Zen natures.

The weekend passed, and the three rookies returned to the guild for their next lesson. Upon entering, Mado intercepted them to prevent them from going to the courtyard. Instead, the master led them to that empty and dusty room. However, upon arrival, they found the room completely clean with three desks positioned in front of a desk with an office chair where Mado sat.

The atmosphere of the room was different this time, a halo of anticipation hung in the air, mixed with the scent of freshly cleaned dust. The sun's rays filtering through the freshly washed windows painted a pattern of light on the floor, adding a sense of tranquility to the environment.

"Concealing involves hiding the Ora both for stealth and practical purposes," Mado began, his voice resonating in the now serene room. His students sat at the desks, attentive to his words. "For example, a warrior is always emanating Ora, this is known as their 'presence.' The more powerful a user is, the denser and heavier their presence becomes. To hide from users with enough skill to detect presence, they can temporarily conceal it. However, Concealing not only hides the presence, it completely deactivates the Ora, leaving them defenseless to use zen. So, they won't be able to use their natures or jibun either," Mado explained after his students had seated themselves.

"But what the heck are natures and jibun?" Shori asked again, to which Lyra and Ik turned to him to silence him.

"Now you are going to learn Concealing. For this, you will do basic exercises. It has been discovered that the best way to learn Concealing is by doing sit-ups and push-ups. There are three mats back here, take them and start doing these exercises. The key is to feel the wind and sweat running through your bodies. You must concentrate a lot on that sensation," Mado explained, ignoring Shori's question.

The three rookies nodded with determination, accepting the challenge presented by their teacher. They headed towards the mats laid out on the floor of the room, preparing to begin their training.

"Take these, they're your hot weather field uniforms. The guild will provide you with three uniforms: the first you received when you joined, the second is this hot weather field uniform, and the third is the winter uniform you'll receive when November starts," the teacher explained, handing the new uniforms to the rookies.

Lyra, Ik, and Shori received the uniforms with interest, examining the garments curiously before dressing in them. The hot weather field uniform consisted of a shirt with the city crest printed on the chest, just like the standard uniform. However, unlike the standard one, the new shirt was made of winfresh fabric to repel moisture and prevent sweat from dampening the garment. The new uniform also came with black leggings that could be short, knee-length, or ankle-length, depending on what the warrior preferred.

Lyra chose the short leggings, while Ik and Shori opted for the longer ones. The three went to change, and upon returning to the classroom, they immediately began the exercises Mado had instructed. At first, none of them found too much difficulty, as they had demonstrated excellent physical condition to pass the guild entrance exam. However, after a couple of hours dedicated to sit-ups and push-ups, fatigue began to take its toll on them. Slowly, they fell exhausted onto their mats, unable to continue.

"Take a twenty-minute break, guys. There's water at the reception," Crissalid announced, unexpectedly appearing at the classroom window, surprising the rookies since the classroom was on the second floor of the guild.

With the little strength they had left, the three rookies went downstairs to get themselves a glass of cold water from the dispenser at the reception. However, upon arrival, they noticed that the others in the reception were subtly moving away from them, making them realize their unpleasant odor.

"We smell like wet garbage under the sun," Shori commented, wrinkling his nose as he rested it on his shoulder.

"These uniforms are practical for rough use, but the fact that they don't absorb sweat makes us smell terrible," Ik added, shaking the front of his shirt in an attempt to cool down.

"In a normal situation, I'd be ridiculously embarrassed for you guys to smell me, but since we're all in the same boat, I guess it doesn't matter," Lyra concluded, following Ik's example and fanning her blouse to try to alleviate the heat.

The break ended, and everyone continued their physical exercises for three more hours until Mado returned and indicated they could leave. This continued throughout the week. Every day they arrived at the guild, Master Mado ordered them to continue exercising. By the weekend, Lyra's abdomen was slightly defined, and her arms, despite being slender, were a bit more toned. Meanwhile, Ik and Shori's arms had slightly increased their muscle mass, so both their chest and abdomen were well defined.

The master arrived an hour early on Friday to check on his students' progress.

"Alright, guys, now I want you to visualize your Aura as on the first day and then simply imagine it disappearing. This will make you use Concealing to deactivate the Aura and, therefore, your presence will disappear," Mado instructed. The three closed their eyes to concentrate and visualize their Aura as their teacher had indicated before starting to feel a slight breeze running over their skin. This was their presence. The rookies quickly began to do their best to make that current disappear.

"Officially, you're not here, your presence has completely disappeared," the master said, congratulating them.

The three rookies opened their eyes and smiled at each other before Lyra hugged them, as they had gone through the toughest week of training they had ever had.

"Next week you'll learn Distribute. For that, you won't need more than an afternoon, as you currently master Armor and Concealing almost perfectly," Mado explained before letting them go to change at the guild showers.

After finishing, the three walked together down the path to the entrance, as had become their custom.

"The soap in the showers smells like the one used for laundry," Ik commented.

"Yeah, you can tell it's really cheap, it even breaks sometimes," Shori added.

"Really? In the girls' showers, there's lavender soap," Lyra said before showing a smug smile.

"Lavender?" Ik asked, incredulous, to which Lyra nodded before bringing her arm closer to his face so he could smell it.

"You're right, you smell good," the boy commented, somewhat nervous.

The next day, Lyra had the day off, so she had arranged with Touko and Shori to go for a stroll at the mall. Once there, the first thing they did was go to an ice cream stand, the only one in the city where they sold Touko's favorite drink: the "Cherry Frost," a frozen carbonated beverage flavored with a citrusy and sweet candy. Touko always chose the blueberry flavor, while Lyra usually ordered a cookie basket that came with five scoops of chocolate ice cream.

"So, did you guys already get your hot weather field uniform?" Touko asked after sitting down next to her friend.

"Yeah, although they stink when you sweat a lot," Lyra responded, taking bites of her dessert.

"I know, yesterday my team and I had to go on a mission where we had to wear that uniform," Touko commented.

"Your team is already going on missions?" Lyra asked.

"Yesterday was the first one," Touko answered between sips.

"Do you already master Armor, Concealing, and Distribute then?" Lyra asked again, confused.

"Yes, and I also did the affinity test for the zen nature, and next week I'll start training with my nature," Touko responded before offering Lyra a sip of her drink in exchange for a spoonful of her ice cream.

"What test?" Lyra asked, puzzled.

"You'll know when your turn comes, I'll just tell you that I'm of the Botanical nature," the blonde commented enthusiastically.

Lyra stopped insisting, and they both continued strolling around the place. However, every time they passed by a clothing store, Touko spent at least a thousand "Lanas" on clothes for herself and some gifts for Lyra.

Lanas are the universal currency used throughout the Aari continent. They come in coins of half Lanal, one Lana, three Lanas, five Lanas, ten Lanas, twenty Lanas, and in bills of fifty Lanas, one hundred Lanas, three hundred Lanas, five hundred Lana, eight hundred Lanas, and one thousand Lanas. (One Lana is equivalent to $0.15 USD). The coins have two sides: on one side, they are engraved with the Lana symbol, an elegant letter L, while on the other side, depending on the country, the coins are engraved with the coat of arms of the country where they were minted and where they are most commonly used. In no country on the continent does a Lana change its value.

On Monday morning, both Lyra and Shori were excited to ask the teacher what the nature test was about, as Touko refused to tell them. Ik, on the other hand, was slouched in his desk, watching Lyra and Shori argue over something trivial.

Mado entered the classroom carrying a fish tank containing a strange koi fish that changed color like a puddle of motor oil exposed to the sun.

"What a cute little fish!" exclaimed Lyra, delighted with the animal swimming in its rectangular tank adorned with plants and stones with strange engraved symbols.

The fish also caught Ik and Shori's attention, however, they simply watched it from their seats.

"For now, ignore Carlos," said Mado as he gently shook a jar of food over the tank, dropping pieces of dried fruit into the water.

"Now you're going to try using Distribute, it's not difficult at all once you have Armor and Concealing mastered. What you need to do is activate Armor and then use Concealing over your entire body except where you want to concentrate all your Aura," Mado explained to his students.

The three rookies followed Mado's instructions, so they effortlessly managed to use Distribute. Lyra was amazed to see how an intense amount of Aura radiated around her hand, while Ik and Shori did the same. Everyone could see their Armor radiating on their hands, but at the same time, they felt defenseless in the rest of their bodies.

"Congratulations, guys, you officially master all the basics of zen energy," said Mado, applauding almost at the same time as Crissalid entered through the window to congratulate them. The three standing rookies looked at each other before Lyra pulled them into a tight hug.

Mado gestured to his students to approach his desk where Carlos' fish tank was. The rookies obeyed and stood around the little fish.

"All right, guys, now that you've mastered the basics of zen energy, it's time for you to learn about the different natures you can develop," Mado began, with a serious yet friendly tone.

The three rookies nodded with interest, ready to absorb any information their teacher was willing to share.

"There are fourteen natures in zen energy. Since birth, each person has an innate affinity towards one of these; however, one can live their whole life without developing it. Although natures are not necessary to master zen energy, the guild requires recruits to master at least one of them," explained Mado, pointing to the koi fish swimming in circles in its tank. "Now I present to you Carlos. Do you see how he changes color? This is because he is a user of the Frost nature. It's one of the rare natures that exist."

Lyra, Ik, and Shori observed the fish attentively, amazed by its singularity.

"Among the common natures, we have fire, water, earth, air, plant, and shadow," Mado continued. "As for the rare natures, in addition to Frost, there are Mentalist, Volatile, Magic, and Psychic. The latter is the rarest of all, with one user for every ten thousand people who master zen."

The three rookies exchanged looks of amazement and curiosity at this revelation. The idea of developing a zen nature opened up a new world of possibilities for them.

"This one, unlike the other koi fish, is of a breed that is highly sensitive to zen energy. What you need to do is use Distribute in the palm of one of your hands and press it against the glass of the tank. Carlos will react in different ways to your Aura and will allow us to know what your zen nature is... Now, line up, you'll each take turns to do the test," explained the teacher, stepping aside so Shori could stand in front of Carlos, the koi fish.

Following Mado's instructions, Shori used Distribute on his right hand and pressed it against the glass of the tank. At first, Carlos, the fish, didn't react to Shori's zen and continued swimming around his tank. However, Shori didn't give up and closed his eyes to concentrate more, causing the fish to notice his presence and slowly approach Shori's hand, circling around it.

"Did I do it right? What does that mean?" asked the young blonde excitedly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

"Carlos is reacting to the warmth emanating from your presence; you have an affinity for the fire nature," replied Mado, placing a hand on Shori's shoulder to congratulate him.

Shori smiled widely, radiant for having discovered his zen affinity. It was an important step in his development as a warrior, and he was eager to explore the possibilities that this nature offered him.

The next in line was Ik, who replicated exactly what his companion had done. However, as soon as Ik pressed the palm of his hand against the glass, the fish quickly swam away from him before settling at the bottom of the tank, completely still.

"You are of the shadow nature; Carlos is frightened of your presence," explained the teacher before indicating to Lyra that it was her turn.

Lyra approached the tank excitedly. "I hope I'm of some rare nature, maybe Frost. I would like to be able to create ice with my hands, if not something like wind or water," thought Lyra, pressing the palm of her hand to the tank where Carlos had already recovered to play in the water again. However, when Lyra put her hand in the tank, the fish immediately returned to its corner and settled at the bottom of the tank once more.

"Am I of the shadow nature? But I'm good and friendly... no offense," said Lyra, addressing Ik with an uncertain smile.

"I see you noticed that personality has to do with nature," commented Mado, preparing to explain.

"I didn't know, but the natures matched their personalities. Shori is very playful and somewhat naive, I easily related him to warmth, while Ik is more solitary and quiet, which fits well with the shadow nature," argued Lyra before returning to her desk to sit back down.

Each nature has a characteristic that is more developed in its users, which is why you can deduce the nature of the user without them demonstrating it. Fire users tend to be more impulsive, confident in their powers, and hate losing. Water users are very calm and neutral in conflicts; personally, they tend to be reserved. Earth users are physically much stronger than others by nature and easily get frustrated. Air users, like water users, are calm, but if they adopt an ideal, they will defend it to the end; they also tend to focus a lot on their goals. Botanical nature users stand out for their intelligence, which is enhanced in high-pressure situations. Shadow users are the most unpredictable, and there is no logical pattern; while some are protective of their close ones and quite understanding, others are selfish and very resentful.

Mado explained this to his students, who listened attentively until the end when the teacher gave them permission to ask questions.

"What about the other natures?" Shori asked his teacher.

"They are so rare that I didn't consider it necessary, but this information may still be useful to you: Frost users are a rare variant of the water element, so they share many traits, adding that they easily let their emotions get the best of them. Psychics find it easy to adapt to groups or situations and are usually more intelligent than plant users. Mentalists tend to act for fun and find it very easy to switch sides, as they prioritize their personal safety over a minimally dangerous situation. Volatiles are very proud and jealous of people or objects they consider their property, so they often argue frequently with their peers. Those of magical nature tend to be calculating and feel different from others, so it's common for them to form bonds very quickly among themselves," Mado replied, answering his student's question.

"A while ago, you mentioned that there are fourteen natures, but you've only talked about eleven. What about the remaining three?" Ik asked after raising his hand.

"I decided to omit these three as they were irrelevant for the test. Unlike the first eleven natures, none of these three come from birth. These three missing natures are electricity, intensification, and healing. The fact that one is not born with an affinity to any of these three natures does not mean they cannot be learned. On the contrary, unlike the other eleven primary natures, these can be learned and maintained at the same time as the nature one was born with," Mado explained as small sparks emanated around his raised index finger. The three rookies were amazed, and a new desire to learn emerged in their hearts.

"Now I'm going to tell you what you can do with your developed natures: fire nature users can create a fire aura that replaces Armor at will. Water users can use the water from their bodies or the environment to create small amounts of water that they can manipulate and use to heal superficial wounds. Earth users can mold their surroundings and use them to their advantage. This is the most powerful element in its base form. Air nature users can create small waves of air that can push or pull; it's the weakest element in its base form. Botanical users can manipulate plant roots, create very thin roots from their bodies, and also slightly promote plant growth... and finally, shadow users can create a darkness aura that permanently replaces the Armor but with the benefit of being three times stronger," the teacher explained seriously.

"What do you mean by permanently?" Lyra asked.

"When you start practicing your nature, your Armor will be replaced by 'Shadow Armor'," Mado replied before asking his students to join him in the backyard by the stream where they began their training.

"Lyra and Ik, you two will do the same thing you did the first week, practicing meditation and always visualizing your Aura now two centimeters away from your body," the teacher ordered seriously.

"And what about me?" Shori asked after his classmates sat down on the grass under the cherry tree's shade, to which Mado simply gestured for him to follow him back to the building.

Lyra and Ik continued meditating, so focused that time flew by. The sun had set, and the sky had darkened, giving way to the moon. Suddenly, Lyra heard Ik let out a small, stifled laugh.

"What's so funny?" Lyra asked amiably.

"It's nothing bad, it's just that the cherry blossoms that fell on your head blend in with the pink color of your hair," Ik replied with a smile that Lyra returned before shaking her head to remove the flowers.

"It's late, and Mado still hasn't come to give us permission to leave," Lyra commented after observing the sky.

"Yeah, by this time he would have let us go," Ik said before lying down and watching as Crissalid looked at them from above.

"Oh, it's you. What's up? Did they send you to supervise that we were meditating?" Lyra asked Crissalid.

"No, actually Mado told me he forgot about you because he was training Shori, so I came to see if you were still here," Crissalid replied, leaving the boys surprised.

As they headed towards the exit through the guild's foyer, Lyra noticed the clock showing it was already eight-thirty in the evening.

"Darn, it's late," Lyra exclaimed, hurrying to reach the end of the path leading to the main gate.

"Hey, Lyra! It's late, and your friends aren't here. Do you want me to walk you home?" Ik asked as he saw her running alongside him. The night breeze gently moved Ik's dark hair strands as he approached Lyra with a friendly smile.

"Are you sure? You live on the other side of the city, and you'd have to take two buses to get back home," Lyra replied, stopping to consider her friend's offer. Concern reflected in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter. I don't have anything better to do," Ik said as he approached his friend to accompany her. "Besides... I don't want to go back to that lonely place," Ik thought as they walked towards the nearest bus stop together. The glow of the streetlights illuminated their path, creating glimmers on the cobblestones beneath their feet.

After waiting for a few minutes, the bus arrived, and both of them boarded, settling into the seats at the back. The interior of the bus was lit by a dim light, creating a tranquil and cozy atmosphere.

"Why all the way back?" Ik asked his friend, curious about her choice of seats.

"I don't know, since I was little, I've always liked sitting in these seats. They make me feel powerful," Lyra replied, explaining that the last row of seats on buses in the city of Zen was half a meter higher than the regular seats, as beneath them was the compartment where heavy luggage was stored. Lyra's expression reflected a mix of nostalgia and comfort as she reminisced about her childhood.

"Let's play a game. My sister and I always play a game on the bus where we try to spot cars of a specific color, and each time we find one, we score a point. In the end, the one with the fewest points buys something for the winner," Lyra proposed excitedly. Her voice resonated with enthusiasm, breaking the tranquility of the bus interior with a spark of fun.

Ik agreed, and they both started playing, searching for yellow-colored vehicles during the twenty-minute journey. The city lights blinked through the bus windows as they glided along the illuminated streets.

Upon reaching the nearest stop to Lyra's house, both of them got off the bus and headed to the store across from the stop. Lyra had scored six points, while Ik had found eight yellow cars. The neon light from the store stood out in the darkness of the night, inviting them inside.

Lyra bought her friend an energy drink, and they continued walking towards the girl with fantasy-colored hair's house. Stars dotted the night sky, creating a bright backdrop for their walk.

"Why do you guys like these drinks so much?" Lyra asked her friend as she watched him drink his prize.

"I honestly don't know. This is the first time I've tried one. Do you want some?" Ik asked, offering the soda can to his friend, to which Lyra accepted, taking a small sip.

"Wow! It tastes really good," Lyra exclaimed, surprised.

"You can have it. I didn't expect it to be so sweet," Ik said with disgust, but didn't stop walking. The reflection of the street lights danced on their faces as they continued on their way.

Upon arriving at the house, Lyra rang the doorbell, and Luna immediately opened the door to let them in. Lyra said goodbye to Ik while her sister simply thanked him for accompanying them.

As Ik began to walk back to the bus stop, he felt someone touch his shoulder.

"My sister wants to know if you want to stay for dinner," Lyra said as he turned around. Ik, feeling a bit embarrassed, accepted the invitation and followed his friend back to her house. The aroma of dinner wafted through the air, inviting him to stay a little longer.

Upon entering, Ik took off his shoes, like Lyra, before going to sit at the dining table in silence. While he didn't feel uncomfortable, he didn't know how to act, as he had never visited someone else's house before, and Lyra was his first friend. The soft murmur of the family and the comforting aroma of food enveloped him, making him feel part of something larger.

Lyra and Luna returned from the kitchen to the dining room to serve the plates and glasses. Luna had prepared breaded chicken cutlets with french fries and lemonade to drink. The tantalizing aroma of the food filled the room, stimulating their hungry stomachs.

"Thank you very much, miss," Ik said to his friend's sister as she placed a plate in front of him.

"You're welcome, I hope you like it," Luna responded with a smile before the three of them started to eat. "This is delicious, I haven't had a homemade meal in years," Ik thought, savoring each bite with gratitude.

"It's late, Ik. Would you like to stay the night? Of course, if your parents agree," Luna offered the boy, while Lyra lightly nudged his leg with her foot.

"Thank you, miss, but I don't want to cause any more trouble," Ik responded, feeling flattered by the invitation.

"It's no trouble at all, but if you feel more comfortable at home, I understand," Luna said kindly, respecting Ik's decision. But he found no reason to go back home.

"In that case, I'll take you up on that offer. That's very kind of you. Where's the bathroom?" Ik asked, having finished his meal.

Luna got up from her seat and led the young man to the bathroom in the hallway, making sure he felt comfortable and situated.

"Weren't you hoping he would stay the night?" Luna asked her sister in a low voice once she returned to the table.

"It's not that, Luna. Ik doesn't have family and lives completely alone. Let's try not to bring it up," Lyra responded in a whisper, sharing a knowing look with her sister, who nodded understandingly.

When they finished dinner, Lyra and Ik headed to the living room to watch a movie before bed, immersing themselves in the cozy atmosphere of Lyra's home.

"What kind of movies do you have?" Ik asked his friend, curious to discover her cinematic tastes.

"Mostly musicals and horror movies. Luna loves musicals, and I'm into horror," Lyra replied as she showed Ik the box of the movie "The Monster of Luisa Swamps."

"I didn't expect you to be a horror fan. I guess that explains your affinity for zen nature better," Ik commented as he settled onto the couch, getting ready for the movie.

"Exactly! I suppose that explains it all," Lyra responded with a mischievous smile before starting the movie.

"Hey, have you ever tried to see if your sister has potential for zen?" Ik asked, letting out a thought that had been on his mind.

"No, why do you ask?" Lyra inquired, intrigued by Ik's suggestion.

"I noticed that her pupils seem dull, as if she couldn't see well, and yet she moves and does everything without any difficulty. Maybe she's using zen without realizing it," Ik explained, sharing his observation with Lyra and planting a seed of doubt in her mind.

The next morning, Ik woke up at Lyra's house and headed to the guest bathroom for a quick shower. After getting dressed in the clothes he had brought with him, he went down to the kitchen where Lyra was already preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, how did you sleep?" Lyra asked with a smile as she flipped pancakes in the frying pan.

"Very well, thank you. It smells delicious," Ik replied, his stomach growling in response to the tempting aroma wafting through the air.

With breakfast ready, they both sat down at the table and devoured the pancakes with jam, aware that they didn't have much time before Touko arrived to take them to the academy.

Just as they were finishing their meal, the car horn honked outside, announcing Touko's arrival. Ik and Lyra hurried out of the house, eager not to keep their friend waiting.

Touko, upon seeing Ik with Lyra, was visibly surprised, her mind beginning to speculate about the relationship between them.

"Touko, this is Ik, our teammate. Could you give him a ride today too?" Lyra asked her friend as she got into the car, noticing Touko's surprised expression.

"Of course, hop in, Ik. Nice to meet you," Touko replied, opening the door for Ik to settle between them in the back seat. Shori, who was already in the car, watched the scene with his mouth agape.

During the drive to the guild, Ik felt a bit uncomfortable noticing Touko whispering something to Lyra. He decided to look out the window at the street, trying not to pay attention.

When Touko finished whispering, Lyra blushed intensely, trying to clarify the situation.

"No, it's not what you're thinking. Ik just accompanied me home last night... late, and since he lives on the other side of the city, he stayed over," Lyra explained, noticing Ik's confused look, who could only chuckle discreetly at the situation.