Part 1: Aftermath and Reflection
The sky above the Cosmic Organization's central HQ was painted in hues of quiet devastation. Broken spires floated amidst glittering stardust, remnants of once-golden towers now cracked and bleeding light. A cosmic silence lingered—a hush after a scream.
Within the ruins of the medical wing, two beds were surrounded by flickering life support conduits. Jiwoo sat in silence beside one of them, eyes locked onto the figure resting on the bed.
Kayden.
Still. Pale. Barely breathing.
His body was wrapped in layers of glowing restraints to regulate the raw elemental surge coursing through him. The blackhole fruit had changed him… and now, it was killing him slowly from within.
Jiwoo clenched his fists.
"He did it all… to protect me," he whispered. "Even when his body was burning, he smiled… like always."
His gaze drifted to the note he'd salvaged from the ancient ship—the one he'd read a hundred times now.
The secrets of the cosmos.
The truths of the Elements.
The nightmare of the Pillars.
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Part 2: The Promise
Later that night, Jiwoo sat on the roof of the recovery tower, overlooking the stars. His crimson flame danced around him in solemn silence, no longer wild—only watchful.
A familiar presence approached from behind.
Shogun Lee.
Her sword was sheathed across her back, wrapped in cloth that hummed with life force. Her white hair floated slightly in the breeze.
"You're still up," she said.
Jiwoo didn't turn. "I can't sleep. Not after what happened."
She sat beside him.
"You did good, Jiwoo. You survived something that should've erased both of you. That says something."
Jiwoo chuckled bitterly. "We survived… but Hermit… he might never fight again. And Kayden…"
He looked down. "I joined this place to get stronger, but I wasn't strong enough to protect anyone."
There was a long silence.
Then Shogun spoke.
"He told me that once too. Hermit."
Jiwoo glanced sideways.
"He was a kid… no older than you, born from an experiment that erased over a thousand lives. They tried to force the Element of Matter and Molecules into children. It destroyed them. But Hermit survived. He wasn't gifted—he was forged. Every scar on his body… every win he has… came from pain."
Jiwoo's jaw clenched.
"…And yet he became a Hasira."
"Yes. Because he never gave up on his goal: to protect those who couldn't protect themselves."
Shogun's eyes met his. "What's your goal now?"
Jiwoo looked at his flame-covered hand, then at the starlit horizon. "To protect… everyone. Even if I have to burn everything down in my way."
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Part 3: Kayden Awakens – The Bond Reignites
A few days later.
Kayden's breathing stabilized. The cosmic veins across his chest dimmed. His eyelids twitched.
Jiwoo sat nearby, his head down.
"…I'm not dead yet, idiot."
Jiwoo jumped, eyes wide. "Kayden?!"
The older teen cracked a smirk, still weak but conscious. "What? Did you cry while I was out? Tell me you didn't cry."
"You asshole!" Jiwoo tackled him, half-laughing, half-weeping. "You almost died, you freakin' jerk!"
Kayden groaned. "Ow. Still sore, flamebrain."
They both laughed—but the air shifted. More serious now.
Jiwoo pulled away slightly. "Kayden. We need to get stronger. I don't want to watch another person fall while I stand useless again."
Kayden stared at him… and then slowly nodded.
"I made a promise to the Break Clan… and to you. I'll protect you, no matter what. So yeah… let's get strong enough that even the Pillars will fear us."
They fist-bumped.
---
Part 4: Shogun's Lesson – The Forces Unleashed
In a wide circular training dome floating outside reality, Shogun stood in front of Jiwoo and Kayden.
"Listen up," she said, tying her hair back. "You've got the Elements—but that alone won't save you. What you need to understand are the Forces. The very rules of power that govern all living beings."
She drew her sword. A pulse of golden life force surrounded her.
"There are two categories: Basic Forces and Advanced Forces."
She stomped once—and the entire room shifted into a holographic grid, each section representing a different category.
---
BASIC FORCES (Everyone starts with access to these):
1. Ultra Instinct (UI)
"Your body reacts faster than your brain. Pure instinct. Best for hand-to-hand fighters."
Shogun vanished and reappeared behind them in a blink.
2. Ki Flow
"Control over your own force. You can manipulate your environment or even create a domain where your power reigns supreme."
She lifted her hand—and the air turned golden. Mountains formed. Water floated. Reality bent.
3. Ren
"Boosts physical power. Merge your force with punches, swords, even blasts."
She slashed once—the shockwave broke a floating asteroid in half.
4. Sin
"Invisible threads. Control another's movement. Access to telepathy and psychic energy. Dangerous."
Threads shimmered from her fingers, coiling through the air like puppeteer strings.
5. Impuls
"Healing. For yourself or others. Also recharges your Force in battle."
A wounded sparrow she summoned was healed in seconds.
6. Shade
"The rarest. You can create, erase, or rewrite anything weaker than you. Even time itself. Few can wield it."
A flick of her finger erased a nearby holographic star.
---
Jiwoo and Kayden stared, speechless.
"Now—Advanced Forces depend on your personality, fighting style, and inner will. These manifest uniquely. You'll discover them over time."
Then she turned away. Her tone softened.
"Hermit… taught me all of this. He raised me like a daughter. Everything I am—I owe to him."
A flashback rippled briefly: a young Shogun bleeding on the battlefield, Hermit lifting her up, whispering, "Survive. Fight with purpose."
Back in the present, she whispered, "I won't let his legacy die."
---
Part 5: The Hunter Appears – Lynx
Suddenly, the space around the HQ cracked with sharp energy.
A portal opened.
A figure stepped through. Tall, armored in matte white with red runes pulsing down his arms.
Lynx.
The Hasira Hunter.
Everyone froze.
Kayden instinctively grabbed Jiwoo's shoulder. "Who the hell is that?"
Shogun narrowed her eyes. "That… is Lynx. A former assassin. The king used him to kill Hasiras who became too powerful."
Jiwoo's eyes widened. "Why is he here?"
Hermit, still weakened but alert, walked out of his chamber with effort.
"He is here… because he is the next Hasira candidate," Hermit said.
Shock echoed in the training dome.
Shogun stepped forward, uncertain. "But… I thought the council hadn't decided—"
"They have," Hermit said. "And he's the strongest one left."
Kayden growled slightly. "He's not like you."
"No," Hermit nodded. "He's not. That's why I'm warning you three. Don't get in his way."
Before more could be said, a voice echoed from the hallway.
"Is this where the drama's happening?"
A beautiful girl with long silver hair and sharp eyes strolled in. Her aura? Strange—like the shimmer between dreams and stars.
Shogun's jaw dropped. "Leya?!"
The episode ends.
To Be Continued.
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