"You useless garbage. You told me you were going to protect me."
The merchant's angry shouting broke the silence.
"Don't be too hard on them," a calm male voice replied from behind him. "Those girls were only trying to survive."
Lucy spun around, instinctively moving closer to Amanda, who was still coughing as she dragged herself away from the lake.
A man emerged from the trees.
His footsteps were almost silent, and his movements were so controlled that he barely disturbed the grass beneath his feet. He wore an entirely black outfit, with a half-mask concealing the lower part of his face.
The merchant stared at him in disbelief.
"Th-That speed. How did you manage to kill those creatures so quickly?"
The stranger tilted his head slightly.
"That's personal, my friend."
He turned toward the merchant.
"Thank you for bringing the girls this far. I'll take care of them from here. You can leave."
The merchant blinked.
"Leave? After everything I've been through bringing these girls here, even though they're completely useless?"
He suddenly laughed and reached into his pouch, pulling out a heavy bag of coins.
"How about this? Ten gold coins if you work as my guard until I reach Eminence."
"Not interested."
"Twenty, then."
"No."
"Thirty…"
"No."
"Forty…"
The stranger didn't even change his expression.
The merchant gritted his teeth.
"Fine. Fifty gold coins."
"Still not interested."
"Tch. Suit yourself."
The merchant shoved the coins back into his pouch.
"You can keep those two pretty girls to yourself. Just remember, you're old enough to be their father."
He laughed mockingly, climbed onto his carriage, and rode away along the road beside the lake.
The stranger watched him disappear without responding.
Once the carriage was out of sight, Amanda finally found the courage to speak.
"I… I don't know why you saved us, but thank you."
Lucy hurried to her sister's side and helped her stand. Amanda was still trembling from the blow she'd taken, and her wet clothes clung uncomfortably to her body.
"Don't thank me just yet," the stranger replied.
He adjusted his black leather hat, its brim lined with steel.
"I'm simply doing my job. Come with me. You both need to rest."
Amanda let out a quiet sigh of relief, but Lucy tightened her grip around her sister's wrist.
"Wait, big sis. We don't know who this man is. We can't just follow him because he saved us."
The stranger stopped, his back still turned toward them.
"You don't need to worry. Someone appointed me to watch over you two. Protecting you is my responsibility, and it's an order I cannot refuse."
With that, he resumed walking, heading toward the dense forest bordering the Kingdom of Purity.
Lucy and Amanda exchanged a cautious glance.
After retrieving Amanda's rusty sword from the ground, Lucy handed it to her sister. Amanda secured it at her waist, and the two reluctantly followed the stranger into the forest.
They had nowhere else to go, and for now, he was the only person they could trust.
---
Several hours later, they arrived at a secluded house on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Purity.
Tall trees surrounded the building, while its wooden walls carried the faint scent of pine. Inside, weapons hung neatly on racks, and old scrolls filled the shelves.
The stranger provided the girls with fresh clothes and prepared food for them.
After washing away the dirt from their journey and changing, Amanda and Lucy sat at the table and began eating. They were so exhausted that neither had the energy to speak.
As the sun began to set, Amanda finally placed her utensils down and looked across the table.
"Sir… if you don't mind me asking,who are you, exactly?"
The man set down his cup.
He removed his half-mask, revealing sharp features and a pair of calm eyes.
"I'm your personal guard and training officer. From now on, I'll be responsible for your safety and training."
He paused briefly.
"You can call me Miyamoto."
The sisters exchanged confused glances. Neither of them recognised the name.
"Our personal training officer?" Amanda repeated. "And you're going to train us?"
"That's right."
Lucy tilted her head, still trying to understand how a complete stranger had suddenly become responsible for their lives.
"Why would someone appoint you to look after us? And who exactly appointed you?"
Miyamoto took another sip of his drink.
"You'll understand when the time comes. For now, get some rest. Your training begins tomorrow."
The sisters exchanged another glance before quietly repeating his name.
"Miyamoto…"
Musashi Miyamoto.
---
A HIDDEN TRUTH
What the sisters didn't know was that their parents had never died during the invasion of Guhan.
They had used the chaos as an opportunity to travel to the capital of Earth, where they joined the Guardians of the Earth, a secret organisation dedicated to protecting the planet from the most powerful Darkside Spirits in the solar system.
Their parents were dual Renshi users, and the responsibilities they had taken on forced them to keep their survival a secret.
In time, they welcomed two sons into the world, raising them far from the eyes of the public.
Meanwhile, Amanda and Lucy were left believing they were orphans.
Their father had entrusted their safety and training to one of his former students, Musashi Miyamoto, hoping the girls would grow strong enough to face the truth, without relying on them.
For now, the sisters remained unaware that their family was still alive.
---
From that day onward, Miyamoto became the sisters' master.
He began by teaching them how to fight with swords without relying on Renshi.
Every morning, they trained until their arms ached and their palms were covered in blisters. He drilled them in footwork, balance, sword control, and the importance of reading an opponent's movements.
Whenever they made a mistake, he made them repeat the same exercise until they got it right.
Weeks passed.
Their movements gradually became sharper. Their bodies grew stronger, and their reactions became faster.
One afternoon, Miyamoto stood before them in the training yard. Both sisters wore simple dojo uniforms and held wooden swords.
"Amanda," he called. "Do you still have the scroll your father left you?"
Amanda blinked.
"The scroll? I think so. Let me check."
She hurried inside and began searching through their belongings. She checked every drawer, opened every bag, and even searched beneath the bed.
Nothing.
A few minutes later, she returned with a troubled expression.
"I can't find it."
Lucy suddenly froze.
"Wait… Amanda. Our bag."
Amanda turned toward her.
"What about it?"
"We left it in the merchant's carriage."
Amanda's face went blank.
She slowly lowered herself onto the floor, covering her face with both hands.
"Unbelievable… We lost the one thing Papa left us."
Lucy sat beside her, equally frustrated.
"I'm sorry, Sis. I should've remembered."
Miyamoto entered the room with his arms crossed.
"I already suspected that was what happened. I wanted to hear it from you directly."
Amanda lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Master Miyamoto."
"Don't apologize. What's done is done."
His expression grew serious.
"However, that scroll contains information necessary to break the seal on your Renshi. Without it, fully releasing your powers will be difficult."
The sisters exchanged worried glances.
"Then… does that mean we'll never be able to use our Renshi?" Lucy asked.
"Not necessarily."
Miyamoto knelt before them.
"I've been studying your condition since you arrived. Although I can't remove the seal without the scroll, I've discovered a way to partially reconnect your bodies to your Renshi."
Amanda's eyes widened.
"You mean we can still use our Renshi?"
"Only a small portion. Don't expect too much."
He turned toward Lucy.
"You'll go first."
Lucy swallowed nervously before nodding.
"Alright, Master."
"Sit down and keep your body still. No matter what you feel, don't move unless I tell you to."
Lucy sat cross-legged on the floor.
Miyamoto knelt behind her and raised his right hand. Renshi gathered around his five fingers as he carefully positioned them against the side of her neck.
"Remember, this is only a partial reconnection," he warned. "Your Renshi has been sealed for years. Forcing even a small connection may cause considerable pain."
Lucy clenched her fists.
"I'm ready."
Miyamoto pressed his fingers against her neck.
A sudden pulse of energy passed through her body.
"Ghh!"
Lucy jerked as a burning sensation spread from her neck through her chest and down her arms. Her breathing grew ragged, and she struggled to keep herself upright.
"Master… it hurts!"
"Don't fight the connection," Miyamoto instructed firmly. "Focus on your breathing. Let your body adjust to the Renshi."
Lucy gritted her teeth and tried to follow his instructions.
The energy inside her surged again, like a river forcing its way through a narrow passage.
Her fingers trembled.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Yet beneath the pain, a strange warmth began to spread through her chest.
Miyamoto watched closely, his expression serious.
"That's it. Keep breathing, Lucy. You're almost there."
A faint glow flickered beneath her skin.