( AOTE:3)
Izuma continued reading; every page held a lengthy description of his power.
Meanwhile, in another spot, Sai sat feeling lost, unsure of what to do. There was something stirrring within him as well; at that moment, he wasn't the person others usually saw. It truly felt as though something was hidden deep inside him.
"Sai..." someone called from behind him.
"Master!"
Yes, it was Master Daisho. He had appeared behind him quite unexpectedly.
"Master Daisho..." Sai bowed his head in respect.
The Master slowly sat down beside him. The moment he looked at Sai, he understood that something was weighing on his heart.
"Sai... why are you sitting here all alone and troubled?"
Sai sat in silence for a while. The memories of the past flashed through his mind like a recurring nightmare.
"Master... I feel so angry with myself," he said in a low, trembling voice.
"During the attack by Zek, and the attack by the stranger... I couldn't do anything in any of it. I couldn't even help Izuma. I just stood there, useless."
He looked down at his wound and continued.
"I lose every single time. I haven't even been able to use my power once. I feel like I'm not even worthy to stand alongside Izuma, Jinso, and Haru, Master."
His voice cracked. The series of defeats he had faced had completely shattered his self-confidence.
Master placed a hand on Sai's shoulder and said to him:
"Boy... strength is not the sharpness of a weapon; it is the steadiness of your mind. Failures are what shape a warrior. The fire within you hasn't gone out it is merely hidden beneath the ashes. It is your duty to clear those ashes and bring it forth."
The Master pointed toward the ancient pages.
"The records given to you belong to a warrior who returned from defeat. A warrior who fought and conquered by freezing his fear and doubt. If you want to protect your friends, you must first believe in yourself."
Hearing his words, Sai slowly raised his head. A spark of faith ignited somewhere deep within him. As he tightened his grip on his sword, it regained its energy and began to glow. He could feel a cold mist emanating from it.
"Master!!"
He looked at him, his eyes sparkling with a mix of hope, joy, and excitement.
The Master looked back into his eyes and smiled.
Master Daisho slowly stood up. The glow he saw on the sword was merely the beginning.
"Sai," the Master said, standing before him.
"You have seen a tiny spark of your power. I can help you bring it fully under your control. Do you trust me?"
The Master asked, extending his hand toward him.
Seeing this, Sai felt a surge of joy within him. He had always felt different from the others, as if no one truly understood him. But here, it was the Master who had understood his heart. He didn't need any greater happiness than that.
"But..." Sai looked down at his injured leg.
"Sai... the wound is in your mind. Once that begins to heal, all of this will fade away quickly."
Master Daisho led him to a serene place where neither the wind nor any sound was excessive.
Sai looked around; the place was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Master, why are we here?" he asked, surveying his surroundings.
"Sai, if you want to bring stability to your power, you need training that suits it. Remember, no victory is ever achieved easily."
He handed those pages to him.
"The power that has manifested within you is Kuroven, the power of cold, Sai. The reason for this must be some unique quality within you."
Sai watched the Master intently, hanging on to every word.
"Sai, haven't you seen the snow falling? It is beautiful to behold, but if that cold exceeds what one can bear, it can freeze life itself. Your power is just like your nature. No matter how you appear on the outside, on the inside, you possess the ability to turn anyone into ice."
Sai looked down at the page in his hand. It read:
[Why is Kuroven feared?
It binds an enemy in a way that keeps them from retreating.
They will run, they will fight, but in the end, their soul shatters like ice.
One who possesses Nether Ice within:
Is attractive, calm, and wears a smile.
Yet, deep down, they carry a cold disposition.
This power chooses a person based on the contradiction between a warm heart and a cold destiny.]
The Master looked toward the stream in front of them. "Your destiny is like this stream, Sai."
The Master slowly walked toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sai, you are the only one who can learn the power that has chosen you."
The Master handed him his sword, a smile still lingering on his face. "You are not a coward, nor are you useless. Kuroven chose you because you are strong."
With that, he left Sai's side and walked ahead alone. Even as the Master disappeared from sight, Sai sat there, gazing in that direction.
**
[The process of bringing out the powers living within them has begun. The days ahead will be dedicated to their training tracking the changes in each of them and the growth of their strength...]