Guild of the Thousand Lights – Morning Training Grounds
The courtyard was unusually crowded.
Every member of the Guild of the Thousand Lights stood around the training arena, buzzing with excitement. All eyes were fixed on two figures standing in the center:
Kelvin Nox, silent and composed, his black-bladed training sword glinting under the sun.
Lorien Valtier, charismatic and radiant, his golden blade resting casually on his shoulder.
"A friendly duel between Lorien-sama and Kelvin-sama… this is going to be insane!" one of the members whispered.
The tension was thick—until Kelvin spoke.
"I didn't know you were good with a sword, Lorien-nii-san."
Lorien grinned, brushing back his golden bangs with a smirk.
"Well, you know… aside from being ridiculously handsome with blue eyes, I am kind of amazing at everything."
Several of the female members squealed. Someone actually fainted.
Kelvin raised an eyebrow but said nothing, stepping into stance. The moment the wooden bell was struck, the two clashed.
CLANG! CLANG! SWOOSH!
Kelvin moved like a shadow, his footwork flawless, strikes sharp and efficient. But Lorien… Lorien danced. His every move flowed with elegance and ease, like his sword was simply an extension of his soul.
Then—without warning—Lorien twisted into a feint, pivoted, and knocked Kelvin's blade clean out of his hand.
"Touché," he said smoothly, his blade resting an inch from Kelvin's neck.
Kelvin blinked, then gave a soft smile.
"You really are annoying sometimes…"
Cheers erupted. The guild members were in awe, and the girls were absolutely losing it.
Lorien winked at the crowd and gave a little two-finger salute.
Back at the Phoenix Guild HQ…
The mood was more serious.
Diana Flamesoul stood in front of her team, arms crossed, eyes sharp. Behind her stood the trio:
Inavy – arms at his sides, expression serious.Darius – stretching and bouncing on his heels.Rose – eyes glowing faintly, already focused.
"Today," Diana began, "we're going to train in something only two people in this world have mastered—me, and Ray Stormbreak."
Darius's eyes lit up.
"Wait, wait, what?! What is it? Come on, tell us!"
Inavy chuckled softly. "Calm down, Darius."
Rose tilted her head, intrigued. "If it's something from Ray… it must be serious."
Diana nodded.
"We're going to learn Primordial Aura Harmonization."
The room fell silent.
"This technique lets you connect with the very soul of the planet. You'll feel the earth... the wind… life itself. It amplifies your aura in perfect sync with nature."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
"But it's extremely unstable if your aura is imbalanced."
Darius scratched his head.
"So… what, I gotta feel the grass growing or something?"
Rose groaned. "It's spiritual, Darius. Harmony, not gardening."
Inavy looked down at his hands, a strange seriousness in his gaze.
"If I can learn this… maybe I'll understand what's happening inside me."
Diana's voice dropped low.
"Maybe. If you can harmonize your aura with the world, Inavy, you might finally be able to quiet… whatever it is trying to drag you into the dark."
A heavy silence fell.
Inavy closed his eyes.
The room grew still.
No more words were needed. The training was about to begin