Oath of the celestial blade

Way to become strong

Rennin's Training Challenge

Rennin looked at Shoji and Akira with a determined expression. "Shoji, it's important to master your breathing and body flexibility," she began, "so I want you to climb the mountain through the waterfall. It will also help increase your strength, body coordination, and mental focus."

Shoji nodded, determined. He decided to climb the mountain, but it wasn't as easy as he had thought. With the help of the healer, his wounds were healed quickly, allowing him to keep trying. After many attempts, Shoji finally managed to climb the mountain with the help of his friends.

But Shoji wasn't satisfied with just that. He decided to challenge himself further by climbing the mountain without any help, testing his skills in a new way. Though it caused him a lot of trouble, he succeeded in climbing the mountain on his own.

Rennin watched Shoji's progress and smiled. "Keep practicing," she instructed, before leaving the training area with Akira.

Shoji and Drake continued to train together, their bond growing stronger with each session. Shoji improved his physical abilities while Drake focused on enhancing his magical powers and efficiency.

After a hard day of training, they decided to take a break. Shoji turned to Drake, curiosity in his eyes. "Drake, how did you end up with Rennin-sama?"

---Drake's Past---

Drake's expression grew somber as he began to speak. "When I was eight, I went out fishing. When I returned home, I fell unconscious out of nowhere and, when I thought I had just hit my head on a rock or something. But when I woke up, I found all my family members lying on the ground. They were... gone."

"I searched the house for any clue, but found nothing. We lived near the forest, so I thought maybe some animal or creature had attacked them," Drake continued. "After I handled the formalities for their bodies, I couldn't bear to stay there any longer. I moved to a nearby village."

Drake paused, his voice faltering slightly.

"Everything was fine for a few months, but then people in the village started dying in the same way my family had. They blamed me, treated me like a criminal. They even blamed me for killing the girl I loved—the one who used to care for me."

"Eventually, everyone in the village died except for me. I didn't know what to do, so I relied on the forest for food and shelter. That's when I discovered there was some kind of power, or a monster, within me that made me do all of this. I hated myself. I didn't want to get close to anyone ever again."

Drake's voice grew quieter. "One day, the powers within me became so strong that they almost killed me. That's when Rennin-sama found me. She gave me a new life and suggested I control and use the powers within me, but I never wanted to. I didn't want to destroy anything ever again. So Rennin-sama placed a seal on my powers, but I'm still afraid I might lose control."

Shoji was deeply moved by Drake's story. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "No worries, Drake-san. I'll be your friend no matter what. You can think of me as your older brother."

Drake's eyes softened, and he remembered his brother. Overcome with emotion, he hugged Shoji tightly.

After resting for a while, Shoji and Drake heard a strange noise coming from the forest. They quickly went to investigate.

"Oh, look who it is again," sneered an unknown man as he emerged from the shadows. "Isn't this the boy who tried to mess with me? This time, I won't let you off so easily. You're here to die by my hands."

Shoji recognized the voice. "Don't tell me you're the one from the park yesterday."

Drake looked at Shoji, confused. "Do you know him?"