The dawn broke red over the treeline, spilling light through the misted valley. The smell of ash drifted from the distant volcanic ridge — faint but ever present, a warning from the world itself.
Hunnt stood at the center of the clearing, arms folded, watching his two students stretch and prepare. The air was calm, but tension rippled beneath the surface.
"You've both learned your techniques," Hunnt said, his voice steady. "Now it's time to test them. Training means nothing if you can't use them when a monster wants you dead."
Alder cracked his knuckles. "Finally, something real."
Kael sighed softly. "You sound too eager to die."
Hunnt smirked. "Good. Keep that energy. Today, you'll each face a monster alone. Use what you've learned — Soru, Tekkai, Kami-e, Geppo — whatever it takes to stay alive."
Alder raised an eyebrow. "And you?"
Hunnt gestured toward the treeline. "I'll be watching. Don't expect me to save you."
The forest stirred — a chorus of distant growls and wingbeats echoing through the canyon.
Hunnt's eyes flicked toward the horizon, his Observation Haki already sensing movement. "Two signatures approaching. One north, one east. Split up. Alder, take the ridge path. Kael, move through the hollow basin."
Alder grinned and stomped the ground once, vanishing in a burst of dust. "Got it!"
Kael rolled his shoulders and disappeared with his own Soru burst. "Don't let him break his neck again."
Hunnt chuckled quietly. "We'll see who comes back first."
---
Alder's Trial — "The Sky Misstep"
The ridge winds howled as Alder climbed higher. Steam vented through cracks in the ground, carrying the scent of sulfur. Ahead, a hulking shape shifted among the rocks — a Ravager Tusk, part bull, part lizard, its horns glowing faintly red from magma exposure.
Alder grinned. "You'll do."
The monster bellowed and charged, the ground quaking beneath its weight.
Alder stomped — Soru — and vanished, reappearing behind it in a blur of motion. He launched a counterpunch, his gauntlet cracking against its hide. Sparks flared, but the beast only roared louder.
"Alright then," he muttered. "Let's see what Tekkai can do."
The Ravager's tail whipped across his chest. Alder tensed, his body hardening like steel — Tekkai. The impact sent him skidding backward, boots carving trenches in the dirt, but he stayed upright.
"Ha! Not bad!" he shouted, chest heaving. "Now for the fun part."
He stomped the ground, kicked upward — Geppo. His body launched into the air.
The view stretched wide — mountains, sky, and the smoking ridge below.
"Alright… let's try a midair dive!"
He stomped again, trying to hover, but misjudged the timing.
The air slipped beneath his foot — the technique failed.
"Ah, hell—"
He dropped like a rock, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud.
The Ravager turned, rumbling deep in its throat, tail sweeping toward him again. Alder rolled aside, dirt flying, and forced himself upright.
"Okay… note to self," he coughed. "One stomp at a time."
He steadied his breathing, focused again. The rhythm of Soru pulsed in his legs — the air vibrated.
When the beast lunged again, Alder burst forward, using Soru to circle its flank. He combined a mid-step Geppo kick, vaulting off the air just as the Ravager's horns passed beneath him.
He came down hard, slamming both fists onto its head — Tekkai-armored strike.
The impact echoed like thunder.
The creature stumbled, bellowed, then finally collapsed with a heavy crash that shook the ridge.
Alder stood there panting, steam rising from his armor, grinning ear to ear. "Told you… I'd figure it out."
---
Kael's Trial — "The Dance of the Hollow"
Kael's path led him to the basin — a hollow stretch of forest where mist pooled like silver.
The quiet was unnerving. Even the wind seemed afraid to move.
Then, from the fog, a pair of crimson eyes flickered open.
A sleek wyvern slithered from the shadows, wings folded tight like a cloak — a Mistclaw Velion, a predatory ambusher known for its blinding speed.
Kael exhaled, his stance lowering. "Figures."
The wyvern hissed, vanishing into the fog. The next instant, a gust of air cut past his ear — claws slicing through empty space.
Kael vanished too, his body flickering with Soru, reappearing meters away.
But the beast was relentless. Every step he took, it mirrored — soundless, weightless, like his reflection in motion.
"This one's fast…" he muttered. "Guess that makes two of us."
The next strike came from above. Kael stomped — vanished — then reappeared on its blind side. The wyvern twisted midair, tail whipping through the fog. Kael's instinct kicked in — Kami-e — his body moved like wind, bending with the current, the attack grazing inches past him.
"Too close," he breathed.
The dance continued — vanish, reappear, dodge, glide. The forest floor became their stage, the fog their veil. Every clash between Soru bursts sent ripples through the mist.
Kael's rhythm sharpened, his breathing matched to the monster's movement. He felt its intent through the air, its anger, its confusion.
He dashed again, using Soru to appear directly beneath it.
The wyvern reared back, preparing a final lunge — but Kael was already gone, moving faster than its sight could follow.
He appeared behind it, tapping its flank with a light strike just to make his point. "Gotcha."
The wyvern stumbled, confused — then took off, retreating into the fog.
Kael exhaled deeply and smiled faintly. "Guess I passed."
---
When both men returned to camp at dusk, Hunnt was waiting beside a small fire.
Neither spoke at first — they just sat, the exhaustion settling over them like mist.
Hunnt finally broke the silence. "So?"
Alder leaned back, groaning. "I fell from the sky and almost broke my neck."
Kael smirked. "I nearly got gutted by my reflection."
Hunnt chuckled quietly. "Good. That means it worked."
He looked at both of them — proud, but hiding it behind his usual calm. "You've learned to move and survive. That's what matters. Next time… we hunt for real."
The volcano rumbled again in the distance, faint but steady — a heartbeat beneath the earth.
The Slumbering Furnace was waking.