Nato7

The story picks up six years after Kael Renji, the hero who defeated the infamous Kurojin Tsukiro, secured peace in the world. Now 24, Kael is a symbol of hope and power, having built a thriving city where new Wielders can train and grow. However, this peaceful world is far from perfect. A new generation of young Wielders is emerging, born from the previous heroes and their legacy, but the challenges they face are unlike anything before.

Renzo, an 11-year-old prodigy, is Kael's apprentice, skipping primary school to become a 1st Wielder, and is ready to face the intense trials of their new system of Wielders. The next generation—composed of the children of Kael, Hana, Ryuu, Tetsu, and the others—is inheriting their parents' power and skills, but with new threats looming, they must adapt to a world that demands not just strength but wisdom.

The world has evolved since the Fracture, with new, unpredictable dangers arising. A new system for the Wielders is in place, one that tests them on a deeper level, requiring not only raw power but a mastery of complex, elemental Wills. The trials ahead are brutal, and the children of the past heroes must face not just battles, but their own inner struggles, as the weight of their parents' legacies pushes them to their limits.

As Kael leads this new generation into an era of challenges, they will have to confront dark forces, both external and internal. From monstrous beasts to internal betrayals, these young Wielders must fight for their place in a world where the line between hero and villain has become more blurred than ever. And while Kael watches over them as their leader, he must also grapple with

Shadowborn: Legacy of the Next Will

The air trembled as the final match of the Celestial Combat Crown began.

Renzo and Reika stood on opposite ends of the shifting stone platforms, both perfectly still as the opening bell echoed through the arena.

Reika struck first. A spiral of razor wind burst from her position, arching across the space with calculated grace. Renzo leapt sideways, flipping to a lower platform, the wind grazing past him and slicing a deep scar into the stone.

"She's not holding back," Kael murmured from the stands, eyes narrowed.

Reika's next move came fast. She spun midair, unleashing a hail of ice darts mixed within miniature cyclones. Renzo raised his Will just in time—his aura flaring as he deflected the barrage with rapid bursts of momentum control, redirecting the projectiles into the water below.

"She's testing him," Kaede muttered beside Kael, arms folded. "She wants to draw out his rhythm."

"She'll find out soon enough," Kael replied.

Renzo didn't counter immediately. He waited. Measured.

With a crack of wind, he vanished from sight. His Step Technique blurred through the platforms as he reappeared inches from Reika, launching a low kick aimed at destabilizing her footing.

She caught it with a sudden gust, lifting herself above it and blasting him back with compressed air.

They clashed midair. Fist against blade. Wind against momentum. Two forces, equal in skill, colliding again and again.

Ayato gripped Maiya's arm. "Renzo's fast!"

Maiya nodded, tense. "So is she. This could go either way…"

Reika landed gracefully on a tall platform, breathing evenly. A shard of frost formed in her hand, extending into a thin rapier of ice. "Show me everything, Renzo," she called across the arena.

Renzo smirked slightly. "Only if you can keep up."

They launched toward each other again.

The storm intensified—sweeping winds, falling debris, flashes of pressure and cold. Spectators leaned forward, mesmerized.

The two finalists weren't just fighting.

They were dancing through combat—one forged by Kael's strict guidance, the other shaped by Kaede's silent precision.

And as the bell signaling the halfway point rang out…

The match was only just beginning.

Chapter 44: Blades of Wind, Eyes of Steel