The Trial of Endurance

Hiritsu gasped for air, his body still aching from the journey as he stepped onto the shore of Takuma's island.

But before he could even process his arrival-

A sharp blade pressed against his throat.

His breath hitched.

His body froze.

A voice, low and cold as death, whispered beside him.

"Who are you?"

Hiritsu's eyes darted to the attacker-a black-haired figure, his face partially concealed, glowing orange eyes piercing through the shadows.

The intensity of his presence was suffocating.

More terrifying was the fact that Hiritsu had felt nothing-not a trace of an aura, not a whisper of movement-until the blade was already at his throat.

For a moment, he simply stared.

Then, mustering his voice, he replied,

"I'm Hiritsu... Who are you? And can you get this knife away from me?"

A brief silence.

Then, the man pulled the blade back without a word.

Hiritsu exhaled sharply, stepping back.

This man-his aura was monstrous.

But it wasn't suffocating like Akemi's.

It was like a void, as if he had erased his very presence.

A chill ran down Hiritsu's spine.

The man then made quick, deliberate hand gestures-follow me.

Without speaking, Hiritsu obeyed, trailing behind as they moved deeper into the island.

Before long, they arrived at the heart of the island-a massive castle, its towering walls surrounded by an expansive garden filled with training grounds, weapons, and mystical artifacts.

And standing in the center-

A girl, silent and still, her presence overwhelming.

Hiritsu didn't need to ask.

He already knew.

Akemi.

Even from a distance, her aura dwarfed everything around her.

And yet, standing beside her, completely unbothered, was an older man with stark white hair-Takuma Sensei.

With a booming voice, the legendary mage spoke.

"I will be training you all for the next two years. No breaks-unless you achieve something worthy.

Now, let's get to know each other.

I'm Takuma. Nice to meet you."

Akemi and Hiritsu introduced themselves.

But Hiritsu's eyes lingered on the man who brought him here.

Even now, he couldn't feel a single trace of his aura.

It was as if he didn't exist.

Then, with a low, menacing voice, the man finally spoke.

"Hi. I'm Aiki."

Takuma Sensei exhaled, his sharp gaze sweeping across the three warriors before him.

"From here on out, your training might be life or death. You should be ready for everything that can come at you-you should be ready to destroy anything."

His voice carried absolute authority.

"I don't know your powers yet, so I want to see them at their maximum. For your first training-spread out across the island.

The first to touch me wins."

His lips curled into a smirk.

"Good luck. Because you'll need it."

Before they could react, Takuma vanished, appearing in different locations within an instant.

One by one, he placed them in separate corners of the triangular island, far from each other.

Then, the trial began.

Akemi's Approach: Overwhelming Force

Akemi didn't hesitate-she knew it wouldn't be as simple as just touching him, but she was never one to hold back.

"I'll just get to him first."

In a flash, she bolted forward, her raw power sending shockwaves through the jungle.

Trees splintered in her wake, the ground quaked under her strength.

Speed.

Power.

Destruction.

But brute force alone wasn't enough.

Hiritsu's Strategy: Control the Battlefield

Hiritsu, however, wasn't foolish enough to rush in blindly.

He tracked Akemi's immense mana, allowing him to sense exactly where she was at all times.

But the real issue?

Aiki was completely undetectable.

So, Hiritsu adapted.

"If I can't sense Aiki, I'll just control the battlefield."

He reached the open garden, just as Akemi arrived.

Without a second thought, he raised a massive stone wall around Takuma Sensei's location, forcing the battlefield into a tight area. If he could break Sensei's magic first, he could touch him.

But Akemi wasn't about to let him take control.

Akemi smirked, eyes glowing with excitement.

Without hesitation, she launched a devastating blast straight at Hiritsu.

BOOM!

Hiritsu barely dodged, countering with a barrage of fire and earth magic, forcing her back.

They clashed again and again, unleashing powerful attacks that shook the island.

But this time-

Akemi wasn't fighting with rage.

She wasn't trying to kill him.

She was having fun.

And because of that, she held back just enough-yet still overpowered him.

Hiritsu gritted his teeth.

"Damn it-she's still stronger."

And in their heated battle-

They completely ignored one thing.

Where was Aiki?

Just as they both prepared to unleash their strongest attacks-

They were slammed into the ground.

Neither had sensed it.

A crushing force pulled them down, pinning them beneath a wave of pure gravity magic.

Takuma Sensei stood above them, laughing.

"You're both powerful, but you're not focused.

You're not using your brains the right way."

Hiritsu and Akemi gritted their teeth in frustration.

Then-Takuma turned back and spoke.

"You did well, Aiki."

Aiki stood a few feet away-his face unreadable, his eyes cold.

Takuma's expression, however, hardened.

"Yes, you hid your aura completely.

But your killing intent? It's always obvious.

I could sense it from a mile away.

You need to control it."

Aiki clenched his fists.

He looked down at the ground, his frustration visible.

He was always close.

Always so close.

But he never won.

"Gather around, students,"

Takuma commanded, his sharp gaze scanning them.

"You're skilled in magic, and your physical abilities aren't bad either-but you still have a long way to go.

At sunrise tomorrow, be ready"

He turned to Akemi and Hiritsu.

"Since it's your first time here..."

Then, shifting his eyes to Aiki, he continued,

"Show them their rooms.

You've already settled in, so make sure they get a proper tour."

As the sun set, everyone retired to their separate rooms-except for one.

Takuma sat awake, his mind restless.

That dark mana... It shouldn't exist anymore.

And yet, he had felt it.

To ensure the island's safety, he rose to his feet, weaving an immense spell that cloaked the entire land in invisibility.

No one would find them-not tonight.

He didn't sleep.

He couldn't.

The Next Morning

At sunrise,

Aiki was the first to appear, standing in silence, waiting.

Ten minutes later,

Hiritsu arrived, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Twenty minutes later,

Akemi stomped onto the training field, irritation written all over her face.

Takuma chuckled.

"You look like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"I hate mornings,"

she grumbled.

He laughed.

"You'll get used to it. Now, let's start with a warm-up."

Hiritsu stretched his arms.

"Alright. What's the warm-up?"

Takuma's lips curled into a smirk.

"Simple. Ten hours of running."

Both Hiritsu and Akemi stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Ten hours?!"

Without a word, Aiki took off running.

He knew better than to argue.

Hiritsu and Akemi were still protesting when the ground trembled.

A massive stone golem emerged behind them, its eyes glowing with an eerie light.

Takuma folded his arms.

"Run.

The golem will chase you at full speed for ten hours.

If you try to split up, it will multiply."

His smirk deepened.

"And if it catches you... it kills you."

Akemi and Hiritsu didn't need to be told twice.

They ran.

Takuma watched, his voice carrying across the field.

"Now, the real training begins."