The door creaked open.
"Well, if it isn't Raikou's other half," the man said, chuckling as he lifted his knees from the prayer mat. His eyes flicked from the shrine to the boy in the hallway.
"Merely a child… What could he possibly do to me?" he thought, smirking.
Kai clicked his tongue, as if reading the man's thoughts. "I'm not just Raikou's other half, you bastard. I'm his brother—twin brother. And the name…"
He pointed a finger at his foe.
"Kai," he said.
A purple mist coiled around Kai's hand, slowly forming into a blade—a blade of pure mana.
"And I'll embed these words into your head… Once you're in hell."
The boy clenched his blade, ready to strike, but froze. "What the…?" he thought, his eyes widening as the old man laughed like a dying witch.
"You? Kill me? That's ludicrous. A child could never kill me," the man sneered, tilting his head. Kai's eyes narrowed at the mocking grin.
"Especially… if the man raised the—"
His words caught in his throat as Kai's hands shot up, gripping him by the neck.
"Never say you raised me," Kai muttered, his gaze locked on the panting man. "You raised Raikou. I raised myself… with something greater inside me."
Blood spurted as Kai slashed the man's throat with a sudden, precise strike. Before the man could cry out, Kai slammed him to the floor, motionless as the old man screamed in pain.
"First time I've heard you scream, old man," Kai said, standing, watching him pant. "And for some reason… I want to hear more."
Kai brought his foot down on the man's hand repeatedly. The screams continued.
"STOPPPPP!"