The Moonlit Forest, bathed in the pale glow of moonlight, was eerily quiet. Makoto moved cautiously through the dense foliage, his senses sharp. His mission was straightforward—gather medicinal herbs in the outskirts. The task was mundane but crucial for an outer disciple.
He crouched near a patch of Bloodroot Flowers, their crimson petals glowing faintly in the darkness. As he carefully plucked the stems, faint voices reached his ears. They were distant, but their tone was unmistakably hostile.
Makoto frowned, standing upright. Trouble was brewing nearby.
Following the voices, Makoto reached a small clearing. His eyes widened at the scene before him. A young woman, clad in pale-blue robes embroidered with delicate patterns, stood with her back to a tree. Her robes bore the insignia of the Ethereal Blossom Sect, a renowned neighboring sect that accepted only women.
The woman held a short sword, her stance defensive yet shaky. Her silver hair, tied loosely, framed her sharp features, and her emerald eyes burned with defiance.
Opposing her were three men. The first was wiry and quick, flipping a dagger in his hand with an unsettling grin. The second, a muscular brute, leaned casually on a massive hammer, a mocking smirk on his face.
But Makoto's attention was drawn to the third man—Ren, an inner disciple of the Azure Sun Sect. Ren's signature smirk lingered as he addressed the woman.
"You've wandered far from home, haven't you? It's a shame such beauty is wasted on someone who doesn't know her place."
The woman spat, her voice steady. "Leave me be. I've done nothing to you."
Ren chuckled. "Oh, you've done plenty. Like daring to step into our territory uninvited. You must be hiding something valuable." His eyes darted to the satchel tied at her waist.
The wiry man stepped forward, his grin widening. "Hand over what you're carrying, and maybe we'll let you go."
The woman raised her sword, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hands. "Try to take it, and you'll regret it."
Makoto had heard enough. Stepping into the clearing, he called out, his voice calm yet commanding. "Three against one? Is this the kind of honor we teach in the Azure Sun Sect, Ren?"
All eyes turned to Makoto. Ren's smirk faltered briefly before returning, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Makoto? What are you doing here?"
Makoto's gaze hardened as he took a step forward, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. "I won't stand by and watch you harm someone weaker than you."
The wiry man sneered. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But guts won't save you."
Ren's eyes flickered with amusement. "We'll see about that."
The wiry man was the first to move, darting forward like a shadow. His dagger glinted in the moonlight as it aimed for Makoto's throat. With lightning speed, Makoto unsheathed his blade, the Moonshadow Sword flashing through the air. The wiry man's dagger was knocked aside, his wrist twisting painfully from the force of the strike. Makoto's sword hovered inches from his throat, the man frozen in terror.
"Too slow," Makoto said coldly, his blade still poised.
The wiry man staggered back, cursing under his breath, but before he could recover, the muscular brute swung his massive hammer with earth-shaking force. The ground trembled as the weapon hurtled toward Makoto, aiming to crush him with a single blow.
Makoto's eyes narrowed as he studied the trajectory. In a blur of motion, he pivoted on his heel, his body moving with the precision of a practiced master. His sword struck the hammer's shaft, sending shockwaves up the wooden handle and splintering it in half. The brute's hands shook violently as his weapon shattered, leaving him defenseless. He roared in fury.
"You broke my hammer!" The brute charged, throwing a wild punch at Makoto.
Makoto stepped aside, his sword flashing in an arc as he slashed across the man's arm, drawing blood. The brute roared in pain but continued his assault, swinging his fists with terrifying power. Makoto weaved between his strikes, dodging with ease, his body a blur of fluid motion.
"You've got strength, but you lack precision," Makoto muttered as he ducked under another wild punch. His sword flashed again, cutting across the brute's chest, leaving a deep gash.
Ren's smirk twisted into something darker as he watched the chaos unfold. "You've gotten better, Makoto," he called, his voice rich with a dangerous amusement. "But this is where it ends."
With a sharp motion, Ren's robe fluttered as he unlatched a hidden scabbard on his back. From it, he drew a gleaming longsword, the blade glowing with an eerie light. "Let's see if you can handle this."
Ren's sword was a work of art—sleek, precise, and deadly. He didn't rush in like the others. Instead, he studied Makoto's movements, waiting for the right moment. The air seemed to crackle with energy as Ren launched forward, his sword aimed at Makoto's midsection.
Makoto raised his sword to block, the two blades clashing with a resounding ring that echoed through the clearing. The force of the impact sent a tremor up his arm, but Makoto stood firm. Ren grinned.
"Not bad," Ren taunted, stepping back and adjusting his grip. "But how long can you keep this up?"
Makoto's eyes hardened, his expression unreadable. He knew Ren's style—quick, precise, and devastating. But Makoto had no intention of losing. He tightened his grip on the Moonshadow Sword, his stance shifting into a more aggressive posture.
Ren launched another strike, faster than before, aiming for Makoto's throat. But Makoto anticipated the move. With a swift twist of his body, he brought the flat of his blade against Ren's, deflecting the blow. Using the momentum, he swung low, aiming for Ren's legs.
Ren's eyes widened as he leapt back just in time, his boots skidding against the forest floor. "Impressive," he muttered, wiping a thin line of sweat from his brow.
Makoto's lips curled into a thin smile. "I've learned a few things since we last met."
With a battle cry, Ren charged again, his blade glowing with a faint, ethereal light as he invoked a secret technique—Sunfall Strike. The air around him seemed to distort as the blade cut through the air, leaving a streak of golden light in its wake.
Makoto's eyes flashed with recognition. The Sunfall Strike was a devastating attack, capable of slicing through even the toughest of defenses. He raised his sword, channeling his own secret technique in response.
The Moonshadow Sword shimmered as Makoto focused his energy, invoking the Nightfall Mirage—a counter-technique that used illusion and speed to evade and strike in one fluid motion. As Ren's blade approached, Makoto vanished in a blur, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air. Ren's attack sliced through the empty space where Makoto had been, but he didn't have time to recover before Makoto reappeared behind him.
With a single, precise strike, Makoto's blade pressed against Ren's exposed back, stopping just short of drawing blood. The entire clearing fell silent as both fighters froze.
Ren's face twisted with frustration and admiration. He slowly turned to face Makoto, lowering his sword. "You've gotten stronger," he muttered, his voice tight with displeasure. "But you're still not getting away with the Golden Lotus."
Makoto sheathed his blade with deliberate slowness, his gaze steady. "I won't be giving it to you."
"Besides how sure are you that I have the golden lotus."
Ren's eyes gleamed with fury, but he said nothing more. With a final glance at Makoto, he turned to his companions, signaling them to retreat into the forest.
The wiry man and the brute stumbled back, nursing their wounds.
The woman lowered her sword, exhaling deeply, her hands still trembling from the intensity of the fight. "Thank you. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."
Makoto sheathed his weapon, his eyes still scanning the surrounding forest. "You're from the Ethereal Blossom Sect, aren't you? What are you doing out here alone?"
She hesitated, then replied, "I was searching for rare herbs. My sect sent me to gather supplies for an alchemy project. I didn't expect to encounter... them."
Makoto frowned. "You shouldn't venture this far into the forest alone. It's too dangerous."
She nodded, her expression softening. "You're right. But I didn't have a choice. Resources are scarce near our sect's borders."
Makoto's gaze lingered on the path where Ren and his companions had retreated. "I know," he muttered. "That's why I didn't push the fight further."
The woman blinked in confusion, still holding her sword. "What do you mean? They tried to kill you. Why didn't you stop them? Why did you let them go after everything they did?"
Makoto turned his attention back to her, his expression calm yet serious. "Ren and his companions weren't my target. They were looking for something else—something more important. I couldn't afford to waste time with them. Letting them leave means they'll be focused elsewhere, for now. If I had killed them, we would have only brought more attention, and the Golden Lotus might have been at risk."
Airi's eyes widened, a mixture of disbelief and understanding crossing her face. "You... let them go because of the Golden Lotus?" she asked, voice low.
Makoto gave a single nod, his gaze hardening. "They won't stop until they have it. The moment they realize I have it, things will get far more complicated. I need to prepare. Confronting them head-on now would only have played into their hands."
Airi's face softened with a sense of admiration mixed with concern. "I see... But still, they were a threat. You're a powerful swordsman. Why not just take care of them?"
Makoto turned, his expression unreadable. "Not all fights are meant to be won with force. Some need patience. I'll deal with Ren and the others when the time is right. Right now, I have more important things to focus on."
Airi seemed to absorb his words, her stance relaxing slightly. She tucked her sword back into its sheath, her gaze searching the forest. "You're strange," she said quietly. "But I suppose I understand."
Makoto's lips quirked slightly in the faintest of smiles. "Strange is often necessary in this world."
The tension in the clearing began to lift, but Makoto's mind was far from at ease. He glanced in the direction Ren had gone, his thoughts darkening. The Golden Lotus had become a much bigger problem than he had anticipated.
Turning back to Airi, he said, "Let's get you back to safer ground."
She hesitated for a moment, then extended her hand. "My name is Airi. Thank you again."
Makoto accepted her hand with a firm grip. "Makoto. Let's go."
.