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Chapter 54 - The Final Phase

Urashin jumped backwards, his dark shoes sliding against the dried mud, as he felt the Kishin within Yamikuro shift. It didn't come from fear, but caution.

Yamikuro's Seikodo burst around him, creating a force tens of times stronger than what he had used before. The wind picked up and took the objects not attached to the ground with it.

Urashin could've sworn for a second that Yamikuro's hair was white, but with a blink it returned to brunet.

"I can't contain this power," Yamikuro said, as he aimed his arm downwards.

He swung his arm in a diagonal direction upwards, his arm surrounded by purple afterimages.

Urashin wasn't sure how to react, as he had never seen Yamikuro do that. He created an invisible wall with his Seikodo, while toughening his body with Naiko, but even then, he doubted his capabilities.

"He really came back stronger… if I don't face him seriously now, I'll only insult him."

The birds flapped their wings high in the sky, flying to wherever the wind brought them. The wind played with the green leaves on the trees.

There was a second of quietness after Yamikuro's swing.

But that's when the ground broke into pieces, the purple corrupted swing flying right past Urashin, cutting through his Seikodo barrier as if it were butter.

Another second later, the purple color of the Darkness glowed beneath the broken pieces of the ground, and the slash of Yamikuro's attack hit against the wall of the pit, exploding behind Urashin.

Urashin had his eyes locked on Yamikuro, or so he thought.

When he felt the presence of Yamikuro next to him, he couldn't react in time. Yamikuro kicked him against the pit's wall, meters away.

Urashin groaned, trying to keep up with Yamikuro.

'How'd he suddenly get so powerful?'

Yamikuro stood unfazed, staring at Urashin as he pushed himself off the wall.

"What are you, a god?" Urashin asked, mostly satirical.

Yamikuro felt less at ease after externalizing his power, which he had contained for too long.

"No, I'm me."

Urashin brushed the dust off his shoulders and adjusted his durag.

"Well, either way, you've passed."

Urashin didn't want to congratulate Yamikuro too much, making him cocky. Instead, he acted as if Yamikuro was supposed to do that.

'In fact, he's exceeded my expectations. Although I can't expect any less from the son of him.'

Yamikuro's voice broke the quiet. "Well? What's phase four going to be?"

Urashin froze mid-step, his eyes widening slightly as he turned back.

"You want to continue right now?"

"I can't expect to take down Lucian without giving it my all, can I?"

The answer settled heavily between them. Urashin could feel it, Yamikuro's will hardening, shaped by that brush with despair.

This wasn't recklessness anymore. Yamikuro had chosen to walk forward, even with the Darkness wrapped around him like a blade pointed at both enemies and himself.

"Now that you have an understanding of Seikodo, Naiko, and Shintai, you will combine them and create advanced moves, such as the invisible barriers I've been using."

The days that followed bled into one another. Dawn to dusk, Urashin drilled him without mercy.

At first, Yamikuro failed constantly, just like he did with all the previous steps, but this time he never wavered. Every failure meant he was closer to achieving his goal.

Even though they had just two weeks left, Yamikuro ran up the mountains, his lungs feeling like they'd collapse, and he did triple the exercises he used to. 

Yamikuro had grown mentally and physically. He wasn't the same person he was prior to training under Urashin.

The week passed, and Yamikuro had gotten the hang of most of what Urashin taught him, but there was no telling if he really was strong enough to take on Lucian.

There was nothing but hope.

"For the final week, since we have some time left over, I'll teach you the second Ascension of the Darkness."

"Second Ascension?" Yamikuro froze. Was such a thing even possible?

Urashin smoked as he sat beside Yamikuro.

"The Darkness, still a mystery to me, possesses more than one Ascension. I couldn't tell you how, even if I wanted to, but I can sense its potential within you."

And with that, Yamikuro was going to gain a power far beyond his expectations.

As Yamikuro prepared himself for the trial to come, the story elsewhere continued.

Far below The Hideout's capital, in the Defence Sector, the murmurs were restless.

"Is the new Head of Defence really going to be revealed?"

"They say it's Darnell's assistant. But isn't he hospitalized?"

"Hospitalized, sure, but..."

"Shut your mouths."

The voice cut through like a blade.

Liv stepped into the hall, the echo of her heels pulling every eye toward her. The room went quiet.

Her uniform was nothing like the stiff coats of the Defence guard. The coat was cropped, cut low enough at the chest to show her dark skin, the fabric hugging her waist before splitting into long coattails behind her. A slit ran up her right leg, the black boots laced high. She wore it with no shame, as if daring anyone to question her.

"Pathetic," she said, her tone dripping with disdain as she scanned the crowd.

"All I hear is gossip and whispers. That screams cowardice to me."

A soldier flinched as her gaze locked on him, and she smirked.

"I am Liv. As of this moment, I take over as Head of Defence."

The murmurs started again, but this time she welcomed them. Her lips curved into something between a smile and a threat.

"You think I don't belong here? Then step forward. Show me your strength."

No one moved as the silence returned, being heavier than it was before.

"Exactly as I thought." She flicked her fingers, dismissing their doubt. "You'll follow because you are weak. And I'll lead because I'm not."

She paced slowly, her coat swaying, her eyes cutting into the gathered soldiers one by one.

"As of now, there is no assistant. I'll be choosing one of you personally. Volunteer, and maybe I'll make your life worth something. Fail me, and you won't have one."

The room straightened as if on instinct. A hundred voices rose together: "Yes, ma'am!"

Liv stopped in the center, with her smirk returning.

"Well, at least you're not deaf. Now, prove to me you're not useless."

She turned sharply, coat trailing behind her, leaving the echo of her heels and the weight of her authority pressed into the chamber walls.

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