"Kanou… he is the only survivor of the Shinsengumi. We tried to find answers from him, but he lost his memory." Kenzo commented while looking at his daughter.
Kira knew what they were trying to get to; her family wanted to know what had happened.
"How long was I in a coma? What happened to Kanou during that time?" Before giving an answer, she wanted to understand the overall situation.
"You were in a coma for one year. Your subordinate followed your orders: taking care of Noro, selecting new members for the Shinsengumi, creating a new headquarters, and gathering information about Verdant Core's progress so you could obtain it when you awakened." Kenzo was genuinely surprised.
Kira was shocked; she had never expected such loyalty from Kanou. Apparently, saving him had served a purpose.
"You are safe now, Kira. This is your family." Erioh Kure spoke while introducing them to her; they looked at her with confusion.
"Eh…" Kira did not understand at first, but for a second, she felt an energy signature from her grandfather.
Erioh Kure somehow used his aura. Kira noticed something similar to Ren. Instead of battle aura or killing intent, she felt comfort.
"Kira… your will has become strong." After saying that, her grandfather's aura disappeared as if he had never used it.
Kira's mind was racing; her grandfather seemed to be an aura user. It did not seem to be anything different.
"Will?" After her Nen training, she had discovered something related to that word.
She was not a normal person. She knew different forms of energy, but she had always questioned why the characters from the worlds of Baki and Kengan Ashura were so inhuman.
In both worlds, it was implied that a character's will determined whether they could surpass the physical limits of their body, but willpower alone could not carry that weight. That was where each character's physiology came in.
Characters like Doppo Orochi improved their physiology through extreme training. Throughout their lives, the body was the engine, and willpower was the fuel that activated and enhanced that trained physiology.
To use Nen, its foundation was mental determination that hardened aura and enhanced physical abilities and techniques. This was what was known as Ren.
The question was: what was the difference between the concept of Nen and the willpower and physiology of Baki?
Nothing!
Kira had now confirmed it through her own experience and through her grandfather Erioh's demonstration. She discovered that he truly was a martial genius, and that realization brought a smile to her face.
The characters and martial artists from the worlds of Baki and Kengan Ashura could be considered Nen users, but semi-awakened ones. They did not know the concept of energy and mistook it for extreme physiology and willpower.
She could not confirm it yet, but beings like Yujiro Hanma must also be Nen users, although with a unique biology; their bodies used Nen unconsciously.
The people present became confused by her reaction.
"Kira… what…?" Erioh was about to speak, but he stopped when he felt Kira's will intensify.
Kira's excitement caused her Ten state to change into Ren. Her aura increased so much that the air became heavy.
The atmosphere changed; normal humans felt pressure in their throats, but they did not feel fear or danger because the aura was not expressing hostility.
"I understand, grandfather, but it is not what you think. To make you understand, I can maintain my will active without any problem." Kira declared, only to stop all aura flow; she entered the state of Zetsu, and her aura practically disappeared.
For a second, her presence went unnoticed by everyone except Erioh.
"Such control over your will is not… you are a genius. No, someone like you has never existed." Erioh Kure said with complete surprise; even for him, an experienced assassin, Kira standing before him disappeared for a brief moment.
Tokugawa jumped and stood on the table, crawling toward where Kira was.
"Kira… that is… I have only felt this way with extraordinary martial artists. Erioh, why didn't you tell me my granddaughter was such an extraordinary fighter?" Tokugawa spoke with excitement in front of Kira, not caring about getting dirty while standing on top of the empty plates his granddaughter had finished.
Kenzo looked away to avoid the embarrassment; his father acted like a child whenever it came to powerful fighters.
"Father… have you trained Kira?" Nanami asked her father, seeking an answer.
"I only taught her a few things…" Erioh admitted, but he did not reveal everything.
"Father… you are already too old to behave like this, especially in front of your granddaughter." Kenzo could no longer endure it and stood up to drag his father back to his chair.
"No… wait. Kira…" Mitsunari threw a tantrum, his fists hitting the arms of his son who was holding him, but he could not escape his grip.
Erioh Kure was the only one who felt how his granddaughter's will faded, yet it still remained surrounding her body like a small flame.
"What happened last night is something I cannot fully understand, but this is what happened." Kira changed the subject; she did not want to explain her understanding of Nen.
Without problems, and already knowing that she could not directly say that an alien had attacked them, she mentioned that a person wearing armor and a technological mask had attacked them, armed with a pistol and a sword, and had attacked some of her members.
She also did not hide the fact that she was the one who defeated him; she explained that after defeating the attacker, he activated some kind of bomb he was carrying. All Shinsengumi members ran to hide inside the headquarters.
Kira had only managed to grab Kanou, and they escaped toward the exit of the headquarters.
"The moment I defeated him, I felt a deep fear, and somehow, my body warned me and ordered me to get as far away as possible. When the explosion occurred, it did not directly affect us, but the shockwave dragged us away and separated me from Kanou."
After saying that, she finished her story, and the people present still had more questions than answers.
…
The next day, without waiting any longer, Kira met with Kanou.
Woof, woof!
A huge brown dog ran toward Kira, and because of its size, it seemed like it was going to knock her over.
"Noro, you are so big." Kira opened her only arm and wrapped it around his neck.
Noro, excited to see Kira, ran his tongue across her hand, licking it as a sign of happiness.
"Miss Kira… I… I am sorry, I could not protect you." Kanou spoke only to bow deeply.
Kira looked at Kanou. She wanted to know what he was thinking, but after remembering his loyalty, she decided that she would never look into his mind again.
"Kanou… no, Shuumei, we are the only ones left. You may not remember what happened, but you should know that it was because of our weakness. I, as a weak leader, could only save you; if I had been stronger, everyone would have survived… The world is like this: the strong live, and the weak die or live subdued by the strong." Kira said seriously while still keeping her arm around Noro.
Kanou, or Shuumei, trembled after hearing his master's words. He raised his head only to see Kira walking toward him with Noro's help.
With her left arm wrapped around Noro's neck, she used him as support to walk toward him, and Noro, thanks to the telepathic messages, understood what Kira wanted to do.
Animals do not understand words, but they understand intentions, and Kira, being psychic, could easily communicate her intentions to her dog.
"You are not weak, Miss Kira. Our duty was to protect you, and we failed. For my fallen comrades, I swear I will protect you and remain completely loyal to your cause." Shuumei declared while kneeling and performing a full dogeza.
At this moment, this man was placing all his loyalty in Kira. Before, he had been an immature young man, but now he was a loyal and mature man.
"Stand up. If you are going to be my follower, never kneel again. Remember: the strong live, and the weak die or are subdued." Kira ordered while emphasizing her new belief.
She had meditated for a year inside the Time Chamber, and during that time she realized what she had done wrong. Life had always been like this, and she had forgotten because of her privileges.
The strong live while the weak die or are subdued by the strong. Strength was not only physical; it was also will, conviction, and ability. Whoever possessed one of these things could be called strong, but whoever possessed all of them was invincible.
A weak person should not love if they cannot protect that love, and Kira was someone who loved with madness.
She loved her father, her mother, her grandfather Erioh, her grandmother Sabuko, her grandfather Mitsunari, the Kure family, and even her subordinates, and above all, she loved herself.
To protect them all, she had to become strong.
Kira's emotions became uncontrollable, and her aura was perceived by Shuumei. Of course, he could not truly see it, but his brain interpreted it as a female specter floating behind her.
"Feel this power. You can see the manifestation of my aura. Shuumei, this power can become yours. I will teach you." Kira looked at how Shuumei could sense her aura, or at least interpret it.
The old Shinsengumi had been a joke, but now it would be different.
…
Thanks to Shuumei's loyalty, the new Shinsengumi headquarters was built on the outskirts of Tokyo, and due to its location, it was more accessible. A large Japanese castle was created. The construction took half a year to complete.
Shuumei felt useless for being unable to protect Kira and believed that he had failed even as a man; his mistress had become disabled.
For that reason, while creating the castle and headquarters, he considered Kira's tastes, and despite having only served under her for a short time, he knew her preferences.
The new Shinsengumi headquarters was built on a hill outside Tokyo, around 45 meters high. Thanks to its natural elevation, the castle visually dominated everything surrounding it.
As a defense measure, a circular wall was built. On the other side of the castle, several residential complexes were constructed so that the new Shinsengumi members could live there.
That area was called Compound 1, and another wall was created to protect it.
The other side, known as Compound 2, was created specifically as a place to train troops. Around the wall, multiple towers were built to protect every angle.
For additional security, outside the wall of the second compound, trenches were created, five meters wide and seven meters deep. To enter the second compound, there was only one entrance, which had a retractable bridge between the trench and the gate.
When Kira was brought to the compound, she was completely surprised, and when she crossed the bridge toward the second compound, she found several people waiting for her.
Behind her, Shuumei pushed her wheelchair, and the people approached to form a line.
"Miss, congratulations on your recovery!" They exclaimed with powerful voices.
Kira looked at each of their faces; Shuumei walked along the inside of the line.
Young men and women. There were women present, something that surprised Kira.
It was not because she was sexist, but because to the public, the Shinsengumi was a private security company, and in modern Japan, it was not a profession commonly associated with women.
"Miss, most of the new members originally belong to the Tokyo Technical Institute. The girls you see are from Toku Girls' School. They are all graduates; many of them were previously delinquents and gang members. The women belong to a female group known as the Sukeban of the Tokyo region." Shuumei explained while Kira analyzed her new subordinates.
The women present had determined expressions. Out of curiosity, she listened to their surface thoughts.
"She is Mom's boss, Verdant Core."
"How intelligent must a child be to become the boss and founder of Verdant Core?"
"My brothers… what snacks should they bring her?"
"Being part of the Shinsengumi provides many benefits. Someone like me would have difficulty finding a good job."
Those were the thoughts Kira heard from the female members of the Shinsengumi. When she was about to ask, Shuumei explained:
"During the time you were in a coma, I focused on recruiting candidates for the Shinsengumi. During that process, I encountered several youth gangs in Tokyo. Many of them work in Verdant Core's factories; because of their families' financial situation, they entered our factories. However, as expected from delinquents, they have no brains beyond fighting. With a little discipline, they will become good soldiers for the Shinsengumi." Shuumei spoke with conviction.
He could not remember what happened, but a memory fragment kept repeating in his mind.
While Kira stood in front of the attacker, the entire Shinsengumi remained behind without doing anything. Everyone trembled in fear, without any courage.
Shuumei watched everything from a place he could not define, whether he was standing beside Kira or beside them.
His pride could not accept that he had been a coward.
"Thank you all. I see great potential in you, but you need to follow a martial doctrine… I will share with you the doctrines and katas that I have personally developed." Kira spoke while effortlessly standing up on one leg.
Her balance was so incredible that she could remain standing with only one leg supporting her.
"Martial art, Miss, what is it called?" A young woman asked with excitement.
"It is called Shingen-Ryu Kung-Fu: Heart, Source, and Flow. Look at this weak body of mine; at first glance, you would never feel danger from me." Kira declared while touching her chest with her only hand.
"No, Miss." Shuumei tried to object, but he could not continue because a pressure prevented him from speaking.
"Now that you feel it, tell me." Kira asked everyone while her aura expressed bloodlust.
"…"
Everyone present was unable to speak. Shuumei, who was closest to Kira, could visualize something from behind her that he had already witnessed before, yet it was different.
A dark female specter looked at him, and although its face was hidden beneath a spectral robe, he felt as if that being would kill him if he moved.
"Shingen-Ryu Kung Fu teaches us to strengthen our will. We call this concept Flame Nen. There are three Flame Nen exercises, and they are the following: Ten (Concentration): focus the mind, reflect upon oneself, and determine the objective. Zetsu (Expression): express the will through words. Ren (Hardening): harden that will. If you manage to master this technique, you can achieve this." Kira explained to her subordinates. She had to suppress her aura so they could escape their state of terror.
The formation had broken apart; everyone surrounded Kira in order to listen, and Shuumei was also standing before her.
Kira, in front of everyone, simply raised her fist and punched the air toward the crowd.
"Boom!"
A burst of air pushed several people back a few steps. Everyone broke into a cold sweat as they felt the air strike their bodies.
"If she had hit me, I would have died."
That was what everyone present thought.
Kira had used an advanced Nen technique: she used Ko, concentrating all her aura into a specific part of her body. Although dangerous because the rest of the body became defenseless, a single strike with Ko was devastating.
…
On the top floor of the Shinsengumi castle, Kira was working in her office. However, instead of reviewing documents, she was building something.
Using a chisel-like carving tool, she carved a piece of wood; she used other tools to modify pieces of metal. With great skill, she assembled something. Piece by piece, everything was fitted together, and she created a prosthetic for her missing arm.
Shuumei entered the room only to see Kira putting on the prosthetic she had just finished creating.
"Shuumei, take a look. How is it?" Kira showed him how, with her new right hand, she clumsily grabbed a nearby glass.
"Miss, why don't you use the prosthetics that Mr. Kenzo brought you?" He asked in confusion. To him, the prosthetic that Kenzo's father had purchased was superior.
"It is better because of the movement sensors, but the technology is inefficient. The prosthetics are slow and cannot perfectly read nerve signals." Kira understood that, although they were more advanced, they were clumsy for someone like her.
That was why she created the first prototype, and although the prosthetic had an internal mechanism made of springs and wood, she used her Manipulation Hatsu to create aura fibers that controlled the mechanisms; it was similar to manipulating a puppet. She was inspired by the puppeteer from the world of Naruto.
Using her Manipulation Hatsu to its full extent was still far beyond her current ability, and thanks to her ingenuity, she managed to replicate Hisoka's aura projection technique.
"I brought all the information you requested." Shuumei declared while opening the door, allowing a member of the Shinsengumi to enter, pushing a cart full of documents.
"So quickly?" Kira asked.
"Mr. Kenzo helped a lot. He used the entire power of the Tokugawa company to gather information from both abroad and Japan." Shuumei declared, then gave a nod to the Shinsengumi member, signaling him to leave.
Kira noticed that, from her subordinate's expression, he wanted to say something, but after seeing Shuumei's signal, he left.
"What is it? He looked like he wanted to tell me something… Am I not frightening?" She said mockingly while taking the documents that had been brought to her.
"Because of your demonstration last week, the members of the Shinsengumi are waiting for your guidance. Many have practiced the teachings you gave them, but there have been no results." Shuumei explained the situation; he was one of them as well.
He was about to reassure Shuumei, but a notification sound from her system appeared.
[System: Unfortunate-Fortunate]
Achievement Obtained!
"Create your first prosthetic with your own hands"
Random Reward Obtained: "Knowledge of Watchmaker Dr. Corin Reverck"
Description:
Corin Reverck, a Piltover scholar, genius of mechanics and alchemy, before falling into the abyss due to the loss of his daughter Orianna, was a great watchmaker and creator of prosthetics. Respected by Piltover's scientific community for being an inventor, he elevated watchmaking to a higher level in order to create functional prosthetics. A great craftsman at his peak.
"Is something wrong, Miss?" Shuumei asked after seeing that she did not respond.
Kira could not speak because all of Corin's knowledge was being downloaded into her brain. In a single moment, years of knowledge were implanted into her mind.
"What a useless and unimaginative thing." Kira spoke with disdain as she looked at the prosthetic she had created herself.
Thanks to the knowledge she had obtained, she could immediately see the flaws in the mechanism of the object.
"I need you to bring me the following materials. You can have them produced in different locations, but the specifications of the parts must be perfect." Kira declared while beginning to write on blank sheets of paper.
In two hours, she drew the different pieces and tools she would need for her creation.
Shuumei took the papers and, somewhat doubtful, prepared to leave.
"After you bring me what I requested and I finish my project, I will go and guide the entire Shinsengumi." Kira informed him, calming her right-hand man.
Now alone in her office, with some effort, she stretched to take the documents containing the information she had requested. The pages were filled with information about the world and history since the Second World War.
"Yutani Corporation (Japan), Umbrella Corporation (USA), Stark Industries, Wayne Enterprises, the Yakuza (Japan), the Triads (Asia), the Bratva (Russia), Hotel Moscow (Russia)." Kira read more and more, discovering familiar names.
Ever since she encountered the Yautja, Kira knew that her world was not only Baki and Kengan Ashura, but she had never imagined that she was like a frog looking at the world from inside a well.