Free Web NovelChapter 108: Special Training (2)
Listening to the rhythmic patter of rain on leaves, Kaworu felt a pang of nostalgia. It reminded him of times long past when he and his fellow warriors would navigate rainy nights and damp forests in heated combat.
Four hundred years had passed, and Kaworu was no longer who he used to be. He was neither a beta nor even truly human anymore. But memories of the distant past were still vivid, carved into the depth of his memory.
The world around him seemed to twist and change. The rain, which had been pouring, had now come to a halt, and somewhere behind the thick layer of stormy clouds, a hidden full moon lay dormant. Suddenly, he wasn’t in the midst of a thick jungle. Instead, he found himself in a bustling military camp, wearing a familiar beta combat uniform, a place he once called home.
In that blink of an eye, a light bulb went off in Kaworu’s mind. This wasn’t reality—it was a mirage, a psychic trick woven by Kestrel. The speed at which she picked up these skills was seriously astonishing.
Before he could even strategize an escape or plan his next move, he heard the rustling of leaves overhead. In a flash, Kestrel descended, effectively pinning him to the muddy ground, with the menacing tip of her blade teasing his throat.
Her clothes soaked and leaves clinging to her, Kestrel’s eyes glinted with triumph. With absolute confidence, and her weapon hovering over Kaworu’s vulnerable neck, she proclaimed, "Game over for you."
Cornered and with no way out, Kaworu conceded, lifting his hands in a gesture of defeat. Raindrops splattered on his mysterious golden mask. Slowly, he took it off, unveiling a face Kestrel was familiar with. A mop of wet black hair, chiseled features—it was the face of Ren, someone she had just met earlier.
With his shirt missing and only wearing dark gloves, Ren lay there, defenseless, under Kestrel’s hold. His eyes met hers, their color shifting to a fiery shade, portraying both embarrassment and annoyance.
Caught off guard, Kestrel’s hold eased up, giving him just the momentary advantage he needed. In a split second, the figure beneath her vanished into thin air.
Before she knew it, Kaworu was right behind her, wielding the broken shaft of his umbrella, aiming it dangerously close to the back of her head.
Kestrel’s heart raced; she had been outplayed.
From a nearby doorway, Locky peeked, her apron clutched tightly in her teeth, shaking like a leaf. He was murmuring, almost inaudibly, recounting the intense events unfolding before her. The palpable tension and clashing of psychic abilities had scared her witless.
Both Kestrel and Kaworu took a step back, their clothes dripping. The courtyard looked like a war zone, but adrenaline pumped through their veins, replacing exhaustion with an electric excitement.
"That was something," Kestrel commented, grabbing a towel Locky offered to dry off. "The way you wield your psychic abilities is next level."
Kaworu, now back at the entrance with his once golden mask now turned to its ordinary silver, replied, "You have power, no doubt. But your fighting style... It’s not typical of a beta. It mirrors what I’d expect from an alpha, yet there’s something unique about it."
Kestrel’s combat exposure had mainly been to alphas. Whether it was hand-to-hand combat, firearms, or her recently harnessed psychic skills, she had mostly emulated the alphas. Her combat tactics, from converting psychic energy into needle-like projectiles to brutally tearing apart a psychic terrain, were more like physical attacks. But in her duel with Kaworu, she had witnessed a different, more elegant approach to using psychic abilities in battle.
"In the days to come, would you consider teaching me?" Kestrel asked, with a touch of reverence.
She had originally sneaked Kaworu in, honoring a promise she had made to a friend. She hadn’t anticipated gaining such valuable insights from a powerhouse who hailed from a bygone era.
"Of course," Kaworu nodded. "I’ll do whatever I can."
...
Lately, Locky had been feeling pretty on edge. She used to be the morning bird of the place, chirping and humming as she’d go pick up the fresh milk from the entrance. But now, Kestrel and Kaworu were often up even earlier, having their intense practice matches.
The two both seemed totally cool with how scary their psychic incarnations were. One looked like a sea monster with massive tendrils, and the other was like a big tree that could make plants talk or something.
Locky was freaked out. They kept their psychic stuff in the yard, but Locky had to go through that creepy courtyard every day for the milk.
Hugging her handkerchief tight, Locky tried to stick to the sides of the courtyard, inching her way to the entrance.
The whole yard kept switching between looking like an ice world and a fiery volcano because of their training.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Locky got to the entrance, grabbed the milk, and dragged herself back. "The gardener’s gone mad, messing up the yard every day. It’s way worse than before," she thought, annoyed.
Kaworu took a break, wiping away sweat.
At first, he would always beat Kestrel. But now, they were pretty even. Sometimes, he thought Kestrel could totally beat him if she wanted to.
He saw that, deep down, Kestrel was kind, which was cool in life but could be tricky in a fight.
"Have you ever, like, barged into an alpha’s psychic landscape?" Kaworu asked.
"Sure, when I do the grooming for them."
"I’m not talking about grooming, but breaking in."
"A couple of times." fгeewebnovёl.com
"What happened?"
Kestrel thought for a sec. "First time, I messed things up underwater. The second time, that alpha’s psychic world was so all over the place, I had to flood it to clean it up."
Kaworu was surprised. Ages ago, there were stories about betas getting pushed around. But he couldn’t believe how, over time, life got even tougher for betas.
Most modern betas seemed held back, not being their true selves, just doing what they’re told. Kestrel was different, but she used her abilities in a wild, free way, just winging it most times.
"If you get a chance, try barging in again," Kaworu advised. "In a fight, getting into an alpha’s psychic world is also a good move for betas."
"For real? Like... making them not feel pain?"
"Exactly," Kaworu replied, looking surprised. "I didn’t think you’d know about that. But a super talented beta could get into multiple alphas’ minds, making them either super pumped up or making them not feel anything. Basically turning them into unbeatable fighters who don’t feel pain and only want to wreck stuff."
Kaworu went on to say, "Way back in the day, there were some super overpowered betas who could mess with an alpha’s feelings big time. Like, making them super happy or super hurt just by thinking about it. Some nasty betas even used this to bully alphas so much that the alphas ended up totally under the beta’s control. Those super powerful, mean betas weren’t cool at all. People didn’t like them, and they even had rules against them."
Kestrel thought about it for a second. "Messing with someone’s mind is kinda risky, right?"
"Totally," Kaworu agreed. "Just like an alpha needs to work on their fighting moves, betas need to practice their psychic power. Maybe get some alpha friends for some friendly practice."
Kaworu added, "That guy, the one with the orca, could be a good pick. He’s super strong and seems to vibe with you. That guy you saved from Zone 77 is also chill. Since you helped him out once, he might be down to help. Or you could check out some other alphas that come by."
Kestrel imagined messing with Ren’s feelings, making him laugh and cry, and felt kinda weird about it. She shook her head and gave up on that thought.
Things were different now. Maybe old-school advice isn’t always the best for modern times.
Roy showed up just as they were wrapping up.
"Didn’t you hire a gardener? Why’s the yard look even worse?" Roy grumbled, sidestepping a twig. "This doesn’t look like a garden. Looks more like a mess after a huge fight."
Kestrel deadpanned, "A buddy of mine said it has a kind of wild look."
"Whatever," Roy said, plopping on the couch. "Forget the yard. I got some epic news." He grabbed a drink that Locky handed him, trying not to spill the tea from excitement. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"Check it out: the Queen wants to meet you. She’s heard about the things you did with the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone."
"It’s like... seriously a huge deal. You’ve nailed down a face-to-face with the Queen herself," exclaimed Roy with a wide grin. He quickly guided Kestrel, who was filled with anticipation, to the Tower’s massive doors. "How’s it feeling, Kestrel? Got butterflies in your stomach? Excitement overflowing?"
Kestrel didn’t utter a word, taking it all in.
"Not many have seen the Queen out and about lately, and even fewer have gotten this special invite. Pretty shocking she wants to see you," Roy chatted, eyes shining with pure respect for the Queen. There was a hint of envy when he looked at Kestrel. "Girl, if I got to be that close to Her Majesty, I’d probably be so stoked I’d just... I don’t know, black out or something."
"You’ve never been face-to-face with the Queen either?" Kestrel asked, genuinely intrigued.
Roy was the head of SRD. Usually, departments with ’special’ slapped on their name were tight with the Queen. But despite that shiny title, Roy never got to see the Queen up close and personal. SRD? Not exactly the coolest kid in the playground when it came to clout.
"Yeah, you bet. Seeing the Queen isn’t your everyday deal," Roy mused, sounding a tad wistful. He shot a look at Kestrel, continuing, "Even if you’re part of the royal family, it’s not a guarantee you’ll get to see her. Someone like me? Best I got was a far-off glimpse."
The Tower was seriously massive - it spread out as far as a whole small town.
Kestrel had her whole childhood inside the Tower, mostly hanging around the ground floors.
Now, she tagged along with Roy, who whipped out this fancy ID that only top dogs in the Tower had. They hopped into a special elevator. Peering out of the see-through cabin, Kestrel saw how each level of the Tower was a world of its own.
There was the school where she grew up, research labs with scientists rushing around, factories jam-packed with epic military gear, training spots where the royal bodyguards prepped, and even these glasshouses with tons of plants.
No sunshine inside the Tower. But, they had these rad fake sunlamps lighting up every corner. Plus, the Tower was kitted out with its own air and water systems.
As they kept moving up, the Tower looked like its own mini world, jamming in everything humans could need. The more they climbed, the fancier things looked.
By the time they hit the top floors, the center of the Empire, everything was dripping in luxury. There were plush offices, royal living quarters, with beautiful gardens, sparkling ponds, awe-inspiring art, statues honoring the Queen, and grand symbols of the Empire’s power.
After what felt like forever, the elevator halted. Waiting there was Luther, the head of the Royal Guard. He stepped up, and Roy took a backseat. Now, it was walking time.
No more lifts past this point—A sign of respect to the big boss of the Empire. Everyone had to walk.
A sparkling white staircase spiraled upwards in the Tower. The steps, all perfectly shaped and super formal, went on and on, making Kestrel wonder where they’d end.
Lifting the hem of her dress a bit, Kestrel carefully climbed the steps right behind Luther.
"Doing okay?" Luther glanced over his shoulder to check on her.
Kestrel gave a small nod.
During her time in the Tower, she’d been taught grace and elegance. Like most betas, she had once been fragile, with thin arms and legs. But a year of field missions and regular exercises had made her stronger. These stairs? Nothing she couldn’t handle. If this was in the Polluted Zone, she would’ve sprinted up such a distance.
