The night crept in without a sound, only a pale moon hanging in the sky over Antares, a silent witness to what was hidden below. The wind, with its long, cold breath, forced the trees around the Gladius forest to whisper, the rustle of leaves sounding like a thousand unending secrets. The thick silence, however, could not touch the two figures standing opposite each other in an open field, lit only by the moonlight. The air between them vibrated with unspoken tension; only the sigh of the wind and the beat of their hearts would determine life and death—or at least, the success of a test that had drained every drop of sweat and every ounce of patience.
Lisa Gladius stood tall, her high silhouette a stark contrast to the dim light. In her hand, an old pistol—a relic from the Gladius family's past—was pointed straight, its cold muzzle staring without compromise at Rio Rosswel. A pistol was not their weapon of choice on the battlefield against Eaters—too loud, too limited—but for tonight, it was the final judge.
Rio, across from her, was silent and still. His slightly long black hair fell over his brow, hiding his now-closed eyes. He didn't move, his now leaner and more defined body appearing relaxed, yet an alertness radiated from every fiber of his muscles. He was waiting, listening, feeling.
"BANG!"
The sound of the pistol shot shattered the night's silence, launching a hot projectile from its casing, hurtling viciously toward Rio's chest. A split second that felt like an eternity.
But Rio was no longer there.
In a nearly invisible blink of an eye, there was only a ripple in the wind where he had stood. Then, with a newfound grace, he reappeared a few feet from Lisa's position, his body slightly bowed. Slowly, he opened his palm. There, gleaming under the moonlight, lay a lead bullet neatly split in two, as if sliced by an unseen blade.
Rio lifted his head, his usually empty grey eyes now shining with a cold satisfaction. "Finally," his voice was low, almost a whisper, yet a vibration of victory was in it. "I did it."
Lisa lowered her pistol, a thin but sincere smile gracing her lips. There was a bit of relief, and much more pride, in her black eyes. "Yes, you did," she replied, her voice warm. "You've successfully mastered Shunpo, Rio. The basics, at least." She holstered the old pistol. "It's late. Kakek Henry must be waiting anxiously. Let's go back."
The warmth from the fireplace greeted them as they stepped into the Gladius family's wooden house. However, a more vocal welcome came from Dany, who was already standing with his hands on his hips in front of an incredibly full dining table.
"Well, look who it is! The two people who love making old men worry!" Dany grumbled, though the corner of his lip twitched, holding back a smile. His deft hands were still arranging the last few plates on a table that had almost no empty space left. The rich aroma of home cooking—roast meat, warm bread, boiled vegetables—wafted through the air, filling the room with a fragrance that contrasted with the harshness of their training.
Lisa, who had just finished cleaning her sword in a corner of the room, approached with a raised eyebrow. Her sharp black eyes swept over the scene on the table with a mixed expression of wonder and suspicion. "Dany, what is all this? Why is there suddenly so much food? Did you rob the market?"
Dany chuckled, patting his chest proudly while pointing at Rio with his chin. "This is all to celebrate the achievement of our miracle boy here! The master can now catch bullets!"
Hearing that, Lisa's usually cold expression softened slightly, but the frown on her forehead remained as she turned to Kakek Henry, who sat calmly in his chair near the fireplace. "Kakek? Isn't this a bit… excessive? Such waste in times like these?" Her voice remained critical, but a note of curiosity she couldn't hide was there.
Kakek Henry, who had been observing silently, answered with a single, surprisingly firm word, "No!"
Seeing Lisa's growing confusion, Dany grinned widely. "Of course it's not wasteful, Miss Skeptic. I bought all this with my own hard-earned money, you know!"
"Money?" Lisa narrowed her eyes. "Where did you get this much money? Don't tell me you sold one of Kakek's heirloom swords?"
Dany feigned an offended expression. "Hey, what an accusation! Yesterday, when I went to the city center to buy some supplies, my eyes caught an interesting flyer—an arm-wrestling competition with a pretty tempting prize. My fighter's spirit was stirred! So, without a second thought, I signed up and challenged the reigning champion who was said to be unbeatable." He paused for dramatic effect. "And… well, you know the rest. He may have been strong, but my technique was trickier!"
Lisa gently slapped her forehead, then turned a pleading gaze to Kakek Henry. "Kakek! Why aren't you scolding him? Haven't you always told us not to show off our strength in public? Especially for something as silly as arm-wrestling! What if someone gets suspicious?"
Kakek Henry let out a long sigh, but a rare, thin smile played on his wrinkled lips. "Oh, believe me, Lisa, I already gave him a long lecture before you two arrived. His ears are probably still burning." He looked at Dany with an amused expression. "But, considering we almost never celebrate anything… and this is a great achievement for Rio… I thought, just this once, I would loosen the rules a bit." His gaze shifted to Rio, a sincere warmth radiating from his old eyes. "Today, we will celebrate your success, son. You deserve it."
Kakek Henry's words seemed to be a cue. The next second, Dany and Lisa, momentarily forgetting their differences, simultaneously ran towards Rio. Before Rio could react, two strong pairs of hands had lifted his body into the air, accompanied by cheers and laughter that echoed throughout the room. Rio, who usually maintained his cold expression, couldn't help a small smile that was both surprised and… warm. For a moment, the burden of vengeance and past trauma seemed to lift from his shoulders.
That night became one deeply etched in their memories. Amid the laughter, Dany's silly stories, Lisa's sharp retorts met with jokes, and Kakek Henry's rare smile, they seemed to forget the cruel outside world, the lurking Eaters, and their leader hiding in the shadows. For that one night, they were just a family, celebrating a small victory that felt immense.