"Familiar ceiling." Perhaps because he'd bled again, Liu Tian woke that morning to the ceiling he was gradually growing used to and, for some reason, felt a little sentimental. "Another new day, just for me."
He took a fresh spare uniform from the closet and changed into it, then stretched with satisfaction. Picking up the ruby Bai Cinan had given him from his desk, he ate a little bread for breakfast as usual, slung his shoulder bag over himself, and got ready to head to school.
But this time, things seemed just a little different from usual.
"Good morning, Tian!" When Liu Tian opened the door, Alice—who had been waiting outside the iron gate for quite some time—waved at him and called out.
The excitement of the previous night didn't seem to have left a shadow in the girl's heart. As Liu Tian stepped outside, Alice's radiant smile shone no less brightly than the morning sun.
Her appearance today was a little different from usual. Her silky hair was no longer loose; she'd tied it into a simple ponytail. Her exposed forehead was smooth and clear, and the skin showing beyond her uniform was flawless. She wore suede boots, and the air of youthfulness practically radiated from her.
"Alice?" Liu Tian raised an eyebrow, keeping a reasonable distance as he asked, "Have you recovered from your injuries?"
"Thanks to Blue Dream Company's special ointment." Alice casually rolled up her sleeve, revealing a broad expanse of pale skin. The tiny scratches that had been there were all gone, as if she'd never been hurt. "I've been grateful for this ointment for years."
This world was unlike Earth as he'd known it. It had unearthed black technology. Although its overall technological level was roughly equivalent to Earth's late World War I era, it also had all kinds of strange technologies, including a special ointment that could rapidly heal minor wounds.
Because of its monopoly, no one outside knew just how much profit the hugely popular ointment brought in. But judging by the way Blue Dream Company—the ointment's sole manufacturer—expanded recklessly into other industries and used its vast resources to overwhelm competitors, it must have been a considerable sum.
If Blue Dream Company's headquarters weren't in the Dawn Alliance, which prized the freedom of capital, and if the company itself weren't so formidable, it would have been carved up long ago.
In fact, if the world war triggered by the Dawn Alliance's war of independence hadn't broken out ten years ago, Blue Dream Company would have been carved up long ago, despite being stronger than an average kingdom. How else could it have grown into the behemoth it was today, with its reach extending across the world, its influence seemingly boiling over—and even earning it the nickname of the Fourth Empire?
"I see." As he spoke, Liu Tian recalled the price of Blue Dream Company's special ointment and couldn't help shaking his head. A scion of an ancient noble family, all right. They really had a gold mine at home.
Come to think of it, Father said our family should count as an up-and-coming noble family in the Crimson Cloud Empire, too.
It's already the Great War. How have the nobles still not completely collapsed? Is it because martial arts exist?
As thoughts that had little to do with anything went round and round in his head, Liu Tian drifted off without realizing it. He strolled along, thinking about the possible future direction of this world's society.
The three empires were the counterparts of an East that hadn't declined, the British Empire, and a rising America. The countless small nations represented the rest of the world.
Martial arts had once allowed the nobility to dominate for a long time. But after the Great War, advances in firearms technology had made individual martial prowess less and less important. The noble system had fallen behind the times, and now it survived only through sheer momentum.
As the Dawn Alliance grew stronger—with small and medium-sized companies controlling part of the administration of their respective regions, and large corporations merging and joining forces to establish the alliance—similar forms of government were gradually becoming popular.
With the Dawn Alliance's values gradually spreading, and ancient black technology continually being unearthed and influencing the world, it felt as if this world was headed straight for Cyberpunk 2077 or the age of the ultimate corporation in 3077...
Seeing Liu Tian lost in thought, Alice didn't interrupt him. She simply waved away the attendants who'd been about to follow and quietly walked behind him, heading with him to the bus stop.
The two worlds had developed along similar yet different paths. Having once been half a political junkie, with a soul that still yearned to argue politics, Liu Tian was somewhat absorbed in his thoughts. Alice stayed silent the whole time, and by the time he came back to himself, she had followed him all the way to the classroom.
The fact that two people who shouldn't have been connected were going to school together had caused quite a stir behind the scenes. After all, though the Gayn Family wasn't among the very top families, it had a long history, and its current generation was quite outstanding. With Alice's own talent, she had no shortage of suitors.
But Rose Academy was lucky. The original Liu Tian had been so inconspicuous that nobody could figure out where he came from.
For that reason, no one dared casually approach him and interrupt his train of thought. It had likely prevented quite a few bloody incidents.
Snapping out of his imagined social evolution, he realized he'd spent his time on yet another pointless exercise that had done nothing but waste the day. Only then did Liu Tian notice Alice, who had followed him all the way. "Alice, why are you still here? Don't you have class?"
"What were you thinking about, Tian? You looked so deep in thought." Alice stood with her hands behind her back and tilted her head as she asked in return.
"Nothing useful. Just something to distract myself." Liu Tian shrugged indifferently and changed the subject. "By the way, what you promised me?"
"My sister said it would take three days." Alice pouted and rested both hands on Liu Tian's desk. "She said she wanted to thank you for helping me, so she's making proper preparations to make sure you're satisfied."
"Making proper preparations to make sure I'm satisfied, huh? Sounds like something worth looking forward to."
He opened the effort panel in his mind and looked at the glaring 1 Origin Energy, then at the only martial art he had, the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao, with its final "cannot be upgraded" label. He felt a little hopeful.
He didn't need much. At the very least, he wanted enough Origin Points to upgrade one level at any time, so that if he ever suffered a serious injury, he could heal himself in time. Better still would be enough Origin Points to upgrade all the way to level seven and break through to become a fighter.
The Killing Intent and Dominating Thought that rose alongside it were no longer things he could afford to ignore.
The Heavenly Martial Killing Dao he'd gained through effort really did improve him one step at a time. It healed his wounds while also raising his physical fitness, experience, and all sorts of other things too mysterious to explain.
But perhaps because the improvement was so thorough, it also raised his Killing Intent and Dominating Thought to match his skill level. It left him feeling as if he could lose control at any moment.
Perhaps the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao wasn't a technique particularly suited to him.
Even if its special effects were undeniably powerful.
Liu Tian glanced again at the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao's description. Its original level 3 had changed to level 5, and the special effects were now listed as: Heavenly Martial Killing Dao, level 5. Special effects: Robust Physique (level 5), Lightness (level 4), Killing Intent (level 4), Dominating Thought (level 3). Cannot be upgraded.
As Liu Tian thought, the two of them had been together for so long that more and more people were staring at them openly. The curiosity and arrogance in their gazes, along with the ceaseless whispers, all combined to leave him somewhat irritated.
The influence of his Dominating Thought and Killing Intent was growing ever stronger. With all sorts of factors tangled together, an idea surfaced in his mind, and the corner of his mouth curled into a cold smile.
"Hey, you want to look? Then take a good look." Liu Tian strode to the lectern. His blood-red eyes swept over the students below and the windows, making sure that everyone who had been peeking could see his gaze.
Then Liu Tian made a choice he'd never made before. He let the Killing Intent and Dominating Thought in his mind run free, channeling them through his gaze and pouring them into the minds of those before him. Everyone who met his eyes felt as if a giant shark were charging straight at them.
This was a technique naturally mastered upon reaching a certain level in the practice of the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao: the Art of Witnessing.
In an instant, the world fell silent...
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