Depthless Hunger

Using his connection to Inafay, Kai began another whirlwind of training. She might not be able to grant him the potions and other benefits of her clan, but she freely shared their knowledge of complex techniques. Both of them had already advanced a Physique Level in just a week and she hinted that she wanted to try even more things.

But she could only spar every other day, so Kai kept up with everything else. He was too young a hunter to get good jobs at the Guild, but he spent some time training with the veterans in monster lore and survival. Back with Clan Granfian, he pored over their library for everything related to Classes. He'd advanced again as a Laborer, and even though it didn't seem to do him much good, he figured that it didn't hurt. According to his improved senses, it did add a small amount to his total strength.

The only relaxation he allowed himself was going to visit Juray and chatting about potions. It wasn't really necessary, but she didn't seem to mind his presence. They were mostly idle visits, but one fine day Kai received a message that his custom potion had been completed.

When he arrived, Juray was busy helping an old man. She barely looked at him while working and he was almost disappointed, but as soon as her customer was gone, she pulled him inside and closed her shop window.

"It's finally done. You'd want another few weeks of refinement for a smoother potion, but you won't lose any strength with this." She opened a locked cabinet and unveiled a large crimson flask with a flourish. "It may not be a Hunters Guild prize, but once this is complete, you won't find a better enhancement potion."

"Once it's complete?" Kai asked. "I thought it was finished." He tried to take the flask, but she pulled it out of his reach.

"I'll explain in a moment. We need to talk about what exactly you intend to use this for."

After studying the matter over the past week, Kai was pretty sure he had his answer. "I need to save it for when I hit G-9. I'm slowing a bit right now, but given that I have at most two of these, I can't afford to waste them. This can help me get over the wall between G and F Physique, right?"

"It definitely can, it just needs a different finishing agent. Please step over here and lend me a bit of your blood." Juray pulled him to her work table and handed him a knife before uncorking the flask. "We need quite a bit of blood, at least ten big drops."

With anyone else he would have been skeptical, but Juray had always been open about her work. If she said the potion needed his blood, it really did. He carefully made a cut on his forearm and squeezed drops into the opening. When they hit the liquid, it churned wildly and he felt the mana throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

Abruptly Juray made a cutting gesture and pulled the potion away. He held the wound closed and watched as she quickly capped the flask again and began to heat it over a flame. She added a blue powder to the candle flame very carefully, but after that seemed to relax.

"This liquid is now specifically aligned with you," she explained. "Someone else in your position might get a little benefit out of it, but I don't recommend giving it away."

"Do the scions of the big clans get potions like this all the time?" Kai accepted a clean cloth from her and carefully dealt with the small wound while he listened.

"They probably don't use blood as a finishing agent, but some do. Most likely the best hunters won't overuse them, even though it's never been exactly proven that using too many weakens you."

"But some people believe that?"

"My theory is that it's just because the talentless wealthy constantly drink these sorts of potions." Juray tapped the flask and seemed pleased by how it swirled, then turned a smirk on him. "So your precious Inafay has probably only had one or two of these."

"Precious?" Kai spluttered for a second before he could pull himself together. "It's not like that at-"

"It's not? But you always look so happy after your little fight dates."

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Seeing that she was just mocking him, Kai rolled his eyes and refused to engage. But the subject had really never come up. Inafay was cute, and seemed to dress to attract a bit of attention, but she had never once brought up the subject or flirted. Given that she was likely to be the strongest Corinin of her year at minimum, she would have almost total freedom with such a decision.

That soured what good humor there had been. Kai had always just assumed that marriage was somewhere in his future and focused on training. But now... even if he managed to succeed, his worthless Class would always be a mark against him. Even if Classes weren't exactly inherited, any family with means would consider it too much of a risk.

"Aww, I didn't mean anything by it." Juray finally plucked the flask from its place and delivered it to him, then folded his hands around it. Her hands were shockingly soft. "Be careful with this. The glass is tough, but it's not invincible, and you can't afford very many of these."

"Umm, speaking of..." Kai pulled away from her hands, which were very warm, and fumbled for his sack of money. "We haven't discussed the payment for all your work. I do have enough, even if-"

"Nonsense. I'll count us even if you tell your hunter friends about me, alright?"

That wasn't a fair deal, but Kai found himself smiling back and agreeing. Whatever else Juray's kindness held, it wasn't pity. He carefully placed the flask in a secure pouch on his belt and instead withdrew his remaining large monster core. It throbbed within the crystal prison, no weaker than before.

"I need to decide about this," Kai said slowly, "but I wanted to ask you another question first. During the Hunter Trials, I received something called a mana seedling. Should I not have used it then? If I'd saved it until now, could it have helped me break through a different barrier?"

"No, I think you made the right choice." Juray pulled back to sit on the edge of her table. "I don't get to work with many of those, but I know the theory. A mana seedling opens your soul to new experiences, so it's best used in times of great stress. There's no hard and fast rule for these things. The potion I just gave you is the exact opposite: you'll want to use it when you're completely calm."

"I thought it might be something like that." Kai stared down at his last core as he rolled it around his hand. "I could use this for another potion just like the first one, right? It would still be helpful?"

"That one turned out well, so having two wouldn't hurt."

"But would that be a good idea? If this is the last high quality core I'm likely to get, I was wondering if I needed to save the potion for when I get through all the G ranks, for when I reach F-9 and run into another barrier. I know it would be less effective then, but..."

To his surprise, Juray snorted. "Do you have any idea how few people in my shop are even thinking about E rankings? If my little potions are the best you can do when you reach such a rarefied position, something has gone horribly wrong."

"So we should use the monster core for something else." He'd suspected as much and was almost glad to get the confirmation. Based on his limited resources, he had a theory about what he needed next. "I think what I need, more than anything, is a potion for emergencies. Something that will keep me from dying if things go wrong. Could you make this into one?"

"Not exactly." Juray plucked the core from his hand and examined it. "If you want something that will knit you back together from the verge of death, I can't help you. Those are expensive potions and you don't have the right ingredients for one anyway. But..."

"But...? Don't tease."

"Just thinking about reagents. I can't make you a miracle potion, but this could be used to create one that could prevent a career-ending injury."

Kai blinked at her uncertainly and Juray waved a hand.

"Maybe you haven't seen it in the big clans, but plenty of hunters end up unable to fight. Your type takes all kinds of crippling injuries, after all. With the right potion, you can come out the other side stronger instead of maimed for life. Now, nothing I make will regenerate an eye or limb or anything, but it might still be worth it to-"

"That sounds perfect. Thanks, Juray."

He lingered for a while longer as she told him which ingredients he would need to buy. It was going to cost almost fifty Goralian Eagles all told, but in the end he'd have a potion that could keep him moving forward instead of backward. In his time he'd seen a lot of veteran hunters end up with horrible injuries and he wasn't arrogant enough to assume he could escape the same fate.

On his way back home, Kai considered his training while cheerfully tapping the flask at his belt. If he was a more popular member of the clan, he might celebrate his successes with feasting and drinking. Being unpopular might be lonely, but at least it gave him plenty more time for training. It was getting late, so if the trainees had stopped early, he might be able to use the practice yard.

But when he got close to home, he heard the sounds of a scuffle. Kai forgot about everything else and rushed toward the outer courtyard where he could see the densest tangle of power. The symbols were too enmeshed to read, but his improved sight caught glimpses of both Classes and something he hadn't seen for a while... the Path of Steel from Irun.

When Kai burst into the courtyard, it was already over. Fhazi Lantrian was there for some reason, flanked by his two enormous goons. Standing opposed to them, Tusquo Agyama stood with a sword drawn and blood along the edge. His Irunian friends were with him, but one of the women knelt on the ground clutching her head.

"Ah," Tusquo said quietly, "just the man we wanted to see."

Fhazi turned to him with eyes blazing. "You! This is all your fault!"

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