Renji stood in the chamber, wrists bound in heavy chains. They clinked with every breath he took, a harsh reminder that even after saving the city from annihilation, he was still seen as a threat.
Hikari flanked him, silent but steady, her presence a wordless protest.
Around them, officers of the Hono no Sheshi lined the hall, their expressions carved from stone. No awe, no gratitude—only neutrality. Ayaka lay in the infirmary, unconscious, and without her to vouch for him, suspicion filled the air like smoke.
At the head of the chamber sat Master Arashi, leader of the guild, his eyes sharp enough to cut steel. He leaned forward on the armrest of his chair, voice measured but heavy.
"What you transformed into… should have torn your mind apart. Normally, no one comes back from the abyss whole." His gaze lingered on Renji as though trying to pierce through his soul. "And yet… here you stand. How?"
Renji's jaw tightened. His voice came low, restrained. "I have something that helps me keep it under control… at least until I can master it fully."
Arashi's eyes narrowed. "You seek to control the abyss?" The words dripped with suspicion. "To what purpose?"
Renji opened his mouth, but Hikari stepped forward, her voice carrying into the chamber. "We didn't come here to argue over Renji's bloodline. We came to warn you."
That earned her a few raised brows.
"Warn us?" Captain Halfka, a battle-worn veteran with scars across his jaw, leaned on his halberd. "Of what?"
Hikari met his gaze. "Shura. A primordial god of malice, sealed in the void since the dawn of man. He seeks release… and now he has a champion working to see it done."
The chamber stirred, murmurs rippling through the officers.
"His plan?" Kalfka pressed.
Hikari's shadow darkened as her words sharpened. "The Seven Seals that bind him. He intends to devour them, one by one. He already has one. Ours."
A tense silence followed.
Arashi's jaw tightened. "If a demon god is after the seals, we will defend ours to the last breath." His voice was cold, resolute.
Renji stepped forward, chains rattling. "I watched soldiers die trying to do just that. Brave men and women cut down like grass. If we keep treating this like just another incursion, the body count will never stop climbing."
His eyes flashed. "That's why I need to master the Seven Currents. It's the only way I can fight Shura's champion—and stop what's coming."
The chamber erupted in whispers. Bold. Reckless. Dangerous.
Arashi's stare hardened. "You speak of mastering what only the chosen few ever touch. I know your bloodline, Renji. I know what your father was."
The mention of his father cut deep. Renji's fists clenched.
Hikari's voice sliced through the tension. "And yet he is not his father. You saw the battlefield. Without him, Ayaka would be dead. We'd all be dead."
Arashi's gaze flicked to her, unreadable, then back to Renji. "Your technique… it rivals that of a grandmaster." His eyes drifted toward the amulet strapped to Renji's arm. "Tell me—do you have the backing of Grandmaster Kenshi?"
"Yes, sir," Hikari answered firmly.
Arashi's frown deepened. "If you don't mind, I'd rather hear it from him."
Renji lifted his head, meeting Arashi's gaze without flinching. "Yes, sir."
The chamber fell silent.
Arashi studied him for a long, suffocating moment. Then he gave a single nod.
At his command, a soldier stepped forward. He unsheathed his blade, fire crackling along the steel until the entire weapon blazed like molten glass. Without warning, he charged.
Hikari instant came at alert, she'd heard of the diplomatic relations between the guilds but never thought it would be this bad. She cast an helpless look at the situation she'd put Renji in.
The sword came down in a brilliant arc. " No!" Hikari called.
Renji's body tensed—instinct flaring—but he forced himself not to move. His eyes snapped open just as the flames licked across the iron.
The chains binding his wrists split cleanly down the middle, falling in glowing fragments to the ground.
The room stilled.
Renji flexed his freed hands, the bite of iron still fresh on his skin. His gaze met Arashi's again, the air between them thick with unspoken challenge.
Arashi leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. "You're unchained, Renji. But freedom is not trust. Earn it."
The words hung in the chamber like a verdict. " Not to question your judgement but you sure that this is wise master?" Kalfka asked.
" I owe him a chance to prove himself after saving my daughter, he shall prove himself in the presence of the entire council during the four trials of fire" a wave of dread rippled through the council. He faced Renji now. " Do you consent?"
Renji and Hikari exchanged glances. " Yes I do". " Good" Arashi approved. " If he's deemed untrustworthy at the end of the tests, I shall cut him down myself"
Renji bowed his head, though inside his blood burned. He had no choice but to prove himself—not just to Arashi, not just to the guild, but to the entire world standing on the brink of Shura's shadow.
And he would. Even if it killed him.