Listen While Reading: xxε34lost_world
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I stood there in silence as I glanced at my adoptive mother.
Nah, let's just call her mom for now, no more adoptive thing…
Let's just be happy as I am with what I have, even if I know everything is fleeting and nothing stays permanently forever.
Sometimes people get depressed when they realize that life is fleeting, relationships are fleeting, material goods are fleeting, and everything they love and care about will one day disappear alongside themselves.
Yes, I know all of this, but I sometimes like to think differently. Yes, what if everything goes away one day? Then wouldn't that mean that every second we spend right now with those we love and the things we love means even more?
We should enjoy life while we have it; we should enjoy the people we love while they're with us… And we should even enjoy all the stuff we've collected while it's still there.
The future… yes, everything dies, everyone dies.
It's the natural order of things…
But as long as I am alive, I want to make every second worth it.
This is probably why I also want to save Earth, why I want to save all of that horrible planet full of terrible people.
Because there are also people I love in there... and places I like, and food I enjoy.
Yeah, all those things are enough for me to want to save the planet if I have the power to do so.
Even when these things will too one day end… it doesn't matter.
As long as it can last for a while after I save everything…
It'll be worth it.
Definitely.
And so… this present, what I am seeing right now, what I am hearing right now, what I'm feeling right now.
It means everything to me.
"I love you, Mom…"
I hugged her tightly and didn't let go of her.
"A-Anna…?"
She was surprised, her beak gently touching my forehead.
"I love you too, my daughter… We've spent so little time together, but each day, each hour, each minute, and each second is precious."
"It is… You smell so good too; what shampoo do you use? Or soap?"
I rubbed my face on her chest's feathers, which were very soft.
"Hahah! It is a combination of many floral oils and so on. I could share some if you like," she giggled. "But for now, let us focus, okay? I saw what you did… and how you were able to move through these trials. Now tell me, how do you feel?"
"After everything, you mean?" I asked her.
"Yes, how do you feel?" she wondered.
"I feel fine…" I said. "I feel relieved somehow, happy even… Like I let go of a very heavy weight."
"You indeed did…" she nodded, glancing at me. "Your aura... It has become at least five times bigger now."
"EH?!" I gasped. "Wait, really?"
"Yes, my eyes are never wrong," she said. "This was simply your latent power… Your own mind was holding you back from using it all. Did you know about this? It's called Mind Lock. Every person has their own. The only way to unlock it is by surpassing your past self and overcoming your own fears and accepting your present and the uncertain future. It's a complicated thing; not many had ever managed to release it."
"I-I had no idea… such a thing existed," I muttered. "So when I released it… my own power simply became "freer" or something?"
"It could be said you've stopped holding back. I believe you were afraid. An innate fear we all have; even I had it. But you've stopped being afraid. You've gained confidence. And you've also grown more… mature, indeed."
"Mature…" I muttered. "Hahaha, me? No way… I'm always so childish and dumb."
"You're not," she said. "Stop saying such things now, Anna. You're not going to achieve anything from that, alright? You know, and I know, that you've matured a lot. Your body matches your mind; you look much older than you did when you got here. Back then you looked like a freshly hatched chick. Now, you look like a respectable young woman."
"Huh… Well, my body's age is still 17… Maybe almost 18?" I wondered. "But yes, my appearance... It might be synchronizing a bit with my own past life's age. A bit? I definitely look over 20 now."
"Hmm… I hope your family and friends won't find it strange…" she sighed, worried. "Will you be alright? I could perhaps teach you a way to "return" to your original form."
"I think it'll be fine; they'll have to accept me…" I said. "But I'm interested in that technique! Do tell me more!"
"Later, first, let's confirm if your Heart of Hope has successfully reached the last level," she said.
"Okay…" I nodded.
"Sit down over there, cross-legged, and meditate. I will stay behind you and touch your back; through your back, I'll be able to feel your Heart of Hope easily," she said.
"Wouldn't it be easier from the chest?" I wondered.
"Perhaps if you were absolutely flat as a board, but my daughter, you're very blessed, so I can't easily do that with them getting in the way…" She giggled a bit.
"A-Ah…" I felt embarrassed. "Okay, I get it now…"
"Maybe I could anyways, but the back is where several pressure points are located, which are inherently connected with your Spirit Body and then your Heart of Hope," she explained. "It is the most optimal."
"Understood," I nodded.
I closed my eyes and meditated as she checked my Heart of Hope.
I felt her presence inside of my torso and then my chest.
She analyzed it very well.
"T-This is…!"
She seemed... shocked.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, there's nothing wrong; don't worry."
"Then?"
"It's just that… I think you've achieved something I couldn't before."
"You couldn't?!"
"Yes… Wait a moment; let me… Hmm, I see! So this is… Ah! Ohhh!"
She seemed ever excited to find out what had happened to my Heart of Hope, and I wasn't going to stop her from having some fun.
So while I tried to meditate, she analyzed the Heart of Hope until… she was finally done.
"I'm done; it's incredible."
"That much?"
"Yes, you've managed to fully absorb all the Memories and the Dreams you saw through those visions and crystallize it into your Heart of Hope!"
"Oh?"
"It no longer has a golden crystalline color—well, it still has a bit, but it has become almost completely pink, like the flowers of a Sakura Tree in spring."
"Pink… My Heart of Hope is pink now?!"
Isn't that a bit too corny? Pink… ugh.
"Yes, it is pink," she giggled. "But it is amazing; this is the first variant of my own technique I've ever seen. It fills me with so much wonder… Maybe Song one day will get the same; I bet he'll also have something different."
"Probably… I mean, the Path of Hope is different for every person," I said. "Seeing how flexible your technique truly is, I'm sure it could have countless variations."
"It fills me with childlike wonder to find out more about those variants…" she said. "But for now, hmm. You have a system that alerts you to these things; perhaps you've already received a notification?"
"Oh yeah!"
I quickly looked at just that.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have achieved a greater enlightenment level, and your Heart of Hope has fully evolved!]
[Your [Heavenly Golden Flames of Hope Arts: Tier 5] has Ranked Up to Tier 7!]
[The [Heavenly Golden Flames of Hope Arts: Tier 5] have evolved to [Heavenly Golden Pink Flames of Loving Hope Arts: Tier 7]!]
[Your {Heart of Hope} has evolved into {Heart of Love and Hope}!]
[You created the Unique Hope Art: [Boundless Love Protection (Tier 7)]
[You created the Unique Hope Art: [The World of Hope (Tier 7)]
[You created the Unique Hope Art: [Seven Steps From An Ideal Future (Tier 7)]
[All other Hope Arts have Ranked Up their Mastery to Tier 7 immediately.]
[Your [Hope Essence Storage: 32.000/32.000] has increased to 100.000!]
[You can now also draw Essence from People's Love.]
"L-Loving Hope Arts?! Is this what represents me?!"
I felt so embarrassed; just when I was told I was mature, this happens! Isn't this a bit too cringe? It's not like I am a damn Magical Girl or something.
But aside from what I experienced, I can tell why I got this… yes, my Privileges! They must have infected my Heart of Hope with the horrible pink color they all have.
But…
I guess it's fine, dammit. It made it stronger somehow, so let's… let's be happy with that.
But these techniques, they sure sound strange.
I explained to Mom what happened to my abilities and so on.
"I see! So fascinating!" she said. "It's amazing what you've done, Anna. I'm impressed… So you can also draw from Love! Such a complex, beautiful emotion everyone goes through one way or another… But what type of love? All of them?"
"I don't know; we'll have to try and see how it works," I said. "Should we give it a try?"
"Hm, sure," she nodded. "Try to sense "Love" and extract it as essence like you do with Hope."
"Okay…"
She was willing to experiment and everything with me; she was a really good mom.
I closed my eyes again and tried to feel it.
Love.
Hope was gold, like a strong flame that burned through all.
But Love?
It was… smaller, much smaller.
But the more I could see it, the more these smaller flames of hope merged.
Ultimately, becoming a strong and fierce flame of pink, almost peachy color.
Mom had a lot of Love and Hope within her, enough to let me absorb these emotions and refine them quickly into Essence.
FLUOSH!
I felt more revitalized almost instantly; the power of love complemented Hope, so it allowed me to gain much more energy to unleash even bigger techniques.
"Nice, it worked; you have lots of Love, master."
"Despite everything that has happened, I am fortunate to have so many people I love… with me."
She was being so honest it made me feel embarrassed…
"Okay then, shall we try out your new techniques, Anna?"
"Sure!"
"How about we do that while sparring, hm? Only fists and legs, no weapons. How about it?"
"Sparring… Have we done it before?"
"Never anything too intense, but we did fight once… in the Simulated World. You were fierce, and I held back. I might hold back now too, but not as much!"
"Haha, fine, let's do it then!"
It was time for some training montage!
FLASH!
"Eh?"
Within a split second, she was already in front of me, her palm pushed towards me with tremendous force, yet I was only hit lightly.
A single, calm palm strike...
BOOOM!
...Sent me flying away with an explosion of golden flames.
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