The morning air was crisp, tinged with the scent of damp earth and the faint aroma of burning wood from early hearth fires. The village streets were still quiet, only a few vendors setting up stalls or sweeping in front of their shops. Kayomi's breath puffed softly in the cold as he ran, the soles of his sandals making barely a whisper against the stone paths.
He liked the quiet. The rhythm.
The world always felt… still when he ran. Like the noise in his head finally paused. The whisper of his chakra, the hum of his heartbeat, the soft scuff of his stride it all blended into something peaceful.
Lap after lap, the village blurred past him in flashes of rooftops and dew-speckled trees. But today, something tugged at his senses. A sound.
Ding…
He ignored it at first, assuming it was just construction or someone opening shop.
Ding... ding... DING.
It came again, clearer this time. The sharp, deliberate ring of metal striking metal. Not random. Not chaotic. Purposeful.
He slowed, curiosity flickering behind his bandaged eyes. His crimson Six Eyes pulsed faintly beneath the wrap, mapping the shapes and motion around him in vivid silhouettes.
He followed the sound through narrower streets, past shuttered windows and old stone lanterns until he reached a modest forge tucked into the edge of the district. Its wooden frame leaned slightly from years of use, and its chimney coughed out thin plumes of smoke.
Kayomi stepped closer, the heat spilling out to meet him. Inside, a boy stood over an anvil, hammering away at a glowing strip of iron. Sparks danced around him, clinging to sweat-slicked skin.
Even without the details, Kayomi recognized him.
"Daisuke?" he said softly.
The hammer froze mid-swing. The boy turned, blinking through the haze. Then his face split into a grin.
"No way. Kayomi?"
They both laughed, the kind that came from surprise and a little nostalgia.
Daisuke wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. "Man, you look different... taller. Stronger even. "
Kayomi grinned. "And you smell more like burnt metal than usual."
Daisuke chuckled and waved him in. "Yeah, well, I traded scrolls for steel. Dropping out of the academy was tough, but… this feels right. I'm not a fighter. I just want to create something lasting, you know?"
Kayomi nodded slowly, eyes trailing the tools lining the walls, the half-forged blades resting on shelves. "Yeah. I get it."
They sat near the forge, the warmth soaking into their skin as the village slowly stirred awake around them. For a moment, the world felt simple again.
Then came the scream.
A shrill, desperate cry that pierced through the peace like a blade.
Kayomi was on his feet instantly, his heart lurching. Daisuke cursed, tossing down his gloves as both bolted toward the sound.
The trees closed around them as they ran thick trunks, tangled roots, and damp leaves underfoot. Kayomi's chakra flared slightly, guiding his steps, but even through the trees, his Six Eyes saw clearly.
A towering shape. A man struggling. And a bear massive, furious swiping with claws thick as daggers.
Kayomi didn't hesitate. His foot slammed into a tree trunk, launching him like a spring-loaded arrow.
He landed between the two with a low crouch, arms raised.
His breathing steadied. His body fell into familiar rhythm.
Enkōken: Tiger Form.
The motion was fluid explosive power combined with focused precision. His muscles moved like a predator's, grounded and coiled. Chakra rippled across his arms and legs, flowing naturally through him as the ancient beast-style awakened.
He stepped forward and struck.
A short, snapping strike like a tiger's paw and the bear reeled, a sharp burst of impact shaking through its ribs. The creature stumbled back, confused and limping, then turned and bolted into the underbrush.
The large man wheezed, leaning on a tree trunk. "Th-thank you !"
Kayomi turned toward him, helping steady him by the shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine... just startled. Damn thing came outta nowhere..."
And then
A low growl.
Not ahead. Behind.
Kayomi's head snapped around. As everything came to a stop.
Wide-eyed as another bear, larger and angrier, burst from the brush not ten feet behind him.
Time slowed.
Kayomi's mouth moved before his body could. "DAISUKE !"
The bear charged.
Kayomi's muscles screamed as he twisted on his heel and launched forward, chakra igniting through his arms as he shifted forms mid-sprint.
Enkōken: Wolf Fang Style.
His speed surged. His breath sharpened.
He reached Daisuke just as the bear lunged.
Kayomi leapt with a snarl, spinning midair, and slashed with a claw-hand strike mimicking a wolf's brutal swipe.
The bear's charge was intercepted mid-motion. The strike hit clean a precise diagonal blow sending the beast sprawling back, wheezing from the impact.
Daisuke collapsed backward, chest heaving, staring at Kayomi like he was something out of myth.
Kayomi's limbs trembled slightly from the chakra drain, but his stance was solid. Controlled.
"…You okay?" he asked, voice quieter now.
Daisuke slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah… yeah, I.. thanks, man. I didn't see it coming…"
The big man approached again, a hand pressed to his side where he'd fallen. His voice was low and heavy with emotion.
"You saved us both."
He looked at Kayomi not with the casual friendliness of earlier, but with a quiet, almost reverent respect.
"This forest... it's on the edge of the Forest of Death. We don't usually get anything this far out. I don't understand it."
Kayomi didn't speak at first. He watched the treeline, eyes narrowing behind his bandages. The forest was still again. Too still.
"Something drove them out," he muttered. "We should be careful."
The older man stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on Kayomi's shoulder.
"Whatever it was, we're in your debt. My name's Gorou. Daisuke's my boy. We run this forge together."
Kayomi turned, blinking as the heat from the fight finally faded.
Gorou grinned. "You just earned yourself a gift. We're forging something for you. No arguments."
Kayomi blinked. "I… really don't need.."
"Not a reward. A tribute," Gorou said, smiling. "Something worthy of that power in your fists."
Daisuke laughed. "Yeah. Let's make something amazing."
Kayomi smiled despite himself. "Only if I get to help design it."
They laughed together, the three of them walking back toward the forge, their clothes stained with soot and forest dirt but their spirits a little lighter.
Behind them, the forest whispered in winds that smelled faintly of blood and ash.
Author's note:
What kind of weapon would best suit our friend Kayomi ? Share you're idea's