The circle of fifty guards closed in, torches flickering like a wall of fire.
The lean masked man glanced at Johan, his calm voice cutting through the rising tension.
"You can fight, can't you? Pick up a sword — defend yourself and the boy. We'll handle the rest."
Johan hesitated for only a heartbeat before nodding.
"Yes… I can."
He reached for a fallen guard's blade — its weight heavy, its edge dull, but it was enough.
The masked pair moved first.
The huge one charged forward like a storm, his massive sword crashing down and shattering the guards' formation.
Each swing sent men flying, armor dented, steel breaking under raw power.
Beside him, the thin one flowed like shadow — cutting, turning, weaving through blades with inhuman precision.
Their movements balanced perfectly — brute force and speed blending into a deadly rhythm.
Johan gritted his teeth, standing protectively in front of Sugaru as the chaos erupted around them.
Two enemy soldiers broke from the flank, their eyes locking onto the child behind him.
Johan's heart slammed in his chest.
He was exhausted, his arms trembling, but he didn't hesitate.
He spun to face them, parrying the first sword with a trembling hand.
Sparks flew as metal met metal.
With a burst of effort, he thrust forward, blade slicing cleanly through the first soldier's defenses. The man froze, eyes wide, before collapsing.
The second soldier lunged, but Johan sidestepped, his sword flashing in the torchlight. A swift, precise strike ended the threat in a heartbeat.
For a moment, silence fell over the bridge. Johan's chest heaved, body shaking from fatigue, but his eyes still burned with determination.
He had fought not for glory, but to protect the boy behind him.
At the edge of the chaos, the enemy captain stood frozen, watching his soldiers fall one after another.
His breath caught in his throat as steel clashed and screams echoed through the night. What is this…? he thought, his hands trembling against his sword hilt.
This isn't what they told us.
They aren't just strong — they're monsters.
Through the blur of torchlight and blood, his eyes caught the two masked figures tearing through his men with merciless precision.
In his mind, they no longer looked human — but like two beasts unleashed, hunting through the dark.
The last soldier fell, his sword clattering against the stone before silence swallowed the bridge.
Only the flicker of torches and the sound of ragged breathing remained.
The lean masked man stepped forward, his boots echoing against the blood-slick stone as he approached the trembling captain.
The captain's sword slipped from his shaking hands and hit the ground with a dull clang.
"No… no, don't come near me," he stammered, stumbling backward.
"Let me live! I—I won't follow you anymore. Take the bag, take whatever you want—just leave me!"
The masked man stopped a few steps away, his voice calm and even.
"Don't worry," he said. "I won't kill you."
Relief flooded the captain's face. "Yes… please, just let me live."
But then the masked man lifted a gloved hand and pointed toward Johan.
"He will," the masked man said, his voice calm and unwavering.
Johan froze, eyes widening as the meaning sank in.
Behind them, the towering masked man chuckled, resting his massive sword on his shoulder.
"Oh, now he has done it," he said with a low laugh.
Johan stepped closer.
The lean masked man turned to him, his voice calm.
"Kill him," he said, handing Johan his sword. "He's yours."
Johan stared at the blade, then at the trembling captain on his knees.
"Why?" he asked quietly.
The masked man tilted his head slightly.
"Because he thought you were an ant beneath his boots," he said.
"So now… a tiny ant will be the one to kill him."
The captain's eyes widened in terror. He fell to his knees, hands shaking.
"No… no, please! Don't do this! I'll leave, I'll never—"
Johan smiled faintly, gripping the sword.
"Then this is what you get," he said softly, raising the blade,
"for thinking you were bigger than someone else."
Steel flashed.
The captain's final scream echoed through the bridge—
a single, broken "Nooo!"—
before the blade came down, and silence followed.
As the moment faded, Johan sank onto the edge of the bridge, his breath still heavy. Blood
and silence hung over the cobblestones, the clash of swords now just an echo in his mind.
Sugaru rested against him, trembling slightly, still gripping Johan's torn clothes.
Johan placed a steady hand on the boy's small shoulder, letting him feel the warmth of safety.
He looked up at the masked men, curiosity and exhaustion mingling in his eyes.
"Who are you… and why did you help us?" he asked softly, his voice calm now, carrying the weight of relief more than caution.
The lean masked man met his gaze, voice low and deliberate.
"They were after us," he said simply. "You were only caught up because of their foolishness."
Johan exhaled, his shoulders loosening.
Sugaru buried his face in Johan's chest, whispering, "I'm glad you're alright… I thought I'd lose you too."
Johan smiled gently, brushing the boy's hair back.
"I won't leave you behind," he murmured.
"Don't worry."
The lean masked man added quietly, "They'll follow you now. Seeing you fight with us… they'll eventually know."
Johan nodded, looking down at Sugaru, who still clung tightly to him.
"I'll find a way," he said, determination returning to his tone.
"If I were alone, maybe I'd have chosen to die… but now I have him. And that gives me a reason to live."
The lean masked man studied Johan for a moment.
"Johan… why don't you come with us?" he asked.
Johan frowned. "Why would I follow you? I don't even know you."
"You do," the man said quietly, then slowly removed his mask.
Johan's eyes widened. The face beneath was familiar… it was the captain.
"You… captain?" Johan whispered, disbelief and recognition mingling in his voice.
"Yes," the captain said simply, nodding.
Johan shook his head, a small, incredulous smile forming.
"So… why did you help me? I was your enemy."
The captain's expression was calm, almost gentle.
"Not anymore. I've seen you, Johan… how you've changed. You're no longer the person I once fought against. Come with me."
Johan chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"So at the end… you really are something, captain."
"I'm just a normal captain," he replied, standing and moving toward the far side of the bridge.
"Let's go… we don't have that much time."
Johan stood as well, lifting Sugaru in his arms.
The boy had fallen asleep quietly during the conversation, exhausted from the night's chaos.
Johan whispered softly, almost to himself,
"So… you call it normal? What you've been doing…"
As they moved along the bridge, the huge masked figure appeared, stepping out from the shadows.
He scanned the surroundings, then froze, eyes widening in surprise.
"What are you doing, captain? Why did you remove your mask?" he shouted, his voice booming across the empty street.
The captain's voice was calm but firm, low enough to cut through the tension.
"Keep your voice down. There's no need to hide from him anymore.
From now on, he will be working with us."
The massive masked man's brow furrowed.
"I don't know what you've talked about, but if you say captain, then from now on he's also my companion."
"With that, he removed his mask, revealing a face marked by battle—an eye patch covering his missing eye and a relaxed, confident smile.
"I am Rolsten,' he announced."
Rolsten stepped forward and playfully slapped Johan on the back, just enough to make him lose his balance for a brief moment.
"Hey! Slow down! Sugaru will wake!" Johan exclaimed, catching himself.
"Oh! Sorry," Rolsten said, chuckling, a deep laugh rumbling from his chest.
Johan steadied himself, Sugaru still tucked safely in his arms, while Rolsten's grin widened.
The tension eased slightly, a rare moment of relief amid the night's chaos.
And they started their journey….
A sudden voice cut through Johan's thoughts. "Hello? Are you listening?"
Johan blinked, shaking off the memory.
"Huh? What happened?" he asked, still caught between past and present.
Cedric raised an eyebrow, his tone amused but curious.
"I was asking you… how did you become the captain's companion?"
Johan let out a small smile, the memory fading behind his eyes.
"No special reason," he said softly, almost to himself, as the present reclaimed him.
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