The Iroha base stood like a silent fortress in the mountains, far removed from the clamor of the city. A massive castle loomed; its stone walls defiant against the cold wind. Despite being one of the youngest family companies in the paranormal field, the Iroha had been rising steadily, snapping at the heels of the giants under the Order. It was no easy climb — but it was not impossible either. And I, Celestina, was determined to leave my mark as one of the key players shaping this future.
Standing on the training grounds, my crimson hair rippling behind me, I fixed my black eyes on the four lower-ranking members before me. Three boys, one girl. Though they were technically my seniors in terms of time spent here, none dared defy my orders. I was a newcomer, yes — but not bound by blood or relations to the Iroha. Still, they feared me, respected me, obeyed me. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
"Now," I commanded in an authoritative tone, "come and attack me with all your might."
They froze, eyes wide. I could feel their unease.
"Come on," I urged, lifting my chin confidently. "You can all jump me."
With a yell, the middle boy — a large one, his frame practically blocking the view behind him — charged forward. His face contorted in effort, but the panic flashing in his eyes betrayed his true feelings: he was acting without thinking, throwing himself at me blindly.
"That punch looks dangerous," I murmured as his fist barreled toward me, his boulder-sized knuckles aimed at my face. "But with that speed… you couldn't even hit a fly."
In one smooth motion, I slipped to his back, sweeping his leg. He crashed to the ground, face-first, before he could recover. With a swift downward motion, I brought my wooden sword against his head. He slumped into unconsciousness.
Disappointed, I sighed. "This is pathetic. I told you all to come at me."
The remaining three launched forward, swinging their wooden swords in clumsy arcs. To me, their movements were sluggish, like wading through molasses. My speed? It was faster than a bullet — none of them could hope to touch me.
"If this is all you can do…" I spoke softly, darting through their attacks, "…how do you expect our company to dominate Japan?"
With pinpoint precision, I struck each one across the face with the flat of my wooden blade. They collapsed, knocked out cold. Calmly, I exhaled and stepped down from the training platform.
"Well, that was sad," a deep voice rumbled nearby. I turned to see Danso, a towering black man with dreadlocks and a muscular build, his arms crossed as he observed. He was my teammate.
"I went easy on them," I muttered, displeasure curling my lip as I looked back at the unconscious bodies. "They couldn't even perform at a basic level."
Without waiting, I barked an order to the bystanders. "Get them out of here. I don't want to see their loser faces."
They scrambled to obey.
"You do realize you're strong, right?" a voice chimed in. Rosa, a girl with a playful smirk, walked over, chewing gum lazily. "Who in their right mind wants to spar with you?"
Danso leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I heard about what happened during the last exam — you were supervising those new recruits, weren't you?"
"Why do you want to know?" I shot him a sharp look. "I don't want to remember that time."
"They say," he continued teasingly, "there's a genius who surpassed even the Young Master's score."
"Oh, and I heard he's cute too," Rosa added, twirling a strand of her hair. "Sad he's with those Izana rats, though. Such wasted potential. If he had joined us, I'd have taken good care of him."
"Rumors can be deceiving," Rina, another teammate, chimed in with her usual stereotypical attitude. "He might be ugly, for all you know."
"He's actually… fine," I murmured, glancing down at my phone.
Danso chuckled. "I thought you said you wanted to forget about the exam."
"That's none of your concern," I snapped, flipping my hair over my shoulder. "If I decide to speak, it's at my own will. And besides, we shouldn't be wasting time talking about someone whose life is about to get ruined by the company he got recommended to."
"Weren't you once a member of that same company you're trashing?" Rina smirked slyly.
I stared at her coldly, refusing to answer.
"Ah, I'm being ignored," she laughed softly.
"So, what happened to the recruits who embarrassed our name?" Danso asked.
"They were kicked out, obviously," Rosa answered with a shrug.
"Damn. If I hadn't been on a solo mission, I would've given them the beating of their life before they got booted out." Danso cracked his knuckles, a dangerous grin spreading across his face. His gaze turned to me. "Celestina, let's spar. One round."
I caught murmurs from the other members watching us.
"I can't believe all the big shots of our generation are here."
"Miss Celestina is always so graceful…"
"Danso-san is so cool."
"Did you see how Miss Celestina beat those weaklings? Like swatting flies."
"…If Danso's making that face, we're all in trouble."
I glared sharply at Danso. "I'm not fighting you. Find someone else."
"Oh, come on, Celestina," he grinned. "It's been ages since we sparred."
"I said no."
"Maybe I should just attack you, then…" His eyes glowed faintly red.
"Try it — and die," I said flatly, the temperature between us dropping like a blade.
The tension thickened, a palpable pressure in the air — until Endo suddenly burst in, calling for me.
"Celestina, Uncle's calling you."
Reluctantly, I turned away. "I have to go."
"Tsk." Danso clicked his tongue, turning to Rosa and Rina.
"No," they both said in unison, instantly reading his thoughts.
"But why not just fight everyone here?" Rina offered casually.
"Oh, that's a good idea," Danso grinned, cracking his fists. His eyes swept over the room. "Let's have a good time."
Screams erupted as Danso launched himself at the crowd, his fists raining down aggressively.
Meanwhile, I followed Endo to the office of Vice President Akan Iroha — my master.
"You called, Master?" I bowed respectfully as I entered. He sat at his desk, papers scattered around.
"Yes, I did."
"You look annoyed," I observed, stepping closer. "How was the meeting?"
"It went fine. We got good results," he muttered, eyes fixed on the documents.
"Then… what's wrong?" I asked, a flicker of worry crossing my face.
"The Izanas have a new member. And that bastard Freed — how did he find out the President is in seclusion?" he growled, slamming his fist on the table. The entire room trembled, despite the reinforced walls designed to withstand even Platinum-Rank strength. I barely kept my footing as the quake settled.
"The Izanas gaining another member isn't the problem," he snarled. "It's Freed knowing that information — that infuriates me. The Izanas need to be eradicated, sooner rather than later. That's why, Celestina, I picked you as my disciple. Not just for your talent — even though you were once a member of the Izanas — but for your mature nature. Your sharp mind. Even the President has praised you for it. You've attracted the attention of the young masters. Now, I want you to use that brilliant brain of yours and deal with Shizu and her crew."
I folded my arms thoughtfully. "What about Freed and the two elders? You know who Freed is."
"Don't worry," he smirked darkly. "Once the Master finishes his seclusion, we'll deal with Freed."
I tilted my head slightly, considering. "On second thought… instead of acting ourselves — since there are still risks if we mess with Freed or that unknown female, I never met during my time there — perhaps we should use another company. One that already has a grudge against the Izanas because of that incident they caused."
Akan smiled slowly as I calmly rearranged the scattered papers on his desk.
"Do whatever you think is best. I'm leaving you in charge of seeing the Izanas destroyed, Celestina."
A cold determination settled in my chest. I bowed deeply. "Understood, Master."
This wasn't just about rivalry anymore. It was about crushing the past — and shaping the future.