A young man leaned away from the pillar, his demons emblem marking seems to be round his body, arms loosely folded, like he'd been standing there the whole time and simply hadn't bothered to announce himself.
"So. Thats what all the noise is about"
The Woman annoyed
The Demon king turned slowly
The young man's eyes moved lazily over them both, unimpressed, revealing his red looking eyes.
"A human shaped figure. A null effect. A sword that doesn't belong any where blah blah blah "He tilted his head slightly. "Yeah that tracks"
The Demon king studied him
"Chadoc do you have something to say,?"
He said
"Maybe"
"Siunds like one of the lord's ranked from the legion Academy in sunstone kingdom"
The woman irritated
" you mean the demon slayers?"
He nodded once
"You think he is from there" the Demon king said".
"I think" chadoc replies
"It only someone trained up to that rank, would even know how to use his abilities
He shrugged
"And if it's one of the lord's... then thats a problem".
The Demon king smiled
"A problem for whom?" He smiles
"For whoever he decides to kill next"
"I remember you are are part ot thr Academy right"
"Unfortunately"
"Good. Then you will return"
"You will study every lords" the Demon king continued." Every student Every magic and spiritual energy abilities any one capable of nullification".
He stepped closer
"You will find which of them can erase powers"
"And when I do" chadoc asked
The Demon kings voice was calm and absolute
" you will do the obvious.. you will tell me hide name"
Shadow nodded once
"Alright"
He turned away to leave.
Then the Demon king took his sit back on the throne
"My lord"
"My king" suddenly one of his disciple interrupted her
He never finished the sentence
When Nyx hand moves
Not fast. Not slow just final, she lifted her fingers slightly in the air- a small effortless gesture, like brushing dust from thr air.
The servant froze
Then he was gone
Not thrown not struck not pushed away
Just.... removed
Like he was never there
The space where his upper form had been was suddenly empty, as if he had never existed there at all A ripple of heat and energy flashed once through what remained and then even that faded.
Silence filled the palace
She lowered her hand
" I warned you"
She said quietly
Thr Demon king did not react at once.
Then slowly he smiled.....
The scene shifts to the sunstone kingdom village of Cinderval
Thr village of the Cinderval sat on the edge of the sunstone kingdom. The village rested beneath the soft gold of thr rising sun. But it doesn't look fully developed.
Behind thr village in a wide clearing scarred by years of training, two figures faced each other
A father and a son
Both held wooden swords, smooth from use edges dulled by time rather than battle. Thr ground beneath their feet was packed earth worn flat by countless drills.
Chad Grace stood tall, relaxed, one hand resting lightly on the wooden blade. His stance was simple balanced, No wasted motion.
Across from him, Mason Grace, rolled his shoulder and exhaled.
"Ready" Chad said
"Yea" he responded
He moved
The moment his foot hit the ground, he burst forward wood cracked against wood as Mason struck-fast, aggressive,relentless. His sword came in low, then high, the reversed mid-swing. He twisted his body.
Spinning with the strike, following up with a Sharp kick aimed at his father's side
Chad stepped back once
Blocked
Thr kick glanced off Chad's forearm as he shifted his weight, redirecting thr force instead of stopping it head in
Mason didnt slow
He attacked with everything- blade
And body working as one. A downward chop flowed into a knee feint his foot lashed out then his sword snapped forward again, testing angles, changing rhythm
But Chad blocked every single strike
Nor hurried
Not strained
Each defence was smooth, precise his wooden swords always in the right place hus footwork barely disturbing the dust beneath him.
But his eyes
His eyes where sharp
Focused
And quietly pleased
Mason pushed harder
He spun, letting momentum carry his blade around Chad's guard, then dropped low and swept his leg toward his father's ankles. Chad lifted his foot at the last second stepping over the attack Tapping Mason's sword aside with a gentle twist of his wrist.
"Well done," Chad said calmly, even as Mason came at him again.
He changed tactics.
Instead of retreating after each strike, he stayed close — pressing, forcing Chad to react faster.
Sword.
Kick.
Elbow feint.
Sword again.
His movements weren't perfect, but they were fast, sharp, driven by instinct and long hours of learning and training.
Chad continued to defend.
Block.
Redirect.
Step aside.
Never striking back.
Never breaking posture.
To the villagers, it almost looked unfair.Like Mason was throwing everything he had at an unmoving wall.
But Chad felt it.
The speed.
The strength.
The unshaking faith.
The intent behind each attack.
"This is good," Chad said, parrying another strike.
"You're not thinking in pieces anymore."
Mason leapt back, then rushed forward again, launching into a flurry—his fastest yet. Wooden swords clashed rapidly, legs striking and withdrawing, feet cutting through dust.
Chad finally took two steps back.
Not because he had to…
But because he wanted to see more.
Mason then seized the moment.He twisted his torso mid-swing, changed direction, and drove a kick toward Chad's ribs while his sword aimed high.
Chad blocked both — one arm catching the kick, the wooden blade stopping Mason's strike inches from his shoulder.
They froze for half a second.
Chad smiled.
A small one.
Proud.
"You've grown, Mason," he said softly.
Mason's breath was heavy, sweat running down his face, but his eyes burned with determination.
"In this tournament," Chad continued, while
lowering his sword, "it isn't about winning."
He raises his wooden blade again, towards Mason,still defensive
"It's about showing them who you are and what you capable of mason"
Mason nodded
"Let's go again" he said
Then Mason attacked once more stronger,faster,refusing to stop.
noticed his speed has increased again
But Chad kept blocking building teaching
Because this wasn't a fight
"Ut was a father preparing his son for the world that awaited him beyond "Cindervale"