Kura was lying on the infirmary bed, still unconscious. That didn't last long, though, because his brother came storming into the room, yelling:
— Hey, you blockhead, wake up already!
The young man of electricity kept ignoring him. A random insult like that wouldn't shake his pride or mess with his head. He also knew he was stronger than his younger brother.
— So it's not just your height that's lacking, your hearing is too?!
Those words made Kura jump out of bed almost instantly, his expression one of genuine fury from that jab at his person.
— What did you say, you walking firecracker?!
They butted heads, staring each other down with a bit of anger on both sides. Though Arold cared about his older brother, he knew the only way to wake him was to throw in a height-related insult. Once they calmed down, Arold finally said what he came for:
— Well, never mind that now. Come with me to the room where Itadaki is, now!
Arold dragged his brother by the arm. He seemed truly desperate to show him something, which only piqued Kura's curiosity even more. It took about a minute to reach the room. Through the window, they could see not only Itadaki lying on the hospital bed but also Aki and Ali beside him. Aki looked like she had just received news about a loved one's death.
— You can come in for a few moments.
She brought them inside. Itadaki looked physically okay, but something had clearly shaken the souls of everyone present. The doctor who operated and examined Itadaki approached the confused brothers to explain the situation:
— So, kids… I have good news and bad news. The good news is that Itadaki can control his body again. The bad news… is that Dtùschar wasn't completely eliminated. He managed to spread his blood through the boy's brain and embed it in vital areas. All we could do was use my powers to put those cells to sleep and slow their multiplication… but that will only last for three years and two months. Also—
The man slowly approached the comatose boy, going to his left side, and rolled up the sleeve of his remaining arm, revealing the birthmark of the Miraijin—faded, but still there.
— Due to the genetic mutations caused by that damn assassin, Itadaki is now partially a Miraijin as well. But in an artificial way. That damned race will return… it's a tragedy.
Before that hateful, disbelieving, and prejudiced rant could go on, Held entered the medical room, radiating his usual good mood like a high-end cologne. He was like the sun, shining so brightly that it lifted the spirits of the new soldiers present. And it wasn't just his mood that drew attention, but also his words:
— Hey! I went to talk to young Kura, but I heard he came here with his brother. So I took the chance to listen in on the kid's condition. I hope he wakes up soon and gets back to work, even without an arm!
That shocked the doctor into silence. He left the room in a hurry, knowing full well that this man wasn't just any soldier—Held was a captain in the army and commander of an elite squad of monsters. Even if the captain's words weren't a direct threat, the doctor knew Held despised prejudice and hatred.
— What a weird guy… Good thing I never wanted to be a doctor!
Kura said that with a distant, slightly nauseated look, like someone thinking, "He dropped a bomb on me and ran?" He then turned to Held, curious about what the captain wanted. After all, he was just a newbie in this huge organization, holding a very low and beginner rank.
— So, uncle, what did you wanna say to me? I'm curious!
Held, who had been daydreaming, quickly returned to the present, coughed a little, and pounded his muscular chest twice, regaining his commanding posture:
— Ahem ahem! Right. I wanted to ask if you'd like to be an honorary member of my squad, to join us on our next mission—against the terrorist group Misó! I recognized your power in that fight, but I'll also train you at my place for a few days before we head out.
Everyone in the room was shocked—and a bit jealous—except Kura himself. Not only was he short, but he also had limited awareness and didn't grasp how incredible this offer was. Arold, who knew his brother well (and that he only got smart when planning an assassination), had to explain:
— Bro, this is amazing! A captain is taking you on an extremely important military operation. I'm so jealous!
That finally made it click for Kura. He looked at Held and replied casually:
— Okay, but I'll only accept if my brother can come too.
He said it to avoid causing tension with Arold for being the only one invited to the squad. His explosive brother was shocked, thinking the captain might get mad. But Held's response was completely different—he laughed and gave a warm smile:
— Of course! He can come too. I'll take you both to my house. Your training starts today!
He clapped twice, and some of his staff appeared in the hallway, carrying the brothers' bags and loading them into Held's large car. He took both boys with him:
— Don't worry. My house is huge with lots of rooms. There's plenty of space for both of you!
They traveled for about fifteen minutes in a luxurious vehicle. Upon arriving, Held's strong and tall figure led the way. The brothers grabbed their bags. Held knocked twice on the door. His wife opened it, and his young daughter, Nana, also greeted him. Despite knowing part of Held's personality, the brothers didn't know how he'd behave around his family. Arold was more nervous, noticing that Nana had drawn on the walls and colored some of the military man's furniture. Held crouched down slowly, a stern look on his face—but then smiled brightly at the little girl:
— How was my little princess's day? Was it good?
That reaction relieved the brothers. Apparently, the man's muscles were just armor—people misjudged him, thinking he was aggressive. In the background, the world's greatest swordsman walked by, shirtless and wearing only shorts. The boys didn't understand until Held spoke:
— What? You're already here to see your sister? We haven't even done the mission yet!
That cleared things up—the swordsman was his brother-in-law. Held's wife, who had caught the boys' attention, called out:
— Hey boys, come inside now. You too, dear. You need to rest!
They wiped their feet and entered the house. Held disappeared—only to reappear moments later dressed as a princess, playing with his daughter. Kura examined the house from top to bottom. He looked at several photos—many of Held and his wife, whose name they discovered was Kanaori Katto. Some childhood photos of Held showed him with two different women—not together. One had brown hair and green eyes; the other, black hair and black eyes, dressed in military gear. One picture with the brown-haired woman seemed cut, as if someone had been removed from his life.
— Hmm… Who are these people?
Kura was soon called to the dinner table. He and Arold sat down to eat and then get some rest, except Nana, who kept playing in her room.
— Hey, uncle! Nana won't give me back my car!
Another kid appeared—Held's oldest son, Sasaki. He held the toy car that Nana also wanted for her doll taxi game. Subete Katto, the children's uncle, drew his sword with one hand and grabbed the toy with the other, slicing it in two—but rather than destroy it, the toy became two entirely new cars, letting both children play peacefully. Arold, confused, asked the swordsman:
— Wait, doesn't your power only let you cut and destroy anything, like the legends say?
That question caught the swordsman off guard. Legends? About me? He couldn't believe it—he saw himself as just a regular guy. His brother-in-law quickly stepped in to explain:
— Didn't you know? Your powers are based on will and determination!
"Will? Determination?" The brothers were lost. Kura asked the obvious question:
— What do you mean, Captain Held?
That made Held smile like a proud teacher:
— As you just saw, your will defines how your power works, and your determination defines its intensity or strength. Can you think of examples?
Arold raised his hand like a student:
— I remember! In our last fight, Mr. Subete used a slash attack and then used a peaceful version of his power now!
Held and his wife clapped.
— That's right! The only correction is that his attack wasn't just a slash of air—it was a cut through space-time. My brother-in-law can cut and destroy anything within a hundred meters. But you get the point, right? You can use your power for peace or destruction—it all depends on your will and determination.
Kura absorbed all that, then a question came to him: How are our powers defined? He asked after taking a sip of soda:
— That's easy to explain. Your personality defines your power. When you're born, your traits shape it. It's rare for a power to be passed down from generation to generation.
That explanation finally made everything click for both boys, and they stored that precious knowledge in their minds. Kura turned a mischievous look toward his younger brother:
— Now I get why you're a walking bomb, Arold!
Arold snapped back, irritated:
— What did you say, walking phone charger?
That jab hit Kura's pride, and he stared daggers at his brother. The heavy tension made Held burst into laughter.
— I must've been right about you two. You're a pair of characters!
Once dinner ended, they all went straight to bed—because the next day, they'd train until they dropped.