Inside the room Ken had locked himself in, the only sound was his slow breathing. The room was engulfed in darkness except for a faint blue glow emanating from midair in front of the bed… where a semi-transparent, ethereal screen hovered gently as if it were a living being.
Ethereal Screen – one of Valoria's technological marvels, requiring no button or device… it activates with intention alone.
Ken (murmuring quietly): "I forgot these luxury homes come with this stuff."
He silently extended his hand into the air, brushing his fingers across the screen. Its glow rippled slightly, and images began to form.
Soft electronic voice: "Activating public news broadcast… Valoria's ethereal news begins now."
An image appeared of a news anchor in formal attire, standing in front of a glowing 3D map of the Valoria continent, its colors shifting with each news item.
⸻
Anchor (in a formal tone): "Good morning from the Valorian Ether Network. We begin our bulletin today from the state of Eiralos, where the Valorian Tech Institute has announced the deployment of a new invention called the 'Time-Freezing Mirror' across all of Valoria, after its major success in Eiralos, where it helped enhance ether-based television."
A 3D model appeared on screen showing an oval-shaped glass device resembling a mirror, about the size of a hand, reflecting the image of a girl holding it. She pressed a crystal at the bottom, capturing her image and freezing it—just like a camera in our world.
⸻
Anchor: "The device can record moments in time within a specific area and replay them holographically in high definition. In other words… you can witness the past happening again as if you were inside it."
Ken (raising an eyebrow slowly): "Recording the past? That's really useful."
The screen changed.
⸻
New anchor: "In other news, we've learned of new movements by Emperor Makya's army on the borders of the Kaji Kingdom. Exclusive sources suggest Makya is planning to push armored units through the southern front… while King Seeros has yet to issue any statement."
The screen displayed an animated map highlighting the military positions, then zoomed in on the area of tension.
Then came the third segment…
⸻
Anchor: "And finally… mystery still shrouds Terrakula's mansion in the state of Darkova after last night's bloody banquet. The estate remains sealed, the guards unresponsive, and no one has dared to enter. We've heard that all party guests fled in terror from what they saw inside."
An aerial image of the mansion appeared, surrounded by mist.
Anchor: "No one knows what happened inside after the guests fled… and there's no official word confirming whether Duchess Terrakula is still alive."
Ken closed the screen with a simple gesture, and the room fell silent again.
Ken (murmuring): "Time-Freezing Mirror… I might need one."
He looked toward the window. It was midday, and the sun was shining brightly. He noticed a flock of black birds perched quietly on the iron balcony rail. These birds were known as "Shadow Couriers," used in Valoria to carry messages across long distances. They waited calmly, as if already expecting someone to write.
Ken stood up from the bed with slow steps, then started opening the drawers of the wooden cabinet. He found thick sheets of paper and dark-ink pens inside. Holding one of the pens in his left hand, he sat at the small desk and took a deep breath.
Then he began to write:
⸻
Adam, Kaito…
I don't know how long it's been since we last talked, but I'm still alive.
We were in Darkova. The battle is finally over.
We… took down Terrakula.
Yes, I was part of it, and I still can't fully process how I feel.
Injuries? Not many for me, but Akio… his condition was bad. He's asleep now.
Don't worry.
I'll write again when I can.
"From your friend, Yukaji Ken."
⸻
Ken wrote the address, then folded the letter gently and tied it with a thin string before placing it in the small container attached to one of the bird's legs. He looked into the bird's eyes for a moment… then whispered:
"To Urakano Island."
The bird flapped its wings strongly and soared into the sky.
Ken sat in silence after the birds departed. His gray eyes drifted toward the ceiling as he began thinking about the Time-Freezing Mirror… and about himself.
"If these innovations continue… maybe we won't need to wait days for a message to arrive."
⸻
Outside Darkova, specifically on Urakano Island, the sea waves gently collided with the rocks, and the ocean breeze played with the leaning palm trees.
In a small garden behind one of the houses, Adam sat on a wooden bench beneath the shade of a large mulberry tree, holding an open book—but he wasn't reading. With his spiky orange hair, green eyes, glasses, and freckles, he had been staring at the same page for fifteen minutes… without reading a single word.
Kaito, with blackish-purple hair and violet eyes, lay on the grass beside him, arms behind his head, eyes closed—but he wasn't asleep.
⸻
Kaito (in a calm voice, without opening his eyes): "You're still thinking about him, aren't you?"
Adam (sighing, then slowly closing the book): "I can't get him out of my head… It's been so long… and he hasn't sent anything."
Kaito (opening one eye and gazing at the sky): "Ken's not the kind of guy who sends letters, Adam. You know that."
Adam (quietly): "But he promised… He said he'd always keep in touch and let us know how he's doing."
Here's the English translation:
⸻
Kaito: "Yeah… he said that."
He fell silent for a moment, then turned his head toward Adam. His tone remained calm, but there was something deeper beneath it.
Kaito: "Do you remember… when he saved me from my bastard father, and then paid for my treatment and surgery…"
Adam (eyes widening slightly): "Of course I remember… you told me then that you didn't believe good people truly existed… until you met him."
Kaito (with a faint smile): "And I still don't believe that. But Ken… he wasn't kind, nor was he evil… he was just someone who chose to help me, for no reason."
Adam: "We were the trio of strays… You, who had been rejected since birth, and me who lost my father… but he went through far worse than either of us."
Kaito (closing his eyes): "And yet… we laughed. More than people like us should have."
Adam (his voice tinged with nostalgia): "I miss those days."
In the patients' room, where faint sunlight filtered through torn curtains and reflected on the dull floor, Akio sat on the edge of the bed. His face looked calmer than usual. He wasn't laughing or joking this time—he seemed deep in thought. Niuro was still asleep beside him, while Akira sat on the opposite bed, watching Akio with a puzzled look at his uncharacteristic stillness.
A vision of Ken crept into Akio's mind… then he remembered the day he first heard Ken's story—the war that devoured his family. The terrifying image of little Ken returning home to find ashes instead of warmth, ruin instead of hugs. He recalled the moment Ken discovered the truth about his family… and about Seeroos.
Akio (inward whisper): "He was just a kid… How did he endure all of that?"
Then, like a spark in his memory… Akio recalled an incident from years ago, when he was only seven. It happened in one of the streets of the Zetara Empire, lined with old-style Japanese homes. He was holding the hand of his adoptive father, Vanco… when he heard shouting. A young girl was crying and begging, while Makia soldiers forcefully dragged her away from her mother.
The mother (screaming): "Nooo! Please! She's just a child!! She has nothing to do with this!!"
The officer: "Stay where you are. You're from a samurai family. That's reason enough to arrest you both."
The girl screamed and clung to her mother, but was violently torn away, her eyes filled with terror. The mother collapsed, sobbing. Akio stood frozen, unable to understand or intervene. It was the first time he had seen such raw injustice so clearly.
Akio returned to the present, but the images wouldn't leave him. He also recalled scenes from Terrakula's palace—how she betrayed boys who were nothing more than lost children not yet grown… and despite all her actions, the police never interfered. It was as if that place stood above the law.
Akio (inwardly): "When I was younger, I always thought my life was miserable because I never knew my real family… but now, just seeing what others live through… I feel like I lived in paradise."
Akio (softly, without turning): "You know, Akira… I used to think this world was just a playground… a place where we run, fight, laugh, and dream of becoming strong…"
He paused for a few seconds, then added:
Akio: "But after what happened here… after seeing what that woman did… I started to doubt that the world is as simple as our childhood games."
Akira (raising an eyebrow): "Oh? Is that really you, Akio? You sound like you just read a philosophy book."
Akio (with a sad smile): "Don't mock me… I don't understand politics, nor do I know why people fight at all… but I can recognize injustice when I see it. I saw it in the eyes of those who were exploited for personal gain… I saw it in the tears of a little girl being dragged from her mother… just for being born into a samurai family."
Akira (now serious): "You thought the world was simpler than that, didn't you?"
Akio (nodding slowly): "Yeah… but I was wrong. The world is cruel… it doesn't reward the kind, nor does it protect the weak. The more people stay silent about injustice, the stronger and more arrogant the oppressors become."
He looked at his hand, remembering the fight… the blood… the screams.
Akio (with determination): "That's why… I'm more determined than ever to become the Shogun. Not because I want power to show off… but because I want to change something—anything."
Akira (smiling, shaking his head): "Strange… I didn't expect to hear that from a dumb kid like you."
Akio (eyes gleaming): "I'm not good at planning… I can't hide my emotions… but I know what I feel right now, and I feel like I'm still so weak! I can't even become Shogun with ten times my current strength!!"
Akio fell silent, then bit his lower lip hard, as if something inside him was breaking… light tears began sliding down his cheeks—not tears of fear or weakness, but tears of repressed anger, of powerlessness screaming from within, of shame for still being so far from what he wanted to become.
Akio (voice cracked but full of strength): "I hate this feeling… I hate being this weak! I just… couldn't do anything when people needed me. I kept laughing and acting like a clown… like everything would magically be okay…"
He clenched his fist tightly, fingers trembling, eyes staring at the floor with intensity.
Akio (louder, still crying softly): "But I won't stay like this! I swear… I swear I won't be the weakest in this group. I'll become stronger… even stronger than Ken!"
He raised his eyes to Akira, filled with fire despite the tears.
Akio: "Not just because I want to surpass him… but because I want to be able to protect those I love, to be worthy of my place… to change this corrupted world that treats children like weapons and crushes the innocent in silence."
Akira stared at him in awe. He didn't respond right away… but for the first time, he felt that the foolish boy he once saw as a joke was hiding a burning flame not to be underestimated.
Akio (wiping his tears with his sleeve, unashamed): "I'll cry if I must… I'll fail over and over, maybe I'll fall a thousand times… but I won't stop. I'll stand up… and keep going until I reach that throne and erase this injustice from its roots."
Then he took a deep breath, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest, and looked up at the ceiling.
Akio (in a whisper): "Wait for me… Ken."
Night had fallen over the palace. Ann was walking cautiously, carrying a small tray with a bowl of rice, some vegetables, and a warm piece of bread. She stopped at Ken's door, hesitated, then raised her hand and gently knocked.
Ann (softly): "Ken-san… I brought you some food."
She waited, but no answer came.
Ann (whispering anxiously): "Ken-san, I know you said you weren't hungry, but… you can't stay like this all day."
After a few seconds of silence, finally…
Ken (from behind the door, in a low voice): "Take it away. I don't want it."
Ann (worried): "But you haven't eaten anything since morning…"
She quietly placed the tray by the door, then stood for a moment, gazing at the closed door, her eyes shining with concern.
Suddenly…
DUM… DUM… DUM!!
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed toward the room. Anne turned immediately—Akio was approaching quickly, but something was different. His face… it wasn't like she was used to seeing. His eyes were focused, a strange light in them.
Ann (startled): "Akio? What's wrong?"
He didn't answer. He stopped in front of Ken's door and placed his palm on it with force.
Akio (louder than usual): "Ken!! Open the door!"
Ann (anxiously): "Hey, what's going on? You're… not okay, are you?"
Akio (not turning, his voice a mix of sorrow and fury): "I know you're in there! Listen to me!"
Ken (calmly): "Akio? What is it?"
Akio (eyes burning): "I need to talk to you… now!"
A heavy silence followed… then—
Click!
The handle turned slowly… the door opened. Ken stood in the doorway, his face a little pale from exhaustion, his injured hand bandaged, and his gray eyes expressionless.
Ken (quietly): "Come in."
Without waiting, Akio stormed inside, eyes locked on Ken, then turned to stand in the center of the room, slowly clenching his fist.
Akio (firmly): "I'm tired."
Ken (raising an eyebrow slightly): "Of what?"
Akio (looking directly at him): "Of this feeling… of always being the weakest! Always behind! Every time something big happens… you're the one who faces it, and everyone looks to you!"
Ken said nothing. He just watched him steadily.
Akio (his voice a blend of pain and frustration): "At the party… you were the one who dealt the final blow to Terrakula. You stood in front. Me? I just froze like a fool. I wouldn't have been able to defeat her without your help. I tried… I swear I tried! But my strength wasn't enough!"
He clenched his fists harder and continued.
Akio (looking down): "I… dream of becoming the Shogun. But how? How can I do that when I can't even protect my friends? Or myself?"
Ken (soft but steady): "Akio, you're stronger than you think."
Akio (sharply): "Stop flattering me!"
Ken: "It's not flattery. You haven't seen yourself the way I have."
Akio (whispering): "What did you see?"
Ken: "I saw someone who didn't back down… even when he knew he might lose. You fought… despite your ignorance, despite your weakness… and that's not something a weak heart does."
Akio (serious): "I won't let this happen again. From now on… I'll be your rival. I won't let the spotlight stay on you forever, Yukaji Ken!"
Ken (steadily): "If you're going to compete with me… be ready for the consequences."
Akio (confident): "I will be."
Akio took one step toward Ken, his gaze no longer full of sorrow, but sharp. He smiled sideways.
Akio (firmly extending his right hand): "From this moment… I'll be your rival, Ken. But not your enemy… I'll be your friend who won't let you surpass him so easily."
Ken stared at his hand for a few seconds, then slowly lifted his own and shook it.
Ken (low but imposing): "Sakamoto Akio… if you stand in my way… prepare to be turned to ash, my rival!"
Their hands gripped tightly. At that moment, a gust of wind blew through the corridor, as if the world itself bore witness to the birth of a new era.
To be continued…