ShadowSword

The grand wooden doors creaked open, and Sumiyoshi stepped into the meeting hall of the Divine Fang Order. Sunlight pierced through the tall stained-glass windows, painting vibrant colors across the long marble table surrounded by warriors — the finest weapon bearers alive.

Every head turned.

For a moment, silence.

Eyes scanned him — not in awe, but disbelief.

"That's him?"

A few whispers passed quietly.

"The one who took forty days and still didn't get chosen by his weapon until the last moment?"

Sumiyoshi kept his head low. Embarrassment burned beneath his skin. He spotted Akito, who sat near the back, waving with his usual cheeky grin.

Sumiyoshi clenched his jaw and strode quickly forward, taking a seat beside his elder brother. His brother greeted him with a subtle nod — firm, yet proud.

They exchanged whispers.

"Did you really fall unconscious mid-training again?" his brother teased under his breath.

Sumiyoshi gave a tired smile. "Don't ask."

Before they could say more, the deep wooden doors shut behind them, and footsteps echoed across the polished floor.

The atmosphere shifted.

A tall man with a commanding presence walked to the center of the room — silver hair tied back, a sharp jaw, and eyes that held entire wars within them. This was Kuroda Renji, the legendary former warrior, now mentor and supreme strategist of the Divine Fang Order, who once fought along with his father.

Renji's sons followed closely behind — Kuroda Taiken, the first son with stern eyes and broad shoulders, and Kuroda Isao, the younger with a more relaxed, confident demeanor.

Behind them, the last to enter was Captain Rikuya — calm, aged like steel in winter, and the one everyone listened to without question.

Renji raised a hand.

"Warriors of the Divine Fang Order," he began, his voice deep and steady, "the time has come. The Spirit grows stronger with every passing moon. We cannot wait any longer. It is time to divide… and conquer."

A murmur passed through the room.

"You sixteen — including myself, Mr. Tamahiko, and my two sons — will now be separated into three teams. These teams have been decided based on your skills, strengths, and temperaments. You may not like where you're placed… but trust that these decisions were not made lightly."

Renji turned to the large scroll before him, unraveling it onto the table.

"Team A," he declared, "will be led by my second son, Kuroda Isao. You will remain in the village as the strongest defense force. Should the Spirit attack prematurely, you will protect everyone with your lives."

He listed the names.

"Shintaro, Raika, Fujin…"

Each of them tall, well-built, with sharp expressions — clearly the top-tier warriors.

Sumiyoshi noticed Akito lean forward curiously, his eyes narrowing with mild disappointment.

"Team B," Renji continued, "will be led by my first son, Kuroda Taiken. Your task: locate the Lost Tome of Binding, the only known document that contains every detail about the Spirit's origin, its weaknesses, and its anchor to this realm."

He listed the names again.

As they were called out, a confident boy in Team B smirked, glanced over his shoulder at Sumiyoshi, and whispered just loud enough for others to hear:

"Better us than that 40-day rookie, right?"

A few chuckles echoed.

Sumiyoshi looked down, pretending not to notice.

"And finally…" Renji's voice dropped lower. "Team C."

Sumiyoshi raised his head.

"You four will face the Spirit's weakest known form . Your job is to strike first, strike fast, and survive."

Murmurs turned to alarmed whispers. Even Akito stiffened.

Renji didn't pause.

"Team C will be led by Captain Rikuya. Members: Sumiyoshi, Akito, Yuzuki, and Rikuto ."

The hall fell silent.

Sumiyoshi blinked.

Lead by the Captain?

He turned to his side and saw Akito looking equally stunned.

A girl with dark hair — Yuzuki — was visibly trembling. The other boy, Rikuto, exhaled sharply, muttering under his breath, "We're doomed."

Sumiyoshi's stomach turned, but Captain Rikuya remained unshaken.

"Do not underestimate this team," Renji said with a pointed tone, silencing all murmurs. "You laugh at the boy who took forty days… but remember — we all are one force just divided into teams and you should motivate them rather than lauguing and discouraging them.

Sumiyoshi's head lifted. Even he hadn't thought of it that way.

Renji's eyes locked with his for a split second.

"I expect more than courage from you, Sumiyoshi. I expect leadership."

Sumiyoshi swallowed hard.

Renji moved on. "Each team will have ten days of preparation. After that — Team C departs first to confront the Spirit's form. Then Team B departs to seek the Tome. Team A remains in reserve. No exceptions."

He stepped away from the center.

"I won't lie — this war has taken more from us than we can say. But if the Spirit Master is still out there, feeding blood to keep the Spirit alive... we cannot delay any longer."

He looked around the room.

"This time… we do not fail. This time… we fight back. For the people we've lost. For the villages destroyed. For the last chance we have."

A moment of silence followed.

Captain Rikuya stepped forward and finally spoke. "Team C — we begin training tomorrow at dawn. No excuses. You've been chosen not because you're the strongest, but because you're the right ones. Earn it."

Sumiyoshi could barely feel his legs as the room began to disperse.

As they walked out, the boy from Team B passed by him again and smirked. "Good luck out there, forty-days. Don't die too fast."

Sumiyoshi didn't reply.

He only looked toward Akito — who placed a hand on his shoulder and said with an uncharacteristically serious face, "We'll win. And then I'll be the one waving from behind when you walk back victorious."

Sumiyoshi smiled faintly.

The fire was returning to his chest.

It had begun.