Chapter 33: Shadow of a Past Life III

It was a sunny afternoon in the lands of the Kazehaya clan. A gentle breeze rustled the blooming cherry blossoms, filling the air with the fresh scent of spring. Kaede, 17 years old, was training in the clan's gardens. His sword, Kagekiri, gleamed under the sunlight as he moved with fluid grace, almost as if he were dancing with the wind. His focus was absolute, but a familiar presence broke his concentration.

"Well, well, if it isn't the prodigy of the Kazehaya clan," Sukuna said, his usual arrogant tone laced with a hint of mockery. Arms crossed, he watched Kaede with a smirk that barely concealed his disdain. Sukuna, also 17, was already known far and wide. His power was undeniable, but his attitude left much to be desired. "What are you doing here, wasting your time? You know there are more important things than playing with a sword, right?"

Kaede paused, lowering his sword calmly. "It's not wasted time if I'm perfecting my skills," he replied without looking directly at Sukuna, his face impassive. Although they were the same age, their personalities couldn't have been more different. "What brings you here? It's not like you to wander these grounds without a reason."

Before Sukuna could answer, a soft but determined voice cut through the air. "Are you two fighting already?" Miyako, 15 years old, stepped out from behind the trees, her presence dignified and elegant, yet her eyes sparkled with resolve. Dressed in a kimono that reflected her noble status yet ready for battle, she approached the two boys with a playful smile. "If we're going to be a team, you should get along better."

Sukuna let out a sarcastic laugh. "A team? Don't make me laugh. Just because we've been thrown together doesn't mean I have to care about you two."

Kaede finally met Sukuna's gaze. "We might be different, Sukuna, but if we're going to face what's coming, we'll need to work together. It's not about whether you care or not. It's about survival."

Miyako nodded, positioning herself between them. "Kaede's right. We might be strong individually, but together... we'll be unstoppable. I won't let this team fall apart before we've even started."

Sukuna eyed her for a moment, his sharp gaze cutting through the air, but there was something in Miyako's determination that made him hesitate, if only for a second. "Hmph. I suppose if I have to work with someone, it might as well be you two. But don't expect me to care what happens to you."

Kaede nodded, accepting that as the best he could get from Sukuna. "Don't worry, Sukuna. We're not expecting you to care about us. Just be ready when the time comes."

Kaede, Miyako, and Sukuna: three young people with personalities as different as day and night, but a common destiny was beginning to weave itself at that moment.

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Sukuna observed his two new companions, trying to hide the disdain he felt. The idea of forming a team with others seemed almost insulting to him. He had spent most of his life proving that he didn't need anyone, that his power was more than enough to face any challenge. Yet here he was, standing in front of Kaede and Miyako, two people that, for some reason, fate had decided to place by his side.

"A team..." he thought, almost laughing to himself. "What a waste of time."

Kaede, with his damn calm and serenity, always seemed so sure of himself, as if everything had a purpose, a reason. Sukuna couldn't stand that attitude. To him, power was all that mattered. If you had power, you had control. You didn't need justifications or excuses. You simply took what you wanted.

Miyako, on the other hand, was a contradiction in herself. That mix of dignity and strength, wrapped in the image of a porcelain princess. Sukuna couldn't decide if he found her intriguing or just plain irritating. Although he couldn't deny that there was something in her eyes, a spark that he recognized. Something that made him feel a slight respect, though he would never admit it out loud.

As Kaede and Miyako talked, Sukuna simply listened, arms crossed and his well-practiced look of boredom firmly in place. "Survival? Teamwork? Those are just words for the weak," he told himself, though a part of him knew that, somewhere, those words held a bit of truth.

But there was something that bothered him more than anything else. That feeling of being dragged into a game he hadn't chosen to play. A game where, for the first time, his power might not be enough. And that infuriated him. It made him feel vulnerable, a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time, if ever.

"If I ever need them," he thought, glancing at Kaede and then at Miyako, "it'll be because the world has stopped making sense."

Finally, when Kaede spoke of being ready, Sukuna simply nodded, but inside, he was already planning how to prove that he didn't need any of them. "I don't care what happens," he told himself, "as long as, in the end, everyone recognizes that I'm the strongest."

As the sun began to set, Sukuna felt a strange mix of emotions. Contempt, curiosity, and a hint of anticipation. He knew the days ahead wouldn't be easy, but deep down, a small part of him was excited. Not by the idea of having companions, but by the opportunity to prove, once again, that he didn't need anyone.

"Let's see how long this 'team' lasts," he thought, a sarcastic smile creeping across his face as he looked at his companions. "I bet I'll be the last one standing."

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Kaede observed Miyako and Sukuna as they gathered as a team for the first time. The setting sun cast long shadows across the training grounds, illuminating the faces of his new companions. There was a strange mix of emotions in his chest: curiosity, distrust, and, deep down, a spark of camaraderie that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Miyako, with her dignified demeanor and that blend of elegance and determination, reminded him of someone from his past that he could no longer clearly remember. It was evident that she was not just another princess but a warrior with an impressive inner strength. Although still young, Kaede could see in her eyes the promise of someone who could one day defy any fate. There was something about her that drew him in, an invisible thread that made him want to protect her and, at the same time, watch how far she could go on her own.

Sukuna, on the other hand, was a presence Kaede found fascinating. Arrogant, imposing, and completely indifferent to others, he had an aura that demanded respect and, in some measure, fear. However, Kaede couldn't help but feel a sort of connection with him. Perhaps it was his own darkness, the one he had learned to master, that allowed him to understand Sukuna better than others. He knew working with him wouldn't be easy, but he also knew that together they could reach unimaginable heights if they managed to synchronize their forces.

As he watched them, Kaede couldn't help but think about what fate had in store for them as a team. There was a path full of dangers and challenges ahead, but also unlimited potential. In their own way, each of them was broken, incomplete, but perhaps, just perhaps, together they could create something no one expected.

Kaede smiled faintly as he crossed his arms. Although uncertainty surrounded him, there was a strange feeling that something important had begun at that moment. He didn't know if that feeling filled him with hope or unease, but he was sure of one thing: he couldn't afford to fail. Not now, not with them.

But what Kaede didn't know was how cruel fate would be to him.