The Warrior Guild.

Lyra Yoto, a fourteen-year-old with hair the softest shade of pink, like cherry blossom petals in spring, sat on a moss-covered rock under the protective shade of a cherry blossom tree in her home's courtyard. The breeze caressed her face, carrying with it the gentle scent of flowers and the freshness of the beginning day. Despite her serious expression, her eyes sparkled with a barely contained enthusiasm, as if they were on the verge of overflowing into a sea of emotions.

"What's on your mind, Lyra? You seem lost in thought this morning," a cheerful voice came from the house's doorway.

Lyra turned her head to meet Luna, her older sister, who wore a warm smile on her lips. Luna was her guardian, her guide in this world since their mother had departed during the last civil war.

"Luna!" exclaimed Lyra, excitement shining in her eyes. "I got accepted to the 'Warriors' professional tutoring guild!"

Luna quickly approached, her eyes shining with pride and excitement.

"That's amazing, Lyra!" she said, enveloping her sister in a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

Lyra returned the hug tightly, feeling the support and love from her older sister. For years, Luna had been her inspiration, telling her stories of bravery and honor, especially about their mother, the great warrior who had lost her life on the battlefield.

"Thank you, Luna," whispered Lyra, feeling tears threatening to overflow from her eyes. "I know Mom would be proud."

Luna nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of those words.

"She would be, without a doubt. But remember, Lyra, this is your own adventure. Your path to follow your own dreams."

Lyra smiled, feeling a renewed determination burning within her. After sharing a moment of celebration and camaraderie in the courtyard, both sisters headed to the kitchen to prepare for dinner. The sound of water running in the sink filled the room as they washed their hands diligently, the daily ritual imbued with a sense of calm and normalcy.

"Thanks for the meal!" exclaimed Lyra with gratitude as she picked up the chopsticks and served herself a spring roll that quickly disappeared into her mouth, savoring the familiar and comforting taste.

"I wanted to make sure this day was special for you, Lyra. I hope you enjoy your favorite meal," Luna commented with a smile, taking a sip from her glass of orange juice, the liquid shining under the kitchen light. "So, did Touko make it too?"

"Yes, we'll be together!" replied Lyra enthusiastically, feeling joy bubbling in her chest. "I was worried they'd pair me up with someone I don't even know."

The conversation continued lightly as they shared dinner, the atmosphere filled with the warmth of home-cooked food and family company. Luna turned on the television, marking the start of their nightly tradition: watching their favorite series, "Dream Challenge," a teenage romance oasis in the midst of their lives.

Despite being Lyra's maternal figure from a young age, Luna was only five years older, a fact that emphasized the closeness between them. The loss of their mother had forged an even stronger bond between the two, turning Luna into a protector and guide for her younger sister.

The tragedy had hit the family hard, leaving their father unable to face reality, lost in his own world far away from the city. Luna, despite her own visual impairment, had bravely taken on the responsibilities of the household, learning to see the world through silhouettes and blurry colors. Together, they had found strength in the government's orphan assistance program, and they also received payment for their mother's work, a cushion that allowed them to survive and move forward, always remembering their mother's love and sacrifice with each passing day.

The morning awakened with a ray of light filtering through the partly open blinds of Lyra's room, gently caressing her face and rousing her just before the shrill sound of her alarm began to echo in the room. With a sleepy sigh, Lyra reached for the device and silenced it with a practiced gesture, clearing the room of the insistent noise.

With sleep still clinging to her eyelids, she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth, feeling the coolness of the water awaken her senses. Upon exiting, her eyes landed on a corner of the room where the briefcase sent by the warriors' guild rested. Inside awaited her new novice uniform, a symbol of her eagerly awaited new journey.

Dressing in the uniform with reverence, Lyra transformed into the embodiment of determination and commitment. The military blue cotton blouse hugged her figure proudly, the city of Zen crest embroidered on her chest like a symbol of her destiny. The loose cream-colored trousers promised comfort and mobility, while the peculiar footwear, with its long socks and thick soles, was a distinctive mark of the guild.

Descending the stairs with purposeful steps, Lyra encountered her sister, who awaited her by the front door with a radiant smile, holding an impromptu breakfast in her hands.

"Good morning, officer," greeted Luna with a mischievous spark in her eyes. "I hope you don't intend to face the day on an empty stomach."

Lyra laughed, accepting her sister's affectionate gesture and receiving the carton of milk and honeyed bread with gratitude.

"No one will call me an officer yet, I'm just a rookie," joked Lyra, biting into the bread and carrying it with her as she bid farewell to Luna.

"Goodbye, little sister! Take good care of yourself!" exclaimed Luna with a farewell wave as Lyra walked away, holding the bread in her mouth like a trophy of her upcoming adventure.

Lyra arrived at the bus stop, a familiar spot a few streets from her home. There, next to the trash can, she deposited the empty milk carton with a gesture of conscience before stretching her muscles, preparing for the day ahead. The sun was beginning to awaken, painting the sky with golden and pink hues that promised a day full of possibilities.

Suddenly, a luxurious van pulled up beside her, interrupting her morning exercises. The familiar voice of her best friend, Touko, cut through the air with a tone of reproach.

"We went to your house, and Luna told us you were going by bus. What did we agree on?" Touko complained, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation.

Lyra shrugged with a guilty smile, acknowledging her mistake.

"Get in, Nina!" exclaimed Shori, Touko's younger brother, who had adopted the strange nickname for Lyra since they were kids. The reason was simple: an incident involving a bee sting and a swollen tongue had given rise to this peculiar moniker that Shori had enthusiastically embraced, and from which Lyra couldn't escape.

With a laugh, Lyra joined her friends in the van, feeling the morning energy blend with the excitement of being with her adventure companions.

Lyra settled in beside Touko in the luxurious van, feeling the comfort of the seat as the vehicle started, taking them towards the Warriors guild.

"It's great that we got in at the same time," commented Lyra with a smile, sharing her excitement with her friend.

"Yeah, I hope the three of us end up in the same group," replied Touko, anticipation sparkling in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'hope we end up in the same group'? Aren't we already in the same group?" asked Lyra, a hint of concern creeping into her voice.

Touko gave her a sympathetic look before calmly explaining.

"We're in the same generation, but the guild divides rookies into groups of three, along with a master, to streamline training. That way, rookies reach the rank of recruit in just one year," explained Touko, revealing a deeper understanding of the process. It was evident that her father, eager to support his children's dreams of becoming warriors, used his influence in the city to provide his daughter with insider information.

In the global Warriors association, the rank hierarchy was a structure that paved the way for each aspirant towards greatness. From the first step to the highest heights, each title represented a level of skill, experience, and dedication.

The first step on this ladder of ascent was that of "Novice." These novice warriors, typically recruited between the ages of twelve and fifteen, had just entered the guild. Their path was just beginning, and they relied on the guidance of a master to guide and shape them in the art of war.

Once novices had proven their worth and skill, they ascended to the rank of "Recruit." Here, they left behind their novice status, ready to face solo missions under the watchful eye of their superiors.

The next step, reserved for those who had reached adulthood at sixteen, was that of "Seasoned." However, this title was only within reach for those who had already attained the rank of recruit. Otherwise, they faced the possibility of being dismissed from the guild, leaving behind their dreams of becoming warriors.

The title of "Master" was a temporary achievement, reserved for those warriors who had accumulated three years of service as seasoned. At this point, they were tasked with the important duty of training and guiding a group of novices, sharing their experience and wisdom until they were ready to ascend to the rank of recruit.

Once a group of recruits had been successfully formed and led, the warriors ascended to the title of "Veterans." Here, they had the option to retire, marking the end of a distinguished career, or to undergo an examination to join the ranks of the "Lieutenant Colonels" in the army, reaching a new level of prestige and responsibility on the battlefield.

Each rank represented a new challenge, a new opportunity to demonstrate valor and determination on the path to excellence.

The car stopped in front of the majestic entrance of the guild, where an imposing black gate stood wide open, inviting aspirants to venture into the path towards their destiny. A dirt path meandered between lush trees, guiding the gaze towards a grand structure that rose as the epicenter of the guild's activity.

Lyra, Touko, and Shori disembarked from the vehicle, ready to take the first step on their journey towards greatness. Around them, they observed other recruits engaging in preparations for the day, whether it be through stretches, friendly sparring, or moments of meditation in the tranquility of the grass.

"Wow, this is impressive!" exclaimed Shori, amazed as he turned around and surveyed the multitude of young people gathered at the entrance, all dressed in the distinctive novice uniform.

"The Warriors guild accepts a variable number of aspirants each year, between ten and thirty approximately," Touko informed, recognizing the surprise on her friends' faces.

"Well, now I feel a little less special," remarked Lyra, feeling a knot of nervousness in her stomach as she contemplated the overwhelming number of fellow aspirants.

As they approached the entrance of the main house, they were greeted by a seasoned warrior, whose uniform denoted his experience. He instructed them to wait in the shade of a nearby tree until all the novices were gathered in the area. Gradually, the aspirants arrived, and they were instructed to do the same, forming an orderly line under the direction of those already there, who were tasked with sharing instructions with the newcomers.

The seasoned warrior observed the assembled novices carefully, ensuring that everyone was present before addressing them with a firm voice.

"Well, I think everyone is here," he said in a low voice, checking the admission list. Then, he turned his gaze towards the novices and exclaimed authoritatively:

"Welcome, newly enrolled youths! From the moment you crossed the gate, you ceased to be civilians and officially became warriors."

All the novices turned to listen attentively to the ceremony's organizer, aware of the importance of his words.

"The uniform you wear today is not just a distinctive garment; when you wear it, you are an authority and must behave as such, be disciplined and responsible," the organizer continued seriously. "That goes for all of you who left school to join the guild thinking you wouldn't have tasks here. Believe me, sitting at a desk writing will be the greatest fantasy when your life is in danger during a mission."

Shori couldn't help but make a sarcastic comment to Lyra, who couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh at her friend's quip. However, the organizer's reaction was not long in coming.

"Did someone find what I just said funny?" the organizer asked, fixing his gaze on Shori and Lyra, who quickly changed their expression upon noticing the organizer's attention on them. Touko couldn't hide her concern, but she kept her composure.

"That pair can come to the front, please," requested the organizer with a passive-aggressive tone, to which both novices complied. Shori took it in stride, accustomed to receiving reprimands, but Lyra felt overwhelmed by embarrassment. Not only because of the punishment but also because of the fleeting thought that someone might think she and Shori were a couple. Additionally, the organizer's tone drew the attention of nearby recruits who were training, observing the commotion with curiosity.

After the ceremony organizer's reprimand, he decided to change the tone of the conversation and ordered them to begin physical training. Lyra and Shori were tasked with doing one hundred laps of the campus, no matter the pace.

"You're an idiot. If I get expelled because of you, I swear I'll make your life miserable," reproached Lyra, expressing her frustration as she ran alongside Shori.

"I already apologized. Besides, it was your fault for laughing. It wasn't that funny," responded Shori, trying to justify his action.

"It's never funny, Shori! I only laugh out of courtesy," said Lyra with a tone of voice full of anger, shooting him a resentful glance. From then on, an uncomfortable silence took hold of them for an hour, until they noticed the presence of a young man joining their campus marathon.

The new runner had a stern expression and seemed to be the same age as Lyra, fourteen years old. However, what caught the most attention was his peculiar hairstyle: the left half of his head was shaved, while the right half let a couple of brown strands of wavy hair fall over his right eye to avoid the eurenium.

The "Eurenium" was a phenomenon known as the leakage of zen energy through the right eye. While this phenomenon had existed since time immemorial, it only manifested in those who actively used zen energy. Warriors and other practitioners of zen energy had to use patches to cover their eyes, as prolonged exposure to eurenium could be deadly in less than a minute. However, many people sought aesthetic alternatives to hide eurenium, like Lyra, who used her hair to cover her right eye.

The extravagantly dressed young man surged ahead, easily overtaking Lyra and Shori. Lyra, taking the challenge as a personal dare, gritted her teeth and picked up the pace, leaving Shori behind and catching up to the boy ahead. But he, far from giving up, responded to the challenge and quickened his pace as well. Soon, it turned into a frantic competition: every time Lyra managed to pull ahead, the boy surged past her again, and so on, in an endless cycle of mutual striving that would only end when one of them could no longer move.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, both novices kept running, though now they were barely crawling on the ground, driven by sheer pride.

"Have neither of you realized it?" a voice amidst laughter interrupted them.

Lyra and her rival turned towards the source of the sound and saw a young man descending from the roof of the main building, with a somewhat feminine appearance and a mocking voice, watching them while applauding sarcastically. "Blondie gave up an hour ago, you've already done more than a hundred and twenty laps. Come on, wait here."

Both novices, exhausted, collapsed onto the ground, their strength depleted but their laughter still present.

"Why did we do this?" they asked amidst laughter, though the brief silence that followed revealed the underlying question.

"You started it," said Lyra, looking at the boy beside her.

"I only surged ahead because you two were radiating discomfort, and I didn't want to be part of that," replied the boy with some discomfort, before reaching out his hand towards Lyra. "I'm Ik."

"Lyra," the girl responded, accepting the handshake.

Meanwhile, three figures approached them. Among them was the effeminate young man from before, along with Shori and a man in a master's uniform, whose long black hair fell to the middle of his back.

"The guild didn't send anyone to oversee that you completed the hundred laps. Even if you had completed them, they would say there's not enough evidence and expel you," said the man with seriousness, causing the three novices to look at him with fear.

"You're lucky that I like challenges, and even luckier that my friend Criss knew I was looking for novices with less potential to take them as my students. That's why, without me asking, he climbed to the roof and watched every lap you ran. He and I are witnesses that you completed the task, so they won't kick you out of the guild. From now on, you three are my students," added the man with long hair before turning around and heading towards the main house.

Once inside, they all walked through a long hallway filled with classrooms where groups of three novices received instruction. Among them, Touko spotted them and greeted them enthusiastically from afar. Lyra responded with a smile, though she refrained from expressing too much, aware of her recent encounter with authority.

At the end of the hallway was the foyer, where several warriors were gathered, discussing missions with the secretary who was sitting behind a desk under the balcony connecting the first and second floors, with stairs on both sides.

They all climbed the stairs until they reached a rather secluded room on the second floor.

"This is what I get for arriving late," commented the master with disappointment before entering the dusty room, which was completely empty except for a single rusty chair in the center.

"I'm going to look for a mission with Luci, good luck guys, good luck, Mado," said Criss before leaving down the hallway towards the stairs.

"Alright, first of all, I want to see that you're not completely useless. Can any of you tell me what zen is?" asked Master Mado as he carefully sat down on the rusty chair.

"It's the energy of nature that some people can channel into their 'Ora,' an aura of energy that surrounds their bodies," Ik responded after a moment of reflection.

"Exactly. Having an Ora is relatively easy. In fact, many people have what it takes to manifest their Ora, but they simply don't know they can do it," explained Mado to them. "Now, I want you to extend your arms to the sides and raise your hands while tilting your wrists towards the sky."

The three novices looked at each other and obeyed the command, raising their hands as their master instructed. Mado squinted, concentrating on his observation as he watched them closely.

"As I suspected, the physical training you did to pass the admission exam awakened your unconscious ability to channel zen. Now, I want you to visualize a layer of slime covering your silhouette," ordered the master, watching the novices closely as they nodded in response, ready to follow his instructions.

"I can feel the slime! It's a very faint sensation, but I can feel something flowing around my body," exclaimed Lyra excitedly, keeping her eyes closed and a clear expression of amazement on her face.

"I feel it too, it's very strange," said Shori enthusiastically, while Ik simply smiled before nodding in agreement, acknowledging the shared experience.

"Alright, after all, you're not a bunch of useless blobs. You can go home now. During this week, you'll learn the three basic principles of zen. Practice this before sleeping," explained the master as he signaled for them to leave, concluding the training session.

"By the way, I think you've already heard Crissalid say it, but my name is Mado and I'll be your master until you become recruits," added Master Mado, receiving gestures of gratitude from the novices before they left the room.

As they exited the main house, Lyra remembered the question she had wanted to ask Ik since they were relieved from punishment.

"That's right... you didn't tell us why you had to run a hundred laps too," she inquired.

"I just arrived late," replied Ik, somewhat embarrassed.

"That sucks, you probably wanted to be with your friends and ended up with us," remarked Shori from behind.

"I don't have friends," Ik said quietly.

"Well, since we're going to be seeing each other until we become recruits... let's be friends!" exclaimed Lyra with a smile on her face. "This girl doesn't seem real, it's like positivity manifested itself into a person," thought Ik, feeling a bit puzzled.

"We'll see," responded Ik before parting ways from his new companions.

Lyra was intrigued by the boy, but she stopped thinking about him when she saw Touko, who was waiting for them leaning on the van. They all got into the vehicle to head to Lyra's house, which was just a few streets away from Touko's mansion.

"I was afraid they would kick you out. Don't ever do something like that again, squirt!" shouted Touko from the back, addressing her brother, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

"I wanted to be on a team with you," commented Lyra, looking at Touko with sadness and in a childish tone.

"Me too, they paired me up with people I don't know," responded the blonde girl, equally disheartened.

"I'd ask you to hug me, but I'm all sweaty," said Lyra, but despite that, the young blonde gave her a tight hug.

The van parked in front of Lyra's house, where she got off after saying goodbye to her friends. Luna opened the door upon hearing the car park and welcomed her little sister before bidding farewell to Touko and her driver.

"Dinner is served, go upstairs and take a shower," Luna ordered as she closed the door, to which Lyra complied after giving her sister a kiss on the cheek.

Dinner proceeded normally. Lyra excitedly shared what she had experienced at the guild, while Luna listened with curiosity and joy. Amidst laughter and anecdotes, they enjoyed the meal Luna had prepared with care.

After finishing dinner, Lyra bid farewell to Luna and went up to her room. With determination, she prepared for the practice her teacher had instructed them to do. Before going to sleep, she assumed the pose Mado had taught them, focusing on visualizing the slime layer surrounding her body.