— Back to the present, in the meeting room —

 

While Aoi and Kubo locked eyes, the others were still stunned by her sudden appearance.

“Still vulgar, you loser?” Minata taunted.

“You were jealous of me before, imagine now.”

“Why would I ever envy someone like you? I’m superior to you in every way: power, class, elegance, level...”

“Except for the best part,” Aoi replied, crossing her arms and pressing her large breasts together with a smirk.

“Aoi, why are you drunk? You used to be a serious and impeccable soldier. Have you become a drunk now?” asked the Feudal Lord, concerned.

“Don’t change the subject. I want to register my candidates for the Arena.”

“You’re no longer part of the military. You left of your own free will, you have no authority to register anyone. Besides, you left before becoming a captain,” Hoshino stated bluntly.

“I don’t care. Register my candidates or I’ll make a scene.”

“Out of respect for your past service, I’ll allow it. But if both your candidates pass, you must return to active duty as their sensei. Are you prepared to go back into the field without your powers?” the Feudal Lord asked.

“There’s no way her candidates are going to pass. We have nothing to worry about,” Minata scoffed.

“Well then… thank you, Feudal Lord. We’ll see how things go in the Arena,” Aoi replied confidently.

“Very well. This meeting is adjourned. You are dismissed. Good luck to your candidates tomorrow.”

Everyone got up and left, except for Kubo and Aoi, who was finishing off the last drops of her wine.

Kubo approached her as she tilted the empty bottle, hoping to find a final sip.

“Aoi… You disappeared. I missed you so much.”

“What is it now? Regret?”

“You know I don’t regret what I did. I’d do it again if I had to. I couldn’t risk losing you.”

“But you lost me anyway. And might I add: a huge loss,” said Aoi, pressing her breasts toward him teasingly.

“Seems like time hasn’t washed away your bitterness.”

“Kubo, I’ll never forgive you,” she said coldly, then left, stumbling as she shouted. “Is there any wine in this damned base!?”

Kubo remained still, saddened, watching her drunkenly walk away.

 

***      

 

Elsewhere, in a house located in a tidy neighborhood, Gotan was inside. It was his parents’ house.

He had just finished sweeping the floor.

Then he went on to organize the furniture.

After that, he placed his clothes from his backpack into the drawers.

Finally, he placed the framed photo on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Phew! Everything’s done. Now just a shower and sleep. But taking a shower without training first is pointless.”

He threw himself to the floor and began doing push-ups while counting aloud:

“One… two… three… four… five… six… seven…”

 

***      

 

Night fell.

In the military headquarters meeting room, only the Feudal Lord was there.

Kubo arrived shortly after and took a seat.

“So, Feudal Lord… I’m here.”

“As I mentioned earlier, we need to discuss the assassin. I believe it’s unanimous to rule out the possibility that he’s from another Nation. Our earlier investigations would’ve given us some clue if that were the case.”

“I agree. But by discarding that theory, we’re left with the most absurd one.”

“Which is?

“The man from Rino Amazo’s vision. A being with divine power capable of dominating all three Nations.”

“Right… but even assuming the assassin is that man from Rino’s vision, we still have no idea who he is.”

“What we do know is he has the power to kill the bearers of purple blood. Which means… he might also be a bearer of purple blood himself.”

“The Amazo Clan was our greatest weapon. Their data was being meticulously recorded in our archives. I find it hard to believe there’s someone with purple blood we never documented.”

“Which leads me to suspect this killer predates the registration of that clan.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I rely heavily on my intuition. Logic often blinds us to truths beyond our understanding. And my intuition tells me this assassin comes from a distant past… even before the Janken.”

“What? Isn’t that a bit extreme? Someone from before the Janken? How would he still be alive after all this time?”

“That part, I still can’t explain. But I’ve been thinking… the first case of blue blood was recorded after the peace treaty. And the Kamui clan’s black blood is an anomaly that began during the war. Meaning, both types of rare blood appeared after year 300. But purple blood… has been around since the discovery of elemental blood.”

“So, purple blood is the only one with an unknown origin. But if the killer has purple blood, why would he kill others who share it?”

“If he managed to wipe out the entire Amazo Clan, they clearly posed no threat to him. There must be something only those with purple blood can do, not related to power, but to right or legitimacy. Something like a lineage or inheritance. And he wants no competition.”

“Is there something you know that I’m not aware of?”

“Rino Amazo told his son to awaken the ‘Circle’. He said it was the only way to stop this man. And the ‘Circle’ can only be awakened by someone with purple blood. So, maybe… that ‘Circle’ is the reason for all of this.”

“Speaking of Rino’s son, your report said he doesn’t have purple blood. Do you think he might still awaken the ‘Circle’?”

“I don’t know… but right now, he’s the only living descendant of the Amazo Clan. With or without purple blood, he still belongs to that bloodline. Which means it’s possible he inherited the right or legitimacy to something the assassin is trying to prevent by wiping out the Amazo Clan.”

“If everything you said is true… if your intuition is right… then this boy might just be our greatest weapon against the most powerful enemy we’ve ever known.”

Then, in a suspenseful silence, the two stared at each other, visibly concerned.

 

***       

 

Dawn broke!

It was the Arena Day.

The door to Mania’s room burst open. From the outside, all that could be seen at first were her excited kicks flying through the doorway until she finally emerged completely, throwing kicks in the air with wild energy. She quickly slammed the door shut behind her.

But when she turned to the side, her expression shifted to surprise, and then immediately to annoyed face.

Standing right beside her, calmly locking the door to the last room of the hallway, was Sagato.

Mania marched toward him with a serious look.

“You owe me an apology.”

“Sorry!” Sagato replied, blunt and disinterested, his focus still on the door lock.

“Oh... well... I guess we’re neighbors now, huh?” …silence… “Hope I didn’t bother you with my training last night. I’m fighting in the Arena today.”

“If you still need to train, maybe you're not ready,” Sagato said, still not looking at her.

“What did you say? You wanna die, punk!?” asked Mania, furious.

“Of course not…” then he looked at her and said bluntly: “you’re weak!”

Furious, Mania screamed and charged at him, leaping with her fist drawn back, ready to smash him.

But just before her punch landed…

“See you in the Arena,” said Sagato and vanished in an instant, leaving only a fading afterimage in the air.

Mania's punch hit nothing but empty space.

She stopped, puzzled, glancing around quickly.

“Mania!?” called Gotan’s voice.

Still confused, she turned to see him.

“Gotan? Did you see the boy who was just here!?”

“What? You just got to the capital and you’re already chasing boys?” he teased.

“Ugh! I’m gonna kill you!” Mania shouted, charging after him.

Gotan laughed and bolted away, running at full speed. As she chased him, he yelled:

“I came to pick you up, and this is the reception I get!?”

“Who asked you to pick me up!?”

“You’d definitely get lost on the way!”

“I’ll kill you, you idiot!”

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Of course not! I’m broke, why?”

“Because I was gonna buy you breakfast.”

“Okay!” Mania immediately stopped chasing him. “My anger’s gone. Let’s eat.”

Gotan stopped, catching his breath.

“Let’s go then.”

And off they went.

 

***          

 

On a busy street, Kubo stood waiting at the agreed location.

His tired expression showed he’d been standing there for a while.

Eventually, Gotan and Mania arrived.

“Finally! You’re late!”

“It’s Mania’s fault. I had to wait while she finished two bowls of food.”

“Doesn’t matter! The Arena matches have already started, and you’re not there.”

“What!?” they both shouted in shock.

“If your names are called and you’re not present, you’ll be disqualified.”

“WHAT!?” they screamed again, now in full panic.

“I think you know the headquarters. Run as fast as you can. You might make it before your matches start.”

The two bolted down the street, running desperately.

 

***         

 

At the headquarters entrance, exhausted and panting, Gotan and Mania arrived.

Two guards — one a ninja and the other a samurai — stood at the gate.

“Good morning, sirs. Where are the Arena matches taking place?” Gotan asked, catching his breath.

“Matches? They haven’t started yet. Still early. Candidates are waiting in the holding room.”

“That damned captain lied to us. My stomach hurts from all that running!” Mania groaned.

“It’s hurting because you ate two bowls of food first thing in the morning.”

“Shut up, idiot!”

“What matters is that we’re here. Let’s go to that room… I want to see the other candidates.”

Then, their expressions shifted, now they both looked excited.

 

***         

 

Gotan and Mania opened the door to a spacious room, and they were immediately struck by what they saw.

The room was full of candidates — some gathered in small groups, others standing alone — each with their own distinct style.

The atmosphere was intense and intimidating.

“A lot of them look strong... I’m fired up now. I want to fight all of them,” Gotan said, excited.

“I’m not impressed. I expected more,” Mania replied, unimpressed.

Then, her eyes locked onto Sagato, standing calmly in the corner, leaning against the wall, deep in thought.

Instantly, her fury returned.

“YOU!” she shouted, pointing at him.

Her voice echoed through the entire room. Every candidate turned to look, curious.

But Sagato didn’t move a muscle. He barely looked, just a glance from the corner of his eye, saw who it was, then ignored her and returned to his thoughts.

“I’m gonna destroy you in the Arena!” she yelled.

Everyone in the room looked stunned and confused.

“Mania, stop yelling. Everyone’s staring. You’re embarrassing me,” Gotan whispered.

“I don’t care what these losers think.”

“You’re just making yourself look weak.”

Mania glanced around. Everyone was indeed staring at her with judgmental eyes. Some murmured quietly.

“Who here thinks I’m weak!?” she demanded.

The looks didn’t change.

“Too late, Mania. Your image is ruined,” Gotan muttered, cringing.

“Whatever… just a bunch of weaklings anyway. My stomach still hurts, time to sit.”

She flopped onto the floor, legs stretched out, one hand behind her for support, the other gently rubbing her stomach.

 

***          

 

Elsewhere in the room, among the many candidates, stood Hanzo.

He wore the same battle gear from his training sessions: headband, armored plates on the chest, shoulders, elbows, and knees, and a chain-kunai across his torso, twin swords on his back, and tool pouches on his legs with an extra backpack.

Beside him was Meme, visibly terrified.

She kept her head low, biting her nails and trembling as she stared at the other candidates.

Her face said it all — she regretted her decision.

 

***       

 

Moments later, the room’s tense aura had begun to fade. Most of the candidates were now relaxed, chatting in small groups and even laughing.

Then suddenly — three figures entered the room, exuding an overwhelming presence. It was the Kamui siblings.

Kurochi: with a piercing, stoic glare.

Gibi, wearing a smug and superior smile.

Kido, beaming with excitement.

The room fell silent. All eyes locked onto them, and the siblings stared right back.