Trial of the Shadows
The aircraft touched down without ceremony.
No reporters.
No escorts.
Only silence.
Keith stepped out, silver-platinum hair catching the dim forest light as he followed the coordinates given by his grandparents. The deeper he went, the denser the trees became—until the forest itself felt like a wall.
Then he saw it.
A mansion hidden within the woods, ancient and modern at once.
Its territory rivaled Runcandel Vision HQ, yet not a single road sign pointed toward it.
"So this is where you've been watching me from," Keith murmured.
The moment he crossed the invisible boundary—
Crunch.
Footsteps.
Keith's eyes sharpened.
He reached behind him.
Yamato slid into his palm with a soft hum.
In the next second, forty figures emerged from the shadows—guns raised, formation flawless.
Two women stood apart:
One with jet-black hair, calm eyes—Kir (Hidemi Hondou). One with silver hair, sharp gaze—Curaçao.
And behind them—
A tall man with long silver hair, black hat tilted low, a killing aura that never faded.
"…Gin," Keith said quietly.
So this was it.
A test.
Keith smiled.
The Beast Awakens
"Target identified," Gin said coldly.
"Surrender."
Keith didn't answer.
Instead—
He vanished.
"—What?!" Curaçao snapped.
A scream cut through the forest.
Five men collapsed instantly—unconscious before their bodies hit the ground.
Gunfire erupted.
Too late.
Keith reappeared among them, movements fluid, merciless, precise. To the watchers, he looked less like a boy—
—and more like a predator.
Silver hair flashed.
Sapphire eyes burned.
On a hidden screen deep within the mansion, an old man watched.
Karasuma Renya nodded once.
"…Good."
He turned slightly.
"Rum. Ethan," Renya said calmly,
"Would you like to join?"
Two veterans smiled.
"Gladly," Ethan Hondou replied.
Rum adjusted his stance.
"It's been a while."
Judgment
Twenty more surrounded Keith—guns trained, fingers tight on triggers.
Gin's voice cut through the tension.
"This is your last warning."
Keith lifted Yamato.
His stance shifted.
The air changed.
"Judgment Cut."
The blade never touched flesh.
Space itself split.
Dozens of invisible slashes tore through the clearing, carving the ground, trees, air itself—then—
Twenty bodies dropped.
Unconscious.
Unharmed.
Silence.
Kir and Curaçao froze.
Their hearts pounded.
So strong…
So beautiful…
Keith didn't stop.
He counted calmly.
"…One. Two. Three…"
Fifteen down.
Two more presences remained.
Keith's eyes lifted.
"Found you."
He drew a deeper breath.
"Judgment Cut: End."
A blue dome bloomed outward.
Slashes layered upon slashes—complex, absolute, transcendent.
When the light faded—
Everyone stood frozen for half a second.
Then—
They fell.
Aftermath
No blood.
No corpses.
Only pure, overwhelming skill.
Keith exhaled, sheathing Yamato.
He moved swiftly—checking pulses, setting bones, applying precise medical techniques. Within twenty minutes, every fallen operative regained consciousness.
Gin stared.
"…You healed us."
Curaçao swallowed.
Kir's cheeks were flushed.
Rum and Ethan exchanged a look of disbelief.
"…That wasn't just combat," Ethan muttered.
"That was control."
Keith finally turned toward the mansion.
The doors opened on their own.
As he stepped inside, a calm, ancient voice echoed through the hall.
"Welcome home, Keith."
Karasuma Renya waited.