Yuki stood still as the trees moved again.
Branches rushed toward Noah from all sides.
Noah jumped back. "Hey, give me a warning!" he said.
Yuki replied, "A real enemy will not warn you."
A branch swung at his head.
Noah ducked late and got hit on the shoulder.
"Ow… okay, that hurt," Noah said.
"Focus more." Yuki replied.
Noah took a deep breath. He closed his eyes again.
"Don't just close your eyes and do nothing," Yuki said. "Feel and see at the same time."
"That's not easy," Noah replied.
[Noah's thoughts]
How am I supposed to see with my eyes closed?
"It is not meant to be easy," Yuki said.
The ground shifted slightly. A root moved under Noah's feet.
Noah jumped just in time.
"…Okay, I felt that," he said.
Yuki nodded. "Good. That was the start."
More branches came at him. This time, Noah moved faster.
He blocked one and dodged another. Still, one hit his back and he fell forward.
"…I almost had that," Noah said.
"You hesitated," Yuki replied.
Noah got back up and wiped the dirt off his clothes.
"Again," he said.
Yuki watched quietly.
The trees attacked once more.
Noah breathed slowly as he focused harder. He started to feel the movement before it happened.
A branch came he dodged early. Another came he stepped aside. A third came and he blocked it.
Noah smiled. "I'm getting it."
Yuki nodded. "You were learning."
Hikamaru watched from the side. "That was fast progress."
Noah kept moving, sweat ran down his face. He dodged two more attacks cleanly.Then one fast branch hit his leg.
He dropped to one knee.
"…Still not enough," Noah said.
Yuki walked closer.
"It takes time," she said.
Noah looked up at her. "But I'm on the right path?"
"Yes," Yuki replied.
She turned slightly and looked at the forest.
"If you wanted to learn a more advanced type of Haki," she said, "you would need help."
Noah stood up slowly. "From who?"
Yuki looked back at him.
"…From my friend," she said.
Noah raised a brow. "Friend?"
Yuki nodded once.
"His name is ********* but you can call him Joyboy."
Noah's eyes widened slightly.
"…Joyboy?"
Yuki turned away.
"If you want o grow stronger," she said, "you would have to ask him yourself."
Noah stood there, thinking.
"…Yeah..I guess I will."
After showing Noah how to control his breathing with Haki, they started walking again.
After an hour, they finally reached the city.
Noah stepped forward and stopped.
Large structures stood tall, made of clean metal and glass.
Floating platforms moved through the air.
Lights blinked across buildings and strange machines hovered by passed by.
"Welcome to Aetheris," Yuki said.
Noah didn't respond he just stared.
"…What is this place?" he muttered.
It looked nothing like anything he had seen before.
[Noah's Thoughts]
This place looks more advanced than the tech back in my world…
Yuki glanced at him and gave a small smile.
"Don't tell me you've never seen anything like this in the future," she said.
Noah shake his head slowly.
"No… not even close," he replied.
A floating device passed by his face.
Noah flinched. "Okay...yeah, definitely not."
Hikamaru walked past him calmly. "You'll get used to it."
"No, I won't," Noah said. "This is insane."
A group of people walked by, wearing clean, futuristic outfits.
Some of them had small glowing tools in their hands.
Others moved on floating boards.
Noah turned in a circle, trying to take it all in.
"…I was fighting dinosaurs a few hours ago," he said. "Now I'm here."
Yuki started walking again.
"Come," she said. "You will understand soon."
Noah followed behind, still looking around.
"…Where are we going?" he asked.
"To meet someone," Yuki replied.
Noah raised a brow. "Let me guess… one of your friend?"
Yuki pointed ahead.
"We are going to that building," she said.
Noah followed her finger and looked up.
A massive structure floated in the sky, held up by glowing rings and moving platforms.
"…That one?" Noah asked.
"The one floating in the sky?" he said.
Yuki nodded. "Yes."
Noah squinted. "…And how exactly are we getting up there?"
"You will see." Yuki replied.
Noah sighed and followed. "I don't like when you say that."
They reached a platform. It lit up as Yuki stepped on it.
Noah hesitated. "…This looks unsafe."
"It is safe," Yuki said.
"That's what people say before something breaks," Noah replied.
Yuki stepped onto the platform fully.
She looked back at him. "…Get on."
Noah slowly stepped on.
The platform hummed then lifted into the air.
"WOAH!" Noah grabbed the side. "Okay, I was not ready for that!"
Yuki stood calmly.
Hikamaru picked his nose.
Noah looked down.
"…Yeah, I'm not looking down again."
The wind rushed past them as they rose higher and higher.
The floating building got closer. It was even bigger up close.
After a few seconds, the platform stopped. And they stepped off.
Noah looked around.
"…This place is crazy," he said.
Yuki walked forward.
"My friend Lily is waiting for me here."
Noah followed. "Friend number two?"
Yuki nodded.
"And… they have the best food here," she said.
Noah stopped for a second.
"…You should've said that first."
Yuki looked back at him.