As the three warriors ventured into the forest, the rustling leaves and mournful owl hoots weaving a tapestry of tension. Meili's gaze darted to Kai, her expression a tangled web of concern and irritation. "Kai, are you certain we're making the right choice?' she asked, her voice a low, urgent whisper. 'We can't abandon them ."
Kai's eyes flashed with a hint of anger, but his tone remained calm, a soothing balm to Meili's growing unease. "You talked it through with Fuse – Lei can handle it. It's her squad, her responsibility. I won't meddle in others' affairs, especially when it means less competition for us."
Meili's gaze hardened at Kai's response, the tension between them palpable in the deepening twilight. Fuse, sensing the simmering conflict, cleared her throat.
"Ease up Meili — our situation demands we focus, on finding the relics first," she said, her voice a quiet warning. "If we can decipher this riddle swiftly enough to complete the task, we'll be in a stronger position to help Lian and Lei."
Kai nodded curtly, his attention fixed on the winding path before them. "Right! We can't leave our objective behind for some silly friendship!" he said, his tone laces with a hint of disdain.
Meili's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched in frustration. "Silly friendships?"she repeated, her voice dripping with venom. "You're one to talk, Kai, after all you've put Lei through." The air seemed to vibrate with tension as the group walked in silence, the only sound of the soft crunch of gravel beneath their feet.
Meili's words poured out like a torrent, her voice a mix of anger and sorrow. "Y'know Kai, unlike you everyone else in the academy has something called a heart and feelings that run deeper than your hollow shell."
Meili's words hung in the air like a challenge, her voice laced with a mix of anger and sadness. "We've got things and people we love, people we'd risk everything to protect." Kai's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of emotion danced in his eyes, like a spark struggling to ignite. 'That's enough, Meili,' Fuse intervened, her voice firm but cautious, as if warning Meili not to push too far. "I'm sure Kai's got the message. So now take deep breaths and cool off."
Meili's words flowed like a relentless river, her voice a mix of sorrow and scorn. "Dumb Lei, she tries so hard to catch your eye, Kai. She thinks she needs to prove herself to you, to earn your approval. It's almost... pitiful and annoying. She's going after Lian alone, just to impress you, and it kills me that I'm the one she takes that all on." Meili's gaze pierced Kai's mask, her tone laced with venom. "I'm not jealous, no, I'm just sad for her. She's wasting her time on a hollow shell like you!"
Kai's silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated the air. Then, he spoke, his voice a low, even tone. "Well... are you done?"
Meili's eyes widened, shocked by his nonchalance. "What do you mean?" she stammered. Kai's shrug was a careless gesture, a dismissal of Meili's words. "I have nothing to say to you, Meili. It's true, I'm a hollow shell. Can we move on?"
But before he could turn away, Meili's fist connected with his cheek, a swift and deadly punch that left him reeling. The sound echoed through the air, a sharp crack that shattered the tension.
Meili's eyes blazed with a fiery rage as she clenched her fist, her knuckles glinting with the remnants of the impact. "You... ungrateful bastard!" she hissed, her voice like the crackle of flames.
Kai, his cheek red with the imprint of Meili's fist, wiped away the trickle of blood from his lips. "You're upset. I understand," he said, his tone devoid of emotion. "But that doesn't change anything."
Meili's eyes blazed with fury as she took a step closer to Kai, her fists clenched at her sides. "Why can't you see how much Lei cares.. ? Why can't you see how much we all care?" she demanded, her voice cracking with emotion.
Kai's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of something - perhaps pain, perhaps regret - danced in his eyes before he looked away. "I see," he said quietly. "But it doesn't change anything."
Meili's face twisted in anguish. "You're impossible, Kai!" she exclaimed, turning to storm off into the forest.
Fuse sighed, placing a gentle hand on Meili's shoulder. "Meili, wait -"
But Meili shook her off, disappearing into the trees.
Fuse then, without a second thought, she turned and followed Meili into the darkness, leaving Kai alone on the path.
As he stood there, the silence seemed to grow thicker, heavier. Kai's thoughts swirled with anger -
Suddenly, a faint rustling echoed through the trees. Kai's head snapped up, his senses on high alert.
The rustling grew louder, more insistent, accompanied by a low, guttural growl. Kai's eyes narrowed, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
The growl intensified, becoming more feral and aggressive, as if whatever lurked in the darkness had scented fresh prey.
Kai's lips curled into a snarl. "Show yourself," he commanded, his voice low and deadly.
And then, with a flurry of movement, it emerged from the trees: a massive, four-legged creature with eyes like blazing coals and jaws that dripped with blood-lust.
The beast's arrival sent a wave of fear and adrenaline coursing through Kai's body, his senses sharpening as he prepared for battle.
"Good, I really needed to blow off steam",his tone defiant.
Meanwhile, Meili and Fuse, unaware of the danger that had presented itself to Kai, continued deeper into the forest, their thoughts focused on finding Lei and rescuing Lian. The darkness pressed in on them like a shroud, the tangled branches and vines twisting around them like grasping fingers.
Fuse looked to Meili, the uncertainty in her eyes stark against the shadows. "Are you sure of where we're going?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Meili, her expression fierce, pushed ahead, her eyes fixed on the path before her. "I'm sure," she said, her voice filled with a quiet, burning determination. "We have to find Lei. Lian's life could depend on it."
Fuse turned to look at Meili, moved by her passion and will. "Meili, what drives you?" she thought. "You've always been so determined to help others, to protect your friends. What's behind that?"
But as they walked, the shadows of the forest seemed to grow longer, and Meili's thoughts drifted back to her childhood...
---
Meili sat by her mother's side, listening intently as she shared a painful story from her past.
"Meili, when I was a child, I had a best friend named Aria. She was the only friend I had really, I was very shy and found it hard to talk with people. Me and Aria did everything together, and I loved her like a sister. But one day, Aria got sick, and nobody around knew healing Bujutsu, her family couldn't afford the treatment she needed. I begged my parents to help, but they refused, saying it wasn't our problem."
Meili's mother's eyes welled up with tears as she continued.
"I was so angry and hurt, but I didn't know what to do. I felt powerless. And then, Aria...she passed away. I was devastated. I realized that if I had spoken up more, if I had done something, maybe Aria would still be alive."
Meili's eyes widened in shock, and her mother's grip on her hand tightened.
"You see, Meili. I want you to do protect those you really care about. I don't want you to go through what I went through. I don't want you to have to live with the guilt of not doing enough."
---
Meili's thoughts returned to the present, and she found herself walking alongside Fuse, searching for Lei. She knew that Lei was struggling, and Meili was determined to be there for her, to support her, just as her mother had taught her. The memory of her mother's story steeled her resolve, and she pressed on, undeterred by the darkness of the forest.
Meili and Fuse trekked deeper into the forest, their footsteps crunching on the dry leaves and twigs scattered along the path. The day's light filtered through the canopy above, casting a golden hue on the forest floor.
Meili and Fuse moved swiftly, their footsteps hardly disturbing the rustling of the leaves as they searched for any sign of their Lei.
Elsewhere in the forest, the silence was shattered by Levi Sukuna's booming voice. "Oi, boy! Get off your ass and pay attention!" he barked, breaking into a grin that revealed his sharp, predatory teeth. Ryou, still recovering from his skirmish with Elia and her teammates, blinked blearily. "What...what?" he managed to stammer.
Levi rolled his eyes, shooting a glance at his teammate, Nia Hanzo. "Are you for real? I'm beginning to see why your teammate left you behind. You know what? Let's just leave him," Levi continued, turning his back on Ryou. "We can grab those items ourselves. He'll only slow us down."
Nix, sensing an opportunity, sidled up to Levi and piped in, "I agree, Levi. I don't understand why we're assisting Iron Fist anyway. What does that Lei girl have on Elia?"
Levi cut in, "Stop there, Nix. If that's what Elia wants, we'll help her do it. But I wonder what kind of situation she's put herself in. That's why I want to get this done quickly and try to check on her."
Ryou's eyes widened as he pushed himself to his feet, groaning in pain. "Okay, okay. I get it."
Levi turned back to Ryou, a sneer on his face. "Oh, great. Look who's finally decided to get up, How quaint .You're just a pathetic excuse for a teammate, y'know that."
Ryou gritted his teeth, still trying to shake off the effects of his earlier beating Levi gave him. He knew he had to convince Levi to let him join them, not just for his own sake but for Lei's as well. He took a deep breath and began to explain, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I know I'm not on the same league as you guys, but I have to make sure Lei is safe. She's my teammate, and I won't leave her behind. I'll keep up, I promise. Just please, let me join you and make this quick."
Levi snorted, his tone dripping with disdain. "To tell you the truth? You're just a weakling, a liability. And why should I care about Lei? She's as feeble as you, allowing her friend to be taken like that and now entangling us in this mess."
Ryou's face is set in determination. " Shut it, I won't hold you back. I'll do whatever it takes to save my friends."
Levi sneered. "You're not even worth my time, but fine. You can tag along. For now. But one misstep, you're out and I mean it. And don't think for a second that I won't enjoy watching you fail, loser."
Ryou nodded eagerly, relieved despite Levi's insults. "Got it. Thanks, Levi."
Levi's grin returned, and he cracked his knuckles in anticipation. "Don't thank me, loser. Let's get this over with, it looks like we've got some trash coming our way."
As Levi spoke, another group of competitors came their way. Their eyes fixed on the unlikely quintet with a mixture of curiosity and hostility.
Chang Tokugawa, his smirk betraying his youth and arrogance, strode forward with a swagger, flanked by Taka Tokugawa and Rei Sukuna.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Levi and Nix, from the Golden Elite Academy." Chang's voice dripped with confidence. "And you've picked up a strays along the way, huh?"
Levi, undaunted by their presence, straightened his stance, ready to confront them.
Levi straightened his posture, readying for the confrontation. "If it isn't the scum-eating, Hanzo trash. And their feline friend." He spat, his voice laced with venom.
Chang's smirk never wavered, but his eyes flashed with anger at Levi's jab. "How quaint. The great Levi, resorting to insults. We'll see how long that bravado lasts."
Taka snickered, his eyes fixed on Ryou. "Yeah, I don't even see Elia around and what's with the loser you've picked up? He looks like he's been through a war."
Rei Sukuna, silent until now, spoke up, her voice low and deadly. "Enough chit-chat. We're here for the relics. Hand them over, Levi. Don't make us take them by force."
Levi snorted, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "You think you can take them from us? We've got news for you, pal. These relics are ours including the ones held within you, and no ones leaving till we have 'em all."
Nix, quiet until now, cracked her knuckles, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Yeah, let's show them what they're in for. I've been itching for a fight."
The air was electric with tension as the two groups were about to face off, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Ryou, caught in the middle, wondered if he had made a terrible mistake by joining Levi and Nix. But he knew he had to see this through, for Lei's sake.