"How about we get back to training?" Halim asked. "I'm not sure when Rina might come, and I much rather avoid her fury."

"Is she that scary?" the peasant asked, smiling.

The white-haired, dark-skinned, lanky angel nodded. "She's the scariest person you would probably ever meet."

"Then you better stop talking about her before she appears," Hyosetsu said, glaring at them.

"Actually, she's a bit like him... but worse," Halim whispered, glancing at us.

Hyosetsu scoffed. "She should've been the one training us then. We would've made a lot more progress by now."

The Angel of Metal sighed. "Alright, alright. Go back to mana concentration."

"Wait, what about my challenge?" I asked, glancing over at Kaliq.

Halim laughed. "Right. Well, this is something worth watching. Everyone, pay close attention."

All eyes turned on me and the strange robed man.

Kaliq extended his agate-covered staff toward me. "You'll win if you can tap the tip of Yabedul."

My hand moved to my hip. "That easy? I can do it in my sleep!"

The man smiled. "Ohh? Then perhaps I should test you that way."

"I-It was a figure of speech. Don't you have those here?"

He chuckled. "I knew what you meant, just teasing, child."

Wind danced around me. "Hey, I'm not a child! I'm eighteen!"

"No need to get mad, young one. Now, ready when you are."

My eyes locked in on the staff. I slowly moved closer but Kaliq didn't even move it, nor did he flinch. Was he not taking me seriously? Well, that would be his undoing!

I lurched my hand for the staff and just as my fingers were about to touch it-- it moved.

"Huh?" I said as I stumbled. A gale of wind pushed me up, keeping me from falling.

"So close!" Halim yelled.

I rubbed my nose and smiled. "Yeah. This time I'll grab it!"

Kaliq pointed the wooden staff at me once more. "Ready when you are!"

My eyes shifted toward his hand rather than the tip of the staff.

I moved one hand forward as if grabbing for it but then moved the other forward.

Kaliq spun the wooden rod so quickly that the bottom edge almost slashed my neck.

"Impressive, didn't expect you to attempt that," the robed man said, smiling.

I snickered. "Didn't I say that I was a genius? Now, let's try again! This time I will touch the upright tip for sure!"

"You got spunk, gotta admire that," Halim said, chuckling.

"You can do it!" Eiichi yelled.

"Ehh? You suddenly believe in me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. And why did it have to be him and not Setsuko?

The red-eyed pervert snickered. "You got good eyes, but you're too slow."

"Wait, now you're doubting me?"

He shrugged. "A genius like you should be able to figure it out."

I grumbled. The heck? Was he toying with me?

'Good eyes but I'm too slow'... good eyes but I'm too... Wait, is he trying to tell me to figure out a way to compensate for my slowness?

Come to think about it; my slowness kept getting in the way. I couldn't react nor move fast enough to save Dan... Likewise, for when he stabbed me while possessed. If I had, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have lost him.

Then there were my battles with Eiichi and Roa. I couldn't defeat them. Heck, I couldn't even land a hit on the former.

"Hideo? Aren't you going to reach out for it?" Halim asked. "You can do it. Don't give up now."

"Relax, Father. He's thinking," Kaliq said.

Thinking...

***

[Some weeks Ago- Imperial Palace]

"A hundred shots," I said, staring at the metal target. There were approximately sixty holes. My goal was to get all hundred in one hole.

"Hey, cuz!" a voice called out. I spun around and glared at the lanky, red-haired shorty I had the misfortune to call 'cousin'.

"Don't call me that!" I snapped.

He sighed. "Here I was thinking that you would finally mellow out now that we're going to be allies."

"Are you dumb? Why would you even think that?" I yelled, slicing the air with my hand. "I still haven't forgotten that you and your family kidnapped Dan!"

He averted his gaze. "Guess Suzuki was right. I shouldn't have come." His eyes widened as soon as he saw the holes. "How many shots did you fire?"

I scoffed. "A hundred."

"So, you missed forty shots all together? Or did you shoot in the same spot?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the target several meters in the distance.

"Same spot. Though some have double holes due to missing by a few degrees."

"Have you tried to calculate the angles before shooting? Or did you just shoot without thinking?" a voice called out.

I clenched my hands around Donato.

"Sis, what are you doing here?" Reno asked.

"I came to check up on you. You nearly got into a fight earlier this morning."

"Uh... guess that's wise."

I turned and glared at the tall, red-haired woman standing by the door.

"Well, can you take him away? I need to focus on this," I said, pointing at the target.

"I see. Well then, remember what I said. Try to calculate the angles of your shots ahead of time. It might take a while at first, but it'll eventually become like second nature. Those eyes of yours will certainly help. Now, we'll be leaving. Good luck," Suzuki said as she opened the door.

***

['Present'- Munil]

Back then, I didn't understand why Suzuki had given me advice... It was hard to accept that she was sorry about what her family had done to Dan. Even now, doubts lingered about the authenticity of her words...

But would calculating the angles work here? This guy moved fast. Wait, perhaps it isn't the movements of my bullets I should focus on, but rather his possible movements. Movements...

***

[Years Ago- Makkuroyama Mansion]

My eyes scanned the various white and black glass pieces on the green-wooden board. The edges of my lips curved upward. "I win!" I said, raising a piece, seizing the pawn guarding father's king piece with my rook.

"Woah," Kiara said as she leaned forward.

Silas scoffed as he leaned his back against one of the corners of our private library. "I wouldn't be too sure."

"Y-you s-sure?" Dan asked, glancing at him. "S-seems b-big brother won."

"Look at the board, you fools," he said, pointing at it.

Father smiled. "Sy is right, you haven't won yet," he said, moving the bishop beside the king to take my rook.

"Wah?"

Silas snickered. "Giving up the rook just to capture a pawn, what a foolish heir."

"S-shut up! You couldn't defeat him earlier, so don't criticize!" I shouted, glaring at him. My eyes shifted back to the board. "Plus, I can still win!"

"Y-you can do it, big bro!" Dan yelled, raising a fist awkwardly into the air.

"Hmm, I think dad has it in the bag," Kiara said, sighing.

Father crossed his hands together and leaned against the black pine table. He flashed me a knowing smile. "I wouldn't be too certain. Only a fool declares victory before it's firmly in their grasp."

My face reddened. Silas, Dan, and Kiara had all failed to defeat father. His movements weren't all that different between each game, yet I didn't expect him to move like this.

"Predicting an opponent's movements based on prior observation isn't a bad strategy, Hide," father said, looking straight into my eyes. "However, there are those who will use that to take advantage. They know that you would anticipate the same boring pattern. That's why you must calculate for multiple movements and act accordingly. A calm mind is always best for any would-be general."

I gulped. It was my dream to become a knight-general, preferably someplace to the more populated northwest part of our province. That way, when the time came, I could anticipate the actions of the rebels and weed them out of our lands once and for all. Not to mention, guarding this land from future Kasai no Ki encroachment.

Father smiled. "Go on, Hide. It's your move now. If this was an official game you would be disqualified for taking too long to make a move. Now, if this were a battlefield, you would lose much more," he said, his eyes becoming stern at the last part.

"B-big bro..."

Silas sighed and walked away. "I'm out. No use staying to watch something I already know the result of."

Kiara walked over to him and spread her arms out, blocking his path. "Sy, stay. Maybe Hideo will surprise us."

Father smirked. "Yes. He just might," he said, a glimmer in his golden eyes.

My eyes glanced over the board once more. He had his bishop guarding his king. My only precious piece left was the queen. Father, meanwhile, still had his own queen in addition to the aforementioned bishop. My queen was in line of his bishop, but if I did that... he would take my queen. Not only that, my king would be absolutely defenseless...

"Hmm," Silas said. "Is he actually taking his time to think?"

"Quiet, Sy. Let him focus," Kiara whispered.

I sighed. I couldn't take his bishop yet. Wait, his king was unprotected on both the left and right flanks... If I were to move my queen over to one of them, I could capture his king! No, that was too simple... Surely, he's figured it out.

Father raised his head and leaned against his seat. "Figured something out?"

"Gahh!" I yelled, moving my queen over to the far-right of the board.

Father raised his bishop and moved it to F-6.

I blinked. That was... random... I gasped. Wait... he was trying to capture my queen! Well, that wasn't going to work in his favor! I took my queen and moved it over to H-6.

My dad smiled. "Not bad, Hide. Let's see..." He took his queen and moved her over to D-6."

Kiara gasped.

This was bad... He knew where I was going... It was as if he was two or even three moves ahead of me.

"Hey, you aren't using your time powers, are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He laughed. "Hide, I wouldn't cheat in chess. There might be times in which I will be unable to use my temporal powers, so I got to keep my mind sharp."

"What can jam your powers?" I asked.

"I knew someone who was impervious to them once, so I know it's possible," he said. "In fact, he's one of the few I've ever lost to in chess."

"You've lost?" Silas asked, eyes as wide as mine.

He nodded. "Yes. More than on one occasion. I have defeated him in a few games though."

"What's his name?" I asked, moving my queen over to H-2.

He moved his queen over to E-6. "I'll tell you if you can defeat me."

Now I really had to win!

"Sadly, it'll have to wait until next game," he said, standing up.

"Huh?"

"Look at the board."

I gasped. His queen was directly aligned with my king. The only move I could use to stop her was to block with mine, but that would merely delay the inevitable.

"Good game. Maybe next time you'll be able to defeat me," he said, lifting up his black jacket from his chair and draping it over his shoulder. "Until then, keep on practicing your strategies."

Silas sighed. "I knew that he would lose. Why did I get my hopes up?"

I grumbled. "I lasted longer than you..."

He scoffed. "Only because you delayed the inevitable! I knew when I was defeated."

"Yeah right, you're just making excuses!" I said, standing up.

Silas rolled his eyes. "I'm not like you. You know I hate making excuses."

"D-don't fight," Dan said, staring at us uneasily.

"Yeah, you two. You're brothers! Brothers shouldn't fight!" Kiara said, pushing us apart.

Father nodded his head. "Yeah... family should stay close..." he said, his eyes becoming watery.

Sy and I gulped. We had forgotten that we shouldn't ever fight in front of him or else this would happen...

"Dad," Kiara said. She ran over to him and hugged him. "Don't worry, daddy! You got us! We'll always stay with you!"

"Kia..." he said, embracing her.

"Y-yeah!" Dan said. He ran over to him, though he almost stumbled twice.

"Careful, son," he said, catching him.

My brother smiled. "I-I'm o-okay!"

Father smiled. "Be more careful, Dan."

He nodded. "I-I'll t-try!"

***

['Present'- Munil]

Dad, Kiara, Silas... what were they up to right now? Had they extracted anything of value from those abyssmal-scum and my treasonous cousins?

"Young man, are you alright?" Kaliq asked, walking closer to me.

"Huh?" I gasped as tears struck my hands. "I..."

"Perhaps it would be best to continue this later, after he's had some more training," the peasant said, walking over.

"Doubt it would help him much," Hyosetsu said, turning away. "We should really get back to training ourselves."

"N-no. I'll finish this now," I said, glaring at Kaliq.

Kaliq nodded. "Then go ahead, young one."

I needed to be like my dad. For every move he could make, I needed to have a counter-move in mind!

My hand reached for the bulbous tip but Kaliq flipped it once more. He raised an arm up, blocking the spin of his staff even as blood splattered my clothes and face.

The peasant and the others gasped.

"I am not to be underestimated!" I said, raising my foot.

Kaliq laughed as he pulled the staff up. My right hand moved for it but Kaliq continued to move it around me. He was too fast. But if blocking it didn't work, what now? Wait! What my dad said...

"Only a fool declares victory before it's firmly in their grasp..." I whispered.

"Indeed," Kaliq said, spinning around as I reached for the tip once more.

"In that case...!" I yelled, grabbing the lower part of the staff.

"Ohhh! Interesting!" Halim said, smirking.

Eiichi snickered. "I knew the brat would pull it off!"

"Not yet!" I screamed, stretching for the opposite end of the staff. It was too early to count victory. Not until it was in my hands...

Kaliq tried to free it from my grasp but I wasn't going to unhand it. Not after everything I'd gone through!

The tip of my middle finger touched something smooth.

The robed man smiled. "Well done, young one. You passed my challenge!"

"Yes!" I said, jumping into the air.

"He did it!" Setsuko said.

Eiichi shrugged. "What did I say?"

"He finally used his head for once was what happened," Hyosetsu said, chuckling. "Something you can do yourself."

"What? I'm the one who believed in him, not you!" the blond said, leering at the raven-haired knight.

"Yes, but my point still stands," he said, smiling slightly.

Tetsuya sighed. "I got to agree with him on that."

Eiichi grinned as he put a hand on his hip. "Whatever. Let's begin with this meditation training. I want to get back to awakening my Second-Heaven form. Once I unlock it, I'll wipe the floor with all of you once more."

I grumbled. "Not if I master mine first!" I yelled, running to join them. "I'm going to be the strongest!"

"Sorry, but that's my dream!" Tetsuya said, patting my head. "You'll just have to stick with second place, little cousin."

"Little?" I snapped, slapping his hand away. "Do not look down on me, Peasant!"

He poked my head. "Perhaps when you stop looking down on me, Snob!"

"Stop arguing you four," Setsuko said, glaring at us.

I gulped. "Y-yes, Lady Setsuko!" I said, saluting her. I sat down on the spot and crossed my legs like how she and the peasant had done earlier. I'll get this too. One day I will become someone whom Silas and the rest of my family can be proud to call 'Duke of Makkuroyama'. Or maybe... even 'Grand Duke of Makkuroyama' should I impress the royal family enough as to restore our original status.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter :). I would love to know your thoughts, theories, and/or predictions ^_^**