Chereads / The Azure Legend / Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 : Familiar Territory

Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 : Familiar Territory

While Sakura was busy in the corridors in the left wing of the hideout, Hakai was busy in the right wing. Whereas Sakura found a bathhouse and a large door holding something or someone locked up in captivity, Hakai found the barracks that were the residential living quarters for the soldiers here.

As easy as it may be to want to pick a fight with them with the element of surprise, this was not the time.

His mind started to hurt, memories of the past started swelling into his own mind. Memories that he wanted to get away from but it was hard when this place triggered those memories.

The very moment he had blinked his eyes, he felt as if he was transported to another place.

The particular place in question was a hideout just like this one although its features and layout was far more different. He was younger than he was, merely five years old and he was being escorted around by soldiers.

'' Hey kid, your dad wants you to fight again and don't try crying like you did before. He doesn't care about your pain, he only cares about results. You should know better by now, emotions don't hold power over anyone here. ''

One of the soldiers had rough words to give to the boy but he was honest. The young black haired child had been hurt many times before and cried due to the pain but the cries fell on deaf ears. The boy's father told everyone not to pander to the child and let him tough it out.

No matter how visible the wounds were or the scars that were left on his body.

He needed to be molded into a perfect soldier and inevitable successor to his father.

Several soldiers followed this decree faithfully while others merely saw it as a way to attack the child without worrying about consequences. They didn't like the idea that a young boy was born into power and would rise up within the ranks if the passage of time went as it was.

The boy felt their gazes whenever he walked around, he knew he didn't like it here but he continued doing as he was told.

Eventually his tears stopped altogether.

His emotions became focused on inflicting pain unto others as opposed to allowing himself to get hurt. He stopped trying to fight back against what his Father ordered and he got better and better at fighting and critically injuring the people he was told to battle.

Eventually he started taking missions with soldiers outside of the base and after more and more expeditions he was given clearance to lead a group of soldiers to assassinate a certain person in the western territory of japan but the task was far too major for them to handle.

The soldiers died in their attempt and the black haired male was gravely wounded, escaping within an inch of his life.

As he was escaping from his target, his mind raced.

'' What if I put all of this behind? They are dead and maybe I should just act as if I am too. I am the last of this party so if I just fade away from sight then maybe they'll believe in my demise. ''

That was the moment he decided to cut ties, he just knew he couldn't live like this anymore.

He couldn't just conform to their way of life even though his body and instincts became their tool.

He couldn't stay confined within their walls, similar to another young male who yearned for life outside of walls holding him back from experiencing the world around him.

Hakai shook his head as his memories lost their grip on his current state of mind.

'' I don't like this trip down memory lane. I'm just glad he's not here. ''

The black haired male continued walking down the path, by the time he reached the end of the hallway another circular chamber awaited him.

This chamber had various soldiers sparring one another, Hakai recognized this as the training grounds for the soldiers to keep their edge. It wasn't a rare occurrence that the soldiers blood was shed.

They didn't hold back, no there was not a chance that anyone showed mercy. They would go as far as they'd like as long as they didn't kill the other person.

They prioritized pushing themselves as far as they possibly could without killing their brethren but if they were critically injured and got back up after a day or two of rest then it was fine.

Still, Hakai couldn't get behind that.

'' Looks like the only thing beyond the sparring area is the armory. Nothing here is important to our mission. I should head back now and regroup with the others. ''