"Code Alchemist?" Int a froze, his brows knitting. "Anyone in the Code Continent dreams of being one, but it's not like anyone can just become one. The conditions are brutal…" His voice trailed off, and he snapped his head up, eyes wide. "Wait… do I qualify?"
The old man, stroking his beard, seemed to relish int a's mix of shock and hope. He studied the boy, then sighed as if reluctant. "You're barely qualified. But since I owe you for those three years, I'll let it slide. Consider it repaying a debt."
Int a squinted at the old man's feigned reluctance, sensing a bluff but too excited to care. "Even if I qualify, Code Alchemists need mentors to guide them. Are you… one of them?" His voice carried a mix of doubt and anticipation.
The old man grinned, puffing out his chest. "Indeed, I am a Code Alchemist!" His tone held a quiet pride.
Int a's eyes sparkled. A Code Alchemist! A rare, revered figure in the Code Continent, coveted even by sects like Cloud Code.
"Master, what rank were you?" Int a asked, his youthful voice tinged with respect. He licked his lips, eager for the answer.
In the Code Continent, Code Alchemists were ranked from one to nine, based on their skill. The Code Condenser from the hall, crafted by Master Bitforge, marked him as a sixth-rank alchemist, the Byte Empire's finest.
"Rank? Heh, I forget," the old man said airily, waving a hand. "So, kid, you learning or not?"
"Learn! I'm learning!" Int a nodded eagerly, his hesitation gone. A Code Alchemist, even one from a small sect, was treated like royalty. This was a chance he couldn't miss.
"Heh, good. Then kneel and pay respects to your master," the old man said, sitting cross-legged on a floating bit of code, his smile sly.
"Kneel?" Int a blinked.
"Nonsense! You think I'll teach you everything without a proper master-disciple bond? Dream on!" The old man rolled his eyes, clearly old-fashioned about tradition.
Int a sighed, but to become a Code Alchemist, he complied, bowing respectfully to the old man.
Satisfied, the old man nodded, his tone warming. "Call me Master Bit. My past? Let's skip that for now—it'll distract you. Just know that so-called 'Master Bitforge'? Pfft, he's nothing compared to me."
Int a's mouth twitched. Master Bitforge, a legend in the Byte Empire, dismissed as nothing? If anyone heard this, they'd call this old man a lunatic.
Swallowing his shock, int a grinned slyly. "Master, how do we get my internal force to fifty points in a year?"
Master Bit's smile faded, his tone serious. "These three years, your internal force regressed, but that strengthened your core's foundation. A solid base is everything in cultivation. You'll see soon enough how those years of loss will benefit you."
Int a blinked, unconvinced. His regression had been a nightmare—how could it be a blessing?
"When do I learn Code Alchemy?" he pressed, his eyes glinting with excitement.
"To become a Code Alchemist, you need Algorithmic Flame internal force. So, first, you must reach Pointer Knight rank and master a flame-based Code Art," Master Bit explained.
"Flame-based Code Art? Heh, Master, since I'm your disciple, how about a God-tier flame art?" Int a grinned, holding out his hand.
"God-tier? You think those grow on trees?" Master Bit scoffed, half-laughing. "Ridiculous kid!"
"Master, you can't expect me to use the village's best flame art, can you? It's only Array-tier High-level. That's pathetic for your disciple!" Int a's face fell, his tone glum.
"Call me Master, not 'old man'!" Master Bit snapped, glaring. "Just became my disciple and you're already so bold?"
Int a grinned cheekily, unfazed.
"Hmph. I don't have God-tier arts, but I've got something stranger—a Code Art that defies tiers. Want it?" Master Bit's eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Stranger than God-tier?" Int a's heart raced, his eyes burning with curiosity. "What level is it?"
"Array-tier Low-level," Master Bit said, smirking.
Int a's face froze. "Master, are you messing with me?"
A moment later, the cliff echoed with int a's furious shout.
Master Bit laughed, delighted to have rattled the usually composed boy. "It can evolve," he said after a pause, his voice soft.
Int a's eyes widened, his breath catching. "Evolve? No Code Art in the Code Continent can do that!"
"Kid, the Code Continent is vast. You've barely left Stack City. Impossible things? They're everywhere," Master Bit sneered.
Int a faltered, then pressed, "Have you heard of any other evolving Code Art?"
Master Bit's smile stiffened, but he recovered with a dry laugh. "That's what makes mine special!"
"It really evolves?" Int a asked, skeptical.
"Really," Master Bit nodded firmly.
"You've practiced it?" Int a pressed.
"Uh… no," Master Bit admitted, scratching his head.
"Has anyone practiced it?"
"…No."
Int a's forehead throbbed, his fists clenching. "No one's practiced it, and you claim it evolves? Based on what?"
"It says so in the art's description," Master Bit said, grinning sheepishly.
Int a stared, torn between disbelief and curiosity. "Can I see it?"
"Heh, not yet. It's useless until you're a Pointer Knight. I'll show you then," Master Bit teased, his smile widening.
Int a's outstretched hand froze, his lips twitching. "You're ruthless," he muttered.
Master Bit laughed heartily, ignoring int a's glare. "Focus on hitting fifty points in a year first, kid."
"How?" Int a asked, suppressing his curiosity about the mysterious art.
"Early internal force cultivation is about strengthening your core and channels, preparing for greater power. At your age, your channels are fragile but malleable, so we can't rush with external boosts. Overload them, and when your internal force grows, your channels could crash, leaving you dereferenced," Master Bit said gravely.
Int a nodded. His father had nearly forced energy into him years ago but stopped, knowing the risks.
Master Bit studied him, then smiled. "Others might need caution, but you're different. Your core's foundation, built before your regression, is rock-solid. And your discipline—never missing a day's cultivation—makes it exceptional."
"You're suggesting external boosts? Like a Code Condenser?" Int a's eyes lit up.
"Sort of, but your channels can't handle a Code Condenser's raw power yet, even the weakest one," Master Bit said. "We'll use a gentler method."
"What method?" Int a leaned forward, eager.
"Tomorrow, gather three intact Purple Bit Herbs, the older the better. Two Bone-Cleansing Sprouts, any age. And one Level-1 Organic Core. Low-level materials—you can manage that," Master Bit said. "Someone's coming. I'm back to the ring. Don't tell anyone about me, not even your closest kin." With that, he vanished into the ring, which settled back on int a's finger.
"Three Purple Bit Herbs? Two Bone-Cleansing Sprouts? A Level-1 Organic Core? You think I'm some kernel prince?" Int a clutched the ring, fuming. "Those cost over a thousand gold bits! I've saved four hundred in years, barely enough for the core!"
"That's your problem," Master Bit's voice chuckled in his mind. "My Binary Elixir is priceless. Be glad I'm only asking for materials."
"Ugh, only the rich can afford a Code Alchemist's work," int a groaned, shaking his head. His monthly allowance was twenty gold bits—generous for a villager, enough for a common family to live a year. But for these materials? A drop in the bucket.
"I'll have to borrow…" he sighed, his face calming. He glanced down the cliff path, where a blue-robed figure approached, graceful as a sprite.
(To be continued)