The morning sun was still hidden behind a dense, heavy blanket of fog. There was no trace of light in the sky—only a thick, freezing mist wrapping the surroundings in a bitter cold. Resting on the dried leaves and silent flora were delicate dew drops, as if asleep in the early morning chill.
In front of a large, heavy wooden door belonging to a grand estate nestled near the hills stood three figures—Leo, Steven, and Leo's younger sister, Rim.
Bound tightly around Leo's waist was a black leather belt holding his katana inside its dark sheath. With every subtle movement Leo made, the katana shifted, producing a faint metallic hum.
Breaking the quiet morning silence, Steven stepped forward. A thick scarf made of heavy black wool was wrapped securely around his neck, concealing half his throat and jawline. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a handful of silver coins and extended them toward Leo.
Leo took the coins, balancing them between his five fingers before resting them in his palm. Looking up at Steven, he said, "I have enough coins on me... I can easily hire a carriage to reach the academy."
Steven listened quietly. As he opened his mouth to speak, a puff of warm, white vapor escaped his lips into the freezing air. "You're going to need them," Steven said softly yet firmly. "And even if you don't use them for travel, keep them for extra expenses or emergencies. What's the harm in having a backup?"
Leo's eyes shifted from Steven's face down to the gleaming coins in his hand. Offering a warm smile, he replied, "Thank you."
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from behind.
"Leo, you absolute DUMB!" a youthful voice yelled in frustration.
Both Leo and Steven turned to look. Barefoot and completely ignoring the biting cold, Rim came sprinting out toward them, stopping right in front of Leo. She was panting heavily, her eyes wide with irritation.
"You idiot! Were you really going to leave without telling me?!" Rim gritted her teeth. "Why didn't you wake me up? I could have cooked something for your journey!"
Leo offered a calm, gentle smile. "You were sleeping so deeply. I just didn't have the heart to wake you."
Rim puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms angrily. "I spent so much time making a gift for you... and here you were, running away!"
As she spoke, her skin began to pale from the harsh morning temperature. Realizing Rim had rushed out without proper attire, Steven immediately unraveled the thick cotton muffler from his shoulders and gently wrapped it around her neck.
"Rim, you shouldn't come outside like this. You'll catch a cold," Steven warned softly.
Rim looked up at Steven, huffing slightly. "I'm fine!"
She then whipped around to face Leo, her tone turning authoritative. "Sit down on the ground!"
Leo gave her a thoroughly confused look. "Why? Shouldn't I be heading off to catch the carriage?"
"Just sit down and stop talking!" Rim snapped.
Obeying his sister, Leo sat cross-legged on the cold earth. Rim stepped up behind him and placed her right hand firmly against his back. Closing her eyes, she began focusing on the Mana reservoir within her body.
Moments later, a soft, soothing glow began to emanate from Rim's entire form. The mana flowed out like a gentle stream, infusing itself directly into Leo's body. Within seconds, bead droplets of sweat broke out across Rim's face, and her breathing grew shallow.
Leo opened his eyes sharply, stunned. "What... what kind of mana are you channeling into me?"
Steven smiled faintly, clarifying the situation. "Remember I told you that you ought to practice accepting mana from a Healing User? Over the last few months, I've been training Rim in Healing Mana. I instructed her to give you some of her healing energy—since you two are siblings, your mana cores naturally align without resistance."
Leo looked back at his little sister, a wave of affection washing over him. Pulling her into a warm hug, he said, "Thank you, Rim. I promise you, next time I return, I'll bring you plenty of rare healing magic books and chocolates."
Rim smiled faintly. "Thank you..." Then, lightly smacking the top of his head, she added, "Just... don't come back all battered and injured, alright?"
Leo nodded, turned around, and walked through the main gate. After gaining a bit of distance, he turned back one last time to wave goodbye to Steven and Rim. Channeling his internal aura down into his legs, his speed burst dramatically. Within a fraction of a second, he vanished into the thick morning fog.
As he bolted through the terrain, Leo thought to himself: Thank you, Rim. I promise I'll make every drop of this mana count. Every time I draw upon it, I'll remember you.
Leo tore through the forest paths at incredible speeds—so fast that the black crows perched up in the canopy squawked in surprise as he blurred past.
Gradually, the dense woods began to clear. The heavy morning mist dissipated, giving way to a brilliant, shining sun. Leo had finally arrived at the outskirts of Veldora Town.
The marketplace of Veldora Town was comfortably quiet. Rustic wooden shops, local merchants, and colorful market stalls lined the stone streets. But the defining beauty of the town was a magnificent Natural Waterfall located right at its heart. Cascading down from the surrounding peaks, the roaring waters pooled into a river spanned by wooden bridges, over which several horse-drawn carriages traveled.
Leo walked over to the edge of the waterfall, standing nearby to wait for Ray.
As he waited, his eyes caught sight of an old woman sitting beside a small shop. Standing barely 160 cm tall, her skin was heavily lined with deep wrinkles, and her frail frame was so thin it was clear she hadn't eaten in days. She shivered visibly from hunger and weakness.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, Leo walked up to a nearby bakery stall, paid 24 silver coins, and bought 3 fresh loaves of bread. Kneeling down beside the old woman, he politely offered the food to her.
The old woman slowly lifted her head. Her trembling hands reached out for the bread, though her gaze lingered on the genuine, kind smile on Leo's face. She took the loaves and began eating ravenously, finishing two of them in no time.
Her voice, weary and raspy, trembled with emotion. "Thank you, young man... You saved my life today. I was standing right at death's door."
Leo's smile widened. "It's no problem at all, ma'am. I was just doing what anyone should."
Leo turned to take his leave, but the old woman suddenly reached out, clutching the edge of his trousers tightly. Leo paused and looked back.
"I have no silver or gold to offer you," the old woman rasped, "but I can tell you your Future."
Leo's face twisted into an expression of sheer confusion. "My future? How?"
"Sit before me," she commanded.
Without asking any further questions, Leo sat down on the ground in front of her. The old woman placed her withered hand on Leo's forehead and closed her eyes. For a few moments, absolute silence fell over the bustling backdrop of the market.
When she finally opened her eyes, all emotion had drained from her expression. Her eyes were hollow and distant. She uttered a single, sharp word:
"DANCE."
"Wait... what?" Leo blurted out, bewildered.
Before he could process it, a hand clapped down onto Leo's shoulder. Turning around, he found a youth standing at 170 cm, featuring messy grey hair and sharp black eyes.
"Ray! You're finally here," Leo said, standing up. "Where were you? I've been waiting forever."
Ray replied in a completely flat tone, "My bad. But what were you just doing?"
Leo chuckled and quickly explained the encounter. Ray listened, pondered briefly, and then shrugged. "Right... Whatever. Let's move, we need to head to the Academy. We're already running late."
As they began walking away, Leo glanced back at the old woman and pointed a finger toward the small paper bag containing the remaining bread. Hidden beneath the loaf, Leo had tucked away 2 Platinum Coins.
When the old woman peeked inside the bag and spotted the platinum coins, her expression turned dead serious. She called out loudly after him, "If you ever find yourself in need of my aid... YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND ME RIGHT HERE!"
Leo offered a bright wave in response before continuing down the road with Ray.
As they walked, Ray asked, "Leo... do you actually believe someone can see the future?"
Leo thought about it for a second. "Honestly? I don't know. But if everything has a possibility, then maybe foresight does too."
Ray rolled his eyes, sighing. "You really are an idiot."
A short distance ahead, they managed to flag down a Carriage bound for the Academy. Already seated inside were two passengers—a middle-aged man around 180 cm tall, his hair neatly combed back, wearing a finely tailored grey suit. Beside him sat his 7-year-old son, dressed in a matching grey suit. The young boy was quiet, but his wide eyes were completely locked onto the katana resting at Leo's waist.
Leo and Ray took the seats directly across from the father and son as the carriage lurched forward, starting its journey.
Unable to contain his excitement any longer, the boy finally spoke up. "Is... is that a REAL KATANA?!"
The sudden burst of energy broke the quiet atmosphere inside the vehicle. The father immediately gently scolded him, "Son, it's rude to bother strangers."
"Oh, no, it's completely fine!" Leo laughed off the apology. Looking at the boy, he said, "Yep! It's a real katana."
The boy's eyes sparkled with wonder. Leo slid the katana slightly out of its sheath, revealing the gleaming edge of the blade. "Pretty cool, right?"
Reaching out hesitantly, the boy gently tapped the flat of the blade with his finger. "Woah! This is amazing! I'm going to grow up and become a Sword Knight Captain!"
"Is that so? Then you've got a lot of hard work ahead of you," Leo encouraged him with a grin.
"I'll work as hard as I can!" the boy cheered passionately.
The carriage soon reached the outskirts of town, approaching a narrow, aging Wooden Suspension Bridge. The structure spanned across a deep chasm where a roaring, high-velocity river churned below. The sound of violent water crashing against jagged rocks echoed loudly inside the carriage.
EVERYTHING WAS GOING SMOOTHLY, UNTIL
One of the two horses pulling the carriage suddenly lost its footing. It reared back violently, panicking. Within seconds, the second horse began acting strangely as well—both animals consumed by a sudden, unnatural terror.
The driver pulled hard on the reins, trying frantically to regain control, but the horses were completely berserk. Inside, the passengers were jolted violently in their seats.
Without warning, the panicked horses veered straight toward the wooden guardrail of the bridge!
"IT'S GOING OVER!" The driver yelled, leaping clear off the driver's seat to save his own life.
Under the massive weight and impact of the horses, the aging wooden railing snapped with a deafening crack. The carriage began sliding rapidly off the edge toward the raging waters below.
Ray's reaction time was terrifyingly fast.
Just as the carriage tipped over the edge, Ray blurred, leaping through the open carriage door in a microsecond. More than half of the heavy carriage was already dangling in mid-air over the abyss!
SWISH!
Mid-leap, Ray drew a sharp knife and severed the heavy lead ropes binding the panicking horses to the carriage—sending the horses tumbling into the river below while freeing the carriage from their weight.
However, gravity was still pulling the heavy carriage down into the chasm!
Ray slammed one hand onto the thick main support beam of the bridge, while his other hand clamped down on the carriage's thick towing rope with absolute power.
GROAN!
The veins along Ray's arm bulged dangerously under the immense stress. With a single-handed grip, he was holding the entire weight of the dangling carriage suspended in mid-air!
Inside the cab, Leo, the gentleman, and the young boy were trapped. The child clung tightly to his father, crying out in terror. The carriage swayed precariously over the drop, and filling their ears was nothing but the ominous, deafening roar of the raging waters below.