The midday sun filtered through the treetops, casting shifting beams of light onto the training clearing. Hiro stood with his weapon at the ready, Chūta perched on his right shoulder, his fur bristling with anticipation, and Yamiha curled lightly around his left, her many eyes blinking in silent focus. Across from him, Kaya stood rexed, her stance almost casual, but her eyes sharp with the promise of an unyielding opponent.

  This was their first real spar together. Hiro had expressed concern about using his summons in battle against Natsume, unsure of how to strike the bance between holding back and not getting hurt himself. Kaya, ever practical, had suggested that she was the perfect opponent. She was fast, skilled, and strong enough that even if Hiro and his summons worked together, they posed no true threat to her.

  “Whenever you’re ready, Hiro,” Kaya called, gripping the hilt of her bde. “Come at me like you mean it.”

  Hiro took a steadying breath. Yamiha tensed, Chūta’s tail flicked. Then, Hiro moved.

  The battle opened with a burst of motion—Chūta unched into the air, twisting mid-flight as Hiro flicked his whip forward, attempting to close the distance. Kaya sidestepped effortlessly, her bde already up to deflect the strike. In that same instant, Yamiha fired a web strand toward her feet, but Kaya’s reaction was seamless—she twisted mid-step, flipping backward before the silk could tch onto her.

  “She’s fast,” Hiro muttered, already pivoting to reposition. He felt Yamiha’s silent response—an understanding, a readiness.

  “Again,” he ordered.

  Chūta dove, whipping a controlled gust of wind toward Kaya’s legs. The sudden draft sent dirt and leaves flying, attempting to unbance her. At the same time, Hiro’s whip snapped toward her blind spot.

  Kaya reacted instantly—she leapt over the wind burst, barely avoiding the sh of Hiro’s whip. But as she nded, she found herself face-to-face with Yamiha’s freshly woven web, stretched between two trees.

  For the first time, Kaya hesitated.

  Hiro saw the flicker of calcution in her eyes. She won’t let it touch her.

  Kaya twisted sharply to the right—exactly as Hiro expected.

  Chūta materialized in midair, resummoned within ten feet, diving down with a Wind Bdes. Hiro had expanded the range of his summoning through dedicated training from the Summoner’s Tablet, allowing for more flexible positioning of his summons in battle. Hiro had expanded the range of his summoning through dedicated training from the Summoner’s Tablet, allowing for more flexible positioning of his summons in battle.

  Kaya reacted on instinct—she dodged, rolling forward, avoiding the sharp edge of Chūta’s wind projectiles. The resummoning tactic had worked—it had forced her into a position she hadn’t intended to take.

  But she was still a step ahead.

  Hiro barely had time to register her next move before she was already closing the gap—in a blur of motion, Kaya shifted her grip on her sword and unched a rapid strike toward Hiro’s right side.

  Hiro’s instincts screamed at him—Turn! Block!

  But he was slow. His swordbreaker was in his non-dominant hand, while his whip controlled the other. He had prioritized his attack but left himself open to a counter.

  The ft of Kaya’s bde tapped lightly against his neck.

  At that same moment, Yamiha’s fangs sank into Kaya’s left arm, and a Wind Bde from Chūta flew into her back.

  For a split second, silence.

  Then, Kaya disappeared in a puff of smoke.

  Hiro’s breath was heavy as he took in the realization—he had lost. Against only her shadow clone.

  A slow cp filled the clearing.

  “Not bad, Hiro,” Kaya’s voice came from the tree line as she stepped forward, arms crossed, a smirk on her lips. “That was a good start.”

  Hiro frowned. “I still lost.”

  Kaya chuckled. “You didn’t expect to win, did you?”

  Hiro let out a small sigh, feeling Yamiha shift slightly on his shoulder. The fight had been clunky in parts, but… he had felt it. The connection with his summons. He hadn’t been just giving commands—he had been thinking, and they had been reacting.

  The teamwork was there.

  It just needed refining.

  As Kaya moved to continue her assessment, another set of cps joined hers.

  The sound froze Kaya mid-step.

  Her eyes widened in shock.

  Hiro felt something shift in the air—something heavy, something commanding. He turned slowly.

  Sitting casually on the ground behind him was a towering, aged figure.

  His thick white fur was streaked with silver, his broad, muscur arms resting over his knees. A long, golden staff y across his p. His face was deeply lined, his eyes sharp with intelligence and age-worn wisdom. The sheer presence of the being sent a chill down Hiro’s spine.

  Kaya instantly dropped to a knee, bowing her head. “Lord Enma, it is an honor to see you here!”

  Hiro, slow to react, finally understood what he was seeing.

  The legendary Monkey King, Enma, was watching him.