Mara went ahead with the fruit she held through the streets of this city. With the amount of people—no, the amount of higher-level architecture which existed here—along with the giant castle at the end of the entire city, yet the city wasn't just simply the size of a city. No, it could be comparable to the size of France. She moved through the streets, the soft floor—even when made of concrete. She could hear the laughter ringing from the children who ran around. The clothing looked like those around the previous centuries of Japan, but the clothing combined with the Chinese style.
"How interesting... Clothing like this shouldn't mix, yet it does so well."
She reached an arena, the empty area filled with people around it waiting for something, the countdown of which began as Mara went into the crowd. They spoke of the fighters—their youth and yet high abilities—the fact they were more powerful than they looked, a piece of gold inside copper.
"Have you heard? They say Lady Osami had reached the Foundation Establishment in just twenty years!"
"No way! It should normally take a hundred years just to reach the pinnacle of Qi Condensation!?"
"Which is why they call her a genius! She's expected to reach Core Formation even faster!"
"I would love to be..."
The voices which spoke about cultivation—she knew what this was, yet she held no abilities from this. Her body filled with Mana, yet it had no use. She reached the arena's entrance, which she stood in front of—the place she needed to fill out to enter. It was easy to recognize this from the banner above, which had the words "Participation Request here!" in a cursive manner. Though no one stood in line, she walked over with a smile. It would be fun to see how this world had taught their kids; after all, it seemed like they were competitive.
"Please write your name, gender, and cultivation."
Though she had no idea how to cultivate, nor knew how it worked, from what she'd overheard from the people speaking, she had written Qi Condensation for the realm, and her name as "Mara." Once she had finished the request, it went through with him as he read it. Though not being given a full name, the elder had paid no mind. He stroked his beard gently with a smile, letting her into the arena.
She moved gracefully, her legs stepped through the ground, yet the absence of sound from it was evident. Her demeanor and looks of a young lady, yet she was still able to be recognized as someone older than she looked. Her opponent being the one they spoke of, being named Osami from the very chanting the people did as they saw the girl.
"I must say, you look less than impressive, young lady..."
Though her words stung to Osami, she had to keep her cool. Her reputation was on the line, and thus she couldn't ruin it by getting angry from a few words.
"Well, I guess we can begin. You can use your weapon—you'll need it."
Mara gave a chuckle, trying to see if this person was like every other portrayal of a cultivator—the arrogance they showed when it came to someone who they assumed was weaker. So to get that reaction, she had to do the same.
"I do not wish to converse with someone like you."
In that moment, the girl rushed over. Her movements quick as she went to hit Mara would be stopped. Her hand moved, grabbing the blade tightly and making sure it didn't touch her skin—that would completely blow her cover. Mara pushed the blade up just as soon as she grabbed it, her body moving swiftly as she sent a punch right at the girl's chest—though closer to the collarbone, she had hit the sternum instead.
"GHK! How th—"
"Don't worry, I'm not as I seemed before. I was just making sure of something."
Her words were soft yet quick. Osami was sent flying up from the punch, but she regained balance and stood floating in the air. The sky rained down swords made of a material which wasn't from her world. In that case, Mara quickly pushed her body against the ground, launching herself up with no delay. With how high she could get and the amount of airtime she had, her hands grabbed onto the girl's leg, which, using the momentum, moved her body up to grab Osami's head with her legs.
"Wait—!"
In a moment, she would drag Osami down towards the ground, changing their positions. Mara's head now facing the sky as Osami's head got implanted into the ground, knocking her out. Getting up, she pulled up Osami while the crowd looked in silence. The fact Osami was defeated this easily by someone who was weaker didn't make sense. The difference in realms was so high that the pinnacle of Qi Condensation couldn't even compare to the first level of Foundation Establishment.
"Are you alright, young lady?"
Osami got up disoriented as she had lost. Looking up at Mara, she could see her expression of genuine care for her. She didn't expect a person like her, especially with how she spoke and acted, to be this caring for their opponent.
"But—huh... Weren't you insulting me just earlier?"
"That was just to see if you were like any others."
Her lies came out like the truth—it couldn't even be distinguished as lies since they knew nothing about her. Mara looked down, her expression was calm and now gleeful. She went from squatting to standing up straight, waiting for Osami to do the same. She left the arena not wanting to fight anymore since she had found a suitable person to ask questions to—yet... she probably wouldn't like the fact that they didn't even know how to cultivate.
"Where do you live, young lady?"
Osami reacted with a confused look at Mara, having to stare down to make eye contact. For how she acted and spoke, she didn't seem like a kid—more like an elder—yet she looked so young.
"Young lady? I'm not that young! Well okay, maybe to a hag like y—"
Mara softly hit her on the head to stop her. The expression on her face showed a semblance of annoyance, though it changed into an unimpressed expression.
"Ow! Okay fine, you aren't that. I'll just take you to my home."
The reason for the trustworthiness wasn't known by Mara. Why would a girl like this trust her even when she was telling a stranger where she lived? The place was far different from her own world, so it could be okay to tell others where they lived—yet it should've been more worrying for her.
"Just like that? Are you not afraid of someone using that to take you from your home when you aren't awake?"
"No, my parents are highly influential. If someone took me, then they would instantly regret it!"
"Just because you're influential doesn't mean you're untouchable. There could be people stronger than you who want to use you to get money from your parents. Otherwise, you die. You clearly aren't that high in the hierarchy."
"Hey! Well—okay, I'm at the third lowest stage but that's rude!"
"Ah—I apologize then."
She didn't wish for an argument. A calm expression on her face looked up to the sky. The abyssal mist covering the world—an endless chaos unable to be changed from unpredictability. The white dots were glowing and shining from the night sky, yet it was day. For the bright sun covered the world—the coating of blue wasn't there, but that was for a reason.
"If you don't mind answering, how do you take care of this planet? Or at least the people here?"
"Well—if something is done which harms the planet, no matter their strength or status, it's the imprisonment which stops their ability to cultivate. We don't really have rules for this, it's based on the majority. So if the majority don't want the planet destroyed, it won't be destroyed."
A hint of happiness appeared on Mara's face, though she gave a moment of silence. It showed how she felt to Osami. The more they walked through the streets, she got to know more about the kingdom they were in. From the looks and architecture, it could be compared to the Japanese Taisho era, though it could also be compared to British architecture for most from modern times. The majority being a modest living space with her seeing many walk—even during this time when it was to sleep—walk around. Those with weapons of any size, though covered to not cause harm or destroy property.
"Uhmm, I haven't gotten your name yet, Ma'am."
"Ah, please call me Kaida. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Osami."
A smile grew on her face after it went back stoic to look around. She could see the norm was to simply wave, no sense of smiling. It didn't seem proper. So her actions weren't that into the culture—she still had to get used to this since it wasn't normal for that to occur, at least here.
Finally reaching Osami's home, she welcomed Mara inside. Walking in, she asked Mara to remove her shoes, though realized she didn't wear any. A faint chuckle came from her mouth while she removed her own. The interior looked modern and modest. There weren't some pieces of technology which humans would define as more "advanced," but it didn't matter since they didn't seem to require things like that.
"My father is busy, but he's managing manufacturing, so he rarely comes here since people love to try to mess up the fancy items they make. I think they're starting on new technology which allows us to communicate without the use of Mana from long distances or something."
"Sounds fun. But is there anything you do other than, well, train or fight?"
"Yeah—there's a lot, but I usually stick with origami or drawing! Of course, I do more—it's just not very much since people disturb me often."
"Drawing? If you don't mind, could I see one of them? I love art made by h—others!"
Osami felt a little weird from the stutter but didn't mind it much, maybe just saying something differently. But Mara didn't look from this world—especially with her clothing and her accent. It didn't sound like it was from here, but she didn't mind. It only made her more interesting. Osami quickly went to her room and took out a canvas—one covered in color with the drawing of a dragon, almost Chinese, at least to Mara. It was in the landscape position so it could fit inside the canvas fully. Though the coloring was different, along with the face, the legs and arms—it still could resemble one.
"Incredible... But—I must ask, what is this based on? Or is this completely original?"
"Ah—well, it's based off an old legend in this city. People have said they've seen this exact dragon flying above, with it raining down in a jet-black color, covering the place in complete darkness unless leaving the city, like a barrier. Though it's disappeared as of recently, about... five hundred years ago? I wasn't able to witness it, but from what people have said, I could muster this up."
Mara gave a thrilled look, for the fact it had creatures humans thought to be mythical only and fictitious were real—it was something new entirely. Her eyes lit up. For a long while, she held a stoic expression—like a being devoid of emotion and empathy.
"Is there something you like about this—uhm... Kaida?"
"Well yes. It's not something I usually hear about where I'm from, so even hearing about it is very fun."
In a sense, she could be lying, but it wasn't a lie as well, considering she didn't witness it with her eyes. But she did see humans draw and animate these types of entities—not based off something which actually happened in their world, and not in the Lower Realms.
She glanced at the side seeing her bed, two drawers of which radiated some sort of energy, but she didn't try stealing them since they didn't feel dangerous. But she couldn't trust something like that just in someones room, especially with how hot it is.