The sun was already beating down hard when Abraão woke up. It was around 7:20 a.m. — you could tell by the strong yellow light pouring through the dormitory window and the heat already rising from the floor. He stretched, feeling his body protesting from the last few days of training. Level 84. Nothing that would turn him into a god, but he could feel every movement becoming more natural.
Lia was still asleep on the mat beside him, her face peaceful, hair spread across the pillow. Liora was curled up in the blanket on the floor, hugging Abraão's bed leg like it was a pillow. Abraão chuckled softly, got up, and went to wash his face in the room's basin of cold water.
When he came back, Lia was already awake, yawning.
"Damn, what time is it? I'm wrecked."
Abraão: "Past 7:30. Want some breakfast?"
She rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. But no bitter tea today, please. My stomach can't take it anymore."
Abraão laughed. "Alright, I'll grab bread with honey and fruit for us."
Liora woke up to the noise, jumping up as usual.
"Abraão-nii! You're already up? Carry me to the dining hall?"
Lia rolled her eyes but laughed. "Lio, you weigh more than you look."
Liora: "But Abraão-nii is strong!"
They headed down to the dining hall together. They grabbed fresh bread with lunar honey (sweet and sticky), regular fruits (apple and pear), and sweet root juice. They sat at a table near the window, with a view of the towers reflecting the sun.
Lia bit into the bread. "I'm thinking about today's training. Murata said he'd show us something new."
Abraão: "I'm curious too. But yesterday he was shaking more than usual."
Liora: "He's weird… but I like him. He looks at us like he knows things we don't."
Around 8:40 a.m., they headed to the training room. Murata was already there, sword in hand, sweating coldly.
"Good morning… today we're training Lugua – Silent Lunar Vortex. It's a spinning cut that creates a vacuum zone. It's not brute force… it's precision and timing."
He demonstrated: he spun his body slowly, his sword tracing a perfect circle. The air around him seemed to compress, and the wooden target was sucked into the spin and sliced into thin pieces.
Lia: "Whoa… it's like the sword is pulling the target in."
Liora: "I wanna try! It looks like dancing!"
The training turned fun. Murata let them play around with the movement. Abraão spun first — he hit the target, but the vacuum was weak.
Murata: "Good… now looser. Let your body follow the sword, not the other way around."
Lia tried. She spun, lost her balance, and plopped down on the grass. She burst out laughing. "Oh my God, how embarrassing!"
Abraão helped her up. "It's fine. I fell a thousand times too."
Liora spun with grace — lunar veil + spin. The target was cut in a perfect spiral.
Murata blinked. "You… have a real talent for this. A lot."
Liora blushed. "Thanks!"
Around 11 a.m., Jhonatam Taniguchi walked into the room with two friends. Tall, light brown hair, sharp green eyes, arrogant smile.
"Look at this… the weakling squad still training with the stuttering teacher?"
He glanced at Lia with charm. "Hey, Lia… you don't get tired of wasting time with these two? Come train with me. I'll show you what a real cut looks like."
Lia rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but I'm good right here."
Jhonatam laughed. "Alright… but when you get tired of playing beginner, call me."
He looked at Abraão. "And you, Abraão? Accept my official challenge tomorrow, right here in the Dojo. Or are you gonna chicken out?"
Abraão: "I accept. Tomorrow."
Jhonatam smiled. "Then get ready. I don't go easy."
Liora hid behind Abraão, muttering: "I don't like him… he looks at me like I'm trash."
Abraão squeezed his shoulder. "Ignore him. He's all talk."
Meanwhile, from the corner of the room, a girl watched everything in silence. Long black hair with silver streaks, golden eyes, wearing a dark cloak. She held a thin, strange wand in her hand.
Hermione Kurosawa.
She didn't speak to anyone. She just observed, her expression neutral and curious. No one seemed to notice her yet.
Around 1 p.m., they stopped for lunch in the dining hall. Root soup, fresh bread, lunar fruits. They sat together.
Lia: "That Jhonatam gets on my nerves."
Abraão: "He's arrogant. But tomorrow I'll show him."
Liora: "I'll cheer for you, Abraão-nii! With everything I've got!"
The afternoon continued with light training: reviewing movements, chatting about the challenge.
Murata: "Tomorrow's an official fight. It won't be easy. Jhonatam's good… but you have something he doesn't."
Abraão: "What?"
Murata smiled shyly. "Friends who believe in you."
Night fell around 6:30 p.m. Dinner in the dining hall: light soup, bread, fruits. They sat on the veranda, gazing at the sky.
Lia rested her head on Abraão's shoulder. "I'm worried about tomorrow."
Abraão: "Don't be. I've got this."
Liora fell asleep in his lap, curled up like a child.
Abraão looked up at the moons. Tomorrow I'll show him… and all of you… that I can protect what matters.
His phone buzzed. Mission: "Prepare for a challenge. Post a group photo before the fight. #ChallengeAccepted"
Reward: +2 levels (86). "Combat Instinct" (+5% reaction in official fights).
Abraão pocketed the phone. Thought: Let's do this… together.