Part I: The Sealed Gate and the Training Years
The mist didn't return.
Not the next day.
Not the next week.
Not even after a month.
Kaito stood on the rooftop of the orphanage, staring at the sky where the veil between worlds had once shimmered. Stormseed and Gravemark pulsed faintly within him, but the gateway remained sealed.
Then, one night, the system whispered:
Dimensional access: Temporarily sealed. Estimated reactivation: 2 years.
Kaito's breath caught.
Two years.
He clenched his fists, then exhaled.
"Then I'll be ready."
From that day forward, he built a schedule. Not just to maintain his skills—but to evolve them.
Kaito's 2-Year Training Schedule
Morning (5:00 AM – 8:00 AM):
Breath Control Drills: 100-count Thunder Breathing cycles, alternating with silent holds. Anchor Step Repetition: Practiced on gravel, tile, and wet concrete to master terrain locking. Weighted Runs: 3 km with ankle weights, gradually increasing resistance every 3 months.
Midday (12:00 PM – 2:00 PM):
Sword Forms: Solo kata with a wooden blade, then steel. Focused on timing and precision. Graviton Pulse Simulation: Practiced footwork bursts using sandbags and chalk circles to simulate knockback radius. Reflex Training: Rubber ball ricochet drills in the alley behind the orphanage.
Evening (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM):
Shadow Sparring: Visualized demon encounters, replayed Final Selection battles, and restructured tactics. Skill Meditation: Sat in silence, visualizing Gravemark's branches and potential combinations with Stormseed. Recovery Breathing: Slow Thunder Breathing to reduce muscle fatigue and sharpen focus.
He didn't skip a day.
Even when it rained.
Even when his legs trembled.
Even when the other kids asked why he was always bruised.
He trained in silence, in shadow, and in rhythm.
And slowly, his body changed.
His strikes grew heavier. His footwork more precise. His instincts sharper.
He didn't just train to return.
He trained to dominate.
Part II: The World Around Him
From the outside, Kaito hadn't changed much.
Still quiet. Still polite. Still the boy who helped carry groceries and fixed the leaky faucet in the kitchen.
But the people around him noticed something deeper.
👦 Orphanage Kids – POV: Riku (Age 9) "Kaito's weird now. Not in a bad way. Just… different. He doesn't play tag anymore. But when he walks past, I feel like he's listening to something I can't hear. Like thunder in his head."
"He helped me with my math homework last week. He didn't smile, but he patted my head. That was enough."
👩 Caretaker – POV: Miss Aoi "He wakes up before I do. I hear the floorboards creak at 5 AM sharp. Then silence. Then the sound of his feet—measured, deliberate."
"He's never once asked for help. But he's always the first to offer it."
"Sometimes I catch him staring at the sky like he's waiting for something. I don't ask. I just make sure there's extra rice in his bowl."
👨🏫 Teacher – POV: Mr. Tanaka "Kaito's grades are average, but his focus is unnerving. He finishes tests early and spends the rest of the time staring at his hands."
"I once asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said, 'Prepared.' I didn't know what to say to that."
👧 Older Girl – POV: Mei (Age 13) "He's not like the other boys. He doesn't brag. He doesn't chase attention. But when a drunk man yelled at the bakery lady last winter, Kaito stepped between them without blinking."
"He didn't fight. He just stood there. And the man backed off."
"I think he's stronger than he looks. Stronger than anyone here knows."
Two years passed.
The seasons turned.
And the boy who once vanished into mist became something else.
Not just a survivor.
Not just a swordsman.
But a storm waiting to be unleashed.
And on the morning of the second year's end, the mist returned.