Spirit of the Sword - II

*****

After a long walk, Kazuki finally stopped at a fast food joint. "Hey Ryu, over here." He rummaged through his pockets and pulled out an object that looked like an eclipse.

Ryu, who was busy cooking, nodded at Kazuki. "Yeah, you're good. Head through the back. Now get out of my sight." He snatched Kazuki's medallion back, and they exchanged a glare.

"You're such a pain, you know that?!" Kazuki blurted out, collecting himself. "I had to sneak into the Yamigatana's stronghold to exorcise their possessed spirits! It was terrifying." He took a breath before continuing to vent.

"And look at this overpriced ramen! 1550 yen for a simple bowl."

"Yeah, it's ridiculous," Ryu agreed, reaching out for a fist bump. "This mission has me on edge too. Got caught and had to make a noisy exit. I'm in trouble, Ryu."

"You'll pull through, trust my father," Ryu reassured him, waving goodbye. "You owe me dinner next time, alright?" Kazuki said.

After greeting his associates in the back of the ramen shop, Kazuki faced a wall. Kneeling down in prayer, he began chanting softly. A ripple appeared in front of him, and his sword emerged from it—the Judge and Executioner, the Tenth Blade Chronicle of Shadows. It hovered briefly before fading away.

With the sword gone, the wall vanished, revealing a staircase leading into darkness. Kazuki sighed deeply and descended into the stronghold of his clan, the head of his family.