Master and Pupil

After four intense days of training in Shadoryu, Ryuji had nearly mastered it. His movements had become sharper, his control more refined. Genjiro observed him with quiet satisfaction, arms crossed as he watched his pupil push himself to the limits. But then, his voice rang out, breaking the silence.

“Boy! Come here!”

Ryuji halted mid-strike and turned, rushing over to his master. “Yes, Master?” he asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

Genjiro studied him for a moment before speaking. “You’ve come far. You’re on the verge of mastering Shadoryu, but before we move forward... I need some answers.”

Ryuji blinked in confusion but nodded. “Yes, ask me anything, Master.”

Genjiro’s expression turned serious. “The demon inside you—what is its name?”

A flicker of hesitation crossed Ryuji’s face. His body tensed as memories of past battles resurfaced—the burning battlefield, the rampage, the overwhelming loss of control. He exhaled sharply and finally muttered, “K-Kuro.”

Genjiro’s eyes widened in shock. A moment of silence stretched between them. “So it’s really her...!” he thought, his heart pounding. His eyes glistened, almost as if he was about to cry.“Master?” Ryuji asked, concern evident in his voice. “Why are you crying?”

Genjiro immediately smacked him across the head. “Idiot! My eyes were dry, that’s all.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Now, tell me—has that demon ever manifested within you?”Ryuji’s breath hitched. Images of his demonic transformation flashed before him—his body engulfed in fox-like flames, his mind slipping into chaos. His hands trembled slightly.

Genjiro noticed the panic and placed a reassuring hand on Ryuji’s shoulder. “Calm yourself. You’re stronger now. That demon cannot control you anymore.”

Ryuji took a deep breath, nodding. “Y-Yeah... It took over my body once. I became a demon fox. I lost myself in it.”

He recounted the entire incident, his voice steady yet tinged with unease. Genjiro listened in silence before finally nodding. “I see.”

A brief pause, then Genjiro smirked. “Well then, let’s move on. Do you know about Shadoryu Kaihō?”

Ryuji’s eyes lit up at the mention of the technique. “Curse-Release? I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t learned it yet.”

Genjiro chuckled. “It’ll be easier for you since the demon is already inside you. Do you want to learn it?”

Ryuji’s heart pounded. He knew that Shadoryu Kaihō was an ultimate move, a technique that could amplify his strength to unimaginable levels. Without hesitation, he responded, “Yes! I want to learn it.”

“Good. Close your eyes.”

Ryuji obeyed. Darkness consumed his vision.

“What do you see?” Genjiro asked.

“Darkness,” Ryuji replied.

Genjiro immediately smacked him again. “Idiot! Beyond the darkness!”

Ryuji exhaled sharply, focusing. Minutes passed, and then—something. A flicker of light.“I see a flash of light.”

Genjiro’s smirk widened. “Then reach for it.”

Ryuji took a step forward, walking through the abyss of his own mind. The closer he got, the more the darkness thinned. Then, suddenly—the world turned bright. In the center of it all, an altar stood, and atop it, a raging crimson flame burned fiercely.

“Everything turned bright... I see a crimson flame.”

Genjiro nodded. “Grab it.”

Ryuji reached forward and seized the flame. The moment his fingers touched it, his vision blurred, and an intense heat washed over him.

When he opened his eyes—his katana was engulfed in crimson flames. Around him, the very air shimmered as a massive crimson domain spread outward, painting the entire field in red.He looked at his master. Genjiro smirked. “So? How does it feel?”

Ryuji’s breath was heavy with exhilaration. “It’s like... I can sense everything. You, the trees, even the smallest animals. Everything feels alive within this space.”

Genjiro nodded. “Try using it. Swing your sword—bring down some trees.”

He took a step back. “Wait, let me get behind you first. I don’t want to get caught in that.”Ryuji smirked. “Scared, Master?”

Genjiro immediately smacked him again. “Just do it, idiot!”

Ryuji laughed and swung his katana. A crimson slash erupted from the blade, growing in length as it moved forward. The moment it touched the trees—they were cleaved apart like paper.Ryuji’s eyes gleamed with pride. “This is my power! I’m stronger—”

Before he could finish, exhaustion overtook him. His vision blurred, and he collapsed—only to be caught by Genjiro.

“Tch. It takes a toll on your Shadoryu,” the master muttered, laying him down gently. As he watched Ryuji rest, a thought gnawed at his mind.

“As expected… This power is the same as it was back then. I don’t know why ‘she’ chose this boy, but I will never doubt her judgment.”

He glanced at Ryuji. “Now, name it.”

Ryuji groggily looked up. “Isn’t ‘Shadoryu Kaihō’ its name?”

Genjiro smirked. “That’s just the base name. Your power needs a name too.”

Ryuji thought for a moment, then smiled. “How about… Eimetsu no Ryōiki?”

The words sent a shiver down Genjiro’s spine. A name so familiar, whispered from the past.“Where did you come up with that?” he asked, voice quiet.Ryuji shrugged. “Just had a hunch. What do you think?”Genjiro nodded. “Good… I guess.”

The next five days passed in grueling training—pushing Ryuji’s strength, endurance, and mastery of Shadoryu Kaihō. By the end of it, he could now use it three times without collapsing.

As the sun set on the ninth day, Genjiro approached him. “Boy, go rest. Tomorrow, you’ll be facing me.”

Ryuji smirked. “Yes, Master!”

---

Day 10: Master vs. Pupil

The sun blazed high in the sky, casting golden rays upon the open training field where Ryuji and Genjiro stood, the air between them thick with the tension of impending battle. A single breath passed—then, like thunder striking the earth, they surged forward at the same time, their swords igniting in twin infernos of opposing flames.

Ryuji’s katana erupted with crimson fire, the heat shimmering violently as he slashed forward in a powerful downward arc. Genjiro met the strike with ease, his twin blades wreathed in black flames that consumed the space between them. As steel collided, the impact sent a pulse of heat outward, distorting the air and charring the ground beneath their feet.

Without hesitation, Ryuji pressed forward, his footwork swift and unrelenting. He swung his blade in a blinding horizontal slash, forcing Genjiro to step back, but the master’s counter came as fast as a shadow flickering under the sun. With fluid precision, Genjiro’s twin blades danced, one deflecting Ryuji’s strike while the other carved through the air toward his side.Ryuji twisted at the last moment, flames trailing his movements as he pivoted, using the momentum to strike upward in a blazing arc. Genjiro blocked with crossed swords, the clash creating a fiery burst that sent embers spiraling into the sky. Their gazes locked—Genjiro, calm and unwavering; Ryuji, fierce and determined.

“You’re relying too much on your strength,” Genjiro remarked, pushing Ryuji back with a firm step forward. “Shadoryu is not just about power. It is flow, precision, intent.”

Ryuji exhaled sharply, his grip tightening around his hilt. Without a word, he lunged again, shifting his stance mid-stride. This time, his blade cut through the air with calculated finesse, a strike that held not just force, but intent.

Genjiro’s eyes flickered with approval as he parried, but the shift in Ryuji’s movement allowed him to redirect his energy. Twisting his blade, Ryuji unleashed a wave of crimson fire that roared toward his master.

In response, Genjiro brought both blades together and slashed outward, his black flames expanding in a controlled burst that devoured the approaching attack. The flames collided midair, spiraling into one another before vanishing in a powerful burst of heat.

“Better,” Genjiro admitted, stepping forward as he swung his twin blades in a seamless, unpredictable pattern. Ryuji barely had time to react as Genjiro’s strikes came from multiple angles, his movements refined and effortless. Ryuji deflected one, then another, sparks flying as their swords clashed again and again.

Their battle raged across the training grounds, neither yielding an inch. Each strike carried the weight of experience and determination, the dance of flames illuminating the air around them. But neither intended to stop—not yet. The training was far from over.

Then Ryuji, realizing he couldn’t defeat Genjiro in his current state, unleashed his Shadoryu and activated "Shadoryu Kaihō—!"

A vast crimson aura erupted around him, engulfing the battlefield in an intense heat. Though the air shimmered with its scorching presence, Ryuji himself remained unaffected, standing firmly at the center of his domain.

With a sharp breath, he tightened his grip on his katana and slashed forward. "Einmetsu no Ryōiki!"

A devastating crimson flame slash surged toward Genjiro, roaring like a beast unleashed. But Genjiro remained composed. In a single swift motion, his twin blades, wreathed in black flames, carved through the incoming attack, dispersing it as if it were nothing but embers in the wind.

Before Ryuji could react, Genjiro moved like a shadow. In an instant, he was upon him—his blade resting lightly against Ryuji’s neck.

"So?" Genjiro asked, his voice calm yet commanding.

Ryuji’s breath hitched. His strength was spent. His katana trembled in his grip before finally slipping from his hands, the curse release fading as he dropped to his knees.

"I surrender," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Genjiro withdrew his blade and nodded in approval. "Good. I must say, Ryuji—you’re ready."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Ryuji suddenly hugged Genjiro, tears welling in his eyes. "Thank you, Master. I don’t know why you chose to train me, but because of you, I can finally protect the ones I love. Thank you."

Genjiro smirked before smacking him on the head. "Idiot! Don’t cry! And stop hugging me—I’m not interested in men."

Ryuji laughed despite himself, wiping away his tears as the tension of battle melted into shared amusement.

As the battle ended, Genjiro tossed him a bundle of clothes. “Your outfit’s in shreds. Here, take this.”

Ryuji unfolded the garments—a black kimono with rolled-up sleeves, a deep crimson sleeveless haori with flame-like patterns at the hem, and a crimson sash. He quickly donned the attire, securing his katana in place.

Genjiro watched him. “Why does this feel… familiar?”

As Ryuji stood at the shrine’s gate, preparing to leave, he said, “Thank you, Master. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me. Now… I, Ryuji Kurogami, will take my revenge. Watch over me, Father.”

Genjiro froze. His breath hitched.

“Kurogami?”

He fell to his knees, eyes wide, voice shaking. “He… is a Kurogami. The bloodline still lives on.”And so, the chapter ended.