The man was old, past his prime, yet looked no different from the Walkers William had seen in his mind. He should have a major role in the spars, as his experience was important, and he still looked sharp and powerful. Any person capable of growing old in this world, where people often die young or even younger, was like that.

  “Mi-Yung,” he lightly bowed, showing off his Emblem like a badge of honor.

  “A lot of people here. Witnesses...” Mi-Yung said, pondering and sizing the surroundings when she reached the arena. The way to her destination was crowned with eyes and faces, which was not ideal.

  “It's usual. The military is always moving on,” the man said. “We have to. Expedition or not. Losses or not. Yondu is a curious man. He likes people, young and old, and does have a great heart.”

  Then, Mi-Yung gave him warm and cold eyes. “I see. Nobody else is here yet. Just an old scrunny Tao.”

  “I suppose we can call it a standard day by all reasons. It's good to see you doing well, little Song.” Tao chuckled and offered her a way to the Fourth Arena, which was private and outside of sight. But some could always poke their heads through the gate, or through, watching what might be scary or weird, hiding behind the metallic walls, assembling a cube.

  William followed her and entered an empty arena. The ground was a soft, soil-like material that resembled rubber. He tapped his foot and felt that its bounciness might prevent serious problems like head trauma or dizziness. Still, it wasn't very stable ground, which he noticed.

  Groundwork wasn't very fun for him. The arts of combat and martial arts employed various methods, such as throwing, along with essential principles of efficiency and finishing the job with the least effort. William loved this ideology and felt very committed towards it. His case was nothing extraordinary, even with his gem.

  There was a way to kill a person with a simple toss to a concrete, by technique, or even sheer physical force, and even at a little bit of altitude.

  Tao stopped inside the Fourth Arena and turned to them. “This is it. As you can see, nobody is here. For a start, what will happen? You offered a poke, but didn't specify any details or mention any suitable drawbacks. Yondu didn't insist on anything, either. Odd, that is.”

  Mi-Yung crossed her arms and felt no need to give this man an explanation. His Rank was the same as hers, however.

  “William Gale,” she declared, stating two main words on her mind. Tao wasn't impressed.

  “Oh, I've known that stuff for a long, long time. I am familiar with that surname and the details of this visit and deal. Yondu Division remembers, and I get the lone sharp Gale as if it were yesterday. Of course, I remember the rest and what should think about it, little Song. We weren't of the same generation, however.” Tao said, sizing William up and down. Like many survivors and a great member of the Yondu Division, he stayed straight to the point.

  Back in the day, Tao watched Viktor and grew fond of the man. Seeing his son left many wonderful and hideous images in Tao's mind. For once, he never believed Viktor would ever betray this damned place, even if it was sometimes very nasty and crazy. He wouldn't do it for a woman, too.... Not for a kid! Not for... well, what would be worth it? Tao never wavered in his loyalty to Yondu. He always followed the spirit.

  “Can I help you?” William asked, after noticing that Tao was gazing at him with far too much strain on his arms and eyes. In fact, something was moving and creating noise. It was the muscles. Tao's arms rested at his side, flexing and stirring as muscle fibers moved like veins and water waves. He grew a couple of inches, too, so that was interesting.

  “I want part of this spar. I insist!” Tao said and wished to talk much more than that.

  Mi-Yung did not. She stepped in and looked at him with annoyance. “You, Tao?”

  “Why not? What is this about anyway? Rank 0 is the obvious answer. How far could it go? I can and will test anything. You shouldn't be upset about it, no? I'm familiar with it enough, and I sense that red storm from far away.”

  “Or you knew it from rumors.”

  “Oh, has it supposed to be a secret? Quite a bad one, if that's the case, I might say.” Tao laughed, folded his arms over his chest, and approached her.

  Suddenly, they were the same height, and their arms brushed against each other. One was burly, the other so much more pissed than normal it wasn't even funny.

  “Please, calm down.” William hurried beside them. “It's just a spar.”

  “Is it wrong to spar and see blood and the gushing truth of a fight where the death won't come, boy?!”

  “Was that a question, Tao?” Mi-Yung demanded.

  “So what of it? So secretive and asking for a spar are different things. You want to seize a chance, and Yondu knows it. That's why he agrees, but you don't know what you are poking. This bear won't like it!”

  Nodding, Mi-Yung sighed and backed away. “Prepare anything that is worth it, but William has his choices, and he is in charge. I don't want to think about it at this point because days are narrow and he better not be for the Awakening.” Finding a corner, she sat down and waited, leaving William alone to face Tao.

  William stood close to him, unsure of what to do or think. Spar? Right now? Out of the blue? She wanted that, obviously. He promised to reveal some things he had been hiding, but not everything. He knew that much. It was hiding in plain sight of her smile and staring sign.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Tao smiled like a devilish winner. “Alright. How do you want it, boy?” he cracked his fists in hopes.

  “Wait. Wait. Wait. I don't mean it as badly as you think, sir, but I don't look for trouble against such a high Rank.”

  “Oh, do you know me?”

  “You... don't look weak, is that correct? Rank 5 or 6 is the point of Muscle Fibers, where fuses of body and Arcana are very potent, and it creates weird effects.” William recited what he had learned and looked at his burly and moving arms. It was strange, but from a distance it looked natural.

  Close enough, one could see individual fibers moving new or old muscles, completing mixed types of muscles, and developing old or natural sections of bones. It was dense, but it didn't have to be like this, as it was highly individualistic and powerful in terms of body and Emblems, or what Walkers wanted from it. Density was relevant, similar to recovery, flexibility, tension, and ability to muster power fast, in one go, or for a long, long time.

  Many Walkers preferred to change a lot of things, emphasizing size, weight, and great muscles, since these stabilized and helped against nasty, big Darks. But Muscle Fibers weren't universal. They were excellent protection and great power under the Physique Layer within the System. In a way, it was like having powerful armor that could change on the go and even transform everything, or something.

  “Oh, you seem to know stuff of upper Rank, eh?” Tao whistled in surprise. “I will be weak. Gentle. Rank 3 is the bare minimum of what I can get out of my body. However, what will happen depends on what you want and what Mi-Yung wishes for. Rank 0, you know, boy. That's some heavy, often unreasonable, and crazy stuff. It is the responsibility of the old to see to it, let IT be calm, be better, and reach new heights. Poke it. Not much. Just a little. It's coming. Your Awakening. ITS Awakening!”

  “Oh, it happened a long time ago, sir...” William figured he shouldn't be that weak-minded or hesitant against this nearly shouting man who knew his father and had a personal association with this business. He relaxed his arm, pulled his sleeve up, and wondered how far was far enough, and how deep was enough to shock this old man out of his wits.

  “Don't touch your Emblem yet!” Mi-Yung said, just in case. “Wait for the company to arrive. Tao is just testing the waters. Don't fall for his faults.”

  William nodded, wondering what she wanted with those late visitors.

  “Just a bit of preparation, right?” Tao asked and stepped in, unleashing a fist that whistled through the air.

  William crouched and fell aside in shock, where the gushing wind force pushed him to the ground until he hit the wall. He dodged it competently, and that was the Rank 3 equivalent of his strength.

  It shocked no one.

  Tao stepped in and kicked William, who was guarding on the ground, knocking him to the other side of the arena. It was made of mesh, so the hit wasn't all that bad, even if there was metal behind it, which William noted right away.

  Coughing, William got to his feet and looked at the approaching Tao. “Is this a preparation... or a beating?”

  “Is there a difference? Sorry, kid. Rank 0 is about pushing boundaries. Don't go far. Don't go near. Blah. Blah. It's all the same thing. We fight and see brats think and Emblems roar, and you... You are a bloody menace!” Tao shouted, pointed at William, and set his body ablaze, but not too much, just a little, like caring for sculping.

  Words weren't fine like that, and Tao knew it, but taunting youths was his specialty, and so was holding back. He smirked and kicked the ground, unleashing a flying kick that William dodged by running away.

  This went on for five full minutes, and William tried to defend, but failed every single time. His arms were numb from taking several hits, and a couple of kicks hit his legs, quivering them and inducing pain.

  No anger came. Nothing but a slight, poking frustration. Tao disliked it, but hey, more kicking was never hurting anything calm like this at Rank 0, right? If it weren't for Mi-Yung and her willingness to watch it further, Tao would go even further. For now, he didn't hit his head.

  Breathing in and out, William sat on the ground, massaging his forearms, right around the time a group of people arrived. There was a big man in the front. It was Yondu himself! A High Pillar, Rank 8 Walker! Uproar of shouts came to this large area, and Mi-Yung cursed and got to her feet because this wasn't what they agreed on.

  “He wasn't supposed to come, coward...” she muttered in annoyance, watching the opening gate to the room that led to a clutter of shouts reaching inside.

  There were also people William had never seen, wearing white. It was not the Association Pillar, Rey, but they resembled him.

  Mi-Yung walked to them and greeted Yondu and a young man beside him in white. He was Adam Smith, a figurehead of the Emblem Acceleration and a keen advocate of Emblems, thanks to his very close association with the First Head.

  “That was quicker than I expected,” Mi-Yung said to the group of ten people, with most of them being Adam's advocates. Yondu wore his purple uniform, which looked tailored to his broad shoulders and his seven feet of imposing stature. He was the highest of anyone present in spirit and body.

  Mi-Yung had to give it to him, even slightly bowing. Not only was he more than twice her age, but he was also the helpful figure enabling Mi-Yung, who had lost her home and was now on the move. Divisions were fine to call her home when she got here, but it was Yondu who reached Rank 7 back then and got this little gift in turn. It was a considerable success that ultimately led to another Rank-up, despite him being around seventy years old.

  By generations, Yondu was still far younger than the First Generation. Dachy and Old Dream were much older, but were they more powerful? Many thought so, but comparisons or compassion of Rank 8 was a very untamed territory that pretty much nobody comprehended.

  “Seems you proceeded to work ahead of schedule,” Yondu said, looking at William and Tao, who looked like a withered chicken. He saluted and almost fled the scene.

  “Good morning, sir,” Tao said and pretended to be a pillar in the corner.

  Yondu ignored him for what it was worth and looked at the overall situation. “What is it going to be, Miss Song?”

  “You are here... What could it be?” She said it mischievously and tried her best to relax. It wasn't working. Yondu didn't have to explain himself either, unlike a guest beside him.

  “It's a pleasure,” the white-clothed man said, coming closer and speaking politely to Mi-Yung.

  “Adam, is it?”

  “Yes?”

  “Have we met, or not? Communicated?”

  “Uncertain, miss. I believe the offer mentioned Rank 0 views, but First Head's laboratories had already worked on this one, isn't that right? I heard the reports and Association Pillar's responses.”

  “Yes, I recall the testing that Assembly initiated. First Head's direct disciple did help with that, and Old Dream oversaw the situation.”

  “Old...” Adam took a deep breath of air and knew this would quickly become an exciting endeavor. Yondu pursued the Association because their research was worth many voices, opinions, and layers, and it was better to hear multiple views than one.

  Of course, Yondu could have done as much justice as his peers, but there was a strong point in looking out for and helping the Association. It was like a game of favors.

  Yondu nodded in approval. “Anyway, what this is about is my next point of interest. You want to fight and push something again?”

  “Not again. I had William for weeks at this point, and he is... well, interesting. He had grown a lot but hadn't shown it off or done anything terrible. In fact...” Trailing off, she looked at William and gestured his sorry breathing ass to get up and look at this freaking Rank 8 Walker already. It was a strange instance where her mere gaze pushed him from his ass, and her urge was so subtle he feared the consequences of not doing it quickly.

  William knew if not him, who would know his father the best? All the subtle hints and reads pointed to a drastic involvement of this old man with his father.