The canteen was louder than usual, filled with overlapping conversations, laughter, and the clatter of trays and utensils. The intensity of the matches had carried over into the room, but instead of tension, it turned into energy students talking over each other, replaying moments from the fights, arguing about outcomes like it actually mattered more than anything else.
At one table near the corner, Tyouro was already on his third or maybe fifth plate of onigiri, stuffing another one into his mouth without even pausing to breathe properly. Rice crumbs stuck to his cheek, but he didn't seem to care at all, his focus completely locked on the next bite like it was the most important mission of his life.
"Bro… slow down," Kairo muttered, slouched in his seat with his arms resting on the table, his expression somewhere between annoyed and completely drained. His body still ached from the fight, and the memory of his loss replayed in his head whether he liked it or not.
Tyouro swallowed loudly and grinned. "Nah, I need energy. This is training too," he said confidently, already reaching for another one.
Kairo stared at him for a second. "…You're just eating."
"Exactly," Tyouro replied proudly. "Efficient training."
Across from them, Yura sat straight, eating calmly with none of the chaos around her affecting her pace. Every movement was controlled, clean, and deliberate, like she didn't belong in the same noisy room. Beside her, Kimimaru sat just as quiet, his posture relaxed but his eyes half-focused, as if he was thinking about something else entirely.
Kairo sighed and leaned back slightly. "…Man, I really lost like that," he said under his breath, scratching his head. "And he even broke the sword… I'm dead."
Tyouro paused mid-bite, then laughed. "Yeah, you're finished. Sensei's gonna kill you."
"I know," Kairo replied flatly. "That's why I'm already accepting my fate."
Right on cue, a presence stepped behind him.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Kairo froze.
"…I feel it," he whispered.
Tyouro slowly looked up and immediately covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing too early.
Shougo stood behind Kairo, arms crossed, his expression calm but his eyes were not.
They were sharp.
Very sharp.
"You idiot."
Before Kairo could even turn around
BAM.
A clean punch landed on the top of his head.
"OW!" Kairo immediately grabbed his head, bending forward in pain. "SENSEI!"
Tyouro burst out laughing, almost choking on his food. "HAHAHA I told you!"
"You broke my sword!" Shougo said, his tone not loud but definitely serious.
Kairo looked up with a dumb smile, still holding his head. "…Sorry, Sensei. You know I'm not that good."
The words came out half-joking, half-real.
For a second, Shougo didn't say anything.
His expression shifted.
Not angry.
Not anymore.
He sighed quietly, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he looked at Kairo more carefully.
"…You're not wrong," he said honestly.
Kairo blinked. "…That didn't help."
Tyouro laughed again.
"But," Shougo continued, his tone softer now, "you didn't stop."
Kairo stayed quiet.
Shougo turned his gaze slightly toward the others, then back at Kairo. "…That matters more than winning sometimes."
Kairo scratched his cheek awkwardly. "…Still wanted to win though."
"Of course you did," Shougo replied simply.
There was a brief pause before he turned his attention to Yura.
"…You're next."
Yura looked up calmly, her expression unchanged. "I know."
Shougo reached behind him and pulled out a weapon wrapped in cloth, placing it gently on the table in front of her. The moment she touched it, she could feel it something balanced, something sharp, something meant for control rather than raw force.
She unwrapped it slowly.
A dual-bladed weapon revealed itself, sleek and symmetrical, designed for fluid movement and precision strikes rather than brute strength.
"…This fits you," Shougo said.
Yura stood without hesitation, gripping the weapon lightly as she tested its weight.
"…I'll use it."
She didn't say anything else.
She simply turned-
And walked out.
Kairo blinked. "…That was fast."
Tyouro smirked. "She's locked in."
Kimimaru didn't react outwardly, but his eyes followed her briefly before closing again.
Back outside, the air felt quieter.
Yura stood alone in an open training area, the new weapon in her hands as she adjusted her grip. She moved once just a simple swing and immediately understood the difference. It responded faster, smoother, allowing transitions between offense and defense without delay.
She stepped forward again.
Then again.
Her movements became sharper, more refined, each strike flowing into the next like a continuous pattern. The blades cut through the air cleanly, her body adjusting naturally as if she had already used it before.
"…Good," she murmured quietly.
Back in the canteen, the chaos had returned.
Tyouro and Kairo were now laughing loudly about something completely unrelated to the fight, their earlier tension completely gone for the moment.
"I'm telling you, if you just punched him first, you would've won," Tyouro said confidently.
"That's not how it works," Kairo replied, laughing. "He would've just dodged and hit me harder."
"Skill issue," Tyouro said instantly.
Kairo grabbed a piece of bread and threw it at him. "Shut up."
Kimimaru's eye twitched slightly.
Then-
He kicked both of their legs under the table.
"OW!"
"HEY!"
"Too loud," Kimimaru said calmly, not even opening his eyes.
Tyouro and Kairo stared at him for a second
Then started laughing again.
Shougo watched them, a small, awkward smile forming as he scratched the back of his head.
"…They're loud," he muttered to himself.
But there was no real annoyance in his voice.
Just something close to relief.
He turned and began walking away slowly, leaving them to their noise and laughter.
Because for now-
They were still students.
Still learning.
Still growing.
And the next fight-
Was already getting closer.