Kaito lunged backward, breathing ragged, and slid behind a destroyed shop stand . He planted his feet and exhaled sharply, eyes narrowing.
Focus.
Breathe.
The goblins hesitated — afraid? No. Waiting for the pack to regroup. Clever bastards.
Kaito closed his eyes. He couldn't use many skills. Not at his level. No elemental buffs. No healing magic. But there was one skill he had in mind.
His grip tightened.
They rushed again.
He leapt into them.
A whirlwind of steel and sweat, his blade carved lines in the air. He struck with precision. A jab through the heart. A slash across the throat. A kick to break the neck. He bled. He ached. But he moved like a man possessed.
He imbued mana into his sword as he swung it at the goblins which resulted in a mana slash.
His sword caught one goblin through the chest — it screeched — he spun and parried another blow. His shoulder slammed into a second goblin, sending it reeling.
More blood.
More screams.
Fifteen remained.
Kaito was limping now. His thigh was stiff, his breathing shallow, vision swimming. But there was fire in his eyes. Determination burned, fueled by something deeper than survival.
Purpose.
He wasn't going to let the Rift stay open.
He wasn't going to let these monsters destroy more of the village.
They deserved better.
He let out a furious shout, voice raw. He charged into the fray once more, slashing left and right. Pain throbbed through his body.
His sword split through bone. A goblin shrieked and bit into his forearm — he smashed its skull with the hilt.
Ten.
Nine.
Six.
Every movement was agony. But he kept going.
A dagger drove into his shoulder.
He screamed — but did not fall.
His blade retaliated, severing the goblin's head in one clean swing.
Three.
Two.
One.
The final goblin, the largest of the bunch, charged with a crude spear. Kaito's sword clattered to the ground. His arms were too weak.
Blood dripped from his fingers. He sidestepped the lunge with the last of his strength, grabbed the goblin's arm, and drove his knee into its face.
Again.
And again.
It collapsed.
He retrieved his sword… and with trembling hands, thrust it downward.
Silence.
Then…
SHHHRRRMMMM!
The Rift pulsed violently. The air shimmered as the blue vortex spun faster, then slower… and finally began to shrink.
The wind shifted.
Leaves rustled.
The Rift let out one last deep groan — like the moan of a dying beast — and then it collapsed in on itself, a ripple of energy bursting outward in a wave of blue light.
Then nothing.
Kaito dropped to his knees, bloodied, exhausted, victorious.
He looked up at the sky, where the Rift had once been. He'd done it. Alone.
His first true battle.
Thirty goblins.
A steel sword.
No magic.
No party.
Just sheer grit.
He chuckled dryly, the sound caught between a laugh and a sob.
Level 4?
No one would believe him.
But it didn't matter.
The Rift was closed.
The people were safe.
He slowly closed his eyes.
★
Kaito slowly opened his eyes to see that he was back in his bedroom and he blinked a few times then slowly sat up to see that he was wearing a black shirt buttoned up with the two top buttons loose.
He wore a black trouser and a pair of black stockings as he looked around confused.
"I'm back in my room?" He was confused but he also noticed something else. His entire body was healed.
"I'm healed...how?" He asked, not expecting a reply but to his surprise someone answered him.
"How could you forget that there is a retired A rank priest living with you." Kaito turned to see his mother standing there at the doorframe.
"Mother." He said as his mother smiled at him and he smiled back but still asked the question on his mind. "How am I here mother?"
Misora walked towards the stool in his room and sat down as she sighed.
"Some residents reported sightings of a Rift and when your sister and some psykers arrived at the scene, they saw the corpses of the goblins and you laying there unconscious." She finished as kaito nodded and finally understood everything.
"I understand mother, but why am I dressed like this?" He asked with a hint of curiosity as his misora chuckled a bit then stood up and began to leave the room.
"Have you forgotten that today is the entrance exam?" She asked him as Kaito's eyes widened in shock.
"What?!"
★
Kaito was now fully dressed with a new hair cut and he also wore a pair of black boots. He walked towards his family that was waiting for him at the gates excluding Ryoji.
Saya was the first to spot him and she instantly complimented him.
"Looking good baby bro." She said as kaito blushed out of embarrassment.
"T-thanks sis." Kaito said.
"He got his charms from his father." Misora said as she looked at Kenshiro who blushed a bit then cleared his throat and put on a serious expression once again.
"Kaito, make sure you pass the entrance exam. Failure is not an option." Kenshiro said harshly as kaito nodded at his father with a look of determination.
"I will father." He said as he and Kenshiro stared each other in the eye.
"And once you're in the Academy, be sure to always look stunning and make sure you get a good girlfriend." Misora said with a smile and she winked at Kaito as he blushed out of embarrassment.
"M-mum!. I'm going to the academy to get stronger, not because of love." Kaito said with a blush on his face as misora could only laugh.
"Sure sure, your father was once like that but look at him now." Misora said as she kissed Kenshiro on the cheek as the strict man blushed then looked the other way to try and hide his blush.
"Don't worry mum, he'll be under my wing since I'll be in my second year and he'll be in his first. I'll be able to take care of him." Saya said with a smirk as she ruffled kaitos hair which earned her a scowl from him.
"Not you too sis!"
The guards at the gate informed Kenshiro that there was a carriage outside. Kenshiro signalled for them to open the gates as the carriage entered the land.
"Guess it's time for us to head out." Saya said as kaito nodded. Saya hugged Kenshiro and Misora. "Goodbye mum, bye dad." She said as she got into the carriage.
Now it was kaitos turn and he looked at both his parents.
"Mother…Father. I hope to see you guys again, I'll come back when I'm a lot stronger, that's a promise." He said as Misora smiled at him while Kenshiro nodded.
"We believe in you, son." Kenshiro said
"Just take care, we love you." It was misoras' turn as kaito smiled at them both.
"I love you guys too." He bowed towards them both as he got into the carriage as the rider readied the horses.
'I'll get stronger…that's a promise.' Kaito thought as he looked out the window as the horses began to move.
★
A few hours later in kenshiros' office. He was seated at his desk signing papers as he called out to someone.
"Yuta."
He said as immediately the A Ranker appeared in front of him and bowed then replied to him.
"Yes My Lord." He said as Kenshiro continued signing the papers but spoke nonetheless.
"I'm giving you a top secret mission. During the entrance exams, sneak into the exams and protect my son from the shadows. No matter how tough the battle may be for him, do not interfere…only interfere if his life is in danger. Am I clear?"
"Yes my Lord." Yuta said.
"If anything happens to my son—" Kenshiro stopped signing as he looked at Yuta with his eyes glowing purple and Yuta immediately began to tremble as it became difficult for him to breathe.
"I'll kill you."