The mist curled thick around the cliffs of Kohane Falls, a sacred place Kirozan rarely approached—unless the occasion called for it.
The twin waterfalls thundered down a jagged cliffside, pooling into a circular basin surrounded by towering stones carved with ancient glyphs—silent sentinels of history long forgotten by the common world.
Rei stood barefoot at the water's edge, his bruises from yesterday now wrapped, but his spirit far from healed. His fingers still toyed with the glyph-marked stone Kirozan had given him the night before.
"What is this place?" he asked, eyes scanning the runes.
Kirozan stepped forward, placing his hand on one of the carved stones. "This was once a training ground for battalion commanders. A place where aura was tested. The energy in these stones resonates with your soul. If your will is strong, it will answer you."
Rei narrowed his eyes. "I still don't know what aura really is. What it means."
Kirozan didn't speak immediately. He knelt down, picked up a handful of water, and let it run through his fingers.
"Aura is the soul given form."
He rose again, voice heavy with purpose.
"In this world, every living being carries an essence. For most, it lies dormant. But for warriors—those who fight, endure, and live for something greater—that essence awakens. When it does, it manifests around their body."
He looked at Rei, locking eyes.
"That manifestation is your aura."
Rei's mind raced. "And the color…?"
Kirozan nodded slowly. "The color is determined by your soul's core. It reveals your spiritual alignment. Your purpose. Your path."
Then, with a wave of his hand, glowing projections lit up above the stones—an ancient chart of aura colors, shimmering in layered rings.
---
🔻 Aura Hierarchy: From Common to God-tier 🔺
⚪ White Aura — Tier 1 (Support)
Calm, analytical, and reflective.
Rare among fighters. Seen in healers, strategists, and spiritual monks.
Not powerful in raw combat, but invaluable in team synergy.
🔵 Blue Aura — Tier 2 (Tactical)
Fluid, adaptable, and intelligent.
Common among elemental manipulators and ranged fighters.
Balanced strength, focused more on technique and versatility.
🟢 Green Aura — Tier 3 (Martial)
Grounded, disciplined, and enduring.
Favored by frontline warriors and close-range combatants.
Physical strength and durability amplified.
🟡 Yellow Aura — Tier 4 (Speed)
Reactive, instinctual, lightning-fast.
Often seen in assassins and fast-paced duelists.
Sacrifices defense for overwhelming bursts of speed and agility.
🟣 Violet Aura — Tier 5 (Mystic)
Elusive, unstable, linked to memory, illusions, and psychological combat.
Extremely rare. Difficult to master. Considered a wildcard in battle.
⚫ Black Aura — Tier 6 (Destructive)
Violent, chaotic, raw power incarnate.
Rare and feared. Users often burn out young—or lose control entirely.
Unpredictable and devastating.
🔴 Crimson Red Aura — Tier 7 (God-Tier)
Absolute domination. Aura of kings.
Only Seven Kings in all the world bear it.
Commanders of armies. Rulers of fate. Aura so thick, it bends reality.
Being in the presence of a Crimson aura wielder is enough to crush the will of the average warrior.
---
Kirozan looked up at Rei, eyes sharp. "Your aura color is decided by your soul—but your thickness and magnitude are forged. Through pain. Through choice. Through clarity."
Rei stepped closer to the glowing stones, awe thick in his voice. "So… there's no way to change your aura color?"
"No," Kirozan said. "But you can rise within your tier. A Blue with massive magnitude can kill a Yellow with shallow essence. Aura color is your nature. Power is what you do with it."
Rei clenched his fists. "So how do I awaken mine?"
Kirozan turned to him and pointed to the center of the circle. "Sit. Touch the glyphs. Breathe. Empty yourself. Let the stones weigh your soul."
Rei obeyed.
He sat cross-legged, palms on the ancient glyphs. The air grew heavy. Even the thunderous waterfall faded behind the roar in his chest.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Then—
Heat.
A pressure in his chest. His mind blurred. His breath hitched. Something ancient stirred in his spine, crackling like fire.
---
[A Vision]
An endless battlefield. Seven colossal figures wreathed in Crimson. The sky torn open. The world cracked.
A boy—Rei—stood alone, screaming. Behind him, a pair of glowing amber-gold eyes opened in the darkness.
Then—a pulse of golden light.
A surge.
A flash of aura—
But no color yet.
And it vanished.
---
Rei collapsed backward, gasping, palms smoking faintly. Kirozan was already there, gripping his wrist.
"What did you see?"
"I—I don't know," Rei said. "It felt like something inside me tried to break free. But it stopped."
Kirozan looked into the boy's eyes. "You touched the threshold."
He stood, brows furrowed.
"Amber-gold… I've never heard of such a thing."
He muttered under his breath.
"Could it be a hybrid? Or something older…?"
Whatever Rei had just touched—it was not in the hierarchy.
"Rest," Kirozan finally said. "You're close. But when your aura awakens fully… the world may not be ready."
Above them, the clouds churned like the sky itself had begun to watch.