By evening, Clara stood by the small wooden dining table, her hands trembling as she packed away leftover tea cups. Her eyes were red and swollen, evidence of the tears she had shed in private after running away from the courtyard. Across the room, Logan sat on a low stool, wrapping a clean strip of white bandage over his injured palm.He had swept away every speck of the pulverized wood dust before coming inside, but the sting in his hand remained, a reminder of the volatile power he fought so hard to restrain.Clara suddenly set a teacup down, turning to face him. Her voice was barely above a whisper, and tight with emotion."Go to Uncle Seth tomorrow morning, Tell him you suffered a severe hand injury while working in the shed. Tell him you cannot participate in the demonstration match. Please, Logan."Logan stopped winding the linen cloth around his knuckles. His eyes met her gaze when he looked up.Logan said softly, "Elliot only wants to put on a show for the disciples, It is

The morning after the Annual Martial Tournament, a huge red-and-gold banner was position at the main entrance of the Northern Wind Dojo. Its bold letters announced that Elliot was now the Head Instructor.The outer courtyard was full of new students who wanted to sign up under the man who had won so clearly on stage.Inside the main office, Clara sat at her father's desk and stared at a pile of legal papers.The door burst open. Elliot walked in without knocking, with two senior students beside him. He wore a brand-new instructor's robe, and his hand rested on the handle of his steel sword. Behind him came Master Seth, carrying a new set of brass seals."Clear your things off the desk, Clara," Elliot said, full of pride. "As Head Instructor, I am taking over the records and all the money accounts starting today.”Clara stood up, her hand curled into a fist at her side. "This office belonged to my father. Uncle Seth, you promised I would retain management rights if Logan participated i

The news of Master Wesley's challenge took over every television screen, radio broadcast, and social media feed across the province. Instead of feeling worried, Master Seth saw an opportunity to cement the Northern Wind Dojo as the undisputed ruler of the city's martial arts world.By noon, the main hall was once again filled with camera crews and local reporters. Master Seth had hired three separate media companies to broadcast the upcoming duel live nationwide.Elliot sat at the head table, wearing his finest robes. The fear he had felt upon receiving the challenge had been masked by his blinding pride and the constant praise of his followers."Master Wesley may have defeated old fighters like Master William," Elliot declared smugly into a row of microphones, tapping his hand on the hilt of his sword. "But tomorrow, he faces a true modern master. I will use the exact same technique that easily crushed our caretaker and others in the tournament! In three moves, Wesley will be begg

The silence inside the arena was broken only by the hum of the television cameras still broadcasting live to millions of households. Master Seth gasped for air, his chest heaving as he collapsed backward onto his chair. The wine glass lay shattered at his feet, its red liquid spreading across the floor like blood. Around him, the senior disciples of the Northern Wind Dojo, who had spent the entire morning boasting of Elliot's strength, were silent and scattered in panic, abandoning their posts near the VIP box. Ten of Wesley’s personal disciples stepped out from the entrance tunnel, taking positions around the ring. They looked at the terrified crowd laughing openly at the city's helpless state. "No, please." Clara cried out, her voice breaking as she rushed out of the VIP box toward the ring. She couldn't let them destroy her father's ancestral plaque. It was all she had left of his memory. She stepped toward the stage, but before she could reach the steps, Wesley tilted his h

Wesley collapsed on both knees. His hands trembled as blood dripped from his lips onto the shattered remains of his katana."Sword force Mastery?" Wesley stammered out, "A simple branch compressed energy. Who are you?"Before he could finish speaking, the damage inside his body hit him hard. Wesley gasped, his eyes rolled up, and he dropped unconscious.The ten disciples who had stood guard around the ring stood Surprise, Their faces turned ashen. Not a single one dared to step toward the stage or make a move toward the quiet caretaker walking away.In the VIP box, Master Seth slumped against the railing, his breath coming in fast. His mind struggled desperately to process the scene before him. A caretaker with a tree branch? A legendary foreign sword master dropping in blood after a single tap?"No, that's impossible!" Seth blurted out, his hands shaking as he gripped the cushion of his seat. "That katana must have been flawed. It was stressed from his earlier fights. The steel sna