Night had settled over the eastern reaches of the Rusty Continent. The king sat in his carriage in traditional robes, his queen beside him, both still wrapped in the warmth of the evening's ceremony.
"Honey, I hope our boy has a great, happy life," the queen said, smiling out at the passing dark.
"I know his wife will take good care of him, so he'll be fine," the king replied. "I only hope he uses his head and treats her as well as she deserves."
The queen smiled again, breathing in the cool night air. They were returning from their son's wedding.
Then, without warning, the carriage stopped.
The horses up front shrieked and reared. The king leaned out his window to call to his guards — and froze. Both riders were already dead, slumped lifeless atop their horses.
Before he could even process it, a tall figure lashed out of the darkness. One slash. The blade cut clean through the carriage — and through the king and queen with it. They didn't even have time to scream. Their deaths were that swift.
---
Far to the west, in Cang City, the Regent Squad had just awakened their inner minds — the ability to sense chi, both their own and others'. A new phase of training had begun.
"I'm pleased with your progress," Anoki said, looking over his students. "From here, you only need to refine what you have to advance to Chi Level Two."
The squad sagged with exhaustion, but there was pride in it too. A full month had passed since graduation — a month of nothing but training.
Anoki studied them and smiled. "There's one more trial before I let you take your first mission." He called it the *bonding trial* — the training that would turn them from squadmates into family. Into siblings.
Peiren scoffed immediately. "Siblings? There's no need for that. We're squadmates. Nothing personal."
"You meanie." Hori swatted at him jokingly. "At least let sensei finish."
Kei just smiled quietly to himself. *Man, this bonding thing is gonna be peak.*
"We'll start with questions," Anoki said. "First — tell me your dreams. That's where bonding begins."
"Ou, ou, me first!" Kei thrust both arms in the air. "My dream is to become the strongest Guardian there is — and become the Grandlord."
Peiren scoffed again.
Anoki only smiled. "Good dream, Kei. Hayatte, you're next."
"Uh... uhhh." Hayatte adjusted her hair slightly toward her ear. "My dream is to defeat the wielder of the Dragon Blade someday. I want to be the greatest swordsman across all four continents — a Guardian splendid enough to be worthy of standing as the Grandlord's bodyguard."
"Yay! You can be my bodyguard when I become Grandlord, Hayatte!" Kei beamed.
"No thanks," Hayatte deadpanned. "I want to guard a *normal* Grandlord. Not a crazy jackass like you."
"Hori, you're next," Anoki said.
"My dream is to change this world." Her voice softened. "The conflict only keeps growing. My mom says sometimes that we might be the last generation. My dream is to bring peace — to save our world. We *shouldn't* be the last generation. We won't be."
"A fine dream," Anoki said gently. "I'll help all of you reach for these, however I can. Peiren, your turn."
"My dream is to be a powerful Guardian. The strongest this city's ever known. That's all."
"Good dreams, all of you," Anoki said, nodding. "Now — a duel. Kei and Peiren. Hori and Hayatte. This is what makes you siblings — brothers, sisters, family. We will face enemies on the road ahead. But we'll overcome them, because we'll have each other."
---
The wind hung thick and still over the training yard as Kei and Peiren faced off, settling into stance. A Tai Chi duel — hand to hand, nothing held back.
"Begin!"
They closed the distance in an instant. Peiren's fist slammed into Kei first; Kei answered in kind. Punches and kicks traded back and forth — some blocked, some breaking through. Kei's palm cut toward Peiren's jaw; Peiren deflected and answered with a kick to the gut that sent blood spraying from his own mouth as he was thrown backward into a pile of logs.
He rose. Adjusted his stance. Wiped his mouth. Charged again — faster this time.
A flurry of strikes landed before Kei could even raise his guard, and he was sent skidding across the dirt. He was back on his feet almost instantly. Their eyes locked, and they charged again — kicks, punches, attack after attack after attack, the fight stretching on while Anoki, Hori, and Hayatte watched in silence.
Then Peiren unleashed it — a technique he called the *Super Hard Claw*. His hand drove like a blade into one of Kei's internal organs, and the punch that followed sent Kei crashing to the ground, coughing blood. He tried to rise. He couldn't.
Shame settled over him as he lay there, face buried in the dirt. Peiren had won.
Hori and Hayatte rushed to his side. Anoki watched quietly from a distance.
After a moment, Peiren walked over too. He looked down at Kei, smirking. "You looser." He held out his hand. "Guess we're brothers now."
Anoki watched the scene unfold — and smiled.