"Stop getting distracted, Milliana! You have to stay focused. We cannot fall behind Twilight-Shadow. Now, again!"

"Kitten Blast!!" Millianna yelled, trying to perfect her scratch-and-attack techniques. "Secret Weapon: Scratch Attack!!"

Kagura sighed and put her sword away. "Alright, that's enough for today. You'll have to train extra hard to catch up with the others. You're doing well for a newcomer."

Millianna plopped down on the ground. "Kagura-san," she said. "While we were training, you kept saying we couldn't fall behind the Twilight-Shadow Moon clan. But... but why?"

"Because," she responded simply. "We're rivals."

"But, Kagura-san," Millianna persisted. "I heard rumors that you and Twilight-Shadow Moon's clan leader, Rogue Cheney, were close friends."

"The word is 'were', Millianna. We were friends. We just... grew apart."

But that wasn't really all...

~Kagura's POV~

"And the two qualifying candidates for the next clan master are: Kagura Mikazuchi and Rogue Cheney!"

I will beat him.

But I never did. His shadow magic was too powerful against my sword. One moment he was in front of me, and the next moment he was underneath and struck me. In that one instant, all that I had worked for, all the strength I had built up, was to waste.

I knew it was just like any other duel we had, except this one came with a prize. But when he came over to me and stuck out his hand, telling me good job, I slapped it away.

It was just a duel, I know. Nothing to get so worked up about. But it wasn't just a duel. This was a bet. A bet that I didn't hold with Rogue, but with someone else. A bet that said if I wasn't the clan leader, I would have to leave and never return.

———

We were best friends. I lived alone with my brother, Simon, in a small village. Our parents had died a long time ago, leaving just the two of us behind. Life was hard at first, but it grew easier.

One day I met a young boy in the forest. His name was Rogue. He was training hard, but at the time I had no idea what kind of magic he was using. He persuaded me to join his clan, the Twilight-Shadow Moon clan. At first I didn't want to, but after he promised he would make their leader teach me some sword skills, I caved in.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Soon enough, both Rogue and I were fifteen years old. Which meant that we could finally begin our three-year-long training to teach us how to become clan leaders.

It was during my second year of training when I first met him in the street. He was a tall blue-haired man with a strange scar over his right eye. His name was Siegrain. He was part of a smaller, less known clan, and was well known for his fondness of challenging other clans.

"Hey, you."

I had turned around and glared at him. I knew he was good at stirring up mischief. "What do you want with me?"

"Hey now, easy there," he laughed. "Calm down, little Shadow Moon."

"My clan's proper name," I said clearly, "is Twilight-Shadow Moon. And my name is Kagura Mikazuchi. Don't refer to me by any other title."

"Aren't you the feisty one," he chuckled. "Look here, you call yourself one of the elites, but don't you think you've got a long way to go before you reach the level of a clan leader?"

I stiffened. "I'm not yet a clan leader, so it's reasonable that I'm not at that level of skill yet. However, when the time comes for the competition for the title of the next clan leader, I will be ready."

"How about that," he scoffed, "You actually think you can make it. Well, how about this: If you want to prove yourself, then get the title of clan leader. And if you don't, you have to leave the clan without telling anyone the reason. And you must never return. Break these rules and I'll show you tonight how terrifying I can be."

I had paid no attention to his words, and I went on with my day as usual. However, later that night, when I got home after training, I found my brother dead, lying on the floor in a puddle of blood. A slip of paper was on the table. In scribbled letters, it read, 'This is your first warning. Betray our bet and you will see who my next victim will be.'

My hands shook with fear and anger as I tore the paper to shreds, screaming and crying. I'm not... going to let you hurt anyone else!

And a year later, I lost to Rogue in the final duel.

"Kagura!"

I kept walking. No matter how much I had to act... Twilight-Shadow Moon had been my home for almost eight years now, and it hurt to have to leave everyone behind. I didn't dare write a letter and leave it behind. It's all part of that stupid bet...

"Kagura!" His footsteps came closer, and before I could run, he caught a hold of my wrist. "Kagura, where are you going?" Rogue asked me.

I didn't respond. "Let go of me," I said.

"Kagura?"

"LET GO OF ME!!" I screamed, wrenching free from his grasp. I have to leave!

"Kagura!"

I turned on him in anger. "Don't think that just because you're the clan leader now means you can boss me around! I'm leaving this place forever!" I saw the confusion and hurt in his eyes. I knew he had never bossed me around before; he was the truest a friend could be. But I knew I couldn't just up and leave without some sort of explanation. And since I couldn't tell him about the bet, for fear that Siegrain would kill him, I had to pretend I was upset over my defeat, although I only cared a little about that.

———

"Kagura-san?"

"Back to training, Millianna," I said, drawing my sword from its sheath again. "We won't fall to them."

Stop it, Kagura, I thought to myself. Forget about Siegrain and Rogue and Twilight-Shadow Moon. You don't belong there anymore. You have your own clan now. The clan that has no rival, no equal, and no end of power... The Blood-Red Sakura.