Hakishi sat beside Lee as the morning light warmed their bruised bodies. The victory against Nightmare was still fresh in their minds, but Hakishi's expression was serious, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.
"We need another person in our team, Lee," Hakishi said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Lee groaned as he shifted, his body aching from the battle. "Another person? Who?"
"My brother," Hakishi replied, his tone carrying a weight of history. "Aki."
Lee raised an eyebrow. "Your brother? I didn't even know you had one. What's his deal?"
Hakishi smirked faintly, a mix of pride and unease in his expression. "He's... an assassin. A good one. But he quit that life—well, mostly. We'll need to convince him to join us."
---
Finding Aki
The journey to find Aki led them to a remote mountain village, nestled amidst jagged cliffs. The air was thick with tension as they arrived at the small training ground where Aki waited. He was seated on a weathered log, sharpening a sleek, curved sword. His piercing gaze landed on Hakishi, then Lee.
"Hakishi," Aki greeted, his voice calm but edged with suspicion. "It's been a while."
"It has," Hakishi said. "We need your help. We're building a team to stop people like Nightmare. We can't do it without you."
Aki glanced at Lee, then back at his brother. "I've put my assassin life behind me. If I join you, it's all or nothing. But first..." His lips curved into a challenging grin. "I need to see if your friend here is worth his salt."
"What?" Lee blinked, startled. "You want to fight me?"
"Consider it a test," Aki said, rising to his feet and unsheathing his blade. His movements were fluid, almost predatory. "If you're as strong as Hakishi says, prove it."
Hakishi stepped back, crossing his arms. "Good luck, Lee. Don't hold back."
---
Aki vs. Lee
The fight began in an instant, Aki darting forward with inhuman speed. His blade whistled through the air, aimed straight for Lee's chest. Lee barely managed to block with his own weapon, the impact jolting through his arms.
Aki didn't let up, his strikes coming in rapid succession. Each move was precise, calculated to exploit any weakness. Lee struggled to keep up, his defenses barely holding.
"You're too predictable," Aki said, his voice calm even as his blade danced. "If this is all you've got, you're not ready."
Lee grit his teeth, frustration mounting. He shifted his stance, focusing on Aki's movements. With a burst of speed, he countered, forcing Aki to step back.
The clash continued, their weapons creating sparks in the dim light. Lee's endurance was tested as Aki's strikes became more relentless. But Lee's resolve only grew stronger. He dodged a deadly slash, spinning around to land a solid strike against Aki's blade, knocking it aside.
Aki's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he recovered quickly. "Not bad," he admitted. "But you'll need more than that."
Lee smirked. "How about this?"
Summoning the last of his strength, Lee feigned an attack to Aki's left. When Aki moved to block, Lee shifted his weight and struck from the right, disarming him. Aki's blade clattered to the ground as Lee pointed his weapon at his opponent's chest.
The battlefield fell silent.
---
A New Beginning
Aki held up his hands in surrender, a satisfied grin on his face. "You pass," he said, stepping back. "You've got potential, Lee. I'll join you."
Hakishi nodded approvingly. "Told you he was good."
Aki retrieved his sword, sheathing it with a flourish. "So, where to next?"
Hakishi's expression turned serious. "Next, we find Dom. Remember him, Aki?"
Aki snorted. "Dom? The loudmouth? Yeah, I remember him. This should be fun."
"Good," Hakishi said with a small smile. "Let's move out."
As the trio walked away, the sun climbed higher into the sky. Their journey was far from over, but with Aki now part of their team, they were one step closer to facing the challenges ahead.