57 Encounter 4 - Hidden Guilt and Reques (1/2)
'Joining a clan might not be a bad idea, it would give me the support of a powerful backer so I can move around more freely, but... '
When Stigma was about to get some tickets, he bumped into Felix, who asked him a strange question after they exchanged greetings. Curious on his proposal he returned their cores first, then Felix payed for both their tickets, later Felix brought out a proposal to have a chat by a tea shop to discuss somethings
It wasn't long when they entered and placed their orders for steamed meat buns and some tea, Stigma choose the general area, but Felix picked out a private tent right behind the shop and walked ahead, with not much choice Stigma followed behind.
The tent Felix picked out was the furthest away from the crowd so they could have a more private conversation, before they entered Stigma was told go on ahead, since the former had to relieve himself. The surrounding tents were occupied and the food and tea has yet to arrive, so out of boredom Stigma checked the occupied one using his skill, what he saw were empty tents.
After a few minutes Felix returned with their orders and had their snack. After they settled, Felix continued off with their topic. Although he was in friendly terms with Felix, Stigma wasn't as clueless to believe there was no alternative motives in mind, and he was still skeptical of the other group who approached him first.
”By the way, where did you guys sleep last night?”
”We had to camp out last night, not much we can do since we had to stick with a budget, you saved us a lot of time when you returned the cores so you have our thanks.”
”I am curious though why did you leave last night?”
”Something came up so we all had to leave, its a family emergency so we all had to go and leave you behind.”
So far the conversation was like that, unlike before where Stigma had to break the ice with exchanging core and Feli had kept to himself, the conversation was more lively and open as if they were never strangers.
Both were obviously trying to avoid subjects from last night, causing the two to try and ask in a round about matter to make the other confess , Felix was concern while Stigma was being cautious. Yet neither one of them was breaking their act, thus continuing on with their long conversation.
”So, why do you want me to join your clan all of a sudden? I just met you yesterday and we are more of acquaintances than people with history.”
So far, the people Stigma had met were nothing but scum, swindlers or those that were almost killed by him, but they all had one thing in common - they believe they can deceive others without consequence.
Due to those past encounter, Stigma had been skeptical to who ever he meet, Felix was on the level on acquaintances and those three assassin were on the level of employers for now.
Between the two groups, Felix's groups holds the most suspicion since Hilda pointed out that Felix and his group left after finding out the Naga group was drawing near.
Stigma was already scouted to be an assassin, so being invited to join another group means that he had caught the attention of any hidden experts within the crowd at that time. So that means he had to be wary to who ever he meets later on.
”Of course there is a need to be wary, but it's also because I saw your little display yesterday, and I believe that you have a lot of potential. So much that I think that it's a waste to not guide your training to be a proper Cultivator. So would you like to join?”
The display Felix meant was what happened last night, calling it a fight would be considered insulting as the entire event was one sided, though Stigma displayed his strength and speed in dealing with five men with ease gave awe to most spectators.
Like Felix, a handful of experts observed the situation and had the same opinion that was no different from the little brother's. By physical strength alone, most cultivators would mistaken him as a Second or Third Tier Cultivator, but Felix knows the truth behind his strength.
”What do you think we won't treat you differently.”
”I'm not as strong as you think though, it is true I overpowered those men with no effort but it was with pure brute force, so joining a clan sound more like a narrow minded dream if my cultivation doesn't match. Confident is good to calm a nervous heart, but overconfidence can cloud, replacing a mind's calm judgement by emotions and individuals will make irrational choices.”
When Stigma first started working, the hope of earning money easily had always crossed his mind, but after three days of working he soon found out that all his work only ended him earning a minimum wage. Barely enough to even feed him for one night, but being a working student, he can only endure and add more jobs that took up most of his personal time.
”Quite perceptive for your age, did you perhaps meet a powerful cultivator and told you that? Or did you experience it first hand?”
”Just a realization when I fought a beast beyond my capability, as you already know I am still in the a small cultivator with a powerful body after all, so I have to be careful from time to time.”
”Do you now? Then I suppose you have a goal in mind?”
”Not at the moment, I just got an offer to a job not long ago so I plan to earn a little as I experience the world, then decide where my fate lies. After all I have nowhere to go...”
....
....
Their discussion went on like a philosophical debate, asking one side about their point of view or asking another suggestion about an idea. As they continued to talk, Felix started to overlap a memory of a young boy that was around Stigma's age, causing him to feel a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to Stigma like he had known him a long time.
He wanted to continue with the discussion but Stigma had told him beforehand that he had somewhere to do, so Felix didn't waste time and finally approached a sensitive topic. But his face showed genuine concern that was like an older brother trying to convince a little brother who was trying to be mature for his age.
”Stigma, have you thought about my offer, there's nothing to lose and you can have someone guide you during your Cultivation.”
....
”Think about this very carefully, with a clan's backing you can have seniors guide you in you cultivation training so there won't be any danger for you as you progress. Not only that, you can gain resources that are rarely found or circulated within the public markets, an escort to any places that are privately owned along with secret knowledge.”
”...I know what I am doing, I may be a low level Cultivator that is still within the lower ranks but I'm not as reckless as to put myself in a difficult situation. If there is nothing else, I will be leaving as I have something else to do.”
”WAIT! What are you trying to pull here Stigma, I am recruiting you for your future. Try to think this carefully.”
With his fist clenched to the table, Stigma didn't miss the opportunity and made his statement clear. When Felix gave that comment, Stigma feel silent and thought of numerous scenarios and only a few matched with the exact same thing reason, Felix was planning to exploit Stigma for his own gain.
With him pushing that topic, it only proves that Felix is trying to keep Stigma near him and had some plan in mind, while Felix is trying to watch over Stigma his men are surrounding the area and keep him from escaping.
Stigma wasn't against being part of a group, but if felt that the leader believes that they can manipulate and order their subordinates to do everything without question while ignoring the consequences, then Stigma would decide to end that person's ability to talk by cutting of their tongue.
”What I do is none of your business, besides, you don't know what I do so stay out of my business. Excuse me I have someone to meet now.”
When Stigma was about to leave, he didn't hear the sound of him being stopped or the sound of silence, what he had heard was something like a voice mixed with an emotion he hadn't expect to hear - sincerity.
”Stigma, do you not, trust me.” After hearing those broken words, Stigma turned back to see Felix frowning but his eyes were almost losing light.
....
”Stigma, just wait a moment, answer some of my questions, then you can leave...”
”...What is it?”
”....Stigma, do you distrust every person you meet?”
”...It not that I don't trust people like you in general, if I always believe that everyone I meet is like you, then I will be eventually fooled. So you have to understand what I am going through.”
”Fine, next question, Stigma did you make a breakthrough that night.”
?!?!!
Stigma's reaction was only for a moment but then returned into a poker face, Felix however was able to tell for a moment that Stigma was hiding something, but does not know exactly what he is trying to hide.
”...I have nothing to hide from you. And it doesn't concern you....”
*Slam!* Felix slammed his fist so hard that the table was about to split in half, his face showed anger yet his eyes showed slight guilt close to tearing up, as if the more he looked at Stigma the more he felt that he was remembering an old memory his heart weighing down on his hidden guilt.
”....Why are you so concern about me? What I do doesn't concern - ”
*Crack!*
When Stigma attempted to stand and leave, he heard the sound of wood snapping eventually the table was broken in half. Under the weight of his fist, Felix had used the table to keep his nerves calm, but even he can't hold on to his anger the more he heard Stigma and finally released all his pent up anger.
”Do you think everyone you meet is a scumbag that would try to fool you! Don't you dare try to hide it! I know you made a force breakthrough that night, so why are you trying to deny it! You are going to die if you continue being reckless! You can think badly of me all you want, but don't you dare think I am going to use you for personal gain! I am not a monster that denies the existence of another!
*Cough!**Cough!**Cough!**Cough!*
Out of nowhere, Felix started coughing violently causing him pull back on his chair to catch his breathing. The sudden outburst had left Stigma speechless, if he didn't knew any better Felix might be sick. After a while, the coughing stopped, but Felix was still looking at Stigma like he wasn't going to give up and continued to berate him for over an hour.
Contrary to what Stigma had thought, Felix gave his explanation as his voice was filled with rage from Stigma's stubbornness, not with annoyance but with concern as he scolded. Felix already verified that Stigma was still in the Early stages in the Zero Tier before he left, so he was stunned to find him in the First Tier after one hour had passed, which was impossible unless it was forced.
By placing together the pieces information from yesterday, Felix made an assumption that Stigma felt that he was in danger, so he made a desperate attempt to make a breakthrough to protect himself. He also guessed that Stigma was curious about a Cultivators breakthrough and forced it, without the guidance of a senior or the danger behind it.
When he discussed this to his men they all had the same concern, unlike Stigma who had the Demons to support him at that time, the Boars clan had supported and lost a number of young members from recklessly forcing a breakthrough when they didn't heed the warnings. Some of them were even their own relatives, while Felix lost his little brother.
Felix at the time he was around Stigma's age and he tried to teach his little brother to cultivate, believing himself to be a genius and had the ability to teach anyone younger than him, ignoring the warnings of the clan elder.
However, he later found out that forcing a breakthrough can lead to shortening one's lifespan greatly, it was especially dangerous to a young cultivator who are still in the early age.
Fearing for the worst outcome he remembered his brother trying to make a breakthrough, and when he came home, Felix was watching the living nightmare of his mistake. His brother laying by the bed with a white handkerchief, with such an event that traumatized him, instead of grieving from his mistakes Felix mourned for his brothers life and changed frombeing an arrogant youth to a disciplined child all the way to his current self.
Now Felix was before Stigma, an outsider who was doing the same reckless mistake that could lead him to counting his days, reminding him about his negligence and weight of guilt from unable to look after them all.
With an angered face glaring at him, Stigma could only stand in silence as his skin turned numb forcing him to sit back down his chair, slowly realizing that Felix was not offended from his request being turned down, but from Stigma's reckless attempt and ignoring his stretched out hand as he continued with his sermon.
After an hour had passed Felix finally calmed down and took a deep breath and sighed, a brief moment of silence, while Stigma was studying him from across the table.
”Are you aware of the consequences from skipping the stages, do you think I am after you because of talent! What I am trying to do is preventing you from going through a premature death!”
”....What does that have to do with you though? I have no relation with you remember.” Felix was about to say something but only tightened his grip and he showed a grieving expression, eventually a teardrop fell his eye and he finally told him the truth.
”....I'm sorry, but I must warn you, what you are trying to attempt will end your life earlier than expected...”
”Because of the life force being used substitute.”
”! So you know....how did you find out about it, did you really met and expert and lied about it?”