The night wind lashed against the walls of Kurogane, the capital of the Kurozen Empire, carrying the scent of smoke and despair. From atop a hill, a man stood firm. His silhouette, outlined by the moon, looked like a storm at rest. He was Ryūken Arashi, the most feared and respected swordsman in history—but even the greatest warrior can face defeat.
The Empire had fallen into absolute corruption. Its Emperor ruled with an iron fist, while citizens suffered under exorbitant taxes and public executions. Ryūken had tried to stop them, had challenged the Emperor's Generals, but that day he was defeated—not for lack of skill, but because his Kiryoku, the vital spiritual energy that had once made him invincible, had been sealed by the Emperor's forbidden technique.
His black, gleaming sword rested on his shoulder as he gazed toward the city he had sworn to liberate. Defeat burned in his chest, yet his spirit remained unbroken.
"This isn't over…" Ryūken murmured, his cold eyes scanning the distant lights of Kurogane.
He ventured into the Ashira Plains, where the oppressed people barely survived. That night, a young man's life was about to end. Tied to a post, his face bloodied and eyes wide with fear, Kai awaited an execution he could not escape. A petty thief, claimed the Empire—but his true crime was something no one knew: his Hidden Kiryoku, a power so rare that only the chosen could manifest it.
Ryūken appeared like a ghost from the shadows. His steps were silent, yet every movement radiated authority. The guards, overconfident, barely noticed him before Ryūken's sword struck with lightning precision. Within seconds, the young man was free, and the guards lay unconscious but alive.
Kai stared in awe and fear. "Wh… who are you?" he gasped.
"I'm someone who won't allow you to be killed for something you don't yet understand," Ryūken replied, his voice deep and steady. "If you want to live, follow me. I will teach you to survive… and to fight. But first, you must promise one thing: never give up, no matter what you face."
Kai nodded silently. His heart raced, and an unknown spark awakened within him. He didn't even know he possessed Hidden Kiryoku, and that very power would be the key to confronting the Empire.
Together, they began their journey north, toward the Ice Forests and the Dragon Peak, where Ryūken planned to train his new disciple. Along the way, the swordsman taught Kai how to move without making a sound, how to sense enemies' presence, and how to use instinct to survive. Every word Ryūken spoke was a lesson in life; every gesture, a silent warning.
That very night, under a starry sky, Kai attempted to lift a small log with his hands. For the first time, a silver light emerged from his palms. Ryūken watched closely, a shadow of hope crossing his gaze. "Yes… your Kiryoku… it's no ordinary power. It's special. More than you imagine," he murmured.
But danger lurked. In the capital, the Seven Dark Guardians were already aware of Ryūken's escape. Their leader, Kurotsume Raiga, had received orders to capture them both. The chase had begun, and with it, the promise of battles that would test not only their skills but their convictions.
The icy wind blew over the two, master and disciple, as they pressed into the night. Each step brought them closer to the true battle—the one that would decide the fate of the Empire and all who lived under its shadow.
Ryūken tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and looked toward the horizon. "No matter how much they sealed me… I will return. And this time, there will be no defeat."
Kai, still trembling with a mix of fear and excitement, could only gaze at his master and realize that his life had changed forever. The spark of his Kiryoku shone faintly, but it was enough to know that together, they could challenge even the Dark Guardians and the Emperor himsel
f.
The adventure had begun.