One Hundred And Ninety-Seven
The shrine grounds were again filled with girls and boys (and a few adults) of all backgrounds, shrine maidens, nobles, commoners and more all lined up in the training halls. Everyone was in shrine priest and maiden garb, as we had done a rush-order for those that didn’t have it. Uniforms are essential for schools after all, and that is what this is…
Work on the training school had almost completely finished now, just a few problem areas to be addressed, a few floors to be laid, so so of the students had even claid a room on the upper floors, as intended. Under our watchful eyes, the trainees continued, Shaeula offering guidance on their techniques, while I used my new Eye to observe the flows of aether within each trainee, trying to master the new power I had obtained.
The one that caught my eye was Hikawa Ren, the cheeky son of Hikawa-Kawagoe shrine. The area around his third eye chakra was slowly pooling an elental energy I had little experience with, a deep indigo, yet streaked with the colour of natural sunlight. The rest of his network was decently well-ford, we had only needed to do a little work on him with Chirurgery, but compared to what I rembered of my own from the painting, there were definitely areas of inefficiency.
All right, here we go. Narrowing my gaze, I focussed on him, trying to glean what information I could. Initially all I could get was his na, and the usual question-marks, just in amber, but as I strained further, focusing in on his third eye chakra, I was able to pull up useful information.
Third Eye Chakra Of Sunlight Rank 1: (Mutated Elent)
This third eye chakra has recently stabilised due to a completed network, and generates sunlight energy at a slow rate. It allows the user to handle variant and unique light elents.
Mutated elent? That sounded like sothing I need to know about, and luckily my Eye seed to have the answers. Again, I felt on the verge of tearing up at finally being able to check information on what I needed to. Though I couldn’t yet see the Class and Type for skills of people who wouldn’t be affected by my Examination skills at my current rank.
A mutated elent is a rare variant of the standard, universal elents. Unlike unique elents, which only serve a single purpose, mutated elents are a version of the foundational, universal elent, and can draw on the powers of such, but in addition have extra, often powerful properties. Sunlight elent is able to draw on the energy of the sun, being inimical to undead and creatures of darkness.
Well now, that is cool. I guess Ren-san really has a reason to be arrogant, not that he could draw on much of it until we sorted his network. Seeing my gaze, he looked at quizzically. Fine, this is as good a ti as any.
“All right, ti to take a break!” I said, and a lot of people sighed in relief, their minds fogged from difficult ditation and visualisation exercises, especially the girls from Kana’s school. “Ren-san, can I borrow you for a bit?”
“?” he asked, and I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve noticed you have great skill, so was hoping you could help with sothing. It might well be to your benefit.” As I said that, I noticed that Hinata-san was watching intently, as if eager to say sothing. When she first arrived with Motoko-san and the other girls, she had pressed on keeping my promise to see her grandfather later, and looked like she wanted to say more, but with a glance at her companions, she kept her silence.
“I also need assistance.” Shaeula declared. “It will need-need to be soone with a stable chakra network, so Kana, or the twins.”
Before the twins could speak, Kana stuck up her hand brightly. “I can help. What do you need?”
Shaeula looked at sideways, before grinning. “Well, we shall let Akio finish his business first. Why do we not-not have so sweets?” she gestured to the large hamper of nice snacks we had prepared for the training, figuring making it as pleasant as possible would increase their motivation, and thus performance. We aren’t running a black company after all.
Taking Ren to a room on the upper floor that Shaeula and I had dubbed the portrait room, I retrieved so of the canvas I left there earlier, as well as an assortnt of coloured pens. I’m not going to waste my ti painting, it’ll be quicker to use pens. Ren-san seed to have no idea what was going on, rely staring at pensively.
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “I’m just making a record of your entire chakra network. You must be curious, right? You have a really great talent, which should be maximised.”
“I know, right?” He boasted proudly, unable to stop himself. “I’ve had talent ever since I was young. It’s only to be expected of soone of my superior bloodline. My sisters too.”
“Yeah, Chiaki-san and Chiasa-san have great gifts too, we’ll probably want to record their networks as well. The more we have the easier it’ll be to get the best results. Our initial Chirurgery worked fine, but if we can improve it…”
“Hey, your eye is glowing just like hers does.” He said, flushing, and I held in a grin. Yeah, you like Shaeula, right? Well, too bad, she’s already chosen ! The guilt towards Eri from thinking that sort of thing had largely faded now, though that wasn’t above causing a slight twinge guilt in of itself, on occasion.
“Yeah, I’ve improved my own skills.” I grinned, sketching him out at an incredible, impossible rate. My fine motor control and thought processing speed was incredible now, so it only took a few minutes. “Hmm, it’s hard to get all the details through your clothes, I can see the energy signatures of the chakras and capillaries, but the view of your internal structure is blocked. Can you take off your hakama?”
“Wait, what?” his flush deepened, and he backed off, unnerved. Seriously, such a kid.
“Don’t be a baby.” I smirked. “You can leave your underwear on. Besides, we are all guys here. I was thinking we’d go on a hot springs trip in the new year, all the trainees, to celebrate our successes and keep morale high, so all us guys will see each other naked then.”
“Hot springs huh? With Shaeula, and…”
“It won’t be mixed bathing!”! I warned, stamping on his dreams, and he scowled, embarrassed at being caught out again.
“Of course not! No way I want you ogling my sisters!” he launched back, but at least he was doing what I said and disrobing.
“Nah, your sisters sure are cute, but I’m not into little girls, I’m an adult.”
“Says you.” Ren-san complained, looking nervous in his underwear. “Is this fine?”
“Yeah, that helps.” I quickly made adjustnts. “Take a look.” I turned the canvas and Ren-san gasped at the beautiful piece which looked like so strange modern art.
“That’s … my chakra network?” he asked, and I nodded, pointing to his third eye, which was surrounded by a pretty halo of light.
“Here’s your gift, a mutated elent, sunlight. Now I think you want to be maximising that, I don’t think it’s sothing just anyone can have.”
“Right, so how do I do that?” he asked, suddenly motivated.
“Well, here’s mine.” I produced a portrait, putting it side-by-side. “As you can see, my set-up is more perfect, especially around the lunar chakra and these areas, down by the root chakra and silver cord. I think we want to try and make yours closer to mine, it should show results.”
“I see.” He agreed. “Well, how will you do that?”
“Well, like you noticed, I have a vision skill now, my Eye is able to see your network like Shaeula can. So I figure we’ll start from the root chakra. Take a seat and we’ll begin.”
What followed was rather traumatic, and we didn’t get very far at all. I managed to open so dormant sub-chakras around the root, in addition to cleaning and rerouting so capillaries, and boring several sub-chakras into existence where there were none. Ren-san barely stopped whimpering though, as apparently so of the things I had done hurt a lot. We weren’t even close to finishing, and he was lying on the bed as I sketched up a duplicate portrait with the new changes.
“Sorry about that.” I said as I finished up, though I wasn’t that sorry, as it was for his own good, and the welco ssage of my Aetheric Chirurgery reaching Rank 3 had popped up towards the end, it being far easier to train and improve with my Eye and these complicated asures. “Can you pull in so ether and convert it? I want to check everything is still working right.”
He nodded, and soon, due to the higher ether density here, aether was entering his renewed lower network. “Looks fine.” I sighed in relief, worried the half-finished nature might cause problems.
“It still hurts a bit…” he whined, pulling on his hakama.
“Yeah, the new areas need to absorb aether to strengthen, so it might ache like unused muscles. Still, I think your overall efficiency has gone up. My eye still identified it as an Unstable Eight Moons Chakra Network, but the additional information said the foundation was improved.
“Akio, are you done?” Shaeula asked from outside, knocking the door, and Ren-san took the opportunity to rush past her and out, fleeing the pain of my Chirurgery. He still took ti to gawk at her though. Well, kids will be kids.
Shaeula raised one eyebrow at , and Kana followed her in, also perplexed by his behaviour. Seeing the pair of portraits I had drawn, Shaeula nodded, understanding dawning on her face. “I thought so. So, did-did the Chirurgery help?”
“I couldn’t get too far, but yes, apparently so.”
“Excuse , Shaeula, Akio. What’s going on?” Kana asked. “I volunteered to help out, but what are we doing?”
“I think I’ll step out for this one.” I said, not willing to be here for what happened next, but Kana looked at with upturned eyes, asking to stay. “No, don’t. I’d feel more comfortable with you here, Akio!”
No you won’t. Shaeula turned around her portrait, the beautiful design eye-catching. “This is an image of my chakra network Akio painted. Since mine is perfection, but we are not-not sure it is entirely a mortal female one, we need a volunteer. So, Kana, please take-take off all your clothes.”
“Wait, what?” Kana froze.
“I’ll just step out, also… you can do it in underwear, that should be fine.” I said, reaching for the door, only for Kana to grab the back of my shirt. Turning to see her looking down and blushing, I struggled to understand her intent.
“I want to be helpful, Akio.” She said, using my na. “If… if it’s just underwear…” her face was scarlet, and Shaeula was snickering loudly, not helping matters.
“Seriously, Shaeula’s eyes are good enough, and her Chirurgery is still better than mine. You don’t have to force yourself.”
She took a deep breath, and one-handed, the other still clutching my clothes, she began to disrobe. As more and more of her skin ca into view, her ample chest visible wrapped in her white bra, her skin pink, I swallowed my saliva, nervous. This is work, this is definitely work. I’m not doing this for lewd reasons, I can totally tell Eri about this without feeling guilty. More cloth fell to the floor, and she released , stepping out of her red hakama pants.
“Can… can we hurry up?” she blushed, and I nodded, grabbing a canvas. “Shaeula, you fix any mistakes I make.” It only took a few minutes to sketch her, but it was incredible just how long that felt. Finally I announced we were done, and Kana grabbed a sheet from the bed, wrapping it around herself. It took her a minute to calm down, but when she did she asked a question.
“So, did it help you, Akio?” her voice was trembling with embarrassnt.
“It sure did.” I agreed, and Shaeula nodded, giving her a cute thumbs-up gesture. “I think I’ve noticed a pattern, looking at mine and Shaeula’s, compared to yours and Ren-san’s. Give a minute…” I ended up drawing two more pictures of Kana. “See the difference? I think this is the structure of a perfect female subtle body. Shaeula has all these bits, and yours isn’t too far off…”
“…So this one must be the lunar chakra and the supporting network.” Shaeula observed. “No wonder I nearly killed you that first-first ti.” Shaeula mused. “It is not-not just the lunar chakra and surrounds, but an entire secondary network, rooted into but overlaying the mortal one…”
Kana looked between the three pictures of her. “I see. Well… I’m glad it was worth it.” She smiled, back to her old self again. “Though you are the first boy to see my like that, Akio. Be glad I’m not asking you to take responsibility! It must have been your lucky day…” she smiled impishly, though her skin was still flushed.
“Lucky, huh?” I mused. “Nerve-wracking, I’d say…” only to be hit in the face by a thrown pillow. I could have dodged but it didn’t seem the right thing to do.
“Be grateful!” she complained. “So, what’s next?”
“Well, if you can handle pain… we copy the parts of Shaeula’s network you don’t have into you. Ren-san said it hurt a lot though.”
“I don’t like pain, but…” Kana stepped out of the blanket, showing her underwear-clad body again. “… I want to be strong. Do it. I’ll endure!” she declared bravely. That bravery lasted for a few minutes, until she finally succumbed, crying and letting out yelps of pain. Even so, she never asked to stop, and twenty minutes later Shaeula and I were using Ether Healing on her, soothing her pain as she lay face down on the bed, too exhausted to care she was still in her underwear and I could see more than I needed to.
“Do you enjoy bullying ?” Kana sniffed. “You make strip, ogle my beautiful body unrcifully, then tornt ! I’m seriously reconsidering making you take responsibility now. I think I’m ruined as a girl.”
“I didn’t ogle.” I muttered defensively, as Shaeula was making an image of her newly drilled entire network. “Can you pull in so ether and convert it for us? I think everything is perfect, but…”
“Fine. But I know you liked looking at .” She complained. “Ouch, everything burns and itches.”
Considering that my Aetheric Chirurgery skill has gone up an astonishing two more levels to Rank 5, aning I had earned a full three levels in it over this day alone, catching up with Shaeula, I was confident it was fine, but my Eye confird it. “It’s worked!” I reached down and patted Kana on the head in glee. “Your chakra network is a full Eight Moons Chakra Network! My Eye says it’s a perfectly adapted one, but since it is fresh, you’ll suffer discomfort for a while until the last impurities and debris are flushed out.”
“So, what does that an?” She asked, leaning into my hand.
“I think that if you go to physical education class tomorrow, you’ll find yourself significantly stronger and faster. Your mory too. My sis got a boost of around 10% of human maximums, maybe a bit more, just from mastering her network properly, and I doubt it’s a perfectly adapted one. We’ll have to check her and Eri out again.”
“Indeed. Well, I have the comparison.” Shaeula declared. “We are done here. You can stop-stop fondling her now, Akio.”
Huh? I looked down, realising I was still stroking her hair unconsciously, and pulled my hand away, apologising. Kana rely stood, smiled and started pulling on her hakama…
********
The rest of the session passed without incident, although Kana waved off queries from her friends about what she had been doing, only saying they’d get their chance in ti. Ren-san was looking at sourly, and I could guess what he was thinking. There’s nothing to be jealous of, I was a perfect gentleman as always!
Progress was made, even so of Kana’s classmates starting to get the prickling in their lower bodies that indicated the first small steps to success. The higher ether density here really did make quite the difference. It was then, when we were all done, when Hinata-san approached gingerly. “So, will you be coming with , like you promised?” she asked, diffidently, as if scared of rejection, and I nodded. “Sure, I’ll look at your grandfather. Family is important, and you’re a good girl for thinking of him.”
At hr sudden bright smile I was a bit confused why she was so happy, but what followed was a trip to the Nichibotsu tower in central Tokyo. Shaeula of course ca along, and when we arrived, landing on the helipad on the roof, Motoko-san and Natsumi-san said their farewells, taking the lift down to the ground where their driver awaited to take them ho.
As Shaeula looked around happily, taking in the beautiful night skyline of central Tokyo, Hinata-san spoke nervously. “So, Akio-kun, don’t be mad, but before we et grandfather, can I ask you sothing?”
“Sure.” Her hair was blowing in the night breeze as she looked at , still in shrine maiden attire we had provided, which was a fresh view of her. “Fire away.”
“So, I was hoping you would et my parents too. I know it isn’t why you ca, but… well, it ties in to why I’ve asked you here. I do love my grandfather and wish he was well again, but that isn’t the only reason I’ve asked you here. I… I had a bad day today. I humiliated myself in school, in front of everyone, my cousin, Motoko-san, … and Mayumi-sama.” Her face fell, and she looked at the floor, her voice shrinking in on itself. “Reality isn’t kind. I thought I was the clever one, the only one who was friends with Mayumi-sama, soone she relied on. Turns out what friendship ans is very different to the true nobles.” A trickle of tears seeped out from the corner of her eyes. She then looked at , her brown eyes full of a mixture of pain, determination and ambition. “But I’m not a girl who stays down! Akio-kun… no, can I call you Akio? Because…” she took a deep breath. “I want to be a part of everything you do. I want to know more about the other world you control, the powers you have, the implications of that. I think… no, I know that if I do that, join with you, I can finally prove myself, show that the nobility is more that just history. Please, I beg you! I now know why Motoko-san humbled herself!” and with that she tried to get down on her knees, but I stopped her, grabbing her arm and shaking my head.
“Don’t.” I said, uncomfortable at the younger girl and her emotional outburst. She stiffened at my touch, the unusual feeling shocking her, before she relaxed, seemingly frozen.
“So, I trust you are resolved for what you must give in return?” Shaeula asked, her tone tender. “Such knowledge and influence you seek is quite-quite dangerous in other hands. We have learned our lessons painfully.”
“I get it.” She nodded, letting pull her up. Wiping away her tears, she looked at once more. “I know if I want to take part, I have to prove you can trust . Hence… why I asked you here tonight. So… uh…” her face went red. “Can you let go now?”
“Oh sorry, I just didn’t want you bowing to .” I said, releasing her. I turned around, suddenly rembering Onoue-san, surprised she hadn’t tried to stop , only to find her standing there, looking a touch troubled but resigned.
“Okay, well, grandfather will be in the penthouse. We can see him first.” Hinata-san said, and we followed the path Motoko-san and Natsumi-san had taken, only instead of taking the main lift, we took a small, glass-fronted lift down a floor. Once those doors opened we were in quite the impressive penthouse, and seated there was a white-haired old man, who was wearing casual clothes that were plain but likely expensive. In front of him was set an antique table, upon which were so glasses and a bottle of champagne.
“Hinata, Kazumi-san.” He said, his voice and eyes still full of vigour despite his advanced age. “Welco ho. I see you’ve brought them then?” he said, and I could feel his appraising gaze, seeming to evaluate every aspect of . I just hope I asure up.
“Yes, grandfather. These are Akio and Shaeula.” She didn’t use the honorific for and I realised I had never denied her the request she made up on the roof. “Now, I have to go get my parents, so …” she turned to , and clasped her hands in an appeal. “Please. Heal my grandfather. I know you can do it.” With that she turned and left, Onoue-san following her.
“Do help yourself to the champagne. It’s a fine vintage. For celebrations.” The old man said, snapping my focus back to him.
“I shall. My thanks.” Shaeula stepped forwards, pouring three glasses. She handed one to Hinata-san’s grandfather, before passing a second. After taking a sip she grinned. “Yes, this is quite-quite fit for a princess. Akio, we must start a cellar of this-this. I hear this is a thing rich mortals do.”
“You are just as Hinata said. Curious.” He took a sip, before holding the glass delicately by the stem, his old injury clearly affecting him. “Anyway. I know your nas. Oshiro Moonstone Akio. A common man, self-made, eking a living in Tokyo until you gained strange powers. You drew the attention of the nobility, and here we are.” He paused. “Shaeula Tu Shae Danna. Your fiancée. One of them, anyway. Supposedly a yokai princess of so kind. If this is all a prank, it’s a good one.”
Not sure how to answer, I let him continue. “I’m Fukumoto Kenji. The second son of a simple rchant. Second of four, though all the others died, the eldest in the war, the others to disease or misfortune. But … I built up a business from nothing. This. Nichibotsu Technology. And now we are one of the top electronics manufacturers in the world.”
Kenji, huh? Ironically he has the sa sort of arrogance as that prick, but I guess Fukumoto-san has earned it. Nichibotsu TV’s and computers are everywhere, and they lead the world in keyboards, amplifiers and other such electronic musical devices. “A great achievent.” I conceded. “Now that I have to manage a large enterprise, I’m finding out just how hard it is.”
“Flattery. I get enough of that.” He scoffed. “Don’t mince your words. I won’t.” he said bluntly. “My son always felt aggrieved the nobility looked down on us, despite our wealth being below only Fujiwara and Ichijou houses, and maybe a couple of others. So when he had the chance to marry a daughter of Takatsukasa, he jumped at the chance. All it costs us is money.” He snorted. “And in exchange… well, we didn’t get the respect or approval he wanted, that’s for sure. Still, they did have a decent son, and a good granddaughter. My Hinata.” His gaze was steely. “Now my son and daughter-in-law say they want to arrange her marriage. To you. Well, arranged marriage is what they do in the nobility, and it was common enough even for ordinary Japanese when I was young. So, I can’t really object. But obviously I’d like my granddaughter to be happy. You already have your fiancées, which is problematic enough, but…”
“I understand.” I hesitated to cut him off, but decided it was necessary. “But first, let say I don’t need your granddaughter’s hand in marriage for my support. She’s a good girl, earnest and ambitious. Secondly, if we show what we can do, this will be much smoother.”
“I don’t hold out much hope, despite what those nobles say.” He sniffed. “Miracles don’t co without a price.”
“That’s true.” I agreed, my Eye starting to glow. Seeing that, he nearly dropped his glass. “But I’ve paid the price, and I’ll pay it again and again if I have to, to safeguard those I love. I see. Your left leg and hip hasn’t set properly after a bad break, the bones are old and largely fragnted in places.” I whistled. “That must hurt when moving. Hell, all the ti!” I played my gaze over him so more, stepping in close and touching his stomach so I could start using Ether Healing. “I see. Your heart is labouring a bit too. I’m no expert, but one valve seems to be on the verge of failure, and your arteries are partially blocked.” Lucky I’ve spent a bit of ti skimming through so dical books in my limited spare ti recently. Maximising Ether Healing and Chirurgery are a priority for … “Lastly, looks like your other knee has almost no cartilage left, and your left shoulder has frozen after so sort of heavy impact. Well, I can fix all that, but… I fear it might hurt.”
“Wait, but…” he cried, before actually crying out in pain.
“Nope, not waiting I’m afraid. I promised Hinata-san a favour, so a favour she gets. And she wanted you healed. Like I said, she’s a good girl.”
Shaeula rely watched with her own Eyes as I worked, still sipping on champagne, cheekily refilling her glass. Nodding in approval, trying to boost her own Ether Healing skill by observation, she waited until I was done.
“There.” I sighed, feeling the sting of my depleted aether. “All better. I flushed a few other arteries too as a service, though they probably would have bene fine. Your body is going to have to expel a ton of crap though, so… sorry, but I think you’ll be living on the toilet over the next few days.”
“You bastard, that bloody well hurt, I should call my guards…” he panted, tears streaming down his face. The healing had been agonising, mainly fixing the heart valve, as to do so his heart had shut down for a minute, feeling like he was having a heart attack. Still, his words failed him as he realised sothing. “Wait, my leg, my arm… they move freely and don’t hurt!”
“Why would they? I fixed them, as promised.” I grinned, wiping my sweat. That was nerve-wracking. Maybe I should have left the heart alone, but it could have failed at any ti, and I don’t want Hinata-san grieving. Still, it was way higher-level Ether Healing than before, normally I’m only healing battle wounds. If I didn’t have my Eye to guide , I’d never have attempted it.
Fukumoto-san dragged himself upright, wiped his distress from his face with a towel, cleaning up the tears and snot, before walking about, his expression one I could only describe as complicated, a mixture of joy and chagrin. He then sat down opposite again, his expression serious. “Perhaps my granddaughter and Fujiwara didn’t exaggerate after all. I can still barely believe this. But I am a rational man. I’ll be checking this out with my personal physician tomorrow, so if you’ve lied I’ll know. Doesn’t feel like it though.” he admitted. “So… down to business.” His expression changed again, his eyes burning with intensity. “So, what does this miracle cost ? Money, I can do. Property? Well, I can spare so. Shares in the company? I have to protect my grandchildren and their inheritance, but I can sign you over so of mine.”
I must have looked confused, because Shaeula burst out laughing scornfully, attracting our attention. “Did you not-not listen to Akio? You are as hard-headed as the other Kenji.” She sneered. “Akio has told you for what-what he wishes. Only for Hinata to smile, to give her the favour she asked for. Nothing more.”
True. Money, shares, property. All would be helpful, but I can get that in other ways. I don’t put a price on my promises.
“But that can’t be right. especially for one such as yourself, who has had to struggle with poverty all your life!” he shook his head. “Have I misjudged you? I was sure from the reports on you I had you figured out, but then…” he trailed off.
“Look, don’t overthink it. Just enjoy your good fortune and be sure to thank Hinata-san, all right? I think if you smile and thank her with tears in your eyes, she’d be happy. After all, apparently she’s fallen out with her friend at school, so she needs it right now.”
“Really?” Fukumoto-san t my gaze, and I rely smiled back. After a long mont he looked away, moving to refill his glass, only to see Shaeula had already emptied the bottle. “Fine, I’ll have a servant bring so more.” he rang the bell, and as we waited he talked to us again, this ti asking a bit about how we t, nodding along when Shaeula regaled him with the tale of when I defeated her and then made her my ally, friend and at last, my lover.
Finally, as we changed topics again, the door opened, and my jaw dropped!
“Well, is this not-not quite the spectacle.” Shaeula laughed, seeing Hinata-san entering, Onoue-san behind her, and two people who must have been her parents on either side. But what was shocking was Hinata-san herself. She was wearing a massively ornate kimono, her hair piled up and pinned exquisitely, and her face was made up traditionally, quite unlike her usual cheeky look. She looked… composed, elegant. Gorgeous.
User Comments
0 comments from readers