Threads of Infinity Amplified Resolve (23)
The air was thick with the scent of earth and the hum of energy as Tsukasa stood alone in the clearing. His breath was steady, his body in perfect stillness, yet his mind raced. No one was there to guide him. There was no mentor, no one to offer advice or warnings. This was a test he had to conquer alone.
His fingers twitched as he focused on the task at hand. The Gold technique, a form of kinetic amplification—something that would push him even further beyond his already formidable limits. He had felt its potential before, a distant, raw power that begged to be controlled. Now, it was time to harness it.
Tsukasa's eyes narrowed, his icy blue gaze unfocused for a moment as he reached deep within himself, sensing the flow of cursed energy through his body. He had mastered Limitless and Six Eyes, but Gold was something different—a new realm of control and precision.
With a sharp inhale, he snapped his fingers.
At first, there was nothing. A few seconds of stillness.
Then, the air trembled. A shockwave burst outward from his hand, a force so intense that the ground beneath him cracked and splintered. The trees around him groaned, the shockwave tearing through the landscape with an explosive roar. Tsukasa staggered back, thrown off-balance by the sudden release of power. His boots scraped the ground as he fought to regain his footing, a sharp sting in his palm from the energy backlash.
He stood there for a moment, eyes burning with frustration. "That was too much," he muttered to himself, his voice low but intense. His control had slipped—Gold was far more difficult to manage than he had anticipated. The shockwave had been too powerful, almost tearing him apart.
Tsukasa clenched his fist, his resolve hardening. "Again."
He raised his hand once more, focusing on his movements with greater precision. His mind honed in on the kinetic energy flowing through his body, every muscle tense with concentration. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he amplified the energy in a way he hadn't before. The burst was smaller this time, more controlled, but no less impactful. The air rippled with the faintest distortion, and a small rock near him was propelled with blinding speed, slamming into the earth with the force of a cannonball.
Tsukasa exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the crater left behind by the rock. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. The technique was dangerous—unpredictable—but it was his. And he would master it.
Each movement, each flick of his finger was a step closer to the perfect control he needed. Tsukasa didn't flinch. He would keep going. Alone.
The sky above Tsukasa was painted in shades of violet and crimson as the last remnants of the day's light faded, but his focus never wavered. His body ached from the exertion, but he didn't care. Each drop of sweat was a step closer to perfecting Gold.
He had already created small tremors, cracks in the earth, and sent rocks soaring with unprecedented force. But none of it had been controlled—not enough to satisfy him. He knew the potential of this technique, the devastating power it could unleash, and he was determined to refine it until every move was effortless and precise.
Tsukasa breathed deeply, clearing his mind of everything but the technique. His hand hovered before him, fingers slightly spread, and the air around him shimmered faintly. His focus was now entirely on the kinetic energy within the smallest movements of his body—the flick of his wrist, the shift of his weight, the tap of his foot against the earth. He knew that Gold wasn't about overwhelming force; it was about amplifying the smallest movements into a force that could shatter mountains.
With a steady exhale, he slowly raised his hand.
The movement was deliberate, careful. As his fingers flexed, the cursed energy within him began to hum. He wasn't pushing it out this time, but rather coaxing it to follow his will—to amplify the smallest of motions. It took everything in him to focus, but gradually, the air around him began to hum with barely-contained power.
Then, in one swift motion, Tsukasa snapped his fingers.
The shockwave was a whisper compared to the earlier bursts, but it carried an intense precision. A small pebble, no larger than his fist, shot forward with the force of a bullet, slamming into a tree several meters away, its trunk splintering on impact. Tsukasa's eyes tracked the motion, the precise path of the amplified object, the destruction it left in its wake.
A quiet satisfaction stirred within him. That was it. He had controlled it.
His breathing slowed, his gaze never leaving the tree. He could feel the power that remained within him, waiting to be unleashed, but this time, it was his choice. He wasn't just unleashing raw energy—he was amplifying his will, his movements. The power didn't feel uncontrollable, but it was still a dangerous tool, and he had learned the hard way that mistakes could be fatal.
Tsukasa stood still for a moment, letting the silence envelop him. The only sound was the faint rustle of the wind through the trees. He allowed the sensation of his power to wash over him, letting it settle within every fiber of his being. He had mastered the technique—at least for now. There would always be more to learn, more to refine, but he had done it. Alone.
"I'll need to test it further…" Tsukasa muttered to himself, but there was a rare glint of satisfaction in his eyes. It wasn't pride; it was simply the understanding that the next challenge awaited him. He would push this technique beyond its limits, just as he had done with his other abilities.
But for tonight, as the first stars began to pierce the darkening sky, he could rest—his resolve, like his technique, amplified to new heights.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale, silver glow over the empty training grounds. Tsukasa stood alone in the center of the clearing, sweat trickling down his face as the weight of his latest failure settled in his chest. His breaths were steady, each one measured, but the sense of frustration was palpable, like a nagging itch he couldn't scratch.
Gold had been a breakthrough—a step forward in his journey to perfection—but it wasn't enough. Not by a long shot. It lacked the precision and control he needed. Against opponents who could think faster, move more unpredictably, Gold would falter.
Tsukasa's sharp eyes flickered with an almost imperceptible spark. The answer wasn't to simply master Gold. It was to improve upon it, bend it to his will, shape it into something greater, something that could outsmart even the most dangerous of adversaries.
He lifted his hand, fingers splayed wide. Cursed energy thrummed through his body, rising like an uncoiling serpent. The air around him shimmered as he concentrated, the energy vibrating with tension as it sought a new purpose.
A flicker of realization crossed his mind. It wasn't about raw power. It was about direction—about controlling every ounce of energy, bending it into the exact path he needed. The creation of Gold had been just the beginning, but now, Tsukasa needed to push beyond it.
With a slow exhale, Tsukasa gathered his energy. He wasn't just amplifying it; he was directing it with greater intent. A spark of kinetic force formed in his palm. It was small at first, no bigger than a flicker of light, but it was the beginning. A condensed burst, ready to explode with power.
"Focus," Tsukasa muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. Every muscle in his body, every fiber of his being was locked into place, centered entirely on his creation. The energy expanded, swirling like a tempest, growing denser, sharper. With each passing second, he shaped it—finer, more controlled.
Suddenly, he thrust his hand forward, and a surge of kinetic force shot from his palm like a comet. It wasn't a slow, directed blast like Gold—it was fast, sharp, and precise. A focused burst of energy designed to overwhelm, to strike with pinpoint accuracy.
The projectile shot through the air, cutting through the wind like a blade. The rock he aimed at disintegrated into dust before the shockwave even reached it. The force of the impact sent a ripple through the ground, the echoes of it reverberating long after the blast.
Tsukasa stood motionless, watching the dust settle. His lips curled into a faint smirk, but the satisfaction was short-lived. That wasn't it.
"Not quite," he muttered, a flicker of annoyance flashing in his icy blue eyes. "I need more control. I need something that adapts."
He began again, this time not just focusing on amplifying the energy, but guiding it. With every motion of his hands, his cursed energy folded in on itself, condensed and honed to a razor-sharp edge. He wasn't simply throwing his power out into the world; he was giving it direction, precision.
This time, instead of a single shot, he generated a continuous pulse—like a wave of force that rippled outward in a series of controlled bursts, striking each target with perfect synchronization.
Each burst was a refined version of Gold, but with one critical difference: it followed his will. It adapted, responding to the subtle adjustments he made in mid-air, shifting its force based on the target's movements and weak points.
The boulders around him exploded one by one, but Tsukasa's focus didn't waver. He was already thinking ahead, analyzing the way the technique performed, the weaknesses in its execution. The energy wasn't enough yet. Not for the battles to come.
"I'll need to push further," Tsukasa said quietly, as the final boulder crumbled into dust.
His hand lowered, the glow of cursed energy slowly fading from his palm as he let out a controlled breath. Tsukasa's gaze hardened. There was no end. Perfection was a constant chase. One step forward, two steps ahead. He would create a new technique for every situation, every enemy, and refine it until there was nothing left to perfect.
And when the time came—when the true test arrived—he would be ready.