Kirata stepped out of his house, ready to test the results of his recent training. He was eager to see how he would perform in a serious, albeit friendly, fight. After a thirty-minute walk, he reached the agreed meeting spot and knocked on the door. Kiyo was the one to greet him.
"Look who's here! If it isn't Kirata. Come in," Kiyo said, welcoming him with a confident smile.
"Hi, Kiyo. I'm excited to see how much I've improved with our recent training," Kirata replied with a grin.
"Of course you are. You're training with me, the best of all."
They both headed to the center of the dojo, ready to start their duel. However, something unexpected caught Kirata's attention: a stone with an intense purple hue, glowing with an almost hypnotic light. Intrigued, he approached it.
"Is this the stone from the other day?" he asked, staring at it.
"Kirata, don't even think about touching it!"
"Why not? When I picked up the sword, nothing happened to me. Maybe if I grab it now, nothing bad will happen," Kirata said, hesitating.
"Do you really think that?"
Kirata hesitated for a moment, his hand trembling as he extended his fingers toward the stone. Something inside him told him not to do it, but the attraction was irresistible. The purple glow seemed to pulse, calling to him, whispering that everything would be fine. The instant his fingers brushed the stone's surface, a dark energy engulfed him. Black marks began sprouting from his hand, like living vines twisting and spreading rapidly along his forearm. Within seconds, the dark markings crawled up his neck and extended toward his face.
"Drop it! Now!"
Frightened, Kirata dropped the stone to the ground, his heart pounding. At that exact moment, the stone exploded into a cloud of purple smoke, thick and dense, seemingly swallowing the air itself. Both Kirata and Kiyo felt as if the entire world was collapsing around them. Their visions blurred, and shapes and sounds blended into a chaotic cacophony. The dense smoke enveloped them, suffocating and disorienting, as if reality itself were unraveling under the weight of the energy emanating from the stone.
They both fell to the ground, dazed. The impact left them disoriented and wrapped in confusion. As they struggled to regain their senses, uncertainty took hold of them.
"Kiyo, are you okay?" Kirata asked, coughing as he tried to breathe amidst the smoke.
"Yeah, of course, I'm fine. I told you not to touch that, but here we are," Kiyo replied, coughing slightly.
"Sorry..."
The thick smoke made it hard to see anything clearly. Kiyo scanned their surroundings, a mix of concern and confusion in his expression.
"This smoke is a nuisance. I can't see a thing, but don't worry, we'll get through this as usual. Though... why has everything gone so dark all of a sudden?"
"Wait, where are we?" Kirata asked, his voice reflecting the surprise and fear creeping in.
"I don't know... Hold on! This doesn't look good. I see armed men, caution tape, and signs saying 'Restricted Zone.' Great! Now we're in real trouble."
"What's going on?" Kirata looked around, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Don't you know about the group formed four years ago called Notofu?" Kiyo asked, his voice tense.
"I've heard something about them, but I never paid much attention."
"Then we'd better get out of here before they catch us," Kiyo proposed, urgency and anxiety in his tone.
"That's impossible. Look at how many guards there are," Kirata pointed out, gesturing toward the numerous patrols in the area.
"I told you not to touch anything..."
"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't think this would happen," Kirata apologized, his voice filled with regret.
"It doesn't matter now. What's done is done. We need to find a way out of here," Kiyo said, trying to stay calm despite the tension.
At that moment, something caught Kiyo's attention.
"Look closely. That's Hiller," Kiyo whispered. "He's the leader of Notofu. They call him 'The Untouchable.' They say there's no one in the world he can't buy or silence. If we're on his turf, we're screwed."
"They're coming this way," Kirata whispered, fear creeping into his voice as he saw them approach.
"This is bad. Kirata, get ready to fight. We have no other option. We need to get out of here, no matter what," Kiyo urged him.
"Got it," Kirata replied, nodding.
"Follow me," Kiyo ordered.
Both moved deeper into the cave, looking for a place to hide and set up an ambush. Their movements were silent, but their hearts pounded in their chests as they prepared for what lay ahead.
Meanwhile, Hiller and Kyoyin, accompanied by four bodyguards, made their way confidently toward the cave entrance. Their guards moved with them, exuding an air of danger.
"So, this is the new mineral for the weapons?" Hiller asked.
"Yes, for the beta weapons. We've also finalized the agreement to secure material for the special weapons," Kyoyin confirmed.
"Excellent. Extract everything you need from these mines. We'll use it to train the new recruits," Hiller ordered.
"Understood, sir," Kyoyin replied.
"And one more thing. Not a word of this to anyone."
"Not even to your daughter, sir?" Kyoyin asked, with a hint of curiosity.
"To everyone except her. It's essential that Shigiro keeps believing in the image of a hero," Hiller replied with a calculated smile.
"As you command, sir."
Kyoyin and one of the guards split off, venturing deeper into the mine. Seizing the opportunity, Kiyo moved like a shadow, making no sound. With a swift and precise strike, he took the guard by surprise, knocking him unconscious. But before he could relish his small victory, the second guard reacted, pointing his weapon directly at Kiyo's head.
"ON THE GROUND, NOW!" the guard shouted.