All that bloodlust... I can sense it. It's thick in the air like smoke.
"Rei, do you know where it's coming from?"
Rei shook his head. "I don't, but I can try to pinpoint the location."
Far away, hidden in a clearing just off the academy grounds...
"Why should I spare your life? If you're weak, you die."
The girl from earlier stood trembling. "I can get strong. I know I can."
The attacker laughed, cold and merciless. "That's what they all say. But in the end, they all fall. Weaklings have no place in this world. We only need the strong."
Back to me—Ryju.
"That bloodlust... it's over there!"
"Let's go!" Rei snapped.
"Can I stay, please?" Kenshiro muttered.
"ALL: NO!!"
We rushed toward the source.
"Alright, let's make this quick. Just die."
"No! Somebody help me!"
"One Sword Style: 50 Consecutive Slashes."
I leapt into the scene. "STOP RIGHT THERE! Don't you dare hurt her!"
The girl blinked. "It's you... redhead."
The attacker sneered. "So you brought friends. But why save the weak?"
"That's why. I hate when strong people pick on the weak."
Rei: "Enough talking. Let's beat him."
Goro: "Yeah, this guy talks too much."
Kuroyami: "We can stop him together."
Kenshiro: "Still too much work... can I go?"
"ALL: NO!"
"Six of you, huh? Guess I'll just have to take you out one by one. Starting with you."
Kuroyami: "Me?!"
Rei: "Where did he go?!"
"Behind you."
Kuroyami: "Huh?! So fast!"
"50 Consecutive Slashes!"
Kuroyami screamed. "AHHH!"
"Kuroyami! Are you okay?!"
Rei: "You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Rei charged.
"Charging in like that? That'll get you killed. 75 Consecutive Slashes."
Rei hit the ground. Hard.
"Noo! Rei!"
"Who's next? Green hair..."
"Shun, move!"
Shun: "Huh?"
"Too slow. 75 Consecutive Slashes."
Shun collapsed. "This pain... it hurts so much. I'm gonna die... no doubt."
"Three down. Three more to go."
Kenshiro stepped forward. "Fine. I'm done holding back."
"Oh? You finally decided to stop being lazy?"
Kenshiro vanished, reappearing with a fist to the attacker's face.
"Can't dodge... so fast!"
Kenshiro: "How's that punch?"
"Not bad."
Kenshiro: "Round two."
They charged.
"100 Consecutive Slashes!"
Kenshiro: "Goro!"
Goro: "Got you from above!"
"Double teaming? That's not fair... but it won't matter."
Kenshiro: "Watch out!"
Goro: "Too fast! I can't dodge!"
I kicked Goro away, barely saving him.
"Three on one? Unfair. But fine."
Kuroyami: "Let's try a team attack."
Rei: "We haven't unlocked our powers yet."
Kenshiro: "We can still use our Spiritual Force Coating."
Narrator: Spiritual Force is the raw energy every living person is born with. It increases strength and speed. If someone is born without it—a one-in-a-billion chance—they die just by being near it.
"Now!"
Goro: "I'm going above!"
Kenshiro: "I'm going behind!"
"They're trying to trap me. Clever... but pointless."
"Spiritual Punch!"
"Spiritual Kick!"
"Spiritual Punch!"
"Got him!"
"Wait... he put his sword in the ground?!"
Kenshiro: "The slashes are coming up! MOVE!"
Too late.
"250 Consecutive Slashes!"
Goro: "He's... trapping me!"
"One Sword Style: Death Slash!"
Goro: "All-Around Spiritual Shield!"
He hit the ground hard... but lived.
"Who is this guy...?"
Kenshiro: "Too much work..."
Goro: "I thought we had him..."
"Teamwork, huh? 500 Consecutive Slashes."
Kenshiro: "Ryju!!"
Kenshiro shoved me out of the way.
"GRUH!"
He spit out blood.
"Why did I become a ninja...? I could be home playing games... Thanks, mom. I hate this."
"Why, Kenshiro...?"
Goro: "I'll kill you!"
"How sweet... but charging in angry? That's how you die. 200 Consecutive Slashes."
"Goro, NO!"
Too late.
Goro: "You're dead meat!"
A blur. Goro froze. "When... when did he slash me?!"
"Five down. One to go."
Me.
"You killed all my friends... I know I'm weak... I want to kill you but I can't. I'm going to die..."
"Let me end your misery. 1000 Consecutive Slashes."
But before the blades struck—
Spiritual King (announcement): "Time's up! Everyone return to the academy!"
The boy sneered. "You're lucky. I'll finish this next time."
He vanished into the shadows.
I ran to my friends. They were barely breathing.
"I need help! I can still save them!"
At the Academy Hospital
Nurse: "Five critical injuries... all from your team. We need surgery, now."
Later...
Spiritual King: "Bad injuries. What happened?"
I told him everything.
Spiritual King: "Then you must get stronger. Protect your team."
"I will. I'll get revenge. I swear."
Nurse: "Surgeries complete. They survived. Somehow... must be divine."
"They're alive?! That's great!"