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{This is my first time writing a story. I never wrote one for someone else to read. I took inspiration from many different stories. I'm not claiming all the ideas i will use in this story as mine, maybe they have already been used in a much better way. Conclusion, I'm a novice. I'm not claiming that you will like this story. Hope you give constructive criticism.}
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{Oh and English is not my first language. You may find a few errors but I will try to convey the story in a way that most people can understand, atleast I hope so.}
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After completing his day at the academy, Muzan was walking around the school while texting on his "smartphone."
He needed to inform Kirin to meet him outside the school gate in case she got out earlier than him.
The real reason, however, was walking towards him right now.
"I heard there were two transfer students that arrived almost simultaneously. You must be one of them, correct?"
It was a good-looking boy. He had black hair, was wearing spectacles, and had a stern aura about him.
"I am Sato Takuya, a student council member." He paused then, awaiting the other party's introduction.
"Muzan Kibutsuji, and yes, I am one of the transfer students." Muzan replied with a smile.
He knew what the student council was; in fact, he always found student councils and many other such groups quite peculiar.
It was an anime trope, often called an "Absurdly Powerful Student Council," where student council members hold more authority than faculty.
Of course, it doesn't make sense at all. But it's used for narrative to make conflicts, romance, and club drama easier.
When the protagonist answers to a charismatic student leader rather than an adult administrator, it creates an autonomous, teen-dominated world where adults are absent or powerless.
Such power dynamics are frequently used for comedic effect or to raise the stakes, making the council an entertaining or formidable antagonist.
Some animes actually exaggerate it to a whole different level.
The Totsuki Ten Elites from that anime named Food Wars is a prime example.
They can overturn decisions made by the director, control massive budgets, and make decisions that define students' careers. Heck, they even have control in the real world's culinary industry.
'Truly exaggerated. But oh well, that is my reality too now.'
"Did you need something from me?" Muzan took the lead in asking him for his reason to seek him out.
'There's literally no way he's here for a duel or something, right?' Muzan grimaced internally.
He didn't want to experience the Yu-Gi-Oh plus Pokémon scene combo.
(Yu-Gi-Oh "duelists" combined with Pokémon game route trainers that jump you and only send out a level 2 Caterpie against your over-leveled Charizard, annoying to say the least.)
Sato adjusted his glasses and spoke with authority.
"According to the regulations, your ability and compatibility test for your Lux weapon will be taken tomorrow."
"I'm here to notify you and formally remind you to please come to the academy an hour earlier and head to the Student Council office."
He took out his phone and continued,
"If you are afraid you won't be able to find the office or have any other issues, you can contact me." He showed his contact number typed on his screen.
Muzan took a look and saved it on his phone too.
"Alright, thank you, Sato-san." Muzan gave a nod to the stern boy.
"You're welcome." Sato nodded back and finally left in another direction.
"...That went way better than what I expected." Muzan said to himself.
'No cliché happened. No looking down on the new guy, no exaggerating importance of the test, or even just being judgmental or too curious.'
He recounted some clichés he remembered, although most such things only happen with girls mostly.
'This guy was on point and very helpful, even giving his number in case I need any other help.' Muzan sighed to himself.
"Why can't all people be like this guy?" . . . . . . After another 10 or so minutes, Muzan was finally out, and he immediately spotted Kirin.
Her platinum hair was easy to spot against the greenery of the grass and trees behind her.
"Hello, Miss Kirin!" Muzan said with a smile and a wave.
Kirin tensed up instantly and bowed a full 90 degrees.
"Yes! Hello, Muzan-senpai!" She shouted at almost full volume.
"...yeah." Muzan took a good look at her, and he didn't know what to even say.
He actually wanted to apologize for arriving late just now, but if he did that, he was sure she would break into another bow and apologize again and again.
'Kouichirou really left a shadow on her. Her initial self-loathing that comes from "being the reason her father was arrested" was enhanced even more by Kouichirou's treatment of her.'
Muzan decided that he needed to first of all clear his intentions and make her relax.
So he decided to cut to the part that mattered most in this world.
"Miss Kirin, I was wondering about how we could get to know each other better, and what better method than having a duel right by? Wouldn't you agree?"
Muzan asked with a smile. He knew how these people operated; any academy student would not back down from a duel challenge.
And he also wanted to try out the cliché of "defeat leads to friendship."
He was not kidding; he actually just studied this part in his books.
There are way too many stories of two enemies becoming "friends forever" after a duel.
They say the duel often acts as a form of communication, allowing people to understand each other's strength, honor, or underlying loneliness.
It also often involves the "rival-becomes-ally" shift, where combatants realize their differences complement each other.
He wanted such a duel too! All the fights he ever had were either someone coming at him shouting, "Muzan, you bastard! I'LL KILL YOU!!" or them not saying anything at all and just hitting or chopping him up.
Kirin was stuck for a few seconds, and then, after realizing he wasn't joking, she nodded quickly.
"Yes! Please guide me, Senpai!" And she bowed again.
...To be honest, he suspected this might actually be a tactic of hers. It must be quite effective against boys her age or perverts.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After a few minutes of travel, they arrived back at Kirin's house.
Of course, Kirin had suggested booking a duel ground for their duel, but Muzan had directly denied it.
He didn't want anyone to suspect his abilities, not yet at least. He would first engage in a duel and get a feel for it.
"Uncle Toudou" was already out and looking for "materials." It wouldn't be long before he got results.
Unless he verified whether he could use Prana, he didn't want to expose himself to the public.
Besides! Kirin herself is someone who doesn't use a Lux weapon and relies only on enhancement and skills to duel. She only uses a normal steel sword to duel, although the steel sword also has its own history.
Muzan had a great deal of experience fighting against people like these, so it would be a familiar type of duel.
"Ready? We can begin anytime." Muzan said while stretching.
"Um, yes!" Kirin nodded, but then she looked at him and asked,
"Uh, Senpai, where is your weapon?"
Muzan had already prepared for this!
He directly reached behind him, and when his hand came back, he held a white katana!
"Here. I don't have a Lux weapon yet, so this will have to do." He smiled.
This sword was made with his bone, of course. It was much stronger than steel, and of course, since it was a part of his body, he could also remotely control it.
After taking the sword, he got into a basic stance.
"..." Kirin was sure he didn't have a weapon on him, and yesterday he had also suddenly vanished.
Could it be that Senpai was a Dante?
(Strega/Dante are people who can use Prana to create magical phenomena rather than just enhancing themselves. Strega is for females, and Dante is for males.)
Her expression turned serious.
Seeing her expression, Muzan's smile also widened.
According to his knowledge, Kirin's personality changed when she was in a duel.
She treated duels extremely seriously and even forgot her timid nature while fighting.
One could say she was very passionate about swordsmanship and duels and regarded them very highly.
Muzan had seen such people before. These people change when they're talking about or doing something they love, becoming bolder, etc.
Like an identity disorder, but much milder.
As soon as their eyes met, the duel began!
A dazzling burst of energy surrounded Kirin.
Her Prana enhanced her, and she surged forward!
Swish!
The sound of the sword cutting through the air was impossible to miss, yet at the same time very possible.
Because it was fast. Extremely fast.
Kirin's blade reached him in an instant.
Muzan moved just as it was about to touch him.
A small shift in angle, enough for the blade to graze past his shoulder instead of cutting through it. His eyes sharpened.
Fast.
She was fast and precise, without much wasted motion.
Of course, not fast enough to be untrackable for him, but still, fast enough.
Kirin didn't pause; the moment her first strike missed, her stance flowed into the next!
The next attack came from below, then from the side, then another from above!
A seamless chain, every attack flowing into the next one.
"Renzuru, huh." Muzan murmured under his breath.
This was the ultimate technique of Kirin's family's swordsmanship style. A continuous sequence of strikes, each one feeding into the next without interruption.
The name "Renzuru" refers to the technique's ability to box in an opponent, with the relentless, connected nature of the attack.
This is compared to the folding of a paper crane, more precisely the traditional Japanese Renzuru, thus the name.
The Toudou-ryuu is a widely known style, and many people practice and incorporate its techniques into their own styles.
But the only one to truly master it is the heiress of the style herself, Toudou Kirin.
He parried the next strike; the impact didn't even have time to ring before the next one came.
She's trained, very skilled, and has an almost instinctual grasp of swordsmanship. Her natural talent and the strict training from her uncle have pushed her to a level of power normal Genestella cannot hope to reach.
She was ranked first in the whole academy even while being in middle school. And while that may not sound like much, in this place it was comparable to being the Mike Tyson of the academy.
Their blades met again and again, and then again.
Kirin pressed forward, her movements sharp yet fluid, her body enhanced by Prana to a level far beyond normal humans.
But to Muzan, it wasn't much.
She was quite close, almost reaching Hashira level. But it was mostly her technique rather than her raw stats.
Emphasis on reaching, of course. And even then, it was the living Hashiras that he was talking about, not those demigod bastards he had to fight in the "Equal Opportunity" matches.
But anyway, she was good. Toudou-ryuu was a style built on speed, precision, and continuous pressure.
Swish! Clang!
Muzan blocked, then stepped back once.
Kirin wasn't giving him space. She followed instantly, her sword tracing a precise arc toward his neck.
Muzan raised his sword higher, and she changed the attack once again!
Good reaction speed too.
He blocked her strike and smiled slightly.
"Impressive, Miss Kirin."
Kirin didn't respond; she was fully focused now.
Because while it might have looked like she was pressuring him, he had yet to take an actual loss in the exchange.
Forget a full hit; she hadn't even been able to avoid his blade and make him retreat completely.
Another sequence began as Kirin pushed herself.
Her strikes overlapped, angles shifting mid-motion, forcing him to adjust constantly.
And finally, Muzan's stance shifted just a bit.
'Alright…'
He stepped in instead of back.
Their blades clashed again, but this time, he didn't just block.
His stance lowered.
'...let's raise the level.'
Kirin's next strike came and met air.
Her eyes widened slightly, because Muzan had slipped past the line of attack. Taking a step to the side, he rotated in a smooth arc.
The weight shifted seamlessly from one foot to the other as he went through the whole motion. Dodge, step in, slash.
It wasn't the complete Water Breathing, but the flow was there.
Muzan had never learnt the sword styles, but after fighting hundreds of people who used the same techniques but on the highest power level, he had a much deeper understanding of them.
It was a more raw and purer version than the more sophisticated and technical swordsmanship.
Kirin stepped back just a bit to dodge the attack, and her next attack came immediately after; she adapted quickly.
This time, he responded with a sharper motion.
A clean, straight stab, aimed precisely at the opening she left on her right.
Her eyes widened! Her own attack was still inches away, while his attack had already reached her!
Kirin barely managed to retreat backward in time!
But evading the attack did not give her relief, because that backstep had completely destroyed her momentum.
Her expression changed, from focused and serious, to surprised, and even having a touch of awe.
"In the Toudou-ryuu, there are 49 forms, and by freely channeling and using these forms, one creates an inescapable stream of attacks. That is the ultimate technique of the style, Renzuru."
She adjusted her stance while explaining her family's swordsmanship. Because this was the first time someone had so directly broken her Renzuru.
"You are very strong, Senpai."
Muzan adjusted his uniform a bit and said,
"It's just experience. You're the truly talented one, Kirin."
Then, with a more serious expression, he continued.
"To be honest, I only know a few people who are more talented than you in swordsmanship, and all of them can be counted on one hand."
"Is that so?" she said. And it was more in understanding rather than asking a question. And then, she moved once more.
"Again!" she said, her voice firm as she dashed towards him.
Muzan's smile widened.
"Of course."
She came at him even faster this sequence. Her blade blurred, her Prana flaring brighter as she pushed her limits.
And he was matching her, not trying to overpower, but to direct her.
Each movement of his carried a different rhythm now.
A small shift here, a little variation there.
He was showing her, letting her glimpse into something broader.
Wind. A sweeping strong slash came at her that swept everything in its path and seemed to continue onwards even when the sword's reach shouldn't allow that.
Flame. A fiery rhythm that became harder and harder to follow. It was like a real flame; she could not predict when it would be a feint like a flickering spark, and when it'll turn aggressive like a raging inferno.
Stone. A solid, heavy clash. And one time was enough to understand that a head-on collision between them was disadvantageous for her.
Kirin could feel it, how her attacks were being read, answered, and guided into his own rhythm.
Like she was being shown something.
Her breathing grew heavier, partly from exhaustion and partly from excitement. But her eyes, they shone brighter and brighter.
She pushed herself again; she adjusted her own technique, trying to receive every attack that came, trying to deliver attacks he could not receive.
This was her best sequence yet.
'She is truly a genius.' Muzan thought to himself with satisfaction. But,
'However, growth requires time, and no matter how much of a genius Kirin was,'
CLANG!
A harder clash this time, where he overpowered her and left her to stumble backward.
'she was still human, not a complete monster.'
And with that thought, Muzan stepped forward.
One sharp motion as he shifted his stance.
Lowering himself and bending his knees, he prepared himself.
Kirin had just stabilized herself,
but it was too late.
A thunderous sound of the floor cracking rang out, and before Kirin could even process it, his sword rested on her neck.
Kirin froze, in utter disbelief. Her breath was uneven, her heart was racing, and yet she dared not move anymore, not even a flinch.
And that's because of his eyes. Those red eyes looked at her as if she was insignificant. As if she was nothing but a bug, something that he could squash while passing through.
The pressure rose, and she didn't know if she was hallucinating or not, but she could smell a pungent and repulsive smell.
It was bloody, and angry, and very, very scary, as if she was trapped in a monster's jaws, with no hope for an escape.
Muzan held the position for a second and then lowered his blade, his smile returning as the pressure started to lift.
"Well," he said lightly, "that was fun."
Kirin blinked, and then finally her shoulders, which had been firm and steady moments ago, relaxed. She exhaled to steady herself, but still fell onto her knees.
And just like that, the confident swordswoman disappeared and her timid self returned.
Kirin blinked again, her eyes slightly misty, her face flushing faintly as she slowly lowered her blade.
"I-I lost..." she said quietly.
Muzan also lowered his sword, the pressure vanishing as if it had never been there.
"You did well, Miss Kirin." he said calmly.
And he meant it. Kirin was definitely a genius, something like a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy.
If he didn't count her raw stats, her technique and ability were definitely even higher than a few Hashiras he had battled.
The alive ones, of course.
Kirin looked up at him, surprised for a moment, before she quickly bowed again, much more nervously this time.
"Th-thank you, Senpai!"
Muzan sighed internally, but there was a faint hint of amusement in his eyes.
'And she's back.'
(AND SO AM I!!!)
This is just something I cooked up as quickly as I could, however this is not the proper continuation of this story. I will take about another weeks worth of time to be completely free from my work IRL, and then I'll start uploading properly again.