Shura ignored, in his usual smiling manner, the new and growing rumours and whispers that followed him around. People did not know what to think of the beggar looking orphan now dashing around Cloud City with a warrior class token tied to his side. Adding fuel to the rumours he had somehow become a warrior even though news of him being dismissed from the Flying Fist school had spread. Dismissal from any martial school meant banishment from all. Without teaching the no ki orphan was a warrior ? The guild of free hunter's image would possibly have taken a blow because of them taking Shura as one of their own and promoting him, however they were already considered odd balls and unworthy of much respect unlike the prestigious martial clans of Cloud City*.

None of this mattered to the young warrior and he focused with delight with his new position. A month had gone past after the incident with the Demon earthen-ox. Shura had rapidly decided to add extra training to himself from what the plan had been, every time he would travel from Orphanage to Wild Peak, at least 4 times a day, he would transport various things to help out farmers or the orphanage. The heavier the better as he would use the weight combined with training steps that Gargan had helped him come up with. Every morning Shura would as promised diligently follow lessons, these would be taught by a variety of guild members but mainly by Needle. She had extensive knowledge on a variety of subjects and Shura was all to happy to heard her teachings, from demon lore to herbology, Cloud City history to martial philosophy. After theory would be practical exercises, often taking place in the outskirts of the great forest of Mount Wild, finished by a communal lunch with guild members. After lunch Shura would return to the Orphanage, help out in the fields and be sure to be with his siblings for the mid-day break under their porch. As the sun would start setting Shura would depart back to Mount Wild, always under the disapproving glare of mother Petal, and spar with Gargan and other guild members. Though they had not made any deep discoveries about Shura's situation, that they named Innate Ki Body, they did rapidly gather that the power his body could unleash was no joke. Though he could not materialize ki in various ways like normal martial artists, using the martial arts still generated powerful effects similar to what would normally happen. Raging horn of the beast was a prime example. At mastered level the move would materialize a Martial Artist's ki in front of him in the form of a charging beast, Shura's version materialized nothing but still produced a powerful frontal shockwave. Gargan surmised that martial arts simply weren't adapted for an Innate Ki Body and that maybe different arts that Shura might have to invent would allow him to influence his surroundings like others could. What everyone was certain of was that as a pugilist Shura would rapidly have no equal, he had grown taller and more muscular, he had another purification phase, as he had been taught that was, further expelling impurities from his body thus further increasing the quantity and quality of ki within him. Though said ki also felt hotter and hotter as he trained it didn't cause any discomfort in fact Shura felt that his resistance to heat and fire had improved in general. Further transformation were the continued reddening of his hair and his bright blue eyes now seemed to glow lightly.

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Now Shura sat quietly in the main hall of the Orphanage. He would look from mother Petal to Gargan as they sat locked in a furious staring contest. He new that mother Petal would give her consent but he also new, with warmth in his heart, that she cared to much about him to not put up a fight. The fight was against him joining the expedition that the guild of free hunters was ready to undertake deep into the forest of Wild Peak. Gargan was confident that his disciple was not only ready but a necessary asset for the expedition. After what felt like an eternity mother Petal closed her eyes

"don't move" she quietly said to master and disciple as she rose and left towards her room, on the way shooing to bed all of Shura's siblings that were spying from the hallway. Gargan chuckled as she departed, Shura once more wondering about the relationship between his two guardians. "Mother Petal is your daughter!" Shura suddenly blurted out after a couple of minutes.

"Good guess kid. You'll have to ask her though if you want the full story." Gargan replied reaching in his familiar way for his pipe

"Oh no you don't!" mother Petal snapped as she returned in the room "No smoking in the Orphanage ! And what full story ? You adopted me after finding me as a little girl, I am proud of being saved by you even though you're a lout and stink of pipe !" with that she tore her piercing gaze away from her father who sat a stunned smile on his face. "These are for you Shura. I honestly wish you all could live peacefully like me but if you are to face this dangerous head on at least use these." in front of Shura she place two gauntlets. They were of pale demon leather reinforced with plates of a light metal. The gauntlet was a combination of fingerless glove and wrist guards. Carved beautifully in the metal of the left gauntlet was a blossom tree, leaves carried in the wind, on the right gauntlet was a flying dragon roaring before all. "These are the gauntlets of the free Dragon, I stopped using them years ago and have modified them to fit you" with that she flung her arms around Shura and hugged him tight "As free as you may become never forget you have a home here son"

"Thank you" Shura said simply as he hugged his mother back.

Before long mother Petal let go of the young warrior and departed from the Hallway. Gargan rose his mighty bulk and made his way out of the Orphanage. Shura, having watched mother Petal leave until she disappeared down the hallway, followed whilst equipping the perfectly fitting gauntlets. They glimmered as he stepped out under the moon and in silence he and Gargan walked out the gate of the Orphanage.

"Come back soon Shura and giant granddad !" cheered the orphans before running away screaming from the wrath of mother Petal for defying bed time.

Shura and Gargan could be heard laughing as they made their way to Wild Peak.

* That being said the guild of free hunters was silently revered by most common folk as they worked for the safety of all and not only for the honor or prestige of one family. A fact that prompted more jealous sneering from established clans and families.