Hunter Of The Six Realms

Chapter 13

The man blinked. Then nodded once.

Kaizen stared.

"...Is it money you want?" he asked flatly. "Just so you know, I'm broke. My parents are poor. Like... eat-leftover-bread poor."

A moment passed. Then the man raised a brow slowly, and suddenly let out a deep, unexpected laugh. A full, belly-deep laugh.

Kaizen didn't flinch, but his frown deepened slightly.

'What the hell is funny?' he thought.

'This guy's either a lunatic or some cult freak. Either way, this is not how I planned to start my morning.'

The man finally stopped laughing, his smile fading into something more serious. His black eyes locked onto Kaizen's, and the weight in his gaze was heavy.

"No, Kaizen," the man said calmly. His voice was low, steady, and somehow ancient. "I didn't bring you here for money."

'He knows my name....must have done a lot of background check.'

"...Then what?"

The man's expression shifted. For the first time, he looked… tired.

"I called you here," he said. "Because I can't hold them much longer."

Kaizen narrowed his eyes. "Hold what?"

The old man's voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper now, but sharp enough to cut through the air.

"The five elemental powers raging inside you."

Kaizen blinked, his heart skipping. "What are you talking about?"

The old man took a step closer, his tone heavy. "I'm the seal, boy. The one holding them back."

Kaizen didn't move, but his mind reeled.

'Seal? Five elements?Raging inside me? The hell is this old man spouting!'

"I'm weak now," the man continued. "And I don't have much time left."

Kaizen blinked rapidly, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. The freezing wind slapped his face relentlessly, like the mountain itself was trying to break him.

Finally, Kaizen squinted,

"Umm… what exactly are you talking about?" he asked, giving the old man a deadpan look. "Can you quit being vague and just explain what the hell you mean? It's freezing out here, and I'd like to get back home before I turn into a damn ice sculpture."

The old man smiled slightly. "Alright, Kaizen. I'll explain how it all happened," he said, voice deep and slow like it had lived through centuries.

He folded his hands behind his back and stepped forward. "I'm not a person… not really. I'm your mother's power, what's left of it. She used me to seal the five elemental forces inside of you the day you were born."

Kaizen blinked, visibly confused. "What do you mean… power? Like, you're not real?"

"I'm very real," the old man replied. "But I am not flesh and blood. I am a consciousness given form, a fragment of her magic given one final purpose. To protect what she hid inside you."

Kaizen stared for a second, brows pulled tight. "And… you're saying I have something hidden inside me?"

"Not just something." The old man paused. "Everything."

He narrowed his black eyes. "Tell me, Kaizen. Have you ever heard of the Five Element Wielder?"

Kaizen rolled his eyes slightly. "Is that even a real thing? Everyone knows no one can harness more than one elemental ability. Even the strongest mages are stuck with just one. Two, if they're insanely rare."

"Well, little one," the old man said, voice calm but firm, "you are the exception. You have the ability to control all five."

There was a full second of silence.Then Kaizen burst out laughing. Not a little chuckle but a full, loud, ridiculous laugh that echoed across the frozen cliffs.

"Oh man," he said, holding his stomach. "Five elements, you said? Old man, I was born without a magic core. You know what that means, right? I'm the loser everyone pointed fingers at. The guy who couldn't even light a spark. Five elements my ass. I don't even have one."

The old man didn't flinch.

"I know," he said simply. "That's why I summoned you here. To awaken your powers. And I'll begin with one element first, ice."

Kaizen stopped laughing.

The old man continued. "Your body was never exposed to mana because your core was sealed the moment you were born. If I tried to unleash all five now, you'd die instantly from the strain it would have on your body. But one at a time… that, we can manage."

Kaizen's lips thinned. He wasn't convinced. Infact, he was having a hell time putting together everything this old man was saying.

"Wait," he said after a moment, lifting a hand, "I need you to clarify something. What exactly do you mean by 'my mother's power'? And why would she seal my so-called powers? What reason would she have to do something that messed up?"

The old man didn't hesitate. "Because you're a calamity, Kaizen. That's what they called you before you were even born."

Kaizen's face darkened.

"A threat. A weapon. A walking disaster. Your mother sealed the powers inside you with every last bit of magic she had left because the world had already made up its mind to destroy you, because they were afraid of the destruction you would cause if you fully awakened."

Kaizen stood frozen, not because of the cold, but because of the weight of the words.

"She gave her life to protect you," the old man said quietly. "Even though she knew this day would come."

"…What?" Kaizen's voice was low. "Gave her life? What the hell are you talking about? My mom is alive. Healthy. Probably more energetic than most women her age."

"I'm not talking about the woman who raised you," the old man said. "I'm talking about your real mother. The one who gave birth to you."

Kaizen stepped back slightly. His tone dropped.

"Elen is my real mom."

"She's not," the old man said firmly. "Her name was Aralin. She came from the Shadow Realm."

Kaizen's eyes narrowed. "You've got to be kidding me."

He scoffed and took another step back. "So now there's a Shadow Realm? What next? You gonna tell me I'm some kind of royal heir or reincarnated dragon? How many lies are you gonna cook up, old man? Just send me back home. Now."

The old man didn't respond right away.

Kaizen's fists clenched. His patience was running thin. His feet were already numb. His hands were shaking.

"I swear, if I die of frostbite before I get the chance to report you to the damn authorities—"

"Fine," the old man interrupted, his voice calm and steady. "Then let me show you."

Kaizen paused. "Show me what?"

The old man met his eyes. "What really happened. Exactly eighteen years ago… on the day you were born."

Kaizen froze.

"…What?"

The old man extended his hand.

"See it for yourself."

And just like that, without warning, the snowy mountains around them began to crack apart like broken glass. The world twisted and bent, like something was peeling back the surface of reality. Wind roared, time slowed, and Kaizen felt himself being pulled—

—into a memory.