“The Raging Dragon Style?”

Miko repeated the name that Kirika said to him.

She nodded.

“The Raging Dragon Style. It’s the name of the sword art created by one of the five imperial samurai clans in the nation, the Ryukami Clan.”

“Ryukami? Imperial Samurai clans?”

Miko was instantly confused.

“Ah, I suppose I should explain the history of the nation first.”

“Please do.”

Said Miko.

The two were still walking through the oasis while they talked. They didn’t seem to be in a hurry so they took their time.

“First, I should explain how the Wakoku Nation came to be.”

Kirika began.

“At the beginning of the War For Supremacy, the first thing the Higher Beings did was to claim territories and build countries in their honor. Those countries would become the vanguard for their God and head into battle and fight in their name.”

Kirika then pointed at the sun.

“The one who created the Wakoku Nation was none other than the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. Legends stated that she created it after the Shinto Primordial being, Amenominakanushi was ripped to shreds by Sky God Uranus, and her father Izanagi was thrown into the Void Realm by Cronus, which resulted in she taking control of the Shinto Gods.”

“You know, every time I hear something about the War Of Supremacy, it leaves me with a headache.”

Miko said.

“Well, it was a huge war.”

Kirika said with a laugh.

“Anyway, when she created it the nation was naturally targeted by the Shinto Gods’ enemies. The gods fought against their enemies desperately protecting their territory. While doing so, Amaterasu was advised by war god Hachiman to raise powerful warriors to defend the nation in their stead, thus decreasing the risks to the gods lives. Amaterasu agreed and so Hachiman with the help of the other war-theme gods created an army called Heaven’s Imperial Force.”

“This shit just got a whole lot more complicated.”

Miko said.

Kirika ignored him and continued.

“The Heaven’s Imperial Force consisted of mortals who were the direct descendants of the Shinto gods, and they were powerful.”

“How powerful?”

“The leader, who was Amaterasu’s son, was said to be stronger than the entire Slavic Pantheon.”

“How did people know that?”

“Because he battled and slaughtered half of them by himself.”

“…..Well then…..That is strong.”

Said Miko.

Kirika nodded.

“Anyway, when the war had a ceasefire, Heaven’s Imperial Force disbanded and its members created families of their own. These families went on to be called the the 18 Imperial Families.”

“18? Didn’t you say 5 before?”

Miko asked.

“No. I said the 5 Imperial Samurai Families. They’re a subcategory of the 18 Imperial Families.”

“They’re different type of Imperial Families?”

Kirika nodded.

“Samurai, Ninja, Onmyōji, Warrior Monk. These are the four subcategories that the imperial families fall under. Where they fall under depends on the profession they major in.”

She paused before continuing.

“Five Samurai Families, Five Ninja Families, Four Onmyōji Families, and Four Warrior Monk Families. That’s what makes up the 18 Imperial Families.”

“I see. But does the fact that they’re called Imperial Families mean that they’re all considered royalty?”

Asked Miko.

Kirika nodded.

“Each family has the right to succeed to the throne of emperor, hence they were considered royalty. This is so because the peace treaty caused the Shinto Gods to abandon Wakoku, leaving it in their hands.”

“How do they decide the emperor?”

“Each clan pick a candidate for the throne, and a combat tournament will be held with the winner claiming the throne.”

Kirika answered.

“I see. That way it would be hard for one family to maintain power continuously unless they’re able to always produce superior candidates. This way the strongest will always rule no matter the era.”

Kirika nodded.

“For now we’re only focusing on the Samurai Families and their sword arts. The others aren’t important at the moment.”

“You mean the Ryukami thing you mentioned earlier.”

Kirika nodded.

“Ryukami, Tsubasa, Shiroyama, Tsukishima, and Musougane. These are the five Imperial Samurai families in the Wakoku Nation.”

“No Kashima?”

Kashima was the other name for Shinto sword god Takemikazuchi, it was also the surname of the top 3 members of the Seven Swords of Lucifer.

Kirika shook her head.

“While Kinsuke, Shiroka, and Daiya were also members of the Heaven’s Imperial Force, they didn’t stay behind to create families like the other members, and left the country.”

“You mean that they were originally 21 members?”

Kirika shook her head again.

“They were actually 100 members but only a quarter survived until the end of the 9000 year war. But these 25 were undoubtably the strongest.”

“You said 25, then does that mean that there’s another 4 members that left the Wakoku Nation other than the Kashima Siblings?”

“According to rumors, yes.”

Miko thought about for a bit before nodding.

“You can continue.”

“Anyway, the five Samurai families all created a supreme style that can only be rivaled by each other.”

As she said that, Miko saw a bright light shining through the palm trees.

A few seconds later, Miko saw a scene opened up in front of him.

“Woah.”

What he saw was a metal altar in the center of an abyss, with a dragon shaped sculptor floating above it.

The abyss looked like it was in the center of a huge river, because water continuously flowed down the edges and straight down into the darkness.

“This is where I train my sword arts.”

Kirika said as she pointed at the altar.

“Here?”

Miko looked at the size of the altar.

“Isn’t the space too little?”

Kirika smiled.

“Let’s go see for ourselves.”

After she said that, she took one leap and flew over the altar.

Miko didn’t hesitate and flew over as well.

“?!”

When his feet touch the altar, he was shocked to see that the altar seemed to stretched for miles.

“What’s going on?”

“A dimensional distortion. Basically, I made something seem smaller than it actually was.”

Kirika explained.

“You remember the field we created for you, Ren and the others to fight? Think of this as my personal version of that.”

She snapped her fingers and the scenery of the altar changed to one filled with rocks and boulders, even stone pillars.

“Wow, impressive.”

Miko said honestly.

“That’s not the only thing.”

She snapped her fingers again and a person appeared next to her.

This person was around Miko’s age and was dressed in combat clothes holding a sword.

It was a younger version of Kirika.

“This place has the ability to create solid holograms that can be used as a training partner. All I need is the person’s combat data and I can recreate them here.”

She explained.

“Oh?”

Miko walked up to Kirika’s hologram and looked at it with interest.

“So you’re going to use holograms to train me?”

“That’s right. It won’t just be me, I'll make you fight holograms of the countless warriors I’ve encountered in my 82 years of existence.”

‘You’re 82?!’

Miko shouted in his head.

“It won’t only be swordsman though.”

A bulky looking warrior wearing a full suit of armor appeared beside Kirika.

“I’ll have you fight all kinds of warriors with your sword alone. That way you’ll be able to use your sword to escape any situation.”

“So it’s identical to how Momo trains me in magic.”

Miko mumbled.

“Fine, let’s get started.”

“Don’t be impatient. I said that I was going to teach you about the Wakoku Nation’s five supreme styles.”

Kirika walked up to a rock and placed her hand on it.

An alchemic sigil appeared on it.

Miko watched in amazement as the rock changed shaped and was molded into a stone sword.

“First, let me show you just what the Ryukami’s Raging Dragon Style looks like.”

Kirika said as she picked up the sword.

She faced a truck-sized boulder, and lowered her center gravity while gripping the sword, and positioning it as if it was in a sheath on her waist.

It was then that Miko felt a gust blow past him. He saw it circle around Kirika’s stone sword.

“Raging Dragon Style: Black Dragon Edition.”

*Roar!*

Miko suddenly heard a loud roar coming from the sword.

“The fuck?”

That’s when he saw the image of a black dragon entangling itself around Kirika, but it disappeared a second later.

Miko didn’t see it but Kirika’s eyes flickered between blue and black for a second.

*Crack!*

The ground under Kirika cracked open, and she shot forward a second later.

“Black Dragon Twister!”

Miko watched as Kirika suddenly disappeared from sight before reappearing next to him.

“Wha?!”

Before he could exclaim fully, the entire area was shaken by violent explosions.

“Uwaa?!”

Without him being able to react, Miko was blown away by strong shockwaves produced by the explosions.

He bounced off the ground a few times before stopping himself.

He quickly got up and was once again shocked by what he saw.

There was a huge trench that ran from where Kirika rush forward to the spot next to where Miko stood before being blown away.

The trench showed the path Kirika took when she used her attack.

But that alone didn’t shock Miko.

When he looked up in the air he saw a twister in the air with rubble dancing it around it.

Miko immediately knew that twister lifted the truck-sized boulder and ripped it to shreds.

He tried to imagine what kind of scenr it would be if the target was a person, and Kirika had used her real sword.

He couldn’t help but gulp.

“Swift as a bird, but as overbearing as a dragon.”

Kirika walked towards him and spoke.

“That is what people use to describe the Raging Dragon Style.”

The stone sword in her hand crumbled after she finished speaking.

“Damn….”

Miko said as he looked at the destruction Kirika caused again.

“Does the Raging Dragon Style specializes in speed and momentum?”

He asked.

“That’s impressive. You could discern that from what I've shown you and said. You’re really smart.”

Kirika praised.

“That’s right. The Raging Dragon Style is consisted of quick draw techniques that possessed overwhelming momentum.”

“It’s a bit similar to Rin’s Speed Devil.”

“You’re right. I believe that Rouge either fought or befriended a user of the Ryukami clan’s Raging Dragon Style, created his own version and added it to his Demolition Arts.”

Kirika said.

“I see. But the original seems better.”

Miko said.

“I could react to Rin’s Speed Devil after the second time, but I can tell without trying that I wouldn’t be able to stop you without at least 5 tries.”

“?!”

What Miko said shocked Kirika greatly.

This was because the average person wouldn’t be able to counter what she just used after 5 tries. They need at least 10 tries to react and 30 tries to halt her for at least a second.

This showed that Miko was gifted.

“Then again, it did take me 3 tries to counter it. But I’m a bit different.”

She mumbled to herself.

“Hey, Kirika.”

“You can call me Kiri.”

“Alright, Kiri. You said that the Raging Dragon Style is from the Ryukami clan, right?”

Kirika nodded.

“That’s right.”

“Then how did you learn it? I mean, the Wakoku Nation is a reclusive place right? I doubt you just went there and learnt it.”

“Oh, that’s a good question.”

Kirika smiled.

“I had the fortune of encountering a vagabond from the Ryukami clan, when I was a child. He saw my talent for the sword and taught me their style.”

“Where’s that master now?”

Miko asked.

“Dead. He challenged the Diamond Swordsman, Daiya Kashima and died.”

“He challenged the strongest Swordsman in the world? He must’ve been confident in his skills.”

“…….Yea.”

Kirika answered.

“Anyway, let’s get started.”

She pointed at the younger version of herself.

“First, defeat the me before I learnt the Raging Dragon Style. Only when you do that will teach you.”