Ao tilted his head, ears flicking slightly as he considered his words. "What exactly did you mean when you said I was using spiritual energy incorrectly?"
Kuro had expected this question. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering, his tails swishing behind him, due to the fur of his tails being quite sharp, they cut the floor each time they hit the wood. "From what I've observed, you don't chant at all, which is normal for someone who hasn't learned any formal techniques yet. However, your approach to spiritual energy is still… lacking."
Ao furrowed his brows, Ao wasn't the egotistical type but even he believed that he was at least slightly decent in spiritual energy manipulation, that was pretty much his bread and butter, so to say he was lacking was a crazy suggestion in his eyes, at least to what he knows already. "Lacking?"
Kuro nodded. "You do use it instinctively closer to how a beast would rather than a human. But you're not maximizing its potential. Let me explain."
The spirit beast sat up straighter, his crimson eyes locking onto Ao to try and get a good grasp on a way to explain something this complicated to such a young mind. "When we beasts use spiritual energy, we don't just release it. We envision everything—the shape, the velocity, the density, the target, the spin, the heat, the mass, if it curves or not, and any obstacles that could interfere with it. Every single factor is taken into account to ensure that our spell comes out with the greatest efficiency possible."
Ao listened intently, thought whether he understood it or not was up to fate, his mind was trying to grasp what he just heard but trying to imagine the sheer amount of thought that went into small attacks, even more than he was originally doing it was enough to confuse him. Kuro, of course, noticed this, but simply sighed and continued explaining, trying to simplify it in a better way for Ao's mind. "For humans, chanting simplifies this process," he explained. "Each syllable in an incantation acts as a mental shortcut, allowing you to perform a spell without thinking about every detail. The downside? That makes the spell weaker and gives you less control over it. But it still imbues your will into it, just not enough to control the spell properly."
Ao blinked. "So chanting is basically like… a crutch?"
"Exactly," Kuro confirmed. "It limits the control you have, but it also makes spells easier to cast." He tilted his head, inspecting Ao's small features like looking at a rare artifact, his chubby cheats and round face, along with his light blue irises matched with his black hair and small coyote ears made him quite adorable to look at. "You, however, have been using spiritual energy without a chant—yet you've only been using one or two methods of attacking while only putting half of the thoughts required into forming the spiritual energy. That's where you're falling short."
Ao scratched his head, already feeling the weight of the information being dumped onto him. Maybe it was because he was still hungry and tired, but this was quickly becoming a lot to process.
Kuro noticed the struggle on his face and took a slow breath. He needed to break this down in a way that the boy could actually grasp it, it was becoming quite apparent that the way he broke it down wasn't enough, which was expected, of course. He was still a cub after all.
"Listen," he said, his tone calm and measured, sounding like an older sibling trying to teach their younger sibling the concept of math rather than a beast. "Spiritual energy isn't just a tool—it's everything around us. It exists in the air, the ground, within you. It leaks from us constantly. You've been trying to force it into doing what you want, but that's not how it works."
Ao's ears perked slightly as he heard this, he knew this already.
"Instead of forcing it, flow your will into it," Kuro continued, tapping a claw lightly against the floor. "Treat it as an extension of yourself. Don't just shape it—guide it. Influence it. That is the difference between control and mere usage."
Ao sat in silence, trying to wrap his head around everything he had just heard. His mind felt sluggish, struggling to piece things together, but he understood enough to realize one thing—he had been approaching spiritual energy incorrectly.
Before, he had only focused on a few elements—velocity, shape, and output. But now he understood there was more. So much more. It wasn't just about forming an attack; it was about perfecting it, understanding it, and harmonizing with the energy itself.
He exhaled, rubbing the back of his ear as he processed the overwhelming amount of knowledge that had just been dropped on him. "This is a lot," Ao admitted, his voice quieter than before.
Kuro let his words settle, watching as Ao tried to piece everything together. He knew the cub wouldn't grasp it all in one sitting—no one would—but the fact that he was even attempting to understand meant he was on the right path.
"I'll put it in simpler terms," Kuro continued, "if I have a better connection with spiritual energy, if my will aligns with its flow better than yours, then your attacks will never reach me." he stated with confidence. "The way we beasts manipulate spiritual energy is far beyond what humans do. If something blocks our attack, we can disperse it, redirect it, and reform it without losing any power. It's all about knowing what's coming before it happens, keeping a precise visualization, and maintaining control. But of course…" he smirked, flicking his tails, "it's not as easy as it sounds."
Ao groaned, his ears flattening against his head as he rubbed his temples. "Yeah, complicated is an understatement." His tone was dry, frustration creeping into his voice. "I mean, I get it—it's not completely different from how I was doing things before—but all this talk about dispersing and reforming? What does that even mean?"
Kuro chuckled at Ao's reaction. He had expected some resistance, but the boy was taking it better than most would.
Instead of answering right away, he raised a paw, manifesting a small, swirling sphere of condensed spiritual energy above his head. Its surface rippled and pulsed, almost as if it were alive.
"Alright," Kuro said, his tone smooth and instructive. "Try to block this."
Ao didn't hesitate—his instincts kicked in instantly. He pulled at the spiritual energy around him, reinforcing a thick wooden plank nearby and positioning it in the projectile's trajectory.
The moment Kuro's attack made contact, the sphere dissolved into a mist-like vapor, completely avoiding the plank. Before Ao could react, the mist reformed behind the obstacle, regathering its shape with seamless precision before gently tapping him on the forehead.
The impact wasn't hard, but it was enough to send him stumbling backward, landing square on his back with a dull thud.
Ao lay there for a moment, blinking up at the ceiling in utter disbelief.
Kuro let out a satisfied hum. "See what I mean?" he said smugly. "I've realized from our fight in the woods that you have a habit of using objects to block my attacks. And I knew, out of everything in this room, you'd grab the plank. It's the thickest object here and the least inconvenient for your family if it broke. So, I planned around it."
He grinned. "And, of course, it worked like a charm."
Ao sat up slowly, rubbing his forehead with a grumble. "You planned around it?" He narrowed his eyes. "Like, in that split second?"
Kuro nodded. "That's what I meant earlier. True mastery of spiritual energy isn't just about throwing attacks—it's about anticipation, control, and fluidity. The more you can predict, the more you can manipulate."
"Alright, that makes sense… but if it's as you put it, why doesn't everyone use spiritual energy the way you beasts do?" Ao asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "If it's so much better, shouldn't it be the most common method instead of chanting?"
Kuro's tails stretched out behind him as he considered Ao's question. He nodded slightly before responding. "Yes and no." His voice was calm but firm. "Like I said before, it's not easy. Spirit beasts are naturally more in tune with spiritual energy—we live in it, breathe it, exist alongside it in ways that other races don't. Because of that, manipulating it at a deeper level isn't as difficult for us. It's instinct."
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before continuing. "Humans and most other races, though? They aren't born with that level of connection. So to get the same results, they have to work for it—put in much more effort just to reach a fraction of what a spirit beast can do instinctively. Even then, the average human who manages to somewhat grasp our methods would still lose to an average beast. So why bother?"
Kuro flicked his ear, shifting his weight slightly. "That's where enchanted items, chanting, spell-forged weapons, and other tools come in. They level the playing field. Instead of forcing humans to push their minds to the brink, they create shortcuts—making them stronger with less effort. With the right tools, even someone with average talent can surpass many of their predecessors." His gaze sharpened. "And, let's be honest, it's not like just anyone can learn the ways of the beasts. Besides the fact that most of us don't like humans, the human brain simply isn't built to process that much information constantly. Even most demi-humans struggle with it."
Ao fell silent, letting the explanation sink in. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Even he struggled to keep up with the sheer amount of calculations needed just to form a simple attack the way Kuro described. And from what Kuro had told him, that wasn't even a real technique yet—just basic manipulation.
His stomach tightened slightly at the thought. If this was the bare minimum, then actually mastering a proper technique…?
Would my brain even survive that kind of strain?
A small shiver ran down his spine.
Kuro noticed the shift in Ao's expression—the way his ears dipped slightly, the faint crease of doubt in his brow. He sighed and flicked his tail, deciding to ease the tension. "Relax, manling," he said, offering a small smirk. "You're a demi-human, remember? You are part beast. You've already come this far on your own, which means you can learn. With the right guidance, of course."
Ao glanced up at him, his uncertainty still lingering.
Kuro gave him a reassuring nod. "We'll take it slow. Give your mind and body time to develop. No need to rush and burn yourself out." His smirk widened. "Besides, I'd rather not be blamed if your brain melts from overexertion."
Ao let out a small huff—half amusement, half exhaustion. "Right… no brain-melting. Got it."