The days after the battle with Kudosudo left a heavy weight over the brothers. Kaosu, once brimming with fiery rebellion, now kept his hands clenched in his pockets, eyes averted whenever his Nexus was mentioned. The fear of losing control again haunted him.
Sogen Shihan watched in silence. He had seen this countless times before—young warriors shaken by the burden of their own power. But if Kaosu was unwilling, then his brothers needed to step forward.
"Supira. Doraibu. You will go to the West Ridge," Sogen said, his voice calm but sharp like steel. "A group of bandits has been terrorizing merchants. Their leader, Rai, and his sister Mizu, are not ordinary thieves—they are Nexus wielders. This will test not just your strength, but your trust in each other."
Doraibu grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Finally. Some action. I was starting to get bored of meditation."
Supira shot him a glance. "Don't underestimate them. If they're Nexus users, we can't just rush in."
Sogen's eyes briefly moved to Kaosu, who sat in the corner, silent. The boy didn't even look up.
The battle was unlike anything the brothers had faced.
Rai, tall and ruthless, wielded a Steel Nexus, his body hardening like metal with every strike. Each punch echoed like a hammer on an anvil. His younger sister Mizu was swifter, manipulating the Water Nexus, turning streams and droplets into blades that sliced through the air.
Supira and Doraibu were immediately forced on the defensive.
"Supira, left!" Doraibu shouted, dashing forward with Velocity Breaker, only to be intercepted by a wall of steel.
Supira spun his hand, creating a small spiral barrier that redirected Mizu's water blades. "Stay focused, Doraibu! We need to sync our attacks!"
Slowly, their movements began to align. Doraibu's explosive strikes opened gaps in Rai's defenses, while Supira's spirals pulled Mizu's water blades into vortexes, neutralizing her range. The more they fought, the more they began to trust each other's rhythm.
But Rai and Mizu pushed harder, forcing the brothers to their very limits.
Meanwhile, back in the village, Kaosu sat on a hillside, away from the noise. His fists trembled. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Kudosudo's grin—the destruction, the fear in his brothers' eyes.
"I can't… I can't use this power. If I lose control again…"
Sogen appeared beside him, silent as the wind. "You fear your Nexus because you see only its curse. But Kaosu, do you not see your brothers?"
Kaosu looked up, startled.
"They fight, they stumble, they rise—not because their Nexus is flawless, but because they believe in its purpose. Power is not about control—it is about intention. Chaos can destroy, yes… but it can also protect, reshape, and liberate. The difference is the heart of the one who wields it."
Kaosu's eyes widened. His heart pounded with conflict.
"Do you wish to let fear chain you forever?" Sogen asked, his gaze firm. "Or will you face it… and master the storm inside you?"
End of the Chapter
As Supira and Doraibu's battle reached its climax, the brothers unleashed their full teamwork, their spirals and overdrives combining into a devastating strike that forced Rai and Mizu to retreat.
But miles away, Kaosu stood on the hillside, clenching his fists. For the first time since the incident, he whispered to himself:
"…I'll fight it. No… I'll fight with it."
Sogen's lips curved into the faintest smile. "Good. The real training begins now."