Long time no see, guys.

  Takeya Renshō again.

  And I have a chance… to do something great.

  The training hall was silent now.

  No more jokes. No more impressions. Just the polished wood beneath his feet, the stillness of breath, and the sharp presence of a captain across from him.

  Masaki Hiroto.

  Captain of the First Gate.

  My Captain.

  The man who could stop a bde with a blink.

  Normally, I’d be shaking.

  Normally, I’d be thinking about how I wasn’t good enough.

  That I don’t belong here. That I’m just the sidekick.

  But not today.

  Because I watched Watari defeat someone untouchable.

  I saw him switch between all five sword styles without a second thought.

  I stood beside him. And I helped him win.

  So if he can be that strong…

  Then maybe…

  I can be a warrior too.

  Captain lowered his bde slightly. “You ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  My stance was already locked in—Ichimōnban Style, the first position I ever learned. Neutral. Honest.

  There was no need to fake confidence.

  I had it now.

  The Captain didn’t move. But I felt the pressure shift. A ripple in the room, like gravity bending.

  He’s not pying around.

  I stepped forward—light, clean footwork. Slipped into Sakura Style for an opening diagonal ssh, testing his guard.

  Cng!

  He blocked it with ease, but the csh sent a pulse through my arms. The strength behind his bde was… calm. Unshakable.

  I transitioned instantly—Kōsetsu style, sshing upward and rotating behind him, keeping my elbows close.

  He pivoted, blocking again. The shockwave didn’t even move him back.

  Then came the first real strike.

  Captain pushed me back with one hand.

  “Good form. But what do you do when it breaks?”

  He taught me this on my second week here.

  I adapt.

  I shifted again—Ibuki Style, the inescapable step. My bde blurred in a rising arc, smming down like a meteor.

  Cng!

  He stopped it—but barely moved.

  His eyes narrowed. “Not bad.”

  I rotated again—even faster—into Gōraiken Style. My feet danced across the polished floor, sshing from the side with an unpredictable curve.

  Masaki stepped back just half a pace—barely dodging.

  Then I shouted it.

  “COME FORTH!”

  Tamashkii erupted from my chest. Blue and white fmes spiraled up my back, coiling around my arm.

  My Reibaku changed. Now a bde formed—sleek, with sharp twin edges, and an orb near the hilt that pulsed with rhythm.

  “—KIBIKEN!”

  The bde shuddered in my hand as it finalized.

  Captain’s eyes flicked to my weapon. His brows lifted slightly. “So you can use yours for battle? This is my second time seeing it, in the two years you’ve been assigned here.”

  He was right. I never used my form. My resonation isn’t the best, and violence really isn’t my thing. But I heard Kibiken’s voice….. He told me I can do this.

  I didn’t wait.

  I charged—Kibiken humming in my grip, Tamashkii pulsing with each step.

  Masaki moved to counter—but I didn’t swing right away.

  I breathed in. Matched his step. Matched the sound of his bde brushing the floor.

  One rhythm. One heartbeat.

  “Kanade no Isshun-Moment of Rhythm.”

  (By syncing my Tamashkii to my opponent’s heartbeat, I can match their tempo for a brief window.)

  Time bent—not really, but it felt like it. Our bdes met, and for a single instant—I was faster.

  My strike grazed his shoulder, a thin line cut across his sleeve.

  He blinked. “…Not bad.”

  He blocked the first strike. I spun, faked a step, then went low. The sound of our bdes echoed through the hall like thunder.

  I was keeping up.

  No—I was pushing him back.

  He stepped forward now, countering, so I deflected twice, then used the momentum to vault over his shoulder—nding behind him and sshing down—

  “YAHHH!”

  CLANG—!!

  The whole room lit with the csh.

  I almost had him.

  But in that instant—

  The Captain rotated.

  His bde slid under mine.

  And with one clean motion—

  KRRK!

  Kibiken flew from my hand.

  I nded hard on one knee, breathing fast, heart pounding.

  Silence.

  The Captain stood, still holding his bde. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.

  I looked up, panting.

  Damnit… I almost had him.

  Why did I think I could stand next to the man who took down Kuroda——

  The captain cut my thought off. He let out a heavy breath through his nose and sheathed his weapon.

  “You’re not in Second State yet.”

  I nodded slowly. “…I know.”

  Masaki walked forward.

  Then, calmly—offered me a hand.

  “But you finally fought like someone who belongs in this squad. You’ve always had rhythm, control, and bance. But I see a new trait now….. We call that courage.”

  He helped me up.

  “From this day forward—you’re one of my elites.”

  I blinked. “…Seriously?”

  He smirked. “That move in midair? Kanade no Isshun. You pnned that, didn’t you?”

  I grinned. “Kinda.”

  “Then yeah. Seriously.”

  I turned to the squad, who were already cpping. Yumi nodded with a small smile. Kaito gave a thumbs-up. Watari was grinning like a maniac.

  And for the first time…

  I didn’t feel like I was watching from the edge of the team. Like I had just bought tickets to the game. No.

  I felt like I was a pyer. I was really on the team.

  Masaki stepped back, eyes scanning the group.

  “Alright. On to the Reishiki.”