The smell of saltwater filled the air as Michi, Lior, Kael, Junia, Tieu, and Tiana stepped into Halsan Port City. The place was alive with noise—merchants shouting about their goods, gulls wheeling overhead, and sailors carrying crates of fish and barrels across the wide wooden piers.
Michi shaded his eyes with one hand, spotting the ferry schedules nailed to a board near the docks. "The next ferry to Onirokami…" he scanned the parchment and exhaled. "It's not arriving for three hours."
"Three hours?" Kael groaned, leaning against a wooden post. "We could have gone further if we walked."
Junia elbowed him playfully. "Don't be a baby. We can relax. It's not every day we're in a port city this big."
"Agreed," Lior said with his usual calm tone. "Let's find somewhere to rest and eat. Traveling has left us drained."
So they checked into a small inn tucked beside a narrow street, leaving their packs in their rooms before heading back out. The restaurant they chose was lively and warm, with lanterns glowing along the walls and the scent of seafood carried through the air.
Their table filled quickly: steaming squid rolls wrapped in seaweed, mussel sandwiches stacked high, bowls of rice topped with fish roe, and even fried shrimp tempura.
"This is heaven," Tiana murmured, biting into a squid roll with a delighted smile.
Tieu nodded gently, savoring her own mussel sandwich. "It's nice to eat something so fresh by the sea."
Michi reached for his own sandwich—when a sudden voice chirped behind him.
"Can I try some, gozaru?"
Before he could even react, a hand darted down, snatched his mussel sandwich, and lifted it right off his plate.
Everyone turned in shock.
The thief was a boy around their age, maybe younger, wearing a bright yellow yukata patterned with spirals. His hair was dark, tied loosely, and his grin carried a spark of mischief. He bit into Michi's sandwich without hesitation.
"Mmm," the boy said with a thoughtful chew. "It's good, gozaru… but a little salty."
Junia leapt to her feet. "H-Hey! You just stole his food!"
Kael scowled. "Who does that?"
Michi blinked, then sighed. "…I guess that's gone."
The boy laughed, finishing the last bite in a hurry. Suddenly another figure rushed into the restaurant—a taller boy with a short spear slung on his back. His hair was tied neatly, his expression sharper than his companion's.
"Young master," he said firmly, "I've located the smugglers' base."
The boy in the yellow yukata lit up with energy, slamming his hands on the table. "Good job, Onoe! Then let's finish this task before the main one, gozaru!"
He started toward the door, but Michi and the others stood at once.
"Wait," Michi called out. "Smugglers? That sounds… dangerous. Let us help."
The boy paused, studying him with curious eyes. Then he grinned. "Thanks! I am Tekia Burak, crown prince of Onirokami! The smugglers kidnapped one of my friends, Goldbug. I sent him to track them and now it's my responsibility, gozaru, to bring him back!"
The group exchanged startled looks. A crown prince—here, stealing sandwiches?
Lior crossed his arms. "If your friend's life is at stake, then yes, we'll help."
Tekia clapped his hands together. "Great! What are your names?"
Michi introduced them one by one—Lior, Kael, Junia, Tieu, and Tiana. Tekia listened intently, nodding rapidly, before turning toward the door with Onoe at his side.
"Okay, let's go, gozaru!"
The smuggler base was a crude shack built along the seashore, half-hidden by rocks. A small boat bobbed nearby, tied to a post—an obvious escape route. Lanterns lit the place dimly, and faint voices echoed from inside.
"They'll try to run," Kael muttered.
"Then we destroy their boat first," Lior decided.
The two moved silently across the sand, their weapons flashing in brief arcs. With a synchronized strike, they splintered the wooden hull, water rushing into the boat as it cracked and sank into the tide.
Meanwhile, Michi, Tekia, and Onoe advanced toward the shack while Junia, Tieu, and Tiana spread out to check the surroundings.
Inside, the smell of damp wood and fish hit them first. A lantern swayed from the ceiling, casting light over the sight of a boy trapped in a cage—small, blonde hair messy, eyes filled with fear.
"Goldbug!" Tekia cried.
Several smugglers turned at once, knives and clubs in hand. "Intruders!"
Michi drew his sword in one motion, the steel gleaming in the lantern light. Tekia unsheathed a polished katana from his waist, his stance sharp despite his lively grin.
"Don't blink, gozaru!" Tekia charged first, his katana slicing through the air with surprising speed.
Michi followed, sword clashing against the smuggler's blade before kicking the man back. Another lunged, but Michi parried and struck across his arm, disarming him.
Onoe dashed past them, his spear spinning to ward off attacks as he reached the cage. "Goldbug, hold on!" He shattered the lock with one precise strike.
The boy stumbled out, tears brimming. "T-Tekia!"
Tekia laughed, hugging him quickly even in the middle of the fight. "I told you I'd save you, gozaru!"
The smugglers were no match for the trio. Within moments, they lay unconscious on the floor, weapons scattered uselessly. Michi wiped his blade clean before sheathing it again.
"Done here," he said.
They stepped outside—only to find the sand littered with more defeated smugglers.
Junia swung her staff proudly. "That was fun."
Tieu lowered her glowing hands calmly. "They weren't strong."
Tiana flicked blood off one of her snakes. "Pathetic, really."
Kael shrugged. "Hardly worth calling a fight."
Lior stood behind them, expression steady. "It's over."
Tekia's jaw dropped, then he burst into laughter. "You guys are awesome, gozaru!" He pulled Goldbug into another tight hug. "We did it! Goldbug's safe thanks to all of you."
He clapped his hands together, his grin wider than ever. "Come with me to the royal palace, gozaru! You're all my guests now!"
Then he turned to Onoe, his voice still bursting with energy. "Onoe! Go and tell Tugaru to ready the ship!"
"Yes, young master," Onoe said with a respectful nod, already darting toward the city streets.
Michi and the others exchanged glances, a mix of amusement and surprise. They had come to wait for a ferry, but now they were invited into the heart of Onirokami itself—by none other than its crown prince.
And Tekia, with his reckless grin and boundless energy, promised nothing about this journey would be ordinary.