Scene: Small village on the outskirts of the region.

From the shadows of the trees, Kuro's men surveyed the village, trying to spot any sign of Takuo and Yuna.

As his men continued to search, Kuro stood to the side, watching and waiting. He was visibly impatient, eager to get the battle started.

"Find anything yet?" he barked at one of his men.

The man shook his head, looking slightly nervous as he replied. "No sir, nothing yet," he said. "The village is quiet, no sign of the samurai."

As the men searched the village, one of them spotted a man trying to hide in a corner. He quickly called out to Kuro, pointing to the cowering figure.

Kuro's eyes narrowed as he approached the man, a sneer on his face.

The man quivered as Kuro approached, his eyes wide with fear. "P-please, don't hurt me," he stammered, attempting to cower further into the corner.

Kuro chuckled, amused by the man's frightened demeanor. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," he said smugly, taking a few more steps closer. "Unless you've seen the samurai, of course."

The man looked up at Kuro, still trembling but trying to compose himself. "I-I've only seen two of them," he said, his voice shaking. "Two strangers, a man and a woman. They were staying at the inn near the center of the village."

The man looked even more frightened as Kuro's men looked at each other, clearly not impressed with this information.

Kuro stepped closer, his smile growing meaner. "The village head's house, you say? And they were there with him?"

Kuro sinisterly smirked and signaled his men to kill off the the person as he stepped away

The man's eyes widened in terror as he realized what was about to happen. "No, please, I-" he began to beg, but it was too late.

One of Kuro's men stepped forward, leveling his weapon at the man's head. With a swift and efficient move, he ended the man's life.

Kuro watched as his men disposed of the dead man, his expression one of mild amusement. He had no empathy for the villagers, and saw them all as expendable pawns.

"Let's move on," he said, his voice cold and unfeeling. "We have a mission to complete."

As Kuro and his men moved through the village, the other villagers kept their distance, their fear and terror palpable. They had seen what had happened to the man who had tried to hide, and none of them wanted to suffer the same fate.

Kuro's eyes gleamed with excitement as he gave the order to his men. "Finish off the village," he said, his voice cold and emotionless.

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His men, ever obedient, nodded and spread out, preparing to carry out Kuro's orders.

As Kuro's men attacked the villagers, chaos and terror spread through the once peaceful village. Screams filled the air as the villagers tried to fight back, but they were no match for Kuro's soldiers.

Kuro stood to the side, watching with a cold satisfaction as the once lively village was destroyed. To him, the villagers were nothing but obstacles in his way, and he had no problem disposing of them if it furthered his goals.

Kuro took a moment to himself, staring straight ahead as he muttered to himself. "Takuo," he said, a cruel smirk on his face, "you can't hide forever. We will meet again soon, and this time, I'll make sure you pay dearly for your defiance just like your friends."

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At the village-

Takuo, Yuna, and the village head's family were sitting around a table, eating a meal together. The atmosphere was peaceful and cozy, a stark contrast to the terror and destruction happening in the other village.

Takuo continued to eat his meal, enjoying the warm and cozy atmosphere of the village. Satoshi and Hanako were kind hosts, treating him and Yuna as if they were family.

Sitting next to Takuo, Yuna spoke up. "This food is delicious," she said, taking another bite of her meal. "I'm glad we stumbled upon such kind people."

Hanako smiled, pleased that they enjoyed her cooking. "We're happy to have you," she said. "It's been a while since we've had guests. We live a quiet life here, and it's nice to have some company for a change."

Takuo nodded, thinking back to the last few days they had spent in the village. "It's been a few days now," he said. "We're grateful for your hospitality."

Yuna chimed in, adding "Yes, thank you for taking us in and giving us shelter. We've been on the road for a while, and it's nice to have a place to rest and relax for a while."

Takuo and Yuna continued to eat and talk with Satoshi and Hanako, while Ryosei stood nearby, his arms crossed and watching them with a scowling expression. It was clear that he was not as welcoming as his parents, and his large size and brutish appearance made him seem almost menacing.

The peaceful scene in the room was suddenly interrupted by a man running in, clearly panicked and drenched in sweat. Takuo and Yuna immediately noticed his urgency, and turned to look at him in alarm.

The man caught his breath for a moment, looking around at the group with a fearful expression. Satoshi and Hanako looked concerned, while Ryosei simply looked irritated.

The man's expression was one of horror as he recounted the events that had occurred. "The nearby village," he said, his voice trembling, "it's been destroyed. Kuro and his men... they came out of nowhere and attacked the villagers. It was like a nightmare... so much violence and destruction."

Takuo and Yuna's eyes widened in shock as they heard the news, and they exchanged a worried look with each other. Ryosei, meanwhile, simply grunted and looked away, his expression indifferent.

Satoshi and Hanako looked just as dismayed by the news, their faces pale and serious. Satoshi spoke up, his voice low and tense. "That's terrible," he said, his eyes fixed on the man. "Why would Kuro do such a thing?"

The man nodded, clearly shaken. "It's not just that," he said. "Kuro is looking for people named Yuna and Takuo. He's been questioning everyone he finds, demanding to know where they are."

Takuo and Yuna exchange a look of alarm, both clearly worried by the news. Ryosei, sensing their unease, shoots them a suspicious glance, his expression growing more wary.

As the man finished reporting what had happened, the room fell silent, the weight of Kuro's atrocities hanging heavy in the air. Takuo and Yuna were clearly troubled by the news, their minds racing with questions and concerns about what this meant for them and their safety.

Satoshi and Hanako looked shaken and upset, while Ryosei's expression had become more alert, his eyes darting back and forth between Takuo and Yuna as if to assess their reactions.

end of chapter-