Chapter Seventeen: “The Return of Rein"

Chapter Seventeen: "The Return of Rein"

Tournament Arc – Interruption & Ambush

Scene One: The Silent Heartbeat

Light streamed through the narrow windows of Tenkai's infirmary, falling in muted stripes across the spotless white floor and pale curtains fluttering in the breeze. The only sound was the soft hum of spirit-beads overhead, each vibrating with life force, like ghostly lanterns in a shrine.

Sakura Natsumi lay on a cot in the center of the room. Gauze wrapped her torso, faint crimson seams showing as proof of her survival. Her breathing was calm. Steady. Normal.

At her side, propped in a wooden chair, sat Takashi Satoru. Despite hours of unrest, he had not closed his eyes. One hand clutched a spirit bead—hers—in case it faded, his presence would hold it fast.

A nurse glided in quietly.

"He's been here… since she came in," she whispered, nodding toward Takashi.

She placed a covered tray with water and tea at his feet. But he didn't move.

He was waiting for Sakura to wake up.

"He must really care for her, or maybe he is in Love with her.",the nurse added.

Takashi responds: "you guys know I can hear you right?".

The nurses' eyes widen in shock and they ran out.

Meanwhile, under the shade of the inner training grounds, Airi Satoru walked alone. Her path skirted the dojo's edge, blossoms framing her pale feet. The violet light beneath her skin was faint—like the moon before dawn.

She paused beside a torii gate—the ritual boundary of spirit and world—and shivered. Not from cold. Something else, darker.

Behind her, the wind whispered.

"Blood… for blood…"

A voice smooth as silk but cold as ice.

She turned slowly. Emerging from the shadowed timber pillars was Kagura Zeno—a tall woman with muscles taut beneath scarlet armor, blood marks swirling like tattoos on her arms.

> "Your brother interfered with my match. Your friend threatened my code. So now… I take what I choose."

Airi's hand trembled near her belt.

"This isn't your fight."

Kagura's smile sharpened in the twilight.

"Neither is it yours."

She drew a weapon from her side—the Soul Sickle, a curved blade forged of blood oath and wind.

Airi gulped. The moment the sickle's edge touched the aura dampening beads around her wrist, her heart slammed, warning alarm. She backed away.

"Stop!" she whispered.

Kagura surged forward, hair floating in the air like red flame.

"Stop me"

Airi raised her own spirit-thread bindings.

"Airi… Essence Chain."

A fine web spanned between her wrists. A single flick could ensnare Kagura's leg or chop a spirit vein. But Kagura was faster.

With an effortless twist, she swung the sickle. Airi blocked with the ethereal chain, but the strike pitched forward, cutting deep into flesh—Airi cried out as crimson spattered.

"Your brother's so-called heroics brought death to my brother. To my friends."

She stabbed again—Airi barely rolled aside. Pain exploded in her arm.

A light bloomed in the sky… thunder rolled. Before Kagura could strike again, a bolt of lightning hammered the ground behind her—throwing her off balance. The sickle clattered to the stone.

She spun to the sky.

"What… what is that?—"

A cloud burst overhead, darkness pouring down like ink. A low wind swirled across the grounds, carrying ash.

From the smoke, a figure stepped forward—tall and unnaturally still. A black trench cloak swept the ground, silver-white hair drifting over the collar.

Even through the haze, his aura was unmistakable: cold, remorseless, terrifying.

Kagura stared at the newcomer, jaw slack.

"Rein Asaka."

A name Airi knew from vaults. A rogue legend they believed gone.

He smiled. But it wasn't warmth.

"Seems some ghosts don't stay buried."

Lightning forked behind him, illuminating his face: older now, sharper, eyes glowing silver-blue. In that moment, his entire presence felt like the calm before a supernova.

Airi sank backward on trembling knees.

"No… you—"

Rein's cloak swirled. He towered above her.

"I'm stronger now. Sharper. I want them to see."

He turned toward Kagura, whose blood-slick cloak clung to her body.

"You tried to gut a child?, Deadly but not fair, it's my turn."

Kagura spat, fear and fury tinting her voice.

"She stained my family's image —"

Rein's voice turned quiet.

> "Image?, Your clan doesn't have an image, they are just monsters who like to kill."

Lightning flashed again.

Airi's eyes flashed violet. Her spirit-threads glowed.

But she didn't fight. She just gripped her sickle, voice shaking.

> "I… I don't want… to—"

The ground shook.

Smoke twirled open behind Rein.

There stood Takashi, face calm but aura radiating—like a rising eclipse. His hand rested on the hilt of his conjured Oblivion thread—but he hadn't drawn it.

Beside him, still healing but stubborn, stood Sakura, eyes still faint but alive.

Airi looked up: "Takashi?"

He raised a finger. The field stilled. Even Kagura, squaring off, paused.

"Enough!."

Then a great wind blew the whole place up.

Rein looked at the siblings—then at Kagura.

"Impressive, but it will not be enough to save this world, all this, You, Tenkai And the world, ends tonight," he said softly.

"Or I end everything left of your cursed pride, Zeno."

Kagura snarled, raising her sickle once more.

> "i will destroy you monster—"

Takashi stepped forward.

"Stay out of this."

Kagura squeezed the sickle, bone-white knuckles cracking.

Lightning erupted behind Rein, igniting spells and dust.

"I make the rules—" Rein began.

A flash.

The wind answered Takashi's presence—smoke spiraled around him.

"And I break them". Takashi answered.

He flicked his wrist.

A red-black thread wrapped around the sickle, then the handle, and finally around Rein's wrist—same motion, same golden aura fracturing his curse steel.

Kagura screamed, lunging—

But Takashi's aura glowed. He caught her sickle with a single hand, spinning on her blade like a dancer controls fire.

"Stop."

Kagura collapsed to one knee, chest heaving.

Sakura limped toward her, supporting Airi who fell against her shoulder.

"It's okay," she murmured.

Takashi said nothing. His eyes were fixed on Rein—who watched impassively.

"I didn't come back for vengeance, Demon King."

Their eyes widened.

"Demon King?". Sakura siad in shock.

"I came back because… your power belongs to me."

Takashi's aura flared upward—red-black threads burst in arcs like broken glass.

"You will have to go through me before you can have my powers"

Rein's expression flickered.

"Fair enough".

Smoke lay thick. Silence pulsed like a heartbeat.

Takashi uncoiled his hand. The sickle clanged to stone. Kagura dropped next to it, fortuneless and furious.

Airi looked at her brother.

"Your power is hot, you might burn out."

He brushed her hair back.

"No sis, not when I have much to protect and care for."

Rein stepped forward, voice low:

"Cut the drama and face me brat."