Zakachi's House — Early Morning
The mist clung low to the ground as the trio stood before the old wooden gate.
Genji adjusted the strap of his duffel bag and turned to Blaze and Xao Min.
"You two sure about this?" he asked, voice low but steady.
Blaze cracked his neck, the morning fog steaming from his breath. "You think I'm backing down now?"
Xao Min punched her palm eagerly. "Bring it! I've been waiting to beat someone up all week!"
Genji smirked, and pushed open the gate.
Zakachi Maoshinara waited for them in the courtyard, standing barefoot on the cold stone. His white hair was tied back, the deep scars across his arms and chest exposed under his open martial gi.
Beside him, Kazuya leaned against the porch, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
And just a little further, a slim figure leaned lazily against a tree — Asumi Maoshinara, Genji's cousin, her fox-like grin practically daring Xao Min to make a move.
"Welcome," Zakachi said, voice like rolling thunder. "To hell."
He turned without waiting for a response and motioned them to follow.
Blaze and Xao Min shared a glance.
Genji just smiled grimly.
He was home.
Courtyard — Training Begins
The courtyard became a battlefield.
Zakachi clapped his hands once. "Training partners! Blaze, you with Kazuya. Xao Min, you're with Asumi."
Genji stepped forward.
"And you, boy," Zakachi said, his eyes boring into him, "are with me."
The words hung heavy in the mist.
Blaze grinned. "Hope you're ready, old man."
Kazuya smirked darkly. "Don't die, brat."
Without warning, he lunged, a brutal palm strike aimed straight for Blaze's chest.
Blaze barely leapt back in time, the force of the blow cracking the stone where he'd been standing.
"OI!" Blaze shouted. "No warm-up?!"
"This is the warm-up," Kazuya said, vanishing with speed that made Blaze's eyes widen.
Meanwhile, Asumi sauntered up to Xao Min, spinning a wooden staff effortlessly in her hands.
"Ready, kid?"
Xao Min snapped open her juice box and sipped loudly.
Then tossed it aside and dropped into a fighting stance.
"You wish, ponytail."
Asumi laughed — and then blurred forward, staff whistling through the air. Xao Min blocked the first strike but stumbled back under the onslaught.
"Fast...!" she hissed.
Asumi winked. "Better keep up, pretty girl."
A flash of pink rose in Xao Min's cheeks — quickly replaced by a growl.
"I'm gonna bury that stick down your throat!"
And she charged.
Zakachi vs Genji — Red Thunder Awakens
Zakachi circled Genji, hands loose, breathing even.
"You rely too much on power," Zakachi said calmly. "Strength without control is chaos."
Genji lowered into a stance, Red Thunder crackling faintly across his limbs.
"I am chaos."
Zakachi barked a laugh — then vanished.
WHAM!
Genji staggered as a brutal open-palm strike hammered into his ribs. Before he could recover, a leg sweep took his balance, and he hit the ground hard.
"Get up," Zakachi barked.
Genji wiped blood from his lip and grinned.
"Old man," he growled. "I'm not done yet."
He exploded forward — a Red Thunder Kick whistling through the air. Zakachi side-stepped cleanly, grabbed Genji's ankle mid-spin, and slammed him into the ground like a hammer striking a nail.
CRACK.
Dust exploded outward.
Pain shot up Genji's back, but he refused to stay down.
Red lightning burned in his veins.
Zakachi watched him rise — and for a moment, there was the ghost of a proud smile on his scarred face.
"Again."
Blaze vs Kazuya — The Furnace of Will
Blaze and Kazuya clashed furiously.
Blaze unleashed a savage spinning back-kick, but Kazuya ducked low, sweeping Blaze's legs. Blaze slammed an elbow down mid-fall, forcing Kazuya to release him.
Blaze somersaulted backward, landing in a crouch.
Pant. Pant.
Kazuya straightened. "Good instincts. Bad footwork."
Blaze wiped sweat from his brow.
"I'm just warming up."
He launched forward, fists a blur.
Kazuya parried each blow with frightening efficiency — but Blaze wasn't aiming to land punches.
He was testing.
Learning.
Adapting.
Kazuya's left guard drops after a parry.
Blaze feinted right — and hammered a left uppercut into Kazuya's gut.
The older man grunted, stepping back.
Blaze grinned fiercely.
"Gotcha."
Kazuya chuckled darkly.
"Good."
And then he was on Blaze, a flurry of brutal counterstrikes that sent the younger fighter sprawling.
Xao Min vs Asumi — Sparks of Rivalry
Xao Min fought like a wildcat.
Every swing of Asumi's staff was met with acrobatic flips, ducking, weaving — Xao Min moving more like a dancer than a fighter.
"You're fast," Asumi admitted, breathing harder now.
"Fast enough to kick your ass!" Xao Min crowed.
She darted in close, fists hammering Asumi's ribs — only for Asumi to pivot and sweep Xao Min's legs with her staff.
THUD.
Xao Min hit the ground, gritting her teeth.
Asumi offered a hand with a teasing smile.
"You're cute when you're mad."
Xao Min slapped her hand away, cheeks burning.
"Screw you!"
She launched herself at Asumi with a flying kick that knocked the older girl off her feet — both of them tumbling into the grass.
They lay there, panting.
For a moment, their faces inches apart.
Then Asumi laughed.
"Maybe you are fun."
Xao Min looked away, muttering.
"Baka..."
Nightfall — Around the Fire
The day bled away into dusk, the fighters bruised, bloodied, but alive.
They sat around a crackling fire in the courtyard, nursing sore muscles and bruised egos.
Zakachi sipped tea, eyes distant.
"Tomorrow... harsher training begins."
Genji gazed into the fire, the embers reflecting in his green eyes.
He still felt the storm burning inside him.
But the pain was sharper now — honed.
Kazuya stirred the pot hanging over the flames.
"Tell them," Zakachi said quietly.
Kazuya stiffened.
Blaze and Xao Min looked up.
Genji frowned.
"Tell us what?"
Kazuya exhaled, the night wind heavy with memories.
"About your mother."
He stirred the pot again, as if buying time.
"Naomi... wasn't just a lab worker at G-Corp," he said. "She was a martial artist. A prodigy. But she gave it up when she got pregnant with you, Genji."
Zakachi's voice cut in, deep and rough.
"She taught you one move before she died — the Red Thunder Kick. A Maoshinara secret technique."
Genji stared at the fire.
He remembered — flashes of warm arms, soft humming — a woman's voice saying "One day, you'll be stronger than anyone, my little spark."
Blaze shifted uncomfortably.
Xao Min wiped her nose discreetly.
Kazuya's voice broke slightly.
"She died... protecting you . She fought ... alone. Injured, bleeding... but she never gave up."
Genji's fists clenched in his lap.
"She died... so you could live," Zakachi said.
Silence fell over them.
The fire popped and crackled.
Finally, Genji stood, fists trembling.
"I swear," he said hoarsely, "on her memory."
He looked at Blaze. At Xao Min.
"We're not just fighting for ourselves. We're fighting for every sacrifice that brought us here."
Xao Min nodded fiercely, eyes shining.
Blaze smirked, punching his palm.
"Damn right."
Zakachi stood slowly, his scarred hand falling on Genji's shoulder.
"Then tomorrow," the old man said, voice grim, "we forge you into weapons."
The fire blazed higher — the storm gathering around them.
The road to the G.O.D Tournament was brutal.
But they would be ready.
For family.
For honor.
For survival.
To Be Continued