Season 1 Episode 3:
The morning sunlight filtered through the shattered windows of the hospital room as Yowai Sato carefully removed the last of his bandages. His body, healed beyond comprehension, gleamed faintly with the aura that now coursed like fire beneath his skin. Beside him, Lord Fuga hovered silently, his human-like form emanating a presence that made the room feel impossibly smaller and heavier.
"Lord Fuga," Yowai said softly, adjusting his shirt. "Will you come with me to the palace?"
Fuga's gaze sharpened, almost piercing through the walls themselves. "You mean… as a guest?" His voice was calm, but beneath it lay a dangerous undertone that caused even the lingering nurses to glance away. "Do you understand that walking into the palace like this… it could be a trap? They may not know it yet, but your enemies would kill for the chance to touch you."
Yowai met his gaze steadily. "Even if it is, I think… we'll be okay. My strength… my aura… it's more than I imagined, and I feel… a will that can't be broken."
Fuga tilted his head slightly, considering. "Perhaps you are right. Whatever may happen, they cannot lay a finger on me. My presence alone will make fools hesitate."
"Your presence? You mean… your murderous aura?" Yowai asked, eyes narrowing.
Fuga's lips curled slightly. "I will explain… when you are ready. When your mind is strong enough to accept it."
Before Yowai could reply, Shizu Uchiha entered the room, cheeks flushed, bowing her head slightly. "Um… your carriage is here. Please… get ready to leave. And, well… this room…" She hesitated, looking at the destruction around her. "You… destroyed it."
Fuga's eyes narrowed slightly, a silent warning gleaming from them. Shizu's steps faltered, her skin breaking into a sheen of sweat as she backed out of the room quickly.
Yowai chuckled softly. "All done, Lord Fuga. Shall we?"
Together, they stepped outside. The morning air was cool, carrying the faint scent of frost and life. Everyone who had gathered outside bowed deeply, a silent acknowledgment of Yowai's newfound strength. Knights who had come to escort him to the palace lowered their heads in unison.
"What is happening?" Yowai whispered.
Fuga's gaze swept the crowd, serene yet sharp. "Nothing. They're welcoming us… in their hearts."
The carriage ride began. The knights formed a tight formation: the carriage in the middle, two guards on either side, and others trailing behind. Yet even as they moved, conversations whispered among the soldiers.
"Who… who are they?" muttered the first knight.
"The one with the aura… impossible to describe… and the other, the boy… he's the son of Ryota Sato," replied another.
The knights behind murmured their disbelief. "The son of the hero Ryota Sato? That weakling? How could he reach this strength overnight?"
"Not just strength," a third muttered. "He radiates something… like royalty… like… a general, maybe even beyond."
In the carriage, Fuga flipped through a book with a casual expression, though the air around him was thick with menace. "Can they not speak softly? Your father sounds cooler than you, King Yowai."
Yowai sighed. "Yes… he is. I'll never be like him, no matter how long I live or how hard I train."
Fuga's gaze hardened. "No. You can never be him… because you will surpass him. Every father wants his son to be stronger than he was. That is the natural law of the world."
Yowai blinked, hesitant. "Do… you have children?"
Fuga's eyes darkened. "No. I had brothers… and only my father. My mother… dead or taken in ways no human should witness. I have no family beyond that."
Yowai's fingers tightened. "Four brothers… and you… became the king?"
Fuga's expression darkened further, colder than ice. "I killed them."
Yowai recoiled, a shiver crawling down his spine. "Why… how… your brothers?"
"You will know… when our bond is stronger." His gaze softened just slightly as the carriage neared the palace. "Look… we've arrived."
Outside, the palace gleamed like frozen crystal, light refracting into pale blues and whites that gave it an almost ethereal glow. The carriage doors opened, and they stepped out.
Inside, the national meeting room was vast, high-ceilinged, and filled with every important figure in the Kingdom of Cristal de Frost. The air thickened as Yowai and Fuga entered. Silence fell instantly.
King Gachi Barou rose, the weight of command in his posture. "Thank you all for coming. We are here to discuss the unholy event that struck our Kingdom."
Chief General Ikeda Nakagawa spoke next, voice heavy with concern. "The recent incursion left our defenses vulnerable. Our enemies may exploit this weakness, though we are reinforcing our walls, our forces…" His words faltered slightly as his eyes fell upon Yowai and Fuga.
The head priest murmured, almost to himself, "The Kingdom has lost so much… so many loyal lives… and yet, they walk in with the aura of gods…"
Mr. Shinsuke, the kingdom's master of magical research, frowned, analyzing the aura with his arcane tools. "That… aura… it is nearly incomprehensible. Even the monsters we fought—those that destroyed half our Kingdom—radiated less power."
King Gachi gestured sharply. "Mr. Shinsuke… explain clearly."
Shinsuke swallowed, voice firm yet cautious. "The first monster we faced was strong enough to wipe out entire battalions alone. What walks before you now… their aura… is equivalent, perhaps greater, than that initial threat. One cannot measure it by normal means."
A murmur spread through the room. Weapons half-drawn, breaths caught in throats.
King Gachi raised his hand. "Enough. This meeting will proceed, though it seems many of you are trembling. Remember—these are allies, not enemies."
The doors opened fully, and Yowai stepped forward, followed closely by Lord Fuga. The air thickened, heavy with invisible pressure. Every movement, every breath of those present slowed under the weight of Fuga's aura. The instinct to draw weapons was nearly irresistible.
Ikeda Nakagawa's voice shook. "What… is this presence?"
The head priest whispered, crossing himself repeatedly. "Father protect us…"
Shinsuke adjusted his glasses, sweat beading. "Impossible… the aura is… like the monster itself, yet… human. And controlled."
King Gachi's eyes softened slightly, recognizing the boy before him. "So… this is Ryota Sato's son."
Fuga stretched subtly. The aura pulsed, quiet but lethal. Some members of the council involuntarily bent slightly, as though acknowledging a king they hadn't seen before.
Yowai's voice broke the silence. "Are you okay, my king?"
King Gachi blinked, then laughed softly, breaking the tension. "Yes… yes. I am well. Sit. Let us begin."
He gestured to the chairs, though no one dared move. Slowly, the King continued, "This is Yowai Sato, son of Ryota Sato, our fallen hero."
Shock spread. "What? Impossible!" some whispered.
"Yes," the King continued, his tone firm. "Many of you remember him as weak… powerless. Yet during the recent battle, his rank ascended—general, instantaneously. The circumstances are unknown, but the results are undeniable."
Ikeda Nakagawa's face twisted. "How… how can this be? We trained! We fought! How did a boy achieve this in a day?"
King Gachi raised his hand. "Calm yourself, Ikeda. We do not yet know the full truth. Sit and let the meeting continue."
Yowai swallowed, glancing at Fuga. Fuga's presence remained dominant, yet his expression remained calm, observing the reactions of every council member like a predator evaluating prey.
King Gachi's voice softened slightly, yet carried authority: "With this rise in power comes responsibility. Yowai Sato… you have reached the level your father achieved. Your first mission as general is to discover who orchestrated his death and prevent another tragedy."
Yowai nodded solemnly. "I understand, my king."
The soldiers outside the room shivered under the pressure even through the walls. Their instinct told them this boy, this combination of human and Fuga's power, could annihilate them if provoked.
"Do you require your army to accompany you?" the King asked cautiously.
Yowai shook his head. "No. This is my burden. I will go with my… Lord Fuga."
The King's eyes narrowed, then softened. "Be vigilant… and may your father's spirit guide you."
The meeting concluded, council members leaving in haste, their fear barely contained. Fuga allowed them to depart, silent and unyielding, leaving Yowai to process the magnitude of what had just occurred.
The two exited the palace, stepping into the cold air of Cristal de Frost. Guards and soldiers bowed, shivering under the sheer presence radiating from Fuga and Yowai. Even the strongest knights were unnerved, knowing instinctively that orders from this boy would be absolute.The cold wind of Cristal de Frost brushed against Yowai's face as he and Lord Fuga stepped outside the palace halls. The sun, low on the horizon, reflected off the crystal walls, scattering light like fractured ice. Soldiers and fighters lined the courtyard, standing at attention, their eyes wide and breaths caught in awe. Even hardened warriors instinctively staggered under the invisible weight of aura radiating from Yowai and, far stronger still, Fuga.
A young guard, whispering to his companion, could barely form the words. "Is… is that… real? That aura… it's insane… impossible!"
The soldier next to him swallowed. "I… I've never felt anything like it… not even when we faced the first beast. And that's… that's just the boy?"
Fuga's eyes swept the courtyard lazily, but the aura he projected pulsed in waves, a silent warning that anyone foolish enough to oppose them would meet instant oblivion. Soldiers shifted, uneasy, but none dared to move aggressively.
Yowai took a deep breath, feeling the hum of power vibrating through his body. The moment was surreal. From the weakest boy to general of an entire army, the weight of responsibility pressed against his chest, and yet… it was exhilarating.
"Stand tall!" Yowai's voice rang clear, calm yet commanding. The soldiers flinched as the sound cut through the tension like a blade. "I am Yowai Sato. Seventeen years old. And I will be your new general!"
Gasps and murmurs spread through the courtyard. A few older soldiers exchanged incredulous glances. "The son of Ryota Sato?" one whispered. "I… I thought he was weak, almost powerless…"
Yowai continued, his aura flaring just enough to make the ground beneath him seem colder. "If you are unwilling to follow orders from someone younger than you… leave. You are free. But the rest of you—stand with me, and we will protect this Kingdom together."
The soldiers' initial hesitation melted into resolve. One by one, they straightened, nodding to each other. "We serve you, General Yowai!"
A murmur ran through the group, admiration and disbelief mixing. "He… he's grown so much… more than we imagined," one muttered. Another added, "I've never felt power like that from a human before. He… commands respect just by being here."
Yowai smiled faintly to himself. He felt joy bubble within him, unspoken and restrained, but fierce. He had wanted this—to protect his home, to forge his own path without being compared to his father's shadow. And now, standing before his army, that dream was slowly coming alive.
"Good," Yowai said, raising a hand. "Stand down. Until we are needed on the battlefield, hold your positions."
The soldiers sighed, relief and awe mixing as they lowered their weapons, their loyalty silently sealed. A few even whispered excitedly, "This is the first time I've ever felt proud… proud to serve."
Fuga's eyes narrowed, silently observing the soldiers' reactions. He allowed a hint of amusement to curl his lips. "They are… amusing. So easy to impress with a little aura."
Yowai glanced at him, grinning. "You make it sound like nothing."
Fuga tilted his head. "It is nothing. They would crumble if I wished it. But your presence… that is yours. You earned this respect, Yowai. Not by strength alone, but by will."
The sun dipped further, painting the palace walls gold and blue. The soldiers whispered among themselves, some still frozen in awe, others exchanging glances of determination. Yowai's heart pounded—not from fear, but from a strange pride. His journey had only just begun, but for the first time, he felt he was stepping into his own legend.
The King emerged onto the balcony, his regal form commanding the attention of all. "Yowai Sato," he called, voice steady and proud. "Your father would be proud of you today. You have shown courage, strength, and a will unmatched by most generals. Take this army and honor the legacy of the Sato family."
Yowai bowed deeply. "Thank you, my king. I will serve with all my strength."
The King nodded, a faint smile touching his face. "Go now. Lead them well. And remember… you are not just a general. You are the hope of Cristal de Frost."
With that, Yowai and Fuga turned toward the carriage, leaving the courtyard behind. The soldiers remained standing, whispers of awe continuing, and some even bowed once more as the two figures disappeared from view.
The ride back was quiet at first. Yowai leaned back, taking in the crystal glints of the palace walls fading behind him. His thoughts were heavy yet elated. "That was… incredible," he said softly.
Fuga's gaze was fixed outside the carriage window, silent. "Incredible… yes. But dangerous too. One false step, one misjudgment, and lives will be lost."
Yowai nodded. "I know. But… we can handle it. We must handle it."
Fuga smirked faintly. "You speak like a true general now. But remember… strength alone does not command loyalty. Will, respect… and fear. Balance them well."
At Home – Warm Emotional Ending
Night had fallen when they returned home. The small household was warm, lit by soft lantern light. Food sat steaming on the table, and Ms. Nasuya and Shizu had prepared a modest but hearty meal in celebration of Yowai's promotion.
"Shizu?" Yowai asked, puzzled. "Why are you here?"
Shizu smiled, slightly blushing. "To wish you luck, of course. A general of Cristal de Frost… you deserve it."
Fuga, ever impatient, leaned forward. "Can we eat now?"
Ms. Nasuya laughed softly. "Wait! Not so fast. First… do your best and don't get killed, you demon Lord."
Yowai chuckled, glancing at Fuga who simply puffed his cheeks in mock indignation. "Fine. We'll eat. But hurry up, mortal food does not wait for me."
The family laughed, the warmth of home contrasting sharply with the cold battlefield and palace tensions from earlier. Yowai felt the rare comfort of peace, surrounded by people who cared for him, and by the power that was both a blessing and a burden.
As they ate, Fuga, messy and distracted, ended up with food smeared across his face. Yowai and the others laughed, the sound echoing softly into the night. For a moment, the weight of destiny, the aura of kings, and the shadow of Ryota Sato faded—replaced with simple, human joy.
And in that fleeting moment, Yowai realized that even the strongest warrior could still find warmth in family… and that even the darkest of presences could share a laugh.
Next episode: penalty