Whispers of Shikiban:The king walk among us

The training hall was massive, its cold concrete walls giving off an oppressive sense of confinement. Overhead, harsh fluorescent lights buzzed, casting a sterile glow over the rows of gymnastic equipment—ropes hung from the ceiling, balance beams lined the floor, and thick mats were scattered like patches of safety in a battlefield. The air felt heavy, thick with the mix of sweat, tension, and the faint metallic tang of fear.

Reika stood motionless, every muscle in her body alert, her breath controlled as she observed the room. The floor beneath her feet was solid, but the weight of what was to come made it feel as if the ground could shift beneath her at any moment. Every creak of a rope, every shuffle of a booted foot, was amplified in her heightened senses. This is just the beginning, she reminded herself, her pulse steady despite the mounting pressure.

Beside her, Ishigo shifted nervously, his fingers twitching at his sides. He adjusted his glasses, the motion almost frantic, as though trying to center himself in the chaos surrounding them. His eyes darted around the room, never landing on one thing for too long. He couldn't keep still. Every breath felt like a struggle, every muscle trembling in fear of what was to come. His mind raced.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk after this," Ishigo muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of genuine terror.

Reika glanced at him, her voice flat but firm. "You have no choice. Get your head in the game. If you get injured, it's over. You're out."

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. "We have to survive deadly training, then five level tests. If the 'X' rank Kageshiki are that powerful, how terrifying are the 'I' rank ones?"

Reika's mind flickered to the name that haunted her thoughts—the strongest of the 'I' ranks, Souta. The way he looked at her like she was beneath him. The way his mocking tone cut deeper than it should.

Does he think I'm weak? A loser? Her hands curled into fists at her sides. One day, I'll surpass him. I'll show him I'm more than just a joke.

Her gaze snapped back to the room as the trainer's voice rang out, sharp and cold.

"All Kageshiki trainees, line up!"

The room seemed to hold its breath as the trainees scrambled into formation, trying to keep their composure. The trainer's presence was suffocating, his icy demeanor leaving no room for hesitation or weakness. Reika didn't flinch, her expression neutral. But Ishigo was visibly shaking, his fear a palpable force in the air.

"Forty-six people have been disqualified."

A collective gasp rippled through the room, the shock of the statement enough to steal the air from everyone's lungs. Reika's face remained unchanged, though inside, a cold knot of realization twisted in her stomach.

"Thirty-seven trainees died. Nine were severely injured."

The words hit like a punch to the gut. Ishigo paled further, his face drained of color. His body stiffened as though bracing for an impact that was yet to come.

The trainer continued, his voice like ice, cutting through the heavy silence. "We've never mentioned this before, but if you're injured, you'll have to retrieve a crystal from a beast's body. Those who didn't think ahead were eaten alive. Some lost limbs. Others… didn't make it out at all. The smart ones knew the beast's weak spot—the head. A single blow from a nunchaku, and the creature dies instantly."

Ishigo's breath hitched, his hands trembling as he clutched his sides. His pulse thrummed in his ears, the sound deafening in his skull. I can't... I can't die here.

Reika, though outwardly calm, felt a ripple of unease in her chest. But she pushed it aside. She couldn't afford to show fear. Fear only leads to failure.

"Training begins now. First, flexibility."

The trainer's voice was merciless, and without waiting for a response, he gestured toward a nearby mat. One by one, the trainees were called forward to demonstrate their flexibility. Each of them dropped into a split, the movement fluid for some, excruciating for others. When the first trainee's legs trembled and couldn't go further, the trainers stepped forward without hesitation, their hands pressing down on her legs.

A sickening CRACK echoed through the room, followed by the girl's guttural scream. Her face contorted in agony as the trainers twisted her body further.

"My bones—stop! Please!" she begged, her voice breaking with each sob.

But the trainers didn't stop. They pushed harder, the girl's body bending in unnatural ways.

"If you can't even do this, how do you expect to bend your entire body backward while standing?" one of them mocked.

The girl's screams filled the room, her voice shaking the very foundation of the hall, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Reika's jaw clenched as she watched, her face blank. She could feel the tension building in the air, the pain of the others reverberating through the room. No one here is weak. But how long can we last?

Ishigo's breath was shallow, his eyes wide with fear as he watched. He gripped his own legs, trying to steady himself, but his muscles felt like jelly.

I can't do this, he thought. This is too much. I don't want to be like her...

Daigo, ever the reckless one, broke the tension with a loud, carefree voice.

"Yo, bro! Wassup?"

He grabbed Ishigo by the shoulders, shaking him out of his stupor. "What, you scared? C'mon, pull yourself together!" Daigo grinned, unbothered by the brutality unfolding around them.

Ishigo managed a strained laugh, though it was clear his fear hadn't lessened. "I... I can't even focus, Daigo."

Daigo slapped him on the back, still grinning. "Don't worry, bro. If I can survive this, anyone can."

Before Ishigo could respond, the trainer's voice boomed once more, icy and commanding.

"Kageshiki trainee number one, step forward."

A girl, barely able to keep her balance, shakily stepped up to the mat. The trainer's eyes narrowed as he studied her. She hesitated for a moment, then dropped into a split.

She winced, her legs barely going past the halfway point. Sweat glistened on her forehead, but she held her position. One of the trainers stepped forward, his hand moving to her ankles. He pressed down with brutal force, the girl's body trembling beneath his touch.

The CRACK of her bones snapping in half reverberated through the room.

"NO! Please, I can't—"

But the trainer only looked at her coldly. "You should have prepared better."

The girl's scream was drowned out as the trainer moved on, indifferent.

Ishigo's chest tightened as the sound of cracking bones echoed in his mind, his body betraying him as his legs began to shake uncontrollably.

I can't do this. I can't...

Reika's voice broke through his panic, low and steady. "Ishigo. Focus. Don't let them break you. If you're afraid now, you've already lost."

Her eyes met his, sharp and unflinching. I can't afford to show weakness either. Not now. Not ever. Her stomach churned with a quiet unease she wouldn't let surface. I have to be stronger. For everyone.

The next exercise began immediately. "Now, fight against your partner while maintaining a split."

Reika glanced at Ishigo. His face was pale, his hands trembling. But he nodded, steeling himself.

"Let's go," Reika said, her voice low, almost predatory.

The battle started, the air thick with the sound of strained muscles and gritted teeth. As they fought, Reika could feel the tension in her body building, each movement testing her flexibility and endurance. She could sense Ishigo's fear, his hesitations, but she couldn't afford to pull back. The stakes were too high. If they faltered, they would pay with more than just their pride.

This is only the beginning. But we have to survive.