[FLASHBACK]
It was a beautiful day in Adonai. The breeze was mild, brushing across a swarm of people walking in all directions. The sun shone down eloquently on the residents, creating a bright blue sky devoid of clouds. At first look, everything appeared to be flawless, free of any problematic moments or horrible incidents. But when standing in the middle of it all, the atmosphere seemed dense, almost suffocating.
People were fleeing from nearby buildings and racing to the pathways of the compound, lining up in an organized fashion. At the front of the line, an ornate edifice towered over the rest of the compound and its residing people, constructed with golden pillars and a silver staircase that led to a pair of metallic doors.
The line of people stretched across the entire compound, with each person standing tall and dressed professionally. Today was the day of a big event hosted by the most prominent family in the nation. It was spontaneous, but the whispers of citizens in the area sparked a flurry of narratives that spread like wildfire.
More specifically, the citizens in the Takuetsu compound.
"Did you hear about the youngest Takuetsu?" One of the civilians would mutter, their eyes flitting between those closest to them.
Dramatic conversation was pervasive in the compound, curiosity and wonder enveloping the people wholly.
"What? His debut today? Yeah! They haven't even let us see him yet! That family is insane!" Another civilian ranted, spewing out words as fast as they could.
*HOOONK! HOOONK!*
Suddenly, the deafening sound of horns washed over everyone's ears, dispelling any conversation and garnering the attention of all that were present.
A squad of warriors wearing silver armor that covered every inch of their body below their head marched out of the edifice at the front of the line, halting at the front of the staircase that descended down onto the ground.
"Every servant of the Takuetsu shall now view the induction of the latest member of the Takuetsu family! Remain silent until ordered otherwise!" One of the warriors hollered authoritatively, his gaze landing on the lengthy line of servants.
The warriors then stood off to the side, giving the servants a perfect view of the entrance to the edifice.
"You may now witness the glory of…"
Without warning, a man sprinted out of the edifice doors, stopping a few inches shy of the warriors. The newcomer was visibly nervous, sweat dripping down his face.
"They aren't ready to come out yet!" The man spoke quietly, ensuring that only the warriors could hear him. "Lord Shuji is handling the matter as we speak!"
The warriors were stunned.
XXX
"Jeez! You have really long hair! I can't tell which side of the family you got this from!" A feminine voice echoed throughout a small room.
Inside the edifice, a crimson-red-haired woman wearing a black and yellow hikizuri held a brush in her hand, carefully brushing the hair of an individual sitting before her. Behind the young woman was a male with equally red hair, his arms folded over his lavish attire as an envious sigh escaped his lips.
"My hair never even got that long! The hell do you put in it!?" The red-headed man yelled, a frown tugging on his lips.
The woman shifted her head, glowering at the male behind her. "Shut up, Katashi! It's his big day!"
"Don't yell at me, Hina! You know he struck gold with the genetic lottery!" The red-headed man named Katashi retorted, his shoulders sagging.
Hina grunted, rolling her green eyes before looking back at the individual in front of her. "It's not his fault! Now stop distracting me before I kick your ass!"
Before Katashi could respond, a third voice interrupted the bickering: "Can you guys hurry up? I'm fairly sure we're already late."
With those words, Katashi and Hina's hearts softened.
"Sorry, Yuso. Your brother is just an idiot sometimes." Hina chuckled, continuing to brush the same head of hair.
The individual sitting in front of Hina turned around slightly, revealing his eyes. One eye was as blue as the ocean, while the other was as green as fresh grass. Heterochromia was what he was diagnosed with by the family's medical team. Although it was an odd case, his older brother and sister adored the pair of eyes whole-heartedly.
"It's okay, sis. I'm eighteen now, I think I can handle my own hair anyway." The youngest redhead stated, blinking as he looked at his siblings.
Hina hummed and said, "I thought the same thing at that age, too."
The room went quiet again as the red-headed woman finally finished brushing Yuso's lengthy hair, which stretched down to his shoulders. Katashi stepped forward, stretching a hand outward—*BRMM!*—and creating a bubble of blue Aura Sense around them.
Yuso glanced at his older brother. "What are you doing?"
"I need you to promise me something, Yuso. I'm serious about this. This bubble just prevents dad from hearing us." Katashi suddenly spoke, his tone stern.
The youngest redhead nodded his head, listening closely. "Okay?"
Katashi inhaled before saying, "You cannot become like dad—or grandpa! Especially gramps! They tear apart the world at the seams. We can't live like this, nor can the people our family oppresses! We're lucky gramps was taken out."
The area became tense, with only their breathing being audible.
Yuso smiled softly, his heterochromatic eyes glimmering. "I promise, Katashi. You guys are who I model myself after."
Hina squealed, shaking Katashi rapidly. "Did you hear that, Katashi!? We're his role-models!"
"Stop shaking me!" Katashi howled, prying his sister's arms off of his shoulders.
*SWISH!*
Suddenly, the door to the small room swung open, revealing another red-haired man. He was much older, and his Aura Sense was far more potent than the others. He walked forward and poked Katashi's magic sphere, shattering it.
"Hina, Katashi, Yuso. Care to explain?"
It was Shuji Takuetsu, the father of the three siblings.
Katashi was the first to act, straightening his posture. "Father! We were just informing Yuso of what to do during his induction!"
Shuji narrowed his dark blue eyes. "The induction started five minutes ago."
The siblings blinked as Hina said: "Whoops."
"Get out there this instant! Yuso is supposed to be heading out on an expedition for his induction. Hina, Katashi—you'll be staying here. I thought I taught you guys to be more punctual." The father of the Takuetsu children asserted, his potent Aura Sense flaring dominantly.
Yuso hurriedly scurried past his father, darting toward the entrance of the edifice. The older siblings sighed, preparing themselves for another one of their punishments.
XXX
Yuso could see the light of the outdoor world as he ran toward the entrance. Eventually, the heterochromatic redhead made it outside, his eyes landing on the line of Takuetsu servants within his family's compound. It was unnerving, especially since this was the very first time he had been introduced to the public. Only a select few had seen Yuso in person.
"I introduce Yuso Takuetsu! The youngest of the family!" The guards from earlier yelled, presenting the redhead proudly.
Nervously, with the company of the warriors, Yuso stepped down the silver staircase and touched down on the ground, slowly walking through the line of servants. Their cheers were awfully loud and incredibly forced. The faux excitement stung Yuso in the heart, knowing that fear was what resided underneath their gleeful expressions.
"Yuso Takuetsu will now be accompanying his men on a trip toward the villages that still oppose our reign! With his dedication toward our future, victory is inevitable!" A warrior exclaimed, standing behind the youngest Takuetsu.
A wave of louder cheers and clapping hands rang through Yuso's ears, his eyes set on the path ahead of him. He was unsure of how this trip would go. Yuso did not look forward to when he might have to kill someone, especially the innocent.
Before Yuso and his group departed, one last chant managed to reach his ears.
"Praise Yuso Takuetsu! Praise Yuso Takuetsu!"
XXX
Okay, now I'm SURE it was clear that Yuso was a member of the Takuetsu clan—or family, to be honest—given that his hair is crimson red, he is immensely powerful, and he wants to BECOME the successor of Lucifer. But why? His siblings certainly seemed to be quite benevolent in terms of how they wanted their younger brother to grow up. Stay tuned for more!
Have a Great Day!
Peace - Cr1ticalz_