The Moonlight Swordsman

After 4 days…

 An enormous clan, its magnificence plain to see, stood in the embrace of undulating hills not far from a medium-sized town.

The enormous white walls glittered a symbol of authority, bathed in the golden hues of sunlight. As it waved in the wind, the yellow banner—proudly bearing the lightning insignia—marked the expanse of the clan's expansive domain.

Within this fortress, one might see students and mages practicing their magical skills in their signature yellow robes.

The Thundering Clan was not the most powerful in the kingdom, but they had great magicians and a wide array of powerful weapons and strengths.

As mystical forces reverberated across the expansive grounds, an air of promise filled the air. All sorts of magical skill levels were on display in the various training zones, with both newcomers and seasoned practitioners deep in concentration.

The moderately sized town of Valence was located close to the clan.

On this particular day, the town bustled with the festivities of a small celebration. The lively event drew in numerous mages, seemingly unaffiliated with any specific clan.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the town, three individuals clad in white robes adorned with drifting cherry blossoms stood before a board and several banners.

"Are you ready? This is the best way to earn some respect, show our power, and recruit some mages," the small guy from the group said.

"Sure, my hands are itching already," the middle one replied.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's head for the Thundering Clan!" the last one said, raising the fist in the air.

The three of them rode into the Thundering Clan on the carriage, where a great swarm of mages was gathering.

The entire vicinity buzzed with activity.

As they approached, the grandeur of the clan became increasingly apparent. Every facility was meticulously maintained.

They proceeded to the arena for combat as per the instruction of the little guy.

While the mages squared up, they beheld numerous numbers of revered clan elders sitting and watching intently.

The entire arena bustled with the presence of mages and students from the Thundering Clan.

*Cough* *Ahem* The little man coughed,

"STOP THIS ALL AT ONCE!" Suddenly, he shouted.

The mages in battle came to a sudden stop as his voice resounded across the area.

All eyes, including those of the perplexed clan elders, turned toward the trio, trying to discern their identities.

"We are from the Cherry Blossom Clan, and we are here to challenge the Thundering Clan!" The little old dwarf removed his hood as he pointed his small hands towards the clan elders.

"Cherry Blossom..

"Never heard of them…

"Is that a some sort of new clan?…

As they discussed the Cherry Blossom Clan, the assembled mages whispered and mumbled to one another.

"Have you gone senile, old man…

"Who do you think you are…

"A small no-name clan has balls to come here and challenge us….

One by one, the clan elders replied with anger.

"Hoho… Don't tell me, are you scared that you will lose your image in front of everyone?" The little dwarf said it with a smirk.

"Scared of you? Hahahaah, don't make us laugh,"

"Then prove to us that you are better. I have brought someone with me. Tell any of the students to defeat him and prove your strength.

He waved his hands towards the man who was standing in the middle.

Wearing a full white mask, that has cherry blossoms drifting away that matches his robe. He was standing with cross hands, excluding a confident aura.

"I present you our Sir Blossom," the old man said.

"Sir blossom…

"I never heard of him..

"Is he some sort of legend or what?…

The murmurs once again started to happen.

"Elders… Suddenly, one mage stood up from the crowd. He was wearing the robes of the Thundering Clan as he politely bowed towards the elders first.

"Let me handle this fraud," he said.

"Good, kick this trash out of our clan."

With a courteous bow and a signal for Sir Blossom to follow, the mage sprung from his seat and hopped onto the stage.

Cherry blossoms delicately trailed behind Sir Blossom as he went, creating a mesmerizing and lovely spectacle for the onlookers.

"Isn't he doing a little too much?"

"Let him do what he wants." Meanwhile, both of them went and took their seats in the seating area.

Upon reaching the platform, Sir Blossom positioned one hand behind his back and lifted the other, using his fingers to signal the Thundering Clan disciple to initiate the attack.

"Here I come," the mage said, quickly rushing towards him.

In an unexpected turn, the mage sprinting toward Sir Blossom started gliding on water waves with ominous water shark creatures. He moved swiftly toward Sir Blossom.

Looking around, Sir Blossom raised his arms and sent the cherry blossoms surrounding him crashing down on the mage, the sea waves, and the beasts that were with him.

*Snap*

With a snap of his fingers, Sir Blossom transformed the serene pink cherry blossoms into a vibrant orange hue, illuminating the surroundings.

They drew near the approaching mage, and as they did, every petal burst into a brilliant explosion, releasing smoke and light in all directions. 

The explosive display enveloped the arena in a symphony of lights and shadows.

Once the smoke and debris had dissipated, the aftermath showed the Thundering Clan mage lying on the ground.

The intensity of the event was evident in his burned and ripped robes and the darker skin over half of his body. Sir Blossom, on the other hand, remained completely unfazed and calm throughout.

"Hahaha…. What a trash…" The dwarf man shouted and started to laugh.

Everything about the display left the bystanders and mages in wonder. The cherry blossoms bursting, with their devastating beauty, provided a striking image of Sir Blossom's strength.

*Bang*

The elder's fury exploded, his hand crashing down on the table with a resounding thud. "Quick, send someone to take him down!"

Suddenly, a mage leaped onto the stage. As he strode forward, trying to prove his superiority over Sir Blossom, his towering 7-foot stature exuded an air of strength.

Vanishing in the blink of an eye, he materialized directly behind Sir Blossom. He was already aiming at Sir Blossom's backside with his hand.

Yet, his strike found only empty space and a scattering of cherry blossoms. Suddenly, a colossal explosion of petals whisked him away from the ground.

Sir Blossom, who was on stage, flew over to him.

His fist connected with the mage's abdomen in mid-air, propelling him out of the combat arena. He flew, shattering tiles and ground, finally halting just beyond the entrance gate of the Thundering Clan.

"Hahahaha…. Another loser, is that all your clan got?" The dwarf man shouted once again.

Meanwhile, Sir Blossom gently landed on the stage and stood calmly in the middle.

Once again, whispers started to circulate among the audience. Uncertainty now lingered among the young mages, who had been so excited to join a formidable clan.

In an instant, two disciple mages from the Thundering Clan were defeated by an unknown assailant, casting a shadow of doubt.

"Fifth elder, send your disciple,"

"Huh… isn't that an overkill?"

"Our reputation might be hurt in this way. We can't risk it any further now."

"O-Okay, as you wish, third elder,"

The attention of Sir Blossom immediately turned to the mage who appeared before him, as if from nowhere.

Anticipation hung in the air, gripping everyone's attention, even the dwarf man, who became noticeably still.

"Your ability to appear strong might have fooled everyone. But I know you are just fodder," the mage said.

A blade appeared from the cherry blossoms and stabbed abruptly at the mage. Yet the attack went awry, leaving Sir Blossom sprawled on the ground, quite a distance from his intended target.

At the same time, the fifth elder's follower laughed uncontrollably, setting the mood with wildly waving hands as if directing an unseen orchestra.

Sir Blossom was repeatedly flung through the air, crashing onto the ground under the influence of an unseen force.

Everyone, even the elders, was stunned into silence as his insanity resounded through the once-quiet arena.

Astounded, they beheld the fifth elder's follower's strange behavior onstage. In contrast, Sir Blossom remained composed, indicating that the disciple was clearly under the influence of some illusion.

"He needs more practice," That was the first words uttered by Sir Blossom.

"Who the hell is this guy?"

"Where did he come from…

"How the hell we didn't even hear about Sir Blossom or Cherry Blossom Clan?"

Gathered in a tight circle, the clan elders were deep in debate. As events continued to go against them, their emotions made it clear how frustrated they were.

Another mage suddenly appeared onstage.

The arrival of this newcomer caused the Thundering Clanmages to burst into celebration and cheers.

Some elders, relieved, sighed and took their seats, reassured by the arrival of this particular individual.

[Master, a grade IV!]

Hmm… time to see how strong we have grown," Aizel thought.

Sir Blossom, aka Aizel, observed the woman, who had just stepped onto the stage.

With her robes trailing behind her, her beautiful blonde hair swept to one side, and her sharp brown eyes fixed on him.

By all accounts, Aizel was going to confront the most formidable mages he has faced up to this point.

She seemed to be on par with Yoji, or perhaps even stronger.