The sound of boots on gravel echoed as the advisors approached, Kiyo and Kaiser at the forefront.
"Attention!" Kiyo barked, and we snapped to attention.
Today was different. There was a sense of unease among the advisors. Kiyo stepped forward, his face a mask of seriousness.
"You all remember the boy who couldn't hold his tongue," Kiyo began. "He returns today."
There was a murmur among us. The boy, Haruto Yamashita, had been in a coma for two months after that brutal beating. Many thought he wouldn't survive, let alone return.
Kiyo nodded towards the gate, and it swung open. Haruto walked in, and we could hardly believe our eyes. He looked different, stronger, more resolute. His eyes, once filled with fear, now burned with determination.
Kiyo stepped back, letting Haruto take center stage. "Welcome back, Haruto."
Haruto nodded, acknowledging the silent stares of his peers. "Thank you, sir."
Kiyo's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Show them what you've learned."
Haruto turned towards us, his expression hardening. "Down, up. 500."
We hesitated, unsure if we had heard him correctly. This guy was certainly still ill.
"DOWN, UP. 500!" Haruto barked, his voice carrying the authority of someone who had faced death and come back stronger.
We dropped to the ground, our muscles screaming in protest, and began the push-ups. Haruto joined us, his form perfect, his pace relentless. It was clear that during his recovery, he had undergone a transformation.
We lay on the ground, panting and drenched in sweat, watching as Haruto stood tall. He had faced the abyss and emerged stronger, a beacon of hope and a reminder of the harsh reality of our training.
"Sir, I have a request." Shouted Haruto
Kiyo raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Haruto?"
"I want to challenge Kaiser," Haruto said, his voice unwavering.
The courtyard fell silent. Kiyo looked at Haruto for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. Let's begin now.
Haruto's return and his bold challenge had ignited a spark of hope and fear within us all.
Haruto and Kaiser stood in the center, facing each other. The tension was suffocating.
Kiyo stood to the side, watching intently. "Begin."
Kaiser charged at Haruto with the same brute force that had once overwhelmed him, but Haruto was ready. He dodged the first punch, countering with a swift strike to Kaiser's ribs. Kaiser double over but showing no signs of pain. He was the perfect soldier.
The fight was brutal, each blow Haruto matched Kaiser blow for blow, pushing him back. The circle of trainees watched in awe as the tables turned.
Finally, with a decisive move, Haruto sent Kaiser sprawling to the ground. Panting, he stood over his fallen opponent, a sense of victory and vindication washing over him.
Kiyo stepped forward, his face unreadable. "Well done, Haruto."
As Haruto walked away, the trainees parted to let him pass, their expressions a mix of admiration and newfound respect. Haruto Yamashita had returned, not as The Thinker, but as a force to be reckoned with.
The day continued with the usual grueling schedule. Haruto's victory over Kaiser had inspired many, but it had also planted the seed of revenge in Kaiser's mind. The humiliation of being defeated was torture; he had to bring him down to size.
Kaiser's fists clenched in anger as he thought about the whispers and snickers that had followed his defeat. It was not just a loss; it was a stain on his honor, something he would never tolerate
"Victory often comes with a price," said Kaiser
Later that night, a storm appeared over the barracks. The rainy season had just taken effect in Japan; however, a different storm was brewing in the mind of Kaiser. The raindrops pelted the roof like a relentless drumbeat, a reminder of the conflict that had just transpired.
He should have killed him instead of showing mercy. The thought gnawed at him, a bitter seed of regret taking root in his heart. . Mercy had seemed noble in the moment, but now it felt like a mistake, a misstep that could cost him everything.
The survivor of violence will eventually become the suspect. The words echoed in Kaiser's mind, a grim prophecy that seemed to foretell his fate. He knew the world he lived in, knew the unforgiving nature of those around him. Mercy was seen as a sign of weakness, and weakness was a liability he could ill afford.
He had trained for years, honing his body and mind into a weapon. Every moment of his life had been a preparation for conflict, for survival in a world that valued strength above all else. And yet, in that crucial moment, he had faltered. Mercy had stayed his hand, and now he was left to question his own resolve.
As the night wore on, the storm outside began to subside, but the storm within Kaiser only grew more intense. He knew what he had to do. There could be no room for doubt, no room for mercy. The path ahead was clear, but haruto future wasn't.
Kaiser entered the trainees' barracks, ready to conduct lights-out roll call, when his eyes fixed upon Haruto.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?" whispered Kaiser. "A kid should always obey and respect his parents, after all."
"I'm not a kid, sir, and I am not your son!" shouted Haruto.
Silence fell over the room at the outburst. Kaiser laughed. "You're right. You're not my son because I've disowned you."
Haruto doubled over and winced in pain, eyes wide, as a knife protruded from his stomach.
The other trainees gasped, frozen in shock. Haruto's breath came in gasps as he crumpled to the floor. Blood pooled beneath him against the barracks floor
Kaiser stepped forward, his face devoid of any emotion. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Disobedience will not be tolerated."
Kaiser slit open Haruto stomach and showed his entrails. Poor kid got a big head and decided success was too much for him so he decided to commit seppuku
Haruto's breath came in shallow gasps as the searing pain from his opened stomach sent waves of agony through his body. He could barely comprehend the brutality of Kaiser's actions. His eyes fixed upon his opened stomach.
Kaiser stood over him, his expression cold and unyielding. "You thought you could handle it all, Haruto," he said, his voice like ice. "But success isn't for the faint-hearted."
Haruto tried to speak, but the words were choked by the pain. He looked up at Kaiser, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and defiance. He had chosen this path, knowing the risks, but the reality was far more brutal than he had imagined.
Kaiser leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "This is the price of failure," he whispered. "A lesson for anyone who dares to overestimate their worth."
As Haruto's life force started to fade away, he felt a strange sense of peace amidst the excruciating pain.
Kaiser straightened up, wiping the blood from his hands. "Lights out," he command
With those final words, Haruto's vision went black, and his body went still.