In the Laybirth Kingdom
Team One and Kaji were moving quietly through the ruins, heading toward the Golden Palace. The air was tense. Every step seemed heavier as they drew closer. Suddenly, Kaji stopped dead in his tracks, raising a hand.
"Wait."
The group froze. Kenshiro leaned forward. "What happened, sensei?"
Kaji turned his head toward Mara, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Mara."
"Yes?" she asked, confused by his sudden change in tone.
"Is it really only you all who live in this kingdom? From what I've seen, there can't be more than eight thousand people at most." Kaji's voice was low, but curious.
Mara chuckled softly, though it carried a trace of sadness. "Well, not exactly. The ones you've seen are just civilians. Mostly women and children. Hardly any strong men at all."
"Why is that?" Goro asked, his brows furrowed.
"Because all the men are part of the Laybirth Kingdom army," Mara explained quietly.
"The army?" Rei questioned.
Mara nodded. "Yes. There are nearly thirty thousand soldiers. That's where they all are."
Kaji smirked. "So that's it. No wonder Lloyd made this sound like a big deal. Still, compared to the Twenty Great Villages—where armies reach a hundred thousand or more—thirty thousand doesn't seem like much."
"That's only the men," Mara added, her tone darkening. "I heard whispers… that they're creating people to fight against your villages."
Kaji's expression hardened. "Creating people?"
"Yeah," Mara said hesitantly. "They're getting help from someone… an outsider."
Kaji turned away, his black cape fluttering in the wind. A grin crept across his face. "Well… that only makes me more excited to sneak into their palace."
"Move forward," he ordered, resuming the march.
Somewhere Else
Chains rattled. Ryju stirred, his body aching. His vision was blurry, his face bruised and bloody. He struggled, only to realize his wrists and ankles were bound tightly.
"Huh? Where… am I?" His voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
He shifted his head and saw figures sparring in the distance, their movements sharp and brutal. His mind scrambled to recall. How did I get here? Right… I fought Jinko… and I lost.
"Who are these people?" he thought, panic stirring inside him.
"Who… are you?" Ryju managed to croak aloud.
A young woman who had been sparring stopped instantly. "Wait—stop!" she shouted. The man she'd been fighting tilted his head in confusion, but the room soon stilled.
"Everyone, the red-haired kid is awake!"
In seconds, the sparring ceased, and soldiers surrounded Ryju.
"So, what do we do with him?" one man asked.
"Like the King said," another replied. "Make him talk. Who he is. Who he's with. Where he's from. Everything. And then… torture him to death."
Ryju growled. "Who are you people? Let me out of these chains!"
The man grinned cruelly. "We're the Laybirth Army. And our mission? Making sure you never leave those chains."
Outside the Golden Palace
Team One stood at the center of the half ruined city. Before them loomed the Golden Palace, its radiant surface gleaming in the sun. It was the only structure left untouched by destruction, standing like a beacon among the rubble.
Two guards clad in golden armor stood stiffly at the front gate, spears in hand.
Kaji scratched his head. "I totally forgot they'd have guards."
"So what now?" Rei asked.
"We can't knock them out," Kenshiro reasoned. "If Jinko comes out to his balcony and sees his guards lying unconscious, we're screwed."
"Well, you're right about that," Kaji admitted.
"So… what?" Shun said, scratching his cheek in confusion.
Kaji frowned, still thinking of a plan. Then—screaming pierced the air.
"Who's that?!" Rei asked, spinning around.
Mara was on the ground, clutching her chest and screaming in agony.
"What's wrong with her?!" Goro cried.
"Shouldn't we help her?" Rei moved forward, but Kaji held her back, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Not yet. Let it play out."
"AHHH! My chest—HELP ME!" Mara wailed, rolling on the ground.
The guards shifted uneasily.
"What's her problem?" one asked.
"Should we help her?" the other questioned.
"GUARDS! Please! Help me!" Mara screamed desperately, crawling toward them.
"I think we should help her," Goro whispered.
Kenshiro shook his head. "No. Think about it. If she were really in pain, she'd ask us, not them. This is a distraction."
Goro blinked, then nodded. "Right."
Back at the gates, the two guards argued.
"If we leave our posts, someone might sneak in," one said cautiously.
"You really think so? After what the King's done? He set order here. Nobody would dare," the other argued.
"You're right," the first guard agreed. "Let's check on her."
The two golden-armored guards rushed to Mara's side.
Mara, still lying on the ground, glanced up at them—and winked.
Kaji smirked. "Perfect. Let's go. This is our chance. Don't waste it."
"Right!" the team echoed in unison, following close behind as Kaji led the way into the palace.
Elsewhere – Ryju's Torture
Inside a grim chamber, the soldiers took turns brutalizing Ryju. His chains rattled violently as he struggled to remain upright.
"Where are you from?" a man demanded, slamming his knee into Ryju's face. Blood trickled down his chin.
Ryju spat to the side and stayed silent.
"Oh, no answer? Fine." The man sneered and began pummeling him—punches, kicks, each blow heavier than the last.
"Tell me where you're from!" he screamed, delivering one final punch that nearly knocked Ryju unconscious. The soldier cursed, stepping back. "Useless. Someone else take over."
From the shadows, a fierce woman stepped forward. She smiled cruelly, sword in hand.
"My turn."
She twirled the blade, then slammed the hilt into Ryju's stomach. He doubled over, coughing blood.
"Let's skip the questions," she said. "I just want to torture you."
Another brutal strike—this time to his throat. Ryju gagged, blood spraying from his mouth as he collapsed forward, gasping for air.
"Say your name," she demanded, crouching in front of him.
"He can't talk," a soldier muttered. "You hit him too hard."
But Ryju forced the words out, voice raw and defiant. "I'm… not… telling you… anything! Go… to hell!"
The woman grinned. "Fine with me. I can do this all day." She slammed the hilt into his back, sending a wave of pain surging through him.
"AHHH!" Ryju screamed.
"I may be going to hell," she whispered in his ear, "but you'll be going there first."
At the Palace Doors
Back at the palace, Team One regrouped at the massive golden doors.
Kaji's eyes glinted with excitement. "Alright. You all ready?"
"Yeah!" they shouted together, their voices steady despite the tension.
Kaji grinned, pushing the doors open. "Good. Because the mission begins now."
The grand palace loomed before them, filled with secrets, danger, and the answers they sought.
To Be Continued…