Chapter 158: Heima’s Concern

5:30 AM, seated inside a metro train, Jyorta occupied the window seat, watching the darkness outside in silence, feeling his eyes droop. He hadn't had a proper sleep schedule due to the unsystematic process incorporated while trying to save Heima within the time limit.

His body felt tired, having to experience a breakthrough right after saving Heima from a tough situation. After that, he had to train to control his aura emission and make new subsouls, pushing him beyond exhaustion. He didn't feel like thinking or moving his body, willing to embrace slumber and hibernate for a good duration.

"So, a drop in 8 percent," Heima murmured, gaining his attention.

Jyorta turned to his left, glancing at his sister, "Is that a good or bad performance?"

"It leans towards a bad performance," Heima replied, "Based on the accumulated data, the drop in Sync Rate for a breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2 is between 4 and 10 percent. Very few have managed to finish with only a drop of 4 percent, including Rhachis Ancestor Strongest."

"I fared worse than average then," Jyorta nodded, heaving an exhausted sigh.

"To be honest, you did a lot better than the rest. After all, there won't be much of a battle in the Mental Realm at Tier 1. But, you had to face...her. The fact that you only suffered a decrease in 8 percent is a praiseworthy feat." Heima ruffled his hair, instilling in him some confidence.

"How will it vary at higher Tiers?" Jyorta rubbed his eyes, trying his best to stay awake, feeling his sight turn blurry. He rested his back on the chair, assuming a more comfortable posture, watching Heima reply.

"For breakthrough at higher Tiers, just the first phase alone will be incredibly dangerous. Most of the deaths resulted from the breakthrough are due to the Heart/Brain Crystal of the individual bursting, the explosion powerful enough to destroy their bodies." Heima gazed into the window, noticing the signs that occasionally flashed past, calculating the distance remaining in their journey.

"For breakthrough from Tier 2 to Tier 3, the loss in Sync Rate is between 12 and 20 percent. From Tier 3 to Tier 4, the loss in Sync Rate is between 22 and 32 percent. From Tier 4 to Tier 5, the loss in Sync Rate is between 34 and 46 percent." She said, unwilling to state the data for the final breakthrough.

Upon noticing Jyorta's gaze filled with inquiry, Heima smiled, "You shouldn't concern yourself with it for now. The first breakthrough is the easiest and one of the safest. For your upcoming breakthroughs, you must train hard. Don't slack on the training the military academy will give you."

Jyorta nodded his head, not having the mental capacity to retort or ask for more information. He closed his eyes, dozing off within the next second. Heima watched him in silence, gently patting him once.

She directed her gaze through the window, watching the darkness that showed no traces of abating. Her mind churned with thoughts; her expression morphed, from picturesque tranquillity to desirous morbidity, soon replaced by an aloof nature.

Heima's eyes turned green, taking a glance at Jyorta, diverting her gaze to the window, watching her reflection. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, clenching, and relaxing her palm.

'Something has changed within me.' Heima displayed zero facial expression, her emotions and thought process masked under a layer of fog. She glanced around, noticing one of the passengers—a middle-aged man, wearing a brown trench coat, and sporting a grey fedora hat—smile at her, making a gentleman's salute with his hat.

Heima gave a curt nod, looking past the middle-aged man to notice five other passengers, men, and women in their forties, flashing a courteous smile while making eye-contact. Heima turned around, reaching out with her right hand, wrapping it around the shoulder of Jyorta, pulling him closer.

Her hand protectively wrapped around him, allowing his head to rest on her lap. She gently patted the sides of his right arm—facing up—in equal intervals, her actions light, akin to a comforting gesture.

A slight smile formed on Jyorta's face, getting comfortable in his sleep. Even though her actions conformed to the gentlest of all, her eyes spewed out with venomous hatred. Though, she neither exuded any aura nor exhibited a change in demeanour, not budging from her seat like a statue.

7:12 AM, the train halted at a particular station, flashing a set of words at the front of each compartment, prompting the passengers to get off according to their destination. Heima stood up, carrying the sleeping Jyorta, exhibiting perfect control in her muscles, preventing his resting body from experiencing any difficulties.

She exited the train, her senses trained to her back, inspecting for any movements. She noticed a couple of individuals trail after her, placing zero efforts to hide their intention.

Heima stopped, watching some people walk to the end of the platform and board a lift, heading towards the Upper Strata. She noticed the sounds of footsteps inching closer, the pace reeking with confidence, the gait surmounting all manners of ease.

"Madam Bone, I am Cavish Macht, Senior Intelligence Officer from the Bureau of Frenzy Beast Investigation." The middle-aged man wearing the trench coat extended his hand, showcasing his identity card. Heima looked at it in silence, offering no response.

The middle-aged man pocketed his identity card, feeling awkward at the lack of response. He waved his hand, pointing at the lift, "I was here to offer a proposal. Shall we grab a cup of coffee while I go through with my investigation?"

"Submit a formal application to Grapple Force. Unless the order is from my higher-ups, you won't get anything from me." Heima walked towards the lift, watched the door open in response to her arrival, boarded it, and closed the door.

As the door closed shut, she watched the face of the middle-aged man flush red from embarrassment. Three minutes later, the lift arrived at the Upper Strata, showcasing an expansive train station.

16 platforms were laid, with trains halted at most of them, waiting for the passengers to board. A counter blocked her path, requiring her to undergo an inspection. Heima woke up Jyorta, taking more than two minutes for the process.

Jyorta rubbed his eyes, feeling his legs descend to the ground, making contact. He placed his left hand on her shoulder, using his right to rub his eyes, trying to regain some clarity.

"We are almost there," Heima replied, leading him through the counter, the inspection process consuming no more than 10 seconds. The duo then boarded the train on platform number 15, finding the compartment fully occupied.

They stood in one corner, watching the train move. Heima held Jyorta by hand, preventing him from losing balance. He was still in a half-asleep state, his motor senses at less than full capacity.

The duo alighted after two stops and took a lift to the Lower Strata once again, waiting for a train in the sole platform. Ten minutes later, the train arrived, sporting only two compartments, vacant for the most part.

They occupied a seat by the window. Jyorta noticed the remaining passengers slightly familiar. He then remembered seeing them in the military academy, even though they hadn't taught him any subjects. They were all either staff or faculty from the military academy.

'I am back at the 7th Ring.' Jyorta heaved a breath of relief, feeling a sensation akin to returning home. Two stops later, the train arrived at their destination, also the last stop of its journey. Everyone alighted from the train and streamed towards the lifts, boarding it in order.

Except for the occasional chatter, and the speaker announcements, the surroundings were silent for the most part. After a three minute journey through the lift, Jyorta arrived inside a vast hall, fully empty, the only object being the lift situated in its centre.

As the passengers exited the lift, each of them directed stares at Jyorta, feeling confused. One of them, a Ground Controller, waved at a staff present in the hall, notifying her of the matter. The notified staff soon arrived before them, glancing at Jyorta in confusion before remembering something.

"I'll take care of the remaining. Make sure you study well." Heima nudged his back, prompting him to head towards his dorm. Jyorta waved at Heima and exited the hall, squinting at the sunlight that fell on his face, feeling odd at the ambience.

The Headquarters of Grapple Force was situated in the Lower Strata, devoid of sunlight inside the institution, at least, in the area he was in for the past few days. Experiencing the gentle rays of sunlight, carrying enough heat to cause his perspiration, and the fresh fragrance emanating from the grass on the large ground, Jyorta felt enlivened, feeling his drowsiness abate a little.

He then headed left, spotting the Indigo Building in the Psychic Block, all the while controlling his aura from seeping out. This prevented people from sensing his state as an Area Controller. Unless an Esper unleashed his domain that overlapped his body or seeped a psychic arm into him, it wouldn't be possible for his Tier or Sync Rate to be sensed.

He watched students walking towards the cafeteria to have breakfast, a majority of them heading to their classes. For the students who had their classes scheduled in the White Building, they almost broke into a sprint.

8:35 AM, Jyorta entered the Indigo Building, climbing the stairs to reach the third floor, noticing the corridor empty. He then headed to his room, fished out his key, and unlocked the door.

Closing the door behind him and placing the key in its designated socket, Jyorta grabbed hold of his two alarm clocks, set a time, and slumped on the bed. He didn't even need the blue soul to sever some connections, entering a state of sleep in the next second, the room filled with the sounds of his breathing.