Sector 7 was sealed before sunrise.
The ruined district looked even worse in the morning.
Smoke drifted between abandoned buildings while academy personnel established a perimeter around the underground entrance.
Hitake stood near the transport platform, staring at the cracked training sword hanging from his waist.
It had survived the first mission.
Barely.
Nefertiti had been complaining about it ever since.
[That weapon is beneath you.]
Hitake ignored her.
“It still works.”
[So does a wooden spoon. I wouldn't recommend fighting monsters with one.]
He smiled.
Zena approached from behind.
“You're talking to yourself again.”
“I'm thinking.”
“You smile when you think.”
“I don't.”
“You are right now.”
Hitake looked away.
Then another voice interrupted them.
“Apparently I'm not the only one who notices.”
Mirai stood a few meters away.
Her eyes went to his sword.
“You're using that?”
“Until I replace it.”
“You should replace it before we enter.”
“That was the plan.”
“I can help.”
“No need.”
Mirai's expression tightened.
“Hitake.”
He looked at her.
“I said I'm fine.”
Something passed through her eyes.
Disappointment.
She quickly hid it.
“All right.”
She turned away.
Hitake watched her for a moment.
He didn't understand why she seemed bothered.
He wasn't angry with her.
He wasn't trying to punish her.
He had simply moved on.
Unfortunately, he didn't realize that indifference could hurt more than hatred.
Inside the equipment hall, rows of weapons lined the walls.
Swords.
Spears.
Aether rifles.
Combat gauntlets.
Most were academy-grade equipment.
Then Hitake stopped.
At the far end of the room sat a glass case.
Inside was a black sword.
Simple.
Unremarkable.
Yet the moment Hitake saw it, something inside him reacted.
Nefertiti went silent.
Hitake frowned.
“What's wrong?”
[Touch it.]
He looked at the sword.
“Why?”
[Because I want to know something.]
That wasn't an answer.
But Hitake approached the case.
An equipment instructor noticed him.
“Don't waste your time with that one.”
“Why?”
“Nobody can use it.”
“How many people tried?”
“Enough.”
Hitake opened the case.
The instructor stepped closer.
“Kid, seriously—”
Hitake wrapped his hand around the hilt.
The world went silent.
A pulse traveled through his arm.
Green lines appeared beneath his skin.
Pain exploded through his body.
“Hitake!”
Zena rushed toward him.
Black particles erupted from the sword.
They flowed across his hand and disappeared beneath his skin.
Hitake dropped to one knee.
Then the blade emerged from his forearm.
Black.
Smooth.
Almost alive.
The instructor stared in horror.
“What is that?”
Hitake couldn't answer.
His vision filled with system notifications.
[UNKNOWN WEAPON DETECTED.]
[COMPATIBILITY: 100%]
[OWNER RECOGNITION: CONFIRMED.]
[BLOODLINE REQUIREMENT: SATISFIED.]
[BONDING COMPLETE.]
Hitake stared.
Another notification appeared.
[SEALED WEAPON]
[TRUE NAME: UNKNOWN]
[PREVIOUS OWNER: KAEL]
His breathing stopped.
“Dad...”
The weapon pulsed.
For one brief instant, a memory flashed through his mind.
Kael stood beneath an unfamiliar sky.
He held the same sword.
Someone was shouting in the distance.
Kael turned.
His face was filled with urgency.
If you're seeing this...
Static swallowed the rest.
The vision vanished.
Hitake stared at the blade.
“What were you trying to tell me?”
No answer came.
Then Nefertiti spoke.
[Darling.]
Her voice was unusually quiet.
“What?”
[We have a problem.]
The doors opened.
Commander Vale entered.
Her eyes immediately fell on the weapon.
She stopped.
“Bloodline weapon.”
Hitake looked at her.
“You know what this is?”
Vale slowly approached.
“I thought every Kael weapon had been destroyed.”
Hitake looked down at his arm.
“Apparently my father disagreed.”
Vale's expression hardened.
And for the first time, Hitake noticed something strange.
Fear.
The Coalition commander was afraid of his father's weapon.