The mountain had finally become quiet.
The ancient Guardian was gone.
The strange presence beneath Thunder Mountain had disappeared once again into silence.
Ryuzen stood at the edge of the summit, looking toward the distant horizon.
The Life Contract sword rested at his side.
For the first time, the weapon felt completely natural in his hand.
Not heavy.
Not foreign.
Almost as if it had always belonged there.
Lyra stood a few steps away, looking down the mountain.
“We should go.”
Ryuzen nodded.
“Yeah.”
They began descending together.
Neither spoke much.
The journey down was much quieter than the climb.
Ryuzen occasionally glanced at the sword.
Every time he did, he remembered the Guardian’s words.
The contract has only begun.
There was still something hidden inside the weapon.
Something he hadn’t awakened yet.
But he wasn’t going to force it.
Eldran had taught him patience.
Power that was forced could destroy its wielder.
Power that was understood could become something greater.
Eventually, they reached the lower part of the mountain.
The path divided into two.
One road went toward the western wilderness.
The other went toward the eastern settlements.
Ryuzen stopped.
Lyra stopped beside him.
For a moment, neither said anything.
They both knew what this meant.
Their paths were separating.
Lyra looked at him.
“So…”
Ryuzen smiled.
“So.”
She laughed softly.
“You’re not going to ask where I’m going?”
Ryuzen shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you didn’t ask me where I’m going either.”
Lyra smiled.
“Fair enough.”
They stood there for another moment.
Then Lyra extended her hand.
Ryuzen looked at it.
He shook it.
“Take care.”
“You too.”
Lyra released his hand.
Ryuzen turned toward his path.
Lyra turned toward hers.
They both walked away.
Neither looked back.
Neither knew when they would meet again.
Neither knew that their next meeting would happen somewhere neither of them expected.
Valtara
Several days later, the kingdom of Valtara was overflowing with warriors.
The streets were crowded.
Training grounds were packed.
Merchants had arrived from neighboring regions.
Everywhere Ryuzen looked, people were talking about the upcoming Valtara Competition.
Ryuzen entered the city quietly.
His hood covered most of his face.
He had been resting for several days after Thunder Mountain, and his body was finally beginning to feel normal again.
He had also returned to Eldran.
The old wizard had listened silently when Ryuzen explained what had happened.
Especially when Ryuzen mentioned the Guardian.
Eldran had only smiled.
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Ryuzen had frowned.
“You knew about it?”
Eldran hadn’t answered.
Typical Eldran.
Now Ryuzen was walking through Valtara alone.
At least— he thought he was alone.
“HEY!”
Ryuzen stopped.
A young man was running toward him.
He was dressed in expensive royal clothing, but his expression was far too energetic for someone who looked like a prince.
Ryuzen recognized him.
They had met before.
The young man stopped in front of him.
“You’re Ryuzen!”
Ryuzen raised an eyebrow.
“Yes.”
The prince grinned.
“I knew it!”
A second young man walked behind him.
Unlike the prince, he looked calmer and more disciplined.
The prince pointed at Ryuzen.
“I’ve heard about you.”
“From where?”
“Everywhere!”
The prince laughed.
“The story about the boy who stood beneath lightning and absorbed it spread through Valtara.”
Ryuzen scratched the back of his head.
“It wasn’t that impressive.”
The prince stared at him.
“You absorbed lightning.”
“Yeah.”
“Lightning.”
“Yeah.”
“Actual lightning.”
Ryuzen nodded.
The prince laughed.
“I definitely like you.”
The calmer young man sighed.
“You decide you like everyone after five minutes.”
“Not everyone.”
The prince looked at Ryuzen.
“Only interesting people.”
Ryuzen smiled.
The prince introduced himself.
He was the only prince of Valtara and the only son of the king.
Then he introduced his companion.
The son of Valtara’s Supreme General.
The three quickly began talking.
The prince was energetic.
The Supreme General’s son was more serious.
Ryuzen mostly listened.
But soon, he found himself laughing with them.
It felt strange.
He hadn’t had friends like this before.
Not real friends.
The prince suddenly leaned toward him.
“You’re entering the competition, right?”
Ryuzen nodded.
“Probably.”
The prince’s eyes lit up.
“Then we’re fighting each other.”
The Supreme General’s son sighed.
“Don’t start.”
“I’m just saying.”
The prince grinned.
“I want to see how strong he really is.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“Then you’ll have to find out.”
The prince laughed.
“Deal.”
The prince was talking nonstop.
The Supreme General’s son occasionally corrected him.
Ryuzen simply listened and laughed.
Then— he heard something.
A voice.
Small.
Familiar.
Very familiar.
“RYUZEN!”
Ryuzen froze.
His eyes widened.
The prince stopped talking.
The Supreme General’s son looked around.
Then the voice came again.
“RYUZEN!”
Ryuzen turned.
A girl was running toward them.
Lyra.
She stopped when she saw him.
Her face immediately lit up.
“I knew it!”
Ryuzen stood.
“Lyra?”
She smiled.
“What are you doing here?”
Ryuzen laughed.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
Neither had expected this.
Neither had planned it.
They had simply followed their own paths— and somehow ended up in the same kingdom.
The prince suddenly sat up straight.
He quickly fixed his hair.
Then adjusted his clothes.
The Supreme General’s son noticed.
He stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re fixing your hair.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You’ve touched it six times.”
The prince ignored him.
He looked at Lyra.
Lyra walked straight past him.
She didn’t even notice.
The prince’s smile slowly disappeared.
The Supreme General’s son burst out laughing.
The prince whispered,
“Stop laughing.”
“I can’t.”
Lyra reached Ryuzen.
She completely ignored the prince.
“It’s good to see you again.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“You too.”
Behind them, the Supreme General’s son was still laughing.
The prince looked at him with disbelief.
“I am the prince!”
“That doesn’t seem to be helping.”
The prince groaned.
Ryuzen laughed.
Lyra looked confused.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” the Supreme General’s son said.
The prince glared at him.
“Traitor.”
For the first time, all four laughed together.
And none of them knew it yet— but their meeting in Valtara was the beginning of something much bigger.
Because the Valtara Competition was about to begin.
And Ryuzen’s name was about to spread far beyond the kingdom.
The Blue Thunder Hero was coming.