⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Thanks to the eggs the turtle brought, Hayato was able to eat for the first time in a long while. Later, while discussing ways to hide his mana, an idea for a possible solution came to him.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Turtle:
"What kind of way do you say?"
Hayato:
"I can't remember exactly, but this thing called mana here is very similar to the Ki energy my grandpa used to talk about, almost the same thing-"
Turtle:
"So mana exists in your world too?"
Hayato:
"No... maybe. I'm not sure. He always said everything has Ki as its essence. You just said the same about mana too. So, yes, mana here is probably the Ki in my world."
Turtle:
"Okay... but what does that solve?"
Hayato:
"My grandpa used a ritual called Misogi. It was meant to sense and control Ki, or something like that. If Ki and mana are similar, maybe it could work here too. If I try it, I might be able to control my mana..."
Turtle:
"Alright... I don't fully understand, but this seems like the only solution we have right now."
Hayato:
"But Misogi is a ritual done under a waterfall, and we're in the middle of a desert... wait, if I'm not wrong, there was a small waterfall inside the cave... I'll be right back!"
I ran into the cave to check, and sure enough, the small waterfall was still there, its flow gentle but enough for the ritual. Excited, I leaned out and called to the turtle.
Hayato:
"There's a waterfall here. I'll try it for a while!"
Excited about finding a solution, I couldn't stay still. The turtle, still confused, just nodded slightly in approval, then lay down and closed its eyes to rest.
Turtle:
"Then I'm going to take a nap here..."
I reached the waterfall and, for a moment, felt like I might see the Demon Lord again. Remembering what had happened made me tense.
I took several deep breaths to calm myself. Feeling a bit steadier, I removed all my clothes and set them aside, then moved under the waterfall.
Hayato:
"Agh, it's freezing!"
The water was icy and sharp. But after a few failed attempts, I finally managed to sit under the cold stream. I closed my eyes, focused on steadying my breathing, and as my heartbeat slowed, old memories began to resurface.
I remembered being seven years old, forced under the waterfall near our village in Kyoto, with my grandpa standing above me, cane in hand. It wasn't exactly a comforting memory.
When my dad died young, my grandpa decided I was the lucky kid to inherit the Misogi ritual from our samurai ancestors. He was strict, stubborn, and scary enough that running away wasn't an option at the time.
Every visit to the village, he would take me to the waterfall at dawn. For hours, I was forced to feel and control Ki, the life energy, through this ritual. Whenever I tried to run or cheat my way out, he would chase me with his cane.
The waterfall from my childhood was huge compared to this one. The water was hitting me like falling ice cubes, cold and harsh. Back then, as a kid, it felt more like torture than training. That's why I never managed to succeed even once.
Still, this one seemed more bearable. Despite the cold, my body almost felt used to it. I set aside the unpleasant memories with my grandpa and his cane, closed my eyes, and fully committed myself to the ritual.
Hayato:
"Okay... let's do it this time!"
For a long time, I felt nothing, no change, no difference. I was about to lose hope, occasionally opening my eyes to check for any sign of progress, but there was nothing.
As time passed, the turtle grew restless, occasionally peeking in to see if anything had changed. And when the cold became unbearable, I was dashing outside to warm myself in the sun.
I repeated the cycle until the sun began to set. Fearing I couldn't warm up after dark, I gave it one last try. It failed, so I stepped out, warmed myself, got dressed, and felt a bit down.
Turtle:
"Seems like it didn't work very well..."
Hayato:
"Yeah... but this is a process that normally takes years to master, and I still can't fully focus on it."
Turtle:
"Maybe we need to find another way. We can't just wait here for you to master it over years, right?"
Hayato:
"I know... but I want to try one last time tomorrow. I feel like... I'm somehow getting closer."
Suddenly, a strange feeling of guilt hit me. Night was falling, and I realized I'd been so focused on my own problem that I almost forgot about the turtle and its life. I sat across from it and, a little shy, started talking.
Hayato:
"Um, can I ask something? Don't take it wrong but... Why are you still with me? I mean, this is my problem, and you don't have to-"
Turtle:
"Oh, I see. Actually... you're the first person I've talked to in a long time, I mean centuries. Being alone that long gets boring after a while. And you're fun, a little silly, so..."
Hayato:
"Centuries?! you've been alone all this time? Why?"
Turtle:
"There's not really one reason... well, actually, there are several. Look at me, I'm huge, and I have half your mana. That alone makes me a boss-level monster. When others see a creature like me, they either run or attack..."
Hearing that cut deep inside me. Sure, I'd lived a lonely life as a runaway in Tokyo too, but living like that for centuries, and even being treated like a vile creature...
All I could do at that moment was walk over to the turtle, open my arms as wide as I could, and hug it as tightly and warmly as I could.
That night we talked until sleep claimed us, sharing lives and worries. By then, the turtle and I were friends. After it slept, I returned back to my place to sleep too, but little did I know, I would see him again...