Somewhere in the bandits' base, a large, open room served as the communal area where everyone gathered. The space was bustling with activity: people chatting, cooking, and engaging in various tasks. The air was filled with the hum of conversation and the aroma of food being prepared.
Jun came through the room after the training session, her eyes scanning the area for anyone who might need help. She stopped by a group of younger members who were struggling to set up a makeshift dining table.
"Need a hand with that?" Jun asked, her tone firm yet kind.
Hina, Miss Akane's daughter, looked up and nodded gratefully. "Yes, please. The legs of the table keep wobbling."
Jun knelt down, inspecting the table. "Let's see what's going on here." She adjusted the legs, tightening the bolts with practiced ease. "There, that should hold. Always make sure everything is secure before putting any weight on it."
"Thanks, Jun," Hina said, smiling. "You're always so good at this stuff."
Jun gave her a nod and moved on, her eyes catching sight of a girl, the one that they saved the other day from those gangsters, her name was Aiko and she was struggling to chop vegetables in the makeshift kitchen area. Jun walked over, picking up a knife and demonstrating the proper technique.
"Here, like this," Jun instructed, slicing through a carrot with swift, precise movements. "Keep your fingers tucked in. You don't want to lose one."
Aiko watched closely, then attempted to mimic her movements. He managed to chop a few pieces correctly before slicing a chunk too thick. Jun placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't rush," she said. "Take your time. It's better to be slow and accurate than fast and sloppy."
"Got it," Aiko replied nervously.
"Okay, if there's anything you need just call me." Jun said as she moved on. Aiko was paying close attention to Jun noticing that she was helping out an elderly woman, struggling to lift a heavy crate.
Without hesitation, Jun walked over and lifted the crate effortlessly.
"Where do you need this, Mrs. Tanaka?" Jun asked.
"Oh, thank you, dear," Mrs. Tanaka replied. She then pointed to a corner. "Just over there, please."
Jun carried the crate to the designated spot and set it down gently. "If you need anything else, just let me know."
Mrs. Tanaka smiled warmly. "You're a blessing, Jun. Always so helpful."
Jun simply nodded and continued her rounds. But Aiko was still paying close attention to Jun, forgetting about her duties completely.
"Hey, are you okay?" A voice called out to Aiko, in which spoked her.
The voice was from Miss Akane, she had a worried expression. "You seem distracted my dear, is there something on your mind? Or are you tired? Do you need me to help you to chop the vegetables?"
"Ummm no, ma'am it's okay, I'm fine." Aiko said.
"Are you sure? I don't think so. I understand you have endured a challenging time my dear, you have only been here for a few days so it's evident that you are still getting use to this new environment.
"Do not worry;a I will deal with the vegetables. Please, just go and rest, my dear."
Aiko did not protest further; instead, she quietly moved to where Jun was heading.
Jun went outside and spotted Mousa and some other guy called Roki arguing over a game of cards
She approached them. "What's going on here?" Jun asked, arms crossed.
"He's cheating!" Mousa accused, pointing at Roki.
"I am not!" Roki retorted, his face red with frustration.
Jun sighed. "Settle down, you idiots. I don't have tine for your stupid quarrels. If you can't play without fighting, maybe you shouldn't play at all!"
The two men grumbled but fell silent, shuffling the cards for a new game. Jun continued her patrol.
Aiko was taking notes in her mind about the bandits, she was acknowledging their group harmony, their behavior, their roles and even theirnumbers.
Ever since she arrived in their base, she had been observing, eavesdropping and gathering information about them.
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Kazuya was laying on his bed after doing that brutal training. He wanted to rest, as he looked around the room, memories of his real family started to appear in his mind.
Memories of his time with his parents was still fresh in his mind, as well as...That day.
Tears started to flow down his cheeks as he remembered the day his parents were killed infront of him.
"Those... bastards!" Kazuya shouted, feeling his anger rise.
"AHHHH" Kazuya screamed in anger, and all of something bizarre happened.
A strange sensation washed over him, like an electric current coursing through his veins. And as he looked around, everything around him seemed to slow down. He blinked, trying to shake off the odd feeling, but it persisted.
He looked around the room, his eyes widening in disbelief. The ceiling fan, which had been spinning at a steady pace, now rotated slowly, each blade cutting through the air with an almost slothful grace. He glanced at the curtains fluttering by the window; their movement was sluggish as well.
Kazuya stood up, his heart pounding in his chest. He reached out to touch the curtains, his fingers moving through the air at a normal speed, but when they brushed against the fabric, it felt like he was encountering resistance, as if the world itself was slowing down.
"What is happening?" he muttered to himself, his voice sounding oddly distorted in the stillness.
He turned his attention towards a desk in his room, where a pen been laying idly near the edge. He nudged it to fall, expecting it to fall normally, but it didn't.
He watched, fascinated, as it fell down at an impossibly slow pace. He reached out to grab it, and as his hand closed around the pen, he felt a strange disconnect, as if he were moving in a different temporal plane from everything else in the room.
His breath quickened, and he stumbled back to his bed, collapsing onto the mattress. He tried to calm himself, focusing on his breathing, but the surreal nature of his surroundings was driving him mad. Every sound and every movement seemed to be happening in slow motion, yet he felt acutely aware, hyper-alert.
Then suddenly everything went back to normal, everything wasn't moving in a slow pace anymore. The ceiling fan was moving at a steady speed as usual and the curtains were alright.
Kazuya was in disbelief, he couldn't believe it, what was going on in this place...
Or maybe it's not the place but..... himself.
Kazuya then came to a realization. "Did I cause that? Was that my ability?
"What is going on!?!?"