Blaze groaned. His eyes fluttered open. Above him, a bright and unfamiliar ceiling. It was engraved with white stones and some intricate patterns. A faint scent of herbs was streaming through the air.
A Healing House.
He slowly turned his head. Beds lined the room. Each bed was occupied by warriors wrapped in bandages. Some were groaning, and many others were unconscious—the aftermath of the Battle Royale. Healers in their beautiful white uniforms were healing them.
When he was trying to get up from the bed, he heard a familiar voice call out for him.
"He is awake!"
Two figures dashed to his bedside.
"Onii-chan!" Mili cried. She threw herself onto the bed and hugged his arm tightly.
"Whoa—easy!" Blaze winced. He was trying to smile despite the pain.
"You were amazing!" Mili beamed. Her silver eyes were sparkling with excitement.
Beside her, Lili stood with arms crossed, a rare softness in her expression. "We came to watch your match," she said. "You did well, Onii-chan."
Then came a low, familiar chuckle.
"You held your ground," said Ignis, standing at the foot of the bed, his powerful presence filling the room. His crimson eyes reflected quiet pride. "I've got to say, your last fight wasn't bad. And your opponent was quite strong."
Blaze sat up. "Yeah... Okino's on a whole different level."
"If he fought me for real, I would have lost." Thinking that he rubbed the back of his head.
"Check your MID," Ignis urged, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh, right!" Blaze said, excitement bubbling within him. He tapped on the insignia on his wrist, and with a flash of light, the MID system activated.
[MID System Activated]
Name: Blaze Lumnell
Highest Mage Rank: None
Highest Sword Order: Junior Order
Home World: Juris (Sub-World)
Current World: Juris (Sub-World)
Age: 17
MID No: 202526031416
Status: Registered Combatant
Blaze's eyes widened. "Whoa...! It changed! I'm officially recognized as part of the Junior Order!" His chest swelled with pride.
Mili gasped. "Does that mean you're not a weakling anymore?"
Blaze flicked her forehead lightly and poutily said, "I was never a weakling!"
"Suspicious," Lili muttered while smirking.
Blaze laughed. He was feeling a new fire ignite inside him.
They were celebrating more. Then, another voice called out.
"So, you're finally up, huh?"
Blaze turned and saw the veteran swordsman he had fought earlier. He was leaning against a nearby bed. His arms and chest were heavily bandaged.
"You fought well, kid. That last counter of yours... not bad at all."
Blaze smirked. "You weren't bad either."
The man chuckled. "Name's Kaine. I was last month's runner-up."
"Blaze," he replied by offering a nod. "You don't seem like you're too sore about losing the match to a twelve-year-old kid."
"Nah, don't worry about that too much. A loss... means that there's more room to grow. Watching you and Okino? I realized I've still got a long way to go."
Blaze agreed with him and said, "Same here."
Kaine leaned closer with a teasing grin. "Besides, gotta let the younger generation win sometimes."
"Pretty sure that's not how it happened," Blaze said while raising his eyebrows.
Kaine laughed heartily. "Let me have my pride, kid."
They spent some time trading stories. They shared mistakes, near-wins, and lessons that they learned.
He casually asked Kaine, "By the way, what happened during last month's Battle Royale? People keep talking about that match. So, it's been bugging me for a while now."
Kaine's easygoing expression darkened the moment he heard Blaze. His eyes sharpened like a blade.
"That's something you need to know," Kaine said in a low voice. "If you're aiming for the top... you're bound to meet him."
"Him?" Blaze echoed.
Kaine grimly nodded. His gaze drifted. He looked as if he were reliving a nightmare.
"Yeah. Last month, a boy about your age entered the Battle Royale. Carried a sword with an icy blue hilt. His face was... blank. Completely empty. Blue hair... and a single blue piercing in his ear."
Blaze listened silently. The air around them grew heavier.
Kaine continued. His voice was nearly a whisper, "That day, the Colosseum's setup was simple. No labyrinths, no traps. Just a pure, open battlefield. Last one standing wins. It should've been a normal match."
He paused, swallowing.
"But the moment the horn blew... it happened."
Kaine's hands trembled slightly, as if the memory physically pained him.
"In the blink of an eye... five competitors were halved at the waist."
"Halved?!" Blaze gasped. Hearing that, he clenched his fists.
Kaine nodded. The memory of that battle royale was flashing in his eyes like a recurring nightmare.
"Clean cuts. Perfect slices. Their upper bodies hit the dirt before the blood even sprayed. And that was just the beginning. In two minutes... forty-three people were down."
The world seemed to tilt slightly under Blaze's feet.
"The Colosseum... it went dead silent," Kaine whispered. "Not even the crowd could make sense of it. No one saw anything. Only when I strained my eyes... I caught a glimpse."
He looked at Blaze squarely, his pupils shrinking.
"A blue flash. Spinning. It was carving through the battlefield like a vengeful spirit. It was so fast... it didn't even feel real. Like the air itself was being sliced."
Kaine lifted his shirt slightly. He revealed a long, deep scar running diagonally across his side.
"My friend and I were the last two standing on the ground, no... that was like a pond—a pond filled with blood. I didn't even have time to react. That blue flash came for me, and if my friend hadn't shoved me away..." He tapped the scar. "I wouldn't be here talking to you right now. That's the last thing I remember. After that, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, I was in the healing house."
Kaine dropped his shirt. His voice dropped even lower.
"Be careful of him, Blaze. I don't know what he was. But he wasn't fighting to win. He was fighting to erase."
Blaze clenched his fists, heart pounding like a war drum.
"...Yeah," he said softly, fire lighting in his eyes. "I will."
Eventually, Kaine rose to his feet. "Okay then. Next time we meet, let's have another round."
Blaze grinned, "You're on."
Turning back to his family, Blaze felt his heart steady.
Lili and Mili came, "You've made another friend. What were you guys talking about?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Huhh? Tell us." Both of them pouted.
Then Ignis placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go home."
Blaze swung his legs off the bed. His body still ached even after the healing with every movement, but he stood firm. He had won today, but he knew the time coming would not be that easy.
They stepped out into the bustling streets. The city buzzed with excitement. People pointed, whispered, and some even shouted his name.
Blaze clenched his fists.
The road ahead would be long.
But next time... he'd make them cheer even louder.
________________________________________________________________________________
The Promise Beneath the Morning Light
It has been three days since the Battle Royale.
The morning sun enlightens the busy market, the green forest, and nature.
Today, Blaze Lumnell will leave home.
This was no simple journey. It was the first, irreplaceable step toward his impossible dream—to become the strongest swordsman across the endless stretch of the Magic-Verse.
At the gates of the Lumnell estate, Mili, Lili, and Luna bustled around him, voices hushed, their hands quick but trembling as they packed and repacked his belongings.
Bags are lined with supplies. A pouch heavy with coins. A new cloak, still carrying the scent of home, draped over his shoulders.
But Blaze's gaze wasn't on any of it. His fingers dug into the last item he refused to leave behind.
"I can't... I can't leave without it," he murmured.
Lili noticed and frowned. "That old, broken pendant?"
"Yeah," Blaze said, lifting the cracked, silver charm to the light. Its jagged edges caught the sun, gleaming like a scar that refused to heal.
"Lisa gave it to me," he whispered, voice tight. "Before she left. Before she chased her own dream."
Memories flickered—laughter under starlit skies, promises whispered into the night.
Lisa had set out a year ago, leaving behind only this fragile token... and a vow that neither of them would be left behind.
Blaze gripped the pendant and said, "I'm not losing to you."
"That's the spirit!" Mili said with her voice slightly up, and punched in the air. Her silver eyes were shimmering like tears would come out.
Blaze forced a laugh. He shook off the heavy emotions swirling inside him by that one.
But then, he suddenly straightened. He remembered something.
"I have to go somewhere," he said. His tone was filled with urgency. He forgot about something urgent.
"Now?" Luna blinked in worry. "Where are you running off to at a time like this? And how could you forget about something so important that you have to run at a time like this?"
"I need to meet someone."
Saying that, Blaze turned and ran without waiting for permission. His heart thundered against his ribs, not just from the sprint, but from a feeling that clawed and twisted deep inside him.
He knew exactly where he needed to go.
The place is filled with memories of hardships, the old training pond.
The path blurred as he ran. All the familiar streets flashed by until at last, he stood before it.
The water of the pond reflected the sunlight under the sun.
And she was there, sitting by the water's edge.
Ris.
Her golden hair swayed with the breeze. They were catching the light like threads of fire.
Her delicate figure looked almost ethereal against the wide blue sky. And her bare feet were dipping into the water.
He stepped closer.
"Ris."
She turned at the sound of his voice. Her golden eyes were widening in surprise.
"B-Blaze...? Why are you so breathless? And what are you...?"
He smiled. "I came to see you."
Her cheeks blossomed into a rosy pink. It looked like she was happy.
"Y-you came... for me?" she said with her soft voice.
"I have something important to tell you."
Her head tilted. Her gaze was filled with a soft curiosity. "Umm... what is it?"
Blaze exhaled slowly. He wasn't sure about how to tell her.
"I fought in the Battle Royale... for the Junior Order."
He clenched his fists.
"And I won."
The words lingered in the air. They were heavy with meaning.
For a heartbeat, Ris only stared at him.
And then, she smiled.
A smile so bright, so pure, that Blaze almost forgot how to breathe.
It wasn't the proud and distant smile of a stranger.
It was her smile. It was the smile of someone who had watched him struggle, fall, and stand again. Someone who had believed in him and supported him. She healed him whenever he got hurt.
"Congratulations," she said softly. She looked happy about Blaze.
"You did it, Blaze."
The dam inside him cracked a little more.
"...Thanks," he whispered. He could barely speak past the tightness in his chest.
But there was more. Something even more important.
"I..." He stopped for a moment and drew in a ragged breath.
"I'm leaving. Today."
Ris stiffened, the warmth draining from her face.
"You're going?" she said. She was curious.
"Yeah," he said and nodded. "To chase my dream. To become... the strongest swordsman in the Magic-Verse."
The silence that followed was deafening. The only sound was the soft lapping of water against the shore.
Then, without a word, Ris stood.
"Wait here," she said, and turned away.
Blaze watched. He was puzzled. Then she disappeared into the trees.
Minutes passed. Each minute felt like an eternity.
The weight of the moment crushed him from every side.
"Was she upset?" He kept thinking.
But soon, she returned with something small cupped in her hands.
She stopped in front of him. Her cheeks blushed, and her breathing was fast.
"Give me your left hand," she said. Her voice was slightly trembling.
"H-huh? Why?"
"Just... trust me. I won't bite."
"Really... Are you sure about that?"
"Ohhh," she pouted.
Then he slowly extended his hand with a smile.
Gently, Ris wrapped a bracelet around his wrist.
It was simple, yet beautiful. A woven strand of gold and crimson thread. There was also a small gemstone at its center. It was glinting like a captured sun. There was also a unique symbol on that gem.
"This is... a protection charm," she said. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"My mother gave it to me when I was little. It's protected me all these years. And now..."
Her fingers lingered on his wrist.
"I want it to protect you."
Blaze stared, words frozen on his tongue.
Ris looked up at him. Her cheeks blushing, her golden eyes wet and shimmering, yet still she was smiling.
"Wherever you go... whatever happens... remember that you're not alone. I'll always be with you."
The final crack inside his heart shattered.
He smiled—a real smile, soft and fragile.
"Thank you, Ris," he said, voice thick.
"I swear... I'll come back stronger. I swear it on this bracelet."
She nodded. She was biting her lip to keep the tears from spilling.
"Then... just don't lose. Make good friends in your own way. Stay away from bad people." She whispered.
"Yes, I will. And take care of yourself. Stay safe until I come. I'll get stronger so that I can protect you," he said, laughing shakily.
For a few precious moments, they stood there—two souls, intertwined by dreams, by memories, and by the silent promises that needed no words.
But fate would not wait forever.
Blaze stepped back.
"I have to go, now."
Ris nodded. Tears from her eyes were slipping free despite her desperate attempts to hold them back.
"Take care, Blaze," she said. Her voice started cracking.
With a final smile, Blaze turned, the bracelet warm against his skin.
He walked away without looking back, each step heavier than the last, until at last he vanished from view.
Ris stood alone by the pond.
She stared after him. He was willing her tears to stop—but they betrayed her.
She pressed trembling hands to her cheeks. She could feel the warm trails of grief that she couldn't hide.
"Why...? Why am I crying...?" she whispered with her broken voice.
She sank to her knees. The world blurred behind a curtain of tears.
Her voice shook as she cried into the morning wind.
"God... please... please keep him safe..."
"I'll wait," she whispered. Her voice broke apart like glass. "No matter how long it takes... I'll wait for you."
And the pond rippled, carrying her silent prayer far, far away.
-----------------------
Blaze returned from the pond. He was brushing the bracelet on his wrist with his fingers. It was a quiet reminder of the warmth that he had just left behind.
He stepped through the doorway. And the familiar sight of Luna, Mili, and Lili waiting for him brought a bittersweet pang to his chest.
He lifted one hand in greeting. "I'm back," he said.
Lili huffed with her arms crossed. "You've come," her brows furrowed tightly.
"Why are you always so late, you dummy?" Mili added. Her cheeks were puffing in protest.
But her sharp silver eyes immediately caught the glint on his left wrist. She pointed dramatically.
"W-Wait! What's that?! On your wrist."
Blaze blinked and lifted his hand with a small and embarrassed smile.
"Oh... this? It's a gift from the friend I went to say goodbye to."
The twins exchanged glances after hearing that.
"Another friend?! Besides Lisa Onee-chan?!" Mili gasped as if the world were ending.
Blaze laughed helplessly.
"Yeah. I met her when I started training. It's been about a year now." Then he poutily said, "Fhuuhh. You guys act like I've been a lonely hermit or something."
He rubbed the back of his neck. The bracelet was shimmering in the morning light. The gold and crimson threads were entwined around a small radiant stone.
He closed his eyes briefly.
He couldn't afford to falter now.
Then Blaze, adjusting his cloak, said, "All right."
Then he took a deep breath, "I'm off."
He turned toward the door, but then, a firm and commanding voice sliced through the air.
"Wait."
Blaze froze.
Heavy footsteps echoed behind him.
Ignis, his father, approached, his crimson eyes serious. He held a small leather pouch in his hands.
Without a word, Ignis pressed it firmly into Blaze's palm.
"Keep these," Ignis said, his voice low and filled with weight.
"You'll need them."
Blaze peered inside—healing potions, stamina potions, and even a rare mana restoration vial, all carefully packed.
His throat tightened.
"Thanks, Dad..." Blaze murmured.
"But why the mana restoration vial?"
"You will know when it's needed." Saying that, Ignis gripped his shoulder firmly.
"Never forget your friends. Never forget your family," his father said, each word striking deep.
"When you hesitate, when you're lost—that's what will help you to bring yourself back."
Blaze nodded solemnly.
"And one more thing," Ignis said. This time, his voice grew even harder.
"Out there, monsters aren't the only things you should be careful about."
Blaze tensed.
"There are those who hunt adventurers to steal their drop items and money. Never lower your guard. Trust only those you choose carefully."
Blaze tightened his grip. "I understand," he said.
Ignis stared at him for some time.
Then, at last, a rare smile crossed his father's face.
"Good."
Blaze turned toward the door once more, his heart pounding.
This was it.
But just as his hand touched the handle—
A soft, broken sob shattered the silence.
He turned sharply.
Mili clung desperately to the hem of his cloak. Her tiny body was trembling, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
"S-Sorry," she hiccupped. "I told myself I wouldn't cry... but... I..."
Beside her, Lili clenched her fists tightly, glaring at the floor.
But no matter how fiercely she bit her lip, tears brimmed in her red eyes and spilled over.
Blaze's heart painfully clenched.
He knelt down and gently placed a hand on each of their heads.
He softly said, "I'll be alright, so don't cry anymore. I'll get strong enough so that I can protect you guys from any trouble."
"I'll be alright. I promise."
Mili sniffled. "You p-promise?"
"I promise."
"And you better not lose!" Lili shouted, grabbing his sleeve tightly.
Blaze smiled, ruffling both their hair.
"I won't. I'll win every fight and come back even stronger."
He rose to his feet slowly.
His sisters' hands slipped away, reluctant but trusting.
He turned to Luna, his mother, whose serene eyes shimmered with quiet emotion.
He turned to Ignis—his father—who simply nodded, a silent wall of strength.
"I'll miss you all," Blaze said, his voice rough.
"You better!" Mili cried.
"And don't you dare replace us with cooler sisters!" Lili shouted tearfully.
Blaze laughed, wiping at his eyes.
"Impossible. I already have the best sisters in the world."
With a final look, he turned.
He placed a hand gently over the bracelet around his wrist.
The threads pulsed faintly, as if they were whispering encouragement into his soul.
"Okay then... I'm off."
Without looking back, Blaze stepped into the bright morning sun.
Above him, he sky stretched wide and boundless. They were crimson and gold, just like the dreams that he carried.
Behind him, the faint voices of his sisters melt away in the wind.
"Goodbye... Blaze Onii-chan..."
Ahead, the road stretched endlessly.
Blaze tightened his grip on his sword.
He smiled, heart aching but strong.
Toward the unknown.
Toward the endless skies.
Toward his destiny—
Blaze walked forward.
Thus, the boy took his first step to go beyond the boundary of his world, toward the vast story that awaited him...