The dojo had always been a place of rhythm breath in, strike out, discipline holding everything together. But this morning, the air carried something sharper. Even the younger disciples whispered among themselves, sensing the tension that clung to every beam and shadow.
Kaizen stood near the back, his ribs bound, his body aching, but his spirit restless. He could feel Renji's eyes drilling into him even before Bang called for pairs.
The old master's voice carried across the courtyard. "Today, control your spirit as much as your fists. Strength without restraint is no strength at all."
Renji smirked, his gaze never leaving Kaizen. "Guess we'll see who understands that better."
The moment Bang stepped back, Renji moved.
They squared off in the center, disciples forming a loose circle around them. The air buzzed, anticipation running through the crowd.
Renji opened with sharp, decisive strikes straight jabs, snapping kicks his movements crisp but fueled by something darker. Kaizen blocked, shifted, retreated, trying to flow around the storm without letting it drag him under.
Bang's voice cut in, steady. "Renji. Control."
But Renji wasn't listening. His strikes grew faster, heavier, the dojo floor vibrating with each impact.
Kaizen deflected one blow, sidestepped another, his breath tight. "Renji, this isn't what Master wants."
Renji sneered. "Stop hiding behind him!" His fist slammed forward, Kaizen barely ducking in time. The air cracked as the blow passed over his head. "Fight me for real!"
Gasps rippled as Renji's elbow grazed Kaizen's jaw, spinning him halfway. Kaizen stumbled but recovered, stance tightening.
His ribs throbbed, his fists trembled, and deep inside, the storm churned.
Let it go, Garou's whisper teased from memory.Show me, Renji's voice demanded.
The two collided again Renji relentless, Kaizen defensive. Each strike brought Kaizen closer to the edge, his body begging to release the power clawing at him.
Bang's eyes narrowed. He saw it the tension in Kaizen's stance, the storm just beneath his skin.
Renji's patience shattered. With a roar, he launched a flurry of kicks and punches, his body a blur. Kaizen blocked two, deflected one, but the fourth slammed into his side, pain lancing through his ribs.
He staggered, eyes flashing.
Renji saw it the flicker, the break. He grinned viciously. "There it is. Stop running. Show me what you're hiding."
Kaizen's fists clenched, shaking. For a heartbeat, the storm surged, threatening to burst.
His aura rippled, a subtle shimmer only Bang truly noticed.
Gasps spread through the disciples. They didn't understand what they saw, but they felt it the shift in the air, the weight pressing on their chests.
Renji stepped closer, taunting. "If you don't fight back, you'll prove you're nothing. Weak. A fraud."
Kaizen's breath grew ragged, his vision tunneling. Inside, the storm screamed, begging for release.
Bang's voice boomed. "Enough!"
The shout cut like a blade, freezing the courtyard. Even Renji halted, fists still raised, eyes locked on Kaizen.
Kaizen stood trembling, sweat pouring, every muscle tight. Slowly, painfully, he forced his fists down, unclenching them finger by finger.
The storm receded, leaving only exhaustion and the hollow ache of restraint.
Bang's gaze shifted between the two, sharp as steel. "This is not what I taught you."
Renji snarled. "He's hiding his strength, Master. I'm only exposing him."
Bang's tone dropped low, dangerous. "And in doing so, you expose yourself. Discipline abandoned is strength wasted."
Renji's jaw clenched, but he bowed his head, though his glare never left Kaizen.
The disciples dispersed in uneasy silence, whispers trailing like smoke. Kaizen remained where he stood, chest heaving, the weight of every eye heavy on his shoulders.
Renji brushed past him, voice low and venomous. "One day, you'll break. And when you do, I'll be there to see it."
Kaizen didn't answer. He couldn't. His body shook with the effort of holding back what had nearly slipped free.
That night, Kaizen sat alone outside the dojo, the city lights distant beyond the hills. His fists were raw, his ribs burning, but none of it compared to the fear gnawing inside.
He'd felt it the moment the storm almost broke. The aura that bled out, unseen by most, but undeniable.
"What am I becoming…" he whispered.
A shadow shifted nearby. Bang stepped into the moonlight, his face calm but eyes sharp.
"You nearly lost yourself today," the old master said.
Kaizen lowered his head. "I know."
Bang walked closer, folding his arms. "Strength is a blade, Kaizen. But a blade is only useful when wielded with purpose. Without control, it cuts indiscriminately."
Kaizen's fists tightened. "What if I can't control it?"
Bang studied him for a long moment, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then we will forge control. Together."
Kaizen looked up, eyes searching the master's face. For the first time in days, he felt a flicker of hope.
But deep in the shadows, unseen, another figure watched. Garou leaned against the wall, smirk curling his lips.
"So close," he murmured. "It won't be long now."