Naoki's rage

When Hana heard about what was happening from Kenji, she hurriedly wiped her hands with a piece of clean cloth before leaving the back kitchen for her sleeping chambers in search of her husband.

After hearing from him, the heart racing in her chest did not stop for a bit to give her the chance to get herself.

She could feel her palms start to sweat as she wrung her fingers down.

"Husband, do you know of the reason the Shogun is gathering the young ladies in the city?" Hana asked with worry visible on her face.

Her brows were slightly creased as she watched her husband secure his katana and wakizashi (side arm sword) on the sash around his waist.

"I heard from someone that there is a ceremony for them. That's all I know." Mr. Ito revealed with a stoic expression while he got ready.

He was already behind schedule.

At this point, Hana was so worried as nothing good could come forth from the shogun, and the fact that nobody knew the reason behind the sudden assembly, got her more worked up.

Looking at the lines on his dear wife's forehead, a deep sigh tore from his throat as he reached out to smoothen them with his thumb.

"No matter what, I promise you that I will be on the watch for our daughter. But I doubt that we the soldiers will be allowed anywhere near the girls."

Since this was a ceremony for the young ladies ordered to assemble, the soldiers would most definitely stand several steps away from them.

Still, Hana was not pleased.

Clutching her husband's arms, she said with her eyes glistening with tears, "Promise me that you would keep our daughter safe."

Without giving her a moment of doubt, Mr. Ito swore to her. "Hana, I promise to keep our daughter safe."

It was only when she had received her husband's promise that she felt her heart rhythm stabilize.

A few minutes later, Hana and Kenji saw Mr. Ito and Haruka off.

"Mother, don't worry too much," Kenji comforted his mother as a deep sigh fell off her lips.

Even so, her eyes remained on the fading figure of her husband and daughter until they disappeared.

Withdrawing her gaze from the distance, she noticed other young ladies walking by and could already guess their destination from their age and outfits.

Hana wasn't distracted for long because a loud sound from the sky attracted her attention the next moment.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz… PANG!!!

The sound of thunder rumbling was heard loud and clear as dark clouds started to gather in the sky.

"Mother, it's going to rain," Kenji informed, gazing at the cloudy sky.

Glancing at the sky to confirm the sudden change in weather, Hana's face contoured in horror as she remained on that spot with her eyes threatening to leave their sockets.

Alarmed, she clenched her fist as her brain reconfirmed what her eyes had just seen.

'It's going to rain… H-Haruk-ka…" her quivering lips uttered as her breathing quickened.

*******

As soon as Daisuke got off the black horse, he rushed inside the castle, forgetting to take his ride to its shed or even tie it to the tree.

"Master!" He shouted as he raced through the long hallway and found his way into the large study.

With no time to waste, he went down to the Rabo through the secret path while still calling out to Naoki as his kimono fluttered in the light breeze.

From inside the lab, Naoki heard his urgent calls and immediately knew that something was wrong.

Immediately, he turned to face the entrance and right at that moment, he saw Daisuke rush in like a strong wind.

"Master, the Shogun has ordered for the young ladies of Miss Ito's age to gather at the city square," Daisuke announced immediately without waiting for Naoki to question him first.

Naoki's brows furrowed. "What is his reason?"

"Master, the storm is brewing…" Daisuke revealed as his chest rose and fell in fright.

He was quite nervous as he revealed the biggest problem.

As soon as those words left his lips, Naoki's dark pupils constricted as his thumb rubbed the purple ring on the index finger of his right hand.

Without warning, he walked past Daisuke at lightning speed while continuing with his actions as fast as he could.

"Master, where are you going?" Daisuke asked and he immediately turned to follow him.

"Someone is going to die!" Naoki bellowed as his dark pupils slowly started to change to purple and at the same time, his figure moved like a flash, totally disappearing from his line of sight.

He was too provoked to continue climbing up the underground stairs.

'His powers have returned…'

At that realization, Daisuke quickened his steps.

He could feel danger lurking in the corner, and there was a need to stop Naoki before he made a rash move because of his destined bride.

He needed to be rational for him to think properly.

A little mistake now could cost them a lot in the long run.

As Naoki's supernatural powers were taking a little time to completely return, he couldn't use his teleportation skills and had to resort to speed-walk.

He continued with this method until his powers fully returned when he was in the middle of the hallway.

Naoki teleported and reappeared somewhere in the castle he had no need of going into for centuries.

Walking towards what looked like a pool at the centre of a large open space with seven solid pillars surrounding it, he pointed his ring glowing with purple light toward it.

There and then, the sky-blue water in the large round pool started to swirl with great speed.

And in no time a bright light enveloped the pool as the purple shimmering light from the ring circled it, forming five large rings of light

A few seconds later, the water started to rise above the pool level, bringing with it a hand fan clasped together, that was dug from its depth.

As soon as Naoki saw the fan, his purple eyes shone brightly as he felt a surge of strong intense energy from it.

Taking two large strides, he stopped at the edge of the pool and curled his fingers, as if beckoning the fan to come to him.

With that simple gesture, the hand fan rushed towards him and immediately, he caught it by the bamboo handle.

*******

Daisuke who had just made it down the hallway, suddenly stopped in his steps as he felt an ominous air coming from a not-too-familiar part of the castle.

"Oh no!"

A cry tore from the deepest part of his throat as his eyes glistening with fear, widened in realization.

'I can't let Master leave with that weapon of mass destruction!' He declared, with the consequences of Naoki's incoming action sending waves of shock to his brain.

A sign of impending doom.

Putting an end to his thoughts, he made a mad dash ahead with all his strength, intending to stop his Master as if his life depended on it, which actually did.

Daisuke was not about to let Naoki commit a grave mistake.