Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
Kazuki decided not to supervise the players in the field after hearing that Akie Hanzawa was feeling strange.
He left the school and rushed home immediately.
Throughout the journey, Akie Hanzawa kept saying that his whole body felt warm as if he was about to ascend to heaven. Kazuki knew that according to the writings of the ancient Cultivators, the consciousness of an apparition would last for one to two hours before disappearing. It was a slow process.
When he arrived at his house, Kazuki used his key to open the door but was unable to push it open. He then remembered that he had stuck a fixed talisman on the door and window in the morning. It would be easy to undo the talisman, as he only needed to use reiki to recreate the strokes of the fixed talisman onto the door.
Kazuki pondered for a moment and then pressed lightly on the door with his palm. The reiki emanating from his palm quickly dispersed in all directions. Within only a second... the door gently shook. Kazuki pushed it and entered. Once he entered the house, he immediately checked ‘The Art of Kendo’ in his drawer. He discovered that it was still there, and it was emitting a faint fluorescent light. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he closed the drawer.
Then, he picked up a pen and paper and sat on the chair. He stared at Akie Hanzawa and did not return him into the Sun and Moon Sword.
As the warmth blanketed Akie Hanzawa, he looked at Kazuki with confusion. “Mr. Kimura, you are...”
“I am recording the status of your ascension.” Kazuki said indifferently, “This is my job.” Even though he had crossed over, he did not forget his identity. Even though he was a doctoral student of the Enchanted Talisman Division, he was still a researcher.
Akie Hanzawa was the first spirit he encountered after crossing over. He was also curious about the states the spirit would show as his consciousness dissipates. He did not know whether recording these states would be of any use, but he had always maintained a strict attitude. Perhaps there would come a time when these records would be useful.
Akie Hanzawa nodded, despite not completely understanding him.
Every five minutes or so, Kazuki would ask, “How do you feel at the moment?”
Akie Hanzawa was very cooperative as if he was affected by Kazuki’s attitude. Furthermore, he did help fulfill Akie Hanzawa’s last wish. Every time Kazuki asked a question, he would seriously reply.
“I still feel that warmth, but it has become more comfortable.”
Five minutes later...
“What about now?”
“It feels like my whole body has been submerged in a hot spring, I feel warm.”
Kazuki asked the questions seriously, and Akie Hanzawa carefully answered them. It was clear that Akie Hanzawa had been influenced by Kazuki.
Almost an hour had passed when Kazuki picked up his phone to check the time... Before he could ask again, Akie Hanzawa suddenly let out a sound of horror. He stuttered, “Kimura-sama... I... I seem to have forgotten something.”
Kazuki was shocked after hearing this. It was finally here.
According to the records of the ancient Cultivators, as memory started to fail, the consciousness of the soul began to dissipate. He felt relieved and beamed, “Congratulations... This is the first step to ascension.”
“Is it?” Even though Akie Hanzawa was doubtful, he let out a smile. He had a lot of faith in Kazuki.
Kazuki nodded his head without saying anything, not even to ask a question. Akie Hanzawa had become used to reporting his state every five minutes.
“Kimura-sama, I think... I’ve forgotten my whole childhood...”
“Kimura-sama, the memories of my country are slowly disappearing...”
“My little brother..? Hmm? Little brother? I must be the only child...”
“Who are you?” he finally asked.
At the very end, Akie Hanzawa stared at Kazuki, who was facing him with a puzzled look. Gradually, his bright eyes turned dull and lifeless.
Kazuki silently watched Akie Hanzawa without speaking.
“Who... Who am I?” Akie Hanzawa said as he spread his hands. He looked around with uncertainty, and inquired “Who am I? What’s my name? I...” Akie Hanzawa’s whole body transformed as he finished the sentence. The light in his eyes disappeared entirely, and they turned mutedly dark. His eyes lost their focus, and he stared forward motionlessly. He never spoke again.
A minute later, Akie Hanzawa’s soul gradually distorted in front of Kazuki. It no longer resembled a human and seemed as if it was a wisp of smoke. A small breeze could easily blow it away.
Kazuki lightly let out a sigh, but his feelings were complicated, as he knew that Akie Hanzawa’s consciousness had dissipated entirely. The process took about an hour. He was unsure whether Akie Hanzawa had ascended into heaven because he personally did not know if heaven existed in this world.
During the time of the recuperation of reiki, there were two beliefs. One was reincarnation after death, which was a concept that had been passed down from ancient generations. The other came to be in the era of the recuperation of reiki. Many call it the reiki of heaven and earth, in which everyone was a unique existence. When a consciousness dissipated, it would completely vanish. It would not be reborn.
Kazuki used to be skeptical of both beliefs, but when he saw Akie Hanzawa disappear, he started to believe the second perception...
Akie Hanzawa had gone in front of him. The remaining dull, hazy eyes could cause one to tremble in fear... At that moment, great respect towards life swelled up in Kazuki’s heart. He was even more determined to cultivate now.
Cultivation... By cultivating to a profound level, one could increase his life expectancy. Perhaps one could stop aging or even achieve immortality by cultivating beyond the extreme limits.
Kazuki’s will to cultivate was at its strongest now. Even though his heart was prepared, it shocked him immensely when Akie Hanzawa vanished in front of his very eyes.
Kazuki took a deep breath and suppressed the emotions in his heart. When he looked again, Akie Hanzawa’s soul had completely evaporated, and all that was left was a globule of reiki. This reiki was still transforming.
The change took less than an hour. In merely one minute, red reiki emerged in front of Kazuki.
“A red reiki?” Kazuki was stunned after seeing it, but then, he felt glad.
In the era of the recuperation of reiki, the Cultivation Levels were divided into different stages.
They were the Foundation Establishment Stage, Metamorphosis Stage, Core Formation Stage, Golden Core Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, Demigod Stage, Ascension Stage, and Mahayana Stage.
These stages were similar to those in other light novels. In fact, they had existed since ancient times. They were written in the novel because the author saw them in his reference materials.
Other than these Cultivation Levels, reiki also had varying qualities and levels. It was divided into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
The reiki appeared white during the Foundation Establishment Stage. As it entered the Metamorphosis Stage, the quality of the reiki began to elevate, and this increase of quality was reflected in its color. The color of the metamorphosing reiki was red.
If Kazuki absorbed the red reiki, he would be able to use it to draw stronger talismans. His kendo abilities and strength would also be enhanced if he infused them with the red reiki.
While Kazuki was still surprised, the Sun and Moon Sword could no longer contain itself any longer. It trembled and then swallowed the reiki like a whale, thus instantly absorbing the globule of reiki. Kazuki quietly sat in his chair after the reiki entered the Sun and Moon Sword.
He knew that this reiki would help him progress further into the Foundation Establishment Stage.
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