Soul Shakti

chapter 1

Gandhar Continent, Suryakar Empire,   
Vajra Province.

Suryapur city ,
rakut village

This was a single village of 150 households located south of Suryapur in Vajra province.

Outside of rakut village, there was a vast expanse of farmland where grain and vegetables were grown and sent to Suryapur. 

Suryapur city was located in the heart of Vajramukt province, and while it was not considered a major city, the border with another empire was very close, so merchants from both great empires naturally traded there. 

As a result, Suryapur flourished, and commoners' lives in the villages surrounding the city were better than elsewhere.

The spring rain gently fell on tara Mountain, near rakut village.
It was late at night, and a light breeze accompanied the rain.

Despite the darkness, tara Mountain was illuminated by dozens of tiny lights that formed a bright band from the side to the foot.

These lights shone from tall buildings, and while they could not be compared to  thousand lights, they were still a few hundreds in number.

rakut Village was built on the mountain, adding a rich touch of human civilization to the vast and lonely landscape.

At the same time, a pair of clear eyes quietly looked at the same lights sparkling in the night, full of complex emotions inside.

"So, how do I go about this hmmm...?" Anrak was incredibly rational. He gathered his thoughts and stared out the window at the night rain. With this thought, things began to feel more complicated. His brows furrowed deeper after a brief moment of reflection.

The most important consideration is increased my strength. Right now, I have not even opened my chakra shakti sea, nor have I taken the first step toward becoming a shakti master. I am a mere mortal! I must hurry and cultivate in order to capitalize on opportunities.

Anrak's current problem was his low strength.
He needed to build up his foundation as quickly as possible. If he was slow, it would already be too late.

"To strengthen as quickly as possible, I would need to borrow resources from my family. With my current state, I lack the strength and ability to traverse the dangerous mountains. Even an ordinary wild boar has the potential to kill me. Achieving level 10 shakti and becoming a shakti master would allow me to leave the mountain and protect myself.

In his view, 

tara Mountain was far too small, and rakut Village felt like a cage.

While the cage limited freedom, its sturdy bars provided a certain level of safety.

"Hmm, I will just stay in this cage for a short time." I will be able to leave this poor mountain once I reach level 10 and become a shakti master. Fortunately, tomorrow is the Awakening Ceremony, and I will be able to begin training as a shakti Master soon after."

At this point, the door to his room was gently pushed open, and a young teenager entered.

"Big brother, why are you standing in the rain on the window side?"

The youth was thin and slightly shorter than Anrak. His face closely resembled Anrak's features. As Anrak turned his head to face this young man, a complicated expression appeared on his face.

“It’s you huh, my half brother.” He raised his eyebrows, his expression returning to one of cold indifference. Aldryn lowered his head and focused on his own toes; this is his signature stance.

"I noticed that big brother's window was not closed, so I decided to come in here and close it." It is late, big brother, and you have not gone to bed yet. Tomorrow is the Awakening Ceremony. If Uncle and Aunty knew, they would most likely be concerned.

Aldryn was not surprised by Arnak's coldness. His older brother had been like this since he was a child. Sometimes he wondered if a genius is like this, being so different from ordinary people. Despite the fact that he looked exactly like his older brother, he felt ordinary, like an ant.

They were born from the same father, but why is the universe so unfair? His older brother was endowed with brilliant talent, whereas he was as ordinary as a stone.

When he was mentioned, everyone around him would say, "This is Anrak's little brother." His aunt and uncle would constantly remind him to learn from his older brother. Even when he looked in the mirror, he felt disgusted by his own face!

These thoughts had been running through his mind for years, infiltrating his heart day and night. Aldryn's head lowered as if a giant stone was pressing against his heart over the last few years, and he became quieter.

Worried…” Anrak laughed quietly as he thought about his aunt and uncle. He remembered vividly how both of his parents had died in one of the family missions. When he was just three years old, he and his younger brother became orphans.

In the name of upbringing, his aunt and uncle seized the inheritance left by his parents while harshly treating his younger brother and himself.

Because of the pressure from the outside world, the young Anrak decided to maintain a cold, indifferent expression in order to protect himself and reduce the possibility of revealing any secrets. Over time, the coldness became a habit that he was used to expressing.

Thus, his aunt and uncle were no longer harsh on him or his younger brother. As they grew older, their outlook on the future improved, and they received better care. This was not love, but rather a type of investment.

It is amusing how his younger brother never realized the truth; not only was he duped by their aunt and uncle, but he also began burying resentments inside. Despite the fact that he appeared to be a nice and trustworthy young man.

What was the point of being resentful?

He considered whether he could understand his younger brother, aunt, and uncle from a different perspective.

The rules of the world have always been that the strong eat the weak and the fittest survive. Everyone has self-ambitions and is constantly trying to seize opportunities.

His life experience has long allowed him to understand all of this, with a heart that desires freedom and independence.

If anyone tries to stop him from pursuing his goals, he will kill and survive. The ambitions in his heart were too high; taking this path meant making the world your enemy, and it was destined to be alone, destined to kill.

Revenge is not my intention; my path is uncompromising." With that, he could not help but laugh and give his younger brother a brief glance. "You can leave."

Aldryn's heart shook as he felt his brother's eyes were as sharp as ice blades, penetrating the deepest parts of his heart.

Under such a gaze, he felt naked in the snow, unable to conceal his secrets.

"Then I will see you tomorrow, big brother." Aldryn slowly closed the door and left, no longer daring to say anything else.