Episode 11 - Joining Battle

The stadium was a wide building with a curved, gray roof. A few wisps of cloud drifted laconically through a flat blue sky.

The Bosatsu dueling team's bus bulled into the parking lot, reached the duelists' entrance, hissed to a stop. The doors slid open and, one by one, the Bosatsu duelists emerged.

First was captain Ryoichi Kei. His golden hair tumbled about his face. He had a confident smile, his paper fan was folded and resting on his shoulder. He wore designer jeans and a white dress shirt, and a throng of excited fans followed him down the stairs of the bus.

Next came Yukimura Hisoka. She was reading from a book that sat folded open in one palm, only glancing up at the stadium once when she reached the ground. She adjusted her glasses. Her straight brown hair framed her face with straight lines and at right angles, and she wore an ankle-length skirt.

Jihara Akatsuki descended the stairs like a spirit, his skin and hair pale as death, his wide-sleeved and wide-legged garments floating about him, his hands folded, his eyes nearly shut.

Mizumigawa Shin took all the stairs in a single leap. She looked ready for battle. Her sleeves were short, but her wrists were wrapped in long strips of cloth. With her spiked hair, her trademark dark sunglasses, and her teeth bared in an enthusiastic grin, she cut an intimidating figure.

Last of the five, Kotei Jin exited the bus. He wore a Bosatsu school uniform, clean and sharply defined. He pushed the fringe of his hair out of his eyes, examining the stadium with a distant expression.

He was quiet.

The junior members of the team followed, each moving to the side and waiting for the rest. Once they had all disembarked and the bus's doors had slid shut, at a signal from Ryoichi they moved as one for the duelists' entrance.

There was a boy standing beside it, looking impatient. He was somewhat short, but extremely neat, with a perfect part in his hair, immaculate dress shirt and dark blue tie. He glanced back and forth between the parking lot and his phone's display.

As they passed by him, without looking, he said "Bosatsu."

They stopped.

"You're with Chikaku, aren't you?" asked Ryoichi.

The boy still didn't look at them. His voice was high, but his enunciation was exact and dispassionate. "Technically, yes." He sighed, to communicate how patient he was being with them. "More precisely, I am the captain of Chikaku Academy's dueling team. Yosai Akio."

"Pleased to meet you, Yosai-san." Ryoichi glanced back into the parking lot. "Is there something wrong?"

Yosai massaged his forehead with one hand. "One of my duelists is late. Though," he mused, "really this is all just a formality."

Ryoichi tilted his head to the side, slightly.

"I mean, of course, that you should just give up and go home now." He looked at them, finally. "You're not prepared."

Mizumigawa stepped forward, suddenly, but Ryoichi raised one hand slightly, and she stopped, frowning.

Yosai looked at her, abstractly, as though he wasn't quite sure what she was. "I don't mean that as a threat. It's a simple fact. You're not going to be able to defeat 'Chikaku's Demon'."

A squeal of tires broke the silence. A sleek, black car screeched into the parking lot, stopped diagonally across two or three parking spaces. The door opened, and Kumoru Yuji stepped out, a cruel grin visible under his long hair.

Yosai glared at him. "You're late. Get inside."

"Of course, boss," Kumoru replied flippantly, "Didn't mean to keep you waiting."

The two of them swept through the doorway and out of sight. As he went, Kumoru looked at Mizumigawa. He licked his lips, still smiling, winked, and was gone.

She stood watching him, frozen. "Chikaku's... Demon?"

~

The murmur of the crowd quieted as the lights went up on the dueling arena. The door from the Bosatsu team's room led to a brief path, then a few stairs up to one of the two dueling platforms. A short distance across from it was the other dueling platform, matching stairs, a path, and the Chikaku team's door.

On the sidelines, by their entrances, the Bosatsu and Chikaku duelists waited. Ryoichi, Yukimura, Jihara, and Jin sat on one side. Yukimura and Jihara were watching the duelists' entrances, but Ryoichi, true to form, was watching the crowds, savoring the atmosphere. Jin, meanwhile, was looking over at Chikaku's sidelines.

There, Yosai Akio sat with his arms folded, his eyes drifting around the stadium but focusing on nothing. Nanafushi Kazue, the girl who had been with Kumoru the other night, sat next to the captain. She appeared to be doodling in a small notebook. She looked incongruous there - she was wearing a bright floral-patterned dress in reds and pinks, while her teammates were dressed mostly in dark, somber colors.

Beyond them, there were two others Jin had not seen before. One seemed to be napping, a skinny boy with a wide-brimmed hat over his eyes. The other was intimidatingly huge - a broad, muscled boy with short-cropped blond hair. They each wore dress shirts, looking like Yosai, though not quite as neat.

The announcer's voice boomed out over the speakers as he proceeded to describe the structure of the tournament. Each round of the championship consisted of a series of five matches between the duelists of two opposing teams. Each match was played to three points, and the first team to win three of the five matches could move on to the next round.

Mizumigawa stepped out from the Bosatsu entrance. She adjusted her arm wraps as she walked up to the platform and took her position for the opening match. She looked around at the crowd, smiling slightly, as the noise in the arena grew to a roaring cheer.

"In this round, Bosatsu Academy faces Chikaku Academy! Match one - Bosatsu's Mizumigawa Shin versus Chikaku's Kumoru Yuji!"

Kumoru casually emerged from Chikaku's entrance, sauntering along, deliberately ignoring the crowd and spectacle. He made his way to the platform opposite Mizumigawa's. He was also wearing a dress shirt and a tie, but the top few buttons were undone, the shirt rumpled and half-untucked, the tie hanging loosely around his neck, draped rather than knotted. It looked like it must have taken him quite some time to make it clear precisely how little he cared about his appearance.

"Hey there, Mizu-chan."

Her lip curled into a sneer, reflexively.

"Are you ready, little girl?"

Episode 10 - The Gathering Clouds

Renjin Kazuki stepped out onto the dueling platform. He ran his fingers through his shaggy, sandy hair. The noise of the crowd had subsided to a low murmur.

Renjin was trying to look relaxed, nonchalant, but it wasn't quite working. The waiting was getting to him - he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot, fidgeting, looking around at the crowd, at the entrance his opponent would emerge from any second.

He was nervous, yes, but he was also excited. He felt like a live wire, coursing with energy. He had spent so long training, honing his skills to a razor edge, drilling and sparring and meditating. He was easily the strongest duelist on his team, and they were championship-strength duelists in their own right.

And now, by sheer chance, he was going to face the legendary Venomous Kyoru in the first round of the championship.

But where was he?

The crowd's volume was rising again. There was still no sign of Kyoru. Renjin turned to look at his captain, waiting at the door he had entered by. He tilted his head quizzically, she shrugged back at him.

Then, the crowd went silent. Renjin tensed, and slowly turned to see his opponent approaching.

Kyoru Arashi, "Venomous" Kyoru. The stories Renjin had heard, the videos he had seen, none of it had prepared him for this moment. The boy's presence was almost tangible, like waves of heat emanating from his body. His demeanor, however, was utterly cold. His eyes were hidden behind mirrored shades, his movements were precise and controlled. His hair, black as obsidian, was buzzed short, and formed a widow's peak that looked sharp enough to cut yourself on. Renjin felt faint, and for a moment couldn't draw more than a very shallow breath. What is this energy? Kyoru's stare, blank with - contempt? - seemed to hammer on Renjin, making it difficult even to think. How is he doing this?!

Kyoru was patient, though, and Renjin soon gathered the strength to speak. He laughed, first, to remind himself of the enthusiasm he had been feeling only a few moments earlier. "Venomous Kyoru... it's an honor to face you so early in the tournament." He clenched his fists. "But you're going to see I'm not some novice you can sweep aside!"

Kyoru replied, "Is that so." His voice was deep, resonant, and seemed to shake Renjin's very bones.

It wasn't a question, but Renjin pressed on. "My hand is swift, my eye is keen. I've studied the Crimson Mantis style, the Lunging Crane, the Thrashing Shark. I've mastered the Four Names of the River Dragon, and brought their power to bear against many formidable opponents." He spoke this like a mantra. "Even you cannot stop me."

Kyoru was unmoved. "Show me."

~

The silver-haired girl sat at a table in the back of the pool hall, holding a cup of tea with her long, slender fingers. She was difficult to notice - she'd been sitting there for quite some time, and not one person had looked her way.

She sat there during the confrontation between the Chikaku and Bosatsu duelists, and after the Bosatsu duelists finished their game and went back home, and a little longer to finish her tea. She sighed, contentedly, then left some change at her table and departed.

She walked for a while in thoughtful silence. Eventually, she stopped, overlooking the Bosatsu dueling compound. It was dark, but she could see a few lights on inside the duelists' dormitory.

She drew her phone out of her pocket, traced one finger across its screen in a simple pattern, then brought it to her ear. It rang twice before being answered.

"Hello." The voice was harshly distorted, computerized.

"Everything is right on schedule." Her voice was soft, susurrant. "They really seem to have taken a shine to Kotei Jin. Is the Auxesis project progressing?"

"The team has run into some difficulty, but it should be complete in time."

"Good." She glanced off into the distance. "Now, I have a few loose ends to tie up before the championship really gets underway. Send me a copy of the expanded dossiers on the Bosatsu duelists, would you?"

"Of course. I'll have someone keep an eye on them while you're away."

"Spectacular. I'll be seeing you soon." Her eyes narrowed in a private smile as she hung up the phone.

She stood there, watching the dormitory, for a few moments longer. Then, a wind blew past, and she was gone.

~

Renjin stared straight ahead, his pupils shrunk to pinpoints, his mouth hanging open. Sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Match to Kyoru Arashi, three points to zero!"

"H... how?" he stammered. "How did you...?"

"When you duel," replied Kyoru philosophically, "you strike with your hand, do you not?"

Renjin nodded, numbly.

"Then you will never win against a true duelist. To win, you must strike with the entirety of your being. You must cut your opponent down with your killing intent itself. Only then will your hand follow." He began to turn for the exit.

"You're... you're not human."

Kyoru fixed Renjin with his gaze, even through his mirrored glasses. Renjin fell to his knees under its weight. "What about me is inhuman? That I do not flinch? That I do not falter?" Venomous Kyoru shook his head, and strode out of the arena.

"If this is what you mean by humanity... then it is useless to a champion."

Episode 9 - Billiards-Jutsu!

Krak! The cue ball slammed into the racked billiard balls and scattered them across the table, two immediately flying into the far corner pockets. Ryoichi Kei straightened up, rested his cue on his shoulder.

"I'll be solids then."

Effortlessly, he sank another few balls, one after the other. Finally, he missed one, and the cue ball rolled to a stop on the table's green felt.

Ryoichi sighed, tossed his long hair aside. "Your turn, Ji-kun."

Jihara Akatsuki approached the table. The pool cue looked too small in his hands. He peered down it solemnly at the cue ball, carefully sizing up the lay of the table, planning his shot. He drew it back carefully, and paused for a moment before striking.

Then, in a single sharp movement, scratched along the felt, hit the cue ball off center, and made it hop across the table and crash into a pocket without hitting a single other ball. He stood back from the table with an embarrassed smile, ceding his place to Ryoichi.

Meanwhile, at the next table over, Yukimura Hisoka was studying the positions of the cue ball and her targets. Her eyes darted across the table, a thoughtful expression on her face, as though she was calculating angles of collision, simulating possible shots.

"Any time now, Yuki-chan," said Mizumigawa Shin, grinning confidently and leaning on her pool cue, waiting for her opponent to take her shot. Yukimura shot her a withering look, then, after a moment, rested her hand on the table, laid the cue between forefinger and thumb, and fired off a confident, solid shot. The balls careened around the table, rebounding at precise angles, and two striped balls sank into the pockets at the table's edges.

The next shot was more difficult. Yukimura decided she didn't want to risk going for another point, and instead made a careful shot that left Mizumigawa in a terrible position.

Mizumigawa looked askance at the table as the cue ball rolled into place, blocking all her potential shots. It would take a double-rebound at least to even try to hit one of the solid balls. But she just casually lined up a shot - right at a striped ball.

"Mizu-kun, you know you're solids, right?" Yukimura looked down at her skeptically.

Mizumigawa just smirked, drew the cue back, and struck viciously at the cue ball - it spun rapidly, swinging out to the side, and curved around the striped ball, smacking right into the solid ball behind it, knocking it into the far pocket. She looked up with a gleam in her eye - Yukimura's expression was frozen on her face.

Ryoichi sank the 8-ball with a flourish. "That's the game! Sorry, Ji-kun." The group of girls who had drifted over to surround him (Though I didn't actually see them arrive, thought Kotei Jin) giggled and cheered. Jihara gave another embarrassed smile as he gestured for Jin to take his place.

(Only Ryoichi saw, mixed in with the self-deprecating embarrassment, a faint flicker of disproportionate shame.)

Jin would be facing Ryoichi in this next round. As they gathered the balls from the pockets, he thought to himself that it was nice that even such a serious dueling team could take some time out to play a simple, relaxing game.

Jin took the first shot, scattered the pool balls. They bounced about the table, rebounded off each other - but none went in.

"Good break," said Ryoichi, turning from delivering what was apparently a hilarious witticism to his laughing herd of fans, "but you'll regret giving me a turn!"

He made good on his threat! He put away a series of balls in short order, only half paying attention to the game, keeping up his stream of banter with the crowd.

Jin was... impressed.

But still, it couldn't continue forever, and after the first few points he missed a shot, leaving Jin with a choice between several tricky shots.

Jin looked down his pool cue from different angles, trying to figure out which shot to go for. This one was at an awkward angle, that one was more straightforward but lay further down the table. He decided to go for the closer shot, and leaned in close to the cue ball, aiming carefully.

Suddenly, another cue ball clattered onto the table, smashing his out of the way, just in front of his face. The giggling stopped, and Jin looked up, startled, at the next table over.

"Sorry about that." A boy with dark, stringy hair hanging in front of his face was standing there, holding a pool cue and wearing a completely unapologetic grin. He'd been playing a round with a girl in a light-yellow sundress, and had apparently chipped his cue ball from one table to the other.

He drifted over to their table, picked up the ball. "Hey," he added, as though just recognizing them, "you guys are from Bosatsu Academy, aren't you?"

"Indeed we are," replied Ryoichi warmly.

The boy with the messy hair indicated the girl in the sundress with his thumb. "We're from Chikaku. I'm Kumoru Yuji."

The girl waved cheerily, a big smile on her face. "I'm Nanafushi Kazue-chan!"

Kumoru raised his head slightly as though looking down at them, a contemptuous smirk on his face. "So these are our first opponents in the championship."

"No," said Mizumigawa, stepping forward, "we're your only opponents. No way you'll make it past us!" She crossed her arms, grinning.

Kumoru laughed, harshly and too loudly. He drew himself up to his full height - he seemed to grow a foot at least - and leaned forward. "Look at you," he hissed. Mizumigawa's hands dropped to her sides, and the hair stood up on the back of her neck. "You're pretty tough, aren't you?" His voice had gotten lower, cold and deliberate. "What's wrong? You've gotten quiet. Why don't you show me your stuff?" He seemed perfectly still, but somehow he had gotten way too close. Still, except for his eyes, which darted and flickered about. "I want to see what you're made of." Everyone seemed to be frozen. The atmosphere had changed so suddenly and drastically, they were just starting to react when Kumoru grabbed Mizumigawa's wrist.

Krak.


In a flash, he lay sprawled on the ground, Mizumigawa standing opposite him. Her feet were spread apart, one hand formed into a fist, a fighting stance. A trickle of blood dripped from Kumoru's lip.

She whispered, "don't you ever touch me."

Then, everyone remembered how to move. Ryoichi and the others ran to Mizumigawa's side, Nanafushi to Kumoru's. She reached down to help him up.

He pushed her hand away, wiped at the blood. "Keep a leash on that one," he sneered, then pushed his way to his feet. "Now I'm really looking forward to this match." He narrowed his eyes at Mizumigawa. "I'm going to eat you alive."

She jerked her hand back as though about to strike again, and he flinched. Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room.

Nanafushi Kazue lingered for a moment, the same smile inexplicably still on her face. "Sorry about him! He can be sorta difficult sometimes, I know." She turned to follow him, and then paused, as though she had just remembered something.

"Oh... but we are going to eat you alive."

She laughed lightly, then sprinted after Kumoru.

The Bosatsu duelists looked at each other in silence for a long moment.

Slowly, Mizumigawa pushed her way out of the group, picked up a cue stick.

"Are we going to finish this game?"

Episode 8 - Training

Ryoichi clasped his hands behind his back. He paced in front of the lower-ranked duelists of the team, arranged in rows before him in the courtyard.

"When I say to begin, you will make your first throw. You will all throw simultaneously, then continue making new throws every second. Make your sequence as unpredictable as possible. If I do predict one of your throws," he paused menacingly, obviously enjoying this chance to chew the scenery, "you will give me ten pushups, then return to your sequence!" His head snapped towards them. "Begin!"

The students' hands descended in tandem; Rock, Paper, and Scissors flashing out in rapid succession. Ryoichi slowly stalked down each row, a cunning smile in his eyes.

"Scissors," he said. The boy in front of him had indeed thrown Scissors, the moment he had said it. He looked up at Ryoichi, who arched an eyebrow. The boy dropped to the ground, started his ten pushups.

"Paper," Ryoichi walked down the rows, "Paper," surveying his subjects, "Scissors," and with each word, "Rock," another one fell to the ground.

Then, he paused. He was watching the next student in line, a boy with a fierce, determined look. The next few throws ticked by - Scissors, Rock, Rock, Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Ryoichi grinned. "Pretty good," he whispered to himself, then turned his attention to the next student. "Scissors!"

~

Mizumigawa rolled out of the dueling arena and into the main office like a thundering stormcloud, her irritation practically forking through the air around her. She kicked the mini-fridge open, cracked open a soda, drank it in seconds, crumpled the can, and chucked it forcefully into the garbage, teetering the basket.

Jihara entered behind her, an almost embarrassed air about him. "You've become much faster, Mizumigawa-dono. It is very difficult to read you."

"One point! I got one measly point. I'm not fast enough." She drew herself up as tall as she could, looked Jihara in the eye. "But I'm going to beat you."

He blinked. "Ah," he started, but she was out of the door by then.

~

Behind the compound's main building and the duelists' dormitory, there was a small zen garden of low plants, winding paths, large stones, carefully raked sand. It was quiet and serene, insulated by some architectural means from the sounds of Ryoichi's drills in the courtyard.

On two large rocks near the middle of the garden, surrounded by sweeping waves of sand, sat Yukimura Hisoka and Kotei Jin. Jin tugged at the blindfold over his eyes, adjusting it, seemingly unable to find a comfortable way for it to sit on his head.

"Stop playing with that," said Yukimura, "you need to focus."

Jin lowered his hands to his lap, grudgingly.

"Ultimately, in the moment," she began, "Rock Paper Scissors isn't about your feelings. It's about your choices. Rock, no matter how forcefully thrown, cannot tear Paper. Paper, no matter how cleverly planned, cannot entangle Scissors. Scissors, no matter how sharp, cannot cut Rock."

"So why are we...?" asked Jin, trailing off and gesturing at the garden around them.

Yukimura shook her head. "This isn't about spiritual enlightenment. We're only here because it's quiet." She raised one hand. "I'm going to make a throw, and you're going to tell me what it was."

"How am I supposed to to do that?!"

"I don't care how you do it," she replied. "But I'd suggest paying careful attention. If you're not willing to do what seems impossible, you won't last long in the championship." A pause. "What did I just throw?"

"... I didn't hear a thing."

"Then keep quiet and try again."

Jin frowned, concentrated, reached out with his mind for the faintest sound, the tiniest vibration. Then, a faint rustle, Yukimura's clothes? The air around her hand?

"What did I throw?"

"... Paper?"

"How sure are you?"

Jin shrugged. "How should I know? It was just a guess."

"That was Scissors. Do it again."

Another faint sound, which Jin thought was slightly different this time.

"Paper?"

"Scissors again."

"This is pointless!"

"What's pointless," snapped Yukimura, "is guessing randomly. You'll never learn how to do it if you rely on chance! As soon as you start thinking like that in a duel, your opponent has the advantage."

Jin snapped back at her, "then why do you keep asking me what you threw?! There's no way I'd be able to do this so quickly! The only right answer would be for me to keep silent!"

Yukimura smirked. "Now that is a clever idea. You're right, don't bother guessing, just listen."

Then, "Rock." Another pause. "Rock. Paper. Rock. Scissors."

Jin simply sat there listening. His anger died down, and he became quickly absorbed in the succession of sounds.

Time passed, Yukimura making a series of throws at the blindfolded Jin, Jin silent and still.

"Scissors. Rock. Scissors." Then, suddenly, they said together, "Scissors."

"... Very good. I think you're catching on."

"I'm still not entirely sure what you've thrown," mused Jin, "but I think my guesses are better than chance now."

"That's enough for today, you two." Jin turned and peeked under his blindfold. Ryoichi Kei stood at the entrance to the garden. To Jin's surprise, it was starting to get dark. How long had he been training? "Good work, but you need to take a break sometime." Ryoichi gestured for them to follow with a slight incline of his head. "I'm going to go play some pool with Ji-kun and Mizu-kun. Want to join us?"

Yukimura stood, stretched. "Why not?"

Jin hopped up from his rock. He started for the garden's entrance, then stopped, turned to Yukimura. "Thank you for training with me, senpai."

She raised an eyebrow. "Training like this is useful, even necessary. But your best teacher will never be a teammate, or an ally, or a friend. It will be your strongest opponent, someone driven to find your every weakness."

Jin smiled and glanced at Ryoichi. "She's always this serious, isn't she?"

Ryoichi laughed. "Ha ha! Pretty much, yes." Yukimura frowned at them, half-seriously. "Now quick, we need to catch up with the others."

Ryoichi waited at the entrance for Yukimura as Jin walked ahead. He held up one hand to stop her as she reached him, not taking his eyes off of Jin. "He's good, isn't he?" His voice was quiet.

"He is." She also watched Jin. "I didn't expect him to do so well so quickly."

"Good enough for the championship?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps. No way to know yet." She looked up at Ryoichi. "You may have picked well this time."

Ryoichi smiled faintly, lowered his head in thought. Then, he started after Jin. "Come on, Yuki-chan."

~

"Bosatsu Academy." The boy wore a pressed white shirt, an expensive-looking haircut, an expression of long-practiced condescension that still looked strange on his youthful features. "They are to be our first opponents." His posture was rigid, his voice high and soft.

"Haven't faced them before," mumbled another boy. He had long, dark hair that hung untidily in front of his face, and though he was tall, his slouch brought him almost down to eye level with the first boy. He leaned against a wall nonchalantly.

"They're strong, but we've beaten stronger."

The slouching boy rolled his eyes. "So what's your point?"

The first boy glared. "I just want us to be ready. I've prepared reports on each of them, and you all should study them carefully before the match."

"Whatever. I don't need this stuff." He turned to leave. "I'm out of here."

The first boy pressed his hand to his forehead.

"Don't worry!" A girl, bubbly and smiling, with a brightly-colored sundress. "I'll make sure he reads it!" She giggled, and grabbed two copies of the documents. "Wait for me!" She ran out after the boy who had left.

The boy sighed. "Fine, go." He picked up another copy, flipped through the pages. He tapped his finger on a picture of Ryoichi. Then, he closed his eyes, let out a deep breath.

A thin smile slowly crept across his face. "These people... have no idea what they're in for."

Aside

Hello everyone! Now that we've reached the end of the first "mini-arc" of the story, I'm going to take a short break from updating with new episodes to work out a few things about the next few chunks of plot. I may break up the wait with a side-story, or maybe bad drawings of the cast so far.

In the meantime - after these first seven episodes, what do you think? Do you like what you're reading? Do you have questions that need answers (or vague evasions)? Is there anything in particular you want to see? Anything you're looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

And if you are enjoying Jankenjutsu, spread the word! Pass a link along to your pals, chums, acquaintances, buddies, comrades, spouses, or nemeses.

Episode 7 - Lord of Emptiness

Empty.

Jihara Akatsuki stood calmly before Jin, but everything about him bespoke emptiness. There was no aggression in his stance, no strategy visible to Jin's Thousand-Devil Eye. There was no fire in his eyes, serenely half-closed. Even his skin was pale, his hair white as paper.

To Jin's sight, he was a walking void.

Jihara inclined his head a single degree. "Kotei-dono?" His voice was soft.

Jin shook himself out of his trance. "I'm ready, Jihara-san." That his supreme technique could be so thoroughly sealed - it was unthinkable! But he still had to find a way to win. He's been watching me all this time, planning his strategy. Jin raised his fist. But even though I can't see it, I should still be able to win this.

"Rock!"

After all, I've been preparing a "surprise" for just this sort of opponent!

"Paper!"

Jin smiled to himself. He couldn't have used this in the earlier matches, but it would be perfect against a duelist who had been observing him for this long.

"Scissors!"

As he prepared to throw, he shifted his back foot slightly - almost unnoticeably! - but he had taken care to make a similar adjustment in every match that day, just before throwing Paper. Not every time, but often enough - and only before Paper. If Jihara had been watching carefully, analyzing Jin's movements in preparation for this duel, he might have seen it - if he was as formidable as he seemed, able to negate the Thousand-Devil Eye so effortlessly, he must have seen it! So Jihara would throw Scissors, if he saw the tell Jin had been constructing over the past three matches - which meant Jin needed to throw-

"SHOOT!"

"I... impossible!" Jin's hand trembled, still showing Rock. Jihara's Paper, meanwhile, was as steady as stone. His throw had been swift and powerful, utterly confident.

Mizumigawa muttered to the others. "The tell was a fake... this Kotei Jin was planning that throw this whole time! And it would have worked, but..."

"But that sort of thing could never work on Jihara-san," finished Ryoichi. "He's a fascinating duelist. It's almost as though he can read his opponents' minds."

"It must be tormenting Kotei-san," mused Yukimura.

Jin felt panic rising inside him. Jihara had defeated his Thousand-Devil Eye! Seen right through his trap! There has to be something...

Then, a desperate plan occurred to him. It wasn't much, but it was something to grasp at, something that could maybe pull him out of this mire! I'll play a random throw. Everyone knows that humans can't produce true randomness, and trying to sustain a random sequence is tactical suicide. But if I find some way to generate a random throw right now, there's no way he could predict it - or force my choice! If I can pull it off, I'll have a two-thirds chance of getting at least some extra time to try to fight back. He cast about for something he could use. The only things in the room were... Yes! I'll use those!

The two keys to his salvation were right there in the room - the clock on the scoreboard, and the other duelists watching him. First, I'll pick an ordering of the throws. Scissors, Rock, Paper, that should do. Next, I'll wait until Ryoichi-san blinks. For a tense few seconds, Jin waited. It seemed endless! Jihara was still, watching Jin with calm interest. Then... it happened! He blinked! Yes! Now I'll note the number of seconds past the full minute displayed on the clock - thirty-five seconds. Now, if zero seconds means Scissors, one means Rock, and two means Paper, as I decided before, then I just have to determine the value of thirty-five modulo three, that is, the remainder of thirty-five divided by three. That's simple, it's two - meaning I'll throw Paper! There's no way he could predict that whole sequence - I have a chance!

Jin raised his fist grimly.

"Rock!"

All I can do now...

"Paper!"

is put my whole heart...

"Scissors!"

behind this throw!

"SHOOT!"

Jihara's hand flicked out at the very last instant.

Scissors.

Jin stumbled backwards as though he'd been struck, almost tripped at the edge of his platform, staggered, but managed to keep his balance. He couldn't believe it - he'd been beaten so thoroughly! Every technique demolished! Every throw predicted! He stared blankly ahead, trying to figure out how it had happened.

Jihara lowered his hand, turned halfway towards the bench, then stopped.

"Kotei-dono." Jin's eyes jerked toward him. "Right now you're thinking - 'How did he outwit me?' - am I right?"

Jin said nothing.

"Do not worry. I didn't outwit you, Kotei-dono. I didn't have to outwit you in order to win." He still didn't turn to face Jin. "My talent is 'perception'. I don't have keen insight into my opponent's mind as you do, nor into their heart as Ryoichi-dono does. But I can see their throw as they make it, react in the moment to counter them. Until then, I have no strategy. My mind is empty of preconceptions. I do not consider what to throw until I have seen what my opponent has thrown. That is my technique - 'Lord of Emptiness'."

He walked the rest of the way back to the bench, then sat.

"Guh," Jin commented incisively.

~

The Bosatsu Four had been conferring for no more than a few minutes, but to Jin it had felt interminable. He sat at the edge of the dueling platform, waiting, going over the day's duels in his head. What had he missed? Where were the clues that would turn losses into victories? And how could anyone beat someone like Jihara? With that "Lord of Emptiness" technique - he didn't even seem human.

The door opened. Jin, startled, looked up.

Ryoichi strode into the room, flanked by the other three duelists, the very picture of an emperor surveying his courtiers. "Kotei Jin." His voice had grown deeper and more resonant for the occasion, somehow. "You have impressed us. There is a long road ahead of this dueling team, one that will test the limits of all our abilities. If you are willing to undergo the grueling training, to fight duelists more powerful than you have ever faced - then we offer you a place on our team."

Except what Jin heard in his heart wasn't "a place on our team", but instead "a chance for revenge". A chance to find some answers.

"Well, Kotei-kun? Do you accept?"

"... I do."

Ryoichi's serious expression broke into a warm smile. "Spectacular! Then as of today you will have full use of our facilities, as well as a room in the duelists' dormitory like us four. I'll send a few first-year students to help you move your things, we won't start training until tomorrow." He held out his hand to Jin. "Welcome to the team."

~

Later that evening, Ryoichi ambled down the hall towards Jin's room. "Kotei-kun! Come on, the team's going to get dinner to welcome you."

There was no response. "Kotei-kun?" Ryoichi knocked on the door. Still nothing. He tested the doorknob, found it unlocked. He opened the door, looked around briefly. Jin wasn't there. Through the window, he could see the main building of the compound. Ryoichi frowned.

He was right. When, a few minutes later, he opened the door to the central command room, he found Jin standing there with his back to the door, staring silently at the banks of monitors. On some, there was displayed a seemingly-endless litany:

Kyoru Arashi

Dueling Records
Win 3-0
Win 3-0
Win 3-0
Win 3-0
Win 2-0 (forfeit)

Win 3-1

Win 3-0

Win 3-0

Win 3-0

Win 1-0 (forfeit)

Win 3-0

Win 3-0

Win 3-0

Win 3-0

Win 1-0 (forfeit)

Win 0-0 (forfeit)

Win 2-0 (forfeit)

On other screens, there were still frames from recorded duels. Duelists lay on the ground, weeping. One retched in a corner. One clutched her wrist, her face twisted in pain. Another wiped blood from his mouth.

In each of these duels, Venomous Kyoru stood opposite his victim, his face fixed in indifferent contempt.

"I... I knew he'd have gotten stronger since the Junior Grand National..." Jin's eyes were wide with horror, his voice shaking, "but this is beyond anything I've ever seen." 

Ryoichi wrapped his arms around Jin's neck in a protective embrace. "It's okay, Kotei-kun. He's strong, but you're going to beat him. Together, we can win this championship. I promise."

Jin took a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you, Ryoichi-san."

"Let's go. The five of us are going to get some dinner."

After a moment, Jin nodded, and they turned and left the room.

On one monitor, unnoticed, there was a picture of Kyoru Arashi with his dueling team. Behind him, with a smug smile on her face, was a girl with silver hair that covered one of her eyes.

Episode 6 - Thunderbolt

Kotei Jin stood facing Mizumigawa Shin. He had won his first match, and lost his second - though he was prouder of that one. He still had two opponents left to face - Mizumigawa, and Jihara.

"So, Mizumigawa-san, are you going to ask me about my reasons for fighting as well?"

Her face grew unusually serious at that. "Kotei-kun, let me tell you something." She spread her fingers and made a sweeping motion. "The world doesn't care what you want. It doesn't obey the just, or the deserving. It obeys the strong." She pushed her dark sunglasses up by the arm with the edge of her hand. "So don't tell me about your values - show me your strength!"

Jin narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth in an aggressive grin. "Fine by me."

Mizumigawa laughed, then spread her arms out. They traced a slow circle in the air - then, with a clap like thunder, her hands came together, her fingers interlaced, her forefingers steepled.

"RIN!" She shouted. "Seal of the thunderbolt!"

"Is this an esoteric technique?" Jin's eyes were steel.

"Hah! I don't need an esoteric technique to defeat the likes of you! I'm going to beat you with sheer power!" She pointed at him. "Kotei Jin! I am Mizumigawa Shin, the crushing force of the Bosatsu Four, and I will grind you to dust!" She pulled her hand back into a fist.

Jin smirked. "I can already see your first throw."

Jin's mind was burning. She was completely unfazed by his boast. She must have seen through it - figured out it was an attempt to manipulate her throw - and decided there was no threat. Clearly, she had already selected her throw, and was going to completely ignore his taunts.

Then, Jin's eyes went wide. No! She hasn't just selected this throw - she's selected all her throws for the match! No matter what I say, she plans to stick to her strategy. Well, we'll see about that. He raised his fist.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

If Jin was right, he could figure out from this first throw what her strategy was, then beat her by turning her own force against her.

"SHOOT!"

As her fist descended, there wasn't even the slightest shift in her hand. She was throwing Rock! Jin had just enough time to react to this-

But at the very last instant - Jin didn't even see the movement - her Rock unfurled into Scissors, cutting his Paper.

"Do you see, Kotei Jin? Your Thousand-Devil Eye is no match for my overwhelming force!"

Jin was stunned. Her speed and precise control were incredible, her movements would be impossible to read mid-throw. But her raw aggression made her wide-scale strategy easy for his Thousand-Devil Eye to perceive - it was obvious she planned to throw only Scissors for the whole match!

But, thought Jin, I'm down by a point already. I'd better play this next round safe, confirm what I've seen - and then go for the kill in the following round!

Their fists pumped in tandem once again.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"

A tie - Scissors against Scissors. I was right! She's going to follow this strategy for the whole match - so if I play this carefully, I can let her own "overwhelming force" destroy her!

Mizumigawa looked impatient. "You're too slow. Come on! Throw again!"

"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"

Jin's Rock crushed her Scissors. Hah! She's falling for it! Just one more throw and I've won!

But something made him stop. She was hiding it well, but he could see she looked nervous. Damn! I've been too obvious. She can see that I've figured out her strategy. She might break the pattern-

"What did I say?! Don't just stand there, throw again!"

Jin frowned, but raised his fist.

"Rock!"

She was definitely feeling the pressure - but was it enough to make her switch to Paper to counter him?

"Paper!"

Jin saw a single bead of sweat on her brow. She's going to break.

"Scissors!"

I have to throw Scissors to counter her counter!

"SHOOT!"

There was something on her face that made Jin realize his mistake in mid-throw. She had planned this whole thing! She had deliberately pre-committed to this aggressive strategy, predicting that he'd be able to figure it out, that he'd be able to make her break the pattern, and that he'd know the exact throw she'd break on, allowing him to switch to counter. So she wasn't faking it - she really was breaking to throw a counter - but she planned to throw the wrong counter! If she broke her run of Scissors to throw Rock, but he expected her to counter his own Rock with Paper, he'd throw Scissors - and she'd use the insight of his Thousand-Devil Eye against him, making him dig his own grave!

So at the very last instant, he switched his throw to Paper - even though she had thrown nothing but Scissors the entire match, this was the only way to win!

As their hands descended, they shouted a warrior's cry together.

In the silence afterward, they both held their throws - Jin's Paper, and Mizumigawa's Rock. They were breathing heavily from the exertion.

"... That was pretty cunning, Mizumigawa-san."

"Tch. You're lucky I went easy on you." She dropped her hand, grinning. "But you're not bad yourself, Kotei-kun."

She turned, and walked back to the bench. "You're up, Jihara-kun."

Jin turned to study the last member of the Bosatsu Four. He had been silent this whole time, his eyes almost closed, his expression impassive. He stood slowly, walked to the platform opposite Jin without any hurry.

Jin felt confident. The thrill of battle was coursing through his veins. This feeling - Ryoichi had seen a flicker of it on the tennis courts, but dueling strong opponents had fanned it into a devouring flame!

He turned the full force of his Thousand-Devil Eye on Jihara Akatsuki - then froze.

What he saw almost made him choke.

Nothing.

An absolute void.

It didn't seem like Jihara was blocking Jin's technique - instead, his stance was entirely empty.

Jihara spoke softly.

"Kotei-dono. Shall we begin?"