Chapter 5: Energy.
"Brother Kazuka... Are you okay?"
Kazuka patted the girl's head and smiled faintly.
"Of course I am."
Suddenly, a deep voice rang out.
"I am the Vice Captain of the Guard Team. My name is Yamato Riku. May I ask you a few questions? You are Kazuka, right?"
Kazuka looked up. It was a man over 30 years old. His clothes only differed from the two men accompanying him by a few small details.
"Please ask, Sir."
"So, you defeated that pervert?"
Yamato pointed into the distance, where the pervert was tightly bound. Kazuka followed the direction of his hand and nodded.
"I fought him. Is something wrong, Sir?"
Yamato rested one hand on his chin.
"It is a bit hard to explain. The fact that a brat defeated him is a little hard to believe."
Everyone sitting around listening also looked confused.
"This man used to be in our Guard Team, but he once had ill intentions toward a female healing mage on the team, so he was expelled."
"How old are you, kid?"
"13 years old, Sir."
The two guards standing next to him also looked surprised. Satsuki, who was sitting next to Kazuka, patted his shoulder.
"Hehe, Brother Kazuka is quite strong!"
Auntie Yuzuki hugged Satsuki closer.
"Do not pat him, Satsuki. Kazuka is injured."
The Vice Captain of the Guard Team pondered for a moment, then spoke up.
"It is truly hard to believe that a 13-year-old boy defeated a soldier."
Yamato walked closer to Kazuka and touched his body.
"Let me check you a bit."
"Hoh! Your body is quite solid. Your muscle strength must be quite considerable, right?"
"So, here is the last question. Do you know how to use energy?"
Kazuka had a question mark appear above his head, tilting his head to the side as he answered.
"Energy? What is that?"
Yamato was quite surprised to be asked back.
"Then can you describe the fight to me?"
Kazuka recounted the fight. Although it was a bit confusing, the main points were clear. Everyone had a disbelieving look on their faces. Yamato then spoke up.
"Indeed, interesting... The boy has potential."
— No energy, yet he can defeat a soldier who knows how to use energy? Truly interesting, very interesting.
Yamato then turned his back and walked toward the pervert.
"Alright, that's enough discussion here. We have a general idea of everything. Do not worry, we will handle this pervert appropriately."
Yamato tossed his hand back. The money pouch flew in an arc toward Auntie Yuzuki.
"This is compensation for the damages."
"Alright, let us go."
Yuzuki caught the money pouch with a dazed look, yet watched them leave.
A new day dawned, the light shining into every dark corner of a bustling marketplace. The two familiar figures of Satsuki and Yuzuki were walking briskly.
"Mom, I want candy... I want candy!"
The scene returned to Kazuka. He had recovered as if nothing had happened. He only needed two jumps to climb to the highest tree in the area. He looked into the distance.
"Woah, the early morning scenery is so beautiful. I think I will go take a bath."
His clothes were hung on the tree. Kazuka was swimming very fast underwater.
"Aah... Will you stop, fish? Stop swimming! A wooden spear was thrown from his hand. The fish was pierced through. Kazuka swam over and picked it up."
"Hehe, trying to run? How can you escape, fish?"
The image of Takeshi immediately appeared in Kazuka's mind. He looked up at the blue sky, the clouds drifting by, and the gentle breeze blowing on his face.
"I wonder how he's doing? Has he found the flower yet? When will he be back?"
Another day passed. Kazuka kept his promise. Three days later, he waited at the rendezvous point. He was standing alone, waiting for Sister Aiko to pick him up.
"Sigh, I wonder if she remembers."
Just as he finished the sentence, a large carriage arrived. Aiko stepped out with a happy face.
"Kazuka, have you been waiting long for me?"
"I just arrived. Where are you planning to take me, Sister? You look so beautiful today!"
Aiko laughed heartily.
"Today is my wedding day. I told you to wait to invite you to my wedding. I have chosen Brother Haruki to be my life partner."
Kazuka was startled, jumping up.
"Huh?! Why didn't you tell me, oh my god! What time does the wedding start, Sister?"
"Why are you so panicked? The auspicious time is the middle of the Hour of the Horse (11 AM–1 PM)."
"Ha, there's still time," Kazuka sighed in relief.
"That's lucky! Listen to me, Sister."
"You go back home now. I will arrive in a little while. The wedding will be taking place, so it will be easy for me to find it; you do not need to worry."
After saying that, Kazuka ran off very quickly.
Aiko stood there silently, watching Kazuka run away.
— I was planning to take the boy to buy clothes. Where is he running off to?
Kazuka was heading toward the forest.
— Damn it... damn it! Why didn't she tell me? My father used to say that going to a feast means you must bring a gift to celebrate.
— But I don't have one, and I don't have any money either. Damn it! If I remember correctly, I found a tiger's den the last time I went wolf hunting, right?
— I need to find a large piece of wood to knock the tiger unconscious. I can't use a knife, ah, I don't even have a knife anymore. But there must be no blood at a wedding.
— I need two tigers, a male and a female. My father even had a speech when he went to weddings in the village. Which well-wishes should I use?
— Damn it, I can't think of anything. Well, I'll hunt the tiger first, then worry about the rest.
The scene shifted to a gorgeously decorated room. Aiko was being made up by another girl.
"Hey, Sister, what time is it now?"
"It's still early, don't worry. It's probably just entering the Hour of the Snake ( 9 AM–11 AM)."
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside among the people. Aiko looked out the window and saw a crowd standing outside.
"Alright, your makeup is done, Miss Aiko."
"Yes, thank you, Sister. What is all the fuss outside?"
Suddenly, Haruki rushed in, panicking. Haruki was wearing a very beautiful groom's outfit. A red shirt with bright patterns. A cape was draped over his right arm.
"Aiko, come outside quickly!"
Aiko and Haruki ran outside. Her face was surprised. It was Kazuka. He was dragging three tigers, whose heads were swollen with several bumps, and their teeth and claws had been broken off. His face and clothes were covered in mud. He spoke up.
"Haha, congratulations on your hundred years of happiness, Brother and Sister! This is my gift for the two of you!"
"I wish you two, when you become a family, to be as majestic as tigers, and I hope the child you give birth to will be a tiger cub!"
The old pastor presiding over the ceremony also spoke up.
"Haha, although the ceremony hasn't started yet, you are truly a good child. The gift and the wish are very meaningful."
Kazuka stood with his hands on his hips, smiling brightly.
Aiko stepped forward and patted Kazuka's head, while Haruki thanked him.
"Thank you, Kazuka. Your sister and I will also become the tigers you mentioned, haha!"
Everyone around applauded. Some voices raised questions.
"Did that brat fight a tiger?"
"Who cares? We are all pretty surprised anyway."
After the wedding, Kazuka was at Aiko's house. He was climbing a tree to harvest apples when Haruki approached.
"Hey Kazuka, come down. I want to tell you something."
Kazuka jumped down from the tree, still clutching four apples.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Come with me. You surprised me quite a bit yesterday, haha! Your knife seems to be broken, right? Follow me, I'll buy you a new one."
"Huh, really? Is it cool, Brother? Can it slice a mountain with one cut?"
"Haha, of course not!"
"But listen, I just met Yamato, and I heard him talk about you fighting that pervert the other day."
"And you really don't know what energy is?"
"Vice Captain Yamato asked me that too the other day. Of course, I don't."
"Let me explain it to you."
"Energy is something that exists all around us. You saw that the pervert's axe glowed blue when you fought him, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"That guy could only wrap energy around his weapon. Generally speaking, he's still weaker than me."
Haruki spoke as he walked. Then he raised his hand and created a sphere. Haruki's hand was enveloped in a green layer of energy.
"Woah, that looks beautiful!"
Haruki launched the sphere at a dilapidated wall beside the road. The road was empty. The wall immediately shattered, and debris flew everywhere.
"Huh?... Why is it so strong?" Kazuka's face showed surprise.
Haruki then drew his sword. A source of light enveloped the sword. He swung a slash, and the light flew out in an arc. It sliced through two layers of the stone wall. This time, the force was even stronger.
"Well? What do you think?"
Kazuka's face was excited, and he jumped up, his eyes twinkling.
"Can you teach me that move?"
"Haha, of course not."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Actually, I don't really know how to teach it. I'm not very good at explaining things."
"But listen to me continue."
"Every living creature has energy. Mages and Swordsmen must use energy to fight."
"Swordsmen can enhance their body or enhance their weapon, and especially project energy outward."
"Mages are the same. Some have a talent for an element, so they use energy through that element. For example, a mage with an aptitude for fire, when they harmonize the two, can project fire."
"But many mages do not have an elemental aptitude, yet they can still project energy. And depending on the person, they may have inherent abilities."
"Some people with an element even radiate the element around their body to protect themselves."
"Energy is stored inside the body. Organs usually contain the most. When you are injured, you can use energy to heal yourself."
"Both Swordsmen and Mages can perform similar abilities, and even better ones."
"The terms Swordsman and Mage have been around for a very long time, even before the Unification Event."
"I am only telling you the basics. If you want to learn how to use energy, there is my master living about 200 tharn from this village. If you take this small piece of wood, he will accept you."