The sun had already set.
And yet—
Koi Ren was still standing.
"Again."
Watashi's voice was calm. Cold. Unforgiving.
Koi's legs shook. His arms burned. Blood trickled from his lip as he tightened his grip on Koru.
"I can't—" Koi gasped.
Watashi stepped forward.
"You can," he said. "Because your enemy won't care."
In a blink, Watashi struck.
Steel clashed against steel. Koi was thrown into the dirt, pain exploding across his back.
"Get up."
Koi coughed. His vision blurred.
Why is he so strong…?
Watashi stood over him, wooden sword resting on his shoulder.
"You think strength is kindness?" Watashi said.
"Strength is survival."
Koi forced himself up.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each strike left new bruises. Cuts across his arms. His legs buckled—but he refused to fall.
Hours passed.
Moonlight replaced sunlight.
Koi screamed as he charged—every swing wild, desperate.
Watashi blocked them all.
"Control!"
"Focus!"
"Breathe!"
Koi's hands trembled.
Then—
he stopped swinging.
He watched.
Watashi moved.
And Koi stepped inside the strike.
Steel flashed.
Watashi froze.
His wooden blade lay on the ground.
Koru rested at Watashi's neck.
Silence.
Watashi slowly smiled.
"…Good," he said.
Koi collapsed forward, unconscious.
The Next Morning
Koi Ren walked through the gates of Chusei Academy.
Students stopped.
His face was bruised.
Bandages wrapped his arms.
Dark marks covered his neck, back, and legs.
"What the hell happened to him?"
"Did he fight a monster?"
Rin narrowed his eyes.
Aqua's expression softened.
Raide whistled. "Bro… you good?"
Koi nodded quietly. "Yeah."
He wasn't.
But he stood anyway.
A powerful presence silenced the courtyard.
Aearis Valen stepped forward.
The wind shifted.
"Listen carefully," he said.
Every student froze.
"We are entering a new phase of training," Aearis continued.
"And for that… I will select nine students."
Whispers erupted instantly.
"From the First-Year students," Aearis said,
"three will be chosen."
Murmurs spread.
"From the Second-Year students—three will be chosen."
Tension rose.
"And from the Third-Year students—three will be chosen."
Aearis' gaze swept across the entire academy.
"These choices will not be given," he said calmly.
"They will be earned."
Silence.
"The competition begins soon," Aearis finished.
"The rules will be announced tomorrow."
The bell rang.
Chaos exploded across the courtyard.
Speculation. Excitement. Fear.
Koi Ren stood still.
His scars burned beneath the bandages.
And deep inside him—
A fire refused to go out.