Chapter 10 Vol.1

Chp 10:Patience

I wake up still feeling the bone-piercing coldness spreading in my body. I couldn't do anything to alleviate the chilling feeling over my body despite being indoors.

"Looking all dead beat again *Guh*, can't help but ask if it's a weird hobby of yours at this point." [Calli]

Cali is wearing a white sweater and long pants just sitting casually on a table.

"Calli, am I spoiled?" [Edge]

Calli seems to be surprised by my question. she calmly replies

"With the resources, you're provided with I couldn't help but say you should be." [Calli]

"I see, is there something wrong with my character?" [Edge]

Calli seems to have sensed something's up

"The general answer would be yes, but I don't think so." [Calli]

"Why?" [Edge]

"You are able to make quick judgments, finalize conclusions based on information at hand. Smart and very careful. " [Calli]

"Thanks for praising me."[Edge]

I feel bashful from listening to Calli

"But this would mean you are somebody who is impatient and makes quick judgments based on little evidence. Being careful can also be associated with cowardice. Am I wrong?"[Calli]

"Yes you're correct..."[Edge]

I didn't see her jab coming right after she praised me.

"As you can see, there are two truths and no matter how you change, you can't live without having weaknesses." [Calli]

"So what happened to your first day at class Edge."[Calli]

"I-" [Edge]

I told Calli about what happened and we ate dinner together. We went to the library afterward to get books on manifesting Ki and flame element Ki but I was hit by another surprise.

"I'm very sorry to tell you this but currently all the Ki related book had been borrowed by Fubuki-sama"[A-chan]

"WHAT? How am i supposed to learn how to manifest Ki then!" [Edge]

"Fubuki-sama did leave me this in case you come by."[A-chan]

It was a worn-out book titled inner Ki flow.

"Looks like you got what you need, lets go then." [Calli]

"Fine..."[Edge]

We went back to my room and I started reading it.

[Page 1] To manipulate inner Ki you must first find the flow of the Ki, to mark a point in the flow and from the point, you manipulate the flow.

The rest of the book is empty...there's really nothing else....

Over the next 2 days, I repeated the same thing over and over again and I wake up feeling coldness spreading from my bones. On the third day, I made a discovery, I tried to mark a point on the coldness that is spreading in my body and I managed to follow through a chaotic pattern which I believed to be the flow. The next day I tried to move the flow using the point as told in the book. It took me 1.5 hours right before the coldness fully dissipated for me to move it off its course. In 2 more days, I had full control over the point and I could feel a slight chill whenever I move the flow along with the point in my own pattern over a place. I felt elated so I decided to increase the scale of my experiment. I made as many points as I could to control all the other flows to move in one direction. I moved the chill across my body into the center of my body, to circulate around my internal organs. I could feel my hands and body become warmer again.

"Ahh...it feels much better now."[Edge]

I touched my hands to see if it feels warmer. A black shadow suddenly moved into the room and Calli appeared in front of me.

"What the hell did you do!" [Calli]

"What? How did you get in? I Just-"

Calli inspected my body and she immediately thrust her hand on my chest. I could feel heat entering my body at a gentle pace.

"You can't do that. Cooling your core body temperature will kill you! " [Calli]

"I'm sorry Calli I was too happy that I make a breakthrough." [Edge]

Cali sits in silence and took a deep breath.

"It's okay, It's my mistake, I should have seen this coming. We are going to need some books on human biology." [Calli]

Calli exited from the door after checking that I'm fine.

"I can't wait to see Fubuki face for tomorrow" [Edge]

Today is the day, I went into the hot spring and the sauna before entering the training grounds and already circulated the heat energy from the hot spring. I spread the heat all over my body and circulate them intensively. Unfortunately, I ran out of internal energy at the 15-minute mark. I start to feel the chilling cold and decided to went back to the building. It looks like my very limit is 15 minutes without knowing how to manifest Fire Ki. This means I need to learn how to use Fire Ki to breakthrough the 1-hour mark. And for that, I can just ask Calli after our night training session.

"Calli, how do I manifest fire Ki after I manage to manifest internal Ki flow" [Edge]

"Fubuki gave you a chance to prove your words, and I think you are simply losing your patience. You might have hit a wall but knowing you it will be just a matter of time."[Calli]

I look dissatisfied by Calli's answer and I prepare to give up on relying on her. I could look for Mio-sha maybe in the morning.

"Wait."[Calli]

"What?" [Edge]

"Here's my proposal, I could give you a hint or I could demonstrate what I did to you yesterday."[Calli]

"I'll take the demonstration then" [Edge]

"Fubuki intend for you to find out how everything works from the statement you made why do you think she did this? " [Calli]

"She hates my guts?" [Edge]

"For a good reason she does, you lack patience even though you're a careful person. That's why she intends you to take your time to learn!"[Calli]

"No matter which choice you have chosen you couldn't break through the 1-hour limit no matter how hard you can try because you lack the internal strength to sustain it."[Calli]

I felt dispirited and I accepted that there's no rushing for it. I decided to do it patiently after hearing her lecture.

"So just take it slow, you have no other choice except doing so." [Calli]

I felt dispirited and I decided to accept it. I decided to do it patiently after hearing her lecture.

"I understand. May I ask what the hint would be?"[Edge]

"It's the hint Fubuki told you*Guh*."[Calli]

The battle training session with Calli ended harshly, I did not manage to learn anything about fire KI. Just as I was showering I was rubbing soap over my body and I recalled what Fubuki said.

'Let me give you a hint. First, you need to sense the flow of Ki in your body. And to manifest heat, you should give yourself a good rub to keep your body warm.' [Fubuki]

"Rubbing..." [Edge]

I started experimenting using the points to rub all over the body along with the flow but after many trials and errors, I found the best solution is to rub at one certain spot for every pointer and the flow will follow the movement to vibrate all over the body. However, I could only manage to persist the vibration for 20 minutes maximum depending on the speed and area of the vibrating flows. Hence I came up with a sure-fire solution for me to pass my trial.

This will finally be it, I readied myself after bidding farewell from Mio's workplace and A-chan is already standing at the training grounds.

"Why aren't you cold at all just standing here ?" [Edge]

"I have a magic item with me"[A-chan]

"I see, it must be very precious. I'll get started then." [Edge]

I removed my outer clothes and A-chan started to time.

10 minutes passed, 15 minutes passed, 30 minutes passed and I still looked fine.A-chan was flabbergasted at the fact that I am still alive. 40 minutes passed and my fingers already turned blue, extreme cold invaded every pore of my body and the wind hit me harder. 55 minutes passed and the white blizzard, Shirakami Fubuki appeared in front of me, my fingers are turning black from the cold and I am desperately trying to hang on.

"To think a child with an inner strength that minuscule could withstand this weather for close to an hour. It's supposed to take you years before you could pass it. So, what did you do?"[Fubuki]

"I only maintained the heat in the inner core of my body, the internal organs, and my brain, only the important parts are warmed by the Ki so it saves energy better than covering all over the body."[Edge]

"Looks like your judgment was correct after all, don't you think." [Fubuki]

"I'll rather not going through it again, I will be patient when learning from you, sensei." [Edge]

"Very well, I shall have high expectations of you but don't you think you've gone a little bit too far this time? Wouldn't it seems that you're still impatient by passing the test in this manner?"

I look at my hands, They are black with frostbites already, I could imagine what my face would look like.

"I'm a spoiled kid, so I should act like one, with the vault's resources I should be able to heal up in no time." [Edge]

I manage to break my numb lips into a smile while looking at Fubuki. Fubuki seems more intrigued by my words and laughed out so loudly that it echoes around the mountain.

"HAHAHA, Very well said, It seems that you're unsuitable to progress at a normal pace.As your sensei, I will adjust to your learning level correctly so do not disappoint me Edge. See you tomorrow, A-chan will notify you where classes will be held." [Fubuki]

"Time! 1 hour has passed."[A-chan]

"I did it...." [Edge]

I passed out yet again....

That night, my fingers are still purple and numb from the cold but Calli still went on with our training. I hope this hell would end already...