At that moment, the shadows merged into the darkness, and a question echoed in their minds: What skull does Shuro want? With every word he spoke, the portents of danger drew closer, as if every step Akainu took would reveal another piece of the puzzle that plagued everything around him. An unknown enemy, and the trap begins to close.
Akaino wonders in a confused tone: "Who will I fight with?"
Yuri (puts a hand to his face, closes his eyes carefully): "I don't feel like anything good is coming."
Shuro (a wry smile on his face as he speaks in an excited tone): "As usual... But this time the fight is different. There would be more money."
Yuri (sarcastically, looking at Shuro with concern): "In the end, after all this trouble... We only get enough coins to buy a loaf of bread".
Shuro (standing upright, his look getting fiercer): "But money isn't everything, right? I think you know very well what I mean... Nights where there are no rules, where anything goes. It's a real fight. You may come out alive or you may not. But if you want to heal your mother... This is the only way."
Akaino (serious tone): "And you say this is the only way?"
-Shoro (looking directly at Akainu, his smile half-smiling, as if playing the strings of a deadly silence): "The only solution if you want to keep her alive. The medicine she needs costs more than everything you have. If you tried to work for years... you can't afford it. As for me, I'm offering you a chance... every month, your medicine... in exchange for your life in any fight."
The consequences were clear, and Akaino had only one choice. Darkness surrounds him in this unknown arena, where fighting has no rules, and every step could be his last. The next battle will be the same as the one before, but this time the cost will be greater. His mother, whose pain cannot escape her, needs treatment that he cannot afford. A dose of medicine, every month, in exchange for his life in these battles. He knew survival was not guaranteed, but he had no choice but to try. If he failed, the pain would still be burning his mother's body, and there would be no second chance. His life is worth less than a moment of hope for her.
Shuro reaches for his worn leather bag, opens it with a quick movement and pulls out a small bottle with a portion of the potion. He holds it out to Akeno with a cold face, and Akeno silently takes it, clenching his fist as if it were his most precious possession.
Shuro then pulls a folded piece of paper out of his inner pocket and hands it to Yuri, saying in a calm but stern tone:
"This is information about the fighter... and the address where we will meet tomorrow night."
Before he leaves, he leans a little closer to Akainu and whispers in a deep, sharp voice:
"Don't forget... No one can bring the cure but me."
Then he continues on his way without turning around, waving his hand indifferently:
" So long. See you tomorrow."
Akaino stays where he is, without moving or saying a word, while Yuri gives Shuro a disdainful look and mumbles to himself:
"You're annoying..."
Yuri looks at Akaino, sees the sadness on his face, takes a few quiet steps closer and then says in a low but worried voice:
Yuri (in a quiet voice):
"What are you thinking about today? You don't feel normal today, Akaino..."
He remains silent for a moment, looking at the bottle in his hands, slowly turning it over as if it holds an answer he doesn't know. He smiles lightly but faintly, then says in a quiet tone:
Akaino: "I'm just... thinking... Nothing important."
Yuri sighs, places his hand gently on Akaino's shoulder and says in a tone that combines seriousness and friendliness:
"I didn't recognize you two days ago, Akaino. We've known each other for eight years... What's the matter?"
He looks at Yuri for a moment, but doesn't reply. His attention returns to the bottle, his eyes lost in his complex thoughts.
His voice becomes deeper and wistful:
Akaino (in a low voice): "I think of that fateful day..."
Yuri's features change, and a shadow of sadness and regret crosses his face, as if he has been summoned back to those dark memories.
Yuri (in a low voice): "You still remember the details of that day..."
Akaino slowly shakes his head, as if trying to refuse to forget. His face hardens, his eyes glittering with pent-up rage: His mind was drowning in darkness, his heart exploding with memories like burning embers. All around him everything became blurry, as if the world was pulling away. Suddenly, there, in front of him, was the child.
A child, his hair as silvery as the pale light of night, lay on the ground, his body trembling with fear. His eyes were full of tears, flowing down his cheeks like an unstoppable torrent. His hands were outstretched, searching for a way out, for a way out, for something to hold on to amidst the chaos.
"Please... Don't kill me."
His voice was weak, too weak, as if from the depths of hell itself. In that moment, the world around him stopped, but their voices were screaming behind him. Cruel voices, full of hatred and contempt:
Voice 1 (firmly): "He must be killed... We cannot let this curse spread!"
Voice 2 (in an angry tone): "He is a curse... His sole influence is a catastrophe for our village!"
Voice 3 (with deadly determination): "Kill him before he turns into a demon!"
The child closes his eyes tightly, stifling a gasp, as if his heart is about to explode with terror.
A final voice (filled with hatred): "He is a curse on all of us... It must be erased!"
Their words were like an axe cutting the soul, the child he saw in that moment was none other than himself. The one who suffers from the looks, from the ridicule, from the pain. In their eyes, he is the curse that must be eliminated. ....
In that moment, his body was so trembling, he couldn't escape.
In an instance, those flashbacks faded, but the traces of them remained etched in his heart. He came to reality and for a moment he closed his eyes, before opening them again. Those images, those voices, came back to haunt his mind, his hands still clutching the bottle.
Akaino: "If I didn't exist... My mom would have never become ill... I never would have gotten this mark. I have never forgotten his looks... He hated me... Like I was a curse that needed to be removed."
Yuri stays silent, listening carefully, he too remembers that day, standing next to Akaino, watching how it all happened in an instant. He knows how hard it was for him, but he never found the right words to reassure him.
Yuri (to himself): " Until now, I cannot forgive my weakness that day... I must save him."
Akaino (smiling bitterly): "I had no idea that I would grow up to have all this... I didn't know I'd still be just a kid searching for an explanation."
Yuri (in a soothing voice, placing a hand on his shoulder): "But after all, you're here now... more powerful than they could have expected."
Akaino (looking at him with tired eyes): "But at what cost?"
Yuri presses his hand slightly, as if to restrain himself from interfering, knowing that those words are not just a grumble, but the remnants of an unhealed wound still staring at Akaino's frozen face, but something suddenly changed in his features. An idea flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt. He raised his head and looked directly at Akainu.
Yuri (in a sudden, serious tone): "Akaino... I know what it is..."
But before he could finish, he was interrupted by a loud and disturbing sound. Someone was ringing the bell at the mine gate, shouting at the top of their lungs:
"The king has arrived! The king has arrived!"
Akaino looked back toward the sound, as workers put down their tools and approached the gate in amazement. Whispers rose here and there, punctuated by wondering and astonished looks. One of the workers, quickly cleaning his clothes, approached the man ringing the bell and asked him:
"But... Isn't it usually only at the end of each month that the king's soldiers or his servant come? How can the King come by himself now? And we haven't even reached the end of this month... Is there a problem?"
The man who rings the bell shrugged his shoulders in confusion, and said in a low voice:
"...I actually have no idea... I'm the same thing as you. No one has told me any news. We'll know soon."
Yuri, who had been watching from afar, whispered without looking at Akaino, as if trying to analyze the situation:
" Seriously... It's strange that the king himself would come to this filthy place... Isn't it, Akaino?"
Akaino, whose eyes were still fixed on the gathered crowds, whispered back in a heavy, worried voice:
"I don't know... But I feel something bad is coming..."
The sun is at the top of the sky, its heat rays touching the dry ground. The dirt road vibrates with the sound of advancing horse hooves. A heavy silence precedes the appearance of the royal procession.
Massive black horses advance, headed by a majestic horse that strides confidently, its armor shining in the sunlight. The knights lined up on either side, heavily armed, eyes fixed forward
The dust gradually settles, and with it a strong foot drops to the ground from the royal horse's back. A shiny black leather boot leaves a clear imprint in the dirt. The second foot rises steadily, gradually revealing a massive body encased in dark armor adorned with unintelligible symbols.
Around him, the procession moves in unison, the soldiers taking their positions with impeccable discipline. His head is held high, his long dark hair blowing in the wind. His profile slowly unfolds, a sharp eye that shines in the light, with a scar that starts at the bottom of the eyelid and ends at the corner of the mouth. The bushy beard adds to his mystery, and other scars appear on his broad hands, like the scars of countless battles.
He looks around with a cold look that carries the force of a king who does not accept weakness. Silence reigns, even nature itself seems to have paused to breathe.
He is Ryden, the king of the kingdom of Perama. element: Unknown. Kuma : Unknown. RANK: Royal His soldiers huddle around him, waiting for his orders without saying a word. The sun is rising
Raiden pauses for a moment, while behind him, the steady footsteps of an indistinct figure approach, the details of his face hidden in the king's shadow.
Without looking away, in a deep voice that blends authority and certainty, Ryden asked, "Is this the astrologer you told me about?
The voice behind him replies, calm and confident: "Yes, my lord... This is it."
Ryden continues walking at a steady pace, saying in a stern tone: "Bring me the man in charge of this mine, Kazuma."
The person shakes his head, and the shadows begin to retreat with the king's movement. The face gradually emerges in the sunlight, its bright yellow hair and sharp eyes glowing with power and malice. A slight smile plays on his lips, combining cunning and false sincerity.
In a voice of false respect, Kazuma replies: "Hear and obey, my lord."
Kazuma - Grand Vizier Element: Ice Kuma No: 27 Rank: Ska (Royal)
Kazuma moves lightly, as if walking on ice, the cold air behind him leaving a chill as if winter itself is following him. His gaze remains directed forward, his eyes watching every movement with cautious and cunning eyes.
Inside the underground mine, the pounding of hammers echoes around, mingling with the heavy breathing of the workers. Akaino raises his hammer again, hitting the rock in front of him hard, while Yuri wipes the sweat from his dusty brow, trying to catch his breath.
Suddenly, the sounds of heavy steps creep through the tunnels. Akaino cautiously raises his head, and Yuri turns toward the source of the sound. The footsteps grow closer, and whispering among the workers, before the movements come to an abrupt halt.
From a narrow corridor, a group of armored soldiers bursts in, quickly dispersing to every corner, blocking movement and forcing workers to gather in the middle. Grunts of anxiety rise, and the clash of armor adds an eerie tension to the atmosphere.
Akaino leaves his hammer on the floor, exchanging quick glances with Yuri, feeling the weight of the situation
The wide corridor at the entrance to the mine opens up, and King Raiden appears. His steps are firm, imposing. His sharp gaze scans the faces coldly, not missing a single movement. The dim light shines on his armor, and his stoic face says it all without speaking.
A frightened whisper breaks the silence: "He is... The king himself..."
Yuri looks at Akainu, who stands motionless, his eyes never leaving the king. Raiden advances further, his silence is suspiciously quiet, as if his presence alone is enough to take your breath away.
The king stops in the center of the place, turns slowly, and a heavy silence falls over everything. The workers stare in horror, and Aquino is still fighting the turmoil of his emotions. A frozen moment, waiting for what the king will say, all eyes on him, waiting for the first word.
In that moment, no one could have predicted the words that would come out of his mouth.
To be continued ...