Chapter 22: Father Freed (1)
I tend to use italics for word/dialogue on top of thoughts, so from now on I'll add 'this' to thoughts so there's no confusion.
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'I should be able to do this now.'
Takauji squatted down at one of the corners of his room, extending his hands about an inch apart from each other, and opening his palms with a focused look on his face.
It was time for him to create his first Chakra Node, to utilize the Hensou Formation successfully.
'All I have to do is create an anchor point with my Chakra, and repeat the process until I've covered the area of my room.'
With the swiftness he had gained from learning the basics, he seamlessly started to weave together the appropriate seals—causing Chakra to build up in front of his hands and slowly mold itself into the shape of a square about the size of a rubix cube.
Each node served as a guideline to actually choose the space you wanted to cover with the Hensou Formation, and the more nodes you used, the more complex you could make the formation.
However, it would also cost you more Chakra and make the upkeep of the formation more draining.
'I'll place four on the floor, and four on the ceiling. Since I'm just trying to cover my room, I shouldn't need a particularly intricate shape.'
While it was possible to use something other than Chakra Nodes, like talismans, to activate a barrier without using up more of your Chakra, he didn't yet have the know-how or materials to create them.
So, for the time being, he'd have to rely solely on his own Chakra Reserve.
'Alright, let's give this a shot.'
After placing down all the nodes, he stood in the center of his room, ensuring that each of them remained stable.
'Rat → Tiger → Ox → Dragon → Hare → Horse → Snake → Monkey → Ram → Dog → Bird.'
Like electricity running through a circuit, a stream of Chakra started to link itself through each of the nodes one by one, responding to his seals in perfect unison as he performed each of them without a single error.
[Skill Awakened! — (Chakra) Hensou Formation; activated through the use of Chakra Nodes, creating a barrier capable of blocking the vision of anyone standing outside it with weak Ki Sense or weak sensory ability.]
[+20 CHK (143→ 163).]
While he had succeeded, his face didn't convey much of a sense of accomplishment.
This was only the beginning, after all; what came next was the seriously challenging part: creating his technique by finding a way to incorporate Yin Release into the Hensou Formation. For him to use Yin Release, a nature transformation of Chakra that existed outside of the five basic elemental natures, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Lightning, he needed to blend the Dark properties of his Mana into his Chakra, turning natural energy into spiritual energy.
That spiritual energy gave you the ability to control imagination, to create something out of nothing—that was the essence of Yin Release.
'Where should I even begin? Unlike with Western Magic, I don't have a pre-made equation to tinker with as I please.'
With how Chakra operated, creating an original technique felt like trying to catch lightning in a bottle; the flexibility of it all made it so much harder to command without an existing guideline.
'Wait, don't I have that technique?'
When he had become a 2nd Circle Magician, he had been granted three techniques, two of which he had already used—Impale and Repulsion.
But he still had yet to touch Evanescence Cloak, a masking technique that utilized Dark Mana.
Sure, it had nothing to do with Chakra—but it was still possible that there was some inspiration waiting to be found.
'Something's better than nothing, let's just hope I'm able to dissect something useful.'
Like he had done so many times before, he sat down on his desk, opened his notebook, and began to dissect each component of the technique.
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Five days had gone by since Takauji had embarked on his journey to create his first original technique.
'I've almost got it, I just need to push a little further.'
He was currently on his way back home from school, confident that today would be the day he made his breakthrough.
"Wait." But once he was a few meters past the front gate, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
'Of course, the world just has to throw an interruption at me.'
Sona was standing behind him with her arms crossed, and a look of stark disapproval on her face as her foot rhythmically tapped against the sidewalk.
"What do you want?" He asked impatiently.
"What do I want?" She repeated mockingly. "Have you looked in the mirror lately? You look like you haven't slept in a month, even though it's hardly been a week."
His face was droopier than usual, his posture had grown sluggish, and the deep eyebags on his face were pretty much impossible to ignore.
And even though Sona had planned on not paying it any heed at first, his current state seemed to warrant her concern.
To achieve such a level of fatigue with his current mental strength took an unbelievable amount of physical and psychological exertion, especially in such a short period.
He clicked his tongue, uninterested in her concern.
"I've been working on a project, that's all."
"A project?" She raised her brow. "Well, I know asking you what it is won't be of much use, but I can tell that you haven't been very successful."
'No shit sherlock.'
His eyes twitched in irritation.
"I'm almost finished with it, so just mind your own business—"
Out of the blue, both contractor and contractee decided to freeze in place, slowly craning their heads to the side as they looked towards the sidewalk on the opposite end of the road.
A blonde girl, dressed in clothing that made everyone who crossed her stop and stare for at least a brief moment, was walking around with clear apprehension.
'A Nun? In Japan? What the hell?'
But she hadn't attracted Sona and Takauji's attention just because of her attire; instead, her presence had invoked some reflex reaction from both of them.
'She doesn't even look Japanese, damn Gaijin!'
"Now that's unexpected," but Sona was the only one who seemed to understand the reason she attracted them. "I'm pretty sure she's a Sacred Gear user."
"Oh?" He narrowed his eyes, observing the Nun more intently. "She's not a Devil, so I'm assuming she doesn't have any relation to you or Gremory-san?"
"No, I've never seen her before in my life, nor do I know what business she has in Kuoh." She hummed, continuing to track the Nun as she clumsily weaved her way through the crowd, clearly trying to locate something.
"Should we follow her?" He smirked, a sudden spark of interest overcoming his prior annoyance.
"In broad daylight? That hardly seems wise," she shook her head. "And judging from her clothing, she's related to the Church—following her could lead to people who wouldn't exactly be fond of us."
"Exorcists?"
"Precisely."
He chuckled. "They might be a problem for you, but I don't share the same weakness as you."
Sona let out a deep exhale. "That doesn't change the fact that you're thinking about rushing into something potentially dangerous head-first, trust me, the Church is a lot more violent than you'd expect—and their aggression isn't only pointed towards Devils."
"Then I'll investigate from a distance. Kuoh is supposed to be under your control. Try to have some authority." To her confusion, he hid himself behind her back.
"What are you doing?"
"Preparing."
His body rapidly began to shrink as he transformed into a tabby cat. Even though it was more logical to use an avian form to track someone, he wasn't currently in the best condition to fly.
Sure, he wasn't going to admit that openly, but deep down, he was still well aware of the toll pursuing the creation of his original technique was starting to take on him.
A cat was still discreet enough, and much faster as long as he navigated himself accordingly.
"There's still a high risk of—"
"I wouldn't let myself get caught speaking to a cat in public if I were you." He took off before she could finish her sentence, swiftly crossing the street and following the Nun's trail.
"Aw! Look! A kitty!" But along the way, a passing woman ended up squealing at the sight of Takauji's adorable form.
'You dare address me without my permission? Mongrel?'
She kneeled, attempting to pet him.
An attempt that was going to cost her.
'Not only that, but you'd be so brazen as to interrupt my current investigation? Foolish vixen, you're courting death!'
He crouched down, buckling his four-legged frame before jumping up with his paw locked and loaded.
Neko Punch!
"OW!" She fell over on her behind, completely knocked back by the force of his mighty paw.
'Know your place.'
He did the cat-equivalent of scoffing at her before continuing to follow the Nun.
Tabby-Taka was not to be trifled with.
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'Goodness girl, couldn't you have gotten a tour guide or something?'
After a very, very lengthy amount of time spent fumbling around Kuoh, the Nun finally appeared to have arrived at her destination, causing him to breathe an internal sigh of relief.
'It's the 21st Century, learn how to use Google Maps already!'
For reasons unknown, she had made her way towards a fountain near Kuoh's local park, the place where Raynare and Takauji had first met while the former was still using her fake identity.
It was also the place where he set up his first teleportation circle, which could be helpful depending on how things unfolded.
"Well! Well! Well! If it isn't Asia-chan!"
A strange figure, with a disturbingly raspy voice, decided to make its presence known. Stepping out from behind the fountain and greeting "Asia" with a creepy smile and especially a creepy demeanor.
He was a young man who appeared to be about Takauji's age, with striking, bright vermilion eyes and short white hair, complemented by the coloring of the clerical attire he wore.
'Another Gaijin! And he looks like someone who'd be on a government list! This is why we need to enforce stricter visa regulations. Hmph.'
"Are you—" Asia hesitated, eyeing up the young man with a justified level of concern. "Father Freed?"
"Yes! Yes! That's me!" He wrapped his arm around Asia's neck. "And you, my dear little Asia-chan, are going to be my faithful assistant from now on! Aren't you glad? You're glad, aren't you? No, there's no need to say anything. I can feel the excitement radiating off your body!"
'I'm pretty confident in my English, but damn is that guy's accent hard to understand.'
"Now then, I'm sure you're eager to meet your benefactors and all—but right now duty's calling me! So you'll have the honor of witnessing the amazing Father Freed in action with your own very eyes! Aren't you a lucky little one?"
Without wasting so much as a second, Freed started to lead Asia elsewhere, clearly uninterested in giving the girl any breathing room.
And Takauji, being the curious cat that he was, decided to continue following them.
'What kind of citizen would I be if I let a suspicious Gaijin walk our town unchecked?'
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If you're wondering, "Gaijin" just means foreigner in Japan.
And as we can see, Taka isn't exactly fond of them.
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