Chapter 34: Echoes of Command

The Divine Blade Society’s grand hall was as quiet as a snow-covered forest at dawn with only the low murmur of footsteps echoing through the towering pillars and polished stone floors. Hyorine stood before Will Blackhart in the meeting room and delivered her report.

"Captain Muffet...she went through the portal right before it closed, sir," Hyorine concluded with a sting of frustration lingering in her tone.

Will remained stoic but his piercing blue eyes held a flicker of intensity.

“The rumors were true then,” he murmured. “These Lycans—they’re unlike the others.”

His fingers traced a small pattern on the side of his desk. “They’re not bound by the usual color classifications which doesen’t give us shades to hint at their strength. And the Lycan King…” He shook his head slightly. “These creatures rival, even exceed the might of an above-average class Senodokidatsu.”

Will took a deep breath and leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment before he turned his attention to Hyorine again. “The Lady of the Lycans—Yokuni... It’s regrettable beyond words that any human would willingly surrender their will to the Senodokidatsu.” He clenched his jaw.

He then skimmed the remainder of Hyorine’s report and looked over the final the descriptions of battle and the way Muffet had vanished into that dark realm. Finally, with a sigh that spoke of resignation mingled a faint spark of admiration, he met Hyorine’s gaze.

“You did well, Hyorine. In a mission filled with... unforeseen twists.” His eyes softened like the thawing edges of winter ice. “You stayed focused, kept your team safe and still made it back to deliver this report. I know it was no small feat.”

“But Captain Muffet…” Hyorine’s wavered in speech with her posture shifting. “She’s out there, in their realm, with no way for us to reach her.”

Will nodded gravely. “It’s true. Our only access to the Senodokidatsu realm would be through one of their own portals, waiting for them to open it and retreat.” He reached into his uniform and withdrew a worn leather pouch heavy with the unmistakable clink of coins . “Here,” he said, while handing it to her. “Use it for Squad 6. The team deserves the resources.”

Hyorine’s fingers closed around the money bag hesitantly. “But, sir... Muffet’s not here and well…I mean, I’m just the Lieutenant. What if I…”

Will’s lips quirked in a faint smile. “Do you know why I do things this way, Hyorine?” he asked. . He paused for a moment and waited for her to meet his gaze. “This is about making sure you all understand my appreciation directly, not filtered through formalities or ranks.”

He gestured to the bag. “The Divine Blades, you know, were founded by Zanvoker—a man who believed in this exact method. He saw the strength of letting every squad feel the value of their contributions. Squad leaders receive their funding directly from me, and the trainees get their cut too, even if it’s not as much. They earn it and it matters that they see that.”

Will’s face grew more thoughtful while continuing. “What comes to the squads comes from the hard work I put in myself. This society, every bit of it, should be rooted in each other’s effort and resilience.”

He paused, then fixed Hyorine with a steady look. “As Lieutenant, you’re second in command to the Captain. When the Captain’s not here, the Lieutenant steps up. That’s you, Hyorine.”

Hyorine’s gaze dropped slightly but she stayed silent.

Will continued, “Each squad usually has two Lieutenants to share that weight; however, the ‘death’ of your fellow Lieutenant those years ago left that responsibility entirely on you. Muffet hasn’t named a replacement, and that’s no small thing. She’s trusted you alone to shoulder it for so long.”

He allowed a beat of silence before he continued. "If Muffet has that faith in you, so do I. Don’t second-guess yourself. Carry it forward—she’s counting on you."

Hyorine nodded with a sharp, respectful “Yes, sir. Thank you,” and turned to make her way out. Her hand was on the door when Will called her back loudly.

“One more matter,” he said with a trace reluctance in his tone. She paused and glanced over her shoulder. “It involves Captain…Soujin of Squad 3.”

The name alone sent a flicker of recognition across Hyorine’s face. That man. A familiar image surfaced in her mind of Soujin’s half-lidded, sharp gaze. There was a casual swagger that seemed to follow him everywhere. Then there was the way he was often close to Captain Muffet. He was always casually lounging beside her after meetings from what she saw while spying.

A faint heat crept into Hyorine’s cheeks.

“Soujin…”The name slipped from her lips Her mind raced with what Will might want with ‘ that’ Captain.

Inside the building behind the training grounds of The Divine Blade Society, the air held a dense stillness like the calm center of a storm. Outside, the relentless sounds of training had echoed across the field with an occasional shout of exertion. But here, in this small refuge was a gathering of weary trainees.

The meal they’d just shared hadn’t been fancy. It was bowls of rice and steamed vegetables but to Pufima and Priya, it tasted like heaven. The food seemed to revive a little life into their aching limbs.

But their reprieve was short-lived. They soon had to get up on their feet again. Cordelia’s voice rang out like a bell and sliced slicing through any quietness.

“Lunch is over! We’re going back to training!” Her words carried an energy that rippled through the room over each tired face.

As Cordelia’s gaze swept over the group, she paused with her eyebrows quirking up after her eyes landed on Pufima. "Alright, everyone up! Back to—wait, Puff, what’s all that on your uniform?”

Pufima froze and glanced down in surprise. Her uniform was a complete mess. It was full of grass stains, speckled with dirt and some mysterious dark smudges that even she couldn’t quite explain. She scratched her head sheepishly and bit back a smile. She had to come up with an excuse.

“Oh, uh… this? I, uh… fell?” she said while shrugging slowly in what she hoped looked like an innocent way. She tried brushing at a stain but it only spread the mark further across her sleeve.

Priya, who was barely holding back laughter added helpfully, “Yeah, she was definitely graceful with that fall, right into a nice pile of mud.”

Cordelia crossed her arms with a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “A pile of mud, huh? Well, next time, try not to dive into it so enthusiastically. But alright, warrior of mud and grass stains, let’s see if you can focus on staying on your feet this time. Back to the field! We’ve got a long way to go.”

Outside, Soujin stood alone with his sword gripped firmly in his hand. His stance was calm and balanced. He took a breath, feeling the weight of the sword settle in his palm like an old friend he was still learning to understand.

In his mind, he reflected on the strange reality of his reincarnation. ‘A lot's happened since I first stepped into this world’, he mused. ‘A lot's changed... and yet, it's still me. Just with a few more wrinkles to iron out, I guess. ‘His lips twitched into a small smirk but it quickly disappeared.

‘Even so, there's still a hell of a lot to do here.’

The sword in his hand hummed with a faint energy. The spirit of his blade—Kaze no Montagari was always there. It was a force that both guided and challenged him. The question he kept returning to was how he could forge a deeper connection with it and better wield its power without letting it slip through his fingers like sand.

He closed his eyes again and steadied his breathing while trying to pierce through the layers of his own mind to get down to the realm where he had once connected with the sword’s spirit.

"Alright, Kaze... let’s see if I can reach you again," he muttered under his breath.

A cold, silent moment passed. Then, a voice echoed softly in his mind.

“I’m here, Soujin.”

Kaze’s voice was like a soft wind on the edge of a storm. Soujin nodded in response though no one was physically there to see it.

"I want to wield this power with more control," Soujin said. "I’m not sure what’s holding me back, but... I need to keep this under control, Kaze. I don’t want to go in reckless again."

There was a brief pause before Kaze responded.

“Control... “ Kaze’s tone carried a touch of amusement. “Ah, you’re beginning to understand, Soujin. To wield the power of the Sword God form, both of us need to be in harmony. It’s not enough to simply swing the blade and hope for the best. You have to be aware of what you’re doing... every single step.

Soujin inhaled sharply. He had suspected that much but hearing it from Kaze themselves made it all the more real.

“But here's the thing, “Kaze continued. “You're not the same Soujin who wielded me before. I can see that. You’ve changed, for better or worse. Don’t get me wrong, you're still a reckless fool at heart but that's not your problem right now.”

Soujin smirked at the jab. “I’m not that bad,” he thought, though he knew Kaze was probably right. Still... he was trying.

“The problem, Soujin is that you haven’t reconciled those changes with your power. You need to think about it. You need to realize... you're not just wielding a sword like any average sword user.”

He could feel the spirit’s presence shift in his mind. Soujin clenched his teeth. He knew what Kaze meant.

“Alright, alright, “Soujin thought. “I get it, Kaze…but how the hell am I supposed to reconcile all that?”

Before he could ponder further, Kaze’s voice suddenly turned playful. “Well then, if you think you’ve got it, I’ll leave you with something to think about...”

Before Soujin could react, he felt a sharp, figurative boot to the head.

“Woah!”Soujin stumbled. He was pulled forcefully out of the mental realm. The world around him returned with a sudden snap. He shook his head and felt the disorientation lingering in his skull. "Damn it... That’s one hell of a way to wake up."

Kaze echoed faintly in his mind like a teasing whisper on the wind. “You can use Sword Magic up to level 3. But Sword God Form? Not yet. Think about it... and when you do...”

Soujin let out a long sigh upon Kaze fading away in their speech. He rubbed his forehead. "Great. Just great," he muttered. "I might as well get some training in while I figure this out."

He glanced up at the rising sun. With the Senodokidatsu growing in strength and Miffet still fresh in his mind as a reminder of the kind of monsters they were facing, Soujin knew there wasn’t much else to do but get stronger.

“Alright, let’s get to work.”

Soujin adjusted his stance and raised his sword for a series of swings. He drew in a breath, preparing himself to focus, when—

"Captain Soujin," a voice interrupted.

Soujin lowered his sword slightly and turned to see a man clad in the distinctive white and black Divine Blade uniform. His face was serious.

"Captain Will requests your presence," the man said slowly.

Soujin let out a small sigh and glanced back toward the training grounds, where Priya and Pufima were already back at it. They looked determined, though in Priya’s case, her movements were more frantic than anything else.

"Alright," Soujin said with a curt nod. "Tell him I’m on my way."

With one final look at the girls, Soujin sheathed his sword and started toward the main building.

The building’s grand architecture loomed ahead of him. As Soujin entered, the atmosphere shifted from the harsh, open air of the training grounds to something far more refined. The high ceilings seemed to stretch forever and the walls were adorned with the familiar carvings depicting battle scenes and moments of triumph. He knew exactly where to stand even without being told.

At the far end of the room stood Captain Will Blackhart. Ryojin stood on the section of the floor marked by this own Squad number: 4. His usual calm demeanor was replaced with a grim one.

"Ah, Soujin," Will greeted him with a friendly smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Glad you could join us." He gestured toward the space in front of him. "You know the drill. Take your place."

Soujin moved forward onto the section of the floor marked with the number 3. He stood at attention.

"Iv’e got bad news," Captain Ryojin said. "It’s about the Senodokidatsu inside of Cera....”

Soujin’s eyes widened with a feeling of sudden discomfort creeping up his spine like an unexpected chill in the air. His mind scrambled. He blinked twice and thought somehow that he could erase the reality of what was being said next, but it lingered. The room felt like it was closing in on him.