Epic Beast Harvest and Epic Beast Nutrition (1).
11: Chapter 0004 (Part 2)
Epic Beast Harvest and Epic Beast Nutrition (1).
10 YEARS AGO, 10450, SUMMER MONTH 1, DAY 31, YEAR 10,450 SAMURAI COUNTRY NAGASUKE.
Skrylla Yokuta woke up and started training early, doing his set of swings and his movements.
He saw the bones and antlers set apart within Epic Beast’s cut skin.
He was happy and kept his things to the side before doing Breathing exercises for another hour.
Following, he finished his Visualization practice to witness them all staring at him before Drisnyl Hashna Tsuoyo-ya carried the core to him and told him to swallow.
It was similar to a marble ball.
Skrylla Yokuta asked what would happen to him, seeing as he was getting heavy vibes from the Epic Beast’s core, and she assured him that if he could survive all the Cauldron baths so far, then this wouldn’t be a problem.
She even assured him by saying she had leaked at least half its energy.
The boy took it hesitantly as he knew that swallowing things this way would often have a reaction deep within him.
Apparently the core was the essence of the Epic Beast made physical.
However, this Beats was not yet Epic, which meant it was basically diluted mass of energy.
And true to his thoughts, he felt his heartbeat become loud, each thump growing in power until it vibrated his body with each pulse.
The enzymes and liquids in his body being pumped until his veins stood out and he was covered in web patterns of his blood vessels throughout his body.
His vision heightened like an over-saturated picture, everything in a 100-meter radius magnifying until he fell back to catch himself, his nostrils gathered each smell until his head felt like it would burst, different tastes filled his tongue, and he could feel things that were not even physically connected to him.
But this not only hurt because of the sensation but because this all happened in 10 seconds.
And when it ended, he vomited as he fell to the floor then took in deep breaths until everything returned to normal.
But the worst part of it all, was the lingering effect that came from distinct areas of his body like the Epic Beast core had specifically targeted some organs of which he only felt the pain now because of the initial ones to his senses that had now faded.
“See,” she slapped his back to mask her previous fear.
“You made it.”
Skrylla Yokuta gulped in air until his mind was sure everything was okay.
“Buddy, I made it.
What would a Samurai do?
Buddy I made it!
What would a…”
He got fascinated in watching the process of harvesting done by Karin, in the morning with a lazy sun that pissed him off at the back of his mind.
The boy was positioned before a tree that was used not only as shade but which they slept around, to keep watch at all times.
From here, with the Mistress’s cultivation, she could see for at least a mile normally and a half extra if she concentrated so they had no problems with surprises.
Their fire had died out sometime during the night, the traditionally fashioned spit over the ashes in the Stonehenge that surrounded it all.
Though he now laughed a lot more than before, he still slept separately from them.
But not too far, and after making sure he said goodnight to his swords.
In the morning, Skrylla Yokuta had it in mind to observe the entire process while his Mistress asked him to pluck different types of Potent Artifacts that helped for holding belongings which could be found in the wild, as well as take a shower.
He had started in the morning and it was now mid-day, on a painfully clear sky.
So, with sweat on his back and a hand full of different types of storage leaves, they found a well shaded tree and camped there for the time being.
Today though, he hadn’t had a shower and when the Mistress found out, her senses being sharper with her cultivation level and being tired of Skrylla Yokuta repeating clothes since he left the village, pulled out a sponge in her back and three buckets that were strangely collapsible.
Lastly, she handed him soap and a towel from Karin’s personal and traditionally made Leopard skin Satchel bag.
“The buckets will need my Ko-jin which bring forth water from their core.
The red bucket is hot water, the cold is cold water and the green is liquid soap.” She pointed in the distance, “Gejiro will escort you and you will bathe under his supervision.”
“I can do it myself,” was what he said before she first replied with her knuckles on his head.
“Shut up.
You like training, so I will fill them up and you will carry one on your head and the others in each hand.”
Gejiro was practicing sword movements when he heard his name, so he focused his hearing on their conversation and obeyed as commanded with a grunt that was more of routine distraction as opposed to anger.
He also helped Skrylla Yokuta carry new clothes.
When they were done, they had come back to watch them waiting for him, of which she made it painfully obvious and when he looked embarrassed with his wet hair that almost silver because of the glistening drops about them, she laughed.
Using a knife from the Tribe Mistress, Karin grabbed the animal by its neck.
She placed it directly above the Pitcher Leaf, cut on its surface from its chin to its anus to let it bleed.
Wringing the animal until it was almost done, she lay it on the floor.
Atop the grass now, Karin delved further into its body but carefully enough not to disturb any of its bones.
“The blood in Epic Beasts can stimulate potential or unlock chains in the blood.
The bones can be used to create weapons or armor,” his eyes lit up and Drisnyl Hashna Tsuoyo-ya, The Mistress, laughed.
“Like you planned to,” the whole crew joined in this time and he rolled his eyes.
“The meat, when cooked only to 50% gives up to 75% of nutrients.”
She cut out the strips of meat, placing them in Umbrella Leaves before attacking the bones at the joints and putting them in similar storage leaves.
“The Organs have different uses, depending on the animal and depending on its specie.” She pointed to them each, “For examples, lizards and newts, have good regenerative factors.
So, if you were to harvest their organs, it should help with your healing.”
“So, different animals have different effects?”
“Yeah, they do.” She said to his inquisitive face.
“Lizards can help with healing injuries and the like.”
“Wow.” He started imagining the number of Epic Beasts and their unique traits when his Mistress handed him a rolled-up parchment.
He opened it and saw a list of Epic Beasts but they were very minuscule forcing him to squint painfully.
“Don’t worry, when you start using Ko-jin, you won’t need to squint at all.” His other team mates were on the floor.
He sighed and then he watched Karen cook the organs until she made a broth from each one, of which he was going to drink off and each time, he felt as if liquid fire was passing through his system so he squirmed on the floor like a snake although he always cut off his screams at maximum 3 seconds after they started.
The Mistress and the others were impressed.
“Why do you do that?”
“I…chant…a…mantra…each…time.”
“A mantra?”
“What does it say?”
He wobbled to his feet then fell back, curling up into fetal position before he answered.
“Buddy…
what… would… a… Samurai… do?”
When he woke up again, there was a fire which was in front of Karen who sat there turning something into it in a fat pot.
He silently woke up and found his box to the side.
Skrylla Yokuta began his sword swings, 465 now, in each direction he carried his aching body through different forms, different movements and evasions.
When he looked as if he had just bathed, he sat down and began meditation while executing his breathing technique.
At 5 o’clock, Skrylla was about to go to sleep when he noticed the older lady’s eyes on him.
All the time, he had chanted, “Buddy, here we are.
What would a Samurai do?”
“I envy you.”
“Why,” he was lost, “You guys have strength, knowledge, intelligence I’m j-”
“A 9-year-old kid who left his family so that he can provide for them.
Risked his health sleeping in the wilds, got beaten and tortured before deciding he won’t take revenge of those who did it because he sees the bigger picture.”
He was quiet.
“You don’t get it.” She looked away to hide a tear.
“You’ll get used to the Epic Beast food and that would be the best time to attempt your breakthrough; when you feel nothing at all.”
“You would help me break my limit?” His eyes were glowing.
If I had power like them, I’ll be able to help mama and sis!
“Buddy, I’ll soon start cultivating!” What would a Samurai do?
If last time felt like his wounds were being opened one inch at a time and then burnt a centimeter at a time, this version was excruciatingly slow flaying and then dismembering.
His high-pitched drawn-out screech of a scream was his first reaction and then the boy felt ashamed.
‘Buddy, I think I’m still here’ and ‘is this what a Samurai would do?’ Skrylla thought, as his vision had gone totally dark.
In 30 minutes, it went from panting, clawing his skin, shivering like a vibrator then smacking his head on the floor.
The next 25 minutes became gasps as he pounded his fists on the floor then sometimes on his head and stomach.
Buddy don’t ever leave me, please.
What would a Samurai do?
Buddy it hurts.
In 20 were now gasps as his body buckled like a thunderbolt passed through it every second.
15 minutes marked puffs, blood spurted from his lips joining the ones from his eyes and his nose and ears.
Buddy, I think it’s calming down.
What would a Samurai do?
What would a Samurai do?
10 were huffs and now at least he had his vision returned, even though it blurred.
What would a Samurai do?
Buddy, what would a Samurai do?
And for the last 5 minutes, he just rolled on the floor back and forth, and back and forth.
When he was done, he stood up, and although like a drunkard or a newborn calf he was wobbly, Skrylla Yokuta always managed to catch himself before falling.
“I’m killing the next Epic Beasts with my bare hands.”
“Whoo,” with tears in her eyes she raised her hands up and the others began a barbaric chant that resonated through the empty lands.
And they lasted for a minute before it died down.
“1st, I am impressed that you are still standing, although I’m not too sure if that is what I’m seeing right now.”
Everyone let out a short laugh, some were wiping tears like her.
“2nd, you need to engage your Breathing Technique again to make sure it properly reaches your spirit.
We Samurai of Nagasuke have our cultivation revolving around our spirits.
And 3rd, I wouldn’t advise you to engage an Epic Beast, much less bare handed.”
“Then I’ll…” he almost tripped over a root but caught himself on the trunk of the tree.
“…harvest it myself.”
“I’m also not willing to waste resources.”
He frowned hard as they laughed.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn when you are strong enough.”
“I can’t wait.” He sat down and began his breathing exercise.
The mind-numbing pain now felt distant.
He had to practice for 6 hours before it calmed down.
The Mistress felt conflicted about what she had to do next but she prepared the cauldron again.
“This time we are adding Tissue Awakening Powder.”
When Skrylla Yokuta unhesitatingly jumped into the cauldron, Hashna Drisnyl Tsuoyo-ya thought she had been overly cautious.
Within though, he had to fiercely activate his Breathing Technique so that he ignored pain which picked each muscle fiber and stimulated them to increase each individual’s potential until he was limp and could not even summon energy to blink afterwards.
She had to carry him out of the cauldron as she expected him to sleep for the next 3 days straight.
Drisnyl Hashna Tsuoyo-ya stood up, “Karin and Jin” They reached their feet at the mention of their names, “Keep watch over him,” They relaxed.
“A frog gets past him and I want a thousand push-ups from you each.” They went back alert, chest out and shoulders up.
Karin now hid in the tree he rested on and Jin took slow circles around him in a radius of 3 feet.