My Shard Bearer System - Elias's Legacy
Chapter 79: Sparring Rigs

Chapter 79: Sparring Rigs

Yui narrowed his eyes. "What exactly are you doing?"

The fabric finished forming, the outfit now a near-perfect replica of the bartender’s uniform.

Elias threw the uniform over his regular clothes, adjusting the fit. "Well, maybe if I walk up and say, ’Hey, I’m the bar guy,’ I can slip in before they even notice something’s off."

Yui folded his arms. "And what makes you so sure they’re up there? What if they’re underground or something?"

Elias blinked. "Why the hell would there be a cavern under a resort?"

Yui sighed. "You’d be surprised. Most people don’t know about the Geodome Caverns, but a former president would. His son, though? Probably not."

Elias shrugged. "Even if there was a cavern, I doubt teleportation works that way. Just a guess, of course."

Yui exhaled, clearly weighing the odds. "If you’re sure this will work, then make it quick. Elara might need backup soon."

Elias nodded. "That’s right. Go order me two drinks—one regular, one non-alcoholic. Then we’ll head up."

Yui walked to the bar, leaning on the counter casually.

The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Another round already?"

"Yeah. One Rumsickle on the rocks, and... something non-alcoholic," Yui replied.

The bartender huffed in amusement, grabbing two fresh glasses. He poured out a golden-hued liquid into one glass, then reached for a container of deep blue fruit syrup, mixing it into the second drink.

"Berry Ice Brew," the bartender said, sliding the non-alcoholic drink over first. "Refreshing, keeps the head clear."

Yui grabbed both drinks and made his way back to Elias.

"Alright, here you go. Now let’s move before we waste more time."

Elias took the drinks, balancing them in one hand as they approached the staircase. The second floor had a narrow hallway lined with closed doors, some marked as guest quarters, others appearing to be storage rooms.

A few doors were slightly ajar, revealing stacks of crates and supply racks. Elias glanced at Yui. "Alright, let’s move carefully. We don’t know exactly which room yet." Elias stated

He adjusted his stance, keeping up the act of a worker casually delivering drinks.

Yui pulled the scanner and stated not really; looks like they’re right in here; by how clean this wooden door is id bet it’s the head bedroom.

Elias took a moment to think. Actually, that makes this perfect.

Balancing both drinks in one hand, he reached for the door handle and stepped inside.

Inside the room, Joji sat at the bedside, his son curled up beneath thick blankets.

The instant Elias entered, Joji pulled a firearm—a classic gunpowder-based handgun, something rarely seen in modern times.

Elias recognized it immediately. "That must be a Chamber 77."

Joji kept the gun steady, his grip unwavering. "And why the hell is there a man in my bedroom?"

Elias, keeping his stance relaxed, tilted his borrowed tavern hat down just enough to hide his face. "Just delivering drinks," he bluffed.

A tense pause filled the room.

Then, a child’s voice—soft but firm—spoke up.

"He’s not the bartender. He’s with the green-haired guy we met earlier at the hotel."

Joji’s son, Junjio, shifted weakly under the blankets, his voice barely above a whisper. "He used his Ikona to conjure up clothes to match the bartender. So, I would guess his Ikona is one that creates objects."

Joji’s expression hardened as he kept the gun aimed at Elias. "And why didn’t you tell me this sooner, Junjio?"

The boy sighed, his voice laced with exhaustion. "I wanted to see how it played out. I’m sorry, Dad... but I’m so tired. I can barely keep my eyes open or focus. Everything feels upside down right now."

Elias blinked in surprise. "How did you know—"

Before he could finish, Yui stepped in slowly, hands raised. "Don’t shoot. We really don’t mean harm here."

He took a careful step forward. "We can make sure you aren’t on the run anymore."

Joji exhaled sharply, glancing back at his son. Junjio was wrapped in the thick blankets of the king-sized bed, a cold cloth resting on his forehead. His long blonde hair spilled over his shoulders, strands clinging slightly to damp skin.

A moment passed.

Finally, Joji lowered the gun. "Fine. Just for now, I’ll put my trust in you."

Elias let out a breath. "Good. The last time someone pointed a gun at me, they actually pulled the trigger."

Joji’s tired eyes studied him, tilting his head slightly. "You’re not normal, are you?"

Elias grinned, stepping forward. "I’d like to think I’m more normal than most people."

He glanced at Junjio, setting the drinks down on the bedside table. "Actually, I’ve had a gun pulled on me twice." He smirked. "But your dad said your name was Junjio, right?"

"That’s right. Why does it matter?"

Elias sighed, shifting slightly. "I’m sure you’ve been through a lot. Just being here right now proves it."

His mind drifted back—to the day of the first alien attacks. He had been just a cook, buried in his work at a backwater grill, head in the books, barely scraping by. No father. No real direction. Just trying to make a life for himself.

Junjio let out a slow breath. "It’s been tough. My home, my way of life—everything was destroyed in front of me. My friends killed. And the final cruel joke?" His voice cracked slightly. "Being cursed with this... thing." He gestured weakly toward his Ikona. "A burden on me. A curse on my father while he’s just trying to rebuild."

Elias nodded, his own memories flashing through his mind.

"You know," he said after a pause, "when the aliens first attacked, I was nothing. Just some guy trying to figure out what to do with his life. I drank a lot. Cooked a lot. Eventually got good at it. Really good. Earned a few stars, made some real money..."

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "But before all of that? I failed. I couldn’t even get into the military, couldn’t live up to my father’s name. He left for another planet, trying to help, but I lost him. Spent my whole life without him.

His jaw tensed slightly. "And even when they attacked again, it wasn’t me who saved the day. It was my best friend—the one who actually made a difference. He became the hero. And finally, we started to push forward. We started to make real advancements."

A brief silence filled the room.

Junjio blinked, staring at him blankly. "I don’t think I’m following your point."

Elias leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose.

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t."

He set the drinks down, rubbing a thumb over the condensation forming on the glass.

"What I’m saying is... I used to think I had to follow a certain path to matter. That if I wasn’t a soldier, if I wasn’t doing something ’important,’ then I was just wasting space. But life didn’t give a damn about what I wanted."

He glanced at Junjio, his expression unreadable.

"And now, you’re sitting here, convinced that having an Ikona makes you cursed. Like this thing on your shoulder decided your whole life for you before you even had a choice."

Elias sighed, rolling his neck.

"But here’s the truth: yeah, you didn’t ask for this. Neither did I. Neither did most people who ended up in the middle of this mess. But you’ve got two options—either spend your life blaming the world for handing you something you didn’t want, or figure out what the hell you can do with it."

He tapped a finger against the wooden nightstand beside Junjio’s bed.

"I never got to decide where I started, but I sure as hell get a say in where I end up. And so do you."

Elias locked eyes with him.

Elias held his gaze steady. "So, what’s it gonna be? I know Yui convinced your father to say yes for now, but let’s be real—Yui can be a bit scary around the edges."

He leaned back slightly, loosening his grip on the situation. "I’ll honor whatever choice you make. If you say no, we’ll turn away and stop pursuing you. Even if we forced you in, an Ikona like yours could just teleport away the first chance you got."

Junjio remained still for a moment, staring at the ceiling before finally responding.

"I see. You didn’t need to give me the whole speech," he muttered. "But I do appreciate the effort."

A beat passed before he added, "Let me have an alcoholic drink, and it’s a deal."

Joji snapped upright. "No! Not happening. You’re way too young!"