From Blueprints to Kamehamehas

Dear readers,

If you want to read the chapters ahead, please check out the audiobook version on my YouTube channel, self written audiobook[Click here] ! Your support there helps a lot, especially since I'm unable to receive payments directly due to local restriction.

As the fierce battle raged on, Shen's mind wandered back to the events of six months ago, when everything began to change. His body moved on autopilot, blocking Guren's strikes with trained precision, but his thoughts were far from the battlefield. Back then, he and Roshi were just students under Master Mutaito, unaware of the storm that was coming.

Six months earlier, Master Mutaito had summoned them into his chamber. The old dojo felt heavier than usual, the air thick with something Shen couldn't quite place—urgency, maybe.

"Shen, Roshi," Mutaito began, his voice steady but serious, "your training has come far, but it's time to prepare you for something greater."

Shen exchanged a glance with Roshi, who seemed to be trying his best to appear unphased, though Shen knew him well enough to spot the curiosity burning behind his calm exterior.

"You will travel to Raifu Island," Mutaito continued. "There, you will learn to control elemental forces—energy that exists in the air, though weaker than ki. Mastering this will pave the way for the true challenge: manipulating ki itself."

Shen's pulse quickened. Elemental control? It sounded like something out of a myth, and yet Mutaito spoke of it with the same gravity he always used when introducing a new technique. It made sense; manipulating the forces of nature was only a step below wielding the raw, pure energy of ki.

"When do we leave?" Roshi asked, his voice sharper than usual.

"In three days. Be prepared."

Three days later, they found themselves on a small boat, cutting through the waters toward Raifu Island. The air smelled of salt and adventure, but Shen's mind was fixed on the task ahead. Elemental control. The thought alone filled him with a sense of purpose. It was something new, something they hadn't encountered in the dojo. This was the next step.

They arrived at the island just as the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the lush greenery and towering mountains. The island itself was beautiful, a stark contrast to the intense training Shen knew awaited them. As they disembarked, they were greeted by a tall man with dark, graying hair and sharp eyes—Haruto, the eldest disciple of Raifu Island's master.

"Welcome to Raifu Island," Haruto said, his voice deep and commanding. "Master Mutaito has spoken highly of you both. Follow me, and I'll introduce you to Master Raiga."

Shen's heart raced. This was it. The next step in their journey toward mastering true element power.

Master Raiga was an ancient man, his body frail but his eyes sharp with wisdom. Beside him stood a young woman with long black hair and piercing eyes—Hana, his granddaughter.

"Roshi, Shen," the old man croaked, his voice weak but full of authority, "you are here to learn control of the very elements around you. Air, water, fire, earth, and lightning flow through the world, and through disciplined training, you will grasp the foundation of this power."

Roshi leaned forward, his focus sharp. Shen could see the determination in his eyes, but also the concern. While Shen felt a natural connection to the wind, he could sense that Roshi was more tense. Lightning, after all, was an unpredictable force.

For the first few weeks, Master Raiga himself trained them, guiding them through the basics of controlling the elemental energy that swirled invisibly in the air. Shen quickly found himself in sync with the wind, learning to manipulate small gusts within days. His natural talent showed, and under the guidance of Haruto, he made steady progress.

Roshi, on the other hand, struggled. Lightning was a fierce, volatile element, and unlike wind, it demanded not just control but immense focus to even generate a spark. Days turned into weeks, and while Shen was slowly winds, Roshi could barely create a static charge. Haruto advised patience, but the frustration was clear on Roshi's face.

However, Roshi was significantly stronger than Shen in physical aspect of martial arts. So, It balanced things out a bit. 

After a month of training, Master Raiga fell gravely ill, his age finally catching up to him. Haruto and Hana took over the training fully, and it was under Hana's tutelage that Roshi finally made a breakthrough.

One evening, Hana stood beside him in the courtyard, her eyes sharp as always, but with a faint hint of softness that Roshi hadn't noticed before. "You're trying too hard, Roshi," she said. "Lightning isn't about brute strength. You can't force it. It's the tension between control and chaos that creates the spark."

Roshi closed his eyes, focusing. He had been gripping the energy too tightly, trying to bend it to his will. But Hana's words rang true. With a deep breath, he relaxed his mind, letting the tension build naturally within him. And then, finally, a small arc of electricity jumped between his fingers.

Hana smiled, a rare expression from her. "Now you're getting it."

Roshi felt a surge of pride, but he knew this was only the beginning. Lightning was far more difficult than Shen's wind, but he had made his first step. The journey was long, but he was determined to keep going.

Months passed, and Shen and Roshi's progress continued. Shen could now command gusts of wind with ease, manipulating the air around him like a second skin. Roshi, though still behind, had made considerable strides in controlling lightning, summoning sparks and small charges with increasing frequency. But just as their training reached a crucial point, the news arrived: Master Raiga had passed away.

The island was thrown into mourning, but within the grief lay a darker undercurrent. Rumors began to spread that the island's most sacred treasure, a mystical fruit said to grant immense power, would ripen soon. Only the direct disciple of the island master could consume it. With the master gone, all eyes turned to Haruto.

Yet somewhere beyond the island, someone else had heard the news—Guren, Master Raiga's old disciple, who had been exiled years ago for his treachery. He had been waiting for this moment.