Renjiro found his way to the assembly area, where dozens of recruits gathered around the wide-open training field. Large rocky pillars dotted the landscape and sparring rings were set up around the perimeter. 

Renjiro stood beside Taro, who was as eager as ever. “This is it,” Taro said, bouncing on the heels of his feet. 

A deep voice boomed across the training field, “Attention!”

The crowd snapped into rigid silence as Commander Thalor stepped forward, his boots grinding against the gravel with heavy, deliberate steps. His piercing gaze swept over the sea of recruits, each straightening under his presence's sheer weight. 

“Welcome to your first day of training.” Thalor’s voice rolled across the vast field. “As Luminarians, you already know that Lumina energy is the essence of our kind. Cerula threads through you, waiting to be wielded. But power without control is nothing compared to the threats that loom across Chromaris.

He paused, letting the words sink in before taking a slow step forward. “Out there, you won’t be up against training dummies or sparring partners. You’ll face the Crimson Dynasty—relentless, irredeemable demons who will not hesitate to destroy you.”

A ripple of unease spread through the recruits.

Renjiro’s stomach twisted as his mind was pulled back to his home—the Crimson Dynasty had destroyed it, killed Satoshi, and taken everyone. But what gnawed at him most was General Calo. Face to face with the monster, Renjiro had been ready to die.

But Calo spared him.

Why?

“The Dynasty wields Crimsa—the most volatile of all known Lumina energy."

Thalor’s jaw clenched. “This isn’t just about becoming a recruit. It’s about survival. When you’re out there, no one’s coming to save you. The only one who can keep you alive—is you.”

He turned toward a towering stone pillar nearby. In one swift motion, his hand lifted, curling into a tight fist.

A deep blue glow surged around his arm, coiling like liquid fire.

Then—he struck.

The pillar detonated into a cloud of dust and stone shards, the shockwave rippling outward. Dirt kicked into the air, and several recruits staggered, shielding their faces against the force.

The field fell into stunned silence. Even the dust seemed to hang motionless before drifting down.

Thalor turned back to them, “That—” he gestured at the space where the pillar once stood “—is the result of perfect infusion.”

“The Crimson Dynasty has no mercy. To defeat them, you must be just as ruthless. Any hesitation—any weakness—will get you killed.”

A cold knot twisted in Renjiro’s gut. This wasn’t just training. This was war.

The recruits went into their respective squads, each assigned to an instructor. Renjiro found himself with Taro, Yumeru, and Emi. Their instructor, a stern-looking Luminarian named Darius, motioned for them to step forward.

Renjiro's eyes were drawn to Squad Storm practising nearby. Kairro, standing at the forefront, was fully focused. Cerula crackled around his fist as he prepared for his strike. With perfect control, he delivered a powerful punch to the dummy in front of him, the energy surging through it with precision. The dummy was nearly obliterated, toppling over with force.

“Damn Kairro that was insane!” Illiria grinned, “Your control is leagues above the others. That was—”

“No.”

The single word cut through her praise.

Illiria blinked, caught off guard. 

“It wasn’t good enough.” Kairro’s jaw tightened, his eyes locked on the broken remains of the dummy as if they insulted him. “I should’ve pushed harder. My form was off.”

“Kairro… it was still impressive,” she offered, though the edge of unease in her voice was hard to miss.

He didn’t even look at her. “Impressive won’t survive the battlefield.”

Illiria took a small step back, the tension lingering as Kairro returned to his stance, already preparing for another strike.

Renjiro felt a surge of anxiety. Kairro’s effortless display of power only reminded him of his inexperience. Could he ever match that level of control?

Darius clapped his hands, drawing Renjiro’s attention back to the task at hand. “Infusing Lumina energy is about focus,” Darius said. “You have to feel the energy flow through you, from your body's core to your hands or feet. If you lose control, you could damage yourself or others.”

Renjiro watched as Darius infused his fists with Lumina energy, demonstrating power flowing into his knuckles. A soft blue light encased his hand, pulsating with rhythm. He struck a training dummy with controlled force, sending a ripple of energy through it but not destroying it entirely.

“Now, try it,” Darius commanded.

Renjiro took a deep breath, closing his eyes to concentrate. He reached inside himself, trying to feel the connection to the Cerula within him that he had only recently discovered. The energy was there, faint and elusive, like trying to catch smoke in his hands.

Slowly, he raised his fist, imagining the Lumina energy flowing through him. He could feel it—just barely. His hand began to glow faintly, the soft blue light swirling around his knuckles.

He swung at the practice dummy, but the strike barely made an impact. The energy fizzled out, and the dummy barely moved.

Taro, beside him, managed to infuse his fists with a bright burst of energy, sending a strong punch into his dummy. The force knocked the dummy back a step. Taro let out a laugh. “Ha! This is great!”

Then it was Yumeru's turn.

She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing slightly as she faced the practice dummy. Renjiro expected her to infuse her fists or feet with Lumina energy, like everyone else. But she didn’t. Instead, with a swift and fluid movement, she raised her leg and delivered a powerful kick to the dummy.

The impact was explosive.

The dummy flew backwards, crashing into the ground with such force that even Instructor Darius’ eyes widened in surprise. The other recruits in squad sky gasped, stunned by the sheer power behind her kick.

But it wasn’t the kick alone that shocked them—it was the fact that Yumeru hadn't used Lumina energy at all. No blue glow, no infusion—just pure raw strength.

Darius stepped forward, “You didn’t infuse Lumina into your strike.”

Yumeru, unphased, shrugged slightly. “Does it matter?” she said, her voice cool and detached. “I finished the target, didn’t I?”

Darius blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. The other recruits exchanged glances, equally stunned. Yumeru had just accomplished what everyone else struggled to do—without even using Lumina energy. 

Next came Emi.

She stepped forward hesitantly, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to focus her energy. Renjiro could see the effort she put into channelling her Lumina, but the faint glow barely surrounded her hands. She struck the dummy, and to her surprise, it moved slightly, wobbling from the impact.

A small smile of relief spread across her face as she turned back to the group. “Well… at least it moved, right?” she said with a nervous laugh, brushing a strand of her light hazel hair from her face.

Instructor Darius nodded approvingly. “Good work, Emi. Remember, it’s not about power at first. It’s about control. You’ve taken the first step.”

Emi let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I just… I didn’t think it would actually work. I guess I was too nervous.”

Renjiro gave her an encouraging nod. “You did great. It’s tough, but we’re all learning.”

Taro patted Emi on the shoulder with a grin. “Hey, at least you didn’t send it flying like Yumeru. Imagine if you did that on your first try.”

Emi smiled wider this time, her nerves easing. “Yeah, I’m not quite there yet.”

The group was a mix of raw talent. Each had something to contribute, but Renjiro could feel the weight of his inadequacy. As the training continued, he knew that mastering Lumina energy was only the first step.