"In this world, strength is not a gift... it is the price of staying alive."
"The Kara is the vital energy that flows through all things. Some shape it to create, others to destroy... but all depend on it to survive."
"When the breath of the Kara fades, the heart stops beating, and the soul vanishes into eternal shadow."
A Kageyami, without thinking, frowned and leaped towards him, claws raised.
The man did not move.
In a heartbeat, his fist lit up with a sparkling blue halo—concentrated Internal Kara—and he struck.
The air itself seemed to twist under the impact. The Kageyami was thrown backward like a rag doll, crossing two hay bales before crashing, inert.
The man with the duck head:
"Tch... weak," he commented, sheathing his energy.
"Do you want me to take care of everyone, or would you prefer to give up right now?"
The Stellar Zeniths, despite being his allies, exchanged a silent look. One of them murmured:
"Even with five of us... we wouldn't do better."
The man tilted his head, amused.
The man with the duck head:
"Come on... don't be shy. I still have a little time before I get bored."
Under the moonlight, he advanced with a calm but relentless step. And in that heavy silence, everyone understood that no matter the side... he alone completely dominated this night.
The air still vibrated from the Linear Impact.
Without warning, he drew his two swords in a fluid motion, and a wave of bluish light ran along the blades.
The first Burnt Blood leaped—cut clean before even landing.
The second tried to back away, but a shoulder blow sent him rolling to the ground, his ribs cracking from the shock.
The third lunged claws first: a simple pivot, a circular kick saturated with Internal Kara, and his body crashed against a tree, inert.
It wasn't a fight.
Every gesture of the man was precise, calculated, almost lazy... but every impact was fatal.
In a few heartbeats, only two Burnt Bloods remained standing: the Kageyami colossus and another, who instinctively backed away... before collapsing, his throat slit by a flash of steel he hadn't even seen coming.
The colossus clenched his fists, his monstrous silhouette standing out in the moonlight.
"I won't fall like the others..." he growled.
The man with the duck head:
"That's cute," the man replied, his blades still raised but his tone almost nonchalant.
"Show me, then."
The Kageyami charged with all the rage of his Dark Kara, raising a cloud of dust.
The man did not move a step, waiting for the last instant.
Then, a flash.
A single, pure strike, with surgical precision, landed on the colossus's temple. The impact shook the ground.
Silence.
The gigantic body collapsed like a falling wall.
Sheathing his blades, the man turned his head slightly toward the survivors of the allied camp. Under his duck-bill mask, a calm smile appeared.
The man with the duck head:
"The worst thing that happened to them... was crossing my path."
He put his hands back in his pockets, walking away with a calm step, as if nothing had happened.
Next Scene...
Night enveloped Kazemori in a veil of darkness. Away from the hustle and bustle of the streets, Raizen was in a discreet sanctuary, protected by a strange force, a refuge invisible to malicious intentions.
He emerged from a simple house, made of rough wood, with rough contours and ill-fitting planks. His steps led him to a hot spring nestled in the heart of a dense clearing, where the vegetation muffled the sounds of the outside world.
Raizen floated in the steaming water, naked, alone with his swirling thoughts. The heat soothed his bruised muscles, while the steam rose in wisps into the clear, starry night.
Raizen (pensive, murmuring)
"This spring... it's a miracle. Here, even Kazemori seems far away. My body is coming back to life, but my mind... it's still revolving around Takashi Aomi, the Kara... and everything I barely understand."
A discreet crack broke the silence, echoing among the branches. Raizen jumped, nearly losing his balance in the water.
Raizen (surprised, panicked)
"Damn... what was that noise?!"
He straightened up suddenly, scanning the darkness, then saw a female silhouette advancing slowly. His heart leaped—he recognized her immediately.
Raizen (stuttering, red with embarrassment)
"Hana?! But... what are you doing here?!"
Hana remained calm, a teasing smile lighting up her features.
Hana (teasing)
"I thought you'd appreciate a little company. But I didn't expect to find you... so... naked (casting a mischievous glance between his legs)."
Raizen made a quick gesture to cover his nudity, blushing, drowned in the steam.
Raizen (embarrassed, almost shouting)
"Hey! Are you spying now? This isn't a public pool!"
Hana burst out laughing, soft and light.
Hana
"No, no. Just... this place is new to you, so I came to check that you were holding up. You owe me a thank you, right?"
Raizen groaned, turning his head away, but a smile finally broke through despite himself.
Raizen (mocking)
"You're a real pain in the ass sometimes. But I wouldn't mind a little company, so if you want, you can come for a swim."
Hana blushed violently, surprised.
Hana (embarrassed)
"No, no, not at all... well, I didn't mean that... Maybe another time... No, no, actually forget what I just said."
She turned around, resuming her path, then, in a more serious tone, called over her shoulder:
Hana
"If you finish, join me."
Raizen sighed and plunged back into the hot water, letting his thoughts get lost in the wisps of steam rising above the spring.
Raizen (in a low voice)
"She's not so bad, this girl," Then he sharpened a mischievous smile.
"I wonder what I've landed myself in this time..."
Raizen reluctantly left the hot spring, his clothes still warm on his skin.
The night had grown thicker, as if silence weighed on every branch.
Raizen eventually rejoined the small house. A warm, spicy smell floated in the air, coming from a simple broth placed on the low table. Hana was waiting for him, sitting cross-legged, two steaming bowls in front of her.
Hana (slight smile)
"Sit down. Eat."
Raizen settled down, grabbing the wooden chopsticks. Silence settled, punctuated by the sound of the fine rain outside and the crackling of the fire.
After a few minutes, Hana spoke again.
Hana
"The man who attacked you the other night... you think he was just a madman, right?"
Raizen shrugged.
Raizen
"With his brute face, his killer eyes, his strange form, and the energy he gave off, I'm not sure."
Hana
"That guy was part of a group called... the Burnt Bloods."
Raizen frowned, chewing slowly.
Raizen
"Burnt Bloods... is that supposed to mean something to me?"
Hana
"No. And that's better that way.
The Burnt Bloods... Most people don't know that name. And those who do... pray never to cross their path."
She paused, as if weighing each of her words.
"They are called that because of the mark they all bear: a burn, inflicted during a ritual. Not an ordinary scar... something that changes them inside, that gnaws at them, but which also makes them more dangerous than any soldier."
"The elite, those called the true Burnt Bloods, never exceed five individuals. But the lower rank, the Kageyami, more numerous... killers who prepare the ground."
She took a sip of broth, her gaze dark.
"When they strike, it's never by chance, but often it is. They choose a target, and they don't stop until nothing is left. No negotiation. No mercy."
She leaned slightly toward him.
Hana
"The man who attacked you the other night... was one of the Kageyami."
"They are the total opposite of ours, the Stellar Zeniths. Where the Burnt Bloods sow fear, the Stellar Zeniths inspire confidence, even if no one really knows it."
Raizen gave an ironic grimace.
Raizen
"So it's just the eternal game of 'good guys' and 'bad guys'?"
Hana put down her chopsticks, her face closed. The oil lamp flickered gently, casting their shadows on the wooden walls.
Hana (lower, almost to herself)
"This world needs heroes... and you can become one."
The silence that followed weighed more than her words. Raizen finished his bowl without adding anything, the taste of the broth seeming bitter to him.
Outside, the rain intensified, beating against the windows like an relentless rhythm.
Hana finally got up, extinguished the lamp, and left the room.
Raizen remained alone, lying on his makeshift bed, his eyes open toward the ceiling.
Hana's words echoed in his head: Burnt Bloods... Kageyami... they don't stop until nothing is left...
He clenched his fists under the blanket, a bitter smile forming despite himself.
Raizen (in a low voice)
"Maybe it's time I had a purpose in life."
The night enveloped Kazemori in a heavy silence, and only the sound of the rain accompanied his thoughts until sleep.
END OF CHAPTER 2