The dojo was quiet, the air still heavy with the echoes of clashing fists and surging Nexuses. Sweat stained the wooden floor where the Vanguard had trained for hours, each member pushed to their breaking point under Seishin's watchful gaze.
Now, as they stood in silence, the old master walked slowly before them, his eyes sharp as blades. His voice carried the weight of truth.
"Doraibu," he began, his tone calm yet cutting. "Your speed is your pride. But you burn too quickly. A fire that blazes bright… also dies fast."
Doraibu bowed his head, fists clenching.
Seishin's gaze shifted. "Supira. Your strength is unshakable. But unity falters when you stand alone. Without your brothers… you are not whole."
Supira growled softly under his breath but did not argue.
"Kaiyo," Seishin continued, "your strikes are like the waves—endless in their fury. Yet even waves must rest. Your stamina falters too soon."
Kaiyo's jaw tightened. He hated weakness, but he could not deny it.
"Shimo." Seishin's eyes softened slightly. "You are defense itself. Calm. Steadfast. But you are not invincible. A blade that moves too swiftly… will cut you down."
Shimo said nothing, only bowing in acknowledgment.
The dojo was still. Every ear strained for Seishin's next words. His gaze finally fell on the one who had remained unmoved throughout the lecture.
Kori.
The storm-eyed warrior stood tall, his breath even, his arms crossed. The faint hum of electricity already lingered in the air around him.
Seishin's lips parted—then closed again.
He said nothing.
The silence was louder than any critique. It was not that Kori had no weaknesses. It was that, for now, Seishin could not see them. And that alone unsettled the entire Vanguard.
Before anyone could speak, shadows shifted near the doorway. A ripple spread through the dojo as a figure emerged, calm and collected.
Kurayami.
He stepped in, his smirk lazy, though his sharp eyes scanned the room in an instant. "So," he said casually, "what did I miss?"
"Kurayami," Seishin greeted with rare warmth. "You chose to return."
The others surrounded him, questions spilling, but Kurayami brushed them off with a wave of his hand. "Relax. I was busy… meeting with Father." His smirk curved sharper. "And preparing your demise."
The room stiffened.
From the darkness behind him, another presence entered. The air grew heavy, shadows clinging to the walls like living things.
Kawa.
His boots echoed against the floor as he approached, every step dripping with menace. His smile was sharp, cruel, and fixed straight on Seishin.
Without warning, he struck.
Steel flashed as his blade shot forward, aimed for Seishin's heart.
The sensei did not flinch. His palm rose calmly, stopping the attack in midair.
Supira was already moving. His foot slammed into Kawa's chest with enough force to rattle the walls, sending the intruder crashing back across the dojo. "Not again!" Supira roared. His fists trembled with rage. "I won't lose another sensei to you!"
Kawa rolled, rising smoothly to his feet. His smirk only widened. "So spirited…" His eyes slid to Kurayami. "Brother."
Kurayami's expression darkened, his smirk gone. "You weren't summoned. You came on your own." Shadows thickened around his fists. "So tell me, Kawa—who sent you?"
Kaosu stepped forward, his blade flashing with warped light, voice cold as ice. "Answer. Now."
But Kawa only tilted his head, mocking. "No one. I came because I wanted to."
Kurayami's rage broke. In a blur of shadow, he surged forward, fists slamming into Kawa's chest and face in rapid succession. Blow after blow cracked through the air until Kurayami's final strike sent him flying across the dojo—straight toward Kori.
The room shifted.
Electricity prickled against the skin of everyone present. The air itself seemed to vibrate as Kori stepped forward, his eyes narrowing, his aura swelling.
"I've been waiting," he said softly, almost to himself. His fists clenched, arcs of lightning crawling across his body. "I've been training… and now, I've evolved."
Light exploded around him. His hair rose as sparks surged upward, the floor cracking beneath his feet. Electricity flooded the dojo, filling every corner with blinding energy. His body pulsed like a living storm.
"This is my Nexus," Kori roared, his voice like thunder. "Crackling Thunder!"
In a single movement, he vanished. The sound came after—the crack of lightning splitting the air. He reappeared before Kawa, his fist glowing with blinding energy.
The strike landed.
The world itself seemed to shake. The dojo shuddered, the walls trembling as the impact tore through the chamber. Kawa's body bent violently from the force, blood spraying into the air.
And then—silence.
Kawa staggered backward, his smirk gone, replaced with wide-eyed horror. He clutched his chest, breath ragged. He opened his mouth to speak—only to realize what had happened.
His arm was gone.
The stump where it once was crackled faintly with static, blood dripping down his side.
Gasps filled the dojo. No one moved. No one breathed.
Kori stood tall in the center of it all, lightning still burning across his skin. His smirk returned, wider now, unhinged. He laughed—a harsh, wild sound that filled the chamber.
Kawa's body trembled. For the first time, fear flashed in his eyes. His pride broke, and he turned to flee. Shadows wrapped around him as he vanished into the darkness, his scream echoing faintly as it faded.
The storm lingered.
Kori lowered his fist, his eyes glowing with madness, his body still wrapped in electricity. His smirk lingered, sharp and cruel, as if victory itself had intoxicated him.
The Vanguard stared, unsettled.
And in the silence, Kurayami's voice cut through, low and heavy.
"…Who's the real villain here?"
The words hung in the air. No one answered.
The chapter ends with Kori standing alone, lightning still crackling in his eyes.