"Yonu! Yo!" A classmate called out, jogging up behind me.'
'Yo', I replied, turning to see a group of guys behind him.
"Wanna come to a speed dating thing?" he asked.
'Haha, speed dating? I'm good! I already have a—'
"Sorry, sorry! We don't mean for you; it's just that the girls are more likely to stay if we bring someone they're interested in."
'Ahhhh, I see, I see… Then sure.' I turned and called across the classroom, 'Kana!'
She looked up from her conversation with some girls. 'I'm going with the boys later; you can head back first!'
"Alright!" she shouted back, giving me a thumbs up.
'Alright then,' I said to the guys, 'let's get you some girls.'
. . .
"O-Oh, my god… It's Yonu! You guys actually brought him!" one of the girls exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Haha, nice to meet you all. Yeah, we brought him. He just transferred to our class today," one of the guys explained, trying to sound casual.
"Hey guys," I greeted, smiling at the group.
"Oh my god, do the thing!" the girls urged, pulling out their phones. Their anticipation was palpable.
I sighed inwardly. Is it really that big of a deal? Taking a deep breath, I exhaled, bright blue flames enveloping the air I breathed out as my eyes glowed blue for a second.
"Yeah!" The girls squealed excitedly, while the guys just shrugged and smiled at me, clearly amused.
"Haha, well, let's stop standing around and have a seat," I suggested, gesturing to the seats.
We all settled down, and the atmosphere began to relax. "Alright! Let's introduce ourselves. I'm Luna Mayaka," one of the girls said, starting the introductions.
"I'm Konno Aida!"
"I'm Ai Hoshizumi!"
"Hello! I'm Daida Sanno!"
"Hi! I'm Rin Totsuka."
"Hey guys, I'm Mamoru Yoshida."
"Well, I don't need to introduce myself, haha," I said, chuckling.
"Is everyone here?" Yoshida asked, looking around.
"Oh, uh... someone is running late, I think. I forgot her name, though."
"No worries, we can wait..." A moment of awkward silence followed before Daida spoke up.
"Do you guys want to order some food first?" he suggested, glancing around the table.
'I don't mind,' I said, scanning the menu.
"Yup, same."
"That's alright!" some of the girls agreed. We opened the menus, and that's when another girl showed up.
"Sorry, I'm late! I'm Manabe Sakaki!" She held out her right hand, tucking her bright blue hair behind her ear with her left. Her entrance was striking. Her black body-con dress accentuated her figure, while a dark translucent top covered her neck and shoulders. She carried a branded sling bag, seemingly stuffed with what looked like our school's uniform.
Interesting...
. . .
"Where is Yonu?" Matsuda asked wearily as he removed his blazer upon returning home from a conference. Hino Kana sat across from him, absorbed in writing notes in her foolscap paper book.
"He's out with some friends," Kana replied, not looking up from her work.
Matsuda glanced at his watch and sighed, a furrow appearing on his brow. It was already 9 PM, and Yonu had yet to return.
"Can you go get him? It's time for training," Matsuda requested.
"Why not let him relax for once, Dad? He's been working hard for so long," Kana suggested gently, pausing her writing to meet Matsuda's gaze—a subtle plea for her fiancé's sake.
"I wish I could, but with his abilities, he needs to prepare to lead the school, maybe even this entire generation. He should be up there with the likes of Kami and Arashi. He doesn't have the time to rest right now. Besides, there might be family issues brewing, so it's best to be ready for anything," Matsuda explained, his voice tinged with worry.
"Why? What family issues?" Kana inquired, curious and a bit concerned as she stopped writing entirely.
"Yousuke approached me last night. He's not happy about Yonu becoming the heir," Matsuda revealed, his expression tightening slightly. "Traditionally, the heir should be a direct descendant of the Hinora line."
"But doesn't your decision override tradition?" Kana asked, trying to understand the weight of Matsuda's responsibilities.
"I have the final say, yes, but maintaining our family's stability is crucial," Matsuda replied, his gaze drifting out the window as he unbuttoned his blue dress shirt.
Silence settled between them, the uncertainty of the future hanging in the air.
"Kana, please go find Yonu," Matsuda finally said softly, his weariness evident as he leaned back.
"Fine," Kana agreed reluctantly, retrieving her phone to track Yonu's location.
. . .
"Finally, we found something Yonu can't do!" Manabe exclaimed, chuckling as Yonu slumped over the table, clearly intoxicated.
"I can't believe how good he is at dancing though! Good thing we got a video!" Ai giggled, playing the video once more on her phone.
"Manabe, you take him wherever you want! Since he talked to you the most, it seems he was most interested in you!" Ai suggested playfully.
"Haha! Just a coincidence! I'll take him out," Manabe replied with a knowing smile.
"Alright! Then the rest of us will triple date!" Ai added, excitement in her voice as they planned their evening.
"So Yonu, what's your secret to being so strong?" The voice echoed loudly in my ears as I struggled to walk straight. I needed to sober up. "I'm bringing you back to the Sakaki home. We need to have a serious talk about your family…" The words rang out as my vision blurred. I had to clear my head. "Yes, I got him drunk. Do you want me to bring him in?" I heard her say, but I was still thinking. Something was up… Maybe I could glean some information.
"Who are you?" A familiar voice pierced through the haze. Manabe seemed surprised to see Kana, meeting her in person for the first time. Suddenly, Manabe pulled me up and covered my eyes, plunging me into darkness. A cold sensation touched my neck.
"What are you doing, Yonu?" Kana demanded.
'Sorry…' I focused on heating my body, raising my internal temperature to metabolize the alcohol faster. In a split second, I elbowed her away.
"You were just pretending?" Kana questioned.
I didn't respond. There was more to this than met the eye, and if I couldn't extract more information, I would have to reveal more.
"In the end, I couldn't get rid of you. But your time will come soon. You main family fuckers. You'll never realize how many people actually hate you HAHAHA." She walked off, laughing hysterically.
"Yonu, Dad's looking for you."
'What for?' I asked, brushing dirt off myself.
"He wants you to train. It seems his worries weren't unfounded," Kana mentioned as we walked back together.
'He thinks the sub-families are colluding?'
"Seems so…"
'The thing is… only three of the four great families are left at school: you, me, and Yunosuke. Kazami's in jail, and the rest have graduated. Inio might be here, but he's not from one of the four great families…'
"He's so talented, though."
'Yeah, haha. I watched the replay of him versus Shimino. He wasn't even taking it seriously. Maybe he knew something was up. He was probably scared they might target him.'
As we walked, a thought dawned on me. If they were really planning something, could we even stop them? What could we do? I shouldn't worry about myself in this case, but…
'Kana, would you like me to provide you with some lightning pills?'
"Yonu, you know I hate this kind of pity. Thanks, but… I'll figure it out myself."
'Mmm… Alright.' I agreed, but deep down, unease gnawed at me. It was a familiar feeling—the sensation of not being in control. I patted her head gently, 'Ice cream?'
"Definitely." She instantly replied as we headed to a nearby ice cream parlour. It was a welcome distraction.
. . .
"HAHHHHHHH..." Matsuda breathed out a sigh of relief as I lay on the destroyed ground, a heavy bruise forming on my right cheek.
"Dad, you went too far again," Kana said, kneeling next to me and icing my cheek.
"If I don't, he'll beat me," Matsuda said, panting.
'I literally can't!' I protested, sitting back up.
"You still can't control your fire well when using the lightning pill," Matsuda explained, his breath still heavy. "That's why you can't boost your speed even more. Your control over lightning is getting better and better, however."
'I'll try my best,' I said, wincing as I touched my bruised cheek.
"Kana, you continue working on your lightning," Matsuda directed, looking at her with a stern but caring expression.
"Fine..." Kana muttered, getting up to resume her training.
"Yonu, Kana! Come for some fruits!" My mother's voice called out from the house.
'Yes, Mom!' I replied, feeling a bit of relief.
"Yes, Mother!" Kana echoed, addressing my mother as well.
Well, as long as I get to see my parents every day. I'm happy.
. . .
Yunosuke sat at his computer, alone in his room as usual, tuning in to his favourite streamer's regular update. The volume of his computer barely echoed through the spacious room, but he turned it down even more. It was 8 PM, the usual time his father would be training, maybe even with Arashi. He made sure not to catch any attention from either of them. But unfortunately, a knock on the door still came. He dragged himself to the door, quite a long way from his seat near the window overlooking the estate's garden.
His room was spacious, almost like a medieval chamber, but modernized to fit his lifestyle. The large windows, adorned with heavy drapes, overlooked the estate's meticulously maintained garden. His desk, positioned near the window, was cluttered with various gadgets and books. The walls were lined with tall bookshelves filled with a mix of old tomes and new paperbacks, their spines showing signs of frequent use.
He opened the door and saw Arashi standing there with a grin.
"I ditched practice, hehe. Wanna game?"
"Ohoho, okay, I'm down. What do you have in mind today?" Yunosuke asked with a snarky tone, knowing he was better at games in their sibling relationship.
"Be prepared to lose today, brother, for we are playing Galaxy Fighter."
"We'll see about that." Yunosuke opened the door further to let Arashi in before locking it. They moved to the equally impressive adjoining room, where they gamed. A huge flat-screen TV dominated one wall, surrounded by various gaming consoles and stacks of games. Comfortable bean bags and gaming chairs were scattered around, creating a perfect spot for their late-night gaming sessions.
"Bruh, no way I lost again," Arashi muttered after another defeat.
"I am open for another round. HAHAHA," Yunosuke laughed.
"Cocky, eh? I swear I will win at least once before going to sleep."
(30 Rounds of losses later)
"Hais… we are continuing this tomorrow, Yuno," Arashi sighed with an edge of frustration.
"Of course, same result?" Yunosuke teased.
"Nah, that's messed up… Good night, mate."
"Good night." Yunosuke smiled as Arashi left the room.
As Yunosuke got ready for bed, the deafening silence that once filled the room was interrupted by the distant sound of vibrations and crashes. The familiar sounds of his brother training echoed in his ears. As he drifted off to sleep, he felt thankful for the great brother he had. Besides, it isn't every day that someone would skip their beloved training just to spend time with a younger sibling.
###
All manacians possess inherent physical enhancements that safeguard them against the elemental powers they wield. These enhancements are uniquely tailored to each elemental affinity, ensuring their survival and optimizing their interaction with their respective elements.
Fire Manacians:
Internal Temperature Tolerance: Higher tolerance for internal temperatures, allowing them to withstand higher heat levels.
Fire-Resistant Skin: Skin that is less prone to burning or charring when exposed to flames.
Water Manacians:
Temperature Resistance: High resistance to external temperature changes.
Hydrophobic Skin: Skin that repels water to a degree, enhancing their interaction with their element.
Earth Manacians:
Dense Bones and Muscles: Naturally denser bones and muscles, easily developed and resilient.
Toughened Skin: Skin that is naturally tough and resistant to physical trauma.
Air Manacians:
Enhanced Respiratory Capabilities: Superior lung capacity for prolonged periods without air. Agile Musculature: Naturally, there is a higher proportion and density of fast-twitch muscles that enable swift accelerations and decelerations.