Flashback to when Team Thorn was jumping down into the arena to verse Cyro...
Sol: "Remember, don't forget the different ways to use your discernment, especially mind-capping."
As there falling...
Nobu's thoughts unfold as he ponders Sol's words:
"What did Sol mean by 'mind-capping'?" Nobu wonders. The term sounds familiar, and suddenly, a memory bursts forth. "Wait, I remember! My father taught Raiza and me about mind-capping when we were younger."
Nobu's recollection becomes clearer. "If I recall correctly, mind-capping involves using discernment to access a mental space that's akin to an empty conference room. It's a way for Anointed individuals to communicate with each other through their minds."
A crucial condition comes to mind. "My father emphasized that this technique only works if the enemy is unaware of it. But will it be effective against these two?" Nobu's uncertainty grows. "That's the question. I need to test it out."
Nobu focuses his thoughts, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He concentrates on the concept of an empty chamber, drawing upon the lessons his father taught him. As he does so, a mental image begins to take shape.
In his mind's eye, Nobu sees the empty chamber room, just as he had envisioned it. His thoughts are now centered on this mental space, and he's ready to explore its potential
"Hey, can you guys hear me? Hey, Khayjin, Zane, you guys both listen and respond if you can hear me."
Zane: "Wait, is this Nobu? How are you in my head?"
Khayjin: "I can hear a little bit."
Nobu: "Good, I was hoping your leaders taught you both how to communicate through discernment."
Zane: "Wowwwww, this is awesome! Hey, look at me so I can see how dumb we look talking to each other without moving our lips, haha!"
Nobu: "No, don't look at each other! I'm almost certain he'll pick up on it. When we get down there."
Khayjin: "Who?"
Nobu: "Cyro, duh!"
Khayjin: "Ooo, yeah."
Nobu: "So, look, he's way too strong for us individually, but together we can take him, I think."
Zane: "How does this guy read us like a book?"
Nobu: "We have to read him. If we can set up an attack where he gets hit from every angle, I believe that will end this. But the bad news is, we're gonna have to take a lot of hits, bumps, and bruises, almost near death. But we have to, in order for me to observe weak points."
Khayjin: "What do you mean, observe weak points?"
Nobu: "While I'm shooting arrows at him and keeping range, I'll keep observing his weak spots. Then, I'll tap back in with you two when I see a perfect opportunity. Give me at least five minutes. In the meantime, we must pray and ask God to guide us. You'll know there's an opening when I wrap him in gold silk. At that moment, Zane, go for his legs; Khayjin, go for his upper body; and I'll restrain him using all my strength."
Khayjin: "Something smells like french fries, man... I'm hungry."
Nobu: "KHAYJIN, FOCUSSSSSSS! We can hear your thoughts!"
Khayjin: "OOOO, sorry! I'm ready."
Zane: "Why would someone be cooking french fries in a dire situation like this?"
Nobu: "OMG, we're dead!"
"DT equals Discernment Techniques. There are different ways to use discernment, such as talking and feeling a fellow Anointed's mind. You can communicate and be on the same wavelength as long as all the people involved are spiritually linked."
Zane suddenly fell asleep.
Flashback ends, back to Khayjin attacking Cyro:
Cyro looked back at Khayjin, down at Zane, and at Nobu in the middle. He attempted to shift, but the gold silk was cutting him like barbed wire. He tried to jump, but it was too late.
Nobu taunted, "Goodbye, Cyro..."
Khayjin's punch hits him with immediate impact…
The leaders stand in shock. Rouke's eyes widened in awe. "He got him with a full-powered punch, and now that the wind is circulating around his fist, there's no aftershock. It was a direct punch." Rouke recalls a similar incident. "I've seen him obliterate an entire beast in the forest with a similar punch. The only difference is that this one is almost fifty times more powerful."
As the smoke clears, Cyro stands tall, laughing. The onlookers are stunned, their faces etched with disbelief.
Cyro's voice drips with amusement. "Judging by your faces, I take it you've never heard of an ES move. Pathetic. Allow me to demonstrate for you all." He pauses, savoring the moment. "An ES move is when you channel all your energy, similar to a Spirit Gauge or, in my case, a Cursed Gauge, into one specific point on your body."
Cyro explains the technique in detail. "It takes a huge toll and drains a lot from you, but it creates a defensive barrier inside the body, protecting that one specific spot." He reveals the secret behind his resilience. "I shifted all my energy to my back, so that punch you just landed only broke a shield."
Cyro's expression turns mocking. "Too bad you didn't know that. Otherwise, your little after-shock punch would have done better. Your initial punch would have broken the barrier, and then your aftershock would have dealt the damage." Despite the circumstances, Cyro offers a nod of approval. "But I will say, good technique."
Cyro charged forward, emitting a huge aura from himself as he broke out of the ice and wires. Everyone was shocked.
Zane exclaimed, "What? How? Khayjin hit him directly!"
Nobu, thinks to self... "No, that was our only shot!"
Khayjin struggled to speak, "He survived that punch... That was the hardest I ever swung in my life... I can barely see now... I'm exhausted."
Cyro appeared in front of Khayjin, "You bruised me pretty bad, huh?"
Khayjin swung a light punch out of energy, but Cyro grabbed his arm and bounce-slammed him off the ground. Then, he double-fist punched him across the entire arena. Khayjin was now completely knocked out.
Zane charged forward and went to pull out a pill with a fire symbol embedded on it. He threw it to use it, but Cyro smacked the pill and grabbed Zane by the neck, choking him out. Zane dropped his sword and went unconscious.
Cyro threw him down to the ground and kicked him next to Khayjin. They were both asleep now.
Nobu shot multiple arrows as Cyro walked slowly towards him, blocking them all.
Nobu cried out,.. "Noooo! What am I gonna do?"
Nobu thought to himself, "Zane and Khayjin are knocked out, and he's heading towards me... I'm trembling."
He glanced at the barrier thinking of his father, Adon, and thought, "Dad, what should I do? I wish I could hear you. I can't speak with you... Am I gonna die? What would Raiza do? How would he handle this?"
Nobu's mind flashed back to a memory...
Raiza and Nobu were training together.
Raiza said, "That's your problem, Nobu. Even after losing an eye to me, you still can't see true power."
Nobu replied, "What do you mean?"
Raiza: "You have Gideon's Anointing, just like I have Moses'. Everyone always speaks about my Anointing, saying I'm lucky, but you have a powerful Anointing too. You can only use a set amount of weapons now, but as you train, you'll be able to use more. There are 300 warriors you can tap into, and you've barely scratched the surface. Yet, you cry and whine every day about becoming stronger than me. What's the point? You have to prove strength to yourself first before anyone else. Stop trying to be me."
Nobu shared, "Dad tells me all the time that I'm not ready to tap into the other parts of my Anointing. He says I could kill someone or myself if I'm not careful."
Raiza asked, "What if you have to kill someone? What if you fight against someone or something so strong that you need to kill them?"
Nobu hesitated, "I don't wanna kill..."
Raiza emphasized, "Precisely my point, Nobu. You're not ready to fight when you still have futile restraints. These people, things, demons - they have no cares after Revelation. They lost their humanity, their hearts. This is a vengeful world, whether it's us against demons or demons against us. Everyone fights for something. So, what happens when you fight someone or something that sees you as an obstacle? They will move you as if you're just caution tape. You show weakness to me, and I look at you as weak. You show it to them, and they'll look at you as a gift wrapped for vengeance."
Nobu recalled, "But last time I used that Anointing…"
Raiza interrupted, "Shut up, Nobu. Just get ready for these next attacks. You'll know when the time is right to use every ounce of Anointing you have."
Nobu looked confused, "But..."
The flashback ended.
Nobu steeled himself, "Okay, this must be the time to use everything I have left. Sorry Father, but it's my moment."
SWABOOOOOMMM! A huge white aura spread wider and wider from Nobu's body. As the white light slowly disappeared, a massive bow became visible on Nobu's back, and a sword with blue waves circling around it materialized in his hand. Nobu's missing eye began glowing with a blue flame.
Adon's voice echoed, "Yes, son, it is time."
CHAPTER ENDS
NEXT THURSDAY-EYE OF WHITE FLAME