Page 1
Early morning.
Mabu rises as usual. He comes down the stairs. He opens the front door.
He stops.
A small box at the threshold. No name on it. No seal. Only one address written in very fine handwriting.
He picks it up. He reads the name.
For the grandfather.
He closes the door behind him.
Page 2
The old man in his room. On the floor. Doing push-ups at a calm, steady rhythm. Thin smoke rises from a cup on the table beside him.
A knock at the door.
"Come in."
Mabu enters. He holds out the box.
"This arrived for you. I don't know where from."
The old man sits up. He looks at the box in silence for a moment before reaching for it.
Page 3
He opens it.
A folded letter. And beside it — something wrapped in cloth. A strange smell rises from it.
The old man opens the letter first. He reads it calmly.
Spruce Forest. Eastern side. Warehouse number nineteen.
Tomorrow. Morning.
Page 4
He folds the letter. He puts it in his pocket.
He unwraps the cloth slowly.
Mabu watches.
Then takes one step back.
"God… what is that smell?"
In the old man's hand — a human eye. Half decomposed. Split with a single clean sword cut from the left side.
The old man looks at it with eyes that don't move.
"Bring Thian. Now."
Page 5
Thian enters the room slowly. He sees Mabu's face. He sees the old man's face.
"What's happening?"
The old man sets the wrapped cloth aside. He stands.
"Prepare yourselves for tomorrow. We have a fight waiting for us. Tomorrow is the day of truth. You don't need the details right now. Go and prepare yourselves — do what needs to be done. Tomorrow morning we leave."
Mabu opens his mouth.
"But Grandfather—"
One look from the old man closes the matter.
Page 6
Mabu and Thian in the corridor. Walking slowly.
Thian: "What do you think is happening?"
Mabu looks at the floor: "I don't know. But the old man knows who sent that box. I saw his face when he opened it."
Thian goes quiet.
"Tomorrow we'll see."
Page 7
Early morning.
The old man outside the house. He ties his horse. From beneath his robe, he draws two swords and slides them into their sheaths.
Mabu watches.
"I didn't know you fight with two swords."
The old man mounts his horse.
"The place we're going to needs more than two swords."
He moves the horse forward.
"Today we go back into the past."
Page 8
Above a distant rooftop.
Number Five watches them leave.
He pulls out his small notebook. He writes a few words.
He moves after them.
In the forest, the old man leads and the two of them follow behind.
Mabu: "Won't you tell us where we're going?"
The old man: "I can't explain everything. You'll understand when you get there."
He pauses.
"I can't hide the truth any longer than this."
Page 9
A warehouse in the middle of the forest. Old stone walls. No windows. A massive wooden door.
The old man dismounts.
Mabu and Thian do the same.
The old man looks at the door with eyes that cannot be read.
"Prepare yourselves."
He steps forward.
Page 10
Slow motion.
The old man's robe moves in the forest breeze.
His hand extends toward the door.
It touches the wood.
It pushes.
Page 11
The darkness inside swallows them.
One step. Another. The only sound — their feet on the stone floor.
Then the door closes behind them by itself.
Silence.
Then — a laugh. Light. Cold.
Coming from every direction at once.
"It has been a long time since I last saw you… man of the single step."
Page 12
The old man stops.
He doesn't move. He doesn't react with surprise.
"No one has called me that in a very long time."
From the darkness, a man appears slowly. A broad face. His left eye is gone.
He smiles — the smile of someone who knows he holds the position of power.
"Let me introduce myself to your grandchildren. They may not know me."
He turns toward Mabu and Thian.
"Hello, children. My name is Ginzo."
Page 13
"I called you here today to settle some debts. With the grandfather… and with you as well."
The old man: "Why now? What changed?"
Ginzo places his hand on his chest as if remembering with gratitude.
"What changed? I've been looking for you for quite some time. Then… a piece of information reached me. From someone named Linsan — perhaps you know him. He found a small criminal of medium priority. They call him the Wooden Sword. And against all usual custom, he led us to you with his own feet — without knowing it."
He looks at Mabu.
Page 14
Mabu understands.
Ginzo continues: "What a beautiful coincidence. And what a day — to see your face again, Sharo."
He walks slowly around the old man.
"All the credit goes to Linsan, of course. I know his goal is for the two of us to kill each other — and then he takes control of the organization alone. He plays these games well. Especially with that foolish King who thinks he controls everything."
He stops.
"But why shouldn't I benefit as well?"
Page 15
"So then, man of the single step… let us remember a few things before I end this day."
He pauses.
"And Linsan had one specific request as well. To kill the son of Qurqur. And I have exactly the right man for that."
The old man takes one step backward.
His eyes widen. For the first time — something changes on his face.
Page 16
Ginzo sees it.
He smiles — colder than before.
"Oh… what a grandfather you are, Sharo. I don't envy you at all."
He walks in front of him slowly.
"You lost your wife. You lost your children. You lost your standing and your strength."
He gestures to his missing eye.
"All because of you. All those years. All that price."
Page 17
"And today you will lose your grandchildren. And yourself."
He stops.
"And your end will come at my hands… just as your beautiful wife's end did."
Complete silence inside the warehouse.
Mabu and Thian go still.
The old man smiles.
Slowly.
A smile he has never smiled before in this story.
Page 18
"Are you trying to provoke me?"
He takes one step forward.
"I tried to maintain this peace for many long years. I tried with everything I had."
He draws both swords in a single motion.
"But I failed. And I will not fail again."
He raises his eyes toward Ginzo.
"This time I will make sure the strike splits your face in two."
Page 19
Ginzo claps.
"Ohhhh! I love that spirit, Sharo. I love it deeply."
He claps again.
From the shadows on the side, two figures emerge.
"I've accounted for everything. Including your grandchildren. So that no one interrupts our fight."
Page 20
From above, a shout.
"Finally! I'll have my revenge!"
The gang leader launches from above the walls toward Mabu with both swords. His face carries months of rage.
Mabu sees him. He takes his stance.
He readies himself.
Page 21
Slow motion.
The gang leader in the air. Both swords gleaming.
Then.
Something pierces him from the right at a speed that cannot be followed.
He flies toward the opposite wall. He hits it. He falls.
Dust rises.
Mabu holds his breath.
Page 22
The dust fades slowly.
Someone standing where the gang leader was.
Tall. Calm. Not moving.
He looks at Mabu.
Mabu looks at him.
He doesn't recognize the face immediately.
But the armor — the armor he knows.
Page 23
"It's been a long time, boy."
A smile.
Mabu's hand is on his sword.
The dust clears completely.
Page 24
The Black Knight.
(Chapters 8, 9, 10)
Continued in Chapter Twenty-Three