The night was hushed, carrying a sweet, cool breeze in the air. High above, the moon sparkled like pure crystal, casting its serene silver light onto a solitary wooden house below.
Inside, a young boy sat in quiet contemplation. Suddenly, the wooden door creaked open, and an elderly man stepped into the room. He appeared to be around sixty years old, standing tall at an impressive 184 cm. His hair was as silver as moonlight, and deep wrinkles etched across his face spoke of a lifetime of experience. Though dark circles shadowed his eyes from fatigue, a warm, gentle smile rested on his lips. In his right hand, he carried a thick, weathered tome.
The old man walked over to a wooden table in the center of the room and sat down across from the boy. Scattered across the table were numerous books, surrounding a small iron plate holding a thick, burning candle. It was the sole source of illumination in the room, its soft, yellow flame reaching into every dark corner while filling the air with a sweet aroma. Slow droplets of melted wax trickled down onto the iron plate.
"Grandpa! What story are you going to tell me today?" the boy asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
The old man's smile widened as he looked at the young boy. "Leo... tonight, I'm going to tell you a scary story."
Leo's eyes lit up with excitement. "A scary one?!" He paused for a moment to think it over, then nodded enthusiastically. "Alright!"
The grandfather opened the ancient book. Though time had worn its pages, every single word written inside remained strikingly clear. He began the story: "A very long time ago... Demons attempted to conquer and take over this world. Destruction and chaos reigned everywhere..."
He paused. Leo stared at his grandfather, captivated and hanging onto every word. "What happened after that, Grandpa?" he asked eagerly.
His grandfather continued, "Then, the Mother of Angels defeated all the demons and put an end to the destruction."
Leo thought for a moment before asking, "So Grandpa... is every demon bad? Does that mean..."
The old man placed a gentle hand on Leo's head, smiling softly. "Not every demon is evil, Leo. Some demons are good... and sometimes, to protect the ones we love, even we must become an 'Asura'."
Leo stared at the book, lost in thought. "Ohhh... What happened next, Grandpa?"
With a weary yet affectionate smile, his grandfather closed the book. "That's enough for tonight. Time for you to go to sleep."
He stood up to leave, but Leo wasn't ready to let the story end. He scrambled up immediately. "I want to hear more! I won't be able to sleep after hearing just this much, Grandpa! Tell me more of the story!"
When his grandfather kept walking, Leo threw himself onto the floor, flailing his arms and legs in a full-blown tantrum. "Tell me more, please!"
Laughing quietly to himself, his grandfather walked toward his own room. The room wasn't large, but a beautifully crafted wooden shelf stood in the corner. He opened a drawer, carefully placed the ancient book inside for safekeeping, and closed it. He then returned to check on Leo.
Leo, now exhausted and on the verge of drifting off, looked up with half-closed eyes. "You'll tell me more tomorrow... right, Grandpa?"
Before he could hear an answer, his eyes slipped shut.
"Leo! Wake up!"
A voice shattered Leo's dream, calling out to him.
Leo opened his eyes. He was lying on the ground in the front lawn of a big wooden house with a tall wall around it. The house was quiet and surrounded by a thick, snowy forest. A little snow covered the tree branches and the roof. Nearby, there was a small, clear pond with a few leaves floating on the water, reflecting the sky.
Standing right in front of him was a young girl, about 130 cm tall. She had fair skin and long hair that cascaded all the way down to her shoulder . She wore a simple linen tunic dress embroidered with delicate floral patterns around the collar, paired with thick woolen leggings underneath. Over her dress, a light fur-lined cloak was wrapped around her shoulders, secured at her chest with a carved wooden brooch. On her feet were small leather boots laced up to her ankles, and warm knitted gloves protected her hands. The biting cold had turned her cheeks and the tip of her nose a rosy red.
With her hands firmly on her hips, she scolded, "Leo! You fall asleep anywhere! Why are you sleeping outside in this freezing cold?"
Leo sat up, rubbing his eyes and grumbling, "What's wrong with me sleeping here? Besides, I'm older than you, so don't just call me by my name! Show some respect, Rim!"
Rim glared at him fiercely. "Do something worthy of respect first, and then I'll respect you! Got it, Leo?"
Leo turned his head away, sighing in defeat. "Fine, fine... just call me whatever you want."
A victorious smile crossed Rim's face. "Much better! Now go wash up quickly and come eat, alright?"
Leo offered a small smile and nodded. Rim turned around and headed back inside the house.
Standing up, Leo muttered to himself, "I'm 13 now... I still have 5 years left until I finish the Academy." He clenched his fist tightly and stared into the distance. "I still have a long way to go..."
Suddenly, Rim's voice yelled from inside, "Have you lost your mind?! Who are you talking to out there? Did you land on your head during training or something?!"
Startled, Leo looked back nervously. "N-No! It's nothing like that!"
He walked toward his room, thinking to himself, 'Rim is starting to act just like Mom... Well, she takes after Mom anyway, so it makes sense.'
He slid open the door to his room. His eyes immediately landed on his Katana resting in the corner. 'I need to get my Katana repaired. I completely forgot about it.'
As he walked over to pick up the weapon, his reflection in the mirror caught his eye. Looking back at him was a lean, 170-cm-tall teenager with black, slightly overgrown hair, fair skin, and striking deep blue eyes.
Leo smiled softly at his reflection. "I've changed so much... and I've grown quite tall too."
He closed his room door and stepped back outside. Looking at the house, a wave of nostalgia washed over him as he recalled everything that had happened since he first arrived.
Just then, he noticed a figure walking toward him.
It was a tall man, standing at 195 cm, with a powerful yet lean physique and the same deep blue eyes. He wore a long, dark robe extending below his knees, bound at the waist by a layered cloth belt, with a flowing black cloak draped over his shoulders. Two fingers on one of his hands were missing, and his long hair was tied neatly behind his back.
"You're awake, Leo?" the man called out as he approached.
"Steven..." Leo greeted him.
Steven stopped in front of him and said, "I tried looking for a shop to fix your Katana, but I couldn't find a skilled enough swordsmith around here."
"It's fine," Leo replied. "I'm leaving for the Academy tomorrow anyway. I'll find a good swordsmith there to repair it."
Steven took a seat on a nearby wooden bench. "You're 13 now. I'm glad to see you growing up so fast. But as your master, I have to tell you—you still have a very long road ahead of you. Do you understand, Leo?"
Leo kept his gaze fixed on the ground, nodding quietly in response.
Steven continued, "Next time, bring your friend Ray along too."
"I asked him to come this time," Leo explained, "but he declined. He said he had to go back home to handle some personal matters."
Steven pondered for a moment. "I see. Well, make sure to bring him along next time. He's a talented kid. Being able to wield both Fire and Lightning elements proficiently at his age is extremely rare. If he keeps progressing like this, he might even be able to combine both elements seamlessly."
Leo looked up, a mix of curiosity and envy in his eyes. "Can't I use two elements as well?"
Steven closed his eyes and shook his head. "No. That kind of talent is extraordinarily rare—it's something a person is born with. Besides, Leo, your element is Fire. I've seen plenty of incredibly powerful Fire users in my lifetime. Don't worry about it, just focus on your training."
After a brief pause, Steven added, "I've been thinking about something for you."
"What is it?" Leo asked.
"You should try absorbing a bit of mana from a Healing user into your body and train with it. Since you're a Blessed Child, your natural recovery rate is already much faster than average. If you absorb Healing Mana and refine it, your regeneration speed will skyrocket. It'll give you a massive advantage in prolonged battles or critical situations."
Leo nodded, intrigued. "How do I do that?"
"Ask a friend or someone you know who specializes in healing," Steven explained. "Just have them channel a small amount of their Healing Mana into your body. Then, focus on that mana, nurture it, and make it your own. It's as simple as that."
Leo tilted his head toward Steven. "Do you use this method in your fights too?"
Steven let out a laugh. "Kid, I don't need tricks like that in battle."
His expression instantly turned stern and serious as he finished his thought. "I fight to cut my enemies down. I don't need healing methods—I rely solely on my raw strength. In battle, there is only one absolute truth: either you die, or your enemy dies. So just tear your enemy apart."
Leo absorbed the words carefully, a resolved look entering his eyes. "Right. That's what I need to do. If I want to shorten this long journey, I have to grow stronger... by overcoming everyone in my path."
Steven looked at Leo, a proud smirk appearing on his face. "Now, you can truly call yourself my Apprentice."
The two looked at each other, smiled, and extended their hands, bringing their fists together in a firm Fist Bump.
"IF YOU TWO ARE DONE TALKING, GET IN HERE ALREADY! THE FOOD IS GETTING COLD!"
Rim's sharp voice echoed loudly from inside the house. Steven and Leo both flinched and scrambled to their feet simultaneously.
"Let's go, quickly..." Steven said, hurrying toward the door. "Or Rim's going to lose her temper."
Leo smirked, teasing him, "I never thought 'Steven', the man everyone calls the strongest Captain, would be terrified of a little girl!"
Steven shot him a glare. "Are you asking for a beatdown, kid?"
"Not today!" Leo chuckled, as the two of them headed inside together.