In this world, strength is not a gift… it is the price to be paid to stay alive."
"Kara is the vital energy that flows through all things. Some shape it to create, others to destroy… but all depend on it to survive."
"When the breath of Kara fades, the heart ceases to beat, and the soul vanishes into eternal shadow."
Kazemori, an ordinary city nestled at the edge of a dense forest. By day, its markets bustled with activity, the cries of merchants mingling with the scents of food and spices. At nightfall, flickering lanterns cast trembling halos on the damp cobblestones and weathered walls, draping the narrow alleys in a veil of shadows.
Raizen (panting, clutching stolen pieces of meat)
_ Excuse me! Out of the way!
Around him, the crowd barely managed to scatter, jostled by the turmoil. Harsh voices echoed behind.
Voice of a pursuer (dry, threatening)
_ Catch him! He stole the meat!
Footsteps pounded the cobblestones. Raizen, a young man of average height, athletic build, weaved through the chaos with the agility born from years surviving these ruthless streets. His white hair, streaked with violet strands, caught the last rays of the setting sun. His sky-blue eyes scanned the shadows with a sharp, almost predatory glint.
Raizen (with a mischievous grin)
_ Try to catch me.
He dove into a maze of twisting alleys he knew by heart, a well-rehearsed game between him and his panting pursuers.
He slipped into an unfinished building, its bare walls and silence offering a temporary refuge.
Raizen (muttering, relieved)
_ Finally… I shook them off. Too easy this time.
He pulled out a dull little knife, cut into the stolen meat, and ate with a satisfied look.
Night settled in, wrapping Kazemori in a veil of darkness. Lanterns lit up one by one, casting trembling circles of light on the damp stones.
Raizen (thoughtful, looking around)
_ Where to spend the night… Not here, too noisy.
A drunkard's coarse laugh rang out in a nearby alley.
Raizen slipped deeper into quieter quarters, where only wind and silence reigned.
At the turn of a dead end, he spotted an old building with shuttered windows. The door creaked open, plunging the interior into suffocating gloom.
Raizen (relieved)
_ Perfect, at least it's quiet here.
He settled down, ready to rest. But suddenly, screams erupted outside, shattering the peace.
Raizen (tense, grabbing a wooden plank from the floor)
_ What the…?
He crept toward a broken window.
Outside, the scene was chilling: a strange man fought with beastly ferocity against three young assailants—two boys and a girl. His body twisted, muscles bulging, fingers elongated into sharp claws like a wild beast.
The assailants tried to reason with the furious beast, in vain.
Raizen (decisive, raising his plank)
_ Hey! Stop that right now!
Strange man (turning slowly, cruel smile)
_ Who are you to defy me?
Raizen (firm, fearless)
_ I won't let you do this. You're going to stop, whether you like it or not.
A heavy silence fell. The assailants watched, panting.
Strange man (chuckling, spreading his claws)
_ Very well. Show me what you can do, kid.
Raizen hurled the plank. The wood sliced the air, struck the man's chest, and shattered.
Strange man (growling, cruel)
_ Patience, you three. Stay put.
Suddenly, he lunged at Raizen, claws ready to tear.
Raizen took a violent blow to the shoulder, crying out in pain. Thrown against the wall, he struggled to breathe. The attacks rained down, brutal, merciless, bones and stone cracking under the force.
Dazed, bloodied, Raizen tried to rise. He glimpsed the assailants silently slipping away.
Strange man (cruel smile)
_ You see, because of you, my toys ran away.
Raizen tried to flee, but the man caught him, claws snapping like blades.
Strange man (murmuring, feral)
_ I will savor the moment your flesh yields under my fingers.
Raizen was slammed to the ground, beaten relentlessly.
A hand sank into Raizen's stomach, searing pain consuming him.
Raizen (weakly, bitter)
— So… this is… my end, he whispered, a bitter smile on his lips.
_ At least… I'll never steal again.
Silence seemed to settle, then a blinding light split the night.
Unknown voice (powerful, sharp)
_ Celestial Kara… Piercing Thunder!
The assailant exploded, obliterated in a blast that shook the walls.
Raizen, on his knees, felt the burning pain in his wound. His soaked shirt clung to his skin. Each breath was torture.
His eyes closed as a silhouette emerged against the light, haloed in radiance.
Then, blackness.
Next Scene
Raizen (slowly opening his eyes, in pain)
_ Where am I…?
Hana (gentle, reassuring)
_ You're finally awake. Took you long enough.
Raizen (weak, curious)
_ Who… are you? Was it you who saved me?
Hana (smiling, casual)
_ No need to be formal, we can speak plainly. I'm Hana, Stellar Zenith, Astroforge rank. Specialist in Internal Kara, medicine, and healing.
Raizen (confused)
_ Alright… but I got lost after the "Zenith something" part…
Hana (amused)
_ Don't worry, you'll understand when the time comes.
Raizen (sincere)
_ Thank you for saving me, Hana.
Hana (modest)
_ I only healed you. The real hero is the one who brought you here in time. Without him, you would've died five days ago.
Raizen (startled)
_ Five days? I've been asleep for five days?
Hana (respectful)
_ Yes. His name is Takashi Aomi, one of the six "pure" Stellar Zeniths.
Raizen tried to stand, but dizziness pinned him down.
Raizen (desperate)
_ I must thank him…
He collapsed, unconscious.
Later, Raizen regained his strength.
Hana (encouraging)
_ Come, I'll show you something.
They went outside. The air was gentle, the climate perfect, neither hot nor cold. A path lined with trees led them to a clearing bathed in the morning sun.
There, a group trained intensely. Men and women mixed physical movements with bursts of bluish energy — Kara visible in the air, vibrant, palpable.
Hana (proud, confident)
_ These ones chose not only to survive anymore, but to live in harmony with Kara. Learning this path will take courage. That's probably why you're here.
Raizen (hesitant, worried)
_ I'm not ready for this.
Hana (understanding, soothing)
_ I know. Don't rush. Tomorrow will be your sixth day. Aomi will come, and you can ask him everything. For now, rest.
Raizen watched silently, torn between apprehension and hope.
Back in Kazemori
Night spread its veil over Kazemori. Lanterns hung on façades shed golden, dancing light that barely pierced the alley darkness. On the uneven rooftops, silhouettes darted like shadows: seven Burned Bloods. Their pace was swift, silent… but behind them, five bluish streaks of light pursued relentlessly — the Stellar Zeniths.
A Burned Blood, his face streaked with dark marks, growled:
— Too many people here… Let's lure them elsewhere. Somewhere empty.
The fugitives leapt from roof to roof, leaving the city. In moments, they reached an isolated field, bathed in cold moonlight. There, two farmers returned from labor, shoulders bowed under heavy baskets.
Without a word, the Burned Bloods pounced. Bodies were torn apart, broken, reduced to pieces, all in a near-ceremonial silence… until blood spattered the grass and the groans ceased.
The Stellar Zeniths halted a few meters away. Their leader, an Astroforge of imposing stature, raised his blade:
— Time to wipe you out… filthy Kageyami. Positions!
(Note: The Kageyami form the lower rank of the Burned Bloods, but some of them may reach an intermediate level, capable of rivaling experienced warriors.)
The leading Kageyami, a hulking brute with eyes burning with hatred, roared:
— No mercy, my brothers! Destroy them all!
The clash was instant. Steel lightning and shadowed claws collided, each impact vibrating through the night. Screams of rage and agony blended with the whistling breath of attacks.
Two words echoed with every strike:
— Celestial Kara! — shouted by the Stellar Zeniths, their blades wrapped in pure light, some wielding Kara itself as a weapon.
— Dark Kara! — snarled by the Burned Bloods, their claws and weapons drowned in a sinister aura.
Suddenly, a crash cut through the chaos. A powerful voice rang, clear as steel:
— Celestial Kara Elemental… Linear Impact!
A beam of light burst from above in a twin-blade explosion, slicing through the night like a divine lance, crashing into the field in a whirlwind of wind and debris.
Dust and torn grass swirled in the wind.
Fighters froze, all eyes turning toward the impact point.
Atop a barn roof, a massive figure stood outlined against the moonlight.
Two meters of dry, sculpted muscle, shoulders broad as a doorway.
Two blades strapped to his back shimmered faintly — as if still holding a fragment of Celestial Kara.
A beak-shaped mask covered the lower half of his face, a sly grin curling at the corner of his lips. His black hair, wild as if defying the wind, framed eyes gleaming with confidence… almost arrogance.
He landed at the center of the field with a controlled crash, fissuring the earth beneath his boots.
Duck-Mask Man:
— Seriously… You caused all this mess for that? he said mockingly, his gaze sweeping Burned Bloods and Stellar Zeniths alike.
His voice was calm, but every syllable weighed like a ton.
A Kageyami scowled and leapt at him, claws raised.
The man didn't move.
In a heartbeat, his fist flared with a bright blue halo — concentrated Internal Kara — and he struck.
The very air twisted under the impact. The Kageyami was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing through hay bales before hitting the ground, limp.
Duck-Mask Man:
— Tch… weak, he muttered, retracting his energy.
_ Want me to take care of you all, or would you rather give up now?
Even the Stellar Zeniths, his allies, exchanged uneasy glances. One whispered:
— Even with five of us… we wouldn't do better.
The man tilted his head, amused.
Duck-Mask Man:
— Come on… don't be shy. I've still got time before I get bored.
Under the moonlight, he strode forward, calm but unstoppable. In the heavy silence, it was clear: whatever the side… he alone owned this night.
The air still vibrated from the Linear Impact.
Without warning, he drew both swords in a fluid motion, a wave of bluish light running along the blades.
The first Burned Blood leapt — sliced clean before even landing.
The second tried to retreat, but a shoulder strike sent him rolling, ribs shattering.
The third charged, claws forward: a simple pivot, a Kara-charged spinning kick, and his body crashed into a tree, lifeless.
It wasn't a battle.
Each gesture was precise, calculated, almost lazy… but each impact fatal.
In mere heartbeats, only two Burned Bloods remained: the Kageyami colossus and another who instinctively backed away… before collapsing, throat cut by unseen steel.
The colossus clenched his fists, his monstrous silhouette towering in the moonlight.
— I won't fall like the others… he growled.
Duck-Mask Man:
— That's cute, he replied, blades still raised, tone almost casual.
_ Show me then.
The Kageyami charged, Dark Kara raging, dust swirling.
The man didn't budge, waiting for the last instant.
Then, a flash.
A single strike, pure, surgically precise, smashed into the colossus's temple. The impact shook the ground.
Silence.
The massive body collapsed like a crumbling wall.
Sheathing his blades, the man glanced toward his surviving allies. Beneath the duck-beak mask, a calm smile curled.
Duck-Mask Man:
— The worst thing that ever happened to them… was crossing my path.
He slid his hands back into his pockets, walking away casually, as if nothing had happened.
End of Chapter 1