The next day arrived. Grandpa Takashi's grandfather, also known as the Master declared that everything was completely ready on his end. The final Power Test was about to happen. Takashi had to defeat the Master; only then could he move forward. In other words, to join the Shiritsu Dominion University, this was an absolute necessity.
Six hundred years of the Master's grueling effort, his unwavering responsibility, and his long search for an heir none of it could simply go to waste. He could not just do this much and assume that the ultimate goal had already been achieved. He needed to be absolutely certain.
Because the power residing within Takashi possessed the capability to shake the entire world in a single jolt. It was mandatory for such power to remain under control. It was also mandatory for Takashi to walk a straight, righteous path. This was especially true now that he had acquired such knowledge the 600-year-old wisdom and techniques that the Master had engraved into him through years of training.
His body was forged harder than stone, having become denser than bedrock and even tougher than mountains. His muscle concentration was so extreme that regular clothes barely fit him. Takashi's dense, heavy muscles could almost be felt through his garments, even though he mostly wore loose-fitting clothes of a specific type to ensure people wouldn't notice too much about his physique.
The existence of such a creature could not be left roaming free without a reason or purpose. For this, a final test was mandatory, regardless of what the outcome might be. After all, the heavy burden of the coming future rested on this very person.
The Master had made it clear to Takashi today: tomorrow morning, the final test would be taken. That single event would decide the next phase of his life. Only after passing could he help others and successfully reach his ultimate goal. Along with that, he would find many new friends and gain a new life that 'normal life' he had always searched for.
But the Master didn't tell him the whole truth. The real trial was just about to begin. Life is no joke, and this promise was merely a method to keep Takashi's motivation high. The Master had seen a long life as an X-Rank veteran; he knew that in anyone's life, things like 'peace' and a 'normal life' simply do not exist. They are just empty words.
Everyone is caught in some kind of hardship. Everyone's circumstances are different, and only the one trapped in those circumstances can truly understand them. Others can only guess; they can never truly know that pain. This was the biggest experience of the Master's 600-year-long life. To one person, another's pain might seem small, but the person living it, the person enduring it only they know the true intensity of that agony. For some, it is less; for others, it is more. And if someone is living a good life without pain, then one thing is absolutely certain: the bloody price for their luxury and painless existence is being paid by many other people. This is the ultimate truth, and it was a reality Takashi would have to experience firsthand.
As usual, that day too, the Master disappeared according to his schedule and returned right on time. Takashi had learned much from him, which is why he did no training today. The Master had taught him that whenever facing a situation you can completely anticipate, you should always remain prepared. You should not exhaust yourself in the tension of waiting, only to be unable to face the challenge when the time comes because you spent all your energy beforehand.
The Master hadn't just taught Takashi how to fight; he had taught him how to live as a human being. He had done everything necessary for a person to thrive. He had nurtured every single aspect of Takashi's life. He had also taught him things Takashi had never experienced personally. Because the Master had seen so much in his incredibly long life, every single word he spoke was engraved directly into Takashi's bones.
Now, Takashi just needed to go out into the real world and experience it for himself. There is a vast difference between hearing or learning about something and experiencing it. And this is the reality that no one can change. The Legendary Master had done as much as he could; now, the experiences of real life would determine the rest of Takashi's destination. His own decisions would carve his path.
Takashi was no longer a child. He had come of age. He was now fifteen years old.
When the Master returned, he found Takashi resting. They sat down and talked extensively. Before sleeping at night, the Master informed Takashi about the morning. In the morning, the ultimate decision of his life would be made. He would either stay here and continue living a colorless existence, or he would move forward, facing overwhelming hardships and walking the perilous path shown by his father to fulfill their purpose and dream. That meant helping people and proving his worth alongside them. Even if the world cursed or spoke ill of him, his focus had to remain solely locked on the destination, just as his father had instructed.
Morning broke. The Legendary Master woke up and arranged the food. Contrary to his usual routine, he did not disappear today. No one knew what his full intentions were. Takashi never fully understood the Master's agenda, but wherever he went, there was always a reason. To survive and live life, something or the other had to be done. Takashi never asked questions, as the need for them had never arisen.
Today was the day. A major milestone in Takashi's life was about to be reached. He would either prove his worth and move forward, or stay here performing small, petty missions, spending his life colorlessly. But the Legendary Master had high expectations. If Takashi could not prove himself, sending this apocalyptic power into the world would be like inviting a catastrophe. Therefore, the Master wanted absolute confirmation that Takashi had truly become capable.
Morning came. Both ate and drank in a dead serious manner. After tightening their armor and gear, they picked up their weapons. They quickly headed into the Grand Forest of Monsters, aiming for the desolate mountains of the East Land. They were going far away from the populated areas in the center of the region. Because anything was possible in this fight it was going to be a terrifying, earth-shattering show of power. The Master wanted to make sure that all of this remained a complete secret.
After a short while, they were far from civilization. There were many massive mountains around them, which provided a perfect setting for their needs. The shockwaves of the fight would mostly be buried between these peaks, ensuring the impact wouldn't travel outside. There couldn't be a better battleground. On the way, they faced some small, petty monsters, but they were not noteworthy. Small monsters meant nothing to them.
Instead, the focus was on what was about to happen now the confrontation. The ground was ready. They stood in a small empty field surrounded by a dense, ancient forest between the towering mountains. The monsters had already sensed the suffocating, impending clash and had fled in terror. Not a single beast was seen around them.
The heat in the atmosphere spiked as both stood right in front of each other.
"Time for the test. Ready?" the Master asked, his stance shifting.
"Ready. I will strike hard. I must move forward. I won't fail." Takashi's grip on his weapon tightened.
[The Legendary Clash continues in Chapter 33...]