by +1. Increases Survival by +1 when focused." [b][Natural Armor increases your Health Pool by +1 and your Aura Pressure by +5. In addition, when focused to your Fortitude Core, it grants +1 Survival.][/b] *elseif (subrace = "Monkey") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 3800003103000000 "Eternal Warrior" "Passively increases AP by +1 when suffering a Wound and your Wounds no longer subtract from AP gained when defeating an enemy. Increases Chi Pool by +2 when focused." [b][Eternal Warrior increases your Aura Pressure by +1 whenever you suffer a Wound. In addition, Wounds no longer subtract from the AP you gain when defeating an opponent. Lastly, when focused to your Agility Core, it grants +1 to your Chi Pool.][/b] *elseif (race = "Kitsune") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5000470010100000 "Fox Charm" "Passively increases Aura Pressure by +5. Passively reduces the cost of Seals by 1 Component. Passively increases Deception by +1." [b][Fox Charm passively reduces the cost of all your Seals by 1 Ritual Component. It also passively increases your Deception by +1 and Aura Pressure by +5.][/b] *elseif (race = "Oni") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 4500600111000000 "Spiritblood" "Passively increases Aura Pressure by +5. Passively increases Chi Pool by +1. Increases Insight by +1 when focused." [b][Spiritblood increases your Chi Pool by +1 simply by learning the Technique. While focused to your Soul Core it also grants +1 Insight.][/b] *elseif (race = "Human") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 3500036110000000 "Human Spirit" "Passively increases Aura Pressure by +5. Passively spends all available chi to prevent death. Increases Persuasion by +1 when focused." [b][Human Spirit grants 5 Aura Pressure when learned, increases Persuasion by +1 when Focused to the Agility Core, and passively spends all of the user's Chi to ignore wounds when brought to the brink of death.][/b] *elseif (race = "Lunargoth") *gosub_scene quicks learntech 5000000100000000 "Indomitable Will" "Passively blocks certain energy attacks automatically." *set eblocktech "Indomitable Will" [b][Indomitable Will forms a shield of chi around your skin to automatically block certain energy attacks made against you.][/b] *else [b][The Heavens betray you! (Error: Unknown race ${race})][/b] *gosub certaintechs *page_break *label continuechu After a full year of training Big Chu summons you to the sparring ring in town to face a disciple and prove your worth. There's a crowd huddling around the sparring ring when you arrive but you muscle through and enter, where Big Chu is waiting in the center to mediate. He sees you and flares his nostrils. "My diligent student arrives!" He speaks merrily as if giving a toast, "${fullname}, you have completed my training. Rejoice!" He raises his hands to the heavens and the crowd applauds, but he quickly lowers his arms and they stop. "And prepare yourself. Your final lesson is one that can only be learned in real Martial Arts combat. All will see how well you can surge your Cores when pushed beyond your limits-" That sounds good. "-and to do that you will face none other than me, Big Chu!" That sounds bad. The crowd erupts in cheer. By the ancestors, did someone from the crowd just toss him an axe? Who the Hells would toss him an axe?! *if (perception >= 1) [b][Perception Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure + ${perception}][/b] *set aurapressure + perception *if (honor >= 50) and (ruthless >= 51) You make a mental note to pummel your siblings later, *elseif (honor < 50) and (ruthless >= 51) "TWINS, YOU'RE DEAD!" You shout at your siblings, *else Of course it's them, you think to yourself, seeing the twins both cheering for Big Chu after they lobbed his giant axe into the ring. *else [b][Perception Check Failed][/b] Chu hefts the giant weapon over his shoulder and motions for silence. The crowd dulls to a murmur. "I'm not much of a speaker, $!{name}. I eat and I fight. Your training took up much of my time that could have been spent on both, how will you prove it was not wasted?" *choice #"With victory, sensei!" *set honor + 1 #"By bringing glory to the Thunderfall Sect!" *set honor + 2 *set ruthless - 1 #"By beating the weight off you, old man." *set honor - 2 #"By destroying my sensei in front of this entire crowd!" *set ruthless + 2 *label bigchufight *if (sonarmode) [b][Thunderfaller vs Big Chu][/b] *else *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ap-thunderfaller-vs-big-chu.png *gosub_scene quicks statcheck The crowd cheers at your bravado and Big Chu nods with a savage smile. "Good, good!" He lifts his giant axe into the air with one hand. "Let us see if your fists can defend the power of your words!" He throws the axe at you. *temp axethrow false *choice #Catch it. Catching the axe is one problem, but stopping the immense power behind it is another matter entirely. Big Chu's casual toss is as powerful as a student's mightiest throw. You'll have to be at peak mortal strength just to stop the attack. *set combatstat "power" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) And you *if (power < 3) are, by pushing your Power Core to the limit. *else are, even without pushing your Power Core to the limit. All momentum of the battleaxe stops immediately when you grab its handle out of the air. A blast of wind blows your *if (hairlength = "Bald") clothes against your body *else hair back from the force of the impact. Your hand tingles, *goto chupowercheck *else But you're not. The attack slices through the thin flesh between your fingers and pushes on with great force, cutting through the top of your shoulder too and sticking into a wooden bench in the stands behind you. The crowd erupts in cheer. The pain in your shoulder is maddening, but the pain in your hand is enraging. You march to the edge of the sparring ring and grab the axe. Pain may be wrecking your brain, *goto chupowercheck #Ignore the axe and charge Big Chu. With nerves of steel you charge directly at the axe flying towards you. Big Chu is expecting a counterattack from any angle that you could have after dodging. A radius around the arch of the axe. You doubt he's expecting you to not dodge at all. *set combatstat "fortitude" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) The axe bounces off your body that's been hardened into the strength of steel *if (fortitude < 3) by pushing your Fortitude Cores to the limit. *else without even surging a Fortitude Core. Big Chu's eyes register surprise when you keep charging through and throw a punch at his face. He dodges to the side but you've got him on the ropes. *goto chufortitudecheck *else *page_break OH ANCESTORS, WHAT A TERRIBLE IDEA! That's the thought going through your mind as Big Chu's axe cleaves into your shoulder. [b][1 Wounds Suffered][/b] *set wounds + 1 Pain nearly overtakes your body and you drop to the ground, bleeding. The crowd hushes to silence. Big Chu walks over to you. "Student? Uh...Student, you were supposed to dodge. I-" You kick at his ankle, destabilizing his stance, and flip up to deliver a punch with your one good arm. Paid had [i]nearly[/i] overtaken you, not completely, and Big Chu fell for your feint. *goto chufortitudecheck #Dodge! You dip to the side to avoid the axe. *set combatstat "agility" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *if (agility < 3) And you succeed, by pushing your Agility Core to the limit, *else And you succeed, even without pushing your Agility Core to the limit, ducking under the fast moving projectile that embeds into a wooden bench of the stands behind you. You close the gap between yourself and Big Chu fast and deliver a swift kick to his neck, but he blocks it and pushes you backward. "You have impressive speed, but *goto chuagilitycheck *else And fail, feeling the axe graze over your shoulder and leave a shallow but painful slice through your flesh. [b][1 Wounds Suffered][/b] *set wounds + 1 Big Chu closes the gap between you both but you counter with a swift kick to his neck. A counterattack he blocks easily and pushes you away. "We've seen your 'speed', *goto chuagilitycheck #Blast it out of the sky. Seething white energy forms in your veins, channeling your own internal chi into weaponized power. You pull both hands together and force that energy outward, erupting a chi blast explosion the size of your *if (soul = 1) fist *elseif (soul = 2) head *elseif (soul >= 3) torso when the axe comes within range. *set combatstat "soul" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *set axethrow true *if (soul < 3) You succeed, by pushing your Soul Core to the limit. *else You succeed, even without pushing your Soul Core to the limit. Even the forceful throw of Big Chu couldn't stop your full powered energy blast. The axe flies upward and the blinding light of your assault causes Big Chu to hold a hand over his face, giving you a shot at a counterattack. *page_break Or so you thought. When you get within range, Big Chu pulls his hand away and slaps you. "Fool, I could detect your spirit approaching!" He stomps at you with one mighty foot, kicking against your torso. *goto chusoulcheck *else But the forceful throw of Big Chu is too much. His axe slices through your blast and cuts into your shoulder, gliding through with a grazing wound and disappearing over the crowd. [b][1 Wounds Suffered][/b] *set wounds + 1 *page_break Some random villagers jeer at you, "You thought that would stop the power of Big Chu?! Such arrogance!" Oh great, he has fans. "A foolish choice, student!" Shouts Big Chu as he advances across the sparring ring. "You should utilize your strengths, not your weaknesses! Like this!" He jumps at you with one mighty foot out and stomps horizontally against your chest. *goto chusoulcheck *label chupowercheck but you can't help but smile. Because now you have an axe. And Big Chu doesn't. *page_break You charge in at your sensei with the bladed weapon. If it was safe enough for him to throw at you, it's safe enough for you to swing at him. "You dropped this, Sensei!" You shout with the axe held in both hands raised over your head. You swing down at Chu and- *page_break Get gut-punched so hard that you get an aerial view of the sparring ring. *set combatstat "fortitude" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) You manage not to throw up as you sail twenty feet into the air, hearing the crowd cheer at the amazing spectacle of an airborne *if (race = "Kitsune") Wolf Yokai, at least that's what you look like to them. No need to announce to a crowd that you're an illegal Kitsune. *else ${race}. Landing isn't as bad as taking off, since your feet and knees take the brunt of the blow instead of your insides. You shakily adopt a battle stance and Big Chu applauds slowly. "Good, Good!" He shouts, "I see you've already caught onto the *else You throw up as you sail twenty feet into the air, raining vomit onto the arena in what is sadly the best attack you've performed yet. Big Chu grimaces at the acidic rain of rice pudding. *set chispent + 1 The ground comes back to meet you and you're thankful it's a dirt arena. After crumbling to the ground you stand shakily and adopt a proper fighting stance again. Big Chu barks victoriously. "Let that be a *goto bigchufight2 *label chufortitudecheck *page_break A swing to the jaw, a kick to the knee, a bite at the flailing fingers, your assault pushes Big Chu back in surprise. But he is no amateur. Your sensei, an upper disciple of the Thunderfall Sect, quickly recovers his resolve and responds in kind. He launches a rush of quick jabs and trip attempts back at you, maneuvering you around the ring to gain leverage. *set combatstat "agility" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) But you're quick enough to stay ahead of the beating. A parry here, a weave there, a jump to dodge a trip, a double-arm block to protect against a headbutt. You're launched backward across the ring with minimal damage inflicted and Big Chu nods in approval. "Good, Good!" He shouts, "I see you've already caught onto the *else And you can't keep up. He toys with you between the trips, shoves, and slaps, but it adds up and you're disoriented before you realize it. Finally Big Chu spins, a miracle with his weight, and kicks you in the chest so hard that even your aura feels it. You fly across the training circle and land in the mud. *set chispent + 1 "Hah!" Mocks Big Chu, "Let that be a *goto bigchufight2 *label chuagilitycheck now witness the speed of Big Chu!" *page_break Your large sensei blurs amber and green, then disappears from view. Dozens of Chu-sized swirls of amber and green shoot around the ring, but you can't discern which streams are just after-effects and which stream of colored aura is trailing just behind the real Big Chu. He's moving almost too fast to see. This must cost a lot of energy, so he can't be giving you too long to figure it out. His attack will come soon and you need to detect him in time before it does. *set combatstat "soul" *set combatskill "insight" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) There! With a bend of the knees and all your might pushed into both hands, you manage to catch Big Chu's fist and let it shove you four feet back, sliding you across the ground while still standing instead of taking the hit directly. "Good, Good!" Big Chu shouts as he jumps back, "I see you've already caught onto the *else But it's too fast. His fist impacts your gut and knocks the wind out of you, lifting you off your feet where he roundhouse kicks you to the side of the ring. The strike hits so hard that even your aura feels it. *set chispent + 1 "Let that be a *goto bigchufight2 *label chusoulcheck You try to catch it with both arms- *set combatstat "power" *set combatdiff 3 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) And succeed, shoving his foot away. He swings a fist but you jump back. "Good, Good!" Big Chu shouts, "I see you've already caught onto the *else And fail. His foot crashes into you and knocks you across the ring so hard that your aura flutters. *set chispent + 1 "Let that be a *goto bigchufight2 *label bigchufight2 lesson, student! To think you are the only one dictating what happens in a fight will only lead to defeat behind every corner." Big Chu points an accusing finger at you. "Be certain to not be trapped in your own perceptions! For every action you take, your enemies will have a reaction ready that you cannot predict." He's right of course. In every fight between equals your opponent will set the pace of the battle just as much as you will. But what is he suggesting you do about it? You cannot simply close all your weaknesses...but maybe there are Techniques that can? *page_break *if (sonarmode) [b][Thunderfaller vs Big Chu][/b] *else *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ap-thunderfaller-vs-big-chu.png *gosub_scene quicks statcheck Big Chu's body suddenly blazes with amber power and the crowd goes wild. Yet even through their cheers you can hear his booming voice clearly. "Now that the warm-up is over, we shall push you to your limits! I've readied myself and will no longer hold back, only your best will even affect me. So show me your best!" Oh you'll show him your best alright. With all your focus of will you pull the chi from your Combat Cores and suffuse it into your body and spirit. Then you launch your grand assault. *label chufightretry *choice *selectable_if ((power - powspent) >= 1) #Hit Chu with a full-power flying doublekick. With all the might of your Power Cores focused into your legs you launch at Big Chu and flip to send a devastating kick into his midsection. When you get close enough you see him shake his head in disappointment and reel back a fist. *set combatstat "power" *set combatdiff 4 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *set chusuccess true "Not good enough!" You shout, launching yourself forward with the force of your chi. The unnatural surge in speed catches Big Chu off-guard. Not just because you're moving faster, but because the burst of energy changed your trajectory. Both your empowered legs crash feet-first into Big Chu's face and bowl him over, crashing him against the wooden single-panel fence marking the edge of the dueling ring. He catches himself and turns back around only in time to receive a roundhouse kick to the face after you've landed. The spin finishes him off, knocking the unbalanced mentor to the ground. You try to climb on top of him but feel your legs give out. By reflex you stiffen your knees so you don't collapse, and feel your heart tighten when the arena is filled with the amber glow of Big Chu's growing aura. He stands slowly and your spirit screams a warning of danger, but he holds up a hand for peace. *goto Next_Chu3test *else *set powspent + 1 [b][Power Chi Spent][/b] *goto Next_Chu3test *selectable_if ((fortitude - forspent) >= 1) #Harden your skull with chi and charge in for a headbutt. *set combatstat "fortitude" *set combatdiff 4 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *set chusuccess true Dirt kicks up behind you as you sprint at your sensei. He shakes his head in disappointment at your head-on assault. "You will never break my guard, fool! You should analyze your opponent bett-" His hands shoot to his face to block the dirt you throw at his face, and that's when you leep over him, lifting your legs from behind so you're upside down over your sensei. You grab his face from behind when your arch brings you just over the back of his head. And you [i][b]pull[/i][/b]. The immovable object meets not an unstoppable force, but another immovable object. Both of your chi-hardened skulls collide as you yank his face backwards and put him off-balance, crashing the top arch of your forehead into the soft top of his skull. Neither of your skeletons relent, but your brains sure do. Chu falls backwards and you go with him, crashing into the dirt. You quickly rise to your feet, disoriented. The world is spinning. You look around at the cheering crowd wondering which of them is Big Chu. Are they all Big Chu? Are [i]you[/i] Big Chu? If you are Big Chu, you're supposed to be training ${fullname}. You should make sure he's not concussed. Wait no, no, [i]you[/i] are ${fullname}. And you [i]are[/i] concussed. The real Big Chu rises suddenly with the amber glow of his potent aura. You mind screams of danger, but Chu holds up a hand for peace. *goto Next_Chu3test *else [b][Fortitude Chi Spent][/b] *set forspent + 1 You harden your skull with all the chi you can muster from your Fortitude Cores and rush at him in a frontal assault. *goto Next_Chu3test *selectable_if ((agility - agispent) >= 1) #Execute a combo of precise strikes. *set combatstat "agility" *set combatdiff 4 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *set chusuccess true The chi stored in your Agility Cores drains from your spirit and surges into your physical form, enhancing your movement to truly supernatural levels. Your heart beats at eight times the normal rate. With a rush and a scream, you charge at Big Chu and slam your foot against his knee at an angle, trying to break it, but it only trips the large man. Before the angle of his fall is even decided you've already jabbed him in the neck twice, elbowed his wrist to deflect a counterattack, and kneed the back of his head to force him back up before he has the chance to finish his fall. His face transforms from a calm mentor to a scowling opponent just as you combine both your hands together, leaping into the air and smashing them down onto his face to rocket him into the dirt of the ring. Big Chu hits the ground face-first with an audible boom. You turn to the crowd with panting breaths expecting a roar of applause but stop when you realize there's an intense amber glow coming from behind you. You turn around in time to see Big Chu rising, eyes glowing. Your spirit screams a warning but he only holds a hand up for peace. *goto Next_Chu3test *else [b][Agility Chi Spent][/b] *set agispent + 1 You rush in for a trip but he twists his knee in time. You swing for a jab but he guards his jaw. A kick to the ribs has no effect through his fat, and a double-handed downward swing at his head misses when he weaves to the side. *goto Next_Chu3test *selectable_if ((soul - solspent) >= 1) #Unleash a relentless volley of energy blasts. $!{auracolor} chi flows from your Soul Cores into your arms. They glow hot with the surging force of your *if (soul >= 3) potent spirit and you aim them both up at Big Chu, holding them close together to act as a cannon of energy. "If you want my best attack, Sensei, then have it!" You unleash a stream of scalding white energy blasts, an extension of your spirit formed into hostile energy. The blasts explode when they crash into Big Chu in a constant stream, forming a cloud of smoke and debris. *set combatstat "soul" *set combatdiff 4 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) *set chusuccess true Through your superior senses you can feel Big Chu approaching you through the debris cloud. He probably thinks it will unease you to see your attacks aren't hurting him but you're unphased, you planned for this. A quick duck dodges Chu's punch as you continue your volley of energy blasts, then you leap backwards and shoot the ground under him. Just as expected, Big Chu detects your intent and leaps high over the hole you blasted in front of him. He comes to crash in on you from the sky like a meteor. Just as planned. *page_break All your attacks so far had only been half your power: the blasts sent from your left hand. With your right hand you've been building up a single layered and powerful energy blast. Now that Big Chu is airborne and unable to dodge, you unleash that massive blast held in your hand. Not as a projectile, but as an explosion attached to your fist as you reel back and meet Chu's surprised face. Your blast-containing punch detonates in close range and knocks the two of you to opposite sides of the sparring ring. It takes longer than you wanted to admit to focus after that, and your right arm won't stop buzzing, but Big Chu is one the ground, face-first, and still breathing. By all accounts this is a massive win. You turn to the audience and expect a cheering crowd but instead feel a warning of danger from your spiritual senses. The sparring ring erupts in amber light and Big Chu is suddenly standing in front of you, eyes blazing with amber energy. You try take one step back. *goto Next_Chu3test *else [b][Soul Chi Spent][/b] *set solspent + 1 You keep up your assault until you see Big Chu's hand reach out of the smokecloud. More accurately, you see his hand curled into a fist. *goto Next_Chu3test *label Next_Chu3test *if not (chusuccess) "Not good enough!" Big Chu shouts, knocking you backwards across the sparring ring with his giant fist. It's a superficial blow but you feel the amber chi of his attack rip away your energy. *if (((chipool + (soul / 2)) - chispent) >= 1) [b][Chi Point Lost][/b] *set chispent + 1 *else [b][Chi Pool Depleted][/b] You catch your breathing as he addresses the crowd and urges them to chant with him, "Not good enough! Not good enough!" [i]We'll see about that[/i], you think as you prepare another attack. *goto chufightretry *else Then he grabs your wrist and yanks it into the air, lifting you off your feet. *page_break *if (sonarmode) [b][Victory!][/b] *else *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ap-victory.png *gosub_scene quicks statcheck "People of Thunderfall Village!" Big Chu shouts to the crowd while shaking you like a prized trophy, "A new Warrior is born in the ring! The Thunderfall Sect recognizes ${fullname}!" The villagers explode into cheer, someone even throws a bouquet that hits you in the face. Victory. At last. But something tickles the back of your mind. A growing sensation of fatigue, like the concept of being tired instead of actually being tired. The more you notice it, the more your real fatigue grows. That thought is interrupted when Big Chu leaps over the crowd while still holding your wrist. You find yourself flying over the stands and the cheering crowd. Wind flutters fiercely against your clothes and hair. The sound of gusts crashing against your ears is interrupted only by Big Chu's booming voice. "Congratulations, $!{name}! I knew I trained you well!" He cushions you with his other hand when you both land some sixty feet away, then puts you down. "You have completed every aspect of your training against my expectations and graduated into a proper disciple of the Thunderfall Sect. It's important to remember that one's personal training is never truly over, only delayed, but that's not your concern for today. For today..." He reaches into his gi and withdraws a notebook. "You should focus on rest, relaxation, and good eating!" [b][Item Gained: Big Chu's Cook Book][/b] You stare at the scribbled notebook. It's written in chi like a Path Manual but the contents are nothing but recipes with specific herbal or Beast-meat ingredients. "Sensei, what is this?" "A graduation gift! A little something I've worked on through some, let's say," he pats his enormous stomach, "trial and error. Every Martial Artist must find their own cultivation methods in this world, and I learn better through food. Prepare the meals in there as instructed and you'll not regret it." *choice #"Thanks Sensei, for everything." A personal copy of Big Chu's handwritten recipes. Food's obviously important to him and you can tell this means a lot to the old man. "Thanks Sensei," you say with a warm smile, "for everything." *set churep + 5 "Bah, don't go calling me sensei anymore!" He laughs, "I'm student-free and back to my life as an eligible bachelor! #"Oh great, now I'll get fat too." "Oh great," you say with dripping sarcasm, "now I'll get fat too." *set churep - 3 Big Chu slaps his belly merrily with one hand and claps you on the back with the other. "You should only be so lucky! Young disciples like yourselves need to put more meat on your bones or even the Beasts won't want you! Now head on home, you must be feeling the mental and spiritual strain after surging your Cores for the first time." *if (ruthless >= 55) "The only thing I feel is victory." You reply with pride. As if a true Martial Artist would ever admit fatigue. But yes, you're exhausted. "I see, ever the impassioned one. Good for you, but for *else You most certainly do. "Is that what it is? My mind's been feeling...fuzzy since the fight. And heavy." "As expected, it will get easier with time. For now I order you to go home and rest before the rush wears *if (jadedragonfoundation) off." He leans a little closer this time, more embarrassed than anything as he cups a hand around his mouth and whispers. "And thank you, my student, for going easy on me." *else off. Don't worry about the crowd, there's nothing worse than sullying a victory by passing out in front of everyone." He stares off into the distance and shudders. "Trust me." You nod through increasingly heavy eyelids. His words don't quite register, your mind is preoccupied with how comfortable the ground would be if you curled up and laid down right here. *label Next_chutestdone *page_break Go home and rest. *set powspent 0 *set forspent 0 *set agispent 0 *set solspent 0 *set chispent 0 *set wounds 0 You cannot thank the Heavens hard enough when you get home that night and collapse into bed, free from witnesses. *if (jadedragonfoundation) The last year was more effort than you've ever put into anything, though your Jade Dragon Foundation made the last year of training easier than it should have been. You responded in kind by... *choice #Pushing myself to the absolute limit. [Increased Cheat Mode] [b][Aura Pressure +1200][/b] *set aurapressure + 1200 *set allocatedap + 1200 *line_break [b][+3 to all Cores][/b] *set power + 3 *set fortitude + 3 *set agility + 3 *set soul + 3 *line_break [b][+1 to all Skills][/b] *set alchemy + 1 *set athletics + 1 *set craft + 1 *set deception + 1 *set handseals + 1 *set insight + 1 *Set lore + 1 *set perception + 1 *set persuasion + 1 *set stealth + 1 *set survival + 1 *set thievery + 1 *goto Next_drainedandstrained #Finishing each day early and seeing my friends. Each day you finished up early, a secret you hid well from Big Chu, and hung out with some of your friends in town. Few friends could keep up with you so most of your time was spent with Kosuke and your twin siblings. It was great to have constant socializing and everyone seemed more energetic whenever you were playing with them, though you're not quite sure why. [b][Persuasion +1][/b] *set persuasion + 1 *line_break [b][Deception +1][/b] *set deception + 1 *line_break [b][Insight +1][/b] *set insight + 1 *line_break [b][Jin, Rin, and Kosuke's Combat Prowess Increased][/b] *set kosukecombat + 3 *set jincombat + 3 *set rincombat + 3 The only problem is your direly needed 'relaxation' wasn't actually relaxing at all, it's as if playing with them was just as draining as training with Big Chu. Not to mention that you didn't leave nearly enough time for sleep. Which brings you to now, your sweet, sweet victory. *set val 77 *else *label Next_drainedandstrained Both your body and spirit have advanced past the peak of mortal limits, and you've finally been accepted as a full disciple, but all this "prosperity" nearly came at the cost of your sanity. Some weeks you put in 60 hours of aching effort only to walk away with an infected wound and *if (jadedragonfoundation) a meager 20 or 30 Aura Pressure. Big Chu says it was incredible growth but to you it was infuriatingly sluggish. *else 2 or 3 more Aura Pressure. It almost didn't seem worth it. But it's over now. Mental and physical exhaustion melt away at the promise of rest as you lay on your soft tatami mat for sleep. Something you needed far more than you received lately. The only thing keeping your mind in tact was that you were able to spend *if (val = 77) extra *else occasional time over the last year with... *set val 0 *choice #My family. Er, I mean my Clan. It was still strange being the ${patriarch} of a Minor Clan but it didn't mean much to your everyday life, except you pay taxes now. That takes a few hours with Father to understand. He mostly laughs at you. Speaking of Father, he demands you divvy up the family's tasks now that you're ${patriarch}. He is a better ${background} than you as long as you aren't using your powers, so you have him keep his job as usual. Mother's bringing in some Shards with a few laundry jobs as well now that the twins are getting older. *rand val 22 32 [b][Item Gained: ${val} Shards][/b] *set shards + val *set val 0 That was an important point too. The Twins. As a Clan, even a minor one, it's bad form to only have one Martial Artist. An heir is needed. You don't have kids and you almost die on a monthly basis, so one of your siblings needs to be ready. In the end, you decide it's better to train... *choice #Rin, she's more feisty. After entire seasons of instruction and training, Rin forms her white blazing aura mere days after your match against Big Chu. It seems seeing you in action lit a fire under her ass or gave her some new revelation for what she was missing. You're proud of her and rightly tell her so. "Now THAT is an aura!" You shout with a smile. "I did it!" Rin shouts, jumping a little to close to the ceiling with joy, "I did it, I did it, I did it! Now I don't have to pay that hag anymore!" "Yes, now you're a proper Martia-uh? What hag?" Rin lands and fixes her ruffled clothing. "Hag Mable, you know, the old woman in the woods? I've been paying her to infuse my perfumes with chi, now I can finally do it myself." "Rin that...Doesn't do anything." "Well we'll see if that's true because now I can sense chi, duh. Besides if it really doesn't do anything then I'll just go visit her and take my Shards back." She cracks her knuckles, "With [i]force[/i]!" [b][Your mentorship has unlocked Rin's aura.][/b] *set rinaura true *set rincombat + 2 *if (athletics >= 2) *set rincombat + 1 You've created a monster. She runs out of the garden and jumps the wall giggling but you have no time to address that, there's a knock at the front door. With an internal groan you answer it and see a face you've been avoiding for quite some time. *page_break Hello, Jack. *goto Next_jacksummoned #Jin, he can have heirs with the ${clan} name. It takes entire seasons of instruction and training but finally Jin's white blazing aura forms cleaner than yours originally did, mere days after your match against Big Chu. It seems seeing you in action lit a fire under his ass or gave him some new revelation for what he was missing. [b][Your mentorship has unlocked Jin's aura.][/b] *set jinaura true *set jincombat + 2 *if (athletics >= 2) *set jincombat + 1 "Now THAT is an aura!" You say with pride. "Finally, the fletcher's boy will rue the day he crossed me!" Jin grabs a pile of fruit from the kitchen to celebrate and runs off to his room, talking about writing some sort of formal duel declaration. Whatever, you don't have time to address that. There's a knock at the door. You answer and see a face you've been avoiding for quite some time. *page_break Hello, Jack. *goto Next_jacksummoned *selectable_if (lore >= 2) #Both of them. I've read plenty of sensei guides and they're always training multiple students. [Requires Lore 2] Choosing is for suckers. You decide to have it all. By pitting them against each other for sparring practice you help them grow together. By making them each copy different pages of the same Path Manual you write for them, you're able to help them memorize its contents and avoid writing a second copy yourself. Saving all this extra time helps all three of you and after multiple seasons of hard work they both emit a bright white aura like yours, mere days after your match against Big Chu. [b][Your mentorship has unlocked Jin's aura and Rin's aura.][/b] *if (athletics >= 2) *set jincombat + 3 *set rincombat + 3 *else *set jincombat + 2 *set rincombat + 2 *set jinaura true *set rinaura true "I'm proud of you losers." You say after examining the pair. "Shut up, old ${manwoman}!" Rin shouts with an excited smile. "Yeah, we're in charge of the ${clan} Clan now!" Says Jin. "And we're turning this Clan into a makeup crafters!" Rin adds excitedly. "What?" Asks Jin, "No, we're forming a mercenary band!" "A mercenary band that sells makeup!" Rin shouts with a fist raised. Jin accepts and joins her in a unified chant of 'Makeup Mercenaries!' as they run out the back door and jump the garden wall together. Well, that demanding attitude was cuter when they were little. You'd hope they'd grown out of it by now. *set val (age - 2) They're ${val} years old and it's unfortunately time to show them that you [i]won't[/i] be handing over the Clan. And you can show them by introducing their faces to the floor before they get away. You crack your knuckles and- *set val 0 Hear a knock at the door. Damn it all. You leave the twins and answer the door where you see a face you've been avoiding for quite some time. *page_break Hello, Jack. *goto Next_jacksummoned #My friend Kosuke. *label kosuke_rely *if (athletics >= 2) *set kosukecombat + 3 *else *set kosukecombat + 2 *if (firstchapter = 2) Kosuke has been your best friend since childhood. A partner in crime for your earlier antics, a friend who was always there for you when things were down, and a scrappy fighter that helped you train up to your first Advancement. But to the rest of the village, Kosuke is just *choice *selectable_if (((bffromance = 1) and (bffheshe = "she")) or (bffromance = 0)) #The beggar's daughter. *set bffhimher "her" *set bffhisher "her" *set bffhishers "hers" *set bffheshe "she" *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Kosuke.jpg *selectable_if (((bffromance = 1) and (bffheshe = "he")) or (bffromance = 0)) #The beggar's son. *set bffhimher "him" *set bffhisher "his" *set bffhishers "his" *set bffheshe "he" *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Male-Kosuke.jpg Which is why ${bffheshe} has so much free time. In the end ${bffhisher} poverty and Clanless station is a blessing in disguise. Kosuke's free time all these years has meant the two of you could constantly train after your workday with Father ended. On days off you both hunted down hundreds of rumors of spirit-enhancing opportunities, about four of which even turned out to be true. *else *if (bffheshe = "she") *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Kosuke-F.jpg *else *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Kosuke-M.jpg You and Kosuke had spent the last year up to your usual pranking antics. $!{bffheshe} taught you how to whistle like a messenger bird and you particularly enjoyed getting people to come outside to look for new messages every five minutes. A few nights after your match against Big Chu, you and Kosuke both sit on the edge of a river dock. The full moon shines overhead and you're joking over how different "adult" life is at the old and wizened age of ${age}. "Honestly it would be weirder if it wasn't different!" Kosuke says between laughs, "Imagine how it would look if you had an aura back then, the Sect would be sending some glowing ten year old running death-defying errands all the time." $!{bffheshe} uses two index fingers to mimic a puppet of baby-you running around on the dock. "Oh noooo," ${bffheshe} makes baby-you say, wiggling ${bffhisher} fingers over the dock to mimic ${bffhisher} hand running, "the sky is raining! They told me I have to collect it all, only the Sect deserves the rain!" You bat ${bffhimher} away, "Come on, it's not that bad. The Magistrate gets his cut too." "It's not that bad?" ${bffheshe} tilts ${bffhisher} head at you incredulously, "Last week they had you dig a moat with your [i]bare hands[/i]." "Shovels are expensive." You say with a shrug. You keep chuckling but notice Kosuke doesn't. You turn over and see ${bffhimher} gloomily looking down at ${bffhisher} hands. "Yeah," Kosuke sighs, "so is cycling. My physical training is filling the gaps but it's so slow that I still haven't had my first Advancement. Getting Shards isn't as easy when you don't know where your next meal is coming from." Kosuke sighs and for the first time in a long time you're reminded of the hardships ${bffheshe} always hides with ${bffhisher} smile. "Feels like every day I fall farther and farther behind." A moment's hesitation tells you not to say it, but you realize that's just the mental scars of what you keep going through. You bury that feeling deep down and look over to ${bffhimher} with a grin. "Want to see a Path Manual?" *if (bffheshe = "he") "Hells yeah I do, but how am I going to read it? I can't see aura." *else "Pft, more than anything. But even if I had one I couldn't read it. I can't see aura, remember?" You stare dumbfounded at Kosuke, the renowned schemer, and wonder if all ${bffhisher} clever ideas were just dumb luck. "[i]I[/i] can see aura, dummy. Go get me some ink. Some normal ink." Scribing the notes takes the better part of the evening, but when you're done you hand a regular-ink Path Manual to Kosuke. "One cheater's guide, as ordered." You say with a devious grin. *if (bffromance >= 1) "Oh Ancestors, come to *if (bffheshe = "he") papa *else mama." $!{bffheshe} grabs the book out of your hands and *if (bffheshe = "she") squeals. *else laughs maniacally. "This is incredible. I can't believe it. This, I mean, this is real! This changes everything!" You chuckle a bit at that. "You know, that's exactly what I said when I got them." "$!{name} I swear, I could kiss you." *page_break Then ${bffheshe} does. It catches you off-guard. You've never been kissed before. The warm feeling of ${bffhisher} lips against yours floats through your mind so dizzyingly that you don't even notice ${bffhisher} hand longingly reaching out until *if (bffhisher = "her") her soft *else his strong fingers interlock with yours. $!{bffhisher} chest eagerly presses against yours and you hold each other close under the beauty of the pale moonlight. Your heart is beating faster than it ever did during training. Your best friend, the *if (bffheshe = "she") girl *else boy you grew up with, passionately kissing you on a moonlit dock. It's an unreal dream you never knew you had...but ${bffheshe}'s not a *if (bffheshe = "she") girl *else boy anymore. $!{bffheshe}'s a *if (bffheshe = "she") woman, *else man, and you're a ${manwoman}. Growing up together made your feelings for ${bffhimher} appear so slowly, so naturally that you never noticed the change, but in this moment they've grown so strong that you can't deny them. Your other hand runs through ${bffhisher} hair and you lean into the embrace. Neither of you pull away for a long, long time. [b][Your mentorship has unlocked Kosuke's aura.][/b] *page_break *else [b][Your mentorship has unlocked Kosuke's aura.][/b] *page_break *set kosukeaura true The next week you *if (bffromance >= 1) happily wake up and prepare to check on Kosuke's progress with your hand-transcribed Path Manual, but a knock at the door interrupts your plans. You answer in your sleeping robes and see a face you've been avoiding for quite some time. *page_break Hello, Jack. *if (heshe != bffheshe) #My...More than friend, Kosuke. *set bffromance 1 *set metkosuke + 1000000000 *if (firstchapter = 2) *if (heshe = "he") *set bffheshe "she" *else *set bffheshe "he" *goto kosuke_rely #"Rely on?" I rely on my training! *set ruthless + 3 You're god damn right, and you know it. Mother didn't raise no weakling. [b][Aura Pressure +25][/b] *set aurapressure + 25 You're training in your living room alone one night, mere days after your easy defeat of Big Chu, sparring against a wooden training dummy that he lent you from the Thunderfall Sect armory. You swore to break the damn thing permanently but still had no luck, it's pulls chi from your strikes to repair cracks in the hardened wood. "Ahem." says a voice at your open doorway. You turn around to see someone you've been avoiding for quite some time. *page_break Hello, Jack. *goto Next_jacksummoned *goto Next_jacksummoned *label Next_jacksummoned *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Jack.jpg Jack's grown since you last saw him, which isn't fair since he was already large. Now he stands over most of the villagers and holds a physique closer to his father's ridiculous warrior-frame. The two of you haven't spoken since your fight yet now here he stands, in full training gi, expecting something. "Hello, Jack." You say with no particular tone. "Yeah yeah." Is all he gives back. A tingle between your shoulders tells you he's scanning your spirit. *if ((insight >= 1) or (soul >= 3)) *if (insight >= 1) [b][Insight 1 Check Passed][/b] *else [b][Soul 3 Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure + 2][/b] *set aurapressure +2 Offended, you scan him back. It wasn't a hard trick to learn and you've had all year. You extend your sense of self out into the ambient aura all around you and brush those spiritual senses over Jack to feel out his Aura Pressure. Let's see...Eight Mortal Cores, the peak of natural human power, just like what you unlocked under Big Chu's teachings *if (jadedragonfoundation) and...five Immortal Cores. Shit, you haven't gotten another Immortal Core since your Jade Dragon Foundation manifested. You have to figure out the trick before he pulls back ahead of you. *else and...five Immortal Cores?! Shit, you haven't gotten another Immortal Core since your first Advancement. His Aura Pressure must be over 500. Damn it all, even with Big Chu's relentless training you still haven't caught up to whatever special treatment and elixirs Mao must be feeding Jack. Worse, you remember his aura was burning red before while yours is still a basic white. His spirit has already bonded to an Element like an Upper Disciple's. You're still on the fundamentals. *else [b][Insight Check Failed][/b] You try to brush your spiritual senses over him in return but can't get past some sort of veil he put over his spirit. Or you're just bad at sensing aura. Big Chu barely covered spiritual senses and said you had no talent for it. Quality education. Jack finishes and shakes his head. "Big Chu could have done better. It'll have to do. You [i]might[/i] survive a real punch." "Funny." You reply dryly, "Want a rematch?" "In your dreams," Jack looks at you with doubtful amusement, "I stopped ignoring my Fortitude Cores, your cheapshots won't work anymore. And no, I'm here because my old man is calling for all students to attend the dojo tomorrow. He wants these delivered to each of you," he holds up a letter, "and I came by to drop off a personal message too, before my big mission." Red light flashes your world into an eruption of blinding pain and wooden splinters. *page_break Wha- *set combatstat "fortitude" *set combatdiff 4 *if (style = "Aoyusumu") [b][Aoyusumu Potential: Reduced Difficulty][/b] *line_break *set combatdiff - 1 *gosub_scene quicks combatcheck *if (passcheck) [b][Aura Pressure +5][/b] *set aurapressure + 5 The air itself ripples in waves around Jack's fist, which is now twenty feet away from you. Across the house. He's still standing in the doorway, unmoved. It takes a moment to realize that you've been hit. Your stomach tells you he's struck you in the gut with some sort of Technique, and the fact that your body is embedded in your house's wall across the room tells you it worked. Yet you still stand. Jack stares at you for a brief moment, looking braindead, as if he hasn't registered that the two of you are making eye contact. "Ancestor's tits!" He shouts suddenly when the realization hits him, "You're a Fortitude specialist now? Chu be damned, maybe you're worthy of being my punching bag after all." You try to step forward but answering his challenge becomes too much, you're not even sure you can stand right now. You place a hand on your lower abdomen where the blow struck to find it's already bruising. *if (jadedragonfoundation) How is this possible?! You have the Jade Dragon Foundation! Refusing to back down, you do your best to mock the bastard while you get your bearings. *else Your only weapon now is words. *choice *selectable_if (beatjack1 < 3) #"Fat talk for someone who's never beaten me." *set ruthless + 1 His face reddens but he forces his mouth straight and shrugs, "I don't need to prove anything to someone Advancing so slowly. The Trials will prove who's better." #"Attacking someone outside the dueling ring is a crime you moron, you're going to jail!" "Attacking someone outside the dueling ring is a crime you moron," you say, "you're going to jail!" Jack snickers, "Who are you going to tell, the Magistrate? Of this meager village? I'm off to train with our allies in the Mountain Hazard Sect, I don't need to care what that old man has to say. After that I'll be moving to the capital when I win the Trials, so yes, go ahead and cry to him." #"I thought your childish grudge was over, I guess I was wrong." "I thought your childish grudge was over," You say with disappointment, "I guess I was wrong." *set ruthless - 2 "Then you're a fool." #"Mao hit harder." [Persuasion Check] "You call that a Technique?" You ask, "Mao hit harder with a simple push." *if (persuasion >= 2) [b][Persuasion Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +2][/b] *set aurapressure + 2 He scowls and looks away for a moment, probably cursing to himself. "You always have something to say, but it's not going to save you now. Read this." With a look of contempt *else [b][Persuasion Check Failed][/b] *line_break "I [i]know[/i] he did," Jack replies with a scoff, "he's the Master of the entire Sect and my father. I'm proud of his strength. Did you think you could get to me with such stupid words? You're too dumb for to do that." #They're unneeded. I stare him down. *set honor + 1 *set ruthless + 1 You glare at him and he glares back. He waits for you to answer. You dare for him to blink. Both of you stand in silence, waiting for the other to make a move. *if (perception >= 1) [b][Perception 1 Check Passed][/b] *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +3][/b] *set aurapressure + 3 He blinks first. You smile slowly and he knows he's lost. "Bah! Shit." He spits on the ground of your doorway. "Enjoy your childish victory, I'll have the real prize at the Trials." *else [b][Perception Check Failed][/b] *line_break You blink first. Shit. "Hah!" he shouts victoriously. "Once a loser always a loser." *if (heshe = "she") #"If you wanted to touch my midriff so badly all you had to do was ask." [Female Check Passed] *set jackromance + 1 "I-wait, wait...huh?" Jack blinks twice and looks down at his fist that just touched your smooth stomach. "No that-that's not what-shut up okay I was just attacking you!" "Uh huh." "I was! It wasn't anything se-It wasn't anything else!" "Oh of course, my strong village champion." You nod at an angle condescendingly, "Keep going Jack, you're cute when you're flustered." Jack scowls and stomps the ground of your doorway, cracking a cobblestone. "Gah! Fuck you, you *if (subrace = "Cat") overgrown cat! *elseif ((subrace = "Wolf") or (race = "Kitsune")) mangy wolf! *elseif (subrace = "Bovine") stupid cow! *elseif (subrace = "Monkey") dirty monkey! *elseif (race = "Oni") succubus! *elseif (race = "Lunargoth") pale witch! *else snake! Just take the damn letter! You're lucky I'm leaving for the year or I'd-" "Find another excuse to touch me?" "SHUT UP!" He crumples up an envelope and throws it at the wall beside you. It makes no impact. No matter how strong someone is, crumpled paper is still just crumpled paper. Before it hits he's already disappeared in a blur of flames, surging an Agility Core to escape from you. Well, you think to yourself, that worked. Maybe you should tease Jack more often? You reach down and uncrumple the envelope. *set norobbery true *goto Next_letter Jack tosses the letter from earlier to you like a playing card. It glides across the room and lands at your feet. "See you later, Laborer." Jack says, "I've got a special mission to get even stronger for the next year, so if you're lucky you won't see me until I win the Trials." Jack disappears in a blur of flames after that, but just before he leaves you see a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Worry. Unease. Fear. He may have acted tough, but you can tell he never expected you to stay conscious after that secret Technique of his. *set jackcombat - 1 *set norobbery true You smile through the pain and pick up the envelope. *else The world stops spinning long enough for you to hear your ears ringing. Your eyes open to see the family house's support beams from below. There's a deep crack in the wall leading up to the ceiling. It takes a moment to realize you're on the ground, on your back, and can taste blood. Your little brother Jin stands over you looking uncharacteristically concerned. "Thank the ancestors, I was worried you weren't waking up." says Jin. "What...What happened?" You ask, struggling to put the words together. "Where's everyone else?" "Rin ran off earlier talking about perfume ingredients, Mother and Father are out shopping, and what happened is I almost inherited the Clan. One moment I'm enjoying my morning mango, the next moment there's a hot flash of light throughout the house like it was on fire. I run in here expecting a fire and find that asshole Jack in the doorway, laughing about knocking you across the room. Probably how you got [i]that[/i]." He points to your abdomen where a hole has been blown through the bottom of your shirt. Underneath is a dark black bruise that's starting to gain more hues of blue, purple, and red. The pain increases now that you're aware of the wound, and it keeps getting worse. [b][1 Wounds Suffered][/b] *set wounds + 1 *line_break *set val (11 - (fortitude * 3)) [b][Lost ${val} Aura Pressure][/b] *set aurapressure - val *set val 0 *set forexp + 2 "Bastard suckerpunched me after all," You pant out through pained breaths, "Hells, it's bad...What did he do when I was out?" "Not much. I spit on the fool but it burned up in his aura. He left a letter for you and went home saying you deserved a cheapshot 'back', like he didn't *if (firstchapter = 1) ambush me last year with all his friends there to help. *else pick on us when he had power and neither of us did. I don't think he even remembers my face." Jin ponders for a moment, "Hells he probably [i]doesn't[/i] remember my face. I bet I can kill his cat and get away with it." *choice #"Heavens' sake Jin, have some mercy on the cat. It has to deal with Jack even more than we do." *set ruthless - 2 Jin rolls his eyes and #"No. We settle this with our fists." *set honor + 2 "Maybe [i]you[/i] will. I'm still miles behind." Jin sighs and #"He won't be alive for you to get a chance. No one makes a fool of ${fullname}!" *set ruthless + 2 *set brorep -3 Jin nods, remembering his place, and #"It's okay Jin. Next time he's out of town we'll kill his cat together, as a family." *set metjack + 100000000 *comment you actually did it, you mad bastard *set honor - 2 Jin smiles warmly. "I'd like that." *set brorep +3 He pats your shoulder and leaves the room to find a recipe book for mother's awful medicinal burnt leaf soup, much to your chagrin, leaving you with the letter that Jack delivered. *label Next_letter It has torn paper at its center as if some seal was already removed. It says... *page_break *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ac-linebreak-top.png [i]Young Martial Artists of the Outer Provinces,[/i] [i]Kowtow with tears of joy before the graves of your ancestors and thank them for your birth, for you have been chosen![/i] [i]The Exalted Council, in their infinite and transcendent wisdom, have chosen the Outer West town of Nanhou to host the next Heavenly Ascension Trials! With the war in the north victoriously concluded by Imperial Rasen's great warriors, it is up to a new generation to replenish the ranks of the Archons.[/i] [i]Those under 25 from among the Warrior Caste who have talent, drive, and exceed mortal expectations, this is your chance to prove yourselves worthy. Succeed and the gold inside this package is the least of your treasures, for you shall be accepted into the Archonate and trained in [b]true[/b] Martial Arts with abilities above and beyond the wildest imagination of your impoverished lands.[/i] [i]Fail and become a stepping stone for your betters. May their success push you to be greater than the failure you are now.[/i] [i]Signed and Sealed,[/i] *line_break [i]Kotetsurugi Akiko[/i] *line_break [i]Imperial Scribe - Central Division[/i] *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/ac-linebreak-bottom.png *if (lore = 0) [b][Lore Check Failed][/b] *line_break What the Hells? You live in an Empire? Why has no one ever brought that up? *if not (norobbery) And you *else [b][Lore Check Passed][/b] *line_break The Heavenly Ascension Trials?! They haven't been held since before you were born! Rumors say the capital funds them to replenish their police force, the Archons, using a series of dangerous tests designed to siphon the prodigies from lesser territories. Mere rumor of such a mythical opportunity is what pushed you to work so much harder all this time. *set val (lore * 2) [b][Aura Pressure +${val}][/b] *set aurapressure + val *set val 0 *if not (norobbery) But you do *if (norobbery) To your surprise the mention of gold was correct, several pristinely minted gold coins fall out of the envelope. [b][Item Gained: 5 Gold][/b] *set gold + 5 *else notice a distinct lack of mentioned gold inside the envelope. Someone took it. Fucking Jack. *page_break [b][Big Chu's Cooking Bonus: Aura Pressure +3][/b] *set aurapressure + 3 Power fills the lower barracks the following morning. Every young disciple is busy between fighting strenuous duels, attacking training dummies to master new Techniques, mixing advancement elixirs or poisons, and crafting with every Soul Treasure stored in the armory. You'd never seen all two dozen lower disciples in one place before, and everyone is giving it their all. Including you. The training dummy in front of you bears the scars of your savage assault. Sweat covers your gi as if you're underwater but you do not relent. *set val (athletics * 2) *if (athletics <= 0) *set val 1 [b][Aura Pressure +${val}][/b] *set aurapressure + val This Trial is your way to close the gap, to make up for lost time. All you have to do is reach out and seize it. You will [i]not[/i] lose. Everyone around you freezes as you continue to beat at the training dummy. The room is silent except for the impact of your fists on empowered wood for seconds longer until you catch on that something's happened. You turn to look where they're all facing: the entrance, where Crusher Mao stands. Staring at you. "The Students greet Master Mao!" The other disciples shout in unison. "Disciples, to formation!" Mao demands as he walks in. Every lower Disciple rushes into lines ordered by descending Aura Pressure, so you join in. You don't visit often so you get your place wrong. Four times. It's jarring to get told to move so many times while multiple people scan your spirit. Reluctantly, the students in the back actually push you into a line closer to the front. *if (jadedragonfoundation) The actual front. As in, number one. Oh Ancestors, are you seriously at the front? Why?! Have these people never trained?!?! Their envious, covetous eyes burning into your back and in this moment you can't help but remember that every single person here has access to the poisons in the trophy room. You take four steps to the side and push three disciples in front of you. *else It seems you're in the middle by now. Did they not all have their eight Mortal Cores unlocked? "Pay attention, lower disciples! This is the part where I say 'At ease', but that's not going to happen. [i]None[/i] of you should be at ease. Every one of you under 25 has received the letters by now. The Heavenly Ascension Trials are a mandatory draft for the strong and a death sentence for the weak. The last time they were held thirty years ago, thousands went in and hundreds came out. It's my job to make sure those of you with a shred of talent don't waste it making stupid mistakes." "The students thank the Master!" All other lower disciples shout in unison. You miss your cue, but you're not sure if you would have said it anyway. Mao continues, "I've called a transfer program with our allies in the Mountain Hazard Sect. Complacent little shits like you will never improve fast enough unless you realize how far behind the competition you really are, so Jack's been sent off to train their students. In return Mountain Hazard's elders sent their star pupil to train you sorry lot. Ladies, gentlemen, meet your new drill master for the next year." *page_break *if (portraitpics) *image https://www.auraclash.com/assets/img/Tian-Fang.jpg A young barefoot Yokai woman in white fur robes enters the room behind Mao and bows. Her snow white hair falls over her face as she leans, and when she reaches the bottom of her bow you notice her fluffy white wolf's *if (subrace = "Wolf") tail, just like yours. *else tail. "I am honored to greet the fellow disciples," the Yokai girl says as she rises from her bow and looks upon you all, "My name is Tian Fang, the youngest upper disciple of the Mountain Hazard Sect. It is my hope that our training together will be mutually beneficial and bring great honor to us all in the Trials ahead." Crusher Mao nods, "Yeah, what she means is we'll be pumping you and her full of medicinal elixirs so she can beat the shit out of you all every hour of the day." Tian Fang shuffles in the doorway nervously. Mao continues, "It's good for her cultivation, and great for yours. Jack's doing the same over at Mountain Hazard's dojo so I expect you to land a real hit on Fang before they land one on Jack." Fang furrows her brow, "This one does not mean to insult, Master Mao, but I do not think that will happen. The disciples of my Sect are far stron-" "Hah!" Barks Crusher Mao, clapping Fang on the back so hard that she burps. "Good spirits, kid, keep that attitude when you hammer these whelps into something worth sending off to the capital." Tian Fang nods swiftly, determined. "Yes, sir! I will hammer them like a nail ripe for the hammering!" "Sure. Whatever." Mao wades through the crowd of disciples and stops in the back doorway to the armory. "You all get acquainted while I collect some crap back here." He closes the door behind him and the whole dojo turns to Tian Fang. *page_break From what you've seen you thought she'd be embarrassed from all the attention, but she doesn't hesitate. "You heard your Master!" She shouts, "Everyone please get into formation, I must examine you all for potential." Each disciple stands stiff as a board as Tian Fang walks from student to student, sniffing them over the shoulder. She nods at a few, mostly the ones in front with the highest Aura Pressure, and shakes her head at a few others. When she gets to you her hair tickles your neck when she sniffs over your shoulder. *if (heshe = "he") You stiffen like a board to not react. "Hmm...There is something off about you. Something wrong, or just different? *else "Hey quit it, that tickles!" You protest. "Oh, my most highest of apologies." Fang says and pulls back. "I had to be sure. There is something off about you. Something wrong, or just different? Yes, that's it! Your body's Foundation is different from the others. Did you take any odd elixirs before your first Advancement?" *if (jadedragonfoundation) Can she detect your Jade Dragon Foundation? Hopefully not, you're suppressing your power as much as you can and had been hoping to keep that a secret until you're older. At this rate Mao shouldn't even be a threat to you in a few years...But for now, he is. Hopefully she doesn't spill the secret too soon. *elseif (background = "Herbalist") [b][Background Check Passed: Herbalist] *label knowaboutfoundations *line_break [b][Aura Pressure +3][/b] *set aurapressure + 3 You actually know about Foundations from *if (background = "Herbalist") Father's job. *else all your time in the library. Martial Artists are always preparing their bodies with specialty elixirs or trainings before their first Advancement to develop a specialization in combat, growth, or ability. You're not quite sure what your Foundation is, maybe you don't have one? *elseif (lore >= 2) [b][Lore 2 Check Passed] *goto knowaboutfoundations *else You've never heard of a Foundation but by context clues she's talking about the quality or substance of your pre-Advancement training. *choice #"I joined the Sect after my first Advancement so I have no idea what the others even did." "Ah." She says, planting a finger on her lips and thinking. She looks to the others. "Is this one actually in the Sect?" "No." Says half the Sect. *line_break "Yes." Mumbles the other half quietly. "Most interesting, we will have to come back to that but I suggest you remember the names and faces of everyone who said no and devise a strategy to subjugate them most quickly." All the naysayers stare at her, mouth open. "What?" She says, shrugging at half the room, "I am giving you each your most vital assessment. $!{hisher} most important weakness is dissenters." A few grumble but their own turns come up when she #"I ate some burnt leaf soup?" "Ew." She says with a wrinkled nose, "The recipe with extra cloves? It is considered a torture method and prison food in Outer South." "Sounds right." She nods, giving you a look of pure sympathy like she just heard of your tragic orphan origin story, and *set fangrep + 2 #"I cycled half a Heavenly Gate." "Oh! That may be the difference in scent, though I do not know about any Gate-based Foundations. You will have to study that on your own." She releases you and #"Nah, that's just my natural scent." *set fangrep + 2 "That is very funny." She says not even sarcastically. "Perhaps your mental focus on quick wit lead to a humor-based Foundation?" "Do those actually exist?" "No! And now it is you who has fallen for one of my own jokes! Haha!" No one laughs. She smiles and #"None of your business, mutt." *set fangrep - 4 "I see." She says, ears lowering. She leaves you quickly and moves on to the rest of the students to give them a concerning sniff and assessment of their abilities, as well as what they may be lacking. When the whole process is complete she stands at the front and claps her hands together. "All done! Many of you have fundamental problems, mostly weak lineages or unstable first Advancements, but you can be fixed with proper training. You," she points to the student at the back, "fetch healing elixirs from your sage. And you!" She points to the student at the front with the highest Aura Pressure, "Guide us all to your village's training fields. We shall begin our training immediately, so start running!" "Yes, Honored Guest!" They shout in unison. Everyone evacuates the room so fast you'd think it was on fire, following the lower disciple *if (jadedragonfoundation) you shoved to the front. Finally, you think to yourself, real training. You have the talent but you don't have the tricks. While your body may be ideal for Spiritual Cultivation, it's the Martial Arts where you're lacking. But no longer. Finally, [i]finally[/i] your real training can begin. *else with the highest Aura Pressure. It should be you. If only you hadn't wasted so much time in your early life. But no more. You're going to get down there and show everyone the power you've earned through hard work. With a sprint you follow the fellow Thunderfall students out of the dojo doors and- "Where do you think you're going?" Mao says. He grips your shoulder from behind just as you get to the stairwell. *choice #"To train for the Trials." "I'm going to train for the Trials, isn't that what we're supposed to do?" *set honor + 3 "Oh don't make me laugh. I'm sworn to accept you into the Sect and treat you like a proper student. Fine. But did you really think I'd put you up with my best students for free?" Mao's #"The...washroom?" "I'm going to...the washroom?" *set ruthless - 2 "Not yet you're not." Mao's #"Where I please." "I go where I please." You stare at his hand on your shoulder. Are you going to have to remove it? *set ruthless + 2 *set maorep + 5 "We'll see about that you little shit." Mao's #Say nothing. You don't answer. *set maorep + 2 "Smart." Mao says. His iron grip pulls you back to position himself between you and the exit. "Every disciple out there has proven themselves for the Sect, while you haven't done jack shit besides initiation. You haven't earned the right to train with the rest." The gears turn slowly in your head as you try to understand what he's saying. ...No training? The entire point of joining the Sect was to get trained! The Heavenly Ascension Trials are coming! You've never heard such bullshit since....since the last time you heard Crusher Mao talk. "That's not fair." You say flatly. "And who are you to say? You are the student, I am the master. If you want to prove that you deserve specialty training then make yourself useful. Kill some Sunbringers, do some guard duty for a few years, or..." Something across the hall catches his attention, "Oho, that's even better." Master Crusher Mao waltzes across the room and rips a piece of paper off the mission board. "Perfect. Can't go leaving our chores ignored while the brats are getting pummeled by some pedigree she-bitch." He crumples the paper and throws it at your forehead. "Here, I am a generous Master. Have your first training tip on me: go kill some troublemakers. Standard stuff." You catch the crumpled paper before it hits you and read the contents in a local clerk's handwriting. *page_break Mission Report: *finish *label certaintechs [b][Certain Techniques must be "Focused" to gain their full benefits. To focus a Technique you must attune it to a specific Core by choosing to "Meditate upon your Techniques" in your Menu's Cultivation Page.][/b] *return