Chapter 5

The next day...

Me, Hiraku and Aimi were walking in the area where I met Hiraku. Today Hiraku decided today is the day I meet his mentor. I wonder what he's like... If he's king level strong, hes probably super intimating...

I glanced back. "So... What is he like?" I asked putting my hands in my hoodie pocket. He placed his hands behind his head.

"Well. Since apparently he's been through a lot in his past, he's pretty closed off to new people. But, he's nice." He answered as I nodded.

"What exactly does he teach you?"

"He teaches how to increase your strength, speed, defense, reactive abilities, and other things that help you reach your stages much easier, beisde the fact your stages activates in a certain point in your life." Wow, all my knowledge of these Zonbi's, I never knew that... I need to step my game up.

Me and Hiraku glanced over at Aimi. "Yo Aimi. You alright? You're kinda quiet over there." Hiraku asked as she jumped.

"Y-Yeah." I looked forward. She's a weird one... I don't know why... but she just is..

"Okay. If you say so." Hiraku said looking forward. "Oh yeah Hooder. You don't really have to wear that eyepatch around us. We're all Zonbi here." I sighed and slowly took it off. After I took off, Aimi looked at me weirdly.

"Huh?" She asked as I looked at her.

"What? You didn't know I was a half Zonbi?" I asked as she shook her head.

"Well, I did notice you smelled different. But I didn't look into it." She said looked away. I shook my head. I put my eyepatch in my pocket.

"There it is!" Hiraku said taking off running.

"Whoa hold on!" I shouted running after him, but I ended up passing him somehow. I wasn't able to stop so I just ran until I reached a pretty big cabin. I slid my foot against the ground, causing me to come to a very rough stop. Jeez, how am I so fast? I looked back as Hiraku and Aimi reached the cabin at the same time.

"Jeez, how did you pass me?" He asked chuckling a bit.

I shrugged, "I have no idea." I said grabbing the door knob.

"Must have something to do with you being a halfy or something." I opened the door and walked inside looking around the building. There were about five or six book shelves filled with books. I wonder what the books are.

"If you're wondering what those books are, it's mainly about Zonbi's, those books have way more knowledge about Zonbi's than the ones published by the humans. An actual Zonbi created these, he goes by The Author. But he was killed a few years ago. So, unless we get another Zonbi author, this is all the accurate information on Zonbi's the humans are gonna get. So, if you want to read those you can stay as long as you want, since they don't make anymore and the humans probably destroyed the ones in library's and online." He explained walking up to a room near the back of the house.

I nodded and followed in behind him. He opened the door to the room and peeked in.

"Hey Mr. Kashikoi!" He said walking inside. I walked in glancing back to see if Aimi was following. There was a old guy standing at the window, as he looked over at us. I jumped as he looked straight at me.

"Good day Kenshin. How was school?" He asked sitting down in his chair.

"Great, but I have people really wanting to meet you." He said, stepping to the side, revealing me and Aimi more.

"This is Emiko Aimi. I met her yesterday." She waved with a bright smile, that's probably the first time I seen her smile. It's nice not gonna lie. Mr. Kashikoi nodded.

"But the main attraction. Raitoningu Hooder." I waved and broke my finger jumping.

He looked at me then frowned, "He's a halfy!" I began to get nervous. He stood up.

"Hm. Interesting. It has been a while since I seen a half Zonbi." He said placing his hand on his chin. Sweat trickled down my cheek.

"Right? It kinda freaked me out the first time I seen it." I gulped and rubbed my head.

"Well, it's nice to meet you both." Me and Aimi bowed and rose up.

"Mr. Kashikoi you think you can make me and my friends some tea?" Hiraku asked putting his hands behind his head.

He sighed and smiled, "Sure.." We all walked into the living room.

"Well, I'm going outside to train a bit." He said running out the door.

"Wait for me!" Aimi shouted sprinting after him.

I gulped as me and Mr. Kashikoi were left alone in the room. I sighed and sat down on the couch. The room was super quiet which made it super awkward. I fiddled with my thumbs as I hoped he would start a conversation.

"Raitoningu." I jumped looking over at him.

"H-Huh?" I asked standing up.

"Go over to the third shelve, and fourth row. Pick up the fifteenth book." I blinked a few times before looking towards the book shelves.

"O-Okay?" I said walking up to the third shelve. I traced my finger up to the fourth row and heading towards the fifteenth book. I pulled it out and looked at the cover. It was covered in a bit of dust so I decided to blow it off and rubbed some that I couldn't get off the surface.

The cover read, 'Zonbi Potential and Stages.' Huh, why would he tell me to grab this?

I looked towards him. "That's not it. Grab the one right next to it." I looked to hole where I grabbed the book from. I pulled it out looking at the title.

It read, 'Zonbi Training methods.' I looked over at Mr. Kashikoi.

"Um sir. I'm not really planning on training or anything like that." I said walking back to the couch. He didn't answer at first, which made me nervous.

"That's fine. But you can still read it in case you change your mind. But, you really need to read that first book, it may change your mind." He said as I looked down, sitting down the book I had in my hand.

I picked up the first book I picked up. I flipped open to the first page guess I better get to reading.

A few hours later...

Me and Aimi ended up staying for dinner. But I was too focused on my book.

"Jeez Hooder. Are you even gonna eat?" Hiraku asked as I looked over at him.

"Yeah, just getting lost in this book." I said holding it up a bit.

"Oh, Mr. Kashikoi had me read that. I barely remember it though. Did he also tell you to read the Zonbi Training Methods?" I nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't plan on reading it though..." I said as he looked at me with a confusion expression.

"Why not?" I leaned back in my chair.

"Well, I don't really plan on doing any kind of fighting or anything, I just want to live my life normally.. And even if I do fight, I'll soon be hunted by the ZAA... And I'll stand no chance..." I said, kinda whispering the last part of my sentence...

"Okay, yeah. It's your life, do what you want with it. But, I honestly think it's better to at least know how to defend yourself." I sighed and began to focus back on my book.

After we finished dinner, me and Aimi said bye and we began to head home. I sighed and pulled out my eyepatch, putting it over my eye. I put my books under my arm and looked forward.

"How did you become a half Zonbi?" I heard, looking towards Aimi as she looked towards me.

"Oh. I saw a Zonbi eating a human, it got killed by a king and it turned me into this... Said I wouldn't have to worry about dying so easily." I explained putting my hands into my pocket.

"Oh." It got super awkward all of a sudden. Man, why does every conversation I'm in have to be so awkward...

"Hey." I looked as she was right beside me as I jumped.

"Whats the book about?" She asked pointing to my books. I assumed she was talking about the book on top of the other one.

"It's mainly about Zonbi's stages and how they work. But there is another section which is about Zonbi Potential." She nodded and looked forward.

"When you finish it. Do you think I can read it?"

I smiled and nodded. "Sure." She smiled and looked towards the left.

"My house is that way. So I guess I'll see you later." I waved as she walked towards the left.

I took off running towards my house. Man, maybe Aimi shares my love for books.. We might just get along well.

But... should I really learn how to fight and try and unlock my stages? As much as I want to live a normal life, it might be wise to at least know how to fight, that should be it... But I don't know...