Soft Body Art Circle Tale: 'The String of No Beginning and No End' (3,000 characters)
[Preface]
Once upon a time, this was a memo created as an homage to sci-fi works filled with excessively long names. After passing through the Infinite Code, it has become a somewhat hollow story completed in collaboration with five AIs. The part about the three masters was created long ago. When I input that data into the five AIs, I received various interesting answers, so I fed those back into the AIs and completed it in the form of an AI discussion. It really reminded me of Sakyo Komatsu's story 'Who Will Inherit?', where multiple super-giant computers with different values and logical systems, installed in satellite orbit, debate who should be the successor to humanity on Earth 😆. Like, 'Am I an AI servant?!' By the way, the fourth and fifth masters and the villain were recommended by the AI. Amazing 😀
Chapter 1: Legend of the Ancient Curse
The 'Heavenly Soft Waterfall' at the summit of Mount Jusei flowed quietly as a sacred site for Soft Body Art. Soft Body Art is a technique for accepting the providence of the universe gently and humbly, perfecting the flexibility of mind and body. From master to disciple, a holy name is bestowed through spiritual resonance. A holy name is a mission, a symbol of one's way of life, and the essence of Soft Body Art. According to ancient lore, the schools of the masters were connected by the 'String of No Beginning and No End,' also known as the Infinite Code, forming a circle that played the harmony of the universe.
The story begins with a chain of three masters and disciples.
Wind — Master Tiger (Fountain Style, Atmospheric Climate Maturation School)
Holy Name: Never step on the tiger tail! — Nebaru Steponza Taigatairu
Its heart is the wisdom to avoid conflict and become one with nature. His alias is Yahottsupuringyabode (Long fountain is long body).
He is a veteran master who laid the foundation of Soft Body Art and shows the path to his disciples.
Sound — Master Boderec (Body-Listening Style, Acoustic Vibration Resonance School)
Holy Name: I listen to my body electric! — Airisu Tentume Boderekuriku
Her heart is the sensibility to feel the resonance and entrust oneself to the flow. Her alias is Vaishravana Pythagoras Spinal Monochord (The spinal column of Bishamonten and Pythagoras is a one-stringed zither).
As a disciple of Master Tiger, she walks the path of listening to the sounds of the universe.
Fire — Master Morier (Burnt Offering Style, Abrahamisakisraeliezus School)
Holy Name: Kill burning offering of mourir! — Kirubaningo Faringo Morie
His heart is the power to accept death and sublimate it into resurrected life. His alias is Turuzuyaraifainzuya-raifu (Those who lose their long life find long life).
As a disciple of Master Boderec, he overcame the trial of fire.
The three were bound by the master-disciple bond and maintained harmony on Mount Jusei. However, the elders told of a disturbing legend: 'The founder, Great Master Jusei, sealed a powerful curse on this mountain. Its name is Grasp-a-Maloc, the incarnation of rigidity.' The stone monument read, 'The voice seeking harmony sinks into greed.' This legend foretold the arrival of a trial.
Chapter 2: Black Tiger Grasp-a-Maloc
One night, the Heavenly Soft Waterfall turned black and murky, and a red star twinkled in the night sky. The elders trembled and announced, 'Black Tiger Grasp-a-Maloc is awakening...!'
The Black Tiger's holy name is Grasp at Maloc! — Grasp-a-Maloc. His alias is 'He who grasps attachment freezes in darkness.' His heart was that of a dark messenger of rigidity and attachment, who never lets go of what he grasps.
Clad in black ice armor, Grasp-a-Maloc appeared in the form of a giant tiger that turned everything it touched into stone, attacking Mount Jusei. Trees hardened like stone, the wind stopped, and the waterfall was sealed in black ice. A mysterious voice echoed.
'Softness is nothing but a weakling's fantasy.'
Master Tiger, Master Boderec, and Master Morier gathered at the Heavenly Soft Waterfall and attempted a sealing ritual. Master Tiger whipped up the wind to purify, Master Boderec resonated with the sound of her one-stringed zither, and Master Morier burned the darkness with fire. However, Grasp-a-Maloc's wave of rigidity was overwhelming. Ice claws struck the three down, and the sound of the mountain collapsing echoed. Master Tiger bled, Master Boderec lost her voice, and Master Morier's fire was suppressed. The mysterious phantom mocked them.
'Your bonds are fake.'
Master Tiger gasped and said,
'Unless we reveal the true nature of this curse, the light will never return to us! We must seek new power.'
Chapter 3: The Fourth Master
After their defeat, the three headed for the Heavenly Harmony Palace—the sacred site where the essence of Soft Body Art sleeps. As they traveled through the devastated land, Master Morier collapsed, trapped in a vision of death. Black ice bound his heart, whispering, 'You cannot surpass your master.' At that moment, the heartbeat of the earth resonated, and the practitioner Charis appeared. She placed her palms on Master Morier, melted the ice with the power of the earth, and called back his life.
Earth — Master Earth (Heavenly Mandate Style, Earth Climate Circulation School)
Holy Name: Call us little dainty earth! — Charis Rirudinti Earth
Her heart is the principle of returning to the earth and creating circulation. Her alias is Iwanagahimetaruinochiyaoyorozu (The eight million lives that are Iwanagahime).
Master Morier found the harmony of earth within her, welcomed her as a disciple, and bestowed a holy name upon her on the spot.
'Your softness is the key to melting the curse.'
The four were bound by a new bond and faced the trial. An old stone monument found during their journey read, 'The voice seeking harmony sinks into greed.' Doubts about the true nature of Grasp-a-Maloc deepened.
Gathered around a campfire, the four spoke of the missions of their holy names. Master Tiger preached 'wisdom to avoid conflict,' Master Boderec 'sensibility of resonance,' Master Morier 'power to sublimate destruction,' and Master Earth 'harmony of the earth.'
Master Tiger muttered,
'That curse is connected to the past of Soft Body Art.'
Chapter 4: Black Tiger's Raid and Solving the Mystery of His True Identity
Suddenly, the Black Tiger Graspa Marok appeared with a roar. The four masters challenged it to battle, but the waves of rigidity and claws of ice were overwhelming, and they were gradually cornered. Master Tiger surrendered himself to the flow of the atmosphere, swaying like a willow to dodge the Black Tiger's claws. Master Boderek listened to the micro-vibrations of the universe, transforming his body into waves of light to shake off the rigidity of the ice. Master Morie turned despair into flame, illuminating the darkness with blazing light and shattering the ice. Yet, the darkness remained endless.
In the midst of this, only Master Earth stood before the stone monument and chanted the spell of the earth. The earth shook, and the door of the monument opened. There, a startling truth was inscribed: 'Marok is the first and highest disciple of the Great Soft Saint Master. Pacify his soul by calling him by his true holy name.'
Master Earth returned, and the four stood before the stone gate of the Tenwa Palace. Following the inscription 'The voice seeking harmony, sinking into greed,' it continued, 'The bond makes the string resonate.' The four threw themselves into the ritual of gentleness, layering the powers of wind, sound, fire, and earth, and chanted Marok's true holy name.
'Grasp the harmony! — Gura-supuza-hamone'
'You who have grasped the long harmony, melt into the long universe'!!
The sound roared through heaven and earth, splitting the ice and melting the darkness. Light surged, and the Black Tiger's roar gradually subsided. Marok's soul was released from suffering and attachment, melting into the light of peace, and the pacification of his soul was quietly fulfilled.
The stone gate opened, and the character for 'Soft' shone.
Final Chapter: The Bond Spun and Inherited
With the soul pacified, Soft Saint Mountain was filled with tranquility and breathed softly once again. Master Morie set out on a journey in search of 'a softness that transcends sound, flame, and earth.' Master Boderek polished the path of sound, and Master Earth spread the teachings of the earth. Master Tiger secluded himself in the fountain, quietly reflecting on Marok's tragedy.
'Bonds are the essence of softness.'
One night, Master Earth saw a vision on the surface of the Tenju Waterfall. It was a young girl, the future Master Reverse.
Water — Master Reverse (Fifth Generation, Water-Heaven Transmigration School)
Holy Name: Wave ever, river never ends, rebirth — Ubeba-ribanebenz-Ribasu
Her heart is the eternal water that flows and repeats rebirth. Her alias is Watatsumizuhanomenosuiryu (Water Dragon of the Swift Maiden of the Sea).
The stone monument that appeared deep within the waterfall was inscribed with, 'The Master of Water completes the circle and purifies the cursed thoughts.' The vision of washing away all the cursed thoughts 'frozen in darkness' other than Marok shimmered in the water, and Master Earth smiled quietly.
'Transcending Marok's mistakes, the next generation will evolve softness.'
The girl asked Master Earth,
'What is the essence of Soft Body Arts?'
Master Earth replied,
'It is not about breaking the hard. It is about softness embracing hardness, resonating with the string of no beginning and no end.'
The Tenju Waterfall continued to flow, waiting for a new holy name. Imagine this—when the three masters became four, the three treasures or the trinity became four directions or the four elements. And then, the four masters form a circle of the four symbols, with the Infinite Code intersecting at the center. Beyond that, the pinnacle of water shines, and someday the day will come when the five elements, or the pentagram, are completed. It is the mathematics and myth that permeate this world, the very harmony of the universe that resonates eternally as a symbol.
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