The group followed Yushiro until they reached the mouth of a massive cave. While the others hesitated, staring into the swallowing gloom, Yushiro didn't pause. He stepped into the darkness, and Kenji followed without a second thought. Reluctantly, the rest trailed behind.
Glowing moss clung to the cavern walls, casting a faint, rhythmic light over the damp stone.
The path sloped downward, growing steeper until they reached a sudden, sheer drop—a dark, bottomless hole. Without a word of warning, Yushiro jumped.
"KENJI!" Takahiro screamed as his brother vanished into the pit.
A few tense seconds passed, followed by a distant, echoing splash. Ray let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He looked at Takahiro and Yume, whose faces were pale with fright.
"Let's follow," Ray commanded, stepping off the ledge into the void.
Takahiro grabbed Yume's hand, feeling her tremble. He gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'm right here." Together, they leaped.
The wind whipped through their hair until they plunged into icy water. Gasping, they broke the surface and were quickly hauled out by Ray and Kenji. While the three siblings stood shivering in their soaked tunics, they realized Yushiro and Ray were perfectly dry.
Takahiro wiped the water from his eyes and gasped. They weren't in a cave anymore. They stood in a hallway so vast the ceiling was lost to the shadows; it felt like a corridor built for giants. Faint blue letters glowed along the black stone walls, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Where are we?" Kenji's voice echoed into the distance.
"The west wing of the castle," Yushiro answered, his voice flat as he began to walk.
The hallway was lined with ancient inscriptions and massive illustrations of a story lost to time. Much of the artwork was cracked or crumbling. Kenji, fascinated by the strange symbols, caught up to the silver-haired boy.
"Do you know what those letters say?"
Yushiro stopped. He turned his violet eyes toward Kenji, a flicker of annoyance crossing his delicate face. "Aren't you supposed to be my big brother?"
Kenji blinked, his own hair still dripping. "So?"
"Shouldn't a big brother know more than his younger brother?" Yushiro asked, his glowing eyes searching Kenji's face.
"Yeah, I'm the big brother," Kenji countered. "But what's wrong with asking about something I don't know? If I don't know, I don't know. Why pretend?"
A small, genuine smile touched Yushiro's lips—an amusing glint dancing in his eyes. He turned back to the path. "To answer your question: yes. It tells the story of a lady who journeyed through the world to reach the heavens... so she could question the gods."
"He's making that up," Yume whispered to Takahiro. "He didn't even look at the wall."
Yushiro didn't respond. They walked in a heavy silence until they reached a set of massive, shattered doors. Stepping through the ruins, they entered a chamber illuminated by a single shaft of sunlight piercing through the roof.
The floor was a carpet of bones and bleached skulls. At the center of the carnage, a longsword was driven into the earth. It was a sinister thing—a black blade that seemed to drink the light around it. The guard was carved from bone-white material into an elegant cross, featuring a terrifying dragon's head at its center. An armored skeleton leaned against the blade, its empty sockets staring at the intruders.
Yushiro walked to a pile of rubble and sat down, looking entirely at home in the graveyard.
"You said we were getting me help," Kenji said, pointing at the ominous weapon. "I'm guessing that's it?"
Ray looked at the sword, then back at Yushiro with a expression bordering on fear.
Yushiro nodded. He looked at Ray and smirked—a look that was both alluring and deeply unsettling. "A swordsman needs a sword, not a wooden stick." He tilted his head, his silver hair catching the stray sunlight. "This is your first obstacle, Kenji. Claim the sword, and I will personally become your teacher."