Rin stepped back and spoke calmly: "Begin."
In the next instant, Hikari summoned his magical powers. Two crimson, blazing wings erupted from his back. He charged toward his father at incredible speed, attempting to use the wings' power to enhance his velocity and attacks. His strikes were precise and swift, the wooden sword in his hand moving in perfect harmony, yet Seijiro remained composed, evading and deflecting the attacks with a master's expertise.
Suddenly, Hikari extended his hand and launched a lightning bolt toward his father, who dodged it with ease. Hikari didn't pause, continuing his assault, each strike leaving behind electrical sparks that intensified their impact.
But his energy began to wane gradually, and his wings' glow started to dim.
Seijiro noticed a gap in his defense and seized the moment. He dodged one of the strikes and lunged forward, delivering a direct blow toward Hikari's head. At that same instant, the wings vanished and his magical energy dissipated. Unable to dodge the strike, he fell to the ground exhausted, while his father looked down at him with a calm smile.
Seijiro said: "Your swordsmanship is improving, but your magic control remains weak."
Rin approached and added: "You have great energy, but you don't know how to manage it. You need to improve your magical endurance and avoid using powerful spells that drain your energy quickly."
Hikari sighed in frustration: "I'm tired of hearing the same thing every day, mother, father."
Then he looked at his father and said: "You only attacked me at the end."
Seijiro replied calmly: "One strike is enough to end a fight. Everything you did was ineffective."
Rin said: "Your father's right. You have excellent abilities, but you're not using them properly. When you cast the lightning spell, you could have enhanced your speed instead of attacking. You could have also used earth magic to hinder his movement, or wind magic to disrupt his balance. Most importantly, you should start with simple spells and conserve your energy."
Hikari stood up slowly, muttering with annoyance: "Yes... the same routine every day. Training and magic, nothing else..."
Seijiro said: "I understand your frustration. But if you want to leave here, prove to us you're ready. Your mother and I have traveled extensively and faced real dangers. We won't allow you to leave until we're certain you can handle yourself and won't be in danger."
Hikari smiled confidently: "Danger? Open your eyes, father. I'm immortal. No one can kill me. I could rule the world if I---"
Before he could finish, he received a blow to his head from his father's wooden sword. He clutched his head in pain.
Seijiro said sternly: "Don't speak with such arrogance. I've seen those stronger than you fall easily."
Hikari replied in surrender: "Fine... I'll train harder."
Rin smiled slightly and said: "When you recover your magical energy, you'll fight me."
He looked at her seriously and said: "I'll be ready."
He headed to a corner of the grounds, sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, focusing on recovering his energy. He breathed slowly, gradually regaining his composure.
After a while, he stood up and said confidently: "I'm ready now."
Rin stood before him in the center of the grounds and said: "Remember, use low-level spells. Don't exhaust all your energy at once."
The fight began. Hikari gathered his energy and launched a fire magic attack toward his mother, trying to surprise her, but Rin was alert. She cast a magical barrier that deflected the attack, then countered with a quick and precise spell.
Hikari dodged the attack and began launching a series of spells, trying to find an opening. But his mother responded to each attempt with expertise, making the task difficult for him.
He used earth magic trying to trap Rin. But she flew using wind magic, and in an unexpected moment, Hikari received a strike from behind with a surprise lightning bolt, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.
Rin stood beside him and said with a slight smile: "Your performance is improving, but you still have a long way to go."
Hikari rose with difficulty and said: "You cheated! You attacked me from behind!"
Rin laughed and said: "Out there, you might get stabbed in the back at any moment."
He replied, groaning: "That's not something to say with a smile."
Rin said: "Training's over for today. I'll go prepare the meal."
Rin began moving toward the house, saying: "Read some magic books. Practice low-level spell tactics."
Hikari sighed and said to his father: "I'll go to the library."
Seijiro nodded: "I'll stay here for a while."
Hikari moved and entered the library. It was filled with old and new books about magical arts. He chose a book about lightning magic and began reading with focus.
Time passed quickly, and as sunset approached, the sun closed its day with warm colors filling the sky. Hikari closed the book and headed to the dining room, where he found his father waiting.
"How was your reading?" Seijiro asked while sitting at the table cleaning a sword.
Hikari answered confidently: "I learned a lot. I'll prove to you both that I can use magic properly."
Seijiro smiled and said: "That's the determination we want from you. Now, let's eat."
Everyone sat down to dinner, talking about training, magic, and past adventures. Hikari listened eagerly, keen to benefit from every word.
After dinner, he went to bed, carrying within him anticipation for a new day filled with training, unaware of what the night held in store.
That night, as darkness enveloped the village, screams and clashes echoed through the air. A massive group of monsters attacked the village without warning.
Hikari woke up quickly and rushed out of his room.
He saw his parents preparing for battle. Rin turned to Hikari with a warning: "Stay here and don't go out no matter what happens."
Hikari shouted at them: "No! Let me come with you! I want to help!"
But Seijiro said firmly: "Stay inside. This is no time for recklessness."
Hikari said insistently: "I can fight!"
Rin replied sharply: "This is a real battle, not training. Stay here and don't go out. We'll return as soon as we finish this."
Then they left, leaving him behind.
Outside, they faced a flood of monsters from all directions while villagers screamed and fled. Rin said quickly: "I'll fly up to survey the situation."
She flew using wind magic, and when she reached high above, she saw countless monsters advancing from all sides.
She raised her hands and murmured an incantation in an ancient language. In the sky, a dense gray cloud began to form, charged with energy. She unleashed powerful gray lightning that destroyed the monsters scattered throughout the village in the blink of an eye.
She returned to the ground and told Seijiro: "The numbers are massive... thousands, coming from everywhere."
Seijiro replied with concern: "This isn't a random attack. Someone must have sent them here."
Rin said: "Let's split up. I'll head east and north, you take west and south."
Seijiro replied tersely: "Be careful. They're most likely after you."
Rin smiled to ease her husband's worry: "Darling, let's make it a competition: whoever kills more wins, and the loser fulfills a request for the winner without argument."
Seijiro took a deep breath and said with a smile: "Alright. Prepare yourself for defeat."
Then each headed in their direction. Rin flew using wind magic, while Seijiro rushed at tremendous speed toward the other side.
Meanwhile, Hikari was inside the house, unable to sit still. His heart pounded violently; he couldn't bear staying inside any longer. The fire of battle and the desire to prove himself burned within him.
Finally, he made his decision. He grabbed his sword and headed toward the door, telling himself: "I won't stay here and wait... I must fight."
He left the house cautiously, gripping his sword tightly. He surveyed his surroundings and found nothing, but the sounds of battle from the east were approaching, so he rushed toward them.
At that moment, Rin sensed Hikari's energy as he moved away from the village boundaries, and her brow furrowed with worry. She glanced at the armies before her and said anxiously: "Please, Hikari... don't do something foolish now."
Hikari stood outside the village boundaries, stunned before the armies of monsters crawling from every direction. Then he smiled with deadly confidence.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
He spread his blazing wings and dove into the midst of the monsters, burning all who approached. The flames emanating from his wings lit up the darkness, forcing the monsters to retreat momentarily.
But Hikari wasn't satisfied with just fire. He directed his hands toward the monsters and used a water spell. Powerful waves burst from his palms, sweeping over the monsters, soaking their bodies, which slowed their movement and completely threw them off balance.
After drenching them completely, he focused his energy and unleashed a powerful lightning strike. When the lightning hit the soaked monsters, the electrical charge traveled rapidly through the water, causing widespread destruction.
Screams rose as monsters fell one after another, while lightning jumped from body to body. The ground shook, and the air filled with electrical sparks and the roar of explosions. After moments, the battlefield calmed relatively, with corpses piled everywhere.
Hikari looked around, catching his breath, but a new group of monsters appeared. He looked at them, smiling arrogantly: "Is that all you have? How disappointing... I won't even need to use my full power."
Suddenly, the monsters stopped. A man emerged from among them, walking calmly until he stood before Hikari.
The man looked at Hikari's wings and smiled madly: "I can't believe it... that old woman was telling the truth. The Phoenix wings are really before me."
Hikari replied in a firm tone: "You're the one controlling these monsters? I advise you to withdraw. I can show you mercy."
The man laughed intensely without responding. His laughter was terrifying and deadly. Hikari grew annoyed and pointed his sword at the man: "I understand my presence has driven you mad. Unfortunately, you chose the wrong village to attack."
The man suddenly stopped laughing, his features shifting to deadly coldness. He extended his hand toward Hikari and said: "I hate when the likes of you possess powers they don't deserve."
He whispered magical words: "Sovereign Barrier."
A magical barrier appeared around Hikari, completely cutting him off from his energy. His wings disappeared, and he felt anxious, but he didn't retreat. He raised his sword and said: "I don't need magic. The sword is enough."
But in an instant, the man vanished from before him and suddenly appeared at his side as if emerging from shadow. He shattered Hikari's sword with his bare hands, then delivered a violent kick to his stomach that knocked him to the ground, causing him to bleed.
Hikari was unable to move, in severe pain with blood coming from his mouth.
The man approached slowly, and fear gripped Hikari intensely, realizing the gravity of the situation. He tried to rise, but his body wouldn't respond.
The man stopped and extended his hand toward him: "I'll bring you to the brink of death so I can steal your powers at my leisure."
His heartbeat accelerated, and his teeth began chattering from intense fear.
He began gathering energy in his palm, forming a dark sphere charged with sparks. The attack approached, and time seemed to slow. Hikari closed his eyes tightly, unable to face it.
Suddenly, Hikari felt a large shadow enveloping him. He opened his eyes to find his mother, Rin, standing before him, the magical attack hitting her directly. A cry of pain escaped her as she fell to the ground motionless.
Hikari screamed in horror: "Mother!"
He froze in place, unable to move from the shock. He saw his mother lying before him, blood flowing from her body. The scene was too much to comprehend. He sat on his knees, his eyes empty, filled with despair.
The man smiled coldly and said: "What a beautiful sacrifice, but it's useless..."
Before he could finish, he sensed an enormous energy approaching rapidly.
From the shadows, Seijiro appeared, his eyes blazing with anger, the air around him vibrating intensely. Even the man felt clear danger.
Without preamble, Seijiro charged, attacking with his sword with crushing force. His opponent barely managed to dodge the strike, while Seijiro's attacks continued relentlessly.
He shouted while attacking: "Hikari! Take your mother and get away!"
But Hikari remained crouched in place, drowning in shock and fear.
The man smiled suspiciously, then raised his hand and said coldly: "Boulder Body."
His body began transforming gradually, gaining the hardness and sheen of rock. His defensive power became nearly absolute.
Seijiro continued attacking, trying to break through this defense, but when he struck with his sword, it shattered in two. He stepped back, threw the sword aside, and prepared to fight with his hands.
The man burst out laughing mockingly: "Your power is nothing against Boulder Body. I'll honor you with one chance... strike me as you wish."
Seijiro gathered all his energy in his fist, then charged at tremendous speed, delivering a direct punch to the man's face.
The man said with excessive confidence: "This spell cannot be broken... it's impossible that---"
But suddenly, the rocky shield covering his face shattered, and the man was thrown backward.
Seijiro felt sharp pain in his arm; its bones had completely shattered from the force of the blow.
The man stood stunned, bleeding from his mouth, his eyes filled with terror at the power he'd just faced.
Seijiro looked at Hikari again and shouted: "Hikari! Get up now!"
But his son didn't move. He remained in place, unable to rise, drowning in the darkness surrounding him. Everything around him seemed still, as if the world had stopped turning.
He murmured in a faint voice, the words barely escaping him: "What use is my power... if I can't protect those I love? What value does it truly have?"
At that moment, time stopped completely.
The silence was absolute. No sound, no movement. Even the air itself seemed to have vanished.
Amid this stillness, a strange light appeared, as if a brilliant beam had opened from nothingness. From within the light emerged an elderly woman of majestic bearing, surrounded by a luminous aura.
Hikari raised his head with difficulty, his eyes barely focusing. He saw a woman with long golden hair, two gleaming horns atop her head, and a robe that emitted a soft light as if alive. In her eyes was a glimpse of profound understanding, as if she knew everything.
She approached him slightly, then stopped and looked at him. She spoke in a calm, deep voice: "Are you ready... to make a sacrifice to save her?"
Hikari didn't respond immediately. He remained looking at her in silence, his mind filled with questions he couldn't answer.
The words repeated in his mind...
Sacrifice? What? Why? And who was she?
He lowered his eyes slightly. He looked at his trembling hands, then at his mother's body lying on the ground, pale, fragile.
He whispered to himself: "...I was supposed to be strong... but here I am, watching her die..."
The old woman spoke again, but this time in a gentler voice: "You can obtain true power, power sufficient to protect those you love. But the price... is to give up everything you have now. All your current energy will vanish, to become something new... a bearer of a great soul."
He remained silent.
A long moment passed. The decision wasn't easy to make. Hikari hadn't been seeking power from the beginning, but the helplessness was killing him.
He raised his head again. This time, his gaze was different. There was something steady in it.
"Will I... be able to save her?"
The woman nodded.
He sighed slowly. He looked toward his mother's body once more, then said quietly: "...I don't want power for myself. I want it only... to save her."
The old woman smiled faintly, then extended her hand toward him and said: "Your decision won't change your fate alone... it will change the fate of the entire world."
He extended his hand slowly, and their palms touched.
Hikari felt enormous energy flowing through his body. There was no pain. Only light... and peace.
An aura of light exploded around him, dispelling the darkness that had enveloped the place.
He opened his eyes slowly and stood up. He walked toward his mother, sat beside her, placed his hands on her body, and whispered words he'd never learned before.
Golden light emerged from his hands, surrounding Rin's body and filling it with a strange warmth... as if life was returning to it.
On the other side, the man was trying to rise, leaning on the debris, whispering as he stared at Hikari: "That old woman... she didn't tell me about this monster..."
Then he shouted toward Seijiro: "I'll finish you both now! You and your son!"
But before he could complete, a gray lightning bolt suddenly struck him, shattering his boulder armor.
He turned in shock to see Rin standing, advancing toward him. Her eyes blazed with anger, her power evident despite her injury.
The man screamed in disbelief: "This is impossible! My spell was lethal! And gray lightning...!?"
Rin said in a low, angry voice: "I'll make you regret your existence in this world."
She raised her hands toward the sky, gathering a dense gray cloud. The man sensed danger and whispered in panic: "My energy is depleted... I can't face them both. I must flee."
Gray lightning bolts launched from the sky toward him. At the last moment, he screamed: "Sacrificial Arm!"
A violent glow emanated from his body, followed by a thunderous explosion that tore a huge gap in the ground and covered the area completely with smoke.
Rin and Seijiro waited until the smoke cleared, finding only his left arm on the ground.
Seijiro looked at the arm and said grimly: "He escaped."
Rin approached and examined it, then said: "He used sacrificial magic. He survived, but at a price."
Seijiro said seriously: "He's no ordinary opponent. He used thirteenth-level spells... He's a real danger."
Then he asked her: "How were you healed? That strike was fatal."
Rin looked at Hikari lying on the ground and said: "He healed my injuries... but I don't know how he did it."
Seijiro was surprised and asked: "Hikari doesn't possess healing magic..."
Then he paused for seconds and said: "Rin... that man didn't come for you. His reaction to the gray lightning was genuine. He came for Hikari."
Rin's eyes widened, and she said in astonishment: "Impossible... Hikari has never left the village. Even during training, I placed barriers to prevent his energy from leaking."
Seijiro sighed: "Let's take him home. Tomorrow, we'll understand everything from him. I'll personally ensure the village boundaries are protected."
**Meanwhile**
The injured man struggled away, stumbling between trees until he collapsed beside a massive tree trunk, panting from intense pain.
He said to himself while breathing deeply: "That madwoman... if I hadn't used Sacrificial Arm, I would have turned to ash. Damn that old hag... she talked about Phoenix wings but mentioned nothing about gray lightning... or that man."
He leaned his back against the tree, trying to catch his breath, but suddenly felt an enormous magical energy approaching. He opened his eyes to see a girl walking toward him with calm steps, wearing a long black robe, her eyes gleaming with dark coldness.
She approached until she stood before him, her energy instilling indescribable helplessness in his body. He felt true powerlessness, despite everything he'd been through.
She smiled slightly and said: "Thank you for gathering those spells."
The man stood on his feet, stepping back, trying to resist. He asked in a tired, confused voice: "Who are you?"
She pulled out a crystal orb from her hand, then looked at him coldly: "No need for you to know."
Then she revealed two black demonic wings and added: "Your end has come."
The man retreated, trying to compose himself: "Oh... a demon, so you're here to steal my power. I've heard rumors about a demon princess who possesses more than one high-level spell... you must be Iris."
He smiled cunningly and said: "I thought you were talented, but you're just a thief. You're no better than me."
Iris didn't respond. She began gathering dark energy around her hands. The man continued staring at her defiantly and said: "Don't underestimate me. Even if you're the demon princess, I can still destroy you."
He mustered what remained of his energy and directed a desperate attack toward her. But before it could reach her, Iris extended her hand, and a vortex of shadows appeared that absorbed the attack completely.
The man froze in place, stunned. "What happened?!"
Iris smiled calmly and said: "Is that all you have?"
The man's lips trembled. "Impossible..."
She raised her hand and fired a beam of dark energy toward him. He tried to defend, but his power wasn't enough.
The beam pierced his body, tearing him into ash that scattered with the wind.
Iris looked at the crystal orb in her hand, which began glowing with a strange light. Then she turned and left silently, leaving behind a land of ash and absence.
**Present Time -- Mirai and Hikari**
"When I woke up the next day, my parents asked me about the source of the healing powers. I told them everything that happened. That same day, I discovered I'd lost my ability to use magic. My speed and physical strength declined, and even my spiritual energy... I couldn't recover it."
Mirai nodded as she listened with interest, then said with understanding: "I see. It seems Absolute Light cannot be acquired, only granted. Strange that history mentions nothing about this ability."
Then she asked: "What about that man? Did he ever return?"
Hikari slowly shook his head: "No. We haven't seen him since that day."
Mirai said after thinking: "I've heard of people who steal others' magic. By the way, Phoenix wings are classified as the second most powerful spell ever. No doubt your parents knew someone like that existed, which is why they didn't let you leave the village alone."
Hikari answered: "That's right. They apologized for not telling me from the beginning. But after I gained healing powers, the reason for fear vanished... no one can hunt me anymore."
Then he suddenly stopped and said cautiously: "Mirai... if people knew I carry Absolute Light, would I be hunted for the rest of my life?"
She answered after a moment of silence: "Don't worry about that. Even if someone tried to harm you... I'd eliminate them immediately."
Then she added with a warm smile: "I'm always by your side."
She took a calm breath and asked him curiously: "Do you miss the powers you lost?"
Hikari looked at the horizon, contemplated briefly, then said: "No... I never wanted to get them back. My current powers are enough, because they give me what I was always searching for... the ability to protect."
Mirai looked at him with a smile and said: "I'm glad I was part of this change."
She stood up and said gently: "Let's head back now."
Hikari rose and walked beside her, returning to the city, talking about a new future, as if everything had just begun.
(To be continued)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
The story of Absolute Light is far from over.
Here are three questions to keep in mind:
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Why can’t Hikari use healing magic on himself?
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Why can’t he improve his physical body?
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And most importantly—how was the skill Absolute Light truly born?
The answers will be revealed next week. Stay tuned.
---
I have a question.
If you remember, back in Chapter 7 — during the carriage ride with Mirai — Hikari told her a story about someone who once possessed the Phoenix Wings. At the time, he spoke as if it were about someone else.
But now, in this chapter, we discover the truth: he was talking about himself all along.
I’m curious — did you suspect that Hikari was speaking about himself?
Was it obvious to you, or did the reveal catch you by surprise?
Let me know in the comments — I’d love to Read what you thought.