The sun was dipping low over the hills, casting long shadows across the quiet path where Kai trudged along, dragging his feet slightly. He'd been walking with Master Senju for what felt like an eternity, and his energy was running as low as his patience.At this point, Kai would've welcomed anything—an adventure, a mythical beast, even just a random person to shake things up. Little did he know, his wish was about to come true.Up ahead, sitting on a rock with a carefree grin and an air of "I totally belong here," was a young man around Kai's age. He had messy hair, an easygoing stance, and a mischievous spark in his eye that could only mean trouble. He was humming some tune and looked like he didn't have a care in the world.Kai stopped, blinking at the stranger. "Uh... hello?"The stranger looked up, giving Kai a grin that could melt ice. "Ah, look what we have here! If it isn't the Prince Kai Varenthis. How's life on the royal road, Your Napship?"Kai raised an eyebrow, unable to hold back a smirk. "My... what?"The stranger hopped down from the rock, extending a hand with the kind of confidence that could only come from someone who never took life too seriously. "Rio William. Professional mischief-maker, part-time nap enthusiast, and unofficial king of avoiding responsibilities. Nice to meet ya!"Kai laughed and shook his hand. "Kai Varenthis. Full-time nap enthusiast and professional procrastinator. Looks like we're gonna get along just fine."Rio's grin widened. "You have no idea. I've heard all about you, Prince Kai—the guy who'd rather snooze than swing a sword. But I didn't expect you'd be so... well, so real."Kai chuckled. "Real? What, did you expect me to be some kind of legend?""More like a myth," Rio replied with a wink. "Or, you know, one of those brooding heroes who say 'justice' every five minutes and have tragic backstories. You're nothing like that. More like... the lazy hero who's just one sarcastic line away from a midlife crisis."Kai snorted. "The lazy hero? I'll take it."Rio nudged him playfully. "So, what's it like being the prince of naps and king of avoidance?"Kai shrugged. "It's exhausting, really. The kingdom doesn't exactly run itself, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't give it a solid effort."Rio burst into laughter. "Man, I knew I'd like you! Most people just give me the 'you need to get serious' speech. You know, like, 'You're wasting your potential, Rio!' or 'Why don't you focus on something important?'."Kai nodded, rolling his eyes. "Tell me about it. I get those lectures daily. My mentor's basically a walking lecture machine."Rio leaned closer, looking around as if to share a secret. "So... what do you say? Wanna skip all that boring training nonsense and just do whatever we want?"Kai grinned. "I'm listening."Rio struck a dramatic pose, hand on his chin. "Picture this: Two young men, breaking free from society's chains, laughing in the face of danger, and taking naps whenever we please. We'll be legends! Or at least, we'll have a good time."Kai laughed. "Alright, Mr. 'King of Avoiding Responsibilities,' what's your first legendary move?"Rio's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Sparring match. You and me, right here, right now."Kai smirked. "You sure about that? I wouldn't want to bruise your ego on our first meeting.""Oh, don't worry, I can take it," Rio said, cracking his knuckles. "But don't cry when I kick your royal butt, Prince of Naps."They both took a few steps back, sizing each other up with grins that promised nothing but trouble. Rio struck an unorthodox stance, bouncing on his feet like he was about to break into a dance routine rather than a fight.Kai raised an eyebrow. "Is that... your stance?"Rio shrugged. "Improvisation, my friend. Keeps things interesting."The two exchanged blows, each one accompanied by a taunt or a quip.Kai: "Nice dodge! Been practicing on invisible enemies?"Rio: "Just waiting for you to actually hit me, Your Highness."They traded punches and kicks, laughter mixing with their footwork as they danced around each other. Kai quickly realized that Rio's style was unpredictable—he moved like he didn't care about form or rules, just pure, chaotic energy. It was refreshing... and irritating.Kai managed to land a light punch to Rio's shoulder. "Gotcha!"Rio grinned, barely phased. "Oh, congrats! You won a single point in the game of Who Hits Harder!"Kai laughed. "Alright, then! Bring it on!"They kept sparring, each trying to one-up the other with every move. After a while, both were out of breath but still grinning like idiots. Rio plopped down on the ground, arms behind his head, looking like he'd just run a marathon.Kai lay down beside him, both of them catching their breath, staring up at the sky. After a moment of silence, Rio turned his head toward Kai, wearing that mischievous grin of his."Y'know, Kai," he said, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Like... if we were in a comic or something, we'd be the dynamic duo. I'd be the sassy one who never dies, and you'd... well, you'd be the 'main character' with all the angst."Kai snorted. "What, like some guy in a red suit who just won't shut up?"Rio grinned wider. "Exactly. But don't worry, I'd only break the fourth wall once every few minutes."Kai rolled his eyes. "Great. Just what I need—a partner who acts like he's constantly narrating his own life."They shared a laugh, both lying back on the grass, the world around them feeling a little bit brighter. It was strange—Kai had always imagined his journey would be filled with enemies, challenges, and hardship. And here he was, finding a friend in the middle of nowhere, one who understood him in ways few people ever did.As the stars started to peek out in the sky, Rio sighed, his tone surprisingly serious for a moment. "Hey... you ever wonder what the whole 'hero' thing's really about? Like, what's the point?"Kai glanced over, caught off guard by the question. "I... guess I never thought about it that deeply. But maybe it's just about making things a little better. Or finding people worth fighting for."Rio pondered this for a moment, then nodded, his usual grin returning. "Well, here's to making things better. One nap and one punch at a time."Kai smirked. "Couldn't have said it better myself."They lay there, side by side, two lazy souls who'd somehow stumbled onto the same path, united by their love for naps, sarcasm, and a shared aversion to responsibility.And for the first time in a long while, Kai felt like he wasn't alone.