A voice echoed in the hazy confines of Ryoshi's consciousness, calling his name with urgent insistence. "Ryoshi... Ryoshi... RYOSHI!"
Startled, Ryoshi jolted upright in bed, his heart pounding against his chest as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Standing over him was Fuyu, a familiar figure bathed in the soft glow of dawn.
"WHAT! Wait, Fuyu? What happened?" Ryoshi's voice was laced with confusion and apprehension.
Fuyu's expression softened with relief as he spoke, his words carrying a weight of reassurance. "Right before you died, my good old friend Taiyo saved you."
Ryoshi's brow furrowed in disbelief. "What about Kuroshi and Toruri?"
"They were saved and nurtured by yours truly!" Fuyu's response was punctuated with a note of pride.
A wave of relief washed over Ryoshi. "Ah, that's good."
"Anyways," Fuyu continued, his tone shifting to one of businesslike determination, "they woke up a lot earlier than you did. So, they both learned some new techniques together. While you, on the other hand, I need to teach you two major factors of being an ice inheritor."
Ryoshi's interest was piqued. "Which is?"
"Healing ice magic, and ice magic control," Fuyu explained.
"OH YEAH, RIGHT! You need to teach me how to do healing ice magic," Ryoshi exclaimed with newfound enthusiasm.
"But before that," Fuyu interjected, "I need to teach you about ice magic control."
Ryoshi's curiosity was palpable as he queried, "...Which... is?"
"It's basically how to manipulate and create ice without it being a magic spell, so you pretty much get ice powers!" Fuyu's words were infused with a sense of excitement.
"That's cool! When do I get to learn that?" Ryoshi's eagerness was palpable.
"Now!" Fuyu declared with a decisive nod.
"Alright, LET'S DO THIS!" Ryoshi responded, his determination evident in his voice.
Three minutes later, outside the confines of their shelter, Fuyu assumed the role of mentor, guiding Ryoshi through the intricacies of mastering his newfound abilities.
"Alright, the first step to earning your ice powers is simple!" Fuyu began, his tone animated with enthusiasm. "You have to let the ice magic in your body flow freely."
"Okay, let me try that," Ryoshi replied, his focus unwavering.
"Now," Fuyu instructed, "you have to release tiny bits of it. Like I told you before, even a tiny bit of Ice mana is enough to completely freeze a guy, but this time instead of holding it in, you let it out."
"Okay," Ryoshi affirmed, his determination evident.
With a fluid motion, Ryoshi extended his hand, channeling his newfound understanding into action. In an instant, his arm became encased in a sheath of shimmering ice, a testament to his burgeoning mastery over the element.
"Eh, did you seriously just mess up on that?" Fuyu's voice broke the silence, laced with a hint of amusement.
Ryoshi's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry," he muttered sheepishly.
"Mmm, maybe you're just good at manipulating ice," Fuyu mused, her tone thoughtful.
"Okay, how do I do that?" Ryoshi inquired, eager to learn.
"Make all of your Ice magic exit your body but like orbit around your body, making an aura of ice magic. You can then send that released ice magic to the nearest ice-related thing and boom! you can control it," Fuyu explained with enthusiasm.
"Let me try it," Ryoshi replied, his determination unwavering.
Once again, Ryoshi stood still, his focus intense as he concentrated on channeling his ice magic. After a few seconds, he extended his arm, transforming the ice into a formidable sword.
"Yeah, that's it! You can send out ice attacks and control them with ease! Wow, you're looking useful now!" Fuyu praised, his eyes alight with satisfaction.
"Hey—" Ryoshi began, but Fuyu interrupted before he could protest further.
"Anyways, we're one day away from the Mamoru test!" Fuyu announced, his tone suddenly serious.
"Wait, what? This early?" Ryoshi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Well... I kinda did start this team five months late... soooooooo," Fuyu admitted sheepishly.
"Wait, really!?" Ryoshi exclaimed, his mind racing with the implications.
"Yeah," Fuyu confirmed.
"I'm not ready for this!" Ryoshi's panic was palpable.
"Well, all the other teams have been doing simple small chores and rarely go on action-packed missions. That one big mission you guys did was good enough," Fuyu reassured him.
"Oh—maybe we might stand a chance. What do I do now? Do I just wait?" Ryoshi queried, seeking guidance.
"Good question. You are new to the Negative Point and have no connections to anyone. Maybe I should find Toruri and get him to hang out with you," Fuyu suggested.
"Oh, alright," Ryoshi acquiesced.
"Well, let's get going. Let me show you around," Fuyu declared, leading the way.
Five minutes later, on an unknown path within Negative Point, Fuyu and Ryoshi strolled along a dirt path flanked by bustling activity.
"This is the living area of the Negative Point. People do whatever here," Fuyu explained, gesturing to the bustling surroundings.
"Why is it so lively here? I thought Negative Point was secret," Ryoshi asked, his curiosity piqued.
"These people are the ancestors of the 999 thousand originators of the Negative Point," Fuyu revealed.
"WHAT!? HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE HERE!?" Ryoshi exclaimed in disbelief.
"Last time I counted, it was... 8.9 million people," Fuyu replied casually.
"HOW BIG IS NEGATIVE POINT!?" Ryoshi's astonishment was evident.
"If you did your research, you would know that Negative Point is indeed a continent," Fuyu stated matter-of-factly.
"A CONTINENT!?" Ryoshi echoed incredulously.
"Yeah, just a really well-hidden one," Fuyu confirmed.
"Okay, that's insane," Ryoshi concluded.
"Yeah—Oh, there's Toruri," Fuyu pointed out, spotting their companion hanging upside down from a tree.
"Toruri!" Ryoshi called out.
"Wassup, bro," Toruri greeted casually as he dropped from the tree.
"What are you doing right now?" Ryoshi inquired.
"Nothing really, I'm just waiting for the test tomorrow. I don't want to sleep through the day because that's boring," Toruri replied with a shrug.
"What are you doing?" Ryoshi asked, hoping for an opportunity to pass the time.
"Trying to find something to do," Toruri admitted.
"Oh, I have something we could do. I heard from the mission commissioners that a lot of bandits are lurking in the forest next to Negative Point. Wanna beat them up?" Toruri suggested with a mischievous grin.
"Sure, sounds like fun," Ryoshi agreed eagerly.
"Let's go," Toruri declared, already moving into action.
"K," Ryoshi replied, falling into step beside his newfound friend as they ran northward, anticipation coursing through his veins.
"Well, that problem is solved. I guess I'll just wait! Life sure does go fast for good old me!" Fuyu remarked with a wistful sigh, his thoughts drifting momentarily.
"Huh?" A sudden interruption shattered the tranquility, drawing Fuyu's attention.
"FUYU!!!" The urgency in the voice was unmistakable.
Fuyu turned to see Furia, his expression grave with concern.
"What's wrong?" Fuyu's voice was tinged with apprehension.
"The commissioners were found dead," Furia announced, his words heavy with foreboding.
"What?! When did you find the bodies?" Fuyu's heart raced with dread.
"Just recently, but the bodies have been dead for much longer than that," Furia explained, his voice grim.
"Oh, no! Maybe I should check on those two," Fuyu suggested, his mind racing with possibilities.
"Those two? Who?" Furia inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"I just let both of my students go, presumably to beat up some bandits," Fuyu confessed, a pang of guilt tugging at his conscience.
"They might have been lured into a trap, then," Furia surmised, his concern evident.
"I think they can handle it. They did technically complete the vampire mission," Fuyu reasoned, his confidence in his students unwavering.
"Okay, but we should still pay close attention to them," Furia advised, his tone serious.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm interested to see how strong they've become over the period of their mission," Fuyu admitted, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
"Ight, Fuyu," Furia acknowledged.
"Airuf," Fuyu replied with a smirk.
"I will kill you," Furia threatened, though there was a hint of playful banter in his tone.
"And I'll haunt you in your sleep for killing me," Fuyu shot back with a playful grin.
"One day, Fuyu, one day you will infinitely feel pain for your sins," Furia retorted, his tone teasing.
"Sins? When did you get so religious?" Fuyu teased back, their playful banter easing the tension.
"Never," Furia replied with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, Ryoshi and Toruri ventured forth, unaware of the ominous developments unfolding beyond the trees.
"Where... Are... These... BANDITS!!!" Toruri's voice cut through the forest, echoing with frustration.
"Don't ask me! You're the one who brought me out here," Ryoshi retorted, his tone laced with exasperation.
"Shhhhh, just stand still. Maybe we can hear them," Toruri instructed, his voice hushed with anticipation.
They both obeyed, standing in silence for a few tense seconds.
"Three leaves fell at the same time, right beside each other, behind us," Toruri whispered urgently.
Ryoshi turned around to investigate, he saw three ominous figures standing on the separate single leaves as they fell as if they were as light as them, each cloaked in mystery. One had bandages wrapped tightly around their left arm, their blue spiky hair contrasting against the darkness of their attire. Another figure, wearing the same kimono, had long white hair cascading down their back, their right arm similarly bound. The third figure wore a black bandanna concealing their eyes, with bandages obscuring their features below the nose. It is to note that all of them, other than the last mentioned one, wear blindfolds.
Ryoshi's breath caught in his throat. Gasp. "TORURI!"
Startled, Toruri spun around, but the enigmatic figures had vanished into the shadows.
"Why did you—" Toruri began, but his words were cut short.
"Jigoku No Ken," the figure with the blue blindfold intoned, summoning a gleaming katana with lethal intent aimed at Ryoshi.
Before the blade could find its mark, Fuyu's spear intercepted the strike, thwarting the attack. The figure with the blue blindfold recoiled, flanked by the other two mysterious individuals.
"Why are you guys here? Who are you after?" Fuyu demanded, his voice tinged with authority.
"That kid with the blue eyes, he's special," the figure with the blue blindfold declared cryptically.
"Eh, damn it! Go now, Toruri, Ryoshi! Call for help," Fuyu ordered urgently, his eyes flashing with concern.
Without hesitation, Ryoshi and Toruri turned and fled in the opposite direction, their hearts racing with fear and uncertainty.
"Not so fast. Get them, Ishen," the white-haired figure commanded, his voice cutting through the air like a chilling wind.
With a snap of the black bandanna-clad figure's fingers, the world around Ryoshi shattered into a million pieces, each fragment resembling shards of glass. In an instant, the forest disappeared, leaving behind only a dark void, Ryoshi, and Ishen.
"I can't... MOVE," Ryoshi struggled to form the words as panic surged through him.
Ishen approached Ryoshi with purpose, tapping his forehead gently. Suddenly, a long, skinny bump protruded from the back of Ryoshi's head, contorting and positioning itself in front of him. To Ryoshi's shock, the bump formed a mouth and spoke a simple greeting before Ishen flicked him, and everything snapped back to normal. However, Ryoshi found himself hurtling through the forest, propelled by an unseen force until he collided with a massive boulder.
"I- How special is he?" Fuyu demanded, his voice fraught with concern.
"If I told you, you might treat him like a king or a god," the Blue Blindfold Guy replied cryptically, his tone dripping with disdain.
"What?" Fuyu's confusion was palpable.
"Fuyu, I would never explain to a traitorous scum like you," the Blue Blindfold Guy retorted, his animosity evident.
"Fine! Be that way, but just know, you get no mercy," Fuyu warned, his resolve unwavering.
"I'm not even interested in fighting you, but you can fight Haneru," the Blue Blindfold Guy declared, gesturing toward the man with white hair.
"I'll be pleased to fight you again, Fuyu! But Yoraki, what are you going to do if you're not fighting Fuyu?" Haneru inquired, his voice eager for combat.
"I'll capture that kid," Yoraki stated matter-of-factly.
"What's going on here!?" Toruri interjected, his confusion mirroring Fuyu's.
"A fight. You might have to fend for yourself here, bud. These guys are no joke; they're on my level of power. Because that man with the blue hair is my brother," Fuyu explained, his words laden with gravity.