**The palace gates opened.**
Hakari walked in, two children behind him — barefoot, quiet, and unsure.
Akami strode beside him, silent.
> "Clean them. Feed them. They're not slaves. They're guests."
> — Hakari
The servants hesitated.
> "NOW."
> — Akami
They obeyed, hurriedly taking the children to be washed and fed. When they returned "their eyes were shining, their faces glowing" they looked beautiful, their stomachs were full — stuffed to the brim.
"Are you same people?"
>--Hakari
After resting for a while.
Hakari led them to the audience chamber.
His mother sat gracefully on the platform, brows raised.
> "Hakari… who are these children?"
> — Mother
> "Children I couldn't leave behind. They're staying."
> — Hakari
The girl looked down. The boy clutched her sleeve.
> "What's your name, sweet one?"
> — Mother
> "Heena…"
> — the girl whispered.
> "You're safe now, Heena. I'm glad you're here."
> — Mother
She opened her arms. Heena stepped forward hesitantly. The boy followed. She embraced them both.
Then—
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Their father entered with armored guards. He stopped before Hakari, eyes locked on the two children.
He raised his hand slightly.
Two guards seized the children.
> "Let them go."
> — Hakari
The guards didn't move.
> "I SAID LET THEM GO!"
> — Akami, voice cracking like thunder
He stepped between them, eyes burning bright.
> "I'm Akami Shinzowa."And I promise, if any of you lay a hand on them again... I'll cut it off."
> — Akami
A symbol surged beside him — shaped like a **Bow and Arrow**, glowing fiercely.
The guards released the children. Silence.
Their father stared at Akami for a long moment. Then turned and left.
A soldier rushed in, kneeling beside Hakari.
> "The King of Velvet has been killed. The crystal is… shattered."
> — Soldier
Hakari's hands clenched.
> "That means war…"
> — Akami
> "We're not strong enough."
> — Hakari
> "Then we become strong."
> — Akami
> "Tomorrow… we train."
> — Hakari
---
**Next Morning**
**CLASH!**
The sound of swords filled the yard.
> "Why is this so heavy?!"
> — Kage, struggling to lift the blade
> "Don't drop it on your foot!"
> — Akami shouted from behind
Heena trained separately — alone in a mountain cave, her hands trembling.
> "I don't have a sword... I have to find my Code."
> — Heena whispered to herself
Days passed.
She meditated in silence. Her breath slowed. Her heart focused.
Then—
A faint pattern shimmered beside her.
A circle. **"O"** — clear and radiant.
**Code: O**
> "Command… protection."
> — Heena, softly
A gentle energy surrounded her — warm, firm, unbreakable.
Healing. Shielding. Defense.
She smiled.
> "Even if I can't fight like them... I can protect them."
> — Heena
Meanwhile, Kage practiced for an hour or two… then disappeared.
> "Tch… I don't even HAVE a Code."
> — Kage
But for some reason he always came back.
2 YEARS LATER-
Hakari: You two, your moves are stiff. You are moving slowly. Your attacks don't have precision either. Look, I've told you—Hai-Key is a technique which came from our ancestors. The first user created it and ever since, this family honed it.
Now, Hai-Key technique can give you access to control commands even if you were not born with Code. But here comes the problem: the very best you can do is one powerful command, or four low-status commands.
And at your current status, I don't see any potential at all that you can use Hai-Key technique.
And you, Kage, ever since I brought you here with your little sister Hana, I constantly made sure—by hiring top Code masters—to check if you'd get delayed Code, which happens very rarely. Aside from your little sister, you don't possess any Code.
But then the question is—why, then? Why do your seven senses happen to be activated constantly? Which is rare even in a person born with Code?
I don't know. You can't use Hai-Key technique and you don't have Code, but I will surely find out soon.
Aside from you, your sister, who is already better than you in combat, she does possess a Code which appears to be a Protection Command. At first, when she was training, her Code glowed red—which means a Phoenix Flames Command, which is exceptionally rare.
But as she trained, her Code gradually turned green,though I don't yet know what it means,but I'm sure it is a Protection Command.
Still, she needs to hone her command and then we will know what exactly it is.
And you all might have already heard: it's been two years since the Velvet King was killed, and all I hear is—war is coming. Also, that Crystals are getting destroyed.
Our king might say we are safe. I might say it is safe for us right now—but it is right now only. We don't know what happens next.
And in conditions like this, where even a person born with Code isn't safe—we need to have an alternative.
Why is this happening, you may ask? Why are people dying?
Because Crystals are like a medium through which a person uses a Command. But I can just assume: because the population is growing, so are Command users. So I can assume that Crystals, because of the immense energy, can't hold it. And that's why they are dying.
But as for my research, I found that people born abnormal, with no Code—like me—with the use of Hai-Key technique, can use Commands. It's like when a person is born, he contains energy from his birth till he dies.
A person born with Code has an immense amount of energy. And people without Code also have Code energy—but not comparable to theirs. But because we are not bound with Code Crystals, it doesn't affect us. And Hai-Key technique helps us use Command using that energy—but very limited.
Akami: We've trained enough for the day. Please let us rest now. We have been training rigorously for one month. Why suddenly? We trained before, but this is getting harder every day.
Hakari: Akami, know this—that you are supposed to be the next king.
Akami: Then why them,what are they training for?
Hakari: Because they are coming with me.
Kage: As you say, my lord.
Heena: Brother, why? I don't want to go—I want to stay with Brother Akami.
Hakari: Kage, how many times do I have to say it—I'm not your hero or lord. If anything, you see me as a brother. Or better than that—a friend.
And Heena, you have gotten very naughty. But of course, you can stay with Akami if that's what you want. I just thought you might miss Kage, and that's all.
Heena: Yessh! I will stay with Akami.
Kage: Sorry Brother Akami. Heena is now your responsibility.
Akami: Of course. Don't worry, I can handle it.
Hakari: You're ten years old, you know that, Akami?
Akami: Huh? And you're just one year older than me!
Hakari: Stop that, Akami. I have to go see Mother. Come, Kage. We have to go.
Kage: As you say, lor—broth—friend.
Hakari: Huh. That's better.
[KOHAS ROYALE PALACE]
King Yami Shinzowa: I told you, Hakari. Wherever you go—I don't care.
Hakari: I know, Father. Better than anyone—that you don't want to see me. But it was my obligation to say goodbye to you.
King: You did. Now begone.
Hakari: As you say, Father.
Mother Tenshi Shinzowa: Hakari, why so soon? It has only been two years. I want to see you—for now, stay, Hakari. For me, my son. For my peace.
Hakari: Mother… staying for another three or seven years wasn't a bad deal. 'Cause I know you were here. I also want to see you every day, Mother. I love you, my dear Mother.
But as I'm now already a burden… and I'm already very late" I think I have become a cowa...
Mother Tenshi Shinzowa:Stop it, You are not a burden. At least not to me. And a coward—you will never become.
Hakari:
"Mother, to me, a coward isn't someone who runs from responsibility — it's someone who faces it when it's already too late.
And I fear… I fear, Mother, that I'm already too late.
I'm no one special. But if I were nothing—if I had never been born, if I wasn't meant to exist—then maybe I wouldn't have any responsibilities.
But I am here. I see it. I feel it.
And I want to fix it.
I'm not a hero, Mother…
Just a coward, trying to make up for being late."
Mother: I won't stop you anymore, Hakari. But my son—you are not a coward. If not a hero… then you are Hakari Shinzowa.