The State of Spring was the Seventh Continent, the last of them all. Several cities made up the continent, unified under a single great king.
In the small city called Fallen Flowers, a festival was taking place — one held every year for as long as anyone could remember. It was the festival meant to promote the children of the great families; the royal envoy would arrive soon to take them to the royal capital.
In the large square at the center of the city, food stalls were scattered about, and most of the townsfolk were gathered there. There were also musicians, dancers, and theatrical performers. On a stage set apart from the crowd, the three great families of the city were gathered at a long table. This was one of the few occasions in the year when the people could see the three families together in one place.
Their children, their wives, cousins, and patriarchs were all sharing food, in a mutual display of respect.
In a more distant part of the city, still leaving home, was Kon, accompanied by a worried young woman.
"You can't be serious! Of all days, today you're going to make a fool of yourself?!"
"A fool? I beat that bastard from the Rei family! He won't admit it, but that black eye is proof of what I did," Kon replied, visibly confident.
"Even if that's true… a great family would never allow you to steal one of their children's spots! We're talking about the elite!"
"Elites, kings, powerful families… none of that matters. I settle things by strength," Kon said mockingly.
"And so do they! And there are dozens of them in those families!"
As they walked toward the central square, the young woman tried to dissuade Kon from his stupid plan. Without success, of course. The boy was stubborn and impulsive. He was the kind of person who would pick a fight with the wind if he didn't like the temperature of the breeze.
The streets were festive even after night had fallen and the sun had set. In fact, the excitement seemed only to grow once the sun dipped below the horizon. Yuna dragged Kon from place to place before he finally reached the central square, where the main attractions were gathered, as well as the families seated at the long table.
"Alright, Yuna, thank you! But I've eaten and been distracted enough. The messenger arrives tomorrow, and I need that spot," Kon said, a little annoyed with his friend's insistence.
"For Xanteya's sake, Kon! You're dreaming if you think they'll simply let you take that spot!"
Yuna was infinitely anxious now. The three families were right there, only a few meters away from her foolish, dreamer of a friend. People were eating and dancing everywhere, and the three Patriarchs were drinking wine and discussing marriages and future governance plans.
"By the way, comrades, I received information about a supposed treasure hidden by Mulberry Falls, a few kilometers from the royal capital. I spoke with Harlan, and if you both agree, why don't we join forces and go after it?" the Rei Patriarch said casually as he took a sip from his golden cup. Then he began stroking his long white beard as the other two pondered their responses.
"And how would we do that? Who keeps the treasure, whatever it may be?" asked Patriarch Lane, always skeptical and cautious before sealing any deal.
"I was thinking we could pool some money and hire a High Blacksmith to—"
Before he could finish, Patriarch Hart choked. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. After all, the services of anyone with "High" in their title came at an exorbitant price. And the Rei Patriarch was talking about replicating a magical treasure!
"That could ruin us!" he exclaimed, though almost whispering, so as not to alarm the other family members seated at the shared table.
"Don't be dramatic! You think I don't know the cost of a High Blacksmith? I didn't come unprepared! As it happens…" The Rei Patriarch leaned in and began to whisper, "By a twist of fate, a member of the Blacksmith Order of the Seven Continents owes me a favor. I have a signed note from him that I can use once, whenever I decide to ask for his work. A fifty percent discount on any service."
"I could have kept this to myself, but I want us to end these ridiculous feuds we've carried throughout the year. We need to unite! Look — this is the first time in ten years that we can send more of our own for the king to evaluate!" the Rei Patriarch concluded.
"I don't know… we'll think about it when our children are in the capital and settled there," Patriarch Lane said, making his decision firm.
"I agree with our friend here," said Patriarch Hart, also setting his stance.
"Very well. I suppose we can end the topic for now. But think carefully about what I said — after all, how many people do you know who have a discount voucher for a High Blacksmith? Don't waste this chance — or don't blame me for leaving you behind!" Rei said.
"Haven't you drunk enough, comrade?" Lane asked.
"Do I look like a child to you? I could drink every barrel of wine in this city if I wanted!" And the Rei Patriarch swallowed the wine in his cup, refilled it, drank again, refilled it, drank… repeating the act ten times before tiring.
"You certainly have youthful vigor, despite your age."
"Thank you, thank you. Be kind and bring me another jug of wine— hm? Who are you?" the Rei Patriarch asked when he raised his head to look at the speaker.
"Kon! What are you doing here? This stage is reserved for the three families… whatever business you have with us can wait until tomorrow!" Patriarch Lane said, surprised to see Kon there. Terribly surprised… he had a bad feeling about this.
"You said 'Kon'?" Then the Rei Patriarch looked across the long table shared by the three families and found the healed eyes of his grandson, seeming to recall a vague story about an unknown boy defeating him in a fight and leaving him with a black eye.
The grandson looked away in shame, making the old man frown. He looked back at Kon, curious.
"What do you want, my boy?" he asked.
Kon smiled when he realized the old man would hear his request. Then he said, almost innocently:
"I want to duel him for the spot on the messenger's ship!" Kon pointed at Harlan Rei, the most prominent grandson of the Rei Patriarch.
Harlan had been drinking a cup of wine, half-distracted as he secretly listened to his grandfather's conversation. He couldn't help but choke when he heard the request made by this boy named Kon. Not only him, but everyone near the hosts' seats reacted similarly, drawing the attention of the rest of the crowd in a domino effect. Soon, not only the three families stared at Kon, curious to see the Rei Patriarch's response, but the entire audience below the stage stopped what they were doing once they realized something interesting was unfolding.
Everything fell into an embarrassed silence, but Kon was oblivious. He watched Harald Rei with a cold and innocent joy, waiting eagerly for an answer.
Then the old man laughed, breaking the stillness.
"So the rumors are true! You beat my other grandson and now you've come for more?!" Harald could barely breathe from laughing. He was drunk, but composed himself quickly.
"And you come looking for trouble on this day of celebration?" Harald asked, suddenly serious. "Why?"
"Because I want a place on the messenger's ship," Kon answered, unchanged.
"So I didn't misunderstand you. You're presumptuous enough to think you can defeat the strongest member of the Junior generation of my House?" The old man's eyes now radiated a chilling hostility.
"Comrade Rei, forgive Kon. He's a young adult — he must have just started drinking today! Yes, he's drunk!" said Patriarch Lane.
"No. I won't leave without my fair duel with Harlan Rei. That's my right, isn't it?" Kon smiled and raised his voice. "It's the right of anyone in this city who thinks themselves capable enough and wants to dethrone one of the great families' heirs, isn't it? After all, our king seeks useful people, not wealthy ones."
The three old men choked and widened their eyes. Kon was right about the law governing the city, but reciting it as a direct challenge… no one had ever done that, especially not in public!
If someone outside the three families wanted a chance at the capital, they had to depend on their own luck and travel alone. Taking the place of one of the great families' children was the same as saying they weren't as important as they believed. It was like spitting in their faces — all of them.
Harald Rei could not refuse the challenge now, not in front of the entire city.
He laughed coldly.
"VERY WELL, KON!! YOU HAVE YOUR CHALLENGE! CLEAR THE CENTER OF THE SQUARE — I WANT EVERYONE TO WITNESS THIS!!!"
Kon's smile widened, and he bowed — though it was impossible to tell whether it was respectful or mocking. Then he calmly stepped down from the stage, walking toward the large empty space that the crowd cleared in the center of the square. Some merchants couldn't dismantle their stalls, but were reassured by Harald's voice:
"Don't worry. Any damage to your working tools will be compensated by the Rei reserve."
Only then could they sigh in relief. What mattered now was the public, direct challenge Kon had issued before the entire city.
Somewhere in the crowd, Yuna sighed in anxious resignation. She didn't want Kon to get hurt… yet what she feared wasn't necessarily Harlan, but his grandfather.
Kon waited in the center of the square, surrounded by murmurs and quiet conversations among the common people.
"Isn't he the orphan adopted by Patriarch Lane?"
"Yes, I see him often in the Lane district. That Kon is always getting into fights…"
"So what? Look at the humiliation he's bringing to that shameless old man!"
Harlan rose from his seat at the table and slowly walked off the stage, giving his grandfather one last look, as if asking whether he was certain this was a good idea. Harald never went back on his promises.
Harlan Rei was a tall, slender young adult, but not weak. He had a well-trained, athletic body. He wore a luxurious haori reminiscent of the Rei family's origins from the Fifth Continent. After stopping twenty meters from Kon, coldness overtook his gaze.
Silence reigned again.
There was no spoken signal to start, for the duel had already begun the moment Harlan stepped off the stage. But Kon chose to wait, unwilling to make the first move. He was confident, because he had seen the old man's favorite grandson fight several times, had dreamed of him for many nights — dreams in which Kon learned how to defeat Harlan. So there was no way things could go wrong today.
"Don't hold back. Come! Let's give these people a show!" Kon said, smiling as if inviting Harlan to a dance.
The coldness in Harlan's eyes deepened, and he gestured forward with both hands, sending a gust of wind that swept across the entire square, lifting Kon and hurling him skyward. But Kon wasn't surprised.
In the blink of an eye, Harlan appeared above the boy's rising body, moving as fast as a shadow, his right leg raised high and ready to come crashing down to send Kon plummeting like a falling star. They were a hundred meters above the ground. Kon lay there, watching his opponent's performance up close.
Harlan's leg descended — but hit nothing but empty air. He instinctively looked back and saw Kon behind him, fist clenched.
"We've fought before — you just don't know it yet!" Kon said before striking Harlan's back with a powerful punch that sent him shooting toward the ground like a bolt of lightning.
The impact caused a small tremor across the square and, naturally, raised a cloud of dust. When things settled, everyone saw Kon standing before Harlan's body, which lay on the ground with two thin trails of blood running from the corners of his mouth.
The young Rei quickly rose, resuming his posture while glaring fiercely at Kon.
"Seems I underestimated you, Kon. But no longer!"
Harald was terribly surprised by the turn of events. They had exchanged only a single round of blows, yet Harlan was bleeding while Kon remained untouched! A scowl overtook the old man's face. He couldn't bear the thought of being publicly challenged and losing.
"Harlan, what are you doing?! Use your sword!" the Rei Patriarch said, anxious.
Harlan looked back reluctantly but nodded and extended his hand forward. Thousands of tiny glowing points appeared at once, gathering in the air in the silhouette of a sword until they faded, revealing a single-handed, double-edged blade. It was richly ornamented, decorated with geometric patterns reminiscent of wind — gentle and flexible. The blade itself was slightly curved, though not too much. It was a small saber.
Kon smiled. He had prepared for this too, though his hands remained empty. Harlan didn't care and swung the sword toward his opponent, unleashing a blade of wind capable of cutting metal and slicing flesh with ease.
It was a challenge. Kon knew that if he dodged, the blade would hit the buildings behind him and maybe even some civilians. But he didn't care about those details… in truth, the real challenge had been set by himself: he wanted to know whether he could handle a wind blade directly without magical artifacts.
Kon clenched his hand into a fist again and punched the wind blade. They clashed for a few seconds before the blade finally dissipated into cold breezes, but Kon's fist was left with several deep cuts, dripping blood onto the ground.
He smiled, thrilled.
"Nothing is impossible, huh?"
And he looked at Harlan, who was visibly shaken by what he had witnessed. When he realized Kon wasn't going to flee and had no defensive treasure, he considered himself victorious. He never imagined the orphan boy before him would stop his technique with his bare hand…
"What in the world is your body made of?!" Harlan demanded, equally shocked that Kon didn't care about his wounds.
The people around them were just as astonished. The murmurs of the crowd deepened Harald's scowl.
"If I had known it was this easy to challenge the great families…"
"Harlan always seemed impressive, but now? That Kon has opened my eyes!"
"I have a son fit to compete for a spot in the capital. He left last week! If I'd known we could do this, I'd have had him challenge Princess Lane!"
"We all have the same right, in the end. Why have we been so reluctant to claim our rights before the great families?"
The other two patriarchs heard all this too and grew anxious, especially Regius Lane, who had raised Kon since childhood. He looked at Yuna, and their brief exchange of glances made him realize the poor girl had done everything to avoid this — but Regius knew Kon's temperament. If he had known things would turn out like this, he might have locked him in a dungeon.
Regius had offered Kon a safe trip to the capital. Since the boy refused, he assumed the idea didn't interest him… the poor patriarch could never imagine that what Kon truly wanted was the pleasure of humiliating a great family.
Harald was furious. The duel was fair, but he was losing. How could someone with no title possess such power?
Harald knew the old legends of nameless heroes; he knew it wasn't impossible for one to appear in modern times — but he hated all of them. Contrary to common sense, Harald Rei despised all legends of people who hadn't founded great families. To him, they were all troublemakers.
Kon stepped forward. Harlan sliced again at his opponent. This time the blade wounded him less, but the wind blade was still stopped by the same fist. Kon stepped forward once more, and another blade dissipated. As he closed in on the prominent Harlan Rei, his body seemed more impenetrable than before.
The young Rei grew uneasy. He retreated and began circling away, but Kon advanced quickly, and soon both were locked in close combat: one man with a sword, the other unarmed.
Harlan's blade tried countless times to strike Kon, but never succeeded. Kon's fists, however, struck Harlan's face and chest again and again.
The nameless orphan smiled wider. He leapt into the air and descended with a kick. Harlan tried to block with his sword, but it wasn't enough! The blade fell, and the kick struck his head, knocking him unconscious instantly.
"I won," Kon said in the midst of an absurd silence. The crowd erupted into a frenzy.
"Kon! Kon! Kon! Kon!"
Harald's scowl reached its limit.
"Comrade, calm yourself!" Regius Lane said, but the plea went ignored.
Everyone in the square suddenly felt strange — short of breath and dizzy. Moments later, one by one, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious, including Kon, who struggled for a moment longer before falling.
Harald stepped off the platform and walked toward the nameless youth's body. He wanted to kill him right then and there… but held himself back out of respect for Regius.
"Take him to my prison! I'll decide what to do with him soon!" he ordered one of his guards, tall and burly. "And you two! We're going to craft a lie about what happened here, because I won't tolerate more bastards rising against my name!"
Members of the other two families sighed in resignation but nodded, including their patriarchs.
What Yuna feared had happened — but she lay unconscious, unable to plead for her friend…
And so the night of celebration came to an end.