The days had passed in relentless cycles of training and exhaustion. Fifty-eight days of carrying heavy tubs of water, of pushing his body past the brink of pain, and now, only two days remained. The pond was almost full. Blaze gazed toward the pond and clenched his fists.
Even if he worked for three days, it would still be hard for him to fill it. But he didn't have three days.
His master, the old man, had made it clear—he would only train Blaze if he filled the pond.
"There is no other option."
"I'm going to do it. No, I have to do it," he muttered. His eyes firing with determination. There was no room for doubt; he had to meet the challenge head-on. There was nothing else he had to do. "Hard work! I can do it!" Saying that he lifted those tubs, filled them with water, then went to the pond. After reaching there, he turned back and ran again. Over and over. The rhythm of his movements became mechanical, each step a battle against exhaustion.
Hours passed. Night fell.
Sweat dripped from his chin. His breath came in ragged gasps. His cloths were soaking in sweat and clinging with his body uncomfortably. With a grunt, he yanked it off and tossed it aside. His well built muscles were gleaming under the pale moonlight. His body had changed over these past two months—scarred, hardened, strengthened by the relentless training.
But it wasn't enough to stop him.
"Not yet!"
"I can't stop here... I can rest later," he muttered through clenched teeth. He was fighting, fighting against his limitations. The urgency of completing the task was fueling him to keep going. It was giving a message: "Keep going, keep going past your own limits if you truly want to be the strongest swordsman in the magical verse.
The night deepened, and so did the oppressive silence. Blaze's arms and legs, his whole body, felt like burning. They were screaming in pain. After how much they worked, no, overworked, it was no surprise. But he couldn't stop, he had to break through his limits. He had to emerge stronger from this trial. He had to get stronger.
Dawn breaks, and he is still running. His eyes turned blood-red and heavy. Dark spots under his eyes indicated his sleepless night. His movements were sluggish, and the ache in his muscles was becoming an almost unbearable weight. Yet he gritted his teeth and pushed onward. Time became meaningless. The midday sun beat down mercilessly upon him. His body was drenched in sweat. He lifted, ran, and poured. Each tub he lifted felt heavier than the last. The last few tubs of water loomed before him like a distant dream. He lost track of time. The last few tubs remained.
"Just... a little more."
His muscles trembled violently. His body was covered in bruises and cuts, and he felt like he would collapse at any moment.
But he didn't stop. He couldn't afford to stop. He ran with every bit of his energy.
The night returned. His vision blurred. One last run. Just one more. He was pressing out all his remaining energy.
Blaze staggered toward the pond with the final tubs in his hand. His knees wobble. His breath was ragged, and his chest was tight with exhaustion.
"Aaaaaaarrggggghhhhhh!!!"
A primal scream tore from his throat. He pushed himself forward.
But—just before he could pour the water into the pond...
His vision darkened.
His body gave out.
Blaze collapsed.
The world around him faded into a void of black.
Blaze awoke to the gentle warmth of the morning sun. He could feel the soft sensation of something on his head.
He blinked groggily. His body was still aching. But his vision cleared—and he realized he was resting on Ris's lap.
She sat beside him. She was carefully healing his wounds with her magic. Her expression was one of quiet concern.
The old man stood nearby, crossing his arms. He was gazing at the filled pond.
"Looks like he really did it," the old man muttered to himself before turning to Ris. "Ris, please heal all of his wounds. He's earned it."
Blaze stirred; his body was still sore. But he forced himself to sit up. His mind was hazy, but one thought burned brightly within him.
"I... I'm sorry, Master... I couldn't fill it."
The old man turned to him with his unreadable expression. Then, he gave a small approving smile.
"You've done a great job, Blaze. I knew you could pull it off."
Blaze's eyes widened. "But... I didn't finish it..."
"Then finish it now. You still have some time left, when you started your training on the first date. Now, go and claim it."
He stepped toward the pond, grabbing the last two tubs that he had dropped before fainting. His body was aching. He pushed himself and poured the last tubs of water into the pond.
As he was pouring the last tubs of water in the pond, he got a flashback of the hardcore training. The first day, the day when he first lifted those tubs, the time when he met Ris while training, the encounter with those bullies from the past, everything. Everything flashed in his mind. He gave out a nostalgic expression.
The pond was finally full!
"You did more than enough. You pushed past your limits, and that's what truly matters." The old man nodded. "Rest for now. In three days, meet me right here. Your training will begin then."
Blaze's heart swelled with relief and pride. He had done it. He had truly done it.
The old man turned to Ris. "Come with me, Ris."
Blaze blinked. "Wait... you guys know each other?"
Ris smiled at him while standing up. "Yeah. Grandpa saved me."
Blaze's mind reeled. "Saved you? From what?"
Ris simply gave him a small wave. "See you later, Blaze."
Before he could ask more, the two of them walked off. They left Blaze alone with his thoughts.
"Saved her? From what?"
The question was hanging in his mind. He stood up. His body was still sore, even after the healing.
He had broken his limits.
And soon—his training would truly begin.
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Blaze trudged home. Each step of his reminded him of the intense training and the pain that he went through for the past two months. The fatigue from the training was deepening in his body. And yet his spirit soared to an exhilarating high. He had pushed himself past his limits. As he neared his home, he gave out a relieving sigh. He knew that his real training would begin three days later, but then, the only thing that he could think about was eat, sleep, and rest.
He stepped inside his house. A familiar voice came from inside. Her tone felt concerned. "Where have you been? It's been two days!" Luna stood in the doorway. She crossed her hands tightly over her chest and furrowed her brow with worry. "You pushed yourself too hard again." Saying that, she sighed and, "Okay, it's not like you will stop even if I say."
Blaze smiled while scratching the back of his head and said, "Sorry, Mom, I was training, so I couldn't come."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You were training the whole time!" And she sighed, exasperated. "You haven't eaten for two days!" His stomach let out a thunderous growl, right that time. And a grumbling protest that echoed in the quiet space. Blaze's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Luna's expression shifted from worry to mild irritation. She shook her head. The curls of her hair were bouncing with her head. "Go take a shower, then come eat. It's lunchtime anyway. "He didn't argue and went to freshen up and then eat.
After washing away all his exhaustion, he went to eat. When he went there, he felt like he was flying with the aroma of his favorite dishes. He savored each and every morsel. He ate until he couldn't eat anymore.
Well, at this rate, he was eating enough to make up for the two days... and maybe for the next two days as well.
When he satisfied his hunger, he let out a satisfying sigh. He pushed his plate away, and without another word, he went toward his room and collapsed into his bed with his heavy and sore limbs.
And there, he fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.
All day.
All night.
The next morning. He already missed his breakfast for oversleeping. As he was coming down from his room, he let out a satisfied yawn. He groggily stretched his arms over his head. "Morning, everyone! That was a great sleep—I feel good as new," he announced. His voice was echoing softly in the empty space around him.
As Blaze was talking in the empty air, he could feel the silence in the air. Blaze couldn't believe his eyes as he blinked in disbelieve. The whole house was silent and the light was out. The usual morning chatter while preparing the breakfast was absent. Mili and Lili didn't come to him when he woke up. The windows which are normally open with light coming in were closed in shadows. Where is everyone?
"Mom? Dad?" he called out. His voice was tinged with confusion.
Still, there was no response.
"Lili? Mili?" he tried again. A little desperation was creeping into his tone.
But nothing came in reply. Just silence, thick and oppressive.
He felt uneasiness flowing through him. Something wasn't right. He stepped forward cautiously. His heart was racing. Each creak of the floorboards were amplifying his anxiety. Suddenly, he felt a powerful presence behind him. He turned toward that but it was dark and too late. The powerful force lunged at him from behind. It wrapped around him like a vice.
"!!"
Blaze gasped. He was instinctively struggling and suffering against the grip that felt like iron... no, it felt colder than that... ice, it was ice. A horrified chill raced down his spine. The tendrils of mana swirled around him and it felt like it was freezing his arms in place. Panic swelled within him stronger than anything else.
Huh? What am I doing? I'm still this weak? Then what were all those grueling days for? All that pain...
As he was thinking that, his face darkened. He never felt so helpless.
The panic intensified, and it was urging him to fight back. But the frigid bonds held firm. No matter how hard he strained, it wouldn't break. So strong mana. He was taking Blaze somewhere. The darkness and the pressure... Panic engraved into him strongly.
Where was I? What was happening?
Before he could process his dire situation, he felt himself forcibly thrown into an ice-cold chair. The biting chill of the surface penetrated his skin. It was eliciting involuntary shivers. His breath came out in shaky puffs, and the air felt heavy. He felt suffocating and sought for any glimmer of hope.
And then, a small flame flickered to life in the deep darkness.
The tiny flame floated just above him. Its light was feeble and wavering. And it was slowly circling around him and then drifted away a short distance. Blaze swallowed hard and his heart was pounding like drums.
Boom!
Suddenly, a bright explosion of light erupted around him.
"Aaaaarrggghhhhhh!" He cried out in fear.
The flash was blinding his senses. He felt the darkness shatter and revealing a scene. All the familiar faces surrounded him. Their expressions were beaming with warmth and delight.
His family—Luna, Ignis, Lili, and Mili—stood before him. Their smiles were radiating as they held a decorated birthday cake.
"Happy birthday, Blaze!" Luna and Ignis exclaimed in unison. Their voices were filled with celebration.
"Happy birthday, Onii-chan!" the twins chimed in. Their laughter was ringing like bells.
"Time sure flows by, you are sixteen now," Ignis called out.
Blaze sat there in stunned silence. "Huhh." His mind was filled with confusion. "Wait... what?" He blinked rapidly. He was trying to absorb the sudden shift in reality. "It's already my birthday?"
Lili's playful and bright giggle filled the air. "Yep! And you totally fell for it!"
Mili gave out an infectious grin. "You should've seen your face! It was priceless!"
"Huh... your grin is what is priceless, look at the mirror," Blaze shouted in embarrassment.
Blaze, the one who is gonna become the strongest swordsman has just been defeated... by a birthday prank?
Blaze let out a shuddering breath and shook his head in amazement. "You guys did all this just to surprise me?"
Ignis walked over with a smirk on his lips. "You've gotten strong, but you really should have seen this coming."
"But I couldn't even move..." Blaze muttered.
"You were completely worn out from training," Luna interjected softly with her comforting gaze. "So, we wanted to do something special to cheer you up."
The weight of this realization settled on him. Blaze's chest tightened, and his emotions began to swell within him. He clenched his fists. And his eyes were misting over with tears that were about to spill. "Thanks, Mom... Thanks, everyone," he uttered. His voice was thick with gratitude.
Tears streamed down his cheeks—not from pain or exhaustion, but from an overwhelming sense of joy and belonging.
"Okay, okay! No more crying! Cut the cake already!" Mili urged. Her enthusiasm was lighting up the room.
Lili clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling. "And don't forget to make a wish!"
Blaze took a deep and steady breath. He gazed at the flickering candlelight before him. At that moment, he quietly made his wish: I wish... to be happy with all of you for the rest of my life.
With that heartfelt wish, he leaned forward and blew out the candles. The warm glow of the flame was extinguishing. But the warmth of his family's love igniting a new light within his heart.
Then a sudden realization—
"Where is Cloudy? I can't see him." Blaze asked with a questioning expression.
Then Ignis said, "Oh, Blaze, sorry about that. The Thing is—