The academy was finally beginning to heal.
The western tower had been rebuilt.
Students had returned to classes.
The laughter that had disappeared weeks ago slowly returned.
But Yozaro…
Had changed.
Every night, he dreamed of the endless white world.
Every morning, he woke with the same question.
Who was Azrael?
The academy gates opened.
An old man walked inside wearing plain gray robes.
He carried no luggage.
Only a wooden sword hung from his waist.
He looked no different from an ordinary traveler.
A first-year student stopped him.
“Excuse me, sir. Visitors have to register.”
The old man smiled kindly.
“Of course.”
He gently patted the boy’s shoulder.
The student suddenly felt a pressure so immense that he couldn’t move.
Not fear.
Instinct.
Every nearby instructor immediately turned toward the gate.
Headmaster Aldric’s eyes widened.
“…Impossible.”
He hurried forward and bowed respectfully.
“Welcome…”
“Sword Saint Raizen.”
The entire courtyard fell silent.
Even the strongest instructors lowered their heads.
Later that day, Kael whispered excitedly,
“Do you know who he is?”
Yozaro shook his head.
Kael looked shocked.
“He’s undefeated!”
“They say he ended a war with a single sword strike!”
Rex crossed his arms.
“I heard he refused to become a king because he’d rather wander the world.”
Luna calmly added,
“Most stories about him are probably exaggerated.”
A voice came from behind her.
“No.”
“They’re not.”
Everyone turned.
Raizen stood there with a smile.
Luna immediately looked embarrassed.
“I… apologize.”
The old man laughed.
“No need.”
He turned to Yozaro.
“So…”
“You’re Gareth’s son.”
Yozaro froze.
“You knew my father?”
Raizen’s smile faded.
“He once saved my life.”
They walked together through the academy gardens.
Raizen looked toward the mountains in the distance.
“Twenty years ago…”
“I was surrounded by monsters during an expedition.”
“A blacksmith…” Find the original chapter at g.com.
“…picked up a hammer and fought beside me.”
Yozaro’s eyes widened.
“Father never told me.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“He wasn’t the type to brag.”
Raizen sighed.
“I couldn’t repay that debt.”
“So…”
He looked directly at Yozaro.
“Allow me to repay it now.”
“I’ll train you.”
Kael nearly shouted.
“Seriously?!”
Even Luna’s calm expression cracked.
The Sword Saint had never accepted a disciple.
Not once.
Yozaro bowed deeply.
“It would be an honor.”
Raizen shook his head.
“I haven’t accepted you yet.”
“First…”
“You’ll face three trials.”
“If you fail…”
“I’ll leave.”
The next morning…
Raizen led Yozaro to a quiet valley outside the capital.
He handed him an ordinary wooden sword.
“No mana.”
“No techniques.”
“No special powers.”
“Attack me.”
Yozaro nodded.
He rushed forward.
His sword moved with perfect precision.
Raizen gently tapped it aside with one finger.
Yozaro attacked again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
For two straight hours…
Not a single strike landed.
Finally…
Yozaro collapsed onto one knee.
Sweat dripped from his face.
“I can’t touch you.”
Raizen smiled.
“Exactly.”
“Tell me.”
“What were you trying to do?”
“Defeat you.”
Raizen shook his head.
“Wrong.”
“A swordsman doesn’t chase victory.”
“He understands distance.”
He drew a line in the dirt.
“This.”
“It isn’t about strength.”
“It’s about controlling the space between you and your opponent.”
Yozaro stared at the line.
Something clicked.
He stood once more.
This time…
He didn’t attack immediately.
He watched.
He breathed.
He adjusted his footing.
Raizen smiled.
“There you are.”
Yozaro stepped forward.
One strike.
Simple.
Direct.
Raizen moved to block—
But stopped.
The wooden sword lightly touched his sleeve.
Silence.
Kael’s jaw dropped.
“…He actually touched him.”
Raizen looked at the tiny mark on his robe and laughed.
“Hahaha!”
“Wonderful!”
“You learn faster than Gareth did.”
Yozaro smiled for the first time in days.
That evening…
Elenia arrived at the academy to deliver supplies for the rebuilding effort.
As she crossed the courtyard, she saw Yozaro laughing with Kael after training.
She smiled unconsciously.
Nearby, Luna watched the same scene while holding a stack of books.
Mira walked beside her.
“You’ve been looking at him a lot lately.”
Luna looked away.
“I have not.”
Mira grinned.
“You smiled when he smiled.”
“…Did I?”
She touched her own face.
For the first time…
She realized she had.
Across the courtyard, Elenia quietly whispered to herself,
“I’m happy…”
“…as long as he’s smiling.”
Neither girl knew the other felt the same.
Far beyond the kingdom, Varis stood before a cliff overlooking a ruined city.
A young woman in black armor approached.
“My lord.”
“The Sword Saint has started training the Heir.”
Varis closed his eyes.
“So the old man has made his choice.”
The woman asked,
“Should we interfere?”
“No.”
“If Yozaro cannot survive Raizen’s training…”
“…he has no chance against what is coming.”
Varis looked toward the distant horizon.
“And if he does survive…”
A faint smile appeared.
“Then the world will finally have hope.”