The royal training grounds shimmered softly under the light of the twin moons, their glow reflecting off the polished stone tiles. The crisp night air carried a faint scent of the cherry blossom trees surrounding the field. Arthur stood at one end of the grounds, dressed in a simple tunic and trousers — far from his usual knightly armor. In his hand was a harmless wooden sword, its surface worn smooth by countless training sessions.
Kazuki with a wide, innocent grin, the scratches on his face from the previous day's incident now fully healed, thanks to Elsa's magic. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he was ready to fight his brother
The moment the word 'start' left Arthur's lips, Kazuki lunged forward, swinging his sword at Arthur's midsection. Arthur easily sidestepped the blow, his trained eyes following the movement.
But Kazuki wasn't done.
Just like he had during his duel with Shang, Kazuki immediately diverted all his spiritual force boosts into his speed. In a flash, he vanished from Arthur's line of sight, only to appear behind him a split second later, aiming for a swift strike to his back.
Arthur smirked. Predictable — but well-executed.
With reflexes honed on countless battlefields, Arthur blocked the strike without turning. But unlike Shang, who had merely thrown Kazuki aside, Arthur decided to teach a different lesson. With one hand, he firmly caught Kazuki's wrist mid-attack. In the same motion, he struck Kazuki lightly on the shoulder with his wooden sword.
Kazuki flinched, acknowledging defeat.
"Brother, this is unfair!" Kazuki pouted in his most innocent tone, though deep inside, he was already scheming about what to try next time.
Arthur chuckled. "It's fine. You managed to impress me — your control over your spiritual boosts and that clever tactic… you've got talent, Kazuki. I'll take you to the war field anyway."
"THANKS, BROTHER!" Kazuki shouted, bouncing with excitement.
The two laughed together before heading back to the mansion.
Scene shift — Next Day
Kazuki burst into Arthur's room early the next morning, grinning ear to ear. Arthur was seated by his desk, going through war reports and notes about the recent school incident.
"Brother! When are we going to the war field?" Kazuki asked eagerly.
Arthur looked up, smiling at his little brother's boundless energy. "One week after my vacation's over," he replied.
Kazuki nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, brother!"
Arthur chuckled softly as Kazuki ran out of the room. This kid… he's something else.