Dera stood outside in the crisp morning air, his stomach growling loudly in protest. The tantalizing smell of Eva's cooking still lingered in his memory, but he hadn't even had the chance to eat before being dragged out here.
Despite the hunger gnawing at him, he focused, his eyes locked on the old man standing before him.
Beside the old man stood three wooden dolls, each carved roughly into human form. Their lifeless wooden hands gripped crude, jagged wooden blades, and they stood eerily motionless, as though waiting for something to activate them.
"Today," the old man began, his voice steady and calm, "I will teach you about the five classes of Aura."
Dera's gaze shifted to the old man, his attention sharpening as the lesson began.
"Enhancers: They strengthen and reinforce natural abilities, enhancing physical power and durability beyond human limits."
"Transmuters: They alter the quality of their Aura, allowing them to mimic or transform it into other substances or properties."
"Emitters: They propel their Aura outward, projecting it to attack from a distance or influence their surroundings."
"Conjurers: They can materialize objects out of Aura, creating weapons, shields, or tools from thin air."
"And lastly, the Manipulators: They control things with Aura. This class allows for incredible precision, like controlling objects, animals, or even influencing people."
Dera nodded, trying to absorb it all. It seemed straightforward, but the sheer potential behind these abilities felt overwhelming.
"But..." The old man's voice dropped, his expression hardening. His eyes pierced into Dera with an intensity that demanded attention.
"There is a particular Aura type," he said slowly, "an extremely rare one that doesn't fall under any of the five classes. Unlike the others, where you're either born with one or the one you gain and refine through years of training, this Aura is different. It can't be gained through effort or skill. You must be born with it, and even then, it must awaken on its own," he explained, his voice tinged with a sense of awe. "
"It would be more accurate to say that it chooses its wielder."
Pausing, he sighed, as though the weight of this truth pained him. "Even I don't possess such an Aura."
Dera tilted his head, intrigued. "What is it called?"
The old man exhaled sharply, his voice low but reverent.
"It's called the *Conqueror's Pressure*. An Aura said to surpass all five classes, bending those around its user to their will, inspiring fear or absolute loyalty. A force so overwhelming, it can topple armies without lifting a finger."
Dera's eyes widened, but deep down, he felt a pang of disappointment. He didn't need to think twice—there was no way he possessed something that powerful.
The old man folded his arms and studied Dera intently. "You should already know your Aura class from your Aura grimoire. So, tell me—what class do you belong to?" His voice held a subtle hint of curiosity.
"It's Enhancer, Transmuter, and Emitter," Dera replied camly yet confidently.
The old man's eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw tightening momentarily.
'Unbelievable...' he thought. 'Most people are lucky to be born with just one Aura class. Having two is considered extraordinary, but three? This boy is a genius beyond words.' A slow smirk spread across his face.
"Impressive," he said at last, his voice tinged with admiration. "To be born with three Aura classes is truly remarkable. A rarity I've not encountered in decades."
Dera scratched his cheek awkwardly, smiling sheepishly. 'Oh, but I earned the Emitter Aura Class from defeating that Lycan, though,' he thought, choosing to keep that detail to himself.
"Now, I'll demonstrate by using my own Aura Classes," the old man continued. "I was born with the Manipulator Aura Class, but later, through training, I acquired both the Enhancer and Transmuter Classes as well."
He bent down, picking a small leaf from the ground.
"As I mentioned earlier, Enhancers strengthen and reinforce natural abilities—just like this leaf." His Aura began to radiate around the leaf, shrouding it in a vivid, glowing, blue hue.
"In the hands of an Enhancer, anything can be turned into a weapon."
SWISH!
With a swift motion, he hurled the leaf. It zipped through the air like a blade, embedding itself into a tree. The force of the impact was so great that it pierced the trunk and continued its trajectory, finally stopping when it struck another tree in the distance. The glowing Aura around the leaf dissipated, and it fluttered gently to the ground like any ordinary leaf.
Dera stood frozen, his jaw slightly ajar. He had seen the power of Aura before, but witnessing such precise control was on a whole other level.
"Wow," he whispered, his surprise quickly turning into excitement. He grinned, realizing just how lucky he was to possess the Enhancer Aura Class.
'No wonder my fists were so strong against those Finnless Venoms and that Lycan,' he thought, his confidence bolstered.
"Next is the Transmuter Aura Class," the old man continued, straightening up.
"As I mentioned earlier, it changes the properties of your Aura. But remember, the transformation is permanent—it can only be done once for each individual."
He raised his hand just above his stomach, a calm focus settling over his face.
Slowly, his Aura began to gather in his palm, glowing in a brilliant blue light. Then, with a sudden surge, the blue Aura transformed into crackling blue lightning that danced and sparked across his hand.
Dera's eyes widened in awe, his heart racing. He could barely contain his excitement. "I can't wait to turn my Aura into lightning!" he thought eagerly. Knowing he also possessed the Transmuter Aura Class, he could already imagine the destructive potential that awaited him.
"And lastly, the Manipulator Aura Class—an ability that allows you to control objects with Aura," the old man said firmly.
Without warning, he tossed a wooden sword at Dera, who barely caught it in time, his reflexes saving him from embarrassment.
"I want you to channel your Enhancer Aura into that wooden sword and face one of my dolls. I'll be controlling it with my Manipulator Aura Class," the old man instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Adjusting his posture, the old man extended his Aura, weaving it like threads. The energy latched onto the pin at the back of a wooden doll's head. As if awakened, the once-lifeless doll shifted, raising its wooden sword. Its posture transformed into that of a skilled swordsman.
"If you've truly awakened your Observation Aura, prove it to me!" the old man shouted.
VHOOM!
In a flash, the doll lunged at Dera with terrifying speed.
Eyes wide, Dera barely had time to react. The doll swung its sword in an upward arc, forcing Dera to bend backward instinctively.
But the doll was relentless.
BOOM!
It spun mid-air, delivering a devastating back-kick squarely in Dera's gut. The impact sent him flying through the air, his body crashing and rolling across the dirt like a ragdoll. He clutched his abdomen, gasping for breath, his mind racing.
'This damn doll is fast,' he thought, grimacing as he staggered to his feet. 'It might even be slightly faster than that one-finned Lycan.'
Thank the heavens the old man hadn't infused the doll with Enhancer Aura, or Dera was sure he'd be nursing shattered ribs.
But the doll wasn't finished.
VHOOM!
It surged forward, aiming a merciless strike at Dera's gut. This time, Dera blocked with his wooden sword, the impact rattling his arms. The doll followed up with a swift upward slash, which Dera narrowly dodged by sidestepping—but the maneuver cost him his footing.
The doll pressed its advantage, slamming its wooden blade into Dera's gut again. The force shoved him backward, but this time, Dera held his stance. His grip on the sword tightened as he raised it with both hands, determination burning in his eyes.
Dera has been trying desperately to channel his Aura to his eyes, to activate his Observation Aura—but the doll wasn't giving him a moment's reprieve.
'If I were in my Venom form, this would be so much easier,' he thought bitterly, struggling with the limitations of his human body.
VHOOM!
The doll moved with inhuman speed, feinting to strike Dera's right side. He moved to block, but—
It was a bait.
The doll spun mid-attack.
"What the—?" Dera muttered, confused.
In a fluid motion, the doll crouched low and executed a slide kick, sweeping Dera's legs out from under him. The ground seemed to disappear beneath his feet as he was lifted into the air.
He caught a glimpse of the doll's glowing blue Aura just before—
BOOM!
A crushing punch landed in his gut, slamming him into the ground with bone-shattering force. The earth cracked beneath him from the impact, dust rising in a choking cloud.
"Keoks!" Dera coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth. Pain flared in his chest—at least one or two ribs had definitely broken.
Groaning, he rose shakily to his feet, clutching his stomach.
'This damned doll must have a special love for my gut,' he thought bitterly, spitting blood onto the ground.
"Is this it? Is this all you're capable of?" the old man taunted, his voice dripping with disappointment.
Dera looked up, his breath ragged.
His piercing gaze swept over Dera from head to toe.
"Stop losing focus and fight! Show me what the Chi clan is made of, Chidera!" the old man roared, his hand twitching to control the doll again, and the doll responded instantly.
VHOOM!
It shot toward Dera like a streak of lightning, its speed even more blinding than before.
But Dera didn't move.
His face darkened, his body frozen as the old man's words echoed in his mind. The mention of the Chi clan reopened old wounds—memories of insults, ridicule, and worst of all, the night his family was slaughtered by a Venom.
The image of their lifeless bodies, their guts spilled before him, burned into his mind. He had never even been able to give them a proper burial.
Dera's fists clenched, his teeth grinding audibly.
Suddenly, the air around him changed.
A surge of power erupted from his body, his once-dormant Aura flaring violently. Purple energy crackled and swirled around him, distorting the air like a violent storm.
His eyes snapped open, glowing an intense, otherworldly blue.
"What the hell is this?!" the old man shouted, taking a step back, his voice tinged with disbelief. He had never seen Aura like this—it was wild, primal, and completely foreign.
Dera lifted his gaze, his voice calm but cold.
"I'll show you old man, then…"
The ground beneath him cracked as his Aura intensified, his presence almost suffocating.
"…what I'm made of."