[Limana, command post — Night]
The air was heavy with tension. Shinji stood over the map of the eastern frontier, his gaze sharp.
Walther and Onibashira knelt before him, awaiting orders.
Shinji:"The attack on the A.M.A. wasn't random. Whoever did this is testing our strength. Walther—take Onibashira and head to the eastern outskirt. Reports speak of movement there, but details are scarce. I need eyes, blades, and certainty. Find out what's stirring."
Walther:"As you command, Lord Shinji. The east is perilous. We'll carve clarity out of chaos."
Onibashira (grinning, cracking his knuckles):"Finally… something worth hitting."
[Eastern Outskirts of Limana — Dawn]
The sky bled with crimson as fires burned in the horizon. Refugees scattered the roads, their cries echoing. Walther raised a hand to halt.
Walther:"Do you hear that? Battle—close. Onibashira, with me."
They raced over the ridge—and found devastation. The Omega Division of Zaiglep, bloodied and retreating, surrounded by monstrous Maiju. At the center, King Redhardt von Molinhurst, wielding a battered sword, struggling to hold his line.
Redhardt (roaring):"Zaiglep will not fall today! Stand, Omega Division!"
The Maiju surged. Walther drew his rapier, its blade gleaming with eerie precision.
Walther:"Onibashira. I'll cut the head. You break their spine."
Onibashira (smirking, summoning his massive war-club):"Spine-breaking? My specialty."
[Battle Scene]
Walther dashed forward, his movements razor-sharp and surgical. Each thrust pierced a Maiju's vital point, every parry turned into a lethal counter. His voice rang cold:
Walther:"Fall. One stroke, one corpse."
Meanwhile, Onibashira became a storm. His war-club crashed into the ground, splintering earth and sending shockwaves that flattened rows of Maiju at once. He roared like a beast, each swing a thunderclap.
Onibashira:"Come on, you overgrown maggots! Let's see if you can survive THIS!"
The Maiju horde faltered. Redhardt watched, his eyes widening as Walther weaved through enemies like death incarnate, while Onibashira's raw force carved space for the Omega Division to regroup.
Redhardt (in awe, muttering):"…Two men… turning the tide of an army."
Walther cut down the Maiju leader, its hulking frame collapsing into dust. The horde scattered. Silence followed—broken only by the ragged breaths of survivors.
Redhardt staggered forward, blood on his armor. He eyed Walther and Onibashira with both gratitude and wariness.
Redhardt:"You've saved Zaiglep's king… and his last soldiers. Who are you?"
Walther (bowing slightly):"Merely blades sent by Shinji Tsukishima. If you live, thank his foresight."
Onibashira (laughing, resting his weapon on his shoulder):"Or thank my right arm."
Redhardt smirked faintly despite his exhaustion.
Redhardt:"Then to both, I owe a debt. Zaiglep stands because of you."
The three stood amid the wreckage—foes defeated, but new alliances forged.
The smoke of burned Maiju still lingered. The Omega Division slumped to the ground, armor battered, wounds fresh. King Redhardt himself leaned against a broken spear, chest rising heavily.
Redhardt (panting):"This cursed forest… where does it end?"
Walther, wiping blood from his blade, looked over his shoulder calmly.
Walther:"This forest skirts the edges of Limana Kingdom. Endure a little longer, Your Majesty. We'll escort you beyond its shadows and into my lord's domain."
Redhardt (frowning):"Your lord? This Shinji Tsukishima you speak of… Who is he? A king? A warlord?"
Onibashira chuckled, leaning lazily on his massive weapon.
Onibashira:"Not a king. But worth more than one."
Redhardt's eyes narrowed at Walther, demanding clarity.
Redhardt:"Then why swear fealty to him? Why follow a man who does not wear the crown?"
Walther's gaze grew sharp, as though he were recalling a memory etched deep into his soul.
Walther (firm, with conviction):
"Because I have seen his power with my own eyes. He is not like us, not like you, not like any ruler I've known. In Limana, I witnessed him wield strength that tore apart despair itself. That day, when he revealed his true might… I understood. To stand beside him is to stand beside the future itself."
Redhardt studied him, skeptical yet intrigued.
Redhardt:"Power alone doesn't make a man worth following. Tell me—what else binds you to him?"
Walther took a breath, then spoke of the visions Shinji showed them—the hologram of the past.
Walther (voice low, reflective):
"Because he carries burdens older than kingdoms. The visions he revealed… the ruins, the echoes of civilizations devoured by the Maiju. He does not fight for land or throne. He fights so history does not repeat itself. That truth, Your Majesty, is heavier than any crown."
Redhardt fell silent, absorbing the words. For the first time, his pride as king dimmed with humility.
[Sudden Ambush]
The forest trembled. A deep, guttural roar ripped through the air.
From the shadows emerged a massive Amaiju 6.5 Glassorus, its obsidian scales glistening, jagged horns scraping the canopy. Its maw opened with a shriek that rattled bones.
Onibashira (snarling, gripping his war-club):"Tch. Didn't we just clean this mess?"
The beast lunged. Refugees screamed. Redhardt staggered, too weary to raise his sword.
Walther stepped forward. Calm. Unshaken.
Walther (coldly):"Stay behind me."
[Walther's Showcase of Skill]
As the Glassorus charged, Walther's rapier gleamed. He moved like liquid steel—sidestepping with impossible precision, his blade finding seams between armored scales. Every strike was calculated, not wasted.
The beast roared, thrashing. Walther whispered under his breath:
Walther:"Lord Shinji… this blade cuts only because of your path."
With a final dash, Walther leapt high, driving his rapier straight through the Glassorus's eye. The monster howled, convulsed, and collapsed with earth-shaking force.
Silence. Then awe.
Onibashira (whistles, grinning):"Guess I didn't need to swing this time. Show-off."
Redhardt (staring wide-eyed):"…No wasted motion. No hesitation. Now I see… why you follow him."
Walther wiped his blade, calm as though nothing happened.
Walther (soft, resolute):"This is why my loyalty is absolute. If my lord wills it, I will carve a path through monsters, kings, or gods alike. That is the weight of Shinji Tsukishima's banner."
Redhardt bowed his head slightly—not as a king, but as a man acknowledging another's truth.
[Forest Path — En Route to Limana]
The battered members of the Omega Division, led by Redhardt, shuffled along behind Walther and Onibashira. Fatigue weighed heavily on them, but their curiosity overrode their exhaustion.
At last, Alpha, one of the youngest, spoke up.
Alpha (hesitant):
"Walther… you mentioned your lord has a 'domain.' But Lord Shinji doesn't hold a crown like the kings we know. What exactly is this place you serve?"
Epsilon exchanged looks with Beta and Gamma, nodding in silent agreement as they awaited Walther's answer.
Walther paused to gather his thoughts, then turned to them, eyes steady.
Walther (calm, deliberate):
"It is not a domain built of titles or bloodlines. Shinji's domain is shaped by resolve—not inherited, but forged by will. It's a safe haven for all who choose hope over despair."
Beta (skeptical):
"Other races live there? What do you mean—beastfolk, elves… monsters?"
Walther (soft but firm):
"Not monsters—people. Those who are cast out by kingdoms like ours: elves, beastkin, wanderers of forgotten lineages. In Shinji's domain, they're equals—bound by belief, not blood."
Gamma (curious, quieter):
"And you trust them to live alongside you, sharing the same walls… even though they're different?"
Walther's expression held something fierce and unwavering.
Walther:
"Trust is earned, not given. In battle, it's conviction—not race—that protects you. That truth my lord proved. That... is his power."
A hush fell across the group. Even Onibashira, usually blunt, nodded in silent respect.
Redhardt (softly, to himself):
"…A land where races unite not through crown, but through conviction... Just who is Shinji Tsukishima?"
[Approaching the Border — Outskirts of Limana]
The trees finally gave way. Ahead stood the rough palisades of an outpost marking the border of Limana. A lone figure waited serenely at the threshold.
Shinji Tsukishima.
His gaze, sharp and unreadable, settled on Redhardt and his weary but disciplined company.
Walther (bowing respectfully):
"My lord, we return—along with guests whose lives you have preserved."
Redhardt, despite the dust and fatigue on his armor, straightened—his stance regaining the dignity of a king.
Redhardt (quietly, with measured awe):
"So this man... the one who crafts sanctuary from chaos... Shinji Tsukishima."
Silence followed, heavy with tension and potential. It was the moment a king and a servant of a different kind came face-to-face, each sizing up the other's intent.
A MINUTES PAST
[Outskirts of Limana — Shinji's Outpost]
The exhausted Omega Division halted before Shinji Tsukishima. Redhardt stepped forward, his battered cape dragging on the dirt. Despite his exhaustion, the king forced his posture upright, his voice steady and formal.
Redhardt (bowing his head slightly):
"Lord Shinji Tsukishima, I, Redhardt von Molinhurst of Zaiglep, humbly ask your leave. My soldiers and I have wandered nearly twenty-four hours through the cursed forest without rest. I beg you grant us shelter and reprieve, even for a night."
The air held a tense stillness. Walther took a step forward, bowing to his master before speaking.
Walther (reporting crisply):
"My lord, as you ordered, we scouted the eastern outskirts. We encountered no trace of the unknown assailant who struck at the A.M.A. What we did find was the shattered remnant of Zaiglep's Omega Division, pursued by Maiju. Onibashira and I intervened, and they now stand before you alive only by your foresight."
Shinji's gaze lingered on Redhardt, unreadable, then shifted to Walther. Finally, he gave a small nod.
Shinji (calm, measured):
"Very well. No more questions for tonight. Rest while you can. We will speak further at first light."
Redhardt exhaled slowly, bowing his head again, this time deeper.
Redhardt:
"You have my gratitude. Zaiglep owes you more than words."
[Orders Given]
Shinji turned slightly, his eyes falling on Walther.
Shinji (quietly, to Walther):
"Give them a place to sleep. Good food. Their wounds tended. Let them recover their strength."
Walther bowed.
Walther:
"At once, my lord."
With a snap of his fingers, Shinji summoned forth his domain. The air shimmered, and an otherworldly gate opened—warm light spilling from within, revealing halls of safety and comfort unlike anything the exhausted soldiers expected.
The women of the Omega Division—Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Epsilon—stared wide-eyed. Even Redhardt faltered, speechless for a moment.
Onibashira (grinning):
"Not bad, huh? Told you he's worth more than a crown."
Shinji (softly, almost to himself):
"Rest well. Tomorrow, we talk. But tonight… gather your strength."
[Private Thought — Shinji]
As the Omega Division was led into the domain, Shinji lingered outside the gate, the night wind brushing his hair. His expression hardened, eyes narrowing as memory resurfaced—
That man. The unknown attacker. His speed, his power—unnatural. Shinji's fists tightened.
Shinji (inwardly, grim):
"…That happened too fast. His intent was hidden, his strike beyond ordinary. Whoever he is… he will appear again. And when he does, I must be ready."
The glow of the domain pulsed softly behind him, a sanctuary for allies. But Shinji's heart remained fixed on the shadow that had tested him once before.
The unknown man attacked the A.M.A. with shocking speed and power, leaving Shinji unsettled.
Walther found no trace during his scouting mission.