Suddenly Captain Kazuki stands up pulling out his katana. "Silence everyone!"
The room falls silent before Takuma speaks up with excitement in his eyes. "You wanna fight?! Fight me then c'mon!" Takuma make his fists since he doesn't use swords.
"There goes the cracked heads." Kohaku says knowing how they both always look for fight.
"Not you‚I mean to fight one of them‚ Kaito‚ Hakari and Noboru. One of you will fight me in a sword fight and show your worth to the other captains if you win you will be my team's member as Soul Slayers officiall‚ I promise.
Noboru almost screams out as he heard Kazuki say that. "What! Fight you! Fight a captain?! He will kill us in no time."
Hakari also looks worried‚ Kaito raise his hand. "I will fight you and if i win you will let my sister and friend stay here and join the Soul Slayers."
Kazuki smiles. "That's the spirit young man‚ follow me." All the captains and Head stands up and walk towards the training ground with hakari and Noboru holding onto Kaito's arms ‚ Noboru whispers while walking. "Kaito you will die! Why did you accepted to fight a captain‚ didn't you see yesterday at the forest how he almost blow up half of it and made Ren retreat! He will eat you alive."
Hakari whispers. "Brother..will you be alright‚ but if you don't win they will kill us all."
Kaito forces a small smile trying to encourage them. "I won't let lose‚ I promise."
After some moment all the captains are standing at the training ground with Kazuki standing ahead of them turns to them. "The rule is simple‚ if Kaito land single hit on me with real katana he will be considered winner and the three of them will be able to join my team."
Noboru hugging on Kaito's knees as he crouched at the side. Tears and snots streaming down his face. "You were a good friend i will always remember you after you die!"
Kazuki stands in the center of the yard as Kaito gives one last smile to Hakari and Noboru before picking up a training katana from a stall‚Kaito inhales deeply. Grounding himself and getting ready to fight Kazuki the captain of one of the Slayers team. Other whispers among themselves.
Takuma says with a smirk. "Kaito-kun might be special but Kazuki is way stronger‚ I put my bets on him!"
Kohaku is next one to chuckle and say. "Indeed Kazuki is about to win‚ if he want he can twist this little boy into two.
Akane put her fan in front of her lips laughing softly. "Kazuki will show him where he stands‚ I put my bet on him too."
Noboru keep whispering same thing. "We are demons food for sure‚ we are demons food!" While Hakari pray that Kaito wins."Brother please win..and don't die."
Kazuki shouts at Kaito seeing Kaito's stance. "Are you ready young man?!" Kaito replies back just as same energy. "Yes!" Kaito crimson long hairs swaying in the breeze.
The other captains mocks Kaito. "Boy try to last 5 seconds atleast haha!"
Takuma says with excitement in his voice. "Kaito-kun try not to die so i can fight you later!"
Hakari and Noboru tries to cheer Kaito. "Kaito you can do it! Don't let me become demon's food‚ I still didn't even marry yet!"
They begin at walking pace. Feints. Eyes locked. The world narrows to the space between the steel tips. Kazuki does something which seems like teleportation right in front of Kaito catching him off guard his sword moves towards Kaito's collar. Kaito moves back and parries him‚ more by reflex than skill. A line of sweat run down his temple.
"Not bad young man!" Kazuki says before saying. "Again!"
Kaito runs towards Kazuki attacking with everything he can spare‚ a throat- cutting lunge‚ a low sweeping strike meant to take feet under him. Kazuki meet each with a minimal movement‚ like a single reed bending in a storm. He doesn't block so much as guide the strikes away. Each contact rings‚ bright notes and the yard fills with the sound of metal ringing.
Takuma says excitedly. "Keep going Kaito-kun! You're doing good!"
Akane mocks. "Kazuki is obviously holding back or this boy wouldn't be standing on his feet right now."
Noboru shouts. "Keep striking Kaito-kun! Don't let me become demons meal!"
The training yard shakes under their feet, though not from magic just the force of two blades clashing. Kazuki's katana slices with a calm, sharp precision, each strike testing Kaito's reflexes.
Kaito grips his sword tighter. He's faster than he was yesterday against Ren, but still a step behind. He focuses before imagining his blade coated in a flickering fire a small trick his father had teached him enough to make sparks jump when he strikes "Rasen!"
The first clash is a jolt of heat and light. Fire sprays from Kaito's blade as he swings, illuminating Kazuki's eyes. Sparks fly, catching in Hakari's hair. Noboru flinches. It's dramatic, but controlled
fire that burns, not explodes.
Kazuki doesn't smile. He moves like water, flowing around Kaito's attacks. Every strike is a lesson a tap here, a shove there never lethal, but always precise. Kaito dodges, blocks, counters a dance of steel and small flames.
A swing catches Kaito's shoulder. Pain shoots down his arm, but he rolls with it and strikes back. The fire on his sword flickers like a heartbeat, each swing leaving short trails in the air. He's slower than Kazuki, but the fire makes his attacks look faster than they are.
The ground is scorched in places. Smoke curls from splintered wood where Kaito's fire-touched blade hit. Trees sway but stand gravel bursts into the air under the shock of their movements. The destruction is small-scale dramatic for the eye, dangerous for a trainee, but nothing like the attack Kazuki used againt Ren.
Kazuki steps back, letting Kaito take a swing. "Not bad," he says, voice calm. "You've improved. Keep moving. Keep your fire alive, but don't rely on it alone."
Kaito breathes hard, sweat and soot on his face. "I… I can do this," he says, fire still flickering along his blade. It's not perfect. He's not invincible. But Kaito fighting at his max for his friends Noboru and his sister Hakari.
The captains seems rather shocked and akane first one to speak. "To think this brat can use fire majutsu‚ it's not strong but it's there.."
Takuma says excitedly. "Kaito-kun can use fire?! I really wanna fight him now!"
Kaito staggers back, chest heaving, his sword still glowing faintly with fire. Sweat drips into his eyes, stinging like sparks from the flame along his blade. Each breath is a battle itself.
Kazuki moves towards him, smooth and calm. His kanta hums not loud, not threatening, but enough to make Kaito's muscles tense. With each step, the air seems to bend, small whirlwinds of dust spinning around them.
"Again," Kazuki says softly. His blade arcs in a series of small, precise strikes. Kaito blocks one, parries another sparks jumping from every contact. The strikes are fast, almost too fast to follow. He's already past exhaustion, but he refuses to let himself fall.
A kick to the side, a shove, a spinning strike Kaito feels pain blooming in his ribs, a harsh reminder that he's still weak just when he fought Ren bloodfang. But he grits his teeth, igniting his fire blade again. "Not yet! Rasen!" The flames flare higher as if answering his determination.
Kazuki steps back slightly, letting Kaito take the offensive. He's holding back each of his strikes tempered, restrained, though the force behind them could break bones if fully unleashed. Kaito notices this. The thought sparks something in him he can win… if he fights smart.
Kaito feints left, his blade trailing a small arc of flame. Kazuki reacts, shifting his stance and Kaito pivots, striking toward Kazuki's torso. The edge of the fire-touched sword grazes Kazuki's side. A shallow cut, nothing deadly, but enough to draw blood.
Kazuki's eyes widen slightly surprise, and then a faint, approving smile. "Not bad," he murmurs. Kaito stumbles, his leg catching on a rock, pain flaring. Blood mixes with sweat on his face, and his left arm trembles.
He falls to one knee, chest heaving, but the fire along his blade still burns. "Not yet!" He lifts the sword, hand shaking, and swings one final time. Sparks flash as the steel strikes Kazuki's shoulder, leaving a mark that smolders briefly before fading.
Kazuki takes a deliberate step back, sheathes his blade slowly, and lets Kaito breathe. His smile grows just enough to show pride. "You've improved. Today, you've earned your first victory even against me."
Kaito collapses fully to the ground, exhaustion pinning him down. The fire along his sword flickers and dies. His body aches, blood staining his clothes, but in his chest is a fierce, unstoppable thrill to protect his friend and sister. He won.
Hakari rushes forward, eyes wide with worry. Noboru kneels beside him and says. "Kaito-kun you did it! I won't become demons food now!" Kaito laughs hoarsely, blood and soot on his face, and raises his sword weakly. "I… I did it…"
Kazuki steps closer, crouching beside him. His hand hovers near the fire-scarred blade. "You did," he says quietly. "But remember fire is dangerous. Control it, or it will burn you first."
Kaito nods, a tired but fierce grin spreading across his face. He's beaten a captain, learned the limits of his strength, and survived. But the fight has also left him painfully aware of how far he still has to go.
Kazuki smiles before saying. "You broke your limits‚ as your new captain I'd say good work! And welcome to the team all three of you!"
Noboru and Hakari hugs Kaito with Noboru crying on his shoulder with his snots sticking on Kaito's clothes. "You saved me Kaito-kun‚ now i might be able to marry!" Hakari doesn't say anything just hugging him.
Kazuki thinks to himself. "Did he succeed the Rengoku Spiral but that's only myth..but that fire.."
The head of Soul Slayers announces. "Starting from this day these three‚ Kaito‚ Noboru and Hakari will be acknowledged as one of the Soul Slayers the protectors of the innocent."
Akane‚ Kohaku and Takuma walks up to Kaito who's still sitting on ground‚ Akane is first one to speak. "Well i guess that's fair victory‚ congrats brat. Next one Takuma speak with a excited grin. "Kaito-kun get more powerful then we should spar when you're at your best!" Kohaku kneels down moving her hands up. "Healing magic‚ Healing ray of light" In just few seconds all of Kaito's injuries heals up and he stands back up feeling as new. "Oh‚ thank you Kohaku-san." Kaito says feeling surprised at how his injuries are gone.
Kazuki looks at kohaku with a smile. "Fix my small wound up too‚ it burns." Kohaku moves her head in surprise. "Of course i know you're lying it doesn't burn‚ you're stronger than you say you big oaf!" Kazuki looks little disappointed. "Ah okay‚ anyway three of you let's go to our team's base. It's about time i show you around the new base you gonna be living in from now on. Akane uses her magic to open a portal for them as Kaito‚ Hakari and Noboru follows behind Kazuki before the portal closes. Kaito turns around to see a a large chaotic‚ dilapidated building almost comically mess with a rustic and shabby look‚ surrounded by green farm land.
"Welcome to the Chaos haven."