Gleam Karma Cultivator Isekai

Chapter 104: Exit portal

Seconds ticked by. Even though Chance and Quinn had been fighting just minutes before, both of them paid borderline no attention to each other as they sat. The silence was occasionally broken by distant screams or loud, crashing explosions. Shudders shook the island periodically, but nobody else ever entered the room.

Time stretched on, going from minutes to hours. Chance continued to patrol the room, just to make sure nobody slipped by whatever was happening outside, but it proved pointless. The inside of the mansion was empty. Nobody was coming.

Chance wasnt sure exactly how much time passed. It wasnt more than a day, but it was at least twelve hours probably somewhere between the two, when the ring of smoke surrounding the crystal fluttered as if a breeze had blown through it.

He and Quinn both watched it warily. Ocie still hadnt tried to contact Chance, and he hadnt heard any fighting inside the mansion itself, so he doubted that anyone had attacked or interrupted Bella, but that still didnt completely reassure him.

Something glittered within the smoke. A sparkle of green light shimmered behind it, and Bella stepped out of the flames, walking through them as if they werent there. She looked like shed just woken up from a long nap.

Rubbing the weariness from her eyes, Bella looked from Chance to Quinn. How long was I out? Who is this?

Not that long, Chance said, a relieved smile crossing his face. This is Quinn. Shes well, she isnt an enemy. Someone was using Essence to force her to fight.

Bellas eyes darkened. Disgusting. Where are they?

Dead, Quinn said, her voice still slightly hollow. Your friend killed her.

Chance? Bella asked, blinking. Thats surprising. I would have assumed youd try to leave her alive and scold her or something. Good job. People like that dont deserve to live.

Chance cleared his throat and glanced to the side. Actually, I wasnt the one that killed her. I admit I considered it, but it felt like killing her would negatively impact my own Karma because of how pathetic she was. I know, I know. Thats odd, since she was clearly a terrible person, but I couldnt shake the gut feeling.

Bellas frown deepened. Thats understandable, but if you didnt kill this person what friend is she talking about?

Lin, Chance said with a grim expression. He showed up with Nimea that was her name Nimeas head.

Hes also in the Ancient Realm? I could tell he was unhinged, but just how bad are we talking? He seemed to be on our side back in the Dancing Cloud Sect.

I think sides are very relative with him, Chance said. And, possibly worse, I have no idea how strong Lin really is. The Shikari that was chasing us implied that he was wanted by someone high up, which cant be a good sign.

Bella just cocked an eyebrow. She didnt need to say anything for Chance to be able to read what she was thinking.

So are we.

I dont think hell just randomly attack us. I just dont want to take the risk. After Nimea Chance broke off and frowned, his fists clenching by his sides. Never mind.

This is going really far just to repay a small favor, Bella said. Do you think hes aiming for something?

Chance shrugged. I have no idea. Maybe hes just a really honorable person and feels like favors need to be paid back. He could also just have a great understanding of Karma. But, if things do go poorly, I dont think we can defeat him. Not unless you just got a lot stronger. Speaking of, did it work?

Bella glanced over her shoulder at the smoke rising up behind them. When she looked back, a confident grin stretched across her lips. Yeah. Im a Knight now.

Yes! Great job! Chance exclaimed.

Thanks. It honestly almost feels like I didnt quite earn it, Bella said, chewing her lower lip for a moment. But I got a lot from it. Didnt even need to finish using up the Essence, actually. Theres still some left.

Did Ocie take it?

Bella shook her head. No. Maybe youre rubbing off on her. Im not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing, especially after how tempted she seemed to be earlier. Once I was done cultivating, Ocie just sank into the ground and left.

Huh, Chance said. Well, good for her. Its good to learn how to share. Shes gotten more than enough out of this whole thing, so itll be nice to let someone else profit. Quinn, couldnt you also use the crystal?

I thought you said I couldnt

Not until Bella was done, Chance said. But she is, and youve been dealt a pretty bad hand. Im not going to stop you. Besides, if you want to have any chance of surviving out there on your own, youre going to need to be stronger.

Quinn swallowed. Her eyes went from Chance to the wall of smoke surrounding the crystal.

It might be a bit before anyone else is bold enough to challenge Lin. Even if he leaves, you could have enough time to cultivate here if youre quick to escape, Chance said. Its up to you. Nobody can force you to make a decision anymore.

Why are you doing this? Quinn asked. I dont understand. I tried to kill you a few hours ago. Even if I was being controlled, it was still me.

The key bit here is tried. Besides, you attempted to talk things out. Since Bella has what she needs, theres no reason for us to be enemies. Id rather the power went to someone who actually needs it rather than some random greedy cultivator. But youre going to have to make your decision fast. The longer youre here, the more chances someone strong shows up.

Quinn stared at the fire for a few moments. Then her jaw set and she slowly rose to her feet.

Thank you. Youre right. I cant go back the way I came, so Ill need to be strong enough to follow after someone. Ill take the shot.

Good luck, Chance said.

Quinn nodded. She stepped past them, headed toward the wall of smoke. As she passed Chance, he tilted his head slightly to the side and turned to look back at her.

Hey, Quinn?

Yes? Quinn stopped walking just before the wall of fire blocking off the crystal.

I hope you dont take this the wrong way, but youre a Knight as well, arent you? Why didnt you put up more of a fight? Im not saying you were a bad warrior, but you should have been able to do a lot more than what you did.

Quinn didnt answer for a moment. Then she slowly turned back, and a flicker of a smile crossed her face before vanishing, replaced by sad determination once more. Youre a little more astute than I thought you were. Nimea could only make me do what she could imagine, and she wasnt a Knight. Its not my fault she just thought I was incompetent. Its pretty difficult to know what someones abilities are if you never see them, you know.

Then she stepped through the fire, vanishing within it. Bella and Chance exchanged a glance, then wordlessly stepped into the hall that Nimea and Quinn had left them. They walked silently for a few moments before Bella finally broke it.

If Im picking up context clues correctly

She wanted Nimea to die, Chance said with a nod. Quinn intentionally didnt let Nimea know she was a good bit stronger than she actually was, hoping shed lose the fight. She might have been planning to die as well, I think. I doubt she expected someone to kill Nimea but not her.

Shes a pretty damn good actor, Bella muttered, glancing over her shoulder. They came to a curve in the tunnel and followed it, starting to ascend a makeshift stairwell in the stone. Either that or she only just made up her mind about the future now.

Might as well give her the benefit of the doubt. I think theres a reason I could tell that killing Nimea would mess with my Karma, though. Quinn deserved to be free. Everyone does but Im not a sword for hire. That interaction wasnt organic. Nimea should have faced justice by Quinns own hand, not mine or Lins.

Somehow, I get the feeling that Lin might not really care all that much about this sort of thing. If he did, he wouldnt go around punching holes in peoples chests, Bella muttered. Thanks for covering me, though. I wouldnt have been able to do that if you werent there.

Were a team, Chance said with a shrug. Thats what we do. Its just too bad Quinn and Nimea werent the same. They could have done so much more. Hopefully Quinn can find someone that treats her like an equal.

The tunnel wound up, taking a sharp turn before leading outside, letting sunlight wash into the tunnel through the small hole above them. It was just tall enough to be a little too far to see out of, even if they jumped. Chance and Bella both fell silent in case someone else was in the area. They exchanged a glance and Bella pointed at herself. Chance nodded, then crouched near the wall.

Bella stepped forward. Her skin glittered, turning crystalline. Chance boosted her up and she caught onto the edge of the hole, pulling herself up and glancing around.

I dont see anyone else here.

She swung out the rest of the way, then reached down to Chance, pulling him up as well. Chance opened his third eye, quickly looking around as soon as he was on the surface to see if he could spot any strands of Karma hanging around.

There were none. Surprisingly, he couldnt even see anything belonging to Lin. He scrunched his nose. That meant that either Lin had left, or he had some sort of way to hide his Karma from Chance.

Whered he go? I feel like he would have showed up if he was still here, but I find it hard to believe that someone actually beat him in a fight. Lin just feels I dont know. Too strong to go down like that? Not to some random cultivator, at least.

Anyone? Bella asked.

No. Chance shook his head. Nobody that I can see, at least. What are your thoughts on trying to get out of the Ancient Realm? If Lin is here, then

Shae and the other Shikari could be as well, Bella said with a grim nod. They probably are.

Assuming Lin wasnt lying about killing Shae. I saw that room. Even if he says Shae survived, I wouldnt be surprised if Lin just meant he left him alive and Shae died a minute later.

Right, Chance said. So escape?

Escape, Bella agreed. They walked up to the edge of the small floating island they were on and squinted out over the horizon, looking for the nearest exit portal. Bella pointed to their left, where a beam of blue light rose between a small cluster of large, jagged hills. There were a few ruins clumped on top of them, but it was also the closest beam to them.

Its certainly close, but theres lots of places for people to hide, Chance said. People will almost certainly be waiting for anyone thats trying to leave to try and get the jump on them. Thats a good place to do it.

Thats kind of what Im counting on, Bella said with a grin. Well go back to the Dancing Cloud sect if we use our own exit portal, wont we?

Chances eyes lit up. Oh! I dont know how I didnt think of that. Youre thinking we should try to run through someone elses portal to throw off the Shikari?

Exactly. What do you think?

Well, at the very least, itll be a nice change of attitude. Well actually be happy to see someone attack us for once.

Bella laughed. Then its decided. Lets get out of here before someone comes after us. I still want to do a lot more practice before I actually try to use my new abilities. I dont think theyd go too well in a surprise test like yours did.

You going to tell me what they are? Chance asked as they started toward the rope bridges, making their way away from the floating islands.

Once Im confident I can actually do it, Bella replied. I dont want to rely on it quite yet.

Fair enough. Onward, then. Hopefully, the Shikari are a lot farther behind us than Lin was.