Authors Note:
"" = Speech
<(B)> = Techniques
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As my brain woke fatigued my ears took hold of a familiar sounding voice.
The recognizable voice then firmly commanded, "Hikaru, please sleep . Your body has endured significant strains and is in need of rest!"
"Alright" were my fatigued words as I effortlessly slipped into slumber.
. . .
As my eyelids fluttered open, the afternoon sky came into view. The cool evening air gently caressed my body, providing a soothing and calming atmosphere. With some difficulty, I rolled over and reached out for a nearby tree branch to support myself. Walking was challenging due to the intense fight I had been in which left me with what appeared to be a fractured arm, several cracked ribs, only minor cuts under my torn clothes along with numerous bruises. Taking painfully slow steps forward, I caught sight of Darius in the distance. He skillfully wielded a short katana that emitted a faint bluish-gray light surrounding both himself and his blade. As I moved closer towards him, broken katanas bent and torn were scattered around his figure as he continued swinging his sword effortlessly
The sight reminded me of when I had been practicing controlling and directing my own innate energy into objects. As I observed more closely, it became evident that Darius's innate energy had transformed from its original blueish white color to a shade closer to blueish gray. Intrigued by this change, I decided to wait patiently for a few minutes until Darius paused for a break in his training session so we could discuss what had caused this alteration of his energy color. The changing of a persons innate energy color was important as it could signify growth of energy, if the original color became another color close to the original color and seemed more dense it meant that your innate energy had compacted itself so that now you could store more and pretty much meant that all of its properties had grown by a noticeable amount
I asked the breathless Darius, who was lying flat on the ground, "How did that happen?"
With his eyes, Darius swept across the room in search of my voice. "I'm not completely sure," he answered, filled with hope that I might possess some information or be able to help him unearth the underlying cause behind everything.
I asked, "Were you able to sense or observe the change?"
He responded by saying, "I only noticed it once I chose to cultivate my natural energy."
He grew concerned and inquired, "Now that you're finally conscious, how do you feel?"
"I'm in pain," I moaned, "The fight really did a number on me. I'll need to wait until my injuries heal before I can teach you the art of one-on-one combat."
"Oh, that's unfortunate," he lamented. "Do you know when you'll be completely recovered?"
I replied, stating that by harnessing my natural energy, I expect to recover within a period of 6-7 weeks.
He drawled, "That's regrettable. What should I do while you recover?"
You have the option to develop your inherent energy and master its full potential by combining it effectively with your sword. You could also refine both your fundamental sword techniques and enhance your prowess in controlling energy.
"I guess I should have anticipated that," he groaned. "So what will you do then? With your injuries I doubt that you'll be able to train"
"Energy control through meditation I guess" I responded.
"Alright," he said, "let's head back to our home up the mountain.
. . .
In a lavishly adorned hall, whispers echoed ceaselessly as numerous individuals donned in various armors and brandishing diverse swords stood together. Positioned on an elevated podium at the forefront of the grand chamber, two figures observed the chattering sea of people below them.
One individual donned a sturdy steel armor piece, accompanied by a sleek and fashionable headpiece adorned with an unconventional titanium chain gently swaying at his waist. The person standing closely behind him sported a colossal tungsten executioner sword securely fastened to their back, while boasting the added defense of a lightweight and pliable layer of tungsten armor shielding their body.
"Silence!" bellowed the man at the front in a commanding tone. "My trusted aide will explain of what is to come, as per the instructions decreed by our revered emperors."
The moment those words were spoken, a hush fell upon the crowd as all eyes turned towards the two speakers who exuded utmost significance and overpowering might.
Stepping forward, the man behind the first man introduced himself as Tetsu Gin, the right hand of the shogun. He informed everyone that their second in command had been sent to confront a dangerous samurai and no updates had been received yet. Therefore, they were taking matters into their own hands - he would personally lead a team of 100 individuals to track down this wanted individual. Tetsu explained that these hundred people could come from any background; it wasn't limited to just soldiers. To ensure an elite squad was formed for this mission, they planned on organizing a battle arena where participants can showcase their strength and skills. Only those who proved themselves worthy among all others would make it onto this exclusive team comprised solely of top warriors selected from throughout our land.
The crowd below clapped and cheered, they understood that by defeating this adversary, the emperors would possibly help their declining economy and elevate their land to esteemed levels.
. . .
Darius's voice shouted from above, "Are you sure that you can climb up here?"
I let out a groan, replying with uncertainty, "Well, I guess I should be alright... hopefully."
"Alright," his voice uttered, "I if you insist."
Ascending was a relentless challenge, aggravated by the resurfacing of my injuries with each upward motion. Gazing at the formidable distance left to conquer, I caught sight of Darius's leg disappearing over the rocky edge. Struggling for breath and using what little remained of my depleted inner energy, I propelled myself upwards from the soles of my feet with great pain. Hurtling through the air, I lunged towards a nearby ledge and managed to grasp it tightly with my one uninjured hand. Bracing myself for impact as my body collided against the rocky mountainside, unintentionally loosening my grip in the process. Glaring upward in frustration from approximately 40 meters below its peak, desperation set in as I searched futilely for footholds beneath me. Preparing to call out to Darius pleadingly for assistance due to both dwindling energy reserves and numerous debilitating wounds that demanded healing attention - realizing that if help did not arrive soon enough - perilously clinging on would be no longer possible.
As I neared the edge of a dense, my grip began to slip, luckily a intertwined vine dropped down. In an instant decision, I lunged towards it and swiftly encircled myself around it. Without a doubt, plummeting into the abyss below would have spelled certain death for me. Gradually, this unfamiliar vine initiated upward motion. Gazing upwards in search of its source revealed Darius gradually approaching through yet another intertwining vine. With each second he lowered, I carefully ascended in response.
His voice echoed from a few meters above me, asking if I could finally climb it. I nodded, gasping for breath.
"Alright, but we need to climb it simultaneously. Since you weigh more than I do, any form of counterbalance would result in your fatal drop."
I acknowledged by nodding my head before embarking on the relatively easier, yet still challenging ascent.
