Foundations of Power

The next day rose, and the burning heat struck through the cracks of the window blinds. It reminded him that the summer was near. Zenatori limped off his bed, absorbing the blaze. It wasn't hot enough to make him sweat, but it was hot enough to sizzle his skin.

Zenatori lowered the blinds on the window, cancelling the heat from entering his room. 

He checked the time.

9:45 am

He realized he had time to spare, so he texted Akari.

"Meet me in the library."

He wanted to learn the history of syneji artistry. As he pressed the send button, he couldn't help but feel subtly embarrassed. It was quite foolish for someone to have to explain the history of something that you should already know. Who goes to a school about syneji artistry and knows nothing about it?

Maybe, if he waited a couple of days, Kurosawa, or someone else, could help him learn the history of it. No, he had no time to hesitate; he had to graduate as quickly as he could. To save everyone

He entered the library and found Akari already waiting for him. He only wondered how she got there so quickly. Was she also very fast like Hayoku or Koumiko? But she's just a high school student; she couldn't have had that much time to strengthen herself. Nonetheless, he wasn't to get distracted; the main topic would begin.

Zenatori took a seat in front of Akari, quietly sliding the chair back to sit.

Akari broke the silence.

"What is it you need?"

"You told me to ask you if I needed questions, right?" Zenatori said presumingly.

"Yes..?" Akari said, partially quizzically.

"I was wondering if you could tell me the history of how this stuff started."

Akari leaned back slightly in her chair.

"Hmmm, I guess you should know the basics; it only makes sense."

Akari twiddled her thumb slightly before leaning forward again. She seemed as if she was doing a vast

recollection of her thoughts.

"Two thousand years ago, there was a syneji artist named the Divine Artist. This syneji artist wasn't bound by the qualms of humanity; they were an all-knowing being, sent by God. The Divine Artists sacrificed themselves to create five children that appeared from each fragment of their souls.

They all had the fragment of the soul of the Divine Artist; these five syneji artists were named the founders, and like the divine artist, they had the ability to transfer their souls as well. Due to them each sharing 1/5th of the divine artist's soul, they had omniscience similar to the Divine Artist. Each founder had one of the five inherent syneji: 

Akairo Founder (Dragon's Flame), Urei Founder (Temporal Frost), Midori Founder (Earth Bounds), Shiroi Founder (Winding Stride), Seimei Founder (Bleeding Rejuvenation). The five founders were seen as heroes and would never fight anyone unless they absolutely had to."

Zenatori could only find all this history interesting. Everything truly has a reason for something.

"How do you know if you are born with an inherent syneji?" Zenatori said.

"The five inherent syneji's, otherwise known as the five syneji's gifted from God, are the ones descended by the five founding artists. The people born with one of these synejis are often born in a bloodline of each of the syneji's. I myself was born in the Akari line. Which is why I have the syneji; Temporal Frost. There's an off chance you aren't born into any, and just randomly awaken your syneji."

Zenatori realized he wasn't born in a bloodline of syneji artists, at least for all he knows. But he likely would've known if he was. Does that make Zenatori weaker than Akari? He couldn't be a strong syneji artist if he can't get past Akari. Zenatroi finally spoke up.

"How about we fight?"

"What?" She said, slightly shocked. "That's completely random."

"To serve as a testament to see which one is stronger, someone born without a bloodline, or someone born in one. You said I could awaken my syneji, right?"

"That doesn't really make any sense. Even if I wasn't born into one, I would still be stronger than you, because you are simply inexperienced."

Zenatori thought for a moment and realized what Hayoku said.

"The growth of a syneji artist is exponential."

But Hayoku is right, with this kind of thing, you start slow. It was a process that couldn't be rushed. Just because he isn't stronger than Akari now doesn't mean that he will never be. 

Akari suddenly interrupted Zenatori's line of thought.

"But, we can spar. I'd like to get to know how strong you are as well."

And so the rivalry began.

Zenatori followed Akari into a large padded room. The room had test dummies, punching bags, and mats that lay on the floor. Zenatori took a moment to look around, taking in every detail.

Akari looked at Zenatori.

"This is the training room."

Day by day, this school becomes more interesting to Zenatori. He notices that far on his right is another room that leads to a gym.

Akari said.

"This is where you can train, and you're free to enter at any time you want. We'll be using it for this training session. We aren't doing anything crazy yet. I just want to test your strength. You aren't ready for things such as isotonic force reinforcement and other stuff."

Zenatori finishes his observation and looks at Akari.

"So what are we doing?" Zenatori said.

"We're just gonna try basic hand-to-hand combat. I'll let you strike whenever-"

Zenatori instantly reaches his arm out, striking through the air with a powerful jab. But Akari lifts her arm, blocking the strike.

"You're still a human," She said tauntingly. "While I'm a syneji artist."

Zenatori retracts his fist and attempts to strike Akari again, but she evades.

"What sloppy form."

Zenatori looked and could only think to himself. How is she moving this fast? This was beyond humanity.

Akari put her hands behind her back and leaned forward, smirking. Zenatori attempted to wipe the smirk off her face, but she bowed her blow effortlessly. He then goes in for a thunderous knee, but she quickly raised her head and dodged again.

He tried to catch her off-guard with a sudden right cross, but she simply leaned back, dodging yet another strike. 

Akari grinned and let Zenatori drop his fist before saying.

"What separates me from an average human is my isotonic energy. Everyone is born with a certain amount of isotonic energy, but to refine your isotonic energy requires isotonic force, which not everyone is born with. Isotonic energy controls your physical attributes."

Zenatori was hit by a sudden wave of determination. If he could force her to use her syneji, he considered this battle a victory.

Zenatori let his arms down, searching for something else. He attempted to grab her, quickly lunging at her, but she moved out of the way, pushing him to the ground.

Zenatori tried to go for another blow, but Akari simply lifted her elbow and parried Zenatori's strike. Zenatori spun around with a spinning back fist, which was effortlessly dodged by Akari, leaning down.

Akari slightly chuckled.

"What are you trying so hard for? What do you have to prove?"

Zenatori bolted forward, exhausting his energy, and tried to hit her. She readied herself to evade, but abruptly, he spread his arms out at the last second.

But she read into his desperation. She quickly reacted and struck him to the ground. As he looked up, he felt something on top of him. Akari crossed one knee over the other and lay against Zenatori.

Zenatori lay on the ground in defeat, slamming his fist against it.

Akari began laughing, closing her eyes as she teared up.

"It seems that got it out of you," she said.

Zenatori frowned.

"Yeah, yeah, picking on the weak. I hope you're proud."

Akari continued laughing.

"You're the one who tried to prove something! Well, I hope you learned something today-"

As Akari opened her eyes, one centimeter from her face, a fist was driving straight toward her. It was too late to try dodging; there was nothing she could do to react quickly enough. Zenatori finally grinned, for his victory was inevitable.

"Kaigen Series: Frozen Stalactite," she muttered.

"Was that what you were looking for?" Akari said in a disgruntled tone. "That concludes this training session. Let’s go."

Although Zenatori completed his goal, this world still had much more to explore beneath the surface.

After the training session, Zenatori continued through the school day and went through the rest of class. He took a seat and saw the same girl in front of him.  

Zenatori examined the girl closer and saw Akikyo Yachi. Zenatori met her yesterday, but nothing was particularly strange. 

Suddenly, she turned back and stared at Zenatori. He couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed and wondered why this girl was taking a look at him. 

"You just look so average," She said after a few moments. "So I guess she isn't interested in you look-wise. I guess you have some pretty cool looking hair..?"

"Hey, that's a bit harsh..."

"I'm trying to see what she saw in you to the point where she'll want to talk to you so much."

Zenatori narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"Is it really that serious..?"

"Of course it is! All I want is to be friends with Akari!"

"But why, though?"

"Ever since I met her, she has always had that same cold look in her eyes. I've never even seen her smile once. She seems like she was in a forced isolation that she has no control over."

Zenatori slightly gave it a thought.
"Is something wrong with Akari? I suppose that's a question I'd never know the answer to."

"Even then, you really are under no obligation to help her anyway. If she truly wanted help, she would ask for it."

Yachi paused for a moment.

"Is that truly what you believe..?"

Zenatori froze for a moment. He messed something up. But what? Yachi stared at Zenatori, giving him an uneasy feeling.

She then let out a quiet chuckle.

"Well, for now, I can only watch the master at work for now."

Akari finally walked into class and took a seat. She couldn't help but have a slight feeling someone was watching her. 

"Say," she said to Zenatori. "Do you feel as if someone's staring at us. Every time I look to see, no one's looking in our direction. I have a feeling about who it is."

"W-What..! That's kinda crazy. I feel pretty fine right now."

"Oh, I guess my conjecture was short-sighted. Sorry for startling you."

"Nah, we all are human after all."

After time went by, the class was over before either of them knew it. Zenatori was actually starting to understand some of what Mashaka was talking about. It was like learning a new language. Zenatori had taken the time to write some notes down, just in case. Zenatori held his notebook in his hand and walked out of class.

As he exited the door, entering the hallway, he saw Yachi again, calmly looking out the window. This was the first time he had seen her fully. The streaks of sun made her skin glow, and its rays of heat struck through the strands of her short-cut, silky, brown hair. She was truly beautiful.

She turned around.
"Ah, Zenatori!" 

It seemed that she was waiting for him for whatever reason. 

"What?" he said. 

"Mind if you join me?" she said as she tapped her hand against the window seal. 

"Join what? What kind of question is that?" 

"Wow, you’re quite honest. I mean, just looking out at the sun."

Zenatori walked over and looked out the window. The beautiful skies combined with a glowing sun, echoing its light. 

Yachi smiled. 

"Isn't it beautiful?" 

Zenatori's eyes lighten. 

"I guess... Is this all you called me here for?" 

"No, I just wished to speak to you. 

"You seem rather interesting." 

"Oh, then what?"

"Are you a good person?"

Zenatori is slightly taken aback. He stood for a few moments thinking about what she said. It was so sudden. What is it supposed to mean? 

He pondered for a moment. 

"Good person..? How could I possibly define what a good person is in the first place? Are there even good people in this world?" 

"You don't need to answer," she said, cutting off his line of thought. "In fact, just ignore it."
"Huh..? How are you going to say something like that and act as if nothing happened?"
"I honestly don't know why I said that," she said, chuckling lightly. 

"You just seem like the type of person to overthink when faced with a moral question."

"What kind of assumption is that? You don’t even know me."

"I just saw it in a book I was reading. I guess I wanted to see how you would react." 

"I see..." Zenatori muttered. 

She continued to embrace the warmth of the sun for a few more moments. Zenatori stood strangely and didn't know whether to leave or not. He felt a very odd feeling that he couldn't make. Was it nervousness, uneasiness? It was indescribable. 

Yachi looked over at Zenatori again. 

"I think you're a good person. Maybe that's what Akari likes about you." 

Zenatori looked at her questioningly. 

"You don't even know me, nor does Akari. What are you talking about?" 

She got from the wall and walked over to a nearby vending machine. 

"What kind of drink do you like?" 

"I'm not really thirsty..." 

Yachi got him a drink anyway and received it from the vending machine. She threw the drink at Zenatori, and he caught it. It was some grape soda. Zenatori, confused about everything that's happening, looked at her and mumbled. 

"What..?" She then walked off and continued the rest of her day. 

Zenatori stood quietly, appalled by the conversation. He finally focused and went on with his day. 

After an hour, Zenatori finally walked to the courtyard to begin Hayoku's lesson. He saw Hayoku, who was fiddling with some keys in one hand and was drinking from another mug.

Zenatori walked toward Hayoku.
"Cmon, drinking coffee this late?"

Hayoku pressed himself against the wall and chuckled.

"It's only one pm."

Hayoku took another sip before questioning Zenatori.

"So, how far into history have you learned?"

"I'd say I know the basics. I know about inherent and innate syneji's, along with the founding artists."

"That's great," He said as he swung his keys around. 

"How about we go do something fun?"