Chapter 38. Night.
Our days, the end of a two-year timeskip. Year 93 after the genocide of the Air Nomads.
Kyoshi Island, a meadow two kilometers from the settlement. Yuki
After a divine massage at the women's monastery, I immediately flew to Kyoshi Island, where my presence was needed.
"If something happens to me, I ask you to take care of Suyuki," Shizuka said in a cheerful voice, trying to lift her spirits, though it honestly wasn't working very well.
"Don't say foolish things, everything will be fine. You'll remember this moment in your old age with a smile," I tried to reassure her. "My presence guarantees your safety! Hey, where's the Shizuka who became Roku's fierce partner? Several provinces have equated ordinary fans with dangerous cold weapons, all because of one Kyoshi warrior!"
Our cursed fate is such that every meeting outside the Island ended in a brawl and the delivery of justice. It got to the point where I would fly to our future travel spot in advance to check if it was calm, but something always happened. Pirates, Fire Nation warriors, bandits, dangerous animals—there was no end to it. I realized one thing: if you want to throw punches, bring Shizuka with you—she's a magnet for trouble! Luckily, she's a combat-ready girl, and honing her skills is her joy.
Over these two years, Shizuka continued training according to the program written in the *Path of the Body* book. Today was the day she felt closer than ever to unlocking her chakra. I've been on the island for half a month now, wanting to be by her side during this dangerous moment. The book didn't mention whether there's a safe way to interrupt the process, or if I'd only make things worse... But I hope the method I've developed over these two years will work.
I didn't want to lose Shizuka. She's taken up too much space in my boundless heart. Shizuka is perfect in every way, except for one thing that irritates me to no end—her truly stubborn nature. For two years, I've tried to talk her out of unlocking her chakra, even this morning—but it's like talking to a brick wall. I thought about using heavy artillery, telling Suyuki everything, but after calming down, I decided against it. It would only make things worse.
The essence of the method is to forcibly close the chakra. If Shizuka gets stuck in her fears and can't escape, I'll use my life energy to close the partially opened door. There are a few other methods I've devised, but they're all theoretical. Argh, it's so frustrating when something happens beyond your control!
"Alright, I'm starting," Shizuka said after a long, passionate kiss tinged with farewell—or maybe that was just my imagination.
"Remember, everything you experience is just darkness. Don't let it break your will," I said, looking into her beautiful chocolate-colored eyes.