Meanwhile, in Genib, Ogai had already managed to recruit Ginji to his cause without much difficulty, on the very evening of his departure. Ginji ran a bookstore that attracted few customers, as the Genibian population – humans, dwarves, ogres – showed little interest in literature. Nevertheless, he had a regular customer base to whom he typically sold pamphlets on science and history. He was young, with clear eyes, long brown hair, rather tall, and possessed a slender and graceful build. Always dressed in loose linen clothing, he also wore a belt equipped with pouches containing essentials for survival: rye bread, a slim water flask, coins, a map of the kingdom, a safety pin for picking locks, bandages, thread, and a needle for stitching wounds.
Whenever he had spare time, he composed poems, played the harp, and sang for his own enjoyment. The enchanting sound of his instrument could captivate him for entire nights. These moments of reverie transported him to another world, a far cry from the one in which he lived. However, the violence that plagued the kingdom was very real, especially for someone as delicate and dreamy as him. This was why he had developed a unique martial technique that made him invincible. Many of the kingdom's inhabitants who encountered him thought him weak, someone who could offer no resistance – a fool parading around with a purse full of coins. But moments later, after taking a few blows, they would realize their complete misjudgment: Ginji was one of the most formidable martial arts experts in the kingdom.
In recent months, the climate had become unbearable for him. He had often heard tales of Arcadia and its peaceful atmosphere. Despite the risks, he had long dreamed of leaving Genib for the neighboring kingdom. So, he welcomed Ogai, his most loyal customer, as a savior when he came to announce the plan to depart for Arcadia. Ginji would finally see the land spoken of so often yet impossible to imagine.
The next morning, they set out to find Kentaro, who worked in the kingdom's grand market. There, one could find all the essentials needed by most of the population.
It was an unusual place, where the dregs of Genib mingled with the elite of the court. Crimes were frequent, but the mix of humans, dwarves, and ogres had persisted since the kingdom's founding. The man Ginji and Ogai sought was a rogue of the worst kind: cruel, irascible, and merciless, likely holding the record for most brawls in the market.
"But why him?" Ginji exclaimed. "How can you trust someone like that?"
"Well, you see," Ogai replied, "this man also possesses exceptional physical abilities: he's probably the fastest man in both kingdoms. We'll certainly need him to infiltrate Andora's castle. Look, there he is now…"
Kentaro, wearing an apron stained with spots, stood by his stall. Head bowed, fists clenched, he trembled with rage as a pudgy man berated him harshly in front of market customers.
"And now," the man shouted, "sell my vegetables or you'll find yourself penniless!"
Kentaro grumbled angrily and returned behind his stall, tidying it up while muttering curses about his employer.
"Why is he shouting at you, Kentaro?" Ogai called out.
"Ogai, is that you!"
The arrival of an old acquaintance seemed to please him, revealing a row of decayed teeth beneath his freshly trimmed beard. This dental neglect matched his dark features and grim expression. A long scar ran vertically down his throat. Pausing momentarily, he resumed arranging his products. Then, as if realizing Ginji was there with his friend, he asked:
"Who's this greenhorn with you? Looks like a woman!"
Back to his work, he finished arranging the cucumbers that had fallen onto the radishes, then looked up at his friend again, visibly annoyed.
"That scoundrel accuses me of mistreating customers. But what can I do? They keep complaining about my vegetables. I can't stand dishonest people, so if they whine too much, I throw them on their faces! "
He grabbed a banana and tossed it like a boomerang, hitting a nobleman who dropped like a block of stone.
"There! Hit! Sunk! That's how it works with me! The king of fruits and vegetables!"
"But Kentaro," Ogai said, confused, "as the saying goes, the customer is king…"
"There is no king in Genib!" Kentaro yelled. "Only a queen! Anyway," he added, trying to calm down, "did you come to buy vegetables or not?"
"Certainly not. From what you say, your vegetables are in bad shape."
The greengrocer's blood boiled, but before he could explode with rage, Ogai continued:
"I'm here to make you an offer. I know you hate your job, and even more so your boss. I know you'd rather be free to fight anyone, anytime, than stay behind a stall all day selling fruits and vegetables: it doesn't suit you at all. So, come with me to Arcadia, where you can fight as much as you want."
"To… to Arcadia? You're planning to cross the Rassan pass?" Kentaro stammered, incredulous.
This time, he was the one who knocked over the products.
"Yes," Ogai replied. "I need strong men to help solve a riddle that's decimating the Arcadians."
"Wait a minute!" Kentaro interrupted with a cynical tone, pointing a finger at Ginji. "Don't tell me he's one of the strong men you're looking for? Huh? You can't be serious!"
He burst into laughter, leaning backward.
"A virago to accompany you. You're joking, right…"
"Kentaro!" his employer shouted. "Why are you still chatting when people are waiting in line! Don't you see the customers waiting to be served? Fool! Do you want to end up on the street?"
He waved his arms, drawing more attention from passersby. He kept shouting as Ogai gave Kentaro a mischievous smile.
"So? Will you come?"
Kentaro, momentarily indifferent, returned the smile, then suddenly kicked the stall violently. Fruits and vegetables flew everywhere, rolling or splattering depending on their state. The nearby customers pounced without hesitation on the scattered goods. The employer raged, shouting even louder at his worker. For once, Kentaro seemed to keep his cool. He walked up to his boss, hands on his hips, head down, shaking it in disbelief. He stopped in front of him, but the man kept yelling. However, he gasped when he saw that Kentaro's gaze had changed completely: it no longer showed submission but deep, unrestrained resentment. Kentaro averted his eyes from the man, and without warning, thrust his hand into his stomach in a move so swift it was almost imperceptible. His arm pierced the man's body, releasing a spray of blood. The man stifled a cry and fell to the ground with open eyes.
Ginji was greatly impressed by the greengrocer's speed.
So, there are others like me… he thought.
Kentaro looked down disdainfully at his victim, crushing the man's head with his dirty boots.
"You were saying?" he sneered at the corpse, with a wicked grin.
He looked down a moment longer, then declared:
"Alright! Let's go before the royal guard arrives!"
They quickly exited the market through the alleys and took refuge in an inn. They sat around a rickety wooden table that looked like it hadn't been dusted since the inn opened. They ordered drinks.
"So, Ogai! What's your plan?" Kentaro asked, elbow on the table, chin jutting forward.
"You know Andora is building an army."
"Yes, obviously. Everyone knows that."
"Well! In fact, she plans to invade Arcadia."
"No! Impossible!" Kentaro shouted.
Some customers turned to the three with questioning looks. Realizing all eyes were on him, Kentaro stood up to glare at them. Some, knowing his fighting skills, pretended not to have seen or heard anything, while the others averted their eyes cowardly.
"If war breaks out between the two kingdoms," Ogai continued, "it will be a tragedy. I want to protect Arcadia to the very end. I won't let her attack the kingdom."
"Wait a second!" Kentaro said, alarmed, beginning to grasp his friend's intentions. "What exactly are you planning to do? Don't tell me you're going after Andora?"
"She must be stopped from starting this war," Ogai said, half convinced of the chances of success in what he intended to undertake. "And for that, Andora must die."
Kentaro's eyes widened, mouth agape:
"He's crazy… Killing the queen… The madman…" he muttered, forgetting he was in a crowded inn.
The patrons heard, pausing their conversations to stare at him as if he were a demon from the depths of hell. He glanced back at them. Watching Ogai, he hoped it was a joke, but Ogai seemed as serious as could be, determined to see this through to the end.
"And anyway, she has to cross the Rassan pass to attack Arcadia: the creature guards it!" Kentaro shouted.
"She plans to kill it!" Ogai declared unequivocally.
Kentaro was stunned. The revelation shattered all his certainties. The world could have collapsed around him, and he wouldn't have noticed. But he regained his composure:
"Incredible!" Kentaro exclaimed. "If what you say is true… and considering the bitterness the Genibians feel toward the Arcadians after being rejected all these years, it would be a massacre! Everyone who ever wanted to live in Arcadia would join this war, not without dragging the next generations along with them."
"And on his side, Ragan seems ready to throw all his forces into my battle, as he has reportedly already prepared his army as well."
"Well!" Kentaro exclaimed, exasperated. "How do you plan to stop that?"
"First, we need to go to Arcadia so that you can discover your Name. We must end the Black Moon disease, and then we'll all return here, you Pleiades and I, to stop Andora. I will oversee the mission from a distance. Together, you'll succeed."
"And why not stop Ragan?" Ginji, who had been silent until now, interjected for the first time.
"Good question, novice!" Kentaro said, amused by his own words. "Why not stop Ragan?" he repeated foolishly.
"Andora is closer to launching an offensive than Ragan," Ogai replied. "I believe Ragan won't make a move until she attacks. I imagine he's waiting for her to waste her forces killing the dragon so he can face her weakened armies. Plus, she is the one responsible for the Black Moon's riddle."
"Maybe, but we don't have an army to cross the Rassan pass," Kentaro concluded.
"That's not an issue," Ogai retorted. "I'll explain why. Do you agree to join us?"
"I don't have much choice; I don't want to face war. Even if we come out victorious, the cost could be devastating."
"Well said!" Ogai declared, pounding the table with his fist. "We need one more person in Genib, and then we can plan everything together in Arcadia with the rest of the group. That person is Averkane."
"Averkane?" Kentaro said, running his fingers over his jet-black mustache and beard. "People say he's hiding in the Golden Quarter. Even though there have been many royal patrol incursions there, they've never caught him. In fact, I think they don't care..."
"How do you know all this?" Ogai asked, quite intrigued.
"Oh! You know, people talk in the markets…"
"Alright, let's go look for him," Ginji interjected, standing up.
Throughout the previous conversation, Ginji had kept to himself, silent, and watched Kentaro suspiciously. The reason being, he had not digested the insults thrown at him by the grocer. He had refrained from reacting in the heat of the moment, but now that his anger had subsided, and he had regained his composure, he wasn't going to miss the chance to clear his honor.
To reach the Golden Quarter, they had to leave the historic center from the south and cross the Safa Plain. The three of them were chatting when Ginji suddenly turned around. The angelic expression on his face had been replaced by a furious glare.
"By the way!" he said, addressing Kentaro. "Was it me you were calling a woman earlier? A virago?"
"Huh?!"
Kentaro was taken aback by such a delayed reaction.
"You were talking about me, weren't you?"
"Yes, I was talking about you, but don't put on that stern face, because I haven't changed my mind: you still look like a woman!"
Ogai stepped forward, intending to at least warn Kentaro of the risks he was about to take.
"You'd better not underestimate him, Kent…"
"Bah!" Kentaro said haughtily, pointing at Ginji. "What could he do to me?"
Ginji leaped backward and assumed an attack stance.
"Step aside, Ogai!" he shouted. Then, addressing Kentaro: "The question is, what can you do? Fool, you may be fast, but speed is useless if you can't touch me!"
"What?" Kentaro smirked confidently. "I can't touch you?"
He charged at Ginji to prove that his insolence was unwarranted. Ginji, firmly planted with legs apart, raised his arms to the sky, one in front, the other behind. A flash glinted in his eyes. His hand sliced the air and the ground simultaneously. An invisible wave rippled through the atmosphere, slicing at Kentaro and stopping him in his tracks. It looked as if long blades were attempting to cut him down. He stood still, incredulous. Ginji took advantage of his opponent's surprise to launch his attack again.
"You can't see the New Moon, can you? See, fool, there was no reason to boast! You can't even approach me! Well? Lost your arrogance, haven't you?"
Kentaro sprinted sideways to avoid the slicing attacks. He regretted underestimating him. With his incredible speed, he dodged all the New Moons and significantly closed the distance between them. He jumped behind Ginji, evading another attack and countering with a blow that his rival barely managed to dodge. Ginji spun around: the two were now about to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
"That's enough!" Ogai shouted, stepping between them. "You're not enemies, so stop this fight! Kentaro, I hope this brief demonstration of Ginji's abilities will make you realize that you're not the only one with extraordinary powers in this kingdom. Don't make hasty judgments about your opponents, especially when it comes to a Pleiade like you. His talent matches yours."
The two men glared at each other, fists clenched, muscles tense, ready to continue the fight to the death. Suddenly, Ginji straightened up and smiled. He approached Kentaro and extended his hand.
"No hard feelings? I held back; I didn't want to hurt you."
Kentaro wore an unsatisfied expression but shook the offered hand firmly.
"I held back too."
"If you were planning to apologize," Ginji continued, "don't bother. I know now you don't believe what you said!"
And he burst out laughing. Kentaro grimaced. Indeed, even if he hadn't used his full strength, he was now convinced that the world was full of men with incredible power. And he was about to meet them. Although, he thought, if I had fought at my best, I would have won, no doubt. That was what he meant to convey to Ginji with his courteous response, but, amusingly and tellingly, Ginji thought exactly the same thing. Was it their immense pride that made them so confident?
Ogai, for his part, was pleased with the outcome between the two Pleiades. I didn't bring them together to fight each other, he thought, but to fight for a common goal. Let's hope tensions like these don't arise again. On the other hand, they each have strong characters, which makes such confrontations inevitable.
Yet, he knew he was far from done dealing with them…