“That child is no good…”

“How can a shinobi be scared of the very tools supposed to be his greatest asset?”

“He’s not strong enough to overcome that trauma. He’ll be of no use to our clan. While what happened to his parents is tragic, he cannot become a full-fledged member of our rank if he cannot even pick up a kunai…”

“We’ll have to pair him with that weak [Inhuman]. Well they’re childhood friends and fond of each other, so at least there’s a silver lining…”

---

“Hey, kid. You may not have to train like the others, but you should do something productive, you know.”

“Uncle?”

“I get why you’re scared of a shinobi’s tools, kid. But that isn’t an excuse for you to be defenceless.”

“But I can’t…”

“There are other ways to protect yourself.”

“...?”

“Have you ever seen this?”

“No…”

“It’s called a Guandao. A special polearm that comes from China. I learnt to use it for fun, but if you come to the training grounds tomorrow, I can teach you how to use it.”

“...”

---

“Uncle…”

“Quit it with the long face, kid. I want to die a happy man knowing my family can go on without me. Also, I may survive this cancer just yet, alright?”

“...”

“I hear the elders have decided to send you to that town.”

“What town?”

“The one your fiance is at. You’ll be going to the same high school as she is.”

“I see...”

“You may have the ability to defend yourself now, but you’re still not very useful to the clan. They want to send you to somewhere that may keep you out of the line of fire. Where you can have a normal life. And help us maintain our good relations with the Yamaguchi clan.”

---

“How do you know about my parents?”

Yuudai was done evading the knight woman’s attacks. He wanted answers. The Guandao blade sliced down, slamming the lance into the ground.

[Spiral Slash]

His uncle’s favourite move; elegant yet perfectly deadly. His grip loosened, allowing the handle to slide out, increasing the range of the polearm by a significant amount.

The glittering blade twirled a perfect circle around its user before going in for the kill.

Unfortunately, the blade met not flesh but the hard steel of the woman’s shield.

“You’re proficient with that thing, I’ll give you that much.”

The deadly dance of the two continued.

---

Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall of fire, a raging battle was going on.

Shiori knew she had been right to keep her distance. The fire-wielding [Inhuman] seemed reluctant to use long-ranged attacks, probably since it would weaken the wall of fire.

However, Shiori could only stay safely at a distance and hurl balls of acid which would swiftly be deflected by the fire.

If she didn’t attack, the man would keep advancing and push her further and further away from Yuu-kun. But if she continued to attack at this rate, her [Soul Energy] reserves wouldn’t hold out for long.

It was a battle of attrition. One she was fated to lose since the enemy had the advantage of having a [Soul Link] to a [Compatible].

If only Yuu-kun could break through the barrier somehow…