The story opens on a battlefield, where a lone martial artist clashes against a powerful faction. The clash is relentless, blades ringing against blades, the ground trembling beneath their strikes. For three long days and nights, the battle rages without pause, the man’s willpower the only thing keeping him on his feet. His body is battered, his breathing ragged, yet his spirit refuses to yield.

But even the strongest have limits. His strength wanes, his vision blurs, and wounds cover him like a crimson map of pain. Finally, when his enemies close in for the final strike, he makes a desperate choice. Drawing on the last of his energy, he carves out a path of escape and vanishes into the darkness, blood trailing in his wake.

Far away from the chaos, peace still lingers within the walls of a proud clan. In its palace courtyard, a boy of twelve—Kaito—laughs freely as he plays with his parents and his older sister. His world feels safe, full of warmth and love.

But peace is fragile. A sudden heaviness fills the air, sharp and suffocating. His father halts, his expression darkening as he senses an overwhelming aura of danger approaching their gates. His voice is low and urgent as he commands his wife and daughter to take Kaito away at once.

“Kaito must survive,” his father says firmly, his eyes blazing with determination. “He is the future of our clan.”

His sister, just eighteen but already strong-willed, seizes Kaito’s hand and leads him toward a hidden passage known only to a few. “Come on,” she whispers, her grip tightening. “We don’t have time.”

Confused, Kaito resists. “Why? What’s happening? I don’t want to leave!” His voice trembles as he sees guards rushing past, their armor clashing as they prepare defenses. Fear prickles at his skin, but he still refuses to abandon his family.

“Listen to me!” his sister insists, tears glistening in her eyes. “You are our only hope. Please… live.” With those desperate words, she forces him into the passage and shuts the stone door behind him.

Kaito runs into the forest, the weight of his clan’s survival pressing heavily upon him. Yet every step feels wrong, his heart aching with confusion and dread. Behind him, the sounds of battle rise—the clash of steel, the cries of men, the roar of fire.

Back at the palace, his parents and sister stand defiantly before the invaders. The enemy leader, cloaked in shadow, reveals nothing of himself. When Kaito’s father demands his name, the man answers only with a merciless slash, beginning a fight that would decide the clan’s fate.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Kaito slows. His feet falter, his mind screaming to return. “I can’t leave them,” he whispers. Against his sister’s wishes, he turns back, racing toward the place he once called home.

When he reaches the clan gates, he stops cold. Silence. No guards. No voices. Only death. The courtyard before him is drenched in blood, corpses of his clansmen scattered like broken dolls.

Kaito staggers forward, his young eyes wide with horror. “Mom! Dad!” he screams desperately. His voice cracks, echoing through the lifeless ruins. He stumbles from body to body, searching, hoping, denying what he fears most.

Then he sees them—his parents, lying motionless among the fallen. The color drains from his face. His knees give out, and his trembling hands reach toward them, but no warmth greets his touch.

His world shatters in that moment, grief swallowing him whole.

But this tragedy was not his end… it was only the beginning of his path to vengeance.

Kaito knelt in the middle of the ruined courtyard, his small body trembling as tears streamed down his face. His hands clutched the cold hands of his fallen parents, unwilling to let go. Their blood still stained the earth, mingling with the scent of smoke and steel that lingered in the air. His voice cracked as he whispered through sobs,

“Father… Mother… Sister… I swear. I swear upon my life—I will avenge you. I will restore the honor of our clan, no matter what it takes!”

As if in answer, a faint glimmer caught his eye. Resting beside his father’s still body was a crimson dagger, its hilt engraved with the sacred emblem of the Takemura Clan. Kaito reached out with shaking fingers, lifting it from the ground. The blade seemed to pulse faintly, as though recognizing its new master.

Clutching it tightly against his chest, Kaito vowed in a low voice, almost a growl,

“This dagger… this will be my bond with you. I will train, I will suffer, I will bleed—until the day I am strong enough to destroy those who destroyed us.”

With that vow carved into his very soul, he stumbled away from the massacre, running blindly into the forest. Shadows swallowed his figure as night fell, and after hours of wandering, exhausted and alone, Kaito stumbled upon the moss-covered ruins of an ancient temple. Cracked pillars and faded carvings whispered of forgotten ages. With nowhere else to go, he collapsed within its walls, the dagger clutched in his hand as sleep finally dragged him into restless dreams.

At dawn, a weak groan pierced the silence. Kaito’s eyes shot open. He followed the sound and found a man lying among the ruins, his robes torn, blood soaking through deep gashes across his chest. Kaito froze—this was the warrior he had glimpsed at the start of the massacre, locked in a desperate battle.

“Sir!” Kaito rushed forward, panic surging in his chest. “Please, don’t die! Hold on!”

The man’s voice rasped weakly, “Boy… herbs… in the satchel. Crush them… quickly.”

With trembling hands, Kaito obeyed, gathering the herbs, grinding them together, and applying them to the wounds. The man hissed in pain but endured, guiding him step by step. Hours later, the bleeding slowed, and the warrior’s breathing steadied.

The man opened his eyes, sharp even in weakness. “You… saved me.”

Kaito sat back, panting. “I couldn’t just watch you die, sir.”

A faint chuckle escaped the man’s lips. “I am Hong Li Feng… a wanderer. But tell me, child, what is a boy doing in this cursed forest alone?”

Kaito lowered his gaze, his fists tightening. “My name is Kaito Takemura… I had a family, a clan. But they were all slaughtered. I… I couldn’t protect them. I ran away.” His voice cracked, and fresh tears burned his eyes.

Hong Li Feng studied him in silence, then thought to himself: This boy carries a wound deeper than any blade. And yet… in his eyes, there is a fire that refuses to die. Perhaps… he is the one I’ve been searching for.

At last, he spoke, voice firm despite his injuries.

“Kaito. Fate has led you to me. For years, I have wandered, but my knowledge will die with me if I leave no successor. I ask you—will you become my disciple?”

Kaito’s eyes widened. “Your… disciple?” His heart pounded, torn between fear and hope.

“Yes,” Feng said. “Under my guidance, you will grow strong. I can teach you martial arts, cultivation, the ways of survival. But strength is not easily earned—it demands pain, sacrifice, and unyielding will. If you accept, there will be no turning back. So tell me, boy—what do you desire most?”

Kaito raised his head, and the grief in his expression sharpened into determination. “I desire strength. Strength to protect. Strength to avenge. Strength so that no one will ever take from me again!”

A fierce smile spread across Feng’s lips. “Good. Then from this day forward, you are my disciple. For the next fifteen years, I will shape you into a warrior the world cannot ignore.”

Kaito dropped to his knees, bowing deeply. “Master Feng, I will not fail you. I swear it.”

“Remember these words, boy,” Feng said, his voice echoing with power. “Your vengeance will not come from hatred alone. Only through discipline and unbreakable will shall you reach the strength you seek.”

Kaito clenched the crimson dagger, fire blazing in his young eyes. “Then discipline I shall learn. No matter how much pain it takes—I will endure it all!”

And so, under the watchful eye of Master Feng, Kaito Takemura began his new path. Each day was filled with relentless training, bruises, and exhaustion, but his progress was extraordinary. For every tear he shed, his resolve only hardened.

The oath of vengeance was no longer just a whisper in the ruins—it was the very heartbeat of his destiny.

Two years slipped away like fleeting shadows. Under the harsh training of Master Feng, Kaito had grown from a grief-stricken child into a determined young warrior. His body was lean but firm, his spirit sharper than steel. Yet, Master Feng knew—the boy had only just begun his journey.

One quiet morning, Master Feng summoned Kaito. His voice, calm yet filled with weight, echoed through the forest ruins.

Master Feng: “My disciple… two years have passed since you swore your oath. You have endured pain and hardship well. Now it is time for you to leave this shelter and see the world beyond. But before we depart, there are techniques you must learn. Your body is ready—your spirit even more so.”

Kaito’s eyes burned with determination.

Kaito: “Yes, Master! I am ready. Teach me, and I will master whatever you give me. I will never let you down. My revenge… my destiny… I will not stop until I achieve it.”

A rare smile tugged at Feng’s lips. He handed Kaito several ancient scrolls, their surfaces etched with strange runes that seemed alive.

Master Feng: “These are cultivation techniques—methods to draw power from within and from the world around you. Study them, and you will build the foundation of true strength.”

Kaito bowed deeply. “I will master them.”

And he did. For five relentless days, he practiced without pause, his sweat soaking the ground, his hands blistered and bleeding. But by the dawn of the sixth day, the scrolls were no longer mysteries—they were a part of him. His aura now glowed faintly, and even Master Feng nodded in silent approval.

At last, they set out. Their first destination: the Forest of Shadows, a vast wilderness whispered about in fearful tones by traders and wanderers.

The forest was ancient and oppressive, its canopy so thick that sunlight barely touched the ground. The cries of beasts echoed through the trees, and the air was heavy with danger.

Master Feng stopped at the entrance, his gaze steady.

Master Feng: “Kaito, listen well. This place shall be your training ground for the next year. Each day, you will hunt the beasts that roam these woods. Slay them, collect their inner cores, and absorb their essence. Sell what you do not need in the market. Through this cycle, your strength will grow.”

Kaito gripped his dagger, his voice firm.

Kaito: “Yes, Master. I will not waste this chance. I will turn even beasts into stepping stones toward my revenge.”

So began his brutal trial. Each day, Kaito ventured into the forest, facing savage creatures with fangs, claws, and fiery auras. He battled relentlessly, his body cut and bruised, yet his will never faltered. He devoured their essence, each battle igniting his bloodline further.

Soon, whispers spread in the nearby markets.

Trader A: “Have you heard? The number of core beasts has dropped sharply these past months.”

Trader B: “Aye, they say it’s the work of a single boy. A youth barely past his teens, slaying creatures even grown men wouldn’t dare face.”

Kaito, unaware of the rumors, pressed on. Day after day, he counted his victories.

“One hundred and one… two hundred…” he muttered under his breath, wiping sweat and blood from his brow.

But as weeks passed, beasts near the forest’s edge dwindled. Frustration burned within him.

Kaito: “Hmph. Not even a single beast left here… If I can’t find them, then I’ll just go deeper. There must be stronger prey waiting for me!”

Ignoring his master’s strict warnings never to venture too far, Kaito pushed deeper into the forest. The air grew heavier, darker. The trees twisted unnaturally, and the sound of rustling leaves was replaced by guttural whispers.

Then, he froze. Ahead, shadows moved—not beasts, but figures. His sharp eyes caught sight of them: demons. Their skin was dark as obsidian, their eyes glowing faintly with crimson light. Each carried jagged weapons and heavy sacks, bulging with eerie, glowing red crystals.

Kaito crouched behind the roots of an enormous tree, his heart pounding. He observed quietly, piecing the scene together.

Kaito (thinking): “Demons… here? And those crystals… they’re carrying them somewhere. But where? And why?”

The demons marched in formation, vanishing deeper into the unknown. Most would have fled at the sight. But Kaito’s blood boiled with curiosity and reckless courage.

Kaito (grinning to himself): “Master told me not to come this far… but if I turn back now, I’ll never know the truth. What are they planning with those crystals? No… I have to follow them. Even if it means risking everything.”

With dagger in hand and fire in his heart, the young warrior stepped silently into forbidden territory, trailing the demons who might hold secrets far darker than he could ever imagine.

And thus, Kaito’s true trial began.