After a few weeks, Nēgus had finally begun spreading rumors about Ryōkōjū teaching Tuziku, an outsider, their sacred Hakashi Technique.
After catching wind of these rumors, Ryōkōjū decided to speed up Tuziku's Hakashi training, hoping to make him strong enough before the villagers launched a coup.
And so, Tuziku began developing his Hakashi Technique's first form while simultaneously training to use his third form—Reō—with Ryōkōjū.
Since then, several days had passed.
During that time, Prīōra had finally recovered and was able to come off bed rest.
As a result, Ryōkōjū was finally able to resume his duties full-time as Chief of the village.
However, it was only a matter of time until trouble arrived.
. . .
Present day...
After practicing his third form—Reō—with Ryōkōjū earlier that morning, Tuziku resumed honing his first form in solitude on the village outskirts.
Meanwhile, in the village at Ryōkōjū's house...
Prīōra, who had now recovered, was preparing lunch in the kitchen when suddenly—
Thud!
"Ow, ow, oww!" she cried out.
"Prīōra!" Kutcher shouted from another room.
He instantly rushed to her side.
"Prīōra, are you okay?" Kutcher asked, panicking.
"Yes, I'm fine, Kutcher," she replied as she held her arm in discomfort.
"It's just my arm... It still hurts a bit when I try to use it."
Kutcher sighed.
"You have to take it easy, Prīōra!"
"It's only been three days since you've been able to walk around again," he scolded her.
She grinned.
"I'm sorry to worry you, Kutcher."
"I just need to finish making lunch, and then I'll relax," she said brightly.
"Should you even be moving around so much?" Kutcher asked, scratching his head.
Suddenly—
"Kick them out!"
"Kick them out!"
"Kick them out!"
Small voices began chanting from outside.
"What's that sound?" Kutcher asked.
Prīōra wore a confused expression.
Then—
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
The voices grew louder.
Suddenly, Kutcher and Prīōra's faces turned pale as the voices continued to grow louder and draw nearer.
"Is it me, or is there a group of protesters outside right now?" Kutcher asked nervously.
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
Prīōra immediately rushed to the door to see what was happening.
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
As soon as she opened the door—
She was greeted by a mob of angry villagers holding torches and signs displaying condemnation toward Ryōkōjū.
"Guys, look! One of them opened the door!" a man shouted from amidst the crowd.
Prīōra froze as she faced dozens of villagers who glared at her with nothing but hatred and disgust in their eyes.
"That's Ryōkōjū's granddaughter..." another man shouted.
"GET HER!!"
Suddenly, the mob of angry protesters began charging toward her.
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
They chanted in unity.
"Prīōra, what's going on out there?" Kutcher asked as he approached behind her.
However, Prīōra remained completely frozen, her eyes wide open in disbelief.
As the villagers stormed toward her, Kutcher noticed the loud footsteps charging toward them.
"KICK THEM OUT!!"
"What the hell is going on?!" Kutcher shouted as he ran toward the door.
Then—
He saw it.
The furious expressions of the villagers charging toward them with terrifying speed.
"ANOTHER ONE APPEARED!!" one of the protesters shouted.
"CAPTURE THEM BOTH!!" another shouted.
Kutcher immediately knew—
There was no room for explanations.
He instantly grabbed Prīōra, placed her over his shoulder, and ran back inside the house.
"THEY'RE RUNNING AWAY!!"
"STORM THE HOUSE!"
"YEAAAAHH!!!"
They raised their torches in unity.
Suddenly, a small group of men stormed the house in search of the two.
"WE WON'T LET YOU ESCAPE!"
"ALL OF YOU WHO ARE CLOSELY ACQUAINTED WITH THAT TRAITOR RYŌKŌJŪ WILL BE PUNISHED!!"
"MEN, SPLIT UP AND SEARCH THE PLACE!"
As they frantically searched the house for Kutcher and Prīōra, they destroyed anything and everything in their paths.
Meanwhile, Kutcher swiftly escaped through a window at the side of the house with Prīōra.
"Prīōra, you have to get a grip on yourself!" Kutcher shouted as he desperately tried to escape while carrying her on his shoulder.
"PRĪŌRA!!" he shouted.
Suddenly...
"Yeah, yeah..."
"I'm sorry, Kutcher," she apologized.
"It's just... What on earth is going on?"
Kutcher remained silent for a moment, then—
"I can't answer that question, I'm afraid," said Kutcher as he desperately ran toward the exit of the village.
"But one thing is for sure..."
"We can't stay here much longer!" His expression hardened.
"Put me down," said Prīōra.
Kutcher came to a halt and placed Prīōra on her feet.
"Where are we going right now?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious? We're going to get Tuziku!" Kutcher replied.
Suddenly—
One of the villagers chasing them appeared.
"THERE THEY ARE!"
"THEY'RE TRYING TO ESCAPE!"
The mob of angry villagers charged toward the duo.
"Let's get out of here, Prīōra!" Kutcher shouted as he ran off.
Prīōra quickly followed behind.
"WE WON'T LET YOU ESCAPE, YOU TRAITOR!!" one of the villagers shouted.
As she glanced over her shoulder at the furious villagers chasing after her, she thought to herself:
Traitor?
Don't tell me...
Do they know about Tuziku?
"Hurry up, Prīōra!" Kutcher shouted.
Kutcher and Prīōra bolted toward the village outskirts, where Tuziku continued his training in solitude.
"YOU CAN'T RUN FROM US!!" one of the villagers shouted.
Prīōra thought to herself...
What the hell is going on...
...
Since Prīōra had only woken up three days ago, whether deliberate or not, everyone had completely neglected to inform her about the details leading up to Nēgus being exiled.
Meanwhile, back at the house...
Nēgus suddenly appeared.
"What's going on here?"
"Where are they?" he asked one of the villagers.
"Sir, Prīōra and a young boy carrying a sword on his back were inside earlier, but it appears they managed to escape."
Nēgus glared at him in silence.
"Escape?"
"Yes, although we have a group chasing after them," the man replied.
"Well, no matter," said Nēgus.
He let out a smirk.
"They're probably heading toward the other one..."
"And I bet he's still trying to learn our sacred technique near the base of Mount Yakushi."
Nēgus let out an evil laugh.
...
"Listen up, men!" he commanded, grabbing the mob's attention.
The angry villagers turned toward him.
"The two of them that got away are probably going to tell their other friend."
"The one who dares to defile our renowned Hakashi Technique!"
"He's out near the base of Mount Yakushi. You are to go and capture them at once!"
"But before that..." He turned toward Ryōkōjū's house.
"BURN THIS HOUSE TO THE GROUND!!" he commanded.
"YEAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The villagers rioted as they threw their torches into Ryōkōjū's house.
Within seconds, it erupted in flames.
Nēgus stepped forward.
"I swear on my life and honor, as the new Chief of the Hakashi tribe..."
"I WILL PROTECT OUR SACRED TREASURE AND PROTECT OUR PEOPLE!!!"
He raised a fist in the air as he let out a malicious grin.
"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The villagers rejoiced in unity just in front of Ryōkōjū's burning house.
"Now, men, go capture those criminals!" said Nēgus.
"LET'S GO, MEN!!!" one of the men shouted.
"YEAAAAAAHH!!"
The villagers stormed off in search of Tuziku and his crew.
Nēgus remained at the scene of Ryōkōjū's blazing house.
Suddenly—
"We've brought him as you requested, sir!"
Two villagers appeared, carrying the old man Ryōkōjū in their arms.
He was battered and covered in blood and wounds.
His limbs were tied, and his mouth was gagged.
"Perfect timing..." Nēgus approached them.
"Just drop him on the ground and join up with the others."
"As you wish, Chief!"
They stormed off.
"Now, old man... Watch as the village you care about so much becomes completely ruined by my hands..."
He wore a bright smile.
"Starting with this filthy house!"
"Now... watch!"
He held the old man's head and forced his eyelids open, making him watch as the flames completely demolished his house.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
He burst out laughing.
CHAPTER 56 END