SICARII

Taizen slumped against the wall of the locker room, his head buried in his hands. The adrenaline from the fight with Kai had worn off, leaving behind a hollow sense of defeat. He knew he could have done better, fought smarter, hit harder. But in the end, it was Kai who had come out on top, and Taizen couldn't shake the feeling that he had let down himself.

As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, Akari walked in. She had a bright smile on her face, clearly ecstatic about her own victory. Taizen couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at her happiness, but he pushed it down.

"Hey, Taizen," Akari said, dropping her gym bag onto the bench beside him. "You okay?"

Taizen looked up, surprised by her concern. "I'm fine," he said, forcing a smile. "Just…thinking."

"About the fight?" Akari asked, leaning against the lockers.

"Yeah," Taizen admitted. "I should have won."

Akari tilted her head sympathetically. "It happens," she said. "Kai's a tough opponent."

Taizen nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had let himself down. He didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he changed the subject. "What about you? You won your fight?"

Akari's smile brightened. "Yeah," she said. "I'm in the semi-finals."

Taizen raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had always known Akari was a good fighter, but he hadn't realized just how strong she was. "Wow," he said. "That's great. Who are you fighting?"

Akari's smile faded a bit. "Capa," she said. "Number one ranked in the tournament."

Taizen's eyes widened in shock. "Capa?" he said. "That's…that's a tough opponent."

Akari nodded, her expression serious. "I know," she said. "But I'm going to give it my all."

Taizen couldn't help but feel a new sense of respect for Akari. He had always thought of her as a good fighter, but now he saw her in a new light. "You're amazing, Akari," he said, his voice full of admiration.

Akari blushed a bit at the praise. "Thanks, Taizen," she said. "That means a lot coming from you."

They fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Taizen couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Akari, knowing that they were both fighting their own battles. But even as he admired her strength, he couldn't shake the feeling that he should have been stronger, too.

Taizen slowly got up from the bench and gathered his things. He needed some time to recover from the fight with Kai, both physically and emotionally. As he made his way to the medical room, his mind kept replaying the moments of the fight. He tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on Akari's upcoming fight.

After receiving some treatment for his injuries, Taizen left the medical room and headed towards the spectator's room. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves before he entered. He found a seat near the front row and waited for the match to begin.

As he waited, Taizen couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. He had watched Akari train and fight before, but he knew this match was going to be different. The stakes were higher, and the opponent was tougher.

As the match between Akari and Capa began, the two fighters circled each other, each one waiting for the other to make the first move. Akari knew that Capa was a formidable opponent, and she had to be careful.

Suddenly, Capa launched himself at Akari, his movements so fast that it was almost impossible to follow. Akari barely managed to dodge in time, but Capa was already on the move again, striking out at her with lightning-fast kicks and punches.

Akari tried to counter Capa's attacks, but it was like trying to hit a blur. Capa's movements were so precise and calculated, and he seemed to be one step ahead of Akari at every turn.

Despite her speed and agility, Akari was starting to tire. She had never faced an opponent as skilled as Capa, and she was finding it difficult to keep up with him.

Capa, on the other hand, seemed to be getting stronger as the fight progressed. His movements were becoming more fluid and effortless, and she was starting to show his true strength.

As the fight continued, the two fighters moved faster and faster, their movements creating shockwaves that shook the surrounding terrain. Rocks and debris flew everywhere, and the ground beneath them cracked and shattered.

Akari was giving it her all, but it was clear that Capa was the superior fighter. In the end, Capa landed a devastating blow that sent Akari flying across the arena. The impact was so great that it left a crater in the ground where Akari had landed.

The crowd gasped in horror as Akari struggled to get back to her feet, her body bruised and battered. Capa stood triumphantly over her, a smug grin on his face.

The referee called an end to the match, declaring Capa the winner. Akari looked up at Capa, her eyes filled with respect and admiration, despite the pain she was feeling.

As she made her way out of the arena, Akari couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. She had given it her all, but in the end, it wasn't enough. She knew that she had a lot of work to do if she wanted to compete at the same level as Capa.

But despite her defeat, Akari also felt a sense of pride. She had fought with everything she had, and she had given the crowd an amazing show. And as she made her way out of the arena, she knew that she would come back stronger, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Hours had passed since the end of the tournament, and the trainees who had taken part in the entrance exam were waiting for the final rankings to be announced. The top 15 trainees would be selected to move on to the next stage of their training, and the rest would have to try again next year. The atmosphere was tense, and each trainee was on edge, waiting for the results.

When the ranking board was finally revealed, the trainees eagerly scanned the list to see who had made the cut. The first name on the list was no surprise - it was Capa, the powerful fighter who had dominated the tournament with her supernatural abilities. Saki, a top prospect who had impressed many during the tournament, had claimed the second spot.

The rest of the top 15 were as follows: Kai, who had been a formidable opponent, had landed in fourth place. Raito, a talented trainee with exceptional reflexes, had claimed fifth place. Segundo, who had impressed with his speed and agility, had landed in sixth place. Akari, who had fought bravely against Capa, had secured the seventh spot.

Kojo, a determined trainee with a fierce fighting style, had claimed the ninth place. Taizen, who had been disappointed by his loss to Kai, had managed to secure the tenth place. Fuji, a clever and strategic fighter, had landed in eleventh place. Sandra, a skilled trainee with lightning-fast reflexes, had claimed twelfth place. Lucille, a powerful fighter with impressive strength, had landed in thirteenth place. LD, a crafty fighter with a wide range of techniques, had claimed the fourteenth spot. Razor, a fierce and aggressive trainee, had claimed the fifteenth spot.

The trainees looked over the list with a mix of relief and disappointment. For those who had made the cut, it was a moment of triumph and a validation of their hard work. But for those who had fallen short, it was a bitter disappointment and a reminder of how much more they needed to improve.

As they filed out of the room, some of the trainees were already making plans for the next stage of their training, while others were already thinking about how they would improve for next year's exam. But for all of them, the journey was far from over, and the road ahead would be long and challenging.

As Taizen made his way out of the ranking room, he spotted his parents and brothers waiting for him. His parents beamed with pride as they saw their son approaching them, and his brothers clapped him on the back, congratulating him on making it to the top 15.

"Taizen, we're so proud of you!" his mother exclaimed, tears of joy in her eyes. "You did so well in the tournament, and we knew you had it in you all along."

"Thanks, Mom," Taizen replied, feeling a warm glow of happiness in his chest. He knew how much his parents had sacrificed to support him through his training, and he was grateful for their unwavering support.

Kaito, the eldest of the four brothers, stepped forward and put an arm around Taizen's shoulder. "You did us proud, little bro," he said with a grin. "I knew you had it in you."

Taizen smiled back at Kaito, feeling a surge of affection for his brother. Kaito had always been the kind one, the one who looked out for everyone and made sure they were doing okay.

But when Taizen turned to speak to his second brother, Malo, the mood changed. Malo was scowling, his arms crossed over his chest, and Taizen could see the disapproval in his eyes.

"Hey, Malo," Taizen said tentatively, unsure of how his brother would react.

Malo snorted. "Tenth place? That's all you could manage?" he said with a sneer. "I finished first in my exams last year, and you can't even crack the top five?"

Taizen felt a pang of hurt at his brother's words, but he tried not to show it. Malo had always been competitive, and he hated losing or coming second.

"I did my best," Taizen said, trying to keep his voice steady. "It was a tough tournament, and the other trainees were really strong."

Taizen felt a surge of anger at his brother's dismissive tone, but he held his tongue. He knew that arguing with Malo would only make things worse, and he didn't want to ruin the happy mood of the moment.

Instead, he turned back to his parents and Kaito, who were beaming with pride and happiness. Taizen felt a surge of gratitude for their support, and he knew that no matter what happened in the future, he would always have his family by his side.

The welcome ceremony for the 15 new members of the assassin organization was a grand affair. The arena was packed with spectators, all eager to witness the initiation of the newest members. The stage was set up in the center, with a large book placed on a pedestal in front of it.

One by one, the new members were called onto the stage and welcomed by the leaders of the organization. Taizen watched in awe as each member was greeted with cheers and applause from the crowd. He felt a sense of excitement and pride, knowing that he was about to become a part of this elite group.

Finally, it was Taizen's turn to step forward. He made his way to the stage, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation. The leader of the organization welcomed him with a smile and handed him a sharp knife.

"Cut your hand and let a drop of blood fall onto the book of members," the leader said.

Taizen nodded, and without hesitation, he sliced his palm with the knife. A single drop of blood trickled down his hand and onto the book. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the book to react.

But nothing happened.

The book remained still, with no mark to indicate that Taizen had been accepted. The commentator's voice boomed over the speakers, causing the entire arena to fall silent.

"You're not a pure blood," the commentator announced.

Taizen's heart sank. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. All eyes were on him, and he felt like he was suffocating under the weight of their scrutiny. He stumbled backward, dropping the knife and clutching his bleeding hand.

The crowd murmured in disbelief as Taizen ran out of the arena. He could hear their whispers and jeers ringing in his ears, and he was filled with a sense of shame and humiliation. He balled his fist and hit the wall, the pain in his hand a distraction from the pain in his heart.

He couldn't face anyone right now. He needed time to process what had just happened. As he walked away from the arena, Taizen knew that his life had taken an unexpected and devastating turn.