Chapter 9: The Sword of the First Hasira
Part 1: The Calm Before the Storm
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[Scene opens – 1 Month Time Skip, Cosmic Organization Training Ground]
The desert winds of the celestial training field roared like echoes of ancient wars. The once-quiet courtyard now buzzed with the aftermath of grueling drills. Dust and debris floated in the air, remnants of what seemed like a battlefield—yet it was all training.
Standing tall, hands crossed behind his back, Lynx, the ex-Hasira Hunter and cosmic legend, overlooked the newly formed squad with a rare, subtle grin.
> Lynx: "You four are impressive. In just one month… you've mastered the basics like warriors born of war and chaos itself."
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Kayden: The One Who Opened His Cosmos
Kayden, breathing heavily, looked down at his hands. Two glowing symbols now shone on his palms.
Right hand: A swirling black hole symbol pulsed with gravitational distortion.
Left hand: A shimmering wormhole icon flickered, bending light around it like a cosmic gate.
> Lynx: "Kayden... You've finally unsealed 50% of your real power. Your right hand... absorbs all energy. Your left... throws it back, enhanced. With your eyes, you can now manipulate dimensions, realities... even timelines. You've inherited what your clan feared the most."
> Shogun (softly): "He's not the same Kayden from a month ago…"
Kayden remained silent. For once, he didn't speak out of pride—his gaze lingered on Jiwoo. There was something deeper now: purpose, protection, guilt, and the fire of resolve.
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Jiwoo: The Flame Inheritor of Minada
Jiwoo stepped forward, flames dancing around his arms. But these were not chaotic blazes—they were composed, alive, regal.
> Lynx: "Jiwoo… last of the Minada Clan. You've awakened every ancestral force within you. Sealing arts, flame force, and advanced manipulation of domain energy… you're not just the legacy. You're the culmination."
> Jiwoo (quietly): "I won't let anyone else die... not while I'm standing."
Kayden looked toward him, a faint smile on his lips. Jiwoo returned it.
> Kayden (thinking): "We joined this place to protect each other. Now… we'll protect everyone."
Their bond had grown unbreakable. There was no longer fear—only unity. For the first time in weeks, they didn't feel like broken pieces of a past war.
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Shogun Lee: The One Who Defies Fiction
All eyes turned to Shogun Lee, the commander of the squad. She stood silent, her sword embedded into the stone floor beside her.
> Lynx: "And you… Shogun. You didn't just master your basics—you found your own Advance Force."
Everyone leaned forward. Even Kayden looked genuinely curious.
> Lynx: "Your ability splits reality itself. Not cuts. Splits. Fiction or truth, your blade divides the narrative—an irreversible wound. Only a Pillar… or Hasira… could resist it. And..."
He paused.
> Lynx: "…you've also awakened Basic Baryon Mode. A 50% boost in all stats, but limited to once per day. Dangerous. Beautifully dangerous."
Shogun looked down at her hand. A golden-red glow flickered, her fingers trembling slightly.
> Shogun (whispering): "I just wanted to be strong enough to protect him… Hermit…"
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Leya: The Heart of the Squad
Leya stepped forward, arms glowing in a soft green hue, like flowing rivers of cosmic energy.
> Lynx: "Leya... you healed even the wounds caused by my blade. That alone puts you in a league of legends. You're more than a healer. You're the reason this squad stays alive."
> Leya (teasing): "Aww, Lynx. You do know how to compliment a girl."
Lynx sighed, expression stoic as always.
> Lynx: "Don't push it."
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A Mission Begins – The Sword of the First Hasira
With introductions finished, Lynx's tone shifted.
> Lynx: "Now, to why I gathered you."
He turned, and a digital projection appeared in the sky: an ancient sword embedded in a crater of light.
> Lynx: "This… is the sword of the First Hasira. It is the only weapon in recorded cosmic history capable of cutting a Pillar—and the wounds it causes... never heal."
Gasps filled the air.
> Kayden: "We're retrieving that?!"
> Lynx: "Yes. But know this—it's located in a dimension outside the known multiverse. A place warped by chaos. Even I cannot guarantee your safety."
> Jiwoo: "Why are you coming? You've already done more than enough."
> Lynx: "…Because the First Hasira might still be alive."
Silence. The world itself seemed to pause.
> Jiwoo: "W-What!? I thought… you killed all the Hasiras!"
> Lynx: "I did. All but one. The First Hasira... he defeated me. Gave me this."
He opened his cloak—revealing a massive scar on his chest, glowing with cursed energy.
> Lynx: "He wore a cosmic armor that absorbed attacks and returned them twofold. I couldn't break it. I sealed him in a collapsing realm. But if he's still alive… we'll need him."
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[Scene Shift – Dimensional Travel Begins]
As they crossed dimensions—vortexes swirling with colors, timelines distorting—Leya skipped beside Kayden.
> Leya: "Sooo~ You've been staring at Shogun a lot lately."
> Kayden: "Wha—? No! I mean—wait, what?!"
Right at that moment, Kayden's eyes accidentally landed on Shogun's chest as she adjusted her battle coat. Instant regret.
> Shogun (flushed): "Y-YOU PERVERTED BASTARD!!!"
She charged at him with a blade of pure light. Kayden ducked, panicking.
> Jiwoo (laughing): "Not even a Pillar can save you now."
> Leya (grinning): "Hey, Kayden~ Want to touch them too?"
Kayden turned crimson. Even Shogun was flustered now.
> Shogun: "You're BOTH getting punished."
They laughed—for the first time in what felt like eternity.
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[Planetfall – Jurassic Nightmare]
The squad finally landed—on a massive overgrown planet where the gravity was ten times normal. The sky was red. Roars echoed through the air.
> Jiwoo (looking around): "This feels like... a Jurassic World..."
Suddenly, a flashback triggered in Lynx's mind.
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[Flashback: Lynx vs. First Hasira]
A war-torn field. Lynx, younger, reckless, clashed swords with a man whose aura shook the heavens.
> First Hasira: "You're a legend, Lynx. A god-slayer. But you're missing something…"
With a mighty roar, he punched through Lynx's blade, sending him crashing into mountains.
> First Hasira: "I've got nothing special… but a god-gifted freak like you still can't beat me."
Bloodied, Lynx rose, eyes wide.
> Lynx (thinking): "He's… stronger than a Pillar…"
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[Back to Present]
The squad stood at the edge of a canyon. Ahead lay ruins glowing with ancient scripts—the resting place of the sword. But something was moving inside.
> Lynx (coldly): "Brace yourselves. The First Hasira's presence... it hasn't faded."
The scene fades out—roars in the background—power building—fate looming.
[Scene opens — The Ruins' Base Camp, Jurassic-like Planet, late afternoon]
The sun hung low behind jagged red cliffs, casting long shadows over the small clearing where the squad had decided to set up their base camp.
Dust floated lazily in the thick, humid air, and strange calls echoed faintly in the distance — distant roars of creatures long extinct in most known dimensions.
This was no ordinary world. Here, the laws of physics bent like the warped timelines Kayden now glimpsed with his eyes. The squad had to be prepared.
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[Leya, gathering fruits in a lush thicket]
Leya's lithe form slipped quietly among towering ferns and strange, bulbous trees dripping with glowing fruits. She plucked the fruits with practiced ease, eyes alert for any sudden danger.
> Leya (muttering to herself): "Gotta find enough for tonight... and tomorrow... Hopefully these aren't poisonous."
Her hand glowed faintly with healing energy, gently pressing a soft light onto a wounded leaf, restoring it.
Suddenly, a bright red fruit dangled just within reach. Leya stretched, smiling.
> Leya (softly): "Perfect."
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[Shogun Lee, at the edge of the clearing, chopping wood]
Near the ruins' stone walls, Shogun stood with a heavy, ancient axe in hand, her movements precise and steady. Each chop echoed sharply, a rhythmic percussion against the quiet.
> Shogun (thinking): If only I could cut through the tension in here as easily as I split these logs.
Her eyes flicked to Kayden, who was nearby, carrying large wooden logs to the designated campfire spot.
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[Kayden, carrying wood, blushing slightly]
Kayden adjusted the weight of the heavy logs on his shoulder, muscles straining but steady.
His mind drifted back to earlier dimensional travel, the teasing from Leya and Jiwoo, and Shogun's fierce glare whenever he accidentally glanced her way.
He cleared his throat, focusing.
As he neared the campfire pit, Leya appeared suddenly beside him, holding a cluster of glowing fruits.
> Leya (teasing): "Careful, big guy, don't drop those. Can't have the first Hasira sword hunters starving."
Kayden chuckled.
> Kayden: "I've got this."
Suddenly, before he could react, Leya leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
> Kayden (wide-eyed, blushing): "W-What was that for?!"
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[Shogun Lee's jealousy flares]
From across the clearing, Shogun saw the moment unfold. Her lips tightened, and her eyes glistened with sudden tears.
> Shogun (quietly to herself): "Why... why do I feel like I'm losing him already?"
She turned away, hiding her face as silent tears streaked down her cheeks.
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[Jiwoo, noticing Shogun's mood, approaches]
Jiwoo approached Shogun cautiously, a small smile playing on his lips.
> Jiwoo: "Hey... hey, don't cry. You're not alone, you know?"
Shogun wiped her tears hurriedly, scoffing.
> Shogun: "I'm fine. It's just... stupid."
Jiwoo grinned.
> Jiwoo: "Nothing about you is stupid."
He reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
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[Lynx, returning with fish]
Meanwhile, Lynx returned from a nearby river, a large, shimmering fish wriggling on a spear.
> Lynx: "Got dinner. If you can stomach fish from this world."
> Leya (smiling): "I can cook anything into a feast."
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[Jiwoo starts cooking, the team gathers]
Jiwoo knelt by a small fire pit, expertly roasting the fish over glowing embers. The aroma was surprisingly appetizing.
> Jiwoo: "Alright, team. Eat up. We need energy for tomorrow's trial."
The squad gathered around the fire, sharing food and stories. The tension of the sword hunt was momentarily forgotten as laughter and camaraderie filled the air.
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[Nightfall — Around the Campfire]
The stars above were alien — brighter, swirling constellations unlike any in their home skies.
Kayden looked across the fire at Shogun, who was quietly watching the flames.
He took a breath.
> Kayden: "Shogun... I didn't mean to upset you earlier."
Shogun glanced at him, surprised by the sincerity.
> Shogun: "It's not just that."
She looked down, voice soft.
> Shogun: "I'm scared. Scared of failing you... all of you."
> Kayden (reaching out): "We're in this together. No one gets left behind."
Jiwoo nodded in agreement.
> Jiwoo: "We fight, we protect, and we win — together."
Leya smiled warmly.
> Leya: "Besides, Kayden's got a nice blush. We'll tease him plenty more."
The group laughed, the mood light but hearts heavier than before.
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[Suddenly — distant roars and shaking ground]
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
> Lynx (standing, alert): "The ruins are waking. The trial has begun."
The squad grabbed weapons and formed a defensive circle.
> Lynx: "Tomorrow, we face the trial of the sword. Be ready."
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[To be continued...]