Refining the Heavens (炼天)

Chapter 5: Of weapon Of self

His friends looked at each other for a moment, not knowing what is in stall for them, then they quickly place their weapons in front of Kairos. The roughshod exterior of their weapons betrayed that they are not created from any expensive material, and likewise, the grade of their weapon is like their martial arts techniques. Non-existent.

Very soon in front of him are Alan Walker's Tonfas, Edward Alfonso's Bow, Jim Hope's daggers and Tommy Styrkur's studded leather gloves. For each weapon, Kairos held it gently by his hands and drew out the fire element residing within his Dantian. Focusing the energy one point on his finger, he touched the end of each item, then slowly drew a straight line across its length.

As his finger ran across the body of the object, a rune of fire engraved itself onto the surface, slowly spreading out with a bright orange glow.

When their equipment is completed and returned to their owners, the boys gingerly touched it with incredulity in their eyes. Their once familiar items now radiate with an air of fiery power. An intense fire seemed to burn from within as if they are holding a freshly baked potato.

"Try it out. Infuse your Ki into the weapon. Just... be careful and don't burn your eyebrows off" When Kairos previously tested his own weapon, the effect had surprised him, and he hoped to give his friends at least a little heads-up.

Hearing what Kairos said, the group finally came out of their shock and laughed. How could an engraved weapon of the cheapest, roughest, material create such flames that could burn one's eyebrows off?

Each of them infused some Ki into their weapons, and a powerful yet strangely beautiful fire flickers to life. They stared at it in wonder for a moment, but before long the gentle embers turned into a roaring flame and the temperature in the room rapidly heated up.

A few of the boys jumped backwards in shock, and without any Ki infusion, their weapons fizzled down. The fire is definitely grades above what usual weapons could deliver, and the heat is unlike that of natural flames but one more akin to the sharp edge of a blade.

Almost everyone's faces are plastered with either shock or awe because although they have never owned an engrave weapon, they knew that these runes are different.

Almost.

Among the five, there was one guy that stood still, looking cluelessly at his tonfas. When everyone was studying their newly refined weapons, Alan said in a small voice and a sheepish smile, "Umm... How do I use my Ki?"

There was immediate silence in the room, then like a sudden storm, the quietness became a great uproar.

"Whaaaaatt? I can't believe our ex-leader can't use Ki!" Edward exclaims

"What's so surprising? I can use Ki if I try hard! Watch me!" Alan said with his face as red as an apple. He quickly squeezed his Tonfas' grip as a deep furrow appeared on his brow.

After a minute, still, nothing happened. Blushing embarrassedly, the boy finally admits defeat. In the past half year, he had been purely using brute force and wit in combat.

Although the group are teasing Alan about this, they collectively started feeling depressed by just how backwards they are compared to the other groups.

They share the almost hilarious fire palm manual among the five of them, as their only training material. Even the other students in their class recognise their precious skill book as a 'coffee coaster' because of the black stain in the middle.

Their possessions are so pathetic that just having a runic weapon was enough for them to become this elated, yet such items are common among the nobles and many of the wealthier commoners.