"Ufff, finally… we're here."
Lucas exhaled, stretching his arms as the dry wind of Koha brushed against his face.
"Yeah," Rui muttered, his tone calm yet heavy. "It sure was one hell of a travel—but we made it." He looked ahead, eyes narrowing toward the golden rooftops glinting under the fading sun.
Lucas sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "So… what now, Rui?"
Rui adjusted the strap of his cloak. "We go to the king. And we talk with him."
Lucas frowned. "But Rui… you and I both know—the King of Koha doesn't allow anyone, not even another king, to meet without formal request. At least we should send a letter first."
"Yes, I know," Rui replied, his voice low but firm. "But there's no time. No letter, no wait. We're already here, so we'll face whatever comes next. And I'm sure King Aahara won't act foolish."
Lucas hesitated, staring at Rui's calm yet unyielding expression. "As you say…"
---
They walked down the dusty trail that led toward the main city of Koha—Murakami, where the royal castle loomed like a sleeping beast against the skyline.
As they entered the outer markets, Lucas's eyes lit up. "Hey, Rui… isn't this place beautiful? I mean—look at it. It's like a perfect city to live in."
Rui gave a faint smile that carried no warmth. "Lucas… you'd be shocked to know that what you call a perfect place isn't so perfect."
Lucas turned to him. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean," Rui said, his tone darkening, "is that after Velvet, Koha has the second-highest number of poor. Over twenty percent of its people live without a sustainable job or income—forced to beg, sell, or starve. What you see now…" He gestured toward the bustling crowd, "is just the foam on the ocean. You and I haven't seen the depths of it."
Lucas glanced around—the laughter, the music, the merchants shouting their prices—it all felt lively. But now, he saw the cracks. The skinny faces hiding behind painted smiles. The children running barefoot with empty bowls.
"So this is Murakami," he muttered. "The market's huge… the rush is massive… and the joy—" he hesitated, "it's loud."
"It sure is," Rui replied quietly. "But before we get lost in this noise, let's keep moving."
"Yeah, you're right."
---
They continued walking toward the royal castle, the sun slipping low behind the towers. But halfway through the crowd, Rui stopped.
"Hey, let's—" Lucas began, but Rui raised a hand, freezing him mid-word.
Rui's eyes were fixed ahead, his face drained of color.
"Wha… what is that?" Lucas followed his gaze—and his voice broke. "Rui, are you seeing the same thing I am?"
Rui stood silent, his jaw tightening, breath shallow.
"Hey—Rui," Lucas said softly, stepping closer. "Don't do it. Please. I know what you're thinking. But listen to me, if you interfere, they'll throw us in prison. Please understand—"
Rui didn't respond. His hand was already on his sword.
Ahead, seven men surrounded a girl, her frail body pinned against the corner of a stall. Her eyes were swollen with tears, but her face—completely still. No resistance, no hope. It was as if she had already left her body, waiting for the end.
Lucas swallowed hard. "Rui, please… I'm begging you. Don't. We can't—"
Before he could finish, one of the men's heads dropped to the ground with a dull thud. Blood splattered across the dirt. Screams followed.
The others froze, paralyzed. Confusion, shock, and terror filled the air. Then—another body fell. Then another.
Within seconds, the market turned silent except for the wet sound of blades cutting through flesh. Hands, legs, heads—flying into the air like weightless scraps of meat.
Lucas's stomach turned. He tried to shout Rui's name, but his voice cracked.
One man remained, crawling with only one leg, dragging himself through the dirt. "H-Help me! Please! He's… he's going to ki—kill me!" he cried, his voice cracking under terror.
But no one answered. The crowd had fallen dead quiet.
Rui walked forward, each step heavy. His shadow stretched across the ground like a dark stain.
The man gasped, crawling faster—but Rui closed the distance in a blink. He grabbed the man by the neck with one hand, lifting him like a rag. "Lucas," Rui said coldly. "Bring them here."
"Rui… w-we don't have to go this far—"
Rui turned his head slightly, and one glare was enough.
Lucas froze, then exhaled shakily. He opened a leather bag and took out a pile of screws—sharp, black, glinting faintly with runes etched on their heads. He placed them in front of Rui.
"Hey, Rui," Lucas said quietly. "Once again… this is too extreme."
"Lucas," Rui said in a calm, dead tone, "come here. Hold him straight. Against that wall."
"R-Rui…"
"I said come here."
Lucas's hands trembled. Still, he obeyed—grabbing the man by the shoulders, forcing him against the stone wall.
Rui knelt, picked up one of the screws and a stone, then pressed the tip against the man's left palm. Crack. He struck it in with a single blow. The man screamed, voice raw and guttural. Rui took another screw—right hand. Then another—his only leg. Then another—his shoulder.
The man was shaking, twitching, yet alive.
"You won't die," Rui said coldly. "Don't think that for a second. You'll suffer. These screws are made from the Code Tablets—they'll heal you and bring you back. Again and again."
By the time Rui finished, a hundred screws pierced the man's body—arms, chest, thighs, even his face. His blood dripped onto the stone and pooled at Rui's feet.
The girl remained motionless, staring at nothing.
But the crowd—they began to cheer. Cheers mixed with laughter. One by one, people picked up rocks and hurled them at the man. Thud. Crack. Thud. Each throw painted the wall redder.
Lucas turned away. "Rui… what have you done…"
Before Rui could respond, the sound of boots echoed. The Knights of Koha arrived, swords drawn, faces masked in silver.
"In the name of Koha's law," one of them shouted, "you're under arrest!"
Neither Rui nor Lucas resisted.
---
They were thrown into a cell, the air damp and stinking of rust and mold. The iron bars cast thin shadows across their faces.
"This will be your home," one knight said coldly. "And Koha's justice will make sure it stays that way—forever."
Rui looked up, his lip twitching into a faint grin. "Justice…" He chuckled softly.
"What did you say?" the knight hissed, grabbing Rui by the neck.
"I said—fuck you, and your poor justice."
The knight slammed Rui against the wall and spat near his feet. "Rot here, you sadistic bastard." He turned and left.
When silence returned, Lucas let out a long breath. "Didn't I tell you this would happen? We came to prevent conflict, Rui, and now we're neck-deep in one."
Rui looked up, calm despite the blood drying on his face. "Lucas… you saw what I saw. I couldn't just let it go. I'm a king—it's my duty to protect people, no matter which nation they belong to. And I'll make sure no one—ever—oppresses another."
Lucas laughed bitterly. "Well, whatever. We came to solve a war, and now we're in one. Way to go, King Rui."
Rui smirked faintly. "What to do, what to do…"
---
Moments later, footsteps echoed through the corridor. A knight approached.
"You two," he barked, unlocking the cell. "The king has ordered you to come."
Rui rose. "I knew King Aahara was a smart man."
"Watch your tongue," the knight snapped. "And besides—King Aahara is dead."
Rui froze. "What?"
The knight's voice turned flat. "He died. Heart attack. On his throne. The crown now belongs to his son—King Yami Shinzowa, the true heir."
Lucas's face drained of color. "Oh… man. We're screwed."
"Yeah," the knight said with a smirk. "You both are."
"Fuck," Lucas whispered, glancing at Rui. "What now? Yami doesn't even like us."
Rui took a slow breath. "Take it easy. Yami's cold, yes—but he's not a fool. He knows war benefits no one. He'll understand what happened."
The knight shoved them forward. "Less talk. More walking."
---
They were led through the grand halls of the Koha Castle, a place of towering marble and silence heavy. Flames from silver torches flickered on the walls, painting their faces with uneasy light.
The throne room doors opened.
Rui and Lucas were pushed inside, faces covered by black masks.
King Yami Shinzowa sat on his throne—tall, composed, and sharp-eyed, his presence colder than the hall itself.
He stared at the two prisoners. "Why are their faces covered?" Yami's voice was calm but cutting.
"Orders from the lower guard, my king," one knight said, bowing.
Yami tilted his head slightly. "Remove them."
The knights obeyed, stepping forward and untying the masks. The cloth slipped away—
And the moment their faces were revealed, Yami froze. His breath caught, his eyes wide. Slowly, he rose from his throne.
His lips parted, voice trembling.
"Ki… King Rui?"