RAINING MEN

The thought reassured the Young Master—for now. His rigid posture loosened ever so slightly as he allowed himself a fleeting moment of relief, yet deep within the cavernous recesses of his mind, doubt festered like a slow poison.

‘If not Otako—then who?’

And more importantly—‘how powerful was this unknown force to warrant the intervention of his strong warriors?’

His fingers instinctively curled into a vice-like grip around the silk sash at his waist. The fine material crumpled under the force of his grasp, mirroring the storm brewing within him. His breath steadied, but his heartbeat remained erratic. Regardless of the answers, one thing remained immutable: he would obtain the elixir—no matter the cost.