The moonlight sky stretched endlessly above the Senju village, stars glittering like scattered jewels across the black canvas of the heavens. The Glitzebra Inn stood warmly lit, lanterns swaying gently in the cool breeze. Inside, laughter and chatter carried from the dining hall as adventurers drank and traded stories. Yet outside, away from the light, Rey sat quietly on a wooden bench, his gaze fixed upward.
The stars reminded him of home. Or rather, of what he had lost. Each shining dot seemed like a soul—some distant, some close, but always beyond reach. His orange eyes reflected the starlight, but within them lingered questions he could not voice.
A rustle broke the silence.
"You've been out here for a while, kid."
Rey turned. Noir stepped out from the shadows of the inn, his usual sharp expression half-hidden in the dim glow of the lantern by the door. His tone was calm, but his eyes were unwavering, analyzing Rey like prey.
Rey forced a smile. "Just looking at the stars."
Noir crossed his arms, then stepped closer. "Then how about looking at me for a bit instead? Let's spar."
Rey blinked. "...What?"
"You heard me." Noir's tone was blunt. "I want to see for myself. How did you—someone with no proper training, no aura discipline, and no visible magic—beat the Axe Reaper?" His gaze narrowed. "That man had a number of 150,000. Even veterans avoid fighting him. Yet you not only survived—you pushed him back. Tell me, Rey… what's your real number?"
Rey lowered his head. His fingers curled slightly against his knees. "I don't… have one."
Noir's brows furrowed. "Don't lie to me. I saw it. When you clashed with him, your sleeve lit up. Your number glowed—I couldn't mistake it."
Rey's eyes darkened. "Mr. Noir, you don't understand what I carry. It's not something that can be explained with just numbers."
Noir's voice hardened. "Enough riddles. If you won't talk, then prove it. To me. With your strength."
Before Rey could answer, the inn's door creaked open. Kyawey, Akame, and Shoko stepped outside, curiosity sparked by the raised voices.
"Oi, Noir," Kyawey called out, eyebrow raised. "What's going on out here?"
Rey sighed. "He's… challenging me."
Shoko's mouth fell open. "What? Noir, he's just a kid!"
Akame crossed her arms, frowning. "She's right. You're stronger than most in this region. Challenging Rey is foolish."
Noir didn't even flinch. "I'll hold back. I just want to confirm something. That's all."
Kyawey rubbed his chin, looking between them. His gaze lingered on Rey. "What do you say, kid? Want to take him up on it?"
Rey hesitated, then finally nodded. "...If that's what it takes."
Shoko groaned. "This is insane."
But Akame merely exhaled deeply. "Fine. But don't go too far."
Kyawey smirked. "Alright then. Let's take this to the back."
The group gathered in the open space behind the inn, where the lantern light didn't reach and the night breeze carried the faint scent of pine. The ground here was clear of clutter, just dirt, scattered stones, and a few wooden dummies used for practice.
Noir loosened his shoulders, then reached into his pouch. Two wooden daggers gleamed faintly in the moonlight. He tossed one toward Rey.
Rey caught it carefully, feeling the unfamiliar weight in his palm. "I usually fight with gloves," he said. "But I've trained a little with daggers."
"Good," Noir replied, spinning one dagger easily between his fingers. "Because you'll need it."
Kyawey stepped between them, drawing an invisible line in the dirt with the heel of his boot. "Alright, here are the rules. No killing blows, no spells that could burn the inn down, and no hard feelings afterward. Understood?"
Both nodded.
Kyawey raised his hand. "Three… two… one… begin!"
Noir vanished.
One moment he was standing across the yard, and the next his figure blurred into streaks of white aura as he accelerated beyond normal sight.
"Eh?!" Shoko gasped. "He disappeared!"
Akame's grip tightened on her staff. "That's his Boost technique. He's already serious."
Rey's ears caught the faintest whistle of air behind him. His eyes widened. Instinct moved his body before thought could—his dagger came up just in time to catch Noir's strike. Wood clashed against wood, the impact sending a burst of air scattering dust.
The force rattled Rey's arm, but he didn't fall.
"Oh?" Noir smirked. "Not bad."
Rey pushed off, sliding back across the dirt. His heart pounded. Fast… too fast. But if I lose focus, it's over.
Noir lunged again, his movements sharp and precise. His daggers carved arcs of shimmering aura through the air. Rey ducked, sidestepped, and blocked, his dagger flashing desperately to meet each strike.
"Did you see that?!" Shoko whispered, gripping Akame's arm. "He's actually keeping up!"
Akame's lips parted slightly, her eyes narrowing. "No… he's not just keeping up. He's predicting Noir's movements."
Kyawey smirked. "Heh. This is getting interesting."
Noir twisted, his knee shooting upward toward Rey's ribs. Rey raised his shoulder to block, but the impact sent him stumbling sideways. He barely caught his footing before Noir was already there again, daggers slicing down.
Clang!
Sparks burst as wooden blades collided.
Rey grimaced. His arms trembled, but he held firm.
"You're not breaking yet," Noir muttered. "Good."
With a burst of aura, Noir spun, his kick sweeping toward Rey's legs. Rey leapt back, narrowly avoiding it. The dirt cracked where Noir's foot landed.
The spar blurred into motion, dagger against dagger, strike against strike. Every clash sent shockwaves rippling across the yard, stirring the trees and rattling the inn's shutters.
Finally, Rey ducked beneath a horizontal slash, pivoted, and kicked upward. Noir's eyes widened as the strike brushed his cheek, leaving a thin red line.
Noir froze. Slowly, he touched the blood with his fingertips.
"…He cut me," he whispered.
Kyawey's eyes widened. "Well, I'll be damned. The kid actually landed a hit."
Akame's voice was hushed. "Noir's number is over 60,000. And Rey…"
Shoko swallowed. "Rey's not even showing a number."
Noir's smirk widened into something feral. His aura crackled, building around him like a storm. "Alright, no more playing."
Light-blue sparks began to dance across his body. The air hummed with electricity, the ground vibrating beneath his feet.
"Zapper Rush!" Noir roared.
His figure blurred into lightning itself, streaking forward in a straight line.
Rey's eyes widened, instinct screaming danger. But before he could move—
"Enough!"
A blazing heat erupted as Kyawey stepped forward, his sword drawn. Flames engulfed the blade, spiraling like a storm. With a roar, he swung downward.
"Firestorm Crash!"
Flame met lightning in a violent clash. Sparks exploded outward, burning through the air. Rey was thrown back, rolling across the dirt. Shoko shielded her eyes while Akame raised a barrier to block the stray flames.
When the smoke cleared, Noir was on one knee, panting. His body trembled, the light-blue aura dissipating into the night.
Kyawey lowered his sword, his expression hard. "You nearly lost yourself again, Noir."
Noir blinked, realization dawning in his eyes. "Tch… I… did it again."
Akame rushed forward, her staff glowing softly. She touched Noir's shoulder, golden light washing over him as his wounds closed.
Shoko exhaled in relief. "That was insane…"
Noir looked toward Rey, who was still on the ground, breathing heavily but uninjured. Slowly, Noir stood and approached him.
"…I'm sorry, kid," Noir said quietly. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was sincere. "I pushed too far."
Rey, still catching his breath, shook his head. "It's fine. I could tell… you weren't trying to kill me. Just… test me."
Noir chuckled weakly. "Guess you figured me out."
Rey pushed himself up and smiled faintly. "You're not bad yourself."
The group laughed softly, tension dissolving. They returned inside soon after, leaving the backyard quiet once more.
But as Rey walked back to his room, his mind was far from calm.
Because for the first time, he realized—when Noir had pressed him hardest, something inside him stirred again. That same dark presence. That same red glow. The one that frightened him more than any foe.