Chapter One: The Kingdom of Murakumo

For many years, Shuou had lived apart from human settlements. During that time, he’d learned a great deal from Amane. However, he’d possessed little interest in acquiring knowledge from text or oral instruction. When learning how to walk and hunt in the Gray Forest, he’d found training in the field far more valuable than lectures. Because of this, his desire to experience the world through his own senses had grown stronger each day. As a result, he’d half fled from his master and guardian’s home.

Finally exiting the Gray Forest, he found himself standing upon a road paved with white stones. A special ore called Moonstone – quarried and processed – forged this path, otherwise known as the Alabaster Road. Reacting to moisture in the air, Moonstones emitted a vague, white light. Moonstone luminescence deterred further encroachment of the Gray Forest, and more importantly, passing Rabidaemons tended to avoid their radiance.

For unknown reasons, the effects of Moonstone weren’t absolute. Even so, traveling upon the Alabaster Road guaranteed some degree of safety, making it an important means of transportation for humanity.

Shuou continued walking down the Alabaster Road. Despite its coarse surface, the road was clean and perfectly level. Thus, carriages could drive through without difficulty, allowing for the smooth flow of commerce. Due to the intricately tangled vegetation, most people struggled to find footing in the Gray Forest, but as a path prepared by humans for humans, the Alabaster Road proved easy to traverse.

Continuing onward with a light step, the Alabaster Road ended when the ground rose a little higher. From here on out, the people of this land had determined this area to be a safe zone. As the road sloped gently to higher ground, a city surrounded by stone walls came into view.

Across the world, an uninterrupted mountain range ran in all four cardinal directions. Murakumo, the Kingdom of Gathering Clouds, was a large country located in the eastern mountain range. Thanks to the country’s rich mineral resources, weapons manufacturing kept the treasuries well-stocked, allowing the people to live abundant lives.

The Royal Capital of Murakumo.

These words were printed across the flag fluttering before the city’s entrance. The center of the flag depicted a winged, snake-like creature.

Is this nostalgia I’m feeling?

Until Amane had told him, Shuou hadn’t known the name of the country in which he’d lived as a street urchin. Indeed, Shuou had spent his childhood in the Royal Capital of Murakumo. The smell of the city, which he hadn’t experienced for twelve years, simultaneously invoked nostalgia and brought back bitter memories of his life as an orphan.

Dusk had arrived.

The streets bustled with men returning home from work and women out shopping for dinner. These pedestrians occasionally glanced at Shuou’s face. He didn’t know if the large eye patch, which covered nearly half has face, or his unfamiliar attire drew their attention. Unable to compose himself, Shuou left the main street. Following the backstreets, he came upon a quiet, residential area, helping to calm his nerves.

Shuou’s only possessions were a dagger made from the tooth of an insect Rabidaemon, a cloak made from the hide of a beast Rabidaemon, and a few days’ worth of portable rations. If he were merely looking to survive, Shuou could hunt for food and endure sleeping outdoors. Yet in the world of humans, he would need money to get by.

Even after living in seclusion for so many years, Shuou had a natural desire to stay in a decent inn, to enjoy the local food and drink. Since he wished to see the world, he would need money to travel across foreign countries as well.

Conveniently, he spotted a standing signboard advertising the Jobs Guild on the corner of the road. The all too ordinary act of working for money felt refreshingly new to Shuou. Merely thinking about it filled him with excitement.

Following the sign’s directions, he walked across the city, arriving at the guild in no time. If he were an outsider with no knowledge of the land, he might have gotten lost, but since Shuou had spent his childhood coming and going from the city’s backstreets, he didn’t fear losing his way.

As soon as Shuou entered the guild, an elderly man at the counter spoke to him. “Welcome, welcome.”

”I came here after seeing the sign,” said Shuou. “Can you refer me to a job?”

“Hmm.” The man observed Shuou from the tips of his shoes to the top of his head. “I see. So, what kind of work are you looking for?”

“I need to make a lot of money in as short a time as possible.”

Frowning, the man flipped through his nearby documents, his expression grave. “A quick, lucrative job, eh? Well, that’s going to be difficult.”

“Is it really?”

“During summertime, helping the merchants arriving from foreign counties carry their shipments provides more than enough work, no matter the number of laborers. But with winter right around the corner, no one’s looking to hire. At the moment, I can only refer you to places seeking long-term workers.”

“I see…”

Apparently, he’d arrived during a period coinciding with a low workload. Just as Shuou considered giving up and looking towards the future, the man raised his eyebrows as if he’d noticed something.

”Oh, there’s one place I could refer you to,” he said. “The royal army is recruiting Squire applicants.”

“Squires for the army?”

Shuou had confidence in his ability to fight. He had a well-honed body, and Amane’s training had been severe enough to make him vomit blood. Thus, he wouldn’t turn down work requiring strength, yet joining the military would mean losing his freedom for an extended period of time.

”I’d prefer to avoid long-term jobs,” he said.

“No, no, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“It’s not?”

“This is recruitment to take part in an exam to select Squire candidates for the military. Even if you pass the examination, you can still decide whether or not you wish to join the army. Moreover, regardless of the results, you’ll still receive a generous reward afterwards.”

“That sounds almost too good to be true.”

“Yeah, but here’s the catch…” Before continuing, the man grunted, as if his next words were difficult to speak out loud. “Apparently, this test also serves as the graduation exam for Gemstone Academy, the school for noble children possessing Sunstones. The test itself is quite dangerous. Each year, more than half of the Squire applicants die.”

“More than half…?”

“It’s not that surprising. Unlike nobles, commoners with Dunstones such as ourselves only have physical strength and luck to protect us.”

Excepting some plants, creatures of this world were all born with stones called Miracrystals implanted in their bodies. Human Miracrystals were embedded in the backs of their left hands.

Two kinds of Miracrystals existed: Sunstones and Dunstones. Dunstones, which most people were born with, were named for their cloudy, grayish appearance. Except for this turbid hue, these stones were completely ordinary.

Conversely, Sunstones – Miracrystals displaying vibrant colors such as blue and green – had the ability to manipulate and intervene in various forms of nature, such as water and wind. Because Sunstones were hereditary, those in possession of them belonged to a privileged class in every country. Murakumo being no exception, those with Sunstones formed the aristocracy.

“This probably won’t mean much coming from me,” said the man, “but I’d advise against taking this test.”

“How long does it last?”

“According to the documents I received, up to a month.”

The exam would restrict him for a month, but if he returned alive, he’d receive a substantial monetary reward. Furthermore, no one would force him to join the army. These conditions were in line with his wishes. Though the risk of death accompanied this test, Shuou had confidence in his ability to surmount it.

”The job sounds great,” he said. “I’d appreciate a referral.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

“Well, that works for me, too. The army will give me a decent reward for anyone I refer.”

Looking into the man’s doubtful eyes, Shuou nodded.

“Seems like you’ve made up your mind,” said the man. “In that case, I’ll give you a referral.”

“Thank you.”

The man took out a letter of introduction containing the guild’s name and his signature. Finally, he stamped on a wax seal bearing the guild’s emblem, giving the completed form to Shuou.

“You’re a traveler, aren’t you?” asked the man. “Do you know where you’re staying tonight?”

“No. Since I don’t have any money, I’d considered sleeping outdoors.”

“You’re sleeping outdoors in this cold season?”

“I’m used to it.”

Even as a child, he’d managed to survive in the dead of winter. As an adult with a stronger constitution, camping in the city would hardly faze him.

“If you’d like, you can stay here,” said the man. “It isn’t much, but I can provide bread and soup for dinner.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Letting our guest of honor sleep outdoors would bring shame upon this guild.”

Despite feeling guilty for making the man worry, Shuou decided to take advantage of his kindness. The hot soup and bread served at the dinner table was quite appetizing, soothing the exhaustion he’d accumulated while traversing the forest. Listening to the recent happenings in town and experiences from guild work, Shuou had a pleasant, worthwhile evening.

Borrowing a cot at the back of the guild, he was finally able to relax his weary body.

I’m off to a decent start.

Far more fatigued than he’d imagined, sleep swallowed him whole.

The next morning, Shuou shrewdly accepted breakfast as well. Patting his somewhat full stomach, he headed towards the barracks containing the Squire recruitment office. As described in the application guidelines, “Squire” was the rank given to Dunstone commoners upon joining the military. Since the cloudy Miracrystal embedded in his left hand reflected light dully, Shuou met these requirements.

Sunstones who became soldiers were divided into two ranks: Brights and Crystaliers. As this had nothing to do with him, Shuou knew very little about the subject.

Shuou had never met a Sunstone. He, the adults he’d seen as a street urchin, and even Amane had been Dunstones. Most of the world’s people were Dunstones, possessing no special powers. So long as one led a normal life in the city, they would never lay eyes on a Sunstone.

To demonstrate their power, most Sunstone nobles and their children served in the military at least once in their lives.

This’ll be fun.

Amane had told him many stories about those who wielded colored Miracrystals. Sunstones could launch blades crafted from wind, blow away their enemies with globes of water, and so on. How much strength lay hidden within those who could wield such mysterious power? Shuou’s curiosity was boundless.

Without needing to check the map he’d been given, Shuou arrived at the predetermined barracks. As befit a military facility, many buildings – all of which appeared durable even from the outside – were erected across the grounds.

Shuou crossed the barracks’ solid gates. Passing through the drab courtyard, he proceeded to the back, a magnificent, stone building coming into view. Two armed soldiers stood guard at the entrance. After waiting for him to approach, the soldiers turned their stern gazes upon Shuou, addressing him with a question.

“Answer succinctly: who are you, and why are you here?”

One soldier placed a hand to the sword at his waist.

“I received a referral from a guild and came as a Squire applicant,” said Shuou.

Upon seeing his letter of introduction, the guard’s expression immediately relaxed. ”Is that all? In the courtyard on the left-hand side from here, you’ll find a temporary reception tent. Head over there and complete the application process.”

“Thanks.”

Following the soldier’s instructions, Shuou found a courtyard with a decent sized lawn. Being a training area, several human-shaped scarecrows, wooden swords, and wooden spears were visible on the grounds. The temporary reception tent stood near the outer corridor leading from the main building to the annex. During such a cold time of year, Shuou wondered why it was necessary to set up a reception area outside. Well, there must have been some reason behind the decision, he convinced himself.

As Shuou approached the temporary tent, he heard multiple male voices coming from within. Peeking inside, he found three soldiers enjoying a coin game on a small table. Unlike the Squires guarding the entrance, these three men wore military uniforms made of blue and white, expensive looking fabric. On the backs of their hands, Shuou noticed blue, green, and orange Miracrystals. Clearly, these were officers.

”Excuse me.”

When he called out to them, the three men’s gazes focused on Shuou all at once.

The man sitting closest to Shuou stood up lazily and walked over to him. ”Yeah?”

”A guild referred me here,” said Shuou. “I heard that you’re looking for Squire applicants.”

“Well, it’s about time. You’re lucky, ya know. There was only one spot left. Sign this form with your name and your consent to take the test.”

Shuou’s first encounter with vibrant Miracrystals couldn’t haven’t been any worse. Their eyes held others in contempt. Their grinning faces were slovenly and vulgar. The man in front of him – who wore a blue uniform – was so unpleasant, Shuou wondered if he’d been born with a special talent for making people feel uncomfortable.

Taking out a pen and piece of paper from beside him, the man deliberately threw them onto the ground on Shuou’s right side. Seeing this, the two men sitting behind him began snickering.

“Also, we’re holding onto the possessions of those participating in the recruitment test,” said the officer. “Money, weapons, food. Give us all but the bare minimum of your clothing.”

“…Your reason being?”

“What was that? You came here for a job in the army, didn’t you? Then shut up and listen to orders.”

The man grew more and more stubborn. Though Shuou had doubts about submitting his belongings without any guarantee of their return, he didn’t want to butt heads with a soldier. Thus, he reluctantly decided to obey.

Shuou arranged his belongings atop the desk: portable rations, his weapon, and his cloak. Apart from these items, he had nothing worthy of being called a possession.

“Hey, quit jerkin’ me around,” said the officer. “Hand over your money. If you’re hiding even one copper coin, things won’t end well for you.”

“I don’t have any money. If you think I’m lying, feel free to search me.”

“Then jump up and down. If you don’t make a sound, I’ll believe you.”

Shuou did as instructed, jumping up and down a few times.  However, as he’d told the truth about having no money, he produced none of the officer’s anticipated sounds.

”Damn,” said the officer. “You really are broke.”

If I had money, I wouldn’t be here.

As Shuou cursed the officer inwardly, the two others moved in front of him as well, rummaging through the items he’d placed on the desk.

“Commoners never have anything good on them.”

“Is this dried meat…? And this dagger doesn’t even have a decent edge.”

“This cloak’s not half bad. Can’t tell what hide it’s made from, but the quality’s nice.”

At that moment, Shuou’s suspicions were confirmed. These men were stealing items belonging to commoners who had come here seeking work. Despite being right in front of him, they weren’t even trying to hide their actions. To them, this kind of behavior had become natural.

“Oh, yeah.” The first officer Shuou had spoken to looked at him, his expression contorting hideously.  “Hand over that mask you’re wearing. The craftsmanship looks decent enough. Might fetch a good price.”

“You can’t have this.”

Even if they strip me naked, I refuse to give them this.

“Strange,” said the officer. “I didn’t quite catch that. Mind repeating yourself?”

The man made an exaggerated show of placing a hand to his ear. In response, the two beside him laughed, hands pressed against their stomachs.

“This was a gift from someone important to me,” said Shuou. “Take whatever else you want, but I won’t give you this.”

The officers stopped laughing. The man in front of Shuou stared at him furiously, eyes bloodshot and lips trembling.

Drawing the long sword from the scabbard at his waist, he pointed the end at Shuou. ”Who do you think you are?” he asked, his rage blazing forth. “When I give an order, you obey! I won’t allow a filthy, lowborn commoner to defy me, a Bright!”

One of the officers who’d been laughing from the sidelines tried to stop his friend. “H-hey, you’re taking this way too far. If you make a scene, we could get in a lot of trouble.”

Overcome with fury, the man wouldn’t sheathe his weapon. “Shut it,” he said. “We’ll just say he was a spy from another country.”

“S-seriously…?”

“This grimy commoner defied us. If we let him go, he might get a big head and snitch on us later.”

One of the officer’s faces paled. “Oh, shit. If we’re caught doing this…”

“Guess we don’t have a choice.”

The two other officers drew their swords as well. Shuou walked backwards from the temporary tent, slowly putting some distance between them. Following him, the officers – their swords drawn – also exited the tent.

If you don’t obey, they’ll make sure you can’t say anything, huh? Talk about jumping to conclusions.

One belligerent man and two lackeys afraid of having their crimes exposed. Shuou wondered how much these three were hiding. If all Murakumo soldiers were the same, he would be quite disappointed. He sighed low enough to go unnoticed. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t be able to avoid trouble.

Covering him from the front, the three men readied their swords. This series of movements distinguished them from amateurs, calling to mind the bloody stench of trained soldiers.

The man taking center position called out his instructions to the others. “We came upon a suspicious commoner, but when we tried speaking to him, he resisted. Thus, we had no choice but to kill him. Sound good?”

The officers standing on his left and right nodded wordlessly. First, the man on the left attacked. Racing towards Shuou, he swept his sword sideways.

Plain as day.

Due to a burn scar, Shuou couldn’t use his right eye. Even so, his uninjured, left eye possessed extraordinary kinetic vision, incomparable to an ordinary person’s. At the same time, demonstrating his unique kinetic vision required a great deal of concentration. As a child, he’d only been able exercise this remarkable ability while maintaining his presence of mind. During fights or mentally destabilizing situations, he hadn’t been able to see well due to distraction.

Yet thanks to Amane’s training, he could now maintain his composure even in life-or-death situations. In Shuou’s current state, dodging the brandished sword of a modestly trained soldier was mere child’s play. He retreated nimbly, dodging the sword sweeping towards his stomach with perfect timing.

“Wha—”

Wearing an imbecilic expression, the man swept his gaze back and forth from Shuou to the sword he held aloft. Thinking he’d cut Shuou, the officer must have found the lack of blood strange.

“What are you doing, you useless piece of crap?” asked the central officer.

“I-I’m, you know…”

“It doesn’t matter! The two of us will finish him off!”

While the middle officer raised his sword diagonally over one shoulder, the left one held his in a stabbing position, both charging Shuou at the same time. Without expending much effort, Shuou twisted his body, dodging these attacks as well.

Their swordsmanship is rather lacking.

In the Gray Forest, Rabidaemons swung their claws at lightning speeds without any preparatory movements. Recalling the days he’d spent battling such monsters, these officers’ dull attacks were less than an amusement, unworthy of training.

A few more times, the men took turns raising their swords, attempting to rain blows upon Shuou. Merely by repositioning his body, Shuou dodged all their attacks with little to no effort.

“Damn it, I can’t hit ‘im… What’s with this guy?”

Breathless, the officers thrust their swords into the ground, using them as canes while heaving in air.

”Screw this,” said the central officer. “It’s time to get serious… Let’s use Crynetic Energy.”

“U-understood.”

“Roger that.”

Crynetic Energy referred to the power used by Sunstones.

They’re going to use their abilities?

For the first time, Shuou felt tense as he readied himself. Though knew a little bit about the Crynetic Energy used by Sunstones, he’d never seen it for himself.

On the left, the Orange Sunstone pointed his palm towards the ground, causing the soil to rise upwards. Gathering in the air little by little, it gradually formed into a thick, pointed object akin to an arrow. Afterwards, the Green Sunstone – located in the middle – held his hand aloft, creating a sharp, rotating blade of wind atop his palm. At some point, the officer on the right had also amassed a violently whirring globe of water in front of his chest.

Upon seeing them, Shuou understood. Each of these attacks contained enough power to destroy a human body in a single blow.

If any of those land, I’ll pay for it dearly.

Shuou prepared himself. This was the first time he’d seen Crynetic Energy. Even if his eye could perceive these powers, dodging them would be a different matter. First of all, he wasn’t even sure if he would be able to see them.

Thus, Shuou prepared to put his life on the line.

I might die.

At the central officer’s signal, all three Crynetic Energies released in unison. While the wind blades targeted Shuou’s legs, the earthen arrow flew towards his chest, the water globe hurtling towards his face.

What? Is that all?

Too easily, Shuou’s eye perceived each of the attacks with perfect accuracy. Lifting his foot, he evaded the wind blade. Shifting his body, he dodged the earthen arrow. Finally, he crouched to avoid the water globe.

Rather than a sense of accomplishment, he felt something close to disappointment. Amane had spoken about Crynetic Energy as though it were a fearsome power. Hearing her stories had invoked both awe and interest within Shuou. As such, being able to effortlessly deal with these powers saddened him.

”What the hell are you!?” shouted the middle officer. “There’s no way! There’s no fuckin’ way! A mere commoner shouldn’t be able to dodge Crynetic Energy!”

The Green Sunstone in the center ranted and raved, his face turning bright red. Unable to believe what had just happened, the left and right officers backed away, their mouths hanging open.

Enraged, the middle officer discharged a torrent of insults and curses. Based on his complete lack of composure, this man had a difficult personality. Seeing Shuou nonchalantly contemplate this appeared to displease the officer, his anger intensifying as he shouted.

”You dun bastard! Quit actin’ like you’re better than us!”

The Green Sunstone raised his hands towards the heavens. Immediately, a blade of wind formed atop his palms. Twice the size of the Crynetic Energy from earlier, it sucked in the surrounding air, producing a sharp sound, as if the very atmosphere were being torn apart.

It happened most unexpectedly.

Freezing air rose throughout the entire area, turning Shuou’s breath a cloudy white. As far as he could see, the ground had frozen in an instant, covered in a thin layer of ice. This sudden development caught everyone off guard. Even the officer who’d amassed so much wind lost focus, causing his Crynetic Energy to dissipate.

”That’s enough.”

Turning in the direction of the voice, Shuou found a young girl standing there, as expressionless as a doll and wearing an elegant, military uniform.

Original text: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4006r/4/