CHAPTER 29- The Caged Prince

The tension thickened. Akemi, silent until now, stepped forward. Without warning, she slapped Yoto.

The squad fell into stunned silence.

Yushin's voice cut through the air, laced with anger. "Akemi, what do you think you're doing?"

Akemi, tears brimming in her eyes, grabbed Yoto by the collar. "Yoto… did you even think about Hayato? Sensei just told us the risks, and you you didn't even hesitate. Was that kid's life worth risking his? Answer me!"

She raised her hand to slap him again, but Hataki caught her wrist mid-air. "Akemi, cool down."

Akemi, sobbing, turned away, unable to face anyone. Yoto froze, his head bowed, unable to utter a single word in response to Akemi's reaction.

Ken approached Yoto, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yoto, you did nothing wrong. You saved a kid's life you don't have to feel guilty."

Yoto's expression hardened. With a steady voice, he replied, "No, Sir Ken. If they saw my face… it wouldn't have just been my mistake it could've cost all of us, cost Hayato. I won't let that happen again."

He turned and started walking forward, not stopping to engage further. Yushin attempted to speak to him, but Yoto kept moving. As he approached Akemi, he paused. "I'm sorry, Akemi. I will be careful."

Then, without another word, he moved on.

The team walked out of the village and entered an open field. Hataki led the way toward the second village, Hoshimura. The Sirocaan nation consisted of three villages, with the castle where Hayato resided in the third. To reach the castle, they had no choice but to pass through Hoshimura. The long route around was impossible it was surrounded by towering mountains, forming a natural barrier, as if guarding the city against intruders.

The sun began to set, and the air cooled, a gentle breeze sweeping across the open plains.

As they walked, Eiji lagged behind, drenched in sweat and barely able to take another step. "Sensei… Sensei… I'm thirsty… I'm hungry… I don't have the energy to walk anymore… Can we take a break?"

Hataki analyzed the situation, glancing at the map. After a moment, he made a decision. "Everyone, let's rest here for the night. It's been a long day, and Hoshimura is close. We'll move first thing in the morning."

Akemi frowned. "Sensei, if we delay, Hayato might be in danger. This might be the best time to infiltrate the castle and take him back with us. Don't you think?"

Hataki met her gaze. "You're absolutely right, Akemi. But the team doesn't have the strength to push forward. We haven't eaten in nearly twenty-four hours. It's better to restore our energy and go in with a proper plan."

Akemi bit her lip, unable to argue further. She turned away and sat on the ground, frustrated.

Hataki then addressed the group. "Alright, someone start a fire. I'll try to find food."

Kaito chuckled. " what do you expect to find at this hour, in the middle of an open field?"

Hataki raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a better plan, Kaito?"

With a smirk, Kaito reached into his cloak and pulled out a chunk of meat. "Here. Will this do, Hataki?"

Ken's eyes widened. "Where did you get that?"

Kaito grinned. "Back when all the commotion was happening in the streets—when Yoto went to fight those thugs—I took this meat chunk. Figured it might come in handy later."

Hataki sighed but couldn't help but smile. "As sly as ever, huh? So, you stole it."

Kaito shrugged. "I wouldn't say I stole it. I'd say I helped us all."

Ginrou laughed. "Well, since we already have the meat, let's cook it. It looks delicious."

Hataki smirked. "Ginrou, why are you acting so childishly all of a sudden?"

Ginrou beamed. "Because it's meat! It's so juicy, so tender… The crisp sound when you bite into it haaa, pure heaven!"

Hataki shook his head. "Ginrou, are you okay? You're supposed to be the general of the Beastman Army, yet the thing that tempts you most is food."

Ginrou clapped his hands. "Let me handle the cooking! Please!"

Kaito groaned. "Oye! Don't eat it all before it's even cooked! We're all starving!"

Ginrou grinned. "Okay, okay, I got it."

Ken, watching the exchange, murmured, "Why is Ginrou acting like a kid all of a sudden?"

Hataki sighed. "Don't ask me."

A fire was started, and Ginrou cooked the meat to perfection. He served it on leaves, enhancing its aroma. As they ate, everyone let out sounds of appreciation.

Eiji, ravenous, devoured his portion like a wild animal. When he tried to snatch a piece from Ginrou's plate, Ginrou swiftly grabbed his head. "Oye, kid. Do you have a death wish? How dare you touch my meat?!"

Eiji, eyes watering, begged, "Sorry! Sorry! Please spare me! I won't do it again!"

Meanwhile, Yoto sat a little apart from the group, staring out at the fields. Akemi approached, holding a piece of meat wrapped in a leaf. "Yoto, it's time to eat."

Yoto glanced at her, then accepted the food. "Thank you, Akemi."

She sat beside him as he ate. "Yoto… about earlier… I..I shouldn't have hit you. I just… when I heard what Sensei said about Hayato, I couldn't think straight. When Sensei said that blowing our cover might endanger Hayato's life… and then you just jumped into trouble to save that kid… I was I was so scared. What if our cover had been blown? What if we put Hayato in danger? I couldn't bear the thought of him getting hurt. I'm sorry, Yoto."

Yoto gave her a small smile. "He's like a brother to me, Akemi. Do you think I would ever let Hayato be endangered? I just couldn't stand seeing them kicking a powerless kid and a girl. What do they think of people's lives? We've fought so many enemies but only the bad guys. Sensei never taught us how to kill. He taught us how to help, how to fight, and how to win. That's all."

Akemi smiled. "That is so like you, Yoto."

By the fire, Yushin watched Akemi and Yoto talking and laughing. Seeing them make up brought a soft smile to her face.

Hataki spoke up. "Alright, let's put out the fire before it catches someone's attention. Let's rest."

Meanwhile, in the castle…

Hayato sat at a long dining table, filled with lavish dishes. Even as he ate, a man stood beside him, watching his every move.

After dinner, the man escorted Hayato to his room. As the door shut, he sneered. "You really are obedient, aren't you, kid? With all that power, yet you sit, eat, and follow orders. Just like a well-trained pet. I like you kid, But remember… pets that misbehave don't last long. I will be waiting for the day You get into my hands but until then" His chuckle was laced with malice. "Good night, my prince. No… my future king."

Hayato sat against the door, his heart heavy. "What should I do? Do I even have a way out?"

Elsewhere in the castle, in the dead of night, two figures crept into a room. Swords drawn, they loomed over a sleeping figure.

One of them whispered, "John, you psychopath… For your entertainment, you play with our lives. If this continues, you'll kill every person in this castle. Killing you is the only option."

They nodded to each other and struck simultaneously. 

Their swords snapped on impact.

"The blades....they snapped"

John yawned, sitting up. "Oye… did your little plan fail? I'll give you a second chance tomorrow… if you're still alive by morning."

The assassins screamed in terror. "No! No! Please!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"