"There's one thing I can't take from anyone," Jackson growled, his voice breaking through the crushing weight pressing on him. His teeth clenched, his eyes burning with fury. "And that's an insult to my face!"
With a surge of anger, Jackson forced himself upright, his legs trembling but refusing to bend. His voice rang out with raw defiance, shaking the silence of the gate.
The bald trial master stroked his beard, his expression shifting from mockery to approval.
"Hmmm… not bad. Not bad at all. Such rare talents, all of you. You may proceed to the second trial."
The heavy Renshical pressure lifted. Jackson gasped for air, his chest heaving as he staggered forward. His body shook, but his spirit burned brighter than ever. Slowly, he crossed the gate.
On the other side, Alfie and Sasaki waited beneath the looming shadow of the second gate.
"What are you two doing just standing there?" Jackson asked, his voice still weak but steady.
"I came here and found him standing at this spot," Alfie answered, tilting his head toward Sasaki. "He said he was waiting for us."
Jackson paused, glancing at Sasaki, who kept his usual calm expression. "…Thanks for that, Mister Sasaki."
The second gate opened wide with a grinding echo.
"Master… she's not here?" Jackson's eyes darted across the empty courtyard.
"She already cleared all the trials," Alfie replied with a smirk. "These things are just warm-ups for Master."
Before they could move further, a towering figure stepped out of the shadows. An eight-foot-tall man in a black Shinra cape—though unlike the others, his hood was down. A long scar ran diagonally across his face, making his presence even more intimidating.
"So it seems we've got three of you this time," he said, his deep voice booming. "Good. Saves me the trouble. I don't have the time to fight you one by one, and besides—" his lips curled into a smirk, "—facing kids in single combat would be far too embarrassing."
"Hey, Mr. Scar Face," Alfie shot back, eyes narrowing. "Then stop wasting time and get this over with."
The man chuckled darkly. "Such big words… from such a little boy. Very well. Come at me—all of you."
He reached over his back and drew out a massive scythe, its curved blade glinting under the faint glow of the Ashura torches.
Without hesitation, Sasaki vanished in an instant, using Switch Mode to reappear directly in front of the man. He conjured a blade of pure Renshi and slashed upward with devastating force.
At the same time, Alfie and Jackson darted in from the flanks, aiming to corner their foe.
The scarred man blocked Sasaki's strike with the haft of his scythe, sparks scattering from the collision. His speed was frightening—before Alfie and Jackson's strikes could land, he twisted into Switch Mode, reappearing behind them in a flash.
"Not bad," the man muttered, his voice carrying a rare hint of respect. "You've got teamwork. I'm impressed."
Then he moved again, faster than their eyes could track. His Switch Mode came in waves, appearing and vanishing from every angle, attacking them with relentless precision.
Sasaki gritted his teeth, countering each blow he could, his movements sharp as he tried to shield Alfie and Jackson. His blade clashed again and again with the scythe, each strike heavier than the last.
Seeing an opening, Sasaki hurled his Renshi blade toward Alfie.
"Use this!"
Alfie caught it midair, his grip steady despite the blade's foreign energy. Sasaki conjured another weapon instantly and threw it to Jackson.
The moment Jackson's hands closed around the hilt, the blade exploded with violent energy. His body convulsed as the sword shattered into shards of red light. Jackson collapsed instantly, gasping, his body twitching before he went completely still.
"Jack!" Alfie shouted, rushing toward him.
The scarred man lowered his scythe, his sharp gaze narrowing at Sasaki.
"You fool. Are you that inexperienced? How could you hand over your Renshical weapon to another user—especially a kid?!"
His voice thundered across the field. "A Renshi weapon is a fragment of your own energy, bound to you alone. To anyone else, it's poison."
The man crouched beside Jackson, whose body was burning hot, sweat dripping down his face. His temperature soared unnaturally high.
"He's been poisoned by your Renshi," the man said coldly. "His body isn't strong enough to handle another's personalized weapon. He'll die if nothing's done."
In an instant, the man lifted Jackson easily with one arm. "Come. We're heading to the healers."
Sasaki took the boy from him, carrying him carefully. Alfie, though still gripping Sasaki's blade, followed closely.
"…How are you still holding on to that sword?" the scarred man asked Alfie, genuinely curious. "Any normal child would've collapsed by now."
Alfie looked down at the blade glowing faintly in his hand, his eyes filled with confusion. "…I have no idea myself."
The man said nothing, only turned and led them into Ashura.
The gates opened to reveal a sprawling, breathtaking kingdom. Tall buildings lined the streets, glowing with electric light. Auction houses, shops, and towers rose skyward, bustling with activity. Music drifted from corners, blending with the chatter of countless Shinras that filled the streets.
For a moment, Alfie and Sasaki both froze, stunned by the sight. This was no savage battlefield—Ashura was a civilization, alive and thriving.
"What happened to Jack?"
Lucy's voice cut from behind, sharp and commanding. The three turned to find her standing there, her presence calm but heavy.
"Master! You just disappeared—then reappeared out of nowhere!" Alfie exclaimed.
The sword in his hand flickered, then dissolved into fragments of light, vanishing completely.
"Sasaki gave Jack his sword… and then boom, he fell unconscious," Alfie explained quickly.
"You idiot," Lucy snapped at Sasaki, her tone icy. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Sasaki's eyes narrowed slightly, confusion slipping into his stoic face.
Lucy didn't wait for an answer. She drew her horse from her storage ring, mounted swiftly, and pulled Jackson up onto it. Without another word, she galloped down the street toward the hospital.
The scarred man motioned for Alfie and Sasaki to follow. "Come. Quickly."
They pushed through the crowded kingdom until they reached a massive white structure—the Ashura Hospital. It towered ten floors high, its outer walls etched with runes of healing Renshi.
Inside, the scarred man approached a nurse. "Has a woman brought in a boy?"
The young woman bowed slightly. "Yes, sir. Third floor. She's waiting there."
They entered a teleportation ring, light consuming them as they were lifted directly to the third floor.
There, they found Lucy seated calmly by Jackson's bedside. To their shock, Jackson was already awake, his face pale but his eyes alert.
"Hey, Jack," Alfie said with a grin of relief. "Don't go falling like that again, you might hurt your head next time."
Jackson grimaced, rubbing his temple. "Too late. My head already feels like it's about to explode…"
"Enough chat," Lucy said, rising from her chair. "We're leaving."
"Wait, ma'am," the healer spoke up, stepping closer in her white uniform, the Ashura insignia shining on her chest. "I must confirm the boy's condition before he leaves. He may not be ready to walk on his own—"
"He'll handle himself," Lucy cut her off. "The headache is just a side effect. Nothing will change that now. He'll recover—with time. And that time will be with me."
She turned sharply, leading her group out of the room.
But behind them, the scarred man lingered. His eyes narrowed with suspicion. He turned to the healer.
"…Excuse me. May I ask you a question?"
"Of course," she replied, setting her clipboard aside.
"Did you heal the boy?"
The healer shook her head immediately. "No. I never touched him. When the woman brought him in, he was unconscious. After she explained it was Renshical sickness