"So this is your home town. Seichō Town."
Kuragami and Sasaki have agreed to meet each other to see how strong they are now.
"Yeah. The town I mainly grew up in."
"So, where's your home?"
Sasaki pauses of a second.
"Follow me."
Sasaki takes Kuragami to his care home, where 12 other orphans live. They are all different ages. Two of them are the same age as Sasaki. As they are standing outside the mansion full of kids, Kuragami looks around. He notices everyone giving Sasaki dirty looks. He decides to pay no attention to it though.
Sasaki knocks on the door. One of the kids his age opened. Her name is Yurika but some people call her Yuri for short.
"So you decided to come back after you ran off."
Sasaki pays no attention to what she just said.
"Yuri, this is my teammate Kuragami. Be kind to him."
Yurika walks past Sasaki and handshakes Kuragami.
"My name is Yurika. Nice to meet you. I'm sorry you have to be teammates with this psychopath. Be careful, he might try to kill you in the future."
Yurika gives Sasaki a dirty back look. Sasaki pays no attention to it.
"Hey your about our age Yurika. Have you ever thought about becoming a Shorai?"
"Nah. I don't want to be a slave for the D.O. I do want to be the worlds strongest sword master though."
"Notice how she didn't say swordsman Kuragami?"
"I didn't say swordsman Sasaki because I want to show everyone that a girl can become the strongest with a sword! I don't want to be just the strongest swordswoman. I want to be the strongest out of everyone."
"Wait. How are you going to do that if your not in the ranks?"
"There's people in the world who aren't rogues or in the ranks that still fight. For example, the Kashikoi found Kiyoshi somewhere and he wasn't in the ranks or rogue. Now he's a Kizoku."
"Wow I didn't know that."
"He said it on TV once. Anyways that's what I plan to do. Screw the D.O."
"Why do you hate the D-"
"Kuragami don't. She doesn't like being asked that question."
Yurika suddenly walks away and goes upstairs to her room.
"Is anyone even in?"
"They're all on a trip somewhere. Forgot where. One of the care workers are in though. I just need to get my sword from her."
"Why does he have your sword?"
"Long story."
The office is right next to the entrance. Sasaki knocks on the office door. The care worker signals to let Sasaki in. Sasaki opens the door and comes in. Kuragami waits outside. The door is left open.
"Let me guess. You came to get your sword back?"
"Yes ma'am. Like I said. I'm sorry for what I done."
"It's not me you should be saying sorry to. It's Bokura. He thought you tried to kill him."
"No he doesn't. He's messing with me. He forced the duel between me and him. He wasn't as scared as he showed you after the hit."
"You know, you do have a reputation for lying."
"No one's in charge of the reputation they have."
"Not true. Your actions reflect on your reputation."
"So does other people's actions. Actions you have no control of. That's what's happening right now and you won't listen to me! Now give me my sword I need to train with Kuragami for the Shorai Skirmish!"
"Lower your voice when you speak to me boy! And who's Kuragami. That kid over there?"
"Yes. He's my teammate."
"Well tell your teammate that your not going to train with him today."
Kuragami walks in and lightly freezes the care worker. Not to the point where she can't move, but to the point where's she's very cold and is shivering.
"How dare you!"
"Kuragami what are you doing!"
"Get your sword and let's go. She's trying to prevent you from training. Training is the most important thing to us right now. I won't let anyone prevent it. Plus, you shouldn't let anyone stop you from becoming the strongest swordsman."
Sasaki sighs.
"Fine."
Sasaki takes the sword and both of the boys run off to Seichō forest. Yurika watches them run from her window. She walks downstairs to the office.
"So this is my hometowns forest Kuragami. It's kinda destroyed because I was training here."
"I see. Hey Sasaki want to see my new technique?"
"Sure."
Kuragami starts raising aura on his right hand. The aura takes shape of a giant arm and solidifies into ice.
"This is called Blessed Arm. It's attacks are much stronger than what I can do normally. It's also indestructible."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Try attack it."
Sasaki wields his sword. He raises the aura inside and runs towards Kuragami. He runs and jumps in the air. He charges up a slash that will hit the Blessed Arm.
"Vicious Wolf Slash!"
His attack hits the Blessed Arm but right before it hits it, the area where it was hit glistens making it unaffected where impact happened.
"So that's it. You infused your Heavenly Ice with your Blessed Arm. Nice."
Kuragami smiles. The fist starts glistening. Kuragami dashes to Sasaki with his Blessed Arm and goes in for a punch. Sasaki reacts quick enough to raise aura and attack back with his sword, causing a aura clash.
The clash is very powerful causing danger to the whole forest. Both Kuragami and Sasaki smile.
Kuragami and Sasaki have been fighting for 6 hours straight. There is no clear winner. They are both exhausted now.
"It's starting to get dark now."
"Yeah. You should probably go home Kuragami. Same thing tomorrow?"
"Yeah. But let's just rest for a bit. I can barely stand."
"Me too."
They both lie down for a bit talking about things. Soon, Sasaki goes home. All the kids are back from their trip and everyone is listening to Sasaki getting shouted at by both care workers.
"Give me your sword!"
Sasaki looks at his sword. He remembers what Kuragami said.
"You shouldn't let anyone stop you from becoming the strongest swordsman."
Sasaki grips his forehead violently trying to think of a response. He then stops and sighs.
"No. I won't give you my sword."
Yurika smiles.
"How dare you Sasaki."
The front door of the care home opens. Bokura walks him. The left side of his body is covered with bandages.
"You want to keep the sword yet you did this to Bokura."
Sasaki stays silent.
"I'll leave then."
Everyone is shocked. The younger kids start shouting begging him not to leave. He pays no attention to them.
"Fine if you want to leave then go. Your a danger to all of us anyways."
"See ya everyone."
Sasaki tries to make his way out the house but Yurika blocks the way with her sword.
"Yuri what are you doing!"
"Your supposed to be his care worker! How are you just letting him go like that!"
"Maybe because Sasaki isn't who he says he is."
"Stop!"
"What's she talking about Sasaki!"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Sasaki is the-"
Sasaki kills the care worker with one slash of is sword. The younger kids start screaming and crying while blood oozes on Sasaki.
Bokura laughs. Everyone looks at him.
"She fell for it and it led to her death. Now everyone knows your a monster Sasaki."
"She was evil anyways. She goes from care home to care home for some trafficking or something. Forgot what it's called. But it's bad."
He carries on laughing. Sasaki looks at Yurika.
Yurika looks disappointed. Sasaki still shows no emotion.
"Just go Sasaki. You can't come back here. If the other care worker comes home and your still here, it's over for you."
"Yeah I know. I'll see you soon. It's a big world though."
"Bye Sasaki."
Sasaki walks to the door, walking past Bokura.
Bokura whispers something to him.
"Sensei will be looking for even more revenge. He said this is just the start."
Sasaki stops walking.
"Tell him I'm not scared of him. If he wants to come after me, then let him."
Tears start dripping down Yurika's face.
"Your going down an evil path Sasaki. Why?"
Sasaki looks at Yurika.
"Probably a subconscious thing. Every time I sleep, I've been getting the same blank dream. The same voice that always tells me the same thing."
"Huh. What does it say?"
"In order to defeat evil, one must become evil. In a world with the law of the jungle at work, one must rule with power if they wish to accomplish their goals. I don't know why I remember it."
"What?"
"I don't understand it either. But it doesn't matter now.
Sasaki looks back and walks away. Who knows what's in store for him next.
"I know exactly what it means. I don't know why I lied."