もののけ | monster | soshiro hoshina (Kaiju No. 8) (COMPLETE)

よん | four

もののけ | kaiju | monster

04

Soshiro

"WHERE'S FATHER?"

I asked my older brother, but he didn't answer. Soichiro Hoshina, Vice Captain of the Sixth Division, stood before me, his presence imposing and commanding respect. I knew it wouldn't be long before he was promoted to Captain with his exceptional abilities. He was still wearing his combat suit from the Division force, the armor gleaming in the dim light of the training room. This was the first time I'd seen the suit up close, its intricate design both intimidating and awe-inspiring.

But what was he doing here? My mind raced with questions, but he remained silent, his expression unreadable. Instead of responding, he walked to the racks of swords lining the wall. I watched as he selected a real katana, the blade glinting menacingly as he held it up to the light. Suddenly, my pulse quickened, my heart pounding in my chest. Does this mean he wants to spar with me?

"Oniisan?" I ventured, my voice wavering slightly with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. "What...What are you doing?"

He finally turned to face me, his eyes sharp and focused. "You've been training hard, haven't you, Soshiro?" His voice was calm, measured, but there was an edge to it that made me nervous.

"Yes, I have," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "But...why the real sword?"

My brother didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked toward me, the katana in his hand looking almost too natural. "You want to prove yourself, don't you? To Father, to the Division, to yourself?"

I remained silent, watching as my older brother toyed with the sword like it wasn't a deadly weapon. The way he handled it, with such ease and precision, was both impressive and intimidating.

"So, do you really love the Director's daughter?" My brother's voice broke the silence, his tone casual, almost mocking. "Kiyomi Shinomiya, I mean... is she really the reason you want to join the Defense Force?"

My hand tightened into a fist, my jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth might crack. I looked at my brother, my glare dark and intense. How dare he bring her up in this context? He knew exactly how to push my buttons.

He smirked, clearly satisfied with the reaction he had provoked. "Touched a nerve, did I?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "Me joining the Defense Force has nothing to do with my personal feelings, so don't bring her up in our conversation now, oniisan."

My brother laughed at my response, the sound echoing off the walls of the training room. It was a cold, dismissive laugh, one that made my blood boil. "Oh, come on, Soshiro. Don't kid yourself. Everyone knows you're doing this for her. It's obvious."

I felt a surge of anger and frustration. "You don't know anything about my reasons," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "I have my own goals, my own motivations. This isn't everything about her."