Kenji
After breakfast—courtesy of Miss Annette—we squeezed in a bit of training before splitting up for our mission. The morning air was crisp, and the warmth of the meal still lingered in our bodies as we moved through drills. When it came time to go, Taka and I headed toward the forest, while Yushiro stayed behind, already rolling up his sleeves with a smirk.
"This old man's got it covered," he said confidently, waving us off as he turned to face four floors of cleaning like it was a chess match he'd already won.
I was mildly concerned. Four floors weren't exactly a walk in the park. But knowing Yushiro, the bastard could probably charm the dust into leaving.
As soon as we entered the forest, the towering trees loomed above us, their thick canopy letting in shafts of golden light that danced across the mossy floor. The scent of damp soil, wildflowers, and morning dew filled my lungs. It was familiar, almost nostalgic—like the woods we used to hunt in back home. Birds chirped overhead, insects buzzed unseen, and somewhere far off, a beast growled low and deep.
Taka walked beside me, his hand resting lazily on his katana. "So, what exactly are we hunting?"
"Anything that looks delicious," I replied with a shrug.
Taka sighed, already tired of me. We'd done this a hundred times before—track something down, bring it back, eat like kings. But this forest felt... different. Alive in a way I couldn't quite explain.
Eventually, we spotted our target—a deer.
It stood in a patch of tall grass, fur a sleek blend of tan and cream, lean and powerful. It grazed quietly, then suddenly lifted its head. Its eyes locked onto us, sharp and alert.
Wait. Already?
"There's our meat!" I shouted, tightening my grip on my sword.
Taka shifted, his stance becoming more grounded, fingers curling around his blade. We both tensed in unison, ready to strike.
Then the wind changed.
A sudden gust howled through the forest, bending branches and rustling leaves with unnatural intensity. The air crackled—like it was holding its breath.
Something's wrong.
Before I could react, a force slammed into me.
I was airborne in an instant.
"KENJI!" Taka's voice rang out, somewhere behind me.
I crashed into a tree. Hard. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, and stars exploded across my vision as I hit the ground.
"...Still alive," I coughed, trying to sound cool through the pain.
Taka stared at me, stunned. "Did that deer just hit you with wind?"
"Yeah," I wheezed. "It's… not a regular deer."
Massive understatement.
Its antlers began to glow, wind spiraling toward their tips like ropes being pulled tight. Then—boom—another blast surged toward us, shredding the earth as it came.
We dove in opposite directions, dirt and debris raining down around us.
"Back home, deer didn't do this!" Taka shouted from behind a tree.
"How would I know? This thing clearly doesn't want to be lunch!" I yelled back, barely dodging another burst of air.
Time to get serious.
I let my Hashi flow.
Power flooded through me, sharp and wild. My muscles tensed, senses sharpened. I drew my sword with one smooth motion, discarding the scabbard.
Taka and I locked eyes. We'd done this dance before.
I dashed from cover, zigzagging as I closed the distance. The deer tracked me instantly, launching another blast. I weaved between the gusts, fast and unpredictable.
Taka followed, close behind, hidden in my shadow.
It was one of our old hunting tactics—one draws attention, the other strikes unseen.
The deer faltered, sensing the trap. It hesitated.
Now!
I lunged, blade raised—
But the deer charged.
Its antlers caught me mid-leap, hooking me like a ragdoll. My stomach flipped. Then—
WHAM. A gust at point-blank range slammed into me.
Another tree. Another crash. Pain bloomed across my ribs.
"Way of Nature Technique: Heavenly Soaring Wave!" Taka's voice cut through the air.
His blade dropped fast and clean, slicing down at the deer—
Clang!
It hit something invisible.
Taka's eyes widened. "A shield?!"
The deer let out a guttural, unearthly cry. The air shuddered.
Then—crack—a wind blast sent Taka flying through the underbrush.
He tumbled, crashing through branches before hitting the forest floor.
He groaned and stood, dusting off his pride. "Kenji, that thing just blocked my best attack."
"And it launched me through a tree even after I activated my Hashi," I added, wiping blood from my lip. "This isn't just some overgrown forest critter."
Taka stared at me. "...How?"
Back home, once I learned to use Hashi, nothing could even scratch me.
But now? I was bleeding.
The deer stood firm, antlers still glowing, wind swirling around it like a cloak. It wasn't prey.
It was a challenge.
A slow grin spread across my face. My blood pumped, not just from injury—but from excitement.
This. This is why I came to the Division.
"Taka," I said, standing tall. "Treat this like training. We're here to become knights, right? No knight lets their lunch beat them."
Taka stared, then sighed like he'd aged ten years in five seconds. "...Sure."
The wind surged again.
The deer was done waiting.
I cracked my neck, gripped my sword tighter, and squared my stance.
"I've taken down a bear with my bare hands," I muttered, a grin tugging at my lips."I'm not losing to a damn deer."
I took a step forward, Hashi flaring around me like fire.
"Bring it!!"