Small Spirit?!. Round 2#end

Kaizer's teeth clenched. The air around him shimmered with water magic, droplets orbiting his arms like tiny moons. Then—he lunged.

His daggers flashed into existence with a burst of blue light, cutting through the air as he dashed forward, both blades aimed straight for Rei's shoulders.

CLANG!

Rei blocked with his wooden sword and sparks exploded on contact. Not just a few. A storm of them. His blade may have been dull, but the sheer force of his swing met Kaizer's enchanted blades in a crackling wave of raw impact.

Kaizer spun to the side, slashing low.

Rei twisted, the flat of his wooden sword colliding with the strike just in time. More sparks. Blue light flared, magic clashing against pure instinct and experience.

"Y-You're insane!" Kaizer shouted, jumping back. "That thing shouldn't block my daggers!"

Rei didn't answer. He moved in fast.

WHAM!

He swung from above Kaizer crossed both blades and caught it, but the weight behind the hit sent him skidding back, boots sliding across the floor.

Crack!

The ground under Kaizer's heels split slightly. Rei was pushing him.

And he wasn't using magic.

Kaizer growled and raised his hand. A swirling torrent of water formed around his left arm, condensing into a blade shape longer than before.

"Fine. No more holding back!"

He slashed—BOOM! The water blade roared forward, a shockwave surging behind it.

Rei ducked, rolled forward under the blast, and—

CRACK!

Elbowed Kaizer in the ribs.

Kaizer let out a gasp, but turned quickly—his dagger slashed out. It met wood mid-swing—CRASH! SPARKS!

More sparks lit up the room like fireworks. Blue and gold and silver dancing around their feet with each hit.

Clash after clash. Blade after blade.

It looked like a light show.

Spectators were starting to gather at the edge of the room, gasping with every hit.

"No way! Rei's matching him?!"

"He's not even buffed!"

"Is he using enhancement magic secretly?"

"No," Regulus said, watching from the sideline, his voice low. "That's just him."

Kaizer jumped back, panting now. "What… what even are you?"

Rei didn't answer.

He just charged again.

Kaizer raised both daggers and blocked the swing—BOOM!

A shockwave burst from the impact. The nearby windows rattled.

Sparks flew like stars.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

Each blow from Rei drove Kaizer further back. His defenses were slipping.

Kaizer flared his tattoos, summoning even more water around him but he couldn't keep up.

Rei moved like he had fought wars.

His wooden sword blurred in motion. Sharp, precise, clean.

Kaizer tried to stab forward—

Rei ducked.

Spun.

And—

WHACK!

Struck him clean across the jaw with the hilt of his sword.

Kaizer flew back, skidding across the floor, daggers spinning from his hands.

Silence.

He groaned and looked up, dazed.

Rei stepped forward, chest rising and falling with calm, steady breath.

Sparks still glowed on the ground where their blades had clashed. The scent of burned wood and hot metal filled the air.

Kaizer blinked at the ceiling. "How…?"

Rei walked over and stopped beside him.

"I'm just built different," he said simply, offering no arrogance, no gloating just truth.

Kaizer laughed a little despite the pain. "Heh. That you are."

The atmosphere was still buzzing from the aftermath of Rei and Kaizer's duel. The scorched ground, the faint scent of burned air, and the silence that followed it all felt like the calm before another storm.

Regulus clapped Rei on the back, grinning ear to ear. "Didn't think you had that in you, man. You've been holding back."

Rei huffed, barely managing a smirk. "Not holding back. Just… wasn't my moment yet."

Regulus chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, now it is."

Then, just as the tension started to ease—

CREEEAK.

A soft creak echoed through the room. Both Rei and Regulus turned, instinctively reaching for their weapons.

At the far side of the room, where the window frames were warped from cold and wind, someone was leaning casually against the windowsill, one leg propped up, arms crossed like he'd been there the whole time.

A flash of red, a tattered cloak fluttering slightly behind him. The moonlight glinted off a pair of metal gauntlets hanging from his belt. His brown hair was wild, windswept, and his smirk cocky, effortless was unmistakable.

"Guess I'll be stuck with you two, huh?" Leo said, his voice smooth and smug.

Rei's eyes widened, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Leo…? You're here?"

Regulus raised a brow. "Weren't you off somewhere wrestling sea monsters or—?"

"I got bored," Leo said with a shrug, stepping down from the windowsill like he'd just returned from a morning walk instead of a life-threatening voyage. "And I heard there was some excitement going on without me. Can't let that slide."

He sauntered over, cloak dragging behind him like a shadow, the faint scent of ocean salt still clinging to him.

Rei blinked. "You saw the fight?"

Leo tilted his head. "I saw enough to know you finally stopped fighting like you're scared of breaking someone."

Regulus chuckled. "Told you he needed to get hit a few times first."

Leo cracked a grin, his eyes flicking between them. "So, what's the plan now? We training together, or are we starting a war with someone?"

Regulus shrugged. "Bit of both, probably."

Leo nodded approvingly. "Cool. Call me when things start exploding again."

Rei rubbed his temples, sighing. "You really just show up out of nowhere, don't you?"

Leo winked. "That's kinda my thing."

Just as the trio was catching their breath Rei still leaning on the wall from the hit he took, Regulus stretching out his arms, and Leo inspecting a scratch on his gauntlet the room suddenly felt… lighter. Almost like a gentle breeze of warmth drifted through, brushing past them.

A soft tap-tap-tap echoed on the stone floor.

They turned.

A small girl was walking toward them, her blond hair flowing like silk, tied with two delicate blue ribbons. She wore a frilled white and gold dress, clearly far too fine for the battlefield. Her steps were dainty, but her boots made little thuds on the ground as if announcing her presence despite how small she was.

Her eyes were wide, big like a doll's, and shimmered like dew. She clutched a tiny parasol in both hands like it was a shield from the world.

"H-Hello… um… I-I'm Mimi… Mimi Wospetra…" Her voice was soft, timid like the squeak of a mouse trying not to be stepped on.

Leo tilted his head. "...What's a kid doing here?"

Rei blinked. "Wait… are you lost?"

Mimi shook her head quickly. "N-No! I'm… I'm the appointed spirit guard of this sector!" She lifted her parasol like it was a badge of honor. "I'm two hundred and fifty-eight years old, thank you very much!"

"…Huh?" Regulus leaned down, squinting. "You don't look a day over six."

Mimi puffed her cheeks. "T-That's rude! I can't help my spiritual form defaults to my favorite age! It's optimal for comfort and… snacks…"

Rei stared. "Wait. Spirit guard? You're a… spirit?"

She nodded firmly, though still shyly. "Y-Yes. B-But I can't use any of my magic or spirit-bound abilities because I-I'm not contracted with a host yet…"

Leo crossed his arms. "So what, you're guarding this place powerless?"

"I-I'm still wise," she insisted with a tiny stomp. "I've guarded ancient ruins, forbidden archives, and once I stopped a possessed golem with nothing but salt and a poem!"

Rei almost laughed, but something about her aura stopped him. Even if she looked harmless, there was a weight to her presence… like standing near a calm lake that could turn into a stormy sea without warning.

"…Okay," Rei said. "So, what are you doing here now?"

Mimi tilted her head, then pointed her parasol toward them.

"You three are important. You're changing things. I felt the pull of fate shift again… so I came to check. You'll be going somewhere dangerous soon, right?"

Leo raised a brow. "You're not gonna tell us where?"

Mimi blinked, then leaned in and whispered, "That's spoilers~."

Rei's jaw dropped slightly. "Did you just say spoilers?"

Mimi giggled, spinning her parasol once. "Yup. I'm wise, remember? I know the value of pacing!"