Learning More About Yourself and the Need For a Special Move

Two weeks have past since the Heiwa High School Summer Festival. Tatsuya woke up feeling sluggish and weary, already infected with summertime laziness. He stretched his hands and yawned. Although he would love to crawl back into bed and sleep the entire day away, Tatsuya forced himself up to get ready for the day. For a week straight now, Tatsuya had used the free time he had during the summer to do some training in order to better improve himself as a hero. He can’t sacrifice a day of training even for six more hours of sleep, especially since he’s been improving pretty quickly at a steady rate.

He walked to the restroom and yawned. With only the thought of training in his mind, he opened the door. What awaited him inside was a surprise like no other that was bound to wake him up completely…and not in a good way either. Standing behind the door, naked and baring her entire body and soul to Tatsuya, was Aika. Her shameless display of her defenseless body and inhuman beauty perplexed Tatsuya to no end. “Darling!” she happily called to him. He blinked his eyes a few times and quickly shut the door, wanting to believe that what had just happened was all in his head. He took a deep breath and opened the door again. Again, he was met by Aika’s exposed body. “Darling, I—,” began the Draco princess. Tatsuya immediately shut the door and took his hand off of the knob.

‘What the hell is happening?’ he asked himself. ‘This is just a dream, right? I mean, I know that she could be very bold sometimes, but, this has got to be a dream, right? What the hell am I even dreaming about? Is it telling me something? Maybe I should’ve given Manami back his magazine last week. Yeah, that might be the reason why,” he reasoned. To test out his theory, he pinched himself in the cheek really hard and immediately yelped in pain.

“Um, Darling?” came Aika’s voice from behind the door.

“Y-Y-Yes?” asked Tatsuya.

“Let’s get in the bath together and wash each other’s back!” announced Aika happily. She opened the door and once again shamelessly exposed herself to Tatsuya.

After realizing that it was not at all a dream, thanks to the pinch test, Tatsuya boiled in anger and quickly slammed the door shut, yelling out, “What do you think you’re doing?! Put some clothes on you idiot!”

“But I thought we could—,” whined Aika.

“Hell no!” shouted Tatsuya back. “Who in their right mind would come up with such an idea?!”

“Well, we’re betrotheds after all,” she said in an innocent voice.

“No, we are not!” he told her adamantly.

After that whole situation passed, Tatsuya, awakened and ready for the day, left the house to go to his training spot. He arrived at a field flanked by trees on both sides. It was an isolated area far away from the public eye, the perfect spot for him to train himself without holding back. Dressed in a simple black T-Shirt and jogging pants, Tatsuya stood in the middle of the field and began his training regimen.

Firstly, he stretched his entire body and then proceeded to jog from his starting position all the way down to the end of the field and back. After completing three rounds, he moved to his second workout. He got down on his hands and feet and did three sets of fifteen two-handed pushups. Once that was done, he proceeded to do four sets of twelve sit-ups. He finished this workout regimen with side jumps, fifteen sets on each side. When he finished, he took a small break to catch his breath.

This workout regimen wasn’t something that Tatsuya had thought up himself but a memory from his past. He remembered doing these same exercises as a young child when he trained under his uncle in martial arts. Ever since a young age, Tatsuya’s body had been conditioned like an athlete's, an important requirement for a young boy learning self-defense. He could see those memories flash before his eyes, fond times that reminded him of his sweet childhood. His uncle would visit him almost every day and trained him in a very strange martial art unlike any other. Tatsuya remembered struggling with the exercises and wanting to quit many times because of his inability to perfect new moves within a few days. But his uncle continued to push him and it was that endurance to continue onwards that made him who he is today. Tatsuya’s didn’t really remember why he was being trained in the first place, but it was nevertheless a collection of fond memories that he still treasures to this day.

He smiled as they floated through his mind like a comforting movie. It was some of the happiest memories and best days of his life. It was some of the only memories he still remembers from his childhood. But when that day arrived, the day when his entire life became a blur and everything else that happened after that disappeared into the dark abyss of forgetfulness, when the first ever memory he still remembers vividly to this day following that giant gap was his first day of middle school, Tatsuya had somehow managed to successfully hang on to these nice memories and protected them from being thrown away. That’s right, Tatsuya possesses a giant gap in his memory. It was a curse he had to live with.

Tatsuya shook his head to clear his thoughts once it was clear that he was digressing. He proceeded to begin his actual training. He practiced his moves and tried his best to refine them even more. After that last battle against Aris, the Yellow Terror, Tatsuya realized just how weak he really is. As he’s executing move after move, going through the lessons he had kept with him since his youth, he was imagining fighting the Yellow Terror again in a simulated battle. Coming up with counter moves, executing defensive strategies, successfully applying feints and parries—Tatsuya’s mind was going a million miles a second as his brain tried to calculate everything he did wrong and what he could’ve done if a situation was to have occurred differently.

In a tree just a few feet away from Tatsuya’s training spot, Torahime and Nekoyashi perched on its branches and spied on the Dragonborn. They have been following him for a while now and became familiar with this week’s schedule. They watched Tatsuya in complete silence like true ninjas. Torahime especially had her eyes focused on his face: his glistening orange-red hair that was soaked with his sweat and swaying fluidly like a living flame, his glittering complexion that glimmered in the sun like a bright jewel after having been coated in hard working perspiration, the confident and strong-willed expression he wore that exuded manliness and determination, and those bright azure-blue eyes, shining with brilliance like precious jewels and filled with strong spirits.

Nekoyashi glanced over at her friend and noticed that Torahime had entered her ‘Dragonborn-daze’ yet again, which had now become a common thing ever since the first time they decided to follow him around from the shadows. Torahime’s eyes was deeply focused on Tatsuya and her face hung down a bit like a lovesick schoolgirl; a small stream of drool was also beginning to form in the corner of her mouth. Nekoyashi smiled mischievously to herself and whispered, “Hey, Himeko, why don’t you go over to say hi, nyan?” Torahime didn’t hear her words at all. Nekoyashi leaned closer to her friend and said, “He’s alone by himself, you know. You should use this opportunity to go for it instead of just staring at him, nyan.” She then leaned in close to Torahime’s ear and blew on it.

The act startled Torahime and made her let out a squeak. She then quickly brought her hands to her mouth. Her anxious eyes were fixed on Tatsuya, begging the universe he didn’t hear that disgraceful sound escaping from her lips. Once she was sure that he didn’t, she let out a sigh of relief and then turned to Nekoyashi with a scowl. “Geez, Koneko, why did you that? You startled me and almost gave our position away!” she told her friend in an angry whisper.

“Come on, Himeko, it’s your time to shine!” urged Nekoyashi.

“What are you talking about?” asked Torahime with a raised eyebrow.

Nekoyashi wore a mischievous cat smile and said while shaking her brows suggestively, “There’s only you and him. Alone. Nyan?”

Those words took a few seconds to process in Torahime’s mind. But once they did, her entire face became redder than a cherry tomato. Her entire body shook anxiously and sweat cascaded down her face like turbulent waterfalls. “W-W-What are you t-talking about?” she asked her friend hysterically. Right now, her mind was getting fried like an overexcited computer motherboard.

“Think about it, Himeko,” goaded Nekoyashi. “The other girls that are usually around him aren’t here, nyan, meaning that this is your chance to make your presence known as a part of his harem, nyan!”

Torahime’s body suddenly stopped shaking and reason was slowly beginning to return to her. “What did you say?” she asked her friend.

“I said, this is your chance to make your presence known as a part of his harem, nyan!” repeated Nekoyashi, nodding her head as she said it.

“Harem?” said Torahime with a scary scowl.

“Nyan!” agreed Nekoyashi.

Quicker than a bullet, Torahime unleashed upon her friend a swift uppercut to the chin. “Don’t give me that shit!” she said as she sent Nekoyashi flying into the air. She then reached into her top and pulled out a bunch of kunai in both hands. “You will forever be the vilest villain in the entire history of the world,” she said disgustedly, referring to Tatsuya. With her target confirmed, Torahime threw the kunai straight for Tatsuya like a rain of death.

Tatsuya was in the middle of practicing his techniques when his warrior’s intuition warned him of an incoming attack. He immediately jumped to the right and successfully dodged the rain of death. The presence of kunai told him that a familiar individual was near. He wasn’t entirely sure of the individual’s identity, but he knew exactly what party they belonged to. “Who’s there?” he asked out loud. “Is it you again?” he said, referring to the dragon slayer who had attempted to kill him once before.

Descending from the tree and landing gracefully on her knee, Torahime appeared before Tatsuya. She had on a nonchalant expression as if to convey that she didn’t care for his presence at all, as if he was nothing more than an insignificant bug. She collected her kunai and looked at Tatsuya with piercing, dangerous eyes.

“N-Natsume Torahime?!” exclaimed Tatsuya in surprise.

“It’s time, Owatatsumi Tetsuya,” announced Torahime, brandishing a kunai in front of him. “I told you that the next time we meet, I will kill you. Your time has come!” She thrusted the kunai forward and almost struck Tatsuya straight in the face if he hadn’t dodged it in time by jumping out of the way.

“Whoa, whoa whoa!” protested Tatsuya with his hands out in front of him in a ‘hold up’ gesture. “Can you, like, hold off my execution for a little bit?” he asked her.

“Nonsense!” shouted Torahime defiantly. She jumped up into the air and pulled out a slip of paper. “Dragon Slaying Ninja Art: Lightning Hail!” she announced. She released the slip of paper and a barrage of lightning shot out of it like a dangerous tiny storm.

Tatsuya back flipped away and dodged the blasts as much as he can. He landed on his knee and asked, “Can we at least do this after I finished training?”

“Are you really asking me for mercy?” asked Torahime harshly once she had landed back down on the ground. “I told you, didn’t I? I will never be your ally! We will always be enemies!” she announced to him.

“Can’t I get at least a one day extension?” pleaded Tatsuya unsuccessfully.

“You’ll get your one day extension soon enough,” said Torahime with scary eyes, “in Hell!” She brought out her katana, the legendary Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, and rushed forward to attack. Tatsuya stood his ground and decided to use this moment to test out his new improved skills. When Torahime brought the sword down on him, Tatsuya executed Technique 25: Stubborn Dragon Stance—a defensive technique that focuses energy in one part of the body that is being actively used for defense, strengthening it; Tatsuya had his right arm raised above his head to defend himself and the now iron-like arm clashed with the katana, stopping the attack and protecting him from injury. “What is this?” asked Torahime in disbelief.

Tatsuya said nothing and proceeded to execute Technique 48: Soft Dragon Fist—a light punch of focused energy that sends the enemy back without dealing any sustaining damage. The attack sent Torahime backwards without pain, but still managed to put a great distance between her and Tatsuya.

“Looks like your skills have improved,” acknowledged Torahime.

“Ever since that loss against Aris, I’ve realized just how weak I really was,” said Tatsuya. “This is why I’ve been training. I want to get stronger so that I can defend everything I love. Seeing that sunrise after finally winning against him made me realize that that is what I want to do. I want to protect everyone’s next sunrise. I want them to have a chance to live to see another day, a beautiful day. Everyone deserves to see a beautiful sunrise!”

His words and the sincerity behind them made Torahime blush. She quickly crossed her arms and said, “Hmph. How chivalrous of you. Words like that are easy to make even your enemies swoon. Perhaps this is how you’ve been charming your harem. I mean, those words will for sure charm me if I didn’t know any better.” She suddenly caught herself and brought her hands to her lips. “Um, never mind!” she quickly said in an attempt to salvage her pride. She cleared her throat and said, “I mean, I don’t need those words to be charmed by you—,” again, she quickly shut her mouth. Her cheeks turned a bright red and her eyes were slowly becoming dazed. “I-I-I-I…,” she stuttered like a broken record.

“Ah ha, thanks for that compliment,” said Tatsuya with a laugh, throwing his hand behind his head. He was obviously oblivious to her feelings and the meaning behind her actions and words.

“Shut up!” exploded Torahime, running up and slugging Tatsuya in the face.

Tatsuya fell to the ground with a thud and his world became dark. A few minutes later, he woke up and found himself lying on the ground. Torahime was standing next to him with a very guilty expression on her face. He got up to his feet and rubbed his head.

“Sorry about that,” apologized Torahime.

“I-It’s alright,” Tatsuya told her.

Her expression turned sour and she quickly said, “I overreacted. It wasn’t like me to get so worked up like that. So, as retribution for slugging you in that face, I’ll lend you my assistance.”

“Excuse me?” asked Tatsuya, confused by her proposal.

“I said that I’ll help you with your training,” she told him with a frown.

“Oh, okay then,” said Tatsuya. He smiled kindly and said, “Please, if you will.”

Meanwhile, watching the entire thing from the branches of a nearby tree, Nekoyashi silently prayed for her friend’s success in love. She wore a very satisfied expression on her face as she bore witness to the classic exchange in front of her that looked to be straight out of a shojo manga. “Himeko, pray that Kamio-sensei blesses you with a happy ending, nyan!” she silently squealed in prayer.

Tatsuya and Torahime walked away from each other to give some distance between them. Once they were far enough, they turned back around and faced each other. This fight was going to be a bare-handed fight and both combatants got into their respective stances. Torahime rushed forward like a speeding bullet and threw a side kick with great force. Tatsuya ducked under the kick and jumped into the air; he executed Technique 64: Diving Dragon Kick—a descending jump kick aimed for the enemy’s chest.

Torahime countered with an upwards diagonal kick, sending both combatants backwards. She then proceeded to throw a strong punch at Tatsuya’s right side when he quickly parried her attack and responded with same technique he used before—Technique 48: Soft Dragon Fist. Torahime was sent back with powerful yet painless force. Tatsuya quickly followed it up with Technique 24: Dragon’s Bite—a powerful focused punch that relies on speed and force, aimed at the enemy’s stomach. However, before he could land it, Torahime instinctively kicked his left leg in an attempt to trip him.

Tatsuya was at a very close distance and quickly lost his balance. This proximity between them allowed for the following nightmarish situation to occur. In an attempt to stop himself from falling, Tatsuya’s hand instinctively reached out for something to grab a hold onto. They were successful in their mission and managed to stop Tatsuya’s fall, however, there was an extreme downside to this. In exchange for staying on his two feet, Tatsuya had to sacrifice his dignity as a sincere man. The very thing that stopped him from falling down and is currently being held and violated in his hand, was none other than Torahime’s breast. He could feel their soft firmness and his entire being was on the verge of exploding in repentance for this sin.

This entire situation happened very quickly. But once it became apparent what was happening, Torahime’s entire body shook and her face was flushed red. Her body was being violated by the filthy hands of her enemy. She couldn’t bear this embarrassment; a mixture of dangerous emotions were stewing inside of her. Like an exploding volcano, she screamed defiantly, “You pervert!”, and sent Tatsuya flying into the air with an impressive uppercut.

Nekoyashi saw the whole thing and couldn’t help but feel sorry for the both of them. “Ah, the classic accidental breast grab,” she sighed disappointedly to herself with a shake of her head. “I guess it just wasn’t time for the type one tsundere character to be conquered yet, nyan.”

Torahime quickly left the scene, followed by Nekoyashi. Tatsuya was left alone in the field, his eyes in a daze. How did this happen? All he wanted to do was train.

Tatsuya returned home, exhausted and not in a very good mood. He showered and changed into his home clothes. He entered the living room and sat down on the couch. Shurai was also there, watching an anime on TV and eating her bag of snacks. She glanced over at Tatsuya and noticed that he seemed down. She took one of her chips and held it out in front of his lips. “Eat,” she told him.

“Oh, Shurai,” said Tatsuya, opening his eyes. He saw the chip in front of him and smiled at her kindly. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine,” he told her.

Shurai wasn’t convinced. “Eat!” she repeated, a little more harshly now.

“Really, I—,” began Tatsuya.

“Eat!” shouted Shurai.

“Okay!” surrendered Tatsuya, eating the chip in her hand. He swallowed it and said, “Thank you, but—.” Shurai quickly grabbed a handful of chips and stuffed them into Tatsuya’s mouth, shutting him up and forcing him to eat his way out to breathe. Seeing his mouth full, she nodded proudly nodded to herself and gave a thumbs up.

The anime ended and Shurai quickly got up to leave with her snacks. Tatsuya was now alone, chewing his heart out to quickly swallow the chips so that he could breathe. Once they successfully traveled down his throat and into his stomach, he shook his head and said, “That girl is scarier than she looks.”

Ryujin walked into the living room while talking to someone on his phone. “I see,” he said with a small laugh. “Oh, really? Well can you tell him that I’ll meet him soon enough. But first, I have to return back to Mikoto. She’s probably wondering where I am right now. Eh? What was that? Ah, okay. Yep, I’ll tell him. Don’t worry, I will! Uh huh. I understand. Well, be careful, hah hah. You see now, he’s got five girls with him. Yes, you heard me right, five! I never knew that my boy would become such a stud!” He said that last statement proudly while wiping away fake tears from his eyes as if he couldn’t believe it. Tatsuya could tell what his father was talking about and couldn’t help but stare at his old man with the eyes of a bull ready to charge at his target. “Oh, they’re pretty nice girls, though. Yes, he’s doing fine. Don’t worry, he’s eating well and isn’t getting into any weird situations. Hmm, I don’t know if I should be relieved or disappointed about that last part. Anyway, you don’t have to worry too much about him. Uh huh, I know. I’ll tell him. Okay, bye.” He hung up his phone and sat down in a chair.

He turned to look at his son and said with a smile, “How was your day, Tatsuya?”

“It’s fine,” replied Tatsuya in a displeased tone.

“How was your training?” asked Ryujin. Being who he is, of course he would know of his son’s activities. What father doesn’t?

Tatsuya glanced over at his old man and was met with a sincere smile. “It was going great, and then I had a little accident,” Tatsuya told him.

“What happened?” asked his father curiously.

The memory of the incident replayed in Tatsuya’s head and his cheeks immediately turned bright red. “I-It’s nothing!” he blurted out.

Ryujin could tell that his son desperately wanted to forget about it, so he moved away from pressing any further. “Anyway, how did it go?” he asked genuinely like a true father. “Were you able to level up, so to speak?”

“I’d like to say that I’ve improved a bit,” answered Tatsuya; he had calmed down from that traumatic memory by now. His face then turned a little dark and he sighed. “But it still feels like I’m missing something,” he told his father.

“Perhaps you need a signature move or something of the sort,” suggested his father.

“Signature move?” asked Tatsuya quizzically.

“Something that you can rely on in times of trouble or when you have your back against the wall,” explained Ryujin. “It should be a move that isn’t too complex but packs enough punch for you to survive the next attack. Kind of like those special moves you see in anime and video games. All of the heroes in history and mythology had some sort of signature move.”

“Seriously?” said Tatsuya with a raised eyebrow.

“Perseus had Medusa’s head, Rama had his signature bow and arrows, Sun Wukong had his classic monkey clone technique, and Bruce Lee had the one-inch punch!” listed his father.

“I think only one of those would count,” commented Tatsuya critically, “And is Bruce Lee a mythological hero now?”

“Well you know what I mean,” said Ryujin with a smile.

“Actually, there is one move I want to learn,” said Tatsuya. “I never got the chance to learn it back then.”

“Ah,” said Ryujin, understanding exactly what his son was talking about. “Dorajutsu is a martial art with one hundred total techniques. If I remember correctly, you’ve only learned ninety-nine out of the one hundred.”

“I know of the move and I’ve heard that it’s really powerful,” said Tatsuya. “To be honest, if I am to have a signature move, I would like it to be that final technique.”

Ryujin smiled and said, “I have a feeling that you’ll learn it soon enough.”

Tatsuya was happy to hear his father say that, but even he knew that those words were nothing but an empty hope. There was no way for him to learn that move and perfect it to the same level as his other skills. He didn’t have the knowledge on how to exercise and execute the technique in the first place. He will always be one short in learning the entirety of Dorajutsu.

“So, when are you leaving?” Tatsuya asked his father, changing the subject. “I heard you speaking to someone on the phone.”

“Ah, tonight,” answered his father. “I have a plane to catch at 6:00 and I’ll be meeting your mom at the hotel. After this, we’ll be going to visit the Stonehenge!”

“Well, tell mom I said hi,” said Tatsuya.

“Tatsuya, before I go, is there anything you want to ask me?” offered Ryujin.

“What do you mean?” inquired Tatsuya.

“I’m pretty sure you have a lot of questions after everything that had happened,” said Ryujin.

Tatsuya thought for a moment. His father was right about him having many questions regarding everything that has happened, especially those about the Dragonborn. He let those words stew inside of him for a bit before deciding to take up on his father's offer. “Alright,” said Tatsuya, “first of all, why am I the Dragonborn?”

Ryujin’s expression turned a little solemn before answering. “It’s very possible that half of the reason why is my fault. I am a Celestial Dragon and you are my son. Our relationship and your identity as the son of a god played a role in the universe choosing you as the Dragonborn.” He then paused and said, “Actually, there’s—never mind.” He quickly turned silent and left it at that.

“What was it you were going to say?” asked Tatsuya curiously.

“You’ll see soon enough,” his father replied. It was a secret that Tatsuya must find out for himself.

“Alright then, I guess I’ll move on to my second question,” announced Tatsuya.

“Go ahead,” urged Ryujin.

“Why am I in the possession of a dragon slaying sword?” he asked. “Mr. Urushihara gave it to me, but it’s a sword that's in direct conflict with the people I also have to protect.”

“True, your sword is known as a dragon slaying sword,” began his father, “but there is actually more to that. Would you be willing to listen to its history?” Tatsuya simply answered with a nod. “Your sword, Gram, is a special weapon that belongs to a class of swords known as the Dragon Slaying Blades. It is a group of seven swords with the power to slay dragons with one strike. Well, in actuality, any weapon can become a dragon slaying weapon as long as it is made with either of two materials: draconite, an unbreakable gemstone that is imbued with mana and is mined in locations with high concentrations of mana such as deep within the earth, and adder stone, a stone that possesses healing properties but can also harm living things with a very harsh poison depending on its preparation. Draconite is a very durable material that can cut through the tough hide of a dragon easily, like cutting human skin on sharp glass, and its affinity for mana allows it to absorb magic, making it a very useful weapon against very powerful magic users. Adder stone, depending on how it is used, possesses the ability to secrete a very acidic poison that can cut through dragon skin and burn the internal organs of enemies with just one slash. These two materials are the most commonly used materials to slay dragons. They are used for creating weapons for the dragon realm and dragon slayers alike, though draconite is more prevalent in the dragon realm since it can only be found in places with high concentrations of mana, while adder stone is used by the dragon slayers because it still exists in the human realm.

“But the Dragon Slaying Blades are different, in that they were not forged with either of these materials,” continued Ryujin. “The Dragon Slaying Blades, including your Gram, is made up of a celestial material called eitr. Eitr is a special substance that is the collective remnant of the creation of the world, therefore it possesses numerous powers and possibilities. Of course, the blades themselves were forged by the gods. However, only Gram is forged by a Celestial Dragon. The others were created by the hands of other deities. But because of their construction using eitr, the Dragon Slaying Blades are capable of divine feats and powers unlike those of regular weapons from either realm. This also includes their potential to harm gods, including Celestial Dragons. In addition to being one of the Dragon Slaying Blades, Gram is also counted among the Fifteen Dragon Treasures. This is because of its reputation as a sword forged by the dragon gods. It is both feared and respected by all dragon kind.”

“If it’s so great, then why do I have it?” wondered Tatsuya.

“That’s a very good question,” said Ryujin. His eyes twinkled brightly as if to say that he knew something that Tatsuya didn’t, but he won’t be revealing it any time soon. “Perhaps that’s something you can find out yourself,” he told his son.

Tatsuya let out a frustrated groan. “Alright, I guess we’ve reached the last question,” he said. “This isn’t really a question, but it’s still something I want to know,” he clarified for his father.

“Sure thing.”

“I’ve been wondering a lot about my powers as the Dragonborn. I don’t really understand them, but I know that they’re a big part of who I am. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want to know more about my abilities and what I’m capable of,” Tatsuya told his father.

“I see,” responded his father with a small nod and a smile. “I’m pretty sure you know a little bit about the Mark of Marduk by now,” began Ryujin. Tatsuya answered back with a nod. “The Mark of Marduk plays two roles: one, to act as the identifier and symbol of the Dragonborn, and two, to protect the Dragonborn from death. It possesses unique abilities to protect its owner, such as the ability to create protective barriers that is able to nullify magic. However, since it’s main focus is to prevent the death of its owner, it does not activate its powers in situations where the owner’s life is not in fatal danger. The mark possesses a sort of magical gauge, so to speak, that allows it to determine the severity of an attack and whether or not it will result in death. This is why every time you’ve been receiving damage and the mark wasn’t there to protect you from it, it is because the damage had been perceived to not be fatally serious. In other situations where your life was at stake, the mark appeared and protected your life from being blown out.”

“I was told that the Mark of Marduk does not appear willingly,” said Tatsuya.

“It may appear that way, but there is actually a way for you to take full control of the mark,” revealed Ryujin. “In order to wield the mark’s power under your control, you must be focused and tranquil. This does not mean that you have to be calm or empty-minded, but rather at peace with yourself and devoid of frivolous thoughts. This is the only way for you to focus your entire attention on the mark and use its power for your own.”

“How would you explain the transformations?” asked Tatsuya.

Ryujin became silent and thought for a moment. “Being the son of a Celestial Dragon means that you are above the thirteen elements. In fact, you would have the power to control each of the thirteen elements because of your heritage.” Ryujin held out his hand and a ball of fire appeared. The bright burning red ball suddenly turned blue and the substance went through a miraculous transformation until it became a ball of water. Once again, the ball went through another transformation and became a ball of air, then a ball of lightning, then a ball of earth, then it dispersed into nothingness. “This does not mean that the thirteen elements are insignificant, it means that you are capable of mastering them all at once. The thirteen elements are the fundamental substances and energies that make up the universe. Being a Celestial Dragon means being a being on par with the universe, so it is only natural for us to be able to use the elements in any way we wish. And since you possess the blood of a Celestial Dragon, Tatsuya, you possess the ability to do the same. You would also possess, naturally, the powers of your divine parent too, meaning their abilities associated with their divine role.”

“So you’re saying that I can also control the weather like you?” asked Tatsuya half-jokingly.

“If you want,” answered his father with a grin. “After all, in order to become a storm god you must first become a master of the elements. Say, why don’t you follow in your father’s footsteps and become a storm god once all of this is over?”

“No thank you,” quickly answered Tatsuya with a frown.

“Well then, any other questions?” asked Ryujin.

“No, that’s it,” said Tatsuya.

“I guess I’ll go pack up my things now,” announced Ryujin, getting up from his seat.

The time came for Ryujin to make his departure. Tatsuya and the others met him at the front door to say their farewells. The dragons all bowed before him and said farewell to their god. Ryujin laughed and threw his hand behind head in an act of embarrassment. He had told them constantly that they didn’t have to treat him like that, but he quickly lost to their determination to act in accordance to established customs. On the other hand, Tatsuya simply told his father “Goodbye” and to "have a safe trip”—short and sweet. Ryujin admitted that he wanted a little more out of his son, but decided that this was the best he was going to get for now.

As he walked along the front yard to the gate, he remembered something and stopped in the gateway. “Tatsuya, I forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it?” asked Tatsuya. ‘It better not be some sudden and random announcement like last time,’ he thought spitefully to himself.

“Your sister will be coming to visit you,” announced Ryujin.

‘Sister? Wait, does he mean—?’ thought Tatsuya anxiously to himself. “When is she coming?” he asked.

“Tomorrow,” answered Ryujin. And with that last statement, he left the residence and headed for the airport.

Tatsuya couldn’t believe it. His sister would be returning home, which of itself is a wonderful news! He loves his sister and is very close to her—a family member he would rather have visit him than his father, that’s for sure. But…tomorrow?! Once again, Tatsuya was forced into a sudden and random situation that was brought upon by his father. He loved the idea that his sister would be coming to visit, but given his current living situation…well, its definitely not going to be a very warm welcome for either of them. This moment of bamboozlement quickly turned into anger. In a loud and angry voice that was aimed to the heavens, Tatsuya shouted passionately, “I’m going to kill him next time I see him!”