Masura tightened his grip around his sword.
Across from him, Inosi held his ground, pale red Zhoa energy coating his body, shielding him from the poisonous mist still drifting across the battlefield.
Masura looked him over and gave a faint smile. "Honestly, you’re impressive. But you still don’t match me."
"Shut up." Inosi stepped forward.
Before he could close the distance, something rose from the ground between them. A dark, poisonous silhouette slowly took shape, almost human in outline, its body nothing but shifting black shadow, wisps of poison curling off its limbs.
Inosi’s eyes widened. "W-What is that?"
The shadow moved and blocked his path. He froze for half a second.
That was all Masura needed. He vanished.
A moment later his voice came from behind Inosi. "What? Surprised?"
Something changed in Inosi’s expression. Then, unexpectedly, a small smile crossed his face, and he drove his sword straight into the ground.
Masura’s eyes narrowed.What is he planning?
Without warning, long red spikes erupted from the earth. One. Two. Five. Dozens, rising higher and higher, crossing over one another until they had sealed themselves into a cage around him.
Masura looked around at the bars, then sighed dramatically. "Oh, no. I’m trapped." He glanced toward Inosi. "Maybe you should try this on someone else."
Inosi didn’t answer. The red cage began tightening.
Then, suddenly, Masura’s body dissolved into black smoke. The spikes slammed together on nothing.
The smoke drifted through the air and reformed directly beside Inosi. Masura leaned in close to his ear. "We’ll play again someday."
Inosi’s eyes went wide, and Masura’s sword flashed. A single powerful strike sent him crashing to the ground, rolling across the dirt before he finally came to a stop, breathing unevenly.
The Warriors watching from a distance covered their mouths, staring at the scene in disbelief.
Inosi pushed himself up on one arm. "Then... finish me."
Masura looked down at him without answering.
Inosi clenched his teeth. "If you don’t, next time your life will be in my hands."
Before Masura could reply, the sound of thundering hooves rolled across the mountainside. A white horse came racing down the slope, a woman in her forties sitting upright on its back, dressed in a fitted, high-collared coat, her long white hair streaming behind her as she pulled hard on the reins.
The horse slowed to a stop. The woman’s eyes found Inosi lying in the dirt first.
"Zoha..."
Then her gaze shifted, and she saw Masura. Her expression changed all at once. Her eyes widened.
"No..."
She stared at him for several seconds before her voice came out barely above a whisper. "That movement. It can’t be." She looked again, more carefully this time. "That’s... Ashura."
The moment the name left her lips, Masura turned slowly, a smile spreading across his face. "Ah." He looked directly at her. "So you still remember me, Miss Suhi."
Suhi’s face hardened. "You..."
Behind her, Zoha jumped down from the horse. "Ashura..." Her hand moved toward her sword.
Ashura’s eyes shifted to her, and for the first time his expression softened. "Ohh." He smiled. "My little love, Zoha. It’s been a long time."
Zoha’s fingers tightened around her hilt. "Don’t call me that."
"Still angry with me?"
She didn’t answer. For a moment something old and painful passed through her eyes, and Ashura noticed it, the way he always did. She didn’t answer. For a moment, something old and painful passed through her eyes, and Ashura noticed it...the way he always did. He had known her for far longer than anyone here could imagine, from a time when things between them had been very different.
Neither of them said anything more.
Neither of them said anything more about it.
Suhi stepped forward. "You came back again." Her voice was cold. "What exactly did you do to my student?"
Ashura glanced toward Inosi. "Oh? You never introduced him to me as your student." His smile widened. "Still, I have to admit, the kid fights well."
Suhi’s jaw tightened.
Zoha drew her sword. "You bastard!" She started forward, but Suhi raised one hand.
"Zoha. Stop."
Zoha froze in place.
Ashura chuckled. "Still impatient."
"Don’t talk to me," Zoha snapped.
He gave a small shrug. "Fine." His eyes swept over the battlefield. "I’m not really in the mood to stay anyway."
He lowered his sword and drew a circle across the ground. The moment the circle closed, the earth inside it turned completely black.
Suhi’s eyes narrowed. "You’re running away?"
"Leaving," Ashura corrected, stepping backward. He looked at Inosi one last time. "Next time, try not to get yourself killed before I arrive."
Inosi glared up at him from the ground.
Ashura’s eyes drifted back to Suhi. "And before I go." His smile went faint. "You found the Catalyst, didn’t you?"
Suhi’s expression shifted, just slightly, and that was answer enough. Ashura laughed quietly. "Thought so."
He stepped into the black circle. "See you again, teacher." His body sank into the darkness, and a moment later the ground returned to normal. He was gone.
Zoha ran straight to Inosi’s side. "Inosi!" She dropped to her knees beside him.
Suhi stayed where she was, staring at the empty patch of ground, her expression more serious than either of them had ever seen it.
"Ashura..."
By the time Hasib, Sara, and Rocky started walking home, the sun had already slipped behind the clouds, the evening sky settled into dull shades of orange and gray.
Rocky walked a little ahead, his new sword hanging at his side. Sara kept glancing over at him.
"So you’re really not going to tell us anything about Uzomo?"
"No."
She puffed out her cheeks. "You’re boring."
Hasib laughed. "That’s just Rocky."
Rocky didn’t respond. They walked on until they reached a fork in the road, and he stopped.
"My way’s this way."
Sara waved. "Bye, Rocky!"
He lifted one hand and turned down the road without looking back. Hasib watched him disappear around the corner before he and Sara kept walking.
A few minutes later, two familiar figures came into view ahead. Simon and Lio. Lio spotted them first.
"Hasib!"
Oh, no, Hasib thought, already knowing what was coming.
Lio jogged over, practically glowing with excitement. "You should’ve seen it! When I opened mine, this green light surrounded my whole body!" He spread his arms out wide. "It felt like starting an entirely new life. Seriously, you can’t even describe it with words."
Hasib forced a smile. "Ohh. That’s great."
They both already awakened their swords. What am I supposed to say? He bit down nervously on the tip of his finger.
Simon nodded, looking down at his own blade. "It was a little troublesome. But yeah, I enjoyed it." He smiled. "Mine came out gray."
"Amazing," Hasib said stiffly. Please don’t ask me.
Lio looked straight at him. "So, how was yours?"
Hasib nearly jumped. "Hehehe. Mine?" He scratched at his cheek. "Heheh."
Before he could scrape together an answer, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Hasib!"
He turned. "Hina!" He stepped away from Simon and Lio without a second thought. "My savior."
Hina walked closer, fingers brushing lightly at the edge of her veil. "Hey."
"How’s it going?" Hasib asked.
"Good."
"And you?"
"I’m good."
His eyes drifted to her sword, and before he could think better of it, he said, "Your sword looks really cool."
Hina froze, fingers stopping mid-motion. *Hasib just complimented my sword.* Her eyes widened slightly. *Why did he suddenly say that?*
He hadn’t even noticed her reaction. "Well, you guys should all head home. I’ve got to go too." He waved. "Work hard! Bye, Hina!"
He walked off. Hina stood completely still, staring after him.
*Hasib... inspired me?*
Simon scratched at his chin. "What’s wrong with her?"
She didn’t answer, still staring in the direction Hasib had gone.
"Hina. Come on," Simon sighed, and she finally turned and started walking home.
Hasib got back to his room, dropped his bag on the floor, and let out a long breath.
"Huh." He glanced toward the door. "If Hina hadn’t shown up, my dignity would’ve turned into soup."
He tore open a cup of noodles and poured hot water in. There wasn’t much else to eat, and tonight, this would have to do. When he finished, he dropped the empty container on the floor and collapsed onto his bed.
"I’m exhausted."
He stared at the ceiling, and a familiar blue interface unfolded before his eyes.
**[SYSTEM OPEN]**
[LEVEL 2]
[TASK 1 — STRETCHING + LIFTING]
[TASK 2 — SENSING & COUNTER-FLEXIBILITY]
[TASK 3 — INVENTORY DOMAIN]
Another message appeared beneath it.
**[NOTE: FROM TODAY ONWARD, YOU MAY CHOOSE TRAINING ACCORDING TO YOUR CURRENT PROBLEM.]**
Hasib blinked. "Huh?"
A blank field opened in front of him.
[WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND?]
He thought about it for a moment, and his eyes sharpened. "I need to awaken my sword with Zhoa energy."
[SETTING MODIFIED.]
He raised an eyebrow. "Okay." Sitting up straighter, he added, "Let’s see what happens."
[SYSTEM: ANALYZING MEMORY...]
[ALL SETTINGS HAVE BEEN SETTLED.]
[TRAINING WILL BEGIN.]
Hasib took a breath. "Open."
The threads appeared, wrapping around his limbs the same as always, pulling his body into painful, twisted positions.
"AAGH!" He gritted his teeth through it.
Then a voice cut through the dark.
"Hasib!"
His eyes went wide. That voice."SARA!"
It echoed all around him, from every direction at once. "You have to do it! I know you’re not behind! You’ll even surpass Rocky, I’m sure of it!"
Hasib stared into the darkness. W-What the fuck? He looked around. "What kind of trick is this?"
Her voice kept going. "Why aren’t you answering me, Hasssiiibbb?!"
He swallowed. Is this really Sara? Then his jaw set. "Fine!" He grabbed at the threads. "Who said I can’t do it? Watch me."
Blades materialized in the air around him. On any other day, that alone would have had him terrified. Today, it didn’t.
"Huh." He tightened his grip. "For Sara, I’m not even scared of these today."
He pushed himself harder than he ever had, and somehow, he cleared the task faster than expected.
He stared at the System. "Already?" A breath. "Then let’s keep going."
[TASK 2 — SENSING & COUNTER-FLEXIBILITY]
The world shifted around him. Several metallic humanoids appeared, grabbing his arms and legs, holding him in place.
"What the..." He struggled against them, then looked ahead.
Inside a metal cage stood Sara. "Hasib!"
His eyes widened. Beneath the cage sat a huge basin, bubbling with acid.
"Hasib, save me!"
His expression darkened. "Fucking system!"
The cage started to descend. Zhoa energy surged through his body without warning.
"Hold on!" He called his sword, and it appeared in his hand, wrapped in the same energy. He swung.
SLASH!
The blade struck the cage, splitting the bars apart. "Yes!"
He spun toward the nearest of the red metal soldiers. "Get out of my way!" He slashed at it, but the attack sank harmlessly into its body.
His eyes went wide. "What?"
The red soldier had absorbed the hit completely. Before he could react, the yellow one vanished, using the same trick, and reappeared right in front of him, driving a fist across his face.
"Aww, no!" He staggered back.
"Hasib! Faster!"
The rest of the soldiers rushed him at once. He gritted his teeth. "Fine!" Dark energy gathered along his blade.
Dark Slash!
The sword swept forward and tore straight through two of them. He rushed toward Sara’s cage, but two more intercepted him, their attacks slamming into his armor. This time he barely moved, the armor absorbing the impact while his Zhoa energy reinforced his body underneath.
"Not this time." He twisted, driving another Dark Slash through one, then the last.
He ran to the cage and pulled it open. "Are you okay?"
Sara smiled. "Thanks, Hasib."
He scratched the back of his head. "It was nothing."
Then she disappeared.
Hasib stared at the empty cage for a moment. "...Oh." He let out a breath. "Even if she was fake, I’m glad I saved her."
[TASK 2 COMPLETED.]
He looked at the last option waiting for him.
[TASK 3 — INVENTORY DOMAIN]
He smiled. "Okay." The portal opened, and he stepped through.
The first thing he felt was cold. His boots sank into thick snow, and when he looked up, a vast frozen landscape stretched out endlessly in every direction, snow drifting slowly through the air.
He rubbed at his arms. "Why is it always cold?"
Then something caught his eye, far beyond the snowy hills. An orange glow flickered against the horizon. Fire. And beneath it, carried faintly on the wind, the sound of shouting.
Hasib narrowed his eyes. *What the hell is happening over there?*
He tightened his grip on his sword and started walking toward it.