The Festival of Blood

Meanwhile...

Ring... Ring...

Kenji looked at his phone screen.

"Ryu?"

Click!

The call connected.

"Master Kenji! Why did "The Brothers" attack my grandfather?!" Ryu demanded.

"Lower your voice. I don't like noisy people."

Ryu took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I want a clear answer. I joined "The Covenant" not to hurt my own family. Why did "The Brothers" attack my grandfather?" he asked in a calmer voice.

"First, you need to remember one thing. When you call someone, show some respect. Second, every decision made within "The Covenant" is the leader's decision. I'm only carrying out his orders," Kenji said calmly as he took another sip of his tea.

"I'm sorry, Master."

"I accept your apology."

Kenji smiled faintly.

Holding his teacup, he stood up and slowly walked toward the garden behind the house.

"But my grandfather didn't do anything wrong. The leader promised that he wouldn't hurt my family if I joined him. So why does he want to kill my grandfather?" Ryu asked.

"You're too naive, Ryu."

Kenji sat down on a chair facing the garden.

"You don't know that your grandfather has been lying. Takeshi tried to contact Tadayoshi to stage a coup against "The Covenant"."

"Is that really true? Maybe the information is wrong. My grandfather would never do something like that."

"Do you know about "The White Ronin"?"

Ryu nodded.

"Takeshi lied about "The White Ronin". He knows who that person really is. The story he told the public doesn't make any sense," Kenji said.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really believe that someone would risk his life to save a person he doesn't even know? Do you think a complete stranger would walk into someone's house, save them, and simply leave afterward?"

Ryu fell silent.

'Could the boy I saw with Grandpa be "The White Ronin"? But that boy didn't look very strong. From what I know, "The Brothers" are elite killers working for "The Covenant". But I have to find out the truth myself. Even if it's true, the leader has no right to use that as an excuse to kill my grandfather,' Ryu thought.

"Whether something is right or wrong isn't for you or me to decide. The leader decides everything. You need to understand that," Kenji said.

Kenji finished the last sip of his tea.

Ryu remained silent.

Kenji gently placed the teacup on the table.

"I don't think he's from Japan. There's no way someone strong enough to defeat "The Brothers" alone could've remained unknown for this long."

"Do you think he's really that strong, Master?"

"If he really fought "The Brothers" alone, then he must be very strong."

Ryu said nothing.

"Tell me if you find any information about "The White Ronin"," Kenji said.

"Yes, Master."

The call ended.

'I have to find out who "The White Ronin" really is,' Ryu thought.

Several days later...

The long-awaited Samurai Festival had finally arrived.

That afternoon, Haruka closed her restaurant earlier than usual and returned home.

She found Yūto relaxing in the living room.

"Yūto, why aren't you getting ready?"

Yūto looked at her in confusion.

"Getting ready? For what?"

"Yūto, you're still young. Why are you already becoming forgetful? Didn't Takeshi invite you to the Samurai Festival today?" Shiro said.

Yūto laughed softly.

"That's right. I forgot."

Not long after, Haruka, Shiro, and Yūto left for Sakura City in Chiba Prefecture.

The city was filled with a festive atmosphere.

The streets were crowded with visitors wearing yukata and samurai outfits.

Food stalls and various festival attractions were packed with people enjoying the celebration.

As soon as they arrived, Yūto tried calling Aoi.

He sent her a message, but she still hadn't read it.

'I wonder what Aoi is doing,' Yūto thought.

A worried expression slowly appeared on his face.

"Hey, Yūto. What's wrong? You look worried," Shiro asked.

"It's nothing."

Yūto put his phone back into his pocket.

"Yūto! Shiro! Come over here! Let's take a picture together!" Haruka called happily.

Haruka looked genuinely happy.

She rarely had the chance to enjoy moments like this because she was busy working at her restaurant almost every day.

A few moments later, Takeshi approached them.

"Thank you for coming."

"No problem, Grandpa. Aunt Haruka looks really happy too," Shiro replied.

Takeshi smiled warmly.

"You look a little worried, Yūto. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Ah. No.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Yūto looked at the screen.

"Aoi..."

Yūto glanced at Takeshi and the others.

"Excuse me. I have to take this call."

Takeshi smiled.

Yūto stepped away from the crowd.

"Hello."

Aoi's frightened scream came through the phone.

"Yūto! Help me!"

"Aoi! What's wrong?!"

But before Aoi could answer, a man's voice suddenly came through the phone.

"If you want your beloved Aoi to stay alive, come to Mount Nokogiri alone. Don't tell anyone. Otherwise, the next news you'll hear will be about Aoi's death!"

"Damn it! Fine! I'll come right now!"

Yūto immediately ran away from the festival.

He hurried back to Haruka's house to get his sword.

He also took the keys to Haruka's motorcycle.

Without wasting another second, he headed toward Mount Nokogiri alone.

The journey to the mountain took quite some time.

Along the way, another message arrived on his phone.

It contained the exact location where Aoi was being held.

When Yūto arrived at Mount Nokogiri, he found himself surrounded by tall cliffs and a quiet forest.

He followed a narrow path until he saw a flickering white light in the distance.

Without hesitation, he walked toward it.

"Boss, the kid has arrived," one of the guards reported.

Yūto's phone rang again.

"Leave your sword there. Come inside without it," the man said.

"Fine! Now open the door!"

A large steel door built into the cliff slowly opened.

Meanwhile...

"Aoi... Your boyfriend came all the way here just to throw his life away for you," the man said with a cruel smile.

Aoi could only glare at him with hatred as tears streamed down her cheeks.

A few moments later, Yūto stepped into the room.

His eyes immediately fell on Aoi.

Aoi was tied up with thick ropes.

Directly above her head hung a large axe, held in place by nothing but a single rope.

If the rope were cut, the axe would fall directly onto Aoi's helpless body.

"You...! You're the man who came to Aunt Haruka's restaurant that time! Why are you doing this?!" Yūto said.

The man smiled.

"You have a pretty good memory. I'm doing this because you dared to steal my future wife! Did you think I didn't know that the two of you kept meeting? Ever since I came to that restaurant, I've been watching both of you!" Kaito shouted.

"You're nothing but a coward!" Yūto said.

"Oh?"

Kaito grinned.

"In this world, people don't win with strength alone. They win with their brains. The more cunning and ruthless a person is, the easier it is for them to win."

Yūto looked at Aoi.

"Let her go!"

Kaito burst into laughter.

"I heard you managed to defeat Kabuto's men. You're pretty tough. But look at you now..." Kaito mocked.

The room suddenly fell silent.

"What do you want?" Yūto asked.

"Kneel."

Kaito stared at him with an arrogant smile.

"Kneel and bow before me."

Yūto remained silent.

Tears continued to stream down Aoi's cheeks.

Her mouth was covered with a piece of cloth, making her unable to speak.

"I said, kneel!" Kaito shouted.

Several guards immediately rushed toward Yūto and kicked his legs, forcing him to his knees.

"Good!" Kaito said.

Kaito laughed loudly.

"Look at you! I'm Kaito, the conqueror! No one can defeat the cunning Kaito Nakamura!"

All the guards joined in the laughter.

"Boss, should we just kill him now?" one of them asked.

"Idiot! Killing him now would be too easy."

A cruel smile appeared on Kaito's face.

"I want him to suffer first. Beat him!"

His men immediately carried out his order.

Yūto was struck with iron pipes, beaten with wooden beams, and whipped with heavy chains.

Both of his hands were tied, leaving him completely unable to fight back.

Blow after blow struck his body until his face and clothes were covered in blood.

Finally, his body collapsed onto the floor.

"Arrghhh..." Yūto groaned in pain.

Seeing this, Aoi burst into tears.

She could no longer bear watching Yūto being tortured so brutally.

"Hahaha! Keep hitting him!" Kaito shouted.

Suddenly...

Ring... Ring...

Kaito's phone began to ring.

Kaito looked at the screen.

"Dad?"

"Kaito! Where are you?! I already told you that you have to appear at the Samurai Festival tonight! Why did you disappear?! I don't care what you're doing! Get here within one hour, or I'll come looking for you, find you, and beat the hell out of you!" Tadayoshi shouted through the phone.

The call ended.

"Damn old man!" Kaito muttered.

Kaito walked outside.

"Boss, what about him?" one of the guards said.

He pointed at Yūto, who was lying on the floor covered in blood.

Kaito glanced at Yūto.

"Pour water on him, then hang him up!"

Yūto's body was trembling violently from the brutal torture he'd just endured.

Blood continued to flow from the many wounds covering his body.

"Arrghhh..."

A weak groan escaped his lips as he struggled to remain conscious.

Aoi continued to cry as she watched Yūto's condition.