The air inside the war tent was heavy with tension. Three figures stood around a large wooden table, illuminated by flickering lantern light. The map laid before them bore the scars of countless strategic discussions—ink marks for movements, red stains marking fallen strongholds.

  Hime’s sharp eyes traced the routes. “Zankoku’s forces are moving faster than expected. If they keep this up, we’ll be completely surrounded within the week.”

  Haruka scoffed, arms crossed. “Then let’s not wait. If we push forward now, we can catch them off guard before they set their full formation.”

  Hana, standing between her two sisters, tightened her grip on the hilt of her katana. She wasn’t the strongest, nor the fastest, but she understood one thing—recklessness led to death.

  “That’s exactly what they want,” she countered, her voice steady but firm. “If we rush in blind, we’ll be walking into a slaughter.”

  Haruka turned to her, frustration flashing in her crimson eyes. “You always say that, Hana! If we keep hesitating, we’ll lose everything before we even draw our blades.”

  “And if we make one wrong move, we’ll lose even faster.”

  The air between them tensed, but Hime was quick to step in. She raised a hand, her expression unreadable as she silenced them both.

  “Enough. We don’t have time for this.” Her gaze flickered between them before she tapped a spot on the map. “Captain Kenjiro will lead the defense on the eastern front. That should buy us time. As for us—” she hesitated, watching Haruka’s growing impatience, “—we’ll strike the scouting forces at the western pass. But we don’t engage in full combat. We test their formation, gather intel, and retreat.”

  Haruka frowned. “And if we get cornered?”

  Hime’s eyes darkened. “Then we fight.”

  Hana swallowed hard. They all knew what that meant.

  If they fought, not all of them would make it back alive.

  ---

  Aikyo’s Camp – Midnight

  The night was eerily quiet, save for the occasional crackle of burning wood from the campfires. The soldiers of Aikyo gathered in small clusters, sharpening their blades, murmuring quiet prayers, or simply sitting in contemplative silence.

  Hana stood outside her tent, gazing at the distant mountains. Beyond those peaks, Zankoku’s forces were waiting.

  War was always in motion, even in silence.

  She was pulled from her thoughts when a familiar voice spoke beside her.

  “You’re thinking too much again.”

  Haruka leaned against a nearby post, arms folded, her expression softer than before.

  Hana sighed. “We should be thinking. War isn’t about who swings harder.”

  Haruka scoffed. “Maybe. But sometimes, swinging harder is the only way to survive.”

  There was a long pause before Hana finally said, “Do you ever think about… after?”

  Haruka blinked. “After what?”

  Hana hesitated, then shook her head. “Never mind.”

  There was no ‘after’ if they didn’t make it through tomorrow.

  ---

  Western Pass – Early morning

  The early morning fog clung to the earth like a ghostly veil, concealing the movement of Aikyo’s forces as they approached the western pass. Hime signaled for silence, and the soldiers followed suit, moving like shadows in the mist.

  At the center of their formation, Captain Kenjiro adjusted his grip on his sword. Unlike the younger warriors, his expression was unreadable, hardened by years of experience.

  “Zankoku isn’t careless,” he murmured, just loud enough for Hime to hear. “If they’re here, they’re ready for us.”

  Hime nodded. “That’s why we move first.”

  They advanced, step by step, until—

  A distant horn blared through the valley.

  Hime’s eyes widened. “It’s a trap—!”

  Before she could react, arrows rained down from above, piercing into the ground and the shields of their soldiers. Screams erupted as the Zankoku warriors emerged from the fog, their crimson armor glinting in the morning light.

  General Raiga stepped forward, his massive figure standing like an immovable wall.

  “The royal heirs of Aikyo,” he mused, his voice deep and laced with amusement. “I expected more from you.”

  Hime drew her sword, unfazed. “And yet you needed an ambush to face us.”

  Raiga grinned. “Efficiency is not cowardice. It’s victory.”

  With a sharp motion of his hand, Zankoku’s forces surged forward.

  The battle had begun.

  The valley erupted into chaos. The clash of steel, the cries of warriors, and the thunderous stomping of charging soldiers filled the air. The Zankoku army moved like a disciplined machine, their formations cutting through the battlefield like a razor.

  General Raiga stood at the center, observing with amusement “Aikyo’s heirs… Let’s see if you’re worth killing.”

  Hime, ever the strategist, reacted first. “Break their front line! Move now!”

  Captain Kenjiro raised his sword. “Forward! Shields up! Hold your ground!”

  The Aikyo soldiers surged forward, intercepting the Zankoku warriors in a clash of raw strength. Blades clashed, sparks flew, and the scent of blood filled the air.

  Hana moved swiftly, her sword cutting through the enemy ranks with precise strikes. She wasn’t the strongest, but she made up for it with speed and intelligence.

  “Shinkirō - Zan!” (Mirage Slash)

  Her blade blurred through the air, creating an illusion that distorted her opponent’s vision. A Zankoku soldier swung at where she was, but she had already moved. Her sword met his armor, cutting deep.

  But she wasn’t fast enough.

  A second warrior rushed her from the side—Hana turned, but too late.

  A spear lunged toward her chest.

  Her instinct took over. She reached deep into her power, and—

  Reality bent.

  The spear stopped mid-air for a fraction of a second. The world around her distorted like rippling water, as if time itself hesitated.

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  Then—SNAP.

  Everything returned to normal, and the spear flew past her, missing by mere inches.

  The enemy stumbled backward, confused. But Hana knew. That wasn’t skill—that was her power activating on its own.

  And then the pain hit her. Her vision swam. Her body screamed in protest. She clutched her chest, her breath sharp and uneven.

  Not now. Not here.

  She forced herself to stay upright. She had to fight.

  But then—

  A shadow loomed over her.

  A massive Zankoku warrior raised his axe, ready to strike.

  Haruka saw it happen. Hana was open. Defenseless “No—! Hana!”

  She lunged forward, cutting through the enemy in her path, but she was too far away.

  The axe came down.

  But before it could strike— A sword blocked the blow. Captain Kenjiro had stepped in. The sheer force of the attack pushed Kenjiro back, but he held firm. “Stay focused, Hana!” he barked. “You hesitate, you die!”

  Hana tried to respond, but her legs gave out beneath her.

  Everything blurred.

  Her body felt like it was being crushed from the inside She heard distant voices—Hime shouting orders, Haruka cursing as she cut through enemy ranks. The world faded in and out of focus.

  She felt herself falling.

  Then—darkness.

  Hime saw Hana collapse and gritted her teeth. "Damn it".

  She had known this moment would come, but not this soon.

  “Form a defensive line around her! Don’t let them break through!”

  Her soldiers obeyed, closing in around Hana’s unconscious form. But Raiga—he only laughed.

  “Is this all Aikyo’s royal family has to offer?” He raised his voice, mocking. “A weakling who can’t even stand on her own?”

  Haruka snapped. She turned to charge him, rage consuming her—but Hime grabbed her arm.

  “Not yet.”

  “He’s insulting Hana!” Haruka seethed. “I’ll cut him down myself!”

  “No. You’ll die.”

  Haruka froze.

  Hime’s voice was cold, sharp as a blade. “We don’t fight out of anger. We fight to win. Now shut up and follow my lead.”

  Haruka clenched her fists. She hated it. She hated feeling powerless.

  Haruka’s breath was ragged, her heart pounding like a war drum. She had never felt fear like this. Hana was down. Hana—her sister, her blood—was lying unconscious in the middle of a battlefield. Her mind screamed at her to run to Hana’s side. To protect her. To fight.

  But she couldn’t.

  They were losing.

  The battle was turning against them. Zankoku’s forces were overwhelming, pushing them back. The defensive line was barely holding.

  And General Raiga—he was toying with them. He stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching the battle like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. His expression was unreadable, but the amusement in his eyes was undeniable.

  Haruka clenched her teeth so hard it hurt. Was this what it felt like to be powerless?

  She gripped her sword tighter. No. Not again. Not ever again.

  She would not let Hana die. She pushed forward, cutting down the enemies in her path, but it wasn’t enough. No matter how many she struck down, more came to take their place.

  She needed more.

  More strength. More speed. More power.

  She needed to win.

  Desperation clawed at her throat, suffocating her. And for the first time in her life—

  She prayed.

  Not to gods. Not to fate. But to something—anything—that could hear her.

  “Give me strength.”

  “If you exist… if anything exists that listens… give me the power to protect my sisters.”

  She didn’t care what it cost. She would take anything. Accept anything.

  Just as long as Hana lived.

  Without her Knowing, something shifted in the air.

  The sounds of battle dulled. The world felt lighter—as if she had stepped into another realm, one just beyond the veil of reality.

  And then she heard it.

  A voice. No… two voices.

  Calling her name.

  She turned, her feet moving on instinct, leading her toward the ruins of an ancient battlefield—a place forgotten by time, buried beneath the valley’s soil.

  And there, in the dirt, half-buried but gleaming like embers in the night, were two blades.

  Their name engraved in the balde 天国 (Tengoku). 地獄 (Jigoku).

  The moment she saw them, she knew. They weren’t just weapons. They were waiting for her. Her hands moved before she could think. Fingers wrapping around the hilts.

  And the moment she did— A shockwave of energy erupted from the ground. Light and shadow intertwined, surging into her veins.

  Power.

  Overwhelming. Unrelenting. Consuming.

  Her body burned with energy, her blood igniting with something ancient, something primal. Her senses sharpened. The exhaustion, the fear—everything faded away. When she opened her eyes, they glowed like molten gold.

  She turned back to the battlefield, her grip tightening on her new blades.

  And she smiled.

  The Storm Unleashed, with the power of black and white colliding.

  Haruka moved. Faster than before. Her form Bluring to the battle field.

  She appeared in the middle of the battlefield , her twin blades flashing like streaks of lightning. Zankoku soldiers barely had time to react before she cut through them like a hurricane.

  “Tengoku - Tenrai Gekiryū! (Heavenly Divine Torrent!)”

  A single sweep of her blade sent a shockwave forward, cutting down enemies in an arc. Her attack was almost unseen with mortal eyes, it was too fast, to precise. and she is not wasting more time she unleashed another power. with her other hand she grip the hilt stronger Jigoku emits a dark crimson flame from its blade

  “Jigoku - Shura no Mai! (Dance of the Asura!)”

  Her movements became unpredictable, weaving through enemy ranks like a phantom, striking from all sides at once.

  Blood sprayed. Metal shattered. The battlefield shifted.

  And for the first time since the battle began—

  Raiga’s amused expression disappeared.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Interesting.”

  He stepped forward.

  And then Haruka was in front of him.

  In an instant.

  Their blades clashed, sending a shockwave through the battlefield.

  Raiga smirked. “You’re fast.”

  Haruka grinned. “I’m just getting started.”

  Hime stood at a distance, watching it unfold. Haruka was different. She wasn’t just fighting. She was dominating. Her movements were too fluid, too precise. Her attacks were too aggressive, fueled by something deeper than just skill.

  This power… was it truly hers?

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a weak voice behind her.

  “Hime…”

  She turned sharply.

  Hana was waking up.

  She was weak, her breathing labored, but she was alive.

  Hime exhaled, relief flooding through her.

  She had survived.

  But as she turned back to the battlefield, watching Haruka’s ruthless attacks, a new fear settled in her chest.

  What had Haruka become?

  The battle ended soon after.

  With Haruka’s newfound strength, Aikyo’s forces pushed back Zankoku’s army, forcing them to retreat. Raiga, though intrigued, did not press forward. He had seen enough. As the dust settled, the Satō sisters stood together once more.

  But something had changed.

  Hana, still weak, reached out for Haruka. “Haruka, you…”

  Haruka stepped back. Just slightly. Just enough for Hana to notice. The warmth in her sister’s eyes was still there. But there was something else, too.

  A distance. A hesitation.

  And Hana felt a sinking feeling in her chest. Haruka had returned from the battlefield victorious.

  But she had not returned the same.