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❃𝓞𝓱 𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓽 𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓗𝓾𝓪𝓷...❃

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The gates loomed ahead, towering over the expanse of Field 156. Behind them, the tech students were making their final adjustments, scattered across their stations like pieces of a well-oiled machine. Akira stood among his team, his gaze shifting between the massive field and the occasional flicker of movement in the observation deck above, where Huan and the others were stationed.

Suddenly, Huan's voice came through Akira's earpiece, clear and calm. "Can you hear me properly, guys?"

Genya nodded enthusiastically, even though he knew no one could see him. "Yes!"

As they prepared for the trial, the group began discussing strategies, their voices overlapping in hurried exchanges. Daehyun, from his station, sent them a detailed map of Field 156, its grid illuminated on their Shiji. Akira stared at it, analyzing every possible route, his mind working quickly to form a plan.

His voice was firm when he spoke through the earpiece, "Huan, I think we should head toward the eastern ridge and use the tree cover to ambush the Yin creatures."

There was a pause as Huan listened, then his voice returned, slightly more refined. "Not a bad idea, but we can improve it. Approach from the east, but instead of the trees, you three split and surround the creatures near the ravine. That'll cut off their escape routes. Adi, can you analyze the Yin creatures in the area?"

Adi's response was quick. "Already on it. There's one near the ridge with a high point value—worth going after first."

Huan's voice was clear as he gave the directive, "Akira, use your petal technique to get there fast. Catch it off guard and secure the first kill."

Akira gave a sharp nod, even though he knew Huan couldn't see him. His fingers instinctively brushed the hilt of his sword, readying himself for the technique. But just as he prepared to move, Kaiko's soft voice cut through.

"I can't use the petal technique like you guys.... I wasn't taught that yet."

Akira winced inwardly at the reminder. Huan and I alone would've been more efficient, he thought with a pang of frustration. But he couldn't afford to let that show. They were a team, and he needed to lead them.

Before he could respond, Genya stepped forward, grabbing Kaiko's hand with a grin. "I've got this. I'll carry you, no problem!" Kaiko blushed, but she nodded, accepting his help. Genya turned back to Akira, his eyes sparkling with eagerness. "Lead the way, Akira! We're ready."

Akira let out a quiet sigh of relief, glad that was sorted. His eyes shifted toward Kaiko's biwa, the traditional instrument hanging on her back. He hadn't noticed it before. "Kaiko," he said, meeting her gaze, "as soon as we get close, start playing. You'll be able to immobilize the Yin creatures with your music."

Kaiko nodded, her face still slightly flushed from holding Genya's hand, but she looked determined. "Understood."

The faint sound of a ring chimed, and the gates began to rumble open. The announcement rang out over the field, signaling the start of the trial.

Akira took a deep breath, his focus sharpening. It was time. "Let's move."

Everything happened so fast. Akira barely had time to feel the rush before his body began to dissolve into thousands of delicate petals, scattering into the wind. He became a blur of reddish-pink sakura blossoms, weaving swiftly through the landscape. Genya mimicked him, his form shifting into a whirlwind of golden Kerria petals, Kaiko's hand firmly in his grasp and she too dissolved as they soared alongside Akira.

The wind whipped past them, the trees mere streaks of green as they cut through the terrain. They weren't the only ones on the move—far ahead, Akira could make out Sanji's group, flowing like water through the underbrush, their movements fluid like a river.

Far behind, Zhan's voice came through, commanding "On your swords everyone!" And then even the voices became distant.

They were following the path Huan and Adi had mapped out for them, their route cutting through dense trees and narrow paths. His senses heightened, he felt every shift in the wind, every flicker of movement in the distance. They dodged low—hanging branches and leaped over jagged rocks, moving swiftly as a unit.

Finally, they reached their destination. Akira's petals began to reform, his body piecing itself back together as he landed softly on the forest floor. He slid to a halt, his eyes immediately locking on the Yin creature lurking ahead—a massive youkai, its hulking form blending into the shadows of the trees. Genya and Kaiko arrived just behind him, their petals falling away as they came to a stop.

The youkai pounced, but Akira didn't flinch. He waited, eyes sharp. Just as the creature lunged, Kaiko's fingers danced over the strings of her biwa. The sound rang through the air, sharp. Instantly, roots shot up from the ground, snaking toward the youkai, twisting and wrapping around its limbs.

Akira moved swiftly, dodging the youkai's frantic swipes as it thrashed against the roots. He jumped back, letting the creature chase him deeper into the shade of the trees. Kaiko continued playing, her music intensifying as the roots tightened, trapping the youkai in place.

But something was off—Genya wasn't moving. He stood still, his katana drawn but frozen in hesitation.

Akira sighed internally. He has to finish this.

In his earpiece, Huan's voice whispered. "Let Genya deliver the final blow."

Akira nodded to himself. He flicked his gaze to Genya and barked the order. "Genya, now! Finish it!"

Genya snapped to attention, his hesitation melting away as excitement lit up his eyes. With a battle cry, he lunged forward, his katana slicing through the air. The blade met the youkai's neck with a clean. In a flash, the creature's head flew off, spiraling through the air before hitting the ground.

The youkai's body disintegrated into a cloud of tiny nano-bots, shimmering in the sunlight as they scattered into the wind, leaving nothing behind but silence.

Akira watched as the last of the nano-bots disappeared. "Good work," he muttered.

"Yay! We did it!" Kaiko's grin stretched wide, her excitement radiating through the clearing.

"Hell yeah we did!" Genya echoed, chest puffed out proudly.

Akira winced inwardly at their enthusiasm. This was only the first one... he thought.

Katsu, the small android perched on Akira's shoulder, piped up in a high-pitched, almost too-adorable voice, "Yes, there are others in this area!" Akira had nearly forgotten about the androids trailing them.

The circular bot beside Kaiko beeped in agreement, its mechanical voice chirping, "Detected."

Kaiko pursed her lips and glanced at her android, "Kiko thinks the same."

"What about you?" Genya asked, turning to Adi's android, expecting a response. But instead of words, the small machine whirred to life and unexpectedly sped forward into the forest.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Genya called out, rushing after it in confusion.

In their earpieces, Adi's voice came through with a laugh. "Follow him!"

Without hesitation, they did, their feet pounding against the forest floor. As they followed the speeding android, Akira decided to break the silence, if only to help them focus on something other than the tension building around them. Maybe a little conversation would settle the nerves.

"So, what place did you two take at the examination?" he asked, his voice steady despite the quick pace.

Genya grinned, clearly proud. "Oh, we came in 67th!"

Akira blinked, his mind grinding to a halt. 67th? That was... well, not what he expected. Disappointing, he thought, though he didn't show it. He hadn't really trained with Genya or Kaiko before, but he'd assumed a higher ranking.

Daehyun's quiet voice came through the earpiece next. "We came in 89th..."

Akira's feet stuttered for a moment, stopping in disbelief. 89 out of 100 pairs?! He turned over to Kaiko, who had her down hands together in embarassment. That's terrible...

In his ear, Huan's chuckle broke through, clearly catching the shift in Akira's mood. "At least you came in first, am I right?" He teased.

Before Akira could respond, the android suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

"What's wrong, Gayko?" Genya asked, squinting down at the bulky robot, his brow furrowed in confusion.

A heavy sense of unease settled over Akira as he scanned the surroundings. Something wasn't right. The forest was too quiet, and his instincts screamed that something was off. His fingers tightened around his hilt.

"Everyone stay close," Akira ordered, his voice firm. His eyes darted around, searching for any movement, any sign of a threat.

"There's something right beside you!" Adi's voice cut through the earpiece, sharp with panic.

"Yeah, but what?!" Genya shouted, glancing around frantically.

"Quiet," Akira hushed them. His gaze caught on something. A tree... it moved. Just slightly, barely noticeable—but enough. That wasn't a tree. That was a Penghou.

Without wasting a second, Akira reached into his Nagagi, pulling out a plan talisman. But before he could draw the necessary markings, the creature cracked, its twisted wooden body groaning as it began to move. It stood unnaturally tall, its body made entirely of gnarled twigs and branches, its limbs long and sharp. Its neck stretched grotesquely, supporting a humanoid skull, hollow eyes with malevolent intent. Then, it let out a bone-chilling scream that reverberated through the trees.

"Get back!" Akira yelled, as he tried to write something on the talisman. But the Penghou was fast.

Genya was quicker. In a flash, he darted forward, his katana slicing through the air. The blade cut clean through the Penghou's hind legs, the sound of snapping wood filling the air. The creature collapsed, but before Akira could even catch his breath, it began to regenerate.

The branches twisted, reforming almost immediately, the Penghou's body reassembling as if nothing had happened.

Akira cursed under his breath, eyes narrowing. "It regenerates," he muttered, stepping back, trying to think of a way to take it down for good. A talismen sure won't work...and neither would a biwa...

"We need to figure out its weak point..." Huan's voice came through the earpiece, urgent.

Akira clenched his teeth, eyes tracking the Penghou as it lunged at Genya again. Genya, always quick, sprinted forward, slicing clean through half of the creature's skull. But, as expected, it began to regenerate, the twisted branches weaving themselves back together with unnatural speed.

"Oh, come on!" Genya groaned, frustration bubbling over.

Akira stood still for a moment, eyes narrowing as he tried to concentrate. He needed to activate his Tamina-me to see the creature's weak points, but the Shiji on his left eye made it difficult to focus, the mask wasn't any help either, except for the fact it hid his eyes. He could feel his kanji energy flickering, just out of reach.

Out of nowhere, another Penghou screeched from behind, its gnarled limbs reaching for him. Akira reacted instinctively, ducking low and swinging his blade in a clean arc, slicing off its arm in one fluid motion. The Penghou's severed limb hit the ground, but again, the twisted vines and branches pulled together, reattaching as if nothing had happened.

They just keep regenerating...

But then, something clicked inside him. He closed his eyes for a split second, forcing himself to focus. The world around him blurred as he concentrated harder, harder—until suddenly, everything snapped into clarity. The whites of his eyes darkened, his pupils flipping to a haunting white, with five jagged black lines spinning out from the center.

The Tamina-me had finally awakened.

The world around him shifted, twisting slightly in his vision as though he was seeing multiple layers at once. But with it came the clarity he needed—he could see the Penghou's movements before they happened, almost like they were telegraphing their next attack.

There, Akira's eyes zeroed in on a specific point on the creature's neck. Right at the nape, where the branches intertwined. It was the weak spot. He knew it.

His heart pounded in his chest as he gripped his sword tighter, his eyes narrowed, it kinda hurt. He was ready now. Without hesitation, Akira launched himself forward in a blur. The Penghou lashed out at him with razor—sharp branches, but Akira dodged every strike with fluid movements. He spun around the creature.

Genya swung again, cutting through more of the Penghou's limbs, but Akira didn't stop to watch. He leaped into the air, his sword glinting under the dim light as he brought it down in a swift, deadly arc, aiming right for the nape of its neck.

His blade sliced through the bark-like skin of the Penghou, severing the crucial point. There was no regeneration this time. The creature shuddered, its twisted body collapsing as the dark energy that had held it together dissipated.

"Got it..." Akira muttered, breathing heavily.

But he didn't have time to rest. The second Penghou screeched, launching itself toward him. Akira was already moving, he sidestepped easily, his sword slashing at its neck with pinpoint accuracy.

Once again, the Penghou crumbled, its gnarled form dissolving into nothingness. Akira allowed himself a moment of relief, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. The thrill of the fight still pulsed in his veins, but he was glad they had taken it down. He sheathed his sword, exhaling sharply.

But then—a sound.

A strange, glitching noise filled his ears, making his skin crawl. It was coming from the Shiji. His gaze flicked toward the small screen in front of his eye, where text-random, jumbled characters-began flashing erratically. The sound grew louder, like static distorting in his head, and with it, an intense heat surged through the device. Akira's breath hitched as he felt the burning warmth radiate from the tech, pressing against his skin.

The heat turned unbearable, like a fire scorching his temple. He winced, his hand instinctively reaching up to tear it off.

"Akira! Take the Shiji off!" Katsu's voice rang urgently through the air, clear and sharp against the rising noise.

Akira didn't hesitate. In one swift motion, he ripped the Shiji from his head, tossing it to the ground just as the heat reached its peak. The moment it left his hand, it exploded in a small burst of sparks, the shattered remains of the tech scattering across the dirt. Akira took a step back, eyes wide, heart still racing from the sudden malfunction.

For a second, he just stood there, breathing heavily, the searing sting from his eye still lingering. The whites of his eyes had reverted to normal, but the aftereffects of using his Tamina-me, combined with the tech malfunction, left his vision swimming. It felt like he had been staring into the sun for too long-his eyes throbbed, and everything looked too bright, too blurred.

Perhaps... tech and spirit energy truly didn't mix well. The Shiji had burned out, unable to handle the strain of his kanji energy.

"What happened?" Daehyun's concerned voice crackled over the earpiece, cutting through the tense silence.

Kaiko hesitated before answering, "Akira-sama's... eye thing exploded..."

Akira could hear the worry in her voice, though she tried to keep it steady. He wiped his brow, still feeling the slight sting of the malfunction.

"Akira, are you OK?" Huan's voice followed quickly, tinged with concern. "If the tech piece is broken, you don't have to continue the practice. You're not pushing yourself too hard, right? Is your eye okay?!"

Akira pressed his fingers lightly against his eye, wincing at the residual discomfort. The concern in Huan's voice made his chest tighten for a moment, but he quickly shook off the feeling.

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just a small glitch. My eye's alright."

He could almost picture Huan's frown on the other end of the earpiece, but there was no time to linger on it. They still had work to do.

"Let's keep moving." Akira's tone was firm, no room for argument.

The others hesitated briefly, but no one pushed further. They all knew practise wasn't over yet. Akira took one last look at the remnants of the Shiji on the ground, feeling the slight burn still tingling around his temple.

Akira sighed, the heat had faded, but his head still throbbed just enough to be annoying.

"Next area is uphead," Adi's voice crackled in his ear.

"Got it." Katsu, led the way. Behind them, Gayko collected the damaged Shiji fragments, chirping softly to itself.

Akira followed, his steps slow, then he noticed the raised voices up ahead. Zixin and Zhan were at it again, bitter words flying between them like arrows. The Chen Clan and Zhao Clan disciples stood on opposite sides, their hands dangerously close to their swords.

Here we go again, Akira thought, suppressing an amused grin. He actually didn't mind watching these little spats-they were always entertaining from the sidelines. But the second he had to get involved? That's when it became a pain.

Zixin, as usual, was the aggressor. "You stole our target, Zhan!" he spat, eyes blazing.

Zhan crossed his arms, unbothered by the accusation. "We killed the Yin creature first, Zixin. It's not our fault you were too slow."

Baozai puffed her cheeks in defiance. "Young Master Zhao killed the beast, fair and square. Maybe next time, don't stand around with your mouths hanging open."

Zixin's lips twisted into a sneer. "Shut your cock-suckling mouth, girl."

Oh my...Language

The Chen Clan disciples snickered behind him, feeding off his bravado, but Zixin's words clearly struck a nerve with Zhan. His eyes darkened, and his hand drifted toward the hilt of his sword.

"Don't you dare talk to my martial sister like that, Zixin," Zhan growled. His voice was low, but the threat in it was clear.

Akira stood still for a moment, watching the scene unfold. Honestly, he never understood why Zixin was so absurdly rude and why he always had to clash with Zhan, almost like he has a crush or something... But then, as always, that familiar feeling crept in-the sense that no one else was going to step up to stop this. The other people of their status either looked too scared of Zixin or, like Sanji, just couldn't be bothered.

Akira sighed. Why is it always me? He took a step forward, inwardly bracing himself for the inevitable annoyance. Because I care to much and I have an act to uphold.

"Zixin," he called out, his voice calm but cutting through the noise. "Maybe instead of hurling insults, you could save that energy for the next Yin creature."

Zixin's head snapped toward Akira, eyes narrowing. "Stay out of this, Fujisawa. This doesn't concern you."

Akira shrugged checking his nails, red nail polish was coming off. "Well, sorry for being considerate..."

Before anyone could respond, a voice crackled through Katsu's speaker, interrupting the tense silence. It was Huan, his tone sharp, "Akira, just keep going with the practice. Don't waste your time."

The message was loud enough that Zixin surely heard it, and Akira could practically feel the tension spike. Katsu gave a small nod, clearly agreeing with Huan's order. Meanwhile, the Zhao Clan's androids whirred in response, their robotic voices chiming as they encouraged the group to move along.

Baozhai, stepped up beside Zhan, her voice bright and playful. "Yeah! Huan's right. We shouldn't waste our time with you!" She flashed a cheeky grin at Zixin, adding fuel to the fire.

Zixin's reaction was immediate. His face twisted at the sound of Huan's name, his anger shifting into something darker-more personal. For a second, it looked like he might snap back, but then his gaze dropped, and without a word, he spun on his heel and stormed off. His disciples trailed behind him.

Akira watched them leave, until something clicked. Oh wait he knows Huan...

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The Penghou I descibed isn't really mythology accurate, but the basic thing is that it is a creature that has evolved from the (yin) essence of wood.