The sky was black with a blood red moon dimly illuminating the battle field, Thousands of human and inhumans alike were laying in piles of corpses covered with thick black blood and grime. Under the Red Moon's glow was a tall hill where the cause of this destruction was standing.
“It looks like it’s just down to us.” The man said, looking down to the young man at the base of the hill. He was drenched in blood and covered in open wounds but his light purple eyes were still full of passion and determination.
“This is how I always imagined it’d go, Murlock.” The young man replied as his body glowed with power.
Black bolts of lighting emerged from the black sky above striking down in such close proximity to the two men the ground shook and rubble flew into the air. From behind Murlock twelve dragons rose up into the air each roaring with power ready to launch a vicious attack at the young man.
Without saying a word the young man lunged at Murlock and-
Kanashis eyes shot open, He saw his apartment's ceiling, He’d dreamed again of the Evangeliums tale of Murlock and the band of heroes who defeated him. He looked to the side of his room at the clock next to him on his bedside dresser. “3 hours huh? Not bad.” He groaned rolling over onto his feet and changing his clothes.
Kanashi was currently in his apartment that had been given to him by the Venator Society, specifically El-Saber. It was a one bedroom apartment of a decent size and he’d filled it with multiple things to fill the empty space. A computer in the corner of his bedroom and a dresser of clothes all black and or dark blue. Outside of his bedroom was a living room with a small red sofa and a new somewhat flat screen tv on the wall with a M46 gaming console plugged into it. In the corner of the living room was a bookshelf full of random comics and novels. He’d only lived there for about two weeks so far but Jin helped him decorate with his bi monthly allowance of around $2500 by the Venator Society. Of course he didn't spend it all, in fact he spent as little as he could, he put 50% into his savings account and used the other 50% for his necessities and things he wanted. If he had enough left over it would go into savings.
Kanashi made himself a bowl of cereal, the kind he loved as a kid but was unable to buy until moving here. He looked to be on the verge of tears as he ate it. One might think it’s because he’s remembering his childhood in Azhar because it was all gone and his family was dead but no. These were tears of pure bliss as he tasted the delicious flavor of his favorite cereal. Okay jokes aside Kanashi did actually really miss his family, he honestly did but he couldn't think about that right now. He had to push it away and imagine he was just on vacation or something and they were at home waiting for him when everything was done and over with. That’s how he was able to cope with it… for now.
After washing his dishes and putting everything away, Kanashi made his way back into his bedroom and changed his clothes quickly into something more suitable for that day's activities. Another day of learning magic, well that made it sound like he’d done so multiple times but this was really just day two so… a second day of learning magic! Kanashi made his way into the bathroom and brushed his teeth the way dentists recommend. Going in small circles across each tooth's multiple surfaces. Even though he had an electric toothbrush he still needed to do some of the work. Kanashi then put his shoes on and walked out his apartment, locking the front door and beginning his journey to Jin's house which was about a thirty minute walk away across the Venator Society tower from where he was.
The Venator Society itself was located in Historia which sat in the middle right of the Afurenthos continent. Compared to his home country of Saharis across the globe it was more humid compared to the arid desert winds he was used to and instead of cactus or small desert bushes he saw large trees and thick fluffy grasses. The most jarring thing though was the temperature difference. Saharis was normally around 125°F in the summer and 80°F in the winter; While Historia currently had a nice 68°F on a May morning. It was wonderful and he frolicked like a little girl through a field of flowers. Kanashi walked down the three flights of stairs to the ground floor sidewalk and then followed that down to where Jin's house was. Along the way he passed a park where kids played and threw small dodgeballs at each other and a couple convenience stores until he came to a stop at a small break in the forest about a half mile from where the park had been. Kanashi quickly walked into the forest and followed a rough path over a creek and under a bridge until making his way to a tree with a twisted trunk. He then turned left and continued to walk, eventually making it to the front of Jin's brick wall fence which he climbed over.
“So that’s how you’ve been getting in?” Jin said with a smile. Today he was wearing a black tight shirt with a pair of loose jogging pants. He was surprisingly muscular with well toned rippling muscles.
“It’s the fastest way.” Kanashi said with a shrug. “So today is Enhancement you said?” Kanashi asked with a smile.
Suddenly Jin threw a punch atKanashis nose which Kanashi narrowly was able to dodge, moving to where it went over his shoulder.
“Looks like you didn't forget yesterday's lesson so yeah.” Jin said with a smile.
Kanashi sighed nervously in response, “Alright.” He muttered.
# # #
Kanashi and Jin stood in the same clearing as they had the day before. Jin was holding a rock in his hand which he tossed up in the air and caught multiple times while he was talking.
“Enhancement is probably the easiest to learn but its other properties like healing are harder. Only me and Cao-Li can heal others. Hayai can heal himself somewhat but not others and most people you’ll team up with will probably be similar. So it’s important that you can heal yourself so you don't become a liability.” Jin said tossing the rock to Kanashi who caught it using his Observation to know where the rock would land. “So break that rock.” He commanded.
Kanashi looked at the rock in his hand and squeezed it with all his physical strength. After a few moments he stopped and opened his hand to look at the unbroken rock. Reinforcement and Enhancement should be similar right? Just like he had yesterday he focused the wild tides and currents composing his aura into a single stream aiming for his hand. With that he tried to crush the rock but found that nothing changed. “How do I break this?” Kanashi asked Jin with a frown.
“You’re doing the right thing but just applying it wrong, You’re focusing your Aura into your fist but not amplifying it.” Jin said, putting out his hand. Kanashi focused on it using Observation and saw that Jin's aura wasn't just flowing in his fist but it seemed to become stronger and more fierce. “See?” Jin asked with a smile.
Kanashi nodded and looked back down at the rock in his hands. Once again he made the wild tides merge into a single flow into his hand but this time his hand began to overflow with aura making it splash violently. With that he squeezed the rock in his hand which cracked into smaller fragments which he dropped onto the floor. “I got it.” He said with a toothy grin.
“All right next you’re gonna try and do that while running.”
“Huh?”
“Try and Enhance yourself while running, at the same time I’m going to shoot you with pellets which you’ll need to use reinforcement and observation to defend against.
“This sounds like torture…”
“It pretty much is.” Jin said with a laugh.
# # #
A day had passed since Kanashi was tortured by Jin and his pellet gun for the second time in a row. Today was day three of his magic training and Kanashi was able to destroy rocks in his hand while also running and defending from the pellets he was being shot with.
“Oh!” Jin said during one of their breaks between sessions, “Say Hayai and you picked out a sword right did you leave it at home?”
“No.” Kanashi said, flicking his wrist conjuring his Katana [Itachi].
A cursed sword? He wondered, feeling it’s strange aura. “No.. It’s not even a sword.” He muttered with a smile. Reaching his hand out, Kanashi handed Itachi over and he felt it in his palm, the power surging through it. Alright then this is perfect for him, he won't be able to break it any time soon. Hell Julius probably couldn't break it. “Neverminded3 then we can skip that.” Jin said, passing Itachi back to Kanashi.
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“Skip what?!” Kanashi asked disappointed, Taking Itachi and Deconjuring it back into its ring form.
“I thought about teaching you how to Reinforce your sword as well but you don't need that. Your sword is already plenty strong enough.” Jin said, dusting off his hands. “Well then let’s get to the next step of your training, I want you to try and beat me in a fight.” Jin said calmly.
“Fight you?” Kanashi asked nervously, remembering the speech Jin had given the day before about being the strongest. Kanashi probably couldn't even beat the average guy in a fight and if Jin could beat a few billion of them… this math isn't adding up.
“Yeah, While trying to use the 3 skills you’ve learned how to use at the same time to try and make me admit defeat.” Jin said.
Well I know I wont be able to do that but maybe I’ll find a way to impress him and he’ll say something about how he’s already been defeated by my conviction? Yeah that sounds right, and with the stuff Frairik taught me I’ll at least be able to do something right? Kanashi puffed out his chest and smiled.
“You start.” Jin said and Kanashi immediately threw a strong right hook aiming for Jin's jaw. Jin frowned as easily ducked while also pushing Kanashis arm upwards and sweeping his legs out from under him.
Kanashi fell to the floor with a thump and looked up at Jin as if he was about to cry. “Sorry…”
“No it’s fine you’re just new at this, not everyone is a prodigy like me so it’ll take some time.”
How can you brag in the same sentence you’re trying to cheer someone up with…?! Kanashi wondered with a frown.
“Alright let’s try this again then.” Jin said, lifting Kanashi into the air with his [Telekinesis] and letting him get his footing down. “All right now this time I want you to use everything I’ve taught you so far alright?”
“Got it!”
“Okay then go!”
Kanashi started off this time with a kick aiming for Jin's side, Jin jumped up in the air to dodge and Kanashi spun around planting the foot he’d kicked with on the ground and kicking off of it with [Enhancement] making him move quicker. While in the air Kanashi threw another punch but this time instead of Dodging Jin caught his arm and then pulled him in closer throwing a punch at his stomach.
Kanashi reinforced where the punch was coming from but found that the blow still hurt, making his eyes blur for a moment. “I give up.” he said as he fell to the ground.
“What already?” Jin asked, frowning.
“I don't know how to get out of this situation…” Kanashi pointed at Jin's arm, which was holding his arm tightly.”
“Oh, Well you’d use an O-Soto-Gari.”
“?” Kanahsi tilted his head to the side in confusion.
“Step forwards, use your leg closest to me to sweep my leg out from under me then roll me over your shoulder using my grip and collar as an anchor point.”
“I don't think I can do that..” Kanashi said furrowing his brow.
Jin let go of Kanashis arm and took a step back. Grab my arm and collar.” Kanashi did as told though due to their height difference it wasn't easy to do. “All right now pay attention to this.” Jin said as he grabbed Kanashis shoulder and collar firmly, he stepped forwards and swept Kanashi's leg from under him and flipped Kanashi over his shoulder and onto the floor below.
“Cool.” Kanashi groaned with a smile.
“Think you can do it now?” Jin asked.
“Only one way to find out.”
# # #
It’d been another 3 days since Jin taught Kanashi the O-Soto-Gari. In that time he’d taught him plenty of other moves and Kanashi quickly became adept at those techniques in conjunction with the 3 basic skills he’d been taught. The two of them spared everyday for hours until finally Jin recognized that Kanashi was ready for the next lesson.
“Alright then today we’re learning about spells.” Jin said, pointing his finger to the white board in his living room full of Magical information. “This is the most common use of magic whether that be for combat, Theft, Resource gathering or otherwise. Spells have a large variety of effects and what determines those effects is what category they fall into.” Jin pointed at the right side of the board which showed a pentagon, “These categories are Elementalist, Energy Manipulation, Transmutation, Clairvoyance and Spatial Manipulation. Somebody will naturally fall into one of these categories and their adeptness at the others depends on their soul's natural attributes. “While one Elementalist may have a great potential in Energy Manipulation another might have little Potential in that but a lot in Transmutation, Also there's something called blessings which are innate spells that people are born with but those are pretty rare but will always fall into their innate category.”
“What do those magic categories do?” Kanashi asked, raising his hand.
“I was getting there.” Jin said with a frown, “Elementalist is the most common and gives you the ability to replicate natural phenomena with your Mana things like Fire, Water, Earth and the like. Next is Energy Manipulation which allows you to control the flow of Kinetic Energy, Then Transmutation which lets you create physical things out of your Mana. Clairvoyance lets you gather and control Information and Spatial Manipulation which is the rarest and most powerful, allows you to control the fabric of space but is very limited and complex to proficiently use.”
“Can you make something like Stone using Transmutation and Elementalist?” Kanashi asked.
“Sure you could, it just depends on the desired usage. If you made stone with Elemental magic it would dissolve after a few hours while if it was made with Transmutation it’d become a whole physical object. Elemental magic can only copies physical things, it does not create them.”
“I see.” Kanashi said with a nod, “So what am I?”
“We’re gonna use this to find out!” Jin said, pulling out a strange Pentagon shaped compass. “Stick out your finger.” He instructed.
Kanashi did as told and put his finger into a hole in the compass. The cold metal made him shudder. Suddenly a needle shot out of the Compass poking the tip of his finger with a sudden sting of pain.. “Ah!” He yelped, pulling his finger out quickly.
“Don't worry, It’s a part of the plan.” Jin said, looking at the compass closely.
“Wish you would have warned me.” Kanashi muttered, leaning over to look at the Compass. Kanashis blood had begun to spread out in an unnatural pattern moving to fill different parts of the compass. “Why is it doing that?” He asked.
“It’s flowing to the parts that show what your magic category alignment is.” Jin said, pushing Kanashi back with his hand.
“Alright It’s done and you’re...” Jin grimaced at the Compass which made Kanashi worry.
“What does it say?” Kanashi asked nervously.
“Well, You’re pretty Normal.” Jin said, showing Kanashi the compass.
That was the last thing Kanashi wanted to be told, he had hoped for Jin to be surprised and say that he somehow had great potential in every magical category but the compass showed only the top area full of blood and two others in the middle lightly filled while the bottom two were completely empty.
“You’re naturally an Elementalist with a very high potential in that Category, You have a little Potential in Transmutation and Energy Manipulation but Zero in Spatial Manipulation and Clairvoyance.” Jin said, putting away the compass.
Kanashi felt as though he was going to cry, He was a total lame ass with the most basic Magical Affinities.
“Don't worry about it too much, Elemenalists are still very powerful and probably the most diverse but it is also limited in what it can do if that makes sense.” Jin said, patting Kanashi on the shoulder.
“What are you?” Kanashi asked Jin.
“My Innate Category is Spatial Manipulation but I’m an expert in all of them. But I’m also a special case so there’s no use comparing yourself to me.” Jin said, putting his hand on Kanashis shoulder and teleporting both of them into the kitchen of the mansion. “Well to begin with Elemental magic, First you'll need to learn the basic five elements,”
“Fire, Water, Air, Electricity and Earth?” Kanashi guessed sniffling.
“Correctomundo.” Jin said, turning on the sink faucet.
“We’ll start with water. Put your hand under the faucet and let the water run over it. Think about how the water feels and try to imagine your mana becoming water. Eventually you’ll pull your hand out from under the faucet and there still will be water coming from it.
“So exposure?” Kanashi asked while putting his hand under the faucet.
“Yep, It’s not fun but you should be able to get them down in a day or two at your speed.” Jin said, patting Kanashi on the back a single tear streaming down Kanashi's face.
“Oh that thing you mentioned early, the [Blessings] can you explain that more? Kanashi asked looking up.
“Oh yeah, well Blessings are something some people are born with, a mutation carved into their soul. There’s three different types of blessings: Physical Mutations, which is something like having a 3rd arm or webbed fingers. These are the most common and weak, next is Innate spells. These are spells that you're born with. For example one of my blessings is [Gravity Amplification] which allows me to increase and decrease the gravity of a small radius around me. Well let’s say someone else wanted to do that but didn't have my blessing. They’d have to create a spell which would end up being way weaker and more restrictive than my blessing would ever need to be. Innate spells will always be stronger than their man made counterparts. The third and most rare are Magical Mutations, physical mutations that play a role in a spell or empower your magic. This is the most desired blessing because it’s like having two in one, and it’s only possible to be born with one blessing so it’s like a cheat in a video game.”
“Wait, you said people only have one blessing so how come you said [Gravity Amplification] was one of your blessings?”
“Oh well, I have a few but I’ll explain that later on. Most people are generally always born with a single blessing and blessings in of themselves are rare. A one in ten million occurrence which is not inheritable through genetics. It’s a completely random mutation.”
“I see.” Kanashi said.
“Hey did you notice I turned the sink off?” Jin asked with a smile and pointing at Kanashis hand.
“Hmm?” Kanashi looked over at his hand which had water overflowing from it but there was no faucet pouring the water onto him. “Oh wow!” he yelled out, but exactly as he did the water stopped generating and his hand emptied. “What? Why would it stop?” He asked with a face of defeat.
“I guess you were doing it unconsciously while talking to me but when you actually tried to focus on it you lost control. But that’s alright as long as you can do it at all.”
“I can do it…” Kanashi muttered with a smile looking at his hand.