Warrior Training System

As the yellow fog cleared, Cassian opened his eyes, his face twisting into a disgusted expression. He took a deep breath and muttered, "How can something look this disgusting and smell this bad?"

His gaze then shifted to the grotesque, insect-like green monster that had emerged. He frowned, his confusion evident, and asked, "That thing was inside that shit blob?"

Still in a defensive stance, Cassian shifted slightly as the monster, now fully focused on him, charged forward like a bullet using its six legs. The sudden burst of speed caught him off guard, but his red domain flared to life.

Muttering under his breath, "Wind Blade," he swung his sword in a horizontal slash. A glowing green arc of energy surged from the blade, slicing through the monster's open mouth and tearing clean through its body. The creature split in two, its halves sliding across the ground before coming to a halt at Cassian's feet.

Cassian grinned widely, satisfaction clear on his face as he glanced down at the monster's remains near his feet. The same couldn't be said for the old guardian, who stood frozen in shock, his expression a mix of disbelief and frustration.

Cassandra, on the other hand, looked more puzzled than impressed. Tilting her head, she asked, "Was that it? That move wasn't even that strong."

"Not strong?" the man echoed, his tone dripping with incredulity, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

Cassandra nodded, her confusion genuine as she continued, "Yeah, it was just a basic Wind Blade. That monster was way too weak."

The guardian remained in a state of shock, and it was understandable. He had overseen the Challenging Grounds of Matrthya for eons, guiding countless challengers through its trials. Yet, no one had ever succeeded in the challenges as easily as Cassian had. It was possible that he had underestimated the boy's abilities, but killing a monster that had ravaged an entire nation and turned it into a graveyard in just one slash was no small feat.

There could be another explanation, though: Perhaps the guardian hadn't explored the universe as thoroughly as he had believed. He had thought he knew everything about this realm, but Cassian's display of power was beginning to challenge everything he thought he understood.

However, instead of looking disappointed, the guardian's eyes sparkled with excitement. A wide grin spread across his face as he exclaimed, "Then I'll just have to make more hard challenges!"

As the guardian spoke, Cassian was already out of the arena, grinning from ear to ear. Annoyed by his smug expression, the man snapped, "You cheating little brat... how did you avoid the pain?"

Cassian chuckled, unfazed. "Everyone has their secrets, old man. I have mine. And for the record, I didn't cheat—I won fair and square. Now, let's see what goodies you've got for me." His tone was casual, and he didn't even seem tired.

The guardian grunted in irritation, waving his hand as a translucent panel materialized in front of Cassian and Cassandra. Both of them blinked in surprise as a list of items appeared on display—everything from weapons and armor to ores, herbs, and other intriguing artifacts.

Cassian and Cassandra exchanged a quick glance, their excitement mirrored in their grins, as the guardian grumbled, "You two can pick one thing each."

Without hesitation, they headed straight to the armor section. Cassian asked eagerly, "Do you have war armors?"

The guardian scowled, clearly annoyed. "I don't know what those are. The best armors are at the top of the list. Just make sure you can actually use whatever you pick. There's a description for each item, so read it carefully. I know as much about them as what's written there, so don't bother asking me any questions."

Cassian scrolled through the options, starting from the bottom of the list. There were 400 armors in total, and while almost all of them were better than anything he could afford on his own, none stood out as extraordinary. It made him question the significance of this so-called "challenging ground." Sure, the guardian was powerful, but the rewards and trials seemed underwhelming in comparison to his expectations.

Still, he continued reading through the descriptions, hoping to find something worthwhile. As he reached the top of the list, the armors began to stand out, each one possessing unique qualities. His attention was caught by one in particular:

The Thunder Catcher

Crafted from the bark of a tree struck by lightning a hundred times, this armor was imbued with thunder-related abilities. It could absorb lightning and discharge it, offering both protection and a powerful offensive edge.
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Cassian found the armor intriguing but ultimately dismissed it. It didn't align with his abilities, as he had no connection to lightning. Something related to wind or a similar element would have been far more useful.

While he continued browsing, Cassandra called out, "Hey, Cassian, check this one out."

He turned to see the armor she was inspecting. It was dark, seemingly made of stone, with ropes of the same material holding its pieces together. The design resembled a human form, with only eye slits visible, giving it an eerie and unsettling appearance rather than one of strength or danger.

Curious, Cassian leaned in to read the description:

"Made from the stones of the sacrificial altar..."

That was all the description offered. The vague nature of it made Cassian frown. He turned to the guardian and asked, "Where did you even get this thing?"

The guardian shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Like I said, I know as much as the descriptions tell me. These items have been part of the challenging ground since before my time."

As he finished speaking, the armor materialized in front of them. While Cassandra and the guardian regarded it with mild curiosity, Cassian's expression shifted to one of shock. Suddenly, his domain erupted outward, releasing a clear wave of energy that rippled through the air, making his hair billow as if caught in a strong wind.

The sudden surge of energy drew the startled gazes of both Cassandra and the guardian. Confusion flickered across their faces, but their shock deepened when they noticed movement from the armor itself.

From the hollow cavity in the armor's head, two glowing red eyes flickered to life, pulsing like embers in the darkness.

Cassandra gasped, her voice tinged with awe and alarm as she muttered, "It's war armor..."

The guardian, still reeling from the shock, stammered, "How? That thing... it has nothing to do with your kind... Why is it reacting to him?" His voice was laced with confusion and unease as he stared at Cassian, who stood motionless, his eyes shut, his domain surging and crackling around him like a living storm.

"Cassian..." Cassandra called out, her voice steady but laced with concern. She took a step toward him, but the intensity of his domain pushed her back slightly. If she wanted to, she could have forced her way through, but she chose not to. Instead, she stopped and studied him, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Turning to the guardian, she asked, "Where did you get that armor? It's resonating with him like it was made for him." Her lips curved into a wide grin, her excitement palpable. "Do you have any more of these things?"

The guardian glared at her, his face a mix of irritation and bewilderment. "Do you think I have a warehouse full of cursed relics lying around? That armor is one of a kind. And trust me, it's more trouble than it's worth."

Cassandra's grin didn't falter. "One of a kind, huh? Then I'd say Cassian just hit the jackpot."

The guardian scoffed, crossing his arms. "Jackpot? You call this a jackpot? That armor has a history of destruction and despair. If he can't control it, it'll destroy him from the inside out."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the man, her tone laced with sarcasm as she asked, "And here I thought you said you didn't know anything about it?"

The guardian's jaw tightened, his frustration evident as he snapped his mouth shut.

Undeterred, Cassandra smirked and continued, "Destruction and despair seem to follow anything worth wielding, don't they? As for whether he can control it or not..." She glanced at Cassian, her grin widening. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

The guardian let out a frustrated grunt, his patience wearing thin. Today had been the most shocking and infuriating day of his millions of years of existence. He couldn't quite fathom what his role had become. Bound to this space for eternity, he was tasked with overseeing challenges and dispensing rewards. These rewards, somehow appearing in vaults across the ground, had been his sole focus for as long as he could remember.

But things had changed. Thousands of years ago, when the people of the Blue Globe sealed this place off, the connection to the makers of the challenging ground was cut. He knew the seals were the reason he hadn't heard from them, and he had long since accepted that. Yet, as he stood there, watching the boy, something inside him stirred—a glimmer of hope he hadn't felt in ages.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this boy—this anomaly—held the key to breaking the seals and finally escaping the endless cycle. The guardian's gaze shifted between Cassian and Cassandra, a faint spark of belief flickering in his ancient eyes.