"Your five senses are still disconnected from your Renshi," Miyamoto muttered. "Let's see if I can restore that connection."
He took a deep breath and slowly began channeling his Renshi into Lucy's body.
She immediately tensed.
The energy spread through her veins, searching for the Renshi sealed deep within her. At first, nothing happened. Her body trembled, and pain shot through her chest as Miyamoto continued pouring energy into her.
Then, a faint pulse answered his Renshi.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The two energies collided inside Lucy's body, creating tremendous pressure against the seal that had kept her powers dormant for years.
Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted from her.
BOOM!
The force blasted through the roof, sending wooden planks flying into the air. A pillar of Renshi shot toward the sky, shaking the ground beneath the house.
Miyamoto's eyes widened.
"Damn it. That's too much."
He immediately reached into his storage chain, pulled out a sealing tag, and pressed it against Lucy's neck.
Blue inscriptions spread across the tag as it absorbed the excess energy, forcing her overwhelming aura back under control.
Gradually, the pressure disappeared.
"Haaah… haaah…"
Lucy collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. Sweat covered her face, and her entire body felt as though she'd just fought for her life.
Miyamoto let out a relieved sigh.
Just as I expected. There's certainly no shortage of power in their bloodline.
His gaze shifted toward the enormous hole in the roof. He scratched his head.
Though I suppose I'll need to repair that.
Lucy gave him an exhausted look.
"That… felt like dying and coming back to life."
Miyamoto chuckled before turning toward Amanda.
"Alright. You're next."
Amanda stepped forward without hesitation and took Lucy's place.
Miyamoto positioned his fingers against the side of her neck and began transferring his Renshi.
The reaction was immediate.
A violent surge of dark Renshi burst from Amanda's body, spreading through the room like a beast breaking free from its cage.
The wooden walls shook. Cracks spread across the beams overhead, and the floor trembled beneath their feet.
BOOOOM!
The entire roof shattered.
Amanda remained seated at the centre of the destruction, surrounded by a terrifying aura of black Renshi. Its pressure was far greater than Lucy's, spreading through the surrounding area like a storm threatening to consume everything in its path.
Miyamoto's expression darkened.
"This is bad."
He immediately pressed a sealing tag against Amanda's neck, but the aura continued to surge.
"Tch."
He quickly applied a second tag.
The blue inscriptions on both tags glowed brightly, gradually forcing the raging energy back into Amanda's body. The pressure weakened until the surroundings finally fell silent.
Amanda blinked in confusion, sweat trickling down her face.
"Master… what's wrong? You look worried."
Miyamoto forced a smile.
"Nothing you need to worry about. You should be happy. You've finally reconnected with your Renshi."
Amanda stared at him for a moment before nodding.
However, Miyamoto's thoughts remained troubled.
Why is this child's Renshi so much darker than her sister's? What has she been keeping buried inside her all this time?
He glanced at Amanda, then quickly turned away before she could notice his concern.
"Come on. Let's move outside. It's time to teach you both how to control your Renshi."
The sisters followed Miyamoto to the training hall behind the house.
As they walked, Lucy leaned toward Amanda and whispered, "Big sis, don't you think Master is hiding something from us?"
Amanda kept her eyes forward.
"I don't know, Lu. But if something is wrong, I think it has something to do with me."
Lucy frowned.
"What makes you say that?"
"Did you see how he reacted when my Renshi came out? He looked much more worried than he did when yours awakened."
Amanda lowered her voice.
"I'm not sure what it means yet, but something definitely feels off. We'll figure it out eventually."
Lucy nodded, although the uneasiness in her chest remained.
When they reached the training hall, Miyamoto turned to face them with his arms crossed.
"Now, listen carefully. Using Renshi isn't simply about releasing energy. You need to learn how to sense it, draw it out, and control how it flows through your body."
He raised one hand, allowing a faint layer of Renshi to gather around his palm.
"Your five senses are important to this process: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Each one can help you become more aware of your surroundings and the energy within you."
He closed his hand, making the aura disappear.
"But for now, we'll focus on touch. You must learn to feel your Renshi moving through your body before you can control it properly."
The sisters nodded.
"Close your eyes," Miyamoto instructed. "Focus on your breathing. Search for the energy inside you, then draw it toward your hands. Don't force it blindly. Learn to recognise its movement."
Lucy and Amanda followed his instructions.
At first, neither could control the energy properly. Sometimes, a faint spark appeared around their fingers before disappearing. Other times, they pushed too hard and exhausted themselves.
Day after day, they continued training.
Their hands became calloused, their muscles ached, and their frustration grew.
By the second week, they could release small amounts of Renshi without Miyamoto's assistance.
A month later, they had made even greater progress.
They could now channel Renshi into their swords, strengthening their attacks and making their blades more effective in combat.
Their training matches also became increasingly intense.
CLANG!
Amanda's wooden sword struck Lucy's blade, forcing her younger sister to retreat several steps.
Lucy quickly regained her balance and counterattacked, aiming for Amanda's side.
Amanda blocked the strike and twisted her body, using the opening to push Lucy backward.
A faint burst of Renshi flashed between their weapons.
"Your movements are getting better, Lu," Amanda said with a grin.
Lucy wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"I'm still going to beat you one day, big sis."
"Keep dreaming."
Miyamoto watched from the sidelines, occasionally correcting their stances or pointing out mistakes.
As the weeks passed, their swordsmanship and Renshi control continued to improve.
By the third month, both sisters had developed the skills needed to hold their own against ordinary opponents. They were no longer helpless beginners.
They were becoming capable Shinras, even if they had yet to earn the title officially.
---
One afternoon, Miyamoto summoned the sisters to the training hall.
"Your training here is enough for now," he announced. "It's time you experienced the real world."
Amanda and Lucy exchanged excited glances.
"You mean we're finally going on a mission?" Lucy asked.
"That's right. But don't get too excited. The real world won't give you time to prepare before attacking you."
He turned toward the door.
"Pack your belongings. We're leaving."
Their journey took them across vast plains, winding mountain paths, and several rivers. After weeks of travelling, they finally arrived in the Kingdom of Scale.
Their destination was the bustling town of Unbalance.
Unlike the troubled future it would one day face, Unbalance was thriving. Merchants filled the streets, shops displayed their goods, and travellers from different kingdoms crowded the roads.
At the centre of town stood an enormous mission board, covered with requests from villages, towns, and kingdoms across the land.
Some missions involved protecting merchants, while others required Shinras to investigate dangerous areas or hunt Darkside Spirits. Each request offered a reward, giving Shinras a way to earn money while gaining valuable experience.
The streets were packed with people rushing to examine the available missions.
Amanda stared at the crowd surrounding the board.
"How are we supposed to get close in all this chaos?"
Miyamoto glanced toward the crowd.
"Wait here."
Before either sister could ask what he meant, he moved.
SWOOSH!
His figure blurred and vanished from their sight.
Switch Mode.
A moment later, he appeared directly in front of the mission board, as though he'd crossed the entire distance in a single step.
Lucy's jaw dropped.
"H-He disappeared. Amanda, did you see that?"
Amanda folded her arms, trying to hide her amazement.
"Of course I saw it. It's probably just another technique we'll learn eventually."
Lucy stared at her.
"Then why are you looking so surprised?"
"I'm not surprised."
"Your face says otherwise."
"Will you shut up?"
The two sisters continued arguing as they made their way toward a nearby street bench. They sat down to wait while Miyamoto examined the available missions.
After a moment, Lucy glanced at her sister.
"Big sis, you've been acting strange lately. Is something bothering you?"
Amanda's expression changed slightly.
"Nothing, little Lucy."
Lucy narrowed her eyes.
"Are you sure, big sissy Amanda?"
Amanda looked away.
"I said I'm fine."
Lucy didn't press further, but she wasn't convinced.