Death's Opening

The Assassin
''It happened everyday. The moon iluminating the entire forest. In that forest, stood a blonde man with a blade in his hands. Blood was all over the floor, the trail eventually led to what was a body. Bloodlust filled the blonde's eyes. After that, all was dark... ''

Inei Namikaze 

''That was the blonde's name. Popular within the many organizations he worked for, he gets jobs every day. His job was simple; to assassinate the target. It was a good offer, for him, anyway. Doing so would not only earn him money, but also fulfill his bloodlust. ''

The said man only came back at 4am. "Just in time", he thought. He pretended to be sleeping for a while, then, as if on schedule, the door opened, revealing a man with silver hair. That man shone a flashlight on Inei, before walking out quietly. Soon, the door was opened again. This time, it was a short boy with purple eyes. Despite his height, he had a piercing gaze in his eyes.

"Inei, sensei says to wake up. It's time for our jogging," this boy, Kaoru Shinsuke, said. "Shouldn't you be calling me senpai, kid?" Inei shot back. Kaoru simply smirked and exit the room. "Interesting kid he is," Inei thought once again, before following suit.

Inei walked casually to the running track. "Inei! You're late. You'll have to run extra laps," the same silver haired man said. "Tch, whatever," Inei replied, running his laps. Within 7 minutes, he ran 13 laps around the running track. Even the fastest student couldn't beat his record. "Happy now?" he smirked.

"We have no need for disrespect in the school," a voice boomed. Inei's eyes turned to the source, "Ohaiyogozaimasu, Maruyama-sensei," the entire school said in unison, their posture in a 90 degree bow.

"Inei, you know the rules. Disrespect is frowned upon in this academy," he said sternly. "Right, I'm sorry, sensei," Inei replied immediately. As disrespectful as he was toward the previous man, even he knew Syuusuke Maruyama was not a man to disrespect. In fact, Syuusuke was one of his main motivations to being strong.

"That's better. I trust that you'll give the due respect to Keichi now, right?" he asked once more. Inei nodded firmly, walking back to his position.

Soon after, he walked to his normal classroom. Opening the door with both hands like how they do in the movie, Inei smirked as he took his seat, ignoring the curious gazes his classmates were giving him. This was him. The mysterious cold young man he is.

He was paying attention in class, like always. Some might ask of why he does that, when he was considered a rebellious student. Even the best kid would talk sometimes. It was simple. He was cold, so he had no friends. The people he talked to were mostly his enemies, who would die soon after. That was why he listened in class. He had nothing else to do afterall.

During recess, while the other kids were playing out in the field, Inei was outside, watching them. He shook his head, "They should spend their time wisely," he said. With a smirk on his face, he continued speaking, "Well, that's why they'll never be what I am."

''A lone little boy sat in between a man and a woman. This little boy had gold hair. "Look, Inei. How many times did we tell you not to do it! We understand you mean well for our family, but stealing isn't right!" the man scolded the little boy - Inei.''

''The young Inei looked up at the man. His eyes slowly turned white, as he chuckled evilly. "Ahahahaha. Who are you to control me? Did you forget how many days I had to fend for myself? You were never there. Both of you. I was all alone... The day you decided to leave mom was the day I disregarded you as my father," he said, his chuckle still there.''

''"You do not speak to your father like that!" he raised his hand, trying to hit Inei. Inei simply stepped to the side as he grabbed his father's arm, twisting it. "Where did you learn how to do that?!" his father asked. "Where you didn't, loser," Inei smirked.''

''Before long, the innocent little boy transformed into a beige coloured tanuki and started clawing at the two people. After a while, he transformed back into normal, leaving the house with some supplies, as well as blood on his hands...''

He looked out of the window once again, before taking out his swiss knife, opening the few compartments, and closing it back, resting his head on the table. The moment he sat back up, he saw a boy with red hair, looking up at him. Startled, he asked coldly, "What do you want?"

"Senpai, sensei wants us to assemble downstairs right now," the little boy said. He stood up and proceeded to walk down. The little boy then spoke to himself, "The senpais were right. Inei-senpai is really mysterious... and cold," he shook his head, walking down along with Inei.

"Hey kid," Inei asked, "Aren't you the son of Maruyama-sensei?" With a big laugh, this little boy - Yuuta Maruyama, replied, "I feel so honoured. The one senpai whom everyone says is cold asked me a question! And the answer to that question is, yes, I am Sensei's child," he gave out a silly grin. "Tch, whatever. Hasten up, you're making me slow down," Inei replied. Yuuta continued grinning, thinking, "Inei-senpai, as cold as he may be, seems like a good person. I shall try to make friends with him."

"That took you two long enough. The entire school is waiting for you!" Syuusuke Maruyama's voice boomed through the loudspeak. Yuuta was about to run there, when he heard Inei's voice, "I know you're a shinigami. Just shunpo, kid." Yuuta grinned before using shunpo to get to the assembly area faster. Inei smiled, "Looks like this year has many interesting students," he thought...

The One-Eyed Monster
He sat down quietly as he eyed Yuuta. "Maruyama Yuuta, I'll defeat you one day. In everything. Then I shall prove that I am the strongest, despite not being sensei's child. I shall show my power to the world. And hopefully, he will notice me," Kaoru thought.

Eyeing Inei walking with Yuuta, he scoffed, "That bootlicker decided to try to make friends with Inei?" He shook his head, before focusing on what his sensei was about to say.

"As you all know, this is the official start of the new school year! Like usual, the training schedule would be posted at the back of the school hall on the 3rd level. However, there is a change regarding the Triple Threat test," Syuusuke Maruyama said.

Murmurs echoed the reflection hall as some even stood up abruptly. "But sensei! Without the Triple Threat, how is it possible to even determine the students that are ready and those that aren't? It doesn't make sense!" one of the students asked.

"Silence!" Syuusuke shouted. "I said it will be changed, not that it will be gone!" The students standing up sat down embarrassed. "Due to the increasing number of students qualifying for the Triple Threat, the standard must be raised, don't you think?" he laughed. "The people who pass the Triple Threat will learn the Niten Ichi-Ryu... As for the Toko Niten Ryuu, there will be a new system, the Nine Dawns!"

Once again, the students started to murmur, and as an addition, some of the new teachers joined them. Syuusuke smiled, seeing the confused faces of the students. "Now now, before you make so much noise, please hear me out. The Nine Dawns is a system where in the period of your entire school term, the things you learn would be tested. We haven't quite decided on the date, however, as the name suggests, all these tests will be taken at dawn. I can bet you, the way the tests work, will not be too different from how the previous ones did, however, the difficulty will of course be increased. And the students who qualify will have to be the top 10% of the entire level cohort. Be warned, there is no definite chance you might survive in this test." he chuckled, looking at the scared faces his students were making, "That is all, you are dismissed. Inei Namikaze as well as Kaoru Shinsuke, please stay behind. I would like to have a word with the both of you."

Kaoru smirked, thinking, "Inei Namikaze and myself. What do you have to say, sensei?" Walking up in totally parallel ways, they both stood in front of Syuusuke Maruyama. "Inei, you were the number 1 student in the second year in the previous year and Kaoru, the 10th student during your first year," Inei interrupted him, "Wait, second year? This brat here is in the second year?!" Syuusuke shot a distasteful glare, "Inei, watch your words, and yes, he is in the second year." "But your son is wearing the same uniform as him so he isn't in the first year?" Syuusuke shook his head, "Inei, my son is also in the second year. Did you possibly mistake the uniform?" Inei then thought for a while, then realised it was him. "I apologise for my behaviour, sensei."

Syuusuke continued, "Inei, I want you to spar with Kaoru regularly," he said. "WHAT?!" both Inei and Kaoru said. "With all due respect, sensei, I do not wish to tutor someone with minimal respect such as this boy over here," Inei said. "Yes, sensei, and I wouldn't want to learn from a senpai who refuses to talk to his classmates," Kaoru turned away. Syuusuke smiled, "Hahaha, Inei, please do tutor Kaoru. He, in some aspects, reminds me of you. Especially in the aspect of somehow not hating Odin." At the mention of that name, both of their heads shot in front.

"Sensei, you told us to never speak of that name. You told us that he was bad, that we should never learn from him," Inei spoke immediately. "Ah, and I also eventually told myself I was wrong. This school I built, was to teach all of you to follow the code of Bushido, something long forgotten. I did, at first, think that being on the dark side, wasn't good. However, I realised, no matter what side you are on, as long as you still do follow bushido, I will support you, isn't this what a true teacher should be like?" Inei smiled, "Sensei, you are definitely a great being. However, I still do not get why I should so called tutor this little boy." Syuusuke said, "Take this as a payback for that debt," he smiled warmly. Inei looked at him with disbelief. "Fine, only because of that debt, I shall accept."

"Wait, don't I have a say in this?" Kaoru asked impatiently. Both Inei and Syuusuke looked at him and said, "No," before walking off. Kaoru looked around, seeing them nowhere in sight. "Guess it wouldn't be so bad..."

The First Spar
Kaoru walked into the training hall, seeing Inei on the other side. Eventually, Syuusuke also appeared at the side. "Sensei, what should we spar in first?" Inei asked, hoping it was hakuda and not Zanjutsu, he knew he'd get humiliated if it was Zanjutsu. "His skills are lacking in Hakuda, so hakuda it is!"

Both of them gathered in the middle. Getting into the Tan Sao stance, Inei said, "Attack me, kid," aggravating Kaoru with the last word. Kaoru ran towards Inei forming a fist, trying to confuse the aforementioned with short and quick steps. When he was in front of Inei, he put all his strength into a punch, but ultimately failed when Inei easily stepped away and prepared to throw him. When Kaoru's punch got through, Inei hooked his hip and took a step forward, easily throwing Kaoru to the ground.

"That technique was... Koshinage. Where did he learn to execute such a technique?" Syuusuke thought. It was a basic Aikido technique, but it wasn't something that was easily carried out. Inei smirked, "You're really pathetic, kid. Grandson of the 15th daimyō of Kyoto, Rin Shinsuke? It's fascinating how a pathetic kid like you could have royal blood, once royal, anyway."

Both of them were surprised at Inei's words. "How did he know?" both of them thought. Only Kaoru's grade knew of that. Perhaps word had spread, both of them believed. "What, are you too afraid to attack me now?" Inei asked teasingly. "Don't be..." Kaoru prepared his fist for another attack, "....so cocky!" It connected! Kaoru's punch connected, but due to using too much strength in the previous attack, it didn't cause much damage. "You're way too pathetic, Kaoru," Inei smirked, ready to attack, but was stopped by a call of his name. "Time out, Inei, I would wish to speak with you," Syuusuke called him over while Kaoru went to the side to have a break.

"That technique, Koshinage, where did you learn that?" Syuusuke said. A smirk crept up to Inei's face yet Syuusuke didn't notice it. "Ah, that. I learnt it from my old guardian a few years back. An aikido grandmaster, he was. He taught me and my..." Inei paused, thinking of what word to use to describe someone whom was his old friend, "My... classmate." Syuusuke believed him, "If it's not too much trouble, can you teach Kaoru some of the basic Aikido techniques?" Inei nodded, "Of course, but if he doesn't grasp it, it isn't my fault." Inei looked at the boy who was trying to heal his wound.

"Alright, break is over," Inei said looking at Kaoru. "Inei, my wound hasn't fully healed." Inei smirked, "Kid, let me teach you a lesson. In a real fight, there are no such things as "breaks". The only "break" you'll have is when you get beaten down to a pulp, or possibly even die. You're lucky enough sensei called a time out, or you might have more than that bruise on your arm," Inei said harshly. "If you think you get a "break" when in a real fight, I suggest you quit this school and go back to being little daimyō's grandson and live a grand life, with guards protecting you everywhere you go," he continued.

Angered, Kaoru swiftly drew his sword and charged towards Inei. A smirk, Inei, like what he previously did, stepped to the side and threw Kaoru. "Kid, you need strategies. Just charging like that, not going to work. In case you didn't know, when you aimlessly charge, you leave many blind spots. For example, in this position, your enemy can simply strike your elbow and you wouldn't be able to use your hand at all," Inei said smugly. Picking up Kaoru's sword, Inei confiscated it.

"And besides, in a hakuda fight, there are no swords allowed. Now, kid, learning Ikkyō. Sensei, you know the lock right?" Inei asked. Syuusuke nodded his head, before proceeding to aid Inei. "When someone grabs your wrist, push the hand that is being grabbed on towards the attackers face, then hold his elbow and push him down. Sensei, please," Inei was holding Syuusuke's wrists, and Syuusuke carried out the technique.

"It's so cool! I want to try!" Inei grabbed Kaoru's wrist and Kaoru just swung it anyhow, revealing his back to the opponent. Inei shook his head. "No, that's not how you do it. See, push the wrist to the attacker's face, then hold the elbow and take a step forward. That would be easier, I guess,"

After a few tries, Kaoru finally got it. "Yes! I can do it to that idiot later!" Syuusuke looked at Inei, "Inei, tell him." Inei spoke, "What my master said was that these few techniques I'm going to teach you can only be used for defence purposes, do not pick a fight, remember that, kid. That's all for today. I'm going to test your Ikkyō during the next training session, so practice it. On your friend or whatever. Don't find me or anything." Inei said, walking off, "Oh, and I'm taking your sword till you're able to master the Aikido techniques, so don't even think of taking it back.

"Saying that he's cold isn't exaggerating..." Kaoru muttered to himself. "Kaoru, what you did just now was something you should never ever do in the future. The moment a swordsmen loses his sword, it's equivalent to losing a part of your soul, if not whole. Had it been in a real fight, you'd be beaten down already," Syuusuke said calmly. "Don't worry about Inei. He'll return your sword soon, I hope," Syuusuke muttered the last two words to himself.

The Lesson
"Don't you want your sword back, kid? So, show me Ikkyō!" Inei said, sitting at the stage. "But if I did it on you, you wouldn't be able to observe?" Kaoru asked curiously. "I will help," Syuusuke's voice was there again. "I'd never do it on you, Sensei! It's disrespect!" Syuusuke smiled, "If I say it's okay, it's okay, so just go ahead." Kaoru did the first step of Ikkyō, then his hands got mixed up.

Inei let out a chuckle. "You're such a clown." "Inei-senpai, one more try, please?" Kaoru asked, making sure to use formalities to try and convince Inei. "Fine, last chance." Kaoru did it again, and it actually was successful. "Senpai, my sword!" he said, trying to contain his excitement.

"Oh, you want your sword back? Did you forget my words? I said the Aikido TechniqueSSSS," Inei said, smirking at Kaoru's anger filled face. Inei got off the stage, still smirking. "Next, Nikkyō. Sensei, please." Syuusuke showed the technique once on Inei. "Think you can handle it?" Inei asked. "Handle it?" Kaoru chuckled, "Please, I'll own it." Inei laughed, "Right after you learn it, that is."

After explaining the technique for 3 times, Kaoru finally understood and did it correctly for once. After that, it was failure after failure. Inei laughed again, "And you said you'll 'own it' in your words! Hah. Looks like the opposite, the technique is owning you instead, kid."

Angered, Kaoru raised his fist. "Nuh uh. Not going to happen," he perfectly dodged. Kaoru lay down on the floor after punching the air, waiting for Inei's move. Inei walked towards Kaoru, saying, "Pathetic once again, kid. I thought you were--" he was interrupted when he saw Kaoru jump up, his fist now aiming at the face. He was too late to dodge. The punch connected, pushing Inei away. Kaoru smiled in victory. Inei smirked, "Not bad, not bad at all, kid." Inei then appeared behind Kaoru, "Never leave your back open." A hit on Kaoru's wrist made him fall.

"If you can't even protect your wrist, how do you expect to ever perform in Aikido?" Inei was already recovered from the previous attack. Sensei, this is enough for today. I doubt he'll be able to use his fist for a few days," Inei walked away once again, leaving Kaoru crouched over on the floor, his left hand holding the now red right wrist.

Syuusuke shook his head, "He has some... issues, Kaoru. I hope you understand your senpai in that way at least.." Kaoru nodded, "I'm okay." The moment he used his right wrist to support him to stand up, he fell again. He never knew Inei had such strength. This - Inei easily bullying Kaoru, had to end. And Kaoru just knew how.