[Ch.45] The Shrill Cry of the Mouse

[Warning: This chapter mentions a non-consensual assault that some viewers may find uncomfortable. It is not descriptive, but if this subject is too sensitive for you, you can skip this chapter without being confused later on.]

Nezu peacefully walked in the forest looking through the leaves for mushrooms and plants. He hummed as he foraged with a gentle smile. Although Nezu was an earth user, this did not mean that he could grow everything.

Most Earth Tamashii users could only do certain things with their Tamashii energy. Either they could communicate with animals or they could grow certain plants. Only extremely strong users could do everything. In Nezu's case, he could only grow his own tea leaves.

Everything else he had to forage for. However, he did not mind this. Many Earth users found being in nature extremely relaxing. In fact, they preferred it. Earth users tended to be more solitary and behaved closer to an animal than a human.

For Nezu, he was more like a mouse than anything else.

Small and quiet.

Fast and cowardly.

He was best at sensing predators and was also really good at scavenging. As he walked through the woods, his body froze automatically. He jumped behind a tree barely avoiding being seen by a group of bandits. He gulped as he peered around the tree.

The group sat around a fire laughing and shouting boisterously. They were a rough-looking group armed with spears and swords. Around them were chests with countless treasures they had stolen from traveling merchants.

Nezu hid behind the tree shaking. He knew he should run away, but he had been traumatized before by a group of bandits in the past. This trauma was still in his heart, preventing his body from listening to reason.

Why did he have to travel deep into the forest all alone?!

It was all because of Panzram!!

The night before, Panzram did such a scandalous act knowing that Nezu was awake and could hear everything. Nezu couldn't face him nor Ryu the next morning so he ran off into the woods to hide his embarrassment.

However, he never thought he would run into bandits!

Why did he have such rotten luck?!

Bandits didn't often come to the road unless to steal from the passing merchant. However, Nezu had run off into the woods where they usually lived.

Nezu felt a hand pull him back by the scruff of his kimono. His eyes shrunk back when he came face to face with a dangerous-looking man. Although he did not look as scary as Panzram, he still had a murderous aura and a face full of scars making him appear terrifying.

His ragged voice echoed off the trees, "What do we have here? A little mouse was snooping around?"

Nezu let out a shrill cry, "EEP!"

The bandit ignored his squealing and easily held Nezu as he flailed around, trying to escape. He was suddenly thrown down in the middle of the bandits who now gathered around him. He slowly raised his head to look at them all as his body trembled uncontrollably.

One bandit frowned, "Who is this?"

The one who caught him answered, "I found him poking around while I was on lookout duty."

Another rubbed his stubble, "What should we do with him? Rip him apart?"

Nezu felt tears start to collect at the corner of his eyes.

Another chuckled, "Don't you think he's rather small and petite? I think we should take him as our slave. He is probably as close to a woman as we will get in this area."

Nezu began to shake violently at these words. The trauma in his past quickly resurfaced. His eyes flashed bright green as he shrunk back from the men encircling him.

It should be known that when a Tamashii user is frightened or has any overwhelming emotion, their eyes flash with the user's perspective color. This always gives them away unless they train how to properly control their fear.

In Nezu's case, controlling his eye color was not necessary.

Only people wanting to hide their identity would do so, but not many people fit this requirement. Most Tamashii users were proud of their ability.

Their eyes lit up as if they had just found a treasure, "No way! He's actually an Earth Tamashii user!"

"Just think about how rich we will get with him as our slave!"

They all licked their lips as they leered at the small mouse. He brought his knees to his chest and grabbed them as he curled into a ball. He tried to squirm away from their advances, but he was soon grabbed by the hair and wrenched over. His eyes watered as he looked at the man who had suddenly grabbed him.

A wicked smile crossed the man's face, "This little man belongs to me."

"Yes, boss."

The group answered simultaneously and immediately stepped away from the large man.

Nezu tried to squirm out of this grip as he whimpered in pain from his hair being pulled so ruthlessly. The man forcefully grabbed the back of his head and slammed him to the ground. Nezu let out a wheeze as he felt the pain shoot through his back.

The man took pleasure in his look of pain.

Nezu tried to get out from being pinned underneath him, but this man was far stronger than him. His grip grew tighter, causing bruises to form on his fragile skin.

He watched the struggling Nezu with a wicked smile, "Do not cry just yet. You should wait until the fun begins."

His hand slipped to Nezu's belt and began to loosen it. Nezu cried out, "Noo!"

However, he could only shake as he heard the taunting laughter of the man above him. He chuckled, "That's it! Cry more! I want to hear you scream!"

Nezu felt tears roll down his cheek as he felt the man's hand travel under his robe.

Nezu went to cry out for Ryu but stopped.

He knew that he was too far away for Ryu to hear his cries for help. Even if Ryu could hear him, it is not like he would actually come to help.

Nezu had always known Ryu only saved him that day because the bandits had tried to pick a fight with Ryu as well.

It was not that Ryu actually went out of his way to save him. He merely stepped in to help Nezu because the bandits had inconvenienced him. They were in his way and wouldn't move.

Even still, Nezu had vowed to repay Ryu for saving him.

That was why Nezu knew their friendship was only one-sided.

Ryu was not the type of person who was close to anyone. Ryu only had surface friendships and, unfortunately, Nezu was one of them.

However, Nezu did not care about this. He still vowed to repay the life debt even if it meant he was being used. It was only now that he had found himself in a similar situation.

This time, Ryu would not be there to save him.

He could only stop fighting and remain obedient in hopes he wasn't beaten too badly. He squeezed his eyes shut, begging the heavens to save him.

However, the heavens did not hear his pleas.

Someone else did.