Ability Wielders - Chapter 159 On The Plane Home

Where was Scarlet, Zeke, and Courtney, you ask? They will have a separate flight, with Harper, Christopher, and his parents back to Philippines.

“So, now that Scarlet, Zeke, and Courtney are all part of Pangkat Anino too…” Daniel talked to Hayden in a hushed tone. “When and how are you going to reveal your… special status?”

Hayden approved of Daniel taking the initiative to redact the words ‘dual wielder’ for ‘special status.’ ‘He’s learning.’

“In the Philippines.” Hayden spoke in a similarly quiet voice. “The moment we meet up, I’ll tell them. It’s no big secret to the group as they all know that I have a special status.”

“‘They’ were informed first before me?” Daniel asked begrudgingly. “You’re not my best friend!”

“Dude, you’re not my significant other.” Hayden gave Daniel a disgusted stare. “Anyway, you do know that we cannot speak of ‘that,’ right?”

“Oh, yes, of course.” Daniel instantly picked up on what Hayden was talking about. “Don’t worry, my mouth is zipped. No secret will ever-”

Daniel stopped mid-sentence and shivered. He took a glance at Hayden and saw Hayden’s narrowed eyes with a bit of repulsion thrown in there. It was his look of doubt and general distrust.

“Tsk, fine, I deserve that.” Daniel rolled his eyes. He knew how distrustful Hayden was of everybody, including Daniel. “In my defense, the first one wasn’t exactly a secret.”

“It kind of is. No one below of the fourth rank can access the database of the powers of each member.” Hayden stated coldly. “In that regards, that would mean that, unless informed by somebody, no one will have a clue as to what my power really is.”

“To be fair, you did keep another one.” Daniel shrugged. “Hey, why are we going there anyway? You forgave me for that.”

“Forgiving and forgetting are two whole different things, Daniel.” Hayden went back on texting Shu-Ching. “It’s a good thing that you don’t blabber that easily. I wonder what the other organization’s reaction will be if they unearth that I am ‘special.’”

“Heh, they’ll do everything in their power to keep you onboard.” Daniel played out the scenario in his head. “Rose would probably lose her marbles on training you and protecting you, keeping you by her side at all times.”

“That’s my exact thought process.” Hayden nodded.

“Oh, yes, while we’re on the topic of wielders.” Daniel glimpsed at Likoria, who nodded at Daniel. It seems that Likoria was only close to Hayden. “What is she doing here? And who’s that guy sitting with her?”

“You recruit people left and right, yet you say you hate leading people.” Daniel shook his head. “What gives?”

“I simply want to ensure the safety of my family.” Hayden solemnly said. “If I have to do something I absolutely hate for that goal, then I’d do it. Of course, this is different. This is not leadership. I’m an employer. There’s a difference. Darakth is the sole person I’ve ‘recruited’ without paying.”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, Hayden.” Daniel chuckled. Hayden ignored that quip. “So, how far along are you on your Level 2 progression?”

“I have improved leaps and bounds.” Hayden lied without any telltale signs of a liar. “In six months, I’d probably become a Level 3.”

He lied for the meantime. One must be reminded that, although Daniel ate a Reza Hixilia, he was a Level 2 wielder. Daniel cannot sense Hayden’s Level at all even if he wanted to and when the Reza Hixilia takes effect. As a result, he wouldn’t divulge his status to anybody, excluding Christopher and Harper, who he has informed for the sake of being an employer. As for the matter of Likoria and Darakth, he threatened that he will kill the two if they revealed his true Level to anybody.

“Tsk, I wish I can stay here.” Daniel sighed. “You are getting really strong. I mean, really strong. You have three of those, right?”

“Yes.” Hayden hid his two trump cards to Eun-ha and Sayuri, why would he divulge it to Daniel? “Good ones that complement my weaknesses as well. Hey, does Scarlet have one? I sensed something from her.”

“Nothing escapes your perception, isn’t there?” Daniel shook his head. “Indeed, she has one. However…”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me what it is.” Hayden waved it off. “I purely wanted to know if she had one. It seems that these artifacts are a lot more common than expected.”

Hayden wondered if Puting Araw, Kamay ng Lagim, and Pangkat Anino has these as well. There was an overabundance of it, as seen from the thousands of Xirixian in the Xirixian vault of Foriast, the fact that there are three known Xirixian in South Korea, and probably that Crowned Insignia that Scarlet was talking about was a Xirxian as he has seen some badges in the Xirixian vault of Foriast.

‘There’s more to this world than I thought.’ Hayden formerly assumed that all this world had to offer was Abilities. Everything depended on the strength of your Abilities and how far you can survive. ‘It’s not as simple and one-track as I thought.’

A Xirxian can vastly affect the outcome of a fight. For example, if Hayden were to fight a wielder with the power to inhibit regeneration, then Catiar can remove that for him. If this was an RPG, in that small window of time, Hayden can literally regenerate back to full health.

It wasn’t only Xirixian that affects these as well, there were cognizant plant fruits that people make potions out of. That Liquid Vitality can remove injuries, allowing one to fight longer. Sometimes, the smallest of things and the most miniscule difference in skill are the ones that becomes major factors in a battle.

‘There’s the matter of those Dimensional Realms as well.’ Hayden thought. ‘This world has so much to offer. It’s starting to become more thrilling.’

A few minutes later, they boarded the plane. Hayden was seated next to the window, adjacent to Daniel. Sophia was to the right of Daniel.

“When’s the Linkage Ceremony?” Hayden asked Sophia.

“The Boss stated that it is at Sunday, 4:00 PM.” Sophia answered. “For now, we should rest. The Boss’ orders.”

Hayden didn’t respond anymore, resting his back to his seat as he looked out of the window. In due course, the plane soared to the sky. Not feeling particularly drowsy, Hayden browsed social media.

His timeline was full of people congratulating him and highlighting his feats. Especially during the last round, where he truly brought his all. There were also some of Daniel’s and a few strays of Amado, Darryl, Alfonso, and Brando.

Hayden then posted his schedule of his first actual livestream in Streamlink at Sunday. That blew up within the first minute of being posted. He checked his e-mail, and there it was. Tons of invitations for interviews.

‘I should get a manager…’ Hayden thought that now his career in the celebrity industry is starting to take off, doing all these will be bothersome. ‘Oh, yeah, I remember conversing with one of the best celebrity managers and talent agent back in Pangkat Anino.’

Hayden ensured to establish connections with all sorts of people during his Linkage Ceremony at Pangkat Anino. As aforementioned, the organization has people on all walks of life. Hayden made sure to converse with people with connections in the celebrity industry as he initially planned on making money in it.

Hayden contacted the aforesaid celebrity manager and talent agent, whose name was Belle Karangalan (Honor). Belle was more than happy to be hired. Hayden announced this on his social media. This announcement has the implied ‘if you seek an interview with me, approach her, not me.’

That was the end of the bothersome e-mails that he was getting and he will get. Belle worked fast as well, creating a business joint account that will allow Hayden to see everything that Belle was planning on accepting and to allow Hayden to be able to monitor it personally, too.

As one might expect, this declaration of Hayden hiring Belle stirred up a commotion in the internet. Why? Because if Hayden hired an agent-manager, then it meant one thing. He was planning on becoming a true-blue celebrity! This wasn’t hard to figure out at all.

Daniel was on his phone when Hayden’s name popped up in his notifications. “Dude, why are you always trending? Seriously. It seems that your feats are getting recognized.”

“Of course.” Hayden nodded. “I calculated all of these. Oh yes, we will train. For the next move. The War of Honor’s Pro Assembly’s World Championship. That’s our next target. We will branch out to all areas. We will reel in Zeke this time. I’ve already talked to him back when we were at the fansign of CHORUS.”

“You are one heck of a gamer.” Daniel smacked his lips. “You have everything figured out. What about your studies?”

“I will also do that, yes. I plan on going to college.” Hayden professed as if what was coming out of his mouth was trivial. “I plan on taking three courses all at once.”

“While maintaining your linker career?” Daniel questioned with widened eyes. “You’re not human. Well, you aren’t, but… You know what I mean.”

“I used to be a person that doesn’t plan.” Hayden admitted. “I didn’t like my life back then. This time… It’s obvious that planning turned out well.”

“Indeed.” Daniel bobbed his head. He whispered. “Those two. Your dream girls, dude.”

“Exactly.” Hayden smiled. “I guess I am lucky with girls. Unlucky at life, lucky with girls.”

“Unlucky, psh.” Daniel rolled his eyes. “Your luck has already made a U-turn, cheer up. Rejoice sometimes.”

“Never think that you’re lucky. That’s effectively putting down your guard.” Hayden shook his head in disapproval. “For example, you don’t know, maybe a Lagusang Itim will open up in our path.”

“That will be seriously unlucky.” Right as Daniel said that, a big turbulence hit the plane. Of course, this ‘big turbulence’ was a minor shaking only as modern planes didn’t get all that affected by turbulence with the perpetual steadying system in place. Heck, planes can cruise through a storm without any repercussions, though when hit by lightning, it will have to undergo damage inspection.

However, the turbulence was not what bothered Hayden. It was that there was danger ahead. It was a bit to the right upfront. An enormous danger that was right at the verge of being hopeless. Still, it was no more than truly impossible.

Subsequently, with his Divine Perception activated, Hayden felt many regular people in the flight pass out. He knew exactly what was happening. “See, my luck hasn’t changed. There’s a Lagusang Itim right ahead.”

A loud… Neigh resounded. The neigh was characterized by the word heavenly and thunderous, booming akin to a cannon shot. In that instant, Shadow’s head popped out of the shadow of his feet. She purred to him. In his mind, Shadow’s voice rang, “I have scouted the outside and there is a… A… There’s a blue horse.”

“Ah, shit.” Hayden cursed aloud, ordering Shadow to go back in his shadow. “My luck is so bad.”

“Why? What happened?” Daniel asked. “Don’t tell me there is a…”

“Yes, a Lagusang Itim. And a blue horse came out of it.” Hayden sighed, shivering. “I hate this. We’re in the middle of the Atlantic for goodness sake.”

“Hello, wielder passengers. This is your pilot speaking.” Came from the plane’s speakers was a man’s voice. “There is an impending danger ahead of us, about 500 meters upfront. The creature is moving fast. As you all would have observed by now, it is a cognizant coming from a Black Passage.”

“I see, they call the Lagusang Itim, Black Passage, huh?” Hayden nodded.

“It is a blue horse, and is Level 3. May I ask any wielder that can fly to assist our wielder captain in fending off this cognizant?” The pilot spoke with both respect and panic in his voice.

Nobody stood up. It was due to Hayden’s luck that no one in the plane has the power to fly at this height. Except for him and probably Daniel. Hayden didn’t have enough information on Darakth to deduce if he can fly at this height. ‘Well, I mean… I’m a ‘Level 2′ wielder… No need to sacrifice my life…’

That’s what Hayden genuinely thought. Yet, he had the feeling that if he didn’t come out, everybody on this plane would die.

“Are we not going out of the plane?” Daniel leaned in to Hayden. “We can both fly.”

“Not only is it a horse that can most likely step on air, that’s a Level 3 cognizant. You do know that all Level 3 cognizants have the power to fight toe to toe with a Level 4 wielder, right?” Hayden asked.

“Well… Shouldn’t you at least go out?” Daniel scratched the back of his head. “I mean, you can at least aid the one who will fight, right?”

Sophia butted in. “What are you two talking about? No one’s going to go out. We can’t risk losing two of the greatest wielders that will aid Pangkat Anino.”

Hayden used his Level 3 Divine Perception’s sensory body to peer outside of the plane. “Exactly. This is not our business at all. I won’t go out until our lives are really endangered.”

Thanks to his powerful senses and brain processes, Hayden was able to perceive the spectacle that is the blue horse outside of the plane. Its fur was azure in color, its eyes glowing like a light blue star. Underneath its hooves were… arcs of electricity. Its mane was white in color, as well as its tail. Its body was unbelievably robust.

This admiration lasted only for a moment, Hayden being overtaken by fear when the horse sped up to regular speed in his perception. This was terrifying because normal speed meant that the horse was traveling at an unfathomable speed. If Hayden were to give an estimate, he would say the horse was traveling at a speed of at least 150,000 kilometers per hour. And Hayden thinks that the horse isn’t using its Ability yet.

Hayden retracted his sensory body and, at the entrance of the plane, a man wearing a pilot’s uniform exited the cockpit. The man went to the entrance of the plane.

In that instance, the horse galloped past Hayden’s window. The horse turned its head and made eye contact with Hayden, who activated Divine Perception’s time slow unconsciously due to the impending danger.

The horse cognizant’s eyes was kind and welcoming. It was absolutely strange. The horse neighed at Hayden in that short moment, as if saying, ‘Oho? You can perceive me? At this speed? How interesting. You’re an interesting kid.’ It was utterly ridiculous.

What’s more ridiculous was that Hayden couldn’t sense any malicious intent from the horse. It was nonexistent. From the past few days that he was using Danger Sense, Hayden has learned to differentiate between ‘threat level’ and ‘malicious intent.’

There was an infinitesimal difference between the two such that it was almost impossible to differentiate and recognize. However, with Divine Perception, Hayden was able to distinguish these two apart.

Threat level was ‘how much threat someone or something poses to Hayden.’ Malicious intent was ‘how much somebody views Hayden with animosity.’ It is simply a hypothesis, but threat level is more of how much ‘pressure’ somebody gives off, while malicious intent was ‘how dangerous somebody is.’ It was literally anime stuff.

The thing with these two is that, they are so interconnected that Hayden has a hard time separating the two unless his Divine Perception was active.

Hayden has also learned to observe that there are two types of dangers with Danger Sense. Those that comes from the origin itself, and those that manifest itself on Hayden through all sorts of feelings.

The first one is the ‘threat level’ and ‘malicious intent’ of someone or something that Hayden was previously talking about. The second one manifests on his body, such surprise attacks that manifests as a cold feeling on Hayden’s skin and the premonition of dangerous events that manifests itself as uneasiness or anxiety.

The horse then galloped past the plane they were on as if they were nothing to scoff at. At least that was what everybody thought. The pilot announced, “Dear passengers, we are out of the clear. It seems that the cognizant didn’t care for our existence at all. It has left and no other cognizants have left the Black Passage, so let us not be worried.”

The man at the entrance heaved a sigh of relief. If Hayden was in his position, he would’ve done so too. The man was a Level 3 wielder, and no mere Level 3 wielder can defeat a Level 3 cognizant. For example, Hayden couldn’t possibly have defeated that horse due to its sheer speed alone.

‘Still, what the hell was that?’ That somehow meaningful look from the horse gave Hayden the shivers. How Hayden knew that that horse’s look was meaningful? Don’t ask him, Hayden simply knew. ‘Wait, I knew? Maybe it’s the effect of the repaired Friend of Nature.’

That’s when Hayden noticed that there was danger from behind him. It was identical to that of the horse cognizant’s. ‘Is it following us?’

A shiver went down Hayden’s spine. Yet, the pragmatic and animal lover side of him surfaced. ‘If I can tame this guy and form a contract with him…’

Hayden thought how useful the horse cognizant would be in times of danger. He can mount on it and ride off to the distance. With its speed being faster than his own flying speed, which was at a maximum of approximately 58,800 kilometers per hour when taking into account the full power of Empyrean Power, Hayden felt that the horse cognizant would be an unfair advantage for him.

“Hey, master.” Shadow’s head popped up from his feet again. Shadow looked like a dog with her tongue sticking out instead of a big black panther. “Do you want me to get rid of that cognizant? I can ambush it.”

“This is already your smaller form, right?” Hayden asked in his mind. “Can you turn into a smaller one? Get on my lap.”

Shadow blinked her eyes at Hayden. She popped out of the shadow and jumped to Hayden’s lap. She looked like a small black kitty, sitting upright on Hayden’s lap. Hayden patted her on the head. “So cute.”

Why did Hayden make Shadow do this? Well, Hayden wanted to pet her. Other than that, Hayden didn’t plan on hiding contracted cognizant beasts anyways. Pangkat Anino was rearing cognizants, why not let them give more advantage by letting them know that cognizants can be tamed? If he wanted to let Pangkat Anino stay being the strongest, then he has to help them as much as he can.

As for flight attendants? Well, Shadow can just go back to his shadow. As for the other passengers sitting parallel to his seat, they were all paralyzed.

‘This is nice.’ Shadow purred at Hayden like a true kitty and rubbed her head on Hayden’s black jacket. ‘Master is such a good person.’

‘A kitty?’ Daniel’s attention was stolen by Shadow. ‘Oh yeah, Hayden has that contracted cognizant beast… How the hell did he do that?’

Daniel ignored it. As for Sophia, she was perplexed as to where Shadow came from, not knowing where she came from. ‘How did Hayden sneak the cat past security? And when did Hayden get a cat? He has a dog and a toybear (The common name of Ursus Minusculus), but where and when did he get a cat?’

Nobody questioned the existence of Shadow. Sometimes, things are so absurd and out of place that it doesn’t seem out of place at all. This is one of those times.