7 Chapter 7: Present Achivements, Past Faults.

Word Count: 1710

"You're still training do you ever get tired?" Junpei asked slightly concerned, it was getting quite late, the sun was already setting.

"I just have a lot more Cursed Energy and Vitality than you, I guess." I replied with chuckle, me Junpei had already completed our Cursed Energy manipulation training, I wasn't sure if it was because our personalities are both calm and collected, or both of our experience with controlling our emotions in the past.

"Well don't burn yourself out, hah…" Junpei replied with a sigh at the end, he knew he couldn't stop me.

"I won't." I replied as Junpei walked back inside, but something came to mind.

'The Chat Group has been dead quiet since I returned with Junpei' I didn't know if this was a good thing or not, perhaps everyone was busy, but it was probably because none of us cared enough to say anything.

"Hah…" letting out a sigh, I was starting to get a slight headache from the continue use of Cursed Energy, Junpei had stopped his training as soon as we finished the cursed manipulation exercise, but I decided to continue, and I moved on to Applying cursed energy.

Usually this would be easy, but I was attempting to apply it to Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, even a single mistake while manipulating my cursed energy, and it would disrupt Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

My cursed energy needed to flow equally throughout my body, similarly to the flow of water which my Taijutsu was based on.

'Each attempt I'm getting closer, I should move away.' Jumping over Junpei's fence, I moved with the special footwork that came with Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, although I only had a surface level understanding It made me a lot faster, I would have to train it a lot more in the future, along with abandonment and Awakening Breath.

[Note's on Awakening Breath and Abandonment for people who haven't read the Manga.]

(A/N: Special footwork is part of the fist of flowing water, "using special footwork, Bang can elegantly and quickly move as if he were flowing" I didn't make this up.)

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, I avoided populated places, and as I neared the edge of the city, I found a good place, it was a small creak surrounded by many trees.

As I got into stance, I prepared to once again make an attempt, but as I stared at the gentle water flowing, I could feel the inspiration coming from it.

'This…' a sudden realization had come to mind, 'I think I can do it now!'

Switching to a different stance, my mind was clear, and I was in a state of complete focus, as the blue aura surrounded my fists, cursed energy coated the aura and intertwined with the aura, creating an effect similar to steam, the movements of my fists weaved several streams of aura around myself, each resembling the flow of a river.

Having chosen the tree in front of me as my target, I unleashed my attack upon it, and I prepared to channel my cursed energy directly as soon as my fist connected.

*BOOM*

With a flash of darkness, the power of the blow made the air rumble, and tore the surrounding trees to nothing but splinters!

With wide eyes, I stared at the destruction of my attack, but that wasn't the only thing in my mind, in my head I could feel it!

I could see why Black Flash is a powerful phenomenon, my understanding of Cursed Energy had been elevated to a degree much higher than before!

"I think this is enough… I'll carve my own Innate Technique!"

Dashing forward, I quickly fled, although it was a rural area, I highly doubt nobody heard the sound, there was even the chance of a sorcerer nearby.

....

...

..

Entering from the backyard, I closed the sliding glass door behind me, and entered the living room where I found Junpei, watching something on the TV.

"Hah… I'm beat, anyway, what are you watching?" I asked curiously, I had already finished my goal for today and had some time to kill.

"Human Earthworm 2, I was just doing a rewatch since tomorrow I was going to go watch Human Earthworm 3 at the theatre" Junpei explained already noticing my presence with his heightened senses, he also prompted me to sit down and watch with him, which I gladly accepted.

"Mind if I tag along, I haven't gone to a theatre since I was a kid." I was quite sure Mahito would appear there, but even if he didn't, It's been a long time since I've watched a movie.

"Sure, it's better than going alone, it's a little embarrassing." Junpei replied as he unpaused the movie.

Junpei looked a little too invested in the movie to strike up some conversation, it would be rude to talk to him in the middle of the movie.

But as the movie went on for another twenty or so minutes, I found myself just as invested.

And as the movie came to an end, all I had was complements.

"Ahh, that was pretty good." I complemented, I could see why Junpei liked the movie so much.

"I know right, Human Earthworm 2 is probably the best one in the series." Junpei replied, he was very passionate when it came to this stuff.

"I can see why, the ending was fantastic, hah… I hope Human Earthworm 3 lives up to expectations." I was starting to hope that Mahito wouldn't interrupt the movie.

But as we finished talking about the movie, we both were left in silence, and as I stared at Junpei, he reminded me of my past.

"Hey Junpei, you know, you remind me of myself."

"Eh, how so?" Junpei asked somewhat surprised, he still hadn't known much about me.

"What if I told you I once saw the world the way you did?"

"What, really?" Junpei was even more surprised, was I possibly someone he could relate to?

"I'll let you on to a secret that nobody else knows, but you can't tell anyone got it?"

Getting a nod from Junpei I let him in on the secret "Long before I was a part of the Chat Group I had run away from home, I think I was thirteen at the time, and at that time, I had the same indifference as you."

"Two years later, I was doing simple yard chores for money, I was barely making it by, I had to live in a tent in the forest because I couldn't afford a normal house, but around that time I met a girl, she was around my age, and she became my only friend."

"Although I never developed romantic feelings for her, as the indifference in my heart was still there, but for me… she was the most important person in my life."

Junpei starting to realize the similarity between me and him, just like me, he only had one important person in his life.

"But, as I finished doing the last of my commissions, during my walk back, I had found herself being attacked by two men, although I don't want to say what they were trying to do, I bet you understand the picture."

"I walked into the alley they were in, and when I exited, there were two corpses left behind, but as I turned around to face her, I saw the fear in her eyes, I couldn't forgive myself, and I ran off."

"As the main suspect in the murder of those two people, I had to stay low, I stayed in the forest, foraging for food and water, but it seems like luck wasn't on my side, and I had caught an unknown disease, most likely from the water, I had no chance for seeking treatment, so I decided to repent for my actions, I could never forgive myself, so I decided to take my life."

"It was a better fate than not doing anything and to die slowly from an unknown disease, but when I woke up I was still alive, and in front of me was the Chat Group, an offer for a body that could heal any wound, and different appearance, a new chance for me."

"And I accepted it, although I miss my old body, I feel my sins disappeared along with it, I have finally forgiven myself… or perhaps I had simply run away, but that doesn't matter.

"Junpei, I don't want the same thing to happen to you, we must both get stronger to protect the things we care about, so Junpei, will you get stronger with me?"

The sadness was obvious on Junpei's face, my tragic past seemed to affect him as he felt it was similar to his own.

"Yes, I refuse for anything to hurt my mom!" Junpei suddenly shouted with conviction and determination in his eyes.

"Good, follow me!" I replied with a large smile!

"Hold on for a second, where are we even headed, the sun has already set?"

"I'm going to teach you how to use your Innate Technique, hurry, your mom should be home soon." I replied as I opened the sliding glass door.

Although I viewed my self as 'Smart' and 'Cunning' my past was only a reminder of my own stupidity and foolishness… I wouldn't waste this chance.

When I meet Mahito, I will make sure to exorcise him, I had remembered what he did to Junpei.

And I was… upset…

No… I don't remember what I was feeling while I was watching… or was I reading the manga…

Whatever, I was still pissed off.

. End Chapter .

If you enjoyed today's chapter, consider leaving a power stone!

My Thoughts:

It seems I'll be continuing the late night releases as I woke up at 4 PM today, and I just finished writing this at 3 AM, anyway, some plot has been revealed, you might be able to connect some additional dots if you look a little further at the MC's past, I won't say any more :).

I'm just going to make this clear.

No, this won't be BL!

So, uhh don't worry.

Editor: Orvar

Orvar Quote: "Junpei Bromance hell yeah!"