Bab 16: Chapter 16: The Storm Within
The soft glow of dawn spilled across the training grounds as Ei stood with her team—Yugito, Samui, and Mabui—ready for another day of intense practice. The early morning air was cool, but the heat of their determination quickly cut through it. Each of them had grown in their own way over the past year, but today, Ei could feel an extra charge in the atmosphere.
She wasn't the only one.
Yugito, always keenly attuned to her surroundings, flicked her eyes over to Ei as they warmed up. Her slitted pupils, one blue and the other yellow, analyzed her friend with silent intensity. "You're different," she finally said, her voice steady, but a note of curiosity crept into her words. "Something's changed."
Samui, already prepared with her training sword in hand, nodded in agreement. "She's right. You seem... sharper. More focused. What happened overnight?"
Even Mabui, usually focused on analyzing strategies and improving her techniques, paused her own stretching and cast a thoughtful glance toward Ei. "I can feel it too. The lightning chakra around you—it's more refined, more natural."
Ei stood in the center of the group, calmly observing her friends' reactions. Her mind drifted back to the dream of the formidable warrior, Raiden Mei. It had been more than a simple vision; it was a revelation. That night had changed everything. She had found a new path to understanding the power of lightning.
"I had a dream," Ei began, her tone contemplative, as she looked at each of them in turn. "I saw a warrior—one unlike any I've ever seen before. She wielded lightning in a way I've never even imagined. It wasn't just about controlling it. It was as if she and the lightning were one. She moved through storms as if they were part of her soul."
Yugito's eyes narrowed slightly, her interest piqued. "What kind of warrior was she?"
Ei paused, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to reveal too much about the mysterious figure she had seen. Not yet. "She was formidable. Her strength came not just from her power but from the way she embraced it. She didn't control the lightning—she became the lightning. Watching her fight was like watching a storm come to life."
Samui, ever calm, considered Ei's words thoughtfully. "So this dream... it's affecting your training?"
"Yes," Ei admitted, glancing down at her hands as she summoned a small flicker of lightning between her fingertips. It danced effortlessly across her skin, sparking but never wild. "After I saw her, I realized I've been trying to force the lightning to obey me. But now, I'm letting it flow through me, naturally. I'm still in control, but it feels... different. Stronger. More alive."
Mabui tapped her chin thoughtfully, her strategic mind already whirring. "If you're able to merge with your chakra like that, it could be a huge advantage. You'd be faster, more efficient, and harder to predict in a fight."
Yugito, always practical, cracked her knuckles as a smirk crept onto her face. "Then let's see it."
Without hesitation, she launched herself toward Ei, her hands already glowing with the faint flickers of Matatabi's blue flames. Yugito's reflexes were sharp, enhanced by her training with Matatabi's chakra, and she closed the distance between them in an instant.
But Ei had been expecting this. In the split second it took for Yugito to make her move, Ei's entire body flickered with lightning. She felt the current surge through her veins, faster than thought, and sidestepped with fluid grace. The world slowed around her, the electricity buzzing in her ears as if guiding her next move.
Yugito's fist passed through empty air as Ei effortlessly moved behind her.
Samui and Mabui both stepped back, eyes widening in surprise at the sheer speed of Ei's reaction.
"Impressive," Yugito said, twisting on her heel to face Ei again, her mismatched eyes gleaming with excitement. "You're faster than before. That warrior in your dream... she knew what she was doing."
"She did," Ei replied with a small smile, the electricity around her fading as she let the chakra disperse. "But I still have a long way to go before I can reach her level."
Samui sheathed her sword, her expression still calm but with an edge of curiosity. "If you're able to move like that now, it's only a matter of time before you surpass even that warrior."
"I hope so," Ei replied, her gaze turning serious. "But this is only the beginning. I need to refine it further. I've barely scratched the surface of what I saw in the dream."
Mabui stepped forward, her mind clearly working on something. "This dream... It's more than just a vision, isn't it? It's a path."
Ei nodded. "Yes. I'm starting to incorporate what I saw into my training. That warrior's techniques—her control over lightning—are things I need to learn if I want to get stronger."
The four of them fell into a comfortable silence as they each took in Ei's words.
"Well then," Yugito said, rolling her shoulders in preparation for more training, "we'd better keep up with you."
The rest of the day was spent testing Ei's new approach. She sparred with Yugito, Samui, and Mabui in turn, and with each exchange, her movements grew smoother, more fluid. The connection between her and the lightning chakra felt more natural. She could feel it coursing through her, guiding her movements in ways that felt instinctive rather than forced.
Yugito used her heightened reflexes and Matatabi's flames to try and catch Ei off guard, but every time she lunged, Ei was already moving out of range, her body a blur of electricity. Samui, with her sword techniques honed by months of training, aimed for precision strikes, but Ei's speed made it nearly impossible to land a clean hit. Even Mabui, with her sharp mind and quick thinking, struggled to keep up with Ei's unpredictable movements.
By the end of the day, Ei's friends were panting from exhaustion, but Ei herself still had a spark in her eyes.
"You're getting too fast," Yugito muttered with a grin, wiping sweat from her brow. "We'll have to train even harder if we want to keep up with you."
"That's the idea," Ei replied with a smirk, though her tone was playful. "But don't worry—I'll help you all grow stronger too."
Samui, ever calm, nodded in agreement. "We'll need it if we're going to take on more serious missions. We can't afford to fall behind."
Mabui, catching her breath, added, "It's clear that you're improving, Ei. But don't forget to refine your control. Power without precision can be dangerous."
Ei smiled. "I won't forget. I'm going to keep pushing myself—until I master the Lightning Chakra Mode completely."
With that, they wrapped up their training for the day, each of them feeling the weight of the future on their shoulders. Ei, especially, felt a deep sense of purpose. She was on the path to something greater, something that would take her far beyond what she'd ever imagined.
That night, as they walked back toward the village, Yugito glanced over at Ei. "So... are you going to tell us more about that warrior you dreamed of?"
Ei chuckled softly, her eyes focused ahead. "Maybe one day. But for now, let's just say she was someone who showed me what it means to truly embrace lightning."
Yugito raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. She knew Ei well enough to know when she'd said all she wanted to.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ei couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within her. Her dream had given her a glimpse of the power she could achieve, and now she was closer than ever to unlocking it.
The storm within her was growing. Soon, it would be unstoppable.
End of Chapter 16.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Israfil
Israfil This story has been on my mind for a while, I'm only doing this for fun and to share it with you all. I'm busy in real life so don't hope for a really fast update time.
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