The training hall was quiet.
Not the peaceful kind of quiet—
but the kind that came before something happened.
Sunlight streamed through the high wooden windows, cutting long slanted lines across the polished floor. Dust floated lazily in the air, illuminated like frozen sparks. The smell of sweat, old wood, and iron lingered—proof that this place had seen countless fights, countless defeats, countless moments of pride and humiliation.
Raizen stood at the center.
Barefoot.
Sleeves rolled just past his elbows.
His fists were relaxed at his sides, shoulders loose, posture unassuming. Anyone who didn't know him might think he wasn't serious.
They would be wrong.
Across from him stood his opponent, a tall man with a confident smirk stretched across his face. Arms crossed. Chin raised slightly. The kind of expression worn by someone who believed he already knew how this would end.
Raizen exhaled slowly.
His eyes sharpened—
And then, without warning, his mind drifted.
⸻
Yesterday
"Oh yhhhh."
Raizen leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, grin wide and unapologetic.
"Aoi," he said loudly, "we nailed it."
Aoi paused mid-step.
"…Nailed what."
Raizen laughed. "Life."
Senji didn't even look up from his book.
"We definitely banged the lottery," Raizen continued, completely serious. "New missions, no priests popping out of walls, decent food—"
He turned toward Aoi.
"And I like your new personality."
Aoi blinked.
"…What new personality."
"This one," Raizen said, pointing vaguely. "The one where you don't stab first and ask questions never."
She stared at him for three seconds.
"…You're annoying."
Lu snorted.
Raizen grinned wider. "See? Growth."
He stretched, cracking his neck.
"This one year," he continued, glancing at Senji and Lu, "has definitely changed us. Am I right?"
Lu shrugged. "Mentally, maybe."
Senji turned a page.
"…Whatever."
Raizen squinted. "What's that book you've been reading all day anyway?"
Senji lifted it slightly.
"Oh. This?" he said casually. "It's called a comic."
Raizen leaned forward. "A what."
"Apparently they just started coming out," Senji replied. "Printed sequential drawings. Storytelling through panels."
Lu blinked. "That sounds stupid."
"It's revolutionary," Senji said flatly.
Raizen stared at the book. "…How much did you buy it for."
Senji paused.
"…Thirty thousand yen."
Silence.
Raizen slowly turned his head.
Aoi slowly turned hers.
Both of them stared at Senji like he had just confessed to arson.
"…Thirty," Aoi repeated. "Thousand."
Raizen's mouth opened. Closed.
"…Bro."
Lu facepalmed. "Dufus."
"It's rare," Senji said defensively.
"You got scammed," Raizen replied immediately.
Senji clicked his tongue. "Uncultured."
Raizen waved it off and stood. "Hey, Aoi."
She looked up. "What."
"Wanna go to the cinema hall with me?"
Lu choked. "Just like that?"
Aoi hesitated.
"…Alright," she said. "Let's go."
Raizen pumped his fist once. "Let's gooo."
⸻
The place was crowded.
Low chatter. Laughter. Glass clinking. The bartender wiped the counter lazily as patrons talked over one another. The smell of alcohol mixed with tobacco smoke and cheap perfume.
Raizen stood at the counter, drink in hand.
That's when it happened.
A boy—his age, maybe younger—walked straight into him.
Hard.
Raizen's drink spilled all over his sleeve.
"…Oi."
The boy sneered.
"Watch where you're going, dumbass."
The bar went quiet.
Raizen looked down at his soaked sleeve.
Then back up.
He tilted his head.
"…What's with those goofy ahh eyebrows."
A beat.
"…Are you a model or something?"
The room exploded.
Laughter burst from every corner.
Senji nearly fell off his chair.
Lu slapped the table.
Even the bartender laughed.
"What did you say?" the boy snapped.
Raizen grinned. "Anyway, what's your name. Mine's Raizen."
The boy scowled. "Orochimaru Gabimaru."
Raizen nodded slowly.
"…Okay, cockroach Gabinettsu."
The laughter doubled.
"You dumbass!" the boy shouted. "My name isn't cockroach Gabinettsu—it's Orochimaru Gabimaru!"
Raizen shrugged. "Sounds the same."
The boy stepped forward, rage boiling over.
"Tomorrow," he growled. "Training hall. You and me. One on one. Twelve sharp."
Raizen smiled.
"Deal."
Aoi stepped beside Raizen, resting a hand lightly on his arm.
"…You're really funny," she said.
Raizen chuckled.
⸻
Now
The flashback shattered.
Raizen's focus snapped back to the present.
The training hall.
The wooden floor.
The opponent standing in front of him.
The smirk.
Raizen rolled his shoulders once.
His stance shifted subtly.
No wasted movement.
No tension.
"Okay," Raizen said calmly. "Gabinettsu."
A vein popped on the man's forehead.
"…My name," he said slowly, voice dripping with venom, "is Orochimaru Gabimaru."
Raizen raised his fists.
"Are you ready."
For the first time—
The smirk vanished.
Gabimaru's eyes darkened.
Something heavy flooded the room.
Something sharp.
Something murderous.
A pressure slammed down like invisible weight.
Killing intent.
Pure.
Focused.
Unmasked.
Raizen felt it wash over him—and smiled.