Loki quietly opened the door and entered Machi's hut. Stepping in, he looked over to see Machi still training her aura control.
Upon seeing Loki, Machi quickly stopped her training and looked up to see him.
"Did you create your Hatsu?" Machi asked, knowing he was thinking about his own Hatsu when he left earlier.
"Slow and steady now, Miss Machi… It takes many years for some to create their own Hatsu." Loki said with a smile showing in his eyes.
"That's not what I asked," Machi said with a blank stare.
"I suppose it was not, Miss Machi. It's not complete, but it is definitely a start, and I at least have a direction to work towards now." Loki admitted while sitting down.
"You will eventually get there, Loki…" Machi said as she turned away and began cleaning up her hut, which was still somewhat messy from Uvogin and Nobunaga's stay.
Loki, seeing this, walked over and began helping to sort out the table as well.
"I appreciate the gesture, Miss Machi, but truly I'm in no rush. I've only been in contact with Nen for a mere four months after all." Loki said in a narcissistic way.
Machi rolled her eyes at Loki's bragging but was also slightly shocked by his calm mentality. She admired him for not worrying about the future, but living in the present.
Thinking of this, after finishing sorting, she suddenly looked towards Loki and spoke.
"Bringing you back from the trash pile really left me with a good return on my investment."
Loki, who heard this, smiled beneath his mask slightly.
"Make sure you use up the rest of your aura with Ren before going to bed, Miss Machi," Loki said as he slowly walked over to his small bed before lying down and closing his eyes.
He hadn't responded to what she had said, but she hadn't been expecting an answer either.
'If only you knew how lucky I felt for you to be the one to pick me up, Miss Machi….' Loki thought to himself.
Machi, Uvogin, Nobunaga…
These people would be powerhouses in the future, and Loki always felt that the Phantom Troupe was in line with his ideas. The bond they shared in their small group left him with a feeling of longing.
Although hidden, most of the early members of the Phantom Troupe cared dearly for each other.
'Joining the Phantom Troupe might not be a bad idea. They are all similar to me in morals, and their ideas towards the outside world are to my taste. I guess we will see where this path takes us, however…' Loki thought with a smile as he drifted off to sleep.
****************
It was another refreshing morning, and Loki was currently practicing transmuting his aura before his morning workout routine.
To his left, Machi was also practicing her aura control.
Loki had decided to try something new for his training after figuring out a direction for his Hatsu the previous night.
He began by gradually adjusting his aura to mimic repulsion, starting with maintaining a clear visualization. He used some of what he knew of physics, wind pressure, and magnetism to get a good idea of how his aura should act.
After completing his visualization training, he began testing small pulses to assess their integrity and power.
Soon, however, a loud sound came from outside the door, causing Machi's eyebrow to twitch in annoyance.
"Machi, Loki, we're here!" Uvogin said with a loud yell.
Uvogin and Nobunaga came to the house with a large pile of rocks in their hands and began to knock on the door.
With a sigh, Machi stopped her practice and began to head towards the door. Loki, seeing this, decided to follow her and quickly stopped his own practice.
Outside, Uvogin was getting impatient.
"Are you sure they didn't leave Nobunaga?" Uvogin said, looking towards Nobunaga, annoyed.
Hearing this, Nobunaga shook his head slightly before speaking.
"Maybe try yelling a few more times?" He said a little unsure.
Uvogin, hearing this, nodded and was about to start yelling again when suddenly the door opened with an annoyed Machi staring at the two of them.
"Do you guys want to wake everyone in the area up?!"
Uvogin and Nobunaga looked at Machi's scary look and were instantly petrified.
"Sorry!" They both said, with Uvogin scratching the back of his head while Nobunaga looked away, embarrassed.
Loki walked up behind and watched the situation with interest.
"Can you help us, Loki?" Uvogin pleaded with Nobunaga, sending him hopeful glances as well.
"Oh dear… I'm afraid I happen to share the same opinion as Miss Machi, though." Loki said with an equally scary look in his eyes, causing the two to tense up.
"Hahaha…Oh, I'm only kidding! But on a serious note, I am unable to help with your affairs with Miss Machi." Loki said with a laugh.
Machi's lips turned upwards slightly before she invited the two in.
"We happened to be in the middle of practicing before you guys came", Machi said, sending another look in Nobunaga and Uvogin's direction.
Nobunaga and Uvogin opened their mouths but ultimately decided not to say anything to her.
Once inside, the four of them sat together, finishing their meal and discussing their training.
"So what have you two been doing since we left?" Nobunaga said, looking between Machi and Loki with curiosity.
"Oh, what are you asking, Nobunaga?" Loki said, his eyes glittering behind his mask with amusement.
"Afraid that I told Miss Machi how to get stronger faster after you left?"
"Not a chance!" Nobunaga shouted defensively.
"I-I just wanted to know if you taught her anything else after we left!" He stuttered, before becoming embarrassed after realizing what he had just said.
Machi stared at Nobunaga like an idiot, and Uvogin just laughed.
"Haha… I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, my friend. After you left, I went outside and started thinking about my Hatsu." Loki said with a laugh.
Nobunaga quickly calmed down, looking interested.
"You said you were thinking about a Hatsu? Did you come up with anything?" He asked curiously.
"It's nothing special yet." Loki stood and began brushing dust off his sleeves.
"But I suppose I could show a rough version," Loki said, motioning them to follow him outside.
The others followed and moved outside to a nearby clearing. Loki stepped to the center and let out a slow breath as he focused.
A soft pulse emitted from his body. Dust lifted slightly from the ground around him, swirling as if pushed by an unseen breeze.
Loki calmed down a bit before trying to extend his aura slightly to a nearby crushed tin can. Soon his aura came in contact with it, sending it skidding several feet away.
Machi blinked in confusion.
"What was that?"
Loki extended one hand and slowly pushed his palm toward the ground. The dirt beneath his palm rippled outward in a silent shockwave.
"I'm experimenting with giving my aura the properties of repulsion, my dear. A sort of directional pressure I can emit at will."
He lifted his foot and tapped it down.
A larger burst shot out, sending a wave of pebbles scattering like a gust of wind.
"It's weak now, and not very viable for combat. It will probably take a long time to master it, but once I do, it will be incredibly strong," Loki admitted.
"Right now it's more of a prototype to teach my aura how to behave and adapt."
He turned to face them, letting his aura shrink and fade.
"Although it's just a prototype… but at least I have a direction for my future training now."
Nobunaga looked at the small dust cloud that was caused by Loki in amazement, with Uvogin joining the fun.
"Hahaha... That's amazing, Loki!" Uvogin said with a laugh.
Machi watched Loki silently for a moment, feeling happy he had found a direction for his Hatsu.
"Haha... Thanks Uvogin! Miss Machi, feel free to continue training. I'm going to go do my morning workout now, but you guys can feel free to stay here and practice until I come back." Loki said, giving Machi a coy look before walking away lightly.
Without waiting for Nobunaga and Uvogin to say anything, Loki walked away to begin his morning workout, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Nobunaga and Uvogin looked at each other before shrugging and started talking.
"Hey Nobunaga! Don't you think that Loki's Hatsu is going to be really powerful in the future? It gets me excited just thinking about fighting him in the future!" Uvogin said with a grin.
"What are you saying? You can't even touch a hair on Loki, so why are you getting excited?!" Nobunaga said in a mocking tone.
"Heh... I just have to get stronger!" Uvogin said, clenching his fist.
"Are you stupid? Do you think he won't get stronger as well?" Nobunaga continued to mock.
While the two bickered, Machi, who had overheard the conversation, had a thoughtful look on her face as she thought of what her own Hatsu might look like.