The sounds of battle rang across the training field - fists cracking against flesh, Nexa cracking against flesh, Nexus barriers flickering under strain, and the booming above it all.
But amidst the commotion, Akeno and Kinuko stood silently within the crowd, their eyes locked on the sparring grounds with focused intensity.
"Too bad we couldn't see Shiro when the boys were here," Akeno muttered, arms loosely crossed.
"Yeah," Kinuko replied, her gaze unblinking. "They walked off pretty fast."
A beat of silence passed before Kinuko spoke again, voice calm turning her head, "We're using Western combat for the spar."
Akeno blinked, slowly turning to her. "What? You know that's hard for me. Why can't I just fight normally?"
"Because we don't want them questioning where we're from," Kinuko replied matter-of-factly. "The martial arts of the Eraba clan are sacred - unique. If anyone sees you use techniques they've never seen before, it'll raise suspicion."
Akeno groaned and slumped forward, throwing her arms around Kinuko's shoulders from behind. "Blah, blah, blah. Just let me fight how I want. You're not my mom."
Kinuko didn't flinch. "Also, absolutely no Jutsu."
"Ughhh... whatever, Mom," Akeno muttered sarcastically, pulling away and refocusing on the sparring field. Nearby, a group of girls whispered excitedly, their voices cutting through the tension like flint on stone.
"Hey, I snuck past the officers when I went to the bathroom," one girl said.
"You won't believe what the boys are calling that hot guy now."
"Which one?" another giggled.
"The white-haired one. They're calling him the White-Haired Monster."
"Oh my, that's so cool."
"I know right?!"
Akeno tilted her head slightly, smirking. "Yo... did you hear that?"
"Yeah," Kinuko breathed, her arms still folded. "It has to be Shiro. And I told him to hold back..."
Akeno snorted. "I'm already tired of watching this." She folded her arms tighter, eyes drifting lazily toward the far end of the crowd. "Also... some creepy bitch has been staring at me since -"
Before she could finish, the clash on the field ended. The second match was over, the crowd's cheers dimming as Captain Rovan stepped forward. His crimson shoulder guards gleamed under the light as he swept a commanding gaze across the recruits.
Then, with a single outstretched arm, he pointed directly toward Akeno."You. Step forward."Akeno blinked.
"Huh. How coincidental. Looks like I'm fighting the creep who's been staring at me."
Just as she was about to step off the sidelines, Kinuko reached out and grabbed her sleeve. "Remember."
"Yeah, yeah..." Akeno sighed, brushing her fingers through her dark hair. "Western combat. No jutsu. Be boring."
She stepped into the arena, her eyes sharp and posture loose - but her smirk was already forming
........
"White-haired monster, huh?" The examiner's voice cut through the chatter, low and edged with amusement. His gaze lingered on the section of the crowd where the whispers began, though the smirk on his face suggested he already knew who they meant.
"If I remember correctly," he went on, the corner of his mouth curling, "I told Scarlet to make his tests harder than everyone else's."
His smirk sharpened, the kind that made it hard to tell whether he was impressed or annoyed. "He can't be doing so well that they've already started calling him a monster... right?"
A faint chuckle slipped past his lips. "Guess I'll have to go meet Scarlet to confirm this myself."
The crowd's noise swallowed his words, but the air felt heavier - as if someone had quietly placed a target on Boros' back
......
Scarlet stood at the center of the arena, her arms folded, eyes scanning the line of recruits like she was measuring them for coffins. "Alright, boys," she began, her voice carrying without shouting, "this is where we stop pretending."
A few nervous chuckles from the back were silenced by her gaze."The sparring test is simple: you fight until I call it. No killing, no crippling, and no techniques meant purely to maim. You win by making your opponent submit, knocking them out, or forcing them out of the ring."
She let the words hang in the air for a moment, eyes narrowing. "This isn't a schoolyard brawl. I'm watching your form, your control, your ability to adapt - not just who swing the hardest. Lose your head, and lose the fight."
She tapped the reinforced floor with the tip of her boot. "These plates are Nexa-infused to absorb and disperse most impacts. That means you don't have to hold back too much... but if you break my arena, you'll pay for it."
A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she added, "And trust me, the Guild charges interest." Scarlet glanced at the roster in her hand, then pointed."First match: Rael Stren versus Lykon Vren. Step forward."
The two candidates moved to the center - Rael, tall and broad-shouldered with a military stiffness to his posture, and Lykon, wiry with a restless energy that never seemed to stop flowing through his limbs.
They faced each other, fists already flexing, the low hum of excitement from the other recruits swelling in the background.
"Bow," Scarlet ordered.They dipped their heads - Rael's movement sharp and disciplined, Lykon's barely more than a nod.
"Fight."
......
Akeno tilted her head, narrowing her deep blue eyes."...Now care to tell me... why the hell you were staring at me?"
Kaien didn't answer. She simply slid one foot back, shoulders lowering as her stance locked in - wild but balanced, the kind of readiness that promised the next move could come from anywhere.
Akeno didn't wait for it. She burst forward, using her momentum to leap high, twisting her body for a sharp downward kick.
Kaien's hand shot up, palm absorbing the impact with a solid smack that cracked the dirt beneath her boots."You're coming at me with no weapon?" she said, her voice low but brimming with challenge.
Akeno's smile widened, almost playful."Ooh, they don't have my kind here... but don't worry. I'll beat you just fine without a weapon."
Kaien's lip twitched - not in amusement, but anticipation. She drew her sword in one smooth, ringing motion, the polished steel catching the light like a flash of lightning.
Then she moved. It wasn't a step so much as a violent surge forward, the sword cutting the air in a fierce horizontal arc.
Akeno twisted away at the last instant, the blade missing her face by inches, close enough for her hair to whip in the wind of its passing. Akeno's foot lashed out mid-spin, catching Kaien's forearm.
Kaien didn't flinch - she turned the hit into a pivot, bringing the sword down in a ruthless diagonal slash that forced Akeno to roll across the arena floor, dirt scraping her palms.
The crowd roared.
Akeno shot back to her feet, her grin sharper now. "You're fast. I like that."
Kaien didn't respond - her stance shifted again, the tip of her blade pointing straight at Akeno like a drawn arrow. Her aura felt like a storm ready to break, her wild energy clashing with Akeno's coiled dangerous calm.
Then, without warning, Kaien lunged - and the arena exploded into motion once more. Kaien came in like a storm - every swing of her blade was whipcrack, every step an explosion of dirt and grit.
Her strikes weren't just fast, they were wildly fast, each one angled to catch Akeno mid-movement.
Akeno ducked under a vicious overhead slash, the wind from it grazing the top of her head.
She twisted to the side, spinning on her heel to drive a sharp kick into Kaien's ribs - but Kaien's sword came around like lightning, the flat of the blade smacking her foot away before it connected.
The crowd gasped.
The two barely paused, their movements blurring as they closed the gap again. Kaien slashed low; Akeno vaulted over the strike, landing behind her.
Akeno's hand shot out, fingers grazing Kaien's collar, but Kaien spun, steel flashing, forcing her back with a flurry of relentless cuts.
The noise of their bout filled the arena - steel ringing, boots pounding, breath sharp and short. Akeno's eyes glinted; her smile had shifted from playful to razor-focused.
Kaien's grin was feral. "You are fast."
Akeno tilted her head, voice steady despite the pace. "And you're going to wish you were faster."
Kaien lunged with a burst of speed, blade humming through the air. "We'll see who wishes what."
The next instant was a blur. Kaien's sword slashed for Akeno's sidestepped and surged forward, her hand snapping into a spear-hand strike aimed directly for Kaien's neck.
But Kaien had anticipated. Her blade halted mid-swing, twisting so the gleaming edge hovered a hair's breadth from Akeno's throat.
Both froze.
The arena went silent, save for the sound of their breaths. Akeno's pointer and middle finger were pressed forward, barely touching the skin of Kaien's neck. Kaien's sword was angled perfectly, it's point resting at the hollow of Akeno's throat.
It was a deadlock - one move from either of them, and both would fall.
A slow smirk formed on Akeno's lips.
Kaien's grin only widened.
The examiner raised a hand. "Draw."
The crowd erupted.
Kaien stepped back first butnever broke eye contact. She gave her sword a quick flourish before sheathing it. "Next time, I'm not stopping."
Akeno rolled her shoulders and cracked her knuckles. "Next time," she said with a calm certainty, "you won't get the chance."
Kaien's sharp chuckle followed her as she walked away, but neither of them turned their back fully on the other.