A Misused Weapon

At the main temple inside the base, Hikari walked into the council room. Seated around the large table in the middle of the room were 7 aged individuals, all of them piercing at Hikari as he walked in.

"You all asked to see me?", Hikari questioned sternly, standing by the doorway.

"Hikari, we have some concerns about the kid", one of the elders, an old man with a long grey beard and reading glasses, had stated.

"Kurashi? What's the matter?", Hikari asked in a confused tone.

"It is clear to all of us that you are not making enough of him", another elder had stated, her grey hair tied in a bun.

"I understand your concerns, but Kurashi is making great progress for the time he's been here. I mean the kid learned to use his ryokukami in less than 2 months. Not to add that his first mission was a complete success. It's impressive...", Hikari stated in a defensive tone.

"Did you forget that he's from the Ito? That's not an accomplishment when you compare him to the rest of his clan.", another elder chipped in aggressively, his head clean of hair and his eyes agitated.

"You were told to bring him in only to make him stronger, not to fulfill your own satisfaction", the bun-wearing elder stated, getting the conversation back on topic.

"That's true...your sentimental attachment is making you unreliable Hikari. We need the boy to be both stable and powerful, and if you cannot make that happen then we will.", the bearded elder said.

"The hell? You think he's some kind of a weapon? There's more to the kid than just than his power.", Hikari stated, his tone slightly agitated.

"Once again I will state it...Your mission even before you became the leader was to make him reach his full potential, remember?", the bearded elder responded in a commanding tone.

Hikari nodded his head with a sense of resentment for the elders.

"Your duty is clear...If you can't seem to get it done, we won't stutter to take the matter into our own hands. Do you understand Hikari?", the bun-wearing elder stated.

"I understand elder Ayame.", Hikari stated as if he had lost a battle, "If you would excuse me, I have some work to get back to.", bowing his head with disappointment and walking out of the door.

In the hallway, Hikari murmured to himself in aggravation, "A weapon huh? Damn narrow-minded elders doing only what would benefit themselves".

Back at the training grounds, the members assembled on the field, ready for the trials ahead of them. The trainees were now in uniform, a black set of clothes that closely resembled what the instructors wore. The old man, his face weathered with wrinkles of experience, stood in front of the members once again.

"Listen well...", the old man commanded, "Today marks the beginning of your journey. You will undergo a schedule that will push you past your limits, forge your bodies, and sharpen your minds. For endurance, you will have a 10 mile run...For strength, you will have weight training...For technique, you will have hand-to-hand combat...And for precision, you will hone your ryokukami effectiveness. You all will be broken into groups of 4, rotating through these exercises daily. After the training is over, you are free for the rest of the day. Is that clear"?

"Yes sir!", the trainees said in sync.

"Then you are dismissed.", the old man stated, dismissing the members to start their training.

Now broken into groups of 4, each group consisted of roughly 30 people. They dispersed to different areas of the training grounds where instructors awaited them, ensuring everything proceeds as planned. Inside the dojo, Kurashi started with his ryokukami training. The instructor, a young women with dark brown hair and green eyes, stood before the group.

The trainees, kneeling in a seize position, gave their undivided attention to the instructor as she spoke.

"Now, we will delve into the art of ryokukami...", the lady stated, her voice gentle yet firm, emphasizing the importance of this training, "First, I want to clarify that ryokukami is not merely a technique, but rather a way of life. Inside of all of you resides a power...and this training will help you find it, bringing it to the surface to be utilized".

The instructor paused for moment, allowing her words to be completely taken in. She then began to pace back and forth at the front of the dojo, her hands behind her back.

"And for those of you graced enough to have already unlocked your ryokukami, I ask that you meditate silently and allow your peers to concentrate. I want you all to remember that this is not a competition. Each of you will unlock your ryokukami at your own pace so be patient with yourselves and your peers...With all that said, close your eyes and let us begin...", the lady stated, stopping her pace and turning to the group in front of her.

The time went by in the dojo, and it was time to move to hand-to-hand combat. On the field, Kurashi's group gathered to listen to the instructors words.

"Listen up!", the instructor, a tall man with short black hair and a scar on his forehead, stated sternly, "We'll focus on the basics for now. You will be paired up randomly, so you will have to be able to adapt on the spot. Keep in mind that fights aren't won just through strength alone, but also speed and precision. Stay light on your feet and be ready to counter at all times...And stay aware of your opponents waist, it displays the first sign of any incoming attack".

The group was then split into pairs randomly to spar.

"To explain the rules quickly, the sparring will be done in rounds. Each round ending either when someone goes down or time runs out. Got it!", the instructor said sternly.

"Yes Sir!", the group responded.

"Then Begin!", the instructor stated.

After an intense session of sparring, it was time to move on to the 10 mile run, which took place in a large forest near the training ground.

"The trail that you will be running is through this forest.", the instructor, a women with short black hair and brown eyes, stated firmly as she pointed to the trees behind her, " It is a long run so be sure to pace yourselves and maintain your stamina. The run will be over when you make your way back to where we stand now. Y'all can head out now".

Kurashi made large space between himself and the others in his group as soon as they set off, his pace steady and his breathing controlled. Though, there was another person in the group that was keeping up. The one matching his pace was a boy around the same age as him with snow white hair and bright blue eyes. After finishing the run far before the rest of the group, the two stood outside of the forest where they started, catching their breath without acknowledging one another. After the rest of the group finished, the instructor walked up to the group of breathless teens.

"Excellent work everyone, take some time to cool off and catch your breath".

After the draining run, Kurashi's group then moved onto weightlifting. Inside the gym was filled with state of the art equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, squat racks, and benches. The instructor, a muscular man with a beard and short brown hair, stood by the entrance as if he was waiting for them.

"Here...you will build your strength and power.", the instructor stated with his arms crossed, "When you are working out, make sure not to rush through the exercise and always keep good form. Proper technique will prevent injuries and help you lift more effectively. Lastly, I advice working with a partner, so you can push each other and fix the others form if needed."

The instructor had given all of them a basic plan to follow, a series of exercises that would target each muscle group. Kurashi had went through the workout plan unfazed while the rest of his group struggled.

"Good job everyone...Strength comes from being resilient, so the more that you push yourself, the more results you will see.", the instructor said in a pleased tone at the end of the workout.

It was then that the training for the day was done.