Chapter 2:Zephyr is a Sishinken!

The journey to the Fire Shrine was grueling. The Shishinken warriors moved swiftly, pushing through thick forests and treacherous cliffs, guided only by Zephyr's instinct. The land itself felt restless—unnatural heat waves swept through the air, and the trees, once lush, had begun to wither.

The world was changing.

Yet, as they traveled, Kael couldn't shake a thought from his mind. Zephyr—who was he, truly? His sword carried an energy unlike any other, yet he had no knowledge of the Shishinken. He wasn't an enemy, that much was clear. But if he wasn't one of them, why did his presence feel so familiar?

The Fire Shrine

By the time they reached the Fire Shrine, the air shimmered with intense heat. The ancient temple, once a monument of balance, was now crumbling. Flames raged along its pillars, twisting unnaturally, as if resisting an unseen force.

"This place…" Zephyr muttered, stepping forward. His fingers brushed against the cracked stone, and suddenly—

A surge of energy flooded his body.

His vision blurred. Images flashed in his mind—scenes of warriors long past, wielding the same power as the Shishinken. A battle against darkness. A prophecy. And at the center of it all... himself.

Zephyr staggered back, his breath heavy.

"What the hell was that…?"

Kael rushed to his side. "Zephyr?"

"I…" Zephyr clutched his head. His heart pounded. He didn't understand, but something inside him did.

Before he could speak, a violent quake shook the ground. The flames of the shrine flared wildly, and from within the temple, a deep, guttural voice echoed:

"You are not meant to exist."

A monstrous figure emerged—an Abyssal Knight, wreathed in black fire.

The Shishinken warriors immediately took battle stances.

Kael glared. "Looks like we've got company."

Zephyr, still reeling from his vision, watched as his hand trembled. His sword—his very existence—felt different.

And then, in the chaos of battle, it happened.

As Kael and the others clashed with the Abyssal Knight, Zephyr felt something snap within him. His blade ignited—not with ordinary fire, but with a radiant, golden energy. His movements sharpened, his senses heightened.

And then he heard it.

A voice—not from the shrine, not from the battle, but from within himself.

"You are one of us."

Zephyr's breath hitched. His body moved instinctively, his attacks flowing as if he had fought a hundred battles before. The Abyssal Knight recoiled, sensing something new—something powerful.

Kael's eyes widened. "Zephyr… what are you?"

Zephyr didn't answer. He didn't know. But in that moment, as his blade cut through the darkness, something became clear.

He wasn't just a traveler.

He wasn't just a warrior.

He was a Shishinken.

And this was only the beginning