Kotetsu Kelun [KK]

"One thing we must understand is that, it's not because a blade can cut, means it can kill. Killing comes from the heart. Are you willing to look the living thing in the eye, despite it's plea for life and slay it; then go on for the rest of life wishing you hadn't? If you are, then take my hand."

"I am Kotetsu Kelun, the Overseer of this Practice."

A man says with his right hand extended, as he faces a couple of men and women.

He takes a swing at a hung up piece of paper and slashes it in two from right to left, with his right hand. He comes up. The students watch in awe and clap.

They come in one by one to do exactly as he has done but lose out. But then, a man comes in with his right hand on the hilt of his Katana and his left hand, on the scabbard.

The Class makes fun of him.

"Huh, what is he doing?!"

"Such a fool!"

"He probably saw this in an anime or something!"

"People are losing with their Katana's unsheathed, him he wants to win with his sheathed?! Ridiculous!"

They say this as Kelun watches intently with his hands folded.

The man reaches a distance in front of the paper.

They laugh.

"Huh, what's he trying to do? From that distance?!"

"He must be possessed with new wine, if he thinks he can pull it off!"

He makes a swift slash to the right with his right hand and the paper blows back.

Silence holds the room for a few seconds then they burst into laughter, except two people (a man and a woman), that watch intently alongside Kelun, who holds a smile on his face.

As they laugh, the wood behind the paper cracks and bursts into bits. The Class becomes humbled as they watch in awe.

Kelun closes his eyes and says in his heart...

"He killed not the flesh, but the soul." He opens his eyes and walks forward.

The man sheathes.

Kelun approaches his back as he claps and says...

"Well done, well done!"

He stands before him.

"What is your name, boy?" He asks

"Uzumaki. Uzumaki Kenmaru!" He replies

"Kenmaru, huh? That's a nice name. There's no need for you to take this test, you are clearly above it. You will go straight to the Final Point." Kelun says

They crash out.

"Eh! him, the Final Point?!"

"There's a mixup somewhere!"

"I could do that too!" The woman in the crowd says as she swings her blade emphatically.

"Hey loser, keep it down, before you cut my head off!" Another woman to her right replies.

"Eh, who are you calling "loser"!"

They bicker and fight.

"Now, come with me." Kelun says and moves alongside Kenmaru.

"As for the rest of you...keep practicing!"

He and Kenmaru leave the room.

A big fight springs up.

Kelun and Kenmaru walk across a passage. He pulls his eyes to the left and looks at Kelun.

"He isn't affected?!" Kelun says in his mind and moves forward.

They reach another passage, and the pressure gets heavier.

"As a Spirit, you must be able to stand where you are not permitted to. If you cannot, then why are you a Spirit?" He says again in his mind.

He looks at Kenmaru once more and sees him unfazed.

He grins and they move forward.

They enter a dark passage.

"One must be able to connect. See when you are blind. Hear when you are deaf, walk when crippled and speak whilst rendered of no speech." Kelun says.

"You are right, Kelun."

Kelun expresses shock as he looks at Kenmaru. He stares at him for a while and looks forward and walks.

They enter another passage and heavy clad weapons come, hammering. They walk unflinchingly. Kelun pays no heed to Kenmaru as they do so. They scale through and reach the Final Point.

The massive door in front opens and they enter. Inside are people in a circle, sitted in the darkest points of the room manned by four male giants. The people in the dark points, watch as Kelun and Kenmaru walk.

They reach the middle and stop. They go on their knees and put their faces on the ground. A beam of light from where the giants stand, comes forth from the top and hits them tremendously. They stay unfazed as this occurs.

The light dies down.

"Only the ones who bear the strength to exist can stand before us." One (Male) of the people in the dark says.

Kelun and Kenmaru stands.

"You have done well, The Enemy of Progress." Kelun looks with a dead face.

"Yes, my Lord!" He goes back into the darkness whilst bowing and vanishes.

Kenmaru looks on as well with a dead face.

"What shall we call you?" Another (Female) that stays in the dark asks.

He replies not.

"Well, that will be decided on your performance." She says.

Two people approach and come into the light and stand beside Kenmaru.

(The two are the ones sighted earlier watching intently at Kenmaru's performance.)

"I'm sure you are familiar with the saying: "Can you see when blind?" The same Woman in the dark says.

A while after, in the presence of Kenmaru and the remaining two; the light shuts and the battle begins.

Kenmaru sends a ferocious downward slash with his right hand and cuts off the left arm of the man in front him. Blood gushes out. The man vanishes. The sickle of a Kusiragama comes in, towards the back of Kenmaru. He swiftly parries it to the left with his Katana on his left hand.

The woman with the Kusarigama comes in powerfully and strikes Kenmaru on the stomach with her feet. Blood and saliva gushes out his mouth. He gets sent flying backwards. He speedily rolls with his neck, back and hips, and then crashes back first on the wall. It shatters and he passes out.

The intense battle still goes on, between the Man and the Woman.