(Village of Sand)
Peter and Hiron stood amid the crowded market, the noise of voices and trade filling the air—yet beneath it all, something felt wrong. An ominous presence pressed against their senses, cold and deliberate.
Peter scanned the crowd, his eyes narrowing until they locked onto a single figure.
A man stood unnaturally still, head lowered. He wore black clothing, a dark cloak draped over his shoulders, its hood casting a shadow that concealed half his face. He did not move with the flow of the crowd. He did not speak.
He simply stood there.
Both Peter and Hiron were unarmed, their swords left behind, but their bodies tensed, instincts sharpening. Without exchanging words, they stepped forward, closing the distance cautiously.
The moment they drew nearer, the man vanished.
He reappeared several paces ahead, as if space itself had folded to let him pass.
"He's getting away," Peter said, his voice tight.
"Then let's move," Hiron replied.
They surged forward, pushing through the crowd as the man in black continued to disappear and reappear ahead of them, always just out of reach.
As they chased him through the market streets, Peter drew in a slow, steady breath and closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, they burned brighter, light flaring within his gaze as energy surged through his body.
His speed exploded.
In an instant, the distance between them vanished. The man in black reappeared, this time standing calmly atop a rooftop, cloak swaying in the desert wind.
Peter didn't hesitate.
He leapt upward, twisting midair, and drove a roundhouse kick toward the man's head with all his force.
Blocked.
The man caught the strike effortlessly with his right hand, not even shifting his stance.
Peter's eyes widened for only a heartbeat before he followed up, unleashing a rapid series of strikes—fists cutting through the air with precision and speed.
But the man moved like a shadow.
Each blow was avoided with minimal motion, his body gliding aside as though he had already seen every attack before it was thrown.
Not a single hit landed.
Peter stepped back, his breath heavy now.
This wasn't an ordinary opponent.
Hiron landed beside him on the rooftop.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah… but this guy is something else."
"Stay focused," Hiron said, eyes sharp. "I'll attack first and create an opening. You strike when you see it."
"Got it.
"Let's go."
Energy flared around Hiron as both of them charged forward. Hiron moved first, launching a powerful strike, but the man slipped past it. Hiron grabbed for his arm and followed with a heavy punch
The man twisted his body unnaturally, slipping free once more, narrowly avoiding the blow as if he had already seen it coming.
Peter appeared behind the man in an instant, slamming a side kick into his back.
The impact sent the man flying forward just as Hiron charged a powerful punch and drove it straight into the man's stomach, launching him off the rooftop.
The cloaked figure crashed into an alley below.
Peter and Hiron dropped down after him, landing firmly and taking their stances.
Without pause, they attacked again.
Hiron swung a side kick—the man dodged.
Peter aimed low, striking at his leg, but the man reacted in time and blocked it.
Hiron raised his hands, forming two energy barriers that slammed inward, trying to crush the man between them.
The man spread his arms and caught both barriers, stopping them mid-force.
Peter didn't hesitate.
Lightning surged around his fist as he charged forward at full speed, driving a thunderous punch straight into the man.
Energy exploded through the alley, a violent shockwave ripping outward—so loud it echoed through the village streets, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
As the smoke slowly cleared, the man was nowhere to be seen.
Peter's eyes widened as he instinctively looked up. The man descended from above, his fist coming down like a hammer. Peter barely dodged in time, but the impact shattered the ground beneath, rocks flying in all directions.
The man didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward and delivered a powerful punch that sent Peter tumbling backward across the alley.
Hiron rushed in, attempting to strike him down, but the man vanished in an instant. He reappeared behind Hiron and landed a brutal kick to his face.
Hiron staggered, struggling to regain his footing. Before he could fully recover, the man slammed his foot into the ground.
The earth trembled.
Sharp spikes erupted from beneath the ground, shooting upward toward Hiron.
Hiron leapt backward just in time, narrowly escaping the spikes as they tore through the ground where he had stood.
The man spread his hands, and dozens of sharp spikes surged forward like a deadly tide toward both Hiron and Peter.
They split apart, dodging through the assault, forcing themselves back with every step. Hiron slammed his foot down and formed a barrier around them just as the spikes crashed into it with brutal force, sending tremors through the shield.
"This guy is fast… too fast," Peter said, breathing hard. "What do we do?"
Hiron clenched his fists. "Then we stop holding back."
Peter nodded. "All out."
Hiron gathered his energy and released a powerful blast, scattering the spikes into fragments. The two of them sprinted forward at once.
The man answered by sending more spikes ripping from the ground, but they weaved through them, their movements sharp and desperate. Hiron charged energy into his hands and clapped them together, unleashing shockwaves that shattered the incoming spikes mid-air.
Both of them poured everything they had into a final strike, energy roaring as they lunged forward and punched with full force.
The impact exploded through the alley.
Dust, smoke, and shattered stone filled the air.
As the smoke slowly cleared, the man was gone.
Hiron and Peter searched the alley, their eyes scanning every shadow, every rooftop, but there was nothing.
He had vanished.
Peter and Hiron scanned the area, alert, but there was no sign of him.
"Where did he go?" Peter asked.
"He's gone," Hiron said. "Let's check around."
They moved quickly through the area, searching every corner, but found nothing.
"What are you guys looking for?"
A voice cut through the air.
"Andreas?" Peter said. "Good to see you."
"What's going on?" Andreas asked. "The
villagers reported three individuals fighting."
"We're looking for a man in black clothing," Hiron said. "Have you seen anyone like that?"
"Black clothing?" Andreas replied. "No, I haven't seen anyone like that. Why are you looking for him?"
"We can't explain right now," Hiron said. "We need to head back."
Wait, can you at least tell me what I should know
All we can say is.. They is trouble walking around in this village and if we don't act quickly, people will be in danger. Peter said with a firm voice.
(Shino's POV)
I sat outside the house beneath a tree, facing the sun as it filtered through the leaves above me. The warmth should have been calming, but my thoughts refused to settle.
Something about this village felt wrong. Too quiet. Too carefully peaceful.
Then a figure stepped into view.
"Good afternoon, sir."
The voice cut through my thoughts.
I looked up. "Good afternoon, Elizabeth. How is your day going?"
"Fine," she replied. "Just checking on the house and a few other things."
"I see… thank you again for having us."
"No problem, sir. If you'll excuse me, I have things to do."
"Wait, Elizabeth," I said, stopping her. "There's something I want to ask you."
She hesitated. "What is it, sir?"
"It's about the strange things I've been feeling since we arrived. I want to ask you a few questions."
She stiffened slightly. "Okay… you can ask, sir."
I studied her face. "Are you in danger?"
"W-What?" she stammered. "What do you mean, sir?"
"You've been acting strange ever since we came here," I said calmly. "And the way you behaved when we first met… it was as if you were trying to tell us something."
She looked away for a moment before answering.
"I usually act nervous around people when I first meet them, sir."
I studied her for a moment. "Hmm… perhaps I misunderstood. Forgive me."
"No problem, sir."
"One last question," I said. "What's really going on in this village?"
"I don't know," she answered, her expression tightening.
"I see. I'm sorry for asking such strange questions. Thank you for your time."
I stood up, ready to leave, when her voice stopped me.
"But… there is something you should know."
I turned back. "What is it?"
"Strange things have been happening here. People have been disappearing—mysteriously. There have been many reports, but none of them are ever found again."
"And the village chief?" I asked. "What is he doing about it?"
"He said he would get to the root of the disappearances," she replied softly. "But nothing has been done."
Her face tightened and her hands started shaking.
Are you okay?
Yes. I'm sorry, I have to go.
As she quickly walked away into the house.
Something terrible is going on in this village. First is the uneasy tension and now the disappearance of people, all these strange activities. I will get to the bottom of it.
(David's POV)
My lungs felt heavy, my legs trembled, and my body was completely exhausted.
I had just finished today's training in flow and endurance—standing under the waterfall, carrying rocks up the mountains, all while controlling the flow of my spiritual energy.
"You good, boy?" Lazarus asked.
"Yeah… trying not to die."
"Well, if you use too much of your power, you might reach the afterlife before your time," he said, that familiar smile on his face.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just… try not to use too much."
"Today's training is done for today," he said.
"When you can carry yourself, I'll be in the house waiting for you."
"You could at least help me up… I can't move my body."
"You have to pick yourself up when life hits you hard. Sometimes, no one will come to help you in your times of trouble."
He stepped away and vanished into the forest. I lay on the ground, drained and exhausted from pushing my spiritual energy for so long.
My thoughts kept repeating Lazarus's last words. He was right, this world will hit you hard, and no one will come to help. That's the cruel truth about life.