But Iwaizumi kept walking ahead, deflecting their questions. His fingers tightened around the tickets in his pocket, now crumpled slightly. The past wasn't something he wanted to unpack here.
Gin stayed quiet, watching his new friend's back.
That guy… Nathan. What did he mean about never apologizing? What kind of trouble did they get into.
They rounded a corner, the Gate no longer visible but Gin's thoughts lingered on what lay behind it. More than that, he couldn't stop thinking about what the Guild had done, how they'd moved. He was definitely going to join one someday, but he had to awaken first. The way the flames danced around redman Visible to the naked eye without any chi, he needed to understand how Redman could control the fire element. So many questions flooded his mind: Was Redman the only one who could wield it? How exactly did he control it? What were its limits and strengths? What could he do with such power? And what about the others the guy with the hardened body, the girl who could float, and those other figures he couldn't even see clearly who held cameras.
"Hey," Gin asked suddenly, eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Do you think there's a way to use Pulse even after 18? Like… some loophole?"
Iwaizumi tensed but said nothing.
Tabaki blinked. "A loophole? What do you mean?"
"I don't know yet," Gin said, his voice distant. "I keep hearing about this 'Pulse' and randomness, like they explain everything… but I still don't really understand. And if it's tied to age, why does so much depend on it?"
Iwaizumi finally spoke, his tone clipped.
"Well, from what I've read in books and at school, the reason you develop your Pulse at a younger age is because of the Pulse gene. Pulse is genetic, sir. But unfortunately, it's not guaranteed. Even if both your parents have Pulse abilities, you might not inherit them most people don't inherit exactly what their parents have. Usually, it's something completely different.
If you don't awaken your Pulse by eighteen… that's the official line from the schools. No exceptions. I've read articles about people awakening later, but it's risky the adult body might not fuse properly with the Pulse, which can cause serious complications."
"But what is it, exactly?" Gin pressed. "I've only seen it a few times. Especially back in K-Pen chief Megnon could make lightning shoot from his fingers. And the way he moved… it wasn't just fast. It was like his entire body was charged, like his muscles were syncing with the voltage."
Iwaizumi nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I see. He must have a lightning-based ability. His Pulse lets him use lightning attacks and skills. Whether he generates the lightning himself or manipulates external lightning, I'm not sure it's hard to tell with the info you gave me. He's lucky, that's a pretty rare and cool ability. Some of us aren't that fortunate."
Gin paused, eyes narrowing in thought.
"He told me he hadn't even used half his strength. Said the lightning wasn't just for offense it was part of how he thought, how he moved. Like it was boosting his reflexes, firing through his nervous system to sharpen every reaction."
Wow, that actually sounded really cool. Iwaizumi and Tabaki exchanged looks of genuine amazement.
Iwazumi added, "The Pulse gene from what we were taught has always been part of your genetics. In fact, all living creatures have it. It's one of the most fundamental similarities across life. This gene ignites and powers the abilities you see today. Some of us have lost the ability to manifest our Pulse abilities over time, while others don't face that problem at all. Then there's the randomness of abilities — some people have super speed, but it can be oddly specific, like just their arms are fast, while the rest of their body isn't. Others develop traits or strength like certain animals, or even control elements. It's a messy, confusing system. Which is why most people just care about what their abilities let them do, not how or why."
Tabaki chimed in, "Yeah, I remember struggling to wrap my head around some of those concepts back in school. But they had counselors who helped guide us on how to manage our abilities, and even how to apply for certain jobs. Some abilities make it tough to be productive in society, and those people often need medical care or special support. Remember that guy with the massive legs—like elephant legs? Life was really hard for him. He hated his abilities."
Iwazumi nodded. "Abilities can be either a blessing… or a curse, Sir Gin."
Gin looked down at his hands, frowning. Back in my world, we called this internal cultivation—channeling energy through your body to enhance your chakra points. Chi was the life force flowing within all living things and the world itself. But here, it was all about genes. Your abilities shaped your life and your body. Some powers just weren't meant for you. I don't want to grow elephant legs... he thought, a pang of unease rising within him. Still, he wondered, If I did awaken, how bad could it really be? What exactly would happen to me?
Iwaizumi glanced over at Tabaki. "Don't you have a flame-type Pulse? Why don't you help explain it to him more.
Tabaki scratched the back of his neck, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well… it's kinda hard to explain. Mine happened when I was nine. I was just trying to cook some instant noodles."
He gave a small, bitter laugh.
"I thought the stove was already on, but the pot kept getting hotter the more I touched it. I didn't think much of it just figured it was heating up. Then steam started rising fast like dangerously fast. Next thing I know, it boiled over and " He hesitated. "My little sister was standing nearby. She got burned pretty bad."
Iwaizumi glanced over at Tabaki. "Don't you have a flame-type Pulse? Why don't you explain it to him?"
Tabaki scratched the back of his neck, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well… it's kind of hard to explain. Mine activated when I was nine. I was just trying to cook some instant noodles."
He gave a small, bitter laugh. "I thought the stove was already on, but the pot kept getting hotter the more I touched it. At first, I didn't think much of it just figured it was heating up normally. Then steam started rising really fast, dangerously fast. Next thing I know, it boiled over and…" He hesitated. "My little sister was standing nearby. She got burned pretty badly."
He sighed. "As for why mine activated there, I don't really know. Doctors said I probably had awakened before the incident, but in most cases, a bad experience fear or danger triggers Pulse activation. They showed me my amygdala apparently most Pulse users have either a very sensitive one or a larger amygdala compared to others. The science was way too complicated for my brain, haha. Sorry."
Gin's expression shifted, the weight of Tabaki's words sinking in.
"After that," Tabaki continued quietly, "I didn't want anything to do with it. I stopped trying to use it I didn't even want to understand it. But over time, the doctors told me I had to be careful with my hands, because that's where it triggers. It's like… heat builds the more I focus or feel. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the Pulse."
He glanced down at his palms, lost in thought.
Iwaizumi smirked. "So, you've got hot hands and yet you do those Lady Justice videos?"