Hinode — Red Moon Headquarters
The massive courtyard of the Red Moon pulsed with silence. Not a murmur escaped the crowd, not a breath too loud. Dozens of masked warriors stood shoulder to shoulder, their gazes fixed on the clash unfolding at the center. The Shogun himself sat poised upon the raised platform, arms folded, his piercing eyes betraying neither favor nor doubt.
This was no ordinary spar. This was the battle that would decide the Seventh Blade.
Kayo Tenson—disciplined, unshaken—stood across from Levi: the foreigner, the prodigy, the anomaly. Sparks of clashing aura rippled between them, each collision cracking the stone beneath their feet, shockwaves thundering through the courtyard walls.
Levi panted, his samue torn, sweat streaking down his cheek. His teeth clenched as he steadied himself.
Levi: "…You're holding back?"
Kayo didn't answer. No taunt. No arrogance. Only silence.
His stance lowered, feet grinding into stone, hands raised with flawless precision—pure discipline honed by years of training.
Levi let out a short chuckle, irritation bleeding into it.
Then Kayo moved.
His body surged forward with surgical precision, a blur of intent. His leg whipped around in a brutal arc.
Levi barely blocked the kick—stepping in with a smirk, snapping out a counter jab.
But Kayo bent backward impossibly, flipping onto his hands. With acrobatic grace, both legs launched upward.
Crack!
The double kick caught Levi clean under the chin, hurling him skyward before smashing him into a tiled rooftop. Stone shattered on impact.
A ripple of gasps swept the courtyard—yet no one dared speak.
Kayo straightened slowly, eyes sharp, voice cutting like steel.
Kayo: "There's no holding back. That's just the gap between our skills weighing on you."
(His aura flared, pride burning beneath calm control)
"It's obvious you don't belong here."
Before he could advance, the ground shuddered.
An unseen, violent force slammed into him—raw, crushing. Kayo staggered, breath knocked from his lungs, eyes widening in shock.
Above him, Levi rose from the fractured rooftop. Blood dripped from his chin. His aura ignited—dark crimson, writhing, alive—like fire given hunger.
A feral grin split his face.
Levi: "Shut the hell up, ponytail…"
(His eyes burned with savage delight)
"I've crushed dozens of skilled clowns like you. You won't be the exception."
Kayo staggered, chest heaving, confusion flashing in his eyes.
Kayo (thinking):"So this is what Ms. Nury warned me about… The power of Destruction.'"
Levi leapt down, feet cracking the stone as he landed in the courtyard once more. Both men bore wounds—yet neither yielded.
Then—smoke.
A dense screen swallowed Kayo, erasing him from sight. Levi's eyes darted.
Thud!
A low kick struck from the mist, dropping him to a knee.
Crack!
A fist smashed across his jaw.
Thump!
Another kick drove into his chest, sending him sprawling back onto the ground.
The smoke cleared just as Levi's body hit the floor, dust rising in a dull cloud around him. The courtyard remained hushed, the warriors unmoving, their masks hiding the storm of curiosity beneath.
Levi's chest heaved. His body trembled. Hunger gnawed at him, fatigue poisoned his limbs. His vision blurred. Days of hardship pressed down at once, and as he tried to rise, his arm buckled.
The prodigy lay on his back.
Eyes fluttering, consciousness slipping.
Kayo began walking slowly toward Levi, every step echoing across the courtyard. His chest rose high with confidence, pride radiating in his calm stride, savoring the victory he believed already his.
The Shogun and his Five Elders sat above, their silent authority pressing over the battlefield like a storm.
Elder One (low, yet sharp): "It seems the quarrel nears its end."
But the Shogun remained motionless, his gaze unreadable.
His eyes shifted from the fight—to Nury.
Her figure rigid and her eyes fixed on the fight. Her expression betrayed nothing. Yet deep in that stoic stare, the Shogun seemed to sense something.
"….."
Eleven years ago. Red Moon Headquarters.
A younger Nury Taiyo stood before the Shogun and the Five Elders. Her hair was shorter, clung in sweat and dust.
Her samue robes were torn
Her arms and face scratched from endless trials.
Yet her posture was firm, her face blank, and eyes blazing.
The great hall loomed vast and dim, banners of crimson swaying above the masked council.
Shogun:"Nury Taiyo… through trial, hardship, and unwavering resolve, you have proven yourself. With the highest honor, I name you my Fifth Blade."
(His voice boomed like thunder, heavy with finality)
Elder Two:"Ms. Taiyo, do you accept this role? It carries not only power but burden. Responsibility—not just for yourself, but for every soul under your wing."
Nury:"I accept."
Her voice was steady, her bow deep. No smile, no tears—only an unshakable will .
From that day forward, Nury became known as the Golden Blaze.
Alongside her battalion, they carved that name across Earth and beyond.
Feared by Demon factions, who whispered her name like a legend.
And so, time passed on—
Three years later—Sora City.
Another metropolis where tradition and futurism wove together—wooden temples rose beside neon towers, flying traffic hummed over cobbled streets, and sakura branches swaying in the wind.
The people lived in peace, smiles painted across their faces.
Among them walked Nury. She blended in effortlessly, her black jacket swaying, her crimson boots striking pavement with confidence.
Her path led to a monolithic building. Inside, she descended deep below, into corridors of shadows. At the end stood two towering men, their presence alone radiating menace. Yet when they saw her, their composure broke—they knew her name and her reputation.
So they stepped aside.
The door opened to a hidden world.
A massive chamber roared with laughter, masked elites in fine suits swirling champagne, their voices drowning in greed. Below them, a cage rattled. Blood splattered against steel as two men clashed for the amusement of the wealthy spectators.
She took a seat immediately.
Clearly not her first time in the place.
Her gaze fell upon the men. One of them was a brute.
Muscles bulging, his body inked with snarling tattoos—a Yakuza beast wielding a katana.
His opponent… a boy.
Thin.
Fragile.
His long brown hair clung to his pale face.
He looked as though a single blow would end him.
Yet—he fought.
Every dodge was precise. Every movement not wasted. His fragile body carried the will size of a mountain."
The Yakuza swung his blade with killing intent. The boy darted aside, but not unscathed—steel carved across his cheek, blood streaking his face. The crowd roared in delight.
Nury's eyes narrowed, but her face remained stone.
The brute charged again, both hands on his blade. But then—something happened.
The steel bent.
Warped.
Melted into liquid beneath the boy's grip.
The crowd gasped in unison, shock silencing their cheers. Whispers crackled through the chamber.
A gifter.
The Yakuza staggered, staring in horror as the boy seized the liquid metal, shaping it in his hands, hardened once more—this time as his weapon.
A smokescreen erupted, engulfing the cage.
Yakuza: "Where the hell are you!?"
(His voice trembled, panic breaking through)
Kid (from the haze, sharp):"Right here."
A strike cut through the mist.
The Yakuza collapsed forward, defeated, the smoke clearing to reveal the boy standing tall. His chest heaved, blood dripping down his cheek, yet his eyes—shine brighter than the lights on him.
(A beat)
—Cheers erupted like thunder. The masked elite bellowed their approval to their winner.
Outside the building.
The crowd spilled into the neon-lit streets, laughter and chatter fading into the night. Among them, the boy slipped away unnoticed, hood drawn low, footsteps quick and deliberate.
Unaware that he was being followed.
The boy felt a presence behind him—He looked back and quickly bolted,
He sprinted through the twisted streets and darted through empty alleys.
But when he turned the final corner—
She was already there, blocking his path.
Kid (panting, shaky, but defiant):"What do you want from me?"
Nury (stone-faced):"You. "
Confusion flashed in his eyes.
Nury:"Your ability."
(She paused.)
"You turned that man's katana into liquid, then back into steel… and that smoke screen…. What is it?"
Kid:"Why do you care? Look, lady, I don't have time—"
He spun to leave, but Nury's hand clamped on his arm, iron-strong.
Kid (gritting teeth): "Ghh—Let me go!!"
Nury (firm, unshaken):"Join us."
Kid:"…Join you? Join what, exactly?"
Nury:"The Red Moon."
The words struck him like a thunderclap. His breath froze, eyes widening.
Nury (voice low, cutting through him):"There's potential. You fight with precision and control. But your ability…"
(Her fiery eyes glowed)
"…It intrigues me. Tell me… What is it?"
The kid is hesitant to answer.
He stares at her serious look on her face, realizing that he has no choice.
Kid: "… It's matter manipulation."
(A beat)
"solid, liquid, and gas"
Nury's eyes lit, like discovering hidden treasure.
Kid (looking down, clenching his fists):"… would I be able to take care of my family?"
A beat of silence.
Nury (stone-cold):"That's up to you to do. Not for me to know."
The boy hesitated. The weight of joining one of the most infamous factions—of becoming a criminal—pressed heavily on him. His thoughts spiraled, turning over the consequences again and again, until minutes felt like hours. And then, at last, he made his choice.
Kid:"No one is coming to save us."
(His jaw tightened)
"Not the government…Not the Fighters…"
(His voice started raising with anger).
"Screw that. I don't fucking care if I become a Demon….For my family…I'll put myself through hell."
He bowed, to respect the one who had given him a new path—an opportunity.
Nury:"…What's your name?"
Kid (lifting his head, voice steady):"Kayo Tenson."
"....."
Eight years later. The present.
Nury's eyes never left him. The boy she once found in a pit hollow of darkness now stood tall, a man forged by endless trials. For eight years, he endured hunger, pain, and sacrifice—bleeding to earn the right to be a Blade. And tonight, at last, he stood at the brink.
Kayo advanced toward Levi's crumpled body, his expression carved in stone but his thoughts a storm.
Kayo (thinking, bitter):"Ms. Nury… what do you see in him? What makes this foreigner so special?"
(He clutched his fists, rage stirring behind his calm)
"Am I not worthy anymore to stand by your side? Have I failed you? Why does your heart… lie with this second-rate Demon?"
(He raised his arm. A spear of pure iron materialized, gleaming sharp enough to cut steel)
"If that's the case… I'll prove myself. I'll win it back. I WILL END THIS NOW! AND BECOME THE SEVENTH!!"
(He roars)
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The spear descended—
But before it could strike, a surge of crimson erupted.
Levi (low, defiant): "…no."
The courtyard shook. His aura whipping the air into violent gusts. Kayo was hurled backward, skidding across the stone.
The warriors froze. Even the Blades stiffened.
Levi rose.
His back hunched, his arms hung loose like an animal's. His mouth split in a menacing grin, blood dripping from his lip.
Levi (thinking, delirious):"So this is what it feels like… standing at death's door."
(He chuckled darkly, the sound feral)
The crimson aura burned hotter, raw power pressing against every warrior's chest. Some staggered, trembling.
Levi (thinking): " Death feels…"
( His voice twisted with will)
"GROSS. I reject it.… I REJECT IT ALL!"
His aura exploded.
He launched like an unchained beast
His fist caved into Kayo's chest with brute force. The impact launched him off the platform, crashing into the monastery's outer grounds.
Levi didn't hesitate—he leapt after him, crimson trailing like fire.
The courtyard remained frozen. No one moved.
Then, with a flicker, a massive holo-screen ignited above the yard, displaying Levi and Kayo's battle as it raged on in the monastery grounds—each blow shaking stone, each clash brighter than lightning.
The battlefield shifted.
The two Demons danced atop colossal trees, the moonlight spilling silver over their clash. The forest whispered—leaves trembling, branches bowing, nature itself forced to bear witness.
Levi swung his arm, his seismic waves ripping through the night—Destruction carving arcs that toppled entire trunks.
Kayo barely dodged, springing onto his cloud of vapor, spear in hand, launching like lightning toward Levi.
He then materialized two steel daggers mid-flight, and started slicing at impossible speed. Levi evaded each thrust, his body jerking between branches, his balance razor-thin.
Then—Kayo liquefied the tree beneath Levi's feet making him slip, falling, eyes narrowing as he braced for impact.
THUMP!
Kayo was already there—dropping with inhuman speed. His side kick struck like thunder, smashing Levi into a massive tree trunk. Bark detonated on impact, the air choking with dust and splintered wood.
The air filled with dull smoke clouds once again.
Levi staggered inside the haze, his teeth grit.
Levi:"This won't work again."
He swung his arms wildly, Destruction carving through the air, trying—and failing—to disperse the smoke.
Then whistling death rained down: metal kunai, sharp as fangs, slicing through the haze. Levi darted between them, dodging desperately—but Kayo burst from the smog, flipping midair and driving a brutal kick into Levi that slammed him to the ground.
Kayo pressed on, back with his spear—stabs in blinding succession. Levi rolled, dodging, the spear kissing earth where he had just been. He dove behind a tree, but Kayo turned it into gas, phasing through, forcing Levi back.
Levi retaliated, launching two slashes of Destruction. The first vanished uselessly into the gas. The second—Kayo caught by liquefying his spear into a fluid shield, reforming it with ease.
Kayo (smirking):"Heh.… It seems your Destruction only pierces solids. Useless against gas and liquid."
The ground beneath Levi rippled—turning to liquid.
Kayo leapt, conjuring a colossal stone pole, transmuting it into vapor, and striking down with a gust that swallowed the forest. Levi plunged into the liquefied earth, drowning in its shifting, suffocating hold.
Kayo (calmly):"I fight for a purpose—to protect, to serve, to honor the Red Moon clan."
(He shouts, conviction burning)
"My blade is for my people, for my family, for those I swore to make proud of! You… why, and for who do you fight for?"
The courtyard erupted in murmurs as the holo-screen displayed Levi's drawing in the earth puddle.
Warriors thought the battle over.
The elders leaned forward.
Kayo turned to leave.
Kayo: "This fight is—"
TREMORS!
The ground shakes. Trees start crashing as the forest vibrates.
Kayo (eyes wide):"An earthquake?"
Levi burst upward, crimson aura blazing, laughter echoing—mad, unholy.
Levi (mocking):"Protect? Serve? Honor? You sure you're on the right side, ponytail?!"
(His grin stretched, feral)
"I don't need your noble crap! I don't fight for my family. I don't fight for honor. I fight for ME!"
(A beat)
"I'MA DEMON!! I DO WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT!"
Levi launched forward, fist cocked. Kayo summoned a cloud screen and wrapped himself in liquid armor.
Levi (growling): "Pressure waves…"
BOOM!
His punch released Destruction's pressure waves, the force traveling through gas and liquid alike. It slammed Kayo, sending him crashing.
Kayo (thinking, reeling):"Pressure waves!? He's been using shear waves until now… I didn't know he could—ghhh!"
Levi advanced, his head swaying side to side like a predator savoring the kill. Each step was a countdown.
Kayo raised his spear, but Levi unleashed another barrage of pressure waves, too fast to dodge. Kayo's body shook, bones screaming, slammed into the dirt.
Kayo (thinking, cornered, desperate): " I can't react… I can't defend… Damn it!!"
A cloud enveloped him, his last trick.
Levi shredded it instantly, the vapor scattering to reveal Kayo rising, riding his cloud higher.
He spread his arms wide, materializing the very air into countless blades.
Kayo (roaring): "I WON'T GIVE UP YET!!"
Weapons rained down like a storm of meteors. Levi dodged, deflecting with Destruction burst.
The forest crumbled, mountain winds howled
—Their battle shook the land itself.
Then Kayo raised his arms. Stone tore from the air, shaping into a monstrous structure.
Towering like a mountain, a demon gate of impossible scale.
Gasps filled the courtyard.
Kayo (screaming, final strike):"KIMON!!!"
The Oni Gate fell, blotting out the moonlight, diving with unstoppable force.
But Levi only smirked, his body tattered, his aura blazing brighter than ever. The crimson flared, splitting the heavens.
He clenched his fist. Shear waves coiled within, vibrating with destructive rhythm.
Levi (roaring): "Mega—S-WAVE!!"
He punched upward.
A scarlet eruption split the sky, halting the massive gate in midair.
For a heartbeat, time froze. Then—
CRACK!
The gate shattered across the sky. A cataclysmic shockwave tore through Kayo and the mountains alike, roaring all the way to the monastery and shaking its foundations to the core. Smoke still curled from the forest as the last echoes of Levi's roar faded into silence.
The courtyard was deathly still, but hearts thundered like war drums.
Even the masked Elders leaned forward.
The Blades, usually stone-faced, let their shock slip through cracks.
Shogun (whispering):"Pressure waves and shear waves… intriguing."
The warriors below exchanged nervous murmurs.
Elder One (uneasy):"Indeed.."
Eyes shifted to Nury. She stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the holo-screen where Levi staggered, bloody but grinning like a beast reborn. If she felt pride or fear, no one could read it.
Among the Blades, unease spread like wildfire.
Second (thinking):"This boy… He's not fighting for the clan. He fights only for chaos. If he rises among us, what path does he drag the Red Moon onto?"
Four (arms crossed):"I like this Wrath Boy"
(He chuckles)
"He's interesting. He'll either destroy us… or make us stronger."
Back in the forest, the holo-screen zoomed in on Kayo's fallen body. Warriors gasped softly.
Kayo—disciplined, loyal, the prodigy groomed for this position—was broken, unconscious, lying in a crater torn by Levi's hand.
The courtyard did not erupt.
It still.
No cheers.
No gasps.
Only the low wind whispering through shattered stone.
The Blades—warriors forged in blood and discipline—felt it:
this was not victory as they understood it.
Then—
The Shogun rose.
The sound of his staff striking stone echoed once.
Hard. Final.
Every warrior bowed instantly. Masks dipped. Spines straightened. Even the night itself seemed to listen.
The Shogun's gaze remained fixed on the screen—on the boy still standing amid ruin, bloodied, swaying, yet grinning like something that refused to die.
Shogun (low, deliberate):"Technique was surpassed."
(A pause)
"Discipline was broken."
(Another)
"And the laws of battle… were rejected."
His eyes narrowed—not in approval, nor disgust.
In recognition.
He turned slowly, his voice carrying across the courtyard like judgment itself.
Shogun (thunderous):"The one who stands is not the most loyal."
"Not the most disciplined."
"Not the most righteous."
(A final breath)
"But the one who would not fall."
(The Shogun raised his staff)
The air grew heavy.
"By combat, by survival, and by defiance—"
"The title of Seventh Blade is claimed."
Silence pressed down like a blade at every throat.
Then—
"Levi."
A ripple passed through the warriors. Some stiffened. Others trembled.
(The Shogun's voice hardened)
"The Wrath Boy."
No applause followed.
Only bows—some given in awe, others in fear.
The Blades exchanged unreadable looks. And Nury—eyes glowing faintly like embers—kept watching Levi through the holo-screen, out in the forest.
For the first time, the Red Moon clan had chosen not the most disciplined… not the most loyal… but the one who rejected the world itself.
And in that moment, the Red Moon clan did not gain its strongest Blade.
It gained its most dangerous one.