"Dammit!" Reika's breath came out in shallow gasps. Blood dripped from the wound on her head, painting her vision red as she stood in front of the holographic kageshiki, its katana gleaming with her blood. The pain was almost overwhelming, but she couldn't stop. Not now. Not after everything she'd endured.
Am I supposed to die like this?
The words sliced through her mind like a blade, sharp and unforgiving. No one cares about you, Reika. You're nothing. Not even your appearance can save you from us. Your mind will always be ours. Always.
The hologram's voice was cold, mocking. Reika could hear the echoes of her parents in the background—their suffocating, controlling voices—repeating the same hateful words they'd whispered in her ear for as long as she could remember. You're weak. You're nothing but a failure.
She had been raised in their shadows, shaped by their twisted love—if you could call it that. Abused. Beaten. Trapped in an endless cycle of emotional torment. And now, here she was, facing her worst nightmare.
But she couldn't let it break her.
Her parents had made her fear everything. They had conditioned her to be afraid of the world, to believe she was nothing more than an object to be molded. But now, in this moment, something inside her snapped. The fear that had ruled her life—it was gone.
Reika's grip tightened around her katana. Blood dripped from the wound on her head, staining her clothes. I won't die like this. Not today. Not ever.
She surged forward, her movements fluid and precise. She feigned an attack toward the kageshiki's head, the blade swiping through the air with a speed that should've been enough to strike. The hologram vanished instantly, just as she predicted. It wasn't enough. She had to be smarter.
Her katana struck its leg instead. The hologram staggered back, glitching, and she felt a surge of energy course through her body. Her badge pulsed with power. The strength is returning. Her injury healed in an instant, the blood stopping as if it had never existed.
The clang of swords filled the air.
Reika's body was sore, her muscles burning, but she didn't stop. The hologram's blade came down in a vicious arc, and she blocked it just in time, sparks flying as steel met steel.
She danced around the hologram's attacks, each movement a desperate calculation as she fought to stay one step ahead.
It disappeared again, vanishing into thin air. Reika's eyes narrowed. It's not just dodging. It's anticipating.
She studied the pattern. The kageshiki vanished the moment it understood where the next attack was coming from. It would avoid the head. The legs were its weak point.
She shifted her stance, positioning herself to strike at the hologram's legs again. Then, in one fluid motion, she altered her movement, slashing upward with all her might toward the head.
The blow landed.
The red light flashed as the hologram disintegrated, its form vanishing in a burst of sparks.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Then a voice rang out, cold and indifferent. "Congratulations, Reika. You've passed the test."
Reika's heart hammered in her chest. She had won. But even in victory, there was no satisfaction. Her body was exhausted, her leg bleeding again, but she couldn't stop now. She needed more. She had to prove herself. She would never be a failure again.
The iron walls around her creaked open, revealing the same dark, dimly lit hall she had entered earlier. The bodies of previous trainees lay scattered across the floor like discarded dolls. It was a chilling reminder of what awaited those who failed.
But she wasn't one of them. Not anymore.
As she walked through the door, her gaze landed on two figures: Ishigo and Daigo. They were alive. The relief flooded her chest, but it was short-lived.
Ishigo ran toward her, his eyes scanning her bloodied form. "Are you okay, Reika?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he noticed the blood pouring from her leg.
"My leg's fine," she said, her tone eerily calm, betraying none of the storm brewing inside her. "It's nothing. I'll take some treatment."
Her words were like ice. She couldn't show weakness, not now.
Daigo appeared behind Ishigo, grinning. "Finally, the test's over!" His voice was a little too casual for the horror they'd just witnessed.
"Yeah, but that was just the pre-test,"Reika said, her voice flat. "The real test begins now."
"The pre-test and the real test are the same?" Daigo laughed. "You're insane."
Reika didn't respond. She was already lost in thought, her fists clenched at her sides. This isn't over. Not even close. The fight has just begun.
Souta and Koharu were watching from the observation deck. Reika could feel their eyes on her, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
"She's cute, but damn, her fighting style? Insane," Koharu remarked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Yeah, but her personality?"Souta replied, raising an eyebrow. "Not so cute."
"Really? How?"Koharu asked, amused.
"Cold. Ruthless. A little angry, maybe." Souta's voice was almost admiring.
"I'll be happy if she becomes my student," he added with a smirk.
Koharu chuckled. "She's not yours yet."
Souta only smirked, his confidence unwavering. "She will be."
"Huh? How do you know that?" Hedeaki asked, raising an eyebrow.
Souta just smiled, his eyes glinting with something dangerous. "I know."
Reika couldn't hear their conversation anymore. She was too lost in her own mind. I can't afford to be weak anymore. She had made it this far, but the road ahead would only get harder. Her fists clenched tighter, and her heart beat louder. She wasn't just fighting for survival now. She was fighting for herself—for the person she wanted to become.
This battle wasn't over. And Reika would never stop fighting until she had proven her worth.