Ito smiled and brushed his hair back. "You're doing great."
Akira smirked, swiping the dust from his body. "I already knew I'd be a prodigy. Tao's a lot easier than it looks." He turned back toward the tree. "This thing barely has any Tao in it. I'm guessing it's sensitive to the amount… so if I just limit how much I put in, I should be able to—"
His palm glowed as the tree suddenly surged upward.
Arms crossed, Ito's voice dripped with mockery. "Wow, you really figured that out quick."
The Tao in the tree backfired, exploding outward and knocking Akira off balance.
"Oi, what the hell just happened?"
Ito shook his head. "You just awakened Tao. Right now, you can push it, but you can't control the amount. All you're doing is choosing where it comes out. Try using your fingertips instead of your whole hand. That'll help limit the flow."
Akira grinned, narrowing his focus as Tao flickered at his fingertips. He pressed it into the tree again—only for it to sputter and fail.
Ito chuckled. "You're basically pushing Tao until your limbs are about to snap. Don't do that, by the way. Humans compress their Tao into the center of their body after they're born—"
Akira tilted his head. "What are you even talking about?"
"Shut up and listen." Ito waved him quiet. "Once humans expand Tao outward with control, that's when they become Taoists. But because I jumpstarted your body with mine, your Tao's all over the place. Let it flow freely, then guide just enough into the plant. No more, no less."
Akira sat cross-legged by the plant, exhaling. He let his Tao spill outward, caught it at his fingertips, and pressed it forward. The tree drank it hungrily—but something else stirred.
A shape flickered before him: faceless, half-formed, with a crown glimmering faintly on its head.
What the hell is that?
"Akira," the figure's voice was a whisper inside his skull, "I am the Yokai in—"
"Shut up." Akira scowled, keeping his focus on the Tao flow. "I can feel you leeching off my life force, and I hate it."
The faceless spirit bowed deeply. "As you wish… King."
When Akira opened his eyes, a towering tree stretched above him.
Ito clapped him on the back, beaming. "Good job. You did it."
Then, without warning, he let his own Tao ripple outward, shifting it through his body like waves. "Look closely, Akira. These are the five basic Tao techniques."
His form flickered with each demonstration:
Sword—muscles hardened, strength surging.
Shield—skin gleamed, resilience sharpening.
Bow—a concentrated beam of Tao shot from his mouth, crackling into the floorboards.
Spear—a training sword in the corner glowed as he infused it with energy.
Armor—a faint aura wrapped around him, sharp and oppressive, making the air itself shiver.
The glow faded as he released them all. "Simple techniques—just Tao flowing into the right places. Now let's see if you can keep it up under pressure."
Akira rolled his shoulders and slid into a stance, cocky grin returning. "All right, then. Shouldn't be too hard. From the way your Tao feels, we're about the same le—"
Ito's Tao flared like a wildfire, drowning the air.
"You're a little off," he said flatly.