Chapter #52
After the mysterious man vanished along with his portal, silence lingered for a brief moment.
Yuita then walked over to Hifung and Shelyn, with Ray and Kobayashi following close behind. All of them wore worried faces, their bodies exhausted, their strength completely drained.
---
Two days later.
Yuita sat buried beneath a stack of documents at his desk in Jister Academy. Kobayashi was busy teaching a class, but Hifung, Ray, and Shelyn weren't attending.
Instead, the three of them lay under a tree, basking in the sunlight, simply resting after the grueling battle they had endured.
As they relaxed, Kobayashi suddenly appeared before them with a cheerful smile.
Kobayashi: "Hey, what are you all doing out here?"
Hifung was a little startled but answered with a faint smile.
---
By late afternoon, Hifung sat alone on a bench near the academy's garden.
Shelyn approached and sat down beside him. Realizing her presence, Hifung snapped out of his thoughts and turned to her. She seemed deep in contemplation, her eyes fixed on the sky.
Hifung: "What's wrong?"
Shelyn: "I was just thinking… with this curse, I only have three years left to live."
Before she could continue, Hifung cut her off, trying to encourage her.
Hifung: "Don't say things like that. Remember what the man who helped us said the other day?"
Hifung: "That only my foolishness and fate can save you. Then that means… I just have to be a fool, right?"
He grinned and chuckled softly.
Shelyn: "But—"
Hifung gently interrupted again, his tone calm and reassuring.
Hifung: "Don't worry. Even if my foolishness isn't enough to save you, I'll change fate itself… no matter how impossible it might be."
She looked into his eyes, sharp yet sincere, and the weight on her heart lightened just a little. For the first time, she could accept her situation with a measure of calm.
---
As evening drew near, Shelyn left. Hifung wandered the academy grounds, lost in thought.
Suddenly, three students appeared in front of him, their expressions unfriendly, clearly angry.
Hifung froze, confused.
Hifung (in his mind): "What's this? Did I do something wrong?"
Student 1: "How dare you get close to Shelyn!"
The words left Hifung startled and bewildered, though he couldn't help but suppress a small laugh. He had no idea how popular Shelyn was at the academy.
Hifung: "Maybe you've misunderstood—"
Before he could finish, Student 2 lunged at him with a steel sword.
Hifung immediately leapt high into the air, dodging the strike.
Student 3: "Let's just kill him!"
Student 1: "Yeah!"
Hifung (in his mind): "Wait, seriously!?"
All three leapt after him, their swords coated in aura—green, brown, and purple.
Hifung: "You've got to be kidding me!?"
He quickly released a burst of yellow flame from his right hand. It shot toward Student 2, who managed to hold it off briefly before being blasted back.
Student 2: "Argh!"
Seeing this, the other two grew cautious and attacked him seriously, swinging their aura-coated swords.
Hifung summoned his lightning sword and blocked each strike.
But suddenly, cracks appeared on his blade under the relentless blows, throwing him into a panic.
Then he remembered the words of the mysterious man from the higher realm.
Man's voice (echoing in memory): "The secret to all power is chi capacity… and resolve."
Hifung (in his mind): "Resolve? Does he mean… aura?"
He poured a surge of red aura into his lightning sword.
With a single powerful swing, he shattered both steel swords in an instant, leaving the two attackers shocked and terrified.
Students 1 & 3: "What!?"
Even Student 2, watching from the ground, was left speechless.
Seizing the moment, Hifung thrust his right hand forward, releasing a large blast of red aura toward the two stunned students.
Caught midair, they had no chance to dodge. The aura struck them full-on, hurling them into the academy wall with a thunderous crash that even drew Yuita's attention.
The two collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Student 2 was frozen in shock at the overwhelming display.
Hifung landed right in front of him, but before anything else could happen, Yuita descended beside Hifung, confusion etched on his face.
Yuita: "Hifung? What's going on here?"
Startled, Hifung panicked slightly, but Student 2 looked even more shaken.
Hifung explained the situation to Yuita, who listened before giving a light scolding.
Yuita: "I see… but you can't just attack students inside academy grounds. If something like this happens again, report it to Kobayashi or another instructor."
Reluctantly, Hifung nodded, though not very sincerely. Yuita noticed but didn't press the issue.
Hifung: "Alright."
The remaining student bowed to Yuita before dragging his two unconscious companions away.
Yuita turned back to Hifung.
Yuita: "You defeated them with an aura blast?"
Still watching the students leave, Hifung looked back at him.
Hifung: "Yeah?"
Yuita (in his mind): "It's possible… Does that mean aura has its own energy source?"
Yuita (in his mind): "Normally, aura is the natural enemy of chi energy. Its destructive power shouldn't be that strong… especially from a child."
Yuita (in his mind): "Could it be…?"
Hifung watched Yuita fall silent in thought, growing uneasy.
Hifung: "Sir?"
Yuita focused back on him.
Yuita: "Hifung, try releasing your aura directly at me."
The request left Hifung stunned.
Hifung: "Huh!?"
Yuita: "Relax. I'll be fine. I just want to test something."
Hifung: "But my aura—"
He hesitated, afraid his aura would overwhelm Yuita and hurt him.
But Yuita reassured him firmly.
Yuita: "Don't worry. I'll block your aura blast wit
h my own. I want to see what happens when my blue aura clashes with your red."
Though still uncertain, Hifung felt a little relieved.
Hifung: "…Okay."