Chapter 22: The Plan

 Ren had taken refuge in a place he knew well: Zaro's old abandoned house. The floorboards creaked under his footsteps, the wind filtered through the cracks in the broken windows and stirred up long-forgotten dust. Yet, for him, it was the only place where he could breathe.

He let himself fall to the floor, next to what remained of Zaro's bed. The wood was rotten, covered with a veil of dust, but Ren didn't care. He brought his hands to his face and let the tears flow, without stopping them.

“I'm sorry... Zaro...” His voice broke, almost choked.

The tears fell quickly, soaking the fabric of his shirt until it was drenched. Each sob echoed off the bare walls of the house, a muffled echo that seemed to remind him that he was alone.

“For now... I can't do anything. I'm still too weak...”

He clenched his fists, trying to hold back his cries. He didn't want anyone to hear him, he didn't want to show anyone that fragile side of himself. So he stayed there, for hours, letting the night swallow his thoughts.

When dawn began to color the sky with pale hues, Ren left the house. The morning air was cold and sharp, and the village was still asleep, enveloped in a surreal silence. He walked aimlessly, dragging his feet, as if he didn't really know where he wanted to go. Maybe he wasn't looking for anything... or maybe he was just looking for himself.

It was at that moment that a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Ren!”

He turned abruptly. A figure was running toward him, hair tousled by the wind and breathing heavily. Mizuki. Her eyes, filled with relief, sparkled as if she had found something precious.

“M-Mizuki?” he stammered, almost incredulous.

She reached him, leaning forward slightly to catch her breath. “Finally! I've been looking everywhere for you!”

He looked down, embarrassed. “You... looked for me?”

Then he shook his head, as if he had remembered something important. “I told you to leave it alone. I don't want you to end up hated because of me.”

“And that should worry me?” Mizuki replied, standing straight in front of him, without a moment's hesitation. “I don't care what people think. I hate injustice, and I will never remain silent in the face of it.”

Her words resonated with a determination that struck him. Ren remained silent for a few moments, watching her. Then he sighed.

“I understand... Yesterday, I didn't know what to do. Too many people had gathered. A crowd thirsty for hatred. The only thing I could do was disappear. That was the only way the city would return to peace.”

She pursed her lips, annoyed. “That's absurd... All this just because you're... yourself.”

The boy laughed bitterly. “To see me... to insult me. It's always like this.” Then he lowered his gaze, his voice veiled with sadness. “Sometimes I really wonder why I keep staying in this place.”

He paused, letting the wind creep between his words. “But then I think of Zaro... and so I stay.”

Mizuki stared at him, her eyes full of questions. “That's exactly what I wanted to ask you. Why do you keep putting up with all this? Why don't you leave?”

He looked up, serious. “I don't really know myself. But I believe... I believe in my goals. If one day I manage to achieve them, this village could change, it could become important. It won't be easy, I'll need everyone's help... but that's what I believe in.”

“Goals...?” she asked softly, as if afraid of the answer.

Ren took a deep breath. “To eliminate Lucius and his guards.”

He paused, running a hand through his tousled hair, unsure if he had done the right thing in speaking. “Maybe I shouldn't be telling you these things. We don't know each other well enough... but right now... I think I can trust you.”

Instead of taking offense, the girl's eyes widened and she took a step forward. “Of course you have to trust me! I'm not one to go around gossiping, and I'm not so bad that I would betray your trust.”

A hint of a smile appeared on Ren's lips, a smile different from the fake one he showed to the rest of the world.

“Then... thank goodness.”

“Would you help me?” he asked, his voice almost hesitant, as if he were confiding a secret too big to say out loud.

She widened her eyes in surprise. “M-me? Of course!” she replied, more instinctively than after thinking it through.

A small smile appeared on the boy's face, a fragile but sincere smile. “Thank you... really.”

“So... how do you want me to help you?” she asked, with a note of anxiety that betrayed both curiosity and fear.

He lowered his gaze, clenching his fists as if he needed courage. “I need a mask. And... you should spread the word of my death. Say that I was killed by the poison of a creature in the woods.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “W-what?! I-I could never do such a thing!” she exclaimed, her voice cracking.

“Please.” The boy's eyes trembled slightly, filled with bitter determination. “I know I seem weak, but... lately I've been feeling something different. It's as if my body is getting stronger, day by day. I realized it when I faced those two giant boars.”

Mizuki's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe he was asking her to tell such a lie. “W-why... why did you come to this decision?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “After yesterday, I realized it was the only way. If people believe I'm dead, they'll stop insulting me. And finally... I'll be able to focus on what I have to do.”

His face was serious, but to the girl he looked terribly lonely.

“And... and Lucius?” she asked, holding her breath. “How will you explain it to him?”

“He'll find out from your voices. I'll disappear for a while. It's the only way not to arouse suspicion.”

Those words made her shiver. “You want to leave?” she whispered, almost afraid of the answer.

“Just for ten days or so.” He tried to smile, but the smile quickly faded from his lips. “With the news of my death, maybe the city will find some peace.”

She clenched her fists at her sides. She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to be without him, not now that she was finally beginning to understand him. “T-then... at least tell me where you're going. That way... I can bring you what you need.”

For a moment, he stared at her, surprised by her insistence. Then he nodded slowly. “All right... But tell me, why do you care so much about me?”

Those words struck the girl like a sudden blade. She felt her heart beat faster, her cheeks grow warm. She couldn't find a sincere answer, so she took refuge in the only thing she had always repeated. “B-because I hate injustice! That's all!”

A brief silence fell between them, until he burst into stifled laughter. “Ahaha... you're right. Yet I keep forgetting that.”

She lowered her gaze, biting her lip. Perhaps there was much more behind that concern, but she didn't yet have the courage to admit it even to herself.

She lowered her gaze, biting her lip. Perhaps there was much more behind that concern, but she didn't yet have the courage to admit it even to herself.

“Shall we go see Michael?” Ren asked suddenly, as if the thought had just popped into his head.

Mizuki looked at him in surprise, but didn't ask any questions. “Michael? Sure...” she agreed with a slight smile, even though inside she wondered why he had made such a sudden decision.

They walked together through the silent corridors until they reached the door of the room where Michael worked. The acrid smell of disinfectant and damp wood greeted them as soon as they opened it. For the first time, the room seemed almost empty. There was only a body lying on a table, while Michael, bent over it, was arranging some instruments.

The boy turned abruptly, surprised by the noise. “Ah... it's you.” A hint of relief passed through his eyes.

“Yes,” she replied, looking around the room carefully. “We wanted to come and see you. Strange to see it so... quiet.”

Michael took off his dirty gloves and sighed. “The victims have stopped. This girl is the only one who has arrived in the last few days. Apparently, the blow didn't work as they wanted... she survived. I don't think the guards know.”

Ren crossed his arms, thinking. “So... even they can make mistakes.”

“Exactly.” Michael nodded, but his tone remained somber.

Mizuki, who had been following them silently until then, pursed her lips in confusion. “Hey... you two, what are you talking about?”

The boy turned to her, realizing he had skipped a step. “You're right. You don't know... Lucius' guards use a power called Surgical Manuality. We discovered it some time ago with Zaro. It's a technique that allows them to strike with inhuman precision, as if each blow were decided before it was even delivered. But this time... it didn't go well for them.”

Mizuki's eyes widened, filled with disgust. “What... Horrible.”

“Yeah,” he muttered bitterly. Then he turned back to her, his gaze determined. “That's why I need your help with that plan even more.”

The girl hesitated, her hands clenched at the sides of her robe. For a moment she seemed torn, then she took a deep breath and nodded, though a shadow of uncertainty remained in her eyes.

“Wait a minute... what plan?” Michael asked curiously, watching them both.

So, with no more secrets to hide, they told him everything. From their desire to make everyone believe that Ren was dead, to their plan to prepare the attack on Lucius and his guards.

When they finished, Michael remained silent for a moment, drumming his fingers on the edge of the table. Then he smiled slightly. “Interesting... I like it. You can count on me.”

A wave of relief swept through the room. “Thank you, Michael!” exclaimed Ren.

“Really, you're the best!” added Mizuki, lightening the mood with a small smile.

Michael shrugged, trying to hide his satisfaction. “Don't exaggerate. But if we have to do it, then let's do it for real.”

And in that moment, for the first time, their alliance seemed to take concrete form: the first step toward eliminating Lucius and his guards.