The night didn't end.
It stretched—
Longer than it should.
Heavier than it should.
⸻
Malvek couldn't feel his arms anymore.
They trembled on their own.
Barely holding position.
Barely holding—
Himself.
⸻
"…Don't drop your guard."
⸻
Nobu's voice was cold.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
⸻
Malvek gritted his teeth.
"…I'm not—"
⸻
BOOM!!
A strike crashed into his side.
⸻
"—!!"
⸻
His body slid across the dirt.
Again.
⸻
"…That's your problem."
Nobu walked toward him slowly.
"…You think saying it makes it true."
⸻
Malvek coughed.
Blood hit the ground.
⸻
"…Then what do you want from me…?!"
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Nobu stopped in front of him.
⸻
"…Results."
⸻
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
⸻
Malvek's fingers dug into the soil again.
⸻
"…Get up."
⸻
His body didn't listen.
⸻
"…Get. Up."
⸻
Something inside him snapped.
⸻
Not anger.
Not rage.
⸻
Something quieter.
⸻
Something heavier.
⸻
Malvek forced himself up.
His legs shaking violently.
⸻
"…Again."
⸻
And Nobu attacked.
⸻
This time—
Faster.
⸻
Malvek reacted—
Late.
⸻
CRACK!!
His shoulder twisted back.
Pain exploded through his body.
⸻
But—
⸻
He didn't fall.
⸻
Nobu's eyes narrowed slightly.
⸻
"…Better."
⸻
The attacks didn't stop.
⸻
Minutes passed.
Then more.
⸻
The forest grew quieter.
⸻
Even the insects stopped making noise.
⸻
As if watching.
⸻
Malvek's breathing became unstable again.
But his movements—
Changed.
⸻
He wasn't reacting blindly anymore.
⸻
He was—
Watching.
⸻
Learning.
⸻
Another strike came—
⸻
He moved.
⸻
Barely.
But enough.
⸻
"…Huh."
⸻
Nobu adjusted instantly.
⸻
A feint—
Then a real attack.
⸻
Malvek raised his arm—
Too slow—
⸻
BOOM!!
⸻
This time—
He dropped to one knee.
⸻
But not both.
⸻
"…Again."
⸻
No hesitation.
⸻
Malvek stood up.
⸻
Again.
⸻
And again.
⸻
And again.
⸻
Time lost meaning.
⸻
Until—
⸻
Nobu stopped.
⸻
"…That's enough."
⸻
Silence.
⸻
Malvek didn't move.
⸻
"…I said—"
⸻
"—I can still fight."
⸻
Nobu looked at him.
⸻
For the first time—
There was something different in his eyes.
⸻
Not approval.
⸻
But—
Recognition.
⸻
"…You're not fighting me anymore."
⸻
A pause.
⸻
"…You're fighting yourself."
⸻
Malvek's breathing slowed.
⸻
"…Good."
⸻
He finally collapsed.
⸻
Flat on his back.
⸻
Staring at the sky.
⸻
"…Then I'll win."
⸻
The stars above didn't respond.
⸻
But something inside him did.
⸻
⸻
Morning came slowly.
⸻
Light filtered through the trees.
⸻
Malvek woke up to pain.
⸻
Everywhere.
⸻
"…Tch…"
⸻
He sat up.
Barely.
⸻
Across from him—
Nobu stood still.
⸻
As if he hadn't moved all night.
⸻
"…We're going back."
⸻
"…Where?"
⸻
"…Misashi's palace."
⸻
Malvek's eyes sharpened slightly.
⸻
"…Training there?"
⸻
"…Not just you."
⸻
A pause.
⸻
"…Everyone."
⸻
⸻
Hours later—
⸻
The palace stood in silence.
⸻
Cleaned.
Restored.
⸻
But not peaceful.
⸻
There was tension in the air.
⸻
Fear.
⸻
Uncertainty.
⸻
Misashi stood in the courtyard.
Still injured—
But standing.
⸻
His students gathered around.
⸻
"…You're back."
⸻
Nobu nodded.
⸻
Malvek stepped forward.
⸻
"…We're not done."
⸻
Misashi smiled faintly.
⸻
"…I can see that."
⸻
His eyes moved—
To Malvek.
⸻
"…You've changed."
⸻
Malvek didn't respond.
⸻
"…Good."
⸻
Misashi turned.
⸻
"…Everyone."
⸻
The students straightened.
⸻
"…From today onward—"
⸻
"…we prepare for war."
⸻
Silence fell.
⸻
"…Not tomorrow."
⸻
"…Not someday."
⸻
"…Now."
⸻
Nobu stepped forward.
⸻
"…If you stay weak—"
⸻
"…you die."
⸻
No emotion.
⸻
Just truth.
⸻
"…If you hesitate—"
⸻
"…you die."
⸻
The pressure in the air increased.
⸻
"…If you think someone will save you—"
⸻
"…you die."
⸻
A pause.
⸻
"…So get stronger."
⸻
⸻
Training began that same day.
⸻
No breaks.
⸻
No mercy.
⸻
Malvek trained with them—
But differently.
⸻
Nobu didn't treat him like the others.
⸻
He pushed him further.
⸻
Harder.
⸻
Every mistake—
Punished.
⸻
Every hesitation—
Destroyed.
⸻
Days passed.
⸻
Then more.
⸻
Malvek's body adapted.
⸻
His movements sharpened.
⸻
His mind—
Calmed.
⸻
But inside—
⸻
The fire didn't go out.
⸻
It became controlled.
⸻
Focused.
⸻
Deadly.
⸻
⸻
One evening—
⸻
Malvek sat alone.
⸻
Looking at his hands.
⸻
"…I'll save you…"
⸻
A whisper.
⸻
But this time—
⸻
It wasn't desperate.
⸻
It was—
Certain.
⸻
"…No matter what they turn you into…"
⸻
"…I'll bring you back."
⸻
Behind him—
⸻
Nobu stood silently.
⸻
Watching.
⸻
"…You're improving."
⸻
Malvek didn't turn.
⸻
"…Not enough."
⸻
"…It never is."
⸻
A pause.
⸻
"…Good."
⸻
Nobu turned away.
⸻
"…Then don't stop."
⸻
⸻
Far away—
⸻
Beyond forests.
Beyond mountains.
⸻
Where the ground itself felt—
Wrong.
⸻
A distortion flickered.
⸻
Unstable.
⸻
Cracking.
⸻
"…So this is… the past…"
⸻
A figure stepped through.
⸻
Tall.
⸻
Silent.
⸻
His eyes scanned the world slowly.
⸻
"…Feels different…"
⸻
Fragments flashed in his mind.
⸻
Battles.
⸻
Blood.
⸻
A name—
⸻
"…Nobu."
⸻
A faint smirk appeared.
⸻
"…You really came alone…"
⸻
He looked at his hand.
⸻
"…Idiot."
⸻
The distortion behind him collapsed.
⸻
Gone.
⸻
No way back.
⸻
"…Guess I'll have to find you myself."
⸻
He stepped forward.
⸻
"…But first…"
⸻
His gaze shifted.
⸻
Toward distant smoke.
⸻
"…Let's see what kind of world you dragged yourself into."
⸻
⸻
Back at the palace—
⸻
The wind moved again.
⸻
Soft.
⸻
But uneasy.
⸻
And far beneath the earth—
⸻
Something—
Was still waking up.
⸻
Not yet ready.
⸻
But soon.
⸻
Very soon.
⸻
War wasn't coming.
⸻
It was already beginning.
⸻
And this time—
⸻
No one would be spared.
⸻
To be continued…