Chains Of Pride

"Can you just repeat that? I think I may have misheard you. Did you just ask us to help Zutto Shu given birth or another similar impossible task? Because if you did, then with all due respect Lady Rikona, but you be outta yo damn mind!"

Gin didn't know what game Rikona was playing at, but he didn't want any part of it. He could vaguely sense the bottleneck to Invata as a Supreme Genesis, and the damn thing felt like steel, and not just any steel, but Talium Steel. He didn't know if there was anything like that, but damn if it didn't get the point across.

"If that's the case, then you all best get ready to tell poor Zutto Shu to push, because we are doing this." Rikona said, getting herself ready to help them through this hurdle.

"B-But Master Rikona, we're too new at the peak of Supreme Genesis to break through to Invata, if we fail in our breakthrough, we could be seriously injured and that could cause us to be invalid in the big battle coming up!" Yang Min pleaded to Rikona to rethink this.

"Don't worry about it, if you guys fail and get injured, Lerner here can use her construct to heal you guys,"Rikona explained.

Gin was clearly panicking at this point, "Lady Rikona, Lerner's breaking through with us as well! She doesn't have her construct as yet."

"Tomayto Tomawto," was all she said to Gin's statement.

"NO! This is tomato motherloving watermelon right now!!" Gin wanted to get away from this demoness. Where was that bastard Makoto when he needed him?

"Are you sure this is wise? I mean I broke through to Genesis Prime not too long ago myself," this time it was Nehone who spoke, whose calm voice was a stark contrast to everyone else's.

Rikona gave her reason for his presence as well, "You're here to breakthrough as well, your talent is impressive, even above me and my sister, you'll know why soon know why I chose you."

Clap!

"Alright everyone calm down," Rikona clapped her hands to shock them into attention, and quite frankly, to shut them up. "Why can't you all be like Xiao Yu, who's been quiet this whole time so I can explain my plan."

"She's not quiet because she wants to hear your plan, the poor girl probably shit herself mute and is no doubt trying to figure out the mechanics behind it!" Gin threw his hands up in the air after saying this.

Rikona felt wronged, when had she ever caused anyone to shit themselves speechless? "That's it, no more hanging out with Makoto. He's a terrible influence on you!"

"And I can speak for myself, ass! Unlike you, I have full control of my bowels!" Xiao Yu felt offended at Gin's remark so she shot him a frosty glare.

"Plus why did it have to be Xiao Yu, what about Numani? I like Numani," ignoring Xiao Yu's remark, Gin proceeded to question Rikona.

"Numani's always busy, so she's still stuck at the peak of Genesis Prime," Rikona explained.

"Then why is Nehone here?! No offense bro," Gin said offhandedly.

"Some taken," Nehone replied with a shrug.

"Because his talent for battle is leagues above anyone we have, and any increase in rank we get from him, is an explosive increase in strength, so stop complaining and listen!" Rikona shouted, tired of all the time wasting.

Yang Min could feel a headache coming from this, but she hoped she could live up to her master's expectation.

Zutto Shu watched the whole scene wordlessly, however, if one were to look closely, you can see a thin sheet of sweat on his forehead. Obviously, even the unflappable Zutto Shu was a bit shaken by this.

"Hehehe" Xiao Yu laughed as she watched Gin get scolded by Rikona.

Xiao Yu was one of the more promising Taliums in Rikona's camp. She displayed extreme discipline in her training and never slacked off. This was why she was able to be here with these people now.

What's more, is that Xiao Yu could more clearly feel and perceive the bottleneck separating her and the Invata realm. In addition, like much of the Taliums under Rikona's umbrella she deeply respected and revered the latter.

'Sighs…'

"Guys, to be honest, I don't want to be going this route. As a matter of fact if I was enough for this, I would rather you guys just wait here for the good news, but…" Rikona paused here as she fixed herself to continue.

"I played the simulations in my head countless times, counting how much half-awakened Taliums they have at their disposal, for me to not only beat them, but to not kill them is nigh impossible even with all of us. I…I need help on this, powerful help, my sister isn't here and I can't do it alone." Her expression turned to one of despair, but for just a moment.

"...You guys are right, I shouldn't force you to do this, and for that, I am sorry. If you don't want to do this, you can go now, doing it with an unwilling frame of mind isn't the wisest thing either." Rikona stepped back, a gesture for them to do what they will.

A full 2 minutes passed but not a single person took a step back to retreat. Even the Makoto-esque Gin said nothing, the look of annoyance and panic he wore earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Unable to hold back her silence any longer, Rikona started to speak, "I don't understa-"

"Lady Rikona, I think I speak for everyone here, for both the bladder savvy and the bladder inept," Gin started, interrupting Rikona, and drawing a growl from Xiao Yu as he did so. "We are willing to do anything that will lessen the pressure on you. If you have a way to allow us to ascend to the next realm, then…we'll bank on it."

Yang Min didn't remain silent when she heard this, "My pride in you as a leader is unwavering Master Rikona. If it's you, my life is for you to do what you will."

After Zutto Shu shook his head show that he is willing, Xiao Yu took the chance to voice her choice as well.

"Don't worry Lady Rikona, with me here you don't have to worry, you can think of me as your right or left hand, hell! I'll even be little toe on your left leg."

"Umh, don't worry elder sister Rikona, we won't let you down." Lerner finished

Rikona was a bit surprised at this. Didn't these people want to leave like a couple minutes ago? In any case, she didn't know what sort of psychology she inadvertently used, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She immediately got to work in instructing each of them on what they were going to do, to bring their chances closer to success.

"Well, for how we're gonna do this, you'll be undergoing intensive meditation for however long it takes. Xiao Yu for you I want you to get to the very top of the peak of your level, and I mean like a v.i.r.g.i.n's extinction, but don't break the h.y.m.e.n yet."

"Wait, wha..."

"Nehone" She followed up, moving on from Xiao Yu. "I want you to build on your current level, build on your foundation and try to hit your limits.When you get there, let me know but don't ever stop your meditation."

She turned to the last four, " As for Lerner, Gin, Yang Min, and Zutto Shu, you four are practically around the same level. Like Nehone, I want you to build upon your current realm. I want you to be able to feel the barrier, it's as hard as the constipation we suffered from that Talium's cooking last week."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Xiao Yu's face turned green just from thinking.

"But you can do it," Rikona continued. "Now get to it, time is of the in'essence."

"Uuugggh!" All the Taliums g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain at Rikona's bad joke.

Before long, the in'essence began to circulate within their bodies, a dim light began to cover their bodies.

Rikona looked upon the 6 people she brought with her, "I hope you guys are able to finish this in time, we only have 5 days left after all."