Heir of the Forgotten Realm

Ryo had always been a late riser. His mornings usually involved an argument with his alarm clock, a rushed breakfast, and a desperate attempt to avoid being late for whatever was on his schedule. But this morning was different.

"WAKE UP, SUNSHINE!"

The voice that pierced through his dreams was more effective than any alarm clock. Ryo sat up, his hair sticking out in every direction like a human porcupine. Standing in the doorway, arms akimbo, was Sakura, looking far too energized for someone awake at this hour.

"What the—what are you doing here?" Ryo asked groggily, glancing at the clock. "It's 6 a.m.! This is illegal."

"Illegal?" Sakura scoffed. "You're the Chosen One now. Sleep deprivation is part of the package."

"I'm pretty sure there's a labor law against this," Ryo mumbled, flopping back onto his bed.

Sakura stormed over and yanked the blanket off him. "Five seconds to get dressed, or I'm dragging you out in your Pikachu pajamas."

Ryo's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

She smirked. "Try me."

With a dramatic groan, Ryo rolled out of bed, muttering about unfair treatment and regretting every life choice that had led him to this moment.

---

The "Training Grounds"

"This is where we're training?" Ryo asked skeptically as they arrived at the empty lot behind the laundromat.

The so-called training grounds were more of a junkyard than anything else. Rusty bicycles leaned against the fence, and an old mattress sat in one corner, looking suspiciously alive. A stray cat perched on top of a pile of broken chairs, glaring at them like a disapproving landlord.

"Perfect, isn't it?" Sakura said, surveying the lot with satisfaction.

"Perfectly depressing," Ryo muttered. "What if that cat attacks us? It looks rabid."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Focus, Ryo. Your biggest enemy today isn't the cat—it's your own incompetence."

"That's inspiring," Ryo said sarcastically.

Sakura handed him a wooden staff. "Lesson one: combat basics. Show me what you've got."

Ryo took the staff, trying to look confident. "I used to do martial arts, you know. Don't be surprised if I impress you."

"Sure, impress me," Sakura said, spinning her own staff with a flourish.

Ryo took a deep breath, gripping the staff tightly. He lunged forward, aiming for what he thought was a perfectly calculated strike.

Sakura sidestepped effortlessly, flicking her staff to tap his knee.

"OW!" Ryo yelped, hopping on one foot.

"Lesson two," Sakura said, smirking. "Don't telegraph your moves."

"I wasn't telegraphing!"

"You yelled 'take this!' before you swung."

"That's called confidence!"

"Uh-huh." Sakura casually spun her staff again. "Try again."

---

Magical Mishaps

After an hour of getting smacked, tripped, and otherwise humiliated, Ryo was ready to give up.

"Okay, can we admit this isn't working?" he said, flopping onto the grass.

"You just need practice," Sakura said, leaning on her staff.

"Or maybe I just need fewer bruises."

Ignoring his whining, Sakura pulled out a small pouch of glowing powder. "Time for lesson two: magic."

Ryo sat up. "Finally! I've been waiting for this. What do I do? Throw fireballs? Summon a dragon?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Sakura said. "This is focus dust. It helps beginners channel their energy. Sprinkle a little into the air and try to form a basic energy shield."

"Easy enough," Ryo said, taking the pouch.

He sprinkled a generous handful of the glittering powder into the air. It sparkled like tiny stars, hovering in front of him.

"Now, concentrate," Sakura instructed. "Picture a shield around you. Focus your energy."

Ryo closed his eyes, imagining himself surrounded by a glowing barrier. He felt a faint warmth in his chest and opened his eyes.

The dust had indeed formed something, but instead of a shield, it was a glowing projection of Akari holding a sign that read "LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!"

"What the—?!" Ryo exclaimed, stumbling backward.

Sakura burst out laughing, nearly doubling over. "Oh my god, that's amazing!"

"This isn't funny!" Ryo snapped. "Why is my magic promoting my brother's YouTube channel?"

"Because your energy follows your thoughts," Sakura said between giggles. "Lesson three: don't think about your weird brother while casting spells."

"That's impossible! He's always doing something weird!"

---

Lunch Break

By the time noon rolled around, Ryo was a sweaty, exhausted mess. His arms ached from wielding the staff, and his brain hurt from repeatedly failing to cast spells.

"Can we please take a break?" he begged.

Sakura checked her watch. "Fine. There's a ramen shop nearby. Let's go."

The ramen shop was a tiny, cozy place with mismatched furniture and a handwritten menu. Ryo ordered the largest bowl they had and devoured it like he hadn't eaten in days.

"You eat like a vacuum cleaner," Sakura remarked, sipping her tea.

"Training is hard, okay?" Ryo said through a mouthful of noodles.

Their meal was interrupted by a loud crash from the alley behind the shop.

Sakura was on her feet instantly. "Stay here."

"Like that's going to happen," Ryo muttered, following her.

---

Battle in the Alley

In the alley, they found a hulking shadow beast clawing at a dumpster. It was shaped like a bear, but its body was made of swirling black smoke, and its glowing red eyes locked onto them.

"Let me guess," Ryo said. "That's not a raccoon."

"Congratulations, you're catching on," Sakura said, drawing her staff. "Ready to fight?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

Sakura charged the beast, moving with the precision of a seasoned fighter. Ryo fumbled to draw his staff, gripping it like a baseball bat.

"Okay, Ryo," he muttered to himself. "You've got this. You're a hero. You're brave…"

The creature lunged at him, and Ryo screamed, swinging wildly. He missed the creature entirely and hit the dumpster instead, sending a loud clang echoing through the alley.

"Seriously?!" Sakura yelled, dodging a swipe from the beast.

"I'm new at this!" Ryo shouted back.

In a panic, he reached for the pouch of focus dust and threw it at the creature. To his surprise, the dust formed glowing chains that wrapped around the beast, immobilizing it.

"Whoa! Did I do that?" Ryo asked, staring at the glowing chains.

"Don't celebrate yet!" Sakura shouted, delivering a final blow to the creature's head. It dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, disappearing into the air.

Ryo collapsed against the dumpster, breathing hard. "So... is this my life now? Fighting magical monsters behind ramen shops?"

"Pretty much," Sakura said, smirking. "Welcome to the glamorous world of being the Chosen One."

---