My Tribrid System.

After much deliberation, the residents agreed to live with some Shadow Fang members, and Tahir left with his friends. Upon arriving at the dojo, Tahir and his friends took the liberty to bury Dreyfus close to Silver, as requested. After that, they all went for a drink, and that was when Tahir shared his plan.

"I now understand what he meant by the organization starting to divide and rule. My contact from the academy told me they were attacked immediately after we left. My best guess is the organization. It didn't stop there, as they split themselves up and created unions, or should I say factions?" Tahir said.

"A lot happened this holiday, right? What did the academy do after the attack?" Kris asked.

"Naturally, they fought back, but the academy wasn't alone. A lot of people have been plotting to disrupt world peace. To them, the world should be divided and ruled. Only the strongest would be allowed to live, increasing the chances of humans winning if the aliens decide to fight again," Tahir replied while sipping his drink.

"That's bullshit," Jude said, already half-drunk.

"Yeah, sadly, the world leaders agree—or rather, the majority didn't allow them to talk. I need us to create our own faction." Tahir finally broke his news.

"That is pretty sleek and cool, but how do you intend to do that? We are just military students until this holiday," Zahra said.

"That is true, but you all—or should I say we all—have potential and would be unbreakable. I contacted John, and he thinks this is cool and is in. I own the Shadow Fang, so I have pretty much everything we need. We only need land or a holding we can call ours," Tahir said.

"We aren't strong enough yet," Esha said.

"I'm also aware of that. We all have a year to grow stronger. After one year, we would all meet up and start our faction," Tahir said while playing with his dagger.

"It's going to be hard," Kris said.

"It definitely would be, even if we were to join another faction or guild," Tahir said.

"I'll be going somewhere far away to train. I hope that in a year's time I can finally become strong. Kris, I know your father is wealthy and power-hungry. Considering your ability, you should have ability books on almost every skill. Please take Jude and train him. Zahra, I believe you, Esha, and Cassy are well-suited together.

Train and become stronger than anything. With that said, I'd like to say we are now disbanded and will meet a year from now." Tahir stood up.

"You always come up with crazy ideas, but I trust you. See you in one year," Kris said as he opened a portal.

Sigh, I hope you become strong enough, Captain, Zahra said as she, Esha, and Cassy waved before leaving.

Immediately they left, Tahir felt a presence behind him. "Where are they? The three masters that would tell me everything about Kengen and train me?" Tahir asked.

"Coordinates have been sent to your watch. When you reach there, tell them you have come for a favor owed to you and that you were sent by the previous Shadow Fang leader. And make sure you stay alive," the Shadow Fang leader said before going to his room.

Activating the portal in an instant, Tahir was gone.

Tahir arrived on the other side and was hit with a cold gust.

"What is this place?" Tahir said aloud.

"This is Earth, but it seems he's up to it again, resulting in climate change," an old man dressed in a robe said while drinking.

"Who are you?" Tahir asked while preparing for an attack.

"I'm not an enemy. Were you sent here by him? Because they are the only ones with our coordinates."

"Yes, the previous Shadow Fang leader sent me here for a favor owed to them."

"Okay, meet us on that mountain," the man said before vanishing.

"Does he expect me to climb? How does he expect me to get there?" Tahir asked.

"You climb, fool. Stop trying to make us look stupid," Shaw said with annoyance.

"Us? Nobody is seeing you, bro," Tahir said mockingly before proceeding to climb the mountain.

After what seemed like an hour, Tahir arrived at the mountain and was met by two elderly men and one middle-aged woman.

"You survived? You must be very strong, then. So did you use Kengen to climb up?" one of them asked.

"Such bad manners for an old man. Let's introduce ourselves first. I'm Gelda. The one you saw first is Palm, and this one is Barta," Gelda said while pointing to the one she called mannerless.

"So, you made it," Gelda said, her gaze shifting between Tahir's disheveled appearance and the determination etched on his face. "Did you rely on Kengen to help you up here?"

Tahir shook his head, meeting her eyes. "No."

"Good," Barta interrupted, stepping forward with a scrutinizing look. His presence felt like sheer strength, pressing down on the space around him. "Training starts now. I won't go easy on you, and neither will the world. Show me Shin."

Tahir nodded, focusing inward as he activated Shin. A steady hum surrounded him as he drew his energy in, sealing it into a controlled barrier. The tension in his muscles eased, but Barta's sharp eyes caught every flaw.

"Not enough," Barta snapped, stepping around Tahir like a hawk circling its prey. "Your energy is scattered. If you think that half-formed technique will save you, you're already dead."

A sharp jab of energy flared from Barta's palm. Tahir barely had time to react before the force slammed into him, sending him stumbling back. The rough rock bit at his heels as he steadied himself.

So this is what it's like to be under real pressure, Tahir thought, gritting his teeth.

"Again," Barta commanded, his voice like a hammer on stone.

They continued for what felt like hours. Each instruction came with its own trial—holding Shin under bursts of Barta's energy, blending it into Seki to cloak himself, and pushing his awareness out with Kuu until the strain made his vision blur. Each time, Barta's sharp voice cut through any attempt at rest.

Gelda stood back, arms folded. Her expression softened only briefly. He's not just a boy; he's trying to be something greater. But does he know what that means?

Sweat dripped down Tahir's face, his muscles quivering with exhaustion. But he stayed upright, the thought of his friends and the faction he dreamed of building anchoring him. He felt each technique blending into the next, not as separate skills but as a seamless extension of himself.

"Barta, he needs to rest," Gelda finally said, her voice more a suggestion than a command.

"Not until he shows me Jou," Barta replied, a flicker of something like approval in his eyes.

Tahir's brow furrowed. "Jou? I don't know that one."

Barta's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Then learn. Now. It's the art of focusing energy into a single point. Observe."

Barta's eyes gleamed, the air around him vibrating as energy concentrated behind them. The ground glowed faintly, revealing hidden symbols beneath the frost. Tahir's breath caught—so that's what true focus looked like.

He steadied himself, energy pooling as he directed it behind his eyes. The world sharpened, each crack in the stone and etched symbol coming into view.

"Hold it. And don't let Shin drop," Barta said, eyes locked on Tahir.

Pain flared in his temples as he balanced both techniques. His vision flickered but held, and with it came a sense of something deeper. I can do this. For them. For the future.

From behind, Palm exchanged a glance with Gelda, the corners of his mouth lifting just slightly. "He's different."