(Upper Deck: Captain's Chamber)
Ten captains sat around a crystal table shaped like a compass rose. The air shimmered faintly with containment sigils, designed to block all aura signatures.
But they weren't working.
William leaned back, eyes half-lidded. "Anyone else feel that pressure spike below?"
Cold crossed her arms. "Yeah. Someone's burning hot enough to leak through containment."
Anansi twirled a silver thread between her fingers. "So much for a quiet takeoff."
Hera's gaze remained fixed on the projection before her. "Focus. Dune City is under siege. Red Order presence confirmed. Shinshō Luna has been spotted leading the assault."
Mars cursed under his breath. King flipped a coin across his knuckles without looking up. June poured tea as if nothing had changed.
William smiled faintly. "Rin Kairo."
Hera raised an eyebrow. "Yours?"
He shook his head. "Yeah, mine."
(Training Arena)
The training deck rang out with the sounds of steel clashing and laughter.
Rin slipped through the crowd, bare-armed, Tetsuba still resting at his seat, scarf hanging loose around his neck. The floor vibrated with the rhythm of nearby sparring. He was halfway to the exit when a cold breeze rolled past his boots.
"Leaving already, Viatra boy?"
Dahlia leaned against a frost pillar, silver braid catching the deck light. Cold mist drifted from her fingers. "You haven't even tried to flirt with me yet."
Rin's tone did not change. "I left my charm with my sword."
Laughter rippled around them. Some snorted, others leaned forward, eager for blood or fireworks.
Two other Seekers stepped into the ring.
Kuzo Yamamichi, with a sharp jaw, calm eyes, and hair tied high in a military style. He cracked his knuckles and slipped a hand into thin air. The air shimmered, and when his fingers reappeared, he held the hilt of a curved blade.
Followed by Timmy White, broad as a bull, with a grin too wide for his face. His skin rippled as a tide of chittering insects poured from his sleeves, tethered to faint red psychic strings pulsing with his heartbeat.
"Nothing personal," Timmy said, flexing his shoulders. "We're just bored."
Rin sighed. "You could have picked cards."
Kuzo twirled his sword once, tip down. "Cards don't teach precision."
The ring of Seekers tightened.
Someone muttered, "That's the Iron team kid from the scroll mission."
Another whispered, "Without his blade? He's screwed."
Rin shifted one foot back. "Fine," he said steadily. "Make it quick."
Dahlia exhaled slowly. Mist rolled off her hands like breath becoming visible.
The vapor thickened, twisting into a perfect mirror of Rin—an ice duplicate, pale and silent.
It stepped forward, matching his stance exactly.
The crowd leaned in.
Rin ducked the first swing, parried the second. The double's movements lagged half a beat, but each delay was followed by sharper speed. He sidestepped a thrust, pivoted, and cracked an elbow through the fake's ribs.
The ice body shattered into shards. Frost hissed along the deck.
Dahlia smiled. "You're quick."
"Guess so," Rin replied.
She lifted her hand again. Mist flared into spikes—five crystal lances bursting from the ground. Rin rolled aside, the second nearly catching his leg. The third clipped his sleeve, freezing the fabric stiff.
He shook it off, flexed his wrist, and took a slow step forward.
(Passenger Lounge)
Kai lounged, towel around his neck, eyes fixed on the screen. Lila sprawled sideways, chin in her palms. Aria sat forward, boot bouncing.
Kai: "Is it weird I want noodles now?"
Lila: "Hahaha, because of me."
Aria, teasing: "Watch. He'll be obsessed with Chun cuisine."
Kai, literal: "Hey! I'm just experiencing world cuisine."
"Exactly."
Timmy's grin widened. "My turn."
His hands split open with a wet hum, releasing a storm of insects—glitter winged beetles, hornets, moths with eyes like coins. The hum filled the room, causing the ribs to tremble.
Rin ducked low and moved.
Every motion was precise: slide, pivot, sidestep, but the swarm followed. He crushed two underfoot, then spun sideways as a frost spike shot past his ear. Dahlia was still throwing, each shard timed to herd him closer to Timmy's psychic net.
A bug latched onto his collarbone and burned cold. He tore it off, flicked it down, and kicked it into shards.
Timmy chuckled. "You got good reflexes, Iron. Let's see if you can use 'em for long."
Rin said nothing. His breathing remained slow, his eyes cutting through the chaos at angles.
Another volley of ice came. He rolled underneath it, bugs scattering off the draft.
He came up crouched, one knee down. Blood ran thin down his arm.
Timmy's smile faltered. "Still upright, huh?"
Rin wiped the blood with his thumb. "Barely counts as effort."
The crowd howled.
Kuzo stepped forward, calm, eyes unreadable. "Let's raise the bar."
He reached into empty air.
Click.
A long sword handle snapped into his grip from a fold in space.
Another reach, another click—a chain blade.
Another, click—a twin dagger, reversed in his other hand.
Each weapon disappeared again with a flick, stored back into the invisible space he had carved open.
His aura rippled, dense but clean. "I can do this all day."
Rin tilted his head. "Show off."
Kuzo's blade blurred on the first swing. Rin blocked with his forearm, aura sparking. The second came faster; Rin ducked. The third swept from behind as Kuzo drew another weapon mid-motion.
Steel kissed fabric. A shallow cut. Blood.
The crowd leaned in; Dahlia's breath steamed harder.
Timmy's bugs circled again, diving in waves.
Rin kept moving—short, efficient steps. Always just outside the line.
A frost spear grazed his ribs. The bugs bit into his sleeve. His knuckles cracked a few skulls the size of marbles.
The circle of Seekers chanted under their breath, half thrill, half disbelief.
"Three on one, no chance."
"He's still standing!"
Rin's pulse thundered in his ears. His lungs burned. Kuzo swung again, horizontal cut—perfect speed. Rin caught the wrist, twisted, and the katana slipped free.
Kuzo's eyes widened.
Rin flipped the weapon in his palm, blade reversed. "Borrowing this."
He slashed once, testing weight. It was smooth. Sharp.
The crowd went quiet.
Dahlia narrowed her eyes. "Still think you're walking out of this?"
Rin steadied his stance. "Trying."
She grinned and lifted her hand. Fog thickened, spears rising. Timmy's swarm swelled again.
Kuzo tore open the air, grabbing a second sword. The three moved as one.
He could feel it—pressure from every side.
Every breath came with a cost.
His arms stung from frost burns, his leg throbbed from a dozen small bites.
Rin backed toward the wall. Frost covered the ground.
Kuzo lunged. Dahlia fired—the swarm dove.
No space left. No gaps.
Rin's eyes narrowed. The whites darkened; the red rings lit bright.
Viatra — Stage One Kurodō (黒瞳)
The world tilted. Sound thinned.
Everything slowed just enough for the truth to be revealed.
He saw intent—every twitch, feint, ripple in aura indicating where the next move would land.
Kuzo's next blade swung for his throat.
Rin moved a half step to the left and cut upward.
The blade cracked.
Dahlia's frost arrow split midair.
The swarm faltered, turning off course as if the air had betrayed it.
Rin landed, exhaling through his nose.
The deck went silent except for the hiss of melting frost.
Rin stood still amid the fog, blood streaking his forearm.
Kuzo's sleeve was torn; Dahlia's ice dimmed; Timmy's swarm scattered.
The borrowed katana dripped onto the frost.
"Bathroom," Rin muttered, exhaling.
The crowd burst into nervous laughter.
Then the air cracked with gold light.
A gleaming arc split the deck between Rin and Dahlia's next strike. The spear of ice turned to mist.
Urahara landed in its path, coat half open, charm tags fluttering from his wrist.
"Three on one?" he said lazily. "I don't like those odds."
Rin blinked. "Didn't ask for help."
Urahara tilted his head, smirking. "Didn't say you needed it. I hate watching bad math."
He pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "This doesn't make us friends."
Rin's voice was calm. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Frost rebuilt. The swarm gathered. Kuzo readied another draw.
Four auras collided, flashing gold, crimson, blue, and white.
Above, William felt the tremor through the reinforced floor. He looked down with a razor-thin grin. "Now it gets interesting."
Next Time on Seeker's Codex: Beyond the Abyssal Line
Will Rin and Urahara's unplanned alliance hold against the trio?
Will the captains step in—or let the rookies test their limits?
And who will survive the skyship's first unsanctioned trial?
Find out in Chapter 27.