Jiji no. 8

Plasmas Uniradas

The pile of the boulders produced another cracking sound. It has been brought by the warm lust of wind. Holder swallowed hard. He was sure that Balel was just there, waiting for the perfect timing to attack. He was just under that piles of boulder, knowing that he has the advantage. Because he can attack whenever he wants. While on the other hand, Holder cannot help himself but just stand and wait. It would be a reckless move to head towards him, and then quickly attack. That would lower his defense.

“Holder, what should you do?” General Balfor said.

“I don’t know, General.”

“A true soldier should know how to corner an enemy from where it hides.”

“But, If I head towards that boulders where Balel is, he might give me a surprise attack. And I would have to lose this game.”

General Balfor laughed. “Then be the one to ‘surprise-attack’ him.”

“Th-that would be impossible,” replied Holder.

“Impossible? Or perhaps you are just playing safe? Holder, as a soldier, or even as a Sankt Vessel user, playing safe is a sure risky defeat.”

“Huh?” Holder asked, confused.

“Because the one who gamble will either win or lose—while the ones who played safe, either be saved or regretfully take the bitter pain of losing.”

It was too easy for the General to tell those advices. It was clear for Holder how his combatting skills were at far inferior to the battle-skills of Balel who has been training as a Soldier, ever since. He had already completed every training. He had comprehensively absorbed every lessons and discussions and rules and tips of his instructors. While he, it has just been a few weeks when he came to the Central Palace. He was just starting yet. Among the vast knowledge that the A-class soldier has, only half was the capacity of Holder if being compared.

He decided to remain standing, and waited for the attack of Balel.

“If that was your tactic, Holder, then if Balel was an enemy, and you are tasked to capture and imprison him, you won’t be able to capture him no matter how strong you are. Enemies are knowledgeable of the secret arts of escaping. And when they decided to escape, you cannot follow them anymore. Sometimes, to dominate the battlefield, a snake shall enter another den of a snake.”

Holder sighed. It was easy for him to do it, perhaps. But for him, it would be a really tough job. He was inexperienced of other weaponries, of skills, of everything. Holder thought that this would just be an assessment test and it would serve as basis for the General to check what capabilities does he have before fully training him. But the pressure he was giving to him, it was as if Holder would fail the world, if he did not listen to him.

“Jiji, can you produce a more fire-powered gun? Like something that can explode?”

“PRRRR,” Jiji replied to his question.

He understood what Jiji says. Somehow, he knew. That in this moment, the only thing that he can do is just a shotgun whom he can remember mimicking from Benny’s training last time. He can not make any powerful weapons yet. Not now.

“Balel. Holder seems firm of his tactics. He was just waiting you to get out of the boulders so he can defend himself. Teach him lessons,” General Balfor commanded to his Son.

“Why are you too afraid to attack, Holder?”

Holder gasped. Balel was actually not under the pile of the boulders. He quickly looked behind him. Balel was there. He erupted from the ground behind him, like that majic-infused device who can drill through the soil.

Holder was too shocked with what Balel had shown him. He was too distracted by the sound of the cracked floor, of the flying stones, marbles and soils in the ground, and of the mischievous smile of Balel as if he had already won the game.

Which can be true.

Balel was now holding a thin and sharp sword. A katana. And Holder was not aware it was about to slice his neck. It would come to him—and if this was a real fight, he would be dead. Yet, Jiji saw the upcoming attack of the sword. And so, he wielded and moved himself—or more like moved Holder’s hand—and blocked the sword that was about to come and end him.

Holder gasped for wind. With the whole split-second dangerous scene, he was not able to breath. His lungs were blocked with shock and fear. And the only moment he remembered to breath is when the sound of the clashing metals—of the gun and Balel’s Katana—pierced through his ears.

“Fascinating,” said Balel. He then jumped back with a smile pasted on his face. “Good reflexes there. You managed to block my attacks. If I am an enemy and you failed to block my attack, you would have been dead already.”

“Thank gods you are not an enemy.”

Then Balel laughed.

“But hey, it wasn’t me, Balel. Jiji was the one who blocked the attack, not me,” Holder reasoned out.

“Ah, you’re still not used and familiar of what Sankt Vessels and Sankt Vessel users can do, isn’t it?”

“I have to say… yes. Though I am a Sankt Vessel user and my partner is a Sankt Vessel. How ironic.”

It was then when General Balfor interrupted. “Holder, you have to remember this. When you are using Jiji, you are considered to be using the hidden art of ‘Plasmas Uniradas,’ an ancient technique in which two entity being united for a sole reason. And through that, the combined and united entities are much more powerful than just being alone. What one does, one too did. What Jiji did is what you also did.”

“You may have think that it was all Jiji who started moving, but how did you know that it was Jiji then?” interrupted Balel.

“I… I am not sure,”

“That is because you are aware of what was happening in yourself and of Jiji. It was not just Jiji who can understand the feeling of you, but it was you as well who can understand his thoughts and emotions.”

Holder cannot speak. He looked at Jiji. And then he asked, “Do I really understand and feel him?”

“Professor Zen once told me that when you understand your Sankt, and you think that he was into something, you would subconsciously help him. A Sankt, also according to Professor Zen, doesn’t have an ability to take control of one user’s body. They have no power to do that. You are the one who can only move your body.”

“That means…”

“That means you trusted Jiji when Balel was about to attack you. And with that, you helped Jiji blocking the attack by moving your body, subconsciously. It was you who blocked it,” said General Balfor.

“I—I…”

“Enough of stutters and confusions. You still need to train more! Balel, attack him.”

Holder quickly became alerted. He pointed the gun which Jiji morphed too, towards Balel. He readied his finger towards the trigger.

“Holder,” called General Balfor. His voice is dominating the whole arena. It was too powerful and has a tremendous intensity. Once hearing, one would need to take full attention of what he would say. And so, that is what Holder was doing. He cannot afford not hearing everything that the General would say.

“A gun would be a good weapon, I know,” the General added. “But can you use it towards a man who can pull a speed faster than the wind?”

“I am not sure, General. But this is the only thing I and Jiji could pull as of now.”

“Remember the rule of Survivality: The toughest and the most adaptive has only the rights to enjoy the luxury of living.”

Holder took note of what the general said.

“Now what would you do, Holder? Can you pull the trigger in a swift? Can you assault Balel with just your bullets?”

Balel then swiftly appeared towards Holder’s front. After few seconds, the wind followed. He was faster than the wind. And, before he could aim and pull the trigger of his gun, Balel was about to s***h his neck. He just then stopped mid-air before the sharpness of his blade could touch Holder’s skin. He doesn’t want his partner dead.

“One point for me, zero points for you.” Balel was smiling as he speaks.

He then jumped away of Holder.

“Holder, think of things that can help you,” said General Balfor.

“Remember that I am using my most-experted weapon, Holder,” said Balel.

Holder looked intently at Balel. His eyes were sharp as he look at his smiling face and of the sharp, silver-colored Katana the A-classed Soldier was holding. Then, he pursed his lips.

“Jiji,” he called.

“Wuu.”

He understood what Jiji told, surprisingly. He said, He knew what he was thinking.

“The only thing that we can do for know in order to get along with his attacks…”

Jiji shifted his body. From being a wild shotgun, he turned into something that is shiny. And sharp.

General Balfor nodded. Balel smiled, amused.

“… is to block and attack him with a Katana as well,” Holder concluded.

It may seem he was just mimicking Balel, but for him, it was already an achievement. Holder can make Jiji shift into another weapon aside from a gun. And sooner, he believes, that with lots of training, with lots of dedication to what he will do, and wise analysis of every situations, he would be strong.

Stronger than Balel and even General Balfor.

“Now, come to me, Balel. Let’s test who’s better in handling a sword.”