Cooldown

I'd left Manami with Kazuho at her suggestion. She told me that she'd wait to see if Manami would wake up and if she didn't, she'd go get some help from Midnight because they'd run into one another several times in the past.

I trusted it and called it a day, quickly running back home. Mom was out doing… something, so I'd be making some leftovers, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I wasn't feeling very hungry anyways.

I got back to my room and just sat in bed for a moment.

Today I'd gone to school, then the library―I still feel bad for stealing those books―I trained in the forest, fought a boss, probably saved a life, and possibly discovered an ancient martial art.

Yikes, even when I tried to make it sound simplistic it was still loaded.

My day was weird, plain and simple. It felt like it was so long, and yet so short at the same time.

There was so much chaos, with saving Manami, then beating the boss, then actually saving Manami.

In all honesty, this didn't feel real, it doesn't feel real.

This morning I was level 2, and now, I'm level 13. That difference may not feel like it's big, but it's huge in all actuality. I had changed, really changed. Not just because of today, but in general. The last several days had changed me.

Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to be a hero, but I did some… unheroic things today. I used my Quirk against the law. Yes, it was to save someone, but that doesn't change the severity of what I'd done.

But because I broke the law, I'd probably saved Manami's and my own life. I didn't regret it, not in the least bit, but it still meant something to me.

I wasn't even tired, more… perplexed than anything. Even more than that, I was determined to get stronger. I'd been lucky against the skeleton boss, being in the middle of a forest, only fighting it after I'd leveled up, and fighting against an enemy that fell for an extremely obvious trap.

I think Kazuho was a perfect example of what would've been a bad enemy to run into. She specialized in Dexterity more than Strength but could still dwarf my current Strength stat without thinking about it twice.

She was an actual person who wouldn't fall to such a simplistic trick like the one I pulled in the forest. She would probably be fighting at several levels higher than I was and crafting plans just as well as I was.

That only told me I had that much more work to do.

Maybe I was getting tunnel-visioned. In the past, I just cared about being a hero because… I wanted girls to like me, but I suddenly wanted to get stronger for a different reason.

Helping Manami felt… good. Beating the boss also felt super cool if I must be honest with myself.

So, I'd just continue training. I'd hopefully not get pulled into anymore problems while I'd do so, but if I did, I'd just handle it.

Going to school, studying, exercising, training my skills, and repeating the cycle. After facing death and surviving, I kinda got a taste for others' strengths, so I'll probably drop sleep if I can.

If I didn't sleep, I'd be getting eight extra hours to train, and while it may feel weird at first, sometimes you needed to feel weird in order to develop and change. For the time being, I'd work on my skills in Kashifu Forest and my physical stats at home. I didn't want to break anything in here after all.

Beyond just my training, Tokotachi's books, my abilities, and the Azure Dragon skills were all worth thinking about as well.

Tokotachi, whoever that was exactly, had written several different books that looked interesting to me, but clearly didn't sell well in the long run. The first book was entirely accurate, and I wouldn't doubt that the second one was accurate as well.

I'd never heard of a Hero named Tokotachi, but most heroes don't just use their name as a hero name, so that makes sense. Right now, thinking about it wouldn't make a difference so….

I shrugged.

My abilities were far cooler than I'd once thought. If I kept on growing, in a year or two I'd probably be one of the strongest high schoolers ever. In ten years, I don't doubt the idea of being on par with some of the highest ranked Pro-Heroes.

I didn't think about it at first, but now it's on my mind.

My Quirk gave me a quest about Manami before I'd ever met her. It also knows the names of people I've never met before, which is… interesting on its own. Maybe it's all-knowing, maybe it's just a function of it. It hasn't led me astray yet, so I don't think I have a reason to doubt it. Without it, I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am, so I won't ignore the gifts I've been given.

Then, the Azure Dragon skill books. I'd gotten them from a skeleton, and that skeleton had the title "Failed Disciple of the Azure," so I couldn't help but think it wasn't a coincidental situation.

If my Quirk hadn't created―that's also another interesting point―the skill books, then what would've happened? I'd never heard of the Azure Dragon martial arts, but I have a big feeling that it's pretty important to history in one way or another. I'm glad I have them, but it's hard for me to not question what would've happened otherwise.

Back to the interesting point, my Quirk created, or pulled, or did something that caused Yen and some skill books to appear. And I'm pretty sure that one of the most basic scientific ideas was that matter could not be created or destroyed, only repurposed and reused.

On top of that, my Quirk counted the area as a "dungeon," which is super bizarre on its own, but coupled with the drops appearing and the coincidental quest timings, I had to wonder just how much of the situation truly was luck versus Luck.

I let out a sigh.

Okay, I'll keep an eye on what my Quirk does specifically, but there's no point in doubting something that may only wish the best for me. That seems like the best course of action.

Bouncing off that, I pulled the other Azure Dragon skill books out of my inventory before absorbing Talons of the Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon's Scales, and Azure Dragon's Roar. I could feel the knowledge fill my brain as the three books disappeared.

[Talons of the Azure Dragon (Active) Lv. 1 | MP: 15]

The most basic technique of Seiryu's ancient martial arts style, made to fight against the Black Tortoise. Through the gathering of energy within the hands and feet, even the softest of body parts can become a terrifying weapon.

40% increase to martial arts attack damage.

Additional 30 MP used per minute.

[Azure Dragon's Scales (Active) Lv. 1 | MP: 30]

The primary defensive technique of Seiryu's ancient martial arts style, made to defend against the White Tiger. A skill to harden mana into scaled armor oneself rather than use it as a passive defense.

Blocks up to a certain level of damage.

Armor's density, duration, and durability increase with Intelligence and level.

Additional 50 MP used per minute with Azure Dragon's Scales is active.

Damn, Seiryu wasn't messing around. These skills are crazy.

I tried absorbing Azure Dragon's Ascension and Azure Dragon of the East, but additional notifications appeared.

[You cannot learn this skill. Required: 45 Strength, 45 Vitality, 45 Dexterity, 50 Intelligence, 50 Wisdom.]

[You cannot learn this skill. Required: 70 Strength, 70 Vitality, 70 Dexterity, 90 Intelligence, 90 Wisdom.]

Um… huh.

Yeah, okay. Seiryu was a badass, plain and simple. Whoever this was, I don't know how their name was lost in history.

Wait… how were they forgotten? Or… were they forgotten at all?

I'd made the assumption because I got the skills from a dungeon that could've been a result of my Quirk, someone else's Quirk, or a mixture of the two and because I got the skills from a skeleton who had a title that seemingly insisted that they were a failed disciple of the Azure Dragon. Nothing actually said that they were the last disciple of the Azure Dragon.

Hmm… then there's the White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermillion Bird. They were all only mentioned once each, but several of the Azure Dragon's skills seem to be built around them.

Were there… at least four goliaths that could do this?

On top of that, were they even Heroes? Were they Villains? Vigilantes? Or could they have… been before Quirks?

That's stupid, I chided myself. That doesn't make any sense.

Powers like flight, super strength, and… use of mana can only come from a Quirk. At least… I think. But… there is the time right after Quirks were introduced, the "Dark Age" as people called it.

I kinda regret not paying attention in class, but could those four be from the Dark Ages? It would make sense if they weren't known at all… hmm….

I pulled out my phone and searched up all the four, but nothing came up. I search around for ten minutes before closing my phone, letting out a groan, and falling back onto my bed.

Ugh, all this thinking isn't like me! Whatever, the world is probably bigger than I imagined, fine.

Even if that is the case, I can't get any answers by just sitting here and brooding about it.

I shook away the confusing thoughts, refocusing.

I'll make the Azure Dragon skills my next goal. The prerequisites are insane, but I can train to them, no matter how slowly it may be. I don't plan on getting into any heat anytime soon either. So yeah, I'll train with them as my goals.

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I just stayed there for a long moment, recalling the heavy events of the day. I relaxed before I heard a notification, causing me to open my eyes.

[Due to one continuous action, you have received a new skill. Skill: Mortal Meditation.]

[Mortal Meditation (Active) Lv. 1]

Through the power of patience and meditation, a mortal woman achieved nirvana. She became in touch with the world on a level deeper than normal, and the world assisted her growth. Through the world's assistance, she grew far beyond her own expectations.

Increase HP regeneration per minute by Wisdom while meditating.

Increase MP regeneration per minute by Wisdom while meditating.

Increase Stamina regeneration per minute by Wisdom while meditating.

MP can be permanently improved through meditation.

Huh... this… this may help me train quite a bit.