Ashes of the Black Blade

he courtyard was alive with tension.

All twenty students stood in a circle, forming a ring around the centre. The older ones leaned on staffs, some crossed arms, others whispering with smug grins.

At the centre stood Rai and Kaen — the two youngest boys in the dojo, barely past toddlerhood, bruised and exhausted but standing tall.

Across from them, two older students stepped forward — both 15, built from three years of training, confident and sharp-eyed.

"You ready to crawl back to nap time?" one of them smirked.

Kaen rolled his neck.

"Only if you want us to carry you."

Rai didn't speak.But his eyes… were already beginning to shift.

 The Spark Awakens

The Master stood on the deck, arms folded.

"This is not a fight to win.It is a test to see how far you've come. Begin."

The match exploded into motion.

The older students came fast — confident, clean strikes. Rai barely dodged the first swing.

But Kaen moved first — blocking with his staff, sweeping low.Rai spun around behind him, not thinking, just moving.

Their movements flowed.

Not perfect. Not sharp.But together.

And then… Rai's eyes changed.

His normal pitch-black irises pulsed with a faint glow — a dark purple shimmer, deep and unreadable. His footwork sharpened. His grip steadied. It was like his body was beginning to remember something it had never been taught.

Kaen noticed.And grinned.

"You feel that too?"

Rai nodded once.

For the next thirty seconds — they moved like a single creature.

Kaen blocked high — Rai swept low.Kaen ducked — Rai countered.They turned, spun, leapt.

Even the older students stumbled, confused by their unpredictable rhythm.

It wasn't skill.It wasn't power.

It was sync.Two souls burning in the same beat.

 But They Lost

One of the older students feinted — caught Rai with a shoulder. He hit the ground hard, breath knocked out.

Kaen held on a little longer — but a heavy strike knocked his staff aside, and a second took him to the dirt.

The match ended.

They lost.

But the courtyard was silent.

Everyone stared.

No one had expected a dance.

 The Master Speaks

The Master slowly stepped down into the circle.

He looked at the older students.

"You won with strength."

He turned to Kaen and Rai.

"But they… fought with unity."

A pause.

"I am… impressed."

That one word — "impressed" — fell over the courtyard like thunder.

And then, for the first time, the students clapped.

Not mocking. Not slow.Real, respectful applause.

 Rai's First Reaction

Rai stood frozen.

He didn't understand what was happening.He wasn't used to this sound.This feeling.

Praise.

He blinked hard. His cheeks went warm. His hands curled into his sleeves.

And without a word — he turned and ran.

Straight across the courtyard, past Kaen, past the other students…

Right behind the young man who had saved him all those days ago.

 Finally… a Name

The young man caught him with one arm, steady as always. Rai gripped the fabric of his robe and hid behind him like a shadow.

The young man smiled gently and said:

"Still not used to being seen, huh?"

Rai nodded into his chest.

Kaen laughed from across the courtyard.

"He's shy when he's not fighting!"

The young man patted Rai's head, then looked toward the Master.

"You never asked my name," he said.

The Master raised an eyebrow.

"I knew it when I saw you fight."

The young man smiled softly.

"Still… I'll say it for him."

"My name is Jin Shōra."

He looked down at Rai, still hiding behind him.

"And I've got your back, little brother. Always."