"Quick on your feet. We have to reach him fast, or— or…"
"Or what, Commander Yami?"
"Or I don't know," Yami said, face blank, voice flat as stone.
Rui, Lucas, and Hem Decker left the mansion and headed straight back through the burning wastes.
"As I said, it's no use. I can't leave this place. You both will just be disappointed." Hem's voice was quiet, but steady.
"That's all right for us," Rui replied. "Better to be disappointed by the truth we witness than to live with overwhelming doubts and unsatisfied hearts."
"As you both wish," Hem answered.
A low grinding sound cut through the air—first faint, then growing. "Crrrrr… crrrrrr…" The noise swelled, the ground underneath them beginning to tremble.
"What is happening? What is this noise?" Rui asked, shock threading his words.
"Crrrrr… crrrrrr… crrrrrrrrrrr." The rumble rose into a roar. Rocks shifted. The earth shook wildly.
Hem Decker sighed. "I told you both. It's no use. These noises and the shaking are only the beginning. If I step a foot outside, this place will crumble with me and rebuild again with my conscience of what happened intact—like nothing ever changed. Still, for you, I will go."
Shame tightened Rui's chest as they neared the exit. Is this right? Is what I'm doing morally okay? he thought. I know it's not. But somehow… this man—there's something about him that I can't dismiss. Maybe I'm overthinking. He's coming; the doubts will clear.
Lucas tapped Rui's shoulder. "Don't zone out now. I know it's hard, but we have to validate things even if it seems morally messy. You are the justice of three nations—the sword of Velvet, Doer, and Koha. With you, we manage relations between those countries. You're the one who can rebuild Velvet. So don't doubt. Never doubt. You are the king, Rui Yamazaki. And look—here we are."
"Yes. We are." Rui swallowed. "I… I'm sorry, but I may have to put you in handcuffs for now."
"Of course," Hem said. "A king must take precautions. Good thinking. Now — shall I move first, or will you?"
Before Rui could answer, Lucas interrupted, voice fumbling. "Ar— were you truly the king of Roma?"
"What do you mean? Didn't you hear what I said? I killed them all; I was the king, but now I'm not. Any more questions?" Hem snapped.
"No," Lucas muttered, head down.
"I do," Rui said, clear and steady. "I know you told us you were the king — sure. But my question is… did you really sell your nation by mistake? How could it be an accident? A king, as you said, takes precautions. You seem to have lost hope without trying. Why?"
Hem's eyes burned red; his face twisted. "I told you everything. Yes—I was king of no good." He fell to his knees, voice breaking, tears carving tracks through ash on his cheeks. "And yet I wanted to save them. Save them all."
Rui's chest tightened. To hell with my doubts, he thought. I came to confirm, and I did. He steadied himself. "Sir Hem Decker, you may take one step forward. But first, let us break this wall so we may move."
Hem chuckled, bitter and soft. "No, you don't need to do that." He pointed to the bottom middle of the wall. "There—push there, that brick. That's the opening. The wall changes its position after a push or a break."
Hem pushed the brick with his palm. Slowly at first, then with a grace that felt practiced, the wall began to fall—brick by brick—unraveling like a seam pulled free. The opening widened until a breath of the outside world touched their faces. Hem took a step toward the threshold.
A scream cut through the air like a whip. "You motherfucker!" The sound came from behind—a pounding of boots, the thunder of a hundred soldiers.
Hem turned; his eyes widened. Yami and his army were charging, red determination on their faces.
"You fucking bastard!" Yami shouted as he closed the distance. "I'm coming!"
Hem's lips curled, then he stepped back. "Hey, both of you—Lucas, Rui—I'm sorry, but I must leave for now. We'll meet again. Command—" He vanished like smoke; one moment standing on their path, the next gone.
"Motherfucker ran away again," Yami ground through clenched teeth. He barked toward Rui and Lucas, voice burning with anger, "What were you doing with him, you bastards—?"
"Stop, Commander Yami," Rui answered, stepping forward. "It's I—Rui Yamazaki. This is Lucas Campo, my companion."
"I… I'm sorry, my king… bu… but—" Yami spat, eyes flaring. "Even so, what are you doing here, my majesty?"
"Exactly what you think we are," Rui said.
"You mean you know about Hem Decker? That bloody bastard?" Yami's hand curled into a fist.
"Stop right there, Sir Yami," Rui snapped. "I won't hear anything against that man."
"What? What are you saying, King Rui? He's the one operating the whole crime empire and—"
"And what?" Rui asked, cold.
"Nothing. He is a criminal!" Yami's voice stung.
"And you have proof?" Rui demanded.
"Proof? What do you mean? We know he is the one—we have been—"
"I won't hear anything else," Rui said. "If you have proof, show it. Otherwise, hold your tongue."
Yami opened his mouth and then clamped it shut as his soldiers kept him in check.
"Sorry, Your Majesty," one of Yami's lieutenants said. "We ask forgiveness for our commander. If you will allow it, we will take our leave."
"Take these hands off me! I'm not going to do anything!"
One soldier murmured quietly, "But Commander… we know you were about to. Your hands were just about to land on King Rui's face — another disaster could've happened."
" yami takes a sigh, he thinks to himself, still clutching his fists— I have never seen a fucking king like you.
With a long breath, Yami said, "We will take our leave now.", and his army began to march back toward Akuma.
"Sir Yami, why walk for so long? Come with us. Rest in Velvet and then leave," Rui called after them.
"Your grace, we are honored, but we must decline. We are returning from Akuma's route; urgent work waits," Yami answered without turning.
"As you wish. Give my regards to King Aahara," Rui said.
"We will, my king," Yami replied.
Rui turned back toward the threshold. Rui and Lucas stepped outside, leaving the place behind. The sky ahead was clear, and the fresh wind brushed gently against their skin.
"Lucas, that was a ride, wasn't it?"
"Fuck you, Rui!" Lucas snapped, but there was a smile under the grit.
"Hey, don't say that. We enjoyed it, didn't we?"
"I said, 'FUCK YOU!'"
"Listen, Lucas. I still think we should keep searching for the leader. But You're right—we're late. If we don't clear things between Koha and the other nations, it'll cause more problems. So for now, we focus on Koha. I'll mobilize our greatest scholars and find out who this leader is."
"Thank God you realized!" Lucas said.
"Don't be dramatic. I did all this for my nation's good."
"Sure. And the other is—also for the nation's sake."
"Right. Let's go. We only have one day left to rest."
"You're very precise with these day counts, Commander."
"Of course. Being the commander of a king like you, I prepared for wasted time. That's why I trained myself — so I wouldn't get lost in it like you do.
"Stop saying that. It hurts my—"
"Forget it. I'm sorry. Let's rest for the day."
"Yeah, but we still have another two hours to travel."
"For God's sake…"
Far away, in another nation, the drum of a different march began.
"Armies! Are you ready? Are you prepared?" Sai screamed. "Are you ready to end the ones who destroyed us? Now let's defeat the devil and claim victory!" He shouted, "Victory! Victory! Victory!"
Soldiers answered in thundered chorus, "Victory! Victory! Victory!"
The earth shook under their feet. Wind stilled at their cries. The world tasted of iron and expectation as two forces converged toward the same bloody horizon.