As Kai grabbed a shirt from the closet and finished dressing, he noticed that Tsubaki had already left the room, leaving him alone with Sona. He sighed, mentally cursing Tsubaki for leaving him in what could be an awkward situation.
Sona was standing by the door, arms crossed, looking directly at him with an expression Kai couldn't quite read. He felt his entire body tense; it was hard to tell what she was thinking, but the intensity of her gaze made him uneasy.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to try to clear the air.
"Sona… is everything okay?" he asked, choosing his words carefully. "You seem… upset."
Sona held her gaze for a moment before sighing and looking away.
"I'm not upset," she said, hesitating. "It's just… I didn't expect to see you and Tsubaki so… close." She frowned slightly, as if she wasn't even sure what she was feeling.
Kai was surprised. He hadn't expected Sona to say something like that. He quickly realized that, to her, the relationship with Tsubaki had always been unique—something the two of them shared alone. And now, with him around, perhaps she felt that dynamic was shifting.
Kai gave a soft smile, trying to ease the tension.
"Sona, you're the most important person to Tsubaki. I'm just the 'new guy' here," he joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
Sona shook her head, rearranging her thoughts, but she seemed a bit more relaxed.
"I know that." She gave a half-smile and added, "Maybe I just need to get used to a few changes."
They looked at each other in silence for a few moments, a quiet understanding passing between them. Kai finally felt relieved and smiled back.
"I just hope we can all get along well. After all, we seem to make a pretty good team, right?"
Sona let out a soft laugh, breaking the serious atmosphere and putting both of them at ease.
"I think so."
The two went down for breakfast together, feeling lighter. Kai began to realize that, even though he hadn't planned it, he was forming genuine bonds with Sona and Tsubaki.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen…
Tsubaki was busy preparing breakfast. Initially, she'd been a bit worried about how long Sona and Kai were taking, but when she saw them coming downstairs together, she sighed in relief. They seemed to be in harmony, and that satisfied her.
Kai noticed Tsubaki's smile and raised his hands, making two "V" signs with his fingers, as if to say "Mission accomplished." Tsubaki laughed at his gesture, and the three of them sat down at the table for breakfast.
After breakfast, Kai picked up his two Zanpakutō and followed Tsubaki to the training room. Sona had left to meet Rias, who had returned from the Underworld, and had left Tsubaki in charge of Kai's training.
Entering the training room, Kai was impressed by the environment. It was an all-white room that seemed to stretch infinitely. He joked to himself, imagining it as some kind of "sacred hall" from an isekai anime.
Tsubaki interrupted his daydreaming.
"Today, you'll be training with me, but without using spells. Let's see how your sword skills are coming along."
Kai gave a nervous smile but nodded. He held one of the Zanpakutō by its scabbard, as he still couldn't fully unsheathe it. Even so, he believed training with it sheathed would help improve his technique.
He focused, trying to remain calm and pay attention to Tsubaki's movements, as she had taught him. Before he could make a single move, Tsubaki advanced toward him, fast as lightning, with her wooden naginata pointed directly at his chest. Kai barely had time to dodge and was already hit by another blow that knocked him backward.
"If you're just going to stand there, Kai, then I'll teach you to move!" she said with a challenging smile.
Kai tried to retaliate, attacking with a lateral strike, but Tsubaki blocked it effortlessly and swung the naginata back at him. He barely had time to raise the scabbard to block and felt the force of the impact numb his arms and push him back, causing him to fall again.
When he finally managed to get up, Tsubaki approached and used healing magic to ease his fatigue.
"You okay, Kai?" she asked, trying to keep a serious expression, though amusement sparkled in her eyes.
"I'm… sort of. Surprised at how… strong you are," he replied, still catching his breath.
"If I weren't, how do you think I'd be Sona's Queen?" she replied with a smile.
Kai realized no one had explained which piece he represented in demon chess. He thought about asking but decided to wait for Sona to return, guessing there was a reason they hadn't told him yet.
"Can you keep going?" Tsubaki asked, raising an eyebrow in a playful challenge.
Kai felt his competitive spirit ignite and gave her a determined smile.
"It'll take a lot more than that to make me quit."
Four hours later, Kai was lying on the floor, utterly exhausted. He could barely move a muscle, and his clothes were drenched in sweat, clinging to his skin. Every bone in his body seemed to beg for rest.
Tsubaki approached him, once again using healing magic to ease his fatigue.
"I think we can stop here. You did… well." She smiled, satisfied with his progress.
Kai sighed, worn out.
"Not sure calling this 'training' is fair. Felt more like I was a punching bag."
When he finally managed to stand up, he began to think about strategies to get stronger faster. He knew he had a long way to go, especially considering Tsubaki's level of strength. But he was determined.
Tsubaki commented:
"You're pretty resilient, Kai. Let's see how far you can go at this pace."
Kai chuckled, tired.
"Thanks, I guess."
After showering, he dressed and sat on his bed, placing the Zanpakutō on his lap as he assumed a meditative posture. He closed his eyes, trying to communicate with the spirits of the swords, seeking understanding and power.
After some time in meditation, Kai sighed, not making much progress, and decided to go downstairs to find Tsubaki. It was already dark, and he knew he had a contract to fulfill that night.
Reaching the ground floor, he found Tsubaki standing in the center of a room, over a blue magic circle bearing the Sitri clan symbol. She wore her school uniform, and Ark, Kai's crow, perched on her shoulder.
As soon as Ark noticed Kai entering the room, he flew to him, landing on his shoulder and giving him a light peck, as if greeting him.
Tsubaki stepped out of the magic circle, observing Kai with a mix of seriousness and gentleness.
"Are you going to meet Sona?" Kai asked while stroking Ark. Noticing Tsubaki's outfit, he deduced she was heading to Kuoh Academy.
"Yes. You were supposed to come with me to meet Rias, but it seems you have an important contract to fulfill now," Tsubaki replied, stepping out of the circle and gesturing for him to take his place.
Kai stepped into the circle, feeling the vibrant energy around him. Although he would have preferred to meet Rias and Akeno, he knew tonight's contract was one of the most unusual ones he'd received. He decided it was best to complete it, not wanting to miss the chance, and besides, he'd have many opportunities to meet the two of them since he would soon attend the same school.
When the teleportation finished, he found himself in a place that looked like a dojo, with tatami mats covering the floor. The space was empty, with two doors and a window. In front of one door was a statue of a wolf holding a dagger in its mouth.
Kai approached the statue, taking the paper and envelope attached to the dagger. He was already used to this client's peculiarity, who always left instructions for him to guard the door and never attempt to enter or leave before the specified time.
Sighing, Kai checked the time on the paper, realizing he'd be there until dawn. He grumbled tiredly:
"This day couldn't get any worse."
Trying to calm himself, Kai sat in the center of the dojo, placed the Zanpakutō on his lap, and began to meditate. But just as he was starting to relax, he heard a low, strange noise, like something moving in the shadows.
Kai opened his eyes, his entire body tensing as he looked around. The dojo was dark, and he felt a presence watching him, hidden among the silent shadows on the walls. He stood up slowly, gripping the Zanpakutō tightly.
The noise grew louder, coming from behind the black door. Kai took a step back, breathing heavily, realizing that tonight might be much longer—and more dangerous—than he had anticipated.