A partner indeed

The first samurai lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air with deadly intent. Kuroi sidestepped, his movements sharp and precise despite the fatigue gripping his body. He parried the attack, his sword clashing against the samurai's with a metallic ring that echoed through the tense village.

Ryunosuke moved like water beside him, his katana a blur as he intercepted another attacker. His movements were fluid, almost graceful, each strike a calculated decision rather than a reaction. He disarmed his opponent with a quick flick of his wrist, the man's sword spinning through the air before embedding itself into the dirt.

Kuroi gritted his teeth, stepping into his opponent's guard. He twisted his blade and slashed upward, the force sending the samurai stumbling back, clutching a deep wound across his chest. Another warrior charged at him from behind, but Kuroi, sensing the attack, dropped to a low crouch and swept his leg in a circle, knocking the man off balance.

Ryunosuke, without missing a beat, finished the downed opponent with a clean thrust to the heart. "Stay focused," he called out, his voice calm but firm.

Kuroi spat to the side, his grip tightening on his sword. "I don't need you to babysit me."

Two more samurai rushed them simultaneously, their blades flashing in the sunlight. Kuroi met the first head-on, deflecting a powerful downward slash and countering with a quick jab to the ribs. The samurai grunted in pain but retaliated with a sweeping horizontal strike. Kuroi leaned back just enough for the blade to miss him by a hair, then stepped forward, driving his sword into the man's shoulder.

Ryunosuke faced the second attacker, his movements impossibly smooth. He sidestepped the initial strike, his katana grazing the samurai's wrist and forcing him to drop his weapon. Before the man could recover, Ryunosuke spun on his heel, his blade arcing through the air in a perfect half-moon slash that ended the fight instantly.

Kuroi was breathing heavily now, sweat dripping down his face. He glanced at Ryunosuke, who stood as calm and collected as ever, not a single bead of sweat on his brow. "Show-off," Kuroi muttered under his breath.

Ryunosuke smirked but said nothing, his focus already shifting to the remaining samurai.

The last two warriors hesitated, their confidence shaken. They exchanged nervous glances before charging together, hoping to overwhelm the pair.

Kuroi and Ryunosuke moved as one, their swords cutting through the air in perfect synchronization. Kuroi feinted left, drawing one samurai's attention, while Ryunosuke closed in from the right, his katana slicing cleanly through the man's side.

The final samurai, seeing his comrade fall, screamed in desperation and swung wildly at Kuroi. Kuroi blocked the attack, his arms straining against the force. "Ryunosuke!" he shouted, holding the blade at bay.

Ryunosuke darted forward, his katana flashing. "Together," he said simply.

Kuroi nodded, and in one seamless motion, they both slashed at the samurai from opposite sides. Their blades met in the middle, cutting through the man's armor and ending the fight in an instant.

The samurai collapsed to the ground, his weapon slipping from his lifeless hands. Kuroi and Ryunosuke stood over him, their swords dripping with blood, their breathing heavy.

Kuroi wiped his blade on the fallen man's clothing, then looked at Ryunosuke. "Not bad," he admitted grudgingly.

Ryunosuke sheathed his katana, his emerald eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "You're not bad yourself… for someone so reckless."

Kuroi scoffed but couldn't suppress a faint smirk. "Let's just get out of here."

Together, they turned and walked away from the battlefield. The townspeople erupted into cheers as Kuroi and Ryunosuke walked through the village, their swords sheathed but still marked with the blood of their enemies. Children peeked out from behind their mothers, eyes wide with admiration, while older villagers clapped and shouted their gratitude.

Kuroi barely acknowledged them, his expression grim and focused. Ryunosuke, on the other hand, offered a polite nod here and there, his emerald eyes scanning the crowd with a faint smile.

Once they were far enough from the village, the cheers faded into the distance, replaced by the soft rustle of the wind and the crunch of dirt beneath their feet. Kuroi stopped abruptly, turning to face Ryunosuke.

"Alright, so what the hell do you want?" Kuroi's tone was sharp, his gaze unwavering.

Ryunosuke paused, scratching the back of his head as if embarrassed. "Well, I want to become the strongest swordsman. So, I thought, hmm, how should I do that? And then it hit me—work with Kuroi."

Kuroi's expression didn't change. "No."

Ryunosuke blinked, taken aback. "W-why not?"

"I'm not interested in making friends," Kuroi said flatly. "All I want is to become the strongest swordsman, like you. So what do I do? Look for the next strong opponent, fight them, and move on. That's it. In my opinion, teaming up with you would just slow me down."

Ryunosuke's usual calm demeanor faltered for a moment. "I see," he said softly. Then, after a beat, he added, "Wait a minute. Why were you fighting those guys back there, anyway?"

Kuroi's jaw tightened. "Because they're part of the same group that killed my father."

Ryunosuke's face softened. "Oh... I'm sorry for your loss."

Kuroi glanced down, his voice quieter now. "Yeah."

After a moment of silence, Ryunosuke said, "Wait. Why not try to get revenge first, then focus on becoming the strongest?"

Kuroi's eyes flicked up to meet his. "Because that's my second goal. My father... he'd rather have me become a great swordsman than waste my life on revenge."

Ryunosuke nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I see. That's... admirable."

"Anyway," Kuroi said, brushing past him, "I'll be on my way."

"Wait," Ryunosuke said, stepping in front of him. "Hear me out."

Kuroi sighed, clearly annoyed. "What now?"

Ryunosuke held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I get it. You're a lone wolf. You don't want anyone holding you back. But think about it—iron sharpens iron. You want to become the strongest? So do I. Traveling together, sparring, pushing each other to the limit... wouldn't that help both of us?"

Kuroi crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Or it could just slow me down."

"Not if we're both working toward the same goal," Ryunosuke countered. "Look, I'm not asking to be your best friend or anything. Just... a partner. For now. You don't have to trust me completely, but at least give it a shot."

Kuroi stared at him, his expression unreadable. "And what happens when we face each other? If we both want to be the strongest, it's inevitable."

Ryunosuke's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Then we fight. But until that day comes, we make each other stronger. Deal?"

For a long moment, Kuroi said nothing, his gaze locked on Ryunosuke's. Finally, he exhaled sharply and turned away. "Fine. But don't get in my way."

Ryunosuke's smile widened. "Wouldn't dream of it."

They started walking again, side by side