The First Blood (rewritten)

After so many years of training, it was understandable that Yan felt anxious for his first real battle.

Seeing the determined look on her son's face, Helena knew that no argument would convince him to stay home that day.

"But at least don't go alone. Let your sister go with you, alright?"

Looking at his mother, whose expression carried a trace of concern, he simply nodded.

"Yes, Mom. I won't go alone for my first battle."

No matter how well trained he was, a real fight—against an enemy trying to kill him—was far more dangerous than any sparring session with his mother or sister.

"Well, now all I need is a decent sword..."

Yan muttered, remembering that he had never used a real weapon before. Until now, all his training had been with durable wooden swords.

"Hmm... you're right. Hold on a second, I'll be right back."

Standing up, Helena left the room and returned shortly after. In her hands, wrapped in a dark, ornate cloth, was the clear silhouette of a sword.

"This is my gift to you, my son."

Yan received the weapon with reverence, as if holding a precious treasure.

Carefully unwrapping it, he was greeted by a single-edged, opaque violet blade that radiated sharpness. The straight crossguard was black, with a small dark crystal embedded in its center, paired with a matching hilt.

"It's beautiful... Mom, I don't know how to thank you."

Helena smiled and gently ran her fingers through his hair.

"Then don't thank me. Just come home safely."

---

The access road leading to the Containment Zone was silent, almost solemn. Yan and Aurora walked side by side, not exchanging many words. It was the kind of silence that didn't need to be broken—they both knew what was coming.

At the end of the trail, surrounded by arcane-tech containment structures, lay an artificial training valley. It was there that most first real combat missions took place, always under the direct supervision of the Complex's instructors.

Two supervisors awaited them. One of them, an old warrior named Merek, wore a timeworn armor reinforced with magical plates and an expression hardened by boredom and age.

"You got here fast," he said, eyeing the siblings. His gaze lingered on Yan. "So this is the boy Helena's always shielding..."

Yan bowed respectfully. "It's an honor."

Merek grunted. "Don't thank me yet. You'll be facing a Grade 1 Dimensional Beast, wild type. A mutated wolf that tore through a rift near the northern forest zone. It's been contained and sedated just enough to stabilize its energy levels."

Aurora frowned. "The report said this was just a simulated exercise."

"It was," Merek replied, "until we found the perfect prey for a promising rookie. Relax, girl. It's right on the edge of his level… maybe slightly above."

Yan didn't flinch. He tightened his grip around the sword.

"I accept."

---

The containment arena was a circular space, enclosed by magical structures designed to suppress the energy of dangerous creatures. In the center, bound by golden rune-engraved chains, the Dimensional Beast thrashed with wild eyes and froth dripping from its gaping jaws.

It was the size of a bull, with thick gray skin mottled with black spots, and a segmented tail that whipped like a venomous lash. Its eyes were pure white—void of reason, brimming with hunger.

"It's already unstable," said the other instructor. "Once we release the chains, it'll attack mindlessly. No tactics. Just instinct."

"Perfect," Yan replied as he stepped into the arena. "Just like I trained for."

Aurora remained outside, watching silently, though her fist was clenched tight. She knew how hard Yan had trained. She knew his strength. But even so, this was different. This was **real**.

The sound of chains unlocking echoed through the field.

The Beast roared—a guttural, warped sound—and lunged forward with terrifying speed.

Yan instinctively stepped back, raising his sword. The first impact pushed him backward, but he held his ground.

*"Fast. Heavy. Stronger than me… but not unbeatable."*

The Beast charged again, swiping with its claws. Yan pivoted to the side, making his violet blade glide across the creature's flank. A deep cut—but not fatal.

It shrieked in pain, but didn't slow down. The pain only made it more vicious.

"It feels no fear…" Yan muttered, narrowly dodging a wide tail swipe. "Only rage."

The fight continued. One wrong step nearly cost Yan his arm, but he rolled under the Beast's belly and struck again, this time at the hind legs. Dark blood spilled across the arena floor, but the monster still stood.

*Pure instinct. Raw force. No intelligence...*

That's what Yan had to rely on.

Using the environment to his advantage, he began provoking the creature, luring its attacks toward a spot where two containment pillars intersected. The energy there was unstable—a faint shock field buzzed between them.

With a well-timed leap, Yan baited the Beast toward the exact point—and at the last second, he dodged.

The creature's body slammed into the energy field, jolted by a surge of electricity. It staggered, legs trembling.

*Now's the time.*

Yan rushed in, sword in hand, and with a cry, slashed deep across the creature's neck. The violet blade flared as it pierced the thick flesh and severed the spine.

The Beast collapsed.

Silence.

Panting, Yan stood still for a moment, staring at the lifeless body. Blood dripped from his blade, mixing with the sweat pouring down his face.

Merek was the first to speak.

"...That was better than I expected."

Aurora ran to him, her eyes wide with pride and relief.

"You did it."

"Just barely," Yan replied with a tired smile. "It really was stronger."

"But you were smarter," she added.

The old Merek approached, arms crossed.

"You've got the courage. And now, you've got real blood on your hands. Starting today, kid… you're no longer just a trainee."

Yan looked down at his sword. The black crystal embedded in the guard pulsed faintly, as if responding to the fight.

He took a deep breath.

This was the first.

But far from the last.