Condition Evolution 4 by Kevin Sinclair (books for 10th graders TXT) 📕

was… well, an Earth expression, I suppose,” I half stuttered. Ember chose to help me out by laughing her ass off at my discomfort.

Jezai let it go, bringing the conversation back to the levels we’d reached. “You are both incredibly young, yet your levels are surprisingly high. Particularly for the time you have had in a transcended state. Even so, they are still nowhere near powerful enough for what you will face in the not-so-distant future.”

“We didn’t think for a minute they would be,” Ember answered. “We know we’re shit, but we’re trying our best.”

“My apologies, I intended no insult, Ember. I was merely leading into my next line of conversation.”

“Oh, right. Don’t mind me then. What have you got to say?” she asked bluntly, with a totally neutral expression. Her ability to be rude was quite special, I sometimes wondered if she even knew it herself.

Jezai gave her an odd look before carrying on. “I can show you a technique that will speed up your processing speed. Even with 100 percent Mental Clarity, it is remarkably effective. Mastering this skill will allow you to develop your mental abilities at a far faster pace. In essence, when you are in your Mindscape, time will appear to slow even further. Highly effective for high-pressure situations too.”

“Now that’s a skill I could get behind!” I practically shouted with joy.

“It is most useful, and it will help you to attain full Mental Clarity, improve Mental Resistance, and even improve your intelligence level with the right exercises. Unfortunately, physical stats and Wisdom can only be increased externally for the most part. There are minor exceptions, but not enough to be noteworthy as a form of levelling.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Ember said. “Though it sounds, from what you're saying, like we still have to spend the same amount of time doing those jobs. Just not as much time will have passed in Normal-State.”

“Yes. There is no substitute for hard work, I am afraid,” Jezai responded.

“Damn you, Jezai,” I laughed. “For a second there, I thought I’d be getting out of endless boring hours in the Mindscape.”

“Stop moaning, Shaun. It’d be an amazing boon,” Ember snapped at me, before turning back to Jezai. “Can you teach us?”

He hummed and hawed, then finally spoke again. “You see, the thing is, I—that is, the Apochros—have already put a lot of trust in you by even allowing you to land here. If we were to let you leave under a vow of secrecy, we would again be demonstrating much faith in you. Yet, you do not return the same faith.”

“What do you mean? We literally put our life in your hands by coming here,” Ember snapped.

“From what I gather, you had little option,” Jezai replied.

“So what exactly is it that you’re getting at?” Ember asked, emotions of anger and curiosity warring on her expression.

“Shaun’s Potential?” he said seriously.

We both looked at each other like dumbasses, removing all doubt that we had hidden something. “Have you read our minds somehow?” Ember responded, standing up, fists planted on the table.

Jezai laughed. “I hardly had to. Your acting skills are rather poor. To me, at least. You remember I am over eight thousand years old, my dear?”

She sat back down, face flushed. “Fine! We didn't tell you, because the only other person who does know is Ogun, and he acted weird as hell when he found out.”

“I don't understand what would cause him to react strangely, unless your Potential is somehow lower than 20% or above 95%?”

“It's above 95%,” I offered.

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow, but his expression was unreadable. “By how much? Please, don't keep me in suspense any longer.”

I looked over to Ember, once more feeling extremely uncomfortable. She just shrugged in response, so with a sigh I told him, “My Potential is 99%.”

Despite being over eight thousand years old, his unreadable expression fled like leaves on the wind, and Jezai’s jaw dropped. “You must let me see this! It is essential to check the veracity of what you are saying,” he insisted, becoming very intense, very quickly.

“Okay, dude. That's a step too far for now. You're kinda freaking me out a bit,” I said, raising my hands in a back-the-fuck-off gesture.

“Sorry, please forgive me. Genuinely, but you do know what this means, don't you?”

“Not a fucking clue, mate. Spill the beans already, will you?”

“You have the potential to ascend! You could become of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, possibly the entire universe. No being to my knowledge has had 99 percent Potential.

“At the time of our great departing, the Fystr ruler had 95 percent, as did his second, Samire. The highest known at that time.”

“You’re fucking with me, right?” Ember asked.

“No. If what you have told me is true, Shaun may be the single most important being in the galaxy. I must leave to inform the council immediately. This changes everything!”

“Trust me, mate, I’m really not that important.”

“I assure you, that is not the case. Once I have updated the council, all thoughts of casting you back into space will be off the table. You will have to allow us to verify your potential at some point, Shaun.”

“Meh, fuck it. In for a penny, in for a pound, right? Just get it done, we’re balls deep now, whatever happens.”

Ember gave me a mocking look, while Jezai damn near jumped for joy. “Thank you. You have my word that all I will do is confirm your Potential score. Absolutely nothing more.”

I felt him enter my mind, and I quickly followed him in. He was already standing in front of my stat screen, staring intently and muttering. Ember appeared alongside me, just as he turned around. I couldn’t help but laugh when he seemed to get a shock at the sight of us.

“I can barely believe it,” he said, damn near vibrating with excitement. He clasped my hands firmly in his, staring me directly in the eye, making me feel damn uncomfortable seeing as the bastard was a good 6ft10.