An Offer of Strength

The dense forest surrounding the Kurei-Kage hideout rustled under the night breeze as an old man walked through the shadows. He was between forty-five and fifty-five years old, his long, unkempt hair tied loosely behind his back. His rugged samurai kimono swayed with his steps, and a massive, tattered cape covered most of his face. Twin katana rested at his waist, and in his right hand, he clutched a purple crystal, its faint glow pulsing in the darkness.

He stopped before a narrow path leading to the hidden entrance of the Kurei-Kage’s underground stronghold. The old man smirked, his deep voice carrying a tone of certainty, "Hmm… I guess this is the place."

Ahead of him, two Kurei-Kage warriors stood guard at the entrance of a cave. Their expressions hardened as they noticed the cloaked stranger approaching. The old man raised a hand in greeting, "Evening, gentlemen. Will you let me inside?"

One of the guards scoffed, "Sorry, but this place is occupied. And in case you missed the sign, this cave isn’t open for sightseeing anymore. Turn back."

The old man let out a small chuckle, "This is the hideout where the Kurei-Kage commander rests, correct?"

The second guard frowned, "No! That’s just a rumor. We’re stationed here to guard a collection of rare gems. Now, leave before we make you."

The old man sighed, rolling his shoulders as he spoke in a casual yet firm tone, "I was hoping to avoid a fight."

In an instant, he drew his twin blades. A dense, overwhelming aura erupted from him, pressing down on the guards like an unseen force. The sheer weight of his presence made their hands tremble as they instinctively reached for their weapons, "Why don’t you just step aside?"The guards hesitated, their bodies frozen in place. But before they could act, a voice echoed from within the cave, "Stand down. Let him in."

From the shadows, a tall figure emerged—Raiden, one of the high-ranking members of the Kurei-Kage. His piercing gaze lingered on the old man for a moment before he spoke again, "Follow me."

The old man smirked and sheathed his blades, "That’s a wise decision."

With that, he stepped into the darkness of the cave, following Raiden into the depths of the Kurei-Kage's stronghold.

Inside Oniroshi’s Chamber

Deep within the hideout, the commander of the Kurei-Kage, Oniroshi, sat cross-legged on a cushion, his sharp eyes studying the young warrior before him—Ryuji Kurogami. The dim candlelight flickered as Oniroshi rested his chin on his hand, "What I'm about to tell you… is the truth about your father."

Ryuji tensed, "If you don’t already know, then it means your father never told you. I can understand why he did that… but now, it’s time you learn everything—

About this country.

About the Demon Lord.

About the Kurei-Kage… and most importantly—

About your father."

A shiver ran down Ryuji’s spine. His hands clenched into fists as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, "Father… I never really knew anything about him?"

Memories of his father’s warm smile flashed through his mind—the way he tilled the fields, the way he cooked dinner every night, the way he told bedtime stories, "All these years… and I never asked? Why did he keep it from me?"

His heart pounded in his chest., "Please, sir!" Ryuji’s voice was firm, his eyes burning with determination. "Tell me everything about my father!"

Oniroshi smirked, satisfied by the boy’s resolve. Just as he was about to speak, a sudden knock interrupted him, "Commander! A guest wishes to meet you. May we enter?"

Oniroshi’s expression darkened, "A guest? How did someone find this place?"

A tense silence hung in the air before Oniroshi finally responded, "Enter."

The door creaked open. Raiden stepped inside, leading the old man from earlier. The moment he entered, the air grew heavy. A tremendous, fearsome aura spread through the chamber, sending chills down everyone’s spine.

Even Oniroshi’s muscles tensed, "Who… are you?"

The old man glanced briefly at Oniroshi but then turned his gaze toward Ryuji. His sharp eyes softened, and he gave a warm smile, "Hello, boy. My name is… well, just call me Genjiro."The suffocating pressure in the room dissipated, replaced by a calming warmth.

Oniroshi, still wary, narrowed his eyes, "What do you want, old man?"

Genjiro frowned, "I just told you my name. Stop calling me 'old man'."

Oniroshi exhaled sharply, "Fine. Genjiro. What business do you have with the Kurei-Kage?"

Genjiro smirked and pointed directly at Ryuji, "Not with the Kurei-Kage. Just this boy."

Ryuji's breath hitched, "Me?"

Oniroshi’s eyes narrowed, "And why is that?"

Genjiro’s expression turned serious, "Let’s just say… I’m familiar with it."

"It?", Oniroshi questioned.

"The Crimson Flames.", Genjiro replied.

A heavy silence fell upon the room.

Ryuji finally spoke up, "Sir, may I speak with him?"

Oniroshi nodded. Ryuji turned to Genjiro, "What business do you have with me? Or… my Crimson Flames?"

Genjiro studied him before asking, "Which demon gave you this curse?"

Ryuji hesitated, "I don’t remember… It happened at night, in a forest near my hometown."

Genjiro’s eyes flickered with recognition, "A forest… at night?"

Ryuji nodded, "That night, my father was murdered. He told me to run into the forest… but I was caught by a demon. It wounded me… and I blacked out."

Genjiro exhaled deeply, "So, you didn’t receive your curse through the Samurai Academy’s ritual at Teruyo Fortress?"

"No." Ryuji clenched his fists. "When they tried to feed me the Demon Lord’s blood, my body rejected it. The elders and demons freaked out and tried to kill me, but my frie—"

He stopped, lowering his gaze as thoughts of his friends filled his mind.

Genjiro nodded, "I see… Interesting."

He turned to Oniroshi, "I’ll be taking this boy with me. For ten days."

Oniroshi’s eyes sharpened, "And why should I allow that?"

Genjiro smirked, "Because in ten days, I’ll make him stronger."

Ryuji clenched his fists, "Yes. I want to be stronger."

With that, Ryuji followed Genjiro into the unknown—toward a training that would change him forever.

As they prepared to leave, Genjiro glanced at Ryuji with a curious expression, "By the way, kid... what's your name?"

Ryuji blinked, realizing he had yet to introduce himself properly, "Oh! My apologies. My name is Ryuji."

Genjiro gave a small nod, as if filing the name away in his mind.

Before stepping away, Ryuji turned to Kenjiro, his expression sincere, "Kenjiro… you've done so much for me—during the war, and ever since we met. I won’t forget it. I swear, I’ll pay you back… by becoming even stronger!"

Kenjiro chuckled, shaking his head, "Don’t worry about it, Ryuji. We look after our own… but more than that, I consider you a friend. And between friends, there’s no such thing as paying back, got it?"

Ryuji’s lips curled into a determined smile, "Got it!"

With that, he turned and followed Genjiro into the unknown, ready to embark on ten days of grueling training—ten days that could change his fate forever. And also arise a question of why Genjiro wants to train Ryuji?