Arthur stopped a few meters in front of the assembled ECHOs, the room fell into an even deeper silence.

He scanned the crowd with sharp eyes, making sure each of them was paying attention.

“Before we begin,” Arthur said, his voice firm but not harsh, “do you all remember everything from the manual you were given?”

Without hesitation, the group answered in perfect unison.

“Yes, Sir!”

Their voices echoed across the training hall, filled with anticipation and excitement.

Arthur nodded slightly, “Good.”

He pointed at the four soldiers standing at the very front of the formation. “You four, step forward.”

The selected soldiers, two men and two women, immediately took two steps forward, their faces tightening with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

Arthur motioned for them to sit.

They sat cross-legged on the polished floor, their spines straight, and their hands resting on their knees just as described in the manual.

Arthur turned back to his team and gave them a small nod.

Leo, Elena, and Samir immediately moved into position behind the seated ECHOs, each taking their place. Arthur also moved to the fourth soldier at the far left.

And as he sat down behind the ECHO, he addressed the four of them.

“You know the theory,” he said. “Now, it’s time to put it into practice.”

He gave them a moment to steady their breathing before continuing.

“We will channel our Chi through your bodies following the path described in the manual, do not resist it. The moment you can feel the Chi… guide it with us, and breathe according to the manual”

“The process will be painful,” Arthur added, his voice softening slightly. “You need to endure it. Grit your teeth if you have to, but don’t resist.”

The four nodded grimly.

Arthur looked at his team one more time and saw them nod back, they were ready.

“Begin.”

Arthur placed his hand on the back of the ECHO in front of him, and Leo, Elena, and Samir did the same with theirs.

A heartbeat later, a golden flame-like aura flared around their palms.

The moment their Chi touched the bodies of the soldiers, a visible shudder passed through them. 

At first, they managed to endure it. But as the minutes dragged on, the real pain began. Their bodies tensed, muscles locking, and beads of sweat began to form on their foreheads.

Chi was like a primal, and wild energy, and trying to awaken it in someone’s body who was already strong enough was like forcing a raging river into a narrow stream.

Ten minutes in, low groans started to escape from the soldiers’ throats.

They clenched their teeth, and veins bulged in their necks and arms. One soldier trembled violently, fists digging into his knees as he fought to stay conscious.

Up on the observation deck, Admiral Thalberg leaned closer to the reinforced glass, his usually stoic expression cracking with amazement.

“My god…” he breathed.

He could see it,  the golden, flame-like aura engulfing Arthur and his team’s hands, like straight out of a comic book. It was pure, raw life force being forcibly awakened inside the ECHOs.

Behind the standing ECHOs, a few of the researchers exchanged stunned glances, whispering among themselves while trying not to disturb the activation process.

“Is that… really Chi?”

The ECHOs also discussed among themselves, “It looks beautiful… but seeing them in so much pain, it feels terrifying at the same time.”

“Shh! Don’t make too much noise.”

…

While others were discussing the awakening process, Arthur and his team kept his focus razor-sharp.

Arthur could feel the struggling Chi threads beginning to synchronize with the natural pathways inside the ECHO’s body. He guided it slowly, and carefully, making sure the flow didn’t tear their internal structures apart.

The ECHOs were fighting hard too. Minute by minute, the golden energy began to settle within them.

And just like that an hour passed. Finally, Arthur and his team pulled their hands away simultaneously, while stepping back.

The four soldiers slumped forward for a second, gasping, but then they straightened up again.

There was a different aura about them now. One of the ECHOs, a dark-haired young man, concentrated and raised his hand to try and manipulate his Chi as described in the manual..

At first, nothing happened.

Then, like a tiny ember catching fire, a golden glow erupted around his palm.

His eyes widened in disbelief. Seeing that, the others also followed suit to test their Chi.

Within seconds, all four of the newly awakened ECHOs were staring at their hands, golden auras flaring gently around them.

Excited murmurs began filling the room.

One of the researchers quickly approached, with a device in hand, scanning the activated individuals.

“Vital signs are stable, in fact they are extremely vigorous… Chi pathways successfully awakened… It’s real, it’s really happening.”

The lead researcher waved at the rest. “Alright, guide them to the testing stations! We need full diagnostics of them.” Then the four ECHOs followed the researchers.

Arthur exhaled softly and turned toward his team.

Leo wiped his forehead dramatically. “Man, I didn’t know just sitting for an hour could be this exhausting.”

Elena said while rolling her eyes. “Weren’t you the one who was the most excited? Focus now, we have thirty-six more to go.”

Samir gave a small nod of agreement, stretching his fingers slightly.

Arthur nodded once. “No time to slack. Let’s move.”

And so, the process repeated, as the next batch of ECHOs came forward, sitting nervously before them.

And each time, Arthur and his team guided them through the process of awakening the hidden potential sleeping inside their bodies.

…

A few hours later, as the final batch of ECHOs completed their Chi activation, a visible change filled the training hall.

Golden auras occasionally flared around the soldiers, they were clumsy at first with their newfound power still their progress was undeniable.

Arthur, standing at the front of the hall, took a deep breath.

“Alright,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, his voice cutting cleanly through the low murmur of the crowd. “Now that you have awakened your Chi, it’s time to learn how to help others activate theirs.”

He turned, gesturing to Leo, Elena, and Samir, who moved to his side.

Arthur continued, “You’ve all experienced the process of Chi awakening. Eventually, you’ll need to awaken others, especially once you reach the human strongholds in the far end of the galaxy.”

He motioned for one ECHO to step forward.

The young woman hesitated, then jogged up, standing at attention.

Arthur smiled faintly and said, “Don’t worry. You’re not getting tortured again.”

A few chuckles rippled through the crowd, easing the heavy atmosphere a little.

Arthur then demonstrated the basic method, channeling Chi from his core, guiding it with precise intent, and transferring it into another body while controlling the flow.

The golden aura flowed from his palm, “Control is everything,” Arthur said as the glow stabilized. “Think of it like filling a delicate vessel with water. Too much force, and you’ll destroy it. Too little, and you won’t fill it at all.”

The soldiers watched with wide, fascinated eyes. After that, Arthur demonstrated something else.

Forming a Chi Construct.

In one smooth motion, he condensed his golden aura into the shape of a dagger in his hand. Then, a moment later, the dagger morphed into a shield, and then a thin whip.

The ECHOs gasped audibly.

“These are called Chi Constructs,” Arthur said, flicking the whip so it cracked through the air before dissipating into golden particles. “With enough mastery, you’ll be able to turn your Chi into whatever weapon you need on the battlefield.”

The researchers recorded everything frantically, their screens glowing with data.

Arthur said, seeing everyone paying attention, “For the next few days I will teach you how to make these constructs. Make sure you reach the training hall tomorrow after lunch.” he continued, “Alright, you are dismissed.”

…

For the next several days, Arthur and his team threw themselves into training session after training session. They helped new batches of ECHOs activate their Chi, taught them basic control, combat application, and even held small sparring drills to simulate how to utilize Chi while fighting.

By the end of the week, the transformation was astounding.

Over three hundred ECHOs now bore the unmistakable golden glow around them, their strength, speed, and stamina enhanced far beyond their limits.

Arthur, in recognition of his efforts, had even been formally given the honorary title of “Instructor” among the ECHOs.

He took it seriously. After all, these soldiers were going to be the first torchbearers of Chi in the human strongholds.

On the final day before the deployment, Arthur stood with Leo, Elena, and Samir, overseeing the last bit of sparring practice, when a group of twelve ECHOs approached them.

Their leader, a tall ECHO with short dark hair and an eager grin, saluted and said, “Instructor Arthur, Sir! Requesting permission to spar against you, Sir!”

Arthur raised a brow, he nodded and said, “Alright, come at me together.”

They hesitated a bit, but from the side Leo who was leaning casually against the wall said loudly, “You might want to bring backup. Even the twelve of you together won’t be enough to take him down.”

A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd of onlookers, nearly three hundred ECHOs, researchers, and even a few off-duty officers gathered around the perimeter to watch the show.

Hearing what Leo said, the twelve of them looked at each other exchanging nervous glances  but to their credit, none of them backed down.

Arthur chuckled lightly. “Relax, no need to get tense. This is just a spar”

He stepped into the center of the training hall and gestured for them to surround him.

The twelve soldiers spread out, forming a loose circle.

“Begin whenever you’re ready,” Arthur said simply, while getting into a stance.

The first move came from his left, a quick jab, the soldier’s fist glowing as he struck out.

Arthur barely shifted, deflecting the attack with the back of his hand.

At the same time, a soldier from the right lunged, Chi concentrated into his legs for a high-speed tackle.

Arthur sidestepped with casual grace, placing a single hand on the man’s back and flipping him over with his own momentum.

Thud!

Another two charged at once, coordinating their strikes, one aiming low, the other high.

Arthur moved while weaving between them, letting the strikes pass within inches of his body. As they stumbled from missing their target, Arthur tapped them each on the shoulder, sending a light burst of Chi that made their muscles lock up temporarily.

The onlooking crowd whistled and chattered in awe.

The soldiers grew more serious.

They tightened their formation and attacked with better teamwork, trying to overwhelm Arthur from multiple angles.

And yet…

Arthur danced through them effortlessly.

He used minimal force, redirecting strikes, gently tapping pressure points to destabilize their stance, forcing them to use more Chi to recover.

Each movement he made was a lesson meant for the ECHOs.

When one soldier tried to brute force through him, Arthur demonstrated the flaw in raw aggression, redirecting the charge and gently sweeping the soldier’s legs out from under him.

All without ever fully unleashing his own overwhelming strength.

It was pure technique to improve efficiency, utilizing the art of using Chi in combat.

After five intense minutes, the twelve soldiers were either on the ground or breathing heavily, but their faces were glowing with newfound understanding.

Arthur stood calmly in the center, barely winded.

He clapped his hands once. “Good, you are learning to use Chi efficiently in combat. Keep it up.”

The twelve ECHOs managed tired grins and straightened up, saluting him again.

The entire crowd burst into applause.

Even Admiral Thalberg, watching from the observation deck, allowed a small smile to tug at the corner of his mouth.

“That kid…” he muttered. “How many secrets does he hold?”

Arthur, standing in the middle of the cheering crowd, allowed himself a rare, small smile.

This was only the beginning, these soldiers are the first spark to spread this knowledge to all of humanity.

***

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