After bidding his friends goodnight Akaji walked back alone to the farm, the only sounds accompanying him were the soft crunch of gravel beneath his feet and the distant hooting of owls.
The farm was bathed in the soft, silvery light of the full moon, casting long shadows across the fields and buildings.
The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming cherry blossoms and the earthy smell of freshly turned soil.
Akaji's footsteps slowed as he lost himself in thought. Why hadn't his aura unlocked? Was there something wrong with him? He thought back to the ritual, replaying every detail in his mind. Had he done something wrong? Had he not been pure enough?
As he walked, Akaji's gaze drifted upwards, towards the star-filled sky. He felt small and insignificant, a tiny speck in the vast expanse of the universe. The stars twinkled like diamonds scattered across the velvet blackness, and Akaji felt his spirit soar as he contemplated the mysteries of the heaven's above.
Just as he was getting lost in his thoughts, Akaji heard a faint barking sound. It was his dog, a loyal and fierce Akita named horosho. came bounding towards him, tail wagging furiously as he yelped with excitement.
Akaji smiled, feeling a warmth in his heart as he reached out to pet Horosho. "Hey, boy," he said, scratching behind his ears. "What's got you so excited?"
Akaji smiled and petted his dog, Horosho, who was still barking excitedly. "It's okay, boy," he said, calming the dog down. With a final pat on the head, Akaji stepped inside the house.
His parents, Kiato and Mei, looked up from their dinner, concern etched on their faces. "Akaji, where have you been?" Mei asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Akaji took a seat at the table, Horosho settling down at his feet. "I was just hanging out with Jianyu and Lian," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant not wanting to reveal what they where really doing.
Mei's expression softened, and she handed Akaji a steaming bowl of dinner. "Be careful, okay?" she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
Kiato nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We'll talk more about this later, Akaji," he said, his voice low and serious.
Akaji nodded, taking a bite of his dinner. The flavors danced on his tongue, and he felt a sense of comfort wash over him. For a moment, he forgot about the failed ritual and the questions swirling in his mind.
Akaji sat on his bed, staring blankly at the wall as the flickering candlelight cast shadows around the room. He couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment and frustration that had been building up inside him.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, the door slid open and his father, Kiato, entered the room. Kiato's eyes scanned the room, his gaze settling on Akaji's slumped figure.
"Akaji, what's wrong?" Kiato asked, his voice soft and gentle. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside his son.
Akaji sighed, feeling a lump form in his throat. "I didn't unlock my aura, Father," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kiato's expression turned sympathetic, and he put a comforting arm around Akaji's shoulders. "It's okay, son," he said. "Unlocking one's aura is not an easy task. It takes time, patience, and dedication."
Akaji looked up at his father, feeling a mix of emotions. "But Jianyu and Lian were able to do it," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment.
Kiato's grip on Akaji's shoulders tightened. "Everyone's journey is different, Akaji," he said. "Just because Jianyu and Lian were able to unlock their auras doesn't mean you won't be able to. You just need to keep trying and believe in yourself."
Akaji nodded slowly, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him. He knew his father was right. He just needed to be patient and keep working towards his goal.
Soon Kiato's expression changed, and he gazed off into the distance, a faraway look in his eyes. "You know, Akaji, when you were a baby, you were incredibly strong," he said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"You would grip my finger so tightly, and your eyes would sparkle with a fire that seemed almost...otherworldly when you got excited or even angry. He chuckled to himself with a smile. Akaji's curiosity was piqued, and he turned towards his father with a raised eyebrow .
Kiato's hand dipped into his pocket, and he pulled out a small, delicate necklace. The pendant was a deep blue, almost purple, and it seemed to glow in the candlelight. Kiato handed the necklace to Akaji, who took it, feeling a strange warmth emanating from it.
"What is this, Father?" Akaji asked, turning the pendant over in his hand.Kiato's expression was serious, and he hesitated before speaking. "It belonged to someone I meet along time ago, There's a lot we want to tell you, Akaji, but we'll wait until we feel you're ready."
Akaji's confusion deepened, and he looked up at his father. "But Father, what do you mean? What is this necklace?" Kiato's face softened, and he smiled. "We'll tell you soon, Akaji. Just be patient."
With that, Kiato leaned forward and kissed Akaji's forehead. "Goodnight, son."
As Kiato stood up to leave, he reached out and blew out the candle, plunging the room into darkness. Akaji was left sitting in the darkness, the blue pendant clutched in his hand, his mind racing with questions.
Soon Akaji was laying down on his simple straw bed, the blue pendant still clutched in his hand. As he gazed at the pendant, a faint memory began to stir in his mind. He could hear someone humming a soft, melancholic tune.
As he focused on the memory, it began to take shape. He saw a scene unfold through someone else's eyes - a woman with an incredibly otherworldly beauty. Her features were captivating, with skin as pale as moonlight and hair as beautiful two while lllies But it was her eyes that truly shone - crystalline blue, sparkling with a light that seemed almost divine.
She smiled down, her plump lips curving upwards in a gentle, loving smile. "You'll never know how truly precious you are, my little Akaji," she whispered, her voice like a soft breeze on a summer's day.
Akaji's eyes snapped open, and he sat up quickly drenched in sweat, the pendant still clutched in his hand. He felt a sense of unease, as if he had glimpsed something he wasn't meant to see. Clutching his chest he noticed that he felt off but couldn't figure out what.
Laying down he soon closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. The next day Akaji sat on a rock, his eyes fixed intently on the blue pendant. As the twins fully powered up in their shining white aura sparred nearby, their movements swift and fluid like true martial artists.
As he sat down on the rock he couldn't help but turn the pendant over in his hands. His strange dream still fresh in his mind and no matter what he couldn't help but remember the strange woman's words.
"You'll never know how truly precious you are my little Akaji". Looking at Akaji Jianyu soon held up his hands for a break.
As they took a break, Lian and Jianyu noticed Akaji staring at the pendant. "What's got you so captivated by that thing?" Lian asked, nodding towards the pendant.
Jianyu chuckled. "Yeah, you've been staring at it for ages now." The twins shut off their auras and walked over to Akaji, sitting down beside him on the rock. "What's the story behind it?" Jianyu asked.
Akaji looked up, his eyes slightly unfocused. "I don't know," he admitted. "My dad gave it to me, but he won't tell me what it is or who it gave it to him."
Lian raised an eyebrow. "That's strange. Your dad's always been honest with you, hasn't he?" She asked tucking a lock of her escaped hair behind her ear. Akaji nodded, tucking the pendant away into his pocket. "Yeah," he said, his eyes clouding over for a moment before he turned to Lian and Jianyu.
"So it looks like your martial arts have improved alot, so what's it like having your auras unlocked?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Jianyu's face lit up with excitement. "It's amazing!" he exclaimed. "I feel like I can do anything. My senses are sharper, my movements are faster I also feel a whole lot stronger... it's like a whole new world has opened up for me."
Lian smiled, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "It's incredible," she agreed. "But..." she added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "It just sucks that we haven't been able to tell our parents yet."
Akaji's expression turned serious, and he nodded. "That' for the best," he said. "We don't know how the Thunderball sect would react if word got out that three Labour caste peasants unlocked their aura's before many of the warriors and noble caste disciples in their sect. It's better to keep it quiet for now"
Soon Jianyu grinned mischievously. "Hey, Akaji, want to spar?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Akaji hesitated, feeling a twinge of uncertainty. Jianyu was now 100 times stronger than him, thanks to his unlocked aura. "I don't know, Jianyu," Akaji said, feeling a bit intimidated.
But Jianyu was undeterred. "Come on, it'll be fun!" he said, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. "I'll only use like 1 percent of my power, I promise."
Lian looked on uncertainly, her brow furrowed with concern. "Jianyu, are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked.
But Jianyu waved her off. "Don't worry, Lian, I've got this under control."
Akaji nodded, feeling a surge of determination if he wanted to prepare his body to undergo the ritual again this was the perfect opportunity to strengthen himself.
And besides he had learned how to fight from his brother's, after all. And if He could hold his own against a child user then he wouldn't have anything to fear.
Soon the two friends faced off, getting into fighting stances in the clearing getting into their preferred fighting stances. " Ready when you are" Akaji said gesturing for him to come at him.
He felt a rush of adrenaline as Jianyu charged at him and began fighting him. But to both their surprises, Akaji was able to keep up. He dodged and weaved, his movements swift and fluid. Jianyu's eyes widened in surprise as Akaji landed a series of quick jabs.
Lian watched in amazement, her eyes shining with excitement. "Akaji, you're actually keeping up with Jianyu!" she exclaimed clapping her hands togeth
Jianyu's eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned on his aura " I guess I don't have to hold back anymore" he grins. Soom A warm, white ight enveloped his body, and his movements became even faster and more fluid.
Akaji's eyes widened as Jianyu's aura surged and he became ten times faster, but he refused to back down. He gritted his teeth and charged forward, his fists flying in a flurry of punches.
To Jianyu's surprise, Akaji was able to keep up with him for several minutes, dodging and weaving around his attacks. Jianyu's aura made him stronger, but Akaji's determination and skill allowed him to stay in the fight.
Finally, Jianyu surged his aura, unleashing a powerful blast of energy that sent Akaji flying onto his back skidding briefly across the ground. Akaji groaned, rubbing his sore head.
Jianyu rushed over to help him up, a look of concern on his face. "Akaji, are you okay?" he asked.
Akaji wiped his busted lip, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "But can we make the fight longer next time?"
Jianyu's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to make the fight longer?" he repeated. "Akaji, I was holding back as much as I could! If we make the fight longer, you'll get hurt even worse!"
Akaji shrugged, his grin still plastered on his face. "I can take it," he said. "I want to get stronger, Jianyu. And fighting you is the best way for me to do that'.
Jianyu smiled at his friends determination and then stepped back and dropped into fighting stance once more waiting for him to make the next move.
Akaji stood up, dusting himself off, and got back into fighting stance once more before rushing him. Jianyu's eyes widened in surprise, but he grinned and charged forward, eager to continue the fight.
The two friends clashed, their movements swift and fluid. Jianyu's aura surged, but Akaji dodged and weaved, his fists flying in a flurry of punches.
And then, in a stunning move, Akaji landed a punch that sent Jianyu flying backward. Jianyu stumbled, his eyes wide with surprise, but he quickly regained his footing.
"Whoa, Akaji, you're a beast!" Jianyu exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "What's your mom feeding you" he joked.
Lian's eyes were wide with amazement. "How is this possible?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's still technically a mortal, Akaji shouldn't be able to keep up with a chi user even one with a weak aura pressure like Jianyu."
Akaji flexed his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just know that I can do it."
Jianyu chuckled, clapping Akaji on the back. "Well, whatever it is, you're definitely a force to be reckoned with, Akaji!".
Jianyu then powered down, his aura dissipating as he stretched his arms and let out a satisfied sigh. "Man, that was a great workout your really freaking strong," he said, grinning at Akaji.
Akaji smiled back, his eyes shining with a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"If you're this strong now," Jianyu said, his expression turning serious, "imagine how powerful you'll be when you unlock your aura.".
Akaji's smiled prodly at the thought, and he felt a surge of determination course through his veins. He had always dreamed of unlocking his aura even though he had failed before he was determined to successed this time, and now, with Jianyu's words echoing in his mind, he felt more motivated than ever to achieve his goal.
"I'll do it," Akaji said, his voice firm and resolute. "I'll unlock my aura, no matter what it takes."
Jianyu grinned, clapping Akaji proudly on the back as he grinned. "That's the spirit, Akaji!" he exclaimed. "And we'll be right there with you, every step of the way."
Lian nodded in agreement, a smile on her face. "We'll all support you, Akaji," she said. "Together, we'll help you unlock your aura and reach your full potential."
Akaji felt a sense of gratitude and camaraderie wash over him, knowing that his friends were behind him every step of the way. With renewed determination and a sense of purpose, Akaji set his sights on the future, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Soon the three friends began making their way back towards the town not noticing the pair of jealous hateful eyes watching them.