Chapter 4: Even if I had to choose a hundred or a thousand times more

  Nitaan carried Kiita to the town gates in less than five minutes. He didn't even bother to explain what had happened to the reinforcements and fellow soldiers he met along the way. Kiita's life is ticking. He didn't intend to waste any second. That bear could wait. He and Kiita would settle the score with it later.

  When he arrived at the medical center carrying Kiita, he almost prostrated himself on the ground, begging the skilled Engraver to save Kiita's life. Nitaan was quite famous in this Silalai town as a genius who discovered 2 Words of Power at the age of only 12. Kind Engraver willingly offered her help.

  Seeing Kiita's faint breathing become steady, his pale face now showing a slight pinkish hue, his deep black eyes regaining their sparkle, and his large, fluffy tail beginning to wag, Nitaan couldn't help but feel tears welling up in his eyes.

  I was such a crybaby back then, wasn't I?

  Nitaan, watching the scene unfold in his dream, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

  Even though this nightmare makes me see my parents die and Kiita at his last breath again and again, this scene still really heals my little heart.

  Nitaan smiled slightly. He knew he was close to waking up. In the past two years, since he performed the Engraving Ceremony at age 19 to save Kiita, he'd had this dream dozens of times. Sometimes it was once a week, sometimes once a month. When he was stressed, he'd dream it almost every three days.

  Before he was 19, at most he would only occasionally have a nightmare about his father and mother.

  The scene changes again, changing to him sitting in the meeting room he'd just been in that morning.

  Chief Singh was still seated, with P' Phu standing behind him with a tense expression. Another woman sat beside Chief Singh. She had her hair in a ponytail like Nitaan's, but longer, reaching her mid-back. She was well-dressed, appearing to be in her mid-40s. On her right breast was the emblem of the Firegan Kingdom, and on her left was a fiery red emblem with a small bonfire and burning coals in the center—the emblem of Tinder, an elite unit directly under the royal family.

  Across from him sat Nitaan, Chief Singh, showing no expression. The young woman from the Tinder Unit had a tense expression, filled with anger and regret.

  The meeting room fell silent for a long time. No one spoke first, making Nitaan feel uncomfortable.

  It's been so long since he graduated, yet it feels like he's facing a disciplinary teacher again.

  "Nitaan, you've successfully completed the Engraving Ceremony and become a Learner, haven't you?" Chief Singh spoke first, breaking the silence, but the awkward atmosphere didn't lessen at all.

  "Yes," Nitaan briefly explained what had happened.

  Although Chief Singh knew about the giant emerald-fur bear when Nitaan's fellow soldiers requested reinforcements, they didn't know what happened afterward. Chief Singh could sense that Nitaan had performed the Engraving Ceremony and become a Learner because of the aura of his spiritual energy.

  The room fell silent again before a sigh broke the silence. P’ Phu, with a tense expression, let out a soft sigh before asking Nitaan again.

  “You know why most people wait until they’re close to 40 to perform the Engraving Ceremony, right? Some are even reluctant to perform when they’re 40,” P’ Phu’s voice softened towards the end, as if discussing something personal.

  “Yes, because the Spirit roots begin to weaken, making it harder to find all 5 Words of Power if they haven’t found them all,” Nitaan replied.

  “You also know that only a handful of people throughout history have been able to find all 5 Words of Power?” P’ Phu looked at him.

  “They’re so few. Like a myth.” Nitaan responded.

  “Yes. That’s why finding all 5 Words of Power isn’t something most people aim to achieve before the age of 39. The important thing is…”

  “The Engraving Ceremony can only be done once,” the woman from the Tinder Unit interrupted.

  “The Engraving Ceremony uses an enormous amount of water from the Spirit Root’s Great River. You can see the condition of your spirit roots now, can’t you?”

  Nitaan pictured the great river in his mind, now reduced to a small canal, before nodding in agreement.

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  “But there are those who have successfully performed the Engraving Ceremony a second time, aren’t there? I once heard..."

  Bang!

  The sound of a table being slammed echoed, making Nitaan startle.

  "How many people are there, Nitaan! Over these thousands of years, how many millions of people have become Learners? Among them all, how many of them successfully perform the second Engraving Ceremony?!" Chief Singh, who had maintained a stoic expression, suddenly exploded with anger.

  "How many people are that lucky?!"

  "You are a genius, Nitaan! You know you discovered your first word at only 8 years old! The second at 12! You might even discover a third soon. Who knows? You might even discover fourth words! An Enlightened Nitaan! An Enlightened! You could have become an Enlightened with just three words! But you threw away your future to save a dog!! A noble Enlighten! Just for a dog!!" Chief Singh's voice grew louder and louder, almost shouting at the end.

  Nitaan, who had been listening with a guilty expression, felt his guilt vanish upon hearing the final part of the sentence, replaced by a cold, emotionless face. Nitaan's deep blue eyes stared back at Chief Singh without yielding.

  "He's not just 'a dog,' Chief. He saved my life. I've raised him since he was a puppy. He's always been by my side, never leaving my side. To him, I'm more important than anything else. I'm his whole world. He's not just a dog, Chief. He's my family. The last remaining family I have."

  Nitaan's voice was cold and piercing, his eyes blazing with undisguised anger.

  Chief Singh's eyes trembled before he responded, this time devoid of anger.

  "I'm sorry, Nitaan. I didn't mean it. I... I was just worried about you..."

  "I understand, Chief. I understand. Thank you," Nitaan's voice softened.

  Clap

  The sound of a book being placed on the table drew everyone's attention back to the young woman from the Tinder Unit.

  "Let bygones be bygones, Mr. Nitaan. According to the Tinder Unit's rules, we only accept new members from those with talent who haven't yet undergone the Engraving Ceremony and are under 30."

  "In addition to their duties as a special unit, members of the Tinder Unit receive special resources and support from the royal family. All of this is to cultivate top-tier individuals. Therefore, once accepted, they are nurtured until the age of 39, after which the Engraving Ceremony is performed, and then they will be assigned their duties."

  Nitaan nodded.

  "Therefore, I apologize for having to inform you of this, but currently, you no longer meet the qualifications to join the Tinder Unit."

  Nitaan listened without speaking. His face remained calm.

  "But we acknowledge your potential, Mr. Nitaan. With your talent, you have a high chance of discovering the 3rd or 4th word, even though you can only fully comprehend two..."

  "Three words," Nitaan interrupts. "I discovered the third word while fighting that giant bear." "Therefore, it is possible to fully comprehend three words, transcending the learner level to become a First word Engraver, a Second word Engraver and then a Third word Engraver.”

  The meeting room fell silent again. All eyes were fixed on Nitaan. The woman from the Tinder Unit still had her mouth agape at his words.

  "Genius..." P' Phu's voice murmured.

  "Finding three words within the age of 19... A true genius..." Chief Singh said absentmindedly.

  The woman from the Tinder Unit remained silent for another moment, seemingly trying to comprehend the illogical event before her. After a while, she sighed.

  "What a pity. "No, a tragedy," she shook her head.

  "Anyway, with your potential, Mr. Nitaan, you have a high chance of thoroughly comprehending all three Words of Power and becoming a Third word Engraver, becoming a noble Enlightened" she continued.

  "Among the many learners, most cannot comprehend even a single word and remain stuck at the learner level all their life."

  "Another group can only comprehend one word and get stuck at the First word Engraver level, even if they were able to find their second or third Word of Power in the past."

  "Even geniuses are no exception. Many geniuses are stuck at the level of Second word Engraver, unable to ascend to the level of Third word Engraver, known as Enlightened."

  "If you, Mr. Nitaan, are able to reach the level of Third word Engraver and become an Enlightened, you can always come to us at the Tinder Unit. We are happy to offer many benefits to Enlightened." The woman continued.

  'Meaning, if I don't reach the level of an Enlightened, don't bother showing your face.’ Nitaan grumbled inwardly.

  "Yes, I will try."

  "So what are you going to do next, Nitaan? Are you going to move to the capital?" Chief Singh asked.

  "Probably not yet. I'd rather slowly train and quietly comprehend my words in this town first."

  "But can I go home and rest for now? I'm really tired after a long day."

  "You're right. Go home. You've had a lot today. You deserve some rest. Also, take some time off to get used to your new power."

  Nitaan pressed his hands together in infront of his chest to farewell everyone before leaving the room. Before closing the door, he could still feel the soft words and the regretful gazes following him, a look of pity for the crumbled future of a genius.

  "What a pity…" The faint voice still echoed in Nitaan's ears as he closed the door.

  A pity, huh?

  Outside the conference room, a large, black wolf with eyes as black as longan seeds sat calmly waiting for him. Kiita's body was covered in bandages, tightly wrapped around his torso, contrasting sharply with his fluffy black fur. Kiita now looked like a ball of cotton squeezed in the middle, evoking pity and laughter from those who saw him.

  Hearing Nitaan's footsteps, Kiita ran towards him, his tail wagging happily, his breathing now stable. There was no trace of the dog that had almost visited Realm of Tiran just a few hours earlier.

  "Woof!"

  Nitaan, Nitaan, Kiita, hungry, let's go, eat, eat.

  Nitaan bent down and hugged Kiita, stroking its soft, fluffy fur between his fingers, burying his face in Kiita's neck. There were faint tear stains at the corner of his eye.

  “Okay! We will have a hearty meal from the three-tusked boar today. Let’s buy a really big one!”

  “Woof!”

  Big boar! Yum!

  Nitaan smiled happily. He wouldn't ask for anything more as long as he could still hug that soft fur and feel that warmth.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Everything shattered like crystal glass when the familiar clashing sounds echoed in Nitaan’s ears once again.

  “O’Flame, who lightens up the world, O’Flame, who cleanses the Evernight!”

  “To the wisdom in the Page as vast as the sky!”

  “To the words in the Inkdrop as deep as the sea!”

  The religious start praying, and the morning guards are diligently working. Today was just like any other day.

  After the sounds subsided, a wet nose burrowed into the blanket, sniffing around in search of a target. Upon finding one, it attacked Nitaan’s face without hesitation.

  Nitaan, Nitaan, wake up! Wake up! It’s morning!

  Kiita hungry!.

  Nitaan sat up, his eyes still slightly red from the nightmare of the night before. Nitaan cradled Kiita's front legs over his shoulder, then hugged the large black dog beside the bed.

  He doesn't care that Kiita is a wolf. For him, Kiita is just a dog, no, a puppy. Nitaan burying his face in Kiita’s fluffy neck. He took a deep breath before whispering softly,

  “Pity? Even if I had to choose a hundred or a thousand times more, I would choose to do the same every time.”