The sun was slowly beginning to dip beyond the horizon. Crimson light poured over the ragged terrain as the wind rustled the leaves like whispers of fate. Each group from the JYU-ICHI squad had split and taken different routes as instructed—heading east, west, north, and south, tracking energy traces of the rumored fragments. What none of them knew was that the Nine Pillars of Akuma Chi were already waiting.
---
Blade's Group – Eastern Ridge
A sharp gust of wind brushed across the face of Jinshi, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the uneven terrain.
Blade cracked his knuckles. "Where the hell are we supposed to find these fragments in this wasteland?"
"Stop whining," Jinshi snapped. "This is your chance to prove you're not just loud."
Qui walked silently beside them, his eyes half-lidded, observing the surroundings with monk-like calm. Toriko trailed just behind, blades spinning on his fingers.
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed across the canyon.
"So... you finally arrived."
A lone figure stood atop a broken cliff. His hair shimmered under the setting sun—a blend of deep blue and gold. A large spear rested across his shoulder.
"Daiko…" Jinshi whispered, stepping forward, eyes wide. "It can't be."
Blade raised an eyebrow. "Friend of yours?"
"He's... from my village. We grew up training together," Jinshi replied. "He left to join the Phoenix Division. But..."
Daiko jumped down, the ground shaking slightly. "But I was discarded. Left behind after failing a mission. I sought power elsewhere. Now, I serve Akuma Chi."
Blade clicked his tongue. "So it's another sob story turned edgy betrayal arc, huh?"
"You talk too much," Daiko smirked, suddenly vanishing.
He reappeared behind Blade mid-swing. Blade ducked just in time, his sword clashing against Daiko's gleaming spear.
"Jinshi, he's fast!" Blade shouted.
"I know," Jinshi replied, activating his aura. "But I won't hold back. Not this time."
Qui muttered something and took a wide stance. Toriko smirked. "Let's break his legs."
The battle erupted, fierce and personal, Jinshi clashing with the ghost of his past while Blade charged with reckless power.
---
Kibito's Team – Burned Fields of Gama
Kibito was humming a song as he walked. "♪ Blaze, blaze, light up the maze—"
"Can you stop singing?" Kentaro sighed. "We're trying to sense spiritual energy."
"I like the vibe," Suntaro laughed. "It's better than your sulking face."
Suddenly, the burnt earth began to glow beneath them in ancient markings.
A figure formed in the swirling ash—tall, armored, and ghostly.
"Is that…?" Suntaro stepped back.
Kibito's smile vanished. "That's… Megamatsu."
A deep, hollow voice rang out. "You walk where warriors died. Now, you face one who never rested."
Kentaro whispered, "That's the general from the last spiritual war. He died centuries ago."
"He's a Kego user," Suntaro added. "His soul's bound by architiery spells…"
Kibito pulled out his blade, fire dancing around it. "Dead or alive. I don't care. Let's burn."
Megamatsu raised his war-scarred greatsword. "Come, young flames. Show me your resolve."
The air shimmered with heat and ghostly energy as the fight began. Kibito's flames clashed with spiritual remnants of an ancient war. It was a battle of legacy versus chaos.
---
Kenshin's Group – Toxic Mist Forest
The team moved silently through the thick woods. Purple mist curled around the trunks of twisted trees.
Kenshin held a cloth to his mouth. "Something's wrong with the air."
Kagami frowned. "Toxins. We should move cautiously."
A sudden whistle echoed. From the branch above, a man dropped down—lean and sinister, his katana coated with glistening green liquid.
"You've entered my garden," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm Leid."
Ryuichi took a step back. "Leid... the assassin who killed thirty nobles in a single night?"
Leid grinned. "I don't discriminate. Rich, poor, old, young. They all bleed the same."
Kenshin unsheathed his blade. "Then today, you'll taste your own poison."
Leid moved fast, his poisoned blade slicing the air with deadly precision. Suko and Kaori flanked him as Kenshin took the front. It was a deadly dance between speed and venom.
---
Kairo's Group – Southern Ruins
The ancient stones beneath their feet were cracked and forgotten. Kairo marched at the front, Yano just behind him.
"I don't like this place," Yano whispered. "Too quiet."
Suddenly, from the shadows, a lean figure emerged. He wore a tailored coat and a thin saber at his waist. His eyes were cold, calculating.
"Cresì Salvadore," Kairo muttered. "From Italy."
The man bowed theatrically. "You honor me with your memory."
Yano narrowed her eyes. "A swordmaster without a past... some say you trained with the cursed duelists of Europe."
Cresì smiled. "I trained with everyone. Then killed them. That's why I'm the only one left."
Without warning, he lunged. His blade danced unpredictably, never the same strike twice. Kairo blocked with calm precision, while Yano moved like a shadow, supporting his counters.
"It's as if he reads us," Yano hissed.
"That's what makes him dangerous," Kairo replied. "But he bleeds like everyone else."
The clash of metal echoed through the ruins—order versus chaos, discipline against unpredictability.
---
Final Lines: The Rising Threat
Far away, atop a blood-red temple in the mountains of the forbidden lands, Seirō – the Supreme Commander of Akuma Chi – watched through a crimson mirror.
"The fragments have begun to call," he murmured. "Let's see who is worthy to hold them."
A shadowy figure behind him spoke, "Shall I move in, Lord Seirō?"
"Not yet," he replied with a grin. "Let them bleed first."
---
To be continued...