Kaoru rose from the throne in one sharp movement. His red cloak fluttered behind him like a trailing flame as he began walking.
"We are attending whatever he has to say."
"Yes, sir," the guard replied, gripping his weapon tightly as he fell in behind Kaoru. Together, they marched out of the palace, heading toward whatever storm Rin Takeda was about to unleash.
Outside, Rin Takeda climbed the stairs of the stage set for his dialogue. The crowd was silent. No cheers, no claps—just the tense hush of anticipation. He paused at the top, raised his hand, and let the silence stretch for a heartbeat.
Finally, he spoke.
"I know how much you love the Hibuko Clan. Yami Hibuko has done wonders—he cleansed the tyrants and turned ruins into a country. He ran it as a samurai, always striving to lift people from their misery."
He cleared his throat, letting his words sink in.
"We all know how great Yami Hibuko was. He was the God of Blade for a reason."
The crowd's tension tightened, silence pressing down like a storm about to break. Then Rin continued:
"But… his bloodline now is rotten from the inside out. The same bloodline that descended from him goes against the values he lived his life for."
A heavy pause. The crowd froze. Murmurs rippled through the people like whispers of a coming tempest. Some voices started to cheer, hesitant at first, then louder.
"What I request," Rin said, voice firm, "is not power. I request that the people now be given a choice—to choose their own Kurozuki, since Hiroto Hibuko and Yami Hibuko are no longer with us."
For a moment, time itself seemed to stop. Then the crowd erupted into screams and cheers, the sound shaking the plaza. Faces lit with hope, hands raised in support. Rin Takeda allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Finally, he thought, he could wield power for good.