The Fortress Palace stood proudly against the horizon, its white stone towers catching the last blush of sunset.
The grand gates opened as Jafar and Mitsuya rode back through, their clothes torn from travel, but their spirits unbroken.
Inside the throne room, Kenshin awaited, seated high upon a carved obsidian throne.
Jafar dropped to one knee, fist over his heart. "Mission has been completed, . The leaders have been warned."
Mitsuya followed suit. "The Empire Kingdom, the Lightning Clan, and the remaining Sanctuaries — all are preparing for war."
Kenshin closed his eyes, the weight of coming conflict settling on his shoulders.
But beneath the solemn air, a small flame of hope sparked — the first step had been taken.
"Well done," he said finally. "Return to your quarters and rest. You have earned it."
As Jafar and Mitsuya bowed and departed, Kenshin turned his gaze to another figure waiting in the shadows: Todo.
Tall, calm, wrapped in a black traveler's cloak, Todo stepped forward.
"It is your turn now," Kenshin said, voice sharp like a blade drawn halfway from its sheath.
"You know your mission."
Todo nodded once.
"Find Dai and Dante. Bring them to the Fortress Palace."
Kenshin leaned forward.
"Be warned: they trust no one. And they have grown even stronger since the fall of Bergamo."
A ghost of a smile touched Todo's lips.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Several Days Later
Todo's journey was not easy.
He traveled across ravaged lands — burnt forests where demons had left their mark, abandoned villages where silence reigned like a tyrant.
He asked around quietly, blending into markets and taverns, following the faintest whispers.
"Two young men... one wild as fire, the other cold as steel..." the innkeeper at Westbrook had said, nervously glancing over his shoulder.
"They passed through here. Headed south. Toward the Mistfall Mountains."
The Mistfall Mountains — a place where outlaws and exiles made their homes.
Todo tightened his cloak around himself and set off without hesitation.
For two weeks, he hunted their trail, piecing together broken clues.
A destroyed demon nest, its corpses frozen solid — Dante's work.
A charred battlefield, still smoking — Dai's unmistakable calling card.
Stories of two wanderers who refused every offer of hospitality, trusting no one.
Todo admired their caution. It made sense — in a world where betrayal was common currency, loyalty was rare gold.
Still, his mission was clear.
He found them at last on the cliffs of Mistfall, overlooking the roaring ocean.
Dai was tossing stones into the waves, each one exploding into steam.
Dante sat nearby, sword across his knees, polishing the blade with careful precision.
Todo approached slowly, keeping his hands visible.
Before he could even speak, Dai was on his feet, fire sparking in his palms.
"Who the hell are you?" Dai demanded.
Dante stood as well, his expression colder, deadlier.
"Talk fast," he said, voice like a drawn knife.
Todo raised his hands slightly. "I come with an offer. From Kenshin of the Fortress Palace."
Dai laughed without humor.
"Kenshin? As if we owe anyone anything."
Todo stayed calm, letting the tension roll past him like a river around a rock.
"I don't expect your trust. But I do intend to prove myself worthy of your time."
Dante's eyes narrowed.
"Prove it? How?"
Todo smiled — a small, dangerous smile.
"Simple. Fight me."
(End of Chapter 14)