He whistles appreciatively. "Dad really taught you all the tricks, huh?" he remarks, circling to keep her in his sights.

  Karui's face is flushed with exertion, a triumphant grin. "I've got a few more," she taunts, tossing another metal sphere from palm to palm.

  Jirou's smile slips just a little at the mention of Dad's training. His stance subtly shifts – a bit lower, more serious. I see his eyes flick to me for the first time; he must have sensed me watching. I give a small wave and he nods slightly in acknowledgment, but his focus returns to Karui.

  They clash again. This time Jirou goes on the offensive – he feints left then rushes in on Karui's right, faster than before. She lets out a surprised yelp as he hooks an arm around her in a flash, pinning her against his chest from behind.

  It's a grapple move, meant to immobilize her arms. "Gotcha," he says, though not without effort – Karui struggles, stomping at his foot. He dodges the stomp, but loosens his hold enough for her to twist free. She's grinning fiercely now; she loves a challenge.

  I realize Jirou wasn't kidding about not going easy.

  "What do you do if a villain gets in close like that?" Jirou asks, dancing back as Karui spins to face him again. His tone has changed – it's instructive, almost like Dad's when he used to drill them, though gentler.

  Karui's eyes narrow in concentration. "Don't let them close the distance," she answers automatically. It sounds like a recited lesson. Probably one drilled in by Father.

  "Too late, they did," Jirou counters, lunging forward suddenly as if to grab her again. Karui reacts on instinct – she drops low and rolls past him, coming up a few feet behind, immediately slapping her hand to the ground.

  I recognize the stance.

  Sure enough, Karui triggers a small controlled explosion at her feet, propelling herself backward to gain distance in one quick burst of mobility.

  Jirou skids to a halt, impressed. Karui stands, chest heaving, a triumphant spark in her eyes. "That enough distance for you?" she pants.

  Jirou grins, but his next words wipe the grin off Karui's face: "What if they take hostages?" he calls out.

  He advances slowly now, probing her defenses. "What if your blast misfires and a civilian gets caught in it?" Karui falters for a fraction of a second – I see her expression flicker, the question hitting a nerve.

  She knows all too well the reality of a blast hurting someone you never meant to hurt. Her eyes dart briefly in my direction, to the scar on my cheek.

  Jirou presses on, his voice hardening, "What if the villain is someone you know? Will you hesitate?"

  "Jirou—" Karui starts, scowling, but he doesn't let up. He rushes her with a sudden flurry of blows, and this time she's slow to respond, thrown by his words.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  She blocks one hit clumsily and retaliates with an explosive palm – a small blast aimed to push him back. Jirou skids away, but he's unrelenting. "Focus!" he barks, circling her.

  "Heroes don't get the luxury of easy fights. What will you do if things go wrong, Rui?" Karui's temper flares visibly. She hates being doubted.

  With a growl of frustration, she hurls another card at Jirou's feet and detonates it instantly. It's not a precise throw – a bit too far to the left – and Jirou leaps clear, the explosion only grazing him with dust.

  He uses the opening to close the gap again. In a blink, he's behind her, one arm pinning hers and the other hovering near her neck in a mock chokehold.

  "Yield," he says. Karui struggles for a moment, then slumps, tapping his arm to signal surrender. Jirou releases her gently. They're both panting and sweat-soaked. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

  For a moment, they stand there catching their breath. Karui looks equal parts angry and upset, wiping her sweaty brow with the back of her hand. "What the hell was that?" she mutters.

  "A reality check," he says, not unkindly. "You did great, Rui. Seriously. But I need you to be prepared for more than just school exams."

  Karui bristles, still clearly bristling from the spar. "I am prepared," she retorts. "I know what being a hero means. I—" Her voice cracks slightly, whether from emotion or exhaustion or both.

  She turns away, pressing her lips tight. Jirou straightens, regret flashing across his face.

  He steps forward and places a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. You were amazing yesterday," he says softly. "And you're only getting stronger. I'm proud of you." Karui sniffles and finally nods, some of the fight leaving her posture. "Just… didn't expect you to go full dad on me," she mumbles.

  Jirou gives a half-smile. "Sorry. Maybe I overdid it." He glances over her head, meeting my eyes across the yard. "I worry. That's all."

  I take that as my cue to approach, trotting over to join them. "Everything okay?" I ask lightly, though of course I saw it all. Karui forces a smirk. "Peachy. Just my brothers tag-teaming to give me grey hairs before I'm 18." I raise my hands innocently.

  "Hey, I was just spectating." I reach into my hoodie pocket and pull out a clean towel I brought out. I toss it to her. "Here. You're gross." She catches it and sticks her tongue out at me, but she's grateful as she wipes her face.

  Jirou runs a hand through his hair, which is damp with sweat. He looks at the rising sun and exhales. "I think that's enough training for one morning," he says. Karui gives a small huff that might be agreement, slinging the towel around her neck.

  I can tell she's still stewing a bit on the harsh questions he threw at her, but she's calming down.

  "You hungry?" I ask both of them. "I can make us something. Eggs? Rice?" Karui perks up at the mention of food (when is she not hungry?). But Jirou hesitates, checking his phone which buzzes just then.

  He reads something on the screen, and I see his expression darken subtly. He quickly pockets the phone. "Actually, I'll take a rain check," he says, trying to sound casual.

  Karui frowns. "What? You're not leaving already, are you?" Her voice edges on dismay.

  Jirou manages a reassuring smile. "Not this minute. I'll eat, but maybe just a quick bite. I… have some errands to run this morning."

  I don't buy the nonchalance in his tone. Neither does Karui – she steps closer, giving him a suspicious look. "You just got here. Can't the errands wait?"

  For a split second, irritation flickers over Jirou's face, but it's gone as fast as it came. He pats Karui's head. "Hero work never waits, sis. But don't worry, I'm not leaving town yet. Might be back by tonight even."

  Karui doesn't look wholly satisfied, but she nods slowly. We head inside together.

  Mom greets us with a raised eyebrow when she sees the sweaty state of them. "Already sparring at dawn? Honestly, you two…" she tuts, though she can't hide her amused smile.

  Over a quick breakfast of rice balls and miso soup (that Mom threw together when she saw our training), the mood stays light.