Darkness and grey skies. Once again, Miko was sitting alone in the monochromic world that resided in his soul. Beside him, the shadow version of himself called Yamiko, sat on a gravestone.

“The number of people around us are starting to grow.”

Said Yamiko.

“Still, this world has yet to change.”

He showed a crescent smiled.

“You seem pleased.”

Said Miko.

“Of course. I love this dark and monochromic world. I was born in it after all.”

He pointed behind him.

“I’m sure he loves it too.”

“Roar!”

A frightening roar came from within the chained tomb behind them.

“Oh, have you noticed? Our power is growing pretty fast. It won’t be long before you won’t be able to restrain it any further. When that happens, you’ll have to show the world our true forms.”

Said Yamiko.

“I can’t wait.”

“Is that so?”

Miko replied.

“Oh? You don’t seem to care.”

“It’s not that I don’t care, it’s something I’ve predicted. The stronger I get, the stronger my power will become. It’s common sense.”

“Even so, you still seek strength? Even though there’s a chance of you destroying yourself and everything?”

Yamiko asked.

“Nothing of real value can be gained without risks.”

Miko replied.

“I see. I forgot that’s how we are.”

Yamiko started to swing his legs like a child sitting on a swing, the only difference is that he’s sitting on a gravestone.

“Well, whatever happens, I just know that it will be fun.”

He said with a laugh.

“Rahahahaha!”

Miko then heard an eerie laugh come from inside the tomb. It seemed as if even the monster inside was laughing at him.

Soon after, everything started to fade.

“……..”

When Miko opened his eyes, he was under a tree. He recalled that Momo had given him the day to rest, since he was training nonstop for a while now.

Miko yawned with his hands behind his head and was being used as a pillow.

“As I thought, being lazy is the best feeling in the world. I can’t understand how people can be so productive all the time.”

He said.

“Wouldn’t you agree?”

He asked.

“Oh? You were able to sense my presence?”

At that moment, someone jumped down from the tree he was laying under and stood in front of him. It was Hina.

“I could smell you.”

Miko said while pointing at his nose.

“Wha?! Do I smell that bad?”

Hina asked.

“No. My senses became sharper sense becoming a proxy. I’ve long remembered your scent. I can smell you from a mile away.”

Miko responded.

“You know, even if you explain it, I still can’t help but feeling offended.”

Hina grumbled.

“My apologizes.”

Miko said while closing his eyes.

“So, what do you want?”

He asked.

“Do I need to want anything to come see my #1 fan?”

While saying that, she sat next him.

“Yup.”

Miko replied. Hina frowned when she heard that.

“You seriously lack any form of tact.”

“I’m just being honest.”

Miko replied with his eyes still closed.

“But the fact that I’m willing to humor you means that I don’t dislike your company.”

Hina smiled when she heard that.

“Ah, looks who’s finally being honest.”

She clung to him and started laughing.

“You need to be more honest. You’re cuter that way.”

She said.

“Are you suppose to be slacking off here? Aren’t you a renowned writer?”

“Ah, my other housemate came back. So I wanted you to meet him.”

Hina released him and said.

“Housemate?”

“That would be me.”

“?!”

Miko jumped up when heard when he heard an unfamiliar voice. When he looked he saw someone he’s never seen before standing in front of him.

‘What the? When did he get there? I only sensed or smelled him after he spoke. He couldn’t have just appeared there, right?”

Miko thought as he looked at Sora.

Because of the way he popped up, Miko became immediately interested in him, and started to wonder what techniques he held. Of course, he was also cautious of him.

“Yo, the name’s Sora.”

Sora stretched his hand out and greeted Miko with a smile.

“Sora? Where have I heard that name before?”

Miko mumbled to himself. He looked at Sora’s hand and then at Hina’s smile. However, he didn’t shake sora’s hand.

“You’re as cautious as Hina says.”

Sora didn’t get mad and only laughed.

“Well, I don’t mind.”

He brought his hand to the side.

“I’m here to see what kind of person the infamous Miko is.”

“And?”

“I think I need to learn more about you before I can figure out what kind of person you are.”

Sora said.

“With that said, how about a spar?”

He suggested.

“Spar?”

Sora nodded.

“In one of the comics Hina lent me, there was a scene were the protagonist and his rival fought and grew to understand each other. They call it talking through your fists. I want to test if such a thing is really possible.”

He explained.

‘Plus I need to check you out, because it’s the duty of the big brother to see if someone is worthy of his sister.’

He thought.

“Don’t wanna.”

Miko immediately rejected.

“Today is my rest day, and sparring sounds like too much trouble.”

He said.

*Swoosh!*

At that moment Miko heard something cut past his ear. When he looked behind him there was a hole in the tree. The hole had the shape of a fist.

“You’re a proxy so you must be aiming for the top. I’m sure you haven’t had a real fight where you’re not restricted in anyway or out of your league in a while.”

He turned and faced the smiling Sora.

“What if I could provide you with a fight like that? Would you still refuse?”

In response to his question, Miko smiled.

“Now you’re talking.”

At that moment, Momo appeared out of nowhere beside the two.

“I was going to watch if Miko was really going to try and escape tomorrow’s training as well, but I can’t let this offer slip.”

She said.

“I’ll be the ref. So you two can go ahead and fight to your fullest!”

She then looked at Sora.

‘But I never expected Hina to live with a raising star like Sora. This girl isn’t as simple as I thought.’

She thought to herself.

“Oh, Ace. You’re helping me refereeing the spar as my assistant, so that both sides have a representative.”

She looked up at the tree and said. There you could see Ace sitting on one of the branches.

“I don’t mind. It looks fun anyway.”

He jumped down and said.

“Alright, let’s begin!”

Momo shouted and snapped her fingers. Suddenly a magic circle covered the area. Ground started to break apart and lift into the air. The pieces of earth then started to form numerous structures. After a while, the entire landscape changed.

“Woah!”

Sora, Hina, and Ace were shocked by what they saw. Momo had created an arena with multiple rings lifted into the air on pillars of earth. Below was a maze like structure with numerous pathways inside a valley. There were also countless weapons laying around, and statues that held some of them.

“This is one of the training fields I designed for Miko long ago. It was originally supposed to be used for sparing, but not many his age could survive a spar with him. So I had to lock it away.”

Momo explained.

“I was planning on finally using it by throwing him inside it with some monsters and wild beasts and add a sea of lava, but having someone as his fighting partner works better.”

She said.

“You’re really trying to kill me aren’t you?!”

Miko shouted in protest.

“It was all to make you strong.”

Momo said with a laugh.

“……The Midnight Witch is scary.”

Said Sora.

“Yeah…She gets like that sometimes.”

Hina said.

“Now then, I’ve created the stage. You two, it’s now up to you.”

Momo said while teleporting Sora and Miko onto separate rings. They immediately looked at each other and the distance between them.

“I’ll get this started.”

Miko said and leaped onto Sora’s ring. He then walked up to him while loosening his shoulders and wrist.

‘What amazing presence, and just from getting ready to fight too.’

Sora thought to himself.

He took a fighting stance with his legs apart and both fists clenched in front of him.

“Oh? His stance is pretty solid. Looks like he’s used to fighting.”

Momo noted.

“Sora used to get into fights a lot when we were younger. He has plenty of fighting experience.”

Ace said.

At that moment, Miko and Sora suddenly rushed towards each other. The one who threw the first punch was Miko.

*Bam!*

However, he was also the first one to get hit.

“That was fast!”

Momo said in shock. Even though Miko was the first to throw a punch, Sora was still able to hit him before his hand could fully extend out.

“It’s fast, but not enough.”

Momo said.

*Bam!*

Miko despite being hit, barely budged, and was still able to hit Sora with a straight.

“Heavy!”

Sora was forced back a few steps after blocking Miko’s punch with his arm. He started to shake his arm as if to shake off the numbness.

“Not bad.”

He said with a smile. Miko immediately rushed towards him again, this time with a kick. Sora lifted his leg to block it. A dull sound rung out when their flesh clashed.

Sora pushed Miko back with his leg and immediately attacked with swift kicks aimed at Miko’s head. Miko blocked them with his arms, and tried to hit Sora with a counter but Sora was too agile. He avoided Miko’s counters and continued to hit miko with kicks.

‘His kicks are getting stronger by the second? He’s trying to gauge my strength.”

Miko thought to himself.

“This kid is pretty good. He has complete control over his strength. He can increase the power of his attacks to gauge his opponent. That’s pretty skillful.”

Momo praised.

“However, Miko might not be the best person to try that with.”

She said with a smile.

“Hm?!”

Suddenly Sora felt like a heavy pressure crashed into his body. He soon realized that it was his body reacting to a dangerous threat. He immediately saw Miko avoid a few of kicks completely and entered his personal space.

Miko clenched his fist and thrust it forward.

*Bam!*

Sora was hit in the shoulder after trying to avoid it. The force from the hit sent his body flying off the ring in a spin.

“Ugh!”

He groaned out in pain and twisted his body to land on a statue below.

“Miko is a lazy person, but he loves a good battle. Hence he prefers to skip the formalities and get straight to the main point of a battle. In other words, he’s the type to skip the warm ups and go straight for the main exercise.”

Momo said.

“As such, if his opponent is beating around the bush by trying to gauge his strength, he’ll force them to fight at their full strength by hitting them with the intention to kill.”

She said. Miko stared at Sora, who was standing on a statue. His gaze was fierce like a beast eyeing his prey. Sora saw that and realized that his opponent was too dangerous to play it safe.

He smiled and stood up.

“Well aren’t you impatient? You won’t be popular with the ladies like that.”

He then took something out of his jacket. It was a blue and white headphone with a music note on the sides.

“However, being too patient will also make you unpopular. So let’s take this up a notch.”

He put on the headphones and snapped his fingers.

“First Tempo.”