The morning sun bathed the city of Shinzai in golden light as Kael stood at the edge of the training grounds, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed ahead. Today wasn't about fighting corrupted Wielders or preparing for a cataclysm. It was about something simpler—but no less important.
Renzo, the 6-year-old boy who had challenged Kael just a few days ago, stood in front of him once again—eyes wide with determination and boundless energy. Despite his age, Renzo's movements were sharp, his instincts solid. Kael had seen enough to know: the boy had raw talent. The kind that couldn't be ignored.
Kael stepped forward, his expression calm. "You're fast," he said, "but speed without control is chaos. If you want to improve, I'll train you—personally."
Renzo's eyes lit up. "Seriously?! You mean it, Kael?!"
Kael nodded. "But I'm not going to go easy on you. Think you're ready?"
The boy grinned. "I was born ready!"
Kael chuckled. There was something about Renzo—his energy reminded Kael of himself when he first started training under Kaede. The fire. The need to prove himself. But Kael also knew the weight that came with power, and he wasn't about to let Renzo carry it without guidance.
They began with the basics. Footwork. Timing. Reading an opponent's body rather than their moves.
"Never swing first unless you know why you're swinging," Kael said, moving behind the boy and adjusting his stance. "Let your Will—when it awakens—flow through you, not control you."
Renzo nodded, biting his lip in concentration. For an hour straight, they drilled—Kael showing him evasion techniques, breathing methods, and basic strikes that emphasized precision over power.
Eventually, Renzo collapsed onto the grass, panting hard, sweat running down his forehead. "T-this is way harder than I thought…"
Kael handed him a towel and a water bottle, kneeling beside him. "It's supposed to be. You want to fight like the strongest? You train like the strongest."
Renzo looked up at him, eyes still burning with resolve. "Will I ever be like you?"
Kael smiled. "No."
Renzo blinked. "W-what?"
"You'll be better," Kael said with a smirk. "If you keep this up."
That afternoon, others began to gather around the training field—Tetsu, Ryuu, Hana, even Kaede, watching silently with his daughter on his shoulders. Some of the new recruits and Wielders Kael had recently met stood by too, curious to see the "Next Generation" begin to rise.
Kaede walked up beside Kael. "Didn't take you long to find your first apprentice."
Kael chuckled. "Didn't find him. He found me."
Kaede nodded. "Sometimes, those are the best ones."
As the sun dipped lower, casting a soft orange over the field, Kael placed a hand on Renzo's head.
"You're not just learning to fight," he said. "You're learning how to carry something bigger than yourself. You ready for that?"
Renzo looked up at him, eyes fierce. "I am."
Kael smiled, proud but cautious. He didn't know what the future would bring, but one thing was certain:
The legacy of the Last Will had just begun to pass on.