The room was engulfed in an oppressive silence. Arashi kept his gaze fixed on his mother, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His breathing was heavy, mixed with anger and confusion. He didn't understand. Why hadn't Miyuki intervened? Why had she let him endure all of that without lifting a finger?
Kaede, Mei, Jin, and Ryuu remained in the background, sensing the intense emotions in the air. Jin, usually impulsive, held back his words, his gaze shining with an unusual gravity. Ryuu, on the other hand, remained calm but attentive, ready to step in if necessary. Mei and Kaede were frozen, torn between the desire to learn the truth and the fear of what would be revealed.
Miyuki, on her side, remained stoic. Her face was impassive, but her fiery red eyes betrayed a deep melancholy. She took a long breath before locking eyes with her son. For the first time, Arashi saw a glimmer of pain in them.
"Arashi..." she finally whispered.
The simple fact that she spoke his name at that moment made an uncontrollable rage rise within him. He stepped forward, his aura trembling.
"Why? Why didn't you do anything?!" he shouted. "You were there! You could have helped me! You could have stopped all of it! But you did nothing! Nothing!"
Miyuki didn't respond immediately. She looked at him with a softness mixed with infinite sadness. Arashi felt a wave of conflicting emotions flood him. He wanted to hate her, to reject her, but a part of him also wanted to understand.
"I watched over you, Arashi..." she finally murmured. "Every day. Every night. I was there, but I couldn't do anything."
Arashi gritted his teeth. "You couldn't do anything?! What a pathetic excuse!"
Miyuki closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them, sharper than ever.
"You think I didn't want to intervene?!" Her voice was firmer now, vibrating with contained emotion. "You think I didn't want to destroy those who hurt you? But we are Akeron. And in this clan, everything has a price."
Silence fell once more. Kaede and Mei exchanged glances, intrigued by her words. Jin frowned. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.
Miyuki slowly turned her head toward him. "The Akeron clan is not just a simple lineage of warriors. It is a dynasty built upon immutable laws, traditions rooted in blood. And one of these laws concerns our identity, our very essence."
She placed a hand on her flaming red hair. "Our hair is not just a physical trait. It represents who we are. The color we develop at the age of nine seals our destiny. It defines our strengths, our weaknesses, our true nature."
Arashi narrowed his eyes. "...What?"
Miyuki nodded. "Until the age of nine, all Akeron children have brown hair. But that is merely a transition. It is only on their ninth birthday that their true nature is revealed, and their hair takes on its definitive color."
Ryuu crossed his arms, intrigued. "And each color has a precise meaning, right?"
Miyuki nodded. "Yes." She ran a hand through her hair. "Red, for example, is the color of those who live by love. They are beings guided by their emotions, who place their loved ones above all else. My love for Takeshi and for my son defined me."
Kaede, fascinated, murmured, "That's incredible..."
Arashi, however, remained frozen. He no longer knew what to think. His thoughts were a whirlwind of contradictions.
Jin then asked, "And what is the color of legends? The one belonging to the greatest Akeron warriors?"
Miyuki smiled sadly. "Black."
A shiver ran through the group. Everyone turned their gaze toward Arashi.
Miyuki slowly stepped forward, reaching out toward his dark hair. "You are unique, Arashi. Those who bear black are rare. Extremely rare. And they are always destined to change the world, one way or another."
Arashi stared at her, his heart pounding harder. He didn't know if those words were a blessing... or a curse.