Energy

**Energy** (エネルギー, *Enerugī*) is an atomic component as well as the source of powers in the story. A long time ago, it was only usable by the Gods themselves, but then, 1,000 years ago, Fourth decided to share it with the mortals.

## Overview

About a thousand years ago, Fourth fell in love with a human, Linxia Faen-Fengxian (in reality, he just wanted to have fun). He then gave him a mysterious power called "Energy" which made it possible to equal the gods. When Linxia passed away, several humans and other living species in the Universe were also given powers without being expected by Fourth. In order to punish him, his brother and sister, Ouranos and Gaia, sealed him forever.

These two also tried in vain to destroy the Energy, which has spread among almost all living beings made up of consciousness, the Heroes. However, this power became so uncontrollable that it began to act on its own, and it is not uncommon to see inanimate beings, animals, plants and other living things to use the Energy without being natively endowed with it, the Monsters.

On the scale of the human population, almost 70% are either a Hero or a Monster. Some races, however, are only made of Energy manipulators, such as the Chudelkins.

If used well, Energy allows you to refine your senses and increase your physical and mental capacities. Even the weakest of Heroes will have equal or greater power than the strongest of normal humans.

## Aura

**Aura** (オーラ, *Ōra*) is the basic form of expression of Energy, only perceptible by other manipulators. Depending on the nature of the user, the aura has different colors, such as red for Godefroy Gilbert, or yellow for Aza. The Aura is present in both vivanate entities as well as inert entities such as the Denver Cedars which grow with Energy. Thanks to the aura given off by what surrounds users, a person with their eyes closed or blind can navigate, thanks to the sensitivity to particles given off with the aura.

Depending on the power of the Energy manipulators, the Aura can have different effects: indeed, some Aura are restful and soft, while others are so dense that they can suffocate someone or outright influence the surrounding environment.

## Flow

**Flow** (フロー, *Furō*), also called **Current** is a term used to refer to the relationship between Energy atoms, outer particles and inner cells and the forces they exert on others. The Flow is represented as a sea current or a river, with fish representing the particles of Energy. Inside a Hero or a Monster, the Flow is quite simply all the blood vessels in which Energy flows, and outside by tree branches or underground galleries that connect each particles between them.

The Flow is essential to manipulate the Energy, if it is cut or partially obstructed, the user will not be able to use as freely as before his internal Energy or the external particles. In the body as outside, the Flow is a succession of points which, all interconnected, allow the good use of the Energy. The goal of techniques like Qi-Gong is precisely to attack Flow to weaken your opponent.

## Basic Techniques

### Enhancement

     The **Enhancement** (強化, *Kyōka*) is one of the variating forms of Aura. Thanks to its internal power, the user can deploy an armor made of Energy in order to increase physical abilities or strongly harden its body, and thus make it more powerful than before. This technique is first seen used by Astia Pray-Anri, using Enhancement to increase speed and give more powerful sword strikes than normal against the old master.

The best Enhancement users are able to make their bodies as solid as diamond or to reach a speed close to that of sound, as Olympe can do with her sword or Aza with his physical strength.

### Realization

The **Realization** (製造, *Seizō*) is the other basic variation of Aura. Thanks to the Energy's particles around, the user can materialize its thoughts by concentrating atoms of sorts to create shapes or objects made of Energy. These creations are often more fragile than the originals the launcher has in mind and are temporary, but can still be generated almost infinitely as long as the image in the user's head remains clear and well defined.

Anne Pray-Anri was the first one seen to use the Realization in the story, generating swords modeled from those existing in the Dojo of Sugamo.

## Advanced Techniques

### Nenbutsu

**Nenbutsu** (念仏, *Ritual Invocation*), also known as **High-Skills**, are universal techniques used by **Energy** manipulators, and are a variation of one of the **Realization**. Heroes and Monsters, by forging their capacity at controlling the Energy, can use advanced forms of shaped power. If Realization is the basic creation of objects, Nenbutsu are more complex, more difficult to achieve and, above all, more powerful. Nenbutsu are divided into several unofficial types according to their effect: attack (direct hits), defense (barriers), special (indirect attacks), modifier (improving the body), sealing (limiting the opponent or a Holy Weapon) and status (various effects such as poisoning or confusion).

High-Skills are created by one person but are considered as "Unique Skills" as long as they are not mastered by another person. Once done, the Unique Skill becomes a technique from the Nenbutsu list. For example, there were only 98 Nenbutsu until five years ago, when Soyoon managed to use Kokushibyou, making this attack a universal technique, which anyone maybe able to create, as the 99th High-Skill. As long as there is no proof that the Unique Skill is usable by someone else, then this one is not officially recognized and can even be qualified as a real Own Power. This was the case for Soyoon, who possessed so many Unique Skills that they were considered as his own power, called "The Special Energy Manipulation", when he did not have any.

### Own Power

**Own Powers** (自分の力, *Jibun no Chikara*), also called **Jikara**, are a rare variation of the **Enhancement**. Unlike the Nenbutsu which are usable by everyone, Own Powers are uniques and are acquired at birth, by only concerning 20 to 30% of the Heroes. For some reason, some Monsters are also endowed with it, as it would seem that Own Powers are not related to the external Energy, but to an internal Energy which can only be activated when the wearer can manipulate the external Energy. As a result, some Monsters are born with an Own Power without being able to use it until their transformation. Jikaras are divided into seven well-defined categories, depending on the effect and utility: Controller, Transformer, Booster, Materializer, Sequencer, Canceller, and Elementer.

Own Powers cannot be stopped by Nenbutsu like Inshou Sansan, but can be limited. Only other Canceller-type Own Powers can do so. Jikara are unique to one person, but can be inherited. There are never two similar Own Powers in circulation at the same time. Usually, these are also more powerful than some Nenbutsu, and cannot be copied by any method of energy manipulation. If Nenbutsu are more common, Jikaras are rarer and above all, at the same level, a user using his Own Power will be more powerful and more efficient than using a Nenbutsu. While High-Skills can be influenced by Own Powers, the opposite isn't possible or not totally. On the other hand, an excellent Nenbutsu user will be able to easily gain the upper hand over an inexperienced Jikara user or compete on an equal footing with a powerful practitioner.

### Deviants

#### Conjuration

**Conjuration** (呪文, *Jumon*) is an advanced technique and a deviant of both Aura and Flow, allowing to heal and regenerate someone's internal Energy. The user, by touching the hand, shoulder, head or torso of the injured person, acts as a bridge between the external Energy particles and the energetic cells present in the body of a Hero or a Monster. There is however a more direct and efficient variant of Conjuration, one where the user shares their own internal Energy with the victim, or one where the user touches two people to transfer the Energy to the other.

Some people have an Aura so soft that it has regenerative properties, allowing then, by the simple fact of standing near a victim, to heal its power, to regenerate or even improve its Flow, or even to mentally appease the victim.

#### Armor

**Armor** (鎧, *Yoroi*) is an advanced technique and a deviant of the Enhancement. This is actually the most advanced form of empowerment, also combining the Realization, creating a very dense envelope of Energy around your body that deflects enemy attacks and blocks punches, bullets and swords.

A well-crafted armor by an A-Rank hero can block a few hits from weak S-Rank heroes for example. However, the Armor is not an absolute defense: since it is more of a kind of Energy trickle around the user rather than a real shield, the Armor has several weak points that an experienced opponent will be able to visualize. Only Aza's Armor seems to be dense enough to be able to block almost everything. Also, if the opponent's Energy is much more significant than the user, then the Armor will just have no effect.

## Rare Techniques

### Locus

**Locus**, also called **Points** (ポイント, *Pointo*) is a rare form of Energy manipulation. It is a technique that acts either as an extension of the internal Energy, or as a convergence of the external Energy at a precise point located in the air, far from where the user is, and which allows to attack from a distance, from several places at the same time. By using a Locus, it is therefore possible to use the same attack of his Own Power several times or to use several times the same Nenbutsu or several different skills at the same time. Since Locuses can be controlled independently and are judged as independent entities, it is very complicated to generate one. Only a few people are able to use it, and the more Locuses one can control, the more skilled at manipulating Energy one is judged to be.

In general, it is only possible to create and manipulate between four and eight Locuses due to the human brain's limit to controlling multiple objects independently and at the same time, however the best Energy manipulators can generate more. This is particularly the case of Olympe who has twelve Locuses, of Clement who can generate five hundred thanks to his extraordinary intelligence, or Soyoon who can handle ten thousand thanks to his special status of " The being blessed by the Energy".

### Reverse

The **Reverse Technique**, or **Reverse Flow** (逆行する, *Gyakkō*) is a very rare technique that even the best Energy manipulators are not always familiar with. Based on the martial art of Tai-chi-chuan, the Reverse is based on the balance between the external energy and the internal energy of the victim, by influencing his Aura and his Flow. The goal of the Reverse Technique is the opposite of Conjuration, and consists of using energetic balance to deflect, arch, deflect or eliminate an opposing attack. The basic use of the Reverse is the return of the Energy generated by the opponent for his attack inside his own body to generate colossal internal damage directly damaging the organs and causing damage to the opponent's Flow, and greatly reducing its power. This technique is partially used by Adam Alphand, in particular against Sparkles, where he will use the technique "Peng" to send his enemy waltz. The best reverse master however is Rodon, who teaches his best moves to his apprentice, Mitsuya.

### Orbs

**Orbs** (オーブ, *Ōbu*) is a term corresponding to a technique consisting of condensing Energy to form a solid and bouncing orb, capable of attacking from a distance and which explodes on contact with the enemy designated by its user. Unlike aftershocks used with some Nenbutsu, specific Orbs are homing and are made to attack.

Orbs have another even rarer function, that of being able to communicate from a distance. Orbs have an almost infinite lifespan if they don't explode, so if a user creates two orbs they can leave one for someone else and the two can communicate through it. So far, only Soyoon and Ether have been seen capable of creating orbs.