With a groan I sat up, uncomfortably aware of the harsh light pressing against my eyelids from the outside, acutely aware that something had happened.
Cracking open my eyes carefully, I soon relaxed once my eyes had gotten used to the piercing daylight, only intensified due to the low hanging sun so far up in the north.
"Good, you are awake." A voice I immediately knew belonged to Mifune-sama spoke from my left, causing me to remember all that had happened when I last was awake. Those memories really weren't very pleasant but a good rest had always done wonders for me whenever I felt bad or had some kind of problem I did not know how to solve.
"I feel I must apologize for my…outburst, Mifune-sama." I said, while I twisted around and bowed my head to the man that had done so much for me already. And I meant what I said.
"Please, don't apologize. While I understand why you must feel the need to do so, understand that sometimes emotions need to be aired in order to learn and grow from them. Yesterday was such a time." Yesterday he said?
"I slept a whole day? But…why?" I continued, inspecting myself but finding no obvious injuries upon my body that would have explained my unusual bout of fatigue to me.
"While you experienced such intense emotions yesterday, they awakened something inside of you I had always suspected for you to possess. Your chakra." He smilingly said, while slurping at a steaming bowl of soup.
At the sight, my stomach growled, causing my cheeks to heat up, while Mifune-sama only grinned in my direction, shortly followed by offering me a bowl of my own with the words: "want some?" , to which I could only nod enthusiastically and join him at the fire in my small hut.
"So, chakra. What is that?" I asked after a short silence with the both of us only eating in satisfaction.
"It is something all living beings possess but not all can use. Simply put: it is a form of energy that courses through us like blood, only without a tangible form." That was something I was not aware of.
"How come I was never told about chakra before?" At my question Mifune-sama hummed for a second before taking another sip from his bowl, after which he continued.
"The common folk don't know about chakra in most cases. Simply because it is exceedingly rare that one can actually use chakra, and those who could learn to use it most often don't even realise their potential." He said, all the while stoking the fire with a small stick, causing sparks to burst forth in a small shower of red and orange.
"I see. Does that mean chakra can only be utilized in ways that are of no use to the common people? Otherwise they would surely have learned about it by now, no?" After all I found it weird that chakra was such a big unknown to most people.
"Correct and false. I'm sure chakra could be utilized in ways to ease the lives of the common people but nobody has thought of doing that to my knowledge. Instead it is used for fighting mostly. And healing I suppose but healers are so rare and treasured that not every person could simply seek out one and be cured in seconds. That goes mostly for civilians however. Nobles often find ways through connections and money." He said while refilling both of our bowls once more with the stew we had been slurping the last few minutes.
"I think I understand. Do you have chakra, Mifune-sama?" I asked before I registered what I had said and reddened slightly at my forwardness.
Mifune-sama however only nodded, as if he hadn't even noticed my social faux pas.
"Yes, I do. And since you have awakened yours now, I will be teaching you how to use it. Chakra is a wondrous thing, but it is as beautiful as it can be ugly. Many men and women have attempted to create incredible wonders with chakra, and just as many have succeeded over the centuries, leaving legacies behind that you cannot imagine. Both terrible and beautiful.
But rest for now. Tomorrow we will start with your studies of chakra and pick up your sword training once more." Mifune-sama said and stood, clearly intending to leave.
Hurrying to not be rude once again, I nearly jumped to my feet and went to open the door for the man, who only patted me on the shoulder, motioning for me to stay put before leaving without another word. I returned to eating after that, my mind occupied with thoughts about chakra and what Mifune-sama had told me so far.