A Week Later(Month 2, Year 2):
Shakya Training Ground, Buddha's Palace:
Isaiah's POV:
My body feels light & refreshed and my confidence was through the roof. Before, it felt as if I was holding up the weight of the world on my shoulders before and now, I was as relaxed as I could be, smiling happily and just being joyful in general.
Buddha's training style was far better than Okita, but there are days where I just miss the bloody battles Okita and I had, which was mostly just my blood. There was also the fact that Buddha's training was more straining on my mental capabilities than Wukong's & Okita's extreme physical training, which made it a perfect refresher from all that bloody training.
"Look at you! All smiling & giddy!" Buddha said with a smirk and I just rolled my eyes, though that didn't the happy smile on my face as I jumped excitedly on my feet.
"So, when are we starting with the final two chakras?" I asked hurriedly and Buddha just chuckled.
"Calm down, boy! We're going to start with the 3rd Chakra today. Now sit down." Quickly sitting down with my legs crossed, Buddha rolled his eyes before he cleared his throat.
"Vishuddha or the Throat Chakra, connected with your Sin of Greed. To speak out what you truly feel without stuttering over a single word and communicate our true power. 'Speak the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth' is a saying that most would connect to this chakra." I nodded at his explanation.
"Okay, now interlace your middle, ring and pinky fingers together inside of your hands and interlock your index finger tips and thumbs to form two seperate rings. Then hold this mudra in front of your throat and repeat the word 'Ham' over and over again." He explained and I nodded at his words, finding it a bit hard to form my hands into the sign but succeeding before I closed my eyes and began muttering.
"Ham…Ham…Ham…Ham…" Huh, now that I truly pay attention, some of the 'Ham' were deeper than the others while some were were on a much higher pitch than I expected.
"Ham…Ham…Ham…Ham…" I repeatedly changed my way of saying, trying every tone I could to find a way to pronounce it perfectly.
"Ham…Ham…Ham…Ham…" There it is, that's the tone!
Unknowingly, I smiled slightly before I began to speak louder, not realising what was happening around me.
With Buddha & Others:
3rd Person POV:
"…Okay, now this is just bullshit!" Buddha heard Wukong whine and he chuckled, though there were some parts that agreed with him. It took Buddha an entire day to unlock his throat chakra and Wukong an entire week and yet, here was a 13 year old boy utterly destroying their records by unlocking his throat chakra in a little over an hour.
'There is always someone stronger than you' are words that Buddha believes apply here.
"Ham…Ham…Ham…Ham…" As Isaiah kept speaking, a light blue aura, flowing out of his mouth like water, pulsed with every word as the ground trembled slightly. It looks like he won't have to wait long for the boy to unlock his True Voice after all.
"Wake up, gaki!" Buddha shouted, rousing Isaiah from his sleep as he shook his head.
Isaiah's POV:
"Huh, what's wrong?" I asked, not noticing MacGregor's and Okita's wincing as well as Bardou's whining as Buddha just shook his head with an amused smile. I could feel a slight change in my throat, but other than the disappearing light blue liquid at my feet, I saw nothing unusual.
"Go back to your normal voice, boy." With confusion, I hummed until I was finally able to speak in my normal voice.
"What was wrong?" I asked, only now looking around and noticing Okita and MacGregor holding their heads and Bardou shaking his head.
"What you just unlocked is what a God calls their True Voice, something the average mortals are unable to hear as it would be devastating to them. The best case scenario is death while the worst case is being in a coma while having every cell in your body be burned as you listen to that painful voice over and over and over again. The True Voice is something that will help portray your true intentions to others, showcasing your greedy side as having this Voice makes you want to command others to give you more riches, more fame, more power." He explained and I paled slightly before quickly glancing at the others.
"Wait, I can understand Bardou being hurt by the voice because he's just Satan-Class, but Okita & MacGregor should be at the very least be Major God-Class. How were they hurt by the voice?"
"All of our potential were brought out by a potion Lord Sirzechs and Lord Ajuka let us use. We never went through the process you're currently going through in order to become God-Class." I turned to Okita as he spoke, with MacGregor nodding along with him.
"Unfortunately, the potion uses every bit of latent potential in a Devil's body & spirit to raise their power to their absolute maximum, which means that the Devil's power also stagnates there, unable to get any stronger. The only thing we can train after that is our experience and skill." MacGregor explained, to which I just nodded before turning back to Buddha, who had already drawn another barrier around me.
"Try your True Voice again."
"Like this?" I asked, taking about thirty seconds to switch to my True Voice as Buddha nodded. Looking over at Okita, MacGregor and Bardou, they weren't holding their heads, so I assumed that the barrier was actually a muffling barrier.
"Good. Now, switch back to your normal voice."
"Okay…okay…okay…okay." Buddha nodded before he grinned.
"Now keep switching between the voices and once you can do that, train to do it without the humming." With a sigh, I nodded before I began, Buddha making himself comfortable on the ground as the others went off to do their daily businesses.
Five Hours Later:
"Okay. Back. Okay. Back." I said, switching seamlessly between my two voices in the blink of an eye, though I was more wheezing it out than speaking as my throat was completely dry. Buddha believes that a dry throat would make you focus more on perfecting the voices. All it did was force me to perfect it with a burning throat.
"Good work and in only six hours time, though nothing on my two hour record. I guess you can't win them all." Buddha said smugly, smirking as he handed me a glass of water and I didn't even care as I downed it, sighing in relief as I satisfied my parched throat.
"So…what now?" I asked and he shrugged.
"For the day, rest. Tomorrow, it's time to finally unlock your concept." I nodded as I walked towards the dining room.
Not noticing the solemn look in Buddha's eyes as he stared at my back.
The Next Day(Month 2, Year 2):
Shakya Training Ground, Buddha's Palace:
Something is wrong.
Something is terribly wrong.
I've had a full breakfast meal of all of my favourites, Okita has not done surprise attack training in the last 24 hours, MacGregor said that we don't have magic training today and Wukong won't spar with me. Even Bardou, who usually plays 'shoot the flying boulder' with me, is far too busy sleeping to do that.
Something I knows he would never do as he adores 'shoot the flying boulder', even more than, dare I say it, hanging out with Akeno.
That would explain why I walked out on the Shakya Training Field with both Air Current Sense & Electroreception stretched out to their fullest, frowning as I sensed only Buddha on the training ground, the rest being busy in other places of the palace.
Yeah, something is definitely wrong.
"Morning, Buddha." I said with a wave and frowned slightly as Buddha just smirked and nodded. Usually, he just gives me a cocky smirk and a two-finger salute in greeting. The fact that he nodded
…Nah, something is really really wrong.
"So, how are we doing unlocking the 'Transcendence' chakra?" I asked with a smile, which dimmed slightly as he just gestured for me to sit down.
"Ushnisha Kamala or the Crown Chakra and the chakra that links transcendence with the body. To unlock this chakra is to open yourself to the energy that flows through every living being in this world of ours, to feel what it truly means to be alive. 'I am a vessel created for love and light' is a saying I like to use that applies to this chakra. When a Devil, who has mastered control over all of his Primary Sins, unlock this chakra, they are shown what their concept is and what it truly means to be a Devil. Now, let's get started." I nodded as I sat down on the ground, worrying slightly as he began pacing around me.
"Place the tips of your index fingers and thumbs together to touch, forming a pyramid shape. Then, allow the rest of your fingers to extend straight upwards. Now, raise this sign slightly above your head for a few seconds before lowering it back down to right in front of your forehead." Doing as he asked, I formed the mudra before I raised my hands slightly above my head. Letting my hands stay there for a few seconds, I then lowered them back while until they were right in front of my forehead.
"Now, I want you to close your eyes and focus on nothing else than the crown of your head." He said as he came to a standstill in front of me, even tapping my crown softly as I nodded before closing my eyes, focusing on nothing but the crown on my head. I could feel…something, but it was far too dim for me to even start approaching. Nothing has happened so far, so perhaps I was just paranoid…
…I just jinxed it, didn't I?
"Good luck, boy. You're going to need it." I heard Buddha say before I heard feet shuffle.
"Wha-!" I was barely able to begin speaking before feeling something blitzing through my fingers and smashing into my forehead. The last thing I heard was a loud sound of metal screeching before I blacked out.
Unknown Location:
Waking up with a gasp, I frowned as I stared at the area around me. A desolate wasteland, broken swords and hilts without blades scattered everywhere as blood flowed like rivers all over the place. In the sky, the clouds were circling above me as lightning flashed erratically and thunder boomed.
"So, you finally arrived." I heard someone say behind me and I turned before my eyes widened.
Sitting on a throne of blades…was me. Well, not exactly me as his eyes had bright red sclera and his hair was a dark blue, but other than the eye and hair colour differences, we looked completely alike. Even down to our clothing.
"I'm so going to kick Buddha's ass when I wake up from this acid trip." I muttered, to which Other Me just chuckled as he stood up from his throne, the throne disappear as he slowly walked until coming to a standstill just a few meters away from me.
"Oh, stop your whining. This was the safest way he could get you to meet me without having to send you on a journey to figure everything out on your own." Other me said as he rolled his eyes and I frowned.
"Who are you exactly & what is this?" I asked and he smirked as a blade sprouted from the ground, which he took out before leaning on it.
"I'm you and this is your mindscape. The centre of the combination of both Blade Blacksmith and Sword Birth. The birth of our new Sacred Gear. I call it the Devil's Playground." Was his cheerful answer.
"Really?" I asked dubiously with a raised eyebrow, to which he chuckled.
"Well, I'm more like your Devil genes and magic combining your True Devil Form as well as your Concept of Transcendence before breathing life into it. Your Inner Hollow of sorts if we're going to continue with the Bleach terminology you like using with your Balance Breakers." He said with a shrug and I stared at him before sighing.
"I'm going to have to fight you, aren't I?" Surprisingly, he shook his head with a smile.
"Fighting you would be nothing more than taking candy from the corpse of a stillborn baby. Right now, I'm a mountain and you're nothing more than a tree growing on my side. Annoying, but easy to get rid of. No, instead I'm going to give you access to your Concept. You won't, however, be able to release the true power of your Concept until you beat me to unlock your True Form." I just sighed at his words.
"Why didn't I just stay weak and not have to worry about?" I muttered and he chuckled as he rolled his shoulders.
"Well, are you ready to learn what your Concept is?" He asked and I nodded, to which he just grinned before blade after blade grew from the ground, all of them piercing the ground with their hilts pointed at the sky. From estocs to broadswords to katanas to daitos to nodachis to daggers to dirks to even greatswords. You name the type of blade and it was here.
"I am everywhere yet nowhere. Reality bends to my whim as I spawn from nothing and need no sacrifice to be born. Everything was born from me and yet I was never there. What am I?" Other me asked with a grin, to which I groaned as he chuckled.
"A riddle? Really? Also, that was one of the shittiest riddles I've heard in both my lives" I grumbled and he smirked. "Firstly, fuck you. Secondly, We could fight for it, but that would end in your unfortunate demise, so at least make it fun for me."
…You know what? A shitty riddle sounds good.
'I am everywhere yet nowhere…that's probably space. Reality bends to my whim as I spawn from nothing and need no sacrifice to be born…time or space again. Everything was born from me and yet I was never there…okay, so space didn't bring everything to life…wait, could it be life? No, life doesn't suit me, but what else created everything? Wait…create…' I was slowly connecting the dots before I looked up at the smirking face of Me 2.0.
"My Concept…is it Creation?"
"Ding! Ding! We have a winner!" He said as he clapped his hands, making me smirk before he spoke.
"Your Concept is not exactly 'Creation of Matter' itself, but more attuned to 'Creation of Bladed Weapons' and the 'Creation of Runic Patterns'. Therefore, anything that has a blade can be created by you and any rune you can understand and manipulate can be created by you. Put those two together and we have your True Concept & your True Form 'The Creation of a Runic Bladed Entity'. A being who is clad in an aura that is ever-changing and sharper than the sharpest blade in all of existence, able to create a blade that is suited for any situation he encounters as well as delivering blows that has a variety of effects depending on the runic pattern he uses."
"…So basically Archer's Unlimited Blade Works mixed with Ichigo's Mugetsu?" I asked, to which he chuckled as he nodded.
"Yes, exactly that. However, currently, you only have enough power to maintain your True Form for about five seconds. After that, your body will force itself into a coma and you'll only wake up after all of your power has returned, which should be about a week or so."
"That's why you're only giving me the Concept to work with now. Make myself use to its power and wait until I grow strong enough to maintain my True Form as long as I need to." I muttered and he grinned.
"We're really smart guys, huh?" He said and I grinned as I nodded before he held out a fist, which I stared at in confusion.
"Contract seal. When you've reached the level required to fight me and gain your True Form, I'll let you know." He explained and I nodded before I placed my fist against his, both of our eyes a bright blue as crimson and silver chains wrapped around our fists before sinking under our skin. The glow in our eyes slowly dissipated before he grinned.
"And with that, it's time for you to go since Okita is worrying like a mother hen out there. Also, call me Mel. It's much more helpful than 'Other me'."
"Why am I not surprised you can read my thoughts?" I spoke dryly, with him laughing before he flicked my forehead and I blacked out.
"Oi, gaki, you good?" I heard Okita's voice as I groaned and opened my eyes, blinking a few times to get used to the light before I stared at the ceiling, Okita standing worried next to me as MacGregor and Buddha were standing at the end of the bed I was laying. Looking around, I saw that I was back in the Medical Wing and I groaned as I lifted myself up.
"What the hell happened?" I muttered before noticing Okita glaring at a sheepish Buddha.
"Well, I was going to unlock your final Chakra and send you to meet your Concept, but unfortunately, the aura you released was far more than I expected. Also, you've been in a coma for the past three months."
"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed as my eyes widened, Buddha grinning sheepishly before he pulled out stacks of letters and presents.
"That and your friends has been sending letters every week. Also, they're very pissed at me for putting you in that coma and your girlfriend wants to chop my dick off as payment, which I'm kind of attached to." He muttered with a sigh as I let out a deep breath.
"Another also, we don't want you to have another relapse and slip into another coma, so training's cancelled for the next two weeks. Bye~!" And with that final sentence, he disappeared, leaving Okita, MacGregor and I alone in the Medical Wing.
"You and hospitals have a very close relationship. Akeno might have to start worrying." Was MacGregor's attempt at making a joke, both Okita and I just staring at him dryly.
"Leave the jokes for the old man and I, MacGregor." I said, to which Okita nodded as he just grumbled under his breath.
"So…gonna explain what happened?" Okita asked before I sighed.
"I'm going to have to tell Buddha too, so you can wait until then. Right now, I'm going back to sleep." And without paying attention to Okita's whining, I fell back onto the bed before closing my eyes and drifting off into dreamland.
A/N: And there we go! New character introduced!
Now, it's time for a new arc to begin as we've reached another time skip.
What do you think of Mel? I'm going to base him off a much more sarcastic and not as evil Mel from Total Drama(Mike's most twisted personality), so tell me if you like him.
Other than that, nothing else of note to say…oh wait. I wanted to ask.
Is the story like…good or anything? 'Cause I've read through it and it makes me cringe sometimes at the corny stuff found throughout the fanfic.
Let me know in the reviews. Now with that said, I'll see you all in the next chapter.
Until then… Ba-Bye~!