The speed of Yoshiro Kagetsu was nearing the speed of light as he moved across Dragonbone Ridge, erasing people one after another without hesitation. His movements were precise, almost effortless, and despite the destruction he caused, his stamina barely showed signs of decline. In his mind, everything he was doing had meaning every erased life brought him closer to his goal.
To erase the gods.
To create a world where only he and his wife could exist.
After completely wiping out the village of Dragonbone Ridge, Yoshiro stood alone in the middle of the road. The wind blew gently, carrying nothing but silence. No voices, no footsteps… nothing.
Then he laughed.
"I need more…" he muttered, his voice shaking with obsession. "I want to erase more lives… and become a god. I'll make my own rules."
Yoshiro Kagetsu was no ordinary enemy. His attacks were overwhelmingly powerful, capable of erasing existence itself. However, even his energy had limits when he released too much power at once, it drained his stamina rapidly. Still, that didn't stop him.
Because to him…
None of that mattered.
Yoshiro was...
Evil!
Back in Reishin, the massive gates stood tall as always, guarded by two warriors who remained alert and unmoving. Reishin was known as a peaceful place… or at least, it tried to be. Conflicts still existed, hidden beneath its calm surface.
Long ago, before the year 1890, a war broke out between Reishin and Mirror Lake. It was a brutal battle, but in the end, Reishin emerged victorious due to its stronger warriors. Mirror Lake lost many of its fighters and was eventually forced to surrender, marking one of the most important events in Reishin's history.
At Reikōsha Academy, Kairo sat quietly on a bench, staring up at the sky. The clouds drifted slowly, and for once, he wasn't joking or playing around.
"Damn… I wish I could get stronger," he said softly. "I want to become the best warrior."
Shougo noticed him and walked over, sitting beside him with a calm expression.
"You're here… and I already know what you're thinking," Shougo said. "You want to get stronger. That's good but strength doesn't come from wishing. You have to work for it."
Kairo looked at him.
"I know you have potential," Shougo continued. "And someday… I believe you'll surpass me."
Kairo blinked in surprise.
"Eh? But you're already strong, sensei. How strong are you, really?"
Shougo chuckled lightly.
"To be honest, I don't think I'm that strong," he said. "But for myself, I am. I've mastered the basic energies Yami, Hikari, and Reikou and I also learned Manipulation Energy. I can control non-living matter… though it takes a lot of stamina, especially now that I'm older."
Kairo scratched his head.
"…You're actually really powerful."
Shougo's abilities went far beyond what he described. His Intangibility allowed him to become untouchable physical attacks passed straight through him. He could phase through walls, levitate, or even partially turn intangible to disrupt objects and systems. His defense was nearly impossible to break, and his speed, in his prime, was said to surpass even light itself.
But time had changed him.
"Listen, Kairo," Shougo said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't just want you to surpass me. I want all of you to surpass me. But more importantly… I want you to become a good warrior."
Kairo frowned slightly.
"…Unlike someone?"
For a moment, Shougo didn't answer.
Then his expression changed.
Years ago, when Shougo was 27, he had a friend. They fought together, trained together, and lived like brothers. People even thought they were actual siblings because of how close they were.
Until one day…
"Oza…"
Shougo stood there, staring at him.
"To be honest, Shougo… I never liked you," Oza said coldly. "I always hated you. I wanted to kill you… and become the only Divine Warrior."
Shougo's eyes widened.
"No… that's not what a true warrior is!" he shouted. "A real warrior doesn't betray his friends… his brother!"
Oza laughed.
"You're not my brother," he said. "And we're not friends anymore."
"…You're selfish."
Back in the present, Shougo simply smiled and patted Kairo's shoulder.
"Don't be like him," he said. "Be yourself. And don't let revenge control you. It won't bring you freedom… it'll only turn you into someone you hate."
He stood up.
"Good luck, Kairo."
Shougo walked away, phasing through the wall as if it didn't exist.
Kairo sat there quietly.
"…Sensei's actually cool."
Inside the school gym, the atmosphere was completely different.
Yura trained alone, her body covered in sweat as she continued doing push-ups over a hundred without stopping. She wore a black sports bra and a cropped top, her breathing steady despite the intense workout.
"I'll get stronger… no matter what," she whispered.
She stood up and grabbed her water bottle, drinking deeply. Her physique was impressive well-defined muscles, even six-pack abs, something that caught the attention of many boys in the academy. But she ignored all of it.
Her focus was only on herself.
Meanwhile, in another part of the academy, Kimimaru sat quietly, carefully cleaning his zweihander. The massive sword rested beside him, far heavier than what most people could handle but to him, it felt natural.
Every movement was precise.
Every detail mattered.
Shougo entered the room and leaned against the wall, watching him for a moment.
"How are you doing, Maru?"
"Good," Kimimaru replied calmly.
Shougo walked closer and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"That's good to hear. But don't overdo it you should rest sometimes too."
Kimimaru didn't respond, but his grip on the cloth tightened slightly.
Shougo smiled and phased through the wall again, leaving him alone.
Kimimaru glanced at his reflection on the blade.
"…Rest, huh."
Outside, the sky slowly darkened as the day moved forward. Students continued their usual routines laughing, training, arguing completely unaware of what was happening far beyond their reach.
Somewhere in the distance…
Something dangerous was growing.
Later that afternoon, Kairo reunited with Tyouro near the training grounds. Tyouro was casually tossing small energy blasts into the air, clearly bored.
"Took you long enough," Tyouro said. "I thought you got lost or something."
"Shut up," Kairo replied. "I was talking to sensei."
"Ohhh," Tyouro smirked. "Did he give you a motivational speech again?"
"…Yeah."
Tyouro laughed.
"That guy really loves doing that."
Suddenly, a small blast slipped from his hand and exploded behind them.
"Oops."
Kairo stared at him.
"You're gonna get us in trouble."
"Relax," Tyouro said. "I'm just warming up."
Not far away, Yura watched them silently from the shade of a tree. Her arms were crossed, her expression calm but her eyes were focused.
"They're still playing around…" she murmured.
She looked down at her hand slightly.
"…I need to get stronger too."
For a brief moment, the air around her shifted subtle, almost unnoticeable but enough to distort the space near her fingers.
Then it disappeared.
Back at Dragonbone Ridge…
The silence remained.
Yoshiro stood alone once again, staring at his hand.
"…Not enough."
His voice was quieter now.
"If I want to reach the gods… I need more power."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"…Wait for me."