Somewhere deep beneath the palace, where Ryju was bound and tortured, the dim light from torches flickered against the cold stone walls. His body was battered, bruised, and drenched in sweat, yet his spirit remained unbroken.
The torturer, a tall man with a scarred face, pulled out a small glass bottle. He uncorked it and waved it under Ryju's nose. The sharp chemical sting shot into his senses, forcing his eyes open.
Ryju coughed and squinted.
"What the hell…?" he muttered, dazed and disoriented.
"Oh, hey," the man chuckled, crouching down to eye level. "If you actually died on us now, we'd be in trouble. The boss said you're not supposed to die until two days from now. Imagine the headache I'd get if you croaked early."
Ryju blinked, trying to understand. "I… only saw white… thought I was gone."
"Well, you're not. And since you're still breathing, that means we can get back to what we were doing." The man grinned wickedly, cracking his knuckles.
"What?! Wait—" Ryju barely managed to shout before a brutal knee slammed into his stomach. Air fled his lungs as pain shot through his entire body.
"C'mon, just tell us what we want to know," the man sneered. "Give us your village's location, its defenses, anything. That way, we can launch a surprise attack and wipe your people out before they even know what hit them."
Ryju coughed blood, his teeth gritted. "Then I definitely won't tell you! You think I'd let cowards like you ambush my village? Attack them without warning? That's not strength—that's pathetic!"
The man smirked. "Guess that makes us cowards then. Pass me my phone." He held out his hand, and one of the soldiers tossed him a small rectangular device. He tapped it until a red light blinked. "See this? Just speak into it. Saves me time writing things down."
Ryju frowned. "What… the hell is that?"
"What do you mean, what is it? It's a phone. Everybody knows what a phone is," the man said, mocking him.
"I've never seen anything like that…" Ryju muttered, his voice low.
"Oh damn," the torturer laughed. "You really don't know, huh? Guess your whole village is stuck in the stone age. Do you even know what a TV is? Or the news? Oh right, you people live without technology. Man, no wonder you're clueless."
Ryju scowled, defiant even in chains. "I don't give a damn about your toys. I'm not talking. So throw that stupid thing away and quit wasting your time."
"Stubborn brat," the man muttered. He tossed the phone back to his comrade. "Fine then. More torture it is." He clenched his fist, smiling darkly as he prepared another blow.
Meanwhile, in the Great Village, the Spiritual King's office was filled with tension. Kaji stood before Lloyd and Okata, arms crossed, cape shifting slightly with the pressure of his spiritual force.
"So, we're dealing with a guy they call 'the Boss,'" Kaji explained, his tone sharp. "The plan is to strike their forces at six a.m., just as the sun rises."
"Got it," Lloyd said firmly, nodding.
"Make it quick," Okata added. "The sooner this is over, the sooner you and your students can come home."
Kaji smirked. "That's the plan. Alright, brothers—I'll see you after the battle." With that, his body flickered and vanished, leaving behind only a ripple of energy.
Back at Sister Shia's house, Kaji appeared in a blink.
"Sensei, you're back," Goro said, rising to his feet.
"Yeah," Kaji replied. "Now let's go over tomorrow's attack plan."
"What time are we striking?" Rei asked.
"Six in the morning, when the sun is barely rising," Kaji explained.
"Why then?" Shun asked curiously.
"Because that's when they'll least expect it. We'll have the element of surprise. And," Kaji continued, "we know Mr. Taka will arrive by nine a.m., no doubt. That gives us a three-hour window to finish fighting Jinko and his crew before he gets here."
Sister Shia and Mara exchanged worried glances. "Wait—who is Mr. Taka?" they asked together.
"Ah, right. Mr. Taka is an incredibly strong old man. He's on his way here to destroy this kingdom entirely. The only reason we came here first was so my students could fight Jinko and his followers before Taka arrives. They need this battle to grow stronger. We struck a deal—since Taka is walking, it'll take him three days to reach the Laybirth Kingdom. That gives us just enough time." Kaji's expression grew serious.
"I've heard of him," Sister Shia whispered. "His real name is Taka Makando. He's often spoken about in interviews, even on the news."
"Wow, you know him too?" Kaji raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. He's infamous."
Mara tilted her head. "News? TV? Phone? I don't really have any of that stuff…"
Rei frowned. "Neither do I. What even is that?"
"It's technology," Kaji explained. "The outside world uses it. Many countries thrive with it. Some even in our own land, but there, we value nature and peace over machines."
"Honestly," Kenshiro said calmly, "I don't feel like I've missed out. My life's been good without it."
"Yeah," Kaji agreed with a small smile.
Shun then asked, "Sensei… do you know where Ryju is?"
Kaji closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. He's under the palace. I sensed his spiritual force while we were inside."
"Oh… I hope he's okay," Goro muttered.
"He'll be fine," Kenshiro said with conviction. "Ryju swore he'd become Spiritual King one day. He wouldn't give up before that. He's still alive, no doubt."
"Yeah, you're right," the team agreed together.
"Now," Kaji continued, turning to Sister Shia and Mara, "I need you both to do something important."
"What is it?" they asked in unison.
"At five a.m., I'll need you to start evacuating the citizens. Get everyone out before the attack begins."
"But most of them will be asleep," Mara pointed out.
"Then wake them. By the time the evacuation is complete, it will be time for us to strike."
"I trust in all of you," Sister Shia said softly.
"Yeah… we'll do it," Mara agreed.
Sister Shia looked down at her cross, eyes heavy with sadness. "I only wish there was another way to save Jinko."
Kaji sighed. "I wish that too. But what he's done… it's too far gone."
"I understand," Sister Shia whispered.
Mara suddenly spoke. "Kaji… one more question. Back when Jinko killed so many of our people when he first appeared… you told me you and your team were late. Was that true?"
Rei's eyes widened. Oh, right. He did say that.
Kaji lowered his head. "No. We were there. We could've acted sooner. But we didn't. That blood is on my hands. That was my fault."
Mara's voice shook. "Then… please, this time, don't let any more of our people die."
Kaji clenched his fist. "You have my word. Not a single soul will be lost this time—except Jinko and his crew."
"Thank you," Mara whispered, tears in her eyes.
"You all are good people," Sister Shia added quietly, kissing her cross.
Rei broke the heavy silence. "Then let's be strong tomorrow. We'll defeat them together."
"That's the spirit," Kaji said, leaning back. "Now let's rest, and be ready for what comes."
Hours passed. Night fell, and the air grew still.
Far away, outside the dark forest, an old man finally reached the edge of a bridge overlooking Jinkawa Village. His white hair swayed in the night breeze, the animals fled, and his sharp closed eyes studied the distant glow of torchlight.
"Well, well," Mr. Taka muttered. "So I made it to Jinkawa Village. I'll rest here tonight. Tomorrow, I'll head south to Laybirth Kingdom." He chuckled softly to himself. "I hope Kaji and his little team are ready. Because whether they win or lose, an old monster like me is coming."
The stars above shimmered, the calm night hiding the storm to come.
To Be Continued…