The man stared at her, his gaze unwavering.
"I'm sorry to break your admiration," he said, his voice steady and cold, "but she's not as talented as you thought."
Astra's body froze. The sword in her hands felt heavier as her grip tightened around it. Her gaze shot up to meet his, searching his expression to confirm if she had heard him right.
He continued, his tone unchanging.
"You do know that taking another's form without permission is strictly prohibited? And attempting to deceive the someone… well, that comes with its own set of punishments, doesn't it?" Astra remained silent, her eyes fixed on him, mind racing. As if already knowing what she was thinking, he simply turned his back to her.
"The master personally invited me," he stated, taking the sword back and adjusted the sword at his waist. "I arrived just in time." He paused before adding,
"As for the person you're looking for don't concern yourself too much."His voice dropped slightly,
"But you… I've already decided what should be done with you."
Before she could even form a response, he spoke again.
"I will be back before sunset."
That was all he said. No explanations, no further words.
And with that, he turned and walked away, never once looking back.
As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson, Astra paced the balcony, her hands clasped behind her back, tension rolling off her in waves.
Below, under the golden hues of the setting sun, in a vast garden painted with warmth, two figures sat on the wooden bench.
Shion, legs crossed, absentmindedly flipped his flute between his fingers, a familiar smirk tugging at his lips. Beside him, Kaen draped in deep red remained immersed in quiet concentration. His amber eyes flickered under the fading light, their glow striking against the pale skin marred with faint ink stains. In his grip, a paintbrush moved with precision, each stroke flowing effortlessly over the parchment.
Ryoma is back?" Kaen asked, adding the final stroke to his work.
Shion glanced at Astra's pacing figure and smirked. "Seeing her this distressed, I'd say his message wasn't a lie this time." He stopped flipping his flute and sat up with effortless grace, elegantly swinging his sleeves before saying,
"Kaen, she caused trouble again!"
Kaen set his brush aside, looking up at Astra, who was still lost in her thoughts. With a sigh, he rose to his feet.
"The last fire between them hasn't even cooled, and now more fuel has been thrown into the flames."
Shion swiftly climbed onto a tree branch, balancing effortlessly as he walked along it, his hands raised like a carefree performer on a tightrope.
"Do you really think this will settle down today?" he mused. "She was already fuming when he banned her from touching swords, and when she protested, it turned into an all-out battle. That fight is still burning. Now, what do you think his decision will be this time?"
Kaen ran his fingertips along the thin golden chain tied around his forehead, Shaking his head, he muttered, "It's up to him now. Wasn't she the one who insisted on going there? She broke her promise to stay out of trouble now she'll have to face it."
Shion sat on the branch, legs swinging lazily, nodding.
As time passed, the three of them found themselves seated at a dining table that looked as if it held every dish the inn had to offer. Fresh fruits, delicate sweets, and a simmering hot pot filled with tender meat crowded the space, their rich aromas filling the air.
Kaen, calmly grilling finely chopped meat with a pair of chopsticks. Beside him, Shion took on the role of serving, while Astra still visibly stressed shoveled food into her mouth without pause. The heat of the food caught up to her multiple times, causing her to choke and cough, drawing glances from the other diners.
Shion tapped the table with the back of his knuckles, shaking his head. "Astra, eat slower. It's not like you're starving to death."
She scoffed at him between bites but eventually slowed down. After a brief pause, she rested her chin on the back of her hands, her eyes shifting between them.
"Shion, Kaen… why don't you two help me with this?"
"Help you with what? Burning down the martial hall?" Shion mocked, laughing as he leaned back, clearly enjoying himself. Kaen, however, shot him a sharp look, silently signaling him to stop. His amber eyes then shifted to Astra, who was already rolling her eyes at Shion's remark.
"Astra," Kaen said, his voice even. "Weren't you the one who insisted on attending lectures there while we stayed in this city? Even after we told you not to?" He set his chopsticks down, tilting his head slightly. "You promised not to cause trouble… didn't you?"
Astra huffed, crossing her arms. "Yes, but it wasn't that big of a problem! I just practiced swordplay all night, so I was taking a small nap. And as for the fire that was Miss Naneko! I don't even have the energy to create flames right now." She blinked, feigning pure innocence.
Shion smirked, resting his chin on his palm. "But wasn't it you who asked her to start the fire to avoid punishment?" His laughter echoed as Astra glared at him.
"You—!"
"If I remember correctly, I banned someone from touching swords."
The familiar voice made all three pairs of eyes snap toward its source at the doorstep. Without hesitation, Ryoma approached their table. Without a word, he picked up a pair of chopsticks and began serving portions of meat, dipping them into the rich, simmering broth before placing them on each of their plates.
Astra, still fuming from their last argument, refused to eat at first. But when he continued serving filling her entire plate, she sighed and reluctantly picked up a piece, rolling her eyes as she chewed.
After a Brief moment Ryoma stated flatly
"You will not be attending classes," "Nor will you practice with swords." His tone left as if no room for debate. Astra's chopsticks hit the table with a sharp clack.
"Not accepted!"
Ryoma's hand paused mid-air, his gaze finally meeting hers. Their eyes locked again, his unreadable, hers burning with frustration. For a moment, neither spoke. Then, unable to utter a single word, Astra stood up abruptly and stormed off, leaving the table behind. Ryoma exhaled a quiet sigh, watching her retreating figure before returning to his meal. The other two exchanged cautious glances but chose to remain silent.
The sky darkened and Somewhere deep within the dense forest, where towering trees loomed like silent sentinels, chaos erupted.
"Don't let it escape!"
"Catch it! Keep chasing!"
"Be careful—it has poison in its horns!"
The hunters' shouts echoed through the wilderness as they chased the massive fox demon beast. It was larger than any ordinary fox, its dagger-like teeth bared in fury as it thrashed and lunged, hurling its pursuers in all directions.
"It's just a fourth-tier beast, but it's this aggressive?" someone yelled.
Another voice countered, "Look at the center of its horns! The symbol there's no doubt it's a fourth-tier!"
"But fourth-tier beasts aren't usually this strong or hostile!"
"There's no time to analyze it! Form the array before it escapes again it's already killed three of us!"
Fifteen to eighteen hunters clad in matching uniforms and headbands swiftly surrounded the beast, moving in unison. Hands came together in a synchronized sequence, forming a complex array of hand signs as they chanted Mantas.
A surge of energy burst forth from their bodies, intertwining into a glowing formation that encircled the demon beast. The air crackled as the energy tightened around it, locking it in place.
The beast roared, its deep, guttural cries shaking the ground beneath them. Its aura darkened, thick and suffocating, as it fought against the formation.
Everything seemed under control—until it wasn't.
A deafening, furious scream tore through the night as the demon beast's body convulsed. Its form twisted, its size expanding as its power surged to terrifying heights. In an instant, it shattered the hunters' formation. The radiant energy splintered like glass, and before the hunters could react, the beast charged straight toward them then suddenly skidded to a halt. Instead of attacking, it turned and bolted, vanishing into the shadows of the forest.
"Senior!" a panicked voice cried. "It transformed! but why didn't it attack?" Silence fell over the group, a mixture of confusion and lingering fear settling in.
"The demon beasts only have one chance to transform in their lifetime," one of the hunters murmured.
A heavy pause.
A demon beast can only transform once in its lifetime, unleashing its full power in a final attempt to eliminate a threat. However, this comes at a steep price , once the transformation is triggered, the beast exhausts its strength completely, leaving it powerless. Some may even perish from the overwhelming strain.
"If it chose to transform but still ran away…" "Then what are we waiting for?"
"There's no time to think react fast! Kill it before it causes more damage!" the senior hunter commanded. Without hesitation, the group moved in unison, weapons drawn, chasing the beast once more.
After a brief pursuit, the beast suddenly skidded to a halt, its furious eyes locking onto them.
"It stopped…" someone muttered, breathless. "Is it preparing to attack? Stay sharp be ready!" Another voice rang out as they tightened their grips on their weapons.
"Form the chakra array again this time, with full power!" the senior hunter commanded.
The group immediately began forming hand signs, but the beast, having learned from their tactics, scanned the group. Its sharp eyes locked onto the weakest among them a trembling young man frozen in fear.
With a sudden burst of speed, the beast lunged at him, shattering the formation as it sent him crashing against a tree. Before he could even react, its dagger-like teeth sank into his skull, tearing his head clean off. His bloodied body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
A chilling silence filled the night. The air turned heavy, and fear rooted them all in place. Then, as if emboldened by its first kill, the beast charged again, hunting for another weak target.
It found one.
A teenage boy stood motionless, eyes wide with terror as the monster stormed toward him. The force of its approach sent a gust of wind against his face, but he couldn't move. His body refused. He clenched his eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable waiting for the sharp pain, for his head to be ripped from his body. But instead, he heard the swift, clean sound of a sword slicing through flesh. Slowly, he forced his eyes open.
The beast lay before him, writhing on the ground…..half-dead!
But his gaze remained fixed on the figure standing before the fallen beast. Dressed in pristine silk robes that billowed in the wind, the golden embroidery catching the faint moonlight.
The boy tried to sneak a glance at his face, but a golden eye mask concealed most of it, leaving only his lower features visible. His skin was pale, almost ethereal and flawless.
Wh- who?