Her body felt strained, she moved up and saw she was in the backside of what looked like a carriage. She's annoyed from getting kidnapped by them due to how weak they were. It was a hassle to deal with whatever they're doing. She could see the fact her arms and legs tied by a rope coated in the Mana, one which wasn't Impure like before.
"How much do you think the recent batch we got will fetch?"
"I'd estimate six or seven for most, though this one's gonna be a hundred at least, you see what she looks like?"
She moved her hands and twisted them around but they wouldn't budge in the slightest. There wasn't anyone watching her so she could've gotten out but she found that boring. While she didn't want to get into fights she still wanted some thrill. Kaida swayed calmly moving back and forth. A plate slid in as she saw what looked like mashed potatoes and beans inside a soft flour like a tortilla.
All she heard was unintelligible words, which didn't seem to be from any language Kaida knew. She noticed the ropes fall from her arms, allowing her to eat the food. Though it felt bland at least she got some semblance of nutrients from being here.
{"No offense to Osami, I forgot to ask for food there."}
Her hand grabbed onto the food and stuffed it into her throat as she swallowed it whole not even blinking. She swallowed it without hesitation, like the gag reflex didn't exist. She looked ahead she noticed the dim torchlight- they were underground. A few men and two women looked at her as she stared back.
"Want some?"
Kaida felt like asking at least as she looked at them, their clothing sleek and drapey. Two girls wore gloves and held daggers coated in a stench which she identified as poison.
"Excuse me? Did you offer-" The man stared almost offended.
"Yeah, I mean I already got a taste of this, I don't mind it but it isn't something I like."
They blinked for a few seconds before taking the plate, one of them coated their hand in Mana to lift up the beans. It released what looked like an ooze, a toxic drip as it burned the ground going right through it.
"How the hell are you still alive after eating that."
"Don't worry about it."
They were one hundred percent worrying about it, but the fact she didn't seem to care. Even at the fact she was being taken from where she was. Their reactions were to say the least- stunned, Two of them went over and removed the cage with her getting up. They jumped at the fact she moved so fast, but seeing she didn't try and run or escape made them feel wary. It would be obvious for someone who got captured like this to be more panicked.
"Madam, why aren't you panicked? This isn't normal for people. Even with the most unusual creatures we've got they all try attacking us."
"Because you few aren't threats. And I got a little bit of rest anyways."
Her body moved in a flash, like wind brushing past them. They turned as fast as possible but only saw her waiting for them to guide her. She turned her eyes to the hallway and looked across the ground, she sighed in some relief.
{"At least they aren't here to test me."}
[System initiation complete - Otherworlder System]
[Welcome ████]
Her face lit in surprise for a second while looking at it, though it contorted back he could still see a reaction. Though he didn't do anything or say something he'd have to report to the higher ups.
[Statistics Registering...]
[Ability count: ???]
{"...Guess it can't keep up huh, sucks to suck then, I could care less if you knew or told me."}
Her eyes felt drowsy for a bit. Even with the amount of sleep she'd gotten, it felt like I've slept for ten hours at least to get to this place. It was almost like some sort of toxin, or chemical used to make her sleepy. She continued moving with the "Kidnappers". The tunnel felt stuffy and somewhat claustrophobic. The tiled floor made of what looked like concrete but she could see the end getting closer.
[Would you like to automate the use of abilities whenever needed?]
{"...I know this is going to backfire but whatever."}
[Affirmative. [Geological Awareness activated], [Hibernation Activated], [Hardening Activated]...]
{"...Oh for God's sake- stop activating. I only need the most convenient ones. Don't do everything. Not even fighting I'll use that myself."}
Finally reaching the end of the dreaded hallway Kaida looked up to see a giant room. A light looming over it as she could've seen about a ten seats of which looked like thrones.
[Reconfigured. Combat Ready abilities deactivated.]
"Dramatic." She scoffed with her mouth moving to smile before going back.
"What?!" A man spoke. He felt surprised and looked angry. But his face is still.
"Nothing. It feels boring seeing the same old black marble "Thrones". It makes me disinterested." Her expression was still blank with her eyes looking up but her head ahead.
The sound of steps were evident, the aura of those who were powerful. Their aura's were uncomfortable. Kaida's knees nearly buckled from the oppressive aura. But she forced herself to stand, back straight. She refused to bow to people like this.
{"I don't want to show them too much, but this will be fine. I don't want to bow to people like this."}
The array of men and women who sat on the thrones in a multitude of poses made her face contort into a laugh. At least until she kept herself together. She knew she couldn't face them and she didn't want to offend people here. Who knew what they could do to her.
"Alright. You four back there go away. We don't need your presence." He looked stern. His eyes moving to stare at Kaida who he could see was about to laugh. His hand on his head with him looking at a paper.
The people who took her here ran off. Kaida still holding in her laughter moved her hand to cover her face.
"You aren't from this world. Your clothing is unordinary, and your speech and mannerism are far from the kingdoms." A serious tone from the man's voice.
"Ooooooooh Noooo I'm not from this place, who would've thought. It's not as if I'm making it obvious." Her voice was sarcastic, it was super obvious that she didn't take what he said.
"Be respectful to your elders. Young people these days cannot understand respect."
She sighs with her expression changing to annoyance. She gave up holding up a front of emotionlessness with how they spoke and acted. Their eyes moving and their mannerism resembling those of the cultivation novels. She disliked them a lot and this wasn't helping.
The more they spoke it became even more annoying to listen to. They would speak among themselves while looking at Kaida once in a while. She didn't feel bothered by their stares but she knew she had to do something before they finished.
"Alright. You'll become another part of our underworld. You'll have to start as a henchman but with how strong you are, a Market Courier would be better. You do not need testing, we've seen your capabilities in the forest." She spoke amused at Kaida and what she was doing.
Her eyes drifted away. Her focus wasn't on them anymore, on the surroundings now. She looked at the sigils and the runes like glyphs, the many inscriptions on it. She found them intriguing, Yet her eyes stopped at a few sigils. They resembled planets- Not planets. it had stars, around the drawings it was in a language no one could understand.
"...You know what those inscriptions even mean?" Her voice was slow and soft. It felt curious like a child.
"Why do you care? It's not like you'll decipher them. Lowly being you shouldn't be asking something like that to us. But out of courtesy- These inscriptions have been here since Ancient times. Something made by us."
The language felt off. The Inscriptions were in Chinese, and then Japanese, English right after. More and more languages for each word made it confusing to read. But she didn't continue pestering them. While she knew she couldn't take them all in battle. She'd want to see how well they'd fare.
Now wasn't the time. she nodded to them and spoke in a more robotic manner. "I apologize. I'll be going now."
Her body moved, her steps felt timed and deliberate. As she left the "Elders" were now talking about what else they should do and how to get even stronger. "FuFu~ Why not use this girl to infiltrate the Royal Empire to kill the Empress?"
For some reason Kaida felt like laughing but she couldn't hear anything going on anymore. But it's not like it mattered, She knew it was going to backfire in some way, a sort of feeling she had.
[Career Change: None ----> Market Courier]
[Reputation: -500 (Among Workers) - 0 (Across World)]
[Have fun]
Kaida looked over at the system now sitting in a carriage. Now sitting in the back but not tied up like before. She found it weird how it showed emotion. She didn't brush it off, it would be too easy to do that. She kept it at the back of her mind to make sure it doesn't become obsessive or manipulative if it does gain emotions.
[Unnamed System looks confused]
{"I can't even see whatever you are, how are you reacting?"}
[Unnamed System asks for a name, Unnamed System has no idea]
{"First a name, I don't want the name Unnamed System repeating over and over, Call yourself Cinder."}
Her form moved to lie lax against the moving carriage. Considering she wasn't able to create using Qi she wouldn't have a fun time right now. She looked around just in case, to see whether anyone was spying on her. Since the coast was clear, she moved her Qi around or what was a weaker form of Mana. She already had it, but in this world it felt like it was locked away until later. It was exhausting to have to become stronger just to start using her original abilities. So she would've just gotten this over with. The Qi- Of which within her body shifted around, since she had no meridians or physical weak points. The Qi flowed right beneath the heart. It formed into a cleaner version of itself, Condensing into what released a Gas outside her body. She stared as it streamed going higher into the roof of the carriage and the greyish tar escaping her body.
"Well that's convenient."
She chuckled softly. Her Qi compressed slowly, and the Mana surrounded it to keep it in place instinctively. The Mana, which acted like a mind of its own helped her form the Qi into a compressed state. Which when finally opening let out a flood gate of pure Qi which is in a compressed state. And with that she had reached Qi Condensation, the storm which raged within her head was at most a mild headache. She'd dealt with and been through worse. She felt a lot cleaner, not in the figurative sense. Her physical body became more durable. while she was physically strong it didn't mean she could handle it. She had to constantly use mana to physically enhance her body just to withstand attacks.
[Qi Condensation Unlocked]
[New Benefits ----> (Qi Condensation Pills), (Flying Palm Technique)]
"Don't need them but thanks Cinder."
She saw them appear In front of her. She grabbed the book of the Palm Technique and stuck it inside what looked like her dresses Pocket. But it was hard to even notice it inside, She lodged the pills between her cheek and molars. Not to use but to hold. In a serious battle, hesitation killed. She refused to waste time swallowing.