Hollow fire

The morning sun stretched its light over the mountains like fingers parting the mist. Ren and Kujo stood silently beside their master near the cliff's edge, the fortress ruins smoldering in the distance behind them. The relic they'd risked their lives to obtain now pulsed faintly with energy, tucked inside Ren’s satchel.
Their master turned toward them slowly, a look of pride veiled behind his tired eyes. “You’re ready,” he said firmly.
Ren blinked. “Ready… for what?”
“To go,” the master replied. “To the organization—the only one strong enough to fight back against the shadow demons. The place I’ve been preparing you for all along.”
Kujo’s expression turned serious. “So all this training…the missions… was for this?”
The master nodded solemnly. “I made you strong so you wouldn’t just survive… but lead. The organization has power, knowledge, and allies. But what they lack…” he paused, looking at both boys, “...is fire. Your fire.”
Ren clenched his fists. “We promise. We’ll do whatever it takes. We’ll erase those monsters from existence.”
Kujo nodded beside him. “They’ll regret the day they ever messed with innocent people.”
A rare smile crossed their master’s face. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Very well. I’ll take you there. Just… don’t die. So we can meet again.”
The Organization Headquarters
The journey took them through highlands, icy ridges, and finally into a remote valley covered in perpetual clouds. Hidden in this fog lay a city—a metropolis of clean roads, steel towers, and glowing emblems embedded into the stone pathways. In the heart of it stood a massive building shaped like a pagoda fused with modern towers: the headquarters of the Hollow Clan Organization.
As they stepped into the entrance hall, Ren and Kujo couldn’t help but pause in awe.
Marble floors reflected the light of floating lanterns. Dozens of warriors in specialized uniforms passed through the corridors, some sparring with energy weapons, others channeling aura into devices or scrolls. Holographic panels floated in midair, showing maps, missions, even relic energy readings.
Their master stepped to the front desk. A woman in formal attire looked up and immediately straightened.
“Welcome back, Sir,” she said. “How can I help you?”
“New recruits,” he answered.
“Of course. Principal’s office is on Floor 7.”
They took the elevator in silence. The air grew tenser with every floor, until the metallic doors opened with a soft hiss.

The Principal’s Office
The boys entered a wide, high-ceilinged room. Bookshelves lined the walls. Screens blinked energy patterns and world maps. A huge window stretched across the back wall, facing the horizon.
In the center sat a man, his back turned to them. He faced the window, hands folded behind him, long coat flowing like shadows.
“So,” the principal said, voice deep and composed, “you brought them.”
“Yes,” the master replied. “Only two years. They beat my record.”
The man turned in his chair slowly. He was in his late 40s, eyes sharp as knives, a scar running across his brow. His gaze met the boys’. Silent but intense.
He leaned forward. “Impressive. I’ve heard rumors. But seeing you two in person… now I believe them.”
Ren and Kujo bowed instinctively.
“Introduce yourselves,” the principal said.
“I’m Ren Kisaragi,” Ren said, steady. “I fight to end the curse of the shadow demons.”
“Kujo Arashi,” Kujo followed. “I protect people like my family… who had no one to protect them.”
The principal folded his hands. “You suppose the shadow demons are just chaos. Monsters. But the truth runs deeper.”
He tapped a button. A screen showed a black sigil: a spinning circle within a skull.
“This,” he said, “is the sigil of the Hollow Clan.”
Ren’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that?”
“A clan older than the oldest recorded empire. For centuries, they’ve fought for humanity’s freedom. They don’t believe in fame or credit. They wipe out anything that threatens peace—secretly. Efficiently.”
Kujo tilted his head. “You mean they’re real?”
“They were,” the principal said darkly. “Until the shadow demons turned their own power against them. Bribed kingdoms. Manipulated rulers. Corrupted even bloodlines.”
Ren swallowed. “So… you’re what’s left of them?”
“We are,” the principal nodded. “The Organization is the modern form of the Hollow Clan. But we’re not strong enough anymore. That’s why we train people like you. People with awakened Kutsu energy. With blood and rage and hope.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“You will train here. Grow stronger. Learn more about your powers—and the world. There’s more and shadow demons out there. Much more. But for now, rest.”
The master beside them exhaled and smiled softly. “I’ll show them to their dorm.”

Dorm Room
The boys followed their master down a quieter hall. Other students passed them—some laughing, others meditating in small gardens between the buildings.
Their room was simple: a shared Chinese-style room with wooden floors, low beds, a window overlooking the mountain mist, and a scroll with the Hollow Clan motto hanging on the wall:
 “In silence, we strike. In shadow, we protect. In heart, we remain.”

Ren dropped his bag beside the bed. “It’s peaceful here.”
Kujo nodded. “Like… nothing bad ever happened outside.”
The master turned to them at the door. “You’ve done well. Better than I ever dreamed.”
Ren looked up. “You’re not staying?”
“No,” the man said, shaking his head. “My journey ends here. Yours begins now.”
Kujo looked away. “We’ll miss you.”
The master smiled. “Don’t miss me. Survive. Win. Then tell me the story… when we meet again.”
With that, he left.

The boys stood silently, the weight of everything settling in.
Ren finally spoke.
“We’re part of something bigger now.”
Kujo smirked. “Let’s make the demons regret every breath they ever took.”
They turned toward the open window as the evening fog crept in.

The next morning, the soft golden rays of dawn crept through the paper screens of the simple Chinese-style dorm room. Birds chirped beyond the walls, and the tranquil atmosphere clashed with the weight of the mission Ren and Kujo had ahead of them. They both sat up simultaneously, the silence between them holding years of unspoken respect, pain, and shared struggle.
Kujo stretched and glanced toward Ren. “Think today’s the real beginning?”
Ren nodded, tightening the bandages on his arms. “Yeah. I feel it.”
Just then, a knock echoed through the room. The door slid open slowly, and one of the uniformed messengers bowed. “You are requested at the courtyard. The principal is waiting.”
Without a word, both of them stood, grabbed their blades, and headed out.

The Assembly of Hope
In the expansive stone courtyard of the organization, dozens of students had gathered. Some were dressed in ceremonial training robes, others in practical combat gear. Ren’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd—he could easily tell the rankings. The beginners stood close together, eyes full of uncertainty. The mid-levels had stance, composure, but their footing was still hesitant. A few stood apart—muscles calm, energy controlled, eyes sharper than blades.
Then the principal emerged, his robe trailing like a storm behind him. He stepped atop a platform made of pure silverwood, carved with markings of the Hollow Clan and the Resistance Seal.
He began, “You all are here not just as warriors, but as protectors of humanity. For centuries, the Hollow Clan fought evil, purified corruption, and drove darkness into hiding. But now… the darkness has evolved. It has structure. It has purpose. And worst of all—it has funding.”
Everyone stirred at that word.
The principal continued, “The Shadow Demons are not lone monsters anymore. They are an economy, a force. Behind them is a hidden evil clan that funds black markets, rogue assassins, criminal networks—and worse, they embed themselves into governments and kingdoms. You, all of you, have been brought here to train, but also to expose and destroy these monsters and their sponsors from the inside out.”
He paused and then gestured to a holographic map that floated in the air behind him.
“This…” he pointed to a glowing red island surrounded by storm clouds, “is Arashi-jima, the Island of Storms. A former Shadow Demon research base. Now, it's our trial ground.”
Everyone looked at each other in awe and unease.
“You will all be transported there. The island is alive with captured Shadow Demons—creatures, monsters, assassins—unleashed for survival tests. You must last five days. No communication with the outside. No retreat. No mercy.”
He leaned forward, gaze sharp.
“Survive, and you move forward into our elite ranks—missions, access to ancient techniques, higher-tier cultivation, and the path toward purging this world of evil. Die… and let your name be a warning.”

The Departure
Later that afternoon, the students were led to a futuristic airship powered by energy cores embedded with ancient Jin Kutsu techniques. The entire vessel hummed with forcefield protection.
Ren leaned over to Kujo. “So this is it. Another hell to cross.”
Kujo smirked. “At least we’re getting used to hell.”
Kairo, who had joined them earlier that morning by special permission, stood beside them. “Don’t underestimate those demons. This isn’t like the fortress or that village raid. These things—some of them don’t even feel pain.”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “And you still came?”
Kairo’s eyes burned with determination. “People are suffering. If I can’t survive this, I have no right to call myself their protector.”
The ship launched, wind blasting through the open sides as they soared across the ocean toward Arashi-jima.
Landing in Chaos
When they arrived, the island loomed like a nightmare. Thunderclouds circled endlessly above. Trees twisted unnaturally, dripping with crimson sap. Black birds flew in circles like watchers of death.
As the students disembarked, each was handed a basic weapon: a dagger infused with purifying energy, and a scanner bracelet to track vital signs.
The second they touched the soil, the atmosphere shifted. The island felt alive. Like it was watching them.
The principal’s voice echoed from a floating projection, “Your time begins now. Survive.”
The moment the countdown started, screams echoed in the distance. A group of beginners had already stumbled into a Shadow Demon trap. A black figure with blades for hands tore through one of the students before vanishing into the jungle.
“Move!” Ren shouted. “We need to find shelter and assess the area!”
The trio dashed into the forest, using a combination of Kutsu movement techniques and survival tactics.


The First Night
By nightfall, they had created a basic shelter in a rocky outcrop near a stream. Ren placed seals across the perimeter to sense incoming demonic energy, while Kairo crafted traps and Kujo scanned the area with his heat-vision-enhanced monocle.
As they sat by the flickering campfire, the atmosphere shifted again—heavy with tension, uncertainty, and the cold breath of war.
Kairo looked over the flames. “So… we’re not just here to survive. We’re here to win.”
Kujo nodded. “Survival was never our goal. Our goal is domination.”
Just as they finished the conversation, one of the seals flickered. Something massive was approaching—six limbs, twenty feet tall, moving fast.
“Positions!” Ren shouted.From the darkness, a terrifying creature emerged—half-centaur, half-shadow dragon, with burning violet eyes and chains dragging behind it like execution bells.
“This is just the first night?” Kairo whispered.
Ren stepped forward, expression cold, eyes focused like blades drawn from silence.
“We’ll show them what real demons look like.”
And the battle began.