The Dark Castle: Confrontation with Ashin
Scene 1: Conversation with the Old Man
Ryoma, still panting from the fight against Ashin, inspects the dagger in his hands. He stares at it with curiosity, as though there's a part of it he cannot fully comprehend. The old man stands behind him in eerie silence, his hands behind his back and his eyes filled with wisdom and concern.
Old Man (in a calm voice, but with firmness):
"That dagger... do you really know what it is?"
Ryoma raises his head, breathing weakly, questioning the meaning of the old man's words.
Ryoma:
"I don't know... but it appeared when I needed it. It's like something inside me made it respond to me."
The old man smiles faintly, but his words remain harsh.
Old Man:
"Fool..." (He sighs and raises his eyebrows) "To possess a weapon without understanding its nature means you're just a child holding a sharp sword without knowing how to wield it. What you were using is not just a weapon... it's something more."
Ryoma closes his eyes for a moment, feeling the pain in his body, but he doesn't reply. He knows that the old man is not someone he can argue with easily.
Old Man:
"That dagger is not just a weapon. It's something ancient... something that should not exist in this age. But it appears to those who deserve it... or perhaps to those with no choice but to chase after it."
Ryoma stares at the dagger again, his heart racing.
Ryoma:
"What do you mean?"
Old Man:
"Don't worry about it. If you want to stay here, you'll train until you understand your true power. If you love your life, you'll learn how to control this weapon, and if you can't, you'll lose it... and perhaps yourself too."
Ryoma turns away, his body tired, but determined to discover the truth behind what happened to him.
---
In the Academy's Meeting Room:
The supervisor, who is watching the attendees with clear tension, raises his voice to announce the news that will stir interest.
Supervisor:
"Starting today, Aizen will work with Akari. This will be a new team."
Akari, sitting at the back of the room, raises her eyes to meet his. He stands calmly, as if nothing in this room can affect him. His aura is strange, charged with something invisible, while a faint smile barely appears on his lips. There's something about his presence that creates tension in the air around him.
A student whispers to his neighbor in shock:
Student:
"Aizen?... Is he the one who defeated the Ashin of level three?"
The supervisor, who seems to have been watching closely, nods his head and replies in a serious tone:
Supervisor:
"Yes. He's a level 3 Raikono user, and he will work with Akari to make up for the loss we faced after Ryoma's death."
The room goes silent, as if all breaths have stopped for a brief second. Akari, who has been trying to focus on every word, can't remove her gaze from Aizen. Her eyes meet his directly, and in that moment, there's something inexplicable in his look. A strange feeling creeps into her heart, as if there's a hidden secret behind that calm smile.
Aizen, who didn't raise his voice, says coldly but elegantly:
Aizen:
"I hope we work together... well."
But their words carry something more, as if they mean more than just polite conversation. The distance between them is more than just physical space. There's a deep sense of tension, something Akari can't fully comprehend, but it wraps around her like a storm that is about to turn into a hurricane.
(The scene ends with an unexplained tension between Akari and Aizen, as questions pile up in her mind, with no clear answer.)
---
(Scene: The Beach - Waves crash on the shore, the cold air hits Ryoma's face as he stands before the old man. Dark clouds gather in the sky, as if reflecting his internal tension.)
Old Man:
"Attacking without understanding your weapon's power is foolish. Use it again."
Ryoma summons the dagger once more, but this time, he feels something different. A strange sensation flows through his body, as if the weapon itself is whispering to him. His energy begins to interact with the dagger, but it's not just energy... it's a feeling he cannot describe.
Ryoma:
"I feel... something... as if the weapon is communicating with me."
Old Man:
"Hmmm... it seems the dagger has started to react to you."
Ryoma stares at the old man, a deep question in his eyes.
Ryoma:
"React? What do you mean?"
Old Man (with a faint smile):
"Every true weapon carries the will of its owner... and the question is, can you control it? Or will it lead you to your destruction?"
Ryoma feels his heart rate increase. The question he hasn't yet asked swirls in his mind: Will he be able to control this power, or will it lead him down a path of no return?
---
Scene 4: A Hint of a New Danger
(Scene: A Haunted Castle - Darkness surrounds everything, the windows covered in dust and spider webs. Saito walks slowly through a long, dark corridor inside the haunted castle. The atmosphere is heavy, the air cold as if time had stopped here for centuries. The extinguished candles and torn curtains add to the feeling of loneliness, while his footsteps echo through the quiet space.)
The steps Saito takes are steady, but nothing in the place suggests life. The walls are ruined, the furniture broken, and the humidity covers every corner.
Saito shows no signs of concern, his steps calm but filled with strength, as if the entire world is watching the moments he spends in this dark place. With each step forward, his feeling intensifies that something is watching him from the shadows.
Saito (muttering to himself in a low voice):
"He must be here..."
(He walks slowly until he reaches the end of the long corridor, where he meets a large chamber resembling a throne room. In the middle of the room, Ashin sits on an old, grand throne. It's the Ashin that Aizen met. A mysterious smile curves on his lips, and his eyes gleam with an unnatural intelligence.)
Ashin (in a gruff voice, looking down at Saito from his throne):
"Saito..."
(Saito remains standing at the door, unshaken. His eyes are as cold as ever, his hand still gripping the hilt of his weapon
in silence. He breathes slowly, but the faint sound of air can be heard moving through the place.)
End of Chapter