Zenin Days

[Author Note]

Disc: HrPrTeam

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

If this is too late for you, have a nice day.

__________

3rd P.O.V.

Akira spoke as she squinted hard at her aunt before falling on her back. "Auntie Rion, I don't know if I can do this."

Rion sighed. 'I knew it wouldn't be that easy. I'm not a great person at teaching, but I thought I might be a better fit since Akira likes me so much.'

After interacting with Toji and making breakfast for herself and Akira, Rion went to the gym to get Akira to activate The Paths manually.

However, getting The Paths to function wasn't as easy as breathing.

One needed to be in the mindset of killing for the lines to appear. If Akira wanted to activate it, she would need to visualize herself wishing to kill Rion.

That wasn't happening anytime soon.

However, Rion, after much training, achieved it through her extensive time as an assassin. Her mindset could change to killing in an instant, even if she weren't planning on killing them.

If she wanted to, Rion could see Akira's Paths. Even if she could control it, the last thing she wanted to do was have the mindset of killing Akira.

Akira could only see The Paths once, which was entirely accidental.

So, while she had 'awakened' The Paths, she hadn't truly used it in years. There hasn't been a need for a nine to ten-year-old to see the lines to kill someone.

It pissed her off that she needed to teach this kid how to kill, but with an unknown group running around targeting people like her, it's necessary for survival.

Rion bit her thumb. 'Is there some other way you can activate The Paths without wanting to kill someone? Akira is so innocent. Ruining that scares me.'

Akira looked down. "Am I a failure?"

A small smile appears as I sit down next to her. "Nah, don't worry about it. Believe it or not, seeing The Paths took me longer than you did."

She kept her head down. "But I can't see the lines anymore."

Before training, Rion had explained to Akira that they would stay together for a while.

Instead of being sad, Akira was happy. Rion was more of a parent to her than her own parents.

Her parents wanted her to be a housekeeper.

They wanted her to clean and do nothing with her life.

Akira hated that.

The turning point in her life was when she could see 'the lines,' as she calls it.

It showed her that she could become something more than a useless drone. She could follow in her aunt's footsteps as a badass assassin.

She wanted to do it even if she wasn't built for killing like Rion.

The two Path users sat in silence, both lost in their thoughts.

...

"What kind of training is this?"

...

*WOOSH*

Rion spun around with a dagger in her hand, following the new path before her.

*grab*

She turned around and saw Toji holding her wrist with a smile.

Rion grabbed her chest with her other hand. "Holy crap Toji, you scared the hell outta me."

Usually, she wouldn't be so hasty to kill someone, but someone decided to sneak up on her when Akira was right next to her.

Besides, Nagumo, Sakamoto, and Toji could all react to it if it was them.

Toji let go of Rion's wrist and rubbed the back of his head. "I just came to check it out since I've got nothing better to do."

Something was at the forefront of Rion's mind. 'How did he sneak up on me like that? Even if I feel any bit of a threat, malice, or movement, there should be a path.'

It was at that moment when she was reminded of something.

Specifically during her fight against the superhuman in Shibuya.

She could see his Paths, but the strange thing was that they didn't instantly show where he could be killed.

The line was perfectly followed, and yet it didn't kill the assailant. She could see the correct path only after she saw and analyzed the superhuman.

Her eyes narrowed. 'Are The Paths tied to regular human biology? If so, then why did it work the second time? Could they become so accurate that it doesn't matter the person's biology? If that's the case, then they could become so much stronger.'

A hand waved in front of her face. "Auntie, are you alive in there?"

Rion shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, just thinkin' some stuff over."

Toji sat down in front of the two. "So, what are you guys working on?"

While still scared of Toji's appearance, Akira accepted his presence since Rion had said he would come to the gym to help train both of them.

*boof*

Rion flopped on her back. "Something called The Paths."

Toji put his hand on his chin. "I'm assuming it's the weird thing going on with your eyes?"

Rion raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, how did you figure that one out?"

Toji shrugged. "I have pretty sharp senses. When you fight, you look at something else. It's like you follow an invisible line."

Rion sat up. "Well, that makes explaining it pretty easy. It's basically like those eyes of death you see in manga. Follow the lines. They die. Simple as that."

Toji leaned forward. "So, why are you training in these path things then?"

Rion raised an eyebrow. "For them to get stronger, duh."

Toji rolled his eyes. "Sorry, I'm not the one with magic eyes."

Rion smirked and crossed her arms. "I'm not the one who can sense people from four hundred meters away."

Toji shrugged. "In any case, tell me everything about it. Maybe I can help you both out."

Rion narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Are you really Toji, or are you Nagumo in disguise?"

Akira looked back and forth between the two assassins and followed Rion's lead, narrowing her eyes at Toji.

Toji gave a deadpan expression. "Is it that hard to believe I want to help you out?"

Rion opened her mouth to speak, but Toji spoke first. "Don't answer that."

Toji smiled sadly and thought to himself. 'This really is unlike me. Maybe it's because the kid reminds me of my own. Who knows, but it's better than losing money gambling.'

Rion took a deep breath and started to explain everything about The Paths to Toji, including the part about wanting to kill someone as an activation condition.

Akira flinched at it but kept silent.

...

After listening to the explanation, Toji spoke. "Rion, leave the room for a moment. I'm going to help the kid out."

Rion blinked. 'He didn't call me green hair or woman.'

While Rion was hesitant to leave Akira alone, she ultimately left the room, not after hearing a whisper from Toji. "*Whisper* leave one of your knives here."

Akira spoke up. "Wai-!"

Rion turned around, had a small smile, and cut Akira off. "Don't worry, I'll be right outside. Besides, if Toji wanted to hurt us, he would've done it already."

Akira slowly scooted away from Toji.

Toji gave Rion a deadpan expression. "You suck at reassuring people."

She shrugged but turned around and stood outside the gym, a knife falling out of her pocket, ensuring that Akira saw it.

Rion hid behind the door and glanced over at Akira while making sure Akira couldn't see her, keeping an eye on her regardless of whether she trusted Toji.

Akira gulped since she was left alone with Toji.

Ever since they met, she has been scared of him due to his appearance and the aura he carried.

It was like he was the complete opposite of Rion. While Rion felt warm and welcoming, Toji felt cold and closed.

Akira started sweating and fidgeting her thumbs as she avoided Toji's gaze.

However, the following words out of his mouth made her nerves disappear.

...

He had a wild smile on his face. "Hey, kid, I'm going to kill Rion. Just for you, I'll make it slow and painful."

...

Akira froze and looked Toji in the eyes.

She only had a single emotion in her mind.

Hatred.

*grab*

Instantly, Akira disappeared from her spot, grabbed the knife with her right hand, and swung it toward Toji's temple.

There was a difference between all the other times Rion had trained her.

...

...

...

She was following a line.