Shun reclined flat on his bed, gazing blankly at the ceiling. His mind wandered to the tales he had heard and the recent skirmish with Silver. Gradually, he began to piece together who these people really were, three of them standing out more than the rest.
"Leon, Emilia, Silver," Shun murmured to himself.
Leon possessed a unique ability to comprehend others' ethereal arms. The only reason his true power remained hidden was because Leon had set "Imaginative Reality" as his ethereal arm in the databank. This clever deception prevented him from scanning Shun again when he drew "Wavering Trail."
However, this posed a constant threat to Shun. Leon's ethereal arm, combined with his intelligence, would eventually uncover the truth.
An spark of idea appeared within Shun's head.
Despite possessing powerful ethereal arms, all he needed to do was replicate a fake copy of them using "Imaginative Reality." By imagining the ethereal arms he owned, he could materialize them without actually using them.
Then there was Emilia, someone eerily similar to him yet entirely different. Like him, she had endured the most tragic catastrophes life had to offer. But unlike him, she still held onto empathy and positivity.
Weirdly, A glimmer of remorse appeared in Shun's heart, but it quickly vanished into nothingness.
"I won't forgive this world."
"I won't end what I started."
"I will kill every single person that stands in my way, taking their ethereal arms with me."
"I will tread on this path until the end of time."
"No one will stop me, no one can"
"Not even myself."
His thoughts drifted to Silver. "Blade of Yin, the 99th complete ethereal arm," he mused. Though eager to claim it as his own, he realized something potentially better.
"I will use her as a tool," Shun decided. "A companion, an assistant to defeat opponents I can't defeat by myself."
"And when the right time arrives, I will kill her, becoming the new master of Blade of Yin."
Little did Shun know, how much this decision would impact his life.
...
The next day
"Our real training starts today," Instructor Lumiel declared, her voice ringing through the silent room. "Some of you might question the emptiness of 'Celestial Summit.' You may see nothing inside this classroom, but there's more here than meets the eye."
She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing, "This realm was created by our principal, Enwyld Lorthus himself, using the power of his ethereal arm."
A murmur of curiosity rippled through the students. Lumiel's eyes gleamed as she revealed the secret, "His ethereal arm possesses a creation type ability, one that allows him to craft realms he can fully control. This includes the fabrication of matter, alteration of atmosphere, and distortion of space."
"This is the power of the 70th complete ethereal arm: Realm of Infinity."
The students' eyes widened in astonishment, finally understanding the true nature of "Celestial Summit."
"With the authority granted to me by Principal Lorthus, I can manipulate this environment to create spaces perfectly suited for your training, maximizing your potential and improvement," Lumiel explained. "As you recall from yesterday's lesson, teamwork is crucial. Our training will always be based on pairs or groups."
"Though your strategies worked well with teams of seven, we will start with smaller groups to solidify and enhance your understanding of teamwork."
She began assigning pairs, "Jaylen Shielram's buffing ability synergizes with Emilia's ethereal arm, making her bombardment stronger, faster, and less exhausting."
Jaylen and Emilia exchanged smiles, their similar personalities fostering an easy camaraderie.
"Vito Fool and Leon Ermy are our surprise weapons in battle. Their collaboration is essential for victory."
Vito and Leon nodded at each other, acknowledging their mutual interest.
"El is our most well-rounded warrior, capable of overwhelming opponents single-handedly. Pairing him with Cloudy, who excels in debuffing opponents, will provide strategic balance."
El glanced at Cloudy, who quickly looked away, embarrassed.
"Lastly, the importance of forming a strong partnership between Silver and Shun, our King and Queen, cannot be overstated."
Pleased with the pairing, Shun cast a glance at Silver, who returned his look with a blink of acknowledgment.
The assigned pairs moved to different areas of the room, where the environment would be tailored to their training needs.
"This will be an extremely challenging task for each of you. Be prepared to face significant struggles, but I believe you all will succeed," Lumiel said, snapping her fingers.
The room transformed instantly, division walls appearing to separate the groups. "The challenge starts now."
Shun opened his eyes to find himself in a vast field overgrown with weeds. Before him stood a lone man.
Clad in a luxurious golden coat adorned with dragon motifs, the man radiated a majestic and formidable aura, compelling enough to make someone kneel merely from his presence.
"No way..." Silver's voice trembled.
Shun turned to see Silver's face, a mix of horror and astonishment. Her lips quivered as she spoke the words that made Shun's expression mirror hers.
"That's Liu Yu."
"The first emperor of the Eternal Dynasty of An, one of the Three Champions who fought alongside King Nathaniel Heaven."
"Bringer of Light, Liu Yu."