Chapter 6 – Trials, Training, and Tiny Victories
The next morning, Akihiro arrived at Shinkage High with Kiro at his side. Both carried their chessboards and aura training equipment, looking slightly out of place amidst the seasoned club members.
"So… we're really doing this?" Kiro asked nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Training before class, alone?"
Akihiro nodded. "If we want to get stronger… we have to start somewhere. Nobody here is going to wait for us."
They set up a small practice area in the courtyard. Akihiro tried to focus his aura, summoning his faint humanoid smoke figure. Kiro struggled beside him, his aura flickering even weaker.
"Okay… first, let's try synchronized attacks," Akihiro suggested. "We'll practice timing and coordination."
The first attempt ended in disaster. Kiro's Kagekisen exploded mid-strike, sending smoke in every direction, while Akihiro tripped over his own aura. Both fell backward, coughing, while a few passing students stifled laughs.
"Not exactly smooth," Akihiro muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Hey! I'm learning!" Kiro protested. "It's not my fault your aura is… weird!"
Despite the chaos, the duo kept practicing. Slowly, through repeated failures, small sparks of improvement appeared. Akihiro managed to maintain his aura longer, blocking a weak attack from Kiro. Kiro even succeeded in controlling his aura enough to deflect one of Akihiro's attacks, earning a triumphant smile.
From the sidelines, some club members began noticing. "Isn't that Takeda? He actually seems… improving," one murmured.
"Wait… and the guy with him—Hoshino? Never seen him before," another added. "They're both… kinda struggling, but that's interesting."
Mina observed silently, arms crossed. "The boy continues to spark… small, but persistent."
Sayaka nodded. "He's growing—not just in aura, but in strategy and determination. That matters more than raw talent."
After an exhausting morning, Akihiro and Kiro slumped against a wall, laughing and gasping for breath.
"You know," Kiro said, grinning, "we might actually survive here if we keep this up."
Akihiro chuckled softly. "Yeah… but only if we don't die from embarrassment first."
As they walked back toward the clubroom, other students began approaching them, curious or impressed by their determination. Akihiro felt a flicker of confidence—not arrogance, but a quiet assurance that he wasn't invisible anymore.
And somewhere deep inside, his Kagekisen responded. The faint smoke figure flickered brighter than usual, as if acknowledging the effort, the struggle, and the first true bond of friendship and teamwork in this elite school.
For the first time, Akihiro realized: he was not alone in this journey.
With Kiro by my side… I'll keep growing. And one day, Mina and Sayaka will have no choice but to see just how far I've come.
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