The morning sun rose slowly above the mountain peaks, cool air drifting through the trees.

  Enzo stood near the camp, his body drenched in sweat, muscles tight and trembling.

  He was training relentlessly.

  He lifted heavy stones, gritting his teeth as he raised them above his head before slamming them back down. Dust scattered around him.

  He moved to endurance drills—push-ups, explosive jumps, core exercises, controlled breathing under strain. He pushed himself harder with each repetition.

  “If I’m weak… then I’ll make myself stronger,” he muttered.

  After a while, he walked toward a massive rock near the cliff’s edge and sat cross-legged on top of it.

  He closed his eyes.

  His breathing slowed.

  A strange aura formed around him—white… yet tinged with darkness, swirling steadily around his body.

  Moments passed.

  Then—

  He opened his eyes.

  The air felt different.

  He looked around.

  Red sky.

  Barren land.

  Heavy atmosphere.

  He had entered the sword’s world.

  But something was wrong.

  The sword wasn’t with him.

  It was back at the camp… beside Sima.

  “How did I get here…?” he whispered.

  A thunderous voice shook the void.

  “Are you an idiot?”

  The great dragon emerged, its colossal form dominating the horizon, eyes blazing.

  “You call that training?”

  Enzo stood his ground.

  “You told me to grow stronger.”

  The dragon exhaled a wave of scorching heat.

  “I did not mean such primitive exercises.”

  “Then what did you mean?” Enzo asked.

  The dragon’s voice deepened.

  “Maintain the shape of your aura around an ordinary sword.”

  “For a long time.”

  “Pressure yourself.”

  “Increase your control.”

  “Keep the aura perfectly formed around the blade without letting it collapse.”

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  A pause.

  “Now leave my sight, weakling.”

  The world shattered—

  Enzo was back on the mountain.

  He clicked his tongue.

  “Stupid dragon…”

  Suddenly—

  A small rock hit the back of his head.

  He turned sharply.

  Sima was hiding behind a rock, staring at him.

  “Why did you do that?!” he snapped.

  She crossed her arms.

  “Because you didn’t say good morning.”

  “And you didn’t eat the breakfast I made.”

  “You’re insane!” he shouted—half annoyed, half amused.

  He grabbed an ordinary sword and focused.

  Aura flowed around the blade.

  It trembled.

  Flickered.

  Collapsed.

  He tried again.

  Concentrate.

  Compress.

  Stabilize.

  His control wavered.

  Before he could attempt again—

  A man stumbled out of the trees.

  He was limping. Bleeding. Covered in wounds.

  “Help… please…”

  He collapsed.

  Enzo rushed forward.

  “He’s still alive.”

  They carried him to the tent.

  Sima cleaned the wounds.

  Enzo bandaged them carefully.

  Three hours passed.

  The man awoke, exhausted and pale.

  “Thank you… truly…”

  “There’s no need,” Enzo said. “Tell us what happened.”

  The man’s voice shook.

  “I’m from a village near the kingdom… There’s a monster.”

  “It attacks anyone it sees.”

  “I was harvesting crops… It appeared out of nowhere.”

  “I ran toward the forest… but it struck my back.”

  “I fell. It must have thought I was dead.”

  “I walked… somehow… until I found you.”

  Enzo’s expression hardened.

  “We’ll save your village.”

  “I promise.”

  “What?!” Sima and the man shouted together.

  “Are you crazy?!” Sima demanded.

  “I’ve decided,” Enzo said calmly. “We’ll take him to the kingdom hospital first. Then we go.”

  Sima sighed dramatically.

  “Fiiine…”

  Near the village—

  Shikakren was training.

  Earth energy surged around him as he crushed boulders with controlled strikes.

  Then—

  Screams.

  He rushed forward.

  What he saw froze him.

  Burning houses.

  Corpses.

  Villagers fleeing.

  “Who did this…?”

  He stepped deeper into the village.

  And then—

  He saw it.

  A tall black figure.

  White head.

  Long, sharp white claws.

  Thin body.

  Not human.

  The creature lunged instantly, aiming straight for his heart.

  Shikakren blocked with his sword and pushed it back.

  They clashed.

  Blows.

  Claws.

  Blood.

  He amplified his Earth element beyond anything he had shown before.

  A single strike shattered part of a house.

  “Earthquake!”

  The ground cracked violently around him.

  “Earth Cyclone!”

  A massive spiral of rocks surged toward the creature.

  It bled.

  But its speed didn’t falter.

  It moved like a shadow—like it wasn’t made of flesh at all.

  Shikakren began panting.

  “Damn it…”

  The creature struck his chest and launched him into the air.

  It followed.

  A brutal kick to his back sent him crashing into the ground, forming a crater upon impact.

  The monster descended to finish him—

  Arrows pierced its body.

  Royal guards.

  It retreated behind debris.

  The soldiers searched—

  Suddenly it appeared.

  One soldier died.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  Two remained.

  “Watch my back!”

  But the creature emerged from beneath the earth, dragging one soldier underground.

  Moments later—

  His mutilated body surfaced.

  The last soldier ran.

  The creature caught him.

  Silence.

  Shikakren stood slowly.

  He gathered every ounce of Earth energy he had left.

  Rock-colored aura wrapped around his blade.

  Small stones spiraled around it.

  He roared—

  And unleashed a massive cutting wave.

  It tore through the ground.

  Through buildings.

  Through the creature.

  Splitting it clean in half.

  Shikakren laughed weakly.

  Then collapsed.

  Enzo and Sima arrived.

  Smoke rose into the sky.

  They ran.

  Destruction everywhere.

  They found Shikakren barely alive.

  They carried him to the hospital.

  After recovering, he told them everything.

  When the news reached the king, his expression darkened.

  “If that person has begun moving…”

  “Damn it.”

  “I must kill him quickly.”

  “Or war will ignite.”

  Days later—

  Enzo and Sima walked through the market.

  “I wonder what that monster really looked like,” Enzo muttered.

  “Forget that!” Sima interrupted. “It’s discount day!”

  “Fine… not that I care… but since we’re here…”

  She suddenly asked,

  “Why were you in the weapon shop the day we met?”

  “Oh. I wanted to buy another sword.”

  “This one felt like junk.”

  Dragon Fang faintly glowed.

  Enzo chuckled.

  “Never mind. I changed my mind.”

  “Seems you weren’t junk after all.”

  Meanwhile—

  The fourth round of the tournament had ended.

  Blazer versus Sauden.

  Blazer won.

  “The competition is growing,” Enzo said. “Good.”

  Sima replied,

  “Your next match… is against Blazer.”

  Enzo smiled slightly.

  “I don’t mind.”

  Deep underground—

  A man sat at a desk in a secret chamber.

  Papers scattered before him.

  Sketches of black creatures.

  One page showed the exact same monster from the village.

  He smiled.

  “This is only the beginning.”

  And laughed.

  End of Chapter Seven