Chapter 7: The Method
The palace gardens were quiet beneath the evening sun.
Only the repeated sound of a sword cutting through the air disturbed the silence.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
Light continued swinging his blade over and over again, sweat pouring down his face.
His thoughts refused to leave the battle against the humanoid Kaiju.
Hikari...
Lothar...
Both of them had stood their ground.
While I...
...was useless.
He stopped swinging and looked down at his hand.
"I have to become stronger."
"Like them."
"I can channel Voltra into my sword..."
"...but I still can't release it."
He closed his eyes and focused on the energy flowing inside his body.
Come on...
Just once...
A faint spark appeared around his hand before disappearing.
"...Damn it."
Once again...
Failure.
But he refused to stop.
Again and again, he tried to force his Voltra outside his body.
Each attempt ended the same way.
---
Elsewhere...
Hikari finally returned home.
She placed her twin swords beside the door before leaning against the wall with a tired sigh.
"There are too many questions..."
She closed her eyes.
"Lothar's power..."
"A Kaiju that could speak..."
"What exactly are we dealing with?"
No answers came.
Only silence.
---
Back at the palace...
Hours later...
A familiar voice interrupted Light's training.
"Hey!"
Light turned around.
"Karem."
Karem smiled.
"How's the training going?"
Light sighed.
"Not well."
"I'm already eighteen."
"Most Hybrids learn to release Voltra when they're around twelve."
"So why can't I?"
Karem scratched his head.
"That is strange."
"Maybe you should ask the King again."
"What if there's something wrong with your body?"
"A disease or something."
Light shook his head.
"I've asked him countless times."
"He always says the same thing."
"'You don't need Voltra. You're a prince. You already have everything you need.'"
Light tightened his grip on his sword.
"But I don't want everything."
"I want to become King."
"And a king should be someone his people can rely on."
Karem sighed.
"I actually came to invite you outside."
"But you're thinking about training again."
Light smiled apologetically.
"Sorry."
"I'm staying here."
"I won't stop until I figure this out."
Karem laughed helplessly.
"You're impossible."
"See you later."
He walked away, leaving Light alone once again.
---
Two days passed.
Light barely rested.
He trained from sunrise until long after sunset.
His hands became covered in blisters.
His muscles constantly ached.
But he never stopped.
---
Voltra...
The mysterious energy every Hybrid is born with.
Every child possesses a different amount.
Their natural capacity depends on their bloodline, health and family.
Some are born gifted.
Others are not.
The mighty Draekor bloodline possesses enormous reserves of Voltra.
Their descendants can inherit enough energy to equal dozens of ordinary Hybrids.
They also inherit a rare ability...
The power to heal both themselves and others.
But ordinary Hybrids are different.
Although their natural Voltra is limited...
There is one way to increase it.
Relentless training.
A stronger body can contain more Voltra.
The process is slow.
Painful.
Almost impossible.
But...
Not impossible.
---
The following morning...
The royal family gathered for breakfast.
King Jugram sat at the head of the table.
Beside him sat Queen Erina and his mother, Seliora.
Across from them sat Eisa and Lothar.
Jugram looked toward one empty chair.
"Where is Light?"
Eisa answered.
"He's still training."
"He hasn't stopped for two days."
Jugram sighed.
"That boy never listens."
"He'll only exhaust himself."
Eisa smiled proudly.
"He's working hard because he's the future king."
"He refuses to stay weak."
Seliora looked toward Jugram.
"Perhaps you're seeing it the wrong way."
"Light isn't only training for himself."
"He's trying to earn your approval."
"After losing Selene..."
"He's felt alone."
"He wants his father to acknowledge him."
Jugram remained silent for a moment.
Then he answered.
"It's been years."
"Light learned to live with that pain."
"He forgave Lothar."
"That chapter is over."
Eisa's expression darkened.
"Maybe Light forgave him..."
"But I never will."
She turned toward Lothar.
"Every time I look at him, I remember Mother."
"I don't consider him my brother."
"He's an outsider."
"Enough."
Jugram's voice echoed across the dining hall.
"Lothar never intended to kill your mother."
"It was an accident."
"I will not tolerate you insulting your younger brother."
Eisa clenched her fists.
"I'll never accept him."
Silence filled the room.
Lothar continued eating without saying a word.
His expression never changed.
Seliora looked sadly at Eisa.
"Remember something."
"Selene was Lothar's mother too."
"He lost her just as you did."
Eisa looked away without answering.
The atmosphere remained heavy as breakfast continued.
---
Meanwhile...
Far from the palace...
Light had discovered a new way to train.
A gigantic boulder rested on his shoulders.
Every muscle in his body trembled under its weight.
Most Hybrids unconsciously used Voltra to strengthen their bodies.
It was the reason they possessed incredible physical strength.
But Light was trying something different.
He deliberately poured almost all of his Voltra out of his body before lifting the weight.
Without Voltra supporting him...
Only his muscles carried the burden.
His body screamed in pain.
His arms shook violently.
His legs nearly gave out.
But he refused to stop.
"If my muscles become stronger..."
"My body should be able to contain more Voltra."
"And if my Voltra increases..."
"I'll finally become stronger."
With one final effort, he threw the boulder aside before collapsing onto the ground, breathing heavily.
---
A week passed.
Every day was the same.
Train.
Collapse.
Recover.
Train again.
Until finally...
Light stood alone in the training grounds.
He stretched out his hand.
Closed his eyes.
Focused every bit of Voltra he possessed into his palm.
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
Then—
A thin blue beam shot forward.
BOOM!
The blast struck a distant rock, leaving a smoking hole through its center.
Light stared at his own hand.
"...I did it."
He laughed.
Then dropped onto the grass from exhaustion.
"I finally did it..."
For the first time in his life...
Light had successfully released Voltra.
---
At that same moment...
The palace gates slowly opened.
Eisa looked toward the entrance.
"Hikari?"
The young woman smiled politely.
"Good morning."
"What brings you here?" Eisa asked.
"I came to see Light and Lothar."
"Is something wrong?"
Hikari shook her head.
"No."
"But it's already been nine days since we officially joined the Kaiju Combat Team."
"And for those nine days..."
"Neither of them has shown up."
She folded her arms.
"I think our vacation is over."