"Growl...Where am I?" I looked around I noticed that the room look familiar
"Your the first one to wake up, I guess all that training we did is not for naught. It still takes you 2 hours to wake up. I guess we need to notch up your training. Well, it's good enough that you didn't take a beating. That swordplay was quite effective in battle even though it looks like child's play. If you just put your all at training your body instead of wasting time doing agriculture and whatnot, we could have enhanced your combat knowledge, maybe that swordplay of yours might turn into sword art." Uncle Kiyoshi mumbled.
"Sensei?" I never saw Sensei that excited about something.
"You should rest for now. The training was postponed today, we didn't know you guys will push yourselves until all of you fainted. You guys didn't hold back against each other huh. Do you guys secretly hate each other? Anyway, Neo won the battle before she fainted. As for who passed... None of you..." He paused.
"What?" I reacted out of instinct.
Flash!
"Ohh boy look at your face. Don't worry none of you failed. You didn't let me finish. Bye-bye." Sensei hurriedly walk out of the room.
"Growl! Stupid sudden movement. To think I fall for that...Sigh," I started meditating to refill my Aura and fully heal my injuries. Hour passed by and I heard someone stretching.
"Hhhhhhhhmmmp...Augh!" She just realized her body is aching after a bit of stretching.
I know I shouldn't but it sounds cute so I giggled.
"It's not funny. Hmph grrrr..." Emerald retort again even though she knows she's aching.
"Sorry, but it is funny. After all, I rarely saw your Moe side," I said.
"HUH!? Stop talking nonsense." Emerald looked away making her cry in pain again.
"Stop moving suddenly, try recovering some Aura to hasten your recovery." She replied that she knows like your typical tsundere girl but I ignored her even though I admit that her actions are cute but it's hurting her due to sudden movements. So I stopped.
"I'm gonna get some water downstairs. Do you need anything?" I asked her.
"Are you ok to move now?" Emerald asked worriedly.
"Yeah I'm ok now I'm just tired but mostly thirsty," I answered as energetic as I can. I go closer to her and give her some head pat. "So, is anything you want me to bring?" I asked again.
"Cold milk is OK..." I smiled then walk out of the room towards our kitchen.
I noticed a note posted on the refrigerator.
[ We have something needed to do and we will return at midnight. So I'm making you in charge of the house. Lunch is inside the refrigerator just reheat it. For dinner just order food. I left the Lien on top of the table. Don't spend all of it ok? Love you - Mom ]
"Okay..." I drank a bottle of water then brought a glass of milk for Emerald. As I walk towards the stairs. I heard someone arguing. I was surprised even though they always argue on the small stuff before, I thought Aiden turn into a simp after his 3 months of training. I opened the door.
"So what are you guys arguing about?" I asked.
"We're not arguing!" They both replied.
"Uhh...flirting then, Ok," I said indifferently.
"We're also not flirting." They both reply again.
"Just make sure both of you slow down ok? We're still kids you now." I ignored their previews remarks.
"Like I said we're not," Aiden said while Emerald throws her pillow at me.
I evaded the pillow while Emerald hisses in pain for throwing it.
"Emy are you ok?" Aiden stood up from his bed and walk closer to Emerald slowly.
"Oy I'm still holding your milk you know? If it spilled on the carpet, it will be a pain to clean. Aiden are you sure you should be moving. You must have woke up." I gave Emerald her milk and asked Aiden in concern. Emerald also looked at Aiden in concern but she didn't show it nor said it but Aiden seems noticed it. Since when did they have this chemistry? Was LDR breaking a relationship a lie or it only works on tsundere lovers?
"I'm ok I just passed out due to exhaustion. Due to my Semblance. My arm is the only thing that hurts a bit." Aiden said.
"Ohh yeah that time when you receive my attack in Em's stead." They both blushed. "So how do your semblance works. Does your Aura explode on any impact?" I asked.
As I remember that an explosion only occur when his Aura shield was hit, but if his semblance only activated when his Aura shield was attacked then he would augment his sword but he didn't.
"Well yes, that's basically how my semblance works. I will cause an explosion double the force I receive or delivered with my Aura. The explosion also won't harm me." He explained.
"Meaning if your Aura got damaged by 20%, You will automatically cause an explosion worth 40% of your Aura. So the damage to your Aura you receive costs 3 times it should be for a revenge attack, But if you deliver the attack it will cost you double the Aura you use as long as the attack was augmented type as it usually won't cost your Aura unless you lose control of it while using it, right?" I asked.
"Sora bro you nearly know my semblance perfectly. When I attack someone, half of the Aura used for the explosion came from my opponent. Although it still cost an Aura on every attack I do at least the Aura I used equals to its consumption. Master also told me that cost of any Aura-based attacks will be the same because my semblance only activates at the moment of impact. Normally ranged Aura attacks dissipate depending on the user's control over Aura. Aura passively dissipates once it leaves its source but due to my semblance, it was used to fuel half of the explosion before it dissipates. I think that's all I know about my semblance." Aiden scratches his head trying to remember more about his semblance.
"So that's why I felt tired quickly after my combo." I nodded in relief that my control is not getting worse.
"Don't you lose control over your Aura when you're hurt or surprised" Emerald looks like it should be common knowledge.
"Of course not or else I'm already dead." I mean I must control my Aura while my sensei was being a sadist. They both look surprised about it.
"Why are you so surprised about it?" I asked in confusion.
"I mean once your hurt it's hard to concentrate on using your Aura! That's why combat schools teach all students to activate their Aura shield first because once you're injured you can't use any Aura due to pain." Aiden nodded seriously at the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I know he likes Emerald but seriously.
"..."
"..."
"..."
A minute of silence had passed but they still have their serious look on their face like Emerald's last statement was a fact.
"Both of you seriously believe in that statement." They both nodded. "I mean yeah feeling pain makes it hard to control Aura but it won't prevent you from using your Aura. I mean huntsmen or huntresses can subconsciously activate their Aura shield. So why can't they used their Aura when they're in pain maybe when the pain is much to handle of course they won't be able to use their Aura except for its passive healing ability. Where did you guys ever hear about it?" I'm shocked at this stupidity.
"From the graduates of all combat school, we know including Vacuo too. They let their Aura heal them first before they could control their Aura again. The only thing they can do was to recover their Aura reserve or like what you said let the passive healing of their Aura." Aiden nodded from Emerald's statement.
"Really?" Shocked from this revelation this is the only thing that I can utter to put a cherry on top they both nodded seriously. At first, I thought they're just joking they're just prolonging the joke to annoy me but now that I know they're not joking. I'm dumbfounded.
"Soo Sora bro you can control your Aura while in pain?" Aiden curiously asks.
"Uhh... Yeah." I casually answered.
"Wait when you said you will die if you can't control your Aura in pain was exaggerated right?" Emerald asked me in concern, hoping what I said was exaggerated.
Too bad it's not a lie and I also don't want to lie to any of them. I heard that when we enrolled in the academy they will group us into four. I decided that... No, we decided before this training that we will be huntsmen and huntresses together. I want to trust my life to them like how he trusts his life to his friend. So I don't want to lie to them that's the basic trust that I could show them.
"No, I'm not exaggerating one of my training was to increase my pain resistance and poison resistance, So the passive healing capabilities of Aura won't be able to keep up with my injuries so I need to control my Aura by increasing its healing capability," I said seriously as I smiled at them to maybe reduce their concern, it doesn't look like it works though.
"Huh?" I was surprised as they all hugged me including Neo who stood up from her bed.
"We will give our best on training. Onii-san." Emerald said with conviction Aiden and Neo noded.
"Uhh... Okay? Just make sure not to overwork yourselves." I said while unsure of why the situation was like this.
"But it's when it's come to you it's ok to overwork yourself!?" Emerald stops hugging me to stare at my eyes angrily causing Aiden to step back and release from the hug, while Neo's hug tightens probably signifying she has the same thought with Emerald.
"Ohh..." I giggle, "Stupid, of course, I'm taking care of myself, I know my limits you know? Besides who's gonna lead the group if I'm not around." I gave them a smug smile.
"And who makes you the leader?" Emerald punches my shoulder, then hiss in pain due she forgot that her body was still a bit aching.
"Don't be reckless Emy. That's why you can't be a leader. That's why—"
"That's the last thing I want to hear from a person who throws his drink into the trash instead of the actual trash!?" Emerald cut Aiden.
"That's an accident besides your the one who tricked me." Aiden retorted. Neo and I grin at this situation.
"So you guys had a date?" I teasingly asked.
"No, we did not!" They both yelled.
"We're just in a call." Emerald blurted.
"Yeah, a call. We're just in a call." Aiden back Emerald's statement.
"Why did you guys call each other?"
"It's—" I cut them
"Hm? what is it Neo" I looked at Neo and read what she types on her scroll.
[ Nii-chan how do you think Nee-chan caused Aiden-kun confused to 'Accidentally' throw his dink to the trash? ]
"I'm not sure maybe Emerald use her—" I was cut by Emerald's scream.
"AAAaaahhhh! I. I did not use my Semblance ok? impossible OK!? Impossible! I need to say it twice because it can't happen OK!?" Emerald yelled.
"Hey be careful about the glass finish your drink already. You might spill that." I said.
"And who's fault is it?" She dank the whole glass. I took it from her, now that the potential hazard for cleaning was safe.
"By the way how can your semblance make Aiden throw his drink?" I asked in the most casual way I could.
"I told you it can't happen," Em said.
"I did not say you did. I just asked how can your semblance fool Aiden's judgment if you hypothetically use your semblance." I explained.
"Ahh... My semblance was Hallucination. I can make someone hallucinate and it has an extra perk I can see or more like feeling it if someone's brain has tampered. I know when someone has amnesia, is under an illusion or they have a mental disorder/disease. I can't tell if someone was lying nor what kind of mental disorder/disease they have. I just know they have. For amnesia, I know when someone loses memories." Emerald explained.
"That explains a lot. By the way Em, you should correct your verb. Using can't instead of didn't. Sounds like your denying that something that happened instead of it not happening at all." I said casually while Neo have a huge grin on her face. Aiden looks like he's a bit hurt.
"I. I just use the wrong verb."
"So it can happen?" I ask with a grin on my face. I can't stop it ok?
"No!" She took a glance at Aiden. "I mean yes it can happen but It DID NOT happen ok? I'm tired I'll take a rest." Emerald went to her bed then buried her head on her other pillow.
"Ok yeah, I mean why do you need to use your Semblance when you're cute enough to distract this guy," I said.
"NO, I won't! I mean it's not that she's not cute or anything. I mean she's cute but definitely not a distraction. I mean her cuteness won't be destructed by me throwing my drink. I mean I'll bring that glass to the kitchen." Aiden took the glass from my hand then walks out of the room.
"Ohh yeah there's something I need to do." I hurriedly followed Aiden. "Oh yeah, Aiden I thought you only got your scroll yesterday because your scroll was confiscated during your training with your master," I yelled to make sure Emerald can hear me.
Aiden stops then looks back.
"Make sure you won't hurt her. Don' make me regret calling you brother. Also, you can't progress your relationship any further until we're graduate ok? We're still young let's enjoy our youth first." I told him seriously
"Of course. I mean I'm ready to, to hold her hand you know." Aiden's face turns as red as Ruby's cape.
"I'll take your word then. I'll be in the garden, tell the others we'll have lunch in 2 hours and I'm in charge today. So if you guys need something outside we'll all go ok?" I walk past Aiden.
"Master, Aunt, and Uncle are not here?" He asked.
"They said they got something to take care of." I wave my hand as I walk out of his sight.
TO BE COONTINUED.