Ashiro opens his eyes and sees the mindscape he has trained in countless times. He then looks over, seeing a familiar face for once. "Hey, Godai."
His avatar stared at him, disappointed. His voice was upset but still contained rational intent.
"You pushed your flame core too far. I also didn't think you'd succumb to mind control by your vile father so easily. I trained you better than this, Aiko!"
Godai's glistening eyes then widened as he stopped himself from continuing any further. "I…"
Ashiro puts his hand out, interrupting any further unnecessary words being said. "I know, Godai. I know I should have fought off the mind control. After all, you forged my mental strength when I trained with you when Kodak was in a previous coma. But I even wanted to. My mind was too numb to even think and the mental state I had was already on the verge of crumbling. This was that final push."
Godai stood silent, listening to Ashiro's words. But he still wanted to say something. "Ashiro I'm-"
"I'm not finished, Godai… I was merely explaining what caused that weakness. But I need to show them that I have no foolish emotions like that. I will not break…. I have an idea of what that's like."
[Water Core has been Unlocked!]
Water flows from a nearby waterfall, several miles away from Ashiro and Godai within the mindscape.
"I know what my mental strength needs. I need to calm down and persevere."
The flowing water reflected Ashiro as he walked through the grass. His mind calmed itself and he buried his emotions further as his mind fortified itself.
Godai then puts a hand on Ashiro's shoulder. "You forgot about one thing."
"And what is that?"
"You need your emotions for this newfound foundation of strength."
Ashiro then felt that the suppression of emotion release itself once again. His real convictions and ideals surfaced as his mind then for the first time in a while. Felt calm.
1 Week later…
Doctors and nurses enter the room, seeing Kohaku still unconscious. They talk amongst themselves, and pity and sorrow fill the room as they look at Kohaku's body.
"She's been unconscious for a week. She's unlocked her agony so why is she still asleep?"
"It was probably the massive amount of physical trauma that was unleashed upon her body."
"Or maybe her avatar is training her?"
The nurses and doctors shook their heads towards their co-worker.
"Yeah right! She's a bottom-tier B-Ranker. Everyone knows you need to be at least A-Ranker to even access your avatar."
The nurses and doctors then exit the room, leaving Kohaku by herself.
A voice then calls to her, a tone of intelligence and maturity. "Wake up, Kohaku Sato."
Kohaku's eyes open, but not in a way she thought possible. She was surrounded by multiple bookshelves, a library. The shelves were stacked tall. So tall and sturdy that Kohaku thought they might reach the heavens.
The towering shelves stretched infinitely upward, each lined with countless leather-bound tomes that seemed to glow faintly with an inner light, whispering secrets of ages past. The air was thick with the scent of aged parchment and polished wood, a comforting reminder of wisdom preserved through time.
Celestial maps and intricate diagrams adorn the walls, their constellations and gears moving slowly in silent harmony, symbolizing the intricate workings of intellect and the steady passage of time. Soft golden light filters through stained-glass windows, casting warm hues that soothe the restless mind and invite quiet contemplation.
Kohaku then glanced over towards the neatly stacked books. Each category was a main one and then divided into multiple sub-categories.
She then looked at a category that reads: Revenant. Her mind looked at the title curious about the meaning behind it.
'So this must be my mindscape that my avatar dwells within. I briefly remember Amari trying to explain how Fumiko and the others got stronger. But that load of information was too messy and cluttered. Talk about memory overload.'
Kohaku's eyes glide across the other sub-categories. Output, usage, proficiency, reverse technique, skill rankings. Most of the categories made sense like basic output, but most of them were things Kohaku hadn't even heard of.
"I must say, how much do you know, Kohaku?"
The same voice called out from a massive ladder above. Kohaku could barely make the person out but she saw the maroon-colored robe covering a woman covered in rune-like symbols and scriptures.
Her eyes were a golden color that had black beady pupils that stuck out like a sore thumb. But Kohaku knew this was her avatar. From the way she acted to the way her demeanor linked up with Kohaku's.
A loud and disruptive voice then echoes through the infinity library. A voice that was immature and rather unpleasant to listen to.
"YOU'RE TELLING ME THE NEW DISCIPLE IS THIS SCRAWNY NERD!?"
A muscular feminine figure soars down from above, crashing into the floor. The wooden floorboards shatter, sending shards of splinters of oak wood across the library.
The woman on the ladder shouts towards the muscular woman. "Hey, are you okay my love. Also…. STOP DESTROYING MY LIBRARY OR EVENING CUDDLES ARE CANCELLED!!!"
The muscular woman climbs from the wrecked floor, kneeling on the ground towards the librarian floating down with an umbrella. "LIBRION THAT'S JUST CRUEL!"
"I swear no matter how much you destroy this library, I still find the insurmountable depths of love I have for you, Isamu," Librion says with a tone of heartfelt love.
Kohaku looked at the two women with a deadpan stare. 'I was expecting the librarian. But this brute!?'
Kohaku then sees Isamu pull in Librion for a passionate kiss, their lips molded into one another seamlessly. Seems as though they were forgetting about Kohaku.
Isamu then notices Kohaku looking over, unimpressed. She then places her hands around Librion's hips, pulling her closer.
"What? Never seen a gay couple jackass?!"
Kohaku smirked at her remark. "Nah, just you do you. I'll just be over here trying to find a better mastery of my innate technique…"
She then walks back towards the books, but something else is there. Scrolls and artifacts also dwelt there. 10 scrolls and 10 artifacts lined up in a perfectly straight line.
Each one had a symbol. The first five had a symbol of fire, earth, water, lightning, and wind. As Kohaku glanced at the scrolls she saw the name etched onto them.
'Elemental Power: Fiery Flames, Seismic Stone, Adaptive Tide, Voltage, and Gale Storm. Those who inherit these elemental powers will be crowned as the elemental god of revolution, but those who oppose these abilities will live in fear of the inevitable.'
Kohaku stared at the Fiery Flame Scroll, seeing the glow of a white-like flame radiating from the charred paper. Kohaku extended her hand trying to reach it. But a voice echoed through the library, warning Kohaku as a similar aura entered the mindscape.
"KOHAKU GET BACK FROM THAT SCROLL IMMEDIATELY!!!"
Her head jerked around towards Librion, seeing a worried expression spread across her face. That expression of fear sent chills down Kohaku's spine as she sensed the immense elemental revenant, was Ashiro here in the mindscape?
"DON'T."
Kohaku then looked to her right, seeing a human like her. But he was different from the wings that contained all kinds of elemental energies. His aura was a golden aura and his eyes had a silver glow to them.
"Who dares to touch my scrolls!"
Kohaku tried to reel her hand back, but this 'creature's' grip was too strong. The air then filled with bloodlust.
"GODAI YOU ASSHAT!!!"
Kohaku's ears twitched from hearing the name. 'This is the one who trained Ashiro!? No wonder he radiates asshole energy.'
Godai snapped his head around, seeing Isamu screaming at him. "Stay out of this you damn brute."
Godai then raises his hand, and a golden glow of energy radiates from his hand. Isamu's face sweats nervously. 'Damnit, he might kill me and that nerd!'
Kohaku closed her eyes, but the grip around the collar of her shirt was released. As she slowly opens her eyes she sees two figures shielding her. And a third figure holds Godai by his throat. A man with a crimson red outfit with white hair and a stunning woman dressed in white with black hair that dropped past her waist.
"I thought I told you, Godai. Stay away from those undeserving of your wrath, or mine might be unleashed upon you."
Kohaku looks at the third figure, seeing his black outfit and his red-purple colored hair flowing down the back of his head.
The energy around his body was a blood red, however, his intent wasn't lethal or merciful.
"You really wanna start a war against me, Kuroi? I thought you were training Kodak past the basic stage of destructive battle arts?"
Kuroi's red eyes glared at Godai, drawing out the fear he felt about the man holding him in the air currently.
Kuroi then spoke with a calm, yet cruel demeanor. "You should know that Kodak's far past the basic stage. He's completely welded his kinetic and destructive energy cores together. His usage of the newfound skills he has obtained is almost on the same level as 'them'."
Godai's eyes widen as Kuroi senses the loss in killing intent. He drops Godai, his intense grip leaves a mark around his neck. The wound was tense and purple.
"If I find you attacking those Kodak deems untouchable, then you should count those days. You're no longer the elemental revolutionary, that title will soon belong to Ashiro and you know it."
Godai suddenly disappears as Kuroi and the other two mysterious figures follow.
Isamu breathes a sigh of relief, holding Librion by her waist. "Thank the system for that. Well, I'm gonna take a nap. You teach them about the mental aspects of Cognisphere Overload. I give you both 2 weeks to master it. Or else she'll learn of my style."
5 days later…
Fumiko digs into her pocket, revealing a key to the dorm room that she shared with the others. As she walks in she sees Akari in a meditation position, seeing the dark energy of "malice" surrounding her body.
Fumiko enters her bedroom within the 4-bedroom dorm. 'Looks like the separated beds I requested finally got done.' Fumiko then grabs the closet door handles, revealing a collection of fluffy hoodies.
She grabs a light grey one, pulling it over her head as the warm and soft texture envelopes her.
Fumiko then walks out of her bedroom, seeing that Ashiro had still not exited his room. A worried look spread across her face as she saw a faint glow of light blue. The shimmering blue peered through the cracks of the door.
Fumiko went to open the door, but as she did this a hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked behind, seeing Masaki.
"Leave him be," Masaki said in a harsh tone. "After all, he's the one who's about to miss tomorrow's festival. Shows you how pathetic and useless he has become."
Fumiko glared at Masaki as the harsh and unjust words and opinions of Ashiro left Masaki's lips.
A glow of lunar energy surrounded Fumiko. Her glare towards Masaki got even more intense, and red energy surrounded Masaki as a response to Fumiko's angry aura.
"Try it you goddamn nobody." Masaki snapped towards Fumiko as the air become tense with revenant. Akari peeked, seeing the clashing auras of Masaki and Fumiko.
"Could you both just shut up, I'm trying to train," Akari said with an annoyed tone. Masaki's stare towards Fumiko then shifted towards Akari. "Go fuck yourself."
Akari's eyes then opened as bloodlust filled the room. "Watch. It." Her aggressive tone and malicious aura weighed down the room with killing intent. Masaki scoffed at it, unimpressed.
"You really are nothing but incompetent."
Akari then stands up from the meditation position, and begins slowly walking towards Masaki.
[Personified Emotions: Malice has been selected!]
The room becomes tense with bloodlust. While Masaki just scoffed at the malicious aura that Akari was releasing.
"Go on then, fight me if you wanna die so damn badly!"
[Innate Skill: Pulsing Aura Activated!]
A bright red energy illuminates the room, clashing with the blackened energy from Akari.
The two of them then rush forward, with energy crackling from their bodies.
"COME ON THEN!" Akari yells as the tattoos from 'Malice' appear across her body.
Masaki tensed her fist, ready to clash with Akari's murderous aura. "YOU FIRST!"
[Innate Skill: Lunar Aura Activated!]
Fumiko catches the oncoming fists. Masaki is then sent towards the ground, feeling her legs being struck from behind. "What the!?"
Her head slams into the wooden floorboards as she holds her head in pain.
Akari then bursts into laughter as she watches Masaki groan in pain. "Hahahahaha! That's what you get-!"
Fumiko interrupts Akari, sending her into a wall as her hands are restrained. "Oh come on!" Akari complains as she notices the glare of Fumiko's black eyes gazing into her soul.
"Either shut up and deal with each other. Or I kick you both outside." Fumiko said as the glow of lavender-colored petals surrounded her.
Akari's tattoos from 'Malice' fade away, and the malicious bloodlust she once emitted dies down. "Don't gotta tell me twice." She says as her hands are released.
Masaki then stands up, clenching her fists in anger from the humiliation dealt by Fumiko.
A surge of red energy spreads across the room, as Masaki rushes towards Fumiko. The glowing energy of her technique illuminated the room with danger.
"Watch out!" Akari yells, trying to shield Fumiko from the oncoming attack. However, she is pushe back and Fumiko summons multiple blades of lunar energy.
[Innate Skill: Blossoming BladesActivated!]
The blades take the attack head-on from Masaki, neutralizing any damage done to the interior of the dorm room they lived in.
Fumiko then runs forward, striking Masaki in her liver, face, and sternum. The breath escapes her lungs, as Fumiko stand over Masaki.
"Try anything like that again and I'll put you in your place."
Fumiko then walks away, opening Ashiro's door. "Hey, Ashiro are you doing okay.... What the hell?!"