A pirate ship sailed on the Vast Expanse, nearing the bubble isle underneath Sanctum Islands. Pirates stood atop, sustaining a robot individual tied to the shrouds.
He appeared to malfunction but had the aspects of a human. The pirates who abducted the robot surrounded him and had their eyes locked on him.
"This one could sell for a high price. I'd say about 800 million bolts..."
On the Sanctum Islands. In the dead zone, Chiaki crouched on the terrain, pressing her palm against her arms wound. Before her, several feet away, lay Hywel, who slowly wriggled up to his feet.
Astounded that she escaped his vines, Hywel grunted furiously. He recovered from the aching skull and laughed to conceal his resentment.
"Four minutes... Give up, Yasuda. Once he awakens, I'll become the new emperor of the Sanctum Islands. I'll speed up the process of ruining the god of wind's reputation again, and you won't stop me. This land is mine!"
The blue skies practically blackened as the thunderstorm deteriorated. The lightning struck more often, and the rainstorm became an entire hailstorm.
The wind current blew heavier, swaying the trees around Sanctum Islands and forcing some to collapse on the dirt. It caused the tree leaves to drift through the windstorm while many animals fled into hiding.
"Do you sense these winds? This... This is the power of our ancient Seraph! It grows and grows and proves to us the true might I so require. I don't need anyone else! With Yerachmiel's power, I'm invincible!"
Chiaki could see that the storm wasn't the only thing decaying. Hywel started to worship Yerachmiel's summon while loathing every other person around the islands. He was rotting like flesh, losing his sanity and only desired power.
He was out of control and only saw conquering the islands. He had hopes and dreams, declaring he would supervise every island across the Vast Expanse and dominate it with his powers.
"I don't have time for your nonsense..." Chiaki's pink eyes converted into a blue hue, forming white flames around her wrists and ankles.
"Assemble. Ethereal Flame!" Her eyes instantly became colored silver, and white fire trails fluttered around her and swathed around her neck, expanding behind her to create a spirited scarf.
"I saw him utilize this ability to save me from the world government. He developed it from my soul, linked to his. All I did was modify it a little and adjust how it operates. I found a way to use these flames for healing and burning. It suits me quite well..."
Two years ago — before Timothy's and his companions' journey resumed; Hailstone Island.
Chiaki returned to Hailstone Island, where she and Timothy met Aurora's uncle Glaze.
Fortunately, Chiaki spotted Glaze waving at her from Hailstone Village, expressing his kind-heartedness. He greeted her as she stepped into the snow and looked down at her short stature.
They shook hands and spoke calmly to each other. "I see you made it back alive. What a relief. I assume you disbanded the crew for the time being and went your separate ways?"
Chiaki happily shared the good news with Glaze and chuckled. She explained everything that occurred on their way to the Cyber Refuge and told the truth about it being a mere video game.
It stunned him, intriguing him. It compelled him to know more about the rough expedition. Chiaki agreed to tell him more as he invited her inside his home.
Some time passed, and both sat behind the dining table, drinking warm coffee and eating soup. Once finished, Glaze announced she could use Aurora's room for the next two years and that sometime in the future, his niece would come and visit them.
Chiaki accepted the offer and expressed gratitude. The night arose, persuading Chiaki to fall asleep from the exhausting journey in Aurora's soft and comfortable bed.
As the night passed, Chiaki's first day of training to become a better duelist began. But the awful news didn't vanish. Without a person who could train her fighting skills, Chiaki could only entrust Glaze with the chronology of introducing her powers to her.
He wasn't a talented combatant or someone who, in the past, knew how to fight. With some of her motivations lost, Chiaki remained calm and listened to Glaze's foreword.
"Let's retrace our steps, and let me tell you everything you need to know. Some of it you already know, but it's good to repeat in case it slips out of your mind."
Chiaki nodded and heard him without disturbing him. She was tense, squeezing her palms onto her thighs from the nerves that drove her to learn everything.
"As you already know, your ability usually relies on two people. Soul link requires the two to share a strong bond. However, to further develop one's soul link, the shell, and the heart must have similar prowess and will to perfect it...."
"Your current stage of the soul link is yet to be complete. You're able to connect your heart with him to see through his eyes and somewhat share his ability. But there are multiple stages of soul link that one can obtain..."
"We both know this ability is exclusive to Yasuda members since they have a unique blood pressure. For someone as young as you, such ability is a weight on your shoulders to master. It won't awaken itself without years of practice. Even these two years of freedom might not be enough time for you to perfect it. I hope you understand that, Chiaki."
Chiaki narrowed her eyes, nodding to reveal she was ready to take on such a difficult assignment. She showed no signs of backing down or changing her mind. She was eager to continue and master the higher skills of soul-linking.
"To explain in further detail, when you activate soul-link with your partner, you share the weakness. If the shell, in this case, you, is struck by a heavy attack, it'll shatter and expose the core. If the heart gets hit, it'll endanger it. And if you continue exposing THAT heart and it receives more wounds, it will gradually crack and even burst when too much pressure collides with it..."
"Do you see where I'm coming from?" he questioned, raising his finger. He managed to read Chiaki's nervousness through her expression. "If you get repetitively hit by a strong punch, kick, or attack, you'll share that same pain with your partner. And if you can't bypass it, the core will crumble. And so will your partner's body, sharing what could possibly be a fatal wound..."
"That's why speed and precision are consequential to enhance, Chiaki. Do you comprehend what I'm trying to say? If you can avoid taking damage and deliver fast and precise attacks to your enemy's weaknesses, you earn your advantage. You don't require insane force and power to stagger an enemy. Though it's helpful, it's not required..."
"Another thing you must know about is extremely important. Elemental abilities include immunity to physical attacks. If you were to use your skill, it cannot copy its passive effect, but IT can create a new one or add onto it..."
"For example, if you borrow a technique, you can use your own passive effect to form one for yourself or improve it. However, that requires a higher level of skill and talent, which I'm sure you have. Is that clear, Chiaki?"
Chiaki responded with a nod and loudly confirmed she understood.
"That's not everything soul link is capable of. If you learn higher tiers of mastery, you can use your spiritual pressure to heal any wounds that aren't severe infections or diseases. If you insist on learning more about medicine and wound treatment, I can help you with that too..."
"But for now, let's improve your soul link."
To be continued...