THE CHOOSEN ONES

The moment Father left the room, my legs gave out. I collapsed to my knees, the cold floor biting into my skin as a violent cough wracked my body. Blood splattered onto the ground, dark and ominous, a stark contrast to the pristine white tiles. My chest burned like a thousand needles were piercing through it, and my body grew colder with each passing second. I clutched my chest, my fingers trembling as I tried to steady myself, but the pain was overwhelming.

I wasn't a stranger to pain. I'd endured it countless times before, in battles and in life. But this—this was different. It wasn't just physical. It was a reminder of how fragile I still was and how much I still had to learn. And as I knelt there, coughing up blood, I felt the weight of my past pressing down on me, threatening to crush me.

"Hey, Foxy. Don't you dare lose consciousness." The voice was sharp, commanding, but laced with concern. I looked up, my vision blurry, to see Master Edwin in his cat form leaping off the bed and darting toward me. His small paws padded softly against the floor, but his presence was anything but small. Even in this form, he exuded an aura of authority, of power.

I managed a weak smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. "Master, I'm fine," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. But he wasn't fooled. His blue eyes narrowed, and he placed a soft paw on my back. The touch was gentle, almost comforting, but I could feel the immense energy radiating from him.

"You're not fine," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Close your eyes. Focus on the mana I'm about to send into you. I know it's hard, but you need to control your aura. If you don't, this could end badly."

I nodded, swallowing the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Closing my eyes, I tried to steady my breathing, but it was difficult. My aura was running wild, surging through my veins like a raging river. It was powerful, yes, but it was also chaotic and untamed. And now, as I felt Master's mana begin to seep into me, I realized just how incompatible the two energies were.

It was like fire meeting ice. My aura recoiled, thrashing against the foreign energy, and I gritted my teeth as a searing pain spread through my body. It felt like my flesh was being burned from the inside out, and I couldn't help but let out a low groan.

"Focus, Foxy!" Master's voice cut through the haze of pain. "Gather your aura in one spot. Your aura is too powerful—it's rejecting my mana. Unless you control it, this will only make things worse."

I nodded again, though the movement sent another wave of pain through me. Gathering my aura in one spot... I'd never done that before. My aura had always been something I unleashed, something I used to overpower my enemies. But now I had to do the opposite. I had to contain it to control it.

I thought back to what Bai Huan had once told me, years ago. *"The lower Dantian,"* he'd said, *"is the core of a martial artist's power. It's where your aura resides, where it's cultivated. If you can focus your energy there, you can achieve incredible things."*

I'd never paid much attention to his words back then. But now they were my only hope. I took a deep breath, ignoring the pain, and began to pull my aura inward. It was like trying to tame a wild beast, but I didn't give up. Slowly, painfully, I felt my aura begin to gather in my lower dantian, the energy condensing into a single, concentrated point.

As my aura receded, I felt Master's mana begin to flow more freely through my body. It was a strange sensation, like cool water soothing a burn. But it wasn't just soothing—it was powerful. So powerful that it took my breath away. Master's mana was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It was vast, almost infinite, and it carried with it a sense of authority, of dominance. It was no wonder my aura had rejected it at first. This was the energy of someone who was truly a monster in the best sense of the word.

"Good," Master said, his voice softer now. "Now, try to align your aura with my mana. Slowly. Very slowly."

I did as he instructed, releasing my aura bit by bit. This time, there was no clash, no struggle. My aura and Master's mana began to intertwine, merging into a single, harmonious energy. It was a strange feeling, like two rivers converging into one, their currents flowing together seamlessly.

The pain in my body began to fade, replaced by a warmth that spread through me, healing my wounds and repairing the damage. It was different from the healing I'd experienced with Divine Power. Divine power was pure, almost holy, but it was also distant and impersonal. This... this was personal. It was Master's energy, his power, and it carried with it a sense of him—his strength, his determination, his will.

"Open your eyes, Foxy," Master said, his voice gentle now.

I did as he said, blinking as the world came back into focus. The pain was gone, completely. I looked down at my hands, flexing my fingers, and then at Master, who was sitting in front of me, his cat form looking oddly proud.

"Master, my aura," I said, my voice filled with awe. "It's stronger. Much stronger."

He grinned, his whiskers twitching. "Of course it is. Your teacher is the great Edwin Ronald, after all."

I frowned, confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He chuckled, a sound that was both amusing and exasperating. "Naturally, a swordsman's aura and a mage's mana are different. And there are only a rare few who can accept a mage's mana without dying in the process. You, Foxy, are one of those rare few."

I stared at him, stunned. "But… how? I thought mana and aura couldn't coexist in the same body."

"Normally, they can't," he admitted. "But your aura is special. It's powerful, yes, but it's also adaptable. And when you gathered it in your lower Dantian, you created a space for my mana to work. Once your aura was under control, it didn't see my mana as a threat anymore. Instead, it accepted it and merged with it. And the result..." He gestured to me with a paw. "Well, you can see for yourself."

I looked down at my hands again, flexing my fingers. My aura felt different now—stronger, more refined. It was as if a dam had been broken, releasing a flood of power that I hadn't even realized was there.

"But that's not all," Master continued, his tone growing serious. "Your aura has always been powerful, but it's also been damaging you. Every time you used it, it took a toll on your body. That's why you'd feel so exhausted afterward and why you'd get sick. My mana didn't just heal your current injuries—it repaired the damage your aura had been doing to you over the years. Your body is stronger now, more resilient. And because of that, your aura has become even more powerful."

I was speechless. All this time, I'd thought my exhaustion was just a side effect of using my aura. I'd never realized that it was actually harming me. But now, thanks to Master, that was no longer the case.

"Thank you, Master," I said, my voice filled with gratitude. "I... I don't know what to say."

He waved a paw dismissively, though I could see the pride in his eyes. "Don't mention it. Just remember to control your aura from now on. No more running around with it exposed like some reckless fool."

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I'll do my best."

He sighed, shaking his head, but there was a fondness in his expression. "You'd better. Now, let's see what you can do with that new power of yours."

I stood up, feeling stronger than I had in years. My aura surged around me, a red-black energy that crackled with power. I focused it into a blade, the energy solidifying into a weapon that felt more real, more tangible than ever before.

Master's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, well. Looks like you've got some potential after all."

I grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment that I hadn't felt in a long time. "Thanks to you, Master."

He smirked, his tail flicking lazily. "Don't get too cocky, Foxy. You've still got a long way to go."

But as I looked at him, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude. Master Edwin wasn't just a teacher—he was a mentor, a guide. And thanks to him, I was stronger than I'd ever been.