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 portal shimmered behind them before snapping shut with a low hum.

Jinsei stood tall, his violet Will aura slowly intensifying around him. Dense jungle stretched before them—lush, shadowed, and pulsing with corrupted energy. The Wild Zone they'd entered was part of the Outer Fracture, home to unstable Essence Beasts and long-abandoned ruins from before the Fracture.

"This is it," Jinsei said, scanning the area. "Formation Echo. Aiko and Haru, take the trees and scout from above. Kaito and Nami, hold the flanks. Daiki—you're with me."

The group moved swiftly, trained and disciplined.

But the moment they stepped past the treeline, the forest came alive with hostile energy.

Beasts emerged—hulking, grotesque fusions of corrupted elemental creatures. One lunged at Aiko from the canopy. She flipped back mid-air, unleashing a blast of flame that scorched it mid-pounce.

"First contact!" Haru shouted. "At least eight!"

Kaito's electricity lit up the underbrush as he launched into battle, crackling bolts arcing around him. Daiki slammed his fists into the ground, raising walls of stone to protect their healer, Nami.

Jinsei's blade came alive with light as he moved through the chaos, cutting down one beast with surgical precision, his Will reinforcing every strike.

But as he fought, something felt… wrong.

A presence. Cold, calculating. Not a beast.

Jinsei's head snapped toward the shadows. There—beyond the trees—a figure stood. Cloaked in black, with a porcelain mask and a flickering crimson Will, unlike anything he'd seen before.

The figure raised a single hand—and the beasts immediately retreated, as if obeying a command.

"What…?" Jinsei narrowed his eyes. "They're listening to him?"

The masked figure turned, disappearing into the forest.

Jinsei made his decision instantly. "Daiki, you're in charge! I'm going after him!"

Before anyone could protest, Jinsei was already sprinting through the forest, weaving between trees, vaulting over roots and rocks, his Will heightening every sense.

Branches whipped past his face. His pulse pounded.

The figure stayed just ahead—always visible for a moment, then gone again. Luring him.

Jinsei knew it was a trap. But he didn't care.

Finally, the forest opened up into a wide stone ruin—ancient carvings glowing faintly along the walls. The masked figure stood in the center, waiting.

Jinsei skidded to a stop, drawing his blade fully. "Who are you?! Why are the beasts following you?!"

Instead, he drew a weapon of his own—an obsidian-bladed spear crackling with tainted Will.

"You shouldn't have followed me, boy," the voice said, distorted and laced with venom. "Now Kael's little shadow will die in his place."

He stepped forward, eyes glowing with focused Will.

Chapter 48: The Shadow Beyond the Rift