Exiting the glitch fortress that was crumbling around them, Anty's voice cut through the lingering echoes. "We will take you to our operational base, the stronghold of the anti-glitch squad," she announced, a hint of urgency in her tone, "so that you may undergo proper training."
With a flick of her wrist, a shimmering portal materialized in the empty air before them, swirling with an otherworldly luminescence. Without hesitation, Anty stepped through, and the others followed. They found themselves no longer amidst the collapsing stone, but rather on what appeared to be a vast, empty plain.
A subtle ripple in the air betrayed the presence of an invisible barrier. The four admins moved forward, phasing seamlessly into its unseen embrace. Our heroes exchanged curious glances before following suit, stepping into the intangible wall.
The plain dissolved around them, replaced by an awe-inspiring vista. They stood in an immense zone that stretched towards an unseen horizon, seemingly without end. Suspended in the cerulean sky above were four distinct islands, each floating serenely, appearing devoid of any discernible features.
Anty's voice broke the silence, carrying a weight of importance. "You are here because your unlocks are still incomplete," she explained, her gaze sweeping over them. "For the battles that lie ahead, you must be prepared."
A figure stepped forward, his bearing exuding an air of quiet authority. It was Kyofei. "Therefore," he stated, his eyes sharp and focused, "the four of us will serve as your masters, guiding you to become stronger." He turned to Anty, a slight inclination of his head. "Anty, the pairings are yours to decide."
Anty let out a small sigh, a hint of playful reluctance in her expression. "Why me, of all people!?" she exclaimed, before her gaze turned thoughtful. "Alright then… Kyofei will train Haytham, given his mastery of the sword. Georg will guide Shimmon, for his profound expertise in martial arts. Stenly will take Saland under his wing, focusing on honing his technique to predict enemy movements. And I, Anty, will mentor Christy within the confines of my laboratory."
With the decisions made, Saland turned to follow Stenly. The admin led the way towards a cluster of floating rocks that drifted lazily in the direction of one of the suspended islands. The ascent began, Saland finding the initial climb somewhat arduous. The rocks shifted and swayed, demanding careful footing and well-timed leaps. Yet, thanks to his innate affinity for light, a subtle luminescence aiding his perception, he navigated the treacherous path with relative ease.
Reaching the summit of the floating landmass, Saland was met with a starkly contrasting landscape. The entire island was an expansive stretch of dark, purplish rock, scarred by fissures from which geysers of violet vapor hissed and billowed. Stenly moved with a quiet confidence, and Saland followed, the admin's words echoing in the strange atmosphere. "Welcome to my island," Stenly said, his voice low, "the island of darkness."
Saland offered no reply, his gaze taking in the alien terrain as he continued to trail Stenly, who seemed to possess an intrinsic knowledge of the island's layout. Their path led them to a small dojo nestled in the heart of the desolate expanse. Constructed from dark, almost black wood, the structure exuded a somber and secluded aura.
"This," Stenly announced, gesturing towards the dojo with a sweep of his hand, "is where our training will take place. This is my territory, where I hold the advantage."
Saland stepped inside, the interior as dimly lit and foreboding as its exterior. Stenly moved to the center of the training floor, his stance shifting into a ready posture. "To train your eye of foresight," he began, his gaze fixed on Saland, "you must learn to understand the very limits of your perception, how far into the future you can truly see. To achieve this, you must learn to predict when I will strike."
A soft, ethereal glow emanated from Saland's eyes as he activated his Elf Dive Eyes of Foresight. He drew his twin swords, the polished steel reflecting the faint light, and settled into a defensive stance. Stenly, in response, drew his own weapon, a sleek and deadly katana. A thick, swirling dark energy began to emanate from the admin, enveloping him in a shadowy shroud that swiftly spread, obscuring the entirety of the dojo in an oppressive gloom.
Saland remained still, his senses heightened, anticipating an attack from any direction within the swirling darkness. Suddenly, a rapid fendente materialized from the gloom, a swift and silent strike. Saland had indeed foreseen the attack, but the pervasive smoke made it impossible to pinpoint its precise origin. The blade grazed his shoulder, a searing line of pain. He instinctively swung his own blades, attempting to cleave through the obscuring darkness, but his strikes met only empty air.
Stenly's voice, now disembodied within the swirling shadows, echoed through the dojo. "Concentrate more intently. You must learn to discern my location. For now, it is a single strike, but soon they will become a relentless barrage."
Saland focused his mind, pushing the limits of his foresight. He managed to perceive the trajectory of the next attack, his blades meeting the unseen steel with a clang. But in that same instant, Stenly launched a furious assault, strikes raining down from countless directions with astonishing speed. Saland parried desperately, his movements becoming more fluid, his mind beginning to grasp the rhythm of Stenly's attacks, slowly learning to predict the unseen onslaught.
Meanwhile, Haytham trailed after Kyofei, the master swordsman leading him towards the same expanse of floating rocks. "A true samurai," Kyofei declared, his voice carrying a note of challenge, "must always strive to overcome their limitations. This, then, is your first trial."
Haytham's enthusiasm for leaping across precarious, moving platforms was decidedly low, but he steeled his resolve and attempted the daunting task. Kyofei navigated the floating stones with effortless grace, each jump a study in precision and agility. Haytham, in contrast, found the endeavor taxing, even with the aid of his sword's inherent speed, which he tried to utilize for momentum.
He was nearing the final island, relief beginning to bloom in his chest, when disaster struck. On the penultimate rock, his foot slipped, sending him stumbling towards the seemingly bottomless chasm below. In a blur of motion, Kyofei shot forward, his hand clamping firmly around Haytham's wrist, arresting his fall.
"Thank you for saving me," Haytham gasped, his voice trembling with residual fear, bordering on tears. "Please tell me we're finished now, please!"
Kyofei's expression remained impassive. "A true samurai fears nothing, not even death."
"But… but I'm not a samurai!" Haytham protested weakly.
"Then," Kyofei countered, his gaze unwavering, "if you choose to surrender here, you will never grow stronger."
"But we've arrived, haven't we?" Haytham pleaded, hoping for a reprieve.
A faint smile touched Kyofei's lips. The island before them was shrouded in a thick mist, obscuring everything beyond a few feet. With a lightning-fast movement, Kyofei drew his katana, executing a swift slash that seemed to cleave the very air. The mist parted, revealing a breathtaking yet daunting sight: an enormous mountain, its slopes covered in an endless staircase that spiraled upwards, disappearing into the clouds far above the floating islands. The summit was utterly out of sight, lost in the sheer height.
"This," Kyofei announced, his voice calm and resolute, "is your second trial. A swordsman never falters, never yields. Therefore, you must ascend all one hundred million steps to reach my dojo."
Haytham collapsed to his knees, his voice rising in disbelief. "Are you insane?! I struggle enough with the stairs in my own house!"
Kyofei's gaze held a firm resolve. "Do not surrender. Follow me if you truly desire strength, or would you rather be left behind?" With those words, Haytham, albeit with immense reluctance, began to follow Kyofei up the seemingly infinite staircase. The ascent stretched on for what felt like an entire game day – an hour of grueling physical exertion that stretched into an eternity for Haytham.
Finally, they reached the summit. Before them stood the dojo, a magnificent oriental structure crafted from light-colored wood, its roofs adorned with dark, elegant tiles. Haytham stepped inside, his eyes widening at the sheer scale of the interior. In the center of the polished floor was an enormous rendition of the yin and yang symbol, perfectly balanced.
"I will teach you the way of the sword," Kyofei began, his voice resonating within the vast space. "How to correctly wield your katana, how to execute swift and efficient movements, how to anticipate your opponent's strikes, and how to master that dark form of yours."
With a speed that belied his calm demeanor, Kyofei drew his katana, the polished blade gleaming in the diffused light filtering through the dojo's windows. He immediately settled into a poised stance, his eyes fixed on Haytham, who nervously readied his own katana and the pistol at his hip.
"My katana," Kyofei explained, his voice carrying a hint of mystique, "possesses the power to cleave through anything. However, I can control its sharpness. Before I joined the anti-glitch group and became an admin, I encountered a mid-level glitch. This glitch had the ability to make anything it touched incredibly sharp. Its name was Libeth, and after I managed to defeat it, I did not destroy its core. Instead, I absorbed it into my katana, taking its power as my own."
Haytham and Kyofei faced each other, a palpable tension filling the air. Haytham made a lightning-fast dash, his katana aimed at Kyofei, but the master swordsman parried the swift strike with an equally swift and precise movement. Kyofei retaliated with a blindingly fast lunge, aiming for Haytham's right flank. Reacting instinctively, Haytham fired a shot from his pistol, a beam of crimson energy erupting from the barrel. But with effortless grace, Kyofei sliced the energy beam in two, deflecting the harmless fragments before striking Haytham with the hilt of his katana. The blow sent a jarring shock through Haytham's arms, and though he managed to parry the follow-up slash, the force knocked him off balance, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"You move with decent speed," Kyofei observed, his gaze analytical, "but you must learn to anticipate your opponents' moves, or you will be struck as easily as I just did." Haytham nodded, chastened. "Now," Kyofei continued, his tone shifting slightly, "show me your unlock. I wish to understand the source of your power."
Haytham rose to his feet, his stance shifting as he focused his inner energy. From his left hand, a dark energy began to coalesce, swirling and solidifying. It spread rapidly, engulfing his entire arm and creeping across his chest, reaching a point just below his heart. In its wake, his left eye transformed, its pupil dilating, the iris shifting to a malevolent crimson. An oppressive, dark aura now emanated from him.
Kyofei watched the transformation with keen interest, his stance unwavering. As the dark energy settled, Haytham mirrored his posture, a newfound intensity in his crimson eye. With another burst of speed, Haytham launched himself at Kyofei, his katana now wreathed in the same dark energy that empowered his arm. Kyofei sidestepped the strike with practiced ease, the dark energy leaving a faint scorch mark on the wooden floor where he had stood.
The master swordsman retaliated with a relentless flurry of strikes, his katana a blur of motion. Haytham struggled to parry the onslaught, his movements less precise than before, the sheer speed overwhelming him. With a final, decisive movement, Kyofei unleashed a powerful downward slash that cleaved the very ground between them. Haytham narrowly avoided the strike, leaping back just as the dark energy of the impact cracked the dojo floor. In response, he unleashed a blast of intensified black energy from his empowered arm, aiming it directly at Kyofei. The admin, however, simply sliced through the dark beam, deflecting the two halves harmlessly to either side.
"In this form," Kyofei commented, his voice calm amidst the lingering energy, "you are indeed faster and more precise, and your energy beam is significantly enhanced. However, your unlock in its current state is the weakest, as it only encompasses your left arm. Through our training," he concluded, his gaze meeting Haytham's determined crimson eye, "you will learn to harness the full potential of your unlock."
Haytham nodded, a newfound resolve hardening his features. The path to mastery was long, but under the tutelage of the formidable Kyofei, he was ready to walk it. And so, their rigorous training continued within the silent grandeur of the mountain dojo.