Chapter 2: The Cross Family Foundation
Continued
The runes continued to flow into Ash's body.
At first, their movements were almost imperceptible. The countless inscriptions passed through the three hundred and sixty needles, spreading from the acupuncture points into the depths of his body.
Then the pressure began.
It was not a physical weight that could be measured by placing Ash on a scale. Instead, the gravity and spacetime surrounding his body began to change, pressing against him like an invisible second skin.
Ash's body trembled.
He wanted to move, but he could not command a single muscle. His limbs remained fixed in the lotus position, held in place by the process unfolding within him.
The pressure grew heavier.
It was as though every part of his body had suddenly acquired an additional weight. His shoulders, arms, legs, and even the smallest movements of his fingers were subjected to a resistance that had not existed moments before.
The runes continued their work.
Ash's breathing became uneven. He tried to draw a deeper breath, but even that simple action felt different, as though his body had to struggle against an invisible force just to perform its most natural functions.
Pain spread through him.
He could not tell whether it came from the needles, the runes flowing into his body, or the pressure gathering around him. Everything seemed to happen at once, leaving him with no way to separate one sensation from another.
His silver eyes remained shut.
He could neither escape the process nor bring it to a halt.
Above him, the enormous rune remained suspended in the air, while the countless chains continued connecting it to the needles embedded in his acupuncture points.
The invisible pressure intensified.
The space surrounding Ash seemed to tighten, and the weight imposed upon his body became increasingly difficult to endure. His muscles strained involuntarily, yet he could not change his position or relieve the burden.
A muffled sound escaped his throat.
He wanted to scream, but the sound barely passed his lips.
His mind struggled to remain focused amid the pain. He remembered Mihael's instructions to calm himself, yet maintaining that calm became harder with every passing moment.
He was six years old.
He had chosen this path willingly, understanding that it would be painful. But knowing that something would hurt was not the same as experiencing it.
The pressure continued to build.
Every moment seemed longer than the one before it. The runes kept flowing, and the invisible weight surrounding his body showed no sign of easing.
Across the training hall, Mihael watched in silence.
His white hair remained still, and his blue eyes stayed fixed on his younger brother. He neither spoke nor interrupted the process.
Ash could not see him.
He could only feel the pressure, endure the pain, and remain trapped within his own motionless body.
The foundation was still being established.
And the process had not yet reached its end.
The pressure continued to grow.
Ash's small body trembled beneath the invisible burden, while the runes flowed relentlessly through the three hundred and sixty needles. Every passing moment demanded more from him, yet he could neither move nor escape the sensation of his own body being reshaped.
Above him, the enormous rune began to turn.
The countless chains vibrated in response, their needle-thin ends remaining firmly embedded in his acupuncture points.
Mihael watched without speaking.
His blue eyes followed every change in the formation, his expression calm and unreadable. He had witnessed the beginning of the process, but he did not interfere with what was unfolding before him.
Ash could only endure.
He remembered his brother's words.
Remain calm. Think clearly. Never allow yourself to be ruled by fear.
He tried to hold on to them, even as the pressure continued to weigh upon him.
He had chosen this path.
And although he was still only six years old, the foundation of the Cross Family had begun to take shape within his body.
Outside the training hall, life in District XU continued as usual.
But inside the small palace of the Cross Family, a new chapter in Ash Cross's life had begun.