Novel Full Chapter 176: Influence Issues
Chapter 176: Influence Issues
“Why are you only at the Body Stage?”
“That’s a…question.” NelTara took a seat nearby, felt her eyebrows twitch upon seeing one of her aunts push in a tray of refreshments to eat, winded once, and took her leave, ’These guys!’
“What about you?” She eyed Torq, “Why are you so short?”
“I’ll grow taller,” Torq replied with a trace of snarkiness, “I am still a kid.”
“So am I,” NelTara quipped with the same level of snarkiness, “It’s just the Life Stage.”
“Nothing special.” She then provocatively stared down at Torq, “Your height upon maturity though,”
“Now that’s something worth worrying about.”
’This…bi…!’ Torq curbed his train of thought, trying to maintain his calm as he was a guest at the place. Just as he intended to change the topic, the other party interjected.
“Will you even touch 170 centimetres in your lifetime?” NelTara asked in concern.
“I’ll grow over 200 metres!” Torq roared as he got up from his seat and used his index finger to arrogantly point down upon NelTara, “You will barely reach my knees!”
“Empyrean Boars aren’t tall,” NelTara chuckled upon seeing Torq’s outburst. “You don’t even know that?”
“What a…” NelTara paused dramatically and said with a tone of mockery, “Brat.”
“That’s it,” By the time he realised what he was doing, Torq’s fist had already made its way to NelTara’s face.
“Wow!” NelTara merely watched with a smile, as a thick wall of wind served as a barrier between her face and Torq’s fist, “Your sleeves are coated with anger, I see.”
’How…is that possible?’ In the instant he lost control over his emotions and punched forth, Torq hurriedly regained his composure and retracted his strength, making sure he would stop before his fist made contact.
However, in that moment, as his fist closed in, he noticed NelTara unleash her transformation. But weirdly enough, partway through her transformation, she reverted to human form, thereby without any change in her disposition, she took advantage of the space expansion from her transformation to push the air around her.
This formed the wall of air that blocked the punch. Scarily enough, NelTara had activated and deactivated her transformation with such expertise, the wall of air had formed merely two centimetres before her.
“I apologise for going overboard,” Torq slumped to his seat the moment he felt his surroundings morph into the theatre, ’Anger’s worsening my influence issues.’
He touched the pellet strung to his neck, feeling it tremble ever so slightly as it absorbed the excess influence getting generated in his body. “My situation makes my emotions volatile sometimes.”
“Relax, I was just teasing you.” NelTara didn’t seem to mind his choice of words the moment Torq apologised. Instead, she leaned forward in interest and asked, “How strong is a Spectral Boar?”
“Strong enough I guess,” Torq nodded, “But it all depends on the Tangible Nature we nurture and our expertise in using it.”
“From what I saw, your expertise is shit.” NelTara commented, laughing upon seeing Torq’s chest rave in response, “Kidding!”
“Don’t punch me again!” She made a scared expression, “As a fragile woman, I get scared easily.”
“Fragile? You?” Torq snorted. He then paused for a few seconds and asked, “How did you do it?”
“Cancelling your transformation partway I mean.”
“Practice, that’s it.” NelTara said, “It only seems impossible the first time you achieve it. And from then onwards, it’s just a matter of timing.”
’I don’t think it’s even possible for me.’ There was only the option to activate his Primary Nature. And once its effect had been unleashed, he could deactivate it. That was all Torq could do, which held true for every other Wean Clansman he had encountered.
“Can you teach it to me?” He asked without hesitation, deciding to be absolutely shameless about it. ’Just this one technique is leagues better than most Natures.’
There were Wean Clansmen capable of activating and deactivating their transformation in quick successions. But even though rapid, they were completing the transformation before reverting to human form.
In NelTara’s case, however, she was able to cancel it partway. And judging by the level of skill she displayed, she could control this aspect, taking full advantage of the space expansion as a defensive skill.
“Why should I?” NelTara eyed Torq, “You’re neither my kin nor someone that will become my family.”
“I can pay you for your teachings.” Torq paused the moment he spoke the statement, sighing, ’Man, what the fuck is wrong with me all of a sudden?’
“My family controls a Centinger Nest.” NelTara spoke with a hint of ridicule, implying her family had more than enough in terms of the monetary department.
NelTara moved her seat closer, until she was brushing hands with Torq, when she made eye contact in closeup and asked, “What can you give me?”
’Hmm…’ Torq seriously began to consider an offer, calculating the weight of the technique displayed by the other party, ’I can picture various uses for this technique. I can fight merely relying on this one technique alone, even without any Nature.’
“Name a Mutated Pranic Beast,” Torq drew closer, speaking in confidence as he eyed the chestnut brown eyes of the other party, “And I’ll get you its Nature for consumption, based on your pick.”
“That’s impossible…” It was NelTara’s turn to be surprised, seeing the eyes of absolute confidence staring back at her. And subconsciously, she asked, “Any?”
“Any,” Torq spoke with a softer tone.
“Really?” NelTara drew a tad closer, “My demands are pretty extreme.”
“Your extremity is my moderate.” Torq huffed.
“Aren’t you one handsome little hunk?” NelTara scratched the underside of Torq’s jaw, as if treating a child.
“Drop the little, and we’re cool.” Torq grabbed her hand and held it steady.
“Hm…hmm…” NelTara nodded with distracted look and then asked, “What should I call you, other than my mini treasure, of course.”
’…mini?’ Subconsciously, Torq’s eyes scaled over NelTara’s body, calculating that she was only a tad taller than him. It was only then did he take a proper look at her face, staring for a bit longer than necessary, ’Influence issues? Not again!’
“You know…” NelTara spoke with a wide grin, “You’ve been staring at my face for the past five minutes in silence. All I did was ask your name.”
“Am I that pretty?”
“Influence issues,” Torq snorted, “It’s not you.”
“I love that excuse,” NelTara wowed.