In the holding room.

There stood the Kamui siblings, facing everyone in the room. A heavy silence filled the air.

In the center was the eldest, Kurochi Kamui — 16 years old. He was handsome, with long black hair and an upright, flawless posture. He carried an elegant presence that naturally demanded respect.

He wore a crisp samurai kimono, spotless and well-fitted. Draped over it was the open white cloak of the Kamui Clan, and around his neck was a scarf that covered from his neck to his mouth. His katana rested at his side.

His expression was calm and serious. His gaze, sharp and piercing. His presence exuded confidence — bordering on arrogance.

To his left was his sister, Gibi Kamui — 15 years old, a stylish, pretty, and outgoing girl with pink hair.

She wore a cute hooded jacket and baggy pants that ended just below the knees, revealing fishnet stockings. Fingerless gloves covered her hands. Over it all, she too wore the open white Kamui cloak, and a pink-sheathed katana hung at her waist.

A confident, superior smirk curled her lips.

On the right stood the youngest, Kido Kamui — a 10-year-old boy with short dark hair, dressed in a simple jumpsuit, also wearing the open white Kamui cloak.

He looked around with excitement, thrilled to see all the other candidates.

Everyone in the room was clearly stunned by their presence because the Kamui Clan had a strong reputation.

But Sagato remained still in his corner. Without moving his head, he glanced at them from the corner of his eye, then turned his gaze back to the floor, entirely indifferent.

Everyone else kept their eyes fixed on the siblings — all except Mania, who sat with her back turned, still slouched on the floor… half-asleep.

Gotan, however, looked electrified.

“Those have to be the black-blooded clan the sensei told us about... Mania, look!”

“Forget it! Lost interest. Looks like this Arena’s gonna be a walk in the park,” she muttered groggily.

“But they look strong!”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll let you have them. I only care about taking down that idiot who disappears out of nowhere.”

“You think he’s strong?”

“Won’t make a difference if I’m the one fighting him.”

“Alright then... I’m gonna go say hi to the black-blood siblings.”

Gotan started walking toward them.

On the other side, the Kamui siblings stood in total composure, scanning the room.

“Look, Kurochi! Everyone’s staring at us. They know we’re strong!” said Gibi, grinning with pride.

“That’s no reason to boast, Gibi,” said Kurochi, calm and precise.

“Big bro Kurochi, so we’re stronger than everyone here, right?” asked Kido, curious.

“No. We’re only stronger than those we’ve fought and defeated,” Kurochi replied, with wisdom.

“Then I can’t wait to fight you in the Arena and see who’s stronger!” it was Gotan’s voice, eager and energetic.

Gibi and Kido turned toward the voice, intrigued. But Kurochi didn’t even blink. He didn’t flinch, didn’t move — he simply ignored it.

“Kido, don’t look away when I’m talking to you. It’s disrespectful,” Kurochi said naturally.

“Sorry, big bro. Someone interrupted you and caught my eye,” replied Kido, respectfully.

“It’s fine. What did you learn from my words?”

“That we should never underestimate our opponents.”

“Very good.”

He totally ignored me… Gotan thought, embarrassed.

“Idiot. We’re not even fighting in the Arena,” Gibi said smugly. “We’re going straight into the Special Unit.”

“What!?” Gotan exclaimed, shocked.

“Look at your face, hahahaha!” Gibi laughed, mocking him.

“Kido, Gibi. Let’s go,” Kurochi said.

And with that, they moved away, leaving Gotan standing awkwardly.

On the other side of the room, Meme was staring at Kurochi with dreamy eyes.

She was utterly entranced, unable to look away.

He looks like a prince... so elegant, so graceful… she thought, her cheeks blushing as she watched him walk with calm purpose.

Across the room, there was Shiro Akurama — 15 years old, stood slouched under the weight of a big, rectangular object wrapped in bandages and strapped to his back. He had dark green hair and wore a samurai kimono, with a katana at his side.

Next to him stood Kioji Godoi, also 15 years old — a chubby boy with a ninja tool pouch at his waist.

Kioji stared at the Kamui siblings with frustration in his eyes.

“The Kamui Clan! Getting into the Special Unit without even fighting in the Arena. Even the youngest one’s going through without being 15 yet. Isn’t that unfair?” he asked Shiro, who was distracted and glancing around. “I’m talking to you, idiot!”

“Huh? What?”

“Stop staring at the girls. You haven’t thought about anything else since we got here!”

“Sorry… I’m just a perv,” Shiro replied shamelessly. “What were you asking again?”

“Isn’t it unfair they get in without fighting?”

“What do I care? Fewer strong opponents means better odds for me,” Shiro said, completely unbothered.

But Kioji remained irritated, glaring at the siblings with indignation.

The room buzzed with voices, laughter, and energy. The candidates scattered everywhere, then…

“Attentiooooon!”

A loud voice boomed. All candidates turned toward it. It was a ninja soldier: Genmo.

“Silence! The Feudal Lord and the captains are coming in to give the instructions for the Arena!”

The room immediately quieted.

One by one, the captains entered: Hoshino, Hiro, Kubo, Minata, Suji, Ichiro — and finally Aoi, dragging herself in with a clear hangover.

The candidates looked on, puzzled by her disheveled appearance.

Hanzo and Meme exchanged glances and shook their heads, embarrassed by their sensei.

The captains lined up in formation.

Then, entered the Feudal Lord.

The candidates immediately straightened their posture as Feudal Lord made his way to the front.

“Welcome to the Arena,” he said, with a commanding voice of authority.

 

***       

 

In the hallway of the Headquarters, judging by the hurried footsteps, someone was clearly in a rush. The person approached a door and opened it slowly, cautiously.

Inside, it was the holding room, where the Feudal Lord was giving a speech beside the captains and in front of the candidates.

From behind the door, that person peeked through the narrow opening.

Up close, it was clearly Otaku Sagashi — a 16-year-old boy with dark hair, glasses, and wearing a utility jumpsuit with shoulder straps.

The chest pocket on his jumpsuit served to hold ninja tools. Underneath, he wore a mesh shirt.

What did I get myself into!? Can I really handle this disciplined army life? I'm late on Arena day, no less! Maybe it’s a sign I should just give up… It’s not a sign, you idiot. Even if it were a sign, with my power this is the only job that's guaranteed. I can’t waste it.

So thought Otaku, still hidden at the door, peeking through the crack.

 

***          

 

Inside the room, the Feudal Lord continued his speech, with everyone listening intently.

“There are 16 candidates, which means we’ll have 8 fights in the first round. The 8 winners will automatically be accepted into the Special Unit. The fights will be decided by a draw…” Mania raised her hand. “Yes, young lady, speak.”

“Why are the fights random? I don’t want to end up fighting some weakling,” said Mania, clearly dissatisfied.

“I agree!” added Shiro. “I could get matched against someone just as strong as me and be eliminated, while someone weak gets an easy opponent and advances. Isn’t that unfair?”

“We’re well aware of that, but if we judged purely by powers, we wouldn’t need the Arena at all, we’d just approve you based on demonstrations of your abilities. What we’re looking for are true warriors, and those aren’t defined by power alone, but by their fighting spirit. That’s why a duel is the fairest test,” the Feudal Lord replied wisely.

The Feudal Lord nodded slightly to Captain Kubo, who had his hand raised. Kubo stepped forward.

“Being strong is relative. It all depends on perspective. I know our enemies well and I can tell you, they’re not afraid of your special powers. In the Special Unit, we don’t want losers with great powers. We want winners who can turn any ability into a lethal weapon,” Kubo delivered his speech with excellence.

His words were so sharp, even Captain Hoshino smiled a little, impressed.

Hanzo and Meme felt a surge of motivation, especially from that last line.

That idiot always finds a way to stand out. He always knows what to say, what to do. Even with that goofy face, he can’t hide his brilliance. No wonder he’s the only person across all three nations to awaken the ‘triangle’ before the age of 10. Thought Aoi, watching Kubo with admiration.

“They wanted to separate the strong based on their powers, but the Feudal Lord and that captain just explained exactly what you told me earlier,” whispered Kido to Kurochi, who smiled softly and gently patted his little brother’s head.

“That’s my sensei!” Gotan shouted, proudly pointing at Kubo.

Kubo pointed back with a wink and a grin, then returned to his place.

“I believe Captain Kubo Kaisen’s explanation is more than sufficient to answer your concerns,” the Feudal Lord resumed.

They totally dodged my question… smart bastards! Hope I get matched against some weakling! Thought Shiro, frustrated.

“The 8 winners of the first round will then face off in the second round. The 4 winners from there will advance to the third round, where we’ll get the 2 finalists who will battle in the Arena’s Grand Final,” the Feudal Lord continued.

I don’t care about being champion. The important thing is to win that first round and secure my spot in the Special Unit, so I can earn tons of money and prestige. Then, I’ll be able to make my dream come true… to marry three girls: one skinny, one average, and one chubby. So thought Shiro, now very cheerful.

“If the goal is just to enter the Special Unit, and we achieve that in the first round, why bother fighting in the next ones? Is there any specific reward… or is it just to entertain you?” asked Kioji, serious and direct.

“Well, this year, we’ll have the Blood Tournament. The Arena Champion will be one of the chosen fighters, and the remaining top candidates will be considered for the other two slots. You all know the consequences if we lose that tournament… we need the very best to represent our Nation,” explained the Feudal Lord.

Then, Gotan clenched his fists with fierce determination, and Mania did the same with a sharp, focused look.

“I know you’re young, and many of you may want to avoid the Blood Tournament. But those chosen to fight will have their names etched into the Scroll of Heroes. That is the highest honor for a ninja or samurai,” added Captain Hoshino.

A murmur spread through the room. Some of the candidates exchanged glances and others whispered quietly. Their expressions showed that most didn’t care.

Pffft! Big deal. Otaku scoffed in his thoughts, still spying from the door.

“Our enemies are the Viking brutes of Rock, and the Cowboys of Scissors whose firearms are deadly enough on their own, but they can still use them in special ways. If you’re just here for fun, turn around and leave. We want blood in your eyes… or you’ll die!” the Feudal Lord warned with a deadly serious tone.

Then, the room fell deathly silent. And, tension filled the air.

“Now, returning to the Arena rules... it’s considered a victory only if your opponent is unable to fight, surrenders, or dies!” the Feudal Lord declared.

“Dies!?” gasped Meme, horrified.

“Of course. Some candidates possess deadly powers or weapons. They’re not going to risk losing a match just to hold back from killing. That’s why surrender is always an option, before it’s too late.”

“Oh thank goodness...” Meme sighed, relieved.

Everyone burst out laughing at her.

Noticing the mood, Aoi shouted to everyone:

“That’s Meme Bizarrime! You better pray she’s not your opponent… ‘cause if she is, she’s gonna destroy you!”

Then, she laughed out loud.

Shut up, you lunatic! Meme thought, her face filled with dread.

“The 8 approved candidates will be assigned to teams, each led by a captain. We’ll announce the teams at the end of the Arena… and then, the missions will begin immediately. That’s all! You may proceed to the Arena. Let the matches begin!” the Feudal Lord concluded.

The Feudal Lord and the captains exited through one door. And, the candidates went out through another — and Otaku took the chance to slip in among them unnoticed.