Chapter 2: A Promise Beneath the Stars (Fate)

Four Years Later

Four years flew by, and the day of the tournament was almost here. The eight clans, led by their proud leaders, had spent years honing their descendants into warriors.

Kenji, now 12, had transformed. His once boyish frame had grown strong, and his sharp mind made him a tactician on the battlefield. Dual short swords, his chosen weapons, allowed him to strike with speed and precision.

He stood at the edge of the town, relishing the fresh breeze. “I wonder how Kiyoshi’s doing,” he mused. “I can’t wait to show him my skills!”

As he strolled into town, a figure caught his eye—a small girl, half-conscious, lying on the street.

Kenji rushed to her side. “Hey! Are you okay?!”

The girl blinked weakly. “Who is this?” she thought. “Why is he helping me?” Before she could answer, she fainted.

Her torn black clothes and bruised body told a grim story. Kenji gently carried her back to his clan’s quarters.

She stirred awake hours later, gasping in fear. Memories of a nightmare clung to her: faceless figures chasing her, beating her as she screamed.

“Hey! wake up you’re just dreaming” Kenji’s voice broke through. She flinched, retreating from his concerned face.

“Where am I?!” she panicked. “Please don’t hurt me! I’ll do anything—just don’t hurt me!”

Kenji’s heart sank. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said gently. “Nobody will. I’ll protect you here.”

She hesitated but saw the warmth in his eyes. Slowly, she relaxed. “May I… know your name?”

“Kenji. But you can call me Satoshi.”

She smiled faintly. “Satoshi-San? That’s a beautiful name.”

Kenji smiled back. “What’s yours?”

“Airi,” she murmured shyly, her cheeks flushing as her stomach growled.

Kenji chuckled. “I brought you food. Eat up.”

Embarrassed, Airi hesitated.

“I’ll step out,” Kenji said, rising. “Take your time. Hana, our butler, will look after you.”

He turned to Hana before leaving. “Make sure she’s safe.”

Hana bowed. “As you wish, young master.”

Hana: "Where are you heading, young master?"

Kenji: (With a serious face) "To establish justice."

The sounds of a gang echoed through the dimly lit street. Around a crackling fire, a group of men laughed and shouted. One of them jeered, "Ahhh, we should’ve had our fun with that girl. If only she weren’t so young! I’d have made sure to enjoy myself!"

Another man chuckled, gnawing on a piece of meat. "Haha, same here! But beating her was fun enough. Who’d have thought someone so poor-looking would carry that much money?"

A third chimed in. "Let’s make sure to rough her up again tomorrow."

"Careful," a fourth cautioned mockingly. "If we hit her any harder, she might die!" They all burst into cruel laughter.

Suddenly, Kenji appeared, his expression calm but piercing.

"Hey, kid! What’s with that look on your face? You want to die? Move along!" one of the men growled.

Kenji’s voice was cold and resolute. "I don’t take orders from scum like you."

"Scum?!" the man roared. "Who the hell are you calling scum, you little brat?" Another man stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Maybe we should teach him some respect."

"Yeah!" agreed another. "He needs to learn how to treat his elders."

The first man swung a fist at Kenji, but Kenji sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the man’s arm and twisting it until a sickening crack echoed. The man’s scream pierced the air as he collapsed, tears streaming down his face. Kenji showed no mercy, breaking his other arm before turning to the rest of the gang.

The other men froze, terror flashing in their eyes. They tried to run, but Kenji moved with blinding speed, his strikes precise and devastating. One by one, he incapacitated them, leaving their bodies broken on the ground.

The next morning, whispers spread through the town.

"Oh my God, what happened to them? They look half-dead!" a woman exclaimed.

Another man recognized the fallen gang members. "Hey, I know these guys! They’re the ones who’ve been extorting us for ‘protection’—from themselves!"

The crowd murmured in agreement. "They deserved this!" one person shouted, hurling a stone at the unconscious men. Soon, tomatoes and jeers rained down on the gang.

Meanwhile, Kenji decided to go on a small picnic and prepared himself with Hana. Airi watched him, wondering where he was heading (as she was still physically unable to move far). She desperately wanted to join them but was too shy to ask. To her surprise, Kenji approached her, then dropped to his knees and said shyly, “Hop on.”

Airi, extremely flustered, hesitated and replied, “I-I can’t do that! You might hurt your back carrying me!”

Kenji smiled softly. “Don’t worry. I’m capable of carrying heavier things. Just hop on—it’s awkward holding this stance for too long.”

Still feeling shy, Airi climbed out of her room through the window of the traditional Japanese-style house. Her body, covered in bandages, made her feel self-conscious, but she finally managed to hop onto Kenji’s back. Kenji stood up carefully and walked toward Hana, who was waiting for them.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there when they attacked you,” Kenji said as they walked. “But I made sure they will never hurt you again, so don’t worry about them anymore.”

Airi’s voice was soft but steady. “You didn’t have to do that. I believe everyone has their reasons for being the way they are—it’s just a matter of environment. But… thank you so much.”

Kenji, usually stoic, was amazed by her way of thinking. Soon, they all boarded a large caravan and settled inside. As they travelled, the beauty of the countryside unfolded before them. The gentle breeze swept through the air, and the sight of lush rice fields stretched out like an endless green sea.

Airi’s eyes lit up as she gazed at the scenery. “Wow! I’ve never seen this part of town before!”

Kenji chuckled. “This land belongs to our clan. Not everyone can enter.”

Airi turned to him with a wide smile. “Really?! That’s so amazing! Owning so much rice… you’ll never go hungry!”

After a while, they arrived at a flat hilltop with a single enormous tree standing tall under the sunny, clear sky. Hana began spreading out a mat under the shade, but Kenji gestured to the sunny spot nearby. “Let’s sit in the sun. The weather’s a bit chilly.”

They moved to the sunny area and settled down. Hana brought out an assortment of delicious food, and Kenji watched, curious to see which dish Airi would choose first. However, Airi hesitated, clearly waiting for Kenji to start. Hunger was evident in her eyes.

“Go ahead,” Kenji said with a small smile. “What are you waiting for?”

Airi’s face brightened. “Itadakimasu!” she exclaimed before eagerly starting to eat. Seeing her enthusiasm, Kenji joined in, breaking his usual habit of eating modestly. Together, they enjoyed the meal to their fullest.

Afterward, they strolled to a nearby lake. Airi’s happiness was infectious, her face glowing with joy as if she owned the world. Kenji couldn’t help but glance at her. The sunlight reflected off her bandaged yet beautiful face, making her look radiant. When Airi noticed his gaze, Kenji quickly turned away, embarrassed.

Airi’s laughter started softly, then grew louder. Kenji, unable to hold back, smirked and then burst out laughing as well. For no particular reason, the two laughed together, simply enjoying the rare moment of happiness they shared. Neither had experienced such carefree joy before.

As the day drew to a close, the sun began to set. The horse pulling their caravan suddenly broke free from its leash and bolted. The driver shouted, “Hey! Come back!” and ran after it.

Kenji sighed. “Looks like we’ll have to walk.”

Hana chuckled. “Seems that way,” she said with a smile.

Kenji crouched down again, motioning for Airi. “Hop on.”

Airi blushed furiously. “I-I can’t! Not again! And it’s such a long walk this time!”

Kenji’s tone turned serious. “You aren’t physically capable of walking that far in your condition. It could cause serious complications. Just hop on.”

Reluctantly, Airi climbed onto his back once more. As they walked through the twilight, the moon rose high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the rice fields. The stars twinkled like scattered diamonds. Airi’s voice was barely audible when she whispered, “I wish this never ends…”

Kenji glanced back. “Did you say something?”

Flustered, Airi quickly replied, “It-it’s nothing.”

Kenji looked straight ahead and said calmly, “We can always go on another picnic.”

Hearing this, Airi’s eyes lit up. “Really? Next time, can we go to the biggest hill? I heard you can see the whole town from up there!” she asked excitedly.

Kenji smirked. “Sure. But don’t expect me to carry you there.”

Airi pouted. “Don’t worry! By then, I’ll be fully healed, and I’ll Walk by myself!”

Kenji smiled when he heard this. Airi looked at him earnestly and said, “Promise me.”

Kenji tilted his head slightly. “Hm?”

“Promise me that you’ll take me there next time!” Airi insisted, her eyes shining with determination.

Kenji’s smile widened as he replied warmly, “Yeah, I promise to take you there when you’re fully healed.”

“Okay then! I’ll heal quicker now!” Airi declared with excitement.

Their laughter echoed softly as they reached the clan base, their hearts full from a day of happiness and new memories.