Beyond Humanity- Chapter 3

His breathing was heavy, each step feeling like an echo of the energy pulsing through his body. His ability seemed unwilling to calm down, and his veins burned as if fire was flowing through his blood. Renji clenched his jaw, trying not to lose his balance right in front of the door to his house.

The cold metal of the doorknob trembled in his palm. He took a deep breath and pushed the door, the warm light from inside hitting his eyes. The familiar smell of food almost calmed him for a moment.

He stepped toward the kitchen, but his steps stopped abruptly. At the table sat his sensei, his sister, and Kaizen, all with attentive, almost worried looks.

—"Renji… what happened?" asked the sensei, his tone calm but sharp.

His sister was scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes, while Kaizen rested his elbows on the table, not hiding his suspicion.

Renji crossed his arms, forcing a smile.

— "Nothing… I just trained more than usual. And… I wanted to come home to eat."

The silence that followed was not at all reassuring. All three seemed not to believe him, and the air between them grew heavy. Renji could feel their gazes pressing against his skin, almost like an electric current.

— "I see… and why do you have marks on your arms?" asked his sister, raising an eyebrow.

Renji lowered his gaze. His skin was pulsing lightly, and the veins on his forearms were darker than usual. He clenched his fists in his pockets.

— "It’s… from training," he repeated, trying to sound indifferent.

The sensei said nothing. He looked straight at him, his dark eyes seeming to pierce into the depths of his mind. Kaizen, on the other hand, leaned his head slightly forward, like an animal sniffing out an unfamiliar scent.

Suddenly, a cup on the edge of the table vibrated slightly, without anyone touching it. Renji held his breath.

—" Did something happen where you were training?" asked the sensei, in a low voice.

—" No, nothing," Renji replied too quickly. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

Kaizen removed his elbows from the table, the movement slow and calculated, like a predator deciding, for the moment, not to attack. He ran his hand over his chin, his gaze fixed on Renji with an intensity difficult to decipher.

— "Alright…," he finally said, breaking the silence. "There’s no point in questioning you now."

The tone was seemingly calm, but each word seemed weighed, as if behind them was a postponed verdict.

Renji looked at him, feeling that it was not about giving up, but about a strategic move.

Kaizen crossed his arms, subtly changing the subject:

—" Tomorrow morning, we meet early. We’re going to the forest. Not just the two of us… A few members of my team will be there. And you, Renji, must come with us."

A shiver ran down Renji’s spine, though his face remained impassive.

— "The forest? Why?"

Kaizen arched an eyebrow slightly, an expression between irony and warning.

— "A reconnaissance mission. We want to check something… unusual. The details don’t matter now. All you need to know is that it’s not optional. Be prepared, both mentally and physically."

While he spoke, Kaizen’s eyes never left Renji’s face, as if trying to catch a gesture, a twitch, any sign of a hidden secret.

The sensei, seated at the end of the table, said nothing, but his gaze was just as penetrating. Renji’s sister, on the other hand, seemed less willing to let things go, but she didn’t intervene, letting Kaizen lead the discussion.

The silence that followed seemed charged with unspoken questions. Renji felt that, although the subject had been changed, he still remained the center of attention. It was clear: Kaizen had not given up on his suspicions. He had only postponed them… for a more suitable moment.

After Kaizen finished his drink, he rose from the table, pushing the chair back with a calm gesture. He adjusted his coat on his shoulders and took his sword leaning against the wall.

— "I can’t stay any longer, I only came to tell you about tomorrow," he said with a slight smile. However… his tone was friendly, like someone taking the time to visit an old comrade, but Renji knew something was behind it; Kaizen had changed his behavior too quickly.

Renji watched him, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, while his sister gathered a few plates from the table and the sensei calmly poured himself tea. Kaizen’s footsteps echoed lightly on the wooden floor.

At the door, Kaizen placed his hand on the doorknob but stopped for a moment. He turned over his shoulder, looking at Renji with a cold expression.

— "By the way… I didn’t know Takamura Haruki was your sensei. He told me you want to become imperial. You’re in good hands. Haruki is a patient and demanding mentor — if you follow his guidance, you have every chance to achieve your goal."

Renji smiled slightly and nodded.

— "Thank you."

Kaizen replied with a friendly wave of his hand and opened the door. The cool evening air entered the house for a moment, bringing with it the faint smell of damp leaves. Then, without haste, he stepped out and continued along the alley dimly lit by lanterns.

Renji returned to the kitchen table. His sister had already disappeared into the bedroom, leaving him alone with the sensei, who was quietly drinking his tea, seated at the low table. Steam rose slowly from the cup, forming fleeting shapes in the warm lamp light.

Renji sat in the chair opposite him, resting his elbows on the table. He looked directly at him, no longer hiding behind politeness.

— "Sensei… how is it that one of the most powerful imperials knows you? I thought you were just… a normal sensei from a poor town."

Haruki lifted his gaze from the cup, and a brief smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

—" It wasn’t one of amusement, but of memory. Hm… I knew you’d ask me that one day."

He set the cup down, and his gaze drifted for a few moments somewhere beyond the walls of the room, as if looking back in time.

—" Kaizen’s father… was my best friend. And my comrade. Back when Kaizen was just a child, the two of us fought on the front lines, against other kingdoms. For years we only saw each other between battles and graves."

Renji listened in silence, surprised by the grave and sincere tone of the confession.

Haruki lifted his left hand, looking at his missing forearm, covered by a black cloth sleeve.

— "I lost it in a battle, trying to save Kaizen’s father. He was trapped in a circle of enemies… I managed to get him out, but my wound was severe. He, however… died a few days later from his injuries."

For a moment, only the faint crackle of the stove could be heard in the room.

— "After that… I left the front behind. I focused on something else. I wanted to teach others how to fight, so they wouldn’t have to lose comrades the way I lost my friend," Haruki said, his voice carrying the quiet weight of a man at peace with his past.

Renji looked at him, not knowing what to say. For the first time, he saw his sensei not just as an instructor, but as a man who had lived and lost far more than he had ever imagined.

After finishing his conversation with Renji, the sensei slowly gathered his cup and stood up:

—" It’s late. I have to go home. Take care of yourself," he said with a calm smile before leaving the kitchen.

Renji nodded, watching him leave, and the door closed behind him with a discreet click. The house’s breathing returned to its normal rhythm, only the wall clock marking the silent passing of time.

He got up and headed toward his and his sister’s bedroom. Moonlight poured through the window, tracing delicate shadows on the floor. His sister’s bed was untouched; she slept deeply, her face relaxed and her hair spread out over the pillow. Renji smiled faintly and lay down in his own bed, watching her for a few moments before closing his eyes.

In the quiet of the room, Renji’s sister slowly woke, as if instinct told her her brother needed someone even when he didn’t know it. She lifted her head and looked at him, unmoving. Then, as if speaking only to herself, her whisper filled the room:

— "I can’t help but worry about him…," she murmured, propping herself up on her elbows. "He’s… different today. His eyes… the way he moves… it’s like he’s carrying a secret he can’t tell."

She clenched her fists lightly, feeling worry tighten her chest.

— "I know he’s strong, but that doesn’t mean he’s invincible. And if something happens to him? I can’t lose him… not now, not after what we’ve been through since we became orphans."

She lay back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling with wide-open eyes, continuing to speak to herself:

— "And he looks… different," she kept thinking. "He’s much stronger… his muscles are more defined, as if every day of training had sculpted his body. His back is broad and solid, like the trunk of an old tree, and the scars on his arms and shoulders tell the story of every training, every effort made."

She brought her hand to her face, trying to hide a shiver of fear and awe.

—" His hair… it’s different… it seems to be starting to turn white at the roots, from stress, from everything he’s endured just so we could have food and a place to live. And yet, there’s a strength in him… something I’ve never seen in anyone else."

— "And yet… even if he’s changed, even if his body and eyes tell stories of pain and effort, he still needs to take care of himself. I can’t help but worry…"

After that, Miyu, Renji’s sister, calmed down and fell asleep. The night passed slowly, and the pale light of morning crept through the windows of the house. The air was cold, fresh, and the silence of the city was just beginning to warm to the first sounds of the day. Renji was still sleeping deeply, but the peace was about to be broken.

A few light knocks at the door woke Renji. He rose quickly, still stretching, and opened the door. In the doorway stood a man fully equipped in the armor specific to the imperials; he was a member of Kaizen’s team, with a serious yet respectful expression.

— "Good morning. Kaizen sent me here," the man said. "You must come with me now."

Renji nodded, without asking questions. He turned into the room and began equipping his armor, each piece fitting perfectly on his muscular, scarred body. He took his sword, a steady hand on the hilt, ready for whatever was to come.

He cast a discreet glance at his sister, who was still sleeping deeply, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He didn’t wake her; he let her sleep, knowing there would be nothing dangerous this morning — at least not for her.

Leaving the house, the cool air greeted him immediately. The man from Kaizen’s team led him to the meeting place where the others were ready. On the way to the forest, Renji learned that he would not be accompanied only by Kaizen and his team of imperials; Kaede was going to join the group. Kaizen wanted to confirm something about him, to see if the information he had was true.

Renji walked alongside the man from Kaizen’s team, who seemed focused and alert, heading toward the edge of the city where the forest began to stretch its dark, mysterious arms. The air grew denser, and the sounds of the city gradually faded, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the timid chirping of morning birds.

Renji’s gaze stopped on Kaede, who was already alongside Kaizen and his team at the edge of the city. He was watching him closely, but something in his behavior made Renji worry too much.

"What’s with him…?" thought Renji, feeling a strange chill. Kaede seemed… empty. As if all his emotions had been erased, leaving behind only a cold, lifeless vessel. There was no fear, no joy, not even suspicion — nothing. All that remained for Renji was an inexplicable void that made him feel a deep unease in his stomach.

He shook off his thoughts and focused on the path ahead. The group advanced through the forest, Kaizen leading them with confident, careful steps, always assessing the terrain and Kaede’s reactions. Renji followed closely, his armor slightly noisy with each movement, but there were no unnecessary words between them; they all seemed absorbed in what was to come.

After leaving the familiar area of the forest, Renji discovered a part of it where he had never stepped before. The trees were taller, the foliage denser, and the sunlight filtered through only in scattered patches, creating mysterious shadows on the moss-covered ground. The air was damp, smelling of fresh earth and untouched vegetation. Renji’s heart beat faster: this part of the forest had a strange atmosphere, seemingly alive, yet still and silent.

Eventually, the group arrived near a cave hidden among the roots of a massive tree and moss-covered rocks. The entrance was wide, but the shadow stretched deep, making them all step cautiously. Renji felt a cold shiver down his spine — the cave seemed to hide something, something untouched by time and waiting to be discovered.

Kaizen stopped for a moment, assessing the area, while Kaede stood motionless at the edge of the shadow, like a cold, silent object. Renji felt that each step he took brought him closer to the mystery of this mission, but also to the truth Kaizen wanted to learn about Kaede.

Kaizen turned to Renji with a serious look:

— "Do you know why I brought you here?" he said calmly, but with a tone that allowed no immediate answer. —" To see something."

Renji nodded slowly, feeling the tension rise in the dense air of the cave. Kaizen turned his gaze to his right-hand man, Hikaru, and gave him a subtle sign. In a precise motion, Hikaru threw a torch into a completely dark corner of the cave.

The reddish light flared, revealing what Renji would not have thought possible: a man, or what had once been a man, stood before them. His body was contorted, the incredible transformation visible even in the darkness. His legs resembled those of a demon, grotesque and threatening, and his gaze — if it could still be called that — was empty, devoid of any trace of humanity.

Renji felt a deep shock in his stomach, a cold sensation coursing through his entire body.

Kaizen turned to him, his eyes fixed on the demonic figure:

— "I brought you here to see this," he said calmly, but with a gravity that could not be ignored. — "I suspected the forest caught fire because of a similar creature, and out of fear you preferred to lie. I know you’re hiding something. By the way, imperials don’t exist to protect the country from bandits or other kingdoms. The real fight… is against these people who, manipulated by demons, make pacts and lose their humanity in exchange for power."

Renji remained silent, his gaze fixed on the being that had once been human. He now understood the gravity of Kaizen’s words and felt tension, fear, and responsibility mixing inside him. This was not a simple confrontation, but a harsh reality of the world he was only beginning to understand.

Kaizen lifted his enormous sword, and his entire presence seemed to change the air around them. When the heavy, massive blade cut through the air, a gust so strong rose that it almost extinguished the torch thrown earlier. Every muscle in his body was tense, ready to strike.

—" Haaaa!" shouted Kaizen, his voice echoing through the cave, ready to attack the creature that had lost its humanity.

Before the sword struck, Renji couldn’t take his eyes off Kaizen. In his mind, he imagined the scene while also beginning to analyze him:

"Kaizen… he gives me chills down my spine. How the hell can he wield a sword almost as big as his body? It would be impossible for any normal man to lift such a thing, but he seems to do it effortlessly. He always has one eye closed, as if he sees everything through the other, and his armor… it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, it looks like it’s from another world. And yet, he’s relaxed… how can he be so calm in front of a creature like this? I… I don’t know what to do. I’m scared, my heart is beating like crazy…"

Renji felt a firm hand pulling him back. Hikaru, Kaizen’s right hand, had grabbed Renji by the shoulder and said —"Don’t worry, as long as Kaizen is with you nothing bad can happen."

At the same time, Kaede’s gaze seemed caught in a strange state. His eyes sparkled, and his facial expression shifted into a kind of cold, distant ecstasy, as if looking at the demon brought him a fascination Renji could not understand.

Renji felt a tension rising to the crown of his head: his fear, surprise, and fascination mixed with respect for Kaizen’s power and the mystery surrounding Kaede’s behavior.