On the rocking ship sailing on turbulent waters and within the office of the [Ship Captain], a man dressed in azure robes sat with his eyes closed and legs crossed. Tiny droplets of sweat oozed out of his pores to sit within skin-folds which were the seeds of future wrinkles, making him seem older than his rather young age of 35 years. This was the result of his arduous pursuit of the mage path and a condition that haunted many of its followers. Anubhav Dhyan was much the same.

Additionally, being the sole [Mana Sensor] of the ship exacerbated his stress as it was his job to warn the captain of all potential dangers. After all, he was hired for his Tier 2 Skill [Mana Sense] and Spell [Caste Sense], the combination of which not only allowed him to see the mana but also allowed him to traverse a mana stream.

[Mana Sense] Tier 1 Effect: Allows the user to see environmental mana. Tier 2 Effect: Maintain a passive version of the Skill [Caste Sense] Tier 1 Effect: Cast a sense down the Mana Stream

Anubhav's frown deepened for a moment before his open eyes calmly opened. “There is a dense mana vortex ahead.” Anubhav quietly addressed the woman sitting in the corner. Once upon a time, such a situation would have sent his heart pacing in cold terror but those days were long gone. “Please call the captain.”

“Should we... really call the captain now?” The woman paused. “His wife just gave birth.”

Anubhav's bushy eyebrows furrowed and his thin lips pursed. This was not a call that a mere secretary should be making. “The mana vortex signifies that a monster lurks ahead.” He tersely replied. “If you don’t call him now, the captain will have your head.”

The woman rapidly paled at the cold answer before she nearly ran out of the chamber to soon return with a bearded man who sported an impressive moustache. He was Sagar Manthan, the [Ship Captain]. He nodded at the [Mana Sensor] and closed his eyes as he activated his Tier 3 Skill. “[Ocean Instinct].” His deep voice resonated with the ship causing the walls, the floor, the roof and the entire frame to gently pulse.

[Ocean Instinct] Tier 1 Effect: Read the condition of the water. Tier 2 Effect: Read the behaviour of aquatic lifeforms.

Sagar noticed not the reverberation as he sensed the aquatic life and their movement. His new sense did not just stagnate though, as travelled until the [Ship Captain] caught sight of the monster warned by the [Mana Sensor]. “I see the monster.” The captain opened his eyes as he left the room and walked out onto the deck while his secretary ran after him, shuffling through the thick stack of papers in her hand. “Sir, the penalty from the last [Link] usage has not yet expired!”

Sagar nodded as he came to stop at the hull of the ship. “[Fade Presence]!” His deep voice intoned, causing the ship to ripple as mana ran through its frame before enveloping it as if a cocoon. This caused many things, however, the most visible reaction was from the colours which faded and dulled while the presence of the ship dimmed. “We have become invisible to its physical senses.”

[Fade Presence] Tier 1 Effect: Hide the vessel from physical senses. Tier 2 Effect: Maintain a passive version of the skill.

The captain opened his eyes and his deep voice echoes throughout the vessel, a result of the enchantment on his necklace which amplified his voice. “Speed up the ship!”

0.0

“Captain!” Anumbhav opened his eyes to reveal his dilated pupils. His years of resistance grew week in the face of the situation he had just sensed. “There are two mana vortexes ahead creative massive turbulences in the mana stream. The monsters must be fighting!”

The [Ship Captain] nodded as he addressed his secretary sitting in the corner, “Call the [Ward Smith]. We would be needing him.” Sagar sighed to activate [Ocean Instinct]. He would have preferred to use his enchanted necklace to inform the older man directly. However, if he were to do so, then the petty man might refuse to come out of pure spite.

The forgettable woman didn’t even bother to nod as she left the room but soon returned with an old man in tow. “Are there monsters fighting ahead?” The newcomer's furrowed ancient brows spoke of his distaste as he walked inside.

“Yes.” The [Ship Captain] kept his eyes closed while keeping his request as polite as possible. There was no need to give the acrid man something to complain about. “Please activate the Defence Ward. These monsters are creating massive disturbances and we'd need them soon.”

The newcomer’s wrinkled forehead furrowed further before he huffed and closed his eyes to concentrate on the ward he had placed on the ship. In reaction to the old man's simple action, the mana inside the ship gradually increased. Though, this movement of mana was much different from the movement of mana when the [Ship Captain] had cast his Spell previously. Under the effect of the old man's wards, the mana moved sluggishly as it crept in from the surrounding to drip in. The slow movement continued for a few movements before the mana reached a threshold and suddenly expanded outwards in a flash.

“The ward is in place.” The [Ward Smith] opened his brown eyes and the [Ship Captain] nodded.

“Remain alert!” The captain’s voice echoed across the ship as he ordered his crew. “This is not the time to rest!”

0.0

Another year and a half had passed on Kiran’s voyage across the vast waters of the perilous ocean. Yet, he had achieved little. Sure, he had witnessed more monsters on this voyage than his entire life on land combined. Sure, he had escaped death more times than he could count. Sure, for the first time in his life, and many more times after, he had been with a woman; no matter that she had been a Chambermaid.

But it all mattered not when his [Reflection] had not moved even a single digit. It had been 2 years since his journey had begun, yet he had achieved little to nothing, causing his heart to grow heavy with unease which only bred further with each passing day.

Kiran scowled at the recurring thought and stomped towards the cell of his Chambermaid, the one for whom his heart had raced. He crossed the dimly lit corridor to enter the cell of the Chambermaid and closed the door behind him. The action caused the battered form of the woman to move and lookup. However, the sight of the white-clad man caused a sneer to manifest on her lips. “Here comes the Healer.” Her raspy voice grated on his ears. “The one that heals to hurt!”

Kiran crossed the distance in long strides before he brutally grabbed the woman's bruised face while his own plain face twisted into an incredibly ugly one as his nose flared, eyes widened and lips pulled back to reveal his teeth. “Look at yourself. Just look!” He spat and his fingernails dug into her sunken cheeks. “You were once a Tier 2 [Curer]. But you are not even a whore now. Whores at least gets paid.”

The woman laughed and her hoarse voice unpleasantly echoed across the room. “Yet here you are. To make use of this less-than-a-whore. What does that make you, O revered ascetic?” The woman's words caused his grip to tighten and his blood to boil and he pushed his hand within her blood-covered crotch. The woman gasped in pain.

“Do you feel this?” Kiran whispered into her ears and his hot breath caused to woman to shiver in disgust. Knowing the agony he'd cause, the [Shishya] viciously shook his hand within the abused woman's crotch, causing her flesh to part and blood to pour. “This is all you are worth. You are a hole and nothing more!”

The white-clad man savagely pulled his hand out, only to find white seeds of various men and blood dripping down his hand. His face twisted and he snarled as he splashed the mixture of bodily fluid towards the woman. With a splat, the blood and seeds hit her face and the woman began laughing before she opened her arms and raised them towards the bald man. “Come!” The woman laughed and mocked. “This had never stopped you before.”

With fists clenched and jaw tensed, Kiran stepped forward.

0.0

Sitting beside the still healing Chambermaid, Kiran sighed before getting up to leave the cell. ‘Why do I behave like this with her?’ The white-clad man might or might not know the answer to the question himself. He had tried to stop himself from coming to see the woman but he had failed. His longing for the woman had been unbearable.

With a resigned sigh, the bald man arrived at the deck of the ship and gazed at the setting sun. His thoughts drifted from the woman below to the dilemma that had sent him to her in the first place, causing his thoughts to once again spiral down the rabbit hole. 'Just what am I doing wrong? Why is my [Reflection] not increasing?'

The irony of the question was completely lost on the man that had once been an adorable little boy.

-X-

Within a desolate desert, inside a dilapidated shop, on a simple chair, a youth seemingly slept.