In the training room, Louis and Takamiya stood face to face. The air was tense, and neither seemed willing to make the first move.

  Takamiya stepped forward, taking a deep breath as he raised his sword.

  — I have to admit, your performance was amazing... but that changes nothing!

  He dashed forward, even faster than before, and with a fluid motion, aimed a precise slash toward Louis.

  "Left..."

  The voice echoed in Louis's mind, prompting him to instinctively dodge to the side. Takamiya was stunned for a moment, but quickly redirected his strike.

  "Defend, spin, attack."

  Guided by that mysterious voice, Louis dodged with precision and counterattacked. Takamiya managed to block just in time but stepped back with wide eyes.

  —"What the hell...?! How did his reflexes improve so much? No... that wasn’t him..."

  Louis glanced at the mark on his hand, then at his katana.

  —"This feeling... it’s the same as when I was in Systella. When I held this katana... it was like it was guiding me..."

  Before he could fully understand, Takamiya was already in front of him, his blade inches from cutting him.

  "Counterattack."

  Louis moved again, and in the next instant, their swords clashed, creating a shockwave that threw him backward. Takamiya raised his blade, ready to end the duel.

  Erick, watching everything, clenched his fists, concern written all over his face.

  — Please, Louis... don’t give up...

  With effort, Louis got back on his feet and faced Takamiya. He gripped his katana tightly and raised it.

  — I’m not giving up!

  Takamiya smiled.

  — That’s the spirit!

  In a flash, he rushed forward like a blur, increasing the speed of his strike with a precise spin. Louis’s katana began to pulse, a growing aura building around the blade as if it were about to explode.

  "Full reaction."

  At the very last second, as Takamiya delivered his blow, Louis blocked it and, reflecting the attack with even greater strength, launched a precise slash. His blade grazed Takamiya, leaving a deep cut in the floor that extended to the wall.

  Silence filled the room.

  Takamiya dropped to his knees, stunned.

  — ...Incredible... — he murmured, eyes wide.

  The mark on Louis's hand slowly began to fade. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.

  — I... did it...?

  Erick ran to him, a bright smile on his face.

  — You were amazing, Louis! How did you do that?! Is it some new ability?!

  Lilith arrived shortly after and hugged him tightly.

  — I was so worried! Your face... are you okay?!

  Louis smiled, exhausted.

  — I’m fine... it doesn’t hurt that much...

  Rose approached and gently caressed his hair.

  — You did well...

  Erick stood still for a moment, then frowned, clearly annoyed.

  — "Wait... why is she so sweet to Louis and so cruel to me?!"

  Takamiya walked up to Louis and offered his hand to help him up.

  — You won... just this time. But you truly showed your strength... even if you cheated.

  Louis blinked, confused.

  — Er... cheated...?

  Takamiya crossed his arms.

  — Of course. You barely had any mana or energy emanating from you, but the moment you held that katana, it was like you were overflowing with power. As if something was being unsealed...

  He paused, staring at the weapon, then smiled.

  — Nah, can’t be that... Either way, the Captain was right. That weapon really is something else.

  The Paths turned to Cosmo, and Emily commented:

  — You were right, Cosmo. He really does have a lot of potential. — She smiled excitedly, then sighed. — Good thing Taka-chan didn’t use his full abilities...

  Mei nodded.

  — Yes, but if he had won immediately, we wouldn’t have seen Louis’s true potential.

  Wally also turned to Cosmo.

  — Captain, he was radiating incredible mana just now! With more training, he’ll catch up to Erick in no time!

  Cosmo crossed his arms, a mysterious smile on his face.

  — You’re right... There’s something he still needs to discover...

  Takamiya turned and walked to the door.

  — You’ve shown strength and determination... Be proud of it and keep moving forward.

  And with those words, he left, closing the door behind him.

  Louis and the others stayed in place for a moment.

  — He’s actually kind of cool... — Erick mumbled, still holding a bit of a grudge.

  — I really did it!

  In his room, Louis was bouncing around excitedly, clearly thrilled by his “victory” over Takamiya.

  He threw himself onto the bed and touched the spot on his face where he had been injured, though it was now fully healed thanks to Emily.

  — “Miss Emily’s magic really is amazing... but”—his expression turned a bit queasy— “it’s a bit nauseating to watch…”

  Louis looked out the window, then closed his eyes—but suddenly, the voice echoed in his mind.

  — “Louis”

  He quickly turned toward the katana resting by the door.

  — That voice again…

  With determination, Louis got up and slowly walked toward it, taking it in his hands.

  — Uh... Hello...?

  Suddenly, he found himself in a vast space, with a massive gate and chains all around it.

  — “Where... where am I?”

  — “Inside your soul...”

  Louis quickly turned around, but saw no one.

  — “W-who’s there...?”

  A shadowy figure began to form in a dark, mist-covered area. Louis turned toward it, still unsure.

  — “Are you the one who’s been calling me... haunted katana...?”

  — “Yes... I am...”

  Louis widened his eyes, starting to connect the dots.

  — “Wait... so you could talk all along?!”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  — “Er... our bond grew strong enough that it gave me the ability to speak... that’s all...”

  Louis narrowed his eyes, still suspicious. He tried to step closer but was pushed back by a barrier.

  — “Forget it, this is the boundary between our souls... You can’t cross it...”

  The figure pointed at Louis’s chest, its voice becoming more serious.

  — "I will need you, boy... You will be the key to my" freedom.

  —" What are you talking about?... Freedom? "— Louis asked, his voice hesitant.

  — "You don’t need to know for now... Just think of this as a 'gift' from me. I’ll grant you power, and in return, you’ll feed me..."

  It turned, starting to fade away. Louis tried to reach for it, but the barrier kept repelling him.

  — "Wait! Why such a vague answer!? I can’t understand you!"

  — "You don’t need to understand... Just tell me, boy. Do you accept... or not?"

  Louis stood still for a moment, then answered.

  —" I accept..."

  And then, the shadow vanished completely. Louis woke up, still in his room, everything back to normal. He was stunned for a moment, then looked at the katana.

  — Hello?... Are you still there?...

  But no reply came.

  Louis then walked to the door, the offer echoing in his mind. He gave the katana one last determined glance.

  — If it’s to protect everyone... then I accept.

  And with that, he left. The katana began to pulse faintly with an aura.

  — "That boy will be more useful than I thought... but..."

  Its voice turned serious.

  — "At that moment in Systella... I felt like my powers were being used by him... or by something inside him."

  Its laughter echoed through the room. A disturbing laugh.

  — "I can’t wait to devour him and be free... This will be perfect!!"

  The next morning, Cosmo calmly descended the stairs, his expression serene and relaxed. In the lobby, he spotted Erick coming in, a book in hand and his eyes fixed on Lela, lost in thought.

  Cosmo called out to him with his usual calm tone:

  — What are you reading, young Erick?

  Erick looked up and quickly closed the book.

  — It’s a book Miss Mei gave me. It’s about “the Inverses and their nature” — he answered, showing the cover.

  — Hm... sounds like an interesting read. But unfortunately, I have a meeting today. We’ll have to discuss it later.

  Cosmo turned to leave, but Erick stopped him, stumbling over his words:

  — Wait, Captain! I still have so many questions!

  He opened the book quickly and pointed to a passage.

  — Here it says the Inverses are wild and irrational, but... the one that attacked us in Cilvett could talk! And think! Even Louis said he saw someone turning into an Inverse right in front of him, back in Systella!

  Cosmo let out a loud laugh, placing a light hand on Erick’s shoulder.

  — Looks like you still have a lot to learn about the Inverses… It’s settled!

  He walked toward the door, already throwing down a challenge:

  — I want you at the field early tomorrow morning. And bring the others, too. Don’t be late.

  And with that, he left, leaving Erick behind, lost in thought.

  — “Why is the captain always so mysterious?” — He muttered as he climbed the stairs again with a sigh.

  Capital of Ars

  In the enormous central headquarters, the great hall was packed with leaders of various groups. A buzz of conversation filled the room while Cosmo, at the center, calmly sampled a few local dishes.

  — It’s been quite some time since we were all gathered together, hasn’t it, Lord Cosmo?

  The voice came from Nori, captain of the Golden Phoenixes. She observed him from across the table with a sharp, curious gaze.

  — Oh, Nori! Long time no see! I can tell you’ve grown quite a bit.

  Nori smiled faintly, lifting a wine glass to her lips, trying to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.

  — Of course I have. It’s not like I didn’t want you to notice…

  — Hmm, I see…

  Before he could respond, someone tried to sneak up on him from behind, but Cosmo dodged easily, letting the intruder fall to the floor with a soft thud.

  — Your reflexes are still sharp, Cosmo!

  It was Vulgo, captain of the Purple Dragons.

  — And you’re still predictable, Vulgo — Cosmo replied, offering him a hand to get up.

  — Mind if we join you?

  Kagura, captain of the Wild Flowers, appeared alongside Darth, captain of the Falcons.

  — You’re still as annoying as ever… — Darth muttered, crossing his arms.

  — Oh, come on, Darth… Be nice. It’s been ages since we last saw each other.

  Nori laughed, poking his cheeks playfully. Darth sighed, giving in.

  — Yeah, yeah… I missed you too, Cosmo.

  A deep bell rang out, silencing the hall. Everyone turned toward the three elders seated on their thrones, with the leader of the mage squad standing beside them.

  One of the elders rose and spoke in a firm voice:

  — Thank you all for being here. I assume you’re aware of the disaster that occurred in Systella…

  One of the attendees raised a hand.

  — Yes, sir. We were informed a few days ago.

  Another one quickly followed up.

  — Many are talking about a fierce battle. They say the enemy was an Inverse of overwhelming power. No one knows how it was defeated, but… rumors mention a masked boy.

  The hall buzzed with anxious murmurs. The leader of the mage squad stepped forward.

  — Please, remain calm. My squad has taken full responsibility for investigating the area, searching for clues about the boy… and the victims.

  Darth raised an eyebrow before lifting his hand with a mocking smile.

  — Taking responsibility? That’s new, Lord Stealth…

  Stealth looked directly at him, his voice filled with gravity.

  — What are you insinuating?

  Nori elegantly placed her wine glass on the table. Crossing her legs, she shot a sharp look toward Stealth.

  — Something similar happened in North… If it weren’t for Lord Cosmo, everyone would’ve been slaughtered. —Her expression darkened. — And where were you that time, Lord Stealth?

  — She’s right.

  — I completely agree!

  Voices began piling on, putting Stealth in an uncomfortable position. He was breathing more heavily, visibly cornered. Then, one of the elders raised a hand.

  — Silence! What’s done is done. We must focus on the present. Stealth will be in charge of Systella’s restoration. As for the other matter…

  From above, several papers began to float down, quickly distributed to those present.

  — In three months, a grand combat festival will be held. We expect all captains to attend with their groups. That is all.

  With that, the elders began to leave in ceremonial silence. Stealth also turned to go, but for a moment, his eyes met Cosmo’s—who had been watching him for some time, arms crossed and a slight smile on his lips.

  Without exchanging a word, Stealth looked away and walked past him toward the door. As he passed through it, he muttered to himself, clenching his fists.

  — “So it really is him… Cosmo…”

  His fist slammed into the nearby wall, cracking the stone slightly.

  — “Soon, I’ll get what I want… and you won’t stop me.”

  The next morning, early. Erick walked toward the field with the others. All of them looked visibly exhausted, their eyes heavy with sleep.

  — Nii... Why did you have to wake us up so early? — Louis asked, letting out a long yawn.

  — The captain told me to come with you guys... But he didn’t tell me why — Erick replied, shrugging his shoulders, still half-asleep.

  As they approached the field, the group spotted Cosmo sitting casually on a rock. He watched the Paths training in the distance. Upon noticing the newcomers, he gave a small wave.

  — I see you managed to bring everyone — he said with a faint smile.

  Rose huffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away.

  — Hmph. I only came because Lilith insisted...

  Erick let out a deep sigh, already used to Rose’s behavior, and stepped forward with a question.

  — So, Captain... why did you call us here so early?

  — Ah... about that... — Cosmo stood up and began walking slowly. — I imagine you all have a lot of questions. It's time to clear some things up.

  The group followed him in silence, paying close attention to every word and movement.

  — Inverses… No one really knows where they came from or how they appeared. The old records only mention savage, irrational creatures consumed by darkness.

  He stopped beside Wally, who was training with deep focus.

  — But after many years, we discovered something… the Inversion.

  Lilith tilted her head, confused.

  — Inversion?

  — It happens when someone’s soul is corrupted by negativity… by hatred, fear, despair. When that happens, there’s no turning back. The person loses control of themselves. Well, here’s an example — he pointed at Wally — What does he seem like to you?

  Erick raised his hand confidently.

  — To me, he looks normal, sir!

  Rose rolled her eyes and scoffed, her gaze full of disdain.

  — Of course he looks normal to you. You're an idiot, after all.

  — Hey! — Erick protested, offended.

  Lilith, standing beside Rose, gently nudged her and whispered:

  — Nee-sama... that was a little harsh…

  — Hmph! — Rose replied, turning her face as if she didn’t care.

  Louis, curious, stepped forward.

  — And why do you say that, Rose-san?

  — Because of the smell.

  The group exchanged confused glances.

  — Smell?

  — Yes. He gives off a heavy, dense odor… but at the same time it’s calm, almost... gentle. I noticed it the first time I entered the Paths.

  Cosmo smiled, satisfied.

  — Your sense of smell is remarkable. Worthy of a true Herwolfys.

  Rose quickly looked away, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

  — Hmph...

  — And what does that mean, exactly? — Erick asked, furrowing his brows.

  Cosmo turned to them with an enigmatic smile.

  — It means he’s an Inverse.