Ryouma and Yui settled into the modest inn Giest had arranged for them, a quiet place nestled at the edge of town. But peace was short-lived. From the very next day, their hellish training began.
Giest, known across the region as a battle-hardened veteran, didn't hold back. Their days started before sunrise, filled with intense physical training, brutal martial arts, weapon handling, and fist-to-fist combat. At night, Giest drilled them in mental endurance—forcing them to fight through fatigue, pain, and fear. Each day tested their limits. And then some.
Yet, the most puzzling thing remained Ryouma's unknown skill—Stellar System. No matter how close to death he was pushed, it never activated. Hoping to force a breakthrough, Giest threw Ryouma into a one-on-one life-or-death combat against a silver-fanged wolf, a low-tier yet vicious beast.
The outcome was brutal.Ryouma fought like a cornered animal, instinct guiding every move. He ended up with several broken ribs, torn muscles, and bloodied limbs, but never once did his power reveal itself. Even Giest was shocked. "Still nothing, huh?" he muttered after the fight, wrapping Ryouma's wounds.
But something else was changing.
Ryouma's eyes grew sharper by the day. His movements became lethal—swift, efficient, merciless. He began cultivating a killing instinct, one that bloomed silently through every deathmatch Giest threw at him. And although that killing intent grew, Ryouma never showed it, not even to Giest or Yui. He simply absorbed, adapted… and endured.
His greatest strength wasn't his unknown skill.It was the terrifying speed at which he learned.
From a humble farm boy, Ryouma transformed into a warrior whose physical prowess rivaled even those far above his level. In close combat, if his opponent was his age, he always had the upper hand.
Yui, on the other hand, shone with elegance and grace. Her Sword Maiden ability flowed like water—refined, fluent, and deadly. She wielded her sword as if it were part of her soul.
After six months of torment and transformation, their first real test arrived: an E-rank mission to eliminate a goblin pack.
Most at the guild expected a disaster.
"It's not like training," the veterans whispered. "This is real. This is where people die."
Back at the guild office, Giest sat lazily in his chair, arms behind his head, eyes closed as if napping. The ever-cheerful and slightly clumsy receptionist, Mina, about Yui's age with short black hair and a constant smile, peeked in.
"Giest-san, you seem way too relaxed," she said with a playful pout. "Aren't you worried? It's their first mission."
Giest smirked without opening his eyes. "Not only will they come back alive, I bet there won't be a single scar on their bodies."
Mina flinched. "You did train them like demons..."
Giest didn't reply. Mina left the room, shaking her head.
Suddenly—uproar erupted in the guild hall below. Cheers, gasps, loud chatter.
Giest's eyes snapped open. He stood, walked downstairs calmly… and saw them.
Ryouma and Yui stood side by side, their bodies soaked in goblin blood—but not a single wound on either of them. At their feet, ten heavy bags full of goblin ears—the proof of their success.
The crowd roared. Applause thundered through the building.
All eyes went to Yui.
"The Sword Maiden… how graceful.""As expected of someone with divine talent…"
Everyone forgot Ryouma stood beside her.
But he didn't mind.
He smiled quietly.
"I don't need their praise. I'm happy just being by Yui's side, protecting her. My strength still lacks… but once I understand my skill, I'll grow by leaps and bounds."
As the crowd swarmed around Yui, Ryouma slowly slipped away. But just as he passed the exit—
BAM!
A heavy slap landed on his back. He turned to see Giest, arms crossed, a smirk stretching across his rugged face.
"Good work, Ryouma."
"I didn't do much," Ryouma replied with a small shrug. "I just handled the goblins Yui didn't cut down first."
Giest chuckled. "Still a big deal for someone who doesn't even know what his skill is."
He leaned in with a teasing grin. "So… how many did you take down?"
Ryouma sighed. "Me: 8. Yui: 94."
"Pfft—!" Giest burst out laughing. "She's really a monster, huh?"
Ryouma turned to leave, annoyed—but Giest caught his shoulder.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease. Today's a big day, and as your mentor, I'm treating both of you. Drinks, food, the works. Let's celebrate."
Ryouma hesitated… then gave a tired nod.
"…Yeah. Sounds good."
Later that evening, the three of them gathered at a cozy tavern near the outskirts of town. Plates piled high with roasted meat, warm bread, and fresh fruit filled the table. Yui laughed more than she had in months, her usual quiet self finally relaxing. Ryouma sat beside her, listening, smiling faintly between bites. He wasn't used to this kind of warmth.
Giest raised a wooden mug and grinned."To the rookies," he declared. "No longer rookies."
Yui giggled and clinked her mug with his. Ryouma nodded and tapped his as well, quietly drinking.
For a moment, it felt normal. Like a fleeting glimpse of a peaceful life—one Ryouma had never dared to wish for.
But that peace didn't follow him to bed.
Later that night, lying awake in the quiet of the inn room, Ryouma stared at the ceiling. His mind drifted back to the fight. The way Yui had moved—her golden aura radiating like a blazing dawn, her blade singing through the air with elegance and finality. In just a few minutes, she had torn through the goblin pack like a storm of divine judgment.
And then there was him.Fists bloodied, breath ragged, body bruised. It had taken him nearly ten minutes to deal with just a handful of goblins in close combat.
Ryouma clenched his jaw.
"At this rate… how can I protect her?""How can someone this weak keep a promise that heavy?"
Frustration tightened in his chest.
"I'm still not working hard enough," he whispered.
He closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.
Outside, the stars shimmered in the midnight sky. Above the inn, as the world slept in silence, something stirred.
A faint glow appeared in the heavens—subtle, almost unnoticeable. A stream of cosmic light drifted downward like a quiet whisper of destiny, unseen by any living soul.
The starlight found its way to Ryouma. It wrapped around his sleeping form, warm and weightless. Then, as if answering a silent vow, it was absorbed into his body.
A sigil—a tiny constellation—flared to life on his forehead, glowing with radiant intensity. Then, just as quickly as it came, it faded, leaving behind no trace.
Time passed like a fleeting dream.In what felt like the blink of an eye, four years had come and gone.
The girl once known for her shy laughter and hesitant steps had become a legend in her own right. Yui, now eighteen, stood proudly as a renowned S-Class adventurer—a name whispered with awe across the kingdoms.
Clad in elegant silver armor, her every movement carried grace and precision. A cold, dignified demeanor now cloaked her presence, far removed from the cheerful youth she had once been. Her piercing red eyes—as sharp as blades—only added to her beauty, giving her an air of untouchable nobility. She was no longer the girl chasing after shadows; she was a force the world respected.
And by her side, always a step behind, was Ryouma.
Now a fully grown man of 190 centimeters, he had matured into a lean, battle-hardened warrior. With jet-black hair, sharp eyes, and a calm expression that rarely changed, he stood tall—serene and unreadable. Despite the strange cosmic event that had marked him years ago, no abilities had ever awakened within him.
But Ryouma never gave in to despair.He trained harder than anyone. Day in and day out.
Denied the gifts of magic or aura, he honed his body to perfection and forged his mind into that of a master strategist. While others relied on power, he relied on precision, planning, and an unshakeable will. With sheer determination, he climbed his way to C-rank, earning respect not through overwhelming strength, but through tactical brilliance and unbreakable spirit.
His personality, however, remained almost unchanged.He still carried that same gentle smile, the kind that seemed to ease pain and warm the coldest heart. Just being near him gave people strength, as if he radiated calm and quiet hope. Even in silence, Ryouma inspired others to keep going.
Over the years, Yui and Ryouma formed a party. A true team.They named themselves Phoenix—a symbol of rebirth and undying will.
Party: Phoenix
Ryouma – The calm tactician. Close-combat expert. Rank C.The soul of the team, always watching, always thinking ahead. Though still mocked by some for his lack of flashy powers, his brilliance on the battlefield turned the tide more times than anyone could count.
Yui – The vanguard. Blade of the Phoenix. Rank S.Cold and elegant, yet fiercely protective. She never let harm come to Ryouma, no matter the cost. Her loyalty to him ran deeper than anyone realized.
Ronald – The Shield. Defender. Rank A.A cheerful and loud-mouthed twenty-year-old, Ronald was Ryouma's best friend and the team's sturdy wall. His jovial nature often brought laughter in the darkest times.
Persia – The Healer. Rank A.Blonde-haired with emerald eyes, she was the same age as Yui. Though unmatched in healing arts, she had a sharp tongue and an icy attitude—especially toward Ryouma. Persia respected only Yui and treated others, even allies, with scorn.
Kevin – The Mage. Rank A.A bespectacled, book-loving wizard. More scholar than fighter, Kevin was obsessed with magical theory and arcane research. Despite his quiet personality, he and Ryouma shared a strong friendship based on mutual respect.
Lyra – The Archer. Rank B.A young girl with black hair and red eyes, younger than Yui but already a promising talent. Though shy and soft-spoken, she adored Ryouma and was the most cheerful around him, often mimicking his calm energy.
Together, this ragtag group had climbed to the top.Through hundreds of missions, dungeons, and deadly encounters, they forged a bond like steel. They had become one of the few S-rank parties in the continent, a symbol of power, unity, and resilience.
But even at the height of their glory, Ryouma's Stellar System remained a mystery.