Every passing second made Gin grow more impatient. Time seemed to be toying with him, like a child tossing a ball. His excitement was understandable—this was going to be the biggest journey of his life. He tried to sleep, but there was no way his excitement would let him rest tonight.
Kame and the others had already fallen asleep. The night passed, and Gin barely noticed the arrival of morning—the cheerful chirping of birds, the fresh scent of the earth, the light breeze of dawn. A peaceful, beautiful morning.
Until—
"YOU'RE FUCKING LATE!"
Gin shot up at the sudden shout.
"Get your ass over here and take a bath," Mrs. Arashi scolded. "You have to leave for the Emerald City!"
This morning was going to be anything but calm. Everyone was in a rush—Gin and Kame had to enroll at the academy by tomorrow. Mrs. Arashi was busy cooking, while Kame and Kanao were finishing up the packing. Of course, Gin hadn't packed a single thing.
"How the hell is he going to take care of himself if he's this careless?" Mrs. Arashi muttered, equal parts worried and frustrated.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye. They had spent so many years together, and leaving was going to be hard. To make the farewell sweeter, Mrs. Arashi had a gift for both of them. She handed Kame a dazzling pair of red shoes with white stripes. They radiated an aura of power.
"These will boost your agility by 50%," she explained. "They also have hidden abilities that will unlock as you grow stronger."
"50%?!" Gin gasped. "That's a high-ranking item! Only royals and nobles can afford something like this!"
Mrs. Arashi turned to Gin. "Now it's your turn." She held out a pendant. "This belonged to your father. He wore it his entire life."
The pendent has a crimson red glow to him like its been drenched in blood, Scratches and strange marks covered its surface. . It was clear that it had been through war, possibly during his father's final battle. It was a treasured family heirloom—at least a thousand years old.
Unlike Kame's shoes, the pendant didn't seem to possess any special abilities. But to Gin, it was priceless.
"You two better take care of each other," Mrs. Arashi said.
Her voice wavered, leaking with emotion definitely see doesn't wanna show but her tears betrayed her eyes and slips away just like the time she spent with them. It was a heartbreaking farewell.
Gin and Kame had a long journey ahead of them, traveling to the academy. However, Gin quickly ran out of energy.
"Kame!," Gin whined. "Can't we just take a wagon?"
"Do you think we'll find one in this place?" Kame scoffed. "We have to think this through. We won't last long if we waste time."
After some searching, they finally found a wagon heading to the Emerald City. Unfortunately, it was a slave wagon, transporting criminals—thieves, debtors, and worse.
"Let's hop on," Gin urged. "We can get a ride for cheap."
"Don't screw with me," Kame said coolly. "We don't need to get involved with slaves."
"Come on, don't be like that." Gin kept insisting until Kame finally gave in.
To blend in, they found some ragged clothes and disguised themselves as slaves. As they approached the wagon, a thin, sickly man with a lewd grin eyed them.
"Never seen you two before," he sneered. "Do you know who I am?"
"We're new here, mister," Gin replied. "But you look like a real creep."
Another man, far more muscular and wise-looking, turned to them. His face carried an air of experience.
"You two are awfully young to be slaves," he noted. "Stay away from him. He was once a servant in a nobleman's house. Raped the noble's wife—repeatedly."
Gin's expression darkened. A rapist.
He turned to the wise-looking man. "What about you, old man? Why are you here?"
"I took a large loan for my wife's medical treatment but couldn't repay it," the man sighed.
As the conversation went on, Gin and Kame began to draw attention. Suspicious gazes followed them. Then, the moment they had dreaded arrived.
A soldier guarding the wagon narrowed his eyes at Kame's bag.
"You two don't look like slaves," a young soldier with blond hair and deep blue eyes said. He was around 5'10 and seemed more observant than the others. "You better leave before—"
Before he could finish, another soldier grabbed Gin and Kame by the neck and threw them down.
"You little shits!" the soldier growled. "This isn't your daily wagon—it's a slave wagon. If you want to ride it, you'd better become slaves!"
The soldier drew a long whip, preparing to strike.
"Sir, please don't hurt them! They're just kids!" the wise slave pleaded.
"You seem awfully attached to these brats. Are they yours?" The soldier's furious yell rang through the air. "Aghh! If I can't hit them, I'll take it out on you!"
With a brutal snap, the whip tore into the wise slave's back, ripping flesh in a single strike.
Gin and Kame weren't going to stand by and watch.
A red light flared from their wrists.
Kame summoned his Twin Blood Scythes, one in each hand. With incredible speed, he activated his first beast skill:
"Praying Serpent Mantis: Twin Blood Cutter!"
In a single devastating strike, Kame tore open the soldier's back. The second soldier rushed to intervene, but Gin blocked him, his Divine Dwelling Axe crackling with red lightning, infused with the Azure Dragon's magic.
"YOU LITTLE SHITS!" The young soldier was furious, watching his senior collapse.
Gin didn't hesitate.
"Azure Lightning Strike!"
Gin's axe slammed down, surging with the Azure Dragon's power. The sheer force obliterated the wagon, freeing the slaves.
The rapist tried to flee, but the other prisoners grabbed him, choking him as he screamed for help. No one was going to save a man like him.
"We're free now, aren't we?" the wise slave asked.
"Looks like it," Gin smirked. "We should get going—we're already late."
"You two should leave before someone finds out what happened here," another slave warned. "We'll bury the bodies."
Gin and Kame nodded and hurried off.
A Brief Rest
By the time they found a small roadside stall, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving behind an orange-streaked sky.
The stall was in terrible condition, looking like it hadn't seen a customer in years. But Gin's stomach was roaring with hunger.
"I'm starving! Do you have anything to eat, Granny?" he asked desperately.
The shop owner, an elderly woman with a wrinkled face and a small frame, smiled.
"Would noodles work for you?"
"Of course they would!" Gin was practically drooling.
As the old lady prepared their meal, her cooking technique was mesmerizing. It was clear she had spent a lifetime perfecting it.
"Here you go," she said. "Take your time."
As Gin and Kame ate, the woman glanced at them.
"You two are heading for the International Academy of Emerald, aren't you?"
Gin nearly choked. "How do you know that?"
"I don't get many visitors around here," she said with a knowing smile. "You shouldn't cross the Fairy Forest at night."
"It's just a normal forest," Kame replied. "And we can't wait. We have to get to Emerald City before the enrollment ceremony."
The old lady's smile faded slightly.
"You have no idea what lurks there after dark."