Ch.2-The warrior's path
The town of Hanegakure was alive with celebration. Banners waved in the wind, shopkeepers displayed their finest goods, and families gathered in the streets to witness the Graduation Ceremony—a day when young warriors officially became samurai and took their first steps into the wider world.
Blade Taizuka stood in the middle of it all, his heart pounding—not from nerves, but from excitement.
Today, he would prove himself.
At his side, his three closest friends—Kibito Akammi, Suntaro Akammi, and Kagami Hanera—matched his energy, though in their own ways.
Kibito stretched his arms lazily, his usual carefree smirk on display. "Man, I hope they don't make us sit through another boring speech. Just let us fight already!"
Suntaro, his younger brother, rolled his eyes. "That's because you don't listen. The speeches are about our future, dumbass."
Kagami crossed her arms, watching Blade closely. "You seem oddly quiet. Not nervous, are you?"
Blade snorted. "Nervous? Please. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life."
But even as he said it, a small doubt lingered in his mind. That dream… or vision… what was it? Was it just a nightmare, or something more?
Before he could dwell on it, a loud voice boomed across the square.
"ALL GRADUATES, TO THE ARENA!"
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The Graduation Grounds – The Test Begins
The training arena was a massive, stone-built battleground at the edge of Hanegakure, where warriors had trained for generations. Fifty-four students, including Blade and his friends, stood in formation, awaiting instructions.
At the front, standing on an elevated platform, were two legendary figures—Yutako Koichi, Captain of the 6th Division, and Kinattsu Yuri, Captain of the 7th Division of the Phoenix Order.
The air grew heavy as their gazes swept over the students. Even without drawing their weapons, their aura pressure was suffocating.
Blade clenched his fists. So this is the power of true warriors…
Yutako stepped forward, his deep voice carrying across the arena.
"Graduation alone does not determine a warrior's worth. True strength is measured in combat."
Murmurs spread through the students. Some were excited, others… not so much.
Kinattsu, his long silver hair flowing in the wind, spoke next.
"As captains of the Phoenix Order, we have decided to host a sword duel competition. The strongest will be chosen for special recruitment into the Guard Squads and Emperor Training."
Blade's heart raced. This is my chance.
Yutako raised his hand. "This is a battle of skill, strategy, and resolve. Only nine will pass. The rest… will return home."
A giant stone board lit up, revealing the matchups.
First Round Matchups:
Blade Taizuka vs. Majinto (The Mountain Crusher)
Kibito Akammi vs. Hachijo (The Shadow Stepper)
Suntaro Akammi vs. Hiroki (The Lightning Wolf)
Kagami Hanera vs. Sue Yong (The Twin Fang)
The crowd erupted in cheers. The tournament had begun.
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Round 1: Blade vs. Majinto
Majinto stepped forward, towering over Blade. A massive, muscular warrior with a bandaged right arm, carrying a nodachi almost as tall as himself.
He smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Hope you're ready, little man."
Blade cracked his neck. "You talk big, but let's see if you can back it up."
The gong rang—the match had begun.
Majinto charged, swinging his nodachi in a wide, devastating arc. The force behind it shattered the stone floor beneath him.
Blade dodged at the last second, the sheer wind pressure cutting across his cheek. Too strong. If he took a direct hit, it was over.
Majinto grinned. "Fast! But not fast enough!"
He slammed his blade into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent Blade skidding back.
Blade's eyes narrowed. He's slow, but his attacks cover a massive range. I can't fight him head-on… but I don't need to.
He dashed forward, weaving between Majinto's powerful swings. The moment he saw an opening—he struck.
A clean cut across Majinto's arm.
The giant warrior winced but didn't step back. Instead, he laughed.
"Heh. Not bad, kid. But…"
Before Blade could react, Majinto slammed his fist into the ground.
A shockwave erupted.
Blade's balance faltered.
And in that moment, Majinto's sword came crashing down.
---
Round 1: Kibito vs. Hachijo
Kibito stood across from Hachijo, a mysterious masked fighter dressed in all black.
"Let's make this fun," Kibito grinned, drawing his flaming sword, Makashi.
Hachijo didn't respond. Instead, he disappeared.
In an instant, he was behind Kibito.
A dagger shot forward, aiming for Kibito's throat.
But Kibito, without even turning, blocked it with the back of his sword.
"You're fast," Kibito said, his grin widening. "But let's see if you can dodge this."
His flames exploded, engulfing the battlefield.
---
Round 1: Suntaro vs. Hiroki
Hiroki was lightning-fast, his movements like a blur as he zipped around Suntaro.
"You can't hit what you can't see!" Hiroki taunted, his twin daggers sparking with electricity.
Suntaro exhaled.
And then—he vanished.
A bolt of pure lightning erupted.
Before Hiroki could react, Suntaro was behind him, blade pressed against his neck.
Hiroki's eyes widened. "W-What?!"
Suntaro smirked. "You're fast… but I am lightning."
---
Round 1: Kagami vs. Sue Yong
Sue Yong's twin blades danced, creating a storm of slashes.
Kagami blocked effortlessly, her ice katana Kakori freezing each attack mid-air.
Sue Yong flipped back, impressed. "A counter-specialist, huh?"
Kagami simply smirked, her golden eyes calm. "Let's see who breaks first."
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The First Eliminations
One by one, students fell.
Majinto barely defeated Blade.
Kibito overpowered Hachijo with flames.
Suntaro dominated Hiroki with lightning speed.
Kagami and Sue Yong's fight was still ongoing.
As Blade stood up, wiping the blood from his lip, Majinto smirked at him.
"You put up a good fight, kid. I respect that."
Blade grinned. "I'll win next time."
From the stands, Kinattsu Yuri watched with keen eyes.
"This Blade kid… has potential."
The tournament was far from over.
And Blade's journey had only just begun.
To Be Continued....
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