After tidying up his room, Akihiro walked out and headed toward the second floor bathroom, which was the closest one to his room because his room is also located at the second floor. He brushed his teeth and washed his face at the sink while floating slightly midair, since his small height at seven years old made it difficult to reach properly without help. Instead of using a stool, he relied on his psychic power for convenience, keeping himself stable as water dripped softly into the basin.
He stared at his reflection after drying his face with a clean towel, studying his childlike features. His face looked normal, not too handsome and not too plain, which satisfied him since he believed appearance still played a role in how people treated others. At the same time, he understood that personality mattered more in the long run, so he did not dwell on it too much.
After finishing, he left the bathroom and walked down the stairs toward the living room where his father sat watching the morning news. Kotaro held a mug of coffee in one hand while the television flickered with muted reports, filling the room with a tranquil atmosphere. The moment he noticed Akihiro, he turned slightly and greeted him with a relaxed expression.
"Oh, morning hiro, you're up early again today," Kotaro said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Are you going out again?"
Akihiro nodded as he continued walking, his tone casual and certain.
"Of course, it's saturday, so it's the perfect time to train my powers."
Kotaro gave a small nod, though his eyes carried a hint of concern as he placed the mug back down.
"Well, be careful, and don't be late again," he said. "And don't show your powers to strangers, or else they might take advantage of you."
Akihiro let out a faint sigh, clearly having heard this warning many times already, yet he still responded properly.
"Yeah, yeah, I know... you've said that a lot already."
He walked into the kitchen, which was connected to the living room, where his mother was preparing breakfast. The sound of cooking filled the space as Hoshiko moved efficiently, already aware of her son's routine before he even spoke. She glanced at him briefly, her voice gentle but firm.
"You should come back early, hiro," she said. "I'm almost done with breakfast."
Akihiro nodded and grabbed a glass, filling it with water from the faucet before drinking it in one go. Without wasting time, he placed the glass down, walked out, wore his jogging shoes near the door, and stepped outside the house. The fresh morning air greeted him as he began his usual jog around the quiet suburban neighborhood.
Shops along the streets were just starting to open, with a few people setting up their stalls while others swept the sidewalks. Akihiro ran past them at a normal pace, keeping his breathing controlled as part of his physical training. After a while, he reached the small playground at the corner of the neighborhood, which remained very, very empty as usual during the early morning.
He walked toward the monkey bars and jumped up, gripping the metal handles as he began doing pull ups. His small arms strained as he completed five repetitions, stopping when a faint numbness spread through his muscles. Dropping down, he stood still for a moment, breathing heavily as sweat formed along his forehead.
He wiped his face using the hem of his white shirt, lifting it slightly as he caught his breath. His gaze turned calm and focused, signaling a shift from physical training to something more serious. He straightened his posture and slowly extended his arm toward a nearby tree.
Dark purple energy began to glow faintly around his body, pulsing like a heartbeat as it gathered around his hand. Then a sudden gust of compressed air shot forward like a jet, slicing through the playground as sand was violently dragged along its path. The swings creaked and rattled from the pressure, and the air itself seemed to howl as the attack struck its target.
A loud, sharp sound echoed as the tree was cleanly cut into multiple pieces, the impact sending dust and debris into the air. The entire playground became clouded for a moment until a second, gentler gust dispersed the dust. When the air cleared, the tree was decimated in fragmented parts, each piece separated with rigor.
Akihiro did not stop as the broken pieces were immediately wrapped in his dark purple psychic energy and lifted into the air. The fragments began circling around him rapidly, forming a dangerous ring similar to Saturn's ring but far more violent. As the speed increased, the sharp pieces cut through the air, producing a chilling sound that filled the playground.
He clenched his hand into a fist, and the rotation intensified as the air around him was stirred into another wave of dust and pressure. The ground beneath him trembled slightly from the force, and even the surrounding sand lifted and swirled. He maintained this state for about a minute, his expression calm despite the destructive power he controlled.
Eventually, he relaxed his hand, and the fragments slowed before stopping completely in midair. With control, he guided every piece back into place, reconstructing the tree whith each piece that seemed to be stitching togrther, like nothing ever happened. The purple energy faded as the final piece settled, leaving the playground looking exactly as it had before.
Akihiro exhaled softly, satisfied with the result as he lowered his arms. He glanced around briefly to confirm that nothing was out of place, ensuring that no one would suspect what had just happened. Once he was certain, he turned away from the tree and prepared to head back.
"That's enough for today," he murmured quietly.
He knew that if his mother had not asked him to return early, he would have continued training much longer, using his other abilities. Still, he had already decided on the abilities he would show publicly, focusing only on telekinesis, healing, and aerokinesis. These powers were common enough to avoid unnecessary attention, while healing, though rare, was still within acceptable limits.
He had no intention of revealing everything, since doing so would only attract unwanted attention and trouble. Fame, greed, and curiosity from others would follow, and people would begin to see him only for his abilities instead of who he truly was. With that in mind, he chose to keep most of his power hidden, knowing that even with just three abilities, his strength would already surpass many others because of his near limitless storage.
As he began walking back home, one thought remained in his mind. Being strong was useful, but staying unseen was even more important.