The village of Kazemai nestles at the foot of Mount Ryuuzen—a remote place rarely touched by outsiders. Surrounded by dense forests and steep cliffs, the village feels hidden from the clamor of civilization. Every morning, a thin mist drapes the cobblestone streets like a silken veil.
At the edge of the village stands a forge named Kagerou no Ya. A simple building with a red-tiled roof and dark wooden walls. In front hangs a wooden signboard bearing the shop's name in carvings that have nearly faded. Though its appearance is modest, the shop has earned a rising reputation in recent years.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The rhythmic sound of a hammer striking glowing metal echoes from within the forge. Each blow sends wild sprays of red-orange sparks flying, illuminating the dim space like tiny fireflies. The heat from the furnace makes the air shimmer.
Before the blazing hearth stands a nineteen-year-old youth. His posture is relaxed yet utterly focused—every movement of his hands precise, measured, without the slightest hesitation. Long black hair covers nearly his entire face, hiding even his eyes behind dark strands.
Strangely, though his vision is completely obscured by his hair, the young man's hands move with perfect accuracy—as if he can clearly see every detail of the sword he is forging. No mistakes. No uncertainty. Only steady, rhythmic strikes following a cadence only he understands.
He is Lu Noah.
Sweat beads on his forehead, trickling slowly down his temple before dripping to the floor. Yet his expression remains calm. After the final blow, he lifts the newly finished sword with a fluid motion and plunges it into the trough of cold water beside him.
TSSSHHH!
Hot steam billows upward, filling the room with white mist that gradually dissipates. Noah carefully raises the sword, his eyes—though hidden—examining every curve of the blade with meticulous care. The metal gleams perfectly. The temper lines are fine and precise. Not a single flaw.
A faint smile touches the corner of his lips.
"Heh, as always, my work is exceptional," he mutters with a soft chuckle, praising himself without a trace of doubt.
Though it sounds arrogant, his words are no lie. Every sword he forges is of the highest quality—surpassing even the work of professional blacksmiths with decades of experience. No one knows how a young man whose hair covers his eyes can create such beautiful and strong blades, yet the proof stands before them.
Once certain the sword has fully cooled, Noah carries it with casual steps to the front of the shop.
"Sir, the order is complete," Noah says flatly, handing the sword to a middle-aged man with a thick mustache seated behind the counter.
The man is Bi Takeru, owner of the weapon shop Kagerou no Ya.
Takeru accepts the sword carefully, his eyes shining with admiration as he inspects Noah's work. He turns it slowly, examining every angle of the blade.
"Magnificent as always, Noah," Takeru praises sincerely. "Let's show it to the customer."
"You go ahead. I'm going to get some water," Noah replies.
Takeru walks toward the waiting area at the front of the shop.
There stand two women who appear anything but ordinary.
The first is a young woman dressed neatly in deep blue robes adorned with golden embroidery at the collar and sleeves. Her silver hair is tied high in a tidy ponytail, revealing a beautiful yet cold face. Her gaze is sharp, like an eagle watching prey. The aura she exudes is powerful—even standing still, her presence feels oppressive.
Beside her stands a shorter woman with short brown hair and an athletic build. A long sword in a black scabbard hangs at her waist.
Takeru approaches them with a friendly smile and presents the sword to the silver-haired woman.
"Here is your order, Miss. Please inspect it."
The silver-haired woman takes the sword in one hand. She turns it slowly, examining the blade, hilt, and balance with a trained eye. She scrutinizes every detail—from the curve of the edge to the sharpness of the tip.
After a moment, she nods slowly.
"Hmm… excellent. Exactly as I requested," she murmurs softly, clearly satisfied. Then she looks at Takeru. "May I test its strength?"
Takeru nods without hesitation. "Of course. We stand fully behind the quality of our products."
The brown-haired woman steps forward silently. She draws her sword with a swift, practiced motion, producing a sharp ring that echoes through the room.
SRING!
Without hesitation, she swings her blade with full force toward Noah's sword.
CLAAANNG!
The clash of steel resounds loudly, making the shop windows rattle. Everyone falls silent, watching what happens next.
The brown-haired woman's sword is knocked violently from her grip, flying backward and clattering to the floor.
CLANG!
Meanwhile, Noah's sword remains intact in the silver-haired woman's hand—not a single scratch or mark. There is not even a tremor felt in her grasp.
Both women pause for a moment, then a faint smile appears on the silver-haired woman's face.
"Truly an extraordinary sword," she says with genuine satisfaction. "Just as I heard—this place produces the finest work."
She produces a pouch of gold coins from her bag and hands it to Takeru.
"Very well. I'll take it. Here is payment."
Takeru accepts the money with slightly trembling hands from excitement. The amount far exceeds the price he quoted—a truly generous payment.
"Th-thank you very much, Miss!" Takeru says, bowing respectfully.
The two women nod briefly and leave the shop with graceful steps.
After they depart, Takeru lets out a long sigh while staring in disbelief at the gold coins in his hand.
*I'm truly grateful I took that boy in as a blacksmith,* he thinks to himself.
Takeru remembers nine years ago.
*Back then, this shop was dead quiet. The swords I made were poor quality—many customers were disappointed and never returned. Some even demanded refunds because my blades broke easily. I was nearly bankrupt… debts piled up, and I was on the verge of closing the shop.*
*Until one day, a ten-year-old boy with long hair covering his face came in. He asked permission to forge a sword here.*
*At first I was skeptical. How could a child that young forge a sword? He could barely be seen behind all that hair! But since I had nothing to lose—and I was desperate—I let him try. I even warned him sternly, "If you get hurt, it's your own responsibility. Don't blame me."*
*But the boy just smiled confidently and said calmly, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."*
*I was utterly shocked watching him work. His face was so calm—too calm for a child his age. No hesitation, no mistakes, not even fear of the hot fire or heavy hammer. In less than two hours, using only the scrap materials in my shop, he produced a high-quality sword!*
*I… was completely speechless. The boy said he wanted to forge swords here to earn a living. Seeing his extraordinary talent—no, his outright genius—I accepted him without a second thought.*
*And now… that boy is nineteen years old.*
"What are you thinking about?"
Takeru startles. Noah has suddenly appeared behind him with his usual flat expression.
"Your face looks weird… like someone having lewd daydreams," Noah says with a wide grin.
"What kind of way is that to talk to your own boss?!" Takeru snaps.
"Haha, I'm just stating facts," Noah replies casually, folding his arms across his chest.
Then his expression turns slightly serious—though his eyes remain hidden behind his hair.
"By the way… those two weren't ordinary people, were they?"
Takeru frowns. "How did you know? You were in the back."
"Their presence alone was enough to tell me they're no commoners," Noah answers with a shrug. "The aura they gave off was different—denser, more refined."
Takeru sighs deeply. "Yeah, you're right. They're from Zentaris Academy."
"Zentaris Academy?" Noah raises an eyebrow—or at least it looks like he does beneath his hair. "What's that?"
Takeru stares at him in disbelief. "Looking at your face, it's clear you know nothing about the outside world."
"Then explain it," Noah says casually, as if he doesn't really care.
Takeru takes a deep breath and begins speaking seriously.
"Fifty years ago," Takeru starts, "a mysterious figure of immense power appeared—so powerful that none of the strongest martial schools of the time could defeat him. Even the combined might of the ten greatest masters couldn't lay a scratch on him."
"He was known as 'The Entity'—an invincible being whose very name made people tremble in fear."
Noah listens with a flat expression, though a hint of interest glints in his eyes.
Takeru continues. "The Entity never showed his face. Both eyes were covered with a black cloth. No one knew who he was."
"What is certain is that his power defied reason. It is said that in a single battle, he could shatter entire mountains with one swing of his hand. He could vanish and reappear at will. No one could predict his movements."
"Many tried to defeat him—for justice, revenge, or simply fame. But all ended in crushing defeat. Some never returned."
Noah thinks for a moment. "So… what happened to him?"
"No one knows," Takeru replies, shaking his head. "Suddenly, The Entity vanished without a trace. No message, no clues, no signs. Since then, no one has ever seen him again."
"To this day, no one knows where he went. Some say he died. Others say he's merely hiding, waiting for the right moment to return."
Takeru sighs deeply. "After that incident, Zentaris Academy was founded—a special academy to train a new generation of powerful warriors. Its purpose is simple: so that if a similar threat ever emerges, the world will have people capable of facing it."
Noah listens with his usual flat expression, seemingly unimpressed.
"All of this is written in history books, Noah. Haven't you ever read them?" Takeru asks in surprise.
"Not interested," Noah answers curtly with a yawn.
Takeru sighs in frustration. "This kid…"
Takeru continues his explanation. "In this world, humans are born with Gi Energy in their bodies—a vital energy that flows like rivers within them. Gi is the source of power that allows people to manipulate natural elements such as fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, and so on."
"However, not everyone is born with Gi. Only about half the world's population possesses it. And even among those who do, only a small fraction can master it well."
"Mastering Gi is no easy feat," Takeru goes on. "Nature cannot be forced—it must be 'persuaded' to follow the user's will. This process requires years of training, extraordinary mental control, and deep understanding of the element one wishes to command."
"Those who perfectly master Gi are called Element Users, and they are the most feared and respected individuals in the world."
Noah nods slowly. "So… those two earlier were Element Users?"
"Most likely," Takeru answers. "The aura they emitted was incredibly strong. Especially the silver-haired one—I could feel the pressure from her presence alone."
"Oh yeah," Takeru suddenly says with excitement. "If I remember correctly, tomorrow is the enrollment day for new students at Zentaris Academy. Aren't you interested in going?"
Noah looks at him flatly. "Why would I?"
"To learn, you idiot!" Takeru exclaims. "There you could meet many talented people, learn fighting techniques, and—"
He pauses, then grins mischievously.
"—and they say there are lots of beautiful women there. Even those two earlier were beautiful, right? It'd be a shame if you—"
Takeru falls silent.
A chilling aura suddenly fills the room, making the temperature feel as though it has dropped sharply.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself quite a bit, don't you?"
A soft yet menacing voice comes from behind—a tone that sounds sweet but carries deadly threat beneath it.
Takeru immediately breaks into a cold sweat. He slowly turns, and there stands his wife with a gaze as sharp as an eagle ready to tear apart its prey.
The woman is Yu Rin—Takeru's wife and a formerly renowned swordswoman. Though nearly fifty years old, her beauty still shines clearly. Her long black hair is tied neatly, and though her expression is gentle, a dangerous aura emanates from her.
"M-my wife… when did you get here?" Takeru asks with a trembling voice.
"Does that matter?" Rin smiles—a smile that looks utterly terrifying to Takeru.
"I can explain! I said that to motivate this kid to join Zentaris Academy! Don't you feel sorry for Noah? He's never left the village!" Takeru defends himself in panic.
Rin pauses, then sighs deeply. "Hmm… you do have a point."
She looks at Noah with a gentle gaze—starkly contrasting her look at Takeru.
"Noah, you've never left the village, have you? Don't you want to go out and see the world?"
Noah regards her with his flat expression. "Do I have to?"
"Sigh… you really are something," Rin sighs while shaking her head. "Aren't you bored staying here forever? You're already nineteen! It's time you saw the outside world and learned new things!"
"I can learn by buying books," Noah replies with simple logic. "Why bother going there? It's no different from here."
Rin smiles faintly.
"It's clearly different. It's vast, full of talented people, and there are many interesting things you can't learn just from books."
She looks at Noah with a teasing gaze.
"Besides… don't you always claim you're the greatest genius in the world?"
Noah pauses for a moment.
Then he answers with complete confidence. "That's a fact. Is there anyone else in the world who could forge high-quality swords at age ten? Of course not. Only me. I've been a genius since birth."
Rin chuckles softly at Noah's extraordinary self-assurance.
"Still as arrogant as ever," she says with an amused smile. "Very well, then prove you're truly a genius! Make the whole world recognize you. If you really are the greatest genius, you can do it, right?"
Noah thinks briefly, then answers casually. "That's easy. I'll just cause chaos in the world, and everyone will know my name."
*This kid's thinking is truly beyond normal!* Takeru and Rin think simultaneously while clutching their aching heads.
"That's not what I mean," Rin says with a long sigh. "I mean prove your talent the right way—with real achievements."
Noah frowns slightly. "So… you want me to make everyone acknowledge I'm the greatest genius by entering that academy? In other words, you want me to become the strongest and smartest there?"
"Exactly!" Rin exclaims enthusiastically. "If you're truly a genius, you can do it. But if you're the only one saying it without real proof, it means nothing."
Noah pauses briefly, then a faint smile appears on his face.
"Hmm… sounds interesting," he says slowly.
Noah laughs loudly. "Haha! Alright, I'll go."
Then his expression turns slightly worried. "Wait… don't tell me I have to leave right now?"
Rin smiles widely. "Of course! New student registration starts tomorrow morning! And I'm curious… can you really become the strongest? There are so many talented students there, you know."
Noah laughs heartily with full confidence. "Haha! That's even better! The more talented people there are, the more challenging it will be to become the strongest!"
He looks at Rin and Takeru with a gaze brimming with powerful self-assurance.
"If others need ten or even dozens of years to become the strongest… I, Lu Noah, will only need one year!"
Rin chuckles again at Noah's extraordinary confidence.
"Yes, yes… whatever you say," Rin says with a gentle smile. "You're already like a son to me. For some reason, I'm worried."
Noah smiles faintly.
"Unfortunately, you're not my mother. And I'm not interested in finding a replacement."
"You little—!" Rin laughs while shaking her head.
One hour later, Noah is ready to depart.
A horse-drawn carriage stops in front of Kagerou no Ya. A simple carriage with a brown canvas roof, pulled by two strong black horses. The driver is an elderly man with a long beard who smiles kindly.
Noah boards calmly, carrying only a small bag containing a few changes of clothes, a little money, and a small notebook—everything he needs for the journey.
Before the carriage moves, he looks back.
Takeru and Rin stand in front of the shop.
Noah smiles faintly.
"I'll be fine," he says calmly yet confidently. "And what I said… I'll prove it."
The carriage begins to move slowly, leaving Kazemai Village with the clatter of wooden wheels on the cobblestone road.
Takeru puts an arm around his wife, who looks a little sad.
"Are you okay?" Takeru asks gently.
"Yes… just a bit lonely," Rin answers softly while watching the carriage grow distant. "He's already like my own child. But this is for his own good. If he stayed in this village forever, his future might be limited."
Takeru nods slowly. "I'm sure he'll be fine. After all, he's Lu Noah—the most arrogant yet most talented kid I've ever met."
Rin chuckles softly. "That's true."
◇ ◇ ◇
Atop the towering Mount Suji in the distance stands a large house and garden.
On the second floor, a young woman stands near a large window, gazing into the distance with a faint smile on her face.
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly smiling like that? You rarely smile this way," another woman asks as she approaches.
"For some reason… I feel incredibly happy today," the long-black-haired woman answers while continuing to stare. "It's rare for me to feel like this. It's as if… something exciting is about to happen."
"Hmm… not because we're entering Zentaris Academy tomorrow, is it?" the other asks curiously.
The woman pauses briefly, then smiles again—a smile filled with anticipation.
"Who knows. I don't even know what's making me so happy. But… I have a feeling that something interesting is about to begin."