The snow crunched under hundreds of boots as Wielders gathered at the Obsidian Crossroads—a massive, fortified training zone carved into the mountainous heart of eastern Tenzai Province. It was the meeting point chosen for its isolation and proximity to Kurojin's territory, hidden from normal surveillance and protected by a multi-layered barrier maintained by six Grand Wielders.
Tents stretched across the rocky plateau, each marked with the symbols of different academies and global organizations. Elite professionals mingled with top students. Combat simulations echoed through the cliffs. The air buzzed with tension and anticipation.
Ryuu stood by a row of sparring circles, adjusting his gauntlets. "Can't believe this is actually happening."
Tetsu cracked his knuckles, grinning. "End of the world or not, I'm still gonna make a name for myself."
Nearby, Hana was kneeling, tying a band around her arm—Kael's old academy hoodie wrapped around her waist like a reminder. She looked toward the horizon. "We're really doing this… with or without him."
Kaede walked among them all, overseeing sparring matches between rival academies. He watched as Wielders from nations once in competition now trained together. Water clashed with fire. Shadow met lightning. It was a storm of energy—one meant to prepare them for war.
Meanwhile – A Cliffside Cavern, Far North
Kael stood shirtless in the center of a stone circle, breath heavy, hair wild, body scarred. Raizen—still in his disguise as Kyoushiro—watched from a boulder nearby, eyes sharp and proud.
"You've finally stabilized Kurothar's energy inside you," Raizen said. "Now it's time for something only you can handle…"
He stepped forward, holding out a strange, black shard with veins of glowing blue light pulsing inside.
"This is the fragment of a lost Relic. It was once part of the World Core, and it reacts only to Wielders who can manipulate dimensional energy."
Kael frowned. "What does it do?"
Raizen smirked. "It gives you access to a new skill: Dimensional Echo."
As Kael touched the shard, the energy surged into him. His shadow split momentarily, a second "echo" of himself standing just beside him—transparent, glitching like static.
Raizen explained: "You can create a temporary echo of yourself a few seconds into the future or past. That version can take a hit, deal one attack, or even act as a decoy—but only for a heartbeat. If you master it… you'll move like time itself bends for you."
Kael's eyes widened as his body synchronized with the echo. When he moved, the echo followed a half-second later, mimicking his attacks and blocks.
He grinned. "Now this… is sick."
Raizen nodded. "You'll need it. The world will soon burn—and they'll need someone like you to balance the scales."
Back at Obsidian Crossroads – 3 Days Until Invasion
Hana unleashed a blast of kinetic energy that knocked back a massive Earth Wielder from the Balkana Federation. Tetsu launched himself into the air using his pressure-field bursts, clashing fists with a lightning user twice his size. Ryuu moved like a blur, sparring with three opponents at once.
Kaede watched as the students grew sharper, faster, more precise. Yet in all of their eyes, there was a flicker of something deeper—uncertainty.
He stepped forward and called out:"Three days! That's all we have left! Every moment you waste, someone else sharpens their blade! If you want to stop Kurojin and the Darkshade, this is your last chance!"
The warriors roared.
Still, Hana glanced at the sky—just for a second.
"Kael…" she whispered, "Where are you?"