Solar Year 185 – Asakusa
Night settled quietly over the Special Fire Guardhouse.
The courtyard lanterns flickered softly in the breeze, their warm glow stretching across the wooden walkways and training yard beyond. Somewhere in the distance, the sounds of Asakusa nightlife drifted faintly through the air. Laughter, footsteps, the distant clatter of dishes.
Inside the main room, Shinmon Hibachi sat cross-legged with a cup of sake in hand.
Across from him stood Konro.
The older fire soldier watched as Hibachi slowly took a drink, the ceramic cup lowering again with a quiet clink.
Konro folded his arms.
"You're really going to do it, boss?"
Hibachi didn't look up.
"Do what?"
"Adopt them."
A short silence filled the room.
Hibachi leaned back slightly, swirling the remaining sake in his cup.
"The boys lost everything tonight," he said. "Leaving them to fend for themselves would be stupid."
Konro frowned slightly.
"But you're not just taking them in out of pity, are you?"
Hibachi smirked.
"You know me too well."
He set the cup aside and rested his elbows on his knees.
"Those kids aren't normal."
Konro nodded slowly.
He had seen it too.
A boy who had just killed an Infernal, his own mother without training. Another child who radiated a strange presence around flame.
Konro scratched the side of his head.
"So you really think one of them could become your successor?"
Hibachi's eyes gleamed faintly in the lantern light.
"I don't think so."
He grinned.
"I know it."
Konro sighed, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"So what's with the secrecy then?"
Hibachi leaned back.
"The people of Asakusa," he said slowly, "respect strength above all else."
He paused.
"If I introduce them now, they'll just be two pitiful orphans."
Konro nodded.
"That won't sit well with the people."
"Exactly."
Hibachi's grin widened.
"So we train them first."
His gaze turned toward the sleeping quarters where the boys rested.
"When they're strong enough…"
"…we introduce them properly."
Konro chuckled softly.
"So they'll debut as Shinmon heirs."
Hibachi nodded once.
"And from today onward," he said, "those two are Shinmon."
---
Two Weeks Later
The morning sun rose over Asakusa.
Mist clung to the ground as the city slowly woke to another day.
In the far end of the Special Fire Guard courtyard lay the training grounds, a wide open space surrounded by wooden fences and worn practice posts.
Hibachi stood in the center with his arms crossed.
Before him stood two boys.
Benimaru.
And Kidan.
Both wore simple training clothes, their bare feet pressed against the packed dirt ground.
Benimaru stood straight, expression calm.
Kidan stood beside him, smaller but just as focused.
Hibachi studied them silently for a long moment.
Then he spoke.
"I'm not the type to waste time."
His voice was blunt.
"So I'll say this straight."
The boys listened carefully.
"I plan on grooming the two of you to become my successor."
A faint breeze passed through the yard.
Kidan blinked.
Benimaru didn't react.
"But," Hibachi continued, holding up one finger, "only one of you can take my place."
Silence settled over the yard.
Hibachi watched their faces carefully.
Neither of them flinched.
Good.
He nodded slightly.
"But before we start," he said, "I want to ask you something."
His gaze sharpened.
"Have you mourned enough?"
The words landed heavily in the quiet training yard.
Kidan lowered his head slightly.
Benimaru's eyes remained steady.
"If you're not ready," Hibachi continued, "then training today will be pointless."
He crossed his arms again.
"So tell me."
"Are you ready?"
Benimaru answered immediately.
"I don't have time to mourn."
Hibachi's eyebrow lifted slightly.
Benimaru continued calmly.
"I have a little brother to take care of."
His tone carried no hesitation.
No self-pity.
Just simple resolve.
Hibachi's grin slowly spread across his face.
'Good,' he thought.
'Very good.'
Konro, watching from the side of the yard, folded his arms and smiled slightly.
That was exactly the kind of answer Hibachi liked.
Hibachi then turned his attention to the smaller boy.
"Kidan."
Kidan looked up.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Hibachi said bluntly.
"You're still a kid."
His voice softened slightly.
"If you're still mourning your mother, that's normal."
He shrugged.
"You can sit this out."
For a moment, Kidan remained silent.
His small hands tightened at his sides.
Images flashed through his mind.
Flames.
His mother.
Benimaru standing in front of him.
Protecting him.
Always protecting him.
Kidan slowly lifted his head.
"I failed."
Hibachi raised an eyebrow.
"I failed to protect my mother."
His voice trembled slightly but his eyes were steady.
"So…"
He clenched his fists.
"I want to become strong."
Hibachi watched him closely.
"So I can protect my brother."
Silence filled the yard again.
Then—
Hibachi laughed.
A deep, booming laugh that echoed across the training grounds.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Konro sighed.
"Here we go…"
Hibachi wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Well damn."
He pointed at both boys.
"You two really are something else."
He straightened his posture.
"Good."
His grin returned.
"Very good."
He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.
"Then listen carefully."
The morning sun rose higher behind him.
"From today onward…"
"I'm going to pour everything I know into you."
His eyes burned with excitement.
"I'll train you until you become monsters."
Benimaru's lips curved into a faint smile.
Kidan's heart pounded in his chest.
Hibachi pointed toward the center of the training yard.
"Alright."
His grin widened.
"Let's see what you two can do."
Konro leaned against the wooden fence, watching quietly.
Hibachi uncrossed his arms.
"Listen carefully," he said.
His voice carried the weight of absolute authority.
"The fighting style used by the leaders of Asakusa is called Iai Shutō."
He raised his hand slowly.
His fingers straightened.
The edge of his palm hardened.
"Normally iai is swordsmanship," he continued. "But in Asakusa…"
His hand ignited.
"…we don't need swords."
A blade of flame formed along the edge of his hand.
Kidan's eyes widened.
Benimaru leaned forward slightly.
"This style has seven forms," Hibachi said.
"And you will learn every single one."
He stepped forward.
"Watch closely."
Hibachi's body relaxed.
Then—
In a flash he moved.
His hand swung in a wide arc.
A crescent of fire carved through the air.
The nearby training post split cleanly in half.
The cut was smooth.
Precise.
"Fire Moon," Hibachi said.
"The basic draw strike."
He looked at Benimaru.
"Fast."
Then he looked at Kidan.
"And clean."
Hibachi turned slightly.
His body twisted.
His hand flashed again—
But this time the strike came from the side.
A horizontal arc of fire sliced across the training ground.
Three posts exploded apart.
"Moonlight."
"Wide range."
"Used when surrounded."
Konro nodded approvingly.
"Good battlefield technique."
Hibachi lowered his stance.
Then stepped forward.
His palm thrust upward in a rising slash.
A pillar of fire burst skyward.
"Daybreak."
"Vertical strike."
"Breaks guards."
Benimaru's eyes sharpened.
'That movement…' he thought.
'He's cutting upward through the centerline.'
Hibachi planted his foot.
Then spun.
His flaming hand cut in a blazing circle.
A ring of fire erupted around him.
The shockwave blew dust across the yard.
"Red Sun."
"Area control."
Kidan instinctively stepped back.
Konro laughed.
"You'll need that if you're surrounded by Infernals."
Hibachi stepped forward again.
This time slower.
His hand descended diagonally.
The strike looked simple—
But the moment it landed—
BOOM.
The ground cracked.
"Sunset."
"Finishing strike."
"Maximum power."
Hibachi's posture changed.
His movements became quieter.
Sharper.
His hand flickered—
Three rapid slashes cut the air before the eye could follow.
The posts behind him collapsed.
"Dusk."
"Speed."
"Kill before they react."
Hibachi exhaled.
Then—
He vanished.
His body spun forward in a blazing rotation.
Fire spiraled around him like a wheel.
The entire yard trembled.
The ground erupted.
Dust exploded outward.
When the smoke cleared—
Half the training posts were gone.
Benimaru stared.
Kidan's mouth hung open.
Hibachi stood calmly in the center.
"Sun Wheel."
He folded his arms again.
"The final form."
He looked directly at Benimaru.
"You don't learn this one until you deserve it."
Then he pointed at both boys.
"Now."
"Show me what you can do."
Training – Week One
The yard echoed with impacts.
Benimaru attempted Fire Moon.
His palm cut through the air—
CRACK.
The training post split.
Hibachi nodded slightly.
"Good."
Kidan tried the same movement.
His strike barely dented the wood.
Konro crouched beside him.
"Your stance is wrong," he said calmly.
He adjusted Kidan's foot.
"There."
"Again."
Kidan tried again.
This time the strike landed better.
Konro smiled faintly.
"Better."
Week Three
The brothers sparred.
Benimaru rushed forward.
His palm ignited.
"Fire Moon!"
Kidan ducked.
"Moonlight!"
A wave of flame forced Benimaru back.
Konro whistled.
"They're learning fast."
Hibachi grunted.
"They better."
Week Five
Hibachi stood in front of Benimaru.
"Again."
Benimaru attacked.
Hibachi dodged effortlessly.
Benimaru tried Daybreak.
Hibachi stopped it with two fingers.
"Too slow."
Benimaru grit his teeth.
'I'll land it.'
Hibachi smiled.
'Good.'
Week Six
Kidan sat near a torch.
His hand hovered above the flame.
The fire bent toward him.
Konro watched carefully.
"Second generation control," he said.
Kidan smiled slightly.
"Am I improving?"
Konro nodded.
"Slowly."
Week Eight
The training ground looked like a battlefield.
Broken posts.
Burned dirt.
Benimaru stood breathing heavily.
His palm ignited again.
"Fire Moon!"
The strike split a massive training post.
Kidan followed.
"Moonlight!"
Flames spiraled outward.
Konro crossed his arms.
"They've improved."
Hibachi smirked.
"Not even close to finished."
He stepped forward.
"Alright you two."
Benimaru looked up.
"What now?"
Hibachi grinned.
"Now…"
He pointed at them both.
"…we start fighting for real."
---
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