Chapter 10: Blood and Will
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Scene 1: The Battle That Shook the Academy
Aizen stood before the Ashen Forbidden One, his body battered with wounds, his breathing heavy—but he did not falter. Behind him, Ryoma lay unconscious. He had to protect him at all costs.
The battlefield was a forest twisted into chaos—trees split, ground scorched, shadows shifting unnaturally. Aizen clenched his fists, his eyes locked onto the monstrous figure before him.
The Ashen let out a guttural growl, its glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness. It was not like any opponent Aizen had faced before. Its speed was inhuman, its movements erratic, like a beast driven purely by instinct.
> "Tsk..." Aizen spat blood onto the ground.
"This thing is fast. Too fast."
The Ashen vanished, reappearing behind him in an instant.
"Shadow Rend!"
A black blade of energy tore through the air toward Aizen. He barely dodged, feeling the heat of the attack searing the edge of his jacket.
> "Damn it… this isn't just a mindless monster."
The Ashen melted into the surrounding darkness, shifting its form like a living shadow.
"Dark Steps."
> "What the hell—?! It's teleporting?"
Aizen struggled to track its movements. It wasn't teleportation—it was bending the very shadows around it.
But he wasn't going to let himself stay on the defensive.
> "If you're using darkness…"
His fist ignited—black flames erupting like a storm.
> "Then I'll burn it."
"Black Inferno Fist!"
He lunged forward, his punch generating a wave of searing black fire that swallowed the Ashen whole.
But then—
The creature didn't retreat.
It howled, its voice twisting into an eerie resonance.
"Night Scream!!"
A sonic shockwave blasted outward. Aizen's skull throbbed with unbearable pain, his ears ringing violently.
And in that instant—
The Ashen struck.
Its claws ripped forward, aiming straight for Aizen's chest.
But even through the agony, Aizen's instincts kicked in.
"Storm Dash!"
His body disappeared in a burst of speed.
And reappeared behind the Ashen.
> "I've had enough of you."
His hand reached for his blade. A dark aura surged around it, raw power condensing into a single point.
> "End of the line."
"Exploding Blade!"
The slash erupted in a fiery detonation, obliterating the Ashen in a maelstrom of flames and shadow. The shockwave leveled the surrounding forest, leaving behind only smoldering embers.
Aizen stood amid the devastation, panting. The Ashen's body crumbled into dust, its form disintegrating into nothingness.
> "Tsk… annoying bastard."
But before he could catch his breath—
A presence stirred in the darkness.
Aizen's gaze snapped toward the treeline.
There, standing at the edge of the battlefield—
A man watched in silence.
His eyes gleamed coldly, as if analyzing everything.
And Aizen realized—
> "We were being watched."
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Scene 2: The Terrifying Truth
As the Ashen's body collapsed, its form began to change.
The black corruption receded, revealing something underneath.
Not a monster.
A human.
A student—like them.
The boy's face was contorted in pain, his voice hoarse but unmistakably human.
> "H... help me…"
Silence fell over the battlefield.
The realization hit like a hammer—
These Ashen… they weren't just monsters.
They were people.
A horrified murmur spread among the survivors.
Before anyone could process it—
SLASH.
A blade tore through the air.
> "SHLK!"
The student's body was cut apart, his blood staining the ground.
Screams rang out.
> "What the hell?!"
Akari gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
> "That's... disgusting."
Aizen's eyes hardened, his fists clenching.
The one who delivered the killing blow was a man in his thirties, clad in a long black coat, his sword dripping with fresh blood.
His face was devoid of emotion.
His voice was even colder.
> "Anyone who loses control of their 'Raikono' must be eliminated."
The words were delivered without hesitation.
He turned to the gathered students, his gaze piercing through them.
> "That is the only rule in this world."
"There is no excuse for weakness."
He began walking—toward Ryoma's unconscious body.
A silent dread settled over the students.
They did not dare to move.
Step by step, the man approached Ryoma, extending his hand—
And then—
> "I think you've overstepped your bounds."
A voice as cold as steel.
The man froze.
Slowly, he turned his head—
To find someone standing behind him.
Someone who wasn't there a moment ago.
Saito.
He stood between the man and Ryoma, his posture casual, yet his presence impossibly heavy.
Even Akari's breath hitched.
> "Saito...?"
Aizen's eyes narrowed.
> "Who the hell is this guy?"
Saito glanced down at Ryoma—then back at the man.
> "This one belongs to me."
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Scene 3: The Decision
At that moment—
The Head Examiner finally stepped forward.
Draped in an official academy robe, he raised his voice:
> "Enough."
His authoritative tone broke the tension.
Turning to the gathered students, he declared:
> "Anyone who has survived until now… has officially passed the entrance exam."
Some students exhaled in relief. Others remained silent, still grappling with what they had just witnessed.
The examiner glanced at the corpse, his voice stern.
> "Starting today, you will undergo intensive training. Instructors will be assigned to teach you how to control your powers."
He let his gaze linger on them one last time.
And then, his final warning—
> "Do not become Ashen in the end… Master your power well."
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Scene 4: Months Later…
Time had moved forward.
A cold night.
Atop the tallest building in the city, Ryoma sat alone, gazing over the neon-lit skyline.
Despite the lights—
He felt nothing but emptiness.
His fist clenched until his palm bled.
> "Ryoma."
He didn't turn.
He knew the voice.
> "You're late."
Behind him—
Saito s
tood, his white coat billowing in the wind.
> "I needed time."
Ryoma said nothing.
He simply lifted his head, staring at the sky.
The clouds began to part, and the first silver beam of moonlight cut through the darkness.
> "But now…"
> "I know what I have to do."
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(End – A New Beginning.)