Ellisa turned to her father and said, "That's my proof to you."
We were all left speechless by what we had just witnessed. How could Ellisa, with little combat knowledge, defeat Trelmir? Her transformation in battle was astonishing. She moved and strategized with an agility and cunning we hadn't seen before. How could she adapt so quickly?
Han gazed at her with a soft smile. "She's grown into a strong young woman," he remarked proudly.
Exhausted and injured from the battle, Ellisa lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.
Rushing to her side, we assisted her, with Han cradling her gently in his arms. His expression radiated pride as he held her close.
Deciding it was best to leave the dangerous woods, we made our way back home. Along the journey, Han carried Ellisa on his back while she remained unconscious. He remained silent, his thoughts a mystery to us.
Upon our return, Han laid Ellisa gently on her bed, where he sat vigilantly by her side, waiting for her to awaken. Meanwhile, Ichijou and I busied ourselves with chores around the house.
"So, does that mean we got ourselves a chef for our journey?" I attempted to lighten the mood with a joke aimed at Ichijou.
He responded, "I suppose so. Having Ellisa around will certainly save us some money."
"Well, the more people on this journey, the merrier. Am I right?" I replied,
Ichijou fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "To be honest, I still disagree with your decision to uncover the truth about this world, Kiseki."
I sighed, feeling frustrated. "Oh, come on, man. We've talked about this already—"
He cut me off abruptly. "I'm not finished talking. Just listen to what I wanna say first. Will you?"
I nodded, allowing him to continue. "Alright, go ahead."
"In my mind, I still don't believe that seeking the truth about this world will bring any good for us. But a part of me also thinks that if I join you on this journey, we might find an answer on how to stop this war. Tell me, Kiseki. Why do you really want to go out there and learn about Ruina's secrets?" Ichijou asked, his tone monotone.
"I have my reasons for that," I replied, evading the deeper truth for now.
I don't think it's time yet for me to tell him that I met the Devil herself and what she had told me before. It's not that I choose to believe what Lucifer said. It just that- when she told me,
"It's up to you who you wanted to believe as soon as you entered Ruina. But mark my word, once you learned about this world, you will struggle to decide which sides were right or wrong."
What did she actually mean by that? Why would I need to decide which side was right or wrong? And why am I the one that has to make a choice?
This was precisely why I desired to embark on this journey—to uncover the truth and unravel the mysteries of Ruina, to decipher the meaning behind her words.
Ichijou interrupted my thoughts. "Never mind. Sooner or later, you'll have to tell me. If not, I'll figure everything out myself."
I remained silent, contemplating his words, my gaze fixed on the floor. Moments later, Han emerged from Ellisa's room. He looked at us and said, "Boys, take good care of her for me, okay?"
We both nodded in unison, and Han smiled before walking away.
From inside the room, we heard Ellisa's voice faintly creeping through the door.
"Hell yes! I did it! I can come with them on an adventure!"
It seemed Ellisa was awake. Perhaps Han had already discussed it with her and agreed to let her join us.
Suddenly, Ellisa burst out of her room, spotting Ichijou and me standing outside. She grabbed our clothes and pulled us closer, enveloping us in a warm hug.
"Ichijou, Kiseki! We're going on a trip together! We're going on-" She screamed with excitement, only to wince in pain as she felt the ache from her wounds.
"Ack! That's hurt!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm momentarily dampened.
Ichijou gently pushed Ellisa away and flicked his finger onto her forehead. "You fool, rest until you feel better!"
I chuckled at their playful exchange, anticipating the adventures ahead with Ellisa by our side.
The next day, we insisted that Ellisa stay home to recover while Ichijou and I headed to Halman's Plains. It was finally time for me to unlock the potential of my Karma.
Upon arrival, we set up our gear and positioned ourselves in the center of the field. Ichijou summoned his artifact and stuck it into the ground, signaling the start of my training.
"Let's begin your training, Kiseki," he said.
Excitement bubbled within me. "Let's do this," I replied eagerly.
"First and foremost, I will recap to you about the basics of Karma." He began.
"As we all know, Karma is a set of skills or potential that bestowed upon the Sinners by the God when they brought us here. Every Sinner in this world has different Karma compared to one another. The attributes of our Karma are molded in the shape or aspect of our personalities."
"One of the ways we can use our Karma is by channeling its power into an artifact. Upon entering Ruina, we were set to choose one of the seven artifacts presented to us. Apparently, that someone took all seven of it by himself." He said to me sarcastically.
I couldn't help but feel sheepish. "Uh, hehe, yeah..."
Ichijou smirked at my response before continuing the lesson. "What you see in front of you is my artifact. When I was asked to choose, I picked the sword out of random."
"An artifact is a one-of-a-kind weapon crafted by the God of Ruina. It possessed an unimaginable power that could strengthen up the wielder. But an artifact can only be used by the Sinners. Because the primary purpose it was created is to act as a catalyst for us Sinners to utilize our Karma."
"Artifact will follow the needs and requirements of the wielder. As soon as it is in contact with a user, the artifact will change to the form that fitted you the most to maximize efficiency when wielding it. For example," Ichijou demonstrated as the artifact shifted its shape to fit his grip perfectly.
"It didn't end there, though. When the wielder holds onto these artifacts, they will acquire the knowledge to master the weapons that they chose instantly. I know you knew this. The last time we fought, you were definitely relying on that knowledge to go up against me. But be aware, during our journey soon, you have to come up with a different kind of attack, so you're not predictable to your enemies."
I nodded at him and replied, "I understand."
"For now, you have known all the introduction to these things. The only thing that's left is to teach you how to channel your Karma into your artifact. We will start by using your sword-type artifact. Since that's the only one I can use to teach you. Now, pull out your weapon." He said to me,
Without hesitation, I summoned my sword into my hand.
Ichijou then said to me, "The first thing to do for you to channel your Karma is by emptying your mind from everything. Your mind shall not be bothered with an unwanted issue when you want to flow your Karma out. For now, close your eyes."
I followed his instructions, shutting out external thoughts as I held the sword.
"Once you are done emptying your mind, I want you to take a deep breath for a few seconds and imagine that there's a pool of water filled within you right now."
I inhaled deeply, visualizing the pool within me. "Pool of water within me, huh."
"Picture the water flowing through your body, concentrating on guiding it into your arm and through your artifact," Ichijou instructed, prompting me to focus on directing the flow.
I tried to feel the flow within me. However, even how many times I tried to feel the flow. It didn't seem to be working out for me. But why? Ichijou kept telling me not to give up on it too quickly and stay focus. Eventually, I felt the flow moving all over my body, but when I tried to manipulate it, it never going in the direction I was hoping for. I tried redirecting it for almost an hour now, but nothing changed. The stream kept moving in the same direction over and over.
Exasperated, I confessed to Ichijou, "I can feel the flow, but I can't control it the way you're asking me to."
"Patience, Kiseki. Everyone had a hard time on their first attempt. Do it again." Ichijou reassured me, urging me to try again.
But as the attempts continued to fail, my frustration grew. Finally, I exploded in anger, shouting my frustration to the heavens. Ichijou remained calm, unperturbed by my outburst.
"Fuck! Why can't I channel my Karma into this shit!" I shouted,
Ichijou sighed at me when I lose my temper. He then said to me,
"Perhaps you need a little pressure to push through," Ichijou suggested cryptically.
"What do you mean-" Before I could comprehend his words, he attacked, clashing his sword against mine. Shocked and unprepared, I stumbled backward as he continued his relentless assault.
"Focus! Channel your Karma as if your life depends on it!" Ichijou's voice cut through the chaos of our clash.
"What the fuck, man?! That's dangerous!" I protested, but Ichijou pressed on, relentless in his demand for my focus. His strikes were precise, leaving me no room to breathe, let alone think.
"I want you to focus! Direct all of your Karma into the artifact! Don't switch your weapons when fighting against me! Imagine that the only artifact you have right now is that sword! Disperse you Karma with it!" Ichijou said to me while pushing me to the back slowly.
"Wait- I'm trying! Chill out, man!"
But Ichijou showed no mercy, his determination unwavering. If I didn't meet his challenge, I knew I would pay the price.
"Come on! Listen to me, Karma! Obey me and let me yield the power you contained!" I commanded myself, desperate to control the elusive force.
In response, Ichijou's Karma surged, his sword enlarging with a menacing gleam. I tried to evade, but his strike found its mark, slicing into my arm and sending me crashing to the ground with a cry of pain.
"Argh!" With each strike, I felt my resolve falter, the pain threatening to overwhelm me. But I refused to give in, knowing that I had to tap into the power within me or face certain defeat.
He pressed his advantage, launching himself at me with lethal intent. I barely managed to deflect his blow in the nick of time, the clash of our swords ringing out in the air.
I struggled to keep up with his relentless assault, forced into a defensive stance. Each attempt to counter was swiftly thwarted by his superior skill and power.
"Call forth your Karma, Kiseki, or face defeat!" Ichijou's voice cut through the chaos of our battle, a grim reminder of the stakes at hand.
I can't find any way out of this! I tried to widen the distance between him and me; I thought that would give me a few seconds to take a breather. But then,
"Hear my command! Bind!" He shouted aggressively,
With no other option, I focused all my will on summoning my Karma, seeking a way out of this dire situation. As Ichijou closed in for the final strike, I felt a surge of energy within me, a newfound connection to the force I sought to control.
Summoning all my resolve, I cried out, "Unleash the Karma! Heroic: Divine Protection!"
In an instant, a towering knight materialized behind me, its imposing figure shielding me from Ichijou's lethal blow. The force of the impact sent him reeling, buying me a precious moment of respite.
As he recovered, surprise flickered in his eyes, mirroring my own astonishment at my newfound ability.
With a newfound sense of confidence, I addressed him from my fighting stance, "I think I found out what my Karma is,"