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Kazuya stared at the plane in the sky above the tennis courts. He felt a little conflicted because that was the plane that Kou rode heading towards the south. He was supposed to have been the one stopping his grandfather from leaving their place again yet due to their conversation yesterday, he was the one who eventually let him leave temporarily.

The moment his grandfather needed time before he could open the new lock on his research building, Kazuya knew that he couldn't be his predecessor. What he needed to know instead was where his grandfather learned to open such locks as well as his capabilities and knowledge about mana.

It was possible that he could have learned it from current studies but the problem was, there were no such studies in their world today. If there were, there would have been a common term but all of it was known as urban legends or supernatural. It was at least, on the surface of their current understanding of the world.

Both of them knew where their respective knowledge came from. Kou would have accepted it if his grandson knew internal energy but after he came across the invisible lock on the door of Kazuya's research facility, he already knew that his grandson was capable and knowledgeable about mana.

Kou wasn't a humble person especially after a friend he met on one of his travels turned out to be quite knowledgeable in the mystic arts of mana. This was the person that was mainly responsible in teaching him a little about mana which supported him in his self-proclaimed occupation as an explorer. He was taught simple skills and knowledge that allowed his life to be saved numerous times.

"How can you use mana to such an extent? Who taught you?" were the questions that left Kou's mouth. He knew this grandson of his was wondering the same thing but didn't want to be the one to approach first. They knew that the person who gave in and asked first would be at a disadvantage.

"I would ask you the same question. How can you open the lock I set up? Grandpa Jirou calls it internal energy but why do you refer to it like mana like I do?" Kazuya replied to the questions with his own. The two of them stared for a while without any intention of budging.

"*sigh...* fine you win! An old friend of ours that I met again in my travels told me I had a knack for it. Like Jirou, I used to refer to it as internal energy which is not a wrong term considering that our friend told Jirou that he was talented in it the most while I was more of like a jack of all trades kind of talent" Kou gave in, he found this grandson of his to have a similar temperament so he knew that with it and his current age, they wouldn't be able to go anywhere if he didn't give in and compromise.

"Friend?" Kazuya's full attention was immediately gained. This friend of his grandfather's was not only able to teach him mana but discern what type he was so there was a lot of potential that this could be the person he had been searching for. "Where is he now?"

"That's right, a friend that I once brought into town. It's weird, he said that Jirou's and Komori's granddaughters had excellent affinity towards mana so I hoped that you would have it too. Your mother was already capable of internal energy before you were born but he judged that you have very low chances of being able to freely use mana" Kazuya was startled. This fact was indeed true. The only reason his affinity was as it was now was because of his previous experience in his first life.

Kazuya used the knowledge and experience he possessed to make his own body be able to handle and control mana. He used the same process in which his body was blessed with an enormous amount of mana during his summoning thanks to the book that was given to him. This was why his growth was very slow compared to Kyouko and Tomoyo who seemed to grasp everything he had to teach them faster while him and Mei had a slower rate of growth because they had to clear the prerequisites first.

This was knowledge that only a person who really understood and had experienced achievements in mana could deduce. The possibilities of his grandfather's friend being his predecessor was extremely high that Kazuya's poker face gave a trace of excitement. Was he really going to meet with his predecessor?

"I want to meet him" Kazuya turned serious which caught his grandfather off guard.

"Meet him?" his face showed a complicated expression. This was the first request his grandson made to him after all. "Meeting Tsuna is a bit… hard"

"Why?" he didn't know what the problem was but he had too meet this person no matter what.

"The only way I got him to come here all those years ago in the first place was because I told him that I wanted him to make him your godfather as well as let him meet Jirou and the others who knew how to use internal energy" Kou explained. "That guy's like a hermit and prefers to live in the mountains because he says that it's the place where mana is the densest here"

"Mountains?" Kazuya didn't argue with it since it was true that mountains really were good places that provided denser mana. "Then can you at least call so I can speak with him?" Kazuya tried to compromise since he believed that he could convince his predecessor to come.

"That's… going to be a little hard since he doesn't have a phone" Kou scratched his head. "Tsuna built a house in a place that couldn't be reached by any utility service so one would need to go there to be able to meet up with him" he explained. "I met him while I was exploring the grandest mountain in our country. I fell and landed in his house and he took care of me and told me I wouldn't have survived if I wasn't capable of enhancing my body's toughness with mana" Kou told the story of how he and this friend of his met.

He was called Nagato Tsuna, a guy who has lived in the mountains alone in order to strengthen himself because he claimed to have been a lot stronger at his peak. Jirou of course believed his new friend's words since he was healed quicker with the help of this person's mysterious arts. Tsuna had missed the company of others and he got along with Kou's weird personality so he taught him a thing or two after he learned that this friend of his was an explorer.

"I will give you a letter. If he reads it and still doesn't want to come here… then that would mean that he is not the person I'm looking for" Kazuya then began to give Jirou the same explanation that he told both his mom and Mei when they asked about where he learned about mana.

Kou was of course flabbergasted because he knew the internet had been a resource for information but never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that something like the knowledge of mana could be found on there. He thought that there really was no limits when it came to the internet since it had grown even more unbelievable compared to his time.

"But what does that have to do with Tsuna?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Of course I want to meet him and know all I can know more about mana" Kazuya tried to confirm if Akane and Yui were still watching by sensing where they were. Since the commotion already died down, the two continued doing house chores so Kazuya raised a palm pushed it towards his grandfather causing a gust of hot air to dry him off.

"What in the…" Kou forgot that he was drenched in the heat of the moment. He was amazed at the capabilities of his grandson and it greatly reminded him of his friend who also had similar capabilities.

"So will you do it or not?" he asked again.

"I don't have a problem doing it but… didn't you say I couldn't leave town or It would be considered leaving the family?" Kou sighed. "I initially wanted to visit Tsuna to invite him in exploring the new ruin I stumbled into but you already know my decision" Kou gave a wry smile. He wasn't really good at sentimental talks so he avoided his grandson's gaze.

"As long as it's travel related to our family with both mom and my knowledge then I don't intend to stop you" Kazuya said as if it was a matter of fact. "You can head out as soon as tomorrow so I will write the letter now" Kazuya turned around without hesitation and returned to his research facility.

Kou wondered what his grandson was in a hurry for but he couldn't come up with anything aside from a child's curiosity about something unknown. It was a similar feeling for him and exploring new places so he felt that he had more in common with his grandson than he originally thought.

Kyouko of course had no problems because she had met Tsuna before and she knew that he would be a big help to Kazuya. His father would at most disappear for a few days as they discussed his departure and his return. Even though Kazuya was allowing him to leave town, that didn't mean that he could do as he liked. Kou felt a little sad that they didn't trust him but he understood it after he had some time to think.

Kazuya wondered if the letter he had written would be enough to summon his predecessor to meet him. He was a little distracted as the plane flew over the courts where they had decided to take their lunch today. Takaya of course, went to school today since it was already close to the exams so he needed to brush up on his studies.

"What's up with you? Did you finally realize your mistake?" Takaya grinned at him.

"Mistake?" Kazuya took his sight off the clouds and gave his friend a confused look.

"Don't tell me you haven't read the script yet?" Takaya couldn't help but sigh since he hadn't expected this. He almost gave away an important secret so he tried to change the topic. "I know you're smart and all but don't you think you're being too carefree about all of this? Even though this is to repay a favor, this is my family's name on the line here"

"Didn't you say that everything will start on summer vacation?"

"Yeah… but you still need to show up so that mom or dad can see the way you portray this character and help you improve it"

"You are aware that the exams are in a few days right?" Kazuya reminded. He didn't even need to study but he wanted to make a point that there were much more pressing matters that he needed to deal with at the moment.

"Ugh…" seeing his feint was successful because this friend of his was totally out of it, Takaya didn't inquire any further. This time he decided that he would wait a while before asking about it since it didn't look like Kazuya would study the script he was given any time soon.

The girl who was watching from afar also thought that Kazuya had been acting odd. She was aware that his grandfather had returned but she got word that he also left today when she inquired if there were any changes about him. She thought that he had grown close to this mysterious grandfather of his so she made a mental note of this for future use.

It was relatively a normal day and everything seemed to have gone back to the peaceful days as Kurumi and Maron quieted down. Suzaku and Ringo also stopped going to school that often but Kazuya knew that this was like a calm before the storm. He already confirmed with Kyouko that Kurogane Shishio was indeed already in town and had been trying to spread his influence ever since his return with little to no resistance from his rivals.

Kazuya received a call as he and Tomoyo were leaving their classroom after they had been dismissed.

"Hello Grandpa Jirou? What's the matter?"

"I heard you sent your grandfather on an errand to meet your godfather?" Kazuya sensed a hint of urgency in his voice.

"Yes, I believe it would take him a few days so I hope you don't mind" he tried to listen to the background noise coming from the other end of the line. Tomoyo on the other hand, kept quiet as she heard that it was her grandfather on the other line. He didn't send her a message before trying to call this time so even she could tell that it had to be an important call.

"Well… I hope you don't get too worried but… I called to inform you that the other party has lost their patience" it sounded like Jirou was riding in a vehicle that was in a hurry. "People claiming to be building inspectors brought along a few thugs demanding that they be granted access to every room and inspect everything" Jirou explained the situation.

"Where are you? Where is the naïve girl's grandfather?" Kazuya didn't waste time and immediately tried to confirm Jirou's location. Even if those people trying to barge their way in were truly officials, Jirou or Komori would be able to stop them just by showing up.

"The old bat is on his way from the security office" he informed. "I was on my way to pick you two up but I got off and took a cab to the headquarters now" Jirou sensed the boy's anxiety and thought that something was up.

"I'll be heading there as well" Kazuya said as he hurried his steps.

"Are you serious? They might figure out the involvement of the Kouzuki corporation in all of this" Jirou reminded. "Why are you so anxious?" Jirou knew Kazuya well so there must be something that he didn't know about.

"Big sis is in Kazuno tech building right now!"

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