"Who do you think you are!?"
Raykar's furious voice echoed across the training field as he stormed up to the newcomer. His steps were heavy, fists clenched, veins visible on his temple.
"Raykar, hold o—"
Kylen tried to stop him, reaching out to grab his shoulder, but Raykar shoved his hand aside, his rage burning too bright.
"If you're that confident, fight me!"
Raykar's face was inches away from Skyler's, his breath hot with anger, as his voice boomed like thunder. Skyler didn't flinch, not even a blink. His sharp eyes narrowed, a faint smirk tugged at his lips as if mocking Raykar's outburst.
"You're loud."
That was all Skyler said, calm and cold. Raykar's anger spiked, his hand tightening around the handle of his axe.
"I'm gonna kill—!"
"Enough."
Miyaki's firm voice sliced through the tension like steel as her command made both boys pause.
"Raykar, don't lose your temper over mere words. Skyler, if you're going to insult them, how about you prove yourself?"
She turned to the boy, her smirk returning. The rest of the group, Leroy, Rosslin, Leyla, and Kylen, watched silently. Their eyes darted between the two boys as sparks practically ignited between them.
"Heh. Fine."
Skyler's smirk widened just a little. Miyaki crossed her arms, her voice firm and leaving no room for argument.
"You two. Wooden weapons only. No blood will be spilled."
Both Raykar and Skyler froze, their eyes narrowing. It was clear they had no intention of holding back, but Miyaki's glare was sharper than any blade.
"Tch…"
Raykar clicked his tongue, gripping the wooden axes handed to him. He wanted steel, he wanted the clash of metal, but he wasn't foolish enough to defy Miyaki directly. Skyler, on the other hand, simply sighed, picking up a wooden sword with an almost bored expression. His eyes, however, told a different story.
As Miyaki gave the signal to begin the match, Raykar erupted forward in a blur as his aura burst into view, a violent yellow light flaring around his body. His steps cracked against the ground as he closed the distance in an instant.
With a roar, as his twin wooden axes slashed down, the force behind them was enough to make the air tremble.
Whoosh.
Skyler wasn't there. Raykar's strikes hit nothing but air, the wood splintering slightly from the sheer pressure.
"What!?"
As Raykar didn't waste a second, he started swinging again and again, each one faster than the last. His axes blurred into afterimages, each strike carrying the weight of his fury. Skyler simply moved out of the way with a tilt of the head, a step to the side, and a shift backward.
Skyler's eyes tracked Raykar with unsettling calm, his body weaving through the storm of attacks as if he'd predicted them all. The onlookers, Kylen, Rosslin, Leyla, and Leroy, watched with their mouths hanging open in shock.
"He's dodging everything."
Kylen muttered, eyes wide.
"No way… Raykar's going all out, but he can't even touch him."
Rosslin whispered.
Raykar's frustration boiled over, with his aura flaring brighter as he swung more recklessly, the wooden blades cutting through the air with dangerous speed.
At that moment, Skyler's eyes flashed a blinding white. A sharp crackle filled the air as a white aura erupted from his body, lightning dancing across his frame like living chains. Before anyone could even react, in a single blink, he disappeared.
In an instant, Skyler dashed straight through the storm of Raykar's strikes. The twin axes cut nothing but air as Skyler slipped past, his movement almost inhuman.
CRACK!
The wooden sword slammed cleanly against the back of Raykar's neck, a burst of white sparks jolting from the impact. The electric shock rippled through his body, freezing his muscles mid-motion before sending him collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.
"No way! He ended it in one move."
Leroy muttered, eyes wide in disbelief as silence fell. All anyone could hear was the faint hum of lightning still fading from Skyler's aura.
"I… I'm not done yet!"
Raykar twitched from the lingering shock, struggling to stand, his voice weak but defiant. Suddenly, Miyaki's voice cut through with sharp and commanding.
"Alright, that's enough. The match is over. Skyler wins."
Raykar's fists slammed against the dirt, anger and humiliation burning in his chest as the ground cracked beneath his knuckles.
"Damn it!"
Meanwhile, Skyler stood tall, his cold gaze sweeping across the field. His expression carried no pride, no joy, but disappointment. It is as though what had just transpired wasn't even worth his effort.
"Hey, is this really the best your students can do?"
He rested his wooden sword against his shoulder, tapping it lightly as his tone dripped with disdain. His eyes locked with Miyaki's, confident, sharp, and merciless.
Miyaki laughed as her eyes narrowed with that familiar sly smirk and folded her arms, watching Skyler without a hint of intimidation.
"Oh? We got ourselves a young egoist here. You haven't even fought the others yet. How can you be so sure?"
Skyler clicked his tongue, his gaze shifting from Miyaki to the group standing at the edge of the training field. His eyes scanned each one in silence: Leroy's steady stance, Rosslin's clenched fists, Kylen's cautious focus.
Then he stopped, his pupils narrowed. A flicker of surprise broke through his cold expression for the first time, as he felt something fierce and heavy.
A raw and powerful aura, hidden beneath her calm exterior.
"Then I'll fight that one."
His finger pointed sharply toward Leyla. Rosslin instantly stepped forward, outrage flashing in her eyes.
"Hey! Leyla's not a thing you can just pick like some toy, you—"
Before she could finish, a calm yet firm voice cut through.
"It's alright, Rosslin."
Everyone turned as Leyla stood there, with her hand tightening into a fist, her eyes burning with quiet determination.
"Sure, I'll fight you."
She said, her voice steady as steel.
As Leyla stepped in, she took a deep breath, trying to steady the nervous flutter in her chest. Her hands trembled faintly around the wooden sword, but her eyes began to harden as she exhaled, centering herself. Skyler, calm as ever, wore that same confident smirk.
The atmosphere thickened instantly. A tense silence settled over the training ground, with everyone standing at the back holding their breath and watching.
Raykar, still sore from his earlier defeat, sat with his fists pressed into the dirt, his expression grim. Rosslin's fists were clenched tightly at her chest, her lips were trembling as she couldn't take her eyes off the two about to clash.
Miyaki raised her hand, her tone sharp and commanding.
"Both of you, ready yourselves."
Skyler tilted his wooden blade onto his shoulder, smirking with unwavering confidence. Leyla's grip tightened as her expression shifted, her nervousness burning away into steely determination.
Their eyes locked.
"Begin!"
Miyaki's hand dropped. In the very next heartbeat, Skyler blinked, and his smirk faltered. Leyla was already right in front of him, her blade coming down in a swift strike. He narrowly dodged, only to find her second strike already following the first.
The clash erupted. Wooden blades struck against one another in sharp bursts, the air snapping with the force of their movements. Skyler blocked her attacks, his grin returning as his feet slid back across the dirt.
"She's fast!"
The speed caught him off guard. Unlike Raykar's reckless strikes, hers were precise, sharp, and deliberate. Their swords locked, pressing against each other. The ground beneath their feet scraped as they both pushed forward, neither yielding.
The ground trembled as both of them unleashed their power. Skyler's aura flared white with crackling streaks of lightning, while Leyla's dark blue aura roared to life like the moonlight. The two forces collided in the air, whipping the dust around them into a storm of pressure.
As she started to move, her strikes flowed like water, with each swing carrying a dancer's grace and a predator's precision. Skyler could only block, his arms jolting with each impact. Her movements weren't wild like Raykar's. They were smooth, calculated, and relentless.
Skyler clicked his tongue and leaped back, searching for an opening. Then, with a sudden burst, he vanished in a streak of white lightning, aiming to repeat the same finishing move he had used against Raykar. His body blurred behind Leyla, wooden sword poised to strike the back of her neck.
Leyla's eyes snapped open as she turned, her sharp glare locking onto him even before the strike landed. For the briefest instant, Skyler's heart skipped.
"She can see me?"
Before his sword could fall, Leyla twisted her body in a seamless spin. Her blade swept upward in a smooth arc, meeting his attack perfectly. The clash knocked his strike aside with startling ease. Skyler's eyes widened as his wooden sword was smacked clean out of his grip, spinning through the air before crashing into the dirt several meters away.
The impact jarred his balance, and his body toppled forward. He hit the ground hard, dust scattering around him.
When his vision cleared, Leyla was standing above him. Her wooden sword poised steadily at his throat as her aura flared like an unyielding flame of light, her breathing calm, her expression unwavering.
Skyler froze, staring up at her in disbelief. His chest heaved, not from exhaustion, but from the sting of realization that this wasn't just luck.
He had been defeated.
At the back, everyone started cheering for her victory. Miyaki stood with her arms crossed as she smirked with pride. Skyler and Leyla's auras faded, leaving only the sound of their heavy breaths and the faint rustle of wind over the training grounds.
Leyla lowered her blade, her body relaxing back into its natural rhythm, as the fierce determination on her face softened.
As she glanced down at Skyler, still lying on the ground, she froze. His cold, piercing eyes locked onto hers, unyielding even in defeat. The sharpness of his stare cut through her composure, and for a heartbeat, she couldn't move.
Then her chest tightened, pulse racing as heat rushed to her cheeks. Panicked, she tore her gaze away, swiftly turning her head aside, refusing to meet his eyes again.
Skyler blinked, confusion flickering across his expression.
"Huh?"
Leyla pressed her lips together, her hand trembling slightly as she held her blade at her side. She tried to steady herself, but her heart was pounding wildly, louder than any clash of swords.
"This is strange. Why am I—?"
She bit her lip, unable to answer herself. For the first time, Skyler's cold, confident expression wavered as he stared at her, trying to unravel the meaning behind that sudden change in her eyes.
"Hahaha! What a match you two put on!"
Miyaki's laughter rang across the field as she clapped her hands, walking closer with a wide smile.
"Now then, don't forget the deal we made before coming here, Skyler."
Miyaki's eyes narrowed at Skyler, still lying on the ground.
Skyler clicked his tongue, jaw tight with frustration. He turned his face aside, unable to hide the bitterness of his defeat. Rosslin rushed over, nearly sweeping Leyla off her feet as she hugged her tightly.
"Leyla! That was amazing!"
Leyla, still flushed and breathless, tried to calm her racing heart as she smiled faintly in return. Raykar stomped forward with a wide grin, raising his fist high.
"Hahaha! Leyla, you taught that guy a lesson!"
Kylen and Leroy followed behind more quietly. A proud smile tugged at their lips as Kylen gave Leyla a respectful nod. The training ground buzzed with celebration, laughter, and relief. All except for Skyler, who sat silently on the ground, his cold eyes narrowing as not at them, but at himself.
As the cheers died down and the students slowly calmed from the excitement, Leroy, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.
"Sensei, how did you meet him? Skyler, I mean."
He leaned forward towards Miyaki, eyes narrowing with curiosity. The question caught the others' attention immediately. Rosslin's laughter halted, Raykar turned sharply, and even Leyla froze mid-breath. All eyes shifted to Miyaki, who stood there with that familiar smirk tugging at her lips.
"You're curious about that, huh?"
Miyaki crossed her arms, a low chuckle slipping past her lips as her sharp crimson gaze shifted toward Skyler, still seated on the ground, glaring back at her with clear irritation, and started to explain.
A few hours ago…
"Oi, Miyaki! Wake up already! Are you seriously gonna sleep on the table!?"
The loud voice of a young man with a mustache echoed through the tavern. He leaned over the counter, glaring at the red-haired woman sprawled across one of the wooden tables.
Miyaki groaned, pulling the empty bottle closer like it was a pillow, pretending not to hear him.
"Huhhh? What? It's still Sunday, no?"
She mumbled, her voice heavy with sleep.
"Sunday was yesterday!"
The man snapped as his brows twitched.
"You were drinking the entire night! Also, don't you have a class to teach soon!?"
The bartender's frustration only grew as Miyaki let out a lazy yawn, clearly unfazed by his anger.
"Agh, fine. Here's the change from last night, Dan."
She muttered as she got up groggily. With a clink, Miyaki tossed a few coins onto the table, not even bothering to count them. Then, rubbing her eyes, she staggered toward the door like a half-awake cat.
Danny, still fuming, watched her go.
"Unbelievable…"
He sighed, wiping a glass forcefully as if venting his frustration on it.
Meanwhile, Miyaki wandered down the hallway outside Wooden Bar, stretching and stifling another yawn. As she strolled lazily through the city streets, the morning crowd bustled around her. Merchants were shouting their prices, children were chasing each other, and workers were rushing off to their jobs.
Out of her corner of her eye, she noticed a small boy, clothes torn and dirty, slipping quietly toward a food stall. His sharp eyes darted left and right before his hand shot out, grabbing a freshly baked bun. The cook didn't even notice as the boy bolted into a narrow alley, clutching the bread like treasure.
Miyaki raised an eyebrow. Instead of chasing after him, she walked casually toward the stall.
"Oh! Good morning, Miss Miyaki!"
The young shopkeeper greeted her warmly, surprised to see her.
"I didn't expect you to stop by! Would you like some of our-"
Miyaki smiled gently as she placed a few coins on the counter.
"Here. A little something to support your business."
The chef blinked, confused, but gratefully accepted the coins with a bow. Miyaki turned away, her gaze drifting toward the alley where the boy had vanished.
"That kid. He must've been starving."
Meanwhile, the boy darted into a dark alley and crouched behind a rusty dumpster. Breathing heavily, he tore into the bun with desperate bites, as though he hadn't eaten in days.
"Hungry, aren't you?"
A calm voice drifted from behind him. The boy froze. He spun around, stumbling back a few steps. Standing there was a tall woman with long red hair, her expression gentle, almost amused. Immediately, the boy's eyes hardened. He grabbed a broken pipe from the ground, holding it out like a weapon.
He glared as his eyes started to glow faintly in a white light.
Miyaki's eyes widened for a moment. Unmoving, she smiled softly, her voice steady.
"Easy now. I'm not gonna hurt you."
The boy refused to lower his guard, his thin arms trembling. He kept the pipe raised, eyes filled with distrust. Miyaki let out a small chuckle, crouching down to meet his eye level. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wrapped candy.
"Want some?"
The boy blinked in confusion as his stomach growled again. After some hesitation, he snatched the candy from her hand and backed away.
With quick fingers, he unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. His eyes widened instantly, the sweetness melting across his tongue was unlike anything he'd ever tasted.
Miyaki rose to her feet, resting a hand on her hip.
"What's your name, kid?"
The boy's chewing slowed. He turned, and his sharp, cold eyes locked with hers.
"Skyler."
Suddenly, Miyaki leaned forward slightly, her tone calm but playful.
"Say, would you like to join me for some training?"
"Huh?"
Skyler blinked.
"It'll be fu—"
"No. Why would I train with you?"
"Ehh—"
Miyaki laughed.
"It'll make you stronger, of course! You'll even get to train with other kids."
"Heh. I don't wanna fight with mere weaklings."
The boy's lips curved into a smirk.
"Oh? Hmm, how about a bet then?"
Miyaki's eyes narrowed, amused. Skyler tilted his head slightly, still gripping the pipe.
"If you can defeat my students and prove yourself stronger, I'll treat you to some luxurious food straight from His Majesty's table. But if you lose just once, you'll have to join my training."
The boy's stomach growled at the mention of food. His eyes lit up. After only a moment's hesitation, he smirked.
"Hmph. Deal."
Miyaki grinned as she snapped her fingers.
"Great! Then I'll bring you to The Green Garden."
"The Green—what?"