As the remnants of Kado's darkness faded, the room returned to its familiar state, though a new tension hung in the air.
I looked around, taking in Zuki, Yuki, Hiro, and Fuzuko. Our hearts were still racing from the encounter.
"Is everyone okay?" Fuzuko asked, rubbing his eyes and struggling to sit up.
"I thought we were done for," Hiro added, pushing himself off the ground.
"That guy was intense!"
Yuki shook her head, a determined expression on her face.
"Intense is an understatement! But did you see Zuki? He just ranked up!"
I watched Zuki, catching his breath while a mix of pride and disbelief washed over him.
"Yeah, I guess I did. But I just got lucky; I didn't really know what I was doing…"
"Don't sell yourself short, Zuki," I interjected, newfound respect shining in my eyes.
"You saved us. That takes guts."
Zuki shrugged, a modest smile forming.
"Thanks, Shido. It felt right in the moment."
"Where do we go from here?" Hiro asked, stretching his limbs.
"Kado didn't look like the kind of guy who would give up easily."
"Yeah, he's definitely going to come back," Yuki agreed.
"We need a plan."
Anxiety settled in my stomach.
"If he's as powerful as he claims, we have to be better prepared. We can't rely on luck next time."
Fuzuko, still shaking off tiredness, looked contemplative.
"What if we train? Figure out how to harness our powers? If we can push our limits, we might stand a chance against him."
"That's a good idea," Zuki replied, excitement creeping back into his voice.
"We could train together and understand our strengths."
Yuki clapped her hands, eyes sparkling.
"Now we're talking! A proper training session sounds like a blast!"
I crossed my arms, thinking it through.
"But we need to be smart. If Kado's watching, we can't give him any advantage."
"I know of a place," Fuzuko piped up.
"The old ruin on the edge of the forest. It's secluded and gives us plenty of room for you morons to train."
"Perfect!" Yuki exclaimed, twirling her guitar.
"Let's head there! The sooner we start, the sooner we can take him down."
I nodded in agreement, feeling determination flood through me.
"Let's not waste any time."
As we gathered our things, energy buzzed around us. I could feel camaraderie forming, a bond strengthened through all our shared struggles.
We headed out, excitement building for the challenges ahead.
The sky outside turned shades of orange and purple as the sun began to set.
I could almost hear the echoes of our past as we moved forward, ready for whatever awaited us.
Upon reaching the ruins, we entered a clearing surrounded by tall trees.
The remnants of crumbled walls formed a natural circle, perfect for our training.
"Let's set up a central area for training," I suggested, gathering fallen branches and stones.
"This can be our training ground."
Fuzuko nodded and jumped into action beside me.
"We can use this space for challenges and duels which I will always win."
Yuki stayed in the center, scanning our surroundings.
"How do we start? Should we go one-on-one or work on team synergy first?"
"For now, let's try both," I proposed.
"We need to understand how our abilities can complement each other in battle."
As we discussed our strategies, a sense of belonging washed over me. I wasn't just fighting for myself anymore; I was fighting for all of them.
"Let's get started!" Yuki shouted, her energy infectious.
"I'll kick things off with a warm-up. Who's ready?"
"I'll go!" Zuki volunteered, stepping forward with resolve.
The rest of us watched eagerly as Zuki prepared to tap into his newfound power. It felt right; he wanted to prove he could protect us.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a dusky glow, Zuki raised his hands, channeling energy through his ring.
Surrounded by friends, I could see that we were ready to face whatever challenge lay ahead.
And so began our training beneath the stars, marking the start of a new chapter in our journey—one of self-discovery, teamwork, and resilience against the looming shadow of Kado.