Chapter 8: Rin Vs Shiro! Student Vs Sensei

The morning sun bled through the thin fabric of Rin’s tent, but she was already awake. Her breaths came steady, each exhale forming a faint ripple of steam in the crisp air. For nearly six months she had pushed her body to its limits—sweat, bruises, sleepless nights, and endless sparring. Today was different. Shiro stood in the center of the training field, arms crossed, eyes sharp as a blade. “Five and a half months,” he said, voice calm yet heavy with expectation. “You’ve learned to control your beast core without losing yourself. But control means nothing if you can’t wield it in battle.” Rin tightened the straps on her gloves, her heartbeat quickening with both nerves and determination. Five and a half months… and only half a month left before six… before Shadow moves. I don’t have time to fail. Shiro’s hand brushed the hilt of his blade. A faint smile curved across his lips. “Show me, Rin. Show me whether you’re still the weak girl That I took under my care … or if you’re ready to stand as a warrior.” Rin’s eyes sharpened. “You know I be fighting with hand to hand combat right…?” Shiro tilted his head slightly, his faint smile never fading. “Then come at me with everything you’ve got. But don’t expect me to hold back just because you prefer fists over steel.” Rin’s lips curled into the faintest smirk. “Wouldn’t want you to.” The air between them stilled, tension coiling like a storm about to break. Then Rin exploded forward. Her feet cracked the dirt beneath her as she launched into a sharp jab, followed by a low sweep kick. Shiro deflected the jab with a lazy flick of his wrist and hopped just clear of her sweep. “Fast,” he said, calm as ever. “But your rhythm’s predictable.” Rin gritted her teeth and adjusted mid-spin, planting her hands on the ground to kick upward with both legs. Shiro caught her ankle and twisted, forcing her to flip back before she could regain footing. Her boots skidded across the dirt. Sparks snapped faintly around her fists as her chest heaved. Shiro’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t just attack me—read me. If you only throw yourself forward, you’ll always be one step behind.” Rin inhaled sharply, steadying herself. She dashed sharper, her footwork tighter. Shiro allowed her momentum to build, testing her reflexes with a counterstrike that nearly grazed her cheek. The impact of their clashes began to shake the field—dust swirling with each step, sparks crackling off Rin’s skin as her body pushed closer and closer to its limit. And still, Shiro hadn’t even drawn his blade. She staggered back a step, then planted herself firmly—left foot forward, right foot braced behind, arms raised to guard her face. Her breath steadied as she closed her eyes. A low hum filled the air, and then it came—black lightning crackled violently from her fists, arcing and snapping like a storm barely contained. Shiro’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “Ah… so you finally awaken it. The lightning core.” His eyes glinted with satisfaction. “Should’ve known. After all, you and your father are the only ones capable of truly unleashing its power.” Shiro’s gaze sharpened as he let his blade drop to his side, the steel humming faintly. “Come at me, Rin Shimizu! Show me everything I taught you!” Rin’s eyes snapped open, a crackle of black lightning racing across her arms. She slid one foot back, body coiled like a spring, then launched herself forward with explosive speed. Her left arm swung forward, telegraphing the strike. Shiro’s instincts flared. She’s leading with her left—too obvious. It’s a feint. He raised his guard, intercepting the blow with ease. But before he could counter, Rin twisted her body, her right fist already charged with violent energy. “—What?!” Her punch connected squarely with his chest, the black lightning detonating on impact. The force hurled Shiro off his feet, sending him skidding across the ground several meters before he caught himself. “Good job, Rin…” Shiro’s voice rumbled low, but before she could catch her breath, he vanished from sight. Her eyes widened—too late. “But you’re still too slow!” he bellowed, his form flashing back into view. His kick crashed into her ribs, the force reverberating through her body as she was hurled into a tree with a thunderous crack. “Not yet… not yet…” Rin whispered hoarsely, forcing herself to her feet. Her knees trembled, but her eyes burned with resolve. “Can’t use it yet…!” she roared, slamming her fist into the ground. The earth split beneath her as jagged cracks spread outward, sparks of black lightning crawling like living serpents. Her teeth clenched, grunts tearing from her throat as the current swelled violently, bursting out of control. Then— BOOM! A deafening surge erupted from her fist, an explosion of raw lightning that tore through the air. The black electricity spiraled upward, swallowing her arm whole until it was no longer flesh, but a weapon wrapped in pure annihilation. The energy pulsed, burning and shifting like a storm caged inside her. Slowly, Rin lifted her head, her entire right arm now wreathed in a raging shroud of black lightning, each crackle splitting the silence like a scream. Her gaze locked onto Shiro, sharper, darker, unstoppable. “What should I call this…?” Rin asked, staring straight at Shiro. “Oh well…” she muttered after a pause. Rin lunged forward, her fist a blur. The ground cracked open in a jagged line where her foot had launched from, chunks of earth spiraling into the air. Shiro raised his forearm to block, and the impact reverberated like thunder, forcing him back half a step. Dust billowed outward. But Rin didn’t stop. She drove forward with a relentless barrage — hooks, jabs, hammering strikes that split the air with sharp cracks. Each blow was raw and unrefined, but carried terrifying force. Shiro caught her wrists, deflected her elbows, his movements sharp but measured, like a swordsman turning away each strike to study his opponent. “Impressive…” he muttered between blocks, his smirk never fading. Rin roared and slammed her fist downward; the impact created a crater, stones flying in every direction. Shiro used the shockwave to spin around her, driving his palm into her shoulder. Rin staggered, only to plant her feet and counter with a wild uppercut that nearly grazed his chin. The two became a blur Rin charging headlong, tearing through the ground with every step, her aura flaring like wildfire. Shiro weaved and danced, testing her speed, pushing her balance, even letting a few hits land. Each punch that connected rattled his frame, and though his stance never broke, he could feel the tremor of power building within her. Rin’s eyes gleamed. “I’ll crush you!” she shouted, twisting her body into a reckless swing. Shiro ducked under it, his grin widening. “You’re holding back less and less,” he said, his tone both mocking and approving. He shifted into her blind spot in an instant and sent a precise strike toward her ribs. Rin twisted with pure instinct, blocking it with her forearm — bone against bone — and the shockwave sent both skidding back across the cracked terrain. For a moment, silence hung between them, both panting lightly. Then Rin lunged again, teeth gritted, while Shiro braced, ready to measure her next eruption of force. Rin lunged with a roar, her fist slicing through the air like a blade. Shiro barely flinched, his eyes narrowing. With a subtle shift of weight, he sidestepped her strike, letting her momentum carry her forward. Before she could recover, Shiro’s hand shot out, catching her wrist mid-swing. With a single, fluid motion, he twisted, sending Rin crashing into the shattered ground behind her. Dust and debris exploded around her, but she rolled back to her feet, glaring through the dirt and blood. “You’re strong… but not enough,” Shiro said coldly. Rin charged again, reckless fury burning in her eyes. Shiro met her with a crushing counter—an elbow to the side that sent her flying, a knee to her stomach as she hit the ground, each strike precise and merciless. She tried to retaliate, swinging wildly, but Shiro’s movements were faster, sharper, and in perfect sync with her attacks. He stepped forward, delivering a series of rapid punches that drove her back, each hit forcing her closer to the broken edge of the platform. Her arms were raised in a desperate block, but Shiro’s fists slipped past, battering her shoulders and ribs. Rin gasped, staggering, her strength waning under the relentless onslaught. Shiro didn’t hesitate—he grabbed her by the collar, hoisting her slightly off the ground, and slammed her down with bone-cracking force. Rin coughed, tasting blood, but Shiro’s shadow loomed over her, every movement deliberate, controlled. “This ends now,” he said, and with a swift, merciless series of strikes, he pinned her to the ground, leaving her unable to move, completely overpowered. Rin’s chest heaved, every breath a struggle as Shiro’s shadow loomed over her. She tried to push him back, swinging her fists blindly, but Shiro caught each one effortlessly, twisting her arm or stepping aside with cold precision. “You can’t even land a hit,” Shiro said, his voice low, almost mocking. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Rin skidding across the shattered ground, her back slamming against the jagged remains of the wall. Pain radiated through her ribs, but still, she tried to rise. Shiro advanced, relentless. He struck her side with a knee, forcing the air from her lungs. Before she could gasp again, he delivered a series of rapid, punishing punches to her torso and shoulders, each one measured, calculated—designed to drain her strength, to break her defenses. Rin’s vision blurred. She swung wildly, desperation fueling her movements, but Shiro caught her by the hair, yanking her head back, and slammed her face-first into the cracked ground. Dirt and blood mixed, staining her cheeks, but she refused to submit completely. She spat blood and tried to scramble away. Shiro didn’t let her. With a swift kick, he pinned her back onto the ground, straddling her chest. His fists rained down in a controlled, unyielding rhythm, each hit echoing off the broken walls. Rin flinched, blocked, twisted, anything to survive, but it was useless—Shiro was untouchable, every strike a lesson in overwhelming power. Finally, Shiro paused, breathing steadily, looking down at her battered form. Rin lay there, barely moving, bruised and broken, yet still alive. Shiro’s eyes were calm, almost chilling in their precision. “This is what happens when you underestimate me,” he said, his voice a quiet storm. Then, without warning, he stepped back, leaving her collapsing on the ground, her strength spent, her fury smoldering beneath a veil of pain and humiliation. Rin lay on the shattered ground, chest heaving, vision blurred. Pain screamed through her body, but beneath it all, a storm of fury churned, raw and unyielding. Shiro’s shadow loomed, a quiet reminder of her failure—but this time, she wouldn’t stay down. She closed her eyes, blocking out everything—the dust, the pain, even Shiro himself. In the silent core of her mind, she called out: “Karyu… lend me your power!” For a moment, only emptiness answered. Then—a pulse, faint at first, like a heartbeat echoing through the void. Red light bloomed behind the bars of Karyu’s domain, coiling and twisting, feeding into her very soul. The world shifted. Her bones felt lighter, her blood fired with heat. With a violent surge, energy erupted from her chest, cascading outward in a writhing black aura streaked with crimson flames. Sharp, jagged markings blazed across her arms, shoulders, and torso, flowing like liquid fire. Her hair whipped around her face, moving of its own accord, alive with Karyu’s power. Rin opened her eyes. Jagged, crimson pupils burned into Shiro’s, radiating a feral intensity. The air around her sizzled, warping with the heat of her newfound power. Shiro froze, his calm composure cracking as the Karyu Cloak surged, flames licking the ground, shadows twisting into jagged tendrils around her. Rin rose to her feet, aura thrumming like a living thing. Her voice, low and fierce, carried through the chaos: “This time… it’s my turn.” With a roar, she lunged—faster, stronger, sharper than before. The cloak flowed with her, each strike trailing red fire and black shadow, smashing into Shiro with a force that bent the air and shook the ground. Shiro raised his arms, blocking, but his defenses were already cracking. The first punch slammed into his chest, sending him skidding backward. The next—a sweeping arc of black-and-red energy—forced him onto the defensive, retreating as Rin’s Karyu power reshaped the battlefield. For the first time in the spar, the hunter had become the hunted. The black-and-red aura crackled around Rin like living fire. Her breath came fast, ragged, but steady, each inhale fueling the storm inside her. Shiro’s eyes narrowed, realizing the balance of power had shifted—but it was already too late. Rin surged forward, each movement a blur. The air seemed to part for her, flames and shadows trailing every punch, kick, and sweep. Shiro blocked the first strike, parried the second—but the third landed, a bone-rattling hit that forced him back several feet. “You… changed,” Shiro muttered, fists raised, trying to steady himself. Rin’s grin was sharp, predatory. “I always had it. You just weren’t worth it… until now.” With that, she struck again—a flurry of attacks like jagged lightning. Each hit carried the weight of Karyu’s power, bending Shiro’s defenses, leaving him stumbling, off-balance. Black flames licked around her fists, jagged red streaks slicing the air as her aura expanded, warping the battlefield itself. Shiro tried to counterattack, but Rin anticipated every movement. She twisted, ducked, and delivered a brutal elbow to his ribs, then a spinning kick to his shoulder, forcing him back against the broken wall. Her cloak flared, almost sentient, lashing out like extra limbs, pushing Shiro further onto the defensive. “Is that all you’ve got?” she taunted, voice low and dangerous, crimson pupils locked on him. “I’m just getting started.” Shiro’s jaw tightened. He lunged, trying to regain control—but Rin’s speed had doubled, her attacks unpredictable. She struck from every angle, black-and-red trails of energy marking the air in chaotic arcs. Each hit sapped his strength, forcing him to retreat, dodge, and block desperately. Now, for the first time, Rin was leading the fight, dictating the pace, the rhythm, the damage. Shiro was on the defensive, forced to read her moves instead of dictating his own. The predator had become the hunter—and the battlefield burned in the wake of her Karyu Cloak. Rin’s onslaught didn’t stop. Flames and shadows danced around her, each strike warping the battlefield. Shiro blocked a punch, barely keeping his footing, and for the first time, a flicker of alarm crossed his face. Her aura… it wasn’t just raw power. There was something inside it, a deeper heat, a concentrated pulse buried at the core of the Karyu energy. Every movement she made radiated it, like the heart of a wildfire beating inside her very being. Shiro’s eyes widened as realization hit him: her beast core… had a fire core inside it. That core wasn’t just fueling her cloak—it was amplifying it, burning hotter and faster than normal, feeding the black-and-red aura, giving her attacks that jagged, cutting edge. The flames weren’t just for show; they were the essence of Karyu itself, alive, coiling within the beast core, ready to explode at her will. “So that’s it…” Shiro muttered under his breath, dodging a strike that carved a deep gouge into the ground. “Her beast core… it’s… flame-born… she’s stronger than I thought…” Rin noticed his hesitation and grinned, crimson pupils blazing. The cloak flared violently, jagged red streaks slicing the air. “I told you—I’m just getting started.” And with that, she surged forward again, faster, hotter, deadlier, her beast core’s fire core igniting her Karyu Cloak to a new intensity, leaving Shiro scrambling to keep up, now truly on the defensive. Rin’s strikes came faster, harder, each one fueled by the fire core nested within her beast core. Black-and-red flames roared around her, the Karyu Cloak flowing like a living storm. Shiro blocked, parried, and retreated, sweat beading his brow as the heat of her aura pressed against him. He staggered back, raising his hands in a rare gesture of restraint. His gaze was steady, but his voice carried weight, cutting through the crackle of energy and flames: “Enough, Rin.” Rin froze mid-lunge, chest heaving, aura flaring violently. Her jagged pupils blinked up at him, confused but alert. Shiro took a deep breath, his eyes scanning her fiery Karyu Cloak, noting the sheer power radiating from her beast core and its hidden fire core. “…You’re ready. Ready to face Shadow… in the upcoming battle with Shadow.” Rin’s chest rose and fell rapidly, adrenaline and fury still coursing through her. The words hit her like a challenge and a promise—proof that her hard work, her bond with Karyu, and this transformation had truly changed her. The battlefield fell silent, the black-and-red flames of her cloak slowly dimming, but the heat lingered, a reminder that Rin was no longer the same fighter. She had taken control, and Shiro knew she was now prepared for the real test that lay ahead. Rin’s chest heaved, her body still humming with the energy of Karyu’s fire core. The black-and-red flames that had surged around her slowly flickered, shrinking as she drew in a deep, steadying breath. With a whispered word, almost to herself, she felt the storm within her calm. The jagged markings tracing her arms and torso began to fade, the flowing aura retracting like smoke drawn back into the hearth of a fire. Her crimson, jagged pupils softened, returning to her usual sharp gaze. The Karyu Cloak dissolved entirely, leaving only the faint heat lingering in the air, a subtle reminder of the immense power she had just wielded. Rin stood tall, hands clenched at her sides, muscles tense but under control. Shiro observed quietly, nodding once in acknowledgment. The lesson had been clear, the power displayed, and the path forward… visible. Rin exhaled slowly, the battlefield around them returning to its usual silence, her aura now calm, focused, and ready for whatever came next.