Chapter 23: Inner Conflict

The three students seem to take a moment to process what they got told, there's a pause as their expressions fall slightly, becoming more sullen and serious as they realize the seriousness of the situation. "Teacher Yagami already has high expectations, and we're not too far behind," Akira adds, her tone still stern and demanding, "So don't think that we're going to go easy on you guys just because you're young. We're going to be tough on you, but we're only doing so because we want to see you succeed and ensure you guys stay a-." Okabe gently touches the shoulder of Akira, preventing her from finishing the sentence with headshake. Akira's eyes quickly flicker towards Okabe as he touches her shoulder, but she says nothing, seeming to have understood her mistake. "So that's why we're here," Sora summarizes, his expression becoming more sober as he speaks, "We're here to make sure that you get as strong as you can, as quickly as you can..." "And we're not leaving until all those expectations have been fulfilled," Okabe adds bluntly, making it clear that none of them are going to hold back on their training methods in order to meet those high expectations. "Now let's get started," Sora says, ending the conversation. "We'll be keeping a close eye on your progress, so don't think that you can get away with anything."

Meanwhile, Yose continues to meditate. Trying to unlock his own life-force energy. Yose tries to continue his meditation, but he finds it difficult to focus, feeling like something is preventing him from advancing past his current level. Whenever he tries to concentrate and focus, something is constantly disturbing his meditation, distracting him and disrupting his concentration. As Yose continues his meditation, he feels a strange disturbance in his mind and body, as if he was being watched closely by someone else. The feeling seems to grow stronger and more intense the longer he continues his meditation, until he finally can't take it anymore and opens his eyes, looking to see if anyone or anything was watching him...

He opens his eyes and sees himself sitting in front of him. A sudden sense of confusion washes over Yose as he stares at the version of himself sitting in front of him. The figure looks exactly like him, down to the smallest detail, but it is as if it was a part of him that had been separated and was now sitting in front of him, staring back with his own eyes. "You are incredibly boring, brat." Asura says. Asura is sitting in front of me? But how? He should be trapped in my body! Yose's first reaction is anger and defensiveness, but then he realizes that this may not actually be Asura, but rather an internal representation of Asura that his mind is creating for whatever reason. However, he still doesn't know why this version of Asura is here, sitting in front of him...

"You see, brat." He adds, "I don't really understand why you are trying to tap into your own life-force energy rather than using mine." "What?" Yose asks, completely caught off guard by what Asura is saying, "I'm trying to draw out my own life force energy because it's a necessary part of reaching the level I need to be at." "That is the part I do not understand the most. Didn't we have an exchange agreement not too long ago? You wished to use me whenever you wished." "I didn't realize that you were going to permanently restrict my access to my own life force energy after we made that agreement..." "It seems like you were looking for an easy way out of having to actually train and work hard, and rather just have me do all the work for you..." Asura says as he continues to berate him, his tone filled with disdain and frustration. He adds, "You, tapping into your own life-force energy would mean weakening my life-force energy. I thought you agreed to letting me use your body whenever I wanted. What are you trying to accomplish with intentionally trying to make me weaker, brat?" "That's not my intention at all," Yose says defiantly, feeling a surge of anger and resentment rise within him as Asura continues to berate him, "I am not lying to you, I will lend my body whenever you ask for it. I just...

"I want to reach a level where I can protect those that I care for without having to rely exclusively on you and your life-force energy..." He adds, "And what's so wrong with how I thought about this?" Yose continues, his tone becoming increasingly more frustrated as he feels that Asura's presence itself is constantly pressuring him to grow stronger and rely on his own strength. "Don't you get it?" Asura continues, his tone becoming more mocking and condescending, "You are nothing without me. You're weak. Pathetic...

"You can't reach that level on your own... and neither can any of your pathetic friends..." "Is that so?" Yose finally snaps, his pent up anger and frustration seeping through his words and mannerisms, "Then how about this?" "I'm going to tap into my life force energy with or without your permission. I am going to figure out how to grow stronger by myself without you holding my hand every step of the way. "I bend at none's will. I will move forward like however I want." Yose suddenly feels a surge of determination within him, as if Asura's mocking was the spark that he needed. "Fine, then do it." Asura declares, his disdain and mocking tone turning into one of anger, "See how far that gets you without my help."

Asura's sudden switch from mockery to anger only serves as fuel for Yose's determination, and he nods abruptly, the spark of fire that had finally lit within him growing stronger and more resolute. "I will. And I'll prove to you that I can become stronger without you. I will surpass you." Yose's words echo with an air of resolve and confidence. Yose then closes his eyes and focuses. Starts to meditate once again with his renewed resolve. His body becomes more and more still as he focuses on tapping into his own life force energy, tuning out Asura's presence and the negative thoughts that his inner representation has been projecting onto him. He begins to calm himself down, his breaths becoming more and more steady and even, until he is able to fully focus on reaching deeper into his own internal energy. Yose's focus steadily deepens as he continues to meditate, his breath becoming so steady that it's as if he almost wasn't breathing at all. He can still hear Asura's negative comments and berating in the back of his mind, like a lingering echo, but it no longer distracts him from his concentration. His focus reaches further and further inwards, reaching a deeper layer of his internal energy, and the more he taps into its depths, the further his sense of resolve and determination grows, as if he was unlocking a new level of power. "You're a fool." Asura says derisively as Yose's meditation continues, but Yose's focus is unwavering, as he calmly ignores the lingering presence and presses onward into the depths of his own internal energy. Yose's focus continues to dig deeper and deeper until it reaches a level that he had never been able to tap into prior, as if for the first time, he was truly connecting to his inner life force energy on a level that he had never managed before. Life-Force energy begins to appear around his body. This time, it's colored yellow unlike dark purple that Asura has. The yellow life force energy begins to swirl around Yose's body, swirling in more intricate patterns and formations than the dark purple energy that Asura uses. It seems to flow more freely, as if Yose was able to manipulate it more easily than the latter. With every moment of meditation, his ability to exert control over the life force energy grows greater and greater, more fluid, more natural, as if it was an extension of himself. The yellow life force energy begins to swirl around Yose's body, swirling in more intricate patterns and formations than the dark purple energy that Asura uses. It seems to flow more freely, as if Yose was able to manipulate it more easily than the latter. With every moment of meditation, his ability to exert control over the life force energy grows greater and greater, more fluid, more natural, as if it was an extension of himself. "I've done it..." Yose finally whispers to himself, "I've finally reached the level of life force energy that I've been seeking..." With that realization, Yose abruptly opens his eyes. He sees that Asura is no longer there. He looks down at himself, taking in the new presence of the yellow life force energy swirling around him. It looks a lot like Asura's life force energy, but it also has a certain warmth and richness to it that's very distinctly different. Yose gets to his feet, feeling a surge of pride and confidence coursing through his veins. I will prove you wrong all by myself, Asura. Just you wait.