"Alright, you two—rules are simple! Try not to break any bones, avoid permanent curses, and please, for the love of the gods, don't set anything on fire!" Ruza declared with a hint of exasperation.
She glanced at Kizutoro in particular, who grinned mischievously.
The training grounds were always empty at this hour but still they weren't one hundred percent sure if they were allowed in here.
Ruza stood between them, with an unreadable face, holding up her hand to signal the start of the sparring match.
On the sidelines, Kiome, Chika, and Aoi cheered, their voices mixing into a chaotic chorus.
"Go, Tatsuya! Show him what you've got!" Chika shouted, pumping her fist in the air.
"Kizutoro, don't hold back! Make him beg for mercy!" Aoi yelled, clearly enjoying the escalating tension.
"No mercy, no mercy!" Kiome chanted, sounding far too gleeful for the occasion.
Ruza sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before finally lowering her hand. "Begin!"
In a flash, Kizutoro lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air in a brilliant arc. Tatsuya barely had time to parry, steel crashing against steel with a sharp.
Clang!!
Sparks flew as their swords met, each blow followed by a swift counter, their movements almost a blur to the spectators.
"Not bad, Tatsuya," Kizutoro smirked, pressing his blade against Tatsuya's with a little more force. "I thought you'd be crying for help by now!"
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, pushing back and creating some space between them. "If I wanted to be bored, I'd have asked Chika to spar with me."
"Hey!" Chika protested from the sidelines, crossing her arms. "I am very interesting, thank you very much!"
Kiome burst into laughter, while Aoi leaned forward, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Less talking, more fighting!" she shouted.
Kizutoro spun his sword in a dramatic flourish, clearly showing off. He lifted his left hand, summoning a faint white aura of magic that coated his blade, crackling with energy.
"Sword art of wind! Tempest gale!" Kizutoro announced, his voice full of confidence. The mana around his sword intensified.
"Tempest gale? Really? That sounds like something you'd see in a kid's bedtime story." Tatsuya teased, his own sword beginning to glow faintly with a red hue.
Kizutoro narrowed his eyes, clearly undeterred. "Oh, laugh all you want now. You won't be laughing when—" He swung his sword, aiming for Tatsuya's side, but Tatsuya sidestepped with almost ridiculous ease, leaving Kizutoro to stumble forward, his mighty "Tempest Gale" completely missing its target.
"Tempest gale is the first spell we learn when using the swords art of wind. I think Kizutoro needs to come up with a stronger spell to win this." Aoi said.
"But Tatsuya never learned the basics of wind, right? How did he know?" Chika replied.
Ruza's deadpan expression barely faltered, though a hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I think your wind needs a little… fine-tuning, Kizutoro."
The crowd of spectators erupted with laughter, Kiome practically doubled over as Aoi clapped her hands in delight. Even Chika couldn't hold back her giggles.
Kizutoro flushed, shooting a glare over his shoulder. "Alright, alright, maybe I need to work on the branding."
Tatsuya shook his head, sighing. "Focus, Kizutoro! This is supposed to be a serious sparring session." His eyes glinted with a competitive edge, and with a quick dash, he closed the distance between them.
The sparring turned more intense, their swords moving in swift, calculated strikes. Tatsuya blocked each of Kizutoro's blows with practiced precision, and Kizutoro matched him strike for strike, their movements perfectly synchronized like a deadly dance.
Suddenly, Kizutoro's grin returned. "You're not the only one who can play dirty, Tatsuya!"
Before Tatsuya could react, Kizutoro kicked up a small puff of dirt from the training ground, aiming right at Tatsuya's eyes. Tatsuya stumbled back, blinking furiously as he tried to clear his vision.
"Cheap trick!" Tatsuya shouted, rubbing his eyes.
Ruza tilted his head thoughtfully. "Technically… that's fair play."
"Ha! Got you now!" Kizutoro leaped forward, blade raised, ready to capitalize on Tatsuya's momentary blindness.
But Tatsuya, even half-blinded, reached into his own arsenal. He clenched his left hand, a burst of fiery mana surrounding his blade. "Inferno Flash!" he shouted, swinging his sword in a wide arc, releasing a burst of heat and flame that forced Kizutoro to leap back.
Kizutoro yelped, barely dodging the attack as he stumbled back to safety, brushing a singed strand of hair out of his face. "Was that really necessary, Tatsuya? Were you trying to kill me jerk!"
"I thought you wanted intensity," Tatsuya smirked, finally able to see again, his blade still flickering with fiery mana.
The spectators roared with laughter, Kiome now waving a small flag he'd somehow produced out of nowhere. "Tatsuya! Tatsuya! You've got this!"
Chika grinned. "Now that's how you make an entrance! Show him what real power looks like!"
Kizutoro groaned but couldn't hide his own smile. He took a deep breath, adjusting his stance. "Alright, one last round. No more tricks, just pure skill."
The two warriors locked eyes, a silent agreement passing between them. In an instant, they clashed again, their swords moving so quickly that the others could barely keep up. It was intense, yet there was a spark of humor in every exchange, as though both were enjoying the thrill of trying to one-up each other.
Finally, Ruza raised a hand. "Time! That's enough."
Both Tatsuya and Kizutoro stepped back, breathing heavily, their faces flushed with a mix of exertion and exhilaration. Despite the sweat, both were grinning.
"Not bad, Tatsuya," Kizutoro panted, sheathing his sword with a satisfied sigh. "You actually made me work for it."
Tatsuya chuckled, wiping his brow. "Any time you want another lesson, you know where to find me."
From the sidelines, Kiome, Chika, and Aoi erupted into applause, clapping and cheering as though they'd just witnessed a grand performance.
"Bravo, bravo!" Kiome called, dramatically pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "Such passion! Such spirit! I'm moved to tears!"
Aoi leaned over to Chika with a smirk. "Think they know we're only here for the comedy?"
Chika shrugged, grinning. "If they didn't, they do now."
Ruza simply sighed, shaking her head with a small smile as she watched them. "Alright, enough theatrics, everyone."
Tatsuya and Kizutoro shared a friendly laugh.
Part 2
"Aaaahhh!!! That feels good!" Tatsuya stretched his arms high above his head, sinking deeper into the warm, soothing embrace of the hot spring.
The steam rose gently around him, drifting into the cool night air, and he felt the tension melting from his muscles, his soul filling with an unusual sense of peace.
This reminded Tatsuya of the time he was with Paul, the first person that he met when he got teleported into this world.
He took him under his protection and trained him for a while.
He remembered his little cabin in the Speed Dragon mountains, in the country of Montisora. And the natural hot tubs that were located there.
He also missed Loki the Bastek cat, Tatsuya wondered how they are doing.
Paul never told me what his plans were after sending me on my own way.
No, He is probably still living in that old cabin of his.
Kiome sat next to Tatsuya staring up at the night sky. "a bit of a downer that we can't see the stars tonight," Kiome murmured, a hint of wistfulness in his voice as he ran a hand through his damp hair.
Tatsuya's gaze turned from Kizutoro, who was blowing bubbles in the water, to Kiome.
"Yeah, that's true." He said that but still he didn't feel anything special about it.
Kiome leaned back, letting out a long sigh as he looked up at the thick clouds blanketing the sky.
"I… I'm sorry about what happened to Meki." His voice was quiet, each word carefully chosen.
Tatsuya's eyes widened a bit, surprised. "How'd you know about that?"
"Kaida told me." Kiome shrugged, looking over at Tatsuya with an understanding gaze.
Kaida? They know each other? Tatsuya's mind raced. He hadn't realized Kaida, the girl with the ever-cheerful smile, and Kiome were close enough to share something like that.
"Wait, you know Kaida?"
"we're the same age, and we've had the same training schedules for a while now. We've… talked." Kiome hesitated, glancing at Tatsuya with a soft smile. "She was really worried about you, you know."
Sometimes I wonder, do people help each other because they want to or do they only do it to benefit them selfs?
"Ever since her sister died." Kiome continued. "She has been acting strange, like she hides her despair behind her cheerful personality."
That's right, Kaida. You also lost someone close to you.
"She told me that she wanted to make me smile. That I should talk about it with other people." Tatsuya said.
Kiome leaned back, looking relaxed, he moved his hands behind his head. But there was a sincerity in his expression. "You can talk to me if you want, Tatsuya."
Tatsuya's throat tightened as he glanced over. Kiome looked back at him with an open, patient gaze.
Do I trust him enough? Kiome already knew some of what had happened, but sharing everything feels… vulnerable. But I still….
"You don't have to rush it." Kiome interrupted his thoughts gently, his voice warm and understanding. "Just know that I—I mean, we, Chika, Aoi, myself… and even Kizutoro…"
"the hell are you bringing my name into this for?!" Kizutoro splashed water dramatically, his face turning red as he crossed his arms in exaggerated offense.
"Sorry, sorry! It's nothing!" Kiome held up his hands in apology. "I just wanted to say that we're all here for you."
Kiome finished before getting attacked by Kizutoro.
He suddenly launched himself across the water, splashing directly at Kiome, who yelped and tried to dodge.
The two began a mock battle, water flying everywhere, and even Kiome's calm, collected expression dissolved into laughter as he splashed back with full force.
Tatsuya slipped out of the bath, wrapping a towel around himself, and wandered over to a nearby wooden fence that overlooked the mountain range. The clouds had parted slightly, revealing a handful of stars twinkling faintly above.
It's pretty. Tatsuya thought I guess stars are not that bad. His gaze turned to the mountain range.
"Talk about it." He murmured to himself.
I wonder when I trust them enough to reveal my real self.
What would you do, My lord?
"My lord?"
Tatsuya heard and looked at Chika who stood beside him looking at the mountain range.
"Oh, hey Chika."
"You belief in a god?" She asked.
"Yes, absolutely." Tatsuya said with determination. "But most of the time I feel like I let him down you know. With the way I act and sin every day."
I wonder who actually belief in god? I don't actually know. I should ask them.
"Yeah, I know what you mean but I don't really believe." Chika said.
"Yeah, I sometimes also feel really far away from god but as long as you keep the faith, everything will be okey." Tatsuya said.
"Talking about sin, The demon of Gluttony told me that she has the fiends of Gluttony or something but a feint is an evil spirit, right?"
Tatsuya asked.
"That's right, but not much is known about spirits. It is believed that the spirits were the allies of Nizhalgal. So most people stay away from them." Chika answered.
So that explains why I haven't seen a single spirit in this world. I first thought that they were just special in this world.
Wait but in the history book inside Paul's cabin told me that spirit helped people in the ancient times?
"I one's heard that in the past spirits were allies of the people?" Tatsuya said.
"Yes, that is right but eventually they betrayed the humans and turned evil."
No, I am pretty sure it was the other way around.
"Well, the only thing I know is." Chika continued. "That the heavenly saints are in possession of a spirit."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, they're called the Spirit of virtue and each one resembles one of the 7 heavenly virtues. They have all different powers depending on the one who is chosen." Chika said.
"So each heavenly saint has one of the 7 heavenly virtues?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yeah, that's right."
In the history book in Paul's cabin it says that the 7 emperor also possessed one of the 7 heavenly spirits. So you can say that they were the first heavenly saints.
"So how do you become a heavenly saint?"
Tatsuya asked.
"Once a seat is open, that means if one of the 7 heavenly saints dies. The heavenly virtue goos back to the church. There it waits until a worthy vessel is chosen."
So the church is a sanctuary for the spirits of virtue? I did read something about a church in that old history book but I can't fully remember.
"The church?" Tatsuya asked.
"The heavens church is located in the city of Deity, it is a sanctuary for the heavenly virtues to rest when it is without a vessel."
So I was right!
"Are all the seats taken right now?"
"The seats of Chastity and Temperance are the only ones who are open right now."
So there are 5 heavenly saints right now.
"I heard that someone was a heavenly in the past but now not anymore. Can you just give the seat up?"
"Not exactly," Chika replied, her gaze serious as she spoke. "You can't just give up being a Heavenly Saint. The bond with a Heavenly Virtue is deep—almost like a mark on your soul. If someone is no longer a saint, it's because something happened to sever that bond."
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow. "Sever the bond?"
Chika nodded, lowering her voice. "Yes. Sometimes, a saint might fall from grace, losing the virtue's favor if they stray too far from its ideals. And in rarer cases… the virtue might leave them if it senses that another soul is better suited. But it's never a simple matter of someone stepping down. It's the virtue itself that decides."
Tatsuya leaned back, trying to process her words. "So, it's the virtue that chooses to move on?"
"Exactly," Chika continued. "The church can only guide and prepare the next candidate, but ultimately, the virtue has a will of its own. Once it leaves a person, they're no longer considered a saint, even if they're still powerful or respected. The seat becomes vacant, and the virtue waits, watching for the right soul to come along."
"Once you are a heavenly saint what is the end goal?"
Chika face turned serious. "I don't know…. Even though I am the Minarai from the heavenly saint of kindness.
I need to find that question for myself."
Yeah, I guess that is the real question that you need to ask. I assume it is to kill Nizhalgal the demon lord but you can easily get corrupted and the spirit of virtue maybe leave you.
"What if you had to guess, what would it be?" Tatsuya asked.
"To serve," she said simply, but with a depth that startled Tatsuya. "The end goal for a Heavenly Saint isn't glory or fame. It's about embodying your virtue until you become a living example of it. People look to them to understand what those virtues mean, and that responsibility doesn't go away."
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, his mind racing with questions. To serve? To embody a virtue? It all sounds like some kind of holy job description.
He'd always thought that having such a title meant a life of honor and privilege, but seeing her face now made him wonder what it actually took to carry that mantle.
So it's about more than titles and powers… it's about living a life you might never fully understand. Living for others, even if it means putting aside what you want. It wasn't the kind of purpose he'd expected to hear, but it made a strange sort of sense.
"So… that's it? Just… being there?" he asked, almost incredulously.
"Being there isn't easy, Tatsuya," she said, looking at him directly. "But for a Heavenly Saint, that's what it comes down to. If we can bring even a little peace, a little kindness into the world, then that's our end goal. It's a small hope, but sometimes that's all people have. At least that is my idolatry of it."
Tatsuya leaned over at the fence and scratched his head. "I don't understand any of it. I am getting cold, I am going inside."
So to recap.
Heavenly Saints are chosen individuals who bond with powerful spirits called the "Spirits of Virtue," each representing one of the seven heavenly virtues. These spirits grant unique powers to their saint. When a saint dies, their virtue spirit returns to the Heavens Church in the city of Deity, a sanctuary where it waits for a new, worthy vessel.
The bond between a saint and their virtue is profound, like a mark on the soul, and cannot simply be given up. Occasionally, a saint may lose their title if they stray too far from their virtue's ideals, or, in rare cases, the virtue itself may leave if it finds a more suitable candidate. The church can guide potential candidates, but ultimately, each virtue has a will of its own and decides who will be its next saint.
The goal of the Heavenly saints is unclear but Chika gave a pretty thoughtful response. Not that Tatsuya knows what the answer is.
Well another question that I have is, what would happen if you kill a demon of sin?
Doesn't work it in the same way? But then the sin is the dark side like in Star Wars?
I should have asked that to her. Maybe I can ask Kenji Kai.
Part 3
Tatsuya arrived at his room and stopped, surprised to see a letter lying quietly in front of his door.
"A letter?" he murmured to himself, puzzled. It was the first time anyone had ever written to him in this world. Do they even use letters here? As he bent down to pick it up, his eyes caught a glimpse of the red wax seal, stamped with a design that sparked recognition.
Master Yatsu? he wondered, turning the letter over in his hands. What would he have to say?
Carrying the letter inside, Tatsuya closed the door behind him and settled onto his bed, taking a deep breath before breaking the seal and unfolding the paper.
Tatsuya,
I am coming to your current location. Be prepared.
— Yatsu
Tatsuya read the note twice, its directness sparking questions. Master Yatsu is coming to the Swordsman Corps? Could it be to retrieve Ruza? He frowned, considering.
That would make sense, but… maybe I should ask Ruza to be sure.
Is she even awake right now? Deciding it was worth a try, Tatsuya got up and left his room, heading toward Ruza's quarters.
Halfway there, however, he noticed someone coming from the opposite direction—a familiar figure with a calm, purposeful stride.
Tokagame?
Tokagame noticed him as well, offering a gentle wave, his expression calm. He was dressed in his usual Swordsman Corps uniform, which struck Tatsuya as strange given how close it was to midnight. A mission this late?
"Are you going on a mission?" Tatsuya asked curiously.
Tokagame smiled with a gentle humility that softened his entire expression. "Yes, I am," he replied, bowing his head slightly as if to give Tatsuya the respect of his full attention.
"There is a place I am needed at dawn, and the path is long. The hour is late, but it is my duty to go."
"..." Tatsuya was frozen in place, not by the word that Tokagame had said. But by the slight bow he had given him.
"I am sorry, Takagame but I am nowhere near honorable to recieve a bow from you."
Tokagame let out a soft smile. "You're wrong. You killed a demon of sin, so you deserve the same respect as me."
Tatsuya hesitated, glancing at the darkened corridors beyond. He quickly changed the topic "Isn't it dangerous to travel at night?"
Tokagame chuckled softly, the sound like a gentle stream over smooth stones. "Your concern is kind, Tatsuya. But I trust that I am not alone on this path."
"There is a greater strength that guides and protects us, even in the darkest hours. It is not for me to question the journey, only to walk it."
His words carried a quiet certainty, the kind that was rooted in something far deeper than mere courage.
Tatsuya looked at him, realization dawning. I didn't realize it before, but… aren't all the Heavenly Saints religious?
"You're one of the Heavenly Saints, right?" he asked, voicing the thought.
Tokagame's eyes sparkled with a hint of warmth, though he kept his expression modest. "Indeed, I am. Did you not see it during our battle with Rukai?" he replied, a gentle amusement in his tone, as if he were chuckling at a shared memory.
Tatsuya huffed, feigning indifference. "No, of course not," he replied, in a tone that suggested he had better things to notice. "So… what virtue do you represent?"
Tokagame looked away thoughtfully, his expression softening further.
"The virtue of Humility," he said quietly, as if it were a personal revelation he was sharing.
Tatsuya tilted his head, curious. "Humility?"
"Yes. In a world that values strength and pride, humility is an anchor." He offered a faint smile, eyes glancing to the floor with a reverence for the virtue he held.
"For it is through humbling oneself that one gains the wisdom to understand others, to see the worth in all things, and to walk a path of compassion."
Tatsuya opened his mouth, a question forming, but Tokagame gently raised a hand.
"Forgive me, Tatsuya, but I must prepare. My duty calls, and the journey will not wait for idle conversation." His tone was as kind as his words, a quiet warmth in his expression as he added, "Still, it was good to speak with you. Thank you for your concern."
And with that, Tokagame turned, his footsteps soft as he disappeared down the corridor, leaving Tatsuya with more questions than answers.
Did I say something to upset him?
Tatsuya continued through the quiet hallways of the Swordsman Corps, each step echoing slightly in the late-night silence.
He stopped in front of Ruza's door, rapping his knuckles against the wood with a familiar rhythm. It was almost a ritual at this point—knock twice, wait a beat, then hear her muffled but ever-lively voice call him in.
But this time… nothing.
He frowned. "…Ruza?" he called out, pressing his ear against the door.
Still nothing.