The old man brought a glass of wine to his lips, took a sip, and set it down on the table.

«May I ask what you’re doing?» he said, addressing Kaito.

«Thank you for saving me,» the boy replied, arranging the scabbards of his blades. «But I’ve already wasted too much time. I need to reach Yorigakure as soon as possible.»

Genzō rose from his chair and stepped closer to him.

«What are your intentions?» Kaito asked, getting into a defensive stance.

«You… all alone, you want to go look for trouble with the Reikeitai?» the old man began.

«You plan to infiltrate one of the most guarded cities in all of Fuyoko.»

«Do you realise you could die, you know?» he taunted.

«You don’t know me… I’ll come up with something, as always,» Kaito shot back, passing by the old man.

«If you want to die, go ahead. Although I still don’t understand the reason…» he provoked again.

«You can find women to pass the time anywhere.»

The boy’s step halted abruptly.

Kaito slowly turned his head toward Genzō, and his gaze became fierce, like a freshly drawn blade.

«Don’t you dare talk about her…» he growled under his breath.

The man turned as well, offering a sarcastic smile.

«Oh really? Or what would you do?»

Kaito stood motionless, ignoring the provocation.

«Good, then. Go on to your playmate.»

At those words Kaito’s figure disappeared in a flash.

When Genzō looked up, the boy was already on him with his blade drawn.

The old man dodged the strike at the last moment: the opponent’s wakizashi sank into the wooden floor, chipping it.

«Is that all?!» he continued to taunt, his voice sharp.

Kaito lunged forward and, with a kick, tried to knock him down.

With surprising agility, Genzō leapt upward.

As he landed, he caught the arm of the boy holding the weapon, immobilising him for a moment.

«And now what will you do?!» he said, extending his index and middle fingers toward him.

Genzō’s intent was clearly to bring him to the ground, just as he had done during their first encounter.

«Do you think I’m acting out of rage?!» Kaito retorted.

With a motion he let the blade fall from his hand.

In an instant he seized it with his other arm, a rapid movement on the edge of reflex.

The two found themselves at a standstill.

Kaito’s wakizashi pointed at the old man’s throat, while Genzō’s fingers brushed a few centimetres from the boy’s carotid.

The house became silent.

Then a laugh broke the stillness.

«Ahah… truly magnificent!» the old man exploded.

Both men pulled back.

«Forgive me, boy. I wanted to see how far you’d go for your companion,» he explained.

«I like you; you remind me of myself at your age,» he chuckled again.

«Even knowing you’d lose, you still faced me, and you finished with a good resolving technique,» he praised, offering a faint smile.

—But is this all out of— Kaito wondered inwardly, still out of breath.

«I’ll get to the point. Tell me, Kaito… would you like to become stronger?» Genzō’s tone suddenly grew serious.

«What are you talking about?» the boy asked, tightening his grip on the blade.

«If you truly want to fight the Reikeitai, that weapon alone won’t be enough.»

He stepped toward him, lowering his gaze to the wakizashi.

«I’m not saying it isn’t incredible, but from what you’ve told me…»

He recalled when the boy had explained that that blade was connected to another, as if they shared the same essence.

«I believe that, for now, you can only use half the power you would unleash with both weapons…» he commented, narrowing his eyes slightly to study him better.

«Correct me if I’m wrong.»

Kaito stared back at him.

«My compliments,» he puffed softly. «It’s true: for now my strength is extremely limited. The blades were made to be used simultaneously.» He slipped the wakizashi back into its scabbard.

«All the more reason to accept my offer…» Genzō pressed, seizing the moment.

«Are you interested, boy?»

Kaito thought for a few moments.

«First, let’s hear it.»

The old man went to one of the chairs and moved it slightly away from the table.

«Sit down, I have some things to tell you,» he urged.

The young man sat, and Genzō imitated him shortly after.

They found themselves facing each other, as if it were the beginning of a new confrontation.

«I’ll be brief. As I’ve already told you, I am a Fuyumi… but not like the ones you’ve known.»

Those words immediately sparked Kaito’s curiosity, as if he had just intuited that from now on something would truly change.

«I belong to the cadet branch of the Fuyumi.»

«Cadet branch?» the boy repeated, furrowing his brow slightly.

«In the Fuyumi family only the firstborns obtain control of the auction,» the old man explained.

«The second-born, instead, are prepared to ensure the smooth running of the event,» he continued, pouring himself another glass of wine with a slow, almost ritual gesture.

«By now you must have realised… what I am asking is that you train as a Fuyumi of the cadet branch…»

«Wait a second,» Kaito interrupted him.

«When I attacked the auction there wasn’t anyone from this cadet branch. And besides… why would you help me?» Doubt crossed his gaze.

«I was the one who destroyed the Fuyumi.»

Genzō did not answer immediately. Silence weighed on him for a few moments.

«I have nothing to do with them anymore,» he finally said.

«One day I rebelled against selling what they called merchandise…» He gripped the glass tightly, the veins in his hands taut beneath the skin.

«And then I realised… when you have power it doesn’t matter who begs you to stop, not even if it’s your brother…» he growled, his voice cracking with a rage that still seemed alive.

«Because, to keep the auction going, they’re willing to kill you.»

«Your… brother tried to kill you…» Kaito immediately guessed.

«The last thing I know is that his wife was expecting a child. I wonder how my nephew is doing now…» Rage slid off his face, giving way to slow, heavy remorse.

«But that’s a story from forty years ago now…»

—So his nephew is Kagura’s father— Kaito thought, his eyes widening as he connected the pieces.

«Kaito… I’ll tell you the truth. When I saw you, I saved you only to try to redeem myself for my mistakes…» Genzō confessed in a thin voice.

«But now that I know you want to save your friend, I want to truly help you. I don’t want you to lose someone dear to you… as happened to me.»

Kaito fell silent, reflecting on everything he had just heard.

«All right…» he said suddenly.

«Genzō… please!» His voice did not tremble; it was resolute.

«I don’t want to lose anyone else!» He immediately thought of Yume, clenching his fists.

«Give me the strength to fight the Reikeitai!» He sprang up from the chair.

The old man watched him without speaking. He could only admire that determination burning in his eyes.

«Then from tomorrow I will teach you to fight like a Fuyumi.»