Thunder Chronicles: Path of the Light (Volume One)
#6 The End of Training
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The sun gradually rose, illuminating the peaks of the Jinfen mountain range. Raito and Kobo had already completed their fortieth lap around Mount Yun Le. This time, they finished by noon and, upon returning, helped Master Liang with cooking.
This was their last meal in Master Liang's home.
The meal took place in the usual cheerful atmosphere. Kobo laughed loudly as he listened to Raito's story about his trip to a village outside the mountain range, where he had encountered a couple of bandits and decided to mess with them by making his abilities seem supernatural.
It was late evening, but the place Raito was heading to operated almost around the clock. He descended from the mountains and stepped onto a straight path leading to a quiet village bathed in warm light. Even as he approached, Hakami felt a presence, so he instinctively suppressed his energy. Walking slowly down the path, he was nearing the village when he overheard a conversation between two unfamiliar men.
—"I heard the herbalist left on an expedition." — One of them said, sitting behind a tree, hidden from Raito's view.
—"The herbalist? You mean that guy, Shiyun?" — The other asked. He was fully visible now, wearing a thin grayish shirt and chestnut-colored trousers. His dark hair was messily disheveled.
—"Yeah, the medicinal herb vendor from the eastern alley."
Raito carefully climbed a dense tree under which the hidden man sat. From this vantage point, he could now see a man in a pale-red shirt and loose dark brown trousers.
—"How should I scare them off…" — Raito mused, glancing between the two men.
—"His shop is empty right now, so we can grab the moonflower."
—"Are you serious?" — The man in the gray shirt asked.
—"When else will we get a chance?"
Unexpectedly for the bandits, a deep, ominous rumbling filled the air, resembling countless rolls of thunder. Then, as if some divine entity had descended upon them, a low, menacing voice echoed: "Indeed, when else would you get such a chance?"
A purple aura began forming in the sky, streaked with lightning that crackled and roared. The thieves lifted their heads, their eyes widening in horror as they saw a figure clad in a black kimono with white trim, tucked into wide black trousers with a white belt. Two katanas in white scabbards with black handles rested at his waist. His piercing violet eyes bore into them like a curse.
Screaming in terror, the thieves begged for mercy before taking off. As a final touch, Raito sent a few electric jolts through the ground, shocking their legs before dispelling the illusionary technique that had caused all the "horrors" to unfold.
—"I would've been scared out of my mind!" — Kobo laughed, sitting at the table. — "I wonder who those guys were."
—"Probably from 'the Herd.'" — Raito guessed. — "Not many others would be causing trouble around here."
—"If they were from the Herd, you should've finished them off."
—"Well, you know…" — Raito said, blowing on his still-hot fish. — "They saw divine punishment. Maybe they'll turn their lives around."
—"You care about their lives?"
—"No, I couldn't care less about them. But the villagers there are good people—I couldn't just leave them to deal with bandits."
—"Eat up before the food gets cold." — Master Liang said, sitting at the low table.
After eating, Raito and Kobo prepared to leave, gathering all they needed. However, just before they could step out, the master stopped them.
—"Take these as a keepsake." — The master said, handing Kobo a sleeveless dark-red kimono with beige trim and Raito a white, wide-sleeved shirt.
—"Old man, you don't have to, but thanks." — Kobo grinned. — "We already owe you so much."
—"Take it and stop arguing. You're dressed in god-knows-what." — Liang said, poking Kobo in the stomach, which, like his entire upper body, was wrapped in grayish-white bandages.
—"I feel more comfortable like this." — Kobo said, accepting the gift. — "But still, thank you."
—"Thank you, Master." — Raito said, taking the shirt in his hands. — "May I put it on right away?"
—"Do as you wish. It's yours now."
Dressed in black, wide traditional hakama pants – worn by samurai in his homeland – and the white shirt he had carefully tucked in, Raito rolled up the sleeves to avoid overheating on the journey. He walked alongside Kobo along the edge of Dragon's Gorge, surrounded by green meadows. Yonsen had also pulled on the old man's gift, which complemented his loose beige trousers that tightened at the ankles, as he strode confidently toward the Land of Winds. The peaks of Jinfen were already behind them.
—"It's at least nine hundred miles to Trade Alley, so there's no need to rush." — Raito said, gathering firewood. — "Let's set up camp and write to Ren."
—"Yeah, sounds like a plan." — Kobo replied, climbing a tree to take in the beauty of the local landscape and watch the sunset.
The sun had almost disappeared behind the southwestern mountains, which were especially visible now, glowing in the fiery light of dusk. The area was surrounded by dense forests and rolling hills that, further west, gave way to a vast plain – one that Raito and Kobo had already crossed.
—"Was it hard to leave?" — Kobo asked, jumping down from the tree.
—"Mmm, of course it was." — Raito said, already lighting the fire. — "But what can you do? This day was bound to come sooner or later."
A little over two weeks later, they reached the province of Yuehui, known for its landscapes where towering pine-covered hills merged with endless golden fields stretching down to the delta of the Qingshui River – the longest on the continent.
From the mountain's peak, they could faintly see the Moonlit Sea in the distance. Unfortunately, their path lay further north. So, after descending the mountain, they continued along a dirt road between the fields, already planning their next stop for the night.
...
—"Lady Hanatsuki, thank God!" — One of the fighters exhaled in relief.
—"How many of you are left?" — The dark-haired girl asked as she arrived to help.
—"Just me, Weiss, and Kraus." — The fighter shouted, fear evident in his voice. — "Lady Hanatsuki, I'm afraid you won't be enough on your own."
—"How many enemies are still left?" — She asked, drawing her dark-violet katana from its sheath.
—"About twenty Purge members." — Answered another arriving fighter, dressed in beige trousers and a dark buttoned shirt.
The four fighters returned to the battlefield, where twenty-three enemies awaited them. Only three stood in the open; the rest were hiding among the rocks of a small river, behind a waterfall, and in the forest.
A girl in a neatly tucked white shirt and loose black trousers dashed forward in a dazzling flash, sweeping through the three enemies near the rushing river. Using her light element, she first blinded them, then struck each one on the back of the head, rendering them unconscious.
—"So that's how it is…" — she muttered, grabbing one of the fallen fighters by the collar, where the symbols of the Land of Thunder read "Squad Nine." — "Ninth, huh?"
She looked up and found herself facing someone unfamiliar. A man dressed in a red-and-white uniform, similar to the defeated Purge fighters, but without a mask and in noticeably lighter attire. He wore a red short-sleeved kimono with white-lined seams. Crouching with a wide grin, his bright violet eyes gleamed at her. His brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and his bangs nearly covered his forehead.
—"Hey there, are you alone?" — He asked in a friendly voice.
The girl jumped back, landing in the shallow river, gripping her katana tightly with both hands as she scanned the area for more enemies.
—"Why so tense?" — The man tilted his head. "That's a nice sword you've got there."
—"Are you with them?" — The girl asked, glancing at the unconscious fighters lying nearby.
—"Mmm." — The man turned slightly, placing a finger on his lower lip as he glanced toward the defeated fighters. — "They're my subordinates."
—"Subordinates?" — The girl thought to herself. — "Is this guy a commander?"
—"Let's get acquainted. I'm the commander of the Ninth Squad, 'Crimson.' My name is Yone." — He said, smoothly landing in front of her. — "You must be a coordination fighter from the Shadows, am I right?"
The girl flinched, her dark eyes reflecting pure fear. Smiling, the man hopped back and clapped his hands cheerfully. Around them, Purge fighters began to emerge, attacking the girl in waves—some striking one by one, others in pairs or trios. The remaining three Shadows joined the fight to help fend off the attacks, but the enemy's pressure was overwhelming.
Around twenty trained samurai, devoid of morals, relentlessly battered a weaker opponent. They weren't using elemental techniques – this must have been one of the Purge's low-tier divisions, the so-called "Lesser Ranks." Yone stepped back slightly, assuming a lotus position, observing the scene.
—"What a shame I didn't get to fight someone stronger." — He muttered in disappointment. — "A one-on-one battle would've boosted my squad's rank... Ah well, I'll deal with these ones for now."
—"Did you send the message to headquarters?" — Hanatsuki shouted as she deflected two attackers.
—"Yes! I managed to send my pigeon!"
—"Oh? You mean this pigeon?" — Yone asked, still sitting off to the side. He held a bloodied pigeon with a small, tightly rolled note attached to its leg. Faint traces of violet lightning flickered from the bird's wound, evidence of how it had been struck down. — "Let's see what you wrote!"
Yone tore the note from the pigeon's leg and discarded the dead bird, focusing on the message.
"…we have been cornered by what appears to be a Purge squad. Most of our fighters have fallen in battle, so I do not believe Lady Hanatsuki will be able to put up much resistance. To Lady Saishi Maori."
—"Huh? Lady Saishi Maori?" — Yone raised an eyebrow in surprise. — "So you're connected to her?"
The girl fought desperately, slashing with her blade and using her Light Element, but her opponent was physically stronger and didn't allow her room to maneuver. Soon, he struck the weapon from her grasp and delivered a deep wound to her left shoulder. She collapsed to her knees but quickly forced herself up, clutching the bleeding injury.
—"What kind of bloodbath is this?" — A voice suddenly called out from above, right before something massive crashed into the horde of samurai, kicking up a cloud of dust.
—"Thunder Control Technique: Dash." — A calm male voice echoed through the battlefield, cutting through the ranks of the Purge fighters like a viper cloaked in purple energy, leaving them gasping for breath.
In the smoke-filled air, visibility was low, but the long purple streak of energy surging through the samurai shone intensely. A deafening clap of thunder followed, then silence.
Just as quickly as they had appeared, Yone's unknown opponents vanished. When the dust settled, he found only the lifeless bodies of his men and three Shadows left behind.
—"Mmm, really?" — Yone stood up, placing a finger on his lower lip. — "Did help really arrive that fast…? And that man with the purple lightning... How interesting!"
Yone's figure faded, leaving the battlefield in complete silence.
Raito and Kobo, the latter carrying the wounded girl in the white shirt over his shoulder, suppressed their energy and silently disappeared to the east.
After traveling a safe distance, they stopped in the middle of the forest. Kobo set the girl down against a tree while Raito created a small torch by striking a branch with lightning.
—"Who are you?" — The girl asked.
—"No, who are you?" — Kobo shot back.
—"I'm not at liberty to say." — The girl nearly shouted. — "And why should I even tell you?"
—"Oh yeah? Then we're not obligated either."
—"What a mess…" — Raito thought to himself, raising the torch as Kobo and the girl stared daggers at each other.
Planting the branch firmly into the ground, Raito stretched and walked over to them.
—"I'm Hakami Raito, and this guy is Kobo Yonsen." — Raito said, gesturing toward Kobo, who rolled his eyes upward. — "We're headed toward the Land of Winds. And you?"
The girl softened her gaze, directing it toward Raito, whose expression showed no hostility – if anything, quite the opposite.
—"Hanatsuki Haruka." — The girl extended her hand. — "I'm heading there too."