Flashback Chapter 0.62 Blue Moon

The moon's surface was as silent as a grave, with no sound but the pulsing mana that pulsed like life beneath the world's skin. Beneath a transparent dome of mana created by Naoko, where artificial oxygen flowed smoothly, gravity was adjusted to nearly that of Earth, and the stillness of the surrounding ether almost froze time.

Naoko, with her regal stature, sat in front of Jin, who sat silently. He was a fifteen-year-old boy, his silver hair falling over his shoulders and his pale silver eyes, lost as if searching for her identity.

She said in her calm, dignified voice:

Today you will learn how to deal with the destruction moon… the blue moon.

She raised her hand, and from the palm of her hand a ball of mana formed, a glowing blue color, unlike the blue of the sky or the sea, but a deep blue, as if it contained invisible storms of pure, raw energy.

"Blue Moon mana," Naoko said, "is pure destructive power. Not a force of chaos as some think, but a deadly discipline. Every atom of it is programmed to destroy… not healing, not support, not manipulation. Just… destruction."

Jin leaned forward slightly, staring at the glowing ball, heat surging from his heart. Something inside him responded to the call of the Force, an ancient flame burning deep within him.

"Feel it, not with your eyes, but with your bones."

Jin closed his eyes, and Naoko began to guide him:

"Imagine your body as an empty vessel. Now, imagine the blue mana entering it. Don't resist. Let it burn you if necessary, just observe it."

Slowly, the blue mana began to seep into Jin's body through Naoko's palm. The pain came first, like burning stabs, but it wasn't just physical. He felt memories, thoughts, and even his pride begin to burn inside him. The blue mana was testing his worthiness.

He fell to his knees, breathing heavily, but Naoko didn't touch him. Her silver eyes watched him like a scientist observing a crucial experiment.

"If you don't control it now, it will destroy you," she whispered.

Jin muttered, sweat dripping from his forehead:

"I feel... like she's trying to break me from the inside out."

"Because it does. The Moon of Destruction does not accept weak bodies. It must reshape you in its image."

Hours of pain passed, until Jin's body began to adjust. The skin on his hands hardened, like polished stone. Amidst this great tension, his silver hair began to change. Darkness began to spread from its roots. Black strands invaded his locks, as if the blue mana had stripped away the cold purity from him, giving him a darker color.

In a fleeting moment, his eyes also transformed from fragile silver to a fiery crimson, reflecting the burning of something mysterious within him.

Naoko raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"You break… then you reform. Excellent."

Then she stood up, and pointed to a huge stone she had previously conjured from the heart of the moon, harder than steel.

"Strike this stone, not with your hand, but with the Blue Moon. Summon the mana within you, then release it."

Jin raised his hand and closed his eyes. In his mind's eye, he saw a blue vortex forming from his heart, gathering in his arm, and then exploding from his palm. He raised his arm toward the rock and whispered:

"Explode."

Blue mana surged out like a destructive beam. It slammed into the rock, exploding into dark gray ash, leaving nothing of it. Even the surrounding space was shattered, leaving a deep mark on the moon's surface.

"Wonderful," Naoko said, moving closer to him. "But that's just part."

Then she sat on a rock and began to explain:

The Destruction Moon has great benefits:

* Multiplies the power of the strike by ten times.

* Can break magical barriers.

* Can turn any object into a destructive weapon.

* It ignites in the air and causes chain explosions.

Then she looked at him with sharp eyes:

"But... it comes at a price."

"What price?" Jin asked, breathing steadily again.

"Every time you use it, it feeds on your emotions. Your anger, your sadness, even joy turns into fuel. And if you don't control it, it will start to break down your neurons. A part of you will die every time... not just your body, but your humanity."

Jin paused for a moment, then asked in a low voice:

"How can I control it?"

"With three things:

1- Special food rich in heavy proteins and green moon mana.

2- Strict breathing system whenever you use it, to filter out excess pulse of mana.

3- A smart weapon specially crafted to contain blue mana

Then she extended her hand and handed Jane a shining black sword, its hilt engraved with a moon-blue inscription.

"This sword is made of blue onyx. It will drink mana and empty it quietly. Do not use blue mana without it in your hand."

Jin held the sword, and smiled faintly, but his voice was sharp:

"I feel like it suits me… like I was born to carry this color."

Naoko said in a deep tone:

"But you were born to be more than just a carrier. You were born to be the master of the moon."

Then she motioned for him to return to training.

"You will strike these stones a hundred times. But each strike must be precise, focused, no more and no less than 3% of your strength. If you use more, the sword will be destroyed. If you use less, you will learn nothing."

Jin obeyed and began training. Each strike sent a blue wave shaking the air, but he began to master balance. Every movement was a sculpting of his new self. His muscles tightened, his eyes sharpened, and his voice deepened.

As he struck, Naoko watched him, not with words, but with her eyes. She wasn't smiling, but deep down, she knew that her son, once a weak boy, was beginning to turn into her perfect weapon.