Cherreads

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Facing the Shadows

After the recent Gkargha attack the teams the teachers and Parka Users moved swiftly to protect the people and evacuate homes and threatened areas Kazuki felt a mixture of fear and excitement The monsters they faced were real and dangerous but the long training he had undergone made him feel more confident

The Parka Users launched attacks against the Gkargha Each one focused on their specific target Kazuki approached one of the lower-rank Gkargha thinking it would be easy but was suddenly surrounded by five of them His heart raced and he tried to move quickly to dodge them but he was already trapped At the crucial moment Mitsu appeared and they fought together defeating the monsters with skill and speed

Within half an hour they had eliminated all the Gkargha in the area The scene afterward was full of rubble and destruction The school announced a ten-day postponement of the exams to repair the damage giving everyone a chance to reorganize and restore their energy

Kazuki Mitsu and Mio took the opportunity to go to an open area in the forest to train together They began with enthusiasm focusing on improving their individual abilities and their coordination as a team They trained until sunset and exhausted decided to camp in the forest for the night

After dinner they sat around the fire and began talking about their childhood Mio spoke first in a slightly sad voice In my childhood my father died when I was three and my mother was blind I took care of her and myself from that time I worked to buy food and in the evenings I would train with the boys in the square and I would beat them every day About six months ago I trained under a teacher named Raizo and met Mitsu there

Mitsu smiled and added playfully Mio once told me she cried because someone stole her candy when she was little and they laughed at her which made her angry and she hit them hard

Kazuki looked at them and laughed a little Then he said And you tell me your stories I want to know how you became who you are today

Kazuki opened his heart On the day I was born my mother died and my father took care of me until I turned five then he passed away I met my teacher Tatsu who took me in and I trained with him for nine years When I turned fourteen I went to train on Mount Nirgi for a full year learning meditation endurance thinking and discipline After a year I returned to the Parka School to become stronger and met you two

Mitsu said It's my turn to tell you my story But before he could continue they suddenly heard a faint sound coming from the nearby bushes Everyone froze Mio took a deep breath while Kazuki clenched his fists feeling Parka flowing strongly through his body

Slowly the sound approached and the trees swayed strangely This time it was not the Gkargha but something different larger and more mysterious The fire illuminated their faces and their eyes followed every movement of the bushes creating a tense atmosphere

Mitsu said in a low voice Get ready It seems something new is testing us

Kazuki felt that this test was not just a physical confrontation but a test of courage intelligence and teamwork He knew that their actions now would determine the team's fate and might be the beginning of even greater challenges in the future

They moved slowly toward the source of the sound each step calculated each breath cautious Mio was alert her eyes scanning everything while Kazuki felt Parka energy rise as if his entire body was ready for any danger

Suddenly small fast creatures emerged from the bushes attacking from all directions They had to move quickly and work together to neutralize the small creatures before they gathered and became a bigger threat

The real training began Every strike and every movement was precise and the team's coordination was evident Kazuki managed the front attacks Mitsu led overall tactics and Mio intervened with precision to neutralize the small creatures

As time passed everyone felt strength flowing through their bodies As if the long training and past days had prepared them perfectly for this moment They were learning and testing their abilities on real ground not just in a traditional training field and the experience gave them a sense of responsibility and courage to face any future threat

After the first attack ended the team sat exhausted but proud knowing that the road ahead was still long and greater challenges were coming However they felt that every moment spent together strengthened their will and improved their skills in ways they had never expected

More Chapters