Hikaru Age 13.
After the conclusion of his fight with Masaru, Hikaru awoke the next morning in the Kaya Clan infirmary. Hikaru felt pain all over his body from the bruises after his battle with Masaru. As he woke up, he discovered Masaki looking at him, dressed in her casual attire.
Masaki grinned as she greeted Hikaru, saying: "Loki, you're finally awake! I'm off to the university with Brother Masaru. Take care of yourself, okay?"
Hikaru responded: “Stay safe at uni, and help me beat that brother of yours when you get stronger!”
Masaki could only smile weakly while heading in the direction of Masaru, making their way to the university.
In the afternoon that day, under the waning light of the afternoon sun, Hikaru slung his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the Storm Military Base. The base stood stoic and imposing near Bailey’s eastern border, its walls weathered from years of service. Beside him, Hideo, his uncle, walked in silent support, occasionally offering words of encouragement.
The registration process was straightforward but time-consuming, involving paperwork and the familiar smell of bureaucratic formalities. Once completed, a stern-faced officer escorted Hikaru through the labyrinthine corridors of the base to the barracks of the Bailey Volunteer Brigade within Ironclad Fortress. There, rows of beds awaited, each neatly made and bearing the weight of countless predecessors.
As a new military trainee, Hikaru stowed away his few belongings in a small locker allocated to him. The shared resting hall echoed with the clatter of armor and the hum of camaraderie as other recruits went about their routines.
His days fell into a disciplined rhythm. Weekdays blurred together with two meals punctuating three rigorous training sessions. Physical drills filled his mornings and weapon mastery occupied his afternoons, leaving little room for respite. Yet, amidst the sweat and grime, Hikaru found purpose and determination.
On weekends, buoyed by his monthly stipend of 30 silver coins, Hikaru usually ventured into the bustling streets outside the military compound. There, he procured necessities and forged connections with fellow trainees over shared meals and friendly banter.
Note: Weekdays
In Erudite, the weekday extends from Monday to Saturday.
----------------------------------------
Hikaru Age 14.
On an unassuming day after the military trainees finished their evening practice, a newly arrived army major made an important announcement.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
Anonymous Major: “Warriors of valor, today we stand united, bound by duty and the sacred calling to safeguard our kingdom. Next month, the winds of Aran war will once again blow, and our beloved kingdom will face a formidable challenge—the reoccupation of the precious mine that fuels our prosperity.”
Anonymous Major: “The mine is not just a source of wealth; it symbolizes the resilience and strength of our kingdom. It echoes the determination that courses through the veins of every Bailey citizen.”
Anonymous Major: “Remember, it is not merely a mine we seek to reclaim—it is the spirit of our people, the very essence of our existence. Every swing of the sword, every step forward, echoes the heartbeat of Bailey. We march not just for victory but for the future of generations yet to come.”
Anonymous Major: “In unity, we find strength. In duty, we find purpose. Let the flames of determination burn bright within each of us. Together, let us march towards destiny, with heads held high and hearts afire. For Bailey, for our people, for the prosperity that awaits at the end of this noble quest!”
After the speech ended, the military instructors assembled all the trainees and formed squads of ten, each led by an army lieutenant. Hikaru was assigned to squad 324, led by Lieutenant Marcus Guerra, along with nine other randomly selected trainees. Under Lieutenant Guerra's guidance, squad 324 underwent training focused on basic army teamwork and tactics.
Following a month of rigorous training, the newly formed squads in the Ironclad Fortress, including squad 324, joined the Red Dagger army military force. Under the seasoned leadership of Colonel Ensar Kemal, the combined military force then advanced resolutely towards the coveted Aran mine.
After a half-day march, they set up camp near the mine to construct a military outpost named Red Dagger Aran Outpost. Several squads from the Red Dagger army patrolled the surrounding area. Meanwhile, within the military camp, Colonel Kemal used a Telelink Messenger to inform the Storm Command Center about his arrival. This portable device employs a Telelink array to transmit telegraphs.
The army finished constructing their outpost after about a month. During the construction, the Red Dagger army scouted the surrounding area and discovered the location of the Cathunter Aran Outpost, which was Elvira Army military force. The Storm Command Center informed Colonel Kemal that both Bailey and Elvira Kingdoms had agreed to commence the war for the occupation of the Aran Mine in three weeks. The victory condition for this war was if one party successfully occupied or destroyed the other party's outpost.
This Aran war happened every ten years was connected to the founding of Bailey Kingdom. Bailey was originally one of the major cities in the Elvira Kingdom, but due to political strife, Bailey founding father, a highly distinguished count with the military rank of a general in the Elvira Kingdom, chose to secede and establish a new kingdom. The Aran mine was originally granted by the late king of the Elvira Kingdom to the Bailey founding father due to his military merit. However, after Bailey founding father establishing his own kingdom, many nobles in the Elvira Kingdom desired the ownership of the mine.
The late Elvira king understood that a forceful occupation of the Aran mine could lead to a full-scale war with the newly established Bailey kingdom, resulting in destruction far exceeding the value of the mine itself. Opposing the nobles would have undermined his authority, sowing seeds of discontent that could potentially lead to another secession. So the late Elvira King chose to directly negotiate with Bailey founding father. The negotiation concluded with an agreement to resolve the dispute over Aran mine ownership through a limited war. The victor of this war would be granted possession of the Aran mine for a period of ten years.
As the war horn resounded, the Red Dagger army launched their offensive. By the third day of the war, corpses started to pile up inside the Red Dagger Aran outpost. Medics tirelessly attended to the injured soldiers. Squad 324 remained on standby until the thirty third day of the war when they were finally deployed to the frontline. On the way there, Hikaru could see the remains of his fellow trainees and smell the pungent odor of decaying corpses.
Not long after, Squad 324 engaged in intense combat with the enemies in the frontline. Initially, under Lieutenant Guerra's command, the squad achieved some success in eliminating enemy combatants. However, over time, the enemy ranks swelled with reinforcements. Projectiles started to rain down seemingly from all directions. Most of the squad 324 members were killed, starting with their vanguards, followed by their close combat fighters, and then one of their mage leaving only Lieutenant Guerra and Hikaru behind.
Hikaru was fortunate to be positioned on the flank near Lieutenant Guerra, as both of them utilized magic spells as their primary weapons. So when the rest of Squad 324 had been decimated by the enemies, he managed to survive with only getting shot by an arrow. Due to this condition, Lieutenant Guerra decided to withdraw to the base, carrying him, while disregarding the desperate pleas for help from their comrades. For the first time, he found himself in the thick of it, where the cries of agony echoed on all sides, but he was powerless to change the course of events. In the desire to move mountains, one often confronts the harsh truth that strength alone may not suffice, and the yearning heart must grapple with the weight of its own limitations.
Lieutenant Guerra carried Hikaru to the makeshift infirmary inside Red Dagger Aran outpost. The infirmary was packed with so many injured patients, keeping the medics occupied and overlooked the recently arrived Hikaru. It was only after about two hours that the medics began removing the arrow lodged in his chest area, and applied medicine to stop his bleeding. But due to the amount of blood lost, Hikaru chi reserved was slowly declining until eventually Hikaru run out of chi, resulted in his death—or so they thought.