The morning sun had climbed higher, its light now a fierce declaration of a new day in Shinra no Sato. The echoes of taunts and laughter from the previous encounter still lingered in the air when Yamato Tachibana, standing tall with an air of entitlement, stepped forward. His jet-black hair seemed to shimmer with arrogance, reflecting the sunlight as if it were a polished obsidian mirror. His voice, dripping with disdain, carried the weight of his lineage, "Kazuki Kurotsuki, in the name of the Tachibana familia, I challenge you to a duel! Surely the monster like you isn't afraid to face a true warrior, are you?"The crowd that had gathered around Kazuki's earlier performance now murmured with anticipation, forming a circle around the two youths. Yamato, with a sneer, brandished his bokken, the wooden sword slicing through the air with practiced ease. Each swing was a flash of polished wood, aimed to intimidate and assert dominance. His movements were a whirlwind of motion, a testament to years of rigorous training.Kazuki, however, stood with a peculiar calmness, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight, his golden eyes observing each movement with an almost eerie precision. He remained rooted to the spot, his stance seemingly effortless, yet radiating an aura of quiet confidence. It was as if he was reading the very flow of Yamato, predicting each move before it was fully executed."Impossible! How can you be so elusive?" Yamato growled, his frustration mounting. "This is infuriating! I'll show you the true power of the Tachibana!" He then began to move in a peculiar pattern, his feet tracing a mysterious dance on the ground. Suddenly, several water images of Yamato appeared, each wielding a bokken, attacking from all directions. It was a dazzling display of the "Mizukagami no Mai" - the Dance of the Water Mirrors, showcasing his mastery over Water Ryu. The crowd gasped, awed by the spectacle.Yet, Kazuki remained unphased. He moved with a grace that belied his youth, his body a blur of motion as he effortlessly weaved through the illusions. Each dodge was a testament to his incredible reflexes and spatial awareness. His eyes, like polished gold, never blinked, absorbing every detail of the fight, analyzing the subtle shifts in the water images."Still playing the coward, Kazuki? Or just too scared to fight back?" Yamato's voice was laced with scorn, his water images multiplying, each echoing the taunts. The pressure mounted, the air thick with the anticipation of a clash."Matsuri, who had been watching with bated breath, couldn't stand the unfairness any longer. "Kazuki," she called out, her voice ringing with confidence, "You've got this! Prove them all wrong! If you win this, I'll treat you to the dinner at Izakaya Chōsokabe, the most popular food shop in Shinra no Sato." A ripple of amusement passed through the crowd, but Kazuki, surprisingly, seemed to find a renewed focus in her words. A faint smile touched his lips, a hint of mischief in his golden eyes. He glanced at Matsuri, a silent promise passing between them. The stage was set for a showdown, and the fate of the duel hung precariously in the balance.At those words, Kazuki's eyes lit up with a fiery determination. His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by the fierce spirit of a true samurai. His golden eyes, usually serene, now burned with a focused intensity. With a sudden, unexpected move, he whipped his bokken like a projectile. It whooshed through the air, a blur of wood against the sunlight, striking through the heart of the water illusions. The illusions shattered, their ethereal forms dissolving like mist in the morning sun, revealing the true location of Yamato within the intricate dance.In the same breath, Kazuki charged, his body a blur of motion. He moved with a raw power that belied his slender frame, his feet finding purchase on the soft earth as he closed the distance in an instant. The crowd gasped, the sudden shift in the fight leaving them breathless. Kazuki's punch, a swift and decisive blow, landed with a crack! on Yamato's jaw. The impact was devastating. Yamato soared through the air, a whoosh! and a grunt escaping his lips, before crashing heavily to the ground with a thud! He lay still, unconscious, the dust swirling around him. The bokken, having completed its trajectory, fell gently beside him, returning to Kazuki's hand as if it had never left, a testament to his uncanny control.Silence fell over the onlookers, their faces a mix of shock and awe. They had witnessed a display of raw talent and cunning that surpassed anything they had ever imagined. Kazuki stood there, his chest heaving, which had finally found an outlet. The pent-up energy, the frustration, the simmering anger, all erupted in that single, decisive move.Matsuri approached, her applause breaking the silence, her eyes shining with admiration. "That was incredible, Kazuki! You were amazing!" she exclaimed.Kazuki, panting slightly, looked around at the stunned faces, his own expression one of triumph yet tinged with a realization. This was just the beginning, a mere skirmish in the grander battle he was destined to fight. He had faced a formidable opponent, an heir to a prestigious lineage, and emerged victorious. But he knew, deep within his soul, that this was only the first step on a long and arduous journey. His journey to stand among the Taisho, to master his techniques, to truly understand the depths of his own power, had truly begun.He turned to Matsuri, a small smile gracing his lips. "Thanks, Matsuri. I wouldn't have it any other way." he said, his voice laced with a playful glint.
Suddenly, the air crackled with tension. Two young attendants of Taisho Mizuki Shirogane, their faces grim, pushed through the crowd. "Mizuki-sama! An urgent matter!" one of them announced.
"Yes? What is it?" Mizuki Shirogane responded, her voice steady but laced with curiosity. "Another outrage by Kazuki, I presume?"
"Precisely, Taisho-sama," the other attendant confirmed. "That young monster just knocked out the grandson of Toshizō Tachibana in the middle of the streets."
Mizuki Shirogane sat behind a large oak desk, its surface cluttered with scrolls, maps, and a small, steaming cup of bitter Sencha. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. The room itself was austere, decorated with simple yet elegant furnishings – a low table for tea ceremonies, a hanging scroll depicting a serene mountain vista, and a tansu overflowing with scrolls and documents. The atmosphere was one of quiet authority, broken only by the gentle ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner.Mizuki herself was an enigma. Her hair, the color of a winter sky, was pulled back in a severe bun, framing a face that seemed to shift and change in the shifting light. Her eyes, the color of amethyst, held a depth that hinted at hidden depths and a lifetime of secrets. Though her years as Taisho had etched lines around her eyes, they only added to her air of enigmatic power.
"Oho," Mizuki Shirogane muttered, a hint of amusement in her voice. She adjusted her hat, a wide-brimmed affair that shaded her eyes, and began to walk towards the commotion.
The crowd erupted in a cacophony of shouts. "Who do you think you are, monster? You are so dead now! Just wait for the higher-ups to show!"
"Baaaka," Kazuki retorted, his voice surprisingly calm. "It takes skill to fight like this. No one is going to punish the future Taisho."
His words were met with a chorus of indignant gasps.
Just then, a figure emerged from the crowd, his face a mask of fury.
"Taisho-sama! I can't apologize enough for you to come here for this boy."
"Oh! Is that you, Hakurou...?" Mizuki replied, her gaze shifting to the approaching figure.
Hakurou, Kazuki's stern but ultimately kind instructor, glared at his student. "What the hell were you thinking, acting like this again, Kazuki? Bunking off your classes, engaging in street fights, and now knocking out the grandson of a prominent family? The kids your age are preparing for the Kenshi exams tomorrow, and you're out here causing trouble!"
"Hakurou Sensei..." Matsuri began, but before she could intercede, Hakurou's hand shot out, striking Kazuki squarely on the side of the head. "Let's head back to class, young man. And Matsuri, you will explain everything in class."
Kazuki staggered back, rubbing his head. "Ow! Hakurou Sensei!" he exclaimed, rubbing his head.
Kazuki, still rubbing the spot where Hakurou had struck him, followed his sensei back towards Tenshi Dojo, his mind already racing with thoughts of the challenges ahead. For in the hallowed halls of learning, where Ryu was not just a force to be wielded but mastered, his true test would begin.