The morning air was thick with the scent of damp earth and old stone, the remnants of last night's rain still clinging to the training yard behind the church. It had been two weeks since Hikari's world had crumbled, revealing the supernatural forces lurking just beneath the surface of her seemingly normal life. Two weeks since she had come face to face with the truth of her existence—her lineage, her powers, and the cosmic struggle that had ensnared her in its relentless grip.
She had spent an entire week avoiding school, unwilling to sit in a classroom and pretend that equations and historical dates mattered when she had seen what lay beyond the veil of reality. But now, with a shaky sense of determination, she had promised herself to return to her old routine. At least, that was the plan.
What she didn't know was that her next destination wouldn't be a school desk—it would be a city across the ocean, a battleground waiting to test the limits of her newfound strength.
In the gray light of dawn, Hikari stood in the middle of the training yard, her stance firm, her breathing measured. The space behind the church was rugged and worn, an expanse of stone and packed dirt where countless battles had been fought, where countless warriors had honed their skills. Now, it was her turn.
A dozen objects hovered around her in a slow, controlled orbit—chunks of stone, discarded training dummies, a rusted car that had long since been abandoned. Even a few stray animals—a pair of rats and a cat—floated gently in the air, their bodies suspended in the invisible grip of her telekinesis.
The cat, seemingly unbothered, lazily batted at a small rock drifting past its paws.
Hikari exhaled slowly, lowering her hand, and each object settled back to the ground in perfect unison.
Lila, watching from a few steps away, whistled in appreciation. Dressed in her usual explosion of color—striped knee-high socks, a frilly skirt, and a bright yellow hoodie—she stood out against the muted tones of the church's stone walls. Her bubblegum-pink hair was tied up in a loose ponytail, strands falling into her face as she grinned at Hikari.
"Damn, Hika-chan~! You're picking this up fast. At this rate, you'll be crushing mountains by next week."
Hikari grinned, rolling her shoulders. The praise sent a flicker of pride through her. "Of course I am! I've always been a fast learner~! Top of my class in school, y'know."
Lila tilted her head, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Really? Thought gyarus were all about sticking it to the system."
Hikari shrugged, smirking. "You're not wrong. But I like to keep my grades up~."
Lila chuckled, her laughter light and carefree, like wind chimes in the breeze. But beneath her playful tone, there was something else—admiration, maybe even a touch of relief. Hikari's abilities were growing, sharpening into something formidable. And they would need every ounce of that strength for what lay ahead.
Lila tilted her head, a playful glint in her azure eyes. "Huh. That's something I didn't know. Guess you really do learn something new every day~."
Hikari smirked, crossing her arms. "Exactly! Life's one big lesson, y'know?"
Lila chuckled before leaning in slightly. "So, how do you feel about your powers now? Getting used to them?"
Hikari glanced down at her open palm, flexing her fingers as if expecting to feel something different. She exhaled before meeting Lila's gaze. "I wouldn't say I'm used to them, but I guess I'm getting comfortable. It's just… this training feels kind of tedious. Is this really the only way to get stronger? I mean, in anime, the protagonist just goes off into the mountains and figures everything out on their own."
Lila rolled her eyes with a smirk and, without warning, poked Hikari's cheek.
Hikari flinched, her face heating up. "H-Hey! What was that for?!"
Lila laughed, tapping her own temple. "Oh, my dear Ari, you've got a lot to learn. Training in the real supernatural world isn't as simple as screaming into the sky until you power up. It's not just about getting stronger—it's about understanding why your power works the way it does."
She stepped back and stretched her arms, her voice taking on a more thoughtful tone. "Harnessing Aura—or any supernatural ability, really—isn't just physical. It's personal. It's about understanding the foundations behind it. Whether it's fire, psychic energy, or something else entirely, you need to know how it works on a philosophical, scientific, or even metaphysical level. Power isn't just about raw strength; it's about control."
Hikari listened, her curiosity piqued.
Lila continued, her expression more serious now. "That's why physical training matters just as much as the mental and emotional side of things. Your body needs to be strong enough to handle the strain—if your stamina's garbage, your abilities will be, too. Endurance, agility, resilience… it all ties together. But even more important than that?"
She tapped Hikari's chest lightly, right over her heart. "Your emotions. Your state of mind. Aura, psychic energy—whatever you wanna call it—it's all connected to you. If you're a mess inside, your powers will be too. Lose control of yourself, and your abilities will follow."
Hikari swallowed, the weight of Lila's words settling over her. "So… if I let my emotions get the best of me, my power could spiral out of control?"
Lila nodded. "Exactly. Strength isn't just about what you can do. It's about making sure your power doesn't end up controlling you."
Hikari was quiet for a moment, absorbing it all. Then she sighed dramatically, placing her hands on her hips. "Ugh. Fine, I guess that makes sense. Still wish I could just train like a shonen protagonist, though."
Lila laughed, flicking Hikari's forehead lightly. "Too bad~! You're stuck with me instead."
Despite herself, Hikari smiled. Maybe this kind of training wasn't so bad after all.
Lila clapped her hands together, the sound echoing softly through the training yard. "Alright! Next, we're gonna focus on Psychic Constructs. Since I'm an esper, I can explain this better than anyone else." She shot Hikari a confident grin.
Hikari tilted her head, crossing her arms. "Psychic Constructs? Never heard of that one before. What exactly is it?"
Lila's expression turned almost mischievous as she lifted her hand. A soft hum filled the air as a swirling orb of pink energy flickered to life in her palm, casting an ethereal glow over her fingers. The energy pulsed, shifting and reforming as if alive.
"Psychic Constructs is the ability to create physical objects out of pure psychic energy," Lila explained, her voice steady yet brimming with excitement. "Anything you can imagine—a weapon, armor, tools, even barriers—you can bring into existence. But it's not just about summoning something out of thin air."
The pink orb in her hand suddenly elongated, twisting and solidifying into the shape of a dagger with a sleek, razor-sharp edge. It gleamed under the morning light, looking every bit as real as any forged blade.
"The key to mastering this ability is visualization," she continued. "Before you can create something, you have to see it clearly in your mind. The size, the shape, the weight—every detail matters. Once you've got that image locked in, you harness your psychic energy to materialize it into reality."
Hikari's eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at the glowing dagger. Even after everything she had seen over the past two weeks—demons, supernatural battles, her own awakening—there was still something mesmerizing about watching raw psychic energy take shape right in front of her.
"Wait… so you're saying I can literally create anything I want?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.
Lila smirked, twirling the dagger between her fingers before letting it dissolve into thin air, the pink energy dispersing into nothingness. "In theory, yeah. But in practice? There's a catch." She wagged a finger at Hikari. "The more powerful, complex, or massive the object you want to create, the more psychic energy it takes. And it's not just about raw power—you need absolute control over your Aura to shape and sustain it properly."
Hikari frowned, rubbing the back of her neck. "So, I can't just summon, like… a giant psychic mech suit and call it a day?"
Lila let out a laugh. "Not unless you wanna pass out from overexertion in about five seconds! Your energy isn't infinite, and if you try to create something too advanced before you're ready, it'll either fall apart or drain you dry. That's why we train—to strengthen our minds, refine our control, and expand our limits bit by bit."
Hikari let out a slow breath, absorbing everything. Visualization, energy control, limitations—it was a lot to take in, but something about it excited her. The thought of shaping the world around her with just her mind felt like stepping into the realm of gods.
Lila clapped her hands again, snapping Hikari out of her thoughts. "Alright, now that you kind of get the concept, let's put it to the test. Try forming something small—maybe a dagger like mine."
Hikari grinned, cracking her knuckles. "Alright, let's do this~."
Hikari narrowed her eyes at the empty air before her, fingers twitching as she focused. She could feel the energy swirling around her fingertips, could sense the shape trying to form—but nothing appeared. Just a faint shimmer, a flicker of something intangible, before it dispersed like a bad Wi-Fi signal.
Her brow twitched. "Tch."
She clenched her fist and tried again. This time, she pushed harder, forcing the image into her mind. A simple construct—just a damn sphere, nothing fancy. She could see it, could picture the energy molding into place, could—
Fwip.
Gone.
"Ughhh!" Hikari let out a frustrated groan, grabbing her head. "This is so stupid! Why isn't it working?!"
Lila, perched on a nearby rock with her legs crossed, lazily munched on a rice cracker. "Because you're trying to brute force it," she said matter-of-factly, not even looking up. "You're thinking too much about the result and not enough about the process. You can't just punch the air and expect it to listen to you."
Hikari whirled on her. "That's rich coming from someone who's never struggled with this crap."
Lila gave her a shit-eating grin. "Oh, I definitely struggled. I was just better at faking it."
Hikari shot her a glare before turning back to the empty space in front of her. She gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes. Okay. Focus. Don't think about failure. Just let it—
A gust of wind suddenly blasted through the training ground.
"Man, you're still struggling with that? Lame."
Hikari's eyes snapped open.
Sutaro Katsuki stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, that familiar cocky smirk plastered across his face. His black trench coat billowed slightly from the sudden shift in air pressure.
Hikari blinked, her frustration momentarily replaced by confusion. "The hell?"
Lila sighed dramatically. "And here comes the disturbance in the force~"
Katsuki: "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to cut your little training sesh short~."
Hikari turned, her brow twitching in irritation. "And why's that?"
Katsuki took his sweet time strolling toward her, moving with an effortless swagger. When he got close, he leaned in just enough to make it annoyingly personal, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Because Sylvia needs to talk to you and Lila~." His voice was smooth, borderline smug, like he was enjoying the fact that he got to be the messenger of bad news.
Lila perked up at the mention of Sylvia. "Oh? And what does she need us for?"
Katsuki leaned back, shoving his hands into his pockets, his entire posture radiating disinterest. He gave a lazy shrug. "Fuck if I know. She just told me to come get you two."
Hikari narrowed her eyes. "She needed us specifically?"
Katsuki deadpanned. "No, she needed two trees named Hikari and Lila. Yes, you two specifically—like I literally just said a minute ago."
Hikari raised her hands in mock surrender. "Woah, buddy. You pissed in your coffee this morning?"
Katsuki scoffed, his lips curling into a sharp grin. "Nah, I just have a very special hatred for dumbass questions."
Hikari's eye twitched. "What did you sa—"
Before she could even finish, Lila, ever the peacemaker, gracefully slapped a hand over Hikari's mouth. "Okaaay, let's not turn this into an argument~." She started dragging Hikari toward the building with a giggle. "Let's just go see what Sylvia wants before Katsuki actually loses his patience~."
Katsuki let out a huff, shaking his head as he watched them go. "Tch. Too late for that."
He followed after them, hands still in his pockets, but the smirk never left his face.
To be continued.