Four years has passed since my reincarnation, and I'm already four years old.
This past year has been amazing for me.
I've finally been allowed to leave the house and explore the village, meeting the other children and even making a friend. My father also started teaching me the basics of hunting and swordsmanship, even though my mother was against it. In this world, its normal for the children be slowly learning this kind of thing at these ages.
"Yuu, are you going to go to play with Hina?" my mother asked as she prepared something in the kitchen.
"Yes mother."
She turned to me with a small pout. "Shouldn't you spend more time with your mother?"
I won't let this opportunity go.
"Then mother why don't you teach me spirit arts." I put on my best cute face, hoping to sway her. "That way, we can spend more time together."
"Urm… you're still too young to learn spirit arts." She quickly turned away, brushing off the subject.
(Again, huh…)
For some reason, she always avoided the topic.
Instead, she handed me a small cloth-wrapped bundle. "Here, take this and share it with Hina-chan, okay? And don't forget to come back home for your practice this evening."
"Okay mother. I will be going now"
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Currently I am at the outskirt of the village
"Yuu-kun! You late"
A girl called out to me from under the tree shade, arms crossed, pouting at me.
Her short auburn hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and her bright brown eyes gleamed in the sunlight.
"I'm sorry Hina"
This little girl is Hina, my friend. She was the same age as me and the daughter of the village chief.
"Don't you know how long have I been waiting for you!"
Hina, who is sulking a bit, look so cute.
"I'm sorry," I repeated. "Here, I brought some snacks."
"Wow! it looks so delicious."
Hina have a sparkling eye. Hey, wipe your drool.
"Hina, do you bring the thing that I want?"
"Of course. Father said he don't mind if you want to keep it because he doesn't have any use of that book. He has a really weird face when he gives it to me."
(Yeah… that's understandable.)
I had noticed this book when I visited her house before. Since my mother refused to teach me spirit arts, I decided to learn it myself.
I'm sure her father shocked when his daughter suddenly asks for a book regarding spirit arts.
"Then tell uncle Hisashi that I will borrowing the book."
"Sure!" Hina happily continued eating while I eagerly flipped open the pages.
[The most important thing it takes to learn to use spirit arts is aura. Aura is the life force present in the body of living creature. To use spirit arts, a person needs a sufficient amount of aura in their body.]
(So, aura is something everyone has… but how much varies by person?)
I continued reading.
[A person also needs an aptitude toward the element of spirits. The spirits are dividing into six elements fire, water, wind, earth, dark and light. The spirits may also enter into a contract with someone who has high aptitude toward the element. If the person doesn't have the aptitude, the spirits will not grant their power to the person no matter how hard he tried.]
The thing that I need is aura and aptitude.
The book says that aura is the life force in body of living creature that means every person will have aura in their body. The problem is the aptitude toward the spirits.
(How am I supposed to check my aptitude?)
Weakness of spirit arts.
[WARNING: If a person with low aura attempts to use spirit arts, it may result in harmful side effects. Using spirit arts depletes aura, and if aura is completely exhausted, the user may experience severe fatigue, internal injuries, or even death.]
(…Alright. I need to increase my aura first before trying anything reckless.)
Flipping through the pages, I found something that caught my attention.
[A way to increase the amount of aura in your body. Calm yourself and focus the tiny particle of aura in the surrounding and try to combine the aura into your body. Then you need to control the aura to let it maintain in your body.]
Maybe I should try to increase the amount of my aura first. I close my eyes and concentrated, at first, there was nothing. Just darkness.
Then, faint specks of light began to shimmer in the air around me—countless flickering particles, almost like fireflies.
(I see this is aura huh? It's beautiful. Now I need it to stay in my body.)
I concentrated, guiding the tiny lights toward me. As I did, I felt a tingling warmth seep into my body.
(Alright… now I just need to make it stay inside me—)
"Yuu-kun, what are you doing? I'm bored you know."
Hina's voice suddenly broke my concentration.
The aura I had gathered scattered instantly.
"Ah… forgive me Hina, I just too focused on the book"
She tilted her head. "Is it really that interesting?"
I think its better if Hina doesn't have any interest in spirit arts. I too focus on the book that I don't realize that I have taken so much time.
"Not really, so what your plan for today Hina?"
"I thought that I want to spend my time with you more but I need to go home."
"I see. I also need to go back home for my training."
"You are very diligent with your training huh Yuu-kun." Hina looked at me with admiration.
'Of course, I want to became strong."
"If you become strong, will you protect me from danger?"
Hina ask shyly, I can see a blush on her face
"Of course, I will protect Hina from any danger."
I answer without hesitation. To me Hina is very precious, after all she the first friend that I made in this world.
"Really? Thank you, Yuu-kun."
Without warning, she lunged forward and hugged me tightly.
(She's really cute, isn't she? Wait, wait, don't get me wrong—I'm not a lolicon, okay?!)
Then, my eyes fell on the empty snack package.
"…Wait. Did you eat everything?"
"Hehe, bye Yuu-kun!"
Hina immediately bolted away.
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On my way home, I spotted my father has waiting for me in the yard
"Finally, you back Yuu, did you have a great time with Hina-chan?"
My farther grin. Just what he thinks a three years old child would do.
I sighed at my father words.
"Come on, grab a wooden sword. Time for practice."
My father ready with his stance.
"Yes father"
I take the wooden sword and immediately rushed towards my father and thrust the wooden sword toward his ribcage.
He easily blocked it, countering with a swift strike. I stepped back, avoiding his attack. I back off to avoid the counter of my father.
I switched my stance from a thrust to a spinning swipe and land a blow on his right leg. His leg gave out at that moment. Throwing father off balance.
"Look like you improve a lot Yuu"
My father looked at me with a satisfied face
"Why don't you come with me to go hunting next time?"
"I wonder what would mother say about that?"
My father face become pale.
"Please don't tell your mother and forget about what I just said"
"I wonder, Should I? HAHAHAHA"
"Cheeky brat… HAHAHA"
It was a great bonding time between father and son, but…
"Well, well. Looks like you two are having fun."
A chill ran down our spines.
A voice can be heard, there was my mother smiling at the two of us. Her eyes aren't smiling, thought.
"Dear… you were planning to take our son hunting?"
Mother looks enraged, it sends a shiver down our spine. Father and I froze.
"We will have a long conversation today dear. Yuu let's go inside the house. Mom already prepared the dinner."
"Okay mother."
I whisper to my father
"I'm sorry father, I can't help you."
I give an apologetic face toward father.
My father looks like he about to cry.