In a remote region, devoid of the sprawling, magnificent architecture found in the capital, stood only humble dwellings fashioned from grass and wooden frames. The inhabitants here had neither electricity nor artificial light; they could only gather wood to kindle bonfires before their homes. In a land where snow fell year-round, fire was an indispensable part of life.
"This village is so impoverished. A nation is supposed to help its people thrive, and yet..."
The Governor drew back the curtain and looked outside, speaking with a hint of sorrow. Liana, sitting beside him, still held her familiar weapon.
"But this is the reality of the people here, as I've seen it. That is also why you are returning to that nest of vipers in the capital, isn't it?"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Hmph, I cannot continue to sit idly by while witnessing the people suffer like this. I intend to oppose that Prime Minister to the very end!"
"And I will protect you, Father!"
Liana brandished her weapon, but the Governor, far from being pleased, felt a sense of worry for his daughter.
"You have become a beautiful woman. But it's exactly because you keep clinging to that thing that no one dares to approach you!"
"Hmph! I don't need them. If someone proposes, they'll just have to accept my hobbies!"
"If such a person exists, he would likely be a young man, kind-hearted, with extraordinary strength. Does that fit your 'type'?"
"No... it's not like that!! I only want to spar with Asahi!"
Her face flushed slightly; the fish had taken the bait. The Governor delivered the final blow.
"Did I say it was him?"
"That's playing dirty!!"
"Ha ha ha. I heard Mr. Asahi opened a cafe in the capital. I must stop by when I return. And you, don't just wear that one outfit; put that thing in your hand away and dress up a bit to nurture some feelings. A young man with both talent and virtue is hard to find these days."
"I told you, that's not what I meant—"
Boom!
The carriage suddenly jolted and came to a halt, cutting off the conversation between father and daughter.
"What... what happened?"
Liana pulled back the curtain to see three figures dressed in black, of varying heights, standing in a line and blocking the carriage's path.
"Bandits again? Where is this Empire headed?"
"I'll deal with them just like the others!"
Liana grabbed her weapon and stepped down from the carriage, rallying fifteen guard soldiers. She pointed directly at the three strangers.
"Do not let your guard down!"
Standing in the center of the three was a middle-aged man with gray hair and a beard. He glanced at the person to his right—a man with a thick, bushy beard.
"Daidara?"
"Yeah."
The bearded man, Daidara, responded with a single word and strolled forward. On the other side, Liana led her soldiers in a charge.
Facing the group rushing toward him, Daidara showed no fear; instead, he flashed an excited grin. He pulled a double-edged axe from his back and swung it horizontally.
Slash!!
The soldiers within the axe's reach were cleaved in two, creating a rain of blood that splattered onto the road.
Liana fared slightly better; she wasn't dead yet, but the handle of her weapon had been snapped in two. Blood geysered from her abdomen. Liana collapsed in front of Daidara, spitting blood and clutching her stained, severed midsection.
"He... is too strong!"
"Hey, not bad, lady."
The remaining member of the trio knelt in front of Liana. He had the stature, voice, and appearance of a young boy around 13 or 14 years old.
"But... if you knew what happens next... you'd wish you were dead."
The small one pulled out a sharp knife and held it close to Liana's face. Do not be misled by his appearance; he was male, age unknown.
The Governor was dragged from the carriage and fell backward onto the ground. He looked at the gray-haired middle-aged man standing before him and recognized the uniform he was wearing.
"You... you are a soldier from the capital!"
"Yes, I deeply admire your political efforts."
The gray-haired man placed a hand over his chest and bowed. The Governor pointed a trembling finger directly at his face and roared in anger.
"Then why?! Why are you doing this!!"
"The orders of our master..."
Slash!
The gray-haired man swung his hand. Blood sprayed from the Governor's neck as his head was severed, rolling onto the road. The head still bore the expression of sheer terror the Governor had felt before death.
"... are absolute and above all else."
The bearded Daidara looked at the pile of corpses he had just created and shouted in excitement.
"Alright, we took out fifteen, right? The more experience I gain, the stronger I become!"
"Stop talking nonsense and spread the leaflets already."
"That Prime Minister sure likes making things complicated. If he wants to eliminate political rivals, why not just do it the usual way?"
"That method is ineffective against civil officials under General Budou's protection, like this Governor here."
"This is so fun!"
The small, blonde boy with a feminine appearance approached. Daidara looked at his effeminate mannerisms and spoke with irritation.
"Nyau, stop those games!"
"Are you sure you finished her off?" the gray-haired man asked.
Nyau placed his hands behind his head, looking as happy as a child with a new toy. And this was indeed a "new toy" to him.
"She died of shock while I was still skinning her."
Not far away lay Liana, but she was now devoid of life. She was still wearing the same clothes, but all of her skin—including her face and hair—had been stripped away. It revealed blood-leaking muscle fibers; she could never have imagined she would die today in such a catastrophic and cruel manner.
"Truly a gruesome hobby."
Even Daidara, who was accustomed to killing, didn't want to look at the scene. The gray-haired man interrupted their bickering and took the lead, issuing an order.
"Mission accomplished. Let's head back."
They departed, leaving the leaflets they had just thrown to flutter through the snowy wind. One settled on the ground; the image printed on it was the symbol of a black bird with the word "Night Raid" right beneath it.
"Heaven's punishment by Night Raid. We shall take care of the demons hiding in the shadows. Heaven is not for you."
"Signed: Night Raid."
...
On a morning like any other, Asahi woke up early and began his physical training.
Even so, unless he spent half a day practicing for a tiny result, it wasn't particularly effective. Asahi could grow stronger just by going about his normal activities, but this was his habit—always training so as not to lose his edge.
Because of this, his combat skills improved step by step; many of his moves were created through the natural movement of his body rather than prior practice or study.
Dressed neatly, Asahi opened the shop just as the newsboy was passing by. Having a moment of leisure, he bought a paper.
The headline news was a series of assassinations of politicians, with Night Raid named as the culprit. But when Asahi scrolled down to a specific name, his pupils contracted. A terrifying aura erupted but was immediately suppressed.
The newsboy suddenly felt his back drenched in cold sweat, his skin crawling. For a split second, he felt as though the customer who had just bought the paper had crushed him. By the time he regained his composure, the man had already gone inside and hung the "Closed" sign.