Chapter 31: Becoming an aspirant Grimm slayer end
As the white flames spread over my arms and legs, I feel as power starts flowing through my veins, it's as if my plight has been heard and the power I lacked was granted to me.
The usual warmth and safety that having your aura protecting you made you feel was gone and in its place I fealt as if my aura had changed properties to a more chaotic and destructive one rather than a protective and supportive one.
I could instinctualy deduce from using my semblance for so many years that this power was still originated from the same source that I've been using for many years 'Aura amplification'. The origins or trigger to unlock this completely different power remaining a mystery to me, but it being apparent that there's still much to discover about my semblance.
And if I take into consideration that despite being just 9 years old I've already come to posses aura and my semblance unlocked for much longer than the original, it's not too unrealistic that I'd discover things about this power that the original never had.
So making use of this new power that has apparently been hiding inside of me all along, I rush at my enemy without giving it any chance to recover from my last move that had left him momentarily stunned.
On my aproach I use flash-step in order to increase my speed and compliment it by using air pressure punches in order to execute sharp turns and allow me to change directions suddenly and even while being midair which would make my movements more unpredictable and harder to track.
As I prepared to strike my opponent, I couldn't help but notice that channeling aura through my attacks had become much easier, it is as if it had become second nature to my aura.
The flames increased in intensity and as soon as my attacks landed a small burst of flames would appear and the damage from the attacks would increase drastically. The Ursa would visibly be affected by the attacks and additionally the flames would linger in its body causing further damage.
This has made the fight very much one-sided as I could freely damage my opponent and it didn't have any hope of damaging me in return due to the great speed difference between us.
That combined with the wounds that I had already left on the grimm had made it so that for the first time in this fight, victory was within sight.
My opponent was mercilessly hit with punches, uppercuts and elbow strikes that were much stronger since my aura started to act up and the grimm's thick hide and bone plates were incapable of stopping them, the grimm's constant cries of agony being the proof of its effectiveness.
The grimm tried desperately to fight back and once again restrain me, but I wouldn't make the same mistake twice and decided to slowly limit its capabilities by crippling its mobility. So, instead of aiming directly for its vitals I decided to first hit its legs and make it incapable of fighting back now that I'm capable of doing it.
This wasn't a problem since Martial arts teaches you more than just how to perform an attack but also where in your enemy to aim your attacks in order to achieve maximum damage. So I focused my attacks on its leg joints and eventually, after a few precise 'Shatter bone', the beast was forced into the ground without the support to move around.
So with my opponent neutralized and open to my attacks, I aproached it and prepared to finish it off with one last attack that I was putting my everything into.
But I was then suddenly reminded of how precarious my aura levels had become after escaping the death hug as the flames along with the feeling of manipulating aura suddenly vanished. At that moment I felt as my strength was sapped and It once again returned to being that of a much more trained 9 year old.
I had for the first time in an long while completely ran out of aura, I started to suffer from the effects of aura exhaustion such as dizziness, weakness and a feeling of heaviness that is similar to the physical exhaustion after running a complete marathon.
My breathing became completely erratic and sweat started pouring like a fountain, eventually, I succumbed to the lack of strength and was forced into my knees.
'Are you kidding me?! I was so closed to finishing off the bastards and my aura just had to run out now? It is like participating in a car race, only to have your fuel run out right in front of the finish line!'
If I were to look back calmly to my previous situation, such outcome would be very easy to predict considering that my aura had already dropped to the single digits before awakening this power so it couldn't have last for long and this flames consumed quite a bit of aura. The reason why I didn't realize this sooner is probably because I was too focused on the power trip to think of anything else.
But even if this conclusion is logical, it doesn't change how frustrating having victory taken from your grasp is!
My opponent wouldn't let such a opportunity slip by, so even heavily wounded and incapable of mustering its full strength to attack it still managed to land a hit by tackling me using its superior body weight since its paws had been injured by me and most of its teeth were broken so it couldn't land a killing blow.
My body after being hit was thrown back, forcing me to roll on the ground until I landed a few meters away having taken the full brunt of the attack without having my aura to absorb most of the damage from both the attack and rolling in the rough terrain.
My skin was covered with many cuts and bruises from my contact with the ground, additionally, in the place I was hit there was a very recognizable bruise that was left on the spot, luckily it was on my torso so as long as I got changed into proper clothes it would be mostly hidden while the smaller wounds could be healed once I regained my aura.
Aside from that, I could faintly feel a liquid that tasted like iron rising in my mouth along with something solid that was bouncing around inside of it. So as soon as I managed to get myself back up from the ground, I spit-out the contents from my mouth to the ground.
*Pthu*
And what left my mouth as I spit was fresh blood that was now staining the ground alongside with a teeth that was dislodged from my mouth on the last attack. Thankfully that teeth was one that I already would've lost naturally very soon and that's why it came out so easily, so the attack just sped up the process and won't make me have to put an implant.
Still, the taste of blood was quite unpleasant, my body was feeling completely sluggish with me having to forcibly prevent myself from passing out from aura exhaustion and I was feeling all the pain and soreness that my aura would typically take care of, if I had any left.
Thankfully, the pain proved to be quite effective at keeping myself awake and now that my mouth was free, I could start desperately using 'Second wind' to get myself back into a less precarious state. And another good new is that since my opponent had already been previously crippled by me, I could leisurely take my time recuperating without having to worry about being attacked since the grimm couldn't even drag itself to my location despite being just a few meters away.
So I got the perfect opportunity I needed to properly compose myself and start thinking of a solution to my current problem.
But one thing that lingered on my mind is my master's absence. Master had assured me that he would remain concealed and interfere in a fight if he started to think that I was in some danger, considering that I'm completely out of aura I would assume that he should have intervened in the fight by now.
'Maybe he thinks that I'm still not in danger? The spars(beatings) that we had back in the dojo would only end when I'm completely incapacitated rather than when my aura reaches the red, so it is a possibility. This also may be his show of trust towards me as he believes that even without aura I'm still capable of winning this fight.'
So in order to live up to my master's trust, I start to rationally evaluate my options and try to find a viable way to finish my practically immobile opponent.
The fight so far could be seen as having been a draw, as both of us have been rendered completely incapable of hurting each other. The Ursa can only attack using its body since its limbs were broken along with its teeth so unless I present myself in a silver platter it can't hit me, meanwhile I'm back to the same problem as before of not being able to to get past its defences.
Of course this would be only considering the battle, but if you take into consideration that I'm in the middle of a grimm infested forest and the Ursa major only needs to wait for one of its buddies to show up to finish me off, then the overall situation would be on its favor. Of course, my master is also around so this situation was not going to happen.
I could try to find something to use as a weapon, but I doubt that any sticks and stones that I might find would suffice, besides that I couldn't see anything else that I might be able to use to damage it, especially considering that I could no longer strengthen myself using aura.
That is until I briefly find myself staring at the Ursa's back, then a flash of aspiration suddenly comes to me and a plan to end this fight once and for all starts forming itself on my head.
'This could work, it's very risky but it could definitely work.'
So releasing a long breath, I prepare myself to execute it and harden my nerves for what I'm about to do. My muscles briefly relax before once again becoming tense and my eyes sharpen as I stare towards my limping enemy that could barely keep itself standing.
This could be said one of the few times I've ever fought without the protection of aura in a long time and beyond that, one of the only times I've ever felt any genuine risk of dying. I could vividly feel my heartbeat increasing and my mind became clear as my survival instincts started working in response to my dangerous situation.
I could even feel my willpower becoming stronger in response to it, so when I get my aura back, my control over it should have improved tremendously.
So mustering all the strength I could from my wounded and tired body I advanced towards my enemy without any hesitation and with the intent of killing it. My speed was not that impressive since flash-step was an aura technique and I couldn't use it but against an almost immobile opponent it was more than enough.
Instead of facing it head on, which would be pointless in the long run, I circled around it and went towards its back. As I aproached its many spikes, I started to look for a suitable one while avoiding my enemies attempts to skewer me using them.
And quickly I found one which was covered in cracks and looked as if it could be broken off with a little bit of strength. Grasping it with both hands and putting my foot in it to ensure that I could brake it in the right spot and so that I got a better support.
Then I put my whole weight into it and start pulling the spike in order to brake it in half and free it from its back. Since I had no other tools in hand, this spike should be tough enough for me to use it in order to kill my enemy. This is what my plan revolves around and I can only hope that it works and the spike manages to endure the force.
So, with some effort I managed to brake one of the spikes free "Raaargh" releasing a shout from the great effort, I pulled it with all my strength and successfully managed to get hold of some weapon that I could use. The spike was broken in the place which there was the most cracks present and that can be attributed as the reason I could pull this off on the first place.
Since if I hadn't created cracks with all my previous attacks, especially the most recent ones that were coated in the 'aura flames', then this strategy wouldn't have worked to begin with as I wouldn't be able to take out the spikes without this vulnerability. So that's why I hadn't thought of doing this before.
Grasping the spike firmly on my hand, I resolutely make my way towards the Ursa's head and prepare to attack it. The Ursa tries to fight back but its clumsy tackle was easily dodged and I took the opportunity to counter-attack.
The spike is stabbed straight into the creature's eye, which is much weaker compared to the beast's hide and the perfect place to land a decisive blow. The beast howls and flails on the ground in agony, with now being partially blinded and completely cornered, it resorting to striking at random around itself in a last ditch attempt to hit me but it ended up as just another failure.
Seeing that it worked, I left the spike lodged in the grimm's eye socket and once again went to attain another spike and finding one that was already damaged like the last, I repeated the procedure and got another spike in my hand, this one in order to finally put an end to this.
Once again approaching the face of the beast, I stood face to face with it and after a little while just staring at the now helpless enemy that has given me so much trouble thus far. I finally made my move and aproached it with a determined expression.
"You're tough, the toughest I've faced so far. But you're still just another step that I'll climb before reaching my true objective. The next of your kind that I face will be dispatched even quicker, you can count on that."
Then I, with the bone-white spike in hand grasped the Ursa's upper jaw with my free hand and stepped on its lower jaw before forcing them apart. As I did it, a distinguishable *CRACK* was heard that meant that after enduring many hits the beast's jaw was finally dislocated with my last effort.
With its jaw dislocated, it could no longer use its mouth. So after opening it very wide, I took the spike and pierced the top of its mouth, aiming towards where should be the brain in a normal animal and made sure that it went deep enough.
Although its external tissue was very thick and tough, the inside of its mouth was much weaker and the spike pierced it without much resistance. Then I took the opportunity to stab it once again and twist the spike while inside in order to be sure.
The Ursa major then let out a few roars that sounded like a painful yelps that now were much more in the pitiful side rather than intimidating. Then finally it stopped moving and then it started disintegrating, now confirming its death.
"Ha Ha..." With a small chuckle, I colapse to the ground with a smile on my face and a feeling and sense of accomplishment inside my heart. I overcame the same ordeal as the original, without any help and 8 years ahead of time. But I also reflect on the aspects that found themselves lacking and start to think of ways to improve upon them.
But, in a short time after the adrenaline wore off, I started to feel the full aftereffects of my last fight. My muscles were unbearably sore after being overworked while hunting both Beowolfs and Ursas, I couldn't move an inch from my position sprawled on the ground. The aura exhaustion that I'm still suffering from is making me feel lethargic and crave for a brief shut-eye and my previous wounds are still there and still quite painful due to the absence of aura to heal them with.
But enduring all of this and keeping myself awake, I start to focus on all my gains from the last fight and all that I've discovered in this trip in general:
-I've got an opportunity to hone my techniques on a real battle scenario and improve them much quicker than in the safety of the dojo.
-I've learned my enemies patterns and got to increase my experience in dealing with grimm that I was lacking so far.
-I have created two techniques that could be very useful later on, them being 'aura stomp' and 'Force' which are both great crowd control techniques.
-Had my willpower and mentality tested, which is extremely important considering that I've never been in a fight in my last life so I got a lot to develop in that area.
But one of the most curious things that happened in the last fight was the mysterious behavior of my aura and my sudden increase in strength.
What I currently know about it is that it is a direct result of my semblance 'aura amplification' and that it consumes a lot of aura in order to improve my overall offensive capability.
Now that I had the time to think about it calmly, I managed to come up with an explanation to the origin of such power and the reason that it was only shown now of all times.
My semblance 'aura amplification' works by increasing the aura's natural capabilities, so it can only improve upon what aura already does rather than giving it another function. So it can boost its healing property, defence and overall reserves, so I always thought that this was more of a supportive semblance.
But aura can do more than that, especially after learning aura techniques I've realized that aura can not only protect but it also has an destructive nature even without being used by a semblance, so my theory is that so far I've only amplified the 'protection aspect' of my aura but those flames are a product of enhancing the 'destruction aspect' instead.
And for the reason it only happened in the last fight, it is embarrassing to admit but my emotional control wasn't what it should be, so it's very likely that was my emotions that caused this new aspect of my semblance to be revealed.
The show's Jaune is someone that was mainly driven by the desire to protect while in a fight so it makes sense that he would discover the 'protection aspect' first and I discovered my semblance using that as a base. But after escaping my opponent's grip, my mentality was very much in a more aggressive state.
I could only think that my opponent was an eyesore that I had to be eliminated no matter what, even if that meant suffering some damage as a result. At that moment, my desire to 'destroy' what's in front of me greatly surpassed that to 'protect' myself so my semblance followed suit.
Knowing this, I internally scold myself for forgetting my teacher's lessons and let my emotions take control in the middle of a fight, but on the other hand I become quite excited at all the new opportunities to experiment with this new power that I've just gained.
But my thoughts are put on a halt as I hear footsteps approaching my current location.
"Honestly, I lack words to express how surprised I am with your performance, in many ways." Comes a very familiar voice that I've been waiting to hear.
"I hope that there's no more plans to fight any more grimm today, because I'm completely spent and can't move a single muscle." I respond in a somewhat strained voice.
"Trust me, after what I've seen when I've arrived, it would be safe to say that you've already done more than enough." He says releasing a tired sight.
"Hold on, after you've arrived? So you weren't watching me the whole time?" I say confused since he previously said that he would be watching me constantly.
"Yes, I normally wouldn't leave you alone in grimm territory since it could be very dangerous even for my standards, but while you were fighting beowolfs I spotted a nest of deathstalkers while surveying the area. Normally I would only report it to the authorities later, but considering how populated and dangerous the nest had become I took it upon myself to clear it before any damage could be done, so I only arrived a few minutes ago." Master Ryu-Bang starts recounting his perspective.
He then continues recounting exactly how the encounter went and how he exterminated the deathstalkers, then I start recounting how the fight went on my end but while remembering it, I couldn't help but to start feeling a bit aggrieved.
"So you're telling me that I encountered the Ursa major by pure chance and it wasn't you that directed it towards me as a test?"
"Yes."
"And if any other Grimm decided to show up in the middle and interfere then I'd be screwed and you'd be non the wiser?"
"Mmhm." He hums and nods his head.
"So after all I did, you're saying that you weren't even watching in order to give me an evaluation?"
"Of course not! I may not have seen everything but it's certainly enough along with your retelling for me to build the scenario on my head and give an evaluation. Speaking of which, let's get right to it."
Hearing this, I release a gulp and prepare myself mentally for what's to come.
"Before I start, I want to say that I'm proud of your growth and that your accomplishments in battle are by far the best I've ever seen in a first contact with the grimm, even when comparing with the performance of students years older than you."
This leaves me momentarily speechless, as Ryu-Bang is usually very strict and rarely gives such high compliments, even to his direct disciple.
"But on the other hand I'm severely disappointed, tell me this: Just what were you thinking when you decided it was a good idea to fight an Ursa major in your circumstance at the time?"
Hearing this, I truthfully reply "I... I did it because I felt that if I didn't overcame that hurdle, than I wouldn't be able to proudly admit that all my training was bearing fruit, that I'm not falling short of your expectations. I also was getting tired of just fighting beowolfs for the whole afternoon."
Hearing this he turns towards me and asks "Do you know why I felt confident in leaving you unsupervised? It's because I trusted that even if you found yourself in a dangerous situation, you would still be smart enough to use your superior mobility to escape."
He then continued "Although I'm flattered that you value all our training so highly, it doesn't change that engaging such an opponent while being so underprepared was stupid, you shouldn't have let defending your pride become a priority. Afterall your life is the most important, if you had died than 'that' would would be a complete waste of all our training."
"Another mistake was exiting the clearing, although it was useful to limit your opponents movements you could have easily have stumbled into another grimm if you were unlucky, I'm willing to forgive you since you thought that I was around to prevent that as I should, but this is something you shouldn't do in a real scenario."
"Then there's the many times you lost your calm and let your emotions guide your actions, especially against grimm that is a fatal mistake that should be corrected as soon as possible. You were lucky in activating this new power but otherwise you would have probably lost."
Each one of his words start to stab at my conscience like an arrow, but I just endure the onslaught and carefully listen to all my teachers evaluations.
"But that is also partially on me, because I tried to rush things when you weren't ready. You are extremely mature as a person, always seeming to posses wisdom beyond your age but you still have a lot to develop as a warrior, that is my role as your teacher to help you achieve."
That is something that I couldn't refute as despite having memories of another life, I'm very inexperienced when it comes to fighting as I never experienced it before my rebirth.
But then I remember my greatest issue in the fight and I inform Master of it while suggesting a solution for it.
"Master, I've come to realize that my greatest shortcoming lies on my lack of raw physical strength as my skills were rendered useless by my enemie's defenses. I suggest to implement weight training from now on to overcome this weakness."
"Hmmm..." He grabs his chin and starts to consider "You should be old enough by now that it won't affect negatively your body's development, alright! I'll arrange for you to receive weights to be worn while training, that should increase your strength."
"Thank you, Master."
"Now, I suppose that you can't move by yourself considering your current state and remaining here until you recover isn't an option, so I guess I'll have to do this..."
Ryu-Bang then hoists me up in his shoulder before making his way towards the cliff where the pilot would pick us up.
I on the other hand just let myself to relax and be taken away by unconsciousness, allowing my vision to be embraced by darkness.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
DaoistyaSOLa
DaoistyaSOLa Sorry for the delay, I recently got sick from Corona just when I was recovering from another sickness. I'm still not 100% but hopefully the posts will resume now
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