SS rank Xalvathar: The Soulweaver

X led the group through a dense forest, where the air felt charged, almost humming with energy. The towering trees cast long shadows, and the atmosphere was tense with anticipation. Finally, X stopped and turned, gesturing toward a large iron gate covered in intricate symbols. He nodded with satisfaction.

"We're here," X announced.

Zanele glanced around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where exactly is here?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of unease.

X gave her a sly smile. "Training camp."

Zanele's eyes widened. "Wait, does that mean… you're not going to train us?"

"Exactly," X replied, a smirk playing on his lips. Before they could protest, he gave them a firm shove, kicking them out of the gate's threshold. "Good luck!" he said before disappearing back down the path they had come from.

Takumi brushed himself off, still a bit stunned. "X didn't even give us a warning," he muttered, looking back at the gate in disbelief.

"He never does," came a calm, familiar voice. X's departure hadn't left them completely alone after all. Standing by a training field were two familiar faces: Liyana and Haruto.

Zanele spotted Liyana first. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she nudged her brother. "I see Liyana."

Takumi's head swiveled. "Where?" He was eager, but when he saw her smirk, he realized she hadn't meant it as a response for him.

"I wasn't talking to you, Takumi," she snapped, crossing her arms.

Takumi sighed, his shoulders slumping. "You're still angry at me? I already said I'm sorry," he mumbled, scratching his head.

Just then, Liyana looked over, her eyes brightening when she recognized her friends. "Takumi! Zanele! It's good to see you both," she greeted, approaching them.

Takumi gave her a small smile, relief evident in his expression. "It's nice to see you too, Liyana."

Liyana glanced at Zanele, noting the tension in her posture. "Zanele, is something wrong?" she asked gently.

Zanele quickly looked away. "Nothing," she replied, her tone clipped.

Haruto, who had been standing nearby, narrowed his eyes at her. "It can't be nothing," he said. "Tell me."

Before Zanele could respond, a sharp voice sliced through the air like a blade. "You low-life cadets!"

They turned to see a tall, imposing figure approaching them, his eyes cold and unyielding. The man's aura was intense, demanding respect and attention.

"Who… who is that?" Zanele whispered to Liyana.

"That's Ishara," Liyana answered in a hushed tone, her eyes widening slightly. "He's the one who's going to train us."

Ishara's gaze swept over the group, his expression unreadable. "Who told you to speak?" he snapped, eyes narrowing. "Do you all want to be sent back to your 'lone lives'?"

A chill ran through the group, and they quickly straightened. "No, sir!" they replied in unison, voices trembling slightly.

"Today, you wastes of space are going to tell me why you're here," Ishara demanded, crossing his arms.

Zanele stepped forward, a determined glint in her eyes. "To become the strongest… and to take revenge on the monster that attacked the gates," she declared, her voice steady and full of conviction.

Ishara raised an eyebrow. "Is your mother dead?" he asked, his tone almost mocking.

"No," Zanele replied, gritting her teeth. "But she was injured because of that monster."

"Next," Ishara barked, moving down the line.

Haruto lifted his chin, confidence radiating from him. "To protect the gates," he said firmly.

Ishara looked unimpressed. "And why's that?"

Haruto met his gaze head-on. "Because I want to be remembered for hundreds of years," he said, his voice filled with ambition.

Ishara gave a slight nod before moving on. "Next."

Liyana stepped forward, her eyes thoughtful. "I'm here to study the Creatures… to find a way to make them… nicer," she said, her tone earnest.

Ishara's expression softened for a fraction of a second. "Hmm. An interesting approach, at least. Very well." He turned, scanning the rest of the group, his eyes settling on a new face.

Standing slightly apart from the others was a girl with a fierce expression, her eyes glinting with a mix of defiance and excitement. Ishara looked at her expectantly. "And what about you?" he demanded.

The girl, whose name was Amandla, met his gaze boldly. "Power. I'm here for power. For fun. To kill all the beasts and rise to SS rank."

Ishara's eyebrows shot up, a hint of amusement in his gaze. "And why kill, exactly?"

Amandla's smirk didn't falter. "Not your problem," she said coolly.

Ishara's face hardened, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, but it is everyone's problem if you're just another lone life. You'll drag everyone else down."

Amandla's eyes flashed. "Call me a 'lone life' again, and you won't have a tongue left to speak," she shot back, a dangerous edge to her voice.

Ishara's lips curved into a challenging smile. "I'd like to see you try," he said, not even blinking as Amandla summoned her power—Vera. A dagger materialized in her hand, glinting with energy as she dashed toward him.

Ishara raised his hand, his own mastery over Vera apparent as a wave of magic gathered at his fingertips. With a casual flick, he sent a powerful blast at Amandla. She dodged, her movements swift and precise, but Ishara looked unimpressed. With a hint of boredom, he ramped up his power to 20%, his next blast aimed directly at her. This time, she couldn't dodge, and the attack hit her, sending her sprawling to the ground, injured.

Ishara stared down at her, expression unyielding. "Run the entire camp perimeter," he commanded, his voice cold. "Or you're banned from ever being in a class here again."

Amandla clenched her jaw, pain evident in her expression, but she got to her feet. "Fine," she spat, before turning and starting her run.

Ishara shifted his gaze to Takumi, the last one left. "And you?" he demanded.

Takumi swallowed hard but stood firm. "I'm here to protect the gate… to protect my family… and to kill the leader of the Creatures."

"Why?" Ishara pressed, his gaze piercing.

Takumi's hands clenched into fists. "Because that monster nearly killed my mother."

Zanele, who had been quiet, suddenly erupted. "And you nearly killed her too!" she shouted at Ishara, eyes blazing.

Ishara's gaze didn't waver. "Who asked you to speak?" he snapped. "Now, go join Amandla. Run, both of you."

Takumi opened his mouth to protest but then closed it, his resolve hardening. He turned and joined Amandla, his sister's anger echoing in his mind. He would prove to her that his intentions had always been to protect her and their family, no matter the cost.

Ishara addressed the rest of the group with a sharp, commanding tone. "We're done here. Everyone, go and rest. Tomorrow, we start your real training… with Vera."

As they left, Takumi exchanged a glance with Amandla, both of them determined, each with a different fire in their eyes. They were ready for whatever Ishara would throw at them next.