Two days had passed..
Hinko was still running tests on Kichu. He was so focused that he hadn't slept or bathed. Even when Kichu was asleep, Hinko continued his experiments.
"Honey, you need to bathe and get some rest," Asha told him several times.
"Ah... I can't understand! How can this kid have such low soul energy yet still show signs of a Sin holder?" Hinko muttered, scratching his head.
"I have a Sin? What the heck?" Kichu said in shock.
At that moment, Roco walked out of his room, his clothes damaged.
"Kid, you should worry about your health," Asha said, handing him a plate of food.
Roco devoured it within seconds and burped.
"Hey, so how's it going?" Kichu asked, approaching Roco.
"Do you want to see?" Roco smirked.
"Yeah, bring it on," Kichu said, determined.
Roco pointed his finger at Kichu. A small ball of water formed in his hand and slowly floated toward Kichu.
"What is this?" Kichu asked.
"Touch it," Roco said with a smile.
Kichu, confused, reached out and touched the ball. The moment his finger made contact, the water sphere vanished.
"What? How? I've done this more than a hundred times!" Roco exclaimed, shocked. He tried again, but each time the ball touched Kichu, it disappeared.
Roco's face filled with frustration. He went back to the room and brought out a mannequin. Pointing his fingers at it, he formed another water sphere. This time, when it touched the mannequin, the ball expanded into a barrier, completely encasing it. Kichu watched in amazement.
As time passed, the pressure inside the sphere increased, crushing the mannequin.
"It's working, so why won't it work on you?" Roco asked, frustrated.
"Oi! That's dangerous! Are you trying to kill me?!" Kichu snapped.
"What's all the fuss about?" Hinko walked in.
"Roco invented an insane technique, but it's not working on me! That means I have a high amount of soul energy. Your tests are crap," Kichu said to Hinko.
"Impossible! My tests are accurate. Roco, do it on me," Hinko said.
"Are you mad? It'll kill you," Kichu warned.
"No, this is a matter of pride now. Do it, Roco," Hinko said, tearing off his shirt.
"Don't worry, I can break it from the outside," Roco reassured them before trying again. But just like before, the water sphere disappeared when it touched Hinko.
"I guess it doesn't work on living things," Hinko concluded.
Roco's face darkened in frustration, and he stormed back into the room.
"That boy is motivated," Hinko said.
"Yeah, unlike me, he has a mission," Kichu muttered, watching him leave.
"Can I take a break from the tests?" Kichu asked.
"Yeah... Why?" Hinko asked.
"I think he could use some company," Kichu said, drawing his sword.
"Return in three hours," Hinko said.
"Yeah..." Kichu replied before walking into the room.
"What are you doing here?" Roco asked, looking up.
"I thought I could be your sparring partner," Kichu said, raising his sword.
"Haha... You want to die?"
"Love your confidence. Try to touch me at least," Kichu teased before charging forward.
Roco pulled out his revolver and fired. Kichu deflected the shot and closed the distance. Neither of them was willing to lose.
Three Hours Later…
Both Kichu and Roco lay on the ground, covered in dust.
"Haha... I'm... faster than you," Roco panted.
"You're the one who hit the ground first," Kichu said, standing up.
"What?" Roco huffed and struggled to his feet as well.
"That's enough!" Hinko's voice echoed through the room.
"Time's up. Both of you, out!" Hinko ordered.
Kichu and Roco stepped outside, where a table filled with food was waiting for them. They ate like animals, then slumped into their chairs.
Hinko and Asha laughed as they joined them.
Kichu smiled, memories of his time with Saas and Som flooding back.
"What is it, Kichu? Your face looks dull," Hinko asked.
"Nothing. I'm just getting déjà vu," Kichu replied.
"Oh... You must have seen a scene like this before. If it's similar enough, your brain recalls a memory in fragments. That's what we call déjà vu," Hinko explained.
"Yeah. I sat almost in this exact spot with my master and his wife," Kichu said.
"You mentioned him before. Who was your master? Is he as good as me?" Hinko asked.
"He was great—the best researcher in the universe, he said. But..." Kichu's face darkened with sadness.
Hinko immediately understood and fell silent.
"He was dying in front of me, yet I couldn't do anything," Kichu said, his voice heavy with pain.
"I see... What was his name?"
"His name was Saas Exon. The successor of Casimir."
Hinko's spoon slipped from his hand. Kichu looked at him in confusion.
"Sir Saas the Great was your master?" Hinko asked in shock.
"Yeah, you know him? I figured he was a big deal," Kichu said.
"Kid, do you know who your master was? He was the greatest researcher of his era. He wrote fifteen groundbreaking articles about the universe. They solved countless mysteries! He was my idol. And to know that he's gone… is heartbreaking."
"He was your idol? That's good to hear," Kichu said with a warm smile.
"But as far as I know, Sir Saas never took disciples. Why did he choose you?"
"I don't know what he saw in me, but he trained me and taught me so much. I'll be grateful to him for the rest of my life."
"Kid, you're full of mysteries," Hinko muttered.
"Haha... You think so?"
"No, I mean it. Yesterday, I ran some tests on your genetics. Something seemed off. Somewhere in your lineage, a trait came from outside. It's human DNA, but... it's not typical Earthen DNA. It was different."
"Maybe one of my ancestors left Earth?" Kichu suggested.
"Maybe. But another thing is really bothering me—your energy source. Every cell in your body is producing energy, but it's not emitting outward or being used internally. For every living being, cellular energy is used for physical activity. But yours just... disappears."
"And my soul energy?"
"It's normal, like any other living being."
"So basically, my body generates energy, but I'm not using it?"
"Exactly. It's breaking my head in two."
"Ugh, too much information. So, does this mean I have a Sin that hasn't developed yet?"
"That's not possible. We detect Sins by measuring soul energy, and your levels are too low."
"Ah... What a pain! I guess I'll just have to train harder," Kichu grumbled.
"Forget it for now. Eat the stew," Hinko said.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Roco mumbled, already stuffing his face.
The Next Day...
"This is the heart of Sophis-X, the City of Wisdom," Hinko said, pointing at the enormous metropolis.
Kichu and Roco stood in awe, their mouths open.
"This city has the biggest library in the universe, and over 5,000 researchers live here. It's one of the largest cities in existence," Hinko explained.
"Whoa..." Kichu's eyes sparkled.
"We're going to attend a Researchers' Association meeting. You'll be guests, so behave," Hinko said as he moved to the right side of the road.
"Where is it?" Kichu asked.
"You'll see," Hinko replied, standing on the sidewalk.
Suddenly, a bus-like vehicle appeared in front of them. Hinko gestured for Kichu and Roco to get in. They boarded the bus, which sped through the city at an incredible pace.
Kichu stared out the window, mesmerized by the city's glowing streets and towering structures. He didn't even blink.
Before long, the bus stopped inside a massive building. They got off and stood in front of a large door. Hinko reached into his pocket, pulled out a card, and pressed it against the door. With a soft hum, the door slowly slid open, revealing an enormous room.
It was like an endless library.
"Hinko… Why are you late?"
A man approached Hinko, his arms crossed.
"Sorry... I was in the middle of something. Is he angry?" Hinko asked.
"I don't know. See for yourself," the man said before walking away.
Hinko took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Kichu glanced ahead and saw a large table where several people were seated. Hinko walked to the table quietly and took a seat.
"Why are you late?"
The voice came from behind—a deep, commanding tone.
"I was conducting experiments," Hinko answered calmly.
"Don't let it happen again. I call these meetings for a reason."
From the shadows, an elderly man emerged. His long gray beard nearly reached his knees, and a pair of thin glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Moving slowly, he sat down.
"Who are these fellows?" he asked, eyeing Kichu and Roco.
"They are guests of mine," Hinko replied.
At those words, the old man's face turned red. His eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
"You think this is a child's play?" he snapped. "These meetings are confidential! How dare you bring two kids into this?"
"No, no… Sir Xavton, I brought them here for a reason," Hinko said quickly.
"And what reason would that be?" He demanded.
Hinko turned to Kichu and gave him a nod. Without hesitation, Kichu drew his sword.
Gasps filled the room.
The old man's eyes widened as he stared at the weapon. Silence fell over the gathering. Slowly, the old man stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the blade. He inspected it carefully, running his fingers along the dark-shaded metal.
"Amusing..." He whispered. "Just as the books described… The dark alloy plating, the marvelous craftsmanship… It's almost as if..." He exhaled deeply. "I'm falling in love with it."
"How can the boy lift it?" one of the researchers asked, breaking the silence.
The old man snapped out of his trance and turned to Hinko.
"Can you explain?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
- To Be Continued...