Soul Energy Unveiled! Taizen's Origins and the Power of the Soul!

The dirt road stretched far ahead, bordered by rocky outcrops and dry patches of grass that swayed gently in the wind. The crisp air carried a faint chill, though the warmth of their recent victory still lingered. Taizen walked steadily, hands behind his head and his face turned up to the afternoon sun. Miwa trailed behind, shooting him curious glances every few steps.

"Alright, spill it," Miwa finally broke the silence, her voice tinged with both annoyance and curiosity. "What the hell was all that back there? That glow, those moves, and that ridiculous blue fire punch you threw at Frank—what was that?"

Taizen smirked, not breaking his stride. "What? Didn’t I say I’d explain after the fight?"

"Yeah, but now you’re stalling!" Miwa snapped. "And don’t try to play dumb! I’m serious. I’ve never seen anything like that. Not even the weirdest street punks could pull off glowing fists of soul magic or whatever that was."

Taizen chuckled, lowering his hands and glancing back at her. "Alright, alright. You wanna know what it was? Fine. That, my friend, was Soul Energy."

Miwa blinked. "Soul Energy? What, like some kind of... glowing life force thing?"

"More or less," Taizen replied. "Soul Energy is the power hidden inside every living being’s soul. It’s tied to who you are—your mind, your body, your very essence. Tap into that, and you can do cool shit no regular human can even dream of."

Miwa narrowed her eyes, processing his words. "Okay... but how does it work? Is it like magic?"

"Not really," Taizen said, stopping and turning to face her. "It’s not magic. It’s more… uhhh… what's the word…?” He paused to think. “It's more fundamental than that. Think of it like this: your soul is the core of your existence, right? Soul Energy is what happens when you take that core and turn it into raw power. But it’s not just awesome power—it’s a connection. Between your body, your mind, and your soul, obviously! The stronger that connection, the more Soul Energy you can use."

Miwa crossed her arms, her skepticism still evident. "Alright, but what does it do? Aside from making you look like a human glow stick and throwing Chitan-Kens at people?"

Taizen grinned. "Glad you asked.”

He took a deep breath, his expression shifting into one of focus. "When you unlock Soul Energy, it manifests as something we call Soul Aura. It’s like a shield and a power boost rolled into one. Once it activates, it changes your body. Not physically—you’ll still look the same—but your whole composition shifts. You stop being just flesh and blood. You become Soul Magic."

Miwa raised an eyebrow. "Soul Magic? That sounds... cheesy."

"You're gonna change your mind once I hit you with a cheesy Chitan-Ken to the face!" Taizen laughed. "Soul Aura protects you from all sorts of crazy stuff—anything that targets your body’s natural weaknesses, like things that mess with your matter, atoms, DNA-level attacks and all that junk. It also makes you about ten times stronger, faster, and tougher than you were before."

"Ten times?" Miwa whistled. "So, what, you’re some kind of indestructible tin can now?"

"Not exactly, I know I'm hella strong," Taizen said with a smirk. "But Soul Energy isn’t invincible. And it’s not just about physical power. It lets you do things like this."

He raised his hand, and a small blue flame flickered to life in his palm, the stove industry is not gonna like this.

Miwa’s eyes widened as she felt its warmth—different from any regular fire she’d ever encountered. It wasn’t hot, exactly, but it felt... alive.

"This, you see this? Do you see this, goofy?" Taizen muttered playfully.

“Yeah! I'm not blind! Geez!”

“This is Soul Magic. It’s the offensive side of Soul Energy. It lets you create and manipulate things that shouldn’t exist. Like this flame. It doesn’t burn your body—it burns your soul. That’s why it’s so dangerous. No matter how tough someone is physically, if their soul isn’t strong enough, this can take them down."

Miwa leaned closer, her curiosity piqued. "So, wait... this can hurt anyone? Even someone invincible or invulnerable?"

"Yep! Soul Magic bypasses usual toughness. It attacks the essence of a person. That’s why people like Frank, who know how to use Soul Energy, are so dangerous. If I didn’t have my own Soul Energy skills, his attacks would’ve wrecked me."

Miwa frowned. "That’s... kind of terrifying."

"Don't worry! It gets worse!" Taizen said, his tone too lighthearted for what he's about to say. "Some advanced users can do more than just attack. They can manipulate your soul—make it heavier, paralyze you, even control where you can move, yadda yadda… I'm just giving a few examples. But those techniques are risky and take a lot out of them. Still, it’s the kinda thing not even I take lightly."

"Alright, Tin Can, but what about the stuff you made?" Miwa asked, pointing at his hands. "Like that air wave thing during the fight. How does that work?"

"Good eye," Taizen said with a grin. "Soul Energy can create real, tangible objects. That air wave? It was basically compressed energy, fired off with a punch. But here’s the catch—you can’t fully control what you create. It depends on your personality. Yeah, I tried to create a bunch of food, but it didn't work."

"Your personality?" Miwa echoed. "So what if someone’s obsessed with cats? Will they make a bunch of glowing furballs?"

Taizen laughed. "Sort of. It’s not that literal, but it kinda is? I'm not sure, I don't have a PHD in Soul Energy. For me, it’s all about fists, titanium, flames, and fighting. My old sensei used to say my techniques were ‘straightforward’. Someone more creative might make weapons, tools, or even art. But it’s instinctive—you can’t just decide to make whatever you want. It has to come naturally."

Miwa tilted her head, considering his words. "So no making a pile of cash out of thin air, huh? Lame."

"Yeah…" Taizen said with a shrug. "But hey, if you ever learn to use Soul Energy, maybe you’ll create something cool! Anyway, explanation done! I hate having to explain things twice and these explanations take a lot of my brain power so I hope you paid attention."

The conversation shifted as Miwa glanced at Taizen with newfound curiosity. "How’d you learn all this, anyway? Did someone teach you?"

Taizen’s expression darkened slightly, but he kept his voice steady. "I didn’t learn it by choice. It was forced on me during those experiments. The people who gave me this titanium skeleton didn’t just mess with my body—the bastards messed with my soul. They wanted to see how far they could push a human before breaking them."

Miwa looked away, guilt flickering across her face. "Sorry. I didn’t mean to—"

"Don’t worry about it! They tried to break me but they failed. So now I'll make them pay!" Taizen interrupted, his tone more confident and determined. "The point is, I survived. And now, I’m using what they gave me to make sure no one else has to go through that type of hell.”

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the two approached the outskirts of Cielo Rojo. Miwa glanced at Taizen, her earlier skepticism replaced with something closer to admiration. "So, this Soul Energy thing... you think that girl from the tournament, Mei Akamura, knows how to use it too?"

"Hell yeah!" Taizen replied, his eyes glinting with excitement. "If she’s as strong as they say, she’ll be a good fight. And maybe a good friend, I hope."

"Or maybe she’ll just kick your ass." Miwa said with a smirk.

Taizen laughed, the sound echoing across the empty road. “No, I would win."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold, Taizen and Miwa found themselves wandering through a more decrepit part of Cielo Rojo. The air felt heavier here, the faint stench of garbage wafting through the dimly lit alleyways.

Miwa tugged at Taizen’s sleeve, her voice low. "Uh, Taizen, are you sure we’re going the right way? This place gives me bad vibes."

Taizen glanced around, his expression calm but alert. "It’s just a shortcut. Relax. Not like I can’t handle a few thugs if we run into trouble."

As if on cue, a group of shadowy figures stepped out from the alleys, blocking their path, how surprising! The gangsters were clad in mismatched clothing, their weapons varying from bats to chains, and their sneers promised trouble. The apparent leader, a broad-shouldered man with tattoos around his body, stepped forward.

"Well, well, look what we’ve got here," the leader said, his voice a low growl. "A couple of lost kids wandering into our turf. Ya gotta pay the toll if you wanna leave in one piece."

Miwa instinctively moved closer to Taizen, clutching his arm. "I-I don’t like this," she whispered. "Can you do something?"

He most definitely can.

Taizen raised his hands in a calming gesture, stepping forward slightly to shield Miwa. "Look, we’re just passing through and you don’t want any trouble. But if you really want, the moment you decide to use these weapons against us is the moment you'll get the trouble you're looking for."

The gang erupted into laughter, the leader’s grin widening. " You're gonna hurt us? You’re crazy funny, kid! But I think we’ll be the ones doing the hurting."

Oh boy, these thugs have no idea who they're facing. One of the gang members lunged at him, swinging a chain. With a smooth motion, Taizen sidestepped and grabbed the chain, yanking the thug forward and sending him sprawling to the ground, making him look stupid.

Another rushed in with a bat, but Taizen ducked under the swing and delivered a swift uppercut, sending the attacker flying into a pile of crates.

Miwa watched in awe as Taizen moved with precision, his titanium-enhanced strength and speed overwhelming the gang. "You’re insane! Your power doesn't even make sense!" she muttered, both impressed and terrified.

"Maybe!" Taizen said, flashing a grin as he dodged another attack. "But I'm also efficient."

He clenched his fists, activating his Soul Energy. A faint blue aura enveloped his body, and the temperature around him seemed to rise. The gangsters hesitated, sensing the sudden shift in power. Taizen seized the moment, stepping forward with an air of authority, like he owned the turf.

"Listen up, goofies," he said, his voice firm but calm. "I don’t necessarily want to hurt you guys. Drop your weapons and walk away, and I’ll let this slide. But don’t think I won’t have fun kicking your asses if you still decide to fight."

The gang members glanced at each other, uncertain. Some began to lower their weapons, but the leader growled. "Don’t fall for his tricks! He’s just one guy! We can take him!"

Their desire to fight reignited, the gang attacked as one. Taizen sighed, his expression turning serious. "Guess I’ve got to knock some sense into you."

With fluid movements, Taizen dismantled their attacks, his blows calculated and precise. One by one, the gang members fell, their weapons clattering to the ground as they groaned in pain. As each one hit the dirt, their will to fight evaporated.

Taizen then glared at them, using his [Merciful], his calming Soul Energy radiating outward and quelling their aggression.

Miwa watched in stunned silence as the once-hostile group sat slumped on the ground, their eyes wide with confusion and regret. "What... what’s happening to them?" she asked.

"It’s my [Inherited Soul Technique: Merciful]," Taizen explained, brushing dust off his hands. "Once their desire to fight is gone, this ability makes sure they don’t want to fight anymore. It’s like flipping a switch in their heads."

"That’s... kind of scary." Miwa admitted.

"It works like a charm, though," Taizen replied with a shrug. He turned his attention to the gang leader, who remained standing, his fists clenched and his aura flaring with Soul Energy. Unlike his subordinates, the leader’s fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.

"You think you’ve won!?" the leader snarled, stepping forward. His Soul Energy flared, and his aura rippled with raw power. "I’m not like these weaklings. I’ll crush you!"

The leader charged, his speed and strength surpassing Frank’s by a noticeable margin. Taizen met him head-on, their fists colliding with a shockwave that rattled the surrounding buildings. The leader’s blows were fast and relentless, forcing Taizen to go on the defensive.

"Okay, I’ll admit," Taizen said, sidestepping a powerful punch, "you’re stronger than I expected. But you’re still not strong enough to beat me."

The leader growled in frustration and threw a wild haymaker.

Taizen ducked under it, stepped back and countered with a move he had been saving, he raised two titanium pillars from the ground, now the leader had titanium pillars both to his left and to his right.

And so, by clapping his titanium-reinforced hands together…

“Chitan Hakushu! (Titanium Applause - チタン拍手)” Taizen smashed the leader between the two pillars. The force crushing the him like a pancake. Taizen then dashed towards him.

“Chitan Inpakuto! (Titanium Impact - チタンインパクト)” He shouted, striking the leader with a massive titanium reinforced gut punch infused with Soul Energy, making the leader cough blood as he’s sent flying away, hitting a wall and breaking it.

The leader struggled to his feet, his aura flickering. Taizen approached, his own Soul Energy still glowing brightly. "You done yet?" he asked, his tone calm but commanding.

The leader hesitated, then collapsed to his knees, his fighting spirit finally extinguished.

“Keishō Tamashī-waza: Jihi. (Inherited Soul Technique: Merciful - 継承魂技: 慈悲)” Taizen muttered as [Merciful] took hold, Taizen staring him down calmly, and the leader’s aggressive aura faded, leaving him slumped and defeated.

Taizen turned to Miwa, who was still staring wide-eyed at the scene. "You okay?" he asked.

Miwa nodded slowly. "I... yeah. I just... You didn’t even look like you were trying."

Taizen smirked. "That’s because I wasn’t. Besides the leader, these guys were nothing compared to Frank. But they’ll think twice before picking a fight again."

He glanced back at the gang, who were now helping each other up, their faces filled with shame rather than anger. "Alright," Taizen called out to them. "You’re free to skedaddle. Before you decide to pick on someone again, make sure you’re ready for how it’s going to end."

The gang nodded mutely, too shaken to argue against our Tin Can. As they dispersed, Taizen turned back to Miwa. "Now, where were we? Oh, right. Soul Energy and Inherited Soul Techniques."

Miwa blinked. "Wait, you still want to talk about that after all this!?"

"Of course!" Taizen said with a grin. "I’ve still got a lot to teach you, goofy."

“Stop calling me goofy!”

And so, our duo proceed on their journey to the tournament, in hopes to see what Mei Akamura really is like.