[Early Morning – Back Garden of Laud's House – Orakano Island]
The sun began to pierce through the branches of the trees, its orange light creeping onto the garden floor, still wet from the previous night's rain. The air was fresh, and the only sound breaking the silence was the soft chirping of birds. In the middle of the garden, young Ken stood firmly, dressed in simple clothes. His red hair swayed with the morning breeze. His face was serious, and his gray eyes were filled with resolve.
Laud appeared from the house, carrying a dark wooden sword in his hand. It looked old but was polished with care.
Laud (calmly):
"This sword… was the first thing I ever held when I began my path.
Today… your path begins."
He extended the sword toward Ken.
Ken (stepping forward with determination, taking the sword with both hands):
"Thank you… Grandpa Laud. I won't let you down."
Laud (smiling as he stepped back):
"I don't care about disappointment…
What matters is that you get back up every time you fall."
Ken stood in the middle of the garden as Laud took a training stance in front of him.
Laud (with a serious tone):
"Before you learn how to strike…
You must learn how to stand. Take the basic stance…
Left foot forward, right foot back.
Left hand grips the hilt firmly… right hand controls direction."
Ken began mimicking the stance. His movements were slow but precise.
Laud (watching closely):
"Good… now strike the air in a straight line."
Ken raised the sword and swung, but the strike was weak and hesitant.
Laud (sharply):
"No! Don't strike like you're begging the air!
Strike like you're facing an enemy who took everything from you!"
Ken gripped the sword tighter. The image of Cirrus's face flashed before his eyes.
He struck again—this time harder and faster, though still lacking control.
Laud (circling him):
"Anger is a useful fire…
But if you don't control it, it'll burn you before it burns your enemy."
Ken (muttering without looking at him):
"I don't want to be angry… I want to be a killer."
Laud (stopping and looking at him intently):
"And you think killers don't pay the price?
Every strike carries a piece of your soul.
Don't fight just to kill… fight because you know what's worth protecting."
Ken (standing still, speaking quietly):
"My family… they deserved to live."
Laud:
"Then train for them…
Not just for revenge—train to protect those who remain."
Ken looked at the sword once more, then began repeating the movements.
Strike after strike, the sound of wood sliced the air.
Sweat dripped from his brow onto the soil.
Training continued as the sun rose higher.
⸻
[Later That Day – Laud and Ken Sitting Beneath a Tree]
Ken (eating quietly):
"…Were you strong in your youth?"
Laud (laughs):
"I was more foolish than strong…
But I learned from everyone who fell around me."
Ken:
"Why did you stop?"
Laud (pausing, then speaking solemnly):
"Because one day… I killed a man I didn't need to.
That's when I understood…
Strength without heart turns you into a monster."
⸻
[A New Morning – Same Garden]
Ken stood in the center of the garden again, wearing a light shirt and simple trousers, holding his worn wooden sword.
Laud stepped out of the house wearing an old gray coat, chewing a straw between his teeth.
Laud (yawning):
"Oh… I see that look in your eyes today.
You're starting to look a little like a man—
Not the crying child you were on the first day."
Ken (calmly, with a steady gaze):
"I'm ready."
Laud (smirking):
"Good… today we stop hitting the air…
and start hitting each other."
Ken (raising an eyebrow):
"What? You mean… real fighting?"
Laud:
"Yes… you and me. Now."
Ken (gripping the sword):
"I don't want to hurt you."
Laud (mockingly):
"Ooooh, how terrifying!
An eight-year-old with a kitchen-wooden sword will defeat me?
Come on, show me what you've got—
Or I'll make you clean the toilet with your trousers!"
Ken (taking a fighting stance):
"Fine. You asked for it."
Ken rushed forward, striking from above with force.
Laud simply twisted to the side and tapped Ken on the back of his leg.
Ken (falling to the ground):
"Aaagh!!"
Laud (coldly):
"This isn't a game. Fight like you want to survive."
Ken got up quickly, face frowning, and began a flurry of faster strikes.
But Laud blocked them one after another.
Laud (easily deflecting):
"You're attacking out of anger, not skill."
In a single swift move, Laud circled around Ken
and struck his shoulder hard, knocking him down.
Ken groaned on the ground, trying to get up…
but his body ached from the pain accumulated over the past days.
Ken (breathing heavily):
"I… can't…"
Laud (sharp gaze, angry tone):
"What did you say?!"
Ken (whispering):
"I'm… sorry. I just… need a minute…"
Laud (suddenly shouting):
"A minute?! Will you ask your killer for a minute during battle?!
Will you beg Cirrus not to strike you today?!
Stand up! Now!!"
Ken (trembling):
"Grandpa Laud… my body really hurts…"
Laud pulled something small from his pocket and approached.
Ken (staring at it):
"What's that?"
Laud (holding up a tiny glowing red pepper):
"This? A fire pepper grown under the volcanoes of the Kaji Kingdom.
Cirrus's soldiers use it to enhance endurance.
Very effective… but painful."
Ken (backing away):
"No… no no no!"
Laud (grinning wickedly):
"Open your mouth—
or I swear I'll hide it in a slice of bread and tell you it's jam."
Ken:
"Grandpa Laud! This isn't training—this is torture!"
Laud:
"Life tortures us every day, Ken…
I'm just speeding things up."
Ken swallowed the pepper in silence… then…
Ken (face turning red):
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! FIRE!!
IT'S HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLL!!!"
Laud (laughing like a madman):
"That's it! That beautiful scream!
Didn't it awaken your inner power?!"
Ken (running around the garden):
"You… you're a demon! I hate you!!
Where's the water?!!"
Laud (tossing him a bucket):
"Go on, endure it!
Don't drink the water—fight the pain inside you!
This is the first step to controlling fire…
Enduring its burn!"
Ken kept running around the garden, panting, eyes teary from the heat.
Ken (shouting and stumbling):
"WHYYYYYYYY?!
Why does something like this even exist in the world?!"
Laud (laughing from afar, seated on a tree trunk):
"That's called life, boy.
Get used to the heat before it burns you."
Ken (stopping suddenly, his face red as a pepper, trembling):
"You… you're not a trainer…
You're a demonic creature disguised as a grandpa!"
Laud (laughs):
"Grandpa? Hahaha! No one's ever called me that before.
My children left me years ago.
I don't even know if I have real grandchildren out there…"
Ken paused, staring at him with one half-open eye…
Then suddenly, he gasped deeply and stretched his arms back like he was charging up his rage.
Ken (exploding):
"Alright!!! Fine!!
If all of this is to make my muscles handle pain—so be it!
But don't be surprised if I make you feel another kind of pain!!!"
Laud (raising an eyebrow):
"Huh? What are you planning—"
He didn't finish the sentence—Ken shot toward him with unbelievable speed!
The pain in his muscles from earlier had vanished, and now he was moving with an almost demonic energy, fueled by pepper-induced rage.
Ken (screaming with teary eyes):
"This isn't for training!
This is for my burning tongue!!"
Ken gripped the wooden sword with both hands and launched into a flurry of wild strikes—fast, furious, and erratic.
Laud (calmly blocking with his own wooden sword):
"Hahaha!! Keep going, boy!"
Ken (striking with all his might):
"AAAHHH!!! You'll regret this!!!"
Laud (stepping back for the first time):
"Oh? You're actually making me retreat? Excellent!"
Ken kept attacking, strike after strike…
Though uncontrolled, his rage gave him speed and stamina he never imagined ten minutes ago.
Ken (voice shaking with tears, but full of challenge):
"I'm not weak!! I'm not a kid!!
I'll overcome the pain—and slap you too!!"
Laud (blocking a strong strike, his foot sliding back):
"Hah… seems like I really did awaken your inner energy!
This kid's starting to get dangerous!"
Ken (continuing):
"This one's for my muscles!
This one's for my burning eyes!
And THIS—THIS IS FOR MY TONGUE!!"
Then, in a rare moment, Ken managed to land a solid hit to Laud's hand—
The wooden sword flew out of the old man's grip!
Laud (looking at his hand, then at Ken):
"Huh. Good strike."
Ken (panting, face still burning):
"Do you… admit… that I'm… strong?"
Laud (smiling, hands behind his back):
"I admit…
You're dumb enough to fight from the heart—
And that's the first step to becoming a warrior."
Ken (lowering the sword, breathing slowly):
"I wasn't fighting from my heart…
I just wanted revenge… for my tongue."
Laud (laughs):
"You want revenge for everything!"
⸻
[One Month Later – Laud's Garden – Midday]
Sweat dripped from Ken's brow.
He stood firm before a stack of polished wood.
He took a deep breath, holding a real sword in his hand for the first time—
Shiny, its steel reflected his image like a mirror.
Ken (whispering):
"Grandpa Laud… is this sword for me?"
Laud approached, hands behind his back, wearing a serious expression devoid of his usual sarcasm.
Laud (firmly):
"It's mine. It won't be yours until you've mastered everything.
Today, you won't strike me—
You'll strike that wood.
Split it down the middle.
No more. No less. One strike only."
Ken:
"Should I use fire?"
Laud (shouting immediately):
"No."
Ken:
"But fire makes cutting easier…"
Laud (sternly):
"And are you planning to burn every enemy you face?
What if you're bound?
What if your energy runs out?
What if… you have to fight without your Vakken?"
Ken fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Laud (gesturing toward the wood):
"A true samurai doesn't rely solely on strength—
He relies on discipline, focus… and persistence."
Ken took a deep breath, raised his sword slowly—
And struck!
"Tsssshhh!"
But the strike wasn't perfect.
The wood didn't split.
It only bore a deep scratch.
Ken (slightly frustrated):
"I failed."
Laud (calmly):
"No… you learned."
The next day, Laud brought a thicker piece of wood.
Then the next day, dried bamboo.
Then a brick slab.
Then a hanging bag full of soil.
And every time…
Ken was not allowed to use fire.
He trained soaked in sweat, breathing heavily, hands aching…
But his eyes never lost focus.
Ken (striking bamboo):
"HAH!!"
"Crack!"
Laud (shouting from afar):
"You're only focusing on power!
Focus on balance, on breath, on the sword's angle!"
Ken (trying again):
"I'll make it perfect—
Even if I lose an arm doing it!"
Laud (smiling proudly inside):
"That's how a real warrior begins to emerge."
⸻
[One Year Later – Laud's Garden – Sunset – Ken, Age 9]
The sun leaned west, and Aurakano's sky was painted orange.
Birds perched along the stone walls, watching a slender boy hold his sword with pure confidence.
Five targets were placed in a line:
1. A wooden board
2. Dried bamboo
3. A sack of soil
4. A small rock
5. A stack of red bricks
Laud (standing under the tree's shadow, arms crossed):
"A year ago… you couldn't even lift a sword properly.
Now… let's see if you're ready for the next step."
Ken (with steady eyes, calm but firm voice):
"I'm ready."
"Shhhhick!"
The wood split like paper.
"CRACK!"
The bamboo snapped clean in half.
The sack of soil stayed in place.
"BOOM!"
Ken struck low—
The bag popped open, releasing a cloud of dust.
He walked calmly to the rock.
Lifted his sword slowly—
"KRAK!"
Split the stone in two—effortlessly.
Now he stood before the bricks.
Breathed calmly.
Closed his eyes—
Then surged forward and struck.
"Tktktktktk… CRASH!"
The bricks shattered like eggshells.
The sword remained untouched.
Laud:
"That's enough."
Ken (sheathed his blade):
"What's next, Grandpa Laud?"
Laud (placing a hand on his shoulder):
"Now… that you've mastered fighting as a human…
It's time to learn how to fight as a Yūkaji."
Ken:
"You mean…"
Laud (soft smile):
"Light the fire, Ken.
Show me the flame you've held back for a whole year."
He dropped something heavy from his shoulder—
"CRAASH!"
Ken (raising an eyebrow):
"What is that…?"
Laud:
"A raw iron plate…
Heavier than you are.
Not easily cut.
It requires a different kind of strength."
Ken (looking at the blade):
"Fire."
Laud (nods):
"You've held it back for a year.
Now… release it.
But not like an angry child.
Like a warrior in control of his flame."
Ken closed his eyes, took a deep breath.
Ken (internally):
"For a whole year… I never used it.
Now—
O fire, answer my call…"
He raised his left hand—
Placed it on the blade—
"Fsshhhhhhhhh…"
A soft heat surged from his body.
The sword began to glow orange… then red…
Until the entire blade was engulfed in flame.
Yet the sword didn't burn—
Ken controlled it perfectly.
Ken (opening glowing eyes):
"I'm ready."
Laud (stepping back):
"Slice the iron, heir of flame!"
Ken raised his sword slowly—
Then dashed forward!
"HAAAAHH!!"
"SHHHHHHHHHK!!"
The iron plate split cleanly in half.
No sparks.
No shake.
Just rising heat—
And a wisp of smoke floating to the sky.
Laud (eyes wide, but smiling with pride):
"That's it… that's truly it…
That is the flame of the Yūkaji!"
⸻
[Two Years Later]
In the middle of the garden—
Ken, now eleven years old, stood shirtless.
His body still lean, but with visible muscle tone.
He held a heavier wooden sword.
He was drenched in sweat, breathing hard—
But never stopping.
Ken (quietly to himself):
"Again… fifty more strikes… no excuses."
He ran, turned, attacked the air—
As if fighting an invisible ghost.
Every strike was sharp, precise, fast.
He paused.
Reached to a table nearby—
Picked up a small red pepper.
Bit and swallowed it without hesitation.
He held his breath…
More sweat poured out…
But he never complained.
Ken (panting):
"It burns…
But it pushes me forward."
From a distance, Laud watched silently.
His hands slightly trembled as he held a cup of tea.
Laud (whispering):
"This boy…
He's becoming something else…
Though he's not yet reached his full strength,
His movement… his tactics…
They're far sharper than expected."
Suddenly, Laud began coughing—
A deep, painful cough.
He clutched his chest, eyes tearing.
Laud (hoarse):
"Damn it… looks like I'm nearing the end of the line."
He looked at Ken again—
Still striking at the air with unwavering resolve.
Then picked up a small stone, raised it overhead, and continued training until his body could barely stand.
Laud (smiling through a second cough):
"I used to be his mentor…
But now?
Now… he inspires me."
Laud slowly rose and set the tea down on the table.
Laud:
"Ken…
If I'm not here tomorrow…
Just remember—
I've never been prouder of anything in my life…
Than I am of you."
He began walking toward Ken—
Eyes filled with sorrow…
And gratitude.
Laud (calmly): "That's enough, Ken… come here."
Ken immediately stopped and turned toward Laud, smiling at him tiredly.
Ken (with slight concern): "Are you okay? Your voice… sounds tired."
Laud (approaching him): "I'm fine…"
Without waiting for a response, he reached out, grabbed Ken by the shoulders… and pulled him into a sudden hug. Ken's eyes widened… then slowly closed, letting his body surrender to the embrace.
Ken (whispering softly, like a small child): "I thought… I was too old for hugs…"
Laud (holding him tighter): "And I thought… I wasn't a real father until I met you. Listen to me, Ken… I don't know how much longer I'll be here, but what I know for sure… is that you'll be stronger than me, and you'll stand when everyone else falls. Just… don't forget your heart."
Ken (with a trembling but firm voice): "I'll never forget anything about you… ever."
Laud slowly pulled away, gazing into Ken's gray eyes with a look that no one could ever forget.
Laud: "If this world tries to extinguish your flame… then start a war with it."
Then he smiled, gently patted Ken's head, and turned to walk back toward the house with slow steps… while Ken stood there watching him, feeling something strange in Laud's behavior.
⸻
[Inside the house – Evening – After a long day of training]
Ken opened the door after finishing his training. His clothes were slightly soaked with sweat, and his face looked tired from the intense session.
Ken (while taking off his shoes at the door): "Grandpa Laud… I finished my training… did you make dinner?"
There was no response… only the sound of violent coughing from the next room.
Ken (freezes for a moment, then rushes): "Grandpa Laud?!"
He hurried into the room, finding Laud sitting in the fabric chair near the fireplace, leaning forward, clutching his chest and coughing violently, a drop of blood falling into his palm.
Ken (with a trembling voice): "What?!"
Ken ran to him in panic.
Ken: "Grandpa Laud… what's happening?! Why are you bleeding?! Were you hurt?!"
Laud (trying to smile as he wipes his mouth): "Heh… looks like I'm not the strong young man I used to be, huh?"
Ken (worried and angry): "Did you see a doctor?! When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?!"
Laud paused for a moment, then sighed heavily, looking at Ken with honesty in his eyes.
Laud (calmly): "I went a week ago… after I started coughing every night… the doctor said the illness settled in my lungs… and there's no cure for it at my age."
Ken (softly): "How long…?"
Laud (reassuringly): "Days… weeks maybe… no one knows, but it's not long, boy."
Ken slowly approached, sat on the floor beside Laud's chair, and rested his head on the old man's lap in silence.
Ken (in a choked voice): "You can't leave now… you're all I have left."
Laud (running his hand through Ken's hair): "I didn't just stay for you… I made you ready to stay, even if I leave. You've become strong, Ken… and you're never alone… as long as my flame lives in you."
Ken (trying to hold back his tears): "But… I don't want just your strength… I want you…"
Laud (warmly): "Stay here tonight… just sit, let's talk a little… before a new sun rises."
Ken: "I'll stay… till the end, Grandpa."
⸻
[Laud's Bedroom – A Week Later]
Laud lay in bed, his body frail, breath shallow, and his voice barely audible. Ken sat in the chair beside him, his gray eyes silently watching the old man.
Laud (faintly): "Ken… come closer, boy."
Ken moved and sat on the edge of the bed, as quiet as ever.
Laud (weak but steady): "You know… I thought I would die alone… abandoned like my own children left me… but you were here."
Ken's expression barely changed, but he lowered his eyes to the ground, as if he didn't want to hear what came next.
Laud: "At first, I thought you were just another broken child… but you gave my life a meaning I never dreamed I'd regain. Every morning I saw you training until exhaustion, getting up after every fall… I was proud of you, Ken… more than I was of anyone from my own blood."
Laud slowly raised his trembling hand. Ken quickly reached out and held it.
Laud (smiling softly): "You became more than just an adopted grandson… you were my son… the son fate gave me… in the final chapter of my life."
Ken (quiet and shaky): "I never told you this before… but you were everything to me."
Laud smiled, then closed his eyes for a moment and whispered something barely audible.
Laud: "Keep going, Ken… don't let your fire die out, don't let the darkness consume you… you're stronger than you think."
And in that moment, a final long breath escaped his chest… his features became still, as if he had entered eternal sleep. Ken stared at him… didn't move… didn't scream… didn't break down… but a single tear slowly slid down his cheek.
Ken (muttering with internal pain): "Goodbye… Grandpa."
Then he sat beside him, without a word… and the night went silent… as if the whole world honored his passing.
⸻
[Laud's Garden – A Gray Morning – Cloudy Sky]
Ken stood alone in front of a freshly dug grave in the center of the garden, a small shovel in his hand—the one he had used to bury the old man one last time. There was no funeral, no mourners, no farewell words from priests or clergy. The scene was entirely silent… just Ken, and the heavy silence.
Next to the grave stood a simple wooden plaque, handwritten:
Laud – The Old Samurai
Ken stepped back… then bowed his head, closed his eyes… and didn't speak. He pulled something small from his pocket… a red chili pepper. He stared at it for a few seconds… then smiled faintly and buried it beside the grave. He looked up at the gray sky, then at the wooden sword he had stuck into the ground next to the grave as a marker.
Ken (whispers): "Goodbye, Grandpa… now I walk this path alone… again."
He turned and began walking toward the house without looking back…
⸻
[Island of Orakano – Amidst a vast forest – Three years later]
Ken stood in a large clearing outside his home, his toned arms exposed, muscles gleaming with sweat, chest rising and falling slowly after a long, grueling training session.
He was no longer the fragile child who came to this home crying… he was now fourteen years old, with a clearly defined physique, a sharper, more mature face, and a deeper voice. His gray eyes held a deadly coldness… but behind them, a fire that never rested.
Ken (standing before a thick tree trunk): "Six years have passed… six years of training, blood, and peppers."
Ken gripped his iron sword, raised it high… then ignited its blade with fire. He now controlled fire with ease, focusing it along the blade's edge. He lunged forward and struck with great force—
"FSSSHHHH!"
The tree split from its trunk, ash scattering through the air. Ken sat on a rock, pulled a red chili pepper from his small bag, looked at it with a calm smile, and popped it into his mouth without hesitation.
Ken (with a sarcastic smile): "I used to scream from one… now? They're my favorite snack."
As he chewed the hot pepper with pleasure, he looked up at the sky…
Ken (whispers): "Cirrus… the day of our meeting draws near."
To be continued…