Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 7 - Who Are You Ban

Jin had been going through his life with Ban. Waking up in the mornings alone. Walking to a breakfast he ate with Ban. From then on he studied a few hours, basics he required. Maths, language, history, but also life skills Ban wanted to teach Jin. How to handle money, how to cook. Jin didn't know why Ban was teaching he so much so fast, but he absorbed every little ounce of information. All stored away in his brain.

But when normal studying was over, then it was time for his "ancient cultural practices." Learning Senjutsu which while had no mystical powers behind it like Jin had hoped, Ban taught Jin to practice on the feeling. What it felt like to expand his vision, what it felt like to feel energy coursing through you or into others. Instead of being the spiritual art it was, Ban taught Jin the feelings of it so if he ever did pull that string, he could use his powers as effortlessly as if he had been practicing with them the whole time.

Ban helped Jin focus on controlling the feeling. Making the feeling lighter, but also harder. Making it faster like a rushing river or blazing flame, but also slower like a still lake or flickering flame.

Jin would then after his Senjutsu practice, workout. As Ban said nothing that would push his body. Jin was in his rapidly growing age so normally working out was enough for him to grow well. Pointlessly pushing him past his limits at his age would be more detrimental than physical to him. So regular push-ups, sit ups, squats, Australian pull-ups and horse stance was enough. However, cardio was not neglected and that was the most tiring part.

Jin would be lying if he said he didn't hate Ban for forcing him to do that. Cardio was exhausting. Jin loved walking, relaxing in the sun, being outside and strolling around to take in his environment. But running for what felt like miles was more physically draining than starving to death. At least that's what it felt like. He was shocked at the end that despite how old Ban was, he wasn't even the littlest bit tired. He didn't even break a sweat. Despite Jin being a child and finding that exhausting, Ban ran many more laps than Jin. Extremely fast.

It almost looked superhuman.

But after physical training, naturally came a shower. The most relaxing part of the day. There was a missing feeling cleaning by himself. But he just had to bare with it. This was a loneliness of his own making and he had to have the strength to bare his own burdens. Of killing someone.

Then in his very busy day, Ban would also teach Jin one more thing. Youjutsu. Ban told Jin that Youjutsu was ancient magic that revolved around using Youki for a wide arrange of spells to cause various supernatural effects. Basically magic. Which only got Jin more interested in what this complex system was. It was made by using hand signs and complex symbols. Something Jin had to memories.

But over the days, Jin stayed with Ban, learning such weird ancient practices, Jin had one question. Who was Ban?

With this question many other questions arose. Why did Ban know such weird things? Why was Ban so muscular despite being so old?

Jin tried to come to the answer on his own. Maybe he was one of those people at a museum that knew a lot about history. Maybe this was his religion, his guardian was very cultural so it wasn't abnormal to Jin. Maybe he was so muscular because he was in the army.

But it still made no sense to him. Ban was a historian solider that was very religious in a culture Jin had never seen before.

It sounded stupid to say.

So after a few days, during a dinner. Jin just had to ask Ban. Over eating his ramen. Jin asked his question.

Jin: Who are you Ban?

Jin asked while eating his ramen. Looking at Ban who was sat opposite him, legs crossed on a small green cushion at a small low table.

Ban: Who am I?

Jin: Yeah! Why are you so muscular?! Why do you know so much about this weird religious culture magic?! Are you a historian turned solider thats very religious in a culture I've never heard of?

Ban laughed nearly spitting out his food and Jin scowled. He knew his conclusion was silly but Ban didn't have to laugh at him.

Ban: No I'm not a historian turned solider practicing a mystical culture or religion. I've never worked with the army and I'm not a historian. Just an old man. {How did that baldy say it? Ah yes.} Who's a hero for fun.

Jin: A hero?

Ban: I have the tendency to go out and stop bad people from doing bad things. Helping others. Stuff like that.

Jin: So you know all of this stuff... because you're a hero? {Why is he lying to me?}

The fact Ban wasn't telling him where he knew these things from was annoying. But hearing that he was a hero was something new and something he hadn't seen from Ban.

Ban: Yes. I also used to run a martial arts dojo as you can tell. But recently people aren't that interested in getting taught by an old man like me. Are you interested in becoming a hero?

Jin: I...

It was a question Jin would have said yes to before in nanoseconds. But he killed someone. A child. He couldn't say that was heroic. It was villainous. But he liked helping the child. He helped the child escape in that moment because he wanted to help him. But hurting those that hurt him, that hurt that child... it felt good. Jin didn't feel bad that he killed someone's. He felt bad that his life changed because of it.

Jin could no longer say like any normal child, that the hero.

Jin: I don't.

Ban: Oh? What do you want to be then?

Jin: I... I don't know.

Jin said eating noodles. Ban could only look at him. While it didn't look like it, Ban was having difficulty raising a child. Jin was one of the most tame children he had ever seen. But that might have been the problem. Jin wasn't wanting to interact with people, he went on walks, but Ban secretly watched him and he would just walk around, sit down in the grass then come back. Ban wasn't equipped to raise a child. He didn't know how to, yet he knew Jin wasn't normal and Ban wasn't helping that.

Ban: Don't you think it's time to go back home. You're...

Jin: I'm not going back.

Ban saw Jin grab his chopsticks hard. Knowing whenever he mentioned going back. He could only imagine the pain he would suffer if his guardian viewed him differently.

Ban: Kid, as much as you want it to be, this isn't home. You have someone you left and I know you believe they might view you differently, but what if they don't?

Ban said to try and convince Jin to go back home. He knew he couldn't raise a child properly. He knew he didn't have the time to raise a child and be there for him. But Jin only heard one thing.

This wasn't his home.

But Jin took that very personal. As if he wasn't accepted here. Only taken in as a burden.

Tears trickled from his eyes as Ban widened his. Seeing the mistake he made. But before he could rectify his mistake, Jin got up and rushed to the room he was staying in.

It was no longer his room.