Chapter 9: Roar, Inferno Style!

Today was the usual day for the students of Celestia Academy. It's been 2 months since training started. Sora, Yudo, and Taki managed to make some progress with their certain Styles. Akira was training Rengoku today.

Akira: "Hah! Yah! Torya!"

Rengoku: "Come on Akira! You need to be faster than that!"

Sora: "He seems to be very motivated these past months."

Yudo: "Something must've encouraged him."

Taki: "Whatever it is, it's definitely making him more energetic than ever.

All of the other students and teachers decided to stop their training and observe Akira and Rengoku doing their training, due to how intense the training was.

Rengoku: "Give it your all Akira!"

Akira: "HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He then charges at Rengoku with everything he's got.

As he prepares to clash, Rengoku notices a small spark of flame coming from his sword.

Suddenly when their swords clashed with a huge gust of wind affecting the entire room. Akira got blown away by the impact, but was able to stand during the impact.

Akira: "That was... crazy. What even happened!?"

Rengoku: "You're learning the Inferno Style slowly, that's what." He said proudly.

Akira: "Huh? What do you mean." He was confused by what he meant by that.

Rengoku: "Your blade managed to spark a flame. That means you're getting close."

Akira was understandably shocked by what his uncle said.

Akira: "I'm actually this close to learning it?" Akira thought excitedly.

Rengoku: "Let's take a break for now. You're already tired from all the non-stop training."

Akira: "Yes sir!" He sat down looking like he was almost about to faint. "Whew, hey Sora, I noticed that everyone stopped training. What happened?"

Sora: "Oh that. Let's just say your training with Mr. Rengoku got so intense, everyone watched instead."

Akira: "Wait really? I guess we did go a bit overboard."

Yudo: "Don't worry about it. It's natural for everyone to look. That aside, you're close to learning! You just need to focus more."

Akira: "Yeah! With a little more practice, I can learn it!" Akira back then was doubtful about him learning the Inferno Style, but with what his uncle said earlier, he was determined to fully master it. However unbeknownst to the three, Mieru was listening to the whole conversation, looking pissed off.

Mieru: "Don't get cocky you weakling! I don't care if your Master Rengoku's grandson, I'll prove that I'M the only one worthy of learning the Inferno Style!" She was clearly losing her mind over something trivial. Ever learning the Inferno Style from Rengoku, she always believed that she's the only one worthy of the Inferno Style, despite the fact she's not the only non-Mokoro family that learned it according to history.

Fast forward to the evening.

Sumire: "So he's actually learning it?" She was surprised by her dad.

Rengoku: "I was surprised as well, but he has a chance to learn it." Akira was already sleeping when they were discussing this conversation.

Sumire: "I can't believe it. My Akira actually has a chance." She was crying due to how proud she was of this.

Rengoku: "I honestly couldn't believe it myself. And something tells me he's gonna be stronger than me in a short time."

Denji: "What makes you say that?" They were dumbfounded by Rengoku's statement.

Rengoku: "When we clashed, his strike was more powerful than I anticipated, and I was blown away a little. Not even his sister, Hinata, was strong enough to do that when she sparred with me before." He was clearly shaken by how strong the impact was. He wondered how he got so strong.

Sumire: "That's... concerning..." With what Rengoku said, she got worried for Akira.

Denji: "Could it be because of his training? After all, when you realized Hinata can learn the Inferno Style, you immediately trained her, without training her with the sword, unlike Akira, who trained for many years."

Rengoku: "It could be, but I can't be so sure about that."

They continued to talk about other things. They didn't realize that an hour had passed.

Rengoku: "I should get going for now. I have some things to sort out." He then exits the house saying goodbye to both of them.

Sumire: "Hey honey, what did you mean by your question earlier?" She was curious about his question.

Denji: "I watched over them when they were training together, Hinata was rather clumsy with the sword. She kept messing up, since she never learned it properly. Akira on the other hand, was practicing nonstop. He wasn't as talented as her sister in terms of the Inferno Style, but he was hard working."

Sumire pondered at his explanation. She then began to remember all of the training that she witnessed at that time.

Sumire: "Now that you mention it, Hinata always struggles against Akira when it comes to dueling."

Denji: "Also, I noticed that Akira was doing secret training as well in his spare time."

Sumire: "Secret training?"

A week has passed, with Akira getting actual progress little by little. However he also noticed Mieru is getting more angry at him. This began to annoy him, to the point it's making him uncomfortable.

Akira: "Hey Uncle Rengoku, what's with Mieru lately? She's been acting strange?"

He was understandably getting a little frustrated by her attitude. Rengoku also noticed this as well.

Rengoku: "I don't know honestly. But I might have a feeling I know why. She's holding a grudge against you."

Akira immediately knew what he meant by that.

Akira: "I can tell she's gonna be pissed off about the fact I'm learning it little by little. Honestly uncle, I don't even know if I can keep your promise anymore."

Rengoku: "I understand. If you want, I can take her place today so you can focus more."

Today's training session was with Mieru. He could accept his offer to focus more. However...

Akira: "No need for that uncle. This is something I need to handle on my own. She can insult me all she wants, but that'll just motivate me more."

Akira was determined to prove Mieru wrong, and he will do anything for it. Rengoku looks at Akira's eyes filled with anger and motivation. He knew that he was not fooling around this time.

Rengoku: "All right. But, promise that you'll try your best not to go too far alright?"

Akira: "I can't promise you that uncle, but I'll try."

Training continued per usual, with everyone improving on their swordsmanship even more. Akira despite Mieru's nonsensical attitude, decides not to bother her, which was for the best.

Sora: "How are you holding up to Mieru? Are you sure you can handle her attitude?"

Sora was understandably concerned for Akira due to Mieru's recent attitude.

Akira: "I'll admit, I honestly don't know if I can handle it anymore. But, I'll prove her wrong! I'll learn the Inferno Style!"

Yudo: "That's the spirit Akira. By the way, Taki wants to show you something in the library during break.I don't know what he needs to show you, but he says you might need it."

Akira: "He could've just shown it to me here, but okay."

Break has arrived and Akira immediately went to the library to meet Taki, who was waiting for him.

Taki: "Good, you're here. I want to you to look at this."

He then showed him a page from a book. He was surprised about the Inferno Style being in other books other than what his uncle showed.

Akira: "Wait, there's more about the Inferno Style!? How come I never knew this!?"

Taki: "I did hear from your uncle you weren't the type of guy to read books."

Akira felt personally attacked, but really can't argue against him, since he's right about that.

Akira: "Sheesh, no need to bring that up. That aside, I never there's more to the Inferno Style."

Taki: "There's also something interesting that I read about. It says that "The user must be in total control of the Inferno Style should they want to use it." I honestly have no what it means, but it might be useful for you."

Akira then though about it and came to a conclusion.

Akira: "My best guess is that you need to be one with it, like it's part of your body or something like that. I heard from Yumi that outside the Mokoro family, some suffered a lot from trying to master due to their body not being able to handle it."

Taki: "So for the Mokoro's, it's just a dormant power that's either never gonna erupt like with your mother, or is just delayed like yours. While for outsiders it's something they need to truly need to master. I feel bad for the ones that suffered from trying it."

Akira: "Which makes it a miracle Mieru even learned it."

Taki: "There's also something here that I didn't think about at first, but it could be something you should be aware of."

He then turns the page of the book and points to something.

Taki: "It says that "Should the user lose control of their anger, they enter a state called 'Rage of the Phoenix' a powerful, albeit very dangerous to weild as it cannot distinguish friend from enemy, UNLESS it's properly trained."

Akira felt sudden chill from his body. It was something that he wished he never heard.

Akira: "A power that takes advantage of your anger... how in the world is that even possible!?"

Before Taki could say something, they hear screaming from the outside and immediately went to scene. There they see Mieru, getting near Sora and Ninako feeling terrified. Akira then swoops in to protect the both of them.

Akira: "What the hell are you doing!? Don't you even realize what going on!?"

Mieru was frustrated, but it turned into absolute anger as soon as she saw Akira in front of her.

Mieru: "YOU!!! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE!?!?"

Mieru then charges towards Akira with malicious intent.

Taki: "Akira, catch!"

Taki throws a sword to Akira, catches and delefcts Mieru's sword before she could do any harm. However something felt different about her, which Akira noticed.

Akira: "Red eyes? She normally has brown eyes. What happened?"

He thought about it while trying to prevent her from harming him. He then remembered his conversation with Taki earlier.

Akira: "Could it be!?"

Before he could answer his own question, Mieru suddenly kicks Akira, sending him outside the campus.

Akira: "Shit, she tapped into the Rage of the Phoenix! Don't tell me her anger took over!? This isn't good!"

Mieru once again charges to Akira, continuing their fight. Despite trying his best, Akira was getting overpowered by her.

Mieru: "You never should've lived! You should've died!"

Akira: "This isn't good! She's too powerful handle!"

Rengoku arrives at the scene looking shocked.

Rengoku: "Akira!"

Akira: "Uncle!"

He then points to Mieru.

Akira: "She's tapping into the Rage of the Phoenix!"

Rengoku:"What!?"

He was understandably shocked by what he said.

Mieru then sets her eyes on Rengoku looking even more angrier than ever.

Mieru: "Master Rengoku! You shouldn't have ignored me ever since Akira had the potential to learn it!"

Rengoku: "Snap out of it this instant."

Mieru just laughs it of. Her anger has completely taken over.

Mieru: "You really think YOU, could handle me!? You couldn't even save your own granddaughter when you had the chance!"

Rengoku was in complete denial about what she said. It felt like she was a completely different person. Akira however, felt nothing but anger boiling by the mention of his sister.

Akira: "Don't you dare bring my sister into this! Who in the world do you think you are, thinking you can say something like that!?"

She then turns her attention to Akira.

Mieru: "When I'm done with you, I'll kill your uncle, and your stupid fucking parents!"

She laughs it of like it was completely normal to her. Rengoku couldn't believe what she said. He wanted to stop her, however when he looked at Akira, he suddenly stopped.

Akira: "Say. That. Again."

Mieru: "I said, I'll-"

But before she could say something, Akira then dashes towards her almost suddenly. Rengoku and almost every student, who just entered the scene, were shocked by what they saw.

Akira: "SAY THAT AGAIN! I DARE YOU!"

This time, it's Akira who's overpowering Mieru. Despite the power Mieru got, she couldn't handle the powerful slashes that kept coming towards her.

Akira: "DON'T"

Akira slashes her sword which was beginning to break.

Akira: "YOU"

Mieru then tries to counterattack, but to no avail.

Akira: "DARE"

In a sudden moment, his eyes turned red, his sword all of a sudden, begins to set ablaze. Mieru felt genuine fear, and prepared to block.

Akira: "MAKE FUN OF MY FAMILY!!!"

Akira then delivers one final slash, with his sword fully engulfed in flames. Mieru's rapier was broken due to powerful impact. Akira then looks at her with a very menacing gaze. This would make Mieru fall to her knees. Rengoku then tries to approch Akira carefully, fearing he might get hurt.

Rengoku: "Akira?"

No response. Then Sora approaches him and touches his shoulder.

Sora: "Akira, you alright?"

Akira then snaps back to his senses and sees both Rengoku and Sora in front of him.

Akira: "Uncle? Sora? What did I do?"

He then sees Mieru looking down with knees on the ground.

Akira: "W-what happened to her?"

Rengoku: "She was defeated... by you.

Akira was understandably surprised by what said. He had no recollection about what happened during those moments he lost his anger. However he remembered about the fact she wanted to kill his parents. Then it hit him.

Akira: "Did I... tapped into it?"

He said with genuine fear in his voice.

Rengoku: "You did. But that's also proof that you now learned the Inferno Style.

Akira couldn't believe what he said. After man weeks of training, he has now learned the Inferno Style. He was admittedly still in denial and asked his uncle again.

Akira: "You're not joking right? I actually learned it?"

He nods to his question.

Rengoku: "You did."

Sora: "You should've seen yourself! You were slashing nonstop, until you delivered the final slash, your sword BURST INTO FLAMES!"

Akira was filled joy when his uncle said confirmed it and Sora explaining what happened, while at same time worried, due to him tapping into the Rage of the Phoenix. He then looks at Mieru still slumped.

Akira: "Uncle Rengoku, what are you gonna do with her?"

Rengoku: "For now I'll take take her somewhere far away. I'm fully responsible for what happened. Say to your mother, I won't be joining today's dinner."

He then carries Mieru and walks but stops for a second.

Rengoku: "And be sure you tell her what you did."

He smiles and walks off.

Taki: "Akira! Thank goodness you're alright!"

Sora: "And even better, he learned the Inferno Style!"

Taki: "Really!?"

Akira: "Yeah... but I also tapped into it."

Taki immediately knew what he meant by that.

Taki: "But you managed to snap out of it. How?"

Akira: "I don't know honestly."

Ninako then runs towards Akira and hugs him with a very worried expression.

Ninako: "You made me scared there! I thought you were gonna die!"

Akira comforts her, calming her down.

Akira: "I'm fine, don't worry."

Sora then asks the real question.

Sora: "So uhh, what are we gonna do about the damages here?"

Denji then towards them assuring them it's gonna be fine.

Denji: "Don't worry, we have the funds to pay for the damages.

Akira: "Dad!"

Denji pats Akira's head, much to his embarrassment.

Denji: "Your mother is gonna surprised when she hears about this."

Denji and Akira laughs about it with Sora and Ninako feeling relieved that Akira was fine.