The atmosphere felt slightly off.
A spring breeze swept through, carrying the last traces of winter's chill. The girl suddenly felt she couldn't bear it any longer—not the calm, steady gaze of the boy holding a gourd of wine, nor the amused, almost gloating expression of the boy beside him, the one with deep lines at the corners of his mouth.
What was he gloating about? And why was Hakken Yoru so composed? Was it because she was a girl that he treated her challenge so casually?
She had practiced swordsmanship since childhood. No matter how harsh or tiring the training was, she never gave up on her dream. She had sworn to become a Konoha swordmaster and had never once slacked off. Though still young, she could already display the refined technique of Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu with impressive skill.
Even if her opponent was Itachi Uchiha, she would still have the courage to challenge him. In fact, that was why she came here—though the person she planned to challenge had changed. The strongest new student Itachi mentioned also wielded a sword!
For that reason alone, she wanted to test the strength of her resolve as a sword-bearer and see if her years of effort had truly meant something.
Itachi, of course, was enjoying this.
Challenge Hakken? Come on. As far as he knew, there was only one person of their age who could wield a sword so flawlessly—and that was Hakken.
He had heard of Uzuki Yūgao, the girl who inherited the Konoha-ryū sword style and trained diligently since childhood. This came from the information his father had given him that morning—possible rivals he might face at the academy.
But she was no match for Hakken.
"Alright. I accept your challenge."
After a long, tense silence, the oppressive air lifted. Hakken slowly nodded, closing his eyes. He drew his Zanpakutō with one hand.
The hilt. The blade. The gleam of steel.
The draw was plain, unembellished—yet in that instant, Yūgao's expression changed. As the boy slowly opened his eyes, she felt as though she were facing a wild beast—untamed, savage, and fierce.
Gone was the carefree composure from moments ago. With his hand on the scabbard, he had already entered his state of focus—a realm only those who lived by the sword could understand.
What he held was no longer a blade, but claws extending sharply from his very fingertips.
This… This is my opponent? Am I really challenging someone like this? Even Father never exuded such a terrifying aura!
Who is he? Who exactly is he?
Sweat beaded on her forehead, yet Yūgao didn't dare wipe it away. She stood frozen, unable to move—as if the strength to resist had left her entirely.
"Boring."
Hakken shook his head, withdrawing his aura. He turned toward Itachi.
"Train."
"Seriously, she's a girl, you know," Itachi said with a wry smile as he tossed a shuriken. "Be gentle with girls. That's what Mother told me. Don't say you didn't know because you don't have one—now you do."
"Besides, that's just common sense."
Yeah… Did he really have to be that harsh with a girl?
Though Hakken hadn't even struck her, the blow he dealt cut deeper than any defeat in battle. It was the kind of pressure that carved one's image straight into another's soul—true dominance.
At that moment, Itachi looked at Hakken like he was some clueless, sword-obsessed, straight-laced fool.
This guy knows nothing.
Hakken simply shook his head and flicked Itachi's shuriken back with ease. Whether he fought or not, the gap between them was clear.
If Yūgao could recover from this blow, her future growth would surely soar. It was for her own good. Of course, there was also the chance she might never recover at all.
But Hakken was still here. And Yūgao Uzuki was still here.
All she needed—was a single word of encouragement when she faced despair.
Everything was clear in Hakken's mind.
The training began.
Yūgao Uzuki still stood there blankly, frozen in her stance of readiness. Meanwhile, the boy and Itachi had already started their own training.
No one knew how much time passed before the motionless girl suddenly shivered. It was as if the chill in the air had awakened her—or perhaps it was the image of that feral beast charging at her from her imagination.
In that moment, she finally came to her senses.
But what she saw before her only made her feel even more defeated.
The sound of shuriken clashing echoed sharply. Whether it was Itachi Uchiha or Hakken Yoru, the sight of the two—drenched in sweat, hurling shuriken at each other with terrifying precision—made her realize something.
She finally understood the immense gap between herself and them.
How laughable… she had actually dared to challenge people like this.
Leaning weakly against a tree, she forgot why she had even come here. Her heart filled with confusion, she stared blankly at the sword in her hand, her eyes empty and unfocused.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly.
When a hand suddenly reached out in front of her, Yūgao's eyelashes trembled. Slowly, she lifted her head.
"It's still not that warm out. A girl standing here this long might catch a cold."
The boy's hand wasn't large, but it radiated a quiet sense of security.
"Well then, I was planning to relax with Itachi today anyway."
"Come on, let's go soak in the bath and warm up."
"My treat."
With that, he took her hand and led her toward the exit of the training grounds, leaving Itachi staring after them in disbelief.