As the king assesses them, he speaks with a commanding yet measured voice, asking, "Why did you boys intervene in the tournament?" His tone demanded honesty, stirring the courage within Shiku and Houki to speak their truth.
Shiku, standing firm, began explaining their actions. "He was planning to hurt my friend," he states resolutely, emphasizing his resolve not to let that happen."
Houki, standing beside him, cross his arms. "We couldn't just stand by and do nothing."
The king studies them, rubbing his chin, his expression unreadable. He exhales slowly as if measuring his response.
"I see," he says at last. His tone was neither approving nor condemning. "On one hand, your actions showed courage—the kind of courage that defines an Èlan warrior. But on the other…" His eyes harden. "You broke a sacred law."
Shiku and Houki stand motionless. The weight of the king's words settled over them like a heavy cloak.
King Hayasaki leans forward slightly, his fingers interlaced. "Laws are what separate us from chaos. If warriors defy them whenever they see fit, what stops others from doing the same? What stops our kingdom from descending into disorder?"
Silence.
The king let the question linger, allowing its gravity to sink in. Then, his tone softens—just slightly. "That is why your actions cannot go unpunished."
Shiku opens his mouth, then closes it, frustration flickering across his face. Houki, though outwardly calm, shifts his stance, tension evident in his posture.
"You two must understand the gravity of your offense," the king went on, his voice carrying the unmistakable note of disappointment. "But…" His tone shifts, just slightly, as if a flicker of something else—perhaps respect—crept in. "I also recognize why you acted as you did. And that is why your punishment will not be severe."
The fading sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows cast his silhouette long and imposing. "Your bravery, though perhaps reckless, has caught my eye," he declares, his voice carrying a rare note of grudging admiration.
Shiku and Houki exchange glances, their minds teetering between relief and uncertainty.
A chill runs down Shiku's spine—not from fear, but from something else. Excitement.
This is it.
They weren't being thrown in a cell. They weren't being cast out of the kingdom. Instead, they were being given a chance—a real chance—to prove themselves.
Houki, however, remained still, his sharp gaze unreadable. Inside, his mind raced. Why? He had expected a harsher consequence. This isn't just punishment; the king was testing them.
King Hayasaki studies them a moment longer, then turns his head toward the guards stationed at the entrance of the throne room. "Take them to Nobori Donaka. He will oversee their training."
Shiku blinks in surprise.
"The innkeeper?" he blurts out before he can stop himself.
Houki's brows furrowed slightly. "Of course. Nobori isn't just an innkeeper" he thinks. His mana pressure alone had nearly crushed them when they first met. If he knew of his power, then this wouldn't be ordinary combat practice.
King Hayasaki's eyes glint with something between amusement and finality. "You will find that Nobori is much more than an innkeeper."
With that, he turns away, his decision final. The guards step forward, motioning for them to follow.
Shiku swallows hard. He cast a glance at Houki, who simply exhales and starts walking. With one last look at the throne, Shiku follows.
**The Next Morning **
The scent of fresh grass and damp earth fills the air. The training grounds, a massive open field just outside the city walls, stretch before them. Several wooden dummies stand in neat rows, many split and scratched from his previous training sessions.
And at the center of it all—Nobori Donaka.
The towering innkeeper stands with his arms crossed, radiating mana pressure so dense that the air feels heavier the closer they get. Even without transforming, his sheer presence dwarfed them.
Shiku let out a low whistle. "Yeah… that's definitely not just an innkeeper."
Houki remains silent, his sharp eyes locked onto Nobori. "This is going to be different from anything we've faced before." he thinks to himself.
Standing a short distance away was Kasumi Donaka, stretching her arms as she turns toward them.
"You two finally showed up," she says with a teasing smile. "I was starting to think you backed out."
Shiku smirks. "Not a chance."
Nobori let out a slow, rumbling sigh. "Enough talk."
"I'm so sorry pumpernickel. I have to be tough on them." He thinks looking back at Kasumi.
He steps forward, and the air shifts.
The moment his foot lands, a shockwave of his beastly mana spreads across the field, rustling the grass, making wooden dummies creak, and forcing all three students to steady themselves.
"Welcome to my training," Nobori says, his deep voice carrying effortlessly. "From this moment forward, you are no longer amateurs. You are my students. And that means your lives are about to become hell."
Shiku cracks his knuckles. A confident smile on his face. "That's what I like to hear."
Nobori smirks. "Good. Because this is the last time you'll be smiling today."
Before anyone could react—he vanishes.
A gust of wind explodes around them as Nobori reappears directly in front of Shiku.
Before he can even blink, a massive fist slams into his gut.
"Gah—!"
With a jolt of sheer power, Shiku is launched across the field, his body tumbling through the dirt in a chaotic roll. He finally comes to a stop, landing hard on his back, the breath knocked out of him as he stares up at the sky.
The force sent Shiku skidding across the field, rolling through the dirt before landing flat on his back.
Kasumi flinches, but before she can react, a shadow looms over her.
Nobori's palm jabs forward, stopping just an inch from her face. The sheer force of the wind pressure alone sent her staggering backward, her breath caught in her throat.
"Too slow," Nobori says simply.
Houki, anticipating an attack, teleports a few feet back using his void portal.
Nobori's eyes flick toward him, and in an instant, a rock comes flying at Houki's face.
Houki barely manages to create another portal to redirect it, but the split-second delay nearly cost him. Nobori was already in front of him.
A sharp kick to the ribs sends Houki tumbling.
He grunts, rolling to a stop. His hands dug into the dirt as he caught himself, breathing heavily.
Shiku coughs, pushing himself up. "Okay… ow."
Kasumi steadies her breathing, trying to calm her racing heart.
Houki exhales sharply, adjusting his stance. This isn't normal training… this is survival.
Nobori rolls his shoulders. "Lesson one: If you hesitate, you die."
❧
Nobori paces in front of them, eyeing each student critically.
"Shiku," he says, turning to the red-haired boy. "You fight with raw power, but you waste too much energy flailing around like a wild beast."
Shiku frowns. "Flailing?"
Nobori smirks. "You have one rule today. You're only allowed to dodge. No attacking."
Shiku's eyes widen. "Wait, what? That's—"
"Complain again, and I'll triple your training."
Shiku shut his mouth.
Nobori turns to Houki. "Your portals are strong, but you're too slow when using them. From now on, you can only dodge using your portals. No running. No jumping. Just teleportation."
Houki narrows his eyes. He's forcing me to master my ability under pressure.
Finally, Nobori faces Kasumi. "And you… You rely too much on reactive healing. By the time you start healing someone, the fight is already over."
Finally, Nobori faces Kasumi. "And you… You rely too much on reactive healing. By the time you start healing someone, the fight is already over."
Kasumi clenches her fists. "So what do you want me to do?"
Nobori's smirk grew wider. "Your challenge is prediction."
Kasumi blinks. "Prediction?"
Nobori raises a hand—and hurls a dagger straight at her face.
Kasumi gasps, her instincts kicking in as she ducks at the last second. The blade whizzes past her, slicing through the air before embedding itself in a wooden dummy behind her.
Nobori chuckles. "If you can dodge, you can predict. If you can predict, you can prepare."
Kasumi's breath is shaky, but she nods in understanding.
"Now then," Nobori says, stepping back. "All of you." His grin turns predatory.
"Survive."
❧