Everyone was surprised at how quickly Raiden grasped and understood the core of the issue. His ability to see through the layers of complexity and pinpoint the underlying problem was remarkable for his age. It made sense why his mother, Lenore, was acting like that,

Lenore knew that Raiden’s keen insight and quick thinking could lead him to question the village’s isolation and seek answers beyond their borders. His curiosity and analytical mind posed a challenge to her efforts to maintain the village’s focus and unity. She hesitated because she understood that once Raiden began to unravel the threads of their carefully constructed world, it might be difficult to contain his inquisitiveness and the potential ripple effects on the community.

"The thing is, while they won’t have a job directly on the fights, we will have to take the students older than ten with us to help things before battles," Harth added. "We will operate as usual, like an independent force, and with a battle on this scale, we will need that much support since the king wants to deal with the threat once and for all."

"I guess I can understand why you wouldn’t want to bring kids like me for such a battlefield," Raiden said while nodding. "We are still training, and that will slow us down. At the same time, most of us aren’t ready to see the horrors of war, which might also hinder our growth."

For kids like Raiden, Ruth, and Javier, the prospect of war had a different weight compared to many others in their village. Having experienced life as slaves before, they had already faced the harsh realities of conflict and its aftermath. They understood the devastation it could bring, the loss of loved ones, the destruction of homes, and the disruption of lives. They hadn’t experienced firsthand the buildup to war, the geopolitical tensions, and the complex dynamics that led nations and factions into conflict.

Despite their past experiences, Raiden wasn’t primarily interested in the visceral aspects of war itself. Instead, his curiosity was drawn to the broader context surrounding it, the political, social, and economic factors that influenced conflicts. He sought to understand the root causes, the motivations of leaders and factions, and the impact these conflicts had on both local and global scales.

Living through their previous hardships instilled in Raiden a resilience and a pragmatic outlook on life. While the war wouldn’t shock him in the same way it might others, he was keenly aware of its potential consequences and was wary of its implications for their village and their future.

"How is the situation exactly?" Raiden asked.

"That isn’t something that we should talk about while having dinner," Lenore said.

"What about afterward, then?" Raiden asked.

"... We can talk about it once we decide what we will do. While I am the leader, I have some people to talk with," Lenore said, and then the conversation ended.

Raiden knew better than insisting on that, and he also knew that it would make him look weird since he was supposed to be a victim of wars, even though he didn’t have his memories. If anyone had the right to hate wars, that someone was supposed to be him and not show interest in it.

As the leader of their village, Lenore would likely harbor a strong aversion to war for several compelling reasons. Lenore’s primary concern would be the safety and well-being of her villagers. War brings with it the risk of casualties, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure. Lenore feels a deep responsibility to shield her people from such harm and preserve their way of life.

Lenore’s own experiences and the history of the village, possibly including periods of conflict or oppression, could have left lasting scars. She may have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of war and the toll it takes on individuals and families. This personal history would contribute to her reluctance to engage in any action that could lead to similar suffering. Now that Raiden thought about it, Harth and Lenore never mentioned their own parents...

The next day, Raiden began to pay more attention to the surroundings to see if he could notice anything different in the atmosphere of the village, but he didn’t notice anything aside from the fact that the healers were working more than usual and they asked him if he could produce a bit more to help them, they even asked him to help them on the productions of the potions as well.

"I guess while the information isn’t widely available, those who have connections with outside should know a bit more than the others," Raiden thought. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Once Raiden stopped to think about it for a moment regarding the situation, he quickly realized that it was more troublesome than he thought for him. Just as he had assumed, the war was taking a lot of his mind, when he was supposed to be focusing on his training and business.

Still, that seemed like a necessary trade off considering that he was going to learn more about the world outside. For now, he decided to focus on his training and wait to see how things will play out since the decision was up to Lenore.

After a week of intense training focused on harnessing his Aura Force abilities, Raiden finally reached an important milestone. With determination and discipline, he had diligently practiced the technique Altria had taught him, refining his control and concentration.

On this particular day, Raiden felt a surge of energy as he channeled his Aura Force . He could sense it flowing through him, a tangible force that he had struggled to master. Concentrating intensely, Raiden willed the Aura Force to manifest, and to his delight, it materialized as a shimmering aura around his arms. The sensation was exhilarating yet controlled, a testament to his mastery.

Excited to share his progress, Raiden showed it to Altria the next day. With a mix of pride and anticipation, he demonstrated his ability. Altria observed closely, nodding approvingly as Raiden moved his arms with newfound agility and strength. The Aura Force , limited to his arms, provided a distinct advantage, enhancing his physical capabilities beyond what he had achieved before.

"Well done, that was a lot sooner than expected," Altria said. "Still, this can’ be called a technique yet. What about you two?"

Weirdly enough, Ruth and Javier also showed their progress... they also completed their own training. That was weird, so Raiden assumed that they completed a few days earlier than him and hold back in order to not hurt his pride since it was the first time he lost to them.

"Do I look that pathetic?" Raiden asked while raising his eyebrows.

Although he asked that, Raiden felt bad since he had his Money is Power and still lost to them, even if the power didn’t help, he still had the mental advantage over them, so it was expected that he would feel like it.

Regardless, while Javier could do something similar to Raiden, Ruth’s control was already reaching the next level since she refined her control and most of her Aura Force was on her hands.

"Now you all will take the next step, that can or can’t end up becoming a technique," Altria declared. "Raiden and Javier will focus their force where they want to focus and then expand it inwardly. As for Ruth, you will try to emit your Aura Force to any object, start small and when you succeed it, increase the size of the object. Once you can affect them, you can come to me again."

As their training progressed and they each embarked on their individual paths under Altria’s guidance, Raiden, Ruth, and Javier could feel their journeys diverging. The unique challenges and goals set by Altria highlighted their distinct strengths and abilities. While initially training together had fostered camaraderie and competition, they now faced the realization that their paths were taking them in different directions.

For Raiden, the focus on refining his Aura Force control, particularly expanding and directing it as instructed by Altria, represented a crucial step toward mastering his abilities. Javier, on the other hand, was tasked with a similar technique, honing his own style and approach. Ruth’s training diverged even more significantly, emphasizing her ability to manipulate objects with her Aura Force , starting with small items and gradually increasing their size.

Despite their individual pursuits, Raiden couldn’t help but feel a twinge of uncertainty. Would they all have the opportunity to progress to the next stage together? The dynamic had shifted from friendly rivalry to a deeper understanding of their individual paths and potentials. Each knew that becoming their own person, mastering their unique abilities was essential for their growth.

As it turned out, Raiden learned the answer to that question a lot sooner than he had expected. He saw some people moving across the village, delivering letters to some houses. When he reached home, he saw that his whole family was already there waiting for him. It looked like they couldn’t avoid that war.