Chapter V

Silent Cry

Episode 1

Name

It happened in one of the northernmost cities of the Rising Hawk country - Fovere. It is a new, but already a medium-sized town. The settlement mainly lives and develops due to various mineral resources. Fovere districts are rich in iron and coal, so it is considered a mining town. The city also has livestock potential. Mostly, they breed six-legged sheep. These animals have a pretty valuable fur, although it is not the main reason. Gray milk. This is precisely the demanded product that people specially come to the north for. A unique smell and taste that resembles hot chocolate. The shelf life of this milk is short, so deliveries go to nearby cities. The city also has its downsides. Due to a large number of mines and unusable land, there are few fields, so they have to import wheat and other products.

The population increased every year so much that they didn't always have time to build new houses, and some of the incoming people had to sleep in dugouts or even on the streets. Despite this, Fovere was filled with various hotels, taverns, common shutters, and even public houses.

It is always quite dangerous in mines, so miners sometimes missed people when leaving it. This gave rise to the appearance of orphanages.

In one of such orphanages, located on the outskirts of the city, they brought a very little boy. He seemed to be under two years old, but he still clearly pronounced the words "mom" and "dad."

Most likely, his parents were new miners, and unfortunately, both died under the rubble in the mine. The management of the orphanage and the person who gave the child away didn't even know their names.

In the wooden building of the shelter stood an elderly woman holding a small child wrapped in worn-out white sheets. It was getting dark outside. The crimson sunset illuminated the entire district before giving way to the dark night.

"Most likely, they were newcomers and settled only a couple of days ago," the woman said worriedly.

"We have no way of finding out his old name, so come up with a new one for him. I think you have that right," the manager lazily looked at the boy.

"It was so sudden; I thought they left the child for a while, but he cried so much that I couldn't stand aside."

Looking at the child again, an idea came to her:

"I want to name him Ryu," confidently said the woman, looking straight into the eyes of the manager...

Episode 2

Outcast

Some time had passed. Ryu was already four years old. At this point, he could already read, write, and even count to twenty. The boy was talented, one might say a genius. The caregivers were eagerly awaiting the day when they could measure the amount of taykiri he possessed. They were extremely interested in how large it would be.

Despite the fact that at such a young age he surpassed the other orphans in development, the boy did not become arrogant about it. Ryu was not a bully or an outcast; on the contrary, he became the heart and soul of the company. Since this was a newly built orphanage, there were not as many orphans here as in others, and therefore Ryu was able to make friends with almost everyone.

The adults highly valued his various skills, and it was even easier to win the hearts of his peers. Ryu was popular, and his first dreams began to appear, of how he would become a cool miner or farmer (the boy really loved bread), and how he would have even more friends.

It seemed that Ryu's life was starting to brighten up.

***

The next year flew by unnoticed. And here it is, the moment has come! Ryu has finally turned five years old! On his birthday, the caregivers gathered all the children of the orphanage in the largest room of the wooden house.

The director managed to get a new device for measuring the volume of taykiri.

The children began to talk and chatter happily:

"I think there will be a lot there!"

"Yeah, me too!"

"Geniuses should have a lot of taykiri, right?" The boy who was two years older than Ryu said mockingly.

He was very jealous of him, as he had previously been the local favorite, and now it had passed to the newcomer. Despite his envy, the boy still respected Ryu in his own way and his learning abilities. There was a certain spirit of rivalry between them, especially well manifested in some games.

The director approached Ryu, holding a large ball the size of four fists. It was also difficult to say what color it was, as the mineral from which it was made absorbs light in a small radius. Therefore, dark color was just perfect.

"This is the very device for measuring that we've already told you about. As you probably already know, you need to make a small cut on your finger and drip blood on the ball."

Ryu nodded obediently and made a small cut on the index finger of his hand. In an instant, blood was already flowing down his finger, while the director continued to speak:

"If the blood of a person who is gifted with taykiri gets on the ball, it will glow brightly. The brightness and places of illumination depend on the volume, and the color depends on the element."

A drop...

"Rolling down, she fell onto the wooden floor with a corresponding sound."

"All the children and caregivers fell silent. Where the drop fell, there was a tiny, barely noticeable, dim beam of gray light. It was so small that it could only be compared to a thin needle."

"This must be some mistake," the manager bustled.

"Try again," the man demanded a little annoyed.

Ryu dropped another drop of blood on the ball, but the result remained the same.

"What does this mean, Mr. Manager?" the boy asked very worriedly.

"It means you are a nobody," one of the departing caregivers threw in.

"What?" Ryu looked around, practically everyone in the room was looking at him like garbage.

Even the caregivers, whom he always respected very much, looked at him like trash, and when they noticed that Ryu was looking at them, they averted their gaze or just left.

Trying to ease the tension, the manager said, "Okay, next."

With these words, he pushed Ryu forward, but he did it too hard and Ryu fell right in front of everyone.

"Painful..." Ryu thought, and at that moment, he was hit by a lonely laugh.

The same guy who was always jealous of him and was his rival was laughing so hard that even the manager grimaced. The man helped Ryu up, but he didn't even try to apologize.

The boy walked through the crowd, and not a single "friend" approached him to support him or something like that. Until this moment, he somehow held back, but now even he couldn't stand it, and his eyes became wet. Sitting in the corner, little Ryu cried quietly, occasionally catching disappointed or contemptuous glances.

That's how he became an outcast.

Episode 3

What is called despair

Three long years have passed. Many things have changed in the orphanage. New children who lost their families were added. But even with this, Ryu had no friends. In the beginning, when a newcomer arrived, the boy tried to make friends with him, albeit unsuccessfully. Other children avoided Ryu, they didn't beat or physically harass him. It was a kind of psychological torture and isolation. The boy felt such pressure that even prisoners of war and inmates in prisons would not envy.

The young teacher who had recently arrived in town became Ryu's safe haven. She was the only person he could talk to and receive a response from, instead of silence and disgust. She was the only ray of light in his dark world. Ryu was always happy when she came or gave lessons. Despite being an outcast, Ryu had good grades and read a lot among his peers, which gave him plenty of topics for reflection and dialogue. Being introverted became routine. The pressure had a significant impact on his psyche, and Ryu constantly had nightmares. His dreams were varied, from evil monsters with laughing faces trying to catch him to experiencing the moment when the pressure began. The ball showed the volume of his taekwondo. Perhaps there has never been such a negligible result in history. The environment seemed to say, "Those like you were trampled underfoot, so be grateful for being alive."

There was one factor in his dreams that scared him the most with each passing night. Laughter. Mocking laughter. Children's, adults', and every kind of laughter were present in his dreams. That's why Ryu stopped smiling and laughing. He didn't have many reasons to do so until the young teacher arrived. She was the outlet, the ray of light, the savior. It didn't happen right away. It took a whole year to get a smile. Just one smile. But that smile was truly enchanting.

***

Now let's talk about the woman herself. Her name was of Eastern origin and sounded quite melodic - Zetsuba. She had a relatively plain and simple appearance. Chestnut hair down to her shoulders, gray as dust, short stature. She moved here with her husband, with whom she had been married for about seven years. In many families, children were born in the first year of marriage. Once she managed to get pregnant, but the child was stillborn. After that, the doctor said she would not be able to have children anymore. It became a tragedy for her and her husband. The unhappy family moved to Fover. To make a living, she went to work at an orphanage as a teacher, where she met little Ryu. This boy looked very much like her deceased son, and he often reminded her of him. The same emerald eyes and black hair as her husband. Neat lips and a little nose, like hers.

Zetsuba often saw him, and her soul sang with joy. But she couldn't take him into her family, as the first few years in town were tough.

Every weekend was spent drowning in sorrow, which refused to leave his heart and mind.

"n turn, Zettsu had already stopped paying attention to all of this. She enjoyed spending time with the boy, Ryo, as if he were her own son. The two 'short' years she spent with her 'son' were a real delight for her. She often lay at home and just cried, while her husband's strong stench of alcohol filled the air. He didn't hear his wife's crying, in whom he had once found his soulmate, the strong sleep of drunkenness did its job. Although her husband became a hopeless alcoholic, Zettsu still loved her chosen one. They both gradually went insane together.

***

Episode 4

What do you know about madness?

On an ordinary working day, late in the evening, Zettsu was returning home. She was detained by the manager of the orphanage. This middle-aged man was fond of women like her. Poor, weak, exhausted. Mostly his targets were young governesses. Some left the job after that, while others transferred to other positions. However, Zettsu could not leave Ryo and stop spending time with him. So she endured it for a long time.

Her mind had long been unhealthy, she considered Ryo her real son. Zettsu saw her husband as a non-drinking, kind and hardworking father, who unfortunately could not regularly meet with his 'child.' The manager did not care about any of this. It simply gave him pleasure. Others put up with his antics for a while, but then fought back, while Zettsu simply endured. And then, one day, it happened...

The woman endured such a terrible shock. Or rather, she simply didn't care. As if nothing had happened, she walked home late at night, greatly delayed.

***

Opening the door, Zettsu greeted her husband from the hallway with a joyful voice.

"I'm home!" Her face was beaming with a charming smile.

The girl was so happy because in a few days they would be able to pay off the loan taken out on the apartment and bring Ryo home with them.

Entering the room, her smile disappeared. Although she expected to see a drunk, sleeping husband there, what she saw was somewhat different.

That same shabby wooden room. Flimsy and worn-out furniture, tattered rags lying everywhere. An old stool haphazardly thrown on the floor, and a rope with a noose on which her husband was hanging."

"Most likely,..."

In the dying letter, her husband repented for everything he had done and the miserable life he had given to his beloved. They used to be members of noble families, but unfortunately, due to their love and the man's actions, they were eventually disgracefully expelled, stripping them of their noble titles. It was then that her late husband wanted to run away to Fover. He also regretted drinking so heavily and not paying her any attention. He apologized for noticing her mental illness so late when it was already too late. The next thing the husband wrote was, "Most likely since you did not come on time, you probably found a man who will be much better for you, please live happily."

Those were the last lines of the note. Zetsuba's tears flowed as she read it. She cried and moaned, lying on the floor of her house. Sanity completely left her. Starting to search for the guilty, Zetsuba began to blame absolutely everyone: the manager, other teachers, the orphanage, Fover, her old family, the world, and even the gods.

Her gaze became completely empty and lifeless. Probably, only her late husband's gaze could compete with such a look. Shattered dreams, the unexpected death of her beloved, and this note completely broke her, killing the illusion that her sick mind had been so carefully constructing.

***

Zetsuba no longer cried, she laughed convulsively, sometimes grabbing her head. Suddenly, she stood up, not changing her expression and mood. The woman walked along an unlit road, narrow alleyways.

On the way to her, a drunkard wanted to start bothering her, but seeing her closer, he calmed down and sobered up. The man promised himself never to touch a bottle again. That's how terrible Zetsuba was.

Approaching the orphanage, she looked at it for a long time, laughing convulsively. She stood there for a full forty minutes, near the shelter. It was hard to say what this girl was thinking. Taking out a pack of special matches from her pocket, she entered the orphanage.

***

The building itself was entirely wooden, except for a couple of fireplaces to heat the house. The shelter caught fire like a bonfire. Children and some caregivers who were staying there rushed out onto the street. Only the right wing caught fire, but the flames quickly engulfed it, heading towards the second. The caregivers quickly began to remove the children from the remaining wing, but as soon as the flames engulfed the entire house, everyone ran out.

On the street, a recount was taking place, and they were short of three people. They were the Manager, Ryu, and a six-month-old...

"This man didn't like the boy, but even he understood that it was too cruel to leave a person burning alive.

The whole house was on fire, flames greedily consuming every inch of the shelter. The glow illuminated all of Fover.

Episode 5

Despair and how to deal with it...

The world of dreams, how amazing it seemed to other children. Sweet dreams, like fairy tales, showed their unrealizable dreams, joy, happiness. Ryuu was deprived of even that. The cycle of nightmares didn't stop since the day he became an outcast.

"Another nightmare?" - Ryuu thought wearily. This time he could think in his sleep. He lay in his bed, everything as usual. In the corner of his eye, the boy noticed a silhouette in the corner of the room. It was dark, and Ryuu lifted himself to get a better look. Suddenly he heard a frequent whisper.

"Love. Love. Love."

The more the boy stood up, the faster the whisper became.

"Love, love, love."

Ryuu stood up completely. The picture in his eyes was blurred.

"Love-love-love."

BOOM

It became quiet, not a sound.

"How quiet," Ryuu even had such a thought in his head.

His eyes were scanning the darkness, looking for that mysterious silhouette. He found it in the same corner, but it had suspiciously increased in size. Now it was slightly shorter than the height of an adult. The silhouette began to approach slowly.

For some reason, Ryuu wasn't scared at all; the silhouette emitted a familiar aura to the point of pain.

The boy looked closer and was horrified by what he saw. Finally, the view gave a good picture.

Zetsuba was standing there, holding her head in her hands...

At the same time, her head, detached from her body, continued its life, her lips spread in a terrible, insane smile.

Ryuu began to crawl back to the other wall, and the silhouette followed him.

The boy was thrown into heat, it became difficult to breathe, and he began to shake.

The silhouette stopped. Inside its head, as if another mind had appeared, it began to whisper:

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

"Wake up-wake up-wake up!"

The whispering stopped. Ryu was still sleeping.

The silhouette moved its lips, saying something indistinct, at least something Ryu couldn't understand. Then Zetsuba literally lit up, emitting infernal groans and eerie laughter.

***

Ryu woke up in a cold sweat. Getting up from the bed frame, he saw an orange glow of flames, and the ceiling was not visible due to the smoke. Starting to cough, the boy grabbed a sheet and immediately covered himself with it. He rushed to the exit, feeling death on his heels.

Everything was like in slow motion for Ryu, his perception and speed increased, and he managed to run to the stairs.

"A few more rooms to pass, and I'll be free..." - the boy thought, but his thoughts were interrupted by a ringing child's cry coming from the second floor.

At that moment, a chill ran down his spine. He remembered the dream that woke him up.

A momentary stupor stopped his run, and a burning door frame fell right in front of him, which would have killed him if he were faster.

Deciding that it was a sign, the boy ran to the second floor.

***

Ascending to the second floor, orienting himself by the crying, Ryu was amazed that the infant had not yet suffocated with smoke or burned in the flames.

As soon as he got up, it became clear that the crying child was almost impossible to find, as it echoed. In front of Ryu were three doors leading to sleeping rooms. Rushing to the first one, he opened it immediately.

The room turned out to be empty, while the flames outside the window were already penetrating inside, devouring everything in their path.

"Damn! Not this one!" - Ryu cursed inwardly.

The next was the second door. Ryu was coughing, and the sheet no longer helped. Forcing himself, he opened this door and saw that everything in the room was engulfed in flames. Quickly closing the door, driving away the smoke, he went to the last, farthest door, leaning on the walls. The flames were catching up with him. The crackling of burning wood and the desperate cry of the child were clearly imprinted in Ryu's memories.

His consciousness weakened and his eyes grew dark. The world seemed blurry. The boy began to feel drowsy.

"If I fall asleep now, I won't wake up again!" Taking hold of his willpower, he bit his hand as hard as he could.

The sudden pain refreshed his consciousness a bit, and he moved forward, holding his breath.

The third door crashed against the wall.

Ryu rushed into the room and grabbed the baby. The child was still alive. Turning back, he saw that the flames had already consumed the doorframe and were about to reach him.

"There's no other way..." Ryu looked doomed as he glanced at the window.

Without another thought, he ran and jumped, breaking the glass on the way.

The boy soared through the air. Time seemed to slow down, and his body was pierced by pain. Burns, small scratches, and wounds. All of it echoed in his mind.

Ryu landed on some bushes behind the orphanage. He coughed loudly, feeling like he was about to cough up his insides. When the coughing fit subsided, he took the baby and brought him to the other orphans.

Ryu managed to avoid being seen by them and successfully handed over the baby. Barefoot and wearing only pajamas, he started living on the streets.

***

A few days later, Ryu learned about the fate of the Zetsuba family and the life of the manager from the morning news. The boy was very saddened that the only person who had treated him kindly had died.

For about a week, he couldn't speak due to severe throat pain, and his left hand now bore a scar from the bite. Ryu earned a living by begging and also received food. He slept in abandoned houses, homeless camps, or just on a park bench. The boy who constantly roamed the city thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't born a girl. He could have been raped so many times, he couldn't count. Sometime later, some people caught him. They were human traffickers.

One man gave him the same ball to check the volume of his taykiri as in the orphanage. The result made him angry. He threw the boy out of the building, muttering something under his breath. Ryu's gaze emptied and dimmed. He looked neither alive nor dead. He ate little, so he became very thin, and they gave him less and less food. The boy could not find any work because of his age and the volume of his taykiri. He had no energy for anything, even releasing it was extremely difficult. After all, it was incredibly difficult to release the entire supply at once, and his entire supply was just a light breeze.

So he lived for about four months until it started to get cold.

Episode 6

An offer that can't be refused

Life in Fovere was ordinary. Evening was approaching. It had become quite cold outside lately, and people started wearing warmer clothes. After all, it was the north. Although the snow had not fallen yet, Ryu already knew that a real cold winter was approaching. Fortunately, he found a small part-time job, but it still wasn't enough for winter clothes. Sitting on a cold bench, the boy pondered:

"What should I do next?"

Return to the orphanage? No, he didn't want to repeat that emotional pressure again. Asking someone to stay with for the winter didn't work out. And selling himself into slavery was not an option. He also considered the option of working hard to save money for winter clothes, but even if he caught ten pigeons every day and then sold them, it still wouldn't be enough.

Ryu was stuck, there was no way out. Only a painful death from cold or hunger remained, depending on what would end him first. The boy no longer looked desperate. He accepted his fate, reconciled himself with death and decided to earn enough money for a luxurious lunch of vegetable soup, black and slightly hard bread, cheap beef, and salad. Although this would not be his salvation, he could enjoy the moment to the fullest, and then die.

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Getting up from the bench and seeing a pigeon, he quietly crept up to it so that it didn't notice.

Sometimes Ryu had to spend the night in dangerous areas, and life taught him to walk quietly or run silently. By nature, the boy was quite fast and agile, and his reaction was also on point. It was quite easy for him to catch pigeons that seemed awkward to him.

Sneaking up to the pigeon, he made a lunge and grabbed the bird. It desperately struggled out of the boy's grasp, but he held it tightly.

Without taking his eyes off the stranger, the man approached the boy. "Hey there, kid!" the man called out to him. Ryu turned around fearfully and started looking around for help from those nearby. "I won't harm you, I just want to ask you a few questions," the man in the cloak reassured Ryu. Despite the stranger's stern face, his tone was incredibly kind, and he exuded a calming aura. "So, what do you want from me, sir?" Ryu asked hesitantly, avoiding eye contact. "Let's start by introducing ourselves. My name is Hotano," the man said, sitting down and extending his hand with a friendly smile. "Strange guy," Ryu thought to himself. "My name is Ryu," he said, shaking the man's hand and bowing. He had learned to respect others while living on the street. Apparently, Hotano was pleased with Ryu's respect, so Ryu planned to continue treating him with respect without going overboard. "So, Ryu, where did you learn to move like that?" Hotano asked. "I've been living on the street for about four months now, sir Hotano. That's where I learned," Ryu replied. "I see. That means you have no home or family. Winter is approaching, so what are you planning to do?" Hotano said, smiling again. "I want to earn money for food and eat well. After that, I'm ready to die from the cold," Ryu said coldly, with an indifferent tone, empty eyes, and lifeless face. Hotano's face twisted a little, but then he continued, "Hmm. Since you have accepted death, there's nothing for me to ask you. But if you want to live even a little bit, I can offer you food and shelter, on certain conditions." "Salvation? Why now? It doesn't matter... He will help me survive this winter, I feel it! I have to agree!" Ryu thought to himself. A glimmer returned to Ryu's eyes when he heard these words. "I agree to any conditions."

In response to this, Hotano gave a crooked smile. Standing up, he said something to Ryo along the lines of, "Follow me."

They arrived at a tavern where Ryo was given food. The boy picked his own food and ate until he was full. Tears streamed down his face as he ate, and he ate everything. Hotano, on the other hand, was taciturn and simply watched the boy's dream come true.

***

After Ryo finished eating, he followed Hotano again. They walked through dangerous alleys and narrow, dark passages that the boy would never have ventured into on his own. Surprisingly, all the people he thought were dangerous looked at Hotano with fear. They avoided him, and it was more like fear of the man in the cloak's power or authority.

Ryo had so many questions, but one thing he knew for sure: he was now Hotano's property.

After a while, they stopped wandering and came to a medium-sized mansion.

"What a huge place," Ryo thought as Hotano dragged him inside.

Entering the house, he noticed that the decor was not as fancy as he expected. Everything was pretty ordinary, except perhaps for the boarded-up windows. The stone walls and torchlight made it feel like some kind of basement. Other children of different ages greeted them at the entrance. They all looked at Ryo with suspicion, but still bowed. Hotano only nodded to them and they quickly dispersed as if they weren't there at all.

Afterwards, Ryo was led to a spacious room, which was probably meant for audiences. Sitting in a chair, the silent Hotano spoke.

"Now the conditions I mentioned earlier are coming into effect. Right now, you are in the residence of the secret organization 'Scarlett Blade.' From now on, you are a member of it."

"What are the tasks of your organization?" Ryo didn't ask any extra questions, trying not to trouble Hotano.

"From now on, you will train and become an assassin working for me and obediently obeying those people I point you to, even if they tell you to kill yourself right now. Do you understand?"

"Yes," said Ryo, swallowing his saliva.

"I see I was not mistaken about you. You don't cry, try to refuse or run away," Hotano smiled, closing his eyes.

"I expected this and it wasn't a surprise for me," Ryu replied.

"Hmm, I see," Hotano nodded.

Ryu joined the organization called "Scarlet Blade" led by Hotano Bloodsong.

Episode 7

Persistence

Three months had passed since Ryu joined Scarlet Blade. Diligent and intense training had become a routine. Ryu no longer looked like a skinny homeless person, but he always walked around battered. Every day, he sparred against one of the younger students. As he had not learned any fighting styles before, he quickly began to master them by working twelve hours a day. He spent eight hours sleeping and about half an hour eating. He had three and a half hours of free time before bedtime, during which he also practiced martial arts. He read about different techniques, tried to apply them in action, and gradually caught up with the others. However, he had not yet managed to block or land a single hit in training fights.

The training was in full swing.

THWACK!

A strike from a wooden staff hit Ryu straight in the ribs.

"Cough..." The boy coughed and jumped away from his opponent, who started chasing him.

"He will hit me in the stomach!" Ryu covered his stomach with a wooden sword, but the strike hit his chin.

He was thrown back and fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"That's enough for today," said the girl who had struck him in the chin.

On that day, Ryu was training with a young girl about his age. A scar from a burn adorned the left side of her face. Presumably, the scar appeared due to a strike to the face with a red-hot poker. Among all the younger students, she was the weakest, but Ryu could not even withstand her. This girl had a refined name, Karla. She had no worthy origin and reacted very negatively to questions about her past. Her voice was rarely heard by those around her, so rarely that some thought she was mute. Her psychological age could hardly be called eight years old.

As Ryu later found out, all the students here were orphans. They were often taken here from an early age. Their way of thinking differed greatly compared to other children.

The girl turned around and began to slowly walk away, but she was called back:

"Wait... Carla... I'm not... not done yet..." Ryu barely managed to say.

"Hmm?" The girl turned around and looked at the boy in surprise. It was unexpected for her that he was speaking. These assumptions were not groundless. After the incident with the orphanage and life on the streets, something broke inside him and he couldn't communicate properly. The only person he managed to get close to was Hotano, but there were other circumstances. Now he had problems with trust and communication. Ryu spoke even less than Carla, which is why he was also considered mute.

He twirled the blade in his hand and prepared for battle. Carla did the same with her staff and rushed to attack.

"Focus... Look at the end of the staff..." Ryu mentally repeated to himself, concentrating. As he thought, verbalizing his actions in his head greatly helped him. He stood in a defensive position.

The first attack was a straight one aimed at his chest. Previously, Ryu tried to consciously control everything, every movement of his body, but he couldn't block or strike a blow. It was always one-sided beating. But now everything was different. He instinctively and reflexively dodged to the side and slid his wooden dagger along the staff. There it was! His first counter-attack in three months! Unusual delight and joy, a spark lit up in his eyes. But alas, happiness didn't last long. Without striking a blow, he received a knee to the stomach and another hit on the back with the staff.

"Now that's it for sure." Carla turned around and left the room.

"Now... I feel it... I feel my level rising in battles!"

***

A year and six months have passed since Ryu joined the organization. There were more people present at his training today. They all watched the battle closely. Today, he was fighting with one of the most talented students of his age, Kan. They both held two wooden daggers. And most importantly, they fought on equal terms! Ryu, who previously didn't stand a chance against the weakest of the younger students, was now fighting the strongest among them. In a year and a half, he trained his body. While others developed, including taykiri, Ryu trained only his body and honed his techniques. His instincts, reflexes, reaction, he had a colossal advantage in these areas. His technique...

"Ha! " Kan confidently put all his strength into his signature move, which he called the "Breaking Strike". There wasn't a single junior student who could block it, and usually, once this move was delivered, the outcome of the fight was already decided. Invincibly talented Kan, his abilities were the best among the junior students. The volume and control of his Taijutsu were top-notch, and, importantly, he knew how to use his powers skillfully. He clearly stood out, had leadership qualities, was open, but at the same time incredibly mysterious. His motives were difficult to understand and impossible to guess. All junior students looked up to him.

CLANG

Time slowed down. Kan's face changed. If before it reflected his imagined superiority and invincibility, now it was full of disappointment and bewilderment. His pride was shattered along with this strike.

His opponent was that same eerily quiet Ryu. He had no friends, no hobbies except martial arts, and Kan generally considered him strange.

“And this Ryu is very persistent.” That's what all the junior students thought about him.

The boy's hand trembled, but at the same time, he did not release the blade and blocked the strike.

With his left hand, Ryu delivered a side strike, but Kan jumped aside, and the blade only cut through the air.

The young man had not yet landed when Ryu already jumped to him, delivering a powerful strike with his right hand.

"Damn! So fast!" Kan deflected the opponent's strike with his own blade. Using the element of wind, he tossed his hand up, changing the trajectory of Ryu's strike.

And immediately, a counterattack followed; his right hand with the blade was aimed straight at Ryu's throat.

"And how will you block him, Ryu?!" - Kan smirked smugly.

"What?!" His strike once again cut through the air instead of his opponent.

Ryu dived straight under his opponent's arm and ended up behind him.

Kan tried to jump back, but the strike still hit his knee.

Grimacing in pain, he turned to Ryu and saw that he was attacking again.

"He doesn't let me catch my breath and regain my strength."

The exchange of blows had begun. The blades clashed constantly, as if performing a dance, with Ryo pressing in on Kana.

"I feel... I feel like I'm losing in speed!"

Suddenly, Kana felt a sharp pain in his left hand. One of his paired blades went flying. In pain and exhaustion, he couldn't block Ryo's strike, and it ended up at his throat.

Both boys were breathing heavily, looking into each other's eyes. Their faces showed completely different emotions. The other students and Hotano rushed over to them. They praised the winner and tried to console the loser.

Ryo's face was filled with genuine joy, while Kana was completely disappointed in himself.

"He was just lucky, right? Or did I just let my guard down too much?" The boy tried to justify himself.

-...

"No... I got too cocky... I was a fool to naively think that I was the strongest here... He really deserved this victory."

Kana's face changed again, now showing acceptance and some concern. Ryo was beaming with happiness, the duel was over and everyone was congratulating him.

His hand and foot still hurt, but Kana still approached his opponent.

"Congratulations on your victory, Ryo," he said with a smile, extending his right hand.

Ryo's face shone even brighter. He shook Kana's hand and bowed to thank him.

***

Episode 8

The First Task

After his brilliant victory, Ryo was in high spirits all day. The result of his training had finally paid off. During this time, he had not only studied martial arts but also learned to read and write. His talent for quick learning came in handy here. Although he couldn't use a taykiri, he became a master in close combat.

In the evening, the boy was invited for an audience in Hotano's office, the same one where he was accepted into the organization. The atmosphere in the killers' house was peculiar. It was a solid stone house with occasional wooden furniture. All the residents of the estate slept on the second floor. The conditions were quite good, especially compared to the street. There was a strict bed, but with a soft pillow, a warm blanket, and an elaborate fireplace. In the right wing, on the first floor of the house, there was something like a library, where various literature was stored. In the left wing, there was a dining room and a kitchen, with a toilet and a medical station nearby. The basement could be called truly huge, with even something like catacombs, and there was also a training room.

The boy boldly stepped behind the door.

"Congratulations on your victory again, Ryu," Hotano said warmly, sprawling in a luxurious leather armchair.

The leader pointed his finger where the guest should sit.

The boy sat on a tall chair that was larger than him and prepared to listen carefully.

"I think it's time to give you a task and explain the essence of the organization," Hotano began with a serious voice.

Ryu only nodded in response.

"ScarlettBlade" is an organization that directly reports to the country's ruler, Milwaukee. We do the wolf's work - we cleanse the "forest" of all kinds of rot. Our squads cooperate with spies across the country and eliminate people on orders from above..."

Ryu tensed up. There was no longer the enthusiasm that was present earlier. Now there was only complete concentration.

"Members of the organization are trained from early childhood, and mainly take in orphans and disadvantaged children," Hotano explained.

Ryu nodded understandingly.

"Well, so, what I'm leading up to is that we have received information about an unrighteous priest. Your task will be to confirm this information, and in case it is confirmed..."

Eliminate the target.

Ryu nervously swallowed. With a trembling voice, he asked:

“- How can I determine if he is guilty?” asked Ryu.

“It's simple, if he breaks any law,” replied Hotano.

“I see…”

“You leave at dawn tomorrow, more detailed information is in this envelope, including the budget for the mission,” said Hotano, handing the envelope to the boy.

“Understood!” Ryu managed to say, after taking a deep breath and composing himself.

“That's all, you can go now.”

After that, Ryu left the room.

“He didn't even try to refuse, even though we are talking about murder, the boy will become a great killer,” thought Hotano, smiling rarely.

***

Ryu couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned for a long time, thinking about the upcoming mission.

“I owe Hotano my life, this man took me in, gave me shelter, food and strength. I shouldn't have any doubts! But why? Why does my heart tear from the inside?”

***

Morning came. Ryu was greeted by a fiery sunrise. He took the envelope that was lying on the table and finally left the mansion. The boy was fully equipped, with a short dagger and a water flask on his belt, a bag with provisions on his shoulder, and the envelope hidden between his leather breastplate and shirt. He also wore a gray cloak with a hood that concealed his face, and gloves on his hands. In the bag was also a special gray mask, without a pattern.

Walking through dangerous alleys, Ryu was afraid someone might attack him, but as soon as he passed by, all people either looked away or went in the other direction. Thus, the boy quickly crossed the alleys without any problems. He knew Fover quite well, so he soon came to the station of carriages. This place was something like a transportation company that provided transportation services for people from one city to another. They were quite widespread throughout the continent. Ryu's goal was the city of Fofia. It was located slightly south of Fover and was religious. There were many temples, churches, and monasteries. The young Ryu was heading to one of them. The boy found a carriage and began his journey safely. People here no longer looked at him askance or avoided him. Apparently, only those who lived in the alley knew their true nature, well, or only suspected.

And so began his first mission.

Episode 9

Weekdays in the Monastery.

On arrival in Fofia, Ryu had to wander around the city for a long time in search of the right temple. Fishing, animal husbandry, and a little agriculture were the main activities in these parts. Fofia was difficult to compare with Fovero. The city itself was religious, with many churches and monasteries. Although the history of the first city was longer, the second developed much more rapidly and was already bigger than the first. The people here were mostly friendly and pleasant, and the city was also rich in various beliefs. To everyone's surprise, paganism and Rikaism coexisted in Fofia.

In paganism, there was a huge pantheon of gods, some of whom were taken as the protectors of the country and offered sacrifices and built temples in their honor. In Rikaism, there was only one God who created the world in ten days many centuries ago. At first, God was merciful to people, but when they killed his daughter, a demigoddess who had descended to them, he unleashed righteous anger and bloody wars ensued. Much blood was shed until God decided to make peace throughout the world again. In his "revelations," which were received by the priests, there was a set of laws. It was a restraining factor that forbade killing, stealing, or having more than two children in a marriage.

An interesting fact was that people who practiced this religion mostly lived in communities with a clear hierarchy. At the first level were the apostles, people endowed with divine taikiri, warm and pleasant like the summer sunlight. However, they were extremely rare. The second level was rightfully occupied by bishops, no more than one per settlement, who performed the functions of the heads of settlements and religious leaders. The next niche was occupied by priests, and they could be found in almost every temple. There, they played the role of bosses and gave orders in the temple, preached, and led the lower ranks. The fourth level was occupied by preachers, who surprisingly had the right to read the general prayer before everyone and had the right to manage the lower ranks. The fifth level was occupied by elder novices, who led everyone below in the hierarchy, had the right to carry weapons and prayer books (all higher-ups also had this right). Slightly lower were the junior novices, who had the same rights, only they could not carry weapons. The lowest rank was Tarnai. These were people who had recently arrived or had not earned promotions and lived in the temple's possessions. They did the dirtiest work, were not allowed to carry weapons or prayer books, and could not enter...

Walking around the city until late evening, Riu finally managed to find the monastery of Saint Christian. And here came a new problem. Unfortunately or fortunately, part of his equipment would not be used on his mission. The letter mentioned that someone would meet him near the monastery and take the things. He handed over all his leather armor and other items to the person wearing a gray lizard-patterned mask.

He only had a dagger and the clothes he was wearing underneath. He managed to hide the dagger in the sole of his shoe.

Well-prepared, Riu was only able to begin the mission of infiltrating the monastery late in the evening.

"Hello," the hesitant boy said as he entered the "reception" room. It was a small room with many images of different apostles, mostly Saint Christian.

"What do you want, child?" the man responded tiredly, previously sitting calmly and looking at the wall and then the paintings.

"Please, let me enter the temple. I want to become a novice of your monastery," Riu said.

"Are you ready to accept the new religion and serve it with faith and truth?" the man looked at him with a squint. His robe was white and seemed very empty. There was nothing on it, probably indicating that he was a low-ranking novice.

"Yes, I am ready," Riu said quite confidently, and it worked.

Something clicked in the novice's head, and he silently nodded, beckoning the boy with his hand as if saying, "Come in, I let you pass."

Meanwhile, the man remained sitting at his post, and a young boy greeted Riu. He didn't look any older than twenty, and a cross was embroidered on his robe. He also wore a neat skufia on his head.

As soon as he noticed the boy, he smiled.

"You were let in without going through the proper procedures. Well, now you will have to undergo the initiation rite," he said.

Riu was taken to a room and asked to change into a white shirt, which was immediately given to him. While he was changing, they inspected his belongings. Finding nothing, the novice began the rite.

Riu was splashed with cool water, but fortunately, it was warm inside the building, and the prayer began. It took about ten minutes, and during those ten minutes, the novice recited the prayer from memory. Also, during the ceremony, Riu had to kiss a silver eagle in the form of a cross. At the very end, they asked him to renounce his previous religion.

" But I didn't believe in any other gods before this," Ryuu said in surprise.

"Well, just in case, it's part of the ritual," the young man assisting him replied.

"Okay..." Ryuu took a deep breath. "I renounce my faith and want to embrace Rikaism as my new belief."

"Well done. Now you are tarunai, and they will give you new clothes. You can keep these if you want. What is your name?"

"My name is Ryuu."

"Ryuu, for the next three days, you will only eat lunch. You will attend every prayer and obey the orders of those higher in the hierarchy without question."

"Okay, I'm ready."

"This is a success!" Ryuu thought, but he still had a long way to go to complete his mission.

***

A couple of days in the monastery passed unnoticed. The monastery's property was vast, with various buildings, extensions, and monastic cells. It would take at least a day to search everything from beginning to end. There were also communal dining rooms and separate baths. There, Ryuu met other novices and gradually adjusted to the new pace of life. He woke up early, as usual, but the day started not with training but with prayer led by the priest Gabriel Botoku, who also happened to be Ryuu's target. The boy had not yet taken any action in spying since he was still being watched. During this time, he tried to behave as inconspicuously as possible, performing all the necessary work without standing out.

The monastery was common for both men and women, so representatives of both sexes were present. Although there were no female preachers or priests.

In addition to Gabriel, there were two other priests.

As a boy on the run, Ryuu managed to learn a lot about his target, so as not to get confused or forget anything, he began to keep a diary."

From Riu's three-week notes:

Notes of events

Gabriel Botoku, a slightly overweight 33-year-old man, has a sharp, hooked nose and fast, small eyes that occasionally sparkle at different angles in the room during prayer. Unlike other priests in the monastery, he did not wear a beard or mustache. His hair on his head was not visible because of the elaborate headgear called the skufia, which is worn by other priests of the St. Christian Monastery. Among the lower-ranking novices, he has a strange reputation, to say the least. Although his colleagues speak highly of him.

As befits a clergyman, he did not drink alcohol, unlike one of his priest colleagues. The latter secretly enjoyed drinking a little, and only sensitive noses could smell the odor of his hangover. Most of the middle-ranking novices, not particularly talkative, as I found out, only expressed a certain tribute to Gabriel. At first glance, he might have seemed like an ordinary, unremarkable clergyman. But on the ninth day after my arrival, one girl disappeared from the "newcomers" dormitory. Every day the monastery took in two or three new novices. Those who did not work or worked poorly were expelled, but this girl, as it seemed to me, was an exception. The next day, I began to inadvertently ask about this from everyone except high-ranking clergymen. I never got a clear answer. There was only something like, "Well, they kind of drove her away, but what do you need from her?"

Only on the eleventh day did I get a clue; apparently, a close friend of that girl was also looking for her, but not as cautiously as I was. I could only mention her in passing, and no one even thought that some boy was looking for her, but this girl acted extremely foolishly. She decided to ask Gabriel about it herself. I was lucky enough to witness this dialogue:

"You called Lyn to your cell two days ago!"

"Did you call Lin to your cell just two days ago?"

"Well, um...I..." Gabriel stuttered and began scratching his head.

"Where is she?! What have you done with my friend?!" the girl burst into tears as she spoke.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about. It seems like she recently asked me to help her leave the monastery, and I just did that," Gabriel began to justify himself. Unfortunately, a couple of other monks saw this scene, but they just looked away as if nothing had happened. It seemed strange to me. Unfortunately, I couldn't see Gabriel's face to get more information.

"I-is it true?" the girl asked, wiping away tears.

"Of course. Now, just continue with your duties."

And that was the end of their dialogue. On the fifteenth day, I finally understood why I couldn't find any information about the missing girl. She was inconspicuous and didn't stand out. She was difficult to remember, and she probably didn't have any friends besides that other inconspicuous girl. And that meant she was a good target. Such thoughts made me feel uneasy. Inside, I shrunk. After that, I always had my dagger with me, even though it was forbidden.

Up until the eighteenth day, I tried not to stray far from that girl, especially in the evenings, as I watched her. During those days, I noticed an unpleasant look on myself, but did not understand where it was coming from. The girl also began to suspect something, avoiding me. Nevertheless, I continued my investigation. The kidnapper was definitely Gabriel, there was no doubt about it, but what did he do with the girl and if he killed her, then where did he dispose of the body?

Although I think this, what if I am wrong? What if I kill an innocent person and fail the test? I need more details, I want to see the whole picture. By the way, I found an interesting hole in the wall where my mask was. I don't know how, but apparently it reminded me of the deadline and my purpose.

The twentieth day. For the past two days, this priest had been extremely irritated, and during the morning prayer, I was unlucky enough to meet his gaze. A shiver ran through my body, an unpleasant chill ran down my spine.

"Damn little bastard..." - I felt like I heard his thoughts.

I felt uneasy, looking down at the floor, my thoughts flowed like a river.

I am getting in his way, so he must be involved and his goal is still that girl. I was not wrong. I must not forget why I was sent here.

The girl avoids meeting me more and more, and it becomes increasingly difficult to protect her. And as it seems to me, a couple of middle-ranking acolytes are his puppets. We are increasingly separated by different tasks, but I am still holding on.

End of entries.

Episode 10

Verdict

Night is a beautiful time of day. After all, at this time there is silence, and only night birds can disturb it. The sounds of crickets harmoniously fit into the atmosphere, and the sound of the wind and rustling leaves lull anyone who has not fallen asleep yet. Despite lights out, Ryu had been tossing and turning in bed for about two hours. It had been unbearably difficult for him in the past few days, both physically and psychologically. Following a large number of tasks, watching over Gabriel and the girl had cost him too much strength. His investigation had been at a standstill, he wanted to be sure about everything and figure it out. After all, he did not want to kill an innocent person, nor did he want to kill anyone at all.

"Since I can't sleep, I want to take a walk," Ryu thought and began to get dressed.

In Scarlettblade, he was taught not only how to fight, but spy skills, escape, and other assassin skills were inherent to him.

Taking his sword and putting on a mask, he left his cell through the window.

Ryu decided to check on the girl since he didn't have the opportunity to guard her at night. There were grounds for this, as Gabriel was particularly active today.

Inside and out, the guards were not very vigilant. And if guards were caught, they were easily fooled. Walking into the women's wing, Ryu surveyed the Tarnay cells.

"And she's not here either, I hope she's in the last one," the boy muttered his thoughts aloud. Suddenly, Ryu saw a light, the glow of a torch. It was heading towards the extensive garden.

The Monastery of St. Christian had its own garden and vegetable garden, in fact, the temple had impressive territories.

There were about two hundred trees in the garden, mostly apple and cherry trees. Actually, the rent of the territories for the temple was paid for by selling the fruits of these trees. As the main source of income, the garden had immense value and was carefully tended to.

Following the light, Ryu stumbled upon a strange place. The strange place was a hill covered with trees, it strongly resembled the earthworks that people built in Fovere. But it was different, as if someone deliberately tried to hide it. Two people were standing next to it, guarding the place. Getting closer, Ryu overheard the guards' conversation:

"And how long this time?"

"I don't know, we haven't been here for a long time."

"Thank goodness Gabriel paid us well this time."

Meanwhile, Ryu was getting closer.

"Yeah, although we'll have to keep watch all night. Did you bring food?"

"Of course, by the way, she made it for me, that same obedient girl."

"What do you mean? You're not talking about the one who looks after the food in the canteen, are you?"

"I'm talking about her, her pancakes are just amazing!"

"Can you share with me? We have to stand here all night."

"Yeah, sure, let me just go get them."

Ryu was already at the earth house.

"I can't go unnoticed, I need to somehow neutralize the guards, but not kill them."

Taking out his dagger, Ryu ran up the hill and jumped straight onto one of the guards, kicking him. The guard lost his balance and fell to the ground. The other guard quickly got up and pulled out a short sword. It was the same guy who had welcomed Ryu to the monastery.

Ryu stared at him, looking at him for a couple of seconds before saying:

"I'm sorry."

The guy ignored the boy's words and rushed to attack. Accelerating his body like the wind, he delivered a slashing blow that only hit the air. The boy dodged the attack. The next swing was quick and aimed straight at Ryu, who had to parry the attack.

CLING!

The short sword slid along Ryu's blade and went into the ground. The boy kicked his opponent in the knee.

The guy's face contorted in pain, but he continued his series of attacks. Trying to pursue the boy, he stumbled. His knee was dislocated.

Ryu didn't wait for his opponent, immediately delivering a strike to the guy's temple with the hilt of his blade. The guy fell onto his hands, but remained conscious.

The boy tried to finish him off by knocking him out, but another guard joined the fight.

"Air bullet! " A ball of compressed air hit Ryu's face, breaking off a piece of his mask. He flew back a couple of meters, flipping in the air and landing on his feet.

After a few seconds, another air bullet flew towards Ryu. He simply tilted his head to the left, and it missed him.

" Air bullet! "

"Another one," Ryu thought as he spun his blade and sliced through his opponent's technique.

"What?! " The guard exclaimed in surprise, reaching for his short sword, but it was too late. Ryu pushed off the ground and delivered a powerful blow to the man's temple with the handle of his blade, rendering him unconscious.

As soon as Ryu turned around, the young man with the short sword was already behind him. Grabbing his enemy's left arm, Ryu executed an incredible pirouette, using the opponent's hand as leverage to jump up onto a tree, and then pushed off and launched into the air.

Time slowed down. Ryu finally felt the pain from the air bullet that had narrowly missed him. The young man's face was twisted with anger, blood running down his temple from Ryu's previous strike, and he was determined to take Ryu down.

The young man swung his short sword, but Ryu dodged again and delivered a swift kick to his opponent's groin, causing him to cry out in pain and lose his balance. The next attack to the temple successfully incapacitated his opponent, leaving him unconscious on the ground.

Ryu looked around and let out a loud exhale, taking five seconds to catch his breath. The door to the underground bunker opened, and Ryu walked inside. Meanwhile, Gabriel wasted no time in trying to remove the torn clothes from the beaten and crying girl. He had a whip in his hand, and his pants were down.

He turned around in confusion, but before he could say anything, Ryu's blade mercilessly sliced his throat. The whip fell from his hand as he clutched his wound, blood gushing out like a fountain.

Gabriel's head dropped, his eyes started to whiten, he couldn't breathe, consciousness was leaving him. He didn't have time to recover from the first attack when a blade immediately pierced his eye. The priest fell to the ground, drenching the entire floor in crimson blood.

"I have carried out my sentence..." Ryu said coldly, looking at Gabriel's body.

Episode 11

Message

It had been nine years since Ryu completed his first assignment. Recently, the young man had been wearing many bandages from burns he received during his last mission two years ago. Most of his body suffered greatly from the flames; the opponent was truly strong. On that mission, he and Kano, along with another guy from the organization, were tasked with eliminating a man who was slightly resisting. Ryu had to take the hit to fulfill the mission, and he was rewarded with a pattern on his gray mask.

The organization had its own hierarchy. The rank could only be elevated through merit, and it also indicated the level of strength. Often, one could see the number of patterns on the gray masks of killers. It all depended on the number and size of the patterns; each pattern had its meaning or reflected the essence of merit. A drawn dragon meant that the killer successfully carried out the mission to kill an undesirable nobleman from the Black Dragon. Flames meant killing a strong opponent with the element of fire, and so on.

Ryu became the first in his group to be promoted in rank. His gray mask now had a fire pattern on its right side. Despite his rank being elevated, he could not perform missions normally, so he only helped others in their execution.

In Fovere, it was pouring rain, the sky was covered with gloomy clouds, and the world seemed to have dimmed. The street was empty, and only one person stood alone in the center, wearing a cloak with a hood covering their face. Around them were walls of low houses. Suddenly, a man emerged from an alley. His gray cloak concealed an elegant robe, and his gray mask with a vine pattern hid his face from prying eyes.

The first person turned around upon hearing footsteps to better see their "companion," removing the wet hood covering their face. Binds and an emerald eye appeared. It was Ryu. The second person pulled out an envelope from under their cloak, handing it over to Ryu without stopping before disappearing into the next alley.

Ryu took the envelope closer to examine it.

It said:

Tournament for the Gakushin Rank.