The sun began its slow descent, painting the city walls with long, orange streaks. Noroko pushed open his front door quietly, but before he could even kick off his shoes, his mother's voice drifted from the kitchen—a mixture of maternal concern and interrogation.
"Where have you been, Noroko? You're much later than usual."
He met her gaze, forcing a faint smile to mask the exhaustion lingering in his eyes. "We had an extra lesson, Mother. Preparing for next week's reconnaissance expedition."
Minahoke went silent for a moment, weighing his words. She turned back to her soup, whispering to herself, "I fear for the day someone discovers your true identity. You would be in grave danger."
The Following Afternoon – Linkbol Academy, Training Grounds
The academy was a beehive of activity. Students gathered in small clusters, discussing techniques or refining their forms. Amidst the chaos, Valric stood at the edge of the field with his arms crossed and a smug grin. He basked in the admiring glances of the female students, greeting them with charismatic words that left them blushing.
When he spotted Nihi passing by, he decided she would be his next target. He intercepted her with practiced ease. "Hello, Miss Nihi... Surely you've missed seeing a handsome face to brighten your day?"
Nihi stopped, giving him a dry, unimpressed look. "Hello, Valric. I'm on my way to class. I don't have time for your games."
Valric didn't back down, stepping into her path. "Then let me escort you. Your walk will be much more... enjoyable."
Her eyes narrowed, but before she could snap back, a cold, steady voice rang out from behind him:
"She told you she's going to class. Step aside."
Valric turned to find Aldo standing there, his eyes fixed and unwavering, directly challenging the noble's ego.
One Week Later – The Academy Main Gate
The morning of the long-awaited expedition had finally arrived. The fifth-year students stood in formation, dressed in their field gear—lightweight tunics reinforced with metal plates and belts stocked with Mikano Emergency Capsules.
Instructor Edward stood before them, his tone stern. "Listen well. You have been issued emergency capsules containing healing agents derived from Ice Mikano. Our destination is Umrin Village to the south. Small Mikano creatures are causing havoc there. This is not a vacation; it is a real-world field exercise. Remember, teamwork is the only thing that will keep you alive."
As the caravan moved south under a pale blue sky, Nihi walked alongside Noroko, Mizra, and Bringo. "I heard the south is full of rivers and farms," she said excitedly.
"I just hope we don't come back empty-handed," Mizra added with a grin. "I want to study their biological structures."
Noroko laughed. "I'm sure you'll collect every scrap of Mikano remains you find."
As they reached the village, the locals welcomed them with fresh bread and cold water. The village head, Mr. Browns, explained the crisis: "For weeks, these small creatures have been raiding our stores and ruining our crops. If you catch them, we might finally sleep in peace."
The Battle of Umrin
The students fanned out through the village alleys. Aldo pursued a creature made of Earth Mikano with leaf-like wings. It launched small pillars at him, but he dodged with effortless grace before unleashing his technique:
"[Fire Mikano: Orbs of Hellfire!]"
Flaming spheres streaked from his palm, incinerating the target instantly.
Nearby, Noroko used his "[Wind Mikano: Gale Vortex]" to sweep groups of creatures away, while Nihi used her Water Mikano Bow to pick off those leaping across the rooftops.
"Not bad for a rookie," Nihi teased, seeing Noroko's progress.
"You'll have to work harder to keep up with me," Noroko retorted with a smirk.
The chaos intensified when one creature bolted toward the dense forest. "It's escaping! Catch it!" a student cried. Aldo, Valric, and Noroko gave chase, plunging into the shadows where the air turned cold and the birds went silent.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. From the darkness emerged a titan—a massive hybrid of multiple Mikano elements. It had eight arms—each pair forged from a different element—mammoth-like tusks, and multiple glowing red eyes.
Aldo and Valric moved with unexpected synchronicity. Valric leaped high, striking with Water Mikano, while Aldo targeted the beast's joints with concentrated fire. Noroko flew through the air, launching a high-pressure blast:
"[Wind Mikano: Gale Pressure!]"
The invisible projectile struck the beast's left arms, shattering them into fragments.
The students cheered, but their joy was short-lived. The bloody remains on the ground began to levitate, pulled together by an unseen force. In seconds, the arms regenerated, sharper and deadlier than before. The beast let out a deafening roar. It didn't give them a moment to breathe. It infused its secondary right hand with Earth Mikano and slammed it down like a divine punishment.
The impact sent Noroko crashing into the dirt, coughing through a cloud of dust. Distracted by Noroko's fall, Nihi was struck by a fire creature and sent flying back several meters.
The Guardian Arrives
The hybrid beast gathered water into rotating pressurized cylinders. "[Water Mikano: Serpent Hoses!]" It launched multiple high-speed water jets, weaving through the air like snakes toward the wounded students.
"Did you think you could slaughter my students while I still breathe?"
Instructor Edward dropped from above. He raised his hand, and dozens of transparent water bubbles formed a protective orbit around the class.
"[Water Mikano: Pearl Barriers!]"
The lethal water hoses slammed into the shimmering domes, dispersing into mist.
"Umito VI..." Edward growled at the beast. "You'll have to go through me first."
But the monster dug its earthen arms into the soil, shattering the ground and causing the students to lose their footing. Smaller creatures swarmed from the shadows, clawing at the students. In the confusion, the beast launched a beam of molten fire from its upper arms, striking Edward squarely in the back.
The instructor fell to his knees, then collapsed. "K-keep going... my students..." he gasped before losing consciousness.
The beast raised all eight arms, swirling Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind into a catastrophic vortex of energy. The students watched in despair; their wounds were too deep for the emergency capsules to fix.
Just as the beast was about to release its final blow, a flash of violet lightning shook the forest. In the blink of an eye, the monster's body was sliced into pieces. Its limbs scattered into the air before hitting the ground in a cloud of scorched smoke.
From the thick dust, a man descended with a majestic, quiet impact. He wore a long black coat that billowed in the wind. In his right hand, he held a sword with a golden hilt; in his left, a black scabbard adorned with golden engravings. He stood with his back to the students, his vibrant orange hair shimmering under the fading light.
He didn't say a word. He didn't turn around. He simply stood there amidst the wreckage, a presence powerful enough to silence the world.
Everyone held their breath...
To be continued