"There's one thing I won't tolerate from anyone," Jackson growled, struggling against the crushing pressure weighing down on him. His legs trembled, and sweat streamed down his face, but his furious gaze remained fixed on the bald Trial Master.
"And that's insulting me to my face!"
With a final surge, Jackson forced himself upright. His knees nearly buckled, but he gritted his teeth and held his ground.
The surrounding crowd fell silent.
The bald man stroked his beard, studying Jackson with newfound interest. The mocking expression on his face gradually faded into a satisfied smile.
"Hmm... Not bad. Not bad at all. Four young people with such unusual talent. I haven't seen anything like this in a while."
He withdrew his Renshical pressure.
"You've passed the first trial. Proceed to the second gate."
The oppressive weight vanished.
Jackson sucked in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His legs still shook as he straightened his clothes and forced himself to walk through the gate.
On the other side, Alfie and Sasaki were waiting beneath the towering shadow of the second gate.
Jackson approached them, still breathing heavily.
"What are you two doing just standing here?"
"I got here and found him waiting," Alfie replied, pointing at Sasaki. "He said he wasn't leaving until the rest of us arrived."
Jackson glanced at Sasaki, who stood with his usual unreadable expression.
"...Thanks for waiting, Mister Sasaki."
Sasaki gave a small nod.
Before anyone could say anything else, the second gate began to open with a deep, grinding rumble.
Jackson looked around the courtyard beyond it.
"Master... Where is she?"
"She already passed all the trials," Alfie answered with a smirk. "Honestly, those things are probably just warm-ups for her."
"Then why are we still standing here?" Jackson asked.
"Because the people running these trials haven't finished with us yet," Sasaki replied calmly.
A massive figure emerged from the shadows beyond the gate.
The man stood nearly eight feet tall, his enormous frame covered by a black Shinra cape. Unlike the other Shinras they had encountered, his hood was lowered, revealing a long scar that cut diagonally across his face.
His eyes swept over the three newcomers.
"So, all three of you made it through the first trial. Good. That saves me some time."
He rolled his shoulders, then reached behind his back.
"I don't have the patience to fight you one at a time. Besides, it'd be embarrassing if I had to take on children individually."
Alfie raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, Scarface. If you're in such a hurry, why don't you stop talking and get this over with?"
Jackson closed his eyes briefly.
Does this idiot ever know when to keep his mouth shut?
The scarred man laughed under his breath.
"You're certainly confident for someone so small."
He pulled a massive scythe from behind his back. Its long handle was wrapped in dark material, while the curved blade gleamed beneath the torches lining the courtyard.
"Fine. Come at me together. Let's see what you've got."
Sasaki moved first.
He activated Switch Mode, disappearing in a flash before reappearing directly in front of the man. Renshi surged around his arm, forming a sharp blade as he swung upward toward the man's chest.
The scarred man reacted instantly.
He twisted the scythe's handle across his body, catching Sasaki's blade just before it reached him.
CLANG!
Sparks burst from the collision.
The force of the impact drove dust across the courtyard, but the man barely moved.
At the same moment, Alfie attacked from the left while Jackson rushed in from the right, attempting to trap their opponent between them.
Alfie aimed a fast strike at the man's ribs. Jackson followed with a punch directed at his side.
The scarred man glanced between them.
"Good timing."
He released Sasaki's blade, dropped his shoulder beneath Alfie's attack, and twisted away from Jackson's punch.
Before either boy could adjust, he activated Switch Mode.
His body vanished.
"Behind you!" Sasaki shouted.
Alfie spun around, but the man was already swinging his scythe horizontally toward him.
Alfie ducked just in time.
The blade swept over his head, cutting through several strands of his hair before the man reversed his grip and drove the blunt end of the handle toward Jackson's stomach.
Jackson crossed his arms to block.
THUD!
The impact sent him skidding backward across the stone.
He barely regained his balance before the scarred man disappeared again.
This time, he reappeared above Sasaki, bringing the scythe down with enough force to crack the ground if it landed.
Sasaki raised his Renshi blade.
BOOM!
The weapons collided, sending a shockwave through the courtyard.
Sasaki's knees bent under the pressure. The scarred man was stronger than he had anticipated, every clash sent another jolt through his arms.
He gritted his teeth and pushed the scythe aside, but the man used the opening to drive a knee toward his chest.
Sasaki twisted away, taking the blow across his side instead of head-on. Pain shot through his body as he was thrown several feet backward.
Before he could recover, the scarred man turned toward Alfie and Jackson.
"Your teamwork is decent," he said. "But you're still too slow."
He vanished once more.
A flash of black appeared beside Alfie.
Alfie raised his arms to defend himself, but the scythe's handle struck his guard and knocked him off balance.
The man followed with a sweeping kick.
Alfie was forced to jump backward, landing hard on his heels.
Jackson rushed in to take advantage of the man's apparent opening.
"Got you!"
He threw a punch.
The scarred man caught his wrist.
Jackson's eyes widened.
Before he could pull free, the man twisted his arm and used Jackson's forward momentum to throw him across the courtyard.
"Jack!"
Alfie started toward him, but Sasaki appeared between them and the scarred man.
His Renshi blade flashed as he launched another series of attacks, forcing their opponent to defend himself.
Sasaki struck high, then low, changing the angle of each swing to keep the man from settling into a rhythm.
The scarred man blocked the first two attacks with the shaft of his scythe. He evaded the third by leaning backward, then swept the weapon toward Sasaki's legs.
Sasaki jumped over the blade and brought his sword down with both hands.
The man caught the strike.
For a brief moment, their weapons locked.
"You're pretty good," the scarred man admitted. "But you're wasting too much energy trying to protect the other two."
Sasaki's expression hardened.
He forced the scythe aside and launched another attack.
Then, noticing Alfie struggling to get back into position, Sasaki made a quick decision.
He disengaged from the clash and hurled his Renshi blade toward Alfie.
Alfie caught the weapon by its hilt.
The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt an unfamiliar sensation. The blade vibrated violently, its Renshi surging against his grip as though it were rejecting him.
He tightened his hold, determined not to drop it.
Meanwhile, Sasaki formed another Renshi blade and threw it toward Jackson.
Jackson reached out.
His fingers had barely closed around the hilt when the weapon erupted with crimson light.
"What's...?!"
CRACK!
The blade shattered.
Red fragments burst around Jackson's hand before disappearing into his body like burning sparks.
Jackson's entire body convulsed.
His eyes widened, his muscles locking as a violent wave of heat surged through him.
"AH...!"
He collapsed onto the stone.
"JACK!"
Alfie immediately abandoned his attack and rushed toward him, still holding Sasaki's weapon.
Jackson's body trembled uncontrollably. Sweat poured down his face,his skin grew frighteningly hot.
Sasaki stared at him in shock.
The scarred man lowered his scythe, his expression turning grim.
"You fool!" he barked at Sasaki. "Have you never learned anything about Renshical weapons?"
Sasaki's jaw tightened.
"I was trying to...."
"Trying to help him? Look at what you've done!"
The man's voice echoed across the courtyard.
"A Renshi weapon isn't an ordinary weapon you can hand to anyone. It's formed from the user's own Renshi and carries their unique Renshi signature. Another person's body may reject it, especially if they're not strong enough to withstand the difference."
He crouched beside Jackson and placed a hand near the boy's forehead.
"His body is overheating. The foreign Renshi has triggered a severe reaction. If we don't get him to a healer immediately, he could die."
Alfie's face went pale.
"Jack... Hey, Jack, can you hear me?"
Jackson didn't respond.
Sasaki clenched his fists, his usual composure cracking under the weight of what had happened.
"I didn't know..."
"Then you should've thought before throwing your weapon at him!" the scarred man snapped.
He slid one arm beneath Jackson and lifted him effortlessly.
"We're going to the hospital. Now."
Sasaki stepped forward and carefully took Jackson from him, holding the unconscious boy against his chest.
"I'll carry him."
The scarred man gave him a brief, irritated look but didn't argue.
Alfie followed close behind, still gripping Sasaki's Renshi blade.
The man noticed it as they approached the gate.
"Wait a moment."
He pointed at the weapon.
"How are you still holding that?"
Alfie glanced down at the blade. Its crimson glow pulsed faintly, but the energy no longer seemed to be fighting against his grip.
"What do you mean?"
"That weapon belongs to him. Its Renshi should be reacting to your body, yet you haven't collapsed or shown any signs of rejection."
The man studied Alfie carefully.
"Most children would've been overwhelmed by now just like your friend. Even some experienced Shinras would struggle to hold another person's personalized Renshi weapon for this long."
Alfie looked at the blade, confusion clouding his expression.
"...I honestly don't know why."
The scarred man narrowed his eyes but said nothing more.
He turned and led them through the gate.
Beyond it, Ashura stretched out before them in all its glory.
Alfie had expected a kingdom built around battle, perhaps filled with training grounds and heavily fortified buildings. Instead, he found a thriving civilization.
Towering buildings lined the broad streets, their windows glowing with electric light. Shops and auction houses filled the lower floors, while enormous towers rose above the rooftops. Signs illuminated the streets, music drifted from nearby establishments, and countless Shinras moved through the crowds.
Some wore white capes, others black, blue, or red. Merchants called out to customers while groups of young Shinras gathered around street stalls, discussing their latest battles and training achievements.
Alfie could only stare.
"This is... Ashura?"
Sasaki glanced around as well, his expression unusually thoughtful.
The kingdom was nothing like the brutal place he had imagined. It wasn't merely a land where the strongest survived.
It was a civilization, bustling with life.
Alfie barely had time to take it all in.
"What happened to Jackson?"
Lucy's voice came from behind them.
The three turned.
She stood a short distance away, her gaze fixed on Jackson's unconscious body. Her expression remained controlled, but the sharpness in her eyes made it clear that she wanted an answer immediately.
"Master!" Alfie exclaimed. "You were gone, and then you suddenly appeared again!"
Before he could say anything else, the Renshi blade in his hand flickered.
Its crimson glow faded, and the weapon dissolved into tiny fragments of light that scattered into the air.
Alfie stared at his empty hand.
What just happened?
Lucy barely glanced at it.
"What happened to Jackson?"
"Sasaki gave him one of his Renshi weapons," Alfie explained quickly. "The moment Jack grabbed it, the weapon exploded, and he collapsed."
Lucy slowly turned toward Sasaki.
"You idiot."
Her voice was quiet, but the coldness in it made even Alfie hesitate.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Sasaki looked down at Jackson.
"No. I didn't know his body would react like that."
"You should've known better than to hand your weapon to someone whose Renshi you haven't even tested."
Lucy stepped closer, her eyes hardening.
"You could have killed him."
Sasaki said nothing.
He had no excuse to offer.
Lucy immediately reached into her storage ring and summoned her horse. She mounted in one smooth movement, then carefully lifted Jackson onto the horse in front of her.
"Master, wait....."
"Stay close."
She urged the horse forward and galloped down the crowded street.
The scarred Shinra motioned for Alfie and Sasaki to follow.
"Come on. The hospital isn't far, but we need to move quickly."
They hurried after her.
Soon, they reached an enormous white building that towered ten floors above the surrounding streets. Runes associated with healing Renshi had been carved into its outer walls, glowing softly beneath the evening light.
ASHURA HOSPITAL.
The scarred man led them inside.
The entrance hall was spacious and brightly lit, with healers and patients moving through the corridors. Several teleportation circles had been built into the floor, allowing patients to reach different departments without climbing the stairs.
The man approached a young nurse standing behind the reception desk.
"Has a woman brought in a boy who was suffering from a severe Renshical reaction?"
The nurse checked the records before looking up.
"Yes, sir. He's on the third floor. The woman who brought him in is waiting with him."
"Thank you."
The man gestured for Alfie and Sasaki to follow him.
They stepped into a teleportation circle. Light rose around their feet, and the surroundings blurred for an instant.
When the light faded, they were standing in a corridor on the third floor.
At the end of the corridor, they found Lucy seated beside a hospital bed.
Jackson was lying beneath a white blanket.
But to their surprise, his eyes were open.
"Jack!"
Alfie hurried to his side, relief washing over his face.
"You're awake! Don't scare us like that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack you moron."
Jackson grimaced and pressed a hand against his forehead.
"Shut up Alfie... My head feels like it's about to explode."
Alfie gave a relieved laugh.
"Well, at least you're still capable of complaining."
"Enough talking," Lucy interrupted, rising from her chair. "We're leaving."
A healer in a white uniform approached them. The Ashura insignia was embroidered on her chest, and she carried a medical clipboard in one hand.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Before you take him away, I need to examine him properly. His condition was serious, and he may not be ready to leave."
"He'll be fine," Lucy replied.
The healer frowned.
"With respect, I can't release a patient without confirming that he's stable. The reaction could have affected his Renshi pathways, and his headache might be a sign of....."
"The headache is a side effect," Lucy interrupted. "He'll recover with time."
She turned toward Jackson.
"And he'll be recovering with me."
The healer looked as though she wanted to object, but Lucy had already begun leading the others out of the room.
Alfie followed, glancing back at Jackson to make sure he could stand.
Sasaki lingered for a moment, his face still burdened with guilt, before following them as well.
The scarred man remained behind.
He watched Lucy and the others disappear down the corridor, then slowly turned toward the healer.
"Excuse me. Can I ask you something?"
The healer set her clipboard aside.
"Of course. What is it?"
He glanced toward the empty bed.
"Did you buy any chance treat the boy?"
The healer shook her head.
"No. I didn't treat him at all."
The man's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"When the woman brought him in, he was unconscious and suffering from what appeared to be a severe Renshical reaction. She explained what had happened, so I prepared to examine him."
The healer paused, her expression turning puzzled.
"But before I could even touch him, his condition began to improve on its own. His temperature dropped, his breathing stabilized, and he regained consciousness."
She looked toward the doorway through which Lucy had left.
"I've never seen a reaction like that resolve so quickly without treatment."
The scarred man's expression grew serious.
So the boy recovered without any help from the healers huh?
His thoughts returned to the moment he had seen Alfie holding Sasaki's Renshi weapon without suffering any apparent harm.
First, that boy can withstand another person's Renshical energy. Now, this one body has recovered from a reaction that should have required immediate treatment.
He slowly folded his arms.
Just who are these children... and what exactly is that woman?