When night finally fell, Haku and Alexander sat together at a wooden table near the bar's hearth, sharing a simple but surprisingly well-cooked meal.
To Haku's genuine surprise, Alexander's cooking was… actually good.
As they ate in companionable silence, Haku poured himself a cup of something that smelled halfway between sake and burnt tree bark. After taking a deep breath and a longer sip, he leaned in, curiosity bubbling again now that his panic had cooled.
"Alex, do you know who those people were? And how the hell were they flying?"
Alexander scratched his head, clearly unsure. "They must've been Immortal Cultivators, Boss."
"Immortal… Cultivators?" Haku echoed, bottle paused halfway to his lips.
Alexander nodded earnestly. "Though they say 'immortal,' it's more about chasing immortality, extending your life by refining your body and soul. Not true immortality, I think. Sorry, Boss, I don't know much more. I've never met one before today. Most folks haven't. People say bumping into one is rarer than getting struck by lightning twice while sleeping."
"…That specific, huh?" Haku muttered, pouring himself another drink.
"So they're rare. That's good, I guess. Are there other people who can fly like that?"
Alexander tapped his chin, thinking. "Well… not really. Swordmasters can leap through the air by jumping from leaf to leaf or riding on blades, but full-on flight? That's reserved for people who've ascended to higher realms."
Haku froze mid-sip. "Hold on. Swordmasters… jump from leaf to leaf?"
"Yes, sir."
Haku blinked. He slowly set his drink down.
'What the hell does that have to do with sword fighting?! That's not physics, that's fanfiction! Am I in Murim now too?!'
He rubbed his temples and took a deep breath, trying to digest it. "Right. Okay. Sword-hopping parkour artists. Got it. Anyone else?"
Alexander nodded again. "I've also heard that high-level mages, sixth circle and above, can sort of fly, but only by using relics. It's more like hovering or gliding, really. Slower, too. Maybe a ninth-circle mage could fly on their own, but we haven't had one of those in this continent for over a thousand years."
Haku stared at the ceiling and let out a long sigh.
'Of course, there are mages. Of course, they use circles. What's next? A talking fox that grants wishes? A unicorn riding a dragon while reciting alchemy formulas?'
He glanced over at Alexander, who was happily slurping noodles like this was the most normal thing in the world.
'Alright, Haku. No judgment. This place is held together by vibes and genre clichés. You've read enough webnovels to survive this madness, just gotta fake it 'til you make it. Preferably without dying.'
He took another drink, longer this time.
"Alright," Haku muttered under his breath, "I'm living in a mashup of cultivators, sword-hoppers, and overpowered mages. Why not? What could possibly go wrong?"
Alexander looked up innocently. "Did you say something, Boss?"
"Yeah," Haku said, forcing a smile. "Just thinking… this place has so much potential."
Haku massaged his temples, the throbbing headache threatening to bloom again. "Okay, so flying guys are rare, maybe magic users exist, and swordmasters can do...leaf parkour? Is that what we're calling it?" He chuckled mirthlessly. "Alex, you wouldn't happen to know what governs the laws of this place, would you? Is it some kind of...I don't know... a cosmic rulebook? Or whatever the strongest guys say goes?"
Alexander scratched his head, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "That's a difficult question, Boss. There's no one 'rulebook,' exactly. There are laws, of course, enforced by the local garrisons and nobles. But power definitely plays a part. A powerful Cultivator, or even a high-ranking Mage, could ignore the laws of a small town without much consequence. Bigger cities have stronger defenses and alliances, making it riskier."
He paused, drumming his fingers on the table. "Ultimately, I think it's a balance. Strength allows you to bend the rules, but not break them entirely, unless you're willing to face the consequences, be it from other powerful individuals, established organizations, or even the heavens themselves, if you believe in that kind of thing."
Haku took another swig from the bottle, the fiery liquid burning a welcome path down his throat. "The heavens themselves? So, like, actual gods?"
Alexander shrugged. "Some believe so. There are legends of ancient beings, celestial entities who watch over the world, intervening when the balance is threatened. But those are just stories, mostly. Most people focus on the here and now, the power they can grasp themselves."
Haku sighed. The more he learned, the more confused he became. This world was a chaotic mess of ambiguous rules. "So, in short, it's complicated."
"Very," Alexander confirmed with a wry smile. "But don't worry too much, Boss. Most people just live their lives, trying to get by. As long as you don't go looking for trouble, trouble usually doesn't come looking for you. Usually." He added the last word as an afterthought, giving Haku a knowing look.
Haku groaned. "That's not exactly reassuring, considering I seem to be a magnet for trouble these days." He pointed to the half-empty bottle. "I'm going to need a lot more of this to figure things out." He paused, a new thought striking him. "Hey, Alex, do you know where I can find a good tailor?"
Alexander looked at Haku, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "A tailor, Boss? Why?"
Haku swirled the remaining liquid in the bottle, then took another long drink. "Because I need to look the part, Alex. I'm a bar owner now, apparently. And I'm pretty sure this...this peasant garb isn't exactly screaming 'successful businessman.'" He gestured to his worn clothes. "Plus, if I'm going to be dealing with these 'Cultivators' and 'Mages,' I want them to think twice before messing with me."
He slammed the bottle down, a glint of something calculating in his eyes. "Image is everything, Alex. Even if I don't know the rules of this game, I can still play it. And if I can convince people I'm more powerful than I actually am, well...that's half the battle, right?"
Alexander chuckled. "I suppose that makes sense, Boss. There's a decent tailor in the next town over, Oakhaven. Old Man Tiberius. He's a bit eccentric, but he makes quality clothes. Though..." He hesitated. "His prices are a little steep."
Haku waved his hand dismissively. "Money is no object, Alex. We're rolling in it, remember? Riches beyond your wildest dreams!" He winked, a playful smirk on his face. In reality, the bar's coffers were probably emptier than a politician's promises, but Alexander didn't need to know that. Not yet, anyway.
"Well, in that case," Alexander said, a grin spreading across his face, "I'll map out the road to Oakhaven in the morning. It's a few hours' walk, but we can probably haggle for a ride on a merchant's cart if we're lucky."
"Perfect," Haku said, already picturing the kind of outfit he wanted. Something imposing, something that screamed authority, even if he felt like a complete fraud on the inside. He had seen enough movies, read enough books, to know how the game of appearances was played. He might not be a powerful Cultivator or a skilled Mage, but he could certainly look like one. And in this world, that might be enough to survive.
He leaned back in his chair, a new plan forming in his mind. Oakhaven wasn't just about getting a new wardrobe. It was about gathering information, assessing the competition, and finding out exactly what kind of world he had landed in. He needed to know the players, the rules, and the unspoken power dynamics. And he needed to learn it fast.
"Alex," he said, his voice suddenly serious, "while we're in Oakhaven, I want you to keep your ears open. Find out what you can about these Cultivators and Mages. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their organizations. Anything that might give us an edge."
Alexander nodded, his expression mirroring Haku's newfound seriousness. "I understand, Boss. I'll do my best." He paused, then added, almost hesitantly, "Boss...are you...Are you planning on becoming one of them? A Cultivator, I mean?"
Haku burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the empty bar. "Me? A Cultivator? Don't be ridiculous, Alex! I'm not cut out for all that meditation and tree-hugging nonsense. I'm a businessman, a bartender, a purveyor of fine spirits!" He took another swig from the bottle for emphasis. "Besides, I know enough of those Cultivators to know they're all the same. Endless power struggles, betrayals, and harems that would make a Roman emperor blush. Not exactly my cup of tea."
He paused, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes. "No, Alex, I have a different plan. A plan that involves using their own arrogance against them. A plan that involves turning this backwater bar into the most influential power base in the region. And all it's going to take is a little bit of knowledge, a whole lot of cunning, and maybe a well-placed explosion or two." He chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down Alexander's spine. "Trust me, Alex. We're not chasing immortality. We're chasing power. And we're going to get it, one drink at a time."
In Alex's mind, the conversation with the cultivator still played and made him wonder just who his boss is, for Alex believed that Haku was truly a god hiding himself, and he would play along as long as he was asked to.