Gaia's Favourite

In the dense fog of the morning, a figure could be seen lightly flashing by the forest. This figure was Zack. After a lot pleading to his parents, he was finally allowed to hunt in the forest and build up his battle experience. Only a week was left before he received the inheritance. Even just thinking about it made him bubble up with excitement. Slowly, the week passed.

As the sun gave the first light of the day, Zack's eyes slowly opened. He suddenly bolted up with a huge smile plastered on his face. " This is it ! This is the day I start my journey to become the strongest. ". However, contrary to his expectations, the whole day passed just like another day with everything being the same. Soon, night came, Zack was on the verge of tears, " I can't believe this. I've been duped. There's no inheritance !!!!! AHHH !!! HOW COULD I BE SO NAÏVE !!! ".

With a belly full of anger and hatred, Zack unwillingly went to sleep. However, as soon as he did he could feel his soul being s.u.c.k.e.d by an unknown force. Before he could react, Zack found himself in an entire different world. The sounds of birds chirping could heard from afar. Zack was surrounded by a lush green forest as far as the eyes could see. Suddenly, the the trees in front of him moved to his left and right as if opening a path for him to tread on. Hesitantly, Zack made his way according to path. No matter how much he walked, the end was nowhere to be seen and the trees behind him converged together after he stepped through, making it impossible for him to see behind him.

Minutes turned into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years and it went on and on. Zack had long forgotten the amount of time he spending his eyes were filled with determination as if he was he'll bent of finishing what he started.

As he took another step, the ground shook warped into a hole. Zack was pulled inside the hole and the scenery changed once again. This time again, he was surrounded by trees but in front of him a person was sitting on a rock. This person was wearing bright green robes and the beauty of his face could just not be described through words alone. Sitting there, that person looked like an immortal. Suddenly, he looked at Zack. That gaze was enough to terrify Zack, as Zack felt all his secrets being revealed. " HMPH! You sure took your time. Didn't you ? " . The immortal-like person suddenly spoke in a mesmerizing voice. Zack was, at first, confused but soon realization hit him and he couldn't help but stutter as he spoke, " Y-y-y- You're Gaia ?!! ".

The man smiled as he said, " Took you a long time to figure that out, huh, blockhead ! By the way, why are you so angry at me ? I'm delivering my promise aren't I ? " . The last part of the sentence angered Zack as spoke, " I was waiting all day for your so called inheritance and you only remembered to me now at the end of the day. " . Gaia looked at Zack as if looking at a blockhead and replied sarcastic voice " So you're telling me that you wanted me to make your body drop dead in the middle of the day and create a disturbance in the village just to give you the inheritance while I could have given it to you during your sleep. I can't believe I picked a blockhead to be my successor.". Gaia couldn't help but sigh as he said the last part. Zack's face was beet red as be couldn't find anyway to retort. Helpless, he tried to change the subject, " Anyways, what about ... ". Before he could even finish is sentence e was cut off by Gaia, " I'll introduce myself properly this time , I am Gaia, fifty years ago I was the strongest person of the universe, however I was ambushed by my enemies and over the years I had made hundreds of enemies. Our battle shook the earth beneath us and destroyed half of the planet we were on. Although I managed to escape, they found me again and another battle took place. In this battle I was seriously injured and with the help of a taboo art I took down each and every one of my enemy at the cost of my life. My soul survived and looked for a person to forward my inheritance to."

A long silence ensued until Gaia broke it," So, any questions ? ". Zack immediately asked what was on his mind, " What is this place ? " " My inner world. "Gaia replied. Zack was confused by his reply but before he could ask Gaia, as if reading his mind, replied " Once you reach the required cultivation level than I shall tell you about it. Any other questions ? ". Zack immediately asked the biggest question weighing on his mind " What was that forest I was in a while ago ? ". Gaia calmly replied " It was an illusion to test your determination and the sense was deliberately jumbled up inside of it. Only a few minutes have passed while you were inside of it. ". Zack was taken aback by this revelation as he realized that all that time spent walking only actually amounted to a few minutes. Abruptly, Gaia said " Lets continue to the main event of the day, my inheritance. It is going to be a bit painful, so try your best to endure it. ". As soon as Gaia said that, Zack experienced a huge pain in his mind as if someone was tearing his mind apart. Zack couldn't help but let out an extremely horrid scream as he rolled about on the floor in pain.

After what seemed like an eternity, the pain suddenly subsided and a whole new world of knowledge was opened in his mind. Gaia's Inheritance was mostly focused on nature's power and it utilised it as killing weapon. As Zack was going through the information, he forgot all about his surroundings and it was until Gaia coughed loudly that Zack came to his senses " The way to cultivate this technique is also listed inside and when you reach the Mandate level, I'll reappear and guide you for a bit. And yes, that means that I am staying in your body. ". Zack's face turned into one of extreme horror as he realized that another soul would be staying in his body but before he could say anything Gaia retorted " My soul is still in perfect condition and I am only staying here in order to bring it back to its original level and start searching for a suitable body to start living and cultivating again. And besides it's not like me staying in your body would inconvenience you in any way. Right then, my soul power is being drained so this is good bye." Before Zack could voice his complaints, he found himself back in his room and back in his real world.