Beast Knights 20 - Unique Ability

Standard disclaimer applies. You are warned that the characters might not be in their usual selves (in other words, possible OOCness).

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Chapter 20 - Unique Ability

The question that Mari asked to Murata was something that had confused the others in the room. But as soon as the question had finally registered in their minds, they also realized the gravity of it to those who knew the real secrets of Shinou Temple.

"Mari-san…"

But even with that call coming from Yuri, Mari remained staring at Murata as intently as she made it seem so. There could be something that might divert their attention to her intention of knowing the truth of that temple.

"What made you ask that, Mari-san?"

A sigh escaped from the Wind Tiger Knight's lips before deciding to answer the Daikenja's question first.

"I kept sensing a different degree of maryoku in that temple whenever I'd use my wind powers to survey the area surrounding the capital. And it's obviously an energy that doesn't belong to you or to the Genshi Miko residing there, even though I haven't met her yet," Mari explained as a way to respond to Murata's question.

"So that's why Hanz kept on saying that you can't fool a wind arts practitioner of our kingdom when it comes to sensing different energies around that person. In this case, it's you," Chie commented this time with a nod.

"But… Lyall doesn't possess that kind of ability."

That comment from Conrad had soon caught the attention of the other Beast Knights. Because of that, they soon faced Mari, as if asking if it was true.

Mari nodded. "Klaus said the same thing to me when I was first starting to learn how to use my powers. When I first learned of this ability to sense energies within a certain distance and distinguish them from each other, he said that it was unique to me as his sister never possessed that ability even when she became a full-fledged Beast Knight."

"But… isn't that the same thing to the rest of us?" Rina said as she faced her other Beast Knights comrades. "Nobu's ability to know if someone is chosen as a Beast Knight candidate or if someone is a potential master for the other minor Beast Spirits… My ability to heal injuries and certain illnesses using water... Chie's ability to summon fire even from the sky... Each of them were unique to each of us, right? The house leaders mentioned that each generation of chosen Beast Knights were unique in their own in terms of abilities that we possess."

"Mari-san, if that is true, what was Princess Lyall's unique ability?" Yuri asked when the discussion became too interesting for all of them there in that room.

Of course, the Beast Knights soon realized that their discussion did divert from the original question. Not that Mari forgot about that, though.

"I'm not sure if this is true since Klaus tried not to mention it to me. Or… maybe he didn't say anything because of its intensity. But according to some rumors I heard about her ability… They said that she could suck the air out of a person by will, depriving them of their ability to breathe properly. Which means, with that ability, she could kill someone — possibly instantly — without even lifting her weapon."

Of course, the statement came as a shock to all of them who were listening. But when Mari looked at Conrad, his expression remained nonchalant, for some reason.

"It seems that you've once witnessed that particular ability of the former princess, Lord Weller," Mari couldn't help commenting.

With that, obviously, the others turned their focus to the said soldier. Conrad sighed soon after and faced the others.

"Yes, I did. Not just once, but four times."

"F-four times?"

He nodded and faced Mari. For some strange reason, he felt like he should tell the story to her first before anyone else.

"I saw her use that ability twice while she was traveling with me and my father. But I didn't realize it at first until she finally returned to Esovia and my father mentioned it to me. I thought it was the mysteries of the land that we went to at first that was making those people hard to breathe when they fought us. Until my father pointed out that the raiders we fought died because someone deliberately sucked the air out of them, never giving them a chance to breathe and escape the area."

"How many times did she use that when she was with you at the time?" Shori asked the question this time.

"Twice. I didn't notice the first one until she herself mentioned it to me by the time we met again when we were a little older. It was also the first time I met Klaus since they discreetly visited Shin Makoku back then. Of course, as you already know, I wasn't the ideal person to meet her at the time because of certain personal issues." And then he chuckled, which made Mari frown.

To add more to her confusion, she saw Gwendal shake his head and Günter chuckled alongside the soldier. Wolfram just let out a huff. But perhaps she would ask the soldier about that once she had the chance.

At the moment, they had a very different issue to deal with.

"So now that issue is settled, I think it's about time you answer my first question to you, Murata-kun."

Of course, the said young man smiled with a resigned expression as he knew he wouldn't be able to escape that small interrogation from the Beast Knights. Especially Mari.

"There is, indeed, someone else in that temple other than me and Ulrike who always have a big interest in learning more about the original Beast Knights. And to be honest, that person has expressed his interest in meeting the three of you, especially the one who is the current Earth Bear Knight."

"You know it'll take time before Nobu could even come here to Shin Makoku and actually fulfill that," Chie said and faced her friends.

"Do you mind if we ask... who this person is? How come we haven't met him yet if he was that interested in meeting us?" This time, Rina spoke and asked that question.

"That's because he couldn't leave the place for certain reasons." It was Mari who answered that question, for some reason.

It only confused the others in the room, though. How come she was aware of that, by the way?

"Since we're not making any significant progress here, is it alright if we head to Shinou Temple now? That person residing in the temple could give me an answer to a certain question that's been nagging me since that last battle we had with the Phantasma."

Murata could only look at Mari who was waiting for his response to that inquiry. Then again, all of them wanted answers — and possible solutions — to their current predicament.

Perhaps going to Shinou Temple could actually provide that to them. Of course, it would also fulfill someone's wish of meeting the current chosen Beast Knights who arrived in Shin Makoku, as Murata had mentioned.

"Then let's head there."

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New update for today. I almost didn't make it as things were quite busy around here. But I made it! :)