Lisa turned back to him and warned, "It's not uncommon for those unprepared to die shortly after taking a potion. Not everyone is ready to handle the awakening."
Kai's expression didn't change, but his voice turned thoughtful. "...And what about people with powerful wills? You said it's the first conduit."
Lisa nodded. "The stronger the will, the faster and more efficiently one's core develops. Slayers driven by powerful emotions, whether it's revenge, love, or ambition, tend to grow faster. Their will acts as a refining force, sharpening their control over spiritual energy and unlocking additional aspects of their spirituality."
She paused, looking directly at him. "But be warned. A strong will is a double-edged sword. Obsession, doubt, or fear can corrupt the energy, turning it chaotic. If that happens, it doesn't just destroy the core, it can consume the person entirely."
Kai leaned back slightly, crossing his arms. "So what's the catch?"
Lisa gave him a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nope, if I tell you everything, the fun will perish, won't it? For now, just keep in mind that power has a price. Without the discipline to control it or the strength to grow it, power destroys the person who wields it. The question isn't whether you're willing to pay the price, it's whether you can survive it."
Kai looked at her for a long moment, then back at the shelves of potions, his face unreadable. "...Sounds messy," he said finally. "But I guess it makes sense."
Lisa chuckled faintly, reigniting the green flame in her hand. "Messy, yes. But when the world's overrun by demons, messy solutions are all we've got."
Kai stared at the flame for a while, his expression calm, his hollow gaze betraying no reaction. "Still doesn't change anything," he said simply.
Lisa watched him for a long moment, her emerald eyes narrowing slightly in thought. Then, with a flick of her wrist, the green flame disappeared, leaving the room dim once again. "We'll see," she replied, her tone quiet but laced with subtle amusement.
She turned back to her workbench, her hands busy rearranging a few vials, and continued speaking, her voice steady and measured. "You should know, Kai, that the Astral Core resides inside the heart."
She glanced at him, watching for his reaction before explaining further. "It holds both spiritual and biological significance. The heart is more than just a pump for blood, it's directly tied to your breathing. Every beat of your heart circulates not just blood, but also your spiritual energy, keeping your Astral Core active and nourished."
Lisa paused, placing a hand over her chest for emphasis. "When you practice your breathing techniques, it's not just about strengthening your lungs. The rhythm of your breathing synchronizes with your heartbeat, fueling your Astral Core and, in turn, your spiritual core within the metaphysical world."
Kai tilted his head slightly, digesting her words but saying nothing.
Lisa turned back to her workbench, continuing as she measured a shimmering liquid into a small flask. The faint glow of the liquid illuminated her sharp features as she spoke. "This intricate connection is why damage to the heart or improper breathing can destabilize the Astral Core, sometimes fatally. And it's also why mastering your breathing techniques is critical."
She paused briefly, glancing at Kai to ensure he was paying attention. "Though," she added with a faint smirk, "humans are unpredictable creatures. Some of them are born to defy the rules entirely. Take the Hashira from the Demon Slayer Corps, for example. You've read about them in history books, haven't you? The so-called pillars of humanity's last great stand against demons?"
Kai nodded slightly, his gaze steady.
Lisa continued, her tone taking on a hint of admiration. "They were something else, a different breed, you may say. Those who had mastered Total Concentration Breathing to such a degree that even with their hearts ripped apart, they could still move, still fight. Their control over their bodies was so precise, it was as if they transcended mortality."
She held up the flask, swirling its contents slowly. "In biological terms, they achieved what we might call oxygenation control and circulatory control. It means they could regulate their oxygen levels to maintain vital functions even under extreme circumstances. At the same time, they could manipulate their blood flow, ensuring their muscles and organs received just enough oxygen and nutrients to keep functioning—even when their hearts stopped momentarily."
Lisa leaned forward slightly, her emerald eyes gleaming. "They were true monsters, Kai. Despite not having access to Astral Cores, they imitated feats that today's Slayers accomplish with spiritual energy. It's important to note the lack of recovery methods in that era, unlike what slayers have now. That's why the Hashira were still legends, because they represent the pinnacle of human will and ingenuity."
Lisa chuckled softly, shaking her head. "And now we're standing on their shoulders, using their techniques as a foundation for something even greater."
Kai tilted his head slightly, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "But I didn't read records of any Hashira achieving a feat of moving on, even if his heart was pierced."
Lisa froze for a moment, then gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "Blasphemy! Blasphemy against lord Rengoku!" she declared loudly, her tone almost theatrical.
But as she caught sight of Kai's honestly confused face, her indignation faltered, and she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Ahem, now that I think about it, you wouldn't find records of that in the books you have access to. Only people with sufficient strength or authority would be allowed to see those records, either in government archives or legacy clan vaults."
Kai's expression remained deadpan, his gaze unchanging as he stared at her.
Lisa's lips twitched, and she said indignantly, "Hey! I'm literally telling the truth here, believe me!"
"I believe you," Kai said evenly, his calm voice cutting through her bluster.
"Really?" Lisa asked, her tone skeptical as her emerald eyes studied his face.
"Really," he replied, his tone as steady and unflinching as always.
Lisa blinked, then coughed lightly, as if trying to regain her composure.
She said, waving her hand dismissively. "Well, good. Anyway, back to the topic. These advancements gave humanity a fighting chance. And for the last 500 years, the conflict has remained in a chaotic balance, with neither side able to claim dominance, or it may seem, but leaving that aside for now humanity has survived till now."
Lisa straightened, crossing her arms. "Hmm, still you remembered the basics, which is not bad for a street rat who couldn't read a year ago," she said, her tone laced with a hint of approval. "I can reward you for something if you'd like."
Kai remained silent, his hollow eyes fixed on Lisa. Minutes passed as he seemed to mull over her words. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm and detached. "...How much of this information and records, including those in other bastions, are false?"
For a moment, Lisa's expression froze, her emerald eyes widening ever so slightly.
Then, unexpectedly, she burst into laughter, loud and hearty, echoing through the metallic room.
"Ha.ha" She laughed until tears welled in her eyes, wiping them away with the back of her hand.
"Not including the ones that I don't know...about half of them, I'd say." She said, her voice tinged with amusement.
Kai tilted his head slightly, his gaze unblinking as he absorbed her words. "...Then the truths hidden behind are much more dire," he stated, his tone even.
Lisa's smirk returned, sharper this time, like the edge of a blade. "Exactly," she said, her voice almost a whisper, but it cut through the air like a bell. "And that's the real lesson here. Learn to separate truth from lies, and you'll know more than most ever will….. But knowing isn't always a blessing."
Kai stared at her, his dark eyes held a glint of something deeper, an insistence, a need to understand. "If they're hiding the truth and feeding falsehoods to the general masses, wouldn't it be better to tell them what's really going on? To let them face their reality for what it is?"
Lisa's amused expression faded, her sharp features softening as her emerald eyes locked onto his.
She let his question hang in the air, as if weighing her response carefully.
Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter but no less firm. "There are two reasons why the truth isn't told, Kai."
She stepped closer and said. "The first reason is simple. Some truths are better left unknown. There are things out there, knowledge, forces, beings, that the human mind can't comprehend without breaking. The more you know about them, the more they corrupt you. Whether it's physical, mental, or spiritual, the weight of those truths will crush you unless you're strong enough to bear it."
Kai's gaze didn't waver, though his expression darkened ever so slightly. "And the second?"
Lisa sighed. She folded her arms and leaned against her workbench, and continued. "The second reason is hope. Humans need hope to survive, Kai. Without it, they'd crumble faster than the demons could ever hope to destroy them. Telling people the truth, exposing how dire the situation really is, would shatter that hope. And when hope dies, so does the will to fight."
Her gaze hardened slightly, though not unkindly. "So the lies you call 'falsehoods'? They aren't meant to deceive. They're meant to shield. To protect the masses until they're ready or until someone strong enough to bear the truth can make it so, they'll never need to know."
Kai tilted his head again, processing her words. His voice was quiet, but there was an edge of steel in it. "So the truth is reserved for the few who can endure it. And the rest… they live in ignorance, protected by lies."
Lisa nodded, her smirk returning faintly. "That's the way of the world. It's cruel, but it's necessary. If the masses ever knew the real scale of what they're up against, the fear alone would drive them to madness. And madness does nothing but feed the enemy, and in this case, both physically and spiritually."
Kai fell silent, his hollow eyes reflecting a glimmer of thoughtfulness as he considered her answer.
He then looked at her and asked softly, "So, the emotion that I sense from you… is that also hope?"
Lisa's smirk faltered for a brief moment, her expression shifting. She looked away, her emerald eyes dimming.
Her face seemed hollow, stripped of the sharp wit she had displayed just moments before.
The silence between them stretched, heavy and unbroken.
Finally, after several minutes, she spoke, her voice quiet yet firm, as she uttered her reply.
"No… it's desire."
Kai didn't ask what her desire was. Instead, he said, "Aren't they the same?"
She glanced back at him, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips. "No, they're not," she said simply.
With that, she turned away and resumed her work, the soft hum of her alchemical device filling the air once more.
"...Desire," Kai muttered.
—--
{GLOSSARY}
1.Total Concentration Breathing - It is a breathing technique which involves expanding one's lungs to intake as much air as possible, accelerating one's blood flow and heartbeat while increasing their inner body temperature, resulting in their bones and muscles becoming more excited.
Using Total Concentration Breathing essentially enhances the user's physical traits and capabilities while still remaining human. Such traits include superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, endurance, and the mental abilities needed to keep up with their superhuman bodies, such as a faster thought process and reaction time. Being more proficient in Total Concentration Breathing is key in raising one's survivability while fighting demons.
While not directly related to the Astral Core, it represents the pinnacle of human will and discipline.
2.Slayers: Individuals trained to combat demons utilizing a combination of physical prowess, spiritual energy, and specialized techniques. Their development is closely tied to the strength of their will and the cultivation of their Astral Core, which enhances their combat abilities and spiritual awareness.
3.Spiritual Energy: A form of energy that Slayers harness to perform extraordinary feats, including enhanced strength, speed, and the ability to combat supernatural entities. The flow and control of spiritual energy are vital for a Slayer's effectiveness, influenced by their will, emotional state, and mastery of techniques like Total Concentration Breathing.
4.Oxygenation Control: when one can precisely control their body's oxygen levels to maintain vital functions even under extreme circumstances.
5.Circulatory Control: when one can manipulate blood flow, ensuring their muscles and organs receive enough oxygen and nutrients to function, even when their heart stops momentarily.
[A/N: Phew, here's another chapter for today! This one was a bit of a beast to edit, clocking in at around 2000 words, not including the glossary section.
I hope you enjoyed the depth and detail in this chapter, as it delves further into the lore and dynamics of the world. The glossary was added to help you all better understand the complex concepts we've introduced.
As always, your feedback and support mean the world to me! Drop your thoughts in the comments, and if you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave those power stones or like to keep me motivated.
Stay tuned for the next update. There's plenty more to come!]