Authors note:
Speaking: "…."
Thinking: '….'
________
Floor 36 (the silver forest)
Izuku and Katsuki were currently walking towards the gate to the Rukarai territory, arguing, of course.
"Dammit, why the hell did you get such a good weapon, you nitwit? You even broke your old sword. So why are you the only one getting a new weapon?" Katsuki exclaimed angrily at the other man, who was walking calmly with his hands in his pockets.
"You think this is gonna work, Kacchan?" the green-haired man questioned his angry friend nonchalantly.
"Don't change the subject, moron!" the silver-haired boy yelled.
They continued this conversation, Katsuki yelling and demanding, and Izuku listening but never giving a clear answer, until they reached the gate.
It was a colossal dark blue double door with silver rings as doorknobs. In front of it stood two men, each over two meters tall, with black hair tied in a man bun and a black beard. They wore only leather pants and shoulder pads, revealing their colossal muscular physiques. Both carried large double-sided battle axes.
"If you don't want to die, leave now, human," one of them said in a commanding tone, pointing at them with his axe. Katsuki was about to draw his blade and start a fight, but Izuku quickly put a hand on his chest and signaled him to stop.
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we can't do that. Call your leaders; we wish to undergo the trial of Rukara," the green-eyed man stated with confidence, while the blue-eyed one simply nodded.
"You, do you even know what you're getting yourself into? But fine, let's get you your trial, you tiny men. But remember, there will be no mercy," the other guard said, a bit sadistic, before turning around and pushing the three-meter-tall door open. Then, gesturing for them to follow, he led them through a forest with trees that had silver leaves. Eventually, they arrived at a town filled with people of similar stature to the men at the door; even the women were huge and muscular, though not as much as the men.
After a while of walking through the village, following the guard while getting a bunch of weird glances from the inhabitants and seeing them whispering, they arrived at a giant circular coliseum made from a sort of shimmering silver stone. The guard led them inside a large hall with a throne at the end, which was lifted high by a staircase leading to it.
On the throne sat an imposing figure, standing over two and a half meters tall with a muscular physique. His sheer presence commanded respect and authority. He had a chiseled face with a thick silver beard braided with metal rings, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to burn with an inner fire. His long, silver hair was tied back to keep it out of the way during battle. He wore leather pants, no shoes and a white fur cloth around his waist, held together by a buckle engraved with a lion's head. His chest was adorned with many tattoos of lions, lightning, and battle scars. Over his right shoulder hung a white lion's head, which he must have hunted himself.
The man looked down with an annoyed expression, and with a single glance, every other warrior in the room knelt. Not knowing what to do, Izuku and Katsuki stood there until the guard pushed them down to bow.
"Why have you brought humans here? I thought I made it clear no humans were allowed to pass. Get them out of my sight," the man said in a slightly bored tone, simply waving his hand to the side.
"Great Thorin, I apologize, but these humans have asked for Rukara's trial, so I couldn't refuse," the guard said, his tone seeking forgiveness and respect.
"A trial by Rukara, huh? Human, tell me, how do you know of this ritual?" Thorin asked, getting a bit more interested in the conversation.
"A man by the name of Kirito suggested we propose it to you, great Thorin," the green-haired man said carefully, not wanting to anger the man as he could clearly feel the presence he was emanating while keeping his head low.
However, when Izuku heard the man break out into passionate laughter, he raised his head to find the previously bored man laughing to his heart's content. After a minute, he quieted down and excitedly declared, "Kirito, eh? So the brat's still alive after all. The kid sure could've visited at least once. But all right, I'm guessing he didn't tell you what the trial is, right? But it's fine. If he sent you, you must be quite interesting humans. This'll be great. I, Thorin Ironfist, High Warlord of the Rukarai, declare the trial of Rukara valid. Take them to the arena!"
The room broke out in cheers, and Thorin stood up and walked out, with the others following him. The guard, not wasting any time, took them to a sort of waiting room with small windows showing the inside of the arena, which was rapidly filling up with spectators. Before long, they heard his voice again.
"Fellow Rukarai, today is a special day because the great warrior Kirito has sent us his disciples to be tested by the god Rukara. Now, let's not keep our god waiting and give him what he wishes for. Let us begin the ritual! Lysandra!" Thorin yelled to the entire coliseum before a woman with long white hair walked up from behind him, her calm, light green eyes shining. She wore a long white dress and, unlike the other people they had seen so far, was not as muscular, though still taller than the average human.
As she walked to a podium, music began playing, and she started singing.
(L=Lysandra, E=everyone in the stadium)
L: As a child, you would wait.
L: And watch from far away.
L: But you always knew that you'd be the one to work while they all played.
L: In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme.
L: Of all the things that you would change, but it was just a dream.
(Stomping starts)
E: Here we are, don't turn away now.
E: We are the warriors that built this town.
E: Here we are, don't turn away now.
E: We are the warriors that built this town.
Thorin: Enter the challengers!
(Izuku and an angry Katsuki get thrown into the arena.)
L: From dust.
(Instrumental starts. Izuku and Katsuki look around in awe.)
Thorin: And their opponent, Sienna Flameheart!
(A woman with long, flowing red hair enters the ring from the sky, landing with a crater, giving off a fearsome aura.)
(Slow part – everyone watches the stage.)
(Instrumental ends.)
E: Here we are, don't turn away now.
(Don't turn away)
E: We are the warriors that built this town.
(Don't turn away)
(Small pause)
E: We are the warriors that built this town.
L: From dust.
(Song ends.)
"The challengers must face their enemy, and if they impress me, they shall receive the teachings of Rukara. All methods of combat are allowed!" Thorin declared excitedly.
"So we just have to impress the big boss, right? I'll show him I'm no disciple," the silver-haired swordsman declared angrily, drawing his blade and taking a stance with his sword held above his head.
"Yeah, let's do this, partner," the green-haired man followed, gripping the handle of his sword in a backward position and crouching slightly.
The woman now known as Sienna was tall, about the same size as one of the guards at the gate. Her long crimson hair flowed like molten lava, glowing faintly in the light as if it carried an inner fire. Her eyes were a vibrant, smoldering amber, reminiscent of glowing embers, and they burned with unrelenting passion and determination. Her skin had a bronze tone, etched with faint scars from countless battles. She wore leather pants and no shoes, along with an ornate chest plate with the symbol of a lion etched into it, covering only her chest, leaving her stomach and one shoulder unprotected. Her left shoulder bore a golden shoulder plate, engraved with a fire symbol, tied to her pants with a belt. On her back, she carried a greatsword.
"So, you brats are Kiri-guy's disciples, huh?" she said, not caring about the angry, blue-eyed swordsman screaming that he's no disciple. "Then this'll be a good fight," she said, drawing her greatsword and holding it in her left hand.
The blade was broad and slightly curved, resembling a continuous flicker of flame. It was made of a metal that gleamed like molten gold, constantly emitting a faint glow as if perpetually heated. The hilt was wrapped in red and black leather, with a guard shaped like a pair of spreading wings.
"Beginn!" Thorin yelled, officially starting the battle.
Not wasting any time, Katsuki released some of his aura, channeling it into his arms and sword. His blade glowed bright white as he unleashed his opening move. "Glacier Slash!" He swung his sword down with massive force, creating a freezing slash of air.
Strengthening her blade with aura, Sienna quickly swung her sword diagonally, dispersing the slash. "You have surprisingly good control over your aura for a human, but you don't have enough power!" she yelled with a maniacal grin, preparing to lash out at Katsuki. But as she looked closer, she realized she couldn't see the other one.
"System call, generate electro elements, shape elements, bolt shape, discharge," Izuku whispered almost inaudibly from behind her, sending two bolts of purple lightning her way. 'So he purposely led me toward him to distract me from the green one... a valiant strategy, for a beginner,' she thought.
'Let's see how she responds,' the green swordsman thought, before sensing it. He noticed her right hand. 'She's compressing her aura that densely into a single point!' were Izuku's thoughts.
The small ball of crimson energy in her right palm grew smaller until she slammed her fist into the ground, yelling, "Ember Eruption!" The ball of energy exploded, shattering the ground with a massive explosion.
Then, appearing right in front of the green-eyed man, she swung her sword at him with great force. But to her surprise, the thin black blade not only held on but also began glowing green at the point of impact. "Summoning: Anubis!"
Not letting the moment of confusion pass, the magic caster summoned his familiar. Under his shirt, the golden ankh glowed, and purple smoke formed into a black jackal with a golden necklace, purple eyes, and markings all over its fur. Springing into action, the familiar summoned ten wolf skeletons. The skeletons' bones were completely black, glowing purple from within. They attacked the woman but were no match, each falling with a single swipe of her sword.
Retreating into the dust, Izuku and Anubis let someone else continue. Making his aura noticeable, Katsuki charged at Sienna, engaging in close combat. Trading blows left and right, they moved throughout the arena with great speed. However, it eventually became clear that Katsuki had met his match. Outmaneuvering him, the swordswoman swiftly disarmed him, knocking the sword out of his hands.
"This will be the end of you," the ember-eyed warrior declared, swinging her sword at his face. However, Katsuki wasn't finished. Instead of avoiding the blade, he reached out to touch it from the side. Thinking nothing of it, Sienna continued her assault. But things didn't go as planned.
'Awakened Aura? So he possesses it as well?' she thought as her blade froze midair. To her further surprise, the sword she had previously swept away flew back into Katsuki's hands, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike.
To make matters worse, the dust behind her finally settled, revealing the bones of the wolves flying toward her, coated in a green and black aura that shimmered with star-like particles. Along with Izuku, holding his blade in a backward grip in one hand and a prepared wind spell in the other, they were ready to strike.
'So, two awakened with familiars, wordless spellcasting, and manipulation of physical laws. You didn't disappoint, Kiri-guy,' the crimson-haired woman thought, silently praising her two opponents.
'This time, you won't have enough time to channel your aura for another big explosion. Checkmate!' Striking her with the exact point she had hit his blade, Izuku released a devastating burst of kinetic energy, combined with Katsuki's sword strike, the sharpened bone attack, and the wind spell, blasting her with everything they had.
However, when the smoke cleared, she hadn't budged an inch. Her aura had changed; instead of the normal crimson, it was now mixed with an ash-grey color. On the skin where she had been hit, pieces of molten rock formed armor around her. The woman's blade, now coated in the new aura, began emitting intense heat, dramatically increasing the temperature. Swinging it slightly, she created a devastating gust of burning air, pushing both challengers back.
"Since you're going all out, I'll also be using my awakened powers," she declared before the ground began shaking. A massive magma golem, about six meters tall and made from the crimson and grey aura, appeared beneath her. As if one beast wasn't enough, her normal crimson aura formed an elegant phoenix, which Sienna began riding. The woman and the two beasts stared the two swordsmen down.
"I've seen enough," Thorin stated, crossing his arms and releasing his aura outward on a massive scale. The silver and electric blue aura crackled through the air, and all of the Rukarai, including Sienna, who had already retreated both beasts, began kneeling in discomfort.
'What the heck, what's with that intensity? He's not even moving, but it feels like I'm standing in the middle of a storm. My aura's all over the place, too. So that's why Blacky said he couldn't win against this guy. He's the warlord for a reason, I see,' Katsuki thought before hearing the imposing man speak.
"Our god of warriors, Rukara, has deemed you worthy to inherit his teachings!" Thorin increased the intensity of his aura, causing both opponents to pass out, unable to resist it.
_______________________
Three hours later
Chief Quarters
Izuku slowly opened his eyes, noticing an unfamiliar wooden roof. As he turned his head, he spotted Katsuki lying in a large wooden bed next to him, also starting to wake. Rising from the bed, Izuku scanned the room. It was spacious but likely a medium-sized room considering the Rukarai's larger frame. The room had a small table with four chairs, a kitchen, and a fireplace sunken into the ground with two sets of stairs leading down, likely to serve as a seating area. Lion symbols adorned various parts of the room.
As the door creaked open, both men looked over to see Thorin entering. He walked through the room, sat at the stairs, and, with a small bolt of lightning, ignited the fireplace before speaking.
"I'm impressed by both of you. To have awakened at such a young age and to have such an innate battle sense—these are gifts bestowed upon you by Rukara. The brat made the right choice sending you to me, you could almost say it was destiny," Thorin said calmly, glancing back at them. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get over here; this is your first lesson," he added, his smile widening with excitement.
After a brief hesitation, Izuku and Katsuki got out of bed, finally noticing their clothes. Izuku wore a green long-sleeved yukata (casual summer kimono), tied at the waist with a black cloth belt, revealing his bare chest beneath it. He also had black baggy pants. Katsuki wore the same attire, but his yukata was ocean blue, with a light blue belt and silver pants. Both had the lion symbol emblazoned on their chests.
"If you're wondering about the clothes, the brat used to wear them, saying humans from his hometown wore these for casual occasions," Thorin explained, gesturing toward their kimonos.
"These things are really comfortable. Yo, old man, you got more of these?" Katsuki asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"That's Thorin to you, brat, but sure. We made plenty when the kid was here, take as many as you want; they don't fit us anyway," Thorin answered.
"Great, I appreciate it, man," Katsuki said, surprisingly thankful as he sat by the fire, warming his feet.
‚Did I hear that right? Kaachan just thanked someone' Izuku thought, joining Katsuki by the fire, mimicking his actions.
"So, how much do you two actually know about aura? You handle it well for humans," Thorin asked, his piercing gaze studying them.
"Honestly, we don't know much. If it's not too much trouble, could you explain everything? We're basically self-taught and only learned what it's called yesterday," Izuku admitted, hoping Thorin wouldn't be irritated.
"That's what I figured. Humans have long forgotten about aura. You two are likely some of the last to wield it, let alone awaken it," Thorin began, nodding before starting his lesson.
"Aura is the physical manifestation of spiritual, mental desires, and destiny. Every living being in Aincrad has aura, but for most, it remains dormant. When trained, aura becomes a powerful tool, more potent than any spell.
"The basic application is reinforcement, where aura strengthens a medium, like your body or a weapon. With training, you can increase both potency and quantity. Everyone's aura color is unique, determined at birth, and never changes. But there's more than just reinforcement, there's manifestation.
"Manifestation is when an aura user learns to draw their aura outside their body and shape it into something unique, usually an animal, plant, or sometimes an object. The form reflects the user's destiny and plays a key role in their life. Manifestations are physical and can interact with the world. Those who reach this level are called kings or queens, the pinnacle of aura mastery.
"But that's only for those who haven't awakened. Normally I wouldn't bother explaining this part because awakenings are extremely rare,but since both of you have already awakened I'll include it.Awakenings occur during an emotional catalyst when a person yearns for power. Two things are required:
1. Emotional Catalyst: A powerful event or realization tied to the user's desires or fears.
2. Personal Connection: The awakened aura is linked to something deeply affecting the person."
Thorin looked at both of them before continuing.
"When you awaken, your original aura gains another color, linked to the new power. Unlike regular aura, awakened aura can't reinforce objects, it's tied to a specific ability. Awakened aura also grants a second manifestation, which is much more powerful and directly tied to what you wished for. Those who reach this stage are called awakened kings or queens, extremely rare to find. In our tribe, only Sienna and I have awakened, not even the brat managed it.
"Finally, there's presence. It's what I did at the end of your fight. By releasing aura on a large scale with great control, whiteout shaping it into your manifestation, it causes the aura to go wild and if exposed to it for too long long with enough potency will lead to unconsciousness. It can also be used with awakened aura making it ten times more potent and adding the property of one's awakened ability to it making it even harder to resist.
"That's the basics of aura. Starting tomorrow, I'll shape you into the awakened kings you're meant to be," Thorin concluded.
Izuku and Katsuki exchanged glances, both smiling for different reasons. Katsuki was thrilled at the idea of mastering new power, while Izuku thought about all the possibilities this opened for them. But they knew the coming years would be grueling.