Black Blade's Memories - The Otherworld Cage Three Years Ago Darkness. Endless darkness.
Black Blade slowly opened his eyes, but saw no trace of light.
His body was floating in a distorted space, with no gravity and no orientation. The surroundings looked as if they were made up of shattered mirrors - each shard reflecting different battle scenes: a lone warrior swinging his sword in endless black fog, a fighter facing an army on a tower, another lying in a pool of blood. Some of the figures... even looked familiar.
-Where... is this?
A splitting headache attacked him as fragmented memories surfaced. He remembered once being the head of the swordsmanship club at the Higashigumo Academy, standing at the top, his swordsmanship rivaling even that of Kyōichi Tendō. He remembered stepping into some kind of space... and then nothing.
"You have finally awakened."
A deep voice echoed in the darkness, filled with undeniable pressure.
Black Blade turned sharply to face the voice and saw a man shrouded in black aura. Those crimson eyes, like the gaze of a grim reaper, made it hard to breathe.
"Who... are you?" Black Blade asked cautiously, reaching for his sword. But his hand went right through it.
-An illusion? Or... The man let out a low chuckle, a sound that echoed like a whisper from hell. "Welcome to the Saint Education Foundation's 'Extreme Breakthrough Trial Field' - or as you might call it... the Otherworld Cage."
Black Blade's pupils contracted.
Fragments of the truth returned to him.
Three years ago, he had entered this room as part of a secret trial mission - but this was no ordinary battlefield.
This was an experimental zone created by the Holy Education Foundation to forge the ultimate warrior.
Countless "test subjects" were thrown into this realm, forced into relentless combat and bloodshed to push themselves beyond their limits. Those who failed were either consumed by space or killed by others, becoming fuel for the cycle.
And he, Black Blade, had been one of them.
The irony was - he hadn't volunteered.
Yorumi Sō and the Adjustments of the Magic Club "Black Blade... he's really alive?"
Yorumi Sō sat at the Magic Club's conference table, his expression calm, his fingers spinning a magic card. His gaze swept the room. Every face was etched with shock and uncertainty.
Mitō Karuma adjusted his glasses, his expression heavy. "It's more than that. He may not be the man he once was. He survived the 'Otherworld Cage' - that is, he completed the so-called 'Extreme Breakthrough' of the Saint Foundation."
"In other words, he has surpassed his former self," Hakuran murmured, clenching his fist.
"The Otherworld Cage..." Kōdō Saya repeated the name softly, her eyes dark with thought. Her fingers gently traced the bowstring, lost in contemplation.
Yorumi looked at her quietly, suspicious, but said nothing.
"Then what is the purpose of Black Blade's return?" Hakuran asked.
"We don't know yet," Mitō replied, pushing up his glasses with a sharp glint in his eyes. "But one thing is certain."
"He will challenge Kyōichi Tendō."
The room fell silent.
A battle between the two former sword titans - once fated, but never fulfilled due to Black Blade's disappearance - was now inevitable. And with the power of the Otherworld Cage behind him... it would be a clash the Academy could not ignore.
At that moment, the Discipline Director of Higashigumo Academy made a school-wide announcement.
"Attention all students, the martial arts department of Cinderflame Academy has issued a formal challenge. An inter-school battle will be held in three days."
The announcement sent shock waves through the campus.
Cinder Flame Academy was one of the top-ranked academies in the world. Their martial arts department was known for its mastery of spiritual martial arts, capable of rivaling even professional fighters. And now, they were directly challenging Higashigumo?
Are they trying to strike while we're still recovering from the Five Club War?"
"Spiritual martial arts... this is a completely different beast than what we are used to."
"What will Yorumi Sō do?"
All eyes turned to the Magic Club.
The True Intent of the Holy Education Foundation Meanwhile, the representatives of the Holy Education Foundation gathered in a secret high-level meeting.
"What is the status of Higashigumo Academy?"
"Yorumi Sō is now the president of the student council. The Magic Club has gained influence, and the school has undergone great internal changes since the Five Club War."
"Excellent..." one of the executives scoffed. "Then proceed with the plan."
"Cinderflame's challenge is the first step."
"And as for the secrets of the Otherworld Cage... it won't be long before they discover the truth."
At that moment, the fate of Higashigumo Academy - and perhaps the entire world - began to change quietly.
暗影囚笼的真相
黑神刃的回忆——三年前的异界囚笼
黑暗,无尽的黑暗.
黑神刃缓缓睁开双眼,却看不到一丝光亮.
他的身体悬浮在某种扭曲的空间之中,感知不到重力,也无法辨认方向.四周仿佛是由破碎的镜片拼接而成,每一块镜片中都映照着不同的战斗景象——有人在无尽的黑雾中挥剑,有人在高塔之巅独战千军,有人倒在血泊中,而有些身影,他甚至觉得有些熟悉...
——这里是哪里?
黑神刃感到头痛欲裂,记忆混乱不堪.他记得自己曾是东云学园剑术部的部长,站在巅峰之上,拥有与天道京一不相上下的剑术.他记得自己曾踏入过某个地方,而之后的一切都变成了空白.
"你终于醒了."
一道低沉的声音在黑暗中响起,带着不容置疑的压迫感.
黑神刃猛然转头,看见一个浑身缠绕黑气的男人站在他的面前.那双猩红色的眼眸宛如死神的凝视,让他感到一阵窒息.
"你...是谁?"黑神刃警惕地握紧刀柄,然而,他的手却穿透了自己的武器.
——这是...幻觉?还是...
那男人低笑了一声,声音像是来自地狱的回音:"欢迎来到圣育财团的'极限突破试炼场',又或者,你可以称它为——异界囚笼."
黑神刃瞳孔微缩.
他终于记起了部分真相.
三年前,他曾在一次秘密的试炼任务中进入这个空间,而这里...并不是他所理解的普通战场.
这里是实验场,是圣育财团为了制造"最强武者"而创造的极限战斗空间.
无数被选中的"实验者"被送入此地,他们必须不断战斗,杀戮,才能在绝境中突破极限.而那些失败者——要么被空间吞噬,要么被其他挑战者所杀,最终成为养分.
而他,黑神刃,便是其中之一.
可笑的是,他并不是自愿进入的.
夜见苍与魔术部的调整
"黑神刃...真的还活着?"
夜见苍坐在魔术部的会议桌前,神色沉静,指尖轻轻转动着一张魔术牌.他的目光扫过在场的成员,每个人的脸上都写满了震惊与疑虑.
御堂狩真推了推眼镜,神色凝重:"不止如此,他现在可能已经不再是过去的黑神刃.他被'异界囚笼'所吞噬,并且活着回来了,这意味着...他已经完成了圣育财团的'极限突破'."
"也就是说,他已经超越了过去的自己."白蓝低声说道,拳头微微握紧.
"异界囚笼..."凰堂纱夜轻声重复着这个名字,眼神晦暗不明.她的指尖不自觉地摩挲着弓弦,似乎在思索着什么.
夜见苍静静地看着她,心中浮现出一些猜测,但并未多言.
"那么,黑神刃回来的目的是什么?"白蓝问道.
"目前还不清楚,但有一点可以肯定."御堂狩真推了推眼镜,目光锐利,"他一定会挑战天道京一."
会议室内陷入短暂的沉默.
挑战天道京一——这是黑神刃回归后,几乎所有人都能预见的事.
他们曾是最强剑士之间的宿命之敌,却因黑神刃的失踪而未能分出真正的胜负.如今,黑神刃携带着'异界囚笼'的黑暗之力归来,这场对决...必然无法避免.
苍焰学园的正式挑战
与此同时,东云学园的训导主任召开了一场全校会议.
"各位学员,请注意——苍焰学园的格斗部已经向我们正式下战书,他们希望在三天后,与东云学园展开一场'跨校战'."
这一消息瞬间在学园内引起轩然大波.
苍焰学园,世界级排名的顶尖学院之一,他们的格斗部更是以精神系武术闻名,甚至能够与职业级武者抗衡.而现在,他们竟然直接挑战东云学园?
"该不会是想趁着我们刚刚经历五社大战,内部尚未稳定的情况下,趁机击溃我们吧?"
"精神系格斗...那可是完全不同于我们的武斗风格."
"夜见苍会怎么回应?"
一时间,所有人的目光都聚焦在魔术部的方向.
圣育财团的真正目的
而在学园最高层,圣育财团的代表们正在召开秘密会议.
"东云学园的现状如何?"
"夜见苍已经成为学生会长,魔术部的势力崛起,五社之战后,学园内部已经发生了重大变化."
"很好..."会议桌上的一名财团高层冷笑道,"那么,接下来的计划就按原定方案进行吧."
"苍焰学园的挑战,是我们推动计划的第一步."
"至于'异界囚笼'的秘密...恐怕用不了多久,他们就会知道了."
这一刻,整个东云学园,乃至整个世界的棋局,正悄然改变.