* GULP *
I could feel the saliva harshly move down my throat as I loosened my grip on the hilt.
Haruo's roughness and sudden grabbing of Elizabeth made me feel he had more than harmless plans for her.
" I-I-I....Th-There are t-two of you—Juri! There's two of you!! "
" Juri make a decision now. She's seen me. "
" Wh-what's wrong with that? W-we can explain it to her! "
Haruo shook his head, crossing his arms.
" There's no telling what story she'll come up with once she leaves here. For all we know—she could run and tell her mother we're some variant of monster. "
The atmosphere got even more tense. Elizabeth stopped talking, completely silent. Her face went pale and the room began to take a new vibe. It was as if the shape of the room contorted and shifted, the air becoming thinner and harder to breathe in.
It even made me clench the sword tighter.
" We should make sure she stays silent. If she dies we'll have to find some way to dispose— "
" I'm not killing anyone! I-I'll become the strongest but...if it means I have to kill someone—hurt someone like that...I'd rather lose my soul! "
My mouth moved before my reasoning and logic could catch up. Maybe Haruo would take that as a challenge to the promise I made to him and take away my soul. But even if he did...I would never suffer regret from making this decision.
I will not kill.
" ...Fine. She doesn't have to die. "
Elizabeth seemed to sigh heavily, dropping her head. Just a moment after Haruo seemed to back down, Elizabeth raised her head, looking at me.
" Juri...You're the real Juri, right? I don't know what's going on but...I trust you...So whatever this is...I won't say a word to anyone. "
Many people have lied to me before. Countless times the closest people to me lied and hid things from me. Attempting to use their deceit as a veil for their agenda.
" She's not lying, Haruo. She won't say anything. "
I threw down the sword and picked up the basket. Putting the bread back inside of it, I set the basket down on the nearest table in the room, turning back to Elizabeth.
" I assume the bread was for me, right? I appreciate it! "
My hand came down to Elizabeth, offering her assistance.
She took my hand and dusted herself off.
" But I'm not leaving until I get an explanation! I'm owed that much. "
I looked toward Haruo, deciding to come up with something on the spot. I didn't want to lie to someone so honest but...it would be heartbreaking if I told her Juri died. And while I have his memories and body, I decided to live on as him.
" When I encountered the Killer Bear...I... "
" I am the product of awakening an advanced technique using Soul Power. It's called the 'Mind Splitting Technique'. "
Haruo chimed in, covering for me. Due to the original Juri's memories, I understood a bit about Soul Power, allowing me to not be lost when Haruo previously brought it up. Thanks to that prior knowledge, I learned about the existence of Aura, the vital soul power that enables martial artists and weapon masters to greatly bolster their strength...I didn't know there was a technique like that.
" Right. By using that technique, we managed to kill the beast. He is named Haruo—and he's not as unfriendly as he seems. "
" Mind...Splitting Technique? So...Haruo is you but not you? "
" Exactly! The technique is extremely rare and hard to use! It's why Haruo was so rash. If people knew we could use it and spread the word—we would have a very hard time proving we weren't some sort of doppelganger monster-beast! "
Elizabeth walked toward Haruo looking him up and down. There were some differences about him now that I looked. While we shared the same physical appearance, how we carried ourselves was different.
He was upright and presented a strong outward appearance. His face was stoic and even with the glowing eye, he had a dull look in them. Maybe it was the influence of being a Celestial...Or maybe it was just the result of using magic to create a new body for a time being.
I didn't understand magic, seeing as Juri did not know much about it at all.
Elizabeth's hand pulled up, gracing Haruo's cheek.
" He's just like you. And his eye is rather beautiful. "
Her voice was alluring and soft. Haruo seemed to not at all make any physical reaction to the sudden touching. However, I could feel a reaction deep inside of me. It made my face burn bright and my eye started to twitch a bit. The same eye that Haruo had been using as a window to see when his full consciousness was inside of me.
I covered my blushing face and turned away for a moment, waiting for Elizabeth's hand to leave Haruo's face so we could both settle down.
" W-We were training, Elizabeth! We gotta get back to it! I won't be able to become an Adventurer if I don't get stronger! "
Elizabeth suddenly turned to me, letting go of Haruo and rushing over to me. My hands were enveloped by her soft palms and pulled close to her chest.
" So you haven't given up! I knew it! You were just saying that so we wouldn't worry! "
Her head met with my chest and she slightly sniffled.
" Don't do that! I don't want you to lie to me for my sake—even if I don't want you to become one! "
I paused. This was the first time someone had ever told me not to lie to them for their sake...Though, at the time it wasn't a lie...still...those words made my heart flutter. Her eyes turned up to me, her face red and tears coming down.
" I don't want you to be someone that you aren't! No matter how dangerous it is...be you, Juri! Only you! "
Silence swept through the room. Haruo had settled down and was now once again stoically looking toward us. Elizabeth stifled her sniffling, now resolutely looking into my eyes. I could feel a pressure come down upon my shoulders to say something. And before I knew it—
" Then I promise. "
Haruo's eyes widened.
" I'll never lie like that again. Even...Even if it hurts you. "
Though I hadn't been lying at the time of renouncing Juri's goals of becoming an adventurer...I did lie about being Juri. And so, I'll vow to never lie to this woman again.
Not someone this honest.
" Thank you! "
Elizabeth buried her head into my chest again. Maybe it was because she had to again come to grips with the fact that Juri, this time me, would be rushing into becoming an Adventurer...Though, she could've just been happy to hear me say those words and had no other way to express it.
" Ahem! Training, remember? "
Haruo's surprise came to an end not too long after it showed on his face. He picked up the sword from where I had tossed it and laid the flat side of the blade against his shoulder. His foot tapped the floor as he waited for Elizabeth to break her hold on me.
" R-Right! Sorry! I'll get out of your hair, Juri. But please—be safe. "
I nodded. There was no guarantee that I wouldn't get hurt working with Haruo. But I'd certainly try not to...
Elizabeth left not too long after Haruo broke us up, wishing us both safe training.
" That woman is something else. "
" You're telling me. It was like she had a grip on my heart. I've never met a woman so pure. "
Haruo tossed the sword in my direction and I caught it by the hilt, slicing it downward.
" Now I feel a little motivated. If not for any other reason than to get stronger so I, Juri, won't die again! "
" Then let's begin again. "
A presence unbeknownst to me at the time had not left from behind the closed door until after Haruo called the training to begin.
. . .
After a full night of training, I ended up sleeping late into the afternoon. Haruo had decided to deconstruct the body double and return fully to my soul after realizing my body was completely sore from repeating and perfecting the sword stances and movements the original had known.
Haruo was quite considerate—allowing me to sleep uninterrupted. And when I had finally woken up with a lazy yawn, I wondered for a moment if Celestial beings even slept.
" You're awake. "
With the speed at which he had responded, that meant Haruo had either not slept at all or his sleeping wasn't dependent on me and had woken up before I did.
" You have some business to attend to, remember? Those Adventurers will be called to cull the pack of Killer Bears. "
" So? I'm not an Adventurer yet... "
" Then you'll just have to become one, won't you? "
Sorting through Juri's memories, to become an Adventurer you needed one of two things. Definitive proof that you could use Aura, the power of the Soul. Or duel an active Adventurer and either score 3 attacks upon them or outright defeat them.
But Juri couldn't use Aura. So that meant I'd have to fight an active Adventurer...
" You're thinking you'll have to fight an Adventurer to become one, right? So simple-minded. "
" What?! I'm not simple! "
" Then think for even a second more. I can teach you. "
" Teach me? "
Was Haruo suggesting he could teach me how to use Aura so suddenly? It would make sense that a Celestial knows about Aura, sure. But how could he suddenly make me capable of using it?
" We Celestials don't have souls. Therefore, we can't use Aura ourselves. However, we've studied the soul extensively as it is truly the one thing we do not possess. "
I sat up in the bed, now fully awake. I could feel a slight smile creeping up on my face.
" That's right, Juri. I can teach you the most effective way to use Aura. "
It was hard to believe for a moment. Aura would be the first bit of fantasy power that I would be able to wield at my fingertips. While Haruo had used magic to create a new body for him to inhabit, I couldn't do that myself.
I would finally have real powers...
" I have to become the strongest Adventurer, right? And the strong Adventurers all know how to use Aura, right? "
My hands gripped the blanket covering me tightly.
" Then let's get started already. "
A wide smile completely shaped my face, excitement vibing through me.
Once I had gotten up Haruo decided it would be best if I went out to the forest to learn how to wield Aura. When I asked why, he didn't say much of anything, instead telling me simply that it would be in my best interest if I just listened.
So I did. After getting fully dressed and fastening my belt with satchels for easy carry of the dried jerky Juri had and a small broken-off piece of the loaf Elizabeth had given me, I headed out the door.
The jacket I grabbed was the same tattered one, though it was better than nothing considering the breeze that went through Onnohart.
Just before leaving, I picked up the sheathed sword I had taken ownership of, moving the sheath's belt around my back as it was the only place it could've gone.
Elizabeth had been working and Ms. Marie was resting so I hadn't run into them, allowing me to make a beeline and run from my home to the forest out of Onnohart. The closer I got to the forest, the more excited I became. Haruo was silent for a large portion of the trek there, only speaking up to tell me to stop once I got deep enough into the forest for him.
" Alright. This will do. "
" Okay! What now? "
" I'm going to use my connection to your soul to stabilize the rapid fluctuations that will occur. And you are going to listen to my direct instructions and destroy your soul. "
" Right! You're gonna stabilize the fluctuations and I'll destroy my soul! "
...
" Destroy my soul?! "
" Precisely. Just like when a human breaks down their muscles to rebuild stronger and more efficient ones, you will destroy your soul and it will be rebuilt into a perfect vessel to manipulate Aura. "
" Isn't that a little dangerous? "
" This method was created by the greatest thief and Aura Master in the history of Theatera, 'Reeva Von Asteria'. He used the help of one of the most legendary Celestials to achieve this method. "
" Reeva of Asteria huh...He sounds really strong. Too bad he was a thief. "
" It's said that his crew, 'Yggdrasil', consisting of a Human, an Elf, a Dragon, a Fairy, and a Celestial managed to not only break through the boundaries of race but also destroy the most corrupt syndicate in all of the Human Territory. And in their final act of justice, they uprooted the twisted royalty that made life harder for everyone. "
" So he was a...hero then? "
" Well, the history books mark him down as a grand thief and traitor who suddenly vanished after killing the Queen of the Human Territory at the time, 'Queen Pechka'. However, I had the fortune of hearing the story from the very same Celestial who was in his crew. "
" And...? "
" I would be confident enough to say that there has yet to be a man as brave and self-sacrificing as him in the last 200 years since his death. "
Hearing a story about a legendary Hero-Thief like Reeva lit a fire in me for some reason. To be regarded as the most brave man in the last 200 years by an immortal and rather objective Celestial had to be a crowning achievement and he wasn't even there to receive it. That kind of legacy was inspiring.
" Let's do this, Haruo! "
My eyes probably looked as though they had found a new goal. Though, I wouldn't have vocalized it...I wanted to be like that Hero.
" I'm glad you're feeling more up to this. Now, focus. To break down your soul, you're going to have to focus hard on your solar plexus. Once you get a solid tense feeling in that area, I want you to imagine an orb inside yourself. "
Immediately, I began to focus. My solar plexus was right in my center mass, giving me a clear mental goal to focus on. My body tensed and I could feel the muscles in my torso tightening. I created the image of an orb within.
" Now...picture your muscles banging against it like a drum. For Humans, imagery and willpower produce the most powerful results within the Soul. While you do that, I am going to expedite it so the full breaking happens. "
And following Haruo's words, I did just that. Once I had made that image in my mind, I could feel a burning sensation building in me.
" I'm going to begin! "
Haruo's Celestial energies wrapped around my soul, producing a physical change within me. The orb that I pictured inside my solar plexus was wrapped in light, a crushing force coming down upon it. And before I knew it, a sudden burst occurred within me.
As if my chest exploded, I could feel something breaking deep inside.
" Steady! Keep up your image! "
I tried my best to continue producing the image of an orb in my solar plexus but as I continued to do so, I could feel my body breaking down. As if...I was crumbling. Fading away.
However...right as I started to feel my consciousness slipping, a tight feeling appeared in my neck. A golden glow came from behind my head, shining past my eyes, and illuminating the path I had to take. I stepped forward, approaching what seemed to be the road of strength.
My mind was slipping, fading into delirium. But even in that state, the golden glow pushed me forward. Haruo's voice telling me to focus had been drowned out. And before long the entire world around be had been enclosed in darkness. The only thing still visible...was the golden light and the path ahead.
I wouldn't let myself fade away.
I wouldn't be erased.
" Argh....Rrrggh....RAAGHHH!! "
* BANG *
My head collided with the tree I had met, blood spewing from my forehead. But right as I had done that, my streamlined world of darkness and golden glow had expanded, colors flying from my body. All sorts. Blue, red, green, pink, yellow, orange, every color on the spectrum that my eyes could see had been visible. A myriad of bright lights surrounded me.
" You did it, Juri. You had me worried. Your soul nearly completely crumbled...I had been stabilizing it but...Cracking open your soul unleashed something...beyond me. "
* HUFF—PUFF *
My breathing was heavy and labored. It was hard to even see straight. And my head was ringing. However, for some odd reason, I had been overflowing with power. And when I looked down at my hands after backing away from the tree...I could see it.
" Aura... "
" Originally I was going to be your crutch—your way of getting stronger. But I think it's fair to say...Juri...You did it almost entirely on your own. Your will to not fade away—it's stronger than I thought. "
I closed my eyes tight. When I thought about it, that golden glow leading the path forward...It reminded me of my friends.
" I...will become the strongest...I will see my friends once again. "
And as I had vocalized my words...the golden glow from behind my head originating at my neck...had faded away.
CHAPTER 13 END