**Chapter 13: The Heirs' Secret (Part 3)**
Kota stealthily guided Haru out of Solaria, crossing the Solarion gate, which remained open even at night. The two entered the dividing territory between the kingdoms, known as "the border" by everyone in Niray. It wasn't as vast as the Kingdom of Solaria or the Kingdom of Thunder, but slightly smaller than the Water Kingdom's territory, making it a perfect spot for secret nighttime meetings.
Haru never imagined that the prince would have such a habit and was intrigued to know whom he wanted to introduce. They pushed through some bushes and arrived at a place that resembled an abandoned farm. Confused, the servant asked:
"I thought it was forbidden to build anything on the border. Whose place is this?"
"I have no idea. Judging by its condition, it's been abandoned for a long time"
the prince replied, scratching the back of his neck.
Haru enjoyed observing Kota's habits, and this one was the cutest of them all. The two young men were startled by a mysterious noise coming from a bush. Kota stepped in front of Haru to protect him, ready to summon his magical armor, but he stopped as soon as he saw Kimiko emerging from the bush. The girl wore a cape identical to theirs. She said to them:
"Finally, you brought him, Kota."
She walked toward Haru and hugged him. Confused, the servant was surprised by the princess's embrace and even more surprised by her words:
"I couldn't stand hearing him talk about you anymore, you know?"
The young servant's cheeks turned red upon hearing that the prince spoke about him often. The friendly hug between Kimiko and Haru ended when Kota started shouting at the girl:
"DON'T LISTEN TO HER; SHE'S CRAZY! I DON'T TALK ABOUT HIM THAT MUCH!"
Kimiko laughed at the prince while making two little hand puppets kiss. Haru turned so red that he looked like he was about to explode. Trying to change the subject, Kota teased the girl:
"Aren't you going to tell him how you always lose battles to me?"
"You liar! Let's train right now, and he'll see who's going to lose!"
The girl pulled back the hood of her black cape. Kota and Kimiko stared each other down, taking battle stances. In the blink of an eye, the princess, with her characteristic open-palm strike, aimed at the Solarion prince's chest. Unarmored, he easily dodged.
Haru could barely keep up with Kimiko's movements, but Kota not only saw them clearly but dodged most of them. When the princess's fist, surrounded by electricity, was about to hit Kota, the boy quickly summoned his armor. He became slower, but Kimiko's strikes were no longer a concern. Kota caught her wrist and threw her backward. She spun in the air and landed perfectly, almost as if her feet had glued to the ground.
That's exactly what had happened. The princess's powers allowed her to manipulate, generate, and absorb energy. Though she still lacked full control, she could only concentrate energy in her fists and feet, granting her enhanced speed, agility, and strength. That was already impressive, considering her father lacked such control.
Kazuki could only generate energy, making him a threat to anyone living nearby. Rumors said he only managed to live in society after creating his gloves. Others claimed that a touch from him without gloves meant instant death. These rumors intensified after he married Kimiko's mother, a woman who could absorb infinite energy but vanished years ago without a trace.
People said Kazuki chose a wife with the perfect power to nullify his own, ensuring their heir would possess an ideal ability—and, in part, they were right.
Kimiko advanced at an absurd speed toward Kota. This time, the prince could barely see her movements. Though fast, the strike was blocked by his armor. The girl ran in circles around him, attacking from various angles. The weight of Kota's armor hindered his ability to keep up with her. Focusing on her movements, Kota identified a pattern. Predicting her next strike, he delivered a strong kick to Kimiko's stomach.
The girl felt the pain of the impact but remained undeterred. Realizing she couldn't defeat Kota with punches alone, she quickly dove to the ground, grabbed a stone, charged it with her electrical energy, and hurled it at the boy. Startled, Kota shielded his head and torso with his arms, bracing for the impact. The small stone became a projectile, striking and shattering the arm section of Kota's armor. Completely stunned, he shouted:
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
Haru was alarmed, thinking the two were fighting too seriously, until Kimiko responded:
"I have no idea how I did that, but it was awesome!"
"Awesome? That was insane"
Kota replied, smiling.
Haru finally understood the situation. He had assumed Kota and Kimiko shared a romantic connection, but in truth, their shared love was for battles. This realization made the little servant happy—perhaps, deep down, his master might like him.
Haru watched the two train excitedly, with the fights almost always ending in a draw. It became clear to Haru that Kota was slightly more skilled than the princess. However, Kimiko demonstrated more creativity with her abilities than the prince, whose armor had evident flaws. The two trained together until late into the night. Exhausted, it was time to part ways:
"Will we see you again tomorrow, Kimiko?"
Kota asked the princess, who quickly replied:
"Of course, I'd love to train this new skill we discovered today. But don't forget to bring your little boyfriend along!"
Kimiko said playfully. The prince's servant felt his cheeks burn as Kota tried to respond but was left speechless, watching his friend disappear into the bushes with an impressive burst of speed. Haru could never have imagined that someone as delicate as Kimiko could be so powerful.
Left alone in the unfamiliar place, Kota and his servant exchanged shy glances. The pearly light of the moon highlighted the beauty and youth of the two men. They both wanted the same thing at that moment, but no words were spoken—and perhaps none were needed, as they both already knew that between them there was...
**LOVE.**
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That beautiful night could have ended with the heartfelt realization that Haru and Kota loved each other before they returned to the castle. But something was about to turn that serene moment into a terrifying nightmare.
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As Kimiko made her way back to the Thunder Kingdom, she didn't notice she was being followed by someone faster and more cunning, hidden in the shadows. That night, Shion left his kingdom on a mission: to destroy the missile project being developed in the Thunder Kingdom. His brother, the great dictator of the Shadow Kingdom, had ordered him to lead a small army of shadow ninjas to complete the task.
The Shadow Ninjas were infamous assassins from the Shadow Kingdom. Though they sometimes served the dictator, they were known to work for criminals and mobsters, eliminating targets both outside and within their kingdom. They operated like a true criminal faction.
Shion was ruthless to most people. Having grown up under the shadow of his powerful brother, he had faced many hardships. However, that night, as he observed movement in the bushes near the Thunder Kingdom's entrance, he ordered his shadow ninjas to plan an escape route in case the mission failed. This decision ensured that Kimiko wouldn't be noticed by the bloodthirsty assassins.
Once the princess had safely entered her kingdom, Shion gave the order to proceed. He wasn't one to show affection openly, but he would never let the woman he loved be ambushed by hired killers.
As the guards of the Thunder Kingdom patrolled the streets, Kimiko slipped into the shadows, aiming to reach her room unnoticed. Little did she realize that the number of guards was decreasing every ten seconds—each one silently pulled into the shadows and executed.
Shion mercilessly dispatched several of the soldiers. His yellow eyes turned crimson, reflecting the blood of his victims. The droplets on his small dagger activated his unique ability, enhancing his speed and strength with every sight of enemy blood. Dressed in traditional Shadow Ninja attire, Shion left only his red eyes visible, ensuring he wouldn't be recognized.
Upon infiltrating the Thunder Kingdom's laboratory—the most advanced technological facility in Niray—Shion spotted the missile. It appeared small, standing only three meters tall. However, as his gaze wandered to one corner of the lab, regret washed over him.
Kimiko's secret route into the castle passed directly through the laboratory. She was easily spotted by the ninjas, who prepared to attack. Thinking quickly, the clever princess used her powers to boost her speed, attempting to escape. Most of the ninjas couldn't keep up with her. But knowing his brother would punish him for letting her interfere with the mission, Shion, moving like a shadowy blur, quickly caught Kimiko.
She screamed desperately for help:
**"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! HELP!"**
Shion knew he would never forgive himself for what he was about to do. But he couldn't afford to disappoint his brother or risk losing his place in the kingdom. He averted his eyes from the beautiful Kimiko, who was crying and unable to break free from his grip. Exhausted and nearly drained of energy after her training with Kota, she was defenseless.
Shion prepared to strike her in the stomach but froze as a cold wind escaped his lips—a chill unlike anything he had ever felt before...