"So when are we doing this?" I asked, trying to sound casual, even as my stomach turned to lead.
"Now," Mado replied simply.
Oh great, I thought to myself. I get to fight a fully trained investigator. How fun. How interesting.
We started walking toward the gymnasium. The halls were quiet, our footsteps echoing against the polished floor. Mado, ever the unsettling one, decided now was the perfect time for small talk.
"So, Urie-kun," he said, glancing sideways at me with that same unreadable smile, "what do you like to do in your downtime?"
I blinked. Was this some kind of tactic? A psychological profile while we walked?
"Uh… exercising, I guess," I said, keeping it honest. "I also like going to bakeries and cafés. Besides that, I've tried to start reading, but… I can't really focus."
"Haha, interesting, interesting," Mado mused, as though he were jotting notes down in his head. "A physically disciplined sweet tooth with a poor attention span. Fascinating."
I gave him a side glance but said nothing. If he was trying to throw me off, it wasn't working. At least, not yet.
We turned a corner, and the double doors to the gym came into view.
"Anyway," Mado said, his tone chipper, "we're here now. So why don't you two get suited up?"
Amon was already ahead, quiet and focused, stretching out his arms with methodical movements like a soldier preparing for war.
Me? I was already sweating.
Not from fear.
But because my instincts were screaming.
This wasn't just a spar.
This was a test—and not one I could afford to fail.
[CCG Academy Gymnasium – Sparring Ring]
The gym felt more like a battlefield now—silent, tense. Amon and I faced off in the center, the world narrowing down to just us, the floor beneath us, and the quiet hum of the lights above.
His gaze never wavered, calm and calculating. He was a veteran in every sense of the word. I was just a student, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.
"Ready?" Amon's voice was as steady as the rest of him.
I nodded, trying to calm my nerves.
Mado raised his hand. "Begin!"
Amon didn't hesitate. He moved immediately, testing my reaction with a series of quick strikes. He came at me with a slash aimed at my midsection, fast—too fast to block outright.
But I didn't need to block. Not with Total Concentration Breathing.
I inhaled deeply, drawing in air as my senses sharpened. The world slowed down, each movement feeling like it was in slow motion. I could hear Amon's breath, the shift of his muscles, the subtle shift in his weight. I could feel every inch of the gym, every flicker of movement.
I sidestepped his first strike, feeling the blade pass inches from my skin, and my shinai met his with a resounding crack.
"Not bad," Amon said, his eyes narrowing.
I didn't respond. I was already moving again, my body flowing, faster than it had been before. My footwork was like water, and every strike had a rhythm.
We traded blows for a while—Amon pushing forward, testing my defenses. Each clash of shinai sent shockwaves up my arms, but with each breath, I pushed past the pain.
His attacks were sharp, precise. But I was faster.
He lunged again, aiming to disarm me. I could feel the force behind it, and for a split second, I let him get close. The air between us felt heavy.
And then I exhaled, releasing everything into the motion. My body surged with energy as I engaged the first form of Sun Breathing.
Clear Blue Sky.
I shot forward in a flash, so fast it felt like I was a blur. The room was spinning, and I moved with a level of speed and precision I hadn't shown before. Amon's eyes widened just a fraction—enough to know that something had shifted.
My shinai met his with blinding speed, slashing across his chest in a perfect arc. I followed up with a strike to his side, and before he could react, a third strike came down at his shoulder, faster than his ability to block.
He tried to pivot, but I was already behind him. The move was fluid—unstoppable. My body moved like the wind itself, guided by instinct and power.
I had him.
Amon staggered back, gasping for breath as he tried to regain his composure. His sword fell slightly, not in defeat, but in acknowledgment of the power I had just unleashed.
He didn't know what hit him.
But I did.
I tapped the tip of my shinai to his neck, signaling the end of the spar.
Tap.
"Enough!" Mado's voice rang out, cutting through the tension. The room felt impossibly quiet after the intensity of the battle.
Amon stood still, his chest rising and falling as he processed what had just happened. He looked at me, not with frustration or anger, but with a rare flicker of respect.
"You're stronger than I thought," Amon said, stepping back, his weapon still held loosely in his hand.
I was breathing heavily, but it wasn't from fatigue. It was the adrenaline, the rush of being pushed to my limit—and then breaking through it.
Mado stepped forward, a sharp look in his eyes. "That was something else, Urie. That footwork… that speed. I wasn't expecting you to pull that out."
I lowered my shinai and stepped back, trying to steady my breath. My head was still buzzing from the fight.
Mado chuckled under his breath, his voice turning cold and calculating. "Congratulations, Kuki Urie. You've just made yourself known. You're officially ahead of the curve."
"Well, what next?" I asked, still trying to process everything that had just happened. The sparring match, the instructor's approval—it all felt like a blur.
Iba, the instructor who had been watching the sparring session closely, finally spoke up. "We put you in the field," he said matter-of-factly, his gaze steady. "From what I've seen today, it's clear you've got the potential to be a Special Class Investigator. No doubt in my mind."
Special Class? The words sent a ripple of excitement through me. I hadn't expected to be recognized so quickly. After all, I was just starting out, just a rookie.
"You'll be instated under Kureo Mado as a Rank 3 Investigator," Iba continued, his voice carrying an edge of finality.
Before I could respond, Kureo Mado chimed in. "Amon's almost ready for his promotion to Rank 1, so my attention won't be spread too thin between you. I'll make sure you get everything you need to succeed," he said, grinning maniacally—the kind of grin that made you feel both fear and excitement in equal measure.
"I'll teach you everything you need to know about being an investigator," Kureo said, his voice dripping with confidence and a dark amusement. "You can bet on that. I'm not one for half-measures, and you'll be seeing what it takes to truly survive in this world."
The weight of the moment settled over me. Here I was, on the brink of being thrown into the field, under the guidance of one of the most feared investigators in the CCG. Mado was intense, and the job he'd just assigned me was going to be brutal, but it was exactly what I needed in order to survive.