Inside the top-floor office of Verdant Core, a series of striking sounds echoed throughout the room.
Slash! Smack!
Kira was attacking a wooden humanoid training dummy, and what was curious was that her strikes were aimed at marked points spread across the entire body of the dummy.
"...Arg, if there is pain, there is strength."
Kira repeated the words to herself while watching how the marked points on the dummy became stained with blood.
What she was practicing was a martial art created by the Kure Clan, born from Dian Xue, a branch of traditional Chinese medicine.
It consisted of understanding the human body's meridians, which transported chi, and by striking vital pressure points, the user could incapacitate or affect the opponent's energy.
The technique was called Life Block and Release, and it was divided into two branches: Life and Release.
The Life branch focused on understanding the main meridians connected to vital points in order to perform an efficient assassination.
The Release branch focused on paralyzing or disabling the enemy.
"The human body has 108 pressure points. With the ability to strike them, it is possible to create a chi blockage. With precise and fast strikes, the flow of chi within the victim is interrupted, reducing their muscular strength. Among those 108 points, there are 12 vital points, divided into 6 yin and 6 yang."
Erioh explained while observing Kira's training.
"Grandpa... I understand."
Kira nodded while striking the pressure points of the dummy with her fingers.
"That is enough for today."
Erioh noticed that the dummy's pressure points could no longer be seen because of the blood covering Kira's fingers, so he stopped the training.
Kira stopped practicing and, despite her injured fingers, approached her desk to take a medical kit.
While her grandfather watched, she began treating herself.
Both of her hands had lost their fingerprints.
The tips of her fingers dripped blood, and her knuckles were scraped, with the raw flesh visible as the blood slowly began to clot.
"You are very skilled at treating yourself. You know medicine."
Erioh Kure commented.
As a veteran assassin, he did not overlook his granddaughter's abilities.
"Yes... at first, I wanted to learn medicine so I could heal myself, but now I realize it will be useful here."
Kira replied while finishing bandaging her hands.
The pain should have been unbearable, but she managed to endure it.
Physical pain was something she had already experienced.
After all, she had spent years consuming poisons.
Although it could not be compared to physical pain, that experience had given her a certain level of resistance.
"How do you feel? Is the medicine working?"
Erioh asked after noticing his granddaughter's fuller cheeks.
Since she started taking the medicine prepared by the elderly clan physician, Kira had recovered her body mass.
Her hands and face were no longer as thin as before.
"It is very effective. It is something completely outside modern medicine. I have always believed that ancient medicine holds secrets."
Kira became excited while putting away the medical kit.
"If you want, I can ask the physician to teach you. Knowing the arts of healing is always useful."
Erioh offered without hesitation.
"Grandpa... yes, I want to learn."
Kira answered quickly, afraid that he might change his mind.
...
Kira Tokugawa Kure sat with her legs crossed, meditating.
She was practicing Shingen-ryu.
Since she already understood the energy of the world, activating her nodes was not a problem.
Unlike a shonen protagonist who learned through physical practice, Kira used her psychic abilities, her knowledge of chi, and her Magic Memory ability to analyze every change in the energy within her body.
Due to the factors involved, Kira awakened the nodes in her body and discovered something she had not shared with her grandfather:
The idea that there were only 108 pressure points was incorrect.
In reality, there were 361 pressure points.
Or rather...
Nen nodes.
To outsiders, it was impossible to see.
But an aura covered her body.
Kira was using Ten to prevent her chi from escaping.
Ten was not only about manipulating aura.
It also consisted of keeping her nodes open and allowing aura to flow throughout her body.
If Kira stopped using Ten, her aura would return to normal and her chi would begin leaking out of her body.
However, by using Ten, she could prevent that loss.
A master user could maintain it 24/7.
"My aura remains stable... all the exhaustion and pain in my body have disappeared."
Kira noticed this while feeling the pain in her injured hands almost completely vanish.
Her understanding of different forms of energy made her mastery of Nen far superior to that of a beginner.
As long as Kira remained still, she could maintain Ten indefinitely.
However, the problem was that while moving, her control decreased.
She then used Zetsu, and her presence gradually became weaker until it almost disappeared completely.
"Miss, it is time to leave."
Kanou arrived to take her home.
It was six in the evening.
Kira watched as Kanou, standing at the entrance, looked around searching for her.
"Kanou... it is time."
Only after she spoke was Kanou able to see her.
Kanou opened his eyes in surprise.
His mistress was standing right in front of him, yet he had been unable to see her.
Or rather, perceive her.
He did not understand what had happened.
He did not feel tired.
It seemed almost supernatural.
"Yes... it is time."
He answered, still shocked.
Kira did not try to explain anything.
She was focused on what she had learned.
In the back seat of the car, she sat cross-legged and attempted to use Ren.
Her aura increased rapidly.
Kanou, who was driving, looked at her through the rearview mirror and saw Kira with her eyes closed.
He could not perceive what was happening, but his body reacted instinctively.
Kanou gripped the steering wheel tightly.
His hands trembled.
It was fear.
He felt like he could not breathe.
But that feeling disappeared when Kira opened her eyes.
"Using Ren increases my strength far beyond my physical capacity, but my weak body cannot endure the energy load."
Kira thought while noticing the muscles in her arms beginning to tear.
She did not look at her bodyguard.
She was focused on reviewing everything she knew and everything she had discovered about Nen.
…
The young Miss Kira and her beautiful mother Nanami were traveling toward a particular city, 500 kilometers away from Tokyo.
Their destination was the provincial city of Nagoya, where the majority of the Kure Clan lived in the Kure Village.
They took a train, and it only took them an hour to reach the city.
Outside the station, a group of people was waiting to receive them.
"Big sister Nanami, I am Hollis. It has been a long time. Welcome."
A tall and muscular man spoke, displaying all the characteristics of a member of the Kure Clan.
"Hollis... sorry for the delay."
Nanami smiled upon seeing the warm welcome.
Kira, dressed in a high-quality dark kimono, had to raise her head to look at the man.
He was imposing.
"She is my daughter, Kira."
Nanami introduced her.
"She is a copy of you, Nanami."
Hollis replied with few words, showing that he was a serious person.
"Hello..."
Kira was perceptive.
Although Hollis looked intimidating, she could not sense any hostility from him.
The bodyguards accompanying them remained at the station.
The Kure Village was the safest place in Japan, and it was not a place for outsiders or criminals.
Hollis guided them on foot toward the center of the village.
Kira observed everything with curiosity.
Upon entering, it looked like a street from the ancient Sengoku period.
The village was large, but completely traditional.
The inhabitants were members of the Kure Clan and ordinary people.
Neither Nanami nor Kira felt out of place.
To the south of the village stood the main mansion of the Kure Clan, even larger than the Tokugawa Minor Mansion.
At the entrance, a sign marked "Kure Clan".
Hollis effortlessly opened the large dark oak gate.
"You have become very strong, Hollis. I remember when you were little."
Nanami commented.
"Big sister... thank you."
He replied.
"Mom, how old is Hollis?"
Kira asked.
"He is 13 years old."
Nanami answered with a smile.
Kira was surprised.
Hollis looked like a hardened adult.
At the entrance of the main hall, Kira decided to give her mother and grandfather some privacy.
She chose to explore the courtyard.
It was enormous.
She approached a pond and walked across the stone bridge that crossed it, connecting both sides.
"Who are you?! You're a thief!"
A child shouted from the opposite side.
"No... hey, wait."
Kira was surprised when she saw the child launch himself toward her.
By instinct, she created an illusion.
She made the bridge appear shifted farther to the left.
"Eh... what happened?!"
The child shouted as he fell and emerged from the pond completely soaked.
"I am not a thief. I am part of the clan. We are family."
Kira said while laughing.
"Liar... you're different."
The child shouted angrily.
"Being different doesn't mean we aren't family. Look at our irises."
Kira pointed out.
"Eh... you're right. How did you trick me, witch?"
The child responded.
"You're right. I am a witch."
Kira said while creating an illusion of herself.
"You multiplied!"
The child stepped backward.
"Kira Kure... what is your name?"
She asked.
"I am Raian, the strongest in the Kure Clan."
He said while raising his fist.
Kira looked at him with disbelief.
"Then I am the strongest, because I defeated you."
She replied.
"No... you only tricked me. Besides, the patriarch is a man."
He argued.
"Then I am the matriarch."
Kira responded.
"I don't know what that is, but I am the strongest."
Raian insisted.
"I have to go... see you later, Raian."
"Wait! If you're a witch, where is your broom?"
He asked.
"I am still young. I don't have enough money to buy one yet."
Kira replied.
Even with his limited knowledge of the world, Raian accepted the explanation.
"You're poor... wait for me. I'll get you one."
Raian said before running away.
…
In the afternoon, after the visit to the Kure Village, it was time to return home.
Erioh Kure and Hollis Kure said goodbye to their visitors.
This time, Hollis would not accompany them.
They would be picked up by their bodyguards, who had remained at the station.
"Kira... wait a moment."
Erioh asked when he noticed his granddaughter looking toward the inside of the mansion.
"I met a child, and he said he was going to give me something."
Kira answered naturally, not noticing how her grandfather's expression darkened.
"Damn it... who was the bastard who deceived my granddaughter?"
Erioh muttered, waiting for the responsible person to appear.
From inside the mansion, a blond figure ran toward them.
Erioh immediately recognized who it was.
"Raian, you are causing trouble again."
Hollis shook his head when he saw him.
"Kira is a witch, but she is poor! She doesn't have a hat or a broom. There was this in the storage."
Raian Kure proudly showed what he carried in each hand.
In his right hand, he held a pointed leather hat.
The disturbing part was that, on the front, something resembling a human face had formed.
It was a witch's hat, and Kira could not help but remember its resemblance to the talking hat from Harry Potter in her previous life.
In his other hand, he carried what was not a broom, but rather a strange needle-shaped sword, similar to Hornet's weapon from the video game Hollow Knight: Silksong, from her previous life.
"Raian, why are you sneaking into the mansion's storage?"
Erioh spoke in a firm tone.
For generations, that storage room had held the belongings of former patriarchs, although the truly valuable items were protected elsewhere.
"Thank you, Raian. It is a very good gift."
Kira accepted the objects without hesitation.
She had a good impression of that little devil.
Kira placed the dusty hat on her head and noticed that, for some reason, it fit her perfectly.
Then she took the needle, although it seemed to be nothing more than a sharp fragment of metal.
"Witches must wear a hat and carry a broom."
Raian spoke with complete conviction.
"Witch..."
Everyone thought the same thing.
Hollis was the most confused, but both the grandfather and the mother understood what he meant.
To them, it was no secret that Kira was a psychic, just like her grandmother Sabuko.
In Western terms, that could be interpreted as being a witch.
Mother and daughter began their journey back home.
…
At night, the surroundings of the forest surrounding the Tokugawa Minor Mansion felt covered in a freezing atmosphere.
An unsettling bad omen lingered in the air.
Kira Tokugawa Kure was inside the Shinsengumi headquarters, reviewing the final documents of the day.
Everything was related to the recruitment of new members.
"Miss, it is already very late. You should return to the Tokugawa Minor Mansion."
Kanou spoke after checking the time.
It was 7:30 PM.
"Finished. Let's go."
Kira placed the documents on her desk.
The two of them left the underground area, heading toward the back of the castle.
"Miss..."
Kanou stopped when he saw Kira suddenly halt.
"There are intruders... they could be assassins. They must activate the alarms."
Kira spoke quietly, sensing murderous intent directed at them.
"What? The alarm is in the watchtower at the entrance."
Kanou hesitated for a moment.
He had never imagined they would be attacked here.
The location was isolated from the city.
At first, he thought Kira was joking, but he had already witnessed her abilities.
As her personal bodyguard, he had noticed strange behaviors from her, and Kira had eventually clarified some of his doubts.
She was a psychic.
"Let's go!"
Kira ordered, starting to run toward the tower.
Kanou followed behind her, alert for any threat.
His mind evaluated possible scenarios: blades, direct attacks...
Japan did not make access to firearms easy.
Arg! Arg!
Only a few meters away from the entrance, a horrifying scream broke the silence.
It came from the guard in the tower.
Kanou could not see clearly in the darkness.
But Kira could.
She watched as the soldier grabbed his chest.
His hands became soaked with blood.
With his final strength, he managed to ring the bell.
"Attack! Attack!"
The fifty members of the Shinsengumi rushed out of their rooms, still wearing their sleeping kimonos.
"What is happening? Another drill?"
Some murmured while still half asleep.
Kira immediately understood her mistake.
She had trained their bodies, but not their mentality for real situations.
"Alert! This is not a drill. Those who have weapons, move to the front."
Kanou took command, positioning himself in front of Kira.
The soldiers reacted and formed a spearhead formation.
Those carrying swords—shinai and bokken—advanced to the front.
Those without weapons remained behind as the final line of defense.
"Miss, what do we do?"
Kanou asked without taking his eyes off the front.
Boom!
A humming sound cut through the air.
A soldier at the front was pierced by a ray of energy.
"Arg..."
He looked down at his chest.
There was a smoking hole.
The smell of burned flesh spread through the area.
Kira extended her psychic perception, searching for the enemy.
Her short height and the formation in front of her limited her vision.
But the presence...
It was there.
Only a few meters away.
"The enemy is in front!"
She shouted.
"Miss, we are being attacked! Koe has been killed! There is nobody there!"
The soldiers responded from the formation.
Invisible.
Camouflage.
Kira understood immediately.
"The enemy is armed. Advance in a zigzag pattern."
She ordered, forcing her voice to remain steady.
The soldiers obeyed, but panic had already begun spreading.
Two projectiles—like shuriken—crossed the air and cut three men in half before they could react.
Another soldier advanced, but something invisible pierced through him.
He spat blood...
And fell forward.
His body collided with something.
Something that should not have been there.
Kira moved toward the right flank, searching for an angle.
And then she saw it.
Where there had been nothing...
Blood revealed an outline.
A face.
Not human.
Distorted.
Present.
The enemy...
Was right in front of them.
"A Predator! That can't be possible."
Kira, even unable to believe what she was seeing, knew she had to act or all her people would die.
"Miss, do not expose yourself."
Kanou grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her back toward the formation.
"We are facing an enemy beyond your imagination. I must act, or everyone will die."
Kira pulled herself free with a quick motion.
At that moment, the Predator deactivated its camouflage.
Everyone present stepped backward upon seeing it.
It was an instinctive reaction.
They were facing a monster.
Its face remained hidden behind its biomask, and because of that, the soldiers managed to avoid completely breaking formation.
"It really is a Predator... damn it."
Kira cursed internally as she noticed the creature focusing its attention on her.
The plasma cannon mounted on its shoulder aimed directly at her chest.
The infrared targeting system stabilized.
Boom! Boom!
Kira reacted instinctively.
She rolled over herself, moving away from the formation.
In the same motion, she pushed Kanou out of the line of fire, preventing the plasma from hitting him.
Retractable blades emerged from the Predator's wrist gauntlets.
Its intention was clear.
Close combat.
"Here it comes."
The soldiers retreated, aware that the creature before them was far beyond them.
The demonstration of the plasma cannon had been enough.
Fear shattered their determination.
"I don't want to die! I'm leaving!"
One of them shouted and, in a desperate attempt, ran toward the interior of the castle.
Boom! Boom!
The Predator did not allow it.
A precise shot instantly vaporized his head.
"I have to kill it."
Kira declared with determination, moving in an arc to position herself behind it.
The Predator shifted its focus toward her and charged with its blades extended.
"Come..."
Kira took advantage of the moment.
She brought her index fingers to her temples, activating her magic.
A magic circle appeared in front of her.
BOOM!
A wave of fire emerged like a flamethrower, striking the enemy directly.
But it did not stop.
The Predator jumped through the flames, ignoring the attack.
Its retractable blade descended toward Kira's neck.
Without losing her composure, she used her telekinesis.
The blade stopped in midair, only a few centimeters from her skin.
"..."
The Predator looked at its own arm, surprised by the invisible force holding it back.
"Now..."
Kira moved forward.
She used the martial arts she had learned.
Her right hand became a spear.
Her body was wrapped in Ren.
Despite her fragile appearance, her attack pierced through the Predator's chest.
Her fingers penetrated the flesh until they reached the heart.
Blood began flowing, sliding down her forearm.
"Miss... are you alright?"
Kanou approached cautiously, watching the monster suspended in the air while his mistress pierced through it.
The members of the Shinsengumi stood frozen.
Before them, Kira and the creature floated in a scene that seemed almost unreal.
"It died... but something is wrong."
Kira spoke while releasing her telekinesis.
Beep... beep... beep!
A sharp sound emerged from the Predator's wrist device.
Kira recognized it immediately.
Danger.
"Run... it's a bomb!"
She shouted.
Chaos erupted.
Everyone ran in opposite directions, thinking only about survival.
Kira acted without hesitation.
She opened her mouth and extracted the needle sword Raian Kure had given her.
With a clean cut, she separated the hand carrying the wrist device.
In front of Kanou, she leaned over the corpse, took the other hand...
And devoured the Predator's body.
She stored the sword.
She ran.
Only Kanou remained by her side.
The others fled toward the interior of the castle, believing it would only be a minor explosion.
Kira knew the truth.
The explosion would be devastating.
Kanou followed her, whether out of instinct or loyalty.
At that moment, Kira only thought about surviving.
She activated Ren.
Her body exploded with strength.
She grabbed Kanou and began dragging him with her at incredible speed.
"Miss!"
Kanou barely reacted to the sudden pull.
BOOOOM!
The explosion occurred.
Kira felt the energy expand behind her, reaching them.
With the last remains of her control, she used telekinesis to propel herself through the air.
It gave them distance.
But it was not enough.
The shockwave reached them.
Her body crashed violently against the ground.
Kanou was separated from her as his clothes tore apart from the force of the impact.
Kira felt her right arm being destroyed by the blast.
"Arg... damn it..."
Pain spread throughout her entire body.
Her left leg was also damaged.
She rolled uncontrollably through the forest, striking the ground, roots, and stones...
Until finally, she stopped after crashing into a tree.
She lay motionless on the ground.
Unconscious.
Around her, one of the trees weakened by the explosion gave way.
The trunk slowly fell...
And its shadow completely covered Kira's body.