The morning sun spilled across the stone-paved streets of Apex City, its rays bouncing off the windows of the ancient yet towering structure that was Kaminari Academy—a school built not just to educate, but to awaken the dormant power of Jinki in the hearts of the next generation.
Shinji adjusted the strap of his satchel, the crisp academy uniform snug on his shoulders. Beside him, Hinari walked with quiet resolve, her amber eyes scanning the school grounds, while Denki and Denji trailed behind, arguing over whose Jinki manifestation would be cooler.
"Mine's totally going to be lightning-based," Denki boasted, sparks snapping from his fingertips."That's just a party trick. Real power is in control," Denji replied, adjusting his black scarf with the air of someone who'd already read half the academy's library.
The gates of Tensai Academy loomed ahead—black wrought iron shaped like rising flames. As the group stepped inside, a gust of wind blew past, ruffling their uniforms. In that moment, they could all feel it—something ancient and powerful lingering in the air, as though the academy itself was alive.
The First Lesson: Understanding Jinki
Their first class was in the grand hall, a domed chamber carved with reliefs of mythical warriors whose Jinki had once split mountains and calmed typhoons. Instructor Haga, an elderly man with stark white hair and robes that shimmered faintly with energy, stood before them.
"Jinki," he began, voice echoing without effort, "is not magic. It is not chi. It is not your will imposed upon the world. It is the world's will, resonating through you."
He raised his hand, and a pulse of translucent energy swirled outward, forming the shape of a phoenix before dissolving into smoke.
"It is said every human is born with a dormant core—a Kishou. Those who can awaken it and survive the turbulence can shape their Jinki into form. But form without heart... is chaos."
As the class murmured with excitement and awe, Haga gestured to a group of crystal orbs.
"Place your hand upon the orb. Let your spirit speak. If your Jinki answers... it will show itself."
One by one, students approached the orb. Some glowed faintly. Others fizzled with brief sparks. When Denki stepped forward, the orb surged with yellow-white lightning that crackled around the room. Gasps echoed.
"Told you," he grinned.
Denji followed, and the orb glowed with a calm, emerald dark yellow light, forming the outline of a yellow serpent.
Then came Hinari. Nervous but determined, she stepped up. As her fingers touched the orb, it shone with a soft yet penetrating yellow light. The air around them dropped in temperature.
A lotus-shaped sigil appeared inside the orb, spinning slowly, resonating with quiet strength.
"Thunder," Haga whispered. "But... not just Thunder. Stillness. Precision. This one... is rare."
Then it was Shinji's turn.
As he approached the orb, something trembled in his chest—not fear, but something deeper. Memory? A presence? The moment his fingers touched the orb, it burst into a blinding red light. Flames burst forth, spiraling upward before vanishing in a blink. Gasps erupted again, but Shinji staggered back, heart pounding.
"Interesting," Haga murmured. "Very interesting indeed."
Later, during a lunch break in the courtyard, the group gathered under a sakura tree. Denji was reading, Denki was sparring with a practice dummy, and Shinji sat quietly, still thinking about the flame that erupted from his Jinki test.
Hinari stood by herself, watching a koi pond nearby when a group of older students approached. They wore the same uniforms, but bore emblems marking them as upperclassmen from the "Plasma Crest" faction—a group known for harsh training and even harsher attitudes.
"You're the lotus girl, right?" sneered one of them, a tall boy with spiked yellow hair. "Heard your Jinki's some kind of dainty thunder weasel trick."
Hinari said nothing.
"You're in our spot," another said, cracking his knuckles. "Move."
Still silent, Hinari bowed politely, but did not step aside. One of them reached to shove her—and in an instant, she moved.
Her palm struck his wrist, guiding it aside, then she pivoted and swept his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, stunned. Before the others could react, she leapt back, drawing a circle in the air with her hand. Thunder spiraled upward from her hands pond, forming a serpentine stream that wrapped around the remaining bullies' feet, numb in place.
Denki and Denji stood up, ready to jump in, but Shinji raised a hand.
"She's got this."
Hinari turned to face the stunned group. Her voice, when it came, was calm.
"I do not fight unless I must. But I am not afraid to protect myself."
The leader of the group scowled, trying to summon his own Jinki, but the thunder around his legs held fast. As instructors arrived and the bullies were scolded and led away, the watching students broke into applause.
"She's like... a tiger ," Denji murmured.
That evening, as the others stayed behind to study or unwind, Shinji took a path away from the academy, into the older districts of Raishira. The alleys here were narrow, lined with lanterns and the smell of incense.
He arrived on top of a tall building. Standing on top of it was Raizo.
Shinji hesitated before speaking.
"Raizo... I need to know about Akira. My brother."
Raizo didn't turn, but his shoulders stiffened.
"That name... has not been spoken here in years.How do you remember."
Shinji stepped forward, fists clenched.
"I know i was young then but I still remember him and I know you were his teammate. I heard he suddenly vanished. Some say he's dead."
Raizo finally looked at him—eyes sharp, but filled with grief.
"Akira was the strongest Jinki user I'd ever seen in my generation. And yes... he made choices. Mischiveous ones. But he suddenly vanished on a mission to find a Kurokage."
Shinji's voice cracked.
"So you don't know where he his"
Raizo turned away.
"If I knew... I wouldn't be standing here praying for his soul."
Shinji stepped closer.
Raizo looked at him—really looked, eyes piercing through the fear and confusion in Shinji's heart.
"He found a truth. One that terrified the Elders. Jinki... is not just energy. It's memory. It carries the echoes of those who've used it before. He said strange things about another world.He said the more he trained, the more he heard voices—visions of a war not yet fought."
Silence stretched between them. Then Raizo added:
"If you walk his path... you'll need more than strength. You'll need to survive the past whispering through your Jinki."
Shinji bowed, deep and respectful.
"Then I'll learn to listen."
Raizo smiled faintly.
"Then may the fire within you not consume you... but light the way."