7 A Challenge

After a long day of exploring the town, Shishio, Ayaka, and their friends returned to Ayaka's home for dinner. Ayaka's mother warmly welcomed them and asked them to freshen up before the meal. After sometime all have them arrived and had their dinner.

As the group finished dinner, Tsukahara suddenly rose from his seat, holding up his cup of liquor. "Since my son is here, I want to toast my drink with his," he declared, making his way over to Shishio. The two men clinked their cups together before downing their drinks in unison. Everyone smiled and raised their own cups in a silent salute.

But while the adults enjoyed their drinks and conversation, Yasuke and Takeda were whispering to each other about Haruka. "Did you see that girl Haruka?" Yasuke asked his friend. "She's so mysterious."

Takeda nodded in agreement. "And did you notice her face? It's always covered with her hair. I wonder what she's hiding."

Yasuke frowned. "I don't know, man. She seems...different. Almost scary."

As they spoke, a sudden gust of wind blew into the room, lifting Haruka's hair and revealing her face. Yasuke and Takeda gasped in shock at the sight of the long, jagged scar that ran across her cheek.

"What happened to her?" Takeda murmured, his eyes widening in curiosity.

But Yasuke shook his head, his expression wary. "I don't think we want to know. She's...different. Best to stay away."

Meanwhile, Haruka had been lost in her own thoughts, watching Ayaka and Shishio make plans for the coming days. Her mind drifted back to memories of her own brother, and she felt a pang of sadness wash over her. It was then that Yasumi appeared, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

"Are you okay, sis?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

Haruka smiled, but her eyes were filled with tears. "I'm fine," she whispered. "Let's go for a walk."

As they strolled through the town, Yasumi chattered excitedly about the training he'd been doing with Haruka. She smiled, glad to see him happy, but her thoughts were still troubled.

The next day, she was back at Ayaka's place, practicing sword-fighting techniques with Yasumi. They were so absorbed in their training that they didn't notice Shishio's arrival until he spoke up.

"No doubt your sword-fighting technique is the same as your brother's," he said, eyeing Haruka. "But I never liked him. I feel sorry that he died so young, but it doesn't matter anymore. Now, let's see what you can do, Haruka. I challenge you to a sword fight."

Haruka froze, her eyes widening in shock. She had never been challenged to a fight before, especially not by someone as skilled as Shishio. Her heart began to race as she tried to think of a way out of the situation.

But Shishio was already unsheathing his sword, a confident smirk on his face. "Well, are you going to accept my challenge or not?" he taunted.

Haruka took a deep breath, steadying herself. This was it - the moment she had been training for her entire life. She drew her own sword, her eyes narrowing in determination.

"Let's do this," she said quietly, her voice firm and resolute.

As the two opponents faced off, the air crackled with tension. All around them, the spectators held their breath, waiting to see who would emerge victorious. It was a battle that would go down in history - a test of skill, strength, and sheer willpower.