Under the pale glow of the moon, the forest was eerily silent. Shadows danced on the ground as Mikage collapsed to his knees, clutching his bleeding stomach. His breaths were shallow, ragged, and pained. Kenji stood over him, his sword catching the faint silver light, still glistening with Mikage's blood.
Mikage looked up at Kenji, his face pale but resolute. "Do it," he rasped, his voice hoarse and weak. "The honorable thing... of a swordsman. Slash an X across my chest, then drive your blade into my stomach."
Kenji frowned, his brow furrowing as his grip on the sword tightened. "No," he said firmly, his voice calm but edged with impatience. "I didn't come here to kill you. I need you to tell me where the damn castle is."
Mikage blinked, surprised, then grimaced as he clutched his wound tighter. "Castle?" he echoed weakly.
Kenji nodded, stepping closer. "Yeah. I know you've been following me. When I was heading toward that castle, I could feel you watching. Then there's that guy, Taki—he beat me, took one of my swords, and carried it into that castle. I need it back."
Mikage coughed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You're a fool if you think you can take on that entire place by yourself."
Kenji's eyes hardened. "I know I can," he said, his voice resolute.
In the distance, a rundown bar sat at the edge of the forest. Through a cracked window, Tony and Eleo watched the exchange. Tony leaned casually against the windowsill, his arms crossed. His ever-present confident grin was tinged with a hint of admiration.
"Man, that was a tough fight," Tony said, his deep voice carrying a note of approval. "Didn't think the blue-haired guy had that much fight in him."
Eleo, practically vibrating with excitement, chimed in, his bunny ears twitching. "And Kenji! He's so cool! Tony, I've got an idea—we should add him to our team!"
Tony smirked, pushing off the windowsill. "Not a bad idea, kid. Not bad at all."
Without hesitation, Tony kicked open the bar's door with a dramatic bang, stepping into the moonlit clearing. Eleo bounded after him, his energy uncontainable.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Tony announced, his deep voice booming across the quiet forest. "Presenting the one and only Eleo, the unstoppable bunny boy!"
With a wide grin, Eleo performed a front flip, landing gracefully before spreading his arms wide like a performer waiting for applause. Kenji and Mikage, both caught off guard, stared at the pair in stunned confusion.
Kenji raised an eyebrow. "What the hell…?"
Tony, undeterred, continued his dramatic flair. "Basically, Eleo here is asking if you'd join our team."
Kenji's expression darkened with suspicion. "Team? For what?"
"To fight the strongest, of course," Tony replied, his grin widening.
Kenji scoffed and turned away. "Not interested."
Eleo jumped forward, practically pleading. "Please, please, please! We could really use someone like you!"
Tony's tone shifted, losing some of its levity. "How about this? We'll help you get your sword back."
Kenji let out a sharp laugh, his eyes narrowing. "You two? Help me? You don't look like you could handle a guy like Taki, let alone storming that castle."
Tony's grin faltered slightly, his skeletal features taking on a more serious air. "You haven't seen us fight."
Mikage, still on the ground, shook his head weakly. "And you haven't seen Taki fight in earnest. You'll need more than guts to survive in that place."
Eleo leaned closer to Kenji, his eyes wide with determination. "Come on, man. What choice do you really have? We're not asking you to do this alone. Just think about it."
Kenji was silent for a long moment, the weight of Eleo's words sinking in. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he spoke. "Fine. I'll join you. But only because I need that sword back."
Tony's grin returned full force. "Great! Eleo, you know what to do."
Eleo straightened, his voice suddenly formal. "Kenji, would you like to officially join my team?"
Kenji hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Yeah… I'd like that."
As soon as the words left his mouth, glowing blue letters appeared in the sky, casting a faint light over the group: Kenji has joined Eleo's team.
Eleo's teammates: Tony and Kenji.
With their new alliance formed, the trio set off toward the castle. The forest thinned as they walked, the towering structure looming ominously in the distance, its dark spires piercing the night sky like claws.
From the shadows, Mikage watched them go, a mixture of resignation and concern flickering in his eyes. Just as he turned to leave, a soft rustling in the underbrush caught his attention. A sleek figure emerged from the shadows—a man with purple fur and piercing feline eyes. His movements were graceful, almost predatory.
"Well, well, well," the cat-man purred, his voice smooth and laid-back. "I've been looking for you, Mikage."
Mikage's hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his dual sword. "Who are you? Are you from the Animal Kingdom Island?"
The cat-man smiled, his sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "Name's Koshkin. And yeah, I'm from there. But that's not important. What matters is that I've got a proposition for you."
Mikage's eyes narrowed. "A proposition?"
Koshkin's grin widened. "Join my team. I've been watching you, and I could use someone with your… talents."
Mikage hesitated, weighing his options. Finally, he sighed. "Why not? It's not like I've got anything better to do."