Chapitre 32: Learning to Punch, Learning to Focus
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I stood in the dusty training grounds, Alepou a whirlwind of motion before me. Her ebony braids whipped through the air as she danced, every flick of her wrist sending energy crackling around her. I watched, mesmerized, as she effortlessly deflected an imaginary foe, her eyes narrowed in fierce concentration.
"Hey, Jikirukuto, pay attention!" Alepou's voice, sharp as a whip, snapped me back to reality. Her gaze softened, landing on me with understanding. "Fighting isn't just about throwing your strength around. It's about control, Jikirukuto. About channeling your energy like a river, directing it precisely where it needs to go."
I nodded, soaking in her words. I knew she was right. My strength was raw, untamed, a wild fire I couldn't control. It had landed me in trouble more times than I cared to remember. But Alepou, she was different. With her, power wasn't a curse, it was a dance, a whisper in the wind.
She gestured towards a weathered punching bag hanging limply from a weathered beam. "Come," she beckoned, "let's see what you can do."
My muscles tensed as I stepped forward. I pictured the energy within me, a swirling vortex of light. Focusing on a single point, I channeled it into my fist, a fist that twitched with suppressed power. Then, with a controlled exhale, I unleashed it.
The blow connected with a satisfying thud, the bag swinging wildly before settling back to its stoic droop. Alepou clapped, her eyes gleaming with pride. "See? You did it, Jikirukuto! You kept it focused, just like we talked about."
A surge of warmth swept through me. For the first time, my strength felt not like a burden, but a tool. A tool I could learn to wield, to protect myself, to become something more than the scared, impulsive boy I used to be.
But the warmth was quickly eclipsed by a creeping unease. As I turned to thank Alepou, a guttural growl ripped through the air. A shadow, vast and monstrous, stretched across the training grounds. My blood turned to ice as I recognized the creature's silhouette – the same nightmare that had haunted my dreams for weeks.
Alepou's face hardened, her eyes flashing with defiance. "Stay behind me, Jikirukuto," she whispered, her hand already forming a blade of crackling energy.
My heart pounded a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Panic warred with the newfound desire to control my power. Could I face this thing? Could I stand beside Alepou, not as a scared child, but as a warrior in training?
The shadow shifted, taking shape. A monstrous hound, eyes burning like embers, teeth like jagged daggers, emerged from the dust. Alepou stepped forward, her energy blade humming like a hungry wasp.
I looked from the beast to Alepou, then back at the beast. My breath hitched, but somewhere beneath the fear, a spark of resolve ignited. I squared my shoulders, channeling the wild energy within me. Maybe I couldn't control it perfectly, but maybe, just maybe, I could control enough.
As Alepou lunged at the beast, I took a deep breath and followed, my fist clenched, ready to face the darkness alongside her.
But what waited in the shadows beyond the first blow? That, my friend, is a story for another chapter.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone