Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Master.

The ruler of the world, bound to its very fabric.

The source and root of all life, a being of immense significance.

I never truly grasped what that meant before.

So this is what it is.

Now I understood.

Nature was aiding me.

Nature revered me.

The world embraced me.

The true source of energy… was the world itself.

Pure and sacred energy. There wasn’t much of it, but every bit I used was immediately replenished.

I’d wondered how I could use martial arts with such a small amount of energy.

...Is it okay because the world gives it back?

As much as I spent, the world filled me back up.

So it didn’t matter.

Haa...

I extinguished the flame I’d summoned and looked up at the sky.

The vast blue stretched above me.

I reached out toward it.

Whooooosh—!

The sky looked oddly small, as if I could grasp it in my hand.

So I tried.

Whooooosh—!

The clouds shifted.

But then—

Crackle.

"..."

A splitting headache hit me, and my energy was instantly drained. I staggered slightly.

“Ugh...”

It felt like I could do it, so I tried—but I probably shouldn’t have.

Something definitely moved… but attempting it, even briefly, emptied my energy all at once.

“I almost threw up.”

My mind nearly twisted itself inside out. I hadn’t even meant to try—just acted on instinct—but clearly, it wasn’t something to mess with.

Tch.

I clenched my fist.

“Hoo...”