CHAPTER 8: THE AWAKENING OF REN
It was five o'clock in the morning. The sun had not yet risen, and the last stars were still fading from the sky. Three people stood in the training yard: Kaito, Ren, and Aiko. All three were waiting impatiently for their master.
The morning cold had mixed with the dew, making the stone ground slippery. But the fire in the three young ones' eyes paid no attention to the cold.
Aiko tossed her pink hair over her shoulder and asked: "Hey guys, what do you think that technique Master Woli used in yesterday's training was? I mean… we couldn't even touch him. Our fists just stopped in mid-air. Like there was an invisible wall in front of us."
Kaito nodded. His black hair was still uncombed, and his brown eyes held both excitement and curiosity.
"I couldn't understand it either. My fist was just about to hit him, but it froze in mid-air. It was… incredible. I'm already so excited."
Ren kept his cool as his blue hair swayed slightly in the wind. His blue eyes held not impatience, but calculation.
"Don't be impatient. Master Woli will be here soon, and we'll find out what happened."
Just then, someone stepped through the gate into the training yard. Footsteps echoed clearly on the stone ground.
Master Woli had arrived.
Ren nodded: "There he is."
Woli stood before the three young ones. He crossed his arms and scanned each of them with his eyes. His usual stern expression was on his face.
"So, you're all very curious about yesterday's technique, huh? Good. It's time for you to learn it."
His voice hardened.
"Get ready. We're starting the final training session. You have exactly ten hours. You must complete the training within ten hours."
Kaito asked in surprise: "Ten hours, Master? But our previous trainings…"
Woli cut him off.
"Normally, this training would take about a week. But Chief Erwin has given us a mission. For now, it's enough for you to learn the basics. You'll be able to develop the rest yourselves in battle."
Kaito's curiosity grew even more. "Master, what are you talking about? What are we supposed to learn in a week? What can we develop in battle?"
Woli took a deep breath. He clasped his hands behind his back.
"Until now, you've only fought with physical strength. Which is normal. You're still in the training phase. But a true hunter… uses their Ren."
Kaito frowned. "We're going to use our ren?"
It was a strange coincidence that his own name was the same as a power system. But Aiko interpreted it differently. She burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA! That was a cold joke, Kaito!"
Ren's blue eyes stared coldly. "It wasn't funny. Stop making jokes like that."
Woli clapped his hands together sharply. The sound echoed firmly across the yard.
"SILENCE! Don't be spoiled brats."
All three fell silent.
Woli continued.
"As I said. A true hunter uses their Ren. Ren is the life energy inside you. It exists in every living being. But not everyone can use it. Today, you will learn to use it."
He stepped forward. His voice grew heavier.
"If your Ren runs out… you're no different from a corpse on the ground. Ren returns with rest. But you may not have a chance to rest in the middle of a battle. That's why you must learn to manage your Ren well."
He began counting on his fingers.
"There are four principles of Ren."
Kaito, Ren, and Aiko were all ears.
"One: Ten. Ten is for seeing. It allows you to perceive other hunters' Ren and measure their level. If you want to understand how strong an opponent is, you must use Ten."
He raised another finger.
"Two: Zan. Zan is for protecting. You spread your Ren throughout your body to defend yourself. Even if you take a hit, it will protect you to a great extent. Think of it as armor."
He raised a third finger.
"Three: Po. Po is for attacking. If you want to finish your opponent in one strike, you concentrate your Ren into a single point. For example, your fist. Or your sword. And then you strike."
He paused for a moment. His eyes shifted to Kaito.
"Four is… the most dangerous. Kyu. Release. You unleash your Ren completely, reaching maximum power. But this is extremely dangerous."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"If your opponent is still standing after that attack… you will certainly die. Because you'll have no energy left. You can neither defend nor run. In that moment, you are completely defenseless. That's why Kyu should be used only as a last resort. Only in life-or-death moments."
He crossed his arms again.
"Those are the four principles. Any questions?"
Kaito raised his hand. There was concern on his face.
"This seems pretty complicated, Master. How are we supposed to learn all this in ten hours?"
Ren immediately answered. His voice was as calm as ever.
"No harm in trying. I'm interested."
Aiko, however, jumped up excitedly. Her pink hair bounced on her shoulders.
"I'm so excited! Let's start, Master!"
Woli nodded in approval.
"Remember this. The Djinn Binding Ritual cannot be performed without Ren. And even if it could, you would never – ever – be able to use techniques. That's why you have to learn this within ten hours."
He showed the order with his fingers.
"The easiest of these four principles is Ten. Then Zan. Then Po. So I've basically told you in order."
Kaito's eyes were still full of questions.
"Learning Ten is not very difficult. You just need to… empty your mind and your heart completely. Without opening your eyes, without thinking about anything, you must meditate in the lotus position for a full hour."
Aiko's green eyes widened. "A whole hour without thinking about anything? Is that even possible?"
Woli didn't smile. "I didn't say it was easy. I said it was simple."
Then he continued.
"Once you learn Ten, things get easier. For Zan, all you have to do is spread your Ren throughout your body. It's not something you can do in one breath. But with practice, it happens."
His voice became a bit more serious.
"The third principle is Po. This is above average difficulty. You must concentrate all your Ren into a single point in an instant. Once you manage to do that, you will have mastered Ren."
Woli's eyes scanned the faces of the three young ones.
"You can reach a level where you can use all three principles. For an ordinary person, learning this would take years. People with the capacity to become hunters can learn it within a week, one way or another."
He paused for a moment.
"But you… you are natural-born fighters. I trust you. I know you can learn these three principles within ten hours."
Kaito couldn't help but ask the question still on his mind.
"What about the fourth principle, Master? Kyu? How will we learn that?"
A faint smile appeared on Woli's lips. But that smile was not warm.
"Just the question I expected from you, brat."
His voice cooled.
"Kyu is not something you learn. Kyu… only comes at the moment of death. It activates when you are closest to death. And in that moment, you perform it instinctively. Your Ren begins to circulate freely throughout your body at high speed. And that maximizes your power."
Kaito's eyes widened.
"But it's a one-time thing. The moment your Ren runs out… you lose consciousness. Or worse."
Ren asked quietly. There was calculation in his blue eyes.
"Can we use it in every fight?"
Woli's answer was as sharp as a blade.
"Aren't you listening, Ren? It can only be used at the moment of death. No more questions."
He spread his arms wide.
"Now, all three of you – take the lotus position. Empty your minds completely. Do not open your eyes."
All three immediately sat down on the ground. They crossed their legs, placed their hands on their knees, and closed their eyes.
Woli's voice came from behind. Calm, but full of pressure.
"This training is actually a test of willpower. Let's see how far you can go."
He paused for a moment.
"And don't forget. If you pass this training too… tomorrow, the Djinn Binding Ritual will begin."
The breath of the three young ones caught for a moment. But they didn't open their eyes. They tried to empty their minds.
As the morning sun slowly rose, no sound could be heard in the training yard except the breathing of the three young ones.
Woli watched them. He thought to himself:
"Let's see… how big is the fire inside you?"
To be continued...