Kenji (4)

Yushiro and the old man locked eyes. Amusement flickered in Yushiro's gaze, while the captain's expression held something closer to curiosity. The tension between them thickened.

Without warning, Yushiro flicked his wrist, launching a handful of small stones at the captain, reigniting the battle.

The old man barely moved. He dodged some and deflected others with his hands, his focus never wavering. Yushiro feigned a direct charge, only to pivot at the last second, circling him instead. He was constantly in motion, darting across the room, hurling stones from unpredictable angles, never staying in one place for long.

His agility was dazzling—leaping from tables to stools, vaulting over the bar, flipping through the air as he hurled stones mid-spin. At one point, he even kicked a stool up with his foot and sent it flying toward the captain.

Show-off.

The old man sidestepped effortlessly, using the opening to reclaim his spear. With a single, fluid motion, he spun it in his grip, knocking incoming projectiles aside.

Taka groaned as he pushed himself up, wincing at his injuries. His grip tightened around the hilt of his katana.

Yushiro landed lightly beside us. "He's strong," he admitted with an easy smile.

Taka scowled at him. "Then why the hell did you wait so long to join in?"

"I didn't want to," Yushiro replied with a shrug, his grin unfazed.

Taka shot him a glare, but I stepped in before the bickering could escalate. "Focus. We need to take this old man down."

Taka exhaled sharply, nodding. "He's faster and more skilled." His voice carried a hint of unease.

"Are you scared, Blondie?" Yushiro teased. Then he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Not that it matters. I don't think he's taking us seriously."

"Then let's change that," I said, grinning. "We go all out."

Power surged through me as my Hashi roared to life, flooding my body with strength. Without hesitation, Taka and Yushiro launched the attack first.

They moved in perfect sync—Taka's katana slashed in a deadly arc while Yushiro aimed for the captain's legs with a sweeping kick. The old man evaded the strike, ducking under Taka's blade at the last second.

Then something changed.

A faint green glow pulsed around the captain's bare hand. A shiver crawled up my spine—I could feel the Hashi radiating from him.

Taka and Yushiro instinctively backed off. I lunged forward, aiming a precise thrust at his chest.

The captain clapped his hands together.

A shockwave burst outward, and my sword was ripped from my grasp, sent flying across the room. A heartbeat later, the back of his hand struck me across the face. The force crushed me into a table, shattering it beneath me.

Taka and Yushiro barely hesitated.

"Way of Nature Technique: Mountain-Splitting Wave!"

"Way of Nature Technique: Soaring Waterfall Slash!"

Yushiro's katana came down in a brutal overhead slash. At the same time, Taka executed a blindingly fast draw-slash, his blade flashing through the air.

The captain dodged with inhuman speed. His spear weaved between their attacks, countering each strike with precise deflections. The weapon left faint, shimmering trails in its wake.

Yushiro managed to land a rapid flurry of slashes, but none broke through—the captain blocked each one with almost casual ease. Then, with a swift counter, he sent Taka hurtling into the wall.

He exhaled slowly, standing tall. For the first time, he looked at us with something resembling mild interest.

"I'm done playing," he muttered.

Then he vanished.

A second later, he reappeared in front of Taka.

Taka barely had time to raise his sword before the captain's strike crashed into him. The sheer force sent him through a wooden table and chairs behind him with a deafening crack.

I swung wildly, desperate to land a hit, but his spear spun in a blur, deflecting my attack like it was nothing.

A whisper cut through the air.

"Blade Rotation."

The spear lunged forward, a concentrated wave of Hashi exploding from its tip. I was thrown back, tumbling across the tavern floor.

The captain's sharp gaze swept the battlefield, searching. "Where's the third one?"

Yushiro materialized from the shadows, katana raised. He struck, the steel of his blade meeting the captain's spear in a shower of sparks. They clashed in a whirlwind of movement—Yushiro was fast and relentless, but the captain was faster.

With a final spin, the captain pinned Yushiro's katana to the ground. The fight was over.

Yushiro, still smiling, released his grip. "Well, that was fun."

The captain looked at him slightly surprised. He rested his spear on his shoulder, his posture shifting to something bored. His gaze flicked to us, all sprawled on the ground.

"You're nothing special," he said flatly. "But you're good enough to fight."

Marko and Truth, who had been watching from the sidelines, exchanged glances—clearly impressed by the brief but intense battle. The tavern itself, large enough to hold at least sixty people, had been thoroughly wrecked.

Taka and I groaned as we forced ourselves to our feet.

The captain sighed, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I'm Lucas Alexandrite, Captain of Division 4." He studied us, unimpressed. "Welcome to Division 4, you brats."

His tone was lukewarm at best, completely devoid of enthusiasm.

I scowled at him, but the old bastard didn't care. I just realized that I don't like this old bastard, but I have to respect his strength. Annette approached and began tending to our wounds with Hashi Arts. The pain faded gradually, replaced by dull exhaustion.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas grab a barrel of alcohol and stride out of the tavern.

Truth sighed. "Sorry about him."

Annette dusted off her hands. "Come on. Let's get you to your rooms."

We followed her up the flight of stairs heading to the second floor, we went through a dimly lit hall to our quarters. The room was small and simple—two bunk beds on either side, a single window opposite the door. Moonlight bathed the space in a soft, pale glow.

The moment my head hit the pillow, exhaustion consumed me.

Sleep took me instantly.