The sun rose over the academy grounds, casting golden light across the training fields. Morning drills had already begun, and the echoes of clashing Wills and shouted commands filled the air like a battlefield orchestra. Today's focus: refining close-quarters combat and reaction timing.
Kael stood in the center of the field, bouncing lightly on his feet, eyes locked on his sparring partner.
Tetsu.
"Ready?" Kael asked, a grin playing on his lips.
"As I'll ever be," Tetsu replied, cracking his knuckles. "Just don't cry when I knock you on your—"
But he didn't finish the sentence.
Kael moved in fast, foot twisting into the ground as he launched a feint to the left and then swung hard with a right. Tetsu didn't even block.
Crack!
Kael's punch landed squarely on his cheek, sending him stumbling back.
"Yo!" Kael blinked in confusion. "What the hell was that? You didn't even try to dodge."
Tetsu blinked, clearly dazed. He rubbed his cheek, then gestured behind Kael. "I… uh… thought I saw something."
Kael turned, following his friend's gaze.
Standing at the edge of the training field was Eri—Hana's older sister. She wasn't doing anything particularly flashy. Just standing there, arms folded, her long black hair blowing in the breeze, an eyebrow slightly raised as she observed them. She wasn't even looking in Tetsu's direction.
Kael slowly turned back to Tetsu, a smirk creeping onto his face.
"No way," he said, folding his arms. "You got distracted by Eri?"
Tetsu's face turned red. "Wh-What?! No, I was just—she's just watching us spar. I thought she might be analyzing our form."
Kael laughed. "Analyzing your form? You mean analyzing how your jaw handled that punch?"
"Shut up!" Tetsu groaned, but the damage was done.
Kael walked over and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Bro, if you're gonna have a crush, at least wait until we're not mid-fight. You practically handed me that win."
Tetsu grumbled under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't know she was gonna show up…"
Kael chuckled again but stopped as Eri began walking toward them. She moved with quiet precision, each step measured, her gaze locked on Kael this time.
"You dropped your guard, Tetsu," she said flatly. "You're lucky Kael didn't break your nose. In a real fight, that distraction would've cost your life."
Tetsu stood up straighter. "Y-Yes, ma'am."
Kael tried not to laugh again. Eri turned her gaze toward Kael.
"And you," she said, "your follow-through was strong, but your center of gravity shifted too far forward. In a real engagement, if Tetsu hadn't been daydreaming, you would've been countered."
Kael blinked. "Noted."
Eri nodded and turned to leave, but Kael raised his voice just enough to say, "Tetsu was wondering if you were single, by the way."
Tetsu nearly choked.
Eri paused, slowly looking over her shoulder. Her expression didn't change.
"I'm busy," she said without a trace of amusement, then kept walking.
Kael doubled over laughing while Tetsu covered his face.
"Bro," Kael wheezed, "you just got rejected and analyzed in under ten seconds. That's gotta be a record."
"I'm never sparring in front of her again," Tetsu muttered.
But the humor didn't last long. Eri's visit hadn't been just casual observation. Later that day, she gathered them in her workshop again, her tone more serious than usual.
"Intel reports suggest Kurojin's movements have shifted," she began, flicking on a holo-map of the nearby corrupted zones. "We intercepted signal echoes from one of his lieutenants. He's testing the barriers between zones. That means he's looking for weaknesses."
Kael stepped forward, arms folded. "Why now?"
"Because he's not stupid," Eri replied. "He knows you're growing stronger. He wants to accelerate his plan before you're ready."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Then we train harder."
Eri nodded. "And smarter. Which is why I've designed a simulation for you. A war game using real-time corrupted AI and altered Will conditions. You'll experience battlefield chaos—unpredictable conditions, changing terrain, and enemy Will surges."
Kael looked to Tetsu, who had finally recovered from the earlier embarrassment. "You ready?"
Tetsu straightened. "Let's show them what we've got."
And as the lights dimmed in the room and the simulation activated, Kael felt the ground beneath them shift—both literally and figuratively. This was no longer training for survival.
This was training for war.