The bright sun washed over the beautiful world of Mortem. It was currently a time of peace, as no wars had occurred in several decades. People of all races could be seen mingling in the trade kingdom of Valsir. Elves, dwarves, demonkin, beastkin, and humans could be seen mingling and going about their day. The era resembled medieval times, with mana coexisting with technology.

Valsir was a beautiful kingdom focused on commerce, sitting on the coast of the ocean. To the north, on the other side of the massive body of water, was Grungnir, the Archduchy of demonkin. To the east was Zariel, the land of elves. The south was a large amount of land, occupied by Jarheim, the kingdom of dwarves, and Laria, the religious human kingdom. Directly below them was the Veldhoven, the kingdom of beastkin.

Laria and Gungnir had been wrought with constant war in the past. It was only recently that peace had been achieved. Heroes would often emerge from the human kingdom, in order to destroy the Demon Lord who ruled the demon kingdom. It was almost as if Laria was the source of all wars. Human greed had no bounds.

Even though the flames of war had long since left, the human kingdom was always looking for some way to prosper over others. The only reason they hadn't already was due to Valsir, the kingdom of commerce. In reality, this kingdom was the most powerful. It was teeming with all races and nationalities which gave it the edge over homogeneous societies. Information and technology was shared, allowing the smartest scientists to work together.

It may be a time of peace but that didn't mean the world was safe. Bandits roamed free. Organizations hid in plain sight. It was easy for people to fall into debt and sell their lives away. Slaves were everywhere, especially in Laria. Valsir was the only kingdom free of it, due to their prosperity and militaristic strength.

In the Dragar Mountain Range, a figure could be seen traveling across the footpath. He was clad in wandering samurai attire; a dark, short kimono with black armor glinting underneath his black and blue haori coat. His single long sleeve fluttered with the wind, trailing behind him as he ascended the mountain. The other sleeve was cut at the shoulder, revealing his bandaged arm. The gray wrapping stopped at his fingertips.

The young boy walked to the side of the path, allowing a carriage to pass through. His long, sky blue hair rustled in the breeze as he continued his trek upwards. It was tied in a messy ponytail, a gust of wind revealing his silver eyes. They resembled the endless clouds.

A sheathed katana rested in his left hand as he traveled. The artwork was exquisite, a silver and white scheme on the hilt. He seemed a bit tired, the expression of his face implying his state. Yawns were suppressed with every silent step.

Time passed and the sun began to set. The man sat in front of a fire he created, deciding to finish the journey the next day. When night came, he laid on top of a tree branch and gazed at the stars. His serene expression slowly turned cold as the moonlight washed over him. A distorted grimace soon adorned his face as violent memories plagued his mind.

His surroundings slowly disintegrated as he stared at the blue pendant hanging from his neck. On the back of it was a single word. 'Shu.' It was his name. The thin silver necklace was given to him by his deceased mother. He missed her dearly.

…

…

…

The next day, Shu could be seen at the peak of the mountain path. An ocean was finally revealed to him, the beautiful kingdom of Valsir sitting right in front of it. It covered a massive amount of land. There was no reason to wait any longer, so the wandering swordsman began his descent.

Hundreds of people were exiting and entering the gates at the border. From demonkin to elves, all sorts of people made their way back and forth. There were soldiers at the gate who scanned everyone's strength before entrance. Once Shu got to the front of the line, they raised the scanner.

BEEP

[Gold] It read.

The guards couldn't help but gasp in shock upon reading the results. This young kid was already that strong? A gold ranking was no small matter. From lowest to highest, the tiers were: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Supreme, and Legendary.

Gold was to break the shackles of the human body, while Supreme and Legendary were akin to saints and gods. The king of Valsir was known to be an upper Legendary powerhouse.

"State your intentions." The guard finally spoke after regaining his bearings.

"...Golden Circle." Shu exclaimed. There were nods of understanding after hearing his words.

"Of course. Good luck on becoming a knight of Valsir." The other soldier responded politely.

Once the pleasantries were finished, the samurai entered the kingdom with calm steps. He knew that he'd need to gain more intel about the kingdom before going any further. The next task would be to get a room at a nearby inn.

GRUMBLE

"...Hungry."

Shu's stomach rumbled in protest. It seemed that eating would be his first priority. After walking around for a while, he spotted a tavern. He quickly approached. Upon entering, a woman with cat ears spoke up.

"Welcome to Mermaid's Tear! What can I do for you today ~ nyah?" The waitress exclaimed happily. The boy rubbed his stomach.

"Table." He responded. Shu wasn't much of a talker.

"Coming right up ~ nyah! Follow me." She declared with energy. Her black tail swished back and forth.

Once they found a table, he sat down and leaned his katana against the chair. He never strapped it to his waist, preferring to hold it in his hand. The waitress left to serve other customers. She would return in a few minutes once he read the menu. As he skimmed the food selection, he overheard a conversation near his table. He couldn't help but listen in.

"Who do you think is going to be the next shining rookie of the Golden Circle?"

"Who knows. Nothing has topped the snow demon from two years prior. She was instantly recruited by Silent Night!"

Two men conversed amongst themselves. Shu listened a bit more as new terms were being revealed. They seemed to be talking about the knight battalions. Each of them were part of an overall association, known as the Golden Circle.