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The towering trees had always been where the young Akatora hid whenever his father was out drinking. Though the reason for this wasn't due to him being afraid of his father, he just found him annoying.

'Akatora, my son! I love you so~ much! Come here my boy! Let me tell you about the story of how I met your mother!'

He remembers that his father, Nakitora, would chase him to the end of the village before never letting him go until he finishes his story. Then when he's finished, he falls asleep while embracing his mother who would then carry the giant man to their bedroom to rest.

'You go on now Aka, but don't stay up too late. Pirates may wander about on those shores you like going to so much. When you see the fire light up on the tower, you better come back home quickly or else!'

His mother was a beautiful woman, though her temper made the men in the village avoid her like a plague when she arrives. The only man who could melt her stubborn heart was his father, and the two had loved each other for a long time. Since they were kids, Akatora remembers from his father's stories.

Tiger Village, where they were at, was built on the eastern side of the Laugh Island. It was the only place in the island where the fishes are close to the shores and caves filled with precious Lintel metal can be found. Mining, Metalworking and fisheries are the main source of the Village's income, and they liked to do their trade in the Tiger Shore.

It was good that the Tiger Village had always been regarded as the bearers of the east, just as the other four families hold their own lands. Tiger Village was his home, and his father was its leader. Their family of three had always been here ever since he could remember.

As the leader, he is the one who sets out whenever trouble comes their way. Usually, those pirates are easy to handle. Just a good beating would send these pests into a frenzy, and when they get beaten up once more, they easily surrender.

Today, his father had forced out another set of pirates that wanted to enter the island and loot their village. That's why they were celebrating with food and liquor. However, just as the party had taken to its highest point, a fleet of ships washed ashore.

Akatora who was on one of the tallest trees was able to see those ships, and he ran back as fast as he could to warn the village. His journey only lasted a few minutes, but what he arrived to was nothing short of a massacre.

Pile of bodies were scattered around the village property, men and women who have been here ever since Akatora could remember. All of the dead had their bodies sorted, with men on one pile and women on another. The children that were left behind had been rounded in the middle of the two piles. Their hands and feet bound as they lie down on the ground.

"Please! Just take the metals and go! We have no gold, no treasures hidden! We only hope that you let us live!" An old man stood in front of the crowd made up of the remaining members of the village. Akatora's father was one of these men, while his mother was nowhere to be seen.

"Akakakaka! If I wanted gold, why would I go to a shabby village like this! You see, your little village is surrounded by hordes of Sea Kings! Do you know what those are you barbarians?"

A man stood in the middle of the village as he waved his sword back and forth in a strangely hypnotic pattern. Akatora who was watching this felt his mind slow down, as if the world was moving faster than he could react to it. It was at this moment that he saw his father's anxious eyes stare at his direction.

"Akatora! Run!" A loud voice jolted the boy awake. He looked around and saw that he wasn't in the village anymore. The windows by his side had sunlight, which was definitely not present when he was last there. Instead, he was somewhere he didn't know. But what was assuring was that there was a soft bed underneath him.

"Sanboi, are you awake?" A gentle voice roused the boy from his sleepy state. He looked at his right where an old woman was weaving a cloth while sitting on a rocking chair. Her bushy silver hair was surrounding her head from all sides while her old black eyes were looking intently at the boy. She wore a gentle smile that calmed the boy down.

"Sanboi? No, mam, I'm Akatora." To which Akatora simply smiled back.