Chapter 4: Iris and Vulcan

<Timeskip: 19 Months>

-Vulcan POV-

...

Right now, I am playing a new popular game, Mario Kart.

I am in the first place, but my friend is on my tail!

"Hey, stop eating all the watermelon slowpoke, or else I'll win!" I heard her say. It looked like she was getting ready to kick me, so I closed my eyes.

...

Instantly, I felt the controller fly out of my hand, all I saw was a foot as an afterimage.

No one cheats and wins without punishment, "IRIS! I am going to lose now! Ugh, I will tell on you with madam Chikaori!"

Staring back at Iris, I see her blue eyes staring at the floor with regret, "Nooooo~! I'm sorry for being mean. I'll do anything, just don't tell that old woman!"

This girl is Iris, someone who I quickly made friends with at the "Fostering of Christ' orphanage. She wants to run it when she grows up.

Iris is a young girl of average height with short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is four years old like me. She is usually wearing her nun outfit, which consists of a dark-blue one-piece dress with a white collar design, except when she sleeps of course.

I say to her, "Hmm, how about this Iris. I won't say anything if you can steal me another kitchen knife from the cafeteria. Also, make sure not to get caught, otherwise..."

Hearing this, Iris had a scrunched-up face like she ate a full lemon and replied, "Yeah, I know Vulcan... I don't wanna eat canned berries ever again, eww, so gross! Even thinking about it...." Seeing her thinking back on it, her face was turning blue.

I see her bolt outside instantly, leaving me alone in the small dorm room for kids.

...

I've been trying to be more interactive with others since I wasn't ever like that before. All in all, Iris is a nice friend to have while trying to rid me of boredom while growing up in my beginning stages.

Thinking back to it, I've accomplished a lot since about two years ago. Now, I am able to do something pretty impressive. I also learned something very important.

After a few minutes of not breathing, your heart starts beating irregularly due to the low oxygen level in the blood. Ever since I learned this, I have been far more cautious with my breathing exercise. It would be bad to die twice of a 'heart attack'.

...

The first thing I do is sit in a seiza position.

"Hatsu..."

Remembering the stages to the beginning stage, I start by holding my breath and going through the exercise patterns. Each time I suck in air, I hold it a few seconds longer the next time and gasp again repeatedly.

The scent of scented-lavender Iris brought into the room from her clean clothes filled my nostrils as I try to imagine a desert, next a weak breath came from my lips as I spoke, "Spirit Forge"

Closing my eyes, I feel my heart's blood pumping across my body through my veins. It is all being visualized from deep within.

Soon, I entered the state where my breathing cannot be detected, even by myself. Still, I kept myself concentrated on my heart's sounds. Time was irrelevant.

*Badum* *Badum**Badum*

*Badum* *Badum*

*Badum*

*...*

*Badum*

*...*

*Badum*

I felt a sense of peace...

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Until I felt a burning light flash on my eyelids.

...

Squinting, I noticed I was surrounded by sand everywhere I looked. This is the place I was aiming for. A place where the sun was just another boiling object in the sky, next to something even hotter.

*Badum*

Looking straight up, I see a giant floating forge with lava pouring from it. It was bigger than if an ant were looking at a human.

The forge was all black, and the sides were dripping hot lava onto the yellow sands. I know that the longer I study this structure, the better.

The reason is that I have completely awakened a supernatural ability!

Looking at my hands, I imagine my hand on fire...

Then, a blue light surrounds my fist, with a black outline of darkness surrounding the blue.

Looking back at the sand, I clench my fist, and...

*BOOM!"

A giant crater forms in the sand, creating a pit that is being refilled by more flowing sand. Even after launching my fist into the ground, the energy does not leave it.

This energy is what I call, Spirit Energy. By imagining myself in a calm state, I can gather this energy anywhere on my body, to amplify my physical strength!

I discovered Spirit Energy by frequently visiting this place I call 'Spirit Forge' in my free time. I will consider this my inner world, reachable through Hatsurei-ho.

Noticing that my heart was not beating that much, I tried to call myself back to the real world.

First I gathered Spirit Energy within my left hand, then prepare to slap myself while squinting...

*CLAP!*

"AH! Okay! *Cough* *Cough*. That must have been *Cough* at least *Cough* 15 minutes! I can hold my breath like *Cough* a sea creature now! Haha." I am proud of my own progress these years. Despite having a childish body, I trained harder than most adults would.

It seems that a long time passed, probably two hours, it's good that I wasn't interrupted during that time.

I augmented my technique so I can hear my irregular heartbeat so that I can ensure how long I am in the Spirit Forge world so I don't die.

Although I can bring Spirit Energy out in the real world, if I use it in the Spirit Forge world, my energy won't have to be recovered slowly, saving a lot of time in practicing. Also, I do not want to be found using Spirit Energy. Never know if I might get dissected or something. Still, I felt my body growing much stronger the more my output of Spirit Energy grew.

Also, my sense of hearing has improved, helping out for moments like these...

Sensing someone approaching me, I turn my head and see someone small running at me...

"VULCAN! Are you okay?! I heard screaming. You safe?" Looking down, I see the blond Iris hugging me while asking me in a worried tone.

I start to feel happy since she was worried, but also sorry since nothing was really wrong, "Thanks for the concern Iris, I'm fine, so don't worry." I can't help but smile, and continue by saying, "If you keep crushing me, I might break in two though..."

"Oh! Sorry Vulcan, also I got the knife here..." After her apology, she handed me a regular kitchen knife, with a black handle and silver blade.

She continues saying, "Now were even. I'm going to rest in my room, if you need me, don't wake me!"

Slamming the door behind her, I chuckle, "Heh, in the future, she grew up into a normal person at least, so I know that this is just a small phase for her. Otherwise, I'm worried Iris would become a religious delinquent by the way she is going."

Whatever, I'm going to try to use Spirit Energy a few more times then head to bed. An average amount of sleep is important during the young stages of children. I want to grow nice and tall.

Staring at the knife, I put it down next to me, and sit in a seiza position. Preparing myself for deep breathing, I close my eyes and breath in and out slowly. Then I prepare to repeat what I always practice...

I whisper, "hatsu"

It's going to be a long night...

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