The wind was still.
Ichigo knelt in the tall grass, cradling the dying soldier in his arms. Blood trickled from the man's lips, soaking into Ichigo's sleeves. His grip on Ichigo's forearm weakened with each breath. His eyes, once burning with urgency, now stared blankly at the fading sky.
"Stay with me," Ichigo said, voice cracking as he shook the man gently. "Tell me more—what happened?"
But it was too late.
The soldier's chest rose once, then fell forever still. His final breath escaped like a whisper lost to the breeze. Silence settled around Ichigo like a curse.
He closed the man's eyes and laid him down, hands trembling. The warmth of life faded beneath his touch. For a moment, Ichigo simply sat there, frozen in the moment. He had held many swords, faced down monsters, but death in its quiet, helpless form was harder to bear than any blade.
His surroundings blurred. The bloodied field melted into memory.
He was a child again, hiding beneath the wooden floor of his grandmother's house, listening to hushed whispers around the fire.
"The Mongols… they don't fight wars. They consume. Like fire through dry grass. Their Khan—ruthless. The north always falls first."
A second voice, even softer:
"When they come, there is no escape. Only the storm."
Ichigo's eyes snapped open, yanked back to the present. His heart burned. His aura surged—violent and raw. The ground trembled beneath him. Pebbles danced and cracked as if fearing his rising fury. The sky itself seemed to recoil.
He stood.
The world had shifted.
The kingdom was no longer safe. This wasn't training. This was the beginning of the end.
With a flash, Ichigo soared into the sky, lightning crackling beneath his feet. Trees blurred past as he landed on a cliff overlooking the mountains, where Tanjiro was training.
Tanjiro spun, sweat glistening on his scarred, muscular chest. He raised his wooden sword instinctively, then relaxed upon seeing his friend.
"You've come," he said. "Are we finally doing this?" he added with a half-smile.
Ichigo didn't smile.
His energy pulsed like a pressure wave—thick, uncontainable. Birds scattered. Trees bowed.
"They're coming," he said.
Tanjiro's smile faded. "What?"
"The Mongols. The soldier gave his life to tell me. A full army. North border. We're not prepared."
Tanjiro stood in stunned silence as his master stepped out from the trees, his expression dark.
"They've moved quicker than we expected," the old man said grimly. "The storm begins."
Ichigo didn't wait. He sprinted toward the kingdom.
The road was marked with carnage—fields turned to graves. Mongolian corpses lay scattered across the valley like discarded armor. Some had arrows still buried in their backs. Someone had struck before him.
He didn't have time to wonder.
Suddenly, an arrow hissed through the air.
Ichigo spun and sliced it clean mid-flight, then darted into the woods, sword ready.
He found a cloaked figure perched in the trees. Swift as lightning, he was behind her, blade to her neck.
The figure raised both hands. "Relax, samurai. I was just testing you."
That voice…
"Kyra?" he breathed.
The woman pulled down her scarf, revealing fierce, familiar eyes. A teasing grin lit her face. "Took you long enough."
They stood there a moment, stunned, and then embraced tightly. For that brief instant, the world fell away.
"You could've killed me," Ichigo murmured.
Kyra laughed, playfully nudging his chest. "I thought you were one of them. I've been hunting small squads all day. You were the last one. Sorry!"
She glanced down. "Did I hurt you?"
Ichigo smiled faintly. "Only my pride."
Kyra leaned against him, voice softer now. "I missed you. Every moonlit night during my training… I wondered if you were still out there, swinging that sword like an idiot."
Ichigo chuckled. "Still am."
But their peace shattered as metal clinked behind them.
Dozens of Mongolian soldiers stepped out from the woods, encircling them in silence. Their armor gleamed under the moonlight. Kyra's face paled.
"I didn't shake them off," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Ichigo stepped in front of her, sword drawn.
His eyes closed.
And when they opened—they blazed with ocean-blue light.
The very air bent around him. The ground split open. Trees cracked under invisible pressure.
He raised his blade high.
The energy surged through him—and then erupted.
A blinding shockwave exploded outward, light flashing like the birth of a star. Mongol soldiers screamed as they were launched into the sky and slammed against trees.
When the dust settled, the forest was silent.
Kyra stood frozen. "That wasn't training… That was power. Ichigo… you've changed."
Ichigo didn't answer. He stared at his hands—lightning flickering in his veins. The soldier's words echoed in his mind.
They're here.
"They've crossed the border," he said finally. "They're already inside."
Kyra's throat tightened. "That fast?"
"They're not scouting anymore," Ichigo said. "They're invading."
Suddenly, a black-feathered arrow struck a tree beside them—silent, swift. A warning from the shadows.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed.
"We need to find Mr. Kael," he said. "Tonight."
As they vanished into the trees together, the storm behind them only grew stronger.
To Be Continued…