Chapter 1:

Chapter 1

Suimen: Volume 4


Neon signs shimmer in the distance like runes of old, refracted in the rain-slicked roads of Minamo. Above, flying vehicles soar across transparent skyways. Below, in the denser metro levels, Lily 'Kurogane' Mizuyari and Sanguinella walk side by side, sharing a boba and the easy pace of two girls with time to kill.

They’re not in armor. Not wielding legendary weapons. Just teens, wandering through the city.

Sanguinella (grinning, sipping her lychee drink):
So… a whole 80.5, huh?

Lily (rolling her eyes):
Hey, passing is passing. I only failed parallel parking once and almost reversed into a bike lane once. That’s, like, a win in Minamo terms.

Sanguinella (teasing):
Yeah, and I’m pretty sure the instructor was sweating the moment you summoned Dramatic Play by accident when adjusting the side mirror.

Lily (blushing, muttering):
It was muscle memory, okay!?

They both burst into laughter.

They pass by a boutique showcasing enchanted driving gloves and charm keychains for arcane-powered cars. Lily slows, looking into the display glass.

Sanguinella:
So, what kind of car are you getting anyway?

Lily (excitedly):
Dad found this modded Skyshade Aqua model—sleek, mana-efficient, AND has these wild chain-channeling controls that sync with Dramatic Play. It’s built for agility. I can actually drift around corners with it!

Sanguinella:
Sounds like a vehicular manifestation of your style.

Lily (grinning):
Right? Alto says I can't use it in a mission setting yet, but for now it's just for casual drives. I want to cruise through Starfire Promenade at sunset with the music blaring.

Sanguinella (nudging her):
So romantic. Got someone in mind?

Lily (smirking, eyes glinting):
That’s classified.

They both giggle again, turning the corner past a food stall. The vendor offers fried mana-lotus chips. They buy a bag to split.

Minamo stretches around them in domes of color and rhythm. Below, shimmering rivers snake through crystal canals. The city is alive.

Sanguinella (quietly):
Y'know… it’s nice. Just doing this. No sigil talk. No training bruises. No dragons breathing down our necks.

Lily (leaning on the railing):
Yeah. It’s like we’re allowed to be kids for once. Even if the world’s probably going to end in, like, a year.

Sanguinella:
Then let’s live while we can. You, me, Astera, Nalea… we’re not just the next generation. We’re our generation.

Lily (nodding):
Amen to that.

Rain starts to fall in silver drops. The girls raise the hoods of their jackets but don’t move. They just stand there, quietly content, rain tapping gently around them.

Arismu
Author: