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It was midnight, and a boy named Hakishi was sleeping soundly. Suddenly, his mother gently shook him awake.
"Hakishi, could you please go gather some firewood from the forest? If you do, I'll... hmm... I'll let you go to the cinema by yourself tomorrow," she said with a playful smile.
Hakishi yawned but quickly got up, eager to earn his reward. He grabbed a small basket and headed into the dark forest.
As he walked along the shadowy trail, the air grew colder. The rustling of leaves echoed in the silence. Suddenly, an old man stepped out from behind a tree, his presence eerie and commanding.
"Go back to your house, boy," the old man growled, his voice low and threatening. "Or I'll make sure you get there myself."
Hakishi frowned, unimpressed. "And how exactly will you do that, old man?" he challenged, folding his arms.
Without warning, the old man—Toichi—did a flawless backflip, landing silently behind Hakishi. Before Hakishi could react, Toichi delivered a swift kick to his head, and everything went black.
Ten minutes later, Hakishi groggily opened his eyes. His head throbbed, but his hands clutched a pile of firewood he didn't remember gathering.
"Yes! Mission accomplished!" he muttered, grinning despite the pain. He hurried home, eager to share the good news with his mother.
But as he approached, his heart sank. The door was ajar, and a trail of blood led inside. Hakishi stepped into the house, trembling.
In the middle of the living room lay his mother's lifeless body, a man standing over her.
Hakishi's eyes widened in terror. "No..." he whispered. The man turned to him, his face obscured by shadow.
Panicking, Hakishi ran to the backyard, where he found Toichi leaning against a tree.
"Please... teach me," Hakishi begged, tears streaming down his face.
Toichi raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference. "Hmm... why should I?"
"I need to get stronger! Please!"
After a long pause, Toichi sighed. "Fine. But don't waste my time, kid."
They trained intensely for five minutes, though it felt like hours to Hakishi.
"Do you have any superpowers?" Hakishi asked, curiosity lighting his face.
Toichi chuckled. "We don't call them superpowers. We call them drills. And yes, I have one."
"Show me! Try it on me!" Hakishi insisted.
"Why would I do that?" Toichi asked, smirking.
"Because I'm strong!"
Toichi laughed. "Kid, you look like an ant with a big head. Fine, I won't try it on you."
He picked up a nearby stone, and his hand glowed with energy. Lightning crackled as it struck the stone, shattering it into dust.
Hakishi's jaw dropped. "How do people get drills?"
"There are two ways," Toichi explained. "The first way is... grim. You cut someone's arm off, and their energy flows into you. Once taken, it can't return to its owner."
Hakishi shuddered. "That's awful! What's the second way?"
"The easier way—the way I got mine—is to meditate for three minutes. Focus, and believe you have a drill."
Hakishi nodded and sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. He meditated deeply, following Toichi's guidance.
After a minute, Toichi smiled. "Now, try it on something."
Hakishi picked up a stone and focused. Flames and frost erupted from his hands, encasing the stone in a fiery layer of ice.
"Fire and ice!" Hakishi exclaimed, grinning.
Racing back to the house, he confronted the man still lingering by his mother's body. Without hesitation, he used his newfound power, freezing the man's head before melting it into a grotesque puddle.
A noise upstairs startled him. He climbed the stairs cautiously, only to find three policemen in his room.
"What's going on?" Hakishi demanded.
"Careful, kid!" one officer warned.
Hakishi didn't hesitate. Leaping into the air, he delivered a powerful kick to the stranger in the room. Blood splattered across the walls as the man's head burst, painting the room in crimson chaos.
Hakishi wiped his brow. "That was... insane."
He ran outside, where Toichi waited.
"I have a new drill!" Hakishi shouted proudly.
Toichi smirked. "Good. But it's almost morning. Let's rest."
They returned to the house and slept. The next morning, Toichi woke early and stepped outside.
"Hmm... time for the next test," he murmured, crafting a robotic figure out of scrap. Hiding in the backyard, he waited for Hakishi to wake.
When Hakishi finally stirred, he stepped outside and spotted the robot. His eyes narrowed, determination blazing.
"Bring it on!" he shouted, ready for battle.
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What happens next? Stay tuned to find out!
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