Thwack. Thwack. Thwack!
A steady rhythm of swords clashing against each other could be heard throughout the dojo. Inside it, two figures quickly moved around the elevated platform, which was largely covered in wood and tatami mats.
"Ugh...", One of the two figures said, who happened to be a boy. He let out a pained grunt after being pushed back several steps. If one looked closely, the wooden sword could be seen wobbling in his hands.
With one more strike, the boy suddenly fell onto his butt, causing more pain to spread around his body.
"Get back up, Rean Schwarzer! This spar from over.", Another voice said, calling out to him. This voice seemed to belong to that of a girl. "Or is that all the strength you can muster?", The girl said, taunting the boy.
The girl seemed to be quite older than the boy. By two years or so. She was ten years old this year, while the black-haired boy was eight. Unlike the boy's hair, the girl's hair held a stark contrast. It was all bleached white, and contained hints of silver within the strands.
Later on, this girl would become known as the Silver Princess. In other areas, people would start calling her the Divine Blade of Silver.
"It isn't...over...yet!", The boy responded. His eyes became filled with determination. Steadily, the boy stood back up, and took a defensive stance. He placed the wooden sword in front of him, and didn't falter. He then shifted his wooden sword downward, and entered a different position.
"The second form, huh? Very well. I shall entertain you for a bit longer.", The girl replied, smiling at the boy. After provoking the boy, the girl backflipped a couple times, and created some distance, showing the girl was pretty agile. She soon retreated to the left side of the platform, while the boy remained on the right side.
The girl shifted her legs downward. Gripping onto her wooden blade, she matched the boy's position. The only difference is she gripped onto the blade in a different manner. She held onto it with both hands, instead of one. She then raised it over her right shoulder.
"Second form...", The boy began to say.
"Second form...", The girl began to say.
The boy allowed his energy to burst forth through his stance. He had not achieved battle qi yet. Far from it. But he felt like he could already start to sense it. As for the girl, she let loose a purple aura around her body. It was hard to see to the naked eye, but it was clear she had gone through harsh periods of training to reach this far.
""GALE!"", The two shouted simultaneously.
In the next moment, they dashed at each other at a very fast pace. They didn't reach speeds where they could vanish from sight, but they still dashed forward at a very fast pace. Before the two knew it, they were already at each other's throats. THWACK!
Two blades swiftly struck each other. And again. And again. Each movement they did, they would move to another area on the elevated platform. THWACK!
This pattern continued to go on for a few more rounds until the boy felt his hands turn more and more numb with each blow. However, the boy's will held on strong. He finished through, and completed the technique called Gale. Both the girl and the boy parted ways from their last exchange, ending on the other side of the platform respectively. They soon created a large gap from each other.
It was then they entered their last stance. The two suddenly dashed forward!
Unfortunately for the boy, the girl added some spin to her strike, and struck out fiercely the moment their two blades touched again. Thwack!
Almost instantly, one blade soon fell out, and landed all the way to the right side of the room beyond the platform.
The girl still held onto the blade in her hand. She approached the boy, and calmly approached him. Pointing her sword outward, she saw the boy now kneeling, and panting quite hard. She lifted his head upward with the tip of her sword, and smiled.
"Looks like it's my win again, Rean. Good effort though. You've already improved leaps and bounds. I'm quite impressed.", The girl said, calling out to the boy.
"Thank...You...", Rean replied, still panting while feeling his hands sore from the several exchanges he just had with the girl before him. Sucking in a cold breath of fresh air, he looked back up and smiled. "I really am no match for you, Shizuna."
"Oh you can cut that crap out. I told you. You're improving leaps and bounds. You might just be an initiate of our Eight Leaves One Blade School but before long, you'll rise up to a beginner rank in no time. There aren't many sparring partners who are around my age so this has been pretty fun~", The girl named Shizuna said, smiling back at him. She offered Rean a hand, and he managed to stand back up.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Seeing the spar now over, the two soon heard clapping reach their ears. They shifted their heads, and spotted a figure slowly approaching them. This figure seemed to be rather an old man. He took his time walking up the platform. Once he arrived, he let out a laugh.
"Hoho. That was a splendid spar as always. It hasn't been long since I took you in as a disciple, Rean. Shizuna's words aren't just for show. It's a noteworthy praise.", The old man said.
"Master...", Rean said, laying his eyes on the old man approaching the two.
"It looks like you enjoyed it like always, Master Yun. He isn't wrong, Rean. You've been a splendid sparring partner for me. I hope you've been taking these lessons seriously.", Shizuna said, looking at Rean.
"Of course. I may not match you in strength, Shizuna, but it isn't wrong to say that I haven't improved at all. Quite the contrary.", Rean responded, smiling back at her while recovering his stamina.
"Focus on recovering your stamina, Rean. You will need it for later. Not in this sense, but to greet our guests.", The old man named Yun said.
As for who these three people were, the black-haired boy is, of course, Rean Schwarzer. Naoto's younger brother. For the white-haired girl beside him, she is a senior disciple of the Eight Leaves One Blade School, and often likes to spar with Rean. Her name is Shizuna Misurugi. She would become a more prominent character in Daybreak's story, which Naoto unfortunately did not get a chance to play. By then, she would leave this school and join one of the strongest Jaeger corps on the continent, one that is SSS-Rank. The Ikaruga. And during that, Shizuna here would rise up and become the Divine Blade of Silver.
The very same rank that Cassius Bright holds.
Divine Blade.
Only those who truly master the arts of the Eight Leaves One Blade School in their own way would one rise up to earn this rank. Even Rean Schwarzer here attains this rank throughout Cold Steel. He too, becomes a Divine Blade! But that won't happen for at least another decade or so. There are only a handful of Divine Blades within this school.
Normally, Rean shouldn't even be here at this time. The old man beside the two, who was none other than the Master of the Eight Leaves One Blade Dojo, wouldn't pick Rean up until S1197 in two years' time. But right now, Rean already appears to be a student, and has been actively learning techniques from Master Yun. It looks like Rean's path has already started diverging from what was supposed to originally happen!
Hearing Master Yun bring that up to the two, they looked at him with interest.
"You brought in some guests, Master?", Shizuna asked, gaining interest. Unfortunately, before Shizuna could get a reply from him, someone quickly spoke out to the two. This voice sounded familiar.
"Brother Rean!", A worried voice said, only to see a figure hurriedly approach Rean. It seemed to be a girl who was two years younger than him who was a black-haired girl with indigo highlights in it. Seeing this girl arrive, Rean's eyes turned wide in shock. As he was shocked, the girl ran up to him and gave him a hug, still worried. She saw bruises over his body from the spar.
"You aren't hurt, are you, Rean?", The girl asked.
"What are you doing here, Elise?", Rean asked, still shocked to see the girl before him.
This girl is Elise Schwarzer. Daughter of the Schwarzer Barony who manages the town of Ymir. Back when Naoto fled into the shadows, Giliath brought his unconscious son to Teo Schwarzer, to which had since adopted Rean into the family. It was unlikely Rean even remembered what had transpired before then. His memories appear to be foggy. Let alone Naoto, he can't even recall Giliath and Kasia anymore. To him, they are but fleeting memories. New ones overwrote them with this girl here. He is Rean Schwarzer now. Adopted son of the Schwarzer Barony.
It was then Rean realized it wasn't just Elise who came to meet him. He noticed another figure who walked up to Master Yun, and saw that he was a middle-aged man with dark-blonde hair. Rean's eyebrows raised seeing the man appear. He smiled.
"Haha, it is nice to see you again, Rean. I can already see your efforts are beginning to pay off with your training here. You have my thanks, Master Yun.", The man said. Rean still stared at him.
"Even you're here, Dad?", Rean asked, still surprised to see both Elise and Teo before him.
"What, your old man isn't welcome here anymore?", Teo responded with a playful smile.
"It isn't that. I'm just surprised to see you two here, that's all. And I'm fine, Elise. This was just a spar. These bruises will heal up in no time. I'm thankful to Shizuna for giving me these opportunities.", Rean said, proceeding to pat the girl on the head. He was known for doing that.
"Brother Rean...", Elise said. Her lips curved upward, and smiled back at him.
"Haha, well a certain someone wouldn't stop complaining why you aren't home as much anymore.", Teo said, laughing. Elise blushed hearing that.
"F-Father!", Elise retorted out of embarrassment.
"Haha.", Rean replied, smiling this time. "You two really are to visit here?"
"Uh-huh. Do not worry Brother Rean, we received Master Yun's approval beforehand.", Elise said, only to look at Shizuna next to him. "You must be one of Rean's older disciples."
"I sure am. The name's Shizuna. A pleasure. Two years older than Rean here. I'm one of the younger disciples of the Eight Leaves One Blade. Nice to meet you. Didn't think you'd have such a cute little sister, Rean~", Shizuna said, teasing him. Teo nodded his head hearing that.
"We mostly came here to check up on Rean's progress. We were worried at first, but it looks like Rean is in good hands. I'm Teo, by the way.", Teo said, introducing himself. He then looked back at Master Yun. "Thank you for letting us enter your Dojo, Master Yun. I am sure your time is precious.", Teo continued, thanking the old man. His full name is Yun Ka-Fai.
"Hoho. It is no problem for me. Consider it a reward for how much Rean has improved in this past year or two. His progress learning our techniques is going quite well, I assure you. It likely won't take long for him to step into the rank of a Beginner.", Master Yun said, praising Rean's skill. Rean's cheeks turned red from the compliment, but he nodded his head, thanking him for the praise. "And you two are welcome to stay for the day. After all, you aren't the only ones who were invited."
"Really?", Elise asked, smiling.
"Elise and Dad can both stay longer?", Rean also asked with surprise in his eyes.
"They can. And speaking of our other guests, they should be arriving soon. It is about time you met your other disciples, Rean. It may not look like it, but I've established a few branches of this school.", Master Yun said, nodding his head. Teo's eyes turned serious.
"You really did invite your other disciples, Master Yun?", Teo asked, becoming surprised.
"Indeed. Even that granddaughter of mine should be back soon with them in tow. I'll have her meet you too, Rean.", Master Yun said, smiling.
"I didn't know you had a granddaughter, Master.", Rean replied, still surprised.
"Oh she's just a bundle of joy, that one is. You'll love her, Rean.", Shizuna happily said.
"Is that right?", Rean asked, wondering who Master Yun's granddaughter was. It was then they heard a cheerful voice reach their ears as the wooden door of the dojo slid open.
"Grandpa, I'm back!", The voice happily said. "I made sure not to get lost on the way!"
Before long, those inside the dojo were greeted by an upbeat brown-haired girl who seemed to be around ten years old. The one thing that stood out was the yellow ribbon neatly tied around the left side of her hair, which kept her hair in check. Everyone turned their heads, and saw the girl arrive. However, she didn't appear to be alone.
"I brought Mister Cassius and Mister Arios too!", The girl continued and shouted at them.
"Ho-ho-ho, good work, Anelace. Glad you all were able to make it here.", Master Yun replied, looking at the two middle-aged men who arrived with the girl called Anelace.
"How could we not, Master Yun? Even if we live in different parts of the continent, I wouldn't miss this in a heartbeat. I left my daughter in Scherazard's hands, so I was able to make it.", The first man said.
"I too had some time on my hands. It is not often we hold gatherings like these of our fellow disciples.", The second man said, nodding his head. He had black hair, and wore a long leather red-brown coat.
"And it looks like you finally accepted your last disciple, Grandpa. This must be him, huh?", The girl said, looking at Rean with interest in her eyes. "I'm Anelace Alfread, nice to meet you!"
"Likewise. I am Cassius Bright. Practitioner of the Eight Leaves One Blade School. I hold the rank of Divine Blade.", Cassius said, introducing himself.
"Arios MacLaine. I too hold the rank of Divine Blade. They call me the Divine Blade of Wind. A pleasure.", Arios said, introducing himself.
Rean just stared at the new arrivals, shocked to his core. He didn't think some bigwigs like Cassius Bright would suddenly enter the dojo. Who knew!
This was turning into an interesting gathering of people, wasn't it?