“We already told you,” Hiroshi said, his voice sharp. “Join us—or die.”

Renji had crashed to the floor, his sword skidding beside him. The glow that once radiated from its edge flickered weakly, sputtering out.

“Unless you want to die, kid, join us!” Hiroshi’s voice boomed coldly across the arena.

Renji’s fingers twitched—the first sign of life. Slowly, his arms trembled, forcing his bruised body up. His legs wobbled, but he stood—barely. Blood traced down his temple, rolled over his cheek, and dripped to his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, smearing crimson.

“Is this… how you recruit soldiers into your division?” Renji uttered through broken breath.

“No. It’s by choice.” Hiroshi’s tone cut like steel. “But people are dying every day—slaughtered by threats we cannot contain because our numbers are too few. You awakened a dangerous sword, Renji Takashiro. That makes you a human threat. We cannot allow you to roam free.”

Renji’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not joining.”

From the edge of the arena, Yumi whispered under her breath, fists clutching at her sides. “He tricked me… that brat.”

A sudden blur.

Hiroshi appeared before Renji in a heartbeat. Renji could hardly steady his stance when—

SMACK!

The general’s fist connected, the air cracking from the blow. Renji lurched back like a ragdoll, lifted and hurled across the arena.

SLAM! His back smashed against the stone wall, cracks spider webbing. Dust rained down.

“He deserved that,” Naomi muttered, arms crossed.

Renji’s body crumpled, motionless for a moment. Then his arm twitched. His fingers clawed at the stone as he forced himself up, swaying but unyielding.

“Made up your mind yet?” Hiroshi’s voice carried, still calm, still cold.

Renji rasped, “Never.”

“Brat,” Naomi scoffed.

“Come forth,” Hiroshi commanded.

Renji’s hand lifted, palm open. His fallen sword shimmered faintly, sliding across the floor as if called, leaping back into his grip.

And then he moved.

Renji dashed forward, speed blurring him straight at Hiroshi. His teeth clenched, his eyes burning.

“He never learns,” Hiroshi muttered.

Renji closed the gap—head-on, reckless.

“Direct attack? That won’t work on me…” Hiroshi thought—

But the boy vanished.

Renji reappeared above Hiroshi’s shoulder. His sword blazed blue, humming with energy as he raised it high. This is it. I’ll end it here.

The blade descended.

But Hiroshi moved as though he had expected it. His gaze slid sideways, his body tilting as the sword cut through air. Their eyes met for a heartbeat—Renji’s full of fury, Hiroshi’s calm.

“Nice try, kid.”

Hiroshi’s right fist lashed out.

Renji jerked his head back, the fist grazing past with a rush of wind. His eyes widened. If that had landed…

“You’re lucky,” Hiroshi growled. “But not for long.”

Hiroshi’s left fist shot upward, a vicious uppercut.

Renji twisted, narrowly pulling his head away. The punch stung his skin. His heart pounded. “Too close…”

But Hiroshi wasn’t done.

SMACK!

A kick cut through the air. Renji snapped his arms up to guard—impact detonated, rattling his frame. His boots screeched across stone, dragging him back. His chest throbbed. If he keeps pressing me like this… I won’t last.

Renji’s breath came uneven. His knuckles whitened around his sword. With a sharp cry, he lunged, blade flashing.

Hiroshi’s eyes remained steady. He watched the boy’s approach like a wave crashing upon rock—unmoved.

The sword cut downward. Hiroshi leaned aside, so close the blade stirred his hair.

Renji twisted, slashing again.

CLANG! Sparks erupted as steel struck stone. Hiroshi slid back lightly, boots scraping.

Renji’s sword whipped in wide arcs, his shoulders trembling. But Hiroshi’s bare hands flowed in rhythm, redirecting each strike. His palm struck the flat of the blade—redirecting—and Renji stumbled as Hiroshi sidestepped.

Then Hiroshi countered.

SMACK! His strike slammed against Renji’s guard, rattling his bones. Before he could recover—THUD!—a blow crashed into his ribs, stealing his breath.

Pivot. Upward strike. CRACK! Renji’s chin shot skyward, vision exploding white.

Then the storm came.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Merciless blows slammed against Renji’s guard, each one pushing him back. A hook grazed his cheek, snapping his head aside. An elbow clipped his forearm, throwing his balance. Finally—SLAM!—a downward strike hurled him to the floor, dust exploding.

The arena gasped.

Naomi’s eyes narrowed. “He deserved that.”

Kenta shook his head gravely. “At this pace… Renji won’t last three more.”

Yumi clutched at her sleeves, pale, though her lips curled faintly—as if relieved.

Groaning, Renji pressed his palms to the stone. His body screamed, but still—he rose. Shaking, blurred, but the fire burned brighter than the agony.

He tightened his grip on the sword, the blade trembling, then steadied.

“Not… done yet,” Renji spat.

Staggering forward, he raised his sword high, roaring as he brought it down.

The blade shimmered faintly—SLASH! It cut through the air and struck.

Hiroshi raised his arms.

BOOM!

The impact shook the arena, driving Hiroshi back. His boots scraped until he braced himself, one knee digging in. Dust flared.

For a heartbeat—silence.

Then the crowd erupted.

“He landed it!”

“Hiroshi—was struck?!”

Naomi’s eyes widened. “Impossible…”

Aya smirked faintly. “This won’t end well.”

Kenta’s brows furrowed. “This fight is far from finished.”

Yumi trembled, whispering. “That brat…”

Hiroshi rose slowly, brushing dust from his shoulder.

The faint smirk was gone. His eyes sharpened—no amusement, no restraint. Only focus.

The air grew heavy. The crowd felt it too.

Renji’s grip tightened, his breathing ragged, his sword glowing faintly, but his spirit unbroken.

And then—

Hiroshi vanished.

CRACK!

Renji’s head snapped upward, body jolted, vision spiraling.

Before he could fall, Hiroshi reappeared high. BOOM! His fist buried into Renji’s midsection, folding him over, breath blasted from his lungs.

Renji collapsed, gasping, blood spilling from his mouth.

But he staggered up—again. He wiped the crimson trail, eyes blazing.

“I’m not… done!”

But Hiroshi was already there.

WHAM!

A strike smashed into Renji’s jaw. His knees buckled, his body stumbling.

SMASH! Another blow struck his ribs, the crack echoing.

Then the finish.

Hiroshi’s shadow loomed. His fist drew back, stance firm.

BOOOOM!

The strike fell like judgment. The arena floor cracked open, fissures spreading as Renji’s body was driven deep, forming a crater.

The crowd froze. Only the faint rattle of falling debris.

Renji lay at the center, blood covering half his face, chest rising shallowly.

“Go ahead and kill me…” Renji whispered. He forced himself to his knees, then collapsed again, kneeling. His eyes burned with tears he refused to shed.

“Go ahead and kill me!” he roared.

“Watch your mouth!” Naomi barked.

Renji’s gaze never left Hiroshi. “Kill me… because I will never join you.”

Hiroshi’s expression darkened. “Join—or die.”

Renji spat blood. “You think I fear you?”

A blur—

FLASH!

Hiroshi appeared close. Renji’s face was swollen, bloodied, but his eyes blazed.

Hiroshi pulled back his fist.

“Do it!” Renji yelled.

SMACK!

The fist crashed—not into Renji—but the wall behind him, shattering stone.

“You can go if you want,” Hiroshi said.

Renji staggered up, spitting blood, dragging his steps toward the door.

The crowd’s silence was suffocating.

Then—

“Wait,” Hiroshi called. His right hand extended.

Renji froze. “…What?”

“People are dying. Every day. We are few—the only ones awakened to the Gene. The Revs kill by the dozens daily. We need you,” Hiroshi pleaded.

Renji turned his head. “No! My father died fifty years ago… in the explosion your government caused. It killed him—and left my mother broken. I’ll never forgive that!” Tears threatened.

A hum filled the air.

The arena dimmed—every torch snuffed out.

Pitch black.

Then, a film lit the air, projected before all.

On the screen, a small town far from Tokyo shimmered into view. Streets buzzed with chatter. Children ran, women laughed, shopkeepers waved.

Renji’s voice cracked. “I… I know this place.”

His chest ached. The camera panned—there was the playground, the bells.

A woman appeared, smiling warmly as she handed ice cream to children. Renji’s eyes widened—tears threatening.

“That woman… the ice-cream lady. She gave me free cones… whenever I cried because everyone else had a father but me.” His voice shook. “Why… why are you showing me this?”

Hiroshi’s face remained unreadable.

Renji trembled. His gaze never left the screen. “Please… I just want to go home…”

And then—shadows.

From the corner of the film, a Rev appeared. Towering, twisted. Its claws glistened. The laughter faltered into screams.

“Where are the BD soldiers?!” Renji demanded.

“The town was far from Tokyo…” Hiroshi’s reply came cold. “…we couldn’t reach in time.”

Renji’s face went pale.

The massacre began.

Revs stormed streets. Screams erupted. A child was seized—the beast tore him apart. Mothers wailed, dragging children.

A Rev slashed into a woman, shredding her clothes. She screamed and ran into a building. Another monster struck, carving her in half.

Renji staggered back, clutching his chest. “No… No!”

Naomi lowered her head.

Kenta looked upward.

Aya’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Yumi turned away, hands shaking.

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably.

The film pressed on.

A Rev broke into a home.

Inside—panic. A father hid his boy under the bed, clutching a bat. He swung. The Rev’s claw ripped through his chest. Splurt! The man’s heart crushed in its hand.

The boy screamed. Blood slid beneath the bed. His sobs betrayed him. The Rev bent down. The boy’s head snapped, crushed, tossed aside.

Renji’s scream tore through the arena. “NO—OOO!!”

Then—her.

The ice-cream lady.

She stumbled on screen, desperately trying to run. A Rev closed in. Its claws ripped her apart, blood soaking the cheerful apron.

Renji’s world shattered. He collapsed as tears poured. “She… she comforted me… she made me smile when I had nothing… WHY?!”

The film rolled on.

A classroom. Children screaming. Revs smashing through windows, shredding the teacher. The children pressed against walls, crying—and then the screen froze.

The arena was silent.

Aya shook her head, tears dripping.

“Any survivors?” Renji asked bitterly.

“Sadly… couldn’t… make it in time,” Hiroshi answered.

Renji’s breathing rattled. “Why… why did you let them die? You swore to protect them.”

No one answered.

He glared at Hiroshi. “WHY?! They trusted you!”

Finally, Hiroshi spoke. “People die every day. The Revs take lives because we don’t have enough. With only a handful awakened, the Division is barely holding the line. We need you, Renji.”

Renji clenched his fists so tight blood seeped from his palms.

“You can leave if you wish,” Hiroshi added. “It is your call.”

Renji’s body shook. His words dragged from his chest like knives.

“The government killed my father… shattered my mother’s mind. I’ll never forgive that. This Division works for the government.”

His eyes were red, swollen.

“…But for the sake of innocent lives…”

He paused, trembling. His voice came out in a whisper.

“…I’m in.”

Silence.

Hiroshi exhaled, nodding. “Good. The medics are on their way.”

Before relief could settle, a reporter rushed forward. “Sir—we found the Rev detected as Renji. It vanished immediately. It’s still out there.”

Renji’s body swayed. His eyes rolled back—

And he collapsed.