Previously on Hakuna, the Prince had just arrived at his second Milnerian strength test, this time courtesy of Master Mokoto. The question lingering in the air, a whisper of anticipation amongst the audience, was whether the mysterious teacher had also been preparing to fight. It was time to find out.
The Blank Space
The scene fades in, and Master Mokoto stands from his chair, a relaxed but commanding presence. "Would you like to begin?" he asks, his voice a calm echo in the small classroom.
Hakuna, ever practical, glances around at the desks and chairs. "But sir, what if we damage the furniture?" he asks, a genuine concern in his voice.
Master Mokoto chuckles softly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Hmm, the furniture, huh?" He ponders the question for a brief moment. He then waves his arm, and suddenly a blinding, bright light fills the entire classroom. Everything vanishes—the desks, the chairs, the blackboard, the very walls themselves. In their place, a vast, blank, white space. The air feels different here, untethered by the confines of reality.
"Woah, this is like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber!" Hakuna exclaims, his eyes wide with a boyish wonder.
Master Mokoto, a bit dumbfounded by the reference, replies, "Huh...? Uh, yes. We'll use this place to train, and I'll teach you many things, but for now... I want to see how far you'll need to go." The last words are spoken with an intimidating grin that sends a shiver down Hakuna's spine.
Hakuna is frightened by this expression. He thinks to himself, "What the...?! That look, he looks like he wants to kill me...!"
Master Mokoto beckons the boy with a single finger. "Come on now, boy, show this old man what you've got..."
Hakuna, regaining his senses, takes a deep breath and prepares a fighting stance. His posture is unlike anything Master Mokoto has ever seen.
Master Mokoto is taken aback. He thinks to himself, "That stance... he's from a respected clan, but no, this is a Royal Stance. This just got interesting..." A single word marks the beginning of their fight. They begin...
Hakuna moves with blinding speed, a blur of motion from side to side. He leaps into the air and lands a powerful punch, his fist a blur of concentrated energy. The dust settles, and immediately it's shown that Master Mokoto has effortlessly blocked the attack, his arm barely moving.
Hakuna is shocked, and he leaps back to re-strategize, his mind racing to comprehend the teacher's power.
"You have incredible power," the teacher says, his voice a quiet observation, "however, you seem to have a judgment that's clouded by a hatred over something... or should I say, someone?" He notices a significant flaw in Hakuna's fighting style, using it as a bonus to taunt him.
"What?! No, he's trying to throw you off your game," the boy thinks to himself, a voice of reason in his panicked mind.
Master Mokoto appears in front of Hakuna in an instant, and just as quickly vanishes again.
"Where did he go?" Hakuna thinks, his senses on high alert.
Master Mokoto tries to attack Hakuna from behind, but as soon as he thinks he's got him, Hakuna is already gone, just beyond his reach.
"What's this? His speed is unimaginable, almost as if his body is moving on its own," the teacher thinks, noticing how almost involuntary Hakuna's evasions are. He's not thinking; he's reacting.
The prince then declares, "Alright, I guess I have to go a little bit further."
"Oh, you have more to show me?" the teacher questions, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Question is... can you handle it?" the boy says, a spark of defiance in his eyes.
Hakuna flies towards Master Mokoto with blazing speed, but with all the speed and power he has manifested, Master Mokoto is still able to deflect his attack with a casual flick of his wrist.
Hakuna is dishevelled, his clothes ruffled, his confidence shaken. "How is that even possible?" he mutters, a hint of desperation in his voice.
Master Mokoto then declares, his voice filled with a wise authority, "All the power in the world still would never be enough to take on experience."
Hakuna smirks, a new confidence in his eyes, and looks up, seemingly giving off a sign that he's given up.
"Is that all you can muster, Prince Hakuna?" the teacher asks cheekily.
There is a profound silence in the atmosphere, the only sound the quiet hum of the empty space. And then... the prince speaks, his voice a cold, confident monotone. "No one can even comprehend how much effort I put into hiding my identity, yet you found out just by observing how I fight. Well, there's no point in holding back now, is there...?"
With the silence enveloping the room, Hakuna bursts out an immense, powerful aura. The sheer pressure of it is overwhelming, a physical force that pushes against the very fabric of the blank space.
"This pressure... similar to being inside a full tire, this sound, like a boiling kettle. So, this is the power of Clan Royalty," the teacher thinks to himself, fighting to stay on his feet.
Hakuna then roars, a deep, primal sound that echoes through the space. "HAAAAAAAAAAaaa!" He releases his power as a demonstration, the pressure from it overwhelming Master Mokoto, forcing him to take a defensive stance.
As the dust clears, Master Mokoto is still standing, but he's panting, almost out of breath. He thinks to himself, "There's no way I had to use so much of my power just to block a burst of energy..."
Hakuna looks at his hands and says, "Hmm, even with so much effort, I still held back for some reason. No, I've been slacking off again, Master Mokoto. I guess I'm gonna have to ask you to train me. Somehow, I've gotten used to my normal training, so much so that it's not beneficial anymore. And in return, I'll tell you more about my clan..."
Master Mokoto replies, "Hmm, almost as if you know me too well..."
Hakuna, thinking to himself, chuckles. "Looks like that conversation with Rico helped..."
A Forgotten Past
...2 hours ago...
Rico, standing with Hakuna, deliberates, "Master Mokoto seems to have an interest in you, Hakuna..."
Hakuna, oblivious, voices, "He has...? Actually, I think I can feel two holes burning the back of my head..."
Hakuna turns to look back at Master Mokoto, but there's no one there, just dust falling back to the ground. "Hmm, that's weird..." the boy mutters.
Rico continues, "Sooner or later, he's gonna try and get you to be his protégé or something. If it doesn't come to that and you want to find a way to grow your power-to-strength ratio, tell him all you can about the Letebele Clan. He has a great fascination for those kinds of things..."
Hakuna begins voicing his thoughts. "I suppose I do want to increase the intensity of my training. Speaking of which, what brought you to Milner?"
Rico responds, "There are other sons of distinguished businessmen my father wants to meet, but on the other hand, what's your reason?"
"Hmm, well, other than my stuck-up brother, I thought, after researching this place, I could find some rare opportunities to push myself..." Hakuna says.
Rico comments, "The both of you really don't get along, huh?"
"He's never around but acts as if he is. It makes me furious..." the prince vents.
"You don't know why, do you?" Rico says, sheepishly asking.
"I forgot..." Hakuna stammers, his head blanked as he tries to recall the memory.
...And now...
Master Mokoto speaks, his voice a low rumble. "Alright then, I'll take you up on your offer, but first, tell me... which clan is this that you are from?"
The prince takes a deep breath and declares, his voice strong and clear. "I am Akekhomunyeofananae Omphile Ntlamele, and I am the Prince of the Letebele Clan."
Master Mokoto is amazed, a mixture of shock and wonder on his face. "The Letebele Clan... your clan is a special one indeed! But how? That clan was thought to be extinct ever since the war took place 15 years ago. You are the child of the Fallen King Edward...!"
Fade Out...
End of Episode 6