The cavernous chamber was plunged into darkness as the students gathered, their anticipation palpable in the air. Rui Akabane stood apart from the others, her Grade S potential casting a shadow over the rest of the group. Despite her newfound status, she remained quiet and reserved, her thoughts consumed by the revelation of her true potential. Right now, in a room filled with more energy than she can handle a cold sweat dripping from her face.
Lady Ayame had taken her to the chamber where all the elders and lord Blood Fire sat and watched the test and had announced she would be taking her under her wing. Some elders objected to this wanting to take Rui for themselves but none of them were as aggressive in negotiation and blackmail as she was, she had a sharp silver tongue and enjoyed getting her way with it.
As they waited for the final phase of the exam to begin, the students couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The storm raging outside mirrored the turmoil within their hearts, and each flash of lightning seemed to herald the approaching challenge.
After a while students stopped coming from the woods, meaning most had died and the remaining ones had most likely given up.
"Okay, once you know where you're taking the test alone or with your friends come and stand next to this stone," The golden-robed instructor said, pointing at a stone several meters high, a round blackened stone that looked to contain the abyss with it.
One after the other, the students were called next to the stone, they stood there for a while and a rumbling erupted, the stone moving to the side, revealing a hidden passageway, one that lacked light, an abyss some didn't wish to enter but it was a must.
10 minutes later
The stone would open again, but the students who went in never returned.
"Haruto, Kaito, and Fu"
These three had decided to participate in a group, and just like before, the stone rumbled, creating tremours as it moved, the group that went in before them never came out. The trio walked into the darkness, a darkness so thick it prevented anyone from seeing anything even their figures.
After a while of walking in silence they came out on the other side of the cave, this one the opposite of the cave itself as it was illuminated by so much light they had to close their eyes allowing them to adjust to the light.
Emerging from the darkness into a blinding light, Haruto, Kaito, and Fu found themselves in a vast chamber bathed in radiance. The contrast from the previous darkness was staggering, and they shielded their eyes against the brilliance until they could adjust.
As their vision cleared, they took in their surroundings with awe.
A grand forest, a testament to nature's overtaking man-made environment, some of the well-crafted floors had uprooted roots producing only to dive back inside. At the far end of the room, something had caught their attention.
Completely overshadowing the aw they felt when gazing at the grand forest, their expression replaced by horror, gravity taking hold of their mouth as Fu covered her's afraid to even make a pip...
An instructor stood before them spear at hand, behind him, were Kaito's mother and little sister Minny, Haruto's mother, and Fu's grandmother. Their caretakers held by radiating jade roots, as wolf beasts surrounded them, snarling and growling, waiting for something before they pounced at their vulnerable prey.
"Behind me are your family members, you have ten minutes to defeat me, and the beast around, or you and your family will perish. At the moment only my barrier of Chi keeps them away, as time goes on, it will weaken to the point these creatures will break through it, and at that point they will feast" The instructor said.
"Begin!"
Haruto, Kaito, and Fu exchanged grave looks, their hearts pounding with fear and determination. The sight of their loved ones in danger spurred them into action, their instincts kicking in as they prepared to face the imminent threat.
"BASTARD!!" Kaito cried out, he grabbed hold of his battle axe, its edge dragging across the ground as he charged the instructor, he twisted his body in a rotation and swung it.
*CLAANG*
The sharp end of the axe met with the cold steal of the spear, the instructor undeterred his gaze deathly cold. He raised his palm to face Kaito and sent him flying with a wave of Chi.
"If that is all you have to offer you're never getting past me"
*CLAANG*
Another ringing of metals colliding filled the chamber, this time sparks flying everywhere, Fu had infused Chi into her daggers and swung them with enough force to split a boulder. But alas, not enough to get past the spear.
"Double impact!" She yelled, sending a second force of Chi crashing against the spear like a secondary wave of water crashing upon the hill on a shore.
An original technique but still not enough, Before the instructor could say anything, Haruto emerged, his body previously obscured by Fu's attack now clearly visible, he there dirt in the instructor's eyes.
'A blind opponent is an easy fight, screw honor' He thought, as he swung his sword from the side the edge of the blade made contact with an invisible wall, one so strong it had dented Haruto's blade.
He looked up only to see the instructor staring down at him, the dirt.... the dirt had never reached his eyes, just like his blade they had stopped a few inches away from his eyes.
The instructor raised his hand at Haruto ready to deliver an attack of his own, but Kaito fell from the sky with a mighty roar as he also channeled Chi into his attack and swung his axe.
The collision kicked up dust, covering the instructor's view and allowing Haruto and Fu to get away but once the dust settled, Kaito's axe was nowhere near the instructor having also hit an invisible wall.
Suddenly the wolves grew aggressive as they inched closer to the prey of captive family members, the invisible shield protecting them had diminished in power.
"I am but a D grade third stage cultivator If you can't pass me you have no hope and are a waste of potential," The instructor said, channeling his flowing energy, calm like waves on a sunny day, his hand pointed at the family as he removed another layer of the barrier.
The trio huffing and puffing could feel their hearts beating, the sound of drums ringing in their ears, as the calm forest felt isolated, no breeze, no sunlight, just shining crystals that gave off more light than natural ones.
"Mother, help me, I'm scared, I'm scared mother!!" Minny cried out as her tiny body twisted and turned trying to get free from the roots, her mother in an even worse state as she couldn't see clearly from the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Kaito could feel a lump forming in his throat, he gave it his all and yet his best wasn't enough, the last attack had every ounce of Chi he could muster and yet he was swatted away. Fu's grandmother watched her with a smile on her face, a smile that Fu didn't want to see one that said I'm ready for death.
Fu could feel the energy inside her body leaving, she dropped her daggers as she fell to her knees.
"Grandmother...hick... i... I'm sorry"
Haruto's head ran possibility after possibility, a way, please find one quickly is what one would hear if they read his mind, he looked up at his mother, who nodded slightly at him.
Haruto could feel the tips of his fingers invaded by a foreign feeling, a force that made them tremble just as much as it made them burrow into the ground.
Haruto grabbed hold of his two friends, if they gave into dispair now, they would never rescue their family members. he pulled them close and whispered something into their ears.
The instructor not having moved a step watched as they schemed, "This barrier is a defensive type technique taught in the training grounds, if you can't pass it then maybe you're not even worthy of being a member of the Jigoku clan he said, his eyes turning crimson with one line rotating around the pupil.
He had activated the clan's signature technique, the Jigoku eyes.
"This is what we're going to do, since he has used his Jigoku eyes, sensory and Chi perception have increased for him, surprise attacks aren't going to work." Haruto and the two friends still on their knees scheme and cook a plan to take care of the instructor.
And by the end of it, Haruto had exchanged weapons with Fu, she now had his dented katana, while he had her short daggers.
"Now!" Haruto shouted a signal for Kaito to swing his axe, he channeled his Chi, and a raging wave of firey energy coursed through every vein in his body, citing the edge of the blade with a layer of Chi as he slammed it on the ground heavy.
Dust kicked, up disturbing the chamber and aiding in ruins, "No use, I can still see you" The instructor said, his voice calm.
Suddenly, a brick flew out from the cloud of dust, heading towards the instructor. However, he managed to create a barrier for Chi just in time to block it. But he had no time to rest as Haruto quickly closed in on him, attacking him with a barrage of strikes. Meanwhile, Fu ran past the instructor and targeted the wolves behind him.
The instructor then turned and attempted to stop Fu as he raised his hand, but Kaito stepped in and swung his axe towards the instructor's forehead, saying, "I'm your opponent!" The sound of barrier ripples echoed as Kaito's axe hit the invisible wall.
As Haruto swung his blades, he remembered the advice to put intention into his movements. His jade-green energy surged to the tips of his fingers like hot water, but he lacked control over the intensity. Like a child playing with fire, he moved too much, too soon, and his chi burned him from the inside out, causing him immense pain.