Sato and Kamiya, trying to shake off the shock of the events they had experienced, quickly distanced themselves from the forest. Breathless, they stopped when they reached a safe distance. With the effect of the Seimei-sen eye, Kamiya could still perceive his surroundings more clearly, and when he turned to look back, he made sure they weren't being followed.
Sato took a deep breath, scanning the area. "Kamiya, we need to make sense of what just happened. We have to find out where Yasue is" he said anxiously. Kamiya nodded in agreement and asked, "I think he's dead, and we need to find a safe place. Can we go to your tribe?" Sato hesitated. The battle was still ongoing, and they could capture Kamiya. But they had no other options. "You don't need to think that hard," he finally said. "If we go to my tribe, you'll die, but at least yours will take me captive." Sato had nothing else to say. He nodded, and they set off toward the tribe.
As night fell, they could see the village from a distance, surrounded by small mountains, looking as if it were nestled in a depression.
When the sentinels spotted them, they reported to the village elders. As soon as the gates opened, four people surrounded Sato and Kamiya, pointing their spears at them. At that moment, Hirabayashi and Kinjo appeared. Hirabayashi looked younger than his age; despite being in his sixties, he still looked to be in his thirties, and the reddish hue in his hair had never faded. Kinjo was Sato's childhood friend and partner during the wars. He had lost one eye in battle, staying back to continue protecting the tribe; his bright silver hair was dazzling. "Father, wait! There are things I need to explain" Sato said, raising his left hand. Meanwhile, Kamiya let go of Sato's arm and sat down on his knees, his eyes returning to normal. "What do you need to explain, my son? You've brought a very powerful person as a captive; my faith in you has not been misplaced. We can win this war now" Hirabayashi said as he approached Kamiya, but Sato suddenly stepped in front of him and held his hand. "No, he's not a captive." At these words, Sato received a hard punch to the abdomen.
As Sato fell to the ground, anger and disappointment flashed in Hirabayashi's eyes. "What do you mean?" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls of the village. Kamiya, realizing the seriousness of the situation, got to his feet and raised his hands peacefully. "Please, listen to us" he said in a calm voice. "We have very important things to explain to you."
Hirabayashi softened a little at Kamiya's words, but he still looked on with a skeptical expression. "Alright, go ahead and talk" he said in a harsh tone, "but be careful; my patience is limited." As Sato slowly stood up, Kamiya began to explain the situation. "Sir, we have come not as enemies, but to warn you of a very serious danger" he said, urgency evident in his voice.
Hirabayashi listened carefully to Kamiya's words, the expression on his face gradually changing. "What kind of danger?" he asked, still stern but filled with curiosity. Sato, observing his father's reaction, added, "Father, please listen to us. This is a situation that threatens not only our tribes but the entire region" his voice filled with sincere concern.
Hirabayashi noticed the worried expressions on his son's and Kamiya's faces and softened a bit. "Alright, come inside" he finally said. "Explain this danger and why you came here in detail." Sato and Kamiya breathed a sigh of relief as they entered the village. Kinjo, still following them with a skeptical look, walked with the group toward the meeting tent in the center of the tribe. Meanwhile, other clan members in the tribe, seeing Kamiya's arrival, gathered and moved toward the front of the tent; everyone was curious about what was happening.
Once inside the tent, only Kinjo, Hirabayashi, Kamiya, and Sato were present.
After Sato recounted the events, Kinjo interjected, "Soldiers from a city-state targeted you, especially while all the tribes in the region are at war. It's absurd. Even though the tribes are weakened, the city takes a huge risk by trying to enter this territory."
Sato nodded. "Yes, it seemed illogical to me as well, but I think the real issue is that I was the target; they're after me." Hirabayashi and Kinjo widened their eyes in surprise. "How?" they asked simultaneously. Kinjo continued, "This information must have been very secret; it was something only the three of us knew. How could it have leaked?" Kamiya couldn't make sense of what they were discussing. "What are you talking about? Why would they be after Sato?" Kinjo seemed about to answer but suddenly fell silent; Hirabayashi was already glaring at Kinjo. Sato broke the momentary tension: "I think we owe an explanation. I know, I know, Father, but Kamiya's brother sacrificed himself to protect me. Let him know this much." Although Hirabayashi initially didn't want to approve this, he realized that some things had to be revealed now. He nodded with his eyes. "What we were hiding was that I carry a pure energy egg." Kamiya couldn't hide his astonishment. "So you were a carrier... But how? We've fought numerous times, I'm sure our powers are equal, and I've never sensed any energy surge from you before. I've heard that the Ryo clan had a monster in the past, but that story was very old." Sato seemed to want to explain more, but the words came out differently: "Actually... never mind, I'm the only one who can suppress this creature effectively."
As Kamiya listened carefully to Sato's words, a mix of emotions appeared on his face. On one hand, he was trying to understand the weight of his friend's burden, while on the other hand, he couldn't help but question why this information had been kept from him. "So that's why you were always different," Kamiya murmured, his eyes on Sato. "Even if these guys take the egg, they won't be able to control it. That's why they need you alive, and they'll need to gather an army here to do that. I think this will be a problem for all of us." Kinjo immediately continued, "Yes, Kamiya, you're right. It will turn into complete chaos. The best thing to do right now is to combine our powers." Hirabayashi laughed, "Peace? I don't think that's an option the Naizen elders would accept."
"Isn't this ridiculous?" Sato blurted out. "You've gotten so old that you can't even remember why the war started, yet you're still fighting. Tell me, Dad, what was the reason for the war? Was it my mother's murder? My brother's murder? Or was it your excessive killing of the Naizens?"
Hirabayashi took a very angry stance in response to these words. "Don't be insolent, brat; your brother's death was because of your weakness." Upon hearing this, Sato got angry, but there was a huge, mocking smile on his face. "Of course, it's always my fault. Even now, my existence is a threat to you." Hirabayashi got even angrier and was about to walk toward Sato when Kinjo stepped in between them. "Can we discuss the Ryo family's internal matters later? Let's focus on solving the current problems." Kamiya nodded in agreement with Kinjo. Just then, Rikimaru entered. Despite his young age and his father's height, he was a bit short but talented; his red hair was the same as his father Sato's. "Dad, you're back!" he exclaimed, jumping on him and hugging him. Seeing this, Kamiya felt a mix of sadness and resentment, but these feelings were entirely directed at himself. He thought, "If I had killed Sato, this child would have been left alone with his mother; if he had killed me, both of my children would have been alone. Maybe it really is time for the war to end." Suddenly, he stood up and said, "Send Kinjo with me to my tribe. Let's explain the situation and establish a peace place. If we can't share the land, let's build a common village." After these words, Kinjo's eyes lit up. "Very clever; I wouldn't expect such an idea from you, Kamiya. Let's set off immediately." Rikimaru was suddenly confused and couldn't understand what was happening. "Dad, Grandpa, what's going on?"
Hirabayashi shot a stern look at Rikimaru. "It doesn't concern you, son; go train with your friends." At that moment, Sato turned to Kinjo and said, "Wouldn't it make more sense for me to go?" Kamiya shook his head. "Spend time with your child and wife while you can... We don't know what will happen." Sato was hurt by these words, but he still understood the situation. It was hard to comprehend the magnitude of Kamiya's loss, having lost his wife a long time ago.
"Then Kinjo Kohei and Kamiya Naizen should set off. Sato, you come with me; we have more to discuss" said Hirabayashi, putting his hands behind his back as he left the tent. "Elders of the tribe, clan leaders, everyone living here, listen to me. No more fighting. We will hold a peace meeting with the Naizen clan and their tribe. From now on, history will flow very differently." As Sato and Kamiya listened to these words, they felt an incredible sense of relief. The fatigue of years had suddenly lifted from their shoulders. They looked into each other's eyes; Sato, with eyes as red as his hair, and Kamiya, with eyes as black as his hair, felt they were at a turning point in history. "Then we're setting off with Kinjo. We'll see you later, Sato; take care of yourself," Kamiya said, fist-bumping Sato with his left hand. Sato smiled widely and bumped his fist back with his right hand.
The air had become quite dark as Kamiya and Kinjo moved quickly through the trees. Kamiya suddenly paused and stopped on a branch; noticing this, Kinjo also stopped, "Are you okay, Kamiya?"
Kamiya was suddenly overcome with fatigue. "It was a busy day; I'm just a bit tired. Let's keep going." They continued on their way.
As Kamiya and Kinjo continued their journey, the moonlight filtering through the trees guided them. Moving in silence, both were lost in their thoughts. They wondered how the peace talks would go and what awaited them in the future. "Kamiya, what do you think your people will say about this situation?" Kinjo's voice carried a hint of anxiety, as he thought about being completely alone in enemy territory. "I'll convince them; leave the discussions to me as much as possible." Silence and thoughts took the place of their brief conversation.
When they reached a stream, they paused to catch their breath. "So, if we establish a village, who will lead it?" Kamiya had never considered this; the question sparked new doubts in his mind. "I'm not sure, but I think it should be Sato; he gets along better with everyone than I do. As for the village elders, if we leave it to them, it could lead to another war. I think the decision should be made by us young people." Kinjo nodded in agreement. "Sato seems like a good choice, yes, but you know he's a threat to everyone on his own."
"Maybe so, maybe not. If the time comes for someone to stop him, I'll be the one to do it; until then, I will protect him."
When Kinjo heard these words, he took a deep breath. "I hope that day never comes" he said quietly. The two of them moved forward for a while in silence, lost in their thoughts. In the darkness of the night, they were stepping toward the uncertain future ahead of them. As the moon reached its peak, they arrived at a clearing where the tribe was set up, surrounded by streams that made it a difficult place to seize; when the night watchmen spotted Kamiya from afar, they suddenly started shouting, "Kamiya has returned!" The gates opened quickly. A figure wearing a half-white mask appeared before them, with only his mouth visible; a few guards were with him. "Kamiya, you finally made it back. Where is Yasue?" Whenever Kamiya heard Yasue's name, he felt as if a piece of him had been torn away; sorrow was evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kamiya. Yasue was a great warrior; I'm sure he left with honor."
"That's right, Dokuro. We'll talk about the details later; there are important developments. This is Kinjo Kohei, also known as the White Claw" Kamiya said, pointing to Kinjo. "I never thought I'd see someone from the Yuki tribe step foot here, although we did see that the equinox tried it." Kinjo was momentarily surprised. "Sato Ryo? He never mentioned coming here." Kamiya interjected, "I'm an old friend of Sato. He carried Yasue here when he broke his leg just before the second war." Dokuro shook his head. "Let's get back to our topic; there aren't many sensible people around here. You're lucky to have encountered me on my watch, or else Kinjo wouldn't have kept his head straight." Kamiya started walking while tugging at Kinjo. "Send the guards away, Dokuro. Kinjo is guaranteed not to cause any trouble. Also, tell my father that I urgently need to see him; I need to talk to everyone who runs this tribe." Dokuro gestured to the guards, and they promptly vanished. Then Dokuro disappeared as well, leaving Kamiya and Kinjo alone again. Kinjo couldn't stop examining his surroundings, but there were too many things he couldn't make sense of. "The buildings, the clothes... I didn't expect the Ken tribe to resemble our tribe so much. Ahh, there are strange things bothering my mind about this."
After passing all the structures, they arrived at a large house from which voices were rising. "I can't stand their stupidity; Sanda, just do the magic already!" yelled a male voice. Kamiya suddenly frowned and stepped into the yard, quickly opening the door. "Soma, how many times have I told you not to treat your sister rudely!" he bellowed. Seeing his father in front of him, Soma stepped back in fear and fell to the ground. Upon seeing him, Sanda ran happily and hugged him. "Daddy, welcome back! Where's Uncle Yasue? Who's this uncle?" she bombarded him with questions. "Your Uncle Yasue had something else to attend to; he couldn't make it."
Kamiya paused for a moment under the curious gaze of his children. "This is Kinjo Kohei. He's an important guest and will be staying with us." Soma and Sanda looked at Kinjo in surprise. Kamiya continued, "Now, there are important matters we all need to discuss. I need to speak with my father and the other adults."
While Kamiya tended to the children for a moment, Kinjo had settled on the porch , lost in thought under the moonlight and accompanied by the wind. After a while, Kamiya sat down next to Kinjo. "Are you thinking everything will turn out well?" Kinjo chuckled lightly. "Of course; I believe it will."
There wasn't much familiarity between them; they had faced each other on the battlefield a few times, but from two strangers, two friends were being born. In an effort to reassure him, Kamiya slapped Kinjo on the back firmly. "Aghh... What was that for?!" Kamiya laughed. "Ahah, sorry, I couldn't control my strength. I wanted to boost your morale. If anyone should be pessimistic here, it's me. If I fail, great chaos will ensue."
Kinjo felt the weight and responsibility of the words. "I believe you can do it. I used to think you were born of pure evil; I realized my prejudices were wrong."
Kamiya looked both peaceful and exhausted. "I only wanted to save my family, and I was willing to risk everything for that. When it comes to fighting, I can be incredibly ruthless and emotionless. I guess most people are like that, but I was worse."
Kinjo understood these words. "I understand what it's like to lose someone you love; I lost my father in the war. I got used to it quickly. I wondered if I should take revenge at one point, but in war, everyone loses something; who could I take my revenge on? War brings great losses and is a chaos that resolves nothing. Everyone tries to protect someone, but what about those who have nothing to protect? Or those who have nothing to lose? Innocents will continue to die for meaningless reasons, and those who have lost everything will bring even greater chaos. But at least I won't, and neither will you, because you still have those you need to protect."
Kamiya saw wisdom in Kinjo's words. Just as he was about to speak, Dokuro appeared in front of them. "Alright, gentlemen, we're ready; let's go." Kamiya stood up and entered the house. The children were asleep; he first looked at his daughter and gently patted her head, then did the same for his son. When he returned to the veranda, his eyes were filled with determination; no matter what happened, he would make this agreement happen.
The three of them began to move and headed toward the city center.