Depthless Hunger

Chapter 80: Claws Against Steel

Kai hadn't known that Irunians could hug, but the evidence was squeezing his ribs. He squeezed back and eventually Tusquo released him. As soon as he did, Tusquo stepped back to a more ordinary distance, which made it easier for Kai to admit the truth.

"It's Kai Clanless now, actually."

"That is no doubt a story for another time." Tusquo turned from him to Zae Zin Nim. "I do not know your companion, but she appears to be a highly competent warrior. Greetings, I am Tusquo Agyama."

"I would prefer to remain nameless," she said.

"Privacy is everyone's right."

Tusquo bowed in the usual Irunian fashion, extending his hand and then lowering his chest to meet it. Zae Zin Nim bowed back, stiffly from the waist. They stared at one another as if trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

Before things could get weirder, Kai stepped in. "So, Tusquo, what have you been doing? It's been a long time since we met." He automatically examined his friend to see how his soul had changed.

Name: Tusquo Agyama of Irun

Total Power: 71

Manablade Class: 12 (22)

Physique Level: G-9 (20)

Soul Level: 3 (9)

Path of Steel: Iron 4 (20)

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A moment later he realized that it might be impolite, but it seemed that Tusquo had already examined him in turn. His old friend had advanced in a slow and steady way: he was stuck at G-9, but his Class and especially Path of Steel had improved.

"I have been traveling," Tusquo said, "though perhaps not as much as you. After the metal pool was established, I returned to Irun for training. There are... certain matters of internal politics that would take much time to explain. But after that, I was assigned to deal with Goralian matters. That has brought me south, and eventually here."

"You skipped a lot, but alright." Kai glanced at his friend's new belt and sword sheath, all of it flowing steel. "Clearly you've been training, but I want to know what it means to be assigned to Goralia."

"Our leaders determined the experiment with Classes to be a modest success. They want an even larger group of Irunians to take part in the upcoming Hunter Trials, and this year they will attend more than those at Monskon City. That was actually at my suggestion, given the... competitive nature of the Trials."

"Probably a good strategy."

Before they could talk any further, the rest of the Irunians encircled them. Several of their officials wanted to speak to Kai, doubly so after Tusquo vouched for him. Disregarding all games, Kai simply told them what he knew about Rayakan in plain terms. He mentioned Razz and the Lantrian clan but didn't try to embellish anything or lay out their hopes. Irunian warriors could be stiff, but their diplomats weren't stupid.

While he spoke, he hoped that Zae Zin Nim would be alright. She certainly seemed uncomfortable at first, until she realized that the warriors who wanted to speak with her were those she had defeated. Even the liquid armored leader she had struck appeared interested. Since they were all similarly reserved, he trusted that they would get along fine.

Meanwhile, the questions were beginning to get more intense. Razz hadn't exactly lied about the situation, but he had left out information. Combining it with what Tusquo had said a long time ago about Irun feeling weak compared to its neighbors, he suspected that they were here to negotiate aggressively. Just when he was beginning to feel out of his depth, they had a much worse arrival.

Iroaki of Philaster streaked toward the Irunian army on a new flying diamond. Kai nearly got ready to fight before he realized that she was actually the distraction. The real threat was Dommag Corinin riding with her: the time for violence had passed, so upcoming negotiations would be the real battle.

Accepting that he had done his part, Kai retreated from the negotiating table. Not as many of the Irunians were interested in him as in Zae Zin Nim, so fairly soon he was alone with Tusquo.

"You told me nothing of your tale." Tusquo folded his arms and examined him head to toe. "I noted that you manipulated your Class in some way, yet I feel in my heart that you are much stronger than you appear. Is this some manner of defensive technique?"

"It's more complicated than that, and I don't know if I should get into it." Kai ran his hands through his hair as he tried to figure out how much he should tell. He liked Tusquo, but he couldn't go around blurting out his true nature. "It's been a difficult road for me. Perhaps I should begin by thanking you: your weapon spheres saved my life."

"I noticed your gauntlet. You could have produced more steel than that."

"Actually, I'm afraid this is all that's left."

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Kai explained what had happened to the others, leaving out many of the details. He spent more time on his arrival at Rayakan, covering the politics there from a personal angle. Of course he said nothing about the theft from the Corinin estate... when had he gone from being a straightforward hunter to holding so many secrets?

"I have... occasionally felt guilt that I was unable to do anything for you." Tusquo closed his eyes and clasped his hands behind his back. "But you seem to have done well for yourself, for all that you cannot speak of it."

"You're too kind. Your strength will blow past mine if you reach F-rank Physique, not to mention all your potential on the Path of Steel."

"Such modesty does not become you. I was astonished to see that your pace surpassed mine, despite the fact that I have both the Class and the Path of Steel that were denied you. And, though I will not press, I feel certain that you have not showed me your full potential."

That was another way to think about it, but suddenly Kai was tired of comparisons. He just wanted to spend some time with Tusquo again, and since they had never really sat around and talked about their feelings... "Is there a way we can train together? I'd like to test something."

"I think there is no reason we cannot, while we wait for the negotiations. They are likely to require some time." Tusquo unclasped his hands and began forming a liquid metal sphere. "What did you have in mind?"

"Defensive tests, more or less. I think we could easily trade blows there and both learn something. For example, you need to test your steel against different types of force, don't you?"

"That is correct, and I presume you bring the offense in this case."

"Oh, I want you to attack me." When Tusquo stared at him, Kai smiled sheepishly and continued. "I'm curious how well I can stand up to Irunian weapons, but I didn't want to test it in the middle of combat."

"As reckless as always." Tusquo shook his head and then began forming the liquid metal in his hands into a thin sheet. "Very well, we can begin with a simple experiment."

They moved further away to avoid collateral damage, then Tusquo set up his sheet of metal against a tree. Kai considered starting with his fists, but decided there was no point: he swiped his hand across it and was gratified to see the metal tear into pieces, as if invisible claws had ripped directly through.

Tusquo's eyebrows rose slightly, but all he said was, "I presumed that you would be applying blunt force."

"Do opponents always announce how they'll be attacking?"

"It was merely an observation. Give me a moment." He touched the torn pieces and they flowed back into his hand.

This time it took longer, the steel returning to liquid and then slowly forming a thicker curved plate. Kai had the feeling that it wasn't just being reshaped, it was being reforged.

On his second attempt, he was surprised to feel the steel tugging against his hand. Even though he wasn't touching it, his hand struggled to move, as if his spiritual claws were attached to his real arm. He still managed to shear through it, prompting Tusquo to frown and reformulate the steel a different way.

While he waited, Kai stared at his hand and pondered exactly what he was doing. Was there really an invisible force extending from his hand, formed of some energy he couldn't sense? He'd never been able to use it for anything other than quick attacks. Perhaps it would be possible to apply it more gently, to extend his hand to grasp something... but it might be wiser to project the energy from him so that he wouldn't dislocate his arm if he struck something too durable.

That wouldn't prove to be Tusquo's steel. Though it improved throughout their training session, it was never able to stand up to a direct claw attack. Eventually they switched to Tusquo striking and it was Kai's turn to be humbled: his Physique might be able to turn aside an ordinary weapon, but Irunian weapons dealt him severe injuries, at least once Tusquo stopped holding back.

Which he'd done after seeing Kai's body healing unnaturally. Aside from increasing the force behind his strikes, Tusquo hadn't reacted in any way to what he'd clearly observed. That was the good thing about Tusquo. Kai almost wished that he could join them, though Tusquo and Zae Zin Nim might begin a dourness competition and permanently ruin the mood.

"This has been interesting." Tusquo finally gathered all his steel into a sphere and drew it back into his hands. "There are more things under the sun than I had ever imagined."

"What happens next?" Kai asked. "Do you go with the rest of the group to Rayakan?"

"It seems unlikely that we will all go, given the present negotiations. I may be selected, or I might return to our post. Given your present condition, I presume there is no chance you will return to Monskon City for the next Hunter Trials?"

"Not possible. I suppose we might see each other during the incursion afterwards."

"It could be supposed."

Again, there was nothing else that could really be said. The silence acknowledged that their paths would likely take them far apart again, then they began discussing how else they might train. Before they could even begin, Dommag Corinin suddenly imposed himself in their little clearing.

"We welcomed you into our estate," he announced grandiosely, "and then you poisoned the Irunians against us?"

"I think you did that yourself." Kai spat out the words before he could think better of it. Antagonizing Dommag was stupid because there was no way it could benefit him. The merchant was sneering at him, and unfortunately he didn't need to back up his scorn because Iroaki walked quietly behind him.

The Krysali mercenary glared daggers at him, and not solely because she was serving as a bodyguard. Clearly she had fully recovered from the battle, which made sense since she had the Corinin clan's resources behind her. Kai wondered what would happen if they fought one another, right then. Or her partner Barroguk, who was no doubt healed as well. He might have a chance, even against an elite mercenary, but he still didn't have control of his new power. It seemed like he would have to find out who would win, sooner or later.

"There you are!" Razz's voice broke over the group and he marched in with a cheerful grin. "Dommag, we all missed you sorely. Surely you wouldn't want me to represent Rayakan alone, would you?"

"What business do you have here?" Dommag's gaze flickered in between Razz and Kai. "I should have known you'd start meddling."

"I have an entirely legitimate proposition for our dear allies the Irunians." Razz turned to Kai and shoved something at his chest. "But the last thing I need is for you to start messing things up. We don't need any mercenaries picking fights here. Surely you have something better to be doing!"

There was some sort of package pushed into his shirt, so Kai retreated silently. He thought that it was a ploy: Razz wanted to imply that Dommag bringing Iroaki was improper and get all the merchants to negotiate alone. Given the Irunian military presence, that would probably benefit him in some way. Kai had no desire to become engaged in such mercantile machinations.

Once he was a little further away, he unwrapped the thin package Razz had handed him. Before he could finish reading it, Zae Zin Nim appeared beside him. He wasn't sure what they had told her, but she joined him as they walked away from the Irunian army.

"What is it?" she finally asked. Kai handed her the paper and tapped the drawing at the top.

"That thing is called a Gomodo. Dangerous cousin to a dragon, and usually they don't move this far south in Goralia. I have no idea how it got here, but apparently it's been causing all kinds of problems and none of the nearby Hunters Guilds can handle it."

"So...?"

Kai grinned. "So we're going to kill it."

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