Moss, a solitary figure amidst towering stacks of ancient, dust-laden tomes, had been relentlessly pursuing mastery of the Arukyo art for five grueling hours. Every moment was a battle against his own limits, his mind a sponge soaking up forgotten wisdom, his body a conduit for intricate meditation techniques.
Cross-legged, with KIN's katana form resting on his lap, Moss's eyes fluttered shut. His breath, a rhythmic whisper, guided him inward. A tide of newfound knowledge washed over him.
"So many Ki-points!" he mused, his inner voice a determined murmur. "Every joint, every sensory organ – eyes, ears – pulsing with energy. And the core, the very heart of my being, a swirling vortex of Ki! To truly grasp Arukyo, I must weave my aura from that core, through every single Ki-point, and back again, an endless, unbroken cycle."
His brow furrowed in fierce concentration. "Maintaining this flow is like wrestling a storm, but after three hours, I can almost… almost tame it." A faint, ethereal glow began to emanate from him, a testament to his burgeoning control.
Then, his thoughts shifted to his silent companion, KIN. "Even KIN has its own Ki-points!" His eyes snapped open, blazing with revelation. "In its katana form, three points shimmer: the blade, the tip, and the hilt. The shield form pulsates with a single, colossal Ki-point at its heart. And the bow... the Ki-point only materializes when I summon an arrow, the arrow itself becoming a conduit of raw power!"
A jolt of pure, unadulterated resolve surged through Moss. Mastering Arukyo, understanding KIN's hidden depths – these weren't just goals, they were destiny. He rose, KIN still a familiar weight in his hand, a primal fire ignited in his gaze.
"It's time," Moss declared, his voice cutting through the stillness like a honed blade. "Time to shatter my limits. The R-100 training beckons once more, and this time, I'll push beyond 'beyond'! Thanks to Arkea's gift of another one-time key, there's no turning back. I won't rest until I've unlocked every secret of Ki and become the ultimate Agent!"
With an unyielding stride, Moss vanished into the ominous depths of the Hyper Chamber, ready to confront the trials that awaited him.
Can Moss truly transcend his human limitations and merge his essence with KIN's, or will the perilous R-100 training push him past his breaking point?
End of chapter 27