"Yume, so he''s the guy I''ve heard about?" said Shirogane with an amused smile.


    She looked at him with the same amusement. "Yes, he is. Be careful, he doesn''t look very strong, but he is."


    Kaito, who had been listening, was assessing the situation, realizing it was escalating quickly. He looked at the figure on the roof and said, "Can someone tell me who—" He couldn''t finish his sentence, as a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. Shirogane had moved so fast that he had gone from the rooftop to Kaito’s side in mere moments.


    "My name is Shirogane... remember it well." The moment these words were spoken, a swift and powerful punch sent Kaito flying, crashing through a tree twenty meters away from the warehouse. The impact was deafening, loud enough to send a flock of birds scattering into the sky.


    Yume was in disbelief at the sheer destructive force.


    "D-did you kill him?" she asked, but the young man, his arm still in an offensive position, laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHA, what kind of question is that? You yourself said he was strong… Look at him!"


    Yume turned toward where Kaito had been thrown. He was still standing, blades drawn and in a defensive stance. His head was slightly bloodied, his face obscured.


    (Here he comes,) Shirogane thought. In an instant, Kaito vanished and reappeared just inches away from him. Kaito attempted to strike with his dagger, but Shirogane dodged effortlessly. He tried again, closing in and launching another slash, this time grazing Shirogane’s arm.


    Shirogane wasted no time and counterattacked with a flurry of blows. The two moved with incredible speed. Kaito barely managed to evade a kick by lowering himself at the last second. Taking advantage of his position, Shirogane lunged forward, landing a strike to Kaito’s chest. Kaito quickly repositioned himself but was fully aware that his opponent was superior.


    The two locked eyes for a moment before Shirogane suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahahah, you’re really something. You’re interesting."


    Kaito looked at him with disdain. For a moment, his gaze flickered to Yume, but he knew he couldn’t afford to be distracted.


    "Tell me something… You''re a spirit wielder, aren’t you?"


    Shirogane’s response came swiftly. "Hahah, yes, I am. And so are you, right?"


    In this world, there existed beings known as spirits—entities that waged war against humans a thousand years ago. Humanity ultimately prevailed, sealing these spirits within their own bodies. Generation after generation, these spirits were inherited, and in rare cases, new ones were born.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Kaito kept his tone serious, yet filled with rage. "You''re wrong. I don’t have a spirit."


    "You’re not a spirit wielder? Don’t mess with me. There’s no way you could have survived my first hit otherwise."


    Yume''s eyes widened. "That’s impossible. Kaito doesn’t have a spirit," she muttered, unable to believe that he had withstood Shirogane’s attack.


    Meanwhile, Kaito charged at his opponent once more. His blades cut through the air, reflecting in Shirogane’s eyes. He had figured it out: to defeat an opponent stronger than him, he had to take away his sight.


    But in an instant, Shirogane dodged the attack and delivered a powerful uppercut, sending Kaito crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. Blood dripped from his lips, but his chest still rose and fell—he was still breathing.


    "So, bastard... How are you still standing? A hit like that would have taken the head off anyone without a spirit," Shirogane said, frustrated by his opponent’s endurance.


    "Maybe you''re just overestimating yourself," Kaito replied, his voice strained.


    Shirogane lost his composure. "DAMN YOU!!"


    From his shadow, two pale arms emerged, followed by a figure: round, red eyes, white skin, long black hair, a slender physique, and a pitch-black outfit. His spirit had manifested.


    The figure that emerged from the darkness scanned the surroundings before speaking. "Shirogane, why have you summoned me to such a place?" Her voice was delicate, yet eerie at the same time.


    "Don''t complain, Kuroyami. Just get ready—we need to kill that guy."


    Kaito had already gotten back to his feet, still holding his blades despite his battered body. "So she’s your spirit, huh?" he asked, still in pain from the previous blow.


    "Yes. Feel honored—you’ve angered me enough to make me summon her," Shirogane responded.


    Kuroyami joined the conversation. "I don’t know what you did to my Shirogane, but if he wants you dead, I have no objections."


    Kaito took a deep breath and spoke the words that would reignite the battle. "Neither do I."


    An instant later, Shirogane, alongside Kuroyami, struck Kaito, sending him crashing against the warehouse wall. However, he had managed to soften the attack using his blades, taking minimal damage.


    "Alright, Kuroyami, let''s begin… KAGE NO ITSUWARI!!!"


    Upon hearing these words, Kaito found himself unable to move. (My legs… I can''t move them,) he thought as he watched his opponent and his spirit approach him.


    Kuroyami stood still while Shirogane began pummeling Kaito with a flurry of punches. Each blow rocked his body, yet he remained pinned in place, unable to be sent flying due to the shadow binding him. Kaito’s blood splattered across the concrete, and the warehouse wall, weakened by the repeated impacts, crumbled to the ground.


    With his back against the wall, Kaito attempted to defend himself with his blades, but to no avail. "I can’t… He’s too strong."


    The blows continued to rain down until Kaito realized that his only chance was to immobilize his opponent.


    "Alright… if this is the only way…"


    With this thought, Kaito deliberately lowered his guard until Shirogane’s fist pierced through the lower part of his abdomen.


    Shirogane, momentarily stunned, started laughing. "Hahahah, so you’ve given up, huh?"


    Kaito, his body trembling, replied, "You’re wrong… It’s just… that now… I have you… right where I want you!!!"


    His blades began to glow a bright blue. "SPIRIT SLAYER!!!"


    A radiant slash of light struck Shirogane, lifting him off the ground and tearing through a portion of the warehouse roof before sending him crashing down.


    "Hah… I hit him… Ugh… Huff… His spirit too… Puff… That should do it," a flicker of hope ignited within Kaito, only to be extinguished as Shirogane’s silhouette emerged from the dust cloud.


    "Dam…n… you… damn you… DAMN YOOOOOU!!"


    Shirogane, consumed by rage, lunged at Kaito. His palm gripped Kaito’s face and drove him toward a nearby grove. The two tore through the trees at high speed, uprooting twenty of them and leaving a crater in the ground.


    "Kuroyami… Now… KAGE NO ITSUWARI CAVALIER!"


    The spirit reappeared, and from Kaito’s shadow, a knight formed entirely of darkness emerged.


    "Shit…" Kaito forced himself to stand with a jump, but a sharp pain made him scream.


    "AAHHHHHHHHH!"


    His right arm had fractured from the impact.


    "Very well, knight, hold him down." The shadowy knight obeyed Shirogane’s command instantly.


    "Kuroyami, KAGE NO KEN!"


    From her own shadow, a sword materialized.


    Kaito struggled to regain control, but his vision was beginning to blur. There was little he could do.