Nobu sat on the cold ground, his back pressed against the cracked wall.
The night air was heavy, suffocating, as if it carried the weight of his thoughts.
He clenched his fists.
I made a mistake…
Letting Baku go alone had been a mistake. No matter how strong Baku was, no one should walk into the past by themselves—especially a past soaked in blood and regret.
Nobu lowered his head. For the first time in years, doubt gnawed at him.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow. Steady. Heavy.
Nobu's body stiffened.
He didn't need to look.
That rhythm…
That presence…
That pressure in the air—
His eyes widened.
Beru.
Nobu stood up abruptly, turning just as a tall figure emerged from the darkness. Broad shoulders. Calm steps. Eyes sharp enough to pierce through the night.
Their gazes met.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Beru's expression cracked.
In a single stride, he crossed the distance and pulled Nobu into a tight embrace.
So tight it almost hurt.
Beru's arms trembled.
"You idiot…" Beru's voice was hoarse. "Why didn't you tell me you were alive?"
Nobu froze.
Years of loneliness, guilt, and silence shattered in that one moment.
He slowly returned the hug.
"I didn't want to interrupt your life," Nobu said quietly. "You had a family. A future. I didn't want to drag you back into the darkness."
Beru pulled away, gripping Nobu by the shoulders.
"You think pain disappears just because you hide it?" Beru snapped. "You think brothers stop worrying?"
Nobu looked away.
Silence fell again—but this time, it was softer.
Eventually, they sat down together on two broken chairs nearby.
Nobu began to speak.
He told Beru everything.
About the betrayal.
About the blood.
About how he disappeared instead of dying.
About the years spent surviving instead of living.
Beru listened without interrupting.
His jaw tightened. His fists clenched.
When Nobu finished, Beru exhaled slowly.
"…You don't have to endure it anymore," Beru said. "I'm here now."
He placed a firm hand on Nobu's shoulder.
"I'll be your shield."
Nobu smiled.
It wasn't wide.
It wasn't loud.
But it was real.
After so many years, they were sitting together again—like the old days.
Then Nobu's expression darkened.
"Baku," he said. "He went alone."
Beru's eyes narrowed.
"Baku made me rich," Beru said. "He trained both of us. If he's involved, I won't stand aside."
Nobu nodded and picked up the worn map from the ground.
"Then let's go," he said. "We save him—and his family."
Beru pulled out his phone.
"I'll get the exact location," he said. "My people won't miss."
Nobu nodded.
"That's all we need."
Meanwhile…
Baku stepped into the place where his life had once begun.
Where he had met his wife.
Where laughter used to exist.
But the place he remembered was gone.
In its place stood a bustling restaurant, lights bright and laughter cruel. A group of men sat at a table, eating casually, their voices careless.
"One more day," one of them laughed. "Tomorrow, the clan leader kills her."
Baku stopped.
His blood turned to ice.
He walked forward.
Before they could react, his hand closed around one man's neck and lifted him off the chair.
"What did you say?" Baku asked calmly.
The man choked, eyes bulging.
"T-The clan leader's wife cheated on him!" another shouted. "He's killing her tomorrow to set an example!"
Baku's grip tightened.
"What's her name?
The man whispered it.
Baku's world shattered.
It was his wife.
His hand released the man, letting him collapse to the floor.
"Where is the clan palace?" Baku asked.
They pointed.
Baku turned away.
Rage burned in his chest.
And as he walked toward the palace—
He didn't know whether he was going to save her…
Or drown the entire clan in blood.