“Yesterday we did physical exercises, but today the real training begins,” Kurokawa announced, pacing back and forth as he scrutinized each one of them. Kaen hadn’t noticed it before, but Kurokawa had quite a lot of muscles. Unlike yesterday when he had worn a long coat, today he was in a tight t-shirt that highlighted his build. Kaen’s initial wariness of him seemed well-founded.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of fatigue. Ren stood beside him. He looked different from yesterday, paler than he already was, and his hands were shaking a bit. Kaen had asked if he was okay and Ren had brushed it off as nothing; he didn’t want to pry but still, he was a bit worried. After Ren’s nightmare, both of them managed to get a bit more sleep. But it hadn’t been long before Kurokawa stormed in, yanking them out of bed and dragging everyone outside. Now, the five of them stood half-asleep on the football field, the early morning air cool against their skin.

Gin was standing next to Kaen, half-snoring and leaning against his arm. Her weight pressed heavily against him, and he could feel her drooling on his sleeve. He nudged her with his elbow, whispering, “Hey, stop drooling and Kurokawa will notice that you’re sleeping.”

But it was too late. Kurokawa had already spotted her. He marched over, his eyes narrowing. Grabbing Gin by the shoulders, he shook her awake, startling her. “Are you asleep?” he barked.

Gin’s eyes snapped open, and she stuttered, “No, boss, absolutely not!” Kaen let out a chuckle at her reaction but stopped abruptly when Kurokawa gave him a stern look. He resumed pacing as he continued speaking seriously. “Even if you won’t fight The Rebellion we don’t know what tricks they have up their sleeves and it would be utterly idiotic to not use the thing that makes us humans unable to eradicate the rouges - demonic abilities.” He paused in his pacing and turned to look at Yuukie before adding, “Especially for those who are not skilled in combat.” Yuukie shrank back in embarrassment. Kaen was torn between feeling useless and feeling somewhat competent. His special ability seemed to have no practical value, but at least he had some fighting skills that could be of use in certain situations. “However,” Kurokawa went on, “you can’t rely solely on your abilities, especially if you haven’t fully trained or mastered them yet. That’s why you will also be given weapons to aid in the mission.” He motioned for them to follow. They walked off the field into the dark woods. The sun was hidden behind clouds, providing little light for their path. “Weapons, pretty cool huh?” Kaen commented as he tried not to trip over any roots or rocks. “I already have the best weapon ever!” Gin exclaimed proudly before darting off to climb a nearby rock. “She has an endless supply of energy,” Ren chuckled as he watched Gin abandon the rock and scurry up a nearby tree instead. “Yeah,” Kaen laughed in agreement. They continued to follow Kurokawa down the path until they came to a stop in front of a small, unassuming concrete building. It mirrored their dorm in design, but instead of a sliding door, a formidable iron gate stood guard. The building was immaculately clean, devoid of any traces of moss or cracks in its sturdy walls. Kurokawa took his key card out of his jeans pocket and placed it against the screen on the side of the gate. It was the same mechanism they had used to enter the facility two nights earlier. The door emitted a small hissing sound before smoothly sliding open. Kaen found himself staring at the door, still as impressed as the first time he saw it. Kurokawa gestured for them to enter the concrete building. Inside, the room was surprisingly large, its walls lined with racks and shelves displaying an assortment of various weapons. The air was cold and fresh, with a faint metallic scent that hinted at the deadly tools housed within. The floor was polished to a shine, and overhead lights cast a sterile glow, illuminating each weapon in stark detail. Kenzo’s eyes widened as he dragged his finger over an obsidian-colored broadsword. “These are made from Ukloroite,” he said, a note of awe in his voice. “They’re made by demons.”

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Kurokawa nodded. “We acquired these weapons specifically for you. Choose one that you think will work best for you in combat.” Kaen stood in awe. He had never seen so many weapons in one room before.

Ren looked around the room, just as much in awe as Kaen. He had thought his father’s gun room was a big assortment, but it was nothing compared to this. He knew what he was looking for, a bow. Ren’s eyes locked onto a beautiful silver bow adorned with blue opals. A matching leather quiver hung next to it, filled with silver arrows. He reached out, running his fingers along the bow’s smooth surface before taking it down. The weapon seemed to hum with energy in his hands. Kaen smiled at him. “It suits you.”

Kenzo walked along the racks, his eyes scanning the various weapons until he stopped in front of a green katana. The sword’s blade shone brightly, with a sharp edge, and the handle felt perfectly balanced in his hand. He picked it up with a satisfied expression. Gin ever energetic, darted around the room until she found a sleek black gun. She picked it up and turned to Kurokawa, who gave her a knowing look.

“I want you to use ‘that’ on the mission,” he said, his tone serious.

Ren and Kaen exchanged confused glances, ““Of course, I will, old man!”” Gin exclaimed before rushing outside with the gun in her hand. The comment made Kurokawa’s expression falter before quickly returning to his normal stoic face.

Kaen glanced at Yuukie, who stood fidgeting with her fingers, her eyes darting from weapon to weapon. “Hey, you need help?” She jumped slightly at his voice before nodding. Yuukie didn’t look very experienced in any type of combat. She needed something small and easy to wield but still deadly. Everything in here was too big, too heavy. The only thing that would’ve been good was the gun Gin had already taken. Then his gaze fell upon two small cutlasses. Kaen picked them up, their handles wrapped in leather for a secure grip. He handed them to her, and she tested their weight, a tentative smile forming on her lips. “These won’t be easy to handle, but it’s probably the only thing in here you can actually hold,” Kaen laughed, rubbing the back of his head. Yuukie nodded, grateful for his help. He looked around the room again, feeling a bit lost. Every weapon seemed foreign and intimidating. He had no idea what to choose. Kurokawa noticed his hesitation and spoke up.

“Everyone who has chosen a weapon, head back to the field.”

The others filed out, leaving Kaen alone with Kurokawa. The agent approached him, his expression unreadable. “Why haven’t you chosen one yet?” he asked.

Kaen sighed. “I have no idea what to choose. I’ve never used a weapon before.”

Kurokawa was silent for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully. “Wait outside the vault while I set up the others. I’ll show you something.”

Kaen was a bit confused but did as he was told, stepping outside into the cool air. He waited, listening to the faint sounds of the other’s voices in the distance. After a few minutes, Kurokawa returned and motioned for him to follow.

As they walked, Kaen couldn’t help but laugh at how many times he had followed this man to an unknown place, it was somewhat funny actually. Just a few days ago, Kaen didn’t even know him, and now he basically did everything the agent told him to do. They moved through the woods, the trees casting long shadows on the ground. Eventually, they arrived at a small glade, secluded and quiet. Kurokawa turned to Kaen. “Put your hands up in a fighting pose and come at me.” Kaen blinked, surprised. “What?”

“You heard me. Show me what you’ve got.”