Exiting the gates of the kenji's residence was kiato and merlin who sat on his head giving him directions to a majestic tree by a waterfall, where nature's beauty shone resplendent. The melody of the cascading water danced in harmony with the gentle half-light.
"What am I to do?"
he asked, determination etched on his face.
"You will be learning about aura manipulation, Aura is your life force,"
Merlin explained briefly,
"and it flows directly with your blood circulation. Concentrate on the flow of aura in your body and direct massive aura to both palms."
Kiato's confidence surged as he replied,
"That shouldn't be hard".
" He closed his eyes, focusing inward, and visualized his circulatory system. "
"The heart pumps blood through the aorta, and it passes through the radial artery to the palm,". He thought to himself.
A one-sided smile spread across his face as his palms began to glow with a soft, golden light.
Merlin applauded, her hands clapping together in applause.
"So, your science knowledge isn't useless after all!"
Kiato smiled, releasing more aura.
"Don't get crunky, though – you just started,"
Merlin cautioned, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"Now, concentrate aura around your body, forming a thick defensive wall."
Kiato ignored her teasing tone, basking in the thrill of his first success.
He closed his eyes once more, visualizing the aura flowing through his body.
"Blood circulates everywhere, carrying aura with it," he thought.
"I can diffuse aura through my sweat pores to form a defensive barricade all around me."
With a deep breath, he evenly distributed the aura, creating a shimmering barrier about five centimeters from his body surface. A proud smile spread across his face as he declared,
"Next step!"
Merlin's eyes narrowed, her teeth grinding with a mix of amusement and challenge.
"Don't get crunky, weak human,"
she snapped, turning away with a dramatic flourish.
Few seconds later, she announced,
"Next section: outward aura control."
With a mischievous grin, she flew toward the stream, Kiato following on foot.
"Create a vase of aura and draw water from the stream,"
Merlin instructed, offering no hints. She settled on a nearby branch, watching Kiato with an air of expectation. Kiato stood before the stream, confusion etched on his face, but determination burning in his heart. His first attempts to form the aura vase ended in failure, the aura breaking loose each time. Undeterred, he persisted, finally managing to create a vase denser than air. However, when he submerged it in the water, it washed away.
"Dam it!"
Kiato exclaimed, frustration etched on his face.
"It's denser than air but not denser than water."
Despite his disappointment, he continued to try. The sound of the stream rushing through the landscape accompanied his efforts, and eventually, he managed to draw out water, though the vase was unevenly shaped. Just as he was about to put on a smile, the vase broke, splashing water on his face.
Kiato's frustration grew, and he let his weight sink to the ground, staring up at the sky. Six minutes passed, and he remained deep in thought. Suddenly, a swarm of mosquitoes flew in circles, and a leaf drifted lazily through their center.
"That's it!"
Kiato roared, inspiration striking. He began to run aura in a circular path between his palms, creating a dense aura vortex. With newfound confidence, he submerged the aura invention into the stream and brought it out, this time successfully.
As Kiato raised his hand above the stream, a centrifuge of water spun around the aura vase. Smiling, he walked out of the stream with unopposed balance and called out to Merlin, who was dozing off.
"Merlin... Merlin..."
The half-light opened an eye, then leapt to her feet, shocked by what she saw.
"You actually did it!" she exclaimed. Kiato smiled, his eyes drooping as he drawled,
"Yahh, I finally did it," before falling into unconsciousness.