Spiritual King's Office – Afternoon
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Spiritual King's office, casting golden light across the polished floors and the ornate weapons displayed on the walls. Outside, the clatter of hooves and distant chatter hinted at a village already busy, buzzing with energy.
Inside, Ryju sat upright, eyes narrowing.
"Laybirth Kingdom?" he asked, tension creeping into his voice.
The Spiritual King nodded from behind his massive oak desk, folding his arms across his chest. "Yep."
Rei furrowed her brows. "Exactly what is that?"
The King's voice grew grave. "It's a kingdom that's openly threatened to destroy the Twenty Great Villages… and they're starting with us."
Ryju leaned forward. "So what's our mission? Spy on them? Track their movement?"
"Well, yeah," the King said casually. "You're going to spy on them… and destroy them."
Ryju nodded, his voice steady. "Okay."
"Bet," Shun added, cracking his knuckles. "Who's our target?"
"Jinko Maenami," the King replied. "And his four elites. Generals. Whatever you wanna call them."
Kenshiro crossed his arms. "Where's this kingdom even located?"
The King pointed to a large map on the wall. "South of Jinkawa Village."
Kenshiro tilted his head. "That's one of the Great Villages. Why can't they handle it themselves?"
The Spiritual King shot him a dry look. "Trying hard to avoid this mission, huh?"
"Yep," Kenshiro replied without shame.
The King's tone darkened. "They won't handle it… because I want you to. This is your mission. You need to get stronger—upgrade your powers. Grow into the protectors this village needs."
Kenshiro groaned. "Man… can't dodge this one."
"So we're protecting the village," Ryju affirmed, clenching a fist.
In the corner of the room, Mr. Taka finally spoke, his voice like steel wrapped in calm. "And for some reason, Lloyd is putting all this trust in you."
Ryju turned toward him. "Don't worry, Mr. Taka. We'll handle it."
Kaji smirked beside him. "My students can take care of it, old geezer."
The King chuckled. "Oh—and speaking of Mr. Taka. I made a deal with him."
Ryju raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"
"Mr. Taka wanted to go and destroy the Laybirth Kingdom right away," the King explained. "But I convinced him to let you go first—to give you the chance to defeat them and grow stronger in the process."
"What's the catch?" Rei asked warily.
Mr. Taka stepped forward. "I'll let you go first. But I'll begin walking to the Laybirth Kingdom now. It'll take me three days to get there."
Goro blinked. "Wait—so we have three days to defeat them?!"
"Exactly," Mr. Taka confirmed.
Rei leaned toward the King and whispered, "Does he ever put that sword down?"
"Nope," the King replied without hesitation.
His tone turned serious again. "If the mission isn't complete by the time Mr. Taka arrives… your job is to retreat. Because he will destroy the entire kingdom."
Goro's expression tightened. "What about civilians?"
The King shrugged. "Save them if you can. But if they're a threat—"
"Leave them," Mr. Taka said coldly. "I'll deal with them."
The King nodded. "Jinko will likely kill anyone who doesn't agree with him. He's already acting like a king."
Ryju's face was conflicted. "Are you sure about that?"
"Nope," the King said bluntly. "It's just a hunch. But I'd bet on it. He'll probably make his announcement today."
Kenshiro glanced up. "And when is this announcement happening?"
"Today."
"And when are we leaving?"
The King didn't miss a beat. "Right now."
Kaji blinked. "But we've never even been there—"
"No worries," the King interrupted. "Your transport's waiting outside."
Kaji frowned. "Wait… what?"
"A horse carriage. The driver knows the way."
Kaji's eyes widened. "Huh?!"
Outside the Office – Horse Carriage Departing
The team stood beside a sleek black carriage, pulled by two muscular horses. The polished wood gleamed under the blazing sun. Villagers paused as they passed, casting curious glances and offering quiet nods of encouragement.
Inside the carriage, the team settled in.
The Spiritual King stood in the doorway, arms crossed.
"You'll arrive in three hours. Defeat Jinko and his elites… or Mr. Taka will finish the job."
He shut the carriage door. "Driver—you're good to go."
With a crack of the reins, the horses whinnied and the carriage rolled forward.
A Distance Away – Training Field
Uzuki stood alone, his white hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. He watched as the carriage grew smaller in the distance.
"They're off on a new mission," he muttered.
With a pulse of spiritual energy, he vanished—reappearing moments later in the middle of a wide, open training field where his team sparred under the sun.
Takao looked up. "What did the Spiritual King want with you?"
Uzuki shrugged. "Oh, nothing. Just wanted me to meet someone."
Takao nodded. "We're doing sparring matches."
Uzuki grinned. "Cool. Who wants to go first?"
Back in the Carriage – Leaving the Village
The rhythm of hooves against the dirt path filled the cabin. Outside, the cobblestone streets gave way to winding trails lined with whispering trees outside the village. They passed in a blur— working villagers, and the vibrant life of the Great Village fading behind them.
Kaji leaned back with a sigh, gazing at the trees swaying in the breeze.
"Well," he muttered, "here we go."
The mission had begun.
TO BE CONTINUED...