From a nearby rocky outcrop, Kaera raised her voice with a firm tone:
—Okita. Akane. Come hunt with me. Tonight, we eat well.
Okita blinked, puzzled. Not by the order itself, but by the unexpected company.
—Me... with Akane?
Minato chuckled under his breath. Akane simply turned and began walking without saying a word.
—Come on —Kaera said as she passed him—. It's time you share more than just sword swings with your comrades.
Okita had no choice. He adjusted the katana at his waist and followed Akane, who was already gliding through the trees like a silent shadow. They walked for a long time through the foliage in silence. Only the crunching of leaves beneath their steps broke the calm.
—What are we hunting? —he finally asked, more to break the awkwardness than out of curiosity.
Akane, without looking at him, replied:
—A giant bull. It was seen to the south, in the stone clearing. Aggressive and territorial. Perfect for dinner... if it doesn't crush us first.
Okita swallowed hard. He hadn't expected that.
—Nice choice... —he muttered.
—Kaera wants to test you —Akane added—. Or maybe test your instinct. She believes hunger reveals more than words.
They reached an open clearing where the grass was flattened by giant hooves. Akane stopped suddenly, staring at the horizon. There was silence... too much of it.
—It's close —she said calmly.
Before Okita could respond, she added quietly:
—I was also brought into this squad on trial. I wasn't born here... I survived to get here. The Empire took everything from me—even my name. I was just a number for years. Kaera gave me a new one... and a reason to wield my sword.
Okita looked at her in silence, with genuine respect.
—You were part of the experiment?
Akane nodded, eyes fixed on the forest.
—Yes. Retro too. And one more... someone no one speaks of anymore.
Silence fell again, but now it felt like a bridge, not a wall.
A brutal crack shattered the calm. On the other side of the clearing, through the morning mist, a colossal bull emerged—its curved horns like scythes, its muscles tense as stone, snorting vapor from its nostrils.
Akane drew her blade.
—Here comes your first hunt.
Without turning, she added softly:
—Don't run. If you bleed... make sure it's while fighting.
The bull's roar thundered like a living storm. Its hooves pounded the earth with fury as its massive body fully emerged from the mist. It stood over two meters tall, muscles tight, eyes wild. Steam gushed from its snout like it carried fire inside.
Okita tensed, drawing his katana instantly. But before he could move, Akane crossed in front of him and stopped his hand firmly.
—No —she said sharply.
—What?
—Put your sword away. You're going to hunt it with your fists.
Okita looked at her like she had lost her mind.
—Are you serious?
—Yes. I want to see if your body matches your will. A warrior who can't control himself is just a leaf tossed in the wind.
The bull raised its head, sniffing, then charged with fury.
Okita sighed, lowered his sword... and ran straight toward the beast.
The impact was brutal. He rolled across the ground after narrowly dodging the first charge. The bull turned and charged again. Okita leapt to the side, rolled, and struck a punch straight to its snout. The blow barely deflected the creature, but it surprised it. Its red eye locked onto him with renewed fury.
—Come on! —Okita shouted, blood blazing.
He ran again, this time targeting its flanks. He slid beneath the bull's belly, twisted, and kicked one of its hind legs with a spinning strike. The animal staggered, furious, and lashed out with a kick that grazed Okita's face, leaving a shallow cut on his cheek.
Akane watched from a nearby rock, impassive.
—Faster. If you can't bring it down, you don't eat.
Okita charged once more. He leapt onto the bull's back and wrapped an arm around its neck, trying to control its charge. The creature bucked wildly, shook him off, and flung him to the ground. He landed hard, spitting dirt, but got back up immediately.
His breathing was its own growl. His body bled, but his eyes burned bright.
—I won't lose!
With a shout, Okita dodged another charge and used the bull's strength against it, grabbing one horn and twisting his body in an explosive move that slammed the beast into a nearby tree. The impact was savage. The bull collapsed, panting. Okita knelt beside it, exhausted.
Akane descended silently. She crouched beside him, eyes half-closed, crimson irises calm.
—It's not just strength. It's rage... contained. That's what will keep you alive.
Then, barely audible:
—Not bad.
She stood and walked toward the fallen beast.
—I'll handle the prep. You... rest. You've earned your portion.
The bowls steamed over the table as the squad gathered around the fire. The aroma of stew filled the air, blending with soft laughter and the clinking of spoons on ceramic.
—Mmm… this is incredible —Nael said, savoring it with delight—. Are you sure you weren't a chef before becoming a warrior?
—Careful, or Kaera will make him head cook for life —Minato added with a more genuine smile than usual.
Velka nodded shyly with her spoon in her mouth.
—It's... delicious. Very warm.
Even Akane, after a quiet sip, glanced at Okita and murmured:
—I could get used to this.
Okita barely smiled. But in his gaze, there was a more melancholic gleam.
—I learned to cook when I was a kid. Back when I was still in the Empire. Yurichi and I... used to sneak away from training. He'd steal food, I'd cook it. It was one of the few times I felt human.
The group fell silent. Then Tashi, who had been resting with his head on a rock, sat up and looked at him seriously.
—Then why are you here? —he asked—. Why give it all up? Why join Crimson Dawn?
Okita looked away from the fire for a moment. Then, with a firm voice, he spoke:
—During a mission in the northern ruins, I found something I shouldn't have. Ancient files, sealed, hidden in chambers no Imperial was supposed to access. They didn't just speak of the Titans' betrayal… but everything that came after. Faked trials, soldiers killing innocents for sport, commanders taking bribes in exchange for framing civilians, covered-up disappearances.
He paused. No one moved.
—I believed I was serving a greater purpose. But those pages... changed everything. The Empire didn't just betray the Titans. It betrayed us. The believers. The obedient. That's why I stole the Solar Blade. Not because I wanted power… but because I couldn't be part of them anymore.
Tashi watched him closely. Then nodded slowly.
—Now you sound like one of us.
And in that moment, under the starlit sky, among fire and steel, they all understood something:
Okita hadn't just fled the Empire…
He had chosen something harder.
To open his eyes.