Kyoka Sakai was born on the 13th of March, 2002.
She was born into the main family of the Sakai clan, a prestigious clan known for their supreme mana quality and spells.
Children in clans get assessed at the tender age of 5.
When Kyoka was assessed...
"I'm sorry to say... Your child does have the ability to use mana but... In the future, she will not be able to use spells. At some point, she must've been poisoned by mana and her mana nexus became damaged."
From that day onward, she was shunned in her clan.
Though the oldest of the Sakai clan's main branch, the position of the heir was rescinded from her.
Everyone in the Sakai clan, including those from the supplementary branch, mocked and ridiculed her.
Kyoka Sakai was looked down upon.
Until one day, she ran away from home.
"I want you to train me."
The girl, a year after her assessment, had run away to a famous lone swordsman, Kenjiro Kawashima.
"Huh? Why should I take weeks, maybe even years out of my life to train you? Wait, how did you even find me?!"
The swordsman was a Magus. He was alone in a forest. Of course, he would question how a child would be able to find him.
"You try to cover your tracks but that makes you easier to find."
"Huh? What'd you mean? I hide my mana perfectly."
"Yes, exactly. You are covering your mana but you do not think about the natural way."
He then noticed what she meant.
"Footsteps, huh? No Streia would think about that since they're so spoiled and advanced. So, kid, tell me your name."
Kawashima smiled at the girl.
"It is Kyoka Sakai."
He frowned.
"To think that someone from the Sakai family would seek me out. A child at that. I must be getting old. Get out of here, you don't want a traitor to train you."
"It is precisely because you're a traitor to the Sakai clan that I want you to train me."
"Huh?"
"I am--or was--the heir to the Sakai clan. Then, a year ago, when I got assessed, they gave up on me and produced a new heir. My little brother."
"Gave up on you? Why?"
"Because I cannot use magic. I can only use mana. Someone who cannot use spells is not worthy of being the Sakai heir."
The man squinted his eyes slightly.
"Okay, so, since you can't use spells, then why are you coming to me? Why do you want me to train you? So that you can reclaim your place as heir?"
"No. So I can show those fucking adults who they were trying to mess with."
Kyoka glared at Kawashima.
Though the glare was not for him.
The man scoffed.
"Okay, just don't expect to return home in a few weeks."
"Of course."
And so, she trained.
It was four years later when she hit the age of ten when Kyoka returned to the Sakai house, she returned differently.
It was not the shabby attire, the fact that she came bare-footed, or the sword in her hand that surprised people. It was her dirty and battered skin, her calluses, her fierce eyes, and the streak of white in her hair that surprised them.
Kyoka was met by a servant. One that was newly assigned to the Sakai family's main branch.
"Who're you? Get out of the Sakai family territory!"
The female servant was killed with a single swing.
It was swift, clean and befitting of an ex-heir to the Sakai family.
Once again, they took her in.
"Why did you even think about coming back?!"
Her father was shouting at her.
Behind him were her mother, her grandmother and her younger brother, which did his best to hide from Kyoka's gaze.
"Father. Have you ever heard about the Black Emperor?"
"What's this nonsense you're beginning to spew."
"He fought alongside the Emperors for many centuries but then betrayed them eventually and his death was inevitable. Then, he reincarnated relentlessly, even to this day."
"What's your point, Kyoka?!"
"He never gave up. Never. Even when he was being mercilessly killed by the Emperors. I like the Black Emperor the best since he never gave up. Sorry, I meant he is never giving up. Even to this day."
"I asked, what's your point?!"
"Father. To keep my rights in the main family... I challenge you to a duel."
Her father glared at her.
"Do you want to have your rights as heir back?"
"No, I do not. I do not even care about the position of heir. What I want is that, if I win against you, the Sakai clan will be my backer and accept anything I request."
Her mother and brother perked up, surprised.
"Honey, you cannot!"
"That's right, Father! If you lose, then she will get full authority of the clan itself. It's more than being the clan leader or heir--"
"Would you two shut up?"
He growled at them.
(My brother is smart. I guess he does deserve to be the heir. He should be 5, this year, am I right?)
"Fine. We'll duel. If I win, you will forever be a slave of the Sakai clan and be in the supplementary branch."
"I accept."
"This will be a battle to the death."
"Do what you like."
Her father furrowed his brow in annoyance. He did not like how indifferent she was.
"Why're you so calm?"
"You may want to kill your failure of a daughter but I have no intention of killing my father."
"You dare be so daring when we're about to duel?!"
"I am not daring. I simply do not wish to kill my father."
"Tch! Do what you like!"
The next day, they had a duel and the winner was someone unexpected...
"T-the winner is Kyoka Sakai!"
Her father, Kyoi Sakai, crawled on the ground, glaring up at her daughter's glistening white katana.
He struggled to get up.
"Y-you cheated! That sword of yours is where you get your power from! There's no way a failure would be able to cast spells like that!"
Kyoka sighed.
"I am not a cheater. This sword is Durandal. It can absorb the spells of others and release them at once."
"S-see! She cheated!"
He looked at the referee. He shook his head.
"Father. I am 10 years old and you're 30 years old. A Holy Artifact could not close the gap in experience."
The audience was watching, interested, in the next development.
"Oh, shut up, you!"
He charged at her.
Kyoka sheathed Durandal and extended out her arms. Her left hand was in front of her and her right hand was at her side, bawled into a fist.
When Kyoi extended his hand out for a punch, she used her left hand, fluently, and swiped his punch away. She hit him with her right hand.
The man coughed but still was not knocked out. She grabbed his shoulders and swung upwards and then back downwards with more momentum, kneeing him in his abdomen, successfully knocking him out.
Before he fainted, Kyoka heard the words, "How did you--!"
She smiled, looking down at his unconscious body.
"I never gave up. Just like the Black Emperor."
---
"Uhhh... Prez, are you okay?"
Shouto asked her, knocking Kyoka out of her mind.
She smiled at him.
"Yeah, I was just... reminiscing."