The ground of Zone 7 still vibrated, covered in spiritual dust. The criminals had been neutralized, some unconscious, and the group remained silent, frozen in the aftermath of the fight. At the center, Kaen stared at his hand—the one that had unleashed the white Ni orb.
Floch, cautious, broke the silence:
"This power… it's raw. It takes the form of a gun and it's dangerous."
Takumi nodded, observing Kaen with seriousness:
"It's instinctive resonance. The body responded before the mind. Rare… but real."
Akiriho, deep in thought, noted the obvious:
He has no technique, no training… and yet, he struck true. This white flame… it's not normal.
Soon after, Kaen fainted. His Ni had drawn from his reserves, leaving his body exhausted. Ishikawa panicked immediately:
"Kaen! Astou, do something! He's in a bad state!"
Astou, calm, replied:
"He's not hurt. Just exhausted. His body couldn't handle the shock. He hasn't mastered his Ni yet."
Takumi sighed, aware of the situation:
"Then let's head back. The path is too dangerous with Kaen unconscious and these weakened criminals."
The city welcomed them in tense silence. The streets of Zone 7 were quiet, but the furtive glances from windows and the symbols of dissident clans on the walls made the atmosphere heavy.
Floch murmured:
"Takumi is right. We need to return and report to the Senshi."
Zone 7 had revealed no secrets… but Kaen had revealed something no one expected. Akiriho, in thought, realized:
It's not the sanctuary that will give him the answer. It's what he's ready to confront within himself.
At the Kirina medical center, Kaen lay in a semi-underground white room, illuminated by spiritual energy panels. Sensors analyzed his Ni flow. His arm was bandaged, and his Riten eye covered with a protective veil.
Astou explained to the nurse:
"He used his Ni. His body held… but it's overloaded."
The nurse nodded:
"He's lucky. Some never awaken after a raw activation."
The group was scattered. Takumi consulted archives on his tablet, Floch drafted his report, focused. Akiriho stood silently. Ishikawa, sitting alone, seemed lost in thought.
He murmured internally:
Kaen struck true. I… didn't see it coming. Even before activating his power, he was useful in critical situations. No… Kaen, you're incredible.
Floch and Takumi exchanged a few words:
"Do you think he's ready?" asked Floch.
"He's not ready," replied Takumi, "but he's sincere. Sometimes, that's all it takes to survive."
When Kaen opened his eyes, the soft light from the panels filtered across his face. He heard voices, footsteps, whispers. He slowly sat up, still weak, breath short.
I didn't flee. But I didn't choose either. This power… it chose me, he thought.
Meanwhile, the captured criminals were locked in a secured zone. One prisoner murmured to Floch:
"Do you think it's over? Zone 7 is just a fragment… The real conflict… it's already underway."
Calm had returned, but beneath the surface, fractures were widening. Kaen had barely opened his eyes.
To be continued…