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Chapter Four — The First Training and the Shadow Struggle
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The corridors of Dawn Claws Base were buzzing with activity.
Weapons clashed, screams echoed, and the metal birds that had been watching from the rooftops flew off in terror.
Kai stood at the entrance, breathing slowly, feeling every beat of his heart… and every second of his life diminishing with each use of his abilities.
"There's no turning back…"
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⚔️ The First Training
The red-eyed man, the guild leader, approached him.
He smiled and said,
"Today, you will learn the true power of Claws… and this will be no ordinary lesson."
He gestured toward a large arena where strange training paraphernalia was scattered:
Masks that emitted flashes of energy upon contact
Metal cages that moved randomly
Small, shard-like mechanical monsters, ranging in size from a small animal to a horse
"Your goal? Survival. And don't worry… anyone who succeeds here can face the real monsters later."
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🩸 First Encounter
A small iron monster appeared before him, half-shifted, half shattered shard.
Its metal clanged, its eyes glowed.
Kai felt a sense of dread, but he remembered the First Star within him.
"You can do it…" whispered the system inside him.
He raised his hand, and light began to emanate from his heart.
He saw the monster's path, its weak point… then touched his skin.
The light exploded, and a small piece of shard detached from his body, bouncing to the ground.
Kai recoiled, panting.
Benefit? Yes. Cost? Another week of his life.
He smiled faintly, despite the pain.
"Real training just got… more dangerous."
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🧝♂️ First Ally Appears
As he caught his breath, a slender young man appeared, with silver hair and clear blue eyes.
He approached him and said,
"You're the new kid… I hear about you, a strange powerhouse."
This was Ryan Volker, the Organ-Claw:
Brave
Huge
He carries the Earth's Gravity Shard
Kai smiled cautiously, exchanging a brief glance with him.
"If I survive here, maybe we'll become a team… or rivals," Ryan said.
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🕷️ First Shadow Danger
As Kai familiarized himself with the training method, he sensed something watching him.
A black shadow slithered across the rooftops, moving silently, then appeared at the side of the arena: the mysterious Shadow Lady.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then whispered,
"The first star… he's starting to move. Let's see how the other powers will move."
No one noticed her except the system, which whispered internally:
[Beware… a powerful observer. Not easily detected]
Kai felt a shiver run through him, but he didn't back down.
"Everything will be a test… every step."
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🌟 End of Day One
Training was over, and Kai sat on a high platform, observing the city from afar:
For the first time, he grasped the true extent of the danger.
He understood that every guild, every cult, everyone around him wanted something from him or his power.
He felt that his future friends—Rain and perhaps later Serene—would be his eyes, his sword, his protection.
But something stirred within him… Elara.
Her memory hadn't left him, despite all the struggles.
A sad smile crept across his face:
"I won't let anyone control my life… or her."
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🌒 End of Chapter Four