Chapter 15: Can you still win?

–Present Time–

Gwyn finishes his tea and stands up. He then left the room with the reports at hand to meet up with Akafuyu.

Going back to Kiyoto and Johan, while the two are heading towards the clinic, Kiyoto would notice a familiar face waving towards him.

It was Mylene who is in-charge of taking care of the injured. The two approached her as she wholeheartedly smiled knowing that the two are doing fine.

"Here to visit our friends I suppose?" Mylene inquired even knowing the answer.

Kiyoto answered anyway. "Yes. How are they doing Mylene-san?"

"They're all actually doing better now that they can actually run a whole lap."

"Eh? Seriously?"

"Of course, unlike you, they can take medications directly. And that's where I shine."

Mylene's ornament is not a battle type. Once worn, it allows her to increase the potency of the consumables she made herself. For the information of those curious, she became a nurse for Akafuyu, since they're childhood friends and she knows that she was sickly back then.

"Come on. Yamato actually has something to talk with you about."

As Mylene leads the way, they come across Fudo outside of the room who seems to be doing some stretches. After noticing the three, she stopped what she's doing and went straight towards Mylene.

"Mylene! Hehe sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I've been missing out on some of my daily practice so I thought I could just get some bit of exercise." Fudo said while massaging the back of her head.

"Have you been fine, how are your injuries?" Johan asked quickly even before Mylene spoke.

"I'm totes fine now! Compared to them, I got off lightly…so I should be the least of concern."

After some small talk, the group finally entered the room where Yamato rests. Chizue, meanwhile, is on the other room since the male and female rooms are different.

Yamato looks fine already despite being the one who received the most injuries back then. His stomach and other parts of his face were bandaged, but they're going to heal soon.

"Good to see you doing well again. I'm sorry you had it rough on our first mission." Johan apologized.

"Captain please, no one here wants that to happen, and I can tell that you're the one who doesn't want that the most." Yamato straightforwardly rejected the apology since there is no reason to do so.

They checked on his health and discussed the  happenings in Asakura. Yamato then turned to Kiyoto.

"Kiyoto-kun, I believe he is out to get you. I do not know the reason, but I don't feel like he doesn't just have a score to settle. Rather, it felt like he wanted to confirm something with you."

'It wasn't purely vengeance that drives that guy?' Kiyoto thought to himself. Then he remembered something. It was faint but he remembered that he got out of Juzo's chains by himself.

"I think I know why…nevertheless, if he really wants a rematch, I'll indulge him. I can't let him run around and hurt anyone just to get to me." Kiyoto stated.

Everyone looked at him with determined eyes. They do not want to challenge his resolve after seeing how serious he is, instead, Johan asked him a question:

"He had an upgrade. Can you still win?"

With a moment of brief silence, Kiyoto answered.

"I have no choice but to win." A straightforward and logical one, not reckless, no overconfidence and no nonsense.

"Then, it looks like training is at hand." Johan sounds like he is proposing something.

"Oh, don't leave me out!" Fudo raised her hands as she wanted to get on board as well.

Mylene just sighed and shook her head. Though it doesn't mean she disagrees. Meanwhile, Yamato nodded at them.

On the other hand, the meeting of the Swords' Officers have finally concluded and they finally decided on the next course of action with the blessing of Akafuyu.

The borders of the territorial city were closed temporarily due to the recruiting incidents. Only exits will be allowed for the visitors, but entering is a different matter.

Regarding Magnate Yoshu, they would need to discuss it further since the decision that will be made would affect the relationship between Akafuyu's territorial city and Kirisame's business empire.

The main goal regarding this topic is to confirm that Kirisame has no hands on this matter. And if that proves correct, they would need him to cancel out his future dealings with Yoshu so that they can formally charge him.

This would prove quite a difficult task, so if it comes to that, an outside help will be needed, by which Akafuyu already had someone in mind. But that will be a matter for another time.

Meanwhile on the other side, Scythes Main Gathering Hub: Yoshu's manor.

A lot of their members were gathered as they are also discussing their next move after the recent incident. The officers however are all assembled in a separate room, which is the office of Yoshu himself. Each one of them wields their own Unique masks.

"So what are we gonna do, just wait for them to come?" An officer brought the conversation to a start. To describe him, he is a person that is demanding due to being an overthinker.

"Hehe, not that I mind. It just means that we saved a trip to their headquarters just to invade them. I say this is a good opportunity, Kabuki." Another officer joined in, who seemed to be a more carefree one.

"I-I'm gonna raise this once again: J-Juzo should be disciplined for his actions!" Heinrich was also there.

"Yes yes, though no one really has him on a leash. He's a wild dog after all. Speaking of which, where is he anyway?" An officer asked, he seemed nonchalant as well, although he gives out a more commanding ambience compared to the others.

A footstep can be heard approaching from the corridor unto the room entrance. Everyone then stands up as if they know who is coming. As the door opened up, they greeted the person and seated themselves.

"Welcome, my dear Scythes. –"

As a few days already passed by, Johan's team, STRIKE, was ordered to report at the command post where Akafuyu and Gwyn will be briefing them regarding the situation at hand.

With those free days, Kiyoto, along with his teammates have already undergone their own training with the guidance of Johan and care of Mylene.

As they are heading to the command post, Johan asked Kiyoto again:

"So, if the situation deems it, you will have to fight that man knowing he became much stronger. I'll ask you again, can you still win?"

Kiyoto replied, the message he conveys is the same as the first one. "I will have to win." Though he said it with a more determined voice. It was his resolve that speaks for him, that he cannot let all their (the Swords) hard work go to waste.

Resolve is one of the greatest factors for someone to achieve their goal after all. Perceiving that, Johan was already satisfied with his answer as they moved forward.

The moment of the inevitable clash between the two opposing sides comes closer and closer.