Standing in the middle of a dojo dyed in the color of mad red, the girl called out to the man before her again and again.

Her voice was filled with distress, but the grizzled middle-aged man laughed cheerfully.

"Hahaha, it's still a hundred years too soon for an opponent to hold back against me. Enough, just come."

"But Father... Lately your body has been..."

"That's why I want to entrust this technique to you, before I lose the ability to hold a sword completely."

Swaying, the middle-aged man, the girl's father, readied the shinai[1].

"Since I'm no Blazer, I can't be of any help to you but with the sword. This technique is the result of my entire life as a swordsman. It's something I've never shown anyone. It will definitely be of use to you. Accept it, Ayase."

The eyes of the father looking straight at his daughter shined in a warmer color than the mad red of the evening sun.

There was no way she could refuse after being gazed at with such an expression, because she was loved so much.

"I'll do it.. Father."

And so, the girl..

"..."

Killing off her unease, she materialized her soul as an ‘Armament', a katana with a scarlet blade redder than sunset and more vivid than blood. Gripping the katana in both of her hands as if she was squeezing it lightly, the girl dashed forward, aiming at her father who stood before her. And just as her father desired, she swung down her sword.

It was something that had happened long ago.

But right now, she had already lost everything. Nothing remained with her. She could not protect anything.

Only the scene from long ago still burnt brightly in her eyes.