The hall was stifling, drenched in sweat and tension. Steel walls closed in on the group of trainees, their footsteps echoing off the metallic floor. The faint hum of fluorescent lights flickered above them, casting ghostly shadows in the corners of the room. Reika stood at the front, her arms crossed, eyes sharp and calculating. A single thought was pounding in her mind, clearer than anything else.
Survive.
The other trainees fidgeted around her, their bodies twitching with nervous energy. Some tried to mask their anxiety with cocky grins or offhand comments.
"Tch. When's this endless training gonna end?" Daigo muttered, his voice dripping with annoyance.
Reika didn't respond, her gaze fixed forward. She could feel Daigo's restlessness. His body, though relaxed on the surface, was coiled like a spring, every muscle tight and ready to snap. His raven-black hair fell messily over his forehead, but there was no hiding the fox-like glint in his eyes. He was always quick to act—reckless, but never weak.
"It's only been six days," Ishigo scoffed from beside him, rolling his eyes. "Today's the last session."
"So what?" Daigo cracked his knuckles, lips curling into a grin. "I want a real mission. Actual Kageshiki to kill. Not some weaklings in a level test."
Reika's gaze remained unchanged, but her mind raced. A real mission. That was what they all wanted. But before that, they had to survive the test. And Daigo—he was so focused on the end result, he didn't see the danger in the here and now.
She glanced over at Ishigo, who shrugged. "Real mission, huh? We all gotta get through today first. And then, maybe we'll get that chance."
Reika's voice cut through their chatter, cold and precise. "But if you can't even pass this, how do you expect to become a Kageshiki?"
Daigo's eyes flicked toward her, the amusement in them barely hiding the growing irritation. "Tch. Icy as ever."
Reika didn't flinch. "It's not underestimation." Her tone was flat. "Overconfidence will kill you before the enemy does."
Daigo grinned. "My confidence is beyond overconfidence."
"Huh?"
"It's called mega-confidence," he said with a smirk.
Reika raised a brow. Idiot. But a strong idiot. It was hard to argue with his confidence. The guy had natural talent, but strength alone wasn't enough in their world. She clenched her fists, her resolve hardening.
Before she could say more, a loud, irritated yell broke through her thoughts. "Get this damn arm off me! I can't breathe, you idiot!"
It was Ishigo. Daigo howled with laughter in response. "HAHA! You look hilarious!"
"You bastard—!" Ishigo's voice was filled with frustration.
Reika narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into the faintest of smirks. "I'm not enjoying it. Just wondering what kind of crazy friends I've got."
The tension in the room shifted, but it wasn't the moment for distractions. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself.
This is it. The last day. The pre-test.
A trainer stepped forward, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "Kageshiki trainees, stand in line."
The room fell silent. All eyes turned toward the trainer.
"This is the final training session of Day Seven. Those who survive will be selected for the test." His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. He wasn't here to comfort them.
A pause.
"Today's training will unlock your senses, sharpen your reflexes, and enhance your combat instincts. This is the Pre-Test Examination—a simulation of all six days of training combined into one deadly challenge."
Reika felt the air thicken. The weight of those words hung heavy, pressing down on her chest.
"The strong will pass." The trainer's tone darkened. "The weak will die."
Reika exhaled slowly. Death. It was nothing new. She'd seen it before—felt it creeping up her back in the quiet moments of her training. She wasn't afraid of it. She wouldn't be.
But the reality of the words still hit hard.
Daigo broke the silence, grinning. "Bro, today's gonna be fun!"
Ishigo snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Nothing like getting close to death for some real fun."
"Don't worry, your bro's got your back!" Daigo called out, winking.
Reika didn't respond. She was already scanning the room, her mind going over every detail, every escape route, every tactic she might need. The pre-test wasn't just about strength—it was about survival. And survival was what mattered.
A trainee pointed ahead. "That's where the pre-test starts."
Reika's eyes narrowed at the massive iron gate that loomed ahead. It was imposing, ominous, and she could feel the heat of it in the pit of her stomach.
The trainer smirked. "Inside, you'll face holographic Kageshiki. Enhanced speed, invisibility, lethal combat instincts."
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Some of the trainees looked more excited than worried, but Reika knew better. She knew that they were in for far more than a simple simulation.
"They're as strong as real ones. But they have a weakness."
The trainer paused dramatically.
A smirk curled up the corner of his mouth. "A single red wire on their neck. Cut it, and they die."
Reika's heart rate picked up. This wasn't just about defeating an opponent. It was about finding the smallest of weaknesses and exploiting it. If they failed to do that, they'd be dead.
The gates groaned open, revealing a vast battlefield that stretched into an endless darkness beyond. Reika's eyes flicked across the field, calculating the distance, the obstacles, the layout. She wasn't going to get caught off guard.
The other trainees moved forward, their nerves momentarily forgotten in the face of what was to come.
Then—
SLAM!
The sound of an iron wall crashing shut echoed through the air, and Reika froze.
She spun around to see the gates had slammed shut behind her.
"What the hell?!" Daigo's voice echoed through the air.
"Ishigo?! Bro?!" There was panic in his voice now.
No response.
Reika's pulse quickened. A separation tactic. They were all being isolated, left to face their challenges alone.
She scanned the area—1000 square meters of empty, darkened space.
Then, a voice echoed through the walls, cold and mechanical.
"Kageshiki trainee. Your opponent will appear shortly."
Reika's katana materialized in midair with a hum, and she gripped it tightly.
She wasn't alone.
A dark figure emerged from the shadows. It was humanoid, cloaked in swirling blackness, its form almost ghost-like. Its face was featureless—except for two glowing crimson slits where eyes should be.
Her muscles tensed.
Then—
It spoke, and the sound of its voice sent a chill through her.
"You're not ready, Reika."
Her blood ran cold. What…?
Before she could react, the Kageshiki vanished.
SHING!
A blade sliced through the air toward her from behind.
Reika's instincts kicked in. She flipped away, narrowly avoiding the slash, the blade grazing the edge of her shoulder. Too fast.
She barely blocked the next strike with her katana, the impact rattling her bones.
"Tch—!" She hissed, her grip tightening.
The Kageshiki disappeared again, its movements so fluid, so quick, she could barely keep up.
Another sharp sting—
Blood.
Her arm. It burned.
Reika exhaled slowly. Fear was useless. Doubt was useless. She wasn't a child anymore.
I won't die here.
She shifted her stance. Her senses flared, sharpening with every second. She was learning. Adapting.
The Kageshiki always vanished after attacking. It had a pattern. A second after it struck, it reset, preparing for the next move.
Reika adjusted her grip on her katana. This time, she wouldn't hesitate.
The Kageshiki lunged forward with blinding speed.
But this time, Reika didn't dodge. She moved into it.
The blade whistled through the air.
At the last second, she dropped, spinning her katana upward.
SLASH!
The blade met its mark with precision, slicing cleanly through the Kageshiki's neck. The red wire was severed.
The Kageshiki's crimson eyes flickered. Then, with a soft thud, it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Silence.
Reika exhaled, her chest heaving with exhaustion. Her muscles burned. Blood dripped from her arm, but she didn't have time to rest.
One more mistake, and I'm dead.
She wiped the blood from her arm, steadying her breath.
A low growl rumbled through the air.
Reika tensed. The darkness around her shifted.
Two more figures emerged from the shadows, their forms looming larger than before.
Reika gripped her katana tighter, her heart pounding, but her focus never wavered.
Let them come.
The real battle was just beginning.