Yuma awoke to the soft hum of life outside—a peaceful bustle he was not accustomed to. Sitting up, he recollected the previous day’s events, feeling refreshed after a night of deep sleep. On the table beside him lay clean, meticulously folded clothes.

  “I must get ready,” he told himself. “There is no time for idle rest.”

  A gentle knock came at the door. It was Luna. “Yuma… are you awake?”

  “Yes,” he replied calmly. “I’m changing. Wait for me outside.”

  Minutes later, Yuma stepped out with an air of absolute confidence. He found Luna leaning against the wall, lost in thought. He approached her with steady steps. “Good morning.”

  Luna turned toward him, her gaze freezing as her eyes shimmered with an admiration she couldn't suppress. He wore a long-sleeved black tunic that hugged his lean frame, emphasizing his muscular build. A bronze belt encircled his waist, holding the short sheath of his shattered blade, paired with dark brown trousers that completed his practical, warrior-like appearance.

  I chose these clothes hoping they would suit him, Luna thought, breathless. But my god… he is stunning.

  “It seems you chose these clothes… thank you,” Yuma said, breaking her trance.

  “Yes… they suit you well,” Luna stammered, her cheeks flushing crimson.

  Yuma secured his hilt and asked, “Where is the Chief?”

  “At the headquarters… follow me.”

  As they walked through the village beneath the shade of colossal trees, threatening eyes peered at Yuma from every corner. Whispers trailed them: “How can a filthy human enter our pure sanctuary?”

  Yuma ignored the words, his gaze cold and unshakable. Luna sighed; she knew winning their trust would be a mountain to climb.

  They reached a massive lodge guarded by two elves in shimmering white armor, wielding long spears and copper shields.

  “Chief Eldred requested an audience,” Luna stated firmly. The guards nodded and opened the heavy doors.

  Inside, a man with long silver hair and hawk-like eyes greeted them. “I am Vildred, the Chief’s advisor. He is waiting in his office. Enter.”

  As Yuma passed, Vildred shot him a look of pure contempt and arrogance.

  Chief Eldred stood as they entered. “You look ready, Yuma. Shall we?”

  “Indeed,” Yuma replied.

  They proceeded in a silent, tense procession toward the "Dragon Crystal" tree, surrounded by guards and the ever-watchful Vildred. The tree stood in a vast celestial courtyard, its emerald light flowing through the leaves like living breath.

  “This tree is the beating heart of Eldoria,” Eldred said solemnly. “Yuma… approach and place your hand upon the crystal root.”

  Yuma stepped forward. As he touched the crystal, his sword did not remain silent; it emitted a low hum that shook the surrounding leaves. A massive weight transferred from the tree into his very soul.

  Golden Runes flickered violently before his eyes:

  [The Will is the blade; the Conviction is the shield. He who protects with a steadfast heart shall be granted a body that cannot be broken.]

  Suddenly, a thick strand of white light erupted from the tree, wrapping around Yuma’s shattered hilt. The blade began to glow with a transparent, diamond-like brilliance over its original black steel. The sword was now encased in legendary, indestructible crystal.

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  “I feel it…” Yuma said, his voice deep and resonant. “My will to protect is no longer just a feeling. It has become a physical weight in my hand.”

  Chief Eldred watched in awe. “Asterion has granted you the ‘Blessing of Absolute Fortitude.’ You are the ‘Spiritual Shield’ we have been waiting for!”

  Vildred’s face contorted with rage. “Impossible! The tree welcomes a murderer? Look at the blood that reeks from him!”

  “Whether I am a savior or not, the tree has speak,” Yuma replied coldly.

  “Enough, Vildred! This man is our guardian!” Eldred shouted, furious.

  Suddenly, Vildred’s chest erupted with a dense black aura. His eyes turned pitch black as he lost control, laughing hysterically. “This was not supposed to happen! A human holding the Blessing? Our plan was not yet complete, my Dark Master!”

  He turned to Yuma with venomous hatred. “Filthy human… I was moments away from destroying this wretched tree! I will erase you from existence!”

  Vildred raised his staff, a scream shaking the courtyard. Shadows swirled beneath his feet as he began to fade into the darkness. “I shall return, you fools!”

  And with that, he vanished.

  “Chief! We must mobilize the defenses!” Luna cried, on high alert.

  Eldred regained his composure. “Yuma… you have a choice. You can help us, or continue your path. But there is something I must tell you, and time is running out.”

  “I have many questions, and they are why I came here,” Yuma answered. “I will do whatever it takes to protect those answers

  Minutes after Vildred’s disappearance, the very breath of the forest changed. The air, once sweet, grew heavy with the stench of death and rusted iron.

  Yuma turned to Luna. He stepped toward her with calm deliberation amidst the chaos and suddenly took her hand.

  Luna looked at him in shock. Before she could speak, the words stumbled out, “Yuma? What has come over you? This is no time for—”

  Yuma cut her off, his tone deep and grave. “Can you trust me?” He continued before she could answer. “If anything happens to me in this fray, you won’t be able to protect your sister alone from the coming threat… and that is something I will not allow.”

  At that moment, Yuma’s shattered hilt vibrated, and celestial blue runes flared upon it:

  [Split your shield… share your strength with the weak so they may protect themselves and those you cherish.]

  Before Luna’s wide eyes, a glowing blue crystal materialized from Yuma’s blade. Shimmering silver quickly formed around it, weaving into a legendary bracelet. Yuma took the bracelet and fastened it to Luna’s wrist.

  “Wear this, Luna. It will protect you and Leni, and it will imbue your bow with powers you have never known.”

  Luna took a step back, touching the bracelet as a comforting warmth surged through her veins. She looked at him with a mix of shyness and profound gratitude. “Thank you, Yuma… but please, be careful.”

  Yuma nodded, his features hardened like stone. Luna nodded back, her eyes suddenly burning with resolve and confidence. She was no longer a frightened elf; she was a warrior carrying a piece of Yuma’s Will upon her wrist.

  Suddenly, the blast of a brass horn erupted from the highest watchtower—a piercing cry that shattered the village's silence.

  The Sentry screamed in terror from above, “They are here! From the North… the darkness is swallowing the trees!”

  Yuma, Eldred, and Luna raced toward the northern edge of the village. What they saw turned their blood to ice. It was not a mere army; it was a tide of living nightmares. Colossal trolls with skin cracked like scorched earth, orcs riding wolves with mutated heads, and above them, giant predatory birds with wings that looked like tattered shreds of the night sky.

  The common trait among these monstrosities was their eyes—void-black pits with flickering bloody reflections, as if each beast carried a pool of liquid gore within.

  “My god…” Luna tightened her grip on her bow. “I have never seen such filth! They don’t march; they crawl like rot.”

  At the vanguard of the army, a great black aura coalesced into the form of Vildred. He stood atop a rocky crag, clutching his staff, which now oozed a viscous black fluid. He raised his staff toward the heavens and shrieked in an inhuman voice:

  “Wretched tree… the time of your withering has come! Shatter the shield! Leave nothing green unburnt!”

  At his command, the monsters surged like a raging wave toward the translucent shield. Trolls struck the barrier with fists like boulders, and the carrion birds tore at it with iron talons. With every strike, crimson cracks appeared in the emerald veil, as if the sky itself were in pain.

  “Protectors of Eldoria! Today we defend our roots!” Eldred roared, rallying his guards. “Archers to the towers! Infantry behind the copper shields! Do not let their filth touch our Tree!”

  The village guards deployed, forming a line of defense before the cracking Veil. Yuma stood at the center, watching the scene with an eerie coolness. He drew his crystalline sword, its diamond brilliance illuminating the pale faces around him.

  “The shield won’t hold long against this malice,” Yuma said in a low, powerful voice. “Eldred, prepare your men for direct combat. The moment the Veil breaks, I will be the spearhead.”

  Suddenly, a deafening crack echoed; the shield that had protected the village for centuries collapsed like shattered glass. In that moment, the first massive black troll lunged, its maw agape to devour everything in its path.

  Yuma moved like white lightning through the creeping darkness, and his sword spoke its first word of this war.

  “Let the harvest begin.”