The mountain was silent.
Too silent.
Ryuzen stood on the ancient stone platform, the Life Contract sword in his hand.
The strange golden markings along the blade had stopped glowing.
For the first time since he had reached the summit, there was no thunder.
No wind.
No movement.
Only silence.
Lyra stood a few steps behind him, watching the dark forest below.
Then—
THUD.
The ground shook.
Ryuzen immediately turned.
Lyra’s expression changed.
“What was that?”
THUD.
Another step.
Something was climbing toward them.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Ryuzen tightened his grip around the sword.
“Stay alert.”
“I am.”
The trees below suddenly moved.
Branches snapped.
Leaves fell.
Then something enormous emerged from the forest.
Lyra froze.
Ryuzen’s eyes narrowed.
The creature was massive.
It stood nearly twice the height of a human, its body covered in ancient stone-like armor.
Cracks ran across its chest and arms, and faint blue light shone from within those cracks.
Its face was hidden behind an ancient stone mask.
Its eyes glowed pale blue.
It carried no weapon.
Yet the pressure coming from its body was enough to make the air feel heavy.
THUD.
It took another step.
The mountain trembled.
Ryuzen pulled the Life Contract sword fully from its sheath.
The moment the blade appeared—
WHOOM!
Golden light spread across the ancient markings.
The creature stopped.
Its eyes moved toward the sword.
For several seconds, it said nothing.
Then its deep voice echoed across the mountain.
“The sword has chosen.”
Lyra stared at it.
Ryuzen remained calm.
“Who are you?”
The creature slowly raised its head.
“I am the Guardian of the Mountain.”
Ryuzen looked at the sword.
“Are you the one who created this trial?”
“No.”
The Guardian took another step.
“The trial was created by the one who forged the contract. I was created to protect it.”
Ryuzen’s eyes narrowed.
“The Master of Souls?”
The Guardian didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, it looked at Ryuzen.
“You know his name.”
“I know what he left behind.”
Ryuzen raised the sword slightly.
“He created this weapon for someone who would use strength to protect others.”
The Guardian nodded.
“And you believe that person is you?”
Ryuzen didn’t answer immediately.
Lyra watched him.
Ryuzen finally shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
The Guardian became still.
Ryuzen continued.
“I don’t know if I’m worthy of the sword.”
He looked at the blade.
“But I know what I want to do with it.”
The Guardian’s eyes brightened.
“And what is that?”
“To protect people.”
“Even those who hate you?”
Ryuzen thought about Kryptoria.
His father.
His brothers.
The people who had laughed at him.
He slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
“Even those who abandoned you?”
Ryuzen’s grip tightened.
“Yes.”
Lyra looked at him silently.
The Guardian suddenly raised its arm.
“Then prove it.”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
The Guardian disappeared.
BOOM!
A massive fist slammed into Ryuzen’s sword.
The impact sent him flying backward.
He landed hard on the stone.
Lyra shouted.
“Ryuzen!”
Ryuzen pushed himself up.
His shoulder hurt.
Blood trickled down his arm.
He looked at the Guardian.
“So you’re testing me.”
“I am testing the heart of the sword’s bearer.”
Blue thunder erupted around Ryuzen.
CRACK!
He rushed forward.
The Guardian swung.
Ryuzen ducked.
He spun and slashed toward its side.
CLANG!
The blade struck ancient armor.
The Guardian barely moved.
Ryuzen jumped backward.
The Guardian attacked again.
Ryuzen blocked.
BOOM!
His feet slid across the stone.
He gritted his teeth.
The Guardian continued attacking.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Ryuzen dodged as quickly as he could.
Then— the Guardian’s fist caught him in the chest.
BOOM!
Ryuzen crashed against a rock.
For a moment, he didn’t move.
Lyra stepped forward.
“That’s enough!”
The Guardian turned toward her.
“This does not concern you.”
Lyra’s eyes narrowed.
“Then stop trying to kill him.”
Ryuzen slowly stood.
“Lyra…”
She looked at him.
“You don’t have to prove anything.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“Maybe I do.”
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
“But not to him.”
He looked at the Guardian.
“I just need to understand something.”
The Guardian waited.
Ryuzen raised the sword.
“If this sword is really meant to protect people…”
His thunder intensified.
“…then I need to know whether I can protect someone even when I’m the one getting hurt.”
The Guardian stared at him.
Then— it attacked.
Ryuzen charged.
Thunder exploded across the mountain.
The battle became faster.
Ryuzen stopped trying to overpower the Guardian.
Instead, he watched.
Every movement.
Every shift of its shoulders.
Every change in its stance.
The Guardian swung.
Ryuzen stepped aside.
The Guardian attacked again.
Ryuzen ducked.
A third strike came.
Ryuzen blocked.
Then he countered.
BOOM!
The Guardian stumbled backward for the first time.
Ryuzen landed several meters away.
He breathed heavily.
The Guardian looked at the crack in its armor.
Then at Ryuzen.
“You have learned.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“I’ve been training for years.”
“Strength alone did not teach you.”
“No.”
Ryuzen lowered the sword slightly.
“Getting back up did.”
The Guardian slowly lowered its arms.
The battle was over.
Ryuzen’s thunder faded.
“Why did you really attack me?”
The Guardian turned toward the summit.
“Because many who obtain power eventually forget why they wanted it.”
It looked back at Ryuzen.
“The sword must never belong to such a person.”
Ryuzen nodded.
“I understand.”
The Guardian approached.
For the first time, it lowered itself slightly, bringing its masked face closer to Ryuzen.
“Then remember this, Bearer of the Life Contract.”
The golden markings on Ryuzen’s sword began glowing.
“The sword will become stronger as your heart becomes stronger.”
Ryuzen looked down.
“Stronger?”
“Its true power is not yet awake.”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
Lyra stepped closer.
“What do you mean?”
The Guardian looked at her.
“The contract has only begun.”
A deep rumbling sound came from beneath the mountain.
The ancient symbols surrounding the summit began glowing.
Ryuzen looked around.
“What is happening?”
The Guardian turned toward the sky.
“The mountain has accepted you.”
Lightning suddenly appeared in the clouds.
But this time, it wasn’t attacking Ryuzen.
It was responding to him.
The Life Contract sword began humming softly.
Ryuzen stared at it.
A tiny golden spark traveled along the blade.
Then disappeared.
The Guardian stepped backward.
“Your journey has only begun.”
Ryuzen looked at it.
“Will I see you again?”
The Guardian turned away.
“When the sword calls upon the power sleeping beneath its contract.”
It began walking toward the forest.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Ryuzen watched it disappear between the trees.
Lyra stood beside him.
“That creature knew far more than it told us.”
Ryuzen nodded.
“Yeah.”
He looked toward the Life Contract sword.
“And apparently, so does this sword.”
Lyra smiled.
“Then I suppose you’ll have to find out.”
Ryuzen smiled back.
“Eventually.”
The two stood quietly beneath the clearing sky.
Neither of them knew that the Guardian’s words would become important much sooner than they expected.
Because far beneath Thunder Mountain— something ancient had heard the Guardian’s final words.
Something that had been sleeping for centuries.
And now…
it was beginning to wake.