A Dark Space

"I think it's slower because I'm straining my body. I'm sure it would have been the same or even more than before," he said, slowly approaching the figure.

The closer he got, the darker the figure became, and the further the light blinded him. But, after a long run, he made his way to the figure.

He rested his arms on his shoulders, and slowly turned the man towards him.

It was the old man.

He stared blankly into Akira's eyes, slowly evading any form of conversation. He lowered his face, placing his palms on his eyes.

Akira was confused, so, he sneaked a look at him. A drop of liquid descended.

"Are those tears?"

He squinted, forcing his eyes to meet with the man's. He pushed himself closer, but the hands of the man quickly stuck to his face.

The man was hiding his tears, not allowing Akira to see an emotionally weak and overly sympathetic master. No one would like to be taught by someone who succumbs to tears quickly.

But, Akira did not mind. He stretched his hand out to the man, and as his height was greater than the man, he patted his head slowly.

Immediately, the old man wiped his tears, staring back into Akira's eyes.

"I'm Takashi. I hadn't told you my name, now I have," he said forcing a straight face.

Slowly, the two walked back to the room situated deep in the facility. While they strolled off into the distance, he felt a sudden lift.

He suddenly felt healthier, more vibrant. He sparked in amazement and surprise, as though a curse that had been placed upon him had been lifted.

He wondered if his uneasiness had faded, as the set minutes had elapsed.

Effect: Aftermath: You are facing consequences of overusing a particular skill]

[Skill name - ['string (sensory attack)']! Current effect: Uneasiness. This will fade in approximately 10 minutes. Be patient!]

[The set time has been reduced to 10 minutes, meaning that a section of the uneasiness will be lifted! Now, you shall wait once more!]

He jubilated, jumping and dancing in his heart while displaying only a shallow smile on his face. Although part of his uneasiness was lifted, his gait still possessed a little hint of unsteadiness.

He knew his condition remained present - even though it was reduced - and he made sure not to stress his body as he had done previously.

The two eventually arrived at the room, as dusty as ever. Akira walked towards the staff he had swung and carried it in his arms. He did it to assess himself.

"It feels lighter," he spoke, scrutinizing his muscles while slowly lifting the staff.

He proceeded, staring into the distance, pondering upon something. He closed his eyes and began spinning the staff. He spun it more swiftly than he had done previously. He felt the ease, the weightlessness of the staff.

He opened his eyes and turned his gaze to Takashi whose eyes were still red from weeping. He threw the staff to Takashi, and he caught it seamlessly.

Takashi grabbed a bottle of water he had kept on a pile of wood and drowned his face in it. He held his clothes and wiped his face. After a while, he stared into Akira's eyes.

"I haven't told you this, but as you leave this world, your home, Earth won't be the same. I have to train you as much as I can."

"I can't let you leave this world as weak as you are!" he shouted while running towards Akira.

Akira accepted his fate, and his tutelage under Takashi. He breathed in and closed his eyes.

As he stood bare in the center of the room, he could hear Takashi's footsteps, as faint as they were.

It was like he was in a VR game. His eyes were closed, but he could somehow see the image of his feet as they moved. They made a faint clicking sound and became louder the closer he was.

"This is just like a bat," he said, exhaling deeply.

Immediately, the sounds disappeared, and he spread his feet across, attempting to improve his stamina. Suddenly, the room became eerie and quiet as though it was a ground of dead people.

The clicks and bangs of feet disappeared, and not even the breath of Takashi could be heard. Akira's confidence wavered, as he rotated his head.

His eyes were closed. It seemed like the best means to hone his skill. He shut off his eyes, to rely on his 5 senses. But, even those weren't enough.

"An apocalypse! You may meet an apocalypse," a voice echoed.

Akira forced his head to the direction and immediately shielded his face. He heard a sound of air rubbing against each other, and soon a thud.

He heard the awful sound of metal and a cacophony of footsteps. At this point, the Mismatch was being replayed, but Akira refused to succumb to his power.

He jumped and rolled around, seeking to dodge an attack. The sound of footsteps kept colliding with each other, and the metal rod began screeching in the air.

"Is he moving fast? That's the only explanation. If that's so, I'll feel the sudden change in temperature once he nears me.

Whilst thinking, a loud thud emerged from his right. Swiftly, he evaded Takashi's attack upon hearing the swishing sound of the rod.

Time passed, and the room vibrated from loud thuds and sounds resonating within it. Inside, were the two who still battled endlessly. Akira had fully recovered, and he vowed not to make a similar mistake as he had done.

He opened his eyes, ready to face Takashi head-on.

"I need to train. Takashi isn't using any skill, yet he has somehow managed to land blows on me. Now, look at me..."

His hands were purple from numerous blows from Takashi. Although Takashi had shed tears, he didn't emit any hesitation while battling Akira.

He struck Akira each time without any reluctance, without any skill either.

Akira then turned his gaze to Takashi who stood at a distance staring at Akira. He jumped, pacing towards Takashi with great speed. His mind was fixed on defeating Takashi, although he knew it was impossible at his current strength.