In the Laybirth Kingdom
Kaji stood on a cliff, scanning the horizon. His sharp eyes darted left and right, searching for any sign of movement.
"Damn it… where can he be?" he muttered under his breath. His heart raced with unease, though he tried to bury the feeling beneath his usual calm.
Then—off in the distance—a trail of black smoke curled upward into the night sky.
"What happened over there?" Kaji wondered aloud. Without hesitation, his body flickered, and in an instant he vanished, reappearing at the site of the disturbance.
The ground was torn apart. Craters scarred the earth. Kaji crouched down, brushing his hand along the cracked stone paved ground.
"There was a battle here recently…" His voice dropped, grim.
Walking further, he spotted a shred of red cloth fluttering among the rubble. Next to it, a small pool of blood stained the ground. Kaji bent down, lifted the cloth, and let the metallic scent of blood confirm his fears.
"Ryju…" he whispered, clutching the cloth tightly. His eyes narrowed, and in a blink, he vanished again.
In the Great Village
The once-bustling streets of the Great Village lay quiet, blanketed in darkness. Only one building remained lit: the tall, imposing office of the Spiritual King.
Inside, Lloyd sat behind his grand desk, the weight of leadership heavy on his shoulders. The door creaked open, and suddenly, Kaji appeared in the room.
"You're back, Kaji," Lloyd said, settling into his chair. His voice carried a mix of relief and expectation.
Okata, already standing by the window, turned. "What happened this time?"
Kaji sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Ryju was kidnapped."
"What?!" both Lloyd and Okata shouted in unison.
Okata's voice rose into a furious scream. "How did you let that happen?!"
"I don't know," Kaji admitted with a shrug, though his calm demeanor only infuriated Okata further.
"What kind of sensei are you?!" Okata snapped, his face red with anger.
"Enough," Lloyd interrupted, his tone firm but measured. "Let's calm down. Tell us—how did he get kidnapped?"
Kaji folded his arms, thinking carefully. "He was in a battle. Either against Jinko or one of the Four Generals."
"And how do you know that?" Lloyd pressed.
Kaji opened his palm, revealing the blood-stained cloth. "I found a piece of Ryju's shirt, ripped in combat. And…" He paused, his eyes cold. "I smelled his blood. It's definitely him."
Lloyd's expression hardened. "Then what do you plan to do about it?"
Kaji leaned back casually. ""Honestly? I'm not worried. Let him stay there. Ryju isn't the type to break easily."
."
"What?!" both Lloyd and Okata roared.
"Why would you leave him? You're supposed to save him!" Lloyd demanded.
"Yeah! He's your student!" Okata added sharply.
Kaji smirked. "No worries. He's not just my student—he's also Mr. Ryuu's grandson. He won't die. Ryju is strong. He'll keep fighting until the end."
Okata adjusted his glasses, calming slightly. "…When you put it that way, I can't really argue. You're right. I should believe in Ryju."
"Exactly," Kaji said.
Lloyd tapped his desk. "Fine. You're the sensei. But send me a full report tomorrow."
"Alright." Kaji moved toward the window, turning his head slightly. "See you all tomorrow." And just like that, he vanished into the night.
The Next Day – In the Woods
The morning sun cast golden light across the trees. Birds scattered as Mr. Taka rose from where he had been resting. He dusted his pants; katana still clutched firmly in hand. With a long breath, he began walking again, his eyes closed sharp with purpose.
In the Laybirth Kingdom
Meanwhile, Team One slowly began waking from their slumber. Mara stretched, yawning beneath the blazing sunlight.
"Ugh… it's way too early," she groaned, shielding her eyes.
Kenshiro yawned as well. "Yeah, no kidding. And it's hot as hell."
Rei rubbed her eyes. "One more day here, then we can finally go home…" She glanced around. "Wait… where's Ryju?"
"He's probably with sensei," Goro mumbled, still half-asleep.
"Man, I'm starving," Shun complained, clutching his stomach.
"Well, lucky you," a familiar voice called. Kaji appeared, holding a large bag. "I brought burritos."
"Sensei! You're a lifesaver!" Shun's eyes lit up, his mouth already watering.
But Kenshiro narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Why isn't Ryju with you?"
Kaji didn't answer immediately. Instead, he tossed burritos to each of them. "Eat first. I'll explain."
The team unwrapped their food quickly.
"This is so good," Shun said with his mouth full.
"Right? Our food's amazing," Mara added.
"Not bad," Rei admitted.
"Awesome!" Goro cheered.
Even Kaji took a bite, smiling. "Damn… amazing."
But Kenshiro wasn't satisfied. "Sensei. Where's Ryju?"
Finally, Kaji spoke plainly. "Ryju's been kidnapped."
The group froze, their cheerful expressions replaced with shock.
"What?!" Kenshiro shouted.
"How?! Where is he?!" Goro demanded.
"Oh no…" Mara whispered, trembling.
"Damn it, did you see it happen?" Shun pressed.
"Were you even there?!" Rei snapped.
Their voices overlapped in a storm of panic.
"Shut up!" Kaji barked, frustrated. The group fell silent.
"Listen. Ryju is strong. I believe in him. He won't die. Don't forget—his first dream is to become Spiritual King. And didn't you all promise you'd be there to see it?"
The team exchanged looks, then nodded. "Yeah…" they said together.
"Good. Then remember—our battle starts tomorrow. All Ryju has to do is survive until then."
"So if he makes it through today… he's safe?" Kenshiro asked.
"Exactly."
Mara still frowned. "But what if they're cruel? What if he can't handle it?"
Kaji scratched his head. "Yeah… that's the problem. If he can't endure, there's a chance he could die today."
"Damn it, Ryju…" Rei muttered.
"Wait—how did he even get kidnapped?" Goro asked.
Kaji explained, "Most likely, he fought Jinko or the generals… and lost."
Rei clenched her fists. "He left and got into a fight alone? That's reckless."
"So he lost to them… which means we're weaker than they are," Shun said.
"Yep. You're all C-ranks. They're B-ranks," Kaji confirmed.
"Then we need to train to reach their level!" Shun said.
Kaji shook his head. "Impossible here. They probably have spies and cameras hidden all over this kingdom. You'll only grow stronger in real battle."
Mara frowned. "How can you all act so normal about this? Aren't you scared?"
Rei stood up proudly. "We're ninjas. Sensei's rule number one—we can't be scared of anyone." She flashed Kaji a grin.
Kaji chuckled. "That's my student." He stood. "Alright, everyone. I've got a mission for today. Something fun."
The team perked up.
"What is it?" Kenshiro asked.
"Yeah, what are we doing?" Shun added.
Kaji smirked. "Today, we're going to infiltrate the Golden Palace… and not get caught." He began walking toward the palace, his grin widening.
The team exchanged glances, excitement mixing with nerves, then hurried after him.
To Be Continued…