Gleam Karma Cultivator Isekai

Chapter 45: Lucy

Chapter 45: Lucy

Chances footfalls echoed through the cracked alleys of the Old City. Several jagged tears ran through one of the new shirts hed bought, from where a warped Soothound had managed to catch him.

The Old City had run him ragged this time, sending several dozen of the larger Soothounds him at once. If the square theyd been fighting in had been a little larger, they probably would have just swarmed him. But, due to the tight quarters, the monsters were practically tripping over each other as they tried to get to him.

Even though he was walking away victorious, Chance couldnt shake the dissatisfaction hanging over him.

If I can barely handle a bunch of Soothounds, how am I supposed to do anything against Yamish?

He shook his head, lost in his own thoughts. A passageway opened up before him, leading into Gleam proper, and he started down it. Chance was so distracted that he didnt spot the person standing at the end of the path until he was nearly upon her.

Chance nearly leapt a foot into the air as he finally spotted an older woman leaning against a wall, a large wooden tankard full of frothy beer in her hands. Tangled, gray hair hung low over her shoulders and her clothes were stained.

She cast a lazy glance in Chances direction, and the two locked eyes for a few moments. Chance swallowed. The last thing he needed was for someone to start wondering why he was walking through walls.

Maybe shes too drunk to notice?

The woman raised the tankard to her lips and took a long swing from it. She belched, lowering it and wiping her mouth with the back of a sleeve.

What are ya staring at, kid?

Nothing, sorry, Chance said, rubbing the back of his head with an awkward laugh. I was just walking, I guess. Didnt mean to bother you.

The woman hiccupped, then took another drink from her tankard. Convenient. Mind helping me to the tavern? I got lost.

Sure, if you can tell me where it is. Are you sure you should have any more to drink though? You might get sick, Chance said, taking a step toward her. If she hadnt seen what had happened, there was no reason not to help out.

Chance paused, his eyes catching on the tankard. It was still full. The womans head lolled to the side.

What are you waiting for? Help me out here, its probably just around the corner. I just need a bit of support getting there.

Id love to help, Chance said carefully. Could you just tell me why you need to go to the tavern first?

To get drunk, you blithering idiot. Why else?

Why would you need to go to a tavern to get drunk when your tankard doesnt seem to run out?

The woman stopped moving. A small grin tugged at the corners of her lips and she straightened up, pushing away from the wall with no effort.

Keen eye you got there, kid.

Lets just call it lucky, Chance replied. Is there something you want with me?

The woman let out a bark of laughter. Want with you? Thats one way to put it. I cant be the first to make it, can I? The trip here took so long.

The first? Of what? Chance watched her for the slightest sign of aggression, but the woman seemed content to just stand. Unfortunately, she was also standing directly in his path back to Gleam. He could always retreat back into the Old City if things got hairy.

The woman cocked an eyebrow. Maybe I am. Huh. Thats a first. I try to make it a point not to be timely.

Im afraid youve lost me.

Chance discretely sent Essence into his third eye. He paused. There wasnt a single thread of Karma attached to her. As far as he knew, it was impossible to be completely free of any debt unless she wasnt free at all.

Youre a Karma cultivator.

What did I tell you? Astute, the woman praised, raising her tankard to him in approval before upending it down her gullet. She let out a satisfied sigh, lowering it to reveal that it was still filled to the brim. You figure that out on your own?

If Im telling someone else about Yamish, it definitely isnt a random woman I ran into in an alleyway.

Does it matter much? Chance asked, deflecting the question. Why would you seek me out, though? Just curiosity?

The woman snorted. Havent you noticed, kid? Things are drawn to you. Well, not you in particular all Karma cultivators have a pull. Call it luck or whatever you want, but weve got a pull. When a new cultivator of our path shows up, the peanut gallery pops up to take a look at them.

Chance couldnt see any real aggression in her posture, and he allowed himself to relax slightly as well.

If you dont mind me asking why? Something tells me youve come from farther than just the neighborhood. That cant just be to satisfy your curiosity.

He was graced with a wide smile for his question. If you dont have a teacher, than Ill be happy to pass along a little nugget of my own wisdom. Nothing in this universe is free. For every great boon, there is a great payment. For every victory, you must sacrifice. You get the picture, yeah?

If nothing is free, why are you giving me advice?

Her grin grew wider. Because its a lot easier to pay the prices of the universe when youve got a whole bunch of expert manipulators of it standing at your side. Karma cultivators seek each other out to establish Karma. We command incredible power, but the cost is that we have to tear it from the universes unwilling hands. That tends to lead to pretty big payments, if you get my picture.

So youre here to form an alliance with me?

This time, the woman burst into laughter. Not in a hundred years, kid. Your power is a fart in a hurricane. But maybe after a hundred years you might be useful. Then, when the universe decides its my time to pay up, Ill come knocking on your door.

Thats an interesting way to do things. So all the Karma cultivators help each other out?

Her smile fell. No, not all of them. But hey, youre still around, so evidently your power wasnt a big enough pull to get any of the real nasty bastards around. No need to worry about them now.

Right, Chance said slowly. He glanced around, then sat down on an old wooden crate. It didnt look like this conversation would be ending anytime soon. I think I follow, then. Im not sure Ill be alive long enough to help you, but if I am, and you havent done anything reprehensible, then Ill try to help pay you back. I assume things have to be in balance, though, so am I just supposed to answer one of your questions in return?

If I only showed up to get a question answered, you wouldnt be much help at all when the time came, the woman said with a chuckle. You dont have a teacher, right? Ill step in. For a bit, at least. Teaching is a lot of effort, you know.

I dont doubt that. Does that mean there are a bunch of other Karma cultivators headed toward Gleam as well?

Its possible, but probably not. Especially not if I was the first to find you, she said with a shrug. As I said, Im usually really late at these things. If nobody popped up before me, your arrival on Centurion wasnt powerful enough to draw anyone too significant. Dont let it get you down. Its for the best.

Chance nearly told her about Yamish on the spot, but he held his tongue. The woman seemed nice, but Yamish had too. For that matter, he still wasnt even certain that the Old City wasnt lying to him. He resisted the urge to tug at his hair in annoyance.

Why cant everything just be easy?

Im Chance, by the way. We havent introduced ourselves yet.

Lucy. Pleasure, Chance. Youll have to forgive me, but Im going to forget your name. When you get to my age, you meet too many people to keep track of them all especially when most of em will be dead in a few years anyway.

Thats a bleak way to look at things, but I get the feeling youre a lot older than you look.

Lucy narrowed her eyes. You got a lady friend, kid?

What? No.

I couldnt have guessed. You have such a way with words, Lucy drawled. She took another long swig from her tankard, then let out an impressive, five second long belch. Right, boy. As much as Id like to sit around here and talk, I cant stick around for too long.

Chance blinked. What? I thought you came here specifically just to do that.

I came here to offer you a bit of training, Lucy corrected. Not to become your permanent mentor. A mentor relationship is much more work than teaching you a few tricks. No offense, but I cant afford to take a weak Karma cultivator under my wing indefinitely. Theres too much risk.

I see. So youre just going to teach me something and leave?

Exactly. If it saves your life down the road, Id say thats a pretty big boon, wouldnt you?

Thats clever. Yeah, I see that. I cant object either, I need all the strength I can get.

Very good, Lucy said. I can tell youre already a Rank Two.

You mean a Squire? Yeah. I reached it pretty recently.

Hows your grasp over your Essence?

I think its decent enough, Chance replied. I dont really have anyone to properly compare myself to, but I think my cultivation is going well.

What about techniques and physical combat?

Im lacking there, and more than a bit, Chance admitted. Ive got a technique book, but I havent read it yet. Didnt feel right.

Oh? Youre already reading currents?

What?

Never mind, Lucy said, shaking her head. Listen to your instincts. If you dont think its time yet, then it isnt time. There could be a whole slew of reasons why, but they dont matter. Physical combat, then. I can tell from the way you carry yourself that youve got no real training.

Ive fought a bunch of monsters.

Lucy cocked an eyebrow. She took a swig from her tankard, then flung it at his head. It struck him in the chest, sending him staggering backward as he tried to catch it but the tankard was nowhere to be found. When he glanced up, the woman was holding it once more.

Pathetic, Lucy said, shaking her head. Youve got some instinct, and youve managed to survive against some weak enemies, but thats not the same as real training, boy.

I cant argue with that. But we dont have much time, you said it yourself. Time is one thing we cant exactly account for.

Free lesson number two anything in this universe is possible if you can pay for it, Lucy drawled.

Your first lesson was that nothing comes for free.

Good. Youre learning. Now tell me what are you willing to pay?

Chance dug through his pockets. Uh, Ive got about fifty gold and some pills. Healing, cultivation aid, and a bunch of monsters in orbs.

I dont want your garbage, boy. Are you going to offer me your underwear next?

Chance hid a grin. Is that going to help?

Lucy paused, then burst into laughter. I didnt expect that from you. I took you for a shy prude.

Being polite doesnt make you shy.

Well, no matter how polite you offer them, I dont want your underwear. Maybe we can talk again in two hundred years, if youre still kicking around. But when I ask for payment, theres no amount of coin you could cover this with.

What is it, then? Time? Im not particularly rich there, Im afraid. And neither are you.

Wrong. Ive got time, theres just no good reason for me to waste a lot of it on you. But your time Im more than happy to spend that.

Im not sure I can afford to. There are things happening in the near future that could put me and my friends in a lot of danger, Chance said carefully. I dont think I can afford to disappear or anything like that. Theyd also worry about what happened to me.

Lucy put a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. Statistically, theyll be dead in a hundred years. Youd be better off sacrificing a few years now to get a chance to survive. You can always find new friends.

Chance shook his head. No thank you. Thats not how I want to leave. I dont care what might happen. Im going to do my best to live how I want to. If that ends with me dead, then so be it.

The bold words of a child, but I wont be the one to crush you. How much weight do you put behind that dream of yours?

Its this or nothing. I wont let this world change me. Ill change it.

Lucy snorted. Everyone wants to think that they matter. Sure, kid. You wont make it long with an attitude like that, but if youre confident in your words, Ive got something that might help you out. You wont lose a wink of time either.

Chance paused. Hed fully expected Lucy to leave after that last statement.

And what does it cost?

She smiled. Willpower, mostly. If you screw up, itll be pretty bad. You wont die, but there are fates worse than death. But, if youre going to get anywhere as a cultivator, you cant shy away from risk.

Ive learned that, Chance said, trying to read her face and failing miserably. Despite her apparent age, there was something off in the womans eyes. They were flat and distant, like she was talking to a mildly amusing animal rather than another human. Can you tell me what it is?

A fighting style. Itll treat you well if you can master it, and itll break you if you cant. Pretty simple. This is my last offer, though. You arent worth any more, kid.

Chance chewed his inner cheeks. Sure, the offer was tempting. But Lucy had told him herself nothing came for free. The stronger something was, the more it would cost. This opportunity sounded pretty convenient, and that probably meant it would be anything but.

It wont take any time?

Youll leave this alley right after I leave, whether you pass or fail.

Chances lips pressed together and he gave her a curt nod. Ill do it, then. I need the power.

I thought as much, Lucy said. She reached into a sleeve and pulled out a small, gold stone. She flicked it through the air and it struck Chance in the forehead. There was a brilliant flash, and the world peeled away like petals of a blooming rose.