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Chapter 9: Legend of Knora

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People like to look at people at the top of their class, field, group and generation and wonder at their magnificence.

The tendency is to label the top achievers exceptional, talented and genius; which is in essence calling them extraordinary.

Labelling people extraordinary removes them from the group and makes them outliners from the average without examining the background to that success. Because if they’re extraordinary then it’s a god given talent unique to that person and as such has no relation to the level of effort that went into training and practice. That way the average person has an excuse for not putting the same level of effort into training; they can be a comfortable passenger in the life train and leave the troublesome things to the extraordinary.

The praise that people give to someone they label extraordinary is actually a rejection of that person; they reject your hard work, reject your dedication and ultimately reject your effort to show them the path to excellence. Having rejected the top achiever they ascribe the success to talent bestowed by the divine and promptly remove the so called extraordinary out of the group and put them in the special category. Were they accepting they would congratulate then emulate; but they don’t want that.

Having reborn to this world I understand the true nature of exceptionalism.

Ovis is called extraordinary, and by extension I’m also labelled extraordinary.

But of course it’s a lie; a lie people tell themselves to avoid looking at themselves with the necessary scrutiny.

People don’t want to look at themselves; they don’t want to make the sacrifices for the nameless other, they don’t want to risk life and limb for the benefit of some other unknown person nor do they want to lose what belongs to them for the sake of others.

Oh no!

Let somebody else make the sacrifice!

Let the hero do that!

Why isn’t the hero saving that child in danger?

That’s not my problem; let someone else deal with that.

The average person is selfish and self-involved; they have to be!

The problem is that the society designed by the powerful of the ancient past vests all the authority on those who wield the power. It is the strong who defeated the wild beasts and tamed the wilderness, and in doing so set a precedent; created an expectation that they would protect the weak. What the strong should have done is refused the responsibility to protect the weak, and instead expected the weak to contribute to their own security. But the strong liked the authority that comes with the responsibility to protect.

Unfortunately the descendants of the strong didn’t always hold the same level of strength or the desire to take responsibility to protect the weak. Their primary concern became their own security and the protection of the population became third in the line of concern after protection of property. Over time the responsibly for sustaining and protecting the society somehow shifted to poorest strata of society. It is the children of the poor that became the soldiers who fought and died for the society.

Fortunately the current Knora have not degenerated to that level; nearly going extinct had taught them a lesson. However the same could not be said for the rest of the Orro Federation; the same patterns had returned and higher social strata of the society live in opulence and comfort. Government corruption slowly eats away at the authority of the state and private wealth is gaining more power. There were even attempts to convert the Knora to that kind of thinking, and in their way stood the iconic royal family; holding the centre of the Knora nation.

This is important because Ovis recently informed me that after the ranking contest she would not have the leisure to push me, and that I would be taking instruction from a suitable mentor. Ovis would be mentored by mother and begin learning the duties of a Matriarch directly from mother. Ovis would learn combat from mother and the technique masters of Knora race. There would not be a similar level of investment in training a son; even the son of the Matriarch.

The one charged with preparing me to be a valued consort would be my older brother; a male has to learn from a male. So the Vnora son of the next Knora Matriarch and the Vnora son of the reigning Knora Matriarch would be taught together; we would be brothers. My nephew Kodis had lived the life I should have lived; he lived the life of a prince and leisurely frolicked while I went through intensive training. Kodis had become a free spirited good natured kid with all the qualities of a prince.

To continue some derived lessons from my previous life:

Lesson 6: Don’t focus on the negative.

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This Moon’s Ranking Contest is finally here.

Ovis and I will finally get our chance to go all out.

HaHaHaHaHa!

This is gonna be good!

The way this is set up is for the groups of kids without the 【Full Might】 skill to go first, then the Adepts and as is custom the supers will go last. To make sure we dont collide with each other we go in groups of 45 in a line along the marked track. For those without the 【Full Might】 skill they’ll start every 4 minutes, for those with the 【Full Might】 skill it’ll be every 11 minutes, for Adepts every 14 minutes and for Supers every 17 minutes.

Everyone is lined up based on the records from the preparatory training at the Ranking centre. As expected Ovis and I will be at the last group of 45, and we recognize less than half of those who will be competing against us. It seems that the very best have come from all over Knora Island to stand alongside us. Just by looking at some of them I can tell that they are at a higher level; their muscle definition clearly indicates that they’ve been training since at least 3 years old.

I’ve even heard that there are 4 others with a Heroic Heart.

Details provided by mother indicate that there should be 32 with a Helpful Heart, 7 with a Protecting Heart, 5 with a Heroic Heart and 1 with an Unyielding Heart in our group of 45. Whether they are Knora, Vnora, Nnori or Hnora doesn’t matter in relation to physical traits since only the Knora have fur and everyone is about the same size. What will make the difference is their magical abilities since mother has properly disseminated all the methods of our success.

This has unexpectedly become a challenge; especially since one of those with a Heroic Heart is a Vnora and looks properly trained. The biggest challenge for Ovis will come from the one person with an Unyielding Heart; a full Knora who should perform beyond expectation. Super-Regeneration allows you to push the body far beyond its limits; you Regenerate so fast that pushing your muscles beyond their limits doesn’t weaken you.

If Ovis comes out faster than the Super-Regenerator it will confirm the potential superiority of the Vnora.

I hope they’re ready because Ovis has made it clear that she’ll go all out and I made a promise to also go all out.

The average Knora at age 11 runs the 14km in 180 seconds, and the record is 105 seconds. The average Knora at age 11 swims the 14km in 258 seconds, and the record is 151 seconds. The records for the 5 year olds have already fallen during the first exhibition by me and Ovis; so they are irrelevant, but I pity the generation that will come after us since they won’t have the memories of their genetic fathers. The records for the 11 year olds have stood for a while but today I suspect that at least 8 will break the records.

It would be presumptuous to think I can beat Ovis or the other girl with a Heroic Heart but the rest should be fair game with 【Psionic Boost】.

Fuck it!

I’m gonna reach for the sky damn-it!

This is my moment; I’m gonna drain every ounce of Power and challenge even those with a Heroic Heart.

Burn brightly for just a little bit; show everyone the power of my 【Full Might】 skill.

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As expected everyone else wasn’t much to look at; but the Supers that went before us came very close to the records for the 11 year olds.

I think everybody expects to see something amazing.

I pity the 11 year olds who have to perform in a few days because the records for the 11 year olds are about to be shattered.

I’ve my done meditative warm-up; my body is ready.

Ah; Ovis is also ready.

Time to line up!

Next to Ovis as usual; I can feel the Mana build up.

Ovis : " This should be fun eh Novid?"

Novid : " Should be?"

Ovis : " Don’t worry; you’ll be fine!"

Shit; I should exude confidence.

Confidence.

Confidence.

Confidence.

Right I can feel Ovis activating her 【Full Might】 skill; everyone is activating their 【Full Might】 skill.

Ovis : " 【Full Might】!"

Novid : " 【Full Might】!"

There isn’t as much of a difference in the level aura around Ovis and I as was with training group. These guys really are at a different level.

Ovis : " 【Psionic Boost】!"

Novid : " 【Psionic Boost】!"

Ovis : " EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Novid : " AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

What a rush!

Ovis : " Let’s see what you got Brother!"

Novid : " Right"

Oh it’s open; it’s starting!

Ovis : " GO!"

WOOOOSH! WOOOSH! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

So this is the real thing? No holding back!

The 2 Heroics are in front of me.

Is it between just the 3 of us?

Okay; put all remaining power into 【Psionic Boost】!

Go over the limits; my body can take it.

Ovis : " Impressive brother; you’re Keeping-up!"

Novid : " AAAAAAH!"

We’re really moving now!

Is it going to be a photo finish?

Shit; Ovis is pulling away!

Fuck the other Heroic is also pulling away!

How the fuck are they doing that?

Where are they getting the extra Mana?

Ah right! They’re going past their physical limits.

It’s over!

We’re at the end.

Novid : " Huh-Huh-Huh-Huh-Huh-Huh-Huh."

I’ve got to control my breathing.

Mana depletion sucks.

At least I get to rest for 35 minutes until the next event.

Ovis : " That was great brother!"

Novid : " Yeah! Huh-Huh-Huh"

Ovis : " There’s barely a margin; I honestly thought there’d be at least 10 seconds between us"

Novid : " Yeah; well I used everything! Huh-Huh-Huh."

Ovis : " I can tell; you should have at least saved a tiny bit."

Novid : " Looks like I’m not the only one. I’m gonna sleep now; wake me when its time."

A nod from Ovis confirms acknowledgement and I promptly fall asleep after taking an offered Mana Potion.

From the looks of things Ovis is the last one standing

What a monstrous power!

Ovis clocked 14km in 82 seconds, the other Heroic did it in 85 seconds, I clocked it at 87 seconds and the Super-regenerator was right on my ass at 89 seconds.

Third isn’t bad at all when you think about it.

14km in 87 seconds is 579.3 kilometres per hour, Ovis clocked 614.6 kph; it’s a ridiculous speed.

We’re fucken monsters!

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The swimming event is coming up and we’re starting our warm-up.

Being Knora has a lot of benefits.

After exerting beyond the limits of my body I’m fully recovered in 30 minutes.

The swimming event is the one area where I should be able to win; this despite the 2 white heroics having better control of water.

All thanks to my durability and control of heat. Ovis and I learned to compress water into balls and put them in our hands after the initial dive in the water; make them on the forehead and grab them as the arms move to the sides. Where we differ is that while Ovis simply further compresses the water balls I also heat them. The controlled release of the compresses the water balls is a water jet that can move us through the water much faster than under our own physical power.

Heating the compressed water balls in freezing water isn’t efficient but it compensates for the fact that I can’t compress the water balls to the same extent as a Green or white Vnora. So instead of a water jet I use explosion. This is the risky option that only someone with Super-Durability can attempt.

My Super-Durability allows me to survive the explosion but getting enough heat into the compressed water balls requires that I abandon 【Psionic Boost】and focus on riding the explosion once it is triggered; and most of my magic goes into moving the water ahead of me out of the way through use of both Water and Psionic Magic. Doing very little swimming at the start of swim I claim that what I’m actually doing is flying through the water for most of the track.

Ovis knows this so I wonder how she’ll respond.

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I can see Ovis is as confident as ever.

Concentrate!

I explained to the officials what I’m gonna do so they reduced our group’s size to the top 10 from the running track.

There should be a safe distance between me and everyone else.

Ovis : " Think you’ll win this brother?"

Novid : " If there’s no problem."

Ovis is giving off that knowing smile; has she come up with something?

I take a deep breath and ready myself to jump into the water.

And …. Go!

Damn she’s quick!

She used her monstrous strength to push herself.

Focus on compressing and heating the ware ball.

More compression!

More heat!

More!

More!

More!

More power!

Prepare the path ahead of me.

This is gonna hurt!

Alright; HERE WE GO!

BOBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

No need to worry; just ride the underwater explosion.

SWOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHHHH!

It’s almost over

Done!

Past the finish line and into the lake.

Damn I got singed a bit.

But I won!

In your face Ovis; in your face!

Ovis : " I didn’t think you could actually do it; Congratulations brother!”

Novid : " Thanks!"

I’ve done it; I’ve won an event.

I’m exhausted but I’ve become Legendary.

Ovis clocked the 14km swim in 141 seconds, the other Heroic did it in 167 seconds, I clocked it at 98 seconds and the Super-Regenerator wasn’t a factor at 189 seconds.

First is definitely better than Third when you think about it; it feels better.

On this day I Novid Ollo also became a Legendary Knora!

I won’t say this out loud because that would be a douche-bag move; but I’m the best.

Fuck!

I’m the Shit!

Fucken amazing!

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Final event!

I win this and I take the whole thing.

But Super-Strength isn’t really my forte.

Ovis : " Any tricks for this event?"

Novid : " I got nothing new that’s usable."

Ovis : " Do your best then!"

Novid : " Yeah; Let’s do it together"

All 45 from the running track are lined up with their 【Full Might】 skill activated.

Even if the heroics will take this event it’s Time to go all out again; full power to the 【Psionic Boost】 to increase my lifting power.

Here we go!

Ovis : " EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Novid : " AAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Looks like Ovis went a bit higher than me

Again Ovis has almost 70% more strength than me.

How does she do that?

Wait? What’s this?

I’m second?

I’m second in lifting weights!

I lifted slightly higher than the other Heroic.

It Looks like the other Heroic had less Mana than me so my 【Psionic Boost】 to lifting power gave me more than her.

Out-Fucken-Standing!

Ovis is lifting both her hands with a V-for-Victory sign.

I should do the same!

BOOOM WOOOOOSH!

Mother is hugging us?

When did she get here?

Was that a sonic boom?

Ovis : " Not so tight mother."

Matriarch : " I’m so proud of the Two of you!"

Novid : " Ah; mother? When did you get here?"

Mother gives one of her characteristic knowing smiles.

Matriarch : " You’re not the only ones with speed little Novid."

Ovis : " Oh right; that other Super-Regenerator could keep-up with our Vnora Psionic Boost"

Novid : " Is it some kind of water boost?"

Matriarch : " Wave to the crowd little ones."

I’m waving to the crowd, but it seems that the one who truly got them all excited is mother.

She stole our Thunder!

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