Days before the highly anticipated tournament, Master Elric summoned Kai, Aria, Rin, and Lila for an urgent assignment. They traveled swiftly to a remote village called Serpent's Pass, a quiet settlement known for its hardworking villagers and fertile farmlands. The village lay nestled at the foot of a dense forest, known locally as the Mistwood. Their mission: protect the villagers and construction workers building a crucial bridge connecting the rural outskirts to the central city.
Upon arrival, Kai immediately sensed tension in the air. Villagers worked cautiously, their expressions wary. Their anxiety seemed to grow as they noticed the Seekers' arrival. An elderly village chief approached, greeting them respectfully yet cautiously.
"Thank you for coming," the elder began hesitantly, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm Elder Haru. This bridge will change our village forever—yet, not everyone wishes for that change. A rogue group led by Daikon has threatened anyone supporting this project."
"Who is Daikon?" Aria asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"A former Bronze Seeker," the elder explained quietly, voice heavy with sorrow. "Daikon was expelled from the Association for abusing his powers, embracing forbidden Mutis. He and his followers now terrorize anyone they see as allies of the Seekers or the government."
Kai's fists tightened instinctively. "We'll protect you."
The team spent days integrating into village life, gaining trust, and learning the rhythms of daily routines. Lila's kindness quickly endeared her to the children and elders, Rin kept watch quietly from the village outskirts, while Aria and Kai worked directly alongside villagers, building genuine camaraderie.
Yet peace was fragile. One evening, a thick, unnatural fog suddenly descended, blanketing Serpent's Pass and shrouding the bridge construction site completely. Workers shouted in panic, dropping their tools and scattering fearfully.
"They're here!" Elder Haruto cried, eyes wide in terror.
From the dense fog emerged Daikon "The Bringer of Mist," a towering, muscular figure wielding a massive serrated sword, wrapped head to toe in ragged bandages. His eyes were fierce, intimidating, and cold—filled with unyielding determination and disdain for authority.
"This bridge represents chains," Daikon growled deeply, his voice resonating chillingly through the mist. "Chains disguised as progress. Chains binding our freedom."
Beside Daikon stood his right-hand woman, Selene—a slender yet intimidating presence, manipulating ice and metal shards effortlessly. Her expression was cold, focused, and emotionless. They attacked with sudden, terrifying intensity.
Daikon moved with deadly grace, his sword slicing through air and metal alike, controlling the fog itself, obscuring vision and senses. His movements were swift and powerful, each strike intended to kill.
Kai barely evaded a powerful slash, the blade cutting through the air with terrifying precision. Daikon's fog manipulation combined seamlessly with his swordsmanship, keeping the Seekers at bay.
Rin struggled against Selene, whose swift control over ice-metal created intricate traps, sharp as blades, deadly as needles. Rin's Viatra eyes strained, predicting attacks moments before they happened, countering skillfully but barely keeping pace.
Aria surged forward, lightning crackling fiercely around her fists, but found herself stalled by Daikon's elusive mist. She cursed in frustration, senses overwhelmed.
Lila quickly created a barrier of water infused with healing Vitalis energy, shielding the workers and villagers desperately trying to escape. Yet, despite her best efforts, the battle was intense and chaotic.
As Daikon cornered Kai, memories flooded his mind sharply—vivid and powerful.
Kai recalled his childhood in the secluded monastery, hidden deep within dense jungles. At just twelve years old, he'd committed to an arduous, personal vow to express gratitude for the martial arts—ten thousand punches and ten thousand kicks daily, ending each session with heartfelt prayers. Through years of secret observation, he meticulously studied the monastery elders' mastery over Martial, Celestial, and Spectral Mutis, quietly blending them into his unique creation—Bodhi Muti.
One stormy evening, after endless repetition left him utterly exhausted, Kai had unknowingly tapped into something profound. An overwhelming surge of spiritual energy briefly manifested into a serene yet colossal Bodhisattva behind him—witnessed silently by the eldest elder, who stood hidden, eyes wide in astonishment at Kai's boundless potential.
Snapping back to reality, determination surged anew through Kai. Exhaling deeply, he allowed his training and memories to coalesce into perfect harmony. A serene yet overwhelmingly powerful spiritual aura enveloped him—his Bodhi Muti fully activated.
Daikon's eyes widened briefly with disbelief before hardening with renewed fury. "Interesting—but it won't be enough!"
Kai moved fluidly, each strike precise, powerful, and enhanced by the radiant spiritual energy surrounding him. His movements became unstoppable, seamlessly evading Daikon's ferocious strikes, countering decisively. His teammates, inspired, rallied together as well.
Aria unleashed a storm of lightning-infused strikes, dispersing the mist temporarily, while Rin's Viatra eyes pierced through the haze, expertly countering surprise attacks. Lila pushed herself to new heights, combining Vitalis and Elemental Mutis to simultaneously defend allies and disrupt enemy formations.
Facing defeat, Daikon unleashed his final, most powerful technique, turning the mist into sharp blades, each slicing toward Kai with deadly precision.
Yet Kai stood firm, unshaken. With a fierce roar, he summoned every ounce of his Bodhi Muti, striking the air powerfully. For an instant, behind Kai, a colossal golden figure briefly flickered into existence—the awe-inspiring silhouette of a Bodhisattva. Its immense spiritual pressure shattered Daikon's mist instantly.
Daikon staggered, stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief. Realizing he couldn't win, he retreated hastily, disappearing into the fading mist.
The fog dissipated entirely, revealing relieved villagers and grateful workers. Kai exhaled slowly, eyes heavy but satisfied. Aria, Rin, and Lila gathered beside him, equally exhausted yet triumphant.
Elder villagers approached hesitantly, awe and gratitude clearly visible. "Thank you, Seekers," Elder Haru said softly. "We now see clearly—this bridge represents a new future, one built upon courage and unity."
Kai smiled, exchanging meaningful glances with his teammates. This wasn't just a victory in combat—it was a testament to their growth, resilience, and the incredible potential awaiting them as Seekers.
"Daikon's Last Stand"
The sun had barely risen when the attack came.
A thick wave of black mist rolled in, swallowing the village and bridge entirely. It was suffocating—thicker, heavier than before. The workers and villagers barely had time to react before Daikon's forces emerged like phantoms from the fog. Silent, swift, and merciless.
"They're moving like ghosts," Rin thought, his Viatra eyes flickering to keep up with their unnatural movements.
"Defend the bridge!" Aria shouted, launching forward with what little lightning she had left, forcing her body to obey despite the fatigue weighing down on her.
The battle erupted with terrifying intensity.
Aria, Rin, Lila, and Kai pushed themselves beyond exhaustion, fighting tooth and nail to hold their ground. But they weren't fresh. Their bodies screamed from the toll of the previous battle.
Rin's Viatra eyes flickered, his vision straining as he dodged an enemy's blade, countering with a weak burst of psychic flames—far weaker than before.
Lila's breathing was ragged, her attempts to combine Vitalis and Elemental Muti failing as she barely managed to conjure a barrier.
Aria's sparks sputtered, her lightning no longer crackling as fiercely. She forced herself forward anyway.
Then, as if the mist itself had grown fangs, Daikon descended from the fog.
A massive, towering figure wrapped in living shadows, his serrated blade gleaming with abyssal mist. But something was different.
The air trembled with sheer pressure.
His bandages had unraveled, revealing black tribal markings seared into his skin, pulsing violently. His eyes—once dark and cold—now burned with an unnatural red glow.
"This is my true form," Daikon growled, voice guttural and demonic. "Demon's Maw Muti."
The fog shifted unnaturally, whispering, shifting. It no longer simply masked him—it was alive, snarling like a beast.
And then—he moved.
Faster than ever before.
A flicker of movement—then he was gone.
Kai barely had time to react before a phantom slash cut through his side, blood spraying into the mist. He staggered, barely blocking the second strike before a brutal kick sent him skidding backward.
Daikon wasn't fighting like before.
His mist became a blade, forming jagged weapons from the fog itself.
His movements were unnatural, slipping between attacks as if warping through reality itself.
His strength had doubled.
Kai's breathing was heavy. They were outmatched.
Aria tried to strike from behind, lightning barely sparking in her palms—Daikon caught her fist mid-air.
With a bone-chilling smile, he crushed her wrist and hurled her into the dirt.
Lila gasped, trying to reach her, but a mist-formed spear struck her shoulder, pinning her down.
Rin activated his Abyssal-Gravitum Muti, collapsing the space around Daikon in a desperate attempt to contain him—but Daikon's mist consumed the gravity itself, dispersing the attack as if it never existed.
"This is power," Daikon snarled, his mist forming an abyssal dragon's head behind him. "This is the difference between men and monsters."
Kai clenched his fists, blood dripping. He couldn't let this continue.
Then—a voice echoed in his mind.
"Your mind gives out first, Kai."
"Your body will always follow. But if you command the body before the mind breaks… you will never falter."
Memories flooded him.
Twelve years old, deep in the jungle.
10,000 strikes a day.
10,000 kicks.
Bloodied fists, broken bones, yet never stopping.
A silent elder watching as, for the first time, Kai's body glowed—Bodhi Muti taking shape.
A golden silhouette appearing behind him, a glimpse of something beyond human.
Kai's eyes snapped open.
"Command the body."
"Push past the limit."
He took a step forward.
Daikon lunged for the killing blow.
Kai moved faster.
His body became weightless. His mind silent.
A sudden, perfect clarity took over.
His fist met Daikon's ribcage—a crushing impact.
The fog screamed.
Daikon stumbled, eyes wide in shock.
But Kai wasn't done.
Bodhi Step.
Martial Muti accelerating his limbs.
Celestial Muti igniting his nerves, his perception stretching beyond time.
Spectral Muti allowing him to shift mid-motion, striking from an impossible angle.
Daikon's mist shattered.
His body lurched violently, his Demon's Maw Muti collapsing in on itself.
Then—the final strike.
For a brief second, a massive golden Bodhisattva flickered behind Kai.
One last, devastating punch.
The battlefield shook.
Daikon's entire body snapped backward, crashing through the ground, the force tearing through the mist itself.
And then—the world went silent.
The fog—gone.
Daikon lay in the dirt, his eyes dull, his power drained.
Kai stood over him, barely able to breathe.
Daikon coughed, blood staining his lips. He laughed—a slow, breathless chuckle. "…You could have killed me."
Kai exhaled, his body trembling. "That's not the kind of Seeker I am."
For the first time, Daikon's face softened.
"Maybe you're the kind of Seeker the world needs."
Then, he collapsed.
Selene, watching from the shadows, took a step forward—her icy glare unreadable. Then, without a word, she vanished into the mist.
The battle was over.
With Daikon defeated, his forces scattered.
The bridge stood.
Kai, Aria, Rin, and Lila stood together, barely upright, victorious but forever changed.
Elder Haru approached, his voice thick with emotion.
"The bridge will stand. Because of you."
Kai let out a tired chuckle. "We just did what we had to."
The sun rose, casting golden light across the battle-worn land.
They had won.
But they knew this was only the beginning.
A new storm was coming.
The journey back to the city was quiet, filled with sore bodies and heavy thoughts. The weight of what had just transpired at Serpent's Pass still clung to them—the sight of Daikon's Demon's Maw Muti, the exhaustion of fighting well past their limits, and the fragile victory they had scraped together.
Kai sat near the edge of their transport, watching the world blur past as they neared the Seeker Association Headquarters. He could still feel the residual ache in his limbs, his Bodhi Muti having pushed him far beyond what he thought possible.
"Can't believe we made it through that," Aria muttered, shifting uncomfortably. Her wrist was still sore from when Daikon had nearly crushed it.
"Barely," Rin corrected, rubbing his temples. His Viatra Eyes still throbbed from overuse. He had reached the limits of his perception and still struggled to track Daikon's movements in that demonic mist.
Lila sighed, stretching her arms. "I still can't believe Kai just walked through Daikon's final attack like that. The mist was cutting through everything, but somehow, you just… didn't stop."
Kai smirked slightly but said nothing. He wasn't sure how to explain it, that feeling of perfect clarity when his Bodhisattva form flickered to life. It wasn't something he understood fully yet. But he would.
By the time they reached the Seeker Association Headquarters, the weight of the city hit them like a fresh wave of reality.
Unlike the quiet, misty isolation of Serpent's Pass, the capital buzzed with energy. Seekers of all ranks strode confidently through the towering buildings. Iron and Bronze Seekers gathered in groups, discussing expeditions, while Silver and Gold Seekers stood apart, their very presence commanding respect.
Kai and his team weren't nobodies anymore. They had completed their first mission as Seekers.
Now, they had to report it.
Meeting with William "Wolf" Lancaster
The team entered the main hall, heading toward the upper floors where William "Wolf" Lancaster—Master Elric's second-best student and one of the most dangerous Gold Seekers alive—awaited them.
Wolf was already waiting when they entered, his signature grin in place, his back casually against the desk as if he had all the time in the world. His piercing eyes, however, told a different story—sharp, assessing, always watching.
"Well, well," Wolf said, his deep voice tinged with amusement. "Look who's still alive."
Aria crossed her arms, smirking. "You sound disappointed."
Wolf chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. I had money on you all making it back—barely. Now, come on. Tell me what happened."
Kai and the team took turns recounting the events at Serpent's Pass—the villagers' fears, the sudden attack, Daikon's transformation, and the brutal fight that nearly wiped them out.
As they spoke, Wolf's expression shifted from amusement to something more thoughtful. His grin faded slightly when they described Daikon's Demon's Maw Muti.
When Kai explained how he pushed past his limit, allowing his Bodhisattva form to flicker into existence, Wolf folded his arms, nodding slightly, as if piecing something together.
Finally, when the team finished, a moment of silence settled between them.
Then Wolf grinned again—but this time, it was different.
"You did good."
The praise surprised them.
Wolf pushed off the desk, standing to his full height. "Most first-time Seekers don't make it through their first real mission. You survived a seasoned rogue Seeker, adapted under pressure, and held your own against something way above your level. That's not luck—that's proof you're the real deal."
Lila blinked. "Wait… does that mean—?"
Wolf reached into his desk, pulling out a small, leather-bound case. He tossed it onto the table in front of them, and when it landed, the case clicked open—revealing four Iron Seeker badges.
A moment of stunned silence.
"…We're being promoted?" Rin asked, breaking the silence first.
Wolf shrugged. "Of course you are. You've earned it. You were just Strays when you left, but now? You're full-fledged Iron Seekers."
Kai reached forward first, picking up his badge. It was simple, yet heavy with meaning. The first step in a long journey.
Aria whistled, flipping hers in her hand. "Didn't expect that."
"Don't get too cocky," Wolf added, grinning. "Iron Seeker is still just the bottom of the Association ladder. But this? This is where it starts to matter. The trials ahead won't just be survival missions anymore—you'll be representing the Seekers in bigger ways."
Kai smirked. "Good. That means we'll have more chances to prove ourselves."
Wolf laughed. "That's the spirit."
Rin, always the cautious one, eyed Wolf carefully. "This promotion… it's not just for completing the mission, is it?"
Wolf's grin faltered slightly—just for a second.
"You're sharp, kid."
He sat back down, expression shifting into something more serious. "No, it's not just about the mission. It's about what's coming next."
The team exchanged glances.
"…Next?" Aria asked slowly.
Wolf leaned forward, folding his hands together. "Word travels fast in the Seeker Association. Your fight with Daikon wasn't just another rogue Seeker attack. Something bigger is happening, and the higher-ups have taken notice."
Kai felt a shift in the air.
Wolf continued. "Your next trial won't just be some normal mission. It's something… different."
A flicker of excitement burned in Kai's chest. They had proven themselves. But what came next?
Wolf's grin widened again.
"Get some rest. You're gonna need it."
Official Iron Seekers
As the team left Wolf's office, Iron Seeker badges secured on their belts, the weight of their accomplishment sank in.
They had done it.
No longer Strays.
No longer rookies.
They were Iron Seekers now.