That night seemed to never end for poor Ruytaro, who was headed for the deepest rooms of the palace. Meanwhile, Yoichi felt a sick feeling in his chest, as if he sensed that his Sensei was in danger.

In a little over half an hour, even though sleep made his tired eyelids waver, the young tamer continued reading 'Fundamentals of Demon Taming', one of the books from the gatekeeper's private collection.

​​

It gathered a lot of information regarding the most coveted and typical job in the world. Basic and advanced rules, explanations regarding demon types and their weaknesses, tips on where to find the rarest demons and how to tame them.

In particular, Yoichi's eyes read the same sentence more than once: "The types of demons so far recognized by the most experienced scholars in the capital are thirteen, and they are distributed rather unevenly throughout the underwater and emerged world."

Thirteen types of demons? I didn't think there were that many! He thought, emphasizing that phrase. Learning that definition, he realized that if a demon could have more than one type, the combinations would be far more than those he imagined.

In addition to those generic information, the book collected a series of rules on the proper use of the tools that accompanied the Demon Tamers along their travels. Demon Teeth and first aid accessories: before leaving on an expedition, whether belonging to a guild or not, the tamer had to get at least these two 'ingredients'.

Yoichi's interest rose chapter by chapter, but the residual energy in his body, when the back of his head rubbed against the pillow for the umpteenth time, could no longer feed his eyes.

The book fell on his face twice before he surrendered to sleep. The cool night air came in through the window that illuminated the room and the stone sink.

The young tamer's confused gaze looked at that stone object before he fell asleep, trying to keep Ryutaro's words in mind as if afraid to forget his teachings.

With the book resting on his chest and one arm stretched out towards the floor, the young Nightblades tamer closed his eyes and succumbed to fatigue, falling deeply asleep.

The Dojo area inside the Arena was one of the quietest areas in all of Goldhaven. While the city streets were busy and noisy, within those walls reigned a religious silence, due more to the sacredness of that place.

The green key was stuck in the lock inside, keeping the door closed in case some curious guy tried to enter illegally.

Inexorably, time also took away the night, which, little by little, gave way to the light of dawn. The song of the sparrows and other birds that liked to perch on the long branches of the peach trees in the courtyard echoed in the air, reaching the ears of the young warrior.

When Yoichi's senses were activated after his long sleep, his sense of smell caught the scent of the soft pillow on which he was resting his head. Although it seemed to be made of wool, the classic smell of straw came from within.

Trying to hasten his awakening, Yoichi looked up at the ceiling and stretched his entire body, staying on the comfortable bed for a few more seconds.

When he sat up on the mattress, he grabbed the book that had fallen to the floor and placed it back on the bed with extreme care, making sure not to miss the mark so he could restart reading it where he left off.

Yoichi wasn't used to the calm and silence of the Dojo, but perhaps it was just what he needed. Ever since he first opened his eyes in Lumya, his awakenings had almost always been traumas, excluding when he slept at the White Rose, the inn that belonged to the Princess' old friend.

Without a second thought, identifying with his Sensei, Yoichi tried to simulate his routine actions. After opening the window wide, he thought back to the words of Ryutaro, who had advised him to give his body and mind to training and meditation.

Less than a meter from the straw mat, resting on the floor, were all the items necessary to light an incense stick. Many wood-coloured sticks were neatly arranged in an open container of the same material.

Next to it, a black piece of steel complete with a flint. Somehow, Yoichi remembered having used such an object to start a fire before, and without too much hesitation or fear of setting the room on fire, he grabbed it.

He placed a stick of incense in the earthenware and, rubbing the small steel plate on the flint, let the sparks fall on a thin layer of dry straw, previously placed at the bottom of the crock.

After the straw finished burning, the flame was transmitted to the base of the stick, which contained several hand-woven plant fibres. They, while burning, gave off an intense but delightful smell.

When the process was completed and the setup usually used by the gatekeeper was ready, Yoichi sat down on the mat, straightening its folded corners with his hands.

Although his mind was full of thoughts, before cultivating his spirit inside the Tear of Therion, Yoichi intended to empty his head with some healthy meditation.

When I tried to meditate under that oak tree next to Ryutaro, I couldn't do it. However, he said to always practice meditation no matter where I am, he thought, going over his most recent memories.

The birdsong accompanied his mind in a deep ocean of thoughts, transporting him far from the Dojo room and Goldhaven. Letting the cool breeze caress the back of his neck, Yoichi kept his eyes closed for almost an hour without any difficulty.

Having had enough sleep, his body continued to remain alert and attentive to the world around him, being able to perceive even the slightest sound. The people who used to frequent the Dojo and the stone tatami for morning training were already inside the courtyard.

Indistinct voices of unknown warriors and guild leaders echoed in his ears like an annoying but bearable white noise. Yoichi's hands were resting on his knees, palms facing the sky.

Suddenly, his eyes opened independently, focusing on the wooden wall in front of the mat. The long-awaited moment had arrived: before starting to train his body again, Yoichi would dip his hands into the Tear of the Last Dragon.