Shoun attacked Sein with Iron Fang, channeling all his muscular strength into a barrage of swift, powerful strikes that left the boy little room to breathe. Yet, despite his efforts, experience prevailed—Sein swiftly countered, dismantling Shoun's strategy and forcing him into defense until defeat was inevitable.
—Whew! Good fight, Shoun!
—Likewise, Sein— The young man sheathed his sword and wiped away sweat. It was already Wednesday, and they'd skipped school to train before their mission.
—Gotta say, you're improving fast. Sure, you still can't beat us with just your sword, but you could pull off some surprises— Sein had become Shoun's sparring partner out of necessity: Iron Fang's uncontrolled force risked shattering Cutting Wind if used against Kaze. The golden sword, however, shared its rank and could withstand it.
—Thanks. I'm still not confident enough to make it my main style, but at least I can rely on it if needed— He'd never abandon fistfighting, but some situations demanded a blade's precision over brute force.
—(Still don't get how their swords "teach" them, but I'm starting to see glimpses of it)— Sein's and Kaze's blades were special for different reasons, both deeply bonded to their wielders. Iron Fang lacked that connection, yet it still honed Shoun's instincts: every slash had to be decisive, lethal, leaving no room for doubt. A harsh but effective tutor for a novice.
—Hey guys! It's time— Robin announced as they entered the training room. With that, the three exited the base and found themselves in Shoun's decaying house. Over recent days, they'd experimented with the black roots and discovered a way to isolate Shoun's home, preventing further growth. Now, after cutting them away, it was completely safe to enter the Mirror World from this location.
Stepping outside, they emerged in the middle of the living room, where Kaze sat eating ice cream while watching a movie.
—Alright, we're heading out. You remember how the communicator works, right?— Shoun asked the masked figure.
—Yeah... I'll be ready if you need me— Kaze replied briefly before refocusing on the film.
—Haaah...— Shoun sighed once more before leaving the house, followed by Robin and Sein. They'd decided against bringing Kaze initially due to the mission's unknown nature and the risk of exposing him. Instead, they gave him a communicator to call for backup in emergencies.
The three apprentices walked to the designated location—a low-income district of the city. Despite its reputation, the street didn't look drastically different from others. People came and went, and children ran around playing games.
—This is the place, right?— Sein asked while scanning their surroundings.
—According to the intel, yes. Though we still have a couple minutes until the designated time— The apprentices waited patiently for the predicted event. Then a familiar sound made their blood run cold.
—Rift alert! Repeat, rift alert! Evacuate immediately to designated zones!— Simultaneously, a 10-meter-tall luminous line split the air at the exact coordinates. Its unnatural white glow pulsed, rapidly blending with other colors.
—So this was it... I'm starting to think 6 points will be criminally low compensation— Shoun muttered, facing the rift head-on. Around them, dozens of people scrambled in panic, but one pattern held, everyone was fleeing from the anomaly—Robin, could you-
—Already on it— They pulled out their phone, dialing government forces directly for intel. After stepping aside for two minutes, Robin returned with a grim expression.
—It's a Rank 2 rift. Worst that'll emerge is an Alpha Wretch. That's the good news. The bad? Multiple rifts opened simultaneously across the city—including a Rank 4 on the outskirts. Both the guild and government are stretched thin... No reinforcements coming anytime soon.
—Haaah, well whatever— With a sigh, the young man summoned Iron Fang, the boy did the same with his golden sword, and Robin began preparing his inventions. They were all aware the mission only required them to be at the right place and time - they could perfectly well leave and pretend nothing happened. Yet they stayed. Even though it was just the three of them, they decided to take the risk. They couldn't leave all these people at the mercy of the vestiges, not with a clear conscience at least— We still have some time before the rift fully opens. You're the only one who's participated in rift sealing before—how difficult would it be? Considering there's only three of us...
—Actually, with me that makes four— A female voice announced from the now-empty streets as none other than:
—Joy?— The youngest pushed forward and came face to face with the elf— What are you doing here?
—I was sightseeing until the alarm sounded, so I came to check. I'm glad I'm not the only one who answered the call— When rifts opened, any nearby Codex Bearer instinctively knew where to find them— And what were you doing here?
—Uhhh— Sein was about to say "on a mission" but was quickly stopped by Shoun, who subtly pinched his back from Joy's blind spot— Well, we were just hanging out when the rift appeared.
—That's fine. Sein, could you introduce us?— The elf asked, looking at Robin and Shoun.
—Oh right, they're my friends Robin and Shoun. Guys, this is Joy.
—Pleasure to meet you— greeted the scientist, while the young man simply gave a hand gesture.
—Likewise. Sein's told me a lot about you all, but let's set that aside for now. From what I overheard, this is the first rift for some of you.
—Exactly. We still have time before it opens, but there's much to discuss. Let's skip unnecessary introductions for now— suggested the scientist. Once everyone agreed, he continued explaining—Alright, essentially as you should know, a rift only spawns individuals of equivalent or lower rank. The vestiges will emerge gradually, and the condition to close it is to kill the Alpha. The problem is that numerous Wretches and Grunts will appear, so to seal this rift, we need to coordinate effectively to avoid being overwhelmed. That's why we should outline our abilities beforehand.
With that said, everyone proceeded to explain their skills and strengths to Joy, who was the only one not fully familiar with their capabilities—except for the golden sword and Shoun's S-rank ability. Then she went on to describe her own abilities:
—Well, I'm a mage. My first ability reduces spiritual energy consumption when casting spells. My second ability allows me to create a "connection" with my teammates—essentially enabling everyone to know each ally's position at all times, along with their energy reserves and overall status. This ability's effectiveness increases based on the strength of the bond between any two individuals, regardless of others connected in the network.
—Wow! That last ability is really useful. What's your apprentice ability?— Faced with the little one's question, Joy made a face but quickly explained her apprentice skill:
—It consists of a book that stores all the spells I know and write down. Plus, when casting them, it absorbs part of the ambient spiritual energy along with my own.
—Like your race's tattoos?— asked the boy, remembering his conversation with his friend a week ago.
—...that's right. What will our formation be?— she quickly asked to change the subject. Obviously, Sein and Shoun would take the front lines while Robin and Joy stayed back. The rift would open soon, so they prepared to fulfill their roles.
—Kaze, multiple rifts have opened across the city, including at the mission location— the young man whispered into the communicator.
—I saw it on the news. Do you want me to come there?
—Yes, but don't reveal yourself. Stay hidden and only intervene if the situation demands it.
—Understood. I'll be there in a few minutes. Be careful.
—Exactly. We still have time before it opens, but much to discuss. Let's skip unnecessary introductions for now— suggested the scientist. When everyone agreed, he continued explaining—Alright, basically as you should know, a rift only spawns individuals of equivalent or lower rank. Vestiges will emerge gradually, and the condition to close it is to kill the Alpha. The problem is that numerous Wretches and Grunts will appear, so to seal this rift we need to coordinate well to avoid being overwhelmed. That's why we should outline our abilities beforehand.
With that said, everyone explained their skills and strengths to Joy, who was the only one not fully familiar with their capabilities - except for the golden sword and Shoun's S-rank ability. Then she proceeded to describe her own abilities:
—Well, I'm a mage. My first ability reduces spiritual energy consumption when casting spells. My second ability lets me create a "connection" with my teammates - essentially allowing everyone to know each ally's position at all times, along with their energy reserves and overall status.
—Thanks— The young man turned off his communicator and gazed contemplatively at the rift, until he sensed someone approaching.
—Hello again, Shoun.
—Hi— he greeted back, though slightly confused.
—I wanted to say again that it's a pleasure to meet you. Like I said before, Sein told me a lot about you.
—Likewise. Any friend of Sein's could probably be my friend too.
—Yes... Speaking of which, he mentioned we share a certain interest...— With some suspense, he waited for the elf to finish her sentence— We both love The Red Phoenix!
—No way! Seriously!?— Excited, they began discussing the band—favorite songs, favorite member, etc.— Look, I don't disagree with you, but you have to admit the guitarist had the best performance on their latest album.
—And I say Delsin outdid himself as usual!— Before they could continue, they noticed the rift beginning to expand—a sign it was finally about to begin— Oh, looks like it's time to work. It was great talking with you.
—Yeah, let's continue later— Joy returned to her position while Shoun turned his attention back to the rift, watching for any changes.
—Seems you hit it off with Joy! I had a feeling you two would get along great!
—What can I say? She's got good taste. Naturally, you'd get along with people like that.
—Haaah, I truly don't understand your obsession with The Red Phoenix.
—...it's hard to explain. I think depending on the context, their music might resonate with you more or less.
—Hmm, I think she said something similar once.
—That just proves my point.
—Of course... Hey Shoun, do you think we can really seal this rift? There's few of us, and it's our first time...
—Nonsense. I didn't train so hard with Iron Fang just to die in my first real fight with it. We might not have Kaze or Deuz for this battle, but you were the one who said "together we can overcome any challenge."
—Heh, I guess if I said it, it must be true— The boy bumped fists with Shoun, who returned the gesture. In the next instant, the rift began to mutate—the sign that after ten minutes of appearing, it would finally open.