A day has passed since the bandit revolt.

The wagon creaking of its wooden joints echoed through the humid air, mingling with the chirping of birds and the hum of insects. The summer humidity was stifling, but it was nothing compared to the blazing sun that hung heavy in the sky. The orb of fire was a beacon of light and heat.

But Kuro didn't mind. He was clean, had a pretty substantial amount of wealth, and had a clear goal in mind: to make a home in the capital. Honestly, for him, it couldn't get better.

"Are we setting up camp yet?" a disgruntled voice called from the back of the cart.

"No, we can't stop yet. We'd waste precious sunlight unless you wanted to be in the wagon for an extra day?"

There was no remark from Akio. She simply groaned and laid her back against the sticky, hot wood of the wagon. Akio never could handle the heat, much the reason why she preferred winter out of all the months.

Kuro, on the other hand, never bothered caring about which season was the best. Each was inevitable, so acceptance of whatever came next was his belief.

The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the rolling hills.

Kuro reined in the horses, bringing the wagon to a halt. The horses whined their relief, their sides glistening with sweat.

"Good girls," Kuro said as he fed the two horses dried meat.

Akio, feeling the wagon come to a stop, slowly sat up. "Finally," she muttered, wiping the grime off her forehead.

She stepped out of the wagon, stretching her arms above her head.

Kuro jumped down from the driver's seat, landing clumsily, his driving of the wagon for hours had caused his legs to get numb.

His eyes scanned the area, searching for the perfect spot to set up camp. A small clearing in the distance caught his attention, surrounded by tall trees that would provide shade

The grass was a bright green the air filled with the smell of dirt, and citrus kuro took in a deep refreshing breath

"Let's set up there," Kuro pointed.

Both of them began to unload the wagon, pulling out their supplies steadily. Between the tents, food, and clothes, they managed to get everything out in no time.

"I'll set up the tent," Akio said pulling out the long pieces of cloth and tent poles

"You sure Akio? I usually set up the tent."

"Yes! Come on you drove us all this way I can handle this" Akio said more rowdy than her usual self, kuro smiled as he gazed at Akio, guess he should start relying on her more.

"Okay, I'll go get us some firewood, keep your eyes open, just to be safe.

Setting up the tents came naturally to the Akio she'd watched Kuro do it countless times. As Kuro was gone, Akio could be with what her thoughts were.

"As Kuro left to gather firewood, Akio found herself deep in thought. It had been a long, difficult journey since they left that horror of an estate and she couldn't help but worry about their future.

"Where do we go from here?" she murmured to herself, the question rattling around in her head like a loose screw. Kuro had always been the strong one, the one who didn't let his emotions get the better of him. But lately, Akio had noticed a change in him. He was still brave and determined, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes that she couldn't shake.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Akio knew that Kuro was only doing what he thought was best for them, but she couldn't help feeling like they were being too optimistic. The road ahead was uncertain, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were making the right decisions.

"I just wish this all made more sense," Akio said out loud, the words sounding hollow in the silence of the forest. She missed their friends. But more than anything, she feared for Kuro's future. She saw the pain and guilt in his eyes, and she knew that sooner or later, it would consume him.

As Kuro returned with an armful of firewood, Akio felt a pang of guilt. She knew she needed to be strong for him, to be the rock that he leaned on. But she wasn't sure if she was up to the challenge. "I'm back!" Kuro said holding a bundle of wood that managed to dry from last night's rain.

"Ah!"

Akio jumps back surprised clenching her chest.

"You alright.." Kuro laughs

"I'm fine..fin..e, you just scared me," Akio said stuttering her breath drained.

"Uh-huh, well I got us the wood, let's get the fire started."

Each knew their role, working together with precision and speed. Soon the wood snapped and crackled as they fed it, finally coaxing it into a roaring blaze.

Akio sat near where Kuro was squatting, she leaned her head back, exhaling deeply. "You think you can cook, or am I going to starve tonight?" Akio asked as she pushed Kuro playfully.

"Oh I see, your helpful mood is over"

Kuro smirked, taking out a large pot, filling it up with water, and placing it over the fire. "Don't worry, I'll make sure we're both well-fed."

Dinner was simple yet satisfying - a stew made from the vegetables and meat they had acquired during their last robbery. Eating in silence, they savored every bite, grateful for the nourishment after a long day of travel.

When they finished eating, Kuro stood up, stretched, and rubbed his belly. "We're gonna be at the capital in five more days."

Akio nodded, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I can't wait."

Akio then yawned widely. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Wake me up early; I want to take a shower before the sun gets too high."

With that, she crawled into her tent, pulling the flap closed behind her. Kuro watched her go, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He took a deep breath, savoring the scent of the fire and burnt pin cones

Once the fire had died down to embers, Kuro gazed at the dirt, the embers of the fire somehow seemed to remind Kuro of who he was.

The ashes of fire, something born from something spectacular, but ultimately useless.

Kuro's eyes turned glossy and stormy, as if his eyes were held back a dark stormy sea after one last bowl of stew kuro joined Akio in the tent.

Kuro sat alone in the dark, the firelight casting eerie shadows on his haggard face. He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that had been tormenting him since the day he had betrayed his friends. In an attempt to make himself feel better, he started talking to himself.

"Did I really have any other option?" he muttered, his voice filled with doubt.

"It was either them or her, and I chose her. I couldn't just let her live in that bloody." But as he tried to convince himself, he couldn't help but feel like he had made a mistake, like he should have done things differently.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he thought of all the lives that had been lost because of his actions.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I wish things had been different."

Lying down next to her, he felt the warmth radiating from her body. In the darkness of his mind, he closed his eyes, his thoughts filled with dreams of a simple life.

Lulled by the soft snoring coming from beside him, Kuro started to drift off to sleep as his senses faded to the point he, at peace, at home, an image of peaceful trees and long fields, flooded his mind.

Before Kuro could even appreciate the scene, a strange scent abused his nostrils, rotten meat, the common smell of death Kuro was always forced to adapt to.

Kuro stepped and felt a puddle at his feet soaking his whole foot, Kuro eyes darted towards the ground.

Eyes.

Eyes are what greeted him, the eyes of Adam, his friends, his comrades, the people he spent years with.

"Why kuro? Why'd you kill us? Didn't you love us kuro? Weren't we family!?" The corpses yelled at Kuro, their voices like swords scraping against Kuro's eardrums.

Their onslaught of repeated questions rained on Kuro.

A scream bellowed from the depth of Kuro's soul.

"I'M SORRY!" Kuro crawled on the ground squeezing his eyes shut.

"Please. I'm so sorry" Kuro's face turned fully wet with tears.

The world began swirling around him in an array of dark black and grey colors. Suddenly, everything turned pitch black. And silent.

"Please stop" Kuro's words echoed in the abyss, reverberating in his head.

[Kuro Kurenai, congratulations, you are eligible to become the first Bloodline beyonder]

The voice bounced in Kuro's head, repeating over and over."Please, I'm sorry" were the only words that could escape Kuro's quivering lips.

[As protocol you will be transported to the Beyonder test, may death and life be in your favor]

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