The Kingdom of Luminus is a land of vibrant magic and breathtaking landscapes. Snow-covered mountains surrounded lush green valleys, where shimmering rivers wound through peaceful villages. At the heart of this magical realm, the capital city of Lumia rose like a shining jewel, with its tall towers and bustling marketplaces. It was a place where ancient traditions met the wonders of magic.
Yura, an energetic and determined boy, was often judged by others for possessing the feared magic of darkness, commonly associated with demons. Beside him was his twin sister, Yuzuriha, who, despite lacking magical abilities in a world where magic was essential, possessed unmatched brilliance and genius, supported by extraordinary physical prowess in hand-to-hand combat and mastery of tools and weapons. Alongside them stood Taren Sage, a warrior who, despite his youth, was already hailed as a hero, admired by the entire kingdom and respected beyond its borders. After a sudden demon attack in Aran, Taren saved the siblings from death and dedicated himself to training them.
Far from the capital...
Near the city of Aran, in an open field, a young group of future warriors was being trained.
The sound of clashing swords echoed across the training grounds. Yura spun quickly, dodging Taric's attack with remarkable skill for his age. "Good job, Yura," said Taren, a note of pride in his voice. "But remember, always keep your feet moving."
As Yura pushed to land a blow on Taren, Yuzuriha observed closely, mentally noting every move. "Yura!!" she shouted, running toward Taren with a combat spear. "Let's all attack together now! Right, everyone?" said Yuzuriha confidently.
At that moment, Asuna, Dan, and Lisa—friends of Yura and Yuzuriha and also Taren's students—emerged from the trees in a coordinated attack. "This time, we're going to land a hit on Master Taren!!" said Asuna jokingly. "Let them all come at once," said Taren with a smile. "I don't think we can beat him yet," Dan commented, despite being one of the most skilled among them. "Makes sense, he is one of the greatest warriors in our kingdom, right?" Lisa replied shyly.
The battle intensified. Their swift movements were impressive, but still not enough to match Taren, who effortlessly dodged, blocked, and countered every furious strike from his students.
They're good, but something's still missing. Maybe if I push them to their limit, they'll show their true nature, Taren thought during the flurry of blows.
In that moment, as Taren was momentarily distracted, Yuzuriha quickly glanced at her brother. At the same time, she stabbed her spear into the ground and flung it toward Taren.
"Now!!" she shouted with determination. Taren, reacting swiftly, jumped back to evade—but he didn't expect Dan to be right behind him.
"Got you!" said Dan confidently.
"Kinchi Style: Dragon Kick!" Dan spun at high speed, striking Taren's back with his right foot, sending him forward.
He was fast—good job, Dan. You're developing just as I expected from someone with your talent, Taren thought with a smile.
As I thought, taking him down won't be easy at all, Yuzuriha thought, planning her next moves.
"Alright everyone, let's stick to the plan, okay?"
"Alright, leave it to me!" said Asuna as she looked at her friends.
A new offensive began. Yuzuriha and Dan launched themselves at Taren with a rapid sequence of kicks and punches midair—so fast the others could barely follow.
They're really fast, Lisa thought while preparing an attack.
"Here I go, everyone—Plant Creation Magic: Restrictive Roots!"
A wave of roots burst from the ground aiming to restrain Taren, but he swiftly cut through them. With no time to waste, he advanced toward Asuna, who stood still, preparing an attack.
"Aah, no!" she screamed as he approached.
"Got you," said Taren with a confident smile.
"In your dreams!!" Yura shouted, leaping into the air with his katana imbued in darkness—old, yet still fearsome.
"Dark Slash: Shadow Lightning!!" Yura yelled, thrilled by the battle.
Taren looked at his student in surprise, defending himself with his sword still sheathed. He thought:
Not as simple as I thought, haha... Now I'm really getting excited. Come on, Yura, of all of them, you have the most reason not to give up. Fight with everything you've got!!
The clash between blades sent them both flying back, but determined not to let Taren recover, Renji entered the fray, hurling Yuzuriha's spear at their master. Taren not only blocked it but shattered the weapon into pieces.
Taren charged at Renji, aiming a powerful downward punch, but was intercepted by Yuzuriha and Dan, who shielded Renji with their arms. The four engaged in another intense exchange of blows, but the difference in skill was still obvious. Taren easily dodged, deflected, and countered every move with unyielding speed—until...
Taren landed a swift, precise punch to Renji's stomach, followed by a kick to his ribs that sent him flying into Lisa.
"It'll take more than that if you want to become knights of Luminus."
He then grabbed Dan by the shirt, dodged a kick from Yuzuriha, and threw Dan aside.
The battle continued with Taren and Yuzuriha exchanging strikes, until suddenly, an iron pillar erupted from the ground between them—followed by several more.
"What is this?!" Taren thought.
"This is what you always ask of us in training, master: teamwork!" Yuzuriha shouted.
At that moment, she resumed her attack while Renji's magic pillars emerged nonstop. Dodging and striking as fast as she could, she used the narrowing pillars in her strategy. Each time Taren tried to hit her, another pillar rose.
Incredible, this synchronization is unexpected. As if defending against her attacks wasn't enough, now I have to worry about this magic too, he thought.
I imagine she's sensing the ground's vibrations, then dodging with that impressive natural instinct. Even without magic, she's evolved to a level equal—or superior—in physical combat.
Then, Taren swiftly backed away from Yuzuriha and moved toward Asuna, landing a left hook—only to realize it was a water clone, which instantly turned to ice, trapping his left arm and then his right when he tried to break free.
Asuna and Taren emerged from a curtain of water after the clone's explosion, droplets shimmering around them. Feeling the cool breeze of the stream, Asuna was lost in thought, remembering a significant moment in her training with Taren.
Years ago, in a training field surrounded by tall trees and the sounds of nature, Taren and Asuna practiced combat techniques.
"Be unpredictable in battle," Taren had said, watching her attempt a direct strike. "Even if you can't do anything, make your opponent think you can."
Asuna, breathless, paused for a moment and looked at her master. "How do you surprise someone like you?" she asked, frustration in her voice.
Taren smiled, gently placing a hand on her head. "You'll learn at the right moment," he said, his voice firm and encouraging.
Back in the present, Asuna smiled, remembering his words. That lesson about unpredictability had rooted deeply in her over the years. She looked at Taren beside her and realized—this was the moment.
Taren smiled and thought...
Hmph, you remembered, didn't you? Even back in that early training, I knew you had potential. Now you've proven I was right to believe in you—all of you.
Meanwhile, hidden in the trees, was Yura...
Yura leaned against a tree, letting his memories carry him to simpler times. Years ago, on a similar day, he and his sister were still learning the basics of combat with Taren.
"Hold the sword tighter, Yura," Taren had said, circling the boy. "You need to control the blade—not just hold it."
"I'm trying," Yura had replied, his fingers aching from effort. "But it's so hard…"
Yuzuriha, nearby, had laughed. "You look like you're fighting the sword more than using it!"
Yura had frowned, determined to improve. "I'll get it. I just need more practice."
Taren placed a hand on his shoulder, his gaze serious yet encouraging. "You've got potential, Yura. Don't give up. The warrior's path is long and harsh—but rewarding."
Back in the present, Yura smiled to himself. Those tough training days under Taren's watchful eye had shaped his skill and determination. He looked around and saw his friends getting up after the last intense exchange.
"We're ready," Yura murmured with confidence. "Thanks to him, we're ready for anything."
The training field buzzed with tension, the air charged with the electricity of the looming battle. Yura and his friends stood aligned against Taren, ready to give it their all.
"You've made incredible progress," said Taren with a slight smile. "But to prove you're ready for the journey to the capital, you'll have to defeat me."
Yura looked at his friends, then back at Taren. "We're ready! Let's show you what we've learned."
He took position, focusing. Taren, watching his every move, assumed a defensive stance. Yura then disappeared among the trees, using the shadows for cover.
"Yura, don't think I can be easily surprised," Taren said, scanning the area.
Suddenly, Yura emerged from the darkness, his eyes gleaming with resolve. "Dark Slash!" he shouted, unleashing a wave of shadow energy at Taren. The blade of darkness carved through the trees, leaving a black trail.
"The same move won't work on me twice," said Taren confidently.
He dodged skillfully—but before he could reposition, Yura was already on him, moving with astonishing speed.
"Dark Slash: Waning Moon!" Yura shouted, executing a wide, arcing strike with his shadow-wrapped sword.
Caught off guard by Yura's speed, Taren raised his blade to block. The strength of the "Waning Moon" forced him back a step.
"Impressive, Yura," said Taren, regaining his stance. "You've truly learned to be unpredictable."
Yura smiled, breathing hard. "All thanks to what you taught us, master."
Taren laughed and nodded. "Very well. If you keep this up, you'll be ready for anything in the capital."
The other students, inspired by Yura's performance, joined the fight with renewed determination. Working together, they managed to pressure Taren in ways he hadn't anticipated.
The moonlit field crackled with energy. Yura stepped forward, a confident grin on his face.
"Relax, everyone. I'll hold him off while you recover," Yura said, casting a determined look at his friends. "This is going to be fun!"
Taren chuckled with a teasing air. "I'm glad you're excited, Yura. But don't forget—I'm not even close to using my true power."
Yura gripped his sword tightly, eyes glowing with resolve. "If I push you to your limit, do I pass?"
Taren raised an eyebrow, a challenging smile on his lips. "Try it—and see if you can, Yura."
With that, Yura charged, his blade slicing through the air at incredible speed. Taren met his attack with ease, the two locked in a rapid exchange of strikes.
"New Moon!" Yura shouted, his shadowed blade sweeping in a devastating arc. Taren dodged expertly, his face serious.
"Full Moon!" Yura raised his sword, forming a dark shield around himself, blocking Taren's following attacks. The clash of strikes echoed across the field, but Yura held firm.
"Black Bolt!" With a roar, Yura surged forward, becoming a blur as he darted around Taren, searching for an opening.
— The Strongest Attack —
Taren, unfazed, raised his sword for the first time, forming a radiant shield of light. "Thousand Sacred Cuts!" His blade split into countless slashes of light, striking in all directions.
Yura dodged and blocked with difficulty, but his resolve never wavered. "Shattered Moon!" he yelled, releasing a burst of energy from his sword, forming a massive dome-shaped sphere around them. Inside, countless dark slashes fired at high speed.
Taren defended with his shield of light, but the intensity of Yura's attack pushed him back. The shadow sphere exploded in a spectacle of darkness and light, creating a vortex of energy on the field.
When the dust settled, Taren remained standing—breathing heavily but smiling in approval. Yura, exhausted, still held his sword high, ready to keep going.
"You surprised me, Yura," said Taren, voice firm. "You passed. And not just passed—you proved you're ready for any challenge."
Yura smiled, nearly spent. "Thanks!... I mean, thank you, master."
In the end, Taren raised his hand, signaling the end of the battle. "You all passed. I'm proud of you."
The next morning, as they walked the road, Taren led the group. "Remember," he said, looking at his young warriors, "the light of hope must never fade, no matter how dark the night—be that light," he said with a gentle smile.
With those words, they moved forward, ready to face the trials that awaited them in the royal capital.