The next day, I was training with Yae to become better at my Iaijutsu Techniques. A first a 10% increase in speed seemed to be enough, but now that I've been able to do it consistently it was time for a change.
"Too slow!" Yae said then gracefully dodged my attack. She floated backwards, avoiding more of my attacks. She had adapted to my speed. "Over here!"
"That 10% difference suddenly becomes obsolete when your opponents can adapt to it. She has to become even faster." Orishi said as she watched.
"She can just use her lightning on her legs to become faster right?" Lianne asked.
"It's not that simple. She's outsped me in our fight with that one move. It was like...she moved at light speeds.." Orishi said and had a flashback of her getting hit by ten slashes out of nowhere. "She was in her element. In the zone. She needs to find that zone again."
I stopped and panted. I held my knees and caught my breath. "Why can't I get any faster..? What's stopping me? I'm using my lightning on my legs.."
"Maybe your speed has nothing to do with where you use your lightning. Your speed has to do with you yourself. I noticed your fight yesterday. You moved in speeds faster than Orishi could even anticipate. Maybe it's your mindset hindering you." Yae said.
I stood up and crossed my arms. "My mindset..?"
"Mmm." Yae nodded then twirled her scythe in a circle then smiled. "You're overthinking your movements instead of letting yourself flow. You're too focused on how and where I'm gonna move instead of just going. Liao Ru is an excellent teacher when it comes to learning to have a clear mind."
"Clear mind..? What does that do for me?" I asked.
"It allows you to erase all doubts within yourself. Your mind is unrestricted and uninfluenced by all internal and external factors. You will be in a state of total awareness and will be able to respond and perceive for freely to any situation." Yae explained.
"Clear mind is a technique everyone uses in a fight. Total Concentration isn't an easy thing to master, but it is extremely helpful if you are in a life or death situation." Erika said.
I nodded and looked around for Liao Ru. "Where is Liao Ru?" I asked.
"She's meditating in the field. Most likely speaking to the Ruler she was chosen by." Yae answered.
I nodded then ran off to find Liao Ru. I hurried off to the fields and looked around. I noticed Liao Ru sitting in the fields on her knees with her hands on her lap. I walked to her and she opened her eyes sensing me. She looked at me.
"Mind if I join you?" I asked.
"Go ahead." Liao Ru smiled and watched me sit beside her.
I sat with my legs crossed and I took a deep breath and exhaled. I felt the gentle breeze of the wind brush across my face. "I want to become a better Valkyria...I wish to awaken the hidden power deep within me."
"Lots of training help with hidden power. You have power of Ruler in you. I sense it." Liao Ru said then closed her eyes and her Spirit Energy calmly surrounded her.
I did the same as she did. I closed my eyes and allowed my Spirit Energy to calmly surrounded my body. "I have a question.."
"Yes?" Liao Ru answered.
"How old are you? Every picture I saw of you in World Mark and LIONS, you seemed to look the same age in all of the pictures." I said.
"I am forever 20 years old. After being chosen by the Ruler of Inferno, any time I die I can use a technique called Rekindle to revive myself...I can only use it once every 100 years. Silent Fox knows this so all she has to do is kill me twice and my energy is hers." Liao Ru answered.
"So you're over 100 years old in reality?" I asked.
"900 years old to be exact. I've been alive since the third generation of Rulers have been around. It wasn't easy living this life...watching my family pass away. The feeling of never aging. Losing friends. It hurts but Orishi saved me. She told me even when she grows old, she will always be with me." Liao Ru smiled.
I smiled a bit then opened my eyes then looked at the sky. "I want to be there for everyone out on the battlefield. Take down Judgement and Demon Order in one blow if possible. Will you help me connect to the Ruler who chose me?"
"Yes. All you need to do is close your eyes and clear your mind of all thoughts and only think of the Rulers. The one who chose you will come before you through your spirit and speak to you in the Dream World." Liao Ru said.
I nodded then closed my eyes and began to clear my mind and meditate. I thought of only the Rulers then slowly, my spirit entered the Dream World.
I walked around in then dream world and a large bolt of lightning crashed down in front of me. I grunted and covered my face. I looked up, noticing a woman with bright blue hair that flowed like lightning. She looked pretty young and she wore a yellow kimono with black stripes. She sat on a cloud and she looked down on me. She clapped her hands together then six orbs with the Raijin symbol appeared behind her.
"I am Raiji, Ruler of Raijin and the chosen for the Fourth Generation Rulers. I chose you to become my newest vessel and in the future, chose you to become a Ruler." Raiji said.
"A vessel and future Ruler...You see me as qualified enough to become a Ruler?" I asked.
"I gave you a special weapon. The Eyes of Raijin. Those eyes are one of the Divine Weapons. Every Ruler of Raijin has those eyes. Whether or not you master those eyes are up to you. After I see that you've made progress, I'll reward you and make you the Ruler of Raijin." Raiji said. "Until then...what you do is up to you. Realize your potential and draw out that power.."
My spirit returned to reality then I opened my eyes and looked surprised. Liao Ru looked at me and noticed a single tomoe had formed in my eyes. I looked at my hands and felt a tingling sensation around my body.
"I sense new power within you. Would you like to test it out?" Liao Ru asked.
"Right now?" I asked.
"Yes why not?" Liao Ru smiled.
I looked at her then we both stood up and jumped backwards. I got in my stance and looked at Liao. Liao Ru summoned her gauntlets then placed one hand behind her back.
Annie ran long the field to get me and Liao Ru with Misao at her side then they noticed we were about to get into a battle.
Liao dashed towards me and went for a strike. I parried her attack, causing her to stumble backwards. I slashed upwards, knocking her into the sky then in an instant I appeared in front of her then slashed twice and kicked her back down. Liao Ru recovered off one hand then landed on her feet. She looked surprised when I appeared in front of her. She went for an attack, but I moved backwards in lightning speeds then quickly unsheathed and sheathed my blade. Multiple slashes hit Liao faster than she could comprehend what happened.
"What the...She's much faster than ever now.." Annie said.
"Yeah...Liao can't get a hit off her..." Misao said.
I slashed quickly, sending a cutting wave at her. Liao Ru parried the attack and looked surprised when I sliced through her, leaving a lightning clone behind. Liao grunted loudly as my clone and I began to hit her with rapid strikes with our blades in lightning speeds. We sheathed out blades and multiple devastating slashes struck her then she fell to one knee.
"This is Iaijutsu at its fullest...Those movements were also extremely fluent. She outsped Liao to the point she couldn't get an attack off. She was getting combo'd left and right." Misao said.
I looked at my sword and my hand. I lowered my sword and looked at Liao Ru. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah...Just surprised at your new power." Liao grunted softly and stood up. "I wasn't expecting you to be powerful and fast like that much."
"The Eyes of Raijin makes me 100% faster than normal. I felt as if I was moving at light speeds. Slicing through dimensions. Moving freely...It felt so amaz-" The tomoe in my eyes vanished then I passed out due to using too much power at once.
"Hisumi?!" Liao Ru looked surprised then ran to me. She kneeled beside me and noticed I was still breathing and sighed in relief.
She picked me up and followed Annie and Misao back to the dormitory.
After few hours passed and I woke up beside Saito on the bed, who watched over me as I rested. I looked at her and scooted closer to her, burying my face in her chest. I sighed and she smiled at me, rubbing my head.
"Tired much?" Saito asked.
"Very.." I answered.
"Then take all the time you need to rest. I'll be here if you need anything.." Saito said.
I nodded and closed my eyes once more, getting more rest.