Order of the Elements

88:45.

88:46.

88:47.

Time marched forward, each second ticking louder in the mind of the referee as he glanced at his watch, whistle clenched between his fingers.

He looked up.

A footballer in a red-and-blue striped jersey stood at the edge of the penalty box, placing the ball down with care. He took a few deliberate steps back, his eyes fixed on the goal ahead.

Ten yards away, a wall of four defenders clad in blue jerseys stood firm. Behind them, the goalkeeper readied himself, arms tensed, eyes unblinking.

At this moment...

The score was:

FC Barcelona 8 – 0 Real Oviedo

Yes... we are at the Camp Nou in Barcelona.

Why?

Because this was one of Teshii's tasks for the scavenger hunt.

And where was Teshii, you ask?

Right behind the goal where the opposing goalkeeper now stood, seated among the roaring FC Barcelona supporters, wearing his signature fleece, his crimson shades glinting under the stadium lights.

Teshii leaned forward on the edge of his seat, tension pulsing through his fingers as he clasped the shoulders of two nearby fans.

"C'mon, c'mon..." he muttered, sweat beading on his brow. "Make it 9!"

Then–

PHWEEEEEE!"

The referee's whistle pierced the air. The stadium held its breath.

The Barcelona player inhaled deeply and began his run up.

Thmp!

A clean, powerful strike.

Whoooooosh!

The ball soared with elegance, bending past the wall and curling toward the top corner.

The keeper dove – full stretch.

But he was a second too late.

SWISH!

The net rippled. The crowd erupted.

FC Barcelona 9 – 0 Real Oviedo.

"VAMOS!" Teshii shouted, nearly losing his crimson shades as he jumped up, arms still looped around strangers who had become temporary brothers in celebration.

"What a f*cking goal!" he roared, laughter echoing in his voice.

90:00.

The board showed +5 minutes of stoppage time.

Teshii and the others began to settle back into their seats, smiles wide, adrenaline still buzzing.

He exhaled slowly.

"I wonder how the others are doing on the scavenger hunt," he muttered quietly to himself.

But as he looked back down at the pitch, FC Barcelona broke into a counterattack.

A quick one-two.

A through ball.

A striker on the run.

The shot–

SWISH!

Another eruption.

FC Barcelona 10 – 0 Real Oviedo.

Teshii smirked as he rose once again, shades askew, voice loud:

"Never mind them... VAMOS!"

Back in the Village of the Blacksmith...

As Hikaru continued to follow Ousuke through the winding paths of the Village of the Blacksmith, the air was thick with the scent of coal and molten metal. The rhythmic clanging of hammers striking anvils echoed in the background like a steady heartbeat.

Hikaru let out a quiet sigh, visibly bothered.

I swear...

I felt it...

That sense of energy.

A few seconds passed...

An Element is somewhere in the Village of the Blacksmiths.

"Elder Ousuke!" one of the villagers called out, waving from across the street.

Ousuke smiled warmly and returned the wave, greeting the villager with a nod.

But Hikaru wasn't paying attention. He remained lost in thought, eyes scanning the village around him as if the truth might be hidden in the cracks of the cobblestone.

I wonder what Element it is that's nearby.

It's either Fire, Steel... or Darkness.

Since this is the Village of the Blacksmiths, the Element of Darkness is out of the question... meaning it's one of Fire or Steel.

Then–

Ousuke suddenly stopped walking. Hikaru halted just in time, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Ousuke?" Hikaru asked, confused.

Ousuke turned around, his expression serious, a thoughtful gaze behind his aged eyes.

"Tell me, Hikaru..." Ousuke said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Why did you come to the Village of the Blacksmith?"

"U-Um... you see..." Hikaru replied hesitantly, scratching his cheek, "I was hoping to forge an axe today."

Ousuke raised a bushy eyebrow. "What for? Something dangerous?"

"What?! No! Of course not..." Hikaru said quickly, waving his hands defensively. "You see... I'm doing a scavenger hunt with my friends, and I'm on my last task – which is to forge an axe – and I just happened to come across the village."

"Is that so?" Ousuke replied, his tone unreadable as he studied Hikaru carefully.

Hikaru gulped under the old man's gaze. "Y-Yes, sir."

Ousuke sighed his shoulders sagging slightly.

"If you had asked me fifty years ago when I was the Master of the Blacksmiths... I would've taught you the ways of forging without hesitation. But I'm not anymore."

Hikaru blinked in surprise. "Master of the Blacksmiths?"

"Yes," Ousuke nodded slowly. "Fifty years ago, I held that title. I was the Master of the Blacksmiths. Oh... how I miss the good old days."

"Ousuke..." Hiakru said, curiosity rising. "Then who is the current Master of the Blacksmiths?"

Ousuke's face lit up with pride as a smile crept across his lips.

"My grandson."

"Y-Your grandson?" Hikaru repeated, blinking in surprise.

"Yes," Ousuke nodded. "My grandson, Tetsuya, took the reins as Master of the Blacksmiths after his father – my son – passed away from an illness," Ousuke explained.

"W-Where can I meet your grandson, Tesuya, Ousuke?" Hikaru asked, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

Ousuke raised his hand and pointed with one finger. Hikaru followed the direction he was indicating.

At the far end of the village stood a two-storey house, constructed from dark timber and weathered grey stone, crowned with a slanted charcoal roof. It stood out from the rest – more modern than the surrounding medieval-style homes.

"W-Woah..." Hikaru muttered, eyes widening as he stared at the house.

His gaze drifted toward the open garage attached to the home – and there, he spotted someone moving inside.

Hikaru squinted.

There was a man.

A very muscular man, his build clearly sculpted from years of blacksmithing. Soot streaked across his face.

And...

A piece of cloth was tied across the top of his head.

CHARACTER INTRODUCTION

Name: Tetsuya Takemi

Species: Human

Age: 24

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Silver

Height: 6'1

Weight: 179lbs

Occupation: Blacksmith

Hikaru turned to Ousuke.

"Ousuke? Is that man..."

"It's my grandson, Tetsuya," Ousuke responded with pride. "Watch, Hikaru. Watch how the current Master of the Blacksmiths works."

Hikaru turned his head back toward the garage, eyes narrowing as he watched Tetsuya in motion.

He... moves like a man dancing with fire.

Tetsuya's muscular frame was outlined by the shimmering heatwaves. Sweat glistened on his soot-streaked skin, each movement precise and purposeful. Every strike of his hammer rang like thunder across the anvil – sharp, rhythmic, unwavering. The glowing blade beneath him hissed and flared with every touch.

Sparks burst into the air – tiny stars that lived and died before they could hit the ground.

The hammer rose.

Fell.

Rose again.

CLANG.

CLANG.

CLANG.

His silver eyes were locked in with laser focus, the kind honed by years of calluses, blisters, and burns.

Behind Tetsuya, neatly arranged on wooden racks, were his tools – hammers, tongs, chisels – each in its place. Buckets of quenching oil sat nearby, their dark surfaces reflecting the raging firelight of the forge. The thick air was filled with the scent of scorched metal, blazing coal, and burnt wood.

And finally...

Tetsuya lifted the blade – its form glowing orange, shaped and tempered by fire – and plunged it into the quenching barrel.

SSSSHHHHHT.

A towering plume of steam rose, hissing like a ghost being exorcised from the steel.

Tetsuya exhaled slowly.

And just like that...

Another weapon was born.

Hikaru's eyes gleamed as he watched Tetsuya lift the newly born weapon from the forge.

"Amazing..." he whispered, awestruck.

"Let's go, Hikaru," Ousuke said, already making his way toward Tetsuya's house.

"Y-Yes..." Hikaru replied hesitantly, following behind.

Tetsuya, still holding the glowing blade, walked over to a sleek, reinforced case. He gently laid the sword inside and–

CLACK!

–closed the lid softly.

Step. Step. Step.

Tetsuya's ear twitched at the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned his head slightly, silver eyes narrowing.

"Who's there?"

He relaxed the moment he saw the familiar face.

"Oh... it's just you, Grandfather."

"Yes, indeed! It is I, your grandfather, Tetsu!" Ousuke declared with dramatic flair, placing a hand on his hip.

Tetsuya twitched.

"G-Grandfather... can you stop calling me that?"

"Why though?" Ousuke asked, tilting his head.

"Because I'm an adult now. And also... the Master of the Blacksmiths."

"Well, even if you're the Master of the Blacksmiths, you'll always be Tetsu to me."

"Grandfather..." Tetsuya muttered, clearly embarrassed, though he tried not to show it.

Then, he noticed the unfamiliar face standing behind Ousuke. His gaze narrowed.

"And who do we have here?"

Hikaru flinched. "H-Huh?"

"You're not from around here, are you?" Tetsuya asked, voice calm but scrutinizing.

"U-Um..." Hikaru hesitated, unsure how to answer.

Before he could find the words, Ousuke stepped in.

"Tetsu, this is Hikaru. He lives outside the village."

Tetsuya studied him a moment longer, then softened.

"I see. It's nice to meet you, Hikaru. I'm Tetsuya, the Master of the Blacksmiths."

"Y-Yeah... Nice to meet you too," Hikaru said quickly, bowing out of respect.

"So, Hikaru..." Tetsuya said, folding his arms. "What brings you to our village?"

Before Hikaru could respond, Ousuke tried to explain for him again.

"You see, Tetsu... Hikaru is hop–"

CRACK!

A sharp jolt shot up Ousuke's spine like a lightning bolt. His eyes widened in shock, body freezing mid-bend, arms trembling in the air.

"A-Agh! My back!" Ousuke groaned, staggering upright. One hand clutched the base of his spine while the other reached blindly for a nearby stool.

Tetsuya's eyes widened.

"Grandfather!"

He rushed over and crouched to Ousuke's level, concern etched on his face.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes. Yes... I'll be okay," Ousuke said, though clearly in pain.

"You need to rest," Tetsuya insisted.

"No, no. I'll be fine, Tetsu..."

"Rest. Now." Tetsuya's tone left no room for argument.

Ousuke met his grandson's eyes for a moment before sighing in defeat.

"Fine... I'll rest."

"Good." Tetsuya helped him toward the stool.

Hikaru stood nearby, watching them, a worried expression on his face.

"Ousuke..." he murmured quietly, concern lingering in his voice.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!