Chapter 14

3rd POV

After a while, Musa enters the place to find Winry holding Kiran like a bear, her veins bulging as she tries to restrain Kiran while he moves his sword, attempting to escape from her.

Musa, closing the door: "Sorry, it looks like I came at a bad time."

Winry, shouting: "It's not what it looks like, come back!"

Musa, laughing: "Just kidding, just kidding."

Musa looks around to find the place destroyed, with Qi swords stuck in the walls and columns. "But seriously, what happened here? I couldn't understand anything from Yuki."

Winry: "I don't know. I was about to start the new lesson when I asked one of the students if something was wrong. Kiran looked at him, and his Qi started acting aggressively. When Kiran tried to stop it, it wouldn't respond to my call."

Musa, rubbing his beard: "This is really a dilemma because this is the first time I've seen a living Qi with its own will. But if there's one thing I know, it's that the primary goal of Qi is to protect its owner from any threat, even if it's in the future."

Winry, in amazement: "And how does the Qi know that this child will be a threat in the future?"

Musa: "That's because the Qi has its own wisdom and is also connected to time and space. It just decided to get rid of the child."

Winry: "What will you do?"

Musa: "Of course, I'll kill that child. Qi is more trustworthy than anyone."

Winry: "Don't you dare harm my students! How can you judge a child who hasn't committed any evil as a threat, just because some mindless energy wants to kill him?"

Musa, sighing: "If I don't do this, it will happen every time."

Musa pauses for a moment: "We'll think of a solution later, but for now," looking at Kiran, "you've suffered enough today, my student." He takes out a talisman with the Kanji for 'silence' written on it and places it on Kiran's forehead, causing him to stop moving and close his eyes.

Winry, relieved: "Finally, he stopped." Then she looks at Musa, "What kind of monstrous strength does this child have? He's strong enough to make me feel numb from direct combat with him. And also, what's with this crazy amount of Qi? The only way to avoid hurting him while restraining him was to use all my strength."

Musa, amused: "Hohohohoho, as expected from the child I chose as my successor." Then he looks at Winry with gratitude, "Well done, little Winry."

Winry, puffing her cheeks: "I'm not a child anymore; I'll soon be 180 years old, old man." She continues, "He broke through with force; he's now an expert."

Musa, looking at Kiran thoughtfully: "I'll take him to my house to rest. Go ahead to the sect leader."

Winry: "As you command."

Winry's Overview

In the sect leader's office, Winry, the clan leader, and five of the twelve elders of the sect sit around the short rectangular table. The sect leader and elders sit around it, surrounded by comfortable chairs with a traditional design. The gentle incense spreads throughout the place, adding a sense of tranquility and focus during meetings. The soft candlelight enhances the spiritual and serious atmosphere of the place.

Winry, talking to herself nervously with a drop of sweat trickling down: "What am I doing here among these people?"

Baran: "So, what happened today, Teacher Winry?"

Winry, in a serious voice, begins recounting what happened today: "..... and that's everything, sect leader."

Astrid (the twelfth elder), looking at Musa: "Your disciple is truly blessed."

Musa looks at Astrid, who appears to be a woman in her mid-forties with a slightly slim figure. She has green hair mixed with some white and wears a green kimono. What distinguishes her is that she is from the fox race, possessing six tails. He then says proudly, "Of course, there's no student in the entire sect more talented and powerful than my Kiran."

The seventh elder, Thor, ignites with anger, looking at Musa: "Haaaaa, who is the best student? Do you mean that child? My grandson is the best and most talented."

He butts heads with Musa.

Musa: "My student is the best, Thor." He pulls his head back and then strengthens himself with Qi, headbutting the seventh elder, who spreads Qi around his head to defend himself. The collision sends a shockwave, throwing the table away.

Thor, mocking Musa: "You've become very weak, old man."

Winry, nervously: "What am I doing here with these monsters?"

Baran, in despair: "Here they go again, just like every time they meet."

Baran: "Stop now, you two old men; we have important matters at hand."

The two look at each other and then turn away.

Baran: "Alright, let's continue."

Astrid: "I think we should not listen to the Qi. As you know, this is the first case in hundreds of thousands of years where someone has a living Qi."

Musa: "I don't agree with you. My opinion is to listen to the Qi and kill the child to avoid any disasters in the future."

Thor says: "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with this old man. Qi isn't something we can understand, but one thing is certain: it does the right thing for its holder's benefit."

Koji (the fifth elder): "I have an opinion that might satisfy both sides."

Everyone in the room looks at him: "What do you think about expelling him from the sect? This way, we keep him away from Kiran, and at the same time, he stays alive."

Winry, talking to herself: "What's with these old people? All their suggestions involve destroying the child."

Winry raises her hand.

Baran: "Speak, Winry." Everyone looks at her.

Winry, nervously talking to herself: "What's with this pressure?"

Winry, anxiously: "I support Elder Astrid's suggestion. Axel is a kind child who hasn't done anything."

Astrid smiles.

Baran: "Let's vote. Those in favor of Elder Astrid's suggestion, raise your hand." Only Astrid raises her hand. He continues: "Who supports Elder Musa's suggestion, raise your hand." Musa and Thor raise their hands. Baran continues: "The matter is settled; there's me, Elder Koji, and Elder Maja."

To be continued in the upcoming chapters...