Reika slowly opened her eyes.
Darkness. Silence. The faint scent of incense and fresh linen.
She blinked, confused. This wasn't her room. The ceiling was carved with strange patterns—ancient symbols glowing faintly in the low amber light. The furniture was sleek, polished, and way too luxurious for a trainee. There was even a freaking balcony.
She sat up, hair tousled. "...Did the Academy remodel overnight, or did I get kidnapped by rich cultists?"
Just then, the door creaked open.
A masked female Kageshiki staff member entered silently, holding a tray. Her black uniform was pristine, and only her eyes—gentle, unreadable—were visible beneath the veil.
"Good morning, Kagetsu-san," she said softly. "Your breakfast."
Reika didn't even glance at the tray. "Okay, first off—where the hell am I? This isn't my room."
The woman gave a polite smile, though her mask made it look eerie. "That's expected. When a Kageshiki advances to Rank VII or above, they're given upgraded accommodations. Congratulations on your promotion."
Reika blinked. "Wait. I ranked up?"
"Yes, and... this is only the beginning," the staff member said, voice calm. "Once you reach Rank V, you'll be eligible for a private satellite compound. Some even get personal chefs."
"Okay, pause. How many Yen does a Special Grade Kageshiki make, like... monthly?"
The woman chuckled lightly, like she'd heard this question a thousand times. "Special Grades are highly respected. They don't get paid monthly—they're paid weekly. Five hundred million yen per week, to be precise."
Reika's jaw unhinged.
"FIVE HUNDRED MILLION?" she gasped. "That's... that's two billion Yen a month! That's... twenty-four billion a year!!"
She did some mental math. Wait—Souta's Special Grade... That means... that smug, emotionally-constipated bastard is a billionaire?!
A bitter chill slithered down her spine. Was she... was she jealous?
No. She wasn't.
Okay, maybe a little.
The staff woman bowed. "After breakfast, please report to the Hallroom. There's a briefing."
She exited, silent as mist.
Reika stared at the tray of grilled salmon, rice, and miso soup—then glanced down at the black Kageshiki uniform neatly folded at the foot of her bed. Her badge shimmered.
"VII."
Her eyes widened. I really did rank up… From X to VII?
---
After breakfast, she walked into the Academy's grand hallway—and froze.
The corridor buzzed with activity. Ranked Kageshiki milled around, chatting, boasting, stretching, or polishing their cursed weapons. The air felt charged with tension and caffeine.
"REEEIKA!!" a loud, chaotic voice boomed from behind.
She turned.
Daigo charged toward her like an overexcited golden retriever. "Where the hell were you, Ice Queen? I thought you got kidnapped by the Shikiban fan club!"
"I was… in bed," Reika muttered, side-eyeing him.
"We all missed you, you know," Yeaga added, walking up with a yawn. His shirt was halfway buttoned, and he looked like he'd just crawled out of a hole. "Did you get to eat real food at your... presidential suite?"
Reika gave a small nod.
"You ranked up, didn't you?" Yeaga smirked, eyeing the new badge on her chest.
"OHHH, LOOK AT YOU!" Daigo gasped dramatically. "VII Rank?! The icy, antisocial blade-queen is climbing the charts! Damn, should we start calling you Senpai Reika-sama?"
"Call me that and I'm stabbing your lung," she muttered.
"Which one?" Yeaga deadpanned. "You gotta specify, she's surgical with it."
Reika rolled her eyes, though a tiny grin threatened to break her poker face.
"Oh, by the way," Yeaga said casually, "After the meeting, you're all invited to my house. I just installed a hot spring. It's public, chaotic, and probably cursed."
"Bro," Daigo added, "we don't even need invites. We're like mold. We just show up."
"Even Souta might come," Yeaga winked.
Reika choked on her own thoughts. "He what?"
Before they could continue teasing her, the room went cold.
The massive doors at the front opened.
Kenjiku entered.
His white coat swayed like a blade of judgment, and behind him marched the Elite Kageshiki—Souta among them, hands in pockets, looking like he hadn't smiled in a decade.
Everyone went silent.
Kenjiku didn't waste time.
"There will be no greetings," he said bluntly. "We move directly to the mission. A threat has appeared in Akihara City—Zai-6, also known as the Luner Serpent, a high-tier Zai.He's not alone. Intelligence confirms presence of a Shikiban elite team."
The tension in the room thickened.
"If an elite Kageshiki faces them solo, they will win," Kenjiku said. "But the city's survival will not be guaranteed. So this time... it's a joint strike."
He gestured behind him.
"We are introducing the top elites—the ones you'll be fighting beside. Known as the Kageshiki no Shineha, or 'The Blades That Still Shine.' Among them, the Top 3 cannot be replaced. Their abilities exceed classification. They are the only ones allowed to wear the Diamond Badge."
---
(0)1 – Arakawa Souta
Codename: Santa Ki
Ability: Godspeed & Shadow Clone
Kills: Over 100 million Shikiban in five years.
Even Zai don't touch him. He's never even bled.
---
(0)2 – Kairo Shizawa
Codename: Soul Reaver
Ability: Soul Manipulation
A ghost in human skin. Don't make eye contact. He might take your name.
---
(0)3 – [REDACTED]
Deceased. Name forbidden.
Kenjiku's eyes dimmed. "We do not speak of him."
Reika's spine went cold. Dead? Or... erased?
---
(0)4 – Miyuki Iburzashi
Codename: Glass Banshee
Ability: Glass Manipulation
Can fracture air itself. Wears stilettos in battle. Unironically terrifying.
---
(0)5 – Saito Hideaki
Codename: Wind Tyrant
Ability: Wind Manipulation
Fast enough to cut your thoughts in half.
---
(0)6 – Koharu Yamaguchi
Codename: Storm Queen
Ability: Dual-Wind Harmonization
---
(0)7 – Engetsu Tsukihara
Codename: Void Requiem
Title: The Hollow Moonblade
Technique: Zangetsu Kyōkai – Crescent Border of the Void
Slices open space itself. Erases you from existence. No sound. No trace.
Awakened Form: Kurai Getsumei
Crescent shards orbit him, warping gravity and perception. He's literally untouchable. Like fighting a ghost with ego issues.
---
(0)8 – Mizuri Haenami
Codename: Lotus Vortex
Technique: Renge Hōkai – Lotus Collapse
Uses wind fans to shred enemies into flower petals. Elegant murder.
Awakened Form: Shinkai no Hana
Lotus wings. Molecular cuts. She doesn't fight—she dances your funeral.
---
(0)9 – Kaname Hisakawa
Codename: Ash Monarch
Technique: Endō Hi – Ember Path
Flames that burn away your potential. Get close, and you feel your soul cremating itself.
Awakened Form: Shōmetsu no Entei
Flame greatsword. Even standing near him makes your memories turn to ash.
---
(0)10 – Isami Tsuchiya
Codename: Mirror Phantom
Technique: Kagami no Kuroi Kaidan – Black Mirror Staircase
Reflects not just attacks, but your trauma. You punch? He already broke you.
Awakened Form: Shin'en Kyō
A floating abyssal mirror warps reality. You don't fight him—you fight your worst self.
---
Kenjiku's voice thundered: "This mission will be led by Arakawa, Miyuki, and Team One."
Reika's blood turned to ice.
"Team One… That's… my team."
Her legs trembled.
I'm going into battle with billionaires who slice space and erase memory like it's a TikTok filter.
She swallowed hard.
Yeaga leaned in and whispered, "Sooo… wanna fake your death and flee the country?"
Daigo nodded seriously. "I'm already halfway through digging a tunnel under the Academy."
Reika just sighed.
This is my life now.