Within an endless expanse filled with boundless chaos floated a tiny airborne island only several dozen meters across. On the island stood an ordinary-looking thatched cottage.
A thick, squat cassia tree grew before the cottage, beneath which sat a stone table and a stone stool.
Just then, the man seated on the stone stool suddenly opened his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Another person of uncertain fate has appeared in that plane. And the two of them are actually so close together. Which direction will the future ultimately take?"
"Will either of you be able to leave the universe and come before me?"
His voice carried endless emotion and... anticipation.
"Very well. I'll add another stroke for you and see what fortune you possess!" The man lightly touched the tea on the table before him with a finger, then flicked it.
A drop of tea transformed into a streak of light and shot into that universe.
Time slowly passed, and in the blink of an eye, six years went by.
Green Lake Town was an ordinary town in the Great Continent of the Yulan Continent. It was named for its proximity to the enormous Great Green Lake.
Early morning.
In the central square of Green Lake Town, three groups of children stood in several rows, divided into three teams. Every child stood silently in the open space, their expressions solemn.
Among these children, the northernmost team consisted mostly of six- to eight-year-olds. The middle team consisted of children from nine to twelve, while the southernmost team was made up of youths from thirteen to sixteen.
Standing before this large group of children were seven burly middle-aged men wearing short vests.
"Fighting never ceases in the Great Continent. If you want to survive here, you must train diligently