SAI SHINU
In a flash—a sudden, soundless burst of light—two figures appeared in front of us. It was so sudden, so unnatural, that I froze.
When my eyes adjusted, I recognized them.
Taro. Yosuke.
"They're here…" I whispered to Yuri.
At first she didn't react, still holding me tightly. But the moment my words sank in, she let go and ran toward her father.
Taro caught her mid-run, lifting her into the air in a fierce embrace. Relief softened his usually stern face.
I walked over. "I'm glad you made it."
But Yosuke's expression was sharp, urgent. "There's no time to celebrate. We need to hide. Now."
Something in his voice cut through me. He wasn't exaggerating—he was dead serious.
"Where the hell are we supposed to go?" Jiro demanded. "And what is this place?"
Taro lowered Yuri back to the ground, his tone cold, unwavering. "We find shelter first. Explanations come later."
He paused, thinking. "About an hour from here, there's an old roadside motel. We'll be safe there, at least for the night. Let's move."
None of us argued.
We walked. The land stretched endless before us, barren and wind-swept, like a desert stripped of life. Nothing stood in our path—only sand, silence, and the heavy rhythm of our footsteps.
For the entire trek, no one spoke. The only sounds were our breathing and the wind cutting across our ears.
An hour later, just as Taro had said, the motel appeared. Weathered. Lonely. But still standing.
We didn't hesitate. Each of us grabbed a room. Yuri went with Taro. Yosuke took one alone. Jiro and I shared.
The second my body hit the mattress, exhaustion devoured me.
When I opened my eyes again, the sky outside was dark. Night had fallen. My throat felt dry, so I decided to head downstairs for a drink.
Halfway down the creaking stairs, I spotted Taro.
"How's Yuri?" I asked quietly.
He gave a faint smile. "She's fine. Just exhausted. I let her rest longer."
Then his tone shifted. "Sai… want to take a walk?"
I nodded. "Yeah. That's what I came down for anyway."
We stepped out into the cool night, walking near the cracked road that led away from the motel. The silence between us was heavy, almost uncomfortable. Finally, he broke it.
"I wanted to talk with you. Personally." His voice was low, almost… disappointed.
I hesitated, then said, "I also have something to tell you. But… you first."
He nodded. "I need to tell you the truth. The whole story."
I slowed my pace, listening.
"When I was a boy—about ten—I lived in Yasu village with my family. My father was… a famous figure there." His eyes grew distant. "But fame has a price. He wasn't a wielder of any weapon. He hated them. He relied only on his own strength."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
He took a long breath. "Other villages heard of him. For six years straight, men came to challenge him. For six years… he never lost."
I froze in my tracks. "Six years? Undefeated? That's… impossible."
Taro stopped walking too. His dark red eyes met mine, steady, heavy.
"What happened after that?" I asked.
He lifted his hand, tracing the shape of a triangle in the air.
"Picture this. At each point of the triangle—three great villages. Yasu, where I lived. Yoshi, where Yosuke is from. And Sora, the largest of them all. Other villages existed, yes, but they were too small to even carry a name."
I nodded slowly. "Alright. I can see it."
"One day, a warrior from Sora came to challenge my father. They fought. My father won. But the man refused to accept defeat. He tried to strike again—even after the duel had ended."
Taro's jaw tightened. "My father's patience broke. He nearly killed him. Instead, he gave him one command: never set foot in Yasu again."
I exhaled. "Your father sounds like a great man. Strong. Just."
Taro's face darkened. "That's what I thought too. Until the day it all ended."
His voice cracked.
"Days passed. Peaceful. Then one morning, I woke up early. As I was leaving, I noticed something strange—my father's boots were still by the door. He never left without them. I thought, maybe… he was taking a day off."
His hands trembled.
"But when I stepped outside, I saw him. Hanging… five meters up, against the wall of a building."
My breath caught in my throat.
Taro's eyes glistened as he forced the words out. "A sword had been driven straight through his chest. The blade had pierced him so deep it burst through his back—and into the wall behind."
His voice broke completely. A single tear slipped down his face.