Chapitre 6: 6 Long Years, Bad Form
As I slowly regain consciousness, I open my eyes and look down at my body. The sight that greets me is gruesome. My skin is burned and scarred all over, my hair is now stark white, and my body is covered in ugly burns and wounds. My left arm is gone, leaving a charred stump in its place, and my legs are paralyzed, leaving me unable to move.
With a deep sense of irony and a hint of despair, I recall my earlier words, spoken in a moment of arrogance.
"Someone would come and beat me..." I murmur to myself. "And it turns out, that 'someone' was myself all along."
A year has passed since the catastrophic event that I unwittingly unleashed upon the world. I'm still stuck in the hospital, my body a patchwork of burns and injuries. My parents never once bothered to visit me, but my brother suddenly developed a conscience and started visiting me regularly, along with Hiro-chin.
Even though the pain and disability are overwhelming, I find some small measure of comfort in the fact that my brother and Hiro-chin haven't abandoned me. They visit me regularly, bringing bright moments into my otherwise bleak existence. Despite my desire to escape this painful life, their presence gives me a reason to hold on.
It's been approximately two years since the catastrophic event that devastated everything, and I've been patiently waiting and healing in the hospital. To my mixed relief and despair, my mana has been slowly regenerating, inch by inch, day after day. With enough time, I might just have enough to attempt to heal myself… or so I hope.
I listen intently as Hiro-chin explains to me the ranking system they've developed to measure mana and abilities.
"C-Rank for average abilities... B-Rank for cityblock destruction... A-Rank for city/town destruction... S-Rank for nationwide destruction... SS-Rank for planetary destruction... and Calamity Rank for galaxy or universe-level destruction..." I repeat, committing it to memory.
A pang of sadness washes over me as I realize that even if I had my full power, I'd easily be classified as Calamity Rank, capable of destroying whole galaxies or universes with a thought. But now, without my full power, I'd probably be relegated to the C-Rank or even lower, barely above the average mage who can only cast a simple fire spell.
It's been six long years since the cataclysmic event that nearly destroyed everything. I've been slowly healing in the hospital, gradually regaining some semblance of normalcy in my life. Thankfully, the mages stopped by and used their abilities to help me recover. While I'm not back to my original self, the fact that I can lead a normal life once again is a blessing.
I can barely believe my ears as I discover that my parents, whom I had written off as unsupportive, have actually been taking care of my hospital bills this whole time, silently hoping for my recovery. It's a revelation that shakes me to the core, forcing me to reevaluate my perception of them.
Now in my mid-twenties, I reflect on the six years that have passed since the "DIY Big Bang" at the age of 16. I've made progress in my recovery, but it's minimal. I've only regained a fraction of my former strength, and my mana level has regressed to be that of an average mage. Despite these setbacks, I've adjusted to living a normal life as an ordinary person with average magical abilities.
My eyes widen with surprise as, without warning, a blindingly bright beam of light suddenly strikes me, transporting me into a familiar, white, empty space. However, this time, it's different - instead of the chaotic, constantly changing backdrop I had experienced six years ago, I am faced with a familiar figure: myself, standing before me, wearing my old form from six years ago.
I blink, taking in the sight of my old self. It's strange, almost surreal, to see the me I was before the "DIY Big Bang," a time when I still possessed my full power.
"Is this a dream...?" I whisper, my voice barely audible in the eerie silence of the white space.
I shake my head, realizing that this strange encounter is not a dream. The sense of reality is too intense to ignore.
"Then what is this...?" I ask aloud, my eyes still fixed on my old self.
My old self remains silent for a moment, his gaze meeting mine with a somber look in his eyes.
"This is an opportunity," he says, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space.
"A opportunity for what, exactly?" I say.
My old self meets my gaze, his expression serious as he responds.
"An opportunity to regain your former power," he replies. "The power you lost when you caused the 'DIY Big Bang' six years ago."
"OK, sure?" I repeat, not quite sure how to process my former self's sudden willingness to help.
My old self nods solemnly. "Yes, I'm here to help you regain your power. However, there's a condition."
I had a feeling the offer wouldn't come without a catch.
"What condition?" I ask, my tone cautious.
My old self looks at me squarely, his expression steady.
"In order for you to regain your full power, you'll need to go through a series of intense training and challenges. Additionally, the process will be both physically and mentally challenging. Are you prepared to face these challenges?"
"I don't know..." I say.
My old self regards me intently, as if assessing my determination.
"Good," he says. "I knew you would be willing. But be warned, the process will push you to your limits in a way you've never experienced before. It might even be more intense than the 'DIY Big Bang' incident six years ago."
I lunge at my old self with a sudden, swift punch. My actions are driven by a mixture of anger and frustration, and the impact is hard, my knuckles connecting solidly with his face.
My old self staggers backwards, caught off guard by my unexpected attack. His face contorts in surprise and pain from the impact of my punches, his body recoiling from the force.
I glare at my old self, my breathing heavy with anger.
"You're not me," I repeat, my voice low and intense. "You're just a memory, a fragment of who I used to be. You don't know what I've been through!"
My voice crackles with anger and pent-up emotion.
"You think you can stand there, preaching about power and strength," I growl. "You have no idea what I've been through these past six years. The pain, the struggle, the loneliness. You have no right to tell me what I need to do!"
My voice crackles with anger and pent-up emotion.
"You think you can stand there, preaching about power and strength," I growl. "You have no idea what I've been through these past six years. The pain, the struggle, the loneliness. You have no right to tell me what I need to do!"
My old self recovers from the punches and looks at me, his expression now a mix of understanding and empathy.
"You're right," he admits. "I don't know everything you've been through. But I do know one thing."
There's a sudden shift in the air as I feel my lost power and abilities surging back within me. Energy courses through my veins, and the feeling of invincibility I once had floods back.
"No," I say firmly, my voice strong and determined. "Forget training and challenges. I can feel my power returning, and I don't need your help to regain it."
My old self looks at me in surprise, his eyes widening as he senses the sudden surge of power coursing through my body.
"How...?" he whispers, clearly taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
"I don't know how," I admit, my voice rising in confidence and determination. "But I can feel it, every bit of it coming back to me. It's mine, and I'm not letting go of it ever again."
My old self watches silently as I confidently stride through the empty space, leaving the strange, white dimension behind.
"See ya," I say, my voice echoing back towards him.
The last thing I see is my old self's stunned expression as I stride away, disappearing back into reality. The weight of my former power settles over me, a sense of completeness and control that I've been missing for six long years.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone