For a week, Jiro had practiced in silence, focusing on his dormant core, trying to feel the threads of energy flowing around him. Each day ended in frustration — sparks that flickered briefly, then vanished, leaving him exhausted and frustrated.
This morning, he sat alone in the floating dojo, eyes closed, breathing steady. He let go of force, letting his instincts guide him. His heartbeat synced naturally with the faint pull of Essentia in the air.
And then — a pulse.
A subtle warmth, rising from his chest, spreading along his veins. Blue threads shimmered faintly beneath his skin, trembling like lightning about to strike. He gasped. The energy flowed without obstruction, circling his meridians, nerves, and muscles.
Jiro's fingers twitched, feeling the resonance of Essentia with everything around him. A leaf floating in the dojo swirled gently as if responding to him. His heartbeat quickened, then steadied.
First Pulse — he had awakened it. By himself, in just a week.
He rose, feeling a surge of confidence and awe. The threads weren't fully under his control, but they responded to him. And then he thought of Selene's lessons — basic martial forms she had been teaching his peers.
Jiro walked to her class. Students were practicing stances and strikes, sweat glistening under the floating dojo lights. Selene's silver hair shimmered as she corrected postures with precise, fluid motions.
Taking a deep breath, Jiro moved. He combined the Ryūshin-ken forms he had seen in the chip with the energy of his First Pulse. His strikes flowed effortlessly, limbs guided by the pulse of Essentia through his body. The threads lit faintly with each motion, connecting his movement with the air, the floor, even the floating lotus gardens around them.
Gasps echoed in the room. Some students froze mid-strike, astonished by the Rust District boy's sudden mastery. Selene's eyes widened slightly — admiration sparking in her usually composed gaze.
"Impressive," she said softly, voice carrying authority. "You've awakened your First Pulse… and you've already learned to integrate it with Ryūshin-ken. That is rare."
Jiro exhaled, calm and focused. He had done what most students would take months to attempt. His rare talent — sensing and stabilizing the First Pulse in just a week — set him apart.
Around him, the elite students' expressions shifted: envy, disbelief, and subtle disdain. The boy from the Rust District, unrefined and underestimated, had just proven he was not to be ignored.
Selene stepped closer. "Now, the real training begins. We will refine your movements, channeling Essentia through Ryūshin-ken, and build the foundation for the Second Pulse. But remember — the path will not be easy. Your peers, your instructors, even the fluxion itself will test you."
Jiro nodded, feeling the pulse of his core resonating with every beat of his heart. For the first time, he understood the promise and peril of the power he carried — and the world he was about to confront.
—--