Chapter 21: The Reunion!

As Rin and Senjuro made their way toward the exit

of the Syndicate Hub, a sudden vibration from their Umbra Nexus devices

stopped them in their tracks. Curious, they both checked their screens, and

their eyes widened as they read the message from the Eclipse Agent Committee:

"Mr. Senjuro Kaine, you are selected

for the Eclipse Agent Examination. Your Trainer will be Kyrin Vyvron. Please

meet him at the Grand Railway Plaza located in Viater-Centre."

Senjuro's face lit up with excitement. "I got a

message saying I've been selected!" he exclaimed.

Rin, equally thrilled, grinned. "Yeah, me too!"

The air around them buzzed with anticipation. The Eclipse Agent Examination was a prestigious and rigorous test,

designed to elevate assassins to A-Rank

(Tier-1) — an honour

that only the most skilled and disciplined warriors could achieve. Being

selected meant they had a real shot at joining elite teams like Kyrin's Escort,

an opportunity many assassins could only dream of.

Without wasting any time, they hailed a Neo-Taxi Hover Cab, a

sleek, levitating vehicle with a polished black exterior and glowing cyan

underlights. The cab whooshed over the smooth streets of Neo-Kyoto, weaving

through the dense, vibrant cityscape. Towering skyscrapers adorned with

holographic advertisements and digital billboards flashed by. The energy of the

city was electric — a perfect reflection of their own excitement.

As they sped toward Viater-Centre, the Grand Railway Plaza came into view. It was a sprawling,

futuristic transportation hub with massive glass domes and intricate steelwork.

High-speed maglev trains zipped across elevated tracks, leaving streaks of neon

light in their wake. The plaza was bustling with activity — travellers,

merchants, and officials moved about in a seamless rhythm, their conversations

blending into the hum of advanced technology.

Stepping out of the hover cab, Rin and Senjuro

scanned the crowd until their eyes landed on a familiar figure. Kyrin Vyvron

stood near one of the central terminals, his presence commanding as always.

Clad in his signature tactical gear — a sleek black coat lined with Prismal Flux circuitry and his custom weapons

holstered at his sides — Kyrin looked every bit the legendary Firearm Master he was known to be.

He turned toward them, his sharp eyes reflecting

both amusement and determination. "About time you guys showed up," he said with

a smirk. "Ready for some real training?"

Rin grinned. "Born ready!"

Senjuro nodded, his usual calm masking his

excitement. "We won't let you down."

Kyrin's smirk softened into something more

serious. "We'll see about that. The Eclipse Agent Exams aren't just about

strength — they're about strategy, discipline, and survival. If you want to

pass, you'll have to give it everything you've got."

The weight of his words settled over them, but

neither Rin nor Senjuro wavered. They knew this was just the beginning — and

they were ready to face whatever lay ahead.

As the trio stood in the bustling Grand Railway Plaza, the neon lights from

the surrounding digital billboards cast colorful reflections on the sleek, glass-panelled

floor. The air was filled with the hum of maglev trains and the steady flow of

conversations from travellers and officials moving through the station. Despite

the noise, Senjuro's mind was occupied by something else.

He turned to Kyrin, his brow furrowed. "Uh…

Kyrin, I've got a question," he began hesitantly. "From what I know, aren't we

supposed to take the Eclipse Agent Exam in a team of four — three assassins and

their trainer? If that's the case… where's the third person? And who is he?"

Kyrin, leaning casually against one of the

terminal pillars with his arms crossed, glanced down at his Umbra

Nexus device. With a few quick swipes, he pulled up the team roster.

"Yeah, you're right," he confirmed, his sharp eyes scanning the list. "The name

of the third trainee is… Blaze Cystin Krynn."

Before Kyrin could say another word, Senjuro's

face lit up. "Blaze?!" he

practically shouted, his excitement drawing a few curious glances from nearby travellers.

"He's on our team?! Let's goooo!"

Rin's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait… you

mean that Blaze?

The same dude from our days in Shade Recruits?" he asked, his tone

rising with excitement.

"Yeah! That's him!" Senjuro replied

enthusiastically, his grin stretching from ear to ear.

Kyrin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by

their reaction. "So… you two know this Blaze guy?" he asked, his voice laced

with curiosity.

Rin nodded eagerly. "Oh, yeah! Blaze was one

of our closest friends back in our rookie days. Trust me, he's a chill

guy — but don't let that

fool you. He's also one of the most skilled recruits we've ever trained with.

You're gonna like him."

Before Kyrin could respond, the soft chime of

an arriving train echoed through the platform. A sleek Neo-Kyoto

Hover Train glided

silently into the station, its glossy black body illuminated by streaks of neon

blue and violet. The train's doors slid open with a hiss, and a wave of

passengers began to spill onto the platform.

Among them, one figure stood out immediately.

A tall, athletic young man with windswept silver hair and piercing amber eyes

stepped off the train, his confident stride and sharp gaze cutting through the

crowd with ease. He wore a sleek, tactical jacket with Prismal

Flux linings similar to

Kyrin's, paired with black combat pants and fingerless gloves. A relaxed smirk

played at the corners of his mouth as his eyes swept the platform — until they

landed on Senjuro and Rin.

"Yo!"

Blaze called out, his voice carrying easily over the noise of the station. He

raised a hand in greeting, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Long time no see, you two!"

"Blaze!"

Senjuro and Rin shouted in unison, rushing toward their old friend.

The three of them collided in an enthusiastic,

almost chaotic group hug, their laughter drawing a mix of amused and

exasperated looks from nearby travellers. Blaze clapped Senjuro on the back,

grinning. "Man, it's been too long! You guys haven't changed a bit."

"Speak for yourself!" Rin shot back, grinning.

"You're still as flashy as ever. What's with the whole 'mysterious badass'

look?"

Blaze chuckled. "Hey, the look comes with the territory. Besides, it

helps intimidate enemies, right?"

As their laughter subsided, Blaze's eyes

finally landed on Kyrin. The relaxed air around him shifted just slightly — not

out of fear, but out of respect. "And you must be Kyrin

Vyvron, right? The Firearm Master?" Blaze asked, extending a hand.

"It's an honour to train under you."

Kyrin took his hand in a firm shake, his sharp

eyes assessing the newcomer. "Likewise," Kyrin replied. "I've heard good things

about you. Let's see if you live up to the hype."

Blaze's smirk widened. "I never disappoint."

Kyrin's eyes gleamed with amusement. "We'll

see about that."

As the four of them stood together, the

reality of their new team settled in. This wasn't just a reunion of old friends

— it was the formation of a powerful unit preparing to take on one of the most

challenging exams in the assassin world. With their combined skills and the

guidance of a legendary S-Rank like Kyrin, the potential was undeniable.

But the road ahead wouldn't be easy. The Eclipse

Agent Exams were

notorious for their brutal challenges, pushing even the most talented assassins

to their limits. The Segrito threat still loomed, and every step they took

toward becoming A-Rank Agents would bring them closer to the next

battle.

For now, though, there was excitement — and a

sense of readiness.

"Alright, team," Kyrin said, his voice cutting

through their chatter. "We've got three months until the exams start. That's

not a lot of time, and I'm not going easy on you."

Senjuro grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other

way."

Blaze cracked his knuckles. "Bring it on."

Rin rolled his shoulders, already feeling the

adrenaline kick in. "Let's show everyone what we're made of."

Kyrin's

smirk returned. "Good. Then let's get started."

As they were about to leave the bustling Grand

Railway Plaza, a familiar voice caught their ears. The trio turned in surprise,

and their faces lit up when they saw a group approaching. Walking toward them

were three familiar figures — Mirae, with her confident stride and warm

smile, Taro, with his calm and composed demeanor, and Kaito,

his sharp eyes scanning the crowd.

"Mirae! Taro! Kaito!" Senjuro called out,

grinning widely as they closed the distance.

"It's been a while!"

Mirae greeted them cheerfully. The group exchanged friendly nods and handshakes

before she added, "I didn't expect to see you guys here. Looks like we're all

gearing up for the Eclipse Agent Exams."

"Yeah, we just found

out we're on the same team," Rin said, motioning to Kyrin. "And this here is

our trainer — Kyrin Vyvron."

Mirae's eyes

widened. "The Kyrin Vyvron? The Firearm Master? That's

incredible!" she said excitedly. "You guys got lucky!"

Kyrin gave a modest

nod, his usual composed demeanour slipping into a slight smirk. "We'll see if

they can keep up," he teased.

"Oh, by the way,"

Mirae continued, "are you guys doing okay? After everything that happened with

Segrito, we've been wondering how you've been holding up."

"We're managing,"

Senjuro replied. "And you? Who's your trainer?"

"Kyra Syrian," Mirae answered proudly.

At the mention of

the name, Kyrin visibly froze. His cool confidence wavered, and his face

flushed a noticeable shade of red. "K-K-Kyra?" he stammered, his composure

slipping. "Is… is she here?"

Before anyone

could respond, a soft, melodic voice called out from the bridge above them. "Still getting nervous when you hear my name, huh,

Kyrin?"

All heads turned

toward the source of the voice. Standing there was Kyra

Syrian — elegant and

poised, her silver hair flowing down her back and her eyes gleaming with

familiarity and warmth. As she descended the stairs toward them, a bright smile

spread across her face.

"Kyrin!" she exclaimed. "It's been so

long — and wow, you've changed so much!"

"Y-Y-Yeah," Kyrin

stuttered, still clearly flustered.

Rin, watching the

interaction with growing amusement, leaned toward Senjuro and whispered, "Is

this really our fearless S-Rank trainer… getting nervous like a schoolboy?"

Senjuro grinned.

"This is gold."

Kyra reached them

and offered Kyrin a playful grin. "It's good to see you again. Seven years,

huh? The last time we were together was when we took these exams ourselves —

with… well, you know who." Her expression softened at the mention of their old

teammate.

"Yeah," Kyrin said

quietly, his voice regaining a bit of its usual steadiness. "A lot's happened

since then."

Kyra nodded.

"Well, I'd love to catch up, but maybe we should take this conversation

somewhere more comfortable. Kyrin, do you know a good place where we can all

stay?"

Kyrin's eyes

flicked toward Senjuro, a mischievous glint appearing. "Actually, my friend

Senjuro here has a pretty amazing mansion," he offered.

Senjuro blinked in

surprise, then sighed in mock exasperation. "Sure, why not — make yourself at

home, everyone."

With the decision made, the group set off toward Senjuro's

mansion. Laughter and conversation filled the air, but Kyrin couldn't help

stealing occasional glances at Kyra, his mind swirling with memories from their

shared past — and a sense that their reunion was just the beginning of

something far bigger.