The silk floated through the air, light as a whisper. Ash steadied his breath, his grip on the katana firm but relaxed. This time, he didn’t overthink. He let his body move as Kaidan had instructed: fluid, precise, and calm. The blade arced smoothly, slicing through the silk as it fell. The two halves drifted to the ground, separated cleanly.

  For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Kaidan nodded, his stern expression softening. “You’ve finally understood. Well done.”

  Ash exhaled, relief flooding him. “Thank you, Master Kaidan.”

  The Sword Master stepped forward, retrieving the silk that was cut in half. “This is only the beginning. Cutting silk is a lesson in control, not an end goal. Now, we take that control and apply it to the chaos of combat.”

  Later that afternoon, as Ash prepared to leave the training grounds, Master Kaidan called him over, his expression unreadable.

  "You're making progress, but training in isolation only teaches so much," Kaidan said. "Real combat is unpredictable. You need to learn how to apply what you've practiced when it matters."

  Ash straightened. "Are you saying I’m ready?"

  Kaidan smirked faintly. "I’m saying you’re ready to be tested. You’ll accompany four of my students on a mission outside the city. I want to see how well you adapt."

  Ash’s stomach tightened, both with anticipation and uncertainty. "Who am I working with?"

  "Maren, Alder, Sera, and Tobin," Kaidan said. "They’ve trained under me longer than you have. You’ll follow their lead, but your role isn’t just to fight. It’s to observe, react, and prove that you understand the way of the blade. This is a chance to apply what you’ve learned. A real test. Accept it.”

  Ash nodded in understanding.

  The next morning, Ash arrived at the Scarlet Enclave guild house, where Kaidan’s four students were already gathered.

  Alder, a tall swordsman with a confident smirk, looked him up and down. Among them Alder was a veteran trainee known for his sharp tongue but even sharper was his blade. Alder’s eyes narrowed as he spotted Ash. "Great. We’re babysitting the outsider now?"

  Sera, a disciplined fighter with sharp, calculating eyes, merely crossed her arms. "Master Kaidan must see something in him. We’ll see if he can keep up."

  Tobin, the most reserved of the three, gave Ash a small nod. "You don’t look like an idiot. That’s already better than some recruits we’ve worked with."

  Ash bristled but kept his composure. “I’ll do my best to keep up.”

  Their leader, a stoic woman named Maren, simply motioned for them to follow. “Save your energy for the mission,” she said. “We leave now.”

  Their mission was clear: a small village near the outskirts of Valmaris had been harassed by a group of bandits, some wielding corrupted weapons tainted with the power of curses. The goal wasn’t just to defeat them—it was to assess and neutralize the threat with precision, just as Kaidan had taught them.

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  As they entered the dense forest, Ash could feel the shift in the air. The light dimmed under the thick canopy, and the faint shimmer of miasma clung to the edges of the trees. Sera raised a hand, signaling the group to halt.

  "Standard formation. Alder, take the front. Ash, backup Alder. Tobin, stay back and watch for movement."

  “Ash, focus on precision,” Maren said. “Control your blade. Alder, cover him.”

  Alder shot Ash a smug look. "Try to keep up, rookie."

  The bandits moved with an eerie precision, their weapons pulsing with dark energy. Cursed weapons?!! Ash thought. Cursed Weapons held an inherent advantage over normal weapons, boasting the ability to increase their wielders strength, or even giving them unworldly powers. However, these came at a steep price, oftentimes taking the users sanity, or perhaps even their life. Ash’s grip tightened around his katana, remembering Kaidan’s lessons. Control, not force.

  Alder charged in first, his sword flashing in the dim light as he clashed with one of the bandits. "Come on, Ash! Show us what you’ve got!" he shouted.

  Ash exhaled, stepping forward just as another enemy lunged. He didn’t force the strike—he let the katana flow with his movement, cutting cleanly through the bandit’s weapon arm. The enemy collapsed, stunned by the precision rather than brute strength.

  Sera, finishing off her opponent, glanced at Ash with approval. "Not bad.". Ash’s heart pounded as he dodged a lunge from another bandit, his katana moved instinctively. His first strike landed cleanly, severing the bandit's leg. The weapon felt like an extension of himself, his training guiding his movements.

  Nearby, Alder dispatched his foe, his sword flashing in rapid successive arcs. He glanced at Ash, his smirk returning. “Not bad for a rookie.”

  Ash didn’t respond, focusing on the large muscled bandit that ran towards him. The bandit lunged at Ash, his two-handed sword swung down dangerously close as it smashed into the ground, blowing up debris. He sidestepped and swung, his blade slicing through his flank. The bandit howled in pain, staggering before collapsing.

  “Good work,” Maren called, her own weapon cutting down the final bandit. “Let’s secure the area and report back.”

  Back at the Scarlet Enclave guild house, Master Kaidan was waiting. Without a word, he gestured toward the training grounds. Ash followed, his exhaustion from the mission fading under Kaidan’s intense gaze.

  Kaidan reached for a piece of silk, holding it between his fingers. "Tell me, what did you learn?"

  Ash hesitated, considering his answer. He thought about the battle, the way he had instinctively let the katana flow, the precision of each strike. "I learned that control isn’t about restraining my strength. It’s about trusting my blade. Letting it move the way it’s meant to."

  Kaidan nodded but said nothing. Instead, he released the silk into the air.

  Without thinking, Ash stepped forward. His katana moved in a smooth, effortless arc. The silk split in two before it touched the ground.

  Silence stretched between them. Then, Kaidan smirked.

  “You’re beginning to understand,” he said, stepping forward. From behind him, he retrieved a cloth-wrapped bundle and placed it in Ash’s hands. "This is for you. A blade suited to your style, forged by Scarlet Enclave’s finest smiths."

  Ash unwrapped it, revealing a finely crafted katana, its blade shimmering with an iridescent sheen. The hilt was wrapped in dark blue silk, and the guard bore intricate carvings of waves. Awe and gratitude filled him.

  "Thank you, Master Kaidan."

  Kaidan replied, his smirk lingering. "You have mastered the basics, but there is always more to learn. If you wish to continue your training, my doors remain open to you. Otherwise, take what you’ve learned and grow as an adventurer. The choice is yours."

  Ash bowed deeply. "I understand. Thank you for everything."

  As Ash left the guild house, the katana resting at his side, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. He had proven himself in training and on the battlefield, but he knew there was still much to learn. The path ahead would be difficult, but with his blade and his growing confidence, Ash was ready to face whatever came next.